325
17 only.
e=Rom. x, 7. f Here only; Ps, Ixii. 9.
1 ey ἀνθρωποις FG, Orig., Euseb., Hil., Jer., etc.
* After κατ. insert πρωτον $°BC*KLP, al., Vss., Thdrt., Dam., Ambrst.-ms., Oec.- comm. ; προτερον 120; N*AC*DEFGO 17, 46, 67°, 43, al., It., am., Copt., Sahid., Eth., Thdrt., Cyr., Chr.-comm., Oec.-text, Iren., Lucif., Hil., Jer., Aug., al.
ὕ After κατ τ. insert µερη with SABCD°KLP, etc., vss. Orig.,, all Aug.s, al. ; om. DEFG, ἆ, e, g, Syr., Ar.-erp., Thdrt., Orig.,, Iren.,, Tert., Lucif., Hil., Ambrst., Jer.;
κατωτατα Thdrt., Orig., Euseb., Cyr.
quotations are expected to be made in modern times; and in other passages made use of by Paul (e.g., Rom. x. 6-10) we discover a remarkable liberty both in reproduction and in application, But in none is the change so great as in the present case. There is first the depart- ure from the historical meaning of the Psalm ; in which, however, this passage stands by no means alone. The Psalm in which this magnificent description of the victorious march of Israel’s God occurs, celebrates the establishment of Jehovah’s kingdom in the past and pro- claims the certainty of its triumph over all enemies and in all nations in the future. It does this in connection with some great event in the history of Israel. All pos- sible opinions have been expressed as to the particular occasion of the Psalm. It has been identified with the removal of the Ark to Zion in David’s time (2 Sam. vi. 12, etc.; τ Chron. xv.); with some unnamed victory of David or with David’s victories generally; with the placing of the Ark in Solomon’s Temple; with the victory of Jehoshaphat and Jehoram over Moab (2 Kings iii. ; Hitzig) ; with the check given to the Assyrians in Heze- kiah’s time ; with the consecration of the Temple of the Restoration (Ewald) ; with the return from the captivity (Hupfeld) ; with the. struggle between Egypt and Syria for the possession of the Holy Land towards the close of the third century B.c.; with the victories of Jonathan or Simon in the Maccabean wars (Olsh.) ; with the struggle between Ptolemy Philo- metor and Alexander Balas (1 Macc. xiv.), etc. Butall this uncertainty as to the par- ticular date and occasion does not affect the fact that what is dealt with is some great passage in the history of the Jewish nation. The probabilities are that the Psalm belongs to the latter part of the Babylonian exile; but Paul passes by the actual historical intention of the words and puts on them a quite differ-
ent sense. There is, secondly, the notable change from Jehovah receiving gifts to Christ giving gifts. Some have explained this by supposing that Pau followed a Hebrew text which read
ΓΔ, or some such form, instead of
nnp> : but of this there is no evidence.
It is possible, indeed, that the Apostle adopted a traditional version or interpre- tation of the passage which was familiar, and of which some indication is found in the Peshitta Syriac and the Chaldee Paraphrase (both having a rendering = “Thou didst give gifts to the children of men”). Something also may be said in
support of the explanation that the Πορ
of the original, which is used elsewhere in the sense of fetching or taking in order to give (Gen. xviii. 5, xxvii. 13, xlii. 16, xlviii. 9, etc.), has that meaning here. But after all such explanations the fact remains that both the terms and the idea are changed. There is thirdly the Mes- sianic interpretation. It is here that the justification of the change is found. The Psalm, there is good reason to believe, had been regarded as a Messianic Psalm ; and the use made of it by Paul was in all probability in accordance with views of Messianic prophecy which had become current, and with a method of dealing with the OT which was generally under- stood. But in any case it is an applica- tion rather than an interpretation in the strict sense of the word that we have here. And the justification of such an application lies in the fact that the un- known event celebrated in the Psalm was a victory of the Theocratic King, and in that sense a part of that triumph of the Kingdom of God which was to be carried to its consummation by the Messiah. Ver. 9. Τὸ δέ, ἀνέβη, τί ἐστιν εἰ μὴ ὅτι καὶ κατέβη πρῶτον : Now this, He ascended,” what is it but that He also