11 And he shall spread forth his swim and he shall bring down their hands in the midst of them, as he that pride together with the spoils of their swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to hands. New Translation. 11. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of it, As the swimmer spreads forth his hands to swim : The sense is, that JEHOVAH 11. And he shall spread forth &c. would spread desolation through every part of Moab. God would extend his hands every where, prostrating his enemies, and the enemies of his people. Lowth, however, applies this to Moab, and supposes that it is designed to represent the action of one who is in danger of sinking, and who stretches out his hands to swim to sustain himself. And in order to this, he supposes that there should be a slight alteration of a single letter in the Hebrew. His main reason for suggesting this change is, that he cannot conceive how the act of the stretching out of the hands of a swimmer can be any illustration of the action of God in stretching out his hands over Moab to destroy it. It must be admitted that the figure is one that is very unusual. Indeed it does not any where else occur. But it is the obvious meaning of the Hebrew text; it is so understood in the Vulgate, the Chaldee, the Syriac, and the figure is one that is not unintelligible. It is that of a swimmer who extends his hands and arms as far as possible, and who by force removes all that is in his way in passing through the water. SO JEHOVAH would extend his hands over all Moab ; he would not confine the desolation to any one place but it should be complete and entire. God should subject all easily to himself, as a swimmer makes his way easily through the waters. ¶ With the spoils of their hands. The word here rendered « spoils" i Lowth renders « the sudden gripe." The Chaldee renders it substantially in the same manner, "with the imposition or laying on of his hands," i. e. with all his might and power. Kimchi also understands it of the gripe of the hands or the arms. The LXX render it "upon whatsoever he lays his hands," i. e. God shall humble the pride of Moab in respect to every thing on which he shall lay his hands. The word properly, and usually signifies snares, ambushes, craft; and here it may mean craft, deceit; ambush; and then by a natural metonymy, the plunder or 66 12 And the fortress of the high fort | low, and bring to the ground, even to of thy walls shall he bring down, lay the dust. New Translation. 12. And the high bulwark of thy walls will he lay low, He will humble them, he will bring them to the ground, Even to the dust. spoils which he had obtained by snares, and ambushes. It should all perish with Moab, and the land should thus be completely humbled and subdued. 12. And the fortress, &c. Thy strong defences shall be destroyed. This is spoken of Moab, (Comp. Notes ch. xv. xvi.); and is designed to be emblematic of the enemies of the people of God. The repetition of the expressions "bring down," " lay low" &c. is designed to make the sentence emphatic, and to indicate that it would certainly be accomplished. CHAPTER XXVI. ANALYSIS. FOR the general scope and design of this chapter see the remarks at the commencement of chapter xxiv. and ch. xxv. It is a song of praise supposed by the prophet to be sung by the Jews on their return to their own land, and in the re-establishment of the government of God with the ordinances of worship on Mount Zion. It was usual, as has been already remarked (ch. xxv.), to celebrate any great event with a song of praise, and the prophet supposes that the recovered Jews would thus be disposed to celebrate the goodness of JEHOVAH in again restoring them to their own land, and to the privileges of their own temple-service. There are some indications that this was designed to be sung with a chorus, and with alternate responses as many of the Psalms were. The ode opens (ver. 1,) with a view of Jerusalem as a strong city in which they might find protection under the guardianship of God. Then (ver. 2,) there is a response, or a call that the gates of the strong city should be open to receive the returning nation. This is followed by a declaration of the safety of trusting in JEHOVAH, and a call on all to confide in him, ver. 3-4. The reason of this is stated in ver. 5-7, that JEHOVAH humbled the proud and the wicked, and guarded the ways of the just. The feelings of the Jews-their trust in Jehovah is next presented (v. 8, 9); and this is followed by a declaration (v 10, 11,) that the wicked would not recognize the hand of God; and by an assertion that all their deliverance (ver. 12,) had been wrough: by God. This is succeeded by an acknowledgment that they had submitted to other Lords their JEHOVAH; but that now they would submit to him alone, v. 13, 14. The declaration succeeds that God had enlarged their nation (ver. 15); and this is succeeded by a description of their calamities, and their abortive efforts to save themselves (ver. 1618). Many had died in their captivity, yet there is now the assurance (ver. 19,) that they should live again; and there is a general call on the people of God (ver. 20,) to enter into their chambers, and hide themselves there until the indignation should be overpast, with the assurance (ver. 21.) that JEHOVAH Would come forth to punish the oppressors for their iniquity. With this assurance the poem closes. 1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; "Salvation shall God appoint for walls and bulwarks. 2. "Open ye the gates, “And let the righteous nation enter; "[The nation] that keepeth truth. 1. In that day. In their restoration to their own land. ¶ Shall this song be sung. By the recovered and restored people of God. ¶ We have a strong city. Jerusalem. This does not mean that it was then strongly fortified or defended; but that God would guard it, and that thus it would be strong. Jerusalem was easily capable of being strongly fortified (Ps. xxv. 2); but the idea here is, that JEHOVAH would be a protector, and that this would constitute its strength. ¶ Salvation will God appoint for walls. That is, he will himself be the defender of his people in the place of walls and bulwarks. We shall need no other walls and bulwarks than his protection. A similar expression occurs in ch. Ix. 18. See also Jer. iii. 23, and Zech. ii. 5. ¶ Bulwarks. This word means properly bastions, or ramparts. The original means properly a pomarium, or antemural defence; a space without the wall of a city probably raised up like a small wall. The Syriac renders it, "Son of a wall," Bar shuro, meaning a small wall. It was usually a hill, or heap of earth thrown up around the city that constituted an additional defence, so that if they were driven from that they could retreat within the walls. 2. Open ye the gates. This is probably the language of a chorus responding to the sentiment in ver. 1. The captive people are return 3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect | peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 7 peace, peace. m Ph. 4. 7. 8 or, thought, or, imagination. New Translation. 3. "Him that is stayed on thee "Thou wilt keep in perfect peace; "For he trusteth in thee. ing; the city before them is represented as sufficient to protect them; and this cry is made that the gates may be thrown open, and that they may be permitted to enter without obstruction. Comp. Ps. cxviii. 19, xxiv. 7, 9. That the righteous nation. The returning people of God. Which keepeth the truth. Who during their long captivity and intercourse with heathen nations, have not apostatized from the true religion, but have adhered firmly to the worship of the true God. 3. Thou wilt keep him, &c. The following verses to ver. 11, contain moral and religious reflections, and seem designed to indicate the peace and resignation evinced by the "righteous nation" during their long afflictions. Their own feelings they are here represented as uttering in the form of general truths to be sources of consolation to others. In perfect peace. Heb. as in the margin "peace, peace;" the repetition of the word, denoting, as is usual in Hebrew, emphasis, and here evidently meaning undisturbed, perfect peace. That is, the mind that has confidence in God, shall not be agitated by the trials to which it shall be subject; by persecution, poverty, sickness, want, or bereavement. The inhabitants of Judea had been oppressed and borne to a long captivity in a far distant land. They had been subjected to reproaches and to scorn (Ps. cxxxvii.); had been stripped of their property and honor; and had been reduced to the condition of prisoners, and captives. Yet, the confidence of the pious in God had not been shaken. They still trusted in him; still believed that he could and would deliver him, Their mind was, therefore, kept in entire peace. So it was with the Redeemer when he was persecuted and maligned. 1 Pet. ii. 23. Comp. Luke xxiii. 46. And so it has been with thousands, and tens of thousands of the confessors and martyrs, and of the persecuted and afflicted people of God, who have been enabled to commit their cause to Him, and amidst the storms of persecution and even in the prison and at the stake have been kept in perfect peace. Whose mind is stayed on thee. 4 Trust, ye in the LORD for ever; ? P Ps. 62. 8. q Ps. 125. 1. 9 the rock of ages. for in the LORD JEHOVAH is 9 everlasting strength. New Translation. 4. "Trust ye in JEHOVAH for ever, "For in the LORD JEHOVAH, there is an everlasting refuge. Isa. Various interpretations have been given of this passage, but our translation has probably hit upon the exact sense. The word which is rendered mind" is derived from yâtzăr to form, create, devise; and it properly denotes that which is formed, or made. xxix. 16, Heb. ii. 18, Ps. ciii. 14. Then it denotes any thing that is formed by the mind, its thoughts, imaginations, devices. Gen. viii. 21, Deut. xxxi. 21. Here it may mean the thoughts themselves, or the mind that forms the thoughts; the mind itself. Either interpre tation suits the connexion, and will make sense. The expression "is stayed on thee," in the Hebrew does not express the idea that the mind is stayed on God, though that is evidently implied. The Hebrew is simply whose mind is stayed, supported, that is, evidently supported by God; or that rests on God. There is no other support but that; and the connexion requires us to understand this of Him. 4. Trust ye in the Lord forever. The sense is, Let your confidence in God on no occasion fail. Let no calamity, no adversity, no persecution, no poverty, no trial of any kind prevent your reposing entire confidence in him. This is spoken evidently in view of the fact stated in the previous verse, that the mind that is stayed on him shall have perfect peace. ¶ For in the LORD JEHOVAH. This is one of the four places where our translators have retained the original word JEHOVAH. Comp. Ex. vi. 3, Ps. lxxxiii, 18. Notes on Isa. xii. 2. The original is BJAH, JEHOVAH; the first word JAH (Comp. Ps. Ixviii. 4,) being merely an abridged form T of JEHOVAH. The same form occurs in ch. xii. 2. See the Note on that place. The union of these two forms seems designed to express in the highest sense possible the majesty, the glory, and the holiness of God; to excite the highest possible reverence where language fails of completely conveying the idea. ¶ Is everlasting strength. Heb. as in the margin, "the rock of ages;" a more poetic, and beautiful expression than in our translation. The idea is, that God is firm and unchangeable like an eternal rock; and that in him we may find protection and defence that shall be immoveable. See Deut. xxxii. 4, |