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Selected Verse: Psalms 104:2 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ps 104:2 |
King James |
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
light--is a figurative representation of the glory of the invisible God (Mat 17:2; Ti1 6:16). Its use in this connection may refer to the first work of creation (Gen 1:3).
stretchest out the heavens--the visible heavens or sky which cover the earth as a curtain (Isa 40:12). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment - Referring to the first work of creation Gen 1:3, "And God said, Let there be light, and there was light." He seemed to put on light as a garment; he himself appeared as if invested with light. It was the first "manifestation" of God. He seemed at once to have put on light as his robe.
Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain - As an expanse spread over us. The word used here means a curtain or hanging, so called from its tremulous motion, from a word meaning to tremble. Thus it is applied to a curtain before a door; to a tent, etc. It is applied here to the heavens, as they seem to be "spread out" like the curtains of a tent, as if God had spread them out for a tent for himself to dwell in. See the notes at Isa 40:22. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Light - With that first created light, which the psalmist fitly puts in the first place, as being the first of God's visible works. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Who coverest thyself with light - Light, insufferable splendor, is the robe of the Divine Majesty. Light and fire are generally the accompaniments of the Supreme Being, when he manifests his presence to his creatures. He appeared thus to Abraham when he made a covenant with him, Gen 15:17; and to Moses when he appointed him to bring the people out of Egypt, Exo 3:2; and when he gave him his law on Sinai, Exo 19:18. Moses calls God a consuming fire, Deu 4:24. When Christ was transfigured on the mount, his face shone like the sun, and his garment was white as the light, Mat 17:2. And when the Lord manifests himself to the prophets, he is always surrounded with fire, and the most brilliant light.
Bishop Lowth has some fine remarks on the imagery and metaphors of this Psalm. The exordium, says he, is peculiarly magnificent, wherein the majesty of God is described, so far as we can investigate and comprehend it, from the admirable construction of nature; in which passage, as it was for the most part necessary to use translatitious images, the sacred poet has principally applied those which would be esteemed by the Hebrews the most elevated, and worthy such an argument; for they all, as it seems to me, are taken from the tabernacle. We will give these passages verbally, with a short illustration: -
הוד והדר לבשת hod vehadar labashta.
"Thou hast put on honor and majesty."
The original, לבשת, is frequently used when speaking of the clothing or dress of the priests.
Psa 104:2
עטה אור כשלמה oteh or cassalmah.
"Covering thyself with light as with a garment."
A manifest symbol of the Divine Presence; the light conspicuous in the holiest is pointed out under the same idea; and from this single example a simile is educed to express the ineffable glory of God generally and universally.
נוטה שמים כיריעה noteh shamayim kayeriah.
"Stretching out the heavens like a curtain."
The word יריעה, rendered here curtain, is that which denotes the curtains or uncovering of the whole tabernacle. This may also be an allusion to those curtains or awnings, stretched over an area, under which companies sit at weddings, feasts, religious festivals, curiously painted under, to give them the appearance of the visible heavens in the night-season. |
12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.