Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 2. As incense ] Incense was offered every morning and evening before the Lord, on the golden altar, before the veil of the sanctuary. Exod. xxix. 39, and Num. xxviii. 4.
As the evening sacrifice. ] This was a burnt-offering, accompanied with flour and salt. But it does not appear that David refers to any sacrifice, for he uses not jbz zebach, which is almost universally used for a slaughtered animal; but hjnm minchah, which is generally taken for a gratitude- offering or unbloody sacrifice. The literal translation of the passage is, "Let my prayer be established for incense before thy faces; and the lifting up of my hands for the evening oblation." The psalmist appears to have been at this time at a distance from the sanctuary, and therefore could not perform the Divine worship in the way prescribed by the law.
What could he do? Why, as he could not worship according to the letter of the law, he will worship God according to the spirit; then prayer is accepted in the place of incense; and the lifting up of his hands, in gratitude and self-dedication to God, is accepted in the place of the evening minchah or oblation. Who can deplore the necessity that obliged the psalmist to worship God in this way?
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - Make haste unto me. Those that know how to value God's graciou presence, will be the more fervent in their prayers. When presented through the sacrifice and intercession of the Saviour, they will be a acceptable to God as the daily sacrifices and burnings of incense wer of old. Prayer is a spiritual sacrifice, it is the offering up the sou and its best affections. Good men know the evil of tongue sins. When enemies are provoking, we are in danger of speaking unadvisedly. Whil we live in an evil world, and have such evil hearts, we have need to pray that we may neither be drawn nor driven to do any thing sinful Sinners pretend to find dainties in sin; but those that consider ho soon sin will turn into bitterness, will dread such dainties, and pra to God to take them out of their sight, and by his grace to turn their hearts against them. Good men pray against the sweets of sin.
Original Hebrew תכון3559 תפלתי8605 קטרת7004 לפניך6440 משׂאת4864 כפי3709 מנחת4503 ערב׃6153
