| before the gods Psalm 138:1 From the "Cambridge Bible for Schools & Colleges": The Psalmist stands face to face with the might of the heathen world, apparently under the patronage and protection of powerful gods, but the sight does not shake his fidelity to Jehovah. It is not to be supposed that he would have admitted that these gods had a real existence; he speaks of them only as they existed in the minds of their worshippers; practically it is before those worshippers that he proclaims his faith. Cp. Psalm 95:3; Psalm 96:4-5. The LXX, probably fearing to seem to attribute a real existence to heathen gods, renders Elôhîm by angels (cp. Psalm 97:7); but beautiful and solemn as is the thought that the angels are spectators of man’s worship, Elôhîm can hardly bear that meaning here. The Targ. renders it judges, the Syr. kings, giving a good sense (cp. Psalm 119:46); but though the title Elôhîm is applied to judges in Psalm 82:1; Psalm 82:6, where they are spoken of as representatives of God, there would be no special fitness in the use of the word here. |