' 1&44*4'V*X4 t <' c < $*' p$fc i W TO HENRY EWALD, IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION OF HIS IMMENSE SERVICES IN THE HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. PREFACE. THE Editors believe that much force will be added to the moral and religious lessons of the Psalter by an ex- amination of the time and circumstances in which the several Psalms were written ; that much light will be gained from an endeavour to attain the point of view of the writers, and that each Psalm so looked at will in most cases tell its own tale. They believe also that the spiritual meaning, though it may appear for a moment obscured, will in the end come out all the more fully from this historical treatment. For the common arrangement of the Psalms into five books and for the order of these books no principle has been dis- covered which commands anything like general assent or which even claims to throw any light upon the meaning of the Psalms ; nor does the difficulty of rearranging them with reference to their several times and occasions appear insuperable. If, with the utmost care bestowed upon the language of the Psalms and the history of the times to which they may ap$ly, it is impos- sible to discover the exact time and occasion of every Psalm, yet there are few of which we cannot ascertain to what group Vin PREFACE. and to what period they belong, while to many the exact time and occasion may with reasonable certainty be assigned. Another circumstance, which has in no small degree impaired a due appreciation not only of the lyrical beauty but often of the very meaning of the Psalms, is the loss of the strophes and lines of the original. In both the Bible and the Prayer-Book Versions they are printed like those portions of the sacred writings, which were written in prose, while the division into verses generally adopted in our Bibles has, equally in poetry and in prose, de- stroyed the connection of the thought. In the arrangement here adopted, while the number of each verse has been retained for the sake of reference, the larger and smaller divisions the strophes and the lines have been restored. The eye is every- where the minister of the mind; it is so in a more than usual degree in the poems of a language, which deals so largely as the Hebrew in curious parallelisms and nicely wrought balance of structure. Further, many errors have crept into the version of the Prayer-Book of the Church of England, chiefly owing to the influence of Jerome's Latin Translation, which leave the verses in which they occur unintelligible. To restore the Psalter as far as possible to the order in which the Psalms were written, to give the division of each Psalm into strophes, of each strophe into the lines which composed it, to amend the errors of translation, are the objects of the present Edition. No single person seemed so well qualified to afford the ne- cessary guidance in this work, both by his consummate ability and erudition as. an Oriental scholar and by his wonderful insight into Jewish history and by the devotion of a long and laborious life to these and kindred subjects, as Professor Henry Ewald. PREFACE. ix Jn the first of the three points mentioned above, his chronological arrangement has been accepted, not with any wish to press its several conclusions but in the belief that it is generally true and invariably suggestive ; in the second, his metrical divisions have been implicitly followed ; but in the third, no amendments have been admitted without a careful examination of the principal com- mentators. The Editors, in concluding a work in which they have drawn largely from the rich mine of his writings on the 1 Poets ' and < Prophets of the Old Testament ' and * The History of the People of Israel/ wish to express their profound sense of his immense services in the cause of biblical research. Personally they wish also to express their gratitude for his kindness, not only in allowing them to make whatever use of his labours seemed most likely to serve for edification to English readers, but in sending them the sheets of his 3rd edition of ' the Psalms ' while passing through the press, and in answering with unvarying patience and courtesy any questions whicn they had occasion to ask in the course of the work. The version of the Psalms followed in this volume is that of the great Bible of 1540, adopted in the Book of Common Prayer for the Church of England in 1548, and retained there when the new and more accurate translation of the Psalms from the Hebrew was substituted for it in the present Authorised Version of James I. This version, though in many passages less ac- curate, has an intrinsic beauty and force and so surpassing an excellence, that it has insensibly become the expression of the religious feeling of the nation. Dr Nicholls 1 has well expressed the feeling of all who have studied the Prayer-Book and the Bible Versions, when he says, " the translation in the Prayer- 1 On the Book of Common Prayer. London, 1775. Note on the Great Bible. x PREFACE. Book is very plain and easy and fitter for devotion than any one extant, by reason that the Hebraisms are not so much retained as in the others, and notwithstanding some persons* objections, it is nigher the original than those who have not examined it may imagine." In numberless instances a careful consideration of the two l Versions has led the Editors to feel that ' the greater divergence is the higher unity.' No amendment therefore has been introduced unless to remove obscurity or actual error, and great care has been taken to introduce no diction discordant with the adopted text The fact that each Psalm has passed through four hands is some guarantee that no alteration has been made upon light grounds. It is hoped that by these means something may have been gained for the edification of the general reader by putting before him a clear and intelligible text, and by throwing such light upon the times and circumstances of the several Psalms as may suffice to remove some of the difficulties known to every serious student. It was chiefly a sense of these difficulties, that induced the Editors to undertake the labour of which the present volume is the fruit. Easter, 1867. 1 In the course of this work the Bible or Authorised Version is always referred to by the letters A. V.; that of the Prayer-Book by P. B.; while refers to the sections of this book. PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. publication of a Second Edition has been delayed by the issue of a popular edition of the same work in an abridged form 1 . In the meantime the whole of the matter con- tained in the First Edition has been carefully reconsidered and to a great extent recast ; the historical introductions in the latter part of the book have been considerably enlarged, not only by the addition of new matter but also by many fresh illustrations from the writings of the contemporary Prophets; while a sup- plement has been added, containing the chief specimens of Hebrew lyric poetry not included in the Book of Psalms. It seemed to the Editors that a treatise on the Psalter could hardly be considered complete, which did not embrace compositions having so direct a bearing on its contents as the Lamentations of Jeremiah, the Thanksgivings of Hezekiah and Jonah, the Triumphal Songs of Miriam and Deborah, and the * Pindaric Ode* of Habakkuk. This supplement can be supplied separately to those who have the First Edition. Michaelmas, i3yo. The Golden Treasury Psalter. Student's Edition, Macmillan, 1870. INDEX TO FIND THE PSALMS. Day Day Psalm Section of Tsalm Section of Month. Month. I. 60 j Morning. XLV. 23 9 Morning. II. 16 i XLVI. 35 in. 14 XLVII. "5 Evening. IV. 15 ii XLVIII. 36 ii V. 44 XLIX. 66 ,, VI. 26 Evening. L. 59 10 Morjiing. VII. * II LI. 75 ii VIII. 9 LII. 46 ,, IX. X. 61 2 Morning. LI 1 1. 8 4 Evening. XI. I LIV. 4 XII. 3i Evening. LV. 43 > XIII. 27 ii LVI. 5i ii Morning. XIV. 84 > LVII. 52 XV. 5 3 Morning. LVIII. 53 ii XVI. 65 it LIX. 54 Evening. XVII. 64 M LX. V. 6-9. ii > XVIII. 12 Evening. LX. 125 ,, XIX. 8 4 Morning. LXI. 49 XX. 11 LXII. 3^ 12 Morning. XXI. 22 LXIII. 50 ii XXII. 69 Evening. LXIV. 45 XXIII. 25 i LXV. 39 Evening. xxiv. v. 1-6. 4 5 Morning. LXVI. V. 1 - 1 1 . 116 M xxiv.z/.7-io. 3 LXVI. Z/. 1 2- 18. 30 ft XXV. 77 LXVI I. H3 ,, XXVI. 55 LXVIII. H4 13 Morning. XXVII. 24 Evening. LX1X. 73 Evening. XXVIII. 56 11 LXX. 72 ii XXIX. 7 ' LXXI. 76 14 Morning. XXX. *8 6 Morning. LXXII. 63 XXXI. 57 LXXIII. 80 Evening. XXXII. 13 Evening. LXXIV. 120 ii XXXIII. 150 ii LXXV. 38 15 Morning. XXXIV. 78 LXXVI. 37 ii XXXV. 70 7 Morning. LXXVII. 81 XXXVI. 47 ii LXXVIII. 128 Evening. XXXVII. 62 Evening. LXXIX. 121 16 Morning. XXXVIII. 71 8 Morning. LXXX. 122 > XXXIX. 33 LXXXI. 129 ,, XL. 72 ii LXXXJI. 8 3 Evening. XLI. 29 Evening. LXXXIII. I2 7 if XLII. XLIII. 67 LXXXIV. 68 ii XLIV. 119 9 Morning. LXXXV. 126 ,, INDEX TO FIND THE PSALMS. XIII Psalm Day Section of Day Psalm Section of Month. Month. LXXXVI. 140 - 17 Morning. cxxvui. 95 27 Evening. LXXXVII. 99 it cxxix. 91 ,, LXXXVIII. 58 It cxxx. 88 ,, LXXXIX. 4 Evening. cxxxi. 89 ,, xc. * 34 1 8 Morning. cxxxn. 123 28 Morning. . XCI. 117 11 CXXXIII. 96 XCII. 105 11 cxxxiv. 97 XCIII. 106 Evening. cxxxv. 145 XCIV. 82 11 cxxxvi. 146 Evening. xcv. III 19 Morning. CXXXVII. 100 ,, XCVI. 109 11 cxxxviu. 104 ,, XCVII. 107 ,, cxxxix. 118 29 Morning. XCVI 1 1. no Evening. CXL. , 40 XCIX. 108 ii CXLI. 4 i c. _ H2 11 CXLII. 42 Evening. CI. 6 11 CXLIII. I 4 I CII. 79 10 Morning. CXLIV. 142 30 Morning. cm. '3' ,, CXLIV. 12-15. 17 CIV. 132 Evening. CXLV. J 4 7 cv. M4 21 Morning. CXLVI. 148 CVI. 133 Evening. CXLVII. 149 Evening. CVII. 134 22 Morning. CXLVIII. 152 ,, CVIII. 143 Evening. CXL1X. 151 ,, crx. 74 11 CL. ' 153 ex. w 10 23 Morning. Gen. iv. 23, 24 154 CXI. 8 lie Exod. xv 155 CXII. o O? s 1^6 " Deut. xxxii. . . 1 60 CXIII. JJ * O" M7 " Tudcres v. . . S i *6 CX IV. O * >/ 8 138 11 Evening. i Sam. ii. i to .. 157 cxv. o * O IO2 2 Sam. i. 19 27 18 CXVI. r I0 3 1 1 24 Morning. 2 Sam. III. 33 34 19 CXVII. no 2 Sam. xxin. i 7 20 CXVIII. o * oy JOi 1 1 11 Isaiah xxxvm. 920 159 CX1X. 8. I 3O 24 E. 26E. Lamentations 1 62 cxx. o > w $ 8* 2 7 Morning. Jonah II 158 CXXI. O "cJ 86 Habakkuk ill 161 CXXII. 98 11 Appendix A. The Psalter p. 431 CXXIII. 87 11 B. Superscriptions p. 4 38 CXXIV nn Glossary p. 445 cxxv. 9 92 11 11 Index I. Difficult Passages... p. 450 CXXVI. 93 27 Evening. II. Quotations from Old CXXVII. f\4 Testament p. 4^3 91 11 General Index .. ...r>..i6o THE PSALMS CHRONOLOGICALLY ARRANGED. PERIOD I. PSALMS OF DAVID. PERIOD I. THE PSALMS OF DAVID AND OF HIS TIME. OF David we know from the sacred history, that he was the king and the Psalmist of Israel. No other man was either king or Psalmist in the same sense, and hence he is rightly styled not only the Founder of the Hebrew monarchy, but of the He- brew Psalter. As God raised up Moses to give to His people and to His Church an institute of law, so He raised up David to be His vice- gerent and to wield His sceptre upon earth, and further to be the sweet singer of Israel, that in him both His people then and His Church for all time might have a ' rule for uttering its glad- ness and its glory, its lamentation and its grief.' Of this king and Psalmist we know further both his character and the circumstances of his life ; how God richly endowed his character with gifts and capacities and affections manifold, and trained and matured it by circumstances, which brought all those B 2 4 PSALMS OF DAVID [PERIOD gifts to their perfection. * He brought him up among the sheep pastures, that the groundwork of his character might be laid among simple and universal forms of feeling. He took him to the camp and made him a conqueror, that he might be filled with nobleness of soul and ideas of glory. He placed him in the palace, that he might be filled with ideas of majesty and sovereign might. He carried him to the wilderness and placed him in soli- tudes, that his soul might dwell alone in the sublime conceptions of God and His mighty works ; and He kept him there for long years with only one step between him and death, that he might be well-schooled to trust and depend upon the providence of God 1 .' Moreover, He framed him of force both of body and mind, such as to make him the natural successor to those great captains and chiefs, who had in earlier times achieved the conquests and main- tained the position of the chosen people ; of such surpassing grace, as to intertwine his name and his memory amid the very heart- strings of the nation ; and withal of such tenderness and depth of emotion, as to make him the faithfullest of friends, the most affec- tionate of fathers, of subjects the most loyal, and, whether in pathetic compassion for his people or in the sternness of his rule, the most royal of kings. Such is the portrait of David presented to us by history. If we turn from it to that collection of Psalms, which, though pro- bably formed by the union of smaller collections, has from David's pre-eminence as the Psalmist of Israel been always rightly called by his name, and if we put to ourselves this question, which of these many Psalms bear the impress of his wonderful character, what answer do we receive ? History assigns to David by name the most sublime of all autobiographies, the marvellous summary both of his inner and 1 Ir\ing. Introduction to Home on the Psalms. L] AND OF HIS TIME. 5 of his outer life, bequeathed to us in a double version in the 1 8th psalm, and in the 2nd Book of Samuel; it further gives us his lament over Saul and Jonathan 1 , his lament over Abner 2 , and those last words 3 , which ' the spirit of Jehovah uttered by his lips' as a parting lesson to the whole nation. The three latter, though not given in the Psalter, have in this version been inserted in those periods of his life to which they respectively belong 4 . Be- sides these, we find the peculiar marks of David's thought and expression indelibly stamped upon thirteen Psalms; his sense of his own dignity of soul, his l honour 5 ,' upon the 7th and 3rd; his belief 6 that he is set apart by God's grace and wonderfully raised above all other men, upon the 4th and noth. No king but David had such a sense of his majesty 7 as is expressed in the roist, or of the prophetic 8 authority with which he meets his enemies, or of tender regard 9 for his -people's welfare, as we find in the 3rd and 4th. The sternness of his rule 10 is marked in the 3rd, his love of nature, springing from his shepherd life, in the 8th, the 1 9th, and still more vividly in the 29th; perhaps also, in the 23rd. The occasion of the 32nd is to be sought in the deep repentance for the great sin of his life, which is recorded in the i2th chapter of the 2nd book of Samuel ; and of the two Psalms, which are joined together in the 24th of our Psalter, the first 11 refers to the carrying up of the ark to Jerusalem, while the second 12 , alike with the 1 5th, concerns the qualifications of life and character necessary to those who would worship in that Holy Place or dwell in that I 2 Sam. i. 19 27. 2 2 Sam. iii. 33, 34. 3 2 Sam. xxiii. i 7. 4 17, 18, 19. 5 2. vii. 5, ' lay mine honour in the dust;' 14. iii. 3 ; 12. xviii. 43 48; 2 Sam. vi. 21. 6 15. iv. 3; 12. xviii. 20 30; 10. ex. i ; 2 Sam. vi. 21. ? 12. xviii. 43 45 ; 20. 2 Sam. xxiii. I, 17. 8 15. iv. 2 5. 9 14. iii. 8 ; 7. xxix. 10 ; 2 Sam. vi. 18 ; 2. vii. 29'. 10 14. iii. 7; 12. xviii. 34 42 ; 3. xxiv. 8; 2 Sam. xxiii. 6, 7. II Comprised in vv. 710 of the 24th Psalm. 18 Comprised in vv. i 6 of the same. 6 PSALMS OF DAVID [PERIOD Holy City; and the nth, marked as David's by peculiarities of expression ! occurring only in David's Psalms, belongs to that earlier part of David's life, his persecution by Saul, of which the historical notices are most scanty. These Psalms at least are undoubtedly David's. They are marked not only by his flood of rich thought, not fully compre- hended and taken up into the national life till in later times, and by the creative power which gave it such facile expression, but by the imagery in which that thought is clothed. This imagery is peculiar, yet well suited to the life of hardship 2 and danger which David led. We seem to see him rejoicing that his corn and wine and oil were increased 3 , and fleeing from his enemies that bend their bow and make ready their arrows upon the string 4 . The words * shield ' and ' rock,' which passed into metaphors in after times, had a reality to a man who for long years carried his life in his hand; who, -fleeing from cave to cave, had no fortress but Jehovah, no panoply but the sure protection of the Almighty. Such figures are nowhere to be found in the earlier but equally warlike songs of Exodus and Judges 5 . The key-note struck by David in these seventeen Psalms re- verberates with a hundred varying echoes through the whole Psalter; sometimes loud and clear, as in the 2nd 6 and also in the 23rd, the 27th, the 64th, and the i38th 7 ; sometimes faintly, as in the fragments inlaid in Psalms of a later time 8 . 1 The discussion of the linguistic reasons, which have induced Hebrew scholars, with scarcely an exception, to assign at least these Psalms to David, hardly comes within the pro ince of this work. 2. vii. 7 ; i. xi. 2 ; 12. xviii. 4, 5, 17, 18 ; 8. xix. 5 ; 13. xxxii. 10. 15. iv. 8. * i. xi. 2. * Ex. xv. Judges v. Written, if not by David, in or near his time. All written in David's spirit, if not by his pen: all breathing much of David's elevation of soul. 8 ii. Ix. 6 9; 114. Ixviii. 13 18; 142 and 17. cxliv. i n and 12 15. Compare note on Composite Psalms, 24. xxvii. and Appendix A. j.] AND OF HIS TIME. 7 The number of Psalms here attributed to David is apparently small ; yet it is to be remarked that there is no side of his varied character which does not in them find its expression ; that there is no great turning point in his chequered life which is not set forth with a power, such as could only spring from a personal expe- rience. This is assuredly no slight confirmation of the fact that these Psalms, selected on other grounds as indubitably composed by David, were really his work. The chronological arrangement has been taken without altera- tion from Ewald's great work. NOTE. Perhaps most readers of the Psalms would be inclined to regard many more than these seventeen as composed by David. Such is possibly the case. All that is intended to be asserted here is that these are beyond all reasonable doubt from his pen ; for in each and all of them the great heart of the king is manifest ; and in none is there any sentiment or expression, which, like the i8th and I9th verses of the 5 ist Psalm 1 , points to a later age. It may be stated again here, once for all, as it has been already stated in the Preface, that there is no intention to press each single conclusion to which Ewald has come. His arrangement has been accepted as a whole ; as full of suggestive thought, edifying and generally most satisfactory. He has brought an amount of learning to bear upon this subject, at least equal to that of any other commentator ; he is marked by a rare honesty and single- ness of purpose ; and he has brought into clearer light than any pre- vious writer the greatness of David's reign as the central point of the Hebrew monarchy, and the grandeur of his genius as at least the founder, if not the author, of the Psalter. '75- 8 THE PSALMS [ 1. PERIOD I. PSALMS OF DAVID. [SECTIONS i 20.] 1. PSALM xi. 1 HPHIS Psalm must be referred to the early times of David's life, * when he had to maintain an unequal struggle against the unrelenting jealousy of SauL Well might his friends despair : they were already in peril on every side- 2 from the treachery of an unscru- pulous foe, and now there opens before them an interminable vista of dangers, which would be the lot of the righteous in a time of anarchy 3 and misrule. But their cowardly fears, so far from shaking David's trust in God, only give him an occasion for pouring forth in song the firm and simple faith 4 with which his heart is full. I. Tlie Psahnisfs answer to the despair htg -utterances of his companions: In Jehovah put I my trust ! how say ye then to my soul : i 4 flee, O ye birds, unto your hill ' ? 4 For lo, the ungodly bend their bow, 2 'they make ready their arrow upon the string, 4 to shoot privily at them that are true of heart!' 4 If the foundations be rooted up, 3 'what shall the righteous do?' II. he comforteth his soul with his conviction of the justice of God: Jehovah is in His holy palace, 4 the throne of Jehovah is in heaven ; Ver. i. unto your hill; i. e. so as to be safe from the snare of the /owler, who sets his nets on the plain ; a proverbial expression : the image is continued in ver. 2. The three utterances in vv. i, 2, and 3 are disconnected suggestions of despair from David's friends. Ver. 3. the foundations, i. e. of social order, meaning, the eternal principles of right and wrong upon which society is based ; cp. 38. Ixxv. 3, 4. 1 On the common arrangement of the Psalter, see Appendix A. 8 ?'. 2 : cp. i Sam. xviii. 9, n ; xix. i, n ; xxii. 23; xxiii. 12, 19; xxvi. 2; xxvii. i. 3 v. 3. Cp. i Sam. xxii. 19, 21. 4 vv. i, 6, 8. 2.1 BOOK THE FIRST. 9 His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men; 5 Jehovah trieth the righteous; 6 but the ungodly and him that loveth wickedness doth His soul abhor; upon the ungodly He raineth coals of fire and brimstone, 7 fiery heat is the portion of their cup. III. for He carethfor the righteous. For Jehovah is righteous, and loveth righteousness : 8 whoso is upright he shall behold His countenance. Ver. 6. trieth t i. e. proveth. Faith is perfected by trial. Cp. James i. 12. Ver. 7. The ungodly are represented (i) as overwhelmed by fire from heaven (cp. 12. xviii. 12, 13 ; Gen. xix. 24), and (2) as compelled to drink in the deadly air of the Simoom. 2. PSALM vn. HP HE 7th Psalm breathes the feeling of the time when David and -* his band were daily evading the snares laid for them by the agents of Saul. It is occasioned by the treachery 1 of a friend, named in the tradition 2 as Cush, the Benjamite, of whom nothing is known from the history, but who as a member of the tribe of Benjamin was probably an adherent of the Benjamite king. David, in the full consciousness of innocence, pours forth his indignation at the thought, that he who spared 3 the life of his bit- terest foe, should be treacherously assailed by the very arts which he so carefully eschewed. He appeals to God to come down from heaven and hold a solemn judgment upon earth, where amidst the assembled tribes the integrity of His Anointed 4 may be proved. He passes in imagination from the close of the judgment to the execution of the sentence, and in the thought of the eternity of God's justice the storm of passion is lulled to rest. I. The Psalmist pleadeth before God that his hands are clean from treachery ; Jehovah, my God! in Thee have I put my trust: i save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me ! 1 vv. 3, 4. 2 A. V. See Appendix B, On the Superscriptions. 3 i Sam. xxiv. 4; xxvi. 7. v. 5. i Sam. xvi. i UNIVERSITY 1 Ci J io THE PSALMS [ 2. lest he devour my soul like a lion, 2 and tear it in pieces, while there is none to help ! Jehovah, my God ! if I have done any such thing, 3 or if there be any wickedness in my hands ; if I have rewarded evil unto him that dealt friendly with me, 4 nay, I delivered him that without cause is mine enemy then let mine enemy persecute my soul and take it, 5 yea, let him tread my life down upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust ! II. he trusteth his cause to the everlasting justice of Cod: Stand up, Jehovah, in Thy wrath, 6 lift up Thyself with vengeance on mine oppressors ! arise up for me, and command judgment ! and let the congregation of the peoples come about Thee, 7 and return Thou above their heads on high ! Jehovah judgeth the peoples; give sentence in my cause, 8 O Jehovah ! according to my righteousness and mine innocency, so be it done unto me ! let the wickedness of the ungodly come to an end, but 9 stablish Thou the just, O righteous God, that triest the very hearts and reins. io My shield is with God, n who helpeth them that are true of heart; Ver. 2. he: the change from plural to singular points to a special enemy. Ver. 4. The abruptness with which the Psalmist interrupts the supposition of his treachery by a positive assertion of his generosity, together with metrical reasons, suggested to Ewald the idea that two lines have fallen out, which are thus supplied by a reference to i Sam. xxiv. 17 : 'If I have rewarded evil unto him that dealt friendly with me, [and enmity unto him that is at peace with me ; yea, if I have not rewarded his evil with good], and delivered him that without cause is mine enemy.' Ver. 7. on high. The Psalmist in a vision sees God leaving the judgment seat and return- ing to heaven. For similar prophetic visions of judgment, cp. 59. 1. 3 and note. Ver. ix. with God, i. e. kept in the armoury of God. 3 5J BOOK THE FIRST. n God is a judge of the righteous, 12 and a God that is angry every day. III. for He shall make the plots of the traitors recoil on themselves. May be he will whet his sword again! 13 yea, he bendeth his bow and maketh it ready, he prepare th him weapons of death, 14 his arrows he maketh arrows of fire, but lo ! he travaileth with a thing of nought, 1 5 he conceiveth destruction and will bring forth deceit; he made a grave and digged it deep, 16 and is fallen into the pit that he had made i his mischief shall return upon his own head, 1 7 his violence shall fall on his own pate ! O let me praise Jehovah according to His righteousness, 18 let me sing praise to the name of Jehovah, the most High ! Ver. 12. angry, i. e. with the wicked, which the A. V. supplies. Ver. 13. he, i. e. mine enemy. Ver. 14. arrows of fire. Cp. Ephes. vi. 16, 'fiery darts,' a metaphor from the arrows tipped with fire used in sieges. 3 5. PSALMS xxiv. xv. ci. ' I ^HE establishment of David's kingdom, the capture of Jebus, the -*- triumphal entry of the Ark from Kirjath-jearim, and the conse- cration of the city of David are commemorated in these three Psalms. On the death of Ishbosheth the throne of Israel was vacant. David, already for seven years king of the two tribes in Hebron, was called on by the united voice of the nation to fill it. Full of the spirit and the power of the King of heaven, whose vicegerent on earth he was now to be, he fixed upon the stronghold of Jebus, as the capital of his new empire. This great fortress, hitherto believed to be impregnable, was presently taken by Joab, and became from that day the city of David. 12 THE PSALMS [ 35. But if the earthly king was to have his house there, so also was the heavenly King whose power he wielded : and accordingly David's first thought was to fetch the Ark from its exile at Kirjath-jearim. The first attempt to remove it was unsuccessful L - but the king, true to his great purpose, of making his capital not only the political but the religious centre of the nation, made fresh preparations for con- veying it to the Holy City; nothing was omitted which could render the triumphal procession worthy of the great occasion, which was to lead up the ark of God to His dwelling-place in Jerusalem. The procession was headed by David himself, in his double character of priest and king 2 . Once more was heard the well-known shout which accompanied the raising of the ark during the journeys of the Israel- ites : ' Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered. Arise, O Lord, unto Thy rest ; Thou and the ark of Thy strength/ The dance was led and accompanied on the harp by the king. Amid the pealing of trumpets and the shout as of a mighty host ringing through the valleys of Hinnom and of Kidron, the procession wound its way up the steep ascent to mount Zion. Though the entire triumphal psalm is not preserved to us, we may form no indistinct idea of what it was, from the description of the holy procession in Chronicles and from the triumphal hymn of the resto- ration, which has been handed down to us in the 68th Psalm. The moment of its entry within the walls is described in one short 3 psalm. To this another short psalm is prefixed, indicating the spirit in which alone the Holy Place should be approached. The two together form a single psalm in the Authorised Version. One incident of the procession, at first sight trivial, throws a flood of light, not only upon the dramatic life of the scene, but upon the deep meaning, the new spirit which filled the soul of David 4 . To the contemptuous reproach of his wife, Saul's daughter, Michal, he replies that his dancing and playing was before the Lord, and that at such a moment of rejoicing he could not stay to think of outward honour for himself. 1 2 Sam. vi. 2. 9 10. ex. 3 3. xxiv. 7 jo. 4 2 Sam. vi. 3023. 3.] BOOK THE FIRST. 13 In this incident we have the clue to that spiritual conception of his duties and position, which distinguished David from Saul. It was in fact his spiritual conception of the true Israel, of the high privi- leges and duties of worshippers in the Holy Place 1 , and above all of the privileges and duties of a king 2 , as one who should carry out Jehovah's counsels upon earth, which distinguished David's reign not only from that of Saul, but from that of any subsequent Jewish monarch. Hence it was that the pious Israelites of later ages looked forward to the reestablishment of David's kingdom in the person of a descendant of David's house as their highest ideal, the ideal of a kingdom in which Israel should be triumphant over all its foes, and righteousness be established on the earth s . 3. PSALM xxiv. 7 10. ' I ^HIS Psalm was sung at the triumphal 4 entry of the Ark into the 4- newly conquered city. The singers were two choirs of priests, the one bearing the Ark and approaching the gates, the other already stationed there as warders. The approaching procession gives out its summons to the ancient gates of the fortress Jebus to exalt 5 themselves for their new King, a mightier King than had ever entered before, Jehovah enthroned upon His ark and leading His army in triumph to take posses- sion. The warders demand in astonishment, who this new King is ? This demand is answered first by a declaration of the new and more glorious title, by which from this time forward God was to be known. He was no longer to be, as under the Patriarchs, Elohim, ' the strong ones ;' nor as under Moses 6 , Jehovah, 'the Eternal ;' but JEHOVAH GOD OF HOSTS, the Hosts of battle, the Hosts of heaven and earth. The change is important, and is brought prominently forward in the his- tory?; David brought up the ' ark of God, whose name is called by 1 Cp. 4 and 5. * Cp. 6. ci. 3 Cp. notes, 16. ii. and 63. Ixxii. 4 2 Sam. vi. 5 Prov. xvii. 19. 6 Ex. xv. 3. 7 2 Sam. vi. 2. 18 ; vii. 25, 26. i 4 THE PSALMS [ 3. the name of the Lord of Hosts, that dwelleth between the Cherubim ;' and 'he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts!' This Psalm is the solemn inauguration of this new and great Name, thus wonderfully introduced for the first time. It was the organisation of David which gave the Israelites an army capable of coping with their ancient enemies in a fortress which had de- tied all previous efforts. This very organisation had seemed to Samuel fraught with danger to the ancient Theocracy, but the truer insight of David and the deep religious feeling of the nation found in it only a new revelation of the majesty of Jehovah, who from this time for- ward 'went 1 forth with their armies' under the new title, JEHOVAH GOD OF SABAOTH. At the words 'Thou God of Jacob' 2 the first part of the Psalm comes to a full close. The abrupt transition between the two parts has been explained, by supposing the first six verses to have been sung as a prelude by the congregation, as they wound up the ascent to Sion. The difference however is one, not only of form but of matter, and the historical treatment aimed at in the present work compels us to consider them as two separate psalms, of which the inauguration psalm is the earlier. In later times the two, as referring equally to Sion, were naturally united in a single psalm. The inauguration Psalm gains greatly in significance by standing alone ; the employment of the new name of Jehovah, God of Hosts, would in fact lose half its meaning, if the name of Jehovah in the well-known sense had occurred before in the same Psalm. Histori- cally it was the earlier of the two parts : in it Sion is about to receive the Ark and to become the Holy City, while in the later Psalm 3 the same Sion is mentioned in its already well-known character of the Hill of Jehovah and His Holy Place. Again, the didactic character of the later Psalm leads to the conclusion that it was written to sup- ply a lesson, which would not be needed until the increasing fame and grandeur of the Holy Place had attracted thither crowds of wor- shippers, the lesson namely, that the only true worshipper is he 1 119. xliv. 9. 2 v. 6. 3 4- xxiv. i 6. 4.] BOOK THE FIRST. 15 who is pure in heart and life, and that such, and such only, will receive the blessing of God. I. A choir of priests approaching the gates claim admission for the Ark. Lift up your heads, O ye gates ; 7 be ye lift up, ye doors of old, that the King of Glory may come in ! Warders reply from within. Who then is the King of Glory? 8 Choir of priests. It is Jehovah, strong and mighty, Jehovah, the mighty in battle. IT. Choir of Priests repeat their summons. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, 9 be ye lift up, ye doors of old, that the King of Glory may come in ! Warders reply from -within. Who is He, the King of Glory? 10 Choir of Priests. It is JEHOVAH, LORD OF HOSTS, He is the King of Glory. Ver. i. The old doors are to become young, and to rise to a greater height in honour of the new King. Cp. Prov. xvii. 19. The height of the gates expressed the dignity of the King for whom they were prepared. Hence the Eastern custom of building gates of extraordinary height. 4. Ps. xxiv. i 6. T N Psalm xxiv. 19 the Psalmist strives to set before the people the high ideal of the true Israel 1 . 1 Cp. introduction to 5. xv. 16 THE PSALMS [ 4. I. God is Creator of the world: who may come into His presence? The earth is Jehovah's and all that therein is, i the compass of the world and they that dwell therein, for He hath founded it upon the seas, 2 and holdeth it fast upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of Jehovah? 3 who shall stand in His Holy Place ? II. Answer. Even he that hath clean hands and a pure heart, 4 and that hath not lift up his mind unto vanity, nor sworn so as to deceive his neighbour : he shall receive blessing from Jehovah, 5 and righteousness from the God of his health ; these are they that seek Him, 6 that seek Thy face, O God of Jacob ! Ver. i. compass. The Hebrews regarded the earth as a plane surrounded by the ocean stream. Prov. viii. 27, 29. Ver. 2. founded holdeth. Water was everywhere beneath the earth, as rivers and springs shewed. The mountains were the pillars that held it in its place. Job xxvi. n ; 146. cxxxvi. 6; Gen. i. 2, 9, 10. Ver. 5. righteousness, i. e. the fruits of righteousness. health [i. e. prosperity], and blessing are often coupled with right and righteousness, as the reward bestowed upon the righteous by God. Absolute right or righteousness exists eternally in God. In the man who approaches Him and apprehends His righteousness in the grasp of a living faith, it becomes an active principle, rich in fruit, and so is often used in the Psalms as identical with health or blessing. Cp 25. xxiii. 3 ; 69. xxii. 32, and especially 123. cxxxii. 9 and 17 : also 115. Ixvii. 2 ; Ps. xlii. ji (Bible Version); Isaiah Iviii. 8 ; Jer. xxx. 17. The sentiment, if not the actual language of the whole Psalm, is repeated in Isaiah xxxiii. 15 16: at a^time when the Holy City was in peril from Sennacherib. He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly ; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions ; that shaketh his hands from the holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil ; he shall dwell on high, his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks ; bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure. Ver. 6 Jacob, i.e. the poetical name of the people of Israel. Cp. 119. vliv. 5, and note. 5.] BOOK THE FIRST. 17 5. PSALM xv. 'THHE establishment of the Ark at Jerusalem threw a sanctity over -* the entire city. The devout began to flock to it as to the centre of the national worship: the worldly and superstitious, from a growing belief in its inviolability. This belief was in David's time doubtless mingled with much lawful reverence, inseparable from the associations of the spot : nor was it till the darker times following the retreat of the Assyrians, who seemed to the Israelites to have shrunk away awe- struck at the majesty of the Holy City 1 , that the belief in the inviola- bility of Sion began to degenerate into the fanaticism which drew down the severe denunciations of the prophet Jeremiah 2 . Still David at the very first saw in the belief something far different from the religious conceptions which he wished to see growing up in the city of God, and here by this second description of the true worshipper 3 he im- pressively rebukes this and all other superstitious feelings to which the new worship may have given rise. As it is not only in David's time that the symbol has been placed above the thing signified and a superstitious efficacy attached to the externals of worship, this Psalm has an equal value for every age, in keeping before the mind the great lesson that sanctity of life and truth of heart are the absolute essentials of a spiritual religion. The true worshipper. Jehovah ! who shall dwell beside Thy tabernacle ? i who shall rest upon Thy holy hill ? Even he that walketh uprightly and doeth the thing which is right, 2 and speaketh the truth from his heart : he that keepeth not slander upon his tongue, 3 nor doeth evil to his friend, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour; lie that scorneth every vile thing, 4 but honoureth them that fear Jehovah; who hath sworn to his own hurt, and changeth not ; 5 1 See 36. xlviii. 4, and introduction to Assyrian Psalms 35 38. * Jer. vii. 3 8 ; cp. Amos iii. 9 12 ; Jer. vi. 8. 3 Cp. 4. xxiv. i 6. i8 THE PSALMS [56. he that Hath not given his money upon usury, 6 nor taken reward against the innocent : whoso doeth these things shall never fall. 7 Ver. 5. sworn and changeth not} i. e. who abides by his oath, even when he perceives that he has sworn to his own hurt. 6. PSALM ci. HE inauguration ol Sion as the seat of David 1 and the dwelling of Jehovah is commemorated in this Psalm, the true type of all inaugural Odes. Much had been done, much remained to do. The immediate task was to order the king's household 2 , including in an Eastern monarchy the government of the army and the administration of justice 3 . At such a moment a prince of less noble ambition would have been dazzled with the splendour of victory or have sunk into the pride and sensuality of Eastern royalty a weaker one would have recoiled from the difficulties before him. David, on the contrary, longs at such a crisis for the strength and enlightenment which come from communion with God. He is the vicegerent of the King of kings. From the study of God's ways he learns the secret of His government ; he feels that the true governor must be like God ; and so he sets an example for all reformers to follow, by aiming first at the reformation of his own heart. No base or ignoble thought must lurk in the soul of the anointed of God. Every base and vile thing, be it slanderer, flatterer, or ungodly man, must be banished from the Holy Place where God's honour dwelleth. I. The king, as God's vicegerent, must be pure and true; My song shall be of mercy and judgement ; i to thee, Jehovah, will I sing, Let me give heed to the way of godliness, O when wilt 2 Thou come unto me? let me walk in my house with a perfect heart ! 3 1 w. 8, 1 1. 8 v. 10. * w . 6 9. 79.] BOOK THE FIRST. 39 I will set no unholy thing before mine eyes; 4 I hate the sin of unfaithfulness, it shall not cleave unto me ! a heart of guile shall depart from me, 5 I will not know a wicked thing! II. so also the kings house and tke king's court, Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour him will I destroy; 6 whoso hath a high look and a proud heart, I will not 7 suffer him; mine eyes look unto such as are faithful in the land, that 8 they may dwell with me; whoso leadeth a godly life, he shall be my servant : 9 there shall no deceitful person dwell in my house, 10 he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight : every morning I will pluck up all the ungodly from the n land, that I may root out all wicked doers from the city of Jehovah ! Ver. x. tttcrcy; i.e. Thy mercy. He selects the two attributes of God as King which His vicegerent is most bound to imitate. Ver. 2. The cry, When -wilt Thou come unto Me ? is at the same time a prayer and, '.hough parenthetical, expresses the main thought of the psalm. The coming of God here prayed for is not outward or visible by an outward sign, as in 2 Sam. vi. 7, but rather God's spiritual presence, as in Gen. xx. 3 and Exodus xx. 18 24. David's continual hope and prayer is, that Jehovah may come and abide with him always : and this abiding presence he can only vin by striving to be like Him. Ver. 6. slandereth proud. Compare Prov. vi. 17, 18; xxi. 4; xxviii. 25. Pride is cou- pled with slander, because both have their root in self-seeking. Ver. 1 1. every morning. The morning was the time for administering justice. Cp. Jer. xxi. 12, ' execute judgement in the morning;' and 2 Sam. xv. 2. 7 9. PSALMS xxix. xix. vin. PSALMS OF NATURE. HE Hebrews were distinguished from all other nations of antiquity by one great characteristic, their belief in the unseen. This is especially marked in their lyric poetry, which, while it yield to no c 2 T 20 THE PSALMS [ 7. other in the brilliancy of its pictures and the fire of its language, rises to the height of inspiration and takes its place in the Holy Writings from the fulness and reality of its belief in the presence of God: Even as lyric poems, the Psalms of Nature are unsurpassed ; nowhere do we find greater elevation of thought or greater perfection of structure 1 . The greatness, the glory, the everlasting order of Nature are reflected on the soul x>f a poet, already filled with an abiding sense of God's presence. Old truths are illustrated and confirmed 2 by the contem- plation of Nature ; or the poet's soul is stirred to new 3 thought by some great and fearful phenomenon. The Hebrew Psalmist can never forget the living God in nature ; he apprehends and paints nature as full of God and revealing God to him in every motion ; and it is only through God that it becomes living and intelligible to him. Hence to the Hebrew poet, songs of Nature rise in reality to be Hymns of Praise. 7. PSALM xxix. THE PRAISE OF JEHOVAH IN THE STORM. HHHERE is nothing in all creation which so brings the omnipotence * of the God of heaven home to the Hebrews, nothing which makes the connexion between heaven and earth and the influence of heaven upon earth so real, as a thunder-storm. The clouds are His chariot ; the lightning is the fire of His nostrils ; if He do but touch the hills, they shall smoke. The rarity and violence of such storms in Pales- tine 4 gave them a significance elsewhere unknown. Hence it is under this image that they picture to themselves God's most tremendous judgments 5 . * Behold the name of the Lord cometh from far, burn- ing with His anger; His lips are full of indignation and His tongue is 'a devouring fire ; and His breath is as an overflowing stream.' * * * 'And the Lord shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall ' show the lighting down of His arm with the indignation of His anger, ' and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering and tempest ' and hailstones.' 1 Cp. note on page 22. 8 Cp. Pss. viii. xix. 3 Cp. Ps. xxix. * Cp. Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, c. it. p. 124. 5 Cp. Isa. xxx. 2730. 7.] BOOK THE FIRST. I. The Psalmist calleth on the angels round the throne to bow down and worship Jehovah* when He shall reveal Himself in thunder and lightning to the world. Give unto Jehovah, ye sons of God, i give unto Jehovah glory and strength ! give unto Jehovah the honour due unto His name, 2 worship Jehovah in holy apparel ! II. HARK! JEHOVAH is above the waters, 3 the God of Glory thundered, Jehovah above the waterfloods ; HARK! JEHOVAH is in power, 4 HARK ! JEHOVAH is in majesty. HARK ! JEHOVAH He breaketh the cedar-trees, 5 how Jehovah breaketh in pieces the cedars of Lebanon, . and maketh them to skip like calves, . 6 Lebanon also and Sirion like young buffaloes; HARK ! JEHOVAH how He flasheth forth flames of fire ! HARK! JEHOVAH shaketh the wilderness, 7 Jehovah shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh; HARK ! JEHOVAH maketh the hinds to calve, 8 and strippeth the forests of their leaves ; while in His palace everything shouteth, 'GLORY!' III. Jehovah hath His seat above the mighty flood ; 9 yea, Jehovah shall sit as a King for ever ! Jehovah will give strength unto His people, 10 Jehovah shall give His people the blessing of peace ! Ver. i. Sons of God, i.e. celestial Beings spoken of in Scripture as forming the court in Heaven. Cp. Job i. 6, xxxviii. 7. Ver. 3. Hark ! Jehovah, literally the ' voice of Jehovah,' or Jehovah revealed in thunder. Ver. 6. Sirion is the Sidonian name of Hermon. Cp. Deut. iii. 9. Ver. 8. palace, i. e. in heaven. Cp. i. xi. 4 ; 12. xviii. 6 ; Micah i. 2. shouteth glory. Cp. Isaiah vi. 3, ' And the Seraphim cried one with another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy is Jehovah, God of Hosts ; His glory the fulness of the earth.' ii THE PSALMS [ 8. NOTE. The closest examination of this Psalm only reveals more strikingly the perfection of its structure. It has the regular form of the paean or triumphal ode and is divided into three members : I. The Prelude, in which the Psalmist calls on the angels round the throne to do homage to Jehovah, when He shall reveal Himself in thunder and lightning to the world. II. The Body of the Psalm, in three equal strophes, each of five lines, marking the successive stages of the stonn ; ist, its distant gathering; the low faint muttering of the thunder in the far off unapproachable realms of sky ; 2nd, its sudden advance, seizing the mountains and crushing the cedars ; then, in the 3rd, it passes on and spreads over the plain and dies away ; thus making the whole universe to tremble from sky to earth, from the hills of Lebanon in the north to the wilderness of Kadesh in the south. These strophes contain the revelations of Jehovah to man, issued like royal mandates in peals of thunder. Nay more, each of these strophes is itself divided into five lines, and each line begins with a fresh burst of the storm. In strophe i we have in the first line the distant muttering of the thunder ; the peal becomes louder and clearer in lines 2 and 3 ; and in lines 4 and 5 rings with ever-increasing and more continuous roll, the voice of Jehovah, through the world. In strophe 2 the storm falls with its crashing power on the cedars ; then with bounding speed upon the mountains themselves, making them to skip like buffaloes ; and it ends with the flashing of the forked lightning. In strophe 3 we have the same structure ; the sound of Jehovah making the wilderness to tremble, sweeping in jubilant might from Lebanon to Kadesh ; bowing the very beasts in the throes of labour, while the hurricane strips the forest of its leaves, till it is hushed and lost in the diapason, which through all the world telleth of His glory. III. The Conclusion, that men should learn the protecting love of Jehovah; who though He sitteth a King above the mighty flood, shall give strength unto His people and the blessing of peace. 8. PSALM xix. THE PRAISE OF JEHOVAH IN THE FIRMAMENT AND IN THE LAW. TT is no longer storm and tempest that move the poet's soul, but the * calm bright sky which sheds its splendour every day over Pales- tine. Such a sky, unchangeable in its everlasting radiance, is the 8.] BOOK THE FIRST. 23 most eloquent witness to the glory of God the Creator, and draws* the mind of man with silent but irresistible power from the visible to the invisible, from itself to the whole universe. In this Psalm in the form at least in which it has come down to us we find in striking contrast two distinctive modes of Hebrew feeling ; the older feeling, which saw God revealed in Nature, the later, which saw God revealed in the Law. Of the former, which belongs to the time of David, these Psalms of Nature are the grandest specimens ; of the latter, which did not arise till the time of Josiah, the H9th Psalm is the most elaborate expression. The placing 1 of these two ideas side by side is not without its beauty and its interest ; but is due to the later period when the nation looked rather to the study of the Law than to the world around them for the revelation of God. I. The glory of Gcd in, Creation, The heavens declare the glory of God, i the firmament sheweth His handywork, day unto day uttereth speech, 2 night unto night revealeth knowledge ; they have neither speech nor language, 3 neither are their voices heard, but their sound is gone forth through all lands, 4 and their words into the ends of the world, where the sun hath a tabernacle to take his rest II. And he steppeth like a bridegroom from his chamber, 5 and boundeth like a giant to run his course; from the uttermost part of the heaven he hath his rising, 6 and his circuit even unto the end of it again ; and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. ******* Vei . 5. tabernacle. The sun has pitched his tent in the heavens, at the end of the world, the western horizon, in which after his daily journey he sinks to rest. Ver, 6. The train of thought in w. i 6 is manifestly incomplete ; the idea of ver. 2 is not 1 Cp. 130, Preface. H THE PSALMS [ 8. III. The glory of God in His law. The law of Jehovah is perfect and refresheth the soul, 7 the testimony of Jehovah is true and giveth wisdom unto the simple ; the statutes of Jehovah are right and rejoice the heart, 8 the commandment of Jehovah is pure and giveth light unto the eyes; the fear of Jehovah is clean and endureth for ever, 9 the judgments of Jehovah are true and righteous altogether, more to be desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold, 10 sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. IV. Moreover by them is Thy servant taught : j i and in keeping of them there is great reward ! who can tell how oft he oifendeth? 12 O cleanse Thou me from the sin that I wist not of! keep Thy servant also from presumptuous men, lest they 13 get dominion over me ! then shall I be innocent and free from great transgression ! carried out; we are not told, as we should expect after ver. 6, how the night teaches the glory of God. We see from 9. viii. 3, 'The moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained,' that the night also teaches His glory, differently perhaps but not less powerfully ; which suggests the idea, that some such beautiful words are lost after ver. 6 of this Psalm. The construction of the strophe leads us to the same conclusion, that four lines are lost, which would suffice for the expression of the missing sense. Ver. 7. The 3rd and 4th strophes are separated from the first part of the psalm by the strongest divergence both of sentiment and language. The changed rhythm and the artificial structure of the and part contrast strongly with the simpler and more powerful language of the first ; while feelings characteristic of the closing period of the monarchy appear in the expression of the Psalmist's fears, that with the ever-growing anxiety to satisfy the minutiae of a written Law his own unconscious sins against these prohibitions would also increase, and that he may be led away by the seductive or constraining influence of presumptuous men the name given in later Psalms to such as inclined to heathenism. Ver. 8. giveth light unto the eyes, i. e. of the understanding. It means in 27. xiii. 3 and Ezra ix. 8, giving light to eyes growing dim from sorrow. But here the Psalmist is speaking of the teaching and commandments of Jehovah. Ver. 13. presumptuous men. It was no easy task in those times to keep free from the seduction or constraint of the great men who inclined to heathenism. Hence the frequent 9.] BOOK THE FIRST. 25 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my 14 heart be acceptable in Thy sight, Jehovah, my rock and my redeemer ! 1 5 prayers of later Psalmists for strength; 48. liv. i 3; 41. cxli. 4; they felt that it was only by escaping this temptation they could avoid great transgression ; and that unconscious breaches of the law were more pardonable than a conscious leaning towards the ways of the heathen. This fear of falling away into heathenish ways increased still more, when the newly built Jerusalem was actually under the dominion of the heathen, 92. cxxv. 3. Ver. 15. Jehovah redeemer. This address to Jehovah is taken from 12. xviii. 2 : a fact, which suggests the idea that the later Psalmist found that psalm in the same series with the Davidic psalm, to which he appended the conclusion contained in vv. 7 15. 9. PSALM vin. THE PRAISE OF JEHOVAH IN THE CREATION OF MAN. r I ^HE great spiritual truth contained in the a first page of Scripture, *- that God made man in his own image, flashes forth in this Psalm in true lyric grandeur, a ray of light across the dark mystery of creation. This truth has been worthily expressed in some of the noblest poems s in our language, in which the proof of our heavenly origin is sought in the unsoiled purity of our infancy, in its simplicity and obedience, in the consciousness that its life is bounded by love, in its unruffled serenity and the fulness of its joy. But it is here that we find the first and grandest expression of this truth, the outcome of that Hebrew inspiration, which in an age of darkness seized upon the sublimest spiritual truths and revealed them to mankind. We learn here what is nature and what is law ; what is degeneracy and breach of law; and that God has ordained for Himself in the unconscious praise of their Creator from the mouths of babes and sucklings a stronghold against the noisy clamour of apostate men, who rebel against the divine order and lay upon God the blame of their own aberration from His order. To David, whose shepherd life on the lofty hill-sides of Judah had brought him into constant communion with God in His creation, there 1 Gen. i. 26, 27. 2 By H. Vaughan in the Retreat and by Wordsworth. See note on vet. a. 16 THE PSALMS [ 9. was nothing unnatural in the transition from the thought of man's divine origin to the contemplation of God's other works. He could think without shrinking of the contrast between his own weakness and the glories of a starlit night, between himself, the poor shepherd, 'the atom amidst the infinity of nature' and the multitudinous brilliance of the firmament. Nay more, the sense of God's omnipotence, which was nurtured by this life in the wilderness, seemed only to enhance the sense of human dignity 1 , which was so striking a part of David's character. The solitude of David's early life brought him face to face with God in two distinct ways. He realised God's omnipotence in creation with the imagination of a poet : he realised no less fully in the depths of his consciousness the living connection of man with God. This living connection with God is the source of human dignity; hence David, though a sense of the physical impotence of man was daily forced upon him by the stupendous phenomena which environed him, yet felt in the presence of God within his own soul a source of spiritual power which raised him above all material creation and affiliated him to the Divine. I. Testimony of infancy to the glory of God. Jehovah, our Lord ! i how excellent is Thy name in all the earth, Thou, whose glory is high above the heavens ! Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings 2 hast Thou ordained a stronghold for Thyself, because of Thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the revengeful man \ II. The physical weakness and spiritual dignity of man. When I consider the heavens, the work of Thy fingers, 3 the moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained; what is man that Thou art mindful of him, 4 and the son of man that Thou visitest him, 1 2. vii. 5; 12. xviii. 4348; 20. 2 Sara, xxiii. x, 17; 14. iii. 3; 15. iv. 2. 9.] BOOK THE FIRST. 27 and madest him a little lower than God, 5 and crownedst him with glory and honour ; and madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands, 6 and didst put all things in subjection under his feet, all sheep and oxen, 7 yea, even the wild beasts of the field, the fowls of the air and the fishes of the sea, 8 and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas ? III. Jehovah, our Lord ! 9 how excellent is Thy name in all the earth ! Ver. 2. By H. Vaughan in the Retreat. Happy those early days, when I shined in my Angel-infancy! before I understood this place appointed for my second race, or taught my soul to fancy aught but a white, celestial thought; when yet I had not walked above a mile or two from my first Love, and looking back, at that short space could see a glimpse of His bright face ; when on some gilded cloud or flower my gazing soul could dwell an hour, and in these weaker glories spy some shadows of eternity ; before I taught my tongue to wound my conscience with a sinful sound, or had the black art to dispense a several sin to every sense, but felt through all this fleshly dress bright shoots of everlastingness. O how I long to travel back and tread again that ancient track! that 1 might once more reach that plain where first I left my glorious train; from whence the enlightened spirit sees that shady city of Palm-trees! but ah ! my soul with too much stay is drunk, and staggers in the way: i8 THE PSALMS [ 9. some men a forward motion love, but I by backward steps would move ; and when this dust falls to the urn, in that state I came, return. And by Wordsworth, in his great Ode OH intimations of Immortality from recollections of Early ChildJiood. Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting ; the soul that rises with us, our life's Star, hath had elsewhere its setting and cometh from afar; not in entire forgetfulness and not in utter nakedness, but trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home : Heaven lies about us in our infancy ! Shades of the prison-house begin to close upon the growing boy, but he beholds the light and whence it flows, he sees it in his joy; the youth who daily from the East must travel, still is Nature's priest, and by the vision splendid is on his way attended ; at length the man perceives it die away and fade into the light of common day. Earth fills her lap with pleasures of her own ; yearnings she hath in her own natural kind, and even with something of a mother's mind and no unworthy aim, the homely nurse doth all she can to make her foster-child, her inmate, Man, forget the glories he hath known and that imperial palace whence he came. Behold the child among his new-born blisses a six years darling of a pigmy size ! See, where 'mid work of his own hand he lies fretted by sallies of his mother's kisses, with light upon him from his father's eyes! See at his feet some little plan or chart, some fragment of his dream of human life, shaped by himself with newly learned art ; a wedding or a festival, a mourning or a funeral; and this hath now his heart, and unto this he frames his song: then will he fit his tongue to dialogues of business, love or strife; but it will not be long 1012.] BOOK THE FIRST. 29 e'er this be thrown aside, and with new joy and pride the little actor cons another part ; filling from time to time his 'humorous stage' with all the persons down to palsied Age, that life brings with her in her equipage; as if his whole vocation were endless imitation. Thou, whose exterior semblance doth belie thy soul's immensity; thou best philosopher who yet dost keep thy heritage, thou eye among the blind, that deaf and silent read'st the eternal deep, haunted for ever by the eternal Mind, Mighty prophet ! Seer blest ! on whom those truths do rest which we aie toiling all our lives to find; thou, over whom thy immortality broods like the day, a master o'er a slave, a presence which is not to be put by; thou little child, vet glorious in the might of heaven-born freedom on thy being's height, why with such earnest pains dost thou provoke the years to bring the inevitable yoke, thus blindly with thy blessedness at strife? Full soon thy soul shall have her earthly freight, and custom lie upon thee with a weight heavy as frost, and deep almost as life ! 10 12. PSALMS ex. LX. xvm. DAVID'S GREAT WARS AGAINST THE HEATHEN. HPHESE Psalms shew the fruits which were produced in the hour of * peril by the fearless faith which had been the distinguishing mark of David's rule. He had seen what Saul had not seen, that the secret of the nation's strength lay in the consciousness that they were the people of Jehovah. As long as l every man did what was right in his own eyes,' the Divine election of the nation might be a tradition of the past or a possibility in the future, but it was in no true sense a reality in the present. It was an idea that might inspire a few hero-spirits : the call of Deborah and Barak might make Zebulun and Naphthali Willingly offer themselves :' and the war-cry which identified the sword 30 THE PSALMS B 10. of Gideon with the sword of Jehovah might 'strengthen the hands of three hundred to make the host of the East run and cry and flee though they lay along the valley like grasshoppers for multitude.' So 'the spirit of Jehovah had come upon Jephthah,' and had 'moved Samson at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol ;' but wild and lawless characters like these could never be the instructors of a nation. A man must first weed his own soul of evil before he can 'pluck up all the ungodly from the land,' or 'root out all evildoers from the city of Jehovah.' It was this lack of moral discipline that turned Saul, on whom the Spirit of God had once come with such force, that he 'pro- phesied among the prophets,' into 'the mistake, the failure, the ruin' he became. It was David who saw that it was not what a man does which exalts him but what he is, that it was not occasional acts of prowess but the heartfelt love of righteousness that raises a man to be the Vicegerent of Jehovah : it was David who first caught the full meaning of the great utterance of Samuel that it was a nobler task to satisfy the spirit of the Law by obedience of the life, than the letter by hecatombs of hostile spoil. David's own moral exaltation and still more the spirit of fearless justice in which he ruled had its effect upon the nation at large. The Theocracy became real to them in a sense in which it had never been before. They saw that an organized system which was based upon religion and built up of justice, was more truly the embodiment of the Divine Government than the fitful inspiration of the Judges. Thus they won the might that comes from right : they felt that a war in defence of this new organization was most truly a holy war, and that, if David was the head of it, he was not only the king but the high priest of his people. Animated by this feeling they forgot all the old 'divisions and searchings of heart,' and flocked round the standard of their king in such numbers and with such a spirit that they crushed the greatest coalition that ever threatened to destroy their religion and their nation. 10. PSALM ex. THE king is setting forth to war after prayer and sacrifice; the Prophet promises the help of Jehovah, whom in a bold figure he 10.1 BOOK THE FIRST. 31 describes as driving to the battle in His chariot of war, with the king, as His earthly vicegerent, seated at His side 1 . Fired by this thought, the imagination of the poet pictures the fight and the victory. He sees the king grasping the sacred sceptre and asserting his supremacy over his foes 2 . He sees the troops, ready to go in jeopardy of their lives for their God and for their king, glittering in their armour, like victims decked for the sacrifice, brilliant and countless as dew-drops of the summer morn 3 . Here the Psalmist pauses in his song of triumph, to begin a second strophe, as he had begun the first, with a fresh promise from Jehovah, that the golden age of the Patriarchs is to be realised once more, and that David is to be the priest as well as the king of the nation 4 . Then he returns to the thought of the impending battle, and shews that the promise was not to be barren of result ; that the king's new inviolability would be vindicated on the battle-field; that the God, whose priest he was, would fight beside him and would assert His supremacy over the kings of the Heathen by a judgment which would cover the field with the slain 5 . I. The Psalmist relateth God^s promise of help, the presages of victory, and tfie mustering of the troops ' Jehovah saith unto my lord ; <&tt tfrou on tng tigjt Janfc, i until 31 mafce t&tnc cncmtcg t6g footstool Jehovah shall send thee the sceptre of power out of Sion ; 2 be thou ruler in the midst among thine enemies ! thy people are a free-will offering in thy day of battle ; 3 in holy array, as dew-drops from the womb of the morning, thou hast the bands of thy warriors. Ver. i. Jehovah. For a similar picture of God's leadership of the Israelite host, cp. 119. xliv. 10 ; 2 Sam. v. 24, and Deut. ix. 3; Judg. iv. 14; Isa. Hi. 12, &c. Ver. 3. In holy array --warriors. Literally, 'in holy array, from the womb of the morning, thou hast the dew of thy youth.' Youth is used in the collective sense of ' youthful warriors.' There are two prominent ideas in the metaphor of the dew, (i) its numberless drops, (2) its refreshing influence. The king need have no anxiety about the insufficiency of his force: the troops, so far from dwindling away or being scattered from him, will take their stand in numbers on the morning of the battle, armed and eager for the fight ; a sight as refreshing to his eyes as dew-drops to the parched ground. 1 vv. i, 5. * v. 2. s v. 3. 4 v. 4. w. 5, 6. 32 THE PSALMS [10. II. lie appealeth to God's declaration of the sacredness of the kings office; then passe th to the description of the battle-field, Jehovah hath sworn and will not repent : 4 ijjou art a priest for eber after tfje orDer of J&elcjn^etiefe ! The Lord upon thy right hand 5 smiteth in sunder kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the heathen ; the field is full of the slain; He smiteth heads in sunder over a wide country : III. and the pursuit. he shall drink of the brook in the way, therefore shall he lift up his head. Ver. 4. The transition is, 'Thou who hast been a warrior art now a priest as well.' For the military character of the Hebrew priesthood, see Note. The union of priesthood and kingship in David was more complete than in any other sovereign of Judah. At the election of Saul the two offices were entirely distinct : and Saul's attempted usurpation of the priestly functions was severely rebuked and punished, i Sam. xiil. 9. This possibly was not without effect in causing the massacre of the priests at Nob ; certainly after the massacre the hopes of the priesthood were centred in David, as their protector and future king. Cp. i Sam. xxiii. 6, 9 ; i Chron. xii. 27. After this David was recognised as the head of the priesthood, offered sacrifices, 2 Sam. vi. 14 18, and delivered the priestly benediction. So also Solomon, 2 Chron. vt. 3. 1'hough the offices were never subsequently separated in the popular mind, there was occasionally strong antagonism between them, as in the case of Uzziah. See Biblical Dic- tionary, articles 'David' and 'Priest.' For ever, an unlimited time of which the prophet does not see or wish to see the end ; cp. the common wish 'May the king live for ever.' i Kings i. 31, &c. Cp. also, 22. xxi. 4; 23. xlv. 3 ; 49. Ixi. 7 ; Prov. xxix. 14, &c. order, i. e. manner. Thou art a priest-king as Melchizedek was. Ver. 6. smiteth heads in sunder over a -wide country. The Psalmist thus describes the appalling appearance of the field after the utter destruction of the kings, the signs of which are seen throughout the whole course of the pursuit. Cp. 2 Sam. viii. 13. Ver. 7. he, that is, ' the king ;' the change from thy, ver. 5, to he is significant ; such transitions from the second to the third person are characteristic of the Hebrew manner of conquering emotion at the close of a poem; cp. 21. xx. 9. drink brook. The king is not to lose the fruits of victory by thirst or weariness under the Eastern sun: his head shall not droop, 'for the brook which he passes on the borders shall sustain him as he drives his foe far beyond the limits of the land ;' for the need, com- pare how David longed in the heat for the water of the well of Bethlehem (2 Sam. xxiii. 15) ; how Jonathan and the people were 'faint and distressed' in the pursuit from Michmash (i Sam. xiv. 24, 29, 30, 31); how Gideon was 'faint yet pursuing' (Judges viii. 4); and how the people had murmured of old on account of the terrible thirst in the wilderness (Ex. xv. 22), till they too were relieved by the sustaining brook of Massah (Ex. xvii. 6). This last short strophe depicts as it were the calm after the storm, when the Psalmist sees clearly in faith the battle ended and the good irresistibly triumphant. BOOK THE FIRST. 33 NOTE ON THE MILITARY CHARACTER OF THE HEBREW PRIESTHOOD. THE main difficulty in the i loth Psalm lies in perceiving the con- nexion of the 4th verse with the rest of the Psalm. The clue to this difficulty will be found in the intimate association of the Hebrew priest- hood with the national wars. Hence it comes that in this battle- hymn not only the kingly, but the priestly character of David is brought out. Whereas the modern idea of priesthood is essentially peaceful, the Hebrew priesthood, from the peculiar circumstances of the early history of the nation, was impressed with a military character. ' The whole nation 7 as has been well said, 'was at once a nation of soldiers and a nation of priests 1 / The mission of the Hebrews was not to maintain their faith in a country already acquired, but to win a home for the religion of Jehovah. This could only be achieved by the forcible dispossession of the existing occupants, and on this object all the forces of the nation were concentrated. 'That zeal for God should have manifested itself chiefly in the priesthood and that they should not have hesitated to draw the sword is readily accounted for by the fact that in them the ideal of the nation culminated; they were in every sense its representatives 2 .' Thus in the wilderness the congregation formed an encampment 3 when they rested: when they moved, their morning prayer was for the 'scattering of their enemies 4 ;' in the middle went the Ark; around it marched the Levites 5 , their thighs girt with the sword 6 , the appropriate emblem of those who had earned their title to the priesthood by ready zeal in taking vengeance 7 on the ene- mies of Jehovah. In war, the trumpet 8 of the priest gave the alarm, a sign that Israel should be 'remembered before the Lord his God, and should be saved from his enemies/ Thus at their first siege, the sound of the priests' trumpets 9 was regarded as Jehovah's summons to surrender. Then, as in succeeding 10 times, the presence of the priest on the battle-field assured the troops of victory and symbolized the 1 Perowne On Psalms ii. p. 256. 2 Ibid. 3 Numb. ii. 2. 4 Ib. x. 35. 5 Ib. ii. 17. 6 Ex. xxxii. 27. 7 Numb. xxv. 7, 13; Deut. xxxiii. 9. 8 Numb. x. 8, 9. 9 Josh. vi. 16. 10 i Sam. iv. 5; 2 Chron. xiii. 12 15. D 34 THE PSALMS Divine sanction of the campaign. Often the priests not only blew the trumpets, offered the necessary sacrifice 1 and addressed the iroops 2 , but fought 3 in the ranks of the army themselves. In the monarchy, the priests played an important part in winning David his throne. Saul's massacre of the priests at Nob 4 eventually led to the enrolment of the whole priestly tribe as supporters of David ; Abiathar 5 fled to David at once with the sacred ephod and the oracular . breastplate, and remained with him during his wanderings 6 ; after- wards the Levites with the Aaronites under the chief priest Jehoiada 'came to Hebron in armed bands to turn the kingdom of Saul to him ;' Zadok, then a ' young man, mighty of valour,' came to his aid with ' twenty and two captains of his father's house 7 .' Thus the priests were knit to David and became the mainstay of his wars. Benaiah, the chief priest's son, stands out as captain of his bodyguard 8 . In David's own case the fact of his being a 'man of war' and a 'shedder of blood 9 ,' though it prevented him from building the Temple, was no bar to his receiving the rights and performing the duties of a priest. The early records supplied another example of one not of Levitical origin being acknowledged as a priest of the most High God. Melchizedek, 'the king of righteousness,' who had declared the divine sanction on Abram's warfare 10 , seemed the only fit type of this second priest-king, whose shoulders were decked with the priestly cape 11 as the champion of righteousness at home 12 and of the religion of Jehovah in the field. In this Psalm the sanction of the prophet is given to the priest- hood of the king. Throughout it breathes the spirit of Nathan, whoss words 13 inspired the nation for all time with a new and deeper con- sciousness of God's presence with His people. The occasion for such a trumpet-tongued summons to war may well be sought in one of David's great crusades against the heathen, when by the hands of his invincible captain he reduced Philistia and Moab, smote Edom l4 and Syria in the valley of salt, and held his fearful assize in the ruins of the city of Moloch 15 . 1 21, 22. xxi,xxii; i Sam. xiii. 9, 13. * Deut. xx. 2 4. are clu 11 2 Sam. vi. 14. 12 6. ci. n. 13 16. ii. " xi. Ix. note (2). 15 2 Sam. viii. 114; x; xii. 26 31. Stanley's Jewish, Church^ pp. 97 104. 11.] BOOK THE FIRST. 35 As this Psalm in its historical bearing is the glorification of the kingdom of David as God's Anointed, it will be obvious to any one, who will trace the Jewish idea of the Messiah 1 through the Prophets, that it would be especially quoted afterwards as the Psalm connecting the reign of David with that of his greater successor. 11. PSALM LX. 68 (cvin. 7 10). *T^HE 6oth Psalm is given in its entirety in 125. The shape in * which it has come down to us is one of many indications of the living interest which the Hebrews took in the history 2 of their nation. Old promises were employed in the depression of later times either to sustain the national faith or, as here, to form the text of pa- thetic appeals to God, by contrasting the state of the nation in its decline with the glorious promises of the Davidian epoch. The greater part of the Psalm is evidently due to the period of the Dispersion. The most striking passage, however, which forms its central 3 portion, and which is also quoted in another Psalm 4 , is no less evidently due to the time of David. The hopes contained in this portion of the Psalm correspond as fitly with the circumstances of David's time, as the despair in the rest of it with the feelings of the Dispersion. In a curious historical notice, which has in the Bible been prefixed as the superscription 5 , the Psalm is referred to a time of extreme national peril, when David was in sore perplexity. The kingdom was threatened on all sides. While 6 the king was campaign- 1 63. note on Messianic Expectation. * Composite Psalms. We find more than one instance of Psalms put together by later Psalmists from fragments of earlier Psalms. This very fragment of Psalm Ix. 6 ic, which, considered historically, belongs to David's Psalms, is joined by a later Psalmist to w. 8 12 of the 57th ( 52), and the two fragments, thus joined, form the io8th ( 143) of the Authorised Version. So also 24. xxvii. See note there and App. A 2 for other instances. 3 z>v g Ia 4 I4 2. cviii. 5 The superscription. A Psalm of David. When he strove with Aram of the two rivers [the Syrians of Mesopotamia] and with Aram of Zobah; when Joab returned and smote of Edom in the valley of Salt twelve thousand. J-iee Appendix B on Superscriptions. 6 Cp. 2 Sam. via. 3 16. t>2 3<5 THE PSALMS [12. ing in the north against the Syrians, the Edomites had risen in rebel- lion in the south ; and he was so hard pressed that he knew not if an army could be spared to go against them. In his perplexity he did not give way to panic, but went to enquire of Jehovah, and was comforted by the prophetic utterance which is enshrined in this fragment. A divine oracle, promising extension of the empire, God spake in His sanctuary, let me rejoice thereat, 6 IE foill Dibit* Sfcccljcm, anfc mete out tljc ballqi of jtuccotl) ! ilcafc te J&ine, an5 /Hanasscf) fe CFpJraim atoo te tj)e defence of 3)ut)aj) te J&2 gceptre! Si* for J&oab, it te J&g foajtfjpot, upon l~tiom foill 3E cagt out ober $!)ifotia foill J ttiumpj ! Ver. 6. Z-^/ ?;?^ rejoice. These words are spoken by the Psalmist. Shechem and Succoth, as ancient towns on either side of Jordan, stand for the whole of Canaan, which God will mete out for Himself, so that no enemy can take it. Vv. 7, 8. Gilead and Manasseh are Mine : Ephraim is My helmet ; Judah is My sceptre but as for My enemies, Moab shall be My tuashpot, Edom shall acknowledge Me conqueror, and Philistia shall bewail her defeat. Ver. 8. The ignominious vassalage of Moab and Edom is depicted under the image (i) of the washpot, in which the conqueror returning in triumph washed off the sweat of battle, and (2) of the ground on which [some say, the slave to whom] he flung his sandals. Over Philistia will I triumph. So it runs in the later version of this oracle, which is incorporated in the io8th Psalm. In the earlier version, contained in the 6oth, it is, * Cry aloud because of Me. Philistia,' i. e. probably * wail aloud.' But the meaning of both expressions is the same. See 125, notes. 12. PSALM xvm. HPHIS, the longest and noblest of all David's Psalms, was, as we - learn from its conclusion, sung in the last years of prosperity which crowned his life, when the surrounding nations had become his tributaries and distant nations hasted to do him homage. Thus it is a 12.] BOOK THE FIRST. 37 fervent outpouring of gratitude, not for a single deliverance, but for all the deliverances of his chequered life. The form in which this thanksgiving is cast is essentially character- istic. David loved to dwell upon the phenomena of the natural world, not merely for their own beauty or grandeur, but because they were revelations of the goodness and omnipotence of God. The sun by day 1 , the moon by night, the innocence of childhood, the high calling of man 2 , are appointed witnesses to the beneficent love of the Creator to His creatures; storm and thunder attest His personal interposition in the world, nay, His very presence on the earth 3 . As David had de- cribed the actual storm to pourtray the omnipotence of God, so here an imaginary tempest is the vehicle which he employs to convey to himself and to others the lessons of his eventful life from its rise amidst the sheepfolds to its close amidst the glories of a prosperous reign. He dwells upon his history in the consciousness that his had been no ordinary life : that as king of the nation which was appointed to be the bearer of God's true religion to the world, he could claim and had enjoyed His special protection. The unfolding of a page in the his- tory of God's kingdom in the world, had depended on the preserva- tion and prosperity of his life, and thus the powers of death and hell had not prevailed against it ; nay more, the descent of the Almighty in wrath to deliver him was in his eyes a solemn vindication of the divine order against the futile opposition of man. It is this moral purpose of the coming of Jehovah to judgment which gives its grandeur to the sublime picture of earthquake and tempest. Nor is the structure of the Psalm inferior to its subject. Composed in all probability for some great festival, it has all the regularity of structure which such an occasion would demand, and begins, as might be expected, with an exordium of unusual solemnity 4 . The key-note there struck is the special protection of God: this protection, in its relation to the king, gives the real connection to the varying and ap- parently unconnected strophes which form the body of the Psalm 5 . 1 8. xix; 9. viii. * 9. viii. 3 7 Ps. xxix. 4 vv, i, 2. 5 vv. 3 46. 38 THE PSALMS [ 12. The king, overwhelmed by a sea of trouble and sinking to the very gates of hell, cries to Jehovah. God hears from His palace on high and descends to rescue His beloved servant with all the artillery of heaven 1 . From God, the giver of strength and victory, the Psalmist passes to man the receiver. The experience of his life has taught him that the bestowal of God's gifts is neither capricious nor absolute. There is a necessary connection between human holiness and divine favour. The man who is striving for more perfect justice, for greater purity, finds within and without fresh revelations day by day of the attributes and mercy of God. The wicked, finding God as much opposed to them as they are to Him, are perpetually thwarted by the arrangements of His providence. So indissoluble is the connection between human holiness and divine favour. God was true to David because David had striven to be true to Him, and to walk before Him with clean hands and a pure heart 2 . Therefore it was that God had given him strength to drive his enemies before him 3 ; and thus the Psalm returns at its close to the note of praise with which it began 4 . I. The Psalmist praiseth God his deliverer; I love thee with all my heart, O Jehovah, my strength ! i Jehovah, Thou art my rock and my defence, Thou art my saviour and redeemer, Thou art my God and rock in whom I trust, my shield and the horn of my health, my fortress and refuge, Thou art my helper, 2 who helpest me from wrong ! I will call upon Jehovah, which is worthy to be praised; so shall I be safe from mine enemies ! II. who hath r excited him front all the perils of his life; The billows had surrounded me, 3 the floods of ungodliness made me afraid, 1 v. 19. a v. 30. 3 vu. 39, 49. vv. 47 51. 12.] BOOK THE FIRST. 39 the chains of hell had encompassed me, 4 the net of death had fallen upon me : in my trouble I cry unto Jehovah, 5 and complain aloud to my God : He heareth my cry from His palace, 6 my complaint entereth even into His ears; and the earth trembleth and quaketh, 7 and the pillars of heaven shake, yea, they tottered because He was wroth ! there went up a smoke from His nostrils, 8 and a consuming fire out of His mouth, a blast of burning coals. III. He bowed the heavens also and came down, 9 clouds and darkness under His feet ; He rode upon a cherub and did fly, 10 He rode upon the wings of the wind ; He maketh darkness to be His covering, 1 1 His pavilion round about Him, dark waters and thick clouds ; at the brightness of His presence, His thick clouds passed away, 1 2 hailstones and coals of fire ; Jehovah also thundereth from heaven, 13 and the Highest giveth forth His voice, hailstones and coals of fire ! IV. He sent forth His arrows and scattered them, 14 He hurled forth His lightning and discomfited them ; 1 5 Ver. 7. pillars. The heaven was represented by the Hebrews as resting on the hills as its foundation, which were hence called the pillars of heaven. Cp. Job xxvi. n, 'The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His reproof.' Ver. 10. cherub. The cherubim formed the moving throne of God. Cp. Ezek. x. i, ' Behold in the firmament, which was above the head of the cherubim, there appeared as it were a sapphire stone as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.' Ver. 12. hailstones. Hail was rare in Palestine and so regarded with greater awe. Cp. 7. xxix. Introduction, and Joshua x. n. 40 THE PSALMS [ 12. then were there seen the depths of the sea, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare, at Thy chiding, O Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils ! He putteth down His hand from on high and taketh me up, 16 and draweth me out of many waters; He deliyereth me from my cruel enemy, 17 from them that hate me, for they be too strong for me: they fell upon me in the day of my trouble ; 1 8 but then Jehovah was my stay, He brought me forth into a place of liberty, 19 yea, He bringeth me forth because He loveth me. V. for according to the character of every man, so doth God reveal Himself -unto him ; Jehovah rewardeth me after my righteous dealing, 20 according to the cleanness of my hands doth He recompense me, because I have kept the way of Jehovah, 21 and have not forsaken my God, as the wicked doth; for I have an eye unto all His laws, 22 and I cast not His commandments from me : I was also uncorrupt before Him 23 and kept myself from mine iniquity, and so Jehovah rewarded me after my righteous dealing 24 according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight. VI. To the holy Thou shewest Thyself holy, 25 and upright towards the upright man; Ver. 19. a place of liberty is opposed to the narrow abyss in which the Psalmist had lain. Cp. 57. xxxi. 9, * Thou hast not delivered me into the hand of the enemy Thou hast set my feet in a large room ;' and Job xxxvi. 16, * He would have removed thee out of a strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness.' Ver. 23. mine iniquity, i. e. the sin which most easily besets me. Ver. 25. shewest Thyself. That God's revelation of Himself in the soul and in the world depends upon the character of man, and that man's conception of God rises or falls with his moral life, is a decree of eternal justice. The converse of this, that our moral nature rises or falls with our conception of God is equally true : for 'man must needs assimilate him- self to what he worships.' This is well expressed by Professor Kingsley : ' It makes him at 12.] BOOK THE FIRST. 41 to the pure Thou shewest Thyself pure, 26 and to the froward as full of frowardness : yea, Thou helpest them that are bowed down, 27 and bringest down the high looks of the proud; Thou also makest my candle to shine: 28 Jehovah is my God: He maketh my darkness to be light! for in Thee I scatter hosts of men, 29 and with the help of my God I leap over their walls ; as for God, His way is upright, 30 the word of Jehovah is tried in the fire. He is a shield to all them that trust in Him ! VII. and give th David strength to subdue his enemies and make the nations tributary. For who is God save Jehovah, 31 who is a rock except our God ? He is the God that hath girded me with strength, 3.2 and cleared my way before me, He made my feet like harts' feet, 33 and setteth me upon the high places of the land; He traineth mine hands to war, 34 so that mine arms should bend even a bow of steel ; Thou hast given me the shield of Thy salvation, 35 Thy right hand upholdeth me, Thy graciousness doth lift me up ! VIII. Thou hast made room enough under me for me to go, 36 that my footsteps slip not; I follow after mine enemies and overtake them, 37 and turn not again till I have destroyed them, !ast like the false God whom he is preaching (for every man at last copies the God in whom :ie believes), dark and deceiving, proud and cruel.' Ver. 30. is tried and standeth the test Ver. 32. cleared my way, i. e. let nothing hinder me in marching against mine enemies. Ver. 33, high places of the land. The armies of the Israelites consisted entirely of nfantry at this time, and the possession of the heights secured the rrr-rjinn >fj^ figj^T- Ver. 35. graciousness, i.e. Thou stoopest to make me great. ^^>^S^ LIB/^/fj^^- RUHIVEBSITl] 42 THE PSALMS [ 12. yea, until I have smitten them that they cannot stand, 38 but fall under my feet ! for Thou girdest me with strength unto the battle, 39 Thou bowest down mine enemies under me ; Thou madest my foes to turn their backs before me, 40 as for them that hate me, I utterly destroy them. They cry aloud, but there is none to help them, 41 yea, even to Jehovah, but He doth not hear; so that I beat them small as the dust of the earth, 42 and stamp them under foot as the mire of the streets! Thou deliverest me from the strivings of the people, 43 Thou preservest me to be head over the nations ; a people whom I knew not do me service ; 44 at the hearing of the ear, they are obedient unto me, 45 even the sons of strangers do me homage, yea, the sons of strangers fade away, 46 they come forth trembling from their strongholds ! X. The Psalmist returneth to the praise of God, his deliverer. Long live Jehovah ! blessed be my rock, 47 and praised be the God of my salvation ! even the God that saw that I was avenged, 4^ and subdued the nations under me; it is Thou who deliverest me from my enemies, 49 yea, and settest me up above mine adversaries, and riddest me from the violent man ! therefore do I praise Thee, O Jehovah, among the nations, 50 and play and sing praise unto Thy name ! great prosperity giveth He unto His king, 51 and sheweth loving-kindness to His Anointed, unto David and his seed for ever ! Ver. 49. the violent man, i. e. the kings of the heatheu. 13.] BOOK THE FIRST. 43 13. PSALM xxxn. THE occasion of this Psalm is Undoubtedly to be sought in the history of Bathsheba. Secrecy 1 shrouded the king's sin for a time and prevented it from producing any affect in the world without. Within himself it bore its natural fruits, anguish of soul and body 2 , until his slumbering conscience was at length aroused by the apologue of the prophet. The peace and cheerfulness 3 which followed his confession of guilt and the prophet's assurance of divine pardon, are known to every one from the history, but the previous effects of the sin upon the Psalmist's heart find no record but here 4 . This Psalm from its penitential character is often classed with the 5 ist 5 , from which in many important features it is entirely different. The 5 ist was composed during the very bitterness of a struggle in the soul, abounds in personal experience, and is a confession of sin still unforgiven. Here the conflict is over, and the personal experience is introduced solely to impart to the world the eternal truths impressed on the Psalmist's soul : he has learnt that it is the privilege of man, as a being endowed with reason, to live in communion with God 6 , and that there is no happiness for man without openness before God, and truthful dealing with his own soul. I. The Psalmist declareth the blessing of openness before God; Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, i and whose sin is covered : blessed is the man to whom Jehovah imputeth no guilt, 2 and in whose spirit is no self-deceiving. II. quoleth his own experience ; While I held my tongue, my bones consumed away 3 through my daily complaining; for Thy hand was heavy upon me day and night, 4 my moisture became like the drought in summer. '" -2 Sam. xxii. 12. 2 v. 3. 3 vv. i, 2, and 6. 4 vv. 3 and 4. 5 75. 6 v. 10. 44 THE PSALMS [14. I acknowledge my sin unto Thee and hide not my guilt, 5 I said, 'I will confess my faults to Jehovah,' 6 and so Thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin. III. exhorteth all to turn to God, For this let every good man pray to Thee when thou mayest 7 be found; for though the waterfloods be high, they shall not come nigh him. THOU art my hiding-place, Thou shalt preserve me from trouble, 8 Thou shalt encompass me about with songs of deliverance. $ fotll teacjj tfrce, saith Jehovah, an& gjjcfo tjjec te foag 9 foljcrcin tljou sjjoulticst go, anfc t frill guide tijcc tottl) ittinc ege IV. and not to ivitJistand Him. Be not ye like to horse and mule, which have no under- 10 standing ! his mouth must be held with bit and bridle, who doth not approach Thee willingly. Great plagues hath the ungodly, n but whoso putteth his trust in Jehovah mercy embraceth him on every side. Be glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in Jehovah, 12 be joyful all ye that are true of heart. Ver. 6. and Thoiiforgcwest, i. e. Thou didst wash out the guilt of my sin. 14. PSALM in. 'T^HIS Psalm was written by David in an hour of peril and persecu- -*- tion 1 after the ark had been long established in Jerusalem*. It expresses his feelings at the time of Absalom's rebellion and possibly was sung on the very morning 3 that followed his flight from the city. 1 v. 6. v. 4. 8 v. 5. 14.] BOOK THE FIRST. 45 It is marked by many of the noblest features of his character, the sense of communion with God and calm confidence in His protection 1 , the tender love which forbids him to mention his son's name when it must be coupled with reproach, and the royal generosity which at the thought of the horrors of a civil war merges every consideration of self in a prayer for the wellbeing of the people of God 2 . I . The Psalmist ', in the hour of peril and despair, Jehovah ! how are they increased that trouble me ! i many are they that rise up against me, many there be that say of my soul, 2 'there is no help for him in God.' II. comforteth himself with the recollection of the former favours of God, But Thou, Jehovah, art a shield about me, 3 Thou art my glory and the lifter up of my head ! I call upon Jehovah with my voice, 4 and He heareth me out of His holy hill. III. renewed in the past night-season^ I laid me down and slept, 5 I am risen again, for Jehovah sustaineth me: I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people, 6 that have encamped against me round about. IV. and resigning himself to the will of God prayeth for his people. Arise then, Jehovah ! help me, O my God ! 7 Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheekbone, Thou hast broken in pieces the teeth of the ungodly ! to Jehovah belongeth the victory ! Thy blessing be upon Thy people ! Ver. i. they that trouble me, i.e. the party in the state who instigated Absalom to rebellion. Ver. 4. 7 call, expressing a habit [see (7 calt] 15 iv. 3] in contrast with the special occasion indicated by the tense (7 laid] in verse 5. 1 w. 36. * v. 8. 46 THE PSALMS [ 15 15. PSALM iv. 'H^HIS even-song 1 belongs to the same time, possibly to the same * day, as the last Psalm : but was sung in an hour of still greater trial. The king had heard meanwhile of the calumnies which had followed his flight 2 . Like all true and heroic natures, in the hour of peril and unjust persecution he awakes to a consciousness of his strength and integrity. The grandeur and royal dignity of David's character was largely due to his deep sense of the covenant between God and His Anointed 3 , and his constant endeavour to act worthily the part of God's vicegerent upon earth. His selection by Jehovah is to him an unanswerable reply to his calumniators and the surest proof of his own uprightness 4 . This trait of David's character especially endeared him to his subjects, and was preserved in two distinct narratives, wherein his sense of the reverence due to the Anointed of Jehovah is shewn by his twice sparing the life of his persecutor Saul 5 . Thus it is that in the attacks upon himself all feeling for his own personal wrongs is lost in the sense of the sin and irreverence they imply towards Jehovah 6 . The absence of any prayer or wish for revenge becomes more striking when we con- sider the feelings of the age in which the Psalms were written 7 . I. The Psalmist appealeth to God; Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness; i Thou who didst set me at liberty when I was in trouble, have mercy upon me and hearken unto my prayer. II. ttrgeth his slanderers to repent; O ye sons of men ! how long will ye blaspheme mine honour ? 2 how long will ye love vanity, and seek lying? Ver. i. of my righteousness, i. e. who upholdest my right and maintainest my righteousness 1 v. 9. 2 v. -2, 3 See particularly 12. xviii. 19 30. * v. 3. 5 i Sam. xxiv. 6; xxvi. n. 6 iru, 4 and 5. ' Ex. xxi. 24 27. Matt. v. 38. 70. xxxv. 26 ; 73. Ixix. 22 28. 16.] BOOK THE FIRST. 47 know then that Jehovah hath chosen the man that is true to Him, i Jehovah heareth when I call upon Him ! stand in awe and sin not ! 4 commune with your heart within your chamber and be still! offer the sacrifice that is due, 5 and turn ye in trust to Jehovah ! III. and prayeth for a ray ofJtelp to cheer his friends : for himself he trusteth in God. There be many that say, * Oh ! that we could see some good !' 6 lift up, O Jehovah, the light of Thy countenance upon us ! 7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, 8 more than when corn and wine increased: I lay me down in peace and straightway rest ! 9 for Thou, Jehovah, alone wilt make me to dwell in safety ! 4 Ver. 4. stand in aive be still, i.e. tremble at the thought of opposing God's elect: reflect on the folly of your endeavours, and still your slanderous tongues. Ver. 5. offer tlie sacrifice that is due, i.e. rightly due for the sin of blaspheming God and the king, in the hope that He will accept your sin-offering. Ver. 6. see some good, i.e. many of my adherents in despair say 'Would we could see some manifestation of divine favour ! ' Ver. 8. corn and ivine. Great interest was taken by the kings in the tillage of the land. At this time the * hunger, weariness and thirst ' of his army in the desert naturally turned David's thoughts into this channel. See 2 Sam. xvii. 27 29. 16. PSALM n. 6 T WILL be his father and he shall be My son 1 ,' or, as it is echoed * in the Psalms of the Restoration, 'I have found David My ser- vant ; with My holy oil have I anointed him ;...he shall cry unto Me, ' Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation ! ' And I will make him My firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth 2 . 7 Such was the great promise uttered by Nathan to David, embody- ing the vital principle of the Hebrew monarchy. From it we learn 1 i Chron. xvii. 9. 2 Sam. vii. 13. * 124 Ixxxix. 21, 27, 28. 48 THE PSALMS [ 16. how great a change of feeling had taken place in the life-time of a single generation. Samuel had shuddered at the danger of the The- ocracy, when the throne of Jehovah was assigned to a human usurper; but the greatness of David's spirit transfigured the whole idea of Monarchy. Saul had paid little attention to the fact that he was a 'Captain of the inheritance of Jehovah,' whereas the mainspring of David's actions was the sense of his relation to God, David may thus be said to have created the essential idea of the Israelite polity, that the King was only a regent in God's name, the deputy of Jehovah, and the chosen instrument of His will. So far from holding his office as an usurper he looked upon himself as the constituted witness of the do- minion of Jehovah ; and because he recognized the law, not of his own pleasure but of God, as the rule of his kingdom, he became closely associated with Nathan 1 , the great prpphet of his age, and received from him the promise of the blessing which should rest first on Solo- mon, and through him on all true kings of Israel. It is sad to think that the next important interference of the pro- phetic order after Nathan had secured the throne to Solomon, was the symbolic action of the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite, an action fraught with such momentous consequences to the future history of the Mon- archy when he 'rent the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and gave ten tribes to Jeroboam 2 .' A comparison of the utterances of Nathan embodied in this Psalm with the words of Ahijah affords a striking instance of the true moral basis on which the promises of the Old Testament rest. If we possessed the biography of Solomon by Nathan 3 we might have a touching record of the prophet pleading with the apostate king, and recalling his former promises in words like those in which a later psalmist appeals to the rulers of his time, 'I have said, Ye are gods 4 , and ye are all children of the most Highest, but ye shall die like men, and fall all the sort of you, ye princes 5 .' 1 Cp. 10. ex. 4, note. 2 i Kings xi. 31. 3 2 Chron. ix. 29. 4 So the term ' gods' is applied to ' judges' (Ex. xxi. 6): and bringing a case to trial be- fore a judge is called 'enquiring of God* (Exod. xviii. 15). Cp. also (ib. ver. 19), ' Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God' implying a reservation of the more important causes for the decision of the direct representative of God. (Cp. BibL Diet. * Judges.') Perhaps too Judges v. 8 may be thus explained. Cp. 53. Iviii, and introduction. 5 83. Ixxxii. 6, 7. 16.] BOOK THE FIRST. 49 Though the 'king 1 of peace' failed to bring true peace and prosperity 2 to the nation, yet the idea which lay at the root of the promise lived on in the hearts of the prophets and was the stay that supported them in the darkest hours of the Captivity and the text of the most sublime appeals for a national reformation 3 . This Psalm then, being based as it is on the words of Nathan, must be referred historically to the time of the coronation of Solomon. It seems to breathe the calmness of conscious power when menaced by an impending revolution ; and on this ground will best suit the perilous times which ensued on David's death. His chosen heir had hardly freed himself from the troubles of a disputed succession before he found the Empire itself menaced by disruption. The subject nations had at times moved uneasily under the law imposed upon them even in David's time: but now there seemed threatenings of a general up- heaving. The Edomites and Syrians soon broke out in open rebellion ; and it seems not improbable that the other heathen tribes had long cherished a hope that the glory of the Empire would depart with David, and had meditated a general insurrection while the power was not yet firmly grasped by the youthful hands of Solomon. But the king is still inspired with David's spirit, and though he cannot refer, like David, to a long series of deliverances 4 as the ground of his trust in Jehovah, yet he can appeal to the solemn promise of God's fatherly help 5 which was given him at his great inauguration. With the words of the prophet still ringing in his ears, he has no thought of his own per- sonal aggrandisement, but aims only at reasserting God's supremacy over the heathen, whose real aim he knows is to set themselves free from the restraints imposed upon them by the law and religion of Jehovah, and to return once more to the unbridled licence of their barbarous rites. Such counsels he feels must share the inevitable fate of all human fighting against God, and with the kindly feeling of a benevolent king 6 he solemnly counsels them to bow down ere it is too liite at the altar of the God whom they have incensed 7 . 1 Shelomoh or Solomon, i Chron. xxii. 9. 2 98. cxxii. 7, &c. 3 Cp. 37. Ixxvi. and 63. Ixxii, notes on expectation of a Messiah. 4 12. xviii. &c. 5 w. 6, 7. 6 w. 10, n, 12. 7 For an exposition of the historical meaning of this Psalm, cp. Arnold's Sermons on Interpretation of Scripture, p. 435. 50 THE PSALMS [ 16 I. The Psalmist expresseth his wonder at tJie conspiracy and at the vain boast of tlie revolted nations; Why do the nations gather themselves together, i and why do the peoples imagine a vain thing? the kings of the earth stand up 2 and the rulers take counsel together against Jehovah and against His anointed ' let us break their bonds asunder, 3 * and cast away their cords from us !' II. God heareth and repliethi He that hath His throne in Heaven shall laugh. 4 the Lord shall have them in derision; then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, 5 and terrify them in His sore displeasure : anil get it fe X fojjo Jafce anomteU i&g lung, 6 upon J&g Jolg Jill of Sum. III. the king remindeth them of the divine utterance at his coronation, Let me tell of the covenant; 7 Jehovah said unto me: tfcou art J&g gon, tfjte Sag Jafo $ fcegottcn tjee! Ver. 5. Then shall He etc. Now, while they are plotting, Jehovah looketh down in quiet scorn on them, but then, that is, if they attempt actual rebellion, He will overwhelm them with His chastisement. Observe the climax, the laugh of security, the derision of rising anger, and then the word and the terror which follows it. Ver. 6. ' /' is emphatic : 'you dare to begin a vain war, but / have anointed My king over you, and shall support him against you.' In the rapid wrathful speech, the first part of the contrast is omitted, as being sufficiently implied by the second. Vv. 79. srd strophe. The recollection of the solemn ceremony of the anointing leads the poet on to the further description of the prophetic address, which was made to him at the time. Ver. 7. this day have I begotten thee. If any man can become spiritually a new man, much more should a king be born again, at the sacred moment of his election, when all outward power is transferred to him. Then, if he is to be a king indeed, he must realize in his heart the true meaning of his kingship : the conditions of his rule were that he was to act as the vicegerent of Jehovah. This is the covenant, the statute mutually ratified by king and people, proclaimed no doubt solemnly at the coronation of Solomon as it had been at that of Saul (i Sam. x. 25) and of David (2 Sam. v. 3), when the elders of Israel reminded him of the word of the Lord, 'Thou shalt feed My people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel,' and ' king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.' 17.] BOOK THE FIRST. 5I of J&c ant) IE sjall gibe tl)ee te nations for tijiuc 8 inheritance, ant) tfte utmost parts of tijc eartjj for tjg possession, tfjou sfmlt bruise tfjem foitjj a rot) of iron, 9 anfc breafe tjjem in pieces Ufce a potter's fcessel* IV. and adviseth submission. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings, 10 be warned, ye that are judges of the earth, serve Jehovah with reverence, n and quake before Him with trembling ! take warning, lest He be angry and ye perish; 12 for His wrath is quickly kindled : blessed be all they that put their trust in Him. Ver. 12. take 'warning. The former of these words is plain and means to ' take hold of,' 'cling to,' 'kiss ;' for the latter, various readings and various interpretations are given. The Prayer Book Version ' Kiss the son,' /. e. ' do homage to the king as the Lord's anointed, 'would suit well with ver. 2, 'the rulers take counsel together against Jehovah and against His anointed;' but it is too questionable as a translation to be retained. The word translated ' Son ' is not the word used by this Psalmist in v. 7, nor was it in use till a far later period. Some accepting this meaning have consequently referred the Psalm to the Maccabean times. ' Take warning' is given by Ewald and others, who justify the translation of the LXX. and other ancient versions; but whether the sentence means 'do homage purely' ' embrace clearness* (z. e. take a clear warning), or ' do homage to Him,' the general sense is the same ; the kings are called on to show submission, lest Jehovah be angry. Jehovah is the subject of the sentence, ' lest He be angry : ' the mention of any earthly king would be here an anti- climax ; the Psalm is continually mounting from the lower to the higher, and the earthly attributes of the king are lost sight of in the sublime thought of the real identity of his rule with that of Jehovah. 17. PSALM CXLIV. 12 15. fragment forms the second part of a Composite 1 Psalm, of * which the former part 3 belongs to the latest period of Hebrew Psalmody. The simple and forcible description of a time of peace and prosperity, the picture of a people living in the happy contentment 1 Cp. Appendix A, 2. * w. x 142. 2 5? THE PSALMS [17. of pastoral life, under a religion calculated, in wonderful contrast with that of other nations, to further the highest interests of man, can hardly apply so well to any other time of their history as to the end of David's or the beginning of Solomon's reign. The mention of sculp- tured pillars supporting, like Caryatides, the inner roof of a palace, to indicate the stately beauty of their daughters, and of the nurseries of young trees, to indicate that of their sons, both point to a time when architecture was much thought of and the great works of Solomon were familiar to the people. The sudden change in the last verse of the Psalm suggests the thought, that the preceding description may have been quoted, after the manner of the Composite Psalms, in a state of things widely different. The exclamation in the I5th verse seems to form a part of the later Psalm and rather to express the longing hope that such prosperity may be their portion, than the triumphant thanksgiving of men in the actual enjoyment of it. The yearning after the prosperity of David's reign and the protection of Jehovah which this prosperity implied, is one of the most striking features of the Psalms of the period of the Return from Captivity. Prosperity of the land. Our sons are as plants, that shoot up in their youth, 12 our daughters are as pillars, yea as polished columns of a palace, our garners are full and plenteous with all manner of store, 13 our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields, our cattle are big with young, and no untimely birth, 14 no going forth to war, and no complaining in our streets; happy are the people that are in such a case; 15 yea, blessed are the people, who have Jehovah for their God ! Vcr. 14. going forth to war. Cp. Amos v. 3, alluding to the hardships of conscription. 18.] BOOK THE FIRST. 53 18-20. THE DAVIDIC PSALMS FROM THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. the Psalms of the Davidic period are appended three other. x Psalms of David, which though not contained in the Psalter, bring out in a remarkable degree the great features of his character, his justice, his intense and tender love, and that exalted grandeur, which made him at once the man after God's own heart and the realisation of Israel's brightest hopes. 18, 2 SAM. I. 19 27. TN the great battle of mount Gilboa Saul and Jonathan perished -* The dark fierce jealousy of Saul was now forgotten ; and David's passionate love for Jonathan finds free expression in this wild yet tender outburst of grief. It is Saul of the early days whom he speaks of here ; Saul the mighty warrior, the Anointed of Jehovah, the delight of his people, the father of his tenderly loved and faithful friend : and Jonathan, the greatest archer of the great archer tribe, the hero of the battle of Michmash, who with his own hand had dislodged the Philis- tine garrison from their stronghold and inflicted upon them a defeat from which they did not recover till the end of his father's reign 2 . David introduced the 'song 3 of the bow 7 among the men of his own tribe as a tribute to the memory of his fallen friend ; and so this elegy handed down from generation to generation by the bowmen of Judah, has been preserved to us, to be enshrined in the hearts of men for ever, as the monument of a pure and faithful friendship. DAVID'S LAMENT OVER SAUL AND JONATHAN. I. The beauty of the forest, O Israel, is slain upon thy heights: 19 how are the mighty fallen! Ver. 19. The beauty of the forest, i.e. the larger kind of gazelle, the name by which Jona- than was known among his comrades. 1 From 2 Sam. i. 19 27. iii. 33, 34 xxiii. i 7. 2 i Sam. xiv. 3 2 Sam. i. 18 'use of the bow.' 54 THE PSALMS [18. tell it not in Gath, 20 publish it not in the streets of Askalon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph! Ye mountains of Gilboa, let no dew nor rain come upon you 21 and your fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty is stained, the bow of Saul, not anointed with oil! from the blood of the slain; from the fat of the mighty 22 the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, 23 and in their death they were not divided, they were swifter than eagles, and stronger than lions: ye daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, 24 who clothed you in scarlet, with delights, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel! II. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle, 25 Jonathan slain upon thy heights! I am distressed for thee, Jonathan! my brother! 26 very pleasant hast thou been to me, thy love to me was wonderful, yea, passing the love of women. III. How are the mighty fallen, 2 7 and the weapons of war perished! Ver. 21. fields of offerings, i. e. your fertile slopes, so productive in offerings, not anoint- ed, i. e. the holy oil rubbed off in the mire, not, i, e. no longer. Ver. 22. the mighty, i. e. the huge giants of Philistia. Ver. 24. daughters, waiting the arrival of the king laden with spoils \delihts\ for them. Cp. i Sam. xviiL 6 and Judges v. 30. Ver. 26. passing, i. e. surpassing. Ver. 27. the weapons of war ^ i. e. those by whom the war was waged. 19.] BOOK THE FIRST. 55 19. 2 SAM. in. 33, 34. HPHE noblest side of David's character shews itself in his conduct * and feelings towards Saul and the upholders of Saul's dynasty 1 . Abner had come to David to Hebron, with 20 chief men of the tribe of Benjamin, to offer him the sovereignty over their tribe and the tribes which had been united with it. He was honourably received and sent away in peace, but Joab, the nephew of David and captain of the host, who was just returned from the pursuit of the enemy, sent messengers after him as though wishing to say something on behalf of the king. Abner returned, and was treacherously slain by Joab and his brother Abishai, in revenge for the death of their brother Asahel 2 . He was buried in Hebron ; David himself followed the bier, and lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; thus bearing witness before as- sembled Israel that Abner's death had not been, as Joab would have made it appear, the well merited punishment of a villain, but the treacherous murder of an honourable man. DAVID'S LAMENT OVER ABNER. Should Abner die as a malefactor dieth? 33 thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put in fetters; 34 as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou! 20. 2 SAM. xxiii. i 7. T^AVID was now near his death. He had already charged Solo- P"^ mon 3 with his last wishes to keep the covenant with Jehovah, on which his kingship depended. He had assembled the princes of Israel 4 , the captains, the officers and the valiant men, that he might in their presence solemnly charge the new king to complete the Temple, for which he had been allowed to prepare. And now once again he touches his lyre to sum up the experience of his life in one word of prophetic import, true not only for that, but for all time. It is the very voice of Jehovah 5 , breathed into the heart of His servant, and by him 1 Cp. 2. vii. and 15. iv. Introductions. u i Kings ii. i ii. * x Chron. xxviii. i 10; 2 2 Sam. ii. 23. xxix. 22. 56 THE PSALMS. BOOK THE FIRST [ 20. uttered for the guidance not only of his son, but of all mankind. It is as though the various notes of former Psalms were here gathered up in one grand chord, uniting and blending them all in full and perfect harmony. DAVID'S LAST WORDS. So saith David, the son of Jesse, i so saith the man who was raised on high, the Anointed of the God of Jacob and the sweet Psalmist of Israel: the spirit of Jehovah speaketh in me, 2 and His words are on my tongue; the God of Israel hath said, 3 the rock of Israel hath spoken to me; I. If a man ruleth over men justly, ruling in the fear of God, it is as when a morning is bright and the sun riseth, 4 a morning and no clouds; after sunshine, after rain the tender grass springeth from the earth. II. For is not my house so with God that He made with me 5 an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure? for all my salvation and all my desire yea, should He not make it to grow? III. But wicked men are all of them as abominable thorns, 6 that cannot be grasped with the hand: and whoso cometh near them is fenced with iron and the 7 staff of spears; and they are forthwith utterly burnt with fire. Ver. 5. covenant. The covenant between Jehovah and the king, His vicegerent on earth, like all contracts, requires witnesses to its truth and guarantees for its observance. The true prophets are the guarantees and the witnesses, and their words are the evidence upon which this covenant rests. Compare 2 Sam. vii. and 10. ex. BOOK II. PSALMS OF THE MONARCHY FROM DAVID TO THE CAPTIVITY. BOOK II. FROM DAVID TO THE CAPTIVITY, WHEN we pass from the age of David,. we pass from growth to decadence, from organization to disruption, from the enthusiasm of a golden age of spiritual elevation to a time of cold materialism or debasing superstition. The whole period from David to Hezekiah is one of degeneracy and decay. Notwith- standing some attempts at reformation, it is probable that the mass of the southern tribes deserted the Temple for the more attractive worship of the High Places. If the people of that time paid but little honour to the material temple, which was already completed, much less could they proceed with the build- ing of that spiritual temple, of which David had laid the foun- dation. That temple was composed of the noblest utterances of the Hebrew religion : it was destined to attract the devotion of the world for ages after the material temples had passed away, and it required in its builders a purity of heart and a devotion of spirit that was rarely reached except in moments of national enthusiasm. There is no indication of such a national revival till the time of the signal deliverance from the host of Senna- 60 FROM DAVID TO THE CAPTIVITY. cherib 1 . Before this revival, with the exception of a few Psalms 2 which are a part of the outcome of the Davidic epoch, the only considerable additions made to the Psalter are personal thanks- givings 3 and elegies 4 . There can be no stronger proof of the decay of religious life in the nation at large. 1 35 39- xlvi- xlviil. Ixxvi. ixxv. Ixv. 8 21 25. There are only two, the 27th and 23rd, which are deeply marked with the impress of David's time ; these, even in their present shape, are, if not actually his, at least close imitations of his style and thought. The 2oth is evidently a Temple hymn, though it breathes much of David's spirit. There remain the 2ist and 45th. Ewald suggests the possibility that these may have emanated from the northern kingdom and have been me- morials of the brighter interval ' when Jeroboam the son of Joash restored the coast of Israel according to the word of the Lord God of Israel which He spake by the hand of His servant Jonah* (2 Kings xiv. 25 28). 3 28 30. xxx. xli. Ixvi. 12 18. The thanksgiving contained in Jonah ii. should also be classed with this series. For the text of this thanksgiving, see Supplement, (HEBREW LYRICS.) 4 26, 27. vi. xili. 3134. xii. Ixii. xxxix. xc. 21.] THE PSALMS, BOOK THE SECOND. 61 BOOK II. [SECTIONS 21 63.] FROM DA VID TO THE CAPTIVITY. '21. PSALM xx. T N this Psalm we have a relic of the ancient Liturgy, an antiphonal 1 -^ Temple hymn, of which the strophes are sung alternately by the assembled congregation and the priest, while the king is offering sacri- fice on the eve of a struggle against the formidable cavalry and chariots of the heathen 2 . Such sacrifices were naturally regarded as unusually solemn and important by all nations of antiquity; as, in the case of the Hebrews is shown by the scene at Gilgal, when the king risked the displeasure of the prophet sooner than enter on the battle without the usual prayers and sacrifice 3 . This Psalm is a noble embodiment of the deep conviction that right alone is might, that * there is no restraint 4 to the Lord to save by many or by few.' Such was the spirit which animated the heroes of Israel ; in it lay the secret of their success. These were the words with which Jonathan and his armourbearer had triumphed unaided over a host of foes, and made the thousands of chariots and horsemen in which the Philistines trusted melt away in ' trembling' before the power of Jehovah 5 . The People pray for the success of the king in full assurance of victory. May Jehovah hear thee in the day of trouble ; i the name of the God of Jacob defend thee ! 1 Cp. 3, 4. xxiv. 22. xxi. etc. Judg. v. 2, 12, &c. * v. 7. 8 i^Sam. xiii. 12. Cp. v. 3. i Sam. xiv. 6. * Cp. ib. xiii. 5 ; xiv. 15, ' it was a trembling of God, ' with vv. i, 5, 7. 62 THE PSALMS [ 21. send thee help from the sanctuary, 2 and strengthen thee out of Sion ; remember all thy offerings, 3 and accept thy burnt sacrifice; grant thee thy heart's desire 4 and fulfil all thy mind ! let us rejoice in thy prosperity, 5 and set up the name of our God on high ; Jehovah will perform all thy petitions. The Priest coitfinneth the triumph of their faith* Now know I that Jehovah helpeth His Anointed, 6 and will hear him from His holy heaven, even with the saving help of His right hand ! some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, 7 but our trust is in the name of Jehovah our God : they are bowed down and fallen, 8 but we are risen and stand upright. The People. O Jehovah, save the king! 9 O may He hear us when we cry. Ver. 2. send thee help from the sanctuary, probably in allusion to the presence of the ark or rather of the ephod in battle. Once the ark was moveable (i Sam. iv. 4), now the help is to come 'out of the sanctuary of Sion.' Cp. Stanley, Jewish Church, u. p. 215. Ver. 5. thy prosperity, they see that the sacrifice of ver. 3 is accepted, and at once change their prayer into a thanksgiving for the victory which they feel is certain. set up, as an ensign. So the Bible Version, ' in the name of our God we will set up our banners.' Ver. 6. Now, because the people are so full of trust in Jehovah, and because the sacrifices have been favourably received, know I. The change from the plural to the singular marks the division between the words of the priest and those of the people. Ver. 7. chariots were part of the Ethiopian force, 2 Chron. xiv. 9. So of the Canaanites, Judg. i. 19; iv. 3, 13; Josh. xvii. 16; and occasionally of the Israelites, i Kings x. 26,29; Is. ii. 7. Ver. 9. O may He hear us. The change from the second to the third person is charac- teristic of the Hebrew manner of conquering emotion and sinking into calmer language at the close of a poem. Cp. 10. ex. 7. 22.] BOOK THE SECOND. 63 / 22. PSALM xxi. FROM the reign of Solomon onward the people dazzled by the halo of glory which had been thrown over the Monarchy, were ever more and more tempted to forget the Theocracy which underlay it : but the Prophets still remained as witnesses of the original covenant of the kingship, and their constant endeavour was to save the people from sinking into a mere abject submission to an earthly ruler by leading them to remember that in honouring the king they were honouring the Vicegerent of Jehovah, and that it was as such only that they paid him reverence. Thus in this Psalm the Prophet feels it a part of his duty to hallow the natural feelings of loyalty, and to sanctify their joy at the long-continued 1 preservation of the king, the pride and blessing 2 of their nation. The occasion of the Psalm is apparently the celebration of some solemn anniversary, such as the birthday 3 or accession 4 of the king. In many points it resembles the last Psalm, and may not improbably have been modelled upon it. It has the same antiphonal form, and is adapted in the same way for Liturgical use. Both are hymns of battle, and there are also many special resemblances in the parts assigned to the Priest and to the People 5 . But the tone is different. This is less devotional ; it speaks less of God than of the king. It is also more exultant : the one is like a litany ; the other a paean 6 . The one tells of the eve of an army's actual departure for the scene of war ; it reflects the anxious earnest thoughts of those who feel what they have at stake in the contest 7 : the other breathes the joyous confidence of the nation and their scorn for the threats of the foe 8 , when in the peaceful quiet of their homes they 9 still hope that the terror of their first appearance 10 will drive the foe from the field 11 , and that they will march forth rather .is ministers of offended justice 12 than as combatants to a hard fought neld. 1 v. 4. 2 v. 6. 3 Gen. xl. 20; Job i. 4; Jer. xx. 15; Matt. xiv. 6. 4 Hos. vii. 5. 5 VVf 7) g, 13; xx. 5, 6, 9. 6 vv. i 6; xx. 14 7 xx. i, 2, 9. 8 vv. 8i2. 9 v. 7. 10 v. 9. 11 v. 12. 12 vv. 9, 10. 6 4 THE PSALMS [ 22. The People. The king rejoiceth in Thy strength, O Jehovah, i exceeding glad is he of Thy salvation : Thou hast given him his heart's desire, 2 and hast not denied him the request of his lips ; yea, Thou forestallest him with choicest blessings, 3 Thou settest a crown of gold upon his head ; he asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it him, 4 length of days even for ever and ever. Great is his power, through Thy saving help, 5 glory and majesty dost Thou lay upon him : yea, Thou shalt make him a blessing for ever, 6 and glad before Thee with delight : because the king putteth his trust in Jehovah 7 through the mercy of the most Highest he shall not miscarry. The Priest addresseth the king. All thine enemies shall feel thy hand ! 8 thy right hand shall find out them that hate thee; thou shalt make them like a fiery oven when thou appearest ; 9 Jehovah shall destroy them in His wrath and the fire shall consume them ; their fruit shalt thou root out of the earth, 10 and their seed from among the children of men. Though they intend mischief against thee, n and imagine evil yet shall they not prevail : Ver. i. salvation, t. e. saving help. Cp. v. 5. Ver. 6. Yea, Thou shalt make him a blessing for ever. Cp. Gen. xii. 2, 'and thou shalt be a blessing.' Ver. 8. As in Psalm xx., so here it is probable that the first part is a hymn sung during the sacrifice, and that the second part represents the priest's blessing at its favourable acceptance Ver. 9. fiery oven ; cp. the doom of Sodom. Gen. xix. 28. 23.] BOOK THE SECOND. 65 for thou shalt put them to flight 12 when thou makest thy bow ready against the face of them. The People. Arise, Jehovah, in Thy strength! 13 let us sing and praise Thy power ! 23. PSALM XLV. A ROYAL MARRIAGE PSALM*. HPHE special occasion which this psalm seems to celebrate is the -* entrance of the bridal procession into the palace of the royal bridegroom 1 . With the spiritual insight of the Hebrew poets who saw the divine element underlying all human joy and woe, the psalmist cannot look on the king's justice in the judgment-seat 2 , his prowess in the battle 3 , or even on his personal beauty 4 and the happiness of the present hour 5 but as blessings sent from God and as proofs of the king's union with the Divine Ruler of the world. I. The Psalmist celebrateth the king's beauty and gracioiis presence as proofs of God's favour i My heart is overflowing with a glorious word; i 1 speak, and my song is touching the king : be my tongue the pen of a ready writer ! 2 thou art fairer than the children of men : grace is shed over thy lips; 3 therefore doth God bless thee for ever! II. and promiseth him success as a warrior because of his justice. Gird thee upon thy thigh thy sword of might, 4 thy glory and thy majesty ! Ver. 3. therefore, i. e. it is from the outward graces I conclude that the blessing of God is on thee. The recurrence of this word marks the burden or chorus of the Psalm. Ver. 4. gird thee. There may have been a special ceremony like the binding the sword ai d spur on a knight at his creation, glory and majesty, i. e. deck thyself in thy royal arms for war. * Or 'A song of loves,' as the Bible-superscription has it, cp. Appendix B. 1 vv. 10 17. 9 w. 7, 8. 3 irv. 4 6. 4 -v. 3. 5 v. 14. F 66 THE PSALMS [ 23. and in thy majesty ride on 5 in the name of truth and meekness and of right, that thy right hand may teach thee wondrous things ! thine arrows are very sharp so that nations fall before thee ; 6 they pierce even to the heart of the king's enemies ! thy throne is God's throne and endureth for ever, 7 a sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom ; thou lovest right, and hatest wrong : therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows! III. All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia; 9 out of ivory palaces the harp-strings make thee glad ! kings' daughters are among thy honourable women, 10 upon thy right hand doth stand the queen, in gold of Ophir ! \TIie Queen approachethJ\ Hearken, O daughter, consider, and incline thine ear, 1 1 forget all thine own people, and thy father's house; and let the king have pleasure in thy beauty, 12 for he is thy lord, and worship thou him : and the daughter of Tyre shall wait on thee with a gift, 13 yea, and the rich ones of the earth ! Ver. 5. and in thy majesty. The Psalmist is still dwelling on the splendour of the king's armour, in the name of truth. Cp. the knight's oath to keep faith, protect the distressed, and maintain right against might The king is to have no thought of danger, he is to trust in God who will strengthen his right hand to do deeds of prowess, which will be a lesson of God's power even to the doer, so that nations will quail before him, while the leaders fall under his arrows. Ver. 7. God's throne, i.e. the throne of the kingdom of Jehovah, cp. i Chron. xxviii. 5. A repetition of the great promise of Nathan to the house of David. Cp. 16. ii. 7, 2 Sam. vii. 14. Ver. 10. thy honourable women, or ' loved ones.' The poet pictures the new queen as already there at his right hand, i. e, exalted above all in the palace. Cp. Esther ii. 9, 17. Ver. 13. the daughter of Tyre, i.e. the Tyrians, 'the rich* of the next line: they are specially mentioned both on account of their wealth, and also their nearness to the Israelites. The Psalm is referred by many to the northern kingdom, in which case the allusion to Tyre would be specially applicable. 24.] BOOK THE SECOND. 67 [The Qiuen enteretk.} All glorious cometh the daughter of the king, 14 her clothing is of wrought gold: in raiment of needlework is she led unto the king, 15 virgins that be her fellows, bear her company, and are brought to thee ! with joy and gladness are they brought, 16 and enter into the king's palace : instead of thy fathers thou shalt have children; 17 whom thou mayest make princes in all the land. I will tell of thy name from one generation to another! 18 therefore shall the people give praise unto thee world without end! Ver. 14. Cometh^ z'. e. within the palace. This is the meaning of the P. B. translation ' all glorious within.' Ver. 17. children. The future glories of his race shall be greater than the past. Ver. 1 8. therefore depends on ver. 17. world -without end, the repetition of for ever and ever is one of the characteristics of the Psalm, cp. vv. 3, 7, and for the meaning cp. 10. ex. 4, note. 24. PSALM xxvn. is one of the Composite Psalms 1 . The first part records the triumph of a warrior's faith 2 . What terrors have the perils of war 3 for a man who has found his protection in the help of the Al- mighty? What assurance of a victorious return to his country so 1 See note on n. Ix. So the conclusion of 72. xl. 16 21 is used as an independent P^alm (Ps. Ixx.). The whole of 143. cviii. is formed by a selection of the most beautiful p arts of Pss. Ivii. and Ix. In a similar way 84. lii. is merely a repetition of Ps. xiv. In the Pialm which occurs in i Chron. xvi. 8 36, are combined the whole of 109. xcvi. and parts of ?' J 44> *33- cv. i 15, cvi. (w. i, 45, 46). It appears from this that portions of the Psalms were redistributed according to ideas which were formed of their natural fitness. In the same manner a compiler may have prefixed the first part of 3, 4. xxiv. (ver. i 6) tr the second part (ver. 7 10). as forming a suitable introduction to it: and similarly the two p irts of 8. xix. may have been combined with a view of adding the praise of God for His law tt the original Psalm of praise of Him for His works in nature. See also 116, 30. Ixvi. and Appendix A. * w. i_ 7 . 3 Vf 3< F2 68 THE PSALMS [ 24. strong as the conviction that God will not deny him the one prayer, the sole wish of his life, that he might spend his days in the Sanctuary 1 and rejoice in the service of his God? The second part 8 is the prayer of a priest or a prophet apparently in homeless exile, not in peril on the battle-field, but exposed to the persecutions of his apostate countrymen 3 . The whole spirit of this part of the Psalm is less confident and hopeful; there are notes of deeper pathos, almost of despair, in it, which are quite remote from the feeling of the first part 4 . While the spirit and imagery of the first part is Davidic, the second breathes a melancholy akin to that of Jeremiah, and pro- bably expresses the sorrows of a martyr to the religious persecu- tions at the close of the monarchy. I. Trust in God maketh the Psalmist fearless in peril; Jehovah is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? i Jehovah is the strength of my life ; of whom then shall I be afraid? when the wicked even mine oppressors and my foes 2 came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell ! though an host of men be laid against me, yet is not my heart afraid; 3 though there rise up war against me, yet have I trust withal. II. he yearneth for the protection of God's House, which he hopeth soon to revisit in triumph. One thing have I desired of Jehovah this do I long for ; 4 even to dwell in the House of Jehovah all the days of my life, to behold the fair beauty of Jehovah, and to joy in His Temple ! 1 v. 4. The fourth verse in its present form must have been written after the Temple was built ; and on this ground the Psalm is here placed in the second period ; but the spirit as well as the imagery of the whole of this part is Davidic. 8 zfzf. 814. 3 Cp. 3 with w. 12, 13, 14. 4 Cp. w. 10, ii and v. 3. 24.] BOOK THE SECOND. 69 for in the time of trouble He doth hide me in His tabernacle ! 5 yea He sheltereth me in the shelter of His tent and setteth me on a rock of stone ! and now shall He lift up mine head above mine enemies round 6 about me, that I may offer offerings of joy in His tabernacle and sing 7 and speak praises to Jehovah ! I. A plaintive cry to God to abide with the Psalmist in his need, Hearken unto my voice, O Jehovah, when I cry, 8 have mercy upon me and hear me: my heart hath mused upon Thy word; gecfe ge Jftg face ! 9 Thy face, Jehovah, do I seek ! O hide not Thou Thy face from me, 10 nor cast Thy servant away in displeasure ! Thou hast been my succour; put me not away, n neither forsake me, O God of my salvation ! when my father and my mother forsake me, 12 Jehovah taketh me up. Ver. 5. tabernacle. The same metaphor of the sheltering tent is used Is. iv. 6, ' There shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge and for a covert from storm and rain.' Is. xxv. 4, ' Thou hast been a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.' Cp. 57. xxxi. 22. For the rock (i) as a tower of strength against foes cp. 12. xviii. 33 (note), and Proverbs -\viii. 10 : 'The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe;' while, as Leighton says, ' they who know not this refuge, when any danger arises fly and f utter they know not whither :' (2) as a symbol of a sure foothold, cp. 72. xl. 2, * He brought i ie also out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay, and set my feet upon the rock.' Ver. 9. Thy word, i. e. ' Seek ye My face.' Ver. 12. when my father... for sake me. A frequent form of expression in the Prophets. Cp. Is. xlix. 15, 'Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget; yet will not I forget thee;' and Ixiii. 16, ' Doubtless Thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us and Isaac acknowledge us rot.' 70 THE PSALMS [ 25. II. and save him from the snares of his persecutors. Teach me Thy way, O Jehovah, 13 and lead me in a plain path, because of them that lie in wait for me ! deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries, i\ for there are false witnesses risen up against me and such as breathe out cruelty. III. God the only safety in peril. Oh if I had not believed verily to see the goodness of Jehovah 15 in the land of the living ! wait on Jehovah, be strong, and let thine heart take courage, 16 yea, wait on Jehovah ! Ver. 13. a plain path, i.e. free from the dangers of ambuscade. Cp. Jer. xxxi. 9, 'I will cause them to walk in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble ;' so 57. xxxi. 5, ' Draw me out of the net that they have laid privily for me.' Ver. 15. Oh.. .if I had not. The Bible Version supplies the omitted clause by 'I had fainted.' For similar expressions, cp. Luke xix. 42, 2 Sam. v. 8, 'Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites !' where the Bible Version supplies 'he shall be chief and captain.' The abruptness of the transition from ver. 14 to ver. 15 will be explained if the last two verses are attached to the ist part of the Psalm (ver. 7), to which indeed they seem to form a natural sequel. 25. PSALM xxiu. n^HE mention of 'God's House' in this 1 , as in the 2;th Psalm 2 , requires that both alike, at least in their present shape, should be assigned to a period subsequent to the building of the Temple ; but an almost universal feeling has connected this Psalm with the name of the shepherd-king of Israel. Some have seen in it a thanksgiving for some signal deliverance from the danger of famine, and have even sought the special occasion in David's joy at the loyal help of Barzillai and his friends at Maha- naim, when he was 'weary and weakhanded' in his flight from Absalom, and his 'people were hungry and thirsty in the wilderness 3 .' But such 1 v. 6. a 24 7>. 4. 3 2 Sam. xvii. 2. 25.] BOOK THE SECOND. 71 an allusion can only be looked upon as illustrating one side of the subject, and not as exhausting the full meaning of the Psalm. Whatever may have been the occasion of this Psalm, there is but one recorded life with which we can associate it. It is not easy to disconnect it from the royal shepherd on the lonely hillsides of Judah, when, in the awful presence of Nature 1 , he was 'learning the secret 01 invisible strength 2 ,' and there was 'growing in him a scorn of the strength which lies in bulk, and looks terrible to the eye 3 ' from the persecuted fugitive maintaining his independence against the selfish malice of a tyrant from the king, whose name lived on in the hearts of his people 4 , as the one prince who had governed them as the Vice- gerent of Jehovah, who had looked upon his kingdom, 'not as a prize which he had won, but as a trust committed to him, a trust which he could only administer while he remembered that the Lord was his shepherd, and that he was the shepherd of every Israelite and every man in the earth V Should it appear to any that the indescribable tenderness expressed in this Psalm ought to be looked for from some gentler and more leaning spirit than that of David, it must be remembered that the last and highest perfection which the strong nature and indomitable will can reach is that of unselfish devotion and confiding repose in the protecting love of God, in which, as David had learned from the ex- perience of a long life, lay the secret of true strength. And indeed it- is no ordinary belief in God's protection which finds expression here ; it is the tenderness of a warm and sympathetic heart, which amid the mysterious influences of Nature has realized the loving care of God by carrying out His purposes in caring for His creatures. I The loving care of God. Jehovah is my shepherd; therefore can I lack nothing: i He maketh me to lie down in a green pasture, 2 and leadeth me beside the waters of comfort ; Ver. a. waters of comfort, i. e. refreshing and restoring water. ' v. 4 ; cp. 7. xxix. 3 v. 4. v. 5; cp. i Sam. xvii. 36. 4 Ps. Ixxviii. 72; cp. Is. xl. zi. 5 Maurice, Prophets and Kings, pp. 40 53. 7* THE PSALMS [ 26, 27. He refresheth my soul, 3 and bringeth me forth in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. II. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 4 I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table for me in the face of mine enemies ; 5 Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup is full ; Thylovingkindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, 6 and I will dwell in the House of Jehovah for ever. Ver. 3. righteousness, i, e. blessedness, the fruit of righteousness. Cp. 4. xxiv. 5, note. For the intimate connexion of righteousness and happiness, cp. Balaam's prayer, ' Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his' (Numb, xxiii. 10). for His name's sake, that His name may be glorified for this proof of His faithfulness towards His servants. Ver. 4. -valley of shadow of death, or ' of trouble,' i. e. ' a valley dark and gloomy as death. ' For the dread with which the Hebrews regarded desolate scenery, cp. Hos. ii. 14, 15 ; Is. Ixv. 10, where the name 'Achor' means valley of trouble. Ver. 5. a table. God is spoken of as the host who entertains the suppliant in defiance of his pursuers, and makes him the favoured guest and constant inmate of His house. Cp. Job xxxvi. 16. anointed with oil, preparatory to a feast; cp. 41. cxli. 6, note; 132. civ. 15; Luke vii. 46. 26, 27. PSALMS vi, xm. HP HE development of the monarchy secured the nation from foreign -* attack, but produced new internal dangers. The struggles which remained for the faithful were, not against heathen enemies, but against the godless among their own people ; hence the Psalms of this period are mostly personal, and depict the alternating joy and woe of individuals rather than of the nation. The 6th and 1 3th Psalms are records of the 'victory of faith in depressing sickness and of the triumph of a good conscience over calumny 1 . Like Job, the Psalmist is afflicted with sickness, which has prostrated his strength and threatens to cut short his career of service in God's cause by an un- vi. 9, 10 ; xm. 5. ! 26.] BOOK THE SECOND. 73 timely death 1 , and is at the same time assailed by persecutors who, as birds of prey over the sinking traveller, exult over the progress of his malady, and long for his death 2 , as their crowning triumph in the war of persecution against the godly. 26. PSALM vi. I. The Psalmist apj>eafeth to God for deliverance from sickness, Jehovah ! rebuke me not in Thine indignation, i neither chasten me in Thy displeasure ! have mercy upon me, Jehovah, for I am weak, 2 heal me, Jehovah, for my bones are vexed, my soul also is sore troubled; 3 but Thou, Jehovah, Oh i how long ? II. ere it be too late: Turn Thee, O Jehovah, and deliver my soul, 4 O save me for Thy mercy's sake ! for in death no man remembereth Thee; 5 and who shall give Thee thanks in the grave? III. in, his misery 1 am weary with my groaning, 6 every night wash I my bed, and flood my couch with my tears; mine eye is dim for very trouble, 7 it is waxed old because of all mine enemies. IV. he is assured that his prayer will be answered. Away from me, all ye that work iniquity, 8 for Jehovah hath heard the voice of my weeping ; Jehovah hath heard my petition, 9 Jehovah will receive my prayer ! dl mine enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed, 10 they shall be turned back and put to shame suddenly. Ver. 3. Cp. 34. xc. 13, 'Turn Thee again, O Jehovah, how long?' 1 vi. 5 ; xiii. 4. a vi. 7, 8, 10 ; xiii. 2, 4. 74 THE PSALMS [ 27. 27. PSALM xin. I. Despair. How long wilt Thou forget me, Jehovah, for ever, i how long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me? how long shall I have trouble in my soul 2 and be so vexed in my heart all the day long, how long shall mine enemy triumph over me? II. Prayer. O look upon me, and hear me, Jehovah my God! 3 give light to mine eyes that I sleep not in death, lest mine enemy say; *I have prevailed against him!' 4 lest they that trouble me rejoice that I be cast down ! III. Trust. But as for me my trust is in Thy mercy; 5 let my heart be joyful in Thy help ! let me sing to Jehovah, because He hath dealt lovingly with me. 6 Ver. 3. 'Lest this sleep into which I am now sinking be changed into the sleep of death.' Cp. 26. vi. 5. 28. PSALM xxx. HP* HE Psalmist passes now from the despairing elegy 1 to the joyous -- thanksgiving 2 . In the calm after the storm he sees in quiet retrospect the working of God's ways in all that before had been per- plexing to his faith, and in his gratitude he feels his heart warmed towards others who are still in suffering, and pours forth his experience as a lesson of trust to them, and an indication of God's mode of dealing with mankind 3 . These Psalms of Thanksgiving were probably accompanied with music and dancing 4 , and were sung at public festivals in the Temple 5 , while the vows which had been made in suffering were discharged by the appropriate offerings. 1 ${j 26, 27. vi, xiii. * w. 6, 7. * vv. 4, 5. 4 v. 12. * v. 4. 28.] BOOK THE SECOND. 75 I. The Psalmist praiseth God for deliverance, and exhorts th others to praise Hiw ; I will magnify Thee, O Jehovah, for Thou hast set me up, i and not made my foes to triumph over me ! II. O Jehovah ! my God ! 2 I cried unto Thee and Thou hast healed me; Jehovah! Thou hast brought my soul out of the grave, 3 Thou hast called me into life from among them that are gone down to the pit ; sing praises unto Jehovah, O ye saints of His, 4 and give thanks unto His holy name ! for His wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eye ; His favour 5 for a lifetime ; heaviness may endure for a nigh t, but joy cometh in the morning. III. he telleth how his self-confidence was rebitked, but his prayer for life accepted. But in my prosperity I said, 6 'I shall never be removed!' Thou, Jehovah, of Thy goodness hadst made my hill so strong 7 Thou didst turn Thy face from me, and I was troubled : then cried I unto Thee, O Jehovah, 8 and gat me to Jehovah right humbly; Ver. 3. o^it of the grave, in Bible Version 'out of hell;' hell is the Biblical expression for the lower world, the abode of the dead: hence often used where we should say 'death,' or ' the grave,' as it is in the Creed, so 65. xvi. n, 'Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell ;' 12. xviii. 4, 'The pains of hell came about me:' where it is parallel with 'the snares of death;' 43. Iv. 16, 'Let them go down quick into hell,' i.e. alive to the grave. Also 61. ix. 17, 118. cxxxix. 7. Ver. 5. a night. Cp. Is. xvii. 14, ' And behold at evening trouble, and before the morning he (the enemy) is not ;' and liv. 8. Ver. 6. But in my prosperity I said. Cp. Deut. viii. 12, 14, 17, 'Lest when thou hast <;aten and art full, thou say in thy heart, my power and the might of mine hand.' Ver. 7. troubled. Cp. 132. civ. 29, ' When Thou hidest Thy face they are troubled ; when Thou takest away their breath they die, and are turned again to the dust.' Vv. Q ii are the words of his prayer. What profit truth, i.e. what advantage wilt Thou gain by shedding my blood, for I can render Thee no service in the grave? Cp. Isaiah xxxviii. 1 8, 19, ' For the grave cannot praise Thee ; death cannot celebrate Thee ; * * * The living, the living, he shall praise Thee, as I do this day.' 76 THE PSALMS [ 29. * what profit is there in my blood, in my going down to the grave? 9 'shall the dust give thanks unto Thee, or shall it declare 10 Thy truth ? 1 hear, Jehovah, and have mercy upon me, i r i Jehovah, be Thou my helper!' and Thou hast turned my heaviness into joy, 12 Thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, that my glory may sing unto Thee without ceasing; 13 O Jehovah, my God, I will give thanks unto Thee for ever. Ver. 10. Thy truth, i. e. fidelity, faithfulness to Thy servants who trust in Thee. Cp. 72. xl. 12, 'My talk hath been of Thy truth, and Thy salvation.' 52. Ivii. n, 'For the greatness of Thy mercy reacheth unto the heavens, and Thy truth unto the clouds ; ' where the parallelism shews, that truth is the same as ' the greatness of Thy mercy.' Ver. 12. my heaviness into joy. Literally 'mourning into dancing.' So in the next line, ' girded me with gladness ' refers to the dress of the dancer. Cp. Introduction. Ver. 13. glory, or 'praise;' that God's glorious acts of deliverance may be vocal with His praise, that so He may receive the worship due to His name for His faithfulness to His servants. Cp. 7. xxix. i, 'Ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength;' 109. xcvi. 7; 148. cxlix. 5, ' let the saints be joyful with glory,' *. e. rejoice in glorifying Him. 29. PSALM XLI. r T*HE 4 ist is another Psalm of Thanksgiving, but of a somewhat -*- different character from the last. It is marked by more personal feeling and cannot have been intended, at least originally, for a 1 Temple hymn.' The bitterness of the hatred, which finds vent in it, points to a distracted time when family feuds were rife. The authori- tative form of the cry for vengeance x seems to indicate that the writer was a man in authority, a prince or the chief of a house. He has been laid low by a deadly sickness, and at the same time has been harassed by the treachery of pretended friends, who have taken advantage of his sickness to spread malicious reports against him 2 . The Psalmist's soul revolts at the baseness of their conduct. His generous nature scorns the verdict of the world which stamps as blessed the man who succeeds in raising himself on the ruin of the unfortunate, and appeals 1 v. 10. 8 Cp. 26, 27. vi, xiii. Imrod. 29.] BOOK THE SECOND. 77 to the experience of his own life to shew that generosity is not unre- warded and that sympathy for the sick and suffering brings with it an indefeasible blessing. It is to this that he attributes God's favour as shewn in his marvellous recovery 1 . I. TJie blessing that attends sympathy for the suffering is shewn from the Psalmisfs deliverance, Blessed is he that considered! the poor and needy \ i Jehovah delivereth him in the day of trouble. Jehovah preserve th him and keepeth him alive, that he may be 2 blessed upon earth; Thou wilt not deliver him into the will of his enemies ! Jehovah upholdeth him when he lieth sick upon his bed, 3 Thou hast changed his bed of sickness into health. II. for when, he appealed to God against tlte treacherous cruelty of his enemies As for me I said : ' Jehovah, be merciful unto me ! 4 6 heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee ! * mine enemies speak evil of me ; 5 6 'when will he die, and his name perish?' ' and if he come to see me, his heart deviseth evil ; 6 ' he conceiveth mischief within himself, and when he cometh forth he telleth it. III. and their malignant joy at his suffering, ' All mine enemies whisper together against me, 7 ' even against me do they imagine evil : ' * Evil is poured out upon him, 8 6 i and from the bed whereon he lieth, he shall rise up no more.' Ver. i. poor and needy, i. e. the sick and suffering. For this meaning of the word poor, as equivalent to ' in misery,' cp in 72. xl. ver. 20 with w. 2, 15, 63. Ixix. 30. Vv. i 3. The Psalmist passes from the general blessing on sympathy for the suffering to the special blessing which he feels has attended his sympathy with others in misfortune. Ver. 6. come to see me, i. e. to visit him on his bed of sickness. He singles out one of his enemies as specially employed on this treacherous mission : cp. ver. 9. Ver. 8. evil is poured out upon him, i.e. an evil death as the fate of evil deeds. The Psalmist quotes here the words of evil which they are said to whisper (ver. 7). 1 zz/. i 4 in connexion with v. 12. 78 THE PSALMS [ 30. ' yea, even mine own familiar friend, whom I trusted, who did 9 also eat of my bread, ' hath lifted up his heel against me ! IV. his prayer was accepted. 1 But be Thou merciful unto me, O Jehovah, and raise me up, 10 ' and I shall requite them ; ' by this I know Thou favourest me, 1 1 'that mine enemy doth not triumph over me/ and in mine innocency Thou didst hold me fast, 12 and didst set me before Thy face for ever. Ver. 9. lifted up his heel, a frequent metaphor. Cp. Deut. xxxii. 15, ' waxed fat and kicked,' and i Sam. ii. 29. Ver. 12. The connexion is, * I said, Jehovah, be merciful to me,' and ' Thou (didst hear my prayer, and) didst hold me fast in my innocency ; ' all which intervenes between ver. 4 and ver. 12 is parenthetical, being the words of the Psalmist's prayer which was thus favour- ably received. The Bible Version has a i3th verse : f Blessed be the Lord God of Israel world without end. Amen.' But this is merely the general Doxology which closes the first smaller collec- tion of the Hebrew Psalter (i xli), and has no special reference to this particular Psalm. Cp. other Doxologies: 63. Ixxii. 18, 19 (and 20 in A.V.); 124. Ixxxix. 50; 133. cvi. 46. See Appendix A on the arrangement of the Psalter. 30. PSALM LXVI. 12 18. HPHE 66th Psalm is one of the Composite Psalms 1 , and consists of -* two parts entirely distinct in character and subject. The first part plainly celebrates the second great exodus of the Israelites, the return from the Assyrian captivity 2 , and was designed for a national thanksgiving. The second part, which is given here, celebrates the deliverance of an individual 3 , and was intended 4 to be sung in the Temple during the offering of the sacrifices which had been vowed in the time of need. I. The Psalmist in. a prchtde to a sacrifice of thanksgiving, I will go into Thine house with burnt offerings, 12 and will pay Thee my vows, 1 See 116 and 24, note on Composite Psalms; and Appendix A. 2 vv. 5, 10, ii. 3 Cp. esp. vv. 16 18. 28. 31,] BOOK THE SECOND. 79 which I promised with my lips, and spake with my mouth when I was in trouble. 1 will bring unto Thee fatlings with the sweet savour of rams, 1 3 I will offer bullocks and goats. II. declareth God's special goodness towards him, because of his innocency. come hither and hearken, all ye that fear God, 14 and I will tell you what He hath done for my soul ! 1 gave Him praises with my mouth, 15 yea, I called unto Him with my tongue : 'if I incline unto wickedness with mine heart, 16 'the Lord will not hear me/ III. But God hath heard me, 17 and considered the voice of my prayer; praised be God, who hath not cast out my prayer, 18 nor turned His mercy from me. Ver. 15. with my tongue. Literally ' I called unto Him with my mouth, praise under my tongue ; ' the word which the mouth dwells on being compared to a hidden treasure, as in Job xx. 12 ; ' Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under M\$ tongue, tiiough he spare it and forsake it not, but keep it still within his mouth.' Ver. 16 is a quotation from the prayer, made by the Psalmist in the hour of trouble, of which this is the leading thought: he had purified his heart before he dared to address the J . ord, and by this had won the answer to his prayer. 31. PSALM xn. HPHIS is an elegy; but not as in some preceding Psalms on the * personal sufferings and persecutions of the faithful 1 , but on the growing corruption of the nation. The Psalmist is appalled by the rottenness of society around him ; unscrupulous ambition appears to rule supreme ; truth is scorned as folly and the god of lies is enthroned in the national heart 2 . But God had not left himself without a witness. The prophets had already 1 As in 26. vi, and 27. xiii. 8 w. 2, 4, 8, and note on 47. xxxvi. So THE PSALMS [ 31. raised their voices against this corruption : Isaiah had probably already entered on his mission. The thoughts of a coming judgment and of the establishment of a righteous kingdom upon earth, which they foresaw 1 , had already become the stay and consolation 2 of the faithful. I. The Psalmist craveth help of God against the untruth, Help, Jehovah, for there is not one godly man left, i for faithfulness is minished from among the children of men ; they talk vanity, every one with his neighbour; 2 they do but flatter with their lips and dissemble in their double heart. II. and against the pride of the oppressors ; May Jehovah root out all deceitful lips, 3 and the tongue that speaketh proud things, which say, 'with our tongue will we prevail, 4 'our lips are on our side, who is lord over us?' III. but he bethinketh him of the Prophet's -words, For the oppression of the needy, because of the deep sighing 5 of the poor, 3r brill up, saith Jehovah, 5 ftrill get Jim in safetg tfjat longctf) for it The words of Jehovah are pure words, 6 like as silver which from earth is cleansed and purified seven times in the fire. Ver. -z. vanity, i.e. falsehood: cp. 142. cxliv. i;, where the parallelism shews its connexion with ' iniquity.' Ver. 3. proud things, the proud speech is given in ver. 4. Ver. 4. ivith our tongue -will we prevail, or better, ' We are allied with our tongues.' They say in their hearts, if not openly, ' Our god is that which wins us our way in the world, viz. Deceit and Lies.' Cp. Hab. i. 1 1, 16, ' They sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.' Cp. Phil. iii. 19. Ver. 6. The words of Jehovah, with reference to the oracle of God quoted in ver. 5. pure, i.e. have no admixture of flattery and deceit, as the words of men have. This is the ground of the Psalmist's confidence in the oracle, earth, i. e. from alloy of earthy particles and dross. 1 vv. 5, 6. 2 v. 7. 32, 33.] BOOK THE SECOND. Hi IV. and feeleth assured of God's protection. Thou shalt keep them, O Jehovah, 7 Thou shalt preserve him from this generation for ever ! the ungodly walk on every side, 8 when wickedness exalteth itself among the children of men. Ver. 7. them, the godly of ver. i. him, the godly sufferer who longeth for God's salva- tion [ver. 6]. Ver. 8. The last verse is a description of the words this generation in ver. 7. 32, 33. PSALMS LXII. AND xxxix. is a striking resemblance in the style and phraseology of -* these two Psalms, which seems to justify their being attributed to one author 1 . If this be the case, they supplement one another in a remarkable manner and present a noble picture of the triumph of faith over the depression arising from a sense of religious isolation and the horrors of a mortal sickness. 32. PSALM LXII. T N the 62nd Psalm, as we see the prophet contending single-handed against the apostates of his age, who in their fierce jealousy were attempting to drag him down from his spiritual preeminence, we think instinctively of Elijah; we remember how his spirit, vehement by nature and incapable of the fear of death, though nurtured in solitude, was yet crushed by the want of religious sympathy, and we are filled with admiration at the noble attitude of the author of this Psalm, possessing his soul in * quietness and confidence,* and never alone, because the Almighty is with him. I. Resignation of true faith Wait only in silence upon God, O my soul ! i for of Him cometh my salvation; Ver. x. wait upon God. Cp. Exod. xiv. 13. only. The frequent recurrence of this word is characteristic of these two Psalms. See z>v. i, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9 (but, i. e. only), and 33. xxxix. 6, r. 1 Cp. Ixii. 9 with xxxix. 6 and Ixii. 10 with xxxix. 7. 82 THE PSALMS [ 32. He only is my rock and my salvation, 2 He is my defence ; I shall not greatly fall ! II. amid the attacks of apostates. How long do ye all assail a man, and break him in pieces ? 3 as a tottering wall, a wall to be broken down? their device is only how to thrust him from his height; 4 their delight is in lies, they give good words in their mouth but curse with their heart ! nevertheless, my soul, wait only in silence upon God ! 5 for my hope is in Him; He only is my rock and my salvation, 6 He is my defence ; I shall not fall ! in God is my help and my glory, 7 the rock of my might, and my refuge is in God. III. The emptiness of human strength. O put your trust in Him alway, ye people, 8 pour out your hearts before Him; for God is our refuge ! the children of men are but a breath, and the sons of the mightyalie: 9 lay them on the balance, they are but a breath all together! O trust not in wrong, and take no pride in robbery: 10 if riches increase, set not your heart upon them ! God spake once ; twice also have I heard the same ; 1 1 that power belongeth unto God ! and Thou, O Lord, art merciful : 1 2 for Thou rewardest every man according to his work! xi. 5. Ver. ix. twice also, i.e. 'often.' Cp. Job xxxiii. 14, 'God speaketh, yea twice,' and Job e. 33.] BOOK THE SECOND. 83 33. PSALM xxxix. ' '""p-HE most beautiful of all the elegies in the Psalter.' The struggle * depicted here is not against the wicked and apostate, but against the King of Terrors. Death, awful in every age, was at this time something at the thought of which the stoutest and holiest quailed 1 . Men who believed in a sure and speedy distribution of rewards and punishments in this life from the hand of a personal God, and who had not yet attained to the conviction of a life beyond the grave, could not leave the world either with the apathy of a Stoic or with the resig- nation of a Christian. To the Psalmist the approach of death would have been appalling even amidst the sympathy of believers and the consolation of friends. How doubly bitter when the ungodly and the scoffer twit him with his afflictions as a triumphant refutation of his belief in the sure in- terposition and the omnipotence of Jehovah 2 ! His pain, he feels, must be endured in silence. But the pain 3 though long suppressed at length obtains the mas- tery, and the struggle between these two opposing feelings issues in this vehement outburst of despair, which gradually subsides, as his thoughts 4 pass from the frailty of man to the overruling omnipotence of God. In hope and in prayer to Him the desponding heart finds comfort, the highest to which we can attain short of that higher hope of victory over death. The remarkable similarity between this Psalm and the speeches of Job, contained in the chapters from the 3rd to the 3ist, can hardly be accidental, and a careful comparison of the two would lead to the belief that the Psalm was known to the writer of the book of Job and might have occasioned the attempt which is there made to find a higher solution for the difficulties and perplexities of the problem of life. 1 Cp. 26, 27. vi, xili. v . 13. 3 v. 47. 4 Cp. 8 1. Ixxvii. 10. G2 S 4 THE PSALMS [33. I. The Psaltnist would fain keep silence before the wicked, but pain him to speak. I said, 'let me take heed to my ways, i 'that I offend not with my tongue: 'let me keep my mouth as it were with a bridle, 2 'while the ungodly is in my sight!' I held my tongue and spake not of my desire, 3 but it was pain and grief to me : my heart was hot within me, 4 while I was musing the fire kindled : at the last I spake with my tongue; 4 O Jehovah, let me know mine end, 5 'and the number of my days, how long I have to live, ' that I may know how frail I am ! 'behold, Thou hast made my days as it were a span long, 6 'and mine age is even as nothing before Thee: ' verily every man living is but a breath ! 'man walketh as a vain shadow; 7 ' he disquieteth himself in vain : ' he heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them ! II. A mid his misery he findeth help in God, yet the wrath of God is terrible to htiman weakness: And now, Lord, what is my hope? ' truly my hope is even in Thee ! 'deliver me from all mine offences, 9 ' make me not a rebuke unto the foolish ! ' I am become dumb, and open not my mouth : i o ' for it is Thy doing ! 'take Thy rod away from me, n ' I am even consumed by the means of Thy heavy hand ! Ver. 3. desire, i. e. of the good which I had lost and which I wished to regain. 34.] BOOK THE SECOND. 8 5 when Thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, 12 'and frettest away his beauty as a moth, ' every man is but a breath ! III. he seeketh rest in, an. appeal to God's compassion. 4 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, and give heed to my complaint, 1 3 * hold not Thy peace at my tears ! 'for I am a stranger with Thee, 14 ' and a sojourner as all my fathers were ; ' turn away Thy face from me that I may recover my gladness, 15 ' before I go hence and be no more seen!' Ver. 12. wtoth. Cp. Job xiii. 28. Ver. 14. sojourner. Cp. Gen. xlvii. 9. Ver. 15. Thy face, i. e. ' the look of Thy displeasure,' Job vii. 19 ; xiv. 6. 34. PSALM xc. n^HIS has been called the funeral hymn of the world. The * troubles of the times in which the Psalmist's life had been cast made him realize to the full the great truth of the frailty of man and the transitoriness of all that is human. This truth has a far different significance to the spiritual and to the worldly man. To the worldly man it brings either despair or recklessness ; a folding of the hands in fatalistic indifference, or the spirit of ' Let us eat and drink, for to- morrow we die.' To the spiritual man it is the counterpart of the higher truth of the eternity of God ; the lesson it teaches him is not despair but resignation, not fatalism or frivolity but faith and earnest- ness. The criterion of man's greatness is not his power of resistance to God, but his power to co-operate with God's work and to bring his own will into harmony with the will of God. The highest prayer which man can offer to God is ' Thy will be done/ and it is only when the union between the human and the divine will is complete that the work of man can gain a blessing for itself and exert a lasting influence on the world. 86 THE PSALMS [34. I. God's power; Man's -weakness. Lord ! THOU hast been our refuge from one generation to another ! i before the mountains were brought forth, 2 or ever the earth and the world were made, from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God : Thou turnest man to destruction, 3 again Thou sayest, on Jerusalem. According to ancient custom their walls had gleamed with the splendour of the invaders' shields. See Cant. iv. 4, 'Thy neck is like the tower of Damascus, builded for an armoury, whereon they hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.' Ezekiel (xxvii. n), speaking of the splendid appearance of Tyre, says, 'They hanged their shields upon thy walls round about : they have made thy beauty perfect.' See Stanley, Jewish Church, P;ut ii. Chap. xxvi. note, to which the above references are due. Ver. 5. the proud, i. e. the warriors were stripped of their gleaming arms and powerless as though they had lost their hands and wsre sleeping the sleep of death. 94 THE PSALMS [ 37. IV. the furious shall bow before Him and all nations shall do Him homage. For the fierceness of men shall turn to Thy praise, 10 the residue of fierceness shall do Thee honour: promise unto Jehovah your God and keep your vows ! 1 1 let all that are around Him do homage to His majesty ! He moweth down the pride of princes, 12 He is terrible to the kings of the earth. Ver. 10. fierceness praise. A new view of the judgments of Jehovah. He chasteneth the heathen that they may turn to Him. Many are fallen, but the remnant of wild barbarians (residue of fierceness} shall learn His power and worship His name with praise. NOTE ON THE ORIGIN OF MESSIANIC EXPECTATIONS. Among the many national characteristics which elevated the Jews above the other nations of antiquity, none is more striking than their power of living in and for the future. Nothing in the rich heritage of religious life and aspirations has been more fruitful in important con- sequences than this. The character of the Israelites, full of religious confidence and perseverance even to obstinacy, was indeed a favour- able soil for the development of aspirations such as these : but their origin lay deeper and must be sought in the revelation of the unity of God and of the eternal justice by which the world is ruled. In any attempt to trace a part of God's revelation of Himself in the govern- ment of the world and in the heart of man, it is hardly possible to lay too much stress on the selection of the Jews for the reception of this fundamental religious truth, and their capacity of framing upon it their whole national and domestic life. Such a revelation, working on a religious assurance which loved to regard the Israelites as a chosen and favoured people, could not but produce great ideas alike in their prosperity and their adversity. In the hour of their prosperity the vulgar looked for a wider empire and a still higher state of material welfare : the pious few longed for a time when righteousness should go hand in hand with wealth and the nation be under the direct inspiration of the Almighty. In dark times when the chosen people bowed beneath the rod of the idolater or the infidel, this hope burned brighter than ever. Other nations could solve the problem of suffering righteousness and triumphant sin, either by putting evil on a level with good and assigning to each passion its 37.] BOOK THE SECOND. 95 appropriate deity, or by abandoning the world to the reign of chance could acquiesce in the apparently capricious bestowal of happiness and suffering through the denial of all moral order and government in the world. The Jews on the contrary interpreted the past and looked forward to the future by the light of a revelation which raised them above the domain of accident and the limits of human life. In their ears had rung the words ' I am the God that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt. Thou shalt have no other Gods than me.' 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord Thy God is one God,' and again, 'Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity whose name is Holy, ' I dwell in the high and holy place, with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the humble." 'There is no peace/ saith the Lord, 'unto the wicked/ Such revelations rendered fatalistic despair and fatalistic security equally impossible and made the divine government visible beneath the confusions of the world. To the Hebrews the anomalies of life were only for a time. God would vindicate Himself. Impious men and impious nations stood upon slippery ground : the righteous alone was firmly planted, and his seed should endure for ever. God would avenge His saints and exe- cute 'righteous judgment on the earth.* Thus in moments of intense national suffering prophets either raised the hope of their countrymen by depicting the house of David as again triumphant and smiting down the nations in a day of judgment and retribution, or else consoled their sorrow by describing the anointed of God as uniting hostile tribes under a reign of peace and love and leading all peoples to one fold under one shepherd. Thus as in individual life it is the peculiar blessing of the 'pure in heart' to 'see God,' to trace the working of His hand not so much in the bestowal of special blessings as in the sanctification of ordinary life, so in the history of the Jewish nation, it was a step fraught with momentous consequences, when, from a belief in the exertion of the Divine power on special occasions, they rose to the far higher revela- tion of the Almighty ruling through the order which He has appointed in His world. In the earlier period of their history it seemed that God's participation in the government of the world must be occasional a id extraordinary. Even to Samuel it was not revealed at once that the change inevitably required by the progress of the world from the irregular government of the Judges to the regularity and system of the 96 THE PSALMS [37. monarchy was itself a part of the Divine plan 1 . Thus the idea of the intervention of Jehovah through the agency of an established line of rulers, which after the reign of David was the moving idea of religious thought inseparably linked with the future of David's house, was ori- ginally not only hostile but almost fatal to the attempt to establish the monarchy at all 2 . The idea of fixing Jehovah's vicegerents to a parti- cular line seemed to Samuel impious and tantamount to rejecting Jehovah Himself. Saul's prophetic inspiration 3 proved him to be the man whom God had destined for the throne ; but when his inspiration ceased his title to the kingdom ceased with it, and the throne was be- , stowed on another inspired member of the prophet's company. Then as afterwards the prophet was raised above the king by his inspiration : for the same reason he was above the priest also. In David prophecy, kingship, priesthood were united 4 , and his manifold capacities, backed as they were by the prophetic blessing, made him to his own people the anointed representative of Jehovah, and to all subsequent ages the type of the anointed prophet and de- liverer of the nation. As is necessarily the case with every religious belief which relates to the future, the idea of God's anointed or the coming * Messiah 7 was different to different classes and in different times. To the vulgar it presented itself in the material aspect of a mighty conqueror establish- ing an earthly kingdom : the higher minds longed for a visible repre- sentative of the purposes of Jehovah and a kingdom ' wherein dwelleth righteousness.' David's character answered both conceptions. He that rose from the sheepfold to the throne, and extended his dominion from Jordan to the Euphrates, was a fit type of one who should make Israel triumphant over every foe. The man after God's own heart was a worthy ancestor for the ideal ruler of the most religious and spiritual minds. Thus it was that the first prophetic declaration of the future glory of the house of David sank deeper and deeper into the heart of the nation, as each successive ruler failed to satisfy the hopes of his contemporaries, and the military and spiritual greatness of the national hero of the past was magnified by comparison with his worthless or at best but partially successful descendants 5 . 1 Cp. i Sam. viii. 22. * Cp. Introduction to 16. iu 3 i Sam. x. 6, xi. 4 Cp. 10. ex. 4. 1 2 Sam. vii. 5 17. 38.] BOOK THE SECOND. 97 Thus the conviction that David was the true type and only worthy ancestor of the Anointed of Jehovah, the one who was to bring salva- tion to the falling empire and renewal to the spiritual life of the nation, gained greater strength and vitality as time rolled on, as the Jews saw more and more from contact with heathen empires that God's true vicegerent is he who strives to establish not his own empire but that of God, who comes to do not his own will but the will of Him that sent him 38. PSALM LXXV.* 'T^HE overthrow of the Assyrians bore to the prophets a deeper -* meaning than the mere deliverance of the hour. It was to them the visible pledge that God would for ever execute judgment in the earth, while it supplied a terrible warning against that godless arro- gance which would prove as fatal to the Jews as it had proved to the heathen. I. God at His appointed seasons appearelh to judge the world: Unto Thee, O God, did we give thanks, i we gave thanks to Thee and Thy name is nigh; men told of Thy wondrous works. 2 Jfor 3E cfjoose an appointed time (saith Jehovah); 3 $, efcen $, jufcge accor&ing to rigftt; tjje eartf) quafeetj) anfc all tf;e injjafrtirg thereof; 4 i)abe cstablfe&cl) tj)c pillars of it II. for to Him alone doth JTtdgment belong: I say unto the fools, 'deal not so madly! 7 5 and to the ungodly, ' set not up your horn!' Ver. 2. wondrous works, i. e. Thy presence is revealed in the wondrous works which we have seen. This serves to introduce the words of Jehovah, proclaiming that His judgment coineth indue time, unalterable as the everlasting hills, on which y& pillars He hath established the earth. Cp. 4. xxiv. w. i 6 note. Ver. 4. pillars, i. e. mountains. Cp. 4. xxiv. i, 2 and note. Ver. 5. The word horn was used by the Hebrews metaphorically to express either honour, as | 136. cxii. 9, 123. cxxxii. 18, etc., or strength, Mic. iv. 13, ' I will make thine horn iron,' and Deut. xxxiii. 17, etc. To humble and cast down was often represented by the figure of bre;iking or cutting off the horn, as here (ver. n). So Lam. ii. 3, ' Cut off all the horn of Israel.' To axalt the horn of any one (or to make it bud) was to bestow honour and dignity upon him. * See 35, Introduction. 9 8 THE PSALMS [ 39, set not up your horn on high, 6 and speak not with a stiff neck ! for neither from the east, nor from the west, 7 nor from the desert, nor from the hills but God will judge ; He putteth down one and setteth up another ! in the hand of Jehovah there is a cup ; 9 the wine is red, full mixed ; He poureth out of the same ; as for the dregs thereof all the ungodly of the earth 10 shall drink them and suck them out. III. and He judge th the folk righteously. But I will talk of the God of Jacob, 1 1 and sing praises unto Him for ever; all t|)e j)ornv. 4, 5, compared with Isaiah xi. n xii. 3. H 2 ioo THE PSALMS [4063. III. so also for the gracious rain which He hath sent upon the land. Thou hast visited the earth and watered it, 9 and enriched it with the rain of heaven in full stream; Thou refreshedst her corn, for so Thou refreshest the earth; 10 Thou wateredst her furrows and washedstdown the ridges thereof, 1 1 Thou madest it soft with showers, and blessedst the springing of it : Thou hast crowned the year with Thy goodness i 2 and Thy footsteps drop fatness : the very pastures of the wilderness drop fatness, 13 and the hills deck themselves with rejoicing, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks; 14 the valleys also stand so thick with corn, that they rejoice and shout for joy. Ver. 12. fatness. Compare Job xxxviii. 26 30. Fruits and flowers spring up in His footsteps when Jehovah descends to bless the earth. Ver. 14. they, this is interpreted by some commentators as referring to the cultivators ' that men rejoice and shout for joy.' 40 63. PSALMS COMPOSED AFTER THE ASSYRIAN INVASION. HPHE overthrow of the Assyrians strengthened for a time the hands -* of the faithful worshippers of Jehovah, and facilitated the reforms of Hezekiah. The reformation however was only superficial, and was due rather to the influence of Isaiah upon the court than to any real impression made on the people at large. Idolatry had been generally connected with the foreign policy of the kings of Judah, as a necessary- step towards extending their relations with foreign nations. The masses, no doubt, were easily influenced by the seductive argument of worldly advantage. In the golden era of the Jewish monarchy under David, religious zeal and national prosperity had been united and were hence not unnaturally regarded as inseparable. The doctrine that prosperity is the test of the possession of religious truth, perilous at all times, was especially dangerous in a materialistic age, when the 4042.] BOOK THE SECOND. 10. Hebrews felt themselves surpassed in wealth, empire and military renown. It was a true instinct which made the officers of Hezekiah 1 beg Rabshakeh not to speak in the Jewish tongue. They knew that the material prosperity, the splendour and centralization of the Assyrians would prove to the vulgar an unanswerable argument in favour of the Assyrian religion. Even Hezekiah, yielding probably to the popular wish, concluded an alliance with Egypt and thus paved the way for the abandoned heathenism of Manasseh. To the sensuality insepar- able from oriental idolatry this monarch added the most pitiless persecution. Nothing was omitted which could insult and eradicate the worship of Jehovah. The faithful few glowed with indignation not only at the outrages offered to their religion and their God, but at the sufferings of their own friends who daily sealed their confession in blood amidst the triumph and mockery of the dissolute and profane. Such a period was obviously ill calculated to produce the highest forms of religious poetry. Most of the Psalms composed in it breathe the spirit only too natural to such an epoch. Though in some 2 despair and bitterness yield to the soothing influences of a pure and unshaken faith, yet others 3 give free vent to the exasperation produced by the most harrowing scenes of an unparalleled persecution. Many find in the maledictory expressions of these Psalms senti- ments repugnant to the more charitable dictates of their own religion ; they should bear in mind that the Psalter the imperishable monu- ment of the poetical and religious inspiration of the Hebrews was composed before God had revealed Himself to the world as a God not only of vengeance but of mercy. 40 42. PSALMS CXL, CXLI, CXLII. 'T^HESE Psalms apparently belong to the period following the -* Assyrian invasion. The wide separation between the followers cf Jehovah and the idolatrous faction has already begun. Seduc- tive artifices, threats and violence are employed to induce the faithful to apostatize. 1 2 Kings xviii. 26. 2 42. cxlii, 47. xxxvi. 3 4- c *l 102 THE PSALMS [ 40. The juxtaposition of three such Psalms in the Hebrew Psalter is not due to accidental arrangement. The similarity of language, the frequent recurrence of the same metaphors 1 , the increasing severity of the trial to which the faithful are exposed, have always been considered conclusive evidence of their common authorship. United together they form a dramatic whole. The Psalmist is a man of position 2 , whose fate is a matter of deep interest to the whole company of the faithful 3 . He is victorious in a triple trial. We see him triumphant over the malicious assaults of treachery and slander, unmoved by the allure- ments of insidious flattery, and finally unshaken by the horrors of an Eastern dungeon. 40. PSALM CXL.* I. Prayer for deliverance front tlie malice Deliver me, O Jehovah, from the evil man, and preserve me from the violent man, who imagine mischief in their heart, and stir up strife all the day long : they have sharpened their tongues like a serpent, adders' poison is under their lips. II. and snares of the ungodly. Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the ungodly, preserve me from the violent men, who are purposed to overthrow my goings ! the proud have laid cords for me and snares ; they have spread a net by the side of my path, they have set traps for me. III. TJie P salmis fs Jtofe is in Jehovah, I say to Jehovah, 'Thou art my God/ hear, O Jehovah, the voice of my prayers ! 1 cxl. 5, cxli. 10, cxlii. 3. 8 cxli. 8. 3 cxlii. 9. * See 40-42, Introduction 41 J BOOK THE SECOND. 103 the Lord Jehovah is the strength of my health, 7 a helmet for my head in the day of battle : let not the ungodly have his desire, O Jehovah ! 8 let not their device prosper, lest they get the victory. IV. who will reqitite the -wicked for their wickedness, As for the poison of them that compass me about, 9 let them be covered with the mischief of their own lips ; let hot burning coals fall upon them, 10 let them be cast into the fire, and into the pit, that they rise not again : slanderers shall not prosper on the earth, n evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. V. and avenge the cause of the patient and upright. Sure I am that Jehovah will avenge the poor, 12 and maintain the cause of the helpless ! but the righteous shall give thanks unto Thy name, 13 and the just continue in Thy sight. Ver. 10. burning coals. Cp. i. xi. 7. For pit compare Gen. xiv. 10: where slime means bitumen, with Layard's description of the firing of the bitumen pits at Nimroud by his Arabs: ' Tongues of flames and jets of gas driven from the burning pit shot through the murky canopy. To break the cindered crust and to bring fresh slime to the surface the Arabs threw large si ones into the spring.' Nin. and Bab. p. 202. 41. PSALM CXLI. "\ \ 7HILE the violent persecution of the worshippers of Jehovah was * * still raging 1 , attempts had been made to induce the Psalmist to join the festivities of the court 2 , possibly to secure his minstrelsy 3 . But how could he let his voice be heard in the palaces of those who had persecuted the righteous, and slain the judges in the land 4 ? He feels that their proffered kindness is insidious, a snare to lure him into joining the unbelievers. In this spirit he prays to Jehovah to rescue him from this temptation 5 . 1 vv. 7, 8. 2 v. 4. a , 7 /. 3 & 7. * v. 7. * w~ 9 ii- 104 THE PSALMS [41. I. The Psalmist prayeth to God at eventide, Jehovah, I call upon Thee, O haste Thee unto me ! i consider my voice when I cry unto Thee ! let my prayer be set forth in Thy sight as the incense, 2 and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice ! II. for strength to resist the lures of the -wicked Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth, 3 and keep the door of my lips ! let not my heart be inclined to any evil thing, 4 let me not be occupied with ungodly works, and with the men that work wickedness; and let me not eat of their dainties. III. that his voice may not be heard at their festivities; Let the righteous rather smite me friendly and reprove me, 5 let not oil anoint mine head! for my prayer goeth up 6 ever in their calamities ! their judges are overthrown in stony places : 7 and shall they hear of my words that they were sweet ? Ver. 2. evening sacrifice. An allusion to the daily evening sacrifice at the Temple. Ver. 5. reprove me, i. e. rather would I endure the reproving counsel of the upright for whom my grateful prayer rises in their affliction, than join in the festivities of the wicked. oil. Cp. 25. xxiii. 5, 'Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.' Dan. x. 3, ' I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all.' Oil was used by the Jews as by other oriental nations, partly for comfort, partly to give a glossy appearance at festivities to the skin and hair: here it is connected with dainties in ver. 4, and means the oil used in the feasts of the wicked. Ver. 7. their judges, that is, the judges belonging to the righteous (ver. 5) ; with whose party the Psalmist associates himself (ver. 8). overthrown have been either actually dashed down from a height on to rocks (cp. 2 Chron. xxv. 12) ; or, as is more in accordance with the sense of the passage, cast out to get their bread in desolate unproductive places; whence the starvation of ver. 8. they, the righteous. The Psalmist asks, 'Shall my own friends, in the midst of their afflictions, hear that I am making merry in the festivities of the wicked ?' 42.] BOOK THE SECOND. 105 like as when one furroweth up the earth and cleaveth it, 8 our bones did stick out, we were nigh unto the grave. IV. and yieldeth not, for he trust eth in God for deliverance . But mine eyes look unto Thee, O Lord Jehovah ; 9 in Thee is my trust ; O pour not out my life ! keep me from the snare that they have laid for me; 10 and from the traps of the wicked doers ! let the ungodly fall into their own nets, 1 1 but as for me let me ever escape them ! Ver. 8. furroweth, i.e. our bodies are furrowed from starvation, so that our bones are st-.iring and starting through the skin, ready to be flung into the grave. Cp. Job xxxiii. 21: 'His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen, and his bones, which are not seen, stick out: yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave and his life to the destroyers ;' and 69. xxii. 14. 42. PSALM CXLIL* I. The Psalmist in sore distress prayeth to Jehovah, I cry unto Jehovah with my voice, i yea, even unto Jehovah do I make my supplication, I pour out my complaint before Him, 2 and shew Him of my trouble, when my spirit is in heaviness : 3 yet Thou knowest my path, how in the way wherein I walk they privily lay a snare for me ! II. for he hath no other helper t I look upon my right hand and see, 4 and there is no man that knoweth me : I have no place to flee unto, 5 and no man careth for my soul. I cry unto Thee, O Jehovah! 6 I say, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Cp. 40 42, Introduction. *gP L 'B*4/ ' v" OF THE UNIVERSITY 106 THE PSALMS [ 4353. III. and the righteous regard his deliverance as a token for good, Consider my complaint, for I am brought very low : 7 O deliver me from my persecutors, 8 for they are too strong for me ! bring my soul out of prison, 9 that I may give thanks unto Thy name ; the righteous wait to see that Thou mayest do me good ! 43 53. PSALMS LV, v, LXIV, LII, xxxvi, LIV, LXI, LXIII, LVI LVIII. HPHIS group of Psalms abound in feelings which sprang from the * dissensions of the falling kingdom. They shew us the bitterness with which the first thought of estrangement from Jerusalem broke upon the Jewish mind. In the earlier 1 of these Psalms this antici- pation is only surmised, in the later ones 2 it receives its fulfilment. The terrible day of the destruction of the Temple has not yet come, but the Captivity has already commenced ; and the Psalmist speaks as if he were one of those earlier exiles who, in the reigns of the later kings, were being dragged in ever-increasing numbers to the court of their Assyrian 3 conquerors. Divisions and dangers had beset the kingdom, and all who still feared God and obeyed Him were daily exposed to the treachery and calumny of ' false tongues 4 ;' amid the embittered feelings of such a time, when new and unexpected treachery was being laid bare every day, we need not wonder at the intense imprecations 5 which were heaped upon the destroyers of order and integrity in the land. Yet a fervour not unworthy of a prophet breathes through many of these Psalms 6 . The very severity of the struggle against corruption 1 43. 44, 46. lv, v, Hi. 2 49, 5- Ixi, Ixiii. tors, and the fear of Nineveh was changed into the fear of Babylon. 4 44. v. 9; 46. lii. 4, 5 ; 43. lv. xx, 22; 52. Ivii. 5 ; 50. Ixiii. 12; 45. Ixiv. 3, 8. Cp Jer. xxviii. 15. 11 Cp. 44. v. ii ; 43. lv. 16, 24; 46. lii. 6; 53. Iviii. 9, 10; 50. Ixiii. 10, n. 6 46. lii; 53. Iviiif 45. Ixiv. 510. ? 43.] BOOK THE SECOND. 107 has brought out into greater clearness the eternity of God's justice and the certainty that the cause of the righteous must in the end prevail. The Psalmist feels the triumph is near at hand, and can we wonder that he dwells upon the details of the destruction of the ungodly with the fiery bitterness of a zealot 1 ? Could we expect the Jew to have learned a lesson, which the world has not yet learnt, to leave the working out of God's plans to His own time, without arranging His rewards and punishments in the order of human anticipation? 43. PSALM LV. *HPHIS Psalm presents a melancholy picture of Jerusalem 2 hastening -*- to its fall. The royal city has fallen far from the ideal prescribed to it by David 3 . In his time no man was to dwell there but he who 'spoke the truth from his heart, 7 and 'all wicked doers were to be rooted out from the city of the Lord/ Now the old spirit is well-nigh gone: pressure from open enemies without 4 , treachery and strife with- in 5 , have made the hill of Sion an insecure home for the man of God. A prophet of this time 6 has said of his countrymen, 'They all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net ;' 'a man's enemies are those of his own house;' and what words can better pourtray the treachery of the friend 7 , who has exposed the Psalmist to this imminent danger 8 ? In the first burst of indignation at this base- ness he cries to God for help in his agony; fighting single-handed 9 , though not without hope, against the enemies of his God 10 , he yearns for deliverance from the struggle, and, with an exquisite pathos, prays to be transported to some oasis 11 in the wilderness which the wicked cannot trouble and the storm cannot assail. I. The Psalmist prayeih for help in danger, Hear my prayer, O God, i and hide not Thyself from my petition ! 1 Cp. 44. v. ii ; 46. Hi. 6; 50. Ixiii. n ; 53. Iviii. 7. 2 vv. 10, 16. s Cp. 5. xv. 2; 6. ci. 5, xi. * w. 12, 13. 5 iru, 10, IT. Cp. Micah vii. i 6. Ch. vi. and vii. are (according to Ewald) written not by Micah, but by another prophet of the yth century. 7 W. 14, 22. 8 V. ly. 9 v. 19. 10 z , 4 jy. . w. 68. io8 THE PSALMS [ 43. take heed unto me and hear me, 2 , I am spent with sighing and cry in my distress the enemy crieth so and the ungodly cometh on so fast, 3 for they assail me with mischief and are maliciously set against rne ! my heart is disquieted within me; 4 and the fear of death is fallen upon me, fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, 5 and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me; and I said : O that I had wings like a dove, 6 for then would I fly away and be at rest ! yea, then would I get me away far off, 7 and remain in the wilderness ! then would I haste me to a refuge 8 from the stormy wind and tempest! II. and calleth on God to punish the iniquity oj the city and the treachery of his friend; Destroy their tongues, O Lord, and cleave them asunder ! 9 for I have spied violence and strife in the city; day and night they go about upon her walls, 10 mischief also and sorrow are within her : destruction is in the midst of her, 1 1 oppression and guile go not out of her streets ! for it is not an enemy that doth me this dishonour, for then 12 I could have borne it, neither is it my foe that doth magnify himself against me, 13 for then I had hid myself from him; but it is even thou, a man like unto myself, 14 my companion and mine own familiar friend ; we took sweet counsel together 15 and walked to the house of God as friends Ver. 4. the fear of death. Cp. 103. cxvi. 3. Ver. 10. they, i. e. violence and strife. Ver. 14. a man like unto myself, i.e. of the same station as myself; so Jeremiah was opposed by a brother prophet, Pashur, the son of Immer (Jer. xx. 6), one of his earliest per- secutors. 43.] BOOK THE SECOND. 109 let death come hastily upon them! let them go down alive 16 into the grave ! for wickedness is in their dwellings and among them. III. he findeth calm in the tJwugkt of God's justice. As for me, I will call upon God, 17 and Jehovah will help me; evening and morning and at noonday do I groan and cry aloud ! 18 (and so He heareth my voice, with His saving help He rescueth my life from the heat of the 19 battle, for there were many against me); yea, I cry that God may hear, that He who is King of old may 20 bring them down, for they keep not their oath and have no fear of God ! he laid his hand upon them that were at peace with him, 21 and he brake his covenant : the words of his mouth are softer than butter, having war in his 22 heart, his words are smoother than oil, yet be they very swords ! Cast thy care upon Jehovah, and HE will care for thee, 23 He will never suffer the righteous to fall ! and as for them, Thou, O God, wilt bring them into the pit of 24 destruction ; the bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half 25 their days, but my trust shall be in Thee ! Ver. 16. alive, like Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Cp. Num. xvi. 2334. Ver. 19. heat of the battle, i. e. the hot persecution by the ungodly. Ver. 21. he, i.e. mine enemy; observe the transition from they (ver. 20) to he. laid his hani upon, i. e. used violence, covenant, i. e. the covenant of friendship. THE PSALMS [ 44. 44. PSALM v. * '"PHIS Psalm, like the 26th, is designed for the service of the Temple 1 . -*- As yet the open worshippers of Jehovah were not marked out for violent persecution; the scourge of the tongue was as yet the only weapon in the hands of the scorner ; and a social stigma had fallen on all who by their zeal for the Temple and attendance at its services were recognized as the professed servants of Jehovah. The Psalmist feels that, as he offers his morning sacrifice of praise 2 , he is publicly proclaiming his allegiance to Jehovah, and that hereafter any unworthy act of which he may be guilty will not only be disgraceful to himself, but will give occasion to the watchful enemies 3 of Jehovah to sneer at the frailty of His worshipper. I. The Psalmist appealeth to God to hear hint t Give ear unto my words, O Jehovah, i consider my meditation ! O hearken Thou unto the voice of my calling, my King and 2 my God! for unto Thee will I make my prayer. II. for God ever helpeth the godly, O Jehovah, in the morning dost Thou hear my voice, 3 early do I wait on Thee and watch; for Thou art a God that hast no pleasure in wickedness, 4 neither shall the wicked man dwell with Thee; such as be foolish shall not stand in Thy sight, 5 Thou hatest all them that work iniquity; Thou shalt destroy them that speak lies; 6 Jehovah abhorreth the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. Ver. 3. watch, i. e. look out as a watchman. Ver. 4. wickedness. He is sure of safety in God's house ; for he will meet none of the wicked there. * See 43, Introduction. * v. 7. a v. ^. v. 8. 45.] BOOK THE SECOND. m III. especially in their hour of need^ But as for me, in the multitude of Thy mercy will I come into 7 Thine house, and in Thy fear will I worship at Thy holy Temple : lead me, O Jehovah, in Thy righteousness, because of them that 8 lie in wait for me, make Thy way plain before my face ! for there is no faithfulness in their mouth, 9 their inward parts are very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre, 10 they flatter with their tongue. IV. and defeateth the plots of the wicked. Hold them guilty, O God, let them fall away from their counsels, r i cast them down in the multitude of their ungodliness, for they have rebelled against Thee; and let all them that put their trust in Thee rejoice, 12 let them ever shout for joy, and be Thou their defence; let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee; for Thou, O Jehovah, dost bless the righteous, 13 and with Thy favour dost compass him as with a shield. Ver. 8. plain. Cp. 24. xxvii. 13. Ver. 10. open sepulchre. Such is their lying that a man may fall unawares into their \v.Ies, as into an open grave. 45. PSALM LXIV.* HIE Psalmist utters a prophetic denunciation of the enemies who are secretly 1 plotting against him, and depicts in a bold figure the sudden catastrophe 2 by which the wicked shall be overthrown and the cause of the righteous shall prevail. * See 43, Introduction. l As in 44. v. * v. 7- ii2 THE PSALMS [ 41 I. Prayer for help t Hear my voice, O God, when I cry, preserve my life from fear of the enemy, hide me from the secret counsels of the wicked, and from the gathering together of evil-doers, who whet their tongue like a sword, and make ready their arrows, even bitter words, that they may privily shoot at him that is perfect, that they may shoot suddenly and fear not. II. for the plots of the wicked are deep: They encourage themselves in mischief, they commune among themselves how they may lay snares, and say that no man shall see them; they devise deeds of iniquity, even now are they ready with their cunning devices, they keep them secret, every man in the deep of his heart : but suddenly God shooteth at them with an arrow, and lo ! they are wounded unawares ! III. but God shall turn their plots against themselves. They are confounded, yea their own tongues have made them fall, and they that had respect unto them flee away; so all men that see it shall be afraid, and shall say, ' this hath God done,' for they shall perceive that it is His work : the righteous shall rejoice in Jehovah and put their trust in Him, ] and all they that are true of heart shall be glad. 46. PSALM LII. AMONG the many enemies of the faithful in Jerusalem 1 , one '*** conspicuous from his commanding position 2 and unscrupulot character 3 . His reckless and confident wickedness brings upon hi the stern warning of the Psalmist*. 1 w. 9, 10. * v. i. 3 v. 3. * w. 6 8. 46.] BOOK THE SECOND. 113 This Psalm supplies us with an excellent illustration of the differ- ence between the Prophetical utterances and the Lyric poetry of the Hebrews. The Prophets felt themselves to be and were acknow- ledged as the enunciators of God's present purpose. As such they addressed the wicked by name and in express terms foretold their punishment. Thus Elijah rebuked Ahab in the vineyard of Naboth ; Isaiah passed sentence on Shebna the treasurer 1 . Even David was not exempt from a prophetical denunciation of the consequences of his sin. The Lyric poet on the other hand speaks to and for all man- kind, and employs an historic fact as the illustration of a general truth. Thus in the 32nd Psalm the object of the poet is not to dwell upon his sin, but to make it the vehicle to convey to the world an eternal truth which had been impressed upon his soul. In the i8th Psalm the history of an entire life is concentrated in a grand metaphor only to inculcate the lesson of the indissoluble connexion between human holiness and divine favour. So again in the Psalm before us the per- sonal invective merely serves to contrast the transitory character of the success of the wicked with the eternal duration of justice and right ; but as in the divine justice the recompense of the righteous is the neces- sary counterpart of the punishment of the wicked, so by a natural train of thought the Psalmist passes at the close of the poem to the special blessings which would be the reward of those who like himself had specially suffered in God's 2 cause. I. The confidence of the wicked; Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, thou tyrant, i whereas the goodness of God endureth yet daily? 2 thy tongue imagineth destruction 3 like a whetted razor, thou man of guile ! Uou lovest unrighteousness more than goodness, 4 and lying rather than to speak righteousness, Ver. 2. whereas the goodness, i.e. forgetting that God in His goodness is ever watchful to pj otect his servants and destroy their enemies. Ver. 3. razor. Cp. 40. cxl. 3 ; 45. ixiv. 3 ; 52. Ivii. 5 ; 54. lix. 7. 1 Tsai. xxii. 15 19. Cp. also the condemnation of Pashur by Jeremiah (xx. i). 8 w . 9, 10. n 4 THE PSALMS [47, thou lovest all words that may do hurt, 5 O thou false tongue ! II. yet God shall overthrow him % So may God likewise destroy thee for ever, 6 take thee and pluck thee out of thy dwelling, and root thee out of the land of the living : the righteous shall see this and fear, 7 and shall laugh him to scorn ; Mo, this is the man, that took not God for his strength, 8 ' but trusted unto the multitude of his riches, 4 and was proud in his own frowardness !' III. while the godly shall contimte for ever. As for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God, 9 my trust is in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever ! I will always give thanks unto Thee for that Thou hast done, 10 and I will wait on Thy name, for it is lovely, in the presence of all Thy saints. Ver. 9. olive-tree. In contrast to the ungodly, the Psalmist will flourish like the olive- trees which grew in the precincts of the Temple. Cp. 105. xcii. 1113. 47. PSALM xxxvi, HPHIS Psalm describes the final consummation of evil in those who * act in deliberate hostility to right. In them the voice of conscience is silenced as an oracle of good ; it becomes, as it did to Balaam, an oracle of evil, and makes the heart a temple not of God but of Satan *. The Psalmist sees that the violence of these persecutors is bent on compassing his banishment 2 . That banishment means more to him than to the worldly citizen, as it would sever him from the Temple of Jehovah. He appeals confidently to God to keep him still under the shield 3 of His protection within His holy city and in the enjoyment of the services which he loves 4 . This passionate attachment to the Temple 1 w. 14 * v. ii. 3 v. 7. v. 8. 47.] BOOK THE SECOND. 115 is a distinguishing feature of the period which had seen the repulse of the Assyrian Invasion 1 , I. The ungodly rejoicetk in. his misdeeds: The voice of evil is deep in the heart of the ungodly, T there is no fear of God before his eyes; for it flattereth him in his own sight, 2 to devise wickedness and to follow hate; the words of his mouth are mischief and deceit, 3 he hath left off to behave himself wisely and to do good ; he imagineth mischief upon his bed, 4 and hath set himself in no good way, neither doth he abhor anything that is evil ! II. but God is just, who will protect His own, O Jehovah, Thy mercy reacheth unto the heavens, 5 and Thy faithfulness unto the clouds ! Thy righteousness standeth like the mountains of God, 6 Thy judgments are like the great deep; Thou, O Jehovah, shalt save both man and beast ! 7 how excellent is Thy mercy, O God ! and the children of men shall flee under the shadow of Thy wings ; they shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of Thy house, 8 and Thou shalt give them drink of Thy pleasures, as out of a river. Ver. 4. imagine th mischief on his bed. Contrast with this the beautiful prayer: ' Merciful powers ! ' restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature ' gives way to in repose !' Macbeth, n. i. 9. Ver. 6. mountains of God. High as the mountains and deep as the sea, /. e. infinite, irumoveable, and mightier than the mightiest works of creation. Ver. 7. mercy wings. This metaphor would have a special meaning to one who was for ever in God's House (ver. 8), where the colossal cherubim, His moving throne, overshadowed the mercy -seat of the ark with the canopy of their wings. 1 35, Introduction. 12 n6 THE PSALMS [48. III. and overthrow the wicked. For with Thee is the well of life, 9 and in Thy light shall we see light! O continue forth Thy lovingkindness unto them that know Thee, 10 and Thy righteousness unto them that are true of heart ; O let not the foot of pride come against me, n and let not the hand of the ungodly drive me away! there are they fallen, all that work wickedness, 12 they are cast down, and shall not be able to stand ! Ver. ii. drive me away, i. e. from the Temple mentioned in ver. 8. 48. PSALM LIV. T N the midst of the persecutions of the Heathen 1 the Psalmist finds -* comfort in uninterrupted worship 2 at the Temple, and there before the mercy-seat 3 and the emblems of God's majesty he feels confident of succour ; the present fades away and he sees with the eye of faith the avenging hand of God already dealing out just judgment on his persecutors 4 . I. Prayer for help against Hie heathen. Save me, O God, for Thy name's sake, i and avenge me by Thy strength ! hear my prayer, O God, 2 and hearken unto the words of my mouth : for strangers are risen up against me, 3 and tyrants which have not God before their eyes, seek after my soul. Ver. i. Thy name's sake. Cp. 21. xx. i, 'The name of the God of Jacob defend thee.* Is. iv. 10, ' Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God.' God's name is not merely His appellation which we utter with our lips, but also and prin- cipally the idea we attach to it His Being and attributes, so far as they are revealed and known. 1 v. 3. a v. 6. 3 v. 7, note. 4 vv. 47. 49.] BOOK THE SECOND. 1.7 II. Triumph of faith. Behold, God is my helper, 4 the Lord is with them that uphold my soul : He shall reward evil unto mine enemies; 5 destroy Thou them in Thy truth ! I will sacrifice unto Thee with a jfree heart ; 6 I will praise Thy name, O Jehovah, for It is good; for It hath delivered me from all my troubles, 7 and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies., Ver. 6. //, /. iv_vi, especially iv. 2529. * Jer. i. 13. * w. 9, 16. 126 THE PSALMS [ 54. O deliver me from the wicked doers, 2 and save me from the bloodthirsty men ! for lo, they lie in wait for my life, 3 violent men conspire against me without any offence or fault of me, O Jehovah ! they run and prepare themselves without my fault: 4 arise Thou therefore to help me and behold ! stand up, Jehovah God of Hosts, Thou God of Israel, 5 stand up and visit all the heathen, and shew not mercy to the treacherous man and the robber ! II. and setteth forth the threatening danger, and the majesty and mercy of God: They shall come back in the evening, 6 howl like a dog and run about the city ! behold they will boast aloud with their mouth, 7 swords are in their lips, for, say they, 'who doth hear?' but Thou, Jehovah, shalt have them in derision, 8 Thou shalt laugh all the heathen to scorn ! upon Thee, O my strength, will I wait ! 9 for Thou art the God of my refuge : my God will shew me His kindness plenteously, 10 God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies ! Ver. 5. robbers. Cp. Jer. iv. 20, 'Suddenly are my tents spoiled;' and 31, 'Zion bewaileth, saying, Woe is me now ! for my soul is wearied because of murderers;' and w. 16, 17, 'Their quiver is as an open sepulchre/ ' They shall eat up thine harvest.' Ver. 6. back in the evening, i. e. to beleaguer the gates. Cp. Jer. iv. 16, 17: 'Watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah. As keepers of a field, are they against Jerusalem round about.' a dog. A writer .of the western world, to convey the same idea, would write wolves or hyaenas. The dogs of the East, the wild dogs of Jezreel who devoured Jezebel, were savage and hungry animals, wandering about the fields and streets of cities, devouring dead bodies and other offal, and hence were objects of general abhorrence. Cp. i Kings xiv. n, 2 Kings ix. 36. The same idea is conveyed by Jer. v. 6 : 'A lion out of the forest shall slay them, a wolf of the deserts (/. e. the nomads from the steppes) shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces.' Ver. 7. boast aloud. Cp. Jer. vi. 23 : ' They are cruel, and have no mercy ; their voice roareth like the sea: set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.' 55.] BOOK THE SECOND. 127 III. he prayeth Him to let the enemy come back, that they may be slain before the city so that all the people may see it. Slay them not, lest my people forget it, n drive them on through Thy might and cast them down, O Lord our defence ! for the sin of their, mouth and for the words of their lips, 1 2 O let them be taken in their pride ! and why ? their speaking is of cursing and lies ! consume them in Thy wrath, consume them that they perish, 13 that men may know that it is God that ruleth in Jacob and unto the ends of the world ! and let them return in the evening, 14 howl like a dog and go around the city! they will rush violently for their meat, 15 yea verily they shall be satisfied and fall ! IV. Praise of God for the deliverance. As for me, I will sing of Thy power, 16 and will praise Thy mercy every morning, for Thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble ; unto Thee, O my strength, will I sing, 17 for Thou, O God, art my refuge and my merciful God ! Ver. it. slay them not. We should expect the Psalmist's prayer to have been, 'slay them.' This unexpected turn only marks the intensity of the vengeance ; he prays that they may be preserved for an open slaughter before the whole nation assembled on the walls. Ver. 14. let them, return. The Psalmist prays for retributive justice. Let them, only come back to spoil the city, and God shall spoil them. Ver. 15. rwh violently, i.e. and in truth they will rush greedily to the prey; they will dr.nk the cup to the dregs, which shall prove a cup of vengeance, and be their death. 55. PSALM xxvi. r ~pHIS is a Psalm composed apparently for the Temple service on * some special occasion of a general visitation, possibly some plague 01 sickness. Such a visitation was regarded by the universal feeling of antiquity 128 THE TSALMS [ 55. as a punishment for national sin. Amid the panic and despair of the multitude the faithful few were sustained by a sense of their relation to God. The maintenance of this relation had brought them into a close union, the symbol of which was a rigid observance of the Temple services. In this and in the 5th Psalm 1 , also composed for the Temple service, the commencing separation between this party and that of the frivolous multitude is distinctly seen. This separation, slight at first, widened afterwards into absolute estrangement. Those who at first had only neglected the Temple came afterwards to actual perse- cution of the regular worshippers, while these in their turn maintained a distant attitude towards their opponents, which led to the greatest bitterness of feeling. The Psalm is indeed free from all expression of that spiritual pride which is the especial temptation of religious exclusiveness, but it indi- cates clearly that the separation had begun. It is the prayer of a man who in the consciousness of his innocency and love of God claims to escape the scourge, which was falling so heavily on the wicked. I. The Psalmist testifieth of his integrity, Be Thou my judge, O Jehovah ! i for I have walked innocently, my trust hath been also in Jehovah without wavering! II. Examine me, O Jehovah, and prove me, 2 try out my reins and my heart! for Thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes 3 and I will walk in Thy truth; I have not dwelt with vain persons, 4 neither will I have fellowship with the deceitful. III. I hate the congregation of the wicked, 5 and will not sit among the ungodly; 56.] BOOK THE SECOND. 129 I wash mine hands in innocency, 6 that so I may go about Thine altar, O Jehovah, that I may sing aloud with the voice of thanksgiving, 7 and tell of all Thy wondrous works ! IV. claimeth deliverance from the visitation, O Jehovah ! I love the habitation of Thy house, 8 and the place where Thy glory dwelleth; sweep not away my soul with sinners, 9 nor my life with the blood-thirsty, in whose hands is abominable wickedness 10 and their right hand is full of bribes ! V. and abideth in hope. But as for me I will walk innocently; n deliver me and be merciful unto me ! my foot standeth in an even place; 12 1 will praise Jehovah in the congregation. Ver. 6. go about Thine altar. According to the Hebrew custom, by which the man who offered sacrifice went about the altar singing and giving thanks during the service. Cp. Lev. iii. 2, 8, 13. 56. PSALM xxvni. r T^HIS Psalm, composed probably by a king, is similar in tone and * language to the preceding, but was written under circumstances of still more urgent danger 1 . The latter portion of the Psalm 9 appears to have been added when the afflictions described in the former 3 portion were past and the prayer for deliverance had been answered. I. The Psalmist prayeth to God for deliverance Unto Thee, O Jehovah, will I cry, i my rock, be not Thou silent to me, lest, if Thou be silent, I become like them that go down to the srrave : w. i 5. * vv. 7 10. 730 THE PSALMS [56. hear the voice of my humble petitions when I cry unto Thee, 2 when I hold up my hand towards the mercy-seat of Thy holy Temple ! II. from the common destruction of the wicked. Draw me not away with the ungodly and wicked doers, 3 which speak friendly to their neighbours but imagine mischief in their hearts ! reward them after their desert and after the wickedness of their 4 deeds, recompense them after the work of their hands, 5 pay them that they have deserved ! III. For they regard not the works of Jehovah, 6 nor the operation of His hands, therefore let Him break them down and not build them up ! The deliverance is granted and Jie returneth thanks. Praised be Jehovah, 7 for He hath heard the voice of my humble petitions ! Jehovah is my strength and my shield, 8 my heart hath trusted in Him and I am helped; therefore my heart danceth for joy and in my song will I praise Him! O Jehovah, who art their strength 9 and the saving defence of Thine Anointed, O save Thy people and give Thy blessing unto Thine in- 10 heritance, feed them and set them up for ever ! Ver. 2. hold up, i. e. in prayer, from the place built for the king (2 Chron. vi. 13) in the Temple, a kind of covered throne (2 Kings xvi. 18) attached to a pillar (2 Kings xi. 14 and xxiii. 3), from which on Sabbath days he surveyed and could address the congregation; it was thence called the Sabbath-throne, the ' covert for the Sabbath/ as distinguished from the other throne from which he gave judgment, mercy-seat, i. e. cover of the ark overshadowed by the cherubim. Ver. 4. after, i. e. according to. Ver. 9. their, i. e. of Thy people. 57.] BOOK THE SECOND. 131 57. PSALM xxxi. 'ANY single expressions, as well as the whole .tone of quiet, resig- M' nation, expressed in the tender and plaintive manner peculiar to Jeremiah, point to that Prophet as the author of this Psalm. Like Jeremiah, the Psalmist is persecuted l for his fidelity to Jehovah; his cry goes up in the very words of that Prophet 2 ; and the figure of the broken vessel 8 is a favourite figure in his prophecies. To this as to the last Psalm a sequel 4 has been added, declaring the fulfilment of the Psalmist's prayer. I. The Psalmist declareth his confidence in God, In Thee, O Jehovah, have I put my trust ; let me not be put i to confusion for ever; deliver me in Thy righteousness : bow down Thine ear to me, make haste to deliver me, 2 and be Thou my strong rock 3 and a house of defence to save me ! for Thou art my strong rock and my castle; 4 Thou wilt also be my guide and lead me for Thy Name's sake, Thou wilt draw me out of the net that they have laid privily for me, 5 for Thou art my stronghold : into Thy hands I commend my spirit; 6 for Thou hast redeemed me, Jehovah, Thou God of truth! Thou hatest them that hold to lying vanities, 7 but as for me, my trust is in Jehovah. II. craveth His help in sorrow and suffering, Let me be glad and rejoice in Thy mercy, 8 for Thou hast considered my trouble, and hast known my soul in adversities ; Thou hast not delivered me into the hand of the enemy, 9 but hast set my foot in a large room ! Ver. 7. lying vanities, i. e. gods, which are no gods. Cp. Deut. xxxii. 21, Jer. viii. 19, and j onah ii. 8, in the Supplement Ver. 9. large room. Cp. 12. xviii. 19; 55. xxvi. 12. 1 vv. 20, 22. * Cp. TA 15 with Jer. xx. 10 and v. n with Jer. xx. 18. v. 14; cp. Jer. xviii. 4, xxii. 28, xxv. 34, xlviii. 38. * vv. 21 27. K2 1 3 2 THE PSALMS [ 57. have mercy upon me, O Jehovah! for I am in trouble, 10 and mine eye is consumed for very heaviness, yea, my soul and my body : for my life is waxen old with heaviness and my years with it mourning ; my strength faileth me because of mine infirmity and my 1 2 bones are consumed by reason of my oppressors, I became a reproach even to my neighbours and they of 13 mine acquaintance were afraid of me, and they that see me without convey themselves from me ; I am clean forgotten as a dead man out of mind, 14 I am become like a broken vessel. III. declare 'th anew his confidence , I have heard the slander of the multitude; fear was on 15 every side; while they conspired together against me, and took their counsel to take away my life : but as for me my hope hath been in Thee, O Jehovah, 16 I have said, Thou art my God ! my times are in Thy hand, 17 deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me: shew Thy servant the light of Thy countenance, 18 and save me for Thy mercies' sake ! let me not be confounded, O Jehovah, for I call upon Thee ! 19 let the ungodly be put to confusion and be put to silence in the grave ! let the lying lips be put to silence, 20 which cruelly, disdainfully and despitefully speak against the righteous ! Ver. 17. times, i. e. the vicissitudes of life that time brings with it. Cp. i Chron. xxix. 30, * With all the times that went over him ;' and Is. xxxiii. 6, * Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times/ 58.] BOOK THE SECOND. 133 I. and rejoiceth in tJie fulfilment of his prayer. ' O how plentiful is Thy goodness which Thou hast laid up 21 for them that fear Thee, and that Thou hast prepared for them that put their trust in Thee, even before the sons of men; Thou hidest them in the shelter of Thy presence from the 22 noise of men, and keepest them in a covered place from the strife of tongues ! blessed be Jehovah, for He hath shewed me His marvellous 23 great kindness in the time of oppression and need! II. As for me, I said in my trouble, 'I am cast off from the 24 sight of Thine eyes;' nevertheless Thou heardest the voice of my prayer, 25 when I cried unto Thee. love Jehovah, all ye His saints ! 26 Jehovah preserveth them that are faithful, and plenteously rewardeth the proud doer : be strong and He shall establish your heart, 27 all ye that put your trust in Jehovah ! Ver. 24. the sight of Thine eyes, i. e. the sunshine of Thy favour. 58. PSALM LXXXVIII. 'T^HE Israelites looked for the rewards of righteousness in the * present world. To the pious an early death was awful not merely as a separation from the pleasurable activity of life, but as a fatal blow to their religious hopes and aspirations. Hence the Psalmist's bitter fjiguish at this threatening of mortal sickness in his early 1 life. He is x 34 THE PSALMS [ 58. deserted by his friends, and, as it were, dead and out of God's * sight. To him there is nothing beyond the grave : as he dwells upon his sufferings, the gloom becomes ever more intense : it is not broken by any ray of hope, such as we usually find even in the most desponding 2 Psalms. There is no expectation of the triumph of good, or of his own deliverance, or even of the destruction of his present oppressors. I. A prelude. O Jehovah, God of my salvation, i I have cried day and night before Thee; let my prayer enter into Thy presence, incline Thine ear unto my calling ! II. The Psalmist in his sufferings For my soul is full of trouble, . 2 and my life draweth nigh unto the grave : 1 am counted as one of them that go down into the pit, 3 and I am become even as a man that hath no strength; my place is among the dead, 4 like unto them that are slain and lie in the grave, who are out of Thy remembrance, and are cut away from Thy hand : Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, 5 in a place of darkness and in the deep; Thine indignation lieth hard upon me, 6 and Thou hast vexed me with all Thy storms. III. prayeth, Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me, 7 and made me to be abhorred of them, I am so fast shut in that I cannot get forth: 8 Ver. 3, 5. pit, i. e. the grave ; deep, a word usually applied to the sea, here means Sheol, or Hades. Cp. 65. xvi. n, note. Ver. 7. acquaintance. Cp. Job xix. 13. * Cp. Job xii. zo. Cp. 26. vi. 58.] BOOK THE SECOND. 135 my sight faileth me for very trouble; 9 Jehovah, I call daily upon Thee, I stretch forth my hands unto Thee; 'dost Thou shew wonders among the dead? 10 1 or shall the dead rise up again and praise Thee ? f shall Thy lovingkindness be shewed in the grave ? 1 1 ' or Thy faithfulness in destruction ? 'shall Thy wondrous works be known in the dark? 12 'and Thy righteousness in the land where all things are forgotten?' IV. but cannot attain to comfort. But as for me to Thee, Jehovah, do I cry, 13 and early shall my prayer come before Thee. Jehovah, why abhorrest Thou my soul, 14 and hidest Thou Thy face from me? 1 am in misery and my youth faileth me, 15 Thy terrors do I suffer, a horrible dread overwhelmeth me ; Thy wrathful displeasure is gone over me : 1 6 Thy terrors have utterly undone me, they came round about me daily like the waterfloods, 17 and compassed me together on every side ! my lovers and friends hast Thou put away from me, 18 mine acquaintance are they that dwell in the grave ! Ver. 8. shut in, i. e. not in prison, but in his own abandonment and misery; cp. Lam. iii. 7, 'He hath hedged me about that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.' And Job iii. 23, xix. 8. Ver. 1012. The words of his prayer. Ver. 18. the grave. Cp. Job xvii. 13, 14. THE PSALMS [ 59. 59. PSALM L. E reforms of Josiah had succeeded in establishing the outward -*" worship of Jehovah, but the old evils of idolatry and indifference had been followed by those of formalism and hypocrisy. This was the natural consequence of the establishment of the Book of the Law as a fundamental part of the constitution. Whatever place it may have held among the Jews heretofore, there is no doubt that the finding of the Book of the Law in the Temple gave rise to an increased study of its text : a whole system of commentaries were framed to elucidate its meaning. Wisdom was sought in the knowledge of its letter, and mistaken zeal had turned the 'law 17 into an object of superstitious reverence and had attached a magical influence to the mere name of the Temple of the Lord 2 . In a magnificent vision the Prophet, to whom this Psalm is due, beholds the Almighty in the very centre of this misguided worship denouncing a solemn judgment against the degradation of His name and setting forth the requirements of a spiritual religion. The whole scene recalls the great utterance of Amos 3 ; 'I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them : neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs ; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.' The Psalmist describeth his vision of judgment. Jehovah, even the most mighty God, hath spoken and called i the world from the rising up of the sun unto the going down thereof : out of Sion, the perfection of beauty, 2 hath God shined ; Ver. 2. Sion. Cp. Lam. ii. 15, of Jerusalem: 'Is this the city that men call the perfec- tion of beauty, the joy of the whole earth ?' Cp. 36. xlviii. 2. 1 Jer. viii. 8. * Jer. vii. 4. 3 v. 2125. 59.] BOOK THE SECOND. 137 our God shall come and shall not keep silence ! 3 there went before Him a consuming fire, and a mighty tempest was stirred up round about Him. He calleth to the heaven above 4 and to the earth, that He will judge His people; gather J&g Saintg together unto J&e, 5 tjjoge tbat fjabe malic a cobcnant font!) J&c font!) sacrifice! and the heavens declared His judgment, 6 how that God Himself doth judge I. God's sentence against the nation; ?l?ear, iWg people, auto 3E foill gpeafc, 5 mggelf foill testify 7 againgt t|)ce, Brad; IE am (ofc, cbcn tl)g <5ofc! I foill not reprobe tjjcc, because of tjg gacrificcg, 8 for tj)g fcurnt.offcringg arc alfoagg before Jftc; 31 forill tafec no bullocfe out of t^ine Jou^e, 9 nor &c=^oat out of tl) JFor all t^e 5ea&t^ of t&c forest are iWine, 10 an* go are tfje cattle upon a tfjousanU Jill^, I fcnoto all t^e fofolg upon tfje mountain^, n anD tjbe forilH bca$tg of tjc ficlti are in ^g StsSt; if 31 tocre ftungrp, 5 tooulti not tell tijec; 12 for tjjc fo)!)ole feorlt) id JUine auti all t^at is therein! Ver. 2, 3, 4. For a similar prophetic vision of judgment, cp. Micah i. i 4: 'The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be molten jnder him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are ;x>ured down a steep place/ Cp. 2. vii. 6, 7. Ver. 3. not keep silence, i. e. shall proclaim His judgment with thunder and lightning, as it Sinai. Ver. 6. toavens declared. The thunder and lightning are here the preludes to God's sen- t ence, as in Sinai. Cp. Hab iii. 35. i 3 8 THE PSALMS [ 59. tfiou tfcat I foill eat bulb' fle*i) ? 13 ant) tiriufe tljc Moot) of goats? offer unto CoD ti)anfeg$ibing, I4 anO pag tg bofojj unto t!)e -plost $?igljegt, anfc call upon JHc in tl;c time of trouble, 15 $o foill IE i)car tj)cc anO t&ou sljalt prafee II. against the wicked I But unto the ungodly said God: 16 fo|)j) l)ost t^ou preacj J&g lafe^, anD tafee^t iWg covenant in tjg moutj, fojerea^ tfjou Jjate^t to be reformeti, 17 anfc fta^t ca^t .pig foorfcg ^ejinti t|jee? fojen tjou gafoest a t^ief, t&ou con?}cntetJ0t unto Jim, 18 anti Jjagt been partaker foil!) t{)e atiulterer?;, tjjou Jast Ut tbg moutj gpeak totcfeetine^, 19 anU (witft tf)g tongue tjou Ja^t get fortj tieceit, t^ou gitte^t ant> gpeafeegt a^atot t^g brother, 20 gea, anD glantiere^t tfjine oton moti)er'g ^on: tft^e tjing^ Ja0t tjjou tione anti 5 j)dD JWg tongue; 21 anU t|)ou tjougjtesit tj)at 31 am cben 0ucj) a one as{ tj)g*elf but I toill reprobe tbee anO 0et before t^ee tjje tjing^ tjat tjou Done* III. His words of mercy and solemn warning. congtoer tjte, ge tjjat forget CoD, 22 Ie0t 3E plucfe gou afoag anD tjere be none to fceltber gou ! fojjogo offeretft JHe tjanlt^ anD pratee, J)e JonouretJ ;ple; 23 anfc to Jim tftat orDeretft i)te conbergatton aright, iotil 5 tfjefo t^e galbation of SoD! Ver. 23. thanks and praise conversation. The two avenues to Divine favour are spiritual service, and a holy life ; as the evils rebuked above are two also, lifeless ceremonial (ver. 7 15), and worldly hypocrisy (ver. 1621). conversation^ see Glossary. 60.] BOOK THE SECOND. 139 60. PSALM i. HPHIS Psalm strikes the keynote, as it were, of the whole Psalter, -* the faithfulness of God's dealings with man, and the indissoluble connexion between righteousness 1 and blessing. Hence it forms so appropriate an introduction to the Psalter that it seems to have been expressly written to stand at the head of some smaller collection of the Psalms 2 to indicate the train of thought in which they should be read. It contains indications of a separation between two parties in the kingdom involving the scorn and persecution 3 of the righteous; it lays emphasis on the study of the written Law 4 as a religious duty ; it rests its hopes in the thought of a judgment 5 which shall annihilate the wicked. In all these points it harmonizes with the dominant feelings of the later 6 period of the Monarchy. Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the i ungodly nor stood in the way of sinners, and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of Jehovah, 2 and in His law will he meditate day and night : he shall be like a tree planted by the water-side, 3 that will bring forth his fruit in due season ; his leaf also doth not wither, 4 and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper, As for the ungodly, it is not so with them, 5 but they are like the chaff which the wind scattereth. Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judgment, 6 neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous : Ver. 6. to stand in the judgment (a legal term), e. to maintain their cause in the im- pending judgment of God. congregation^ i. e. they shall be winnowed out of the society of the true Israel by the fan of God's judgment. Cp. Ezek. xiii. 9, where the allusion is to false prophets. 1 Cp. 4. xxiv. 5, note. Cp. App. A. (5). s v. i. 4 f . a. s w. 6, 7. 59. 63. 1 4 o THE PSALMS [ 61, 62, for Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous, 7 but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Ver. 7. knoweth, i. e. seeth and approveth. Cp. Job xxiii. 10, Nah. i. 7, and 62. xxxvii, 18. 61, 62. PSALMS ix, x, xxxvii. HPHESE Psalms form a group, the oldest on the acrostic or alpha- -* betical 1 arrangement, and the similarity of style as well as ol thought and expression 2 is so striking as to leave little doubt that they are from one author. 61. PSALMS ix, x, were composed for the Temple service, in four strophes to be sung by alternate choirs in the name of the people. The whole forms a thanksgiving for some signal proof of Divine vengeance on one of the great Empires of the world. As Jerusalerr was still 3 undestroyed, the allusion is probably to the Assyrian Empire, which finally perished with the destruction of Nineveh, A.C. 606; and the cities mentioned in the Psalm 4 would, on this hypothesis, be the 1 Note on the Alphabetical structure. There are in the Psalter nine Psalms [ 61. ix, x. 62. xxxvii.; 77, 78. xxv, xxxiv.; 130. cxix.; 135, 136. cxi, cxii. ; 147. cxlv.] on th< acrostic or alphabetical arrangement; the most elaborate specimen is the ngth Psalm (se< 130, Introduction). Each letter of the alphabet in order forms the initial letter of consecutiv< verses. In most cases each letter is once employed; in the 3rd chapter of Lamentations eacl letter forms the beginning of three, and in the ngth Psalm of eight consecutive verses. Sucf an arrangement is constrained and artificial, adapted for didactic rather than for lyrical expres sion ; but it is an aid to memory, and was employed as a vehicle for lamentations or consola tions addressed to others ; or for purposes of private devotion, to express confidence in th< watchful protection of Jehovah ( 77) ; to dwell on His attributes ( 147) ; and to meditat* lovingly on every aspect and title of His written Law ( 130). In the present Psalm th< alphabetical structure is incomplete, as it also is in the last chapter of Lamentations ; se< Hebrew Lyrics in the Supplement. 1 For similarity of expression the first part of the 171^1 verse of the loth Psalm may b< compared to the same verse in the 37th ; and the 2nd part of the same verse in the zoth to th< loth verse and to the 2nd part of the 37th verse of the 37th Psalm. ix. 14. 4 v. 6. 61.] BOOK THE SECOND. 141 cities of which Nineveh was composed. The wish expressed towards the end l of the Psalm, that the heathen may be driven out from the land, is rendered intelligible by the partial subjugation of Judaea by the Egyptians which happened at this time ; and the prevalent tone of frivolity in the nation, so constantly alluded to in the contemporary Prophets, is here strikingly depicted by the citation of an older Psalm 2 . Great emphasis is given to this part of the subject by the interruption of the alphabetical arrangement, and by the resumption of it 8 when the picture is complete. The interruption at this point, which has probably led to the separation of the Psalm into two parts, may be ascribed to the fact that the Psalmist, while dwelling upon the frivolity of the nation, found the ideas he wished to express already embodied in an older Psalm and omitted so many of the initial letters as would allow for the insertion of these verses. The original arrangement as one Psalm has been preserved in the Septuagint. AN ALPHABETICAL PSALM. I. [Ps. IX.] Tiianksgiving for a great deliverance and a revelation of the divine mercy. AH my heart shall praise Thee, O Jehovah, i I will speak of all Thy marvellous works, I will be glad and rejoice in Thee, 2 yea, my songs will I make of Thy name, O Thou most Highest ! Because mine enemies are driven back, 3 and fall and perish at Thy presence ; for thou hast maintained my right and my cause, 4 Thou art set on the throne that judgest right ! Confounded are the heathen and the ungodly are destroyed, 5 Thou hast put out their name for ever and ever; 1 x. 18. * x. i 12. s x. 13. 14* THE PSALMS [ 61, as for the enemy, he is laid waste in perpetual ruin; 6 yea, the cities which Thou hast destroyed their memorial is perished with them : but Jehovah reigneth a King for ever, 7 He hath also prepared His seat for judgment; and He will judge the world in righteousness, 8 and minister true judgment unto the people; Great defence shall Jehovah be to the oppressed, 9 even a refuge in time of drought and trouble, and they that know Thy name shall put their trust in Thee, 10 for Thou, Jehovah, hast never failed them that seek Thee ! II. Prayer for Jehovah's help against internal troubles; High praise to Jehovah who dwelleth in Sion, u shew the people of His doings ; for He that maketh inquisition for blood hath remembered 12 them, and hath not forgotten the complaint of the poor : In mercy, O Jehovah, consider the trouble which I have suffered 13 from them that hate me, Thou that liftedst me up from the gates of death, that I may shew forth all Thy praise; 14 within the gates of the daughter of Sion will I rejoice at Thy salvation ! Justly are the heathen sunk in the pit which they made, 15 in the same net which they hid privily is their own foot taken ; Jehovah shewed Himself, He hath executed judgment, 16 the ungodly is trapped in the work of his own hands. Know thou that the ungodly shall return to the grave, 17 yea, the heathen, and all that forget God; for the poor shall not alway be forgotten, 18 the patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever ! Ps. ix. 12. them t i. e. the unjustly slain ; poor, i. e. afflicted. Cp. 29. xii. i, note. Ver. 18. Poor. Cp. vec. 12. See Glossary. 61.] BOOK THE SECOND. 143 Up, Jehovah ! let not man have the upper hand, 19 the heathen shall be judged in Thy sight ! put them in fear, O Jehovah ! 20 let the heathen know themselves to be but men ! III. [Ps. x.] a more detailed description of these troubles; Why standest Thou so far off, O Jehovah? i and hidest Thy face in the needful time of trouble? the wicked in his pride doth, persecute the poor, 2 they are taken in the devices he hath imagined ; the ungodly maketh boast of his own heart's desire, 3 the covetous man forsake th and despiseth Jehovah. The ungodly hath a high look, and saith : ( HE heedeth not, 4 * there is no God' this is his thought continually his way doth always prosper, 5 Thy judgments are far above out of his sight, as for his enemies, he defieth them, and in his heart he saith, * tush, I shall never be cast down, 6 there shall no harm happen unto me/ His mouth is full of cursing, deceit and fraud, 7 under his tongue is mischief and destruction; he sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages, 8 yea, privily in his lurking dens doth he slay the innocent ; his eyes are privily set against the poor, 9 he lieth waiting secretly as a lion in his lair ! Ps. x. 3. his own heart's desire, i. e. he worships no God, but his own heart's ambition, Cp. Habakkuk i. n 16, 'Then shall his mind change and he shall pass over and offend, imputing this his power unto his god Therefore they sacrifice unto their net and, burn incense unto their drag, because by them their portion is fat and their meat plenteous.* The hearts desire in both passages being the same : in the Psalm, of the wicked persecuting the poor, ver. 2 ; in the Prophet, of the Chaldaeans slaying the nations. Ver. 5. far above, i. e. God's judgments are so remote that he careth not for them. Cp. Job xxii. 13: 'And thou sayest, How doth God know? can He judge through the dark cloud?' Ver. 8. villages; away from towns, where they might exercise their robberies unobserved. 144 THE PSALMS [ 62. Yen, he lurketh to ravish the poor, he doth ravish the poor and getteth him into his net; 10 he croucheth, he lieth down, n and the poor do fall into his jaws; for he saith in his heart, 'tush, God hath forgotten, 12 * He hideth His face; He will never see it!' IV. renewed prayer to Jehovah to effect a final deliverance from them. Up, Jehovah! O God, lift up Thine hand, 13 forget not the poor ! wherefore should the wicked contemn God, 14 while he doth say in his heart, 'tush! Thou carest not for it'? Verily Thou hast seen it ! for Thou beholdest mischief and wrong, 1 5 to grave them on Thy hands; 16 the poor committeth himself to Thee; Thou art always the helper of the fatherless. Wilt not Thou break the arm of the ungodly? 17 yea, Thou shalt seek his works and they shall not be found. Jehovah is King for ever and ever, 18 let the heathen perish out of His land ! Zealously hast Thou defended the cause of the poor, O Jehovah ! 19 Thou wilt establish their heart; Thine ear hearkeneth thereto, to help the fatherless and poor unto their right, 20 that the men of the earth be no more exalted against Thee ! Ver. 16. to grave them, i. e. so that they may be ever before Thee, and remembered for punishment Cp. Is. xlix. 15, 16, 'Yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands.* Cp. also Deut. xxxii. 34, 35. Ver. 17. his works, i. e. Thou shalt efface the results of his misdeeds, so that no trace remains even to the searching eye of God. Cp. 62. xxxvii. 10. 62. PSALM xxxvn. AN ALPHABETICAL PSALM \ THE sure connexion between wickedness and punishment was a lesson, which was impressed upon the men of that age by the destruction of unrighteous empires and the fall of tyrants : particularly 1 Cp. 61, note, and 130. cxix. 62.] BOOK THE SECOND. I 45 by the fall of Nineveh 1 . It is here set forth by the Psalmist, with all the weight of age and experience, in a Psalm composed mainly of quotations 2 from other books, with a burden of practical admonition, not to envy the present prosperity of the wicked but rather to wait in patient resignation for the just judgments of God. I. The righteous exhorted to disregard the prosperity of tJte wicked; Against the ungodly fret not thyself, i neither be thou envious against the evil doers ; for they shall soon be cut down like the grass, 2 and be withered even as the green herb. Be doing good and put thy trust in the Lord ; 3 dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed ; delight thou in Jehovah, 4 and He shall give thee thy heart's desire ! Commit thy ways unto Jehovah, 5 put thy trust in Him and He shall bring it to pass, He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light, 6 and thy cause as clear as the noonday ! Dwell thou in Jehovah, wait patiently for Him, ' - 7 and grieve not thyself at him whose way doth prosper, against the man that doeth after evil counsels. Eschew wrath and let go displeasure, and fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil : wicked doers shall be rooted out, 9 and they that patiently abide in God, these shall inherit the land. For yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone ; 10 thou shalt look after his place, and he shall be away! but the meekspirited shall possess the earth, 1 1 and shall be refreshed in the multitude of peace. Ver. 10. clean gone. Cp. 61. x. 17 and note. 1 Cp. 61, Introduction. , . 2 Cp. v. i with Prov. xxiv. 19: v. i. with Job xxvii. 10; v. 6 with Job xi. 17: w. 10 an 5 with Job viii. 18; v. 13 with 16. ii. 4; v. 16 with Prov. xv. 16; v. 23 with Prov. xx. 24. 146 THE PSALMS [ 62. II. for it is but for a time} Go to, ye that seek counsel against the just, 1 2 and gnash upon him with your teeth; the Lord shall laugh you to scorn, 13 for He hath seen that your day is coming. Hath the ungodly drawn his sword and bent his bow, 14 to cast down the poor and needy and to slay the upright? his sword shall go through his own heart, 15 and his bow shall be broken. Is not a small thing that the righteous hath 16 better than great riches of the ungodly? for the arms of the ungodly shall be broken, 17 but Jehovah upholdeth the righteous. Jehovah knoweth the days of the godly, . 18 and their inheritance shall endure for ever; v ,/? they shall not be ashamed in the perilous time, 19 and in the days of dearth they shall have enough. Know that the ungodly shall perish, 20 and the enemies of Jehovah are as the flower of the field, they shall consume yea, even in smoke shall they consume away ! III. while the righteous have the abiding protection of God. IiO ! the ungodly borroweth and payeth not again, 2 1 but the righteous is merciful and liberal; such as are blessed of God shall possess the land, 22 and they that are cursed of Him shall be rooted out. Moreover Jehovah ordereth a good man's going, 23 and hath pleasure in his way; though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, 24 for Jehovah upholdeth him with His hand. Never, though I have been young and now am old, 25 have I seen the righteous forsaken and his seed begging their bread ; 62.] BOOK THE SECOND. 147 the righteous is ever merciful and lendeth, 26 and his seed is blessed. Oh, flee from evil and do the thing that is good, 27 and so thou shalt dwell for evermore; for Jehovah loveth the thing that is right, 28 He forsaketh not His saints. Punishment awaiteth the unrighteous; 29 as for the seed of the ungodly, it shall be rooted out ; the righteous shall inherit the land, 30 and dwell therein for ever. Righteousness uttereth wisdom with her lips, 31 and the tongue of the righteous speaketh judgment; the law of his God is in his heart, 32 and his goings shall not slide ! See, how the wicked lieth in wait for the righteous, 33 and seeketh occasion to slay him ; but Jehovah will not leave him in his hand, 34 nor condemn him when he is judged. Trust thou in Jehovah and keep His way, 35 and He shall promote thee to inherit the land, when the ungodly shall perish, thou shalt see it. Ungodly men have I seen in great power, 36 and flourishing like a green bay tree; yet he passed away and lo, he was gone ; 37 I sought him, but his place could nowhere be found. View the perfect man and behold the upright, 38 how the man of peace hath prosperity; but as for transgressors, they shall perish together, 39 the posterity of v the wicked shall be rooted out, Yea, the salvation of the righteous cometh of Jehovah ; 40 He is their strength in the time of trouble; Jehovah standeth by and delivered! them, 41 He delivereth them from the ungodly and saveth them, because they put their trust in Him. L 2 r 4 S THE PSALMS [63. 63. PSALM LXXH. HP* HIS Psalm is a prayer for blessing on a king who has just as- * cended the throne. It is evidently some later king Josiah, for example, or one later still, for the prayer throughout is that the dimi- nished and impoverished kingdom of David may be restored to its former greatness and position in the world. The Psalmist gives utterance to their hopes of a great deliverer a Messiah or anointed king- who should restore the kingdom to Israel 1 . These hopes had long been cherished in the hearts of the people; great prophets gave them continual utterance ; and the accession of a king especially of a king of youth and promise could not fail to rekindle them. It is not to the sword, but to a wise and understanding heart, that the Psalmist looks for deliverance. He prays that the king may be animated by the spirit which dictated Solomon's choice to discern between good and evil 2 . The only solid foundation for national pro- sperity is a just administration: internal justice, external power and prosperity, would go hand in hand ; strangers would flock with a tri- bute of admiration and homage to such a people, and to such a king 3 ; and in this union of inward and outward blessing the earth would be renovated in a new youth. Many expressions in the Psalm remind us forcibly of the -last words of David 4 , in which he depicted the ideal of a king, and there is no doubt that it was the remembrance of what David had actually achieved which kept those hopes alive in the hearts of the Israelites. Such hopes are however too grand to be fulfilled by an earthly monarch, and the Psalm naturally passes at the close into a prayer to God, the only source of strength, and the only author of true deliverance. 1 Cp. note 37. IxJfvi. and note. * i Kings iii. 9 and 28. 3 vv, 8 15. - 4 20. 2 Sam. Jtxiii'. IT-;- 63.] BOOK THE SECOND. i 49 I. Prayer for the prosperity of the king, Give the king Thy judgments, O God ! i and Thy righteousness unto the king's son; then shall he judge Thy people with equity, 2 and Thy poor according unto right; the mountains also shall bring blessing to the people, 3 and the little hills, through righteousness ! let him keep the suffering folk by their right, 4 let him defend the children of the poor, and the oppressor let him utterly destroy ! * * * * * * * then shall they fear Thee as long as the sun and moon endureth, 5 from one generation to another ! let it come down like the rain upon the mown field, 6 even as drops of rain that water the earth; in his time let the righteous flourish, 7 yea, and abundance of peace, so long as the moon endureth. II. for the restoration, of his dominion, for he is the protector of the oppressed. Let his dominion be also from sea to sea, .8 and from the river even unto the world's end ; Ver. r. Thy judgments, i. e. the decisions which the king would be called on to make in h s character of judge. The Psalmist prays that these may be in accordance with the will of God. For the meaning of righteousness and the understanding heart, see Solomon's prayer, i Kings iii. 9. Ver. 3. mountains righteousness. Cp. Isaiah xxxii. 16, 17: 'Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness and righteousness remain in the fruitful field: and the work of righteousness si all be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.' After ver. 4 one verse of two lines is wanting to complete the sense and the structure of the st mza. Ewald believes that the sense of ver. i is repeated; and that the missing link may be si pplied by words like, 'give the king Thy judgments, O God! and cover him with Thy righteousness.' Ver. 5. if, i. e. God's righteousness imparted to the king. Cp. ver. i, note. Ver. 8. sea to sea, i. e. from the Arabian Gulf on the South-East to the Great or Mediter- ranean sea on the North- West ; and again from the river Euphrates on the North-East to the w:ldernesses on the South- West of Canaan, the world send. This describes the boundaries of the Davidic empire. i 5 o THE PSALMS [ 63. let them that dwell in the wilderness kneel before him, 9 and let his enemies lick the dust; let the kings of Tarshish and of the isles give presents, 10 let the kings of Arabia and Saba bring gifts, yea, let all kings fall down before him, n let all nations do him service ! for he delivereth the poor when he crieth, 12 the needy also that hath no helper, he is favourable to the simple and needy, 13 and preserveth the souls of the poor he delivereth their souls from oppression and wrong, 14 and dear is their blood in his sight so that they may flourish and give unto him of the gold of Arabia, 1 5 and make prayer for him without ceasing, and praise him every day. III. Repetition of prayer for universal and everlasting dominion. Let there be an heap of corn in the land high upon the hills ! 1 6 let his fruit be high as the hill of Libanus, and let people spring up in the city as grass upon the earth ! let his name endure for ever, 17 as long as the sun endureth, let his name increase; and let all the peoples be blessed through him, yea, let all the peoples praise him! Ver. 16. his fruity i. e. let the posterity of the king be numerous and strong, as a heap of corn piled high as mount Lebanon. Cp. 22. xxi. 10. Ver. 17. for ever. Cp. 10. ex. 4. Note. For the omission of two verses which are added at the end of the Psalm in the Authorized Version, see Appendix A (4). Cp. 29. xli. note. NOTE ON THE HISTORY OF MESSIANIC EXPECTATIONS DURING THE PERIOD OF THE PSALTER. GOD'S revelation of. a Messiah, like His other revelations, was gradual and may not unfitly be described as a growth. Up to the time of the first period of decadence after the reign of David, the several stages of revelation may be looked upon as a preparation, as it were, BOOK THE SECOND. 151 of the soil, on which the further revelation of a Messiah to come, pre- ceded by judgment, was to be planted and to bear fruit. The call of Abraham, the setting apart the Jewish nation from the rest of the world, their belief in One invisible ruler of the universe, One just and holy God as their God, their acceptance of an order of men who should rule as His vicegerents, were all necessary steps in the order of divine providence to the further revelation of a Messiah ; they were periods, so to speak, of that i fulness of time,' which was not complete till an era later than the Psalter and therefore ex- cluded by the historical character of this work from present con- sideration. The origin of this hope has been already 1 spoken of as to be sought in the great revelation of the Old Testament, namely, the revelation of one God and the capability of spiritual life which en- sued to the Jewish nation from this belief. The doctrine that God is One and that God is a Spirit had been maintained as a philosophical tenet before ; but here was a whole nation carrying this belief into its daily life, into every kind of society, into all sorts of occupations ; this belief was the centre and keystone of their national existence ; the highest spirits of the nation were its living witnesses ; and it was this belief which made them the fittest instrument for the conversion of the world. In spite of .he heathen tendencies of Solomon's reign, which after the secession of Jeroboam had their abiding stronghold in the northern kingdom and were not without adherents in the south, there never were wanting knees which had not bowed to Baal. The champions of this belief were ' the goodly fellowship of the Prophets,' those chosen heroes in rhe cause of divine truth, into whose hearts God had breathed a fuller measure of His Spirit, that they might make that Spirit known ro their fellow men. From this belief, supported, not by arguments which always provoke the thought of counter-arguments, but by the unconscious evidence of their lives, came a spiritual atmosphere fit for new converts to breathe ; from this belief came forms of language and expression fit for new converts to use; on it were based those everlasting truths, those 'thoughts of God,* which unshaken amid the surgings of human passion and caprice have ruled the world. 1 Cp. note on the origin of Messianic Expectations, 37. Ixxvi. i 5 * THE PSALMS Of such truths the two most prominent are the immortality of the soul and the hope of a great deliverer coming to execute judgment, to reign in righteousness and to gather up all the world without distinc- tion of race into one kingdom. How the Jews gained the first glimpse of immortality will be seen in a remarkable group of Psalms of this period 1 ; it is the object of this note to trace the growth of the Messianic hope from its first dim revelation in the time after David to its meridian splendour in the prophecies of the 2nd Isaiah, or as he has been well called, the 4 Evangelical Prophet.' Kings like Asa and Jehoshaphat were utterly powerless to raise the kingdom of Judah from the depth to which it had fallen. Over- shadowed by the powerful kingdom of Israel under the rule of the house of Omri as a neighbour and rival, scarcely able to maintain its very existence against the nations which were once its vassals, and yet conscious of its high calling as the home of the pure religion of Jehovah, this little kingdom could never forget the glories of its his- tory under Moses and under David. The very blows which had broken its human pride kept awake this heavenly consciousness ; and the very impossibility of recovering the lost dominion roused the nobler spirits of the nation to grasp in living faith and hope the spiritual and abiding element of David's kingdom, which made him, for them as for us, the type of the Messiah. Thus the very humiliation which was so fatal to the earthly ex- pectations of the Jews, was in the order of God's providence the means by which their minds were opened to receive the first revela- tion of a great deliverer, an anointed one, for that is the meaning of the Hebrew word Messiah, who should judge the world and re- store the kingdom to Israel. The basis of this national expectation and its connexion with David is to be found in the promise, imparted to him by Nathan 2 , that even after his death God would establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. In each successive period of affliction the expectations became more pure from earthly dross, and faith in the promise more deeply rooted. So early as in Solomon's reign, when the division of the kingdom was impending and no prospect was before them save of dissolution and ruin, Ahijah the Shi- 4 64 66. xvii, xvi, xlix, and Introduction. 2 2 Sam. vii. 12, 13. BOOK THE SECOND. 153 lonite in his very prediction of that dissolution, expressly reserved the rights of David's house to the fulfilment of the promise 1 . The hope in this early time was limited to the assurance, that God would fulfil His promise. There is no trace of its being con- nected with any man, still less with one particular man, as it was in the later time of Isaiah. It only recognised the truth that although men of that age were unequal to the task, God Himself would surely accomplish it ; that He, as was said by Joel, would come in a great and terrible day of judgment to put an end to the iniquity of the earth, and would pour out abundantly of His Spirit upon His people 2 . Thus was the kingdom to be re-established ; and when the war which was to restore David's house should end in an era of peace and pro- sperity, prophet and psalmist pictured to themselves all nations of the earth going as pilgrims to Jerusalem to learn the exceeding blessed- ness of the religion of Jehovah. In the prophets, who follow Joel, a step is gained in the catholicity )f the revelation. From Hosea, the tenderest expounder of the love, with which God will regard His people, when His judgments shall have purified their souls, we learn that it is not only the heathen but the chosen people, and the chosen people especially, who are to be purified through judgment; while from the 2nd Isaiah we further learn, that it is not the chosen people only but the Gentiles also, who are to be included in the Messianic kingdom. As time advanced, the revelation of this kingdom became clearer and more spiritual. Each successive Prophet adds new features to the picture painted by his predecessor. What is spiritual abides. There was a growing feeling of the essential identity of the dominion of Israel and the dominion of the religion of Jehovah. What David had gained by the sword, which seemed at his time to be the foun- dation of an universal empire, was within a few years of Solomon's death lost by the sword ; and no efforts which were made by the kings of Judah to recover this dominion were successful. It might be by other means than by the sword that the dominion of Jehovah was to be re-established. For it was no harshness or injustice on the part of the Jews, which drove such outlying kingdoms as Moab and Kdom into rebellion; it was the love of a wild and dissolute life 3 , i Kings xi. 36, 39. 2 Joel passim and especially ii. 2832. 3 Cp. 16. ii. Introduction. i 5 4 THE PSALMS which they were unwilling to forfeit by union with a nation bound by the religion and worship of Jehovah. Thus the contest was felt to be not so much between the tribe of Judah and the surrounding tribes as between the worshippers of Jehovah and the heathen ; and while a recovery of these dominions is still spoken of, the idea of war fades more and more from the description. It was probably this conviction of the uselessness of war which at an earlier period led king Jehoshaphat to give up all attempts to subdue by force of arms the northern kingdom, and even to confirm the peace by a marriage between his son Joram and the daughter of the house of Ahab. Later, when the northern kingdom had passed away and Sion remained unmoved as a rock amid the storms which swept over the land, the hopes and aspirations of Jehovah's people, thus mightily delivered, burned up more brightly than ever. It was no longer a merely general hope and belief, that Jehovah would somehow re-esta- blish His kingdom ; but that a man, a royal deliverer, should come as Jehovah's vicegerent to rule in righteousness and to restore the ancient boundaries of the kingdom which David had won. It is in the older Zechariah 1 that we find for the first time this idea of a per- sonal Messiah. Sion is to expect a king, who should rule from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth ; while in the two southern prophets, Isaiah and Micah, the two ideas, of individual judgment and of the redemption by a great prince of the house of David, came out in bold relief. It is in Micah, the foreteller of the fall of Jerusalem 8 , that we find in its full intensity the idea of the future supremacy of the chosen people. But it is through Isaiah that the truth in this more definite form was finally revealed. Himself of royal lineage and endowed with the highest gifts of prophetic utterances, he was chosen to pourtray the image of this great king and to announce the certainty of his coming. The nation had drunk to the dregs the cup of misery, the penalty of misrule. Misrule they had experienced in all its varied forms; and none even of the best kings had set before them the establishment of God's kingdom as the one sole end of national endeavour. Isaiah now proclaimed the true ideal of a king, and held up this glorious 1 c. ix xi. of the A. V. iii. ia. BOOK THE SECOND. I55 image, the embodiment of prophetic aspiration, alike for the comfort of the pious and despairing people as for the reproof of the degenerate king 1 and court ; nay more, he proclaimed it in yet fuller and more fervid language when Sennacherib threatened Jehovah's people with annihilation. Then for the first time was the glorified vision of Jeho- vah's kingdom brought face to face with the barbaric might of heathen power ; then the prophet of God stood calm and undismayed against the furious threats of the self-styled king of kings 2 . It seems that different prophets looked at different times to dif- ferent kings for the fulfilment in their persons of these Messianic hopes. Isaiah, in the reign of Ahaz 3 , looked to the young prince Hezekiah as the great deliverer ; at the period of the captivity, the second Isaiah was the first to foretell the conversion of the Gentiles and to describe, in language which has gained for him the title of the Evangelical Prophet, the true character of the Messiah, at once the representative and redeemer of God's servant Israel. He seems for a moment to glance at Cyrus 4 , as the anointed who should deliver Israel by smiting its captor, and should be not only the deliverer and benefactor of Israel, but the inaugurator of a reign of righteousness and truth. Haggai and the second Zechariah certainly saw the Mes- siah in Zerubbabel, 'the Branch, who should bear the glory and should sit and rule upon His throne ; and he shall be a priest upon His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both V But from these side-glances at persons who at most were par- tial and temporary fulfilments, if we pass to the grand picture made up by the successive touches of the whole ' fellowship of the Pro- phets/ we find the idea of the Messiah expanded at last into the whole Jewish nation 6 , * mine elect, my servant Israel/ The nation was to redeem and deliver the Gentiles, not by the sword of the con- queror but by the spiritual weapons of suffering ; and consequently no one person could fulfil this glorified idea of the Messiah, unless he could be considered as in himself the one representative of the whole people. Thus it was in this darkest and dreariest period of the Jewish 1 Ahaz, Cp. Dean Milman's Hist, of the Jews, i. 372. 2 Cp. 35 39, Psalms celebrating the repulse of the Assyrian invasion. 3 Is. vii, ix. * Is. xliv. 2* : xlv. T. * both, i. e. Zerubbabel and Jeshua, * Cp. 124. Ixxxix. 3750 and Introduction. 156 THE PSALMS. history that the hopes of a great deliverer shone most brightly through the gloom. These hopes found their perfect expression in the most magnificent chapters of all Hebrew prophecy *, which open with the key-note, ' Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,' the note of a revived and glorified Israel, and unfold the vision of a new world of love and justice, which was to gather up into one kingdom not only the seed of David but the whole human race 2 . Such are the various forms of Messianic hope, which between the time of Rehoboam and Nehemiah more or less powerfully swayed the Jewish mind ; the allusions to the same subject in the Psalms, which are in many cases lyrical embodiments of those feelings, naturally pre- sent less of detail, though as might be expected in lyric poetry they are characterised by fully as great a depth of feeling. 1 Is. xl r lxvi s Is. xlix. i, 6, 12, 22, 23; Ix. 122; Ixi. i ii. BOOK III. PSALMS FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF THE KINGDOM TO THE RETURN FROM CAP- TIVITY. BOOK III. PSALMS FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF THE KINGDOM TO THE RETURN FROM CAPTIVITY. SOME of the grandest and most spiritual Psalms are the outcome of the captivity ; and though their language bears frequent and indelible marks of the depression 1 and humiliation which had befallen the people, yet we find amid the gloom flashes of the noblest thought and of the highest spiritual truth. Amidst such' universal misery, it is no wonder, if in some Psalms the general tone of resignation is lost, nay, if in some t passes for a moment into fierce and terrible 2 imprecation. For what words can describe the agony of a captivity, which was to Israel the rending away of higher hopes and deeper affections than .my nation had yet been able to cherish or to feel ? To the har- Bowing bitterness of persecution, with which they had long been vexed, are added troubles peculiar to the time, contempt for the sufferings of the persecuted and woe-stricken followers of Jehovah, Contempt for the majesty of Jehovah Himself, as the God who 1 Cp. 64. xvii ; 71. xxxviii ; 75. li ; 73. Ixix ; 74. cix. s 70. xxxv ; 73. Ixix ; 74. cix. 160 PSALMS FROM THE PERIOD OF THE CAPTIVITY. could neither hear nor help ; and worse than all, separation from His visible presence, from that Temple, which had hitherto been the centre of light and warmth in the darkest days of trouble from scoffers within and from enemies without. But it seems as though it were this very separation from their beloved land, from the security and bliss afforded by their Temple, which could alone open their eyes to the truth, that spiritual 1 life and happiness in God must be looked for in other things than in ceremonial worship and sacrifice. Fainter traces of the same truth were to be found in earlier 2 times; but not until the old religion had passed through this valley of the shadow of death, did its spiritual power and truth shine forth with a glorious and unclouded light. All outward and visible help, in which they had heretofore trusted, was irrevocably gone; and by this ordeal 3 hope and trust and resignation are not quenched, but purified and strengthened ; in their deep distress they recognise the length and breadth of their old follies and sins, and so become capable of a new and spiritual birth. The old Israel from its sorrows and its death rises again to a new life, and with prophetic assurance that the victory of the heathen was but for a time, looks forward in the midst of its suffering to a new and a sure deliverance 4 . i 65. xvi ; 72. xl ; 75. li ; 73. Ixix. * 59- 1- 3 51. ivi; 52. Ivii; 69. xxii. 83. Ixxxii ; 84. xiv; 85. cxx.'&c. 6466.] THE PSALMS. BOOK THE THIRD. io'i BOOK III. [SECTIONS 6489.] PSALMS FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF THE KINGDOM TO THE RETURN FROM CAP- TIVITY. 64 66. PSALMS xvn, xvi, XLIX. \ T 7E have here a group of Psalms, which express, faintly at * first but with increasing certainty, the feeling now beginning to dawn upon the Hebrew mind, that though the flesh and its glory perish, there is life for the soul with God. There is in them a remarkable similarity alike of language and of sentiments, which points to their being the work of one author. We find in them a contrast drawn between God and the world 1 , between the aims of the righteous and of the worldly 2 ; a deep care and watch- fulness over the soul's health, which courts rather than avoids the scrutinising eye of God 3 ; and, mingled with these more plaintive notes, outbursts of joy at the contemplation of the future 4 . We read in them the thoughts of one who is face to face with the great problem of the time, the prosperity of the wicked. This is the riddle, ' the dark speech,' which he is prepared to make known upon his harp 3 ; and in the first 6 of these psalms we witness the com- mencing struggles of heart to understand the problem, of which we find the solution in the third. Assuredly no more momentous struggle ever swayed the heart of man than that which first led him to suspect himself to be immortal. The early Jews, even Moses 7 and most of the Psalmists 8 , limit their view to the present life: even of David we find nothing to indicate that he dwelt upon any thought beyond it ; indeed, as in his consciousness 1 xvii. 14. 2 xvii. z 5 ; xvi. z 5 ; xlix. 5, &c. 3 xvii. 2 ; xvi. 7, 8. 4 xvii. 16; xvi. 10 12; xlix. 16. 5 xiix. 4. ti xvii. " So the Sadducees, the strict Mosabts of our Lord's time, denied the resurrection. * 26. vi. 5 ; 33. xxxix. 13; 50. Ixiii. 9; 58. Ixxxviii; 102. cxv. 17. M ife THE PSALMS [ 64 6( of power as Jehovah's vicegerent to uproot all wickedness and wicke doers 1 , he lost the main impetus which turned the thoughts and fee ings of the later Psalmists towards a judgment to come ; in the serer enjoyment of the Holy place, where God's honour was to dwell, his s< tisfaction and happiness was too complete to allow questionings of heai as to the current belief that man was like to the beasts that perish. The two chief causes which forced the conviction of a hereafter o the later Hebrews, were a deep dissatisfaction at the prosperity of th wicked and the misfortunes of the righteous in the world ; and th earnest longing of the soul for a more perfect communion with Go than was possible in the present life. So long on the one hand as adherence to Jehovah secured Jehovah 1 protection, and goodness went hand in hand with prosperity, ther seemed to be even in this life a perfect fulfilment of God's promises ; bu when the connexion between adherence to Jehovah and worldly prosperit was sundered, when wickedness seemed to be triumphant and th very name of God had passed into a mockery, it became evident to th Hebrews that Jehovah must 'hold His assize in that mysterious regioi on the other side of death.' The faith of the Jew in the promises wa undying. When the realization of them became impossible in thi world, he looked forward to the fulfilment of them in a world to come. On the other hand, it required the discipline of the Captivity t< refine the idea of communion with God into a truly spiritual concep tion. Beforetime it had been understood of outward vision in thi: world ; the reward of the righteous was to see God with the eye not o faith but of sight. It was in this sense that Moses enjoyed it ; ' I wil speak mouth to mouth with him,' said Jehovah to Aaron and Miriam 2 * even apparently and not in dark speeches, and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold;' but it was only in these dark times, when the holiest and securest things were seen to be transitory, when the very cit> and the Temple, which secured to Israel this communion with Jehovah; were destroyed, that the spirit, borne upwards by its consciousness ol participation in the divine nature, finally rose above the world of sense and sight, and gradually breaking free from the old belief that the spirits 1 Cp. 6. ci. ii. 2 Numbers xii. 8. 64.] BOOK THE THIRD. 163 of the departed were but dreamy unconscious shades in a land of for- getfulness 1 , thus gained glimpses of that higher immortality 2 which did not become a world-bekef till later times. The first of the three Psalms 3 was written in the midst of the ter- rors of persecution, either from a tyrant or from heathen or from idola- trous Israelites ; it is full of passionate appeal, of alternations of hope and despair, and the haven of rest in God's presence is hardly attained. But between this and the i6th Psalm there is a wide interval, if not of time, at least of spiritual experience ; for in it all trace of struggle and fear is gone ; it is pervaded by the sunshine of peace ; hope has be- come fruition, and in Jehovah's presence there is fulness of joy. In the 49th, the last Psalm of the group, the experience of the two former Psalms is set forth at length as doctrine. 64. PSALM xvn. I. Tke Psalmist in tJie confidence of his integrity prayeth to God Hear the right, O Jehovah, consider my complaint, i and hearken unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips my sentence cometh forth from Thy presence, 2 and Thine eyes look upon the thing that is equal ; Thou hast proved and visited my heart in the night season, 3 Thou hast tried me and findest no wickedness in me, and my mouth doth not offend; as for men's ways, by the word of Thy lips 4 I have kept me from the paths of the violent man : my goings were holden up in Thy paths, 5 and my footsteps slipped not. [ call upon Thee, for Thou nearest me, O God ! 6 incline Thine ear unto me and hearken unto my words ! Ver. 2. sentence> i.e. I submit myself to Thy judgment, and in confidence await Ti.y : :ntence. 1 This Sheol, the classical Hades or Orcus. is rendered 'Hell' in the Authorized Ycr- s on. 2 65. xvi. 9 n. 3 xvii. M 2 164 THE PSALMS [ 64. II. against the persecution of the ivicked, Shew Thy marvellous lovingkindness, Thou that art the 7 saviour of them that put their trust in Thee from such as resist Thy right hand ! keep me as the apple of an eye, 8 hide me under the shadow of Thy wings, from the ungodly that trouble me, 9 from mine enemies that compass me to take away my life ; they have enclosed their heart in fat, 10 and with their mouth they speak proud things, they lie waiting in our way on every side, n and turn their eyes to spy through the land : like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, 12 and as it were a young lion, lurking in his secret places. III. tJtat, though the ivicked prosper, he may have the blessing of beholding God's presence. Up, Jehovah ! disappoint him and cast him down, 13 deliver my life from the ungodly by Thy sword, from men, O Jehovah, by Thy hand, from men of this world, 14 which have their portion in this life, whose bellies Thou fillest with Thy treasures, who have children at their desire and leave their substance 15 to their babes ! but as for me, let me behold Thy presence in righteousness, 16 and when I awake up, let me be satisfied with Thy likeness ! Ver. TO. in fat, i. e. are bloated with the presumption bred of prosperity. Cp. 80. Ixxiii. 7, 130. cxix. 70, and Deut. xxxii. 10. Ver. 14. this world. Cp. Job xxi. 714. The idea of the world in the New Testament sense has not occurred before, this life, i. e. of material prosperity in contrast with that spiritual communion with God, which the Psalmist prays may be his portion, treasures, i. e. abundance of God's material gifts. Ver. 16. Compare this prayer for spiritual communion with God with the earlier concep- tions of seeing Him face to face, and speaking with Him mouth to mouth; once the privilege of Moses (Numbers xii. 8) was unique ; it has now in the new sense become the privilege of c\ery righteous man. 65.] BOOK THE THIRD. ,65 65. PSALM xvi.* I. The Psalmist's confidence in Jehovah, in spite of the apostasy of friends ; Preserve me, O God! for in Thee have I put my trust. i I say of Jehovah, Thou art my Lord, 2 my goods are as nothing in comparison of Thee ! the saints which are in the land, 3 and the nobles, in whom is all my delight r .hey multiply their idols and run after other gods; 4 their drinkofferings of blood may I not offer, 5 neither make mention of their names within my lips. II. for joy in JehovaKs presence is strength against temptation, Jehovah is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup ; 6 Thou art the possession of my lot ! the lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places, 7 yea, I have a goodly heritage. I bless Jehovah, for that He gave me counsel, 8 that my reins also admonished me in the night season; 1 have set Jehovah always before me ; 9 because He is on my right hand, therefore I shall not fall. III. and in His presence is everlasting life. Wherefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth : 10 my flesh also shall rest in hope ! Ver. 3. saints, i. e. the Israelites, called * the kingdom of priests, the holy nation,' Ex. xix. 6, * the saints,' Deut. xxxiii. 3, 'My beloved,' Jer. xi. 15, yet follow the example of the heathen, ui running after strange Gods. Ver. 6. Portion cup. The double image of the division of a conquered land and the handing of the cup from the head of the family to each member seated at the table. His por- tion is the living presence of Jehovah, who counsels, warns and protects him against evil. Ver. 7. lines, (i) a cord for measuring land. Cp. Amos viL 17, ' thy land shall be divided by line;' (2) the portion of land so measured, as here. Ver. 10. thy glory, i. e. the soul. Cp. 52. IviL 9, and note. Vv. 10 12. For this assurance of immortality for the soul of man in the presence of Go*l cp 66. xlix. 15 and Job xix. 26, 27 : in 47. xxxvi. 9, and Proverbs xii. 28 we find the same thought more faintly expressed. * For Introduction cp. 64 66. i66 THE PSALMS [ 66. for why? Thou shalt not leave my soul in the grave, n neither shalt Thou suffer Thy loved ones to see corruption ; Thou shalt shew me the path of life : 1 2 in Thy presence is the fulness of joy, and in Thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore. Ver. ii. grave. In the Authorized Version two Hebrew words, Sheol and Gehenna, are both rendered 'Hell;' but as Hell is understood to mean a place of punishment (which in Hebrew is Gehenna), it is replaced in this version by the word 'grave,' whenever the original is Sheol, i. e. Hades. 66. PSALM XLIX.* I. A summons to hear the great lesson, hear ye this, all ye people, i give ear, all ye that dwell in the world ; high and low, rich and poor, 2 one with another ! my mouth shall speak of wisdom, 3 and my heart shall muse of understanding; 1 will incline mine ear unto the parable, 4 and shew my dark speech upon the harp : II. tJiat the prosperity of the wicked need cause no fear; for wealth without God is of no avail, Wherefore should I fear in the days of wickedness, 5 when the sin of them that would overthrow me doth com- pass me about, of them that put their trust in their goods, 6 and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches? but surely none of them may redeem himself, 7 nor give a ransom for himself to God, Ver. 4. incline mine ear, i. e. listen in reverent silence for the divine revelation or teach- ing, dark speech, i. e. a fact or a truth to be explained. Cp. Numbers xii. 8. Compare in the N. T. the use of the word ' mystery,' to express a truth before hidden but now revealed. The sense therefore is ; I will explain by my song what was before a riddle, viz. the prosperity of the wicked. * For Introduction, see 6466. 66.] BOOK THE THIRD. 167 for it costeth too much to redeem the soul, 8 that must be let alone for ever so that he may still continue to live o and not see the grave : nay, but he shall see it; wise men also die, 10 and perish together, as well as the ignorant and the foolish, and leave their riches for other; nay, the grave is their everlasting habitation, 1 1 their dwelling-place from generation to generation they who were had in honour through the land ! and man in his glory ', so he have no understanding, 12 is like unto the beasts that are slaughtered and perish. III. and death is the end of the foolish; but the righteous hath length of days. This is the way of them that love foolishness, 13 and of all those that after them praise their sayings ; like sheep, that are appointed to be slain, death shall be 14 their shepherd, and the righteous shall have dominion over them ; yet a little while and their beauty shall consume away, it shall have its dwelling in the grave : but God will redeem my soul 1 5 from the hand of the grave, when it layeth hold on me. He not thou afraid, though one be made rich, 16 or if the glory of his house be increased; for he shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth, 17 neither shall his pomp follow him ; for though, while he liveth, he counteth himself an happy man, 18 and though men praise thee, when thou doest well unto thyself, Ver. 8. redeem the soul y i. e. ransom the life, cp. v. 9. Man is so far below God that he caa find no ransom which would persuade God to let him live. Ver. 14. sheep. Cp. 119. xliv. 12, 22. Ver. 15. redeem grave. Cp. 65. xvi. 10 12, and Hos. xiii. 14, and Gen. v. 24. Ver. 18. thee is equivalent to him of the preceding line, but is more graphic, docst well, i. . prosperest. Fox- the thought cp. Luke xii. 19, &c. 1 68 THE PSALMS [ 67, 68. yet he shall follow the generation of his fathers, 19 and nevermore shall they see the light ! and man in his glory, so he have no understanding, 20 is like unto the beasts that are slaughtered and perish ! 67, 68. PSALMS XLII, XLIII, LXXXIV. Psalms are full of the sorrows of the captivity. The terrible blow had come at last : the king and the nobles were carried away to Babylon. Jeremiah and Ezekiel abound with expressions which indicate the poignancy of the national anguish at this overwhelming calamity. Jehoiachin, the last of David's line, the lion 1 cub of the house of Judah, i was cast away like a broken 2 and despised vessel ; the voice of the young lion 3 should no more be heard on the mountains of Israel; the topmost and tenderest shoot of the royal 4 cedar tree had been plucked off by the eagle of the East and planted far away in the merchant city of Euphrates. From the top of Lebanon, from the heights of Bashan, from the ridges of Abarim the widowed country shrieked aloud, as she saw the train of her captive king and nobles disappearing in the distant East. From the heights of Hermon, from the top of Mizar, it is no improbable conjecture that the departing 5 king poured forth this exquisitely plaintive song, in which, from the deep disquietude of his heart, he longs after the presence of God in the Temple 6 , and pleads his cause against the impious nation, the treacherous and unjust man who in spite of plighted 7 faith had torn him away from his beloved home 8 .' 67. PSALM XLII, XLIII. I. [Ps. XLII.] The Psalmist torn from his native land, amid the taunts of his enemies, dvjelleth lovingly on the joyous festivals of the Temple; Like as the hart desireth the waterbrooks, i so longeth my soul after Thee, O God ! 1 Ezek. xix. 6. 2 Jer. xxii. 24, 28. s Ezek. xix. 8. 4 E/ek. xvii. 4. * 2 Kings xxiv. 12. 6 xliii. 3, 4. 7 67. xliii. i, 2; Joseph. Antiq. x. 9. 8 Stanley's Jewish Church, n. p. 541. 67.] BOOK THE THIRD. 169 my soul is athirst for God, yea even for the living God; 2 when shall I come to appear before the presence of God ? my tears have been my meat day and night, 3 while they daily say unto me, 'where is now thy God?' Now when I think thereupon, I pour out my heart within me, 4 how I went with the multitude, and brought them forth into the house of God, with the voice of praise and thanksgiving, with such as keep 5 holyday ! Why art thou so heavy, O my soul, and why art thou so 6 disquieted within me? O put thy trust in God, for I will yet give Him thanks, 7 which is the help of my countenance and my God ! II. as he taketh his last look front the border-hills he is overwhelmed -with ***/; My God ! my soul is heavy within me ; 8 therefore do I remember Thee from the land of Jordan, of Hermon, and the hill of Mizar. One flood calleth unto another at the noise of Thy waterspouts ; 9 all Thy waves and billows are gone over me. Jehovah hath granted His lovingkindness in the daytime, 10 and in the night season do I sing of Him and make my prayer unto the God of my life ; I say unto the God of my strength, 'why hast Thou forgotten me? n 'why go I thus heavily while the enemy oppresseth me? [Ps. xlii.] Ver. 2. living God, as opposed to the lifeless idols of the heathen. Ver. 4. I pour out my faart, so that it brings me to despair, when amid the mockery of v-icked men I think on the time when I led up processions to the Temple of God. Cp. Job x. & xxx. 16. Ver. 8. the land of Jordan and of the two Hermans, signifies the North, the hill of Mizar. The name signifies ' smallness ;' hence in the Prayer-Book Version ' little hill' of Her- mon : perhaps it means the lower as contrasted with the upper ridge of Hermon. Ver. 9. one flood calleth unto another. At the thunder of the torrent of God's displeasure, wave biddeth wave come on ; a picture of a rapid succession of calamities. Ver. 12. my bones are smitten asunder. The mockery and reproach of my enemies is as i hough my very bones were being crushed and destroyed within me. 1 70 THE PSALMS [ 68. 4 my bones are smitten asunder while mine enemies reproach me ; 1 2 * namely, while they say daily unto me, ' where is now thy 13 God?" Why art thou so heavy, O my soul, and why art thou so 14 disquieted within me? O put thy trust in God, for I will yet praise Him, 1 5 which is the help of my countenance and my God ! III. [Ps. XLIII.] but riseth to hope in the thought that God in his justice would restore him to Jerusalem. Give sentence upon me, O God ! i and defend my cause against the ungodly people, O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man ! for Thou art the God of my strength : why hast Thou put me 2 from Thee? and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me ? O send out Thy light and Thy truth ! that they may lead me, 3 and bring me unto Thy holy hill and to Thy dwelling ! that I may go unto the altar of God, 4 even unto the God of my joy and gladness, and upon the harp will I give thanks unto Thee, O God, my God! Why art thou so heavy, O my soul, and why art thou so 5 disquieted within met O put thy trust in God, for I will yet praise Him, 6 which is the help of my countenance and my God ! 68. PSALM LXXXIV. THIS Psalm is probably from the pen of the same king 1 as the last, and was composed towards the close of the first ten of those 36 years during which he languished in a Babylonian prison. A later date cannot be assigned, as the Temple is still undestroyed 2 , but time has already done much to mitigate the afflictions of captivity. Pilgrim- 68.] BOOK THE THIRD. 171 ages to the Holy City are not uncommon l . The anguish of the royal captive at being torn from his palace and the Temple has lost its earlier bitterness 2 ; yet there is something peculiarly touching in the contrast he draws between his own confinement in prison and the liberty his subjects enjoy in visiting their country and sharing in the services of the Temple. The exquisite sensibility, which appears in his Psalms, together with the nobleness 3 of character which led him to forget his own troubles in dwelling on the happy lot of his subjects, enables us to understand why the people living under the feebler sway of Zedekiah looked forward with longing to his return, emancipated as he had now become from the unfortunate 4 influences of his brief and boyish reign. I. The Psalmist longeth in absence for the holy place, O how lovely are Thy dwellings, i Jehovah, Thou God of Hosts ! my soul hath a desire and longing for the courts of Jehovah : 2 my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house and the swallow a nest, 3 where she may lay her young, even Thy altars, O Jehovah, God of Hosts, my King and my God ! II. proclaimeth the blessedness of them that dwell there or face the danger* of tJte pilgrimage. Blessed are they that dwell in Thy House : 4 they shall yet live to praise Thee ! blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee, 5 who loveth to think on journeying to Thy House; they going through the vale of misery make it a well, 6 yea, an early rain falleth and covereth it with blessing! Ver. 4. shall yet, i. e. a better time shall come for those who are at Jerusalem. Ver. 6. vale of misery, i. e. those who having undertaken a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, go hrough the Baka valley, the vale of misery, which forms the entrance to Palestine. The Peering prospect of reaching God's House covers the barren desert with blessing. For this picture compare Hosea ii. 14, 15 ; Is. xxxv. 6, 7. i 7 , 7 ,. 4 7 . a See preceding Psalm. 3 Josephus, Antiq. x. <> 4 2 Chron. xxxvi. 9 ; 2 Kings xxiv. 9. I 7 * THE PSALMS [ 69. they go from strength to strength, 7 and so they appear before God in Sion. III. Jehovah, God of Hosts, hear Thou my prayer, 8 hearken, O God of Jacob ! behold, O God, our defender, 9 and look upon the face of Thine Anointed ! for one day in Thy courts is better than a thousand: 10 I had rather be a door-keeper in the House of my God j i than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness, for Jehovah our God is a light and a defence I 1 2 Jehovah will give grace and glory, and no good thing shall He withhold from them that live a godly life. IV. O Jehovah God of Hosts, 13 blessed is the man that putteth his trust in Thee! Ver. 7. strength- to strength. Each difficulty surmounted shall prove a fresh source of strength. 69. PSALM xxn. * I ^HE Psalmist was apparently an exile, still in the hands of his * heathen captors 1 . His extreme peril 2 , the obloquy and scorn to which he was exposed as a professed worshipper of Jehovah, his immi- nent death 3 , are touched on with a tenderness and a power which have made the language familiar to us in another application. Nothing but the faith which rises triumphant over all difficulty could keep alive a hope amid the agonies of suffering such as this. No word of impa- tience escapes from his lips, above all none of revenge against the enemies who have rilled the cup of his miseries to overflowing. And if for a moment his courage and faith seem to give way, if in the dark- 1 v. 7. 2 w. i, 7, ii, 14, s v. 18 and note, v. 30. 69.] BOOK THE THIRD. 173 ness of his dungeon, with his enemies exulting over his approaching execution, he feels that even God for whom he is suffering has aban- doned him to the scorn of his enemies, yet it is but for a moment ; he rises again through prayer to the hope of deliverance ; nay, he even foresees a time when this deliverance shall be known to all the world, and the story of his life shall solace the sufferer in every age. I. The Psalmist, though he cried to God, is forsaken and mocked, My God, my God ! why hast Thou forsaken me, i and art so far from my help and from the words of my complaint ! O my God ! I cry in the day-time but Thou nearest not, 2 in the night season also, and take no rest : and yet Thou art the Holy One, 3 who dwellest among the praises of Israel; our fathers trusted in Thee 4 they trusted in Thee and Thou didst deliver them; they called upon Thee and were holpen ; 5 they put their trust in Thee and were not confounded. But as for me, I am a worm and no man, 6 a very scorn of men and the outcast of the people ; all they that see me laugh me to scorn, 7 they shoot out their lips and shake their heads, Ver. i. so far. cp. 119. xliv. 23, 24; 76. Ixxi. 10. Ver. 3. This title, -who dwellest among the praises of Israel, has supplied the place of the older title 'which dwelleth between the cherubim;* which occurs in i Sam. iv. 4 and 2 Sam. vi. 2, and is repeated in later Psalms 108. xcix. i, and 122. Ixxx. i. The Israelites loved to think of God as dwelling in the Temple they had built, and ever at hand to aid them: to them it was 'our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised Thee' [Isaiahlxiv. n]; in its 'most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim,' was the oracle of God [i Kings viii. 6]; hence the older title denoted a God, never far from His poople, ever ready to aid and to counsel them. The new title expresses the same attributes of God, but no longer connects them with the place ' where our fathers praised God,' but w th the praises they uttered; wherever the people were gathered together to praise God, there was He in the midst of them. Ver. 7. shoot out their lips. Cp. Job xvi. 10, * They have gaped upon me with their m>uth.' shake. Cp. Lam. ii. 15; 119. xliv. 15; 74. cix. 24. i 7 4 THE PSALMS [ 69. saying, 'he trusted in God; let Him deliver him, 8 ' let Him deliver him if He will have him.' yet he prayeth again to his Helper of old. But Thou art He that took me out of my mother's womb : 9 Thou wert my stay when I hanged yet upon my mothers breasts. I have been left unto Thee ever since I was born, 10 Thou art my God even from my mother's womb. go not far from me, for trouble is nigh at hand, 1 1 and there is none to help. II. Enemies surround him in his suffering and condemnation, Many oxen are come about me, 12 mighty bulls of Basan close me in on every side, they gape upon me with their mouths, 13 as it were a ravening and a roaring lion ! 1 am poured out like water, 14 and all my bones stick out; my heart also in the midst of my body ' is even like melting wax ; the skin of my mouth is dried up like a potsherd, 15 and my tongue cleaveth to my gums; and wilt Thou bring me to the dust of death? for dogs are come about me, 16 the host of wicked men have laid siege against me, they have bound my hands and my feet; 17 Ver. 9. mother's womb, cp. 76. Ixxi. 5. Ver. 12. oxen, i.e. his persecutors, mighty bulls: literally 'mighty ones.' The same metaphor occurs also Amos iv. i, ' Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan [i. e. ye well-fed women], that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy,' and Ezek. xxxix. 18. Ver. i4/ poured oitt like water, i. e. unstrung with grief; so melting ivax; cp. Lam. ii. it, 'My liver is poured upon the earth for the destruction of the daughter of my people.' stick out. This is explained by Job xxxiii. 21 ; 41. cxli. 8. Ver. 15. dried up. Cp. 13. xxxii. 4, ' My moisture is like the drought in summer.' 69.] BOOK THE THIRD. '75 I may tell all my bones, they stand staring and looking upon me, they part my garments among them, 18 and cast lots upon my vesture. and yet he reneuueth his prayer I But Thou, O Jehovah, be not far from me; 19 Thou art my strength, haste Thee to help me ! deliver my soul from the sword, 20 my darling from the power of the dog ! save me from the lion's mouth, 21 and hear me from among the horns of the buffaloes. III. on his delivery, Jte ivill cause God to be praised by all the '-world; I will declare Thy name unto my brethren, 22 in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee ! 'O praise Jehovah, ye that fear Him, 23 ' magnify Him, all ye seed of Jacob, ' and tremble before Him, all ye seed of Israel : ' for He hath not despised nor abhorred the low estate of the poor, 24 < He hath not hid His face from him, 1 but when he called unto Him, He heard him;' my praise is of Thee in the great congregation, 25 my vows will I perform in the sight of them that fear Him : the poor shall eat and be satisfied, 26 they that seek after Jehovah shall praise Him; may your heart live for ever ! Ver. 17. staring, i.e. triumphing over me in my captivity and ill-treatment. Ver. 18. lots, as was customary in the case of condemned prisoners. Cp. Joel iii. 3 ; Ob. ii ; Nah. iii. 10. Vv. 20, 21. dog, lion, buffaloes. The Psalmist here, to describe his enemies, returns to the use of the images used in vv. 12, 13, 16. my darling. Cp. 70. xxxv. 17: the parallelism shews that this expression is synonymous wuh my soul, and therefore denotes the Psalmist. Ver. 21. from among, the prayer of the Psalmist comes to God from among the horns of he buffaloes, who close him in on every side (ver. 12). Ver. 26. eat. In contrast to the time when all his bones stuck out (ver. 14). your, i. e their ; by a change not uncommon in Hebrew poetry. t76 THE PSALMS [ 70 78.' that all the ends of the world may remember this and be turned 27 to Jehovah, and all the kindreds of the nations may. worship before Him : for the kingdom is Jehovah's, 28 and He is the Governor among the peoples. his story TV ill soiace the suffering and live among posterity. All such as be sad upon earth shall eat and do Him worship, 29 all they that go down into the dust shall kneel before Him, 30 and whoso keepeth not his own soul alive: our seed shall serve Him, 31 the story of the Lord shall be told to them that come after ; they shall come and shall declare His deliverance, 32 yea, to the people that shall be born, that He hath done this. Ver. 29. shaft eat, i. e. their sadness is changed into banqueting, carrying out the metaphor of ver. 26. Ver. 30. dnst, i.e. 'of death' (ver. 15). whoso keepeth not: literally, 'who hath nut respited his life ; ' i. e. a prisoner in immediate peril of execution. 70 78. PSALMS xxxv, xxxvin, XL (INCLUDING LXX), LXIX, CIX, Ll, LXXI, XXV, XXXIV. Psalms are grouped together because they bear a com- * mon impress : they are pervaded by a marked similarity of senti- ments, they are called forth by similar circumstances ; they represent indeed changes of life and changes of character ; thus at one time 1 they record the despairing cry of an exile, at another some fierce 2 struggle in a believer's soul, or his reviving trust 3 in God; yet these changes are not greater than might well be experienced in a long and eventful life, and are not such as to preclude the idea suggested by their general similarity, that they are the work of one author. It is true that the historical books do not enable us to assign these Psalms to any character in the history, but the writer's life may be gathered from the Psalms. He is an exile, so hopelessly cut off from 1 xxxv ; xxxviii ; Ixix ; cix. * xl ; xxxiv ; li ; Ixxi. 3 xxv. 7078.] BOOK THE THIRD. 177 the service of God in the sanctuary, that the very yearning which filled the hearts of earlier exiles has died out ; they l had never ceased to look forward to the time when they should return to Jerusalem to worship there ; he speaks as one not bound to the Temple by early associations, but content anywhere, either amid his captive brethren or their heathen masters, to praise the Holy One of Israel 2 . The facts of his life and the physical impossibility of fulfilling the service of the written Law have forced upon him the lesson that true worship requires only to be offered ' in spirit and in truth 3 / Compelled by loss of the outward ritual to rest only on inward communion with God, the Psalmist has learnt to try his life by a severer canon, and thus the ideas of sin 4 and repentance 5 attain a prominence and vitality, which they never had while the Temple was standing. Thus while these Psalms have their own value, as throwing light on the feelings of the nation in a dark time, yet above and beyond all this and despite the bitterness of personal feeling 6 which here and there appears, there may be seen in them the germs of all that is most spiritual in religion. The Psalmist is not a prophet, whose human impulses have been trained by a life of devotion to bend to God ; he is rather a man of vehement emotion, incapable of persistent self-control and only at last restored to peace by learning the spirit of true repentance. The cha- racter of his sufferings, the nature of his guilt, and the objects of his aspiration, shew him to have been a man of position in the state, may- be a warrior 7 , or even a king. It is this rank that at one time adds bitterness 8 to his degradation, at another gives scope to his passion 9 , and in his last days allows him to speak 10 as one in authority to the new generation of his countrymen. He lives to see Jerusalem and the Temple destroyed 11 and the cup of his nation's woe filled to overflowing, but he has gained with time thii mastery over his own soul, and thus, though the glory of his nation seems to have set for ever, he can yet discern the light of a coming deliverance 12 . 1 49. Ixi. 8: 67. xliii. 4. 2 xxxv. 28; xl. 3 seqq. 13; cix. 29 ; li. 18, 19 note 3 xl. 8 13; li. 15 17; Ixix. 31, 32. * li. 5. * li 10. fi xxxv. 4 8 ; Ixix. 23 29 ; cix. 5 et seq. " See the metaphors used xxxv. a, 3. 8 cix. 7, Introduction. 9 li. 14. 10 Ixxi. 14 16; li. 13; xl. 13; xxxiv. i, 2, n Ixix. 9. 12 Cp. notes on 37. Ixxvi ; 63. Ixxii. N 178 THE PSALMS [70,71. 70, 71. PSALMS xxxv, XXXVIIL* E Psalmist appears from the images 1 he employs to have met "* with persecution from powerful warriors and to have fallen into a dangerous sickness 2 ; in the hour of weakness his enemies, and even those whom he had befriended'', glory in his misfortunes, and treat them as a punishment for the crimes of which they falsely accuse him 4 . This persecution is the result of espousing the cause of order 5 and religion, and the Psalmist in his prostration can see no hope of deliver- ance unless God shall signally interpose in his behalf 6 . 70. PSALM xxxv. I. Ttie Psalmist prayeth God to do battle against his enemies, Strive Thou, O Jehovah, with them that strive with me, i fight Thou against them that fight against me ; lay hand upon the shield and buckler, 2 and stand up to help me, bring forth the spear and battle-axe against them that persecute me, 3 say to my soul, I am thy help ! let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my life, 4 let them be turned back and put to confusion that imagine mischief for me ! let them be as chaff before the wind, 5 and the angel of Jehovah scattering them ; let their way be dark and slippery, 6 and let the angel of Jehovah pursue them ; for without cause have they hid their net in a pit for me, 7 without cause have they digged a pit for my life; Ver. 4. This verse, which makes the first strophe longer than the two succeeding, may have been inserted here from 72. xl. 17, where it also occurs. * See Introduction, page 176. * xxxv. i, 2, 3. a xxxv. 15. Cp. 13. xxxviii. 3 7. 3 xxxv. 12 14; xxxviii. 20. 4 xxxv. n. 5 xxxv. 20; xxxviii. 20. * xxxv. i, 23; xxxviii 15, 21. 70.] BOOK THE THIRD. 179 let destruction come upon him unawares, 8 let his net that he hath laid privily catch himself, that he may fall into his own pit; and my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah, q it shall rejoice in His salvation ; all my bones shall say, * Jehovah, who is like unto Thee, 10 4 who delivereth the poor from him that is too strong for him, 'the poor and the needy from him that spoileth them?' II. and justifieth his grayer by describing tJte deceit and ingratitude of his enemies, False witnesses rise up ; 1 1 they lay to my charge things that I know not of; they requite me evil for good, 12 to the great discomfort of my soul ! nevertheless when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, 13 and humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer fell upon my bosom ; I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother ; 14 I went heavily as one that mourneth for his mother; tut in mine adversity they rejoice and gather themselves together, 15 yea, they scourge me for things that I know not of; they make mouths at me and cease not; with shameless mockings and malicious lies, 16 they gnash upon me with their teeth. Ver. 8. hint. The change from the plural to the singular shews the concentration of personal feeling against the leader of his enemies. Ver. ii. know not of, i.e. they demand satisfaction at my hands for injuries said to have be en inflicted by me, of which I have never even heard. Ver. 13. my prayer, i.e. his sorrow was so great that while he prayed his head remained be wed upon his bosom. Cp. i Kings xviii. 42, where Elijah, when praying, ' put his face bt tween his knees.' Ver. 15. in mine adversity, that is, 'when I fell ill.' scourges, that is, the scourges; of pi iless and reviling tongues; cp. Job v. 21 : 'the scourge of the tongue.' make mouths, or ' mows'; see Glossary. N 2 i?o THE PSALMS [ 70. Lord! how long wilt thou look upon this? 17 deliver my soul from their pitfalls, my darling from the lions; so will I give Thee thanks in the great congregation, 18 1 will praise Thee among much people; O let not my lying enemies triumph over me, 19 neither let them wink with their eyes that hate me without a cause. III. and sheweth his common caiise with the good. And why? their communing is not for peace, 20 but they imagine deceit against them that are quiet in the land ; they gape upon me with their mouths, 21 and say, ' fie on thee, fie on thee ! 'we saw it with our eyes/ Thou hast seen it, O Jehovah; hold not Thy tongue; 22 be not far from me, O Lord; awake and stand up to judge my quarrel, 23 even for my cause, my God and my Lord ; judge me, Jehovah my God, according to Thy righteousness, 24 and let them not triumph over me; .let them not say in their hearts, * there, there, so would we 25 have it ;' neither let them say, 'we have devoured him :' let them be put to confusion and shame together that rejoice 26 at my trouble ; let them be clothed with rebuke and dishonour that boast themselves against me; Ver. 17. darling. Cp. 69. xxii. 20 and note, lions. Cp. 69. xxii. 12, 16, 21. Ver. 19. wink with their eyes, i. e. in mockery. Ver. 21. saw it, i. e. that the Psalmist was struck down with sickness. Ver. 22. Thou hast seen it. A quick transition. If his enemies have seen his fall and rejoiced over it, there is one, even God, who has seen their malicious exultation. 71.] BOOK THE THIRD. 181 let them be glad and rejoice that favour my salvation; 27 yea, let them say alway, 'blessed be Jehovah, ' who hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant ;' and my tongue shall sing of Thy salvation, 28 and of Thy praise all the day long ! 71. PSALM xxxvm.* I. The Psalmist in sickness prayeth for the mitigation of his punishment, Put me not to rebuke, O Jehovah, in Thine anger, i neither chasten me in Thy heavy displeasure ! for Thine arrows stick fast in me, 2 and Thy hand presseth me sore; there is no health in my flesh, because of Thy displeasure, 3 neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sin : for my punishments are gone over my head, 4 and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear; my wounds stink and are corrupt, 5 through my foolishness ; 1 am bowed down and brought very low, 6 I go mourning all the day long; for my loins are filled with a sore disease, 7 and there is no whole part in my body; I am feeble and sore smitten, I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart IT. and calleth on God to "witness his patience in pain> desertion and danger t Lord, Thou knowest all my desire, 9 my groaning is not hid from Thee ; my heart panteth, my strength hath failed me, 10 and the sight of mine eyes is gone from me : r ly friends and my neighbours stand looking on my trouble, 1 1 and my kinsmen stand afar off; * For Introduction, see p. 176. i82 THE PSALMS [71. they also that seek after my life lay snares for me ; 12 they that go about to do me evil talk of mischief, and imagine deceit all the day long: as for me I am like a deaf man and hear not, 13 and as one that is dumb who doth not open his mouth ; I am become even as a man that heareth not, 14 and in whose mouth are no reproofs, for in Thee, O Jehovah, do I put my trust; 15 Thou wilt hear me, O Lord, my God ! III. and prayeth for help, for his fall would rejoice the enemies of God. For I said within myself, ' O that they should not triumph over 1 6 me, 'and, when my foot slippeth, rejoice greatly against me ;' for truly I am nigh unto falling, 17 and my heaviness is ever before me, for I confess my wickedness, 18 and am sorry for my sin; but they that are mine enemies without cause are multiplied, 1 9 and they that hate me wrongfully are many in number ; they also that requite evil for good are against me, 20 because I follow the thing that good is; forsake me not, O Jehovah, 21 my God, be not Thou far from me ' haste Thee to help me, 22 O Lord, my salvation ! 72.] BOOK THE THIRD. 183 72. PSALM XL. (INCLUDING l PSALM LXX).* r I ^HIS Psalm consists of two parts 2 , between which the connexion * of thought is not very apparent ; for, instead of the usual 3 order, in which a prayer at the commencement of the Psalm is followed by a song of praise or thanksgiving at its close, we have here first a thanksgiving for deliverance 4 , and then a prayer for help 5 . The Psalmist beset with peril is reminded of a previous deliverance from a similar trial 6 . This recollection fills him with hope and lifts him from the depths of his despair. He recalls the joyous feelings 7 with which he then poured forth his thanksgiving to God, and the symbolical act 8 by which he had declared his thankfulness. Since then he has profited by the lessons of experience. Affliction has brought him nearer to God and given him a deeper insight into His will. He has learnt that God's ways are not represented by the an- thropomorphic conceptions of the day. Jehovah is not merely a God of vengeance but of righteousness: not a Being to be appeased by the blood of victims, but one who delights to reveal the law to man 9 , and that His sacrifices are contrition of heart and surrender of the human will 10 . I. TJie P salmis? s former experience of God's helpi I waited patiently for Jehovah, i and He inclined unto me and heard my calling ; He brought me out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay, 2 and set my feet upon the rock and established my going; Ver. 2. pit mire. The allusion is to a dungeon similar to that in which Jeremiah was confined : see Jer. xxxviii. 6, ' and in the dungeon there was no water, but mire ; so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.' Cp. 73. Ixix. 2. * For Introduction, see p. 176. 1 The fourth strophe of the 4th Psalm is so complete in itself as a prayer that it has been used separately as an independent Psalm, the 7oth of the Psalter. For a list of Psalms made up of portions of other Psalms see 24. xxvii. note. * ist part, vv. i 13; 2nd part, w, 14 21. 3 See 57. xxxi. and others. 4 w. i, 2, 3. 5 w. 14, 16, 21. 6 vi>. 16, 21. ^ w. 3, $ 7. 8 v. 10. 9 v. 8. Io w. 9, 10. 1 84 THE PSALMS [ 72. and He put a new song in my mouth; 3 < thanks be to our God, ( Jet many see this and fear, 4 1 and put their trust in Jehovah ! I blessed is the man that hath set his hope in Jehovah, 5 ' and turned not unto the proud, and to such as go about with lies ! ' O Jehovah, my God, manifold are the wondrous works, that 6 Thou hast done, Mike as be also Thy thoughts that are to us ward, ' there is nothing that can be compared with Thee ! * if I should declare them, and speak of them, 7 * they should be more than I am able to express.' II. his consequent enlightenment in God's law; his vow of obedience; Sacrifice and meat-offering Thou wouldest not; 8 mine ear hadst Thou opened : burnt offerings and sacrifice for sin didst Thou not require, 9 then said I, ' lo, I come 'with the roll of the book, that is written for me; 10 I 1 am content to do Thy will, O my God, ' yea, Thy law is within my heart !' Ver. 3. thanks. The Psalmist had before been in trouble, had prayed to God (ver. 2), and been delivered (ver. 3), and here the sentence he put a new song is followed by a quota- tion from the song of thanksgiving ; the words may have run thus, 'Thanks be to our God! see this, ye people, and fear, and put your trust in Jehovah.* He then quotes in verses 57 the succeeding words of the thanksgiving. Ver. 8. opened. Literally, had bored through his ears, i. e. made him who was deaf before, to hear : cp. Ruth iv. 4 ; i Sam. ix. 15 ; 2 Sam. vii. 27 ; Is. 1. 5. This means, that God by His former dealings, had brought him to a clearer knowledge of His ways. Ver. 10. / come with the roll of the book. Under the image of bringing the roll of the newly found law he expresses his approach to God with the sacrifice not of victims but of an obedient heart. Cp. i Sam. xv. 22. The image accords well with the period to which the Psalm has been assigned, roll. Cp. Jer. xxxvi. 2, 8. for me, i. e. prescribing for me the obedience which God requires. 72.] BOOK THE THIRD. 185 I have declared Thy gracious dealing in the great congregation, 1 1 yea, I have not refrained my lips, O Jehovah, and that Thou knowest ! I have not hid Thy righteousness within my heart; 12 my talk hath been of Thy truth and of Thy salvation ; I have not kept back Thy loving mercy and truth from 13 the great congregation. HI. his appeal for a renewal of God's Jielp. Thou, O Jehovah, wilt not withdraw Thy mercy from me, 14 let Thy lovingkindness and truth alway preserve me ! for innumerable troubles are come about me, 15 my chastisements are upon me, I am not able to look up; yea, they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart hath failed me. IV. O Jehovah, let it be Thy pleasure to deliver me, 16 make haste, O Jehovah, to help me ! let them be ashamed and confounded together, 17 that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to rebuke, that wish me evil ! let them be confounded and rewarded with shame, 18 that say unto me, * fie upon thee, fie upon thee !' let all those that seek Thee be joyful and glad in Thee, 19 and let such as love Thy salvation say alway, ' Jehovah be praised !' as for me, I am poor and helpless; haste thee to help me, 20 O Lord, Thou art my trust and my redeemer; 21 make no long tarrying, O my God ! Ver. 17. This verse occurs again 70. xxxv. 4, where it has been inserted possibly from this- Psalm 1 86 THE PSALMS [73. 73. PSALM LXIX. Psalm comes from the earlier times of the captivity 1 , when -* the Psalmist, from his zeal to maintain the religion and service of Jehovah 2 in all its purity, was exposed to the scorn heaped on the worshippers of that God whose Temple had been destroyed. From the images employed it is possible that he had in his own person suffered the horrors of a dungeon, such as is described in the story of Jere- miah 3 . But his severest suffering is when his enemies break in upon him with their mockery and seek by false accusations to rob him of all that is left, his good name and self-respect 4 . This crowning insult forces from him a long and terrible imprecation 5 ; yet the outburst of human feeling gives relief; the very vividness of imagination, with which he imprecates the fall of the oppressor, leads by a natural chain of thought to the triumph of the righteous. No picture of Divine judgment is complete, which does not include the restoration of the righteous 6 to their inheritance; so here the poet dips into the future and sees the worship of Jehovah restored, and His adherents re- established in their native land 7 . Thus the long struggle, begun in bitterness and despair, closes with thoughts of sympathy and hope. I. The Psalmist crieth for help in persecution^ Save me, O God ! i for the waters are come in, even unto my soul, I stick fast in the deep mire where no ground is; 2 I am come into deep waters, so that the floods run over me; Ver. i. soul. Here, as in other passages where the context requires it, life may be sub- stituted for 'soul* Cp. Jer. iv. 10; 70. xxxv. 4; 74. cix. 30; 76. Ixxi. 9, where A. V. uses 'soul' for 'life.' and i Sam. xix. n ; Job ii. 6, where 'life' is admitted. 1 v, 34. * ". 0' 3 J er - xxxviii. 4 w. 4, 5, 21, 27. 5 vv. 23 29 * vv. 3037. ? vv. 36, 37. 73.] BOOK THE THIRD. 187 I am weary of crying ; my throat is dry ; 3 my sight faileth me for waiting so long upon my God ; they that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of 4 my head, they that would destroy me guiltless are more in number than my bones; shall I pay them the things that I never took? 5 O God, Thou knowest my punishment, and my sufferings are not hid from Thee ! let not them that trust in Thee be ashamed for my cause, 6 O Jehovah, God of Hosts ; let not them that seek Thee be confounded through me, O Thou God of Israel ! II. for he is suffering in God's cause: And why ! for Thy sake do I suffer reproof, 7 shame hath covered my face; I am become a stranger unto my brethren, 8 even an alien unto my mother's children; for zeal for Thine house hath even eaten me, 9 and the rebukes of them that rebuke Thee are fallen upon me ; Ver. 4. bones. There are two readings here, i. They that would destroy me, being mine eiemies wrongfully, are mighty; 2. They that are my wrongful enemies are more numerous than my bones. The and has been adopted, retaining the Prayer-Book expression they that 11 ould destroy me guiltless. The number of the human bones was a familiar thought to this Psalmist, cp. 78. xxxiv. 20; 70. xxxv. 10; 29. 1L 8. Ver. 5. pay them the things that I never took, i.e. under false accusation he is compelled tc make restitution for robberies of which he is guiltless. Cp. 70. xxxv. n. punishment, the consequences of his foolishness or sin. Cp. 71. xxxviii. 3. As righteous- ness and blessing are so inseparably connected in the Hebrew mind that the same word may b used for either (cp. 4. xxiv. 5 note), so here sin and the suffering consequent on it. T lough as between God and himself his suffering is a punishment for sin, yet as between himself and his enemies it is a persecution for God's sake ; it is on this ground he claims to be relieved. i88 THE PSALMS [73. I wept and chastened myself with fasting, 10 and that was turned to my reproof; I put on sackcloth also, 1 1 and they jested upon me; they that sit in the gate sing of me, 12 and the drunkards make songs upon me. therefore he prayeth afresh to Him, But I make my prayer unto Thee, O Jehovah! 13 in an acceptable time, O God, in the multitude of Thy 14 mercy, vouchsafe unto me the truth of Thy salvation ! take me out of the mire that I sink not, 15 O let me be delivered from them that hate me and out of deep waters; let not the water-flood drown me, 16 neither let the deep swallow me up, let not the pit shut her mouth upon me ! hear me, O Jehovah, for Thy lovingkindness is comfortable, 1 7 turn Thee unto me according to the multitude of Thy mercies ; and hide not Thy mercy from Thy servant, 18 for I am in trouble; O haste Thee and hear me; draw nigh unto my soul and save it, 19 deliver me, because of mine enemies ! Thou knowest my reproof, my shame and my dishonour, 20 mine adversaries are all in Thy sight ! rebuke had broken my heart, I was full of heaviness, 21 1 looked for some to have pity on me but there was no man, neither found I any to comfort me; Ver. 12. gate, the place of public resort. Cp. Gen. xix. i ; Ex. xxxii. 26; 2 Sam. iii. 27; Jer. xvii. 19. Ver. 13. acceptable time, i.e. the time of God's good pleasure. Ver. 14. truth, i. e. faithful fulfilment. Ver. 16. pit. Cp. ver. 2, deep mire, and 72. xl. 2, 'out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay,' and note. 73.] BOOK THE THIRD. X 8 9 they gave me gall in my food, 22 and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink. III. to punish them: Let their table be a snare to take themselves withal, 23 a stumblingblock for them that dwell at ease ; let their eyes be blinded that they see not, 24 and ever bow Thou down their backs; pour out Thine indignation upon them, 25 and let Thy wrathful displeasure take hold of them ; let their habitation be void, 26 and no man to dwell in their tents ! for they persecute them whom Thou hast smitten, 27 and vex him whom Thou hast wounded; hold them guilty according to their guilt, 28 and let them not come into Thy mercy ; let them be wiped out of the book of the living, 2; and not be written among the righteous ! therefore the cause of the righteous and afflicted shall prevail^ As for me, when I am poor and in heaviness, 30 Thy help, O God, shall lift me up ! I will praise the name of God, with a song, 31 and magnify it with thanksgiving; this shall please Jehovah better than an ox, 32 yea than a bullock that hath horns and hoofs ! the humble shall see this, and be glad; 33 let your heart rejoice, ye that seek after God ! Ver. 22. they gave me, i. e. when I looked for sympathy, I found mockery. gall. By this word the A. V. denotes some bitter and poisonous herb, which cannot be exactly identified; in Hos. x. 4 the same word is translated 'hemlock.' Ver. 23. table. Cp. Is. xxi. 5. He prays that his persecutors may be ruined by their 1 ixury, the thought of which appears suggested by his own want (ver. 22). Ver. 29. book of the living, i. e. from the register, or civil list in which the names of citizens are enrolled. Cp. Ezek. xiii. 9; Ezra ii. 62; Ex. xxxii. 32. i 9 o . THE PSALMS [74. for Jehovah heareth the poor, 34 He despiseth not His prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise Him, 35 the sea and all that moveth therein ! and the nation will be restored to prosperity. For God will save Sion and build up the cities of Judah, 36 that men may dwell there and have them in possession ! the posterity also of Thy servants shall inherit them, 37 they that love Thy name shall dwell therein ! 74. PSALM cix. r ~pHIS Psalm reveals to us a dark picture of the Captivity. No prose -*- description, no enumeration of details, could convey to us the ter- rible evils of that time so vividly as this lyric outburst of passionate imprecation. The selfish and cowardly have yielded to the enticements and threats of their heathen masters and have turned against their brethren with the proverbial animosity of renegades : the devotion of the faithful has been kindled by persecution into a furious zeal. Terri- ble-indeed must have been the treachery and persecution which could drive a martyr to implore Jehovah's aid against his persecutors in a prayer so deliberate and so prolonged. One who had been his friend turns round on him as an accuser 1 , drags him as a criminal before a heathen king 2 , as if it were his victim and not himself who had lost his sense of right. Well may the spirit of the Psalmist be bitter, and well may he in his bitterness call down on his enemy's head the exact coun- terpart of his own suffering 3 false accusation, loss of position, and ruin, of all his hopes. 1 W. i, 3. * v. 30 with -v. 5. v . 5 et seq. ; see v. 16 ; v. 7. 74.] BOOK THE THIRD. i 9 j 1. TJie Psalmist in time of persecution, Hold not Thy tongue, O God of my praise ! i for the mouth of the ungodly and deceitful is opened upon me, they have spoken against me with false tongues, 2 they have compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause; for the love that I had unto them, lo, they take now my con- 3 trary part, but I give myself unto prayer ; thus have tLey rewarded me evil for good, 4 and hatred for my goodwill. prayeth God to requite his enemies Set Thou an ungodly man to be ruler over him, 5 and let an adversary stand at his right hand; when sentence is given upon him, let him be condemned, 6 and let his prayer be turned into sin ! let his days be few, 7 let another take his office; let his children be fatherless, 8 and his wife a widow, let his children be vagabonds and beg their bread, 9 yea, let them seek it from their desolate homes ! H. Let the extortioner consume all that he hath, 10 and let the stranger spoil his labour; Ver. i. God of my Praise, i. e. the receiver of my praise. Ver. 3. my, i, e. a part contrary to me. Ver. 5. hinty i, e. his special enemy, an adversary, i. e. accuser, who had the right hand assigned to him, so that all his suggestions might be heard. See Zech. iii. i. So in ver. 30, the c mstant readiness of God to help is expressed by His standing at the right hand office helpless. Ver. 6. prayer be turned into sin, i. e. his prayer for mercy shall only aggravate his guilt, a id increase his condemnation. Cp. Prov. xxviii. 9, * his prayer shall be abomination.' Ver. 9. bread homes, t. e. let their night be spent amid the ruins, and their days in begging their bread. Ver. 10. stranger, Cp. Is. v. 17, 'the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.' j 9 2 THE PSALMS [ 74. let there be no man to have pity on him, n nor to have compassion upon his fatherless children ; let his posterity be destroyed, 12 and in the next generation let his name be clean put out ; let the wickedness of his fathers be had in remembrance in the 13 sight of Jehovah, and let not the sin of his mother be done away ; let them be alway before Jehovah, 14 that he may root out the memorial of them from off the earth ! for their treachery, And that, because his mind was not to do good, 15 but he persecuted the poor and helpless man, and him that was vexed at the heart, that he might destroy him ; his delight was in cursing, and it happened unto him; 16 he loved not blessing, and it is far from him ; he clothed himself with cursing like as with a raiment, 17 therefore doth it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones; let it be unto him as the cloke that he hath upon him, 18 and as the girdle that he is alway girded withal ! let it thus happen from Jehovah unto mine enemies, 19 and to those that speak evil against my soul ! III. and to have mercy on him for his fidelity: But do Thou, O Lord Jehovah, deal with me according to Thy 20 name; deliver me, for Thy mercy is sweet ! for I am helpless and poor, 21 and my heart is wounded within me; Ver. 17. cursing oil into his bones. The curse upon him penetrates his being through and through : the cursing, which he wore to poison the lives of others, now poisons his own. 74.] BOOK THE THIRD. i 93 [ go hence like the shadow that departeth, 22 and am driven away as the grasshopper; my knees are weak through fasting, 23 my flesh is dried up for want of fatness, for I became a reproach unto them, 24 when they looked upon me they shook their heads. Help me, O Jehovah, my God, 25 save me according to Thy mercy, and they shall know how that this is Thy hand, 26 and that Thou, Jehovah, hast done it ! though they curse, yet Thou shalt bless, 27 though they rise up against me, they shall be ashamed, but Thy servant shall rejoice; let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, 28 let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a cloke ! IV. for he rejoiceth in God. As for me, let me give thanks unto Jehovah with my mouth, 29 and praise Him among the multitude, for He standeth at the right hand of the poor, 30 to save him from them that judge his life. Ver. 22. that departeth, literally, when it departeth. The Psalmist is compared to a shadow, which is on the point to fade away. Cp. 79. cii. n ; 142. cxliv. 4; and 34. xc. 4, no e. grasshopper, i. e. locust driven aiuay by the wind. Cp. Joel ii. 20, 'I will remove far off from you the northern army (i. e. the locusts), and will drive him away' (i.e. by the wind : Jo ) xxxix. 20; Nahum iii. 17, 'Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great gn sshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee awiy.' Vv. 27 30. The idea of the fall of the wicked suggests that of the rise of the good : hence the Psalm closes in peace. Ver. 30. judge his life, i. e. oppress him by unjust judgment on a capital charge. KM THE PSALMS 75. PSALM LI/ AT the time when this Psalm was written, the rites of the cere- ** monial law, while still suggesting the metaphors of the Psalmist 1 , have fallen into abeyance, for the city and the Temple have been overthrown 2 . The Psalmist has been guilty of a great crime 3 ; the use of the words ( blood-guiltiness ' and ' hyssop ' suggests the idea that he may have taken a murderous vengeance on one of his enemies. But now that the passionate impulse is satisfied, the full sense of estrangement from God enters his soul ; and in this Psalm are set forth the thoughts with which in the first burst of repentance he seeks to renew com- munion with God. The feelings expressed are not such as are natural to a religion in the time of its vigorous life, still less in its period of dead formalism ; the conception of sin 4 is too subtle for the one, the desire for spiritual purification too earnest for the other 5 . The feelings are those of a time later than either. The religion has already passed through a period of decay, and again revived ; living thought has restored life to ceremo- nial, earnestness has supplanted formalism. Such a Psalm could not have been written till formalism had come into existence, nor till its evil consequences had made themselves felt. It is instructive to con- trast the subtle analysis of thought in this Psalm with the simplicity which marks the outburst 6 of David's feelings on a similar occasion. As the Psalmist ponders on his misery, he learns that its severity is due not to the actual misdeed which he has committed, but to the sin- fulness of heart which alone could betray him into so great a crime. It is this sinfulness that has brought 7 the sentence of alienation from God as the just punishment of guilt. The crime may be atoned for by a public penance ; not so the tendency to sin ; this is from within and not from without, and can only be removed by an inner cleansing and * See Introduction, p. 176. 1 7,-v. 2, 7, 17. 2 vv. 1 8, IQ. 3 vv. 2, 14. 4 vv. 4, 5. 4 w. 7, 17. 6 13. xxxii. 7 v . 4< 75.] BOOK THE THIRD. 195 by the renewal of the spirit of God. Yet even in dwelling on the inherited 1 wickedness of his nature and confessing his estrangement from God, he gains comfort from the thought that God is using this very corruption of his nature to reconcile him to Himself 2 . The con- sequences of the sin have formed such an era in his spiritual life, that he cannot help looking back upon the sin itself as designed by God 3 to vindicate His mercy in performing the highest office of a judge, the passing such a sentence as shall lead to the reformation of the offender. The experience of the Psalmist is no unreality: it has often hap- pened that from an actual fall a man has risen to a higher life ; con- science, stung by shame at the depth of the fall, has made him restless and dissatisfied with his whole previous life, however outwardly re- spectable and decorous. With this view of Divine discipline the Psalmist would fain offer a public thanksgiving to God for releasing him from the bondage of sin ; but he has learnt that in good and in evil alike the will and not the deed is regarded in God's sight 4 . So, though there is no longer a Temple to receive his offering, yet he feels assured that the incense of a thankful spirit, though neither offered in the hallowed place nor accompanied by outward symbol, will not go up in vain to the throne of God. I. The Psalmist professeth his repentance and asketh for mercy: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy great goodness ; i according to the multitude of Thy mercies do away mine offences ; wash me throughly from my wickedness, 2 and cleanse me from my sin ! for I acknowledge my faults, 3 and my sin is ever before me ; v, 4 and note. * w. i? 8. 2 igG THE PSALMS f 75. against Thee only have I sinned, 4 and done this evil in Thy sight, that Thou mightest be righteous in Thy sentence, and clear when Thou art judge. II. he pleadeth the sinftilness of his nature I Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, 5 and in sin hath my mother conceived me : but lo, Thou requirest truth in the inward parts, 6 and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly; Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean, 7 Thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter than snow : Ver. 4. against Thee judge. ' I think only of my sin in relation to God, and the alienation from Him, which it has brought as its punishment. I see that I was allowed to sin, in order that God's righteousness might be made clear by His performing the highest act of a judge, viz. by passing such a sentence as will lead to my reformation.' against Thee. It appears from vv. 2, 14, that the Psalmist has been guilty of some crime against a particular man. In what sense then can he say that he has sinned only against God ? The Psalmist looks beyond the actual crime to the cause from which it sprung} his own sinful nature. So far does the cause outweigh the act in importance, that he loses sight of the offence against man. Some recompence or some ceremonial purification may restore him to his place among his fellow-men ; but his estrangement from God will last as long as its cause remains, that is, till the sinner honestly acknowledges his sinfulness, and renews his relation with his God. Cp. 71. xxxviii. 18 ; Isaiah lix. 12 ; Amos v. 21. that, i. e. in order that. It is at first sight difficult to suppose it to be meant that God for His own good purposes intended that the Psalmist should sin. But the idea is not uncommon in the Old Testament : to the Jews God was the rule by whose fiat every event took place : without His consent Satan could not tempt Job (cp. Job i. 12) : without Him the heart of Pharaoh could not be hardened to refuse to let the children of Israel go (cp. Ex. iv. 21), or that of Sihon to oppose their march (cp. Deut. li. 30); so David's being tempted to number the people is assigned to God by the writer of the book of Samuel, while the later writer in Chronicles assigns it to Satan (2 Sam. xxiv. i, i Chron. xxi. i). It is in this view the Psalmist could say that God made him to sin. The result of the Psalmist's sin has been his discernment of the righteousness of God; he describes the result as if it had really been God's aim in letting him sin. sentence, i.e. the judicial sentence of alienation from God, which was the punishment of his sin. This sentence was not delivered outwardly by the mouth of a prophet, but inwardly by the voice of conscience speaking to him in his own heart. clear. God as a judge is regarded as an officer under account ; His judg- ment in this case will be clear from all imputation of injustice. Ver. 5. behold. This verse expresses the truth that in every human being there exists through the very conditions of his nature an hereditary germ of future sin. Cp. Job xiv. 4, 'Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.' Cp. Job v. 6, 7. Ver. 6. secretly, i. e. in the hidden chambers of the heart. Ver. 7. hyssop. According to Num. xix. 16, 17, 18, in the case of uncleanness from touching a dead body, hyssop was to be dipped in water containing the ashes of the red heifer and 75.] BOOK THE THIRD. 197 Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, 8 that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice. III. and prayeth for the guidance of God" s spirit, Turn Thy face from my sins, and put out all my misdeeds; make me a clean heart, O God, 10 and renew a right spirit within me; cast me not away from Thy presence, i r and take not Thy holy spirit from me. O give me the comfort of Thy help again, 1 2 and stablish me with Thy free spirit ! IV. that he may pay the true sacrifice of praise: Then shall I teach Thy ways unto the wicked, 13 and sinners shall be converted unto Thee; deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou God of my sal- vation, 1 4 and my tongue shall sing of Thy righteousness : Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord, 15 and my mouth shall shew Thy praise ; for Thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it Thee, 16 Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings; the sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit, 17 a broken and a contrite heart, O God, shalt Thou not despise. sprinkled over the unclean person. If the Psalmist had been guilty of murder (cp. ver. 14), such lustration would have been required by the law; hence its metaphorical use here would be appropriate. snow. Cp. Is. i. 18. Ver. 8. bones broken, metaphorically for 'a contrite heart' (ver. 17). Cp. 26. vi. 2, 'heal me for my bones are vexed, my soul also is sore troubled. Ver. 12. free, i. e. freely imparting its gifts: cp. Glossary 'free.' Ver. 14. blood-guiltiness, perhaps alluding to the special sin, which gave occasion to the P.alm. Ver. 17. the sacrifice spirit. Cp. 15. iv. 5. 198 THE PSALMS [76. V. in hope that when the Temple is restored, he way there repeat his thanksgiving. O be favourable and gracious unto Sion, 18 build Thou the walls of Jerusalem ! Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, 19 with burnt-offerings and oblations ; then shall they offer young bullocks upon Thine altar. Ver. 1 8. The connexion between the last two verses and the rest of the Psalm is not obvious. As we have seen from 72. xl. 8, 9; 73. Ixix. 31, 32, the idea, that the outward act can be dispensed with so long as the will be there, is not strange to this time ; but why then does the Psalmist recur to the thought of ceremonial sacrifice ? Because he yields to the force of circumstances, and submits to the fact that he cannot offer his thanksgiving publicly in these troublous times, yet when Sion shall have been restored, he will not abuse the law of liberty by neglecting to join his private gratitude to the public thanksgiving. Ver. 19. of righteousness t i. e. a sacrifice rightly and duly performed. 76. PSALM LXXL* THE Psalmist speaks the language of the Captivity; at the close of a life of varied fortune * he is again threatened with violence from his enemies 3 . Yet in this new danger so clear is the recollection of past deliverances, so entire the resignation to God's will, that the thought of peril is almost lost in a continuous stream of thanksgiving. The Psalm gives a noble picture of a mind trained by the discipline of the past to calm trust in God, and able even in the infirmity of age to face unmoved the prospect of a violent end. I. The Psalmist calleth on God to protect him as of old; In Thee, O Jehovah, have I put my trust, i let me never be put to confusion ! but rid me and deliver me in Thy righteousness, incline Thine ear unto me and save me ! Vv. i, 2. These verses are taken with slight alteration from 57. xxxi. i 3. rid. Cp. Glossary. * See Introduction, p. 176. l v. 18. a v. 9. 76.] BOOK THE THIRD. 199 be Thou my strong hold whereunto I may alway resort, 2 Thou hast given commandment to save me, for Thou art my strong rock and my castle ! deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the ungodly, 3 out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man ! for Thou, O Lord Jehovah, art the thing that I long for, 4 Thou art my hope even from my youth; through Thee have I been holden up ever since I was born, 5 Thou art He that hath blessed me from my mother's womb, my praise shall be always of Thee. I am become as it were a monster unto many, 6 but my sure trust is in Thee; ray mouth is filled with Thy praise, 7 and with Thy glory all the day long; cast me not away in the time of age, 8 forsake me not when my strength faileth me. II. describeth his need, his patience and his thankfulness; Mine enemies spake against me, 9 they that lay wait for my life took counsel together, saying, ' God hath forsaken him ; ' persecute him and take him, for there is none to deliver him :' go not far from me, O God, 10 my God, haste Thee to help me ! let them be confounded and perish that are against my soul, 1 1 let them be covered with shame and dishonour that seek to do me evil ! but as for me, I will patiently abide alway, 12 and will praise Thee more and more; Ver. 5. ivontb. Cp. 69. xxii. 9, 10. Ver. 6. monster, i. e. prodigy ; see Glossary. So unnatural and incredible have been his sufferings that he is looked on as a prodigy of wickedness ; the same feeling is represented by the attitude of Job's friends (viii. 6, xi. 14). Ver. 8. cast. Cp. 75. li. n. 200 THE PSALMS [ 76. my mouth shall speak of Thy righteousness, 13 and of Thy salvation every day; for I know no end thereof! I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Jehovah, 14 and will make mention of Thy goodness only. Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth up. 15 I have ever been telling of Thy wondrous works; forsake me not, O God, in mine old age when I am grayheaded, 16 until I have shewed Thy strength unto this generation, and Thy power to all them that are yet for to come t III. appealeth to the divine righteousness and maketh a vow of praise. As Thy righteousness, O God, is very high, 17 and great are the things that Thou hast done, O God, who is like unto Thee? O what great troubles and adversities hast Thou shewed us ! 1 8 and yet wilt Thou turn and refresh us, yea, and bring us from the deep of the earth again ! if Thou shalt bring me to great honour, 19 and comfort me on every side, so will I praise Thee and Thy faithfulness, 20 O God, upon the lute; unto Thee will I sing upon the harp, O Thou Holy One of Israel ! my lips shall rejoice, yea, unto Thee will I sing, 21 and so doth my soul whom Thou hast delivered ! my tongue also shall talk of Thy righteousness all the day long, 22 for they are confounded and brought to shame that seek to do me evil ! Ver. 14. I will come with, i.e. will bring into the Temple as an offering to Thee the praise .of Thy deeds. Cp. 72. xl. 9, 10, ' then said I, lo I come with the roll of the book, that is written for me,' and note. Ver. 17. He vows (ver. 20), by the two attributes of God, which can aid him in his present distress, viz. His righteousness and greatness, that in expectation of deliverance he will ever praise God. Ver. 18. us, i.e. the Psalmist and his people ; his individuality is becoming more and more merged in the common nationality. 77, 78.] BOOK THE THIRD. T 77, 78. PSALMS xxv, xxxiv. HESE two Psalms are didactic poems, marked as the work of the same author by a peculiar alphabetical arrangement. 77. PSALM xxv. 1. A declaration of God's goodness to the holy and a prayer for growth in holiness. After Thee, O Jehovah, i doth my soul seek, O my God ! Behold, in Thee is my trust, let me not be confounded, . neither let mine enemies triumph over me ! Confounded are they that transgress without a cause, 2 but they that hope in Thee shall never be ashamed ! Direct me in Thy ways, O Jehovah, 3 and teach me Thy statutes ! Exercise me in Thy truth, for Thou art the God of my health, 4 in Thee hath been my hope all the day long! Go not back, O Jehovah, from Thy tender mercies 5 and Thy lovingkindnesses which have been ever of old ! Hold not the sins of my youth in remembrance, O Jehovah, 6 but in Thy mercy think Thou upon me, for Thy goodness ! In Jehovah is mercy and truth, 7 therefore will He teach sinners in the way; Jehovah guideth the afflicted in judgment, 8 such as are afflicted, them shall He learn His way; Ver. 7. In the alphabetical arrangement of the original no verse begins with the sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, but the full number of twenty-two verses usual to alphabetical psalms is made up by the repetition of the i7th letter at the beginning of the last verse. Thi s peculiarity has been imitated here to keep up the similarity of structure between this and the 34th Psalm. Cp. note on the alphabetical structure, 61, and Introduction to 130. Ver. 8. judgment, i.e. maintains their case before the judge. His way, i.e. His govern- mer t, by which he helps the oppressed and punishes the oppress a0 2 THE PSALMS [ 77. Lovingkindness and truth are in His ways, 9 unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies; Merciful be Thou, O Jehovah, for Thy name's sake TO unto my sin, for it is great! II. Note thou the man that trusteth in Jehovah, 1 1 him doth He teach the way that he should choose ; Only he shall dwell at ease; i^ his seed shall inherit the land. Plain is the secret of Jehovah to them that fear Him; 13 and His covenant is to teach them; Raised are mine eyes unto Jehovah, 14 for He shall pluck my feet out of the net ; Send help unto me and have mercy upon me, 15 for I am desolate and in misery ! Troubles have taken hold of me ; O set me at large, 1 6 and bring Thou me out of my sorrows; Upon my adversity and misery turn Thou Thine eyes, 17 and forgive me all my sin ! Verily, many are they that are mine enemies, 18 and they bear a tyrannous hate against me ; Watch Thou over my soul and deliver me; 19 let me not be confounded, for I have put my trust in Thee ! Yea, let perfectness and righteous dealing wait upon me; 20 for my hope hath been in Thee ! Save Israel, O God, 21 out of all his troubles ! Vcr. it. at large. Cp. 13. xviii. 19. , 78.] BOOK THE THIRD. 203 78. PSALM xxxiv. An exhortation to f raise God for His mercies. Alway will I give thanks unto Jehovah, i and His praise shall be ever in my mouth ! Boast thou in Jehovah, O my soul, 2 for the humble shall hear thereof and be glad ! Come with me and praise Jehovah, 3 let us magnify His name together! Diligently I sought Jehovah and He heard me; 4 yea, He delivered me out of all my fear. Enlightened are all they that have an eye unto Him ; 5 their faces are not ashamed. Great was the crying of the poor and Jehovah heard him, 6 yea, and saved him out of all his troubles. Help cometh from Jehovah to them that fear Him, 7 for His angel campeth round about them. Jehovah is gracious; O taste and see, 8 how blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. Keep the fear of Jehovah, ye that are His saints, 9 for they that fear Him lack nothing. Lions do lack and suffer hunger, 10 but they that seek Jehovah want not any thing that is good. My children, hearken unto me, 1 1 I will teach you the fear of Jehovah. Needs must the man that lusteth to live 12 and would fain see good days, Order his tongue from evil, 13 and his lips that they speak no guile. Put away evil and do good, 14 seek peace and ensue it Ver. 6. the poor, i. e. the Psalmist See Glossary. Ver. 7. angel, i.e. the angelic host encompassing them as a guard. Cp. 117. xci. n. 204 THE PSALMS [ 79, Respect hath Jehovah unto the righteous, 15 and His ears are open unto their prayers. Set against the wicked is the face of Jehovah 16 to root out the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cried and Jehovah heard them, 17 and delivered them out of all their troubles ; Unto them that are of a contrite heart is Jehovah nigh, 18 He saveth such as be of an humble spirit. Verily, many are the troubles of the righteous, 19 but Jehovah delivereth him out of all. Watched of Him are all his bones, 20 so that not one of them is broken. Yet misfortune slayeth the ungodly, 21 and they that hate the righteous are desolate. Surely Jehovah delivereth the souls of His servants, 22 all they that put their trust in Him shall not be destitute. 79. PSALM en. AS the Psalmist lingered fondly amid the ruins 1 of his city, he was - ** naturally led to contrast the perishable things around with the im- perishable nature of God. This thought of God's eternity 2 leads him to feel that His promises cannot fail and to picture the prostrate Sion rising as the queen of a converted world 3 . The prayer of the afflicted when he is faint^ and poureth forth his sighing unto Jehovah ; I. Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, i and let my crying come unto Thee ! 1 v. 14. Cp. Lam. iv. i, 2. 2 v. 26. s vv. 15, 22, 28, and cp. 63, note. 79.] BOOK THE THIRD. 205 hide not Thy face from me in the time of my trouble, 2 incline Thine ear unto me when I call ; O hear me and that right soon ! for my days are consumed away like smoke, 3 and my bones are burnt up like a firebrand, my heart is smitten down and withered like grass, 4 so that I forget to eat my bread; because of the voice of my groaning 5 my bones cleave unto my flesh ; I am become like a pelican in the wilderness, 6 and like an owl that is in the desert, I sleep not and am become like a sparrow, 7 that sitteth alone upon the house-top ; mine enemies revile me all the day long, 8 and they that are mad upon me make my name a curse. II. For I have eaten ashes as it were bread, and mingled my drink with weeping; The prayer. The superscription of this Psalm differs in style from that of any other, and may best be compared with Hab. iii. i. See Supplement. It seems to be written by the Psalmist himself and is therefore included in the Psalm. See Appendix B. Ver. 4. so that I forget to eat. His sorrow is so great that he cannot eat. Cp. i Sam. i. 7 ; 2 Sam. xii. 17, 21. Ver. 5. cleave. For this sign of extreme emaciation, cp. Job xix. 20, ' My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh,' and Lam. iv. 8, ' Their visage is blacker than a coal ; they are not known in the streets ; their skin cleaveth to their bones ; it is withered, it is become like a stick.' Ver. 6. pelican owl. These birds are frequently used by the Hebrews to convey the ide.i of loneliness and desolation. Cp. Job xxx. 29, ' I am a brother to jackals, and a com- panion to owls,' The owl is called in Arabic 'the mother of ruins.' Ver. 8. curse, i.e. use my name as a proverb in their oaths. Cp. Is. Ixv. 15 ; Num. v. 21 ; Zech. viii. 13; Jer. xxix. 22, 'And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,' Ver. 9. ashes bread, a hyperbolical form of expression for ' affliction is my daily portion.' Foi similar expressions, cp. Is. xliv. 20; Lam. iii. 15, 16, 'He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel-stones, he hath covered me with ashes.' See Supplement 2o6 THE PSALMS [ 79. and that, because of Thine indignation and wrath, 10 for Thou hast taken me up and cast me away; my days are like a shadow that declineth, n and I am withered like grass : but Thy throne, O Jehovah, is established for ever, 12 and Thy remembrance unto all generations; Thou wilt arise and have mercy upon Sion, 13 for it is time that Thou be gracious unto her, yea, the time is come; and why? Thy servants take pleasure even in her stones, 14 and it pitieth them to see her in the dust; so shall the heathen fear the name of Jehovah, 15 and all the kings of the earth Thy majesty. III. For ( Jehovah hath built up Sion, 16 'and hath made His glory to appear; 'He hath turned Him to the prayer of the poor destitute, 17 'and hath not despised their desire ' let this be written by those that come after! 18 and let the people that shall be born praise Jehovah; for He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary, 19 out of the heaven did Jehovah behold the earth, that Pie might hear the mourning of such as are in captivity, 20 and deliver the children appointed unto death, that they may declare the name of Jehovah in Sion, 21 and His praise in Jerusalem, Ver. 10. cast me away. The metaphor is the same as in Is. xxii. 17, 18 ; the Psalmist is lifted up on high and then tossed away like a ball. Ver. ii. shadow that declineth. Cp. 74. cix. 22, and note. Here the allusion is to the rapidity with which shadows lengthen and disappear at the close of day. Ver. 15. heathen kings of the earth. For the amplification of this hope, which was in- tensified after the captivity, see Zech. xiv. 9, 16, and 63. Ixxii. note. Ver. 18. this, i. e. the quotation of the thanksgiving contained in the two preceding verses. Ver. 20. children appointed unto death, literally, children of death, i. e. the dying. 8082.] BOOK THE THIRD. 207 when the nations are gathered together, 22 and the kingdoms, to serve Jehovah. IV. The. Psalmist is comforted by the thought of tJte eternity of God. He brought down my strength in my journey, 23 He shortened my days; then I said ; ' O my God, take me not away in the midst of 24 'mine age; 1 as for Thy years, they endure throughout all generations ! ' Thou in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth, 4 and the heavens are the work of Thy hands; 25 k they shall perish but Thou shalt endure, 26 ' they all shall wax old as doth a garment, 1 and as a vesture shalt Thou change them and they shall be 2 7 changed, ' but Thou art the same, ' and Thy years shall not fail ; ' the children of Thy servants shall continue, 28 'and their seed shall stand fast in Thy sight.' Ver. 23. journey y i. e, the journey of life. 80 82. PSALMS LXXIJ.I, LXXVII, xciv. r "PHE prolonged duration of the Captivity naturally increased the * depression of the faithful Israelites, but at the same time they loarnt more and more to rest on the consolatory belief that temporary misfortune was no proof of final rejection, that there were blessings to be won from chastisement, and that in His own time God would deliver them once again, as He had delivered them from Egypt of yore 1 . Ixxvii. 5, xi20. 208 THE PSALMS [ 80. This struggle between despair and hope is strikingly depicted in the three following Psalms. The Psalmist is as yet unenlightened by any clear prospect of a future life in which the manifold inequalities of the present might be redressed; he is sorely perplexed 1 by the dark enigma of that age, the prosperity of the wicked ; yet he is beginning to feel his way to a discernment of the truth, that while the success ot evil is apparent and momentary 2 , the triumph of good is real and final ; he even catches a glimpse of the still higher truth, revealed in the pages of Job, that communion with God is a blessing higher than happiness and that the consciousness of possessing this gives a joy with which the pleasures of mere temporal prosperity are wholly in- commensurable 3 . 80. PSALM LXXIII. Truly God is loving unto Israel, even unto such as are of a clean heart ! I. The Psalmist confesseth his perplexity at the good success of the ivicked, But as for me my feet were almost gone, 2 my steps had well nigh slipt; and why? I was envious at the proud, 3 I did also see the ungodly in such prosperity, how they are in no pain, 4 but their body is lusty and strong, they come in no misfortune like other folk, 5 neither are they plagued like other men. Vv. 4, 5. how they are in no pain. The abrupt change of tense may be explained by supposing the Psalmist to be quoting the actual words of a previous Psalm, according to a common usage of this period. Cp. 72. xl. 5. 1 Ixxiii. 25, 20, 21 ; Ixxvii. 3, 4. 3 Cp. Ixxiii. 24, 25, with Job xxviii, xa 2 2 Ixxiii. 17, 18, 19. 80.] BOOK THE THIRD. 2 Therefore is their neck so encompassed with pride, and they are clothed with cruelty as with a raiment, their wickedness overfloweth from the fatness of their heart, they are swollen with their own imaginations, they scoff, and their talking is of oppression and malice, they talk proudly as from on high, for they stretch forth their mouth unto heaven, and their tongue goeth through the earth. by which the faithful are drawn after them, Therefore fall His people unto them, 10 yea, they drink their fill of the cup ; ' tush/ say they, ' how should God perceive it 1 1 *and is there knowledge in the most High? 'lo, these are the ungodly, 12 'these prosper in the world and these have riches in pos- session ! Ver, 6. their neck is encompassed with pride, as with a necklace, so A. V. ' compasseth hem about as a chain.' Cp. also Is. iii. 16. raiment. Cp. 74. cix. 17, 18. Ver. 7. fatness of heart. Cp. 64. xvii. 10. This very luxury and prosperity breeds the proud thoughts of w. 8, 9. Vv. 8, 9. from on high heaven. The heathen tyrants give their commands to the world, i-.s if they were the gods of it. Compare the magnificent vision of the fall of Babylon, Is. xiv. 12, 13, 14, 'How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning !...thou hast said i i thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will i-it also in the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north (cp. note on 36. xlviii. 2) : ] will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.' tongue, i.e. tueir proud proclamations. Ver. 10. Therefore, L e. by letting the heathen remain unchecked in their prosperity. J ill His people unto them, or more exactly, 'God alloweth His .people to be led' into some t itnptation. they drink their fill of the crtp, i. e. of the cup of treachery to God, cp. Christian > r ear, 2nd Sunday after Epiphany, Such is the world's gay garish feast, in her first charming bowl infusing all that fires the breast, and cheats the unstable soul. Literally, 'they drink water in full (measure).' God's people, tempted by the offer of the pro- s )erity which the godless vaunt as the reward of apostasy, drink in the dangerous doctrine^ as eigedy as a thirsty traveller would drink water from a well. Cp. Job xv. 16, 'drinketh ini- quity like water/ and Prov. iv. 17, xxvi. 6. P 2io THE PSALMS [80. ' then have I cleansed my heart in vain, 1 and washed mine hands in innocency, 'all the day long have I been punished, 13 * and chastened every morning ! ' II. till at length his eyes are opened to see as God seeth; Yea, and I had almost said even as they, 14 but lo ! then 1 should have betrayed the generation of Thy children : then thought I to understand this, 15 but it was too hard for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God, 16 then understood I the end of these men, namely how Thou dost set them in slippery places, 17 and castest them down and destroyest them. Oh how suddenly do they consume, 18 perish and come to a fearful end ! yea, even like as a dream when one awaketh, 19 so makest Thou their image to vanish at Thy presence ! when my heart was grieved, 20 and it went even through my reins, Vv. IT 13. Then have I. Here the speech of those who are tempted to fall away unto the wicked, introduced by the words say they (ver. n), is made more dramatic by being put into the mouth of one of them. The temptation of the still faithful Israelite depicted in these graphic words lies in this thought that he has subjected himself to the discipline of God's law in vain, if blessings are thus showered on the head of the apostate. Ver. 14. / should have betrayed, i. e. by not upholding the faith of a true Israelite, and thereby adding to the temptations of the remnant of the faithful. Ver. 16. until I went, L e. until I was admitted unto the secret counsels of God's dealings, and learnt that the heathen are only raised to such prosperity, that the example of their final fall may strike more terror into the world. Ver. 19. dream. Cp. 34. xc. 5, and Job xx. 8, 9, ' He shall fly away as a dream and shall not be found : yea he shall be chased away as a vision of the night : the eye also which saw him shall see him no more ; neither shall his place any more behold him.' at Thy presence, i. e. when Thou arisest in judgment. Ver, 20. was grieved, i. e. at the prosperity of the wicked. 81.] BOOK THE THIRD. 211 then was I foolish and without understanding, 21 even as it were a beast before Thee. he declare th the unchangeable trust in God Nevertheless I am alway by Thee! 22 Thou hast holden me by my right hand, Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, 23 and shalt bring me unto honour. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? 24 and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison with Thee ! ray flesh and my heart faileth; 25 but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. III. gained by the revelation of His dealings. For lo ! they that forsake Thee shall perish, 26 Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from Thee : but it is good for me to hold me fast by God: 27 in the Lord Jehovah do I put my trust, that I may speak praises of all Thy works ! Ver. 21. foolish. Cp. 66. xlix, ' Man in his glory so he have no understanding is like u ito the beasts that perish ;' lack of understanding is here equivalent to unfaithfulness to God. 81. PSALM LXXVIL* PHE Psalmist depicts the struggle of his life as centred in a single night of anguish 1 ; he clothes in vivid words the thoughts that thrilled his soul, while despair 2 and hope 3 were still battling for mastery, and thus lays the history of his life before us in a dialogue 4 batvveen his old and his new Self. An abrupt transition 5 marks the * See Introduction, 80 82. * w. 2, 6. * w. 7, 8, 9. 3 irv. 10, ii, 12. * See note. 5 v. 10. P 2 212 THE PSALMS [ 81. dawn of the new hope, * What if God be still ruling as before, and His hand be in our captivity now, as it was in Israel's bondage of yore ? What if we too be destined to have as glorious an Exodus as theirs 1 ?- The weight is taken off the Psalmist's soul, he suddenly becomes a new man ; and while apparently engrossed in the past, he is carried away into a song of triumph a which is really an unconscious prophecy of the future. I. The Psalmist quoteth his former Song of Despair ; ( I will cry unto God with my voice, i 1 even unto God will I cry and He shall hearken unto me.' In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord, 2 I stretched out my hand and ceased not in the night-season ; my soul refused comfort : 1 when I think upon God, I am in heaviness, 3 * I muse in mine heart and my spirit waxeth faint!' Thou didst hold fast mine eyes from slumber, 4 I was troubled and spake nothing, I considered the days of old, 5 and the years that are past : Structure. This Psalm has two parts. The first part, consisting of the first 12 verses, is mainly composed of quotations from a former psalm, which depicted a struggle between despair and hope in a night of anguish, and described how relief came from remembering God's deli- verances in the past. The 2nd, 4th, and sth verses describe the feelings of the Psalmist at the time of composing this former Psalm; the first part thus forms a preface to the 2nd (vv. 13 20), which is a hymn of triumph springing from the words"' my talking shall be of Thy doings.' Ver. 2. I stretched out mine hand, i.e. in entreaty to God. Cp. 119. xliv. 21, 'if we have forgotten the name of our God, and holden up our hands to any strange god.' Also 58. Ixxxviii. 9; Job xi. 13; Lam. ii. 18, 19; Exod. xvii. 10. Ver. 3. when I think upon God, i. e. upon His dealings, as yet unintelligible. Cp. 80. Ixxiii. Ver. 4. Thou didst hold fast mine eyelids, i. e. ' I could not close them in sleep, so per- plexed was I.' 1 v. n and 114. Ixviii. z w. 13 20. 81.] BOOK THE THIRD. 213 'let me call to remembrance my song in the night 6 'and commune with mine heart!* and my spirit enquired thus within itself: ' Will the Lord absent Himself for ever, 7 i and will He be no more entreated ? 1 is His mercy clean gone for ever, 8 1 and His promise come utterly to an end for evermore? 'hath God forgotten to be gracious, 9 ' will He shut up His lovingkindness in displeasure ?' which in the thought of God's eternity becometh a Psalm of Faith, Then said I: 'this is my affliction, 10 * even during the years of the right hand of the most Highest ! ' I will think of the works of Jehovah, 1 1 'yea, I will call to mind Thy wonders of old time, 'I will sing also of all Thy works, 12 ' and my talking shall be of Thy doings.' II. and he breaketh into a Hymn of Praise for the deliverance at the Red Sea. Thy way, O God, is holy; 13 who is so great a god as our God? Thou art the God that doeth wonders, 14 and hast declared Thy power among the nations ; Thou didst mightily deliver Thy people, 15 even the sons of Jacob and Joseph : Ver. 10. this is my affliction, even during the years of the right hand, i.e. 'this my suffering lasts, notwithstanding that Jehovah still rules the world.' This reminds him of the dcods of Jehovah in the time of old, and gives him hope of a second Exodus, a glorious march across the desert which now divides him from his home. Ver. 15. Joseph^ as the father of Ephraim and Manasseh, is here the representative of the Nc rthern kingdom. Ephraim is used ir. the prophets in the same way, as being the most po verful tribe of the Northern kingdom. 214 THE PSALMS [ 82, the waters saw Thee,OGod,the waters saw Thee and were afraid; 16 the depths also were troubled; the clouds poured out water, the air thundered, 17 and Thine arrows went abroad; the voice of Thy thunder was heard in the whirlwind, light- 18 nings shone upon the world; the earth was moved and shook withal. Thy way was in the sea, 19 and Thy paths in the great waters, and Thy footsteps were not known, Thou leddest Thy people like sheep 20 by the hand of Moses and Aaron ! Vv. 16 18. For the description of God's deliverance under the figure of a thunderstorm compare the song of Deborah (Judges v. 4, in Supplement of Hebrew Lyrics); 114. Ixviii. 7, 8, and 12. xviii. Ver. 19. footsteps were not known, i. e. because the waters closed again upon the path, by which He led them through the Red sea. 82. PSALM xciv.* I. The Prophet crieth for judgment on the oppressor, O God, Jehovah, to whom vengeance belongeth, i Thou God to whom vengeance belongeth, shew Thyself! arise, Thou judge of the world, '< and reward the proud after their deserving! how long, O Jehovah, shall the ungodly ^ how long shall the ungodly triumph? how long skall all wicked doers speak so disdainfully, 4 and make such proud boasting? * Cp. 8082, Introduction. 82.] BOOK THE THIRD. 215 they smite down Thy people, O Jehovah, 5 and trouble Thine heritage, they murder the widow and the stranger, 6 and put the fatherless to death, and yet they say, 'tush, Jehovah shall not see, 7 'neither shall the God of Jacob regard it!' II. and ivarneth hint of the folly of trying to escape the eye of God. Take heed, ye unwise among the people; 8 O ye fools, when will ye understand? He that planted the ear, shall He not hear, 9 or He that made the eye, shall He not see? He that chasteneth the nations, shall He not punish, 10 even He that teacheth man knowledge ? Jehovah knoweth the thoughts of man, 1 1 that they are but vain : blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest, Jehovah, 12 and teachest him in Thy law, that Thou mayest give him patience in time of adversity, 13 until a pit be digged up for the ungodly! for Jehovah will not reject His people, 14 neither will He forsake His inheritance ; but judgment shall turn again unto right, 15 and all such as are true of heart shall follow Him. III. In remembrance of God's past mercies he declareth his trust in Him. Who will stand up for me against the wicked, 16 who will take my part against the evil-doers? if Jehovah had not helped me, 17 it had not failed but my soul had gone down into silence : but when I say, 'my foot hath slipt,' 18 Thy mercy, Jehovah, doth hold me up; Ver. 13. ///, 1. 1. a pitfall to catch them, a common metaphor for retribution, taken from hunting. Cp. Ezek. xix. 4, 'the lion was taken in their pit,' and 8. *i6 THE PSALMS [83. in the multitude of the sorrows that I have in my heart 19 Thy comforts refresh my soul ; shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with Thee, 20 which imagineth mischief as a law? they gather them together against the soul of the righteous, 2 1 and condemn the innocent blood, but Jehovah is my defence, 22 and my God is the rock of my refuge, and He requiteth them with their own wickedness, 23 and destroyeth them for their malice, yea, Jehovah our God doth destroy them ! Ver. 20. throne of iniqtiity, an unrighteous judgment-seat, where decisions are regulated by the code of malice, which seeks only the misery of others. 83, PSALM LXXXII. r ~HHE ideas of which the germ is first seen in the 52nd Psalm 1 -* are developed more fully in this, which is conceived in the spirit of prophecy 2 . The Psalmist sees not as men see, for his eye is fixed only on the throne of God 3 . He hears the viceroys or satraps of a vast empire claiming for their rule, as Rabshakeh did of old 4 , the divine attributes of eternity 5 and omnipotence, but he knows by pro- phetic insight that the possession of divine justice is the only test of 1 46. * This Psalm must be closely compared with the words of the contemporary prophet E?ekiel (xxviii. 2 10). ' Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God ; ' Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, ' I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas ;' yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;... behold, therefore, I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations ; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness : they shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, ' I am God'? but thou shalt be a man, and no god in the hand of him that slayeth thee : thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers; for I have spoken it,' saith the Lord God.' Cp. also ib. vv. 14, 25, 26; xxxi. 3, 15 18. 3 v. i. 4 a Kings xviii. 33, 35. 5 Cp. v. 6 with z/. 7. 83.] BOOK THE THIRD. 217 the possession of divine power. Trying them by this touchstone he sees their gold to be but dross, and that the gorgeous fabric of their power is ready to crumble away 1 at the breath of the displeasure of God. Thus while they claim reverence for their rights, he reminds them of their duties. He tells them that their exercise of power is corrupt and selfish, and treats their pretensions to divinity with the bitterest irony 2 . They may claim indeed to be gods, but they are gods as perishable as mortals, as powerless as the dumb idols which they boast to have overthrown 3 ; and in the grand judgment in which the false gods will be brought face to face with the True, their claims to rule and empire will be thrust aside with scorn, and their hea- then subjects will be called into the fold of the Shepherd of the world, the God of Israel 4 . God calleth the rulers of tJte world to judgment: God standeth in the congregation of princes, He giveth judgment among gods ; ?i)ofo long foill ge juticje unjustly. ano accept tj)e persons of tfje tmgofclg? fccfent) tf)e poor ant) fatherless, &ee tjjat sucj) as are in neeD ant) necessity fjafce rigjjt, Ver. x. in the congregation of princes, of 'the mighty* in the Authorised Version; more literally, ' in gods assembly,' i.e. either ' the assembly that God holds' or ' the assembly of ^ods;' by 'gods' we princes are meant the heathen princes or rulers who oppress the Isn elites in their captivity. Cp. ver. 8, and 53. Iviii. Introduction and notes. He giveth judgment. For a similar picture cp. Is. iii. 13 15, 'The Lord standeth up to plead, and stardeth to judge the people: the Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of His people, and the princes thereof;... 'what mean ye that ye beat My people to pieces and grind the faces of the poor?* saith the Lord God of hosts.' Ver. 2. accept the persons. Cp. Deut. i. 17, 'Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great ; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man.' So to e v. 3, 4. 87.] BOOK THE THIRD. 725 87. PSALM cxxni.* A SIGH of the exiles for their return : they are waiting in patience ^ * for the summons of the Almighty. The exile in patient longing awaiteth the summons to return. Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, i O Thou that dwellest in the heavens! behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress : even so our eyes wait upon Jehovah our God, 2 until He have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O Jehovah, have mercy upon us, 3 for we are utterly despised ; our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy, 4 and with the despitefulness of the proud ! Ver. i. look unto the hand, i. e. as slaves wait for their master's hand to beckon them. The expression is especially appropriate in the mouth of one working among the slave-owners of Babylon^ Ver. 4. wealthy -, more exactly 'those that are at ease. 1 (A. V.) * A Pilgrim Ode, see p. 221. 6 THE PSALMS [ 88. 88. PSALM cxxx.* "\T 7ITH a patriot's feelings the Psalmist sees his own weal and * * woe in the fortunes of his suffering brethren ; he depicts him- self as a sentinel at his post, longing for the sun of Jehovah's mercy to rise and chase away the dark night of captivity. The exile prayeth for deliverance. Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Jehovah ! i Lord, hear my voice ! O let Thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint ! 2 if Thou, Jehovah, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, 3 O Lord, who may abide it ? but there is mercy with Thee, 4 therefore shalt Thou be feared ! I look for Jehovah, my soul doth wait for Him, 5 in His word is my trust; my soul waiteth for Jehovah, 6 more than they that watch for the morning, I say, than they 7 that watch for the morning. O Israel, trust in Jehovah ! for with Jehovah there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption : and HE shall redeem Israel 8 from all his sins ! Ver. 4. feared. This is a time when the/ear of God will be better promoted by an exhi- bition of His gentler attributes of loving mercy and faithfulness than by a further revelation of His power. Ver. 5. His word, i. e. His promise of blessing and deliverance. Cp. 51. Ivi. 5, 10. Ver. 6. -more, i. e. more eagerly than the sentinel waiteth for the dawn of day, which is to free him from his wearisome post. Ver. 8. from the penalty of the sins of their prosperity, for which they are now suffering retribution in their exile. Cp. Jer. ix. 13 16. * A Pilgrim Ode, see p. 221. 89.1 BOOK THE THIRD. 89. PSALM cxxxi.* r T^HE Psalmist has learnt from adversity the lesson of submission, * and counsels the nation to fit itself in like manner for winning the blessings which are still in store. Peace in. resignation. Jehovah! I am not high-minded, I have no proud looks, i I do not exercise myself in great matters which are too 2 high for me; but I refrain my soul and keep it still, 3 like as a child that is weaned resteth on his mother, so resteth my soul within me even as a weaned child. O Israel, trust in Jehovah, 4 from this time forth for evermore. Ver. 2. I do not exercise myself in great matters; I speak only of the simple duty of submission to God's will; I do not indulge in restless thoughts or visions of a great deliverance. Cp. Jer. xlv. 5. Ver. 3. refrain, literally 'level.' The storm of passion is lulled to rest, a iveaned child, te the child that is fully weaned rests quietly on its mother's bosom without yearning any lot ger for the breast, so the Psalmist's soul rests within him (or upon him), weaned from pas- sionate longing and acquiescing in the dispensation of God. The difficulty lies in the words -wi-hin rnt, which, to make the comparison accurate, should be translated 'on me,' as though a i um's soul were resting on his arms, like a child on the breast of its mother. * A Pilgrim Ode, seep. 221. BOOK IV. PSALMS FROM THE PERIOD OF THE REBUILDING OF JERUSALEM. BOOK IV. PSALMS FROM THE PERIOD OF THE REBUILDING OF JERUSALEM. NATIONS do not survive dispersion. As long as they retain their country they may survive conquest and loss of freedom; but with the severance of the local tie patriotism dies, the national unity is dissolved and its members form new connexions in their new homes. So Israel melted away in Assyria. Judah alone proved indestructible. With an unparalleled faith in the future the inspired statesmen of Judah had fearlessly acquiesced in the loss of country and home. Jeremiah seems to have deliberately given up all thought for that national independence which Isaiah had held so dear, and to have welcomed the sharp remedy 1 of dispersion as the only cure for the growing evil of national corruption. The pur- chase of Hananeel's field 2 was but the outward symbol of a 1 Is. i. 5. * Jer. xxxi. 38. 232 PSALMS FROM THE PERIOD deeply-rooted belief that the tie of union was not material but spiritual, and that the nation might indeed survive the loss of country, but could not survive the loss of its religion. Jeremiah maintained this belief at the cost of being taunted as a coward and imprisoned as a traitor, but the event justified the apparently aimless sacrifice of his patriotism. The plague of national cor- ruption was stayed; and within the seventy years, the typical limit of a human lifetime, the nation had recovered its country. The blight had proved a blessing. None but a prophet's eye could have foreseen how Judah would be purified by the dis- cipline of adversity. It is true that the series of the prophets ceased and the Canon was soon closed; but why? Because the nation had begun to learn the lessons which the prophets were appointed to teach. They had not indeed learned the deepest truth of all the lesson of the new Covenant proclaimed by Jeremiah 1 to live not on the letter but on the spirit of reve- lation ; but has the lesson been learned even at this day, though it has been reiterated by a greater than Jeremiah ? Some lessons however they had learned : they had learned the lesson of the Lamentations 2 , the power of repentance as a remedy for sin; they saw the imperfections of the past and aimed at a nobler future. By separation from the Temple and its sacrifices they had learned the value of prayer ; this raised them another step above the heathen. From the fall of em- pires 3 they had learned not only the emptiness of mere power, but the vanity of idols ; with the establishment of the * houses of prayer ' in the dispersion the taint of idolatry disappeared ; the worship of wood and stone not merely lost its attractions, but 1 Jer. xxxi. 33, ' I will make a new covenant, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers ;...! will put My law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts.' Cp. ib. iii. 16 ; xxxii. 39, 40 ; Ezek. xi. 19. 2 See Supplement, Introduction to the Lamentations. 3 3538, Introduction. OF THE REBUILDING OF JERUSALEM. 233 became a butt for their scorn 1 . From the Evangelical Prophet, in whom the greatest of the old prophets seemed to live once more, they had learned to look upon themselves as the ambassa- dors of God to the heathen ; and to see that their mission was to be not the preachers only but the pattern of righteousness to man- kind. Finally, with the newly awakened consciousness of their own shortcomings, they had learned that this mission could not be fulfilled till they had a king who would deliver them not only from outward oppression but from the inward thraldom of sin. The immediate need was soon to be accomplished ; the prophets do not scruple to recognize the divine call of Cyrus as the re- former of Asia, the iconoclast and the destroyer of the corruptions of Babylon. Struck by the comparative purity of his faith, they might well for a moment see in him the Anointed of Jehovah, whom Israel was to help in re-organizing the world* The nation had brought Jehovah's religion into contempt by their disobedi- ence, they must now re-establish it, not only by a local restoration at Jerusalem but by the conversion of all the nations of the world. The results of the Captivity may be thus briefly epitomized. The nation once careless of the law were becoming worshippers of its very letter ; once tempted by idolatry, they now treated it with scorn ; once below the teaching of sacrifices, they had now risen to spiritual worship through prayer; once rigorously ex- clusive, they now saw their ideal in the king who should enroll all the world as citizens of a spiritual Jerusalem 2 . The future duty of the nation was to make themselves ready for his advent. The darker side of the picture, the elements of decay now at work and the coming degeneracy, will be given in the Introduc- tion to the succeeding Book. 1 Is. xliv. 14 17, 'he heweth him down cedars... he burneth part thereof in the fire, he roasteth roast,. ..he warmeth himself.. .and with the residue thereof he maketh a god and wor- Khippeth it,' and ib. xl. 19, 20; Jer. x. 35. * 99. Ixxxvii. Introduction. 234 THE PSALMS [9098. BOOK IV. PSALMS FROM THE PERIOD OF THE REBUILDING OF JERUSALEM. [SECTIONS 90 129.] 90 98. PILGRIM ODES OF THE RESTORATION.* 90, PSALM cxxiv. T N the five preceding Pilgrim 1 odes the Psalmist was still in captivity, * beset by treacherous 2 foes, straining his eyes to see the hills of his home 3 , longing for freedom as the watchman for the dawn 4 . Sorely had his faith been tried by the mockery of the heathen 6 , yet he had at length learnt the lesson of childlike submission 6 . The day dawned at last. The nation had been well nigh swallowed up by the over- whelming number of its oppressors 7 , but it was not destined to be the prey of the monster powers of the Euphrates. The rule of Babylon had been broken by Cyrus, and the captives were freed from the meshes of the net which had so long kept them struggling in its toils 8 *. See p. 221. l 3589, Introduction. 2 85. cxx. 3 86. cxxi. i. 88. cxxx. 6. 5 87. cxxiii. 4. 6 89. cxxxl " w. 3, 4, 5. 8 z/. 6. 90.] BOOK THE FOURTH. -235 The seemingly accidental circumstance that the nation found a gene- rous liberator in the person of the new conqueror and were thus freed through the help of others and not through any effort of their own made them the more grateful to the Ruler of the destinies of the world 1 , the more anxious to preserve communion with Him who had wrought such great deliverance. A thanksgiving If Jehovah Himself had not been on our side, (now let Israel say :) if Jehovah Himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us; they had swallowed us up alive, when they were so wrathfully displeased at us : yea, the waters had drowned us, and the stream had gone over our soul, yea, the swelling of the waterfloods had gone even over our soul. for deliverance from captivity. But praised be Jehovah, 5 who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth; our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler, 6 the snare is broken and we are delivered ! our help standeth in the name of Jehovah, 7 who hath made heaven and earth. Ver. 2. swallowed. Cp. 43. Iv. 16; Prov. i. 12. Compare the fate of the company of Korah as described in Num. xvi. 32, 33. Ver. 3. waters, i.e. 'enemies.' The picture of a swollen mountain-torrent, sweeping all before it, is frequently used to describe the sudden and overwhelming attack of enemies. So in Is. viii. 7 it is used of the Assyrian invasion. Cp. also 142. cxliv. 7 ; 12. xviii. 16. THE PSALMS [ 91. 91. PSALM cxxix.* Psalm is an outburst of joy at deliverance from captivity: -* the pictures of past suffering and of the destruction of the op- pressor are drawn in the simple imagery of agricultural life. Israel is invincible, for Jehovah Jiath broken the arm of the oppressor. Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up, i (may Israel now say) many a time have they fought against me from my youth up, 2 but they have not prevailed against me ! the ploughers ploughed upon my back, 3 and made long furrows: but Jehovah is righteous; 4 He hath hewn the harness of the ungodly in sunder ! let them be confounded and turned backward, 5 as many as have evil will at Sion, let them be even as the grass upon the housetops 6 which withereth afore it be grown up : whereof the mower filleth not his hand, 7 neither he that bindeth up the sheaves his bosom, so that they who go by say not so much as, 8 ( Jehovah prosper you, ' we wish you good luck in the name of Jehovah/ Vv. 3, 6, 7. plonghers, grass, mowers; for the frequency of agricultural images, compare the prophet Amos. Ver. 3. back. Cp. Is. 1. 6, ' I gave my back to the smiters.' Ib. li. 23, ' They that afflict thee have said to thy soul, ' Bow down that we may go over;' and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.' Ver. 4. harness. More exactly, 'cut the traces.' As when the cords which bind the oxen to the plough are broken, the plougher can no more furrow the earth, so God has cut off from the tyrants the means of the exercise of their tyranny. Cp. 90. cxxiv. Introduction. Ver. 6. grass, from Is. xxxvii. 27, 'Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded, they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass of the housetops, and as the corn blasted before it be grown up.' Ver. 8. Jehovah prosper you. Cp. the greeting of Boaz to his reapers, Ruth ii. 4. * A Pilgrim Ode, see 90, and p. 221. 92, 93.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 237 92, 93. PSALMS cxxv, cxxvi. HPHESE Psalms date from a time when the new community had -* indeed been established in Jerusalem by Zerubbabel 1 , but the rebuilding of the temple was at a standstill from the heavy pressure of the Samaritans who were supported by Persian nobles 3 . After the first burst of joyous enthusiasm with which the captives had again set foot in Palestine, a reaction had set in. The dread of the constant inroads which destroyed their crops in the fields and menaced their safety in the city, led to internal dissensions and to the formation of a party which advocated submission to the foe. Inspired no doubt by the denunciations of the contemporary Prophets, Zechariah and Haggai 3 , the Psalmist dispels the terrors of the despairing by his confident assurance of coming victory. 92. PSALM cxxv. God's care the stay of the oppressed. They that put their trust in Jehovah i shall be even as the mount Sion which may not be removed, but standeth fast for ever: the hills stand about Jerusalem, 2 even so standeth Jehovah round about His people from this time forth for evermore : Ver. 2. stand about. Though to the traveller who faces Jerusalem the towers seem to stand out against the sky and to be higher than the hills in the immediate neighbourhood, yet to the worshipper in the Temple, the Mount of Olives, which considerably overtops even the highest part of Mount Sion, might from the fact of its outlying portions bending round towards the city, naturally gire the effect of standing round about Jerusalem. Like Rome the Holy City had its nearer and more remote barriers of protecting hills ; as Rome had its Janiculum hard by and its Apennine and Alban mountains in the distance, so Jerusalem had its Olivet hard by, and on the outposts of its plain, Mizpeh, Gibeon and Ramah and the ridge which divides it from Bethlehem. These hills act as a shelter and must be surmounted before the traveller can see, or the invader attack, the Holy City ; and the distant line of Moab 1 Ps. cxxv. i, 2. 2 Ez. iv. 5. 3 Ez. v. i. 2 3 3 THE PSALMS [93. for the sceptre of the ungodly shall not rest upon the lot of 3 the righteous, lest the righteous put their hand unto wickedness ! Do well, O Jehovah, unto those that are good, 4 and unto them that are true of heart ! but as for such as turn aside unto their own wickedness, 5 may Jehovah drive them forth with the evil doers, but peace be upon Israel ! would always seem to rise as a wall against invaders from the remote East. (From Stanley's Sinai and Palestine, 3rd Edit. pp. 174, 175.) so standeth Jehovah round about His people. Cp. Zech. ii. 4, 5. 'Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, for I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about/ Ver. 3. rest upon, i. e. the heathen shall not always lay his hand so heavily upon the promised land (the lot of the true Israelite), lest the people be tempted by prolonged adversity to leave the true religion. Ver. 5. such as turn aside, i.e. let those who are Israelites by birth, but renegades at heart, be swept away with the evildoers, i. e. the heathen foe to whose camp they really belong. 93. PSALM cxxvi.* A CONTRAST between the many dangers of the present and the unclouded joy of the first years after the return from captivity. By a beautiful figure the repeopling of the land is compared to the grateful return of the water to the streams of southern Judah after the summer drought. Tlie freed captives remembering the joy of the first return When Jehovah turned again the captivity of Sion, i then were we like unto them that dream; Ver. i. captivity, i. e. captives. Cp. Jer. xxx. 1719. 'Because they called thee an outcast, saying, ' This is Sion, whom no man seeketh after : ' thus saith Jehovah ; Behold, I will biing again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces ; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner * Cp. 92, 93, Introd., and p. 221. 93.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 239 then was our mouth filled with laughter, 2 and our tongue with joy; then said they among the heathen : 3 'Jehovah hath done great things for them!' yea, Jehovah hath done great things for us: 4 then were we full of joy. pray for help in their difficulty. Turn our captivity, O Jehovah r 5 as the rivers in the south; they that sow in tears, 6 shall reap in joy; be that now goeth on his way weeping and beareth forth the seed 7 shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him. thereof; and out of them shall proceed thanksgiving, and the voice of them that make merry.' dream, i. e. we could not believe our senses for joy ; we seemed to be dreaming. Vv. i, 2, 3, 4. then tJten then then, i.e. at the time of the return, which is contrasted with their present time of danger. Ver. 5. rivers in the south, so Job compares his false friends to the * stream of brooks, which when it is hot are consumed out of their place. ..they go to nothing and perish* (Job vi. *5> 17, 18). Ver. 6. sow in tears. Sion though now built in tears shall have a glorious future. The new colonists seem to have experienced the literal meaning of the words in the alternations of drought and plenty; cp. the words of the contemporary prophet Haggai (i. 10, n; it 19;, as also 113. Ixvii. 6; 126. Ixxxv. 12. Ver. 7. he that now. ..sheaves with him, more exactly, going he shall go and weep, bearing a load of seed ; coming he shall come and sing, bearing his sheaves with him. 74 o THE PSALMS [ 94, 95. 94, 95. PSALMS cxxvn, cxxvm.* THE REPEOPLING OF JERUSALEM. 94. PSALM cxxvn. HE commencement of this exquisite Psalm is an echo of the words in which Haggai 1 rebuked the people for rebuilding their own homes before they restored the Temple of the Lord. The Psalm- ist, addressing those who had recently experienced a great deliverance 2 , reminds them that if they would only shew their trust in God by work- ing at His House, He would bless them unawares in the re-establish- ment of their homes. At a time when 'the people of the land weakened the hands of the men of Judah, and troubled them in building 3 ,' their immediate need was of men to defend the walls, and their thoughts turned not unnaturally to the repeopling of the deserted city, the hope of which is the main idea in this and the following Psalm. The virtue of God's blessing. Except Jehovah build the house, i their labour is but lost that build it; except Jehovah keep the city, 2 the watchman watcheth but in vain : it is but lost labour that ye haste to rise up early, 3 and so late take rest, and eat the bread of carefulness; He blesseth His beloved while they sleep. He sendeth to us children, the strength of the city. Lo, children are an heritage of Jehovah, 4 and the fruit of the womb is His reward; Ver. 3. blesseth, i. e. by watching over them Himself. The things which are to others the fruits of anxious toil come to those who cast their care on God as things in a dream, without forethought or expectation on their part. Cp. Prov. x 22: 'The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.' * See p. 221. J i. 2 9. 2 w. i, 2, and 90. 3 Ezra iv. 4. 95.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 241 like as arrows in the hand of a mighty man, 5 even so are the sons of our youth; happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them, 6 they shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate. Ver. 5. arrows quiver, an image^especially appropriate when the immediate need was of men to defend the walls (Ezra iv. 4); so arrows are called in Lam. iii. 13 'the sons of the quiver.' the sons of our youth, i. e. those that would soon be grown up in time to protect the c ty walls. Ver. 6. gate. Cp. Gen. xxii. 17: 'thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies,' and x- 7, 8. s w. 723. " 6 Z e C h. xii. 2. vv. 22, 23. 8 w. Q) I3) 29t See Supplement. xl Ixvi. 274 THE PSALMS L 114. The prelude and the conclusion seem to have been chanted by the priests, the central ode by the whole body of the people ; though the fourfold division of this central portion makes it possible that it was chanted by the representatives of the two pairs of northern and southern tribes, accompanied by the four courses of priests, which alone returned from the exile 1 . The names of Zebulon and Naphtali may have been selected to stand for the whole northern kingdom, from a recollection of the honour which was paid to them in the great utterance of Deborah 2 . That members of the northern tribes accom- panied the return of the southern, though not specially mentioned, has been inferred from the passages in the book of Ezra, where of the 42,000 of the return, 30,000 alone are assigned to the two southern tribes ; from which it has been concluded that the remaining 1 2,000 belonged to the northern section of the kingdom. That, at all events in idea, the people of Jerusalem considered themselves as the repre- sentatives of the whole people and looked upon their city as the holy metropolis of Palestine, is clear from their offering separate sin-offer- ings for the twelve tribes 3 , and from the mention in some of the Psalms 4 of Joseph as the especial representative of the northern tribes. These claims of Jerusalem were recognized even at an earlier time by the people of the north, as appears from the pilgrimage from her once rival cities, Sichem, Shiloh, and Samaria, which met with such a tragical fate at the hands of the treacherous Ishmael 5 . This is a clear proof that even as early as the time of Jeremiah the Samaritans must have acknowledged the very pretensions which they had * laughed to scorn' in the reign of Hezekiah 6 . I. Praise of God who hath led His people through the wilderness from Babylon, Let God arise, and His enemies shall be scattered; i they also that hate Him shall flee before Him; Ver. x. arise; a quotation from Numbers x. 35. scattered, i.e. as the Egyptian host was, when God looked upon it (Ex. xiv. 24). 1 Cp. Neh. vii. 39 42. 2 Judg. v. See Supplement of Hebrew Lyrics. 3 Ezra vi. 17. 4 5} 81. Ixxvii. (sons of Jacob and Joseph); 112. Ixxx; 129. Ixxxi. 8 Jer. xli. 58. 6 2 Chron. xxx. 10, ix. 114.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 175 like as the smoke vanisheth away, 2 and like as wax melteth at the fire, so shall the ungodly perish at the presence of God ; but the righteous shall be glad and rejoice before God, 3 they shall also be merry and joyful. O sing unto God and sing praises unto His name, 4 make a way for Him that rideth through the wilderness, JAH is His name and rejoice before Him ! He is the father of the fatherless and defendeth the cause of the 5 widows, even God in His holy habitation : God bringeth home them that are scattered abroad, 6 He freeth the prisoners from captivity and blesseth them, but letteth the rebellious dwell in a parched land. II. as He had led their fatJters from Egypt by the hand of Moses and Joshua, O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, 7 when Thou didst march through the wilderness, the earth shook, th.e heavens dropped at the presence of God, 8 even that Sinai shook at the presence of God, who is the God of Israel : Thou, O God, sentest a gracious rain on Thine inheritance, 9 and refreshedst it when it was weary ; Thy people hath dwelt therein, 10 for Thou, O God, hast of Thy goodness prepared it for the poor. JV' 4> 7> 8. Compare the procession of the Ark through the wilderness in Num. x. For the return from Babylon see Is. xxxv. xl. 3 ; the liberation from captivity is there alluded to in vv. 5, 6. make a way, i. e. as pioneers for a royal progress. Ar er. 5. habitation, i. e. in heaven. v . 7 9- ine meaning appears to uc mat uie same ouu wuu reveaicu. jnimseii in bioi ing . T<_naa die ux cuurse iHK.en iruiii j uug. v. 4 o, 30. r or me ceiei of victories by choruses of women (ver. n), see Ex. xv. 20, i Sam. xviii. 6, 7. For the divis of the spoil (ver. 12), see Judg. v. n, in Supplement of Hebrew Lyrics, that Sinai, i. e. Si yonder: Deborah is pointing to the mountain. Yer. 10. poor, i. e. oppressed. See Glossary. T2 livision iinai 176 THE PSALMS [114. -when He slew kings for their sake, and sent hailstones from heaven to destroy them. The Lord giveth us a song of victory, 1 1 great is the company of the women that tell it abroad ; kings with their armies flee and are discomfited, 12 she that tarrieth at home divideth the spoil : 6 when ye rest among the pastures, 13 ' then are the wings of a dove covered with silver, * and her feathers with shining gold ; 'but when the Highest scattereth kings, 14 'then is there snow on Salmon/ Sion hath He chosen for His dwelling, and hath mounted it in triumph, A hill of God is the hill of Basan, 15 even an high hill is the hill of Basan : wherefore look ye askance, ye high hills? 16 this is God's hill where it pleaseth Him to dwell, yea, Jehovah will abide in it for ever ! lo, the chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands 1 7 on thousands the Lord is therein Sinai is in the Sanctuary ! Vv. 13, 14. Probably a quotation from a song of victory. The allusion is to the play of colour on the wings of a dove. The meaning apparently is, 'When ye (the men of Israel} rest on the soft pastures of Palestine after war, then are the wings of the dove illumined with gold, as the fields are covered with sunshine : still when Jehovah willeth to destroy kings to preserve His inheritance, then doth He send hailstones and snow from heaven :' cp. the battle of Beth- horon under Joshua [x. n], and Judg. v. 19, 20. The rarity of snow in Palestine caused it to be regarded as an especial wonder. Job xxxviii. 22, ' Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war ?' Salmon, possibly the hill of this name near Shechem, mentioned in Judges ix. 48 ; a low hill, where snow would be unusual. Ver. 15. Basan was bounded on the north by the range of Anti-Libanus : of which Her- mon the southern peak was the loftiest and grandest hill in Palestine; it had a claim to be ranked as a 'hill of God,' but He chose the hill of Sion for His residence. For the priority thus bestowed upon Sion cp. 36. xlviii. and notes. Ver. 16. askance, i. e. with jealousy. 114.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 277 Thou art gone up on high, Thou hast led up a multitude of 18 captives, Thou hast received gifts of men ; yea, even His enemies shall rest near Jehovah our God. and hath signally delivered His chosen from death. Blessed be the Lord; even the God who helpeth us, 19 who doth bear our burdens day by day; the God who is the God of our salvation, 20 and the Lord Jehovah by whom we escape death : yea, God will wound the head of His enemies, 2 r and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his wickedness : the Lord hath said I totU frtcj) J)tm again from 33a$an, 22 3E fotll fete}) j)im again from tf)c fcccp of tlje sea, tj)at tjg foot mag fce fcippcl) in tj)e fcloofc of tljine enemies, 23 anil tDat tj)e tongue of tjjg fcogs mag fre ret) tJjrougj) tj)e game. III. The priest d escribe th the procession to the Temple, It is well seen, O God, how Thou goest, 24 how Thou, my God and king, wentest to the sanctuary ; the singers went before, the minstrels followed after,. 25 in the midst were the damsels, playing with the timbrels ; give thanks unto God in the congregation, 26 even unto the Lord, ye that come of the waters of Israel: Ver. 18. gone up on high. God is represented as taking possession of Sion as an earthly conqueror of a conquered citadel, Hab. iii. 8. Here we have extracts from an ancient Psalm. Sinai. The honours of Sinai are now transferred to Sion (ver. 17), and God and the heavenly train are pictured as moving in triumphal procession thence to Sion and leading His enemies as captives, gifts of men, i.e. of the rebellious, who have become the vassals of Jehovah and do Mim homage. Vv. 22, 23. Again a quotation from some now lost Psalm. The meaning is, * Should their enemies in the day of judgment hide in Bashan or in the deep sea, I the Lord will drag them forth: 1 cp. the picture of the desolation of Israel in Amos ix. 3, 'Though they hide themselves in tie top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence, and though they be hid from my sigl t in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent and he shall bite them.' Ver. 26. -waters of Israel. The lineage of Israel is likened to the source of a river, in Is. xlviii. i, li. i, where 'the hole of the pit' means the spring or well, which was the source of the nation; and possibly Deut. xxxiii. 28. 278 THE PSALMS [114. there was little Benjamin their leader, 27 the mighty host, even the princes of Judah, the princes of Zebulon and the princes of Naphthali. and Prophesieth that kings shall come there to pay their homage to Jehovah* Set forth Thy glory, O God ! 28 glorify, O God, the thing which Thou hast wrought for us ! for Thy Temple's sake at Jerusalem 29 let kings bring homage unto Thee ! rebuke the beast of the reeds, the multitude of bulls with the 30 calves his peoples, so that they humbly bring pieces of silver; yea, scatter Thou the peoples that delight in war; then shall princes come out of Egypt, 31 and Ethiopia quickly stretch out her hand unto God. who, though He be king of Heaven, yet hath His earthly throne in Sion. Sing unto God, O ye kingdoms of the earth, 32 sing praises unto the Lord, Ver. 27. Benjamin Judah Zebulon Naphthali; four tribes are mentioned here ; Ze- bulon and Naphthali represent the Northern kingdom; Judah and Benjamin the Southern. little, as being the smallest tribe, leader, because Saul the first king came from it. mighty host, because Judah was the most populous tribe. See Gen. xlix. 8. Ver. 28. Set forth Thy glory. A prayer that God will manifest His glory from this His newly consecrated Temple as He had of old from the Temple of Solomon. Ver. 30. the beast of the reeds. Under the image of king of the jungle, surrounded by bisons and calves, is typified the great Persian king, with his train of satraps and subject peoples. So the kings of Babylon and Egypt are typified by the dragons of the river or crocodiles, 120. Ixxiv. 14, Ezek. xxix. 3, and Is. li. 9, 'Art Thou not he that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon ?' Ver. 31. then God. Cp. Is. xix. 23 25, ' In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria ; and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria ; and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt, and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria, the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.' Ethiopia. Cp. Is. xlv. 14, 'They (the Ethiopians) shall fall down unto thee (Israel), they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, ' God is in thee only ; aud besides there is none else.' ' H5.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 279 who rideth through the heaven of heavens which is of old, 33 lo, He doth send out His voice, yea, and that a mighty voice ! ascribe ye power unto God, whose majesty ruleth over Israel, 34 and whose strength is in the clouds ! terrible art Thou, O God, from out Thy sanctuary! 35 even the God of Israel, He will give strength and power unto His people; blessed be God ! Ver. 33. heaven of heavens, i. e. the highest heavens, cp. Deut. x. 14. which is of old t i. e. first created. 115. PSALM XLVII.* A PSALM composed for the dedication of the Temple, and sung ^-*- during the procession 1 . I. Invitation to all lands to praise Jehovah, O clap your hands together, all ye peoples, i O sing unto God with the voice of melody ! for Jehovah is high and to be feared, 2 He is the great king over all the earth; He subdueth the peoples under us, 3 and the nations under our feet : He chooseth out an heritage for us, 4 even Jacob's glory which He loved. II. -whose earthly throne is at Sion, God is gone up with a merry noise, 5 Jehovah with the sound of a trumpet; Ver. 4. JacoVs glory, i. e. the Holy Land. Cp. 49. Ixi. 6, Ez. xx. 15, 'That I would bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is tn glory of all lands,' and Ez. xxiv. 21, 'the excellency of your strength.' Ver. 5. is gone up. Cp. 114, Ixviii. 18. * See Introduction, 114. l v. 5. 8o THE PSALMS [116. O sing praises, sing praises unto our God, 6 O sing praises, sing praises unto our King ! for God is the king of all the earth ; 7 O sing unto Him a glorious song. God reigneth over the heathen, & God sitteth upon His holy seat ! III. where chieftains do Him homage, for He is the King of kings. The princes of the peoples have gathered themselves together 9 at the Temple of the God of Abraham ; for the shields of the earth belong unto God, and He is highly exalted ! Ver. 7. glorious, literally 'a skilfully constructed song,' i.e. to be accompanied with more elaborate music : the word 'maschiP occurs in the musical direction superscribed to 14 Psalms. See Appendix B. 4. Ver. 9. princes. Cp. Is. xiv. i. The princes probably were Persian emissaries, but the precise reference is unknown, shields, i.e. chiefs. The word is rendered 'rulers' Hos. iv. 18. 116. PSALM LXVI. i n. '"PHE first 1 part of the 66th Psalm is another echo of the feel- -* ings of the nation at this epoch, in which they seemed to be living over again the times of the great deliverances under Moses. I. An appeal to all nations to recognise God's power' O be joyful in God, all ye lands ! i sing praises unto the honour of His name, make His praise to be glorious ! say unto God, * Oh, how wonderful art Thou in Thy works ! 2 4 through the greatness of Thy power Thine enemies feign obedience unto Thee : Ver. 2. feign obedience, or pay Thee court. Pr. Bk. ' were found liars,' as Deut. xxxiii. 29. See Glossary, * liars.' Thine enemies, the heathen, comprised in ' all the world,' or all nations, ver. 3. i For the 2nd part, see 30, where the reasons for the separation of the 66th into two Psalms have been given. 116.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 281 ' all the world doth worship Thee, sing of Thee 3 'and praise Thy Name!' II. for He, as from Egypt of yore ', so now O come hither and behold the works of God, 4 how wonderful He is in His doing toward the children of men ! He turned the sea into dry land, 5 so that they went through the water on foot; there did we rejoice in Him. He ruleth with His power for ever; 6 His eyes behold the peoples, and as for the rebellious, they shall not be able to exalt themselves. III. hath delivered us from captivity and slavery. O praise our God, ye peoples, 7 and make the voice of His praise to be heard ! who hath held our soul in life, 8 and suffered not our feet to slip ! for Thou, O God, hast proved us, 9 Thou hast tried us like as silver is tried : Thou broughtest us into the net, 10 and Jaidest a sore burden upon our loins ; Thou sufferedst men to ride over our heads, n we went through fire and water, and Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. Ver. 10. into the net, or snare, so as to be the prey of the enemies' hand, hence into cap- tivity. Cp. Hos. vu. 12. a burden -upon our loins, made us like beasts of burden, i.e. brought ut into slavery. Ver. ii. Thou heads. Cp. Is. li. 23, 'They that afflict thee have said to thy soul, ' Bow down that we may go over,' and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, as the street for them that went over.' 282 THE PSALMS [117,118. 117, 118. THE EFFECT OF THE CAPTIVITY UPON THE NATIONAL CHARACTER. PSALMS xci, cxxxix. THE destruction and the restoration of the Temple brought with them each its own great lesson. Aversion to idolatry 1 as the cause of their degradation was the lesson of the fall of the Temple ; its restoration naturally rekindled the fervour of religious enthusiasm, and called forth a fresh flow of exulting faith and confidence in Je- hovah. As David poured out his heart to God 2 in the first flood tide of gratitude for His past protection by announcing his resolution to un- dertake all his work thenceforth in Jehovah's name and as Jehovah's vicegerent, so the Psalmist of the Restoration pours forth his thank- fulness with a freshness of feeling and a nobleness of language, which have made these two Psalms for all time at once the amplest exhibition of faith in God's protection amid danger, and of man's belief in that inscrutable connexion between himself and his Maker which is the true source at once of his humility and of his dignity. These Psalms are the mirror, so to speak, which reflects the per- manent effect of the Restoration upon the national character, and in this lies their significance. They contain no new truths : Prophet and Psalmist have often before uttered words as comforting and truths as elevated; but now these words and these truths have struck root in the general belief. The people see in the Restoration a fresh and most signal confirmation of them; and the Psalmist proclaims them anew with a conviction so deep and a power so irresistible, that they acquire in his mouth a new reality. It is no longer the word of Jehovah, addressed by His servants to an inattentive nation; it is rather the word of Jehovah sunk into the nation's heart, intertwined with its inmost thoughts and deepest experiences, and now reappear- ing in the words of the Psalmist, the mouthpiece of the nation, as at once the record of his and their faith, and the utterance as of an oracle 1 Cp. 102. xcv. and Introduction to Book IV. p. 231. * Ps. cL 117.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 283 for their daily guidance and warning. Upon this calm and blissful height of unwavering faith the Psalmist stands; the consciousness of God's presence has become an abiding reality, by which the very language of human thought and feeling is invested and transfigured with a celestial radiance and glory. 117. PSALM xcr. I. The Psalmist addressing his soul declareth the safety of all who trust in. God; Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the most High, i shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty : I will say unto Jehovah, ' Thou art my refuge and my stronghold, 2 'my God, in Him will I trust: * for He shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter, 3 'and from the noisome pestilence; ' He shall defend thee under His wings, 4 1 and thou shalt be safe under His feathers : 'His faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler: ' thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night, 5 'nor for the arrow that flieth by day, ' for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, 6 ' nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noonday ; ' a thousand shall fall beside thee and ten thousand at thy right 7 hand : 'but it shall not come nigh thee; ' only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, 8 * and see the reward of the ungodly.' II. he again addresseth his soul. 4 For Thou, Jehovah, art my refuge ; 9 ' thou hast chosen the most High for thine house of defence ; Vv. x 3. For the change from 3rd to ist, and afterwards (ver. 9) to the 2nd person, cp. Jc b xii. 4. thee, ver. 3, i. e. the Psalmist, defence of the most High, i, e. Sion. Ver. 8. only with thine eyes. Thou shalt be so far removed from it as not to feel it, but or ly to see it at a distance. 284 THE PSALMS [118. 1 there shall no evil happen unto thee, 10 'neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling; 'but He shall give His angels charge over thee u 'to keep thee in all thy ways, 'they shall bear thee in their hands, 12 ' that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone ; ' thou shalt go upon the lion and adder, 13 ' the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.' because (saith JehovaK) Je JatJ get Jig lobe upon J&e, 14 therefore foill 5 lieliber Jim, 3E foill get Jim up, because Je JatJ fcnofon ^tg name; Je gjall call upon i^te ant) X foill Jear Jim, 15 gea, IE am foitj Jim in trouble, $ foill fceltber Jim an& bring Jim to Jonour* foitj long life foill I gattefg Jim, 16 ant) sjefo J*m J^lg galbation. Vv. 14 16. A sudden transition, he, i. e. the Psalmist, as thou, ver. 9, is ' the Psalmist ' also. 118. PSALM cxxxix. r I ^HIS may be considered as the counterpart of the 8th Psalm. -* In both two cardinal truths are found ; on the one hand, the infinite and mysterious connexion of the spirit of man with the Spirit of God ; on the other, the insignificance of man and his depend- ence on God, as Creator, upholder and ever-present friend. The first expression of these truths was in the words of David ; ' Lord, what is man that Thou art mindful of him?' and again, 'Thou madest him a little lower than God.' The experience of three cen- turies of affliction, such as no nation had yet undergone and survived, had put these truths to the test and stamped them as eternal veri- ties upon a thousand hearts ; all that was holiest and dearest to the devout Jews had perished ; but the spiritual connexion of every human soul with God was only the more firmly rooted in their be- lief, and it finds expression in this Psalm in language as tender and as grand as that of David himself. 118.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 285 In the light of these truths the Psalmist utters a solemn medi- tation upon his position in the universe and his relation to God. No human pen or tongue has ever expressed more vividly or more profoundly the idea of the omnipresence of God. In all places, in all time, man is beset and encompassed by God ; in Him we live and move and have our being ; our every thought is guided, our every step controlled. But the thought produces no sense of oppression, no desire to escape from the eye of God. On the contrary, all is light and liberty. There is an undertone of bright acquiescence; an in- stinctive recognition by man's spirit of the inevitable control of the kindred Spirit of God, in whose likeness his own spirit was made. This calm satisfaction in the presence of God makes the whole Psalm one of the greatest lessons of life for all time. By its teaching we learn that it is only by rejoicing in that presence, by resting lov- ingly on that love, by clinging with childlike affection to the fatherly arms which surround us in life, which ' ordered our days, when as yet there was none of them,' that man can fulfil the end of his being. This sense of the close dependence of man upon God and the possibility of close communion between the human and the Divine spirit produces in the Psalmist the feeling which it always arouses when it breaks in all its fulness upon the soul. Evil in the soul and in the world around is felt to be appalling and intolerable. The mystery of iniquity becomes more and more unintelligible. What fellowship can there be between light and darkness? Surely God will ' put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and be clad with zeal as a cloke; according to their deeds will He repay them, Jury to His adversaries and recompence to His enemies 1 .' Thus the apparently unconnected outburst at the close of the Psalm is seen to be in necessary connexion with the preceding meditation on God's ways. For desire for the reformation of the world and for the sancti- fication of the spirit, the longing to see the world verily the king- tlom of God and His righteousness, and to be ourselves perfect even ;is our Father in heaven is perfect, is the necessary result in every man of a real conviction of God's presence in the world and in the souL 1 Is. lix. 17, 1 8. *86 THE PSALMS [118. That the final prayer is for vengeance rather than for mercy is an accident of the time at which it was composed, and it does not diminish from the nobility of the thought that the Psalmist had not anticipated the gentle influences of a dispensation which he did not live to see. I. God knoweth all things. Jehovah, Thou hast searched me out and known me ! i yea, Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thoughts long before, Thou art about my path and about my bed, 2 and spiest out all my ways : for lo ! the word is not yet upon my tongue 3 but Thou, Jehovah, knowest it altogether; Thou hast compassed me behind and before 4 and laid Thine hand upon me ; such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me, 5 I cannot attain unto it ! II. God is everywhere. Whither shall I go then from Thy spirit? 6 or whither shall I go then from Thy presence? if I climb up into heaven, Thou art there, 7 if I go down into hell, Thou art there also ! if I take the wings of the morning, and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall Thy hand lead me, 9 and Thy right hand shall hold me ! if I say, ' perad venture the darkness shall cover me 10 1 and the day be turned into night 'about me,' Vv. 6 ii. For the whole thought of these verses, cp. Jer. xxiii. 23, 24, ' 'Am I a God at hand,' saith Jehovah, 'and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?' saith Jehovah. ' Do not I fill heaven and earth ?' saith Jehovah.' Ver. 8. farts of the sea, i. e. if like the first ray of the rising sun which darts across to the far west, I flee to the utmost horizon of the sea. The sea stands for the west, in all the Scriptures which were written in Palestine. Cp. 134. cvii. 3, note. Ver. 10. If I say, i.e. if I reach the far west the land of sunset and darkness and the day be turned into night. 118.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 287 even then the darkness is no darkness with Thee, n but the night is as clear as the day, the darkness and light to Thee are both alike ! III. God is all-met riful. For my reins are the work of Thine hand, 12 Thou hast formed me in my mother's womb, I will give thanks unto Thee, for I am fearfully and wonder- 13 fully made, marvellous are Thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well ! ray bones were not hid from Thee, 14 when I was made secretly and fashioned beneath in the earth : Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect, 15 and in Thy book were all my days written, yea, the days were already ordered, when as yet there was 1 6 none of them : how manifold are Thy thoughts they overwhelm me, O God , 1 7 O how great is the sum of them ! if I tell them, they are more in number than the sand; 18 when I wake up, I am present with Thee. IV. God punisheth tlm wicked. Wilt not Thou slay the wicked, O God! 19 depart from me, ye bloodthirsty men ! for they speak unrighteously against Thee, 20 and take Thy covenant wickedly in their mouth ! Ver. it. night as clear. Cp. Job xxvi. 6, 'Hell is naked before Him and destruction hath no covering,' and Job xxxiv. 21, 22. Ver. 12. reins. See Glossary. Vv. 14, 15. Cp. Job x. 8 ii. Ver. 17. thy thoughts, i.e. God's counsels in the creation and government of the universe, \/hich are ever-present and overwhelming both in number and in weight. ' How heavy are Thy thoughts' is the literal rendering of the first line of the verse. Ver. 20. take Thy covenant mouth. Cp. 59. L 16. 288 THE PSALMS [ 119127. should not I hate them that hate Thee, O Jehovah? 21 should not I be grieved with those that rise up against Thee ? yea, I hate them right sore, 22 I have counted them mine enemies ! try me, O God, and seek the ground of my heart, 23 prove me and examine my thoughts ! look well if there be any way of wickedness in me, 24 and lead me in the way everlasting ! 119 127. PSALMS XLIV, LXXIV, LXXIX, LXXX, cxxxn, LXXXIX, LX, LXXXV, LXXXIII. HPHIS group of Psalms expresses the anguish and perplexity which * had overtaken the Jews in a moment of expected triumph; and though from the scantiness of contemporaneous historical records it is no longer possible to trace the details of the calamity, it is still easy to gather from the general language the outline of a distinct picture. Zerubbabel the prince and Jeshua the high priest had fulfilled the exalted hopes entertained of them 1 not only by rebuilding the walls but by uniting the citizens in the only true bond of union, the bond of obedience to God and of observance of His religion. The people as was but natural saw in this revival the approach of that glorious time, when the true Israel should dwell in the city of David, amid security and blessing such as since David's time had never been known. But the expected blessings came not. Not even the prince of the house of David, to whose pen two Psalms 2 from this group are due, could address Jehovah in other than a dejected tone. Dejection characterizes the first 3 ; but in the second 4 actual miseries, defeat in war and the conquest of the city and the Temple, are depicted with a despair which would not be comforted. Other 5 Psalms, from other pens, complete the picture. Desolation reigns, not only in the land 6 but in the Holy City, nay, even in the very Temple and house of prayer. 1 Haggai ii. 20 22; Zech. iii. 8; iv; vi. 9 15. 2 123, 124. Ixxxix, cxxxii. 3 123. cxxxii. 4 124. Ixxxix. * xliv, Ix, Ixxix, Ixxx, Ixxxi Ixxxv. 6 Cp. 95. cxxviii. 2, note. 119.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 289 How long this desolation lasted, we cannot tell. Nehemiah speaks of the walls and the gates of Jerusalem as dismantled even in his day; and there is little doubt that the very loyalty of the Jews to Jehovah and the religion of their forefathers, which tended to preserve their national existence, at the same time by rousing the jealousy of the Persian court directly conduced to their continued oppression. 119. PSALM XLIV. I. Israel in memory of former blessings, We have heard with our ears, O God, i our fathers have told us, what Thou hast done in their time, in the time of old : how Thou hast driven out the heathen with Thy hand but 2 planted them in, how Thou hast destroyed the nations but spread them abroad ; for they gat not the land in possession through their own sword, 3 neither was it their own arm that helped them ; but Thy right hand and Thine arm and the light of Thy 4 countenance, because Thou hadst a favour unto them : Thou art my king, O God ! 5 send help unto Jacob ! through Thee will we overthrow our enemies, 6 and in Thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us ; for I will not trust in my bow, 7 it is not my sword that shall help me, Ver. 2. them, i. e. our forefathers. The word is emphatic. spread them abroad, i. e. extended their borders. Cp. 122. Ixxx. 8 n. Ver. 5. Jacob, more commonly Israel, the name given to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel. The name was originally applied to the twelve tribes collectively (Ex. iii. 16); ifter the captivity the returned exiles, though mainly of the kingdom of Judah, resumed the iiame of Israel as their common designation. Cp. 4. xxiv. 6; 115. xlvii. A. where 'Jacob's ^lory' means the Holy Land. 290 THE PSALMS [119. but it is Thou that savedst us from our enemies, 8 and didst put them to confusion that hate us; we make our boast of God all day long, 9 and will praise Thy name for ever ! II. complaineth of the present evils, But now Thou hast cast us off and put us to confusion, 10 and goest not forth with our armies ; Thou makest us to turn our backs before our enemies, 1 1 so that they which hate us spoil our goods; Thou lettest us be eaten up like sheep, 12 and hast scattered us among the heathen; Thou sellest Thy people for nought, ' 13 and takest no money for them ; Thou makest us to be rebuked of our neighbours, 14 a scorn and derision to them that are round about us : . Thou makest us to be a byword among the heathen, 15 so that the peoples shake their heads at us; my confusion is daily before me, 16 and the shame of my face hath covered me, for the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer, 17 for the enemy and bloodthirsty man ! III. and professing faithfulness, crieth unto Cod for succour. Though all this be come upon us, yet do we not forget Thee, 18 neither have we dealt falsely in Thy covenant, our heart is not turned back, 19 neither our steps gone out of Thy way, no, not when Thou hast smitten us into the place of jackals, 20 and covered us with the shadow of death ! Ver. 13. for nought. For the expression cp. Jer. xv. 13, ' without price. 1 Ver. 15. shake their heads. Cp. Jer. xviii. 16. Ver. 20. the place of jackals (A.V '. 'den of dragons'), is the symbol of desolation. Cp. Jer. ix. ii and x. 22; Is. xxxiv. 13, 'It shall be an habitation of dragons (jackals) and a court for owls.' 120.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 291 if we have forgotten the name of our God, 21 and holden up our hands to any strange god, shall not God search it out, for He knovveth the very secrets of the heart? nay, for Thy sake we are killed all the day long, 22 and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain ! up, Lord ! why sleepest Thou ? 23 awake and be not absent from us for ever ! wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, 24 and forgettest our misery and trouble? for our soul is brought low, even to the dust, 25 our belly cleaveth unto the ground : arise and help us, 26 and deliver us for Thy mercies' sake ! Ver. 21. if strange god, this appeal to the national freedom from idolatry is charac- teristic of the period after the captivity. See 107. xcvii. History, and the 2nd Isaiah, who wrote after the captivity, xl. 19, 20, xli. 7, xlii. 17, and especially xliv. 14 17. 120. PSALM LXXIV. ' I S HE misery of the Jews is here at its deepest; the Holy Place of * the Temple was defiled by the banners of the heathen 1 ; its new decorations were ruthlessly destroyed 3 ; the Prophets had succumbed to the persecution 3 ; the enemy stood scoffing 4 by; the very caverns 5 which nature provided as a refuge for the oppressed were now in the hands of the oppressor. If any drop of bitterness were still wanting to fill their cup of misery, it was added by the thought of the contrast presented by this partial deliverance from thraldom 8 with the triumphant and marvellous Exodus of their forefathers from Egypt 7 . The very thought of the omnipotence of God suggested to them the fearful misgiving that they were no longer the favoured objects of His protection. 1 r. 5. 2 v. 7. 3 z/. jo. 4 Neh. vi. 14. 5 v. 21. 6 Cp. vv. n, 12 with w. 13 16. " Neh. ix. U 2 THE PSALMS [120. I. The prophet complaineth of the desolation of the sanctuary; O God, wherefore art Thou absent from us so long? i why is Thy wrath so hot against the sheep of Thy pasture ? O think upon the congregation which Thou hast purchased of old, 2 and redeemed to be the tribe of Thine inheritance, 3 and upon mount Sion, wherein Thou hast dwelt ! lift up Thy feet that Thou mayest utterly destroy all evil doings; 4 the enemy hath done evil in the sanctuary ! Thine adversaries roared in the midst of Thy congregation, 5 and set up their banners for tokens; even as though a man should lay to his hand 6 to hew timber out of the thick trees, so now with axes and hammers 7 they break down all the carved work thereof; they have cast fire into Thy holy place, 8 and have defiled the dwelling-place of Thy name even unto the ground, yea, they said in their hearts, Met us make havoc of them 9 altogether !' they burnt up all the houses of God in the land ; we see not our tokens, 10 there is not one prophet more, neither is there among us any that knoweth 'how long?' Ver. 5. roared, cp. Lam. ii. 7, 'They made a noise in the House of the Lord.' Vv. 5 and 10. tokens. The only symbols of the Divine presence known to the Israelites were the Cherubim. These the heathen destroyed and set up their own symbols instead. Ver. 9. houses of God, i. e. houses of prayer. Ver. 10. knoweth i for the description of the Jewish people in this last stage of decay cp. Is. vi. ii, a passage five times repeated in the New Testament (Matt. xiii. 13; Mark iv. 12; Luke viii. 10; John xii. 39; Acts xxviii. 25), cp. also Lam. ii. 9. how long? Cp. 121. Ixxix. 5. As the Prophet addressed this wayward generation his spirit sank within him, and he repeats the words, 'Lord, how long?' In the answer to this question was contained at once the darker and the brighter side of the future, the judg- ments of prophecy and the great deliverance to which thobe judgments would lead. 120.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 2 93 II. he moveth God to help, by appealing to His deliverances of old t O God, how long shall the adversary do this dishonour? IT how long shall the enemy blaspheme Thy name, for ever ? why withdrawest Thou Thy hand, even Thy right hand? 12 pluck it out of Thy bosom and destroy them ! for God is my king of old, 13 the help that is done upon earth He doeth it Himself. THOU didst divide the sea through Thy power, 14 THOU brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters, THOU smotest the heads of the Leviathan in pieces, 15 and gavest him to be meat for a people of the wilderness. THOU broughtest out fountains and waters out of the hard rock, THOU driedst up mighty waters; 16 the day is Thine and the night is Thine, 17 THOU hast prepared the light and the sun, Ver. 12. pluck it out. Cp. Is. li. 9, 10, 'Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord ; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon ? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass overf Ver. 14. dragons, i. e. the crocodile^ which is symbolical of the power of the princes of Egypt; as 'the beast of the reeds' ( 114. ixviii. 30 and note) is symbolical of the king of Assyria. Ver. 15. LeuiatJian stands for the crocodile (Job xii.) as Behemoth for the elephant or hippopotamus (Job xl. 15 24). In poetry these names often represented nations, as in Ezek. xxix. 3, 'Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers:' so Isaiah li. 9, 'Thou that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon? i.e. Egypt; and again xxvii. i, ' Jehovah shall punish Leviathan the running serpent and Leviathan the wreathed serpent, and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea,' where the dragon again means Egypt and leviathan probably means the Assyrians, or the Babylonians. So here leviathan might mean the Babylonian empire, (cp. 'the beast of the reeds' 114. Ixviii. 29), out of whose hands the Jews had just escaped; but coming as it does between the mention of 'the dividing of the sea' and 'the bringing of water out of the hard rock' it would seem rather to be a synonym for the dragon, /. e. Egypt. In the apocryphal book of Esdras (2 Esdras xlix. 52) Leviathan is the typical monster of the deep, as Behemoth of the land. meat for a people of the wilderness, i.e. 'Thou gavest the dead bodies of the Egyptians to be a prey to the tribes of wild beasts inhabiting the wilderness.' The wild beasts are here called a people as the locusts a nation in Joel i. 6. Vv. 17, 18. For this general expression of the beneficent power of God, cp. Is. xlii. 15, xliv. 27, Job xxviii. 10. *94 THE PSALMS [121. THOU hast set all the borders of the earth, 18 THOU hast made summer and winter ! III. recounting the blasphemy of His enemies and their oppression of His children. Remember this, how the enemy hath rebuked Jehovah, 19 and foolish people blaspheme Thy name ; O deliver not the soul of Thy turtle-dove to the multitude 20 of the robbers, and forget not the multitude of Thy poor for ever ! look upon the covenant; 21 for the hiding-places of the earth are full of cruel habitations ! O let not the oppressed go away ashamed, 22 but let the poor and needy give praise unto Thy name ! arise, O God ! maintain Thine own cause, 23 remember how the foolish man blasphemeth Thee daily ! forget not the voice of Thine enemies, 24 the tumult of them that hate Thee increaseth ever more and more ! Ver. 21. hiding-places, i.e. refuges or asylums, called 'houses of God' in ver. 9, which should he for the protection of God's people, but which have iallen into the possession of the heathen and are filled with their violence and cruelty. 121. PSALM LXXIX. 'T'HIS Psalm is written in a period of the deepest distress; the -* city is desolate 1 and the whole nation 2 oppressed by the cruel thraldom of their heathen oppressors 3 . The tone of the Psalm is one of exceeding bitterness, naturally called forth by the sufferings of the people and their apparent desertion by God ; and the bitterness is enhanced by the sense that at the very moment of their struggle to rise 4 above their sins and to maintain the religion of Israel, God was 1 V. I. * Z>. \2. 3 V. 6. 4 V. 9. 121.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 195 exacting from them in unrelenting anger 1 the penalty for the iniquity of their forefathers *. The first verse depicts a state of things like that described to Nehemiah by Hanani 3 , which roused him to get leave from Artaxerxes to undertake the building of Jerusalem : * I went out by night and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire ;' * then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire; come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach 4 .' I. The Psalmist complaineth of the desolation of Jerusalem; O God, the heathen are come into Thine inheritance, i Thy holy Temple have they defiled, and made Jerusalem an heap of stones ; the dead bodies of Thy servants have they given 2 to be meat unto the fowls of the air, and the flesh of Thy saints unto the beasts of the land : their blood have they shed like water 3 on every side of Jerusalem, and there was no man to bury them; \ve are become a reproach to our neighbours, 4 a very scorn and derision to them that are round about us. How long, O Jehovah ? wilt Thou be angry for ever? 5 shall Thy jealousy burn like fire? II. he Prayethfor vengeance on the enemy and deliverance for Israel, Pour out Thine indignation upon the heathen that have not 6 known Thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon Thy name, Ver. 6. The verse is quoted from Jer. x. 25. 1 v. 5. v . 8. 3 Neh. i. 3. Neh. ii. 13, 17. 2 Q 6 THE PSALMS [121. for they have devoured Jacob 7 and laid waste his dwelling-place ! O remember not against us the sins of our fathers ! 8 but have mercy upon us and that soon, for we are come to great misery; help us, O God of our salvation, 9 for the glory of Thy name, O deliver us and be merciful unto our sins, for Thy name's sake ! wherefore should the heathen say : 'where is now their God?' 10 O let the vengeance of Thy servants' blood that is shed 1 1 be openly shewed upon the heathen in our sight ! III. and promiseth thankfulness. O let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before Thee, 1 2 according to the greatness of Thy power preserve Thou those that are appointed to die ; and for the blasphemy wherewith our neighbours have bias- 13 phemed Thee reward Thou them, O Lord, sevenfold into their bosom ! so we that are Thy people and sheep of Thy pasture 14 shall give Thee thanks for ever, and will alway be shewing forth Thy praise from generation generation ! Ver. 10. The verse is quoted from Joel ii. 17. Ver. 12. prisoners, i. e. the whole nation. 122.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 297 122. PSALM LXXX. A SUSTAINED and pathetic appeal to the mercy of God, in strong ^** contrast to the preceding Psalm. The tone of imprecation com- mon to the period appears only in one parenthetic clause 1 , while the rest of the Psalm is taken up with a recital of God's fostering care in translating His people from Egypt to Palestine and tending them, as a husbandman his tender vine. This figure of the vine was engraven on the memory of the nation by the touching and exquisite imagery of the Prophets 2 . I. An appeal to God, Hear, O Thou shepherd of Israel \ i Thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep, Thou that sittest between the Cherubim, shine forth ! before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses 2 stir up Thy strength and come and help us ! Turn us again, O God, 3 shew the light of Thy countenance and we shall be whole ! II. w/w was grievously afflicting Israel^ O Jehovah, God of Hosts, 4 how long wilt Thou be angry with Thy people that prayeth ? Vv. i, -2. Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasses. The division into tribes had long ceased and Sion could now boast of including the whole of Israel. These names therefore stand here merely for old and famous portions of the nation. At the same time the mention of Joseph three times, 81. Ixxvii. 15 and note, 129. Ixxxi. 5, and here, can hardly be accidental; the presence of representatives from the dwellers in the northern tribes at this dedication may probably be inferred. Cp. 114. Ixviii. 27. Cherubim. Cp. 69. xxii. 3 and note. Ver. 2. before Ephraim. In the order of the ancient march the rear of the Ark was guarded by the warrior tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, the brother and sons of Joseph. Numbers ii. 18 22. Vv. 3, 7, 19. Turn us again. This burden is sung by the whole congregation. 1 v. 16. Jer. ii.; Is. v.; Ezek. xv, xvii. 2Q8 THE PSALMS [122. Thou feedest them with the bread of tears, 5 and givest them plenteousness of tears to drink ; Thou hast made us a very strife unto our neighbours, 6 and our enemies laugh us to scorn. Turn us again, Thou God of Hosts, 7 shew the li^ht of Thy countenance and we shall be whole. III. "while He had dealt lovingly with their forefatJiers* Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt, 8 Thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it; Thou madest room for it, 9 and when it had taken root, it filled the land; the hills were covered with the shadow of it, 10 and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedar trees ; she stretched out her branches unto the sea, n and her boughs unto the river : Why hast Thou then broken down her hedge, 12 that all they that go by pluck off her grapes? the wild boar out of the wood doth root it up, 13 and the wild beasts of the field devour it. Turn Thee again, Thou God of Hosts, 14 look down from heaven, behold and visit this vine ! forasmuch as the vine that Thy right hand hath planted 15 and the branch that Thou madest so strong for Thyself is burnt with fire and cut down, 16 let them perish at the rebuke of Thy countenance ! so let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand, 17 and upon the son of man whom Thou madest so strong for Thyself! Ver. it. sea river. To the Mediterranean Sea on the West, and to the Euphrates on the East. This expression, here and 124. Ixxxix. 26, is taken from 63. Ixxii. 8. Ver. 17. let Thy hand be upon the man. By the man is here meant the congregation of Israel, spoken of as this vine in ver. 14, and as us in ver. 19. God's hand is to be upon them to protect and deliver their 123.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 2 99 and so will we not go back from Thee : 1 8 O let us live and we shall call upon Thy name ! Turn us again, Jehovah, God of Hosts, shew the light of Thy countenance and ye shall be whole ! 123. PSALM cxxxii. HPHE Psalmist, filled with the memory of many an ancient oracle 1 -^ in praise of David and his city Sion, unable to bear the thought that this * beauty of all the earth a ,' for which David had toiled 3 , should remain sunk in misery and ruin, offers a prayer to God to remember His promises and to return once more to His chosen dwelling-place. Himself a prince 4 of. the house of David, may-be, the great prince of the house of Judah 5 , Zerubbabel, 'whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of the Lord,' or one of his descen- dants, whose name does not appear in history the Psalmist sees in the successful rebuilding of the Temple and the re-establishment 6 of the national worship an assurance of the renewal of God's favour to the holy resting-place 7 , with which the voice of prophecy had so in- dissolubly linked the destiny of his house. I. God's promise to David is now fulfilled by the joyous call from North to South to visit the Temple, O Jehovah ! remember David i and all his trouble; how he sware unto Jehovah, 2 and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob : * I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, 3 * nor climb up into my bed, 1 1 will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, 4 4 nor mine eyelids to slumber, Ver. x. trouble, i.e. anxious care to build a Temple. Cp. 2 Sam. vii. 1 2 Sam. vii. * Cp. 36. xlviii. 2. * v. x. * v. 10. 5 Ezra i. 5. 6 w. 9, 16. 7 v. 14- 3co THE PSALMS [ 123. 'until I find out a place for the Temple of Jehovah, 5 * an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob!' and lo ! we heard this saying at Ephrata, 6 we found it in the fields of the forest; 'let us go into His tabernacle, 7 * and fall low on our knees before His footstool ! ' II. "which the Psalmist prayeth Jehovah to visit once again; Arise, Jehovah, into Thy resting-place, 8 Thou and the ark of Thy strength ! let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness, 9 and let Thy saints shout for joy ! for Thy servant David's sake, 10 turn not away the face of Thine Anointed ! Jehovah hath made a faithful oath unto David, n and He shall not shrink from it : of tf)* fruit of t&g bofcg gjjall 3E set upon tfrg gcat ! if t!)g rjjttoren foill fecep .ptg cobenant 12 anfc JJftg testimonies tljat 3: sljall tend) tfjem, tfccir cjntown also stall *tt upon tj)g scat for cfcermorc. Ver. 6. this saying, i.e. the summons (ver. 7) to go into His tabernacle. Ephrata, the older and more solemn name for Bethlehem, here signifies the South, as the forest Libanon,. the great forest of Canaan signifies the North. So the whole connection is, ' David's vow (vv. ' 2 5) was not in vain ; for we, his people, heard from North to South and obeyed the joyous invitation to come to the Temple at Sion.' The name Ephrata is united with Bethlehem, Micah v. 2. It is probably here mentioned from its connection with David. Libation called here, as in Is. xxii. 8, xxix. 17, simply the forest. Ver. 8. ark of Thy strength, i.e. as the pledge of the manifestation of Divine power (i Sam. iv. 3), cp. 128. Ixxviii. 62, note. So 10. ex. 7, 'rod of Thy strength' or 'sceptre of power.' Vv. 8io occur again 2 Chron. vi. 41, 42. Ver. 9. righteousness, i. e. the results of righteousness or blessing. Cp. 4. xxiv. 5. Ver. 10. turn not away, i. e. reject not the prayer of the prince, Thy servant, who ad- dresseth Thee: as explained in 2 Chron. vi. 42, 'Lord God, turn not away the face of Thine anointed; remember the mercies of David Thy servant.' Here the expression 'turn not away the face' is made clear by its contrast with 'remember/ Cp. also marginal reference to i Kings ii. 16. Ver. 12. testimonies. See Glossary. 124.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 301 III. for Sion is the seat of Jehovah, where David's seed shall never cease ty reign. For Jehovah hath chosen Sion for Himself, 13 He hath longed for her as His habitation ; iju* *j)all fce J&s rest for cbcr, 14 fjere foill 3E Dfoell, for 31 frabe a fctligftt therein ; H toill frlesg J)cr btctuaU toitl) increase, 15 ant) jjatisfg f)er poor foitf) breat); 31 foU fceefe l)er pricgt* foitfr ijealtj), 16 ant) ijrr saints sfjall rejoice ant) sinq ; i&cre foill 5 mafee tj)e J)orn of 29abto to flourteb, 17 31 ioiK ortmin a lantern for ^line &nointeb; a$ for {)t0 eneme0, 3E bill clothe tbem luitl) *f)ame, 18 but upon Ijimself *f>all Ijts cvoluu flourisij ! Ver. 16. health, t.e. the divine blessing. Ver. 17. Atfrw, cp. Ezek. xxix. 21, 'In that day I will cause the horn of the house of Urael to bud forth.' For the lantern, or lamp, or candle, i. e. the light, of Israel, cp. i Kings xi. 36, xv. 4, 2 Sam. xxi. 17, cp. also 12. xviii. 28 and note. 124. PSALM LXXXIX. n^HE great 1 oracular promise to David and to Sion, which dictated the preceding Psalm, inspires the main* or historical portion of this Psahn also, and in many verses reappears 3 almost word for word. The time of its composition was one of more than ordinary trouble, even in that troublous age. The 4 prince of the house of David seeks refuge amid the raging storm by clinging 5 to Jehovah, the especial protector of David's race, and appeals to His mercy by recounting 6 the promise, which He had given by the mouth of His Prophets, that His protection should be continued to the house of David for ever, 1 2 Sam. vii. ?>v. 20 36. 3 Cp. 7/7'. 23, 27, 30, 3133, 34 with 2 Sam. vii. 10 16. 4 vv. 37 44 and v. 50. " * w. x 19. * w. 2036. 302 THE PSALMS [ 124. The last 1 division of the Psalm falls into language of bitterness and despair, short, broken utterances, almost sobs; such was the misery of the time, such was the personal ill treatment to which the Prince had been subject. It is remarkable how in the picture here given, the misery of the prince, the Anointed of Jehovah, is mixed up and blended with that of the city and nation. The two were in fact connected by an indissoluble 2 bond. It is no wonder then that the language passes by an easy and almost imperceptible transition from the one to the other ; the weal and woe of Sion's prince are spoken of as identical with the weal and woe of Sion herself. I. Front the misery of the time the Psalmist takes refuge in God's promises to David, My song shall be alway of the lovingkindness of Jehovah, i with my mouth will I ever be shewing Thy truth from one generation to another, for I have said, * mercy shall be set up for ever, 2 'Thy truth shalt Thou stablish in the heavens!' I fcabe malic a cobenant foitf) Jftg (Ejjogen, 3 X Jabe sluorn unto Da bit) J&g serbant ; t!)2 geefc fotU 5 stabltej) for eber, 4 ant) Set up tjjg throne from one generation to another ! O Jehovah ! the very heavens shall praise Thy wondrous works, 5 and Thy truth in the congregation of the holy ones. and in His past mercies to Israel. For who is he among the clouds that shall be compared unto 6 Jehovah? and what is he among the sons of God that shall be 7 likened to Jehovah? Ver. 2. truth. See Glossary. Vv. 3, 4. These words contain the promise alluded to in the word truth in ver. 2. Ver. 5. holy ones, i. e. sons of God, or celestial Beings spoken of in Scripture as forming the court of God in heaven, cp. Job i. 6, v. i, xv. 15, xxxviii. 7. Ver. 7. sons of God, i.e. angels, 7. xxix. i, notes. 1 irv. 37 50. 8 Cp. 63. Ixxii. note, ad fincm. 124.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 303 God is greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, 8 and to be had in reverence above all them that are round about Him. O Jehovah, God of Hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto 9 Thee, O Jehovah? whose faithfulness is like Thy faithfulness, of all them that are round about Thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea, 10 Thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise ; Thou smotest Rahab like unto one that is slain, n Thou hast scattered Thine enemies abroad with Thy mighty arm; the heavens are Thine, the earth also is Thine, 12 Thou hast laid the foundations of the round world and all that therein is ; Thou hast made the north and the south; 13 Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Thy name; Thou hast a mighty arm, 14 strong is Thy hand and high is Thy right hand : righteousness and equity are the foundation of Thy seat, 15 mercy and truth go before Thy face : blessed is the people, O Jehovah, that knoweth the joyful sound, 1 6 that walketh in the light of Thy countenance; Their delight is daily in Thy name, 17 and in Thy righteousness do they make their boast; for Thou art the glory of their strength, 18 and in Thy lovingkindness Thou shalt lift up our horns, for our shield is from Jehovah, 19 from the Holy One of Israel is our king. Ver. 9. of all them round about Thee. The Pr. Bk. omits the words 'of all them' and takes t as the faithfulness with which God is clad, as with a garment. ii. Rahab y ' the proud one,' /. e. Egypt. Cp. 99. Ixxxvii. 4, and note. 13. Tabor and Hermon ; the most striking natural features of Palestine. 16. the joyful sound, i. e. the sound of the trumpet at Thy festivals : cp. Lev. xxnl a. x. 10. . 18. horns. Cp. 38. Ixxv. 3, note. 19. king, i.e. our King is appointed by God. Ve 24, Nu Ve THE PSALMS L 124. II. How God chose David to be His king and promised dominion to his seed, Thou spakesi sometime in visions to Thy holy one, 20 and saidst, 31 Jabe lato Jelp upon one that te migjtg, 3E Jate exalted one cjogen out of tje people, J Jabe founfc DabiD J$g gerbant, 21 foitj) nig Jolg oil Jabe 3E anotntetJ Jim, J&g Janl) sjall Jolt) Jim fagt, 22 ant) J&g arm shall gtrengtjen Jim, Hjc tucmj) $i)all not be able to too tnm biolence, 23 tlje ^on of fotcUctmcss $i)all not t)urt ijtm, 31 toill 0mite tioton j)i0 foe^ before Ji0 face, 24 anti plague ifjem tf)at Jjate Jim, J^lg trutj) abo anfc JWg mercg 0Jall be toit!) fyim, 25 anO in J&$ name shall ht$ horn be eialteD; 31 lutll ^et his tiominion a bo ober the sea, 26 anD Jfe right Jjanfc ober tl)e flooDg; jje gjjall call JWe; 'tlTJou art mg father, 27 mg C5oD ant) tjje rocfe of mg $albation!' anil 31 toill mafee Jim J8g firstborn, 28 Jigjer tjjan tje feing^ of tje eartj; J^lg mercg toill I fccep for Jim for ebermore, 29 anD ittii cobenant shall ^tant) fast luith Jim ; Jfe ^eet) ateo toill 3E mafee to ensure for eber, 30 ant) his tjrone as tje tiajjs of Jeaben: but if Jte cjiltiren forsiafee JWg lafo, 31 ant) iualfe not in J&g judgments, Ver. 20. Thy holy one, i.e. Nathan, the holy one of Jehovah, cp. i Chron. xvii. 15, 2 Sam. vii. 17. Ver. 23. shall not be able to do him violence, i.e. as a creditor to a debtor who cannot pay his debt. This is an allusion to the state of debt and distress in which the Jews at this time were sunk. Vv. 27, 3133. Cp. 2 Sam. vii. 14, where the promise here applied to David is applied to Solomon. Cp. 16. ii. History. 124.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 305 if tcg frreafe ^Hg gtatute* 32 ant) keep not ^ttn commandments, $ foill bfeit tfceir offence* tottf; tfje roD, ant) tljciv ssin foitl) scourges; nebertjjeles* J#g lobingfeinlme** foill 31 net utterlg tafce from J)im, nor suffer J&g trutf) to fail; [33 ^Wg cobenant foill 5 not fcreafe, 34 nor alter tf)e tjjing tftat te gone out of ;f&g lips; I: ^abe ^ioorn once &g ^g ?)olines0, 5 foill not fail SJabto ! {)te 0eeD g^all ensure for eber, 35 anti J)fe throne te Itfee a heathen. Ver. 50 Thine Anointed. After these words comes a sentence in the Prayer-Book Ver- sion ; ' Praised be Jehovah for evermore. Amen and Amen.' This is a doxology appended by an editor to a smaller collection of the Psalms, and does not belong to the Psalm itself. See Appendix A. 125. PSALM LX. HIS Psalm expresses the feeling of the time, when the cry of Israel to God was ever that He would set them up again and turn their captivity indeed, by ending the disappointment which had followed on the restoration. After repeating the oracular 1 words in which Nathan had depicted the glories of David's empire, the Psalmist cries with plaintive tenderness 4 Who shall lead me into the strong city? who shall bring me into Edom?' to destroy that Edom, which had helped Nebuchadnezzar 2 to destroy the holy city, and had lately joined in the great confederacy against Nehemiah 3 . 1 w. 6 o. a loo. Introduction. 3 127. Ixxxvii. 6. 125.] BOOK THE FOURTH. 307 I. The Psalmist of the Return in his own affliction, O God, Thou hast cast us out, and scattered us abroad; i Thou hast been displeased ; O stablish us again ! Thou hast made the earth to tremble and rent it asunder; 2 heal the breaches thereof, for it shaketh ! Thou hast shewn Thy people heavy things; 3 Thou hast given us a drink of bewildering wine, Thou hast given a banner to such as fear Thee, 4 only that they should flee before the bow of their enemies ! Oh, that Thy beloved may be delivered, 5 help with Thy right hand and hear us ! II. quoteth an oracle, which had comforted Da-jid in his trottble, God spake in His sanctuary, let me rejoice thereat, 6 I kill tubitJc Sbcdjcm, ant) mete out UK balleg of jruccot!) ! GtleaD te jHiuc, ant) jttanassdj i$ ^ttinc. 7 (pj)taim ateo fe tfje fcefenee of J&g jjeat), 3)ufca{) i$ #lg geeptre ! &$ for i&oab, it te i# foasfrpot, 8 upon