Page:04.BCOT.KD.PoeticalBooks.vol.4.Writings.djvu/445

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from רגע, cf. ענוי־ארץ, Psa 76:10, Zep 2:3, צפוּניך, Psa 83:4) are those who quietly and unostentatiously walk in the ways of God. Against such they devise mischievous, lying slanders and accusations. And with wide-opened mouth, i.e., haughty scorn, they cry, as they carouse in sight of the misfortune of those they have persecuted: now we have that which we have longed to see. האח (composed of ההּ and אח) is a cry of joy, and more especially of malignant joy at another's hurt (cf. Eze 25:3).

Verses 22-24


The poet takes up this malignant “now our eye sees it” and gives another turn to it. With יהוה, alternates in Psa 35:22, Psa 35:23, cf. Psa 35:17, אדני, the pronominal force of which is revived in the combination אלחי ואדני (vid., Psa 16:2). חעיר, carrying its object within itself, signifies to stir, rouse up, and הקיץ, to break off, tear one's self away, gather one's self up from, sleep. “To my right,” viz., to prove it by facts; “to my cause,” to carry it on in my defence.

Verses 25-26


On the metonymical use of נפשׁ, like τὸ ὀρεκτικόν for ὄρεξις, vid., Psychol. S. 203 tr. p. 239. The climax of desire is to swallow David up, i.e., to overpower him and clear him out of the way so that there is not a trace of him left. בּלּענוּהוּ with ע before נ, as in Psa 132:6, and frequently; on the law of the vowels which applies to this, vid., Ewald, §60, a. שׂמחי רעתי is a short form of expression for רעתי שׂמחים (בּ) על. To put on shame and dishonour (Psa 109:29, cf. Ps 18), ), so that these entirely cover them, and their public external appearance corresponds with their innermost nature.

Verses 27-28


Those who wish that David's righteousness may be made manifest and be avenged are said to take delight in it. When this takes place, Jahve's righteousness is proved. יגדּל, let Him be acknowledged and praised as great, i.e., let Him be magnified! David desires that all who remain true to him may thus speak; and he, on his part, is determined to stir up the revelation of God's righteousness in his heart, and to speak of that of which his heart is full (Psa 71:24).