Commentary on Psalms - Volume 3 - Bible Study Guides

Comm on Psalms (V3)John Calvincisterns, [or reservoirs.] 462 7. They will go from strength to strength; 463 the God of gods will beseen in Zion.5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee. David again informs us, that the purpose forwhich he desired liberty of access to the sanctuary was, not merely to gratify his eyes with whatwas to be seen there, but to make progress in faith. To lean with the whole heart upon God, is toattain to no ordinary degree of advancement: and this cannot be attained by any man, unless all hispride is laid prostrate in the dust, and his heart truly humbled. In proposing to himself this way ofseeking God, David’s object is to borrow from him by prayer the strength of which he feels himselfto be destitute. The concluding clause of the verse, the ways are in their hearts, 464 is by someinterpreted as meaning, That those are happy who walk in the way which God has appointed; fornothing is more injurious to a man than to trust in his own understanding. It is not improperly saidof the law, “This is the way, walk ye in it,” Isaiah 30:21. Whenever then men turn aside, howeverlittle it may be, from the divine law, they go astray, and become entangled in perverse errors. Butit is more appropriate to restrict the clause to the scope of the passage, and to understand it asimplying, that those are happy whose highest ambition it is to have God as the guide of their life,and who therefore desire to draw near to him. God, as we have formerly observed, is not satisfiedwith mere outward ceremonies. What he desires is, to rule and keep in subjection to himself allwhom he invites to his tabernacle. Whoever then has learned how great a blessedness it is to relyupon God, will put forth all the desires and faculties of his mind, that with all speed he may hastento Him.6 They passing through the valley of weeping, will together make it a well. The meaning of thePsalmist is, that no impediments can prevent the enlightened and courageous worshippers of Godfrom making conscience of waiting upon the sanctuary. By this manner of speaking, he confirmsthe statement which he had previously made, That nothing is more desirable than to be daily engaged462 “Pools or reservoirs of water, as well as wells, are common in the Eastern deserts: the latter are supplied by springs, theformer by rains, as here noticed: but both are to be found in considerable numbers in Judea, and are, according to Rauwolff,more numerous in these countries than springs that lie high; that is, than fountains and brooks of running water. Some of thesehave been made for the use of the people that dwell in the neighborhood; some for travelers, and especially those that travel fordevotion; as for instance, such as go in pilgrimage to Mecca. The Psalmist appears to refer to provisions of this sort, made bythe devout Israelites in the way of their progress to Jerusalem.” — Mant.This last clause has been very variously rendered. It has been understood by all the versions, in a different sense from thatgiven to it by Calvin and our English version, which agrees with him. The Septuagint reads: “The law-giver will give blessings.”Dr Adam Clarke: “Yea, the instructor is covered, or clothed with blessings.” “God,” says he, “takes care to give his followersteachers after his own heart, that shall feed them with knowledge: and while they are watering the people they are wateredthemselves.” Mudge reads: “Even Moreh is clothed with ponds.” He translates the 5th, 6th, and 7th verses thus: — “How happythe man whose strength is in thee! that travel the roads with their hearts. In the valley of Baca he maketh it a fountain; evenMoreh is clothed with ponds. They walk from strength to strength; he appeareth before God in Zion.” His note on these versesis as follows: — “I join the latter end of the 5th to the first word of the 6th, (so the Seventy direct, and the sense seems to require,)with a slight alteration into ; the change of number, I have often observed, is not to be regarded. ‘How happy the man thatfeels himself invigorated by thee; that travels the roads that lead to Jerusalem, with full bent of heart! He goes through the valleyof Baca as full of spirit as if it was cheered with a fountain of waters, and Moreh, as if it was filled with delicious ponds.’ (Twodesolate places I suppose, through which the road lay.) ‘He grows lustier as he walks; he appears before God in Zion.’”463 “Ou, de troupe en troupe.” — Fr. marg. “Or, from company to company.”464 “Heb. The ways are in his heart; i.e., the highways to the temple are the objects of his delight. In the former verses he hadalluded to the happiness of the priests, etc., who were always engaged in the service of Jehovah; here he expresses the felicityof other Israelites, who frequented the worship of the temple.” — Dr Good’s new Version of the Book of Psalms, with Notes.216