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Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming / Use peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es lors d'une restauratlon apparalssent dans le texte. mais. lorsque eela #tait poss^, CCS pages n'oni pas iti (ilmias. □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ L'Inslitut a microfilm* le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a i\k possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exem- plaire qiH son! peul-*tre uniques du point de vue blbli- ographique. qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mr«es, tacheties ou piqu^es I I Pages detached/ Pages d. 3) Sen SktnAitB in tUe psalms TEN STUDIES IN THE PSALMS •r John Edgar McFadyen, M.A. (Glas.), B.A. (Oxon.) Profutor of Old Ttstament LiUraturt and Extguu, Knox ColUgt, Toronto *• My hope ii in Thee, My refuge and my fortreM, Mjr God, in whom 1 tnut." —(Ps. xxxix, j; xci,g.) NEW YORK YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION PRESS 1907 Coprr!|ht, 1907, bjr THI nmitNATIONAL COMM»TTEt OF YOUMO tfnt't CHUSTIAM AISOCIATIOMS Contenti PA::b FurACi Study I— The First I'salm I The Text of the Psalm .1 2. The Character and Destiny of Good Men 4 J. The Fate of Bad Men 5 4. The Message of the Psalm (or U» 6 5. Paraphrase of the Psalm 7 6 General Questions 8 7. Persoiul Questions and Poir.»s lor Considera- tion 9 Snnv II— The Eleventh Psalm I. The Text of the Psalm 13 3. T>ie Temptation to Cowardice ... 14 3. The Triumphant Answer of Faith 15 4. The Message of the Psalm for Us 16 5. Paraphrase of the Psalm I7 6. Personal and General Questions lif 7. Points for Consideration 19 Smsr III— The I wenty-third Psalm I. The Text of the Psalm 33 a. God as Shepherd 24 3. God as Host 25 4. The Message of the Psalm for Us 36 5. Paraphrase of the Psalm 27 6. Points for Consideration 38 7. Thoughts and Questions 3» SrCBV W— The Thirty-ninth Psalm 1. The Text of the Psalm 33 2. The Pathos of Life 34 3. The Psalmist's Prayer for Pity 35 4. The Message of the Psalm for Us 36 5. Paraphrase of the Psalm 37 6. Points for Consideration 38 7. Questions for Practical Life » 39 I vl CONTENTS PACB Study V— The Fokty-eighth Psalk 1. The Text of the Psalm 43 2. The City of the Great King 44 3. The Appeal to Experience 45 4. The Message of the Psalm for Us 47 5. Paraphrase of the Psalm. 49 6. Points for Qmsideration 50 7. Qtwttioiis 51 Snnnr VI — The Forty-ninth Psalm 1. The Text of the Ps.alm 55 2. The Futility of Riches at Death 57 3. The Prospects of the Good at £>cath 58 4. The Message of the Psalm for Us 59 5. Paraphrase of the Psalm 60 6. Points for Consideration 61 7. Questions 63 Sroinr VII—The Fifty-second Psalm 1. The Text of the Psalm 67 a. The Fate of Arrogance 68 3. The Joy of the Faithful 69 4. The Message of the Psalm for Us 71 5. Paraphrase of the Psalm 73 6. Points for Consideration 74 7. Questions 75 Snn>T VIII— The Nintieth Psalm 1. The Text of the Psalm 79 2. The Brevity and Pathos of Human Life 8t 3. Prayer for Restoration 83 4. The Message of the Psalm for Us 85 5. Paraphrase of the Psalm 87 6. Points for Consideration 88 7. Questions go Study IX — The Ninety-first Psalm 1. The Text of the Psalm 93 2. The Security of the Faithful 94 3. The Triumph of the Faithful 96 4. The Message of the Psalm for Us 98 5. Paraphrase of the Psalm 100 6. Points for Consideration toi 7. Questions 103 'fl i CONTENTS PAGE 1 Study X-The One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Psalm ^ I. The Text of the INalin 2 The Joy oi Redemption 3. Hope Looks through Tearful Eyes no 4. The Message of the Psalm for U- 112 S. Paraphrase of the Psalm ■ 6 Questions and Points for Consideration "4 7. tUenitvi of the Ten Psalms Studied Preface Theke n. perhaps, no part of the Old Testament which speak, so M„ ,"v and clirccly to the universal heart as the Psaher. V ;;n\he mo.t fa>n,lK,r p.ahn. con^e home to U. -''h '--^ ; f eshness and power when, l.y .ytupatlufc >t«.ly, we li^'ve t avdul back to he world in winch the.r wr.ters ..oo.l. and learned lo look „on it with their eyes. The short studas .n th. vo hnne n ■n utenint to interpret, in this way. a few of the psahn^ that .Ua whl Z tant aspJets of the rel.gious life, and to show the.r ^ntal Sing upon the l.fe of to-day. In the.r «lo"''ts struggles and a J^adon' those ancient men are very near u. and U,ey .pe^ > us with an aceti- .hat is strangely modern. I have ru.l to ,n "is pTain th. arse of the exposition, and to .llu.trate the.r kinshio with u> bv quotation from modern writers. Th^tr^Ltmettt of the psaln,s here .elected is expos.tory. But wi hout being didactic or honulet.c. I have at the same t.m roSt to make it practically helpful, by gathering up the >,ud> oach ps-ilm in a series of personal questions, which are nitend d to carry the reader into the heart of the psalm, and also to enable him to ^.a.ci, h.> own inner life. n,,rlp« Scrih- I desire here to express my oliligation to Messrs. ner's Sons for their generous courtesy in alUnving me to rM n - . from my volume on The Messages of the Psahmstsjn Uu- M.s- ,s of the Bible Scrks (igaO. the paraphrase of the psalms here sag, selected for study. ^^^^ ^ McFadven. Lake of Bays, Muskoka, August, 1907. ix STUDY I deitcgiysite THE FIRST PSALM ^ First Day : Cbe €nt of tDt P^lm » ... r has walked as WKked O how abundantly happy .s the ma. who uc.cr ha. walked men hav- counselled. Nor stood m the way fra,u.ntcd by sinners, lor Uken his seat in a sc.Mon o scoffers ; whose delight is .n the fear of J^'--^ Xnd who broods over h.s law day and n.ght! He is hke a tree planted by water-courses That bnngs fortli us fru.t when it ts due. And its leaves do not wither ; All that he does he brings to a happy end. Not so do the wicked fare, not so; The way of the wicked shall perish. a. Meditate upon it careiuny 'T-, Jt^i ^nd as a whole, unta you have some adequate idea of it, m detail ana as 4 TES sirDir.s ix tin: r.s.ii .vs Second Day : Cbe Cbaratttr ana C>titinp of tdooa Jftm (Bnrm 13) I. lUv lir-^; ps.iliii Ik,ii littiMKly caliid the pmloRuc to the r>;ilttr, an. I a ua-, hy a happy inspiration that tlui psahii was ihi.Mii t.> Hitr...ln,i ilic book. In the I'salter many voices are heard —voices of doiil)t and sorrow— from men whose faitli wa^ si i aim . I and whose hearts were breaking; fmm nun whose "sup. ha.l vmII nigh shpp.d" (I's. 7M2). and \\li...se son! was cast d..wn and dis- .liii.tcd within tluni (Ps. 42: 11). The llrst psalm is the answer, by . iiuipaiDn. to all these laments; it expresses in advance the assu- laiu- tliat. despite all seeming, it is well with good men, and that llu ir fortunes are watched over by God. -'. I he hrst v. rse descrilus the RimhI man ncRati^viy; the secnn.l. positively: the third is a picture .)f his liright .iestiny.' The opening word in the Hebrew ann.)unces not so much his inward blessedness as his outward prosperity; not so much • lllesscd" as "O how full of happiness !"— the happiness being more particularly described by verses 3 and 6. The man who deserves and will obtain tliis happi- ness is, first of all, he who refuses t.. have anything to do with bad uu I he bad men whom the I'salmist has particularly in view were probably apostate Jews, who had come under the influence of Greek cuhure, and turned their backs upon the Jewish faith. The three W0r«i u.sed to describe them and also the Psalmisfs attitude U)wards them constitute a line and no 'iK- '>f tlu' niHiil; sucli a thtiiio is um-' >iiK>nial. He describes lidt the man's cliar.al' r. Iml hi^ t.itc. And Uv li with a solemn and cniphatic negative; "ti"! lure llie wuke.l " After hi> l.>\ily description of the green and irintlul tree, he cDntiiiues with an almost terrible simplicity— the fate of the wicked is not like that ; no such destiny is in store for them. 2. riiey are imt like the tree, hut they are like the chaff. What a contrast! llie tree. MiU^tantial ;'ii(l fruitfiil; the elialT, emiity .iii.l useless. But the particular contrast in the INalmi^t's mmd i-. be- tween the permanence of the one and the transience of tl\e other. The tree stands, not only fair because fed from the waters, but tirm because deep-rooted in the Rroiind ; the chatT is driven to and fro l.y the wind. As the tree >l.iiiil> when tlie winds tie-in t.i blnw, so sliall the righteous stand when the judgment comes; hut not tlie wicked— they shall be, as it were, blown like the chaff from off the face ui the world. By the judgment the Psalmist does not mean one of the many great crises in hi'tory. though there would Ik- a krge measure of truth in saying that in the-e ■,iKce---ive judgments the wicked do not stand; rather he is thinking of the great Mes- sianic judgment, which was to purge the earth of the wicked, ind leave the "congregation of the righteous" unvcxed and untainted by their presence. J. The psalm closes with the assurance that the par- ticularly on the last clause, as the latter half of the psahn is dealing with the fate of the wicked ; hence the translation on page j. 6 7/;.v sJUDii-s ix Tin: rs.ti..vs FoLRTii Day : Cdr JScwair of tht pulm for «3i I. There arc many incidental suggestions of much interest and iiiiporiaiKi' in tlic p^'ulin. mkIi a^ tin gradual dcclini of a soul that has enttri'il upon tiic i)ath of wick* dm ss; but two thougiits stand imt above all the others: that the dilTercnce in the characters of men will be matched by a difference in their destinies, and that the »tudv of Scripture must be an clement in, ns it is a support of, the good liu'. J. I lie Psalmist docs not recognize shades of distinction in human character; he divides men sharply into two classes, the righteous and the wicked. And he a'.irms that tlie former prosper while the latter perish ; if that be not obvious now, if in the mea:.' 'ne sinners lid -land in the lonKn'Bation of the righteous, at any rate it will be obvious enough in the judgment. The I'salniisi has no doubt about that : the wind cannot blow away the tree, but it can and will most certainly blow away the chatT. Kven apart from the Psalmist's thought of the final Messianic judgment, there is a profound and va!u:ii>le thought in tlie>e simple comp.irisoiis with the tree and the cliatT. It is this: goodness is pernianent. it stands as part of the eternal order, watched over and conserved by God; evil is imperma- nent, there can be no ultimate place for it in the universe of God. The Psalmist is very earnest about this ; he states it graphically twice; once in comparing the wicked to chaff that is blown hither and thither (wickedness has no nxit in the universe), and again, in asserting that the way of the wicked dies out. The Psalmist pic- torially suggests, rather than definitely teaches, that goodness is the pathway to eternal life, while wickedness is the sure road to oblivion in the ultimate count of things. 3. One mark of the good man is an earnest and continual study of the Scriptures, W hen this psalm was written, probably a very large part of the Old Testament was already in existence ; but, if we may judge by the nineteenth and the one hundred and nineteenth psalms, the writer was thinking more particularly of the law— what we now call the Pentateuch. It is very significant, however, that the study of the Scriptures, whether in larger or smaller compass, is the one positive mark of the good man mentioned in the psalm. By this he lives. Scripture plays the same part in his life and growth as the water in the life and growth of the tree that is planted by the water-courses. As the life-giving water brings out the leaves and fruit upon the tree, so Scripture brings beauty and fruitfttlness into the life of tb* man who muses upon it day and night THIi PtRST PSAIM 7 Fifth Hav ; Parapbrast o[ tbt p«atm The truly happy man is he who never en, .red on the perilous path of giMllts-ncvs— that path which begins iit dallying with t-vil, an.'. lt;i(l> by "■urc >tiii> to tin- deliberate scorn of reliRion. But his lieart is set upon the Si'ri;iiiircs. atid omt thi'iii lu' hroods coiitiiniallv. The destiny of such an unc ici bright — like a tree, fruitful and fair, with roots that are nourished by water from the rivulets, and leaves that never fade. All that he docs he brings to a happy issue. Far other is the destiny of the godless. Tluy are light as the chaff blown abo\it hy tlie wind; and when tlie wind.s of judgituiit begin to blow, they shall not be able to keep their feet, nor shall tliey have any place in the assembly of the righteous. For. while Jehovah watches over the way that the righteous takes, the way of the godless vanishes out of sight. Explain to yourself every p!irase of the psalm in thoroughly mod- em and unconventional language. The success of your effort will be best tested by writing a para- phrase of your own. 8 TEN STUDIES IN THE I'SALMS Sixth U.w : <0niml QwitilM 1. What is the ideal of piety in this psalm? i. Do you consider this ideal exhaustive? H not, bow WOOld JfOM supplrnicnt it? 3. lis the study of Scripture essential to piety? 4. Which Scriptures contribute tr.ost ? 5. If to the Psalmist the law of Cod was pre-eminently the PenU- teuch, and in particular its "precepts and stattrtes" (cf. Pi. lip: 4t 5)t in wli it p,irt> »loc> tliat 1 iw 1 , (.five it^ !:iRhcst expression? 6. How far i.x the corropnndiiKi liciwtcn the character and for- tunes "f nun iihsiTvahle in tins world? 7. U hat is the ground for the general belief in its ultimate exact correspondence? S. •• Blessed is the man that trusletli in Jehovah, and whose trust Jehovah is. ile shall be like a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots by 'he river. Its leaf shall be green, and it shall not cease from yielding fruit." (Jeremiah 17: 7. 8.) Assuming that there is a literary connection between this passage and f.ie psalm, contrast the types of piety presented by both — the one rooted in trust on God. the other in a study of the Scriptures. Is there my necessary incompattbilky between them? THE FIRST PSALM 9 Seventh Day : fltraonal (QustifU Wt 9l* ^ Conittttation 1. What is vnur ptrsoual attitude to influcnci-s that arc perilous to yoar moral life? 2. Do you gladly embrace every opportunity for the study of Scripture? .1. W hat has your previous study of the Scripture done for your moral and rcligioub life? 4. As you consider your life-history thus far, can you point to evidence that God watches over the way that you take? r If one whose Bible was only part of the Old Teatamtnt regarded the study of it as a matter of such high and serious importance, how much more loving and earnest should our stuily l)e who have a New Tcstainent as well as an Old, with its wonderful story of Jesus, with its great words of inspiration and consolation, with its Luke 15, John 14, I Corinthians 13, Revelations 23. 6. "The first psalm may be said to bestow a blessing on the liter- ary study of the Bible."—/?. G. Moultun, Literary Study of the Bible, ch. vi. 7. "A man's character is by far the most important part of his destiny."— Joseph McFadyen. 8. ' At first sight, nothing can well appear more unnatural and defiant of all fact than this dual clasiilication [into only two classes, of good and bad, friends and enemies of (iodl. Tlu moment you attempt to apply it to acttial persons, and to walk through the world parting, as you go, the sheep from the goats, you perceive how little it answers to any apparent reality, and how shocking the effect would Ik of running it sharply through life. The varieties of character, and the degrees of faithfulness, are infinite, and are discriminated from each other by the finest shades. • * * Yet, strange to say, this doctrine, seemingly so harsh in itself and so impossible to confront with experience, lias by no means been a mere favourite with the rude multitufi-; it has had the most powerful hold of mimls capacious, philosophical, harmonious, devout, and has rarely failed to throw its awful shadow across the holiest souls. Evaded and explained away by mediocre men and in rationalistic times, it is Razed at with full f.ice by a Plato, a Dante, a Milton, a Pascal ; and surely has no ambiguous expression in the records of our faith. How is this contradiction to be resolved? I reply: by turning from the outward to the inward look of moral fvH,"—Marhneau, Types of Ethical Theory, Book II, ch. I :ii (4)- THE ELEVEXTIi PS ILM 13 IMKST D\y: Cbe Ctrt of tbe In Jehovah have I taken rifugi : How can ye say to me. "FUc to the nioiintain> like a bird? For. sof! the wiikcd arc iKiidinR the bow. They have fixed their arrow on the striiiR. To shoot in the dark at the iijirinht in heart. When the foundations arc heinn torn down, What has the righteous accomplished?" Jehovah is in hi- holy temple. Jehovah— his throne is in heaven, His eyes behold the world, His eyelids test the children of men. Jeh nali tests the riKlitcous and the wicked. The lover of violence he li;\tr- from hi- -onl. He will rain upon the wicked coals of tire and brimstone. A scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. For Jehovah is righteous: rishteous deeds he loveth: The upright shall behold his face. Commit the psalm to memory in any ver^^ion you please. Meditate upon it carefully, and without the aid of books, until have Gome adequate idea of it, in detail and as a whole. 14 TEN STUDIES IS THE PSALMS Second Day : Cftt Cmptatimi to Cotoartin (Smnt 1.3) 1. This powerful little psalm is no: fropirly understood until it is rccofftiized that the first three verse^ constitute the cowardly advice Riven by lu\ >uiiii.>rters to some man of faith, while the rest of the psahn is his triumphant answer. \Vc have no means of ascertaining the historical occasion of the psalm ; all we know is that the situation is desperate. Society is being -huk> n to its foimdatioiis : its worthier members, "the upright in heart," are losing hope; their opponents are pow( rliil, i riiel and treacherous. 2. Hut there is one brave, nrong man, who, amid welter and confusion, stands firm as a rock, and repudiates wiai indignation the faithless and cowardly counsel of his supporters. The source and basis of his confidence he expresses m the very first word of his innf. s-iim: "/„ .lrlio:\,l, hnw I taken refuge." That was why he scorned to ilee. as he was urged, to the mountains, like a bird. For cetiinries the mountains had been the refuge of the persecuted; but the P.salmist stood his ground, hecarse he felt himself already secure in his God. Flight would have meant infidelity. Even the graphic inctiire of the cruel and treacherous designs of his enemies is power- less to m.ike him swerve from his post or his God. For, seel the wicked have their bow and arrow ready to let drive at his honest heart; but look again! Jehovah is in his heaven--, and the Psalmist is sure that he will protect the man who puts his trust in him. X The I.ivt appeal of the cowards is the subtlest of all. They point out tiiat the foundations, the pillars of social law and order, are alrea.iy being torn down, and a.sk their steadfast, righteous chief, W'ith sad earnestness, what, after all, his righteousness has enabled him to accomplish. The world is tumbling to pieces, and he can . Illy succeed in being buried beneath the ruins. So far was right- eousnfss from being victorious that it had not even been able to avert disaster. 1 1 THE ni.r.VtlSTII PSAUl IS Third Day: Cbc Cr ^pbant aneiotr of /aitK8'W« , The secret of the r-alnuM s suadfa>tncs heavenly throne, intently watclung all that goes on below and ready to wield his terrible power in defence of the outraged iiuiral order. , 2 'uod IS not indifferent or blind, as persecuted men may ton.pted to st,ppose; -Ins eyes heh-M." And not '"erely bclK>ld hut narrowly behold-"h.s eyelid, .crutnnze. te>t. the children o men" Yes. Jehovah-for the third time-tests the niihteou. and the waked. He docs not merely see. he cares; how deeply, will he .,c,i from the passion with which he loves and rewards the one (verse 7), and hate> and destroys tlie other (verses $. VVe must not forget that we are readint; the Old re>tament. ■K The last two vers.; describe in graphic terms the dcstmy re- served for both. The fate of the wicked shall be like that which ovcrtf>ok Sodom-fire and brimstone (Gen. 19:24). Jehovah is lord .^f the elements, and from his throne in the heavens he wi pour down his fiery rain npon the ev,l-do. rs; the glowing wind wjU be their portion-here poetically repre..ntereath of the desert wind. . , -^i « i T.l.»..h But a gracious destiny awaits the upright; for the «««^»» loves to show himself faithful, and for reward they shall behold his face. Explain to yourself every phrase of the psalm in thoroughly mod- ern and unconventional language. . The success of your effort will best be tested by writing a para- phrase of your own. 18 TEN STUDIES IN THE PSALMS Sixth Dav: flcnmul int 0rMrtl ®«tftwiw r Have >ou ever bven confronted with the tempution to coward- ice r if so, how have you met it? 2. Y..U conft>. ,n church: "I believe in God the Father Almijihty. !),> y,,ii rcaily k-lii-vc this? 3 U lK.1 rs 3„„r attitude to malicious or treacherous opposition? A. Js there any element in the i-.tu.nal or mternatiunal >,tnatio.i o-day that tends to shake your fa.th? If so. i„ what direction «ould y„u Jock for the strengthening of that faith' 5^ I-ro.n your knowledge of history, ancient or modern, show how such a conhdcnce as the Psalmist had has been justified. IHli ELEVENTH PSALM »9 Skventh Dav; pomU for Cowrtewtwn 1 "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteoM do?" question of the Authorized Vcrs.on-truc to the sprrrt. though w,t to the letter, of the Hcbrew-.s ^".""f 'f,^^!'^,'^ by good men who are afraid of the progress of B.b ical c hum and other supposedly dangerous tendences of thought; but note that xl is a coward's quesMn. The true man o» faith has his answer ready : "Jehovah is in his holy temple, Jehovalv— his throne is in heaven." a "I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not ^Tt^;:;^o^w;^!''C:;h^•sliend. most eamestly entreated hini to return. "1 will go on." he said, • tl.ough tl.crc were as many devils set against me as there are red tiles on yonder house.. A "A safe stronghold our God is still, A trusty shield and weapon."— Lut^W. e "God's in his heaven— All's right with the world."— SrtfW»«««. It is easy to bd'eve this, when "The year's at the spring And day's at the mom; Morning's at seven ; The hill-side's dew-pearled; The lark's on the wing; The snail's on the thorn." But the true test of faith is that one should still cherish this belief, Sl^tJe wickld are bending their bow and have set tlieir arrow upon the string, to shoot in the dark at the upright m heart. STUDY III THE nVESTY THIHI> 1'^ ll.M 33 First Day : Cbr €nt if tbe 9mI« Jehovah is shiphcrding iiu- : I want lor nothing. In grauy pastures he makes me Uc down; To waters of rest he guides mc. He restores my soul. IK- leads mc in patlis that are straight. For hi'^ name's sake. Yes : though I walk through « vale of deep i^oon. I will fear no ill ; For Thou art with roe, Thy rod and Thy staff— They are my comfort. Thou prepares! a table before me In the presence of ray foci. Thou hast anointed my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and kindness shall pursue roe All the days of my life ; And I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah Tbrottghoot the length of days. Commit the psalm to memory in any version you please. Meditate upon it carefully, and without the aid of books, have some adequate idea of it, in detail awl as a wLde. 24 7 EX STL Dir.S /.V 7///: I'S. U.MS SixoM) D.w : 0oB a> *tfp6frl> (lUrBM 1.4) r. Tin- quii't hiauty niul Minplnity of this psalin arc apt to hide fn.ni 11^ i!- rial ranpc and depth. Its vvrittT knew of grassy pas- tiiris and le tful wattTS ; but he had also enemies to face, and he knew w hat it was to walk through valleys of gloom. It was not for nf.ihitiR that the rod was in the shepherd's hand: it was to biat off the a-^saults that threatened the peace and the life of his sheep. Mic i>r- ih.ii hcluld will) sw<-it sati>faoti(in the rod and the staff i:,ic! nti,ii looked upon trouble; and the consolation was real because the -orK)\\ had liccn real. 2. The r.salniist knows life, its struggles and its gloom, its perils of the darkness and its perils from the foe; but he is alile to .sing us hi- iiiiiin irlal sour, heeau-e he al-o knows God. Me thinks of himself— in iniuKery lotig familiar to Israel— as a silly sheep, apt to wander away upon devious and dangerous paths, hungering for the green grass and thirsting for the fresh water, and losing himself at times in deep and gloomy ravines. But lie thinks of his Cod as his SheplKTil. who knows where the straight paths lie, and who l.-iiiBrs hnn out upon them; who knows where the grass and the w.iier are. and who gently guides him up to them. The wilderness of life has its sweet refreshing spots: the good Shepherd will lead his sheep thither, and there he will make them lie down, to rest and refresh themselves. X But men, like sheep, need more than food and rest. In the gloomy ravines there lurks danger: robbers and wild beasts are ever ready to pounce upon their helpless and unsuspecting prey, and the poor sheep needs protection. This she finds in her shepherd, who not only i)rovi: for though there are ixnv no lu.n- here, iliere .ire wolves in abundance; and leopards and !Miithers. exceeding (ierc( . prowl about these wild wadies. They not 1.11 frequently attack the flock in the very presence of the shepherd. :'n(l he must be ready to do battle at a moment's warning."— ( / /i. >))!.<,. 11. The Land and the Hook.) The sfatT is different from the rod: on it the shepherd leans; with it in various ways he helps his sheep. So il.at rod and st:itT tognher symbolize the power and the affection of the dixiite Shepherd. Well might the Psalmist point to thetn wilh priilt and gladness, and say: "They are my consola- tion." THE Tin-.X I y TUINI' I'S.UM 25 Third Day : t5oll as hoot (UtrBfa 3. 6) I In the first part of the i»alm (i.. can lo.^k up „„o tho face of C.d and say. "Th,;, art with m.-." i-- ("id's friend: and whether tlie figure of God as shrphcrd be retained in the second half of the psalm or no. at any rate the Psahnist describes himself in more human and less pa^torai term-. " He is a man who has cncmies-hnnt. d v. '. n l -!v l.y the M—d- avenger aeross tlie croei d. mti till he reaehe- t\v km.Uy .shelter . t a „.,t Once there, by a gre.it and lieiufieent law of .\r,ah ho.pitalay. iu- is safe. "That the gne>l is invioIM.e is me nf the first principles of Arab hospitality. To be safe, ihe stranger nee,N l.t.t enter the tent, or only touch a tent ropci :lun. even if he he an en.iuy. no Land ^^^V. hv raised against him. To fall upon one seeking Mielter ,„ his lent would stain an Arab's name with everlasting dishonor. The enemie-, then, are poueil.^- t.. liv ,i tinker upon the P^altmst. They may stand at the tem-do.,r and glare in up..,i l„i,i ; but withm the tent, his protection is guaranteed l.y h> >!u ine Host , \nt Wfore a banquet-how unlike the recepti..n accr.Ud f .K-n. by the haughty Pharisee! (Luke 7:46). He is guest at the table spread; he druiks f)f a full and exhilaratinR cup. 4 S,. real and overwhelming is his sense of the divine hospitality ,1:1, he feels sure he shall enjoy it as long as he lives. The language ,n v.hich he expresses this confidence is enthusiastic to the point ot daring. -Surely goodness and kin.ln, .hail-not merely follow me hxn-tunuc me all the days of iry life " The word is tb.u u.ed f.,r the purMiit of the enemy in battle; and goodness and mercy, bke two angel spirits, are chasing him. as it were-in hot haste after him, divinely determined to capture him. 5 How sure he must have been of the divine love ! Is ,t any wonder that he wished to enjov forever the shelter and hospitality of that ^.raciou- tent, or th.at he vowed. ' I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah throughout the length of days"? 26 TEN STUDIES IN THE PSALMS I-'oLKi ji Day : C|)r fRn»i%t of t\t Psalm for 1. I lure ib no psalm un which it is so suiircmtiy ditlieull to coni- iiitiit as this, lis tender beauty eiuiies analysis, and its teaching \\as ni ver meant lor >.v.--teniati/.atiuii. I lie .ittiiiipt Id a-.-ign a (Uliiiiu- meaning to llic ' ki*.'.!! iia>luri--.. " iin ' watir.-. ot re>l," or llic ' glooiny valley," would be bulli pru^aii and liilile. Here more than anywliere else must the reader interpret for hnnstlf out of his own experience. The glory of the iisalm lies in its power to sug- gc-t to each n.ider an apiilicatmn uiiicli >iiit> hi-- own experience. 2. It i.s lull of the scn>e that life is haunled by a presence. We may be travellnig throiigli the great and terrible wiUlcrne>,'- ; but its terrors vanish for him who can say, "Thou art with ntc." We are indeed silly sheep, but not shepherdlcss. Hero and there as we look .-.crii.-.^ D'.ir Ilk ui sec KTcen aiul happy .-pots where we were re- freshed, renewed, restored. In our be^t iiiomeius we know that it was the good Slu plii rd who took us there, and we might have been there far oftentr had we given up our lives to his leading and guid ing: for the paths on which he leads us are not crooked but straight. .And if we ;ire williiii; to follow, he is pli di^ed to giiide us, for his own name's s.iki'. He nuisi lu true to his sheep as to himself. J. Very reni.irkable is the thought in verse 6 of God's pursuit of men. The Fsahnist could liave u.seil no stronger 'vord to express the earnestness of Ciod's affection for us. "He pursues us with the y<.d of a fiH, ,nul the Inve 'if a Father; pursues us 'throughout the length of days' with a divine impatience that is never faint and never wiary. He is not cimiini to follow us: he pursues us, because he means to find us. Behind the loneliest man is a lovely appari- tion; nay, no apparition, but angels twain. 'Goodness and Mercy.' Had the powers that pursued Us been pnodu s and mercy they would have slain u-, loii^j a^o as cuinberers of the ground."' 4. This psalni not a prayer, but a confession of faith. The writer does not pray to be led to the green pastures and the rcstfu' waters ; he is there already. He docs not pray for the divine prntecfion. as he pa-es tli!oui:li tlie gloomy valleys; he tiijoys it alrea.iy. He does m l pr.iv ih.-it lu m.iy be fed by the divine bounty; already the table I- -pi' i'l ;ind ill- up i~ niniiiiig over. He has an unbroken sense of the divine goodness that filled the past, and will assuredly fill the future. He has heard the voice of his heavenly Father— though per- haps he has not yet learned to call him Father— saying: "Child, thou art ever with me. Ami all tli.il i- mitre i- tlime "— ( /.i(i(-,- l.ii.tl). 'See my Diiiiw I'msiiit (.RcmII, njoi ), pp. 197. 198. THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM aJ Fifth Day : pwipktaM of tie paalm Like a goo. waters of nt ness My weary syru i.c rcirc^ho; he guules me m patl > e'tra ... for the glory of Ins nau.c. Yea. an.l ho can guu . ; „ h'c da^kne^s as .n the Ught. For. even when I walk .n .he :,Uy of the deep shadow, I fear no ill; for thou art w.th nu-. to guide and defend nte. Thy rod and thy .t.Ul are my com or ' Thou art. too. my host, as well as n.y ^h.plKr.l. an.l at th^ ho nitable table I feast without fear, though nunc ..u,n,.^ K ■ r, ' fin .ne Thou annin.e,. n,y head for the bam.uet. and th. « „; table are abun-lan, Surely goodness -'VrSu « well twain' shall foU. w Jo. afu r nte all my days, and I shall dwell forever in the house of my God. Explain to your^elf every phrase of the psalm in thoroughly .nod- ern and unconventional language. The success of your effort will be best tested by writing a para phrase of your own. 28 TEN STUDIES IS THE PSALMS Sixth Day: Pointi for CoftMitrraHm 1. Dot tlii'- ii-.ihii 'cciii to you the work of youth or of a matured anil rlit\ kt rid rxpi rii lu c ? 2. d;) ""F'^aliii J,? ( \]iri-^c^ c:ilm ciMifiiliiu-f in Jilim all : (I) as sliililn ril. pnn i.iiiiir Ins >lK'i-p u l!li plmtilul pasture and water (vcr.-is (•) as guiiU-, conducting his companion saffly in right paths through a gloomy ravine (verses 3. 4); (3) as host. , iioiMtini; his guest for the hanqui-t and granting him ptrpt-tral h k p:lalily. * * * (verses 5. (1). It i-> a tni-take to >up!i' M' liint thr iliciin' iif the slupherd extends nito ihe .-croud strophe. • * * In --tn.plie iii (he host takes the place of the shepherd and the guide of the previous strophes." — C. A. Briggs. (.'■) •■ I he Iwi ntv-lliird p-aliii -eniis t^' hreak in two at the end I'i tile |..iirtli V r>i I lie tir>t four vir-es clearly retlect a pastoral -l ene; the fifth appears to carry us ofT, without warning, to very dif- iVrent associations. 1 his. Jiowever, is only in appearance. The last two verses are as pastoral as the first four. If these show us the >l;> plu rd with lii> >Iieep upon the pa-inrr. those loll.iw iiiiii, shepherd ■-till, to v^liere in his tent he di>penses the desert's hospitality to some poor fugitive from blood." — George Adam Smith. (i-) "It is all. all a simple shepherd psahn. See how it nms through the round of s|R])hird life from fir-t word to last. • * ♦ I he psalni do- s u itii tin 1. t scene of the day. .-\t the door of the sheeiifold the shepherd stands. With his rod he holds back the sheep while he inspects them one by one as they pass into the fold, ile has the horn tilled with •-•li\e oil. and he has cedar-tar. and he Miinints a knee bruised on the rocks, or a side scratched by thorns. .\iid lun- cmiies diie that is not Itruised. hut is simply worn and i.xhar. ied; he haiiies its face and head with the refreshing olive oil, and he takes the large two-handled cup and dips it brimming full from the vessel of water provided for t'l u purpose, and he lets the weaiy sliee|i drink I here is iiolliini; finer in the psalm than this. ( cul\ .aie 1- not fci tin wcmndid unly, but for the worn and weary also, lie aiiointeih my head with oil, my cup runneth over.' ' — ilie Sung of Our Syrian Guest. Consiiler carefully the above interpretations of the psalm. Which do v.ui prefer, and why? 3. "On cither side of the river was also a meadow, curiously beau- tified with lilies, and it was green all the year long. In this meadow liny I.i> .1 'wii and slept; for here thcy might lie down safely."— Ilu- .' 'i/i;.' iH!'.? /'r.-.'i'riW.t. 20 THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM 4. compare the following versions of Psalm .3:6 with each other and with the original : Goodness and mercy all my life Shall suroly follow me ; And in God-s housi' for evermore My dwelling-place shall be. ' —Scotch Metrtcat Versum. O nonght but love and mercy wait Through all my life on inc. And I within my F^'her s gate For long bright years shall be. And so through all the length of days Thy goodness faileth never : Good Shepherd, may 1 sing thy pra.se ^ Within thy house forever. 30 TBN STUDIES IN THE PSALMS Seventh Day : (Zrbovsbti ^nectiou 1. How do you account for the extraordinary power and popu- larity of this psalm ? 2. Has the psalm ever spoken to you with special power? Recall such occasions. 3. Like the Lord's prayer, the Twenty-third Psalm is appropriate to every stage of religious development. A child can understand it, but the wisest cannot exhaust its depths. As we grow, it grows; we never leave it behind. 4. "I .1111 the good shepherd" (John 10:11). How rich annt1i. So long as the wicked are before nic. I was dumb and silent. I utterly lu Ul my pc^icf ; But my pain was stirnd up. My heart became hot in niy bosom. As 1 musid. the fire kindled, And at last I spake with my tongue. Teach me, Jehovah, mine end, _ And the measure of my days— what it is. Let me know how frail 1 am. See! Thou hast made my days but a span. And my life is as nothing before thee. R,frain--Ah\ surely as a breath doth every man stand. Ah! surely in mere semblance man walketh about. Surely his noise is all for nothing. He heaps tip. and knows not who shall gather. And now what wait I for, O Lord? My hope is in thee. From all my transgressions deliver me. Make me not the scorn of the fool. I am dumb. I open not my mouth ; For it is thou that bast done it. Ohl take thy stroke away from me. By the might ,.f thy hand 1 am clean spent. Ah mel When with rebukes for sin thou dost chasten a maii. Thou wastest, like a moth, his beauty Refrain-Ah\ surely every man is but a breath. Oh! hear my prayer, Jehovah, a d hearken to my cry for help. Hold not thy peace at my tears ; For a guest am I with thee. .\nd a si.journcr, like all my fathers. Look away from me, that I may smile agam. Ere I go away, and be no more. MediUte upon the psalm carefully, and j]*;'^;^^.*;*^^^^^ until yon have some adequate ,dea oi it, m detail and a. a wHoie. 34 / / A \/ ' nil S l\ THE I'S.iUfS Skcont) [)\v : Cbc |3ntbo8 of Life (I1tre« 1 0i r. Fwalrl l,.,s ..,.!„, u.o.„t..subIy .he finest of all the •■'7'; "'• • ■■'<- •■ Hru-f a. . ... „ rcn.c,s , . of mo^I;: -IMiu.u. aM,l anger, r.grct and ri->ignation. murn- .g an«l fai'h .1 he '.alm.s, ha. the sk.lt to give i„ a word or two a J^l into the depths of his h.,t .,n,| ,r.,ul,kd h.art. 2. His lot has Ixcn an unharpy .m,c. Like many a saint whose 'h ", '." "u"'' h»d «o 5uflFer sorely, so . nr.Iy ,l,a h.- had Uen tempted to mt.rmur and to challenge, I,ke Jeremiah (u: i). the diviiK government of the world. \hn I.- hid dcternuned to keep silence, an.l he k, ;„ ..lena- I, had u-n ■it the «ays of h,> („„|. th. «.„1U.,,. were maliciously watching of his G.ul. he held his peace, and put a hridle upon hi. lips 3. But this effort at repression onlv stirred up hi, pain all the more. The heart which seemed so qnut. was seching Uneath the surface. The nmre he thought of ,, all. the more impatient and .ndignant he grew, t:ll at last the tiame which he could no longer control leaped out. and his hot heart expressed itself in words of 4. But what those words were, he has not chosen to tell us; for l,ss " r.'T'-V: ^""""■'^ """""8 °' 'he storm and passion that had been raging in his heart. Between verses , and 4 we may imaRine a pau.se in which the Psalmist had reached a Letter mind. He bethinks him who this great God is before who.n he •tn?" ?r!, '° challenge; and as he bmks of God s great . ternity, an.l of the infinite littleness and tt'ir stead T in ineir stead he offers a gentle prayer. 5- He is overwhelmed by a sJnse of the infinite pathos of life- h. s own life all human life. It is so very frail and short-<,niy a hand-breadth or t«o. I, i, b,,, a breath, a vapor, which at any moment may vanish It has no substance, it is only a semblance a... a shadow. It IS full of noise, hut the noise is all about nothing- a dies away upon Gods great eternity. .An.l es,,eci..llv emptv ,s that noisiest struggle of all-the >tr„K«|e for riche.- : when the pile is i. gh. the man who has gathered it is called to his long rest He .^.s to eave ,t all. and does not even know whose it will be after urn. Hr.ef Utc empty noise, fruitless eflrort-verily every man is but a vapor. Therefore he tenderly pravs. "Mak.- „„. „. k;n.v ...^..^ end O my God and the measure of my days, what it is; and let me know how frail I am." , - u m mi: iiiiiii y-MMH I's.iLM 3$ Third Dav; Cbe Pialmiit'i P«ptt f«r pup (UttiW 7 13) I. The thing wc will Ilk i> but 1 iilMiit.mi. an idle pageant fwH of empty noise; and yet bunly it 'nii^i Ik m..i. . 1 lie lUrp-lu ,iri. .1 l•^allm^ ;, tlii.-Uk;!i In^ M.rn.vv. that that betterthing for which he .s lookii^. "i>i i" "ln.li. ,.1 tlu li..n..,n ..f Ins heart, he believes, is jnly to U' tound iii U.d. My hiifi ts in llut-. i He is now in :i .I'l'^t'^^'- mooA, and lie u able to -e. - nutiut,^ of the meaning of his >utfering. After all. it is n-t uiuK -.r^ol. ,t is divine chasti^enunt for sin. So he prays God tu dclivi t l.im ir- .n the sin ..n.l m. ln>ni the penalty which it brings. In this chastened mood he has no tear now of -MiininK with Ins iip^" : he recognises the hand of (iod behind hi- calamily iUou lui^t .lone it. Never- theless, he prays that that heavy hand be lifted, i.ile i. so weak .in ilu' Karnunt that is e.iten by moths, or the meaning may be.'a- utterly and as easily obhterate.l a- tbe moth it>elf i- crushed. And again is heard the pathetic refrain: Verily every n:an is but a vapor." . , The P-almi-t hope- in God: yet his soul is still shaken with the pity and the terror of life's facts. And he prays for help nnce again-this time, like C hrist, with -tronR > ry.nK and tear- (Hebrews 5:7). He appeals pathetically to the great l.or.l m have pity, on the ground that he is only a passing guest in tbi. worbl. and there f..re mav justly clniin the frien.l'y considenition of his host; that he is as it were, a stranger resi.liiiK; in a foreign land, and may therefore claim the protection of tl,, !or,l ..f ilut Irnul (ff Leviticus 25:23). He is going away to the land of darkness (ef Job 10: n. 22) and if his God means to show his kindness upon liim at all. he ,Must do so now. while he is in the land of the living. Therefore he prays that the angry fare ..f Go.l may be turned away from him for a brief space, that he may -mile .igain-a beamilul word which sug- gests the sun breaking through the clouds— ere he enters the ever- lasting night. 3fi TEN STUDii-S /.V THL PS.Il.MS Fourth Day : C^r filtantt •{ tbt |)Mlin for (Ui I ( ill -lull a IP^al^l have any mes!>age lor us at all? It is a HHiii (Ji Miigular bfauty, a very touching lament out of the long ago, a cry from a life that had been "Heated hot with burning fears. And dipped in bath< of hi-^sing tears. And battered with the shtn-ks of doom." Hut is it a cry for Christian litis? Is its sorrow, its dumh and almost hopeless resiKii:ai(.ii, us patlulu apinal for a Rl.ani ..f ll^;lll ami |iiiy. vrv lis wrilir is swallowed ii|> in evcrlastitig darkness — 1> all this not done away for those who helieve in the gospel? i. I hai may be. Yet he is no great-hearted man. nor has he seen far or deep into life, who has not snmetitncs been touched hy the "sense of tears in mortal thinK-"; ;>ii.l ili.it -ense lia> >el.l<.m f. iina more noble or affecting expres-imi than m ilu exi|uisite elegy whieh we know as the Thirty-ninth rsalm. I he rsalmist was overwhelmed with his sense of the pathos of human life. "Surely every man is but a breath" is the burden of his refrain ; and though he finds his hope and antidote in Cod. this doe> nut lift linii c. iin].!(kly nver his sense of life's inlinite niul unutterable sadness. Ii is brief as a span. It i^ crushed like the moth. It is full of sound that signifies nothing. ,\nd while this is not a mood to be clierished. neither is it a mood to be always and instantly repelLd. It is good to remind ourselves that most of our noise is for nothing, and that at the end yawns the grave. 3. But if sorrow is a fact. God is also a fact. My life is but a vapor, but my hope is in //iff. According to some, this suggests that the Psalmist expected God to interpose and vindicate him in this world, especially as hi- outlook upon the world IkvoikI i> mi gloomv (verse l.O. Rut in -iiite of th.il outlook, it uotiUl still seem that the r>alinist yc.ini> for, and hopes m. and even dimly believes in. immortality. Life is so sad that there is nothing to be hoped for hce— "what wait I for?" His hope must therefore be in God. who is not bound by the frailty and tlio liniita'ions of tins earthly life We may say, if we plea-e. that he is pushed, by his sorrow, into his faith in a God oi the Heyond : but at any rate, he is pushed upon a certainty. And the hope with which he comforted his broken heart, and the faith which steadied him when crushed by a sense of the vanity and transience of life, may be ours. Beyond the shadows of tliis world is the -ubstai;-. of that other world. Beyond the vapor which appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away, is the infinite and eternal God. THE THIRTY SISTH I'S.llM 37 Fifth Day : ptripfcriw of tbf P«al« , -0IV...I ,0 watch my words, and carduV.y t.. ab^u.,. fn.„. mur , uruK' a«a,n., nw unhappy lot: for ihcro were g.«lcs» one, aUn^t •„ ol .he ways of ,ny (.u.l. S . 1 r. ,.a,n ,1 -J; J^' ^. u„crcd not a word, though .ny pan, «a. .urrol up ^^.th.n mc . M,v heart wa hnt, an.l hliming thoughts tcrnuttlcd mc. , ho pravcl thou wouldM teach mc how near my end «a . .ndhiw brief nu- l.f. V.a. ,^ >. -v, ..-y brief '-but a ^pan a.td in thy MKht. and ntan .s but a breath. ^ti' a< a shadow ; hi. hfc is full of empty noi*e; ho heaps, up and know* 1 .,t \s ho shall Rather. ,,1, i,,u. What Uun ha, life to yield? Mv heart yearns for he ^uVta.u. ; ; shadow, ( . -ny <.o.t. Mu h..pe .s ,n thee ^avc n.e r,M.. nd the cha.t.se,„en. br..,. Km I becotn.- .be — ,•.,.,1. I am altogether »ilet.. . f.^r >t >^ .1 v .!ua ^ ""J thitig IU,t oh! remove that heavy hand of thnu- iron, .u. for " n crushed to .ar.b. With stern discipline thou do. ^ ; - for his sin. wither-., h.s beauty l.kr the n,oth ; man ,s l*" > O listen, when I beseech thee w,th lo.-l oru„« and .ear for ,hou art my Lord and protector in the stran,. la,. . . -nv . o.^rn i,,^; L„.,k away from roe. that 1 may sm.le again, bet-re 1 away and be no more. Explain to yourself every phrase -he p.alnt in thorottghly modern and unconventional languafji. Vlu M,a.,s of your effort will be best tested by wr.i.ng a para- phrase ui your own. 38 TEN STUDIES IN THE PSALMS Sixth Day: y«teti f mt CoMitentim In the light of the psalm, consider tiic fullowing quotations: 1. I said to myself— Is this life? But I made up my mind that never would I give myself tongue. I clapped a muzzle on my mouth. Had I foll.nvt-d ;iiy own natur.i! lunt, I should have become ex- pn^-ivc aliiiiil what I had to ciidurt, hut I found that expression iiact- 1 11 liiiii wlio expresses and intensifies what is expressed. — (Mark Kiithcrford.) ( I he rule of silence for the Benedictine order was based on the first verse of this psalm.) 2. We arc such stuff As dreams aro made on and our little life Is rounded with a .sleep —(Shakespeare, The Tempest.) 3. That blessed mood, In which the Imrthen of the mystery. In wliicli tile heavy and the weary weight Of all this unintelligilile world. Is li^ditetied. ll'ords-.Kortli, Tintcrn Abbey.) 4. (a) To die is gain. ( Pliilipiiians 1:21.) (b) To depart and Iw with Christ is very far better. (Philip- pians I : 2.?. ) (t ) Christ Jens bronsht life and immortality to light. (2 Tim- othy I : 10,) (d) Yt arc no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. (Ephesians 2:19.) THE THIRTY-NINTH PSALM » Seventh Day : ©imrtinui f«r ptittitil Life 1, Recall the moments in which you were overwhelmed by a sense of the littleness and transience of life. By what thoughU. »f any. were you steadied and comforted? 2. Are there any words of Jesus on the pathos of hfe? let. John 9:4, "The night is coming.") I How far may a Christian appropriate the words of this psalm, (cf. James 4:14. "What is your life? For ye are a vapor that anpcarelh for a little time, and then vamsheth away. ) 4 Do you believe in immortality? If so, on what do you ground vour belief? What would be the practical effect, upon your con- duct or your attitude to life, of the disappearance of this belief ? 5. What Bible teaching on the subject of the future hfe occtirt to your mind? , 6. Can you say, "My hope is in thee"? If not, why not?, 1 I 1. I I4 THE FORTY-EIGHTH PSALM « First Day : Cie Crirt ot Croat Jchovab. and wrtby of . s..v,ln,K i-raUc. I„thecityo£ourC.od.hislv,K mnun.am lUautiful in elevation, the .-y ... O,- - ; K.ng. !. Mount Zion on her northern mJc the ut> ot tuc gr God in her citadels .... Has made himself known as a high towtr. For see! the kings had gathered by appointment. Confounded, in hot haste they ik-d. Shuddering seized them then— Writhing, as a woman m travail ; (Shatt.rc.l tluy w-re. as) by an east wmd I hou break. >t in pirn s the slnps of I arsh.sh. As we have heard so we lu^e ^een In the city of Jehovah ot li'-t-. "> ""^ '■'^J' God shall establish her forever. We have thought. O God. of thy kindness. In the midst of tliy temple. As is thy name. O God. So is thy praise to the ends of the earth . Of rigbte.tusness thy right hand is full; Let Mount Zion be glad. Let the daughters of Jn.lah rejoice. Because of thine acts of judgment. Go about Zion, and circle her round, Coimt her towers ; Set your mind upon her ramparts. Consider her citadels. That ye may tell to the generation following. That such is Jcliovali our God. He it is that shall guide us for ever and aye. 44 TEA' STUDIES L\ TIIll PSALMS SKcoxn D\v : Cbe €it? of tbt (Srtat Binff (UtmB 18) 1. It is sonuwhat pathetic tliat wi- know notliing wliatcviT of the oriRin of this iojous and beautiful psalm. It is ginorally believed that, m ..tniiinii with P.saltn 4'>. it was written to celebrate the de- liviramc .if Jmlah from Sennacherib and his Assyrians in 70« B. C, .K-.i-ilud m -' KiiiK^ iS. I.); I-.iiah ,!7 Ollnrs. how ver. rcpard it as a pilgrim p^alni, smig by Jews who hail traveled from distant lands to Jerusak'ni, and who Icxiked with eyes of reverent wonder .111(1 d.li^rlit .It the famous old city, where so much epoch-making hi>tory li;ul Ik . n enacted. In either case, the .nffcction of the singer j;.n> out lo tlu' city, ami to the temple h: ', and most of all to the great un-een King who had defended the city, and who was wor- shipped in the temple. 2. He was great and worthy of all praise from his grateful wor- shippers in the temple on the lovely Zion hill. No Greek could have -pokeii ot .Athens with a more passionate enthusiasm than this r.almist speaks of Zion. .And it was not only her beauty th.it thrilled him, but still more the great deeds that had been done in lur ; for there Cod had often, but especially on one conspicuoiis occa-ion, made himself known as the champion and defender of his people. 3. For. see! the Psalmist's blood warms as he thinks of it. The great Assyrian army, whose divisions were commanded by vassal kiuK-. sritliered for an assault upon the little land of Judah, and opeciaily upon her royal capital city. On they came; but— and here the Psalmist's brief wor.N are vivid, and almost breathless— when they saw, that is. when they saw this wonderful city, and the mysterious power of the God whom its people worshipped, they were amazed, confounded, and off they hurried away (cf. 2 Kings „,. ,5. .:«,) —trembling, for all their warlike might, like a woman in labor, shattered as terribly as the wind shivers the giant ships in pieces. This is a very splendid description, done, with inimitable art. in a word or two: its effect is to show how powerless the • king- ' were, wlun they clashed in conilict with the Great King. 4. I be r~almi-t aiul his countrymen h.id often heard of such storie-^: tliey had been told how the powerful Ph.ar.aoh had been crushed by jehovah, how the hor^e and his Egyptian ri.ler had been thrown into the sea. But now with their own eyes and in thtir own city they had seen a thing as great as any that had happened in the olden d.ivs. As we have heard, so have we seen." And with those ancient lales in their ears, corrolxirated by the sights they have seen with their own eyes, they can look forward to the future of the city with calm confidence: "God will establish her forever." THE FORTY-EIGHTH I'ii-H-^t 45 THIRD DAv: Ct.aM»e.lt.emn.nce ^«'»« ^ J^) , cage, graphic description oi tl. As.n.n <^K.u . (oj^ l„..ed by two verses .n a n,ore J^bduc^ f ^^^^^^^^ ^,,„,,u on. contemplate the k,ndne»s 'l^; f^^"^;.. ,„\,,,g windnes*. O God. uancd over in our nunds. ponder d cM^^^ hy lo g ^^^^^^ ,„ the n,.d.t of thy teu.ple ^ ' '^^^.J",,"; of their God : ,.,„a.r us .K,t an abstract ''^^Z ""^^ ^ *L vMuch the Mng. r U has been v.tally ,,^^„fj,rT was h.s lovn.g k.nd- described in the hrst part of the P^^' . praise nc„. and for that dchnit. thn.g t k m m t p ^^^^ him. And his praise » sung not - > his world over; j'^^^'^^f^j'^i'^e ; ^ of people, will reach and gladden the ears o, they will be won to .he -orsh.p of he ^ ^ ^'J^^,^^^,^^ ,i,at rejoice But most of all it .s the dehvorcd op h _of Judah. which was ravaged. daughters-that ened. I herefore "let M^-'//"" ,^ 4 :^;e'' because of .h-. -nar- is. the little village-towns-of Jud h. reje . bec^ in.erpos.tion vellous interposition ot ilnir - . ,^0, ^iU convince which it is impossible to deny ; a^va^ .;^:;,_„ot one of them the most obstinate '■,„,t:X_not one of them has been is missing. Mark wtU ncr uu Consider her ciia
    - injured by the enemy (cf. 2 Kings 19 . j , G.>d ,.ot one of them has been t-^;-^'; "f" he A-y"=»"»' has preserved his city from he ^''^ _ J ^nd not only were about to come down hke J" f everywhere wonderful, but indubitable-the P^°?\* "^J^'^P^^^^ destruction, in the city so strangely, but '^"'"^'f 'J^.'Jf ^'"^ss so wonderful 3. NOW those ^Xl^J^:^^^:::!^ the story is not a manifestation of God s grace are ^^^^ forgotten. It must be told to 'he^** .onchules by bid- to the generations yet '°'Z%^^,^:/:Trh,, they may tell ,0 ding his people mark and consider it all we . the next generation what a g orun.s ^od Israel ^^^^^^ TEN STUDIES IN THE PSALMS individual unto death, but of the guidance of tlic national life for- ever. But though we may lose the words which, by association, are so dear to many, we do not lose the essential thought which they cxprcu; "for h« will guide u« for tvtr and tvtr." THE FORTY-r.iaiTlI PSAIM 47 Fourth Day : Cte illfB6«ffr of tbt pealm for I. Few psalms so brief arc so rich in great sugKi-t...n>. Thr first ,.f these is this, that one of the great ways in wliuh (....1 rovc.l. ,„„„,,f i. upon the fKhl of history. We are apt to thmk of rota- tion too abstractly, or to associate it too exchtstvely with the B We . here wc learn that "God has .nade hiniM-lf U.unvn m u-r '"'"'••'^ - in the citadels of Jerusale,n-by defending then ('^^^^'^^^^'J/^ If the enemy alluded to in this psalm is S.nnacherih .m.l hi> \. Syrians, there was certainly something remarkable, not to say nnr.-,cnlous. in h.s speedy departure (2 Kings ,o:.^5>. The mhah.- t.-,ms had conclusive proof of God", pr.-enco u.th.n the walls of Jerusalem, which the unseen King had defended aga.nM the hlustcr- ,„R kings who opposed him; and .t is this that g.ves wuhus. and eolor to the more abstract words of the psalm, whose concrete, h.s-^ torical basis we too seldom realize. This was the '•'^'ng Jtndness which the worshippers thought on. as tin y gathered m the temple (verse o): this was one of the divine •judgments at which Zion and the daughters of Judah rejoiced (verse..) This is a mess.age for us, that we shall find God upon the field of our own history no less than Israel s. the history of the twentieth century no less than of the centuries long dead. , . ...t, :„ » 2 Next wc learn-though this is another aM^'ct of the truth |Ust ,,,;ed-that the present is as full of God as t!,e past ever was : As we have heard, so we have seen." What a splendid -nfcsMon! All that our fathers have told us about God we have grandly verified fn our own experience. The God who defeated Sennacherib is as Uat as the God who defeated Pharaoh. It ,s a mistake to speak of the good old days, a denial of the God who is ,h, ,an.. yc ^terday^ to-dav and forever. .\nd so sure and real was God to the Psalmis . m this deliverance, that he looked out upon the future, with the sublime confidence that God would he there as well. "He -"./-f ' " city torever" (verse S). "He will be our guide forever (verse 14). All history is illuminated for the Isalmist by the d.vme presence; but particularly helpful is it for us to note his fine appreciation of '^'/mS!' further, the appeal to experience. Anyone who doubted ci-s ^wer could convince himself of it. "Walk aMm Zion, count £f toJ^rs. mark her bulwarks." The . ity and her defence, are un- ?"ched; count them and see. If God has really been working in :tl^ ""gre^^^^ etc. The Christian should not only willing to accept . challenge, bat eyen re.dy htmseU to chal- 48 TEN STVDIES IX THE PSALMS \enge dnnbtcrs with indutHUUe proof of what God hat done for the world or for liiinsclf. 4. The last two verses luggest the obligation of taking deliberate step* to perpetuate the memory of God's goodness. As we have heard from onr fathers (verse 8), so otir children have the right to hear fn.m ih; for tluir faith, like ours, will be strengthened, aot only by what they sec, but by wbAt they hear (verse 8). THE FORTY-LIGHT II rSAlM ^ Fifth Day: pwipbuw of P"*" Our God ii . great Ciod. and worthy of all pra.,.. .n the cty of J ° sa.Jir'anVor^on-. ho.y hi.l. Fair .he r^^^^J^Z r.dgc-Mouni Z.on. the c.iy c.( the Great K.ng. J"' ^ earth. God has revealed hnn.df m her by preserving Her c.tadeis 'Tr'^sLel kin« gathered : oame on together ; but one Rlance at present U not less wondr,,,,, than ilu- ,.a~,. 11,. u > o h oUe "i„,e have been matched by what we have seen he in this city of our mighty God. Jehovah of hosts, the city which l^bi;: rr^re ,n tbe un.le. we c.t U> mind ^rr^ to us in this great dehveraiue. Thy name known and th prn.se !r«ng thr..ifghout the length and breadth of the -.'-J and nf.ghty art .hot.. Let Jerusalem and all the c.ttes of Judah rejoice, because of thy ju-t judgments. For who can deny that Jehovah has saved J""'"''"" " J^-; round about the city and cunt lu r „nv.rs_,„.. one «hej^ ' missing Her walls have not been batter.-.l, nnr h,.ve her c. adeis ~o^ ched Lay this up in your heart and u ll to yur ch.Mren^ thTiTthc Jr^. of Jc' ovah our God. and w.th the sa.ne o.nmp- otent love he will guide u^, forever and ever. Explain to yourself ev.ry phrase of the psalm in thoroughly modern and unconventional language. The success .,f your effort will be best tested by writing a para phrase of your own. TEN STUDiES IN THE PSALMS Sixth Day; |Miitt ftr C«Miltratto« I. R«ad J Kings I9:y-J7, ai i i.Mii.-,nlir wlinlirr Psiliii 48 may be ai'pri.prnitiy rticrreU to Iht Miuatioii there tliscrilKtl. Ktad I'ltalin 46, and cun»itler whether it may have bctn written fur the Mine occasion as Paslai 48. J. On one view. Psalm 48 celebrates the dilivcraiui imtn Sen nachtnl, ; mi aiioiliir, it i. a pilgrim psalm. viiitR by pllgnms who had traveled 10 Jerusalem to take part in one of the great feasts. Go carefnily through the psalm from each of these points of view . For example, "As wi luve litartl. so have wc lOfii." will tiu an. on the one view, that the pnsrnl is not less wondrous than the past; on the other, thai the city is as wonderful as the rumors of it had led the pilgrims to expect. Sn. on the one view, verses 1.. .nr ' .t will he the poet's appeal to the people of the city t'l mark wdi li nv cmnpliti'l.v it had been pffservcil friiin ilesiriu-tiMii ; ,.n the other, the pilgnni .sinKer appeals to i, nr ^ . nc f t '"f versf 4« hey the > in th< rclig \m'w a- obhwiii to the iatiut-il ''iilur ( STUDY VI I i THE FORTY MXTll I'SALM First Uav : Ctit Cftt of tbt pulm Hear this, all ye piopks. Hearken, all ye that dwell m the world: Both men of low degree and high, Rich and poor togetiwr. My mouth shall utter deep wisdom. And the niu-iiig of my heart shall be of understanding. I will incline mme ear to a proverb, 1 will open my riddle to the sound oi the lyre. Refrain — (Man in honor abideth not, He is like the beasts that perish.) ' Why should I be afraid in the days of misfortune. When my cunning foes compass nie round with iniquity— They that trust in their wealth. And boast of the abundance of their riches? Surely no man can by any means redeem himself. Or give to God the ransom he requires — That he slio-ild live for evermore. And not sec the pit : For too costly is the redemption nf man *<■, And one mus; cease (from that eff» . : > t . ever. Nay, he shall sec (iht- \nX) : \\\c (v.-or; ; ,' v. sedie. The fool and the brutish perisli toge»i.... And leave their wealth to others. The grave is their home forever. Their halMtation to all generations. Though they called lands after their names. Refrain— ^\3Ln in honor abideth not. He is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those that have self-confidence. And the end of those th.it !i.ivf pleasure in their portion. Like sheep they descend to Shcol Death is their shepherd, and straight down they go. Soon their form wastes away, And Sheol is their home. >Thc proverb, or riddle, appears to be the refrain (.cf. verse 20), and some propose to insert it here. *The underworld. S6 TEN STL VIliS IS THE PSALMS Surily God will rcilit-in my soul from the hand of Sheol, For he will take me (lo himself). ThtrcfDre lu- not afraid, when a man grows rich, When the pomp of his house mcreases. For of it all, he takes nothing with him when he dies, His pomp docs not go down after him. Though he counts himself happy while he is alive And wiu'i prai^i- because ho docs well to himself; Yet he shall ro to the Riiuration of his fathers, Who see the light nevermore. Refrain — Man in honor abidcth not. He is like the bea.sts that perish. Meditate upon this psalm carefully, and without the aid of books, until you have some adequate idea of it, in detail and as a whole. THE FORTY-NIXTH PSALM 57 Second Day : Cke Jtttltt? tf Bicfcw at ©r«rt (HetiW M2) 1. What the P>almi>t lias to >ay lie regard, a> of iiniviri)ecially as it was Miinmarily expres-ed in the IM pillar proverb which he chooses as the refrain of his own poem: "Man in honor abidcth not, he is like the heasts that pernli " He sings his song to the accompaniment of the lyre, and under the strains of the music, the prophetic mood steals over him. in which he ha, an insight into the riddle of life (of. 2 Kiufx^ r 15) 2. The I'saliiiist hail k-cn ve.xcd, like many another Old Testament singer, by the seeming victory of wickedness and defeat of piety. The wealth went to the unscrupulous, and the pious were driven to the wall. But his fear vanishes, and he becomes reconciled to his lowly and pers-eiited lot. when he l)egi;i- to rellect on the utter and absolute pow erles-iuss of luoiu-y to help its possessor in the great cri>is of death. I'luy trust in t!" ir uealtli and Ixiast of it, but when the death-angel knocks at their door, not all their money cp.n bribe him to stay away. Surely no man can by any means redeem liimsclf (this, rather than his hrotlicr, \\:\^ no doubt the original text). All the money in the world cannot buy back a soul on whwii I lentil i. l iving his icy hatid The man. for .ill hi-, wealth, must go down to the pit; he cannot even take it with him, he must have it to others. X The verse beginnitii; their iir.iiird ihitught is (verse lO should undoubtedly be rendered: CiV'"n. when I talk of it; for I shall speak as a wise man who has meditated deeply thereon, and the answer that has come to nic 1 will uroclaini to the sound of the lyre. (Here is the riddle expressed in the popular proverb: The man of pomp ahides not therein : like the biast he perishes.) 1 am templed to fear, as 1 sulTer from cunning and wickedness on all sides of nie, from men who trust in their wealth and boast of their vast riches. But why should I be afraid? Not one can save himself from death by giving God a ransom : for the ransom of the soul is too co>tly, ana the man must leave life forever. Yea, he shall assuredly see the grave. For the rich fool. Icspite his worldly wisdom, perishes, and leaves his weahli to others. The grave is his eternal home, even though he has called whole lands his own. The man of pomp abides not therein ; like the beast he per- ishes. This is the fate of all who are foolishly confident and who boast of their wealth. Death drives them into the grave, as the shepherd his sheep, and down they go; and soon their image fades away in the grave which is their home. But God himself shall redeem my soul from the hand of the grave. Yes, he sliall t.ike iiie to himself. So the sight of i!ie rich man with his vast wealth need not make thee afraid; for not a fragment of it all can he take with him when he dies, nor can his wealth go down after him into the grave. For though he deeined himself happy in his life-time and was praised for his Rood fortune, yet ir. the end he must dwell with h\< fathers in their home of everlasting darkness. The man of pomp abides not therein ; like the beast he perishes. Explain to yourself ever>' phrase of the psalm in thoroughly modern and unconventional lanRiiage. I he success of your effort will be best tested by writing a para- phrase of your own. THE FORTY-S'ISTH PSAUf 6l Sixth Day : 9ti»ts for Conitttration , • .\ man's Jife consistcth not in ihe abundance of the thiiiRs which he possesseth" (Uike 12: i.O. I* "ot mttch of our eager l,fe a practirnl denial nf this word of JcM.s? X Consider (a) .he parable of .he nch /V"''' fj. f.^' ' (h) the parable of the rich nun ;in the light 01 the teaching of this psalm. . , , In Mark 10: 24 we read. "How hard is it lor the, that nut in riches to enter into the k.ngdon, of C.odr It -s ^^'^^1^^^^;^^^^''^;^ ever, that many good manuscripts om.t >h'- phrase that tnist riches" Those who ha-r riches may enter nU,> the kinR-l.-n ot God. though with difficulty (verse 23); but for those who trust n> riches (cf. Ps. 40 : 6) it is not only hard, but impossible- 4 Do you thtnk the wr.ter of this psalm has a surer hold of the future life than the writer of Fs .W? Compare Psalm 39=7 (and '^Itad'psa!m^;3:«-^. and note the writers pow.ful con- sc.ousness of the divine presence with h.tn m this world, as well as his faith that afterwards he wi!l be tak. n to glory. 6 The following quotation from i-.iv-ym.r , perhaps the finest of the Morality ph -hat have come down to t-s tron, the s a remarkably ^ ..d illusUaUon of the teach.ng of the P^alm. It. peculiar appositenc . will excuse the length of the quotation. Even^- n an. who Represents humanity. ,s summoned by Death to go on K^s ong journey In his distress he ..ppeals in turn to Fellowship. Kin- dred and (iods (that is. Riches), but they all renounce and forsake S The extract is taken from the dialogue of Lveryman with Goods: man: Come hither. Good, in all the haste thou may; For of counsel I must desire thee. Sir, an ye in the world have orrow or adversity. That can I help you to remedy shortly. It is another disease that gnevcth me; In this world it is not, I tell thee so I am sent for another way to go, To give a strait account general Before the highest Jupiter of all; And all my life I have had my pleasure in thee, Therefore I pray thee now go with me ; 63 TEN STUDIES IN THE PSALMS For. prradventwre, thoa maynt before God Almighty My rcckonitiR help to clean and purify, Kor it is said ever among, That money makcth all right that is wrong. C. Nay. nay, Everyman, I sing another song; 1 follow no man in such vt)yagf-i. For, an I went with thee, Tlioti shouldest fare much the worse for me; For because on me thou didde^t ~( t tin- mind, Thy reckoning 1 have made blotted and bhnd, That thine account thoii c.innot make truly; And that hast thou fur the love of me. J- That would grieve me full .sore. When I should come to that fearful answer; Up, and let us go thither t.'Kether. G. Nay, not so; I am to«i brittle, I may not endure; I will follow no man one foot, be ye sure. * • « * E. Ah. Good, thou hast lonp had my hearty love ; I gave thee that which should be the Lord's above; But wilt thou not go with me indeed? I pray thee truth to say. G. No. so God me speed ; Therefore farewell, and have good day. E. Oh, to whom shall 1 make my moan. For to go with me in that heavy journey? THE FORTY-NINTH PSALM ^ Seventh Day: ©witim I What is your personal attitude to nwney? i. What is Christ's teaching about money? t What is the place of numcy in the kiiiBdom of Ooflf (Smc that L weultlty men who.- fate the Psalmut ««- templates, are not only wealthy, but wicked ^^"^^J^ J^ last vcr,e in the English version of the psalm -^f" " In honor anJ und.rsiandcth not is hke the beasts ha oerish." is probablv wmnR; there i> only a single letter of Knee in the or.ginal. between th. and -Man ,n honor abideth nof (verse ,2). Nevertheless the ^vord, rcprc^.n H great trnth. It is the rich fool, the rich man -^ho has n.. insight int.. the real place and meaning of money, who perishes.) . A Would you be contented, if you were very poor. t So you ever contemplate your own death? Has the thought fit any real influence upon your conduct and aims. . . 6 What al: your chief aims in life? Will yo« be glad to have herished them, when yoti come to die? THE Firry-si.coxD FSAI.M *>7 riKST Day : Cbf Cftt of tbe Pialm Why glory in mi>cliitf. thou imnhiy man? The mercy of C.id is all the day. Thy tongue dcviscth ruin. , , , Like a whetted razor, thou worker of fr«ud. Thou love-t evil and not good. Lies, and not nnht ^-luakmg; Thou lovest all voraciou'; words Thou deceitful tongue I Cut (]od. on hx> part, shall tear thee down forever. (irasp thee, and pull thee out of the tent. And rtyot thee out of the land of the Uvinj. The righteous shall see, and fear. ..,^^r t;lv^ay. "there is the great nun that n.adc not God his stronghold. But trusted in the mass of hi- ru !us, And felt strong in his substance. ' But as for me. I am in God's house like a green ol.vc tree: I trust in God's mercy for ever and aye. I will prai-e thee forev.r. berau^e th.n. h:.,t -lone this. And 1 will wait on thy name— for it is good— In the presence of those that love thee. Meditate upon the psalm carefully, and without the aid bonks, until you have some «iequate idea of it. in deu.1 and as a whole. 68 77: V STCD/fS /.V THE PSALMS Sin (.M) l)\v (Tbf /atf of arrorncr (emrg 1=5) I. It i> .|uiti' i.rtam that tlu- superscriptions formed no part of the oriRiiial psdms. and many scholars lay little or no ?trcs. ,ipo„ them in ihiir efforts to discover tli. ,kc:i^ .11 an.! ori^'in of a p- iln Whatever may be sa,.l ,,f the propriety of the uni^tiallv elab.Kale superscription to P-,,l,n 5J. there can be no doubt that' ihe p>alni IS much more than a ine sucb a man. He will onlv have his day. and his end will be destruction. God (verse 5). whom this hragRan has wnored (verse 7i. may be trusted to upb,.l,! the in,.ral >r'«veri,„,ent of his world: and in a succession ,.f powerful ti^-ur, th, P-aliTiist . xpresses his eariu-st f.iith >n -h, ,vrtair.ty of sueh a i.i.nn's ,!, -.rm-- tion lie shall be f.rn d,.wn. as a lofty tower is demolished (satw u,.id as Jn.iRes s .)' : he shall be -ei^ed. as a piece nf ,.,,al is sei^d with the longs; he shall he phu ! > d out of bis tent; an» d 9) 69 1. Ill two wa\> docs the Psalmist reconcile himjclf to the exist- ence of the puwertul and unscrupulous hraggart wIm vexed hiin ; lir>t. as we have seen, by contemplating his lernhle and irrevnalilo d.H)ni, and sei-ondly. by putting him into his proper perspective ni the w.irld. Alter all, he was only as a spot on the -sun. lie iniglit 1 a>t and he; nevertheless, "the mercy of God was all the day" (■er.e i ). This, after all. thr >luiKiidoii> i.ict. in cnnip.iri- Mi with which all the other facts that tempt men to murmur and doubt are as nothing. 2. But apart from that great and radiant fact, which i> tlu- siiblimest of all conMilations to those that have eyes to sec it, the (l,.om of such a "luro" as is desciilied in v.-r^.-, 13 is certain; and when good men see it, they shall fear, tliat is, they .hall reverence this mysterious power, which so surely nwkes for riKlne n. and they shall lau^h at their fallen enemy. From a Christian stand- luiint, such an expression of satisfaction may seem unworthy; but. accordinn to the n>uK'- of tl.e Old re.tanunt, tlu. is not the ma licious laughter of a petty (KTsonal triumph, but the laughter of joy at the vindication of the moral order. 3. The ' hero" has had his turn, now it is the turn of the right eous; and they will s.iy: "Look! there is the man that trusted in In. money, ami not in his Cod " The man of l.MUg t 111 wIikU he trusted will do nothing for him. when Cod comes to upr.Mii him out of the land of the living (cf Ps. 49 7): and the heart of the righteous is eased, and their faith confirmed (verse 6). as they see such a one swept suddenly auay from the place where l.c wrought so much harm. 4. The moral order, however, has its positive as well as its nega- tive vindication. The arrogant blusterer shall be torn down from 111- pedestal; ■■hm as for me. I am in Cod^ house like a green oiive tree." He has no fear of beiiiR lorn up b\ the root. : like an olive tree, he tlourislus. He will not lie swept, by -ome sud.U ii gust of doom, off the land of the living; he has his place secur- a- a ^ucst in the house of God (perhaps originally the temple). Ami uhv:' Bevaiise iny tri;-t is — not in the multitude of my riches r.rse 7). hut— m Cods mercy for ev-i ..lu! ever." Desolation, anmhil..iion, on the "le hand; heautv. prosper, tv. -..cunty. . n ihe other. Such is the inhnite difference between the di>tinies of the good and the bad. 5. The Psalmist having beheld, at least with the eye of faith, the TO TEX STLDJES' IX THE rSALMS vindication of the moral order, which means the triumph of the kiiiRdoni of (lod. vows to praise him forever, because he has secured this \ inciu atiiiii - 'l tnuiiiph. ,iiul h> pniil.iiiii k''""''1<"-s (i"", according to the iirdin.iry text, to v\ait uixin lus name, that is, him- self) in the presence of his loyal servants. Till: I'll I y >■/ c < ' v/i /'.v. i; u i-otiMii Day: flTbe i«fB0ast of tbt pwlm for £Ib 1 ihe .litT. r.iuc l.ctw.-cn ihi- .U-tiiiiis of the r™m1 anil the bad m a favorn.- tlunu- ..| thr |.^,.lnu^i~ (.f l'-. it: Init tin- first verse of this psAlm M-ts tlic moral .in...iialK> of the w.irl.l in a tre.h an.l striking light. The bf)asting of the big man, his ealinmu. s ati.l hi, oriu lties. may lie vexatious enough : but they have httle power to (le-irov the peace of the man who remembers that "the mercy of (-.od is the day."' Those may 1m ureal iact~. but tllis i. an infmitclv greater fact; ami the art of hai.p:"> e..!iM-t- in 'P And the destnict;...! described m th- dreadful words of verse 5 f''t by the Psalmist to be mine to., 'errihle for the man of sharp and slanderous tongue. 3. Christian sentiment may be shocked hy such ,1 confe-M,,n oi faith - but it must not be forgotten that there is nothing ignoble in the standpoint .>f the Oil re-'ainent. It is but the vehement ex- pression of a passionate belief m tlu' Tt'or.d ord. r. an.l a .les.re to see its consummation h.islened. It is Miri.n y. .nd. to a Christian sense, disappointing, to tind two psalms s,, n,.l,lr as 104 .,n.l 1 ^.j en.ling as they do. with a prayer for the obliteration ot th. uuk,, But It is iKcause the Psalmist is himself so astonish.d at the g.K-d^ ness of Jehovah ..t which th. w..rld is so full (104) so overawed »Some. who think this clause to,, ahnipt lor .udi a conieM, aii'.. the text, by a very simple change, to read. ■ Why ilost thou boa.s;t thyself against the godly man continually ?" 72 TEX STUDIES IN THE PSALMS by the thought of his loving omniprescncf ( i.M i. that he f.ds there .■■m lie no uUimate place in the world for nun who ignore that ,,r, .. nre an<1 - : bnt it would U' well f.,r lis if we more ftillv shared their passionate faith m the ilivine government of the world, of which those words are but the vehement expression. y//£ Firry si.cosn is.u m n I'll 1 II Hw Pararbrasr of tbf Why iiventii 'IliI laiiniiaf;', . The >ucce>s of your effort will be best tested by writing a para- phrase of your own. 74 TEN STUDIES IN THE PSALMS Sixth Day : PoiKts fw €nMUn»itm t "The storm, the rain slowly rotting the harvot. dul.lr.n sick ..,„.■>.' M, vcllars are obvious; but equally obvious arc an cvcnn.g m Juiu tlK -UI.Kiit of men and women in one another, m music, ano intlu'.xrruM-..(thoUKlU."-;/.irWx../;<.T/c.rJ 2. -\U> l^mer broken at Mar,tun .NUkt. Charles I was a hos aRO „r a prisoner m the Scottish camp at Newark. Ihe .runn,l>.mt „,„n.ur. ...suited tl.e.r captive by or.!--nng Psalm Si ^<^_ ^""K- •\\ l,v lH.a>UM tl.ou thyself, thou ty i^i. that thou canst do mischief; whemi, th. g.H,a.,.>s uf (.0.1 .... yot daily?' It was by_ an a,,,.eal to the Fsaln.s that Charle, rul.b..! the insult of its sting I s only reply was to ask for I'salm 56: 'Be .mrc.tul un,o ..u. ( Z .,1 ....U abom to devour me- he is da.ly h«h..ng^ an-. troLl.hnK n>e. Mine et.en.ies are daily .n hand to swallu. mc ivp , Ir tlu v iK- .na,.y .Ik,. ...lu aR.i.-M nu-, O TI,o„ Most Highest. - (Prolltcro. The P.sal.ns in Human Life. i> -M-' ) . ^ , On the vanity of outward relifi,..,. - .. .a; '•"••'-■'■•">^7'; , > a Ve.ohi.e control of the tongue, see the su.k.ng word oi James "V ^J^„es seems to have b. ..,, >P-.ial!y i.npressed by the penis and responsibilities of ..peech. Cmsukr ^-^/.^'^''^ , Matthew iV there any word of Jesus on tins sul««t? (cf. Matthew. "s.'n.e cursin,? psalms need not be defended: but how may they be explained? . Note that theii- viokn; temper is s.>mrt,mes. even m the Old Testament, expressly or implicitly, r. i>ud.ate.l l he great sufferer in Psalm 22 utters no prayer ^-^r'''^;^''^' and Job (3. : 29, 30), in his noble defence, makes the re- roarkable claim: ••N\ w r .11.1 I rejoice at the destruction of him that hated me. O, hti.a myself up when calamity overtot* him: N> v.T liiil I -ufTt r .uy uunitli to sin. By a-kitig his life with .1 .'ir-^e " 6. Consider the precious fellow sh.p mto which the man of faith is brought (verse 9)- THE FIFTY-SECOND PSALM 75 Seventh Day: ©WitWM I U the -nurcv "f f.-'.l" a nal fact t,. you? 2. Where ao you fuHl m your .M.. r..ncc? i„ ,lu »l«.y and order of .he world without, tlu a.r aud tlu- .« ■ ;;;; ;;„;"!"; and the rain. a. well a, in the inner experience? Icf. V*. "'4.^ Is'the .nercy of God so real and .0 preciott, to you that you can ren,ain trustful, contented, and «l:ui. u, tlu- f;-' ^ '^^ 5. Has anyone's peace or reputation ever ^ulf.r.d tr.nn > l.!"ou -ftu u n.lv recognise that the d.sopU.u.ig of .ho ton«uo ''l^ '^Z ,:r ,,r.na, e.perlcnc.. of the deep aoi WWet joy expressed in verse t> of Psahu 5^. STUDY VIll lOOCOrV MSOIUTION TBT CHMT I ANS4 and SO TfST CHAITT Ho. 3) THE NINETIETH PSALM 79 First Day : Oe Cfltt tf t|)c P Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place In all generations. Ere the mountains were bom. Or the earth ami the world were brought forth. From everlasting to everlasting art thou. O God. Thou turncst man back to clu^t, ,^ And sayest. "Keturii, ye cluklren of men. For a thousand years arc in thy ^lght But as yesterday, when it is past, And a» a watch in the night. Thou .lost >weep tlutn a«ay l,ke a floo.l ; they fall a>leep.» They arc like the gras. whioli gruw;, up: In the morninK it bl.>s>onis am! grow, up. In the evening it is cut down and witliers. For we arc consumed through thine anger. And through thy wrath are we confounded. Thou hast set our iniiiuuie"; bef.".- thee. Our secret sins in the light m thy eo-itenanee. For all our days decline by reason of thy wrath, We spend our years as a sigh. Our years, at their height, are seventy, Or. .It the utnio-t. eighty : Yet is their breailth but mil an.l trouble : For quickly it pa-'-e,. and we ily ,i\say. Who recognizes the power of tbme anger? And who st.inds in (wise) .iwc of thy wrath? () tr.icli n- ^o to nuinluT our days, I hat «e in..y rt.ip the harve-t of a wise heart. Return, () Jeho\;ih! How long? And have piiy uiK)n thy >er\,intv Satisfy us in the morrmg witli tliy kindIu•^s. That all our days we may Ik- glad and jubilant. Make u, glad in proportion to the -l t-.l I 1' ' ' « , , ,.rlK.r ,.art of the psalm .s so larR. a,..l K.;.Kral tlu. n " ,, .. J.r.k..l a> a lament over all hunum l.te: every -nan .an ^ , . i '.l,n,n unr.U Ins own. BlU from verse at any red ..n U. balf of Krael ; and .lu- .arl,. r ,,ar, of h psMm !:;r;s-:;;:r:!fi:;^;;:t^ . The ^vord «..h xsln.h th. p-alm open, is not the t.n r ••i;i„ v h," >nu the n,aKMi. ' I-ord." a .nnn. word to mtrodu c ,.. , as ,he c;od of eterm.y. Ye. .hough n.a,e..K-. we arc rem nd d hV verv outset that he is aNo gracous "a dwelhnK-,'la> " , ' an . or LracK^l a«e after age," The >trong : ,o be eternal; but God wa. l.cfore them, .x.sttng from the t^n^ ;hmkable pa>,. on through the life of mounta.ns and men. to the unimaginable future. . *, i,; t' ■ thirty generat.on> of nun t . tr-.^r ., i 1 J J,.. v»ct,.r<1av nav - lorter than tli.tt -part ot ,i .laj. V.il-UM call* u|. iniase afu-t iniHC lo >"e«'-' "' ■ ' 1'""' ^ ' falls, and the oronn-e ren,,.,n. , .nd s-.d k all is when is flying swiftly into the n.ght Ih-w brief and « ' ^a«d m comrast w.th the caln. and , ^ l^r. 4. Now why should l.felH.- so >ad and .o,hort 1 _a ^ ^ P ..nist. the an.. Icl'Sll a, that angry Becau.^ o. o r n. u given in Oenesis i. H lit. i- ^ „ ,ife .an has sinned and Oo,l ^'^^^'^^^ jll^eof he speaks. IS of man-s own making. Ihc 1 -a..!i!-t k- fo TF.x sTunins ix the psalms His ptnplf arc I'tKiuriiiK the sorrows of or more prohuWy tlio sorrows, jtist as kvvn. that followid the return from ixilc: and thfsf sorrows arc almost invariably interpreted in the Did I'cstanient as punishment for sin. So it was no mere commonplace confession, hut one wrunR otit of the depths of a sorrowful experience spiritu- ally interpreted, when the IValiiii • >aid, "It is by reason of thine anner that we I Krail) are roiiMUiied, for thoU haSt SCt OUf SCCfCt sins in the light uf thy countenance." THE NINETIETH FSALM Third Day : llripftfar Btitoratton (Wrr«rt « 17) , The Psalmist has not yet exhausted h.s conicmi.l..i,.m ..( tho „a ho?uf h c u-re is a ..nsivc sadness al«ut the fanuhar words • We >P , .v,r v.ar, . n,ar... > tlu th. n^lu of ilic psalm tluis far. , , The ISalnu.t l....k, cl.„cly a, ao.ual hfo. lake a long I . fo comparison; bm no h.o . I m^ vvlun "h-s"- aKam,t t u- uncounted years of him to whu.u a nn U nnuun . - ^^ 'f^; Seventy years, eighty at most-wh-nt is that a«a„.t - ; ' ••For sw.ttly P-ses. and like a b.rd >i> awa> do those brief vcars hr.nK? what but to.l and trouble? A ..ad enough '-f^^lX^^. are surely fitted . t.aC «s scnnethmj^ and the wise will learn therefrom. Bu, th.r. are .o f w that possess this wisdom-"few there be that htu U. [^^^^^^^^^^ Psalmist, realizing that .he K-eat tr.tRedy of hfe '"^^t^J^,^ wronclv if U W not in.Ue.l a greater no, to .merpret it at all. l^^Lx^A n,av h.,.elt hrin. th. le > honu- ,o the sU.KJ.sh Tarn oJ men. Who lays to heart the power o, " Ses hat life is sad because sin has brought upon .t the d.a>... g Tand of God' Wh-. but the man that has been taught b> t.od 1 u m ^^If ' Hence the praver. -To number our days so teach u. that we may reap the harvest of a w.e an.l --^^^^^ ^^r^. Hrrenier' -that we may enter through the l-^'-^l^'l^^^^^^'^ ThTbrevity and sorrow of life are fitted to teach w.sdom to those vl o will humbly eonsem to be taught. s The praver that follows shows that Israel > pi ph sa- ;„Ld For mlny years she lu,l been artlice.l. Her Ood seemed g^Te aZ f^om her. She wa. a„e,.p.in« -.o .gh an needful fask. but her efforts were .le,ea,e,l -v-n.^re^ An wh of hope and re.torat.on. H only J'-*^"- ^^.T^...^ ,„ u.e.r manifest th.ng for then,, .n.erpose ■ ' j f,„„ 84 TEN STUDIES IN THE PSALMS which they pray shall he established— possibly the common work (if fvery «l;iy ; Imt iimrr (irolwlily llu k''*'''' ii iti' iH'il wnrk nf Nrat'I, which, at the tunc thi.s p>alin was written, was tlic organising of the church, her worship, and her life. THE NISETIETH PSALM »5 Fourth Day : ftmtt •« tht Pm1« f-t ^^i Tl„. „ ,lK- lUl.row Ihnm of Eternity. A* Us curl.cr «u;c^.re a«.s u.u„n U.fore us. and fi,! with a rre«nc^hc presence of him who s.,s h.s .•,,rn,.l . . Lfore the gtt»t mountains, and who wll U- vslun they are no ""''%nd in that presence, how strangely sad is human l.fe! To c xures t .ntwme pathos, the Psalmist exhausts all « h- nches of ,U art He vexed at the thought of ..s unutterahle fra.Uy. The hIv! .ie lo few-seventy or cRl.ty year, at most-and they are full SVoirrn't ole and despite U all. ...en have to .o <,own to t .cjr " ,v l uh their V, rk unestablishcd. L.fe has Us n.ormng. hr ght ^ir^i^ but hastens imo the evening, where .t w.t hers and lost t is r..,hlessly swept away by the ..ncontrollable tlood. of . U I ke a sleep It is like a n.eadow-flower. bright m the time. It .s likt a sitep. ». ^ j^j^, morning withered m the ,h ti.f L.d lost forever, awav. and is seen no more, it >» HKc a sign, > wr^ng Tom a heavily laden heart. And the generat.ons pass hke th^rndividual men; they hav. their day, the.r bnef. ^ay-^^ g^bLk to the dust. Morn.ng and evening, flounshmg and fading —all thinss pass but the everlastniR dod. . . •„ ,1,- Thus" th«e two thoughts are -st intimately connected «n^^^^ ilmist s mind-the fraihy of man and the ^■''■7''>' ^^"j'^^J^^^^ . h:.v,- sune to u- times without number of the saUncss 01 and many who are not serious, can tell us tnat, nui o Bibl. ttot il '"""J" " . On Ihjt f'U pott puts fnto the heart of his tender song-t pn ^iiui' pro^tr.iti' lii l'circ lb.it .nvtiil iiiaiistv, as lie think-, iif liiin as lord nf all thv .iK"'^. creator of thf strnt • mountains. ;irl>iilunt -rily he iHgins with the wrrds, "Lord, thou hast l»ccn piact (« all generations." He is not, then, an imper mal force is t1- everlasting Ik'Iih- of his jitoiilc. '1 tn.r !io can t- ai' God in the In j;imiinK "f his prayer has aiicidy answered hi> dot liy .iiiticipation ; he possesses a consolation, di i'p and ' ik. n amid the changes and impermancnce of this earthly life of »urs. 7. Sine iWij this psahn has had its place in the burial sc of tin- Prayer Iiook In its original inti iition it \va< clcar'v ;i jii for li\uin nun. that tluv iniylit In' ililivrrcd from ariiiiti'>!\ th.it tin- work which lluir hainl- li.ni Ixon unsiicci's-fiiily tin to do should be crowned with the divine favor. Yet there i> also fine propriety about its u«e at the bnrial of the de.id— not onK I'.ecan-i it reiiiinds the liviiip, with >-tich tendernc>s and power, ni the transitnce of a!! tiling-- litiniaii. Init even inor<' iHTansc it open- vistas into that eti rii.il w orld w hich know s tio di fi it .iiid no dec.iy. where all the faithful work of the h.inds of the dead, and of the living who are yet to die, will be established. TUB NISETIETH PSALM '^7 Fifth Day: ^waylnM tC t|t ^Mta O Lord! thou hast beto our eternal home. Ere mountaint or c»nh were bnmglit forth, thott wert. O Go.l. am! thou dost con- tinue from cvcrla>tmg to everlasting. \i 'i.y bi'WmK tlu- tr.iil generation* of men return to the dust. Ages an- in thy -ighi l)iit a^ a day when it is done— brief as a watch in the night. I he gnu r.i tions of im ii arc i wr changing. They blossom in the morning like tlic iiuailow -iliiwi r. to withrr and perish in the cv< ■ ing. l lie ,0 ow of our hfc i> dae to our sill. I'or 1. :^ turco aiiRcr of thine, which confounds and de^tr •>> ii>, has Ucn kiiulled !■> <>iir transgressions, which, though wc ourselves may know them not. arc yet i.lam in thy sight. For under thy sore anger 41I our day* have vanislud away. When our years arc over, they are but a* a murmur. I'IlpukIi tliey mount to seventy or eighty, yet is their glory but toil and emptine>s ; for it hastens away, and like a bird we arc gone. , . c O how few there be that lay to heart the meaning of thy tierce anger! Teach us to understand this and to number our days in tlie light of this knov i-lge. that our hearts may reap a harvest of wisdom. O our Go. come back to us. How 1. .ng wilt thou tarry ? Have pity upon us. ly servants, .\tier the long mglu ot sorrow, let thy mercy dawn ui.on US. and U- with us all our days, tilling our hearts wiiii joy and gladness, as deep as is the sorrow that )u l>,en . iir, in I'he vear, gone I.v Interi>o~e for thy servants sake, and manifest thyself m some glorious deed. Set thy favor upon us, O em God, and establish the work we are striving to do. Explain to yourself every phrase of the psalm in thoroughly muii-rrn 1 unconventi ■ il language. 11 succ. - of your ctfori will be bi.st tested by writing a para- ^» ^ your owa. 88 TES STUDIES IS THE PSALMS Sixth Day: Points ftr CiurtNntM I, "Th* curtain of life was for a nioiiicnt drawn asiilr, tlu hang iiiKs tl.ai wrap lis round. an«t we looked for an insUnl into ihc vist ;.,ul Marht Mil DO S the formic**, ancient dark, wherr a thousand yt.ir, ..u- l.m .i> >i,t(r.l.iy. ..ti.l mn. vvlncli tlir countlfs* generation* of mill liavc iiiarchc.l. .-m. aiur an.-ilur. I liat is a solemn, but hardly a despairing thouglii ; for something Ikiiik wrouRlu out in th silincc. sonuihing of which we may not ' •• conscious, but will. . s.ir.lv there. Could we hut lay that ool and mighty cl.'Mr tn .,ur spirits! That imptm-trable mystery ought to Kive louragv. to lit us rest, as it were, witluu a mighty arm."— .i.e. Bt'Hton. The Upton Letter*, pp. W f. "Whether at Naishapur or Habylon, Whether the Cup w'th ^r bitter run, '1 Uc Wine of Life keeps oozing drop by drop, The Leaves of Life keep falling one by one. "There wa^ the Door to which I found no Key; There was the Veil throiiKli whuli 1 tiUKlil not see; Some little talk awhile of me and thee There was— and then no more of the« and ME." —Rubatyat of Omar Khayyam. How does the general spirit of the Rubaiyat differ from that of the p^alIll? 3. "I have ever been deemed one of Fortune's special favorites; nor will I complain of the course my life has taken. Yet at houoni there has been nothing hut work and toil; and I may well say that in my seveniy-tive years I have never had four weeks of real pleasure "—((;.'.•//!.■ Conversations with F.ckermann. 27 Jan'y. l8it ) 4. 'i wish to tell you of a thing which brought me no little con- solation, in the hop*- that it may perhaps be able to soften your Rrief. t.«. On my wav back frimi Asia, as I was sailing towards Mcsara !r*.m Angina. I besan to look at the places round abimt. Belund ..,e was .l-K'ina. in in.nt of me McRara. on my right the r'ir.i-us, on my left Corinth— cities which once were nio-t tlourishinj;. but ar ■ now lying in ruins before the eyes. This is how 1 beRan to turn It over in my mind. 'Ah,' thought I. 'shall wn tin- mti ..f Mountain Sunn«r. "While if* subject \* i.iff a* a pa<>inK I'av." ilu ~.n.nK f thought is the concealed imagery of a mountain sunrise."— U Literary Study of the Bihle. vv 175-177 > Consider this. 6l "Change and i liatiK- t not, almlc with :iU'."— //. i". J. "NothinR !c^s than the Mil)lime thonjrlit of God, tranvendent yet immamnt. can «atl^fy and liola u^. cm sH idy .m.l kuuIc ii-, a< we think of our little, personal lives in the far-reachinK slr^aia of hirtory."— »F. C. SeOtek, The New Appreciation of the BiWe. i>. TEN STUDIES IN THE PSALMS SivFNTH Day: ©««ti««i cx..ral.l. i.as>.ng of the generations of men? , H u e v"u . vcr suk tmily con^dered how small a P'"*^ J' ; , i„^„";: -vir: and .n hu.nan hi..r>^ and how certa.nly and «ttcrl> you Shall van,>h from the moniyry of men 4. Do thoughts hke these sadden you? Is this their on y prcs>ion m the New l.stanun ' . A-^^ U^ere JJ^ '^P ^ i„ in religion more strongly emphasued in the Old icstamen the New? i Kr. viiv of life be connected 7. In what sense may the sorrow and brevity Of litc oe with sin? , , « Wh it view of Cod underlies the psalm. o o " t c psaln, .eem to have a special message for you wh^ read at tin Iniial of ,> dead? If what U that meMage? Do you really lay It to heart? THE NINETY-FIRST PSALM 93 First Day : Cle Ct)tt •( tbt tJealm HiVpy he who dwills in the sicret place of tlic Most High, And lodges in the shadow of the Almighty. Who says to Jehovah: My refuge and my fortress (art thou), My God, in whom 1 trust!" For HE will deliver ihee from the fowler s snare, From the pit of destruction. With his pinions he will cover thee, And under his wings thou niayest hide. Thou needest not fear the terror of the night. Nor the arrow tliat flirtli hy ('ay, Nor the plague that staiks in the dark. Nor the pest or the demon of noon. Though a thousand fall at thy side. And ten thousand at thy right hand. Yet it shall not draw nigh unto thee. For his faithfulness is a shield and a buckler. Only with thine eyes shall thou look on. And see how the wicked are punished. For THY refuge is Jiliovah. The Most High thou hast made thy home. Thou shalt not be met by misfortune. No plague stiall come near thy tvnt : For he will give his angels charge over thee. To keep thee in all thy ways. On their hands they will bear thee up, Lest thou strike thy foot on a stone. On serpents and adders shalt thou tread. And trample on lions and dragons. "Because" (saith Jehovah) he ha. clunR to tne. I will deUver him; I will set him (secure) on high. be. ..u^e he knows my name. When he calls upon me. I will answer him, In trouble I will be with him. I will rescue him. and hrinvr him to honor : With length of days will I s,atisty him. And show him my salvation." ,. Commit the psahn to nu-mory in any version P''>''J^ . 2. Meditate upon it carefully, and without the a.d of books, untU you have some adequate idea of it. in detail and as a whole. 94 TEN STUDHiS /A' THE PSALMS Si LONi) Day : Cbe Sttntitf of ♦be Jatt|if«l (Setit* \ 6) 1. OptiniiMii snroly ncvir tuck inoro radiant or exuberant expres- sion ilian It takes in this psalm. It must have come from a liappy heart ; apparently, too, from a triumphant life. The sudden change of Its pirxiiia! pnm.nin- make- tlu psalm, on a tirst study, seem obscure and abrnpi ; imt the dillicully disappears, when it is recog- nized that the body of the poem (vir>e^ .M.O is addressed by tlu- pcet to ihp man who trusts Ins (itid, in nmch the same style and spirit as the book of Proverbs occasionally addresses its admoni- tiniis :nid proniisis lo "my son" (rt. Proverbs 5: I; 6: I; 7:1). I lie first two verses simply amiomu .' the seiu ral theme— the blessed- ness .,f tlie faithful— expressed in uii:u ot ihe third per-.n will say" in verse 2, wc should probably read "Iw will say ). In the last three verses. Jehovah hini'eif is represented as intcr- vening md confirming the previous promises by a divine oracle. In the liturKical service, the last verses may have been spoken by a priest. 2. The language of tiie earlier verses is an echo of the times when the peasant lived in continual f ^f an assault by robber bands. . from which lie had io take refu, , hiding in caves of the moun- tains. Jihovah is as real a defet.ce to the Psalmist as ever cave or fortress had been to a hunted man. Nay, the thought is even friendlier and warmer than thai. The second clause of verse i calls up the image of home and liospitable shelter : "he spends the niRht. as it were, beneath the shade of Jehovahs roof" (cf. Gen. If): 8). I hroiiRh the promises that follow, directly addressed to ;he man who trusts his God. we pet a filimpse of a world thick-set with dangers of every kind; but thnmsb that world the man in.ay walk with the assurance that his feet will be kept. His life may l>e craftily sotight, like the life of a bird (cf. Ps. ti : l) by the fowler, but it is waiched •'■■1 translates the last clause to ■ ' . . „,at did their „„,e weir.l to the imagtnat.o . ,Uc f-rM-born of E^ypt a.adly work by niRht. ""'f'JlZXu^^ A^^yrian host (Isaiah 37: /•>• f^"' '"^ ''Vo r'en thousand, the faithful Jwcep. men awa, by thr '^^^'^'^'^^^Jl^, de-troyin^ angel „,1 be untouched, as Israd ' ,ouKh the land of Egypt ,,Hn he passed in the dead of J [ ,„„,u down. The (K.odu. i-'-.AO. Only .he near he was .0 n,an of fa,.h wn„M f '''-.f^^;; ',::,"^i„Ta Attfirmat.on of his ,Ue victims, but ho would see U. ^'"'1/';^ J ^^.j, of verse 8 vme 7, and first cUuse of verse 16). 56 rt'.v sTf/y/i s- IX Tirn ps.ii.ms 1 iiiKit Day : €\)t Cnnmpi) o{ tbr Jaitbfnl (Drrara 9 Id) 1. The man who trusts is safe; he is also fearless; and the reason is, in vcr>e ui)- Ilo^e lliat tlie lirst clatisi' i- .m iiUi rruptioii mi tlie part of thi' man who is llie subject of these precious promises, "l-'or thou" — lie breaks m — "art my refuge." This is perhaps a httle unnatural. The margin preserves the continuity of the passage, by suggesting an additional word, "Because thou hast said, 'Jeliovah is my refuge.'" It i> simplest of all to re.iil. as in the second claiHe, ".\s for thee. Jehovali is thy refuge. ' whidi is a happy parallel to "thy habitation." 2. No stroke of calamity will fall upon the good man's tent — a word whose background is nomadic life — because God had given his angels i harge n\(r liim. The dnitu- f^nllifiilne^--. winch in ver'i'' 7 was a shield and Imckler. is now perxinitied and lakes liic form 01 angels — peculiarly striking in this context; these gnardian angels are the counterpart of the demons who carry on their deadly work at noonday and at midnight. The world is a battlefield upon which invisiliii fnrci's contend lor t'le good man's life. 3. Hut llie angels have charge, and tluy will lilt him over tlie rough places of the way. Oriental roads were often poor and stony, and the feet protected only by sandals; hence the comfort of the thought that on life's uneven way the pilgrim would be saved by unseen aiimlic powers from iniitiling and wounding his weary feet. .\iid tliiit w:iy was lie^et by and wild lieasts upon it — syml.' of malicious and powerful opposition. From these, too, the good man will be safe, because he enjoys angelic protection. Nay, not only is he safe from tin 111, ))Ut triumphant oeer them; not only will they not hurt hmi, Imt lie will lie able to hurt and destroy them. He will tread iiiihariiieil over the -erpeiit^ and adders, while mighty lions anil dragons he will trample victoriously under foot. His life will be at once secure, fearless, and triumphant. 4. The psalm appropriately closes in solemn oracular words ut- tered by Jeliovah himself, who confirms the previous promises and sets them in a larger light, Htcanse !iis servant clung to him in love, Jehovah promises to hear his prayer and he with him in i (i...n. U ^ j^,''^,; Xow,e.ig.. "Thc^ seldom also such as ilu w. rU " "1'^"'°;" they cart siKH. »h.n accompany . hen, «h... In lu v.- . " .nu demon,; they shall »»>'^"'^*^• '\' ;,;'" ,;.! ,,,„ lav hand, deadly thing, it shall .n now.^ 'm^w 6- ,7. .8). Thcs« on the >iek. and they shall j V^J^^J^ ««! triumph a» words breathe the same cc.nsc.ousnes, of .mmumty ana the psalm. sublime. It t« not 6 The faith of the psalm „ , r^,„.h

    ""f ^ ' „ ,„Kh Cod. an at.itu.le "f daring but reasonable ,„ onr It is the complete and joyful "f'^^ '"^ j. in whom I whom it can call "My refuge and my fomes., my uo . tnut." too TEN STUDIES IN THE PSALMS Fifth Day: Pir«»Nai» •! H* |W« Happy '» «he man who knows the Almighty ami the m<.,t high God to be hi. ih iter and hii home, and who can say to h.m wuh grateful mfidencc: • Thott art my relofe, ny fortreat. my Uxl 111 wliotil I trust." For he is mighty to dilivir from perils of every kind. Me can ^avc thee from snare .md uia.lly pcM.lence; his sheltering wings can safely cover thee. Ihou necdest not fear the terror of niglit. lu.r the arrow that flieth by day. nor the plafue that stalks m th. dark. i„,r the feverish h.at ..f n.H.nday. Ten tboutand oi the godless inav fall about tlue, but the fvil shall never touch thee: for Jehovah's faithfulness is to thee as a shield of defence. Thou sha t see with thine tyes how the godless arc punished; b.'t that is a". For thou thyelf art safe: thou hart made the moat high God thy refuge and t!iy home No evil shall befall thee; no plague diall come near thy hoiiw • for at his bidding the angels preserve thee wherever thou gocst, bearing thee up and keeping thee from stumUing on the stony ways. Over all that is strong and cruel and treacherous thou shall have the dominion. Reptile* nd tddert, lions and dragons, shalt thou trample under foot. "All this," saith Jehovah, "I will do for the man who loves me and cares for mc. I will deliver and exalt him When, in his hour of need, he calls me, I will answer and stand by him. I will save him and bring him to honor, and spwe Wm toof to tee the golden Messianic days." Explain to yourself every phrase of the psalm in thoroughly modern and unconventional langua,;e. The success of your effort will be beat tested by writing a para- phrase of your owa ^ ; \ ri i » \ |>«»nH lot ConiUrratwi lOI I Me {• »0f SUCCv u tr.i ll! pf«V»Oll ^\ n hr uMdcr tr-- « Uje cunquct (I'rotlu 2. "I. With befori' ' ->i Evil One, flung hw 4Bd ianu ■ " t' / a 111 {S.i . Kvii.ii-.ir.cf, i.a--u.n for jKHtty. 1 .....ikiiiv.! iU« iiniT>>,i.in "I «!>'• v> Hi A Jaimin.u, illiu^> r.Mvnl h.^ ,c bondage of 1:k>J". >' '» . ,>iugf Calvin at Geneva In I34«- , „i .itKiukd ihi- service of the RefiWnu.l ..at a «a- - r>.u"> , - Most lli>ih, ..hall alml.' un-Kr ih.' -I>.«'. . . ,u. him louraKo to meet every cUnKcr. — ,1 lliinian Life, V\> i > s I'-iliiiN hi- wa-i worii-

  • wn iting i>ne lit "<• 1 -aiin^, ik 1 sickness, abstinence from i ' 'i'"-'' f '-'' , ^ „s. indefinable Image, which h, t I r th.- i v.„rk; l.uthcr started nf. with tu n,l .K .miuc . .tand 3. the ^p. ctrc. .md it disappeared j I he sp<.t .mW, there; a curu.„. "-^--^iV:;: / "'^iii,,'" apothecary's apprentice ^ ' , ,ire arms, and said : "Now lettest th..ii li.v ^'-" " Ueted. abstract propositions 1 had mastered, what my pU.c TES STL DIES IS THE PSALM^ my influence. n.ighl be; .11 .l.at n.at.crcl wa. thu. I 0..u!.l u.rn to |. Ml ,.t rvrry i.umunt with p«rlwl ConhUcncc ati.l tru.t U .u 6 In ahnu^t all tlu^c fn,'.«. .mnts Im Ch.nal CUmd vlon «as very much cxpn,..!. for lu- fou.,cl .1 nectary, or at ka»t rx^i^tobeco,W...n,ly n. .he front, an.l of,. n f 1, ...1 n. person . • • He sccnwd to bear a charnad life, and .kwt e..rr>e arms even when foremost in the breach. Hi. only weapon o,, these occasions was a Miiall cane, with which he wed to direct lus troops"- Udrfw H i/i..«. O.loi.el Ctdon's Chinese Campaign) Yet GovUun knew well that ttic life of the Rorvl man h no, aUav- an outward and visible triumpJi. On the nth March. 18K4. he writ. - thus to his sister: , . ■ K-nunilur. onr Lord U n, ; -.jh in 1 captured ci.v. which for momhs he had defended h^mca ly. but in v^in. His hfe strikingly illustrate, alike the truth which the ptahn em^usuei, Md that wiucb it ignores. 77//: \l\r.TY FIRST PS.4i.M «»« Skvinth Day: OwMm , Dor. your faith in God gJvc yo« a real «n« ol security in "'I'na. your fa.th o.r .nal,U,l >-.. to face .lifficUy or danger wm'hc with him in .rou.U. ■ Th.. -n---;^'^;;; divine presence in trouble wa« undoubtedly a great fact to the man ';:z^::::::':^r: Tchowa i„ ma,. Another crieUy manyred in China H.-w .1,. >uoh fact, affect our .nterpr.- tatton and appropriation "f t»u- P^altn ? .. 5. "Tt i» all one. He destroy, the .nnm-cnr an.l tl.. ^-'''J ' So .ni.l Jo). (.>: cf ... • 7-l6>. i" bis perplcx.ty and '"'I arc ac<,ua.n,cd with thi, mood, consider ,ome of the U whkh produced it in y.u, C"... v . i '< " ^ f- ' ; Trom ym.r own per«>nal observation, exp.-ruMO-. - .Mifv and illn^tVate the faith of P«tm o- ' I'-vhuM, ,n.nd-^h < of Jol. .,• or Ps. Ot-are you able to do and to be your best. Is that. then, not the mood worth cncouraginR? 6. Have you any tear? If of what? and why? STUDY X CIc 0u Dmnk «ri Camp siFtk Pmov THE ONE HUNDRED AND TiyENTY-Slxni PSALM .07 First Day : Cbr Crrt of He JlMlm When Jiliovali changed the fortunes oi Zwn, Like men that dream were wc. Then was our mouth fiHeU with laughter, And our tongue witli rmgmg cries. Then said they among the nation-. • Jchov.ili hath dealt greatly with them. Jehovah dealt greatly with us ; Wc were glad. O change our fortunes. Jehovah, As streams in the south. They that sow in tears Shall reap with ringing cries. Forth he fares weeping. Bearing the seed to scatter; Home, home he comes with ringing cries. With his arm full of sheaves. ,o8 TEX sn niF.S IX THE PSALMS Si ((.M) Hay: Cbt 3fn? of Brtmption (BttJtB 13) , This psahn is one of a little group U^o-iJ4) known as the Songs of Ascent. Of this phrase several ixplanati.Mis have l.ooi. given the most probable being that they were psalms sting on the Lv ur to Jeru.aknt by the pilgrims who went to celebrate the IrL Ltnals of the Je.,,h church. The l'''"- ^as someumes therefore been not inappropriately rendered The P.lgr.m Psa ms. P.alm 12!. for exaniple-"! will lift up mine eyes to the lulls - „Kiy have been st.ng as they first came withm sight of the moun- tains round alK.ut Jerusalem. 2 Th(n.Rh these psalms may have been thus sung by pilgrims, the question of their origin is not thereby settl d. Many of them may have been, and no doubt were, written for specific occasions. This pvalm. for example, appears to have been written in tmies of sorrow, when the fortunes of Zion were low. and seed was being scattered upon uiipromisiiiK fields with tear.>. 3 But the sinners can look ba.k upon brighter days, at the tnem- orv of which thev rekindle tluir hope, though that hope shines through tears. What those happy days were, to which they Iook back ^o wistftillv. we cannot say for certain; for the words rendered „, the .Xnthori/ed Version. -When the Lord turned .-^ain ^M <»p- tivity of Zion." should almost certainly be rendered. "W hen Jehovah changed the forlums of Z.on," .\t the .one tune the redemption which filled their mouth with laughter and their tongue with ringing shouts was, in all probability, their deliverance from the Babylonian captivity. No Other event seems large enough to fit the wild joy of the psalm, . t, • . 4 The singers find it it.ipo^sible to express that joy. Their de- liverance was like a beauiiful dream-too good to be true. Fhey speak with the voice of astonished gratitude. The long night of exile had pa.^e.l. the d.u of redemption had come. They had reached the holy cty and trodden its ancient streets once more. For verv jov thev could hardly believe their eyes It was all like a dream ' Wc can fancv them moving wistfully aliout from point to ,x.int fearful lest thev should break the spell, and then bursting into a hymn of pra,u.\ \N»urc is tnv (Ps 42: 3; cf. Numbers 14 : , , , ; , ,1,.,, ^ 6 nu- cn„fossion that has just fallen from ''''y^ , "Tehov.h h <1-H «n.a,lv wi.h us" This is a simple stateuu-nt j^i:,;^ hllica. fact. In .he c.iW and the <^^;^^'Z^ -^si^:;^^.r;fi=^?r;^^^^^ all imagination: and with that ' ''^^ ^ 2 t th. v ..y. we have already met so often .n our ^'" ^ absolutely un- with a sincerity all the more profound that .t u absoiui y adorned, "We were glad. " no TEN STVinr.S IS THE PSALMS TiuKi) DxY : 6ope Lopk. Cbronsb CTtatfol Cp« (Brr«. 4 e) , The transition from vcr-.e j i.. verse 4 is IHCuliarly abrupt. ••Wo were glad. • • * O change our fortune. Uny w.r. .hcl Imt cUarlv they are so now no more. S.n.e scholars consulcr s;:;-.!;: ,1.,. .he ..n is >till fresh, and we must brmg the psalm down to a few ve ir- 1" riiaii> aUout twenty, after the return. V I s' tunc vvonld well M„t the nu-lancholy a,.d d.sheartc.,ed ntnod of the last half of the p>al,n. It w.., a per.,,, of sorrow and .l.MlluMontnem. The brtll.am hopes w.th winch th. Jew. cam^ back tn.nt the land of their captivity had not been realm d. T^ey came back to a .liMuantle.l ctv and a ru.ned temple ; and even Ture seemed to have con.,.red with hi.ory ^^^-'^/'^J- , ^ land had suffered from a severe drought (Hagga. . ' ' ^'J^ heightened the misery and the apathy of the people^ Je.r d^ ap pointmcnt is reflected in the pathetic words of Haggat (1.9) tncy ••l.K)kcd for much, andlHlioi.l! little." u .« rndrfv . In such a Mtuation. therefore, with darmg hopes SO rude^ crushed ..o praver couUl be more natural than th,-. ' ^ change rr fomtnes ehovah. as streams in the south." Tlu- south land r Kegeb is the tract south of Judah stretchmg tow.nr.ls Egvpt In ...nu ,t ,s nto^.ly barren as the streams are dry; b"' they hll a^ain w,.h the autunnt ra„,s. and vegetat.on spr.ng up The stngers. who.e strength and hope are .Iru.l up. pra> 'j^'^ '^^J " be refreshed as the somh land .s refreshed and redeemed by the wio w it^t^s. ntay they reap with J^l^^j::^ bettrr to interpret it as a sublnne assertton of fatth. -J'ch mterruP^^^^ rlkes. and answers the despondent prayer n-t ofTered Those ho ,ow in tears, do reap or shall reap wtth rmgtng cr.e. Th. the Psamtist elaborates w.th great power: THE OSB HVSDRED A»D TWBSTV-SlXTll IS.iU, ... tears. tia jr.x sTr/i/,' V /.V riii: /•v.i/ .u.s- Dw Cbf iRtnut of tbt pealm for I. This i> one of till' iii"-t iH.iuiiiul >..nt;- in ItHTattirc It tr:i\iT-i's MMl'tlv. but m iniaKis of snriia^MiiR Ikmiuv, tin ^Ir.mc- vicis>ittiri"R atid aiituimi, 111. iHi.iiiiiiil .lr.,ini. and the eruol reality: but the sorrow of it all is sAallowed uj) in the lovely vision with which it ends— «if the hiirvcstcrs coming home with shouts of joy. their arms full of sheave*. J. The men who sanff this psalm had pa-i d thronnh m , xpc ru r.co of redemption. I luv knew and oonfes.-ed that their G(><1 had done i r.at thinK- lor ;!utn : and th.y were at once humbled. Rrateful and ^l.id. They iiio\,,l al".ut as one in a dnani. Ikouim' tliev could not trust themselves t.> think that so R'«'d a tliinu was true. .\iid tluy were so happy that they could find no wort's to express tlKir joy. Ilu-r inotilh was filled with latishter. their tongue with rinKinK ■^l,..uls; tint all they emild say was. "We were glad." That is all; but. on tin- lips of siiK-iTe nun. lli.it is i \ t r> il.iii^; J. Have we any such experietue of reileiiip'ion wliicli enable- us. even afar off. to appreciate the rai>turous joy of the psalm? llavo we ever bun delivered from anxiety, from disappointment, from defeat, from d.i!i>:er. from oppression, from sorrow, from evil habits, from sin, from dcalli? .\nd if we bave. do we aiknowledi:e <r bun moved to say. " ilie I.ord lias done great things for me; I am glad"? .And if we have never m.ide siK-Ii a confession, or known such joy, are we quite sure that we b.i\ I- Ih I n rcili ciiu il imiiri! ' 4. .Xgain. till psalm niriiuls ns .if the dutv .>f hope. Men to whom the dream of ick inj.u..!i has hecome .i f.ict. may l.v.k to ib.' future through eyes blin.led by tears: but they see afar ofT the Rol.bn harvest, and to the lisienmg e.ir the shouts of the merry luirv.st.rs are borne l .ick from the future .lavs, as they bring their s|i,a\es. in aiinfnls. h.^iiu- In .lays of disappointment. thi« is a e..nso!ation ..f wliu li n.. .-ne can ever .allov binis. ll to be r -bb. ,1 v.lio trulv b. liev.s in Cod— that no honest effort is ever in vain, that rt .Ine lime the f.iithful worker will reap, if he faint not— if 11 -t in ili; , wor!.!, ilu ii m s,,i,),> ,>tlu r N.< si.'.l is . ver flung from any faith- ful ii.m.l 111 vain in Cod's g.io.l tMii . if not in ours, it will spring rp ami bear its destined fruit In ibis w.>rl.l. sometimes one sows ai'i.l It Is another that reaps: bui (.o.l is as mindful of the Muver a' of (he reaper, and one day— h.>w far away we know not— he that s.>weth and he that reapcth shall rejoice together. THE OSB HVSPRED AXD WESU SISTU nALM u> of h.iw , : ; r ...."dv.-. look «p cur arms full of sheaves, phrase of your owm. 114 TL.\ :iTri>n:s is the rsAUts Six 111 Uav : €)ufition« «n» Powti Cor CoMrttratwii I. Ilciw vi- any oili.r iIlu.Mratio.1 Iroiii ;lu' l'>alter of a similar change? (c£. I's. 85 and y5 > Have you ever had a Miiular experience of your own . J. Israel had a delinitc historical experience of redemption m her dtlivi-r.mcf frr;,, tin ll.il'.vl.iin.m liiplivlty. Ha\e you any t NptriciKi' ot ridiniption:' From what have you been redeemed, and what have you gained by your redemption ? , • ki Has it tna.U- you very Rlad? Does your experience of it enable vou to iiiiilirst.inil tht .ibounihiiK joy of vi-rses 1-3? Is your rail tni.hnn r. tl that tilers art struck by it? Is there a miisi m uhuh > >ur redemption is incomplete. What do you anticipate from llie future? 1 In disappointment are you patient and hopeful / 4 ir. wiiat sense is it riRht to hvc in the future? Is this mood a hindrance or an inspiration to present activity? 5. Can you illi-str; -e, from y. in the anthem, when they sang it. -When the Lord turned the captivity of /.ion. we were like them that dream.' I thought ye.s. like them that dream-theni that .heam .\ik1 tlun it went, -rhey that sow in tears shall -ap in i„y an.l he that (;oeih forth and weepeth. shall doubtless come again with re,ouin«. huu^uK lus sheave, with him:' I looked Up from the b«M.k and saw >nu. 1 knew >ou w.nil^l ome. my dear, and «aw the gold sunshine romul your lu.i.l . ■ She smiled an ahn.-t wild smile as she looked up at him. * * » "Now-now von are come a« on. hriuKint? your sheaves with you, my dear. She In.rM im.^ a a M of weepinK a. ^he spoke; she laughed and sohbe.l on the y..ung man-s heart, crying out wildly, ••bnngmg your sheaves with you-your sheaves with youI*-(r*aft / U i.Vi > -V.V / ii i'5.UA/ US never cud .ur Uu- U-(u c. ^ ,„,u.„u.u wiih all creation; -^\ o.- > V' , / ,,.jy u 4i.) U. The UU ol U. L. ^l^^; ;/ ; j' taught for this. 8. ••For three year* we ha.l -u. » ■ A, the nuuncnt when 1 put the ^'^•^^ ^ . ...tch..! ...u t- „.K.c stunud « uh th. blood of ^•«""'^';; KcUvnur-. love. „^e.vc and partake tlu -"'''-''V' " .J" * •» n «h hrokc .«y heart . had a foreta^te of - 'X:".: ^^'-^^^ ^ to pieces. ' ac»«i . ^j^j ^ full Ol JMopaphy, and part, p. aaj.). TEN STUDIES IX THE PSALMS PSALMS t, tt. 23. .10. 48. 49. sa. m 91. >a6 Si A I NTH Day : Brtiftt of tbf Cf« P««lM Atlltrt I. Has the Mudy of thc!>e psalms brought any conKkmt gain to your itpiritual life? If »o, in what direction? J. W liat is it that givei the psahns their unique place in reBfioui litf ratiiri' ? Mmtioii some f.f the broad differences between the psalms and a mndrrn hymn-book. Which hymns, if any. do yon think worthy to be compared with the tH-.t of tlic psalms? (live reasons for your opinion. ,V Kecoiistruct, so far a>i ilie iiiairrial permits it, the Hebrew life which is the background of tlu'^c p- ilins. 4. What conception of God unilcrlies thcM' psalms? Is Clod as real and present to you a* the psalmists felt him to be to them? 5. Can you appropriate to yourself the words of Psalm 2J? If nut, what liiiult rs you ? 6. Can you siisi.mi ymtr diipt-t spiritual life on the psalms, or do you miss in them any element which is supplied by the New Testament? If so, what? 7. What thoughts do these psalms suggest abmtt money, work, faith, hope, joy, persecution, the future? 8. Do the followMiK word- cotm' home to you with more power than before yuu began these studies in the psalms? (i) On his law doth he meditate day and night. (ii) Jehovah's throne is in heaven. (iii) I will fear no evil. (iv) My hope is in thee. (v) Beautiful is Mount Zion. (vi) He will receive me. (vii) The goodness of God endureth continually. (viii) Teach us to number our days. (ix) He will give his angels charge over thee. (x) We were like them that dream.