Teks -- Psalms 27:13 (NET)

27:13 Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience the Lord’s favor in the land of the living?

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Psa 27:13 - The living

David was thus earnestly desirous of this mercy in this life, not because he placed his portion in these things; but because the truth and glory of God, were highly concerned in making good the promise of the kingdom to him.

JFB: Psa 27:13

The strong emotion is indicated by the incomplete sentence, for which the English Version supplies a proper clause; or, omitting that, and rendering, "yet I believed," &c., the contrast of his faith and his danger is expressed.

JFB: Psa 27:13 - to see

Is to experience (Psa 22:17).

Clarke: Psa 27:13 - I had fainted, unless I had believed

I had fainted, unless I had believed - The words in italics are supplied by our translators; but, far from being necessary, they injure the sense. Throw out the words I had fainted, and leave a break after the verse, and the elegant figure of the psalmist will be preserved: "Unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living"- What! what, alas! should have become of me

Dr. Hammond has observed that there is a remarkable elegance in the original, which, by the use of the beautiful figure aposiopesis, makes an abrupt breaking off in the midst of a speech. He compares it to the speech of Neptune to the winds that had raised the tempest to drown the fleet of Aeneas - Aeneid. lib. i., ver. 131

Eurum ad se zephyrumque vocat: dehinc talia fatur

Tantane vos generis tenuit fiducia vestri

Jam coelum terramque, meo sine numine, venti

Miscere, et tantas audetis tollere moles

Quos ego-sed motos praestat componere fluctus

To Eurus and the western blast he cried

Does your high birth inspire this boundless pride

Audacious winds! without a power from me

To raise at will such mountains on the sea

Thus to confound heaven, earth, the air, and main

Whom I - but, first, I’ ll calm the waves again

Pitts.

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Calvin: Psa 27:13 - Unless I had believed to see the goodness of Jehovah

13.Unless I had believed to see the goodness of Jehovah It is generally agreed among interpreters, that this sentence is incomplete. Some, however, are of opinion, that the Hebrew particle לולא lulë, is used for the purpose of affirmation, as if it were a species of oath; the Hebrews being accustomed to swear elliptically; for breaking off in the middle of the discourse and leaving it imperfect, they supplied an imprecation, namely, that God would punish them in case they perjured themselves. But the greater number give a different interpretation, namely, that David intimates that he was supported solely by faith, otherwise he had perished a hundred times. The meaning which they elicit, accordingly, is, Had I not relied on the promise of God, and been assuredly persuaded that he would safely preserve me, and had I not continued firm in this persuasion, I had utterly perished: There was no other remedy. Some understand by the land of the living, the heavenly inheritance; but this interpretation is forced, and disagrees with the usual style of Scripture. When Hezekiah laments in his song recorded in Isa 38:11, that he had no hope of seeing God “in the land of the living,” he means, without all doubt, the present life, as he immediately adds, “I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.” A similar form of speech occurs also in another place, (Jer 11:19.) David then believed that he would still enjoy the goodness of God in this world, although he was now deprived of all experience of his favor, and could see no spark of light. From the darkness of death, therefore, he promises himself a view of the divine favor, and by this persuasion his life is sustained, although, according to the judgment of carnal reason, it was past recovery and lost. It is to be observed, however, that David does not rashly go beyond the divine promise. It is true that “godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come,” (1Ti 4:8;) but he would have never dared to entertain this persuasion had he not been informed by a special revelation, and assuredly promised a successor, who should always sit upon his throne, (Psa 132:11.) He was, therefore, justly persuaded that he would not die till this promise was fulfilled. Lest any man, therefore, by an unwarranted imitation of his example, should overleap the boundaries of faith, it is necessary to understand what was peculiar to him, and did not belong to us. In general, however, we ought all to hope that, although God may not openly work deliverance for us, or show us his favor in a visible manner, he will, nevertheless, be always merciful to us, even in the present life.

TSK: Psa 27:13 - fainted // in the

fainted : Psa 42:5, Psa 56:3, Psa 116:9-11; 2Co 4:1, 2Co 4:8-14, 2Co 4:16; Eph 2:8

in the : Psa 52:5, Psa 56:13, Psa 142:5; Job 33:30; Isa 38:11, Isa 38:19; Jer 11:19; Eze 26:20

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Psa 27:13 - I had fainted // To see the goodness of the Lord // In the land of the living

I had fainted: these words are added to complete the sense; for the speech is abrupt and imperfect, as is very usual, not only in the Holy Scripture, but in many other authors, in all vehement passions or commotions of mind, such as David was in at this time. Having declared what perfidious and cruel enemies did now assault and encompass him, he now subjoins what impression the thoughts thereof made upon him, and speaks like one that wanted words to express how sad and desperate his condition would have been, if he had not been supported by faith in God’ s promises.

To see the goodness of the Lord to enjoy (which is oft expressed by seeing) the mercy which God hath promised me.

In the land of the living i.e. in this world, which is oft so called, as Job 28:13 Psa 52:5 116:9 142:5 Isa 38:11 53:8 Jer 11:9 Eze 32:32 , and is opposed to the grave, which is the place of the dead. And David was thus earnestly desirous of this mercy in this life, not because he placed his portion in these things, which he so solemnly disclaims, Psa 17:14 , but because the truth and glory of God were highly concerned in making good the promise of the kingdom made to him.

Gill: Psa 27:13 - I had fainted // unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living

I had fainted,.... When false witnesses rose up against him, and threatened to take away his life, and the life of his friends, in the most barbarous and cruel manner: the people of God are subject to faintings, in the present state of things; by reason of afflictions; because of the nature, number, and continuance of them; and especially when they apprehend them to be in wrath and sore displeasure: and on account of their sins, and the corruptions of their hearts; fearing lest there should be no pardon for them; or that the true work of grace is not in them; or that they shall fall, to the dishonour of the name of God, and to the reproach of his, cause and interest; or that they shall perish eternally: likewise, by reason of Satan's temptations, which are sometimes so grievous, that if Christ did not pray for them, their faith would fail; and also on account of the hidings of God's face, which they cannot bear: they are sometimes ready to faint in the way of their duty, in the course of their profession, because of the difficulties and discouragements, reproaches and persecutions, they meet with; and sometimes in the expectation of blessings; and of the fulfilment of promises, and of answers of prayer, which have been long deferred. This clause is not in the original text, but is a supplement of our translators; and it is generally agreed there is a defect of expression, which must be supplied in some way or other: the Jewish interpreters generally refer it to the preceding words; one supplies thus ^m, "those false witnesses would have rose up against me, and consumed me"; another ⁿ after this manner, "mine enemies had almost got the dominion over me"; a third ^o, "I had almost perished at their sayings": and a fourth ^p, "and they would have destroyed me". Perhaps it may be as well supplied from Psa 119:92; "I should then have perished in mine affliction"; it follows,

unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living: both the providential goodness of the Lord, in supplying him with the, necessaries of life, and in delivering him out of the hands of his enemies; and his special goodness, which he has laid up in his covenant, and in his son; even all spiritual blessings in Christ, in whom he causes all his goodness to pass before his people. The psalmist believed that he should "see"; that is, enjoy all these, or whatever was needful for him; all the good things of life, all special favours; as supports under afflictions, views of pardoning grace under a sense of sin, strength against Satan's temptations, and deliverance out of them; the discoveries of the love of God, and the light of his countenance, after desertions, and divine refreshments in his house, from his word and ordinances; and at last all the glories of the other world; and faith in these things is the best antidote against faintings. By "the land of the living" may be meant either the land of Canaan, where the living God was worshipped, and living saints dwelt, in opposition to other lands, the habitations of men dead in sins; and at a distance from which David now might be; or else the world in general, in opposition to the place and state of the dead; or, as some think, heaven, or he life of the world to come, as Kimchi expresses it; and so Apollinarius paraphrases it,

"I shall see the blessed God with my eyes in the land of the blessed.''

The word לולא, rendered "unless", is one of the fifteen words which are extraordinarily pointed in the Hebrew Bible.