Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 144:14
[That] our oxen [may be] strong to labor; [that there be] no breaking in, nor going out; that [there be] no complaining in our streets.
14. our oxen strong to labour ] Both words are of uncertain meaning. (1) Most commentators follow the Ancient Versions in regarding the word allphm here as a variant form for alphm, ‘oxen’ or ‘cattle.’ Oxen, it is thought, are naturally mentioned after sheep. The participle m’subblm is variously explained. As it is passive in form it can hardly mean capable of bearing burdens, strong to labour (A.V.); and as it is masculine, it can hardly mean laden with young, pregnant. It is not a natural expression fox fat and strong, as the LXX, Aq., Symm. and Jerome render it, i.e. loaded with flesh. Most probably it means well laden (R.V.) with the produce of the fields which they draw home in carts.
(2) Allphm however may mean chieftains (cp. Zec 12:5-6), and in Ezr 6:3 the verb in Aramaic appears to mean set up or firmly established. In such a late Psalm it is quite possible that the word might be used in the sense it bears in Aramaic (cp. the word for rescue in Psa 144:7), and the meaning our chieftains firmly established suits the context very well. It is of course to be connected with the remainder of the verse, and not with Psa 144:13. If the leaders of the community are strong and their authority well established, the community will be in less danger of attacks from without.
no breaking in ] No hostile invasion of the country: or, no breach in the city walls by which the enemy may enter (Neh 6:1).
nor going out ] No going forth to surrender to the enemy (Amo 4:3; 2Ki 24:11), or into captivity (Jer 29:16): or no sallying forth to repel an attacking force.
no complaining in our streets ] No outcry of citizens surprised by the enemy, or generally, no cry of mourning for disaster (Jer 14:2; Jer 46:12), in our broad places (Jer 5:1), the open space inside the city gates, which was the usual place of concourse for the citizens, where justice was administered, and business transacted.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That our oxen may be strong to labour – Margin, able to bear burdens; or, laden with flesh. The Hebrew is simply loaded or laden: that is, with a burden; or, with flesh; or, as Gesenius renders it, with young. The latter idea would best suit the connection – that of cattle producing abundantly or multiplying.
That there be no breaking in, nor going out – No breaking in of other cattle into enclosed grounds, and no escape of those which are shut up for pasture. That property may be safe everywhere. The image is that of security, peace, order, prosperity.
That there be no complaining in our streets – literally, outcry; clamor. That the land may be at peace; that order and law may be observed; that the rights of all may be respected; that among neighbors there may be no strifes and contentions.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 144:14
That there be no complaining in our streets.
English pauperism
English pauperism is a peculiar product of this island. You see nothing like it anywhere else. Those who have heard me speak on this topic know what an essential difference I draw between pauperism and poverty. Poverty is a relative term. Man may be poor, and yet may be healthy and very happy, and may not need your sympathy. But pauperism describes the conditions of those unhappy fellow-citizens of ours in such wretched circumstances that it is absolutely impossible for them to maintain themselves and their families in health and decency. Now, this kind of extreme poverty or pauperism is quite different from anything that you witness anywhere else. As a distinguished minister of my own church, Dr. Rigg, said a quarter of a century, ago, in a book which he published on the subject of Education, English pauperism is a national institution, a legacy from mediaeval times and dregs of an outworn feudalism. In other words, the peculiar pauperism which exists in this country arises from the fact that the people have been divorced from the soil. (H. P. Hughes, M. A.)
Remedy for pauperism
Many who have no sympathy with abstract committees would be delighted to help particular cases. If any such committee were able to put affluent men and women into direct relations with some starving families, it would be a great gain every way. This suggestion is not novel. It was made five years ago by a gentleman at the second conference we ever held. Suppose we could get every household represented here to look after one destitute household. Instead of giving their charity here and there, suppose I could introduce you to one family–husband, wife, and children–all in great need of work. You could in various ways assist with practical sympathy and advice as well as with money. I do not know how many families there are likely to be out of work. Suppose 20,000 or 30,000 are in this condition, and suppose I could get 20,000 or 30,000 men and women to undertake to be a real friend to one family each, it would not be a great strain upon their purse or time, and it would be an untold blessing. Oh, that we could do something to bring together into direct personal contact the unprivileged and the privileged! Their separation is the root of the want of social sympathy between them. But let me say that many of those who seem to be the most remote from the poor are deeply touched by their condition, and are extremely anxious to help them. And I think the way suggested by Mr. Arnold White is one of the most effectual. Further, it will be found that if we could only prevent the pauperism occasioned by intemperance, there would scarcely be any pauperism left. (H. P. Hughes, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 14. Our oxen may be strong to labour] We have not only an abundance of cattle; but they are of the most strong and vigorous breed.
No breaking in] So well ordered is the police of the kingdom, that there are no depredations, no robbers, house-breakers, or marauding parties, in the land; no sudden incursions of neighbouring tribes or banditti breaking into fields or houses, carrying away property, and taking with them the people to sell them into captivity: there is no such breaking in, and no such going out, in the nation. My enemies are either become friends, and are united with me in political interests; or are, through fear, obliged to stand aloof.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To labour, Heb. laden, either with flesh and fat, as many understand it; or, as others, with young: but then the foregoing word is not to be rendered
oxen, but cows, as the same word and in the same masculine gender is used Deu 7:13. And so this agrees best with the former prayer for the sheep, Psa 144:13, and he wisheth the same blessing of fruitfulness both for greater and smaller cattle.
No breaking in, to wit, of enemies invading the land, or assaulting our cities, and making breaches in their walls.
Nor going out, to wit, of our people; either out of the towns and cities, to fight with an invading enemy; or out of the land into captivity.
No complaining; or, no outcry, or howling, for any sad tidings, or public grievances or calamities.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
[That] our oxen [may be] strong to labour,…. To draw carriages, to plough with, and to tread out the corn: or “may be burdened” w; fit to carry burdens; or burdened with flesh, be plump and fat, and in good condition to work; or burdened with young, as some x understand it, and then it must be meant of cows, as the word is used, De 7:13; and so here an increase of kine is wished for, as of sheep before. Ministers of the word are compared to oxen for their patience in suffering, and their laboriousness in working, 1Co 9:9 1Ti 5:17; and happy is it for the churches of Christ when their ministers are laborious ones; are strong to labour, and do labour, in the word and doctrine; stand fast in the faith, and quit themselves like men, and are strong;
[that there be] no breaking in: of the enemy into the land to invade it, into cities and houses to plunder and spoil them;
nor going out: of the city to meet the enemy and fight with him, peace and not war is desirable; or no going out of one’s nation into captivity into a foreign country, as Kimchi; or no breaking in to folds and herds, and leading out and driving away cattle, to the loss of the owners thereof. Some y understand both these of abortion, of any violent rupture of the womb, and an immature birth;
that [there be] no complaining in our streets; on account of famine, pestilence, the sword, violence, and oppression; or no crying z, no mournful cry or howling and shrieking on account of the enemy being at hand, and just ready to enter in, or being there, killing, plundering, and spoiling.
w “onusti”, Pagninus, Montanus, Gejerus; “onerarii”, so some in Vatablus; “onerati”, Schmidt; “loden”, Ainsworth, x So Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 295. y lbid. z “clamor”, Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Musculus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
14. Our oxen, etc. The Hebrew word סבל, sabal, is properly to carry. Accordingly some understand מסובלים, mesubbalim, to mean robust, (274) as unless they were strong oxen they would not be fit for carriage, or bearing burdens. Others think they are spoken of as laden with fat. There is no need for insisting upon this point, as it does not affect the main scope of the passage. It may be more important to notice, that God’s fatherly care of his people is celebrated on the account that he condescends to attend to every the smallest matter which concerns their advantage. As in the verse before he had ascribed the fruitfulness of the herds and flocks to God’s goodness, so now the fattening of their oxen, to show that there is nothing relating to us here which he overlooks. As it would signify little to have abundance of everything unless we could enjoy it, he takes notice of it as another part of the Lord’s kindness that the people were peaceable and quiet. By breach I have no doubt that he alludes to hostile incursions, that there was no enemy to break in upon them through demolished gates or walls. By goings out it is surprising that any should understand exile, that the people were not torn away from the bounds of their native country. All he means simply is, in my opinion, that there was no necessity of sallying out to repel an enemy, none offering violence or molestation. To the same effect is the expression, as to any crying in the streets, the effect of a sudden tumult. The meaning is, accordingly, that there was no disturbance in the cities, because God kept enemies at a distance.
(274) מסבלים, burdened, viz. with flesh, according to Pagninus, who has onusti carne. The root is סכל, and the form is the pual participle, which occurs only in this place. Compensis has paraphrased it: santi et ferendis oneribus apti . Perhaps burdened oxen may be a phrase equivalent to our beasts of burden such as are strong and adapted to carry burdens; and here the prayer of the Psalmist is, that they may be eminently fitted for this service.” — Phillips
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(14) This verse is full of obscurities. The words rendered oxen, strong to labour, can hardly bear this meaning with the present pointing, since the participle is passive, and there is no authority for rendering oxen bearing burdens. The words have been rendered oxen laden, either with the produce of the land, or with their own fat (so apparently the LXX.), or with young, pregnantall open to the objection that the passive of to bear must mean to be borne, and the latter to the further objection that the words are in the masculine. But since allphm elsewhere means heads of families (Jer. 13:21, &c) or princes, and the noun cognate with the verb is used of a post connected with the revenue (1Ki. 11:28; comp. the connection between the Greek and ), the participle passive may easily here mean honoured, or high in office. Or, from the use of the cognate Chaldee form in Ezr. 6:3, strongly laid, we might render, our princes firmly established; and this is the best explanation of the passage.
No breaking in.Heb., a breach, i.e., in the town walls. LXX. and Vulg., no falling of the fence. Others refer to the folds for cattle. (See Psa. 60:2.) Ewald, however, connecting closely with the mention of pregnant oxen, renders no abortion. So Syriac: Our cattle are great (with young), and there is not a barren one among them.
Nor going outi.e., either to war, or into captivity (Prayer Book version), or the breaking out of cattle. The first is the more probable.
Complaining.Rather, outcry, cry of sorrow, as in Jer. 14:2; or possibly, cry of battle.
Streets.Better, squares.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Breaking in, is in Hebrew only “breaking,” and refers to damage or painful casualty; while going out is loss or failure. These verses follow beautifully Psa 144:11, and continue its prayer; portraying in few words a copious prosperity, such as a king might wish for his people.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 144:14
Ver. 14. Nor going out ] viz. To encounter the enemy, or to be led into captivity.
No complaining
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
strong to labour = well laden.
no breaking in = no invasion.
nor going out = no captivity.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
strong to labour: Heb. able to bear burdens, or loaden with flesh
no breaking in: Deu 28:7, Deu 28:25, Jdg 5:8, Jdg 6:3, Jdg 6:6, 1Sa 13:17-23, 1Sa 31:7, Jer 13:17-19, Jer 14:18, Lam 1:4-6, Zec 8:3-5
Reciprocal: Gen 1:22 – General Gen 8:17 – breed Gen 12:16 – he had Gen 26:14 – had possession Job 21:10 – their cow Job 39:11 – leave Psa 107:38 – suffereth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
144:14 [That] our {m} oxen [may be] strong to labour; [that there be] no breaking in, nor going out; that [there be] no complaining in our streets.
(m) He attributes not only the great conveniences, but even the least also to God’s favour.