John Calvin Commentary Psalms 144:13

John Calvin Commentary

Psalms 144:13

1509–1564
Protestant
John Calvin
John Calvin

John Calvin Commentary

Psalms 144:13

1509–1564
Protestant
SCRIPTURE

"[When] our garners are full, affording all manner of store, [And] our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;" — Psalms 144:13 (ASV)

Our recesses full, etc. Some interpret this as storehouses, and I would not reject this interpretation. But since the word comes from the same root as זוה, zavah, which is translated as “corner” in the previous verse, it seems more consistent with the etymology to translate the words as I have done — “that the recesses or corners were full.” Some understand the participle מפיקים, mephikim, transitively, translating it as producing. However, the meaning amounts to the same thing: that an abundance of every blessing flowed from all the corners. The expression מזן אל-זן, mizan el-zan, also seems to me to denote the variety and diverse nature of the blessings, rather than, as some interpreters think, such an abundant produce as would result in the different kinds of goods being mixed and forming a confused heap due to the unmanageable quantity.

We do not need to resort to this strained hyperbole, as the words themselves evidently do not support that meaning. For if a confused heap had been intended, it would have been written simply זן זן, zan. In short, the meaning is that such plenty existed among the people—not only of wheat but also of all kinds of produce—that every corner was filled sufficiently with every variety.