Commentary on the Holy Bible

1. "The earth opened, and swaQowed* up DaShai^ and covered the congregation of Abir^m."

3. " And a lire was kindled in their con^pany; the flame burned up the wicked." That ifl, the two hunt dred. andjifty- mentha^ presumed to offer incense; and presently after the /(mWeen thifUiand seven hunted that murmured, and objected to Moses aiid Aaron th^ they had killed the people of the liord.

Still the prophet goes on in his story of Israel's stulK bomhess and rebellion; and comes to then: grand sin^ their idolatry in erecting' the- got^eil cslf, E^od. xaudT.. 1. '^'They ma^e a calf in Hereby" &o., contrary io God's, oommandi

2. " Thus, they chang^ theilf glory." That is, thfl thitf God, who was indeed their glory, " into Ae similitude of an ox;" a brute beast,* " that eateth gnas," a base creature, which much agg^vates their sin.

3.\But the prophet aggravates their stupidity voA folly: "They forgat Godj" &o.

In the following verse- are't^zpressed God's' Just anger and mercy,— ^

1. His anger against their sins: "iTberefore-hd Baith,"^c. -Pronounced lus will. to destroy them. - d.^ His mercy, in that he spared thepi^at the inters cemion of Moses: '^ Had not Moses his ehesen stoo^ befi»re him in the breach."*. The breach and division which this sin had made lietw^n God and.his peo^. pie, like that in the wall of a besieged town, ih which some valiant captain stands, and opposes ^meelf against the Assault. of ^e enemy; so did Moses.

For his. object was the eame, it was " to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy;" and the end "ins -answered — ft was turned away/.. -^

Faither.yet, he calls to mind a new rebellion, ^hich fell out upon the report of the spies sent t<> search th^ land, Nunk xiii. i26, &e., and ia^.

1, " They despised the pleasant famd,^ and wished to return into. Egypt, Num. xiy. 1—6.

2, "They believed not his word}" for tfaey.saidf " Hath the Lord brought us«'! &c*

This punishment fell upon the muhnnrers 1hem-< selves'; but if their.ohildren should be guilty of the' like rebellion, they should not escape, for they toor should be overthrown i which is fuUy brought to paJss.

The prophet joins to that of the golden calf another piece of idolatry in the wilderness, to which there wa9 joined fornication alsOj by the counnel of Balaam and the policy of Balak. T^is caused them to eat and sacrifice to their god. Num. zxv., which the prophet next insists uponr— ^ ^ •

l.-"They joined themselves to Baal-pebr," be^ cause the idol was. set up upon that mountain.

3; " And ale the offerings of the dead.". They lefl the sacrifice of the living God, ^d ate those meati^ which %^ere offered to, dead idols.

Upon which there followed.God's wrath and thoiC own punishment:—

Anatysis of lie one

** And the {^agae brake inapon them*' like mighty li^Uers, oru an anny into a -city at > breach; for there died of it twenty-fowr thousand^ Num. xxv. 0.

In ^e former idolatry Grod's aftger waa aterted by.the intereeesion of Motes; in tiiia, by-tiie. eiweotion of judgmisnt by ^AmeAof; for —

3. "And he ezecated judgment upon Zimri and

Cozbi;'* Q>t which Qet men conceive as they' please

. "^I %e6 nothing to the contrary) Jie had his oom-

'2^. The event was, the plague was llayed-; tlie elepution of 'offenders pacifies the angBr of God. '

Which • xeal of his ^htbm well rewarded: " This.was.secouRted to him for righteousneiBs," &c. This act %^as an act of righteousness, and an albple reward he liad for it; for God eatablished the dignity of the high priesthood in Phinehas and his posterity, as long as the Jewish common weidth continued.

The. prophet oomes to another remarkable sin. of.the JewA, Num. xx., where the people chid Moses for. want of water:: —

1;, " They angered him also at th'id Waters of strife,** when they contradicted Moses,

'3. " Sd that it went ill with Moses for their sakes;*^ for, being^disturbed with choler, " he spake unadyisedly with, his lips,*^ — ** Jtear-uow, ye rebels,'* &o<; and he •mote the. rock. By their murmuring they so- provoked his 'spirit to bitterness, thai he who at other times was cheerful, and ready to obey God*s e^- manifs, now acted with reluctance.

Hitherto the prophet has s^t down several rebellions a( th6 JFews during, their abode in the wilderness; and now he shows how they behaved themselves alter they came into the land of Oanaan.. Better, a man would think, they sbooldbe after God had falfilled his word to them; but an 'Ethiopian ^cannot change ius skin^ ' nor they their mapnen;-'diBf6bedient, stubborn, and rebeliioui they remained.'

'1. God had expressly commanded that the nations of Cmaan should be destroyed, Deut. yii. 1, 9, 3: "But'Aey did not destroy the nations," &c.

But, beyond all, they learned to be idolaters; forlK>ok God for the dev3.

3. With iohuman sin, they " shed innocent blood;** the blood of ini^ocenf children, 4f c.

The consequences of which are double. First, A double pollution. Secondly, A heavy punishinent.

9. A pollution of their own souls: •• Thus were they defiled with their own Works.** ' ' *

The judgment,- ior punirimient,- now follewa; «and a signi^oation whence it prbceeded;• it came not by chance^ but.by God*9 ordet and anger.

1/ ^Therefore was the wrath of the liOvd kindled,** &e.. For their idolatiy, murder, whoceditim; so that he was not only angry, but his anger waa kindted to a flame. " • '. -

1. ^*^e^ gave ihem into the hand^** dial is, the powex, " of the heathen.'* 'God had given the heathen into their hands to destroy them; which, because thej did pot, but learned their, works, therefore God' gave them into the- halids of the tieathen.

9. He made 'them their lords; and hard mitoters they werej as plainly appears from the Book of Judges, and 1 Samuel.' • " *

And hUU they; for the prophet in the - nei^ verse adds, " '

In which condition Grt>d did not forget them, ^ " many times did he deliveif them;" not once onl^, but often, as by Oideoh, Jeghthdh; Deborah^ Samson; vA others. But, 0 the ingratitude of a sinful nation!' instead (^ serving God, **they pnyvoked him with their counsel," that is, by following the jictalte of (heir own hearts.

And so were verjr justly brought into the same eas^ they were' before; for ** they were brought low for. their iniquity."

And now difi prophet adds, whicli indeed ho infoit thronglr the whole Psalm, the wonderfuT and immutable good will of God' to them. Thougfa'he forgave and' delivered them upon their repjc^atance, and they in a short time provoked him again; yeft he received them 4o grace, even after their relapses. And. the causes that moved him to this were external and iaterhai. "

The cause tlial outwardly and occaskmaHy^raoved him to it was their affliction |md cry: "He regaiddd theii affliction," &c. * -

But the cause that inwardly «wayed him. waiT h» word passed to theih, and his mercy.

1.' His word and his profnise were passed'to '* Abra- 1^, to be their God;" aqd he would not brelJL it *VAnd he remembered for them hw covenant.". 9. His tender, affection tiutt he bare them;' this caused him to repent, and grieve that they should be in misery. " He re]f»ented," AJc.. 3. And theeflfect which all these causes hadwis beneficial to them even in their bondage and captivity; for even their very enemies' hearts were often turned to do them good, as is evident in Jeremiah^ Daviit Darnel, Ezra, Zerubhahely Mardecai, and indeed the whole potion under the: Babylonian, P^istiany Egyptian, and Persiah kings, which the |m>pfaet sets down, ver. 46: " He made them adso to be pitied of all those that carried them captives." According to the saying -of the wise man: *' When a man's ways please God, he

A ^anksgwing ta God

win makf his veiy enemies to be at pea^e with hiin>'' JhcoY. xvi. 7- • ^,

4. And this sense makes the way plainei^ to what lollovirs, the petition and the d^ucology; for if Qtxi showed himself merciful in the time of his anger, and made it appare^ e^en to the very view of their enemies encouragement ikey might have,-^

J6r Ms contumal niercyt

A iMonisgwing of the people for deliverance from diffitulliee and dangers; their state compared ta a journey*'

17-^93 \ to a tempest at sea, 93-39. The psalmist calls on men to praise, (rod for the merciful dispense^ tians of his providence, m giving rain and fruitfut seasons, after tfffliction by drought and famine, 33-38;

/sr supporting the poor in affliction; and bringing dofon the oppressors, 39-4 1. The4Me which the righteous shojukl make of these providences, 49; OMd the adwmtage to be derived from a due consideration of God's iy •GIVE thanks unto the Lord, f<Mr ^ Ae if ' good: for his mercy endureth for ever..

NOTES ON TSAJM CVl}., This Psalm has no titie^ either in the Hebrew, or ■|iy of the. Versions; the word *' Ifailelujah,'* which. k prefixed tp some of- the latter, is no titl^, but was most probably borrowed from ^e-conclusibn of tlie preceding Psalm. The author is unknown; but it was probably like Psalms cv. and CYi.,;ma^e and ^g at the ^(edication of the second temple..T&& three Psalms aeem to be on the 6ame subject. In them the authoj has Comprised the marvellous acts of the Lord towards his.people; the transgressions of this, people agamst Oud; the captivities and miseries they endured in consequence; and finally God's merciful kindness to them in their restoration from captivity, and re-estabUshment in their own land.

This Psalm seems, to have been sung in parts: the 8th, I5th, 91st, and 31st verses, with the 6th, 13th, Ifl^f and 98th, forming what may be called the bur.- den of the song. In singing oif which the whole ^iora« joined.

~Wq may easily pei^eive that the Psalm must have been sung in alternate parts, having a double burd^, er intercalary verse often recurring, add another unpiediately following, giving a rejason for the former. S«^ the 8th and 9th, the 16th and lOth, the 91st and fiQjad, the 31st and 39nd, and the 49nd and 43rd, which may be reckoned imdec the same denomination. Dr. Lowth, in his 99th prelection, has made some excellent remarks on this Psalm. ** It is observable,'^ lays he, ** that after each 6t the intercalary verses one ie added, expressive of deliverance or praise. I would farther observe, that if the Psalm be supposed to.be made with a view to the alternate response of one side of t^ 'choir-to the other, then it may be considered as if it were written exactly after the method of the an-* cient pastorals, where, be the subject of their verse what it will, each swain endeavours to excel the other; and one may perceive their thoughts and expreissions

2 Let.tho redeemed of tfa^ Lori> say sd^ ^ whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the en/sftiy;

gradually to arise upon eaph other; and hence a manir fest beauty may be discovered inUiisi Divine pastoral. We- will suppose, then, that the author composed it for the use of bis brethren the- Jews, when, in the joy of thdir hearts, they were assembled after their return from captivity. At suck a time,, what theme- could be -so proper for tl^ subject of his poem, as the manifest goodness of Ahriighty God T The 'first performers, therer fore, invite the whole nation. to praise God for |lus; a great instance of it being thei^ late return firbm captivity.. At ver. 10, the other side take the subject; and rightly observe that the return of their great men, who were actually in chains, was a more remarkable in^ance of God*s mercy to them, than the return of the people in general, who were only disperse^, we may suppose, up and down the open country. Then the first performers beautifully compare this unexp^ted d^nyerance to -tiiat which God sometimes voiushsafes to the langmshiag dying man, wh^n he recalls, as it were, the s^tence of death, and restores him to Ids foimer vigour.. The others again compare it, with stil^ greater strength and expression, to God*s delivering the afirighted maiciner from all the dreadful horrors of the ungovernable and arbitrary ocean. But the^rj^ stiU resolved to' outdo the rest, recur to that series of won,-, derfut yrorks which God had vouc}isafed to their na^ tion, ver. 39, and of which they had so lately such a convincing proof. Wherefore at last, as in a commoQ chorus, thej all condude with exhorting each other to a serious consideration of these -things, and to make a proper return to Almighty God for them.

« No doQ|)t the composition of this Psalm is admir-t able throughout; and the descriptive part of it adds at least its share of beauty to the whole; but what ismost to be admired is its conciseness, and witbal the expressiveness of the diction, which strikes the ima* gioation with inimitable elegance.. The weary and be-r wildered traveller, the miserable captive in t))e hid^O^V

9 And ^ gathered them aWoi the lanif s, firom the eajst, smd frbm the west, from the north; and • from Ijhe Woutb.

4 They ' wandered in » the ^IdemesB ma poli^aiy way; they found na city to dwell- in.

'6 ^ Then they cried unto the. Lord in their

7 And he led them forth by the bright way, that they juight go to a dity of habitation-

8 * O that men would praise the Lord for

• dungeon^ (he sick and dying man, theT seaman foundering in a fitbrm, are described in so affecting a manner, that they far exceed any thing of the kind, though never so much klibuted.*' I may add that had such Sn Idyl appealed in Theqcritus or Virgil, or had it been foond jis ^ scene in any of the Greek tragedians, even in J^chylu^ himself, it would have been praised up to the heayeiis, and probacy been produced as their. inaster-piec^:. ' * " •

Verse 1. Xigive ih€mks'\ Here^ is a duty prescribed; ^rid the reason^ of it are immediately laid down. I. He is good. This is his nature. '9. His merey endareth ybr <ofr. ' Tliis is the j^reom/ that flpwa firom ^he /(nmtoin of hiv goodness. ^.'

Verse 2. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so] For ^ey have had the fullest proof of this goodness, in bejng saved by the ^bntinuing stream of -iiis. mercy.

YeiaeS. And gathered thenunit of the lands] Thougfh inany Jews returned into/Jerusalem' from various parts pf the world, under the reigns of Darius Mystaspes, ^rtasierxes, and Alexander the 'Great; yet tibis prophecy has its completion only under the Gospel, when all. the ends of the earth hear the Ovation of God.

Verse 4. They wandered 'in the wilderness] Here begins the first comparison; the Israelites in oapt,^vity ^xe compared to' a travetter in a dreary, uninhabited, ^and barren desert, ppent'with hunger iukT thirst, iA well^ aa by the fatigues of the journey, yer.,5.- '. Verse 6. Then they cried unto the Lord] When the Israelites begau to pray heartily, and the eyes of ' idl the tribes were as the eyea of ope man turned onto ihQ Lprdf thej^ he delivered them out of their ^(fis^esses.

' Verse T. That they might go to a city of hMtatum,] God 'stirred up the heart of Cyrus Xa giv6 them liberty ta return to their own land: and ZerMabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, at different times, brought maby of them t>ack to Judea.. -

Verse 8. O. ihat men would praise the Lord] iPhis ^ is what is called the intercalary verse, or burden of each part of this responsive song: see the introduction' God should be praised because he is good. We liiaturally speak highly of those who are emiAent. Qod is infinitely excellent, and should be celebiated for his his goodh^s, ^*d/or hid Wonderful works to the children ot ihpn! 19 Eor 'he satisfieth the longing qouI^ and fiileth the 'hungry soul with goodness.

10 Such as "■sit in darkness and in the-9&adoW of de^th, being ^ bound in afflictipn afid iron;

1 1 Because they ^ r6belled against the words of God, and contemned ^ the- counsel of the Most Hi^,:..

12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was 1 none to help. ' \.^, '

perfections, ' But he ' does wonders for the children of men i and, therefore, men should praise the Lord* Ajai he is the more to be praised, because.these, wonders, hinSlU nipKhoth, miracles s of m^rcy and grace, are dolie for.Uid undeserving. They are done D*W ^mS lidney Adam, for the childi^n of ii</ai7i, 'the corrtipt desc'endantq of a rebel fkther.

Verse 9 • ^•^r he satisfieth the longing soull Hiis is the Reason; which the psalmist ^es for the duty of thankf\ilRe8S which lie prescribes. ' The longing sotd, T\ppW BTfil nephesh shokekah, the soul that pushes for* ward in eager desire after salTation.

VBrs^ 10. Such as sit in darkness] Here Imgint thct^sKooND similitude, which he uses to Okistrate the state of the captives in Ballon, Viz., tl^ of a prisoner in a drfary dungeon, 1. They sU in or inheAit darkness,. They have no li^ht, no peace, no pcosperiiy. 9. *< In the shadow jof death." The plaC^ where death il^igris, over which he -has projected his shadow; those agaihAt whom the seatence of <leath.has been pronounced. 3. They are bound in. this darkness, have no liberty to r^isit the light, and cannot escape from their executioners! 4. They are afflicted; not only by want and privation in general,* but they are torturedin the 'prison, '^ij^'otU, afflicted, humbled,;di8tres8ed. 5. Their fetters are such as they cannot break; they are iron,. The reason of their being in this wretched state i» given,. " * * • '

' Terse 11. '^ecoti^e they rebelled agamift the words ^fGod] l, God showed them their duty "and their interest, and commanded them to obey his >nrord; hut they cast off aU suhjection tb his anthorily, acted as if they were iudepefident of heaven and eari^,' and broke out into open rebellion against him. - S. Ke^cauns^led and exhorted them to retiirq to him: but they tsontemned his advice, and turned his counsel -into ndic'ule. * 3. As lenient means ^^re ineffeetuaT, he; visited them in judgment: hence it is added.

Verse 12. HeTfrought down their heart wtth labour] He delivered them iiito the hands jof their enemies: and, as they ikrould not be under subjection to Goo, he delivered them into slavery 4o wicked men: ^ So they fen down, aud there was Jione to help;" Grod had for: sake^ them because they 1^ forsaken.him.

13 'Then tbey cried' iinto the JjORd in theix trouble, emd he sav^ed them: out of their dis* tresses.

14- 'He brpught them out of daricness, and ihe shadow of death, and brake- thek bands in fomder.

15 *0 that men would praifce the Lord for his goodness, and /or hiis wonderful works to thjB children of men!

16 For he. hath ^broken tlie gates of^ brass, and cut the bars of iroji in sunder.

17 Fools " because of tfaeif transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afilicted^

19 y Then tfcey cry unto,the Lord tn their trouble, and he saveth them put of their dis- 'tres^s..;

': Verse 13. Then they cried un/o theJjord in ihfiir. ' innible\ This was the salataiy effect which their afflictions prodaced: they began to ciy to. God for mercy mud help; and God mercifully heaid their pray^r^ and reversed their state; for, -••

'. Verse' 1^. He Srat^ght them otU of -darkness] ' 1. GJiTe them again peace and prosperity. 9. Repealed the sentence of death. 3. ** Unbomidjthe poor prison-^ ers.^* 4. Broke their iron bonds in saqder.

Verse 16. O that men^ ij-c] Tins is the intereedary verse, or burden, of the second part, as it was of the first. See ve^sSe 8...

- V^rse 16. For he hath]>roken\ This is the reason gireir-for thanks to God for hia deli veranQe of the captiyes. It was not a simple deliverance; it was done so as to manifest the irresistible power of God. He tore the prison in pieces, and cot the bars of iron asmidier^.

Verse. 17. Fools because of their transgression] This ii the THiBD comparison \ the captivity being inmipared to a person in a dangerous malady * Our Version does ' -not express this clause well: FqoU oye^D plD midde^^ reek pisham, because of the way of their trmsgressions, are afflicted. Most human maladies are fne fruits of sin; misery and sin are married together in bonds that can never be broken.

Verse IB. Their soulahhorreth all manner of meat] A natural d<fscription of a sick man: appetite is gone, and all desire for food faUs; nutriment is no longer necessary, for death has seized upon the-idioje frame. See a similar image, Job xxxiii. 20., Verse 1 Q. Then they ory^ The effect produced by. affliction as before., '. ^

Verse 30. He sent h%^ word, and healed them]. He spoke.: *^Be thou pleaOf be thou whole;-* and imme-

90 * fib sent ttb word> and *heal6d them,' and ^ delivered them from their destructions.

21 <* O. that.m^n would praise iStie Lord fpf^ his goodness, and ybr his wonderfyl worjks to the chilfjjren of men!

22 And ^let th^n sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and ^ declare liis works with '.rejoicing- '.

23 They that go down to the sea iix ships, that do bu^siness in great waters";

24 'These see. the works of the Lord> and his wonders in the deep. -

26 They.ixiQunt up to the heaveEl, they go down again, to the depths: ^ their tovX \% melted because <rf troubled

27 They reel to and fro^ aiid stagger like

diately the disease, depagrted \ and thus they were de-^ Iwemd from the destructions thai' 2kvmted th^m.

Verse dST. And let them sacr^e] Tor their healingthey ahould bring a sacrifice; and they should offer the Rfe of the innocent animal unto God, as he has spared theur Uves; and.let them t)ius confess that God has spared them when they deserved to die; an4 let* them declare also' " his works with rejoicing;^ f6r who will not rejoice when h& ie" delivered from death I

Verse S3. They that go down to the sea in ships] This is the foi(rth comparison. Their captivity was its dangerouJB and 'alarming as a dreadful tempest at sea to a weather-beaten mariner.

Verse 35.' For he commandeth] And what less thaii the command of God can xuse up such winds ^ seem to heave old Ocean from his b^?. Verse 36. "They mount up to the heaven] This is a most natoral and striking description of the state of a ship at sea in a storm: wh^ the sea appeara to run mountains high, and the vessel seems for a mioment to stand on the sharp ridge of one most stupendous, witli a valley of.a frightful depth between it and a similar mountain, which appears to t>e flymg in the midst of heaven, that it iqay submerge the hapless bark, when she descends into the valley of death oelow. This is « sight the most terrific that can be imagined: nor can any man conceive or form an adequate idea of it, who has not himself been ai sea in such a storm.

end. ^0^ 28 ^ Then they cry unto the Lord in their

29 ^ He maketh the storm a qalm, 90 that

pot 1.068 expressire than it i9 descriptive. The action of raiiping the Teesel to. the- olpads, and {Hrecipitatuig her into theabyos/seems to disselve the, vevy aonl^ the whole mind seema ta melt away, so that neither

' feeling, reflection, nor impression remains, nothing but ^e apprehension of inevitable destrpction! When the jBhip is buffeted between confliibting waves, which threaten either to tear her asunder or crush her together; when she reels to andfro^ and std^gerU like a drunken fnan, not being able to hold any certain csiurse; when ^oi^ and masts are an incumbrance, and tl^O keJm'ot no use-; when all hope of safety ia- taken aE^ray; and when the experienced captain^ the akilful pUot^ and the hardy suilors^ cry out, with a voice more terrible than |he cry of fire* at midnight. We are all lost! we are fdi LOST! then, indeed, are they at their wit^s end; to, fts the inimitable original expresses it, jrSnnn DnOJn Sdi vechol chochmatham tithiaUa, ^and all their siull is ^wallowed up,*' — Mems to ba gulped down by the frightful fiby^ into which the ship is about to be pre^.pipiitated. Then, indeed, can the hand of Ood" alpne f( bring them out of their distresses.*' Then, 'a bry to fhe Almighty (and in such ciireumstances it is few that pan lift up suclh a cry) is the.'only means that can be psed to 'save the perisfaini? Ttrreck f JReader,^do^t thou ^k why I paint thus, and from-whoiie. authority I describe 1. I answer: Not from any books describing storms, tempests, and shipwrecks; not from the relations of ahipwrecked mariners; not from viewing from

^ fhe shore a tempest at sea, and seeing a vessel beat to pieces, and all its crew, one excepted, perish. Descriptions of this kind I have read, with the shipwrecked mariner I have conversed, tjie last scene mentioned shove I have witnessed; but none of these Could give |he fearful impressions, the tremendous and soul-melt- ^g apprehensions, described above, f f Where then have you had. them t** I answer^ From thh great deepi I have been at sea in the storm, and in the circumstances I describe; and, hsLving, cried, to the liordin my trouhie, I am spared, to describe the storm, and recount the tale of his tnercy. None but either a map inspired by God, who, in describing, will show things as they are, at one who his beeto actually in these circunistances, pan tell you with what propriety the psSlmist speaks, or utter the thousandth part of the dau^rs and fearful spprehensions of those concerned in a tempest at sea, where all the winds of heavai| seem collected to ufgh an already crazy vessel amanf the most tremendous rocks upon a lee 'shore! God save the reader from such circumstances!

When, in the visitation of the winds, He takes the ruffian billowi^ by- the top^

30 Then are. they ^ad because they be quiet I so he bringetfa them mito their denied haven,..-

31 ^O that men would. praise tb^ hoRi> for his goodness; and for bis wonderful woriis- to I tie diildren of men!.

32 Let them exalt him also ^in ihe congre<r

Cnrtipg- their monstrous heads, and hanging then, With deafening clamours, on the slippery cdoudi^ That with the b^y de«th itself awakes!

A tiorin at sea^ — thelifUng the Vessel to the clouds — her sinking- into the vast marine valleys — the mating of the soul-^-iBMd being at their' unt*s fgnd^ are weO touched by' several of the ancient poets.. See parti* cuWly Vir^?s description of the storm that disftersed the fleet of Eneas', who was himself not uhac<IUaihte4 with the idsngers of the sea^ — •'

ToUimiff in ccelum curvato gurgit^, et idem Subducta ad manes imos descendimos unda.

' Now on a t<jwerfng arch of waves we jrise, Heaved on the bounding billows to the skies. Then, as the roaring surge retreating fdl, ^ We shoot: down headlong to the gates of hell. • Prrr,

Rector in iqcerio est, nee qujd fqgiatve, petatve,. Invenit: ambiguis ars stuped ipsa mslis.

" Tlie pilot himself is in doubt wlkat dang^erto shnii; or wither to steer for safety he knows not: liis ikill'ii uMiplussed by the choice 6f the difficdtiei before him.**

See more in th» analysis.

Ver^ 1X9. He maketh the storfn a cahi] Re causes the aiorm to sCand dumf, and hushes the wares. ^ See the original, whep sense '9nd sound en^)>hatieally

Verae 30. nen are they glad because they be poet] The turbulence of the sea being hushed, and the waves stilly they rejofce to see an end Jo the tempest; -and- (hus, hagttig fine if eatber, a amooth sea, and hit wind^ they m^tlfm/ftj brought to die desired^ haven.

Yorse 31. Oihat men] -The intercalary verse, os httrderiy as before. See ver. B,. Verse 39. Let them exalt him also in the congregar tion] Their deliverance from spch imminent danger, and io a way which cleariy showed the Divine interposition, demands, not only gratitude of heart and the song of praise at the end of the stormy but when they come to shore that they publicly acknowledge it in the congregation of God's, people. I have been often pleased, when in sea-port towns, to see and hear notes sent to she- minister fiom piotis sailors, returning tbankf

gation of the. people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

33 He Ptumetb rivers into a wilderness, and the wiEUersprings into dry ground;. '

34 A ^fruitful land into ' barrenness, -ior the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

^5 'He tumeth the wddemess into a standing water, 4tnd dry ground into watersprings.'

36 And there- he make&~ the hungry to dnneH, that thfey may prepare a city for l)abitation;

37 And sow the fields, and pltot yineyards, which may yield fruits' of i^i^rease.

Ip the Almighty for preservatipB.from shipwrtek, and, in general, from the dangers, of the fiea; and for bringing ^em lNu>k in safety to their own port. ThoB ^ they exalt the Lord in the congregation, and praise him in thi» assembly of the elders.'' And is it not sometlung of this kind that the psalmist requkes?

VerjEie 3Z. He tumeth rivers, into a yrildemeis\ After Jttving, as abo7e,.iUustrated theet^te of the Jev^s in ibeir captivity, and the deliyerance which God -wrought for them, he now tmns to the' general conduQt of God in reference, to the poor and needy; and liis graaious interpositions in their behalf, the provklential supply of their wants, and his opposition to their oppressors. On account of the wickedness ofmtn, he sometimcs.changes A fruitful land into a desett. See the general state f>t Egypt' in the present time: once af fertile l^and; now an. arid, sandy wilderness. Again, by his blessing on honest industry, he'has changed deserts into hlighly f^rfUe ground. And, as Ibr the wickedness of their idhabitants^ many lands are cursed and rendered barren; 80, when a people acknowledge him in aU their ways, he blesses their toil, gives them hiin and fruitful sea^ •ona, an4i fills their hearts with joy and gladness.. v

Verse 36. And there he maketk the hungry to dwell] AU this seems to apply admirably to the -first colonists jdf any place. They flee from a land of want, an mgrmta terra, that did not repay their toil,, and they seek the wilderness where the land wants only cultivation to make it- produce all the necessaries ef life. He, by his providence, so guides their steps as to IfidLBirm to rivers which they can navigate, and from wiSdi they can procure plenty of fish, and 8how» ^em wells ax springs which they have not digged. The hungry, dwell there; and jointly agree, for convenience and de* (ence, to build them a city for habitation. They sow rtie fields which they have cleared;>and plant vineyards, and orchards which yield them increasing froits, ver. 39, and he multiplies, their cattle greatly, and does not sofier them to decrease, ver. 38. What a fine picture is this of the first peopling and plating of America^ »nd of the- multiplication and extension of that people; of the Divine blessing on their industry, and the geoe^

40 '^ He poureth contempt upon priAces, and. ^^** causeth them ta waifder in.the ' wilderness, where there is no way..41 J^Yet settethhe the poor onTiigh, ^» from affliction^ aiKl * maketh Aim families like a flock.

42 '*'The righteous shall see it^ and r'ejoice and all ^ iniquity shall stop her mouth.'*

43 * Whoso 4* wise, and will observe thede thingSy even they shall understand the lovingkindness of. the LoRi).

ral and astonishing prosperity of their^eountiy! * May they never again know vi^iat ia-^wken in the following verse. -.,,, "^,

Yerse 99. Agam^ they are mirushed] Sometimes 'by war, or pestilence, of fslmine.^ How 'punished ani. bought* low w|» the country already leq^ken of, by. the long and' destructive war which began in ^775, and was not' ended till 1783! An^ what desghitions, min- ^j ishings, and min* have been brought' on the fertile empires of Europe by the war which commenced. in 1793, and did not end till 1814! And bow many millions of lives have been sacrificed io it, and souls sent unprepared into the eternal world! When God makes inquisition for blood, ion whose heads will he find the blood ef these slangfhtered millions 1 Alas! 0, alas!

Verse 40. He poureth contempt upon princes] How jnany have lately been raised froto nothing, and set upon thtones!. And how jmany havjs been cast down from thrones, and reduced to nothing! And where are now.thpse mighty tronbiers of the eartbl On both sides they are iii general gone to give an aecooni of them^ selves to God. Aiyi »what an account!

Where there is no tray.] Wba ca» consider the fate of the late emperor of the French, Napoleon,^ ^ithout seeing the hand of irod'm his downfall! All the powers of Europe wdre leagued against him in vain; they were as stubble to his bow. " Hb came, h« s'aw^ and^^v conquered*^ almost. every where*, till God, by % Russian frost, destroyed his tfens of thousands of veteran. troops. And af^rwards his armies of raw conscripts wodld have overmatched the world had not i^ particular providence intervened at Waterloo, when all the skill and valour of his opponents had been nearly deduced ta nothing. H^w terrible art thou, O Lord, in thy judgments! Thou art fearful in praises, doing wonders;

The dreary rock of St Helena, where there toai no wfxy, saw a period to the mighty conqueror, who had strode over all the countries of Europe!

Verse 41. Fe* setteth he the poor on high] Hiis probably refers to the case of the Israelites and thei^r • P09 restoratioR from captivity. Bat llieM aie iaeideiits which frequently occur, and mark the rapttrintendence.^ ^ of a benign Providenfie^ and the hand of a just Qod; V " and.tte applio^ble to a multitude of caaes.

V^.ili. The righte<nu shall see it] * The wicked are as juiconsidetate as th^y are obatioate and head- * strong.. -

And ri^oice] T0 have such ample prpofs that God nJeth ih the earth, aod- that- none that ti)ist in him ahail be desolate.

AU imquiiy shall 4^ her numih.] God> judgments apd mercies are eo eyjdent, add so distinctly mtoked, that toheisih, infidelityj and ifreligion are confounded^ and the caisw of error and falsehood has become hopeless. It was only the nunUh- that c<kild do any thing; and that only, by liesi calumnies, and blasphemies: bdi God closesrthis nunUh, pours conlempt upbn the head and judgment upon the heart, l*his may also be ai^lied to the ^alse of the Israelites and the Baby^ lenians. The former, when they> turned to God, became righteous; the latter were a personification of all iaiquity, ' " - ^

Verse 43. Whoso ha^wisel That is. He that is wise, he that fi^ars God, and reg^ds the operation of his hand, wUl observe — ^lay up lapd keep, Ihese things, -xHe will hide them in his heart, that he sin not «gainst Jehovah. He will encourage himself in the Lord,, because he finds that he is a never-failing spring of goodness to the righteous. "^

. They shall under sta^ the loving-kindness of the Lord] am' ''ron chasdey Yehovah, the oxubermt goodness of Jehovah, Hiis xs his peculiar add most promiaent chai^acteristic aoaong men.;- for *< judgment is his strange worki". What a wonderftd disoDi^rse on Divine Providence, and God's manageinen^ of the world, does this inimitable Psafan contain! The ^orant cannot rei^ it without profit; and' by^ha study of it, the unse man "will become y^t wiser.. \. •

The title pf this Psalm is^ Hallelujah^ because it sets ^orth the praisB9- ef God for delivering- such as are oppressed from four common, miseries; af^er each of which is expressed jthose intercalary verses: *< O that men would praiso the Lord," &o.; ** They cried unto the Lord in their trouble." It also praises Grod for. his paroyidenee in.its efiects.

n. A declaration of his goodness in particular.

III. A praise of God's power and providence^ whidi is. evidently seen in.the changes and varieties in the world, of which he gives many instances, that prove him to be the sole Disposer and Governor of the universe, ver. 33-43.

IV. The conclusion, which sets forth' the use we are to make of it, ver. 43, 43.

I. 1. This Psahn, like the former, begins: *<That we celebrate and set forth God's praise," ai|d for the *7Q

3. And. those" whonr. he invites to perform this, duty are all who^are sensible that they have >^reeeived any mercy or goodness from- him. in either soul or body, whom* he calls thexedeemed of the Lori; ihat men maylmow, when they are freed from, any evil, that it is not by chance or their wisd<»n: God's httnd is in it; he ie^ the First Cause; the rest are only his instraments. ^.,.

I. '< Let the redeemed of the Lerd say,'! L e^ diat he is good and merciful.

9. *^ They, say so wbom he hath redeemed," &e. I^ the Holy Ghost means,' when he speaks of our redemption by C^QSt, the enemy, the deTil» or some tyrant, tribnlation, &c.; then e corporeal and temponl redemption is m^ant. The next verse se^rn^ to lefer to their banishthen^. *• ^

II. Most expositors begin the second part at the second verse, but "some at the fourth; but 4t is not material. In those tw9) there was mention made of Grbd's goodness in their deliverance, in their coUeetion from all lands. But the following is a decIiCration oT what they snflfered during their absence from their country. And this is the misery which- the prophet firk instances in this place; then shows -this course the travellers took, and lastly acquaints us with the manner of their deliverance. Their misery was-^

1.- '< That they wandered." No smaQ discomfort for an* ingenious;native.to go from plaee to plitccas a - vagrant. Gwi's people were for a time pilgrims; « few and evil were their days."

3. The place adds to their 'nuse'ryJ ' TraveHersi are not confined* always to solitary places, they occasion-. ally have company v. but these ** wandered in the wOderness in a solitary place," &c. Literally it w«s fulfilled in the IsraelUes, while they travelled through •the wilderness. '. *

4. And tfalB famine was so great << that iSbtvr soul^" that'is, their li^, *^ was ready to faint." This is tfce inerementum that the prophet uses to aggravate the miseiy of the travellers, and the several steps by which it rises.

The prophet showii the course.which ibepe traveUers ttdJiungry souls took fot ease and help; and that it & not fail diem, nor.'4uiy one else who har tried it.,

1. "Then in their trouble.". Ood let them be brought into' trouble to brihg the^ back to himself.

3. "They.crted." In. their petition they were very earnest; it was no cold prayer, which f^e on the way before it got to heaven; but fervent. A cry,

The success was'an^weri^le to their desire.

9. Bat in particblarv the • deliTennc^.Was erery. way fit.

d. ** They were hungry, and thirsty," &o. But ** he filled the hungry soul," &c.

Ajid,upoB this he concludes his 'exhortation, to praise God, which he is so earnest for them to do, tikat.he inserts the exhortation between each mention of the mercies. - ^

9. Of his. mese mercy, not of desefl:.^ For he is good.",

-$. And^the effects of his goodness were seen in ^his works; let his praise then be as^paUic as his works: ** 0 that men," &<v - -,..

.T}ie 4/iC(md corporeal misery to whicK men are subject is captivity aod imprisonment; he then shows the cocurse the captives tookj^ and Grod's mercy in their deliverance.. -.

1. Captives; they were taken by the enemy,. put in.,dangeons and piiisons; where they were debured the comfort of the sup: '< For ihey sat in darkness," Ac.; and in fear of death. ^.. •

2. Besides, in this place ** they wei%.fkst bound; i!^th affliction," &c., because of their rebellion against the Lord: " The iron entered into their soul.". " He Vought them 'Ipw;". but they sought help of the Lord.

" They cried unto the Lord in their^ouble." And

found th^ same favqur as the travellers did. " And

he saved them out of their distresses.^ * The manner was suitable td their distress. '

The prison was not so strong but he was stronger)

and delivered them from captivity. Now the psalmist

]^terfR)ses his thanksgiving: " O that m?n,V &c.. - The third misery is some great sickness or pining

away of the body under sojne grievous- disease, such. as when stung by.fiery serpents, as th? Israe^tes.

1. He describes the danger under which they Ian-.;gnished. 2. Shows the method they took for their

1. The appellation he fastens on the diseased ^r-. aonsyfods; not but that, generally speaking, they were

. wise enough; bin In that they sinned with a high hand 9gainst>Ood, " they are fools."

9. Now such/00^ Qod often smites with an incurable disease: "JB'ools, because of their transgress sion," &c. Not but that all sickness is from sip; but this that the prophet speaks of was their general apos- ^t$sy, rebellion, and coptempt of Qod's wiU and comr mandmeot.

The effect was lamentable and double. 1.' "Their soul abhorred all manner of meat." Meat, with which the life, of man is sustained, became loath- • ffpme to them, the disease was so grievous.

2. And deadly too; no art pf the physican could cure them. **For they drew near: to the gates of death," that is, the grave, ^^here Death exercises his |)Qwer, as the judges of IshmsI did in the gates.

But these, being tmt de^ tpep in tl^ eye of man, ^ took, the same course as they did before.

.1. " They cried unto the Lord in their trouble."

9. And by God's blessing they recovered; Grod was alone their Physician.

3. This was the manner 6t their oure: ^He saved them out of their distresses."

1. " £[e sent lua word, and hc^ed them/' He said the word only, and they w^re tnade whole. Or if any • medicine were mad^ use;of| it was his- word whicfar made it medicinal, as in thtf t^ of the bunch of fij^ and therefore the. prophet uses an apt word to put^them in mind. " He sent his word,." aa ftpeat prince sends forth, his ambassadors to do his commands.- Most pro* bably th^ centurion had this ip his mind when he said,

" Say the, word only, ahd my servant shall bQ whote.". ^

2. "And he delivered them from their destructions,** which are opposed to their previous danger; ** They drew nigh," &c. '.

3. But he ^exhorts tlie saved to te thankful: " O that men," &c..

And lie a^lds,.

1-. *'* Let. them Morifice their ^orifices." ' 2., Bu{ with these conditions and limitations: 1. That it be with a thankftil, heart, for pn outward sacrifice i% nothing. 5h That vrith the sacrifice ttiere ga an annunciation; that' men declare and publish that the cure came from God..3.' That it be done with rejoicing; that we have an expeHehce of God's presence, favour, and mercy, for which the heart ought 'to rejoice more ' J^ than for'^e dure of the body.

9. Shows t^e course they take in a storm.

3. And the event' following upon their prayers.

Upcm which he calls upon -^em, as upon the three before,' to praise God. •

1. " They that go. down to the sea in ships/* For the sea is lower than the earth.

3. "These men- see the works of th^ Lord," &o. Others hear of them by relation, but these see them: they see the great whales, innumerable lunds of fish, apd monsters; islands dispersed and safe in the waves;.whirlpools, quicksands, rocks; and have experience of the virtue of the Idadstdne. They discover many st^ we know not; ^and they behoRI the vast workings of the sea, which fill the most valiant with fear.

4, '* For he oommandeth," &c.. Now he describes the tempest:-^'

1. From the cause^ God speaks the word. 9. By it '^^ he raiseth the stormy wind."

3. Which, inspired by his word, " lifts' up the waves thereof.".

Hi summo' in fluctu pendent) his unda dehiscens.

" They hung upon the wave; the sea yawns under them; and the bottom seems to be laid baiQ between the surges."

Extemplo. Mn^m solTontur frigora membra. ^ The limbs xyf the hero hims^ dissolve with terror."

6. '* They reel to and firo." Tossed tfais.^ray iind that way.

Tres Eoms ab alto in brev^ etsyrtes nrget. ** Tbey ^ dashed against the shoa)s and qoick&ands."

Gui dobii stantqne labantqae pedes.. f ' Th|9y cannot keep their feet.*'

^ Hitherto the prophet has' poetically deseribed the. tempest and storm; and now he gives an account of the course they took to save theij: Utos. '*' Then they cried unto, the IfOrd,** &c. ^ An dtt prdverb says; Qui nescit orare, discat 'navigare. "He. who knows Ti«)t how to pray, let him learn to be a saUlor.*'

And the consequence of their praying was: " And he bhngii them put,''- &c. Ii| tiiiis'maiiner:— •

d. " So that the^ wavea thereof are still."*: Et cunotus pelagi cecidit firagdrr **An4'tbe>Aoistf of it is hushed lo silence." "

3. 'f Then are they g}ad»*' &c., Yib mdre reeling to and fro; whence arises their joy..

^ — '• Lseto testantuf gaudia plausu; *< The clapping of hi^ds expresses their joy."

4. And to increase it: '.'-So he brings them lo their desired haven.**

' —?— - Magno teDuris amore, ' Egressi optata nautor potiuntur arena, Et sale tabentes artus In littore ponunt

f* The weiather-beaten manners having reached the. shore, in an ecstacy of joy l^iss the JMmd, and ky themselves down upon the beacb.^'.

And now, in the last placie, he calls upon them to pay their tribute of thank/ul duty for. the miracle doric them in their preservation: > " O that men would praise the Lord," &c..

And probably in their danger they might Have made a vow, which is frequently do|»e in such cases. Read the Life of Nazianzen. This, vow the preset would have them pay openly.

^ 1. "Let them exalt him also in the congregation," &c.

2. And that not only before the promiscuous multitude \ but ** let them praise him in the assembly of the elder^," &o. Sua tabula sacer.votiva paries indicate nvida sospendiase potenti vestimenta maris Deo. ^' Let them here suspend their votive tablet;. and lugig their

hundred nnd, teoetiih tPsohf^.

wet clothes against- ar waU, as a;gxalefiil offering to ^ him who rules the seas."

in. The prophet bad exalted 6od*s'mercies in freeing men from these four miseries and calamities; ihese travei1f>rs through the wilderness, captivity, sickness, aihip wreck; and now he manifests. his power, providence, and wjsdom, in the vicissitudes we meet with below^ In the earth we see strange mutationa; in kingdoms, wonderful revolutions; yet we must' go higher, and not rest short of th6 hand whieh governs aJL

The ptophet Ml instances the earth*s changes.

1. *' He tuns rivers into a wilderness^*' &c. The fertiUly of any lapd arises from its rivers, as is* apparent la Egypt fWmi the overflowing of the Nile. And when E^idha would free the soil from barrenness, he first hdaled the waters. The drying up of rivers producea famine, aiid when the channels are directed from their courses, the fruitful land becomes a- wOdemeas.

On the contrary, G^od flluatrates his mercy by sometimea changing the Vildemess'into a fruitful and abunditit place..

L ^^He torneth the wilderness intp a standmg water,"* &c. They ^aU be fruitful for man's sake.

U, ^For there he makes the hungry to dwell." God puts it into men's minds to plant colonies in seme newly found and good land, wh^re the hungry And pkntjf and are satisfied.

3. And to build houses: '* That tbey may prepare a city," ^. '

Pars aptare bctuii tecto, par6^ ducere muroa. ^* Some dig out the foundations, others- raise the walls."

4* The endeavours of the colonists are: U "To sow fields." 2. "To plant vineyards." Which' was the first tirade in the world.

S, AjBd. Grod's blessing on those ehdeairours: " God blessed them also.*' " t. In children: "So that^they mdtipUed greatly.*'.2. In cattle: " And suiSered not their cattle to decrease."

Bat there is nothing in this world perpetual and stable: ev^n those whom God had sometimes blessed End enriched continued* not at one stay.

1. These are "minished, and brought low."

S, These are " worn out by oppression," Ac. By some public calamity, war, famine, invasion, Ac

Et^ monarchs are subject to changes.

1. ^* He pours eontenipt upon princes!" It is a heavy judgment for princes, civil or ecclesiastical, to become contemptible; for then the 'reins of discipline" are let, loose, confusion follows, and all things grow worse. And ihis/or the inigtaty ofthose^ Ac.

2. "He caixseth them to wander in the wilderness," &c., AAhich clause is subject to a double interpretation.'

fliiher that he suffers princes to err in their counsels, lives, and example; of they em^ct unjust laws, favour wicked men, or oppress the good. But iir the following verse there is some comfbrt.

" Yet setteth he the poor man on high," A6. Bcj livem him from 'all affliction.

" And makelh him. families like a flock.". Becomes hh shepherd,' and governs him by his ^special providence.

TkMnk^gimng k> mid

" * rV. tl^ eotic^ddB the Psalm- w£& vai epiphonemtij in Which he pcfisaades good men to consider the forner promisei^ -and laj them to lieait; to observe the whole comse of God^s proyidence, that thej impute not the changes of the world to chance or fortmie, but iiless God for^ his dispensations.

S. " And rejoice." When they are assured that Opd is their Guardian, and that all he lays upon them is.for their real good.

"Aivl all iniquity shall stop her* mouth." By Uie

obBerration of the erenti at last evil doers shall not hare cause to laugh and i>laspheme, but to confess that all is justly and wisely done by Qqd.

And this consideratfen is!tha( of te wise, man Who looks afar off..

1. " Who is wise,*' &c., so as to mark (he^e changes in the world properly.

• 9. ^ And Uiey shall understand the loving-kindness of.the Iiord." It shall be seen by them how ineffable is his mercy towards those who truly fear him, and call upoflf his name: >i^.our4ife is hid with^ Christ mQod. r;

The psahnist pncouragei iumself io praise the^ Lord for ijtgr^ies he had received^, \^. He prays for M^ Divine succour, 6; rnul -encourages the people to expect their restoration, and the enjoyment of il their ' former privileges and possessions, 7-13. „ * '

.3 I wiU praise AeeJ^^'0 LoRt), among the people: aud I will sing praises unto thee *^among the nations. V * 4 For thy mercy is great above the heavens:

and thy truth reachetk unto the ® clouds...6 "^Be thou exalted, O Qod, aboye the heavens: and thy glory above • bU the earth; »

6 •That thy belov^ iriay be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer nie.

7 God hath spoken in his holiness; I. will

NOTES ON PSALM CVm. This Psalm is compounded of two Psalms wlliel^ we have had already under review. The 1st, 3na, '3rd, 4th, and 5th verses, ate the same with the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th verses of Psalm jvfi. - And the 6th, 7tli, 8tji, 9th, 10th, Uth, 12th, and 13th, are the -same with the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, -KHh^ flth, and 12th of Psalm Ix. The^ variations are few» And of little moment, land the explanation may be seen in the hotes on the preceding Psalms, which need not he repeated here. That the Pdahns r^erred to were

^ made by David, and were applicable to the then 'State ef his^affairs, has been the opinion of many; and it

. 'is probable that the captives in Babylon composed tMs out of the two above, and applied it. to the state of their affaiiv. Their captivity being now ended, or nearly at an ^nd, they look and pray for the^ restora- ^n to then- owii land, as amply as it was possessed in the most prospeious days Qf David, The S^friac

8 Oilead is mine; Muiasseh tsmine; Ephraim also is the strength oi miqis head; ^ Judah t^ n^y lawgiver; '

0 Moab* is my washpot; over Edom.will toast out ^y shoe;. over Philistia will I triumph.

10 «f Who will bring me into the strong iity? who will lead me into Edom?.

i i Wilt not thoUy O God, who hast cast us oflf? aiid wilt not thou, O Ood^ go forth with our hoiits?

12 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

13 ^'ThroughGod we jsWl do valiantly: for YiQ.it is that shall tread dowrrour enemies.

considers it as a prophecy of the vocation of the Gentiles. The Hebrew and all the Versions -attribute it to David,

Verse 1. lEven with thy glory.] My greatest glory shall be in publishing thy praise. Some m^e the glory here to meta ther Lord himself; 'some, ther Ark of the covenant f some, the soul, of the pstdntist; others, his tongue; some, jth^ gift or prophbcv; and some, *the psalmist's spirit or vbi9 of poetry. See the notes oh Psalm Ivii. "B.

Amor^ the mttiohsJ] The Oentihs. Wherever this Psalm is si^ or read, either among Jews or OentUes, J^avid may be saidio sing praise totxod.

Verse 7. <rodhath spoken in his holiness] ll^Tpa bekodsho; ^ some -think thia means m His Holy One, referring to the Prophet' Jeremiah, w^o predicted the captivity, its dwratioQ of- setfenty years, and the deliverance from it.

From him we deiiTe onr o'^nmge, froxnr.liiii^ out 8tre;igth, and by him oar saceess.

The psalmist specJLs against his inveterate enemies^ l^§: He prays against themt and denounces Gafsju^' ments, 6— 15. The reason on which this Ktf groandedj 16-^20. He prays for his own safety and sahaticm, using many arguments ttfjnduce Cro^ to have mercy upon him. -^

^ are opened against me:. they have spoken against me with allying tongue. 3 They compassed me about also with Words

.t*he iitk of this Psahh, To (he, chief Musician, A Psalm of David, has already often occurred, and on it the Versions oQer nothing new. The Syriac says it is "a Psalm of David, when die people, with-' out his knowledge, made Ahstdor^^ king; on which account he was slain: bu| to os (Chnstia^s) he details the passion of Christ. "; That it contains a prophecy agunst Judas and the enemies of our Lor^f itf evident from Acts i. 20. Prebably> in its primary meaning, (for such a meaning if certainly has,) it may refer to AhUhophel. The execrations In it should^be. rendered in the future tense, as they are mere prophetic denunciations Of God^s displeasure against sinners. ' Taken in this light, it cannot be a aftumhlihg-. block to any person. ^ God has a right ^ vdenounce those judgments which, he will in£ctxML the workers, of iniquity. But perhaps ibid whole may be the execrations of David's enemies against hinaself. See on y^r. 20. Ahithophel,, y^fio gave evil counsel against David, and being irostrated hangi^ himself, was no mean prototype of JUdas the traitor { it was, probably on this account that St, Peter, Acts i. 20, applied it to the- case, of Judas, as a"^ prophetic declaration concerning him,, or at least a subject that might be' accommodated to his ca^. - ^

Verse 1. Hold not thy peace] Be not silent; aiise and defhnd my cause... ^ *

Verse ST. The mouth of the wicked and — the deceitful are opened against me]. M^nj pei^ons are continually uttering calimmies agannst me. Thou knowest my heart and its innocence; vindicate my uprightness against th^e calumniators.

Verse 4. For my love they are. my adversaries] In their behalf I have performed many &<St^ <of kindness, and they are my adversaries notwithstanding; this shows principles the iQost vicious, and hearts the most corrupt. Many of the fathers and comr. 67€

4 For my love they arc my adyersaries: but I gipe. myself unto pT^yet.

'5 And • they have rewarded me evil for gdbd, and hatred for ray love. '

n^jentatbrsw have understood the- principal part of the things spoken,.here atf referring. to* our Lordy and jthe treatment he received from the Jews f and whatever the original Mntentlon was, they may safely be applied to this oase, as the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and ^tk veraes are as highly illustrative of ^e conduct of (he Jewish rulers towards, our Lord as the foJlowiog verses are of the conduct of Judas; bat'aHowing these passages to be ptophetic, it is the Jewish state, rabher than an individual, against which these awful ' denunciations are made, as it 'seems to be represented here under thp person and character of. an extremely hardened and wicked maui unless we consider the curses tp be those of David's enemies.^ See the note afa verse 20; ^ ' ' ^ *.

• JSut /-give myself unto prayer] ^nSfln ^JKVt>a«m thephiUahrt "And I praypr." The Chaldee,: lOKT 'sSw vaana atsJaUey, "but T pray.'* This gives a good sense, whi^h is followed by the Vulgate, Sepiuagint, JEthiopie, Arabic, and AnglO'Sa9on.. The:SyriaCi "I.wiU pray for them." This, not soeori^tly;, as dreadful tm^meca/idnjy not />royeri, follow. Bat probably ^e whole ought to be interpreted aexoiding to the n\ode laiddowp, verse '20.* The triuislation and paraphrase in thb old Psalter are very simple: — ».

, Par. That is,.thai sulde haf lufed. me for. I ws^ godson, and thai bakbited me jmyande^ in Belzebob he castes oute fendes; hot I praye'd for Uiaim.

Verse 6. Let Satan stand at his right hand.] As' ^ the word \OVf satan means an adversary simply, though, sometimes it is used to express the evil^ spirit ' Satan, X think it best to preserve here its grammatical meaning: "Let an adversary atuid at his right hand.^"' 1. e., Let him be opposed and thwajried in aD his purpos^v let 'Satan c^stand «t bis kancl. 7 When he shall be judged, let ^' him ^ be condemned: and '> let

8 Let his days be few; (xnd >let another take his ^ office.

9 ''"Let his children be fatherless, and his Dirife a widow.

right 10 Let his children be continually yagaboods, and beg: let them seek fheir bread also out

All the Versions Eave devil^ or aome eqaivooal word. The Arabic has (j**f)>i\ ebUes, the. chief of the apos^te spirits; but the name is probably cormpCed from UioGiuekk Stafitikne dMclos.; ftom which the Latin diaboluSf the Itaciam diavohi the Bpamish diaboio, th& Frimch diabUi the Irish or

. Ciijic didbaly the Dutch duwd^ (he GiRiiah toti/e/, Ibe Anglo-Saxon, deefcd, and the EnousIH demLf are all derived. The original, koL^f^hjag^ comes froxp ^la PaXkBiy, to sKoot or pierce through- ^ Verse 7. Let him be condemned] J^BH KV yetse raskoy ** Let hioi come out a wicked man;** (hat is,

Let his prater become xtn.] Thus paraphrased b^ Calmet: "Let him be accused, coDFi(3ed,'and con-

. 4^mned, and let the defence which he brings for his jnstification ooly serve to deepen his guilt, ^d hasten hits condemnation.** I once mpre apprise 'the reader,

•that if these are not the.words oi^DavuPs enetnies against himself, (see on verse 30,) they are prophetic denunciations against a rebellious, and apostate person^ or people, hardened in crime,»and refusing to return

,. Verse 8. Let another take his ojffiee,] The orighiU is imps pekuddatho, which the'margio translates chargci and which literally' means 'xuper^em/enc^, oversight^ mspection from actual visitations. The translation in

' pur eoihmon Version is too technical. His bishopric^ ftllowing the^ Septuagint^ s^Kfxoihiv, andt Vulgate, epis-

. eeptUutn, and has given cause to some light.{leople- to be Y^ty, who have. said, ^f The first' bisbop we read of was bishop Judas." But it would be easyto- convict 4liis witticism of blasphemy, as the word is used in many parts of the sacred writings, from Genesis downward, to signify offices and officers, appointed either by^ €rod immediately, or in the course of his. providence, ftr the accomplishment of the. most important purposes. It is applied to the patriarch Joseph, Gen. xxxix^ 4^ inip9*l vaiyaphkidehuj he made him bishop, alias overgeer; therefore it might be as wisely said, and much ftiore-correctly, ** The first bishop we read of was bishop Joseph;" and many such bishops there were of God^s making long before Judas was bom.? After all, Jlidas was no traitor'when he was appointed to What is called

'Yob "bishopric, office, jot charge in the apostoTate. Such, witticisms as these amount to no argument,. and s^rve no cause that is worthy of defence.

Our common Version, however, was not the first to use the word: it stands- in the Anglo-Saxpn "^Mf t&phxt hi]-, onjpo •vejt, ^ and his episcopacy let tRke

11 * Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.

12 Let there be. none to extend mercy unto him; neither let there be any t6 favour his fatherless childrBn.

Other.'* The <)Id Psalter is nearly the same; I shall

give ihe whole verse: JFa he mabu ^ bapjer, anti l$ig bpjBTjgriyoiitpfc anofliec' toiie^ <« For Mathai was aatt in stede of Judas; and his days vfznfa thathynged himself:";

Verse 9.' Let his children be fatherless^, ^trj It is said that ludas was a married m|m, against "wfom this verse, as well as the preceding, is supposed ta be spoken; and diat it was to support them he stole- from the ^bag in which the property of the apostles was put, and of which he wis Uie treasurer. •

Verse.^d.^ Let his^ehildren — beg] The father having lost hl»o^<;, the children must necessarily be destitute; and this is the hardest lot to which any- can become subject, after having been born to the expectation of en ample fortune.

Vertfe II i Let the strangers spoil his labour.] Many of ihese execrations were literally fulfilled in the case of the miserable Jews, after the death of our Lord. They were not only expelled from their owi> country, after th^'destructioii of Jerusalem, but they vrere prohibited from returning; and so taxed by the Roman government, that they ^ere reduced to the lowest degree of poverty. Xhmitiqn exj^lled them from Rome; and they were obliged to take up their habitation without the gate Gapena, in a wood contiguous ts the city, for.which Aey were obliged to pay a rent, and wheve the Ix^hde of their property Was only a basket and a tittle hay. See Jovskal, Sat. iii., ver. 1 1:^—

Substitit ad veteres arcus, madidamque Capenam: Hic.ttbi fkwsxtsnm Numa epnstituebfit amic^, Nunc sacri footis nemus, et^elubra locantur Jodaeis: quorum cophinus, fcsnumque supellet: - Omnis enim ^pulo mercedem pendere jussa est Arbor^ et ejectis^endicat silva Camcenis. He. stopped a Htile at the cOnduit gate. Where Numa ihodelled once thei'RoTnan state; In nightly councils with his njrmph* retired: Though now the sacred shades and founts are hired By banished Jews, who thek whole wealth can lay In a small basket, oir a wisp of hay. Yet such our avarice js, that every tree Pays for his head-; nor sleep itself is free;- ' Nor place nor persons now are sacred held. From, their own grove the Muses are expelled.

The same poet refers again to this wretched state of

13 <> Let' Uttjpwiarity be cut off; and in tno fjgaenUon following l^t their? ndbfVe blotted out. •

14 ^ Let the iniquity oMis fathers be remembered with the LoRi); and let not the Bin- of

15 JLiet them be before the Lord. contifUially, that he may ' cut off the memdry of them from the earth... \

16 Because that he remembered not td shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man* that he might e\en slay the > broken in heart.

Cum dedi^ ille locpm, cophino ftengque xelicto, Arcanam Judea tremem mendicat in adrem, ' Intetpres legum Solymaram, et tnagna sacerdos Arbori^i ac suiiimi fida intemuneia cceli. Ipaplet et ilia manom, sed parcius, sre miiiiito. Qualia canque voles Jadei somnia Tendaat.

IJere a Jewess is representod as coining from the wood mentioned above, to gain a few oboli by Ibrtanetelling; and, trembling lest She should be* discovered, rtie leaves her basket and Aoy, and whispers fa>wly in the ear of some lemale, from whom she hopes employment in her lin^ She is here called by ^he'poet ^e interpretessvfthe laws of S^ymttr ^^ Jenisalem, and the priestess qf a <ree,'be6aase. obliged, with the 'rest of her nation, to lodge in a wood; so that she ^nd.her. countrymen might he said to seek their bread out oj desolate places, the stronger' having spoiled theirlabour. Perhaps, the whole of the Psalm 'relates to their infidelities, rebellions, aird* the miseries inflicted on them firom the crucifixion of our Iford tHl the present time. I should prefer this sense, if what is said on ver. 30 be not considered a better mode of interpretation. -

Verse 13. Let his posterity he^mtoff] It isa ftlct that the distinction jBjaong the Jewish tribes is entirely lost. Kot a Jew in the world knows from what tribe.he is sprung; and as to the royal family, it remains nowhere hut in the person of Jesus the Messiah. He alone is the Lion-ofahe trtbe of Judah. Except as it exists in him, the name is blotted out.

Verse 16. Persecuted the poor and needy ^m(in\ In the case of Jesos t^hr^st all tlie diot^tes of justice and mercy were destroyed^ and Obey persecuted this poor man unto death...They aoted from a diabolical malice. On comgnoA pl^piciples, their opposition to Christ cannot be accounted fbr.. " '

Verse 17. As he, loved' cursing, so lei it come unto him\ The Jews said, when crucifying oar Lord, Hisblood be upon us and our children! Never was an imprecation more dreadfully fulfilled.

Verse 18. Let it come into his bowels like water] Houbigant thinks this is an allusion to the waters of Jealousy; and he is probably right, — ^the bitter waters that pr^uce the (^rse. See Ntun. v. 18. ^74

_17 *Ag he loved <:urung, so let it come unto him: as ht delighted not in blesiBirig, 'so let it be far firojti him. ^.

18 As- he clothed himself with cursing like as with his gan&ent, so let it ""come "^ into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.. 19 Let it be unto him as the garment t^UcA coVerelh him, and.for a girdle wherewith he is gbded contbually.

20 Let this be the reward of mine adversa^ ries from the Loiu>, and of them that speak eyil against my soul.

21 But do thou for me, O God, the Lord,

Versrlp. And for a girdle] Let. the curse detfee to Jiim throug:hout lif^:. as the giT:dle bin^a all ihe clothes to the body, let the curse of God bind all mis' chiefb and maladies t<5 his body and soul.

The Hindoos, Budhists, and others o(\en wear a gcU or silver chain about iheir waist. One of those ahainay once the ornament of a Moudeliar in. the island of., Ceylon, lies now before, me: it is silver, apd furiously wrought.

Verse 3(K Let this be the reward of mint adverse*' *ries from, the Lord, and of them that speak evil against my, soul.] FdUoiiriog the mode of ioterpYetation already adopted,.this may mean: All these nialedietioss riiaU.b^ -falfilied- on my Enemies; they shall have them Ibr.their j^ward. So all the opposition made bytlie Jews againsi'our Lord, and the obloquies ind execratioBs wherewith they have loaded him and his rieligioii, hav^ fallen' upon themselves; and.ihey are awfnl examples of the wrath of God abiding on them that believe nsC.. ^t is not this verse ja, key to all that preceded it? The* original, fairly interpreted, will lead as to a som^ what difierent meaning: mn' nKD *X9V ph]fD Pit? 'BflW Sj? jn D*T3ini zoth peullath sO(eneytneeth YeAaveJ^ vehaddi^erim ra al napkshi. " This* is tfce work of^mf adversaries before the Lord, and of thiose who apeak evil against my soul," or life. That is, all thai is said from the sixth to ihe iwentieih verse" consists o^ the evil words a|id imprecations of my enemies against my soul/ labouring to.set the Lord, by^ imprecations, against me, that their curses -may take eJSect. This, which is a reaSopable inteij»reution, frees th» whole Psalm frem ^ery difficulty. Surely, the curses contained in it aSB' more like those which proceed from the mouth of ibe wicked, than from one inspired -by the Spkit of the living God. Taking the words in Ihis sen^, which I am persuaded, is the best, and which the original will weUbear and.several of the Versions cbontenanoe, thetf our translation may stand just as it is; only let 4he reader remember that at the si^tk verse David biggins' to tell how his enemies cursed him, while he prayed for

Verse 31. But do thou forme] While they use horrible imprecations against me, and load me with their (^utseMy act thou for mti and deliver me from iheif

25} For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

23 I am gone ' like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down ^s^ the locusf.

%4 My ^ knees are weak through fasting; dud my flesh faileth of fatness.

25 I became also ' a reproach linto them: when they looked upon me * they shaked their heads.

26 Help me, O Lord my God: O save me Recording to thy mercy:

nuJedictions. While they curje, do thoa bleMs. This.ircpe i^ a. farther proof of the correctness of the iater- ']pbetation gvren above.

Verse 22. /am poor and needy] I am nffiieted and impoverished; and my heart is wounded — my Tery life m sinking through distress.

.Verse 23. / am gohe like the Mhadow\ ^ I have inilked like the declining shadow,"—^! have passed my mc^dian of health and life; and as ^ son is §9ii)g below the horiaon, so am I about to gp^nnder die earth.

' I am tossed up and down ae the locust.^ • When smarms, c^ locusts take wing, and infest the countries m the east, if the wind happen to blow hriskly, the siwanns are agitated and driven upon each other, so as to appear to be heaved to and fro, or tossed Op and down. Dr« Shaw, who has seen this, says it gives a lirelyjdea of the' comparisons of the psalinist. \ * Verse 34. My knees are weak through fasting] That ktmgtr is as soon felt in weakening the knees f as in producing \n uneasy sensation in the stomach, is known by all who have ever felt it. ' Writers in all countries luiTe referred to this effect of)iunger. T|iU8 Tryphioilpfitf, IL Excid. ver. 165: — •

^ Their knees might fail, by hunger's 'force subdued; And sink, unable to sustain their load.*^

Verse 25.. When they looked upon me they shaked their heads.] Thus was David treated by Shimei, 9

28 •Let. them curse, but bleijg - ^ thou: when they arfie, let them be ashamed i but let ^thy servant 'rejoice.

29 * Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let theni ciover themselves with their ovm confusion, as with a' mantle. ^

30 I will greatly praise the Lorb with my mouth; yea, ^I Will praise him anxong tfa^ multitude.

31 For ff he shall stand at the right hand of thepoor^ to save Atm ^ from those that condenui his soul. -'■"....

Verse 27. That they may know that this if thy hand\ "Let.thy help be so manifest in my behalf, that they may see it is thy hand, and that thou hast undertaken for me. Qr, if the words refer to* the< passion of our Jjord, Let them see that I suffer not on my o\m aecount; *^for the transgressim of my people am I smitten.''

' Verse 28. Let them curse, hut Mess thou] See on ver. 20. Qf the mode of interpretation recommended there, this verse gives additional proof.

Verse 99. 'Let them cover themsdvesl He hcire ro« torts their own curse, ver. t8. '

Vers^ 30." / will greatly praise the Lor J] t Jiave the fullest prospect of deliTerance, and a plenary Tin* dication of my innocence.

Verse 31. He shall stand atthe tight hotnd of tha poor] Even if Satan hitasslf be -this accuser, God will vindicate the innocence of his servant. Pilate and the Jews condemned our Lord to death ais a male^ter; God showed his immaculate ilinoceo6e' by his 'resuiw rection fr6m the dead. %

The whole of this Psalm is understood by many 89 referring solely to dhrist, the traitor Judas, and ther wicked Jews, This yi the view taken of it in the. analysis.

The later expositori expouitd this Psalm of Doegf Ahithophel, and otlrer persecutors of David; and so it may be understood in the type; but the ancient fathers apply It to Judas, 'aiid the Jewi who put Christ to death-; which opinion, being more proM>le, and^becauser P^ter (ActsJ. 20) applies a passage out of vef. 8 to JudaSi I shaU expound the Psalm as of Christ, whom David personated, and tX Judas, and the malicioas JewSf as understood in the persons of his wicked and slanderous enemies.

Andfflis pf ^ me

hundred and fdnJ^ Piahn,

pressed in ^ complaint^ of- the fraad and malice of his enemies, Ter. 6.

ni. A sapplieation presented to Grod for himscdf, and the reasons, yer. 21-30.

3. Gr passively; *• Who irt jny praise:?'. The 'Witness and Advocate of my innocehcy when I am condemned by malicious tongaea; which Sense appears best for this place.. *

" Hold,not thy peace." 2Vere, to be silent, in Scripture, when referred to God, is to connive, to.rest, to appear not to ifegard; and, on the contrary; loqui, to spedc, to do something for revenge or deliverance; if is what i)avid here asks, that, when the malice of his enemies arrived at i^ height, God should not suffer them, but show his displeasure.

Then, byway of complaint, he describes their malicious nature, which he aggravates by an elegant gradar tiop. " For the mouth of the wicked:" and they were,.1. Impious. 2. Deceitfiil; 3. Liars.

.: 9. *' And the nieuth pf the deceitful," Jkc^ They sought to entrap him in his w&rds.' > 3. '* They have spokeil against me,*! &c. ** He^. casteUi out devils through Beelzebub," &c^

And yet the mischief rises' hijgher, even to hatred omI malice.

1. " They compassed me aboot," -fto. Matiifesting in plain words the malice they carried in' their hearts... " Tliis man is not of God," &c. •

9. " Thpy hated 'me without a c^use:" Wantonly, idly..They w^re not oilly exil, deceitful, imd malicious; but very ungrateful. "He went about doing good;" and " How oflen would I have gathered you," &c.; and for this love they.returned hatred.

.' 3. " I give myself to prayer:" "Father, forgive them; they know not," &c. Which bas'e ingratitude of theirs he opens in fuller wpids. "They Jiave re-;;warded nie evil/' And Theoghis truly says, *

*H X^pi; aXXa|ai ft)v q^ucfiv oO Svvktai, No kindness can invert an evil nature; ■A Jew wUVever h<e a Je\p, n, The prophet, having complained of the malice, spiteful usage, a^d ingratitude of his nation, their crafty dealing with him, and their lies against hhn, proceeds to pray againsf them, itftd that in most bitter and, fearful imprecations^ ]^nemies he foresaw they would be to thojAourishing state of Christ's Churoh, and that nothing had power to restrain or am^nd them; and therofore Jie curses them with a curse the most bitter that ever fell from the lips of man. In particular Judas J who was guide to them who took Jesus, is pointed out; but, as Aiig^stine- observes, he represented' l^e person of the whole ^agogue; therefore, 57iSL.

it is involved uTecess^nrily. But somC' understand these curses as uttered by the Jews against David,.See))ie note on ver. 30.

. 1. '" Set thou a wicked man over him," &c.: A fearful imprecation. Sifbject him to the.will of some Impious and wicked >man, to whose lust and violence he ma]^^be no better than a slave. Others understand by a tc^ifcff J m«n a false teacher, who niay seduce. him* by false doctrines.

3. ** Let Satan stand at his right hand:" Have fUl power- over him. \ Let him stand; whicb signifies a perpetual endeavour to prge him -forward till he efiect his intended mischief. 'And so it was with Ju^as jBuid the Jews; Satan was their guide, and they followed him.

The second is, " When he shall be judg^, let him be condemned;" — ^ft'nd no mSrcy, no favour, at. the judge's hands; thus, when Judas, accused and condemned by his own conscience, went to the high priest, who had bribed lum, he- would not acquit him; and /«- daSi'iii despair and grief for his sin', "went ont and hanged himself."

The third, " Let his prayer becomil sin:* He turned his ear fh>m hearing God, ^ffttJ then should God hear him? 'No prayer is acceptable to God bat.through Christ, snd that out of a sincere heart; tiny other prayers become sin.

,Th& fourth is the shortening of their life and bdnoor.

1. ** Let his. days be few:" Length of days is promised only to the obedient, and is a blessing: bat the prayer, is that this- mar(*s life be a a^ert one, and m Judas'S vw.

. H. " And let another take his. office -^ Which most be, applied to Judas, since Su Peter (Acts i. 80) so interprets it; and it is at this day as true of the Jews, for they have no high priest. Another, after the order oi Melchizedeki\i2A succeeded Aaron's, priesthood.

The fifth is—

I.. " Let his children be fatherless," Ac.: WhichfoUows on the former curse. * '

3. " Let his children Be continually Vagabonds, sad b^g*:" And such the Jews are to this day;* and beg- ^^afs they were ibr a long time after the overthrow of Jerusalem. '

The eixth execration is upon his goods^

I. " Let the extortioner catch alf that liQ hath:" Probably the publicans.

3.. <^ And let the strangers spoil his labour:" Which was verified by the scldiers of TUlus, who ripped up the bellies of the captive JewsXo see if they bad swallowed gold.

But the prophet again returns io his chOdren.

1.." Let there be none to extend tnercy Unto him,'* &c.: To be|^, or to want, is a misery; but there ii some comfort in it, when beggars meet with some to relieve it. But the prophet says. Let thero be none to pity hiiti, or his. /ucfaj found none to pity him'. ' 3. Men, because they must die themselves^ desire, if possible, to be iit^mortal 'in their issue. BeHarmine observes that Judas haj no issue; for that Matthias, ^ho came in his place, did hot derive his office from him. Though a posterity of the Jews remained a^ the flesh, yet, in the next generation, their ecclesiastical and^ivil polity was at.an end; and since theirdi^r- ( S7«)

«ion they are without kingi witboiit priest, without sicrir.fice« withoiU alta/, without ephod, and without teFapium, as foretold by Ho^ea.

3. ^ Let the iniquity of his. fathers be remembiisred," ^c.: This imprecation aimwers God^s threat: '* 1 will Visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the. children.?', And this curse has come upon the Jews to the ntteriDOSt ] they are' selfrderoted: /< Let lus blood be upon OS,' and upon our children.'' The. guilt of lus blood is. yet upon them; the iniquity of their fathers is yet remembered;. Ind the sin* of their mother,, the synagogue, is not yet done away. « ^

. He repeats again the sin of their fathers, and thei' sin of the synagogue; this verse being but.tha, exposition of the former. '■*. *

• i. " Let them be before the Lord continually:'' The 'm dieir father and mother committed, never le>t it be Ibtgotten by God. « - *

> 21** That he may cut off tl\e memory," &c.: £x- ^ eept^t be in contempt... 'The prophet having now finished his execrations, acquaints us with the causes of them. •.1.. Their want of pity, to them in distress: ^ Have ye no regard, all ye that pass by V- Lam. L 19* It is bat just then " thait they find judgment without mercy, tjiat would show no mercy."

8. So far from that, ** that he persecuted the* poor

and needy man/' &c., which is the second cause; the

inhumanity of Judcis and the Jews against Christ, who

t&c our sakes he became poor^ jUist we through his

poverty might be rich;", 3 Cfor. ix. 2. The needy

S. The broken in hehrt:- »For hd Was in agony^ and

his soul was troubled, when He sweated great drops of.

' blood; when he cried, " My God, my God!" not with

.compunction or contrition for any fault he had com*

mitted, but from a sense of pain^ and his solicitude for '

the salvation of mankind.

•In this verse there is noted the extreme cruelty and inhumanity of the Jews; for whoevei^ persecutes a' mm, for his life is. inclined to it either from some real or supposed injury, or else through envy:- but Christ was humble and lowly in heart; he went about doing ^;dod',,and yet they persecuted him.

But, thirdly, he complains:, "^ He loved cursing;** > therefore^ it is but reason that he should haye what he loved: ** As he clothed himself with cursing — so let it tfome," &c. No man can love a curse or, hate {i blessing, if it be proposed to the will under the.form of a curse or blessing: but a man is said to love a curse when he follows a wicked course, and avoids the blessing of a good life. This Judas and the Jews did: J^ti^toj, by gloving money more than his M^ter; the Jews, by — " Let his blood,." &c.

Neque enim lex justior ulla est, iio.

It is just that a man should suffer for his own wicked

' inventions; But the prophet -adds, Let it sit close to

bim as a garment; }et it be converted into his suh-^

stance: let him carry it perpetnaUy, Sic,

• 1. "As he clothed himself with cursing," &c. As in clothes he delights in. ' 2. "So le^ it come as waters," &c.,As the stomach cpnoocts and turns every thing into the very flesh

of the ^animal; so let his cvfse be eonmted into hife iMire iuid manners.

Z. ** Let it come as oil into Ms bones,** &e. Oil will pierce the bones; wafer will nqt.

This corse most he of great efficacy; he most al* ways canry it.

. For a garment some read pcUmm; a cloak that a man puts pff at home,' and calls for when he goes abroad: thus, let God set an outward mark upon him; let him be known as a cast-away.

It Doeg were the tyye cfJudas^ as most agree, in this Psalm, then by the girdle might be understood cingulum- mt/t/ore, the military girdle, whieh, while they were of that profession, they cast' not off rapd he|: Boeg, being a military man* the curse was to cleaves to him, and compass him as his girdle. * ' -.

The prophet concludes this pairt of the Psalm w^th " an exclaBQation, as being -persuaded his curses wen jQOt in, vain.

" Let this be the reward of piine adversaries^" &c.) who say that I am* a deceiver, and deny me to be the Saviour of the world.

IIL The prophet now turns fimnp curses to prayer; and in the person of Christ, directs it to God ioT pro^ tection and deliveiaace both of himself and the whole Chorch. ' '

/ 1. ** But do thou for me," &c. He ^j^ help againsi his persecutors on these three grounds: L because his Lord yrzA Jehbvahy the'fountain of all being and^ power. 3. Because it would be fdf his honour: '^Do it for thy name's sake.". Thy faithfulness and good'* ness-to the Church, and justice in excepting, vengeance on her enemies. 3. Do it, because thy mercy is good ^-rcasily inclined to succour the miserable.

1.. " Deliver me," for -I ^m destitute of all human help.

3. " Deliver me," for my heart is- wounded within me* And to these he adds many other reasons; and uses

twd similes, the one drawn ftom the shadoW of Che evening, the other from the locust,

*1. "Lam gone like a shadow," &c. Which passes away in a moment -silently: so Was Christ led' away as a prisoner,.without any murmur: " He wacs led as a lamb," &c.; Isa. iiii^ ' Thus the sipostles and max-^ tyrs died patiently. -

3.^"1 im tossed up and- down as the locust.^ PVom one tribunal to.another* as the locust cairied from place to place, Exod. x. 13, 19. ' Secondly, he reaaibns'from4iis bodily debiUty.

1. "My knees are weak. through fasting." The. little sustenance Christ took before his passion, and his watching in prayer all night.

3. " And my flesh faileth of fatness," through the excess of his fatigue, and the anguish of his Spirit: thus he could not bear his cross..

3. A third reason why God should pity and deliver is drawn from the opprobrious usage and the scorn they put upon him, than which there is nothing mors 679, *.

, jQbfuI to a^AlgenaouB wad nMe nature: " I^fm \m come also a reproach onto ' them,'* Ac. The /f|v: GoBpek are an vnpie conunent upon this Terse. "^ The second pa^t of hia prayer is for a speedy resnrlecttoit: <*l{elp me, O Lord my 'God: O saYC me," &c. - And he supports his petition, with a strong reason, dti||ii ^m the final cause:.^SaTe me, that they may knb^iir," &c. That all men, i^e Jews especially, may be convinced by my* rising again, in despite of the watch and the. seal, tha.t it was ||»t their malice and power that brought me to this ignominious death, but that my paasioA, sutfering, and death proceede^^

Aom. i. 4. And in the uose of his prayer he sings a triumph oyer his enemies, the devils JwiaSy.the Jews^ Ihose bitter enemies to him. and his Church;

mm endeaToiir by every means to destroy my kingdom;.

VBut/Met them be ashamed." Confounded that

theff wishes are frustrated.

4.!'But let (hy'serv^ant (which condition Christ took upon himself) rejoice;" because thy name is thereby glorified.

And he continues his execrations by way of explajiation: *' Let mine adversaries," Ac, be confounded at the last day, for their ingratitude and malice, before angels and men.

IV. He closes all with thanks, which be t>ppoee8 to •the confusion -of the wicked.

3.- " I will praise him among the multitude." Be-

For which he assigns this reason, — • U." He shall stand at the right hand t>rthe poor." That iBy such ar are po^r in spirii, who ask and find mercy from God: to such I will be as a shield and buckler.

3. **:! %will stand at the right hapd of. the* poor, to save him," Ac. From the devil add all his tnsthimenta. Christ is the all-covenng shield of his Chuich: ' ^ He hath blotted out the handwriting of ordinances,-^ &c. So that, cum a mundo damnamur, a Chrialo sbsolvemur. '* When we ate condemned liy the worlli we -are -abeolved by Christ'*

T%e Messiah sits in Ait kingdom^ the right hand of God, his enemies being fubdued under huUf I, S« Thi nature dnd3fi0ei}t <>/ his government, 2. His everlhsting priesthood, 4. His execution of justice andjudg* ment, 0*, 6u 7ne reason en which aU4his is, founded, his passion and exaltation, 7*.

I^HE * Lord sai4 uiUo my Lord, Sit thou at iny right hand, until i make thine enemies fliy footstool..

NOTES ON PSALM ex. The Hebrew, and all the Versions, except. the Arabic, attribute this Psalm to David: nor can thi^ be doubted, as it is thus attributed in tiie New Testament; aee the jdaces in ihe* margin. We have in it the celebration of some gfeaX potentate's accession to the erown; but the Mibjectis so grand, the expressfons so noble, and the object raised so far above what can be called human, that no history has ev^r n^entioned a prince to- whom a literal application of this Psalm can be made. To Jesus Christ alone, to his einerlasting priesthood and government, as Eahg of kings and Lord

' tian religion must derive from this Psalm, have laboured hard and in vain to give it a contrary sense. Some have attributed it to Elifizer, the servant or steward of Abraham; and state that he composed it on the occasion of his master's victory oyer the four kings at the -valley of JShqveh, Gen. xiv. Others say it was done by Daoid, in commemoration of his victory over

Di thy Strength out of Zion: rul^ Davidis, Regia tbou in the tnidst of thine enemies. •

3 ^ Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, ® in the "beauties of holiness ^ from

the Philistines. OtheVs make Solomon the author/ Some refer it to Ifetekiah, and others to Zerubbabel, &o.: but the bare reading of the Psalili wiQ show the vanity of these pretensions. A King is^escribed here who is Da^s Lord, and sits at the right htod of God; a conqueror, reigning at Jerusalem, King from all eternity^— having an everlasting priesthood, Judge of all nations, triumphing over ail potentates, itide&tigable in aU hjs' operations, and successful in aft Iub enterprises.- Wliere has there ever appeared a prince in whom all these characters met! There ncTcr was one, nor is it possible that there er^r can be One socb,, the Person excepted to whom the Psalm is applied by. Ae. authority of the' Holy Spirit himself. That the Jews who lived in the time of our Lord believed this Psalm'to have been written by David, and that it spoke of the Messiah alone, 'is evident from this, that when our Lord' quoted it, and drew arguments from it in favour of his mission, Matt. xxii. 42, they did not attempt to gainsay 'it. St. Peter, Acts iir 34, and Si. 'Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 85.; Heb. i. 13, ▼. 6, 10, tiL

4 The Lord hath swoni, ahd

priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

6 The Lord » at thy right hand shall strike

l^y X. 13, 13, apply it to show that Jeeps is the Messiah. Nor was there any attempt to eontradict them; not even an intimation that they.had misapidied it, or mistaken its meaning. Many of tfie-* later Jews also baVe granted that it applied to the- Messiah j though they dispute its application to Jesus of Nazareth. * All the-eritics and commehtators whoin I have consolfed apply it to our Lord; nor does it appear tp me to be citable of interpretation on any other ground. 9efore I']|kroceed to take a general view of. it, I shall set down the chief of the varunts readings found m the MSS. on this Psalm.,'

Verse 1.. Said unto my Lord. Instead of 'JTkS ladoni, ** my Lord," one MS. seems to have read TVttVh layhotah, '' Jehovah said unto Jehovah,.* Sit thou on my right hand,' " Ac. See De Rossi.

' Ver. 3. Instead of BRp mna lehadrty kodesh, •** in the beauties of holiness," ana '^yyn^ heharerey kodesh, ** in the mountains oT holiness;" is the reading of thirtyfour of Kennicott^s MSS., ^nd fifty-three of those of De Rossi, and also of several printed editions.

Ver. 3. Instead of l/rrh^ yddutheca, " of tfiy youth," T^^' ycdadticha, ** I have begotten thee," is the reJwiiiig» as to the consonants, of sixty-tw6 of KennicotVs and twenty 'three of De RossCs BISS., and of some fmeient editions, with the Septuagint, Arabic, and Anglo-Saxon.

Ver. 4. After the order, 'nn3T SjT al dibrathi, iniDl dtbrmtho, ^His order," is the reading of twehe of ienmcotfs and De Rossi's MSS.

Ver. 6. The Lord, "nK adonait but TlW Yehovah is the reading of a great number of the MSS. in the above, collections.

Var. 6. Instead of D'lia baggoyim, "among the heatbtms" or nations, D*U goyim, " he shaH judge the ' koMen,'*^ is the reading of one ancient MS.

* Ver. 7. For D-T yarim, " he shall lift up," D1T yai^tm, " shall be lifted up," is the reading of jix MSS. and the Syriac.

' Instead of erxi rosh, "the head," wm rosho, "-Hid head," is the reading of two MSS. and the Syriac.

A few add H')hhn halelu Yah, " Praise ye Jehovah;" bat this was probably taken from the beginning of the fbOowing' Psdm.

3 Hi shall judge among the l^cbthen, he shall fill^ the places with the dead bodies; * he shall woiind the* heads over ^inany ^

7 1 He shall. d|lhk of the Jbrook in tMi way; "therefoBft shall he lift up the head.

The learned Venema has taken great pains to ex->,.pound this fsahn: he con^Bers it 4 Divine oracle, partly relatmg to David^s Lord, and partly to Bavid himself., -

■ 1. Davidjs Lord is here inducled to the highest hoqour, r^gal and sacerdotal, with the promiiBe of a most * flourishing' kingdom, founded in Zion, l{ut extending ^ every where, till every enemy should be subdued.* ^^

3. Tha.time in which' this oracle or prophecy tras delivered was probably a IMe after the time when David had brought home the ark, and befor^'he had his wars with the neig^ibouring iddlatrons nations. The kingdom was confirmed in his hand; but it was.not yet ex^ffniei^ 'over the neighbouring nations.

Verse L TVte Lord said 'unto my J&rd]. Jehovah said qpto my Adoni. That David's Lord is the lUsr siah, is confinped by our Lord himself and by the ifp^ ties Peter and Paul, as we have already seen.-

Sit thou at my right hand] This 'idiplies the poa* session of the utmost confidence, power, and pre? eminence. * j

Until I make thine enemies] Jesus shsll reign till all his enemies are subdued, under him. Jesus Christ, as God, ever dwelt in the fulness of the Godhead; but it was as Ood-man that, after his resurrection, he was raised to the right hand of the Majesty on high, ever to appear in the presence of God £ot us.

Verse 2. The rod of thy strength] The Gospel—^ the doctrine of Christ crucified; which is the power-* ful sceptre of the liord thai bought us; is quick and powerful, sharper than anp twlhedged sword; and is the power of God to salvation to all them- that believe.

The kingdom -of our Lord was to be founded in Zion; and thence, by gradual conquests, to be extended over the whole ear^. It was in Zion the preaching of the Gospel first began; and it is by the Gospel that Christ rules, even m the midst of his enemies; for the Gospel extends a moralizing influence over multitudes who do liot receive it to their salvation. '

Verse 3. Thy people shall be wittiug in the day of thy power] This verse has been wofully pervferted; It has been^ supposed to point out the irresistible opor ration of the. grace of God on the souls of the elect, thereby making them willing to receive Christ as their Saviour. Now, whether this doctrine be true or false, it is tiot in this text, nor can it receive the^ smallest countenance from it; There has- been much spok^ii against the doctrine of what is called yr«e tofll by petsons who seem not to Iulto understood the term. Will Is, a free principle. Free wiU is as absurd as hound wtil-; it is not inll if it be not free; and if it be bound it is no wUl, Volitum is essential (o* the being of the soul, «nd to all rational and intellectiikl beings. This is the most ^ssen&d discrimtnation between mattfir and gpirit. Matter can have no cAoM;«;'8PiBiT^h|». Ra^ tiocination is, essential to intellect; and from these vo^ ''Wion is insepafable. God uniformly treats jnan as' a free agent; and on this principle the whole of Divine revelation i? constructed,, as is also the doctrin^ of future rewaida and ppnishments; If man be forced to • b^eve, he believes not at all; it is the fjMrcing power that.believes, not the mocAtne- forced. If he be forced to obey J it is the foiping power that obeys; and he,' as a machine, shows only the etfect of this irresistible' force. If man be incapable of willing good^^ahd niUing etftl, he is incapable of being saved as a rational being; and if he acts only under an ov&rwheUjMng co9n^ fuliion, he is as incapable of being damned. In short, ^his doctrine- reduces him either to a punctum stans, which by the vis tTter/ue. is. Incapable of bein^ moved but as acted upon by foreign influence; or,ii8 an/intellectual being,.to nonentity. " But if the tekt supports the doctrine laid upon it, vain are all these reasonings." Granted. Jjei ua examine the text. The Hebsew ' words are the following: "jS^n 0V2 naii "pj? ammeaha pedaboth beyom cheyltchoj wMch literally translated are, Thy princely people, or Jfree people, in the day of thy fowfr;. and are^hus paraphrased " by the Chaldee: *^. Thy people, O house of IsnOsl, Who willingly labour in the law, thou shait be helped by them in the.dfiy that tiKmgoest to battle." '. ^ *. ' ^ *

The Vulgate: "^With thee is the principle or origin (princiifium) in the day of tl^ power." And this is referred, by its interpreters,, to* the Godhead of Christ; and they illustrate it by John i. 1: Tn principio erat Verbutn,, <* In the beginning was the \y^ord."

The Septut^nt is the^same; and they use the word as St. John ha& it in- the Greek text: Msra (fw 4 a^ fv ^jxepqt TTis dovofwwf (fou* " With thee is the Arche, or principle, in the day of thy power.''

The JEthiopic is the same; and the Arabic nddrly so, but rather more express: *< The government, Aw^Vm riasat, exii^ with ^ee in the day of thy power."

The old Psalter, tJ^UJ^ t^t begpiutpngier in bop of t^i bertu^ Which i\ thus paraphrases: " I, thd fader bor gynnirng with the, begynnyng I and thou, an begjiwyng of al thyng in day of thi vertu."

Cover dale thus: *< In the day of thy powdr shal my people offre the free-wiU offeringes with a holy wor-. ship." So Tindal, Qatdmarderi, Beck, and the Liturgic Version,

. The Bible printed by Barker, the king's printer, 4to. Lend. 1615, renders the whole verse tbos: " Thy people shail come wiUmgly at the time of assembling thine aimy in holy beauty; the*yquth of thy womb shall he as the morning de^."

By the 'authors of the Universal History, voL iif., p 233, the whole passage is thus explained: " The Lord flihall Send the rod, or sceptre, of thy power out of Sibn," i. 6., out of the tribe of Judah: compare Gen. xlik. 30j and Psa. Ixxviii. 66. ' *^ Rule thou over thy free-will peojde;" for none but such, are fit to be Christ's subjects: see Matt. xi. 39.« *" In the midst -of thine enemies,"- Jews and hc^athen^; or, in a apiritnal.sense, the wbrld, the flesh, and the devil.- •<* In the day of thy power," i; e., when all power shal^ be given hii^k, both id heaven and earth; Matt, xxviii. 18. -*' In die beauties of holineBS,** which is the peculiar characteristid of Christ's reign, and of his religion.

None of the ancient Versions, nor of our modem translationi, give any sense to the words that countenances the doctrme above referred to; it merely ex- •presses the character of the people who shall Constitute the kingdom.of Christ, y^} nadab signifies to be free, liberal, willing, noble-; and especially UberoHty ift bringing offerings to the Lord, Exbd. xxv. S; xxxv. 31, 29. And Tl^ nadib signifies a nobteman, n prvhce, - Job Icxi. 8; aiid also libetdlity, n^TJ ftedabah signifies A' free-will offering — ^an (Bering made by superabundant gratitude;' -one not commanded: see Exod. xxxvf. *8; Lev. vii. 16, and elsewhere. New the uy nun^ am nedaboth.ia^ihe people of liberality-^^the princely, noble, and generous people; Christ's real sohjects; his own children, who form his Church, and are the salt oif the world; tke bountiful people, whe lire only to get good from God that they may do good to man. Is there, has there ever been, any religion Ander heaven that has produced the HberaUty, the kMness, the charity, th&t characterise Christianity t >We6 may the fbllowei^- of Christ be termed the am. neiaio<A— ^e cheerfully beneficent people. Tliey hear his caU, come freely, etSij.willingly, tktCnobly, hyepur^ and obey cheerfully,,. •.

The day of Christ^ s power is' the time of the Grospd, the reign of the Holy Spirit in the souls of his people. Whenever and wherever, the Gospel is preached in sincerity and purity, th^ and thei^e is the day os time of Christ's power. It is the time of his exaltation. The ^ays of \ivs flesh were the days of his weakness; the time of his emdtation is the day of his power.

In the beauties of holiness]: vnp lTin3 behadrey kodesh, ** In the splendid garments of hoUness." ' An allusjdh to the beautiful garments of the- high priest Whatever is intended or expressed by supierb garments, they possess, in holiness of heart and life, indioativs of their Divine birth, noble dispositions, conragey Att* Their garb is such as becomes the children of i a King. Or, They shall appear on the i Ao/tne5«, -bringing glad tidings to Zion..^

From the womb of the mdming] As the' i^ MM from the womb of the morning, so shall all the god^ from thee. They are the dew of -thy youth; they are the offspring of thy own nativity. As the human nature of our Lord wa^ begotten by the creative energy of God in' the womb of the Virgin; so the followers of God are boru) not.of blood, nor of jthe will of the flesh, but by the Divine Spirit.

Youth may be put here, not only fpr young men, but for soldiers;— so the Trojana juventus, ** the Trojan troops,*' qt soldierSf in Vjrigil, iEn. i. yer, 467; — ioi for penona courageoiiB, heroic, strongs 'aotiTO, aftd rigoroiis. Such were the apostles, and first proacl^en of the Gospel;' and, indeed, all genuine Christians. They may bq fully compared to dew, for the fbUowing

8. Like dew, they fructified the earths

3.' Like d^w, they were innomerahle.

4^ Like dew, they wereiUfiused OTer the earth. • *' 5. Like dew, they came from the • morning; the dmwn, the beginnings of the Oospfl ddy of salTation...

1. As the morning arises in the Ea9T, and the nm, which produces it, proceeds to the West; so was the eodiiAg of die Son of man, and of -his disciples and apostles....

S. They began in the East — ^Asia Proper and Asia Minor; and shone unto the WisT-^-Enrope, America, Ae.. Scarcely any part of the' wbrld^iias been hidden ftom the bright and -enlivening power of the Son of Righteou£(nes8; and now this ^orious sun is- walking in the greatness of its strength.i *

Saw ye not the cloud arise* - Little as a human handl ' ' • Now it' spreads along the skies,.. ', Hai)g8 o'er all the thirsty land.. Lo; the promise of a. jAoiref.. Drops already fiom aboye; *

'Womb of the morning; and all the ends of ^e earth are -about to see the salvation of God.