Psalm 112

Psalm 112

PSALM 74

1–23 "Maschil" refers us to something (as elsewhere remarked) in the mode of setting the Psalm to music, or playing it on the harp, of which we know nothing. As in the last Psalm, so in this, Asaph's name appears. Some, however, suppose this Asaph to be a later individual of the same godly family. Patrick adopts the idea that he may have been the Asaph who was "the keeper of the king's forest" (Neh. 2:8), and hence some of the allusions to the cedar-trees and the like. It is arresting to the fancy to set before us Asaph led to compose this melancholy hymn amid some of the lonely woods of his now desolate Land! But all we can say is, that it certainly is the composition of an Asaph long after the days of David, who perhaps was one of the family mentioned in Ezra 3:10 (for 2 Chron. 20:14 is too early), and so possibly the very "keeper of the king's forests"

The desolation of Israel's land and people are spread before the Lord. The Head of the Church, who wept over Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives, and lamented their too sure ruin, could use these strains, and pour them into the Father's ear. Every Israelite's heart would thrill in singing such a solemn melody. Every believer's soul should fully enter into the sorrow for ancient Israel which is taught us here.

"The signs" of verse 4 and verse 9, are the holy emblems. The significant pillars, "Boaz and Jachin," the brazen sea, the altar, the lavers, mercy-seat with cherubims, candlestick, and the like, all had disappeared. The standards of the enemy appear in the sanctuary instead! Oh how unlike (in significance as in form) the vail that hid the ark because Jehovah was there, and the ensigns of Babylon that too surely proved that Jehovah had forsaken his heritage! The "synagogues" may mean places where the elders met to exhort and pray with the people. (Tholuck.)

In verse 5 some render the line to this effect:—"The enemy makes himself look like, and known as, one who lifts up the axe on the trees," applying it to the same subject as verse 6. But our version gives the better meaning. When the temple was building, every man that cut down a cedar on Lebanon to help in the glorious erection was reckoned famous; whereas now, men have become renowned by using "chisel and club" in destroying the carved work and tracery of the sanctuary walls.*

In verse 9, the "no prophet" is like Lament, 2:9. In verse 11 we have "Pluck (it) out of thy bosom"—literally, כַּלִּהִ, "finish—destroy." It is meant to express something far more terrible than "plucking the hand, out of the bosom;" it is a cry for "destruction on foes;" and, as Hengstenberg says, "the annihilation proceeds from the bosom of God, when his right hand is at the moment reposing." May we not add, "from that bosom whence came his Son!" just as the fire on Sodom was "out of heaven, from God." This appeal represents to our imagination the suppliant gazing upward on the bosom of his King, to see if that right hand begins to be plucked forth! Thereafter, reasons of confidence are rehearsed. No less than seven times is the emphatic "אַתָּה" used, "the sevenfold thou" (Hengst.), while his deeds are set forth; dividing the Red Sea, drying up the "ever flowing river" (ver. 18), and the like; and forthwith the suppliant, as if thus anew invigorated to hope, urges his plea—

"Give not up thy turtle dove to the greedy host," (Phillips). (Ver. 19.)

If this Psalm was written by a later Asaph, the verse 20, which speaks of the covenant in connection with earth's dark places, might tacitly refer to such predictions as Isaiah 60:1–3. The nations are said, in Rev. 11:18, to be in the very condition spoken of here at the close, when the Lord arises to judge the earth, and to make the kingdoms become "The Kingdom of our God, and of his Christ." Israel's case will be attended to that day; Israel's wrongs will be avenged; Israel's sins forgiven; Israel's sorrows relieved. That will be the day when this wailing appeal shall find at the hands of Him who hears the voice both of his own Son, our Head, and of the members of his Son, a full acknowledgment of this

The appeal of the scattered heritage to the mighty God of Israel.

PSALM 75

1–10 THE same Asaph takes the harp again, at the bidding of the Holy Ghost, to write an ode that, like many of David's (see Psa. 57), has been marked "Al-taschith," and called, "A Song," lively in theme, and with life in every line.

"We have praised thee, O God! we have praised thee!

And (now at length) thy name is near,

Thy wondrous works are telling it."

This is the delighted cry of Messiah's people, who see Him near at hand, and could join with Isaiah 25:9, "Lo! this is our God!" Their hosannahs are becoming hallelujahs. And Messiah himself responds, as in Isaiah 63:1, 2, explaining his ways. He refers to their words regarding "his name being now near," his long-hid discovery of his person and promised deeds, "I will take a set time" (Heng.), or rather thus:

"(It is so) for I now get the appointed day! (Acts 1:7.)

I (אֲנִי, unlike earth's usurpers), judge uprightly.

Earth and its inhabitants have melted away.

I am he who (אָנֹכי) have poised its pillars. Selah." (Ver. 2, 3)

He has weighed the pillars and so knows, and has power to order earth. After a pause, Messiah opens his lips to utter the sentences of doom. He addresses the apostate nations, with Antichrist at their head (ver. 4)—

"I say (אָמַרְתִּי, the word has passed my lips) to the boastful, Boast no more," &c.

No help will come to you from east or west, i. e., from land or sea; nay, nor from the wilderness (מִמְּדְבַּר) shall any caravan bring you ought to lift up your head;

"For God is judging now!" (ver. 7). (As Psa. 57:11, כִי אֱלֹהִים שֹׁפֵט).

And the processes of judgment are commenced, the reversal of unrighteous sentences, and the pouring out of that terrible "Cup" (ver. 8). John (Rev. 14:10) saw this cup, full of "wine without mixture," i. e., without one drop of water to alleviate its fierce poison; but here it is "full of mixture," i. e., of all strong ingredients, that make its taste more bitter, and its wrathful poison more sure. This blood-red wine of vengeance is the measured-out portion of all earth's wicked, great or small.

At verse 9, Messiah seems to wind up the proceedings by indicating the general result. As in Psa. 2:7, a full announcement is made of these sentences in their hearing—

"And I (אֲנִי, who am entitled so to do), declare this a tiling eternally fixed;"

and then turning towards his blessed ones, inviting them to join him in praise, he may be said to cry, "Hallelujah!"

"Let me sing (אֲזַמְּרָה) to the God of Jacob!

And I will cut off all the horns of the wicked" (while my song ascends).

As the final issue of the whole, lo!

"The horns of the Righteous One are exalted!"

prophecy is fulfilled; what Hannah sang of in 1 Sam. 2:10, and so many others besides, is now come to pass; for his "name is near," his kingdom is come. And thus, referring all the while to the beseeching prayer of Psalm 74, Asaph has sung

Messiah's response to his people who are expecting His Coming.

PSALM 76

1–12 MILTON celebrates "the inviolable saints," the holy hosts that guard the throne of God. But the family of saints on earth may claim that title equally with them, being invincible and inviolable in their King. Asaph sings of these "on Neginoth" (see Psalm 4), and uses the lively "song" for his triumphant strains.

He looks back upon the past, when God made himself renowned as Israel's God, dwelling on Zion, breaking there (שַּׁמָּה, thitherward, like Ezekiel's "Jehovah-Shammah," 48:35, q. d., his eye and heart ever toward them) the "flashing arrows of the bow," giving fame to Zion beyond all other hills and kingdoms. All was done by the God of Jacob for his people. The "Selah" (ver. 3) bids us pause to consider this, as it does again verse 9. By him "the stout-hearted were made a prey; they slept deep their sleep;" by him who could give foes the same "rebuke" that he gave to the swelling waters (Psalm 114:7), causing the warrior and his war-chariot to be alike motionless and dead in the silent camp. Ah, it is "Thou" (אַתָּה) who art to be feared, Thou (אַתָּה) alone! And we might have noticed also, there is significance in using the name "Salem," (ver. 2). It reminds us of the reign of Melchizedeck, and hints at the slaughter of the kings, whom God's Abrahams overcome.

And ever shall it be thus. Ever shall it be an unanswerable question, "Who shall stand before thee when thou art angry?" (verse 7), down to that great and terrible day when all earth, at the sight of thy throne, shall ask, "Who shall be able to stand?" (Rev. 6:17). And then shall verses 8, 9, be fulfilled most emphatically—

"Out of heaven thou hast proclaimed judgment (דִין, see Dan. 7:10, דִינָא יתֶבַ).

Earth fears, and is at rest! (שָׁקָטָה, like Josh. 14:15, and Isa. 14:7)

When God arises to judgment,

Saving all the meek of earth. Selah."

Is not this the day when the Saviour comes to reign?—the day when the results of things shall best be seen—the day when every saint with anointed eye shall see that events all tended to the glory of their God—the day when they shall sing better far than now,

"Surely the wrath of man praiseth thee.

Thou girdest thyself with the remnant of wrath;"

turning it to use, even every particle of it?

Vow, then, and perform the vow, O Israel! a people near to Him (Num. 2:2). Bring a gift to him that is the true object of fear, to him who has cut off, as in a time of vintage (בְצֹר, as Rev. 14:18), the breath, the life, of princes; to him who is terrible to earth's kings. If this Jehovah be for us, who can be against us? Let us even now sing this

Song to the Mighty One, who is the fear of Israel and of Earth.

PSALM 77

1–20 "For Jeduthun," the choir over which Jeduthun and Heman presided (1 Chron. 16:42). They are to sing now a plaintive psalm. Asaph's harp's strings are moaning to the chill night-wind. Instead of triumphing in the Mighty One, whom all must fear, Asaph is full of unkindly fears, fears arising from clouds around his soul. Our Lord on earth had such changes in his soul as we find in this Psalm. One day, under the opened heavens at Jordan; another, in the gloom of the howling wilderness; one evening, ascending the Transfiguration-hill; another, entering Gethsemane. And so with every member of his body. Not that the love of their God varies toward them, and not that they themselves feel that love exhausted; but providences and trials of strange sort, and temptations buffeting the soul, hide the sun by their dark mists.

We find, verses 1–4, The time of darkness pictured to us most pensively and plaintively. "In the night my hand was stretched out, and grew not numb," (Alexander). And the "Selah" in the midst of it, verse 3, seems to give us time to observe the dismal plight of the soul.

In verses 5–9 we have remembrance of former days, leading to the profoundly melancholy question—"Has El (the Mighty God) forgotten to be gracious."

Hath he in anger shut the spring

Of his eternal love?

And another "Selah" leaves us to pause and ponder.

At verse 10, The cause of this darkness. "This is my sickness" (Jer. 10:19). My present circumstances of body, and the oppressive providences around, have averted mine eye from God's love. Tholuck renders it, "This affliction of mine is a change of the right hand of the Most High;" but we prefer another view, viz., after having mournfully admitted "This is my infirmity," the thought flashes in, "The years of the right hand of the Most High!" Yes, let me recall what he has done!

At verse 11, The light breaks—God is seen, still mighty to save. Asaph is taught by "the years of the right hand of the Most High," seeing "his way in the sanctuary;" and in such past "wonders" as Exod. 15:11. He sees God redeeming "the sons of Jacob" from their Egypt exile, and doing it so as to remind us of "Joseph," once separated from his brethren, but afterwards the head of them all, (11–15). A "Selah" again bids us ponder, and the Psalm closes by recounting some of his wonders in providence. "God's way in the sanctuary" (ver. 13) suggests composing thoughts regarding his "Way in the Sea." (Ver. 19)

There is a day coming when we shall, with Christ our Head, sing of the Church's safe guidance to her rest, in such strains as these, remembering how often by the way we were ready to ask, "Has God forgotten to be gracious?" We are taught by the harp of Asaph, in moments of despondency, to "remember the days of old," and assure ourselves that the God of Israel liveth—the God of the Passover-night, the God of the Red Sea, the God of the Pillar-cloud, the God of Sinai, the God of the wilderness, the God of Jordan,—the God, too, we may add, of Calvary, and the God of Bethany, who shall lead us as he led Israel, even when earth shakes again, till that day when he comes to cast some light on "his way that was in the sea, and his paths that were in the great waters, and his footsteps" that were a mystery. Asaph has been the instrument of the Holy Ghost to cheer us here, by bidding us look on this picture of

The Righteous One under the cloud recalling to mind the Lord's former doings.

PSALM 78

1–72 "Maschil," referring to the music. "By Asaph," who wrote Psalm 74.

See Jesus in the ship, teaching parables. Compare him that day by the sea-side with the Singer here, whose words, though neither new nor dark, are yet meant to convey hidden meanings. From verse 2, compared with Matt. 13:34, 35, we are led to conclude that Asaph here was directed to foreshadow Messiah, the Prophet, disclosing the mind and ways of God, where these were hidden from the gaze of the common eye. There is throughout this Psalm a "concealed background of instruction" (Hengst.), intimated at verse 2, just as Jesus, in speaking very obvious and plain things about the seed and the sower, the leaven and the mustard-tree, meant all the while to lead disciples to a "concealed background of instruction"—God's ways toward man, and man's toward God.

We can easily believe that our Master, in using this Psalm, would not hesitate to say, verse 3, "We have heard," identifying himself with us; for he does so in Psalm 22:4, "Our fathers," yours and mine; and he does so in the Prayer he taught us, "Our Father in heaven," mine and yours. On the other hand, in saying, verse 4, "We will not hide them from their children," is he not assuming the tone of Godhead? for it is the very same voice we hear in Gen. 18:19, "Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do?"

He brings before us most affectingly God's ways in contrast to man's! Thus, verse 5, God's mercies to the infant nation. Prophets, priests, Levites, Moses, the Tabernacle, all are implied in "He set up a testimony in Israel;" and all was meant to make permanent among them the knowledge and love of the glorious Jehovah. This was an act of grace; for verse 8 recalls the perverseness of their fathers, "stubborn, rebellious, not right, not stedfast with God." Truly, His ways are not our ways; and soon that after generation shewed their fathers' corruption, refusing to face Anak (ver. 9; see Num. 13:33, and 14:1–4), and to go whither God would.

But, again, His guiding mercies from Egypt onward (ver. 17). How numerous! every one how marvellous! all so undeserved, all so constant! The Red Sea divided, the cloud, the smitten rock! Yet they provoked the Most High!

Again, His un-upbraiding mercies (ver. 18–29). The history of the manna shews this—instinct with wonders of Grace! for see how the everyday shower comes to a people most ungrateful, and forgetful, and unbelieving! "Each man did eat," as Exodus 16:16; each had his omer every day.

Again, His chastising mercies (ver. 30–33). He tries them with fatherly chastenings, and for a time the wayward children feel. But these, too, avail not. Shall he then leave them? No, he has more kindness in reserve for them.

Again, he sings of His long-suffering mercies (ver. 34–41). Amid frowardness, how very pitiful! how tender! how sympathising!

"For he remembered that they were but flesh,

A wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

And all this while they insulted him." ("Set a mark on Israel's Holy One."—Hengst.)

But to deepen the contrast, he sings of his judgments on their foes (ver. 42–53); and then of Canaan-mercies to themselves, (ver. 54–58); and of Canaan-chastisements, (ver. 58–64). What a God! What a people! How glorious in grace the One! How low sunk in sin the other! How low must mercy condescend in helping such a people!

But he has still another note to the praise of grace. His mercies in the days of David (ver. 65 to the end), when the Lord arose, resolved to throw down every barrier to his love, smiting foes, and erecting his tabernacle on its fixed seat at Jerusalem, and giving to his people David, the type of a better David yet to come—

"And he built his sanctuary, like lofty palaces;

Like the earth, he has established it for ever" (Ver. 69.)

This is ever to be a renowned spot, "morally gigantic" (Hengst.), and not to be as Shiloh, forsaken for ever. There are great things to come, awaiting that very spot. The type of the scene in David's days is not yet realised in full. At verse 70, the Singer has his eye on what Ezekiel (34:23) has foretold,—the David and the Tabernacle of that coming day, when our "Beloved," led up from the Bethlehem manger to the throne, shall feed Israel and Jacob, with upright heart and skilful hand—dealing prudently, exalted, extolled, and very high. Grace shall reach its zenith then. Our earth shall bask under the hot noonday sun of grace, grace no more thwarted and slighted, no more forgotten and denied, no more disbelieved and hated. Come quickly, Faithful and True "Witness! Come quickly, and be again among us, not King only, not Priest only, but

Messiah, the Prophet, shewing us that God's ways are not our ways.

PSALM 79

1–13 ANOTHER of the "Asaph-Psalms"—the cry, evidently, of widowed Zion in the ear of the righteous Judge; such a cry as our Head (Luke 18:7) describes the Church at large as raising in the Latter Days. It suits alike the Church in Israel in Asaph's time, and the Church scattered over earth in these Last Days, and not less will it suit Israel in the days of their final tribulation, (Zech. 14:1, &c.).

It tells of martyrdom (1–3), with a remnant left behind, appealing to the Lord with somewhat of the awful, power we feel to be in the cry of the souls under the altar (Rev. 6:9)—q. d., "Pour out thy wrath on Antichrist (see 2 Thess. 1:8), and on the nations that know thee not and that persecute thy people,

"Even as they poured out the blood of thy servants." (Ver. 3.)

When they confess (ver. 8) "former iniquities," is not this in the lips of Israel an acknowledgment of their forefathers' unbelief, when Jerusalem rang with—"His blood be upon us and upon our children?" It includes this, no doubt, and their idolatry, too, presenting the long-expected cry spoken of in Lev. 26:45, on hearing which the Lord shall arise, and as "they are brought very low," shall fulfil Deut. 33:16, when he seeth that their power is gone. "Let the avenging of thy servant's blood be known," (ver. 10).

When (ver. 11) we hear them plead, "Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee," we call to mind Manasseh in his Assyrian dungeon. We seem to see Israel taking Manasseh's position, and obtaining Manasseh's wondrous pardon. Nor are they like Manasseh only, but are, besides, "children of death," בְּנֵי תְּמוּתָה, that is, exposed to a continuing death; for תְּמוּתָה is more than מוּת just as "νεκρσις" is more than "θανατος" (see Beza on 2 Cor. 4:10). And then there is "the reproach" that lay upon them, the essence of which (like the "reproach of Egypt," Josh. 5:9, Num. 14:13) had been, "Is God able to accomplish his promises? Where is their God?" (Ver. 10.)

Melody from freed souls bursts on our ear at verse 13. The old pastures, Sharon, Carmel, Bashan, are repossessed by the long-lost sheep; and this is the burden of the praise of these ransomed of the Lord, returning to Zion with songs and everlasting joy:

"And we are thy people, and sheep of thy pasture!

We will give thee praise for evermore!

We will record thy praise to all generations!"

We, too, belonging to the Church at large, shall join in this hallelujah, and take part in this eternal song to the faithful Jehovah—that same incarnate Jehovah who once wept on the Mount of Olives, over Jerusalem ready to become heaps. With them, therefore, let us join in raising this

Cry of widowed Zion to the Righteous Judge.

PSALM 80

1–19 THE sun in the firmament shone cloudless on the field of Austerlitz, where a conqueror of earth was gaining his renown; and that bright sun was recognised by the victors as a fit accompaniment of what they reckoned a day so glorious in its triumphs. It may have been on this principle of suiting the external symbol to the nature of the theme on hand, that the temple musicians selected for this Psalm an instrument called "Shoshannim-eduth." In Psalm 45 we have mention of "Shoshannim," and in Psalm 60 we have the "Shushan-eduth," referring, as some fancy, to the joy or the lily-bloom that shall overspread the land, when the nation that alone possessed God's "Testimony" should receive the answer of these prayers. But more than this we cannot say.*

It is an Asaph-prayer again, full of pleas in Israel's behalf. It is as if they had before them Isa. 63:11, "Then he remembered the days of old." They call to his mind the days of Joseph, when (Gen. 49:24) the Lord miraculously fed them in Egypt. And then the tabernacle-days, when first, since the days of Eden, the Lord was known to dwell between the cherubim, on the mercy-seat. They call to his mind wilderness-times (ver. 2), when their march was gladdened by his presence, "Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh" looking on the Pillar of Glory as it rose before them, the guide and partner of their way (see Num. 10:22–24). "O God, bring us back again! Cause thy face to shine! and all shall be well again!"

They appeal to his power, verse 4, "O God of Hosts" (ver. 4 and 7), and to his love for his people (ver. 4). Why smokes thine anger, rejecting the smoke of incense that speaks of favour? Instead of joyful feasts (ver. 5), we weep sore, and foes divide our substance for spoil, instead of the safety our fathers enjoyed in serving thee (Exodus 34:24). "O God of Hosts, bring us back again! Cause thy face to shine! and all shall be well!"

Again the harp sounds to a melancholy reminiscence of the past. Memory recalls the time when Israel was the Lord's Vine—an emblem of him who is the True Vine. Taken out of Egypt, and made to spread (Isa. 5:2), it filled the land. The hills of Judah on the south, the cedar region of Lebanon on the north (ver. 11), the great Mediterranean sea on the west, and the Euphrates on the far eastern border, were all witnesses of the Vine's luxuriance. How desolate now! "O God of Hosts, come back, we pray! Look down from heaven, and see! Visit this vine."

Some think that in verse 17 they are acknowledging Messiah, calling him by the name, "Man of thy right hand" "Branch made strong for thyself." The Chaldee Targum says, this is "King Messiah." Others claim these names for Israel; for Israel is God's Benjamin, and God's strong rod wherewith to rule the nations. The words are in the original such as surely point to Messiah; for they are not, "son of thy right hand" but אִישׁ יִמִינֶךָ, "Man of thy right hand," and "son of man whom thou hast made strong for thyself," בֶּן אָדָם; in this resembling Psalm 8:6. Even if the terms were appropriate to Israel as God's favoured people, still there would be here simply an allusion to that fact, while the real possessor of the name is Messiah, God's true Israel. And if so, then verse 17 is Israel, in the Latter Day, crying "Hosanna!" to Christ, and so entitled to what his words implicitly promised in Matt. 23:39—"Thou shalt not see me henceforth TILL thou shalt say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." They pray, "Appoint Him our captain—let thy hand be upon him, designating him to his office, as Moses did Joshua," (Num. 27:23). And so they may claim to be gathered and blest with a fuller blessing than their fathers, who, by the hand of God upon them, were led up by Ezra (7:9), and Nehemiah (2:18); for they claim as their leader Messiah, the true Ezra, "Helper," and true Nehemiah, "the Lord's consolation." Is not Psalm 110:1 of itself sufficient to justify the name, "The man of thy Right Hand?"

"Jehovah, God of Hosts, bring us back!

Cause thy countenance to shine on us!

And we shall be saved" (נִוָּשֵּעָה the response to "Hosanna!" הוֹשִׁיהָנָא).

May we not sympathise in these appeals? May we not put in our own case with theirs? Appoint, Lord, Messiah to be our captain, our soul's leader, and we individually shall be saved! We cry, "Hosanna!" הוֹשִׁיהָ נָא, and thou wilt give a response that shall make us shout back נִוֹּשֵׁעָה. Yes, thy Church in all the earth, Lord God of Hosts, with one consent joins in presenting to thee,

Israel's pleas for full restoration.

PSALM 81

1–16 ASAPH is the writer of this Psalm. Whether or not it was written (as some suppose) for Hezekiah's passover, we need not stay to inquire (2 Chron. 30:2). It does not affect our view of the mind of God—the heart, the bowels of compassion, displayed in every line,—the breathing of tender love. The Lord is ever well pleased with such a cry as the two preceding Psalms sent up; for his heart is toward his people; and he here tells how he has longed over them, even in their backslidings. It is "on Gittith" like Psalm 8.

In the first verses (1–3), is it the voice of Israel we hear? Is it not rather the voice of the Church's Head and Israel's, identifying himself with us and them? Is it not Messiah, the lawgiver and redeemer of Israel? To understand the speaker throughout to be He, gives beautiful unity and force to the whole. It is He, we suppose, who summons them in these lively, inviting strains:—

"Sing loud unto God our strength!

Raise the shout of joy unto the God of Jacob!

Take music (זִמְרָה voice and instrument), and bring the timbrel,

The pleasant harp aad the psaltery!

Blow the horn in the month (i. e., Abib., Exodus 12:1)

On the full moon, on the day of our feast (i. e., the Passover),

For this is a statute for Israel,

A law in reference to (לְ for the worship of.—Hengst.) the God of Jacob." (1–4)

Then mention is made of "Joseph," because the Passover-reference calls back to mind the days of Egypt, when Joseph was Israel's shepherd in Goshen; and it is said that this feast was ordained for a "testimony," viz., to the Lord's goodness and sparing mercy.

"When he went out against the land of Egypt;" (to destroy it by plagues)

"When I heard a language that I knew not;" (not the tongue of Israel, which is so well known to me, as one knows his friend)

And having thus identified himself with Israel—the shepherd with the flock—he speaks in his own name of what he wrought for them. He took them from bondage,* at their going forth; and often did he reason with them, as at Sinai, when the thunder's roar was heard from thick clouds that were the curtains of his pavilion, and from the pillar-cloud—

"Oh! hadst thou heard my voice alone!

When thunders rolled above thy head.

And lightnings flashed before thine eyes,

When I of thee a trial made,

Where, Meribah thy waters rise!" (Barclay.)

There is "Selah," the pause for solemn thought, here. And then the expostulation begins, tender, but earnest and searching (8–12), till, after saying verse 12, "Let them go on in their own counsels," as Deut. 29:18, He seems to recall his words, giving vent to that burst of impassioned feeling, verse 13—

"Oh, if my people would hearken to me!

Would Israel walk in my ways!"

Revealing the very same Jesus whose words and tears, as he beheld Jerusalem, are reorded in Luke 19:43. It is the same speaker that continues thus to tell what they have lost by their waywardness—

"I would soon have subdued their enemies,

"The haters of Jehovah should have submitted unto him."

And, on the other hand, He (Jehovah) would have fed them with "kernelled wheat,"—alluding to the rich old covenant promises, Deut. 32:14, 33:14. All this (says Messiah), Jehovah was ready to do. Yes, these covenant promises, every one, even to the honey from the rock (Deut. 32:13), I would have given thee in all abundance, till thou hadst not a want remaining.*

Thus from beginning to end, in this Psalm, we hear

The Redeemer of Israel's tender lamentation over his people's rejection of His grace.

PSALM 82

1–8 ASAPH'S name is at Psalm 1, in which the solemn scenes and expostulations of the Great Day are given; and here, too, is his name, prefixed to this awfully authoritative rebuke and warning—

We see, verse 1, the Judge surveying earth's rulers.

"God hath placed himself in the assembly of the mighty." (Isa. 3:13.)

"He judges in the midst of the gods," (i. e., earth's judges, Exodus 22:28, John 10:34.)

We hear his voice (ver. 2), and we recognise in it him who speaks to us, "How long, ye simple ones" in Proverbs 1:26. The "Selah" completes it, giving a solemn seal to the words.

We listen again (verses 3, 4); he is declaring the rules that should guide them—rules on which the Judge himself has ever acted—defending the poor; interposing where no help of man was on the side of the oppressed; maintaining equity; doing acts of disinterested grace and favour.

We are told of the contempt poured upon Him (ver. 5), for it is said, "They take no notice" (they disregard God and his Christ), &c.; and as a consequence, "The foundations of earth begin to totter," (comp. Isa. 24:20); and we hear the voice of the Great Judge (ver. 6)—

"I have said! (אֲנִי, i. e., This is now your doom—I solemnly proclaim it)—

Ye are judges (bearing the name of God, as verse 2);

All of you are sons of the Most High!"

This is your great name, in which you rest secure. But

"Surely ye shall die, as other men have died;

Ye shall fall, as other men of rank have fallen."*

Your day is coming! The saints are raising the loud cry of verse 8, inviting Messiah, the true God, the Son of the Most High (John 10:34), the Mighty One, the Judge and Ruler, to arise and take his inheritance, for he is the "heir of all things;" and to be the true Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Barak, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Samson, and Samuel, who will judge, or govern and rule, a mismanaged earth. We sing this song of Zion in his ears, urging him to come quickly; and we sing it to one another in joyful hope, while the foundations of earth seem out of course, because here we find

Messiah the true Judge of a misgoverned world.

PSALM 83

1–18 A song and psalm by Asaph; lively, yet solemn; for there is in it both victory and vengeance. The appeal of last Psalm to the Judge, by Asaph in the name of Messiah and his people, is of the same spirit with this more lengthened and full prayer by the same Asaph. The times are the same. Whatever were the circumstances of the Psalmist that furnished an appropriate season in the view of the Spirit of God for giving it to the Church—whether such as those of Jehoshaphat's reign (2 Chron. 20:14) or not—it seems probable that He who knew men's hearts saw more than once this same hatred to Israel taking the form of a combined conspiracy of all the nations round. Even thus has it been more than once in regard to Britain, the retreat of God's hidden ones; and even thus, were the vail lifted up, might it be found to be true at this hour of the foes of Protestant truth. And yet more shall the Latter Day bring to view a combination of kings and people against the Lamb and his faithful few—a combination which shall meet with extinction on the plains of Megiddo, most fully realising the prayer and anticipations of this Psalm, verses 9, 10, 11. What a song for days when Antichrist shall be wondered at by all the earth! It is pervaded by a tone of astonishment at the Lord's long-suffering.

From verses 1 to 8, where "Selah" introduces the pause, the prayer ascends, spreading before the Lord like (Acts 4:29) the threatening aspect of his foes, who direct their malice against "his hidden ones" (ver. 3)—that is, his people, not unknown or obscure, but hid as his treasure. (See Psa. 27:5) They who were all jealous of each other, like Pilate and Herod, are friends now—

"They consult from the heart with one accord" (ver. 5).

They make a covenant against Thee!"

A circle seems drawn round Israel's land; the hunters have inclosed their prey—Edom and Ishmael on the south; Moab and the Hagarenes who dwelt near Gilead (1 Chron. 4:18), to the east, along with Gebal (i. e., Gebalene, which means the mountainous region, from the Arabic Djebel, the district whose capital was Petra, or Sela), and Amnion, and old Amalek; and on the west Philistia and Tyre—all these call Assyria to their aid, to pour down from the north his resistless bands! "The children of Lot," the nations who, because of the relationship of their ancestors, might have been expected to befriend Israel, take the lead against Israel in this unbrotherly covenant.

But faith sees this armada scattered, as surely as was that of Spain on our shores.

"Treat them as Midian!

As Sisera! as Jabin!

At the torrent of Kishon!

At Endor they have perished!

They have become dung for the soil! (Ver. 9, 10.)

All this, at the very time when they are saying, "We will take possession of these habitations of God" (ver. 15), the cities of Israel, protected by their God.* The Lord answers their prayers—"Make them like a wheel" that threshes the corn and beats the straw to pieces (Phillips), or like the thistledown in the whirl of the storm.

The end is like the issue of judgment so often declared by Ezekiel, e. g. 30:26, 35:15, 38:23, 39:28.

"Men seek thy name, O Jehovah! (Ver. 16.)

And again—

"And they know that Thou—thy name alone is Jehovah!

Most high over all the earth!"

The Armageddon of the Last Days, ended by the Lord's appearing, when his feet stand on the Mount of Olives, and he recapitulates (so to speak) all the victories of ancient days in that one, shall result in the fame of the Lord being spread over earth, and his one name acknowledged. What a glorious answer to

The prayer of the Hidden Ones against the crafty counsel of Messiah's joes.

PSALM 84

1–12 THOLUCK has suggested that this Psalm may have been sung at Mahanaim, during David's flight. But, at any rate, it is for all times. We are now with the Lord's "hidden ones" in their quiet land, where they wait on their God. We see here their joys, their earthly heaven. They may see at a distance "the tents of the wicked," as Balaam from his rocks saw Israel's; but they feel no envy, they desire nothing of the luxuries there, they seek not the fame of being one of these "men of renown." Like the first Psalm "on Gittith" that we met with (Psa. 8), this "Psalm of, or for, the sons of Korah,"* celebrates the excellencies of the Lord's name, for it presents us with the pleasant sight of a company of worshippers going up to the house of the Lord.

That pilgrimage of Israel, to the place where the Lord had put his name, was significant of more than met the eye. It told of other pilgrims who should in after ages travel through the world with their heart toward the Lord, and their hope fixed on seeing him revealed at the end of their pilgrimage in another manner than they knew him by the way. It included, too, the journey of him who, as Chief of Pilgrims, was to take the same road, share the same hardships, feel the same longings, hope for the same resting-place, and enter on the same full enjoyment of the Father's grace and glory.

It is, then, the Just One and his members on their way to Zion, "the city of the living God," that forms the essence of the Psalm.

We have their setting forth, verse 1, 2. "How beloved (יְדִידִוֹת) are thy tabernacles," they say to the "Lord of Hosts," in deeper feeling than Num. 24:5, for they love the place because they love the person. They speak to one another in verse 2, "Longing, yea, even fainting has my soul felt for the courts of the Lord."

"My heart and my flesh sing for joy

Toward God, the Living One!"

We next find objects on the way attracting a moment's attention, and furnishing help to their thoughts, verse 3.

"Truly* the sparrow reaches her home,

And the swallow her nest,

Where she has placed her young!"

And who is this sparrow? Is it not as Psalm 11:2, a name for the feeble homeless one? Who is this swallow, a wanderer to another clime, though here for a time? It is the pilgrim himself (Hengst). The pilgrim identifies himself with these birds of the air, and perhaps thinks of his family while he sings of the nest—

"Thy altars, O Lord of Hosts (see Num. 4:31, altar of sacrifice and altar of incense)

My King and my God!"

The pilgrim-sparrow has found thine altars, O Lord of Hosts! The stranger-swallow has found thine altars! They could not be a home for the birds, but they are so to him. There is the home and the nest! That atoning altar of sacrifice speaks peace! That golden altar of incense holds out acceptance through the infinite merits of the sacrifice offered; here is my home, my nest;† for here is God, my God and my king, who will care for me, defend me, be all in all to me.

The pilgrim (verse 4, which is followed by the "Selah"-pause), seems to rest by the way—he is under some fig-tree, at some well. He thinks of those who are never away from the Lord, and covets their bliss. But he rises up, verses 5, 6, and journeys on, comforted and strengthened by the thought that they are already blessed whose "strength is in Thee"—and

"In whose hearts are ways,"

pilgrim-ways, the roads that are cast up for travelling. Blessed it is to have the resolution to traverse these ways, instead of slothfully abiding at home (Jer. 31:21). They are willing to endure hardship and inconvenience, taking what they find, less or more.

"Passing through the valley of Baca,*

They make it a well—

Yea, the pools which the rain has filled."

Little as there may be of water, that little suffices them on their way. It is a well to them. They find only "pools" (which) the early rain has (barely) covered"—but are content with the supply by the way. It is as good and sufficient to them as if showers of the heavy autumnal rains had filled the well. Pilgrims forget the scanty supply at an Inn, when they have abundance in view at the end. Israelites going up to the Passover made light of deficient water, for their hearts were set on reaching Jerusalem. Our Elder Brother, the leader of the pilgrim-band, endured such hardships for the joy set before him—aye, even endured to be "thirsty" on the cross under infinite wrath—and in this he set us an example, as well as wrought out salvation.

In verse 7 we see the arrival of the pilgrims at the city.

In verses 8, 9, we hear their prayer when arrived—

"O God, see our shield! (the position of מָגֵן is peculiar)

Behold the face of thine Anointed!"

Israel's Priest was "shield and anointed" to the worshippers; Christ is all this in antitype. Christ himself could use this prayer. Identifying himself with the pilgrim-band, they might be supposed pointing to him and saying, "Our shield look upon, O God!" While he himself might be supposed seconding the plea by calling the Lord's attention to himself—"Behold the face of thine Anointed One."

And now, verses 10, 12, you are made to hear the report of the place given by those who reach it. Israelites would thus commend God's holy place to their fellows; but they who reach the kingdom, of which all this was the shadow, what would they not say of the glory, and beauty, and bliss, and peace? If a day in the Lord's typical courts was so satisfying, what would be a day in the kingdom? And if one day, what the Eternal Day,—"dies sempiternus, cui non cedit hesternus, quem non urget crastinus?" (August.)

"For the Lord is a sun and shield;

God giveth grace and glory;

The Lord withholds no good

From them that walk uprightly."

The Lord is all brightness and no gloom, and all safety. He gives "honour and glory," (see Prov. 4:9, &c.). He leaves not one unsatisfied wish. Not one in that kingdom but ever sings (and O that all on earth heard it now!)—

"O Lord of Hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee!"

This is the heartfelt utterance of each one that has travelled thither; the testimony, ungrudging and unqualified, of

The Righteous One on his way to the city of the Living God.

PSALM 85

1–13 WHEN Israel ceased to be pilgrims to the city of God, the Lord made them in another sense pilgrims and strangers, "tribes of the wandering foot and weary breast." The captivity of Babylon was only a foretaste of centuries of exile and oppression. But, on the other hand, the restoration under Ezra and Nehemiah is, after all, but a foretaste of the final restoration of that people, still beloved for their father's sakes. "The sons of Korah" sang this song, perhaps first by Babel's streams, and then at Jerusalem when the few thousands returned.

They pray for full deliverance, from verse 1 to 7. The burden of it is; "Lord, thou hast in other times been gracious, thou didst in former days turn back Jacob's captivity; thou didst forgive his sins"—pausing in the midst of the review, "Selah"—and then returning to their plea.

"Wilt thou not quicken us again? (give us life again)

And thy people (no more scattered) shall rejoice in thee." (Ver. 6)

And that "life" to them as a nation (תְחַיֵינוּ) is what Paul refers to as "life from the dead to the world," (Rom. 9:15)

They get an answer, verse 8. The people as one body (Hengst.) suddenly hear a voice from the Holy One. "Let me hear what God the Lord speaketh!" It may be their priest, as representative of the nation, that says, אֶשְׁמְעָה "Let me hear," in which case we might see Christ, their long-rejected Priest, becoming their Intercessor, and bringing them the Lord's message from the true Holy of Holies. The nation is waiting, and their representative says, "Let me hear"—for it is worth hearing, it is glorious news,

"For he speaks peace to his people!"

words like those of Jeremiah—"Thoughts of peace and not of evil!" But, besides, he seems to tell of their being instrumental, as "life from the dead," in blessing the nations; for while he speaks peace, it is to Israel, but not to them only, it is to

"His people, and to his saints.

And they shall turn no more to folly!"

The time of millennial blessedness has come. The time for displaying grace to the full has come. Jew and Gentile shall meet, like David and Araunah, at the altar on Moriah.

"Surely, (אַךְ as Psa. 73:1) his salvation is near them that fear him,

So that glory tabernacles in our Land."

The salvation of Israel has come out of Zion. The Saviour has come, the Redeemer, "the glory," "in its fullest sense, antitype of the cloud of glory. And what a full display of divine perfections now in the salvation of Jerusalem-sinners, Mannasseh-sinners, unbelieving souls!* The Redeemer is there, and hence "grace and truth" have met, for "mercy and truth" here, are the "grace and truth" of John 1:17, of which Messiah is the full vessel, the living fountain. "Righteousness and peace" also—for here is the true Melchizedec, who is "first king of righteousness, and then king of peace" The harmonised perfections of the Holy One shine bright over Israel restored; these, guiltiest once of all unbelieving ones, illustrate in their conversion every attribute which the cross has magnified. They are received on principles of righteousness and truth, as well as love and mercy, because received through Christ's atoning sacrifice; and then they reflect these attributes (as the sea does the sky above it) in their life. "What were joined as attributes in Christ, ought not as virtues to be separated in a Christian who may learn to resemble his blessed Lord and Master by observing that short but complete rule of life, Shew mercy and speak truth; do righteousness and follow peace." (Horne.) Restored and converted Israel walk in a singular land! for their heaven over them is righteousness, and the soil under their feet yields truth. God's unbroken word is illustrated by them in manifold ways, so that it is as if "Truth sprang up like the flowers of their land" when the rains are over and gone; and then, all is done in righteousness, their sins being forgiven through atoning blood; so that, "righteousness" is their canopy, "looking down from heaven."* "A carpet of truth! a canopy of righteousness!"

"Truly Jehovah giveth what is good; (Exod. 33:19)

And our land yieldeth its increase."

In verse 13 our attention is turned again to the magnifying of his "righteousness;" for now more than ever his character is manifested as "righteous," since it is the work of a law-fulfilling Redeemer no longer rejected by Israel, but heartily embraced, that has brought about these glorious changes on the nation.

"Righteousness goeth before Him,

And sets His steps on the way." (Ver. 13)

His steps are not straitened as he walks through Israel's land; righteousness itself, as a "royal harbinger," makes a way for his footsteps. Such is

The bringing back of Israel's captivity expected by the righteous.

PSALM 86

1–17 THERE was much, very much, of God's peculiar character, his glorious name, brought to view in the close of the last Psalm. This may account for its being followed by another, "A prayer of David," almost equally full of the character of Jehovah. The key-note of this Psalm is Jehovah's name.

From verse 1 to 4, the worshipper states his case; "poor, needy," affording an argument in our approach to Him of whom we can say, "Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor" (such was his grace!), "that we through his poverty might become rich," (2 Cor. 8:9). There is emphasis in verse 4 in the words, "for to THEE"—to no other, "do I lift up my soul." But what, then, is the plea, verse 2, "Preserve my soul, for I am holy?" It is חָסִיד, and we can refer at once to Psalm 4:3,—"Know that the Lord has set apart him that is חָסִיד for himself." Is it a poor and needy member of Christ that prays still? that poor member is חָסִיד; he is a saint, he is devoted to the Lord, and beloved by the Lord, and has that of which Psa. 4:3 has spoken. He is set apart for the Lord; he is a temple-vessel; the Lord will own the plea, "Keep the temple-vessel from being profaned or broken." And when the Lord Jesus so prayed, Jesus the true הָסִיד, what force was in the cry!

At verse 5 the worshipper begins to tell us what he sees in God—the God of love and grace—

"Thou, Lord, art good (love), and one whose very nature is forgiving,

Abundant in mercy (as Exod. 34:6) to all that call on thee."

It is this sight that draws forth the requests of verses 6, 7, and then another look is directed to the Lord.

At verse 8 the Lord is seen as unparalleled in heart and hand; and the full heart of the Psalmist feels (ver. 9) that there is enough there to encourage, not him alone, but whole nations, to draw near and adore. It is a note from the song of Moses, Exod. 15:11.

Then at verse 10 he looks again towards the throne and Him that sitteth thereon, and sees his greatness in Himself and his great deeds, which leads to the prayer of verse 11, for guidance in his way. It is surely a matter of spiritual skill thus to look first at the Lord, and then, with our soul bathed in his perfections, to pour forth our desires. "Keep my heart to the one thing, to fear thy name!" (Tholuck.)

But at verses 12, 13, he recalls the past kindness of his God, what he has done in his behalf already; and thus he is encouraged to ask for what he needs now, surrounded as he is by proud foes, (ver. 14).

Once more, at verse 15, he gazes on the blaze of divine love; and forthwith utters his request for his special needs, in verse 16. He quotes Exod. 34:7, and expects such favour as Moses found. And then, gathering strong confidence from the many views he has had of his God, the words of verses 16, 17, are a closing petition, in which he refers to Exod. 23:2, "the son of thine handmaid" ("verna"), thy home-born slave, and asks a sign (an אוֹת), a rainbow-like sign of wrath for ever past (Gen. 9:12), and mercy bending over him like a canopy.

Let us think of Jesus uttering verse 8 to his Father; and Jesus amid such foes as verse 14 speaks of; of Jesus, "truly thy servant," verse 16, and of Jesus asking a "sign for good." In His case, the sign would be resurrection-victory; this would be the true "helping and comforting" for all other "Ebenezers" led on to that final triumph. The הוֹשִׁיעָה of verse 16, is the "hosannah" of Psa. 118:25, both alike answered by the king Messiah riding forth in glorious triumph. And this shall be the full "help and comfort," as well as the overflowing cup of "salvation:" bestowed on each member, too! In verse 9 there may be a glimpse, a passing glance, at the time of this—when all nations shall come and worship. There was a time when Israel sang verse 8 at the Red Sea; there has been a time when the Church has sung it in view of the cross; there is a time at hand when Christ and every member of his shall sing it before the throne, when all kingdoms troop together to acknowledge and adore Jehovah's name, revealed in his acts of redemption-grace. Here, then, is the theme of this Psalm—

The Righteous One, in his day of distress, resting his faith and hope on the character of Jehovah.

PSALM 87

1–7 "A PSALM, a song, for the sons of Korah"—a title similar to many former Psalms. "Repletus Spiritu Sancto" (says Augustine), "civis iste, et multa de amore et desiderio civitatis hujus volvens secum, tanquam plura intus se meditans erupit in hoc. Multa secum in silentio de illa civitate parturiens, clamans ad Dominum erupit etiam in aures hominum, 'Fundamenta ejus,' " &c. He supposes this citizen of Zion, who sings of Zion, to be so rapt in soul, and filled with the Spirit, that he abruptly exclaims, as if giving unwitting utterance to his overflowing feelings—

"His foundations are on the holy hills!"

or as more exactly rendered—

"His founded city is upon the holy hills!"

We consider it a Psalm in which Jerusalem is celebrated as "the city of the Great King," and this in reference in some measure to the past, but in still fuller measure to the future, when Isa. 33:20–24 shall be fulfilled. "Look upon Zion," says Isaiah—and here is one looking on—like John, gazing on New Jerusalem and examining its splendour. These mountains, Moriah, Zion, Olivet, long famous in Israel, they are adorned now with a city of which

"Glorious things are spoken."

or as some render it—

"Glorious things in thee have been spoken."

The Lord loves it above all the other* dwellings of Jacob, or all his other cities, even as was announced of old, Deut. 12:5. It is here he is to be for ever known as "Jehovah Shammah," Ezek. 48:35. And this is "a psalm, a song" of that glorious time.

Let us keep "Jehovah Shammah" before us as the key-note of the Psalm. The Psalmist says—

"I will bring Rahab and Babel to the remembrance of all my acquaintance.

Behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia!"

Having said this, the wondering narrator of Jerusalem's glory abruptly breaks off, as if to intimate to us that it is mere absurdity to speak of these in the same breath with Zion. As the Persian poet (see Dr Clark) introduces one saying, "What celebrity can Egypt or Syria, or any thing on earth or in the sea, pretend to, when compared to Shiraz? These are but villages; this alone is a city." So the Psalmist here. Speak of Egypt, proud Egypt (רַהַב), speak of Babylon, speak of Philistia, speak of Tyre! Speak of the far-off Ethiopia! Speak of these in comparison—no, never! This is my boast to those that know me—

"I was born there" (שָׁם) in yonder city, on the holy hills!

For "this man" means no other than the speaker himself.* He goes on in his rapturous excitement, to tell more of the city's renown, in such a strain as this: Well may I glory in being a citizen of Zion, for many shall be proud of their relation to it when the cities of the nations have long been forgotten. I boast of my connection therewith, and many shall take up my boast.

"Of Zion it shall be said,

This man and that man was born in her. (אִישׁ וְאִישׁ).

And the Most High shall establish her." (Ver. 5.)

Yes, says the Psalmist, it shall be thus; and happy am I who belong to that happy city; for the Lord himself, and not men alone, shall proclaim its pre-eminence, and give me my place as one of its citizens.

"The Lord shall record, when he enrolls the nations,†

This man (that is, I who sing) was born there." (שַׁם).

Happy me! who am to dwell in that city. Thrice happy me! Then, still speaking with all the abruptness of deep excitement—

"And also singers, as well as players on instruments,"

shall be there, filling the city with praise and holy joy; and this shall be the burden of our everlasting song—

"All my springs (fountains) are in Thee!"

In thee, O Zion, where Jehovah Shammah for ever dwells! in thee I have found my rest. I have traced the streams of bliss up to their fountain-head! Such shall be Jerusalem redeemed, restored, made the metropolis of a redeemed and restored world, and the pattern or model of a holy capital to the nations. It may be taken as sung by the Lord Jesus himself, who said, "Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22), not ashamed to call himself one of us, and glorying in the city built by God his Father—not in the world's glory which Satan shewed him on the high mountain of temptation. In that case his "being born there" refers to his, "This day I have begotten thee"—his resurrection and glory. Or it may be taken up in the lips of any pilgrim and stranger who is looking for the "City that has foundations;" the city which God has prepared and thinks worthy of himself, to give to his weary ones for everlasting rest, and which they on their part receive with grateful wonder, conscious that even if it had been a Cabul (1 Kings 9:13), they could not speak of having merited more. For the earthly Jerusalem restored, and become the place of the manifestation of the Lord on his throne, will be to the "new Jerusalem" as the outer courts leading to the inner shrine. Sing, then, pilgrims,—sing, O Church of God,

The glory of the place where the Righteous One shall be manifested.

PSALM 88

1–18 IT has been said of some of our poets, that their living utterance threw more feeling into particular phrases than those phrases conveyed in themselves, and that consequently they who knew the men saw far more meaning in their language than strangers could. In reference to the same fact, it has been said, "Who would part with a ring that contained a dead friend's hair? and yet a jeweller will give for it only the value of the gold." In many compositions of our deep-feeling poets, there is "the hair of the dead friend in the gold." Their verses are not to be weighed in the scale, and judged of, by mere style and expression. To read them right, we should be able to call up the person himself who wrote, and make the verse glow with his impassioned feeling.

If this can be said of mere human compositions, how much more of such a Psalm as this before us? The language is strangely and awfully saddening; and yet, evidently he who speaks is far more deeply sad than his words express, and filled with submissive calmness, while he bends his soul under the storm. Heman, the grandchild of Samuel, was the instrument of delivering it to the Church, perhaps on some occasion when very singularly tried—nigh overwhelmed—but still, his case was but the shadow of one who sank

———"Beneath a rougher sea,

And whelmed in deeper gulfs than he."

Heman is the person who, in 1 Chron. 15:17, stands side by side with Asaph, and with the Ethan, who writes the Psalm that follows. Heman selected the most suitable instrument, no doubt, for a piece so profoundly melancholy; and this may be meant by "Mahalath," if derived from the root that signifies "to sing," (see Gesenius). Hengstenberg translates it as the noun that means "sickness, or distress," as in the title of Psalm 53. We agree, however, with most interpreters in supposing it an instrument of music, that same instrument used in singing Psalm 53, where the world's disease and sore sickness are sung of in strains so sad. That same instrument is to be used in singing the sorrows of Him who bore the world's sickness. And then "Leannoth" means, "in reference to affliction," such affliction as is described by that very term in verse 7 and verse 9. Some, indeed, join the term "Leannoth" to "Mahalath," as if it had formed one compound name for the instrument used by Heman. But even if this be so, the etymology would still point to something melancholy, something of affliction, in the occasions on which it was to be used.

"We have in this Psalm the voice of our suffering Redeemer," says Horne; and the contents may be thus briefly stated—

1. The plaintive wailing of the suffering one, verses 1, 2. It strongly resembles Psa. 22:1, 2.

2. His soul exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, verses 3, 4, 5. The word "free," in our version, is חָפְשִׁי, properly denoting separation from others, and here rendered by Junius and Tremellius, "set aside from all intercourse and communication with men, having nothing in common with them, like those who are afflicted with leprosy, and are sent away to separate dwellings." They quote 2 Chron. 26:21.

3. His feelings of hell, verses 6, 7. For he feels God's prison, and the gloom of God's darkest wrath. And "Selah" gives time to ponder.

4. His feelings of shame and helplessness, verse 8. "His own receive him not."

5. The effects of soul-agony upon his body, verse 9.

6. His submission to the Lord, verse 9. It is the very tone of Gethsemane, "Nevertheless, not my will!"

7. The sustaining hope of resurrection, verses 10 (with a solemn pause, "Selah"), 11, 12. The "land of forgetfulness," and "the dark," express the unseen world, which, to those on this side of the vail, is so unknown, and where those who enter it are to us as if they had for ever been forgotten by those they left behind. God's wonders shall be made known there. There shall be victory gained over death and the grave: God's "loving-kindness" to man, and his "faithfulness," pledge him to do this new thing in the universe. Messiah must return from the abodes of the invisible state; and in due time, Heman, as well as all other members of the Messiah's body, must return also. Yes, God's wonders shall be known at the grave's mouth. God's righteousness, in giving what satisfied justice in behalf of Messiah's members, has been manifested gloriously, so that resurrection must follow, and the land of forgetfulness must give up its dead. O morning of surpassing bliss, hasten on! Messiah has risen; when shall all that are his arise? Till that day dawn, they must take up their Head's plaintive expostulations, and remind their God in Heman's strains of what he has yet to accomplish.

"Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead," &c.

8. His perseverance in vehement prayer, verses 13, 14.

9. His long-continued and manifold woes, verses 15, 16, 17.

10. His loneliness of soul, verse 18. Hengstenberg renders the last clause of this verse more literally—"The dark kingdom of the dead is instead of all my companions." What unutterable gloom! completed by this last dark shade—all sympathy from every quarter totally withdrawn! Forlorn indeed! Sinking from gloom to gloom, from one deep to another, and every billow sweeping over him, and wrath, like a tremendous mountain, "leaning" or resting its weight on the crushed worm! Not even Psalm 22 is more awfully solemnising, there being in this deeply melancholy Psalm only one cheering glimpse through the intense gloom, namely, that of resurrection hoped for, but still at a distance. At such a price was salvation purchased by Him who is the resurrection and the life. He himself wrestled for life and resurrection in our name—and that price so paid is the reason why to us salvation is free. And so we hear in solemn joy the harp of Judah struck by Heman, to overawe our souls not with his own sorrows,* but with what Horsley calls "The lamentation of Messiah," or yet more fully,

The sorrowful days and nights of the Man of Sorrows.

PSALM 89

1–52 THE title assigns this Psalm to "Ethan the Ezrahite," as the last was by "Heman the Ezrahite." These were probably called "Ezrahites," i. e., sons of Zerah, as a name of honour, because of their skill in music. For, in 1 Chron. 2:6, we find the grandchildren of Judah bear these names, and in 1 Kings 4:31, they are spoken of as renowned for skill in song, being "sons of Mahol, i. e., sons of the choir." Hence, in after times, Levitical singers who were conspicuous in this department were called "Ezrahites," q. d., Handels or Mozarts. And this is a "Maschil."

The subject here is followed out in progressive development. He is to sing, verse 1, of the Lord's mercies and faithfulness; in other words, of "the sure mercies of David," spoken of by Isaiah 55:4. He seems to be revolving in his thoughts the Lord's words to David, 2 Sam. 7:14. Impressed with that solemn covenant, he sings, verse 2—

"I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever!"

Not as the tower of Babel, to be left unfinished, and then destroyed, but built up heaven-ward, a grateful sight to God and man—

"The heavens! thy faithfulness thou wilt establish therein!"

The Lord himself replies to this expression of faith in verses 3, 4, clearly referring to his word pledged to David in 2 Sam. 7. When his voice has uttered its sealing testimony, there is a solemn pause—"Selah!" The Lord has spoken! And then silence is broken by rapturous praise, verse 5—

"The heavens shall praise thy wonderful doing;

Thy faithfulness, also, in the congregation of the saints."

Unfallen angels, and the great congregation of redeemed men, shall yet unite in praise to the God whose mercies have been promised to David. Messiah's Second Coming will be the special season for that praise, when his gathered elect, "the congregation of the saints," survey the foundation of their blessedness, and review the way by which he led them on. Every time an assembly of saints now, in this time of ingathering, unites in so celebrating the Lord, we have a type of that coming day; especially when they so unite on the Sabbath of rest, itself a type. And the strains that follow are a specimen to us of what may be the topics of the Song of the Lamb.

Here are his praises. From verse 6 to verse 18, Ethan sings of the Lord's incomparable glory and greatness, felt by saints, as well as by angels, the sons of the mighty. He is "God of Hosts," irresistible in might, and yet never once unloosening the girdle of faithfulness to his covenant. "Faithfulness is round about thee!" (ver. 8). It is God in Christ whom Ethan praises; it is he who at his coming again bears the name, "Faithful and true" (Rev. 19:11), and who has "faithfulness as the girdle of his reins," (Isa. 11:5). He is the ruler of the stormy sea, and of proud Egypt; the Creator of the glorious heavens, and of the earth with its fulness; the founder of Israel's land, who appointed Tabor and Hermon* to stand in the midst of that land as witnesses of the Lord's doings. This is Jehovah; and he is at once righteous and loving—

"Righteousness and judgment are the platform on which thy throne stands,

Mercy and truth stand before thy presence." (Ver. 14.)

Happy they who know him! who have heard and joined in the "joyful sound," i. e., the shout of joy raised by Israel to this king (Num. 23:21), when they worship him at their solemn feasts (Lev. 25:9). Happy people! They walk in his light! They anticipate the day when the shout of joy shall be raised at his Coming, and when they shall have no other light to walk in than what beams from God and the Lamb. So they go on from day to day—

"For our shield, it belongs to the Lord (לְ);

And our king he belongs to the Holy One of Israel."

(Our protector is himself protected by the Lord.) (Ver. 18.)

A fuller and plainer declaration, however, is given at verse 19 and onwards, of the source of all this rejoicing. Israel's shield and king was the type of another whom Jehovah gives to Israel and to earth—

"Thou spakest in vision to thy holy ones," i. e., thy people. (Ver. 18.)

Thou revealedst to thy saints, by Nathan and others, thy purpose to send Messiah in David's line; and from 19 to 28, this is sung of in lofty strains. He has made him the depositary of help; and he tells how he will uphold him, honour him, extend his kingdom, exalt his name to the highest. Nay (29–34), he shall not be disappointed of his glory and promised bliss even by his children's unfaithfulness; for they even (35–37), when unfaithful, must be brought back to him, that he may want no joy. His truth is pledged to this, as surely as when he made the rainbow "his witness in the heavens" to Noah.

A "Selah"-pause follows. O that this scene were realised! O that all were come!

But, alas, as yet these things are not arrived. We must hang on his faithfulness. For at present (vers. 38–45) desolation and ominous disaster abound. Another "Selah"-pause follows; the worshipper is mournfully pondering the scene, and wondering what he shall do; and soon the Lord's remembered faithfulness draws forth prayer from his lips, the cry (ver. 46)—

"How long, Lord"———

accompanied by the plea that days are passing away, and that the millions of earth are ever disappearing from the scene, none able to resist the stroke—

"What mighty man liveth and seeth not death?

Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah!" (Ver. 48.)

It may be that this verse (with its מִי גֶבֶר) points to the longed-for Messiah, as if saying—

"Where is He that shall live and not die?

That shall deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah!"

Another burst of impassioned desire follows this pensive pause, verses 49–51,—an appeal to the Lord's love in former days, enforced by the consideration that his name is reproached in his servants, and by a touching reference to Moses, in Num. 11:12, and the gracious answer he got when bidden "carry in his bosom" that stiff-necked people—

"I bear the many nations in my bosom.

For thy foes, O Lord, have reproached,

They have reproached the footsteps of thy Messiah!"

They have been told of his Coming; but he tarries, and they scoff at this delay; they cast it up to me. "The footsteps" are explained by the Targum, and by Kinchi, to mean "the tardiness of his steps,"* but by others as equivalent to the whole movements or ways of Messiah. In either case the taunt of the scoffers, 2 Peter 3:4, and Malachi 2:17, is included—"Where is the promise of his coming? Where is the God of judgment?"

But faith holds out, nay, realises the happy issue, (ver. 32)—

"Blessed be the Lord for ever!

Amen, and amen!"

Let it come, let it come? (γενοιτο, γενοιτο! Sept.) or rather, testifying its assurance that all this shall come, not one thing failing; for the theme from beginning to end Las been—

The faithful covenant with Messiah and his Seed.

PSALM 90

1–17 Part IV. of the Book of Psalms, according to the Jewish division, begins here. It is, however, unsuitable in this way to separate the 90th from the 89th, inasmuch as the latter sets forth the abiding faithfulness of God the Lord, while the former shews the need of that faithful covenant, because of man's sin and frailty. Perhaps the reference in the close of Psa. 89 to the words of Moses, in Num. 11:12, may have in part led to the position of this Psalm next to it.

The title, "The prayer of Moses, the man of God," is a title, the genuineness of which we have no grounds for disputing, as all manuscripts have it. Some diminish the interest of this title by giving it a figurative turn, as if all that was meant was that the Psalm is a proper prayer for one who, like Moses, is a pilgrim in the world's wilderness. But it is far better to take it as it stands—a real prayer and psalm of Moses, perhaps written about the time of that awful event, Num. 11, or, in the 38th year of the desert-journey, when himself had so sinned as to be forbidden to enter the land. Some even fix on Pisgah as the spot where he sang so pensively.

Moses, bemoaning the sentence gone forth on Israel, and already in prospect seeing the sands of the desert covering the whitening bones of the thousands that had followed him, sings of these three themes—

(a) From 1–10, Nothing found stable but Jehovah. He is מַעוֹן, not a tent in the desert, but a fixed abode (ver. 1); and shall be so more gloriously still, (Horne).

"Thou turnest them even to brokenness, (i. e., crumbling down the mass of dust);

And sayest, Return, ye children of men," (q. d., let the sentence recorded in Gen. 3:19, take its course).

Man fades though his sentence of death be deferred, and even if he were, like those before the flood, to live onward to a thousand years. All this because of sin,—sin which God's holy eye cannot overlook, for his countenance is spoken of (ver. 8) as מְאוֹר, a luminary. And then the shortened period of seventy years ever tells of the limit to man. Our days pass away as "a tale," or "ejaculation," or "sigh," or "thought;" and if there be fourscore years, yet רַהְבָּם, that in which they prided themselves (their Rahab), becomes toil and suffering. (Hengst.)

(b) In verses 11, 12, he sings, Nothing able to stand before the wrath of the Lord—

"Who knows the power of thine anger, (Ezra 8:22)

And thy wrath, up to the measure of thy fear?

Who knows, or cares for, thy wrath in a manner suitable to what is demanded by thy perfection. O to know it so as to be led thereby to wisdom—

"Cause us to know (it), numbering our days!

That we may bring our heart to wisdom."

(c) But in verses 13–17, he sings of The days of the Restitution of all things—days when "the Lord returns," that is, "turns back from his wrath," and comforts his servants—days, when the dark night is past, and when "at morning" (בַבֹּקֶר, ver. 14) the Lord satiates his own, so that they are evermore rejoicing—days like what Jesus speaks of, John 16:20–22, that make anguish no more remembered—days when the Lord's work appears in power, and his glory is unveiled—days, when the "beauty (נֹעַם, see Psa. 27:4,*) of the Lord," his well-pleased look, rests on all his people, and on earth at large. Of such days the times of David and Solomon were a type, and the times of Immanuel on earth and his apostles were so far a specimen. But the fulness is still a thing hoped for, to be brought us at the Lord's appearing.

The meeker than Moses, Christ on earth, could use this Psalm in sympathy with us. As in Psa. 102:3, 10, 11, he mourns over sin, and the results of sin, which he by imputation was made to share, so here he might speak as one of us throughout.

This very ancient Psalm, "The prayer of Moses, the man of God," has for its burden

Man's sin and frailty leading to the cry for the better days.

PSALM 91

1–16 "Incarnate God! the soul that knows

Thy name's mysterious power,

Shall dwell in undisturbed repose

And fear the trying hour."

THE Messiah, of whom former Psalms have sung, and to whom every sweet singer of Israel had regard, is here prominently before us. In contrast to the utter failure of man in himself, here is Messiah's safety in his God. Besides (in the wonted manner of all these holy songs for the Church in all ages), Messiah's seed are included, who, though as reeds in themselves, are as the cedars of God in their Head

The imagery is taken from Israel's history. Thus, verse 1 speaks of "the Almighty," the "Shaddai" who spoke to Abraham, Gen. 17:1; verse 5, the Passover night, and David's escape from the pestilence; and the same again, in another aspect, in verses 6, 7, 8. Not to speak of the reference in verse 2 to the Tabernacle and its Holy of Holies, verses 3, 4, allusion is made to Jehovah as the eagle (Deut. 33:12) who bore up Israel. Not less so verses 11–13, where the scorpions of the desert, and the beasts of "the waste, howling wilderness" are in view, as well as the flints and the pit-falls of the desert, needing an angel-hand to do the service done by the angel of the covenant in the Cloudy Pillar. Even verse 15 abounds in such references; the "calling" and "trouble" resemble Psa. 81:7, where Israel's distresses are the theme; the "delivering," too, and then the "glorifying" remind us of Israel made glorious in the eyes of the nations; while the "length of days" sends us back to such promises as Deut. 11:21.

The Psalm, then, may be viewed as gathering round Messiah and his seed all the Lord's gracious and glorious interpositions in behalf of his own from the beginning; and all the Lord's promises. It is Christ who realises verse 1 to the full, (as Satan seems to have known when he used this Psalm in the temptation, Luke 4:10, 11)—

"He who sits in the covert of the Most High

Shall spend the night (i. e., his darkest hours) under the shade of the Almighty;

Saying to Jehovah, 'He is my Refuge,' &c."

Let us simply notice that אֹמַר may very naturally be rendered as the present part, "He sits, saying to Jehovah." Christ's people, in their measure, may be thus described; for does not faith confidingly "sit in the covert of the Most High," going in by the rent vail? And in the measure they so do, in the same measure they claim and they enjoy the blessings afterwards set forth. It is interesting to notice in verse 6 the דֶבֲר and the קֶטֶב which Hosea 13:14 alludes to, when telling that at the resurrection morn he will be plague and destruction to death. The putrid plague-fever often comes on in the night while the patient is asleep; the solstitial disease seizes in heat of harvest upon a man in open air, and cuts him off, perhaps ere evening. It is safety from perils like these that is spoken of. All these blessings are derived from and rest on verse 1, the position of Him that claims them "under the covert of the Most High." Hence, verse 9 brings this prominently into view again, and in the Hebrew the form of it is peculiar. The speaker says,

"Because thou, Lord, art my confidence!"

and forthwith a voice from heaven* seems to reply, "Yes,

"Thou hast made the Most High thy habitation." (Psa. 90:1.)

And that same voice utters the blessing onward to the end. It is the Lord's own voice, for verse 14 has the words of Deut. 7:7—

"Because he has set his love on me,

Therefore will I deliver him.

I will set him on high

Because he has known my name."

The tenor of the Psalm reminds us of John 17, when the Lord prays down his own privileges and blessings on his disciples. How like is this last clause to John 17:6–25, where the Incarnate Son describes his disciples (ver. 14) by that same feature, "They have known thee." The "length of days," in verse 15, corresponds to Isa. 53:10, "He shall prolong his days," but tells here of resurrection and eternal life to Messiah's seed as well as to himself.

One thing still let us notice—

"I will shew him my salvation."

This salvation is the full redemption—all the glory purchased by the Saviour as well as all the grace. "Salvation" is here used as in Psa. 50:23, in Rom. 13:11, 1 Thess. 5:8, Heb. 9:18, 1 Peter 1:5, and many other passages. It tells of the day that is yet to come, when Rev. 12:10 shall be sung, and all the unknown glory of the New Jerusalem and its King shall burst on our view. "All these promises," says Bishop Horner, "have already been made good to our gracious Head and Representative. Swift fly the intermediate years, and rise that long-expected morning, when He who is gone to prepare a place for us shall come again and take us to himself, that where he is we may be also!"

Augustine speaks of this Psalm as, "Psalmus iste de quo Dominum nostrum Jesus Christum tentator tentare ausus est." And we may say of it, that it exhibits

More than Israel's blessings resting on Messiah and his seed.

PSALM 92

1–15 WHEN we have arrived at the eternal Sabbath, this "Song or Psalm for the Sabbath-day" shall be enjoyed in full. In other words, when the last words of Psalm 91 are accomplished, "I will shew him my salvation," then shall this Psalm have its most fitting place, sung, as it shall be, in the stillness and calm of the eternal day, when works are over—works of creation, works of redemption, aye, and works of providence, too—when Pharaohs are sunk in the deep, and when no sound but of psaltery and harp breaks upon Sabbatic quiet—sung, too, by the Lord of the Sabbath, not only at the beginning of his "glorious rest," but oftentimes, as the ages to come roll on—sung in memory of the past! Glorious, glorious anthem! taken up by every member of Christ, by every harper present in that congregation of the saved, by every sweet singer of the new song! The Chaldee paraphrast ascribes the original to "the first man Adam," forgetting that he could not refer to "ten-stringed instruments," nor to "Lebanon" Jewish writers generally refer it to Moses, in whose lips certainly the reference to the "palm-tree," such as he might see at Elim, and to the "cedar on Lebanon," and that goodly mountain he longed to see, would be quite appropriate. It is handed down for the Church in all time, whatever may have been the circumstances in which it was first given, and whoever may have been the penman.

It is tuned, we noticed, to the strains of the eternal Sabbath.* But still, it is no less suitable for every Sabbath now, inasmuch as every Sabbath speaks in type of the "rest remaining for the people of God." A redeemed soul will sing it gladly as he awakes on the Lord's day; our day of rest on which Jesus finished his work of resurrection, and which he seems, by his own act, to have set apart as "The Lord's day." The dawn of day, after dark night, the dawn of day without toil before him, cannot but seem a sweet type, or emblem of the Lord's "lovingkindness" appearing in salvation after a night of sin; while the bright day that follows, with its hours of enjoyment and peace, presents as true an emblem and specimen of the everlasting "faithfulness" that upholds his lot, fulfilling all the promises that mercy gave. And hence, at morning (perhaps over the morning lamb on the altar), "He shews forth God's loving-kindness," and at evenings, (Heb. בַּלַּילוֹת) (it may be, over the evening lamb,) he praises the Lord for realising all his expectations, proving himself a "faithful" God. He uses every instrument of praise that tabernacle or temple could furnish, aye, adding one to all the other instruments, namely, הִגָּיוֹן, "solemn heart-musing" to accompany the harp. For this seems the only plain sense of עַלֵי הִגָּיוֹן. It is upon the heart-strings, so to speak, as well as harp-strings.

But what thoughts are these that call forth such emotions? Verses 4, 5, 6, are the answer. The Most High's פָעָלִים, מַעֲשִׂים, מַחְשְׁבוֹת, "works, deeds, thoughts"—his plans, and his plans accomplished, in creation, redemption, providence. The "brutish man," the carnal man, "a man-brute" (Alex), understands not these; but the Lord's spiritual ones do, beholding his glory in every act, and perceiving height, depth, length, and breadth of love, as well as holiness, in them all.

One of these mysterious plans and mysterious works of God has ever been his dealings with his foes. He lets them prosper long. But the Sabbath (every Sabbath that leads us to the sanctuary where we consider their latter end, and see persecutors buried in their Red Sea), and especially the great Sabbath that fulfils all, comes to remove the veil from this part of the Lord's ways. The Lord is seen in the end all the more illustriously exalted;

"But thou, Lord, art HEIGHT (מָרוֹם) for evermore!" (Ver. 8.)

Thou art found exceedingly exalted, nay, placed on the pinnacle of exaltation—height, or exaltation in the abstract!

Another of God's wondrous ways has been the trials of his own. But the Sabbath clears up these too. Indeed, every Sabbath gives a specimen of this, when the godly worshipper goes forth to the sanctuary, anticipating the refreshments of the final rest, and saying as the day advances—

"But my horn shalt thou exalt as the unicorn (or reem);

I am anointed with fresh oil." (Ver. 10.)

These anticipations, no doubt, are only foretastes of the enjoyments and revelations of the eternal Sabbath; but they are tokens of its bliss. That clause, "anointed with fresh oil" is peculiar, the word being בַּלֹּתִי a term used in Numbers and Leviticus (e. g., 2:4, 5), for "soaked in oil," copiously drenched in oil. And this abundance of refreshment, this overflowing of anointing oil, leads on the singer to other refreshings, as plentiful and as desirable—

"The righteous shall flourish as the palm-tree,*

He shall grow like a cedar on Lebanon," (his root fixed).

Is this the Lord Jesus? Is He the Righteous One? It may be, he is referred to as the model Righteous One, the only true full specimen of God's palms and cedars, though his members in him come in for their share. Indeed, is not He the true Adam, who takes up this Sabbath-song with all his heart and soul? On His resurrection morning, and on the morning of the resurrection of his own, it suits him more than any other.

If Sabbaths now are days of grace to men, what shall that great Sabbath be? O what shall saints be then! If now it be said,

"They are planted in the house of the Lord!

They flourish in the courts of our God!" (Ver. 13.)

how much more when the "house of God" is the "palace" of the Great King!—when the earthly courts are superseded by the heavenly, even as Israel's typical courts were supplanted by the spiritual.

In "old age" we expect such fearers of the Lord to be found like Simeon and Anna; but what shall be their growth after ages on ages spent in the eternal Sabbath in the kingdom! "Fat and flourishing!" fertile and vigorous, as those described by Isaiah 65:20. (Fry.)

All this—ruin to the enemies of God, everlasting blessedness and increase to his own—shall prove the truth of what in all ages had been sung, in confidence of faith, Ps. 25:8. It shall

"Shew that the Lord is upright." (Ver. 15.)

It shall prove that Jehovah's ways, as well as his words, are all on the side of holiness. It shall be permitted to each individual soul in the kingdom to appropriate Him as his own—"He is my rock" (as the Head said in Psa. 89:26), "and no unrighteousness is in Him."

Such is the close of this Sabbath-song, which has been entitled by Dr Allix, "A prophecy of the happiness of the Jews in the great Sabbath of which Paul speaks in Hebrews 4," but which might better still be described as

The Righteous One's Sabbath-song, anticipating final rest and prosperity.

PSALM 93

1–5 FROM the lips of unfallen Adam might have come the joyful exclamation, "The Lord is King!" It was true then, yet true no less when he looked on creation fallen, and himself and his posterity ruined. "God reigneth!" was the rainbow of hope. So, also, in every age, God's people have called this truth to remembrance, and have been of good cheer amid frowning providences. But still, their King was invisible, and his plan of government involved in obscurity. Our Psalm refers to all this, but to more besides.

We have heard the Sabbath-song of the redeemed in the day of "The Rest that remaineth." Now, the Eternal Sabbath is contemporaneous with the Kingdom. The saints glorified shall enter on the enjoyment of the former in all its manifold phases of positive rest; the saints still on earth shall have their share in the latter when it comes, reigned over by the reigning saints, and by the King to whom these are kings (Rev. 1:6). This is the theme of the Psalm before us.

When the Lord by a prophet anointed Jehu king, we are told how those around him blew the trumpet, saying, "Jehu reigneth!" (2 Kings 9:13, מָלַךְ as here.) So the Lord's anointed Messiah is proclaimed king by every voice and heart in his dominions—

"The Lord is King!"

His robes are not mere show, nor is his strength merely the power of armies attending him.

"He is clothed with majesty!

The Lord is clothed!

He hath girded himself with might!"

Nor is this all that is to furnish matter of wonder and delight and praise. This enthronization of Jehovah in our nature has intimate connection with our world's felicity.

"The world also is established;

It does not totter." (See Psalm 83:5.)

That is, if we may be allowed to give a paraphrase of the words,

"It is made stedfast now, after all its shakings;

It rests from all its commotions, and totters no more."

The throne of Jehovah (once seen in Exod. 24:10 for a few hours), is now stretched over earth, according to God's ancient purpose, and as they look up to it, they sing,

"Thy throne was established of old,

Thou thyself art from eternity."

From the height of that immovable throne, the saints, in company with their King, look down on enemies made their footstool. They sing of the past—how these foes gathered together—"The floods, O Lord, lifted up their voice;" but in a moment the universe was witness of their impotency—

"The Lord is glorious in the height (ἐν ὐψιστοῖς, Luke 2:14, 19:38),

More than the voice of majestic waters,

Than bidows of the sea."

The Kingdom has come, the Kingdom so often prayed for, so ardently desired, so long expected; and its coming has realised every hope.

"Thy testimonies are most true." (Ver. 5).

Our Joshua (Josh. 23:14), can call all to witness that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord God spoke, (compare Rev. 21:5, and 22:6). All the glorious things spoken, and all his promises, have been verified, himself being "faithful and true," (Rev. 19:11). And the characteristics of his happy government are unlike those that marked all former dominions on earth. His palace, or "house," (see Psa. 92:15), is not like the gay, loose courts of earthly kings—holiness is there; it is holiness only that would be suitable there. And, it is added,

"O Lord (all this shall remain) to eternity."

The Septuagint translators felt there was such a real connection between this and the foregoing Psalm, that they entitle it, "Εἰς τῆν ἡμεραν τοῦ σαββατου ὁτε κατῳκισται ἡ γῆ," "For the Sabbath-day, when the earth has been settled"—referring, evidently, to the title of Psa. 102, "A song for the Sabbath-day." But we prefer describing it with a reference to Rev. 11:15, as being

Messiah's kingdom stilling the uproar of the nations.

PSALM 94

1–23 THE Kingdom, then, and its King, have been anticipated, or rather realised as if already come. With this prospect before them, the oppressed Church and its Head cry for vengeance—joining the cry of Rev. 6:10, from under the altar; pointing the Judge to "The Day vengeance," Isa. 63:4; recalling to his mind the words of the song of Moses, Deut. 32:41.

The appeal is made in pointed heaven-penetrating cries, verses 1, 2. Reasons for the appeal, strong and vehement, are alleged, verses 3–7. The world is warned that the appeal is lodged, verses 8–11.* This done, the Church and her Head bless the Lord for those very dealings that call for vengeance, these being instructive and sanctifying chastenings to his own, though their enemies did not mean to help them to their crown. They also bless the Lord for revealing the final issues, "teaching them out of his law," i. e., advertising them in the pages of his revealed Word of what is coming on, so that they have peace amid the storm (ver. 12–14). "Judgment shall return to righteousness!" they exclaim: long has it seemed otherwise; judgment seemed to lodge in the streets, or stand afar off. But in God's due time, the Judge comes (ver. 3), and judgment goes home to the righteous—justice vindicates their cause.

From verse 16 to the end, we hear the same parties encouraging themselves to wait on for a season. When my soul is bewildered by endless thoughts, when every human scheme of relief seems vanity, my resort is to thyself, the God of all consolation! What streams for the thirsty are in thee. The past, if it brought anxiety, has never failed to bring help, while the future presents the prospect of the entire overthrow of ungodliness—

"Is the throne of iniquity confederate with thee? (Is it "become thy friend? Ewald.)

Framing wickedness (or, misery, Hengst.) by right of law!" (Ver. 20)

The question contains in itself its own answer; and even meanwhile there is a refuge—

"Jehovah shall be my high place,

And my God (shall be) my rock of shelter,"

till he arises in the day of his wrath to cut them off for ever. Thus, beginning with prayer,* the Psalm ends with prophecy; beginning with an earnest call, it ends with faith's confidence of an answer, and sounds in our ear

The cry of the oppressed Church and her Head for the day of vengeance.

PSALM 95

1–11 "HOLY joy in God, not discord nor dejection, appear in the old covenant as the fundamental sentiment of adoration." Thus truly spoke Tholuck in regard to the gladsome calls that begin so many of these Psalms.

The King and Kingdom, the Judge and the Judge's vengeance, are within sight, hastening on, almost at the door.* With these solemn prospects influencing them, the flock and the shepherd are now heard inviting men to enter the fold while it is the day of grace. Augustine felt this connexion when he wrote—"Venturus est! præveniamus faciem ejus in confessione."

"O come, let us sing cheerfully to Jehovah (Deut 28:47),

Let us raise the peal of melody to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come early before him (q. d., ere ever he calls), with praise;

We will raise the peal of melody in psalms to him." (Ver. 1, 2.)

He is great, and he is Sovereign over all (ver. 3); the deeps and the heights are his (ver. 4); the sea and the land (ver. 5); he is our Maker—and "MAKER" is equivalent to God who made us all that we ere in grace, as a nation and as individuals. Deut 32:6 illustrates it. So in Psa. 100:2, and many other places. Our God is a shepherd to us who glory in the blessedness of being pastured by him, and defended as well as guided by him (ver. 6, 7)—

"To-day, O that ye would hear his voice!"

This is the force of verse 7, אִם תִשְׁמָעוּ, like Exod. 32:32, "And now, O that thou wouldst forgive their sin!" and like Luke 19:42, "O that thou hadst known!" It is an intensely earnest call on those addressed to hearken to that voice, viz., to the call of God; while verse 8, in the same breath, entreats them not to be as Israel at Meribah and Massah—"like Meribah, like the day of Massah in the wilderness." Only let us not fail to notice, that while it is the flock who speak in verses 1–7, it is the Shepherd who takes up their expostulating words, and urges them home himself at verse 8 to the end, using the argument which by the Holy Ghost is addressed to us also in Hebrews 3.

There is something very powerful in this expostulation, when connected with the circumstances that give rise to it. In themselves, the burst of adoring love, and the full outpouring of affection in verses 1–7 are irresistibly persuasive; but when the voice of the Lord himself is heard (such a voice, using terms of vehement entreaty!) we cannot imagine expostulation carried further. Unbelief alone could resist this voice; blind, malignant unbelief alone could repel

The flock and the Shepherd together inviting men now to enter the fold.

PSALM 96

1–13 SOME say that wherever "new song" occurs, it is a song to Messiah directly, At any rate, He is always prominent, for the manifestation of Godhead is in all such Psalms a prominent theme.

The call of last Psalm came at a critical moment, namely, in the interval between the cry for vengeance in Psa. 94, and the answer to that cry in Psa. 96 For it is with the Kingdom and the Coming King just at hand, that Psa. 96 is sung.

The first draught of this song appears in 1 Chron. 16. That scene was a type. There was joy because of rest to the land, and rest to the ark of God in the midst of the land. And "If creation (says Horne) be represented as rejoicing at the establishment of the kingdom of grace, how much greater will be the joy at the approach of the kingdom of glory, when, at the resurrection of all things, man, new-made, shall return to the days of his youth, to begin an immortal spring, and be for ever young."

It is in harmony with Rev. 14:7, and 19:1–11. Creation at its first birth had its joyful songs from the morning stars, the sons of God (Job 38:7); shall not creation renewed have its songs (Isa. 62:10)? and shall not Earth itself sing its own bliss? It is not angels that are invited to sing, though no doubt they will join; it is a redeemed world—and the men of that redeemed world are to be telling of the salvation not for a few moments only, but from "day to day." In telling the salvation, they are to tell chiefly the glory of Him who has wrought it out (ver. 1–10)—his wonderful doings, his greatness, his praise worthiness, his fear, the nullity of all other gods, the creator-skill of our God who made the heavens—

"Glory and majesty are his inseparable attendants:

(Not mere transient displays, such as Esther 1:4 records.)

"Power and splendour are in his sanctuary." (Ver. 6.)

(The originals of all kingly magnificence are in his palace.)

"Give unto Jehovah, ye families of the nations;

Give unto Jehovah glory and power.

Give unto Jehovah the glory of his name!

Bring a present,* and come into his courts!

Worship Jehovah in (real sanctuary splendour) the beauty of holiness.

Tremble at his presence, all earth!

Tell among the nations, Jehovah is king!"

As a consequence, there is the reverse of Psa. 83:5. Yes, tell this also to men,

"The world stands firm; it totters no more!

He judges the people with uprightness!"

On this announcement, there is a shout that makes the welkin ring—a shout like that at Corinth, when "Soter, Soter!" rang through the air, and astonished birds as they flew, reeled, and dropt their wings. It is earth rejoicing (Rev. 19:5) that now what was foretold in Rom. 8:19–21 about the deliverance of the whole creation is at last accomplished—

"For He cometh! for He cometh!

To judge the earth!"

That is, to put earth in order,† to be its Gideon and Samson, to be its ruler, to fulfil all that the Book of Judges delineates of a judge's office. It is, as Hengstenberg says, "a gracious judging" not a time of mere adjudication of causes or pronouncing sentences—it is a day of jubilee. It is the happiest day our world has ever seen, Who would not long for it? Who is there that does not pray for it? It is the day of the Judge's glory, as well as of our world's freedom—the day when "the judgment of this world" (John 12:31, and 16:11), which his cross began and made sure, is completed by the total suppression of Satan's reign, and the removal of the curse. All this is anticipated here; and so we entitle this Psalm

The glory due to Him who Cometh to judge the earth.

PSALM 97

1–12 WE advance a step further. In this Psalm, Messiah has come in glory—he is not merely expected and anticipated. And here the effects of his Coming, in the ruin of his foes and their idols, are sung of. In Heb. 1:6 there is a quotation of verse 7,—"Worship Him all ye אֱלֹהִים" gods, or angels, as in Psalm 8:5. In making that quotation, the sacred writer prefaces it with a definite mark of time—"When he bringeth his first-begotten again into the world"—the time of his Second Advent—

"Jehovah reigneth! Let the earth* dance for joy! (Horsley, תָּגֵל.)

Let the multitude of its regions rejoice."

The "basis of his throne" (comp. Psa. 89:15) is formed by "Righteousness and judgment," while "clouds" are its curtains. And then is described the judgment upon idols, in language borrowed from the Sinai-appearing of the Lord, (ver. 3, 4). When in verse 6 it is said,

"The heavens declare his righteousness,"

the sense corresponds to Romans 1:18; it is equivalent to saying that now the Lord from heaven, from his opened heavens, rises up in favour of righteousness. From age to age the heavens seemed silently to hear, as if almost indifferent to the cry of sin; but not so any longer. At verse 7 Angels are called upon, "Ye gods," (Heb. 1:6); and called upon to worship "Him" who now appears, viz., Christ who now comes into the world again, (Heb. 1:6). Angels who were present, and who adored him at Bethlehem, at his first Coming, are again adoring. Israel and earth at large rejoice, witnessing his "judgments," i. e., his providential dealings. But specially his saints, who have long prayed and waited, now find that they waited not in vain; and hence the exhortation inverse 10, and the promise in verse 11, a verse illustrated by Esther 8:16 in one view of it—

"Light is sown for the righteous."

Into the furrows made by the plough of affliction and temptation, God casts the seeds of after-joy. Christ, "the Righteous One," is first partaker of this harvest of joy, as abundant as were his tears, his woes, his sorrows—and joy is synonymous with "light," because of light's cheerfulness, and because the rich flood of rays from the sun may be emblematic of the gifts and blessings to be poured on the Righteous One and his members. It is interesting to notice that an apparent reference to the Head and members is contained in the change of numbers in the clauses of verse 11—

"Light is sown for the Righteous One, צַדִּיק

And gladness for those who are upright in heart," (who keep to his rule).

All this blessedness, at the very hour judgment comes on idols and idolaters, may well call forth the rejoicing with which our Psalm begins and ends. And the "holiness" of verse 12 may remind us that all this joy is the result of Jehovah having at length introduced his own holiness into a fallen world. It is a blessed song concerning

The Advent of Messiah, and its results to earth.

PSALM 98

1–9 RYLAND (in "Psalms restored to Messiah,") thinks that as the Jews held that Moses wrote Psalm 90 and onward to the 98, it may be to this Psalm that Rev. 15 alludes, as "The Song of Moses and the Lamb." This is improbable; but the Psalm suits that time. The kingdom and the King have arrived; the blessedness of that happy day has been celebrated. But the harp cannot be silent yet! Another song on the same key! Another sweet and solemn melody on the same theme; but with this special addition, the Lord's faithfulness to Israel,

Hengstenberg remarks that this Psalm is full of allusion to Isaiah. At any rate, this Psalm and Isaiah, whichever was the earlier, answer to one another, as seraph to seraph, celebrating "wonders," "salvation with his right hand," "his holy arm," "his righteousness revealed." And may not the clause in verse 2,

"He hath remembered his mercy and truth,"

be considered as equivalent to "full of grace and truth" in John 1:17? That grace and truth is now to be revealed to Israel in particular, for he who is the fountain of it is to dwell among them—his throne stretched over Jerusalem as a rainbow spans the plain beneath, and his sceptre swayed over earth to its utmost ends.

"Sing to Jehovah with the harp!

With the harp and voice of psaltery!

With cornets and sound of trumpet (as at the bringing up of the ark to Zion, and as in 1 Kings 1:34, when Solomon was crowned).

Raise the peal of melody

Before THE KING, Jehovah!"

And as at the commencement of a reign in Israel, we read of the shout, "Let the king live!" (2 Kings 11:12, and 9:13,) "Jehu is king!" and as they clapped the hand (2 Kings 11:12), as well as shouted and blew the trumpet (2 Kings 9:13), so we find all these recognitions of The King in this Psalm—"The rivers clap their hands," and "the hills shout for joy," for the king foretold in David's last words has at length come (2 Sam. 23:3), to rule over men in the fear of the Lord.

It is the only Psalm called simply מִזְמֹר "Psalm," without addition. Some say that the reason is, there are so many verses that have some form of the root זָמַר, verses 1–8, &c. Hengstenberg accounts for it by supposing it the lyrical accompaniment of the more directly prophetical preceding Psalm, and the lyrical echo of the second part of Isaiah. It is at least interesting to notice, that a song of Zion which so exults in the king's arrival should be called pre-eminently, מִזְמֹר; as if the Psalm of Psalms were that which celebrates

Israel, and Earth at large, blessed in Messiah's Advent.

PSALM 99

1–9 THE King and kingdom having come and been established, the Psalmist sings of the principles of government. Holiness is the rule. Jehovah is as holy as when he manifested himself to Israel dwelling between the cherubim. Or rather, the idea seems to be that Jehovah, while fulfilling the type exhibited in his dwelling between the cherubim by dwelling with men in Zion, is nevertheless so holy that earth bows prostrate before him, and the nations quake.

"They praise thy name!

Great and terrible, holy is He!

And* royal strength loveth judgment!"

This is their song, because he has established judgment in Jacob. They call on others to join (ver. 5), bidding them fall before "His footstool," i. e., his ark, where he gave his manifestation of himself to men who approach to worship.

"He is holy" (ver. 5),

This is one of their arguments; another is, Moses and Aaron, Israel's leaders in the wilderness, are there; and Samuel, the first of the judges in the land, is there. These men, and such as these, used to call upon the Lord and get answers, during their days of trial, he speaking from the pillar-cloud.

"They kept his testimonies"—

this is an abridged description of the obedient life of all these saints—even as John 17:6, "They have kept My word," is the Master's delineation of his disciples.

"He gave them a code of statutes,"

refers to such a passage as Deut. 33:4, where the law is reckoned among the prime blessings of Israel. Yes, it was always thus; Jehovah answered them, and forgave them, yet was

"An avenging God because of their iniquities."

He is the same for ever. Just, sin-hating, righteous! And then a third time, as if to cause earth to respond to the song of heaven (Isa. 6:3, Rev. 4:8), the Psalmist extols Jehovah's holiness—

"Worship at the hill of his holiness,

For Jehovah our God is holy!"

It is throughout a Psalm proclaiming the untarnished perfections of the King,

Messiah ruling in holiness.

PSALM 100

1–5 THE King and kingdom come. and holiness now swaying the sceptre of a happy world, behold the whole earth as one great congregation uttering praise, and blessing, and thanksgiving, led by Messiah, the Chief Musician!

Its title is, "A psalm for thanksgiving." The word, תוֹדָה, the word used in Lev. 7:12 for sacrifices of thanksgiving, when thankful men brought to the Lord fine flour, and oil, and wine, in token of their deep sense of blessings bestowed. Here, then, is Earth's thankoffering day arrived—

"Raise the peal of melody to Jehovah!

All the earth!"

They sing, in verse 2, of his redemption, not of creation-work. They say, "He made us," i. e., made us what we are, a people to himself; as in Psa. 95:5, 1 Sam. 12:6, and Deut. 32:6. It was not we that made ourselves his (comp. Ezek. 29:3).

"He (and not ourselves) made us

His people, and the flock whom he feeds." (Ver. 3)

And of this psalm for all nations, this thanksgiving for redemption, this utterance of every heart and lip on earth and in heaven, this song of the whole family of God, of the glorified from their place, and the saved nations on earth in theirs, the burden is that old and well-known ascription to Jehovah—

"Jehovah is good—(1 John 4:8, 'God is love).'

His mercy endureth for ever,"

sung at the altar long ago, 2 Chron. 5:13, and 7:3, and 1 Chron. 16:34, Ezra 3:11, and Jer. 33:11. To this they add—

"And his truth is from generation to generation."

He has fulfilled all he ever spoke! He will continue for ever fulfilling all he has begun to fulfil! He who is "full of grace and truth," is no doubt the leader of this song (Psa. 22:22), though He be not mentioned specially; and it is just such a burst of rapturous delight and gratitude as will respond to the invitation from the throne, Rev. 19:5–7. We therefore call it—

The heartfelt thanksgiving of the Great Congregation led by Messiah.

PSALM 101

1–8 WE descend into the valley again. The Righteous One is before us, proposing to himself the rules of rectitude that shall be exhibited in his kingdom. We may suppose him pacing the valley of Jehoshaphat, while still only on his way to the kingdom. The Psalm that follows (102) lets us hear his complaints, and shews us his comforts; and the series proceeds, till we reach the end of the 108, where we rest under the banner of victory.

The first note of the Psalm guides us to Jehovah's true character, the grace and yet the holiness of his blessed name.

"Mercy and judgment I will sing!"

This is Israel's "Arma virumque cano." Israel's theme of praise is never man, but always Jehovah. It is "A Psalm of David;" and therefore let us take it as David's utterance when anticipating the establishment of his throne in Jerusalem—but as typical of David's Son, when he shall receive that kingdom foretold in Isa. 9:7, as well as now while he presides over the Church, which is "His house," (Heb. 3:6).

The whole Psalm may be used by a believer. When he recalls "that night to be remembered" in his history, his time of escape from bondage, he will sing of "mercy and judgment," and not less when he reviews the way God has led him since, mingling chastisements with forbearance. And, then, his desires and his resolutions as to the way he is to follow, resemble what is here breathed out by his Head. Still, it is of Christ that every clause speaks most fully. David could use it only in the measure in which a believer can.

"The perfect way," in verse 2, reminds us of faithful Abraham (Gen. 15:1), whose seed, Christ, obeys what was then enjoined; nor less are we reminded by אַשְׁכִילָה, "I will deal prudently," or "walk wisely," of David, in 1 Sam. 18:14, 15, exhibiting a type which was more than fulfilled by him of whom Isaiah (53:1–3) has sung in lofty strains. If he asks, like one wearying for a friend that seems to tarry, "When wilt thou come unto me?" it is no more than the language which David would be inclined to use in his wanderings, and even at Hebron, when still the kingdom was only half his own—"When wilt thou give me my promised kingdom? when wilt thou come to me with that glory wherewith I am to come to my own?"

He sees that day as if already come, and tells how he shall rule, from verses 3–7. May we not say that the germs of the Book of Proverbs are here—germs unfolded in the sunshine of Solomon's reign? There can be no doubt of the similarity in many characteristic expressions (even such as using the word מְלָשוֹנִי, ver. 5, occurring nowhere else again but Prov. 30:10); and, indeed, these verses sketched what that great book of practical wisdom expands, the rules of holy living, by which every subject of Christ's kingdom shall be guided—the principles of Divine jurisprudence that shall be applied to the details of government in every province and in every house. With truth to which Absalom was a stranger, he could say, "Oh that I were made judge in the land, that any man that hath any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice," (2 Sam. 15:4). Rising early and standing beside the way of the gate, Absalom feigned to be eager for the interests of justice and of his fellow-men, even as Antichrist can still pretend; but Christ shall sit on the throne of judgment for ever, the true antitype of every faithful judge who, at morning, sat at the gate—

From morning to morning will I destroy all the wicked of the land,

Cutting off from the city of the Lord all the workers of iniquity.

Terrible words! the words of that same Jesus who, in expounding on the Mount of Beatitudes the law which he came to obey, declared his purpose to cast off all unholy pretenders to his favour, "Ye that work iniquity, depart from me," (Matt. 7:23). And thus shall he sit on "the throne of David" (Isa. 9:7), to order it and to settle it, and to rule earth at large. Then shall it be well known, that to "sing of mercy and judgment" (ver. 1), was to sing of Christ ruling "his own house." And thus the Psalm presents us with

The Righteous One's rules of holy government.

PSALM 102

1–28 THE Greek lawgiver, Zaleucus, exemplified his own laws, even in their sorest penalties, by bearing half of his son's justly-deserved doom; and men read of the deed, and praise it. But our Lawgiver, God over all, has cast into the shade every such act of homage to law by the infinitude of suffering he in our nature endured, to honour the law of heaven and save the doomed transgressors. The twinkle of a taper bears more proportion to the blaze of the ever-burning sun, than this one act of Zaleucus, dictated by partiality for his own family, does to the honour rendered to law and justice by our Divine Redeemer. out of love to that holy law. In this Psalm we may see him, of whom Psa. 101 sang, giving honour to those rules of rectitude which there he proclaimed. For here we see the Righteous One, the Lord Jesus, laying the foundation of his kingdom of redeemed ones, by fully satisfying the demands of justice in their room.

It is Christ, in the days of his humiliation, that is before us. The title has been thus versified,

"This is the mourner's prayer when he is faint,

And to the Eternal Father breathes Ms plaint," (Keble).

The simplicity of the Hebrew is most expressive—"The prayer of the needy one when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord." The "needy one" is Christ, who, "though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might become rich." A believer, also, can take it up, for much of it expresses what the members may often feel while taking the same view of the Father's face that Christ sought.

His doleful complaint occupies from 1 to 11 verses, resembling closely the deep pathos of Psa. 22 Many of the allusions add depth to the words, conveying the idea, that all that was ever sorrowful in other men is to be found in this one "Man of Sorrows." Hannah's and David's sorrow, that took away all appetite for food (1 Sam. 1:7;* 2 Sam 12:17), and even Saul's blank horror (1 Sam. 28:20), are to be found in him—

"My heart is smitten, and withered like grass,

So that I have forgotten to eat my bread" (Ver. 4)

At such cost He purchased for believers on his name the privilege of "eating their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God," as exemplified in the men of Pentecost (Acts 2:46). He is like "the pelican of the wilderness" (sometimes seen at the Lake of Galilee, or by the shore of the Waters of Merom,) when it has left its companions in their desert resorts, and lingers alone, drooping and dying; or like "the owl in desolate places," sometimes haunting ruins, sometimes sitting on some hollow tree forlorn, even at noon-day, as travellers have observed in Palestine (see Narrative of Mission to the Jews, chap. v.); or, like some solitary sparrow, separated from the happy company of its fellows, mournful on the house-top.† He is like Job in the ashes, tears mingling with his drink, cast away, or cast down low now, and yet once lifted high (vers. 9, 10), his days like the shadow.

But, as an angel strengthened him in Gethsemane, so the thought of his Father's purposes supports him here. At verse 12 he looks upward, as if he said, "But, O Father! I do not distrust thee (comp. Psa. 22:3); thou art to me the same as from all eternity; thou art Jehovah;

"Thy memorial is from generation to generation." (Ver. 13)

That is, thy name manifested by deeds of love, and left on record for after ages, never changes.

"It is thou that shalt arise (אַתָּהּ תָקוּﬦ), and have mercy on Zion;

For the time to favour her, the appointed time, cometh on" (כִּי בָא, comp. Psa. 96:13).

At that time, "Thy servants have mercy upon (יְחֹנֵנוּ) the very dust of Zion;" they feel sorrow for it. At that time shall instruments be found not less efficient than Nehemiah in his day (see Neh. 3:3–4, and 4:4) to repair her wastes; and at that time the nations shall not hinder but help on the work, seeing the glory of the Lord. "For"—as if already beholding it accomplished, the vision is so clear (vers. 17, 18)—

"For the Lord has builded Zion!

And His Glory has been seen!

He has regarded the prayer of the destitute,

And has not despised their prayer" (Comp. Psa. 22:24)

He has heard the prayer of Zion's helpers, as well as the prayer of Him who was emphatically "The Destitute One"—the הָעֲרְעָר, naked of all things, nowhere to lay his head; like (as the word means) the heath in the wilderness (Jer. 17:6), like a bare solitary tree. This humiliation ends in exaltation; a future generation shall see it; for the Lord's character is known as helper of the miserable, manifesting his grace in their deliverance; and he has ever "looked down" (Deut. 26:15) on Israel with such feelings, delivering (as he did Peter in after days) at times when men expected to see the captive's end. He will look down (ver 20),

"To hear the groaning of the Prisoner (Christ),

To set at large the children of death." (Compare Isa. 61:1; Christ's members, and Israel among the rest)

And this delivered company shall shew forth his praise on that day when Messiah appears in his glory among the nations, the Shiloh to whom, at length, all kindreds and people gather.

Such is the bright prospect, the glorious vision! From the garden of Gethsemane, with the cup at his lips, Christ sees the throne—glory, for a moment, bursting through the gloom. But it passes away; he feels himself still in the valley, and his sense of weakness and woe returns. "Sorrowful unto death," his soul cries—

"He has weakened my strength* in the way;

He has shortened my days.

I say, O my God!

Take me not away in midst of my days." (Ver. 23, 24)

Take me not away, let me not sink, ere my Mediatorial work is accomplished.

It is here (compare Heb. 1:10–12) that the voice from the Father addresses him. It is at this cry that the silence above is broken. The Father speaks words of strength and hope.

"Thy years are to all generations! (בְּדוֹר דוֹרים, q. d., in the depth of ages past, "generation of generations." Not as verse 12, לְדֹר וָדֹר)

Of old thou hast laid the foundations of earth,

And the heavens were the work of thy hands," &c. (Ver. 24, 25)

The Eternal Son cannot faint or fail He must be conqueror. He must pass safely up from this humiliation to the throne whence he descended. Yes, it is his to create these heavens and earth anew.

"These shall perish, but thou remainest—

These shall wear out as a garment."

And when they have been worn out,

"Thou shall change them as a vesture (splendid attire, Gesen),

And they shall be changed" (יִחֲלִיפוּ).

The word for "change" implies in it (see Schultens on Prov. 31:8) something succeeding to another, חָלַף, (the root of "Caliph,") having in it the radical idea of substitution. It is used in Arabic in regard to plants, when they are changed, by a new effloresence, at spring-time; it is used by Job (14:14) regarding his Resurrection change; it is used in Isa. 9:9—"We will put cedars in the room of sycamores." If so, we see very clearly the assurance contained in these words, that Christ must not only suffer, but enter into his glory too. As certainly as in the beginning he was the glorious Creator of all things, but was pleased to stoop to our world as a man of sorrows, so certainly he must once again create these fallen heavens and earth anew—no more the Man of Sorrows, but manifested as the Eternal Son.

In that glory his children shall share—in that unchanging bliss they "receive a kingdom that cannot be moved," (Heb. 12:28). They at present often drink of his cup; they have some of his sorrows; for many an age their lot on earth has been like his—sorrowful. But, at length, the day of his glory dawns, and the "children of his servants" shall no more be strangers and wanderers; but (יִשְׁכֵנו) "shall continue," or pitch their tents and be fixed. The children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, "his servants" may be specially intended; at least, they are not forgotten. For now his saints enter on the possession of Earth, and the millennial race of Israelites inherit their Land, reigned over by the Lord and his glorified saints. And thus we understand this Psalm, beginning in woe, ending in gladness. It is

Messiah's complaint and comforts in the days of his humiliation.

PSALM 103

1–22 HOW often have saints in Scotland sung this Psalm in days when they celebrated the Lord's Supper! It is thereby specially known in our land. It is connected also with a remarkable case in the days of John Knox. Elizabeth Adamson, a woman who attended on his preaching "because he more fully opened the fountain of God's mercies than others did," was led to Christ and to rest, in hearing this Psalm, after enduring such agony of soul that she said, concerning racking pains of body, "A thousand years of this torment, and ten times more joined, are not to be compared to a quarter of an hour of my soul's trouble." She asked for this Psalm again before departing: "It was in receiving it that my troubled soul first tasted God's mercy, which is now sweeter to me than if all the kingdoms of the earth were given me to possess."

Of this Psalm, when viewed as following the preceding, we may say, Fruits of Messiah's work appear—glory to God, goodwill to man. We might exclaim, Behold the Redeemer and his gifts! for it is the song of a redeemed one by the Redeemer's side. Forgiveness is the chief and foremost of the mercies celebrated. In tone it might be compared with Mark 2:5, 9.

1. The Gifts received (ver. 1–5) are celebrated, not only with the lips, but with the whole soul. God's Israel do not now forget him when he has blessed them (Deut. 6:12; 8:11, 12), for the blessings are more than temporal, and the diseases healed are more than bodily (Exod. 15:26; Deut. 29:23). The strength imparted, that makes them like the soaring eagle, and to be imparted when the resurrection body is bestowed, is a removal of the evils of sin An usual word is employed in verse 5, "Who hath satisfied עֶדְיֵךָ with good;" rendered by some, "thy mouth;" by Hengstenberg, "thy beauty," or ornament, i. e., thy soul; by Gesenius and others, "thine age;" and by some, simply, "even thee." This full, rich, overflowing burst of song has led to the use of a term as rare as the tone of the song. The term "crowning" expresses the bestowal of dignity as well as favour, and the reference to the eagle is, q. d., makest me grow young again, and so to soar like an eagle.

2. The Receivers of the Gifts (ver. 6, 7).—The oppressed, the helpless, have been the receivers of his mercy. It is the manner of Jehovah to give thus graciously. He is the Jehovah who made known "his ways" to Moses (his principles of action), and shewed his "works" to Israel, in the days of their bondage.

3. The Giver, the fountain-head of these blessings (ver. 8–18).—He is that Jehovah whose name Moses heard (Exod. 34:6) at the rock of Horeb—a name more plentiful in streams for the thirsty souls, than the smitten rock of Horeb for thirsty Israel. Here is the Fountain-head—"Merciful, gracious, slow to anger, plenteous in mercy." Here are seven streams from that fountain-head:—a, Love unupbraiding (ver. 9); then, b, Love that blesses the undeserving (ver. 10); c, Love infinite in extent (ver. 11); d, Love thoroughgoing in its nature (ver. 12); e, Love very tender (ver. 13); f, Love that sympathizes with us (ver. 14, 15, 16); Love that is undecaying (ver. 17, 18).

4. The Kingdom of the Giver.—In verse 19 we see that these many streams bear us on to the ocean—for we are led first to the Throne in the heavens, then to the Kingdom that ruleth over all the earth.

5. The closing burst of Praise to the Giver.—The morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy, at the sight of creation issuing from the Creator's hands. Much more cause is there now for such another song; ay, and a song so much nobler as the theme is loftier. Angels must bear a part, bringing all their strength to the work—this work of praise. All Jehovah's hosts, all Jehovah's servants, all Jehovah's creatures, inanimate as well as animate (Psa. 104:4), in all places of his dominion, must take up the thanksgiving, and praise, and blessing. It is Rev. 5:13 anticipated. The man that hears that song, shall he not be counted a blessed man? a thousand times blessed? But the man himself shall cast his crown of bliss at the feet of his Lord—"Bless the Lord, O my soul!" ending as he began this

Song of a redeemed one by the Redeemer's side.

PSALM 104

1–35 ONE of our poets has said—

"———The song of woe

Is, after all, an earthly song"

It is not perpetuated in heaven, nor in the glorious kingdom; for there praise, "from blest voices uttering joy," fills the many mansions. Last Psalm shewed us this coming joy, arising from spiritual sources—the soul enjoying God, bathing in his holy love, knowing him, obeying him, serving him, blessing him, seeing him as he is, and for ever with him. This Psalm calls our attention to the glory of our God displayed in the material world already, and yet to be displayed in it more fully.

The key-note, "Bless the Lord, O my soul!" is that on which it is raised. The same redeemed soul that, with anointed eyes, saw Jehovah in Redemption works, beholds him here in Creation scenes—in the scenes of the old and new earth. With the Book of Genesis (chap 1) in his hand, he surveys the first day's handiwork (ver. 1, 2),* God's mantle of light, and some folds of it thrown over the new-made earth. Unlike the array of earthly monarchs, "glory and majesty" (symbolised by light,) are his robe, the skirts of which adorn the earth, which is his footstool.† Then the second day's work (ver. 3–5)—"He maketh his upper chambers with waters;" that is, the very waters in the clouds are the beams on which the floor of the upper chamber of his palace is laid.—He makes winds to act for him as angels, and lightnings to do the office of servants.‡ The third day's work, wherein the platform of our earth was cleared, is celebrated from verses 6 to 18—"As for the deep, thou coverest it (וֹ) as with a garment" (see Hengstenberg). Does not this mean that, on the third day, the Lord first shone on the waters that covered earth, and stood above the hills, then, the voice from The Glory commanded these waters to their beds? And thus it was that springs began to flow among the hills, and have flowed ever since, wild asses coming to drink, birds among leafy trees, overhanging the brooks (עֲלֵיהְם, verse 12), uttering their cheerful notes, "living their life of music"—the Lord condescending to care for every creature, yes, and for every blade of grass, and for the olive that yields oil for man, and for the vine, and the corn; for the cedars, too, and the pines or cypresses on Lebanon, where little birds and stately storks alike find nestling; while goats and jerboas sport among the rocks below. Over this scene, the fourth day's creation casts its beams (ver. 19–24). Sun and moon go forth to regulate man and beast, by interchange of day and night. And the fifth day's creation scene is not forgotten. (vers. 25, 26)—the wonders of the sea; the living creatures of the immense ocean. If man has found use for that ocean, and has floated his ships upon it, in so doing he has discovered some of the uses to which the Lord's treasures hid there for him may be applied; at the same time, how feeble man's work appears, when you observe that the Lord has constituted these mighty waters the home and native abode of such monsters as "Leviathan whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein." As for the sixth day's work, it was introduced at verses 21–23—man and beast. As the Psalm is not historical, but a review of creation by one of the created ones who inhabit that earth, hence it may be that man and beast were introduced when singing of the uses of sun and moon to us—all the rather, because man's workmanship, "the ships," could not be spoken of without previously introducing man himself.

Providence is creation continued from hour to hour, from age to age; and of this, verses 27, 28, 29 sing, casting in the thought of "creation subject to vanity" (ver. 29).

Every spring we have a specimen of the Creator's power, to renew the earth. It may be, in part, to this annual renewal, when winter is over and gone, that verse 30 refers. Even if it be so, however, it contains, besides, the promise and prospect of earth's final renewal at the "Times of Restitution of all things;" for then only shall we know the meaning lodged in the words,

"Thou makest new the face of the earth."

If, at verse 24, the adoring exclamation spontaneously broke from the beholder's lips, "O Lord! how manifold are thy works! in wisdom thou hast made them all!" it shall yet again burst from admiring witnesses of that New Creation. And then shall that chorus be heard from heaven and earth together;

"The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever!

The Lord shall rejoice in his works!" (Ver. 31.)

They shall say of him in their songs—

"It is He who looked (הַמַּבִּיט) on earth and it trembled!

He toucheth the mountains, and they smoke."

One shall cry to the other—

"While I live, I will sing to the Lord;

During the whole period of my existence (eternity) I will praise my God.

Sweet, as it rests on him, shall my meditation be!

I (אַנֹכִי though, no one else should) will rejoice in the Lord."

At last has come that "New Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness;" for "sinners are consumed (as in Num. 14:35), the wicked are no more." Even in anticipation now we cannot but join in the "Bless the Lord, O my soul!" and the "Hallelujah" that closes this celebration of the Lord's glory—

The glory of the Lord revealed in Earth created and Earth renewed.

PSALM 105

1–45 THE first fifteen verses were written at the bringing up of the Ark, 1 Chron. 16. They tell that it is sovereign grace that ruleth over all—it is a sovereign God. Out of a fallen world he takes whom he pleases—individuals, families, nations. He chose Israel long ago, that they might be the objects of grace, and their land the theatre of its display. He will yet again return to Israel, when the days of his Kingdom of Glory draw near; and Israel shall have a full share—the very fullest and richest—in his blessings, temporal and spiritual. In these days shall this song be sung again—

"O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name!

Make known among the Gentiles his workings," &c.

Inviting, in such strains (ver. 1–8), all Israel to tell of their redeeming God among the nations; "He, the Lord, is our God" (ver. 7). They recount his benefits, from the days of Abraham onward to their entering in peace upon possession of Canaan—the type of the more blessed rest remaining for them and us under the true Joshua. The Covenant (ver. 8, 9) was the sure foundation of this favour manifested toward them; and that same Covenant (ver. 42) was the Lord's reason for putting the cope-stone on the work. It is "grace, grace," from beginning to end. And the repeated call on saints to "make God's deeds known" breathe a missionary spirit, and should be so felt by us who know the great deeds of Calvary and Pentecost. Horne, also, well remarks on verse 2, "Sing—talk,—music and conversation are two things by which the mind of man receiveth great good or a great deal of harm. They who make Jehovah the subject of both will enjoy a heaven on earth."

1. The Psalm, then, selects incidents that may best touch the heart. Thus Israel's insignificance, even after becoming a nation, and their weakness, and wanderings (vers. 12–15). They went "from the kingdom," a land promised to them, (מִמַּמְלָכָה) "to a foreign, people."

"From kingdom unto kingdom,

Sojourned a little band:

From place to place compelled to stray—

Strangers in a strange land." (Barclay.)

Yet they are "anointed;" the oil of him who set them apart is on their head; and therefore they are safe (ver. 15). He has separated them for himself, and made them "his prophets"—teachers of his will to other nations of earth.

2. Joseph's History is next selected as a theme; for there Jehovah is seen casting down and lifting up; using, too, a despised instrument to be a glorious deliverer. There is something graphic in the language of verse 16, "He called for famine," representing it as his waiting servant, (Horne). Scarcely less so is the literal rendering of verse 17, "He sent a man before them"—but how? To man's eye there appeared no sending; but it was to emerge from this, "Joseph was sold for a servant." Here again is grace—grace flowing in unthought-of channels (vers. 16–24).

3. Egyptian bondage follows, but only as introducing redemption—redemption by power, and redemption that proclaimed Jehovah's wrath on the rebellious (vers. 25, 26). We see Jehovah removing from the rebellious resisters of his will the blessing of light, the blessing of water for their thirst, the blessing of domestic comfort, the blessing of fertilising rain, the blessing of the increase yielded by the vine and fig, the grass and grain, nay, the blessing of health and of life (27–36). On the other hand, his blessing rests, in sovereign grace, on his redeemed (vers. 37–43)—the blessing that is the reverse of these inflictions on Egypt, besides strength, security from foes, guidance, providential supply of food and water.

"He brought forth his people with rejoicing,

His elect with the song of joy."

But all this—not for their sakes—only because of his holy covenant. "Grace, grace," pervades his ways; and grace leads them into possession of their inheritance (ver. 44); but leads them thither to glorify their redeeming God, even as shall be the case at their final return—

"For the sake of having his statutes observed,

And his laws preserved.

Hallelujah!"

Whether we consider the sweet singer here to be David, or David's Son, who sat in the pillar-cloud over Israel's tents, the theme is the same.

The Lord glorified in his redeeming acts toward Israel.

PSALM 106

1–48 WE are still traversing the same field We are still listening to the gracious acts of the Lord toward one nation of his ransomed—namely, Israel, It is another portion of their history that is reviewed, but there is as much of grace, sovereign grace, in this portion as in the first. And hence it opens, like the former, with praise and adoring wonder—

"Hallelujah! praise ye the Lord!

For he is good! for his mercy is for ever.

Who can tell the mighty deeds of the Lord?

Who can shew forth all his praise?"

The only mode in which the creature can even attempt aright to shew forth his praise is, by continued and ever increasing service—"Blessed are they that keep judgment, and they that do righteousness at all times." So great has the Lord's favour to his Israel been, that the sweet singer, whoever he be—David, as in 1 Chron. 16, or David's Lord, in his day—while remembering that favour and singular love, exclaims (ver. 4, 5),—

"Remember me, Lord, with the favour of (shewn to) thy people!

Visit me with thy salvation! (such as was wrought for them.)

That I may see the good of thy chosen ones,

And may rejoice in the joy of thy nation,*

And glory with thine inheritance."

If the type afforded such matter for praise, what shall the antitype? If that kingdom of Israel furnished such proofs of Jehovah's love, what shall The Kingdom that is yet to come?

To magnify the Lord's grace, confession is made of Israel's sin—forgetfulness, ingratitude, selfishness (vers. 6–15); and then of rebellion, idolatry, murmuring unbelief, lust, and lewdness; persevering unbelief, neglect of duty, conformity to the heathen world (vers. 16–39). Scene upon scene is brought before us in which Israel is seen defiled, polluted, stained to the core with sin. Yet the Lord saved them, when they returned from their ways (vers. 40–46), fulfilling the promise in Lev. 26:12, and answering the prayer (1 Kings 8:47), left for all ages.

Yes; these scenes of grace toward the basest, most ungrateful, most perverse, are for all ages, to lead them to the cry in verse 47,—

"Save us, O Lord, our God!

And gather us from the Gentiles."

Israel must raise that cry in these latter days. Israel will raise it soon. Ere long, they shall take up the harp of David, and Solomon, and Asaph, and Heman, and the sons of Korah, and use all these songs; and this among the rest—this among the first. On that day, instead of "Amen" to the solemn curse, as in Deut. 27:15–26, the people shall, with one accord, say "Amen" to the song of thanksgiving raised to Jehovah, who has gathered them from the Gentiles.

"Blessed be Jehovah, God of Israel,

From everlasting and unto everlasting!

And let all the people (הָעָﬦ) say, Amen!

Hallelujah!"

Thus setting forth

The Lord glorified in his long-suffering to Israel, and in their final gathering.

PSALM 107

1–43 SCARCELY has the ascending cry of the preceding Psalm ceased, when the answer* comes. For here is all Israel gathered. We say, all Israel; for it is Israel peculiarly who form the subject of it. At the same time, on the same principle that leads us to admit every member of Christ's body to share in David's hopes and faith, and in the Son of David's confidence and victory, we find this a Psalm which every one of God's redeemed, in any age, can sympathise in, and can sing with reference to themselves.

Hengstenberg thinks it suited peculiarly to a joyful, national service of thanksgiving, such as that Feast of Tabernacles in Ezra's day (chap. 3), after the few bands of the dispersed of Israel had returned to their land. If it would be appropriate in such circumstances, much more will it be so when all Israel, from all lands of their dispersion, have returned home. And thus it is that Dr Allix describes it—"A Hymn of the Synagogue, gathered from its last dispersion"—applicable to that day foretold by Isa. 11:11, when the Lord recovers the remnant of his people, the second time, "from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the isles of the sea." Some have experience of their forefathers' trials in the desert (ver. 4–7); some have come from the prison-house (ver. 10–14); some have been emaciated by sickness (ver. 17–20); others have been all but swallowed up by the sea (ver. 23–30);—all have been witnesses of the Lord's curse on their own land and nation for sin, and now have become witnesses of the blessing when sin is removed. A nation that has had, and is to have, such experience is the fittest of all to form a type, or be the pattern, of God's discovery of his ways in grace, to men of every nation, and kindred, and tongue, whom he redeems. It is such manifestations as these that make "the righteous see and rejoice;" it is such views of God's ways that cause "all iniquity to stop her mouth" (ver. 42); and it is thus that men discover Jehovah's thoughts that are higher than our thoughts.

"Whoso is wise will consider these things,

And will understand the mercies (חַסְדֵי) of the Lord."

The kingdom will be the time and place for a thorough and searching inquiry into the Lord's past ways. We try this inquiry now, and what we do succeed in discerning is most profitable. But our eyes are dim. O for the time when Israel, and we beside them, shall look back on the Lord's ways, such ways as are described here, and understand the Lord's character and the Lord's loving kindness! From the heights of glory we shall be able to look far down into the depths of grace.

But no wonder it closes thus, when we dwell upon its many subjects of praise and thanksgiving. Its first words are abundant in thought concerning Jehovah—"For he is good." Is not this (as we saw in Psa. 100) the Old Testament version of "God is love?" (1 John 4:8.) And then, "For his mercy endureth for ever." Is not this the gushing stream from the fountain of Love?—the never-failing stream, on whose banks "the redeemed of the Lord" walk, "those whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy" (Hengstenberg, "hand of trouble," צַר). Nor is the rich significance of these clauses diminished by our knowing that they were, from time to time, the burden of the altar-song. When the ark came to its resting-place (1 Chron. 16:34), they sang to the Lord—"For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever!" In Solomon's temple, the singers and players on instruments were making the resplendent walls of the newly-risen temple resound with these very words, when the glory descended (2 Chron. 5:13); and these were the words that burst from the lips of the awestruck and delighted worshippers, who saw the fire descend on the altar (2 Chron. 7:3). And in Ezra's days (3:11), again, as soon as the altar rose, they sang to the Lord—"Because he is good; for his mercy to Israel endureth for ever." Our God is known to be "Love," by the side of the atoning sacrifice. Jeremiah, (33:11) too, shews how restored Israel shall exult in this name.

Dwell next on the experience of his redeemed, "from east and west," so far separate from each other; and from "north," the most obscure quarter of earth, and from "the sea" (יָם), the tempest-tossed region. They have witnessed strange scenes, and the love of God in them all. Think of the wanderers in the desert (ver. 4) realising their fathers' history, and joining to it Hagar and Ishmael's thirst and despondency—how they were delivered after all, and led to the city, to Jerusalem (Targum and Hengstenberg)—the city where they found the habitation of God, and where they were made to dwell.

"Let these praise the Lord for his goodness,

And for his wonderful doings to the sons of men;

For he satisfieth the longing soul (שֹׁקֵקָה, going hither and thither in vain),

And filleth the hungry soul with good" (טוֹב; his own name, ver. 1.)

Think of another scene. Yonder is a prison-house (ver. 10), and there you find transgressors, such as Manasseh or Zedekiah, brought low, because they despised the words of (אֵל) the Mighty God, and left in the dungeon to consider their ways. Their cry goes up to the mercy-seat—they are delivered; they are blessed.

"Let them praise the Lord for his goodness," &c.

Think of another scene—the bed of sickness, "Fools afflicted because of their course of transgression," (ver. 17). Hear the groan, look on the languid eye, observe the sore anguish of these death-stricken ones. But, like the man described in Job 33:19–23, to whom the Interpreter comes, these cry to the Lord and find mercy.

And so is it with those tempest-tossed ones (ver. 22), who for a time were like Jonah and the mariners that were with him.* The Lord commandeth, and the stormy wind ariseth, (ver. 25).

"Which lifteth up His waves;" (i. e., Jehovah's waves Psa. 42:7; Jonah 2:3),

But what a calm when Jehovah hears their cry!—like the sea of Galilee that morning when The Master arose and rebuked winds and waves with his "Peace; be still." Was there need then to exhort men to adore and praise? Did they not cry one to another, "What manner of man is this?" Even so here; when "their waves" (ver. 29)—i. e., the waves that tossed them, sent out by God (ver. 25), and made terrible to them—are lulled by him who hears their cry.

"Let them praise the Lord for his goodness," &c.

Let them praise Him in the place where the Elders sit together—deliberating on the ways of God.

But now Israel, from all lands, meet on their proper soil—Palestine. They see it had become waste and desolate, like Sodom (Deut. 29:23), though once as the garden of Eden; and they own it is for "the wickedness of those that dwelt there," (ver. 34). They remember how, when their fathers emerged from the wilderness, they found it a land flowing with milk and honey; and how to them it was exchanging a desert for water-springs—there they dwelt, built their cities, reared Jerusalem, and there they multiplied (ver. 35–38). It was sin that "diminished them," and "poured contempt on their princes," (ver. 39, 40). God is good; God is Love. God would have blessed them for ever, nor ever once have broken a link of the chain, but for sin. And now He has returned in free love to them.

"He setteth the poor on high,

And maketh families to him, like a flock of sheep." (Ver. 41.)

Shall not gathered Israel bless the Lord? and shall not all the earth hear, and see, and learn?

"The righteous shall see and rejoice,

And all iniquity stop her mouth.

Whoso is wise will consider these things,

And will understand the mercies of the Lord."

By such closing words are all men invited to come and join the Lord's redeemed, in their blessings and in their joyful song, helping them to raise to the Lord this

Song of thanks from gathered Israel and the redeemed.

PSALM 108

1–13 HE has brought them to their desired haven!

"O God! my heart is fixed—

My heart is fixed."

No more tossed, no more wandering.

"I will sing and give praise;

Awake, my glory, awake!"

A call to celebrate a greater victory than Deborah's (Judges 5:12)—"Awake, my glory"—i. e., my tongue, the best member I have for the purpose; or, my heart (Hengstenberg), fitted to be a harp that may sound thy name.

"Awake, psaltery and harp!

I will awake the morning!"

For his mercy is great—that mercy sung of lately (Psa. 107:1, and ver. 43). It is "from above the heavens" (מְעַל שְׁמַיﬦ); i. e., coming down on us, as do drops of a fertilizing shower. Even as the "Peace on earth," of Luke 2:14, was first "Peace in heaven" (Luke 19:38).

We have already had the words of this Psalm in two others—viz., the 57 and 60. But here the joyful and the triumphant portions of these two are joined in one, to form a lofty melody ("A song, a psalm," like Psa. 30 in the title), celebrating Israel's return and Messiah's triumph.* Messiah, and all Israel along with him, and every saint "rejoicing with Jerusalem" (Isa. 65:18), utter this Psalm. Messiah, as Leader, speaks, in verse 9, in his own name (an intentional variation from Psalm 60:8)—

"Moab I will use as a vessel in which to wash my feet (when the journey is over),

Over Edom I will cast my shoe (as one does to his servant),

Over Philistia I will raise the shout of joy."

Both in this Psalm and Psalm 60, the words in verse 10—"Who shall lead me?"—are in the present participle, מיִ יוֹבֵל—"Who is my leader?"—thus admitting of application to the past, while they may be prospective also; like the expression in Heb. 13:7, "Remember Τῶν ἡγουμέων ὑμῶν," your rules. The speaker asks—

"Who is he that leadeth me to the strong city?

Who hath led me into Edom?

Is it not thou, O God, who hadst rejected us,

And didst not go forth with our armies?"

Then, going forward in the Lord's name, and renouncing man's strength, He and His enter on possession, saying—

"Through God we shall do valiantly;

He it is that treads down our enemies."

"It is he that bruises Satan under our feet." may every saint reply; and, when Israel's day has come, every saint shall find himself blessed in their blessing. And so shall the Church join

Messiah, in behalf of restored Israel, raising the shout of victory.

PSALM 109

1–31 A SERIES of four connected Psalms commences here, beginning with Messiah in his low estate. It is an observation as old as the days of the Fathers, that this Psalm presents to us "The sufferings of Christ," and the Psalm that succeeds celebrates "The glory that should follow." We here descend into the Valley of Humiliation, that we may look up from thence to the height of Exaltation. Christ is here enduring the contradiction of sinners, and at last meeting with the traitor. "Et tu, Brute!" is the tone of the complaint. The Fathers called it "the Iscariotic Psalm," because so specially applied by Peter (Acts 1:16–20) to Judas. We may consider Judas, at the same time, as the virtual head of the Jewish nation in their daring attempt to dethrone the Son of God. The doom pronounced, and the reasons for it, apply to the Jews as a nation, as well as to the leader of the band who took Jesus. In the words of verse 1,

"Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise,"

we hear the Saviour taking up Israel's manner of addressing Jehovah; for Moses uses it (Deut. 10:21) when expressing the feeling that during all his wilderness journey he had proved Jehovah sufficient for him under sorrow, fear, perplexity, suffering, temptation, and so had ever found reason to praise him. Jeremiah, the weeping Jeremiah, broken in spirit, and meeting with treachery in the house of his friends, could call on Jehovah by the same name (17:14), "Thou art my praise!" The Lord Jesus identifies himself with his saints—"in all points tempted like as we are." Yes, and if at one time he looks up to the Father and says, "Thou art my praise!" thinking of blessings already received, no less does he at another time, as one of us would do when needing more help, speak thus of himself, "I am prayer," (ver. 4).

Christ speaks from verses 1–5 as one surrounded by foes, like Shammah amid the Philistines in the field of lentiles (2 Sam. 23:12); then suddenly his eye falls on the leader of the troop, the tallest and most prominent sinner of the many thousands whom he guides to the prey. May we not say that verse 6, so abruptly isolating some one enemy, pointing the finger at him, and bidding the divine thunderbolt fall on his head, is like the Evangelist's "While he yet spake, lo! Judas, one of the twelve!" Even as Judas said to those he led on, "That same is he, hold him fast;" so the Son of man says to the Father, "There is he! let him die!"

We consider the terrific utterance of doom, from verse 6 to verse 20, as no other than a copy (if we may so speak) of the Father's sentence upon the traitor who sold the Beloved Son for thirty pieces of silver. Christ declares it, and consents to it—"Let it be even so!"

"Let the wicked one be set over him;

And let Satan stand at his right hand." (Ver. 6.)

Again,—

"Let his children wandering, wander on,

Let them beg, and seek (food) from among the ruins of their own homes."

And then he says,—

"Let their sins be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of the sinner from the earth;

Because he remembered not to shew mercy (worse than Gen. 40:23),

But persecuted the poor and needy One;

The One that was broken-hearted even unto death!" (Ver. 16)

Our Master had this verse in substance on his lips at the very hour when Judas was on his way to Gethsemane to betray him; for Matt. 26:38 tells us that Jesus spake of being "sorrowful UNTO DEATH;" which is the form of the expression here, "broken in heart unto death" נִכְאֵה לֵבָב לְמוּתָה. (See on Psa. 79:11, for the force of מוּתַה)

We must not pass verse 18 without remarking that there is an allusion in its tone to Num. 5:21, 22, 24—the unfaithful wife. Her curse was to penetrate into her bowels; "the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her;" and such a curse comes on unfaithful Judas, who violates his engagement to the Lord, and upon Israel at large also, who have departed from him as a "wife treacherously departeth from her husband," and have committed adultery against the Bridegroom.

After this manifestation of Jehovah's abhorrence of all Messiah's foes, from Judas downward, the Saviour looks again to the Father, committing all to him.

"And thou, Jehovah, art my Lord!" (Ver. 21.)

To us it is sweet consolation to be able to say, "My Beloved is mine, and I am his!" Was it less so to the Son of man?

"Act for me, for thy names sake!"

Father, glorify thy name! Glorify thyself even in my continued suffering (ver. 22–25). For again he cries,

"For poor and needy am I (אָנֹכִי even I whom thou hast already helped),

And my heart is wounded within me.

Like the declining shadow I go away (night is near),

I am tossed to and fro as the locust" (the storm has begun).

Blasts from hell, and from earth, drive me about, as brisk winds do the locusts, seeking to sweep me into the deep.

Once more (vers. 26–28) prayer arises from him who said in verse 4, "I am prayer;" and after this, praise. For he sees deliverance on its way, and ends with praise to the "God of his praise" (ver. 1) as he began, adoring the grace of Jehovah, who rescues the helpless one, standing at his right hand. And in this "Salvation" is included glory and blessedness, the glory and the blessedness of the kingdom. The harp is soon to sing of this theme in louder notes; and, therefore, it is no more than indicated at the close. What a Psalm!

Messiah's prayers and praises for judgment on Judas and Judas-like men.

PSALM 110

1–7 "The right hand of the poor!" was heard in the closing lines of the last song—"the right hand of the Poor One," viz., the Messiah on earth in his humiliation. But look up now; this "poor and needy One is exalted! The Lord has "saved him." We see no Judas now; but we see Him whom Judas betrayed, and whom Israel agreed in rejecting, exalted to the right hand of God.

"Jehovah said to my Lord, (אֲדֹנִי)

Sit at my right hand."

An oft-quoted passage—because it contains a memorable truth.* We find it quoted by Messiah himself to lead Israel to own him as greater than David, Matt. 22:41. It is quoted in Heb. 1:13, to prove him higher far than angels. It is brought forward by Peter, Acts 2:34, to shew him Lord as well as Christ. It is referred to in Heb. 10:12, 13, as declaring that Jesus has satisfactorily finished what he undertook to accomplish on earth, "The one sacrifice for ever," and is henceforth on that seat of divine honour "expecting till his enemies be made his footstool"—the day of his Second Coming.

In verse 1, We have the personal glory of the exalted Messiah declared by the Father. He sits in highest honour (see 1 Kings 2:19; Psa. 45:9) till the day arrive for still farther honour, viz., the utter prostration of his foes, who shall be made his footstool, alluding (Josh. 10:24) to the five kings. Then the land shall have rest.

In verse 2, The Father's promise to him of the subjugation of all his foes. The "rod" is מַטֵּה, not a sceptre, but a rod of chastisement, like that of Moses, used in bringing judgment on Egypt.

In verse 3, The promise of a people, loving, holy, spotless, and more than man can number.

In verse 4, His office as Royal Priest, specially exercised in bringing this innumerable people to himself and then blessing them. He is Melchizedec, but over a mighty kingdom, and he intercedes for and blesses his Abrahams.

In verses 5, 6, Details are given of his leaving the right hand.

And verse 7 is a summary of his whole career.

But, we should notice, in verses 5, 6, how the prophetic telescope is shifted. Hitherto (ver. 1–4) our eye had been fixed on the Exalted Son, while David rehearsed in prophecy what the Father would do for him "in the day of his power"—that is, the day referred to, Rev. 11:17, when he takes to himself his great power and reigns, the day of his Second Coming. But now, in verse 5, we are guided to the Father; for it is he who "shall send Jesus," (Acts 3:20; 1 Tim. 6:15). And it is with our eye on the Father that we are to read verse 5.

"The Lord (אְדֹנָי Chaldee, 'Shecinah') at thy right hand," (O Jehovah). See verse 1.

Or, perhaps, more correctly still, in the manner of adoring joy and hope,

"The Lord (Adonai) is at thy right hand!

He has smitten through kings in the days of his wrath!

He will contend with the nations,

He hath smitten The Head of earth in all its extent!"

This last clause, which speaks of a usurper who claimed a right to our world, is the contrast to verse 7, wherein His own exaltation over earth is proclaimed by "lifting up the head" (see Gen. 40:13, 20, &c.).

"Of the brook in the way he shall drink:

Therefore shall he lift up the head."

We may now turn back to discuss some of the difficulties of this magnificent triumphal song. We shall notice two—one in the description of his army, verse 3; the other in the summary of his career, verse 7.

We read in verse 3, "Thy people shall be free-gifts to thee, in the day of thy power"—themselves presenting themselves as living sacrifices. The allusion is probably to the many free-will-offerings brought to Israel's altar,—all of which, as well as their meat-offerings and drink-offerings, declared that God's people were a people who gave up themselves to him, soul, body, and spirit without reserve. And there was an old type in Judges 5:2, Barak's army—like this great assembly from all tribes, while those that were like Meroz perished with the foe. This army, this host of the Lord, may be specially meant of Israel as a nation, at Christ's Second Coming; but if so, it is Israel as afterwards the centre-point of union to the converted nations of the whole earth. There may be reference, also, to that other part of the Lord's host on that day, his glorified saints "who attend upon him," and reign with him over these nations of earth, and over the twelve tribes of Israel. But the full reference is to all these multitudes together, gathered to Shiloh at his Coming. These shall be arrayed as priests: festively adorned; for,

"In the beauties of holiness,"

is an expression taken from Exodus 19:6 and 28:4 (compare Prov. 31:25, הָדרָ לְבֹשַׁה). It is used frequently, and always seems to refer us back to the dress of the priesthood, or Levites;* so that we are to understand Messiah's host as then manifested to be "a nation of priests," to offer up earth's praise and service.

"Out of the womb of the morning

Is the dew of thy youth."

Thy "youth-like soldiery are as dew for beauty" (Hengstenberg); some say also, in perpetual succession; and we must add, for number too. But, is there not this other idea—they come suddenly as the dew appears, seen all at once under the light of the new-risen Sun of Righteousness? And may we not adopt yet another from Hengstenberg, "all begotten from above"—as Job 38:28 might lead us to remember? The metre version of Tate and Brady has thus expressed some of these views:—

"Shall all (redeemed from error's night)

Appear as numberless and bright

As crystal drops of morning dew."

But now let us briefly notice verse 7, "He shall drink of the brook by the way." Ancients and moderns have all been at a loss how to decide the true meaning. The idea, so common among us, that the clause foretells Christ's sufferings, is very rarely found among old interpreters.* The words were understood by Junius and Tremellius long ago as meaning, "He shall steadily press on to victory, as generals of energy act, who, in pursuing routed foes, stay not to indulge themselves in meat or drink."† Hengstenberg and others substantially approve of this view. While a few hold that allusion may be made to Samson at Ramath-Lehi (as if the words spoke of Christ having a secret spring of refreshment when needful), most seem inclined to take Gideon as the type that best expresses the idea. Pressing on to victory, Messiah, like Gideon, "faint yet pursuing" as he passed over Jordan, shall not desist till all is won. "He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he has set judgment in the earth." Perhaps the full idea is this:—His career was irresistibly successful, like that of Gideon; for he allowed nothing to detain him, nor did he shrink in the enterprise from any fatigue, nor did he stop to indulge the flesh. If we take it thus, there is both the Humiliation and the Exaltation of the Son of man contained in the words; and Phil. 2:8, 9 supplies a commentary.

And thus the harp sings of David's Son and David's Lord. May we not entitle the Psalm,

Messiah, at the Right Hand, expecting till his enemies be made his footstool?

PSALM 111

1–10 AN Alphabetic Psalm. It may be sung now, in the same manner that it might be sung long ago in the temple; but it is fit also for that day described in Rev. 19:1, 3, 4, the day of many "Hallelujahs," such as this Psalm begins with and reiterates, Messiah might sing it on earth and in the kingdom, and so may each of his members.

The plan is simple. In verse 1 we hear of "The assembly (the confidential meeting) of the upright," whether such assemblies as meet now, or that great multitude that shall meet at the Great Day in the kingdom, "The Congregation." In verse 2 we have the theme of praise, Jehovah's works, which engages the attention of all in these meetings, "The works of Jehovah sought out according to all their wishes," (Hengst). They find "majesty and glory" therein; they find (ver. 4) "He has erected a memorial for his wonderful works," i. e., made them as certainly to be remembered as when men erect a memorial edifice. At verse 7 the unchangeableness of his ways is the leading thought, occurring in verses 8 and 9 again. And then this sweet song of Zion closes with (ver. 10) the solemn expression of entire satisfaction in the Lord and his ways.

It is worth noticing that verse 10 sings,

"The beginning of wisdom is Jehovah's fear."

Job had declared that truth to the sons of men in the earliest ages, 28:28. In after days, Solomon (Prov. 1:7) declared it with all the authority of his unparalleled wisdom and greatness. But here, Messiah and his members may be regarded as singing it, not on earth only, but in the kingdom—in "The assembly of the upright." They shall tell for ever of all true wisdom being found in the Lord. Never till they knew Him did any of them know ought that could satisfy; but in knowing Him, all found eternal life. Out of this Fountain of Wisdom they drink for evermore. "Holy and fearful is his name!" Herein lies wisdom—they that know that name (and Messiah came to reveal it all) are for ever blessed. Such shall be

The Hallelujah of Messiah and his members in reviewing the past.

PSALM 112

1–10 ANOTHER Alphabetic Psalm. The 111th celebrated the character and ways of the Lord; this song celebrates the blessings of those that are his, and speaks of the many points in which God's people are like God. Like the last, it is a "Hallelujah" song, fit to be sung by Messiah, and by each of his members, here on earth and hereafter in the kingdom. It tells of the reward of those that are the Lord's, while its description of their character prevents any mistake as to the persons meant.

From verse 1 the features of character which mark the true fearer of God are noticed, carrying us back to verse 10 of Psalm 111. It is Messiah who exhibits these in perfection; he is "mighty," גִבּוֹר, far above that conqueror mentioned in Gen. 10:8.

In verses 2, 3, the blessing, which follows this character as the shadow does the substance, is spread before us; and as a crowning element of blessing, the clause, "To the upright ariseth light in darkness," intimates that all the darkness of the upright, his trials, sorrows, temptations, will end in light. It is a precious clause, applicable to Christ's day of sorrow, and applicable to each member's, telling us of present deliverances prepared for the righteous, and of the grand deliverance when "the light" of the Day of God appears (Mal. 4:2).

In verses 4, 5, the features of likeness to God are spoken of. Of these, Messiah is the great exemplar; merciful and gracious (Exod. 34:6), and righteous.

"Happy the man! (Isa. 3:10)

He sheweth favour and lendeth!"

Inverses 6–8, his sure, unchanging bliss is proclaimed. He is "never moved;" he is remembered by God for ever, as the high priest had the names of Israel ever on his heart. No tidings can overwhelm him; he is fixed for ever.

In verse 9 his "cups of cold water" are spoken of. "He gave to the poor;" for as Christ did (Acts 20:35), so each member has ever counted it more blessed to give than to receive. And this "righteousness" i. e., righteous conduct, is not forgotten; it is recorded in the book of remembrance, (see ver. 3, and 2 Cor. 9:9).

In verses 10, 10, his triumph is proclaimed. He is exalted; the wicked is for ever fallen. This is the day of Glory—the time of rewards. How verily true of Christ the Head! "His horn exalted."

And thus every holy stream pours itself at last into the ocean of glory, meeting it on the day when Messiah and his members are glorified together. And this is the burden of this Psalm which the righteous might often sing in their dwellings in joyful anticipation—

The recompense of Messiah and his seed.

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