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Selected Verse: Psalms 38:15 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 38:15	Strong Concordance	For in thee, O LORD [03068], do I hope [03176]: thou wilt hear [06030], O Lord [0136] my God [0430].
	King James	For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
for he is confident the Lord--literally, "Sovereign" (to whom he was a servant), would answer his prayer (Psa 3:4; Psa 4:1), and not permit their triumph in his partial halting, of which he was in danger.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

for he is confident the

Lord--literally, "Sovereign" (to whom he was a servant), would answer his prayer (Psa 3:4; Psa 4:1), and not permit their triumph in his partial halting, of which he was in danger.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
For in thee, O Lord, do I hope - This shows the reason or ground of his patience. He committed his whole cause to God. He believed that God would take care of his reputation, and that he would vindicate him. See Psa 37:5-6. He had no doubt that He would protect his character, and that, notwithstanding the reproaches of his enemies, his true character would at last be made to shine forth, so that all men would see that he had been unjustly aspersed. The exact idea here is expressed, and the sentiment was beautifully and perfectly illustrated, in what is said of the Lord Jesus: "Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously," Pe1 2:23. Thou wilt hear, O Lord my God - Margin, as in Hebrew: "answer." The idea is, that God would answer his prayers, and that his character would, in answer to those prayers, be set right before the world.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
(Heb.: 38:16-23) Become utterly useless in himself, he renounces all self-help, for (כּי) he hopes in Jahve, who alone can help him. He waits for His answer, for (כי) he says, etc. - he waits for an answer, for the hearing of this his petition which is directed towards the glory of God, that God would not suffer his foes to triumph over him, nor strengthen them in their mercilessness and injustice. Psa 38:18 appears also to stand under the government of the פּן; (Note: The following are the constructions of פן when a clause of ore than one member follows it: (1) fut. and perf., the latter with the tone of the perf. consec., e.g., Exo 34:15., or without it, e.g., Psa 28:1 (which see); (2) fut. and fut. as in Psa 2:12, Jer 51:46. This construction is indispensable where it is intended to give special prominence to the subject notion or a secondary notion of the clause, e.g., Deu 20:6. In one instance פן is even followed (3) by the perf. and fut. consec., viz., Kg2 2:10.) but, since in this case one would look for a Waw relat. and a different order of the words, Psa 38:18 is to be regarded as a subject clause: "who, when my foot totters, i.e., when my affliction changes to entire downfall, would magnify themselves against me." In Psa 38:18, כּי connects what follows with בּמוט רגלי by way of confirmation: he is נכון לצלע, ready for falling (Psa 35:15), he will, if God does not graciously interpose, assuredly fall headlong. The fourth כּי in Psa 38:19 is attached confirmatorily to Psa 38:18: his intense pain or sorrow is ever present to him, for he is obliged to confess his guilt, and this feeling of guilt is just the very sting of his pain. And whilst he in the consciousness of well-deserved punishment is sick unto death, his foes are numerous and withal vigorous and full of life. Instead of חיּים, probably חנּם, as in Psa 35:19; Psa 69:5, is to be read (Houbigant, Hitzig, Kster, Hupfeld, Ewald, and Olshausen). But even the lxx read חיים; and the reading which is so old, although it does not very well suit עצמוּ (instead of which one would look for ועצוּמים), is still not without meaning: he looks upon himself, according to Psa 38:9, more as one dead than living; his foes, however, are חיּים, living, i.e., vigorous. The verb frequently ash this pregnant meaning, and the adjective can also have it. Just as the accentuation of the form סבּוּ varies elsewhere out of pause, ורבּוּ here has the tone on the ultima, although it is not perf. consec. (Note: As perf. consec. the following have the accent on the ultima: - וחתּוּ, Isa 20:5, Oba 1:9, and ורבּוּ, Isa 66:16; perhaps also וחדּוּ, וקלּוּ, Hab 1:8, and ורבּוּ (perf. hypoth.), Job 32:15. But there is no special reason for the ultima-accentuation of רכּוּ, Psa 55:22; רבּוּ, Psa 69:5; דּלּוּ, Isa 38:14; קלּוּ, Jer 4:13; שׁחוּ, Pro 14:19; Hab 3:6; חתּוּ, Job 32:15; זכּוּ, צחוּ, Lam 4:7.) Psa 38:21 is an apposition of the subject, which remains the same as in Psa 38:20. Instead of רדופי (Ges. 61, rem. 2) the Ker is רדפי, rādephî (without any Makkeph following), or רדפי, rādophî; cf. on this pronunciation, Psa 86:2; Psa 16:1, and with the Chethb רדופי, the Chethb צרופה, Psa 26:2, also מיורדי, Psa 30:4. By the "following of that which is good" David means more particularly that which is brought into exercise in relation to his present foes. (Note: In the Greek and Latin texts, likewise in all the Aethiopic and several Arabic texts, and in the Syriac Psalterium Medilanense, the following addition is found after Psa 38:21 : Ce aperripsan me ton agapeton osi necron ebdelygmenon, Et projecerunt me dilectum tanquam mortuum abominatum (so the Psalt. Veronense). Theodoret refers it to Absalom's relation to David. The words ὡσεὶ νεκρὸν ἐβδελυγμένον are taken from Isa 14:19.) He closes in Psa 38:22 with sighs for help. No lighting up of the darkness of wrath takes place. The fides supplex is not changed into fides triumphans. But the closing words, "O Lord, my salvation" (cf. Psa 51:16), show where the repentance of Cain and that of David differ. True repentance has faith within itself, it despairs of itself, but not of God.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

(Heb.: 38:16-23) Become utterly useless in himself, he renounces all self-help, for (כּי) he hopes in Jahve, who alone can help him. He waits for His answer, for (כי) he says, etc. - he waits for an answer, for the hearing of this his petition which is directed towards the glory of God, that God would not suffer his foes to triumph over him, nor strengthen them in their mercilessness and injustice. Psa 38:18 appears also to stand under the government of the פּן;

(Note: The following are the constructions of פן when a clause of ore than one member follows it: (1) fut. and perf., the latter with the tone of the perf. consec., e.g., Exo 34:15., or without it, e.g., Psa 28:1 (which see); (2) fut. and fut. as in Psa 2:12, Jer 51:46. This construction is indispensable where it is intended to give special prominence to the subject notion or a secondary notion of the clause, e.g., Deu 20:6. In one instance פן is even followed (3) by the perf. and fut. consec., viz., Kg2 2:10.)

but, since in this case one would look for a Waw relat. and a different order of the words, Psa 38:18 is to be regarded as a subject clause: "who, when my foot totters, i.e., when my affliction changes to entire downfall, would magnify themselves against me." In Psa 38:18, כּי connects what follows with בּמוט רגלי by way of confirmation: he is נכון לצלע, ready for falling (Psa 35:15), he will, if God does not graciously interpose, assuredly fall headlong. The fourth כּי in Psa 38:19 is attached confirmatorily to Psa 38:18: his intense pain or sorrow is ever present to him, for he is obliged to confess his guilt, and this feeling of guilt is just the very sting of his pain. And whilst he in the consciousness of well-deserved punishment is sick unto death, his foes are numerous and withal vigorous and full of life. Instead of חיּים, probably חנּם, as in Psa 35:19; Psa 69:5, is to be read (Houbigant, Hitzig, Kster, Hupfeld, Ewald, and Olshausen). But even the lxx read חיים; and the reading which is so old, although it does not very well suit עצמוּ (instead of which one would look for ועצוּמים), is still not without meaning: he looks upon himself, according to Psa 38:9, more as one dead than living; his foes, however, are חיּים, living, i.e., vigorous. The verb frequently ash this pregnant meaning, and the adjective can also have it. Just as the accentuation of the form סבּוּ varies elsewhere out of pause, ורבּוּ here has the tone on the ultima, although it is not perf. consec.

(Note: As perf. consec. the following have the accent on the ultima: - וחתּוּ, Isa 20:5, Oba 1:9, and ורבּוּ, Isa 66:16; perhaps also וחדּוּ, וקלּוּ, Hab 1:8, and ורבּוּ (perf. hypoth.), Job 32:15. But there is no special reason for the ultima-accentuation of רכּוּ, Psa 55:22; רבּוּ, Psa 69:5; דּלּוּ, Isa 38:14; קלּוּ, Jer 4:13; שׁחוּ, Pro 14:19; Hab 3:6; חתּוּ, Job 32:15; זכּוּ, צחוּ, Lam 4:7.)

Psa 38:21 is an apposition of the subject, which remains the same as in Psa 38:20. Instead of רדופי (Ges. 61, rem. 2) the Ker is רדפי, rādephî (without any Makkeph following), or רדפי, rādophî; cf. on this pronunciation, Psa 86:2; Psa 16:1, and with the Chethb רדופי, the Chethb צרופה, Psa 26:2, also מיורדי, Psa 30:4. By the "following of that which is good" David means more particularly that which is brought into exercise in relation to his present foes.

(Note: In the Greek and Latin texts, likewise in all the Aethiopic and several Arabic texts, and in the Syriac Psalterium Medilanense, the following addition is found after Psa 38:21 : Ce aperripsan me ton agapeton osi necron ebdelygmenon, Et projecerunt me dilectum tanquam mortuum abominatum (so the Psalt. Veronense). Theodoret refers it to Absalom's relation to David. The words ὡσεὶ νεκρὸν ἐβδελυγμένον are taken from Isa 14:19.)

He closes in Psa 38:22 with sighs for help. No lighting up of the darkness of wrath takes place. The fides supplex is not changed into fides triumphans. But the closing words, "O Lord, my salvation" (cf. Psa 51:16), show where the repentance of Cain and that of David differ. True repentance has faith within itself, it despairs of itself, but not of God.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
In thee, O Lord, do I hope - I have no helper but thee. Thou wilt hear, O Lord my God - Thou art eternal in thy compassions, and wilt hear the prayer of a penitent soul. In the printed copies of the Hebrew text we have אדני אלהי Adonai Elohai, Lord my God; but, instead of אדני Adonai, one hundred and two of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. read יהוה Yehovah. As this word is never pronounced by the Jews, and they consider it dreadfully sacred, in reading, wherever it occurs, they pronounce אדני Adonai; and we may well suppose that Jewish scribes, in writing out copies of the sacred Scriptures, would as naturally write Adonai for Yehovah, as they would in reading supply the former for the latter.

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¹ To the chief Musician [05329] on Neginoth [05058], A Psalm [04210] of David [01732]. Hear [06030] me when I call [07121], O God [0430] of my righteousness [06664]: thou hast enlarged [07337] me when I was in distress [06862]; have mercy [02603] upon me, and hear [08085] my prayer [08605].

⁴ I cried [07121] unto the LORD [03068] with my voice [06963], and he heard [06030] me out of his holy [06944] hill [02022]. Selah [05542].

²³ Who [3739], when he was reviled [3058], reviled [486] not [3756] again [486]; when he suffered [3958], he threatened [546] not [3756]; but [1161] committed [3860] himself to him that judgeth [2919] righteously [1346]:

⁵ Commit [01556] thy way [01870] unto the LORD [03068]; trust [0982] also in him; and he shall bring it to pass [06213].
⁶ And he shall bring forth [03318] thy righteousness [06664] as the light [0216], and thy judgment [04941] as the noonday [06672].

¹⁶ For thou desirest [02654] not sacrifice [02077]; else would I give [05414] it: thou delightest [07521] not in burnt offering [05930].

²² Make haste [02363] to help [05833] me, O Lord [0136] my salvation [08668].

¹⁹ But thou art cast out [07993] of thy grave [06913] like an abominable [08581] branch [05342], and as the raiment [03830] of those that are slain [02026], thrust through [02944] with a sword [02719], that go down [03381] to the stones [068] of the pit [0953]; as a carcase [06297] trodden under feet [0947].

²¹ Forsake [05800] me not, O LORD [03068]: O my God [0430], be not far [07368] from me.

⁴ Sing [02167] unto the LORD [03068], O ye saints [02623] of his, and give thanks [03034] at the remembrance [02143] of his holiness [06944].

² Examine [0974] me, O LORD [03068], and prove [05254] me; try [06884] my reins [03629] and my heart [03820].

¹ Michtam [04387] of David [01732]. Preserve [08104] me, O God [0410]: for in thee do I put my trust [02620].

² Preserve [08104] my soul [05315]; for I am holy [02623]: O thou my God [0430], save [03467] thy servant [05650] that trusteth [0982] in thee.

²⁰ They also that render [07999] evil [07451] for good [02896] are mine adversaries [07853]; because I follow [07291] the thing that good [02896] is.

²¹ Forsake [05800] me not, O LORD [03068]: O my God [0430], be not far [07368] from me.

⁷ Her Nazarites [05139] were purer [02141] than snow [07950], they were whiter [06705] than milk [02461], they were more ruddy [0119] in body [06106] than rubies [06443], their polishing [01508] was of sapphire [05601]:

¹⁵ They were amazed [02865], they answered [06030] no more: they left off [06275] speaking [04405].

⁶ He stood [05975], and measured [04128] the earth [0776]: he beheld [07200], and drove asunder [05425] the nations [01471]; and the everlasting [05703] mountains [02042] were scattered [06327], the perpetual [05769] hills [01389] did bow [07817]: his ways [01979] are everlasting [05769].

¹⁹ The evil [07451] bow [07817] before [06440] the good [02896]; and the wicked [07563] at the gates [08179] of the righteous [06662].

¹³ Behold, he shall come up [05927] as clouds [06051], and his chariots [04818] shall be as a whirlwind [05492]: his horses [05483] are swifter [07043] than eagles [05404]. Woe [0188] unto us! for we are spoiled [07703].

¹⁴ Like a crane [05483] or a swallow [05693], so did I chatter [06850]: I did mourn [01897] as a dove [03123]: mine eyes [05869] fail [01809] with looking upward [04791]: O LORD [03068], I am oppressed [06234]; undertake [06148] for me.

⁵ O God [0430], thou knowest [03045] my foolishness [0200]; and my sins [0819] are not hid [03582] from thee.

²² Cast [07993] thy burden [03053] upon the LORD [03068], and he shall sustain [03557] thee: he shall never [05769] suffer [05414] the righteous [06662] to be moved [04131].

¹⁵ They were amazed [02865], they answered [06030] no more: they left off [06275] speaking [04405].

⁸ Their horses [05483] also are swifter [07043] than the leopards [05246], and are more fierce [02300] than the evening [06153] wolves [02061]: and their horsemen [06571] shall spread [06335] themselves, and their horsemen [06571] shall come [0935] from far [07350]; they shall fly [05774] as the eagle [05404] that hasteth [02363] to eat [0398].

¹⁶ For by fire [0784] and by his sword [02719] will the LORD [03068] plead [08199] with all flesh [01320]: and the slain [02491] of the LORD [03068] shall be many [07231].

⁹ And thy mighty [01368] men, O Teman [08487], shall be dismayed [02865], to the end that every one [0376] of the mount [02022] of Esau [06215] may be cut off [03772] by slaughter [06993].

⁵ And they shall be afraid [02865] and ashamed [0954] of Ethiopia [03568] their expectation [04007], and of Egypt [04714] their glory [08597].

⁹ Lord [0136], all my desire [08378] is before thee; and my groaning [0585] is not hid [05641] from thee.

⁵ O God [0430], thou knowest [03045] my foolishness [0200]; and my sins [0819] are not hid [03582] from thee.

¹⁹ Let not them that are mine enemies [0341] wrongfully [08267] rejoice [08055] over me: neither let them wink [07169] with the eye [05869] that hate [08130] me without a cause [02600].

¹⁸ For I will declare [05046] mine iniquity [05771]; I will be sorry [01672] for my sin [02403].

¹⁹ But mine enemies [0341] are lively [02416], and they are strong [06105]: and they that hate [08130] me wrongfully [08267] are multiplied [07231].

¹⁵ But in mine adversity [06761] they rejoiced [08055], and gathered themselves together [0622]: yea, the abjects [05222] gathered themselves together [0622] against me, and I knew [03045] it not; they did tear [07167] me, and ceased [01826] not:

¹⁸ For I will declare [05046] mine iniquity [05771]; I will be sorry [01672] for my sin [02403].

¹⁰ And he said [0559], Thou hast asked [07592] a hard thing [07185]: nevertheless, if thou see [07200] me when I am taken [03947] from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

⁶ And what man [0376] is he that hath planted [05193] a vineyard [03754], and hath not yet eaten [02490] of it? let him also go [03212] and return [07725] unto his house [01004], lest he die [04191] in the battle [04421], and another [0312] man [0376] eat [02490] of it.

⁴⁶ And lest your heart [03824] faint [07401], and ye fear [03372] for the rumour [08052] that shall be heard [08085] in the land [0776]; a rumour [08052] shall both come [0935] one year [08141], and after [0310] that in another year [08141] shall come a rumour [08052], and violence [02555] in the land [0776], ruler [04910] against ruler [04910].

¹² Kiss [05401] the Son [01248], lest he be angry [0599], and ye perish [06] from the way [01870], when his wrath [0639] is kindled [01197] but a little [04592]. Blessed [0835] are all they that put their trust [02620] in him.

¹ A Psalm of David [01732]. Unto thee will I cry [07121], O LORD [03068] my rock [06697]; be not silent [02814] to me: lest, if thou be silent [02790] to me, I become [04911] like them that go down [03381] into the pit [0953].

¹⁵ Lest thou make [03772] a covenant [01285] with the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776], and they go a whoring [02181] after [0310] their gods [0430], and do sacrifice [02076] unto their gods [0430], and one call [07121] thee, and thou eat [0398] of his sacrifice [02077];

¹⁸ For I will declare [05046] mine iniquity [05771]; I will be sorry [01672] for my sin [02403].