Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvinthey first entered the promised land. It is called the inheritance of God, as having been assignedover to his own children. Others understand by the inheritance spoken of in the verse, the Church,but this is not correct, for it is afterwards stated as being the place where the Church dwelt. Thetitle is appropriately given to the land of Canaan, which God made over to them by right ofinheritance. David takes notice of the fact, that, from the first settlement of the seed of Abrahamin it, God had never ceased to make the kindest fatherly provision for them, sending his rain in dueseason to prepare their food. The words translated a liberal rain, read literally in the Hebrew a rainof freenesses, and I agree with interpreters in thinking that he alludes to the blessing as having comein the exercise of free favor, 20 and to God, as having of his own unprompted goodness providedfor all the wants of his people. Some read a desirable rain; others, a rain flowing without violence,or gentle; but neither of these renderings seems eligible. Others read a copious or plentiful rain;but I have already stated what appears to me to be the preferable sense. It was a proof, then, of hisDivine liberality, that God watered the land seasonably with showers. There is clearly a referenceto the site of Judea, which owed its fertility to dews and the rains of heaven. In allusion to the samecircumstance, he speaks of its being refreshed when weary. The reason is assigned — because ithad been given to his chosen people to dwell in. On no other account was it blessed, than as beingthe habitation of God’s Church and people. The more to impress upon the minds of the Jews theirobligations to Divine goodness, he represents them as pensioners depending upon God for theirdaily food. He fed them upon the finest of the wheat, giving them wine, and honey, and oil inabundance — still he proportioned the communication of his kindness so as to keep them alwaysdependent in expectation upon himself. Some, instead of reading, Thou wilt prepare with thygoodness, etc., render it, Thou wilt prepare with rich food; but, without absolutely objecting to thistranslation, I rather think that he adverts to the circumstance of God’s being led to provide for hispeople entirely by his own good pleasure.Psalm 68:11-1411. The 21 Lord shall give the word to the women who announce the great army. 22 12. Kingsof armies shall flee — shall flee; and she that tarries at home shall divide the spoil. 13. Though20 Ainsworth reads, “a rain of liberalities.” Horsley, “a shower of unmerited kindnesses;” “literally,” says he, “a plentiful rain,rain being used here metaphorically.”21 Dr Geddes here observes, that “the poet passes rapidly from former times to his own days, and the occasion of composinghis psalm, namely, the discomfiture and flight of the combined kings of Syria, Ammon, Moab, and Edom: for with all theseDavid had been engaged in this war.”22 The original word for “the women who announce” is , hamebasseroth It is from , bisser, “to announce joyous tidings;”and, being a participle of the feminine gender, is very properly referred to women, who were wont to celebrate victories, or anykind of good news, with songs and music. But we find it on one occasion used to express melancholy news, (1 Samuel 4:17.)The women here are represented as announcing the victory by singing congratulatory songs. All the difficulty is, whether ,hamebasseroth, be in the dative or the genitive case. If in the genitive case, then , tsaba, which Calvin renders army, must, asHammond observes, be rendered company — great was the company of the women who thus sang; and , an host, is often takenfor the congregation or assembly employed in the service of God. But it, may also be taken in the dative, as the same criticremarks, and as Calvin here renders it. Castellio gives a similar translation. “And thus the LXX. may be understood: Ο ΘεόςΚύριος δώσει ῥη̑μα τοῖς εὐαγγελισαμένοις (I suppose it should be ταῖς εὐαγγελισαμείαις) δυνάμει πολλὢ; ‘the Lord shall givethe word or matter to the women that evangelise to or for the great army;’ i e., which supply the office of proecones thereto, in9