Psalm CVIII
Ver. 1-13. This Psalm is composed, v. 1-5 of Psalm 57.
7-11, and v. 6-12 of Psalm 60. 5-12. The varieties are verbal and trivial, except that in v. 9, "over Pliilistia will I triumph," differs from Psalm 60. 8, the interpretation of which it confirms. Its altogether triumphant tone may intimate that it was prepared by David, omitting the plaintive portions of the other Psalms, as commemorative of God's favour in the victories of His people.
PSALM CVII.
PSALM CIX. Ver. 1-31. The writer complains of his virulent enemies, on whom he imprecates God's righteous punishment, and to a prayer for a Divine interposition in his behalf appends the expression of his confidence and a promise of his praises. This Psalm is remarkable for the number and severity of its imprecations. Its evident typical character (cf. v. 8) Justifies the explanation of these already given, that as the language of David respecting his own enemies, or those of Christ, it has respect not to the penitent, but to the Impenitent and implacable foes of good men, and of God and His cause, whose inevitable fate Is thus indicated by inspired authority.
Ver. 1-43. Although the general theme of this Psalm may have been suggested by God's special favour to the Israelites In their restoration from captivity, it must be regarded as an Instructive celebration of God's praise for His merciful providence to all men in their various emergencies. Of these several are given—captivity and bondage, wanderings b.v land and sea, and famine; some as evidences of God's displeasure, and all the deliverances as evidences of His goodness and mercy to them who humbly seek Him.
1, 2. This call for thankful praise is the buiden or chorus
(cf. t>. 8. 15, Ac), reileemed of the Liord—(cf. Isaiah .35. 9,
1. God of my praise—its object, thus recognizing God as a certain helper. Be not silent (cf. Psalm 17. 13; 28. 1). 2. For the mouth . , . opened [or. They have opened a wicked mouth] against me lit., with me, i. e., Their intercourse is l.ving, or, they slander me to my face (Matthew
10). say—i. e., that His mercy, &c. hand of—or, power of enemy. 3. gathered—alluding to the dispersion of captives throughout the Babylonian empire, from the south —lit., the sea, or, lied Sea (Psalm 114. 3), which was on the south. 4-7. A graphic picture is given of the sufTerings of those wlio from distant lands returned to Jerusalem;
28. 59). 3. (Cf. Psalm .3.5. 7 ; 69. 4.) 4, 5. They return evil for good (cf. P«alm 27. 12 ; Proverbs 17. 13). I give myselfunto prayer—or lit., I (am) prayer, or, as for me, prayer, i. e., it
or, as city of habitation may mean the land of Palestine, fainted—was overwhelmed (Psalm 61. .3; 77.3). 8, 9. To the chorus is added, as a reason for praise, an example of the extreme distress from which they had been delivered —extreme hunger, the severest privation of ajourney in the desert. 10-16. Their sufferings were for their rebellion against (Psalm 105. 28) the words, or purposes, or promises, of God for their benefit. When humbled they cry to God, who delivers them from bondage, described as B dark dungeon with doors and bars of metal, in which they are hound In Iron—<. e., chains and fetters, shadow of death—darkness with danger (Psalm 2:^. 4). broken—
Is my resource for comfort in distress. 6. over him—one of his enemies prominent in malignity (Psalm 55. 12). let Satan stand—as an accuser, whose place was the right hand of the accused (Zechariah 3. 1,2). 7. The condemnation is aggravated when prayer for relief Is treated as a sin. 8. The opposite blessing is long life (Psalm 91. 16; Proverbs 3. 2). The last clause is quoted as to Judas by Peter (Acts 1. 20). office—lit., charge, Septuagint, and Peter, oversight. 9, 10. Let his family share the punishment, his children be as wandering beggars to prowl in their desolate homes, a greedy and relentless creditor grasp his substance, his labour, or the fruit of it, enure to strangers and not his heirs, and his unprotected, fatherless
lit., shivered (Isaiah 45.2). 17-22. Whether the same or uot, this exigency illustrates that dispensation of God according to which sin brings its own punishment, are
OJ Christ's Kingdom, PSALMS CX, CXI. The People Incited to Praise God.
Thy people . . . wllllnj»—ii'i.. Thy people (are) free-will
clilklren fall in want, so that his posterity shall utterly
offerings; for such is the proper rendering of tlie word "willing," which is a plural noun, and not an adjective
fail. 13. posterity— end, as Psalm 87. 3S, or, what comes after, i. e., reward, or success, or its expectation,
(cf. Exodus 25. 2; Psalm 54. 6), also a similar form (Judges
of which posteritj' was to a Jew a prominent part. 14, 15. AcUled to the terrible overthrow following his own sin,
5. 2-9). in the day of thy power—thy people freely otler themselves (Romans 12. 1) in tliy service, enlisting under thy banner, in the beauties of holiness— either as Psalm 29. 2, the loveliness of a spiritual worship, of which the temple .service, in all its material splendours, was but a type; or more probably, the appearance of the worshippers, who, in this spiritual kingdom, are a nation of kings and priests (1 Peter 2. 9; Revelation 1.5), attending this Priest and King, clothed in those eminent graces which
let there be the imputation of his parents' guilt, that it may now come before God, for His meting out its full consequences, in cutting olt'the memory of lliemd'.e., the
paients) from the earth (Psalm 3t. 10). 16. Let God remember guilt, because be (the wicked) did not remember mercy, poor and needy . . . broken In heart—t. e., pious sutlerer (Psalm 3i. 18; 35. 10; 40. 17). 17-19. Let his loved sin, cursing, come upon him in punishment (Psalm
85. Sj, thoroughly till him as %vater and oil, permeating to overy part of his systeni (cf. Numbers 5. 22-27), and become a garment and a girdle for a perpetual dress, ao. Let
tlie beautiful vestments of the Aarouic priests (Leviticus
10. 4) typified. The last very obscure clause—from the womb . . . youth—may, according to this view, be thus explained : The word youth denotes a period of life distinguislied for strength and activity (cf. Ecclesiastes 11. 9) the deiv is a constant emblem of whatever is refreshing and strengthening (Proverbs 19. 12; Hosea 14.5). The Messiah, then, as leading His people, is represented as continually in the vigour of youth, refreshed and strengthened by the early dew of God's grace and Spirit. Thus
this . . . reward—or, wages, pay for labour, the fruit of
the enemy's wickedness, from tUe Lord—as His judicial
act. ai, 24. do . . . for me— i. e., kindness, wounded—
lit., pierced (Psalm 69. 13, 29). 23. like tUe sUadow—(Cf. Psalm 102. 11.) tossed np and down—or, driven (Exodus
10. 19;. i44, '-ij. Taunts and reproaches aggravate his
afflicted and feeble state (Psalm 22. 6, 7). 26, 27. Let my deliverance glorify thee (cf. Psalm 59. 13). 28-31. In con-
tlie phrase corresponds as a member of a parallelism with "the day of thy pou'er" in the first clause. "In tlir beauty
fidence that God's blessing would come on him, and con-
fusion and shame on his enemies (Psalm 73. 13), he ceases
of holiness'' belongs to this latter clause, corresponding to " Thy people" in the first, and the colon after "morning"
to regard their curses, and anticipates a season of joyful and public thanksgiving; for God is near to protect (Psalm 10.8; 34. 0) tlie poor from all unrighteous judges who may condemn him.
is omitted. Others prefer: Thy youth, or youthful vigour, or body, shall be constantly refreshed by successive accessions of people as dew from the early morning; and this accords with the New Testament idea that the Ciuirch is