Bible Commentaries

When his ^a candle shined upon my head, [and when] by his light I walked [through] ^b darkness;

(a) When I felt his favour.

(b) I was free from affliction.

As I was in the days of my youth, when the ^c secret of God [was] upon my tabernacle;

(c) That is, seemed by evident tokens to be more present with me.

When I washed my steps ^d with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

(d) By these comparisons he declares the great prosperity that he was in, so that he had no opportunity to be such a sinner as they accused him.

The young men saw me, and ^e hid themselves: and the aged arose, [and] stood up.

(e) Being ashamed of their lightness and afraid of my gravity.

The princes refrained talking, and laid [their] hand on their ^f mouth.

(f) Acknowledging my wisdom.

When the ^g ear heard [me], then it blessed me; and when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me:

(g) All that heard me, praised me.

Because I delivered the ⁱ poor that cried, and the fatherless, and [him that had] none to help him.

(i) Because his adversaries did so much charge him with wickedness, he is compelled to render account of his life.

^k The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

(k) That is, I helped him who was in distress, and so he had cause to praise me.

I put on ^l righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem.

(l) I delighted to do justice, as others did to wear costly apparel.

Then I said, I shall die in my ^m nest, and I shall multiply [my] days as the sand.

(m) That is, at home in my bed without all trouble and unquietness.

My root [was] ⁿ spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

(n) My happiness increases.

After my words they spake not again; and my speech ^o dropped upon them.

(o) That is, was pleasant to them.

And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide ^p [as] for the latter rain.

(p) As the dry ground thirsts for the rain.

[If] I ^q laughed on them, they believed [it] not; and the light of my countenance they ^r cast not down.

(q) That is, they thought it not to be a rest, or they did not think that I would condescend to them.

(r) They were afraid to offend me and cause me to be angry.

I chose out ^s their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one [that] comforteth the mourners.

(s) I had them at commandment.