Confidence]

PSALM LXX.

[Omit in Family Reading.] To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.

MAKE haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD. 2 Let them be ashamed and confounded he that seek after my soul; let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. 3 Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha. 4 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified. 5 But I am poor and needy make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; Q Logo, make no tarrying,

PSALM LXXI.

IN thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. 2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: Thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

[in God.

4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GoD: thou art my trust from my youth.

6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee,

7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. 9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

10 For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him,

12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

13 Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with re

The following verses are, in the original, partly in the imperative and partly in the future tense; and should not, therefore, be all translated as imperative, as by our translators. On the contrary, Dr. HamBand, Dr. Kennicott, Bishop Horne, and some other expositors, render the whole in the future, as prophetic; and in no other sense can they be applied to our Redeemer, who cursed nothing but a barren fig-tree, and that only as a warning to his country. men, (Matt. xxi. 19.) It is true, that one verse, and one only, is here applied to the case of Judas, and that all the judgments here imprecated, were poured upon the Jews, bis murderers; but it was not by the prayer of the illustrious sufferer, who prayed only for their salvation. (Luke xxiii, 34.)

The zeal of David, in behalf of God's house and worship, is alluded to by St. John as typical, on occasion of Christ's clearing the temple of the money changers, (John ii. 17;) and the misery of his betrayer and persecutors is evidently referred to by St. Peter, in speaking of the apostate Judas but it would be going too far, to concludé that David had, in his own mind, any direct reference to either of these events. Such allusions were common among both Jewish and classical writers, and form some of the chief beauties of their composition; beside which, a style deeply imbued with scripture phraseology is one of the chief excellencies of, either a Christian preacher or theological writer.

PSALM LXX. Ver. 1. Make haste, &c.This palm contains only the last four verses and a half of Psxi, to which, therefore, we refer, the variations being very slight, and merely verbal.

PSALM LXXI. Ver. 3. Be thou

ti Heb," Be thou to me for my strong habita

of habitation.”

Ver. 4. Cruel man- Heb. "Leavened man." Ainsworth See 1 Cor. v. 8.

Ver. 10. That lay wait for my soul—Heb. "Watch," or observe.

Ver. 13. Let them be confounded—" Or, they shall be," &c. Bp. Horne,

proach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.

16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

18 Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee !

20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again, from the depths of the earth.

21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side. 22 I will also praise thee with the

PSALM LXXI.

[in old age.

(U) A Psalm of David in his old age, surrounded by enemies and infirmities. "The psalmist, sorely distressed in his old age (see ver. 9 and 18,) by the rebellion of Absalom, which was his great affliction at that period of life, prayeth for divine assistance" and consulation; pleading God's gracious promise, and the mercies already received by him. He then complains of

being deserted and given up by man, in his old age; and of the taunts and insults of his enemies, whose downfal he predicts. At the same time, he encourages himself in the divine promise, and with the hope of spending his last days in praise and comfort. Although we have no express allthority for applying this psalm to our Lord Christ, we do not observe in it any thing to render such application improper.

Ver. 18. When I am old-Heb. "Unto old age," &c. Thy strength-Heb. "Thine arm."

Ver. 22. With the psaltery-Heb. "With the instrument (called) psaltery." See Note Ps. xxxiii. 2.

PSALM LXXII. Title - A Psalm for Solomon. Marg. " of Solomon." It is certain that the prefix (lamed) may be rendered either of or for; but, as in all other cases, when prefixed to a psalm, it is understood to mark the author, it seems doing violence to the text, and injustice to Solomon, to give it a different interpretation here, and in the 127th psalm, where, also, it occurs. The style is, indeed, eminently sublime and beautiful; but not more sublime than the excellent prayer which he offered at the dedication of the temple, (1 Kings viii.) nor more beau. tiful than the sacred Canticles which bear his name;

and that he should consider himself as a type of the Messiah is not strange, since it is certain that his The composition of this psalm as an inauguration ode, is perfectly in harmony with the composition of the Canticles, on occasion of his

father did the same.

marriage.

Ver. 1. Give the king

and ...

the king's son-Namely, Solomon, to whom both characters agree.-Mudge, Chandler, Bps. Horne

and Horsley, &c.

Ver. 3. The mountains shall bring (i, e. bring forth) peace, and the little hills, by righteousness."And the hills (also bring forth peace) with righteousness." Ainsworth. The Chaldee explains it of "the inhabitants of the mountains" bringing forth peace; i. e. announcing the tidings of peace to the

surrounding country. See Isa. lii. 7.

The psalmist's]

PSALM LXXIII.

A Psalm of Asaph.

TRULY God is good to Israel, even

to such as are of a clean heart. 2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For there are no bands in their death but their strength is firm.

5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

6 Therefore pride compasseth them

[great temptation,

about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most high?

12 Behold, these are the ungodly,

a typical prince, and the son of David; and, in his application, he has certainly the sanction of the highest Jewish as well as Christian authorities, and (what is more,) of the inspired writers of the New Testa

ment.

In this psalm, Solomon, or David for him, (if we consider him as the author,) implores judgment and righteousness to qualify him to govern the tribes of Israel -the very request which, we know, Solomon did personally make; "Give thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people." (1 Kings iii. 8, 9.) We know, also, from the same authority, that such an heart was given him, and with that, riches and honour unprecedented, also a long and peaceful reign: thus constituting him, not only a great prince, but an eminent type of him, whose greatness was without limit, and whose government is without end.

The blessings here announced, are peace and righteousness, which were to be proclaimed upon the hills, (as was customary,) by a chorus of females, to the inhabitants throughout the country. But peace and righteousness were to be accompanied with a numerous population and abundant

harvests. So, in ver. 16, "A handful of (seed) corn" scattered "on the top of the mountains," should bring forth so fine and plentiful a harvest, that the corn should "shake" and rustle in the wind like the trees of "Lebanon:" and at the same time the population of "the city shall flourish like the grass of the earth."

These blessings were, in a degree, realized in the reign of Solomon; they have been partly realized in the Christianization of the world, and we have reason to expect that the latter blessing, an increase of population and of human food, will take place, in a degree altogether unpre cedented, in the latter days, when, to the suppression of infanticide, human sacrifices, and negro slavery, and the full culti vation of the earth, with hundreds of islands as yet perhaps unknown, shall be added the general suppression of war: who then can calculate the happy issue? Let us join in the doxology which concludes this psalm, and say

"Let Jesus reign where 'ere the sun
Does his successive journies run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more."
Watts.

PSALM LXXII. Title-A Psalm of Asaph; Marg. for Asaph. See Note on the title of Psalm 1xxii. We read of Asaph the Musician, (1 Chron. vi. 39.-xvi. 7.) “ Asaph the Seer," (2 Chron. xxix. 30.) and "Asaph, the father of Joah, the recorder," (2 Kings xviii. 18.) Bishop Patrick thinks the two last were the same person, and probably the author of these psalms.

Ver. 1. Of a clean heart-Heb. "Clean (or pure) of heart." See Matt. v. 8.

Ver. 4. No bands--Or“ pangs." Bp. Horne. See Job xxi. 13, 23, 24.Strength is firm-Heb. "fat."

and happy

who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in rain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. 15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. 18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.

19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

PSALM LXXIII.

[deliverance therefrom.

21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish; thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works. (Y)

A dangerous temptation triumphed -This psalm is ascribed to Asaph, like the fiftieth and ten others; but who this Asaph was is uncertain. We have Supposed him to have been the contemporary of David; but as some of his psalms seem to refer to the times of his captivity, Bishop Patrick and others attribute them to one of his descendants. It is very possible there may have been two sacred writers of that name; but the question is neither important, nor easy to be decided. This psalm relates to the process of a temptation by which the writer had been much afflicted, and which had occasioned in his mind a long and painful struggle; namely, "the prosperity of the wicked,' and the afflictions of the just. The former are often exempted from those trials with which the just are visited; and advanced to dignity and power, which they abuse to oppress the poor; and even in death they are often exempted from those anxieties of mind and bodily pangs, which good men suffer.

The tenth verse is admitted to be diffi cult of explanation. Mr. Mudgé renders

the verse, "Therefore let his people come before them, and waters of a full cup are wrung from them." In part only adopting his, we should rather read, "Therefore his people (i. e. God's) return to them." The profane world, and "waters of a full (cup)," i. e. abundance of bitter tears,

66

are wrung out of them." Yet are these wicked men heedless of the consequences, and say, "How doth God know?" &c. "Behold, these are the ungodly!"

From a contemplation of these facts, the psalmist was tempted to think that he had served God in vain, and was puzzled to account for this unequal distribution of the blessings of providence: nor was he able to do it till he went into God's sanctuary. "Then (says he) understood I their end." But how so? By hearing the word of God there read (for the Hebrews had not Bibles as we have,) he learned that these wicked men, though prosperous in the world, were under the curse of God: and, firm as they might seem, they were in slippery places, and in the road to everlasting ruin! He saw now that their felicity was all a dream, and that when God should arise and awaken them to the judg

Ver. 20. When thou awakest-Or, "When thou

awakest them;" viz. from the grave. Ainsworth, Ver. 22. And ignorant-Heb. "I knew not." Ver. 25. Beside thee-Heb." With," or in comparison of "thee." Horne.

Ver. 27. Go a whoring-That is, after idols. See Exod. xxxiv. 15, 16,