"Praise ye the Lord" (Ps. 148:1; 149:1)—It may be observed that our English word "hallulujah" is simply the anglicized form of the Hebrew term which is here translated: "Praise ye the Lord."

"Ye heavens of heavens" (Ps. 148:4; cf. Neh. 9:6)—Some authorities consider that this phrase "heavens of heavens" is practically equivalent in meaning to "the highest heaven," in accord with a well-known Hebrew idiom. A parallel to this usage is found in the phrase "vanity of vanities" (see Eccl. 1:2), which is usually taken as implying "absolute vanity"; while in Exodus 26:33, what is literally "holy of holies" is rendered "most holy" in our Aurhorized Version (compare Davidson: Hebrew Syntax, p. 49).

"He hath made a deeree which shall not pass" (Ps. 148:6)—The word translated "decree" can also mean "boundary or limit" (Brown, Driver and Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 349); and the literal meaning of the verb is "to pass over." Presupposing a slight change in the form of the Hebrew verb, Moffatt reads: "He set them boundaries that they should not pass."

"Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain" (Ps. 104:2)—The word which is rendered "curtain" is very often employed in the Old Tastament with reference to the "curtain" or canvas side or flap of a tent (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 438; and Feyerabend: Hebrew Dictionary, p. 135); and a number of translators feel that the meaning may be correctly extended to suggest the complete tent. Thus Smith suggests: "Who veilest thyself in light as in a garment; who stretches out the heavens like a tent;" and Moffatt: "Thou wrappest thyself in a robe of light, thou spreadest the sky like a tent;" while Dr. Charles A. Briggs has: "Who put on light as a garment; who stretched out the heavens as a tent curtain" (Commentary on Psalms, Vol. II, p. 329).

"That it should not be removed for ever" (Ps. 104:5)—A more literal translation of the Hebrew would be, "be shaken or moved" (see Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 557). Hence Moffatt offers the rendering: "never to be shaken;" and Smith: "that it might not be moved forever and ever;" while Kent suggests: "that it should not be removed forever." The Genevan Version has: "so that it shall never move."

"And not we ourselves" (Ps. 100:3)—A number of the early versions suggest the rendering, "and we are his;" and it may be noted that this translation conforms with the Massoretic tradition of the Jews, while it also agrees with the Aramaic Targums and with the translation brought out by Dr. Moffatt, as well as with the Revised Version. These various authorities are at one in reading in the original Hebrew the word "LO," meaning "to him" or "his," instead of the similar appearing form "LO'," which means "not." The word "ourselves" is not represented in the Hebrew text of this verse, but was added by those who prepared the Authorized Version with a view to completing their concept of the sense. (See Kittel: Biblia Hebraica, and also the Biblia Sacra Polyglotta.)

"In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also" (Ps. 95:4)—The word which is here translated "strength" is in the plural and has the literal meaning of "eminences, heights, or peaks" (cf. Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 419), thus standing in natural contract to the "deep places of the earth" mentioned in the preceding clause. Consequently Moffatt renders: "The depths of earth lie in his hand, the mountain-peaks are his;" while the Septuagint and the American Standard Version suggest: "... the heights of the mountains are his also."

"For thy pleasure" (Rev. 4:11)—A literal translation of the original at this point would give us "at thy will" (compare Thayer: Greek Lexicon, p. 285). Similarly, Goodspeed renders: "by your will"; and the Twentieth Century New Testament: "at thy bidding"; while the Riverside New Testament has: "because of thy will," and the Genevan Version: "for thy willes sake." The American Revised Version has: "because of thy will," and then goes on with a literal rendering of the words which follow—"they were, and were created." Weymouth's rendering is: "It was by Thy will that they came into existence, and were created."

"Living waters" (Jer. 2:13)—"Living water" was the regular Hebrew term or idiom for clear, running water, or that which came from a spring, in contrast to that which was stagnant or was preserved in a "cistern." One may compare Christ Jesus' use of the phrase "living water" in John 4:10, a phrase which the woman of Samaria evidently understood in its everyday meaning (John 4:11). (See also Binns: Commentary on Jeremiah, p. 20.)

"My people have ... hewed them out cisterns" (Jer. 2:13)—Commenting on this verse, Dr. Streane notes, "These were very familiar objects to those whom the prophet addressed" (Jeremiah, p. 16). Even to this day many such rock-hewn cisterns are to be seen in Galilee and in other parts of Palestine. Thomson notes, "The best cisterns, even those in solid rock, are stangely liable to crack" (The Land and the Book, p. 287); and it is doubtless this known fact which the prophet had in mind when he referred to "broken cisterns, that can hold no water," at the close of Jeremiah 2:13.

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help" (Ps. 121:1)—In the original Hebrew this passage may be read either as a statement or as a question. As a result, the Margin of the Authorized Version suggests: "Shall I lift up mine eyes unto the hills? Whence should my help come?" Smith: "I raise my eyes to the hills; whence does my help come?" Moffatt's rendering is: "I lift mine eyes to the mountains; ah, where is help to come from?" The answer to these questions is clearly to be found in the words of verse 2: "My help cometh from the Lord."