Commentary on Psalms Volume 1 John Calvin (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
10. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and the droppings of honeycombs. 457 11. Moreover, by them is thy servant made circumspect; and in the keeping of them there is great reward.
10. More to be desired are they than gold. The Psalmist now exalts the law of God both on account of its price and sweetness. This commendation depends on the commendations given in the preceding verses; for the many and great advantages which he has just now enumerated, ought justly to make us account heavenly truth the highest and most excellent treasure, and to despise, when compared with it, all the gold and silver of the world. Instead of the word fine gold, which the Latins have called Aurum obryzum, 458 some render the Hebrew word a jewel, or precious stones, 459 but the other translation is more generally received, namely, fine gold, that is, gold which is pure and well refined in the furnace; and there are many passages of Scripture by which this rendering is confirmed. 460 The Hebrew word,פז paz, is derived from,פזהpazah, which signifies to strengthen; 461 from which we may conjecture that the Psalmist does not mean the gold of any particular country, as if one should say the gold of Ophir, but gold completely refined and purified by art. So far is,פזpaz, from being derived from the name of a country, that, on the contrary, it appears from Jeremiah 10:9, that the land of Uphaz took its name from this Hebrew word, because it had in it mines of the finest gold. As to the origin of the word obrizum, which the Latins have used, we cannot say any thing with certainty, except that, according to the conjecture of Jerome, it signifies brought from the land of Ophir, as if it had been said, aurum Ophrizum. In short, the sense is, that we do not esteem the law as it deserves, if we do not prefer it to all the riches of the world. If we are once brought thus highly to prize the law, it will serve effectually to deliver our hearts from an immoderate desire of gold and silver. To this esteem of the law there must be added love to
"Lequel les Latins ont nomm, Aurum obryzum." — Fr.
The rendering of the Septuagint is, λιθον τιμιον, precious stone; and in Psalm 119:127, they translate the same Hebrew word, τοπαζιον, a topaz, which is a precious stone. This last Greek word, according to Hesychius, is derived from the Hebrew word,פזpaz.
The word is evidently used for fine gold in Psalm 21:3, and Job 28:17.
Or to consolidate: and hence,פזpaz, means solid gold, or gold "well purified" for the more it is purified, it is the more solid, and consequently of greater weight and value.