Psalm XXIV
Ver. 1-10. God's supreme sovereignty requires a befitting holiness of life and heart In His worshippers; a sentiment sublimel.v Illustrated by describing His entrance into the sanctuary, by the s.vmbol of His worship—the ark, as requiring the most profound homage to the glory of Ills Mi\jesty.
tlieir rapacity. 'Ai-'A'l. He declares his purpose to celebrate God's gracious dealings and publish liis manifested perfections (name. Psalm 5. 11), itc, an<l fortliwith invites the pious, those who have a reverential fear of God, to unite in special praise for a deliverance, illustrating God's kind regard for the lowly, whom men neglect. To hide the face or eyes expresses a studied neglect of one's cause, and refusal of aid or sympathy (cf. Psalm 30. 7
1. fulness— every thing, world—the habitable globe,
M'ith they that dwell—forming a parallel expression to the first clause. 54. poetically repres(!nts the facts of Gen-
esis 1. i). 3, 4. The form of a question gives vivacity. Hands, tongue and heart are organs of action, speech, and
feeling, which compose character, lifted up his soul—is
Isaiah 1. 15). !45, 20. My prnlse shall be of tliee—or, perhaps better, //•<)«» tlice—i. e., God gives grace to praise him. With oll'eriiig praise, he farther evinces his gratitude by promising the payment of his vows, in celebrating the usual festival, as provided in the law (Deuteronomy 12.
to set the affections (Psalm 25. 1) on an object ; here, vanity —or, any false thing, of which swearing falscl.v, or tofalsehood, is a specification, hill of the l,or«l—(cf. Psalm 2. 9, Ac). His Church—the true or Invisible, as typified by the earthly sanctuai'y. 5. righteousness—the rewards whlcW God liestows on His people, or the grace to secure those rewards as well as the result. 6. Jacob—by "Jacob," wo may understand God's ptH>plo (cf. Isaiah 13. 22; 41.2, Ac), corresponding to " the generation," Ac, as if he had said, "those who seek thy face are th.y chosen people." 7-10. The entrance of the ark, with the attending procession,
18; 10. 11), of which the pious or humble, and they that seek tlic Lord, His true worshippers, shall partake abundantly, and Join him in praise. In the enthusiasm produced
\ry his lively fi'elings, he addresses such in words, assuring them of God's perpetual favour. The dying oj the heart denotes death (1 Samuel 25. 37) ; so Its living denotes life. 27-31. His case illustrates God's righteous government. IJeyond the existing time and people, othei's shall be brought to acknowledge and worship God; the /at ones, or the rich as well as the poor, the helpless who cannot keep tluuuselvcs alive, shall together unite In celebrat-
into the holy sanctuary Is pictured to us. The repetition of the terms gives emphasis. Lior»l of hosts—or fully, Lm-d God of Aos/« (Hosea 12.5; Amos 4. 13), ileserlbes God
b.v a title indicative of supremacy over all creatures, and especially the heavenly armies (Joshua 5. M; 1 Kings 2*2;
ing; God's delivering power, and transmit to unborn pe<(ple ,tlie records of His grace. It ithall be accounted to the liord f»r,,&c.—or, it shall be told of the Lord to a generation. God's wonderful works shall be told from generation to generation, tlint be batb done—supply it, or this—i. c., what the P^alm has unfolded.
1!)). Whether, as some think, the actual enlargement of the ancient gates of Jerusalem be the liasls of the flguro, the effect of the whole is to impress us with a couceplion of the matchless mtvlesty of God.