Notes on the Old and New Testaments

85. The proud. Those in high life, or of exalted rank. See Notes on ver. 51. ^ Rave digged pits for me. See Notes on Ps. vii. 15. Comp. Ps. XXXV. 7; Ivii. 6; xclv. 13. H Which are not after thy law. The word which here refers not to the pits, but to the proud. They who have done this are men who do not regard thy commands; men who are open and public offenders. It is that class of men with whom I have to contend — men who set at defiance all the laws of God; men high in rank, who wield great power, and who have no regard to the

86 All »■ thy commandments are ' faithful: they persecute rae wrongfully; help thou me.

87 They had almost consumed me upon earth: but I forsook not thy precepts.

88 Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.

89 For » ever, O Lord, inj word is settled in heaven.

90 Thy faithfulness is 2 unto all generations; thou hast established the earth, and it 3 abideth.

law of God in their conduct. Even they have sought my destruction in the meanest way possible — by covert arts, by underhanded means, by digging pits, as they would for wild beasts.

86. All thy commandments are faithful. Marg., faithfulness. The idea in the Hebrew is that they are worthy to be relied on. They are founded in truth, and they should secure our confidence. Tf They persecute me turongfully, etc. Heb., a lie, or falsehood. That is. There is a He or falsehood at the foundation of their persecutions. Those persecutions are not based on any just views of what I am, or of the treatment which I ought to receive at the hand of my fellow-men. They charge on me things which are not true, and they act accordingly. See Notes on ver. 78.

87. They had almost consumed me upon earth. The word which is here translated consumed is the same which is used in ver. 81, and there rendered /aw^e^A. See Notes on that verse. The idea is, that their persecutions had been so severe, and so long continued, that his strength was almost exhausted; he was ready to faint and to die. 1" But 1 forsook not thy precepts. I still adhered to thee, even in the extremity of my sufFei'ing. The effect of persecution was not to drive me from thee, or to lead me to abandon thee. See Notes on vers. 61, 69.

88. Quicken me. Cause me to live; revive me. See Notes on Ps. Ixxi. 20; Eph. ii. 1. Comp. Ps. Ixxx. 18; Rom. viii. 11; 1 Pet. iii. 18; John vi. 63. ^ After thy loving -kindness. Thy mercy; thy grace; thy compassion. That is. Let the measure of the grace given to me be thine own benevolent nature, and not my deserts. That is all I ask; that is all I could desire. ^ So shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth. Which proceeds out of thy mouth. His hope of being able to keep it was founded on the grace and mercy which he besought God to bestow upon him.

89. For ever, O LOED, thy word is settled in heaven. This commences a new division of the, psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Lamed, or I. On the meaning of the passage, see Notes on Ps. Ixxxix. 2. The word rendered settled means properly to set, to put, to place; and then, to stand, to cause to stand, to set up, as a column, Gen. xxxv. 20; an altar, Gen. xxxiii. 20; a monument, 1 Sam. xv. 12. The meaning here is, that the word — the law^the promise — of God was made firm, established, stable, in heaven; and would be so for ever and ever. What God had ordained as law would always remain law; what he had affirmed would always remain true; what he had promised would be sure for ever.

91 They continue this dayaccording to thine ordinances: ' for all are thy servants.

my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

93 I will never forget thy precepts: for mth them thou hast quickened me.

unto all generations. Marg., to generation and generation. From one generation to another. The generations of men cliange and pass away, but thy promises do not change. They are as applicable to one generation as to another; they meet every generation alike. The people of no one age can lay any exclusive claim to them, or feel that they were made only for them. They are as universal — as much adapted to the new generations that come upon the earth — as the light of the sun, ever-enduring, is; or as the fountains and streams, which flow from age to age. ^ Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. Marg., Standeth. It is firm. The earth thus established or made firm, is an illustration of thy faithfulness, and of the stability and permanence of thy promises. It is the same from generation to generation, with its rivers, streams, and fountains; with its fruits and flowers; with its balmy air and its sweet prospects; with its riches of gold and silver; with its pearls and diamonds; with its treasures of land and ocean. So is the word of God — so are the gracious promises which he has addressed to men — the same in every age.

91. They continue this day according to thine ordinances. According to thy judgments (Heb.); that is, thy commands. They stand (Heb.) as thou hast appointed; they are what thou didst design them to be. The original purpose in their creation is carried out, and they thus furnish an illustration of the stability of thy government and the permanency of thy law. ^ For all are thy servants. All worlds obey thy commands; all are under thy control. They shoio that they are thy servants by the conformity of their movements to the laws which thou hast impressed on them.

92. Unless thy laio had been my delights. See Notes on vers. 16, 24. Unless I had had pleasure in thy law, thy word, thy truth; unless I had derived support and consolation in that. % I should then have perished in mine affliction. I should have sunk under my burden. I should not have been able to hold up under the weight of sorrow and trial. How often the people of God can say this! How often may each one in the course of his life say this! " I should have sunk a thousand times," said a most excellent, but much afflicted, man to me, "if it had not been for one declaration in the word of God, — 'The Eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.' "

93. I will never forget thy precepts. Thy laws; thy truth. I will bear them in mind for ever. To all eternity they shall be the object of my meditation. ^ For with them thou hast quickened me. By them thou hast given me life, spiritual life. Comp. Notes on Jaines i. 18. This is stated as a reason why he would never suffer the truth of God to pass out of his mind. By that truth he had been made really to live. He had been brought irom spiritual death to spiritual life. He saw before him now, as the result of that, an endless career of blessedness. How could he ever forget that which had wrought such a change in his character and condition; which had inspired such hopes; which had oponed before him such an immortal career of glory!

95 The wicked have waited

for me, to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies.

96 I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.

94. I am thine. All that he had, aud was, belonged to God. This is an expression of a. fact, and of a purpose: — a fact about which he had no doubt; a purpose ever to be the Lord's. Tliis is indicative of the real state of feeling in the heart of a pious man. He feels that he is the Lord's; he has no other desire than to be his for ever. ^ Save me. Deliver me from my enemies j from sin; from hell. As he belonged to God, he prayed that God would save and preserve his own. T[ For I have sought thy precepts. I feel assured or confident that this has been the aim and pui-pose of my hfe. On this ground I plead that thou wilt keep and preserve me. A man who feels assured that he is a friend of God has a right to appeal to him for protection, and he will not appeal to him in vain.

95. The wicked have luaited for me to destroy me. That is, they have lain in wait; or, they have laid a plan. They are watching the opportunity to do it. IF But I will consider thy testimonies. I will think of them; I will adhere to them; I will find my support in them; I will not be driven from my adhesion to them by an apprehension of what man can do to me.

96. I have seen an end of all perfection. The word which is here rendered perfection — n^DH, tichlah — occurs only in this place; but a similar word from the same root— rT'l'DIil, tachlith— occurs in the following places: — in Neli. iii. 2,1, aud Job xxvi. 10, rendered end; in Job xi. 7, xxviii. 3, rendered perfection; and in Ps. cxxxix. 22, rendered perfect. It means properly completion, perfection; or, as others suppose, hope, confidence. It is rendered, in the Septuagint and Latin Vulgate, consummation. Luther renders it, "of all things." ^ It is proper here to apply it to character; to perfect virtue, or to claims to perfect virtue,— either in one's-self or in others. The word rendered end here refers not to the fact of its existence, or to its duration, but to a limit or boundary as to its extent. To all claims to perfection made by man, he had seen an end or limit. He had examined all which claimed to be perfect; he had found it defective; he had so surveyed and examined the matter, as to be able to say that there could_ be no claim to perfection which would prove good. AH claim to perfection on the part of man must be abandoned for ever. ^ But thy commandment is exceeding broad. The word but is not in the original, and enfeebles the sense. The idea is, that the law of God, as he now saw it, was of such a nature— was so " broad "—as to demonstrate that there could be no just claim to perfection among men. All claims to perfection had arisen from the fact that the law was not properly understood, that its true nature was not seen. Men thought that they were perfect, but it 'was because they had no just view of the extent and the spirituality of the law of God. They set up an imperfect standard; and when they became conformed to that standard, as they might do, they imagined themselves to bo perfect; but when their conduct was compared with » higher and more just standard— the law

97 O how love I thy law! it is " my meditation all the day.

98 Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me

wiser than mine enemies: for ' they are ever with me.

99 I «> have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

of God — it could not but be seen that they were imperfect men. That law had claims which they had not met, and never would meet, in this life. It is very easy to flatter ourselves that we are perfect, if we make our own standard of character; it is not possible for man to set up a claim to perfection, if he measures himself by the standard of God's word; and all the claims of men to perfection are made simply because they do not properly understand what the law of God requires. Comp. Notes on Job ix. 20.

97. O hoio love I thy law! This commences a new division of the Psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Mem — m. The expression here, " 0 how love I thy law," implies intense love, — as if a man were astonished at the fervour of his own emotion. His love was so ardent that it was amazing and wonderful to himself; — perhaps wonderful that he, a sinner, should love the law of God at all; wonderful that he should ever have been brought so to love a law which condemned himself. Any man who reflects on what his feelings are by nature in regard to religion, will be filled with wonder that he loves it at all; all who are truly religious ought to be so filled with love to it, that it will be difficult for them to find words to express the intensity of their aff'ection. 1[ It is my meditation all the day. See Notes on Ps. i. 2.

98. Thou, through thy commandments. By the teaching and power of thy law. ^ Hast made me wiser than mine enemies. 1 liave a better understanding of thee, of thy law, of the duties of this life, and in regard to the life to come, than my enemies have, — not because I am naturally better, or because I have higher endowments by nature, but because thou hast made me wiser than they are. The rendering of this first clause of the verse now most approved by interpreters is, "Thy commandments make me more wise than my enemies are," though this requires a singular verb to be construed with a plural noun (Professor Alexander). So De Wette renders it. T[ For they are ever tvith me. Marg., as in Heb., it is ever with me. The refei'ence is to the law or commandments of God. The meaning is, that that law was never out of his mind; that he was constantly thinking about it; and that it unfolded such wisdom to him as to make liim superior to all his foes; — to give him a better understanding of life, its design, its duties, and its obligations, than his enemies had. The best instructor in true wisdom is the revealed word of God, — the Bible.

99. I have more understanding than all my teachers. Referring perhaps to those who had given him instruction in early life. By constant meditation on the law of God, he had, in the progress of years, advanced to a point beyond that to which they had arrived. Ho had improved upon their suggestions and instructions, until he had surpassed them in knowledge. His design in saying this was to set forth the excellency and the fulness of the law of God, and to show

100 I understand more than the ancients; ' because I keep thy precepts.

feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou

how the study of it was fitted to enlarge the imderstaudiug. In early life the wisdom of teachers seems to be far beyond anything that we can hope to reach; yet a few years of* study and meditation may place us far beyond them. What those teachers seemed to be to us, howejer, when we were young, may serve ever onward as a means of comparison when we wish to speak of the greatness of human attainments. So the psalmist says that he had now reached a point which seemed to him in early life to be wonderful, and to be beyond what he had then hoped ever to attain. He had now reached that point; he had gone beyond it. IT For thy testimonies are my meditation. Comp. Ps. i. 2; 2 Tim. iii. 15. All this knowledge he had obtained by meditation on the law of God; by the study of Divine truth. The effect of that constant study was seen in the knowledge which he now possessed, and which seemed to surprise even himself as compared with the brightest anticipations of his early years.

100. I understand more than the ancients. Heb., The old men. It does not refer, as the word ancients does with us, to the men of former times, but to aged men. They have treasured up wisdom. ^ They have had the advantage of experience, of study, and of observation. They, therefore, hke teachers, become a standard by which we measure our own attainments, as the boy hardly hopes to gain that amount of knowledge which he observes in men who are venerable in years, and who are remarkable for their acquirements. Comp. Job xii. 12: " With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days understanding." Job xxxii. 7: " I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom." Comp. 1 Kings iv. 30, 31. Yet the psalmist says that he had reached this point, and had even gone heyond what he had once thought he could never attain. ^ Because I keep thy precepts. It is all the result of an honest endeavour to do right; to observe law; to keep the commands of God. Obedience to the law of God will do more than any mere human teaching to make a man truly wise.

101. I have refrained my feet from every evil icay. I have walked in the path which thy law marks out. I have avoided the way of wickedness, and have not yielded to the seductions of a sinful life. % That I might keep thy word. I have avoided all those allurements which would turn me from obedience, and which would prevent a right observance of thy commands. This indicates a purpose and a desire to keep the law of God, and shows the method which he adopted in order to do this. That method was to guard against everything which would turn him from obedience; it was, to make obedience to the law of God the great aim of the life.

102. I have not departed from thy judgments. Thy law; thy commands. This cannot mean that he hud never done this, but that as a great rule of life he had not done it. The character and aim of his life had been obedience, not disobedience. A man may honestly say this, though he may be conscious of much imperfection, and may feel that he has not perfectly carried out such an aim and purpose. No one can

103 How sweet * are thy words unto my ^ taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

I get understanding: therefore I hate " every false way.

be a truly pious man, or have evidence of personal religion, who cannot say in sincerity that he has "not departed" in this sense, "from the judgments" (the commands) of God; who cannot look back on his life and say that his course — his aim — his character — since he became a professor of religion — has been one of obedience to God. Comp. 1 John iii. 7-9. ^ For thou hast tauffht me. Not to himself was this to be traced, but to God; not to any wisdom of his own, but to that which was given him from on high.

103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste, etc. Marg., as in Heb., palate. The reference is to the taste, perhaps because the sense of taste was supposed to reside in the palate. The Hebrew word may include also the whole of the inside of the mouth. The word rendered sweet does not occur elsewhere. It properly means to he smooth, and hence is applied to kinder agreeable words. Ou the sentiment here, see Notes on Ps. xix. 10.

104. Through thy precepts I get understanding. A true understanding; a correct view of things; a knowledge of thee, of myself, of the human character, of the destiny of man, of the way of salvation — the best, and the only essential knowledge for man. This knowledge the psalmist obtained from the " precepts " of God; that is, all that God had communicated by revelation. This passage expresses in few words what had been said more at length in vers. 98-100. If Therefore 1 hate every false tvay. I see that which is right and true, and I pursue it. In prof)ortion as 1 have a just knowledge of truth and duty,. I hate that which is false and evil.

105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet. This begins a new portion of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Nun, equivalent to our n. The margin here is candle. The Hebrew word means a light, lamp, candle. The idea is, that the word of God is like a torch or lamp to a man in a dark night. It shows him the way; it prevents his stumbling over obstacles, or falling down precipices, or wandering off into paths which would lead into danger, or would turn him away altogether from the path to life. Comp. Notes on 2 Pet. i. 19. ^ And a light unto my path. The same idea substantially is presented here. It is a light which shines on the road that a man treads, so that he may see the path, and that he may see any danger which may be in his path. The expression is very beautiful, and is full of instruction. He who makes the word of God his guide, and marks its teachings, is in the right way. He will clearly see the path. He will be able to mark the road in which he ought to go, and to avoid all those by-paths which would lead him astray." He will see where those by-roads turn off from the main path, — often at a very small angle, and so that there seems fco be no divergence. Ho will see any obstruction which may lie in his path; any declivity or precipice which may be near, and down which, in a dark night, one might fall. Man needs such a guide, and the Bible is such a guide. Comp. Notes on ver. 9.

» unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

107 I am afficted very much: quicken me, O Loed, according unto thy word.

106. 1 have sworn. I have solemnly purposed; I have given to this purpose the solemnity and sanction of an oath. That is, I have called God to witness; I have formed the purpose in his presence, and with the consciousness that his eye is npon me. So all who make a profession of religion solemnly vow or swear. They do it in the house of God; they do it in the presence of the Discerner of hearts; they do it at the communion table; they do it at the family altar; they do it in the closet, when alone with God. ^ And I will perform it. Heb., I will establish it, or make it to stand. It shall not be a mere purpose. It shall be accomplished. This also is the resolution of all who make a true profession of religion. It is their intention — their solemn determination — to carry out that vow to its full accomplishment, always, and in every place, while life lasts, and for ever. A man who makes a profession of religion, intending not to carry out what is fairly implied in such a profession, is a hypocrite. Unless there is a solemn purpose to keep the law of God, and always to keep it, — to do what is fairly implied in a profession of religion, and always to do it, — to defend the truth according to his best means of knowing it, and always to defend it, — he cannot possibly be a sincere friend of God; he cannot be truly a religious man. He cannot be loyal to his country who designs to violate any one of its just laws; he cannot be an obedient child who intends to disobey the laws of a parent. % That I loill keep thy righteous judgments. Not implying that there are any of the judgments of God which are not righteous, but meaning to characterize all his judgments or laws as righteous.

107. I am afflicted very much. The form of the affliction is not mentioned. There are frequent allusions in the psalm to the fact that the author was and had been afflicted — as, in fact, must be the case in the life of every good man. Comp. vers. 71, 75. If David was the author of the psalm, we know that there were numerous occasions in his life when this language would be appropriate. As designed for the people of God at all times, it was important that there should be these allusions to affliction. ^ Quicken me, etc. Make me live; give me life and vigour, that I may bear up imder my trials. See Notes on ver. 25.

108. Accept, I beseech thee, the free-will offerings of my mouth. On the meaning of the word here TenAex^Afree-ioill, see Notes on Ps. ex. 3. It conveys the idea that there is no constraint or compulsion; that the offering is a prompting of the heart. The offering might be that of flour, or grain, or fruits, or property of any kind, as devoted to God; or it might be, as hen^ an offering of the lips, expressed in prayer and praise. Either of them might be acceptable to God; — their being accepted in either case would depend on the good pleasure of God, and hence the psalmist prays that his offering might be thus acceptable. Comp. Heb. xiii. 15. % And teach me thy judgments. Thy commands; thy laws. See Notes on ver. 12.

109 My soul is continually in e my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.

110 The wicked have laid a snare / for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.

111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing » of my heart.

112 I have inclined '' mine heart to ^ perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.»

109. My soul is continually in my hand. The Septuagmt renders this, '- My soul is always in thy hands," but the Hebrew will not admit of this construction. The idea in the original is that his soul-hia life -was always in jeopardy. The expression seems to be proverbial. Aiivthin- t4en in the hand is liable to be rudely snatched away. Thus a casket of jewels, or a purse of gold in the hand may at any moment be seized by robbers. See Notes on Job xin. 14. Comp. 1 Sam vix ^ ■ Judses xii. 3. The meaning here is, that his life was constantly fn dan-er. IF Yet do I not forget thy law. Notwithstanding the dan-er'to which I am exposed, and the care necessary to defend my life°I do not allow my mind to be turned from meditatmg on thy law, nor do I suffer any danger to deter me from obeying it. Comp. Notes

°Yl0' The loicked have laid a snare for me. As men do to take wiW beasts or birds. See Notes on ver. 85. Comp. Notes on Job xviii. 8, 10; Ps ix 15 • Ixix. 22. See also vers. 61, 69. % Yet I erred not from thy precepts. 'Notwithstanding the danger to which I was exposed, I maintained a steadfast adherence to thy commandments. I was not deterred from obeying them by any peril which beset me.

ill Thy testimonies. Thy law; thy revealed will;-the revelation which thou hast given considered as thy solemn testimony as to what is true and right. IT Save I taken as an heritage for ever. As my nheritance / a^s my property; as that which I consider to be of real and permanent;alue. The Hebrew word here used-^n3, «aAA«Z-means to receive as a possession; to acquire; to possess as wealth; and then, to inherit. It s usually applied to the possession of the promised land as anTnieritance. Here it means that the law of God was to him a. such a possession. He regarded it as one does a rich inheritance. He chose it as his portion above all things else \ For they are the ^oLii of my heart. My happiness is in them. I find constant comfort in them. See vers. 77, 92. Comp. Notes on Ps. i. 2.

n2 I have inclined mine heart. The Hebrew word means properly to stretch out: to extend-as the hand. Ex. vui. 6, 17. Then it means to ncline to bow, to depress. Here the idea is, that he had given that S«" rto the inclinations of his heart; he had resolved or purposed. He refers to an act of choice on his part, meanmg that he had pre- Sred this course, or that he had made this a solemn I'^te^t^^' Th°u|h every ri-ht inclination of the human heart is to be traced to the Divine a-encv, vet it is also true that man is active in religion,— or S^t his own mind resolves, chooses, and prefers,-and that true rebgion

"the actual choice or prefercwe of all who serve God aright See Notes on ver. 59. % To perform thy statutes alway. Marg., as in Heb.,

113 I hate vain * thouglits: but tliy law do I love.

114 Thou ' art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

115 Depart "» ft^m me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.

116 Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed " of my hope.

to do. He meant to do the will of God. He intended to do this constantly; even for ever. No man can be a truly pious man who has any disposition, or any purpose, ever to turn away from the service of God. ^ Even unto tke end. See ver. 33. To the end of life; to the end of all things.

113. / hate vain thoughts. This commences a new portion of the psalm, distinguished by the Hebrew letter Samech, answering to our s. The word rendered "vain thoughts" occurs only in this place. It is rendered by the Septuagint, irapavofiovQ — transgressors. So the Latin Vulgate. Luther renders it die Flatter-geister, the frivolousminded. The word means divided; a man of a divided mind; a man who has no sure faith in regard to Divine things, but is driven hither and thither; a sceptic; a doubter. Comp. James i. 8. Thus it refers not to his own thoughts primarily, as being "vain" or worthless, but to a state of mind or heart in general, where there is no firmness, no stability, no settled view: — a state of mind wavering, doubtful, sceptical, in regard to religion. What is implied here in reference to what he loved, — by stating (in the way of contrast) what he " hated," — would be a mind which was settled in its convictions of truth, and firm in its adherence to truth; a mind which was steadfast in religion, and not vacillating, sceptical, or uncertain on the subject. This denotes that the psalmist sought such a state of mind for himself, and that he valued it in others. ^ But thy law do I love. ' I have no "divided" or unsettled feelings in regard to that. I am conscious of a firm attachment to it. This thought he has repeatedly expressed in the psalm.

114. Thou art my hiding place. See Notes on Ps. xxxii. 7, where the same expression occurs. % And my shield. See Notes on Ps. v. 12; Ixxxiv. 11. ^ I hope in thy word. See vers. 74, 81.

115. Depart from me, ye evil-doers. Workers of iniquity; bad men. See Notes on Ps. vi. 8, This indicates a determined purpose that nothing should deter or allure him from the service of God. A man who wishes to serve God, and lead a religious life, must separate himself from the society, as such, of unprincipled men. ^ For I will keep the commandments of my God. This is my fixed resolution. It may be remarked here (1) that bad men will turn away from the society of one who has formed such a resolution, and who carries it out; (2) the resolution is a necessary one to be formed and executed, if a man will serve God; (3) the formation and execution of such a purpose, is the best w^y to get rid of the society of bad men.

116. Uphold me. Sustain me in the trials and the temptations of life. Help me to bear afilictions without sinking under them; to meet temptations without yielding to them; to encounter opposition from the enemies of religion without being overcome. ^ According unto thy word.

117 Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

118 Thou hast trodden " down all them that err from

] 19 Thou > puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: « therefore I love thy testimonies.

(1) According to the requirements of thy word -that I may be conformed to them; (2) according to the promises of thy word —that thev may be verified in me. IT That I may live. That my ife may not be cut off by my foes, and that I may not sink under my burdens % And let me not he ashamed of my hope. The meanmg of this is, Let not my hope prove to be delusive and vain; let it not be seen at last that it is worthless, or that religion has no power to accomplish what it promises. See Notes on Ps. vi. 10; xxv. 2, 3; xxxi. 1. flie phrase does not mean, as it would seem to signify, Let me not blush, or be unwilling to acknowledge my hope, or to profess that I am a tnend ot God. That would be, indeed, a proper prayer, but it is not the prayer

117 Sold thou me up. Keen me from falling in the trials and tempt'ations of life. The Hebrew word means to prop, uphold support. The Septuagint is, " Aid me." IF And I shall he safe. And I shall be saved; or, that I may be saved. It is an acknowledgment of entire dependence on God for salvation— temporal and eternal. IF And 1 loUl have respect, etc. I will look to thy statutes; I will have them always in my eye. Comp. Notes on ver. 6., ^ ^

118 Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes. Comp. Notes on ver. 21. Rather, " Thou hast made light of," or " thou despisest." The Hebrew word means properly to suspend in a balance; to weigh. Then it means to lift up lightly or easily; atid then, to make itght of; to contemn; to regard anything as light. The Septuagint and Latin Vulgate render it, Thou dost despise. That is, God regards them as of no account; as a light substance of no value; as chaff which the wind carries away. Comp. Job xxi. 18; Ps. i. 4; XXXV 5- Isa. xvii. 13. -IF ^or their deceit is falsehood. This seems to be a truism— for deceit must imply falsehood. In the original this is an emphatic way of declaring the whole thing to be false, as the Hebrew language often expresses emphasis by mere repetition,— thus " pits pits," meaning many pits. The psalmist ^r*;; characterizes their conduct as deceitful— as that which cannot be relied on— as that which must fail in the end; he then speaks of this system on which they acted as altogether a " Zie "—as that which is utterly " false;"— thus giving, as it were, a double emphasis to the statement, and showing how utterly delusive and vain it must be.

119. Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth. Marg., causest to cease. Literally: " Dross— thou iiiakest all the wicked of the earth to cease." They are seen by the psalmist as dross, and then he says that God had treated them as such. If Like dross. The scoricB of metals, or of a furnace. Tliis dross is citst out as of no value. So the wicked are regarded by God. TF Therefore I love thy testimonies. 1 love a law which condemns sin. I love a government which ferrets out

120 My flesh trembleth »• for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

121 I have done judgment

and justice: leave « me not to mine oppressors.

122 Be surety t for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.

and punishes the guilty. This is a leading object with all just goveruments; and this we appr6ve in all governments. As the Divine government makes this an object, and as it will accomplish this more perfectly than any other administration, so it is more worthy of confidence than any other. As it is the only government that does this perfectly, so it is the only one that is worthy of unlimited confidence.

120. My flesh, tremhleth for fear of thee. I stand in awe of thee. I shudder at the consciousness of thy presence. See Hab. iii. 16; Heb. xii. 21; Joel ii. 10; Nah. i. 5. There is nothing unaccountable in this. Any man would tremble, should God manifest himself to him as he might do; and it is possible that the mind may have such an overpowering sense of the presence and majesty of God, that the body shall be agitated, lose its strength, and with the deepest alarm fall to the earth. Comp. Dan. x. 8; Eev. i. 17. No man could meet one of the departed dead, or a good angel, without this fear; how much less could he meet God! ^ And I am afraid of thy judgments. Of thy laws or commands. My mind is filled with awe at the strictness, the spirituality, the severity of thy law. Reverence — awe— is one of the essential elements of all true religion.

121. I have done judgment and justice. This commences a new division of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Ain — a letter which cannot well be represented in the English alphabet, as there is, in fact, no letter in our language exactly corresponding with it. It would be best represented probably by what are called " hreathings" in Greek. The meaning of the first part of this verse is, " I have led a righteous and upright life." It is equivalent to saying that he had kept the law of God, or had made that the rule of his conduct. ^ Leave one not to mine oppressors. To the men who would do me wrong; who seek my hurt. He urged this on the ground that he had been obedient to the Divine law, and might, therefore, with propriety, make this request, or might claim the Divine protection. Man has no merit of his own, and no claim on God; but when he is his true friend, it is not improper to expect that he will interpose in his behalf; nor is it improper to present this in the form of a prayer. Our loving God, and serving him, though it is done imperfectly, is, in fact, a reason why he should and will interpose in our behalf.

122. Be surety for thy servant for good. On the meaning of the word here rendered "be surety," see Notes on Job xvii. 3, and Isa. xxxviii. 14, in both which places the same Hebrew word occurs. In Isaiah it is rendered " undertake for me." The word means, properly, to mix, to mingle; hence, to braid, to interweave; then, to exchange, to barter. Then it means to mix or intermingle interests; to unite ourselves with others so that their interests come to be our own; and hence, to take one under our protection, to become answerable for, tc be a surety for: — as, when one endorses a note for another, he mingles

123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.

124 Deal " with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.

125 I'am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.

126 It is time for thee, Loed, to work; for they have made void thy law.

his own interest, reputation, and means with his. So C^t become the security or surety-eyyvos-of his people, ^eb. _ vii 22 ihe prayer here is, that God would, so to speak mix or mingle his ^au^^ and that of the psalmist together, and that he would then protect the common cause as his own; or, that he would become a pledge ov surety for the safety of the psalmist. This now. through the Mediator, we have a right to ask at the band of God; and when God makes our cause his own, we must be safe. % Let not the proud oppress me. See Notes on ver. 51. Let them not triumph over me, and crush me.

123. Mine eye^ fail for thy salvation h^B }<oi^^ on vers. 81 82 •r And for the\oord of thy righteousness. Thy ngbteous word,-that_it liaTbe made known to me, and that I may see its beauty and enjoy it. IMBeal with thy se,-vant according unto thy mercy. Not accordmg to justice-for, sinners as we are, we can never urge that as a plea hefore God. No man who knows himself could ask of God to deal Shim according to the strict and stern principles of justice. _ But we m"; ask him to deal with us according to mercy-for mercy is our only plea, and the mercy of God-vast and houndless-constitutes such r^round of appeal as we need. No man can have any other,^no man nefd desire aSy other. \ And teach me thy statutes. See Notes on ver. 12. Show* thy mercy to me in teaching me thy law.

125. I am thy servant. See Notes on Ps. cxvi. 16. % Chve me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies Since I ^"if J f ™*' instruct me in the knowledge of thy wiU. As I desire to obey thee, show me what will be acceptable obedience, or what thou dost require in order to acceptable service. This is a prayer ot piety A man who sincerely desires to obey God will make it a first pomt to ascertam what is'his will, or what will constitute true obedience.

126. It is time for thee, Loed, to loork. Literally, "Time to do for Jehovah;" and the construction might be either that it is time to do rsomethinc.1 for Jehovah; or, that it is time for Jehovah himself to do rsomethin^l. The direct address to the Lord in the latter part of the Sentence would seem, however, to show that the latter is the true in erpretation:-to wit, that since men make void the law of God, it is time for hv>n to work, that is, to interpose by his power and restrain them; to bring them to repentance; to assert his own authority; to vindicate his o^use. Thus understood, it is an appropriate prayer to be used when iniquity abounds, and when some peculiar form of sm has an ascendancv among a people. The other '"^erpretation, ho.^ver It is time [tbr us] to do [somethmg], since men make void thy la^, suggests a truth of great importance. Then is the time when the people of God should^rouse themselves to efforts to stay the tide of wickedness, and to secure the ascendancy of ^ehgion of virtue and of law 1 For they have made void thy law. They have broken it.

127 Tterefore I love tliy commandments above "> gold, yea, above fine gold.

128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all

129 Thy testimonies are ■>■ wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.

They have set it at defiance. They regard and treat it as if it had no claim to obedience; as if it were a thing of nought. This the psalmist urges as a reason for the putting forth of power to arrest the evil; to bring men to repentance; to secure the salvation of souls. By all the evil done when the law of God is set at nought, by all the desirableness that the law should be obeyed, by all the danger to the souls of men from its violation, this prayer may now and at all times be offered, and that with earnestness. Comp. ver. 136.

127. Therefore I love thy commandments, etc. The more men break them (ver. 126), the more I see their value; the more precious they are to me. The fact that they make thy law void, and that evil consequences result from their conduct, only impresses my mind the more with a sense of the value of the law, and makes my heart cling to it the more. There is almost nothing that will so impress upon our minds the importance of law as the sight of the effects which follow when it is disregarded. ^ Above gold, etc. See Notes on ver. 72. Comp. Ps. xix. 10.

128. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right. Literally, " Therefore all the commandments of all I regard as right." The idea seems to be, that he regarded as right and just all the commandments of God pertaining to every thing and every person; all, considered in every way; all, wherever the law extended, and whomsoever it embraced; all the law pertaining to duty towards God and towards man. He saw in the violation of tlie laws of God (ver. 126) a reason for approving all law; all that would restrain men from sin, and that would bind them to duty and to virtue. The effect had been to lead him to retlect on the worth of law as law, and he had come to the conclusion that all the laws of God were to be approved and loved inasmuch as they would, in their observance, prevent the wrong's and sorrows which he saw to be consequent on their violation. ^ And I hate every false luay. Every course of life not based on truth, or on a right view of things. AU just law is based on a perception of what is true; on the reality of things; on what is required in the nature of the case; on what will tend to promote the best interests of society. Comp. Notes on ver. 104.

129. Thy testimonies are loonderful. This commences a new division of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Pe, corresponding to our^. The meaning of the expression here is, that the laws of God— the revelations of his will — are adapted to fill the mind with wonder. The mind is awed by their wisdom; their comprehensfveness; their extent; then- spirituaUty; their.benevolence: — by tlie fact that laws are framed', so perfectly adapted to the end; so well fitted to secure order, and to promote happiness. \ Therefore doth my soul keep them. Because they are so surpassingly wise and beifevolent; because they are so manifestly the work of wisdom and goodness.

130 The entrance of tny words giveth liglit; v it '' giveth understanding unto tlie simple.

131 I opened my moutli, and panted: for I longed for tliy commandments.

132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, ^ as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. _

133 Order " my steps in thy word: and * let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

lates this, "the manifestation (or dedaration)-., in^^^CLQ-oi thj words en ightens.'' So the Vulgate. Luther rendei;s it " When thy wor is revealed, so it delivers us, and makes the simple wise.' De Wette^T\e^pe;ling [revelation] of thy word," etc. The H^^^^^^^^^ the word "oFGod I apenei to us, so that «o mny.s it were, enter in me worn 01 Y r,^„„,„™ does uot, therefore, denote the open the mouth wide, and pant, as the ord nary P-;^)?.^^;^,^^^^^^;^ throu-h the uostrUs is not sufficient to meet the wants ot the lungs m theh- Increased action. The idea is, that his heart was.^1, that he had such an intense desire as to produce deep and ^apid hreathing that he was like one who was exhausted, and wlio " panted" for breath Comp Notes on Ps. xlii. 1. H For I Ion, ed for % oo^nandm^^. The word here rendered longed occurs nowhere else. It means to desire

Sr Th Hebrew " is.W^^.^^.-".-recording to the J^dgme,^^ the lovers of thy name." The word seems here to be nsed m the sense of rS of\vlfat is due; or, of what is usually detervnned: t\r.i i.. as Godt^^Uv determines, judges, acts towards those ^1- lo^f^^^;, J^^^«^ \4n„;c T.-^nt 111P accordino- to the rules which regulate tlie treatmem. ottV; pe p?e. "LTme^te regarded as one of them, ai.d be d It w.th accordingly. On the sentiment in this passage, see ^otes on Pf- cvi- *• ^'l^tSrder.ny steps in thy.ord. My goings or, my conduct and life _hy thy word; according to thy requirements. Let me be wnoiiy

134 Deliver me from the oppression of man; so will I keep thy precepts.

upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.

136 Rivers "^ of waters iim down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

obedient to thy will. ^ And let not any itiiqidty have dominion over me. See Notes on Ps. xix. 13. The prayer is, that no form of sin, that nc wicked passion or propensity, might be allowed to rule over him. He who is willing that any one sin should rule in his heart, though he should be free from all other forms of sin, cannot be a pious man. See Notes on James ii. 10.

134. Deliver me from the oppression of man. From constraint on the part of man, so that I may be free to act as I please. Give me true religious liberty, and let me not be under any compulsion or constraint. The word rendered "deliver" is that which is usually rendered redeem. It is used here in the large sense of deliverance; and the prayer is an expression of what the true friends of religion have always sought, desired, and demanded—;/Vee<^o)n of opinion — the richest blessing which man can enjoy. ^ So zvill I keep thy precepts. My heart inclines to that; I desire it; and, if suffered to act without constraint, I will do it. As it is the purpose and the wish of my soul, I pray that all hindrances to the free exercise of my religion may be removed. How often has this prayer been offered in times of persecution! By how many millions of the dwellers on the earth might it even now be offered! What a blessing it is to those who are free from oppressive laws, that they are permitted to carry out the wishes of their hearts, and to worship God according to the dictates of their conscience, with none to molest them or make them afraid.

135. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant. Heb., "Let thy face give light to thy servant." See Notes on Ps. iv. 6. ^ And teach me thy statutes. See Notes on ver. 12.

136. Rivers of tuaters run doion mine eyes. My heart is sad, and uiy eyes pour forth floods of tears. It is not a gentle weeping, but my eyes are like a fountain which pours out full-flowing streams. See Jer. ix. 1. " Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears," etc. Comp. Jer. xiv. 17; Lam. i. 16; ii. 18. ^ JBecause they keep not thy law. On account of the sins, the follies, the stupidity, and the transgressions of men. So the Saviour wept over Jerusalem (Luke xix. 41) J and so the apostle said that he had "great heaviness and continual sorrow" in his heart, on account of his "brethren," his "kinsmen according to the flesh." Rom. ix. 2, 3. Such a feeling is right. There is nothing for which we should be excited to deeper emotion in respect to our fellow-men than for the fact that they are violators of the law of God, and exposed to its fearful penalty. There is nothing which more certainly indicates true piety in the soul than such deep compassion for men as sinners, or because they are sinners. There is nothing which, is more certainly connected with a work of grace in a community, or revival of true religion, than when such a feeling pervades a church. Then Christians will pray; then they will labour to save sinners; then they will feel their dependence on God; aud then the Spirit of God will descend and bless the efforts put foith

138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are

139 My zeal / hath » consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.

140 Thy word is very 4 pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.

for the salvation of men. It may be added, nothing is more remarkable than tbat pious men ordinarily feel so little on account of the danger of their friends and fellow-sinners,— that the occasions are so rare on which they imitate the example of the psalmist and of the Saviour m weeping over the condition of a perishing world!

137. Righteous art thou, 0 Loed, etc. This commences a new division of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Tzaddi—coTvespending with tz. The thought in this verse is, that God is right, or righteous, in his judgments, that is, inhis law; or, in other words, that his law is founded on principles of equity.., j

138 Thytestimordes that thouhast commanded. Tliy law, considered as a testimony as to what is right and best. IT Are righteous and very faithful. Marg., as in Heb., righteousness and faithfulness. Ihey arc so righteous, and so deserving of confidence,— so certain to be accomplished, and so worthy to be trusted in,— that they may be spoken ot as righteousness and fidelity of the most perfect kind; the very essence of that which is right., ^ m i

139. My zeal hath consumed me. Marg., cut me off. i he word which is here translated consumed is rendered cut off in Lam. iii. 53; Job xxiii. 17; Ps. liv. 5; Ixxxviii. 16; xciv. 23; ci. 5; cxliu. 12; vanish, Job vi. 17; destroyed, Ps. Ixxiii. 27; 2 Sam. xxii. 41; Ps. xvm. 40; ci 8; Ixix. 4. It means here, that he pined away; that his strength was exhausted; that he was sinking under the efforts which he had put forth as expressive of his deep interest in the cause of God and of truth. On the sentiment here expressed, see Notes on Ps. Ixix. 9. 1" Because mine enemies have forgotten thy toords. Thy law; thy commands. _ It was not because they were his foes,— not because he was endeavouring to destroy them, or to take vengeance on them,— but because they were unmindful of God, and of the claims of his law. It is a great triumph which religion gains over a man's soul, when, in looking on the conduct of persecutors, calumniators, and slanderers— of those who are constantly doing us wrong,— we are more grieved because they violate the law of God than because they injure us; when our solicitude is tm-ned from ourselves, and terminates on our regard for the honour of God and his law. Yet that is the nature of true religion; and that we should be able to find in ourselves in such circumstances. A man should doubt the evidence of his personal religion, if all his feelings terminate on the wrong done to himself by the wicked conduct of others; if he has no feeling of solicitude because the law of God has been violated, and God has been dishonoured. Comp. Notes on ver. 136. 140. Thy word is very pure. Marg., tried or refined. See the word explained in the Notes on Ps. xviii. 30. % Therefore thy servant loveth it. Therefore J love it. I love it because it is pure, holy, true;

141 I am email and despised; yet do not I forget thy precepts.

142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and

143 Trouble and anguish have 1 taken hold on me; yd thy commandments are my delights.

not merely because it will save me. Apart from ail reference to myself. I love tby truth as truth; I love purity as purity j I love law as law; I love holiuess as holiness. This is true religion.

141. I am small and despised. The word here rendered small may mean "small" in respect to number, — that is, feio, Micah v. 2; Isa. Ix. 22; or in respect to age, — young, Gen. xix. 31; or in respect to dignity,— low; least in rank or esteem. The language here may be applied to the church as comparatively few; to one who is young; or to one in humble life. Either of these may be a reason why one is regarded as of little consequence, or may be subject to reproach and ridicule. It is not possible to determine in which of these senses the word is used here, or in which sense it was applicable to the psalmist. The word despised means treated as unworthy of notice; passed by; looked upon with contempt. This might be on account of age, or poverty, or ignorance, or humble rank: — or it might be simply on account of his religion, for the friends of God have been, and often are, despised simply because they are religious. The Saviour was despised by men; the apostles were; the most excellent of the earth in all ages have been. Comp. Heb. xi. 36-38; 1 Cor. iv. 13. ^ Yet do not I forget thy precepts. I am not ashamed of them. I am not deterred from keeping them, and from avowing my purpose to obey them, because I am despised for it. This is often one of the severest tests of religion, and to be faithful in such circumstances is one of the clearest proofs of true attachment to God. There are few things which we are less able to bear than contempt, and one of the best evidences of attachment to principle is when we adhere to what we regard as right and true, though we are despised for it by the gay, the worldly, the rich — by those who claim to be " wise," He who can bear contempt on account of his opinions, can usually bear anything.

142. Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness. It never changes. The principles of thy law, of thy government, and of thy method of saving men, are the same under all dispensations, in every land, in all worlds; and they will remain the same for ever. Human governments change. Old dynasties pass away. New laws are enacted under new administrations. Customs change. Opinions change. Men change. The world changes. But as God himself never changes, so it is with his law. That law is founded on eternal truth, and can never change. ^ And thy law is the truth. It is founded on " truth;" on the reality of things. It is so essentially founded on truth, it springs so certainly out of truth, or out of the reality of things, that it may be said to 6ethe truth itself. He who understands the law of God understands what truth is, for it is the expression and the exponent of that which is true.

143 Trouble and anguish. The word rendered trouhle means affliction of any kind; the word rendered anguish would probably express that which results from being pressed, compressed, straitened. It pro-

144 The idgliteoiisiiess of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall '' live.

145 I cried vdth my whole

146 I cried unto thee; save me, ^ and I shall keep thy testimonies.

perly refers to a situation where there is no room to move, and where we are pent up in a narrow place. Tlie two words denote deep affliction. % Save taken hold on me. Marg., as in Heh., found me. That is, they were in pursuit of me, and have at last apprehended me. Trouble, anguish, death, are in pursuit of us all our lives, and are never very far in the rear of us. Often, when we least expect them, they come suddenlv up to us, and make us their victims. 1" Yet thy commandments are "my delights. Notwithstanding this trouble, and in this trouble— no matter what comes— I have the same unfailing source of comfort, the truth of God; and notwithstanding what may occur, I still make God and his law the source of my happiness. See Notes

144. The righteousness of thy testimonies. The prmciples of righteousness on which they are founded. Those testimonies — those lawsare not arbitrary, or the mere expressions of ivill. They are founded on right and justice as seen by God, and his laws are his testimony as to what truth and justice are. 1 Is everlasting. See Notes on ver. 142. T[ Give me understanding, and I shall live. Give me a right view of thy law, and thy truth, and I shall have real life. See Notes

145. I cried with my whole heart, etc. This commences a new division of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Koph, answering to our letter k. The expression "I cried with my whole heart " means that he did it earnestly, fervently. He had no divided wishes when he prayed. Not always is this so, even with good people. They sometimes offer a form of prayer, that they may be spiritually-minded, when their hearts are intensely worldly, and they would be unwilling to be otherwise; or that religion may be revived, when their hearts have no lively interest in it, and no wish for it; or that they may live wholly to God, when they are making all their arrangements to live for the world, and when they would be greatly disappointed if God shovdd take means to make them live entirely to him; or that they may be humble, childlike, sincere, when they have no wish to be any otherwise than they are now, and when they would regard it as an affront if it should be assumed by any that they are not so now, and if they were exhorted to change their course of life. Often it would be a great surprise — perhaps grief even to professedly reUgious persons, if God should answer their prayers, and should make them what they professedly desire to be, and tvhat they pray that they may be. See Notes on Ps. ix. 1; comp. Ps. Cxi. 1; cxxxviii. 1; cxix. 2, 10, 34, 58, 69; Jer. xxiv. 7. IF I loill keep thy statutes. It is my purpose and desire to keep thy law perfectly.

146. I cried unto thee. I called upon thee in trouble. ^ Save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies. Marg., That I may keep. The correct rendering is, " I will keep." The idea is, that if God would interpose and save him, he wottld henceforward faithfully keep the law of God. It is one of the designs of affliction to lead men to make such

147 I i prevented the dawning of the morning, and ciied; I hoped in thy word.

night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.

149 Hear my voice, according unto thy loving-kindness: O Lord, quicken me according to thy judgment.

vows as this. They are commonly made on beds of sickness, alike by the religious and the irreligious; the saint and the sinner. How often, alas, are they forgotten even by the friends of God! How seldom are they remembered at all by the sinner when he is raised up from the verge of the grave, and restored again to health!

147. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried. I anticipated it J I rose up to pray before the morning dawned. On the word prevent, see Notes on 1 Thess. iv. 15 j Ts. xxi. 3; lix. 10; Ixxix. 8. The meaning here is, that he rose up before the dawn, to pray. Thus the Saviour did, Mark i. 35. (a) It is proper thus to pray; for our earliest thoughts should be those of devotion; our earliest acts should be in acknowledgment of God. (6) Such a time is eminently favourable to devotion. Calm, still, quiet;— before the thoughts are engaged in the ■ world, and before the cares of life press upon us,— when the thoughts are clear, and the mind tranquil,— the soul is in the best state for devotion, (e) All men, if they will, can secure this time, before the " dawning of the morning," to pray. Comp. Notes on Ps. v. 3; Ixxxviil. 13; see also Ps. cxxx. 6. The word rendered " dawning of the morning," is from a verb which means to blow; to blow gently; and is usually applied to the evening, when the breezes blow gently. It may be applied, however, as it clearly is here, also to the morning. •[[ I hoped in thy word. I prayed because I had hope in thy word; I exercised hope in thy word then. Alone with tliee in the morning, I found consolation by trusting in thy gracious promises.

148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches. Luther renders this, " I wake up early." The Hebrew word means a watcli — a part of the night, so called from military watches, or a dividing of the night to "keep guard." See Notes on Ps. xc. 4. The idea of the psalmist here is, that he anticipated these regular divisions of the night in order that he might engage in devotion. Instead of waiting for their return, he arose for prayer before they recurred— so much did his heart delight in the service of God. The language would seem to be that of one who was accustomed to pray in these successive " watches " of the night— the early, the middle, and the dawn. This may illustrate what occurs in the life of aU who love God. They will have regular seasons of devotion, but they will often anticipate those seasons. They will be in a state of mind which prompts them to pray; when nothing will meet their state of mind but prayer; and when they cannot wait for the regular and ordinary season of devotion,— like a hungry man who cannot wait for the usual and regular hour of his meals. The meaning of the phrase, " mine eyes prevent," is that he awoke before the usual time for devotion. 1[ That I might meditate in thy word. See Notes

149 Sear my voice, according unto thy loving -kindness. According to thy mercy; thy goodness. Let that be the rule in answering me;

150 TTiey draw nigli that follow after miscliief: they are far from thy law.

151 Thou * aH neat-, O LoED; and all thy commandments are tmth.

nies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ' ever.

153 Consider '" mine affliction and deliver me; for I do not forget thy law.

not my deserts, or even the fervour of my prayers. We can desire no better rule in answer to our prayers. ^ O LoED, q-uicken me. Give me life; cause me truly to live. See Notes on ver. 40. ^ According to thy judgment. Thy law as a rule of judgment; thy revealed truth, with all its gracious promises.

150. They draw nigh. They follow me; they press hard upon me. % That folloio after mischief. That seek to do me wrong. ^ They are far from thy laio. They yield no obedieuce to it; they are not influenced by it in their conduct towards me.

151. Thou art near, O Loed. God was present with him; he was ready to hear his cry; he was at hand to save him. Comp. Ps. cxlv. 18. The psalmist had the assurance, springing from deep feeling, and the conscious presence of God, which the people of God often have, that God is very near to them; that he is ready to hear them; that their prayers are answered; that they are in the presence of a Heavenly Friend. Such are among the precious experiences of the life of a religious man. ^ And all thy commandments are truth. All that thou hast ordained; all that thou hast promised. The psalmist felt this. He was experiencing the truth of what God had assured him of. Not a doubt came into his mind, — for God was near him. This conviction that God is " near " us— this manifestation of God to the soul as a present God, — is one of the most certain assurances to our own minds of the truth of religion, and of our acceptance with him.

152. Concerning thy testimonies. In regard to all that thou hast testified to as true and best. Every command of God is in fact a testimony of his as to what is right; every promise is a testimony of his own purpose in regard to mankind. 1[ I have hnoicn of old. The word here used is a noun, and means properly, the front, what is before; then, the East; then, what pertains to olden time or ancient days— Sefoz-e the present. The meaning here is, that he had known this before what had now occurred; it was not a new thing — a new experience. It was deeply impressed on his mind as the result of all his reflection and observation. ^ That thou hast founded them for ever. From eternity, and for eternity. They were laid in the eternity past; they will continue in the eternity to come. They are based on eternal principles of right; thej' will never be changed. Such a conviction will do much to keep the soul steady and firm in the trials and tincertainties of life. "Whatever may change, God's law does not change; whatever is new, that is not new; whatever will vanish away, that will remain.

153. Consider mine affliction, etc. This orimmpncps a now division of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Resh, corresponding to our r. The prayer here is, that God would look upon his trial; that he would regard it as it really was; that he would not turn away from it, or pass

154 Plead » my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.

155 Salvation is far » from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.

156 1 Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord; quicken me according to thy judgments.

157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.

158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.

it by, as if it were a trifle — a thing not worthy to claim his attention. See Notes on Ps. ix. 13. % For I do not forget thy law. I endeavour to be obedient, submissive, patient. As a suffering child of thine, I come to thee, and beseech tliee to interpose and save me.

154. Plead my cause, etc. Undertake my cause, as an advocate does. See Notes on Ps. xsxv. 1. % Quicken me, etc. Give me life. See Notes on ver. 25.

155. Salvation is far from the wicked. That is, (a) in their present course: — they are very far from being safe, or from having a prospect of salvation. Q)) They are constantly going farther and farther off, — making their salvation less probable, — not going toioard heaven, but from it. (c) Destruction is very near to them, and they are constantly making it nearer and nearer, {d) In their present course it may be said that salvation is/ar — is infinitely remote — from them, so that they can never come to it. (e) If they would be saved, they must change their course altogether, and go towards salvation and wot from it. ^ For they seek not thy statutes. They do not regard thy law; they do not make it a principle to obey thy commandments.

157. Many are my persecutors and mine enemies. The thought here turns on the number of his enemies, and on the effect which numbers might have in turning one from the way of truth. We might meet one such enemy, and overcome him; we might resist the influence of one in endeavouring to turn us away from the truth, but the danger of falling is much increased when numbers are combined in persecuting us, or in seeking to turn ns away from our religion, — when it becomes unpopular to be a professed friend of God. ^ Yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. I still adhere to thee; I still maintain my integrity, notwithstanding all this. See Notes on ver. 51.

158. I beheld the transgressors. Those who wronged me; those who violated the law of God. ^ And was grieved. Or, sickened. The word here used means commonly to loathe, to nauseate, to sicken. Ezek. xvi. 47; Ps. xcv. 10. I was made sad, sorry, sick at heart. I did not look on them' with anger; I did not desire to take revenge upon them; I did not return evil for evil. My heart was sad that men would do wrong; that they would expose themselves to such danger. See Notes on ver. 136. H Because they kept not thy word. Because they violated thy law; because they were sinners.

160 ^ Thy word is tvne from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments

161 Pi-inces ^ have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

159. Consider how I love thy precepts. Search me. Behold the evidence of my attachment to thy law. This is the confident appeal of one who was conscious that he was truly attached to God; that he really loved his law. It is similar to the appeal of Peter to the Saviour (John xxi. 17), " Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee." A man who truly loves God may make this appeal without impropriety. He may be so confident — so certain — that he has true love for the character of God, that he may make a solemn appeal to him on the subject — as he might appeal to a friend, to his wife, to his son, to his daughter, with the utmost confidence that he loved them. A man ought to have such love for them, that he could affirm this without hesitation or doubt; a man ought to have such love for God, that he could affirm this with equal confidence and propriety. ^ Quicken me, etc. See Notes on ver. 25.

160. Thy word is true from the heginning. Literally, " The head of thy word is truth." Probably the meaning is, that the principles of God's word were truth, or were based on truth. The main thing — that on which all relied — was truth, absolute truth. It was not made truth by tlie mere will of God, but it w&s founded on essential truth. Comp. Notes on vers. 142, 144. Marg., Tke heginning of thy word is true. Its origin is truth; its foundation is truth; its essential nature is truth. See Ps. xix. 9. T[ And every one of thy righteous judgments endureth yor ever. Since any one of thy laws is as certainly founded in truth as any other, it must be that all alike are eternal and unchanging. It must be so with all the essential principles of morality. Mere regulations in regard to rites and ceremonies may be altered, as local and municipal laws among men may be; but essential principles of justice cannot be. A civil corporation — the government of a city or borough — may change its regulations about streets, and culverts, and taxes; but they can never enact laws authorizing murder or theft; nor can they alter the essential nature of honesty and dishonesty; of truth and falsehood.

161. Princes have persecuted me tuiihout a cause. This commences a new division of the psalm, indicated by the Hebrew letter Schin — corresponding to our s, or sh. On the meaning of the expression here, see Notes on vers. 23, 78. % But my heart standeth in awe of thy word. I still reverence thy word. I am not deterred from keeping thy law by any threats or intimidations. This is in accordance with the uniform statements in the psalm, that nothing deterred him from manifesting his adherence to the law of God.

162. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. Plunder in a camp; prey; booty: — as the hunter or the warrior, when he lights on great and unexpected success.

163 I liate and abtor lying; hut thy law do I love.

164 Seven times a day do I praise tliee becaiise of tliy

165 Great peace •■ have they which love thy law: and ^ nothing shall offend them.

163. I hate and ahlior lying. The mention of lying here particularly seems to have iDeen suggested by the necessity, from the structure of the psalm, of fiuding some word at the beginning of the verse which commenced with the letter Schin. At the same time, it is an illustration of the nature of piety, and doubtless there had been numerous occasions in the life of the psalmist when he had seen and experienced the effects of falsehood. This sin, therefore, might occur to him as readily as any other. It is unnecessary to say that religion forbids this sin in all' its forms. IT But thy law do I love. Particularly here the law which forbids lying. The psalmist was conscious, as every good man must be, that he truly loved that pure law which forbids falsehood in all its forms.

164. Seven times a day. The word seven may be used here, as it is often in the Scriptures, indefinitely to denote many, or often. There is, however, nothing which makes it necessary to understand it in this sense. The number of times in which it is proper and profitable to engage in secret or public devotion is nowhere specified in the Scriptures, but it is left, under a general direction, to be determined by each one as he shall find it desirable and convenient; as his feelings or his circumstances shall suggest. On another occasion (Ps. Iv. 17) David mentions that he pi-ayed " evening, and morning, and at noon;" at other times, perhaps, he might have found it in accordance with his feelings, or with his circumstances, to engage in devotion seven times in a day. There are circumstances in the lives of all good men when they are prompted to do this: — times of trouble, of sickness, of bereavement, of danger, or of religious interest. There are states of mind which prompt to this, and when secret devotion becomes frequent, and almost constant; — when nothing will satisfy the mind hut prayer. No one would be injured by making it a rule, unless unavoidably prevented, to engage seven times each day in secret prayer, though, at the same time, no one could maintain that this is required as a rule by the Scriptures. The times, the circumstances, the manner, the place of secret devotion are wisely and properly left to each individual to be determined by himself. Religion is essentially voluntary, and the times of secret devotion must be voluntary, and therefore a man can easily determine, by his own secret devotions, whether he has any peculiar interest at any particular time in religion, or whether he has any religion at all. \ Bo I praise thee. Do I engage in devotion. 1[ Because of thy righteous judgments. Thy law, considered as righteous. I love that law, as such, and I praise thee for it.

165. Oreat peace htive they. See Notes on Isa. xxvi. 3; comp. Notes on Pliil. iv. 6, 7. They have great calmness of mind. They are not troubled and anxious. They believe and feel that all things arc well-ordered by thee, and will be conducted to the best result. They, therefore, calmly leave all with thee. As a matter of fact, the

166 Lord, I liave hoped for tuy salvation, and done tliy commandments.

167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.

168 I have kept thy precepts

169 Let my cry come near before thee, O Loud: give ^me understanding according to thy word.

friends of God have peace aud calmness in their minds, even amidst the troubles, the disappointments, and the reverses of life. The love of God is the best— the only— way to secure permanent peace m the soul. M Which love thy law. It is the love of law, and the beliet that the law of God is in accordance with justice, that gives peace to their minds. God's government is a government of law, and therefore it is loved. IF ^nd nothing shall offend them. Marg., They shall have no stumhUng-hloclc. Heb., "And to them no stumbhng," or stumbling-block. See Notes on Matt. v. 29, 30; xvm. 6; xvi 23; 1 Pet. ii. 8; James ii. 10. The meaning here is, that they would not fall into sin; they would be kept safe; they would be preserved from the power of temptation. The meaning is not, as it would seem to be in our version, that nothing would pain, grieve, or irritate them; but, as above, that as long as they were obedient to the law, and disposed to obev it, they would be safe from the power of temptation.

166. LOED, J have hoped for thy salvation. As a prevailing habit or principle in my life. I have looked to thee for deliverance in tne time of danger; I have looked to thee for salvation in the world to come. % And done thy commandments. That is, habitually. This is not, necessarily, a claim to absolute perfection.

167. My soul hath kept thy testitnonies, and I love them exceedingly. I am conscious of loving them; I feel an inward assurance that 1 do

168. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies, ihis is an appeal which is several times made in the psalm; not with boasting, but as indicatino- the tenor and purpose of his life. Every man ought to be able to m'like such an appeal. ^ For all my ways are before thee. Thou hast seen my manner of life, and I may appeal to thee in proof that J have thus kept thy law. No one can lay claim to entire perfection, but there is many a man who, while conscious of much imperfection, ana many shortcomings, can appeal to God for the truth of the statement that his great aim of life has been to keep his commandments.

169. Let my cry come near before thee, O Loed. This commences a new division of the psalm, indicated by the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter Tau, corresponding to our t, or th. The petition here is. that his praver might be heard; that it might come into the very presence of God; that there might be no obstructions to its reaching'where God was. Let nothing from my uuworthiness, from my pnst sins, from my ignorance, prevent its coming before thee. Something often apparently hinders our prayers so that they do not reach the ear of God. The psalmist prays here that there may be no such hindrance in the prayer which he now otfers. % Give me understanding according to thy word. According to the promises of thy word; or, give me the

170 Let my supplication come before tbee: delivei* me according to tliy word.

171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou liast taught me thy statutes.

172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.

173 Let thine hand help me: for I " have chosen thy precepts.

174 I have longed for thy salvation, O Loed; and tby law is my " delight.

175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.

same views of truth which are set forth in thy word. This prayer had been several times offered before, and it shows how earnest was his desire to know the truth. See vers. 34, 73, 144.

170. Let my supplication come before thee. The word here rendered supplication properly means favour, mercy, pity. Josh. xi. 20; Ezra ix. 8; then, that by which favour or mercy is sought, — prayer or petition, Ps. vi. 9; Iv. 1. ^ Deliver me according to thy zvord. From my enemies, my sins, my dangers. According to thy promises; according to the arrangements in thy word.

171. My lips shall utter piraise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. The sentiment here is the same as in ver. 7. The language is varied, but the meaning here, as in that verse, is, I will praise thee in proportion as I learn thy precepts or thy law. The more I learn of thy will, the more I will praise thee. I shall see more for which to offer praise and adoration, and I shall be more and more inclined to praise and adore thee. Each new degree of knowledge will excite a corresponding desire to praise thee. This ^vill be true of all who love God, while this life lasts, and for ever. The ever-increasing knowledge of God will excite ever-increasing praise; and as God is infinite and eternal, it follows that the increase of knowledge and of happiness, in those who are saved, will be eternal. These things will go hand in hand for ever and ever.

172. My tongue shall speak of thy ivord. It shall speak of it in the language of praise; it shall speak of it in making it known to others, T[ For all thy commandments are righteousness. I see this; I feel it; and, therefore, I will speak of it. My impression that thy commandments are all righteous is so deep, that I cannot but speak of them. I must vindicate them; I must praise thee for them.

173. Let thine hand help me. Do thou help me, — the hand being that by which we accomplish anything. ^ For L have chosen thy precepts. I have chosen them as my comforters and my guide. I have resolved to obey them, and I pray that thou wilt help me to accomplish the purpose of my heart.

174. J have longed for thy salvation, 0 Lord. See Notes on ver. 166. The word rendered I have longed denotes an earnest desire or wish. Comp. Notes on Ps. xlii. 1, and on ver. 20" of this psalm. % And thy laio is my delight, i It is so much the object of my delight that I earnestly long or desire to see more and more of its richness and fulness.

175. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee. I desire life that I may praise thee; if I do live, I tvill praise thee. My life is consecrated to thy service; if lengthened out, and as far as it shall be

176 I " liave gone astray

like a lost sheep: seek thy servant; for I do not forget tliy commandments.

lengthened out, it shaU be devoted to thee. 1" And let thy judgments help me. The deaUngs of thy hand; the interpositions of thy providence. Let them all be such as will be favourable to the great purpose of my soul — the service of my God.

176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep. A sheep that has wandered away from its fold, and is without a protector. Comp. Isa. hn. 6; Matt. X. 6i XV. 24; xviii. 12; Luke xv.6; 1 Pet. ii. 25. I am a wanderer. I have lost the path to true happiness. I have strayed away from my God. I see this; I confess it; I desire to return. It is remarkable that this is almost the only confession of sin in the psalm. This psalm, more than any other, abounds in confident statements respecting the life of the author, his attachment to the law of God, the obedience which he rendered to that law, and his love for it,— as well as with appeals to God, founded on the fact that he did love that law, and that his life was one of obedience. This is not, indeed, spoken in a spirit of self-righteousness, or as constituting a claim on the ground of merit; but it is remarkable that there is so frequent reference to it, and so little intermingling of a confession of sin, of error, of imperfection. The psalm would not have been complete as a record of religious experience, or as illustrating the real state of the human heart, without a distinct acknowledgment of sin, and hence, in its close, and m view of his whole life, upright as in the main it had been, the psalmist confesses that he had wandered; that he was a sinner; that his hfe had been far from perfection, and that he needed the gracious interposition of God to seek him out, and to bring him back. 1" Seek thy servant. As the shepherd does the sheep that is lost, Luke xv. 4-6. So the Saviour came to seek and to save that which was lost, Luke xix. 10. So God seeks the wanderer by his word, by his providence, by his Spirit, to induce him to return and be saved. IF For I do not forget thy commandments. In all my wandering; with my consciousness of error; with my sense of guilt, I still do feel that I love thy law— thy service— thy commandments. They are the joy of my heart, and I desire to be recal'ed from all my wanderings, that I may find pertect happiness in thee and in thy service evermore. Such is the earnest wish of every regenerated heart. Far as such an one may have wandered from God, yet he is conscious of true attachment to him and his service; he desires and earnestly prays that he may be "sought out," brought back, and kept from wandering any more.

This is the first of fifteen psahns (cxx.-cxxxiv.) to each of which is prefixed the title "A Song of Degrees." Four of these psalms are ascribed to David, one of them to Solomon, and the rest are by unknown authors.

There has been a great diversity of opinion as to the meamng ot the titie, and the reason why it was prefixed to these psalms. Some have supposed that the title, "Song of Degrees," or ''Ascents," was apphed to them as being psahns which were sung during the periodical journeys or pilgrimages to Jerusalem at the times of the great yeariy festivals— the goma up to Jei-usalem, Others have supposed that they were psahns which were composed or sung during the return from the exile — the going up again to Jerusalem after their long captiYity in Babylon. Some of the Jewish rabbins supposed that they were psalms "which were sung as the people ascended the fifteen steps— going up to the temple represented by Ezekiel, seven on one side and eight on the other, Ezek. xl. 22, 37. Others have supposed that the title refers to some peculiarity of structure in the psalms — a gradation or elevation of thought— approaching to a cUmax. Michaelis (Notes on Lowth's Lectures on Hebrew Poetiy, xxv., p. 512) supposes that the title is a musical tenn, and that the reference is to something peculiar in the rhythm, or what is called by us, " feet" of the psalm, but which in the East would be called sieps or ascents. See De "'i^ette, Einleitung, p. 35.

In this variety of conjectiu-e- for it can be regai'ded as little more than conjectiu-e— it is impossible now to determine %vith any degree of certainty what is the true meaning of the title, or why it was given to these psalms. It is evident that, from some cause, there was such a unity in them, either from the nature of the composition, or from the occasion on which they were used, that they could properly have a general title given to them, as indicating what would be well understood among the Hebrews in regard to their design. But I apprehend that the reason for that title cannot now be positively ascertained. Something negative, however, may be detennined in regard to this. (1) It is quite clear that the opinion of tiie rabbins that they were fifteen in number, and named Songs of Degrees, because they were sung on ascending the steps to the temple, is pui-ely fanciful. In the real temple there was no such ascent; and it is only in the visions of Ezekiel that there is any such allusion. (2) It seems equally clear- that they were not so called because they were composed and used for the going up from the captivity in Babylon, or to be sung duiing the march thi-ough the desert. Several of them— those of David and Solomon — were composed long before that event, and could have had no allusion to it. Besides, there are but two of them (cxsii., cxxvi.) that have any reference to the return fi-om Babvlon, or that would have any applicability to that journey. Moreover, it is extremely improbable that any such selection of psalms should have been used on such a journey, or that any an-angement should have been made for such a purpose. (3) It seems to me equally improbable that they were called " Songs of Degrees or Ascents," because they were used by the people when going up to Jerusalem to attend on the gi-eat festivals. As in the previous specification, it may be remarked that the psalms here referred to had no special applicability to such a use; that there is no evidence that any such practice prevailed; that it is wholly improbable that there would be any such set and fixed arrangement, or 'that the people in going up to Jerusalem on those occasions would move along to measured music.

The word rendered degrees in the title,— rr^^p, maalah, in the singular, — and r\r:>)^'0, maaloth, in the plural, the form' used here — means properly an ascent, a going up, as from a lower to a higher region, Ezra vii. 9 (marg.); or of the thoughts that ascend in the mind, Ezek.xi. 5. Then it means a step, by which one ascends, 1 Kings x. 19; Ezek. xl. 26, 31, 34. Then it means a degree of a dial, or a dial as divided into degrees, where there is an ascent on the dial, 2 Kings xx. 9-11. See Notes on Isa. xxxviii. 8. _ After what has been said above, there seem to be but two suppositions which have probabUity in regard to its meaning here:— («) The one is the opinion of Gesenius, that these psalms are called Songs of Degrees, or Ascents, because of a certain' ascent in the mode of composition, as when the fii-st or last words of a preceding line ai-e repeated at the beginning of a succeeding line, and then some new increase in the sense or idea, — or some ascent in the meaning,— follows by sudh an addition. The following instances may be referred to as illustrating this view. Ps. cxxi. 1, 2: "I wiU lift up mine eyes unto the hUls, from whence cometh my help:—My help cometh from the Lord," etc. Vers. 3, 4: "He that keepeth thee will not slumber:- Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." Vers. 7,

8 • « The Lord shaU preserve thee from aU evil; he shall preserveihj soul:— The Lord shaU preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, etc. So also Ps cxxiv 1 2 • " If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now mav Israel say: If it had not been the Lord who was on our side; when Sen rose up Against u,,-then (ver. 3) they had swaUowed us up quick; ilim (ver. 4) the watek had overwhehned us; thenjje^- 5) the proud waters had gone over our soul." See also Ps cxxu. 2, 3, 4; exxm. 3. 4; cxxvi. 2, 3; and exxix. 1, 2. There is doubtless some foundation for this supposition but, after aU, it seems far-fetched, and though the remark may be true of some of these fifteen psahns, yet it can by no means be made appUcable to aU of them, nor could it be shown to be &o peculiar to them that no others could have been for the same reason included m the nuinber. (b) The remaining supposition seems to have much more plausibility than any one here suggested. It is that the tenn is ^musical expression; that there was someth&ig pecuUar in the -scale" of the_ music to which these psahns were sung, though that is now lost to us. This is akm to the opinion of J. D. IMichaeUs, as aUuded to above. This is, also, referred to by Asseman (Biblioth. Orient., t. i., p. 62), and by Cast^U (Lex Sp-. It is impossible however, now to ascertain what thieve is that would make this appeUation peculiarly appropriate to these psahns. AH that can be known is, that there was some reason why these psahns were, so to speak, bound up together and desio-nated by a common title. This does not prevent a special title being prefixed to some of them in regard to their author and design.

The psahn now before us has no other title, and nothing to desi^ate its author. It pertains to a sufferer who calls earnestly upon the Lord for dehverance. The particular form of trial is that caused by the tongue,— &\a.n^ei: The author was suffeiing from some unjust aspersions cast upon him; trom some effort to destroy his reputation; from some charge m regard to hi5 character, which made hun miserable, as if he sojourned m Mesech, and dwelt in the tents of Kedar, ver. 5. He says that it was m vain for him to attempt to live in peace -nith the men who calumniated him. He was himself disposed to peace. He earnestly desired it. But they were for war, and they kept up the war, vers. 6, 7. Among the forms of suffering to which the people of God are exposed, this is not uncommon; and it was proper that It should be referred to in a book designed, as the Book of Psahns was, to be useful in all agos, and in aU lands, as a record of rehgious experience.

1. In my distress. In my suffering, as arising from slander, vers. 2, 3, There are few forms of suffering more -keen than those caused by

" Whose edge is sharper than the sword; whose tongue Outvenoms all the worms of NUe; whose breath Rides on the posting winds, and doth belie All corners of tlie world: kings, queens, and states, Maids, matrons, nay, the secrets of the grave This viperous slander enters." Cymheline, m. 4.

It is one of those things which a man cannot guard against; which he cannot repel by force; whose origin he cannot always trace; which will go where a vindication will not follow; whose effects will live long after the slander is refuted; which will adhere to a man, or leave a trait of suspicion, even after the most successful vindication, for the effect will be to make a second slander more easily credited than the first was. T I cried unto the Lobd, and he heard me. I had no other

2 Delivei my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.

1 Or, JFIiat shall the deceitful tonjjue give unto thee? or, what shall it profit thee?

4 ^ Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

resource. I could not meet the slander. I could not refute it. I could not prevent its effects on my reputation, and all that I could do was to.commit the case to the Lord. See Notes on Ps. xxxvii. 5, 6.

2. Deliver my soxil, O Loed. My soul is harassed and distressed. Perhaps the meaning also may be. My life is in danger. Or, if it refers to the soul as such, then it means that everything pertaining to his soul was deeply affected by the course which was pursued. He was maligned, slandered, misrepresented, deceived, and he had no comfort or peace. ^ From lying lips. False, deceitful, slanderous. Comp. Notes on Ps. xxxi. 18. ^ And from a deceitful tongue. From a tongue whose statements cannot be relied on; whose words are deceptive; whose promises are false. David was often called to experience troubles of this sort; and this is a kind of trial which may come upon any one in a form which he can no more anticipate or prevent than he can the coming of a " mist from the ocean." No man can certainly guard against the influence of falsehood; no man can be sure that all that will be said to him is true; no man can be certain that all the promises made to him — save those made to him by God — will be performed.

3. What shall he given unto thee? Marg., Wliat shftll the deceitful tongue give unto thee; or, what shall it profit thee? Luther, " What can the false tongue do?" Others render this, " How will God punish thee?" Others, "What will he [God] give to thee?" That is. What recompence can you expect from God for these malignant calumnies? A literal translation of this verse would be, " "\^Tiat shall the tongue of deceit give to thee, and what shall it add to thee?" — referring to the offender himself. The essential idea is. What will be the result of such conduct? What must be expected to follow from it? That is, either {a) from the unprofitableness of such a course; or (6) from the natural consequences to one's reputation and happiness; or (c) from the judgment of God. The answer to these questions is found in ver. 4. 1" Or what shall he done unto thee? Marg., as in Heb., added. What must be the consequence of this? what will follow? ^ Thou false tongue. This may be either an address to the tongue itself, or, as above, the word "tongue" maybe used as the nominative to the verbs in the sentence. The sense is not materially afiected either way.

4. Sharp arroivs of the mighty. This is an answer to the question in ver. 3. The consequence — the effect — of such a use of the tongue must be like sharp and piercing arrows, or like intensely burning coals. The " sharp arrows of the mighty " are the arrows of the warrior — as war was conducted mainly by bows and arrows. Those arrows were, of course, sharpened to make them piercing, penetrating, more deadly. ^ With coals of juniper. On the word here veniXered. juniper, see Notes on Job xxx. 4. The idea here is, that coals made from that would be intensely hot, and would cause severer pain than if made from other wood. The word refers to a species of broom or shrub growing

5 Woe is me that I sojourn

in the deserts of Arabia, with yellowish flowers and a bitter root. See " Robinson's Biblical Researches," vol. i., p. 299. Burchardt says that he found the Bedawin of Sinai burning the roots into coal, and says that they make the best charcoal, and throw out the most intense heat. The shrub sometimes grows so large as to furnish a shade to those exposed to the heat of the sun in the desert, 1 Kings xix. 4; "Land and the Book " (Thomson), vol. ii., pp. 438, 439. The engraving below wiU give an idea of this plant.

5. Woe is me. My lot is a sad and pitiable one, that I aru compelled to live in this manner, and to be exposed thus to malignant reproaches. It is like living in Mesech or in Kedar. 1[ That I sojourn. The word here used does not denote a permanent abode, but it usually refers to a temporary lodging, as when one is a traveller, a pilgrim, a stranger, and is under a necessity of passing a night in a strange land on his way to the place of his destination. The trouble or discomfort here referred to is not that which would result from having his home there, or abiding there permanently, but of feeling that he was a stranger, and would be exposed to all the evils and inconveniences of a stranger among such a people. A man who resided in a place permanently might be subject to fewer inconveniences than if he were merely a

6 My soul hatli long dwelt with him that hateth peace.

7 lam^ for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.

temporary lodger among straugers. % In Mesech. The Septuagint and Vulgate render this, " that my sojourning is protracted." The Hebrew word — TJIB'T?. meshech — means, properly draxoing, as of seed " scattered regularly along the furrows " (Ps. cxxvi. 6); and then possession, Joh xxviii. 18. The people of Meshech or the Moschi, were a barbarous race inhabiting the Moschian regions between Iberia, Armenia, and Colchis. Meshech was a son of Japheth, Gen. x. 2; 1 Chron. i. 5. The name is connected commonly with Tulal, Ezek. xxvii. 13: "Tubal and Meshech they were thy merchants." Ezek. xxxix. 1: "I am against... the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal." Herodotus (iii. 94; vii. 78) connects them with the Tibarenes. The idea here is, that they were a barbarous, savage, uncivilized people. They dwelt outside of Palestine, beyond what were regarded as the borders of civilization; and the word seems to have had a signification similar to the names Goths, Vandals, Turks, Tartars, Cossacks, in later times. It is not known that they were particularly remarkable for slander or calumny; bat the meaning is that they were barbarous and savage, — and to dwell among slanderers and revilers seemed to the psalmist to be nice dwelling among a people who were strangers to all the rules and principles of civilized society. ^ That I dwell in the tents of Kedar. The word Kedar means properly darlc skin, a dark-skinned man, Kedar was a son of Ishmael (Gen. xxv. 13), and hence the name was given to an Arabian tribe descended from him, Isa. xlii. 11; Ix. 7; Jer. xlix. 28. The idea here also is, that to dwell among slanderers was like dwelling among barbarians and savages.

6. My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth 'peace. This trouble is no new thing. It has been long-continued, and has become intolerable. Who this was that thus gave him trouble is, of course, now unknown. It is only necessary to remark that there can scarcely be any source of trouble more bitter than that of sustaining such relations to others either in business, or in office, or by family ties — whether by marriage or by blood — in school, in college, or in corporate bodies — as to expose us always to a quarrel: — to be compelled to have constant intercourse with men of sour, perverse, crooked tempers, who are satisfied with nothing; who are suspicious or envious; who pervert our motives and our conduct; who misrepresent our words; who demand more than is due to them; who refuse to perform what may reasonably be expected of them; and who make use of every opportunity to involve us in difficulties with others. There are many trials in human life, but there are few which are more galling, or more hard to bear than this. The literal rendering of the passage would be, " Long for her has my soul dwelt," etc. That is, long (or too long) for her good, — for the welfare of my soul. It has been an injury to me; to my piety, to my comfort, to my salvation. It has vexed me, tried me, hindered me in my progress in the Divine' life. Nothing would have a greater tendency of this kind than to be compelled to live in the manner indicated above.

7. I am for peace. Marg., A man of peace. Literally, " I [am] peace." It is my nature. I desire to live in peace. I strive to do 80. I do nothing to provoke a auarrel. I would do anything which

I Or, S!m!l I lift iip mine eyes to the hills? whence should my help come, Jar. iii. 23.

would be right to pacify others. I would make any sacrifices, yield to any demands, consent* to any arrangements which would promise peace. T[ But when I speak. When I say anything on the subject, when I propose any new arrangements, when I suggest any changes, when I give utterance to my painful feelings, and express a desire to live difi'erently— they will listen to nothing; they will be satisfied with nothing. IF They are for war. For discord, variance, strife. All my eSbrts to live in peace are vain. They are determined to quarrel, and I cannot prevent it. {a) A man in such a case should separate from such a person, if possible, as the only way of peace, (h) If his position and relations are such that that cannot be done, then he should be careful that he does nothing himself to irritate and to keep up the strife, (c) If all that he does or can do for peace is vain, and if his relations and position are such that he cannot separate, then he should bear it patiently — as coming from God, and as the discipline of Ms life. God has many ways of testing the patience and faith of his people, and there are few things which will do so more effectually than this; few situations where piety will shine more beautifully than in such a trial. {d) He who is thus tried should look with the more earnestness of desire to another world. There is a world of peace; and the peace of heaven will be all the more grateful and blessed when we go up to it from such a scene of conflict and war.

This psalm is entitled simply, " A Song of Degrees." See Notes on the title to Psabn cxx. Nothing is known, or can be known, of the author or of the occasion on which it was composed. De "Wette and Rosenmiiller suppose that it was composed in the exile; Eosenmiiller regarding it as a psalm to be sung on the return to Palestine after the captivity,— De "Wette, as the psalm of a pensive exile looking toward the liills of Palestine, his native land, as the source from whence all his help must come, — and expressing confidence in God that he would bring him out of his exile and his trouble. There is no proof, however, that either of these suppositions is correct. The language is such, indeed, as might then be employed, but it is also such as might be used on many other occasions. It might be the language of the leader of an army, endangered, and looking to the " hills" where he expected reinforcements; it might be that of a pious man encompassed with dangers, and ustno- this expression as illustrative of his looking up to God; or it might be the language of one looking dkcctly to heaven, represented as the heights, or the exalted place where God dwells; or it might be the language of one looking to the hills of Jerusalem — the seat of the worship of God — the place of His abode — as his refuge, and as the place from whence only help could come. This last seems to me to be the most probable supposition; and thus the psalm represents the confidence and liope of a pious man (in respect to duty, danger, or trial) as derived from the God whom he worships, — and the place where God has fixed his abode, — the church where he manifests liimself to men.