Notes on the Old and New Testaments

25. Save now, I beseech thee, O LoED, etc. The word save here seems to be used in the general sense of imploring the Di\'ine interposition and mercy. It is a part of the word which in the New Testament is rendered "Hosanna" — save now (Matt. xxi. 9), — and is the language which the multitudes 'employed when they followed the Saviour as he went from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. The language which they used on that occasion was borrowed from this psalm, and was eminently appropriate to the occasion — " Hosanna, — blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord;" — but the fact that it was thus employed does not prove that the psalm had original reference to the Messiah. The

26 Blessed * be he that cometli in the name of the LoKD: we have blessed you out of the house of the Loed.

27 God is the Lord, which hath shewed us Hght; ' bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

language was not improbably used on bigh festivals, and would be naturally employed wben the Messiah came. ^ Send now prosperity. Give success; be favourable. God had interposed, and now the prayer is, that there might be continued and uninterrupted prosperity; that as the tide had begun to turn in the psalmist's favour, it might recede no more; that the calamities and woes which he had experienced might not be repeated. This was omitted in the acclamations of the multitude that attended the Saviour (Matt. xxi. 9); but it is eminently an appropriate prayer to be used in connexion with his coming, — since his coming, whether to the world, to an individual, to a church, or to a community, brings the highest kind of " prosperity " in its train.

26. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LoED. See Notes on Matt. xxi. 9. This is the language of those who had charge of the sanctuary, addressing him who came in the naxae of the Lord to present his thank-offering. It is the language of welcome; the assurance that his offering would be acceptable to God. It was applicable to the Messiah, as coming in the name of the Lord, and was so used by the multitudes (Matt. xxi. 9), and by the Saviour himself (Matt, xxiii. 39); but this use of the language does not prove that it had original reference to him. The Old Testament abounds in language which may thus be employed to express ideas under the Christian dispensation; but this does not prove that all such language was originally designed to refer to that dispensation. 1^ We have blessed you out of the house of the LoED. We, the priests, the ministers of religion, have pronounced and do pronounce you blessed. We welcome your approach. You may »ome freely with your thank-offering. It will be accepted of the Lord. Yon come under our benediction, and the benediction of God.

27. Ood'iB the Loed. Still the language of the priests in their official capacity. The meaning here seems to be "God is Jehovah;" or, Jehovah is the true God. It is an utterance of the priesthood in regard to the great truth which they were appointed specifically to maintain, — that Jehovah is the true God, and that he only is to be worshipped. This truth it was appropriate to enunciate on all occa sions; and it was peculiarly appropriate to be enunciated when a prince, who had been rescued from danger and death, came, as the restored leader of the people of God, to acknowledge his gracious intervention. On such an occasion, — in view of the r:ink and character of him who came, — and in view of what God had done for him, — it was proper for the ministers of religion to announce in the most solemn manner, that Jehovah was the only true and living God. 1[ Which hath show-ct us light. Who has given us light in the days of our darkness and adversity; who has restored us to prosperity, and bestowed on us the blessings of safety and of peace. ^ Bind the sacrifice with cords. Come freely with the sacrificial victim; with the offering which is to be presented to God in sacrifice. The word —:in, hhag — commonly means a

28 Thou '" art my God, and j 29 O " give thanks unto the

I will praise thee; thou art my God, I will exalt thee.

festival or feast, Ex. x. 9; xil. 14; and then it means a festival-sacrifice, a victim, Ex. xxiii. 18; Mai. ii. 3. The Septuagint and Vulgate render it, " Prepare a solemn feast." Our translation probably expresses the true sense. The word rendered cords, means properly anything interwoven or interlaced. Then it means a cord, a braid, a wreath; and then a branch with thick foliage. Different interpretations have been given of the passage here, but probably the word is correctly rendered cords. IT Unto the horns of the altar. Altars were often made with projections or "horns" on the fonr corners. Ex. xxvii. 2; xxx. 2; xxxvii. 25; 1 Kings ii. 28. Whether the animal was actually bound to the altar when it was slain, is not certain; but there would seem to be an allusion to such a custom here. Lead up the victim; make it ready; bind it even to the altar, preparatory to the sacrifice. The language is that of welcome addressed to him who led up the victim, — meaning that his sacrifice would be acceptable.

28. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee. This is the language of the author of the psalm,— his solemn profession before the sanctuary and the altar; his response to the priesthood. In ver. 27, they had declared that "Jehovah alone was God;" to this he now replies, that he acknowledges it; he recognizes him as the true God, and as his God; he comes to praise him; and he professes his purpose always to exalt him as his God. % Thou art my God, I will exalt thee. Repeating the solemn declaration that Jehovah alone was the God whom he worshipped, and that it was his purpose always to magnify his name.

29. O give thanks unto the Loed, etc. The psalm closes, as it began, with an exhortation to praise God. In the beginning of the psalm, it was a general exhortation; here it is an exhortation founded on the course of thought in the psalm, or as a proper conclusion from what had been referred to in the psalm. Evidence had been given that the Lord was good; on the groond of that, all men are exhorted to give him thanks.

This is an Alphabetical Psahn,— the longest, and most perfect in its kind, in the collection of Psalms. The peculiarity of the composition consists iu this,— that the first eight verses of the psalm begin with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet— X, Aleph; the next eight verses with the second letter— a, Beth; and so on, thi-ough the twenty- two letters of the alphabet. These parts are designatc-d in our common version by the names of the Hebrew letters respectiyely indicating the parts,— Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, etc.

The general subject of the psalm is the l.\w orfioD considered as a rule of life; as sanctLfyin- the soul; as a support in h'ial,■ as imparting happiness to the mind, — in its contemplation, and in obedience to it. The psahn appears to have been intended to set forth the excellency of that law, and the happv effects cf obeying it, in eveiy variety of form, and with every variety of expression. In its gi-eat length, extending to one hundred and seventy-sts verses, there was ample opportunity to illustrate this; and tl\e purpose of the author of the psahn seems to have been to see how much could be said on this, and to say all that could be said on it. It ia remarkable that a single subject could be pursued so far with so much variety, and with so little that can be regarded as repetition; for there are perhaps no two verses in the psalm so exactly similar that there cannot be seen, either in themselves, or in their connexion, some new phase given to the subject, or some new shade of thought not expressed elsewhere. So marked is this design of the psalm, so constant is the reference to the law of God— the testimonies of God— the statutes of God— that, according to the Masora, there is "only one verse in the psahn which does not contain some title or description of the word of God."

The psalm seems to be a record of the personal experience of the author, or the result of his meditations on the subject. It is not the Jewish people speaking, or the church, as many have supposed, but it is evidently an individual— not improbably a man of years — giving the result of his experience in regard to the influence of the law or the word of God in the various circumstances of Ufe:— in regard to what he had /omw^ that to be to himself personally. At the same time, the language is such as will express the experience of others, and is such as might be employed in public worship. _

It is not probable, however, that a psalm so long was commonly used in public worship, as many of the shorter psalms were. It is a great storehouse of truths, most precious and valuable, on one of the most important subjects of reUgion — the word of God; and it may have been intended, as would seem not improbable from the alphabetical aiTangement, to be committed to memory by the young, that their minds might be early stored with valuable precepts, to be their guide in the journey of life. A young man could not have a better treasure laid up in his mind than he would possess by committing this psahn to memory.

Whether the psalm was the work of David or of some later wiiter cannot be ascertained, ilany have ascribed it to David; and it has been supposed that he wrote it either when he was an exile among the Philistines (1 Sam. xxvii.), or when he was young, and had not yet obt^iined the authority of the government. This last opinion is derived— Rosenmiiller thinks correctly — from vers. 9, 23, 46, 141, 161. Gurlitt supposed that its author was some youth who was made captive by the Assyrians, and who composed the psalm in his captivity, as expressive of his attachment to his religion: — a youth who could not, though away from his country and home, and surrounded by temptations, be turned away from the religion of his fathers by threats or bribes; — who rejected all the allurements and blandishments which could be presented to him to induce him to abandon that religion, and to conform to the customs of idolatry, — or who resisted aU temptations to sensual gratifications. This idea is derived from vers. 22, 23, 25, 28, 29, 36, 39, 42, 43, 46, 50, 51, 53, 56, 67, 72, 74, 78, 83, 84, 95, 109. Thus understood, it would be applicable to the condition of such a young Hebrew as Joseph or Daniel, and would express the feelings which such young men would have in the temptations by which they were surrounded, and the firmness of their attachment to the principles of the religion in which they had been trained. The idea is a beautiful.one, and may properly be used for an illustration, but there is no certain evidence that the psalm was composed under those circumstances. Others have supposed that the psalm was written by Jaddo (Neh. xii. 22), the high-priest in the time of Alexander the Great — amidst the troubles which then existed in Judea, and amidst the opposition of the Samaritans, — and that the design was to show his own finnness in the Jewish religion, and to excite the Hebrews to the same firmness by settmg forth the authority aud excellence of the word of God, and the authority of the law. Riidinger supposes that it was composed in the time of the persecutions under Antiochus, — the times of the Maccabees, — with the same design. AIL these are mere conjectures, and it is now impossible to ascertain the occasion on which the psalm was composed, or to detennine who was its author. Nor is it necessary. The psalm is so applicable to the people of God at all times, so fitted to strengthen the mind La trial, so adapted to guide, comfort, and support

"DLESSED are the l undefiled •*-' in tlie way, who ° walk in the law of the Loed.

2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, a^id that seek him with the whole heart.p

the soul, and so true in regard to the influence and value of the law of God, that it is not needful to know when it was composed, or who its author was. It is sufficient to know that it was composed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and is a repository of truths which will bo of inestimable value in all ages of the world.

There is no grouping or arrangement of the subjects in the psalm, and little or no connexion between the sentiments in the verses of it. Much in it has a proverbial cast, or is presented in the form of aphorisms; and the order of thought seems to have been suggested by the necessity of choosing a particular letter with which to commence each verse, and the succession of eight verses under each letter. It might be possible to make an aiTangement of the psalm under particular heads, — such as the following, under the general title of The Wohd of God, or The Law of God; — but, in an exposition of the psalm, such an arrangement or classification, changiag the structure of the psalm, might be of doubtful propriety, and it will be right to adhere to the order which the Spuit of Inspiration has seen fit to observe.

1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way. In the way or journey of life J in the path of religion; in the road which leads to heaven. As life — the religious life — is represented under the image of a journey, the expression here is equivalent to saying, " Blessed are those who in the journey of life — in their religious course — are pure, sincere, iincontaminated." On the word ivay, sec Notes on Ps. i. 6. The margin here on the word undefiled, is 'perfect, or sincere. So the Hebrew. The word is the same as in Job i. 1, where it is rendered perfect. See Notes on that passage. The Greek translation is undefiled— ajiwiioi. So the Latin, immaculati. Luther renders it, " Who live without blemish" or stain. The idea is, " Blessed are they who are upright, sincere, perfect, in their course." The whole psalm is designed to illustrate this thought, by showing what the influence of a sincere and conscientious attachment to the principles of the law or word of God in the various circumstances of life must be. % Who walk in the law of the LoED. Who habitually obey his law. This constitutes shicerity, uprightness, perfection in a man's life; for the law of the Lord is the only just rule of human conduct.

2. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies. His commandments or laws, considered as what he bears ivitness to concerning that which is just, wise, good. Every law of a parent is to his children a testimony on his part of what is wise and right and good; and so every law of God is his solemn testimony as to what is right and good for man. See Notes on Ps. xix. 7; xxv. 10. ^ And that seek him with the whole heart. With a sincere desire to know his will and to do it; without

3 They 2 also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

4 Thou •■ hast commanded v^ to keep thy precepts diligently.

5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

6 Then shall I not be ashamed,* when I have

hypocrisy or guile; with no selfish or sinister aims. As God knows the heart, all other modes of " seeking" him must he in vain. It is impossihle for man to impose on him by appearances.

3. Thet/ aUo do no iniquity. See Notes on 1 John iii. 9. The meaning is, that they are righteous; their character is that they do that; which is right. It cannot mean that all persons who are religious are actually and absolutely perfect, — for no man would hold this opinion; no one does hold it. It is general language such as is commonly used to describe an upright or righteous man. The declaration is true of all who are the friends of God, — or, who are truly religious, — in the following senses: (1) That they are habitually and characteristically righteous; (2) That they intend to do right, — for a man who deliberately purposes to do wrong — to lead a life of sin and disobedience, cannot be a pious man. (3) That when they do err, it is not the result of intention, or the design of their life, but because they are tempted; are overcome with passion; are led by the power of their native corruption of heart to act contrary to their better judgment and their true character. See Eom. vii. 14-17. On the other hand, it is true that a man who is not characteristically righteous; who is not an upright man in his dealings; who is not true, and honest, and temperate, and just, and benevolent, cannot be a child of God and heir of heaven. No exactness of orthodoxy, and no fervour of emotion, and no zeal in the cause of religion, can constitute true piety without this. ^ They walk in his ways. Habitually: constantly; characteristically. They are not merely honest, upright, and just in their dealings with men, but they walk in the ways of God; they are religious.

4. Thou hast commanded. All this is here traced to the command of God; to the fact that he has required it. It is not mere human prudence; it is not mere morality; it is not because it will be for our interest; it is because God requires it. This is the foundation of all true virtue; and until a man acts from this motive it cannot be said that he is in the proper sense a righteous man. ^ To keep thy precepts diligently. Heb., very much; that is, to do it constantly; faithfully. Each one of his laws is to be observed, and to be observed always, and in all circumstances.

5. O that my ways were directed, etc. Indicating the desire of the pious heart. That desire — a prevailing, constant, uniform desire — is to keep the law of God. It is the aim of the life; it is the supreme purpose of the soul; it is the ruling wish of the man, thus to keep the law of God. He in whose bosom this is not the constant wish cannot be a pious man. The Hebrew particle used here, and rendered " O that," is a particle denoting a wish, or an earnest desire. The word " ways " denotes the course of life. The whole is expressive of an earnest desire to live in accordance with the law of God. It implies also a sense of dependence on God.

7 I '^ will praise thee with, upriglitness of heart, when I shall have learned ^ thy righteous judgments.

8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

9 Wherewithal shall a young" man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.

on Job vi. 20; Ps. xxv. 2, 3, The meaning here isj that he would not have occasion to be ashamed; he would not be disappointed; all his hopes would be realized. He would have full evidence of piety; he would enjoy the comforts which he sought in religion; he would feel assured of ultimately obtaining eternal life. "If When I have respect unto all thy commandments. Literally, " In my looking at all thy commandments." That is, in his regarding them; in his feeling that all were equally binding on him; and in his having the consciousness that he had not intentionally neglected, violated, or disregarded any of them. There can be no true piety except where a man intends to keep ALL the commands of God. If he makes a selection among them, keeping this one or that one, as may be most convenient for him, or as may be most for his interest, or as may be most popular, it is full proof that he knows nothing of the nature of ti'ue religion. A child has no proper respect for a parent if he obeys him only as shall suit his whim or his convenience; and no man can be a pious man who does not purpose, in all honesty, to keep all the commandments of God; to submit to his will in everything.

7. I 'will praise thee with uprightness of heart. With an upright and sincere heart. If When I shall have learned. Heb., " In my learning." In the practice or act of learning them. His own experience of their nature, influence, and value would lead him to sincere praise. He had no doubt of finding that they were worthy of his praises, and of seeing in them more and more occasion to glorify and honour God. The more Vi'e know of God, the more shall we see in him to praise. The larger our acquaintance and experience, the more our hearts will be disposed to magnify his name. This remark must extend to all that there is in God to be learned; and as that is infinite, so there will be occasion for renewed and more elevated praise to all eternity. If Thy righteous judgments. Marg., as in Heb., Judgments of thy righteousness. The laws or statutes which God, as a righteous or just God, appoints to be the rule of conduct to his creatures.

8. I will keep thy statutes. Thy commands; thy laws. This expresses the firm purpose of the psalmist. He meant to keep the law of God; he could confidently say that he would do it, — yet coupled with the prayer which follows, that God would not forsake him. % O forsake me not utterly. Heb., "To very much;"- so as to leave me to myself. His confidence^ that he would keep the commandments of God was based on the prayer that God would not leave him. There is no other ground of persuasion that we shall be able to keep the commandments of God than that which rests on the belief and the hope that He loill not leave us.

9. Wherewithal. This begins the second portion of the psalm, extending to ver. 16, in which all the verses begin with the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, indicated in our translation by the word JBeth. These names of the letters, inserted for convenience, are no part of the psalm, as ifis not so marked in the original. This mode of indicating the divisions of the psalm is peculiar to our version. It is not in the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate, or the German versions, 1 he word wherewithal means "bi/ zohat" (Heb.); that is. What means shall a voung man adopt by which he may « cleanse his way?' It indica.es a state of inquiry. The case supposed is that of a young man pondering the question how he may be saved from the corruptions of his own heart, and escape the temptations to which he is exposed m early years, and lead a pure and upright life. There can be no more important inquiry for one just entering on the journey of life; there can be found nowhere a more just and comprehensive answer than is contained in this sino-le verse. All the precepts of ancient and modern wisdom, all the teachings of heathen morality and religion, and all the results ot the experience of mankind, could furnish nothing in addition to what is here suo-gested. The world has no higher wisdom than this by which to guide IT young man, so that be may lead a holy life. 1" Shall a young man. The remark here might be applied also to those who are in middle life, or even to those who are in more advanced years, but it is applied here especially to the young, because it may be supposed that in the other cases the matter may be regarded as settled by experience; because to the young, as they commence hfe, the inquiry is so momentous; and because it is a question which it may be supposed tviU come up before the mind of every young man who has any right aspirations, and any proper conception of the dangers which encompass his path "ff Cleanse his way? Make his course of life pure and upright. The language does not necessarily imply that there had been any previous impurity or vice, but it has particular reference to the future:— ■ not how he might cleanse himself from past oiiences, but how he might make the future pure. The inquiry is, how he might conduct himself,— what principles he could adopt,— under what influence he could bring himself —so that his future course would be honest, honourable, upright. % By taking heed thereto, etc. The word "thereto" is not m the orio-inal. The Hebrew is, " To keep according to thy word j or, in keeping according to thy word." Prof. Alexander supposes that this means " to keep it [his way] according to thy word; and that the whole is a question,—" How may a young man so cleanse his way as to keep it according to thy word?"— and that the answer to the question is to be found in the general strain of the psalm, or in the general principles laid down in the psalm. But it is clear that the answer to the question must be found in the verse, or not found at all; and the most natural construction is that in our translation. So De Wette renders it: " How can a young man walk guiltless? If [or, whenj he holds [or, keepsl himself according to thy word." The meanmg clearly is If he.roverus-himself according to the law of God,— if he makes that law the mle of his life and conduct, he would be enabled to do it. All other things might fail; this rule would never fail, in making and keeping a man pure. Tne mere principles of common honesty, the principles of honour, the considerations of self-interest, the desire ot reputation,— valuable as they may be,— would not constitute a security in regard to his conduct; the law of God would, for that is wholly pure.

10 With • my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy command-

11 Thy w word have I hid

in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

10. With my whole heart have I sought thee. See Notes on ver. 2. The psalmist iu ver. 2 speaks of the " blessedness of those who seek the Lord with the whole heart;" in this verse he says that this blessedness was his_. He could affirm that he had thus sought God. He had such a consciousness that this was the aim and purpose of his life that he could say so without hesitation. Every man who claims to be a religious man ought to be able to say this. Alas, how few can do it! ^ 0 let me not wander, etc. Keep me in this steady purpose; this fixed design. This is the language of a heart where there is a consciousness of its weakness, and its liability to err, strong as may be its purpose to do right. Such an apprehension is one of the best means of security, for such an apprehension will lead a man to pray, and while a man prays he is safe.

11. Thy tvord have I hid in mine heart. Cbmp. Notes on Ps. xxxvii. 31. The word rendered hid means properly to conceal, so that a thing may be secret, private, inaccessible; then, to lay up in private, to treasure up, to hoard— as money or jewels— commonly hidden from public view. Job xx. 26; Ps. xvii. 14. Then it means to lay up iu one's heart, as a secret, inaccessible place; to hide one's thoughts, purposes, designs; or to lay up knowledge or wisdom in the heart as a treasure. Job x. 13; Prov. ii. 1; vii. 1. The meaning here is, that he had treasured up the word of God, as the most valuable thing, in his heart; it was there, though unseen; it constituted the secret power by which he was governed; it was permanently deposited there, as the most valuable of his treasures. 1[ That I might not sin against thee. That it might protect me from sinning against thee. That I mio-ht be continually guided by its precepts; that I might be admonished of duty; that I might be deterred from going astray.

12. Blessed art thou, O Loed. Blessed art thou as the author of such a law. This language of benediction or doxology is an outbreak of feeling or adoration in view of such a law,— so good, so holy, so fitted to direct and guide man. The mind is full of the subject; and the lips give vent to the feeling of gratitude and joy that such a law had been revealed to men. ^ Teach me thy statutes. Make me more and more acquainted with a law so pure, so rich, so valuable.

13. With my lips have I declared. That is, I have openly and publicly made thy words known to others; I have defended and vindicated them. Tf All the judgments. The word judgments here means the same as statutes or laws; and the idea is, that he had been on the side of those laws, and ^lad endeavoured by argument and persuasion to bring others under their influence. Eow he had done it we are not informed; but we have no reason to suppose that the author of the psalm was a minister of religion, and if not, then we have here an example of what a man who does not claim to be a public teacher may do, and should do, in making known and defending Divine truth.

14 I have rejoiced in the

way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches.

15 I TviU meditate * in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

16 I wiU delight myseK in

17 Deal " bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

18 1 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Every man is as much bound to do this in his sphere as the minister of religion is in his; and private members of the church have often an opportunity of doing this to more advantage than the ministers of the gospel possess. IT Qf thy mouth. With my mouth I speak those things which have proceeded from thine. I speak in thy name; 1 declare thy truth. It is not my own; it is thine.

14. I have rejoiced, etc. I do rejoice; I exult in this; I find my happiness there. The word expresses a high degree of joy. •[ -^-^ much as in all riches. Heb., "as upon all wealth." As men rejoice who have great wealth. I find my happiness in religion, as if in the possession of real wealth. Prov. x. 22.

15. I will meditate in thy precepts. I will think of them; I will find my happiness in them. See Notes on Ps. i. 2. ^ And have respect unto thy ivays. And look to thy ways — thy commands. I continually regard them, or refer to them in my mind as the guide of my life. See Notes on ver. 6.

16 I will delight myself in thy statutes. I will find my happiness in thy laws. See Notes on Ps. i. 2; cxii. 1. ^f I will not forget thy word. I will not allow the world to crowd it out of my mind.

17 Deal bountifully, etc. This commences the next portion of the psalm, indicated by the letter Oimel, the third letter of the Hebrew alphabet, answering to our letter g. Each verse of this portion (vers. 17-24) begins with this letter. There is a resemblance between the first word of this verse — 57D3, gemot — and the letter — Oimel — which commences the eight verses of this portion of the psalm. The noun (derived from the verb) — 5722> gamal — means a camel, and the letter gimel has been supposed to have derived its name from its having originally a resemblance to the camel's neck. In some of the Phenician inscriptions, and in the Ethiopic alphabet, it has this form (Gesenius, Lex). The veri used here means to do, or show, or cause good or evil to any one; and then to reward, or to recompense, either good or evil. Here it seems to be used in a general sense of doing good, or showing favour, as in Ps. xiii. 6; cxvi. 7; cxlii. 7. Comp. Prov. xi. 17. It does not necessarily imply that the author of the psalm had any claim, or demanded this on the ground of merit. He begged the favour, the friendship, the interposition of God in his behalf. ^ That I may live. The continuance of life was dependent on the favour of God. ^ And keep thy word. For grace to do this he was equally dependent on God; and he asked that life might be continued, in order that he might honour the word of God by obeying it.

20 My * sonl breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

the Latin Vulgate. The Hebrew word means to be naked; then to make naked, to imcover, to disclose, to reveal. Hare it is the same as uncover; that is, take away from the eyes what is before them to prevent clear vision. Comp. Num. xxii. 31; xxiv. 4, 16. Tf That I may behold toondrozis things. Things which are fitted to excite wonder and amazement: — that is, things which are secret or hidden from the common view; the deep, spiritual meaning of the word of God. By natural vision he might see the surface — the letter; to see the deep, hidden, real, meaning, he needed the special influence of God. Comp. 1 Cor. ii. 12, 14, 15. He believed that there were such things in the law of God; he desired to see them. ^ Out of thy law. Out of the written word; out of the Scriptures. The word law here is used to denote all that God had revealed to mankind; all that is contained in the volume of inspiration. The truths taught here are (1) That there are deep, hidden, secret things in the word of God, which are not perceived by the natural man; (2) That those things, when understood, are fitted to excite wonder, or to fill the mind with admiring views of God j (3) That a special illumination of God is necessary that man may perceive these things; and (4) That the proper imderstanding of these things is connected with prayer, and can be hoped for only in answer to prayer. No one has a proper appreciation of Divine truth — of the beauty, the spiritual meaning, the grandeur, the sublimity of the Bible — until he is a renewed — a praying — man. Comp. Notes on 1 Cor. ii. 6-15.

19. J am a stranger in the earth. A wayfaring man; a pilgrim; a sojoui-ner; a man whose permanent home is not in this world. The word is applicable to one who belongs to another country, and who is now merely passing through a foreign land, or sojourning there for a time. Comp. Notes on Heb. xi. 13. The home of the child of God is heaven. Here he is in a strange — a foreign — land. He is to abide here but for a little time, and then to pass on to his eternal habitation. IT Hide not thy commandments from me. Make me to know them; keep them continually before me. In this strange land, away from my home, let me have the comfort of feeling that thy commands are ever with me to guide me; thy promises to comfort me. The feeling is that of one in a strange land who would desire, if possible, to keep up constant communications with his home — his family, his friends, his kindred there. On earth, the place of our sojourning — of our pilgrimage— the friend of God desires to have constant intercourse with heaven, his final home; not to be left to the desolate feeling that he is cut off from all intercourse with that world where he is for ever to dwell.

20. My soul Ireaketh. This word means to break; to crush; to break in pieces by scrapi^ng, rubbing, or grating. The idea would seem to be, not that he was crushed as by a single blow, but that his soul — his strength — was worn away by little and little. The desire to knowmore of the commands of God acted continually on him, exhausting his strength, and overcoming him. He so longed for God that, in our language, " it wore upon him " — as any ungratified desire does. It waa

21 Thou hast rebuked tlie proud c that are cursed, wMch.

not the possession of the knowledge of God that exhausted him; it was the intenseness of his desire that he might know more of God. Tf For the longing. For the earnest desire. ^ That it hath unto thy judgments at all times. Thy law; thy commands. This was a constant feeling. It was not fitful or spasmodic. It was the steady, habitual state of the soul on the subject. He had never seen enough of the beauty and glory of the law of God to feel that all the wants of his nature were satisfied, or that he could see and know no more; he had seen and felt enough to excite in him an ardent desire to be made fully acquainted with all that there is in the law of God. Comp. Notes on Ps. x^-ii. 15.

21. Thou hast rebuked the proud. Comp. Ps. ix. 5. The meaning is, that God had done this not by word but by deed. The proud were everywhere rebuked by God,- alike in his law, and in his pi-ovidence. The connexion seems to be this: — the psalmist is meditating on the benefit or advantage of keeping the law of God; of a humble, pious life. His mind naturally adverts to what would be the opposite of this, — or to this in contrast with an opposite course of life; and he says, therefore, that God had in every way, and at all times, manifested his displeasure against that class of men. Such a course, therefore, must be attended with misery; but the course which Ae proposed to pursue must he attended with happiness. ^ That are cursed. The accursed; those who are regarded and treated by God as accursed, or as objects of his disapprobation. ^ Which do err from thy commandments. Who depart from thy law. The sense is, "J propose and intend to keep thy law. As a motive to this, I look at the consequences which must follow from disobeying it. I see it everywhere in the Divine treatment of those who do disregard that law. They are subject to the displeasure — the solemn rebuke — of God. So all must be who disregard his law; and it is my purpose not to be found among their number."

22. Remove from me reproach and contempt. Show me thy favour, and let me not suffer in the estimation of mankind on account of my religion. Let me not be exposed to malicious charges; to accusations of hypocrisy, insincerity, and unfaithfulness on account of my religion. This "reproach and contempt" might arise from two sources j (1) On account of religion itself, or because he was a true friend of God; or (2) he may have been charged with hypocrisy and insincerity; with doing things inconsistent with the profession of religion. These accusations he prays may be removed from him (a) In order that the true religion might not be in itself a matter of reproach, but that God might honour his own religion, and make it esteemed among men; (6) Because he was conscious that so far as he was concerned, the charges were unfounded. He did not deserve the " reproach and contempt" that properly belong to a life of hypocrisy and insincerity. ^ For I have kept thy testimonies. My conscience assures me of this. I can appeal to thee, my God, in proof that I do not deserve the charge of insincerity and hypocrisy. Every professedly pious man ought to be able thus to appeal to conscience and to God, and to say, in the most solemn manner, that he does not deserve the reproach of hypocrisy and insincerity.

and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.

23 Princes also did sit and speak against me: hut thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.

24 Thy testimonies also are my '^ delight, and ^ my « cotmsellors.

25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

23. Princes also did sit and speak against me. This would have been applicable to David many times in his life, but it was also applicable to many others, and there is nothing in the language which would limit it to David. It is evident that the author of the psalm had been subject to reproach from those who were of exalted rank; it is clear also that he felt this keenly. It is natural, whether proper or not, that we should feel the reproach and contempt of those in elevated life — ^the rich, the honoured, the learned — more than of those in humbler life. Their good opinion can be of value only as they may be better qualified than others to judge of what constitutes true excellence, or as they may have it in their power to do us more harm, or to do more to aid us in doing good, than others have; but truth and principle are never to be sacrificed that we may secure their favour; and if, in the faithful discharge of our duty, and the zealous adherence to the principles of our religion, we incur their frowns, we are to bear it, — as the great Lord and Saviour of his people did. Heb. xiii. 13. % But thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. I was engaged in this; I continued to do it; I was not deterred from it by their opposition; I found comfort in it, when they sat and talked against me. This would seem to have reference to some occasion when they were together — in public business, or in the social circle. They, the princes and nobles engaged in the ordinary topics of conversation, or in conversation connected with revelry, frivolity, or sin. Unwilling to participate in this, — having different tastes, — feeling that it was improper to be one of their companions in such a mode of spending time, or in such subjects of conversation, he withdi-ew, he turned his thoughts on the law of God, he sought comfort in meditation on that law and on God. He became, therefore, the subject of remark — perhaps of their jests — because be thus refused to mingle with them, or because he put on what seemed to be hypocritical seriousness, and was (what they deemed) stern, sour, unsocial, as if he thus publicly, though tacitly, meant to rebuke them. Nothing will be more likely to subject one to taunting remarks, to rebuke,^ to contempt, than to manifest a religious spirit, and to introduce religion in any way in the circles of the worldly and the gay.

24. Thy testimonies also are my delight. See Notes on ver. 16. He found his main happiness in the word of God. 1[ And my counsellors. Marg., as in Heb., men of my counsel. He sought direction and advice from them as from a friend who would give himcounsel. He looked to the revealed law of God to ascertain what was right; to know how he should act in the emergencies of life.

25. My soul cleaveth unto the dust. This commences a new division of the psalm, in which each verse begins with the fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, — Daleth, equivalent to the English d. There is nothing in the sense to separate it from the other parts of the psalm.

26 I have declared my ways, and thou lieardest me: teach me thy statutes.

the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

The word rendered cleaveth means to be glued to; to stick fast. It has the sense of adhering firmly to anything, so that it cannot easily be separated from it. Comp. Notes on Ps. Ixiii. 8. The word dust here may mean either the earth, and earthly things, considered as low, base, unworthy, worldly; or it may mean the grave, as if he were near to that, and in danger of dying. De Wette understands it in the latter sense. Comp. Ps. xliv. 25; xxii. 29. Yet the word cleave would hardly suggest this idea; and the force of that word would be better represented by the idea that his soul, as it were, adhered to the things of earth; that it seemed to be so fastened to them — so glued to them — that it could not be detached from them; that his affections were low, earthly, grovelling, so as to give him deep distress, and to lead him to cry to God for life and strength that he might break away from them. This expresses what is often felt by good men, and thus presents one of the forms of religious experience. Comp. Rom. vii. 14, 15. ^ Quicken thou me. Cause me to live; give me vigour and strength to break away from this which binds me fast, and to rise above these low propensities. ^ According to thy word. That is, either according to thy promises made to thy people to aid them when they are in distress; or, according to the principles of thy word, that 1 may live as thy word requires. Who has not found his soul so cleaving to dust — to earth — to worldly things — as to feel himself degraded by it, and to lead him to cry out with earnestness that God would give him strength, life, vigoi'T, that his soul might rise to better things?

26. I have declared my ways. That is, I have declared or recounted them to thee. I have made mention of my cares, troubles, anxieties, purposes. I have laid them all before thee, res,erving or keeping back nothing. •[[ And thou heardest me. Thou didst answer me. It is only when we declare all our ways before God, that we can hope he will hear us. It is right and proper that we should go before God with all our cares and troubles. There is nothing that gives us anxiety, of which we may not speak to him, however trivial it may seem to be, — even as a child speaks to a mother of the smallest matter that troubles him. When this is done, we may be assured that God will not turn away from us, or disregard our cry.

"I told him all my secret grief; My secret groaning reached his ears; He gave my inward pains relief, And calmed the tumult of my fears."

•^ Teach me thy statutes. Make known to me thy will. Acquaint me with what thou wouldst have me to do. See ver. 12.

27. Make me to understand, etc. See Notes on ver. 18. Tf So shall I talk of thy wondrous works. The things in thy works — thy providential dealings — that are wondrous. That is, with a hea.'t full of the subject, he could not but speak of those things, — for " out of the abundai ce of the heart the mouth speaketb." See Notes on P». xxxix. 2r^

28 My soul ^ meltetii for heaviness: strengtlien thou me according Tnito thy word.

way of lying; and grant me thy law graciously.

30 I have chosen the way of ti-uth: thy judgments have I laid before me.

28. My soul meltetii. Marg., droppeth. The Hebrew word here employed — D^l, dalaph — means to drop, to drip, to distil, spoken of a house, as when the rain drops through the roof, Eccl. x. 18; then, to shed tears, to weep. Job xvi. 20,^and this seems to be the meaning here. The idea of melting is not properly in the word, and the term weep would better express the meaning. His soul seemed to drop tears. It overflowed with tears. Yet there is an idea of abundant or co'iistant weeping. It is not a gush of emotion, as when we say of one that he is "bathed in tears;" it is the idea of a steady flow or dropping of tears — slow, silent, but constant — as if the soul were drippiug away or dissolving. Thus the idea is more striking and beautiful than that of melting. It is quiet hut continuous grief that slowly wears away the soul. There are two kinds of sorrow: — {a) the one represented by floods of tears, like fierce torrents that sweep all away, and are soon passed; (5) the other is the gentle dropping — the constant wearing — the slow attrition caused by inward grief, that secretly but certainly wears away the soul. The latter is more common, and more difficult to be borne than the other. The Septuagint and the Latin Yulgate render this, " My soul slumbereth." \ For heaviness. This word means grief, sorrow, vexation. Prov. xiv. 13; xvii. 21. It is here silent grief; hidden sorrow. How many thus pine in secret, till life slowly wears away, and they sink to the grave. H Strengthen thou me. Give me strength to meet this constant wearing away — this slow work of sorrow. We need strength to bear great and sudden sorrow; we need it 'not less to bear that which constantly wears upon us; which makes our sleep uneasy; which preys upon our nerves, and slowly eats away our life. %, According unto thy word. See vers. 9, 25.

29. Remove from me. Take it from me; cause it to depart; let me not be under its influence or power. \ The icay of lying. Every false, deceitful, hypocritical way. We are not to suppose that the psalmist was addicted to lying, but that he felt he was, like all men, in danger of acting from false views, from wrong motives, or under the influence of delusion and deceit. It is a prayer that he might always be sincere and truthful. No man who knows his own heart can doubt the propriety of this prayer. On nothing does a man need more to examine himself; in nothing does he more need the grace of God, than that he may be sincere. % And grant me thy law graciously. The knowledge of thy law; grace to obey thy law. The single word rendered "grant graciously " is a word which implies the idea of mercy or favour. It was not a thing which he claimed as a right; it Was that for which he was dependent on the mercy of God.

30. I have chosen the way of truth. Among all the paths of life I have selected this. I prefer this. I desire to walk in this. Eeligiou is, wherever it exists, a matter of preference or choice; and the friend of God prefers his service to the service of the world. % Thy Judgments. Thy statutes; thy laws. % Save I laid before me. I have set them

31 I have stuck unto tliy testimonies: O Lord, put me not to g shame.

32 I will run tlie way of tliy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge ^ my heart.

wayof thy statutes, and I shall keep * it unto the end.

34 Give * me understanding, and ' I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall obsei-ve it with my whole heart.

before my mind as the guide of my conduct; I have made their observance the end and aim of my life.

31. I have stuck unto thy testimonies. The word here rendered stuclc is the same which in ver. 25 is rendered cZeaue.— "My soul cleaveth unto the dust." It means here that he had adhered to the testimonies of God as if he had been glued to them, or as if he and they were firmly united together. He had so adhered to them that he could not be detached from them, l" 0 Loed, put me not to shame. Let me not be disappointed or confounded; let all my anticipations of the good effects of obeying thy law be realized; let me find all that I have hoped for; let me partake of thy friendship and favour as I desire. See Notes on ver. 6.

32. / toill run the ivay of thy commandments. That is, I will not merely keep them— which might be expressed by " I will loalk in them," — but I will hasten to keep them; I will do it with alacrity, as when one runs to accomplish an object. I will devote to them all the energies of my life. ^ When ihou shalt enlarge my heart. Or, more literally, " For thou wilt enlarge my heart;" expressing confidence that God ivould do this, so that he would be thus inclined and enabled to keep his commandments. It is an acknowledgment of dependence, and at the same time the expression of a confident belief that God ivould grant him the grace needful for him. The phrase "to enlarge the heart" means to make it free; to deliver it from all hindrances to what is right; to fill it with noble and holy purposes; to stimulate and animate it. The heart is contracted or made narrow by selfishness, pride, vanity, ambition, covetousness; it is made large by charity, love, hope, benevolence. Sin narrows the soul; religion enlarges it.

33. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes. This begins a new division of the p.salm, indicated by the letter ffe (or /i). The word rendered teach means properly to throw, to cast, to hurl; and then, to teach, — as if truth were thrown and scattered abroad. The sentiment is the same as in ver. 12. 'H And I shall keep it unto the end. Always. To the end of life. His keeping it depended on grace given to him continuallv to dispose and enable him to do it.

34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law. Give me right views of it, of its nature and obligation. It is not a prayer that God would give him the faculty of understanding or intelligence; but that he would enable him to take just views of the law. The word is the same as in ver. 27, rendered there, " Make me to understand." 1[ Tea, I shall observe it tvith my whole heart. See ver. 2. I will keep it with undivided afi"ections; I will make it the sole guide of my life.

path, of thy eommandments; for therein do I delight.

36 Incline my heai't "» unto thy testimonies, and not to " covetousness.

37 ' Turn away mine eyes from beholding o vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

38 Stablish P thy word imto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

direct me that I shall thus walk. It is an acknowledgment of his dependence on God, that he might be able to carry out the cherished purposes of his soul. \ For therein do I delight. "See ver. 16. I am conscious of having pleasure in thy commandments; of having a strong desire to keep them, and I pray for grace that I may be able to do it. Real delight in the law of God is one of the best means of securing its observance; one of the best evidences that it will be kept.

36. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies. Cause my heart to be inclined to them, or to be disposed to keep them. This, too, is a recognition of dependence, and a prayer for guidance. ^ And not to covetousness. To gain; to the love of money. This seems to be referred to here as the principal thing which would turn away the heart from religion, or as that from which the most danger was to be feared. There are undoubtedly many other things which wiU do this, — for all sin will do it; but this was the chief danger which the psalmist apprehended iu his own case, and perhaps he mermt to refer to this as the principal danger on this subject which besets the path of man. There are many more persons turned away from the service of God, and kept away from it, by covetousness than there are by any other one sin. When the psalmist prays that God would not " incline " his heart to covetousness, the language is similar to that in the Lord's prayer — "And lead us not into temptation." That is, Restrain us from it; let us not be put in circumstances where we shall be in danger of it. We are not to suppose that God exerts any positive influence either to make a man covetous, or to tempt him. See James i. 13, 14.

yi. Turn away mine eyes fromheholding vanity. Vain things; wicked things; things which would be likely to lead me astray from what is real and true. Comp. Isa. xxxiii. 15; Job xxxi. 1. Marg. here, as in Heb., make to pass. Make my eyes to pass rapidly from such objects, that I may not look at them, may not contemplate them, may not dwell upon them. There is danger in looking on sin steadily; in surveying its features; in returning to contemplate it. An ugly object loses much of its deformity when we look often upon it; — and this is a benevolent law, lest we should be miserable when we are under a necessity of looking on it. Sin follows this general law, and is to be avoided altogether, even in its contemplation, if we would be safe. A man shoidd be thankful in this world that he has eyelids; and as he can close his eyes so he should often, do it. "^ And quicken thou me in thy way. Endow me with life, energy, vigour, that I may walk in thy way.

38. Stablish thy word unto thy servant. Confirm it; make it seem firm and true; let not my mind be vacillating or sceptical in regard to thy truth. This seems to be a prayer against the intiuence of doubt and scesticism; a prayer that doubts might not be suffered to spring

39 Turn away my reproach. wMcli I fear: for thy judgments are good.

40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken 9 me in thy righteousness.

41 Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Loed; even thy salvation, according to thy word.

up in his mind, and that the objections and difficulties of scepticism might have no place there. There is a class of men whose minds are naturally sceptical and unbelieving, and for such men such a prayer is peculiarly appropriate. For none can it be improper to pray that_ the word of God may always seem to them to be true; that their minds may never be left to the influence of doubt and unbelief. ^ Who is devoted to thy fear. Literally, " Who," or which, " to thy fear." This may refer either to the author of the psalm, or to the word of God. It may mean that he was among those who feared, — that is, worshipped God; or, that the word of God had reference to the " fear,"— that is, to the worship of God, or was designed to secure that. The construction seems to demand the latter interpretation; and then the prayer is, that God would confirm his faith in that " word "—in that revealed truth — which was designed to secure the worship of God.

39. Turn away my reproach. The reproach which is likely to come upon me from being a professed worshipper of God. In all ages good men have been exposed to this reproach. T[ Which 1 fear. Which I have reason to apprehend will come upon me. This may not mean that he was personally afraid of it, but merely that he had reason to apprehend that he was exposed to it. The prayer is proper, for there is nothing which our nature makes us shrink back from more than reproach. Comp. ver. 22 j Ps. Ixix. 9, 20; Rom. xv. 3; 2 Cor. xii. 10. The word reproach in the original is the same which denotes shame or dishonour. % For thy judgments are good. Thy statutes; thy laws. [ knoiv they are good. I feel that I desire to obey_ them. I pray, therefore, that obedience on my part to that which is good may not subject me to shame; that men may see that thy laws are good, and that it is not a matter of reproach to obey them.

40. Behold, I have longed after thy precepts. I have earnestly desired them. See Notes on ver. 20. "f QuicJcen me in thy righteousness. Mkke me to live; to live in obedience to thy righteous laws. See Notes on vers. 25, 37.

41. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Loed. This commences a new portion of the psalm, in which each verse begins with the letter Vau, or V. There are almost no words in Hebrew that begin with this letter, which is properly a conjunction, and hence in each of the verses in this section of the psalm (vers. 41-48) the begiiming of the verse is in the original a conjunction,— -yai*. This does not here indicate a connexion,\s with us the conjunction "and" would naturally do; but is a mere artificial arrangement in order that the verse may begin with that letter, and it in no manner affects the sense. The phrase "Let thy mercies come" is literally, " and thy mercies shall come," or " and let thy mercies come." That is. Let thy mercy be manifested to me; let me experience thy mercy and thy favour. "IF Even thy salvation. Mercy connected with salvation, or that leads to salvation. •^According to thy word. According to the promises of thy word;

42 So sliall I 1 tave wherewitli to answer liim that reproaclietla me: for I trust in thy word.

43 And take not >■ the word of truth utterly out of my

mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

45 And I will walk at 2 Hberty:* for I seek thy precepts.

according to the arrangements which thou hast made, and hast revealed. The only hope of mercy is that which is held out in the word of God.

42. So shall I have luherewith to answer him that reproacheth me, I shall have something by which I may reply to those who calumniate me. So the Saviour replied to the suggestions of the tempter almost wholly by passages of Scripture (Matt. iv. 4, 7, 10); and so, in many cases, the best answer that can be given to reproaches on the subject of religion will be found in the very words of Scripture. A man of little learning, except that which he has derived from the Bible, may often thus silence the cavils and reproaches of the learned sceptic; a man of simple-hearted, pure piety, with no weapon but the word of God, may often thus be better armed than if he had all the arguments of the schools at his command. Comp. Eph. vi. 17. 1" For I trust in thy word. I believe it; I rely on it; I confide in that, as my only comfort and protection.

43. And take not the loord of truth utterly out of my mouth. Do not take it entirely or altogether from me. Let me not be utterly hopeless; let me be at no time without some evidence that thy word dwells in me with sustaining and sanctifying power. The prayer seems to have been offered when the mind was troubled aud in doubt, and when it seenled as if aU hope and all trust in the truth of God would vanish. The words rendered " utterly " mean " to very much;" that is, altogether or entirely. Let it not be done until the extreme shall be reached. •[[ For I have hoped in thy judgments. I do trust in thy word, and it is my only trust. If that is gone, all is gone. As long as I can hold on to that, even in the slightest degree, I am safe. When all else fails, if that has not utterly failed me, I shall be secure.

44. So shall I keep thy laio continually for ever and ever. At all times and in all places; in this world and the world to come. This indicates a purpose to do it, aud an assurance that he would do it, if God should enable him to retain even the slightest hold on the truth.

45. And I will walk at liberty. Marg., at large. Luther renders it, "freely." The Septuagint, " in a broad place." The Hebrew word means ivide, broad, large, spacious. The reference is to that which is free and open; that in which there are no limits, checks, restraints; — where a man does what he pleases. The meaning here is, that he would feel he was free. He would not be restrained by evil passions And corrupt desires. He would be delivered from those things which seemed to fetter his i goings. This does not here refer so much to external troubles or hindrances, to being oppressed and straitened by external foes, as to internal enemies — to the servitude of sin — to the slavery of appetite and passion. Comp. Notes on Rom. vii. 9-14. See also Job xxxvi. 16; Ps. cxviii. 5. The margin well expresses the sense

46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings/ and will not be asbamed.

47 And I will deligbt myself in tby commandments, which I have loved.

48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

49 Remember the word unto tliy sei-vant, upon which thou hast caused me to « hope.

50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hatb quickened me.

of the passage. IT For I seek thy precepts. 1 seek or endeavour to obey them. I seek them as the guide of my life. I ask nothing else to direct me.

46. I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, etc. In the presence of men of most elevated rank. I will not be ashamed to avow my belief in thy word before those in power — whether friendly or unfriendly to thee and to thy cause. I will not disguise my belief in thy truth with any desire to secure their favour; I will not be intimidated from expressing my faith by any dread of their frowns. Comp. Matt. X. 18, 19; Acts iv. 19; v. 29; xxvi. 2.

47. And I will delight myself, etc. See Notes on ver. 16.

48. My hands also loill I lift up unto thy commandments, etc. As an expression of dehght or rejoicing, as men lift up their hands with their voice when they give expression to joy. It denotes a high state of joy, such as leads to an outward expression; not merely that which exists in calm contemplation, but where the heart is full, and when it finds outward expression. ^ And I will meditate in thy statutes. See Notes on Ps. i. 2. I will indicate my joy — my happiness — in thy commandments in every way possible; — by outward expressions, and by deep and calm contemplation when I am alone; — in my daily employments, in solitude, in the night-watches. This is indicative always of true religion.

49. Remember the word unto thy servant. This commences a new division of the psalm, in which each verse begins with the Hebrew letter Zain — answering to our z. There is nothing peculiar in this portion of the psalm as indicated by the letter. The language here is a prayer that God would not forget what he had promised; that all that he had said might be fulfilled; that the expectations and hopes which he had raised in the mind might be realised. It is language which onay be used with reverence, and without any implication that God would forget, — as a child might with propriety and love ask a parent to remember a promise which he had made. ^ Upon which thou hast caused me to hope. That is, All the hope which I have has been excited by thy word; thy promises. I have no other source of hope; I cherish no other hope. I pray now, since that hope has been thus excited in me, that I may realise all I have been led to desire and to expect. The word of God is the only foundation of hope for men; and when our hopes are fairly built on that, we have a right to appeal to God that he will make it good.

50. This is my comfort in my affliction. Comp. Rom. xv. 4. The word here rendered comfort occurs only here and in Job vi. 10. The

51 The proud have had me greatly in deiision; yet " have I not declined from thy law.

ments of old, O Loed: and have comforted myself.

53 Horror w hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

obvious meauiug is, that his only consolation in his affliction was derived from the word of God; the word which had caused him to hope, and the word by which he had been quickened or made alive. The particular design of this is to show the value of the word of God as a source of comfort in trouble. "H For thy word hath quickened me. Has made me alive; or, caused me to live. That is, the word, the truth of God, had been the instrument of calling him from the death of sin, and of imparting to him new Ufe, or had been the means of his regeneration. Comp. James i. 18; 1 Cor. iv. 15; Heb. iv. 12; 1 Pet. i. 23. As it was by this " word" that he had been made alive, so his only comfort was in that word, and it was to him a just ground of consolation that God had brought him from the death of sin, and had imparted to him spiritual life.

51. The proud have had me greatly in derision. Those of rank; those in high life: — perhaps, as we should say, the gay and fashionable world. They have ridiculed me; they have held me up to contempt for my scruples, my seriousness, my conscientiousness, my unwilUngness to mingle with them in the pursuits, the pastimes, the frivolities of life. It is now no new thing to be held in contempt by the "proud" and the gay, on account of serious piety; to be thus held in contempt has been rather the rule than the exception in the treatment which the friends of religion have received from the world. % Yet have I not declined from thy law. I have not been deterred from the avowal of ray reUgious belief; I have not turned away from the duties of piety on account of the ridicule and scorn to which I have been exposed. Comp. Ps. xllv. 17-19.

52. I remembered. In my troubles. ^ Thy Judgments of old. The word judgments here seems to refer to the Divine dealings, whether expressed in the law of God, or in the actual administration of his government over the world. The words "of old" do not seem here to refer to the eternity past, as the piirase sometimes does now, but to the constancy and uniformity of the principles of the Divine administration. The psalmist remembered that the principles of that administration had been always the same; that the law of God was always the same; and that, therefore, he might confide in God. What God had done formerly he would do now; the favour which he had shown in times past he would continue to show now. In the trials of life, in the changes which occur, in the apparent wreck of things, in the fearful prospect of disaster and ruin at any time, it is well for us to think of the unchanging principles which mark the Divine dealings. Under such an administration, all who put their trust in God must be safe. ^ And have comforted myself. I have found consolation in this. When all else seemed to fail, it was a comfort to reflect that an unchangeable God presided over the affairs of men. We could not put confidence in a God given to change.

54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my

powered and overwhelmed me. I shudder; I tremble; I am afraid; I am filled with distress. Luther, " I am burnt up." The Hebrew word — HDV^l zalaphah—\s from a verb meaning to be hot; to 'glow; and the idea"'in the word is that of violent heat; then, a glow or burning, as of a wind— the simoom of the desert. See Ps. xi. 6, where the word is translated horrible tempest— in the margin, burmng. The word occurs only in that passage, in the one before us, and m Lam. v. 10, where it is rendered terrible ^f amine],— in the margm, terrors, or storms. The state referred to here is that of one who sees the storm of burning wind and sand approaching; who expects every moment to be overcome and buried; whose soul trembles with consternation, ■r Because of the wicked, etc. Their conduct alarms me. Their danger appals me. Their condition overwhelms me. I see them rebelling against God. I see them exposed to his wrath. I see the grave iust before them, and the awful scenes of judgment near. I see them about to be cast off, and to sink to endless woe, and my soul is transfixed with horror. The contemplation overwhelms me with uncontrollable anguish. Can such things be? Can men be thus in danger? And can they be calm and composed, when so near such awful horrors. No man can look on the world of despair without horror; no one can truly reaUze that his fellow-men are exposed to the horrors of that abode without having his soul filled with anguish. Strange that all men do not feel thus,— that impenitent men can walk along on the verge of the grave and of hell tvithout horror,— that pious men, good men, praying men, can look upon their friends in that condition without having their souls fiUed with unutterable anguish. Comp. Ps. cxix. 136; Rom. ix. 1-4; Luke xix. 41. „ -rr i

54, Thy statutes. Thy law; thy commandments. H Save been my sonqs. Have been to me a source of joy; have been my happiness, my consolation, my delight. I have found pleasure in meditating on them; I have had peace and joy in them in the day of lonehness and trouble. The psahnist rejoiced, doubtless, as the good now do, (a) In law itsell; law, as a rule of order; law, as a guide of conduct; law, as a security for safety; (b) in such a law as that of God— so pure, so holy, so fitted to promote the happiness of man; (e) in the stability of that law, as constituting his own personal security, the ground of his hope; (d)_ m law in its influence on the universe, preserving order, and securmg harmony. IF In the house of my pilgrimage. In my life considered as a iourney to another world; in my pilgrimage through the desert ot this world; amidst rocks, and sands, and desolation; among tribes ot savacre men, wanderers, robbers, freebooters; with no home, no place ot sheher; exposed to cold, and rain, and sleet, and ice, and snow, as pilgrims are,— for to all these is the " pilgrim "-the wayfarer— exposed, and all these represent the condition of one passmg through this world to a better (comp. Heb. xi. 13). Here, says the psalmist I sang I found joy in these scenes by thinking on the pure law— the purt and holy truth of God. I comforted myself with the feeling that there is law; that there is just government; that there is a God; that I am under the protection of law; that I am not alone, but that there

55 I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, ^ and have kept thy law.

Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words.

58 I entreated thy ^ favour with my whole « heart: be merciful imto me according to thy word.

59 I thought « on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

is one who guides me by liis trutli. Comp. Notes on Job xxxv. 10. See Acts xvi. 25; Ps. xxxiv. 1.

55. I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, etc. I have thought on thee in the night, when on my bed; I liave done it in the night of calamity and sorrow. See Notes on Ps. Ixiii. 6.

56. This I had, because I kept thy precepts. Literally, "This was to me;" that is. This has happened to me; this has occurred. This joyful remembrance of thy law in the night of affliction (ver. 50); this stability and firmness on my part in keeping thy law when proud men have derided me (ver. 51); this comfort which I have derived from meditating on thy statutes (ver. 52); this solicitude for the welfare of others (ver. 53); this peace which I have enjoyed in thy law in the house of my pilgrimage (ver. 54); and this consolation which I have had in thee in the night-season (ver. 55); — all this has been granted to me because I have kept thy statutes; because I have sought to be obedient — to serve thee — to find my happiness in thee. These are the proper fruits and effects of keeping the law of God. Such peace does it impart; so much does it do to sustain and comfort the soul.

57. Thou art my portion, 0 Loed. This begins a new division of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Cheth, which may be represented in English by hh. On the meaning of the language here, see Notes on Ps. xvi. 5. God was to him what other men seek in wealth, honour, pleasure, fame. To him, God was all and in all. He asked nothing else. % I have said. I have formed the purpose, and have expressed it. It is the deliberate and settled design of my life. '^'That I would keep thy words. That I would obey thee at all times; that I would keep all thy commandments.

58. I entreated thy favour. Marg., as in Heb., face. That is, he prayed that God would lift upon him the light of his countenance; that he would not avert his face from him in anger. ^ With my whole heart. With sincere, undivided affections. See vers. 2, 10, 34; Ps. ix. 1. Tf lie merciful unto me according to thy ivord. See Notes on ver. 41.

59. I thought on my ways. This language most naturally refers to the time of conversion, and may be employed without impropriety to describe the process of a sinner's turning to God. It would seem to be descriptive of the experience of the author of the psalm when he became personally interested in the subject of religion. The first step in such a work is reflection on the course of life which has been led; on the guilt of such a course; and on the consequences. It is a pause in the career of sin and folly — a pause for reflection and thought.

60 I made liaste, and delayed not, to keep thy commandments..13

61 The 1 bands of the wicked

have robbed me: hut I have not forgotten thy law.

62 At midnight I will rise

C^t) Luke XV. 17, 18. No one is converted without such reflection, a Ja; soon as Isinner can be made to pause and reflect on his course Jhere isTope that he wiU be converted. Assuredly it is proper for all, whatever may be their circumstances in life, to pause from time to time; to reflect Ho ask what will be the consequences of the course of life which is pursued. ^ And turned my feet. Changed my course of S He Eself did this in fact; and he does not hesitate to say that ilwas he who thus turned. His own agency was employed. He does norsay ttat he "^oaited" for God to turn him, or that he found he could not turn of himself, but that he turned; he paused; he reflected; TcLged his course of life. This is true in conve-ion always There is an actual turning from sin; an actual turning to God. The smner lurns He leaves an old path, and treads a new one. He does this as th; conscious result of reflection on the course which he was pursu- Sc; anTtSere is nothing in his actual turning, or m his whole future cou^sf which is not the proper result of reflection, or which a proper reflection on the course of Hfe would not lead to and justify. Man Mmself is always active in conversion. That is he does something; he changes: he repents; he believes; he turns to God; it is not God that changes, that repents, that believes, that turns;-it is the man himself. It is, indeed, by the grace and help of God;-but the effect of that grace is not to make him idly wait; it is to rouse him to effort;?o lead him to act. IT Unto thy testimonies. Thy law, considered as the Divine testimony in regard to what is right.

60. I made haste. This language further describes the process of conversion. There was no delay; there was no excuse offered. He acted at once under his conviction of what was right. He did not ask permission to defer it to a future time; he did not -attempt to avoid the duty; he did not plead inabiUty; he did not give himself merely to the '' use of means;" he did not rely on prayer, and reading, and reflection; but he did the thing, and he did it at once. This is conversion • and if all convicted sinners would follow this example, and do at once that which they are commanded to do, and which they know thev ought to do, there would be in no case any difficulty about conversion for the main difficulty in conversion lies in the fact that the sinner is not willing to obey God at once; that he will not break away from his sins • that he endeavours to excuse himself; that he pleads ^or delay; that he' waits for God to do what he himself ought to do. ^ And delayed not to keep thy commandments. I did not continue to go on m a course of sin, but I forsook my sin and obeyed. ^^ „,,

61 Thelandsoftheioiclced. M&rg., companies. The Hebrew word properly means a cord, a rope; then a snare, gin, net; then, a band or a company of men. The reference is to some time in the hfe of the psalmist when he was surrounded by wicked men. f Have robbed me. Rather, have surrounded me; have environed me— tor so the Hebrew word means. 1[ But I have not forgotten thy law. I have not been deterred from keeping it by the dangers to which I have been exposed. 62. At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee. In tbe usual

to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judg-

63 I am a companion * of all them that fear thee, and of tliem that keep thy precepts.

64 The eai-th, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me

65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word.

times of repose; when men are commonly lying iu unconscious slumber. My heart IS so mterested in thy law— my soul is so full— that I am kept wakeful by meditating upon it, and I arise from my bed and offer thee ^^Tf*.J^". ^ebrew here means, literally, the half, or halvhia of the night, the night considered as divided into two equal portions The idea IS, that his mind was so full of the subject that he would take this unusual time to give vent to his feelings. The mind mat/ be so fuU of love to the law— the word— of God, that nothing will satisfy it but such unusual acts of devotion. The Saviour rose up a c^eat whUe before day, and went out into a solitary place and there prayed (Mark 1. 35); and on one occasion at least he continued all night in prayer to Grod (Luke vi. 12). % Became of thy Hghteous judgments. I do this on account of the interest which I have in those judgments or laws of righteousness. I love them as laws; I love them as righteous laws.

63. I am a companion of all them that fear thee. I find my associates and friends among those who worship thee; not with the profane and the wicked. " A man is known by the company that he keeps;" and it is an evidence of piety when we seek our companions and friends among the pious. It shows where the heart is; what the preferences are; what are the tastes; what is the real condition of the soul. We seek our friends in accordance with our tastes and preferences; oui- love to God is indicated by our love to his friends. Comp Ps. cxxxix. 21, 22. \ And of them that keep thy precepts. That obey thy law. On the sentiment here, comp. Notes on Ps. i. 1. A man may determine much in regard to his own character by asking himself what is the character of his chosen friends and companions. A member of a church should regard it as a dark sign against himself in regard to his piety, if his chosen friends are taken from the world, and not from the professed friends of God; if he finds more pleasure in their society, and in the scenes where they meet, than he does in the society of Christians however humble, or in places where they assemble for prayer and praise 64. The earth, 0 LoED, is full of thy mercy. FuU of the proofs of thy goodness and compassion. See Notes on Ps. xxxiii. 5. This is the expression of a heart fuU of love to God and to his word. In such a state of mind as the psalmist was in, the goodness of God is seen everywhere. The best preparation for seeing e\T[dence that God is good is a heart full of love. Then the proofs of that love spring up on every side— as when we truly love a friend we find constant proofs of hi"s exceUency of character. ^ Teach me thy statutes.^ I desire to see more and more of thy law., Thou art so gracious and merciful, the evidence of thy goodness is so wide-spread round about me, that it leads me to desire to see more and more of thyself and thy law.

_ 65. Thou hast dealt luell ivith thy "^ servant. This begins a new division of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Teth, correspond-

66 Teacli c me good judgment and knowledge: for I tave believed thy command-

67 Before I was afllicted ^ I went astray; but now liave I kept tby word.

ing to our t. The use of this letter, however, does nothing to mark the sense. The literal meaning of the phrase here is, " Good hast thou done with thy servant;" and the idea is, that God had been good, and had done good to him. In the review of his own life he sees good, and good alone. Even in afflictions and trials this is aU that he sees. % According unto thyivord. According to thy promises; or, according to the principles of thy word. That is, the whole effect of the revealed truth of God upon him had been good. It was designed for his good; it had produced good only. Truth and law do nothing but good, and the welfare of individuals, and of a community, is promoted just in proportion as truth and law prevail.

66. Teach me good judgment. The word here rendered judgment means, properly, taste, — that power by which we determine the quality of things as sweet, bitter, sour, etc. Then it is applied to the mind or understanding, as that by which we determine the moral quality pf things, or decide what is right or wrong; wise or foolish; good or evil. Here it means that he desired to have in full exercise the faculty of appreciating what is right, and of distinguishing it from what is wrong. •IT And knowledge. Knowledge of the truth; knowledge of thy will; knowledge of duty. ^ For I have believed thy commandments. I have confided in thy commandments. He believed that such a keeping of the law of God would be connected with a correct view of thiugs. The keeping of the commands of God is one of the best means of growing in true knowledge, and of cultivating the understanding; — of promoting a just taste or perception of what is true, and of developing the powers of the soul in the best proportions. Comp. John ^■ii. 17.

67. Before I ivas afflicted. The Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, "Before I was humbled." The Hebrew word has the general sense of being afflicted, and may refer to any kind of trial. If I went astray. The Hebrew word means to wander; to err; to do wrong; to transgress. Num. XV. 28; Job xii. 16. It here means that he forgot his duty; that he fell into sin; that he departed from what was right; that he embraced erroneous views; that he lived in the neglect of his soul, the neglect of duty, and the neglect of God. Prosperity had not led him to fulfil duty; to seek salvation; to trust in God. This was, in his case, as it is in thousands of others, the experience of his life. Hence affliction often becomes so necessary to check us when we are going astray, and so useful in recalhng us to the ways of duty and of truth. ^ But notu have I kept thy word. Since I was afflicted. The effect has been to recall me from my wanderings, and to turn me to paths of duty and holiness. This is an effect often — very oftenexperienced; this is language which can be used by many a child of God. Of those who are the children of God it may be said that they are always benefited sooner or later by afflictions. It may not be at the time of the affliction (comp. Heb. xii. 11), but the ultimate effect is in all cases to benefit them. Some error is corrected; some evil habit changed; some mode of life not consistent with religion is forsaken;—

68 Thou » art good, and doest good: teach me thy statutes.

lie against me: hut I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.

pride is humbled; the heart is quickened in duty; habits of prayer are resumed or formed; tlie affections are fixed on a better world; the soul is made more gentle, calm, humble, spiritual, pure. Afflictions are amon^ the most precious means of grace. They are entirely under the direction of God. They may be endlessly varied, and adapted to the case of every individual. God knows every heart, and the best way to reach any heart. By sickness; by disappointment; by loss of property; by bereavement; by blighted hopes; by the ingratitude of others; by the unkindness of professed friends, and the malice of enemies; by domestic troubles; by the misconduct of children — perhaps the sorest of all human ills, and the hardest to bear; — in ten thousand ways God can reach the heart, and break and crush it, and make it ready for the entrance of truth, — as the farmer breaks and pulverizes the soil by the plough and the harrow, so that it shall be prepared to receive the seed. Comp. Notes on Isa. xxviii. 24-29. Among those things for which good men have most occasion for thankfulness are afflictions; and when we lie down on the bed of death, and look over life and the Divine dealings with us through life, as the glories of heaven are about to open upon us, we shall feel that among the chiefest mercies of God are those dealings of his holy hand, trying at the time, which kept us from going astray, or which recalled us when we had wandered from him, — and that in our life, now closing, there has not been one trial too much.

68. Tlwu art good. See Notes on Ps. c. 5; cvii. 1. ^ And doest good. As the expression or manifestation of goodness. The goodness of God is not a mere sentiment; not mere feeling; not an inactive principle; not a mere wish: — it finds expression in acts which tend to promote the happiness of his creatures everywhere. ^ Teach me thy statutes. See Notes on vers. 12, 26. As one of the acts of the Divine goodness, the psalmist prays that God will make him more and more acquainted with his law.

69. The proud. The psalmist had before referred to the proud as those from whom he had sufi'ered injury, or as having been exposed to their derision. See Notes on ver. 51. He here reverts to another form in which he had sufi'ered from them. 1 Save forged a lie against me. Comp. Job xiii. 4. The word rendered forged, means to patch together; and then it is applied to charges or accusations against any one, perhaps from their being made up (as they often are) of shreds and patches, — hints, small matters, things having no necessary connexion in themselves, but brought together as if they pertained to the same transaction, — words dropped here and there in conversation, which, being artfully woven together, seem to make out a plausible case against a man. Most slanders are formed andsustained in this way; for it is rare that an, absolutely forged slander is uttered against a man, or that a charge is brought which cannot be made to have plausibility from such circumstances as those referred to above. Even the most pure and circumspect cannot always avoid this; for there is something in every man's life of which a malignant and cunning enemy

70 Their heaxt is as fat as grease: but I delight in thy

I have been afllicted; that I might leara thy statutes. 72 The s law of thy mouth may take advantage, and which he may weave into a ^toryjvli'<=^ some will believe, and which it may not be easy to confute. A malicious man may thus start a slander which may require years to correct, and which may even operate mjunously agamst a nian all his life IT But I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. JNotwitnstandins their accusations, and their attempts tq turn me away from hee, or^o represent me as false and hypocritical Whatever they may do; whatever reports they may start to ^l^^''f''^''%f^'^^^'Z fixed purpose to obey entirely and always thy law. See Notes on

^^^I'o^Their heart is as fat as grease. They are prospered. They have health, property, influence, comforts of all kinds. Heaven appears to smile upon them, audit seems as if it were one eflect of a wicked c^ilTse of life to make men prosperous. See Notes on Ps. xvu 10; l°Si 7 '^^y.t I delight in thy laio. Though its observance should not be attended by any such results as seem to follow wickedness, though I am pot, emacilted,pale,-disappointed slandered^ persec^^^^^

-though my lot in life is among the lowly and the f fP^^^J'-f ^ I will adhere to my nurpose to keep thy law It is, and it shall be my delight, whatever may be the efl-ects of so obser^ng it. See ver 35.

71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted. See Notes on ver 67 Whatever may have been the form of the affliction it was lood for me. The design was benevolent; the result has been my 5wn benefit. This will be the experience sooner or later resulting from aU the afflictions of the righteous. H That I might learn thy statutes. That I Sght be brought more fully to understand what they require; and that I might be led to conform to them. It is implied here J^Uhat this i8^he tendency of affliction; and (J) that this is an _advantage-a good. Anything that will lead a man to obey God is a bkssiS and a favour. Whatever leads a sinner to secure the salvatLTof Wrsoul is a gain to him. No matter what it may cost; no matter what he may be required to give up; no matter to what pe«e cutions and troubles it may expose him; no matter what he may sutiei, or how long he may suffer; no matter though poverty, con empt, toil Eleven the rack or the stake-may be the consequence of his religion _ye it is a gain to him; and he will be thankful for ^t- the end —for nothing that can be endured in this life can be compared with the sufler rnSof the world of despair; nothing on earth can be « compared with irglorywhTch shall be revealed m us in heaven." See Notes on Rom.

^''^ii^he law of thy mouth. The law which proceeds out of thy mouth, or wkich thTu hasf spoken. % Is letter unto me. The Hebrew is "Good to me is the law of thy mouth above thousands of gold and silver" \ Than thousands of gold and silver.^ Than any amount of vJSth. It is to me the most valuable possession; that which I prize above all other things. Comp. Notes on Ps. xix. 10.

73 Thy hands have made me, and fashioned me: give me understanding, h that I may learn thy commandments.

74 They i that fear thee will

be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy, word.

75 I know, O Loed, that thy judgments are ^ right, and that thou in faithfulness '■• hast afflicted me.

73. Thy hands have made me. This commences a new division of the psalm, in which each verse begins with the Hebrew letter Jod— or i — the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, called in Matt. v. 18, >^; "one Jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law." The words " thy hands have made me" are expressive of the idea that he had been formed or moulded by God,— as the hands are the mstruments by which we do anything. See Notes on Job x. 8; comp. Ps. c. 3. IF And fashioned me. Fitted me; shaped me; formed me as I am. He had received alike his existence and the particular form of his existence from God — as a man makes a statue or image. Comp. Ps. cxxxix. 13-16. ^ Give me understanding, etc. As I have derived my being from thee, so I am wholly dependent on thee to carry out the purpose for which I have been made. My Maker alone can give me understanding. I have no resources in myself. See ver. 34.

_ 74. They that fear thee. Those who worship thee; thy friends; the pious and the good. % Will be glad tvhen they see me. They will welcome me to their society; they will regard and treat me as a friend and brother. It is implied here that he considered this to be an honour— a thmg to be desired. He valued the friendship and affection of those who feared and served God, and he made it an object so to live as to be worthy of their affection. Wicked men— men of the world —do not value that. They are satisfied with the friendship of those who, like themselves, have no fear of God. To a truly pious mind, the friendship of those who love God is of more value than that of any others j though in the one case they are poor and despised, and though m the other they are rich and of exalted rank. See Notes on ver. 63. because I have hoped in thy word. See Notes on ver. 49.

75. Iknoiv, 0 Loed. I feel assured; I entertain no doubt on the subject. This was the conviction of the mind of the psalmist in affliction. Mysterious as the trial may have been, hard as it may have been to bear, long as it may have been continued, and varied as may have been the forms of the trial, yet he had no doubt that it was all right; that it was for the best purposes; and that it was iu strict accordance with what was best. 1[ That'thy judgments. This does not here refer to the laws of God, but to the Divine dealings; to those afflictions which camein the way oi judgments, or which might be regarded as expressive of the Divine view of his conduct and life. ^ Are right. Marg., as in Heb., righteousness. They were in accordance with what was right; they were, so strictly just, that they might be called righteousness itself. This implied the utmost confidence iu God, the most absolute submission to his will. ^ And that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. In faithfulness to my soul; in faithfulness to my own best interest. It was not arbitrary; it was not from malice; it

76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kiiidness be ^ for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

78 Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with

was not that the affliction had come by chance; it was because God loved his soul, and sought his welfare. It was because God saw that there was some good reason why it should be done; that there was some evil to be checked; some improper conduct to be corrected; some lesson which he would be the better for learning; some happy influence on his life here, and on his happiness in heaven, which would be more than a compensation for all that he would suffer.

76. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness he for my comfort. Marg., as in Heb., to comfort me. The word rendered merciful kindness means mercy, favour, grace, kindness; and the idea is, that all his consolation — all that he expected or desired — must be derived from mere favour; from the goodness of God. He had no source of comfort in himself, and he had no claim on God for comfort. It was through mercy alone that he could have happiness of any kind. ^ According to thy word, etc. See Notes on ver. 25.

77. Let thy tender mercies come unto me. See Notes on ver. 41. ^ That I viay live. It is evident that this was uttered in view of some great calamity by which his life was threatened. He was dependent for life, — for recovery from sickness, or for deliverance from danger, — wholly on the compassion of God. ^ For thy laio is my delight. See Notes on ver. 16; comp. vers. 24, 47. This is urged here as a reason for the Divine interposition. The meaning is, that he was a friend of God; that he had pleasure in his service and in his commandments; and that he might, therefore, with propriety, appeal to God to interpose in his behalf. This is a proper ground of appeal to God in our prayers, not on the ground of merit or claim, but because we may reasonably suppose that God will be disposed to protect his friends, and to deliver them in the day of trouble.

78. Let the proud he ashamed. Referring here to his enemies, who appear to have been in the higher ranks of life, or to have been those who prided themselves on their wealth, their station, or their influence. See Notes on ver. 51. The psalmist asks here that they might be confounded or put to shame; that is, that they might fail of accomplishing their purposes in regard to him. See Notes on Ps. xxv. 2, 3; Job vi. 20. ^ For they dealt perversely tuith me. They were not honest; they deceived me; they took advantage of me; they were not true to their professions of friendship. Comp. Notes on Isa. lix. 3; Jobviii. 3; xxxiv. 12. If Without a cause. Heb., hy a lie. That is, They have been guilty of falsehood in their charges or accusations against me. I have given them no occasion for such treatment, and their conduct is based on an entire misrepresentation. See Notes on John XV. 25. ^ But I will tneditate in thy precepts. See Notes on Ps. i. 2. I will not be diverted from thee, from thy law, from thy service, by all that man can do to me; by all the false charges which the enemies of religion may bring against me; by all the contempt or persecution that I may suffer for my attachment to thee. See Notes on vers. 23, 69.

me without ' a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.

80 Let my heart be sound ">■ in thy statutes, that I be not " ashamed.

81 My soul fainteth o for thy salvation; but I hope in thy word.

79. Let those that fear thee turn unto me. Let thy friends be my friends. Let them show me favour, and count me among their companions. If the great and the powerful turn away from me; if they persecute me, and do me wrong; if they cast out my name as evil, and are unwilling to associate with me, yet let thy friends, however poor and humble, regard me with kindness, and reckon me among their number, and I shall be satisfied. \ And those that have known thy testimonies. Thy law. Those who can see and appreciate the beauty of thy commandments. This is the ground of true friendship in religion, — the common love of God, of his law, and of his service. This is a permanent ground of affection. All friendship founded on earthly distinctions; aU derived from titled birth, — from rank, — from affluence, — from civil, military, or naval renown, — from beauty, strength, or nobleness of form, — must be temporary; but that which is founded on attachment to God, to his law, and to the Sa\aour, will abide for ever.

80. Let my heart be sound, etc. Heb., Be perfect. See Notes on Job i. 1. The Septuagint here is immaculate, dfnoixog. So the Latin Vulgate. It is the expression of a desire that the heart might be pure; that there might be no improper attachment for other objects; that there might be no defect of love to God. ^ That I be not ashamed. See Notes on ver. 6. A man has no occasion to be ashamed of a pure heart; and that which can alone keep us from being ultimately ashamed is sincerity, uprightness, and purity in the service of God.

81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation. The new division of the psalm, which begins here, is indicated by the Hebrew letter Caph, equivalent to Jc or c (hard). The word here rendered fainteth is the same that in Ps. Ixxiii. 26 is translated ^aiZei"/*; "My flesh and my heart faileth." The idea is, that his strength gave way; he had such an intense desire for salvation that he became weak and powerless. Any strong emotion may thus prostrate us; and the love of God — the desire of his favour — the longing for heaven — may be so intense as to produce this result. ^ I hope in thy word. I trust in thy promises, and am sustained. My powers, which would otherwise whoUy fail, are upheld by thy word, and on that I rely. See ver. 74.

82. Mine eyes fail for thy word. The same word in Hebrew as in the previous verse and in Ps. Ixxiii. 26. The idea here is that of looking out for a thing^of " straining the eyes " — so that their power becomes exhausted. The language expresses a longing desire — a waiting— an intense wish — for a thing, as when we look for a ship long expected, or for a friend long absent, or for help when in danger. Such a desire the psalmist had for the word of God; for Divine truth.

83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.

84 How many are tbe days of thy servant? when p wUt

thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?

85 The proud have digged « pits for me, which are not after thy law.

% Saying, When wilt thou comfort we? How long shall I be compelled to wait for comfort? How often in the Psalms do the expressions occur, " When," and " Hoio long.'" How often in the life of the believer now are similar expressions appropriate! God often seems greatly to try the iriith and patience of his people by mere delag; and the strength of faith and the power of religion are shown in such circumstances by persevering faith in the Divine promises, even when there seems to be no evidence that he will interpose.

83. For I am become like a bottle in the smoke. Bottles in the East were commonly made of skins. See Notes on Matt. ix. 17. Such "bottles," hanging in tents where the smoke had little opportunity to escape, would, of course, become dark and dingy, and would thus be emblems of distress, discomfort, and sorrow. The meaning here is, that, by affliction and sorrow, the psalmist had been reduced to a state which would be well represented by such a bottle. A somewhat similar idea occurs in Ps. xxii. 15: " My strength is dried up like a potsherd." See Notes on that place. % Yet do I not forget thy statutes. Comp. Notes on ver. 51. Though thus deeply afflicted, though without comfort or peace, yet I do, I will, maintain allegiance to thee and thy law. The doctrine is that distress, poverty, sorrow, penury, and rags— the most abject circumstances of life — will not turn away a true child of God from obeying and serving him. True religion will abide all these tests. Lazarus from the deepest poverty— from beggary — from undressed sores — went up to Abraham's bosom.

84. How many are the days of thy servant 1 I cannot hope to live long, I am sinking imder my burdens. If I am, therefore, to see the accomplishment of my desires — my deliverance from my enemies and my troubles — it must be soon. This is not a desire to be told how long he was to live, as if it were an object of desire to know this, but it is a method of saying that he could not live long under these circumstances, and therefore he offered this earnest prayer that God would interpose and save him soon. ^ When wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? How long shall this be delayed? I look for this; I expect it; I rely on thy promise that it shall be done; but if done so that J shall see it, it must soon be done, for I shall soon sink into the grave. It is a prayer that God would come and do quickly what he felt assured he would do, in delivering him from bis foes.