maintain that they expect the Messiah son of David, namely, of David's seed: for according to the expression of the text, David calls the Messiah, My Lord, how then can it be his son? Upon this questionI beg to propose one. The " Sophists say that the Messiah is the son of God; inseperably united to the father; how can God call the Messiah his servant? which is done throughout the Scripture; for instance in Isaiah, lii. 13. Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high," &c. Which text they themselves interpret as meaning the Messiah; and therefore I ask how the son can be termed servant? particularly when united to the father as in one? and which part shall be termed the servant? for we certainly must believe, that the part as servant is beneath the father; as a servant is the menial of his master; consequently, he cannot be united to the father, as an equal: the same as the quality of a servant cannot rank with the honor of his master: and if in reality he is his son, why does he call him his servant? But it is not as the Sophists interpret, and I will give you the true exposition. David as a king composed these Psalms with holy spirit, and finished them in a manner that they might be sung by the Levites, in the godly temple, David himself did not sing them, but arrayed them in a language suitable for the Levites; for if he had placed the words, "The LORD said unto me," then the Levites must have told a falshood, for God had not spoken to him; but as the Levites pronounce it now, it signifies, "The LORD said unto my lord David; sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy לשון בן אך טעות גדול בידם כאשר הראתי טעותם בפרקים הקודמים : וכן שמעתי אומרים על תהלים קי" שנאמר לדוד מזמור נאם ה" לאדוני שב לימיני עד אשית אויביך הדום רגליך וכו' : אימרים המינים איך הוא כדברי היהודים שמשיח אשר המה מקוים עליו שהוא מזרעו של דוד : בהיות שדוד עצמו קראו אדוני ואיך יקרא לבנו אדוני עכיל : אך אשר גם אני איך המה אומרים עליו שהוא בן אוקי וכללוהו לאחד עם אב : מאחר כי נראה בכל תיניך קרא הקב"ה למשיח עבדי כמו ישעי" נבי יג' הנה ישכיל עבדי וכו' : היתכן, לקרא לבנו בשם עבד ובפרט לדבריהם באמרם שהוא עם אביו אחד ייל איזה חלק מחלקו יהיה נקרא : עבד ואם אחלקם בכבודן שזו רבו וזה עבד הלא חלק גדול מכבוד הרב לפחיתת כבוד של עבד : אך לא הוא עמו יחד לאחד : אך תדעו כי על זה נאמר תהלים ב" למה רגשו גוים ולאומום יחגו ריק וכו' : ופירוש הנכון על הפסוק נאם ה' לאדוני כך הוא בהיות דוד המלך עה" היה משורר או מזמורים ברוח הקודש ויסד אותם לשורר אותם whole universe will be inspired with the knowledge of the holy God, that He and his name is only one:) shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure." So in Joel, iii. 2." I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat. Psalm, ii. 6 & 7. "Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. His love toward me, is as a father toward his son, and said to me, Thou art my son, and I will cleanse thee from all thy transgressions, as that day when I have begotten thee; for I consider thee as purified from all faults and crimes." Likewise, Samuel says, in the second book, xii. 13. "And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die." We also find that God calls the children of Israel, his sons. Deut. xiv. I." Ye are the children of the LORD your God." The same in Hosea, xi. 1." When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt," &c. Thus in Jeremiah, xxxi. 20. " Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD." So that God not alone called David his son, but even all Israel. The Sophists give also a wrong interpretation to the following Psalm, cx. 1. "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." They say in explanation, how is it possible that the Jews can 66 יחד על ה' ועל משיחו (כמו בזמנינו לעינינו היום) וכו' : יושב בשמים ישחק אדוני ילעג למו : ה" אז ר"ל כשיתמלאה סאתם אז ידבר אימו באפו ובחרונו יבהלמו : כמו שנאמר יוא כי אי בי וקבצתי את כל הגוים : עמק יהושפט וכו' : תהלים ב' ו' נאמר ואני נסכתי מלכי על ציון הר קדשי : על זאת הבשורה אמר דוד פסוק ז" אספרה א חק הי אז הוא אמר לי בני אתה אני היום ילדתיך כלומר תנקהו מחטאיו מרוב אהבתו אותו כמו שנולדו היום בלי חטא לפניו יתברך וזהו שנאמר שמוא ב' יב' יג' גם ה' העביר חטאתך וכו' : וכן נקראים ישרא בנים לה" כדכתיב דברים ידי א" בנים אתם לה' אהיכם וכו' : וכן הושע יא" אי כי נער ישרא וא הבהו וממצרים קראתי לבני וכו' : וכן ירמיה לא" כ" הבן יקיר לי אפרים אם ילד שעשועים כי מדי דברי בו זכור אזכרנו עוד על כן המו מעי לו רחם ארחמנו נאם ה' וכו' : ע"כ לא דוד לבד נקרא בן ה' כי גם ישרא בנים לה' : וכמו כן אומרים ג"כ על פסוק יח" שנאמר נשקו בר ומפרשים נשקו מלשון ישקני מנשיקות פיהו וכו' ובר מפרשים all in heaven is spiritual. Therefore when God created the heavenly bodies the text says. Ibid i. 3." And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." 6." And God said, Let there bé a firmament," &c. And so he created all with his word, heavenly and bodily. 11. "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass," &c. 20. "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly," &c. 21." And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth," and which are all of one quality, some bodily and some spiritual, except men, in whom both qualities are united. 27. " So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."] " 66 Psa. ii. 7. "This day have I begotten thee," &c. The beginning of this verse denotes the future time, and David declared it with prophetical spirit upon the future; as our learned men interpret, namely, upon the King Messiah, he said, Psa. ii. 1. Why do the heathen rage, and the people," (namely, the king of Gog and Magog) "imagine a vain thing?" Hereupon says Isaiah, lii. 15. The kings shall shut their mouths at him for that which had not been told them shall they see, and that which they had not heard shall they consider. Ib. liii. 1. “ Who hath believed our report?" &c. Therefore said David, " Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" for they rage in that which does not possess a substance. Psalm, ii. 2. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his Anointed; (as at the present day). Ib. 4 & 5. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. Then (namely, when the |