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PSALMS.

A Midnight] mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

beasts of the field;

[Psalm.

8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! (H)

PSALM IX.

To the chief Musician upon Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

6 Thou madest him to have domi-WILL praise thee, O LORD, with nion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the

my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

PLALM VIII.

2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee:

EXPOSITION.

(H) A Psalm of David, for the vintage. -We consider this as an evening or midnight hymn, in which the psalmist, overwhelmed with the brilliant glories of an eastern sky, is led to reflect upon the comparative littleness and insignificance of man and of himself, though king of Israel. It is not necessary to suppose David acquainted with the modern system of astronomy, to account for his humiliating views. Supposing the golden orbs, which he surveyed, to be only floating meteors, their brilliancy and beauty, and especially that of the moon, might well command his admiration. Man is mean and little, compared with the globe which he inhabits, much more compared with the vaulted skies around him-well might he, therefore say, "Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him?"

From the title of this psalm, we think it highly probable that it was composed for the time of vintage, which we know was a time of great rejoicing, in which not only

the young people, but the children also, joined in praising God for the bounties of his providence; which marked Israel, under that dispensation, as the chosen people of God, and was calculated to silence the reproaches of their enemies. This circumstance may account for our Lord's application to himself of the hosannahs of the Jewish children, Matt. xxi. 16.

The New Testament, however, gives us another and widely different view of human nature. Adam fell and lost his prerogative of supremacy, and in fact, his all: but a second Adam has been appointed to supersede the former; and not only to restore, but to raise our nature to higher honour and felicity than his predecessor lost. This second Adam, this "Lord from heaven," whose peculiar character is that of Son of Man, has been for "a little while" made lower than the angels, to the end that he might, in his own person, exalt human nature far above them; and herein is a display of the divine power and goodness that may well excite our admiration and our praise: " O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!"

NOTES.

PSALM VIII. Title,-Upon Gittith. Some have supposed this to be a musical instrument, which David brought from Gath, where he long resided: so the Chaldee paraphrase; and if this be correct, it was doubtless a stringed instrument, as it does not appear that David played on any other. But Gath is also a vine press; and the LXX understand this title as intimating that it was composed for the time of vintage, with which the purport of the psalm very weil agrees, as it is a thanksgiving to God for the bounty of his providence

Ve1. O LORD our Lord.-The first word here rendered LORD, in capitals, is JEHOVAH, the second Lord is Adonat, Governor, or Master. T.2. Ordained-Heb. Founded" strength. The Jews considered the divine ordination as the foundation of all strength. That thou mightest stille silence) the enemy and the avenger. Vers. A little lower-The Hebrew, (says Mr.

Ainsworth) means either a little while," or "a little deal," in both which senses it is used in Ps. xxxvii. 10, 16. Bishop Hersley renders it, "Thou hast somewhat abased him in comparison of angels." Dr. J. P. Smith, "Thou hast reduced him a little below the angels; the Heb. thus translated is Elohim, the gods; which is explained of angels, not only by the Greek and Chaldee; but also by the apostle to the Hebrews, chap. ii. 7, 9.

Ver. 7. All sheep and sxen-Heb. "Flocks and oxen, (or cattle) all of them."

PLALM IX. Title,-Upon the death of Labben. -Among the great variety of interpretations here given, we shall name a few only. 1. We have no idea that any of these Hebrew terms refer to hymn tunes. The Hebrews had no musical characters, nor any metrical tunes, like modern psalmody.

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I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

3 When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.

4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.

5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and

ever.

60 thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.

7 But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.

8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the

PSALM IX.

people his doings.

[ for victory.

12 When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.

13 Have mercy upon me O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:

14 That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.

15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.

16 The LORD is known by the judg ment which he executeth : the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

18 For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

19 Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.

20 Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah. (I)

EXPOSITION.

(1) A Psalm of David-in thanksgiving for victory.-There seems no doubt but this was a song of triumph and thanksgiving for a signal victory over some pow

erful pagan adversary, whose object seems to have been the overthrow of the Jewish church and state. David, however, piously attributes his victory to divine interference, and thanks his deliverer for rescuing him from the gates of death, which had probably

NOTES-Psalm IX. Con.

Their hymns were all chaunted, as already remarked. 2. We do not conceive Labben to be Goliath: internal evidence is strong to the contrary. This psalm must have been composed after David laid claim to the crown, ver. 4.-after he had taken Zion, ver. il; and the conquest here referred to, was in defence of his throne and his religion; ver. 4, 5. Ben significs a son, and the Chaldee so here explains it; but David's feelings on the death of his son Absalom were very different from those of joy and triumph. Farther, Labben sigmbies white; and it is very possible that the fallen chieftain bere meant, may have been named the white prince, perhaps from wearing a remarkable white feather, just as one of our English princes was called the black prince, from the colour of his armour.

Ver. 4. Thou hast maintained-Heb. "Thou hast made my judgment;” i, e. given judgment.- -Judging right-Heb. "In righteousness."

Ver. 6. O thou enemy!-Bishop Lowth reads, "Destructions have consumed the enemy for ever; and

as to the cities which thou (O God) hast destroyed, their memory is perished with them." This nearly corresponds with the margin of our common Bibles, but is clearer.

Ver. 9. A refuge-Web. "A high place."
Ver. 12. Humble-Marg. "Aflicted."

Ver. 13. The gates of death.-The invisible world is constantly represented in the Scriptures as a place of confinement, having gates and bars, Job xvii. 15, -xxxviii. 17; Isa. xxxviii. 10.

Ver. 16. Higgaion-is generally allowed to mean, as in the margin, "a meditation." As we have supposed Selah (Ps. iii.) to answer in some respects to n hold in our music, it is probable that the pious Isaelites were here required seriously to meditate during this musical pause.

Ver. 17. Turned into hell.-The place of fature punishment; not the grave, nor the state of death merely; for this is equally true of the righteous as of the wicked.

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WHY standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages in the secret places

[for deliverance.

doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.

9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his ́ net.

10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his

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EXPOSITION.

enclosed many both of his enemies and friends; and determines, in consequence of being so spared, that he will enter the gates of the daughter of Zion, and worship among her children,

We have reason to bless God that we live in times of peace, and in a land that has long been exempted from the miseries of war. But all true Christians have enemies, if not externally, yet in their own hosoms; against these enemies they have need, most earnestly, to pray, and to return thanks for every victory obtained

over them.

The church of God also, as a body, have

their enemies, and will always be liable t› suffer from the hostilities both of infidels and wicked men: and though, under the Christian dispensation, we are forbidden to pray for the destruction of our enemies, there is nothing unchristian in praying that they may be made sensible of their frailty and bumbled before their Maker and their Judge, and thereby be prevented from showing their enmity against the people and the cause of God.

NOTES.

PSALM X. The LXX have united this psalm to the preceding, for which we know no reason, except that it has no distinct title; but this alteration makes a difference in the numbering, till we come to the 147th psalm, which is divided into two, and makes the final number right. Father Calmet, Dr. Grey, and Bishop Horne, suppose it to have been composed daring the time of the Babylonish captivity; but there is no certainty of this.

Ver 3 Heart's (Heb. "soul's) desire, and bless e-Marg. "The covetous blesseth (himself); he abhorreth the Lord."

Ver. 4. God is not in all his thoughts---Marg. "All his thoughts are, there is no God."

Vet. Never be in adversity...Heb. "Not unto generation and generation. "

"Rise, great Redeemer, from thy seat, To judge and save the poor; Let nations tremble at thy feet,

And man prevail no more."-Watts.

Ver. 7. Vanity---Marg. "Iniquity." Ver. 8. His eyes are privily set --- Heb. "Hide themselves;" i. e. to watch for the poor.

Ver.9. Secretly---Heb. "In secret places." Ver. 10. He croucheth Heb. "breaketh," or rather, bendeth himself, as a wild beast crouches down to spring at his prey.By his strong ones--Marg. "Into his strong parts;" i. e. into his paws. Ainsworth.

Ver. 12. The humble---Marg. “ Afflicted."
Ver. 14. Committeth himself (Heb. "cleaveth ")

unto thee.

Ver. 15. Break thou the arm-----That is, the power of the wicked.

Ver. 17. Prepare (Marg. "establish”) their heart. ́

P

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I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

3 When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.

4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.

5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and

ever.

60 thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.

7 But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.

8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of

trouble.

10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the

PSALM IX.

people his doings.

[for victory.

12 When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.

13 Have mercy upon me O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:

14 That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.

15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.

16 The LORD is known by the judg ment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

18 For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

19 Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.

20 Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah. (I)

EXPOSITION.

(1) A Psalm of David-in thanksgiving for victory.-There seems no doubt but this was a song of triumph and thanksgiving for a signal victory over some pow

erful pagan adversary, whose object seems to have been the overthrow of the Jewish church and state. David, however, piously attributes his victory to divine interference, and thanks his deliverer for rescuing him from the gates of death, which had probably

NOTES-Psalm IX. Con.

Their hymns were all chaunted, as already remarked, 2. We do not conceive Labben to be Goliath: internal evidence is strong to the contrary. This psalm must have been composed after David laid claim to the crown, ver. 4.-after he had taken Zion, ver. il; and the conquest here referred to, was in detence of his throne and his religion; ver. 4,5. Ben signifies a son, and the Chaldee so here explains it; but David's feelings on the death of his son Absalom were very different from those of joy and triumph. Farther, Labben signifies white; and it is very possible that the fallen chieftain bere meant, may have been named the white prince, perhaps from wearing a remarkable white feather, just as one of our English princes was called the black prince, from the colour of his armour.

Ver. 4. Thou hast maintained-Heb. "Thou hast made my judgment;” i, e. given judgment.—Judg ing right-Heb." In righteousness."

Ver. 6. O thou enemy-Bishop Lowth reads, "Destructions have consumed the enemy for ever; and

as to the cities which thou (O God) hast destroyed, their memory is perished with them." This nearly corresponds with the margin of our common Bibles,

but is clearer.

Ver. 9. A refuge-Heb. "A high place."
Ver. 12. Humble-Marg. "Aflicted.",

Ver. 13. The gates of death. The invisible world is constantly represented in the Scriptures as a place of continement, having gates and bars; Job xvii. 15, -xxxviii. 17; Isa. xxxviii. 10.

Ver. 16. Higgaion-is generally allowed to mean, as in the margin, "a meditation." As we have sup posed Selah (Ps. iii.) to answer in some respects to n hold in our music, it is probable that the pious Israelites were here required seriously to meditate during this musical panse.

Ver. 17. Turned into hell.-The place of fature punishment; not the grave, nor the state of death merely; for this is equally true of the righteous as of

the wicked.

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WHY standest thou afar off, O

[for deliverance.

doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.

9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in den: lieth in wait

W LORD why hidest thou thyself catch the poor: he doth catch the

in times of trouble?

2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages in the secret places

poor, when he draweth him into his

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EXPOSITION.

enclosed many both of his enemies and friends; and determines, in consequence of being so spared, that he will enter the gates of the daughter of Zion, and worship among her children.

We have reason to bless God that we live in times of peace, and in a land that has long been exempted from the miseries of war. But all true Christians have enemies, if not externally, yet in their own bosoms; against these enemies they have need, most earnestly, to pray, and to return thanks for every victory obtained over them.

The church of God also, as a body, have

their enemies, and will always be liable t› suffer from the hostilities both of infidels and wicked men: and though, under the Christian dispensation, we are forbidden to pray for the destruction of our enemies, there is nothing unchristian in praying that they may be made sensible of their frailty and bumbled before their Maker and their Judge, and thereby be prevented from showing their enmity against the people and the cause of God.

NOTES.

PSALM X. The LXX have united this psalm to the preceding, for which we know no reason, except that it has no distinct title; but this alteration makes a difference in the numbering, till we come to the 147th psalm, which is divided into two, and makes the final number right. Father Calmet, Dr. Grey, and Bishop Horne, suppose it to have been componed during the time of the Babylonish captivity; hat there is no certainty of this.

Ve 3 Heart's (Heb. "soul's) desire, and blesseth, k-Marg. "The covetous blesseth (himself); be abhorreth the Lord."

Ver. 4. God is not in all his thoughts---Marg. **All his thoughts are, there is no God."

Vet.6. Never be in adversity-Heb. "Not unto generation and generation."

"Rise, great Redeemer, from thy seat,
To judge and save the poor;
Let nations tremble at thy feet,
And man prevail no more."Watts.

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