by the Seventy. But it can be shown that the Seventy have here given the sense, though not a literal translation of the Hebrew text. Unless we are to suppose their translation entirely unmeaning, the words σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι can only mean, "thou requirest nothing outward, but myself for sacrifice, and that I will freely offer to thee." The use of sãμa need not surprise us here, since Paul, Rom xii. 1, exhorts Christians to present their bodies (rà owuara), a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. אָזְנַיִם כָרִיתָ לִי The corresponding Hebrew also is of the same import: "thou has bored mine ears." To bore the ears is a figurative expression for the imparting of certain precepts, and rendering others willing to follow them. This is shown, not פָתַח אֹזֶן only by the corresponding expression - T which occurs in Isa. 1. 5 in the sense, to give a command and make one willing to execute it; but also by the practice of boring the ears as a sign of obedience, which, as it were, embodies the expression. Thus, according to Ex. xxi. 5, 6, the right ear of the servant who chose to remain with his master was bored. So also the Turkish monks are accustomed to bore their ears, as a sign of their attention to the Divine revelation, and their obedience to the Divine commands; comp. Iken dissert. p. 226.2 The same custom exists also among the Persians and the Tartars, ib. p. 227. Among the Turks, those who trans 1 Vitringa: 66 aperta auris est mens prompta et prona, tum ad recipiendas, intelligendas ac discernendas doctrinas, quae cui instillantur, tum ad obsequium mandati, quod per aures ad animum fertur." 2 Septem Castrensis Mon. de Turc. morib. c. 13: "Illi qui inaures portant in auribus, significant se obedientes esse in spiritu, propter raptuum frequentiam. Another author: "Il en a aussi, qui porte quelque chose a l'oreille, pour marquer leur obeissance et leur soumission à l'esprit, qui les transporte dans des ravissemens." gress any precept of their religion, are nailed by the ears, that they may learn to esteem and obey it, ib. p. 231. "Thou hast bored mine ears," is then the same as "thou hast taught me that not the bringing of outward offerings, but the offering of myself, is well pleasing to thee, and hast made me willing to act in conformity with thy instructions." The LXX. completely expressed this sentiment. They only changed the phraseology, as the metaphor was not in use among the Greeks: nor does the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews use the phrase σῶμα δὲ κατηςπίσω Main any other sense than that which, according to the context, belongs to the Hebrew words, if the Psalm relates to the Messiah. Dathe objects, that it seems incongruous that the Messiah in the former part should speak of his sufferings as already endured, and thank God for his deliverance, while in the latter, on the contrary, he should pray for the Divine support in distress. But this is not a decisive objection, since ali depends on the station in which the sacred poet places the Messiah; whom he introduces as speaking. There is nothing against the supposition that he first contemplates him after he had endured his sufferings and finished his work, and then in his state of humiliation. In a similar manner in Isaiah liii., the passion of the Messiah appears at one time as already past, at another as still future. See on this passage. This 3. Hensler (Bemerkungen zu den Ps. und z. d. Gen. p. 63), urges particularly the words: "mine iniquities have taken hold upon me," ver. 13. objection is certainly very plausible. It does not however decide the question. For the parallelism with shows that is not here to be translated: mine iniquities, but the punishment of mine iniquities—a sense in which it often occurs, and which is given by Abenezra and Rosenmüller. But that in a Psalm, which treats of the vicarious satisfaction of the Messiah, and when this is contrasted with the offering of victims, which suffered the punishment properly due to sinners, the sufferings inflicted upon him for sins not his own, might be called the punishment of his sins, is evident from the similar expressions in Isaiah liii.: "he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;" "he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him." “The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all." This objection would be entirely removed were we to suppose with Pareau, 1. c. p. 330, that the Psalm originally consisted of but twelve verses, the remainder having been afterwards added. This opinion is favoured by the entirely different character of the latter portion of the Psalm; the fact that it occurs again as the 70th Psalm, and that we have other examples of such additions. Still, however, we hesitate to adopt it. GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALM S. CHAPTER I. OF THE ORIGIN OF THE PSALMS. AMONG the books which the Hebrews venerated as divine, we find a collection of songs, relating to a great variety of subjects, composed by many different persons, and at different periods of time. From the titles and subjects, we learn that many of them were composed by David, and others, who were his contemporaries ;-a fact which, when duly considered, must appear not a little wonderful. The Israelitish people had wandered a long time in the wilderness; they had been engaged in many desolating wars, both foreign and domestic; they had scarcely obtained a fixed settlement; they were but lately formed into a civil society; and were, in a great measure, ignorant of arts and learning. It is strange, therefore, that among this people should have been found persons capable of composing so many pro B |