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Selected Verse: Psalms 34:5 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ps 34:5 |
King James |
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. |
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] |
God's favor to the pious generally, and to himself specially, is celebrated.
looked--with desire for help.
lightened--or, "brightened," expressing joy, opposed to the downcast features of those who are ashamed or disappointed (Psa 25:2-3). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
They looked unto him - That is, they who were with the psalmist. He was not alone when he fled to Abimelech; and the meaning here is, that each one of those who were with him looked to God, and found light and comfort in Him. The psalmist seems to have had his thoughts here suddenly turned from himself to those who were with him, and to have called to his remembrance how they "all" looked to God in their troubles, and how they all found relief.
And were lightened - Or, "enlightened." They found light. Their faces, as we should say, "brightened up," or they became cheerful. Their minds were made calm, for they felt assured that God would protect them. Nothing could better express what often occurs in the time of trouble, when the heart is sad, and when the countenance is sorrowful - a dark cloud apparently having come over all things - if one thus looks to God. The burden is removed from the heart, and the countenance becomes radiant with hope and joy. The margin here, however, is, "They flowed unto him." The Hebrew word, נהר nâhar, means sometimes "to flow, to flow together," Isa 2:2; Jer 31:12; Jer 51:44; but it also means "to shine, to be bright;" and thence, "to be cheered, to rejoice," Isa 60:5. This is probably the idea here, for this interpretation is better suited to the connection in which the word occurs.
And their faces were not ashamed - That is, they were not ashamed of having put their trust in God, or they were not disappointed. They had not occasion to confess that it was a vain reliance, or that they had been foolish in thus trusting him. Compare Job 6:20, note; Psa 22:5, note; Rom 9:33, note; Jo1 2:28, note. The idea here is, that they found God to be all that they expected or hoped that he would be. They had no cause to repent of what they had done. What was true of them will be true of all who put their trust in God. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Lightened - Comforted and encouraged. Ashamed - They were not disappointed of their hope. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
They looked unto him - Instead of הביטו hibbitu, they looked, several of Dr. Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. have הביטו habbitu, with the point pathach, "Look ye."
And their faces were not ashamed - Some MSS., and the Complutensian Polyglot, make this clause the beginning of a new verse and as it begins with a vau, ופניהם upheneyhem, "and their faces," they make it supply the place of the verse which appears to be lost; but see what is said in the introduction before the first verse. |
2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.
5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.