Notes on the Old and New Testaments

14. O God, the proud are risen against me. Men who are self-confident, ambitious, haughty; who do not regard the welfare or the rights of others; who are disposed to trample down all others in order that they may accomplish their own purposes; these are the men who have opposed me and sought my life. This would apply either to the time of Saul or of Absalom. In both these cases there were men who would correspond to this description. ^ And the assemblies of violent men. Marg., terrible.

of ' violent men have sought after my soul, and have not set thee '' before them.

The Septuagint and the Vulgate render this, " the synagogue of the wicked." The word rendered violent means properly terrible, inspiring terror; then, violent, fierce, lawless, tyrants. The idea here is that they pursued their object by violence and not by right; they did it in a fierce and savage manner, or in such a way as to inspire terror. The word assembly here means merely that they were banded together; what was done was the result of a conspiracy or combination. ^ Have sought after my soul. After my life. ^ And hate not set thee before them. They do not fear thee; they do not act as if in thj' pi'esence; they have no regard for thee; for thy law; for thy favour; for thy threatenings.

15. But thou, O Lord, ait a God full of compassion, etc. See Notes on ver. 5. The words rendered *' long-suftering " mean that there was and would be delay in his anger; that it was not soon excited; that he did not act from passion or sudden resentment; that he endured the conduct of sinners long without rising up to punish them; that he was not quick to take vengeance, but bore with them patiently. On this account the psalmist, though conscious that he was a sinner, hoped and pleaded that God would save him. ^ Plenteous in... truth. That is, in faithfulness. When thou hast made a promise, thou wilt faithfully keep it.

16. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me. Look upon me; — as if God were now turned away, and were unmindful of his danger, his wants, and his pleading. The expression is equivalent to those in which he prays that God would incline his ear to him. See vers. 1, G, clous; long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy /and tiiith.

16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength 'J unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.

and Notes on Ps. v. 1. ^ Give thy strength unto thy servant. Give such strength as proceeds from thee, and such as will accomplish what thou alone canst efi'ect. Enable me to act as if clothed with Divine power. The ground of the plea here is, that he was the " servant " of God, and he might, therefore, hope for God's interposition. *i\ And save the son of thine handmaid. This is, as far as I know, the only separate allusion which David ever makes to his mother individually, unless the passage in Ps. XXXV. 14 — " I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother" — be supposed to refer to his oicn mother. But we have elsewhere no such mention of his mother as can give us any idea of her character, and indeed it is not easy to determine who she was. The language here, however, would seem to imply that she was a pious woman, for the words "thy handmaid," as employed in the Scriptures, would most naturally suggest that idea. If so, then the ground of the plea here is that his mother was a child of God; that she had lived for his service; and that she had trained up her children for him. David now prays that, as he had been devoted to God by her, and had thus been trained up, God would remember all this, and would interfere in his behalf. Can it be wrong to urge before God, as a reason for his interposition, that we have been devoted to him by parental faithfulness and prayer; that we have been consecrated to him by baptism; that we have been trained up for his service; that in reference to us high hopes were cherished that we might carry out the purposes of pious parents, and live to accomplish what was so dear to their hearts? He who has had a pious mother "iias

17 Shew me a token h for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed; because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me.

entered on life under great advantages; he lias been placed under solemn responsibilities; he is permitted to hope that a mother's prayers will not be forgotten, but that her example, her teachings, and her piety will shed a hallowed influence on all the paths of life till he joins her in heaven.

17. Sheiv me a toTcenfor good, etc. Hebrew, "Make me a sign for good;" that is, Do that for me in my trouble which will be an evidence that thou dost favour me, and wilt save me. Let there be such a manifest interposition in my behalf that others may see it, and may be convinced that thou art God, and that thou art the Protector and Friend of those who put their trust in thee. We need not suppose that the psalmist refers here to a miracle in his behalf. Any interposition which would save him from the liands of his enemies, — which would defeat their purposes, — which would rescue him when there seemed to be no help, would be such an evidence that they could not doubt that he was the friend of God. Thus they would be made ^'ashamed" of their purposes; that is, they would be disappointed and confounded; and there would be furnished a new pi'oof that God was the protector of all who put their trust in him.

This psalm, like some others, is entitled " a psalm or song;" that is, it so far combined the properties of both a "psalm" and a "song" that it might be called by either name. See Notes on the title to Ps. Ixv. The phrase " for the sons of Korah" may mean, as in the margin, " of the sons of Korah." See Notes on the title to Ps. xlii.

composed is unknown. The design of thos psalm is obvious. It is to exalt

A Psalm or Song ^ for the sons of Korah.

Zion as a place to dwell in, and to state the privileges or advantages of having been bom there; the honour of such a birth, and the beneiit which would be connected with it, from having been brought early under the influence of the true religion, and from having been trained up amidst its institutions. The practical truth which is suggested by the psalm is the honour and benefit of having been born in a land where the true religion prevails; of having been born in connexion Avith the church; of having been early devoted to God; and of having had the benefits of a religious training. The foundation of Avhat is said in the psalm is the honour which we naturally associate with the idea of bi)-th; — birth as connected with a family of distinguished worth, wealth, or rank; birth as comiected with a particular countr}', city, or town.

1. His foundation. This is an abrupt commencement of the psalm. The adjective '^Jiis" has been supposed by some to refer to the psalm itself, and this expression has been considered to be a part of the title to the psalm, meaning that the foundation of the psalm is the holy mountain where the praises of God were celebrated; that is Zion. This, however, is a forced and unnatural interpretation. The most obvious explanation is to refer it to God, and the meaning is, that his "foundation," or that which he had founded and established, to wit, the place for his worship, or for the institutions of religion, was in the holy mountains of Jerusalem. It would seem that the psalmist was contemplating the city, — looking on its walls, and its palaces, and especially on the place which had been reared for the worship of God, and that he breaks out in this abrupt manner, by saying that this was what God had founded; that here he had established his home; that here was the place where he was worshipped, and where

2 The * Lord loveth tlie gates of Ziou more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

ho dwelt; that this was the place vvhicli he loved more i^^^n all the other places where the descendants of Jacoh dwelt. ^ Is in the holy mountains. The mountains of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is surrounded by hills, and ^vithin the city itself there were the hills of Zion, Moriah, Acra, and Bezethah; See Notes on Matt. ii. 1. These sacred hills God had selected as the place of his solemn worship — of his own abode. Comp. Kotes on Vs. xlviii. 1, 2.

2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zioyi, Comp. Ps. Ixxviii. 68. The gates of a city were the places of concourse; where business was transacted; where courts were held. The particular allusion here seems to be to the thronging multitudes pressing into the city for public worship — the numbers that gathered together at the great feasts and festivals of the nation; and the meaning is, that he looked with more pleasure on such multitudes as they thronged the gates, pressing in that they might worship him, than on any other scene in the land. ^ More than all the divellings of Jacoh. Than any of the places where the descendants of Jacob, or where his people dwell. Mu(!h as he might be pleased with their quiet abodes, with their peace, prosperity, and order, and with the fact that his worship was daily celebrated in those happy families, yet he had superior pleasure in the multitudes that crowded the ways to the place where they would publicly acknowledge him as their God.

3. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Jerusalem, called the " city of God" as being the place of his peculiar abode on earth. The word rendered " are spoken " may mean either " have been spoken," or '• are to he spoken;" that is, either, such things have been said, or they

4 I will make mention of Rahab '" and Babylon to them that

may be said. They have been placed on record; or, they may now be put on record concerning thee. Probably the former is the true meaning; and the language would embrace such points as these: (1) Those things which had been spoken as to its beauty of situation; its magnificence and splendour, Comp. Notes on Ps. xlviii. 2, 3, 12, 13. (2) Such things as had been spoken or recorded in regard to its future prosperity, its triumphs, and its influence in the world; — the j^romises which had been made in reference to the prosperity of Zion, and the spread of the true religion from that point as a centre. Comp. Notes on Isa. ii. 3. The Old Testament abounds with promises concerning the future glory of Zion — the "glorious things" that are spoken respecting the final triumph of religion in the world. Of this the statement here is to be mainly understood, where Zion is referred to as the seat of the true religion, and as therefore the representative of the true church on earth. It is that of which the real record has been made, and not merely of Jerusalem or Zion as a city. That might pass away; the church, of which that was the representative, will endure for ever. Comp. Isa. liv. 1-3; Ix.; Rev. xxi. 2-4.

4. / will make mention of Bahab and Babylon, etc. The word Bahah here refers to Egypt. See Isa. Ii. 9. It is also applied to Egypt in Ps. Ixxxix. 10. The reason why the name was given to Egypt is not certainly known. The Hebrew word properly w\Q^n?, fierceness, insolence, pride; and it may have been given to Egypt by the Hebrews on account of its haughtiness, pride, and insolence. It has been supposed by some (Jablonski, Opusc. i. 228) that the name is of Egyptian origin, but this has not know me: beliold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia: this mmi was born there. 5 And of Zion « it shall be said, been clearly made out. (Gesenlus, Lex.) Egypt, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia, are here mentioned as among the best known nations and cities of the woi-ld; as places where it would commonly be regarded as an honour to have been born. The meaning is, *' I will refer to these as places wellknown and distinguished; I will refer to the honour of having been born there; but great as is such an honour, the honour of having been born in Zion is far above that; it conveys the idea of a much higher distinction; it should be more sacredly cherished as among those things on which men value themselves." The word '•' J" here seems to have reference to the psalmist, and not to God. The psalmist is mentioning what to Mm would seem to have a claim to the highest honour. ^ Fhilistia. The western portion of Palestine, from which the whole country was afterwards named. See Notes on Ps. Ix. 8; comp. Ps. cviii. 9; Isa. xiv. 29, 31. ^ And Tyre. See Notes on Ps. xlv. 12; Isa. xxiii. 1. ^ With lEihiopia. Hebrew, Ciish. The reference here is probably to the southern portion of Arabia. See Notes on Ps. Ixviii. 31; Isa. xviii. 1. ^ This man was born there. That is, It would be said of individuals that they were born in one of those places, and it would be regarded as an honour thus to have been born. Men would pride themselves on the fact that they were born there, and the world would hold them in esteem on that account. This refers to a very natiiral, and a very common feeling among men. We can, of course, claim no credit, and deserve no real honour, on account of the place where we happen to have ^aeen born; but the fact that one has been born in a place distinguished for its advantages and its fame, — m a place where liberty, religion, and the arts

0 This and that man was bom in her; and the p Highest himself shall establish her.

have flourished, — in a place renowned for its public spirit, and for producing illustrious men, — may be properly accounted as an occasion for gratitude, and as a stimulus to high and honourable efforts, and may thus he made an important auxiliary to virtue, patriotism, and piety.

5. And of Zion it shall be said. In respect to Zion; or, in honour of Zion. Men shall regard it as a privilege to have been born in Zion. They shall speak of such a birth as a marked and honoured distinction. ^ This and that man, etc. Designating them, or pointing them out, as having been born there. Those in a crowd, those passing along, those brought in any way to notice, will be spoken of in reference to their birth in Zion, and will be treated with a degree of favour and esteem, arising from their birth there corresponding to what those receive who are born in Egypt, Babylon, or Tyre. They will not be shunned and avoided on account of their birth as if it wer6 ignoble, but they will be honoured for it. ^ And the Highest himself shall establish her. Will establish Zion, or will give it prosperity and perpetuity. This, too, is what would be "said" respecting Zion by such as should speak of those born there; and it indicates (a) their conviction that it ti'ould be permanent; and (Jj) their desire that it might be: — that a place so honoured and distinguished might be perpetuated. The practical truths suggested by this verse, as applied to the church, are (1) That it is a privilege to have been born in connexion with the Christian church; to have had a Christian parentage, and to have been early dedicated to God; (2) that the time will come when this will be a ground of commendation, or when it

6 The Lord shall count, when he wi'iteth <i up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.

players on instruments ^ shall be there: all my springs * are in

will be spoken of as an honour, or when it will be regarded as presumptive evidence of a claim to esteem in the eyes of the world, that one was born in the church, was early devoted to God, and was trained up under the influences of religion; (3) that the character of those wlio are thus born, and who are thus trained up, will constitute, in the view of the world, evidence of the stability of the church, and proof that God regards it with fiivour. It has not alwaj/s been deemed an honour, or a passport to favour, to have been born in the church, but the time ivill come when this will be universally so; and, even now, no child can fully appi*eciate the honour and the real advantage of having been born in a family where God is served, and of having been early consecrated to God by parental purpose, by prayer, and by Christian baptism.

6. The LoED shall count. That is, God himself will honour those who are so born. In the previous verse, the effect of such a birth was described as securing honour from men. Here a higher honour is adverted to, — that which will be derived from God himself. % When he toriteth up the people, etc. The word rendered people here is in the plural number. At the time of making an enrolment of the people, or taking an account or a census of the nations, he would mark, or cause to be marked, with peculiar honour the man that ha^ his birth in Zion. Out of such ■would his own people be taken, and those thus born would have an honour which no one else would receive from him. He would not mark with any peculiar approbation those who had been born in Egypt, in Babylon, or in Tyre, but he would mark with special interest those who had been born in Zion. The practical truth suggested here is, that God will in the main take his people from among those who have been born in the church. As a matter of fact, while it is true that others are converted and added to the church, the great mass of church-members consist of those who have been born of Christian parents; who have been early dedicated to God; and who have been trained up for his service. See Notes on Isa. xliv. 3-5.

7. As tcell the singers as the players on instruments shall be there. Literally, " The singers as the players on instruments." The image is that of a musical procession, where the singers go before, followed by those who play on various instruments of music. The idea seems to be that when the number of the true friends of God shall be made up, or shall all be enrolled, there will be a triumphal procession; or, they are seen by the psalmist, moving before God as in a triumphal procession. Comp. Notes on Isa. xxxv. 10. Perhaps the reference is to heaven, — the true Zion; to the assembling of all who shall have been born in Zion, and who shall have become citizens of the true Zion, the Jerusalem above. ^ All my springs are in thee. The word rendered springs means properly a place of fountains (see Notes on Ps. Ixxxiv. 6), and also a fountain. Gen. vii. 11; viii. 2. It thus becomes an emblem of happiness; of delight; of pleasure; and the idea here is that the highest happiness of the psalmist was found in what is here referred to by the word thee. That word may refer either to God or to Zion; but as the subject of the psalm is Zion, it is most natural to suppose that the reference is to that. Thus it accords with the sentiment so often found in the Psalms, where the writer expresses hrs love for Zion; his pleasure in its solemnities; his R desire to abide there as his permaneut home.- Comp. Ps. xxiii. 6; Ixxxiv. 2-4, 10. The idea has been beautifully expressed by Dr. Dwight, in his version of Ps. cxxxvii. 6: —

" I love thy cliurcli, 0 God; Her walls before thee stand, Dear as tlie apple of tliine eye, And graven on thy liaud.

" If e'er my heart forget Her welfare or her woe, Let every joy tliis heart forsake. And every grief o'erflow.

" Beyond my highest joy I prize lier heavenly ways. Her sweet communion, solemn vows, Her hymns of love and praise."

This psalm is altogether of a mournful and desponding character. The author is a sufferer; he is expecting to die; he fears to die; he longs to live; his mind is overwhelmed with gloom which does not seem to be irradiated by one ray of hope or consolation. It is, in this respect, unlike most of the psalms which relate to sickness, to sorrow, to suifering; for in those psalms generally there springs up, in answer to prayer, a gleam of hope, — some cheerful view, — some sustaining prospect; — so that, though a psalm begins in despondency and gloom, it ends with joy and triumph. Comp., among others, Ps. vi. 9, 10; vii. 17; xiii. 6; xlii. 8, 11; Ivi. 11-13; lix. 16; Ixix. 34, S6. But in this psalm there is no relief; there is no comfort. As the Book of Psalms was designed to be useful in all ages, and to all classes of people, and as such a state of mind as that described in this psalm might occur.again and often — it was proper that such a condition of utter despondency, even in a good man, should be described, in order that others might see that such feelings are not necessarily inconsistent with true religion, and do not prove that even such a sufferer is not a child of God. It is probable that this psalm was designed to illustrate what mat/ occur Avhen disease is such as to produce deep mental darkness and son-ow. And the Book of Psalms Avould have been incomplete for the use of the church, if there had not been at least one such psalm in the collection.

The psalm is said, in the title, to be "A Psalm or Song for (marg., of) the sons of Korah" — combining, in some way unknown to us, as several of the other psalms do, the properties of both a psahn and a song. The phrase, " for the sonsof Korah," meanshere, probablv, that it was composed for their use, and not bi/ them, unless " Heman the Ezrahite " was one of their number. On the phrase, "To the chief Musician," see Notes on the title to Psalm iv. The words, " upon Mahalath Leannoth," are of very uncertain signification. They are reiidered by the Septuagint and the Vulgate "for Maeleth, to answer;" by Luther, " to sing, of the weakness of the miserable;" by Prof Alexander, "concerning afflictive sickness." The word Ifahalath seems here to be a form of i^^ty^, mahaleh, which means properlj-, sickness, disease. It is rendered, with a slight variation in the pointing, disease m 2 Chron. xxi. 1.5; Ex. xv. 26; in- Jinnitij, in Prov. xviii. 14; and sickness in Ex. xxiii. 25; 1 Kings viii. 37; 2 Chron. vi. 28. It does not occur elsewhere, and would be properly rendered here, therefore, disease, sickness, or infirmitij. The Hebrew which is rendered Leannoth, T\\iyD,-, is made up of a preposition (b) and a verb. The verb — TO!^, Anah — means (1) to chant or sing; (2) to lift up the voice in any waj" — to begin to speak; (3) to answer; (4) to mean to say, to imply. The verb also has another class of significations; {a) to bestow labour upon, {h) to suffer, to be afflicted, and might here refer to such affliction or ti'ouble. According to the former signification, which is probably the true one here, the allusion would be to something which was said or sung in respect to the sickness referred to; as, for example, a mournful melody composed for the occasion; and the purpose Avould be to express the feelings experienced in sickness. According to the other signification it would refer to affliction, and would be little more than a repetition of the idea implied in the word Mahalath. It seems to me, therefore, that there is a reference in the word "Leannoth" to something Avhich was said or sung on that occasion; or to something which might be properly said or sung in reference to sickness. It is difficult to translate the phrase, but it might be somewhat literally rendered, " conceniing sickness, — to be said or sung;" that is, in reference to it. The word Masch il (see Notes on the title to Psalm xxxii.) conveys the idea that it is a didactic or instructive psalm, — suggesting appropriate thoughts for such a season. The psalm is ascribed to " Heman the Ezra-

A Song or Psalm ' for tlie sons of Korah. To tlic chief Musician upuii Maliulatli Leauuoth, ^ Maschil of llcniau t tlic Ezrahile.

A LORD God of my salvation, ^ I " have cried day and night before thee.

Nothing is known of the occasion on which the ysalm was composed, except, as is probably indicated in the title, that it was in a time of sickness; and from the psalm itself we find that it was when the mind was enveloped in impenetrable darkness, with no comfort.

I. A description of the sick man's suffering, vers, 1-9. His soul was full of troubles, and he drew near to the gi'ave, ver. 3; he was, as it were, already dead, and like those laid in the deep grave, whom God had forgotten, vers. 4-6; the wrath of God lay heavily on him, and all his waves went over him, ver. 7; God had put away all his friends from him, and had left him to suffer alone, ver. 8; his eye mourned by reason of his affliction, and he cried daily to God, ver. 9.

II. His prayer for mercy and deliverance, vers. 10-18. The reasons for the earnestness of the prayer, or the grounds of petition are, {a) that the dead could not praise God, or see the wonders of his hand, vers. 10-12; (b) that the faithfulness and loving-kindness of God could not be shown in the grave, ver. 11; (c) that his troubles were deep and overwhelming, for God had cast off his soul, and had hid his face from liim; he had been long afflicted; he was distracted with the terrors of God; the fierce wrath of God went over him; lover and friend and acquaintance had been put far from him, vers. 13-18.

1. O Lord God of my salvation. On whom I depend for salvation; wlio alone canst save me. Luther renders this, "O God, my Saviour." ^ / have cried day and nijht before

2 Let iliy prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;

3 For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

tJiee. Literally, " By day 1 cried; by night before thee;" that is, my prayer is constantly before thee. The meaning is, that there was no intermission to his prayers; he prayed all the while. This does not refer to the general habit of bis life, but to the 4;ime of his sickness. He had prayed most earnestly and constantly that he might be delivered from sickness and from the dangers of death. He had, as yet, obtained no answer, and he now pours out, and records, a more earnest petition to God.

2. Let my prayer come hefore thee. As if there were something which hindered it, or which had obstructed the way to the throne of grace; as if God repelled it from him, and turned away his ear, and would not hear. ^ Incline thine ear unto my cry. Sec Notes on Ps. V. 1.

3. For my soul is full of troubles. I am full of trouble. The word rendered is full means properly to satiate as with food; that is, when as much had been taken as could be. So he says here, that this trouble was as great as he could bear; he could sustain no more. He had reached the utmost point of endurance; he had no power to bear any more. ^ And my life draweth nigh unto the grave. Heb., to Sheol. Comp. Notes on Isa. xiv. 9; Job x. 21, 22. It may mean here either the grave, or the abode of the dead. He was about to die. Unless he found relief he must go down to the abodes of the dead. The Hebrew word rendered life is in the plural number, as in Gen. ii. 7; iii. 14, 17; vi. 17; vii. 15; et al. Why the plural was used as applicable to life cannot now bo known with certainty. It may have been to accord with the fact

4 I am counted witli them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength;

the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off ^ from thy hand.

that man has two kinds of life; — the animal life, — or life in common with the inferior creation; and intellectual, or higher life, — the life of the soul. Comp. Notes on 1 Thess. v. 23. The meaning here is, that he was about to die; or that his life or lives approached that state when the grave closes over us; the extinction of the mere animal life; and the separation of the soul — the immortal part — from the body.

4. I am counted ivith them that go doion into the jjit. I am so near to death that I may be reckoned already as among the dead. It is so manifest to others that I must die, — that my disease is mortal, — that they already speak of me as dead. The word;pit here means the grave, — the same as Sheol in the previous verse. It means properly (1) a pit, (2) a cistern. Gen. xxxvii, 20, (3) a prison or dungeon, Isa. xxiv. 22, (4) the grave, Ps. xxviii. 1; XXX. 4; Isa. xxxviii. 18. ^ I am as a man that hath no strength. Who has no power to resist disease, no vigour of constitution remaining; — who must die.

25,'where it refers to a house or familif made fl-ee, and Job xxxix. 5, where it refers to the freedom of the wild ass), it denotes the freedom of one who had been a servant or slave. In Job iii. 19, it has reference to the grave, and to the fact that the grave delivers a slave or servant from obligation to his master: — " And the servant is free from his master." This is the idea, I apprehend, here. It is not, as DeWette supposes, that he was weak and feeble, as the spirits of the departed are represented to be (comp. Notes on Isa. xiv. 9-11), but that the dead are made free from the burdens, the toils, the calamities, the servitudes of life; that they are like those who are emancipated from bondage (comp. Job vii. 1, 2; xiv. 6); that death comes to discharge them, or to set them at liberty. So the psalmist applies the expression here to himself, as if he had already reached that point; as if it were so certain that he must die that he could speak of it as if it had occurred; as if he were actually in the condition of the dead. The idea is that he was to all appearance near the grave, and that there was no hope of his recovery. It is not here, however, the idea of release or emancipation Avhich was mainly before his mind, or any idea of consolation as from that, but it is the idea of death — of hopeless disease that must end in death. This he expresses in the usual language; but it is evident that he did not admit any comfort into his mind from the idea o^ freedom in the grave. ^ Like the slain that lie in the grave. When slain in battle. They oxefree from the perils and the toils of life; they are emancipated from its cares and dangers. Death is freedom; and it is possible to derive solace from that idea of death, as Job did (ch. iii. 19); — but the psalmist

6 Tlion liast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

7 Thy wrath " lieth hard upon

here, as remarked above, did not so admit that idea into liis mind as to be comforted by it. ^ Whom ihou rememherest no more. As if they were forgotten by thee; as if they were no longer the object of thy care. They are suftered to lie and waste away, with no care on thy part to restore them to life, or to preserve them from oftensiveness and decay. So the great, the beautiful, and the good lie neglected in the grave. Tl And they are cut off from thy hand. Marg., hy. The Hebrew is literally "from thy hand," but still the idea is that it was by the agency of God. They had been cut down, and were forgotten, — as if God regarded them no more. So we shall all moulder in the grave — in that deep, dark, cold, silent, repulsive abode, as if even God had forgotten us.

6. Thou hast laid me in the loivest pit. That is, I am as if I were thus laid; the deep grave seems now to lie so certainly before me, that it may be spoken of as if it were already my abode. The words rendered lowest pit mean literally the pit under, or beneath. The reference is to the sepulchre, as in ver. 4. •[ In darkness. The dark grave; the realms of the dead. See Notes on Job x. 21, 22. 1| In the deeps. The caverns; the deep places of the earth or the sea. All these expressions are designed to convey the idea that he was near the grave; that there was no hope for him; that he must die. Perhaps also there is connected with this the idea of trouble, of anguish, of sorrow; — of that mental darkness of which the grave was an image, and into which he was plunged by the prospect of death. The whole?cene was a sad one, and he was overwhelmed with grief, and saw only the prospect of continued sorrow and gloom. Even a good man

me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.

8 Thou " hast put away mine acquaintance far from me: thou hast made me an abomination

may be made afraid — may have his mind made sad and sorrowful — by the prospect of dying. See Isa. xxxviii. Death is naturally gloomy; and when the light of religion does not shine upon the soul, and its comforts do not fill the heart, it is but natural that the mind should he full of gloom.

7. Thy xorath lieth hard upon me. Presses me down; burdens me. The meaning is, that that which was the proper and usual expression of wrath or displeasure — to wit, bodily and mental suffering — pressed hard on him, and crushed hira to the earth. These bodily sufferings he interpreted, in the sad and gloomy state of mind in which he was, as evidences of the Divine displeasure against himself. Tf And thou hast afflicted me. Thou hast oppressed me, or broken me down. ^ WitJi all thy xcaves. Literally, " thy breakers;" that is, with expressions of wrath like the waves of the sea, which foam and break on the shore. Nothing could be a more striking image of wrath. Those " breakers " seem to be so furious and angry, they rush along with so much impetuosity, they are so mighty, they dash with such fury on the shore, that it seems as if nothing could stand before them. Yet they find a barrier such as we should little expect. The low and humble beach made of shifting sand, where there seems to be no stability, is an effectual barrier against all their rage; — as the humble piety of the child of God, apparently without strength to resist calamity, bears all the beatings of affliction, and maintains its place as the heavy waves of sorrow roll upon it. On the meaning of the word used here, and on the idea expressed, see Notes on Ps. xlii. 7.

8. Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me. The same

9 Mine eye mournetli son of affliction: Lord, called daily upon thee, stretched out

10 Wilt y thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah,

11 Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?

ground of complaint, or expression of the depth of affliction, occurs elsewhere, Ps. xxxi. 11; xxxviii. 11; Ixix. 8. See also Job xix. 13-17. ^ Thou hast made me an ahomina- Hon unto them. As something which they would avoid, or from which they would revolt and turn away — as we turn away from the body of a dead man, or from an off'ensive object. The word means properly an object to be detested or abominated, as things unclean, Gen. xliii. 32; or as idolatry, 1 Kings xiv. 24; 2 Kings xvi. 3; xxiii. 13. ^ I am shut tip. As in prison; to wit, by disease, as when one is confined to his house. ■[[ And I cannot come forth. I cannot leave my couch, my room, my house. Comp. Job xii. 14.

9. Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction. I weep; my eye pours out tears. Literally, My eye pines away, or decays. Comp. Notes on Job xvi. 20; Isa. xxxviii. 3; Ps. vi. 6. •[[ Loed, I have called daily iipon thee. That is, I have prayed earnestly and long, but I have received no answer. ^ / Jiave stretched out my hands unto thee. I have spread out my hands in the attitude of prayer. The idea is that of earnest supplication.

10. Wilt thou show ivonders to the dead? The wonders — or the things fitted to excite admiration — which the living behold. Shall the dead see those things which here tend to excite reverence for thee, and which lead men to worship thee? The idea is that the dead will be cut off" from all the privileges which attend the

* living on earth; or, that those in the grave cannot contemplate the character and the greatness of God. He urges this as a reason why he should be rescued. The sentiment here is substantially the same as in Ps. vi. 5. See Notes on that passage. Comp. Isa. xxxviii. 18. \ Shall the dead arise and praise thee? The original word, here rendered the deady is Rephaim — t3*i<D"}- On its meaning, see Notes on Isa. xiv. 9. It means, properly, relaxed, lanyuid, feeble, iveak; and is then applied to the dead — the shades — the Manes — dwelling in the under-world in Sheol, or Hades, and supposed to be as shades or shadows, weak and feeble. The question here is not whether they would rise to live again, or appear in this world, but whether in Sheol they would rise up from their resting-places, and praise God as men in vigour and in health can on the earth. The question has no reference to the future resurrection. It relates to the supposed dark, dismal, gloomy, inactive state of the dead.

11. Shall thy loving -Mndness be declared in the grave? Thy goodness; thy mercy. Shall any one make it known there? shall it there be celebrated? ^ Or thy faithfulness, in destruction? In the place where destruction seems to reign; where human hopes perish; where the body moulders back to dust. Shall any one there dwell on the fidelity — the truthfulness — of God, in such a way as to honour him? It is implied here that, according to the views then entertained of the state of the dead, those things would not occur. According to what is noiv made known to us of the unseen world it is true that the mercy of God will not be made known to the dead; that the Gospel will not be preached to them; that no messenger from God will convey to them the offers of salvation. Comp. Luke xvi. 28-31.

12 Shall tliy wonders be known in tlie dai'k? and thy righteousness in the land of forgctfulness?

13 But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; and in the morning

14 Lord, why castest thou off my soul P ivhy hidcst thou thy face from me?

15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while '

12. Shall thy wonders he Jcnoivn in the dark'i In the dark world; in "the land of darkness and the shadow of death; a land of darkness, as darkness itself, and where the light is as darkness." Job x. 21, 22. % And thy righteousness. The justice of thy character; or, the ways in which thou dost maintahi and manifest thy righteous character. ^ In the land of forgeffulness. Of oblivion; where the memory has decayed, and where the remembrance of former things is blotted out. This is a part of the general description, illustrating the ideas then entertained of the state of the dead; — that they would be weak and feeble; that they could see nothing; that even the memory would fail, and the recollection of former tilings pass from the mind. All these are images of the grave as it appears to man when he has not the clear and full light of revelation; — and the grave is all this — a dark and cheei'less abode — an abode of fearfulness and gloom — when the light of the great truths of the Gospel is not suflered to fill u})0u it. That the psalmist dreaded this is clear, for he had not yet the full light of revealed truth in regard to the grave, and it seemed to him to be a gloomy abode. That men without the Gospel ought to dread it, is clear; for wlien the grave is not illuminated with Christian truth and hope, it is a place from which man by nature shrinks back, and it is not wonderful that a wicked man dreads to die.

13. But unto thee have I cried, O Lord. I have earnestly prayed; I have sought thy gracious interposition. ■[ And in the morning. That is, each morning; every day. My first business in the morning shall be prayer. ^ Shall my prayer prevent thee. Anticipate thee; go before thee: — that is, it shall be early; — so to speak even before thou dost awake to the employments of the day. The language is that which would be applicable to a case where one made an appeal to another for aid before he had arisen from his bed, or who came to him even while he was asleep — and who thus, with an earnest petition, anticipated his rising. Comp. Notes on Job iii. 12; comp. Ps. xxi. 3; lix. 10; lxxix.8; cxix.148; Matt, xvii. 25; 1 Thess. iv. 15.

14. Lord, why easiest thou off my soul / Why dost thou forsake or abandon me? Why is it that thou dost not interpose, since thou hast all power, and since thou art a God of mercy? Why dost thou not deliver me from my troubles? How often are good men constrained to ask this question! How often does this language express exactly what is passing in their minds! How difficult, too, it is to answer the question, and to see xchy that God who has all power, and who is infinitely benevolent, does not interpose to deliver his people in aftiiction! The answer to this question cannot be fully given in this world; there will be an answer furnished doubtless in the future life. ^ Why hidcst thou thy face from me? Why dost thou not lift up the light of thy countenance upon me, and show me thy favour? God seemed to turn away from him. He seemed unwilling even to look upon the suff^erer. He permitted him to bear his sorrows, unpitied and alone.

I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

16 Thy fierce wi-atli « goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

sorrow and trouble — that my strength is nearly gone, and I can endure it but a little longer. If From my youth up. That is, for a long time;^so long, that the remembrance of it seems to go back to my very childhood. My whole life has been a life of trouble and sorrow, and I have not strength to bear it longer. It may have been literally true that the author of the psalm had been a man always afflicted; or, this may be tbe language of strong emotion, meaning that his sufferings had been of so long continuance that they seemed to him to have begun in his very boyhood. ^ While I suffer thy terrors. I bear those things which produce terror; or, which till my mind with alarm; to wit, the fear of death, and the dread of the future world. ^ I am distracted. I cannot compose and control my mind; I cannot pursue any settled course of thought; I cannot confine my attention to any one subject; I cannot reason calmly on the subject of affliction, on the Divine government, on the ways of God. I am distracted with contending feelings,— with my pain, and my doubts, and my fears, — and I cannot think clearly of anything. Such is often the case in sickness; and consequently what we need, to prepare us for sickness, is a strong faith, built on a solid foundation while we are in health; such an intelligent and firm faith that when the hour of sickness shall come we shall have nothing else to do hut to believe, and to take the comfort of believing. The bed of sickness is not the proper place to examine the evidences of religion; it is not the place to make preparation for death; not the proper place to become religious. Religion demands the best vigour of the intellect

17 They came round about me ^ daily like water; they compassed me about together.

18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

and the calmest state of the heart; and this great subject should be SETTLED in our minds before we are sick — before tee are laid on the bed of death.

16. Thy fierce xvrath goeth over me. Like waters. See ver. 7. ^ Thy terrors have cut me off. That is, I am as one already dead; I am so near to death that I may be spoken of as dead.

17. They came round about me daily like loater. Marg,, as in Heb., all the day. That is, bis troubles seemed to be like the waves of the sea constantly breaking on the shore. See Ps. xlii. 7. ^ They compassed me about together. My troubles did not come singly, so that I could meet them one at a time, but they seemed to have banded themselves together; they all came upon me at once.

18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me. That is. Thou hast so afflicted me that they have forsaken me. Those who professed to love me, and whom I loved, — those whom I regarded as my friends, and who seemed to be my friends, — are now wholly turned away from me, and I am left to suffer alone. See Notes on ver. 8. ^ And mine acquaintance into darkness. The Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate render this, " my acquaintance jTrowi my misery." Luther, '* Thou hast caused my friends and neighbours, and my kindred, to separate themselves far from me, on account of such misery." The literal rendering would be, my acquaintances are darkness. This may mean either that they had so turned away that he could not see them, as if they were in the dark; or, that his familiars now — his companions — were dark and dismal objects, — gloomy thoughts, — sad forebodings. Perhaps the whole miglit be translated, " Far away from me hast thou put lover aud friend, — my acquaintances! — all is darkness!" That is, When I think of any of them, all is darkness, sadness. My friends are not to be seen. They have vanished. I see no friends; I see only darkness and gloom. All have gone, leaving me alone in this condition of unpitied sorrow! This completes the picture of the suffering man; a man to whom all was dark, and who could find no consolation anywhere — in God; in his friends; in the grave; in the prospect of the future. There are such cases; and it was well that there was one such description in the sacred Scriptures of a good man thus suffering, — to show us that when toe thus feel, it should not be regarded as proof that we have no piety. Beneath all this, there may be true love to God; heyond all this, there may be a bright world to which the sufferer will come, aud where he will for ever dwell.

This psalm is entitled "Maschil of Ethan tne Ezrahite." In the margin this is rendered, " A Psalm for Ethan the Ezrahite to give instruction." On the word Ifaschil, see Notes on the title to Psalm xlii. As both Heman (Ps. Ixxxviii. title) and Ethan, in the title before us, are mentioned as Ezrahites, it would seem that they were of the same family, and were probabl}' brethren. Ethan and Heman, in connexion with Zimri, and Calcol, and Dara, five of them in all, are mentioned as " the sons ofZerah," — grandsons of Judah, IChron. ii. 6. If these were the persons referred to, and if thev were the authors of these two psalms, then the period of the composition of these psalms was laid far back in the history of the Hebrew people, far anterior to the time of David. Comp. 1 Chron. ii. 6-12. It is hardly probable, however, that they were composed at so early a period in the Jewish history; and there are some things in this psalm, which cannot be reconciled with such a supposition (comp. vers. 3, 20, 3o, 39, 49), and which make it certain that it was either composed by David, or after the time of David. The probability, therefore, seems to be that these names, "Heman" and "Ethan," were either the names of some persons subsequent to the time referred to in 1 Clnon. ii. 6, (see General Introd., ^ 2 [o]); or that these their names were given to classes of " the sons of Korah" who had charge of the music, and that the psalms were composed by some persons of these classes. As thus composed, they might be spoken of as the psalms of Heman and Ethan.

There are no certain methods of ascertaining when the psalm before us was composed, or what was the occasion of its composition. De Wette supposes that it must have been written about the time of the exile, as the family of David is represented in the psalm as dishonoured and dethroned, — and yet before the exile, as there is no mention of the destruction of the city and temple. He accords, therefore, Avitli the opinion of Venema that it was not far from the time of the death of Josiah, 2 Chron. xxxv. 20-24. The author he supposes to be either a successor of David, — an humbled monarch,— or, someone who personates the king, and who represents the calamity of the king as his own. Hengstenberg also supposes that it was composed between the time of the death of Josiah and the Babylonish exile. There is a strong probability in the psalm itself that it was composed at such a period, but it is impossible to deteiTnine the exact time, or the precise occasion. The burden of the psalm is, that most precious promises had been made to David of the perpetuity of his throne, but that now these promises seemed to fail; that reverses and calamities had come which threatened to overturn his throne, and to bring his kingdom to an end. His "croAvn" had been "profaned" and "cast to the ground." bee vers. 38-44.

I. The promise made to David in respect to the perpetuity of his throne, vers. 1-37. The illustration of this occupies a considerable part of the psalm.

II. The fact that this promise seemed to be disregarded; that the " covenant" had been "made void;" that the "crown" had been "profaned," and " cast to the ground," vers. 38-45.

III. An earnest plea for the Divine interposition in the fulfilment of the

Eromise, and the restoration of the livine favour and mercy, vers. 46-52, K2

1 Mascliil of Etlian b the Ezrahite.

I WILL sing of tlie mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy

1 Or, A Psalm ybr Ethan the Ezrahite to give faithfulness to 2 all generations.

2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

3 I have made a covenant with

1. I toill sing of the mercies of the LoED/or ever. Particularly how the "mercy" was manifested inthepromise made to David; the solemn covenant made with him in respect to the perpetuity of his throne. The appointment of David to the throne v>^as an act of mere mercy or favour, since he was not in the royal line, and had no claim to the crown. It will be seen, also, that if it be supposed that the covenant with David, and the promise therein made to him, was intended to include the Messiah as descending from him, there was a still higher reason for celebrating the " mercies " of God, inasmuch as all mercy to our world comes through him. ^ With my mouth. Not merely in my heart, but with words. The moaning here is that he would make a record which might be used evermore as the language of praise. •[[ Will I make known thy faithfulness. In the fulfilment of these pvomises. He felt assured that they would be fulfilled. Whatever appearances there might be to the contrary, the psalmist had no doubt that God would prove himself to be faithful and true. See Notes on Isa. Iv. 3, on the expression, " the sure mercies of David." If To all generations. Marg., as in Heb., generation and generation. He would make a record which would carry down the remembrance of this faithfulness to all future ages.

2. For Ihave said. The Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate render this, " Thou hast said," which is more in accordance with what the connexion seems to demand; but the Hebrew will not admit of this construction. The true meaning seems to be, that the psalmist had said; that is, he had said in his mind; he had firmly believed; he had so received it as a truth that it might be spoken of as firmly settled, or as an indisputable reality. It was in his mind one of the things whose truthfulness did not admit of a doubt. ^ Mercy shall he built up for ever. The mercy referred to; the mercy manifested in the promise made to David. The idea is, that the promise would be fully carried out or verified. It would not be like the foundation of a building, which, after being laid, was abandoned; it would be as if the building, for which the foundation was designed, were carried up and completed. It would not be a forsaken, half-finished edifice, but an edifice fully erected. •[[ Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish. In the matter referred to — the promise made to David. % In the very heavens. Literally, "The heavens — thou wilt establish thy faithfulness in them." That is, the heavens — the heavenly bodies — so regular, so fixed, so enduring, are looked upon as the emblem of stabilit}'. The psalmist brings them thus before his mind, and he saj's that God had, as it were, made his promise a part of the very heavens; he had given to his faithfulness a place among the most secure, and fixed, and settled objects in nature. The sun in its regular rising; the stars in their certain course; the constellations, the same from age to age, were an emblem of the stability and security of the promises of God. Com p. Jer. xxxiii.

3. I have made a covenant with my chosen. With my chosen one; that is, with David. The original is in my chosen, I have sworn ^ unto David my servant.

4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

5 And the heavens '' shall praise thy wonders, O Lord;

the singular numbei*, though by the Septuagint, and the Vulgate, and by Luther, it is rendered iu the plural — chosen ones — elect. This is undoubtedly the language of God himself, tliough it is not expressly ascribed to him. The design is to describe the solemn promise which God had made to David and to his posterity. Comp. Ps. Ixxviii. 70, 71. See also, on the tise of the phrase " made a covenant," Notes on Ps. 1. 5; Ixxxiii. 5. *![ J have sworn tinto David my servant. I have taken a solemn oath in regard to him. The substance of the oath is stated in the next verse. The promise referred to is found iu 2 Sam. vii. 11-16.

4. Thy seed will I establish for ever. Thy children; thy posterity. The reference is to his successors on the throne. The promise was that there should not fail to be one on his throne; that is, that his dynasty should never become extinct. See 2 Sam. vii. 16: "And thy house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever." Comp. also 1 Kings ii. 4. The word rendered establish means properly to fit; then, to make firm; to put on a solid basis. •[[ And build up thy throne. It shall be kept up; it shall be like a building that is constantly progressing towards completion. The meaning is, that it would not fiiil. He would not begin the work, and then abandon it. The dynasty, the kingdom, the throne, would be complete and perpetual. ^ To all generations. As long as the world should stand. This can have been accomplished only by the jMessiali occupying in a spiritual sense the throne of " his father David." Comp. Luke i. 32, 33.

6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?

5. And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord. That is, the inhabitants of heaven shall find new occasion for praise in the faithfulness evinced in carrying out the promise to David, and in the marvellous things which will occur under that promise, and in its accomplishment. If we suppose that this promise embraced the Messiah and his reign, then we shall see what new occasions the angels would find for praise, — in the incarnation of the Redeemer, and in all that would be accomplished by him. ^ TJiy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. In the assembly of the holy ones; that is, the angels. In their songs of praise, this will be among the things which will fill them with joy. The idea is, that the inhabitants of the heavens — the holy angels — would take a deep interest in the fulfilment of this promise, as it would furnish new manifestations of the character of God. Comp. Rev. v. 11-14; 1 Pet. i. 12.

6. For icho in the heaven, etc. Literally, In the cloud; that is, in the sky. The idea is that none in the regions above — the upper world — can be compared with God. There is no other god, — there is no one among the angels, great and glorious as they are, that can be likened to him. ^ Who among the sons of the mighty, etc. The angels — regarded as mighty. The " sons of the mighty" on earth are spoken of as mighty men, — as men of power, — as men of exalted rank. So here, the idea is, that none of the angels, though of exalted rank ("principalities," or "powers," comp. Rom. viii. 38; Eph. i. 21), could be put in comparison with God. See Notes on Isa. xl. 25.

7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of tlie saints, and to be had in reverence of all tJievi that are about him.

8 O Lord God of hosts, who e is a strong Lord like unto thee?

7. God is greatly to be feared. There is that ia aim which is fitted to till the mind with solemn feelings, and this is a proper state of mind with which to come before him. Nature teaches us that God should be approached with awe; and all the teachings of revelation confirm this. His power is to be feared; his justice is to be feared; his holiness is to be feared; and there is much also in his goodness, his benevolence, his mercy, to fill the mind with solemn emotions. ^ In the assenibly of the saints. The assembly of the holy; the assembly that is convened for his worship. The reference here may be either to worshippers on earth or in heaven. Wherever, and tohenever, in this world or in other worlds, creatures are engaged in the worship of God, there should be deep solemnity and reverence. On the word rendered assembly here — TIDj sodh — a council, or assemblage for counsel, see Notes on Ps. xxv. 14; Ixiv. 2; comp. Job xv. 8. The idea here is founded on what is said in the previous verse, that none can be compared with God. ^ And to he had in reverence. In fear; in awe. \ Of all them that are about him. That approach him; that are in his presence. The conscious presence of God should fill the mind with awe. When we feel that his eye is upon us, when we know that he sees us, how can we trifle and be thoughtless? How can we then be sinful?

8. O LoED God of hosts. See Notes on Isa. i. 9; Ps. xxiv. 10. God, commanding the armies of heaven; leading forth the stars; controlling all forces — all powers. ^ Who is a strong Lord like unto thee? The original word here rendered Lord is n**, Yah, or JaJi. This is one of the few places where that word occurs, except

9 Thou / rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.

in the compounding of words. It is an abbreviation of the name Jehovah, and has the same signification. See Notes on Ps. Ixviii. 4. The meaning is, that there was no one who in respect to poioer could be compared with Jehovah. ^ Or to thy faithfulness round about thee? Rather, "thy faithfulness is round about thee." That is. It attends thee at all times; it is ah"ays with thee; it is a part of thy very nature. To all round about thee, thou art faithful; wherever God is — and he is everywhere — there is faithfulness. He never changes; and men and angels may always trust in him. The psalmist then proceeds to illustrate the greatness of his power, and of his faithfulness, in the works of creation. The design of these illustrations, doubtless, is to keep before the mind the idea of the Divine faithfulness as shown in the works of nature, and then to apply this to the covenant which had been made with David. The idea is, that he who is so faithful in nature will be the same in grace; that he who had shown such unchangeableness in the works of creation might be expected to show the like in respect to the promises which he had made.

9. Thou rulest the raging of the sea. The pride; the anger; the lifting up of the sea. That is, when the sea is raging and boisterous; when it seems as if everything would be swept away before it, thou hast absolute control over it. There is, perhaps, no more impressive exhibition of Divine poiver than the control which God has over the raging waves of the ocean: — and yet this was the power which Jesus exercised over the raging sea of Galilee, — showing that he had the power of God. Mark iv. 39-41. *^ When the tcaves thereof

10 Thou hast broken ' Ruhab in pieces, as one that is slain: thou hast scattered thine enemies with - thy strong arm.

11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the

arise. In the lifting up of the waves; when they seem to raise themselves up in defiance. ^ Thou stillest them. At thy pleasure. They rise no higher than thou dost permit; at thy command they settle down into a calm. So in the troubles of life — the storms — the waves of affliction; they rise as high as God permits, and no higher; when he commands they subside, and leave the mind as calm as the smooth sea when not a breath of wind moves over its surface, or makes a ripple on its placid bosom.

10. TJiou hast broken Rahah in pieces. Marg., Egypt. See Notes on Ps. Ixxxvii. 4. The reference is to the exodus of the Hebrew people, when he destroyed the power of Egypt. ^ As one that is slain. Slain on the field of battle; as a man pierced through with a sword or spear. ^ Thou hast scattered thine enemies. At the time referred to, in Egypt; and at other times, when the enemies of God and of his people had been discomfited. ^ With thy strong arm. Marg., as in Heb., the arm of thy strength. That is, by his power, — the arm being the symbol of power. See Notes on Ps. Ixxvii. 15. Comp. Deut. V. 15; vii. 8, 19, et al.

11. The heavens are thine. Are thy work; and, therefore, thy property, — the highest conception of property being that which is derived from creation. It is also implied here that as all things belong to God, he has a right to dispose of them as he pleases. ^ The earth also is thine. The earth itself, as made by thee; all that the earth produces, as having sprung out of that which thou hast made. The entire proprietorship is in thee. If As for the tcorld. In the use of this word, the earth is spoken of as inhahitahle,

world, and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.

11 The north and the south, thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon '• shall rejoice in thy name.

meaning that the earth and all that dwell upon it belong to God. ^ And the fulness thereof. All that it produces; what constitutes its entireness. That is, the earth itself considered as earth, or as a mass of matter; and all that springs from it; — all that constitutes tJie earth, with all its mountains, seas, rivers, men, animals, minerals, harvests, cities, towns, monuments — the productions of nature, the works of power, and the achievements of art. Comp. Notes on Ps. xxiv. 1. % Thou hast founded them. They all have their foundation in thee; that is, thou hast caused them all to exist. They have no independent and separate basis on which to rest.

12. The north and the southfthouJiast created them. All that there is in the north and in the south — in the northern and the southern sky — the constellations and the stars; and all that there is in the earth — in the regions of cold and of heat — far as they extend in either direction. The word rendered north here — '\y^% tzaphon — means properly that which is hidden or dark, and was applied to the north, because the ancients regarded it as the seat of gloom and darkness. Hom. Od., ix. 25. The south, on the other hand, was regarded by them as illuminated and made bright by tlie beams of the sun. The word rendered south — \''Q\ yamin — means literally the right hand, and was applied to the south because the ancient geographers were supposed to face the east, as now they are supposed to face the north, Comp. Notes on Job xxiii. 9. TT Tahor and Hermon. That is, the west and the east, — the former of these mountains being on the western side of Palestine, the

13 Thou ^ hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.

other on the eastern, and both of them being objects of beauty and grandeur. The idea is, that God had control of all parts of the universe; that the world in every direction, and in every part, declared his power, and made known his greatness. % Shall rejoice in tliy name. Or, do rejoice in thee. That is. They, as it were, exult in thee as their God. They are clothed with beauty, as if full of joy; and they acknowledge that all this comes from thee as the great Creator. Comp. Ps. Ixv. 8, 12; xcvi. 1], 12.

13. Thou Jiast a mighty arm. Marg., as in Heb., an arm iviih might. That is. Thou hast great power, — the arm being the instrument by which we accomplish our purposes. ^ Strong is thy hand. The hand, too, is an instrument by which we execute our plans. Hence God is so often represented as having delivered his people with a strong hand. ^ And high is thy right hand. It is by the right hand particularly that M-e carry out our purposes. We lift it high when we are about to strike with force. All this is expressive of the Divine omnipotence.

14. Justice and judgment are the halitation of thy throne. Marg,, estahlishment. The Hebrew word — IIdtO, machon — means properly a place where one stands; then, a foundation or basis. The idea here is, that the throne of God is founded on justice and right judgment; it is this which supports it; his administration is maintained because it is right. This supposes that there is such a thing as right or justice in itself considered, or in the nature of things, and independently of the will of God; that the Divine administra- mercy and truth shall go before

15 Blessed is the people that

know the joyful sound: ^ they shall walk, O Lord, in the light

tion will be conformed to that, and will be firm because it is thus conformed to it. Even omnipotent power could not maintain permanently a throne founded on injustice and wrong. Such an administration would sooner or later make its own destruction sure. ^ Mercy and truth shall go before thy face. Literally, anticipate thy face; that is, thy goings. Wherever thou dost go, wherever thou dost manifest thyself, there will be mercy and faithfulness. Thy march through the world will be attended with kindness and fidelity. So certain is this, that his coming will, as it were, be anticipated by truth and goodness.

15. Blessed is the people. Happy is their condition. See Notes on Ps. i. 1. ^ That Jcnoio the joyful soiind. That hear that sound. De Wette explains this of the call to the festivals and ofterings. Lev. xxiii. 24; Num. X. 10; Ps. xxvii. 6. That is, says he, those who honour and worship God. The Hebrew word — nV^*^^' teruah — means a loud noise; a tumult; especially, shouts of joy, or rejoicing. Job viii. 21; 1 Sam. iv. 5; the "shout of a king," that is, the joyful acclamations with which a king is welcomed. Num. xxiii. 21; the shout of battle, Jer. iv. 19; xlix. 2. Then it means the sound or clangour of trumpets. Lev. XXV. 9; Num. xxix. 1-6. The word is, therefore, especially applicaljle to the sounding of the trumpets which attended the celebration of the great festivals among the Hebrews, and there can be little doubt that this is the reference here. The idea is, that they are blessed or happy who are the worshippers of Jehovah, the true God; who are summoned to his

16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness "' shall they be exalted.

17 For thou art the glory of their strength; and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted,"

1 Or, our shield is of the LORD, and our l-'uig is of the Uoly One of Israel, Ps. xlvii. 9.

service; who are convened to the place of his worship. ^ IV/ey shall toalk, O LoED, in the ligld of thy countenance. They shall live in thy favoui', and enjoy thy smiles.

find their happiness. In thy being; thy perfections; thy protection; thy government; thy favour. 1^ All the day. That is, continually. It is their privilege, and it is their duty to rejoice always. Thou art always the same, and the happiness which is found in thy being and attributes at one time may be found at all 1/lmes; thy. promises are ever the vsame, and thy people may find happiness in them always. There is no reason why the people of God should not be constantly happy; thiey who liave such a God, and such hopes as they are permitted to cherish, should be so. Comp. Xotes on Phil. iii. 1; iv. 4. % And in thy righteousness. Under thy righteous government; or, in the knowledge of thy righteous character. % Shall they be exalted. See Prov. xiv. 34-. The eflect of that knowledge shall be to exalt or to elevate them in moral character, in happiness, in the esteem of other.*;, and in true prosperity. Comp. 1 Tim. iv. 8.

17. For thou art the glory of their strength. The ornament; the beauty; the honour; that is, Their strength derives its beauty and honour, not from anything in themselves, but from the fact that it is derived from thee. The strength thus imparted is an honour or ornament in itself; it is an honour and glory to them that it is imparted to them. ^ And in thy favour. Or, by thy favour, or good

18 For ^ the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our hing.

19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one thai is mighty; " I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

pleasure.. "IT Our horn shall be exalted. The horn is a symbol of power. Comp. Notes on Ps. xxii. 21; Ixxv. 4; Dan. vii. 8; Job xvi. 15. The meaning here is, that their power had been derived from God; or that all which contributed to their exaltation and honour in the world, had been derived from him.

18. For the LoED is our defence. Marg., Our shield is of the Lord. The original word rendered defence, is shield. Comp. Notes on Ps. v. 12; xxxiii. 20; lix. 11. The meaning is, that protection Avas to be found in God alone. The true construction of this verse is, " For to Jehovah [belongs] our shield, and to the Holy One of Israel our king." That is, All that they had, and all that they relied on as a defence, belonged to God, or was of God; in other words, their very protectors were themselves protected by Jehovah. They had no other defence; nothing else on which they could depend.

19. Then thou spaJcest in vision. Or, by a vision. See this word explained in the Notes on Isa. i. 1. The meaning is, that God had spoken this by means of visions, or by communications made to his people by the prophets. This " vision " was especially made known to Nathan, and through him to David. See 2 Sam. vii. 4 — 17. The substance of what is here said is found in that passage in Samuel. In 2 Sam. vii. 17, it is expressly called a " vision." % To thy holy one. The vision was addressed particularly to David, but was made through him to the people of Israel. The ancient versions render this in the plural, as referring to the people of Israel. The

20 I p have found David my servant; witli my holy oil have I anointed him:

shall be established; mine arm also shall strengthen him.

22 The enemy shall not exact npon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.

Hebrew is in the siugular number. % I have [aid help upon one that is mighty. I have so endowed him that he shall be the protector and defender of my people. He is qualified for the office entrusted to him, and in his hands the interests of the nation will be safe. This was not expressly said in the vision; but this was the substance of what was said. See 2 Sam. vii. 9. ^ / have exalted one chosen out of tJie people. One not of exalted rank; one not descended from kings and conquerors; but one that had grov.n up among the people; one called from the ranks of common life; one chosen from among those engaged in humble occupations. In this way it was the more apparent that the power really came from God. Comp. 2 Sam. vii. 8; see also Notes on Ps. Ixxviii. 70-72,

20. Ihave found David my servant. That is, I found him among the sheepfolds; in humble life. I saw there one who was qualified for the high office of being the ruler of the nation, and I designated, or set him apart, for that office. The idea is, that there was in him a previous qualification for this work, and that God had seen this, and, in accordance with this, had summoned him to his service. ^ With my holy oil have 1 anointed him. By the hand of Samuel. 1 Sam. xvi. 13. Oil was used in setting apart prophets, priests, and kings. It was^^o^oW upon the person, — emblematic of the pouring out upon him of wisdom and grace from on high to qualify him for his office.

21. With whom my hand shall he established. Septuagint; " My hand shall aid him." Luther; "My hand shall hold him.^' De Wette; " With him my hand shall be continually." Professor Alexander; " Shall ever be present." The idea is, that God would always defend or protect him. He would not merely interpose at times, or at intervals, but he would be his constant protector. His hand would be permanently, or constantly, extended for his aid — as if it were a part of David's own person, or were his own hand, to be used as he pleased. So God is the constant helper of his people. They may rely on his power; they may avail themselves of it, as if it were their own. ^ Mine arm also shall strengthen him. In using his own arm, he will in fact make use of the strength of mine. The people of God are as really defended as rf the strength of God were theirs; or as if they were themselves almighty. The omnipotence of God is employed in their defence, and it will be as certainly exerted in their favour, and as constantly, as if it were their own. It will be no less surely employed in their defence in the hand of God than if it were in their own hand. It will be more wisely employed by him in their behalf than it would be by themselves.

22. The enemy shall not exact upon him. The literal meaning here is derived from the force sometimes used in extorting or demanding a debt, where no indulgence is shown, but where it is exacted to the last luite, whether the man is able to pay it or not. Comp, Matt, xviii. 25, 28. Then it is used to denote oppression, or s\ibjugation, which is the idea here. The enemy shall not be suffered to act the part of one who rigidly exacts the payment of a debt; that is, he shall not be allowed to oppress him. ^ Nor the son of wickedness afflict him. This is copied almost literally from 2 Sam. vii. 10. The phrase " the son of wickedness" means simply the icicked. He shall not fall into the hands, or under the power of wicked men.

23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.

24) But my faithfulness and my mercy sJiall he ■with him; and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

25 1 will set his hand also in the ♦• sea, and his right hand in the rivers.

23. And Itv'dlheat down his foes before 7iis face. I will crush them, or destroy them: — showing that the power of doing this was not his own, but was the ])Ower of God exerted iu his behalf. ^ And plague them that hate him. His enemies. I will bring " plagues " upon them: — calamities, judgments, afflictions. The word is commonly used to denote those judgments v.hich come directly from the hand of God, — as famine, pestilence, ■wasting sickness, the plague, or the " plagues " of Egypt. Ex. xii. 13; XXX. 12 j J^um. viii. 19; xvii. 11, 12. These are all iu the hand of God, and can be employed at his pleasure, as storms and tempests may be, in executing his purposes.

24. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be ivith him. I will at the same time be faithful to him, and merciful. These attributes of my nature shall be always attendant on him, as if they were his own. ^ And in my name. By me; — or — He, acting in my name, and in my cause, shall be exalted. ^ Shall his horn he exalted. See Notes on ver. 17.

25. / loill set his hand also in the sea, etc. His dominion shall extend from the sea on the one hand to the rivers on the other. The sea here evidently refers to the Mediterranean; and the rivers to the great rivers on the east — the Tigris and Euphrates. These were the promised boundaries of the land. Gen. xv. 18. David secured a conquest over all these territories, and united all under his sceptre, thus securing the accomplishment of the

26 He shall cry unto me. Thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

27 Also I will make him my * first-born, higher ' than the kings of the earth.

28 My mercy " will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant « shall stand fast with him.

promise made to Abraham. See Notes on Ps. Ix.

26. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father. He shall appeal to me, or come to me as a Father, and as his only hope and defence. ^ My God. He shall come to me as God, and shall recognise me as his God, his only trust and hope. ^ And the rock of my salvation. See Notes on Ps. xviii. 2. The meaning of all this is, that he would at all times recognise him as his only trust and hope, and that he would be faithful on his part to God.

27. Also I will maTce him my firsthorn. He shall be regarded and treated by me as the first-born son is in a family; that is, with distinguished favour and honour. Compare Gen. xxvii. 19; xxix. 26; Ex. iv. 22; xiii. 12; Jer. xxxi. 9. See also Notes on Col. i. 15, 18. ■[[ Higher than the Icings of the earth. Than other kings; the most exalted among kings and rulers. This was entirely fulfilled in David, who occupied a pre-eminence among princes and rulers which no other king did: — a prominence alike in his own personal character and his reign; in his relation to God; and in the fact that he was the ancestor of the Messiah, the " King of kings, and Lord of lords " (Kcv. xix. 16); " the prince of the kings of the earth," Kev. i. 5.

my favour from him, nor from his posterity, vers. 33-36. In him, and in his Great Descendant, the throne

29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven."'

30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;

31 If they ^ break my statutes,

and keep not my commandments;

32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

33 Nevertheless * my lovingkindness 2 will I not utterly take shall- be established for ever. This domiuion will not be like the changing dynasties of this world, but will be perpetual and eternal. ^ And my covenant shall stand fast toitk him. See 2 Sam. vii. 14-16; xxiii. 5. It shall be firm, or established with him and his family.

29. Sis seed also tvill ImaTce to endure for ever. That is, His posterity shall occupy the throne. — {a) This would have been true of his descendants, if they had been faithful to God, and had not revolted from him; (i) It is true of him who is the successor of David in his spiritual kingdom, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. Comp. Notes on Isa. ix. 6, 7. ^ And his throne as the days of heaven. As long as the heavens endure; that is, to the end of the world. Comp. Notes on Ps. Ixxii. 5, 7, 17.

30. If his children. His posterity; his successors on the throne. ^ Forsake my law. If they are not regulated by it in the administration of their government, and in their private lives. It is here supposed that they might forsake his law, or fail to observe it; but still there is the assurance that the power would not depart permanently from the successors of David, but that it would be restored ultimately to that line, and be permanent and eternal. ^ And toalk not in my judgments. And do not obey my commandments.

31. If they hreak my statutes. Marg., profane. The Hebrew word means to pollute or defile; and the idea is. If they practically contemn them; if they regard them as things of nought, or treat them with disdain as a polluted or defiled thing. It is in this way that the mass of mankind do regard the commands of God. They treat them with no respect; they practically class them among objects that are polluted, and that are to be avoided as defiled and defiling. *[[ And keep not my commandments. If they do not regulate their conduct by my laws.

32. Then ivill I visit their transgression ivith the rod. They shall be punished, though my mercy shall not be wholly taken from them. God has two objects in his dealings with his backsliding and offending people; (a) one is to show his displeasure at their conduct, or to punish them; (h) the other is to reclaim them. All who have been truly converted, or who are truly his people, will be recovered though they fall into sin; but it may be done, and will be likely to be done, in such a way as to show his own displeasure at their ofl"ences. ^ And their iniquity tvith stripes. The word rendered stripes means properly a stroke, a blow; then, judgments or calamities, such as God sends on men as a punishment for their sins. Gen. xii. 17; Ex. xi. 1; Ps. xxxviii. 11.

33. Nevertheless my loving-kind' ness. My mercy; my favour. I will not utterly cast him off". He shall not be in the condition of those who are my enemies, or who are entirely forsaken. *^ Will I not utterly take from him. Marg., I will not make void from. The Hebrew word — "1~iD, p)arar — means to break, to break in pieces; then, to violate, as a covenant; then, to make vain, to bring to nought, to frustrate; then, to annul, to abolish. The idea here is that of making entirely vain; wholly removing from; or taking from liini, nor suffer my faithfulness to ^ fail.

31< My covenant will I not break, y nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

6b Once have 1 sworn by my holiness, 2 that I will not lie unto completely away. Tlic meaning is, that ho would not wholly take away his favour; he would not entirely abandon him; he would not sutt'er him to become wholly apostate; he would not leave him to ruin. The covenant once made would be accomplished; the promise given would be carried out. % Nor suffer my faithfulness. My faithfulness as fledged in the covenant or promise. ^ To fail. Marg., lie. I will not prove false, or deal falsely in the pledge which I have made. It shall not appear at last that I have made a promise which has not been kept. This passage contains a very important principle in regard to the dealings of God with his people. The principle is, that if men are converted, if they in fact become his people — he will never suffer them wholly to fall away and perish. They may be suffered to backslide; they may fall into sin, but they will not be allowed to go so far as to apostatize wholly. They will be brought back again. Whatever method may be necessary fori' this, will be adopted. Commands; warnings; entreaties; remonstrances; — their own experience; the admonitions of others; the influences of the Holy Spirit: — ^judgments and calamities; sickness; loss of property; bereavement; disappointment; disgrace; — any of these, or all of these, may be resorted to, in order to bring them back; but they will be Ijrought back. God, in mercy and in love, will so visit them with sorrow and trouble that they shall be recovered, and that their " spirit shall be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."

36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

Literally, I will not pollute, defile, profane. See Notes on ver. 31, where the same word is used. God says that he will not do in regard to the covenant as they had done. ^ Nor alter the thing, etc. The promise which I have made. I will not make it a different thing. I will not modify its conditions, or withdraw it. It shall stand precisely as it was when I uttered it. What God promises will be exactly performed.

35. Once have I sicorn hy my hoUness. That is, once for all; — a single oath — an oath once taken by me — makes it certain. To swear by his "holiness" is to pledge his own holy nature; to make it as certain as that he is holy; to stake the whole question of his holiness on that. That is. If this should not be accomplished, — if he shoiUd fail in this, — it would prove that he was not a holy God. ^ l^iat Iivillnot liennto David. Marg., as in Heb., if I lie. The meaning is. He would be found faithful to the promise. See vers. 3, 4; comp. 2 Sam. vii. 8-16.

36. His seed shall endure for ever, etc. His posterity. Sec Notes on ver. 29. There, the expression is, " his throne as the days of heaven." Here it is, " his throne as the sun before me." The meaning is the same. It would stand through all time. Comp. Notes on Vs. Ixxii. 5.

37. It shall he established for ever as the moon. As long as the moon shall endure. The heavenly bodies are the most permanent objects that we know of; and they, therefore, became the emblems of stalMlity and perpetuity. Comp. Notes on Ps. Ixxii. 7. ^ And as a faithful witness in heaven. As the witness in heaven, or

38 But 2 thovL hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.

39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant; thou hast profaned his crown, hij casting it to the ground.

40 Thou hast broken down « all his hedges; thou hast

in the sky, is sure. The reference is to the moon, regarded as a ivitness for God. What is said here of the moon as an index of his faithfulness, might be said also of the sun and the stars; but the beauty of the image is increased by the attention being fixed to a single object. As the moon is fixed, regular, enduring, — so are the promises and purposes of God. Such were the promises made to David; such was the oath which had been taken by God; such the covenant which he had made. The psalmist now proceeds (vers. 38-45) to show that this oath and these promises seemed to be disregarded; that there were things occurring which appeared as if God liad forgotten them; that there was not that manifest prosperity and favour which was implied in the promise; but that a series of calamities had occui r.d which it was difficult to reconcile with these solemn pledges. On the ground of this he prays (vers. 46-52) that God would return, and would remember his covenant, and would bless David and his people,

38. But thou hast cast off. Literally, Thou hast treated as a foul, offensive thing; thou hast treated him to whom these promises were made, as if he were a vile and detestable object— as that which one throw^s away because it is worthless or offensive. ^ And _^ abhorred. Hast despised; that is, as if it were an object of aversion or contempt. Comp. Ps. Ix. 1, 10. ^ Thou hast been wroth. Literally, "Thou hast suffered [thine anger] to overflow," or to pour itself forth. See Ps. Ixxviii. 21, 59. ^ With thine anointed. With him who had brought his strong holds to ruin.

41 All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.

42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.

been anointed as king, — anointed as thine oivn — to administer justice, and to rule for thee. 1 Sam. xvi. 1, 13. This might seem to refer to the time of Absalom, when David was driven from his throne and his kingdom; see, however, the Introduction to the Psalm.

39. Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant. Thou hast dealt with him as if there w^ere no such covenant; as if no such promise had been made to him. The word rendered made void, means to abhor, or reject. ^ Thou hast profaned his croivn, by casting it to the ground. Literally, "Thou hast profaned to the earth his crown;" that is, Thou hast treated it as a polluted thing; a thing to be rejected and abhorred; a thing which one casts indignantly upon the ground.

40. Thou hast hroJcen down all his hedges. His walls or defences; all that he relied on for safety. ^ Thou hast brought his strongholds to ruin. His towers; fortifications; defences. The enemy has been suffered to destroy them. They are now heaps of ruins.

41. All that jjass by the ivay spoil him. The sentiment here is substantially the same as in Ps. Ixxx. 12. See Notes on that place. The idea is that of fields or vineyards, where all the fences, the walls, and the hedges are thrown down so that they become like an open common. ^ Se is ci reproach to his neighbours. An object of ridicule, as if he were forsaken by God; as if cast out and despised.

42. Thou hast setup the right hand of his adversaries. Hast given them the victory. Thou hast suffered them to accomplish their purposes. ^ Thou

43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle,

44 Thou hast made his ^ glory to cease, and cast his throne dovni to the ground.

45 The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast co-

hast made all his enemies to rejoice. They joy or rejoice iu the success of their plans; in tlieir triumphs over thy servant and over his people.

43. Thou hast also turned the edge of his sicord. That is, Thou hast turned it away, so that when it is raised to strike, it does not descend on the object aimed at by the blow. The meaning is, that he had not been successful in battle, or had been defeated. \ And hast not made him to stand in the battle. To stand firm; to hold his ground. He has been driven back; his forces have fled.

44. Thou hast made his glory to cease. Marg., brightness. Luther, "Thou destroyest his purity." The original word means brightness, splendour. The literal translation here would be, "Thou causest to cease from being brightness;" that is, Thou hast taken away from his brightness, so that it is gone. The allusion is to the splendour, the glory, the magnificence connected with his rank as king. This had been destroyed, or had come to nought. *?[ And cast Jiis throne down to the ground. See ver. 39.

45. The days of his youth hast thou shortened. This does not mean that he had shortened his life, but that he had abbreviated the period of his vigour, his hope, and his prosperity; instead of lengthening out these, and prolonging them into advancing years, he had by calamities, disappointments, reverses, and troubles, as it were, abridged them. No such youthful vigour, no such youthful hope now remained. The feelings of age — the cutting otF from the world — had come suddenly upon him, even before he had reached the season when this vered him with shame. Selah.

4G How long. Lord? wilt thou hide '' thyself tor ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

might be expected to occur. Though at a time of life and in circumstances when he might have hoped for a longer continuance of that youthful vigour, he had suddenly been brought into the sad condition of an old man. ^ Thou hast covered him with shame. Hast clothed him with shame or disgrace. Everything in his circumstances and in his appearance indicates shaniG and disgrace, and the Divine displeasure.

46. Soto long, LoED? How long is this to continue? Can it be that this is to continue always? Is there to be no change for the better? Are the promises which have been made, never to be fulfilled? Comp. Notes on Ps. xiii. 1; Ixxvii. 7-9. If Wilt thou hide thyself for ever? Thy favour. Wilt thou never come forth and manifest thyself as the Helper of those who trust in thee? % Shall thy torath burn liJce fire? Fire which entirely consumes; fire which never ceases as long as there is anything to burn; fire which never puts itself out, but which wholly destroys that on which it preys.

47. Remember hoio short my time is. The word rendered time — "jpn hheled — means duration; lifetime. Ps. xxxix. 5. Then it means life; time; age; the world. Literally here, " Remember; — I; — what duration." The meaning is plain. Bear in remembrance that my time must soon come to an end. Life is brief. In a short period the time will come for me to die; and if these promises are fulfilled to me, it must be done soon. Remember that these troubles and sorrows cannot continue for a much longer period without exhaust-

48 What <^ man is lie that livetli, and sliall not see deatli? sliall lie deliver liis soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

49 Lord, where are thy former loving-kindnesses, ivMch thou

swarest <i unto David in thy truth?

50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; hoiv I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;

ing all my appointed time upon the earth. If God was ever to interpose and bless him, it must be done speedily, for he would soon pass away. The promised bestowment of favour must be conferred soon, or it could not be conferred at all. The psalmist praj's that God would remember this. So it is proper for iis to pray that God would bless us soon; that he would not withhold his grace now; that there may be no delay; that he would (wc may say it with reverence) bear in remembrance that our life is very brief, and that if grace is to be bestowed in order to save us, or in order to make us useful, it must be bestowed soon. A young man may properly employ this prayer; how much more appropriately one who is rapidly approaching old age, and the end of life! ^ Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? As thou dost seem to have done, since they accomplish so little in the Avorld, and since so many appear wholly to miss the great purpose of life! Nothing, in certain moods of mind, will strike one more forcibly or more painfully than the thought that the mass of men seem to have been made in vain. Nothing is accomplished by them worthy of the powers with which they are endowed; nothing worthy of so long living for; nothing worthy of the efforts which they actually put forth. In a large portion of mankind there is an utter failui'C in securing even the objects which they seek to secure; in numerous cases, when they have secured the object, it is not worth the effort which it has cost; in all cases, the same effort, or an effort made less strenuous, laborious, costly, and continuous, would have secured an ohject of real value — loorth all their effort — the immortal crown /

48. What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death i Shall not die, — to see death being an expression often used to denote death itself. Death is represented as a real object, now invisible, but which will make itself visible to us when we die. The meaning here is, " All men are mortal; this universal law must apply to kings as well as to other men; in a short time he to whom these promises pertain will pass away from the earth; and the promises made to him cannot then be fuiailed." ^ Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the gravel His life. Will he be able to deliver that from the poiver of the grave; — in Hebrew, Sheol. Death — the grave — Sheol — asserts a universal dominion over mankind, and no one can be rescued from that stern power.

49. Lord, ichere are thy former loving -Jcindnesses. Thy mercies; thy pledges; thy promises. Where are those promises which thou didst make formerly to David? Are they accomplished? Or are they forgotten and disregarded? They seem to be treated as a thing of nought; as if they had not been made. He relied on them; but they are not now fulfilled. ^ AVhich thou swarest unto David. Which thou didst solemnly promise, even with the implied solemnity of an oath. ^ In thy truth. Pledging thy veracity.

50. Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants. Remember this, so as to cause it to pass away; be not forgetful or unmindful of this. Comp. ver. 47. The psalmist desired that all this might be before the mind of God as a reason why he should help Lim. These promises hud been made

51 Wlicrcwitli thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; •wherewith they have reproached

to David and his people. They had relied on them, and they were now reproached as having trusted to promises which had never been made. This reproach was consequent on what seemed to be the failure to fulfil those promises; and as this reproach came upon God, and was a reriection on his lidelity, the psalmist prays that he would allow it to come before him. ^ How / do hear in my bosom the reproach of all tlie miglily people. Literally, " I bear in my bosom all the many people." That is, everything that pertained to them came upon him. All their troubles; all their reverses; all their complaints; all their murmurings, seemed to come upon him. He was held responsible for everything pertaining to them; all this pressed upon his heart. Comp. the bitter complaint of Moses in Numb. xi. 11-15. The phrase " to Lear in the bosom " here, is equivalent to bearing it on the heart. Trouble, anxiety, care, sorrow, seem to press on the heart, or fill the bosom with distressing emotions, and lay on it a heavy burden. The allusion here is not merely to reproach, but the meaning is that everything pertaining to the people came on him, and it crushed him down. The burdens of his own people, as well as the reproaches of all around him, came upon him; and he felt that he was not able to bear it.

the footsteps of thine anointed.

51. Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Loud. Have reproached thee and me. Wlierewith they reproach thy character and cause, and reproach me for having trusted to promises which seem not to be fulfilled. As the representative of thy cause, I am compelled to bear all this, and it breaks my heart. ^ Whereivith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anoi^ited. Of myself, as the anointed king. They have reproached my footsteps; that is, they have followed me with reproaches— treading along behind me. Wherever I go, wherever I put my foot down in my wanderings, I meet this reproach.