聖書注解書

この詩篇と、それに続く十の詩は、その表題にアサフの名を冠している。もし彼がそれらの筆者であったなら（多くの人がそう考えるように）、私たちはそれらを正しくアサフの詩と呼ぶ。もしそれらが渡された主席音楽家にすぎなかったなら、欄外読みが正しく、それらをアサフのための詩と呼ぶ。彼がそれらを書いたことはあり得る。というのも、私たちはヒゼキヤの時代に神を賛美するために用いられたダビデと先見者アサフの言葉について読むからである（歴代誌第二29:30）。聖なる歌を通じて預言の御霊が、「イスラエルの快い詩篇者」と呼ばれるダビデに主として下ったが、神はその御霊の一部を彼の周りの人々にも注がれた。これは大いに役立つ詩である。それは詩篇者が悪者の繁栄を嫉む強い誘惑との戦いについて報告する。彼はその報告を、しっかりと保ち、その助けによって持ちこたえ、目的を果たした聖なる原則で始める（詩73:1）。彼は次に語る。一、彼がいかにして誘惑に入ったか（詩73:2-14）。二、彼がいかにして誘惑から抜け出し、それに勝利を収めたか（詩73:15-20）。三、彼が誘惑からいかにして得て、それによって良くなったか（詩73:21-23）。もしこの詩を歌うにあたって、私たちが生涯の誘惑に備えて自分を強めるなら、私たちはこれをむだに用いないのである。ほかの人々の経験は私たちの教訓となるべきである。

この詩篇（後に続く十篇の詩篇、ならびに Psalm 50 と共に、合わせて12篇）は、欄外の読み「アサフのためのもの」が正しいのでない限り、アサフに帰せられている。しかし表題のこの表現の最も自然な意味は、それらがアサフの詩篇であること、すなわち彼によって作られたということである。Psalm 50 の緒言を参照せよ。これらの詩篇の一部、とりわけ Psalm 74; Psalm 79:1-13; 80 は、彼の年代よりはるかに後の出来事を指していると主張されるため、彼のものではあり得ないと主張されてきた。しかし、この詩篇には特定の時代あるいは国への特別な関係はなく、いかなる時代にも、いかなる国にも生じ得た一般的な省察から成っているので、この詩篇が彼によって作られたという想定に対して反対はなさそうである。

この詩篇が作られた特定の機会に関しては情報がない。それは悪者の繁栄を見てのものであり、その繁栄を見ての神の摂理に関する書き手を悩ませた省察を示唆している。記録されている思想は、いかなる心にも起こり得るような、そして実際しばしば起こるようなものである。すなわち、悪者たちがこの世でこれほど成功し幸福であり、繁栄の中に生き、見かけ上苦痛も恐怖もなく死んでいくのに、善良な者たちのこれほど多くはその生涯において貧しく悲しく、地上でのその全行程がこれほど多くの悲しみと嘆きに満いているという事実から生じる。この詩篇に表明されているような思想はしばしば心を横切り、なぜ神がこれを許されるのか、善であることに何の益があるのか、これをご覧になりこれを許される神は正しく慈悲深い者であり得るのか――義人の友、悪者の敵であり得るのか――それとも神がまったく存在するのか、という問いが生じるであろう。この詩篇はこれらの感情を描写し、その作者の場合に困難がどのように解決されたかを示し、その解決として、これは応報の世界ではないこと、正確な正義が行われ、現在の体系のすべての不均衡が調整される未来の状態が存在することを示唆している。その未来の世界において――「永遠」において――そのような調整を行い、すべてに正確な正義を行うための十分な時間と余地が存在するであろう。この詩篇における「観念」は、未来の状態が存在するという想定なしにはこれらの事柄を説明し得ないということである。それゆえこの詩篇は、未来の存在状態のための論証である。地の事柄はその想定なしには説明し得ず、神の性格もその想定なしには正当化し得ないのである。

この詩篇はその全般的な構造と目的において Psalm 37 と強い類似を持つが、この詩篇の作者がそれを前に置いていた、あるいは念頭に置いていたという証拠はない。表現は同じではなく、一方が他方から写されたように見えることもない。それらは同じ一般的主題についての独立した省察を含み、同じ困惑を示唆し、同じ仕方で――未来に、最終的な正しい応報に目を向けることにおいて――困難の解決を見出している。この場合――Psalm 73――詩篇作者は、聖所の教えによってこの問題の解決を学んだと言い（Psalm 73:17）、前の場合――Psalm 37――では、解決は悪の生涯と宗教的な生涯との比較的な効果の観察によって見出された（Psalm 37:10-11, Psalm 37:20, Psalm 37:23-25, Psalm 37:35-37）。両者における観念は、善良さあるいは敬虔の最終的な効果は幸福でなければならず、罪の最終的な効果は悲惨でなければならないということである。これらの詩篇の一方の作者はこの解決を現在の生涯の中に見出し、他方の作者は来たるべき生涯の中に見出す。いずれの場合にも、神の性格は正当化され、魂の乱れた感情は静められるのである。

この詩篇における全般的な「観念」は第一節に言明されている。すなわち、「神はイスラエルに、心の清い者たちに、良くあられる」こと、言い換えれば、神は義人の真の友であること、あるいは神の摂理は徳に味方し、義なる者たちに味方するものであることである。この詩篇は、書き手がこの結論に至った過程を言明する。この結果に到達する前に彼が通過した精神の戦いを、この世界に存在する事実を見ての彼自身の心の動揺と、彼がこの主題の中に見た困難を。彼の心はこの主題を黙想したとき非常に困惑させられ、その精神の戦いは、神が存在するという観念、あるいは宗教に何かが存在するという観念を放棄し、それがすべてまやかしであると結論するほどまでに彼を導きかけたのであった。

それゆえこの詩篇は次の部分から成る。

I. 神の摂理は徳に味方する、あるいは人の事柄を司る神が存在するという一般的命題の言明（Psalm 73:1）。

II. 詩篇作者が観察した、そこから彼の疑いが湧き出た事実、あるいは彼にこれほどの困惑と苦悶を与えた事実（Psalm 73:2-14）。それらの事実とは、悪者たちが繁栄し幸福であるように見えること、彼らが苦難なしに生き、神の不承認のしるしなくして死ぬこと、彼らの目が脂肪で突出し、心が望む以上の物を持っていること、彼らがその口を天に向け、高慢な冒涜者たちであるのに、神は彼らに注意を払われないか、あるいは不承認を現されないこと、彼らが神をさげすみ、それでもこの世で繁栄している一方で、他方、彼自身――詩篇作者――は懲らされ、苦しみ、災いを受けていたことである。これは、敬虔に何の益もあり得ず、清い手と清い心を持とうとする彼のあらゆる心配がむだであるという観念を示唆する。

III. この主題についての自分の感情を隠そうとする彼の目的の言明（Psalm 73:15）。これらの厄介な思想を持たず、謙遜をもって神に仕えようと努めている人々に害を与えるといけないからである。彼には、他人に知らせることが適切だと考えなかった思想――彼らを痛ませ、益をもたらすことなく神への信仰を動揺させるだけの思想――があった。

IV. この主題に関して彼の心が静められ、彼の困難が解決された手段（Psalm 73:17-20）。彼は聖所に行き、これらの事柄の終わりを見、何が結果となるべきかを見た。これらのすべての不均衡が調整されるとき、悪者への刑罰において、神が存在し、神が正しいことが見出されるであろう時を先見するようにと教えられたのである。

V. 彼はいまや自分自身の以前の愚かさを責め、自分の行動が完全に非合理であったこと、自分の見解が近視眼的であったこと、神について抱いた低い概念において、彼が獣のように愚かであったことを見る（Psalm 73:21-22）。

VI. すべてを見て、詩篇作者はいまや自分自身を神にゆだねる。彼は神に信頼する理由があることを見る。彼はもはやつぶやきあるいは不平を言わないと決意する。彼は神の中に自分の分け前を見出す。彼は、神がその助言によって自分を導き、ついには栄光の中に自分を受け入れてくださることを信じる。彼は、天にも地にも、神のほかに慕う者はないと言う。彼の力と心が衰えるとき、神は彼の心の力、とこしえの分け前であってくださるという思いによって、彼は元気づけられる。それゆえ彼は、これからは主なる神に信頼するであろう（Psalm 73:23-28）。

The psalmist speaks of God's goodness to his people, Psalm 73:1; shows how much he was stumbled at the prosperity of the wicked, and describes their state, Psalm 73:2-12; details the process of the temptation, and the pain he suffered in consequence, Psalm 73:13-16; shows how he was delivered, and the dismal reverse of the state of the once prosperous ungodly man, by which his own false views were corrected, Psalm 73:17-22; his great confidence in God, and the good consequences of it, Psalm 73:23-28.

This is the commencement of the Third Book of the Psalter; and the Psalm before us has for title, A Psalm of Asaph; or, as the margin has it, A Psalm for Asaph. The title in the Hebrew is מזמור לאסף mizmor leasaph; "A Psalm of Asaph:" and it is likely that this Asaph was the composer of it; that he lived under the Babylonish captivity; and that he published this Psalm to console the Israelites under bondage, who were greatly tried to find themselves in such outward distress and misery, while a people much more wicked and corrupt than they, were in great prosperity, and held them in bondage.

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 73

A Psalm of Asaph. It seems by the title that Asaph was the penman of this psalm, as it is certain that he was a composer of psalms and hymns; see 2 Chronicles 29:30, though it may be rendered, "a psalm for Asaph", or "unto Asaph" (a); and might have David for its author, as some think, who, having penned it, sent it to Asaph, to be made use of by him in public service; see 1 Chronicles 16:7, and so the Targum paraphrases it,

"a song by the hands of Asaph;''

the occasion of it was a temptation the psalmist fell into, through the prosperity of the wicked, and the afflictions of the righteous, to think there was nothing in religion, that it was a vain and useless thing; under which he continued until he went into the house of God, and was taught better; when he acknowledged his stupidity and folly, and penned this psalm, to prevent others falling into the same snare, and to set forth the goodness of God to his people, with which it begins.

Book III.

LXXIII.

The motive of this psalm shows itself clearly in Psalm 73:3—perplexity at the sight of the prosperity of the wicked. Two psalms have already dealt with the question at some length, viz., Psalms 37, 49 (See Introduction to those psalms.) The problem is stated here more fully, the poet trying to account not only for one, but for both sides of the paradox, the troubles that beset the righteous as well as the good fortune that befalls the ungodly. The solution, however, on the first side falls short of that reached in Psalms 49. The author contents himself with the thought that the wicked stand in slippery places, and may at any moment come to ruin. On the other hand, he is beginning to feel the way towards a higher truth than was discerned before, the truth that while the success of evil is apparent and momentary, that of good is real and final; he even catches a glimpse of the still higher truth revealed in the pages of Job, that communion with God is itself a bliss above happiness, and that the consciousness of possessing this gives a joy with which the pleasures of mere temporary prosperity are not to be compared. The versification is almost regular.

Title.—See Title to Psalms 1.

THE PSALMS

BOOK III

Psalms 73-89

THE THIRD BOOK OF PSALMS

Twelve Psalms in the Psalter are entitled Psalms “of Asaph,” of which one (Psalms 50) stands by itself between the Korahite and Davidic groups in Book ii, and the remainder stand together in a group at the beginning of Book iii. It has been conjectured (see Introd. p. liv, note [35] that the isolated position of Psalms 50 is due to a transposition of the divisions of Books ii and iii, and that the original arrangement was (1) Davidic Psalms , 51-72; (ii) Levitical Psalms, (1) of the sons of Korah, 42–49; (2) of Asaph, 50, 73–83. But it is at least as probable that Psalms 50 owes its position to its connexion with Psalms 49 on the one hand and Psalms 51 on the other, and was intentionally placed by the compiler between the Psalms which he took from the Korahite collection and those which he took from the Davidic collection.

[35] It has been conjectured by Ewald that Psalms 51-72 originally stood after 41, so that the arrangement was (1) Davidic Psalms , 1-41; Psalms 51-72 : (2) Levitical Psalms: (a) Korahite, 42–49; (b) Asaphite, 50, 73–83; (c) Korahite supplement, 84–89. The hypothesis is ingenious. It brings the Davidic Psalms together, and makes the note to Psalm 72:20 more natural; and it connects the isolated Psalm of Asaph (50) with the rest of the group.

But it is clear that Books II and III formed a collection independent of Book I: and the editor may have wished to separate the mass of the Asaphite Psalms from the Korahite Psalms by placing the Davidic Psalms between them, while he put 50 next to 51 on account of the similarity of its teaching on sacrifice. The note to Psalm 72:20 is true for his collection; and it does not necessarily imply that none but Davidic Psalms have preceded. Cp. Job 31:40.

Asaph was one of David’s three chief musicians. Along with Heman and Ethan (who seems to have been also called Jeduthun, see p. 348, and Intr. to Psalms 88) he was selected by the Levites to lead the music when David brought up the Ark to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:16-19). He was appointed by David to preside over the services of praise and thanksgiving in the Tent where the Ark was placed (1 Chronicles 16:4-5; 1 Chronicles 16:7; 1 Chronicles 16:37), while Heman and Jeduthun ministered in the Tabernacle at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:41-42). His sons, under his superintendence, were leaders of four of the twenty-four courses of musicians (Psalm 25:1 ff.), and they are mentioned as taking part in the Dedication of the Temple (2 Chronicles 5:12). In later times Asaph was ranked with David as the author of sacred songs, and along with Heman and Jeduthun, he bore the title of “the king’s seer” (2 Chronicles 29:30; 1 Chronicles 25:5; 2 Chronicles 35:15).

The “sons of Asaph,” that is, the Levitical family or guild of his descendants, are further mentioned in the reign of Jeho-shaphat (2 Chronicles 20:14), in connexion with Hezekiah’s reformation (2 Chronicles 29:13), and as taking part in the Passover celebrated by Josiah (Psalm 35:15). Among the exiles who returned with Zerubbabel were “the singers, the sons of Asaph,” in number 128 (Ezra 2:41), or (according to Nehemiah 7:44) 148, and they conducted the service of praise and thanksgiving when the foundation of the Temple was laid (Ezra 3:10). In the time of Nehemiah they are once more mentioned as holding the same office (Nehemiah 11:22).

It is clear that all the Psalms which bear the name of Asaph cannot have been written by David’s musician, if indeed any of them were, for some unquestionably belong to the time of the Exile or even a later period. Probably the title does no more than indicate that they were taken by the compiler of the Elohistic Psalter from a collection of Psalms preserved and used in the family or guild of Asaph, and bearing his name. Why one Levitical hymn-book should have been named from the sons of Korah, and the other from Asaph rather than the sons of Asaph can only be conjectured. Possibly tradition connected the name of Asaph himself more closely with it as the founder of the collection or the author of some of the Psalms in it, but it must have remained open to additions in successive periods.

The Psalms of Asaph are marked by distinctive characteristics. How is this to be accounted for, if they belong, as seems certainly to be the case, to widely different periods? It may best be explained by the supposition that a certain type or style of composition, derived possibly from Asaph him self, was traditional in the family of Asaph, rather than by the supposition that they were selected on account of their particular characteristics.

Broadly speaking, these Psalms are distinguished by their prophetic character. The theme of Psalms 50, which is a typical Psalm of Asaph, conspicuous for its vigour and originality, is the message reiterated by the prophets from Samuel onward, that merely formal sacrifices are worthless in the sight of God; and the following features occur with sufficient frequency to be regarded as characteristic of the collection[36].

[36] Stähelin, who is followed by Bishop Perowne, reckons among the characteristics of these Psalms the interchange of the Divine names Jehovah and Elôhîm, and observes that Jehovah generally occurs towards the end of a Psalm where it passes into supplication. But if the predominant use of Elôhîm in the Elohistic collection is due to the hand of an editor (Introd. p. lvi), the interchange cannot be set down as a peculiarity either of the Psalms of Asaph or of those of the sons of Korah.

El, ‘God’, and Elyôn, ‘the Most High’, occur with somewhat greater relative frequency, but the former is distributed over the whole Psalter, and the latter over the first four Books of it. In Book v it occurs only in Psalm 107:11. Adônâi, ‘Lord’ (which however may often be due only to an editor or scribe, the word read in place of JHVH being actually written instead of it) occurs but six times, while in 68 alone it occurs seven times, and in 86 seven times.

(1) Like the prophets, they represent God as the Judge. Psalms 50 describes Him as coming to judge His people, demanding spiritual service, and rebuking unbelief. Psalms 75, 76 celebrate a signal judgement upon some blasphemous and insolent enemy of His people, probably Sennacherib. Psalms 82 represents Him as the Judge of judges, calling them to account for malversation of their office. And though God is not expressly called the Judge in Psalms 73, 78, 81, the judgements of God as exhibited in life and history for encouragement and warning form the subject of these Psalms. Of course the representation of God as the Judge is not confined to these Psalms, but it is so prominent in them as to constitute a distinctive feature.

(2) As in the prophets, God Himself is frequently introduced as the speaker, and that not merely by the way, but in solemn, judicial utterances. See 50, 75, 81, 82. Comp. Psalm 60:6 ff. in the Davidic group.

(3) The didactic use of history is also a prophetical feature, for it was the function of prophecy not only to foretell the future, but to interpret the past. It is in the Psalms of Asaph that we first meet with frequent references to the ancient history of Israel. The allusion to the legislation at Sinai in Psalms 50 is merely general; but in Psalm 74:12 ff., Psalm 77:10 ff., Psalm 80:8 ff, Psalm 81:5 ff., Psalm 83:9 ff, the past history of the nation is appealed to for encouragement or warning, and Psalms 78 is entirely devoted to the ‘parable’ of Israel’s history from the Exodus to the Building of the Temple. Such references are not found in Book i, and are rare in Book ii (Psalm 44:1 ff., Psalm 66:5 ff., Psalms 68); in the later books however they are more frequent (Psalm 95:8 ff., Psalm 103:7; Psalms 105; Psalms 106; Psalms 114; Psalms 132; Psalms 135; Psalms 136).

(4) Another feature, springing out of the last, is the frequency with which the relation of Jehovah to Israel is expressed by the figure of the Shepherd and His flock. It recalls Jehovah’s guidance of His people through the wilderness, and conveys the assurance that He will yet seek the lost and gather the scattered and guide them back into their own land. See Psalm 74:1; Psalm 77:20; Psalm 78:52, cp. 70–72; Psalm 79:13; Psalm 80:1. It may be noted that this is a favourite figure with the prophets Micah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.

(5) Connected with the tendency to look back to the early history of Israel may be the use of the combinations Jacob and Joseph (Psalm 77:15), Joseph and Israel (Psalm 80:1; Psalm 81:4-5); cp. Psalm 78:67-68. Cp. Amos 5:6; Amos 5:15; Amos 6:6; Obadiah 1:18; Zechariah 10:6; Ezekiel 37:16; Ezekiel 37:19; Ezekiel 47:13. It seems to express the idea that the division of the nation is intolerable, and that the reunion of Israel is necessary to its full restoration. In this too the Asaphite Psalms agree with the prophets, who from the time of Amos onward predict the ultimate reunion of the nation.

The Asaphite Psalms are almost entirely national Psalms, of intercession, thanksgiving, warning, and instruction. The purely personal element is scarcely found among them. In the Psalms which have the most individual character (73, 77) the Psalmist speaks as the representative of a class, and the circumstances which cause him perplexity are social or national, not personal.

As regards the date of the Psalms in this group, some belong to the period of the monarchy (75, 76); some to the Exile (74, 79, 80); and some perhaps to the post-exilic period. But the predominant impression gained from reading the collection as a whole is that of a cry out of the Exile, pleading that God will visit and restore His people Psalms of thanksgiving for past deliverances, such as 75, 76, 81, follow Psalms of supplication, as reminders of the marvellous works wrought by God for His people in times past, and pledges that He can and will once more deliver them. That the collection contains Maccabaean Psalms appears to the present writer improbable, in spite of the general opinion to the contrary. See Introd., p. xlvi, and the introduction to Psalms 74.

Psalms 73

This Psalm is a touching confession of faith sorely tried but finally victorious. It falls into two equal divisions: in the first, the Psalmist relates his temptation; in the second, the conquest of his doubts.

i. He had all but lost belief in God’s goodness towards the righteous (Psalm 73:1-2), as he gazed with envy on the prosperity and influence of the wicked, who seem to enjoy immunity from sickness and trouble, and go on unchecked in a career of pride and violence and blasphemy, seducing the mass of men to follow them in denying God’s rule in the world (Psalm 73:3-11). He was tempted to think that all his endeavours after holiness had been worse than wasted labour, for they had only brought him suffering (Psalm 73:12-14).

ii. He felt that to proclaim such a view of life would have been an act of treachery towards his fellow-Israelites, but the more he pondered on the problem, the more cruel did it seem (Psalm 73:15-16), until in the Temple the truth was revealed to him, that all the pomp of the wicked is but a hollow show, doomed to sudden and irreparable destruction (Psalm 73:17-20). To envy it was indeed irrational stupidity, when in the fellowship and guidance and favour of God he possessed the highest good of which man is capable (Psalm 73:21-26). For desertion of God leads to death; drawing near to Him is happiness (Psalm 73:27-28).

The double problem of the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous weighed heavily on the minds of many in ancient Israel, who only knew of this world as the scene of God’s dealings with men, and missed the clear evidence of God’s sovereign justice which they desired to see in the reward of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked. In Psalms 37 we have a simple exhortation to patience and faith in view of the prosperity of the wicked, for the triumph of the wicked will be short-lived, while the reward of the righteous will be sure and abiding. In Psalms 49 the impotence and the transitoriness of wealth are insisted on, and contrasted with God’s care for the righteous and the final triumph of righteousness. In this Psalm the problem is still approached from the side of the prosperity of the wicked, though there is a side-glance at the sufferings of the righteous (Psalm 73:14). It represents a deeper and probably later stage of thought: the difficulty has become more acute, and the solution is more complete; for the Psalmist is led to recognise not only the instability of worldly greatness, but the supreme blessedness of fellowship with God as man’s highest good. In the Book of Job the problem is approached from the side of the suffering of the righteous, but it is fully discussed in its manifold aspects. A further step is made towards the conclusion implicitly contained in the faith of this Psalm, that this world is but one act in the great drama of life.

Whether the Psalmist in Psalm 73:24 ff. looks beyond this life or not, is a question of interpretation on which opinion will probably always be divided. But it is clear, as Delitzsch observes, that he does not rise from pointing to the retribution which awaits the wicked in this world, to anticipate a solution of the contradictions of life in the world beyond, and the exceeding glory which infinitely outweighs the sufferings of this present time still lies beyond his horizon. But the dimmer his view of a future life, the more wonderful is the triumphant faith, which surrenders all and cleaves to God, and the pure love, which counts all in the universe as nothing in comparison of Him.

It is impossible to speak with confidence as to the date of the Psalm. It does not belong to the Exile, for the Temple was standing (Psalm 73:17). The problem was debated in pre-exilic times (Jeremiah 12:1 ff.; Habakkuk 1:2 ff.); as well as after the Return (Psalm 94:3 ff; Psalm 92:7 ff.; Malachi 3:13 ff.; Ecclesiastes 8:11 ff.; &c.). The relation of the Psalm to Job (cp. especially ch. 21) and Proverbs (Proverbs 23:17-18; &c.) does not enable us to fix its date. It should be noted that here, as in Psalms 37, 49, the thoughts and language of the ‘Wisdom’ or religious philosophy of Israel, find a place in the Psalter.

Ps 73:1-28.

アサフの―（緒言を参照）。

*神はご自身の民に良い方である。*悪者の繁栄と義人の苦悶が詩篇者を神の統治への疑いへと誘ったが、神の啓示の光の中に見た不敬虔な者の突然の恐るべき滅亡は、彼の心を安心させる。そして自らの愚かさを責め、彼は新たに神に信頼し、その善良さと愛をたたえるに至る。

1. 主題の突然の発表は、それが困惑する精神の戦いの結論であることを示し、その戦いが次に詳述される（比較せよ、

Jer 12:1-4)。

たしかに―あるいは「確かにその通りである」。

きよい心―

(Ps 18:26)

真のイスラエルを描写する。

実に、神はイスラエルに良い方である――すなわち、神の民に、正しい者たちに、神に仕える者たちに、ということである。言い換えれば、神は正しい者たちの「真の」友である、ということである。神は彼らを忘れてはいない。神は彼らを見捨てない。神は彼らに無関心ではない。神は悪人たちの友ではなく、神の統治の運営は悪を支持してはいない。このことを示すように見えるすべてのことの後に、神のみわざに関する心を悩ませるすべてのことの後に、それでもなお、神は義の友であって悪の友ではなく、神に仕えることには益があるというのは真理である。ここで詩篇作者によって語られていることの力強さを理解するためには、この詩篇における一連の思考が彼の心を通過し、彼の困惑がこの詩篇の中で示された仕方で解かれたことを、私たちは認識しなければならない。ここでの欄外注は「しかし」である。「しかし神はイスラエルに良い」。この「しかし」という語は、この箇所においては幸いな訳出であろう。その場合、詩篇作者は、この主題について黙想し、そのすべての困惑を眺めることにふけっていた者として表されることになり、そのうえで彼はこう言うのである。「しかし神は良い方である。この件におけるすべての困難にもかかわらず、神が神の民の友――義の友――であられることは、それでもなお真実である」と。

清い心の人たちにも――欄外注は、ヘブル語のままに、「心の清い」。Psalm 73:13 の注解を参照せよ。これは真に正しい者たちのことを指している。すべての真の義は心にその座を持つからである。Psalm 51:10 の注解を参照せよ。