A practical exposition on the 130th Psalm

The Targum hath it, that thou mayst be seen. This answers not the word, but it doth the sense of the place well enough. God in his displeasure is said to hide himself, or his face, Isaiah 8. 17. The Lord hideth his face from the house of Jacob. By forgiveness we obtain again the light of his countenance. This dispels the darkness, and clouds that are about him; and gives us a comfortable prospect of his face and favour. There is forgiveness with him that he may be seen. Besides, there is but one letter different in the Original words; and that which is usually changed for the other.

The LXX. render them, [Greek or Hebrew]; for thy names sake; or thy own sake, that is, freely, without any respect unto ⟨p. 73⟩any thing in us. This also would admit of a fair and sound construction, but that there is more than ordinary evidence of the places being corrupted. For the Vulgar Latin, which as to the Psalms was translated out of the LXX. renders these words, propter legem tuam; for thy Laws sake; which makes it evident, that that Translator reads the words [Greek or Hebrew], and not [Greek or Hebrew], as now we read. Now though this hath in its self, no proper sense (for forgiveness is not bestowed for the Laws sake) yet it discovers the original of the whole mistake. [Greek or Hebrew] The Law, differs but in one letter from [Greek or Hebrew] that thou mayest be feared; by a mistake whereof this [Greek or Hebrew] for thy Law sake, crept into the Text. Nor doth this any thing countenance the corrupt figment of the novelty of the Hebrew Vowels and Accents; as though this difference might arise, from the LXX. using a copy that had none, that is before their invention, which might occasion mistakes and differences; for this difference is in a Letter as well as the Vowels; and therefore there can be no colour for this conceit, unless we say also, that they had Copies of old with other Consonants than those we now enjoy. Bellarmine in his Exposition of this place, endeavours to give countenance unto the reading of the Vulgar Latin; for thy Laws sake; affirming that by the Law here, not the Law of our Obedience, is intended; but the Law or Order of Gods dealing with us; that is his Mercy and Faithfulness; which is a mere new Invention to countenance an old error, which any tolerable ingenuity would have confessed, rather than have justified by so sorry a pretence. For neither is that expression, or that word, ever used in the sense here by him feigned, nor can it have any such signification.