{"collection":"Bible & Christianity","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bib/cmt/kad/psa027.htm","path":"bib/cmt/kad/psa027.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bib/cmt/kad/psa027.htm","text":"Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsh, [1857-78]\nTaking Heart in God, the All-Recompensing One\nThe same longing after Zion meets us sounding forth from this as from the preceding Psalm. To remain his whole life long in the vicinity of the house of God, is here his only prayer; and that, rescued from his enemies, he shall there offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, is his confident expectation. The \u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05dc of God, the King, is at present only a \u05d0\u05d4\u05dc which, however, on account of Him who sits enthroned therein, may just as much be called \u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05dc as the \u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05dc which Ezekiel beheld in remembrance of the Mosaic tabernacle, \u05d0\u05d4\u05dc, Eze 41:1. Cut off from the sanctuary, the poet is himself threatened on all sides by the dangers of war; but he is just as courageous in God as in Psa 3:7, where the battle is already going on: \"I do not fear the myriads of people, who are encamped against me.\" The situation, therefore, resembles that of David during the time of Absolom. But this holds good only of the first half, Psa 27:1. In the second half, Psa 27:10 is not in favour of its being composed by David. In fact the two halves are very unlike one another. They form a hysteron-proteron, inasmuch as the fides triumphans of the first part changes into fides supplex in the second, and with the beginning of the \u03b4\u03ad\u03b7\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2 in Psa 27:7, the style becomes heavy and awkward, the strophic arrangement obscure, and even the boundaries of the lines of the verses uncertain; so that one is tempted to regard Psa 27:7 as the appendage of another writer. The compiler, however, must have had the Psalm before him exactly as we now have it; for the grounds for his placing it to follow Psa 26:1-12 are to be found in both portions, cf. Psa 27:7 with Psa 26:11; Psa 27:11 with Psa 26:12.\nIn this first strophe is expressed the bold confidence of faith. It is a hexastich in the caesural schema. Let darkness break in upon him, the darkness of night, of trouble, and of spiritual conflict, yet Jahve is his Light, and if he is in Him, he is in the light and there shines upon him a sun, that sets not and knows no eclipse. This sublime, infinitely profound name for God, \u05d0\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9, is found only in this passage; and there is only one other expression that can be compared with it. viz., \u05d1\u05bc\u05d0 \u05d0\u05d5\u05e8\u05da in Isa 60:1; cf. \u03c6\u1ff6\u03c2 \u1f10\u03bb\u03ae\u03bb\u03c5\u03b8\u03b1, Joh 12:46. \u05d9\u05e9\u05c1\u05e2\u05d9 does not stand beside \u05d0\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9 as an unfigurative, side by side with a figurative expression; for the statement that God is light, is not a metaphor. David calls Him his \"salvation\" in regard to everything that oppresses him, and the \"stronghold (\u05de\u05e2\u05d5\u05d6 from \u05e2\u05d6\u05d6, with an unchangeable ) of his life\" in regard to everything that exposes him to peril. In Jahve he conquers far and wide; in Him his life is hidden as it were behind a fortress built upon a rock (Psa 31:3). When to the wicked who come upon him in a hostile way (\u05e7\u05e8\u05d1 \u05e2\u05dc differing from \u05e7\u05e8\u05d1 \u05d0\u05dc), he attributes the intention of devouring his flesh, they are conceived of as wild beasts. To eat up any one's flesh signifies, even in Job 19:22, the same as to pursue any one by evil speaking (in Aramaic by slander, back-biting) to his destruction. In \u05d1\u05bc\u05e7\u05e8\u05d1 (the Sheb\u05d2 of the only faintly closed syllable is raised to a Chateph, as in \u05d5\u05dc\u05e9\u05c1\u05db\u05e0\u05d9, Psa 31:12, \u05dc\u05e9\u05c1\u05d0\u05d5\u05dc, and the like. The \u05dc\u05d9 of \u05d0\u05d9\u05d1\u05d9 \u05dc\u05bc\u05d9 may, as also in Psa 25:2 (cf. Psa 144:2), be regarded as giving intensity to the notion of special, personal enmity; but a mere repetition of the subject (the enemy) without the repetition of their hostile purpose would be tame in the parallel member of the verse: \u05dc\u05d9 is a variation of the preceding \u05e2\u05dc\u05d9, as in Lam 3:60. In the apodosis \u05d4\u05de\u05bc\u05d4 \u05db\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05e0\u05e4\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc, the overthrow of the enemy is regarded beforehand as an accomplished fact. The holy boldness and imperturbable repose are expressed in Psa 27:3 in the very rhythm. The thesis or downward movement in Psa 27:3 is spondaic: he does not allow himself to be disturbed; the thesis in Psa 27:3 is iambic: he can be bold. The rendering of Hitzig (as of Rashi): \"in this do I trust, viz., that Jahve is my light, etc.,\" is erroneous. Such might be the interpretation, if \u05d1\u05d6\u05d0\u05ea \u05d0\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d1\u05d5\u05d8\u05d7 closed Psa 27:2; but it cannot refer back over Psa 27:2 to Psa 27:1; and why should the poet have expressed himself thus materially, instead of saying \u05d1\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4? The fact of the case is this, \u05d1\u05d5\u05d8\u05d7 signifies even by itself \"of good courage,\" e.g., Pro 11:15; and \u05d1\u05d6\u05d0\u05ea \"in spite of this\" (Coccejus: hoc non obstante), Lev 26:27, cf. Psa 78:32, begins the apodosis, at the head of which we expect to find an adversative conjunction.\nThere is only one thing, that he desires, although he also has besides full satisfaction in Jahve in the midst of strangers and in trouble. The future is used side by side with the perfect in Psa 27:4, in order to express an ardent longing which extends out of the past into the future, and therefore runs through his whole life. The one thing sought is unfolded in \u05e9\u05c1\u05d1\u05ea\u05bc\u05d9 \u05d5\u05d2\u05d5. A life-long dwelling in the house of Jahve, that is to say intimate spiritual intercourse with the God, who has His dwelling (\u05d1\u05d9\u05ea), His palace (\u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05dc) in the holy tent, is the one desire of David's heart, in order that he may behold and feast upon (\u05d7\u05d6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc of a clinging, lingering, chained gaze, and consequently a more significant form of expression than \u05d7\u05d6\u05d4 with an accusative, Psa 63:3) \u05e0\u05e2\u05dd \u05d4 (Psa 90:17), the pleasantness (or gracefulness) of Jahve, i.e., His revelation, full of grace, which is there visible to the eye of the spirit. The interpretation which regards amaenitas as being equivalent to amaenus cultus takes hold of the idea from the wrong side. The assertion that \u05d1\u05bc\u05e7\u05bc\u05e8 \u05d1\u05bc is intended as a synonym of \u05d7\u05d6\u05d4 \u05d1\u05bc, of a pleased and lingering contemplation (Hupf., Hitz.), is contrary to the meaning of the verb, which signifies \"to examine (with \u05dc to seek or spie about after anything, Lev 13:36), to reflect on, or consider;\" even the post-biblical signification to visit, more especially the sick (whence \u05d1\u05bc\u05e7\u05bc\u05d5\u05bc\u05e8 \u05d4\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd), comes from the primary meaning investigare. An appropriate sense may be obtained in the present instance by regarding it as a denominative from \u05d1\u05bc\u05e7\u05e9\u05c1 and rendering it as Dunash and Rashi have done, \"and to appear early in His temple;\" but it is unnecessary to depart from the general usage of the language. Hengstenberg rightly retains the signification \"to meditate on.\" \u05d1\u05bc\u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05dc\u05d5 is a designation of the place consecrated to devotion, and \u05dc\u05d1\u05e7\u05bc\u05e8 is meant to refer to contemplative meditation that loses itself in God who is there manifest. In Psa 27:5 David bases the justification of his desire upon that which the sanctuary of God is to him; the futures affirm what Jahve will provide for him in His sanctuary. It is a refuge in which he may hide himself, where Jahve takes good care of him who takes refuge therein from the storms of trouble that rage outside: there he is far removed from all dangers, he is lifted high above them and his feet are upon rocky ground. The Chethb may be read \u05d1\u05bc\u05e1\u05db\u05bc\u05d4, as in Psa 31:21 and with Ewald 257, d; but, in this passage, with \u05d0\u05d4\u05dc alternates \u05e1\u05da, which takes the place of \u05e1\u05db\u05bc\u05d4 in the poetic style (Psa 76:3; Lam 2:6), though it does not do so by itself, but always with a suffix.\n(Note: Just in like manner they say in poetic style \u05e6\u05d9\u05d3\u05d4\u05bc, Psa 132:15; \u05e4\u05bc\u05e0\u05bc\u05d4\u05bc, Pro 7:8; \u05de\u05d3\u05bc\u05d4, Job 11:9; \u05d2\u05bc\u05dc\u05bc\u05d4\u05bc, Zac 4:2; and perhaps even \u05e0\u05e6\u05bc\u05d4\u05bc, Gen 40:10; for \u05e6\u05d9\u05d3\u05ea\u05d4\u05bc, \u05e4\u05bc\u05e0\u05bc\u05ea\u05d4\u05bc, \u05de\u05d3\u05bc\u05ea\u05d4\u05bc, \u05d2\u05bc\u05dc\u05bc\u05ea\u05d4\u05bc, and \u05e0\u05e6\u05bc\u05ea\u05d4\u05bc; as, in general, shorter forms are sometimes found in the inflexion, which do not occur in the corresponding principal form, e.g., \u05e6\u05d5\u05bc\u05e8\u05dd, Psa 49:15, for \u05e6\u05d5\u05bc\u05e8\u05ea\u05dd; \u05de\u05d2\u05d5\u05bc\u05e8\u05dd, Psa 55:16, for \u05de\u05d2\u05d5\u05bc\u05e8\u05ea\u05dd; \u05d1\u05bc\u05e2\u05e8\u05de\u05dd, Job 5:13, for \u05d1\u05bc\u05e2\u05e8\u05de\u05ea\u05dd; \u05d1\u05bc\u05ea\u05d1\u05d5\u05bc\u05e0\u05dd, Hos 13:2, for \u05d1\u05bc\u05ea\u05d1\u05d5\u05bc\u05e0\u05ea\u05dd; \u05e4\u05bc\u05d7\u05dd; Neh 5:14, for \u05e4\u05bc\u05d7\u05ea\u05dd; cf. Hitzig on Hos 13:2, and Bttcher's Neue Aehrenlese, No. 693.)\nWith \u05d5\u05e2\u05ea\u05bc\u05d4 the poet predicts inferentially (cf. Psa 2:10) the fulfilment of what he fervently desires, the guarantee of which lies in his very longing itself. \u05d6\u05d1\u05d7\u05d9 \u05ea\u05bc\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05e2\u05d4 do not mean sacrifices in connection with which the trumpets are blown by the priests; for this was only the case in connection with the sacrifices of the whole congregation (Num 10:10), not with those of individuals. \u05ea\u05bc\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05e2\u05d4 is a synonym of \u05ea\u05bc\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4, Psa 26:7; and \u05d6\u05d1\u05d7\u05d9 \u05ea\u05bc\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05e2\u05d4 is a stronger form of expression for \u05d6\u05d1\u05d7\u05d9 \u05ea\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4 (Psa 107:22), i.e., (cf. \u05d6\u05d1\u05d7\u05d9 \u05e6\u05d3\u05e7, Psa 4:6; 51:21) sacrifices of jubilant thanksgiving: he will offer sacrifices in which his gratitude plays a prominent part, and will sing songs of thanksgiving, accompanied by the playing of stringed instruments, to his Deliverer, who has again and so gloriously verified His promises.\nVows of thanksgiving on the assumption of the answering of the prayer and the fulfilment of the thing supplicated, are very common at the close of Psalms. But in this Psalm the prayer is only just beginning at this stage. The transition is brought about by the preceding conception of the danger that threatens him from the side of his foes who are round about him. The reality, which, in the first part, is overcome and surmounted by his faith, makes itself consciously felt here. It is not to be rendered, as has been done by the Vulgate, Exaudi Domine vocem qua clamavi (rather, clamo) ad te (the introit of the Dominica exspectationis in the interval of preparation between Ascension and Pentecost). \u05e9\u05c1\u05de\u05e2 has Dech\u05de, and accordingly \u05e7\u05d5\u05dc\u05d9 \u05d0\u05e7\u05e8\u05d0, voce mea (as in Psa 3:5) clamo, is an adverbial clause equivalent to voce mea clamante me. In Psa 27:8 \u05dc\u05da cannot possibly be so rendered that \u05dc is treated as Lamed auctoris (Dathe, Olshausen): Thine, saith my heart, is (the utterance:) seek ye may face. The declaration is opposed to this sense, thus artificially put upon it. \u05dc\u05da \u05d0\u05de\u05e8 are undoubtedly to be construed together; and what the heart says to Jahve is not: Seek ye my face, but by reason of this, and as its echo (Calvin: velut Deo succinens): I will therefore seek Thy face. Just as in Job 42:3, a personal inference is drawn from a directly quoted saying of God. In the periodic style it would be necessary to transpose \u05d1\u05bc\u05e7\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05bc \u05e4\u05bc\u05e0\u05d9 thus: since Thou hast permitted and exhorted us, or in accordance with Thy persuasive invitation, that we should seek Thy face, I do seek Thy face (Hupfeld). There is no retrospective reference to any particular passage in the T\u05e4ra, such as Deu 4:29. The prayer is not based upon any single passage of Scripture, but upon God's commands and promises in general.\nThe requests are now poured forth with all the greater freedom and importunity, that God may be willing to be entreated and invoked. The Hiph. \u05d4\u05d8\u05bc\u05d4 signifies in this passage standing by itself (cf. Job 24:4): to push aside. The clause \u05e2\u05d6\u05e8\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d4\u05d9\u05d9\u05ea does not say: be Thou my help (which is impossible on syntactical grounds), nor is it to be taken relatively: Thou who wast my help (for which there is no ground in what precedes); but on the contrary the praet. gives the ground of the request that follows \"Thou art my help (lit., Thou has become, or hast ever been) - cast me, then, not away,\" and it is, moreover, accented accordingly. Psa 27:10, as we have already observed, does not sound as though it came from the lips of David, of whom it is only said during the time of his persecution by Saul, that at that time he was obliged to part from his parents, Sa1 22:3. The words certainly might be David's, if Psa 27:10 would admit of being taken hypothetically, as is done by Ewald, \u0597362, b: should my father and my mother forsake me, yet Jahve will etc. But the entreaty \"forsake me not\" is naturally followed by the reason: for my father and my mother have forsaken me; and just as naturally does the consolation: but Jahve will take me up, prepare the way for the entreaties which begin anew in Psa 27:11. Whereas, if \u05db\u05d9 is taken hypothetically, Psa 27:11 stands disconnectedly in the midst of the surrounding requests. On \u05d9\u05d0\u05e1\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9 cf. Jos 20:4.\nHe is now wandering about like a hunted deer; but God is able to guide him so that he may escape all dangers. And this is what he prays for. As in Psa 143:10, \u05de\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05e8 is used in an ethical sense; and differs in this respect from its use in Psa 26:12. On \u05e9\u05c1\u05e8\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd, see the primary passage Psa 5:9, of which this is an echo. Wily spies dodge his every step and would gladly see what they have invented against him and wished for him, realised. Should he enter the way of sin leading to destruction, it would tend to the dishonour of God, just as on the contrary it is a matter of honour with God not to let His servant fall. Hence he prays to be led in the way of God, for a oneness of his own will with the divine renders a man inaccessible to evil. \u05e0\u05e4\u05e9\u05c1, Psa 27:12, is used, as in Psa 17:9, and in the similar passage, which is genuinely Davidic, Psa 41:3, in the signification passion or strong desire; because the soul, in its natural state, is selfishness and inordinate desire. \u05d9\u05e4\u05d7 is a collateral form of \u05d9\u05e4\u05d9\u05d7; they are both adjectives formed from the future of the verb \u05e4\u05bc\u05d5\u05bc\u05d7 (like \u05d9\u05e8\u05d1, \u05d9\u05e8\u05d9\u05d1): accustomed to breathe out (exhale), i.e., either to express, or to snort, breathe forth (cf. \u03c0\u03bd\u03b5\u1fd6\u03bd, or \u1f10\u03bc\u03c0\u03bd\u03b5\u1fd6\u03bd \u03c6\u03cc\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd and \u03b8\u03cc\u03bd\u03bf\u1fe6, \u03b8\u03c5\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd, and the like, Act 9:1). In both Hitzig sees participles of \u05d9\u05e4\u05d7 (Jer 4:31); but Psa 10:5 and Hab 2:3 lead back to \u05e4\u05bc\u05d5\u05bc\u05d7 (\u05e4\u05bc\u05d9\u05d7); and Hupfeld rightly recognises such nouns formed from futures to be, according to their original source, circumlocutions of the participle after the manner of an elliptical relative clause (the \u1e63ifat of the Arabic syntax), and explains \u05d9\u05e4\u05d9\u05d7 \u05db\u05bc\u05d6\u05d1\u05d9\u05dd, together with \u05d9\u05e4\u05d7 \u05d7\u05de\u05e1, from the verbal construction which still continues in force.\nSelf-encouragement to firmer confidence of faith. Joined to Psa 27:12 (Aben-Ezra, Kimchi), Psa 27:13 trails badly after it. We must, with Geier, Dachselt, and others, suppose that the apodosis is wanting to the protasis with its \u05dc\u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05d0 pointed with three points above,\n(Note: The \u05d5 has not any point above it, because it might be easily mistaken for a Cholem, vid., Baer's Psalterium p. 130.)\nand four below, according to the Masora (cf. B. Berachoth 4a), but a word which is indispensably necessary, and is even attested by the lxx (\u1f11\u03b1\u03c5\u03c4\u1fc7) and the Targum (although not by any other of the ancient versions); cf. the protasis with \u05dc\u05d5\u05bc, which has no apodosis, in Gen 50:15, and the apodoses with \u05db\u05bc\u05d9 after \u05dc\u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05d9 in Gen 31:42; Gen 43:10; 1 Sam. 35:34; Sa2 2:27 (also Num 22:33, where \u05d0\u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05d9 = \u05d0\u05dd \u05dc\u05d0 = \u05dc\u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05d9), which are likewise to be explained per aposiopesin. The perfect after \u05dc\u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05d0 (\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05d9) has sometimes the sense of a plusquamperfectum (as in Gen 43:10, nisi cunctati essemus), and sometimes the sense of an imperfect, as in the present passage (cf. Deu 32:29, si saperent). The poet does not speak of a faith that he once had, a past faith, but, in regard to the danger that is even now abiding and present, of the faith he now has, a present faith. The apodosis ought to run something like this (Psa 119:92; Psa 94:17): did I not believe, were not confidence preserved to me...then (\u05d0\u05d6( ne or \u05db\u05bc\u05d9 \u05d0\u05d6) I should perish; or: then I had suddenly perished. But he has such faith, and he accordingly in Psa 27:14 encourages himself to go on cheerfully waiting and hoping; he speaks to himself, it is, as it were, the believing half of his soul addressing the despondent and weaker half. Instead of \u05d5\u05d0\u05de\u05e5 (Deu 31:7) the expression is, as in Ps 31:25, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d0\u05de\u05e5 \u05dc\u05d1\u05bc\u05da, let thy heart be strong, let it give proof of strength. The rendering \"May He (Jahve) strengthen thy heart\" would require \u05d9\u05d0\u05de\u05bc\u05e5; but \u05d4\u05d0\u05de\u05d9\u05e5, as e.g., \u05d4\u05e8\u05d7\u05d9\u05d1 Psa 25:17, belongs to the transitive denominatives applying to the mind or spirit, in which the Hebrew is by no means poor, and in which the Arabic is especially rich.","title":"Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch: Psalms: Psalms Chapter 27","type":"page"}