PSALM II. This pfalm, which is also without a title, must have been written by David, or for David, when the nations fubdued by bim were meditating a revolt; or, perhaps, were already in open rebellion. A late writer bas, bowever, conjectured that it was compofed by Nathan in favour of Solomon, against the party of Adoniah; and bas fupported his conjecture by plaufible, but not convincing arguments. WHY are nations tumultuous, and peoples rage in vain? Kings of the land rise up, rulers conspire together, He who dwelleth in the heavens will laugh: 3 4 JEHOVAH will have them in derifion. 5 and confound them in his warm indignation: 6 for I am his appointed king, over Zion, his hallowed mountain : JEHOVAH's decree I will rehearse. "Thou, faid he to me, art my fon : "to-day I have adopted thee: "ask of me, and to thee I will give "nations for thine inheritance; "for thy poffeffion the limits of the land: "Thou shalt ciufh them with a rod of iron! "Thou shalt fhiver them like a potter's veffel !" Lo! now, be wife, ye kings! be docile, ye judges of the land! ferve JEHOVAH with fear: worship him with trembling: 7 8 9 IO II 12 adore fincerely, left he be wroth ; NOTES. Ver. 6. I follow the reading of Sept. The present Heb. may be rendered thus; for have not I appointed him my king over Zion, my hallowed mountain? as if the words were uttered by God: but the other reading is more natural.-Ver. 7. adopted, lit. childed: begotten is here an improper term.-Ver. 12. adore fincerely. So I render the words which are commonly translated kiss the son: a tranflation which, in my opinion, they cannot bear. Perhaps they might bear to be rendered kifs the chofen one: that is, pay due bomage to him: but I prefer the other verfion. PSALM III. The fubject of this pfalm is fufficiently indicated by its title, which is, I 2 A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN HE WAS FLEEING JEHOVAH! how numerous are my foes! how numerous they who rise up against me! But thou, JEHOVAH, art to me a fhield; 3 4 5 and he heareth me from his holy mountain. 6 7 8 I lie down fleep-again I wake— From JEHOVAH cometh falvation : 9 on thy people, JEHOVAH! be thy bleffing. NOTES. Ver. 2. At the end of this verse, and twice again, occurs a word, felab, of which the precise meaning is not well known. It was most probably fome mark of a change of modulation, and is found in several other pfalms of the fame plaintive caft. To me it appears to resemble what the Italians call adagio, or mark of flow time: and perhaps our word flow, al. flaw, is derived from it.-As it is of no importance to us, I have throughout omitted it in my verfion.-Ver. 6. There is a beautiful climax in this verfe, which every reader of taste will readily perceive. Ver. 8. thou canfi fmite, &c. a metaphor taken from noxious animals; who, when their jaws and teeth are broken, have not the power to hurt. This pfalm feems to have been compofed on the fame occafion with the former; but its general import bas, I apprehend, been generally mifunderstood. Its title is, FOR THE FIRST MUSICIAN; ON THE NEGI- I NOTH-A PSALM OF DAVID. HEAR me, invoking thee, JEHOVAH! my juftifier! 2 thou art wont to relieve me in diftrefs: have pity on me; and hear my prayer. Ye men of note! how long will ye be infatuated? will ye be fond of vanity-and follow falfehood ?— reflect on your couches, and be quiet: facrifice legitimate facrifices, and confide in JEHOVAH. But many of you fay: "Who will fhow us goodnefs?" JEHOVAH! the light of thy countenance hath with splendour beamed forth upon us! thou haft given gladnefs to mine heart! 3 4 5 6 7 9 Since their corn, and wine, and oil have increased, with them I securely lie down, and sleep: for thou, alone, JEHOVAH! In confidence makeft me repose. NOTES. Ver. 1. The Neginoth feems to have been a string-instrument, which was beat upon, either by the fingers, or small rods.-Ver. 3. Ye men of note! lit. Ye fons of a man! But this Hebraifm is equivalent to the Spanish HIDALGO; the fon of fomething; i. e. a person of diftinction. The address is made to thofe chiefs of Ifrael, who had already joined Abshalom, or were inclined foto do.-Ib. how long will ye be infatuated? lit. beavy of heart; that is, dull, fupid, infatuated. I follow the reading of Sept. The prefent Hebrew is commonly rendered; "How long will ye turn my glory to fhame?"-Ib. will ye follow vanity, &c. He alludes to the vain promises of Abfhalom. See 2 Sam. 15. 2, 6.— Ver. 5. Although ruffled, rebel not. The Hebrew words are commonly tranflated, Be angry, and fin nots but this, I think, cannot be their meaning. They are addreffed to the yet wavering friends of David, who, displeased probably with fome measures of his government, were difposed to join his rebellious fon. To fuch he seems to say, Howfoever much ye may be agitated, or ruffled, yet pafs not to open rebellionconfider well on your couches, (that is, in the divans where they used to take counsel with one another) and be quiet, &c.-Viewed in this light the whole pfalm is clear, and confiftent in all its parts.-Ver. 7, 8, 9. These three verses have, I think, been universally misunderstood; and, confequently, inifinterpreted. They allude to that period, when David and his men, in distress for provifions, were feasonably relieved; first by Zebah; and then by Shobi, Machir and Barzilai. See and 17. 27. PSALM V. Sam. 16. 1. This pfalm feems also to bave been compofed during the rebellion of Abfbalom. Its title is the fame with that of the last; fave that the mufical instrument appears to bave been a fort of flute; or at least fome wind instrument. I 2 FOR THE CHIEF MUSICIAN; ON THE NEHI- GIVE ear, JEHOVAH! to my words: advert to my plaint: attend to my lamentation, my king, and my God! for to thee I make my deprecation. At the dawn, JEHOVAH! thou heareft my voice; at the dawn I prefent myself, and wait on thee: for thou art a God who favoureth not the wicked: with thee no evil-doer can harbour : 3 4 5 before thine eyes the profligate cannot stand: thou hatest all the workers of iniquity: 6 the tellers of lies thou deftroyest: 7 the bloody and deceitful man JEHOVAH abhorreth. But I, through thy exceeding favour, 8 fhall reenter thine houfe; and, with reverence, worship at thine holy tabernacle. 9 10 Then will all, who truft in thee, rejoice; and, ever after, fing fongs of praise ; because thou, JEHOVAH ! haft been their protector. +All they, who love thy name, will exult in thee; 13 because the juft man thou bleffeft, JEHOVAH ! and covereft him with a fhield of bounty. NOTES. There is nothing obfcure in this beautiful pfalm. To ver. 13. I have prefixed the word all, on the authority of Sept. and almost of all the other antient verfions. It is not, however, abfolutely neceffary. |