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Selected Verse: Amos 5:23 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Am 5:23 |
Strong Concordance |
Take thou away [05493] from me the noise [01995] of thy songs [07892]; for I will not hear [08085] the melody [02172] of thy viols [05035]. |
| |
King James |
Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. |
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] |
Take . . . away from me--literally, "Take away, from upon Me"; the idea being that of a burden pressing upon the bearer. So Isa 1:14, "They are a trouble unto Me (literally, 'a burden upon Me'): I am weary to bear them."
the noise of thy songs--The hymns and instrumental music on sacred occasions are to Me nothing but a disagreeable noise.
I will not hear--Isaiah substitutes "prayers" (Isa 1:15) for the "songs" and "melody" here; but, like Amos, closes with "I will not hear." |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Take thou away from Me - Literally, "from upon Me," that is, from being a burden to Me, a weight on Me. So God says by Isaiah, "your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul hateth; they are a burden upon Me; I am weary to bear them" Isa 1:14. Their "songs" and hymns were but a confused, tumultuous, "noise," since they had not the harmony of love.
For - (And) the melody of thy viols I will not hear - Yet the "nebel," probably a sort of harp, was almost exclusively consecrated to the service of God, and the Psalms were God's own writing. Doubtless they sounded harmoniously in their own ears; but it reached no further. Their melody, like much Church-music, was for itself, and ended in itself. : "Let Christian chanters learn hence, not to set the whole devotion of Psalmody in a good voice, subtlety of modulation and rapid intonation, etc., quavering like birds, to tickle the ears of the curious, take them off to themselves and away from prayer, lest they hear from God, 'I will not hear the melody of thy viols.' Let them learn that of the Apostle, 'I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also' Co1 14:15." Augustine, in Psa 30:1-12; Enarr. iv. (p. 203. Oxford Translation) L.: "If the Psalm prays, pray; if it sorrows, sorrow; if it is glad, rejoice; if full of hope, hope; if of fear, fear. For whatever is therein written, is our mirror."
Augustine in Ps. 119 (n. 9. T. v. p. 470. Old Testament) L.: "How many are loud in voice, dumb in heart! How many lips are silent, but their love is loud! For the ears of God are to the heart of man. As the ears of the body are to the mouth of man, so the heart of man is to the ears of God. Many are heard with closed lips, and many who cry aloud are not heard." Dionysius: "God says, 'I will not hear," as He says, 'praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner' (Ecclesiaticus 15:9), and, 'to the ungodly saith God, what hast thou to do, to declare My statutes?' Psa 50:16, and, 'he that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination' Pro 28:9. It is not meant hereby that the wicked ought wholly to abstain from the praise of God and from prayers, but that they should be diligent to amend, and know that through such imperfect services they cannot be saved." The prophet urges upon them the terribleness of the Day of Judgment, that they might feel and flee its terribleness, before it comes. He impresses on them the fruitlessness of their prayers, that, amending, they might so pray, that God would hear them. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Thy songs - Used in their sacrifices, and solemn feasts; herein they imitated the temple - worship, but all was unpleasing to the Lord. Will not hear - Not with delight and acceptance. Thy viols - This one kind of musical instrument is put for all the rest. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| The noise of thy songs - the melody of thy viols - They had both vocal and instrumental music in those sacrificial festivals; and God hated the noise of the one and shut his ears against the melody of the other. In the first there was nothing but noise, because their hearts were not right with God; and in the latter there could be nothing but (זמרת zimrath) cutting and scraping, because there was no heart - no religious sense in the thing, and nearly as little in them that used it. See on Amo 6:5 (note). |
15 And when ye spread forth [06566] your hands [03709], I will hide [05956] mine eyes [05869] from you: yea, when ye make many [07235] prayers [08605], I will not hear [08085]: your hands [03027] are full [04390] of blood [01818].
14 Your new moons [02320] and your appointed feasts [04150] my soul [05315] hateth [08130]: they are a trouble [02960] unto me; I am weary [03811] to bear [05375] them.
9 He that turneth away [05493] his ear [0241] from hearing [08085] the law [08451], even his prayer [08605] shall be abomination [08441].
16 But unto the wicked [07563] God [0430] saith [0559], What hast thou to do to declare [05608] my statutes [02706], or that thou shouldest take [05375] my covenant [01285] in thy mouth [06310]?
1 A Psalm [04210] and Song [07892] at the dedication [02598] of the house [01004] of David [01732]. I will extol [07311] thee, O LORD [03068]; for thou hast lifted me up [01802], and hast not made my foes [0341] to rejoice [08055] over me.
2 O LORD [03068] my God [0430], I cried [07768] unto thee, and thou hast healed [07495] me.
3 O LORD [03068], thou hast brought up [05927] my soul [05315] from the grave [07585]: thou hast kept me alive [02421], that I should not go down [03381] [03381] to the pit [0953].
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].
5 For his anger [0639] endureth but a moment [07281]; in his favour [07522] is life [02416]: weeping [01065] may endure [03885] for a night [06153], but joy [07440] cometh in the morning [01242].
6 And in my prosperity [07959] I said [0559], I shall never [05769] be moved [04131].
7 LORD [03068], by thy favour [07522] thou hast made my mountain [02042] to stand [05975] strong [05797]: thou didst hide [05641] thy face [06440], and I was troubled [0926].
8 I cried [07121] to thee, O LORD [03068]; and unto the LORD [03068] I made supplication [02603].
9 What profit [01215] is there in my blood [01818], when I go down [03381] to the pit [07845]? Shall the dust [06083] praise [03034] thee? shall it declare [05046] thy truth [0571]?
10 Hear [08085], O LORD [03068], and have mercy [02603] upon me: LORD [03068], be thou my helper [05826].
11 Thou hast turned [02015] for me my mourning [04553] into dancing [04234]: thou hast put off [06605] my sackcloth [08242], and girded [0247] me with gladness [08057];
12 To the end that my glory [03519] may sing [02167] praise to thee, and not be silent [01826]. O LORD [03068] my God [0430], I will give thanks [03034] unto thee for ever [05769].
15 What [5101] is it [2076] then [3767]? I will pray [4336] with the spirit [4151], and [1161] I will pray [4336] with the understanding [3563] also [2532]: I will sing [5567] with the spirit [4151], and [1161] I will sing [5567] with the understanding [3563] also [2532].
14 Your new moons [02320] and your appointed feasts [04150] my soul [05315] hateth [08130]: they are a trouble [02960] unto me; I am weary [03811] to bear [05375] them.
5 That chant [06527] to the sound [06310] of the viol [05035], and invent [02803] to themselves instruments [03627] of musick [07892], like David [01732];