聖書注解書

多くの詩篇は嘆きと祈りに始まり喜びと賛美に終わるが、この詩篇は喜びと賛美に始まり、悲しい嘆きと願いに終わる。なぜなら、詩人はまず神の過去の恵みを数え上げ、それを顧みることによって現在の苦難をいっそう際立たせるからである。この詩が書かれた時期は不確かである。ただ概して言えるのは、ダビデの家が悲惨にも衰え果てていた時期であったということである。ある人々はこれをバビロン捕囚の時代、すなわちゼデキヤ王がネブカデネザルによって辱められ虐待された時期であると考える。その場合、表題は「マスキール」と呼ばれるゼラの子エタンの歌の調子に合わせてこの詩篇が設定されたことを意味するに過ぎないと解する。他の人々は、ソロモンの物語に言及されるエタンがこれを書いたと考える。エタンはあの栄光ある君主よりも長生きし、次の治世において十部族の離反によってダビデの家にもたらされた大きな恥辱をこのように嘆いたのである。一、詩人は詩篇の喜びに満ちた部分において、神に栄光を帰し、自らと友人たちの慰めを得る。詩人は簡潔な箇所では神のあわれみと真実（詩 89:1）とその契約（詩 89:2-4）を述べ、続く節ではより詳しく展開する。すなわち、1. 神の栄光と完全さを拝する（詩 89:5-14）。2. 神との交わりに招かれた者たちの幸福を喜ぶ（詩 89:15-18）。3. すべての希望を、キリストの型であるダビデとの神の契約の上に築く（詩 89:19-37）。二、詩篇の憂鬱な部分において、詩人は現在の君主と王族の悲惨な状態を嘆き（詩 89:38-45）、そのことについて神に詰め寄り（詩 89:46-49）、それから救済を求める祈りをもって結ぶ（詩 89:50,51）。この詩篇を歌うとき、われわれは神について高い思いを抱き、贖い主との契約に対する生きた信仰を持ち、苦しむ教会の肢（えだ）に同情を持たなければならない。

この詩篇は「エズラ人エタンのマシュキル」と題されている。欄外ではこれは「教えを与えるための、エズラ人エタンのための詩篇」と訳されている。マシュキルという語については、Psalm 42:1-11 の標題の注解を参照せよ。ヘマン（Psalm 88 の標題）とエタンの両方が、私たちの前にある標題においてエズラ人として言及されているので、彼らは同じ家族の者であり、おそらく兄弟であったと思われる。エタンとヘマンは、ジムリ、カルカル、ダラとともに——全部で五人——ユダの孫である「ゼラの子ら」として言及されている（1 Chronicles 2:6）。これらが言及されている人物であり、彼らがこの二つの詩篇の作者であったなら、これらの詩篇の成立の時期は、ヘブル人の歴史の中ではるか遡り、ダビデの時代よりはるか前ということになる。1 Chronicles 2:6-12 を比較せよ。しかし、それらがユダヤ人の歴史のこれほど早い時期に作られたとは考えにくい。また、この詩篇には、そのような想定と調和させることができないいくつかの事柄があり（Psalm 89:3、Psalm 89:20、Psalm 89:35、Psalm 89:39、Psalm 89:49 を比較せよ）、それがダビデによって、あるいはダビデの時代の後に作られたことを確実にしている。それゆえ、ありそうなことは、「ヘマン」と「エタン」というこれらの名前が、1 Chronicles 2:6 で言及されている時期より後のある人々の名前であるか（総括的緒言の第2節(5)を参照）、あるいは、これらの名前が音楽を担当していた「コラの子ら」の諸階級に与えられた名前であり、それらの詩篇がそれらの階級の何人かによって作られたのか、ということである。このようにして作られたので、それらはヘマンとエタンの詩篇として語られ得たのである。

私たちの前にあるこの詩篇がいつ作られたのか、またその成立の機会が何であったのかを確定する確かな方法はない。デウェッテ（DeWette）は、それが捕囚の頃に書かれたに違いないと考える。この詩篇ではダビデの家が恥をかき、王座から退けられたものとして描かれているからである。しかし、都と宮の破壊への言及がないので、捕囚の前でもあるとする。それゆえ彼は、それがヨシヤの死の時期から遠くないというヴェネマ（Venema）の意見に同意する（2 Chronicles 35:20-24）。作者については、彼はそれを、ダビデの後継者——へりくだられた君主——か、あるいは王を代表し、その王の災難を自分のものとして表す誰かであると考える。ヘンステンベルク（Hengstenberg）もまた、それがヨシヤの死の時期とバビロン捕囚との間に作られたと考える。この詩篇自体には、それがそのような時期に作られたという高い可能性があるが、正確な時期や特定の機会を決定することは不可能である。この詩篇の主題は、ダビデにその王座の永続性について最も尊い約束が与えられていたのに、今やこれらの約束は成らないかに見え、彼の王座を転覆させ、彼の王国を終わらせようとする逆転と災難が来た、ということである。彼の「王冠」は「汚され」、「地に投げ捨てられた」。Psalm 89:38-44 を参照せよ。

この詩篇は本来三つの部分から成る。

I. その王座の永続性に関してダビデに与えられた約束。Psalm 89:1-37。これの説明はこの詩篇のかなりの部分を占めている。

II. この約束が無視されているかに見えたという事実。すなわち、「契約」が「破棄され」、「王冠」が「汚され」、「地に投げ捨てられた」こと。Psalm 89:38-45。

III. 約束の成就と、神の恵みとあわれみの回復のための神の介入を求める切なる嘆願。Psalm 89:46-52。

The psalmist shows God's great mercy to the house of David, and the promises which he had given to it of support and perpetuity, vv. 1-37; complains that, notwithstanding these promises, the kingdom of Judah is overthrown, and the royal family nearly ruined, Psalm 89:38-45; and earnestly prays for their restoration, Psalm 89:46-52.

It is most probable that this Psalm was composed during the captivity. Of Ethan and Heman we have already seen something in the introduction to the preceding Psalm; see also the parallel places in the margin. The title should probably be translated, - To give instruction to Ethan the Ezrahite. The Chaldee has, "A good instruction, delivered by Abraham, who came from the east country." The Septuagint and Ethiopic have Nathan the Israelite; the Arabic has Nathan the Israelite.

The Psalm divides itself into two grand parts; the first extends, verses 1-37, in which the psalmist shows God's mercy to the house of David, and the promises which he has given to it of support and perpetuity. The second part begins with Psalm 89:38, and ends with the Psalm; and in it the author complains that notwithstanding these promises, the kingdom of Judah is overthrown and the royal family ruined; and he entreats the Lord to remember his covenant made with that family, and restore them from their captivity.

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 89

Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. Who this Ethan was is not certain. Kimchi takes him to be the same with Ethan the wise man, a grandson of Judah, 1 Kings 4:31. But seeing he lived some hundreds of years before the times of David, it is not likely that he should be the writer of this psalm; for David is made mention of in it, which could not be, unless it can be thought to be by a spirit of prophecy; which indeed is the opinion of Doctor Lightfoot (k), who takes this Ethan to be the penman of this psalm; and who

"from the promise, Genesis 15:1 sings joyfully the deliverance (of Israel); that the raging of the Red sea should be ruled, Psalm 89:9, and Rahab, or Egypt, should be broken in pieces, Psalm 89:10, and that the people should hear the joyful sound of the law, Psalm 89:15, and as for the name of David in it, this, he says, might be done prophetically; as Samuel is thought to be named by Moses, Psalm 99:6, which psalm is held to be made by him; or else might be put into it, in later times, by some divine penman, endued with the same gift of prophecy, who might improve the ground work of this psalm laid by Ethan, and set it to an higher key; namely, that whereas he treated only of bodily deliverance from Egypt, it is wound up so high as to reach the spiritual delivery by Christ; and therefore David is often named, from whence he should come.''

There was another Ethan, a singer, in David's time; and it is more probable that he is the person, who might live to the times of Rehoboam, and see the decline of David's family, and the revolt of the ten tribes from it; or perhaps it was one of this name who lived in the times of the Babylonish captivity, and saw the low estate that David's family were come into; to which agrees the latter part of this psalm; and, in order to comfort the people of God, he wrote this psalm, showing that the covenant and promises of God, made with David, nevertheless stood firm, and would be accomplished: the title of the Septuagint version calls him Etham the Israelite; and the Arabic version Nathan the Israelite: the Targum makes him to be Abraham, paraphrasing it

"a good understanding, which was said by the hand of Abraham, that came from the east.''

But whoever was the penman of this psalm, it is "maschil", an instructive psalm, a psalm causing to understand; it treats concerning the covenant of grace, and the promises of it; and concerning the mercy and faithfulness of God, in making and keeping the same; and concerning the Messiah and his seed, his church and people; and the stability and duration of all these: many passages in it are applied to the Messiah by Jewish writers, ancient and modern; and Psalm 89:20 is manifestly referred to in Acts 13:22.

LXXXIX.

This long psalm comes evidently from a time of great national depression and trouble. The idolatries that led to the Captivity, and the Captivity itself, are already in the past, and the poet can think only of the splendid promises of God to the race, and the paradox that while made by a God of truth and faithfulness, they have yet been broken; for Israel lies prostrate, a prey to cruel and rapacious foes, and the cry, “How long?” goes up in despair to heaven. The “servant” and “anointed” (Psalm 89:38-39) need not necessarily be a prince of the house of David—Rehoboam or Jehoiachim, or another; but the whole nation individualised and presented in the person of one of the Davidic princes, as in that of David himself (Psalm 132:17). The time of the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes suits best all the conditions presented by the psalm. The poetical form is nearly regular, and the parallelism well marked.

Title.—For “Maschil” see title, Psalms 32.

Ethan the Ezrahite.—Probably to be identified with the man mentioned (1Kings 4:31) as among the celebrated sages surpassed by Solomon, and called Ezrahites, as being of the family of Zerah (1Chronicles 2:6; see Note to title to last psalm). Probably when the titles were prefixed this sage had become confused with Ethan (or Jeduthun), the singer.

This Psalm presents, with singular force and pathos, the dilemma which must have perplexed many a pious soul in the Exile. On the one hand, the assured lovingkindness and faithfulness of God and His explicit promise of an eternal dominion to the house of David; on the other hand, the sight of the representative of that house a discrowned exile, and his kingdom plundered and desolate. How could the contradiction be reconciled?

The Psalm consists of an introduction, followed by three main divisions. Its argument may be traced as follows.

i. The Psalmist’s purpose is to celebrate the lovingkindness and faithfulness of Jehovah, which he is persuaded are eternal and unlimited. They have been manifested in the covenant with David, and the solemn proclamation of that covenant is given as from the mouth of God Himself (Psalm 89:1-4).

ii. After this introduction, marked off as such by a musical interlude, the Psalmist proceeds to celebrate the praise of Jehovah, dwelling especially upon the power and faithfulness which are the double guarantee for the performance of His promises. Heaven and the angels praise Him, for they know that there is none like Him (Psalm 89:5-7); He manifests His sovereignty in nature and in history as the Creator and Ruler of the world, and His moral attributes of righteousness and judgement, lovingkindness and truth, are the climax of His glory (Psalm 89:8-14). Happy the people who have such a God, and whose king is the special object of His choice and care (Psalm 89:15-18).

iii. The mention of the king forms the transition to the next division, which is a poetical expansion of the promise to David recorded in 2 Samuel 7. On that memorable occasion Jehovah had solemnly covenanted to strengthen and support the king of His choice, to give him victory over all his enemies, to extend his dominion to the boundaries foretold of old, to adopt him as His firstborn and make him supreme over the kings of the earth, to give eternal dominion to his seed after him. Though the sins of his descendants might demand punishment, the divine covenant that his seed and his throne should endure for ever, would be sacred and inviolable (Psalm 89:19-37).

iv. Having thus confronted God with His own promises, the Psalmist proceeds to confront Him with the actual state of things which is in glaring contradiction to those promises. He has abandoned king and people to defeat, disgrace, ruin (Psalm 89:38-45). Remonstrance is followed by earnest pleading. Life is short. If relief come not soon, the Psalmist cannot live to see the proof of God’s faithfulness, and meanwhile he and all God’s servants are forced to endure the contemptuous insults of their heathen conquerors (Psalm 89:46-51).

Thus the motive of the Psalm is the contradiction between God’s character and promises on the one hand, and the fate of the king and people of Israel on the other hand. The keywords of the Psalm are lovingkindness and faithfulness, each of which occurs seven times (Psalm 89:1-2; Psalm 89:5; Psalm 89:8; Psalm 89:14; Psalm 89:24; Psalm 89:28; Psalm 89:33; Psalm 89:49). Cp. also faithful (Psalm 89:28; Psalm 89:37), I will not be false (Psalm 89:33), I will not lie (Psalm 89:35), covenant (Psalm 89:3; Psalm 89:28; Psalm 89:34; Psalm 89:39), oath (Psalm 89:3; Psalm 89:35; Psalm 89:49). Love moved Jehovah to enter into the covenant with the house of David: faithfulness binds Him to keep it. The enthusiastic praises of Jehovah’s majesty (Psalm 89:5 ff.), and the detailed recital of the splendour and solemnity of the promise (Psalm 89:19 ff.), serve to heighten the contrast of the king’s present degradation, while at the same time they are a plea and a consolation. Can such a God, is the Psalmist’s argument, fail to make good so solemn a promise? How the contradiction is to be solved is left entirely to God. Hope does not yet take the shape of prayer for the advent of the Messianic king.

The Psalm was probably written during the Exile. It can hardly be earlier than the destruction of Jerusalem and the downfall of the Davidic kingdom, and on the other hand there is nothing to indicate that it is later than the Return from Babylon. Psalm 89:38 ff. receive their most natural interpretation if it was written while Jehoiachin was still a dishonoured captive in Babylon, i.e. before b.c. 561. For they seem to speak of an individual who is the representative of David and bears the title of Jehovah’s anointed, and yet is actually dethroned and dishonoured; and the feeling of bitter disappointment which they breathe was more natural when the fall of the kingdom was comparatively recent, than it would have been after the Return, when at least the dawn of hope had begun, and a step had been taken towards the solution of the problem which perplexed the Psalmist. Psalm 89:14 a is borrowed in Psalm 89:2 of the Restoration hymn, Psalms 97.

The theory that the Psalm was written after the conquest of Judah by Shishak in the reign of Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:25 ff.; 2 Chronicles 12:2 ff.) is wholly improbable. The language of Psalm 89:38 ff. must refer to something more than a temporary disaster, however serious: moreover use is certainly made of Psalm 80:12 in Psalm 89:40-41, and possibly of Psalms 74, 79 in Psalm 89:41; Psalm 89:46; Psalm 89:50-51, Psalms which cannot well be earlier than the Fall of Jerusalem.

The exilic date is supported by the parallels in Jeremiah 33:21-22; Jeremiah 33:26, and Ezekiel 34:23-24; Ezekiel 37:24-25, the only passages in prophecy where the phrase ‘David my servant’ is used (except Isaiah 37:35 = 2 Kings 19:34). Cp. too Ezekiel 34:29; Ezekiel 36:6; Ezekiel 36:15 with Psalm 89:50-51; the conjunction of ‘lovingkindness’ and ‘faithfulness’ in Lamentations 3:22-23; and the lament over the capture of ‘Jehovah’s anointed’ in Lamentations 4:20.

The choice of this Psalm as a Proper Psalm for Christmas Day is doubtless due to its containing the recital of the great Messianic promise to David. But the whole Psalm, and not merely that part of it, is appropriate, for the Incarnation was the true solution of the Psalmist’s perplexity, as the supreme demonstration of the lovingkindness and faithfulness of God in the fulfilment of His promises. Cp. Luke 1:32 f.

On Ethan the Ezrahite see Intr. to Psalms 88.

Ps 89:1-52.

エタンの―（参照せよ、

Ps 88:1

銘句）。本篇は大いなる国民的苦難の時期、おそらくアブサロムの反逆の間に作られた。それは、ダビデの王座の約束された繁栄と永続を

2Sa 7:12-17

の大いなる約束への言及をもって、神がご自身の契約を忘れられたかに見えた時と対比する。このように描かれた絵は、キリストの王国の約束と逆境を type しうる。また、神に信頼して訴える言葉は、神の助けと約束された祝福のために適切な祈りを提供する。

1. あわれみ―約束されたもの

(Isa 55:3; Ac 13:34)、

そして―

真実―すなわち、それらを成就するにおいて。

私は主の恵みをとこしえに歌おう――特に、「恵み」がどのように示されたか、すなわちダビデに与えられた約束において、また彼の王座の永続に関して彼と結ばれた荘厳な契約においてである。ダビデを王座に任じたことは、純然たる恵み、あるいは好意のわざであった。彼は王の家系に属しておらず、王冠に対する権利を何も持っていなかったからである。さらに、ダビデとの契約と、その中で彼に与えられた約束が、彼から出る者としてのメシアを含むことを意図していたと仮定するなら、神の「恵み」を讃えるためのさらに高い理由があったことも分かるであろう。私たちの世界へのすべての恵みは、メシアを通して来るからである。

私の口をもって――単に心の中においてではなく、ことばをもってである。ここでの意味は、彼が、とこしえに賛美のことばとして用いられうる記録を残すであろう、ということである。

あなたの真実を示し伝えよう――これらの約束の成就において。彼はそれらが成就されることを確信していた。反対に見えることがどれほどあろうとも、詩篇作者は、神がご自身を真実で誠実な方であると証明してくださることを疑わなかった。「ダビデへの確かな恵み」という表現については、Isaiah 55:3 の注解を参照せよ。

すべての世代に――欄外注は、ヘブル語のままに、世代と世代。彼は、この真実の記憶を未来のすべての時代に伝え続ける記録を残すであろう。