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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - Psalms 3:7 - 3:7
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(Heb.: 3:8-9) The bold קוּמָה is taken from the mouth of Moses, Num 10:35. God is said to arise when He takes a decisive part in what takes place in this world. Instead of kûmah it is accented kumáh as Milra, in order (since the reading קומה אדני is assumed) that the final ah may be sharply cut off from the guttural initial of the next word, and thus render a clear, exact pronunciation of the latter possible (Hitz., Ew. §228, b).
(Note: This is the traditional reason of the accentuation shub h, kûm h, shith h before יהוה: it is intended to prevent the one or other of the two gutturals being swallowed up (יבולעו שׁלא) by too rapid speaking. Hence it is that the same thing takes place even when another word, not the name of God, follows, if it begins with א or the like, and is closely connected with it by meaning and accentuation: e.g., Jdg 4:18 סוּרָה twice Milra before ;א Psa 57:9 עוּרָה, Milra before ;ה לָמָּה, Milra before ;ה Exo 5:22; נָחָה Isa 11:2, and חֵבֵאתָ Gen 26:10, Milra before ;ע and the following fact favours it, viz., that for a similar reason Pasek is placed where two י owt would come together, e.g., Gen 21:14 Adonaj jir'eh with the stroke of separation between the two words, cf. Exo 15:18; Pro 8:21. The fact that in Jer 40:5, יְשֻׁבָה remains Milel, is accounted for by its being separated from the following אֶל־גְּלְיָה by Pazer; a real exception, however (Michlol 112 b), - and not as Norzi from misapprehension observes, a controverted one, - is שֻׁבָה, Milel before הָעִיר 2Sa 15:27, but it is by no means sufficient to oppose the purely orthophonic (not rhythmical) ground of this ultima-accentuation. Even the semi-guttural ר sometimes has a like influence over the tone: rı̂báh rı̂bı̂ Psa 43:1; Psa 119:154.)
Beside יהוה we have אֱלֹהַי evah, with the suff. of appropriating faith. The cry for help is then substantiated by כִּי and the retrospective perf. They are not such perff. of prophetically certain hope as in Psa 6:9; Psa 7:7; Psa 9:5., for the logical connection requires an appeal to previous experience in the present passage: they express facts of experience, which are taken from many single events (hence כל) down to the present time. The verb הִכָּה is construed with a double accusative, as e.g., Iliad xvi. 597 τὸν μὲν ἄρα Γλαῦκος στῆθος μέσον οὔτασε δουρί. The idea of contempt (Job 16:10) is combined with that of rendering harmless in this “smiting upon the cheek.” What is meant is a striking in of the jaw-bone and therewith a breaking of the teeth in pieces (שִׁבַּר). David means, an ignominious end has always come upon the ungodly who rose up against him and against God's order in general, as their punishment. The enemies are conceived of as monsters given to biting, and the picture of their fate is fashioned according to this conception. Jahve has the power and the will to defend His Anointed against their hostility: הַיְשׁוּעָה לַה penes Jovam est salus. יְשׁוּעָה (from יָשַׁע, Arab. wasi‛a, amplum esse) signifies breadth as applied to perfect freedom of motion, removal of all straitness and oppression, prosperity without exposure to danger and unbeclouded. In the לְ of possession lies the idea of the exclusiveness of the possession and of perfect freedom of disposal. At Jahve's free disposal stands הַיְשׁוּעָה, salvation, in all its fulness (just so in Jon 2:10, Rev 7:10). In connection therewith David first of all thinks of his own need of deliverance. But as a true king he cannot before God think of himself, without connecting himself with his people. Therefore he closes with the intercessory inference: בִרְכָתֶךָ עַל־עַמְּךָ Upon Thy people by Thy blessing! We may supply תְּהִי or תָּבֹא. Instead of cursing his faithless people he implores a blessing upon those who have been piteously led astray and deceived. This “upon Thy people be Thy blessing!” has its counterpart in the “Father forgive them” of the other David, whom His people crucified. The one concluding word of the Psalm - observes Ewald - casts a bright light into the very depths of his noble soul.