Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

“Reproving them for such foolish and blasphemous notions, He teaches them to offer, or literally, "sacrifice," thanksgiving, and pay, or perform, their vows--that is, to bring, with the external symbolical service, the homage of the heart, and faith, penitence,…”

“They are unworthy to use even the words of God's law. Their hypocrisy and vice are exposed by illustrations from sins against the seventh, eighth, and ninth commandments. God, no longer (even in appearance) disregarding such, exposes their sins and threatens a…”

“His guilt was aggravated by his essential, native sinfulness, which is as contrary to God's requisitions of inward purity as are outward sins to those for right conduct.”

“A series of prayers for forgiveness and purifying. Purge . . . hyssop--The use of this plant in the ritual (Ex 12:22; Nu 19:6, 18) suggests the idea of atonement as prominent here; "purge" refers to vicarious satisfaction (Nu 19:17-20).”

“Praise is better than sacrifice (Ps 50:14), and implying faith, penitence, and love, glorifies God. In true penitents the joys of pardon mingle with sorrow for sin.”

“Instead of assurances of God's presence with the pious, and a complaint of the wicked, Ps 14:5, 6 portrays the ruin of the latter, whose "bones" even "are scattered" (compare Ps 141:7), and who are put to shame as contemptuously rejected of God.”

“He shall . . . evil--or, "Evil shall return on" (Ps 7:16) my enemies or watchers, that is, to do me evil (Ps 6:7). in thy truth--Thy verified promise.”

“Destroy--literally, "swallow" (Ps 21:9). divide their tongues--or, "confound their speech," and hence their counsels (Ge 11:7). the city--perhaps Jerusalem, the scene of anarchy. 10, 11. which is described in detail (compare Ps 7:14-16).”

“Because . . . no changes--Prosperity hardens them (Ps 73:5). The treachery is aggravated by hypocrisy. The changes of number, Ps 55:15, 23, and here, enliven the picture, and imply that the chief traitor and his accomplices are in view together.”

“God is mindful of his exile and remembers his tears. The custom of bottling the tears of mourners as a memorial, which has existed in some Eastern nations, may explain the figure.”

“The mingled figures of wild beasts (Ps 10:9; 17:12) and weapons of war (Ps 11:2) heighten the picture of danger. whose . . . tongue--or slanders.”

“Hence--he addresses his glory, or tongue (Ps 16:9; 30:12), and his psaltery, or lute, and harp. I myself . . . early--literally, "I will awaken dawn," poetically expressing his zeal and diligence.”

“O congregation--literally, "Oh, dumb"; the word used is never translated "congregation." "Are ye dumb? ye should speak righteousness," may be the translation.”

“This they did not design; but weigh . . . violence--or give decisions of violence. Weigh is a figure to express the acts of judges. in the earth--publicly.”

“The term for preparing a bow applied to arrows (Ps 64:3). let them . . . pieces--literally, "as if they cut themselves off"--that is, become blunted and of no avail. Other figures of this utter ruin; the last denoting rapidity.”

“4, 5. prepare, &c.--literally, "set themselves as in array." awake--(Compare Ps 3:7; 7:6), appeals to God in His covenant relation to His people (Ps 9:18). They are as ravening dogs seeking prey, and as such, belch out--that is, slanders, their impudent b…”

“By judicious expositors, and on good grounds, this is better rendered, "O my strength, on Thee will I wait" (Ps 59:17). defence--(Compare Ps 18:3).”

“Gilead . . . and Manasseh--as large districts, east and west of Jordan, represent the whole land. divide . . . and mete out--means to have entire control over. Ephraim--denotes the military (De 33:17); and-- Judah--(the lawgiver, Ge 49:10), the civil pow…”

“Moab--is a my washpot--the most ordinary vessel. over--or, "at" Edom--(as a slave) he casts his shoe. Philistia, triumph, &c.--or, rather, "shout." for me--acknowledges subjection (compare Ps 108:9, "over Philistia will I triumph").”

“Wilt not thou?--or, "Is it not Thou?" 11, 12. Hence he closes with a prayer for success, and an assurance of a hearing.”

“Their destruction will come; as a tottering wall they already are feeble and failing. bowing wall shall ye be--better supply "are." Some propose to apply these phrases to describe the condition of "a man"--that is, the pious suffer: thus, "Will ye slay him," …”

“Not only are oppression and robbery, which are wicked means of wealth, no grounds of boasting; but even wealth, increasing lawfully, ought not to engross the heart.”

“Thus--literally, "Truly." will I bless--praise Thee (Ps 34:1). lift up my hands--in worship (compare Ps 28:2). in thy name--in praise of Thy perfections.”

“Praise waiteth for thee--literally, "To Thee silence praise," or (compare Ps 62:1), To Thee silence is praise--that is, Praise is waiting as a servant; it is due to Thee. So the last clause expresses the duty of paying vows. These two parts of acceptable wor…”

“God's mercy alone delivers us from the burden of iniquities, by purging or expiating by an atonement the transgressions with which we are charged, and which are denoted by-- Iniquities--or, literally, "Words of iniquities."”