Commentary on Psalms Volume 1 John Calvin
JOHN CALVIN
and, under one particular, by synecdoche, is denoted the duty of observing fidelity and integrity in all the affairs of life. That mention is here made of oaths, appears from the words which immediately follow, And hath not sworn deceitfully, which are added as explanatory of what goes before. As, however, there is a twofold reading of the Hebrew word for soul, that is to say, as it may be read, my soul, or his soul, on account of the point hirek, some Jewish commentators read, Who hath not lifted up my soul to vanity, 546 and understand the word my as spoken of God, an exposition which I reject as harsh and strained. It is a manner of speaking which carries in it great emphasis, for it means, that those who swear offer their souls as pledges to God. Some, however, may perhaps prefer the opinion, that to lift up the soul, is put for to apply it to lying, an interpretation to the adoption of which I have no great objection, for it makes little difference as to the sense. A question may here be raised — it may be asked, why David does not say so much as one word concerning faith and calling upon God. The reason of this is easily explained. As it seldom happens that a man behaves himself uprightly and innocently towards his brethren, unless he is so endued with the true fear of God as to walk circumspectly before him, David very justly forms his estimate of the piety of men towards God by the character of their conduct towards their fellow-men. For the same reason, Christ (Matthew 23:23) represents judgment, mercy, and faith, as the principal points of the law; and Paul calls "charity" at one time "the end of the law," (1 Timothy 1:5) and at another "the bond of perfection" (Colossians 3:14.)
Psalm 24:5-6
5. He shall receive blessing from Jehovah, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6. This is the generation of them that seek him, of them that seek thy face, O Jacob! 547 Selah.
The textual reading is,נפשוnaphshiv, his soul; the marginal reading is,נפשוnaphshi, my soul. But the textual reading, from its clearness and simplicity, is, without doubt, the correct one. "The points," says Hammond, "direct to renderנפשתmy soul, and so the interlinear reads anilmain roeare, my soul or life, as if it were making God the speaker of this verse, and then it is God's life or soul. But the text writingוnot,יand the context agreeing with it, the punctuation must, in reason, give place; and, accordingly, all the ancient interpreters appear to have read it,נפשוhis soul, meaning by that his own soul, or the soul of the swearer."
"Asfavoir, Jacob." — Fr. "Namely, Jacob."