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النشر الإلكتروني
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BY the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down; yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

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

3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

4 How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?

5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.

6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my

PSALM CXXXVII.

[in captivity.

mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us.

9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. (Y)

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EXPOSITION.

(Y) The lament of the Israelites in Babylon." By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down-we wept.""-"What an inexpressible pathos is there in these few words! (says Bishop Horne.) How do they at once transport us to Babylon, and place before our eyes the mournful situation of the Israelitish captives! Driven from their native country, stripped of every comfort and convenience, in a strange land, among idolaters, wearied and broken hearted, they sit in silence by those hostile waters. Then the pleasant banks of Jordan present themselves to their imagination; the towers of Salem rise to view; and the sad remembrance of much-loved Zion causes tears to run down their cheeks." Their harps untuned hung pendant on the willows which bordered the Euphrates; and their cruel masters who had probably heard much of their native melodies, required of them a song, even "one of the songs of Zion." But can they sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?the praises of Jehovah to infidels and idol

worshippers? Ah no! say they; and imprecate upon themselves the loss of limbs, or of speech, if ever they should forget their country, their city, or their God. Nay, farther, they appear to rejoice in anticipating the destruction of their enemies, the Edomites, as well as Babylonians; for it appears by the prophet Obadiah (ver.10) tha: the Edomites, though akin to Israel, rejoiced in their overthrow; and, as it is here expressed, encouraged their enemies to rase the foundations of their city.

How terrible soever may be the judg ments of God on Babylon, there is no doubt but they are "just and righteous," for so are all the ways of the Almighty. (Rev. xv. 3,4; xvi. 5.) But let us turn our attention for a moment to the weeping sufferers, who are now involved in a more dreadiul judgment for the rejection of their Saviour, and drop a prayer and a tear over them.

"O weep for those that wept by Babel's stream, Whose shrines are desolate, whose land a dream; Weep for the harp of Judah's broken shell; Mourn where their God hath dwelt the godless dwell." Byron.

NOTES.

PSALM CXXXVII. Ver. 1. Rivers of Babylon -Euphrates, Tigris, &c. or, perhaps, plural for singular: "the great river Euphrates." Rev. vi. 12.

Ver. 3. Required of us a song-Heb. "The words (or matter) of a song." So Ps. cxlv. 5." Thy marvellous works," is in the Hebrew, "The words of thy marvels."-They that wasted us-Heb. "Laid us on heaps."

Ver. 4. In a strange land · Heb. "Land of a stranger," or of foreigners.

Ver. 6. Let my tongue cleave- that is, let me be speechless. See Job xxix. 10; Ezek. iii. 26.-My chief joy-Heb. "The head of my joy."

Ver. 7. Rase it-Heb. Make bare;" i.e. the

foundation level it to the ground.

Ver. 8. Who art to be destroyed-Heb. “wasted," by the divine decree, Is. xii. 1, &c. Or, as Ainsworth reads it, "Who art (worthy) to be destroyed." So Rev. xvi. 6.—That rewardeth thee, &c. - Heb. "That recompenseth to thee thy deed, which thou didst to us." See Exod. xxi. 23-25.

Ver. 9. Against the stones-Heb. "Rock."

PSALM CXXXVIII. Ver. 1. Before the gods— that is," rulers." See Ps. lxxxii. 6, 7.

Ver. 2. Above all thy name-Or, “Thou hast magnified thy name, (even) thy word, above all." Bp. Horne.

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2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

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

5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD for great is the glory of the LORD.

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

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

8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands. (Z)

PSALM CXXXIX. To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. LORD, thou hast searched me,

and known me.

2 Thou knowest my downsitting

[of God.

and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

13 For thou hast possessed my

EXPOSITION.

PSALM CXXXVIII. (Z) David prophecieth the conversion of the Gentiles.To this psalm is prefixed the Hame of David, with which the internal evidence agrees. God had now fulfilled his promise of giving him the kingdom; and this fidelity to his word, David considers more honourable to the divine character than the displays of mere power or wisdom. And this made such an impression upon his mind, that it was the subject of his conversation, even among kings and princes. (See Psalm exix. 46.) From this circumstance he is led forward, in prophetic Vision, to anticipate the period when they also shall know and praise Jehovah, and,

instead of gross and cruel idolaters, be. come the "nursing fathers" of the church. (Isa. xlix. 23.)

We notice the last verse particularly, because of its containing a most important doctrine, and its practical improvement. God's promises of persevering grace have been often abused, to the neglect of practical religion; but every inference that such grace shall be afforded to those who are not anxious to persevere, is a horrid perversion of this truth. David, while he adores the perpetuity of divine mercy, prays for its continuance; and no longer than we do this, are we authorized to expect it.

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Ver 4. For.... not a word in my tongueAinsworth, When the speech is not (yet) iu my tongue."

Ver. 6. Such knowledge- Rather, "The (or this) knowledge," &c.

Ver. 8. If I ascend. This thought is amplified by the prophet Amos, chap. ix. 2-1. See also Job xxvi. 5-7.

Ver. 12. Darkness hideth not-Heb. " Darkereth not." The darkness and light-Heb. "As is the darkness, so is the light."

Ver. 13. Thou hast possessed-Or " formed.” Bp

The omniscience]

reins: thou hast covered me in mother's womb.

PSALMS.

my

14. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

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[of God. more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

20 For they spake against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee!

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way

18 If I should count them, they are everlasting. (A)

PSALM CXXXIX.

EXPOSITION.

(A) The psalmist acknowledges God's omniscience, and appeals to it for his integrity. We know this psalm to be David's; but there is no reason to seek the particular occasion of its being penned. A good man, who knows the deceitfulness of the human heart, will often feel the necessity of appealing to God to search and try his heart, that he may be relieved from the most dangerous of all errors, self-deception.

Various and beautiful is the imagery here employed to describe the divine omniscience. He considers, first, the human mind, and attributes to the divine Being a knowledge of its cogitations before man has time to utter them. Then he looks to God's omnipresence, which extends to the farthest part of the eastern continent, or the western sea; which descends at once to the abyss of hell, and rises to the highest heavens, where he keeps his throne, in light unapproachable. He next adverts to the secret formation of the human fœtus, embroidered, as here described, with veins and nerves, so as to form one of the most wonderful works of God. Its members, as it were, written, or delineated, before the eye of the Creator, before one

of them was formed. Though anatomy like other studies, has been much abused, few are calculated to discover more of the infinite wisdom of our Maker. We are indeed "fearfully (or awfully) and wonderfully made." Though the Jews did not practice the anatomy of man, yet their priests could not be ignorant of animal anatomy, and consequently not wholly so of the structure of the human frame, whose formation they seem to have contemplated, not only with admiration, but with a kind of awe; as they did fire in the bowels of the earth, or lightning in the elaboratory of the clouds.

When the psalmist exclaims, "How precious are thy thoughts concerning me, O God!" we are inclined to consider him as engaged in contemplating his own being as the result of divine benevolence as well as power; as having occupied the friendly, as well as inscrutable thoughts of God. He considers himself, whether waking or sleeping, as equally the subject of divine providence; and, however far his dreaming thoughts night wander from the contemplation of his Maker, "when I awake (says he) I am still with thee."

Was it not from this sense of his perpe

NOTES-Psalm CXXXIX. Con.

Horne.- Covered me-That is, with flesh and skin. Job x. 11.

Ver. 14. I am fearfully and wonderfully madethat is, so wonderfully made, as to impress on his mind an awful sense of the majesty of his Creator.

Ver. 15. My substance - Marg. "Strength, or body." The Hebrew means, the solid parts of the body, particularly the bores, Eccles. xi. 3.--Curiously wrought-Bp. Lonth, "Wrought (as) with a needle," Ainsworth, "Embroidered."

In the

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Prayer for deliverance]

PSALM CXL.

PSALMS.

To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. DELIVER me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the

violent man;

2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked: preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.

6 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

[from enemies.

7 O God the LORD, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

10 Let burning coals fall upon them let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence. (B)

EXPOSITION.

tual connexion with the Deity, that David proposes to keep himself at such a distance from "blood-thirsty men;" that is, from Pagan idolaters, who almost universally delighted in offering human sacrifices. These men he considers as his enemies, because they were God's enemies; he hates them because they hate his God; and he bids them keep at a distance from him, from a conviction that God would destroy them, and from a fear of being involved in the same ruin: so the children of Israel withdrew from Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. (See Num. xvi. 26, 27.)

The psalm concludes with another appeal to God, to search and try him, and if there were in him any deceit and falsehood, to "lead" him "in the way of life everlasting."

"Searcher of hearts, my thoughts review;
With kind severity pursue,

Through each disguise, thy servant's mind.
Guide thro' th' eternal path my feet,
And bring me to thy blissful seat."

Bp. Lowth.

PSALM CXL.

(B) David prays for deliverance from his enemies.-The burden of this psalm resem→ bles that of several others. He is beset by implacable and restless enemies, and calls upon God for deliverance from them. If by "the head" of these, as Mr. Ainsworth supposes, Ahithophel were intended, it fixes the time and occasion to be that of Absalom's rebellion, one of the most distressing periods of David's life; and yet it is observable he never complains of him, but lays all the blame on his confederates or advisers. Whether he had ground for this, or whether he was wholly blinded by his fond partiality for that worthless youth, we need not inquire: it may be more useful to remark, that our bitterest trials often arise out of our fond partialities. David made an idol of him, and Providence made him his tormentor. We are delivered from idols of wood and stone, O let us beware of making idols of flesh and blood!

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PSALM CXLI.

CRIED unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. 2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my ha

EXPOSITION.

(C) David prays to be kept from temptation. The learned Mr. Peters considers this psalm to have been composed by David, just before his flight to Achish, king of Gath, when he had a second time spared Saul's life, but could trust him no longer." (See 1 Sam. xvi. and xvii. 1, 2.) And this idea is adoptel by Bishop Horne. At a distance from the tabernacle and its ordinances, he intreats that his own prayer may be accepted, instead of the offering up of incense, and as the evening sacrifice. Taking refuge among idolaters, he prays that a guard might be set over his lips, that he might say nothing that could give counte. nance to their crimes, and especially, that he might be kept from eating of their sacrifices, which he calls their" dainties," and which, no doubt, were the richest delica

cies of their tables, and attended with plentiful libations of their choicest wines. And are there not many among us, that have reason to pray against the like temptation, from the dainties of some professing Christians?

Another passage meriting our remark, is the salutary nature of friendly reproof"Let the righteous smite me," instead of a deadly stroke, it shall be as preeious oil, which instead of breaking, shall salubriate and refresh my head. The sixth and seventh verses require a different translation, as in our Notes. We need not wonder at some difficulties in writings of 3000 years old. The conclusion is, however, easy and practical. In all our diffi culties, our eyes should be directed to God, who will not leave the soul destitute that trusts in him.

NOTES.

PSALM CXLI. Ver. 2. Let my prayer be set forth-Heb. "directed."

Ver. 4. To practise wicked works-Peters, "To attempt enterprises in wickedness, with," &c. (Dissertation on Job, p. 339, &c.)

But

Ver. 5. It shall be a kindness-Marg. "Let the righteous smite me kindly, and reprove me.' we prefer the text-it shall be an excellent oil. -Dr. Boothroyd here properly inserts the comparative as, which must necessarily be understood.

Ibid. For yet my prayer shall be in their calamities-Peters and Horne, " Against their wickedness." So Ainsworth.

Ver. 6. When their judges, &c.-We confess we can make no intelligible sense of this version; but Mr. Peters and Bp. Horne read, "Their judges have been dismissed in the sides of the rock; and heard my words that they were sweet."

Ver.7. Our bones are scattered, &c.-Mr. Peters renders this somewhat differently: "Like as when one cutteth and cleaveth, (so) have our bones been scattered on the earth, at the command of Saul." This is supposed to allude to the massacre of the priests at Nob, (85 persons) by Doeg the Edomite, under the command of Saul, whose name signifies the grave, or hell.

Ver. 8. Leave not my soul destitute -Heb. “Make not my soul bare."

Ver. 10. Let the wicked fall (Peters and Horne, "the wicked shall fall," &c.) into deep pitsBp. Horsley, "Into the chasms (of the yawning earth:)" alluding to the punishment of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Num. xvi. 31-35. Mr. Parkhurst. Whilst that I withal escape-Peters, "And I shall still escape," Heb. "Pass over," i.. avoid their snares.

So

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