Notes on the Old and New Testaments

This brief psalm is entitled " A Song of Degrees of David."_ There is nothing in it to forbid the idea that it was composed by him, for it is wholly in his spirit and manner. It is not known, however, on what occasion it was written, nor why it has a place among the "Songs of Degrees." It would seem to have been pi-epared on some occasion when the author had been charged with being of a lofty and proud spirit; with meddling in matters that were above Mm, or above his condition in life; or with making such suo-gestions about public affairs as were considered to indicate a selfconfident, or an aspiring mind. Without being able to determine thisby any certain facts, the supposition which would seem most to accord with the contents of the psalm would be that it was written when he was a young man; when he had expressed, in the presence of others, some sentiments on public aflairs which were interpreted by them as denoting a forward and self-confident spirit. If so, then this psalm was probably a private meditation on what he had done, and was of the nature of a personal examination of his spirit and motives. Knowing, as we do, what David was afterwards — his great talents as a warrior and a king, and his ability to manage public affairs it would not, in itself, be strange or improbable that, in eai-ly life, and even when a shepherd-boy, he might have advanced opinions which would be regarded as beyond his age, as unbecoming bis condition, and as manifesting a disposition to meddle with matters above him; and that he might have been rebuked for this. If it were so, we may_ suppose that a pious and a modest youth would give himself to self-examination, to determine whether that was the spirit which actuated him, and this psalm may have been the result of such an examination: — a deep self-consciousness that such was not the spirit which influenced him; that these were 7ioi the motives A\hich prompted him to do what ho had done. ' The psalm, therefore, may, perhaps, Avithout impropriety, be regarded as furnishing evidence of the early manifestation of a disposition on the part of David to study public afl'au-s, and of an early manifestation of a knowledge on that subject which was regarded as

A Song of degrees of David. T ORD, my heart is not •^ hauglity, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I ' exercise myself in great matters, or in things too ^ high for me.

2 Sui-ely I have behaved and quieted ^ myself, as a child '■ that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child,

above his years and his station; and, at the same time, of his readiness to profit by rebuke, and to examine his real motives; and of his consciousness that he was not actuated by self-confident and aspiring views. The psalm manifests a humble spirit, and a spu'it of confident trust in God. If the interpretation thus suggested could be confirmed, — or if it may be allowed, — the psakn would be one of the most valuable records of the early life and character of David. It would add to the interest of this conjecture, if we might suppose that this psalm was left among the effubioiiB of his early years — among, as we should say, his "private papers," — and was discovered after he was dead, and was then an-anged and published among these " Songs of Degrees."

1. LoBD, my Thea/rt is not TiaugMy. Though this is charged upon me; though I may have said things which seem to imply it; though this might appear a just inference from my conduct, — yet -I am conscious that this is not my real character. WTiat I have said was not the result of ambition. ^ Nor mine eyes lofty. I am conscious that I am not ambitious and aspiring — as I am accused of being. What I have said is not the result of such a feeling, nor should such a charge be brought against me. % Neither do I exercise myself. Marg., as in Heb., walk. I do not walk about among such things j I do not pry into them; I do not meddle with them. What I have said or done is not, as has been said concerning me, the result of a meddlesome and interfering spirit. It may seem to be so; my own consciousness teUs me it is Tiot so. The interpretation put upon my conduct may be natural; but I am conscious to myself that it is not the right interpretation. T In great matters, or in things too high for me. Marg., as in Heh., wonderful. The word wonderful would apply to matters fitted to excite astonishment by their vastness, or their unusual nature — as prodigies or miracles; and then, great and lofty truths. It would apply also to things which might be regarded as far above the capacity of a child, or of one in obscure life, and with slight advantages of education; and, as above suggested, it may have been the accusation brought against him, that, in respect to public matters, matters of state, — or to the more elevated doctrines of religion, — he had manifested a spirit unbecoming one in early years, and of humble rank, and that this indicated a desire to meddle with matters which he could not understand, and which could not pertain to him. He was conscious, he says, that he was not actuated by that spirit.

2. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself. Marg., as in Heb., my soul. The Hebrew is, "If I have not soothed and quieted my soul." This is a strong mode' of affirming that he had done it. The negative form is often thus used to denote a strong affirmation. The full form would be, " God knows if I have not done this;" or, " If I have not done this, then let me bear the consequences; let me be punished." The idea is that he was conscious he had done this. Instead of being

3 Let Israel hope in tlie I Lord, ^ from hencefortli and 1 from now. I for ever.

arrogant, pi-oud, and ambitious, — instead of meddling with matters above him, and which did not belong to him, he had known his proper place. He had been gentle, calm, retiring. The word rendered behaved means properly to be even or level; then, in the form here used, to make even, smooth, or level; and it is here used in the sense of calming the mind j smoothing down its roughnesses; keeping it tranquil. Comp. Notes on Isa. xsxviii. 13, in our version, " I reckoned" (the same word as here) " till morning," — but where the correct translation would be, " I composed or calmed myself until morning." So the meaning here is, that he had kept his mind calm, and even, and gentle. '^ As a child that is weaned of his mother. See Isa. xxviii. 9. There have been very various interpretations of this passage. See Rosenmiiller in loo. Perhaps the true idea is that of a child, when weaned, as leaning upon its mother, or as reclining upon her breast. As a weaned child leans upon its mother. That is, as a child, accustomed to the breast, and now deprived of it, lays its head gently where it had been accustomed to derive its nutriment, feeling its dependence, hoping to obtain nourishment again: not angry, but gently grieved and sad. A little child thus clinging to its mother — laying its head gently down on the bosom — languishing — looking lor nourishment — would be a most tender image of meekness and gentleness. ^ My sotil is even as a tveaned child. Literally, " As a weaned child upon me my soul;" that is probably, My soul leans upon me as a weaned child. My powers, my nature, my desires, my passions, thus lean upon me, are gentle, unambitious, confiding. The Septuagint renders this in a different manner, and giving a difterent idea, " Had 1 not been humble, but exalted myself as a weaned child doth against its mother, how wouldst thou have retributed against my soul!" The Hebrew, however, requires that it should be otherwise interpreted. The idea is, that he had been gentle; that he had calmed down his feelings: that whatever aspirations he might have had, he had kept them under; that though he might have made inquiries, or offered suggestions that seemed to savour of pride or ambition, he had been conscious that this was not so, but that he had known his proper place, and had kept it. The sentiment here is, that religion produces u child-like spirit; that it disposes all to know and keep their right place; that to whatever inquiries or suggestions it may lead among the young, it will tend to keep them modest and humble; and that whatever suggestions one in early life may be disposed to make, they will be connected with a spirit that is humble, gentle, and retiring. Religion produces self-control, and is inconsistent with a proud, an arrogant, and an ambitious spirit.

3. Let Israel hope in the Lord, etc. The connexion would seem to leqnire us to understand this as the assertion of him who had been accused of thoughts which seemed to be too lofty. As the result of all his r"fiections (of those reflections for which he was rebuked and charged with pride, but which were really conceived in a modest spirit), — as expressing what he saw that seemed to be in advance of what others saw, or to indicate a habit of thought beyond his years, — he s.ays that there were reasons tvhy Israel should hope in the Lord j that there was a foundation for confident trust; that there was that in the

2 How he sware unto Lord, and vowed • unto mighty God of Jacob;

Divine character wliicli was a just ground of reliance; that there was that in the course of events — in the tendencies of things — which made it proper for the people of God, for the church, to hope, to confide, to feel assured of its ultimate and permanent safety. This would indicate the nature of the suggestions which he iad expressed, and which had exposed him to the charge of arrogance; and it would also indicate a ripe and mature habit of thinking, beyond what might be expected from one in very early life. All this was, probably, applicable to David in his early years, as to the reflections which might have foreshadowed what he ivould be in future; this was eminently applicable to David's Descendant, — greater than he, — who, at twelve years of age. astonished the Hebrew doctors in the temple with "his understanding and answers " (Luke ii. 47) j this gives a beautiful view of modesty joined with uncommon gifts in early life; this shows what is always the nature of true religion — as producing modesty, and as prompting to hope.

This psalm is simply entitled "A Song of Degrees." The author of it is not known, nor can the occasion on which it was wi-itten be certainly ascertained. It would seem to have been composed in a time of public "distress and disaster; when the affairs of the nation were in jeopardy, and especially when the Hue of the monarchy seemed about to fail, and the promises made to David seemed about to come to nought. It would have been a suitable occasion for such a psalm at the time immediately preceding the captivity in Babylon, or on the return from Babylon, when the throne was tottering or had fallen, and when God seemed to be about to forsake his house, the temple,— or had forsaken it, and suffered it to fall to ruui. At such a time of national disaster, when it appeared as if the house of God was to be permanently destroyed, and the government to be overturned for ever, it was natural and proper thus to make mention of the zeal, the toil, and the sacrifice of him who had sought a "habitation" for God; — who had planned and laboured that there might be a permanent dwelling-place for tlie Most High, and who had received gracious promises from God himself in regard to the permanent establishment of his family on the throne. It would be appropriate, also, to recall this as a foundation for the prayer that God would again visit Zion, and would fulfil the promises which he had given to David.

The psalm, therefore, consists properly of two parts: I. A statement of the zeal of David for the ark, ia securing a pcnnanent abode for it, vers. 1- 8; and II. A reference to the promises made to Da^^d and his posterity, and a prayer that these promises might be carried out and accompUshed, vers. 9-18.

1. LOED, remember David. Call to remembrance his zeal, his labour, his trials in order that there might be a permanent place for thy worship. Call this to remembrance in order that his purpose in thy cause may not be frustrated; in order that the promises made to him may be accomplished. ^ And all Iiis afflictions. The particular trial here referred to was his care and toil, that there might be a settled home for the ark. The word used would not "efer merely to what is specified in the following verses (his bringing up the ark to Mount

3 Surely 1 ynil not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;

4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,

5 Until I find out a place for the Lord, ' an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

6 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratab; we foiind it in the fields of the wood.

Zion), but to his purpose to build a house for God, and — (siuce he was not permitted himself to build it because he was a man of war, and had been engaged in scenes of blood, 1 Kings v. 3; 1 Chron. xxii. 8) — ' to his care and toil in collecting materials for the temple to be erected by his son and successor. It is not, therefore, his general afSictions which are here meant, but bis anxiety, and his efforts, to secure a lasting place for the worship of God.

2. Hoio he sware unto the Lord. The solemn oath which he took that he would make this the first object; that he would give himself no rest till this was done; that he would sacrifice his personal ease and comfort in order that he might thus honour God. This oath or purpose is not recorded in the history. The fair interpretation of this would be either (1) That these words properly expressed what was in the mind of David at the time, — that is, his acts implied that this purpose was in his heart; or (2) that this vow was actually made by David, though not elsewhere recorded. Such a vow might have been made, and the remembrance of it kept up by tradition, or it might have been suggested to the author of the psalm by direct inspiration. "^ And vozved unto the miff Ml/ God. of Jacob. See Gen. xlix. 24. The God whom Jacob worshipped, and who had manifested himself so signally to him as a God of might or power.

3. Sureli/ I will not come into the tahernacle of my Jiouse. The tent of my dwelling; the place where I abide. ^ Nor go up into my hed. The couch of my bed, or where I sleep. I will make it my first business to find a dweliing-place for the Lord; a place where the ark may repose.

4. I will not give sleep to mine eyes, etc. There is no diff'erence here between the words sleep and slumber. The meaning is, tha'- the house of the Lord should be his first care..

5. Until I find out a place for the LoEB. A place for the ark of God; a place where it may constantly and safely remain. The symbol of the Divine presence rested on the mercy-seat, the cover of the ark, and hence this was represented as the seat or the house of God. 1[ An habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. Heb., " For the mighty One of Jacob." The reference is to a permanent dwelling-place for the ark. It had been moved from place to place. There was no house appropriated to it, or reared expressly for it, and David resolved to provide such a house, — at first, a tent or tabernacle on Mount Zion, — and then, a more spacious and magnificent structure, the temple. The latter he was not permitted to build, though the purpose was in his heart.

6. Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah. Most probably this is the language of the contemporaries of David; or this is what they might be supposed to say; or this is what tradition reports that they did say. David's purpose, as referred to in the previous verses, is not recorded in the history, and the memory of the whole transaction may have been handed down by tradition. Or, this may be merely poetic language, expressing the feelings of those who, when sent out by David, or accompanying him, found the ark. Much difficulty has been felt in regard to this verse. There is no mention in the history of the fact that the ark was "heard of" at Ephrata, or that it was ever there. The name Ephrata — nmpN — is applied (1) to a region of country to which was subsequently given the name Bethlehem, Gen. xxxv. 16-19; Ruth iv. 11. (2) Properly to Bethlehem, a city of Judah, the full name of which was Bethlehem-Ephratah, Gen. xlviii. 7; Micah v. 2. (3) It is a proper name, 1 Chron. ii. 19, 50; iv. 4. (4) It may perhaps be the same as Epliraim. Comp. Judges xii. 5; 1 Sam. i. 1; 1 Kings xi. 26. Some have supposed the meaning to be, that they found it within the limits of the tribe of Ephraim, and that the word Ephratah is used here with reference to that; but this is a forced construction. It may have been indeed true that the ark was found within the limits of that tribe, but the word Ephratah would not naturally denote this; and, besides, the tribe of Ephraim was so large, and covered such an extent of territory, that this would convey no distinct information; and it cannot be supposed that the writer meant to say merely that they found it within the limits of a tribe. Nor can it mean that they actually found the ark at Ephrata, or Bethlehem, for this would not be true. A simple and natural interpretation of the passage has been suggested, which seems to make it plain: — that, in their search for the ark, it was at Ephratah or Bethlehem that they first heard of it, but that they actually found it in the fields of the wood. It may seem strange that there should have been so much uncertainty about the ark as is here implied; that David did not know where it was; and that none of the priests knew. But, while it must be admitted that it seems to be strange, and that the fact is not of easy explanation, it is to be remembered that the ark was nt one time in the possession of the Philistines; that when it was re-taken it seems to have had no very permanent resting-place; that it may have been removed from one spot to another as circumstances required; that it may have been committed now to one, and now to another, for safe keeping; and thus it might have occurred, in the unsettled and agitated state of affairs, that its exact situation might be unknown, and that a somewhat diligent search was necessary in order to find it. We know too little of the times to enable us to pronounce upon the subject with much confidence. % We found it in the fields of the wood. Continuing our search, we found it there. Perhaps Kirjathjearim, 1 Sam. vii. 1; 1 Chron. xiii. 5. It was to Kirjath-jearim that the ark was carried after it had been taken by the Philistines (1 Sam. vi. 21). The literal meaning of the passage here is, " The field -■" the wood " — or of Jear, where the word in Hebrew is the same as in Kirjath-yeanwj. The name Kirjath-jearim means Forest Town, or, city of the woods; and the allusion here is the same as in 1 Sam. vii. 1. The interpretation, then, seeins to be that they heard of the ark, or learned where it was, when they were at Ephrata or Bethlehem; but that they actually found it in the vicinity of Kirjath-jearim. The ignorance in the case may have been merely in regard to the exact place or house where it was at that time kept. Bethlehem was the home or city of David, and the idea is, that, when there, and when it was contemplated to remove the ark to Mount Zlon, information

7 "We t wili go into Ms tabernacles; we will worship " at his footstool.

8 Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thoUj and the ark of " thy

9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout '* for joy.

10 For thy servant David's sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.

or intelligence was brought there of its exact locality, and they went forth to bring it to its new abode or its permanent resting-place.

7. Tf-'e tvill go into Ms tabernacles. His tents, or the fixed restingplace prepared for the ark. This is evidently language supposed to have been used on bringing up the ark into its place in Jerusalem: — language such as they may be supposed to have sung or recited on that occasion. If We will worship at his footstool. See Notes on Ps. xcix..5. The meaning is, the footstool of God: — let us bow humbly at his feet. The language denotes profound adoration. It expresses the feelings of those who bare the ark to its assigned place.

8. Arise, O Lokd, into thy rest. Into that which is appointed for its permanent place of repose, that it may no longer be removed from spot to spot. This is spoken of the ark, considered as the place where God, by an appropriate symbol, abode. That symbol — the Shechinah — rested on the cover of the ark. The same language was used by Solomon at the dedication of the temple: " Now, therefore, arise,

0 Lord God, into thy resting-place, thou and the ark of thy strength," 2 Chron. vi. 41. "^ Thou, and the ark of thy strength. The ark, the symbol of the Divine power, as if the power of God resided there, or as if the Almighty had his abode there. Perhaps the language was derived from the fact that the ark, in the wars of the Hebrews against their foes, was a symbol of the Divine presenpe and protection, — that by which the Divine power was put forth.

9. Let thy priests be clothed loith righteousness. This is also substantially the samo language that was used by Solomon at the dedication of the temple. See again 2 Chron. vi. 41. The idea is, that in the service of such a God, the priests, the ministers of religion, should be holy. The honour of religion demanded it. It was the first qualification of those who " served the altar;" a qualification without which all other endowments would be valueless. On the word clothed, see Notes on Ps. xxxv. 26; comp. Ps. lxv. 13; xciii. 1; civ. 1; Isa. Ixi. 10;

1 Pet. V. 5. % And let thy saints shout for joy. Thy holy ones; all who truly worship and honour thee. Let them be happy in such a God; in thy presence; in thy service. The fact that there is a God, and such a God, and that this God is ours — that we may serve him, glorify him, enjoy him — is fitted to fill the mind with joy.

10. For thy servant David's sake. Because of the promise made to him; because of the zeal which he has shown in securing a place for the ark. Let it not be in vain that he has shown such a regard to the honour of God; let not the promises <nade to him fail. Such a prayer is proper now. There is nothing wrong in our beseeching God to carry out and accomplish the purposes cherished by his churcli for prumoting the honour of his name; or for a child to pray tliat the purposes of a pious parent in regard to himself may not fail. It is an expressiou of nature — a desire that the labour and sacrifices of those who have gone

11 Tlie Lord liath sworn in truth unto David, lie will not turn from it, Of * the fruit of thy 1 body will I set upon thy throne;

12 If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimony that I shall teach them,

their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.

13 For the Lord hath chosen Zion: he hath desired it for his habitation.

14 This y is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

before us should not be lost. This is the language of the author of the psalm, and of those for whom the psalm was composed. See ver. 1. In view of all that David has done, do thou now show favour and mercy. % Turn not away the face of thine anointed. As if in displeasure, or m forgetfulness. The word anointed would refer to one who was set apart as a king, a priest, or a prophet. See Notes on Matt. i_. 1. The word would be applicable to David himself, as the anointed kmg; m a higher sense it is applicable to the Messiah, the Christ. The reference here is probably to David himself, as if a failure to carry out his purposes in regard to the sanctuary, or to fulfil the promises made to him, would be a turning away the face from him; would be a mark of the Divine displeasure against him. The prayer is, that God would carry out those purposes as if his face was continually turned with benignity and favour towards David.

11. The LoED hath sworn in tndh unto David. He has made a gracious promise, confirmed by an oath, which we may plead in our present necessities. That promise was made " in truth,"— that is, sincerely,—so that it will certainly be carried out,— so that we may appeal to God, on the ground of his faithfulness, to keep his word. % -He loill not turn from. it. We may be certain that he will carry it out. We may appeal to him on the basis of that promise with the utmost confidence. ^ Of the fruit of thy hody will I set upon thy throne. Marg., as in Heb., of thy belly. The throne would descend to his posterity, 2 Sam. vii. 12; see Notes on Ps. Ixxxix. 3, 4.

12. If thy children will Tceep my covenant, etc. This was the condition implied in the promise,— that they were to keep the law of God, and to serve and obey him. If they did not, they could not, of course, plead the promise. This principle is universal. We cannot plead any promise of God in our behalf, or in behalf of our children, unless we obey his commands, and are ourselves faithful to him. See the sentiment in this verse illustrated in the Notes on Ps. Ixxxix. 30-37.

13. For the Lord hath chosen Zion. He has selected it as the place where he will abide; the seat of his religion. This is a new plea or argument, and shows that the psalm had reference to Zion or Jerusalem, as then in danger, or as having been in danger. See Notes on Ps. xlviii. 1, 2. 1" -He hath desired it for his habitation. A place where to abide. He had selected this as th^ permanent place of his worship.

14. This is my red for ever. My home; my permanent abode. _ I will no more remove from place to place— as when the ark was carried in the wilderness, and as it has been since; but Zion shall now be the fixed seat of religion. See Notes on Ps. Ixviii. 16. \ Sere will 1 dtvell, etc. Permanently; constantly.

15 1 will 1 abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy ber poor witb " bread.

16 I « will also clotbe ber priests witb salvation; and ber saints sball sbout aloud for joy.

17 Tbere will I make tbe boi-n of David to bud: I bave ordained a 2 lamp * for mine anointed.

18 His enemies will I clotbe witb sbame; but upon bimself sball bis crown floimsb.

15, I loill abundantly Uess Jier provision. Marg., surelt/. Hebrew, " Blessing I will bless,"— a strong affirmation, meaning that he would certainly do it; that he would do it in every way; that every needed blessing would be imparted. The word rendered provision is a cognate form of the word in Ps. Ixxviii. 25, translated meat: " He sent them meat to the full." It properly refers to food for a journey, but it is applicable to any kind of food. The original idea is that of food obtamed by hunting — as game, venison: Gen. xxv. 28; Job xxxviii. 41. The meaning here is, that God would provide abundantly for their support. % I will satisfy her poor loith hread. I will give them what they need. See Notes on Ps. xxxvii. 25.

16. 1%vill also clothe her priests tvith salvation. See Notes on ver. 9, where— instead of the word which in 2 Chron. vi. 41, as here, is " salvation,"— we find the word "righteousness." The promise here corresponds to the prayer in ver. 9. It is a reason why God should interpose. What they prayed for (ver. 9) had been expressly ^Jromised!, and that promise is now urged as a plea why the prayer should be o-ranted. «1[ And her saints shall shout aloud for joy. See ver. 9. In 2 Chron. vi. 41 the prayer is, " And let thy saints rejoice in goodness." The sense is not materially varied. The Hebrew is, " And let thy saints rejoicing rejoice;" that is, let them shout, shout; let them be full of joy.

17. There will I make the horn of B avid to hud. The horn was an emblem of power; and then, of success or prosperity. See Notes on Luke i. 69. The word rendered "to bud" means to grow, or to shoot forth as a plant, or as grass grows; and then it may be applied to anything which shoots forth or grows. The allusion here would seem to be to'a horn as it shoots forth on the head of an animal. Sd David would be endowed with growing strength; would have the means of defending himself against his enemies, and of securing victory. The language°had no original reference to the Messiah, but it is not improperly applied to him (as springing from David) in Luke i. 69. On the word horn, see Notes on Ps. Ixxv. 4. Comp. Ps. Ixxxix. 17, 24; xcii. 10; cxii. 9; Dan. vii. 8; viii. 5. H J have ordained a lamp for mi»e anointed. Marg., a candle. I have appointed; that is, I have givta him that which will always be as a lamp or guide to him; that by which he will see to walk. I have given him true and precious promises, which will be to him as a lamp, a candle, a lantern is to one walking in the night. See Notes on Ps. xviii. 28; cxix. 105.

18. His enemies will I clothe with shame. They shall be so confounded that shame shall seem to cover them as a garment. See Notei on Ps. cix. 29. That is, David would be trii mphant. ^ J^ut upon himself shall his crotcn flourish. His crown shall be as a fcesh, bloom-

A Song of degrees of David.

pEHOLD, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell ^ together in unity!

ing garland. The Hebrew word used here may mean either to glitter, or to fioioer, to flourish or bloom. As applied to a crown, it may mean either that it would sparkle or glitter, as set with precious stones, — or (under the idea of a g.nrland) it may mean that it would appear to bloom or blossom. In either case it denotes success, joy, triumph, — and is a promise of prosperity to David as a king. This was a part of the promise referred to by the psalmist, and a ground of the plea in the psalm. God had made these precious promises to David and his posterity; and now, in a time of sorrow and disaster, when the glory of the crown seemed about to pass away, the psalmist, in the name of the people, and in language to be used by the people, prays that those ancient promises might be remembered and fulfilled. So, in a time of general religious declension, we may plead the promises, so rich and so abundant, which God has made to his churcl:, as a reason for his gracious interposition; for his coming to revive hia work.

This psalm is entitled "A Song of Degrees of David." It is one of the four in this collection ascribed to him, and there is no reason to doubt ibe coiTectness of the inscription. As to the occasion on which the psalm was composed, however, we have no information. Perhaps there was nothing: special in the occasion which called it forth, since it may have been written at any time to set forth the beauty and the power of brotherly love. It may have been composed either for the service of the people when gathered in their annual festivals, or in view of the harmony — the beauty and order — e^'inced when they u-ere thus gathered together.

The psalm is an illusl^-atiou, in most beautiful language, of brotherly love, particularly in regard to its calm, and genth?, and sweet influence — like the ointment which flowed down from the head of the anointed priest, or like the gentle dew on Hermon or Zion. It is a psalm applicable alike to a chmxh; to a family; to a gathering of friends.

1. Behold. As if he looked upon such a gathering, and saw there the expressions of mutual love. This may have been uttered in the actual contemplation of such an assemblage j or it may have been a picture of the imagination. % Hoio good. How good in itself; how proper; how fitted to promote happiness, and to diffuse good influences abroad. *^ And how pleasant. The word here used means lovely, charming, attractive; that which fills the mind with delight, spoken of one beloved. Cant. vii. 6; of a friend, 2 Sam. 1. 26; of a place. Gen. xlix. 15; of words, Prov. xv. 26; of beauty or glory, as of Jehovah, Ps. xxvii. 4. It is descriptive of the pleasure wliich we derive from a picture, from a landscape, from sweet sounds and gentle voices, or from love. % For brethren to divell together in unity.^ Marg., even together, Heb., "The dwelling of brethren also together." Perhaps the idea in the word " also " may be, that wliile the unity of brtethren when separate, or as they were seen when scattered in their habitations, was beautiful, it was also pleasant to see them when actually assembled, or when they actually came together to worship God. As appli-

2 Bis like tlie precious ointment c upon the head, that ran

down tipon the beard, even Aaron's beard; that went down to the skirts of his garments;

cable to the church, it may be remarked (1) that all the people of God — all the followers of the Redeemer — are brethren, members of the same family, fellow-heirs of the same inheritance. Matt, xxiii. 8. (2) There is a peculiar fitness that they should be united, or dwell in unity. (3) Tliere is very much that is beautiful and lovely in their unity and harmony. They are redeemed by the same Saviour; they serve the same Master; they cherish the same hope; they are looking forward to the same heaven; they are subject to the same trials, temptations, and sorrows; they have the same precious consolations. There is, therefore, the beauty, the "goodness," the "pleasantness" of obvious fitness and propriety in their dwelling together in unity. (4) Their unity is adapted to produce an important influence on the world, John xvii. 21. ^o small part of the obstructions to the progress of religion in the world has been caused by the strifes and contentions of the professed friends of God. A new impulse would be given at once to the cause of religion if all the followers of the Lord Jesus acted in harmony: — if every Christian would properly recognize every other Christian as his brother; if every true church wotdd recognize every other church as a church; if all ministers of the Gospel would recognize all other ministers as such; and if all who are Christians, and who walk worthy of the Christian name, were admitted freely to partake with all others in the solemn ordinance which commemorates the Saviour's dying love. Until this is done, all that is said about Christian union in the church is a subject of just derision to the world, — for how can there be union when one class of ministers refuse to recognize the Christian standing, and the validity of the acts, of other ministers of the Lord Jesus, — when one part of the Christian church solemnly refuses to admit another portion to the privileges of the Lord'? table, — when by their actions large portions of the" professed followers of the Redeemer regard and treat others as having no claims to a recognition as belonging to the church of God, and as left for salvation to his " uncovenanted mercies."

2. It is like the precious ointment upon the head. That is, which was poured upon the head of the high priest, when consecrated to the holy office. The Hebrew is, " the good ointment." For a description of the ointment which was used in the consecration of the high priest, and the holy things of the sanctuary, see Ex. xxx. 22-30. Comp. Notes on Isa. Ixi. 3, on the phrase " oil of joy." Anointing with oil was common on festivals and joyous occasions (see Notes on Ps. xxiii. 5), and hence it became an emblem of anything joyous, happy, beautiful; and the idea seemed to be carried to the highest degree when it was connected with the anointing of a high priest to the sacred duties of his office. There is no other resemblance between the idea of anointing with oil and that of harmony among brethren thatt this which is derived from the gladness — the joyousness — connected with such an anointing. The psalmist wished to give the highest idea of the pleasantness of such harmony; and be, therefore, compared it with that which was most beautiful to a pious mind — the idea of a solemn consecration to the highest office of religion. The comparison is one which would not

3 As the dew of Hennon, ^ and as the deio tliat descended upon the mountains of Zion: d Deut. iv. 48.

unnaturally occur to a Jew. ^ That ran down upon the heard Descendine from tbe bead upon the long, flowing beard. The idea here is tbat of copiousness, or abundance—?^s, if so much ointment was poured forth as to descend on the whole person, consecrating the entire man. nr Even Aaron's heard. The word " even " here, introduced by our translators, weakens the force and beauty of the comparison. The psalmist had the simple imnge of Aaron before bis mind, without intending to compare him with any other. ^ That loent down to the skirts of his garraents. Literally, "to the mouth of bis garment. The idea is tbat the anointing oil was abundant enough to flow down so as to fall on his entire robe, diffusing a sweet fragrance aU around. It is vossihle, though it may seem Hke a conceit, that the psalmist may have had an idea of unity in this, as if in the anointing of the high priest the whole man was consecrated, or was "united' m the consecration. It was not merely the bead, but the beard, the rauuent, the entire person, tbat partook of the fragrance of the anointing oil. Thus love in a Christian community is so abundant— so overflowing— that >t spreads over all tbe spii-itual body, the church; the same sweet and holy influence, represented by the oil of anointing, pervades all, and combines all in one.

3 As the dew of Sermon, etc. On tbe situation of Mount Hermon, see Notes on Ps. Ixxxis. 12. Tbe literal rendering of this passage womd be " Like th" dew of Hermon which descends on the mounta\ns ot Zion." According to our version two things are referred to; the dew of Hermon, and the dew on the mountains of Zion. But this is not in tbe orio-inal. There no dew is referred to but that which belongs to Hermon. ''it has, of *urse, been made a question bow the dewot Hermon, a remote mountain, could be said to descend on the mountains of Zion, and our translators have sought to solve the difficulty by msertino- the words "and as the dew." Some have supposed that the proper interpretation is to refer the comparison in the passage to the dew ot Hernion, and that all which follows is an application ot the thought:— " Like tbe dew of Hermon is the influence which comes down upon the mountains of Zion," etc. The most probable and plausible interpretation, however, it seems to me, is, that the mind of the poet was turned to the dew of Hermon-to the gentleness, and the copiousness, and the vivifving nature of that dew,— diffusing beauty and abundance all around,-and tbat he thought cf that dew, or dew bice that, as descending on the mountains of Zion. Not that the dew of Hermon actually descended there; but when changing the comparison ^^^ ill^J^t^^tf ^ of brotberlv love, from oil to dew, he most naturally thought (perhaps from some former observation) of the dew of Hermon, and immediately thought of Zion as zf-tbat dew descended there:— that is, love, unity, and concord there would be as if the dew of Hermon should descend on tbe barren hills of Zion or Jerusalem, there diflusing beauty, abundance, fertmtv The comparison of the influence of brotherly love, or unity, with dew is not a forced or unnatural one. So calm, so gentle, so refreshing on the tender grain, on tbe young plants, on tbe flowers, is

T)EHOLD, bless ye the Lord, all 7je servants of the Lord, wkicli by nigbt stand in the house of the Lord.

dew, that it is a striking image of the influences which produce brotherly love and harmony. % For there the Loed commanded the Messing. He appointed that as the place of worship; as tlie seat of his residence; the source of all holy influences. See Notes on Ps. Ixxviii. 67-69; Ixxxvii. 2. % Even life for evermore. Lriterally, " Life to eternity." That is, such influences go from that place as to lead to eternal life; or as to secure eternal life. It is in Zion, in his church, that he has made known the way to eternal life, and the means by which it may be obtained. To the end of the world this beautiful psalm will be sung in the church alike as expressing the charm which there is in unity. among brethren and in the church; and as tending to promote that unity whose beauty it is designed to commend. Happy will be that day when the church shall be so united that it may be sung everywhere, as expressing what is, and not merely what should be.

This is the last psalm of the collection or group called " Songs of Degrees," and it is of the nature of a doxology as now sung in our places of ^orship. Its author is unknown. From annhing that appears in the psalm itself, it may have been composed originally to occupy the very place which it does occupy here. The psalm is a summons to praise, and it would seem not improbable that it was designed to be sung by alternate chours,— the first (vers. 1, 2) representing the people approaching the sanctuary, calling on those who habitually serve God there— the ministers of religion— to lift up their hands in the sanctuary- and to praise the Lord;— the second (ver. 3), the response of the priests or the ministers of religion, pronouncing a blessmg on the people — a blessing as proceeding out of Zion.

1. Behold. As if calling attention to the fiict that they were there, or had come. ^ "Bless ye the Loed. Praise Jehovah. Making known their desire that God should be praised, and calling on those who presided over the public worship of the sanctuary to engage now in that service as expressive of their feelings. ^ All ye servants of the LoED. The priests or ministers of religion, appointed especially to this service. ^ Which hy night stand in the house of the Loed. There was a class of singers in the temple who devoted the night, or a part of the night, to praise; and it is possible that this service may have been, as it was subsequently in some of the monasteries, continued by succeeding choirs, during the entire night. Thus in 1 Chron. ix. 33, it is said, "And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free; for they were employed in that work day and night." This class is particularly addre-sed in this psalm, as if they were especially favoured, or as if they had peculiarly the ear of God in the silence of the night, and when the worldslumbered around them. There is something favourable to devotion in the silence of the niffht; when the world sleeps; when we are alone with God; when it seems &=, if God would more particularly attend to our cry since the rest of the world is still, and does not (as it were) need his care. All this may be fancy; but the cff'ect may be to make the mmd more solemn, and better fitted for devotion.

2 Lift « up your hands in ' the sanctuary, and bless the

3 The Lord, that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion.

pRAISE ye the Lord. Praise -*- / ye the name of the Lord; praise Mm, O ye servants of the Lord.

2. Lift tip your hands in the sanctuary. Marg., In holiness. The Hebrew word properly means holiness, but it may be applied to a holy flaee. See Ps. xx, 2. The lifting up of the hands is properly expressive of prayer, but the phrase may be used to denote praise or worship in general. '^ Aid bless the LoED. In the night-watches, — while all around is still, — let there be one place where the voice of praise shall ascend on high.

3. The Lord that made heaven and earth. The great Creator of all things. This is probably the language of those who were thus employed in the service of the Lord at night; their response to the address in the first two verses. ^ Bless thee out of Zion. That is, bless those who thus approached the sanctuary, and called on those within to praise the Lord. This is the answer. Let the blessing of God rest on you. It is language showing that they appreciated the kind and encouraging salutation, and that they reciprocated the feelings and the good wishes of those who came to worship. In the name of the Lord whom they served, therefore, and appealing to him, they pronounced a blessing on those who thus approached the sanctuary. Men do not come near the house of God — the place of public worship — with kind and sympathising feelings without a blessing from the sanctuary, without a response that welcomes them, and that meets all their aspirations. There is always in Zion — in the church — a voice, by day and night, which pnonounces a blessing on those who wish it well, who seek its good, and who desire to partake of the favour of God. •[f Out of Zion. That is, may God speak to you out *of Zion; may he confer on you such blessings as properly go out of Zion; or such as Zion (or his church) can furnish. Go not away unblessed; go not without a token of Divine favour, — for God will bless you.

This psalm has no title in Hebrew; and the author, and the occasion on which it was written, are alike unknown. It is general in its character, though its imagery is taken mostly from Hebrew history.

The sole design of the psalm is to excite to the praise of God; or to show reasons for that praise. As grounds or reasons for this, the psalmist refers to the fact that God is good, ver. 3; to the fact that he had chosen Jacob for himself, ver. 4; to the greatness of God as seen in the works of nature, vers. 5-7; to the history of the Hebrew people, vers. 8-12; to the inability of idols to aid, vers. 13-18; and, in view of all this, he calls on all classes of the people to praise the Lord, vers. 19-21.

— an abridged name for Jehovah. See Notes on Ps. Ixviii. 4. % Praise ye the name of the Lord. The same as praising God himself. 1[ Praise him, O ye servants of the Lord. You who are especially designated or

2 Te i' that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God,

3 Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for '' it is pleasant.

4 For 'the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

6 Whatsoever * the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

7 He ' causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he "• maketh lightnings for the rain: he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.

2. Ye that stand in the house of the Loed. See Notes on Ps. cxxxiv. 1. That is, those who were appointed to conduct the sei-vices of religion, the priests and Levites. If In the conrts of the house of our God. The areas, or parts assigned for different classes of worshippers around the tabernacle and the temple. See Notes on Matt. xxi. 12; Ps. xcii. 13.

3. Praise the Lord; for the Loed is good. See Ps. cvii. 1. ^ Sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant. See Ps. xxxiii. 1; xcii. 1. The idea here is, that it is a source of happiness, and that it is proper in itself.

4. For the Loed liath chosen Jacob unto himself. The descendants of Jacob. He has selected them from among all the inhabitants of the earth to be his peculiar people. % And Israel for his peculiar treasure. The word here rendered treasure, means that which is acquired; property; wealth. They were what God possessed, owned, or claimed among all the people of the earth a» peculiarly his own. He had chosen them; he liad redeemed them; he hsd made them his own, and he regarded them with the interest with which any one looks on his own property, the fruit of his own toil. See Ex. xix. 5; Deut. vii. 6; xxxii. 9; 1 Kings viii. 53.

5. For I Jcnow. I, as the representative of Israel, and speaking in the name of the people. Tliis is said as the foundation or the reason for praise. It was the thorough conviction of the psalmist that God was great above all who were claimed to be gods, and that he only was worthy of worship. If That the Loed is great. See Notes on Ps. xcv. 3. 1" And that our Lord is above all gods. All that are worshipped as gods.

6. Whatsoever the Loed pleased, God is an absolute sovereign. He has formed a plan, and has carried it out. He has made the world as he chose, and he has ordered all its arrangements according to his own pleasure. As a universal sovereign, he has a right to universal adoration. See Notes on Ps. cxv. 3. if In heaven, and in earth, etc. These are put for the universe; these are the universe. In these places — in all worlds — on the land and in the ocean — even in the profound depths of the sea, there is nothing which has not been placed there by his will, and which he has not arranged according to his eternal plan.

7. Ke causath the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth. The word rendered vapours means literally risings; things raised up; and it may be applied, therefore, to vapours or clouds. The Septuagint, the

8 Who smote " the first-bom of Egypt, ^ both of man and beast.

9 Wlio sent tokens ° and ■wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.

10 Who p smote great nations, and slew mighty kings:

rites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan:

12 And gave « their land /or an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.

Latin Vulgate, and Luther render it clouds. It is among the proofs of the Divine wLsdom and power that he causes them to ascend contrary to the common law which drags all things down towards the earth. The arrangement by which this is done is among the most wise and wonderful of all the works of God. See Notes on Job xxvi. 8; xxxviii. 25—28. % He maketh lightnings for the rain. To accompany the rain. See Notes on Job xxviii. 26. % He bringeth the ivind out of his treasuries. Where he has, as it were, treasured it up, to be used when there should be occasion for it. See Notes on Job xxxviii. 22.

8. Who smote the firstborn of 'Egypt. As the last and the greatest of the plagues brought upon the Egyptians; the chief and crowning judgment tinder which they were made willing that the children of Israel should go, and which was in fact the judgment which secured their fi-eedom. Tliis is selected here evidently for this reason, instead of recounting all the plagues which were brought upon the Egyptians, If Both of man and beast. Ex. xi. 5. Marg., as in Heb., From man unto beast. That is, including both; smiting both.

9. Who sent tokens and wonders. Tokens: — that is, signs or evidences of the Divine power. Wonders: — things fitted to impress the mind with awe; things outside of the ordinary course of events; things not produced by natural laws, but by the direct power of God. The allusion here is, of course, to the plagues of Egypt, as recorded in Exodus. See Notes on Ps. cv. 27-36.

10. Who smote great nations, etc. To wit, those specified in the following verse.

11. Sihon king of the Amorites, etc. These are specimens of what was done, or instances of the mighty kings who were subdued. It is not pretended that all were enumerated. The subjugation of these nations and kings showed the power of God, and laid the foundation for praise.

12. And gave their land for an heritage, etc. See Notes on Ps. cxi. 6.

13. Thi/ name, O LoED, endureth for ever. Thou art the everliving, the unchanging God. The generations of men pass away; the kingdoms of the earth change; the idols perish, hut thou art the same. The object here seems' to be to bring the image or the idea of God before the mind as he was when he performed these great works, as a God interposing in behalf of his people, and as worthy of praise. The idea is that he is the same now that he was then; and as he then

14 For » the Loed will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants.

15 The < idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

16 They have mouths, but

they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;

17 They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18 They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.

then interposed in behalf of bis people by mighty signs and wonders, we should feel that, being an unchangeable God, he can do it now, and is now equally worthy of confidence, adoration, and praise. IT And thi/ memorial. Thy remembrance; the memory of thyself. That is, What thou hast done to secure a remembrance among men is of such a nature as to make the same impression to all coming time. The events were such that the memory of them should never pass away from mankind. % Throughout all generations. Marg., as in Heb., To generation and generation. There never will be a generation on the earth, in the latest periods, to which the memory of these things should not be transmitted.

14. For the Lord toill judge his people. He will interpose in their behalf by his judgments, or by directing the course of events in their favour. This language is copied literally from Deut. xxsii. 36: " For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his sers^ants." It is there a part of the song of Moses after the journey through the wilderness, after smiting the kings of the Amorites and of Bashan; and when, delivered from their enemies, the Israelites. had come to the borders of the promised land, Deut. xxxi. The language was, therefore, peculiarly appropriate to the design of this psalm. If And he will repent himself concerning his servants. In behalf of his people. That is, he will do as if he repented, or had changed his mind. He will stay his judgments. He will not suffer his people to be destroyed. He will not permit the judgments which seemed to threaten their entire ruin to be carried out to the full. They shall be arrested mid way as if God had then changed his mind. Of course, all this is language accommodated to human weakness, and to the manner of speaking among men.

15-18. The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, etc. To show more fully the propriety of praising God, and him alone as God, the psalmist instituted a comparison between him and idols, showing that the gods worshipped by the heathen lacked every ground of claim to Divine worship and homage. They were, after all that could be done to fashion, to decorate, and to adorn them, nothing hut silver and gold, and could have no better claim to worship than silver and gold as such. They had, indeed, mouths, eyes, ears, but they could neither speak, see, hear, nor breathe. The passage here is substantially the same as in Ps. cxv. 4r-8; and the one was evidently copied from the other, though in the latter the description is in some respects amplified; but whicli was the original it is impossible to determine. See Notes on that passage.

19 Bless the Lord, O touse of Israel: bless the LoE,i>5 O house of Aaron:

20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: ye that fear the Lord, bless the Lord.

21 Blessed be the Lord out

GIVE thanks unto the Lord; for he is '* good: V his mercy endureth for

19-21. Bless the Lord, 0 house of Israel, etc. This passage, also, is evidently an imitation of the passage in Ps. cxv. 9-13. The form in Ps. cxv., however, is rather an exhortation to trust in the Lord, and an assurance that God would bless the classes spoken of, than a call on them to bless the Lord. Still the same classes of persons are referred to;— the house of Israel; the house of Aaron; and those who feared the Lord. The passage needs no further illustration than what is found in the Notes on Ps. cxv. 9-13. It is an earnest call on all classes of the people to bless and praise the Lord. It is language expressive of overflowing joy; the utterance of a heart full of exalted conceptions of the majesty, the glory, and the mercy of God; of a heart which feels to the utmost the titness of praise, and desires that all classes of men— priests and people, — that all created things should unite in the praise of Jehovah. Who, in reading the psalm, can fail to catch the feelings of the psalmist, and to say Amen and amen!

This psalm also has nc titie to j.cicate the author, or to explain the occasion on which it was composea. It is a psalm of very peculiar construction, and stands alone in the form of itb poeti-y. The peculiarity consists in repeating at the close of each verse the laugxiage "for hifi mercy endureth for ever." This is a kind of refrain, and may have been designed, in public worship, to be a response by a choir, or by the people. That it may have been intended to be so used cannot be disproved, nor can any one show that such a response in public worship is, itself, improper or wrong. It is not certain, however, that it was meant to be so used; and it should not, therefore, be appealed to as proving that such responses are proper in public worship, whatever may be true on that pomt. It may have been merely a specimen of the poetic art among the Hebrews,— one of the forms in which Hebrew poetry expressed itself. The subjects referred to as laying the foundation for the response in each verse, — "for his mercy endureth for ever." — are such as have been often introduced in the previous psalms, and will requii-e but little additional illustration. The general idea is, that all these acts of the Divine interposition,—all that God has done, even though it seemed to be a display of power or of justice, of severity or of wrath, — was, in fact, an iUustvation of the '■'■mercy'' of God, and laid a foundation for praise. That is. All this was connected with the good of his people, with favours to manldnd, with the accomplishment of great and benevolent purposes, and, therefore, was expressive of mercy, — a proof that the " mercy of God endures for ever."'

1. O give thanTcs untn the Lord; for he is good. This whole verse is the same as Ps. cvi. 1, except that that is introduced by a Sallelujah. See Notes on that verse. If For Ms mercy endureth for ever. See also Notes on Ps. cvi. 1; cvii. 1. Literally, " For unto eternity his mercy." That is. It is ever the same; it never changes; it id never

2 O give thanks unto "'the God of gods: for his mercy

3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy ewdureth for ever.

6 To him that stretched ^ out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

exhausted; it is found in all his dealings — in all his acts towards his creatures, and ever will be.

2. O give thanks unto ihe God of gods. See Deut. x. 17. The supreme God; the God superior to all that is called God, or that is adored by the nations of the earth; above all to whom the name God is ever applied. *^ For his mercy, etc. The ground of praise here is, that it is a characteristic of the supreme God that he is a merciful Being; that there is blended in his character eternal mercy with infinite power. Mere power might fill us with dread; power mingled with mercy, and able to carry out the purposes of mercy, must lay the foundLition for praise.

3. 0 give thanks to the Lord of lords. The Lord or Ruler of all in authority, — all kings, princes, rulers. He is supreme over all. This is an attribute of Divinity; yet this is ascribed to the Lord Jesus, thus proving that be is Divine. See Notes on Rev. xix. 16. IT For his ■mercy,'^etc. The ground of praise here, as in the previous verse, is, that this God, — the Supreme Ruler over all the potentates and magistrates of earth, is a merciful Being. He is kind and benignant towards those rulers, and through them to mankind.

4. To him who alone doeth great wonders. Miracles; marvellous things; things which spring from his direct and absolute power; things lying beyond the range of natural laws. See Notes on Ps. Ixxii. 18. "H For his mercy, etc. For all these mighty wonders are performed in carrying out purposes of mercy. So the wonders which were done in E"-ypt were for the deliverance of an oppressed people; so the miracles performed by the Saviour and his apostles were to remove disease and pain, and to establish a religion of mercy; so the Divine interpositions among the nations are to assert the principles of righteousness, to secure the reign of order and love, and to promote the welfare of mankind.

5. To him that hy wisdom made the heavens. Made them in so wise a manner; where so much wisdom was manifested. See Prov. iii. 19; viii. 24r-31. 1" For his mercy, etc. The making of the heavens was a manifestation of mercy and goodness as famishing an abode for unfallen and holy beings; as a dwelling-place for redeemed sinners when they shall be removed there from the earth; and as, by their order, their boauty,.their harmony, and their happy influences, tending to promote the happiness of man on earth.

6. To him that stretched out the earth above the loaters. Gen. 1. 1, 9; see Notes on Ps. xxiv. 2. H For his mercy, etc. As an illustration of his benignity and kindness in preparing an abode for man, and for other creatures in the world. Whatever there is of life or happiness,

7 To Hm that made great liglits: for his mercy endweth for ever;

8 The sun ^ to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

9 The moon and stars to

10 To « him that smote Egypt in their first-born: for his mercy endureth for ever:

11 And brought out Israel

on the continents and islands, has resulted from that act of God when «' he made the dry land appear."

7. To Mm that made great lights. Gen. i. 14. The sun and the moon are here particularly referred to. «![ For his mercy, etc. As manifested in all that has followed from the creation and diffusion of light,— {zSS. the beauty in the universe as seen; all the life, beauty, and vigour in the vegetable and animal world; all that there is of life and happiness in the universe— for there could be neither if darkness reigned everywhere); %A<, the emblem of happiness; the source of joy; the producer, in a great measure, of the beauties of the universe, and the revealer of those beauties everywhere. How can a man think of liqht and not praise its Author?. ^ ^ ^.i

8. The sun to rule by day. Gen. i. 16. Marg., as in Heb.,/or the ruling of the day. That is, to control, as it were, the day; to determine its length— its beginning— its ending— to make it what it w. % For his mercy, etc. By:dl the blessings of day as distinguished from night and darkness,— by all that the sun in his daily course does to diffuse life ioy, peace, comfort, happiness on the earth,— by all that are warmed by its beams, cheered by its light, guided in labour, guarded from dangers,— do we derive an argument for the mercy of God; by all this there is laid a foundation for his praise.

9. The moon and stars to rule hy night. Gen. i. 16. If For Ms mercy, etc. As a proof also of his benignity and mercy. By all the beauty of the moon and stars in their course through the heavens, — by all that there is in the harmony and order of their movements,— by all that there is to make night less hideous and fearful,— by aU that there is to reveal a countless number of worlds whose existence could not have been discovered but for the night,— by all that there is to guide the mariner on the ocean, enabling him to determine his position and to mark his course when on the deep,— and therefore by all the blessings of navigation and commerce, binding the different parts of the world together,— by all that there is in the " North-star," fixed and true in guidmg those who flee from bondage,— by all these and kindred things without number, do we see the benignity, the goodness, the mercy of God, in forming the moon and stars " to rule by night." _

10 To him that smote Fgypt in their first-born. Ex. xii. ii9. inat is he struck them down, or destroyed them, by his own direct power. srVor his mercy, etc. It was in mercy to his people. It was the means of their deliverance from bondage, for the Egyptians would not otherwise have suffered them to depart. By all the results of their dekverance both to themselves and to mankind, the act was seen to be an act ot mercv to the world. lb was better for mankind that the Hebrews should bo delivered even at this sacrifice than it would have been that thoy should not be brought into the promised land. ^,,, p

12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched-out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever:

13 To him which divided * the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever.

14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever.

15 But ^ overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Egypt. By all the wonders manifested in their deliverance, and in conducting them out of the land so that they showld escape from their pursuers. If For his mercy, etc. His mercy in this respect was to be measured by all that there was of power in conducting them forth in safety, and by the results of it.

12. With a strong hand. A powerful hand; as by a hand that could grasp and subdue all that opposed. ^ And with a stretched-out arm. As if the arm were stretched out to strike with the utmost force, or to exert its utmost power. See Ex. vi. 6; Deut. iv. 34; v. 15; vii. 19; xxvi. 8 J Jer. xxxii. 21. T For his mercy, etc. The exertion of his power in delivering his people was the expression of a mercy, the consequences of which are to endure for ever, for the results of that deliverance will never cease in the history of the world; wiU never cease in heaven-

13. To him which divided the Med sea into parts. More literally, "Parted it into parts;" made parts of that which before was unbroken and a whole. It was actually divided into two parts, so that the Hebrews passed between them: Ex. xiv. 21, 22. ^ For his mercy, etc. This, too, was an exercise of mercy, or a manifestation of benevolence toward them and toward the world, to be measured by all the good which would result from it in itself, and by all the power which was put forth to effect it.

14. And made Israel to pass through the midst of it. Ex. xiv. 29. *![ For his mercy, etc. The mercy manifested in keeping the waves from returning on them and overwhehning them.

15. But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea. Marg., as in Heb., shaked off. The word is applicable to a tree shaking off its foliage. Isa. xxxiii. 9. The same word is used in Ex. xiv. 27: " And the Lord overthrew (Marg., shook off) the Egyptians in the midst of tlie sea." He shook them off as if he would no longer protect them. He left them to perish. ^ For his mercy, etc. Their destruction was wrought in mercy to his people and to tlie world; for it was the means of deliverance to Israel. The death of a wicked man is a benefit to the world, and the act of removing him may be really an act of the highest benevolence to mankind. No wrong is done to such men, for they deserve to die; and the only service which can be rendered to the world through them is by their removal from the earth.

16. To him tvhich led his people throvgh the wilderness. For all the manifestations of his care during a period of forty years. ^ For his mercy, etc. That is, his mercy was to be measured by all the protection extended over them; by all tlie provision made for their wants; by all that God did to defend them; by all his interposition when attacked by their enemies; by safely bringing them to the land to which he had promised to conduct them.

people tlirougli the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.

17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

18 And f' slew famous kings; for his mercy endureth for ever:

19 Sihon " king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

20 And Og the, king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:

21 And gave / theii* land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:

22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his

23 "Who remembered? us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his

17-22. To him which smote great kings. On this passage see Notes on Ps. cxxxv. 10-12. There is little diflference in the two places, except that here the statement is divided by the refrain, " For his mercy endureth for ever." The idea in the whole passage, in view of the Divine interposition in slaying the mighty kings, and in giving their land for a possession to the Hebrew people, is, that it was a proof of mercy and benevolence. It is benevolence to mankind and to the church of God, — it is in the interests of humanity, of domestic peace, and of the charities of life, to remove wicked men from the world. This mercy may be manifested further, not merely in removing the wicked, but in transferring their possessions to those who will make a better use of them. Thus the possessions of these mighty kings, Sihon and Og, were transferred to the people of God, and lands which had been devoted to the service of blood, ambition, crime, pollution, and idolatry, became devoted to the service of religion and righteousness. In like manner, through the removal of a wicked man from the world by death, God may cause his wealth, accumulated by avarice and dishor.esty, to be tran.sferred to the hands of children who will make a good use of it — children converted as if in anticipation of this, and with a view to this. Among the highest expressions of mercy to the world maybe, therefore, the removal of wicked princes in war, — or the removal of wicked men, in other ranks of life, by death in any form.

23. Who remembered us in our low estate. When we were few in number; when we were a feeble people; when we were a people unable to contend with such mighty foes. ^ For his mercy, etc. By all that he did for us when thus feeble; by all his power put forth to defend us from our enemies, he has showed his mercy and kindness to us and to the world.

24. And, hath redeemed ns from our enemies. Has rescued or delivered us from all our foes; has given to us freedom and peace. ^ For his mercy, etc. By all that he has done in order to redeem us; and by all the prosperity, happiness, and peace which have followed as the result of that, he has showed his mercy. So it is in the greater work of the redemption of the soul. By all the love manifested in the gift of a Saviour, — by all the sufferings and toils of his life, — by his " agony and bloody sweat " in the garden of Gethsemane, — by his " cross and passion," — by all the blessings of salvation here, all our peace, all our

25 Who * giveth food to aU flesh: for liis mercy endureth for ever.

26 O give thanks onto the God of heaven: for his mercy

purity, all our consolations, all our hopes, and by all the glories of heaven hereafter, — the mercy of God in our redemption is to be estimated and measured. Who can take the full account of it?

25. Who giveth food to all flesh. To all living things:— all in the air, on the earth, in the waters. See Notes on Ps. civ. 27, 28; comp. Ps. cxv. 16. % For his mercy, etc. All this is a proof of his benignity and kindness. To see this, it would be necessary to have a view of what is done every day in the providence of God to meet the wants of the countless multitudes thus dependent on him. Let it be remembered, also, that the wants of each insect, fowl, animal, fish, is to be provided for as an individual, — and who can take in a full view of the care, the wisdom, the benevolence of what is done every day by the Father of all in providing for their wants? Let it be remembered, also, that this has been continued without ceasing from the foundation of the world, and will be demanded until its close, and then let us try to imagine what is necessary to be done to provide for the wants of all the dwellers in distant worlds, — and who, in this view, can form any proper estimate of the wisdom and the goodness of God?

26. 0 give thanks unto the God of heaven. The God who reigns in heaven; whose home is heaven. *^ For his mercy, etc. In view of all this — of all that he does in heaven and on earth — let praise be ascribed to him. To know the measure of the praise due to him; to see how great is his " mercy," it would be necessary to know all that he does in heaven and on earth. That will not be known here. It will constitute the theme of contemplation and praise for ever and ever. Enough, however, is known here to show the propriety of repeating again, again, and again, as in this psalm, the language, " For his mercy endureth for ever;" "For his mercy endureth for ever;" "For his mercy endureth for ever."

Though there is no title prefixed to this beautiful psalm, and no direct intimation as to the occasion on wliich it was composed, yet there can be no doubt as to the circumstances in which it was written. There is, indeed, no mention of the name of the author, and no possibility of recovering that name now, but there can be no doubt that it was composed by one of the exiles in Babylon, — one who had witnessed and shared the sufi"ei-ings of tlie exiles there, and who had also a lively recoUectiou of the -vwongs done to Jerusalem when it was attacked and destroyed by its foes. The \mter was a Jew to the heart's core; an "Hebrew of the Hebrews;" embodying and expressing in this short psalm all that there was which was peculiar in Hebrew feeling, patriotism, devotion. Nowhere cLse in a short compass is so much Jitihiism — so much Jewish piety — to be found concentrated as in this psalm. There is grief at their lonely and desolate condition in Babylon; profound and submissive silence in the midst of their troubles; indignation that they should be taunted and derided by their captors; a strong — earnest — supreme love for their native land; deep resentment at the remembrance of the many wrongs done to Jerusalem wlien it was destroyed; and an earnest invocation to God that he would remember those wrongs alike in relation to Edom and Babylon, and treat those wrongdoers as they deserved.

BY tlie rivers of Babylon, there we sat down; yea, we wept, wiien we remembered

2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

It would seem most probable that the psalm was composed soon after the return from Babylon, and before the temple was finished,— while the ruins of the city caused by the Edomites and Babylonians were visible every^vhere. The combiaed remembrance of the insults in Babylon, and of the wrong done to the city at its capture, animates the poet, and fills his mind with this deep and burning indignation.

1. By the rivers of Babylon. The streams, the water-courses, the rivulets. There was properly only one river flowing through Babylon, — the Euphrates; but the city was watered, as Damascus now is, by means of canals or water-courses cut from the main river, and conveying the water to different parts of the city. For a description of Babylon, see the introductory Notes to Isaiah, ch. xiii. If the reference here is to Babylon frojper, or the city, the allusion would be to the Euphrates flowing through it; if to Babylonia, the allusion would be to the Euphrates, and the other rivers which watered the country, as the Tigris, the Chaboras, and the Ulai. As it is most probable that the captive Hebrews were not scattered through the empire, but were concentrated in one or a few places, it is, perhaps, not improper to understand this of Babylon itself. \ There we sat down. There we were sitting. Perhaps a little company of friends; perhaps those assembled for worship; perhaps those who happened to come together on some special occasion; or, perhaps, a poetic representation of the general condition of the Hebrew captives, as sitting and meditating on the desolations of their native land. ^ Yea, toe wept. We sat there; we meditated; we wept. Our emotions overpowered us, and we poured forth tears. So now, there is a place in Jerusalem, at the south-west corner of the area on which the temple was built, where the Jews resort on set occasions to weep over the ruins of their city and nation. ^ When we remembered Zion. When we thought on our native land; its former glory; the wrongs done to it; the desolations there; when we thought of the temple in ruins, and our homes as devastated; when we thought of the happy days which we had spent there, and when we contrasted them with our condition now.

2. We hanged our harps upon the willows. The harps once used to accompany the songs of praise and the service of God in the temple; the harps with which they had sought to beguile their weary hours, and to console their sad spirits in their captivity. The word rendered willows — U^3"iy, arabim — used only in the plural, denotes the willow or osier, so called from its white, silvery leaves. Gesenius, Lex. Com p. Isa. XV. 7. It is probable that the weeping willow — the willow with long pendulous branches — is here referred to. Trees in desert lands spring up along the courses of the streams, and appear, in the wide desolation, as long and, waving lines of green wherever the rivers wind along. The course of a stream can thus be marked by the prolonged line of meandering green in the desert as far as the eye can reach. It has been objected to the statement here that the willow is not now found in the neighbourhood of ancient Babylon, but that the palm

3 For ttere they that carried us away captive required of us ^ a song: and they that

2 wasted « us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

is the only tree which grows there. I saw, however, in 1852, in St. James's Park in London, a willow-tree with a label on it, stating that It was taken from the site of ancient Babylon; and there seems no reason to doubt the correctness of the account. The willow may be less abundant there now than it was in former times, as is true of the palm-tree in Palestine, but there is no reason to doubt that it grew there. All that the psahn, however, would necessarily demand in a fair interpretation would be that there should have been even a single clump of these trees planted there, under which a little band of exiles may have seated themselves when they gave utterance to the plaintive language of this psalm. ^ In the midst thereof. In the midst of Babylon; showing that this referred to the city proper. They could not sing, such was their grief, though they had their harps with them; and they hung them up, therefore, on the branches of the trees around them;— or, poetically, they were as dumb as if they had hung up their harps there.

3. For there they that carried us away captive. The Babylonians. ^ Required of us a song. Asked of us a song. The word does not express the idea of compulsion or force. Marg., as in Heb., words of a sorg. Perhaps the idea is that they did not merely ask music, but they wished to hear the words— the songs themselves— in which they were accustomed to praise God. This may have been a taunt, and the request may have been in derision; or it may have been seriously, and with no desire to reproach them, or to add to their sorrows. We are not to impute bad motives to others where there is no evidence that there are any, and where the supposition of good motives will answer just as well; and the expression here may have been a kind and natural wish to hear the songs of these foreigners, — songs of which they might have heard much by report; perhaps songs which they had overheard them singing when they were in a less desponding state of mind, and when they sought to comfort themselves by these ancient national melodies. As the only reason assigned for not complying with this request was that they could not "sing the Lord's song in a strange land" (ver. 3), we are rather led to infer that there was no bad motive— no disposition to taunt and ridicule them by the request that was made. IT -^nd they that wasted us. Marg., laid us on heaps. The Hebrew word means a tormentor; properly, one who extorts lamentation from others, or who causes them to howl, — to wit, under oppression or wrong. The Scptuagint and Latin Vulgate render it, " They who led us away." The general idea is, those under whom they were then suffering; or, who had caused these trials to come upon them. 1 Required of us mirth. Literally, " Our tormentors, joy." The Hebrew word means yo_y; and the' sense is, that they asked them to give the usual indications of joy and happiness — to wit, a song. The language means, " Cheer up; be happy; give us one of the beauti- Cul songs which you were accustomed to sing in your own land." It May, indeed, have been in derision; but there is no proof that it was. •^ Saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. The songs— the sacred

5 If « I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget

6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth: if I prefer i not Jerusalem above 2 ray chief joy.

4. Hoio sliall loe sing the Loed's song. The song designed to celebrate his praise; that i.?, appropriate to the worship of Jehovah. ^ In a strange land. Far from our home; far from the temple; exiles; captives: — how can we find spirit in such circumstances to sing? How can we do that which would be indicative of what we do not feel, and cannot feel,— joy and happiness! The idea is not that those psalms or songs would be profaned by being sung there, or that there would be anything improper in itself in singing them, but that it would be misplaced and incongruous to sing them in their circumstances. It would be doing violence to their own feelings; their feelings would not allow them to do it. There are states of mind wlien the language of joy is appropriate and natural; there are states where the heart is so sad that it cannot sing,

5. IJ I forget thee, O Jerusalem. The meaning here is, that to sing in such circumstances would seem to imply that they had forgotten Jerusalem; that they were unmindful of its sorrows, and cared not that it was desolate. The remembrance of its calamities pressed hard upon them, and they could not do anything which would seem to imply that they had become unmindful of the sufi'erings that had come upon their nation. One will not make merry when a wife or child lies dying, — or on the day of the funeral, — or over the grave of a mother. A gay and brilliant party, accompanied with music, feasting, dancing, when a friend has been just laid in the grave, when the calamities of war are abroad, when the pestilence is raging in a city, we feel to be untimely, unseemly, and incongruous. So these captives said it would be if they should make merry while their temple was in ruins; while their city was desolate; while their people were captives in a foreign land.

TT Let my right hand forget her cunning. Let my right hand forget its skill in music— all its skill. If I should now play on the harp — as indicative of joy— let the hand which would be employed in sweeping over its strings become paralyzed and powerless. Let the punishment come where it would seem to be deserved — on the hand which could play at such a time. So Cranmer held the hand which had been employed in signing a recantation of his faith in the fire, until it was burned off; and dropped in the flames.

G. If I do not remember thee. Equivalent to, " If I forget thee." If I ever fail to_ remember thee; if I shall ever act as if I had forgotten thee. Singing in a strange land, among those who had perpetrated such wrongs in thee, — appearing to be happy, cheerful, joyous, gay, merry there,— would be understood to imply that I had ceased 'to remember thee, and cared nothing for thee. % Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. Comp. Ezek. iii. 26. Let me be unable to speak; let my tongue be as it were attached to the upper part of the mouth.

7 Remember, O Lord, the cliildren of Edom in the day

of Jerusalem; who said, ^ Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

so that it could not be used. If I employ it in an unworthy purpose, in any way whereby it can be inferred that 1 have ceased to remember my native land, and the city of our solemnities, let my tongue be ever after useless. This language is often employed by Virgil: "Vox faucibus haesit. ^ If I prefer not Jerusalem. Literally, " If I do not cause to ascend." That is, If I do not exalt Jerusalem in my estimation above everything that gives me pleasure; if I do not find my supreme happiness in that. ^ Above mi/ chief joy. Marg., as in Heb., tJie head of my joy. The chief thing which gives me joy; as the head is the chief, or is supreme over the body. This is expressive of a great truth in regard to religion. Anything else — everything else — is to be sooner sacrificed than that. The happiness which is found in religion is superior to that found in every other source of enjoyment, and is preferred to every other. If either is to be sacrificed — the joy of religion, or the pleasure derived from society, from the gay world, from literature, from music, from dancing, from works of art — it will be the latter and not the former. There are other sources of joy which are not in any way inconsistent with religion: — the joy of friendship; of domestic life; of honourable pursuits; of the esteem of men. So of music, the arts, gardens, literature, science. But when one interferes with the other, or is inconsistent with the other, the joy of the world is to be sacrificed to the joy of religion. When the joy of religion is sacrificed for the joy of the world, it proves that there is no true piety in the soul. Religion, if it exists at all, will always be supreme.

7. Remember, O Loed, the children of Edom. The Edomites; the people of Idumea. On the situation of Edom or Idumea, see introductory Notes to Isa. xxxiv. Tf In the day of Jerusalem. In the day when Jerusalem shall be restored; in the day when punishment shall be inflicted on the nations that destroyed it; — then, do not forget the Edomites, who took so large and so active a part in its overthrow. This is to be understood as a continued " remembrance " of Zion; as a purpose not to "forget" Jerusalem. The psalmist, representing the feelings of the captives in Babylon, says, that so far from doing anything which would imply a forgetfuluess of their native land, — as singing cheerful songs there might be understood to be,— they would do everything to call Jerusalem to remembrance. They would remember her former splendour; they would remember her desolations; they would go further — they would not forget those who had brought these calamities upon her; those who had done most for her overthrow. As among the most prominent, they would remember particularly the ancient enemies of their nation — the Edomites — who had been among the most active in its destruction, and who had united with the Babylonians in the work of ruin. They would remember all this; and they |.rayed God that he also would remember the desolation itself, and all the actors in that work of desolation. TT Who said. Implying that they had been associated with the Babylonians in the destruction of the city. On the hostility of that people to the Hebrews, and the grounds of their hostility,— and on their agency as united with the Babylonians in destroying Jerusalem, and the Divine vengeance threatened them on

8 O daughter of Babylon, who •" art to be ^ destroyed; happy shall he be that - rewardeth thee as thou hast sei'ved us.

9 Happy shall he he that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the 3 stones.

that account, — see, as above, the introd. to Isa. xxxiv. ^ Rase it, rase it. Marg., as in Heb., make hare. That is. Strip it of everything, — temple, bouses, ornaments, fountains, — and leave it a hare and naked rock. Let nothing remain but the rocks — the foundations — on which it is built. In the history of the Edomite?, as stated in the introd. to Isa. xxxiv., there were abundant focts to show that they were particularly zciUous and active in seeking the destruction of the hated city. This verse and the one following constitute a portion of the " Imprecatory" Psalms; of those which seem to cry for vengeance, and to manifest a revengeful and unforgiving spirit; the portion of the Psalms which has been regarded as so difficult to be reconciled with the forgiving spirit enjoined in the gospel. On this subject, see General Introd., § 6.

8. 0 daugTiter of Babylon, That is, Babylon itself; the city of Babylon. On the word " daughter " as thus used, see Notes on Isa.

I. 8. % Who art to be destroyed. Certainly to be destroyed; of whose destruction there are fixed and absolute prophecies. See Notes on Isa. xiii. 19-22. ^ Sappy shall he be that remardeth thee as thou hast served us. Marg., that recompenseth unto thee thy deed which thou didst to us. Literally, " Happy shall he be who shall repay to thee the recompence which thou hast recompensed unto us." The idea is. Who shall repay thee for thy treatment of us; or, as we should say in common language, " Who shall pay thee back?" That is, he will be esteemed a fortunate man who is made the instrument of inflicting deserved punishment on a city so guilty and so cruel. He will acquire fame and honour by doingit; his name will be made knowc abroad and perpetuated among men. In fact, the name of Cyrus, who conquered Babylon, is among the names of the most celebrated of conquerors; and the manner in which he took Babylon and overthrew the government and kingdom, has given him a most eminent place among successful princes and conquerors.

9. Sappy shall he be that taketh, etc. Marg., as in Heb., rock. This refers to what was not uncommon in ancient warfare, as it is now among savage tribes, — the indiscriminate slaughter of those of all ages, and of both sexes, in war. It was expressly foretold of Babylon that this would occur (see Isa. xiii. 16, and the Notes on that place), and there may be a reference here to that prediction, and the psalmist may mean to say that the man would be accounted happy, or would be happy, who wreaked vengeance on Babylon in carrying out that prophecy. The idea is, " This will certainly occur, for it is foretold, and happy or fortunate will he be who is the instrument in fulfilling it." Coinp. 2 Kings viii. 12; Nahum iii. 10; Hos. xiii~. 16. See also Homer,

II. xxil. 63, 373, seq. ' It is impossible to reconcile such barbarous customs with the idea of " honourable war," or with the principles of war as carried on among "civilized" nations now. It should be added, however, that there is much — very much — that is practised in war by "civilized" nations still, which it is equolls- impossible to reconcile with any just notions of morality or humanity, and which in comhig ages, and when men shall come to view things aright, will seem to the people of those times to be not less monstrous, strange, and barbarous. In regard to this passage, we are not necessarily to suppose that the author of the psalm approved of this, or desired it, or prayed fur it. He looked forward to the fulfilment of a prediction; he saw that a just and terrible judgment would certainly come upon Babylon; he expressed that in the common language of the tiuies, and states the manner in which it would occur; he described the feelings — the gratification— of those who would execute the Divine purpose in the overthrow of Babylon; he referred to the estimate in which the conqueror would be held by men, and the glory of the achievement as giving him fame among men. It must be admitted that the feelings of the author of the psalm appear to accord with this; that he considers it proper that the city should be destroyed; and that he regards its overthrow as a righteous judgment, and as a thing to be desired in the Divine administration. It is true that he might approve of such an overthrow, and see it to be right, — he might describe the feelings of those by whom!t would be wrought, their joj', their exultation, and even their barbarity, without himself approving of their barbarity, or sympathising with their feelings, or partaking of their spirit; but still it cannot in fairness be denied that there is an apparent approval of the act here referred to, which savours more of imprecation than forgiveness, and which is apparently prompted more by the spirit of revenge than by a desire of just punishment. On this subject, however, see General Introd., § 6 (4); and Notes on Ps. cix. 10. A correct record may be made, whether of facts or of feelings, without any design of expressing either approbation or disapprobation on the part of the historian, the prophet, or the poet.

This is the first of t, aeries of eight psalms (Ps. cxxxviii.-cxlv.), placed together in this part of tlie book, and ascribed to David. They appear to be of the nature of a supplement to the Book of Psalms, composed of psalms unknowm to the original collector and arranger of the book, and subsequently discovered and ascertained to be the works of David. It is not to be regarded as strange that there should be psalms of tliis nature composed by Da^id at different periods of his life, which might have been preserved in difi'erent branches of his family, and which might not have been generally known to exist. It is rare that the works of an author, especially a poet, arc collected and published, and that things of this kind — fugitive and occasional pieces — are not subsequentlj' found; nor is it veiy unusual that such pieces may, after all, be among the most tender, touching, and beautiful)f his compositions. Bums's "Highland Marj-," so much admired, and his ''When wild War's deadly blast was blown," — a poem which no one can read without tears,— ^vith not a few others of Ms, are of this description. They are said, in his Biography, to have been " extracted from the correspondence of Bums." (Works of Kobert Bums, Philad., 1834, pp. 76, 85, 89.)

The occasion on which this psalm was composed cannot now be determined. It was evidently written in view of trouble (vers. 3, 7), and it expresses confidence that God would interpose in the future in behalf of the author, as he had done in the past; and it is, therefore, adapted to inspire coufidence and hope in all who are called to pass through scenes of trial. The psalm does not admit of any particular analysis.

T "WILL praise tliee with, my -*- whole heai-t; before the gods will I sing praise tmto

2 I will worship toward thy

holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for " thoii hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

3 In the day when I

1. I will praise thee toith my whole heart, lleserving nothing in my heart to give to idols or to other gods. All that constitutes praise to God as God, he would address to him alone. He would use no language, and cherish no feeling, which implied a belief that there was any other God; he would indulge in no attachment which would be inconsistent with supreme attachment to God, or which would tend to draw away his affections from him. See Notes on Ps. ix. 1. ^ Before the god-s will I sing praise unto thee. The idols; all idols; — in preference to them all. This does not mean that he would do this in the presence of other gods; but that Jehovah should be acknowledged to be God in preference to any or all of them.

2. I will worship. 1 will bow down and adore. ^ Toward thy holy temple. See Notes on Ps. v. 7. The word temple here undoubtedly refers to the tabernacle. ^ And f raise thy name for thy lovingkindness. Praise thee for thy benignity; thy mercy; thy benevolence. ^ And for thy truth. Thy truthfulness; thy faithfulness to thy promises. ^ For thou hast magnified thy word. Thou hast made it great. Comp. Isa. xlii. 21. The reference here is to the promises of God, and especially to the promise which God had made to David that the Messiah would descend from him. Comp. 2 Sam. vii. "^ Above all thy name. Above all else that thou hast done; above all the other manifestations of thyself to me or to the world. The word name here would refer properly to all that God had done to make himself known, — since it is by the natne that we designate or distinguish any one; and, thus understood, the meaning would be, that the word of God — the revelation which he has made of himself and of his gracious purposes to mankind — is superior in clearness, and in importance, to all the other manifestations which he has made of himself; all that can be known of him in his works. Beyond all question there are higher and clearer manifestations of himself, of his being, of his perfection, of his purposes, in the volume of revelation, than any which his works have disclosed or can disclose. Comp. Ps. xix. There are ver\' many points in relation to God, of the highest interest to mankind, on which the disclosures of science shed no light; there are many things which it is desirable for man to know, which cannot be learned in the schools of philosophy; there are consolations which man needs in a world of trouble which cannot be found in nature; there is especially a knowledge of the method by which sin may be pardoned, and the soul saved, which can never be disclosed by the blow<-pipe, the telescope, or the microscope. These things, if learned at all, must be learned from revelation, and these are of more importance to man as a traveller to another world than all the learning which can be acquired in the schools of philosophy — valuable as that learning is.

3. In the day when I cried. Referring to some former period of his life when he was in trouble. % Thou answeredst me. lu the very day

cried thou answeredst me, and strength enedst me with strength in my soul.

4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Loed, when they hear the words of thy mouth.

5 Yea, they shall sing in the

ways of the LoED: for great is the glory of the Lord.

6 Though " the Loed be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

when I called, tliou gavesfc me the answer: — that is, immediately. ^ And strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. Literally, " Thou didst embolden, — or, didst make me courageous with strength." Thou didst enable me to meet danger, and to overcome fear. It would seem probable that this was on some occasion when he was in danger from his enemies.

4. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, etc. That is, kings, princes, and rulers shall learn the words of promise; shall be made acquainted with the words which thou hast graciously spoken, and with their fulfilment, and shall be led to praise thee. This refers to a time, of which frequent prophetic mention is made in the Scriptures, when kings and rulers shall be converted to the true religion, and when they shall act an important part, by their example and influence, in maintaining and diffusing it, Comp. Ps. Ixviii. 31, 32; Isa. xlix. 23.

5. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LoED. In the ways which God has appointed. They shall join with all that love him — with the humblest of the people — in acknowledging God. Kings and people shall thus bow before God in common acts of praise, and as being on the same level before him. As men, as sinners, as redeemed, as travelling to the grave, they are all alike before God. TT For great is the glory of the Loed. Great is his character; great his dignity; great his honour; and all this will be seen to be so when those of most exalted rank thus worship and adore him. The most lofty on earth shuU acknowledge that there is one who is more exalted than they are, and their own dignity and splendour shall thus contribute to deepen the impression of the honour and glory of God.

6. Though the Loed be high. This might be rendered " For lofty is Jehovah— and the humble he sees — and the proud he knows from afar." The idea is, that God — so high and exalted — sees and knows all of every rank among men. The mind of the psalmist had been impressed with a sense of the greatness and majesty of God, but (as if it might be said that one so great could not regard man, so humble and insignificant) he adds, that the fact of God's exaltation does not prevent his noticing the affairs of men: that the lowly in life need not fear lest they should be overlooked; the proud need not hope that they will escape the notice of his eye. ^ Yet hath he respect unto the lowly. Those in humble life; the obscure; the unknown. It does not mean here that he has any special favour towards them, but merely that he sees them. Their low and obscure condition does not prevent his observing them, and they need have no fear that he will overlook them, or that they will be forgotten. Comp. Notes on James iv. 6; 1 Pet. v. 5. IF But the proud. Those of lofty rank, and of lofty feelings; — the haughty. ^ Se knoweth afar off. From afar. Though he is

7 Though P I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me; thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

8 The LOBD will perfect 9 tliat which concemeth me: thy mercy, 0 Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.