Commentary on Psalms Volume 1 John Calvin (continued)
COMMENTARY ON PSALMS
Some interpreters, I know, refer the words to him to David, 691 because immediately after he speaks of himself in the third person. Others with greater propriety explain it; of God himself. A difference of opinion also exists as to the Hebrew verb,נהרוnaharu, which some, supposing it to be derived from the root,אורor, render to be enlightened. 692 But, in my opinion, the natural signification of the word appears very appropriate to this place; as if he had said, There shall now be a mirror set forth, in which men may behold the face of God serene and merciful; and therefore the poor and afflicted shall henceforth dare to lift up their eyes to God, and to resort to him with the utmost freedom, because no uncertainty shall any longer retard them or render them slothful. If, however, any one should prefer the word enlighten, the meaning will be, They who formerly languished in darkness shall lift up their eyes to God, as if a light had suddenly appeared unto them, and they who were cast down and overwhelmed with shame, shall again clothe their countenances with cheerfulness. But as the meaning in either case is substantially the same, I am not much disposed to contend which of the two interpretations ought to be preferred.
6. This poor man cried, and Jehovah heard him. David here introduces all the godly speaking of himself, the more emphatically to express how much weight there is in his example to encourage them. This poor man, say they, cried; therefore God invites all the poor to cry to him. They contemplate in David what belongs to the common benefit of all the godly; for God is as willing and ready at this day to hear all the afflicted who direct their sighs, wishes, and cries, to him with the same faith, as he was at that time to hear David.
Those who take this view explain the words as meaning that the humble or afflicted, upon looking to David, saw how graciously God had dealt with him, and were enlightened, revived, and encouraged. They also consider, as Calvin himself does, the humble or afflicted as the persons who speak in the sixth verse, where, pointing as it were with the finger to David, they say, "This poor man cried," etc.
This is the rendering adopted by Horsley, who understands by the expression the illumination of the soul by the light of Divine truth. He reads the verb in the imperative mood, and his translation of the entire verse is as follows:
"Look towards him, and thou shalt be enlightened; And your faces shall never be ashamed."
This reading is sanctioned by the Septuagint. It supposes two alterations on the text. First, that instead of,הביטוthey looked, we should read,הביטוhabitu, look ye; and this last reading is supported by several of Dr Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. The other alteration is, that instead of,ופניהשupeneyhem, their faces, we should read,ופניכש upeneykem, your faces. Poole, in defense of reading your instead of their, observes, "that the change of persons is very frequent in this book."