Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - Psalms 116:15 - 116:15

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Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - Psalms 116:15 - 116:15


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From what he has experienced the poet infers that the saints of Jahve are under His most especial providence. Instead of הַמָּוֶת the poet, who is fond of such embellishments, chooses the pathetic form הַמָּֽוְתָה, and consequently, instead of the genitival construct state (מֹות), the construction with the Lamed of “belonging to.” It ought properly to be “soul” or “blood,” as in the primary passage Psa 72:14. But the observation of Grotius: quae pretiosa sunt, non facile largimur, applies also to the expression “death.” The death of His saints is no trifling matter with God; He does not lightly suffer it to come about; He does not suffer His own to be torn away from Him by death.

(Note: The Apostolic Constitutions (vi. 30) commend the singing of these and other words of the Psalms at the funerals of those who have departed in the faith (cf. Augusti, Denkwürdigkeiten, ix. 563). In the reign of the Emperor Decius, Babylas Bishop of Antioch, full of blessed hope, met death singing these words.)

After this the poet goes on beseechingly: ānnáh Adonaj. The prayer itself is not contained in פִּתַּחְתָּ לְמֹוסֵרָי - for he is already rescued, and the perfect as a precative is limited to such utterances spoken in the tone of an exclamation as we find in Job 21:16 - but remains unexpressed; it lies wrapped up as it were in this heartfelt ānnáh: Oh remain still so gracious to me as Thou hast already proved Thyself to me. The poet rejoices in and is proud of the fact that he may call himself the servant of God. With אֲמָתֶךָ he is mindful of his pious mother (cf. Psa 86:16). The Hebrew does not form a feminine, עֲבְדָּה; Arab. amata signifies a maid, who is not, as such, also Arab. ‛abdat, a slave. The dative of the object, לְמֹוסֵרָי (from מֹוסֵרִים for the more usual מֹוסֵרֹות), is used with פתחת instead of the accusative after the Aramaic manner, but it does also occur in the older Hebrew (e.g., Job 19:3; Isa 53:11). The purpose of publicly giving thanks to the Gracious One is now more full-toned here at the close. Since such emphasis is laid on the Temple and the congregation, what is meant is literal thank-offerings in payment of vows. In בְּתֹוכֵכִי (as in Psa 135:9) we have in the suffix the ancient and Aramaic i (cf. Psa 116:7) for the third time. With אָֽנָּה the poet clings to Jahve, with נֶגְדָּה־נָּא to the congregation, and with בְּתֹוכֵכִי to the holy city. The one thought that fills his whole soul, and in which the song which breathes forth his soul dies away, is Hallelujah.