Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
Awake up, my glory - Instead of kebodi , "my glory," one MS., and the Syriac, have kinnori , "my harp." Dr. Kennicott reads kebori , which he supposes to be some instrument of music; and adds that the instrument used in church-music by the Ethiopians is now called kaber . I think the Syriac likely to be the true reading: "Awake up, my harp; awake, psaltery and harp: I will awake early." Such repetitions are frequent in the Hebrew poets. If we read my glory, it may refer either to his tongue; or, which is more likely, to his skill in composition, and in playing on differentt instruments. The five last verses of this Psalm are nearly the same with the Psalms 108:1-5 of Psalms 108:1-13. The reason of this may be, the notes or memoranda from the psalmist' s diary were probably, through mistake, twice copied. The insertion at the beginning of the 108th Psalm seems to bear no relation to the rest of that ode.
Rabbi Solomon Jarchi tells us that David had a harp at his bed' s head, which played of itself when the north wind blew on it; and then David arose to give praise to God. This account has been treated as a ridiculous fable by grave Christian writers. I would however hesitate, and ask one question: Does not the account itself point out an instrument then well known, similar to the comparatively lately discovered Aeolian harp? Was not this the instrument hung at David' s bed' s head, which, when the night breeze (which probably blew at a certain time) began to act upon the cords, sent forth those dulcet, those heavenly sounds, for which the Aeolian harp is remarkable? "Awake, my harp, at the due time: I will not wait for thee now, I have the strongest cause for gratitude; I will awake earlier than usual to sing the praises of my God."
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