JUDGE me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. 2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. 3 For thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth.. 4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. 5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. 6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD. 7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. [integrity 9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: 10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. 11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. 12 My foot standeth in an even place in the congregations will I bless the LORD. (D) PSALM XXVII. A Psalm of David. THE LORD is my light and my sal vation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. in 3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: 8 LORD, I have loved the habitation, though war should rise against me, of thy house, and the place where thine this will I be confident. honour dwelleth. PSALM XXVI. 4 One thing have I desired of the EXPOSITION. (D) A Psalm of David, pleading his integrity and the divine mercy.-This is another of those psalms in which the writer maintains his own integrity; yet we must not, on that account, either exclude David, (see on Ps. xv.) or apply the whole to our Redeemer; for how could he who made satisfaction for our sins, plead (as in ver. 11.) for mercy for himself? Such an idea goes to set aside the atonement of Christ; for, if our sins were forgiven to him, they cannot be forgiven to us for his sake. The expression, used by the psalmist, of "washing his hands in innocency," does not imply absolute purity in the sight of God, or wherefore offer an atoning sacrifice? but innocence, as to any design of injuring his fellow-creatures, and freedom NOTES. PSALM XXVI. Ver. 4 and 5 are, by Mr. Ainsworth and Bp. Horsley, rendered in the present tense. Ver. 5. The congregation-That is, company, or society. Ver. 6. I will wash my hands in innocency.—After the sacrifice was laid on the altar, and the blood sprinkled, the priest washed his hands, and walked in procession round the altar; both among the Hebrews and the Greeks. See Orient, Cust. No. 990. Ver. 8. The place where, &c.-Heb. "The place of the tabernacle of thine honour."' 34 The temple where thine honours dwell: And there thy works of wonder tell. My bauds well wash'd in innocence; The blood of Christ is my defence."- Watts. Ver. 9. Gather not (Marg. "Take not away" soul with sinners-With bloody men; Heb. of blood." Ver. 12. In an even place-On a plain path, so as not to be in danger of sliding. PSALM XXVII. Ver. 2. Came upon me-Heb "Approached against me."To eat up my flesh"To devour me like wild beasts." Ver 4. The beauty-Marg." The delight." and confidence] PSALMS. [in God. and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. 12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. 13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (E) PSALM XXVIII. alm of A Psalm of David. UNTO thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. 2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands towards thy holy oracle. 3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. 4 Give them according to their 11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, deeds, and according to the wicked PSALM XXVII, EXPOSITION. (E) A Psalm of David. Past deliver ances the ground of future confidence. The psalmist, after alluding to the protection he had received from the providence of God in times past, encourages himself thereby to trust in God in times to come; and avows it to be the great desire of his heart, constantly to enjoy the privileges of public worship, and there to contemplate not the beauty of the tabernacle and its furniture-but the beauty of the LORD; that is, the glory of Deity, so softened by the displays of grace intermingled therewith, as to afford the most pleasing contemplations to a pardoned sinner. And to enquire in his temple!" Ah! what subjects of in quiry are there suggested? What Moses said, as to the Passover, may well be applied to all the parts of the Jewish ritual. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean you by this service? that ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover." Exod. xii. 26, 27. So when it is asked, what mean you by this goat, or by this bullock?-by the golden altar or fragrant incense?-by the shewbread or the golden candlesticks, &c.? The answer to each, from a pious priest or Levite, would direct the humble worshipper to the great mys-teries of the then future gospel. In perfect harmony with these views of the tabernacle worship is the latter part of NOTES. Ver. 6. Sacrifices of joy-Heb. "Of shouting;" te. when the priests blew the trumpets, and the people shouted. Ver. 8. When thou saidst, &c.—Archbishop Secker renders this, "To thee, my heart, he hath said, Seek ye my face." Ver. 10, Forsake me-That is, by death. Merrick. servers," or rather spies; "those that were on the watch for me." PSALM XXVIII. Ver. 1. Silent to me - Heb. "From me;" i. e. from answering me.-Into the pit-That is, the grave. Ver. 2. Thy holy oracle-Marg. "The oracle of thy sanctuary" i. e. the ark, in the most holy place. Ver. 3. Draw me wot-Bishop Horsley, "Let me not be drawn." ness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. 5 Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. 6 Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. 7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. 8 The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. [for mercies received. inheritance: feed them also, and lift 9 Save thy people, and bless thine them up for ever. (F) EXPOSITION-Psalm XXVII. Continued. this psalm, on which, as it has been thought very obscure, we shall venture a little to enlarge. The psalmist says, "Hear me, O Lord; and answer me." The divine oracle replies, "Seek ye my face;" and the heart of the petitioner replies, "Thy face, Lord, will I seek." So that these words are a sort of dialogue between the sacred oracle and the heart of the sincere worshipper, the object of which is to draw him into closer communion with his God"the God of Jacob." (Ps. xxiv. 6.) In the conclusion, David again encourages himself in the Lord his God. The supplementary words, "I had fainted," ver. 13. (like those in ver. 8.) add to the perspicuity of the expression, but subtract something from its poetical beauty: "Unless I had believed," as if the psalmist had said, 'What then would have become of me?' But since I have believed, and triumphed over all my enemies, I am now able to encourage others. "Wait, I say, on the Lord." "There (could I say, and mark the happy place) I saw as much of heaven as mortal sense could There from his eyes I met the heav'nly beam, PSALM XXVIII. (F) A Psalm of David, praying for defrom God.-The psalmist prays that he liverance from his enemies, and support may not be involved in the judgments of the wicked, who were his enemies; but the genius of that dispensation did not lead him to pray for his enemies, as does Christianity. On the contrary, he implores upon them the just reward of their evil deeds, ver. 4. As, however, in the original of this promiscuously: Give them-render them passage, the imperative and future are used suggests, that if the verbs were “in all -thou wilt destroy them: Bishop Horne objection against the scripture imprecasuch cases rendered in the future, every tions would vanish." Such passages express only the acquiescence of good men in the righteous judgments of the Almighty, and when we shall have done with sin we shall have done with sympathy for sinners. (See Rev. xviii. 6, 20; xix. 1-4.) The psalm, however, concludes with strong expressions of gratitude and faith. "The Lord is the strength of his people; the saving strength of his anointed,"—of David, and of his great antitype, the Messiah. NOTES-Psalm XXVIII. Con. Ver. 8. Their strength-Marg. "Or his strength." The ancient versions and several MSS read, "Of his people."-The saving strength (Heb. "strength of salvations") of his anointed.-The meaning is, that Jehovah is the head of the Messiah and of his people; and that he who raised him from the will also raise them to everlasting life. grave, Ver. 9. Feed-Marg. "Rule." The pastoral office here alluded to, implies both feeding and ruling. PSALM XXIX. Ver. 1. O ye mighty-Heb. "Y sons of the mighty" Ver. 2. The glory due-Heb. "The honour of hi name."-In the beauty of holiness-Marg. « 1 his glorious sanctuary." Ver.3. Upon many (Marg. "great") waters. Ver. 4. Powerful- Heb. "In power;" Lont "Full of power."- Full of majesty-Heb. “ majesty." The voice of God] PSALMS. [full of majesty. ful; the voice of the LORD is full of the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the majesty. wilderness of Kadesh. 5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He maketh them also to skip like a'calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. 7 The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. 9 The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory 10 The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. 11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless 8 The voice of the LORD shaketh his people with peace. (G) PSALM XXIX. EXPOSITION. (G) A Psalm of David, celebrating the glory of Jehovah as displayed in the thunder storm.-It is not necessary to suppose, as some have done, that this psalm was composed during a thunder storm; but it is evident that the psalmist had such au event in view, or in recollection. Maimonides says, that this psalm was appointed to be sung on the first working day (i.e. not being a sabbath or holiday) of the feast of Tabernacles, and so it is marked in the Greek version. (See Ainsworth.) Here, then, we have a remarkable coincidence of circumstances; for it may be seen in our calendar at the end of Leviticus, that the feast of Tabernacles fell on the 15th day of the month Tisri, which was the last day of our September, or nearly so; at which time commenced, what the Hebrews called the early or former rain, for this was the first month of their civil year. Now, upon turning to Buhle's "Economical Calendar of Palestine,” (which may be found translated into English in Taylor's Fragments, No. 454,) we shall find that lightnings, at this time, are very frequent, and often accompanied with rain and thunder. through the heavens, and then to come and worship" in his glorious sanctuary," every part of which, and every article of its sacred furniture, utters somewhat of his glory or his grace. (See on Psalm xxvii.) Notwithstanding we now understand the theory of the thunder and the lightning, there is still something awful in the phenomena, even to a philosopher, especially when he recollects that the thunderbolts of the Almighty often convey his summous to mortals, to meet him at his judgment bar. We need not wonder then that the tyrant Nero, or the infidel Voltaire, should seek to hide themselves in the dark. "With what beauty and propriety, (says Dr. Boothroyd,) is the grand name of JEHOVAH, repeated in almost every verse, and in some [verses] several times! Every echo of the thunder, every blaze of the vivid lightning calls upon us to give glory to the Lord; for who hath an arm like God, or who can thunder with a voice like him?" But where can meu hide themselves from the voice of the Most High? Shall they flee to the desert of Kadesh, climb the heights of Lebanon, or embark upon the mighty ocean? Nature every where trembles at his presence and his voice. The sea roars, the mountains tremble, and the timorous hind is thrown into premature. labour. Man ouly, frail and mortal man only, is insensible to the voice of that Almighty Being, whose word with equal ease, can create or can destroy. "God of vengeance! from above, NOTES. Ver. 6. A young unicorn-The one-horned rhino feros. See Note on Num. xxiii. 22. Ver.1. Divideth (Heb. "cutteth out") the flames offre-That is, the lightning, which is often zigzag in its form. Ver 9. Hinds to calve-Marg, "To be in pain." And discovereth-Or," maketh bare the forest, by stripping it of its leaves;" for we have remarked above, that this is an autumnal scene. To make the imates better harmonize, Bishop Lowth and others, by a slight raristion, for "binds" read "oaks;" Montgomery. "he shivereth the oaks :" but as we read before of breaking the cedars, &c. the late Mr. Taylor, by another variation, here reads, " And deprives the female ibices" (or rock-goats) [of their young]. But we see no necessity for either of these changes, Ibid. Doth every one-Marg. "Every whit of it uttereth his glory;" i. e. every part of the temple, (or tabernacle) and of its mystical furniture, reveals somewhat of bis praise. Ver. 1. The flood-That is, the vast ocean. Prayer for PSALM XXX. PSALMS. I WILL extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 6 And in my prosperity I said, I PSALM XXX. shall never be moved. [healing mercy. made my mountain to stand strong: 7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8 I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. 11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. (H) EXPOSITION. (H) A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David.-This title, literally considered, is attended with no difficulty; it is, therefore, with some surprise, that we have seen learned men attempt a mystical explication, explaining this 86 house," of David's body, which had been sick, or of his "soul," which had fallen into sin; and, after all, applying it to the Messiah, whose body had never been sick, that we know of, and whose soul, we know, was never stained with sin. That David had" a house of cedar," while as yet the ark dwelt in curtains, we have certain information. (2 Sam. vii. 2.) And as we know also, that it was customary with the Israelites to dedicate their houses to God when fini-bed, (see Deut. xx. 5.) there can be no difficulty in supposing the patriarch David did so. Nor is it improbable (though not recorded) that at the time of dedicating this house, David might be but just recovering from a recent illness, and think this a proper opportunity for expressing his gratitade for such recovery. Considering the psalm in this light, it may afford much useful admonition to persons in similar circumstances; and some parts of it are peculiarly beautiful, particularly the fifth verse. " For his auger (is but) for a moment-in his favour is life: weeping may lodge for the evening, but shouting for joy (cometh) in the morning." Such is the predominancy of divine mercy, and of human happiness! Affliction has its proper effect on us, when it sends us to a throne of grace. When David was afflicted, then he prayed: and his plea in this case was, "What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?" So Hezekiah argued, Isaiah xxxviii. 18., and the sum of the plea is, "Lord, if I am spared, I will magnify thy name, and study to advance thy glory but death will put a period to my labours and my voice shall be heard no more!" The learned Mr. Hutchinson having adopted the plan of applying all the Psalm indiscriminately to the Messiah, represent him as pleading the inefficacy of his bloo without a resurrection from the dead; au we know that a like system was adopte NOTES. PSALM XXX. Title,-A Psalm and Song-Ra ther, "A Psalmi, (being) a song at the dedication of the house of David." Ver. 1. Lifted me up-Ainsworth, "Drawn me out." as from the month of a p.t or a we!!. Ver. 4. At the remembrance-Marg. "Memorial." Ver. 5. For his anger, &c-Heb. "For his anger (is but) a moment," &c.-Weeping may endure-Ainsworth, "In the evening lodgeth weeping; at t be morning shouting joy." Ver. 7. Made my mountain to stand strong Heb. "Settled strength for my mountain ;” i. Mount Sion, where David resided: but, figurativel it refers to the establishment of his kingdom. Ain worth. Ver. 12. To the end that my glory-The Marg explains the glory" here named, of the psalmist tongue, or soul, and we prefer the former, as oppos to silence. See Ps. Ivii. 8. |
