Acts 2:26

Act 2:26. Ἡ γλῶσσά μου, my tongue) So the LXX. have translated כבוד in Hebrew poetry; the signification of which may be gathered from Ps. 30:13, “My glory (i.e. my tongue or my soul) may sing praise,” with which comp. Act 2:9, where the words in antithesis are, dust and glory; just as in Psa 7:5, “Lay mine honour in the dust;” also, from Psa 57:7-8, “My heart is fixed,” etc. “Awake up, my glory; awake up, psaltery and harp” wherein glory stands midway between the heart and the instruments; also, from this very saying, Psa 16:9, wherein the glory is put midway between the heart and the flesh. Therefore it denotes the very flower of nature, which even especially puts itself forth through the tongue, the voice, or singing; for glory is to the flesh the same that the flower is to the grass or herb; 1Pe 1:24, “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass:” or the beauty of its look, Jas 1:11, “The sun withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace (or beauty) of the fashion (or look) of it (ἡ εὐπρέπεια τοῦ προσώπου) perisheth.”—ἔτι δὲ, moreover indeed) also, so therefore. Epitasis [an emphatic addition to a previous enunciation. Append.].

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act_2:26. Therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue exulted. The aorists denote an act of the time described by προωρώμην κ.τ.λ., the joyful remembrance of which is here expressed.

ἡ καρδία μου, לִכִּי: the heart, the centre of personal life, is also the seat of the moral feelings and determinations of the will: Delitzsch, Psych. p. 248 ff.

Instead of ἡ γλῶσσά μου, the Hebrew has כְבוֹדִי, i.e. my soul (Psa_7:6; Psa_30:12, et al.; see Schoettgen, p. 415), in place of which the LXX. either found a different reading or gave a free rendering.

ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου κ.τ.λ.] but moreover also my flesh (body) shall tabernacle, that is, settle itself by way of encampment, on hope, by which the Psalmist expresses his confidence that he shall not perish, but continue in lifewhile, according to Peter, from the point of view of the fulfilment that has taken place in Christ, these words εἰς Χριστόν (Act_2:25) prophetically express that the body of Christ will tarry in the grave on hope, i.e. on the basis of the hope of rising from the dead. Thus what is divinely destined for Christ

His resurrectionappears in poetic mould as the object of the hope of His body.

ἔτι δὲ καί] Comp. Luk_14:26; Act_21:28; Soph.O. R. 1345.

ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι] as in Rom_4:18.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 26. And my tongue was glad] In the Hebrew it is ויגל כבודי vaiyagel kebodi, "And my glory was glad:" but the evangelist follows the Septuagint, in reading και ηγαλλιασατο ἡ γλωσσα μου, what all the other Greek interpreters in the Hexapla translate δοξα μον, my glory. And what is to be understood by glory here! Why the soul, certainly, and not the tongue; and so some of the best critics interpret the place.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

26. For this my heart rejoiced Joy of the soul, gladness of the tongue, and quietness of all the whole body, do ensue upon sure hope and confidence; for unless men be quite past feeling, they must needs be careful and sorrowful, and so, consequently, miserably tormented, so long as they feel themselves destitute of the help of God. But that sure trust which we repose in God doth not only deliver us from carefulness, but doth also replenish our hearts with wonderful joy (and gladness.) That is the joy which Christ promised to his disciples should be full in them, and which he testified could not be taken from them, (John 16:22; 17:13.) He expresseth the greatness of the joy when he saith, That it cannot be kept in, but that it will break forth into the gladness of the tongue. כבוד, doth signify, indeed, glory, but it is taken in that place, as in many others, for the tongue And so the Grecians have truly translated the same. The rest of the flesh doth signify the quietness of the whole man, which we have through the protection of God. Neither is this any let, because the faithful are continually out of quiet and tremble; for as in the midst of sorrows they do nevertheless rejoice; so there are no troubles so great that can break them of their rest. If any man object, that the peace of the faithful doth consist in the spirit, and that it is not in the flesh: I answer, that the faithful do rest in body; not that they are free from troubles, but because they believe that God careth for them wholly, and that not only their soul shall be safe through his protection, but their body also.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(26) My tongue was glad.—The Hebrew gives “my glory,” a term which was applied to the mind of man, perhaps also to his faculty of speech (Psa_57:8; Psa_62:7), as that by which he excelled all other creatures of God’s hand. The LXX. had paraphrased the word by “tongue,” and St. Peter, or St. Luke reporting his speech, follows that version.

Also my flesh shall rest in hope.—Literally, shall tabernacle, or, dwell as in a tabernacle. We may, perhaps, trace an echo of the thought in 2Pe_1:13-14.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. my tongue was glad] The Heb. has my glory. Cp. Psa_108:1, where the A. V. has, according to the Hebrew, “I will give praise even with my glory,” while the Prayer-book Version renders “with the best member that I have.”

shall rest] Lit. shall tabernacle.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Therefore did my heart rejoice,.... Because that he had always the truth, faithfulness, and power of God in his view, and the presence and protection of God with him; and which are sufficient to make the hearts of his people, as well as of him, to rejoice:

and my tongue was glad: in the Hebrew text it is, "my glory"; and so the Syriac version renders it here; which Kimchi explains of the soul, because that is the glory of the body; but our apostle rightly interprets it of the tongue, which is so called, Psa 30:12 and Psa 57:8 and Psa 108:1 because it is both the glory of man, for that being endowed with the faculty of speaking, gives him a glory above the brute creatures; and because it is that by which he glorifies God, by ascribing greatness to him, speaking of his marvellous works, and singing his praises, as Christ did, in the great congregation, among his apostles, a little before his death,

Moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope, or "safely"; meaning, that his body should lie quietly in the grave, as in its resting place from all toil and labour, pains and sorrows, and be secure from worms, or any corruption. Or this may be understood of his person being in a quiet, firm, and full hope of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal life and glory.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

Ver. 26. My tongue] Heb. "my glory." With the tongue bless we God, Jas 3:9, which is the best way of ennobling it.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Therefore - Peter ascribes these expressions to the Messiah. The reason why he would exult or rejoice was, that he would be preserved amidst the sorrows that were coming on him, and could look forward to the triumph that awaited him. Thus, Paul says Heb 12:2 that “Jesus ...“for the joy that was set before him,” endured the cross, despising the shame,” etc. Throughout the New Testament, the shame and sorrow of his sufferings were regarded as connected with his glory and his triumph, Luk 24:26; Phi 2:6-9; Eph 1:20-21. In this our Saviour has left us an example that we should walk in his steps. The prospect of future glory and triumph should sustain us amidst all afflictions, and make us ready, like him, to lie down in even the corruptions of the grave.

Did my heart rejoice - In the Hebrew this is in the prescott tense, “my heart rejoices.” The word “heart” here expresses “the person,” and is the same as saying “I rejoice.” The Hebrews used the different members to express the person. And thus we say, “every soul perished; the vessel had 40 hands; wise heads do not think so; hearts of steel will not flinch,” etc. (Prof. Stuart on Psa 16:1-11). The meaning is, because God is near me in time of calamity, and will support and deliver me, I will not be agitated or fear, but will exult in the prospect of the future, in view of the “joy that is set before me.”

My tongue was glad - Hebrew, My glory or my honor exults. The word is used to denote “majesty, splendor, dignity, honor.” It is also used to express the heart or soul, either because that is the chief source of man’s dignity, or because the word is also expressive of the liver, regarded by the Hebrews as the seat of the affections, Gen 49:6, “Unto their assembly, mine honor,” that is, my soul, or myself, “be not thou united”; Psa 57:8, “Awake up, my glory,” etc.; Psa 108:1, “I will sing ...even with my glory.” This word the Septuagint translated “tongue.” The Arabic and Latin Vulgate have also done the same. Why they thus use the word is not clear. It may be because the tongue, or the gift of speech, was what chiefly contributes to the honor of man, or distinguishes him from the brutal creation. The word “glory” is used expressly for “tongue” in Psa 30:12; “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent.”

Moreover also - Truly; in addition to this.

My flesh - My body. See Act 2:31; 1Co 5:5. It means here properly the body separate from the soul; the dead body.

Shall rest - Shall rest or repose in the grave, free from corruption.

In hope - In confident expectation of a resurrection. The Hebrew word rather expresses confidence than hope. The passage means, “My body will I commit to the grave, with a confident expectation of the future, that is, with a firm belief that it will not see corruption, but will be raised up.” It thus expresses the feelings of the dying Messiah; the assured confidence which he had that his repose in the grave would not be long, and would certainly come to an end. The death of Christians is also in the New Testament represented as a sleep, and as repose Act 7:60; 1Co 15:6, 1Co 15:18; 1Th 4:13, 1Th 4:15; 2Pe 3:4; and they may also, after the example of their Lord, commit their bodies to the dust, in hope. They will lie in the grave under the assurance of a happy resurrection; and though their bodies, unlike his, will moulder to their native dust, yet this corruptible will put on incorruption, and this mortal will put on immorality, 1Co 15:53.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Therefore, because of God’s nearness to or presence with him,

did my heart rejoice; Christ’s and his people’s joy is solid and true, real and inward, and may bear the test, res severa est verum gaudium.

My tongue; in Psa 16:9, it is my glory, as the tongue is frequently called; communicating our thoughts or apprehensions by speech, being the excellency of a reasonable creature.

My flesh; or my body.

Shall rest; or be in the grave, as in a tabernacle, ordinarily a movable, always no durable abiding place.

In hope; that is, of the resurrection, and going out of that tabernacle of the grave.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

My heart was glad for did my heart rejoice, A.V.; rejoiced for was glad, A.V; my flesh also for also my flesh, A.V.; dwell for rest, A.V.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See notes on verse 25

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

26. ἡ γλῶσσά μου. The Hebrew = my glory. For this exposition of glory, cf. Psa 108:1, where the A.V. has, according to the Hebrew, I will give praise even with my glory,’ while the Prayer-Book Version renders ‘with the best member that I have.’ If however we are to be guided by the Hebrew parallelism ‘the glory’ is the soul or life. Cf. Psa 7:5, ‘Let him tread my life upon the earth, and lay my glory (A.V. honour) in the dust.’ On the use of a similar expression by the Arabs for any member of the body of special honour, see Gesenius s. v. כבוד.

κατασκηνώσει. Lit. shall tabernacle.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. ἡ γλῶσσά μου] Heb. כְּבוֹדִי, ‘my glory:’ so in Psa 108:1, where our prayer-book version renders “I will give praise with the best member that I have.” Cf. also Psa 57:8.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rejoiced [ηγαλλιασατο] . Rev., was glad. See on 1Pe 1:6.

Shall rest [κατασκηνωσει] . See on nests, Mt 8:20. Better, as Rev., dwell. Lit., dwell in a tent or tabernacle. Rendered lodge, Mt 8:32; Mr 4:32; Luk 8:19. It is a beautiful metaphor. My flesh shall encamp on hope; pitch its tent there to rest through the night of death, until the morning of resurrection.

In hope [επ ελπισι] . Lit., on hope : resting on the hope of resurrection; his body being poetically conceived as hoping.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.