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recapitulated]

PSALMS.

[and acknowledged.

clouds from above, and opened the their lust. But while their meat was

doors of heaven,

24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven and by his power he brought in the south wind.

27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:

28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habi

tations.

29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

30 They were not estranged from

yet in their mouths,

31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

34 When he slew them, then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God.

35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. (D)

36 ¶ Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

PSALM LXXVIII.

EXPOSITION.

(D) Ver. 1-35. God's dealing with Israel in the wilderness.-This is the first of the historical psalms: the others are Psalms cv. and evi; all which contain retrospec tive narratives of the Lord's dealings with the people of Israel, from "their departure from Egypt to the reign of David, particularizing and illustrating all the leading events. The style (says Bishop Lowth) is simple and uniform; but the structure is poetical, and the sentiments (are) occasionally splendid." (Lecture xxix.) The psalmist, in the exordium, speaks of opening his mouth in a parable and uttering enigmas, or dark sayings. And "It is observable (Bishop Horne remarks,) that our Lord is, by St. Matthew, said to have addressed the multitude in parables, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables,' &c. citing the second verse of the psalm now before us. (Matt. xiii. 35.) If it doth not follow from this citation, that the prophet actually speaks this psalm in the person of Christ," as we think it does not; "yet," continues the Bishop, in which we agree, thus much at least is evident from it, that the history of old

Israel somewhat resembles the letter of the gospel parables, and contains, shadowed out under it, the history of a correspondent state of things in the new Israel, or church Christian." The sum of this is, as St. Paul explains it, "All these things'

the trials which they suffered, and the deliverances they received-" happened to them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." (1 Cor. x. 11.) If it be asked, in what respect are these things ensamples to us? We reply, inasmuch as they show the same depravity and guilt-the same proneness to ingratitude and forgetfulness of God, on their part; and on the part of God, the same long-suffering and compassion, the same hatred to sin, and the same determination to punish it, though he might spare or save the sin. ners: For when he slew them," that is, the chief offenders, "then they," the survivors, "sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their Redeemer."

NOTES.

Ver. 25. Man did eat angels' food-Marg. "The bread of the mighty." The Hebrew says nothing about angels, but the original (abirim) means persons of the higher classes; signifying, that it was bread fit for princes.

Ver. 27. Feathered fonts-Heb, "Fowl of wing 5"

"Great God, how oft did Israel prove,
By turns thine anger, and thy love!
There in a glass our hearts may see
How fickle and how false they be." Watts.

i. e. flying fowls, in distinction from domestic poultry. Ver. 28. Let it-Rather," them."

Ver.31. The fattest-That is, the stoutest.Smote down the chosen-Marg. "Made the young men to bow. ""

Israel's base]

PSALMS.

37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.

38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed. them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:

44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink,

45 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar, and their labour unto the locust.

47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost.

48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to họt thunderbolts.

[ingratitude lamented.

49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

55 He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images,

59 When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel;

60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed

among men;

NOTES-Psalm LXXVIII. Con.

Ver. 40. Provoke him-Mar." Rebel against him.?? Ver. 42. From the enemy - Marg. "From allietion "

Ver. 47. With frost-Marg. "With great hailstones." See Exod. ix. 24, 25. So recently as May, 1822, Dr. Nügerath mentions a hail-shower in Boan, which broke all the glass windows, and even perforated the slates, like bullets: their general size, an inch and a half in diameter.-Edinb. Phil. Jour. No. 22.

Ver. 48. Hot thunderbolts-Marg. "lightning" Ver. 49. Evil angels-"Angels of evil," Job i. 12, 16, &c. or, "messengers of evil;" namely, Moses and Aaron.

Ver. 50. He made a way-" He weighed a path." -Gave their life over to the pestilence-Marg. "Beasts of the murrain." See Exod. ix. 3. Our version connects with the death of the firstborn, in the verse following.

Ver. 54. Border of his sanctuary-Heb. "Holi

ness," i. e. the holy land.

Ver. 59. Greatly abhorred.-Lowth, "Utterly rejected;" or, "refused with loathing," Ainsworth. Ver. 63. The fire consumed them-That is, the fire of God's wrath. See Num. xvi. 35; 1 Sam. iv. 16, &c. Their maidens were not given (Heb. praised") in marriage-That is, they had no marriage

festivities.

Ver. 64. Their priests feil, &c.-See 1 Sam, iv.

16-20.

Ver. 65. Like a mighty man---A warrior, animated

with wine.

Isa. xlii. 13.

Ver. 65. In the hinder part-- See 1 Sam. v. 6.--.

vi. 4.

Ver 69. Like high palaces---Like a royal residence, in an elevated situation; and established upon a solid

foundation, like a rock."

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61 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

62 He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.

63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

65 Then the LORD awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder part: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

67 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

69 And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

70 He chose David also his servant,

[the heathen.

and took him from the sheepfolds :

71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands. (E)

PSALM LXXIX. A Psalm of Asaph.

GOD, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.

3 Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.

4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

EXPOSITION.

(E) Ver. 36-72. The narrative of God's dealings with Israel continued to the reign of David.-This portion of the psalm informs us, that even the penitence and repentance of Israel was often hypocritical. When they inquired after God, yet "their heart was not right with him; neither were they steadfast in his covenant." True religion always begins with inquiring after God; but such inquiries are not always either earnest or sincere. It is possible to flatter the Almighty Father, even in our devotions; and men may use a thousand names, either of awe or of endearment, without feeling either the reverence or affection of his children. It is alone the spirit of adoption that can give us either access to, or communion with him.

The three chief points in the portion of this psalm now before us, are, the miracles in Egypt, the passage of the wilderness, and the conquest of Canaan. The former, we should think, never could have been forgotten, and perhaps literally they never were: but there is a vast difference between that vague recollection which we all preserve of our infantile history, and that gratitude due to a kind parent for his attentions in early life. Few of us can forget that we are creatures; yet who among us remembers his Creator with such lively

sentiments of gratitude and praise, as that relation demands from us? But with respect to the passage in the wilderness, this forgetfulness seems more remarkable. "While their meat was yet in their mouths," and while their bread was daily showered down upon them out of heaven, for all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works." Their infidel philosophers, probably, persuaded them that, from the long, continued supplies received, they must originate from some natural cause; and even when they got possession of Canaan, though that too was by miracle, or rather a chain of miracles, they fondly concluded that "their own arm had gotten them the victory." Thus prone are mankind in every age, and in every country, to attribute to themselves the glory which they should give to God. Most surprising is it, that Christians, under the clear revelation of the gospel, should be guilty of the same sin and folly, and in the language of the Jewish maritime proverb," sacrifice to their own net, and burn incense to their own drag." (Hab. i. 16.)

"How few with pious care record,
The wond'rous dealings of the Lord?
But wise observers still shall find
The Lord is holy, just, and kind."

Watts.

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5 How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.

8 O remember not against us for

[of Israel. 12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom, their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O LORD.

13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever we will shew forth thy praise to all generations. (F)

PSALM LXXX.

mer iniquities: let thy tender mercies To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimspeedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight, by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.

11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;

PSALM LXXIX.]

Eduth. A Psalm of Asaph.

GIVE ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.

3 Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

4 O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the of thy people?

prayer

5 Thou feedest them with the bread

EXPOSITION.

(F) The temple defiled and destroyed by the heathen. This psalm strongly resembles another psalm of Asaph, namely, the seventy-fourth, both in its style and subject, which was evidently the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and his army, when the bodies of the murdered inhabitants were left to be food to the eagles and vultures-to wolves and foxes. The cry for vengeance upon the heathen, (ver. 6 and 7,) is lite rally quoted by Jeremiah, (chap. x. 25.) unless we suppose him to have written first, and then the citation is Asaph's. The cry for vengeance may rather be considered as proceeding from the blood of the mur

dered innocents than from the revenge of the survivors; but others consider it simply as a prediction of the judgments which God had determined and denounced against his enemies. (Rev. xviii. 6, 20; xix. 2, &c.)

On the following prayer, "O revenge not against us former iniquities!" &c. Bishop Horne piously remarks: "Affliction hath then wrought its intended effect, when it hath convinced us of sin, and led us to repentance; when, brought back by it to the house and presence of our heavenly Father, we acknowledge our guilt as the cause of our misery, and intreat forgiveness of the one, in order to obtain a release of the other, not pleading our own merits, but the mercies of God our Saviour, and the glory of his name."

NOTES.

PSALM LXXIX. Ver. 8. Former iniquitiesThat is, the iniquities of former times, or persons. Ainsworth.

Ver. 11. According to the greatness of thy power. -Heb." Of thy hand."- -Preserve thou those, &c. Heb. "Preserve the children of death;" i. e. condemned to die.

Ver. 12. Sevenfold-That is, abundantly. Ver. 13. To all generations-Heb. "To generation and generation."

PSALM LXXX. Title-This title is nearly the same as that of psalm 1x, which see.

Ver. 1. Between the cherubims-Or, "who inhabitest the cherubim," which were over the ark, and considered as the throne of Jehovah: or if the ce lestial cherubim be here referred to, they constituted (as it were) his state carriage. Ps. civ. 3, 4.

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Ver. 2. Before Ephraim, &c.-These tribes, in procession, followed immediately the ark.-Come and save us-Heb. "Come for salvation for us." Ver.3. Shine forth.-See Deut. xxxiii. 2. Ver. 4. Wilt thou be angry?-Heb. "Wilt thou smoke (with wrath);"' i. e. be very angry. See Ps. lxxiv. 1.

Ver, 5. In great measure—i, e, in great abundance.

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of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.

6 Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours and our enemies laugh among themselves.

7 Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

8 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

9 Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.

10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.

11 She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the

river.

12 Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?

PSALM LXXX.

[God's vineyard.

13 The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

14 Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;

15 And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.

16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.

18 So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.

19 Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. (G)

EXPOSITION.

(G) God, the shepherd of Israel, planted the vineyard of his church, which was now attacked by the heathen.-There being some doubt as to the person of Asaph, and the period in which he lived, (See Note on the title of Psalm 1.) there is, consequently, a doubt as to what period of the Jewish history this refers; but we incline to the opinion of Bishop Patrick, that it was written in the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah. That it was before the loss of the ark, with the cherubim, may be inferred from the first verse; yet it appears to refer to a period of greater calamity from the heathen, than is to be found in the reign of David. The learned prelate just referred to, therefore considers Sennacherib as the wild boar of the wood, (ver. 13.) in refer

ence to whom Hezekiah himself prays in the very language of this psalm. (Šee 2 Kings xix. 15, 16.)

In the opening of this psalm, JEHOVAH is represented as a shepherd leading his flock, as the eastern custom is; going be fore them with the ark, followed by the several tribes, of which Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, appear to have led the van in their processions: but now the hea. then had made such ravages among them, that, instead of bread from heaven, and water from the rock, tears and lamentations had become both their meat and drink.

Ver. 8. commences another allegory, in which Israel is described as a vine brought out of Egypt, and planted in Canaan, where it so flourished as to fill the land;

NOTES.

Ver. 10. The boughs thereof(Covered) the cedars of God." Bp. Lonth. The cedars of God were the original tenants of the forest, planted by no human band, and these are represented in the allegory, as covered with the branches of the vine of brael; that is, the land of Israel, in its most prosperous days, (the time of Solomon) extended as far as Lebanon. To justify the allegory, it may be added, that in some eastern countries, the vines are trained up the standard trees, and sometimes spread themselves over the highest branches.

Ver. 13. The boar out of the wood doth waste it. -Hemer makes the same complaint, (Iliad, ix. 535) and Mr. Ward remarks that the buffaloes and wild bcgs make the like ravages in the orchards of the Hindoos; to prevent which, men are placed

day and night, in proper situations, to guard against them.-Ward's Hindoos, vol. ii. p. 327.

Ver. 15. The vineyard-Ainsworth," the stock;" Secker," the plant."- -The branch-Heb. " The son;" for in that language, branches are considered as the offspring of the trees. The LXX read, "the son of man;" and the Chaldee and some Rabbins apply this to Messiah, as in the 17th verse, from which they appear to us to have borrowed the expression, and where it properly belongs.

Ver. 16. They perish. This should either be rendered, as by our translators and Mr. Ainsworth, and then the words refer to the Vine of the Jewish church; but if in the future, as by Bp. Horsley, it must refer to their heathen persecutors. Bp. Here mentions both, and the original will admit of either.

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