2. "Because the beginning of this Pfalm is rehearsed, "I Chron. xvi. 34. without any mention of these "words; for whereas our laft Tranflation, in the 7th "Verfe of this Chapter, fupplies, this Pfalm; Dr. Ham. "obferves, They fhould rather have supply'd, these "three Pfalms, for there follows a good part of the cv, then the xcvi, and after that the beginning and "ending of this cvi, in lieu of the whole And this, fays he, is in reafon applicable to all thofe Pfalms, which have Hallelu-jah in the front of them. .. : Pfal. CVI. 27. To cast out their feed.] Ut abjiceret femen eorum, Munfler. 30. And prayed,] Oravit, Munfter. And fo likewise Caftellio and Gejerus, and all the Ancients, do either turn, prayed, or which is much the fame thing, made an atonement. There can be no reason to doubt, but that the Hebrew word may fignify, praying It is very often fo render'd in the Form Hithpael, and the word Tephilla, Prayers, is allow'd to come from the Verb Pillel here ufed. If therefore there were no other evidence for Phineas's Praying, but this Text, yet I fhould think that fufficient. But there is other proof enough; for he was one among them who wept at the door of the Tabernacle, Numb. xxv. 6, 7. and 'tis not reasonable to fuppofe, that they came to the place of Publick Worfhip meerly to weep: And we may be fure, that Phinea, being a Prieft, had fome fhare, if not the principal, in their Publick Devotion. Further, tis exprefly faid, that Phineas made an atonement, Numb. xxv. 13. Now, we know what was meant by Moses's making an atonement in the like case, namely, his praying, that God would forgive the people's fin, Exod. xxxii. 30, 31, 32. The very fame word is used in the Hebrew in both places, viz. ; and therefore, no doubt, Phineas's Atonement chiefly confifted in the zealous Interceffion he made, as we are fure that of Mofes did. I will not deny, but the execution which Phineas did on Zimri and Cosbi, may be included in the atonement which he made: But I think it may fafely be afferted, that Prayer was at least one principal part of his Atonement; and that therefore our Tranflators, and thefe Great Men, who go along with them, are not to be blamed on this account. 'Tis evident that Bishop Coverdale thus tranflated the Hebrew word with mature deliberation: For in his firft Edition he turn'd it, executed justice, wherein he is followed by Matthews's Bible: But upon his fecond and better Thoughts, he changed it for prayed, as it still re maing, Pfal, CVII. Pfal. CVII. 40. Though he suffer them to be evil intreated through tyrants.] The Tranflators, I fuppofe, conftrued the words thus, Pouring ill treatment upon them, from Princes or Tyrants, fupplying, on them, and turning 7 from, as is not unusual: And the words being thus conftrued, they turn'd into this current English. By rendred by others contempt, they understood, whatever can render men contemptible in the Eyes of the world, as Banishment, Imprisonment, &c. or, as Ainsworth expreffes it, a contemptible eftate. 11 a Verb nearly. ally'd to this Subftantive, commonly fignifies to rob, or spoil, or ufe ill: And the very Verb 12 may properly be turned, rob or wrong, Prov. xiv. 21. Ifai. xlix. 7. Nor did our Tranflators take too great liberty, when in ftead of faying, he pours ill treatment upon them, they fay, he suffers them to be evil intreated. For in the fame manner most Translators, for thofe Hebrew words, Prov. x. 3. God will not famish, or, Starve the foul of the righteous, give us the fame fence that our laft Tranflators have done, viz. God will not fuffer the foul of the righteous to famifh. And fo Ainsworth himself varies that Text, Exod. xxii. 18. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live, which is exprefly in the Hebrew, Thou shalt not make a witch to live. By tranflating the words thus, we have made the connexion more clear and close than in the common way of rendring these words; and on this account have as much the advantage of other Tranflators, as they here have of us, if the words be confidered apart, and by themselves. CX. 3. The dew of thy birth is of the womb of the morning.] utero auroræ eft tibi ros nativitatis tuæ, Munifier. 1 Ab CXI. Title. Hallelu-jah, or, Praise ye the Lord. This is one of the Alphabetical Pfalms which must therefore begin with the Letter; therefore Praise ye the Lord cannot be the beginning, but the Title of the Pfalm; but UŃ I will praife, or give thanks, which does begin with that Letter. So Hammond and Bp. Patrick. CXII. Title. Hallelu-jab.] This is a Pfalm of the fame fort with the CXI. and therefore, for the fame reafon, muft begi with U Blessed. CXVIII. 5. At large. In latitudine, Munster. The Hebre word a comes from 2 which fignifies to per at large, i Sam. ii. 1. The word fignifies both r hear and answer; and by turning the words in this plain natural manner, we have no occafion to make any Supplenic in this Verfe. 26. We have wished you good luck, ye that are of the house of t Lord. Faufta vobis ominamur, Jovæ Domestici, Caftellis, Pfal. CXIX. Aleph 8. Thy Ceremonies.] Ceremonias tuas, Munfter, n is faid to fignify a Law, for which there is no reason but the Will of the Lawgiver. Beth 1. By ruling himself after thy word.] Exequendis verbis tuis, Caftellio. Gimels. Thou hast rebuked the proud, and curfed are they which, &c. Dr. Hammond prefers this conftruction of the words before that of the other Tranflation, as being agreeable p all the ancient Interpreters. Daleth 5. And cause thou me to make much of thy law.] Et grata fit mihi Lex tua, Munster. He 6. That I may fear thee.] Dr. Hammond takes the words in the fame fence. Cheth 5. The congregations,] fignifies not only a Troop or Band of Armed Men, but a Company. So 'tis tranflated, 1 Sam. x, 5, 10. fpeaking of Prophets or Students. Here he probably means Saul's Counsellors. Teth 6. As fat as brawn. The Hebrew D is allow'd to import hardneß, as well as fatneß; and denotes the obftinacy as well as folly of David's Enemies. No Tranflation, that I have feen, does fo exprefly render the fence of this word, and that by giving us an English Phrase for a Hebrew one, which is the moft elegant way of tranflating, when the Languages will allow of it. Lamed 8. I fee that all things come to an end.] Omnis rei finem vidi, Pifcator. Omnium rerum interiturarum finem vidi, Caftellio. Nun 2. And am ftedfaftly purpofed.] Et mecum conftitui, Munft. Samech 1. Them that imagine evil things. Ham. Those that think evil. Ainsworth, in his Annotations, thus explains the Hebrew word, Vain thinkers, Perfons distracted with their own Cogitations, uncertain, wavering like the tops of Trees, which is indeed the full import of the word. Cogitantes mala, Munft. 5. My delight fhall be.] Delectabor, Munft. I shall delight my felf, Ham. Ain 2. Make thou thy fervant to delight in that which is good.] Dulce fac fervo tuo id quod bonum eft, Munfter, Vatablus. Oblecta fervum tuum bono, Pagn. 7. Precious Stone.] Gemmam, Munfter. Topaz, Ham. Pe 2. Goeth forth,] or, appeareth; fo the Verb from whence Пn comes is rendred by our laft Translators, Cant. vii. 12. Oftium eloquiorum tuorum lumen præbet, Munft. 3. Drew in my breath.] Attraxi fpiritum, Munft. 8. Mine eyes gush out with water.] Here the Hebrew Hyperbole is fomewhat leffen'd. See Pfal. vi. 6. Iviii. 8, &c. Koph Kopb 3. Early in the morning.] This is the whole fence of that Phrafe, I prevented the dawning of the morning, if Dr. Hamm. were a competent Judge; for he, in his Paraphrafe, only fays, early in the morning. They avoid the repetition of the word prevent. See Note on Pfal.lxxxviii.13. And tho' the Verb Obe repeated in the Hebrew, for the fake of the Poetry, yet there is no neceffity for it in the English. Ref 5. As thou art wont.] UD? fignifies, according to cuftom, or, according to judgment. Our laft Tranflators turn the word, as thou ufest to do, Pfal. cxix. Pe, ver. 4. Our Tranflators took it there, and here, and in the next preceding Stanza, ver. 4. in the fame fence. Schin 5. And they are not offended at it.] I fuppofe they conftrued the whole Verfe thus, Great peace is to the lovers of thy law, and it is not an offence to them, only fupplying, it; Which they varied into this plain and good English fence. CXX. 3. With hot burning coals. I fuppofe the full force of this Metaphor is as effectually exprefs'd by this Verfion, as if they had kept to the Letter of the Hebrew, and faid, Goals of Juniper; but with this difference, that not one in a thousand had known, why Coals of Juniper, rather than of any other Wood; whereas every one understands the meaning of hot burning coals. Who ever blamed our laft Tranflators, or any other, for not tranflating literally those words, Pfal. Ixviii. 30. The beasts of the Cane, or, Reed, &c? and why should it be a fault to ftrip the Text of its Figure and Veil in one place, and not in another? CXXI. 6. So that the Sun fhall not burn thee by day, nor the moon by night.] Here we have an inftance how unagreeable Catachrefes, or whatever looks Figurative, and out of the common way of speaking, is to the English Genius: For whilst this Pfalm was in the Office for Churching Women, there was not any objection against the Liturgy, that took more (efpecially with that Sex that was chiefly concern'd in this Office) than this expreffion of the Moons burning; and yet this was really a greater argument of want of Learning or Sincerity in thofe who made the Objection, than of any fault in the Tranflation: For at the most 'tis only changing a Hebrew Catachrefis for a Greek and Latin one; for there is no doubt but the Moon does burn, as properly as the fmites; The (perhaps) does neither in a literal fence, but in a figurative fence the may be faid to do either. Suppofe the worst, that the Influences of the Moon are cold, yet the moft polite humane Authors fay, that the cold burns: Thus Quid, Vftus ab affiduo frigore Pontus habet, viz. me. Virgil fays, the cold Northwind burns, -----Borea penetrabile frigus adurit. Geo. I. These were Poets: But Xenophon, writing in Greek Prose, fays, Ἡ γιῶν κάνει τῶν ἐκωῶν τὰς εἶνας. περὶ κιηγ. Snow burns the Noftrils of the Dogs. And why not the Moon, even in December or January, burn, as well as the Northwind or Snow? And even the Vulgar amongst us fay, when they undefignedly tread in cold Water, that they have fcalded their Feet. Whether this be a Catachrefis, or Antiphrafis, it is by the fame Figure that the Moon is faid to burn, even upon the fuppofition that the malignity of her Influences proceed from Cold. And indeed the Latins exprefs'd any kind of Hurt by this word:---- Calceus urit, fays Horace of a pinching Shoe. Vrit enim campum Lini feges, urit avenæ. Virg. Geo. I. Sowing of Oats or Flax burns or hurts the Ground. Oats So that all Grecians and Latinists ought to be Advocates for this Tranflation, efpecially fince the Greeks turn the Hebrew M by ovynávce: And this was the received fence of it amongst the main Body of Christians throughout the World, when this Tranflation was made. It was against their fettled Rule of making every thing more plain, and lefs Figurative, to ufe the word fmite, which cannot be used either of the Sun or Moon, but only in a metaphorical fence, whereas the Sun does burn, according to the moft proper and natural fignification of that word. And after all that fome unphilofophical Men have fancied to the contrary, I am perfuaded, that thofe who are competent Judges will allow, that whatever Influence the Moon has upon our Bodies must be the effect of Heat, that feeble Heat which is convey'd to us by her Rays, or rather by the Rays of the Sun reflected from her Body: For I fuppofe 'twill be no. Paradox to fay, that the Moon has Heat, in the fame fence, and to the fame degree that the has Light. And he was a Philofopher, as well as Poet, who called the Moon, as well as Stars, Fires: Velut inter ignes Luna minores, Tho', after all, 'tis fufficient, by the Rules of Rhetorick, that a Verb or Participle fit one of the feveral Subftantives |