“This very sublime ode,” says Dr. Kennicott, “is distinguished even by the Jews, both in their manuscripts and printed copies, as being poetry. In our present translation it would appear to much greater advantage if it were printed hemistically: and the translation of some parts of it may be much improved.” We subjoin his translation of the following verses as a specimen.
“1. Let the heavens give ear, and I will speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
2. My doctrine shall drop, as the rain; my speech shall distil, as the dew, as the small rains upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass.
3. Verily, the name of JEHOVAH will I proclaim; ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
4. He is the rock, perfect is his work; for all his ways are judgment; a God of truth, and without iniquity: just and right is he.
5. They are corrupted, not his, children of pollution, a generation perverse and crooked!
6. Is this the return which ye make to JEHOVAH?
O people foolish and unwise!
Is not he thy Father, thy Redeemer?
He who made thee, and established thee?”
Give ear, O ye heavens hear, O earth By appealing, in this solemn manner, to the heavens and the earth in the beginning of this song, Moses intended to signify, 1st, The truth and importance of its contents, which were such as deserved to be known by all the world: and, 2d, The stupidity of that perverse and unthinking people, who were less likely to hearken and obey than the heavens and the earth themselves. 3d, He hereby declares also the justice of the divine proceedings toward them, according to what he had said, Deuteronomy 31:28. See Job 20:27. Or, heaven and earth are here put for the inhabitants of both, angels and men: both will agree to justify God in his proceedings against Israel, and to declare his righteousness, Psalms 50:6; Revelation 19:1-2.