加尔文 / John Calvin
In this psalm there is celebrated some notable deliverance of the city of Jerusalem at a time when many kings had conspired to destroy it. The prophet, (whoever was the author of the psalm,) after having given thanks to God for this deliverance, takes occasion from thence to extol in magnificent terms the happy state of that city, seeing it had God for its continual guardian and protector. It would not have been enough for the people of God to have felt and acknowledged that they were once preserved and defended by the power of God, had they not at the same time been assured of being also preserved and protected by the same God in the time to come, because he had adopted them for his peculiar people. The prophet, therefore, chiefly insists upon this point, that it was not in vain that the sanctuary of God was erected upon mount Zion, but that his name was there called upon in order that his power might be conspicuously manifested for the salvation of his people. It is easy to gather from the subject-matter of the psalm that it was composed after the death of David. I indeed admit that among David’s enemies there were some foreign kings, and that it was not for want of will on their part that the city of Jerusalem was not utterly destroyed; but we do not read that they ever proceeded the length of besieging it, and reducing it to such extremity as to render it necessary that their efforts should be repressed by a wonderful manifestation of the power of God. It is more probable that the psalm is to be referred to the time of king Ahaz, when the city was besieged and the inhabitants brought to the point of utter despair, and when, nevertheless, the siege was suddenly raised, (2 Kings 16:5;) or else to the time of Jehoshaphat and Asa, (2 Chronicles 14:9; and 20:2) for we know that under their reigns Jerusalem was preserved from utter destruction only by miraculous aid from heaven. This we are to regard as certain, that the Psalmist here exhibited to true believers an example of the favor of God towards them, from which they had reason to acknowledge that their condition was happy, seeing God had chosen for himself a dwelling-place upon mount Zion, that from thence he might preside over them for their good and safety.
本诗篇庆祝耶路撒冷城的一次显著拯救，彼时众王合谋毁灭此城。诗人（无论作者为谁），在为此拯救向上帝献上感恩之后，藉此机会以宏大的辞藻颂扬那城的福乐境况，因为上帝是其永恒的保护者与护卫者。上帝子民若仅仅感受并承认自己曾一度蒙上帝大能保守，却不同时确信将来亦蒙同一上帝保守，这还远远不够，因祂已拣选他们作祂的特别子民。因此，诗人着重强调这一要点：上帝的圣所建于锡安山，并非徒然，乃是要在那里呼求祂的名，使祂的大能得以彰显，拯救祂的子民。从本诗的主旨内容，不难判断它是在大卫死后所作。诚然，大卫的仇敌中有外邦王，他们非因无意，才未能彻底毁灭耶路撒冷城；但我们并未读到他们曾围困此城，将其逼至非借上帝奇异大能干预不能脱困的地步。更可能的是，本诗当指亚哈斯王之时，城被围困，居民绝望万分，然而围困忽然撤解（王下十六5）；或指约沙法与亚撒之时（代下十四9；二十2），我们知道在他们执政期间，耶路撒冷能免于毁灭，全赖天上的神迹大能。可以确定的是，诗人在此向真信徒展示了上帝恩惠的一个实例：上帝在敌人的强大势力面前挺身而出，使他们得以认识到自己的处境是蒙福的，因上帝拣选了锡安山为祂的居所，从那里看顾保护他们。
A song of praise of the sons of Korah.
可拉子孙的颂歌。
48:1-3
1. Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. 2. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. 3. God in her palaces is known for a defence, [or fortress.]
1．耶和华本为大，在我们上帝的城中，在祂的圣山上，该受大赞美。2．锡安山——大君王之城——佳美高耸，全地所喜悦，在北面居高临下。3．上帝在其宫殿中，自显为保障。
1．耶和华本为大，该受大赞美。诗人在提及那特别的恩惠实例之前，先笼统地陈明：耶路撒冷城之所以蒙福兴旺，乃因上帝施恩，亲自承担了保护并维系此城的职责。由此，他将上帝的教会从世界万民中分别出来；当上帝从全人类中拣选少数人，以父爱怀抱他们，这是祂赐给他们无价的恩惠。祂奇妙的良善与公义在治理整个世界中彰显，以至于万地无处不充满对祂的颂赞，我们随处都有大量赞美祂的题材。然而，这里受感动的诗人所歌颂的，是上帝保护教会所彰显的荣耀。他说，耶和华为大，在圣城中该受大赞美。但难道祂在全世界不也是如此吗？诚然如此。如我所说，没有任何隐秘之处，祂的智慧、公义与良善不透入其中；但既然祂的旨意是要祂的荣耀尤其并特别地在教会中彰显，诗人理所当然地将这面镜子摆在我们眼前，上帝在其中更清晰、更生动地彰显祂的性情。他称耶路撒冷为圣山，一语道出它成为上帝特别之城的权利与缘由：因为约柜奉神命设置于此。这话的要旨是：若耶路撒冷如同一座宏伟壮丽的剧场，上帝要在其中展示祂威严的伟大，这并非因其自身的功德，乃是因约柜奉上帝命令立于此，作为祂特别恩惠的记号与象征。2．锡安山——佳美高耸，全地所喜悦。为印证前言，诗人颂扬了当时锡安山闻名遐迩的诸般美德；在这些美德中，可见我方才所说上帝的荣耀。他首先提到的位置之美，固为天然；但他藉此告诉我们，从最初起，此城秀丽的景观就已铭刻了上帝恩惠的印记，仅此景色便可显明上帝特意妆点润泽此地，意在将来将其分别为圣。然而，我认为诗人所称颂的，不仅是其在犹大地无与伦比的自然风光；众所周知，另有些城池在土地肥沃、风景宜人及其他优势上，未必逊于耶路撒冷。依我之见，诗人在颂扬此城的位置之时，也涵括了它从另一源头获得的荣耀——即上帝的殿建造于此。因此，当我们听到此城之美被颂扬时，当回想那加于其自然之美之上的属灵之美，这美是在先知宣告约柜将永驻于此之后才添加的。关于 noph 一词，我译作”位置”，注释家们意见不一。有人认为是高度或海拔，意指耶路撒冷建在高峻的地势上。另有人译作”气候”，因为希伯来人比喻性地称气候带为”枝条”，以其延伸之广。此类细节无关宏旨，我不欲深究，只选了我认为最为妥切的译法，即这片土地的景观卓绝秀美，令人赏心悦目。至于诗人说锡安山”在北面”，其意或是以北向为锡安山之美的一种赞誉；或当如此解释：尽管锡安山面北，也丝毫无损其美观。前一种解释在我看来更为自然。先知以赛亚在描述此山的卓越时，亦用了此处相同的措辞；在他的预言第十四章第十三节，他记录西拿基立如此说：”我要升到天上，我要高举我的宝座在上帝众星之上；我要坐在聚会的山上，在北方极处。”其次，诗人称锡安山为全地所喜悦——此称呼不仅因该地气候宜人（犹太人喜爱此说，实属肤浅），也不仅因出产甘美佳果，足以取悦外邦——这些说法皆属空洞无益的推测——乃因救恩要从那里流出至全世界，正如万国都从那里汲取了生命之光与天上恩典的见证。若人的喜乐没有上帝，终必走向毁灭，其笑声也终必变为切齿。但基督从锡安带着福音而来，要以真实的喜乐与永恒的福乐充满世界。在先知的时代，福音的知识固然尚未传至外邦；但他如此表达极为恰当，要教导犹太人：真正的福气只当从上帝恩约中寻求，那恩约就存放在那圣地之中。与此同时，他也预言了那最终在基督降临时得以成就的事。由此我们可知，要使敬虔人的心得喜乐，单单上帝的恩惠便已绰绰有余；相反，一旦祂的恩惠撤去，众人都必陷入愁苦与悲伤。随后关于大君王之城的话，意在表明锡安山不仅自身为圣，更藉这崇高特权，使整个城市成圣——因上帝拣选此地为祂的宝座，从这里统治万民。3．上帝在其宫殿中，自显为保障。圣诗人再次搬出上帝对耶路撒冷城的保护，用以彰显其尊荣；正如我们在诗篇四十六篇5节所见：”上帝在其中，城必不动摇；黎明时，上帝必帮助她。”他特别提到宫殿，是出于对比——要教导犹太人，尽管圣城有坚固的楼台，城内有宏伟壮观、宛如堡垒的宅院，她的平安仍全系于上帝一人的大能与帮助。藉这些话，上帝的子民受到教导：他们虽居于营垒宫殿之中，却当格外谨慎，不可让这宏伟壮观遮蔽了上帝大能的光辉；不可像世人那样，仰赖财富与地上的援助，将上帝作保护者与护卫者的职分视为无足轻重。世俗的财富，出于我们本性的乖僻，往往使我们眼花缭乱，忘却上帝；因此，我们当格外用心默想这一真道：凡我们所有、似乎值得珍视之物，都不可遮蔽我们对上帝大能与恩典的认识；上帝的荣耀当在祂所赐一切恩赐中清晰地发光，使我们唯在祂里面自认富足蒙福，别无他处。
48:4-7
4. For, behold! the kings assembled, they passed away together. 5. They saw, so they marvelled; they were frightened, they fled precipitately. 6. Fear 192 seized upon them there, and pain as of a woman in travail. 7. By the east wind thou breakest in pieces the ships of Tarshish.
4．你看哪，众王会合，一同经过。5．他们见了便惊奇，他们慌忙逃跑。6．他们在那里被惊恐抓住，有疼痛，如同产难的妇人一样。7．你用东风打破他施的船只。
4 For, behold! the kings assembled Here that special deliverance of which I have spoken is touched upon. The prophet relates how, when the kings were assembled together to destroy Jerusalem, their efforts passed away without producing any effect, even as clouds in the atmosphere vanish away; yea, he tells us, that by a simple look at the city, they were defeated and undone, and that not after an ordinary manner, but like a woman who, when the hour of child-birth has come upon her, finds herself suddenly afflicted with pain and sorrow. We cannot affirm with certainty what particular part of Jewish history the prophet here speaks of; but the statements made suit very well both the time of Ahaz, and that of Hezekiah or Asa. It was indeed a wonderful work of God, when two very powerful kings — the king of Syria and the king of Israel, accompanied with an immense army — had smitten the city with such terror, that the king and his people were brought to the brink of despair, to see this formidable host suddenly routed and disappointed of the certain expectation which they entertained of making themselves masters of the city. Hence the prophet Isaiah 7:4 ironically calls them “smoking firebrands,” because they were, so to speak, burning torches to kindle and consume by fire the whole country of Judea. Nor was the destruction of the countless host of Sennacherib in one night by an angel, without the intervention of man’s agency, a less stupendous miracle, (2 Kings 19:35; Isaiah 37:36.) In like manner, when the king of Ethiopia gathered together an army of ten hundred thousand men, and came to besiege Jerusalem, the overthrow of so great a host was a memorable instance of the power of God, (2 Chronicles 14:9.) But whatever was the occasion on which this psalm was composed, the sacred writer informs us that the Jews found from manifest experience that God was the guardian and protector of the holy city, when he opposed himself to the invincible power of their enemies. He first declares that the kings assembled By these words he intimates that they had confederated and conspired together to destroy the Church. The expression, passed away together, may be explained in two ways; either as meaning that the armies when they had gathered themselves together were reduced to nothing, or that they undertook together, and with one consent, the expedition, as it were marshalled in battle array. This second sense seems to me the most suitable to the scope of the passage; for it follows immediately after in the fifth verse, that they stood stricken with astonishment whenever they saw the city; and yet there will be no impropriety in understanding this verse as added by way of amplification. But as it affects very little the substance of the passage which of these two interpretations is adopted, I leave the reader to choose that which he considers the most appropriate. When the Psalmist says that upon beholding the city they marvelled — were frightened — fled precipitately — and were seized with sorrow, like the pangs of a woman in travail — he heaps together as many and varied expressions as possible, in order to set forth the greatness of the miracle which God had wrought in the overthrow of such a vast and formidable host. The language should be resolved thus: As soon as they saw the city they marvelled. It is related of Caesar in ancient times, that when speaking of the ease with which he subdued Egypt, he made use of the laconic saying, “I came, I saw, I conquered;” but the prophet here states, on the contrary, that the ungodly were struck with amazement at the mere sight of the city, as if God had dazzled their eyes with the splendor of his glory. The particle , ken, so, is put as it were to show the thing by pointing to it with the finger. In the verse which immediately follows, the adverb , sham, there, is used in the same sense. The comparison of a woman in travail is intended to express the sudden change which came upon the enemies of Israel. It afforded a more bright and illustrious manifestation of the grace of God, that they were seized with a fear which they had not anticipated, lost their courage all at once, and from the height of secure and presumptuous pride, instantly fell into such a state of terror, and were so confounded, that they precipitately betook themselves to flight. 193 From this passage we are taught that it is no uncommon thing, if in our day the Church is assailed by powerful adversaries, and has to sustain dreadful assaults; for it has been God’s usual way from the beginning thus to humble his own people, in order to give more irrefragable and striking proofs of his wonderful power. At the same time, let us remember that a nod alone on the part of God is sufficient to deliver us; and that, although our enemies may be ready to fall upon us on every side to overwhelm us, it is in his power, whenever he pleases, to strike them with amazement of spirit, and thus to make their hearts fail in a moment in the very midst of their efforts against us. Let this reflection serve as a bridle to keep our minds from being drawn away, to look in all directions for human aid. 7. By the east wind 194 thou breakest in pieces the ships of Tarshish Commentators are divided in their view of this passage. 195 But let us rest contented with the natural sense, which is simply this, that the enemies of the Church were overthrown and plunged into destruction, just as God by suddenly raising storms sinks the ships of Cilicia to the bottom of the sea. The Psalmist celebrates the power which God is accustomed to display in great and violent storms; and his language implies that it is not to be wondered at if God, who breaks by the violence of the winds the strongest ships, had also overthrown his enemies, who were inflated with the presumptuous confidence which they reposed in their own strength. By the sea of Tarshish the Hebrews mean the Mediterranean Sea, because of the country of Cilicia, which in ancient times was called Tarshish, as Josephus informs us, although in process of time this name came to be restricted to one city of the country. But as the chief part of the naval traffic of the Jews was with Cilicia, there is here attributed to that country by synecdoche what was common to other countries which were at a greater distance and less known.
4．你看哪，众王会合。此处触及我前面提到的那次特别拯救。诗人叙述：当众王聚集要毁灭耶路撒冷时，他们的企图化为乌有，如同天空中的云彩消散；甚至仅凭眺望此城，他们便一败涂地，且非寻常的方式，乃如产妇分娩来临，猝然被痛苦所袭。我们无法确定诗人所指犹太历史的哪一具体事件；但这些描述对亚哈斯时代，以及希西家或亚撒时代，都十分贴切。那实乃上帝奇妙的作为：叙利亚王与以色列王这两位强大的王，率领庞大的军队使全城惊慌，王与百姓绝望至极，竟见这可怕的联军突然溃败，白白落空了他们确信必能夺城的盼望。因此，先知以赛亚在七章4节讽刺地称他们为”两根冒烟的火把头”，因他们有如两支燃烧的火炬，意图将整个犹大地付之一炬。同样奇异的神迹，是西拿基立率领的无数大军在一夜之间被天使击杀，未藉人手介入（王下十九35；赛三十七36）。同样，当古实王率领一百万大军前来围攻耶路撒冷时，如此众多的军队被覆灭，乃是上帝大能的彰显（代下十四9）。无论本诗写于何种历史背景，圣经作者告诉我们，犹太人从亲历的经验中确知：上帝是圣城的守护者与保护者，因祂与他们不可战胜的仇敌对立。他先说众王会合，藉此表明他们已缔结联盟，同谋毁灭教会。”一同经过”这个表达可有两种解释：或指大军聚集后化为乌有；或指他们一同并肩、齐心合意地进行了这次出征，仿佛整队成阵。第二种解释在我看来更契合文意，因为紧接着第五节说，他们一看见这城便大为震惊；但若将此句理解为补充说明，也不失妥当。然而，两种解释对本段实质影响甚微，我留待读者自行取舍。诗人说他们看见城便惊奇——慌张——仓皇而逃——并像产妇分娩一样被痛苦袭击，他叠用多种表达，是为了极力彰显上帝覆灭如此庞大可怕的军队这一神迹的伟大。原文应如此理解：他们一看见城便惊奇。古时凯撒曾以一句简短的话描述他轻松征服埃及：”我来，我见，我胜”；但诗人在此恰恰相反——说不虔的人仅仅看见那城便惊骇发呆，好似上帝以祂荣耀的光辉令他们眼花缭乱。小品词 ken（”就”）好似用手指指着事物示人。紧随其后的第六节，副词 sham（”那里”）亦含相同意思。产妇分娩之苦的比喻，意在表达以色列仇敌所经历的突然逆转：这更清晰地彰显了上帝恩典的荣耀，因他们猝然被出乎意料的惊恐所抓住，霎时间丧失勇气，从高傲自恃的顶点，一落而为惊慌失措，仓皇奔逃。我们由此段受到教导：如今教会若受强大仇敌攻击，遭受可怕的冲击，也不足为奇，因为上帝历来惯于如此贬卑祂的子民，为要更有力、更显著地证明祂奇妙的大能。同时，让我们记住：上帝一点头便足以拯救我们；纵使仇敌四面围困、汹涌来袭，祂随时可以叫他们心神惊惶，使他们在进攻的当中即刻心胆俱寒。愿这思想作为辔头，约束我们的心，不让我们四处张望、寻求人的帮助。7．你用东风打破他施的船只。注释家对此段意见不一，但我们当以其自然含义为满足，意思不过是：教会的仇敌被倾覆而沉没，正如上帝骤然掀起风暴，将基利家的船只击沉于海底。诗人颂扬上帝在狂风暴雨中惯常所彰显的大能，他的话暗示：上帝能以狂风击碎最坚固的船只，也必同样推翻那些恃己之力、妄自骄横的仇敌，这有何奇异。希伯来人所称的他施之海，即地中海，因为这片土地古时称为他施，如约瑟夫所记，即基利家，虽此名后来仅限于该地某一城市。然而，由于犹太人大部分的海上贸易往来于基利家，此处以提喻法将其他更遥远、知之甚少的地方通称于其名下。
48:8-10
8. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of Jehovah of hosts, [or armies,] in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. 9. O God! we have waited for thy mercy in the midst of thy temple. 10. As is thy name, O God! so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
8．我们所听见的，在万军之耶和华的城、在我们上帝的城里，我们也亲眼看见了。上帝必坚立这城，直到永远。（细拉）9．上帝啊，我们在你殿中默念你的慈爱。10．上帝啊，你受的赞美与你的名相称，直到地极。你的右手满了公义。
8．我们所听见的，如今也亲眼看见了。此段可有两种解释，各自均属妥当。其一是：圣经作者代表真信徒发言，宣告上帝昔日拯救他们列祖时所彰显的大能，如今也施行于他们这后代之身。他们曾从列祖口中听闻，也从圣史中学到上帝如何在祂大怜悯与慈父之爱中扶持祂的教会；如今他们声称，这不单是听来的消息，更是亲眼所见，因为他们亲身经历了上帝对他们施行同样的怜悯。所言的要旨是：信徒不仅在历史中留有上帝良善与大能的记载，更亲身经历，甚至目睹了那昔日只听说、只从列祖口中得知的事；因此，上帝始终如一，一代又一代地以全新的经历，印证祂在古时所彰显的恩典范例。另一种理解则略显深刻，却也十分贴切：上帝切实成就了祂对子民所应许的；好像信徒说，他们先前只是听说的事，如今已亲眼目睹。当我们手中只有上帝赤裸裸的应许时，祂的恩典与救恩仍隐藏于盼望之中；但当这些应许得以成就，祂的恩典与救恩便清晰地彰显出来。若接受这种解释，其中包含丰富的真道：上帝不会令祂藉着话语在我们心中所激起的盼望落空，祂的施予从不比应许更慷慨，祂的践行也从不逊于应许。文中”在城中”，介词 beth 通作 mem 或 lamed，即”关乎”或”在……方面”。诗人不是说信徒在耶路撒冷得知上帝将帮助祂的仆人——尽管这当然也属实——乃是说上帝从起初直至今日，始终是祂自己之城仁慈可信的守护者。诗人特别提到”上帝的城”，因祂并不应许对所有人一视同仁地施以护佑，乃只对祂所拣选的特别子民。”万军之耶和华”这名号表达上帝的大能；但紧接着信徒加上”我们的上帝”，是为了指向他们的被收纳，使他们得以仰赖祂，坦然自由地来就祂。在尼西亚第二次会议上，与会的好父老们扭曲此段，借以证明在教会中传授真道还不够，还须有图画与雕像来加以确认。这种愚昧不堪，有损斯文，若非有益于我们认清那些意图以此败坏上帝教会之人，确已被可怕的昏迷与愚顽之灵所击打，本不值得一提。这节末尾的话将耶路撒冷与世界其他一切经历变迁、只能兴旺一时的城市区分开来。耶路撒冷既由上帝建立，便在世界各样动荡变迁中坚定不移；上帝祖祖代代维持祂所拣选的城——其名要在那里被永远呼求——这是不足为奇的。然而或有人反驳：这城后来确被毁灭，百姓也被掳流亡。但这并不违背此处所言；因为在那事发生之前，耶利米二十七章二十二节早已预言了此城的重建；因此，当重建发生时，上帝以特别的方式真实地彰显了祂工作的稳固。如今，自基督降临更新了世界，凡古时对那城所说的一切，都属于那散布在全地各处的属灵耶路撒冷。因此，每当我们的心志受到搅扰困惑，当回想这真道：无论何等危险与忧惧威胁我们，上帝所建立的教会的安全，虽可遭受剧烈震荡，却永远不会被任何强大的攻击削弱至倾覆沉沦的地步。文中”必坚立”这个将来时，可作过去时理解，即”已坚立”；但这不影响其含义。9．上帝啊，我们在你殿中默念你的慈爱。此节教导我们，信徒是借着上帝的大能得蒙保守的；因为在万事极度混乱之时，他们平静安稳，耐心等候，直到上帝终于怜悯他们，带来帮助。希伯来文 damam，我们译作”默念”，本义是”沉默”，此处用以表达心灵的平静。由此我们可知：上帝的子民深受危难的侵扰，若听凭肉身的感觉与理智，便会被恐惧所淹没；正如我们所知，人们在信心使他们的心得以平静、在真实的忍耐中安稳下来之前，始终处于不断的骚动中，被相反的浪潮东西飘荡。诗人所言的要旨是：信徒虽受重压，却并未偏离方向，不得依靠上帝的帮助；反而藉着忍耐与盼望，为祂的恩典打开了门。上帝的帮助未令他们的期待落空，这更放大并彰显了祂恩典的伟大。由此我们也可引出有益的警示：若上帝的帮助从我们身上撤去，乃因我们不信祂的应许，以不耐烦阻挡了那为耐心等候者所预备的恩典流向我们。”在你殿中”是何意？难道上帝的子民只在殿中维持信心，一回到各自家中便不再盼望了吗？绝非如此；他们必将在殿中所怀的盼望带回家去，使其得以坚守。上帝既应许那呼求祂之地将成为祂大能与恩典的宝座与居所，祂的子民在此声称：他们倚靠这天上的应许，深信上帝必对他们施恩，因他们已有一个真实可靠的凭据，证明祂的同在。我们不可凭着自己的臆想，以为上帝会拯救我们。我们相信祂必拯救，唯当基于祂甘心乐意地以此形象向我们自我呈现。若这上帝同在的象征或凭据，在旧约时代只不过是影子，尚且应当如此深深影响真信徒的心，使他们能在死亡中盼望生命，那么如今基督已降临在我们中间，将我们与天父的联合更为紧密，我们便更有充分的理由，纵使世界乱成一团、颠覆翻转，仍保持心神不乱的平静。我们所当努力的，只是使上帝的敬拜在我们中间纯全兴旺，使祂殿的荣耀在我们中间发光。10．上帝啊，你受的赞美与你的名相称。有人将此节与前句相连，仿佛说：主啊，你吩咐我们颂扬你的名，并非徒然，因你同时也供给赞美的题材。如此，其含义便是：上帝的名被有效地彰显高举，或者说祂的应许与大能同时彰显。另有人提出略显精妙的解释：上帝的作为与祂的名相符；在希伯来文中，祂被称为 El，取其大能之义，祂在实际上证明这名并非徒然，人们对祂的称赞是正当应得的。前一种解释不那么生硬，也更接近圣经作者的文字与心意，即：上帝以祂的作为证明，犹太人承认并敬拜祂为真实且唯一的上帝，并非虚妄。然而，当我省察紧接其后的话语——”直到地极”——我以为先知另有所指：无论上帝名的声誉传到何处，人们都会知道祂配受至高的赞美。此话含有一个隐含的对比。彼时，偶像的名声众所周知，风行全球；然而，无论这些假神获得了何等名望，我们知道赞美在任何方面都不属于它们，因为在它们身上根本找不到任何神性的迹象。与此相反，诗人在此宣告：主啊，无论在世界何处听见你的名，必恒久伴随着真实且正当的赞美；或者说，那赞美的题材必随之而来，因为全世界都会明白你如何对待你所拣选的子民。紧接着所加的话意义相同：你的右手满了公义——教导我们，上帝在扶助祂子民时清晰彰显祂的公义，好似将祂的手臂伸向我们，使我们得以以手触摸祂的公义；且祂所显示的，不只是一两个公义的表现，而是在一切事上、一切地方都向我们显明其完全的证明。我们当记住前文曾说的：上帝的公义是指祂维护并保护子民时所守的信实。由此对我们产生无可估量的安慰：上帝特别要在其中被认为是公义的工作，就在于供应我们福祉所需并维系我们的安全。我们现在明白了受感动的诗人所要说的：假神的名声盛行于世，声誉广播，却没有任何真正赞美的题材；而以色列的上帝则截然不同，无论祂的名声传到何处，众人都将明白祂是拯救祂子民的主，祂不令他们的盼望落空，也不在危难中撇弃他们。
48:11-14
11. Mount Zion shall rejoice, the daughters 199 of Judah shall be glad, because of thy judgments. 12. Encompass Zion, and go round about her, number her towers. 13. Set your hearts 200 to her walls, exalt her towers, 201 that ye may make report to the generation to come. 14. For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
11．锡安山哪，你当欢喜！犹大的城邑哪，你们当快乐！都因耶和华的判断。12．你们要周游锡安，四围绕着她，数点她的高台。13．留心看她的外墙，细察她的宫殿，为要传说给后代。14．因为这上帝永永远远是我们的上帝；他必引导我们直到死亡。
11 Mount Zion shall rejoice The Psalmist now concludes his exhortation to rejoicing, telling us that Jerusalem and the other cities of Judea shall have cause to commend the righteousness of God, 202 because they had found from undoubted experience that he was the protector of their welfare. He here makes use of the word judgment, because God, who undertook the cause of his Church, openly showed that he was the enemy of her oppressors, and that he would repress their presumption and audacity. 12 and 13 Encompass Zion, etc. Here the prophet again commends the situation and beauty of Jerusalem, intimating that the city was strongly fortified and impregnable; and he does this, because in these external things the blessing of God in some respect shone forth. We must always bear in mind what he stated in a preceding verse, that “God in her palaces is known for a fortress.” In making mention here of her towers and walls, we are not to suppose that he would have the minds of the faithful to rest in these things. He rather sets them before us as a mirror in which the character of God may be seen. He therefore says, Encompass Zion that is, look upon it carefully and attentively on every side; — number her towers, and apply your mind to consider her walls; that is, estimate her palaces as they deserve, and thus it will be manifest beyond all doubt that this is a city chosen of God, seeing it far surpasses all other cities. In insisting upon these points, his whole drift is to make manifest the character with which the Lord had invested Jerusalem in making it a sacred place, in which he himself might take up his abode, and in erecting it as a dwelling-place for his people. It seems, moreover, that the prophet, in stating that the object of his exhortation was, that the beauty and magnificence of the holy city might be reported to the succeeding generation, tacitly gives us to understand, that the time would at length come when that city would be no longer seen. What need would there be for making this report if it could be seen and were always before the eyes of the world? Although, then, he has said a little before that Jerusalem is established for ever, yet he now teaches us, by way of correction, what kind of perpetuity it will be — that it will endure only till the time of the renovation of the Church. We belong to that generation to come, to whom it is said these things will be reported; for we are sharers in all the benefits which God, in the days of old, bestowed upon his ancient people. The outward splendor for which Jerusalem was admired does not, indeed, stand forth conspicuous amongst us at the present day; but since the coming of Christ into our world, the Church has been no less richly and magnificently adorned with spiritual gifts than Jerusalem, under the shadows of the Law, was in old time surrounded and fortified with strong walls and towers. I have translated the word , pasgu, exalt, referring it to the value which ought to be put upon the towers of the city because of their excellence. To explain it, as is done by some, fortify or strengthen, seems to be less suitable. If any are inclined rather to follow the interpretation of those who render it look upon or behold, I have no great objection to it. 14. For this God is our God for ever and ever From these words it appears still more clearly, that when the prophet spake of the palaces of Jerusalem, it was not that the godly should keep their eyes fixed upon them, but that by the aid of these outward things they should elevate their minds to the contemplation of the glory of God. God would have them to behold, as it were, the marks of his grace engraven wherever they turned themselves, or rather, to recognize him as present in these marks. From this we conclude, that whatever dignity or excellence shines forth in the Church, we are not to consider it otherwise than as the means of presenting God to our view, that we may magnify and praise him in his gifts. The demonstrative pronoun , zeh, this, is not superfluous; it is put to distinguish the only true God, of whose existence and character the faithful were fully persuaded, from all the false gods which men have set themselves to invent. The unbelieving may boldly speak of the name of God, and prate about religion; but however much they may do this, when they are more closely questioned, it will be found that they have nothing certain or settled on the subject. Yea, the vain imaginations and inventions of those who are not grounded in the true faith must necessarily come to nothing. It is, then, the property of faith to set before us not a confused but a distinct knowledge of God, and such as may not leave us wavering, as superstition leaves its votaries, which, we know, is always introducing some new counterfeit deities and in countless numbers. We ought, therefore, so much the more to mark the emphatic demonstrative pronoun this, which is here used. We meet with an almost similar passage in the prophecies of Isaiah, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation:”— Isaiah 25:9 as if the faithful had protested and declared, We have not an uncertain God, or a God of whom we have only a confused and an indistinct apprehension, but one of whom we have a true and solid knowledge. When the faithful here declare that God will continue unchangeably steadfast to his purpose in maintaining his Church, their object is to encourage and strengthen themselves to persevere in a continued course of faith. What follows immediately after, He will be our guide even unto death, seems to be added by way of exposition. In making this statement, the people of God assure themselves that he will be their guide and keeper for ever. They are not to be understood as meaning that they will be safe under the government and conduct of God in this life only, and that he will abandon them in the midst of death; but they express generally, and according to the common people’s way of speaking, 203 what I have stated, that God will take care of all who rely upon him even to the end. What we translate, Even unto death, consists of two words in the Hebrew text, , al muth; but some read in one word, , almuth, and take it for age or eternity 204 The sense, however, will be the same whether we read the one way or the other. Others translate it childhood,
11．锡安山哪，你当欢喜。诗人在此结束他的劝勉，呼召众人欢欣，告诉我们：耶路撒冷与犹大各城必有理由颂扬上帝的公义，因他们从无可置疑的经历中发现，上帝是他们福祉的保护者。他在此使用”判断”一词，因上帝承担了教会的事业，公开表明祂是压迫者的仇敌，必要遏制他们的嚣张与妄为。12、13．周游锡安，等。先知再次颂扬耶路撒冷的地位与美观，表明此城工事坚固，无可攻破；他如此做，是因为在这些外在的事物上，上帝的祝福在某种程度上得以彰显。我们当时刻牢记他在前节所说的：”上帝在其宫殿中，自显为保障。”他在此提到楼台与城墙，并非要信徒的心思停留于此。他宁可将这些事物摆在我们眼前，作为镜子，使我们在其中得见上帝的性情。因此，他说：周游锡安，即从各方仔细用心地观看它；数点她的高台，留心思想她的城墙；亦即，按其应有的价值来评估她的宫殿，如此，上帝已拣选此城一事便无可置疑地彰显出来，因它远超其他一切城市。在强调这些要点时，他的全部用意是要彰显主对耶路撒冷所赋予的特质：祂使之成为圣地，亲自在此居住，并为祂的子民建立居所。此外，先知说这劝勉的目的，是要圣城的美丽壮观被传颂于后代；他似乎隐含地表明，终有一日这座城将不再被看见。若它可以永久目睹、始终在世人眼前，又何必传说呢？因此，尽管他稍前说耶路撒冷永远坚立，他却在此以修正的方式教导我们，这永远是何种性质的——它将持续到教会更新之时。我们属于那”后代”，圣经说这些事将被传说给他们；因为我们分享了上帝在古时赐给祂古代子民的一切恩惠。耶路撒冷昔日所因而受到赞叹的外在壮观，在我们今日固然不再显现；但自基督降临以来，教会在属灵恩赐上所受的装饰与妆点，不亚于耶路撒冷在律法的影儿之下昔日被坚固的城墙与楼台所围绕时所获得的。我将 pasgu 一词译作”高举”，指对城楼之卓越应当给予的重视。有人将其解作”坚固”或”加强”，似乎不太恰当。若有人倾向于采纳另一些人”观看”或”注目”的译法，我亦无大异议。14．因为这上帝永永远远是我们的上帝。由这些话可以更清晰地看出：先知谈论耶路撒冷的宫殿，并非要敬虔人将目光停驻于此，乃要他们藉这些外在事物将心思提升到对上帝荣耀的默想。上帝要他们无论转向何处，仿佛都看见祂恩典的印记刻在上面；或者更确切地说，要他们在这些印记中认识到祂的同在。由此我们可知：无论教会中发出何等尊荣或卓越的光，我们当视之为认识上帝的手段，使我们在祂的恩赐中颂扬并赞美祂。指示代词 zeh（”这”）并非多余；它用以将信徒已充分确信其存在与性情的独一真上帝，与人所发明的一切假神区分开来。不信的人可以大胆提及上帝的名，滔滔不绝地谈论宗教；但无论他们如何，若追问到底，便会发现他们对此毫无确定稳固的认识。是的，凡不植根于真信仰之人的虚空想象与发明，必终归于无有。因此，信心的特质就在于使我们有的不是模糊而是清晰确定的上帝知识，这知识不让我们摇摆不定，如迷信之人那般——我们知道，迷信总在不断引入新的伪神，数之不尽。因此，我们更当留意此处所用那有力的指示代词”这”。以赛亚的预言中有一段与此几乎相同：”看哪，这是我们的上帝，我们等候祂，祂必拯救我们；这是耶和华，我们等候祂，我们因祂的救恩必欢喜快乐”——赛二十五9——好像信徒宣告并声明：我们的上帝并非不确定的，也非我们对祂只有模糊含混的认识，乃是我们对祂有真实确切的认知。信徒在此宣告上帝在维系教会方面的旨意永远不变，其目的是要鼓励并坚固自己，在信心的路上持续不懈。紧接着所说”他必引导我们直到死亡”，似是添加的解释。上帝的子民借此使自己确信，祂将永远是他们的引导者与守护者。这话不是说他们在今生只在上帝的管理与带领下安全，死亡来临时便被抛弃；乃是用普通百姓的语言总括地表达我所说的：上帝将照顾一切依靠祂的人直至终结。我们译作”直到死亡”的，在希伯来文中由两个字构成：al muth；但有人读作一字 almuth，取其”永远”或”万世”之义。无论何种读法，含义相同。另有人译作”孩提时代”，
in this sense, As God has from the beginning carefully preserved and maintained his Church, even as a father brings up his children from their infancy, so he will continue to act in the same manner. The first sense, however, in my opinion, is the more appropriate. Others translate it in secret or hidden, 206 which seems equally remote from the meaning of the prophet; unless, perhaps, we should understand him as intending expressly to say, that God’s way of exercising his government is hidden, that we may not measure or judge of it by carnal reason, but by faith.
以此含义为：正如上帝从起初就如父亲抚养幼儿一般，细心保守并维系祂的教会，祂将一直如此行事。然而，我认为第一种解释更为妥切。另有人译作”在隐秘中”或”在隐藏里”，这似乎同样距原意甚远；除非我们理解先知是特意要说，上帝治理的方式是隐藏的，使我们不以肉眼的理性来衡量判断，乃以信心来领受。
发布于 2026年4月28日 00:00
