2 The works H4639 of the LORD H3068 are great, H1419 sought out H1875 of all them that have pleasure H2656 therein.
Of G4012 which G3739 salvation G4991 the prophets G4396 have enquired G1567 and G2532 searched diligently, G1830 who G3588 prophesied G4395 of G4012 the grace G5485 that should come unto G1519 you: G5209 Searching G2045 what, G1519 G5101 or G2228 what manner G4169 of time G2540 the Spirit G4151 of Christ G5547 which G3588 was in G1722 them G846 did signify, G1213 when it testified beforehand G4303 the sufferings G3804 of G1519 Christ, G5547 and G2532 the glory G1391 that should follow. G3326 G5023 Unto whom G3739 it was revealed, G601 that G3754 not G3756 unto themselves, G1438 but G1161 unto us G2254 they did minister G1247 the things, G846 which G3739 are G312 now G3568 reported G312 unto you G5213 by G1223 them that have preached the gospel G2097 unto you G5209 with G1722 the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 sent down G649 from G575 heaven; G3772 which things G3739 the angels G32 desire G1937 to look G3879 into. G1519
That G2443 in G1722 the ages G165 to come G1904 he might shew G1731 the exceeding G5235 riches G4149 of his G846 grace G5485 in G1722 his kindness G5544 toward G1909 us G2248 through G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus. G2424 For G1063 by grace G5485 are ye G2075 saved G4982 through G1223 faith; G4102 and G2532 that G5124 not G3756 of G1537 yourselves: G5216 it is the gift G1435 of God: G2316 Not G3756 of G1537 works, G2041 lest G3363 any man G5100 should boast. G2744 For G1063 we are G2070 his G846 workmanship, G4161 created G2936 in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 unto G1909 good G18 works, G2041 which G3739 God G2316 hath before ordained G4282 that G2443 we should walk G4043 in G1722 them. G846
Ah H162 Lord H136 GOD! H3069 behold, thou hast made H6213 the heaven H8064 and the earth H776 by thy great H1419 power H3581 and stretched out H5186 arm, H2220 and there is nothing H1697 too hard H6381 for thee: Thou shewest H6213 lovingkindness H2617 unto thousands, H505 and recompensest H7999 the iniquity H5771 of the fathers H1 into the bosom H2436 of their children H1121 after H310 them: the Great, H1419 the Mighty H1368 God, H410 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 is his name, H8034 Great H1419 in counsel, H6098 and mighty H7227 in work: H5950 for thine eyes H5869 are open H6491 upon all the ways H1870 of the sons H1121 of men: H120 to give H5414 every one H376 according to his ways, H1870 and according to the fruit H6529 of his doings: H4611
Through desire H8378 a man, having separated H6504 himself, seeketh H1245 and intermeddleth H1566 with all wisdom. H8454 A fool H3684 hath no delight H2654 in understanding, H8394 but that his heart H3820 may discover H1540 itself.
Canst thou draw out H4900 leviathan H3882 with an hook? H2443 or his tongue H3956 with a cord H2256 which thou lettest down? H8257 Canst thou put H7760 an hook H100 into his nose? H639 or bore H5344 his jaw H3895 through with a thorn? H2336 Will he make many H7235 supplications H8469 unto thee? will he speak H1696 soft H7390 words unto thee? Will he make H3772 a covenant H1285 with thee? wilt thou take H3947 him for a servant H5650 for ever? H5769 Wilt thou play H7832 with him as with a bird? H6833 or wilt thou bind H7194 him for thy maidens? H5291 Shall the companions H2271 make a banquet H3739 of him? shall they part H2673 him among the merchants? H3669 Canst thou fill H4390 his skin H5785 with barbed irons? H7905 or his head H7218 with fish H1709 spears? H6767 Lay H7760 thine hand H3709 upon him, remember H2142 the battle, H4421 do no more. H3254 Behold, the hope H8431 of him is in vain: H3576 shall not one be cast down H2904 even at the sight H4758 of him? None is so fierce H393 that dare stir him up: H5782 H5782 who then is able to stand H3320 before H6440 me? Who hath prevented H6923 me, that I should repay H7999 him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven H8064 is mine. I will not conceal H2790 his parts, H907 nor his power, H1369 H1697 nor his comely H2433 proportion. H6187 Who can discover H1540 the face H6440 of his garment? H3830 or who can come H935 to him with his double H3718 bridle? H7448 Who can open H6605 the doors H1817 of his face? H6440 his teeth H8127 are terrible H367 round about. H5439 His scales H4043 H650 are his pride, H1346 shut up together H5462 as with a close H6862 seal. H2368 One H259 is so near H5066 to another, H259 that no air H7307 can come H935 between them. They are joined H1692 one H376 to another, H251 they stick together, H3920 that they cannot be sundered. H6504 By his neesings H5846 a light H216 doth shine, H1984 and his eyes H5869 are like the eyelids H6079 of the morning. H7837 Out of his mouth H6310 go H1980 burning lamps, H3940 and sparks H3590 of fire H784 leap out. H4422 Out of his nostrils H5156 goeth H3318 smoke, H6227 as out of a seething H5301 pot H1731 or caldron. H100 His breath H5315 kindleth H3857 coals, H1513 and a flame H3851 goeth out H3318 of his mouth. H6310 In his neck H6677 remaineth H3885 strength, H5797 and sorrow H1670 is turned into joy H1750 before H6440 him. The flakes H4651 of his flesh H1320 are joined together: H1692 they are firm H3332 in themselves; they cannot be moved. H4131 His heart H3820 is as firm H3332 as a stone; H68 yea, as hard H3332 as a piece H6400 of the nether H8482 millstone. When he raiseth up H7613 himself, the mighty H352 are afraid: H1481 by reason of breakings H7667 they purify H2398 themselves. The sword H2719 of him that layeth H5381 at him cannot hold: H6965 the spear, H2595 the dart, H4551 nor the habergeon. H8302 He esteemeth H2803 iron H1270 as straw, H8401 and brass H5154 as rotten H7539 wood. H6086 The arrow H1121 H7198 cannot make him flee: H1272 slingstones H68 H7050 are turned H2015 with him into stubble. H7179 Darts H8455 are counted H2803 as stubble: H7179 he laugheth H7832 at the shaking H7494 of a spear. H3591 Sharp H2303 stones H2789 are under him: he spreadeth H7502 sharp pointed things H2742 upon the mire. H2916 He maketh the deep H4688 to boil H7570 like a pot: H5518 he maketh H7760 the sea H3220 like a pot of ointment. H4841 He maketh a path H5410 to shine H215 after H310 him; one would think H2803 the deep H8415 to be hoary. H7872 Upon earth H6083 there is not his like, H4915 who is made H6213 without H1097 fear. H2844 He beholdeth H7200 all high H1364 things: he is a king H4428 over all the children H1121 of pride. H7830
Then the LORD H3068 answered H6030 Job H347 out of the whirlwind, H5591 and said, H559 Who is this that darkeneth H2821 counsel H6098 by words H4405 without knowledge? H1847 Gird up H247 now thy loins H2504 like a man; H1397 for I will demand H7592 of thee, and answer H3045 thou me. Where H375 wast thou when I laid the foundations H3245 of the earth? H776 declare, H5046 if thou hast H3045 understanding. H998 Who hath laid H7760 the measures H4461 thereof, if thou knowest? H3045 or who hath stretched H5186 the line H6957 upon it? Whereupon are the foundations H134 thereof fastened? H2883 or who laid H3384 the corner H6438 stone H68 thereof; When the morning H1242 stars H3556 sang H7442 together, H3162 and all the sons H1121 of God H430 shouted H7321 for joy? Or who shut up H5526 the sea H3220 with doors, H1817 when it brake forth, H1518 as if it had issued out H3318 of the womb? H7358 When I made H7760 the cloud H6051 the garment H3830 thereof, and thick darkness H6205 a swaddlingband H2854 for it, And brake up H7665 for it my decreed H2706 place, and set H7760 bars H1280 and doors, H1817 And said, H559 Hitherto H5704 H6311 shalt thou come, H935 but no further: H3254 and here shall thy proud H1347 waves H1530 be stayed? H7896 Hast thou commanded H6680 the morning H1242 since thy days; H3117 and caused the dayspring H7837 to know H3045 his place; H4725 That it might take hold H270 of the ends H3671 of the earth, H776 that the wicked H7563 might be shaken out H5287 of it? It is turned H2015 as clay H2563 to the seal; H2368 and they stand H3320 as a garment. H3830 And from the wicked H7563 their light H216 is withholden, H4513 and the high H7311 arm H2220 shall be broken. H7665 Hast thou entered H935 into the springs H5033 of the sea? H3220 or hast thou walked H1980 in the search H2714 of the depth? H8415 Have the gates H8179 of death H4194 been opened H1540 unto thee? or hast thou seen H7200 the doors H8179 of the shadow of death? H6757 Hast thou perceived H995 the breadth H7338 of the earth? H776 declare H5046 if thou knowest H3045 it all. Where is the way H1870 where light H216 dwelleth? H7931 and as for darkness, H2822 where is the place H4725 thereof, That thou shouldest take H3947 it to the bound H1366 thereof, and that thou shouldest know H995 the paths H5410 to the house H1004 thereof? Knowest H3045 thou it, because thou wast then born? H3205 or because the number H4557 of thy days H3117 is great? H7227 Hast thou entered H935 into the treasures H214 of the snow? H7950 or hast thou seen H7200 the treasures H214 of the hail, H1259 Which I have reserved H2820 against the time H6256 of trouble, H6862 against the day H3117 of battle H7128 and war? H4421 By what H335 way H1870 is the light H216 parted, H2505 which scattereth H6327 the east wind H6921 upon the earth? H776 Who hath divided H6385 a watercourse H8585 for the overflowing of waters, H7858 or a way H1870 for the lightning H2385 of thunder; H6963 To cause it to rain H4305 on the earth, H776 where no man H376 is; on the wilderness, H4057 wherein there is no man; H120 To satisfy H7646 the desolate H7722 and waste H4875 ground; and to cause the bud H4161 of the tender herb H1877 to spring forth? H6779 Hath H3426 the rain H4306 a father? H1 or who hath begotten H3205 the drops H96 of dew? H2919 Out of whose womb H990 came H3318 the ice? H7140 and the hoary frost H3713 of heaven, H8064 who hath gendered H3205 it? The waters H4325 are hid H2244 as with a stone, H68 and the face H6440 of the deep H8415 is frozen. H3920 Canst thou bind H7194 the sweet influences H4575 of Pleiades, H3598 or loose H6605 the bands H4189 of Orion? H3685 Canst thou bring forth H3318 Mazzaroth H4216 in his season? H6256 or canst thou guide H5148 Arcturus H5906 with his sons? H1121 Knowest H3045 thou the ordinances H2708 of heaven? H8064 canst thou set H7760 the dominion H4896 thereof in the earth? H776 Canst thou lift up H7311 thy voice H6963 to the clouds, H5645 that abundance H8229 of waters H4325 may cover H3680 thee? Canst thou send H7971 lightnings, H1300 that they may go, H3212 and say H559 unto thee, Here we are? Who hath put H7896 wisdom H2451 in the inward parts? H2910 or who hath given H5414 understanding H998 to the heart? H7907 Who can number H5608 the clouds H7834 in wisdom? H2451 or who can stay H7901 the bottles H5035 of heaven, H8064 When the dust H6083 groweth H3332 into hardness, H4165 and the clods H7263 cleave fast together? H1692 Wilt thou hunt H6679 the prey H2964 for the lion? H3833 or fill H4390 the appetite H2416 of the young lions, H3715 When they couch H7817 in their dens, H4585 and abide H3427 in the covert H5521 to H3926 lie in wait? H695 Who provideth H3559 for the raven H6158 his food? H6718 when his young ones H3206 cry H7768 unto God, H410 they wander H8582 for lack H1097 of meat. H400
He divideth H7280 the sea H3220 with his power, H3581 and by his understanding H8394 H8394 he smiteth H4272 through the proud. H7293 By his spirit H7307 he hath garnished H8235 the heavens; H8064 his hand H3027 hath formed H2342 the crooked H1281 serpent. H5175 Lo, these are parts H7098 of his ways: H1870 but how little H8102 a portion H1697 is heard H8085 of him? but the thunder H7482 of his power H1369 who can understand? H995
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 111
Commentary on Psalms 111 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Alphabetical Song in Praise of God
With Psalms 111:1-10 begins a trilogy of Hallelujah-Psalms. It may be appended to Psalms 110:1-7, because it places the “for ever” of Psalms 110:4 in broader light in relation to the history of redemption, by stringing praise upon praise of the deeds of Jahve and of His appointments. It stands in the closest relationship to Psalms 112:1-10. Whilst Psalms 111:1-10, as Hitzig correctly says, celebrates the glory, might, and loving-kindness of Jahve in the circle of the “upright,” Psalms 112:1-10 celebrates the glory flowing therefrom and the happiness of the “upright” themselves, of those who fear Jahve. The two Psalms are twin in form as in contents. They are a mixture of materials taken from older Psalms and gnomical utterances; both are sententious, and both alphabetical. Each consists of twenty-two lines with the twenty-two letters of the alphabet at the beginning,
(Note: Böttcher transposes the verses in Psalms 111:1-10, and in Psalms 112:5 corrects יכלכל into וכלכל ; in the warmth of his critical zeal he runs against the boundary-posts of the letters marking the order, without observing it.)
and every line for the most part consists of three words. Both songs are only chains of acrostic lines without any strophic grouping, and therefore cannot be divided out. The analogous accentuation shows how strong is the impression of the close relationship of this twin pair; and both Psalms also close, in Psalms 111:9 and Psalms 111:10, with two verses of three members, being up to this point divided into verses of two members.
That which the poet purposes doing in Psalms 111:1, he puts into execution from Psalms 111:2 onwards. ועדה , according to Psalms 64:7; Psalms 118:14, is equivalent to ועדתם . According to Psalms 111:10 , הפציהם in Psalms 111:2 apparently signifies those who find pleasure in them (the works of God); but חפצי = חפצי (like שׂמחי , Isaiah 24:7 = שׂמחי ) is less natural than that it should be the construct form of the plural of חפץ , that occurs in three instances, and there was no need for saying that those who make the works of God the object of their research are such as interest themselves in them. We are led to the right meaning by לכל־חפצו in 1 Kings 9:11 in comparison with Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 46:10, cf. Isaiah 53:10, where חפץ signifies God's purpose in accordance with His counsel: constantly searched into, and therefore a worthy object of research ( דרשׁ , root דר , to seek to know by rubbing, and in general experimentally, cf. Arab. drâ of knowledge empirically acquired) according to all their aims, i.e., in all phases of that which they have in view. In Psalms 111:4 זכר points to the festival which propagates the remembrance of the deeds of God in the Mosaic age; טרף , Psalms 111:5, therefore points to the food provided for the Exodus, and to the Passover meal, together with the feast of unleavened bread, this memorial ( זכּרון , Exodus 12:14) of the exemption in faithfulness to the covenant which was experienced in Egypt. This Psalm, says Luther, looks to me as though it had been composed for the festival of Easter. Even from the time of Theodoret and Augustine the thought of the Eucharist has been connected with Psalms 111:5 in the New Testament mind; and it is not without good reason that Psalms 111:1-10 has become the Psalm of the church at the celebration of the Lord's Supper. In connection with הגּיד one is reminded of the Pesach-Haggada. The deed of redemption which it relates has a power that continues in operation; for to the church of Jahve is assigned the victory not only over the peoples of Canaan, but over the whole world. The power of Jahve's deeds, which He has made known to His people, and which they tell over again among themselves, aims at giving them the inheritance of the peoples. The works of His hands are truth and right, for they are the realization of that which is true and which lasts and verifies itself, and of that which is right, that triumphantly maintains its ground. His ordinances are נאמנים (occasionally pointed נאמנים ), established, attested, in themselves and in their results authorizing a firm confidence in their salutariness (cf. Psalms 19:8). סמוּכים , supported, stayed, viz., not outwardly, but in themselves, therefore imperturbable (cf. סמוּך used of the state of mind, Psalms 112:8; Isaiah 26:3). עשׂוּים , moulded, arranged, viz., on the part of God, “in truth, and upright;” ישׂר is accusative of the predicate (cf. Psalms 119:37), but without its being clear why it is not pointed וישׁר . If we have understood Psalms 111:4-6 correctly, then פּדוּת glances back at the deliverance out of Egypt. Upon this followed the ratification of the covenant on Sinai, which still remains inviolable down to the present time of the poet, and has the holiness and terribleness of the divine Name for a guarantee of its inviolability. The fear of Jahve, this holy and terrible God, is the beginning of wisdom - the motto of the Chokma in Job (Job 28:28) and Proverbs (Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 9:10), the Books of the Chokma . Psalms 111:10 goes on in this Proverbs-like strain: the fear of God, which manifests itself in obedience, is to those who practise them (the divine precepts, פקודים ) שׂכל טּוב (Proverbs 13:15; Proverbs 3:4, cf. 2 Chronicles 30:22), a fine sagacity, praiseworthy discernment - such a (dutiful) one partakes of everlasting praise. It is true, in glancing back to Psalms 111:3 , תּהלּתו seems to refer to God, but a glance forward to Psalms 112:3 shows that the praise of him who fears God is meant. The old observation therefore holds good: ubi haec ode desinit, sequens incipit (Bakius).