Notes on the Old and New Testaments

their trust in tliee rejoice; let tbem ever shout for joy, because thou 1 def endest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

The wicked have everything to dread, for they must be cut off; but the righteous have every reason to be hai)py, for they shall partake of the favour of God. This is, at the same time, the earnest expression of a desire that they might rejoice, and that the dealings of God with them might be such that they would ever have occasion for joy. ^ Let them even shout for joy. Internal joy or happiness is often expressed by shouting, or singing, as the word here used frequently signifies. The meaning is, that they should give every proper expression to their feeling of joy. This may be done by singing, or by grateful ascriptions of praise and gratitude. ^ Because thou defendest them. While the wicked are cut off (ver. 10). The psalmist, in this expression, doubtless had a primary reference to himself, and to those who adhered to him in his righteous cause; but, as is common in the Psalms, he gives to the sentiment a general form, that it might be useful to all who fear and love God. ^ Let them also that love thy name. Thai love thee — the name being often put for the person. This is but another form of designating the righteous, for it is one of their characteristics that they love the name of God. ^ Be joyful in thee. Rejoice in thee — in thine existence, thy perfections, thy government, thy law, thy dealings, thy service; — in all that thou hast revealed of thyself, and in all that thou doest. Comp. Notes on Phil. iii. 1; iv. 4. It is one of the characteristics of the truly pious that they do find their happiness in God. They rejoice that there is a God, and that he is just such a being as he is; and they take delight in contemplating his pex'fections, in the evidences of his favour and friendship, in communion Avith him, in doing his will.

12 For thou. Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

12. For thou, Lord, tvilt Mess the righteous. It is one of the characteristics of God that, while he will punish the wicked, he will show favour to the righteous; while he brings deserved punishment upon the one, he will show his favour to the other. ^ With favour tvilt thou compass him as with a shield. That is, as a shield is thrown round or before one in the day of battle to protect him, so wilt thou throw thy protection around the righteous. For a description of a shield, see Notes on Eph. vi. 16. Comp. Notes on Ps. iii. 3. On these accounts, David felt that he might trust in God in the day of trouble and danger; and, on the same account, all who are righteous may put their trust in him now.

^ 1. Title of the psalm.— This psalm is inscribed " To the chief IVlusician ou Neginoth upon Sheminitli." On the meaning of the phrase " Chief ]\[usician on Neginoth," see Notes on the title to Ps. iv. The phrase "upon Sheminitli" occurs here for the first time, and modifies the meaning of the title. Tlie word Sheminith — n'^3'*?p'll)— means properly the eighth, and corresponds exactly to our word octave, the eighth. It means in modern music an interval of seven degrees, or twelve semitones. It contains fi ve full tones, and two semitones. It is supposed by Gesenius {Lex.) here to denote " the lowest and gravest notes of the scale, sung by men, the modem bass or basso." The word occurs, in the musical use, m 1 Chi-on. XV. 21, in enumerating various names of musicians, " Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, etc., with harps on the Sheminith to excel;" marg., " or eighth.'' It is also found in the title to Ps. xii. It does not elsewhere occur in reference to music in the Scriptures. It is probably not possible now to ascertain the precise meaning of the word as applicable to ancient music, and it is not important. The phrase ^'- upon the octave" would pi'opcrly bo the true rendering: of it; and this was doubtless quite intelligible at the time. It would be ditRcult to explain many of the musical terms now in us?, after the lapse of two or three thousand years. If the term, however, Avas used, as is supposed by Gesenius, to denote the bass, its meaning is not difficult. It would then mean that the psalm was designed to be sung, accompanied with the instruments desigjiated by Xegt)iot!i, and with the voices appropriate to this octave— the bass voices. The usual bass voice might be supposed to be adapted to the sentiment in the psalm.

^ 2. The author of the psalm. — The psalm purports to have been Avritten by David, and there is nothing in the psalm to lead us to doubt the truth of this representation. It may be assumed, therefore, to be his.

J 3. The occasion on which the psalm was tvrittcn. — In the running title in th-^ English version this psalm is called " David's complaint in his sickness." It is hardly necessary to say that these nianing titles Avere prefixed by the translators, and that there is nothing in the Hebrew that corresponds with tli:s. Still, this has been a very prevailing tradition as to the occasion on which th's psalm Avas composed. Bishop Horsley prefixes this title to it:— "A peniteTitial prayer in the character of a sick t)3rson," and in the exposition of this psalm supposes that the siippliant is a mystical personage, and that the object is to represent the feelings of a penitent under the image of such a personage, or that " the sick person is the believer's soul labouring under a sense of its infirmities and anxiously expecting the ])romised redemption; " the sickness is the depravity and disorder occasioned by the fall of 'man." Luther entitles it "A penitential prayer {Bussqebct), for the health of the body and the soul." De Wette regards it as"the prayer of one oppressed or in trouble, under the image of a sick person; and in this opinion _ Rosenmiiller concurs. Others regard it as a psalm composed in view of sickness, and suppose it Avas Avritten in consequence of sickness brought upon David in consequence of the rebellion of AI)salom. Indeed, there has been a ])retty general concurrence among expositors in the sentiment that, as the tAvo ])revious psalms Avere composed in view of that rebellion, so this Avas also. Cal- A-in supposes that it Avas not composed specifically in view of sickness., but of some great calamity that brought David to feel that he Avas near the borders of the graA-e, and that was thus the means of bringing the sins of liis past life impressively to his remembrance.

In this uncertainty, and tliis Avant of positive testimony as to the occasion Avhen the psalm Avas composed, it is natural to look to the psalm itself, and to inquire whether there are any internal indications Avhich Avill enable us to determine Avith any degree of probability the circumstances of the Avriter at the time of its composition. The psalm, then, has the following internal marks as to the occasion on Avhich it Avas composed:

I. The Avriter was in the midst of enemies, and in great peril on account of them. "Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it Avaxeth old because of all mine enemies," ver. 7. "Depart from me, all ye Avorkers of iniquity," ver. 8. " Let all mine enemies be asliamed and sore Aexcd," ver. 10. "W'e cannot be mistaken, then, in supposing that this Avas at some period in the life of David, Avhen his numerous enemies pressed hard upon him and endangered his life.

II. He was crushed and broken-hearted on account of these trials; he had not strength of body to bear up under the weight of accumulated Avoes; he sank under the burden of these troubles and calamities, and Avas brought near to the grave. There Avere many and formidable external foes Avho thi-eatened his life; and there Avas, on some account, connected Avith this, deep and crushing mental anguish, and •the result Avas actual and dangerous sickness— so that he AA'as led to contemplate the eternal Avorld as near to him. It became a case, therefore, of real sickness caused by peculiar outAvard troubles. This is manifest from such expressions as the following; — " I am weak; heal me: my bones are A'exed" (ver. 2). "In death there is no remembrance of thee; in the graA^e Avho shall give thee thanks.^" (A-er. 5). " I am Aveary with my groaning; I water my couch Avith my tears: mine eye is consumed Avith grief," vei-s. 6, 7. This is such language as Avould be used by one Avho Avas crushed and broken-hearted Avith grief, and who, unable to bear up under the Aveighty load, Avas laid, as the result of it, on a bed of languishing. It is not uncommon that outward troubles become too great for the feeble human frame to bear, and that, crushed beneath them, the body is laid upon a bed of languish-

g anger, neither chasten me in thy '' hot displeasure.

III. The psahnist expresses a feeling which is common in such cases — a deep anxiety on the subject of his own sin, as if these calamities had come upon him on account of his transgressions, and as a punishment for liis sins. This is implied in ver. 1:— "0 Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure." He looked upon this as a rebuke from God, and construed it as an expression of hot displeasure. This is the prompting of natural feeling when one is afflicted, for this inquiry spontaneously arises in the mind, whether the affliction is not on account of some sin which we have committed, and is not to be regarded as proof that God is angry with us. It is an inquiry as proper as it is natural, and David, in the circumstances referred to, seems to have felt its full force.

Taking all these considerations into view, it seems probable that the psalm was composed during the troubles brought upon David in the rebellion of Absalom, and when, crushed by the Aveight of these sorrows, his strength gave Avay, and he was laid on a bed of languishing, and brought near to the grave.

I. A plea of the author for mercy and compassion in trouble, under the appi-ehension that God was rebuking and punishing him for his sins, vers. 1, 2. His deep sufferings, described in the following verses, had, as remarked above, led him to inquire whether it was not on account of his sins that he was afflicted, and whether he ought not to regard his sorrow as proof that God was displeased with him for his sins.

II. A description of his sufferings, vers. 2 — 7. He had been crushed with sorrow, and had become "weak;" his very "bones" were "vexed;" he was draAving near to the grave; he was weary with his groaning; he watered his couch with his tears; his eye was consumed Avith grief. These sufferings were partly bodily and partly mental; or rather, as suggested above, probably his mental sorrows had been so great as to prostrate

III. The assurance that God had heard his prayer, and that he would triumph over all his enemies, and that all his troubles Avould pass away, vers. 8 — 10. Hope breaks in suddenly upon his afflicted soul, and, under this exulting feeling, he addresses his enemies, and tells them to depart from him. They could not be successful, for the Lord had heard his prayer. This sudden answer to praj'er— this happy turn of thought— often occurs in the Psalms, as if, while the psalmist was pleading, an immediate answer to prayer was granted, and light broke in upon the darkened mind.

1. 0 LoED, rebu/ce me not in thine anger. As if God was rebuking him by the affliction which he was bringing upon him. This is the point on which the attention of the psahnist is now fixed. He had been apparently contemplating his afflictions, and inquiring into their cause, and. he was led to the conclusion that it might be for his sins, and that his trials were to be interpreted as proof that God was angry with him. He speaks, therefore, of God as visiting him in his anger, and in his hot displeasure, and pleads with him that he would not thus rebuke and chasten him. The word rebuke here, like the word rendered chasten, properly refers to the reproof of an offender by tvords, but may also be used to denote the reproof which God administers by his providential dealings when he brings judgment upon any one for his sins. This is the meaning here. The psalmist did not apprehend that God would openly reprove him for his sins; but he regarded his dealings with him as such a reproof, and he pleads that the tokens of the reproof might be taken away. The whole language is that which indicates a connection between suffering and sin; the feeling D which we have when we are afflicted that it must be on account of our sins. ^ Neither chasten me. A word denoting substantially the same thing; used here in the sense of punishing. % In thy hot displeasure. Literally, in thy heat. We speak of anger or wrath as burning, ov consuming. Comp. Gen, xxxix. 19; Num. xi. 33; Deut. xi. 17; Ps. cvi. 40; Jobxix. 11; xxxii. 2, 3; Ps. ii. 12.

2. Have mercy upon me, O Loed. That is, be gracious to me; or, show me compassion. This language may be used either in view of sin, of suffering, or of danger. It is a cry to God to interpose, and remove some present source of trouble, and may be employed by one who feels that he is a sinner, or by one on a bed of pain, or by one surrounded by enemies, or by one at the point of death, or by one who is looking out with apprehension upon the eternal world. It is commonly, indeed (comp. Ps. li. 1), a cry to God in view of sin, pleading for pardon and salvation; but here it is a cry in view of trouble and danger, outward sorrow and mental anguish, that had overcome the strength of the sufferer and laid him on a bed of languishing. See introduction to the psalm, § 3. ^ For 1 am weak. The original word here, b^Tphi, umlal, means properly to languish or droop, as plants do that are blighted, Isa. xxiv. 7,^ or as fields do in a drought, Isa. xvi. 8, and is here applied to a sick person whose strength is withered and gone. The condition of such an one is beautifully compared with a plant that withers for lack of moisture; and the word is used in this sense here, as referring to the psalmist himself when sick, as the result of his outward and mental sorrows. Such an effect has not been uncommon in the world. There have been numberless cases where sorrow has prostrated the strength — as a plant withers, —

3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long?

and has brought on languishing sickness. % O Lord, heal me. This is language which would be properly applied to a case of sickness, and therefore it is most natural to interpret it in this sense in this place. Comp. Isa. xix. 22; xxx. 26; Job v. 18; Gen. XX. 17; Ps. Ix. 2; 2 Chron. xvi. 12; Deut. xxviii. 27. If For my bones are vexed. The word vexed we now commonly apply to mental trouble, and especially the lighter sort of mental trouble, — to irritate, to make angry by little provocations, to harass. It is used here, however, as is common in the Scriptures, in reference to torment or to anguish. The bones are the strength and framework of the body, and the psalmist means here to say that the very source of his strength was gone; that that which supported him was prostrated; that his disease and sorrow had penetrated the most firm parts of his body. Language is often used in the Scriptures, also, as if the bones actually suffered pain, though it is now known that the bones, as such, ai*e incapable of pain. And in the same manner, also, language is often used, though that use of the word is not found in the Scriptures, as if the marroio of the bones were peculiarly sensitive, like a nerve, in accordance with what is the common and popular belief, though it is now known that the marrow of the bones is entirely insensible to suffering. The design of the psalmist here is to say that he was crushed and afflicted in every part of his frame.

3. My soul is also sore vexed. The word soul here is used in the sense in which it is commonly with us, as denoting the mind. The idea is, that his sorrows were not merely those of the bodily frame. They had a deeper seat than even the bones. His mind, his soul, was full of anguish also, in view of the circumstances which surrounded him, and which had brought

5 ' For in death there is no remembrance of thee; in the grave '" who shall give thee thanks?

on these bodily afflictions. ^ But thou, O Lord. This is a broken sentence, as if he had commenced an address to God, but did not complete it. It is as if he had said, " Here I suffer and languish; my sorrows are deep and unmitigated; as for thee, O Lord" — as if he were about to say that he had hoped God would interpose; or, that his dealings were mysterious; or, that they seemed strange or severe; but he ends the sentence by no language of complaint or murmuring, but by simply asking " hoio long" these sorrows were to continue. ^ Hoio long? That is, how long wilt thou leave me thus to suffer? How long shall my unmitigated anguish continue? How long will it be ere thou wilt interpose to relieve me? The language implies that in his apprehension it teas already a long time — as time usually seems long to a sufferer (comp. Job vii. 2 — 4), and that he was constantly looking out for God to interpose and help him. This is language such as all persons may be inclined to use on beds of pain and languishing. It seeius indeed long to them now; it will, however, seem short when they look back upon it from the glories of the heavenly world. Comp. 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18.

4. Retu7'n, O Loed, deliver my soul. As if he had departed from him, and had left him to die. The word soul in this place is used, as it often is, in the sense of life, for in the next verse he speaks of the grave to which he evidently felt he was rapidly descending. \0 save me. Save my life; save me from going down to the grave. Deliver me from these troubles and dangers. ^ For thy mercies' sake, {a) As an act of mere mercy, for he felt that he had no claim, and could not urge it as a matter of right and justice; and (5) in order that God's mercy might be manifest, or because he was a merciful Being, and might, therefore, be appealed to on that ground. These are proper grounds, now, on which to make an appeal to God for his interposition in our behalf; and, indeed, these are the only grounds on which we can plead with him to save us.

5. For in death. In the state of the dead; in the grave. Tf There is no re^nemhrance of thee. They who are dead do not remember thee or think of thee. The ground of this appeal is, that it was regarded by the psalmist as a desirable thing to remember God and to praise him, and that this could not be done by one who was dead. He prayed, therefore, that God would spare his life, and restore him to health, that he might praise him in the land of the living. A sentiment similar to this occvxrs in Ps. XXX. 9, " What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?" So also Ps. Ixxxviii. 11, " Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?" So also in Isaiah xxxviii. 18, in the language of Hezekiah, " The grave cannot praise thee; death cannot celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth." See Notes on that passage. A similar sentiment also is found in Job x. 21, 22. See Notes on that passage. In regard to the meaning of this it may be remarked (a) that it is to be admitted that there was among the ancient saints much less light on the subject of the future state than there is with us, and that they often, in giving utterance to their feelings, seemed to speak as if all were dark beyond the grave, {b) But, though they thus spoke in their sorrow and in their despondency, they also did, on other occasions, express their belief

6 I am weary with my groaning; 1 all the night « make I my

in a future state, and their expectation of happiness in a coming world (comp., for example, Ps. xvi. 10, 11; xvii. 15.) {c) Does not their language in times of despondency and sickness express the feelings which ioe often have now, even with all the light which we possess, and all the hopes which we cherish? Are there not times in the lives of the pious, even though they have a strong prevailing hope of heaven, when the thoughts are fixed on the grave as a dark, gloomy, repulsive prison, and so fixed on it as to lose sight of the world beyond? And in such moments does not life seem as precious to us, and as desirable, as it did to David, to Hezekiah, or to Job? 1" In the grave. Heb., 51^11)3, in Sheol. For the meaning of the word, see Notes on Isa. v. 14; xiv. 9; Job vii. 9. Its meaning here does not differ materially from the word grave. % Who shall give thee thanks ^ Who shall praise thee? The idea is that none would then praise God. It was the land of silence. See Isa. xxxviii. 18, 19. Tliis language implies that David desired to praise God, but that he could not hope to do it in the grave.

. 6. / am %veary tcith my groaning. I am exhausted or worn out with it. That is, his sorrows were so deep, and his groaning was so constant, that his strength failed. He became faint under the weight of his sorrows. All persons in trouble have experienced this eff'ect — the sense of weariness or exhaustion from sorrow. \ All the night make I my hed to swim. That is, he wept so much that his bed seemed to be immersed in tears. This is, of course, hyperbolical language, expressing in a strong and emphatic manner the depth of his sorrows. ^ livater my couch with my tears. The word here rendered ivater means to melt, to flow down; then, in Hiph., to cause to flow, to dissolve. The sense here is, that he caused his couch to floiv or overflow with his tears. We would say, he flooded his bed with tears. This verse discloses the true source of the trials referred to in the psalm. It was some deep mental anguish — some source of grief — that " exhausted his strength, and that laid him on a bed of languishing. No circumstances in the life of David better accord with this than the troubles which existed on account of the ungrateful and rebellious conduct of Absalom, and it is most natural to refer it to this. Many a parent since the time of David has experienced all, both mental and bodily, which is here described as a consequence of the ingratitude and evil conduct of his children. The tragedy of " Lear" turns entirely on this.

7. Mine eye is consumed. The word here rendered consumed — 12J^J7, «- shash — means properly to fall in, to fall away, and is applied here to the eye as pining or wasting away from care, anxiety, and sorrow. Tears were poured forth from the eye, and it seemed to be exhausting itself in this manner. The meaning is, that it had grown dim, or that its sight began to fail, like that of an old man, on account of his troubles. Many have understood the word here rendered eye as referring to the countenance; but it is doubtful whether the word ever has this signification; and at any rate the common signification, referring it to the eye, best suits this connection. ^ It ivaxeth old. It seems to grow old; it experiences the effects commonly produced by age in blunting the power of vision. This is not an uncommon effect of grief and sadness. Even while I am writing this I am called in my pastoral visitations to attend on a young lady lying on a bed of languishing, and probabl;^ of death, one of whose symptoms is a quite diminished, and indeed almost

8 " Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity: for the

9 The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.

total loss of vision, as the effect of trouble and disease. ^ Because of all mine enemies. From the trouble which they have brought upon me. The reference here, according to the interpretation proposed of the psalm, is to Absalom and those who were associated with him. Their conduct had been such as to bring upon David this overwhelming tide of sorrows.

8. Depart from me, all ye loor Jeers of iniquity. Referring, by the "workers of iniquity," to his enemies, as if they now surrounded him, and calling on them noio to leave him, since God had heard his prayer, and they could not be successful in their purposes. This is an indirect but most emphatic way of saying that God had heard his prayer; and the sentiment in this verse is strongly in contrast with the desponding state of feeling — the deep and dreadful sorrow — indicated in the previous verses. Light broke in suddenly upon him; his prayer had come up before God, and, in some way, he was assured that it would be answered. Already he sees his enemies scattered, and his own cause triumphant; and in this exulting feeling he addresses his foes, and commands them to leave him. This is, therefore, a remarkable and striking proof that prayer may be heard, even while we are speaking to God (comp. Isa. Ixv. 24); that the assurance may be conveyed suddenly to the mind that God will hear and answer the prayer which is addressed to him; and also a beautiful illustration of the effect of this on a mind overwhelmed with trouble and sorrow, in giving it calmness and peace. ^ For the LoED hath heard. That is, my prayer has ascended before him, and I am certain that he regards it favourably, and will answer it. In what way he had this assurance he does not inform us. As he was an inspired man, we may suppose that the assurance was given to him directly by the Holy Spirit. We are not to expect the same kind of assurance that our prayers are heard; we are to look for no revelation to that effect; but there may be as real an intimation to the mind that our prayers are heard — as real evidence — as in this case. There may be a firm confidence of the mind that God is a hearer of prayer now coming to the soul with the freshness of a new conviction of that truth; and there may be, in trouble and sorrow, a sweet calmness and peace breathed through the soul — an assurance that all will be right and well, as if the prayer were heard, and such as there would be if we were assured by direct revelation that it is heard. The Spirit of God can produce this in our case as really as he did in the case of David. % The voice of my loeeping. The voice of prayer that accompanied my weeping, or the voice of the weeping itself — the cry of anguish and distress which was in itself of the nature of prayer.

9. The LoED hath heard my supplication. Repeating the sentiment in the previous verse, to express his assurance and his joy. Nothing is more natural in such circumstances than to dwell on the joyous thought, and to repeat it to ourselves, that it may make its full impression. ^ The LoED ivill receive my prayer. As lie has done it, so he will still do it. This allays all fears of the future, and makes the mind calm. The state of mind here is this: — " The Lord has heard my prayer; I am assured that he will do it hereafter; I have, therefore, nothing to fear."

10 Let all mine enemies be asliamed and sore vexed: let

they shall be ashamed of their conduct. The wish is that they raight be brought to see their own guilt — a wish certainly which it is right to cherish in regard to all evil-doers. ^ And sore vexed. Comp. Notes on Ps. V. 10. The same Hebrew word is used here which occurs in vers. 2, 3, and rendered vexed. It is a word which denotes trouble, trembling, consternation; and the meaning here is, that the psalmist prayed that they might be confounded or disconcerted in their plans — a prayer which is certainly proper in regard to all the purposes of the wicked. No one should desire that the purposes of the wicked should prosper; and not to desire this is to desire that they may be foiled and overcome in their schemes. This must be the wish of every good man. % Let them return. Turn back, or be turned back; that is, let them be repulsed, and compelled to turn back from their present object. *^ And he ashamed suddenly. Heb., " In a moment;" instantaneously. He desired that there might be no delay, but that their discomfiture might be accom- J)lished at once. As it was right to pray that this might occur, so it was right to pray that it might occur without delay, or as speedily as possible. The sooner the plans of sinners are confounded, the better.

§ 1. Author of the psalm. — This psalm, accordmg to the title, was composed by David; and there is nothing in it that is contrary to this supposition. Indeed, there were many circumstances in the life of David Avluch would suggest the thoughts in this psalm; and the sentiments expi-essed are such as are frequently found in his other compositions.

§ 2. Occasion on which the psalm was composed. — The psalm is said in the title to have been composed as " a song to the Lord, concerning the words (Marg., 'or busmess,') of Cush the Benjamite." There is no reason to call the correctness of this title in question, but there have them return.and be asliamed suddenly.

been very various opinions as to who this Cush was. It is manifest from the psalm that it was composed in view of some " words " of reviling, or i-eproach, or slander; something that was done to wovmd the feelings, or to injure the reputation, or destroy the peace of David. There have been three opinions in regard to the Cush here refen-ed to. (1.) According to the first, Saul is the person intended; and it has been supposed that the name Cush is given to him as a reproach, and to denote the blackness of his character, as the word Cush would denote an Ethiopian, or black man. So it was understood by the author of the Targum or Chaldee Paraphrase, in which it is rendered "an ode which David sang before the Lord on the death of Saul, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin." But this opinion has no probability. It is not certain that this term Cush would, in the time of David, denote one of black complexion; nor is there any probability that it would be used as a term of reproach at all; and as little probabilitv is there that it would be applied by David to Saul if it had been. If the psalm referred to Saul, it is probable, from all that we knoAV of the feelings of David towards the reigning prince, that he would not designate him, in the title of a psalm, in enigmatical and reproachful language. Besides, the injurious treatment of Saul towards David was rather manifested in deeds thaninw'0)T/5. (2.) A second opinion is, that it refers to Shimei, who was of the house of Saul, and who reproached and cursed David as he was flying from Jerusalem on occasion of the rebellion of Absalom, 2 Sam. xvi. 5, seq. It is sup^- posed by those who maintain this opinion that the name was given to hini because he was a calumniator and reviler— or, as we would say, a blackhearted man. But the same objection exists to this opinion as to that before-mentioned; and besides tliis, there are several things in the psalm which do not agree with such a supposition. In fact there is no reason for such a supposition, except that Shimei Avas a calumniator, and that the psalm refers to some such person. (3.) A third opinion is, that it refers to some one of the name Cush, of the tribe of Benjamin, _who reproached David on some occasion that is now imkno^Aii.

This opinion has every degree of probability, and is undoubtedly the correct opinion. David was often reproached and calumniated in his life, and it would seem that, on some occasion now to us unknown, when he was violently reproached in this manner, he gave vent to his feelings in this impassioned ode. No other record was made of the transaction, and the occasion on which it occurred is not known. At the time when it occurred it would be easily understood who was referred to, and the design of the composition was accomplished by the record of the feelings of the author on an occasion that greatly tried his spirit. It is thus of permanent value to the church and the world, for there are few persons that are not on some occasions bitterly reproached, and few who are not disposed to vent their feelings in expressions similar to those in this psalm. One great design of the collection of poems in the Psalms was to show the workings of human nature hi a great variety »f situations; and hence such a psalm as this has a permanent and general value; and so far as this general use is concenied, it matters little on what occasion, or in reference to what individual, the psalm was composed.

I. A prayer of the psalmist for deliverance from his enemies, and especially from this particular foe that threatened his destruction, vers. 1, 2..This is the general subject of the psalm.

IT. He offers this prayer on the ground that he is innocent of the charges that are brought against him;— relying thus on the fact fhat his was a righteous cause, and appealing to God on this ground, and declaring his willingness to suffer all that his enemy attempted to bring upon him if he was guilty, vers.

III. He prays for the interposition of Divine justice on his enemies, on the ground of the general justice of God, and as a part of his general administration over men, vers. 6—9.

IV. In his own hopes, he ti'usts in the Divine discrimination between innocence and guilt, assured that God would interpose on behalf of the righteous, and that the principles of the Divine administration wei-e opposed to the wicked,

V. He speaks confidently of the ultimate destruction of the ungodly and of the manner in which it would be brought about, vers. 12 — 16. If they did not turn, they must be certamly destroyed, for God was preparing the instruments of their destruction; and the means which he would use Avould be the very plans of the wicked themselves.

VI. The psalmist says that, as for himself, he would praise the Lord according to his righteousness; that is, would adore and praise him as a righteous God, ver. 17.

The general subject of the psalm, therefore, pertains to the feelings which are to be entertained towards revilers and calumniators — towards those who reproach us when we are conscious of innocence of the charges that are alleged against us; and as all good men are liable to be placed in these circumstances, the psahn has a practical and general value.

H. The title to the psalm. -The psalm is entitled '■'■ Shiggaion of David." The word Shiggaion — "jl^S^'— occui-s only in this place in the singular number, and in Hab. iii. 1 in the plural. "A prayer of Habakkuk upon Shigionoth." It properlj' means a song, psalm, hymn (Gesenius). Prof. Alexander renders it "wandering, error," as if the word were derived from nri©*, shagah, to walk, to go astray; and he supposes that it refers to the fact that David was wandering or unsettled at the time when the psalm was composed. This reason, however, will not apply to the use of the woi-d in Habakkuk.. Solomon Van Til. (Ugolin, Thesau. Sac. Ant., vol. xxxii. pp. 294, 295), supposes that it refers to "a certain inadvertence or oblivion of himself on the part of the author, or powei-ful seizure of the mind," — animi abrcptio. He says that it is commonly supposed to indicate a poem, in which the poet is impelled by his feeluigs, and drawn along with little regard to the regularity of the numbers or the metre, but in which he pours out his emotions in an erratic or irregular manner from the overflowing of his soul. This seems to me to have been the probable origin of this title, and to have denoted the kuid of poetry to which it was applicable. Julius Bartoloccius (Ugolin, xxxii. 484) supposes that it refers to a certain tone (the "fifth tone") as peculiarly sweet and soft., and that this kind of poetry Avas thus applicable to hymns of joy; and that the term is used here because this psalm is peculiarly sweet and pleasant. There is nothing in

Sliiggaion q of David, wliicli he sang unto the Lurd, concernuig i the words of r Cush tlie lienjaniite.

l\ LORD my God, in thee do I ^^ put my trust: save me from all tliem tliat persecute me, and deliver me;

2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is 2 none to deliver.

the psalm, however, which would indicate that this is the origin of the title; and the former supposition better meets the case than either this or the opinion of Professor Alexander. I would regard it, therefore, as applicable to a psalm where there was an overflow of feeling or emotion that poured itself out without much regard to regular rhythm, or the laws of metre. It is a psalm of a icandering or irregular metre. It may not be eas}-, however, to determine why it is particularly applied to this psalm; it is more easy to see why it should be applied to the hjmn in Habakkuk. The Latin Vulgate' and the Septuagint render it simply A psalm.

1. 0 LoED my God, in thee do I flit mif trust. The psalm opens with an expression of strong confidence in God. The psalmist addresses Jehovah as his God, and says that in him he trusts or confides. The word rendered trust — T^'OT[, hhasa — means to flee; to flee to a place; to take shelter; and is applied to taking shelter under the shadow or protection of one (Judg. ix. 15; Isa. xxx. 2; Ps. Ivii. 1; Ixi. 4). The idea here is, that in his troubles he fled to God as a refuge, and felt safe under his protection. % Save me from all them that persecute me. That is, protect my life; res(!ue me from their power. The word 2}ersecnte here refers to those \^ho sought his life, who endeavoured to deprive him of his rights. The language would apply to many occasions in the life of David — to the persecutions whi(th he endured by Saul, by Absalom, etc. In this case the language was suggested by the opposition of Cush tlie Benjamite; and it was this that David had particularly in view. It is probable, however, that, whoever Cush was, he was not alone, but that others were associated with him ui his opposition to David; and it was natural also that, in circumstances like these, David should remember his other persecutors, and pray that he might be delivered from them all. The prayer, therefore, has a general form, and the desire expressed is that which we all naturally have, that we may be delivered from all that troubles us, ^ A7id deliver me. Rescue me. It would seem from this expression, and from the following vei'se, that there was more to be apprehended in the case than mere reproa<!hful rvords, and that his life was actually in danger.

2. Lest he. Lest Cush should do this. See the title, and the introd. to the psalm, § 2. ^ Tear my soul like a lion. Tear or rend my life — that is, me — like a lion. The word rendered soul liere — "iDpD. nephesh — refers, as it properly dues elsewhere, to the life, and not to the soul, as we use the term, denoting the thinking, immortal part. The simple idea is, that David was apprehensive of his life, and, in order to indicate his great peril, he uses language derived from the fierceness of the lion. Such imagery would be well understood in a country where lions abounded, and nothing could more strikingly denote the danger in which David was, or the fierceness of the wrath of the enemy that he dreaded. ^ Rending it in pieces. Rending me in pieces. Or rather, perhaps, breaking or crushing the bones; for the word used — jryB—paraJc (whence our English word break) — means to break, to crush, and would apply to the act of the lion crushing' or breaking the bones of his victim as he devoured it. ^ While there is none to deliver. Denoting the complete destruction which he feared would come upon him. The figure is that of a solitary man seized

3 0 Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;

4 If I have rewarded evil unto

him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy;)

ly a^powerful lion, with no one at hand to rescue him. So David felt that if God did not interfere, he would fall into the hands of this fierce and wrathful enemy.

3. O Lord my Ood. A solemn appeal to God as to the sincerity and truth of what he was about to say. ^ If I have done this. This thing charged upon me; for it is evident that Ciish, whoever he was, had accused him of some wrong thing — some wicked action. What that was can only be learned from what follows, and even this is not very specific. So far as appears, however, it would seem to be that he accused David of bringing evil, in some way, upon one who was at peace with him; that is, of wantonly and without provocation doing him wrong, and of so doing wrong that he had the avails of it in his own possession — some spoil, or plunder, or property, that he had taken from him. The charge would seem to be, that he had made a wanton and unprovoked attack on one who had not injured him, and that he had taken, and had still in his possession, something of value that properly belonged to another. Whether the accuser {Cush) in this referred to himself or to some other person, does not appear clear from the psalm; but as he was filled with rage, and as the life of David was endangered by him, it would 'seem most probable that the reference was to himself, and that he felt he had been personally wronged. The design of David, in the passage now before us, is to deny this charge altogether. This he does in the most explicit manner, by saying that this v.as so far from being true, that he had, on the contrary, delivered the life of him that was his enemy, and by adding that, if this were so, he would be willing that the injured man should persecute and oppose him, and even trample his life down to the earth. ^ If there he iniquity in my hands. That is, if there is the iniquity referred to; or, in other words, if he had in his possession what had been wrongfully taken from another, to wit, as appears, from this Gush who now accused him. The word iniquity here denotes an unjust poS' session — a property that had been unjustly taken from another; and, as remarked above, the slanderous charge would seem to have been, that he had taken that property from some one who was at peace with him, and that he retained it contrary to justice. This charge David means peremptorily to deny.

4:. If I have rewarded evil unto him that toas at peace with me. If I have done evil; or if I have requited him that was friendly by some unjust and evil conduct. If I have come upon him wantonly and unprovoked, and have done him wrong. This seems to have been the substance of the accusation; and, as remarked above, it is most probable that the accuser ( Cush) referred to himself. ^ Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy. So far is this from being true, that the very reverse is true. So far from taking advantage of another that was at peace with me, and depriving him of his just rights by fraud 'or force, it is a fact that I have rescued from impending danger the man that was at war with me, and that was an avowed enemy. It would seem probable that in this he refers to this very Cush, and means to say that there had been some occasion in which he, who was long hostile to him, was wholly in his power, and when he had not only declined to take advantage of him, but had actually interposed to rescue him from danger. An instance of this kind actually occurred in the life of David, in bis D 2

5 Let the enemy persecute my soul, iind take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in

treatment of Saul (1 Sam. xxiv. 10, 11); and it is possible that David referred to that case, and meant to say that that was an indication of his character, and of his manner of treating others. Those who suppose that the whole psalm refers to Saul (see the introduct., § 2), of course regard this as the specific case referred to. There may have been other instances of the same kind in the life of David, and there is no improbability in supposing that on some occasion he had treated this very man, Gush, in this way, and that he refers here to that fact.

5. Let the enemy persecute my soul. Persecute my life, for so the word rendered soul, ^Tpj. nephesh, is evidently used here. He was willing, it' he liatl been guiltyofthething charged upon him, that the enemy here referred to should pursue or persecute him until lie should destroy his life. Compare with this the expression of Paul in Acts xxv. 11. The meaning here is simply that if he were a guilty man, in the manner charged on him, he would be willing to be treated accordingly. He did not v/ish to screen himself from any just treatment; and if he had been guilty he would not complain even if he were cut o(f from the land of the living. ^ And take it. Take my life; put me to death. ^ Yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth. The allusion here is to the manner in which the vanquished were often treated in battle, when they were rode over by hordes, or trampled by men into the dust. The idea of David is, that if he was guilty he would be willing that his enemy should triumph over him, should subdue him, should treat him with the utmost indignity and scorn. % And lay mine honour in the dust. All the tokens or marks of my honour or distinction in life. That is, I am willing to be utterly degraded and humbled, if I have been guilty of this conduct towards him who is my enemy. The idea in all this is, that David did not wish to screen himself from the treatment which he deserved if he had done wrong. His own principles were such that he would have felt that the treatment here referred to would have been right and proper as a recompense for such base conduct; and he would not have had a word to say against it. His desire for the interposition of God, therefore, arose solely from the fact of his feeling that, in these respects, he was entirely innocent, and that the conduct of his enemy was unjust and cruel, % Selah. A musical pause, not atfecting the sense, but introduced here, perhaps, because the sense of the psalm now demanded a change in the style of the music. See Notes on Ps, iii, 2.

6. Arise, O Lord, in thine anger. That is, to punish him who thus unjustly persecutes me. See Notes on Psalm iii. 7. "H Lift vp thyself. As if he had been lying in repose and inaction. The idea is derived from a warrior who is called on to go forth and meet an enemy. % Because of the rage of mine enemies. Not only of this particular enemy, but of those who were associated with him, and perhaps of all his foes. David felt, on this occasion, that he was surrounded by enemies; and he calls on God to interfere and save him. ^ And awake for me. Or, in my behalf. The word awake is a still stronger expression than those which he had before used. It implies that one had been asleep, and insensible to what had occurred, and he addresses God as if He had thus been insensible to the dangers which surrounded him. ^ To the judgment that thou hast commanded. To execute the judgment which thou

of tlie rage of mine enemies; and awake < for me to tlie judgment that thou liast commanded.

7 So shall the congregation of

the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high.

8 The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, ac-

hast appointed or ordered. That is, God liad, in his law, commanded that justice should be done, and had proclaimed himself a God of justice — I'equiring that right should be done on the earth, and dechu-ing himself in all cases the friend of right. David now appeals to him, and calls on him to manifest himself in that character, as executing in this case the justice which he required under the great principles of his administration. He had com uauded justice to be done in all cases. He had required that the wicked should be punished. He had ordered magistrates to execute justice. In accordance with these great principles, David now calls on God to manifest himself as the friend of justice, and to show, in this case, the same principles, and the same regard to justice which he required in others. It is an earnest petition that he would vindicate his own principles of administration.

7. So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about. That is, as the result of thy gracious interposition in defending the righteous, and in bringing just judgment on the wicked, Tlie meaning is, that such an act would inspire confidence in him as a just and holy God, and that, as the result, his people would gather round him to express their gratitude, and to render him praise. In other words, every act of justice on the part of God — all his interpositions to defend his people, and to maintain the principles of righteousness and truth — tend to inspire confidence in him, and to increase the number of his friends. The phrase " the congregation of the people," here, does not necessarily refer to any "congregation," or assembly as such, then existing; but it means that a great congregation — a great multitude — would thus encompass him, or that great numbers toould worship him as the result of his interposition. This the psalmist urges as a motive, or as a reason why God should interpose, that in this way the number of his worshippers would be greatly increased. *^ J^^or their saTces. On their account; or to secure tliis result in regard to them. ^ lieturn thou on high. The most probable meaning of this is "ascend thy throne of justice, or thy judgment-seat;" spoken here either as a king ascending his elevated throne (compare Isa. vi. 1), or as ascending to heaven, the place where he dispensed justice. The language is as if he had come down from his throne — as if he had not been engaged in dispensing justice; and David now calls on him to reascend the throne, and to execute righteous judgment among men. The effect of this, he says, would be to secure the confidence of his people, and to increase the number of those who would worship him. Of course, this is not to be understood literally, but in a manner appropriate to the Divine majesty. It is language, in this respect, similar to that which is elsewhere used, when the psalmist calls on God to aivake, to arise, to I ft up himself. See ver. 6. Such language is easily understood; and language drawn from the common modes of speaking among men must be used when we speak of God. The whole idea in this passage is that God seemed to delay in the execution of his judgment, and the psalmist entreats him to hasten it.

8. The Lord shaU judge the people. Expressing his confident belief that God toould interpose, and that his judgment would not much longer be delayed. The proposition is a genei-ai one — that God would see that justice would be done to all people; and on

cording « to my rigliteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

9 Oil let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts "^ and reins.

this ground the psalmist pleads that He would now interpose and defend film from his enemies. ^ Judge me, O LoED. That is, in my present circumstances. Interpose to do justice to my cause, and to vindicate me from these false accusations. ^ According io my righteousness. In this particular case, for to that the proper laws of interpretation require us to confine this. He does not say that he wished liis own righteousness to be made the basis of judgment in determining his eternal welfare, or that he depended on his own righteousness for salvation — for that is not the point in question; but he felt that his was, in this case, a righteous cause; that he was not guilty of the charge alleged against him; that he was an injured, wronged, and calumniated man; and he prayed that God would vindicate him from these charges, and defend him from those who were unjustly persecuting him. With all our sense of personal unworthiness in the matter of salvation, it is not improper, when we are wronged, to pray that God would interpose and vindicate us in that particular case, according to our innocence of the charges alleged against iis. ^ And according to mine integrity that is in me. Heb., my perfection. That is, his perfection in this case; his entire freedom from the charges brought against him; his absolute innocence in respect to the points under consideration. A man may be con^Qiows. oi perfect innocence in respect to a particular matter, and yet have a deep sense of his general unworthiness, and of the fact that he is a sinner against God. That I am innocent of a particular act charged on me does not prove that I am guiltless altogether; that I should allege that, and insist on that, and pray to God to vindicate me in that, does not prove that I depend on that for the salvation of my soul, or that I claim absolute perfection before him.

9. Ohlet theivickedness of the tvicJced come to an end. Of all the wicked; — wickedness not in this particular case only, but wickedness of all forms, and in all lands. The prayer here is a natural one; when a man becomes impressed with a sense of the evil of sin in one form, he wishes that the world may be delivered from it in all forms and altogether. % But establish the just. The righteous. This stands in contrast with his desire iu regard to the wicked. He prays that the righteous may be confirmed in their integrity, and that their plans may succeed. This prayer is as universal as the former, and is, in fact, a prayer that the world luay come under the dominion of the principles of truth and holiness. ^ For the righteous God trielhthe hearts and reins. That is, the hearts and reins of all men. He understands the character of all men; he is intimately acquainted with all their thoughts, and purposes, and feelings. To search or try " the heart and the reins " is an expression frequently used iu the Bible to denote that God is intimately acquainted with all the thoughts and feelings of men; that is, that he thoroughly understands the character of all men. The word " heart " in the Scriptures is often used to denote the seat of the thoughts; and the word " reins " seems to be used to denote the most secret feelings, purposes, and devices of the soul — as if lodged deep in our nature, or covered in the most hidden and concealed portions of the man. The word reins, with us, denotes the kidneys. In the Scriptures the word seems to be used, in a general sense, to denote the inward parts, as the seat of the affection? and passions. The Hebrew word n^^.3. Jiilyah, means the same as the word reins with us, — the kid.

10 1 My defence *" is of God, wliich suveth the upright in

neys, Exod. xxix. 13, 22; Job xvi. 13; Isa. xxxiv. 6; Deut. xxxii. 11, From some cause, the Hebrews seem to have regarded the reins as the seat of the affections and passions, though perhaps only in the sense that they thus spoke of the inward parts, and meant to denote tht^deepest purposes of the soul — as if utterly concealed from the eye. These deep thoughts and feelings, so unknown to other men, are all known intimately to God, and thus the character gf every man is clearly understood by him, and he can judge every man aright. The jjhrase here used — of trying the hearts -ud reins — is one that is often em- ])loyed to describe the Omniscience of 'iod. Comp. Jer. xi. 20; xvii. 10; xx. 12 J Ps. xxvi. 2; cxxxix. 13; Kev. ii. 23. The particular idea here is, that as God searches the hearts of all men, and understands the secret purposes of the soul, he is able to judge aright, and to determine correctly iu regard to their character, or to administer his government on the principles of exact justice. Such is the ground of the prayer in this case, that God, who knew the character of all men, would confirm those who are truly righteous, and would bring the Avickedness of the ungodly to an end. 10. Mij defence is of God. The rr.eaning here is, that God was Lis protector, and that in his troubles he confided in him. The original word here, as in Ps. iii. 3; v. 12, is shield. See Notes on those verses. ^ Which saveth the upright in, heart. Whom lie that searches the heart (ver. 0) sees to be upright; or to be sincere, truthful, just. The writer says that it is a characteristic of God that he saves or protects all such; and, conscious of his innocence of the charges against himself, he here appeals to hmi on that ground, and confides in b5s protection because he sees that in obis respect he was blameless..

11. God judgeth the righteous. That is, he pronounces a just judgment on their behalf; he vindicates their character. It is true, in a general sense, that God judges allaccording to their character; but the particular idea here is, that God will do justice to the righteous; he will interpose to vindicate them, and he will treat them as they ought to be treated when assailed by their enemies, and when reproached and calumniated. The original phrase here is susceptible of two translations; either, God is a righteous judge — or, God is judging, that is judges, the righteous. The sense is not materially varied, whichever translation is adopted. Our common version has probably expressed the true idea; and there the design of the writer is to contrast the manner in which God regards and treats the righteous, with the manner in which he regards and treats the wicked. The one he judges, that is, he does him justice; witli the other he is angry every day. ^ And God is angry with the wicked. The phrase with the tvicked is supplied by our translators, but not improperly, since the writer evidently intends to speak of these in contrast with the righteous. The words God is angry must, of course, be understood in a manner in accordance with the Divine nature; and we are not to suppose that precisely the same passions, or the same feelings, are referred to when this language is used of God which is implied when it is used of men. It means that his nature, his laws, his government, his feelings, are all arrayed against the wicked; that he cannot regard the conduct of the wicked with favour; that he will pnnish them. While his judgment in regard to the righteous must be in their favour, it must just as certainly be against the wicketl; while he will vindicate the one, he will cut off and and God is angry ivith every day.

12 * If lie turn not, lie will

wliet liis sword; he liatli bent his bow, and made it ready.

punish the other. Of the truth of this in respect to the Divine character there can he no doubt. Indeed, we could not honour a God — as we could honour no other being — who would deal with the righteous and the wicked alike, or who would have no respect to character in the treatment of others, and in his feelings towards them. % Every day. Continually; constantly; always. This is designed to qualify the previous expression. It is not excitement. It is not temporary passion, such as we see in men. It is not sudden emotion, soon to be succeeded by a difl'erent feeling when the passion passes off. It is the steady and uniform attribute of his unchanging nature to be always opposed to the wicked, — to all forms of sin; and in him, in this respect, there will be no change. The wicked will find him no more favourable to their character and course of life to-morrow than he is to-day; no more beyond the grave, than this side the tomb. What he is to-day he will be to-morrow and every day. Time will make no change in this respect, and the wicked can have no hope on the ground that the feeling of God towards sin and the sinner (as such) will ever be in any way different from what it is at the present moment. This is a fearful truth in regard to the sinner; and both aspects of the truth here stated should make the sinner tremble;— (a) that God is angry with him— that all His character, and all the principles of His government and law, are and must be arrayed against him; and (h) that in this respect there is to be no change; that if he continues to be wicked, as he is now, he will every day and always— this side the grave and beyond — find all the attributes of God engaged against him, and pledged to l)unish him. God has no attribute that can take part with siu or the sinner.

12. If he turn not. If the wicked person does not repent. In the previous verse the psalmist had said that God is angry with the wicked every day; he here states what must be the consequence to the wicked if they persevere in the course which they are pursuing; tl^t is, if they do not repent. God, he says, cannot be indifferent to the course which they pursue, but he is preparing for them the instruments of punishment, and he will certainly bring destruction upon them. It is implied here that if they ivould repent and turn they would avoid this, and would be saved: — a doctrine which is everywhere stated in the Scriptures. ^ Ho tvili tohet his sioord. He will sharpen his sword preparatory to inflicting punishment. That is, God will do this. Some, however, have supposed that this refers to the wicked person — the enemy of David — meaning that if he did not turn; if he was not arrested; if he was suffered to go on as he intended, he would whet his sword, and bend his bow, etc.; that is, that he would go on to execute his purposes against the righteous. See Kosenmiiller in loc. But the most natural construction is to refer it to God, as meaning that if the sinner did not repent. He would inflict on him deserved punishment. The sivord is an instrument of punishment (comp. Rom. xiii. 4); and to tohet or sharpen it, is merely a phrase denoting that he would prepare to execute punishment. See Deut. xxxii. 41. % He hath bent his bote. The bow, like the sword, was used in battle as a means of destroying an enemy. It is here used of God, who is represented as going foi'th to destroy or punish his foes. The language is derived from tlio customs of war, Comp. Ex. XV. 3; ]sa. Ixiii. 1 — 4. The Hebrew here is, " his bow he has trodden," alluding to theancient mode

13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows y against the persecutors.

14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.

15 1 He made a pit, and digged

of bending the large and heavy bows used in war, by treading on them in order to bend them. ^ And made it ready. Made it ready to shoot the arrow. That is, He is ready to execute punishment on the wicked; or, all the preparations are made for it.

13. He hath also prepared for him. The instruments of punishment are ah-eady prepared, and God can use them when he pleases. They are not io he made ready, and, therefore, there is no necessity for delay when he shall have occasion to use them. The idea is, that arrangements are made for the destruction of the wicked, and that the destruction must come upon them. The world is full of these arrangements, and it is impossible that the sinner sliould escape. ^ The instruments of death. The means of putting them to death j that is, of punishing them. The particular mearis referred to here are arrows, as being what God has prepared for the wicked. Death here is designed simply to denote punishment, as deatli v/ould be inflicted by arrows. ^ He ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. Or rather, as the Hebrew is, " He makes his arrows for burning," that is, " for burning arrows." Horsley renders it, " He putteth his arrows in action against those who are ready for burning." Prof. Alexander, " His arrows to (be) burning he will make." De Wette, " His arrows he makes burning." Lat. Vulgate and Sept., " His arrows he has made for the burning:" — that is, probably for those who are burning with rage; for persecutors. This seems to liave been the idea of our translators. The Hebrew word — p^'T, dalak — — means to burn, to flame; and hence, also, to burn with love, witk anxiety, or with zeal or wrath — as persecutors do. But here the word seems properly to be connected with arrows; and the sense is, as rendered by Gesenius, "he maketh his arrows flaming;" that is, burning — alluding to the ancient custom of shooting ignited darts or arrows into besieged towns or camps, for the purpose of setting them on fire, as well as for the purpose of inflicting greater personal injury. The sense is, that God had prepared the means of certain destruction for the wicked. The reference here is not necessarily to persecutors, but what is said here pertains to all the wicked unless they repent.

14. Behold, he travaileth ivith in' iquity. The wicked man does. The allusion here is to the pains and throes of child-birth; and the idea is, that the wicked man labours or struggles, even with great pain, to accomplish his purposes of iniquity. All his eflbrts, purposes, plans, are for the promotion of evil. \ And hath conceived mischief. That is, he hath formed a scheme of mischief. The allusion here is common when speaking of (orming a plan of evil. ^ And brought forth falsehood. The birth is falsehood; that is, self-deception, or disappointment. It does not mean that falsehood Avas his aim or purpose, or that he had merely accomplished a lie; but the idea is, that after all his eflbrts and pains, after having formed his scheme, and laboured hard (as if in the pangs of childbirth) to bring it forth, it was abortive. He would be disappointed, and would fail at last. This idea is expressed more distinctly in the following verse, and the design of the whole is to say that any plan or purpose of wickedness must be in the end a failure, since God is a righteous Judge, and will vindicate his own cause.

15. He made a pit. The allusion here is undoubtedly to a method of it, and is = fallen into tlie ditcli which lie made.

16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his vio-

lent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

17 I will i)raise the Lord according to his righteousness; and

hunting wild beasts which was common in ancient times. It consists in digging a pit-fall, and covering it over with brush and grass so as to deceive the animals, and then enclosing them and driving them into it. See Notes on Isa. xxiv. 17. ^ And digged it. And hollowed it out so as to be large enough to contain his prey, and so deep that he could not escape if he fell into it. The idea is, that the enemy here referred to had laid a secret and artful plan to destroy others. He meant that tliey should not be aware of his plan until the mischief came suddenly upon them. He was preparing to ruin them, and supposed that he was certain of his prey. \ And is fallen into the ditch whi(;h he made. Into the pit-fall which he had constructed for others; as if a man who had made a pit-fall for wild beasts had himself fallen into it, and could not extricate himself. That is, he had been snared in his own devices; his cunning had recoiled on himself, and instead of bi-iiiging ruin on others he had only managed to bring it on himself See this sentiment illustrated in the Notes on Job v. 13. A remarkable instance of the kind may be found in Esther (chap, v.— vii.), in the case of Haman. Indeed, such things are not uncommon in the world, where the cunning and the crafty are involved in the consequences of their own plans, and are takeu in meshes from which they cannot free themselves. A straightforward course is easy, and men are safe in it; but it requires more skill than most men are endowed with to manage a crooked and crafty policy safely, or so as to be safe themselves in pursuing such a course. A spider will weave a web for flies with no danger to himself, for he is made for that, and acts as if he understood all the intricacies of his own web, and may move safely over it in every direction; but man was made to accomplish his purposes in an open and upright way, not by fraud and deceit; hence, when he undertakes a tortuous and crooked course — a plan of secret and scheming policy — in order to ruin others, it often becomes unmanageable by his own skill, or is suddenly sprung upon himself No one can overvalue a straightforward course in its influence on our ultimate happiness; no one can overestimate the guilt and danger of a crooked and secret policy in devising plans of evil.

16. His mischief. The mischief which he had designed for others. ^ Shall return upon his own head. Shall come upon himself The blow wdiich he aimed at others shall recoil on himself This is but stating in another ibrm the sentiment which had been expressed in the two pre. vious verses. The language here used has something of a proverbial cast, and perhaps was common in the time of the writer to express this idea. ^ And his violent dealing. Which he shows to others. The woi'd rendered violent dealing means violence, injustice, oppression, wrong. ^ Shall come down upon his oicn pate. The word here rendered pate means properly vertex, top, or crown — as of the head. The idea is that it would come upon himself. He would be treated as he had designed to treat others. The sentiment here expressed is found also in Ps. ix. 15; xxxv. 8; xxxvii. 15. Comp. Eurip. Med. 409, and Lucretius v. 1151.

17. Itcill praise the Lord according to his righteousness. That is, particularly as manifested in the treatment of tjjje righteous and the wicked, protecting the one, and bringing deserved punishment upon the other.

will sing praise to tlie name of tlie Lord most high

The purpose of the psalm is to sliow this. In the course of tlie psalm the author had declared his full conviction that this was the character of God, and now, in view of this, he says that he will render to him the praise and glory which such a character deserves. He will acknowledge him by public acts of praise as such a God; and will at all times ascribe these attributes to him. ^ And will sing praise to the name of the Lord. To the name of Jehovah; that is, to Jehovah himself, the namehemg often used to designate a person, or that by which he is known; and also, in many cases, as in this, being significant, or designating the essential nature of him to whom it is applied. ^ Most high. Exalted above all other beings; exalted above all worlds. The purpose here declared of praising God may refer either to the act which he was then performing in the composition of the psalm, or it may be a purpose in respect to the future, declaring his intention to be to retain in future life the memory of those characteristics of the Divine nature now disclosed to him, and to celebrate them in all time to come. The great truth taught is, that God is to be adored for what he is, and that his holy character, manifested alike in the treatment of the righteous and the wicked, lays the foundation for exalted praise.

^ L The oi(thor of the psalm.— ^liisis another psalm pin-porting to have been written by David, and there is nothing in it that leads us to think otherwise.

§ 2. The title to the Jjsalm.—The psalm is addressed " To the chief ^NLusician upon Gittith." In r(>gard to the moaning of the phrase " chief ^Musician," see Notes on the introduction to Ps. iv. The word G ittith—r\''t^l— occurs but in two other places, also in the titles to the psalms, Ps. Ixxxi. 1; Ixxxiv. L It is supposed to refer to a musical instrument so called, either as being common among the Gittites (from *ri3, Gittitcs, or an inhabitant of Gatli. See 2 Sam. vi. 10, 11; xv. IS), among whom David for some time resided; or as being derived from rip, Gat]i — a Avine-press, as denoting an instrument that was used by those accustomed to tread the Avine-vat, and intended to accompany the songs of the vintage. The former is the more probable derivation, as it is known that David dwelt for some time among that people, and it is not at all improbable that an instrument of music in use among them should have become common among the Hebrews. Nothing is known, however, as to whether it Avas a stringed instrument or a Avind instrument. Compare, however, Ugolin, Thes. Sac. Ant. xxxii. 487. AH that can be ascertained, Avith any degree of probability about this instrument, is, that as each of the psalms to Avhich this title is prefixed is of a cheerful or joyous nature, it Avoidd seem that this instrument A\as adapted to music of this kind, rather than to that which Avas pensive or serious. This idea also Avould agree well Avith the supposition that it denotes an instrument that Avas employed by those connected Avith the vintage. Comp. Isa. xvi. 10.

^^ 3. Occasion oti which the jJsalm teas composed. — Of this nothing is specified in the psalm itself, and it is impossible now to ascertain it. Aben Ezra, and some others, have supposed that it Avas Avritten Avhen David brought up the ark to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, as mentioned in 1 Chron. xiii. 12—14. But there is nothing in the psalm adapted to such an occasion. Riidinger supposes that it Avas composed in the joy of taking possession of ]\Iount Zion. Others have supposed that it Avas on occasion of the A'ictory of David over Goliath of Gath; but there is nothing in it adapted to the celebration of such a victory.

If Ave may judge from the psalm itself, it Avould seem pi'obable that it Avas composed by night in the contemplation of the starry heavens— naturally suggesting, in view of the vastness and beauty of the celestial luminaries, the littleness of man. This also filled the mind of the psalmist Avith Avonder that the God Avho marshals all these hosts should condescend to regard the condition and Avants of a being so feeble and frail as man, and should have exalted him as he has done over

To tlie chief Musician upon a Gittith.

lent 6 is thy name in all the eartli! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

his works. That it Avas composed or suggested in the night seems probable, from ver. 3, Avhere the psalmist represents himself as surveying or " considering" the "heavens, the work" of the Ui'vine "fingers," and as making the "nioon and the stars" the subject of his contemplation, but not mentioning the sun. In such contemplations, when looking on the vastness and grandeur, the beauty and order, of the heavenly hosts, it was not unnatural for the writer to think of his own comparative littleness, and then the comparative littleness of man everywhere. No time is more favourable for suggesting such thoughts than the still night, when the stars are shining clearly in the heavens, and when the moon is moving on in the silent majesty of its course. It would seem also, fi-om ver. 2, to be probable that the immediate occasion of this expression of admiration of the name and character of God was some act of condescension on his part in Avhich he had bestowed signal favour on the -WTiter — as if\\e had ordained strength out of the mouth of babes and sucklings — from even the most feeble and helpless. Perhaps it was in view of some favour bestowed on David himself; and his soul is overwhelmed with a sense of the condescension of God in noticing one so weak and feeble and helpless as he >\as. From the contemplation of this, the thought is naturally turned to the honour Avhich God had everywhere bestowed upon man.

The psalm, though one part of it is applied by the apostle Paul to Christ (Heb. ii. 6, 7), does not appear originally to have had any designed reference to the Messiah, though the apostle shows that its language had a complete fulfilmsnt in him, and in him alone. See Notes on that passage. The psalm is complete in itself, as applicable to man as he was originally created, and according to the purposes of his creation; though it is true that the original design will be carried out and completed only in the dominion which will be granted to the Messiah, who, as a man, has illustrated in the highest manner the original purpose of the creation of the race, and in whom alone the original design will be fully can'ied out.

^ 4. Contents of the psalm. — The psalm embraces the following points: —

I. An admiring recognition of the excellence of the name of God (that is, of God himself); — of that excellence as manifested in all the earth, ver. 1. The excellency referred to, as the subsequent part of the psalm shows, is in his great condescension, and in his confening such honour on man — a being so feeble as compared with himself, and so unworthj- as compared with the glory of the heavens.

II. The immediate occasion of this reflection, or the cause which suggested it, ver. 2. Tliis seems to have been some remarkable manifestation to one who was feeble and helpless, as if God had ordained strength out of the mouth of babes and sucklings. It is not improbable, as remarked above, that in this the psalmist refers to himself as having been, though conscious of weakness and helplessness, the means of overcoming the enemies of God, as if God had ordained strength through him, or had endowed him with strength not his own.

III. The psalmist is led into admiration of the condescension of God in bestowing such dignity and honour on man, vers. 3 — 8. This admu'ation is founded on two things: —

(1) That the God who had made the heavens, the moon and the stars, should condescend to notice man or creatures so insignificant and unworthy of notice, vers. 3, 4.

(2) The actual honour confen-ed on man, in the rank Avhich God had given him '\\k the dominion over his works here below; and in the wide extent of that dominion over the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, and the inhabitants of the seas, vers. 5—8.

IV. The psalm concludes Avith a repetition of the sentiment in the first verse — the reflection on the excellency of the Divine name and majesty, ver. 9.

1. O Lord. Heb., Jehovah. It is an address to God by his chosen and peculiar title, Ex. iii. 14. Compare Notes on Isa. i. 2. ^ Our Lord. The word here used — "'DIN, Adonai —.

means properly master, lord, ruler, owner, and is such a title as is given to an owner of land or of slaves, to kings, or to rulers, and is applied to God as being the ruler or governor of the universe. The meaning here is, that the psalmist acknowledged Jehovah to be the rightful ruler, king, or master of himself and of all others. He comes before him with the feeling that Jehovah is the universal ruler — the king aud proprietor of all things. ^ How excellent is thy name. How excellent or exalted art thou — the name being often used to denote the person. The idea is, " How glorious art thou in thy manifested excellence or character.^' ^ In all the earth. In all parts of the world. That is, the manifestation of his perfect character was not confined to any one country, but was seen in all lands, and among all people. In every place his true character was made known through his works; in every land there were evidences of his wisdom, his greatness, his goodness, his condescension. ^ Who hast set thy glory above the heavens. The word here used, and rendered " hast set," is In the imperative mood — n^ri, tenah — give; and it should probably have been so rendered here, " which thy glory give thou;" that is, " which glory of thine, or implied in thy name, give or place above the heavens." In other words, let it be exalted in the highest degree, and to the highest place, even above the heavens on which he was gazing, and which were in themselves so grand, ver. 3. It expresses the wish or prayer of the writer that the name or praise of God, so manifest in the earth, might be exalted in the highest possible degree — be more elevated than the moon and the stars — exalted and adored in all worlds. In His name there was such intrinsic grandeur that he desired that it might be regarded as the highest oV^ject in the universe, aud might blaze forth and sucklings hast thou i ordain- above all worlds. On the grammatical construction of this word — n^n — see an article by Prof. Stuart, in the Bibliotheca Sacra, vol. ix. pp. 73 — 77. Prof. Stuart supposes that the word is not formed from "jp^, nathan — to give, as is the common explanation, but from n^H tanah — to give presents, to distribute gifts, Hos. vlii. 9, 10, and that it should be rendered. Thou who diffusest abroad thy glory over the heavens.

2. Out of the mouth. This passage is quoted by the Saviour in Matt. xxi. 16, to vindicate the conduct of the children in the temple crying, " Hosanna to the Son of David,^' against the objections of the Pharisees and Scribes, and is perhaps alluded to by him in Matt. xi. 25. It is not affirmed, however, in either place, that it had an original reference to the times of the Messiah, or that it was meant, as used by the psalmist, to denote that children would be employed in the praise of God. The language sufficiently expressed the idea which the Saviour meant to convey; and the principle or great truth involved in the psalm was applicable to the use which he made of it. The language would, perhaps, most naturally denote that infant children icould give utterance to the praises of God, as the woY^moiith is used; but still it is not quite certain that the psalmist meant to convey that idea. It is probable, as we shall see, that he meant to say, God had conferred great honour on men — men so humble and weak that they might be compared to infants — by making them the means of overthrowing his enemies, thus showing the greatness of the Divine condescension. T[ Babes. The word here used — b^lj?, olail — means properly a boy or child, and is usually connected with the word rendered sucklings, Jer. xliv. 7; Lam. ii. 11. It is applied to a boy playing in the streets, Jer. vi. 11; ix. 21; asking for bread,

ed strengtli, because of thine enemies; that thou mightest still

Lam. iv. 4; carried away captive, Lam. i. 5; borne in the arms. Lam. ii. 20; and once to an unborn infant. Job iii. 16. It refers here to a child, or to one who is like a child; and the idea is that those to whom it is applied were naturally unable to accomplish what was done by them, and that God had honoured them, and had shown his own condescension, by makiu'^them the instruments of doing what they had done. ^ And siwk- Ungs. The word here used — ppi'', yonaiJc — means a suckling, or a sucking child, a babe, Deut. xxxii. 25. It may be used literally, or employed to denote one who, in respect to strength, may be compared with a babe. The latter is probably the use made of it here. ^ Hast thou ordained strength. The word rendered ordained — ID", gasad — lueaus to found, to lay the foundation of, as of a building, Ezra iii. 12; Isa. liv. 11. Then it means to establish, appoint, ordain, constitute, etc. The meaning here is, that in what is referred to, there was, as it were, some basis or foundation for what is called " strength;" i. e., that what is here meant by " strength" rested on that as a foundation — to wit, on what was done by babes and sucklings. The word strength is rendered by the Septuagiut j^^rawe — ouvov — and this is followed in the quotation in Matt. xxi. 16. The same rendering is adopted in the Latin Vulgate and in the Syriac. The Hebrew- word — 1>?, oz — properly vciQSLXi?, strength, might; and the idea here would seem to be, that even from babes and sucklings — from those who were in themselves so feeble — God had taken occasion to accomplish a work requiring ^xQ^t power — to wit, in "stilling the enemy and the avenger;" that is, he had made those who were so feeble the instruments of accomplishing so great a work. ^ Because ^f thine enemies. In respect to thine enemies, or in order to the enemy '' and the avenger.

accomplish something in regard to them, viz., in "stilling" them, as is immediately specified. The idea is, that there were those who rose up against God, and opposed his government and plans, and that God, in overcoming them, instead of putting forth his own power directly, had condescended to emjDloy those who were weak and feeble like little children. Who these enemies were is not specified, but it is most natural to suppose that the reference is to some of the foes of the author of the psalm, who had been subdued by the pi'owess of his arm, — by strength imparted to him, though in himself feeble as an infant. ^ That thou mightest still. Mightest cause to rest, or to cease. The original word — DQli!), Shahath — from which our word Sabbath is derived, means to rest: to lie by; to sit down; to sit still; and in Hiphil, to cause to rest, or to cause to desist; to put an end to, Ezek. xxxiv. 10; Josh. xxii. 25; Psa. xlvi. 9; Prov. xviii. 18. Here it means to bring to an end the purposes of the enemy and the avenger; or, to cause him to desist from his designs. ^ The enemy. The enemy of the writer, regarded also as the enemy of God. \ And the avenger. One who was endeavouring to take revenge, or who was acting as if determined to avenge some imaginary or real wrong. This, too, may refer either to some one who was seeking to revenge himself on the author of the psalm, or w'ho, with the spirit of revenge, stood up against God, and had set himself against him. In regard to the meaning of this verse, which I apprehend is the hey to the whole psalm, and which contains the original germ of the psalm, or the thought which suggested the train of reflection in it, the following remarks may be made: — («) There is no evidence that it was designed to refer originally to infants, or to children of any age, as stating anything which they would do in contributing to the praise of God, or as discomfiting sceptics and cavillers by "their instinctive recognition of God's being and glory," as is supposed by Calvin, De Wctte, Prof. Alexander, and others. What is said here to be done by " babes and sucklings" has reference to some mighty enemy that had been overcome, not to anything which had been effected by the influence of the recognition of God by little children. It may be doubted, also, whether there is any such " instinctive admiration of his works, even by the youngest children," as would be " a strong defence against those who would question the being and glory" of God, as is supposed by Prof. Alexander and others; and, at all events, that is not the manifest thought in the passage, (i) Nor does it refer merely to praise as proceeding from children, as being that by which the effect referred to is accomplished. It is true that this idea is in the translation by the LXX,, and true that it is so quoted in Matt, xxi. 16, and true, also, that, as quoted by the Saviour, and as originally applied, it was adapted to the end which the Saviour had in view — to silence the chief priests and Scribes, who objected to the praises and hosannas of the children in the temple; for the psalm, on any interpretat'on, origirnrtty'ineaiiT tliat God' would accom - plish good eff*ects by tlioj^e who were teebTelnKt weak as children, and this "ptujiciple was applicable to the praises of tlie "cTuldren in the temple. TBut il' does not appear that it originally referred to praise, either of children or others. It was to some manifested strength or ])roit'ess, by which some enemy, or some one who was seeking revenge, was overcome by the instrumentality of those who might be compared with children on account of their feebleness. From this the psalmist takes occasion to make his reflections on the exalted honour conferred in general on a creature so weak and feeble as man, especially in the wide dominion granted him over the inferior creation, (c) This was, not improbably, some enemy of the author of the psalm; but toho it was is not mentioned. David was often, however, in the course of his life, in such circumstances as are here supposed. Might it not refer to Goliath of Gath — a mighty giant, and a formidable enemy of the people of God, overcome by David, quite a stripling — a child? Would not the language of the psalm agree with that? Was it not true that he was an "enemy" and an " avenger," or one seeking revenge? and was it not true that God had, from one who was a mere child, " ordained strength " to subdue him? {d) God had, then, condescended to honour one who was in himself weak and feeble as a child — who had no power of himself to accomplish what had been done, (e) This was great condescension on the part of God; and especially was it to be so regarded when the eye looked out — as the author of the psalm appears to have done at the time of its composition — on the starry heavens, and contemplated their greatness and grandeur. What astonishing condescension was it that he who marshalled all those hosts should bestow such honour on man! (/) It was not, therefore, unnatural to reflect on the greatness of the honour which God had actually bestowed on man, and the dignity to which God had exalted him; and the psalmist is thus, from a particular act of his condescension, led into the beautiful train of reflections on the exalted dominion of man with which the psalm concludes. Thus understood, the psalm has no original reference to the Messiah, but still it contains the principle on which the apostle reasons in Heb. ii.; for the dignity of man is most seen in the Redeemer, and the actual conferring of all the dignity and honour referred to in the psalm — the actual and entire subjugation of the earth to man — will be found only in the universal dominion conceded to Him. At the same time, however, there is a foundation for all that the psalmist says in respect to the honour originally conferred on man, and in

3 When I consider tliylieavens, the work of thy fingers; the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4 « What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

3. When I consider thy heavens. When I contemplate or look upon. They are called his heavens because he made them — because he is the proprietor of them — perhaps because they are his abode. T[ The zcork of thy fingers. Which thy fingers have made. The fingers are the instruments by which we construct a piece of work — perhaps indicating skill rather than strength; and hence so used in respect to God, as it is by his skill that the heavens have been made. % The moon and the stars. Showing, as remarked above, that probably this psalm was composed at night, or that the train of thought was suggested by the contemplation of the starry worlds. It is not improbable that the thoughts occurred to the psalmist when meditating on the signal honour which God had conferred on him, a feeble man (Notes on ver. 2), and when his thoughts were at the same time directed to the goodness of God as the heavens were contemplated in their silent grandeur. % Which thou hast ordained. Prepared, fitted up, constituted, appointed. He had fixed them in their appropriate spheres, and they now silently showed forth his glory.

4. What is man. What claim has one so weak, and frail, and short-lived, to be remembered by thee? What is there in man that entitles him to so much notice? Why has God conferred on him so signal honour? Why has he placed him over the works of his hands? Why has he made so many arrangements for his comfort? Why has he done so much to save him? He is so insignificant, his life is so much like a vapour, he so soon disappears, he is so sinful and polluted, that the question may well be asked, why such honour has been conferred on him, and why such a dominion over the world has been given him. See these thoughts more fully expanded in the Notes on Heb, ii. 6. ^ That thou art mindful oj him. That thou dost remember him; that is, think of him, attend to him, — that he does not pass away wholly from thy thoughts. Why should a God who is so vast and glorious, and who has all the starry worlds, so beautiful and grand, to claim his attention — why should he turn his thoughts on man 1 And especially why should he honour him as he has done by giving him dominion over the works of his hands? \ And the son of man. Any descendant of man — any one of the race. ^Vhat was man, as he was originally made, thaf sucli exalted honour should have been conferred on him; and what has any one of his descendants become, in virtue of his native faculties or acquired endowments, that he should be thus honoured? Tlie design is the same as in the former part cf the verse, to express the idea that there was nothing in man, considered in any respect, that entitled him to this exalted honour. Nothing that man has done since the time when the question was asked by the psalmist has contributed to diminish the force of the inquiry. •[[ That thou visitest him. As thou dost; that is, with the attention and care which thou dost bestow upon him; not forgetting him; not leaving him; not passing him by. The word here used — IpS, pakad — would properly express a visitation for any purpose — for inspection; for mercy; for friendship; for judgment, etc. Here it refers to the attention bestowed by God on man in conferring on him such marks of favour and honour as he had done — such attention that he never seemed to forget him, but was constantly coming to him with some new proof of favour. What God has done

5 For thou hast made him a,- little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands: thou ^ hast put all things under his feet:

for man since the psalmist wrote this, has done nothing to weaken the force of this inquiry.

5. For thou hast made him. Thou hast made man as such; that is, he was such in the original design of his creation, in the rank given him, and in the dominion conceded to him. The object here is to show the honour conferred on man, or to show how God has regarded and honoured him; and the thought is, that in his original creation, though so insignificant as compared with the vast worlds over which God presides, he had given him a rank but little inferior to that of the angels. See Notes on Heb. ii. 7. ^1 A little loiver. The Hebrew word used here — IDH, hhasar, means to want, to lack — and then, to be in want, to be diminished. The meaning is, " Thou hast caused him to toant hut little;"" that is, he was but little inferior. ^ Than the angels. So this is rendered by the Chaldee Paraphrase: by the Septuagint; by the Latin Vulgate; by the Syriac and Arabic; and by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews (ch. ii. 7), who has literally quoted the fourth, fifth, and sixth verses from the Septuagint. The Hebrew, however, is — tD^Ti^Np — than God. So Gesenius renders it, "Thou hast caused him to want but little of God; that is, thou hast made him but little lower than God." So De Wette, nur wenig unter Gott. So Tholuck renders it, nur ^um wenig unter Gott. This is the more natural construction, and this would convey an idea conformable to the course of thought in the psalm, though it has been usually supposed that the word here used — Q^ri^h?, Elohim — may be applied

Ling. Heb., p. 95) maintains that the word never has this signification. The authority, however, of the Chaldee, the Septuagint, the Syriac, and the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, would seem sufficient to show that that meaning may be attached to the word here with propriety, and that somehow that idea was naturally suggested in the passage itself. Still, if it were not for these versions, the most natural interpretation would be that which takes the word in its usual sense, as referring to God, and as meaning that, in respect to his dominion over the earth, man had been placed in a condition comparatively but little inferior to God himself; he had made him almost equal to himself. ^ And hast croivned him with glory and honour. With exalted honour. See Notes on Heb. ii. 7.

6. Thou madest him to have dominion. Thou didst cause him to have, or didst give him this dominion. It does not mean that God made or created him for that end, but that he had conceded to him that dominion, thus conferring on him exalted honour. The allusion is to Gen. i. 26, 28. \ Over the ivorJcs of thy hands. His works upon the earth, for the dominion extends no further. ^ Thou hast put all things under his feet. Hast placed all things in subjection to him. Compare Psa. xlvii. 3; xci. 13; Lam. iii. 34; Eom. xvi. 20; 1 Cor. XV. 25. The language is taken from the act of treading down enemies in battle; from putting the feet on the necks of captives, etc. The idea is that of complete and entire subjection. This dominion was originally given to man at his creation, and it still remains (though not so absolute and entire as this), for nothing is in itself more remarkable than the dominion which man, by

7 lAll sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

8 The fowl of the air, and the

fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

nature so feeble, exercises over the inferior creation. It is impossible to account for this in any other way than as it is accounted for in the Bible, by the supposition that it was originally conceded to man by his Creator. On the question of the applicability of this to Christ, see Notes on Heb. ii. 6—9.

7. All sheep and oxen. Flocks and herds. Gen. i. 26, " over the cattle." Nothing is more manifest than the control which man exercises over flocks and herds — making them subservient to his use, and obedient to his will. ^ And the leasts of the field. Those not included in the general phrase " sheep and oxen." The word rendered field, Hlto, sadeh — or the poetic form, as here — — '^l\l3 — Sadai, means properly a plain; a level tract of counti'y; then, a field, or a tilled farm. Gen. xxiii. 17; xlvii, 20, 24; and then the fields, the open country, as opposed to a city, a village, a camp, Gen. xxv. 27; and hence in this place the expression means the beasts that roam at large — wild beasts. Gen. ii. 20; iii. 14. Here the allusion is to the power which man has of subduing the wild beasts; of capturing them, and making them subservient to his purposes; of preventing their increase and their depredations; and of taming them so that they shall obey his will, and become his servants. Nothing is more remarkable than thi*, and nothing furnishes a better illustration of Scriptui-e than the conformity of this with the declaration (Gen. ix. 2), " And the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air," etc. Comp. Notes on James iii. 7. It is to be remembered that no small number of what are now domestic animals were originally wild, and that they have been subdued and tamed bv the power and skill of man. No animal has shown liimself superior to this power and skill.

8. The fowl of the air. Gen. i. 26, " Over the fowl of the air." Gen. ix. 2, " Upon every fowl of the air." This dominion is the more remarkable because the birds of the air seem to be beyond the reach of man; and yet, equally with the beasts of the field, they are subject to his control. Man captures and destroys them; he prevents their multiplication and their ravages. Numerous as they are, and rapid as is their flight, and strong as many of them are, they have never succeeded in making man subject to them, or in disturbing the purposes of man. See Notes on James iii. 7. ^ And the fish of the sea. Gen. i. 26, " Over the fish of the sea.'* Gen. ix. 2, "Upon all the fishes of the sea." This must be understood in a general sense, and this is perhaps still more remarkable than the dominion over the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, for the fishes that swim in the ocean seem to be placed still farther from the control of man. Yet, so far as is necessary for his use and for safety, they are, in fact, put under the control of man, and he makes them minister to his profit. Not a little of that which contributes to the support, the comfort, and the luxury of man, comes from the ocean. From the mighty whale to the shellfish that furnished the Tyi ian dye, or to that which furnishes the beautiful pearl, man has shown his power to make the dwellers in the deep sub- ever passeth through the paths of the seas. Everything, in general, that passes through the paths of the sea, as if the ocean -was formed \v\W\ paths or highways for them to pass over. Some have referred this to man, as passing over the sea and subduing its inhabitants; some, to the Jlshes before spoken of; but the most natural construction is that which is adopted in our received version, as referring to evert/thill^ which moves in the waters. The idea is that man has a wide and universal dominion — a dominion so wide as to excite amazement, wonder, and gratitude, that it has been conceded to one so feeble as he is.

9. O Lord, our Lord, Jiow excelleut, etc. Repeating the sentiment with which the psahn opens, as now fully illustrated, or as its propriety is now seen. The intermediate thoughts are simply an illustration of this; and now we see what occupied the attention of the psalmist when, in ver, 1, he gave utterance to what seems there to be a somewhat abrupt sentiment. We now, at the close of the psalm, see clearly its beauty and truthfulness.