Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - Psalms 85:11 - 85:11

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Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - Psalms 85:11 - 85:11


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The poet pursues this charming picture of the future further. After God's אֱמֶת, i.e., faithfulness to the promises, has descended like dew, אמת, i.e., faithfulness to the covenant, springs up out of the land, the fruit of that fertilizing influence. And צְדָקָה, gracious justice, looks down from heaven, smiling favour and dispensing blessing. גַּם in Psa 85:13 places these two prospects in reciprocal relation to one another (cf. Psa 84:7); it is found once instead of twice. Jahve gives הַטֹּוב, everything that is only and always good and that imparts true happiness, and the land, corresponding to it, yields יְבוּלָהּ, the increase which might be expected from a land so richly blessed (cf. Psa 67:7 and the promise in Lev 26:4). Jahve Himself is present in the land: righteousness walks before Him majestically as His herald, and righteousness יָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו, sets (viz., its footsteps) upon the way of His footsteps, that is to say, follows Him inseparably. פְּעַמַיו stands once instead of twice; the construct is to a certain extent attractional, as in Psa 65:12; Gen 9:6. Since the expression is neither דֶּרֶךְ (Psa 50:23; Isa 51:10) nor לַדֶּרֶךְ (Isa 49:11), it is natural to interpret the expression thus, and it gives moreover (cf. Isa 58:8; Isa 52:12) an excellent sense. But if, which we prefer, שִׂים is taken in the sense of שִׂים לֵב (as e.g., in Job 4:20) with the following לְ, to give special heed to anything (Deu 32:46; Eze 40:4; Eze 44:5), to be anxiously concerned about it (1Sa 9:20), then we avoid the supplying in thought of a second פעמיו, which is always objectionable, and the thought obtained by the other interpretation is brought clearly before the mind: righteousness goes before Jahve, who dwells and walks abroad in Israel, and gives heed to the way of His steps, that is to say, follows carefully in His footsteps.