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Selected Verse: Psalms 27:13 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ps 27:13 |
Strong Concordance |
I had fainted, unless [03884] I had believed [0539] to see [07200] the goodness [02898] of the LORD [03068] in the land [0776] of the living [02416]. |
| |
King James |
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. |
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] |
The strong emotion is indicated by the incomplete sentence, for which the English Version supplies a proper clause; or, omitting that, and rendering, "yet I believed," &c., the contrast of his faith and his danger is expressed.
to see--is to experience (Psa 22:17). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
I had fainted, unless I had believed - The words "I had fainted" are supplied by the translators, but they undoubtedly express the true sense of the passage. The psalmist refers to the state of mind produced by the efforts of his enemies to destroy him, as mentioned in Psa 27:12. So numerous, mighty, and formidable were they, that he says his only support was his faith in God; his belief that he would yet be permitted to see the goodness of God upon the earth. In this time of perplexity and trial he had confidence in God, and believed that He would uphold him, and would permit him to see the evidences of His goodness and mercy while yet on the earth. What was the ground of this confidence he does not say, but he had the fullest belief that this would be so. He may have had some special assurance of it, or he may have had a deep internal conviction of it, sufficient to calm his mind; but whatever was the source of this confidence it was that which sustained him. A similar state of feeling is indicated in the remarkable passage in Job, Job 19:25-27. See the notes at that passage.
To see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living - That is, that I should "live," and yet see and enjoy the tokens of the divine favor here upon the earth. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
Self-encouragement to firmer confidence of faith. Joined to Psa 27:12 (Aben-Ezra, Kimchi), Psa 27:13 trails badly after it. We must, with Geier, Dachselt, and others, suppose that the apodosis is wanting to the protasis with its לוּלא pointed with three points above,
(Note: The ו has not any point above it, because it might be easily mistaken for a Cholem, vid., Baer's Psalterium p. 130.)
and four below, according to the Masora (cf. B. Berachoth 4a), but a word which is indispensably necessary, and is even attested by the lxx (ἑαυτῇ) and the Targum (although not by any other of the ancient versions); cf. the protasis with לוּ, which has no apodosis, in Gen 50:15, and the apodoses with כּי after לוּלי in Gen 31:42; Gen 43:10; 1 Sam. 35:34; Sa2 2:27 (also Num 22:33, where אוּלי = אם לא = לוּלי), which are likewise to be explained per aposiopesin. The perfect after לוּלא (לוּלי) has sometimes the sense of a plusquamperfectum (as in Gen 43:10, nisi cunctati essemus), and sometimes the sense of an imperfect, as in the present passage (cf. Deu 32:29, si saperent). The poet does not speak of a faith that he once had, a past faith, but, in regard to the danger that is even now abiding and present, of the faith he now has, a present faith. The apodosis ought to run something like this (Psa 119:92; Psa 94:17): did I not believe, were not confidence preserved to me...then (אז( ne or כּי אז) I should perish; or: then I had suddenly perished. But he has such faith, and he accordingly in Psa 27:14 encourages himself to go on cheerfully waiting and hoping; he speaks to himself, it is, as it were, the believing half of his soul addressing the despondent and weaker half. Instead of ואמץ (Deu 31:7) the expression is, as in Ps 31:25, ויאמץ לבּך, let thy heart be strong, let it give proof of strength. The rendering "May He (Jahve) strengthen thy heart" would require יאמּץ; but האמיץ, as e.g., הרחיב Psa 25:17, belongs to the transitive denominatives applying to the mind or spirit, in which the Hebrew is by no means poor, and in which the Arabic is especially rich. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| The living - David was thus earnestly desirous of this mercy in this life, not because he placed his portion in these things; but because the truth and glory of God, were highly concerned in making good the promise of the kingdom to him. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
I had fainted, unless I had believed - The words in italics are supplied by our translators; but, far from being necessary, they injure the sense. Throw out the words I had fainted, and leave a break after the verse, and the elegant figure of the psalmist will be preserved: "Unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" - What! what, alas! should have become of me!
Dr. Hammond has observed that there is a remarkable elegance in the original, which, by the use of the beautiful figure aposiopesis, makes an abrupt breaking off in the midst of a speech. He compares it to the speech of Neptune to the winds that had raised the tempest to drown the fleet of Aeneas - Aeneid. lib. i., ver. 131.
Eurum ad se zephyrumque vocat: dehinc talia fatur;
Tantane vos generis tenuit fiducia vestri?
Jam coelum terramque, meo sine numine, venti,
Miscere, et tantas audetis tollere moles?
Quos ego-sed motos praestat componere fluctus.
To Eurus and the western blast he cried,
Does your high birth inspire this boundless pride?
Audacious winds! without a power from me,
To raise at will such mountains on the sea?
Thus to confound heaven, earth, the air, and main;
Whom I - but, first, I'll calm the waves again.
Pitts. |
17 I may tell [05608] all my bones [06106]: they look [05027] and stare [07200] upon me.
25 For I know [03045] that my redeemer [01350] liveth [02416], and that he shall stand [06965] at the latter [0314] day upon the earth [06083]:
26 And though after [0310] my skin [05785] worms destroy [05362] this body, yet in my flesh [01320] shall I see [02372] God [0433]:
27 Whom I shall see [02372] for myself, and mine eyes [05869] shall behold [07200], and not another [02114]; though my reins [03629] be consumed [03615] within [02436] me.
12 Deliver [05414] me not over unto the will [05315] of mine enemies [06862]: for false [08267] witnesses [05707] are risen up [06965] against me, and such as breathe out [03307] cruelty [02555].
17 The troubles [06869] of my heart [03824] are enlarged [07337]: O bring thou me out [03318] of my distresses [04691].
7 And Moses [04872] called [07121] unto Joshua [03091], and said [0559] unto him in the sight [05869] of all Israel [03478], Be strong [02388] and of a good courage [0553]: for thou must go [0935] with this people [05971] unto the land [0776] which the LORD [03068] hath sworn [07650] unto their fathers [01] to give [05414] them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit [05157] it.
14 Wait [06960] on the LORD [03068]: be of good courage [02388], and he shall strengthen [0553] thine heart [03820]: wait [06960], I say, on the LORD [03068].
17 Unless [03884] the LORD [03068] had been my help [05833], my soul [05315] had almost [04592] dwelt [07931] in silence [01745].
92 Unless [03884] thy law [08451] had been my delights [08191], I should then have perished [06] in mine affliction [06040].
29 O that [03863] they were wise [02449], that they understood [07919] this, that they would consider [0995] their latter end [0319]!
10 For except [03884] we had lingered [04102], surely now we had returned [07725] this second time [06471].
33 And the ass [0860] saw [07200] me, and turned [05186] from me [06440] these three [07969] times [07272]: unless [0194] she had turned [05186] from me [06440], surely now also I had slain [02026] thee, and saved her alive [02421].
27 And Joab [03097] said [0559], As God [0430] liveth [02416], unless [03884] thou hadst spoken [01696], surely then in the morning [01242] the people [05971] had gone up [05927] every one [0376] from following [0310] his brother [0251].
10 For except [03884] we had lingered [04102], surely now we had returned [07725] this second time [06471].
42 Except [03884] the God [0430] of my father [01], the God [0430] of Abraham [085], and the fear [06343] of Isaac [03327], had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away [07971] now empty [07387]. God [0430] hath seen [07200] mine affliction [06040] and the labour [03018] of my hands [03709], and rebuked [03198] thee yesternight [0570].
15 And when Joseph's [03130] brethren [0251] saw [07200] that their father [01] was dead [04191], they said [0559], Joseph [03130] will peradventure [03863] hate us [07852], and will certainly [07725] requite [07725] us all the evil [07451] which we did [01580] unto him.
13 I had fainted, unless [03884] I had believed [0539] to see [07200] the goodness [02898] of the LORD [03068] in the land [0776] of the living [02416].
12 Deliver [05414] me not over unto the will [05315] of mine enemies [06862]: for false [08267] witnesses [05707] are risen up [06965] against me, and such as breathe out [03307] cruelty [02555].