Notes on the Old and New Testaments

1. I will lift up mine eyes. Marg., Shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills? Whence should my help come 1 The expression would properly denote a condition where there was danger; when no help or aid was

2 My n help cometh from the LoKD, which made heaven and earth.

3 He '' will not suffer thy foot

to be moved: he « that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

visible; and when the eyes were turned to the quarter from which help might be expected to come. What the danger was cannot now be ascertained. % Unto the hills. Heb., the mountains. To the quarter from whence I look for assistance. This (as has been shown in the Introduction) may refer (1) to the mountains whence one in danger expected help; or (2) to heaven, considered as high, and as the abode of God; or (3) to the hills on which Jerusalem was built, as the place where God dwelt, and from whence aid was expected. The third of these is the most probable. The first would be applicable to a state of war only, and the second is forced and unnatural. Adopting the third interpretation, the language is natural, and makes it proper to be used at all times, since it indicates a proper looking to God as he manifests himself to men, particularly in the church. % From whence cometh my help. A more literal rendering would be, " Whence cometh my help?" This accords best with the usage of the Hebrew word, and agrees well with the connexion. It indicates a troubled and anxious state of mind — a mind that asks. Where shall I look for help? The answer is found in the following verse.

2. My help cometh from the LoED. From Jehovah. This is the answer to the anxious inqairj' in ver. 1. It indicates {a) a consciousness that help could come only from God; (J) a belief that it would come from him; and a confident yet humble reliance on him. ^ Which made heaven and eaHh. The great Creator of the universe. He must, therefore, be able to protect me. The Creator of all can defend all.

3. He tcill not suffer thy foot to he moved. He will enable you to stand firm. You are safe in his protection. Comp. Notes on Ps. xxxviii. 16. This, with the remainder of the psalm, seems to be of the nature of an answer to the anxious question in ver. 1, — an answer which the author of the psalm, in danger and trouble, makes to his own soul, imparting confidence to himself. 1[ Re that keepeth thee will not slumber. He will be ever watchful and wakeful. Comp. Isa. xxvii. 3. All creatures, as far as we know, sleep; God never sleeps. Comp. Ps. cxxxix. 11, 12. His eyes are upon us by day, and in the darkness of the night — the night literally; and also the night of calamity, woe, and sorrow.

4. Behold, he that Jceepeth Israel. The Keeper — the Guardian — of his people. The psalmist here passes from his own particular case to a general truth — a truth to him full of consolation. It is, that the people of God must always be safe; that their great Guardian never slumbers; and that he, as one of his people, might, therefore, confidently look for his protecting care. Tf Shall neither slumber nor sleep. Never slumbers, never ceases to be ^vatchful. Man sleeps; a sentinel may slumber on his post, by inattention, by long-continued wakefulness, or by weariness; a pilot may slumber at the helm; even a mother may fall asleep by the side of the sick child; but God is never exhausted,

5 The Lord is tliy keeper; tlie LOED is thy shade "^ upon thy right hand.

6 The « sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

is never weary, is never inattentive. He never closes his eyes on the condition of his people, on the wants of the world.

5. The LoED is thi/ keeper. Thy Preserver; thy Defender. He will keep thee from danger; he will keep thee from sin; he will keep thee unto salvation. ^ The Loed is thi/ shade. The Lord is as a shadow:— as the shadow of a rock, a house, or a tree, in the intense rays of the burning sun. See Notes on Isa. xxv. 4. l" Upon thy right hand. See Ps. xvi. 8; cix. 31. Perhaps the particular allusion to the right hand here may be that that was the place of a protector. He would thus be at hand, or would be ready to interpose in defence of him whom he was to guard. It is possible, however, that the idea here may be derived from the fact that in Scripture the geographer^ is represented as looking to the east, and not towards the north, as with us. Hence the south is always spoken of as the right, or at the right hand (comp. Notes on Ps. Ixxxis. 12); and as the intense rays of the sun are from the south, the idea may be, that God would be as a shade in the direction from which those burning rays came.

6. The sicn shall not smite thee by day. The Septuagint renders this, "shall not burn thee "— (xvyKairffEi. So the Latin Vulgate. The Hebrew word means to smite, to strike, as with a rod or staff, or with the plague or pestilence; and then, to kill, to slay. The allusion here is to what is now called a " sun-stroke "—the effect of the burning sun on the brain. Such effects of the sun are often fatal now, as doubtless they were in the time of the psalmist. ^ Nor the moon by night. The psalmist here refers to some prevalent opinion about the influence of the moon, as endangering life or health. Some have supposed that he refers to the sudden cold which follows the intense heat of the day in Oriental countries, and which, because the moon rules the night, as the sun does the day, is either poetically or literally attributed tothe moon. Lackmann and Michaelis suppose that there is some allusion to the influence of the moon in producing various kinds of disease, and especially lunacy— an idea which gave origin to that name. Comp. Notes on Matt. iv. 24. See Matt. xvii. 15; Mark ix, 17; Luke ix. 39. Knapp supposes the idea is, that from the moon's not giving a clear and full light like the sun, travellers trusting to its guidance may be led mto rivers or quagmires. Macrobius refers to a custom among the Orientals of covering the faces of children when asleep, from some imagined effect of the moon on the health of the child. Andersen (Orient. Reise- Beschreib. i. 8) refers to an effect, which he says is common, and which he had oftepa seen, of sleeping in the moon-beams, of making the neck stiff, so that it could not be turned from side to side as before. See Rosenmiiller, Morgenland, in loc. Others have supposed that the allusion is to the effect of the moon, and of sleeping under the open air,^ in producing ophthalmia — a disease very common in the East, — an effect guarded against by covering the face. The influence of the moon, in producing madness or disease, — the general influence of it on health, — is often refeiTsd to. Thus Shakspeare says; —

7 Th.e / LoED shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

8 The LoKD shall presei've thy ^ going out, and thy coming in, from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Some of these things are evidently purely imaginary. The true idea seems to be that there were effects to be dreaded from the sudden changes from the heat of day to the cold of night, and that these effects were attributed to the moon. See Gen. xxxi. 40. The meaning is, that God would be a Protector alike in the dangers of the day and of the night.

7. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil. This is an advance of the thought. The psalmist had in the previous verses specified some particular evils from which he says God would keep those who put their trust in him. He now makes the remark general, and says that God would not only preserve from these particular evils, but would keep those who trusted in him from all evil: — he would be their Protector in all the perils of life. ^ He shall preserve thy soul. Thy life. See Ps. xli. 2; xcvii. 10.

8. The LoED shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in. Preserve thee in going out and coming in; in going from thy dwelling, and returning to it; in gomg from home and coming back; that is, everywhere, and at all times. Comp. Deut xxviii. 6. See Notes also on Job V. 24. ^ From this time forth, and even for evermore. Through this life and for ever. This is the gracious assurance which is made to all who put their trust in God. At home and abroad; in the house, in the field, and by the way; on the land and on the ocean; in their native country and in climes remote; on earth, in the grave, and in the eternal world, they are always safe. No evil that will endanger their salvation can befal them; nothing can happen to them here but what God shall see to be conducive to their ultimate good; and in the heavenly world they shall be safe for ever from every kind of evil, for in that world there will be no sin, and consequently no need of discipline to prepare them for the future.

A Song of degrees of David. T WAS glad when they said ■^ unto me, Let h us go into the house of the Lord.

2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.

This psalm is expressly ascribed to David, though it is not known why it should be classed among the " Songs of Degrees." On the supposition that these were used by the pilgiims in "going up" to Jerusalem to worship, and that they were sung by the way, this psalm would be particularly appropriate, and is one of the very few, in the entu-e collection of fifteen, that would be appropriate. This psalm evidently was used on some such occasion, and is beautifully suited to such a design. There is no reason to doubt that it is a composition of David, but it is not now possible to ascertain at what period of his life, or on what particular occasion, it was composed. De Wette has endeavoured to sliow that the psalm must have been composed at a later period in the Jewish history than the time of David. His arguments are— (1) That these " Psabns of Degrees" mostly pertain to a later period, and yet that they are closely connected together in sense; (2) that the language indicates a later period than the time of David; (3) that the pilgrimage to Jerusalem was not instituted until a later age than that of David; (4) that the mention of the "thrones of the house of David" (ver. 5) indicates a later age; and (5) that Jerusalem is represented (ver. 3) as a city already built,— probably, as De Wette thinks, referrhig to Jerusalem as rebuilt after the captivity. It will be found, however, in the exposition of the psalm, that there is no part of it which is not applicable to David and his times.

1. I tvas glad. It was a subject of joy to me. The return of the happy season when we were to go up to worship filled me with joy. The language is expressive of the happiness which is felt by those who love God and his sanctuary, when the stated season of worship returns. The heart is drawn to the house of prayer; the soul is filled with peace at the prospect of being again permitted to worship God. WTio the speaker here is, is not known. It mai/ have been David himself; more probably, however, it was designed by him to be used by those who should go up to worship, as expressive of their individual joy. % When they said unto me. When it was said unto me. When the time arrived. When I was invited by others to go. The announcement was joyful; the invitation was welcome. It met the desires of my heart, and I embraced the invitation cheerfully and joyfully. IT Let us go into the house of the Loed. Up to the place where God dwells; the house which he has made his abode. If the psalm was composed in the time of David, this would refer to the tabernacle as fixed by him on Mount Zion; if at a later period, to the temple. The language will admit of either interpretation. Comp. Notes on Isa. ii. 3.

2. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jemsalem. We shall enter the sacred (ity. It appears now in full view before us, — its vvalls, its palaces, its sacred places. We shall not stand and gaze upon it at a distance; we shall not" merely be charmed with its beauty as we approach it; we shall accomplish the object of our desire, and enter

4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lokd, unto the testimony of Israel, to give

6 For i there ^ are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

within its walls and gates. So the believer approaches heaven — the New Jerusalem above. He will not merely admire its exterior, and look upon it at a distance; but he will enter in. He draws nearer and nearer to it, and as he approaches it when he is dying, its beauty becomes the more charming to his view, and the joy of his heart increases as he now feels the assurance that he will " stand within its gates:" — that he will enter there, and dwell there for ever. So said Dr. Payson, when approaching the end of life: — " The celestial city is full iu my view. Its glories beam upon me, its breezes fan me, its odours are wafted to me, its sounds strike upon my ears, and its spirit is breathed into my heart. Nothing separates me from it but the river of death, which now appears but as an insignificant rill, that may be crossed at a single step, whenever God shall give permission. The Sun of Righteousness has been gradually drawing nearer and nearer, appearing larger and brighter as he approached, and now he fills the whole hemisphere, — pouring forth a flood of glory, in which I seem to float like an insect in the beams of the sun; exulting, yet almost trembling, while I gaze on this excessive brightness, and wondering with unutterable wonder why God should deign thus to shine upon a sinful worm." Works, i. 407. See also the exquisite description of the glories of heaven, familiar to all, as described by Bunyau, as the Christian pilgrims were about to cross the river of death.

3. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together. Literally, "joined to itself together;" that is, when one part is, as it were, bound closely to another part; not scattered or separate. The walls are all joined together; and the houses are all united to one another so as to make a compact place. The ground occupied by Jerusalem never could be large, as it was surrounded with valleys, except on the north, and hemmed in with hills, so that, from the necessity of the case, when it became the capital of the nation, it was densely crowded. This, moreover, was usual in ancient cities, when they were made compact for the sake of defence and protection.

4. Whither the tribes. The twelve tribes of the children of Israel. T[ Go up. To the great feasts and festivals of the nation. See Ex. xxiii. 17. This language of going tip is such as would be used anywhere respecting the capital of a nation, — as it is now of London; but it was literally true of Jerusalem, since it was elevated far above most parts of the land. If The tribes of the LoED, unto the testimony of Israel. The " ark of testimony;" the ark within which were the tables of stone, containing the law considered as God's testimony or witnessing as to justice, right, equity, duty, truth. See Ex. xvi. 34; XXV. 16, 21; xl. 3, 20; ' XXX. 6, 36; xxxi. 18. 1[ To give thanks unto the name of the Lord. To worship Jehovah, — the name often being put for the Being himself. A main part of Hebrew worship was praise, and hence this is often put for the whole of worship.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity withii thy palaces.

sit thrones for judgment." They are established there; or. That is the appointed place for administering justice. ^ Thrones of judgment. Seats for dispensing justice. The word throne is now commonly appropriated to the seat or chair of a king, but this is not necessarily the meaning here. The word may denote a seat or bench occupied by a judge. The meaning here is, that Jerusalem was the supreme seat of justice; the place where justice was dispensed for the nation. It was at once the religious and the civil capital of the nation. ^ The thrones of the house of David. Of the family of David, who performed the office of magistrates, or who administered justice. The family of David would naturally be employed in such a service as this. This office Absalom — who had not been appointed to it— earnestly desired, in order that he might secure popularity in his contemplated rebellion. " Oh that I were made a judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!" 2 Sam. xv. 4.

6. Fray for the feace of Jerusalem. The prosperity, the welfare of Jerusalem, — for peace is everywhere the image of prosperity and happiness. Comp. Ps. li. 18. This is the language which those who were going up to the city— to the house of the Lord— addressed to each other, expressing the joyful feelings of their hearts at their own near approach to the city. It breathes the desire that all would pray for the peace and prosperity of a city so dear to their own souls; where the worship of God was celebrated; where God himself dwelt; where justice was administered:— a city of so much importance and so much influence in the land. To us now it inculcates the duty of praying for the church:— its peace; its unity; its prosperity; its increase; its influence on our country and on the world at large. It is a prayer that the church may not be divided by schism or heresy; that its members may cherish for each other right feelings; that there may be no jealousies, no envyingo, and no jars; that the different branches of the church may regard and treat each other with kindness, with respect, and with mutual recognition; that prosperity may attend them all, 1[ They shall prosper that love thee. Or rather. They shall have peace that love thee; or, May they have peace that love thee. The word prosper conveys an idea which is not in the original. The Hebrew word means to be secure, tranquil, at rest, spoken especially of one who enjoys quiet prosperity. Job iii. 26; xii. 6. The essential idea is that of quietness or rest; and the meaning here is, that those who love Zion will have peace; or, that the tendency of that love is to produce peace. See Kom. v. 1. The prayer was for " peace;" the thought in connexion with that was naturally that those who loved TAow would have peace. It is indeed true, in general, that they who love Zion, or who serve God, ivill "prosper" (comp. Notes on 1 Tim. iv. 8), but that is not the truth taught here. The idea is that they wiU have 'peace: — peace with God; peace in their own consciences; peace in the prospect of death and of the future world; peace amidst the storms and tempests of life; peace in death, in the grave, and for ever.

8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace he within thee.

9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek ^ thy good.

properly an host, an army; then a fortification, an entrenchment, especially the ditch or trench with the low wall or breastwork which surrounds it. Qesenius, Lex. It refers here to the fortifications or defences around Jerusalem. 1[ And 'prosperity. Peace; — the same word which is used in the previous verse, and expressing the same idea — that of tranquillity. *![ Within thy palaces. This word properly means a. fortress, castle; then, a palace, a residence of a king or a prince, 1 Kings xvi. 18; 2 Kings xv. 25; Isa. xxv. 2. The idea is, that such places abounded in Jerusalem; and the prayer is, that in those abodes of power, where the rulers of the land resided, there might be peace. The particular reason for this prayer is suggested in the following verse.

8. For my brethren and companions' sakes. Because they dwell there; or, because they go up there to worship; or, because they love thee, and find their happiness in thee; or, because they are unconverted, and all my hope of their salvation is to be derived from thee, — from the church, from the influence of religion. ^ I will now say, Peace be ivithin thee. I will pray for thy peace, for thy prosperity, for the blessing of God upon thee, — because their good, their comfort, their hope of salvation, depends on thee, — on the influence which shall go out from thee. So the Christian prays that the church may prosper, — that the Divine blessing may rest upon it, — that there may be in it harmony, peace, love, and zeal, — that a blessing may attend the preaching of the gospel, — not only because he loves it, and seeks his own comfort and edification in it, but that his friends and kindred — his wife, his parents, his children, his neighbours — those whom he loves, and whose salvation he desires, may be saved. This expresses the true feelings of piety all over the world; this is one of the grounds of the strong love which the friends of God have for the church, — because they hope and desire that through the church those most dear to their hearts will find salvation.

9. Because of the house of the LoED our &od 1 will seek thy good. Because of the sanctuary within thee; because that is the place where God is worshipped. The principal attraction in thee is the fact that in thee is the place where the worship of God is celebrated. It is this which gives its main importance in my view to the place; it is for this, and because I desire its infiuence to be perpetuated and extended, that I seek thy prosperity. This expresses a deep feeling in the mind of a pious man. To him the church of God is the most important of all objects, gives the principal interest to a place, and is everywhere to him the chief attraction. The church does more to adorn a place than anything else; it is that which exerts the best influence on a place, and sends the best influence abroad; it is that which to him is the source of chief comfort and delight. His heart is there; his main delight is there; his arrangements will be made so as best to enjoy the privileges of the sanctuary; and his plans of life will all contemplate the welfare, the extension, and the influence of the church of God. It is religion which in his view is the chief ornament of a place; religion which in

UNTO tliee i lift I tip mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

2 Behold, as the eyes o£ servants looh unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lokd oui- God, tmtil that he have mercy upon us.

any community is the prmcipal fountain of its happiness and prosperity; religion which is the central and controUing_ influence on the private dweUiugs, and the public institutions, of a nation.

This psalm is entitled simply "A Song of Degi-ees.'' See Notes on the title of Psalm cxx. Nothing is intimated in regard to the authorship of the psahn, or to the occasion on which it was composed. The only circumstance which thi-ows any Ught on its origin is the statement _m ver. 4, that the author and his friends-the people of God referred to in the psalm-were exposed to derision and contempt for then: attachment to rehgion, especially the contempt and reproach of those who were m cu-cumstances of ease and affluence^^r who were in the more elevated ranks of life This might.accord well with the condition of the exiles retummg froni Babylon, or mth the condition of the returned captives when rebuilding the walls of the city, and when thev met with scorn and contempt from the Samaiitans and the Ammonites; fi'om Sanballat and Tobiah; from the Arabians and the Ashdodites rNeh. iv. 1-8); but there is no certain e\idence that the psahn was composed on that occasion. The pious Hebrews of antiquity-David and others-and the people of God at all times have been too much exposed to this kind of treatment to make the mere apphoabihty of the psalm to that particular time a reason for concluduig that it must have been composed then • and it is now impossible to determine by whom, or on what occasion it was composed. It refers to what may occur in any age of the wond; and it expresses the proper feelings of piety at all times when we are, on accoimt of our rehgion, exposed to " the scoi-nmg of those that are at ease, and to the contempt of the proud."

1 Unto tliee. To God. If L^ft I up mine eyes. In supplication and prayer. Nature prompts us to look up when we address God, as if he dwelt above us. It is the natural prompting of the heart that he must be the most exalted of all beings, dwelling above all. See Ps. cxxi 1. fl" 0 thou that dwellest in the heavens. Whose home— whose pecuhar abode— is in heaven— above the sky. This is in accordance with the common feelings of men, and the common description ot God in the Bible, though it is true also that God is everywhere. Comp. Ps. ii. 4; xi. 4.

2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look imto the hand of theirmasters, etc ' Or, are to the hands of their masters; or, regard the hands of their masters. That is, we look to God with the same spirit of deference, dependence, and readiness to mark the will of God, which is evinced by servants in regard to their masters, and by maidens m regard to the will of a mistress. There has been some difference ot view in regard to the meaning of this comparison. Some have supposed that the allusion is to the fact that servants, when in danger, look to their masters for protection; others, that they look to them for the supply of their wants; others, that when they have been guilty of an offence they look to them alone for pardon. See RosenmuUer,

3 Have mercy upon us, O LoED, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled witli contempt.

4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with, the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

in loo. The true idea, however, seems to be, that they look to them with deference and respect; that they attentively mark every expression of their will; that they are ready to obey their commands on the slightest intimation of their wishes — standing in a waiting posture, with no will of their own, — their own wills absorbed in the will of the master or the mistress. The following extracts from Oriental travellers may illustrate the idea here: — Maundrell (Reise von Aleppo nach Jerusalem, s. 13), speaking of an interview with the Pasha at Tripoli, says, " The servants all stood in great numbers with the utmost respect, and in profoundest silence, and served the guests with the utmost attention and respect." Pococke remarks that in Egypt the slaves stand in the profoundest silence at the end of the table, their hands laid cross-wise over one another, and that they mark with the deepest attention the slightest movement of their master, who conveys his wishes to them through signs and winks. Savary, in his Letters from Egypt (p. 135), says, "The slaves stand with their hands laid cross-wise over their breasts, silent, at the end of the hall. Tkeir eyes are directed to the master, and they are attentive to the slightest indication of his will." See other illustrations in Rosenmiiller, Morgenland, ii. 109, 110. It is to such a custom as this that the psalmist refers; and the idea is, that his eyes were directed to God, in his troubles, in profound silence, and with deep attention, resembling that of servants waiting in stillness on their master, and catching the slightest intimation of his will — a movement of the head or hand — or anything which would indicate his pleasure. ^ Until that he have mercy upon us. We have nothing to do but wait. We have no other resource. We can do nothing if we turn away from him. Our only hope and expectation is there, and if we ever find relief, it must be there. The surest — the only — hope of relief is to wait on God; and it is the purpose of our souls to do this until we find help and deliverance. This is the attitude in which the earnest prayer in the next verse is ofl'ered.

3. Have mercy upon us, 0 Loed, have mercy upon us. The language of earnest pleading, repeating with emphasis the object of the prayer. The supplicants are represented as standing and urging this petition, feeling that help could come only from God; looking only to him; and watching his countenance, as servants do their master's. Tf For we are exceedingly filled. The Hfibi-ewword here used means to he saturated; to have the appetite fully satisfied — as applied to one who is hungry or thirsty. Then it comes to mean to be entirely full, and the idea here is, that as much contempt had been thrown upon them as could be; — they could experience no more. 1[ With contempt. Contempt has been shown us in every possible way. We are thoroughly despised.

4. Our soul is exceedingly filled. Thoroughly sated. This verse states the nature and the source of the contempt which they were called to bear. % With the scorning of those that are at ease. According to one view of these " Psalms of Degrees " (see Introd. to Ps. cxx.) this would be an instance of an " ascent " in the sense, or of the going tip of the thought, where in ver. 3 there was mention made in general of

"contempt" and in this verse the thought is carried onward and upward, or there is an additional idea which gives intensity to it. It is the scorn proceeding from those who are at easej that is, the gay, the affluent, the proud. The word scorning means derision, mockery. The idea in the Hebrew is derived from stammering, which the word properly means; and then, mockery, as repeating over the words of another, or imitating the voice of one in derision. Comp. Ps. ii. 4; Job xxii. 19. The phrase "those that are at ease" properly refers to those who are tranquil or quiet. Job xii. 5; Isa. xxxii. 18; xxxiii. 20; and then it is used of those who are living at ease; those who are living in self-indulgence and luxury, Amos vi. 1; Isa. xxxii. 9, 11. Here it would seem to refer to those who, in our language, are "in easy circumstances;" the aiHuent; those who are not compelled to toil: — then, the gay, the fashionable, those in the upper walks of life. The contempt was aggravated by the fact that it came from that quarter; not from the low, the ignorant, the vulgar, but from those who claimed to be refined, and who were distinguished in the world of gaiety, of rank, and of fashion. This, even for good people (such is human nature), is much more hard to bear than contempt is when it comes from those who are in the lower walks of life. In the latter case, perhaps, we feel that we can meet contempt with contempt; in the former we cannot. We disregard the opinions of those who are beneath us j there are few who are not affected by the opinions entertained of them by those who are above them. ^ And with the contempt of the proud. Those who are lifted up; either in rank, in condition, or in feeling. The essential idea is, that it was the contempt of those to whom mankind look up. Religious people have always had much of this to encounter, and often it is in fact a more severe test of the reality and power of religion than the loss of goods, or than bodily pains and penalties. We can bear much if we have the respect — the praise — of those above us; it is a very certain test of the reality and tiie power of our religion when we can bear the scorn of the great, the noble, the scientific, the gay, and the fashionable. Piety is more frequently checked and obscured by this than it is by persecution. It is more rare that piety shines brio-htly when the gay and the fashionable frown upon it than when princes attempt to crush it by power. The church has performed its duty better in the fui'uace of persecution than it has in the gay scenes of the world.

This psalm, one of the Songs of Degrees, is, like Ps. cxxii., ascribed to David. See the Introductory Notes to that psalm. There is nothing iu the one before us to render it improbable that it was composed by him, but it is now impossible to ascertain on what occasion it was written. It would be appropriate to be sung on the return from Babylon, and there is no improbability in the supposition that it may have been used on that occasion. But there is notbiiig in it to prove that it was composed then, or to make it appUcable to that occasion alone. Very many were the occasions in the Jewish history when such a psalm was applicable; very many have been the occasions tu the histov}' of the Christian church; very many, also, in the lives of individual believers.

The idea in the psahn is, that deliverance from trouble and danger is to be ascribed whoUy to God; that the people of God are often in such circumstances that there is no human help for them, and that the praise of thei* deliverance is due to God alone.

T F »» ti had not been the Lord ■*- who was on our side, now may Israel say;

2 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us;

3 Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

4 Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

5 Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

1. If it had not been the LoED who was on our side. Unless it was Jehovah who was with us. The idea is, that some one had been with them, and had delivered them, and that such was the nature of the interposition that it could be ascribed to no one but Jehovah. It bore unmistakeable evidence that it was his work. The deliverance was of such a kind that it could have been accomplished by him only. Such things often occur in life, when the intervention in our behalf is so remarkable that we can ascribe it to no one else but God. 'H Now maif Israel say. May well and truly say. The danger was so great, their helplessness was so manifest, and the deliverance was so clearly the work of God, that it was proper to say that if this had not occurred, ruin would have been inevitable and entire.

2. If it had not been the Lord loho was on our side. Repeating the idea, since the mind was full of it, and carrying the thought forward. This is one of the instances of an ascent of thought in these psalms, from which it has been supposed that the title " Songs of Degrees" was given to this collection. See, however, Introd. to Ps. cxx. •|[ When men rose up against us. When we were assailed by our enemies. On what occasion this occurred, it is now impossible to determine.

3. Then they had swallowed us up quick. There was no other help, and ruin — utter ruin — would have soon come upon us. The word quick here means alive; and the idea is derived from persons swallowed up in an earthquake, or by the opening of the earth, as in the case of Korah, Dathan, audAbiram. Nnm.xvi. 32, 33. Comp. Ps. cvi. 17. The meaning here is, that they would have been destroyed as j/'they were swallowed up by the opening of the earth; that is, there would have been complete destruction. ^ When their icrath loas kindled against us. Heb., In the kindling of their wrath against us. Wrath is often represented in the Scriptures as burning or heated — as that which consumes all before it.

4. Then the waters had overwhelmed us. Our destruction would have been as if the waves of the ocean had overwhelmed us. •[[ The stream had gone over our soul. The torrent would have swept us away. Comp. Ps. xviii. 4, 16.

5. Then the proud waters had gone over our soul. Over us. The word proud here is applied to the waters as if raging, swelling, rolling, tumultuous; as if they v.'ere self-confident, arrogant, haughty. Such raging billows, as they break and dash upon the shore, are a striking emblem of human passions, whether in an individual, or in a gathering of men — as an army, or a mob. Comp. Ps. Ixv. 7. This is again an amplification, or an ascent of thought. See Notes on ver. 2. It is, liowever, nothing more than a poetical embellishment, adding intensity to the expression.

6 Blessed he the Loed, wlio liath not given us as a prey to tlieir teeth.

7 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the

fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

6. blessed be the Loed. The Lord be praised; or. We have reason to praise the Lord because we have been delivered from these calamities. TT Who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. The figure is here changed, though the same idea is retained. The image is now that of destruction by wild beasts — a form of destruction not less fearful than that which comes from overflowing waters. Such changes of imagery constantly occur in the Book of Psalms, and in impassioned poetry everywhere. The mind is full of a subject; numerous illustrations occur in the rapidity of thought j and the mind seizes upon one and then upon another as best fitted to express the emotions of the soul. The next verse furnishes another instance of this sudden transition.

7. Our soul is escaped. We have escaped; our life has been preserved. '^ As a bird out of the snare of the fowlers. By the breaking of the snare, or the gin. The bird is entangled, but the net breaks, and the bird escapes. See Notes on Ps. xci. 3. ^ The snare is broken, etc. It was not strong enough to retain the struggling bird, and the captive broke away. So we seemed to be caught. The enemy appeared to have us entirely in his power, but escape came to us as it does to the bird when it finds the net suddenly break, and itself again at large.

8. Our help is in the name of the Loed. In the Lord; in the great Jehovah. See Ps. cxxi. 2. T[ Who made heaven and earth. The great Creator; the true God. Our deliverances have led us up to him. They are such as can be ascribed to him alone. They could not have come from ourselves; from our fellow-men; from angels; from any or all created beings. Often in life, when delivered from danger, we may feel this; we always may feel this, and should feel this, when we think of the redemption of our souls. That is a work which we of ourselves coiild never have performed; which could not have been wrought for us by our fellow-men; which no angel could have accomplished; which all creation combined could not have wrought out; which could have been effected by no one but by him who " made heaven and earth;" by him who created all things. See Col. i. 13-17.

This psalm is entitled merely " A Song of Degrees." Its author, and the occasion on which it was composed, are unknown. The contents of the psalm accord well with the supposition that it may have been written after the return from the Babylonish captivity, and may have been designed to strengthen and comfort those who were engaged in rebuilding the city, and restoring the ancient worsliip, either against the Samaritans and those who opposed them (Neh. vi. 12, 13), or against the lukewai-mness of a part of the people themselves. There is nothing, however, so exclusively applicable to that time as'to make it necessary to suppose that it was composed on that occasion. There is, indeed, evidence in the psalm (vcr. 5) that there weit some among the people who were disposed to turn away from the service oL

THET tliat ti-ust in theLoED -^ shall he as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abidetli for ever.

2 As tlie mountains are round about Jerusalem, so tbe

LoED is round about bis people from bencefortb even for ever. 3 For tbe rod of ^ the wicked sball not rest upon the lot of tbe righteous; lest " the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

Jehovah, or who -were perverse and rebellious; but such a state of things was not peculiar to the time of the return from the captivity, nor was it peculiar' to the Jews, for it has occiirred often; it exists still. The psalm is designed to encourage those who were disposed to trust iu the Lord, by the assurance that they would be safe; that the blessing of God would be upon them; and that the church was firm and secure.

1. The)/ that trust in the Loed. His people; his friends. It is, and has been always, a characteristic of the people of God that they trust or confide in him. IF Shall be as mount Zion. The mountaiQ which David fortified, and on which the city was at first bmlt, 2 Sam. v. 6-9. The name Zion became also the name by which the entire city was known. % "V\Tiich cannot be removed, but ahideth for ever. A mountain is an emblem of firmness and stability; and it is natural to speak of it as that which could not be removed. There is something more than this, however, intended here, as there is some ground of comparison peculiarly in regard to Mount Zion. This must have been either the idea that Zion was particularly strong by position, or that it was under the Divine protection, and was therefore safe. Most probably it refers to Zion as a place secure by nature, and rendered more so by art.

2. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem. Heb., " Jerusalem — the mountains are round about her." Jerusalem, except on the north, is encompassed with hills or mountains, so that although the city was built on hUls — Zion, Moriah, Bezethah, Acra, — it was itself surrounded by hills higher than any of these, and was, in a certain sense, in a valley. See Notes on Matt. ii. 1. Comp. Notes on Ps. xlviii. ^ So the LoED is round aborft his people, etc. As Jerusalem is thus protected by the hills around, so the people of God are protected by Jehovah. He surrounds the church; he is exalted far above the church; he guards the approaches to the church; he can defend it from all its foes. Under his protection it is safe. Jerusalem, as surrounded by hills and mountains, has thus become an emblem of the church at all times; its security was an emblem of the security of all who trust in the Lord.

3. For the rod of the ivicked. Marg., as in Heb., wickedness. The word " rod," — the staff", the sceptre, the instrument of inflicting punishmeut, — here means dominion, power, that condition in which the wicked are commonly found, as one of prosperity or power. God will not deal with the righteous as the wicked are often dealt with: — that is, God will not give his people prosperity as he does them. The righteous wUl be afflicted, and wUl be placed in circumstances to keep them from putting forth their hands to iniquity; that is, from indulging in iniquity. They will be afflicted; they will be kept in the ways of virtue and reUgion by trial; they wUl not be left to act out the

4 Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.

5 As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the

Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace " shall be upon Israel.

depravity of the heart as the wicked are. % Shall not rest upon. Permanently abide; or, be the constant condition of the righteous. They mat/ be prospered, but they must expect that there will be changes, and that God will so deaf with them as to keep them from putting forth their hands to iniquity. ^ The lot of tJie righteous. The righteous, considered as the " lot" or portion of the Lord. The language is derived from dividing a land by lot (comp. Ps. cv. 11; Ixxiv. 2); and the idea is, that the " lot " pertaining to the Lord, or his " portion " among men, is the righteous. % Lest the righteous fut forth tlieir hands unto iniquity. Lest the effect of prosperity should be to lead them away from God, — Hke the wicked. Hence they are dealt with in a different manner. They are afflicted; they are thus kept under proper discipline, and their hearts and lives are made what they should be. The statement in this verse, therefore, accords with the uniform statements in the Scriptures, that prosperity is dangerous to the spiritual interests of men, and that, therefore, men are often afflicted in order that they may be led to seek higher interests than those which pertain to this life. The connexion here seems to be, that God will defend his people, even as Jerusalem was defended by hills and mountains; but that the real welfare and prosperity of his people was not what the wicked seek — wealth and honour, — but the favour of the Lord. Another meaning may, however, be suggested in regard to this verse, which to some may appear more probable than the one above. It is this: — that the " rod " — the dominion of the wicked — of bad rulers — of a harsh and oppressive government — wiU not always be upou the people of God, lest, being crushed, they should be led to acts of iniquity; or lest, being kept from the free service of God, they should abandon themselves to sin.

4. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, etc. To the good j to the pious. Let them be under the Divine protection. Possibly this is not merely a prayer, but is expressive of the belief of the psalmist as to what would occur under the Divine administration — that the favour of God would rest upon his people.

5. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways. The wicked. Those who leave the right or straight path, and wander in forbidden ways. The word here rendered crooked tvays occurs nowhere else except in Judges v. 6, where it is rendered by-tvays, — meaning unfrequented paths or roads; narrow and crooked patlis, remote from the highways, or the ways commonly traversed. Hence the word means also paths of sin — as deviations from the straight road which man should travel. % The Loed shall lead them forth with the tvorkers of iniquity. They shall be dealt with as sinners. They shall be punished. The allusion is to backsliders; to those who forsake the worship of God; who cease to do " good;" who, though among the professed people of God, wander from him in by-paths and forbidden ways. The idea is, that their profession of religion will not save them; that they will not obtain the Divine blessing merely because they are avowedly the people

WHEN tlie Lord ^ turned p " agaia the captivity of Zion,

This psalm is entitled simply "A Song of Degi-ees." See the Litrod. to Psalm cxx. There can be no reasonable doubt as to the occasion on which it was composed, for it bears internal evidence of having been composed with reference to the retm-n from Babylon. It may have been designed to be sung as the returning captives went up to Jerusalem, but was more probably composed subsequently to that event, as designed to keep it in remembrance. It was evidently, however, written not long after the return, and by some one who had been personally interested in it, for the author manifestly, m describing the feelings of the people (vers. 1, 2), speaks of himself as one of them, or as participating in those feelings which they had when the exile was closed, and when they returned to their own land. Who the author was, it is in vain now to conjecture.

It is e\-ideut from the psalm (ver. 5), that, when it was composed, there was still some trouble,— something that might be called a " captivity," — from which the psalmist prays that they might be delivered; and the object of the psalm would seem to be in part, in that trial to find encouragement from the foi-mer interposition of God in their case. As he had " turned the captivity of Zion," as he had filled their "mouth vnth laughter," so the psalmist prays that he would again interpose in similar circumstances, and renew his goodness. It is, of course, now impossible to determine precisely to what this refers. It may be, as RosenmuUer supposes, to a portion of the people who remained in exile; or it may be to some other captivity or danger to which they were exposed after their return. The psalniist, however, expresses entii'e confidence that there would be such interposition, and that, though then in trouble, they would have joy, such as the fanner has who goes forth so-ning his seed with weeping_, and who comes with joy in the harvest beailng his sheaves ^vith him, vers, o, 6.

1. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion. Marg., as in Heb., returned the returning of Zion. The Hebrew word which is rendered in the text captivity means properly return; and then, those returning. The ancient versions render it captivity. The reference clearly is" to those who were returning to Zion, and the psalmist fixes his eye on them as returning, and immediately says that it was the Lord who had thus restored them. The whole was to be traced to God. ^ We were like them that dream. The Latin Vulgate and the LXX. render this, " we were comforted." The meaning is, " It seemed like a dream; we could hardlv realize that it was so; it was so marvellous, so good, so full of joy, thiit we could scarcely believe it was real." This state of mind is'not uncommon, when, in sudden and overpowering joy, we ask whether it can be real; whether it is not all a dream, ^^efear that it is; we apprehend that it will all vanish away like a dream,

with laughter, and our tongue with singiag: then said they among the heathen, The Loed hath 1 done great things for

3 The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

4 Turn again our captivity, 0 Loed, as the streams ia the south.

completely happy. See Job viii. 21. ^ And our tongue with singing. We expressed our joy in songs — the natural expression of joy. Young converts — those " turned " fi-om sin to God— sing. Their feelings find expression in the songs of Zion. This is natural; this is proper; this will occur when sinners are convei-ted. An assemblage of young converts is always a happy assemblage; a place where there is a "revival" of religion is always a happy place,— full of songs and singing. \ TTten said they amoyig the heathen. The nations; the people among whom they dwelt. ^ The Loed hath done great things for them. In causing their return to their own land; in ordering the arrangements for it; in bringing their captivity to an end; in securing such interposition from the civil rulers as to facilitate their return. This would indicate that the surrounding people had not an unfriendly feeling towards them, but that they pitied them in exile, and were disposed to acknowledge the hand of God in what was done. Their deliverance, in the circumstances, was such as evidently to have been the work of God. This will agree well with the account of the return of the exUes from Babylon, and with all that had been done for them by Cyrus. Comp. Ezra i. 1-4.

3. The Loed hath done great things for us. All that the people around us say is true. We see it; we feel it; we acknowledge it. Those to whom this appertained would see it more clearly than those who had merely observed it. A surrounding world may see in the conversion of a man, in his being turned from sin, in the influence of religion upon him, in his comfort, calmness, and peace, that " the Lord has done great things" for him; but he himself, while he responds most fully to what they say, will see this more clearly than they do. There is more in his redemption, his conversion, his peace and joy, than they do or can perceive, and with emphasis he himself will say, " The Lord HAS done great things for me." T[ Whereof we are glad. It fills our souls with joy. If this is understood of the returning Hebrews — coming back from the capti\aty in Babylon — all must see how appropriate is the language; if it be applied to a sinner returning to God, it is no less suitable, for there is nothing that so fills the mind with joy as a true conversion to God.

4. Turn again our captivity, 0 Loed. Literally, " Turn our captivity." The word "again" is inserted by the translators, and conveys an idea which is not necessarily in the original. It is simply a prayer that God would "turn" their captivity; i.e., looking upon the captivity as not wholly ended, or as, in some sense, still continuing, that it might please him wholly to turn it, or to end it. The language would be applicable, if there was a new "captivity" similar to the one from which they had been delivered, or if the one mainly referred to was not complete; that is, if a part of the people still remained in bondage. The latter is probably the idea, that while a considerable part of the nation had been restored, and while an order had been issued for the restoration of all the captives to their native land, it was still true

5 They 9 that sow in tears shall reap in ^ joy.

6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing 2 precions

seed, shall doubtless com again with rejoiciag, r bringing his sheaves with him.

that a portion of them remained in exile; and the prayer is, that God would interfere in their behalf, and complete the work. A portion of the exiles, in fact, returned under Cyrus; a part under Darius; a part under Xerxes and his successors. The return was by no means accomplished at once, but occupied a succession of years. % As the streams in the south. In the southern parts of Palestine, or in the regions bordering it on the south,— Idumea and Arabia. That is. As those streams when dried up by the summer heat are swelled by autumnal and winter rains, so let the streams of the returning people, which seem now to be diminished, be swelled by augmenting numbers coming again to their own land. Let the companies of returning emigrants be kept full, like swollen streams, until all shall have been brought

5. They that sow in fears shall reap in joy. Though the sowing of seed is a work of labour and sorrow,— often a work so burdening the farmer that he weeps,— yet the return— the harvest— is accompanied with rejoicing. The truth is expressed in a general form, as illustrating the idea that enterprises which are begun under many difficulties, and which require much labour, will be crowned with success, and that the joy is more than an equivalent for all the weariness and sorrow. Thus it is in respect to the toil of the husbandman; the cares and anxieties of the student; the work of conversion and repentance; the labours of the Christian pastor; the efforts of the Sabbath-school teacher; the faithfulness of the Christian parent; the endeavours of a church for a revival of religion; the zeal and sacrifice of the Christian missionary. The particular allusion here is to the exiles, in their long and weary march to their native land. It was a work of toil and tears, but there would be joy, like that of the harvest, when, their long journey over, they should again come to their native land. Comp. Isa. ix. 3.

6. Se that goeth forth and weepeth. He that goes forth weepingstill an allusion to the farmer. He is seen moving slowly and sadly over the ploughed ground, burdened with his task, and in tears. t Beanng precious seed. Marg., seed-basket. Literally, " bearing the drawing out of seed;" perhaps the seed as drawn out of his bag; or, as scattered or sown regularly in furrows, so that it seems to be draton out in regular lines over the fields. % Shall doubtless come again. Shall couie to this sown field again in the time of harvest. He will visit it with other feelings than those which he now has. % With rejoicing, etc. 'J'hen his tears will be turned to joy. Then the rich harvest will wave before him. Then he will thrust in his sickle and reap. Then he will gather the golden grain, and the wain will groan under the burden, and the sheaves will be carried forth with songs of joy. He will be abuhdantlv rewarded for all his toil; he will see the fruit of his labours; he wiU be filled with joy. The design of thjs illustration was, undoubtedly, to cheer the hearts of the exiles in their long and dangerous journey to their native land; it has, however, a •wider and more universal application, as being fitted to enconr^e all in their endeavours to secure their own salvation, and to do good in the world, — for the effort is often attended with sacrifice, toil, and tears. The joy of heaven will he more than a compensation for all this. The following remarks by Dr. Thomson (Land and the Book, vol. i., pp. 118, 119) will furnish an illustration of the meaning of this passage: — " I never saw people sowing in tears exactly, but have often known them to do it in fear and distress sufficient to draw them from any eye. In seasons of great scarcity, the poor peasants part in sorrow with every measure of precious seed cast into the ground. It is like taking bread out ot the mouths of their children; and in such times many bitter tears are actually shed over it. The distress is frequently so great that government is obliged to furnish seed, or none would be sown. Ibrahim Pasha did this more than once within my remembrance, copying the example, perhaps, of his great predecessor in Egypt when the seven years' famine was ended. The thoughts of this psalm may likewise have been suggested by the extreme danger which frequently attends the farmer in his ploughing and sowing. The calamity which fell upon the husbandmen of Job when the oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them away, and slew the servants with the edge of the sword (Job i. 14, 15), is often repeated in our day. To understand this, you must remember what I just told you about the situation of the arable lands in the open country; and here again we meet that verbal accuracy: the sower goes forth — that is, from the village. The people of Ibel and Khiem, in Merj 'Aiyun, for example, have their best graingrowing fields down in the 'Ard Huleh, six or eight mUes from their homes, and just that much nearer the lawless border of the desert. When the country is disturbed, or the government weak, they cannot sow these lands except at the risk of their lives. Indeed, they always go forth in large companies, and completely armed, ready to drop the plough and seize the musket at a moment's warning; and yet, with all this care, many sad and fatal calamities overtake the men who must thus sow in tears. And still another origin may be found for the thoughts of the psalm in the extreme difficulty of the work itself in many places. The soil is rockj^ impracticable, overgrown with sharp thorns; and it costs much painful toil to break up and gather out the rocks, cut and burn the briers, and to subdue the stubborn soil, especially with their feeble oxen and insignificant ploughs. Join all these together, and the sentiment is very forcibly brought out, that he who labours hard, in cold and in rain, in fear and danger, in poverty and in want, casting his precious seed in the ground, will surely come again, at harvest-time, with rejoicing, and bearing his sheaves with him."

This psalm is entitled "A Song of Degrees for Solomon;" in the margin, " Of Solomon." In the Syriac Version the title is, " From the Psalms of the Ascent; spoken by David concerfting Solomon; it was spoken also of Haggai and Zechariah, who urged the rebuilding of the Temple." The meaning of the title may be either '■'■for Solomon," or "o/ Solomon;" that is, it may have been either composed by him, or with reference to him. Many have supposed that it was written by David near the close of his Ufe, and was designed to be a guide to Solomon, his successor, in regard to the principles which should govern him in his reign. There is nothing, however, VOL. III. S

EXCEPT " tlie LOED build the liouse, they labour in vain 2 that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh hut in vain.

in the title ia the Hebrew which would indicate that it was composed by David; and there is notliing in the psabn which would seem to he peculiarly appropriate to address to a young monarch just enteitng on his reign, unless it was the mere fact of dependence on God. The allusion to children (vers. 3-5), beautiful and proper as it is, would seem to have no particular pertinency to an entrance on the administration of a govenunent, and would not be the topic which would most naturally be suggested in such circumstances. The probability, therefore, is, that the psalm was composed by Solomon. On what occasion, however, it was written, it is now inipossible to determine. The sentiments and style are such as agree well with, the idea that Solomon was the author, and the whole psalm might have been introduced into the Book of Proverbs without any manifest discrepancy mth the general character and style of that book. From the psalm itself it would seem that it was composed mainly -with reference to one who was entering on domestic life, and th'at it was intended to set before such a one the views which ought to guide him, or the thoughts which ought to occur to him. Notliing could be more appropriate in such circumstances than the sentiments of the psalm:— I. The entu'e dependence on God for success, ver. 1. II._ The vanity of all efforts— rising early, and sitting up late— without the Divine blessing, ver. 2. III. The fact that children belong to God, and are to be regarded as his, ver. 3. IV. The aid which childi-en might be expected to render to a father in supporting or defending him, ver. 4. V. The comfort which he might expect to derive from them, and the honour which, being properly trained, they would reflect on him and on the family, ver. 5.

1. JExcept tlie Lord luiU the house. O rather, " a house." The word house may refer either to an ordinary dwelling; to the temple, as a place of worship; or to a family, with reference to its success and prosperity, as the word house is often used now. The statement is universal, and is designed to indicate a universal dependence on God in human undertakings, though it is not improbable that there may have been an allusion, when the psalm was composed, to some building which was contemplated or commenced. If the psalm was a composition of Oavid or Solomon, the allusion may have been to the temple about to;e erected. The language, however, is so general as to be applicable to any enterprise of that kind. ^ They labour in vain that build it. Literally, " In vain toil its builders in it." The idea is, that they are entirely dependent on God. No matter what their skill, their strength, their industry may be — all will be in vain unless God shall assist them. They are dependent on Him for life, for health, for strength, for practical wisdom, for a disposition to continue their work, and for success in it. Their work might be destroyed by fire, by a tempest, by an earthquake, or by an irruption of enemies; and for the result, therefore, they are entirely dependent «n God. % Except the Loed keep the city. The same idea of dependence is here repeated in another form. The preservation of a city depends wholly on God, whatever care or precaution may be used. IF The watchman walceth but in vain. Literally, " In vain waketh the keeper." The word rendered walceth means to be sleepless; and then, to watch. The allusion is to the watch or guard appointed to keep a city, and the idea is, that, what-

2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat

t the bread of soitows: for so lie giveth his beloved sleep.

ever may be the diligence, the care, the fidelity of one thus appointed to guard a city, its safe-keeping must depend on God alone. Fires may break out in spite of the watchmen; a tempest may sweep over it; bands of armed men may assail it; or the pestilence may suddenly come into it, and spread desolation through its dwellings. There ma^/ have been an allusion in this to some immediate arrangement for guarding Jerusalem when the psalm was composed; but the remark is so general that it is not necessary to confine it to that. It is universally true that, after all the care for their own preservation which men can employ, their safety depends wholly on God.

2. It is paiti for you to rise up early. The psalmist does not here say that it is improper to rise early; or that there could be no advantage in it; or that men would be more likely to be successful in their undertakings if they did not rise early; but that, although this was done, they would be still altogether dependent on God. Mera early rising, without his blessing, would not secure what they hoped to accomplish, for everything is still in the hand of God. Health, strength, clearness of mind, and success, are all under his control;, and though early rising may tend to produce all these — as it does in fact — yet still men are not the less dependent on God for success. Tf To sit up late. That you may labour or study. As in the former case the psalmist does not express any opinion about the propriety or impropriety of early rising, so it is in respect to this. He merely says that if it is done, this, of itself, will not accomplish the object; men are still dependent on God for success though they do it. As a matter of fact, however, sitting up late has less tendency to promote success in life than early rising; but in either case there is the same dependence on God. IT To eat the bread of sorroivs. Bread of care, anxiety, or trouble; that is, bread earned or procured by the severity of toil. Thei-e may be an allusion here to the original sentence pronounced on man. Gen. iii. 17. The moaning is, that it is in vain that you labour hard, that you exhaust your strength, in order to get bread to eat, unless God shall bless you. After all your toil tlie result is with him. "H For so he giveth his beloved sleep. The word "for " is not in the original. The sentence is very obscure in the connexion in which it stands. The Septuagint and Latin Vulgate render it, " Ye who eat the bread of care — rise when you have rested — when he hath given his beloved sleep." Some have supposed it to mean that God gives his people rest without toil,— or that, while others labour, his "beloved" — his friends — sleep; but this interpretation is not necessarily demanded by the Hebrew, and is inconsistent with the general doctrine of the Bible. Others have supposed the idea to be, that God gives his beloved rest after labour; but though this is true, it is not true of them peculiarly or exclusively. Some suppose, with as little probability, that the meaning is, that what others hope (but hope in vain) to get by labour, the Lord bestows upon his people in sleep, they know not how. The meaning evidently is, that God bestows " sleep " upon his people in some sense in which it is not bestowed on others, or that there is, in regard to their case, eomething in which they differ from

3 Lo, childi'en " are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

5 Happy is the man that hath ^ his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall 2 speak with the enemies in the " gate.

those who are so anxious and troubled, — who rise so early for the sake of gain, — who toil so late, — who eat the bread of care. The idea seems to be that there would be calmness, repose, freedom from anxiety or solicitude. God makes the mind of his people — his beloved — calm and tranquil, while the world around is filled with anxiety and restlessness — busy, bustling, worried. As a consequence of this calmness of mind, and of their confidence in him, they enjoy undisturbed repose at night. They are not kept wakeful and anxious about their worldly affairs as other men are, for they leave all with God, and thus he "giveth his beloved sleep." The particle " so " — 13, ken — or " thus," I apprehend, refers to the general sense of what had been said, rather than to what immediately precedes it; — to the fact that all success depends on God (ver. 1), and that it is always by his interposition, and not as the result of human skill, toil, or fatigue, that men find calmness, success, repose. It is only by the favour of God, and by their recognizing their dependence on him, that they find repose, succe.'ss, and freedom from care.

3. io, children are an heriiage of the Loed. They are an inheritance derived from the Lord. They are bestowed by him as really as success is in building a house, or in guarding a city. The idea is, that everything which we value, or which we desire, is a gift from God, and is to be received as from him, and to be acknowledged as his gift. The general idea here, as in the previous verses, is that of entire dependence on God. T[ And the fruit of the womb is his reioard. Or rather, "a reward;" that is, they are of the nature of a reward for a life of devotion to God; they are among the blessings which God promises, and are evidences of his favour. Our translation by inserting the words " is his " obscures the sense, as if the meaning were that they belong to God as his " reward " for what he does for us. The reverse of this is the true idea, — that they are a blessing with which he rewards or favours his people. Of course, this is not universally true, but the promise is a general one, in accordance with the usual promises in the Bible in regard to the result of piety. Children are to be reckoned among the Divine favours bestowed on us, and for their lives, their health, their virtues, and the happiness derived from them, we are, as in other things, dependent on him, — as in building a house, in guarding a city, or in the rest and comfort derived from toil.

4. As arroivs are in the haiid of a mighty man. They are what a parent may rely on for defence in danger, or for help in securing provision for himself and family, — as the warrior or the hunter relies on his arrows. *\ So are /children of the youth. Sons in their youth; in their prime and vigour. The comparison of sons with arrows or spears is common in Arabic poetry. See Rosenmiiller, Com. in loo. Also Morgenland, in loc.

"DLESSED "" is every one that feareth the Lord etli in Ms ways.

on Ps. i. 1. % That hath his quiver full of them. The quiver is a case in which arrows are carried; and as a man — a hunter or warrior — feels secure when he has his quiver full of arrows, so a man is blessed in proportion to the number of his sons. This is in accordance with the idea often presented in the Bible, and the promise often made there of a numerous posterity as a proof of the Divine favour. ^ They shall not he ashamed. They shall not turn back discomfited, hanging their heads with shame and confusion. See Notes on Job vi. 20. •[[ But they shall speak tcith the enemies in the gate. Marg., shall subdue, or destroy. The Hebrew word, however, means to speak; and the meaning is, that they would speak to their foes in the place of conflict, — for a battle occurred often in the gate of a city, as the possession of a gate, or an entrance to a city was of so much importance to those who attacked, and those who defended it. The idea is, that they would speak with effect; they would distinguish themselves; they would let their presence be known. The connexion does not allow us to understand this of forensic controversy, or of transactions in business, though these were usually performed at the gates of cities. The meaning is, that they would do honour to the family, and gratify the heart of the parent, by their valour in defending their city and home, or in attacking the cities of the enemies of their country. The psalui is designed to inculcate the lesson of dependence on God for success in everything.

The author of this psalm is unkno^vn, as is also the occasion on which it was coHiposed. It is not kno^vn, eithei-, why this psalm was placed among those which are called " Songs of Degrees." The scope and design of it, however, cannot be misunderstood. It is intended to show the advantage of religion on the affairs of this life, and especially on the domestic relations; — in a numerous family, in the character of children, and in being peimitted to see numerous descendants. In connexion with this, the possessor of true religion would be permitted to see the prosperity of Zion— the good of Jerusalem, and peace upon Israel. Of course this is to be regarded as a general statement, or as indicating what will commonly be true as the result of religion. See Notes on Ps. xxxvii. 9, 33; cxii. 2, 3. Thus industry, temperance, prudence, tend to promote health and long life, so that health and a long life are the general result; but it would be imfair to regard one who should assert this as meaning to say that it is universally trae, or that men who are industrious, temperate, and prudent, are never sick, and never die.

The psalm states, in general (ver. 1), the blessedness of those who fear the Lord. This blessedness is seen (1) in their success in life, ver. 2; (2) in a numerous and happy family, ver. 3; (3) in being permitted to see children's children, ver. 6; (4) in being permitted to see the prosperity of religion— the "good of Jerusalem," and " peace upon Israel," vers. 5, 6.

1. Blessed is every one that feareth the LoED. That honours God; that is truly pious. See Notes on Ps. i. 1; cxii. 1. What that blessedness is, is indicated in the following verses. ^ That walketh in his ways. The ways which God commands or directs. On the word walketh, see Notes on Ps. i. 1.

2 For « thou shalt eat tlie labour of thine hands: happy

2. JFor thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands. Thou shalt enjoy the avails of thy labour; thou shalt be secure in thy rights. See Notes on Isa. iii. 10. This is a general promise respecting the prosperity which religion affords. If all men were truly religious, this would be universal, so far as man is concerned. Property would be secure; and, except so far as abundant harvests might be prevented by the direct providence of God — by blight, and mildew, and storms, and drought — all men would enjoy undisturbed the avails of their labour. Slavery, whereby one man is compelled to labour for another, would come to an end; every one who is now a slave would "eat the labour of his own hands;" and property would no more be swept away by war, or become

3 Thy wife ^ shall he as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants " roxmd about thy table.

4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LoED.

5 The LOKD shall bless thee out " of Zion: and thou shalt

the prey of robbers and freebooters. Religion, if it prevailed universallv, would produce universal security in our rights. 1[ Sappi/ shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Literally, "Happy thou, and well with thee." That is, happiness and security would be the consequence of true religion.,,., ^^7-7 T*. 3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine ly the sides of thine house. It is not uncommon in the East, as elsewhere, to train a vine along the sides of a house— partly to save ground; partly because it is a good exposure for fruit; partly as an ornament; and partly to protect it from thieves. Such a vine, in its beauty, and in the abundant clusters upon it, becomes a beautiful emblem of the mother of a numerous household. One of the blessings most desired and most valued m the East was a numerous posterity, and this, in the case of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, was among the chief blessings which God promised to them— a posterity that should resemble in number the sands of the sea or the stars of heaven. Comp. Gen. xv. 5; xxii. 17; xxxii. 12. These two things— the riglft to the avails of one's labour (ver. 2), and a numerous family— are the blessings which are first specified as constituting the happiness of a pious household. 1[ Thi/ children Me olive plants round about thy table. Comp. Notes on Ps. la. 8. Beautiful; producing abundance; sending up young plants to take the place ot the old when they decay and die. The following extract and preceding cut from " The Land and Book," vol. i., pp. 76, 77, will furnish a good illustration of this passage:— "To what particular circumstance does David refer in the 128th Psalm, where he says. Thy children shall be like olive-plants round about thy table? Follow me into the grove, and I will show you what may have suggested the comparison. Here we have hit upon a beautiful illustration. This aged and decayed tree is surrounded, as you see, by several young and thrifty shoots, w-hich sprino- from the root of the venerable parent. They seem to uphold, protect, and embrace it. We may even fancy that they now bear that load of fruit which would otherwise be demanded of the feeble parent. Thus do o-ood and affectionate children gather round the table of the ri<'-hteous! Each contributes something to the common wealth and welfare of the whole— a beautiful sight, with which may God refresh the eves of every friend of mine."

4. ^Behold, that thus shall the man he blessed, etc. As if he had said, " Look upon this picture. See the farmer cultivating his fields; see him gathering in the grain; sec him at his own table calmly, quietly, and gratefully enjoying the fruit of his toil. Look upon that picture of a happy family— numerous, cheerful, beloved— giving promise of upholding the name of the family in future years,— and see all this as coming iVoni the Lord,— and you have an illustration of the blessedness which follows a religious life."

5. Tlie LoBD shall bless thee out of Zion. Will not merely bless thee in the fisld and in the house, but will add blessings that seem to come more directly out of Zion, or that seem to be more directly connected with religion: — shall bless thee with reUgious influences in thine own family; shall bless thee by permitting thee to see the growth of the church and the conversion of souls. ^ And thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem. The prosperity, the happiness of Jerusalem: — that is, the good of the church; the advancement of pure religion. The Hebrew might be rendered, " And look thou upon the good of Jerusalem " — in the imperative; and, thus rendered, it would be a command to regard, in these circumstances, the welfare of Jerusalem, or the prosperity of the church; but the language will also admit of the other construction, and the connexion seems to require it. Thus understood, it is a promise that he who is referred to would be permitted to enjoy a view of the continual prosperity of religion in the world. ^ AU the days of thy life. To the very close of life. No higher blessing could be promised to a pious man than that he should see religion always prospering; that the last view which he would have of the world should be the rapid advances of religion; that he should die in a revival of religion. •

6. Yea, thou shalt see thy children' s children. This is a continuation of the idea of blessedness as connected with a numerous posterity — an object of so much interest to the Hebrews (see Notes on ver. 3), and having its foundation in our nature. T[ And peace upon Israel. See Ps. cxxv..5. As the crowning blessing; a blessing above that of success in worldly affairs; above that of seeing a numerous and happy posterity. The love of God is the supreme aifection in the mind of a pious man; the desire that his cause may prosper and triumph is to him a supreme desire. Man is truly and completely blessed only in religion.

This psalm is entitled merely " A Song of Degrees." Its author is unknown; and the occasion on which it was written cannot now be ascertained. It is a psalm which would be applicable to many periods of the Je^vish history, and it is not of such a nature that it can with certainty be referred to any one of them. There is nothing in it which would forbid us to suppose that it was composed on the return from the Babylonish exile, but there is nothuig to fix it definitely to that event. Why it was made one of the " Songs of Degrees" is equally unknown. It merely refers to the fact that Israel had often been roughly and severely treated; and it contains a prayer that those who were the enemies of Zion might be punished in a proper manner. It would seem probable that it was composed during a tune of trouble, of war, or of persecution, and that the main pui-pose of the writer was to refer to the fact that the same thing had often occurred before, and to find consolation and suppbrt in that fact. The pi-inciple on which it is founded is, that there is nothing to be dreaded as the result of trial, if we have passed through the same form of trial before, and if we have not sunk but have been sustained under it. This fm'nishes an assurance that the same thing may occur again.

■jV/TANT 1 a time have they -"■^ afflicted me fi-om d, my youth, may Israel now say: 2 Many a time have they afflicted me fi'om my youth; yet • they have not prevailed against me.

3 The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.

1. Many a time. Marg., as iu Heb., much. Probably, however, tbe idea is, as expressed in our translation, many a time; often. So it is in the Latin Vulgate and the Septuagint; and this accords better with the connexion. ^ Have they afflicted me from my youth. Have I been afflicted; have others dealt unjustly by me. The youth here is the beginning of the history of that people: — since we began to be a people; since the nation was founded. If May Israel now say. May the nation now say. It is clear from this that the psalm was not written at an early period of their history.

2. Many a time, etc. This repetition is designed to fix the thoughts on the fact, and to impress it on the mind. The mind dwells on the fact as important in its bearing on the present occasion or emergency. The idea is, that it is no new thing to be thus afflicted. It has often occurred. It is a matter of long and almost constant experience. Our enemies have often attempted to destroy us, but in vain. What we experience now we have often experienced, and when thus tried we have been as often delivered, and have nothing now therefore to fear. We are not to regard it as a strange thing that we are now afflicted; and we are not to be discouraged or disheartened as if our enemies could overcome us, for they have often tried it in vain. He who has protected us heretofore can protect us still. He who defended us before can defend us now, and the past furnishes an assurance that be will defend us if it is best that we should be protected. It does much to support us in affliction if we can recall to mind the consolations which we had in former trials, and can avail ourselves of the result of past experience in supporting us now. ^ Yet they have not prevailed against me. They have never been able to overcome us. We were safe then in the Divine hands; we shall be safe in the same hands now.

3. The ploughers ploughed upon my back. The comparison here is undoubtedly taken from the ploughing of land, and the idea is that the sufferings which they had endured were such as would be well represented by a plough passing over a tield, tearing up the sod; piercing deep; and producing long rows or furrows. The direct allusion would seem to be to stripes inflicted on the back, as if a plough had been made to pass over it; and the meaning is, that they had been subjected to sufferings as slaves or criminals were when the lash cut deep into the flesh. Probably the immediate thing in the mind of the psalmist was the hard bondage of the children of Israel in Egypt, when they were subjected to all the evils of servitude. "![ They made long their furrows. On my back. The word here used, and rendered made long — ■Ti^K, araeh, means to make long, to prolong, to extend in a right line, and it may be used either in the sense of making long as to extent or space, or making long in regard to time, prolonging. The latter would seem to be the meaning here, as it is difficult to see in what sense it

4 The Lord is righteous: lie hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

5 Let / them, all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, " which withereth afore it groweth up;

7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand, nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.

could be said that stripes inflicted on the back could be made long. They might, however, be continued and repeated; the sufi'erings might be prolonged sufferings as well as deep. It was a work of long-continued oppression and wrong.

4. The Lord is righteous. Righteous in pei-mitting this; righteoug in what he has done, and will do, in the treatment of those who inflict such wrongs. We may now safely commit our cause to him in view of what he has done in the past. Ho was not indiiferent then to our suflerings, or deaf to the cries of his people; he interposed and punished the oppressors of his people, and we may trust him still. ^ He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked. By which they bound us. He did this in our " youth;" when we were oppressed and beaten in Egypt. Then he interposed, and set us free.

5. Let them all be confounded and turned hack, etc. This might be rendered in the indicative, "they are ashamed," but the connexion seems to require the rendering in our version. It is a prayer that God would now interpose as he had done in former times, and that he would cause all the haters of Zion to be put to shame as formerly.

6. Let them he as the grass upon the housetops. The housetops, or roofs of houses, covered with sand or earth, in which seeds of grass may germinate and begin to grow, but where, as there is no depth of earth, and as the heat of the sun there would be intense, it would soon wither away. See Notes on Isa. xxxvii. 27. If Which withereth afore it groweth up. This, even if it has any meaning, is not the meaning of the original. The idea in the Hebrew is, — and it is so rendered in the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate, and by Luther, — "which before [one] pulls it, withers." Grass would wither or dry up, of course, if it wei-e pulled up or cut down, but the grass here spoken of withers even before this is done. It has no depth of earth to sustain it; having sprouted, and begun to grow, it soon dies — a perfect image of feebleness and desolation; of hopes begun only to be disappointed. " This morning " (says Dr. Thomson, " Land and the Book," vol. ii., p. 574) " I saw a striking illustration of this most expressive figure. To obtain a good view of the Tyropean, my guide took me to the top of a house on the brow of Zion, and the grass which had grown over the roof during the rainy season was now

7. Whereivith the mower filleth not his hand. It cannot be gathered and laid up for the use of cattle, as grass can that grows in the field. It is valueless for any such purpose; or, is utterly worthless. The phrase " filleth not his hand " seems to be derived from the idea of reaping, where the reaper with one hand takes hold of the grain which he reaps, and cuts it ofl' with the sickle in the other. T[ Nor he that bindeth sheaves. The man who gathers in the harvest. This was commonly performed by a diSerent person from the reaper. % Sis bosom. This word would commonly refer to the bosom of the garment.

8 Neither do they wHcli go by say, Tlie blessing * of the

in which things were carried; or that part above the girdle. It may he used here, however, in a larger sense,— since it is incongruous to suppose that sheaves o"f grain would be carried thus,— as meaning simply that one who gathered the sheaves would usually convey them in his arms, folding them to his hosom.

8. Neither do they tvhich go by say. The hlessing of the LOED, etc. As in a harvest-field, where persons passing by express their joy and gratitude that their neighbours are reaping an abundant harvest. Tlie phrase " The blessing of the Lord be upon you," was expressive of good wishes; of pious congratulation; of a hope of success and pi-osperity; as when we say, " God be with ycu;" or, " God bless you." The meaning here is, that such language would never be used in reference to the grass or grain growing on the housetop, since it would never justify a wish of that kind: — it would be ridiculous and absurd to apply such language to any one who should be found gathering up that dry, and withered, and worthless grass. So the psalmist prays that it may be in regard to all who hate Zion (ver. 5), that they may have no such prosperity as would be represented by a growth of luxuriant and abundant grain; no such prosperity as would be denoted by the reaper and the binder of sheaves gathering iu such a harvest; no such prosperity as would be indicated by the cheerful greeting and congratulation of neighbours who express their gratification and their joy at the ricli and abundant harvest which has crowned tlie labours of their friend, by the prayer that God would bless him. ^ We bless you in the name of the Lord. Still the language of pious joy and gratification addressed by his neighbours to him who was reaping his harvest. All this is simply language drawn from common life, uttering a prayer that the enemies of Zion might be "confounded and turned back" (ver. 5); a prayer that they might not be successful in their endeavours to destroy the Church. Such a prayer cannot but be regarded as proper and right.

This psalm is also entitled " A Song of Degrees." See Notes on Litrod. to Ps. cxx. The author and the occasion on which it was composed are unknown, as is also the reason why it was included in this group of psalms.

The language of the psalm seems to be that of an individual; but most interpreters suppose that it is an individual speaking _m the name of the nation, and representing its calamities and its penitence. Some have imagined that the person represented as speaking m vers. 7, 8, is a different individual from the one speaking in the other part of the psalm, but there seems to be no grotmd for this opinion. It is commonly supposed that the psalm had reference to the state of the Jews in the Babylonish captivity, but there is no necessity for limiting it to that period, if indeed it has any reference to the people of Israel. There were many occasions in their history when the language of the psalm would not be less appropriate than at that time. But there is no necessit;) at all for supposing that it refers to the nation as such. It may be the language of an individual, mourning over his sins, and pleading for mercy, expressing deep conviction of sin, and humble trust in Uod as the only hope for a convinced, condemned, and penitent Binner. As such, it would represent what has occurred in thousands of cases

thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

when sinners have been brought to conviction of sin, and have cried for mercy. Understood in this manner, it is one of the most instructive and touching of the psabns. I know of no reason why it may not be so regarded.

1. Out of the depths. The word rendered depths is from a verb — ppy, atnak — which means to be deep; then, to be unsearchable; then, to make deep; and it would apply to anything low, deep, or profound, as the ocean, a pit, or a valley. The word here used occurs elsewhere only in the following places: — Ps. Ixix. 2, 14, where it is rendered deep, applied to waters; and Isa. li. 10; Ezek. xxvii. 34, where it is rendered depths. The word, as used here, would be applicable to deep affliction, dejection, or distress. It would be applicable (a) to affliction — the depths of sorrow from loss of friends, property, or bodily suftering; (b) sin — the depths into which the soul is plunged under the consciousness of guilt; (c) mental trouble — low spirits — melancholy — darkness of mind — loss of comfort in religion — powerful temptation — disappointment— the anguish caused by ingratitude — or sadness of heart in view of the crimes and the sorrows of men — or grief at the coldness, the hardness, the insensibility of our friends to their spiritual condition. From all these depths of sorrow it is our privilege to call upon the Lord; in those depths of sorrow it is proper thus to implore his help. Often he brings us into these " depths " that we mai/ be led to call upon him; always when we are brought there, we should call upon him. Tf Save I cried unto thee, O LOED. Or rather, " do I now invoke thee," or call earnestly upon thee. The language does not refer so much to the past as the present. I now cry for mercy; I now implore thy blessing. The condition is that of one who in deep sorrow, or under deep conviction for sin, pleads earnestly that God would have compassion on him.

2. Lord, hear my voice. This is the prayer; this is what he cried. It is the language of earnest pleading, ^f Let thine ears he attentive to the voice of my supplications. Do not turn away from me; do not disregard my cry. See Notes on Ps. v. 1.

3. If thou, LoED, shouldest mark iniquities. If thou shouldst observe, note, attend to, regard all the evil that I have done. The Hebrew word means properly to keep, to watch, to guard. The word, as used here, refers to that kind of vigilance or watchfulness which one is expected to manifest who is on guard; who keeps watch in a city or camp by night. The idea is, If God should thus look with a scrutinizing eye; if he should try to see all that he could see; if he should suffer nothing to escape his observation; if he should deal with us exactly as we are; if he should overlook nothing, forgive nothing, we could have no hope. % Who shall stand? Who shall stand upright? Who could stand before thee? Who could hope to be acquitted? This implies (1) that the petitioner was conscious of guik, or knew that he was a

4 But "' there is forgiveness with thee, that " thou may est be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my

soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that

sinner; (2) that he felt there was a depth of depravity in his heart which God could see, hut which he did not,— as every man must he certain that there is in his own soul; (3) that God had the power of bringing that to light if he chose to do it, so that the guilty man would be entirely overwhelmed; (4) that he who urged the prayer rested his only hope on the fact that God would not mark iniquity; would not develope what was in him; would not judge him by what he saw in his heart; but would deal with him otherwise, and show him mercy and compassion. Every man must feel that if God should "mark iniquity" as it, is,— if he should judge us as we are, — we could have no hope. It is only on the ground that we may be forgiven, that we can hope to come before him.

4. But there is forgiveness with thee. The Septuagint renders this iXao-jUoc, propitiation, reconciliation; the Latin Vulgate propitiatio, propitiation. The Hebrew word means pardon. The idea is, that sin may be forgiven; or, that God is a Being who does pardon sin, and that this!8 the only ground of hope. When we come before God, the ground of our hope is not that we can justify ourselves; not that we can prove we have not sinned; not that we can explain our sins awayj not that we can offer an apology for them; it is only in a frank and full confession, and in a hope that God will forgive them. He who does not come in this manner can have no hope of acceptance with God. T[ That thou may est he feared. That thou may est be reverenced; or, that men may be brought to serve and worship thee — may be brought to a proper reverence for thy name. The idea is, not that pardon produces fear or terror, — for the very reverse is true, — but that God, by forgiving the sinner, brings him to reverence him, to worship him, to serve him:— that is, the sinner is truly reconciled to God, and becomes a sincere worshipper. The offender is so pardoned that he is disposed to worship and honour God; for God has revealed himself as one who forgives sin, in order that the sinner may be encouraged to come to him, and be his true worshipper.

5. I wait for the LoED. That is, in this state of distress and trouble — from these " depths " of woe, and sorrow, and conviction of sin. This implies two things: (1) that he had no other dependence; (2) that his soul was actually in a waiting posture, or that he actually looked to the Lord for his interposition. 1 My soul doth wait. I wait, with all my soul and heart. IF And in his word do I hope. In his promise. I believe that he will fulfil that promise, and that I shall find a gracious answer to my prayers. Under conviction for sin, under deep sorrow and distress of any kind, this is the only hope of man. If God does not interpose, there is no deliverer; that he will interpose we may feel assured, if we come to him with a humble, a believing, and a penitent heart.

6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. More intently; more anxiously. The Septuagint and Latin Vulgate render this, " My soul hopeth iu the Lord from the morning

7 Let Israel hope " in the

Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous p redemption.

watch till night." The idea is that of watchers — night guards — who look anxiously for the break of day that they may be relieved. It is not that of persons who simply look for the return of day, but of those who are on guard — or it may be who watch beside the sick or the dying — and who look out on the east to mark the first indications of returning light. To them the night seems longj they are weary, and want repose; all around is cheerless, gloomy, and still; and they long for the first signs that light will again visit the world. Thus in affliction — the long, dark, dreary, gloomy night of sorrow — the sufferer looks for the first indication, the first faint ray of comfort to the soul. Thus uuder deep conviction for sin, and deep apprehension of the wrath of God — that night, dark, dreary, gloomy, often long — the soul looks for some ray of comfort, some intimation that God will be merciful, and will speak peace and pardon. ^ I say, more than they that watch for the morning. Marg., ivhich toatch unto the morning. The translation in the text best expresses the sense. There is something exceedingly beautiful and touching in this language of repetition, though it is much enfeebled by the words which our translators have inserted, " I say, more than." The Hebrew is, " more than they that watch for the morning, — watch for the morning," as if the mind dwelt upon the words as better expressing its own anxious state than any other words could do. Every one who has been afflicted will feel the force of this; every one who has been under conviction of sin, and who has felt himself in danger of suflering the wrath of God, will remember how anxiously he longed for mercy, for light, for peace, for some indication, even the most faint, like the first ray which breaks in the east, that his soul tvould find mercy and peace.

7. Let Israel hope in the LOED. In such circumstances of affliction and distress, let not the people of God despair. In the darkest night, in calamities deep and prolonged, let not those who love God despair. The morning will dawn; the light will break in the east; deliverance and joy will come. The Hebrew here is, " Trust, 0 Israel, in the Lord." The design of the psalmist seems to be, from his own experience, to persuade others — the afflicted people of God — to put their trust in Him in whom he had himself hoped. From the very depths of affliction, guilt, and almost despair, he had looked to the Lord: — encouraged and persuaded by his example, he would now entreat the people of God everywhere and always, in like manner, to trust him. ^ For ivith the LoED there is mercy. He is merciful, and in his mercy we may trust. ^ And with him is plenteous redemption. It is ample; it is full; itabounds. It is not limited; it is not exhausted; it cannot be exhausted. So we may always feel when we come before God, that his mercy is ample for all the wants of all the sinful and the suffering; that the provisions of his grace are unexhausted and inexhaustible. Applying this, as we may, to the work of the Saviour, we may feel that the redemption which is in him is adequate to the wants of a world, and that although numberless millions have been saved by it, yet that

8 And « he shall redeem

it is still as rich, as fall, and as free as it was in the beginning;— as the ocean, though from the beginning of the world it has supplied the materials for rain and dew to water the hills, the vales, the continents, and the islands, is still full; as the light of the sun, though for thousands of ao-es it has poured its light on the planets, and on all the vast space between itself and those orbs, and has sent out its light into the vast regions beyond, still shines with undiminished splendour, and pours its floods of day and of glory on all those worlds.

8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. His people. He will completely deliver them from tiie power and the pollution of sin. This will ultimately be accomplished in reference to his whole church, and to every true member of that church. This was the highest object before the mind of the psalmist — that with which the psalm appropriately closes. And this is the highest object before the mind of every true child of God— that he may be completely and for ever delivered from the power and the dominion of sin. This will be perfectly accomplished in heaven only; but there and then the bliss will be complete. The psalm begins with an earnest cry from the "depths;" it closes with the triumphant hope of complete and eternal deliverance. There is one world where there is no occasion to cry to God from the " depths " of sorrow and of sin.