Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 33:17
A horse [is] a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver [any] by his great strength.
17. A horse to the Israelites cavalry seemed the most formidable part of an army is but a vain thing lit. a lie, a delusion for safety for victory (Psa 21:1): neither can it give escape by the greatness of its power: it cannot even secure its rider’s escape in case of defeat. Cp. Pro 21:31.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
An horse – The reference here is undoubtedly to the war-horse. See the notes at Psa 20:7.
Is a vain thing – literally, is a lie. That is, he cannot be confided in.
For safety – For securing safety in battle. He is liable to be stricken down, or to become wild and furious so as to be beyond the control of his rider; and however strong or fleet he may be, or however well he may be broken, yet none of these things make it certain that the rider will be safe. God is the only being in whom perfect confidence can be reposed.
Neither shall he deliver any by his great strength – Safety cannot be found in his mere strength, however great that may be. These illustrations are all designed to lead the mind to the great idea that safety is to be found in God alone, Psa 33:18-19.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. A horse is a vain thing for safety] Even the horse, with all his fleetness, is no sure means of escape from danger: the lion or the tiger can overtake him or he may stumble, fall, and destroy his rider.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
An horse; though he be strong, Job 39:19, &c., and fit for battle, Pro 21:31; or for flight, if need requires. And so this is put for all warlike provisions; of which horses were and are a very considerable part.
A vain thing, Heb. a lie, because it promiseth that help and safety which it cannot give.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. On the war horse(compare Job 39:19-25).
a vain thinga lie,which deceives us.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
A horse [is] a vain thing for safety,…. Though it is prepared for the day of battle, and is a very warlike creature, and of great service in war, yet safety only is of the Lord, Pr 21:31; this is put for all kinds of military preparations which men are apt to trust in, but should not, for they are “a lie” i, as the horse is here said to be; that is, deceives and disappoints when trusted to; in like manner the olive is said “to lie”, Hab 3:17; when hope of fruit from it is disappointed; so “fundus mendax” in Horace k;
neither shall he deliver [any] by his great strength; in the time of battle; either by fighting for him, or fleeing with him.
i “mendacium”, Pagninus, Montanus; “fallax”, V. L. k Epod. l. 1. Ode 16. ver. 45. Carmin. l. 3. Ode 1. v. 30. “Spem mentita seges”, ib. Epist. l. 1. ep. 7. v. 87.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17. A horse is a deceitful thing for safety. In this verse, the Psalmist, by the figure synecdoche under the name of horse, is to be understood as meaning any kind of help. The sense is, that in general those who conceive that their life is well protected by earthly means, are commonly disappointed at the very crisis of danger, and are miserably beguiled to their utter undoing, so that God therein clearly shows them their folly. It is true, that kings are not armed with the sword in vain, nor is the use of horses superfluous, nor are the treasures and resources which God furnishes to defend men’s lives unnecessary, provided a right method of employing them be observed. But as the greater part of men the more they are surrounded with human defences, withdraw themselves the farther from God, and by a false imagination persuade themselves that they are in a haven safe from all disturbance, God acts most justly in disappointing this madness. This is the reason why his gifts often pass away without effect, because the world, by separating them from the giver, is also justly deprived of his blessing.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) Safety.Better, victory. (Comp. Hab. 3:8.) The allusion is to the war-horse.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. A horse The most formidable and fleet of all war animals west of the Indus.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 33:17. An horse is a vain thing, &c. The expression is the same in this and the preceding verse; and therefore the meaning must be the same. After having particularized the stout man and the horse; that is to say, the infantry and cavalry, the strength and the swiftness of an army; and said, that neither of them could save a king; he repeats again what he had said before in general, that no number of forces could do it; pointing out in the next verses, wherein is the true defence, and the only sure dependance of man.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 33:17 An horse [is] a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver [any] by his great strength.
Ver. 17. An horse is a vain thing ] And yet a warlike creature, full of terror See Trapp on “ Psa 32:9 “ and so swift in service, that the Persians dedicated him to the sun (Pausan.). See Job 41:20 Pro 21:31 , See Trapp on “ Job 41:20 “ See Trapp on “ Pro 21:31 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 33:17
Psa 33:17
“A horse is a vain thing for safety;
Neither doth he deliver any by his great power.”
To us this appears as a clue to when the psalm was written. Beginning with Solomon, Israel acquired great numbers of horses for use in their military; and it hardly seems plausible that a remark such as this would have been written during or after the reign of Solomon.
In ancient warfare, the horse was the equivalent of the modern tank, especially if combined with war-chariots.
George DeHoff quoted in full the remarkable poem of Rudyard Kipling, “The Recessional,” with its haunting refrain, “Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet; Lest we forget; lest we forget,” labeling it, “A valid comment upon today’s world.”
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 33:17. We know that David did not discount the actual usefulness of the horse, for he had seen him in action in many a battle. We must look for some comparison that he had in mind. He meant that the mere strength of the animal would not take care of a dangerous situation, any more than would numbers of men as per the comments on the preceding verse.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
An horse: Psa 20:7, Jdg 4:15, 2Ki 7:6, 2Ki 7:7, Pro 21:31, Ecc 9:11, Isa 30:16, Hos 14:3
his great: Psa 147:10, Job 39:19-25
Reciprocal: Deu 20:1 – horses Jdg 1:10 – Sheshai Jdg 5:22 – horsehoofs 1Sa 2:9 – by strength 1Sa 17:47 – saveth not 2Sa 8:4 – chariots 1Ch 18:4 – David Job 36:19 – nor all Job 39:11 – trust Psa 44:6 – General Isa 31:1 – stay on horses Isa 31:3 – their horses Jer 9:23 – neither Jer 46:6 – not Dan 11:11 – the multitude Amo 2:15 – neither Mic 5:10 – that I Nah 3:10 – she carried