Psalm XXXVIII
Ver. 1-22. To bring to' remembrance, or, remind, God of His mercy and himself of his sin. Appealing to God for
conduct. 11. foot of . . . hand . . . wicked—all kinds
of violent dealing. 13. Tliere— in the actiu;; of violence, they are overlhrown. A signal defeat.
relief from His heavy chastisement, the Psalmist avows his integrity before men, complains of the defection of friends and persecution of enemies, and in a submissive spirit, casting himself on God, with penitent confe.ssion he pleads God's covenant relation and his innocence of the charges of his enemies, and prays for Divine comfort and help.
PSALM XXXVII.
Ver. 1-10. A composed and uniform trust in God, and a constant course of integrity, are urged in view of the blessedness of the truly pious, contrasted in various
1-4. He deprecates deserved punishment, which is described (Psalm 6. 1), under the figure of bodily disease, arrows . . . and thy hand—the sharp and heavy afflictions he suffered (Deuteronomy 32. 23). Iniquities—afflictions in punishment of sin (2 Samuel 16. 12; Psalm 31. 10;
aspects with the final ruin of the wicked. Tlius the wisdom and justice of Gocl s providence are vindicated, and
its seeming ineiiualities, which excite the cavils of the wjcked and the distrust of the pious, are explained. Da-
40. 12). gone over mine head—as a flood. 5-8. The loathsomeness, corruption, and wasting torture of severe physical disease set forth his mental anguish. It is possible some bodily disease was connected. I'he loins are the seat of strength. His exhaustion left him only the power to groan. 9. That God can hear (Romans 8. 26). 10. My heart pa>»teth—as if barely surviving, light . . . from me—utter exhaustion (Psalm 6. 7; 13. 3). 11,13. Friends
vid's personal history abundantly illustrates the Psalm.
1, a. The general sentiment of the whole Psalm is expressed. The righteous need not be vexed by the prosperity of the wicked ; for it is transient, and their destiny undesirable. 3. Trust—sure of safety, slialt tUou dwell —or, dwell thou — repose quietly, verily . . . fed—or, Jeed on truth—God's promise (Psalm 3G. 5; cf. Hosea 12. I). 4. desires—-Psalm '20.5; 21.2), what is lawful and right, really goixl (Psalm 8!. 11). 5. eominit tUy way—(Proverbs 10. 3^. Wor/cf—what you have to do and cannot—set forth as a burden, trust ... In Uiin lit., on Hint. He
desert, but foes increase In malignity. 8e«'k after my life —(1 .Samuel '20.1; 22.23). 13, 14. He patiently submits, uttering no reproacfic.i or replies (John 19.9) to their insulting speeches; 15-17. for he is confident the Lord—///., Sovereign {to whom he was a servant), would answer his prayer (Psalm 3.4; 4. 1), and not permit their triumph in
will do what you cannot (cf. Psdlin 22. 8 ; 31. G). He will not
siilTer your character to remain under suspicion. 7, 8. Rest l\x—Ut., lie silent to the Lord, and wait—be submissive—avoiil petulance and niurniurings, anger and rash doing. 9. Two reasons. The prosperity of the wicked is short, and the pious, by humble trust, will secure all covenant blessings, denoted here by " Inherit the earth"
Ills partial hatting, of which he was In danger. 18. Consciousness of sin makes suffering pungent, a)ul sufl'ering, rightly received, leads to confession. 19, 30. Still, while humbled before God, he is the victim of deadly enemies,
(cf. Psalin 25. 13). 10, 11. sliall not be lit., is not—is not to be found, peace—includes prosperity. 13. gnnsUetIt
full of malice and treachery, enemies arc lively— /(7., of
life, who would take my life, i.e., deadly. 31, 33. ((^f. Psalm 22.19; 35. .S.) All terms of frequent use. In this Psalm the language Isgenerally susceptible of appllcatioiv to t'hi ist as a sull'erer, David, as such, typifying Him. This d(H s not require us to apply the confessions of sin, but only the pains or penalties which he bore for us.
. . . teetU—in beastly rage. I'.i. (Cf. Psalm 2.1.) seetU knows certainly, liis day—of punishment, long delayed, shall yet comi; (Hebrews ID. 37). 14, 15. sword, and . . . how—lorany inslrumeiitsof violence. 6lny—lit.,slnurititer
(1 Samuel 25. 11). poor and needy—God's people (Psalm
10. 17; I'i. 5). The punislimi nt of the wicked as drawn on tlu'mselv(!s—often iruMitioned (cf. I'salm 7. 15, 16; ;!.5. 8). 10. riches lit., noise and tumult, as incidental to much
PSALM XXXIX. Ver. 1-13. To .Teduthund Chronicles 16. 41, 42), one of the chief singers. His nanu> mentioned, perhaps, as a special honour. Under depressing views of his frailly and the prosperity of the wicked, the Psalmist, tempted to murmur, checks the expression of his feelings, till, led to regard his case aright, he prays for a proper view of his condition and for the Divine compassion.
•wealtli (cf. Psalm 3i). 0). Tlius the contrast with the "little" of one man is more vivid. 17. Even the members of the body needed to hold weapons are destroyed. 18, 19. God, wlio knows his people's changes, provides against
evil, and supiilii s all their lu'ed. 30. AVhile the wicked, however m'.glity, are destroy(?(l, and that utterly, as P'noke whii:li vanishes and leaves no trace. 31, 33. paytth no(—not abU- ; having gi-own poor (cf. Deuteronomy
1. 1 said—or, resolved, will take heed—watch, wayt —conduct, <Tf which the use of the tongue Is a part (James
1. 26). bridle—///., muzzle (cf. Deuteronomy 2.5. 4). while
15. 7.) Ability of the oni; and inabllit.vof the other do not exclude moral dispositions. God's blessing or cursing makes the dill'(niiice. eut oft"— opposed to "inherit the eartli" (cf. l,.'vltl<nis 7. 20, 21). H-i, 34. steps-way, or,
. . . before me—In beholding their prosperity (P.salm ST.
10, '!(!). «. even from good— ((Jenesis 31. 24), ever.vthlug.
3. His emot ions, as a smother<'d tla mo, /««-.v/ forth. 4 7. Some tak(> th(>se words as those of fretting, but they are not essentially such. The tinge of dlm^ontent arises from the character of his suppressed emotions. Hut, adilresHIng God, they are softened and subdued, nioko iiio to
coui'S(! of life; as ordered by God, failures will not be i)ermanent. 35, 30. his seed is hl« »sed lit., for a blessing (Genesis 13.2; Psalm 21.6). This ))o8ltlon la still true as Iho lule of God's economy (1 Timothy 4. 8; 0. 0). 37-30. 253
The Btiufil of Confidence in God. PSALMS XL, XLL Obedience the Best Sacrifice,
kiio\r experimentally aiipreoiatp. how frail I nm—lit., when I ahaU cease. 5-6. His prayer is au-swered in liis ob-
word in Hebrew) denotes obedience by the common figure of hearing for obeying, it is evident that the clause is designed to express a devotion toGod's will asavowed more fully in r. 8, and already explained. Paul, however, uses the words, "a body hast thou prepared lue," which are found in the iiep'uaf/iiU in the place of the words, "mine ears hasl thou opened." He does not lay any stress on this clause, and his argument is complete without it. It
tain! g an impressive view ot'tlie vanity of the life of all men and their transient, state. Their pomp is a mere
inuif/e, and their uealth is gathered they know not for
wiifiii. 7. Tlio interrogation makes the implied negative
Stronger, Though this world offers nothing to our expec-
tation, God is wortliy of all confidence. 8-10. Patiently submissi ve, he prays lor tlie removal of his chastisement, and that he may not be a reprotu;h. 11. From his own
is, perhaps, to be regarde<l ratlier as an interpretation or free translation by the iHepluaijinl, than cither an addition or attempt al verl>al translation. The Septiin(/hil translators may have had reference to Christ's vicarious sufferings as taught in other Scriptures, as Isaiah 53.; at all events the sense is substantially the same, as a body was essential to the reijuired ol>edience(cf. Romans 7. 4 ; 1 Peter
case, he argues to thai of all, that the destruction of man's enjo.vmenls is aseribable to sin. 13. Consonant with the tenor of t!ie I'siilm, he prays for God's compassionate regard to him as a stranger here, and that, as such was the condition of his fathers, so, like them, he may be cheered instead of being bound under wrath and chasttned in displeasure.
2.24). 7. Then—in such case, without necessarily referring to order of time. Lio, I come— I am prepared to do,
(Sc. In the volume of the book roll of the book. Such