Division 'BS'^-'^ Section V.b Ube fUbcseaQcs ot tbe Bible EDITED BY Professor Frank K. Sanders, Ph.D., of Yale University, and Professor Charles F. Kent, Ph.D., of Yale University. Messrs. Charles Scribner's Sons take pleasure in announcing that they have in course of preparation a series of hand-books which will enable every reader of the Bible to appreciate and to obtain a mastery of the essential facts and teachings contained in it. This series is not a substitute for the Bible, but an aid to the rev- erent, appreciative, and enthusiastic reading of the Scriptures; in fact it will serve the purpose of an ORIGINAL AND POPULAR COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLE. Technicalities and unsettled questions wiU be, as far as possible, ignored. Each volume will be prepared by a leading speciaUst and will contain such brief introductions as serve to put the reader into intelligent relation to the general theme treated. The editorial re- arrangement of the order of the Bibhcal books or sections will repre- sent the definite results of sober scholarship. I. trbc Itiessngcs of tbc Earlier propbcts. {Ready.) II. Ube /Messages of tbe later ipropbets. {Ready.) III. Ube Messages of tbe lawgivers. {Ready.) IV. Ubc /Cessages of tbe propbetic an^ ipriestl? Ibfss torians. {Ready.) V. Ube /TOessages of tbe psalmists. {Ready.) VI. Ube /TOessages of tbe Sages. (/« Preparation.) VII. Ube /Messages of tbe Dramatic Poets. {In Preparation.) VIII. Ube ilDessages of tbe Hpocal^ptic IClritcrs. {In Preparation. ) IX. Ube /Messages of ^esus accor&ing to tbe S^nops tiStS. {Ready.) X. Ube /messages of ^esus accorWng to 5obn. {In Preparation.) XI. Ube /iDessages of ipaul. {Ready.) XII. Ube /messages of tbc Bpostlcs. {Ready.) ^be fIDeeeagee of the Bible EDITED BY Professor Frank K. Sanders, Ph.D. of Vale University AND Professor Charles F. Kent, Ph.D. of Yale University VOLUME V THE MESSAGES OF THE PSALMISTS Zbc /iDessages ot tbe Bible THE MESSAGES OF THE PSALMISTS THE PSALMS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ARRANGED IN THEIR NATURAL GROUPING AND FREELY RENDERED IN PARAPHRASE BY John Edgar McFadyen M.A. (Glas.), B.A. (Oxon.) Professor of Old Testament Literature and Exegesis in Knox College, Toronto NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1904 Copyright, 1904, by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS Published, March, 1904 FRATRI MEO FIDISSIMO JOSEPHO Preface and power — upon the modern reader who has not the key. This class would be illustrated by Psalm 82, with its quaint but powerful presentation of the truth noblesse oblige, or by Psalm 87 with its magnanimous missionary outlook. It is here that one may venture to hope that a volume written from the standpoint of the Messages of the Bible series, may have some contribution to offer to the elucida- tion of the Psalter ; for one of the aims of the series is to present the ancient words of the Bible in the language of to-day. The problems of the Psalter are very numerous — textual, contextual, chronological, theological ; a very brief sketch of the more important of these will be found in the Introduction. But I have made it my aim to reduce to the minimum all such discussions affecting the criticism of the Psalter and the nature of Hebrew poetry ; and I have sought, without lingering unduly upon the threshold, to conduct the reader into the beautiful house of the He- brew Psalter itself — there to wander about its rooms, and to look upon its glories, to breathe its gracious atmosphere, and to learn to talk with the " Lord of the place." Biblical criticism has been compared— in the words of the seventy- fourth psalm — to the hammering of impious hands upon the beautiful woodwork of the temple. The comparison is far from just to the great masters of interpretation ; but, at any rate, the minuter work of criticism should be left till the religious grandeur of the Psalter has been appreciated. viii Preface Fortunately the psalms can be enjoyed without a compre- hensive knowledge of the problems which they involve. A word must be offered in explanation of the groups into which I have attempted to arrange the Psalter. It may be said at once that, in the nature of the case, no such division can ever be completely satisfactory. In our igno- rance of the origin of individual psalms, the chronological classification is, speaking generally, out of the question — only in one case have I made tentative use of it (see the Psalms of Thanksgiving) — and any other classification is sure to involve cross-division. Thanksgiving and petition' reflection and imprecation, are subtly interwoven into the texture of many a psalm ; and there are few psalms which could not, with more or less propriety, find their place within several groups. The Psalms are not logical trea- tises : they are the expression of the emotion of unusually sensitive spirits, and the emotions are sometimes subtly transformed, like the clouds that change their color as they hang in the light of the setting sun. It is not claimed that the groups here offered are mutually exclu- sive, but they are sufficiently distinct to suggest the wide variety of theme with which the hearts of the singers were occupied. The Psalms of Reflection, in particular, open up a wide and profitable field of inquiry. It seemed fitting that the first group should be reserved for Psalms of Ado- ration, while the last should deal with the Universal Reign of Jehovah. ix Preface It was a great satisfaction to me to discover that Pro- fessor Kent and I, who were working quite independently, reached conclusions that were practically identical with re- gard to the general classification of the Psalter. This co- incidence in a matter so complicated and so capable of various interpretation, may be fairly taken to prove that the classification adopted is, at any rate, not unreasonable. Within the groups (or subdivisions of groups) them- selves, my plan has been to bring together psalms which dealt with similar aspects of a problem (cf. Pss. 37, 49, 73), and to effect some kind of logical sequence — so far as such a phrase in such a connection is applicable — between the various psalms composing a group, as, for example, in the Psalms in Celebration of Worship, or the Royal Psalms. Where the psalms were so similar in temper that such a grouping seemed unnatural or impossible, as for example, in the Psalms of Petition, I have been con- tent, in the main, to arrange them in the order in which they occur in the Psalter. Where, for any reason, this order is interrupted, an explanation is given in a foot-note. The numbering of the verses is that of the English Bible. Few literary tasks are so hard as paraphrase ; and per- haps no paraphrase is so hard as that of the Psalter. It is not only that the language is, on the whole, so simple ; but it expresses so perfectly the various moods of the spiritual life that it has universally determined the lan- guage of praise and prayer, and is the common speech of X Preface Christendom to-day. Other words are almost sure to be worse words ; and the powerful effect of the parallelism is all but inimitable. The difficulty reaches its climax in the attempt to paraphrase the metaphors in which the Psalter abounds. Often they seem so simple and appeal- ing as to need no paraphrase ; yet they usually conceal a mine of meaning. But the moment an attempt is made to express what they suggest, the directness of the original metaphor is lost. The twenty-third psalm, for example, practically defies paraphrase. The attempt to assign a definite meaning to the " green pastures " and the " dark valley " would be both prosaic and futile. The psalm is, in the main, grandly luminous ; but its glory lies largely in its power to suggest to each reader an application which suits his individual experience ; and this power is destroyed, when, by the definite language of prose, the paraphrase individualizes the application. It seemed best on the whole, in such a case, to retain the original meta- phor and to add only such touches in the course of the paraphrase as would bring home the image with power and clearness to the reader's imagination. It would be tedious to enumerate the books to which I owe suggestions, but I am under special obligations to the commentaries of Baethgen and Duhm. The latter com- mentary, in particular, will probably be epoch-making in the exegesis of the Psalter. In spite of its amusing super- ciliousness, it displays extraordinary insight both into the xi Preface text and substance of the Psalms, and is a perpetual stimulus to the student of the Psalter. I have again to record my thanks to the editors for kindness shown in many ways, and very especially for their help in finding appropriate titles for the various psalms. The Psalter will live as long as men are moved by the impulse to praise and to pray. It anticipates and expresses the profoundest emotions of the spirit. Its simple, pene- trating words have a strange power over the human heart ; and, in the more solitary moods of the soul, it can touch to thoughts too deep for tears. Every fresh study of it confirms me in the conviction that it will ever prove itself a veritable gift of God to all who " taste and see." John E. McFadyen. Knox College, Toronto, January 9, 1904. Xll CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PAGE I. The Unique Religious Value of the Psal- ter 3-8 II. Some Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry . 9-16 1. The Form of Hebrew Poetry 9-13 2. The Descriptive Power of Hebrew Poetry . 13-15 3. The Themes of Hebrew Poetry 15-16 III. Some Problems of the Psalter 16-30 1. How the Psalter Grew 16-19 2. The Authorship and Superscriptions of the Psalms 19-22 3. The Place of History in the Psalms . . . 22-25 4. Individual and Collective Psalms .... 25-30 PSALMS OF ADORATION I. Introduction 33-35 II. Adoration of God as Revealed in Nature 35-40 1. Jehovah's Glory in the Storm (29) .... 35-36 2. The Witness of the Heavens to His Glory (19: 1-6) 37 3. Jehovah's Goodness Revealed in Creation (104) 37-39 4. Nature's Testimony to God's Love for Man (8) 39. 40 xiii Contents PAGE III. Adoration of Jehovah for His Love to His People 41-47 1. Jehovah's Marvellous Goodness (103) ... 41, 42 2. Nature's Manifestations of Jehovah's Love and Power (147) 42, 43 3. Jehovah the Preserver of His People {^iZ) • 43-45 4. Jehovah's Incomparable Power and Love ("5) 45.46 5. His Goodness Shown in Israel's Redemption (III) 46 6. Jehovah's Love to the Lowly (113) ... 47 7. An Invocation (117) 47 IV. Adoration of Jehovah's Glorious Kingdom 47-49 1. Jehovah's Just and Gracious Rule (145) . . 47, 48 2. Jehovah the Unfailing Protector (146) . . 48, 49 V. Nature's Call to Universal Praise ... 49, 50 1. The Universal Acclaim (148) 49. 5° 2. A Triumphant Burst of Praise (150) ... 50 PSALMS OF REFLECTION I. Introduction 53-57 II. Reflections on the Moral Order of the World 57-8o 1. The Courage of the Man of Faith (11) . . 57, 58 2. The Folly of Denying God (14) .... 5?, 59 3. The Triumphant Power of Divine Love (36) 59, 60 4. The Vanity and Pathos of Life (39) ... 60, 61 5. The Doom of Arrogance (52) 62, 63 6. God the Only Source of Confidence (62) . 63, 64 7. God the Impartial Arbiter of Destiny (75) . 64, 65 8. God the Upholder of Justice (82) .... 65, 66 xiv Contents PAGE 9. The Lessons of Divine Providence (90) . 66, 67 10. The Ways of God (92) 67, 68 11. The Divine Judgment upon the Godless (9, 10) 68-71 12. The Certainty of Jehovah's Just Vengeance (94) 72,73 13. The Sure Punishment of the Wicked and Vindication of the Righteous (37) .... Ti'l^ 14. The Brief Triumph of the Wicked (49) . . 76-78 15. The Fellowship which the Good Enjoy with God (73) 78-80 III. Reflections upon Divine Providence . . 80-91 1. Jehovah's Omniscience and Omnipresence (139) 80-82 2. The Joy of Fellowship with God (16) . . 82-83 3. The Need of Divine Help (127 : i, 2) . . 84 4. Jehovah the Good Shepherd (23) .... 84, 85 5. The Serene Confidence of the Godly (91) . 85, 86 6. Jehovah the Guardian of his People (121) . 86 7. Jehovah an Unfailing Defence (125) ... 86, 87 8. Jehovah's Favor to the Godly (34) ... 87, 88 9. The Blessedness of Jehovah's Followers (112) 89 10. The Prosperity of Jehovah's People (144:12-15) 89, 90 11. Jehovah the Source of Domestic Joys (127 : 3-5 ; 128) 90, 91 12. The Blessedness of Brotherly Concord ijZZ) ' 91 IV. Reflections on the Value of Scripture . 92-103 1. Its Mastery the Secret of Success (i) . . 92 2. The Power of the Law (19 : 7-14) .... 93 3. Meditations on the Word of God (119) . . 94-103 XV Contents PAGE V. Reflections on the Nature of the Ideal Man 103-106 1. The True Citizen of Zion (15) 103 2. The True Worshipper (24:1-6) .... 103, 104 3. The Essence of True Worship (50) . . . 104-106 THE PSALMS OF THANKSGIVING I. Introduction 109-112 II. A General Thanksgiving (107) 112-115 III. Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Sen- nacherib 115-119 1. The Security of Jehovah's Own City (46) . 115, 116 2. The Deliverance of Zion (48) 117, 118 3. Jehovah's Victory at Jerusalem (76) . . . 118, 119 IV. Thanksgiving for Deliverance from The Exile 119-126 1. Jehovah's Signal Deliverance (124) . . .119, 120 2. Jehovah's Power to Protect (129) .... 120 3. Jehovah the Confidence of his People (65) 120, 121 4. Jehovah the Deliverer (66) 121-123 5. Jehovah's Goodness to Israel and to All Men (67) 123 6. The Joy of Deliverance (126) 123, 124 7. Jehovah's Deliverance an Act of Grace (40) 124-126 V. Thanksgiving for Maccabean Victories . 126-136 1. The Constancy of Jehovah's Care (138) . 126, 127 2. Jehovah the Warrior's Stay (144 : i-ii) . 127, 128 3. Jehovah the Leads to Victory (68) .... 128-132 4. Jehovah a Sure Deliverer (30) .... 132, 133 5. Thanksgiving for his Great Deliverance (118) 133-135 xvi Contents PAGE 6. Deliverance out of Great Affliction (ii6) . 135, 136 7. The Song of Victory (149) 136 THE PSALMS IN CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP I. Introduction 139-141 II. The Psalms of Worship 142-151 1. Jehovah's Triumphant Entry into the Sanct- uary (24 : 7-10) 142 2. The Vision of the Temple (122) .... 142, 143 3. The Pilgrim's Longing for the Sanctuary (84) 143-145 4. Yearning for Fellowship with God (42, 43) 145-147 5. A Morning Prayer for Guidance (5) . . . 148, 149 6. The Prayer of the Sincere Worshipper (26) 149 7. Joy in Jehovah and his Sanctuary (27) . . 150, 151 8. An Evening Invocation (134) 151 THE HISTORICAL PSALMS I. Introduction iS5-iS7 IL Psalms Emphasizing the Unfaithfulness OF the People 158-166 1. The Lessons of their Past Acts of Apostasy (78) 158-161 2. Jehovah's Mercy and Israel's Ingratitude (106) 162-164 3. Israel's Inexcusable Disobedience (81) . . 165, 166 III. Psalms Emphasizing the Love or Power OF God 166- 171 1. Jehovah's Unceasing Care Over Israel (105) 2. Jehovah's Love Revealed in Nature and 166-168 History (135) 168, 169 xvii Contejtts PAGE V. Reflections on the Nature of the Ideal Man 103-106 1. The True Citizen of Zion (15) 103 2. The True Worshipper (24:1-6) .... 103, 104 3. The Essence of True Worship (50) . . , 104-106 THE PSALMS OF THANKSGIVING I. Introduction 109-112 II. A General Thanksgiving (107) 112-115 III. Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Sen- nachkrib 115-119 1. The Security of Jehovah's Own City (46) . 115, 116 2. The Deliverance of Zion (48) 117, 118 3. Jehovah's Victory at Jerusalem (76) . . . 118, 119 IV. Thanksgiving for Deliverance from The Exile 119-126 1. Jehovah's Signal Deliverance (124) . . .119, 120 2. Jehovah's Power to Protect (129) .... 120 3. Jehovah the Confidence of his People (65) 120, 121 4. Jehovah the Deliverer (66) 121-123 5. Jehovah's Goodness to Israel and to All Men (67) 123 6. The Joy of Deliverance (126) 123, 124 7. Jehovah's Deliverance an Act of Grace (40) 124-126 V. Thanksgiving for Maccabean Victories . 126-136 1. The Constancy of Jehovah's Care (138) . 126, 127 2. Jehovah the Warrior's Stay (144: i-ii) . 127, 128 3. Jehovah the Leads to Victory (68) .... 128-132 4. Jehovah a Sure Deliverer (30) .... 132, 133 5. Thanksgiving for his Great Deliverance (118) ^33-T-3S xvi Contents PAGE 6, Deliverance out of Great Affliction (ii6) . 135, 136 7. The Song of Victory (149) 136 THE PSALMS IN CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP I. Introduction 139-141 II. The Psalms of Worship 142-151 1. Jehovah's Triumphant Entry into the Sanct- uary (24 : 7-10) 142 2. The Vision of the Temple (122) .... 142, 143 3. The Pilgrim's Longing for the Sanctuary (84) 143-145 4. Yearning for Fellowship with God (42, 43) 145-147 5. A Morning Prayer for Guidance (5) , . . 148, 149 6. The Prayer of the Sincere Worshipper (26) 149 7. Joy in Jehovah and his Sanctuary (27) . . 150, 151 8. An Evening Invocation (134) 151 THE HISTORICAL PSALMS I. Introduction 155-157 II. Psalms Emphasizing the Unfaithfulness OF THE People 158-166 1. The Lessons of their Past Acts of Apostasy (78) 158-161 2. Jehovah's Mercy and Israel's Ingratitude (106) 162-164 3. Israel's Inexcusable Disobedience (81) . . 165, 166 III. Psalms Emphasizing the Love or Power OF God 166-171 1. Jehovah's Unceasing Care Over Israel (105) 2. Jehovah's Love Revealed in Nature and 166-168 History (135) 168, 169 xvii Contents PAGE 3. The Revelation of Jehovah's Love in Israel's History (136) 170 4. The Significance of the Deliverance from Egypt C114) 171 THE IMPRECATORY PSALMS I. Introduction 175-178 II. Psalms of Vengeance 178-189 1. Upon the Brutal and Malignant Foes of Judah (137) 178, 179 2. Upon Unrighteous Judges (58) .... 179-181 3. Upon Treacherous and Malignant Foes (59) 181,182 4. Upon Wanton Persecutors (69) 183-185 5. Upon Bitter Adversaries (109) 186, 187 6. Upon -Those Who Would Destroy Judah (83) 188,189 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS I. Introduction 193-195 II. Psalms Expressive of Penitencb .... 195-204 1. A Cry for Help in Time of Mortal Distress (6) 195. 196 2. A Confession and Prayer for Deliverance (38) 196, 197 3. The Joy of Confession and Reconciliation (32) 198, 199 4. A Plea for Forgiveness and Promise of Faithful Service (51) 199-201 5. An Appeal to Jehovah to Pity and Restore his People (102) 201-203 6. A Prayer for Pardon and Restoration (130) 203 7. A Cry for Deliverance and Guidance (143) 203, 204 xviii Contents PAGE THE PSALMS OF PETITION Introduction 207-211 Prayers for Deliverance, Preservation OR Restoration 211-247 1. For Protection from Active Foes (3) . . .211, 212 2. For Protection Against Slander (4) ... 212, 213 3. For a Judgment which is Just (7) . . . . 213, 214 4. For Protection against Deceitfulness (12) . 215 5. For God's Manifestation of Himself (13) . 216 6. For Deliverance from Insolent Foes (17) . 216-218 7. For Deliverance from Enemies (25) . . . 218, 219 8. For Deliverance from Extreme Distress (31) 219-221 9. For Deliverance from Malicious Foes (35) 222-224 10. For Healing and Vindication (41) . . . . 224, 225 11. For Deliverance from Determined and Ma- licious Enemies (64) 225, 226 12. For Deliverance from Watchful Foes (71) . 226-228 13. For Preservation as of Old [J^') 228, 229 14. For the Preservation of Israel, Jehovah's Vine (80) 229-231 15. For Restoration and Forgiveness (85) . . 231, 232 16. For Guidance and Favor (86) 232, 233 17. The Prayer of Despair (88) 233-235 18. For Deliverance from Slander (120) . . . 235 19. For Divine Pity (123) 235, 236 20. For Childlike Confidence in Jehovah (131) 236 21. For Deliverance from Scorn and Persecu- tion (44) 236-238 22. For Deliverance from Plunder and Spolia- tion (74) 238-240 23. For Help in Bitter Need (79) 240-241 24. For Deliverance from Oppressors (54) . . 241 xix Contents PAGE 25. For Help Against a Traitorous Friend (55) 241-243 26. For Jehovah's Leadership against Edom (60) 'Zi\2>-^a^S 'zrj. For Preservation in Extreme Danger (140) 245 28. For Deliverance from the Ways of the Wicked (141) 246 29. For Deliverance from Determined Perse- cutors (142) 246, 247 III. Answered Prayers 247-254 1. The Triumph of the Sufferer (22) . . . , 247-250 2. Help Against the Wicked (28) 250, 251 3. Confidence in Divine Favor (56) .... 251, 252 4. Protection Against Adversaries (57) . . . 253, 254 THE ROYAL PSALMS I. Introduction 257-260 II. The Marriage of the King (45) 260, 261 in. The Coronation Anniversary (21) . . . 262, 263 IV. Prayers- for the King's Welfare and Success 263-265 1. On the Eve of Battle (20) 263 2. For the Preservation of the King's Life (61) 264 3. For the Overthrow of his Enemies ifi'^ . . 264, 265 V. The Character of the King 265-268 1. His Desire to Rule Righteously (loi) . . 265, 266 2. Prayer for a Just and Glorious Reign (72) 266-268 VI. The Dominion of the King 268-273 1. A Universal Dominion Promised by Jeho- vah (2) 268, 269 2. The Divine Promise of Victory over all Foes (no) 269. 270 XX Contents PAGE 3. Jehovah's Unceasing Care for his Servant, the King (18) 271-273 VII. Yearning for the Messianic King .... 273-278 1. The Sure Promise to David (89) .... 273-277 2. The Certainty of the Fulfilment of the Promise to David (132) 277, 278 PSALMS CONCERNING THE UNIVERSAL REIGN OF JEHOVAH I. Introduction 281-283 II. Jehovah's Universal Reign 284-291 1. Its Universal Acknowledgment (47) . . . 284 2. Jehovah's Supremacy Unquestionable (93) 285 3. The Establishment of his Universal Sway (96) 285, 286 4. The Joint Homage of Nature with Man (98) 286-287 5. Its Assurance of Judah's Security (97) . . 287, 288 6. Jehovah's Just and Holy Rule (99) . . . 288, 289 7. Jehovah the Creator and Ruler of His People (95) 289, 290 8. Jehovah the One Gracious Lord of All (100) 290 9. Zion, Jehovah's City, the Universal Mother {87) 291 THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS I. Introduction 295-299 II. Earlier Laments over the Sorrows of Jerusalem (2, 4) 299-305 1. The Divine Judgment and the Inconsolable Sorrow (2) . . • 299-302 2. The Fate of the People and their Leaders (4) 302-305 xxi Contents FAOE III. Later Laments over the Sorrows of Je- rusalem (i, s) 305-309 1. The Comfortless Doom (i) 305-308 2. The Prayer (5) 308, 309 IV. Lament and Prayer (3) 310-313 APPENDIX I. Superscriptions of the Psalms 317-319 II. The Alphabetic Psalms 319, 320 III. Books of Reference 320329 INDEX OF BIBICAL PASSAGES 333. 334 XXll INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION THE UNIQUE RELIGIOUS VALUE OF THE PSALTER The Hebrew Psalter is the hymn-book of the holy •catholic church throughout the world. It has been from the beginning, and in all probability it will be to the end. There are indeed some churches which do not lift their praises to God in the very words of the Psalter, and there are other churches which praise him in a multitude of other hymns besides those of the Psalter. But even where the Psalms are not directly used, their words and thoughts have been appropriated, so that many of the noblest modern hymns are but echoes of the songs of the ancient Jewish church, and written under the immediate inspiration of the Psalter. It will be enough to recall Luther's great hymn " A safe stronghold our God is still," which is nothing but the German version of the forty-sixth psalm. Nothing could have given the Psalter this phenomenal 3 Introduction TJie Messages of hold upon the heart of the centuries but its absolute fidel- ity to the deepest and most manifold experiences of the human soul. It was " out of the depths " that the psalm- ists cried to God, and the deep of our experience answers to the deep of theirs. In their words we find our own emotions expressed and see our own experience reflected. They knew what was in man; and that is why they " find " us. They knew the strangeness and the sorrow of life, but amidst it all they also knew God to be their shelter and their strength. Never have there been men who faced more honestly the problems of life, or felt its pathos more keenly. Life was a mystery, and they knew that by searching they could never fully find its meaning out ; but they searched like the brave men they were, till sometimes their hearts grew bitter and throbbed with pain (73 : 21). They voice that " sense of tears in mortal things," which is felt by all who look with fearless and unconventional eyes at the pain and surprises of life. They exhaust the range of metaphor in trying to express their sense of its frailty. It is like the grass or the meadow- flower, like a passing shadow, like a fleeing bird, like yesterday when it is passed, like a dark night, like a breath that passes and never comes back (90: 4-6, 10; 103 : 15,16; 78 : 39). The psalmists are beset behind and before by enemies. Throughout the whole length of the Psalter you can hear their stealthy tread and listen to their venomous words, and watch them digging their pits 4 tJic Psalviisis Introduction for the men who are better than they. And ever and anon there falls upon the ear the sob of a breaking heart that longs to fly away, and be at rest, and lodge in the wilderness, far from the stormy wind and tempest (55 : 6- 8). In such a world, or at least with such a mood upon them, the psalmists feel their homelessness ; they are but strangers and sojourners in the land (39 : 12). They suf- fer and they toil, rising early, and sitting down late to the evening meal, and eating the bread of sorrows (127 : 2). They have no hope nor comfort but in God. Small wonder that the words of men who looked into life with such stern sorrow in their eyes should have found all through the centuries an echo in the hearts of other men, bowed by the weight of grief or persecution. The refuge of those men was in God ; and more per- sistently than any other book in the Bible does the Psalter bring home to us the overwhelming sense of the reality and personality of God. The sight of his gracious face was better to them than abundance of corn and wine (4 : 6, 7), and his presence by the side of the spirit that was perplexed soothed it into peace again (73). The " strangers and pilgrims " are yet in some strange sense the guests of God (23 : 5, 6 ; 36 : 8), daily gathering around his hospitable table in a world that is full of his goodness. From every storm there is a refuge in the shadow of his wings (57 : i), and there the weary soul can lie in peace and look up with a smile, like a weaned 5 Introduction The Messages of child on the bosom of his mother (131 : 2). The psalms were written and sung by men who counted God their friend. God is the great reality of the Psalter — almost more real than the grief and persecution which drove the psalm- ists to him. They sometimes forget their pain and be- wilderment when they see it against that " mercy of God," which is "all the day " (52 : i)/ Just here the Book of Psalms has a notable contribution to offer to practical religion. So long as sin and sorrow continue to form part of human experience, religion will continue to be largely introspective, and there will always be the danger of for- getting the inspiration of the mountains and the sea and the " splendid breadth of the open sky." There is a mag- nificent objectivity about the Psalter which comes as a much needed tonic to a too analytic type of religion. Not without meaning are Psalms 103 and 104 placed together. The simple juxtaposition reminds us that the God who grants forgiveness and healing is also the God whose glory is scattered about the earth — upon its hills and valleys and seas — and whose goodness finds food and shelter for beast as well as man. The psalms do much more than search the depths of the heart, and more is needed. They take us out into the open air, and make us lift up our eyes to the starry heavens (8, 19) and to the moun- tains of God. There are psalms in which man holds 1 If we adopt the reading of the received text. 6 tJie Psalmists Introduction hardly any place at all : nothing is to be seen but sky and earth and the glory of God. How bracing, for example, is the psalm which describes the storm sweeping from Lebanon in the north with its sevenfold peal of thunder across the land to the wilderness of Kadesh in the south — whirling the oaks, shivering the cedars, stripping the for- ests — while the angels in heaven look on with pride and shout " Glory " ! (29) Psalms like these, besides refresh- ing the spirit, and enlarging and invigorating our concep- tion of religion, will help to recover for us the lost art of adoration (cf. 150). In many respects, the psalms are immeasurably superior to every other collection of hymns, and not least in the extreme simplicity with which they utter the noblest re- ligious truth and express the elemental things of religion. Their simple words produce a stupendous impression : O Jehovah, thy Tove is in the heavens, Thy faithfuhiess reacheth to the skies , Thy righteousness is hke the mountains of God, Thy judgments are a great deep (36 : 5, 6.) The largest things in the universe were the only things with which to compare the justice and the mercy of God. These men were at home with thoughts of infinity and eternity. In yet another respect is the superiority of the Psalter incontestable, namely, in its emphasis upon the moral elements in religion. The psalms are never flabby 7 Introduction The Messages of or sentimental, but always strenuous and severe. They believe and rejoice in the stately worship of the temple. There is no time when the psalmist is so glad as when they say to him, " We are going to the house of Jeho- vah " (122 : i). But they never allow themselves to forget that acceptable worship must be the fruit of a true life, and that the only man who dare ascend the holy hill is the man of clean hands and a pure heart. The psalms are great because they have seized the eternal things. Most of them spring from a definite his- torical situation, yet in most cases the traces of their origin have utterly vanished, and they articulate the pain or glad- ness of the universal heart. Insensibly does the psalmist pass from the ruins of Jerusalem to the contemplation of the ruins of the universe (102). The experience of hu- manity is concentrated in the Psalter, which someone has described as " the whole music of the human heart, swept by the hand of its Maker." That is why age can- not wither its infinite variety, and why on the praises of Israel men will lift up their hearts to God, while the world stands. the Psalmists Introduction II SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF HEBREW POETRY I. The For 771 of Hebrew Poetry The principles that regulate the form of Hebrew poetry are as unique as is the poetry itself. Almost all that we are rightly or wrongly accustomed to associate with poetry is characteristically absent from the poetry of the Bible. It has no rhyme, though there are sporadic and insignificant traces of this. It has no metre, at least in the classical sense of that word : the attempt to make out hexameters and pentameters such as we find in Ovid and Theocritus, is hopeless in the face of the facts. It has no uniform strophic arrangement in the Greek sense of the word strophe — no regular recurrence of symmetrical sections whose corresponding lines accurately balance each other. It has not indeed these things, but it has something profounder ; for the Hebrew cared more for sense than sound. Instead of rhyme and metre, it gives us rhythm — not apparently of syllables, and not very conspicuously of words, but rather of thoughts and things. This dis- tinguishing feature of Hebrew poetry was first happily characterized by Robert Lowth (1753) in his famous " Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews " as par- allelism, and the essence of it is that the second clause 9 Introduction The Messages of of a verse, where there are two clauses, is in some way parallel to the first, whether as a repetition of the thought therein contained, or a co-ordination of an almost similar thought, or a contrast with the thought already expressed, or an amplification of that thought. Of these four types of verse, the second, which is known as the synonymous, and the third, which is known as the antithetic, are on the whole the most frequent and important. An illus- tration or two will make the usage clear : Synonymous parallelism : (a) Let us break their bands asunder And cast away their cords from us (Ps. 2 : 3). (b) Sun, be thou silent on Gibeon And moon, in the valley of Ajalon (Josh. 10: 12). (c) Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands (i Sam. 18 : 7). Antithetic parallelism : (a) A wise son maketh a glad father, But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother (Prov. 10:1). (b) Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish (Ps. i : 6). An illustration of synthetic parallelism, in which a new feature is added to the original picture, may be seen in the psalm last quoted : He shall be like a tree planted by the channels of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither (Ps. i :4). 10 tJie Psalmists Introduction It is fortunate, or rather we might say providential, that the characteristics of Hebrew poetry are what they are. For, in the first place, the form, being so elastic and so relatively little bound by verbal considerations, never fetters the thought : all that has to be said can be said with a powerful and unconstrained simplicity. And again, such poetry suffers next to nothing from translation into the prose of other languages. Indeed the prose translation is here the more natural and faithful. It has been said — and not without some truth — that the Psalter positively loses as much by being turned into verse as Homer does by being turned into prose. When we think how much would have been irretrievably lost in the best translation, had Hebrew poetry been characterized, like the poetry of modern languages, by rhyme or exact rhythm, it is hardly too much to regard it as a providence that the essence of that poetry lies not primarily in verbal or metrical con- siderations, but rather in that deeper response of thought to thought, which can be reproduced without loss in the stately prose of another language. We said above that Hebrew poetry has neither metre nor strophe in the common sense of those terms. This is true, but with certain limitations. With regard to metre, it has been found that the verses in songs of lamentation usually assume the form of two lines, of which the second is shorter than the first, just as in the Greek or Roman elegiac. This is conspicuously so II Introduction TJie Messages of in the first four poems of the Book of Lamentations. For example, How doth she sit so solitary — Once full of people ! (i : i.) I am the man that has known misery Through the rod of his wrath (3 : i). This metre is usually known as the elegiac, or the qinah metre — qinah being the Hebrew for a dirge ; but it has to be remembered, on the one hand, that this metre is not always used even in a song of mourning (cf. 2 Sam. 1:19- 27), and on the other, that it is occasionally used, as in Psalm 19:7 ff., where there is no strain of lamentation at all. With regard to the strophe. Though anything like the elaborate strophic arrangement of a Greek chorus is alien to the Hebrew genius, there are phenomena which prove conclusively that the Hebrews did occasionally recognize a certain arrangement which, for want of a better word, we may not unfairly call strophic, though it is equally cer- tain that it is no regular constituent of Hebrew verse, and the attempt to discover it in every psalm must be recog- nized as futile. But the musical note Selah — whatever it originally meant — clearly indicates a pause of some kind and always coincides with a break in the sense. Further, refrains occur at intervals — though not apparently always regular — in many of the psalms (46, 56, 57, 59, 107, 136, etc.). Finally, a number of the psalms are alphabetic 12 tJic Psalmists Introduction — every line (as in Pss. in, 112) or every verse (as in Ps. 34), or every second verse (as in Ps. 37) beginning with a new letter. This process receives its highest elabora- tion in the one hundred and nineteenth psalm, in which, within each of the twenty-two sections devoted to the successive letters of the alphabet, each of the eight verses has the same initial letter.^ These facts only prove, what there can never have been any reason for doubting, that the Hebrews were capable of grouping their thoughts together and of creating a larger unit out of the verses thus grouped together ; but they do not prove that they were familiar with the elaborated strophe of the Greek drama. 2. The Descriptive Power of Hebrew Poetry Quite apart from its altogether unique religious value, Hebrew poetry can justly claim its place among the great literatures of the world. It combines a simplicity which they seldom equal with a brilliant but chastened imagina- tion which is all its own. Its power is nowhere more vividly seen than in its descriptions of nature, which the rapt eyes of the Hebrew poet sometimes see touched into glad sympathy with redeemed humanity and lit with the glory of the latter days. In a word or two, he can pro- duce the clearest pictures and the most startling contrasts. The sower with his tear-stained face is transformed by a touch into the glad reaper who comes home with his arm 1 For illustrations of alphabetic psalms see Appendix I. 13 Introduction The Messages of full of sheaves (126 : 5, 6). The only marriage-song in the Psalter (45) shines with all the brilliant splendor of the East. It opens the gates of an ivory palace and shows us trains of bejewelled ladies who enter to the ravishing sounds of music. But it is in his descriptions of nature that the Hebrew poet is seen at his best ; for the earth was his Lord's, and it was covered with something of his ineffable glory. He has the tenderest interest in all animal life, and a robust though not subtle appreciation of scenery. He delights in the twittering of the birds, and in the brooks that rush down the valleys ; he has heard the lion roar, and he has looked with wonder upon the sea and the great ships (104). With awe-struck eyes, he has watched the storm when the heavens thundered and the lightning flashed, and the black clouds poured down water {j'j : 17-19). He knows the terrors of the sea, when the waves rise moun- tains high, and the hearts of the travellers melt for fear (107 : 23-30). He has seen the wistful eyes of the wild beasts, as they looked up expectantly to Jehovah for their food (104 : 21 ; 145 : 15). The very mountains praise his name (89 : 12). For he is the mighty Lord, and when he draws nigh with his terrors, nature starts back in fear ; the sea flees, the rivers roll back, and the hills tremble (114). These scenes of terror are often matched by other scenes of quiet and gracious beauty, as when, in the glorious Mes- sianic days, angels look lovingly down from the windows 14 tJie Psalmists Introduction of heaven, and righteousness and peace kiss each other in a world redeemed (85:10-11). Of almost startling beauty is that other picture, where all the land leaps into green as the wheels of Jehovah's chariot pass over it ; the very desert pastures blossom, the happy hills are clothed with lambs, and the valleys laugh and sing (65). 3. The Themes of Hebrew Poetry Practically all the poetry of the Bible is religious ; but there are many traces that Hebrew poetry once dealt, as we should expect, with many other topics than religion. There was, for example, war poetry. The warfare which formed so conspicuous a feature of Israel's early life, was celebrated in stirring ballads, a brief specimen of which is still extant in the lines already quoted : Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands. Of course, as Jehovah was the God of Israel's hosts, much of the war poetry was necessarily also religious poetry — compare the songs of Deborah (Jud. 5) and Moses (Ex. 1 5) ; and there was a collection known as the Book of the Wars of Jehovah. Then there was the poetry which gath- ered about the home — such as we still find in fragments of the so-called Psalms of Ascent, or pilgrim psalms, though here again the religious touch is upon it (127 : 3-5 ; 128 : 3, 4). Further, the marriage-f estiva, was cele- 15 Introduction The Messages of brated in poetry, a precious specimen of which has been preserved to us in the forty-fifth Psalm. One of the no- blest songs in any literature is written in memory of the dead and in celebration of their friendship (2 Sam. i : 19-27). Probably much of the business of daily life, most of which would then be in the open air, was accompanied by strains of song. To this class belongs the quaint, but difficult, Song of the Well (Num. 21 : 17, 18), and the work of the reapers and vintage gatherers seems to have been cheered or sustained by snatches of song (Ps. 129 : 8 ; Is. 65 : 8). At banquets songs were sung and poetic riddles wxre propounded (Jud. 14 : 14) ; and dirges were chanted at funerals. Of this large variety of poetry it is unfort- unate that only the smallest fragments are extant; but they are enough to show that, for the Hebrew, life with all its common experiences, no less than religion, was en- nobled by the ministry of song. Ill SOME PROBLEMS OF THE PSALTER I. Ho%u the Psalter Grew It is very plain that the Psalter, though properly enough regarded as a unit, is in reality a collection of groups of psalms. This is admitted, on the face of it, by the divis- ion into five books, the concluding psalm of each book 16 tJie Psalmista Introduction (41, 72, 89, 106) being marked by a doxology, witli the exception of the last psalm of the last book, which is itself a doxology. That these groups once existed separately, is shown by the fact that occasionally psalms from one group are repeated in another ;^ had two such groups been really one from the beginning, there would have been no motive for the repetition. It would almost seem, too, as if each group had attained a certain canonicity before it was in- corporated in the final collection ; otherwise a repeated psalm might easily have been omitted from one of the groups in which it appeared. It was supposed in ancient times that the five-fold divis- ion of the Psalter was intended to imitate the division of the Pentateuch. This is probable, for it is difficult to jus- tify the division on internal grounds. Psalms 105, 106, and 107 clearly form a group by themselves ; yet the tradi- tional division of the Psalter cuts into this group, throwing 105 and 106 into book four and 107 into book five. Nor is it probably due to an accident that the number of psalms in the fourth book corresponds exactly with the number in the third ; this singular correspondence can only be regarded as intentional when we consider the fact just mentioned, that Psalm 106, the last in the fourth book, is inseparably bound up with Psalm 107. So far, at any rate, as the last two books are concerned, the division seems to rest on artificial grounds rather than on the facts. ^ For example, 14 = 53 ; 40 : 13-17 = 70 ; 108 = 57 : 7-11 and 60 : 6-12. 17 Introduction The Messages of Indeed, it is a fair question whether books four and five do not in reality constitute only one book. Speaking gen- erally, they are more markedly liturgical than the other books, and in other ways they stand out by themselves from the rest of the Psalter. One feature which they share in common and which differentiates them both from the second and third books, is their prevailing use of the word Jehovah as the name of deity. The second and third books, on the other hand, ordinarily use the word Elohim, that is, God ; in the first book, again, the prevailing word is Jehovah. It would hardly be natural to suppose that this was an accident ; but the psalms which are repeated from one group in an- other furnish proof positive that this peculiarity is actually due to editorial revision. When the fourteenth psalm, for example, appears in the second book as Psalm 53, the original Jehovah is found to have been carefully re- placed by the word Elohim.^ The two psalms are prac- tically identical in all but their name for God, and clearly it is the place of Psalm 53 in an Elohistic collection that has determined the change in the name, which we can thus only regard as deliberate. Now this use of Elohim characterizes book three — or most of it (to ps. 83) — as well as book two, and suggests that books two and three ought 'True, the word Elohim also occurs in Ps. 14, but only in general phrases, where it is natural and appropriate; cf. v. i, "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.''^ 18 the Psalmists Introduction to be considered together, just as four and five were. We are the more confirmed in this opinion when we find that the constituent groups of both books are very similar ; in both, for example, occur " Psalms of Asaph " and " Psalms of the Sons of Korah." The result then is to give us a division into three groups instead of five ; the first book, Jehovistic; books two and three, Elohistic ; and books four and five, Jehovistic. These groups are found again to rest upon other shorter groups, some acknowledged and others easily discovered by examination. To the former class belong the psalms with definite ascriptions, for example, " of David. " What- ever these words mean, they at any rate point to a collec- tion, or collections, of psalms in some sense " Davidic." Other groups are almost equally obvious, for example, the Pilgrim psalms, 120 to 134, and the Hallelujah psalms, 146 to 1 50. The great hymn-book of the Hebrew church gradually grew out of smaller hymn-books, and these again ultimately rest on individual psalms. 2. The Authorship and Superscriptions of the Psalms No problem seems so easy, and few are in reality so difficult, as to determine the ultimate origin of these indi- vidual psalms. Many of the superscriptions seem to con- tain information, as precise as it is welcome, with regard to the origin and occasion of the psalms to which they are attached. But it is quite certain that the superscriptions 19 Introduction The Messages of are not original and integral to the psalms themselves, for the superscriptions of the Greek version do not quite agree with those of the Hebrew ; sometimes they assign to Da- vid (cf. 95) or to other authors (for example, Haggai and Zechariah, cf. 146) a psalm which is anonymous in the Hebrew; and sometimes they add information which is not warranted by our Hebrew text (cf. 144, where to " Da- vid," the Greek version adds " touching Goliath "). The Syriac version again differs both from the Greek and the Hebrew. Had the titles been original to the psalms, such variety would have been impossible. Therefore it is fair to conclude that the titles are no part of the psalms, but were added afterward. Further, the superscriptions are sometimes at variance with the explicit statements of the historical books. A curious illustration of this is found in Psalm 34, whose su- perscription calls the Philistine king, before whom David feigned madness, Abimelech instead of Achish (i Sam. 21 : 14). Again, the superscriptions are sometimes at va- riance with the contents of the psalms themselves. For example, Psalm 59 contemplates a situation in which cer- tain cruel and blasphemous men go about the city, whereas the superscription assigns it to the occasion when David's house was watched by Saul's emissaries. In the same psalm, the enemies of the singer are described as the na- tions, that is the heathen (cf. v. 5). Nor can the names of the authors any more than the 20 the Psalmists Introduction occasions assigned in the superscriptions always be rec- onciled with the contents of the psalms. David, for ex- ample, could not have referred to the temple as Jehovah's holy hill (3 : 4), as, in his time, the temple had not yet been built. Still less could Asaph, a reputed contempo- rary of David, complain that that templehad been dev- astated (74). If, then, the superscriptions are not strictly reliable, it will be next to impossible to determine precisely the author of any psalm, and even the occasion can only be determined, if at all, by an examination of the psalm itself. It may even be questioned whether the Hebrew phrase rendered " Psalm of David " was originally intended to imply authorship, though undoubtedly this must have been the view taken by the time the historical notices, which appear chiefly in the second book, were added. But there are cases where the idea of authorship is alto- gether excluded by the simple fact that the psalm is as- signed not to a man but to a guild, namely, the sons of Korah, that is, the Korahitic guild of temple-singers (cf. 42 to 49). The psalms so superscribed form a collection which, for some reason that we are left to infer, was asso- ciated with this particular guild. In other words this title, together with the kindred title " Psalm of Asaph," ap- pears to be a liturgical designation, the clew to which is now lost. Possibly the title " Psalm of David " is to be similarly explained, especially as it is often accompanied 21 Introduction The Messages of by the certainly liturgical direction rendered " For the Chief Musician " in our English Bibles, and the Hebrew preposition rendered by " of " and " to " is in both cases the same. It is easy, of course, to see why later ages should have believed in David as the author of the psalms with which his name, for whatever reason, was associated. He was known to be a great minstrel and poet (cf . 2 Sam. i), an ardent worshipper of Jehovah, and earnestly bent upon building him a temple ; and so not unnaturally he came to be regarded not only as the father of religious song, but as the composer of much of the Psalter. Still, a tradition so persistent as is represented by the super- scriptions, may well have had some basis in fact ; and it is not impossible that the Psalter may contain fragments of Davidic song (cf, 24 : 7-10), though no one can say for certain where they are. 3. The Place of History in the Psalms The historical notices contained in the superscriptions, whether valuable or not, at any rate furnish indirect testi- mony to a fact that should never be forgotten, namely, that many of the psalms rise out of definite historical situations. The experiences which they reflect may be personal or national, but they are often so graphic that one is constantly under the temptation to endeavor to as- sign dates to them. So far has this tendency been car- ried by Hitzig, who assigned the last three books of the tJic Psalmists Introduction Psalter almost entirely to Maccabean times, that Noldeke ^ expresses the sarcastic hope that in another edition of his commentary on the Psalms, he will supply not only the year, but the exact date of the composition of each psalm. What would we not give to know definitely to what day the psalmist alludes when he wrote, " This is the day Jehovah has made" (ii8 : 24)? There are usually sev- eral competing possibilities ; and many important periods of Jewish history are so obscure that these possibilities may be more numerous even than we suspect. Very prob- ably there are heard in the Psalter the sad or happy voices of periods that have left no other echo. Occasionally the situation in a psalm is so graphic that our own hearts are moved with the powerful emotion of its early singers, and yet the language is so general as to defy the effort to as- sign it to a particular date. The one hundred and twenty- fourth psalm, for example, fairly throbs with passion. The dreadful enemies of Israel are compared in turn to a sea-monster, rushing waters, wild beasts, and cunning hunters ; but who the enemies were we can only guess. The search is often further complicated by linguistic diffi- culties. For example, it is not always certain whether a particular Hebrew word is to be translated " the land " (that is, Judah) or " the earth." Again the word for " the arrogant " differs from the word for " strangers " merely by a " tittle " ; and the word for " nations " (=heathen) 1 Die alttestamentliche LIteratur, p. 129. 23 Introduction The Messages of has perhaps in some instances replaced an original word for " proud " which is extremely like it. This last circum- stance leads to immense difficulty and confusion in the exegesis of certain psalms, and leaves open widely differ- ent possibilities of interpretation. But amid all uncertainty we may be fairly certain of this, that a nation so highly gifted in song and religion as Israel can hardly have allowed to pass uncelebrated the great occasions of her national joy and sorrow. We know that the bitter grief of the exile was kept alive by the flaming words of the one hundred and thirty-seventh psalm ; and it seems not unnatural to suppose that the deliverance of Judah from the terrors of Sennacherib may have been celebrated in the forty-sixth psalm, especially when we remember that those were the days of Isaiah ; and it is easy to believe that the joy of redemption from exile expressed itself in the singing of the " new song," whose notes peal through the great group of psalms which proclaim Jehovah as king (92, 93, 95 to 100). But on such a field we cannot attain beyond more or less probable conjecture. There is, however, one group of psalms, about which opinion has been almost unanimous, that we have in them a voice from the Maccabean times (about 170 B. C), namely, 44, 74, 79, 83, In these psalms the situation is de- picted with astonishing realism, and even with compara- tively minute detail. There the people are not merely 24 tJie Psalmists Introduction suffering ; they are the victims of a religious persecution — " killed for thy sake all the day long " (44 : 22) ; the enemy are not merely aliens, they are blasphemers (79 : 12). Above all, the temple is cruelly and wantonly assailed ; the woodwork is struck with axes and the carv- ing cut to pieces with hatchets (74 : 4 ff.)- Most of the quite numerous indications seem to be precisely met by the assault of Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 B. C. Yet the latest commentator on the Psalms, Dr. E. G. King, assigns these psalms to the age of Nehemiah, nearly three centuries before. Such fluctuation of competent opinion ought to teach us the complexity of the problems, and the improbability of attaining irrefragable conclusions, but it ought not to blind us to the important fact that very many of the psalms are not only inspired by the momen- tary passion of the singer, but rest upon the firm basis of history. 4. Individual a7id Collective Psalms We said above that the experiences reflected in the psalms were sometimes personal and sometimes national. Of late, however, it has been doubted whether any psalm represents a strictly personal experience. The speaker is said to be rarely, if ever, the individual, but always the church, and the " I " and " my " of the Psalms are not to be taken individually but collectively. Now it is true that the Psalter, in some form, was the hymn-book of the Jew- 25 Introduction The Messages of ish church in post-exilic times, and that the worshipping community appropriated and apparently even adapted earlier psalms to its own special use ; but it is another question whether all the psalms thus sung had been in- tended from the beginning to voice the feelings of the community, or whether some of them had not originally a strictly individual and personal reference. The question is by no means an unimportant one. For example, Psalm i6 : lo, " Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol, Neither wilt thou suffer thy loving one to see the pit," if interpreted individually, may ^ imply a belief in personal immortality; whereas, if interpreted collectively, it im- plies no more than an assured faith in the future of Israel. At the first glance it would seem that many of the references are so minutely personal that any other than an individual interpretation is unnatural and impossible. We have, for example, references to birth (22 ; 9), youth (22 : 5 ; 88 : 15), age and gray hairs. It is hard to believe that such a prayer as this : " Even unto old age and gray hairs, O God, forsake me not " (71 : 18), 1 We cannot positively say must, even on this view : for the verse may only express the individual's confidence in his recovery from severe illness, or perhaps in his immunity from the sudden death which overtakes the wicked. 26 the Psalmists Introduction can be anything other than the prayer of an individual man for himself. Also there are other references, so definite and even graphic, to the sickness of the singer that it seems most reasonable to interpret them as the personal lament of a sufferer (6 and 38). But here it is easy to deceive one's self by reading v^^est- ern ideas into oriental literature. It so happens that both these metaphors of age and sickness are used in other passages of the Old Testament v^here the reference is in- disputably to the collective Israel. Age: Gray hairs are here and there upon him (that is, upon Ephraim or the people of Israel. Hosea 7 : 9). Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who are borne by me from the womb, Who are carried from the lap, And even to old age I am the same. And even to gray hairs will I carry you (Isaiah 46 : 3, 4). Sickness : From the sole of the foot to the head There is no soundness in it (that is, in Judah) : Wounds and bruises and festering sores (Isaiah 1:6).^ ^ Cf. Lowth's Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews (Lect. VIII on Poetic Imagery) : " On reading these passages, some, who were but little acquainted with the genius of the Hebrew poetry, have pretended to inquire into the nature of the disease with which the poet was affected; not 27 Introduction TJie Messages of The habit of personification is easy and natural to the Oriental ; how easy, we see from Ezekiel's elaborate com- parison of Israel and Judah to two faithless women (cf. 23 : 16). It was especially easy among a people like Israel, to whom, for long, the religious unit had been not the individual, but the nation. Such graphic metaphors, then, as we have been considering, must not be allowed to fore- close the question or to divert us from an investigation of the so-called " I-psalms." A close examination of these psalms reveals facts which conclusively prove that the collective interpretation is not only possible, but often highly probable, and in certain cases necessary. Much have they afflicted me from my youth up Let Israel no-w say (Ps. 129 : i). Nothing could be clearer than this. It is hardly less clear in Psalm 118 : 10, where All nations compassed me about, or in 27 : 3, where Though an host encamp against me, My heart shall not fear : Though war arise against me Yet will I be tranquil (27 : 3). less absurdly, in my opinion, than if they had perplexed themselves to dis- cover in what river he was plunged, when he complains that ' the deep waters had gone over his soul.' " 28 the Psalmists Introduction Nations do not surround, nor do hosts encamp against, an individual man. Further, the situation occasionally changes within a psalm so suddenly — usually from entreaty to thanksgiv- ing, though sometimes the reverse — that it is not always natural to explain the transition as due to the individual's sudden consciousness of answered prayer. Again, the psalms in which the singers assert their own righteous- ness (44) or call down curses upon their enemies lose much of that which makes them offensive to the moral sense, when they receive the collective interpretation. Further, the situation is often conceived on a scale so stupendous, and the consequences attached to the singer's salvation are so far-reaching that they arc altogether in- applicable to the individual ; note, for example, that it is a judgment of the nations, in which the psalmist prays to be acquitted (7 : 7, 8), and again, in 22 : 27, the ends of the earth are to be converted to the religion of Jehovah by the deliverance of the singer. These large implications are only satisfied by the assumption that it is the church that is speaking. This is put beyond all doubt by the ease with which the psalm can glide from the first person singular to the first plural (cf. Lam. 3 : 1-39 sing., 40 ff. plur.), or vice versa (Ps. 66 : 1-12 plu., 13-20 sing.). There can be no doubt that there are more, probably far more, collective psalms than a cursory reading of the Psalter would lead one to suppose ; but it is almost equally 29 Introduction certain that many of the psalms were originally individual. Any other interpretation tends to rob them of their spon- taneity and freshness. Yet these psalms, like many of Cowper's hymns, which are also so intensely individual, could be fittingly adopted — in many cases without change — by the worshipping church, because a lyric which, ris- ing above temporal and local considerations, expresses in- dividual emotion with power and truth, is also an expres- sion of universal experience. 30 PSALMS OF ADORATION PSALMS OF ADORATION INTRODUCTION The name given by the Hebrews to the Psalter is Sepher Tehillim, or book of praises. It contains indeed many songs besides those of praise — some of them wrung from breaking hearts. But even in the saddest songs, with only one exception (88) there is an undertone of either hope or praise ; and some of the noblest songs in the Psalter are altogether bursts of praise. Sometimes the praise rises from angel lips (29 : 9), sometimes from all the elements and forces of nature (148 ; 150), but oftenest of all from grateful Israel herself (103). Nature reveals the power of Jehovah, and as truly, though less clearly, his love ; therefore the heart of the Psalmist was often turned to songs of adoration, as he looked up to the sky or across the earth, and saw there Jehovah's might " writ large." It was he who executed the stupendous work of creation (104), a work inspired by love (33 : 5, 6), and it is his wilJ that is done in all the marvellous processes of nature (147 : i $-18). By day and night the sky is eloquent 33 Introduction The Messages oj of his glory, with its flaming sun or its myriad stars (8 : 19). That glory flashes in the storm that sweeps across the land from Lebanon to Kadesh (29), and shines with the gentler light of love in the bounty with which the desires of every living thing are satisfied (104 : 21 ; 145 : 15). It is all the more astonishing that a God, whose interests are sustained on so magnificent a scale, should care for so tiny and insignificant a creature as man ; and it is this " philanthropy " of God (cf. Titus 3 : 4) which touches the psalmist to his noblest, if not his most brilliant, flights of adoration. This great God is mindful of man and visits him with his grace (8 : 4). Indeed he makes it his peculiar task to stoop from his heavenly heights and lift the lowly out of the dust (113 : 7) and vindicate the cause of the oppressed (103 : 6). Especially does he care for Israel, or rather his love is exhibited with special clearness in his dealings with Israel, to whom he gave a revelation of himself (147 : 19, 20). The power which planted the stars in the heavens he wields in behalf of his needy people Israel, building her ruined city, healing her broken hearts, and gathering together her scattered sons (147 : 2-4). That is why history is so supremely worthy of study (iii 12), because it is full of the greatness of Jehovah — the great- ness of omnipotent love. For that loving will, which moved in creation, has also controlled the course of his- tory (33 : 8-1 1), and his mercy is over everything that he has made. His kingdom covers all space and time (145) 34 the Psalmists Psalm 29 : 2 and his throne is founded on justice and pity. He gives food to the hungry (145 : 15, 16) and forgiveness to the penitent (103 : 3), and so tenderly does he care for the in- terests of those who worship him that he is almost more like a father than a king (103 : 13). Yet, in the tender- ness, we are never allowed to forget the splendor of him who sits on his throne in the heavens, robed in celestial light (104 : 2). To the psalmist, it is not enough that so glorious a God be adored by Israel alone. His praise must be sung by all the world from east to west {113:3), by fire and hail, by star and tree, by beast and bird, by man and maid (148). With a multitudinous song of praise that rises from an adoring universe, everything that has breath is called upon to praise Jehovah (150). Thus ends the Psalter — fitting conclusion to all the doubt and sorrow with which so many of its songs are full. II ADORATION OF GOD AS REVEALED IN NATURE I. JehovaJis Glory in the Storm (29) Ye gods ^ in heaven above, ascribe glory to Jehovah, the Appeal the go ' ascrib( to Jeh (X,2) Lord of you all ; yea, glory and might ascribe to him, for ^scrfbe glOTy these are his due. Kneel ye before him in holy array. to Jehovah 1 Literally, sons of the gods. The reference is to the superhuman beings — whether we call them gods or angels — over whom Jehovah presides (cf. Job I : 6). 35 Psalm 29 : 3 TJie Messages of For his glory flashes in the storm. Look and listen as from north to south it sweeps across the land, with seven- fold peal of thunder. It comes from the sea, the great waters of the sea/ Israel's glorious God has thundered — thundered with might and thundered with majesty. The storm rushes to the mountains and shivers the cedars, even the giant cedars of Lebanon. Yea, Lebanon leaps like a calf and Sirion ^ like a unicorn. Rocks are cleft by the lightning's flames.' The storm leaps across the land to the wilderness of Kadesh, and makes it tremble. It whirls up the mighty oaks * and strips the forest bare. Then all the astonished gods, as they watch the storm from their palace in the skies, burst into a shout of praise, saying " Glory ! " It reveals From his throue Jehovah ushered in the storm.* He sovereignly has provcd himself the majestic Lord of all, and he remains (10, 11) Lord for ever and ever. This glorious God is Israel's God ; and the strength he has shown in the storm he will impart to his people, and give them the blessing of peace. 1 That is, the INIedlterranean ; or perhaps the sky, the waters above the earth. - The Phoenician name for Hermon (Deut. 3 : 9). 3 Possibly something has dropped out of v. 7, which is unusually short. 4 Better, in this context, than "makes the hinds to calve." No conso- nantal change is necessary. * The flood seems irrelevant here. 36 the Psalmists Psalm 104 : 6 2. The Witness of the Heavens to His Glory (19: 1-6) Ceaselessly the heavens tell their story of the glory of The contin- God, the mighty God ^ who made and sustains them. By ofthl' heav- the noon -day and the midnight sky alike the silent tale g"ory of*God is told, their voice "^ ringing out to the end of the world, (i-^) In the heavens ^ he has set a tent for the sun which, beam- ing like a bridegroom that steps forth from the bridal chamber, enters like a hero, with joy upon his face, sweep- ing round the heavens from end to end, and shedding the heat of his beams over all. 3. Jehovah's Goodness Revealed in Creation (104) I would call upon my soul to bless Jehovah. O Jeho- The glory of vah, my God, thou art very great, clad in awful splendor inlnknfmatr and covered with a robe of celestial light. Thou dost f^fj^^^'"" stretch out the heavens like a tent, supporting its beams in wondrous ways upon the sea. From the heaven above thou dost ride down to earth upon the swift storm-clouds. Thou makest the winds thy messengers, and the lightning thy minister. Thou didst found the earth on pillars which should sustain it unshaken forever. The waters stood up ^ El, a word purposely chosen in distinction from Jehovah (v. 7 ff.), the giver of the law, who is distinctively Israel's God. 2 Instead of line. Verse 3 by itself is quite poetic ; but in this context, especially as the metre is against the verse, it is probably a prosaic inter- {)oIation. 8 Or, by a probable emendation, " in the sea." 37 Psalm 104 : 6 TJie Messages of above the mountains, covering the earth as with a gar- ment. But thy stern vi^ord of thunder made them speedily haste away to the boundaries which thou didst appoint for them, to keep them from returning to cover the earth. Then the mountains with the sloping valleys rose up into view, and through the valleys between the mountains the brooks began to wind their way, which quench the thirst of the wild ass and of all the beasts, and on whose banks the birds twitter their song from between the branches. His kindness There is moisture, too, in abundance for the great ce- animate " ^ars of Lebanon, planted by no human hand, where the creation birds build their nest, and the stork, whose home is the (13-18) cypress. The wild goats roam on the high hills, and the conies hide among the rocks ; but even to the hills thou givest drink from the clouds above and satisfiest the earth with rain and dew. Thou makest grass grow for the cat- tle ; thou suppliest man with wine and bread to gladden and strengthen his heart, and with oil to make his face to shine. Activities of Thou didst make the moon to determine the festival day \\q-i.i) seasons, and the sun has his hour for setting. Then, when the dark night comes on, the wild beasts begin to stir, and the young lions with angry roar demand their food from God. But when the sun rises, they go away again, and lie down in their lairs, and man goes forth to toil in safety till the eventide. The wonders O Jehovah, how many are the works that have come (2/26/^^ from thy wise creator hand. The earth is full of thy creat- 38 the Psalmists Psalm 8 : i ures. Yonder, too, is the great and spacious sea, where sail the ships, and within whose waters are moving things, small and great, without number. There is that strange mon- ster Leviathan, whom thou hast created to play therein.^ All thy creatures look to thee for food in due sea- Dependence son, nor do they look in vain ; for thou givest to them Qq^ (27^.3?) with open hand, and they gather and eat to their heart's content. When thou hidest thy gracious face, they are frightened. They die and go back to the dust whence they came, when thou takest away their breath ; but a breath from thy lips creates them, and renews the face of the earth, as at springtide. O may the glory of Jehovah revealed in creation abide Gratitude to forever, and forever may he rejoice in his works, as of ilr hrs^fair old ! A glance of his makes the earth tremble ; a touch st°[Jjd o„iy of his causes the hills to smoke. I will celebrate his praise ^y ^'^ in music and song as long as I live. May he, in whom I delight, be pleased with this meditation, and from this fair world, so full of his goodness, may the godless be blotted out! Bless Jehovah, O my soul ! 4. Nature s Testitnony to God's Love for Man (8) 2 O Jehovah our Lord, how glorious is thy name in all The majesty the earth ! I would sing of thy splendor in the heavens ° ° ^^' ^^ 1 Or "with him." * This psalm is a good connecting link between the first group of our psalms of adoration and the second. Both majesty and love are here. 39 Psalm 8:2 The Messages of with the stammering lips of a child — those heavens that thou hast established as a fortress, to silence thy venge- ful foes.^ His gracious When I loolc at the midnight sky with the moon and skTrf^M) in ^^^ myriad stars all hung there by thee, I think in my giving men heart, " What is man, frail child of the earth, that thou dominion (5-8) thinkest of him, and visitest him ^ with thy grace, making him but little less than divine,^ and crowning him with glory and majesty ; for thou hast made him lord over all thy creation, and put all things under his feet — beasts tame and wild every one, fowl that fly and fish that cleave the waters." Final ascrip- Now more than ever, as I think of this thy condescend- uonof praise j^^ j^^^^ ^^^j^ j dumbly and gratefully sing, " O Jehovah, our Lord, how glorious is thy name in all the earth ! " 1 There can be little doubt that the text of v. re is faulty. The above paraphrase rests on Duhm's ingenious emendation. If the paraphrase of V. 2 is correct, the reference will be to the mythical enemies of Jehovah in primeval times, cf. Pss. 74 : 13 ff. ; 8g : 10 ff. ' Ironically adapted by Job (7 : 17). 'Perhaps the nearest equivalent to the idea of the word in the original. The Greek translation," the angels," is, strictly speaking, wrong, but gives the idea tolerably well. The translation of R. V., "lower than God" is im- possible, as God is being addressed. 40 tJie Psalmists Psalm 103 : 14 III ADORATION OF JEHOVAH FOR HIS LOVE TO HIS PEOPLE I. JehovaJis Marvelloics Goodness (103) I would call upon all the powers 02 my being to bless Jehovah is Jehovah's holy name, in mindful gratitude for all that he for his mani- has done for me. For he has forgiven all my sins, and ["g'^ J'jf^j^" healed the sickness of my soul.^ He has redeemed my life from the grave, and set upon my head his crown of . love and pity, and given me good things to my heart's de- sire,^ so that, like the eagle, I am young once more. Jehovah champions the cause of the oppressed, for his His nature is nature is love ; and this he revealed long ago, both in the Je-L^" ^ '^^^ words that he spoke to Moses, and in the deeds that he did for Israel — that he was a God of pity and grace, a God of abounding patience and love, who does not chide or cherish his anger for ever.^ He has not punished us as our sins deserved, for over those who fear him he spreads the canopy of his mighty love. He has put the length of the world between us and our sins. He cherishes toward us a fatherly pity ; for he knows Man is frail, how weak and frail we were fashioned — mortals whose of God is ^ eternal 1 On the individual interpretation, the sickness may be literal. (13-18) 2 The meaning of the word rendered " mouth" in the English version is not clear (v. 5). 3 Cf. 86: 15. These passages rest on Exod. 34 : 6 f . 41 Psalm 103 : 15 TJie Messages of life is like the meadow-flower that blooms for a little, and then vanishes before the glowing wind that rushes up from the desert. But far other is the end of those who bear Jehovah's law in their hearts, for toward them and their offspring the love and mercy of Jehovah are eternal. He is king Yea, and he is as mighty as he is merciful ; for he is father; bless Lord of all. From his heavenly throne he rules the uni- him, one and ygj-gg Q blcss him then, ye valiant angels of his, that all (19-22) ' -^ ^ obediently do his bidding. Bless him, all ye starry hosts of his, and nature powers that do his will. Bless him, all . ye works of his, far as his sway extends. Bless Jehovah, O my soul ! 2. Nature s Manifestations of Jehovah^s Love and Power (147) Praise Jeho- Praisc ye Jehovah our God, for it is good and seemly to om^i^poteJft sing his praises. He it is who builds the walls of Jerusa- love (1-6) jgj^^ ^^^ gathers her outcasts home, and binds the wound- ed heart, for all power is his ; he is the great and mighty God of infinite wisdom, who names and numbers all the stars. Those who are bowed he helps up, but the god- less he brings down to the ground. Jehovah's Sing sougs of thanksgiving, then, to him, and praise fel^edin"'' him with instruments of music, for he bringeth the black nature clouds over the sky, which pour rain upon the earth and make the grass grow upon the hills for the cattle and herb 42 the Psalmists Psalm 33 : 4 for the service of man. ' Even the ravens he feeds when they cry. Jehovah cares naught for things of pride and strength. As he loves It is not in the mighty war-horse nor in the fleet runner trust, so he that he delights, but in those who fear him and trust inJ^^^^^P"^® ° (lO-Il) his love. O Jerusalem, praise Jehovah thy God, for he makes thy His good- gates strong and brings peace to thy borders. He blesses jerusSem thy people and feeds them with rich and abundant fare. ^^-14) He sends forth his word "^ like an angel, and swiftly it The revela- runs to the earth, bringing the showers of fleecy snow, power in^ and scattering the hoar-frost like ashes, throwing downP^!^^g^ ice like crumbs, and freezing the very waters. Again he sends forth his angel-word, which raises a wind that thaws the waters so that they flow again. Jehovah's word is mighty in revelation as in nature ; The revela- and that mighty word of his revelation he has given to ^m to is?ael Israel alone ; for only to her, and not to another, has he (^9-20) imparted a knowledge of his law. Praise ye Jehovah. 3. Jehovah the Preserver of his People (33) O Israel ! sing glad songs of praise to Jehovah — for Call to Israel this is seemly — and play upon the cithern and harp. Sing jehovah a new song and play loudly to the sound of the trumpet. ^^"3) For the promises of our God to his people are sure, and 1 So the Greek version. The verse is a quotation from 104 : 14. 2 The word is personified. 43 Psalm 33 : 4 ^-^^^ Messages of His pur- faithfully he performs them. His reign is just and kind, poses are ^^^ -j. -^ j^j^ delight to judgc justly, and the earth is full of ^4. 5) his kindness. His love is His lovc is as old as creation, when he made the heavens creation and with their Starry hosts, and by that love he still evermore ^f?h'^''woHd sustains and preserves the world, keeping the waters of (6-9) the sea in their place. Before this mighty God, the God of Israel, it is meet that every knee should bow in reverent fear ; for he it was who called the world into being. His love As his will was done in creation, so must it also be done p^reservation in history. Therefore the purposes of the peoples who from'^hei oppose him he utterly confounds, while his own purposes enemies Stand forcvcr, and fulfil themselves throughout the gen- ^° '^ erations. O how happy is the people that has him for their God — the people he has chosen for himself. From his dwelling-place in heaven he looks down upon the earth, and all the people upon it ; and he sees the secret thoughts of all the hearts which he has made, and frus- trates the purposes of those that are opposed to him, blessing the people whose trust is in him alone. For an army cannot save a king, nor can strength insure a war- rior the victory ; and even the help of a powerful war- horse is vain.^ 1 It is difficult to say whether this is a general or a particular assertion. If the verses (i6, 17) have some definite situation in view, as it would rather seem, the mention of the king would make the psalm almost certainly pre- exilic. 44 the Psalmists Psalm 115 : 11 But see ! all true help comes from Jehovah. He gra- May this ciously watches over all who fear him and hope in his t°nue °"' love, preserving them from pestilence and famine. There- (^^-22) fore with glad and reverent confidence we wait for Jeho- vah ; our help and defender is he. O our God ! let thy mercy rest upon us, according as we hope in thee. 4. Jehovah's Incomparable Power and Love (115) When we beseech thee to reveal thy glory, O our God, Vindicate it is not for our sake, but for thine own, that the con- name °o°"^ stancy of thy love to Israel may be plain to all the world, ^^^^"^ and that the heathen may no longer challenge us to prove that we have a God. Our God is invisible, for his home is in the heavens ; but, unlike the heathen gods, he is om- nipotent ; all that he wills he does. The heathen idols are silver and gold, the work of men's impotency hands. They have mouths that cannot speak, eyes that heLhen cannot see, ears that cannot hear a prayer, nostrils that ^°^^ ^^'^^ cannot smell the savor of sacrifice, hands that cannot feel, feet that cannot walk, and throats from which no sound can come. May those who make them and those who trust in them become impotent as they ! But far other is Israel's God. Ye people, priests, and Jehovah is proselytes, trust all of you in Jehovah,' for helper and de- (g"il)^°" ^ fender is he.'^ 1 The Greek version reads in v. 9 ff., Israel, etc., hoped in the Lord— a fact, not an appeal. - Note the refrain in the original. 45 Psalm 115 : 12 TJie Messages of Jehovah re- members and blesses his own (12-15) The living will bless Jehovah (16-18) Yea, he is mindful of us, and he will bless us, one and all — people, priests and proselytes too, both high and low. May Jehovah multiply and bless you ! for he is the mighty creator of heaven and earth. The heaven is his home, but the earth is his gift to men ; and by the living men upon it, not by the silent dead beneath it, shall he be praised. So, as for us, we will bless Jehovah, now and evermore. Praise ye Jehovah. The great- ness, good- ness, and justice of God (i-io) 5. His Goodness Shown in IsraePs Redemption (m)* I will give thanks to Jehovah with all my heart in the congregation of Israel the upright. For our history is full of his grace and power. Great are his deeds and worthy of study by all who love them. Glorious, majestic, and eternal is his salvation. He has made his marvellous deeds to be forever remembered. He is full of grace and pity. Food he gives to those who fear him ; he is ever mindful of his covenant. He revealed his power to his people by giving them Canaan for an inheritance. All that he does is faithful and right: all that he ordains abides eternally sure and steadfast, and is executed with unswerving justice. He redeemed his people out of Egypt, and thereafter gave them the law to obey forever. 1 An alphabetic psalm. The alphabetic arrangement makes it quite cer- tain that the initial " Hallelujah" is no part of the original psalm. There is seldom, if ever, a strict sequence of thought in the alphabetic psalms. For illustrations of alphabetic psalms, see Appendix II. 46 the Psalmists Psalm 145 : 3 Holy and awful is he ; to acknowledge him is the essence of wisdom : the men who do this are men of insight. His praise endureth forever. 6. Jehovah's Love to the Lowly (113) Praise Jehovah, ye his servants, praise his name. Praised be Blessed be his name, now and forever. Praised be his i^de^worid ^ name by all peoples from east to west. °'^^'' ^^"3^ Exalted is he above the whole world, exalted his glory For though beyond the heavens. What god is like Israel's God, who grfciousiy from his lofty throne in heaven looks down to the earth jq"u^Y^"i^^ upon the crushed and needy, and raises them up from the (4-9) dust and dunghill, and places them by the side of the nobles of his people ? He assures the barren woman of a home/ and makes her the happy mother of children. 7. All Lnvocation (117) Let all the world praise Israel's God, for his love and Calito praise constancy toward us are mighty and everlasting. ^^' ^' IV ADORATION OF JEHOVAH 's GLORIOUS KINGDOM I. Jehova/i's Just and Gracious Rule (145)'^ I will extol thee, my God, O King, forever, and praise thy rtame continually. Thy greatness is unsearchable, 1 That is, apparently, prevents her dismissal. ' An alphabetic psalm. 47 Psalm 1 54 : 3 The Messages of Thine is the and thou art worthy of all praise. One age proudly tells the%°wer, to another the story of thy mighty works. They tell with foril^er^'°'^^ joy the wondrous tale of thy glorious and terrible deeds, (1-21) in which was revealed thine abundant and memorable love : and their story of thy great and wondrous works I too will ponder and tell. Thou art a God of grace and pity, of great patience and love, kind and pitiful toward all that thou hast made.^ All thy works praise thee, thy saints bless thee, telling to the world of thy might and thy glorious kingdom, whose sway is everlasting. Thou art faithful in all thy words, and gracious in all thy deeds,'* supporting those who fall, and lifting those who are bowed down, in due season supplying from thine open hand the needs of all thy creatures, as they turn to thee with ex- pectant eyes. In deed and word thou art gracious and kind, ready to hear the cry of all who call upon thee in sincerity, ready to help and satisfy and save. All who love thee thou dost preserve, but the wicked thou dost destroy. May praise and blessing rise to thy holy name, not from my lips alone, but from the hearts of all men everywhere forever ! 2, Jehovah the Unfailmg Protector (146) Jehovah I would Call upou my soul to praise Jehovah my God, worth confii (1-4) ccTnfidence^ I would praise him in song as long as I live. For he 1 V. 8, cf. 103 : 8. 2 This verse is added from the Greek. It represents the «-stanza, which is wanting in the Hebrew. 48 tJic Psalmists Psalm 148 : 6 is God Almighty, and worthy of all confidence. It is folly to put confidence in princes, who are but impotent mortals, with bodies that return to the dust and purposes that perish when the breath of life is gone. But happy is the man whose hope and help are in the His mani God of Israel, the great creator of heaven and earth, the (g.^of"^^^' sea, and all that is in them. He is ever faithful to the cause of the oppressed : he feeds the hungry, and sets the prisoners free. He gives sight to the blind, and he raises the fallen. He loves the righteous, defends the stranger, sustains the orphan and the widow ; but the godless he turns into paths that lead to ruin. O Zion, thy God is King, world without end. nature's call to universal praise I. The Universal Acclaim (148) Let heaven and earth and all that is therein praise Je- Praise jeho- hovah for his redemption of Israel. Jshh^&^^i Praise him from the heavens on high, all ye his angel ^'-^^ hosts, sun and moon and stars of light, ye highest heavens, together with the heavenly ocean. Praise ye Jehovah's name, for by his command ye were ushered into being, and by his power ye eternally stand in obedience to his law, which ye may not transgress. 49 Psalm 148 : 7 TJie Messages of the Psalmists Praise jeho- Praise Jchovah from the earth : the deep and its mon- Ts^n earthf stcrs, fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind that does fn^Inimate"'^ his bidding, mountains and hills, fruit-trees and cedars all, (7-12) beasts wild and tame, things creeping and winged. And last and highest of all let man ^ join in the universal ac- clamation : kings and peoples all, princes and judges all, youths and maidens, old and young. Praise ye Jehovah, for his name alone is exalted : his glory stretches over earth and heaven. He has advanced to honor the people he loves, even Israel, whom he has brought into fellowship with himself, and they praise him, one and all. 2. A Truanpha7it Burst of Praise (150) Universal Praise God in his heavenly sanctuary. Praise him in praise (i- ^.^ mighty firmament. Praise him according to his mighty deeds and his abundant greatness. Praise him, ye priests, with the trumpet. Praise him, ye Levites with the harp and cithern. Praise him, ye women, with the timbrel. Praise him, ye people all, with dance and stringed instrument and pipe, with the clear and clashing cymbals. Let everything that breathes praise Israel's God. 1 Man last, as in Genesis i. 50 PSALMS OF REFLECTION PSALMS OF REFLECTION INTRODUCTION To judge by their extant literature, and by the general cast of their mind, the Hebrews had no genius for specu- lative thought. Sustained reflection of any kind seems to have been alien to them ; and, when we do find some- thing approaching to it, as we do in the Book of Job, it concentrates itself upon the problems of moral experience. But, though there is little connected discussion, there is, in the psalms, many a swift, deep glance into the prob- lems, which shows how keenly they were felt by the more earnest spirits of Israel {7;^ : 21). Life was felt at times to be fleeting and empty, like a breath or a phantom (39 : 5, 6), frail as a dream or a wild flower (90). Men who looked frankly at it with the desire to find the presence of God there and the recognizable operations of divine law, had often to confess that their hopes were not satisfied by the facts. The ugliest of those facts was the presence of the wicked (104 : 35 ; 139 : 19 ff.), and the most torturing was 53 The Messages of his prosperity. The background of the psalms, against which the sorrowful figures of the psalmists stand out, is anything but an attractive one. There the cruel are gathered together, and the immoral, and the unbelieving, swaggerers and traitors and liars — a motley crowd of knaves and fools. Indeed, to the Hebrew, the knave is the fool : nothing is so stupid as atheism and immorality (14 : I ; 82 : 5). They make the life of the psalmists a bitter struggle, and area sore stumbling-block to a radiant faith. The psalmists look up to heaven with tears upon their faces ; but when they look up, they see, though afar off, the answer incarnate. For the ultimate answer to all the moral anomalies of which the world is too full is that "Jehovah is in heaven; and his eyes behold men" (11 : 4). He does more than behold ; he remembers and will punish the evildoer with all the terrors of his omnipotence (11 : 6). The easy-going sceptic he will make to tremble (14 : I, 5), and as for the lying and treacherous braggarts, he will tear them out of their tents and root them out of the land of the living (52 : 5), With a God like this, who can make himself so terribly felt, the psalmist may well counsel his soul to silent submission. The champions of oppression shall fall (82 : 7), and very often by their own devices {7:15, 16). Not only in the certain and often obvious doom of the wicked does the righteous find an answer to the doubts of his heart, but he has a positive satisfaction of his own. 54 tJie Psalmists His life is watched over by a divine providence. God does not forget his " pilgrim and stranger " ; he acts as his host, his shepherd (23), his sentinel (121). Either by himself or through the ministry of his angels (34 : 7 ; 91 : 11), he preserves from peril the soul that trusts him : neither demons nor war nor pestilence can lay their cruel fingers upon him (cf. 34 : 17). Besides the inner stead- fastness which comes from trust (112 17), and besides the blessed consciousness of having God for his portion (16:5), he has often also that other satisfaction — so dear to the Old Testament upon all but its very highest levels — of enjoying an outward prosperity (i). He is happy, prosperous (112) and long-lived (34: 12 ; 91:16; 128:6), has a fruitful wife (128), strong sons and comely daugh- ters, and abundance of sheep and oxen (144 : 12-15). It is well that there were men whom so simple a solu- tion did not satisfy — men to whom it was only too plain that they might innocently suffer (44:17-22), that the righteous did not always dwell in peaceable possession of a promised land, nor were the wicked always overtaken by swift destruction (37). Wherein, then, did these pro- founder spirits find their consolation ? They found it in the faith that, for the righteous at least, death was not the end, that God would not abandon their soul to Sheol, but would redeem them from the power of the grave and take them to himself (49 : 15) ; and the noblest spirit of them all found " a stronger faith his own " in the sweet assurance, 55 TJie Messages of which the world could neither give nor take away, that even in this life, God was always with him : Nevertheless I am continually with thee (73 : 23). For average piety, the knowledge of the divine will was mediated by Scripture, which was regarded in post-exilic times as God's unique gift to Israel, by which he dis- tinguished her above every other nation in the world (147:19, 20). The "law," as it is called — chiefly no doubt what we now call the Pentateuch — was all but worshipped (119:48) and its praises are sung now in simple (i), now in elaborate verse (119), which shows how long and lovingly men meditated upon it, and how devoutly they believed it to be the lamp of their feet and the light of their path. One of the marks of the good man is that he meditates upon it day and night (i : 2). The good man is elsewhere more particularly defined and characterized both upon his negative and positive side. He is sincere, and straightforward, just in word and deed, incorruptible and above the temptation to slanderous gossip, clean of heart and pure of hand ( 15 : 1-5 ; 24 : 3, 4 ; 34 : 13, 14). It is to the everlasting glory of the Psal- ter that, though much of it was composed for, and all of it employed in the temple worship, where rite and sacrifice played so conspicuous a part, it repeatedly and deliber- ately repudiates the efficacy of mere sacrifice. Sacrifice might be a useful and even an important adjunct of wor- 56 tJie Psalmists Psalm 1 1 : 6 ship ; but on any view of the teaching of the three psalms in question (40, 50, 51), it is not indispensable ; and those who bring to their sacrifice thievish hands or slanderous lips or adulterous hearts, are warned that it is their doom to be torn in pieces (50 : 16-22). II REFLECTIONS ON THE MORAL ORDER OF THE WORLD I. The Courage of the Man of Faith (11) My God is my refuge. Why then do ye tell me to flee, The speech like a bird, for refuge to the hills ? Ye seek to make me ard\^i^3)^°"'" play the coward. Look, ye tell me, the godless are just about to shoot. They are bending their bow. Their arrow is already on the string, to be secretly shot at the upright. The pillars of law and order are being torn down : and what has the good man, for all his virtue, been able to accomplish ? Such is your cowardly speech ; but it does not affright The tri- me. For my God is just and omnipotent, he sits en- g^gr of faith throned in his heavenly palace. His eyes wander over the ^"^"7^ earth ; he watches and weighs the deeds of men — of the good and the bad alike ; and to each he will give his due reward. With the champion of wrong, whom he hates, he will deal as he dealt with Sodom and Gomorrah, raining 57 Psalm 1 1 : 6 The Messages of coals, fire, and brimstone upon them, and pursuing them ^ with the hot breath of the desert wind. But a gracious destiny awaits the upright ; for the faithful Jehovah loves to show himself faithful, and for reward they shall behold his face. 2. The Folly of Denying God (14) ' Prevailing Very plainly has God shown the folly of denying his fmmSity^ presence in human affairs. For there were some who in ('-3) their folly thought in their hearts that there was no God, and their impious creed ^ expressed itself in corrupt and odious conduct. But Jehovah was watching from the windows of heaven to see if there were any men of sense, any who cared for God. But no ! one and all they had gone astray, and become corrupt. There was not a man who did good — not so much as one. The divine But oue day thosc siuuers were brought to their senses, upSu4-6) ^'^d made to feel Jehovah's heavy hand. They had cruel- ly oppressed their brethren.* They had eaten Jehovah's 1 Literally, the scorching wind is the portion of their cup, that is, to drink. As this is a metaphor for destiny, the above paraphrase, involving a dif- ferent figure, gives the general sense. '• This psalm is repeated in book two as Psalm 53. The variations between 14 : 6 and 53 : 5 are due to textual difficulties, and rest, no doubt, upon a common original. >* Practical, not theoretical atheism : of. Zeph. i : 12. * Some think that heathen oppressors are meant, but 4c does not support that conclusion. S8 the Psalmists Psalm 36 : 4 bread/ while they had not called upon his name. At last the blow fell ; and, in their consternation, they were forced to see that God is with the righteous. Their cruel designs against the poor were brought to shame,^ for Jehovah, whom the oppressors denied, interposed to save them. O how glad would we be if only the God whose temple Prayer for .... , , , , , f better fort- is on Zion s hill would come forth to change our fortunes, une (7) and show himself our saviour. 3. The Triumphatit Power of Divine Love (36) The rise and progress of sin is after this manner. First The rise and it utters its oracular word in the bad man's ^ heart, and he 5n°([") ° has no fear of God to deter him from cherishing it. Then it goes on to flatter him in his own eyes. . . . "* After that, the hidden thought passes into speech, and utters itself in evil and deceitful words. Then the sinner ceases to act with prudence : he plots deliberate mischief, en- ters on a course of wrong, and finally learns to love the evil. 1 So Duhm, cf. Lev. 21 : 22. Baethgen suggests " had devoured a people already devoured by war," and refers the punishment hinted at in w. 4-6 to the deportation in 597 B.C. (cf. 2 Kings 24 : 12-16). 2 Emended text. 3 Septuagint, "his," not "my." * It seems quite impossible to translate 2b satisfactorily. 59 Psalm ^6 : 5 T/ie Messages of Yet the ultimate triumph shall not be his ; ' for thou, Jehovah, art mindful of thine own. Thy rule, which is merciful and just, stretches throughout the universe. Thy faithful love reaches to the sky. Thy judgments are deep as the ocean and firm as the mountains. Thou art the saviour of man and beast. How precious is thy love, O God ! In thy protecting providence we trust. For we are thy guests on earth, and in thy house we enjoy a gracious and abundant hospitality. Thou art the source of life and gladness. When thy face shines upon us, all is well. O let the godly continue to enjoy thy love ! ^ Never may the proud foot ^trample upon me, nor the godless hand drive me out of the land.' Already in vision I see the wicked prostrate, without the power to rise. 4. The Vanity and Pathos of Life (39) Resolution I rcsolvcd to watch my words, and carefully to abstain mJrTi"3)"^" from murmuring against my unhappy lot ; for there were godless ones about me, who would have mockingly re- 1 The connection between this and the preceding paragraph is not very clear. It may be as given above ; or it may be this, that, after all, such wickedness, oppressive to the good man as it is, is small in comparison with the infinite goodness of God : cf . 52 : i. *■' In V. 10, "righteousness" is practically equivalent to "love," with which it is parallel. So often. ■ Or perhaps temple. 60 tJic Psalmists Psalm 39 : 13 joiced had they heard me complain of the ways of my God. So I remained altogether silent and uttered not a word, though my pain was stirred up within me ; my heart was hot, and burning thoughts tormented me. I prayed in silence ^ that thou wouldest teach me how The pathos near my end was, and how brief my life. Yea, is it not °^ ^'^^ ^^'^^ very brief — but a span, and as nothing in thy sight, and man is but a breath. He moves about as a shadow ; his life is full of empty noise ; he heaps up and knows not who shall gather. What, then, has life to yield } My heart yearns for the Prayer that substance beyond the shadow. O my God, my hope is in showhiTpity thee. Save me from sin and the chastisement it brings, ^^"^3) lest I become the scorn of the fool. I am altogether silent ; for it is thy hand that has wrought this thing. But oh ! remove that heavy hand of thine from me, for I am crushed to earth. With chastisement thou dost chastise man for his sin, withering his beauty like the moth ; man is but a breath. O listen, when I beseech thee with loud crying and tears ; for thou art my Lord and protector in the strange land of my sojourning. Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I go away and be no more. 1 The present text of 3c runs : I spoke with my tongue — that is, in his excitement, he forgot his resolution. But this is contradicted by v. 9 ; so Duhm's emendation, " I said in quiet," may be accepted provisionally. 61 Psalm 52 : i The Messages of 5. The Doom of Arrogatice (52) '^ The boast of Why dost thou brag, O blatant hero, of the ruin thou glncl^(7-°4) art ceaselessly working for the man who is godly,' with thy sharp and deadly tongue ? Thine affections are set on evil and falsehood, on ruinous and deceitful words, and not on goodness and truth. The inevita- Thou shalt have thy reward. God will make an utter airo^ganc^e^ end of thee, seizing thee as one seizes coal with the tongs. <5-7) He shall tear thee out of the tent, and root thee out of the land of the living, to the delight of the righteous, who shall mock when they see it. Such is the fate of the man who presumptuously trusts in the power of his vast riches,^ instead of in God. The destiny But I, too, have my reward. I flourish like the green t'/ustTood^ olive-trees in the temple court,* because my trust is in the * Dr. E. G. King calls attention to the similarity between the situation implied by this psalm, and the treatment Jeremiah received from the men of Anathoth, and especially from Pashur (Jer. ii : 21 ; 18 : 18-23; 20 : 1-13). Graetz thinks that the psalm was composed by a Levite against a false and wealthy priest. 2 The thought in the text of ib is very beautiful : "the mercy of God is all the day," This is the great fact of the universe, which has to be set over against the temporary vexations due to the prominence of evil and the seeming triumph of wrong. But it may be doubted whether so abrupt an utterance of this kind is quite in place in this context. The above para- phrase rests upon a very simple emendation. 3 "Riches" instead of "wickedness" (v. 7) : emended text. * There may have been such trees in the temple precincts ; or the phrase "in the temple court " may go with the words " I flourish." 62 (8.9) the Psalmists Psalm 62 : ii mercy of God continually. I will praise thee forever be- cause of thy providence, and I will proclaim thy goodness in the presence of those who love thee. 6. God the Only Source of Coiifidetice (62) I would call upon my soul to be silent in God ; for he Patience can help me. Yes, he is my rock and my fortress ; I spite o*f^mi" shall not be shaken too sorely, though the assault is in- J^ckTi^^ deed very fierce. How long arc ye going to assail me ^ with your shouting and your murderous designs to hurl me to the ground, like a wall already tottering ? They are secretly planning to rob me of mine honor — liars and fair-faced hypocrites, as they are. O troubled soul of mine ! be still in God, for he can help Confidence thee. Yes, he is my rock and my fortress, I can never be T^^)^ shaken. Mine honor and my safety are with my God : yes, he is my strong rock and refuge. Put your trust in him, all ye people,* and pour out your heart before him, who alone is our refuge. For what is man? High or low, he is nothing but a Trust not in breath and an illusion, lighter than air when laid in the gain°s"b!]t in balance. Yes, put your trust in God, and not in the un- ^"^ ^^°. ^ -' can requite holy gains of robbery : when the wicked grow wealthy, (9-") care not. For there came to me this solemn message, 1 The man, of v. 3, is apparently the speaker, or at any rate, the people he represents. '^ So Septuagint, " all the congregation of the people." 63 Psalm 62 : 1 1 TJie Messages of that God is strong as well as gracious, and will recom- pense every man as his deeds deserve. Song of gratitude (0 God pre- serves the moral order (2-5) God is the arbiter of human destiny (6-8) 7. God the Impartial Arbiter of Destiny (75) We invoke thy name, O our God, and with all our heart we would render thee thanks and tell of the wondrous things thou hast done for us. ^ For, when the righteous cause seemed doomed to per- ish, thou didst intervene to save it ; and these were the words thou didst utter : " Though the world and its peo- ples dissolve, yet I have set its pillars firm. Confusion may reign for a while, yet in time it will be seen that the divine government is just.'' I bid the foolish braggarts cease their bragging, and I command the godless to give over their haughty pride and their impudent speech against high heaven. " ^ It is not by accident, but by divine law, that men re- ceive their places— one high, another low. Not from the east or west or south or north ^ does the allotment come, 1 This translation is based on the Septuagint. 2 This represents the general sense of v. 2a, but the precise interpretation is very obscure. Wellhausen: "Verily I seize the right time." Duhm: " Though I take a respite." 3 In 5b, for " Speak not with a stiff neck," read, following the Septua- gint, "speak not arrogant things against the rock" i.e., God. * The desert = the south. The word rendered in the English version by "promotion" or "lifting up," should probably be "from the mountains," that is, the north. 64 the Psalmists Psalm 82 : 6 but from the divine government of the world. For in Je- hovah's hand there is a cup of foaming wine well spiced, and out of this he pours a draught for the godless ' to drink, and they have to drink it down to the dregs. But as for me, everlasting joy "^ is mine, and I will sing His right- praise to Israel's God ; for he ^ dashes down the wicked (^°"io)^^'"^ in their pride, but he lifts up the righteous. 8. God the Upholder of Justice (82) * The God of Israel has summoned together the rulers of The divine the world, and has taken his stand among them to judge SThf u%?st and pronounce sentence upon them. And thus he speaks : '""^^''^ ^^'^^ " As rulers divinely appointed, it was your duty to govern justly, to deal fairly with the oppressed and fatherless, to acquit the innocent poor, and to save the needy from ex- tortion. But ye are void of sense. Ye have no knowledge or Their im- insight into the nature of things. Ye grope about in the^°j^tsjun- dark, and through your ignorance and imbecility the pil-ishment(5-7) lars of society are tottering, though it is by my decree that ye hold your divine and exalted office. But your dignity 1 The Greek version directly says what the metaphor itself suggests, that the cup is for all men to drink. In that case the cup would not be the cup of wrath, but of destiny. 2 The Greek version reads "I will rejoice" for " I will declare." 3 If " I " is correct, the reference will be to Israel. * This psalm is closely akin in spirit to Ps. 58. For the meaning of " gods " (v. i) cf. note on Ps. 58 : i, 65 Psalm 82 : 7 The Messages of shall not avert the doom. Ye shall die like common men, and fall like any mortal prince." ^ Yearning for O my God ! be pleased soon to fulfil this dream of tTonofdivine thine Omnipotent sway. Arise, and judge the world, for justice (8) ^ nations are thine by inheritance.^ 9. The Lessojis of Divine Providences (90) The frailty O Lord ! Thou hast been our eternal home. Ere contr^"t" mountains or earth were brought forth, thou wert, O God, Tternit^^of ^^^ ^'^^^ ^^^^ continuc from everlasting to everlasting. God (1-6) At thy bidding the frail generations of men return to the dust. Ages are in thy sight but as a day when it is done — brief as a watch in the night. The generations of men are ever changing. They blossom in the morn- ing like the meadow flower, to wither and perish in the evening. The sorrow The sorrow of our life is due to our sin. For this fierce to kn(^-xo) anger of thine, which confounds and destroys us, has been kindled by our transgressions, which, though we ourselves may know them not, are yet plain in thy sight. For under thy sore anger all our days have vanished away. When our years are over, they are but as a murmur. Though they mount to seventy or eighty, yet * Duhm ingeniously suggests, " like one of the demons" (cf. Gen. 6 : 1-4). The Hebrew words for "demons" and "princes" differ only by a " tittle." 9 Or, by a simple emendation of Wellhausen's, " thou rulest over all the nations." 66 the Psalmists Psalm 92 : 7 is their glory but toil and emptiness : for it hastens away, and like a bird we are gone. O how few there be that lay to heart the meaning of May God in- thy fierce anger. Teach us to understand this, and to giv^fknd'^re- number our days in the light of this knowledge, that our ^^^'"^ ^"'^7) hearts may reap a harvest of wisdom. O our God ! come back to us. How long wilt thou tarry ? Have pity upon us thy servants. After the long night of sorrow, let thy mercy dawn upon us, and be with us all our days, filling our hearts with joy and gladness, as deep as is the sorrow that has been ours in the years gone by. Interpose for thy servants' sake, and manifest thyself in some glorious deed. Set thy favor upon us, O our God, and establish the work we are striving to do. 10. The Ways of God (92) ^ It is pleasant, morning and evening, to proclaim thyjehovahis love and thy faithfulness, O Jehovah, God most high, in ^^iS^io! song and music, upon harp and cithern, and instruments ^^f s'"^^^ of ten strings. For, by what thou hast done, thou hast has done made me to shout for joy. how great thy works are, and how profoundly The destiny planned, too profoundly for the fool to understand ; for fess^Cs-"? he does not see that when godless sinners shoot up and blossom, it is only that they may be utterly annihilated in 1 The theme of this psalm is no doubt the deliverance celebrated in Pss. 93 to 100. 67 Psalm 92 : 8 The Messages of The destiny of the righteous (12-15) Jehovah's judgment on the godless (9 : 1-6) the end. But thou art exalted, my God, forever; for see ! thine enemies perish, all the wicked are scattered, but thou dost lift me to honor and anointest me afresh with the oil of thy grace. Mine eyes shalt feast upon mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear with joy the story of their doom. But the righteous shall flourish long as the palm, and fair as the cedar of Lebanon — planted ^ beside the tem- ple and flourishing. Even in old age they are fresh and fruitful, proclaiming by their vigor and beauty to all the world, that Israel's God rules the world with justice and impartiality. II. The Divifie Judgtne7ii Jiport the Godless (9, 10)^ With all my heart I will render thee thanks, O my God, and tell the story of all thy marvels. I will rejoice and be glad in thee, and sing praises to thy name, O thou most high, because thou didst turn mine enemies back ; they 1 The reference is to the people, not to the trees. Even if there were trees in the temple precincts (cf. 52 : 8 and note), these cannot have been cedars. - Psalms 9 and 10 originally constituted one psalm. This is proved by the alphabetic arrangement, which runs through most of Ps. 9 (to v. 17) and reappears toward the end of Ps. 10 (v. 12); and by the further fact that Ps. ID has no superscription in the Septuagint. The theme of Ps. 9, which is thanksgiving, is interrupted in Ps. 10, which is mainly a plaint, but the confi- dent and grateful tone is resumed at v. 16. Vv. 1-15 of Ps. 10 must have displaced the original verses of the psalm, in order to adapt it to a new situ- ation. Ps. 9 may be fittingly placed after Ps. 92, as in both the reflection on the moral order takes the form of thanksgiving. 68 tJie Psalmists Psalm 9 : i6 stumbled and perished at thy presence. For thou didst deal justly from thy judgment throne, maintaining my cause, rebuking and destroying the godless nations, and blotting out their name for everrruore. The foe is van- ished : their cities thou hast destroyed. They shall lie in ruins forever — to be remembered no more. Yes, they perish, but Jehovah sits forever on his judg- Gratitude ment throne, judging the world and the peoples thereof Uv'erance^' justly and rightly, thus proving himself a refuge to the ^9 : 7-h) wretched and the sore perplexed. Yes, those who, like Israel, have proved thee, put their trust in thee ; for never, O Jehovah, dost thou forsake those who look to thee for help. Sing praises to our God, whose temple is on Zion's hill, proclaim to all the world the mighty deeds he has done for Israel, and thus the world will be brought to ac- knowledge her God as God alone. He has listened to the cry of those who were crushed, and championed their cause, as the avenger of blood. Yea, Jehovah in pity has looked on my misery, and drawn me back from the brink of de- struction, to the end that I should tell within Jerusalem's gates ^ the glad story of how gloriously he helped me. For he caught the nations * in the trap which they had Nemesis set for me ; Jehovah hath made himself known. He ^^ " ^^ 1 Intentional contrast between the gates of Jerusalem (v. 14) and the gates of death (v. 13). 2 If, with Duhm, we read " the proud " — the words are not unlike in the Hebrew — the oppressors of Ps. 9 no less than of Ps. 10, will be Israelites, not foreigners. 69 Psalm 9 : i6 The Messages of hath plainly passed judgment upon the godless by entan- gling them in the work of their own hands. They shall pass away out of sight and out of mind. They who forget God shall themselves be forgotten. But not so the poor and needy : never shall they be forgotten or disap- pointed. . . . Prayer Bestir thee, Jehovah, let not man defy thee. Bring (9 : 19, 20) ^^ nations to thy bar for judgment. Strike them with terror ' and make them to feel that they are but mortal men. Oppression We are in distress, O our God. Why dost thou remain and hfnoS '" heavcn and neither look nor listen ? For the proud and (10:1-11) godless man is fiercely persecuting the helpless. O grant that his schemes may recoil upon his own head. His worship is hypocrisy, for his soul is full of greed. In the pride of his heart he despises Jehovah,^ thinking all the while, " He does not punish ; there is no God." Con- tinual prosperity is his. Thou art in heaven, and thy judg- ments do not smite him. As for his enemies, he scoffs at them every one. He says to himself that he will always keep his feet and never know misfortune — he whose mouth is full of cursing and treachery, and his tongue a very storehouse of ruin ! He is both cunning and cruel, iBaethgen and Wellhausen translate: "seta teacher over them." "Teacher" and "terror" are not unlike in the Hebrew. (So the Greek version — lawgiver. ) 2 The precise interpretation of v. 3 is difficult and disputed. 70 the Psalmists Psalm lo : i8 for he lurks in corners ' to murder the innocent, spying out those in misfortune. Like a lion in a thicket he lurks, to pounce upon the defenceless, and drag him off in his net ; and his poor victim sinks prostrate and falls into his clutches. He says to himself : " God forgets, he turns away his face, he never sees it." Show him, O God, that thou dost not forget ; rise and Prayer that smite him with thine uplifted hand. Why is it that he lo^^n^eSd^^' despises thee, saying to himself that thou dost not^^^-^s) punish } For very well thou seest : and thou wilt avenge the grief and sorrow of his victims, helping the help- less and the orphan who commits his cause to thee. Destroy the power of the godless, and let evil perish, so that it will not be found, though one seek it never so ear- nestly. Then the Kingdom of God will come, with Jehovah The ultimate on the throne for ever and ever, and no heathen left in Jhe^p^- °^ his land. Surely, O Jehovah, thou hast lent an atten- F|^^^gJ^ tive ear." Thou hast answered the longings of the needy. Thou hast executed justice for those who were crushed and fatherless, so that they need never fear any more.^ 1 The Hebrew text (v. 8) reads : in lurking places oj the villages ; the Greek version, luith the wealthy. The Hebrew words for villages and wealthy, though differently spelled, sound not unlike each other. 2 For " their heart " in 17b read "thy heart." 3 Or, nevermore let mortal man bid defiance. 71 Psalm 94 : i The Messages of 12. The Certainty of Jehovah's Just Vengeance (94) Appeal to O Jehovah, God of vengeance, appear, O God of ven- luke ven-^° geance, and avenge. Arise, thou Judge of the earth, and fhe o*^^ re" P^^ish the proud. How long, O how long, are the god- sor (1-7) less to exult with their harsh and blustering words and their lordly bearing, crushing in pieces thine own beloved people, O our God, murdering widows and orphans and strangers, and thinking that Israel's God neither sees nor marks it } For he who Bethink you, ye fools. Is the creator less discerning can^mfrk *" than the creatures he has created } Surely he who made and punish ^^^ ^^j. ^^^ gyg cannot himself be either deaf or blind. their con- -' duct (8-11) Surely he who creates ^ can punish, and he who teaches must know. Yes, Jehovah knows that the purposes of such men shall vanish like a breath.''' Happy is the How happy is the man whom thou dost train and teach ka"nId°o ^^ through the Scriptures to understand thy great purpose ; ^^ , for thus does he keep his soul calm in troublous days, and issue calmly \ ■> ' await the issue calm _ (12-15) ' he can patiently await the sure doom of the wicked. For he knows full well that Jehovah will not forsake the people whom he loves, but that the righteous * shall come to their rights again, and win the support of all right-hearted men. 1 Or trains (so the Hebrew text). 2 Or sees through the schemes of men ; for he is infinite, while they are but a breath. (So Cheyne.) 3 Or, justice will come to its rights. 72 the Psalmists Psalm 37 : 3 Once my plight was very sore. Few there were to take The singer's a valiant stand with me against the' wicked ; and, but for overcom Jby the help of Jehovah, I had been lying ere this in the silent of^the°ove^* land. The thought of thy love to me in days gone by 'f^°\ ever bears me up, when I seem to myself to be falling. Sometimes I am distracted with doubt, and wonder whether thou couldst be the accomplice of a royal villain who legalized iniquity ; but, when my soul is ruffled with such anxious cares, she is soothed again with the joy of thy consolation. For, though men gather against the in- nocent and condemn him, I trust for defence to Jehovah, my mighty God. He will make their sin recoil on their own head. He will destroy them, yes, destroy them, for their wickedness. 13. The Sure Punishment of the Wicked and Vindica- tion of the Righteous (37) ^ Be not fretful or impatient at the success of the wicked ; Envy not the for the world is ruled by God, and a divine judgment is frust^^nje^*^ coming before which the wicked shall wither like grass. ^°^^^^^'*^^ Only have confidence in God, and do what is good, and ^ Ps. 37 is an alphabetic psalm. Psalms 37, 49 and 73 are placed together because they all deal very definitely with the same problem. Ps. 37 is the least profound of all, asserting that character is recompensed in this world. Ps. 49 sees further : it asserts that the recompense is not all on earth. There is for the righteous the hope of another life (v. 15). Ps. 73 tr^- scends both in asserting not only the glorious fellowship with God hereafter (v. 24) but also the joy and security of fellowship with him here (v. 23). 73 Psalm 37 : 3 ^-^^^ Messages of then thou shalt one day dwell in the land in the enjoyment of peace and plenty.^ If thy delight is in Jehovah, he shall give thee thy heart's desire. Commit to him with confi- dence the care of thy life, and he will do all that is need- ful, making the justice of thy cause to shine clear as the noonday sun. In silence and patience commit it all to God, and be not fretful at the prosperity of knaves. Cherish no anger or impatience in thine heart, as that can but lead to further evil ; for the judgment is coming — com- ing very speedily — which will blot out the wicked, and the place where they were wont to be, and it will also bring the humble, who wait upon Jehovah, into possession of the land, within whose borders they shall enjoy prosperity of every kind. The godless The godlcss concocts his cruel plots against the right- JroyS ^^' ^o"s ; but the Lord laughs at him, for he knows how the (12-20) plot will end : he sees the day of judgment that is coming. With all their skill and strength and weapons of war, they seek to compass the ruin of the righteous ; but their wea- pons shall be useless, or useful only to ensure their own doom.^ A good man's little is better than a bad man's store ; for the bad man's might shall be shattered, but the good man is upheld by his God. Over his fortunes he 1 It is not impossible to take 3b as a command, co-ordinate with 3c, instead of the reward consequent on obeying the command in 3a. So Wellhausen : dwell in the land, act with fidelity. ■•* This view — that the wicked perish by their own wickedness — is pro- founder than the general teaching of the psalm. 74 the Psalmists Psalm 37 : 29 lovingly watches, and he will always have descendants to enter upon his inheritance. In evil times when others are hungry, the good are fed. Yes, the ungodly perish ; the enemies of Jehovah shall vanish like smoke, as a brand in the oven. The ungodly does not return what he borrows ; whereas God's care the just man is moved by his pity to liberal gifts. Those (21-31) ^°° that he blesses shall inherit the land, and those that he curses shall be annihilated.^ Jehovah guides the steps of the man with whose manner of life he is well-pleased. When he stumbles he does not altogether fall, for Jehovah holds his hand. Never once in my long life have I seen the righteous forsaken, or his children forced to beg. Rather he is always generously giving ; his children also are a blessing to others. If thou but do what is good and shun what is evil, thou shalt dwell forever in the land; for Jehovah, who loveth justice, never forsaketh his saints. The wicked are doomed to everlasting destruction ; "^ their offspring shall be rooted out. But the righteous shall pos- sess the land, and dwell in it for ever and ever in unshaken ' As nothing in the immediate context necessitates the reference of this " he " (in v. 22) to Jehovah, Duhm points differently and translates : those who bless him . . . and those who curse him (Cf. Gen. 12 : 3). 2 v. 28 is twice the length of the others : and just here a verse beginning with the letter Ayin — for the psalm is alphabetic — is missing. The above paraphrase, which rests upon the Septuagint, gives us a verse beginning with precisely the letter we require. The emendation of the text, suggested by the Septuagint, is very slight. 75 Psalm 37 : 30 The Messages of prosperity, because the words of his mouth are words of wisdom, and the law of his God is in his heart. The cer- The wicked lies in wait for him with murderous in- retribution tcnt ; but Jehovah will not abandon him, nor let him be (32-40) condemned in the trial. If thou wait upon Jehovah and keep to his way, he will honor thee by giving thee the land, and thine eyes shall feast on the destruction of the un- godly — and that right speedily. For I have seen the wicked lifting himself proudly,' like a cedar of Lebanon ; but, when I ^ drew near, behold ! he had vanished, leaving not a trace behind. Preserve thine integrity and practise uprightness, for the future ^ belongs to the man of peace. But future there is none for the wicked; they are de- stroyed, root and branch. The righteous are saved by Jehovah ; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. Be- cause they put their trust in him, he helps and saves them from the ungodly. 14. The Brief Triumph of the Wicked (49) Prologue to The riddle that has troubled me concerns all the world. Listen, then, all of you — high and low, rich and poor — when I talk of it ; for I shall speak as a wise man who has meditated deeply thereon, and the answer that has come to me I will proclaim to the sound of the cithern. 1 The meaning of the word in v. 35b rendered "spreading himself" is disputed. 2 / (not he) passed by (v. 36) ; so the Septuagint. 3 Or more literally " posterity." 76 the riddle (1-4) tJie Psalmists Psalm 49 : 14 Here is the riddle : I must look on ^ and suffer in silence The riddle from the cunning and wickedness that I see on all sides of ^' me — men trusting in their wealth, and boasting of their vast riches. But here is the answer. Not one can save himself from The answer: death, by giving God a ransom ; for the ransom of the per?sM7-?4) soul is too costly, and the man must leave life forever. Yes, he shall assuredly see the grave. For the fools, de- spite their w^orldly wisdom,^ perish, and leave their wealth to others. The grave is their eternal home, even though they have called whole countries their own. The man of pomp abides not therein : like the beast he perishes.' This is the fate of all who are foolishly confident and boast of their wealth.^ Death drives them into the grave, as the shepherd his sheep, and down they go ;* and soon their image fades away in the grave which is their home. ^ Or perhaps " be afraid," cf. v. i6. 2 The "wise men " of v. lo are apparently the worldly wise. The psalmist is considering such a case as that of the wealthy fool in the parable, who thought he was wise. 3 Note the refrain (v. 20). Possibly, following the text of v. 20, we should translate : " the man of pomp, who is void of sense, is like the beasts that perish." * The meaning of 13b is exceedingly obscure. * The text of v. 14c reads, " and the upright ruled over them in the morn- ing," which makes Httle sense. Cheyne transposes clauses c and d, and translates : " Sheol shall be their castle forever, and the upright shall tram- ple upon them in the morning." The translation " down they go straight" rests on Klostermann's ingenious emendation. 77 Psalm 49 : 15 TJie Messages of The destiny But God ^ himself shall redeem my soul from the hand of^the good ^j ^j^^ g^^^^g_ Yes, he shall take me to himself.^ The destiny So the sight of the rich man with his vast wealth need wicked is fit- "^^ make thee afraid ; for not a fragment of it all can he ted to con- ^-^ke with him when he dies, nor can his wealth go down firm faith in <■ , , , , 1 1 • 1 r the moral or- after him mto the grave ; for though he deemed himself happy in his lifetime and was praised for his good fort- une, yet in the end he must dwell with his fathers in their home of everlasting darkness. The man of pomp abides not therein : like the beast he perishes. 15. The Fellowship which the Good enjoy with God (73) The riddle: After the long anguish of doubt and misgiving, I am parity of' the now persuaded that God is good to Israel— at least to the wicked .. js^-ael indeed." (1-12) For long my faith that God ruled justly, came very near to tottering. For I was indignant, when I saw how well the godless braggarts fare. They know no pain, they enjoy sound health.^ They are strangers to the toil ' Not money (vv. 6-8). 2 Or, from the hand of the grave ivhen it grasps vie. Grammatically this is possible, but in such a context the other is better. "To take" is the technical expression for the taking by God of a good man after death : cf. Ps. 73 : 24. The famous illustrations in the historical books are in Gen. 5 : 24, 2 Kings 2 : 9, 10, passages which indicate how high and rare a dignity is implied by the word. ' Instead of " for there are no bands in their death ; but their strength is firm," the meaning should probably be, " for they have no pains, their body is healthy (or sound) and firm (fat, well fed)." The word for "to their 78 tJie Psalmists Psalm 73 : 19 and afflictions of other men. Hence they become haughty and violent, with their bloated sensuous eyes ' and their riotous thoughts and fancies. They jeer and indulge in wicked talk, discussing immorality in their lofty way. They rail against everything in heaven and earth. Crowds of like-minded men flock to them, fancying them to be noble fellows.^ " What should the most high God know about it," they say. Why, look at them ! Godless as they are, they are always happy, heaping higher their pile. Ah ! surely, thought I, it is for nothing that I have kept The psalm- my heart and hands unspotted from the world, for the pilxi^"^ morning of each new day brought me some fresh stroke ^^3-i6) of chastisement. But for me to speak thus would have been treachery to the Jewish faith. So then I sought to study it afresh, but a wearisome task it seemed. But in the house of God " one day it flashed upon me, as The solution I thought upon their future. For they cannot keep their °he^cfe?truc!' feet : down to destruction * thou hurlest them — in a ^^'^'^^ °lro^^ moment they are clean gone — swept away by terrors, wicked (17-22) death" is emended, with high probability, to read "to them sound is . . . (their body)." 1 V. 7, E. G. King renders "their iniquity goes forth in grossness." The words for "eye" and "iniquity" are much alike in Hebrew. Cheyne: " From an unfeeling heart their iniquity comes forth." So Baethgen. 2 Baethgen thinks lob means, " who drink in their ruinous teaching." 3 V. 17. Many take this verse to mean: I penetrated into the secrets oj God instead of the sanctuaries of God. But this would be against the common usage of the words. * Or disappointment. 79 Psalm 73 : 20 The Messages of despised as a dream that has haunted a man is despised, when he wakes. It was foolish, then, of me to be pro- voked by the success of the wicked. When the perplexi- ties of life goaded my heart into bitter indignation, I was stupid in thy sight as a beast, that sees nothing but what is before its eyes. The good But as for me, I am continually with thee. With my K-oken^fei- right hand in thine, thou dost guide me across the journey Go'dVi' '28^^ °^ ^^^^ ^"^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ wouldst have me to go ;' and when the journey is over, thou wilt receive me to glory. If I have but thee, there is nothing in heaven or on earth that I long for. And no power can rob me of thee, for though my body waste away," thou art my portion forever. It is not so with those who are faithless : they stray from thee and perish. But as for me, my happiness lies in being close to my God : in him, who is my Lord, my confidence is fixed immovably.^ Ill REFLECTIONS UPON DIVINE PROVIDENCE I. Jehovah's Omniscience and Omnipresence (139) Jehovah per- O my God, thou hast searched me, and my life, both ?min'^"o°uT within and without, thou knowest altogether— when I sit inw^ard ^ ^" ' ^^'^'" ^3' ^'*' '" contrast to the wicked, who cannot keep their feet, thought ^ In life ; or, more probably, after death. (i-6) 3 Xo clause 28c " that I may declare all thy works," the Greek version adds yet another clause, "in the gates of the daughter of Zion." 80 tJie Psalmists Psalm 139 : 17 down, and when I rise, and what I think, and what I say, and where I go. I cannot escape thee, for thou art about me, behind and before, and thy hand holds me firmly. I cannot understand it ; it is too marvellous for me. 1 cannot go where thou art not. Were I to climb the Jehovah is heavens, thou art there ; were I to lay me in the under- ^{^fS)" ^^^ world, behold ! there thou art also. Were I to speed with all swiftness from east to the distant west, even there would thy hand grasp me and lead me. Were I to say, " Surely darkness shall cover me, and the light be night about me," the darkness would not be too dark for thee, and the night would be bright as day. I praise thee, because thou ^ hast shown thyself to be so He is the wondrous and awful. Thy works are marvellous. Soul susS°ner"of and body — thou knowest me altogether, and hast known ^fA^^l^s) me from the days when I was fashioned and wrought in the dark and secret place of the womb. Thou didst see the tangled skein of my days, thou didst fashion them and write them in thy book,'^ ere any of them was mine. O how much thou hast to care for ! innumerable is the sum 1 The Greek version here has the second person : literally, thou hast been made fearfully wondrous. 2 So Duhm. V. 16 is very difficult. Baethgen transposes clauses 2 and 3, and translates : "Days were fashioned, they are all written in thy book." Wellhausen, assuming that something has been lost, and that i6a belongs to 15, translates the whole verse thus: " While I was yet unformed, thine eyes saw me. — Thus are all men known to thee, and in thy book they are all recorded : even before they are fashioned, not one among them escapes thee." 81 Psalm 139 : 17 TJie Messages of of thy thoughts — more than the sand upon the shore. I fall asleep thinking of the wonder of it all : and, when I awake, I am thinking of it still. O how canst thou tolerate the bloodthirsty, godless O that thou wouldst slay them, and remove them God be"de-^ out of my sight ; for they are nothing but spiteful rebels and blasphemers. Thine enemies are mine. I loathe them ; I hate them utterly. Search me, O God, and examine the thoughts of my heart, and see if there be any such folly in me. Take me thyself by the hand, and lead me in the way ever- lasting. May those who have »„^„ ^ the heart to I^lCn t stroyed (19-22) Prayer for leading (23, 24) The joy of fellowship with God and his peo- ple (1-3) Idolatry a horror (4, 5) 2. The "Joy of Fellowship with God (i6) With quiet confidence I commit myself, O God, to thy keeping, O God of Israel, I claim thee as my Lord,^ I have no happiness apart from thee and thy people.' In them is all my joy. Thou art the true God, and I will worship none but thee. As for the false gods,' which some of my countrymen 1 V. 2. A. V. " O my soul " {for which there is no warrant) " thou hast said," should simply be, " I said." 2 V. 3 is very difficult ; the simplest solution seems to be to regard 3a as a gloss on 3b; the word " glorious ones " may have been felt to stand in need of explanation ; and on this view, it is explained by the word "saints" or holy ones. 3 V. 4. The Hebrew words for "idols" and "pains" are very similar: the context makes the former meaning much the more probable, 82 the Psalmists Psalm i6 : ii honor/ I will take no part in their bloody worship,' nor even take their name upon my lips. My God is my por- tion and my lot continually. Jehovah has indeed been very good to me. He has not The confi- only given me himself, but he has cast my lot in pleasant ity^Tnd^^""^* places, and given me a delightsome inheritance. I will j^^p^,'2^?°^ bless him for guiding me by his counsel, as I meditate in true wor- the stillness of the night, keeping him continually before (6-ii) my eyes. All is well because he is at my right hand to protect me. Therefore with confidence and gladness in my heart I look forward to all that can betide : for thou wilt not abandon those who love thee ^ to the gaping jaws of death ; * but the way that leadeth to life thou wilt show me. Where shines the light of thy gracious face, there is gladness complete; and in thy hand thou boldest pleas- ures •* which thou art evermore ready to bestow. ^ This is no doubt the general sense, but the detail is very obscure. Well- hausen translates: In these, their idols, let others find pleasure. Duhm: As for those whose images are many (or multiplied in the land), those which other (Jews) praise. * Either, child sacrifice, with concomitant drink offering (Is, 57 : sf. ; 65 : 11), or perhaps simply the slaughter of animals in a forbidden cult, which was as bad as murder (Is. 66 : 3). 8 One Hebrew tradition reads this word (v. 10) in the plural. Even if the singular be read, however, it may still represent the plural. The decision of the question will partly depend on whether the speaker in the psalm is re- garded as an individual or the church. * lob: not "corruption," but "the pit," corresponding to Sheol or the underworld in loa. ^ In both the material and spiritual sense. 83 Psalm 127 : I The Messages of 3. The Need of Divine Help (127 : i, 2) The need Without the help of God, all human toil is vain. Be it of qukTfaith the building of a house or the watching of a city, unless in God (1, 2) Jehovah be there to help and inspire, it is all in vain. Ye must not wear your strength out, as if all depended upon you. It is idle for you to rise so early and to sit down so late to the evening meal, thus eating the bread of sorrow. For the best gifts do not go to the busiest hands. Jeho- vah bestows his gifts upon those whom he loves, when they rest and are still. 4. Jehovah the Good Shepherd (23) God as Like a good shepherd, my God is always caring for me, shepherd ^^ ^^^ j l^^j^ ^^^ nothing. He guides me to sources of re- newal and rest, making me lie down in pastures green, and leading me to the waters of quietness. My weary spirit he refreshes : he guides me in paths that are straight, for the glory of his name. Yea, and he can guide me in the dark- ness as in the light. For, even when I walk in the valley of the deep shadow, I fear no ill ; for thou art with me, to guide and defend me. Thy rod ^ and thy staff are my comfort. God as host Thou art, too, my host as well as my shepherd, and at thy hospitable table, I feast without fear, though mine enemies glare in upon me. Thou anointest my head for the banquet, and the gifts of thy table are abundant. 1 The club with which the wild beasts were beaten oflF. 84 (5,6) the Psalmists Psalm 91 : 12 Surely goodness and mercy, angels twain, shall follow close after me all my days, and I shall dwell ' forever in the house of my God. 5. The Serene Confidence of the Godly (91) The man who knows the almighty and the most high Perfect se- God to be his shelter and his home, can sing to him with eve'i^khid grateful confidence : " Thou art my refuge, my fortress, ^^e^^"^' °^u my God in whom I trust." puts his trust X- 1 • • 1 1 1- f -1 , , . , in Jehovah For he is mighty to deliver from perils of every kind. (1-13) He can save thee from snare and deadly pestilence : his sheltering wings can safely cover thee. Thou needest not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that fheth by day," nor the plague that stalks in the dark,^ nor the deadly heat of noonday. Ten thousand of the godless may fall about thee, but the evil shall never touch thee ; for Jehovah's faithfulness is to thee as a shield of defence. Thou shalt see with thine eyes how the godless are punished ; but that is all. For thou thyself art safe ; thou hast made the most high God thy refuge and thy home. No evil shall befall thee ; no plague shall come near thy tent ; for at his bidding, the angels preserve thee wherever thou goest, bearing thee up and keeping thee from stumbling on the ^The Hebrew text reads "return," which would be very appropriate, if the psalm were written in exile ; but probably the familiar translation cor- rectly represents the original text. 2 Perhaps the allusion is to sunstroke (cf. 121 : 6). 3 Possibly regarded as a demon. 8s Psalm 91 : 13 The Messages of stony ways. Over all that is strong and cruel and treach- erous thou shalt have the dominion. Reptiles and adders, lions and dragons, shalt thou trample under foot. Jehovah's " All this," saith Jehovah, " I will do for the man ^14^16) who loves me and cares for me. I will deliver and exalt him. When, in his hour of need, he calls me, I will an- swer and stand by him. I will save him and bring him to honor, and spare him long to see the golden Messianic days." 6. Jehovah the Guardian of his People (121) Help comes Wistfully I lift up mine eyes to the mountains, and ask vah"(^ 2)°' ^"ly heart whence cometh my help. Not from the moun- tains, my heart makes answer, but from Israel's God, the creator of heaven and earth. He is the He cau preserve as well as create, for he keeps me from semLef stumbling, and watches over me with sleepless care — yea ^3' 4) ^vith sleepless and unslumbering care. Always and Surcly he is my preserver and defender. No baleful he^preLrves influence shall hurt me by day or night. He will preserve ^5-8) me from evil of every kind. All the day long he keeps me, from morn till even, when I come home, and he will keep me evermore. 7. Jehovah an Unfailing Defetice (125) The security They that trust in Jehovah shall be like Mount Zion, trust°jeho- ° immovable forever, encircled and defended by Jehovah, vah (1-3) ^3 j.|^g encircling hills defend Jerusalem ; for he will never 86 tJie Psalmists Psalm 34 : 8 suffer the godless to rule over Israel's holy land, lest Israel should then be tempted to abandon her faith and go over to heathendom. Grant good fortune, then, to all that are good and true- Prayer for hearted in Israel ; but make those who turn aside to paths ("^'^s)^^ of compromise share the fate of the wicked. Peace be upon Israel ! 8. Jehovah's Favor to the Godly (34) ^ I will bless and praise Jehovah without ceasing; and Praise of the godly are glad when they hear how I boast in him. the deUver-"^ Come, then, and magnify Jehovah with me, and let us ^" ought^^^ exalt his name together; for he heard me when I sought (*-^°) him and saved me from all that affrighted me. If ye but look ^ to him, your faces shall shine for very joy, and there shall be no blush of shame upon them. Here^ is one who was crushed ; but Jehovah heard his prayer, and brought him safely out of all his distresses ; for his un- seen victorious hosts * evermore encamp -round about them that truly worship him. O taste and see that Jeho- ^ Ps. 34 is an alphabetic psalm. 2 The third person plural is not In place here (v. 5) ; the second plural imperative is correct. (So the Greek version. ) No consonantal change is necessary. 5 Pointing to himself. * One angel could not encamp round about a company. Either he rep- resents Jehovah himself (cf. Ps. 125 : 2), or is captain of Jehovah's host (cf . Josh. 5 : 14 ; 2 Kings 6 : 17.) 87 Psalm 34 : 8 The Messages of vah is good. How happy is the man who puts his trust in him ! O fear Jehovah, ye that are his saints; for they that fear him lack for nothing. Rebels ^ indeed may be poor and hungry, but not those who seek Jehovah ; they lack no good thing. Jehovah Comc, then, children, and listen while I teach you the goo*d^*^^ secret of religion. If a man desires a long and happy (13-22) life, he must be true and sincere in speech, devoted to all that is good, and an earnest lover of peace. Jehovah sets his face "^ against the evil-doers, to root out their memory from the earth. But he looks with love upon the right- eous ; he listens to their cry and brings them safely out of their distress. To the broken-hearted he is near, and he saves those whose spirit is crushed ; for, though the troubles of the righteous are many, Jehovah de- livers them out of them all, and evermore preserves them from the swift and violent death that overtakes the v^^icked ; ^ but those who hate the righteous shall pay the penalty.* 1 "Apostates," instead of "young lions." This is Duhna's suggestion. The words are very similar. 2 Vv. 15 and i6 ought to be transposed. 8 In V. 21, it is not " evil," as in the English version, but " a calamity," " misfortune," that is to slay the wicked. * V. 22 — ^Jehovah redeems his servants, and not one of them who trusts in him shall suffer— is no doubt a liturgical addition, like 25 : 22. The previous verse began with the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet {t) ; this verse be- gins with/, whereas/ is already represented by v. 16. 88 the Psalmists Psalm 144 : 12 9. The Blessedness of Jehovah^ s Followers (112)' How happy is the man who acknowledges Jehovah,' The pros- and finds great pleasure in his law. He shall be blessed secunty^"of and his descendants shall be a power in the land. Wealth fg°J^Qy^° and riches are in his house, and the divine blessing abides (i-io) with him forever. In his darkness light arises, and he, like his God,' is full of grace and pity and justice. Happy is the man who lends and gives, and who is just in the management of his affairs.* He will enjoy unshaken prosperity and be remembered forever. Evil tidings do not terrify him : for with steadfast heart he trusts Jehovah. His heart is firm and fearless, he knows that one day he will feast his eyes upon his enemies. He gives liberally to the poor, the divine blessing abides with him forever, he is lifted to honor. At the sight the godless man gnashes his teeth with vexation and pines away with disappointed hopes. ID. T/ie Prosperity of JehovaJis People (144 : 12-15)^ Our sons shall be as plants that are trained, and our The pros- daughters like the sculptured figures ^ that adorn the pil- jehova°h's people ^ An alphabetic psalm, companion-piece to iii, which is also alphabetic. {12-15) ^ This verse points back to iii : 10. »Cf. 111:4. * Or perhaps, he will maintain his case, that is, will not lose it, at the trial, s These verses have little obvious relation to vv, i-ii, and appear to con- stitute a fragment by themselves. ' For example, Caryatides. 89 Psalm 144 : 13 77/^ Messages of lars of a palace. Our garners shall abound with store of every kind ; our sheep will bring forth by the myriad on our pastures, and our cattle will be heavily laden.' Peace and prosperity ^ shall reign in our streets. O how happy is the people who fare thus well ! and thus fares the people whose God is Jehovah. 1 1 . Jehovah the Source of Do?nestic Joys (127:3-5'; 128) The blessing See ! Jehovah bestows upon those who fear him the of children (127:3-5) gift of children, and mighty defenders are the sons who are born to a man in his youth. O how happy is he who has many such ! He shall hold up his head with con- fidence when he faces his enemies.'' Jehovah How happy is everyone that fears Jehovah and keeps blesses his j^j commandments ! Not another, but thou thyself, shalt worshippers ^ with a happy eat wliat thy hands have toiled for : happy and prosper- panln^the ^ ous shalt thou be. In her inner chamber thy wife shall welfare of Jerusalem , , , . ,,, • , i. (128 : 1-6) 1 There are difficulties in the way of the translation heavy with young. The meaning is obscure, and the words may be a gloss. 2 This is the general sense, but the detail is very obscure. Wellhausen translates "There is no murder nor manslaughter." Duhm : "No mis- fortune or loss in our markets." 3 It is only by a somewhat strained interpretation that any connection can be found between these verses and vv. i, 2. In any case, they may fairly be taken by themselves. 4 " When he speaks with his enemies in the gate." That is, either (a) in time of war, or (b) in a legal process, where might often triumphed over right, his sons would defend him. 90 tJie Psalmists Psalm 133 -.3 be fruitful as a vine, and thy children round about thy table like glad young olive-trees. See ! such shall be the blessing that Jehovah will dispense from the temple to the man that fears him. All the days of thy life thou shalt enjoy the good fortune of Jerusalem, and shalt live to see thy children's children. Peace be upon Israel. 12. The Blessedness of Brotherly Coticord (133)^ What a beautiful sight to see brethren, whose homes are The beauty far apart, united and dwelling together again ! A sight conJord^i-^) as welcome ^ as the goodly oil that runs down the high- priest's beard — the beard that fiows over the collar of the garment ! A sight refreshing as the heavy dew that falls upon the hills of Jerusalem. For within that city is the heavenly blessing — even life that shall never end. 1 But for the reference to Aaron, one might refer the psalm to the reunion of the members of a family. In its present form, at least, it seems to refer to the festivals which brought the scattered members of the Jewish race to- gether to Jerusalem. 2 Possibly the point of comparison in v. 2 is that the long lines of the houses of Jerusalem and the tents of the pilgrims, flow down the slopes of the Temple hill, even to the base— like the oil on Aaron's garments (W. Robertson Smith, Old Testamefit in the Jewish Chtirch, p. 212, note). 91 Psalm I : i The Messages of IV REFLECTIONS ON THE VALUE OF SCRIPTURE I. Its Mastery the Secret of Success (i) The pros- The truly happy man is he who never entered on the godfy (i^-3)^^ perilous path of godlessness— that path which begins in dallying with evil, and leads by sure steps to the deliberate scorn of religion. But his heart is set upon the Scriptures, and over them he broods continually. The destiny of such an one is bright — like a tree, fruitful and fair, with roots that are nourished by water from the rivulets, and leaves that never fade.* All that he does he brings to a happy issue. The fate of Far Other is the destiny of the godless. They are light the^ungodiy ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ blown about by the wind ; and when the winds of judgment begin to blow, they shall not be able to keep their feet, nor shall they have any place in the assembly of the righteous. For, while Jehovah watches over the way that the righteous takes, the way of the godless van- ishes out of sight. 1 Cf. Jer. 17 : 7, 8, where this is the blessing of the man who trusts Jehovah. 92 tJie Psalmists Psalm 19 : 14 2. The Power of the Law (19 : 7-14)^ The law ^ of Jehovah is spotless. It brings the spirit The glory , , ,.r ■. • 1 • 1 . and power of back to life. Its warnings and promises are sure ; and to the Script- the simple they impart wisdom. Its statutes are right ; """" ^7-") they make glad the heart that obeys them. The religion ' of Jehovah is pure ; and, like all that is pure, it abideth forever. What Jehovah enjoins is true and right ; more precious are his laws than the finest gold, and sweeter than the choicest honey. By them thy servant * is en- lightened and warned, and he is richly rewarded when he keeps the same. Who can trace the sins that he unwittingly commits ? Prayer for Of all such sins declare me guiltless ; and preserve me, O deUverance my God, from perils without as well as within. Save me (""^4) from the arrogant, and keep them from lording it over me, thine own people Israel. Then, when the land is rid of their yoke, I shall know that thou hast declared me blameless and free from apostasy. Be pleased to accept these words and thoughts of mine, O Jehovah, my rock and redeemer. 1 Even if vv. i-6 were originally independent, the connection with 7-xx is good : the glory of God in the sky and Scripture, the law of God in nature and revelation. ^ The sj'Honyms for Scripture here are much the same as in Ps. 119. 3 The fear of Jehovah, in the objective sense ; that is, the religion of Israel. * That is, Israel ; this becomes plainer in v. 13. 93 Psalm 119 : I The Messages of 3. Meditations on the Word of God (119)^ Its precepts Happy are they whose life is blameless — they who ear- rig°htness"^" ncstly Search the Scriptures that they may know and do ^^■^^ the will of God, as it is contained therein, and sinlessly walk in his ways. O that I might be steadfast in my walk ! then would obedience bring me to the goal. I will render thee my hearty thanks, when I master all thy righteous laws ; and O ! forsake me not utterly, lest mine obedience be put to shame. ^ It reveals Only by a vigilance born of a knowledge of Scripture wm°(9^i6f can a young man keep his life pure. Let me not stray from thy commandments : in them I have earnestly sought thee. Thy word have I hidden as a treasure in my heart, to keep me from sinning against thee. O blessed God ! teach me thy will. I rehearse thy commandments with delight, and I love more than riches the way to which they point me. I think upon them with joy and will remember them forever. lAn alphabetic psalm, each letter claiming 8 verses. As in the alpha- betic psalms generally, there is here very little sequence of thought. Some- times several verses go naturally together (cf. 81-88), but in the main the meditations are isolated. '^ Israel was weak and suffering (141-143), and doubtless felt herself at this time forsaken of God. The speaker seems to be Israel, the com- munity, nation or church, not the individual. Notice that princes take counsel against her (23) and persecute her (161) ; she is small and despised (141) and almost consumed (87). 94 the Psalmists Psalm 119 : 38 Graciously suffer thy servant to live, and I will keep thy it comforts word. Open mine eyes, that I may see the wonders of thy JTersennion law. I am a stranger on the earth ; keep me not then in ^^7-24) ignorance of what thou wouldst have me to do.^ My soul is worn with ceaseless longing for a knowledge of thy will. I know that thy rebuke and curse rest upon the arrogant who care not for thy law ; but I have kept it. Roll away then the shame and contempt with which I am burdened. Though foreign princes plot against me, yet I will meditate upon thy law ; yea, it is my delight as well as my counsellor. My soul is exceeding sorrowful, and I am nigh unto it sustains death : revive me according to thy word. When I tell ofleS"^ thee of my daily life, thou dost answer me. O teach me ^^S'S^) thy will, and I will think on thy wonders. Put from me the spirit of apostasy, and teach me graciously, for I have chosen the way of thy truth, and steadily clung to it. O put me not to shame, for with happy heart I would run in the way of thy commandments.^ Teach me thy will, and I will earnestly do it forever, it removes Guide me in the way of thy commandments, for they are anffoiiy^^ my delight. They can preserve me from covetousness, and (33-40) from the vain desire of the eyes, if thou do but graciously revive me. Fulfil upon thy servant the promise which is for those that fear thee, and remove the reproach that I 1 Strangei should be acquainted with the laws of the land, so as to keep from transgressing them. 20r, by another reading, " thy commandments are the joy of my heart." 95 Psalm 119 : 39 T]ie Messages of It imparts courage to meet malic- ious foes (41-48; It gives comfort in sore afflic- tion (49-56) It attracts the godly- minded (57-64) dread ; for obedience to thy word deserves not reproach. Revive me in thy mercy, that I may fulfil the command- ments that I love. Visit me, O God, with thy grace and thy salvation ac- cording to thy promise, that so I may be able to answer my slanderer. In that hour take not out of my mouth the words of truth, which are my hope and confidence. So shall I keep thy law for evermore, and walk at liberty. Even before heathen princes, in the land of our dispersion, I will speak of thy law without shame — the law that I love and all but worship,^ the law in which I meditate. Remember thy promise to thy servant, for thou hast bidden me hope. This is my comfort in mine affliction that thy words preserve me in life. Despite the fierce mockery of the arrogant, I have not swerved from thine ancient law, and it comforted me when I thought thereon. Glowing indignation seizes me, when I think of the wicked who forsake it. It is so dear to me. I sing its praises in the house of my pilgrimage,^ and muse on thy name in the night, O my God, and thou dost graciously enable me to keep thy law. My portion is Jehovah : I keep thy law.^ Earnestly do I entreat thee to revive * me according to thy promise. 1 Hands were raised to God in prayer : cf. 28 : 2. 2 That is, the earth : cf . v. 19. 3 Or, " my portion is to keep thy words, O Jehovah." * So Syriac. The Hebrew reads, " be gracious to me." 96 tJic Psalmists Psalm 119 : 78 When I think upon my ways, I speedily turn my feet in the direction of thy commandments ; and though I am caught as in a net by the snares of the godless, I do not forget thy law. At midnight I rise to praise thee for thy righteous precepts. I have fellowship with all who fear thee and keep thy commandments. The earth is full of thy love, O my God. Teach me thy statutes. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, according to it promotes thy promise. Teach me judgment and knowledge: forandjoy"^ I lean upon thy laws. Before affliction came, I was a (^5-72) wanderer, but now I keep thy word. Good thou art, and thou doest good : teach me thy law. The arrogant forge lies against me with unfeeling heart ; but, as for me, I keep thy commandments with a heart that is earnest and joyful. Affliction was good for me ; for it brought me to learn thy will. Thy law is better for me than treasures untold. As thou hast created my body, create for me also the It gives de- mind to learn thy commandments. Those who worship Jomfo^t thee will be glad when they see how my patient confi- (73-80) dence in thee has been crowned. I know that thy judg- ments are just, and that mine affliction is a proof of thy faithfulness. May thy love be my consolation, according as thou hast promised to thy servant. Have pity upon me, that I may live ; for thy law is my delight. May the arrogant be brought to shame, for they wrongfully op- press me ; but, as for me, I meditate on thy command- 97 Psalm 119: 79 ^^^'^ Messages of ments. May all turn to me who fear thee and know thy law. May my heart keep thy precepts blamelessly, that disgrace may never be mine. It Is a solace I pine for thy help, I wait for thy word. I look with cut^d ^^^^^' lo^girig for thy promise, and say to myself, " When wilt (81-88) \^Q,w comfort me ? " Though I am worn and shrivelled like a wineskin in the smoke, yet have I not forgotten thy commandments. Since my days are so few, speedily execute judgment upon my persecutors. A pit has been dug for me by unbelieving and arrogant men. O save me according to thy faithful promises. Though they all but consumed me, yet did I not forsake thy command- ments. I will keep them, if thou but in thy mercy revive me. It is eter- Thy word, O Jehovah, is eternal as the heavens ; it is l^y^t)"^ because of thy faithfulness that the earth and all things continue throughout the generations : they are all thy ser- vants.* But for the joy that thy law brought me, I should have perished in my misery. Never shall I forget thy commandments, for through them thou hast revived me. Thine I am, save me, for I am studious of thy law. The godless lie in wait to destroy me ; but I give heed to thy 1 For " thy faithfulness " in v. 90, Duhm reads " thy word." For " this day" in v. 91, Wellhausen reads " all beings." The words are not unlike in the Hebrew. Duhm believes that these two verses do little more than re- assert the thought of v. 89 — the eternity of the divine word. The verses, as they stand in the ext, contain noble thought : but the text cannot be said to be certain. 98 the Psalmists Psalm 119 : 115 precepts. All earthly perfection is finite, but thy law is infinite. how I love thy law; I think of it continually. It it is precious makes me wiser than my foreign foes/ who would teach f^g tolhose me another faith — wiser, too, than the aged. It keeps J^'^°^^'J^y " my feet unerringly in thine own way, far from the paths of sin. Thou thyself ' art my teacher. Sweeter than honey are thy words : they bring me wisdom and teach me to hate every false way.^ Thy word sheds light upon the way that I should go. it directs I will keep the vow that I have sworn, to observe it all. onhe be^^^ I am sore afflicted ; revive me according to thy promise. J'foY-^ua) Be pleased to accept the thanks I utter, and teach me thine ordinances. Though I am in continual peril, yet have I not forgotten thy law. The godless sought to trip me up ; yet I strayed not from thy law. It is mine eter- nal inheritance, and the joy of my heart, and I have in- clined my heart to perform it forever. 1 hate the sceptically minded,* but thy law I love. My it defends shelter and shield art thou : I wait for thy word. Get ye skTpt^cSu gone, ye evil-doers,* and let me keep the commandments dfenS^"^^" (113-120) ' If the psalms belong, as many suppose, to the second century B. C, the reference here will be to the Greeks, and, in general, to the influences that made for a liberal and worldly culture. 2 In contrast to the alien teachers of v. 98. 3 That is, false religion, such as that introduced by Greek influence. * V. 113, half Jewish, half Greek. Cf. i Kings 18 : 21. 6 From Ps. 6 : 8a. 99 Psalm 119 : 116 The Messages of of my God. Sustain me according to thy promise, that I may live, and that my hope may not be put to shame. Hold me up and save me, and I shall ever look up to thy law. Those who have wandered therefrom in the false- ness of their heart, ^ thou hast utterly cast off, counting them as dross. In fear of such a fate, I cling to thy law, for I am sore afraid of thee and thy judgments. The man I havc done thy will ; leave me not to mine oppressors, jilTovah will and pledge thy word ^ that they shall not triumph over me. With longing eyes I look for thy help in fulfilment of thy righteous promise. Deal with me in mercy and graciously instruct thy servant in thy law. It is time for thee to execute thy work of judgment, for they have broken thy law. More than fine gold do I love thy com- mandments, and I walk according to all thy precepts,' detesting every false way. Thy law is wonderful, therefore I obey it. The revela- tion of thy word gives light and wisdom to the simple. With open mouth I pant and pine for thy command- ments. Graciously turn to me, as is just to the friends of thy name. Through thy word make my steps firm, that Je love and protect (121-128) It explains the myste- ries of life (129-136) 1 So the Greek version, which reads "their thought is falsehood" for " their deceit is falsehood." 2 As V. 122 is the only verse in the psalm without a reference to the word of God, Duhm emends " thy servant " to " thy word " — a fairly simple and probable change. =* "All precepts concerning all things" should simply be "all thy pre- cepts." 100 tJie Psalmists Psalm 119 : 152 sin may have no power over me. Redeem me from op- pression, and I will keep thy commandments. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, and teach me thy statutes. My face streams w^ith tears, because thy law is not ob- served. Righteous art thou, O my God, and right are the laws its precepts thou hast enjoined. Thy precepts are just and true ex- Jgh?^'^"^ ^ ceedingly. I am consumed by my zeal, because my foes <^37-i44) have forgotten thy words. Thy word is exceeding pure, and thy servant loves it. Little am I and held in con- tempt, but, unlike my foes,' I remember thy command- ments. Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteous- ness, and thy law is truth. Despite the distress that has come upon me, thy commandments are my delight. They are right forever: instruct me in them, that I may live. With all my heart I call to thee for help ; hear me, O To the my God, and I will keep thy statutes. In the early dawn dSueho- I cry, waiting for thy word ; I awake before the night- eth^nlglT" watch begins, to meditate therein. Mercifully hear my (145-152) voice, and revive me according to thy law. Men draw near to me who persecute me wrongfully, and stand aloof from thy law, but thou, too, art near me, O my God, and thy commandments are truth. From the days of old I have known that thou hast established them to abide forever. » V. 139. lOI Psalm 119 : 153 The Messages of Its essence is truth (153-160) It brings peace and happiness to him who ob- serves it (161-168) It deserves unending praise (169-176) Look upon mine affliction, and deliver me, for I have not forgotten thy law. Defend my cause and redeem me, and revive me according to thy promise. The wicked are far from salvation, for they study not thy commandments. Great is thy pity, O my God, revive me according to thy justice. Though the foes who persecute me are many, yet I have not swerved from thy laws. When I see the apostates, I loathe them, because they do not keep thy word ; but see how I love it, and in thy mercy revive me. The essence of thy word is truth, and thine ordinances are just and eternal. Though princes have persecuted me without a cause, as for me, I fear thy word and rejoice in it, as one that finds great spoil. The false religion I hate and abhor, but thy law I love ; and I praise thee for it seven times a day. Those who love it enjoy a peace ^ that is deep, and move on their way without stumbling. I hope for thy help, O my God, for I have kept thy commandments, and I love them exceedingly. Thou knowest all my ways. Listen to my loud supplication, O my God ; revive^ and save me according to thy promise. My lips shall utter their praise of the just laws that thou teachest me. Help and save me by thy mighty hand ; for thy gracious law has been my choice. Through it be pleased to help and spare me, and thou shalt have my praise. If I stray like 1 Obviously inner peace, for the psalmist has enemies (v. 161). ' Perhaps this is better in the context than " instruct me." So Syriac. I02 the Psalmists Psalm 24 : 4 a lost sheep, O seek me, for thy servant doth not forget thy commandments. REFLECTIONS ON THE NATURE OF THE IDEAL MAN 1. The True Citizen of Zion (15)* What man can count on the divine protection ? Who Qualities of is the true citizen of the holy city ? Not he v^hose home citizen of is in Jerusalem, but he whose life is v^^orthy. His walk ^^°" ^'"^^ must be pure, and his conduct right and sincere ; neither in deed nor yet in word will he wrong his neighbor. He must despise reprobates, and honor all true worshippers of Jehovah. He will keep his word, though he suffer for it. He will lend without interest, and he will gain no unholy gain at the expense of the innocent. One whose life is such as this will enjoy prosperity unshaken. 2. The True Worshipper (24 : 1-6) The God of Israel is the glorious Lord of all the earth ; The majesty 1 11 1 • -11 T- • of Israel's to him all men and all thmgs upon it belong, r or it was God (i, 2) he who created it, establishing it, upon ocean's streams, and it is he who sustains it thereon. Who then is worthy to approach this glorious God in worship } None but one who is pure of heart, as well as * Cf. Isaiah 33 : 14, 15. 103 Psalm 24 : 4 The Messages of Thecondi- blameless in deed, who never set his heart on things of cesTtS hir nought.^ Such an one shall be vindicated and blessed by (3-6^"^"^^ the God who is his Saviour, and the blessing shall pertain to all who inquire after Israel's God,^ and seek his pres- ence. 3. The Essence of True Worship (50) Jehovah The great God of Israel appears in ancient splendor to g°or^\o"re- admonish his people. He utters his voice, and the earth peopMi^) trembles ^ from east to west. From Zion fair, the hill of peerless beauty, his glory flashes forth * — fire before him and storm around him. He summons the heavens above and the earth beneath to the trial of his people. Bestir you, then, ye rulers, and gather together his^ saints who are bound to him by a covenant of sacrifice ; and let the onlooking heavens declare that his judgment is just. Godcandis- " Listen," saith Jehovah, "O Israel, my people, to my pense with material sac- x y. 4c " and never swore deceitfully," is a gloss, due to a misunderstand- ing of the previous clause, which was once supposed to read, " never took my soul in vain," where "my soul " was unwarrantably interpreted as equivalent to " my name" (Ex. 20 : 7). " The Hebrew simply has, " that seek thy face, even Jacob," that is, the true Israel. But for "Jacob,'' we must, with the versions, read, "the God of Jacob." 3 " Feared," for "he summoned," by a slight change in the text. The earth is not summoned till v. 4. * " May he really come " (not merely in imagination) " and not be silent : " regarded by some as the sigh of an ancient reader (v. 3). * Instead of " my." So the Septuagint. 104 tJie Psalmists Psalm 50 : 18 words of complaint. I am Jehovah thy God,' and the ser- vice I demand is not exhausted by sacrifice ; ^ on that ground I cannot reproach you ; for sacrifice ye offer with- out ceasing. But of such things I have no need — of tame beasts from house or stall, nor of the wild beasts in forest or on hill, for they are all mine — the birds of the sky, ^ and the creatures of the field. The whole world is mine with all that is in it ; so that were I hungry, I could take what I would without telling thee : but I eat not the flesh of beasts nor do I drink their blood. But when thou dost offer thy thanksgiving * in payment of thy vow, let there be real prayer and gratitude ; then in time of distress I will deliver thee and thou shalt pay me honor. But what right have you * to talk of my commandments Animal sac- and prate glibly of my law, when all the while you reject "J^oJ^r^ its warnings and cast my words behind your back ? You J'he m^"i°* enjoy the company of thieves and adulterers. You indulge law (16-20) 1 The preface to the decalogue, Ex. 20 : 2. 2 Or "does not consist in sacrifice." The precise attitude of the psalm to sacrifice is extremely difficult to determine ; but the meaning assigned in the paraphrase is true at least. 3 So the Septuagint. < Some take the reference here to be to the gratitude itself, not to the ma- terial offering. "Offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving." That is, no doubt, of more account than the offering ; but the material offering seems to be hinted at here, and is not in itself objectionable (cf. v. 8). * " To the wicked God saith." Probably this ought not to be regarded as a new address. It is the same people who are fond of sacrifices and neglect the moral law. Psalm 50 : 19 The Messages of the Psalmists in cruel and malicious gossip, deliberately slandering your own very brother ^ among your evil associates. And be- cause I was silent all the while, you thought I was like yourselves, willing to connive at sin, if only there was sac- rifice. The destiny Nay, vcrily, I will punish you, and show you plainly edt'nd^'the' the truth of the case. Mark it well, ye that forget God, good (21-23) lest like a lion he rend you in pieces ; he who offers a thank-offering does me honor, but he who giveth heed to his ways shall enjoy my full salvation." * Cheyne regards the brother as any fellow- Israelite. 106 THE PSALMS OF THANKSGIVING THE PSALMS OF THANKSGIVING INTRODUCTION Very few singers of the Old Testament would have understood the apostolic injunctions to give thanks in everything and to rejoice evermore. It is a rare thing to hear one vow that he will rejoice in Jehovah and joy in the God of his salvation, though the fig-tree yield no blossom, and there be no herd in the stalls (Hab. 3: 17, 18). Yet the Hebrew religion was, in the main, glad and grateful, and when it did give thanks, it did so with good will. There was much in the common round of every year, with the recurrence of its seasons of seed-time and harvest, to make the Hebrew heart glad ; and its gladness took on the color of religion. At times, too, there were droughts which blighted the land and dried up the hope and enthu- siasm of the people ; and when such times were followed by showers from the bountiful river of God, which watered the furrows and softened the ridges (65 : 9, 10 ; ^j : 6), they expressed their gratitude in noble songs of thanks- giving. 109 The Messages of The grounds of gratitude to Jehovah are manifold : but they are all summed up in a phrase which is echoed more than once : he brings men out of their straits into a broad place, where there is opportunity to breathe and room to move (i8 : 19; 66 : 12; 118 : 5). The one hundred and seventh psalm, with its glad refrain, furnishes types of the distress out of which God delivers men : he guides the caravans that travel across the trackless desert, he re- leases the prisoners, he heals the sick, and brings the storm-tossed seamen to the haven where they would be. But the highest, or at least, the most frequent motives of gratitude are drawn from histor3\ It is unfortunate that there are whole periods of which we know little or nothing ; it is unfortunate, too, that we have no means of fixing with precision the period to which any given psalm belongs. The deliverance of Judah from Sennacherib in 701 B. C, the return from the exile, the reformation inau- gurated under Ezra and Nehemiah, the triumph of the Maccabees — these incidents were all great enough to touch poetic hearts to song, and no doubt there are memorials of them in the Psalter, if we could only be sure where to find them. It is possible, for example, that Psalm 46 is the song of triumph over the retreat of Sennacherib, Psalm 40 : i-ii the song of joy to celebrate the deliver- ance from exile. Psalm 30 the song to celebrate the dedi- cation of the temple in 165 B. C. after its cruel profanation by Antiochus Epiphanes. But whether these conjectures no the Psalmists be just or not, there can be no doubt that many of the psalms of thanksgiving are associated with definite and important historical events. The enemy is often indeed described in general terms, but sometimes also very graphically, as foaming and blustering like the waves of the sea (46) or as swarming round Israel like bees (118 : 12). But Israel's God is a war-god (24 : 8, 10), and mightier than all they that can be against him. As, ac- cording to the myth, he vanquished the mighty monsters of primeval times (74 : 14 ; 89 : 10), so in historical times he often crushed the powerful opposition of Israel's enemies, breaking the bow, shivering the spear, throwing the enemy into a mysterious trance (76 : 5), and thus defending his people, and saving his holy city (46 14; 76 : 2) . Such a context is often represented as a trial, in which Jehovah, as judge, gives the case to Israel (cf. 9). Sometimes a spirit of vengeance breathes through the song of gratitude, as in Psalm 149, where in the mouth of " the godly " is a song of praise, and a two-edged sword in their hand to execute vengeance (149 : 6, 7) ; and we are reminded how far we still are, even in the later portions of the Old Testament, from him whose kingdom was not of this world. There was power manifested in these historical deliver- ances ; and Israel, in her songs, is fond of answering the heathen taunt, " Where is thy God " } (42 : 3) with the proud challenge, " Come and see " (46 : 8 ; 66 : 5). There is III TJie Messages of no mistaking what Jehovah has done . But dearer to Israel than the power was the divine love displayed in these national triumphs. Over and over again in the Psalter is heard the refrain, " His love is everlasting " (cf. 107, 136). Jehovah's was a love that had proved itself upon the field of history ; and it was not as the dupes of a pious imagi- nation, but with solid fact beneath their feet that they met — priests, people and proselytes (115 : 9-11 ; 118 : 2-4)— in the temple courts (118:27), to sing their songs of praise, to offer their drink offering (116 : 13) and to pay their vows of sacrifice (66 : 15). The God of Israel was the omnipotent creator and protector (124 : 8) ; well might they rejoice beneath the shadow of his wings (63 •• 7). II A GENERAL THANKSGIVING (107) Thanks to Praisc ye Jehovah. Give thanks to him, for he is good ; reliem^tion'^ his lovc is cvcrlastiug. Let this be the song of those and restora- •^'hom Jchovah has redeemed from distress, and gathered home from the ends of the earth, (a) The From all kinds of distress Jehovah can deliver men. guidance of -p^gj-g ^rgj-g thosc who Wandered up and down the desert, trie Ccir3.vsn ^ lost in the faint and hungry and thirsty, and unable to find their way wilderness ° ^ (4-9) to any city. 112 the Psalmists Psalm 107 : 22 But when in their distress they cried to Jehovah, he delivered them and brought them straight to the city. O let them give thanks to Jehovah for his love, and for the wonders which he works for men ; for the languishing and the hungry he satisfies. Unhappy prisoners there were, too, who, for their sins (b) The re- lay in chains of misery in the darkness of the dungeon, p^rtsoners with hearts bowed down, and none to help them when <^°"^^^ they stumbled. But when in their distress they cried to Jehovah, he delivered them and burst their bands, and brought them out of the dungeon's darkness. O let them give thanks to Jehovah for his love, and for the wonders which he works for men ; for he has shivered the gates of bronze, and the bars of iron he has cut in sunder. There were others again whose sin had led to suffering (c) The res- and sickness so grievous that they loathed the sight of skkness '^°™ food and were at the very point of death. (17-22) But when in their distress they cried to Jehovah, he delivered them, sending forth his healing word like an angel, and bringing back their life from the grave. O let them give thanks to Jehovah for his love, and for the wonders which he works for men. Let them offer the sacrifice of gratitude and tell with joy the story of his doings. 113 Psalm 107 : 23 The Messages of (d) The There were others, too, merchants, who travelled on the traveUere by great sea, and saw in its waters the marvellous things that sea (23-32) Jehovah had created. But at a word of his, a storm arose, which lifted high the billows. Up they went to the sky and down again to the depths. Their heart melted in their misery. They reeled and staggered and lost their wits like men that were drunk. But when in their distress they cried to Jehovah, he delivered them. He hushed the storm, and the waves were still. Then they were glad when the sea was quiet, and he guided them safely to the harbor where they longed to be. O let them give thanks to Jehovah for his love and for the wonders which he works for men. Let them exalt and praise him among the people, and where the elders meet together.^ Jehovah's But Jehovah will do for his people yet greater wonders f°rae?(33-42) ^^^^ thcsc. As he tums a land of fruitfulness and streams into a thirsty desert, because of the sin of her people, so again he turns the parched desert into a well-watered land, where he settles the hungry and they found a city and sow and plant and reap a harvest, and prosper and multiply — themselves and their cattle. And though under stress of misfortune and sorrow they be few and fallen, yet Jehovah will bring to shame the proud ty- ^ If " elders " is not here used in the technical sense, this will mean sim- ply " among gatherings of old people." 114 the Psalmists Psalm 46 : 3 rants that crush them, and cause them to wander aim- lessly about, like travellers in a trackless desolation. * But needy Israel he will lift up out of her misery and make her families like a flock of sheep. Then, in those golden, Messianic days, the upright shall rejoice and their cun- ning enemies shall be dumb. The wise man will think of those things, and lay to heart Jehovah's abounding love. Ill THANKSGIVING FOR DELIVERANCE [from SENNACHERIB?] 2 I. The Security of Jehovah's Own City (46) Our God is our refuge and strength, who graciously and Confidence abundantly helps in time of distress. Therefore we will sbi^(i°3" "* not fear in the direst confusion ; no ! not though the earth should change her place, and the mountains totter into the sea. Though the waters rage and foam, and the moun- tains shake with the swelling thereof. 1 V. 40a = Job 12 : 2ia, and v. 40b = Job 12 : 24b. 2 Psalms 46, 48 and 76 are grouped together, because they seem to cele- brate the same deliverance, though it is possible that 76 is later, and mod- elled on the other two. Some of course refer these psalms to other deliver- ances ; some even interpret 46 eschatologically, regarding Zion as the ideal Zion of the latter days. Psalm 46 : 4 TJie Messages of Confidence amidst as- sault (4-7) Confidence in Israel's omnipotent God (8-11) Jehovah of hosts is with us ; a fortress sure is the God of Jacob. ^ Despite the assaults of the angry sea, the city of God is gladdened by the gentle river of his grace — the city which he has saved and hallowed. Because he dwells in the midst of her, she can never totter. The dark night is sure to pass ; and God helps her at the turning of the morning. Confusion reigned throughout the world : na- tions raged and kingdoms reeled: earth melted before Jehovah's angry voice. But Jehovah of hosts is with us ; a fortress sure is the God of Jacob. Come and see what he has done — the dreadful work which proves his might. This Lord of hosts has stilled the battle-strife across the world, breaking the bow, and snapping the spear, and burning the shields "^ in the fire. What folly then to fight with such an one ! " Cease your foolish warfare," he triumphantly cries to the foe, " learn that I am Jehovah, Israel's God, to be exalted the wide world over. " Well may Israel, encouraged by the sight of Jehovah's omnipotence, utter this song more loudly than ever : " Jehovah of hosts is with us ; a fortress sure is the God of Jacob." 1 It is fairly probable that the refrain (cf. w. 7, 11) should be inserted here. 2 So Septuagint. 116 tJie Psalmists Psalm 48 : 1 1 2. The Deliverance of Zion (48) Our God is a great God, and worthy of all praise in the zion the fair city of Jerusalem and on Zion's holy hill. Fair she rises, sSie^fV ^ as a mountain of the sfods in the distant north ' — Mount f \'"^ "*^"'- <=> restation Zion, the city of the Great King, the joy of all the earth. (1-3) God has revealed himself in her by preserving her palaces from peril. For, see! kings gathered and came on together; but The city was one glance at the city was enough. No sooner did they by the"foe see it than they hasted away in astonishment, confusion, ^^'^'^ and terror, like a woman in travail — shattered as the east wind shatters the giant ships. The present is not less wondrous than the past.^ The tales of the olden time have been matched by what we have seen with our own eyes in this city of our mighty God, Jehovah of hosts, the city which he will preserve forever. Assembled as we are in the temple, we call to mind thy Jehovah is goodness to us in this great deliverance. Thy name is HrnTercy'in known and thy praise is sung throughout the length and preserving breadth of the world ; for just and mighty art thou. Let mercy 'which Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah rejoice because of thy able and just judgments. For who can deny that Jehovah has saved (9.^4)^^^^"^ ^ Or, with Duhm, we may suppose that the poet himself lived in the south, say in Upper Egypt ; and that from this point, he looks on Jerusalem as a sort of oriental Olympus. ^ Or, if the psalm be written by a pilgrim, the meaning will be that the city is as great as the rumors of it had led him to expect. 117 Psalm 48 : 12 The Messages of Jerusalem ? Walk round about the city and count her towers — not one of them is missing. Her walls have not been battered, nor her palaces been touched. Lay this up in your heart and tell it to your children, that this is the work of Jehovah our God, and with the same omnipotent love he will guide us for ever and ever.^ 3. Jehovah's Victory at 'Jerusalem (76) Jehovah Our God hath revealed himself and his glory in Judah. saiem (r.^) ^^ Jerusalem, her capital city, which is his home, he showed himself the victor, shivering in pieces the light- ning arrows, the shield, and spear, and weapons of war. The rout of When thou didst appear in thine awful splendor upon t e oe (4- ) ^^ everlasting mountains that are round about Jerusalem, the foe, strong of limb and stout of heart, fell into a trance,'* lost the power of their hands and became our prey. A stern word from thee, O God of Israel, threw horsemen and charioteers into a deep sleep. The divine Awful art thou ; uoue can stand before thy fierce anger. (7-11"^^"^ Thy voice of judgment from heaven affrighted into silence the people that had assailed thy poor servants whom thou didst rise to save. Grateful Every tribe will praise thee ; all men will celebrate sa- homage to mighty God ^ ^°^ " ""^° death." The words so rendered, are probably in reality part (10-12) of the musical superscription to the following psalm. ' More weird and probable in this context than the sleep of death. 118 the Psalmists Psalm 124 : 8 cred festivals in thine honor/ P^or this deliverance let Israel gratefully pay her vows to Jehovah her God, and let the neighboring peoples bring presents to the dread maj- esty of him who can slay princes and fill kings with terror. IV THANKSGIVING FOR DELIVERANCE [fROM THE EXILE ?] ^ I. Jehovah's Signal Deliverance (124) Had not Jehovah been on our side, when men rose Israel is against us — let this be Israel's song — then, so hot was from^aw*ful their anger, they would, like a great sea-monster, have p^"^ ^^'^^ swallowed us up alive. The roaring torrent would have swept over us, the proud waters would have swept over us. Blessed be Jehovah, who has saved us from being torn Thanks be by their cruel teeth. Like a bird from the fowler's snare ^mighty we are escaped ; the snare broke, and now we are free. ^°^ ^^■^) Our helper is Jehovah, whose name is the symbol for love 1 loa: " The wrath of man shall praise thee " is too stilted to be proba- ble, and lob makes little sense. The above paraphrase rests on a happy emendation of Duhm's, supported in part by the Septuagint. 'This psalm and the following six (129, 65, 66, 67, 126,40) are probably songs of gratitude for deliverance from the exile. In the first five, the joy is exuberant and practically unbroken ; in the last two (126, 40) it is crossed by some disappointment or sorrow. 119 Psalm 124 : 8 The Messages of Jehovah has delivered Israel from protracted affliction (1-4) Imprecation upon those who hate Zion (5-8) Gratitude for forgive- ness and the privi- lege of worship (1-4) to his people, and whose love is matched by his power ; for he is creator of heaven and earth. 2. Jehovah's Power to Protect (129) Sore, sore have I ^ been oppressed, ever since the days of my bondage in Egypt ; but I have never been quite overpowered. My back was furrowed with long scars like a field. But Jehovah, in his justice and love, has brought my misery to an end by cutting the cords with which the godless bound me. Disgrace and defeat be for all that hate Zion. May they speedily wither like grass upon the housetops, which, for lack of earth, withers, ere it shoots up — which fills no reaper's arms or binder's bosom, and brings no word o.i blessing from the passers by.'^ 3. Jehovah the Coiifidence of his People (65) It becomes us to praise thee, O God, in the temple, in fulfilment of the vows which we made: for thou hast heard our prayer. And first, we thank thee for the for- giveness of sins. We all come to thee in our weakness, because of the sins which are too many for us, and which thou alone canst cover. O happy are those to whom thou dost grant the gracious privilege of being guests of thine, and worshippers in thy house — delighted with the bless- ings which it brings. > Israel. « Cf. Ruth 2 : 4. 120 the Psalmists Psalm 66 : i We thank thee also, O God of our salvation, for thy Gratitude grace manifested in nature and history ; for again and vah's^ °' again thou hast heard our prayer and defended our cause fn^°*JeSs^n by victorious awe-inspiring deeds that have filled the history whole world, to its far-off lands and distant isles, with confidence in thee. Girdled with might, thou hast estab- lished and maintained the mountains, and thou dost still the raging alike of seas and nations. The peoples of the distant east and west stand in awe of thy wondrous signs and break into shouts of joy. We thank thee also for thy goodness to our land ; for Gratitude thou hast visited it with thy kindly showers and watered tuky of The it very richly from the bountiful river of God, and pre- ^^^^ (9-13) pared it for the harvest by watering the furrows and soft- ening the ridges with the rain-showers, and blessing all that grows upon it. Thou hast crowned the year with thy goodness ; * and everywhere the land is fruitful, where the wheels of thy chariot have come. Yea, even the very desert pastures blossom. Hill and valley share in the blessing. The happy hills are clothed with lambs : the valleys are covered with corn. They shout and sing in joyous rivalry. 4. Jehovah the Deliverer (66) A deliverance has been wrought for Israel which has a Universal meaning for all the world. Let every land then shout for orjraise^to 'Hebrew, " of thy goodness " : the whole year manifested his kindness: (1.4) but the familiar words of the English version are not misleading. 121 Psalm 66 : 2 The Messages of His power shown in the deliver- ance of his people (5-13) The vows of gratitude are paid (13-15) God an- swers the prayer of the pure- hearted (16-20) joy and praise the glorious name of Israel's God in songs that declare how dread a God he is. Thy works tell of manifold power ; thine enemies offer thee their cringing obedience. Let all the world do thee humble homage and sing praises to thy name. Come and see what he has done, and how dread is his rule over nature and men. For nothing is too hard for him. He turns sea into dry land,' so that his people cross the river on foot. We will therefore call upon our souls to rejoice in him, the mighty everlasting king, whose eyes keep watch upon the heathen, so that no rebel may lift up his head. Bless Israel's God, then, O ye heathen peoples, and sing to him a loud song of praise, who brought us back from death, and kept our feet from stumbling. For, after being sore tried, like silver in the fire — brought as we were to chains and prison'' — after being trodden under foot, the victims of suffer- ings extreme and manifold, thou hast brought us at last to a place of room and liberty, and our hearts are glad. I will therefore go to the temple and gratefully pay thee the offerings that I vowed in the time of my distress — fatlings and rams, bullocks and goats. Come, all ye that worship Jehovah, and listen while I tell of all that he has done for me ; for in answer to my 1 As at the Red Sea and the Jordan. 2 The meaning of both these words is uncertain, 122 the Psalmists Psalm 126 : i cry, he lifted me from under the heel of mine enemies/ Had the purpose of my heart been wrong, the Lord would never have heard me ; but, as my purpose was pure, he did both hear and heed my prayer. Blessed be he, because he did not reject my cry nor withdraw his mercy from me. 5. Jehovah's Goodness to Israel and to All Men (67) ^ O our God, be merciful to us, and bless us, and cause May jeho- thy gracious face to shine upon us, that thy manifest ness^t(f°° " goodness to us may lead the whole world to a knowledge au thl^""^ of thy gracious ways, and of thy desire and power to help world to them all, that so thou mayest yet have the homage and edge him praise of the nations, one and all. Let them all break forth with glad shouts of joy because of thy just and gra- cious sway. Let the nations praise thee, O God of Is- rael, every one. Jehovah our God has blessed us with a plentiful harvest. May his favor to us lead all the round world to the worship of him. 6. The Joy of Deliverance (126)^ When Jehovah changed the fortunes of Zion, it seemed The joy of like a beautiful dream — too fair to be true. Then we Fnce t\^^^' 1 By a reasonably probable emendation of Wellhausen's. 2 A poetical expansion of the priestly benediction, Num. 6 : 24-26. 3 This psalm and the next (40), with their abrupt change of tone, appear to belong to the period after the return from the exile, when the joy of de- liverance was clouded by the disappointing exigencies of the situation which confronted those who returned home : cf . Haggai i . 123 Psalm 126 : 2 The Messages of Prayer for another de- liverance (4) broke into shouts of happy laughter. The very heathen pointed to us as a people whose God had dealt greatly with them; and we ourselves took up the word, "Jeho- vah hath dealt greatly with us," and we were very glad. O our God, why is it so different now ? Change our fortunes again, we beseech thee, as thou dost fill the brooks in the dry south land with streams of autumn rain. Hope looks Yea, despite all seeming, I know that thou wilt hear our fuieyls £% prayer. Now we sow in sadness, but one day we shall reap with shouts of joy. With tear-stained faces forth we go, bearing the seed to scatter ; but in God's good time we shall surely come home, with our arms full of sheaves. 7. Jehovah's Deliverance an Act of Grace (40) Israel praises Loug and patiently we ' waited for Jehovah, and at last the d'e^^ ^""^ our faith was rewarded ; for, in answer to our cry, he de- wh1ch"he Hvcred us from the horror of our awful doom,^ and set us wrought in security again, and turned our lips to a glad new song ' ^ of praise, so that all who see what he has done for us will acknowledge him as God alone. Happy they who put their trust in him, and shun the Happy is Israel with . , . r r a such a God noisy worshippers ot lies. (4,5) Thy wonders, O our God, are many, and countless are thy thoughts toward us: there is none like thee. We » The church, rather than the individual, is speaking. Note plural us in V. 5- 2 Most probably the exile. 9 Idolaters. 124 the Psalmists Psalm 40 : 15 would render thee thanks with all our heart ; but what The truest thou dost delight in and demand is not the offering of fn^obedieil: animal or bloodless sacrifice, but the obedience of the ^'^^ ^^'^^ ready ear, and the heart that is willing to do thy will, as enjoined in the book of Scripture/ And such is the heart that we bring thee — one that loves to do thy will, one in which thy law is written. Our gratitude we have also shown, as thou, O God, Gratitude knowest, by eagerly proclaiming in the great congregation pubifc wor-" the glad tidings of our salvation. ^^^p ^9- 10) Yea, and as we have not failed to proclaim thy faithful- May je- ness and love toward us, so do not thou fail, O our God, and^deUv^ to show us pity and to shield us evermore by thy love ^"'^7) and thy faithfulness. For on every side are troubles with- out number, and our countless transgressions have over- taken us, so that our hearts fail us. But, O our God, graciously help and save us,^ and bring to shame and con- fusion all who are thirsting for our life ; defeat and dis- honor be upon all who long for our destruction, and shamelessly shout, " Hurrah ! Hurrah ! " But joy and J In such a context, the prophetic rather than the legal portion <^e,g., Levit- icus) of the Old Testament seems to be intended. 2 The last five verses of this psalm (13-17' reappear, with insignificant variations, as Psalm 70. It is hard to decide whether the verses formed, from the beginning, part of Ps. 40, or whether they were originally an in- dependent psalm, afterward appended to 40 : 1-12. Qn the whole they seem to belong, from the beginning, to Psalm 40. Such rapid transitions of feeling are not uncommon in the Psalter (cf. Pss. 22, 126). Psalm 40 : i6 The Messages of gladness be theirs who seek thee, and may all those who long for thy help say, " Praised be Jehovah," evermore. But as for us, .we are poor and needy. O make haste, ^ thou who art able to help and save us. O linger not, I beseech thee, my God. PSALMS OF THANKSGIVING [fOR MACCABEAN VICTORIES ?] 2 I. The Cofistancy of Jehovah's Care (138) Israel thanks I ^ would render thee my most hearty thanks, lowly the ?oS ^""^ bending toward * thy holy temple, and in defiance of the stancy of his heathen gods, I would render thee my thanks for the con- stancy of thy love ; for thou hast done far more than thou hast promised.^ In answer to my prayer thou hast multi- pUed my strength. > So Ps. 70 : 5. In such an impetuous context, this seems more natural than the present text with its beautiful thought, " the Lord thinketh of me." Besides, the sudden transition to the third person, in a context full of sec- onds, though far from being impossible or unparalleled, would be somewhat strange. 2 The following seven psalms (138, 144, 68, 30, 118, 116, 149) are probably songs of gratitude for Maccabean victories (167-165 B. C.). In the first two, the joy is tempered by a sense of diflSculties yet to be overcome : the end is not yet. The others breathe a very vigorous sense of triumph. » Collective. * Or "before." * The precise meaning of 2c and 3b is doubtful. 126 the Psalmists Psalm 144 : 6 When the heathen kings see how thou hast fulfilled thy This love promises to Israel, they too shall praise thee, and sing of whoiTworid thy great and glorious ways. shi'^ofTe- For from his high and distant throne Jehovah looks in hovah (4, 5) love upon the lowly, but the proud he strikes down.^ So, Through all though my way be distressful, I know that my life is safe hovah win with thee. For with thy victorious arm thou dost repel continue to ■' *^ care for my angry foes. Surely thou wilt finish the work which Israel (6-8) thou hast begun on me. Thou wilt not leave it undone ; for thy love is everlasting. 2. Jehovah the Warriors Stay (144:1-11)' Blessed be my ' God, the mighty Jehovah, my strong Thanksgiv- tower and refuge, my deliverer and defender,* who hasho^ahforhis taught me the art of war arid laid nations at my feet. ferTn war Thou art gracious far above my desert. For what is man, (1-4) frail child of the earth, that thou thinkest upon him, and visitest him with thy grace ? ^ for he is like a breath, and his days but a passing shadow." O come to us again, bow the heavens and come down. Prayer for touch the hills that they smoke. '' Shoot out thy lightning Hveran^ce^" arrows, and so scatter and confound them.® Stretch thy 1 Emended text. ^ The numerous quotations in this psalm from other parts of the Psalter show that it must be very late. 8 Collective. * Cf. i8 : i, 2. 6C£. 8:4. 'Cf.agis; 102:11. »Cf. 18:9; 104: 32. 8Cf. 18: 14. 127 (5-8) Psalm 144 : 7 The Messages of hand down from the height* and pluck me out of the great waters^ into which I have been plunged by false and perjured aliens. Vow of O God, with instruments and song I will make music fo^the^an-"^ unto thee ^ who helpest kings and who didst save thine Jj,*'^^^^_Jj''=- ancient servant David* from the deadly sword. Pluck me out of the hand of the false and perjured aliens. 3. Jehovah Leads to Victory (68) * The enemy Jehovah arlses, his godless enemies are scattered ® in (i^, 2) ^ flight before him, perishing at his presence like the smoke that vanishes or the wax that melts before the fire. Praise to Je- In gratitude for the victory let the righteous join in the hrs^power glad jubilation of worship. Yea, praise Jehovah's name f"^x^°^® in song, make music to him ^ who rides his chariot across the deserts.® Jehovah is his glorious name ; therefore re- joice before him. His mercy, too, is as wide as his power ; for from his home in heaven ^ he sends help to the needy, 1 Cf. 18 : 16. 2 Cf. 69 : I, 2. 3 Cf. 33 : 3 ; 40 : 3. * Or possibly, " who hast saved thy servant," that is, Israel, who, in vv. 1-4, sings her song of gratitude. In that case, " David " would be a gloss, suggested by the obvious indebtedness of the psalm to Psalm i8. 6 It is quite impossible to determine the date of this magnificent, but ex- ceedingly difficult, and in many places, very obscure psalm. On the whole, the probability seems to be in favor of a Maccabean origin (167 B. C). * The ancient words used in the advance of Israel's hosts. Num. 10 : 35. ' Possibly " make a path," but more probably a technical musical term, with which the obscure word Selah is connected. 8 For example, from Egypt and Babylon. ^Or from the temple (v. 5). 128 the Psalmists Psalm 68 : 14 fathering the fatherless and defending the widow's cause. He brings the solitary home again, and restores to com- fort all who were prisoners, leaving none but the rebels in the cheerless land. O our God, when thou didst march through the desert Jehovah's at the head of thy people,' all nature was moved. The olfe^hfs^peo- earth and the mountains ^ trembled at thy tread, and the p^^'s enemies (7-14) sky poured rain in torrents. Thy weary ones thou didst sustain, and thou didst settle thy people in the land which thou in thy goodness hadst prepared for them. The Lord has fulfilled his promise by granting us the victory, and many are the heralds that proclaim it, telling how that kings have fied in hot haste, leaving glorious spoil for the women at home to divide — dove's feathers overlaid with silver and yellow gold, with precious stones worked upon them that glistened like snow upon the trees of Salmon.^ 1 Probably the reference is to some recent triumph, not to the march from Sinai in the distant past, though the language is undoubtedly suggested by Judges 5 : 4, 5- 2 If the context describes a recent incident, Sinai (v. 8) will be a gloss. 3 So Duhm, who regards v. 13 as an enumeration of the booty. Well- hausen takes the dove to be Israel, and the silver an gold the booty. V. 13a " Will ye lie among the sheepfolds? " seems an irrelevant reminiscence of Judges 5 : 16. Salmon was a mountain near Shechem (Jud. 9 : 48). V. 14a Duhm regards as a gloss. Wellhausen translates v. 14, " When the Almighty scattered kings, when they stumbled in the night of death." Baethgen, who translates " When the Almighty stretched out kings upon it {i. e., the land), it was snowing on Salmon," frankly confesses that he does not understand the verse. 129 Psalm 68 : 1 5 TJie Messages of Northern To Jehovah bclongs the rugged mountain range of Ba- fudslh^ ° shan. Wherefore cast ye angry glances, ye rugged hills ca^'tites *^^ °^ Bashan, upon the hill of Zion which Jehovah has chosen (17. 18) for his eternal home ? ^ for the victory belongs to the mighty God of Zion, who has come to the fray from his ancient seat in Sinai, surrounded by unseen hosts ^ with myriads of chariots. After the victory thou didst ascend Zion's hill ^ with trains of captives bearing gifts of homage, and the rebels shall dwell there in subjection to Israel's God/ Fulfilment O blessed be the Lord, who beareth us day by day, the cient^oracie triumphant God who helpeth us in manifold ways, and is'^d vlcto' bringeth us out of deadly peril, crushing the head of his (19-23) proud and iniquitous foes in accordance with the oracle which declared that he would deliver us out of our peril ^ in Bashan, and bring us back to our own land to bathe our feet in the blood of our foes — blood which our dogs should also lick. The temple In honor of the victory of Jehovah my king, processions procession (24-27) 1 The people of the north resent the military success of the Jews. Judea could be seen from the northern hills — which lends point to the question. 2 Cf. 2 Kings 6 : 16 f. 3 Not elsewhere called " the height " ; but heaven is not very appropriate in this context. * A Messianic thought — the heathen subject to Jehovah. Some, however, emend, to bring the line into harmony with v. 6.: the rebels shall noi dwell. ' Perhaps the sea is used as a picture of peril (cf. 18 : 16); otherwise the collocation of Bashan and the sea is hard to understand. 130 the Psalmists Psalm 68 : 33 are seen in the sanctuary, with singers in front and players behind and, between them, maidens with timbrels, and bands of nobles blessing Israel's God — Benjamin the lit- tle in front, with the princes of Judah and the princes of Galilee. * Show thyself strong in our cause as of yore, from thy Prayer that temple above Jerusalem, and bring all the world into sub- JnayTc'- jection to thee. May kings bring thee tribute ! May thy uh^vah^^ rebuke be felt by Egypt ^ and by every savage heathen (28-31) nation — rulers and people alike ! ^ May they come from Egypt with gifts of oil,* and may Ethiopia speedily come with her hands full of offerings ! Then will the Messianic days indeed have dawned, Ascription when all shall humbly acknowledge Jehovah. Sing, all ye jehovJh ^° kingdoms of the world, sing the praises of Israel's God, (32-35) who rides through the ancient heavens. Hark ! he utters * In V. 26 the meaning is uncertain. 2 The beast of the reed (v. 30) ; probably the crocodile, as representing Egypt. Duhm thinks the allusion is to the swine who herd among the reeds of the Jordan (cf. Gadara in the New Testament). ' The last two clauses of v. 30 (c, d) are desperate. The context would suggest that the thought of the verse must be the submission of the heathen — whether voluntary or enforced ; but what the words actually mean no man knows. Wellhausen emends and translates: "Trample thou down the lovers of lies, and scatter the peoples who take pleasure in wars." Duhm: '* Settle among those who love thy threshold, and give glad tidings to the nations that delight to visit the temple." Cheyne translates c, " that rolls itself in mire for gain of money." < " With oil," instead of '* princes," which is a very doubtful word in the original. Cf. Is. 57 : 9. Psalm 68 : 34 The Messages of his mighty voice of thunder. Ascribe ye strength to Jehovah, who shehers his people Israel with his all- embracing majesty and might. From his holy place he shows himself terrible. He maketh his people strong and mighty. Blessed be he ! 4. Jehovah a Sure Deliverer (30) ^ Thanks- I will extol thee, O my God, because thou hast lifted me jLh'wah'for up as out of a dungeon, and kept my foes from rejoicing deH?eran°ce^ over me. When in mine extremity I cried to thee for (i-5> help, thou didst heed me, and save me and preserve me from death. Therefore sing to Jehovah, all ye that are his, and praise his holy name : for while his anger lasts but a moment, his favor endures for a lifetime. After every night of weeping, the morning breaks, with its shouts of gladness. Recital of I know whercof I speak ; for, when all went well, I fan- ilt^^gfa?' ci^d my prosperity would never be shaken. By thy favor (6-^2)'^"'^^ I had long stood firm and sure, till there came a day, when thou didst hide thy face from me, and I was troubled. Then very earnestly I prayed to thee in this wise : " What doth it profit thee," I said, " if I perish and go down to the grave ? for the dead cannot praise thee, nor tell of thy faithfulness. O hear me graciously, my God, and help 1 This psalm is referred by the superscription to " the dedication of the house," that is, the temple. It was apparently employed in, if not also com- posed for, the dedication ceremonies of 165 B. C, when the temple was puri- fied by Judas Maccabasus after its profanation by Antiochus Epiphanes. the Psalmists Psalm ii8 : i8 me. " My prayer was heard, for at once thou didst turn my lament into gladness. Thou didst unloose my robe of mourning and girdle me with a garment of joy, that I might praise thee without ceasing and give thee thanks forever. 5. Thanksgiving for His Great Deliverance (118) Give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good ; his love is ever- Liturgical lasting. Let all in Israel say — people, priests, and prose- J"!^) "'^''°" lytes ^ — his love is everlasting. For he answered the prayer that we uttered when in Jehovah an- straits, and brought us out into a broad place, Jehovah p7a^yer li ^ is ours : we have no fear. What can man do unto us .'* ^^^^^ ^5-9) With him to aid us, we shall see the defeat of our foes. It is good to put confidence in him — far better than'to trust in mortal princes.'' Everywhere heathen swarmed round us like bees, and He saved blazed about us like a fire of thorns ; but in the name of from^the ^ Jehovah we cut them down. When we ourselves were all enemy ^ ^^^ but thrust to the ground, our God helped us. He is our (10-14) strength, and song, and saviour. Glad cries of victory are ringing in the tents of the The joy of righteous. Jehovah's right hand has done bravely ; J'lj.'iS) Jehovah's right hand is exalted ; Jehovah's right hand has done bravely. He has indeed chastened sorely, but he ^ For the same enumeration, cf. 115 : 9-11. 2 The reference is possibly to alliances with the Romans, if the psalm be Maccabean. Psalm ii8 : i8 The Messages of has not given us over to death. No! we shall not die, but live, to tell all that he has done for us. Thanksgiv- Open to US the temple doors.^ Let us enter and offer deliv^ranc'e our thanks to Jehovah. (19-24) Ti^is — say the priests — is the door to Jehovah's house, and through it the righteous may pass. We give thee thanks for hearing and helping us; for thou hast wrought a miracle for us in exalting our little band "^ to be the founders of Jewish liberty. This glorious day ^ is Jehovah's own creation. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Prayer, the (Prayer of the people.) O continue, we beseech thee, biiSngand Jchovah, to help and prosper us. festal dance (Answcr of the priests.) In the name of Jehovah, blessed be ye all : from Jehovah's house we pronounce our blessings upon you. (The people.) Jehovah is God alone. He has shone upon us with his gracious face. (The priests.) Let the festal dancers unite by twining together the boughs they carry till they touch the altar's horns.* 1 The procession has now reached the temple. 2 The proverbial expression in v. 22 may mean that Zion is to become the foundation of the true kingdom of God. Or it may involve a more definite reference to the family of the Maccabees. 9 Possibly the day of the dedication of the temple (165 B. C) celebrated in Ps. 30. * The precise sense of 27b ; c is far from clear. the Psahnists Psalm ii6 : ii Thou art our God : we gratefully praise thee. Give thanks to Jehovah : for he is good. His love is everlast- ing. 6. Deliverance out of Great Affliction (ii6) I ^ love Jehovah, because he listens to my loud en- Jehovah treaty;^ for he inclined his ear to me. Therefore I will prayer of^dis. call upon his name as long as I live . Like a huntsman ^^^^^ ^^'3) death caught me in his toils, I was smitten with the an- guish of Sheol : ^ distress and sorrow were mine. Then I called on the name of Jehovah. " O save me," I He reward- said, " I beseech thee, Jehovah "; and in his grace and deliveraiJce justice and pity, this God of ours, who preserves the ^'^'"^ simple, did save me from mine affliction. I will bid my soul return to him : for he is my rest and benefactor, who has preserved me from death and sorrow, and will enable me, in the days to come, to walk without stumb- ling before him in the land of the living. Though * I was sore afflicted and fancied, in my confusion, that all men were traitors, yet I maintained my faith in God, and determined to call upon his name.^ ^ Collective. * V. I is somewhat difficult and uncertain. Cheyne renders : I am confi- dent that Jehovah will hear the voice of my beseeching. s Cf. Ps. i8 : 4, 5. *The Greek version regards Ps. ii6 as two psalms, and starts the second of the two at this point (v. lo). * The precise meaning and connection of vv. lo and ii are hard to make out, but are no doubt approximately represented by this paraphrase. 135 Psalm ii6 : 12 TJie Messages of the Psalmists The singer How then shall I repay Jehovah for all his many fuffih hiJ bounties to me ? I will pour out a drink offering to him, vow (12-19) calling upon his name while I pour ; for he it is that has saved me, he loves to preserve the life of his saints. " O I am thy servant," I cried, " thy humble servant am I, and thou didst free me from my misery." In the temple- courts therefore, before all the people of Jerusalem I will offer Jehovah a thank offering in payment of vows and I will call upon his name, as I offer. 7. The So7ig of Victory (149) Israel's song Sing a new song to Jehovah : let his praise ring in the gUng^f'oV assembly of the godly. Let Israel rejoice in her creator victory (1-4) ^^^ king, and praise him in the dance and with instru- ments of music. For he loves his people, and the meek he adorns with victory. The punish- Let the godly exult and sing in the night,' when the Saei-s^ toils of day are over. With loud songs of praise to God heathen foes ^^^ grasp in their hands their two-edged swords, to ex- ecute upon the heathen peoples the vengeance and judg- ment that are written, chaining their kings and fettering their princes. Such victory as this is the glorious destiny of all Jehovah's saints. J V. 5, " upon their beds." The text is possibly faulty here, but no satis- factory emendation has been proposed. 136 THE PSALMS IN CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP THE PSALMS IN CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP INTRODUCTION As the Psalter was the hymn-book of the second tem- ple, it is very natural that many of the psalms should breathe the temple atmosphere, and glow with affection for its worship. In a very special sense, the temple was Jehovah's home, and its sanctity was communicated both to the city of Jerusalem and the province of Judah. Jehovah's choice of Judah is regarded as deeply rooted in the past (78 : 68), and more than once his glory had been signally revealed in its chief city Jerusalem (46 ; 76 : 1-3), which is loved by him with a special love (87 : 2) ; and it was loved by the worshippers no less dearly. A very passion of affection is lavished by the psalmists upon it. It was the joy of the whole world (48 : 2), dear even in its desolation (102 : 14). For it was crowded with ancient memories (122 : 4, 5), and was the visible bond which held together the scattered children of Judaism (122 : i, 8). Hopes the most daring gathered upon it ; it was to be the 139 TJie Messages of centre of Jehovah's sovereignty (no : 2) ; and "mother Zion," as the Septuagint translates 87 -.5 by a happy mistake, was to be the metropolis of the whole world (87). No wonder men sang If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, May my right hand wither. 1 May my tongue cleave to my palate, If I remember thee not. If I esteem not Jerusalem My highest joy {137 : 5, 6). By the time these psalms were sung, the political glory of Jerusalem had long since vanished, and the halo with which fond hearts invested her was the halo of religion. The glory of the city was the temple, and the passion of the devout was centred upon the temple worship. It is on Zion that praise is seemly (65 : i), and there that vows are to be paid (116 : 18, 19); above all, it is there that Jehovah commands the blessing of eternal life (133 : 3). It was an inexpressibly blessed privilege to be permitted to worship within the holy courts (65 : 4), and men would endure the discomforts of long and perilous ways, if only in the end they might look upon Jehovah's lovely dwelling- place, and stand before their God in Zion (84 : 6, 7). They can hardly find words to express their affection for ^ The Hebrew consonants may mean " forget " or '• be forgotten," neither of which is very satisfactory. Graetz's very simple transposition of the consonants yields the above admirable sense. 140 tJie Psah) lists it all (26 : 8) . They can only utter their overwhelming joy in the touchingly simple words — / was glad when they said to me, We will go to the house of Jehovah (122 : i). The service was gorgeous and must have been very im- pressive, especially to an Oriental. Occasionally we catch glimpses of a happy festal procession (42 : 4; 68 : 24; 118 : 27), and we can form some faint idea of the joy with which the feast of booths was celebrated (81 : i-io). Music, which is continually referred to (81 : 2 ; 92 : 3 ; 98 : 5, 6; 150), must have played an important part, and the sights were doubtless often very beautiful, as, for ex- ample, the procession which celebrated the brilliant vic- tory sung in the sixty-eighth psalm — Singers going before and players behind, And maidens with timbrels between them (v. 25). It is easy to understand why, when a man was torn from these things, his heart was bowed down within him (42 : 4, 5), and why no devastation was so awful as the devastation of Jehovah's holy and beautiful house (74:3ff.) 141 Psalm 24 : 7 Tlie Messages of II Jehovah's entrance into Jerusalem (7-10) The joy of visiting Jerusalem with its ancient memories (1-5) THE PSALMS OF WORSHIP I. Jehovah's Triumphal Efttry into the Sanctuary (24:7-10)^ Lift up your heads, higher and higher still, ye ancient gates of Jerusalem, that the glorious king may enter in. But who then is this glorious king ? Jehovah, the mighty one, the hero ; Jehovah, the hero in war. Lift up your heads, higher and higher still, ye ancient gates, that the glorious king may enter in. Who is he, then, this glorious king .'' Jehovah of hosts, he is the glorious king. 2. The Vision of the Teinple (122) It is sweet to look back upon our pilgrimage to Jeru- salem. I was glad when my comrades ^ proposed to visit ' Probably Psalm 24 was formed by the union of two originally indepen- dent psalms. A reasonable connection, however, can be established be- tween the two — the latter deahng with Jehovah's entry into Jerusalem, the former with the conditions on which men may enter. Vv. 7-10 may be very early, among the very oldest fragments in the Psalter. Ewald regards it at the festive song with which the ark was brought to Zion (cf. 2 Sam. 6). Is may, however, be later, sung on the return of the ark after some victory (Num. 10 : 36; I Sam. 4 : 7 ff.). In this case, it would still be pre-exilic. Some again regard it as a very late psalm, referring to the Messianic days, when Jehovah will enter Jerusalem. 'No doubt, of the dispersion. 142 the Psalmists Psalm 84 : 2 the temple. O the joy of standing within thy gates, Jeru- salem, and gazing at thee with thy walls restored — in thy compactness fit emblem of the unity that binds thy chil- dren together as brethren, though scattered throughout the world. What memories crowded upon me, of the pilgrimages that all through the centuries the tribes of Israel had made, as the ancient law ordained/ There, too, had been set^ David's royal throne, where justice was dispensed. Pray for the peace of the holy city ; may all that love Prayer for thee prosper ! Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity ' iS?are^(6-9) within thy palaces. For the sake of my brethren and comrades throughout the world, I wish thee peace — for thou art the home of every Jewish heart — and also for the sake of the temple of our God, I will pray for thy welfare. 3. The Pilgriins Longing for the Sanctuary (84) How lovely is yonder house of thine, O mighty God of The pii- Israel ! In the far land from which we have come, our fhe'^igh't^f '^ soul was spent with longing for thy courts ; and now that J^e Jemple we are so near them, our whole being leaps forth with a ' Ex. 23 : 17 ; 34 : 23 ; Deut. 16 : 16. 2 Or "are set" thrones, the reference being perhaps to the Sanhedrin. The object of the pilgrimages may have been twofold — to worship and to have disputes settled. 3 As commonly in Hebrew poetry, there is here a play upon the words shaloui, shalwah and JerusJuilem, which it is impossible to reproduce in English. Psalm 84 : 3 The Messages of ringing cry toward thee, the living God. Here has Israel, like a mother-bird in her nest, found a home for herself and her young within thy house, thou mighty Jehovah, my God and king. O how happy must they ^ be who dwell here, and praise thee without ceasing ! Thepii- Nay, but happy, too, are those whose strength is in fes^thfoufh Jehovah, and whose hearts are filled with thoughts of nelsTo^zfon pilg^image ; "^ for even the hot and dusty valleys, where <5-7) only the balsam grove's, seem in their sight as though smiling with green, blest by fountains or rain. On they march, gathering strength as they go,' sustained by the assurance that the God of gods will reveal himself* to them in Zion. Prayer (8, 9) (O mighty God of Israel, hearken to our prayer and look upon the face of our anointed defender.) ^ Joy in the For a day in thy courts, though it be standing at thy in^God threshold, is better than a thousand in the lands of the (10-12) 1 The priests, or perhaps, more generally, the people of Jerusalem. 3 Instead of the somewhat unintelligible " highways " (the Hebrew has no "to Zion "), it seems better to read, with the Septuagint, " pilgrimages." 3 But in so picturesque and definite a context the other translation is equally probable, if not more so : On they go from rampart to rampart, that is, from city to city. * So, the Greek version, correctly no doubt. ^ Our shield (v. 9) may be objective (O God ! behold our shield), or voc- ative (O God our shield ! behold). If objective, it will be parallel to " thine anointed," if the anointed is an individual. On this view, the verse has been regarded as an interjected prayer for the high-priest. The " anointed " might, however, not impossibly be the people itself. 144 the Psalmists Psalm 42 : 4 ungodly.* For our God will defend "^ and favor all who walk uprightly ; he will honor and bless them with every good. O mighty God of Israel, how happy is the man who puts his trust in thee ! 4. Yearning for Fellowship with God (42, 43) ^ I long for thee, O my God, as longs the hart for the ye\'Sng?or water brooks in the drought of summer ; I thirst for thee, a vision of . 000(42:1-3) thou living God. O when will it be mine to behold ^ thy face in the temple ? Day and night have tears been my meat ; for the enemy mock me unceasingly. " What has become," they say, " of the living God of whom you boast ? " My soul melts, as I think of it all— how, with the com- p^^/sent? pany of nobles ^ I used to go up with ringing shouts of a contrast praise among the happy, festal crowd. How changed all is now ! ' From which the pilgrims had come. 2 "Battlement " instead of " sun " in v. ii. 3 These two psalms must originally have constituted only one. This is proved by the similarity of language, situation, and context, by the re- frain, and by the absence (at least in the Hebrew text) of a superscription to Ps. 43, which is the only psalm of this Korahite group (42 to 49) that lacks a superscription. * Instead of "appear before," by an extremely probable change of vow- els. * The rare and difficult word rendered " I led them " in R. V., and sup- posed to refer to the leading of the festal procession, may possibly have to be emended, as Duhm suggests, on the basis of the Septuagint. The word he proposes is the word rendered " excellent " in 16 : 3b. sues in hope (6-II) Psalm 42 : 5 The Messages of Why art thou bowed down, O my soul, and why dost thou storm within me ? Hope thou in God, for I know that I shall one day praise him as my mighty God and Saviour. Anguish is- Yet despite the hope I cherish, my soul is still bowed down ; therefore all the more shall I think of thee. From the land across the Jordan, near the giant Hermon with the neighbor hills,^ flood after flood pours its waters upon me from the angry heaven, and I am overwhelmed in a sea of troubles. Daily "^ I pray to the God of my life ; " O 1 This whole passage abounds in difficulties. " Hermons" in the plural, probably because of the mountain's various spurs. Some suppose that the first two proper names stand for Palestine, which is indicated by its chief river and mountain; but the variety in the topographical notice seems too definite for that. The district indicated is apparently that about the sources of the Jordan ; with this agrees admirably the imagery of v. 7, which is used half literally, half metaphorically — the scenery expressing the mood of the Psalmist's soul. There is much doubt about the hill Mizar, or the " hill of littleness," supposed— rather improbably— by Baethgen to stand forZion. It is more likely to be a hill in the neighborhood already Indicated ; and Professor G. A. Smith (Historical Geography, p. 477) has called attention to the fact that three names of places, with very similar spelling, occur in that very district. But the whole passage is involved in difficulty. Some suppose the psalmist to be an eidle far from the land of Jordan, etc, Well- hausen translates, " My soul is cast down within me, therefore on thee do I think, thou diminutive mountain, above all the land of Jordan and of Her- mon." 2Wellhausen and many others remove v. 8: "By day Jehovah com- mands his kindness, and by night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life." Its connection with the conte.xt is certainly anything but clear, and metrically the verse is too long. Yet clause c at any rate is quite in place ; and probably at least a part of a or b should be retained. 146 the Psalmists Psalm 43 : 5 thou who art my rock, why hast thou forgotten me, and why dost thou suffer my foes to crush me, and drive me into mourning? " For it cuts me to the heart to Hsten to their everlasting taunts, as they ask me, " What has be- come of the God you boast of ? " Why art thou bowed down, O my soul, and why dost thou storm within me ? Hope thou in God, for I know that I shall one day praise him as my mighty God and Saviour. Defend my cause, O God, and give me the victory. Prayer for From a people that knows no pity, from treacherous and guilTaSe?" crooked men, O deliver me ; for thine is the power, O thou hope i" God who art my God and stronghold. O why then hast thou cast me off, why dost thou suffer my foes to crush me, and drive me into mourning ? Send forth thy light and thy faithfulness— angels twain — that they may lead me over my darkened way, and bring me, in accordance with thy promise, to the temple hill whereon thou dwellest. Then with gladness would I again take part in the solemn wor- ship of the God who is the joy and the rejoicing of my heart, and upon the cithern I would praise thee, O Jeho- vah, my God. Why art thou bowed down, O my soul, and why dost thou storm within me } Hope thou in God, for I know that I shall one day praise him as my mighty God and Saviour. 147 Psalm 5 : i The Messages of 5. A Morning Prayer for Guidance (5) May my Lend thine ear, O Jehovah, to the words of my prayer, Jil-ay"e"be whether they be murmured or cried aloud. For to thee I heard (1-3) pray, my king and my God. Thou hearest my voice in the morning. In the morning I make me ready for thy v^orship and watch intently for a sign from thee. Worship is a To me thou wilt listen, but not to the wicked ; for thou the^goo/"'^ art a God that abhorrest wickedness. No evil man can be only (4-7) ^ guest of thine. Braggarts dare not stand in thy pres- ence ; the champions of falsehood and cruelty thou dost hate and destroy — they are thine abomination. But, as for me, it is not of my merit, but of thy great mercy, that I may come into thy presence and prostrate me before thy holy temple. May the Guidc me safely, O my God, along life's way, and pre- punished^ serve me from the least transgression of thy law, and clear (8-10), j^y ^2.\h of stumbling-blocks. For mine enemies are watchful. Their words are insincere. Their hearts are set upon the destruction of others ; and though they wear the fair face, and speak smooth words, their throats are like an open grave, which clamor for fresh victims evermore. Hold them guilty, O God. May their scheming bring them to ruin. In the midst of their numberless sins hurl them down for their defiance of thee. But everlasting joy shall be the portion of those who love thy name ; for their faith in thee thou dost reward by 148 the Psalmists Psalm 26 : 12 defending them. Yea, it is thy dehght to bless the right- and the eous : thou settest upon their head the beautiful crown * anTpS"-'^^^ of thy favor. tested •' (11. 12) 6. The Prayer of the Siticere Worshipper (26) Defend my cause, O my God, for my life has been a confession blameless, and I have put my trust unwaveringly in thee. °^_'^"°ce"^« Test me and prove me, try my inmost thoughts and feel- ings, for thy love has been an inspiration to me, leading me to walk in thy ways. Never had I dealings with the worthless nor with those who loved darkness. I hate them, and I would not sit in any gathering of theirs. I formally renounce them, and, with my conscience Glad panic- thus cleared, I take part in the festal procession around worship" thine altar, singing a loud song of thanks and telling of ^^"^^ thy wonders. O my God, I love thy house, and the place where thy glory '^ dwells. O forbid that I should share the fate of sinners like Prayer for those— bloodthirsty men with their hands full of bribes PJf^^^^J^^^'^" and villany. Not such am I ; for my life is blameless. Redeem me therefore and be gracious to me ; and now, since my path is smooth, and I can walk without stumbling, I will bless my God among his worshippers assembled. • " Shield" has been emended to " turban," a word not unlike it. 9 Primarily conceived in a concrete sense, cf . Ex. i6 : lo ; here no doubt partly spiritualized. 149 Psalm 27 : i The Messages of 7. Joy in 'Jehovah and His Sanctuary (27) Confidence Jehovah is the light and stronghold of my life, and he in Jehovah j^ j^ ^j^^ j^^jp^ ^^ Whom have I then to fear ? For when bands of wicked foemen assailed me with deadly cruelty, thou didst defend me and it was they who stum- bled and fell. So, though war should come, and a host encamp against me, I shall be fearless and confident. Delight in But the deepest prayer of my heart is that the privilege (4-6)^"^^^^ may be mine of dwelling evermore in thy house,^ taking part in "^ its stately worship, and tasting the sweetness of thy presence. For in the evil days he hides me in the shelter of his tent, and sets me on a rock : ^ and now that he has given me the victory over all mine enemies, I will join the festal procession * and offer sacrifices of thanksgiving amid loud strains of music, singing and playing in his honor. Earnest and Hear my loud cry, O my God, and graciously answer entr^elty' ^e. My heart saith to thee, " I seek thy face." " O hide (7-13) J As the literal fulfilment of this wish is impossible if the speaker were an individual, the reference must be to the community, and that this is the reference has been already made clear by v. 3. 2 The word in v. 4c rendered in the English version by " inquire " means either attending to the arrangements for the service, or perhaps, visiting the temple early. ' There may be here a covert allusion to the temple hill. * So the Greek version : of. 26 : 6. • So Duhm. the Psalmists Psalm 134 : 3 it not from me. Put me not away in thine anger ; for I am thy servant, and thou hast been my helper. O leave me not, O God, my Saviour. For thy love is more than the love of father or mother: though they forsake me, thou wilt take me up. Show me thy way, and lead me along a path that is smooth, that mine enemies may not triumph over me with their lies and cruelty. O make me not their prey. Surely I had perished, had I not been sustained by the sure hope of seeing the goodness of Je- hovah in the land of the living. Wait upon Jehovah. Let your heart be brave and strong ; and once again I say, wait upon Jehovah. 8. An Evening Invocation (134) Hark ! Bless Jehovah, ye servants of his, that minister The pilgrims by night in his temple. Lift up your hands in prayer °^dreTs^the toward the holy place, and bless Jehovah. P"^^^^* From his home in Zion may Jehovah send forth his The priestly blessing upon you — a rich blessing, too, for he is the Cre- response (3)^ ator of heaven and earth. 151 THE HISTORICAL PSALMS THE HISTORICAL PSALMS INTRODUCTION The Hebrew church took refuge from the present in the future and in the past. From the commonplace and often disheartening experiences of the days in which her lot was cast, she strained her eyes forward to the day when Jehovah would come to judge the world and give her the victory, or back to the old days when his hand was so manifestly shaping her fortunes. Thus it comes to pass that several psalms devote themselves wholly and others partially to a consideration of the past. They call up again the great figures of early Israel— Moses, Aaron, and Samuel— and they dwell long and earnestly upon the varied discipline through which God planted Israel upon the holy land. The historical psalms of the Hebrew Psalter are unique among national poetry that takes a retrospect of the past, in that their object is never to glorify the nation which sings them. On the contrary, they are intended rather to humble the singers, by show- The Messages of ing them how their ancestors had sinned without ceasing against the abounding love of God. The past is a riddle to be expounded (78 : 2), for history is the field in which God's mysterious purpose may be learned. In its essence, that purpose is one of love — everlasting love (136)— and that is why faith can re-enforce itself by thinking of the days of old (143 : 5). In times of sorrow and persecution, when the faith of good men is surprised and shaken, they turn for inspiration to the past, especially to the ever memorable deliverance from Egypt (81 : 10). For those were the days when Jehovah mightily and miraculously interposed to save them, taking the burden from their shoulders, and the too heavily laden baskets from their hands (81 : 6). In some psalms (78, 105, 106, 136) the whole early history of the people is lovingly followed from point to point, and the memory of the stirring days of the conquest is still affectionately treasured — the days when Jehovah overthrew Sisera and Jabin, Oreb and Zeeb, Zebah and Zalmunna (83 : 9-1 1). Some psalms again glow with a passionate and not un- natural appeal to Jehovah that the glories of those ancient days should be repeated in these {^'j'], 83). But besides recalling the love of God, the past recalls but too vividly the shame and disobedience of Israel. God is love and the fathers provoked him — these are the themes round which Israel's history everlastingly rotates (cf. 95 : 7-1 1). In spite of all he had done, they soon 156 the Psalmists forgot (io6 : 13), turning to idolatry even on the mount of revelation (106 : 19). The fathers were stubborn and rebellious (78 : 8) and Israel's history has been marked throughout by a tragic consistency ; for " like sire, like son " — " we have sinned with our fathers " (106 : 6). But in privilege as well as in transgression, the church of the present is one with the church of the past. In some sense the spirit of the ancient leaders is still with the present church (99 : 6 ff.). and, for David's sake, if not for her own, Jeho- vah may be persuaded to restore and bless (132 : 10). The historical psalms, besides suggesting the indefeasible con- tinuity of the national life amid all perils of extinction from foes without or from the deadlier sins within, also go to show what an exhilarating sense of reality inspired their conception of God. He had not merely looked upon the people from a distant throne in heaven; he had come down among them and taken them on his arms. And though in the long course of the centuries he had many a time suffered them to be "battered with the shocks of doom," it was that they might be shaped into more perfect instruments of his mysterious will, and used for noblest service. 157 Psalm 78 : I The Messages of II PSALMS EMPHASIZING THE UNFAITHFULNESS OF THE PEOPLE * I. The Lessofis of their Past Acts of Apostasy (78) The story of O my people, give careful heed to the lesson that I am fuu oiti- '^ about to read you from the riddling story of the past. The struction and j-^jg ^,hich Came down from our fathers across the gener- W3.rnin2r (1-8) ations — the glorious tale of Jehovah's might and the mar- vellous things which he did, we shall hand on to the gen- erations to come. He gave our fathers a law with its promises and threats to declare to their children, and to be rehearsed by each succeeding age, in order that the memory of all that he had done might lead them to put their confidence in him and keep his commandments, un- like their stubborn and rebellious fathers with their faith- less tempers and their restless hearts. Marvels of Ephraim's warriors ^ played the traitor to Jehovah's Jfj^''°^"^ cause, and turned back when the struggle came. They 1 Psalms 78, 106, and 8i differ from the four which follow (105, 135, 136, 114) in being of a more sombre tone. While the last four are full of glad- ness and gratitude, the three former are an implicit exhortation to re- pentance. 2 V. 9 ; the children of Ephraim, either " equipped with the bow," that is, archers ; or *' were a deceitful bow." Cf. the context and v. 57, where three of the same words recur. Some omit the verse here. 158 the Psalmists Psalm 78 : 31 would not live in the spirit of the law to which they had pledged themselves. They forgot Jehovah's wonderful deeds which they had seen with their own eyes. Wonder- ful things, too, Jehovah had done in the presence of their fathers in the land of Eg^pt ^ and in the wilderness — cleav- ing the Red Sea and leading them between the walls of water, guiding them in the day by the cloud and in the night by the glow of fire, cleaving rocks in the desert and bringing forth from them rivers of water for the people to drink. Yet in this desert they went on in their sin and rebellion The people's against the most high God, challenging his power to give febeiuous"^ them the bread they desired. " Yes," they said, " by a challenge of -' '.''.' God (17-20) Stroke he drew torrents of water from the rock ; but, much as he loves us, can he also spread a table for us in the wilderness, with bread and meat upon it } " When Jehovah heard this challenge, he broke forth in The divine flaming indignation against his people for their distrust of (Jf.j^i)^'^*^"^ his power to help them. From the open doors of heaven he rained down upon them manna — the food which the angels eat — and every man ate his fill. Then by his power he sent a south-east wind, and rained feathered fowl upon them, thick as the sand on the sea-shore, right into the heart of their camp, and they ate to their heart's content. But while their mouths were yet full, in his in- dignation he slew some of their sturdiest youths. 1 Zoan (v. 12), that is, Tanis, the capital of eastern Egypt. Psalm 78 : 32 The Messages of The lesson not learned (32-37) The divine compassion amid provo- cation and ingratitude (38-58) Yet, in spite of his miracles, they kept on in their sin and unbelief. So he made the years of their lives to pass like a breath amid sudden and ceaseless terrors. When he slew them, then they would turn to him and earnestly seek him, calling to mind that he was their rock and re- deemer, and out of their restless and unfaithful hearts they would speak to him with words that were fair but false. But as for him, he is pitiful and forgiving, and loath to destroy. Many a time he turns away his anger and re- fuses to stir up all his wrath. He remembered how frail they were, like the wind that passeth and never comes back. How often they provoked him to anger in the desert, tempting and vexing him again and again, forget- ful of the power with which he had redeemed them on that memorable day, when he revealed his signs and wonders in Egypt ! He turned the streams into blood and made the water unfit to drink. He sent among them destruc- tive flies and frogs. He gave over the harvest, for which they had toiled, to caterpillar and locust. He slew their fruit-trees with hail and frost : he abandoned their cattle to the hail and lightning. He sent angels of destruction among them — Anger, Indignation, Wrath, and Distress — giving Anger free course. He gave them over without restraint to the pestilence, smiting the first-born in every Eg)^ptian home ; but, like a good shepherd, he led his own people forth through the wilderness, preserving them from danger and fear, and drowning their foes in the sea. 160 the Psalmists Psalm 78 : 72 He brought them to his holy land — even to the mountains ^ of Canaan which he had won by his might. He drove out the nations thereof and apportioned their land into homes for the tribes of Israel. But, in the faithless spirit of their fathers, they rebelled against their most high God, and broke his law, and played the traitor with their false and idolatrous worship, which grieved him bitterly. When he heard of it he was indignant, and in his utter idolatry of abhorrence of the faithless people, he disowned the tent in Canaln" and Shiloh where he had made his home, and suffered the ark *^^ P""/^^', . ment (59-67) — symbol of his strength and glory — to be taken by the enemy,^ indignantly abandoning his chosen people to sword and flame. No wedding-song was sung for the maidens ; priests fell by the sword and widows died un- wept.' Like a strong man who wakes out of sleep, after having drunk deeply of wine, so the Lord awoke from his long forbearance, and inflicted eternal disgrace upon the rebel people * of Israel, rejecting them utterly. But in their place he chose the tribe of Judah, with its The divine beloved hill of Zion whereon he built a temple to stand as judah ° long as heaven and earth. From the sheepfolds he took (6^-72) David his servant to shepherd his chosen people ; and with true shepherd's heart, he fed and led them wisely. » Some think Zion (cf. 68b). 2 An allusion to its capture by the Philistines (i Sam. 5:11). ' So the Septuagint. < V. 66 : The context makes it fairly plain that the " adversaries " are Israel (cf. v, 67), not the Philistines. i6i Psalm io6 : I The Messages of 2. Jehovah's Mercy and IsraeVs Ingratitude (io6) Jehovah's Praisc ye Jehovah and give thanks to him, for he is good, ^e^o^pk (i-sT ^^^ ^°^^ ^^ everlasting. The story of his splendid deeds of might can never be fully told. Happy are those who praise him by unceasing obedience to his righteous laws. Prayer O remember us now, despite our sin, with the favor ^"^ ^^ thou didst show to thy chosen people of old, and grant us thy gracious help, that the holy joy and pride that were theirs may be ours. As we are like them in our sin and perversity, so may we be like them in our experience of thy love. Israel's re- In Egypt in the days of old, our fathers, unmindful of gJatftude' '^he miracles of thy love, rebelled against the Most High ^ and apostasy ^j- ^^ ^^^ Sea ; yet to show how mighty he was, he in the early ^ a j ' days (6-33) saved them, drying up the sea with a word, leading them through its depths as over pasture-land, and delivering them from their cruel plight by drowning their foes — every man of them. The victory taught them to believe his word, and touched their lips to praise. But in their impatience they soon forgot what he had done, and in- dulging unseemly appetite, they began, in the desert, to put his power to the test. He gave them what they asked and sent with it a wasting sickness.^ Then jealousy * Instead of "at the sea " (v. 7) read " against the most high," on the basis of a probable emendation suggested by the Septuagint. 2 Duhm emends to " loathing," as in Num. 11 : 20. 162 the Psalmists Psalm io6 : 28 broke out against Moses and the holy Aaron on the part of the godless company of Dathan and Abiram ; ^ but they met an awful doom — being swallowed of the earth and consumed by fire. They were guilty, too, of idolatry even on the mount of revelation, exchanging their glorious God for the molten image of an ox that ate grass. They forgot all his mighty and marvellous and terrible deeds at the Red Sea and in Egypt, so he purposed to destroy them : but Moses his elect saved them from his deadly anger by stepping into the breach. They were also unbelievers ; they would not trust his promise to bring them to the land of Canaan, but they despised that delightsome land, and broke out into mur- murings at the report of the spies. So with uplifted hand he swore that he would make them fall in the wilderness, and that, in the after time, he would scatter them in exile throughout the world. Then, idolaters as ever, they turned from their own liv- ' Korah is not known to the prophetic narrative (Num. i6 : 12, 25) known as JE, nor yet to Deuteronomy, which rests upon that history (Dt. 11:6). But, as the story of Korah's rebellion, such as we have it in the priestly narrative (Num. 16), was in all probability current when the psalm was written, we are left to conjecture why the name was here omitted. Perhaps the omission is simply due to the metrical structure of the verse, which is satisfied with two names ; or there may have been a reluctance to allude to this incident, con- sidering the importance of the Korahites in the temple service ; or most prob- ably the late story of Korah's rebellion had not yet been combined with the older, in which only Dathan and Abiram figure. 163 Psalm io6 : 28 The Messages of ing God to the lifeless god of Moab and sacrificed to him. But Jehovah in his anger sent a plague, which was not stayed till the priestly Phinehas executed judgment ; and for this righteous act of his, the priesthood was bestowed upon his family forever. They also provoked and angered Jehovah at the waters of Meribah, and stung Moses into reckless speech, for which he paid a grievous penalty. Israel's guilt Again, instead of destroying, as Jehovah command- vah's fo?-" ^^' ^^ nations of Canaan among whom they came, they giveness in mixed with them and learned to do as they did, adopting quent his- their fatal practice of idolatry and shedding the blood tory (34-4 ^^ ^^^^ iunoccut children in sacrifice to the demon-gods of Canaan, till not only themselves but the land was pol- luted by their cruel and idolatrous worship. Then Je- hovah's indignation flamed into abhorrence ; and, though they were his own people, he put them under the sway of their enemies, who oppressed them and brought them low. Often as he delivered them, they persisted in their rebellious purpose. But, mindful of his covenant, and moved to pity by the greatness of his love, he regarded their cry of distress, and made their captors take pity upon them. Prayer for Pity US, O our God, as thou didst pity our fathers, and restoration ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ gather US from the nations among whom we are scattered, that we may give thanks to thy holy name and make thy praise our boast. 164 tJie Psalmists Psalm 8i : 12 3. IsraeVs Inexcusable Disobedience (81) The feast of tabernacles has come. Let us celebrate it The andent with glad strains of music. Ye people all, send up ringing ushered \n ^ shouts of praise to Israel's God our strength. Ye Levites, ^^ith music make music on the timbrel, the sweet cithern and the harp. Ye priests, blow the trumpet to usher in the new year ^ with the celebration of our festival, in accordance with the law that Jehovah gave Israel at their departure from Egypt — that land whose language was strange to them. ' "It was I," said Jehovah," who took the burden off Jehovah your shoulders, and the heavy-laden baskets from your reSnds the hands. From the thunder-cloud I heard your cry of dis- Xl^^^^f^l^ tress and delivered you, and knit you closer to myself by his redemp- -' •' ^ ' tion of them testing you^ at the waters of Meribah. O listen, ye peo-(6.io) pie of mine, to my warnings. There must never be among you the worship of another God ; for I am your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, and I will satisfy your desires. But * despite my love and my promises, my people The people's refused to listen, so I abandoned them to the devices of disobedience their own stubborn hearts. > The lunar year, which began in harvest, ' Some think that with 5c a new psalm begins. • It is very hard to trace any connection between 7ab and 7c. * The poet here passes abruptly from the scene on Sinai to a considera- tion of the religious temper of the subsequent history. i6S Psalm 8i : 13 The Messages of The blessing But oh ! that they would listen and walk in my ways ; dieni might ^^^"^ would they learn the power of my love. I would still secure tum my hand against their foes, and lay them low, so that ^^'^ the foe would have to cringe before them in everlasting terror.^ I would feed them to the full with the richest wheat and the finest honey." Ill PSALMS EMPHASIZING THE LOVE OR POWER OF GOD" I. Jehovah's Unceasmg Care Over Israel {10^) Praise Jeho- Ye children of Abraham the servant of Jehovah, and of fideli^t°^o his J^^°^ ^'^ ^^^^^' ^^^'^ thanks to your God, call upon his ancient cov- name, publish to all the world what he has done for Is- rael. Celebrate his wonders in music and song. Glory in his holy name, and learn of the love he has shown in the past of his people, and still can show to-day. Study with joy that past — full as it is of wonders and judgments upon Israel's foes — and it will teach you his power and his faithfulness. He is the God of Israel, but his judgments have swept the world. He is ever mindful of his ancient promise to bestow the land of Canaan — the promise he solemnly made to Abraham and confirmed to Isaac and Jacob forever. 1 For " time" in v, 15, perhaps read " terror," by a very simple change, ' The four following psalms are more exuberant in tone than the last three; see note on p. 158 (note i). 166 the Psalmists Psalm 105 : 30 When they were very few, and as it were but pilgrims Jehovah's in the land, wandering from nation to nation and people ^a^^over the to people, he let no one oppress them, and he even pun- /f^lj^)^'^^" ished kings' for their sake, forbidding them to touch one who was his anointed ^ or his prophet.^ When he sum- moned a famine over the land and cut off all its suste- nance, he sent Joseph before them, who, though sold as a serf and afterward put in galling chains and fetters, yet was shown in God's good time, by his correct interpreta- tion of the dream, to have spoken by divine inspiration. Then he was advanced to honor ; for the royal Pharaoh sent and set him free, and made him lord of his house and of all his possessions, with power to imprison and chastise * his officers as he pleased. In this way Israel came to Egypt and dwelt there as His cham- a stranger. But their God made them numerous and f'sJ^gf J^ ° stronger than the Egyptians whom he inspired with a ^^^p^. crafty hatred of his people. Then he sent his chosen ser- vants Moses and Aaron by whom he wrought wonderful plagues among the people of Egypt. He brought dark- ness upon them, but that did not bring them to listen ^ to his words. He turned their waters into blood and killed their fish. He sent a plague of frogs that even entered * Pharaoh and Abimelech (Gen. 12 ; 20 ; 26). ' Hebrew, Messiah. ' Abraham is called a prophet in Gen. 20 : 7. * Or instruct (so Septuagint). * Reading in v. 28 " they kept not " instead of " they rebelled not." 167 Psalm 105 : 31 TJie Messages of the palace. He summoned locusts and lice to cover the land. He sent storms of lightning and showers of hail which smote all their fruit-trees to pieces. He summoned countless swarms of locusts and caterpillars, which ate the country bare. He smote all the first-born throughout the land, and thereafter led his people out, laden with sil- ver and gold, not one being footsore among them. Panic- stricken Egypt was glad when they went away. His good- Jehovah still followed his people with love, covering nesstothem , . , r r t> in bringing them With a cauopy of cloud by day and of fire to give to^Snaan^ light in the night. At their entreaty he sent them quails (38-45) and gave them heavenly bread to their heart's desire. Water, too, he gave them in abundance, though it was desert; he smote a rock and forth it gushed. And all this he did, because he was mindful of his inviolable prom- ise to Abraham his servant. With joy and gladness he led his elect people forth into Canaan, and gave them the lands of the native peoples, and the fruit of all their toil. His design in it all was that they should respond to his love by obeying the laws which he gave them. 2. Jehovah's Love Revealed in Nature and His- tory (135) Call to Praise Jehovah, praise his name, ye servants of his, who praise 1-3) j^jj^jgj-gj. jj^ ^^ courts of his housc. Praise Jehovah and make music to him ; for gracious and lovely is he. 168 the Psalmists Psalm 135 : 21 Jehovah has chosen Israel to be his own dear people, Jehovah's and well I know there is no God like him. Nature and IJ'^eak?in history alike reveal him. In heaven and earth and in the "^^"""^ (^^'7) deep waters he has wrought his will* From the earth he makes vapor ascend to form clouds. Lightning he sends with the rain-storms, and he brings the wind out of his storehouses. History, too, reveals him. Egypt's first-born, both of jenovah's man and beast, he smote, and signs and wonders he JJ^JJed^n 5*1 wrought in that land — upon king and courtiers. Many J^^^J^^^^^^^y were the nations that he smote and mighty were the kings (8-12) that he slew — Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, king of Bashan, and the kings of Canaan all ; and their land he gave his people Israel to possess. His fame is everlasting, and what he has done will Contrast never be forgotten. For he takes pity upon his people, jehovah and and vindicates their cause. The heathen idols'^ are silver the heathen gods (13-18) and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths that cannot speak, eyes that cannot see, ears that cannot hear a prayer, mouths that cannot breathe. May those who make them and those who trust in them become im- potent as they ! All Israel, bless Jehovah, ye people, priests, and Levites Bless Jeho- and proselytes.^ Blessed be Jehovah out of Zion, his home. ^^^ (^9-3i> iCf. 115:3. « For vv. 15-18, cf. 115 : 4-8. • Cf. 115 : 9-11 ; 118 : 2-4. 169 Psalm 136 : I The Messages of Ascription of thanks (i-3> Jehovah's love as re- vealed in the marvels of nature (4-9) Jehovah's love as re- vealed in Israel's his- tory (10-26) 3. The Revelation of Jehovah's Love in Israel's His- tory (136) Give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good ; his love is ever- lasting. He is the God of gods, and Lord of lords. Give thanks to him ; for his love is everlasting.' All nature and history are radiant with that love. He it is alone who works wonders. In wisdom he created the heavens and stretched the earth over the waters.' He made great lights— the sun to rule the day, the moon and stars to rule the night. History, too, reveals his love to Israel. He smote Egypt's first-born and brought Israel out of the land by the strength of his outstretched arm. He smote the Red Sea and led Israel through, and into its waters he shook Pharaoh and his army. Then he led his people through the desert and dealt death to kings that were great and noble— Sihon, king of the Amorites and Og, king of Bashan— giving their land to his servant Israel to possess. He remembered us in our lowliness, and freed us from our foes. He satisfies the desires of all. O give thanks to the God of heaven ; for his love is everlasting. * This is repeated as a refrain in every verse of the psalm. 2 Cf. 24 : 2. 170 the Psalmists Psalm 114: 8 4. The Significance of the Deliverance from Egypt (114) In the old days when Israel went forth from barbarous ' Nature af- Egypt, he chose them to be his holy people, over whom thf e?odus he should rule in Judah.* At the sight of this terrible God, ^/om Egypt the Red Sea and the Jordan fled in terror, and the moun- (^-4) tains of Sinai leaped like lambs. What is it that causes the waters to flee, and the hills Affrighted to leap ? Is it not the dread presence of Israel's God ? bie presence Thou dost well, then, O earth, to tremble at that presence : ^^igSyood for mighty are the marvels that he works. He turns rocks (s-s) into pools, and flint into fountains. 1 Barbarous in the Greek sense — speaking a strange language. 2 This paraphrase does not represent the grammar of v. 2, in which Judah is parallel to Israel ; but it gives the general sense. In post-exilic times, Judah was regarded as the true Israel (cf. Chronicles), and in the later lit- erature, the word Israel often stands for Judah. If 2a be rendered "Judah became his sanctuary," the allusion will be partly to the temple. 171 THE IMPRECATORY PSALMS THE IMPRECATORY. PSALMS INTRODUCTION To a delicate moral sense, the so-called cursing psalms have always proved a stumbling-block. Many of the imprecations are indeed very terrible — the climax being reached perhaps by that psalmist who counts it a glad day for the righteous when his eyes shall see vengeance and he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked (58 : 10). The strange thing, too, is that sometimes this wild long- ing for vengeance flashes out from the tenderest hearts (cf. 41 : 10 ; 140 : 9-11 ; 143 : 12 ; 137 : 7-9). It has been hard to see what place such themes can have in a litera- ture of revelation, and many have been the devices to explain away the seeming offence. It has been urged, for example, that the hatred of the psalmist is directed not against the sinner but against his sins. Needless to say, this explanation, besides being flagrantly untrue to the obvious facts, involves a distinc- tion between the sinner and his sin which antiquity would hardly have recognized. Again, it has been urged that 175 TJie Messages of what such psalms contain is rather prediction than im- precation. In other words, the psalmist says, " The wicked shall be destroyed," rather than "May he be de- stroyed ! " The ambiguity in the usage of the Hebrew imperfect tense lends a certain plausibility to this view, but such an explanation would very inadequately account for the passion that glows in the words of such psalms. Again, in the case of the one hundred and ninth Psalm, it has been seriously argued that verses 6-19 represent, not the imprecations of the psalmist upon his foes, but of his foes upon him. Such a subterfuge, which in any case would only be applicable to this psalm, shows at least how grave the difficulty occasioned by these psalms has been felt to be. The psalms, however, find their real explanation in the situation of the singers and in the ideas of the ancient Jewish world. (i) It has to be remembered that these psalms are not the spiteful expression of personal enmity. The speaker is the church, and the subjects of his imprecation are the enemies of the church or nation. The curse upon Edom and Babylon, for example, was wrung from embittered hearts by the cruelty of these peoples (137 : 7-9), and the imprecations of the sixty-ninth Psalm are, to say the least, not unintelligible, if, as has been supposed, they were di- rected against Antiochus Epiphanes, who desecrated the temple (cf. 74 : 3-9). 176 tJic Ps all} lists (ii) Again, it is the cause of God that is at stake when the church is assailed ; and, as the speaker is the church, the prayer is that the insult to God may be avenged, rather than any personal injury. This comes out clearly in Psalm 79 : 10-12, where vengeance is denounced upon the heathen, because " they have reviled thee, O Lord." On similar grounds is to be explained the peculiar violence with which Psalms 104 and 139 end. There is no room for the wicked, the psalmist feels, in a world so full of Jehovah's goodness (104) ; no place for men who are not overawed by the thought of his loving, searching omni- presence (139). (iii) It is very important, too, to note that the men on whom the curses are to fall are men guilty of cruelty and immorality. Important as context always is, the context of imprecation is peculiarly important. When the " God of vengeance," as Jehovah is called (94 : i), is appealed to, it is against those who slay the widow and the stranger and murder the fatherless (94 : 6 ; cf. 59 : 12). From this point of view, the imprecations are only the vehement expression of a passionate belief in the moral order, and a desire to see its consummation hastened. (iv) Lastly, the confusion of the wicked was a neces- sary postulate of the psalmist's faith in God. He felt that God was bound to vindicate him — or, if you like, the church — as his representative. If the wicked were to tri- umph, and the good to be defeated, God would also be 177 The Messages of defeated, falling in the fall of his people ; and that must not and cannot be. Hence the passionate appeal for ven- geance. It is also only fair to remember that imprecations are only very occasionally on the lips of the sufferers ; no word of cursing falls from the lips of the greatest sufferer of all (22). II PSALMS OF VENGEANCE I. Upon the Brutal and Malignant Foes of Judah (137) ' The Babj'- When the day was done, we sat down by the waters of lengTto sing Babylou, and sought to comfort our exiled hearts with ^'■3^ song. But the thought of Jerusalem came upon us and our eyes filled with tears. So we hung our harps again upon the willow-trees. For our ruthless captors called upon us to make sport for them by singing one of the temple ^ songs. The Jews' Never ! How can we sing a song of our own God in the refusal (4-6) t^^^^ ^f another ? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, if I count thee not my highest joy, may my right hand wither^ and * Probably written soon after the return from exile, when the memory of it is still fresh (cf. v. 7). * There is in this Psalm a fine blend of religious and patriotic motive ; or, more strictly, to the Jew these were two aspects of the same. * See p. 140 (note). 178 the Psalmists Psalm 58 : i strike the harp no more ! may my tongue cleave to my mouth and never sing again ! From friend and stranger alike we have suffered — from imprecation Edom and Babylon. O our God, punish the cruel Edom- "nd Edom" ites who, instead of playing a brother's ^ part, shouted ^7-9) with malicious joy over the downfall of our dear Jerusa- lem, and wildly urged her assailants to raze the city to her very foundations.^ O Babylon, the cruel ! ^ Happy the man who shall deal with thee as thou hast dealt with us. Happy the man who shall seize thine infants and dash them against the rocks. 2. Upon Unrighteous Judges (58) * Ye rulers who claim to rule by right divine,^ are your The unjust sentences just ; are your judgments of men impartial ? 1 Their ancestors, Isaac and Esau, are represented as brethren. a Cf. Obad. lo ff. 3 The possibilities are : (i) she who has been devastated (that is, already as good as devastated — her doom is sealed), or (ii) she who is to be devas- tated, or (iii) by a change of text, she who devastates. * This psalm and the four following (59, 69, 109, 83) may possibly all com from the Maccabean period, though 58 and 59 at least may well be earlier. The situation in 58 might even be as early as about 600 B. C, when the Babylonians were practically masters of Palestine. It reminds us forcibly of Hab. I (cf. vv. 3, 4). ' Instead of " in silence," as in R. V., or " O congregation," as in A. V., read "ye gods." There is the same difficulty here as in Psalm 82, which is closely akin to it, in deciding whether by " gods " the tutelary gods of the heathen nations are meant, or more generally rulers ; quite probably the for- 179 Psalm 58 : 2 The Messages of Prayer for their de- struction (6-9) Faith in God's jus- tice con- firmed (10, 11) Nay, verily, rather your conduct is iniquitous ; ^ it is wrong, and not justice that you dispense with your hands. Your very blood is tainted. You belong to the class who are aliens from God and liars from the very womb, malicious as a venomous snake, or as an adder that bites the skilful snake-charmer, and refuses to listen to his voice. O my God, crush the teeth in their mouth. Yes, break their lion's teeth. Let them melt away like the running water ; let them be mowed down like the grass. ^ May they vanish, as the snake dissolves on its crawling path ! May they disappear as an untimely birth which the light has never seen ! Yes ! the storm is surely coming ; and before your plans are ripe, they will be scattered to the winds.^ Ah ! that will be a glad day for the righteous, when his eyes are glutted with this feast of vengeance, and he washes his feet in the blood of the wicked ; and then all mer. But the above paraphrase brings out the essential meaning with suf- ficient accuracy for the modern reader. 1 In the land, or in the world, according as we regard the injustice as ex- ercised within the Jewish state only or in the world at large (v. 2). 2 Probably the original text had nothing to do with " arrows." s The detail of this verse (9), especially the second clause, is exceedingly difficult and obscure. Some render, " Before your pots feel the fire of thorns, he (or it) will sweep them away, both what is raw and what is cooked." The last phrase is hardly possible ; but, at any rate, it must mean more than " in his anger." Duhm suggests "thorns and thistles" — the material for burning is swept away, the fire goes out, and there is an end of the cook- ing. The meaning in any case is that their plans are frustrated. 180 the Psalmists Psalm 59 : 8 will be constrained to confess that the righteous has his reward. Yes, there is indeed a God who judges in the earth. 3. upon Treacherous and Malignant Foes (59) * Set me, O my God, in a place secure from my foes. O Prayer for , , ... 11111- -r- deliverance save me from those miquitous and bloodthirsty men. For from ma- see what they do. They cunningly seek my life, they in- ^^^ ^"^^ ^^"'' solently band themselves against me, though not, O my God, for any sin or evil that I have done. They run to the attack and prepare to despatch me. O awake, come and see, thou who art far mightier than they — for thou art not only Israel's God, but Lord of Hosts — awake and pun- ish the insolent aliens, and show no pity upon those vile and blasphemous men. In the evening "^ they go about the city, howling like dogs, with their venomous mouths and blasphemous tongues, supposing that Israel's God cannot hear.^ But thou dost hear, O my God, and thou dost meet Song of their blasphemy with laughter and mockery. O thou who fsfio)" 1 The enemies in this psalm appear to be heathen (v. 5), that is, foreign- ers (unless indeed, with Duhm we here read " proud "), and therefore (like Ps. 83 ?) this psalm might be Maccabean. But there are no proper names here, as there, to guide us ; and the description of the enemy is sufficiently vague to fit into the period of the struggles with the neighboring peoples, when the Jews, after their return from the exile, were attempting to recon- struct their ecclesiastical and quasi-political life. ' V. 6 ; note the refrain (v. 14). » Cf. 94 : 8, 9. 181 Psalm 59 : 9 The Messages of art my strength,' I will sing a song ^ of praise to thee ; for Jehovah is my fortress and my gracious God. He will come to my help and feast mine eyes upon mine enemies. Prayer for Do not dcstroy them by a speedy doom, for then my menHTthe People might forget, but send thy heavenly hosts to drive marauders them about ^ in disquietudc as the bloody Cain was driven. Give them up. O Lord, to the consequences of their sinful speech ; let them be taken in their pride because of the perjury they utter. Consume them in thine anger, con- sume them utterly, and let it be known to the end of the world that God rules in Israel/ In the evening they go about the city howling like dogs, roaming about for something to eat, and growling when they do not get their fill. Song of But as for me, I will sing aloud of thy strength, and celebrate thy grace in the morning,^ for thou hast been a fortress to me, and a refuge in time of distress. O thou who art my strength, I will sing a song of praise to thee ; for Jehovah is my fortress and my gracious God. ' 1 Note the refrain (v. 17). The form of the refrain here does not agree exactly with the form in v. 17, and a comparison of the passages gives rise to serious textual difficulties. But quite probably the refrain was origi- nally the same in both verses. 2 Cf. V. 17, more probable than " I will wait for thee." 3 Or, hurl them down. * Or, rules to the end of the world. * This pure song of religious joy is meant to be contrasted with the howl- ing of the enemies in the night. * Some here supplement the refrain (cf. v. 9, 10a) by adding lob. 182 gratitude (16-17) tJie Psalmists Psalm 69 : ii 4. Upon Wanton Persecutors (69) ' Save me, O God, from my deadly peril, for I am sink- Prayer for . . ^ . . deliverance mg m the mire, I cannot keep my feet. I am drownmg from wanton in deep waters.'^ My throat is hoarse with shouting to ^"^""'^^^''^^ thee for help, and mine eyes are weary with looking for my God to save me from the countless enemies who are wantonly seeking my ruin. They demanded of me to re- store what I had not taken,^ and I gave them what they asked. Thou knowest, O my God, that I was foolish and guilty in thy sight, but not of heinous sins. Therefore deliver me : lest the godly who look to thee in hope, O Lord God of Israel, be put to shame and confusion when they see my suffering. For it is in thy cause that I have suffered reproach and Persecution , rr-, for religion's shame — through my consummg zeal for the temple. The sake (7-12) reproaches that are hurled at thee have fallen also on me. I am forsaken even by some among mine own people.* When I would chasten my soul with fasting, they insulted me all the more. When I would wear mourning apparel, they mocked me with their taunt-songs, laughing at me 1 There is a probability, though, of course, by no means a certainty, that the background of this psalm is the persecution by Antiochus Epiphanes. "^ The, metaphor changes from a prison-well to the waters of the sea. 3 Duhm, who believes the speaker to be an individual, not the community, supposes that there may be an allusion here to some indiscretion — perhaps in connection with the temple money (v. 9). * Apostate Jews. 183 Psalm 69 : 12 The Messages of in the city gates, and satirizing me in their drunken songs. Earnest But as for me, I pray to thee, O my God, be gracious to ["s-Ts)^^ n^^' according to thy manifold mercy, and answer me with thy loyal help. O keep me from sinking, keep my head above the deep waters. Let me not be overwhelmed in the depths. O save me from the dungeon's fate.^ Hear me, O my God, in thy gracious love, and in thy great pity turn to me. O hide not thy face from thy servant's sore distress, and hear me speedily. Draw near and deliver me. The psalm- For thou knowcst how mine enemies despise and re- ings(i?2i") ^i^^ ^"^ dishonor me. My heart is sick and breaking with the insults that I bear. I looked for sympathy and comfort, but there was none anywhere to be found. In- stead of soft and soothing speech I was regaled with poi- sonous and bitter words. Impreca- I P^ay that the surprises of their own life may be no less the"fo"e^°" grievous. May the peace-offerings at the festal table turn (22-28) out to be a snare to them." May their eyes be dark and 1 " Let not the well close her mouth upon me." If c does not simply re- flect the thought of a and b, the allusion will be to an experience like that of Joseph or Jeremiah. 2 v. 22. Wellhausen translates: "May their table become for, them a snare, and for the careless a trap." The parallelism is better secured by Duhm, who emends the word rendered "welfare" in A. V. and "peace "in R. V. as "peace-offerings." In any case the word is suggested by the pre- vious verse. 184 the Psalmists Psalm 69 : 36 blind ; may their loins continually tremble. Pour out thy burning indignation upon them. May their home be a scene of empty desolation, because they have persecuted those whom thou hadst smitten, and added to ' the sorrows of those whom thou hadst wounded. O heap up their guilt and do not acquit them. Blot out their names from the book in which the names of the citizens of thy king- dom are written. But, as for me, thy help, O my God, will lift me above Song of /t , ,. ,1 • gratitude my pam and misery, and I shall yet exalt thy name m a (29-33) song of praise which is dearer to thee than the sacrifice of brute beasts.^ The sight of it will gladden the godly, and revive their hearts. For Israel's God listens to the poor, and thinks of those that, for his sake, are languishing in prison. This deliverance of ours will be fraught with meaning Ascription of to the whole world. Praise him then, heaven and earth sure^r^edemp! and sea, and all that moves therein; for he saves Jeru- J^°"^(^'°" salem and builds the ruined cities of Judah and makes of them homes to be held for all time by his servants who love him. 1 V. 26, so Septuagint, instead of " tell of." 2 " With horns and hoofs." This may be intended to bring out the idea of beast and the relative unimportance of sacrifice ; or it may mean that the beast is conceived as full grown, and of the class counted clean by the law. i8s Psalm 109 : I The Messages of Appeal to Jehovah against the adversary (1-5) Prayer for vengeance upon the adversary (6-20) 5. Up07i Bitter Adversaries (109) ' Thou art the God in whom I glory : O be not silent. For with their treacherous tongues the godless have wan- tonly uttered against me speeches of slander and hate. They reward my love with enmity ^ and my kindness with evil. May he ^ fall beneath the powerful accusations of some godless adversary." May the issue of his trial be con- demnation, and may his prayer for mercy be counted an aggravation of his sin. May his days be few, and may his office * be seized by another. May his wife be a widow and his children fatherless, and, driven from their ruined homes, may they wander about as beggars. May creditors snare all that he has, and strangers spoil the fruit of his labor. May there be none to deal with them in love, nor any to favor his fatherless children. May his posterity be annihilated in the next generation. May Jehovah bear in unfading remembrance the sins of his father and mother and visit them on him, and utterly blot out the memory of 1 This psalm has many points of contact with Psalm 69, and the object of its fierce imprecations may well be Antiochus Epiphanes, though cer- tainty on such a point is impossible. 2 The phrase " But I am prayer" (v. 4) can hardly be right ; but no probable emendation has been suggested. 3 Probably the chief opponent : in 2-5, 25 the plural is used. < In this context, Satan is probably a common noun, an adversary : but it might be a proper noun, the adversary (cf. Zach. 3 : i). * Or property, possessions. 186 the Psalmists Psalm 109 : 31 him * from the earth, because he showed no pity, but persecuted the poor and needy and faint-hearted even unto death. May he be a stranger to the blessing which he loathed to utter, and may he be smitten by the curses which he loved, till they cling to him like a garment, and bind him like a girdle, and cleave to him like oil upon the skin and pass within him like the awful water of ordeal.'' Thus may Jehovah reward my slanderous enemies. But, O Jehovah, my Lord, deal with me according to Prayer for thy gracious love ; for I am poor and needy and wounded owVdeUver- in heart. My life is at the eventide, and I am driven *"^^ (21-31) away, shaken as one shakes an insect out of a dress. In my sorrow I have fasted till I am faint. My flesh shriv- els up, because I have not anointed me with oil.' As for me, they insult me and shake their heads derisively when they see me. O help me, save me, O my God, ac- cording to thy love, and teach them that this blow which has fallen on me is a stroke of thine own hand. What matter their curses, if only thou bless ? Confound mine enemies and make thy servant glad. Let them be clothed with shame and confusion as with a garment. Then, in the presence of many, I will offer loud and grate- ful thanks to my God, for in the trial he stands beside the needy, to save him from those that would condemn him. 1 So two important Greek codices. The Hebrew reads " of them." *•' Cf. Num. 5 ; 22. * Or, my flesh is losing its fat. 187 Psalm 83 : I The Messages of 6. Upon Those who would Destroy Judah (83) ^ Theconfed- O our God, do not remain silent. Speak the word, aSns" bestir thyself. For look ! thine enemies are storming Judah (1-8) against thee, lifting up their godless heads, and setting their cunning traps for the people who are dear to thee. " Come," they say, " let us cut them off, that the remem- brance of Israel as a nation may be blotted out." With one accord they are in league against thee — the Edomites, Ishmaelites, Moabites, Hagarenes, Gebalenes, Ammonites, Amalekites, Philistines, Tyrians, aided by Syrians.' Prayer for Deal with them as, in the days of old, thou didst deal, tion(9-i8) t)y Kishon's banks, with Sisera and Jabm, who met their miserable doom at Endor.^ Deal with them as thou didst with the chiefs of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, Zebah and Zalmunna, who swore that they would seize the land that was thine.* O my God, drive them like stubble or chaff before the wind. Let thy whirling storm chase and con- » The situation in i Mace. 5 is in astonishing harmony with that of this psalm, most of the peoples named there being also found here. The date would then be about 165 B. C. 5 Nearly all of these peoples are in the neighborhood of Judaea, southeast or north. Amalelc no longer existed. The name probably indicates the region which they had formerly occupied. Gebal stands for the northern part of the Edomitic range. It is not quite certain what people is meant by Assyria : in any case not the Assyrians — probably the Syrians. The chil- dren of Lot (v. 8) are the Moabites and Ammonites (Gen. 19 : 37, 38). ' Jud. 4, 5. « Jud. 6-8. 188 the Psalmists Psalm 83 : i8 found them like the fire that sets forests and wooded hills ablaze. Shame and confusion and ruin eternal be theirs ! that they may learn who and what thou art ; for thou and thou alone, O our God, are the most high God over all the earth. 189 THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS INTRODUCTION The seven psalms, which for ages have been known to the church as the penitential psalms, are not all strictly penitential in our sense of the word. Several of them have as much to do with the confession of suffering or sorrow as of sin, though occasionally the suffering is con- nected with the sin as effect with cause. The one hun- dred and second psalm, for example, is a plaintive cry from the people of Zion whose city is in ruins, and a prayer that, by the grace of the eternal God, their city may yet be restored to glory. Here, as everywhere in the psalms, there are enemies in the background from whose secret or open persecution these psalmists pray to be delivered (38 : 12, 19 f. ; 143 : 3). Even in the one hundred and thirtieth psalm, which is as truly penitential as it is wist- fully tender, the weight which bows Israel appears to be as much one of suffering as of sin. But the sense of sin, though usually mingled with this other sense of suffering, is very real and profound. It excites and prostrates the psalmists, for they know how 193 TJie Messages of innate a thing sin is, and how deadly it will prove, if God do not meet it with his pardoning grace. If Jehovah deals with men as they deserve, no one can be justified (143 : 2), and no one can stand (130 : 3). At certain periods, indeed, the church asserts her own integrity and unswerving fidel- ity to the law (44 : 17 ff.) ; but, as a rule, the human spirit ^ is regarded as corrupt and unstable ; what the man needs is a new and steadfast spirit (51 : 10). This he can secure from Jehovah by sincere confession. So long as he continues in sullen silence and refuses to take penitential words upon his lips, he can only pine away under the heavy hand of God (32 13, 4). But he enters into the blessedness of forgiveness, the moment he spon- taneously confesses (32 : 5). Nay, he does not attain the full stature of his manhood, until of his own free will, he comes to God for pardon and guidance. To wait till he is driven is to behave not like a man but like an animal ; it is to show the stupidity of the mule (32 -.9). Sometimes it is the thought of God's doings in the past that encour- ages the psalmist (143 : 5), sometimes it is the thought that, amid all the flux and sorrow of things, he is eternal and unchangeable (102 : 12, 13) ; but most of all it is the thought that he is, by his very nature, the God of redemp- tion, and that he has both the will and the power to re- deem (130:7). 1 At any rate, the spirit of Israel, and a fortiori the human spirit. Cf. the historical psalms {e.g., 78, 106) with their emphasis on Israel's apostasy. 194 the Psalmists Psalm 6 : 4 Most, if not all, of the penitential psalms are to be in- terpreted collectively — quite certainly, for example. Psalm 102 (cf. 130 : 7 O Israel, hope in Jehovah). But to say this is in no way to belittle the depth of their spiritual in- sight, or their power over the modern religious conscious- ness. The penitence which they express must first have been experienced by the individual conscience, before it took the form of a psalm to be sung by the united church. To the surprise of those who forget the religious temper and ideas of the ancient world, a curiously discordant note is occasionally struck in some of these " penitential " psalms, as, for example, in the psalm which ends in a prayer for the destruction of those that afflict the psalm- ist's soul (143 : 12). But, on the whole, the psalms can be appropriated with but little reserve by the Christian Church. II PSALMS EXPRESSIVE OF PENITENCE I. A Cry for Help (71 Tune of Mortal Distress (6) It is right, O my God, that thou shouldst chastise me; Have pity but chastise me in love, and not in anger. Mercifully srvTme"** heal me, for I am weak and sore, and troubled ; how long, Jj°'" '^^^^^ O my God, shall my suffering last ? O come back to me and save me, for thou art pitiful, and rob me not of the 195 Psalm 6 : 5 The Messages of joy of praising thee, by bringing me down to death ; ^ for the dead can praise thee no more. I am weary with weep- ing the Hvelong night. My bed is wet with tears and mine eyes are worn and haggard with sorrow at the thought of my many oppressors. The prayer (He tums to them in imagination.) Get ye gone, ye sin- nfedfrte"Ind ners ; for my God hath heard my sore weeping, and he will ansS^^"^ accept my prayer. Ashamed and confounded will all mine (8-10) enemies be, yea, ashamed and confounded suddenly. 2. A Confession and Prayer for Deliver arice (38) Imyard suf- It is right, O my God, that thou shouldst chastise me, cause of sin but chastise me in lovc and not in anger,^ for thou hast smitten me with a sore sickness,^ and thy hand lies heavy upon me. In thine anger at my sin, thou hast smitten me so sore that there is no health in me. Like billows my sins are gone over my head ; they are as a burden too heavy to bear. Because of them, I am tormented with loathsome and festering wounds. I am crushed and cast down, and I go about continually in'mourning. My flesh is full of corruption * and unsoundness. I am so numb 1 Or perhaps, " rob thyself not of my praises." It would be quite con- sonant with ancient Jewish ideas to regard God himself as suffering, when there is no church to praise him. 2 The psalm begins almost exactly like Psalm 6, and has other points of contact with it, so that they may fairly be considered together. The back- ground of both may be the exile. s Cf. Isaiah i : 6. * Or perhaps burning, or shame. 196 (i-io) tJie Psalmists Psalm 38 : 22 and utterly broken that I cry louder than the lion ' roars. O Lord, thou knowest what I long for ; thou hearest my sighing. My heart beats fast, my strength fails, the light of mine eyes is gone. My dear ones, my friends and neighbors, stand aloof Sufferings from me as from a leper. They that thirst for my blood wUhouf ""'^^ lay their traps, and they that long for my ruin talk of ("-2°) destroying me and brood over treachery all the day long , but I am resigned and submissive, and silent as the inno- cent lamb. I act as though I heard it not, and suffer no murmur to escape my lips, for my hope is in thee and I know thou wilt answer me, O Lord my God ; else they will exult over me, and triumph, should I fall. For I am near the brink of destruction, and grief is mine continually. My guilt I acknowledge and I sorrow for my sin. Many and mighty are those who hate me without a cause,'^ and ren- der me evil for good, because I make good the goal of my life. They have cast me, the beloved one, out, like a corpse abhorred. " O leave me not, Jehovah, be not far from me, my God. Prayer for Come and help me, speedily, O Lord my Saviour. {l^^7^^^^ 1 Lioness: by the addition of a single letter to the Hebrew word for "my heart." 2 V. ig. For " lively " in the English version, read " causelessly." The difference in Hebrew is slight. ' This verse is added in several Greek codices, and must, it would seem, rest ultimately on Hebrew authority. 197 Psalm 32 : i The Messages of 3. The Joy of Confession and Reconciliation (32) The blessed- O how happy is the man whose transgression is forgiven, gfvJn°ess°'^ whose sin is covered! How happy is the man who con- ^^' ^^ fesses with sincerity ! for Jehovah imputes no guilt to him. The pain of So long as my lips were sealed against confession, I fessed!°the wasted away with my ceaseless crying/ Day and night fesslon (--T) '■'^y hand lay heavy upon me ; my life was dried up like a brook in the summer heat. But the moment I resolved to confess my sin openly and hide it no more, that mo- ment didst thou remove the guilt thereof. The blessing Knowing as I do the joy of forgiveness, I would fain w^ho"confess Urge cvery godly one to pray to thee in time of trouble,'' ^^' ^^ that he may not be overtaken by the rushing waters. To them, as to me, thou canst be a shelter, preserving them^ from danger and bringing deliverance * on every side. Divine guid- There comes to me, too, this assurance from my God : "I will give thee wisdom," he says, "and teach thee henceforward the way thou shouldst go, with my gracious eye steadfastly upon thee." ^ 1 If the speaker be an individual, the reference will be to sickness and physical pain : if the speaker be the church, these expressions will have to be interpreted metaphorically. 2 Emended text. 3 Probably the third person should be read instead of the first. < The text is very hard, and probably corrupt. The word " songs " is unlikely. 6 So the Greek version : " I will fix mine eyes upon thee." 198 ance (8) the Psalmists Psalm 51:7 But, if God is to forgive, men must gladly yield them- The folly of selves to the discipline divine, nor must they rebel like the " ^^'"^'^y ^^> senseless brutes, which have to be controlled by bit and bridle, else they cannot be brought nigh. So the secret of blessedness is trust in God. He whose The joy of trust is in him will experience the love of God on every (jo,"^)^^°"^ hand, while the godless have sorrows many. Be glad therefore in your God, and rejoice in him, O Israel ; yea, shout for very joy. 4. A Plea for Forgiveness and Promise of Faithful Service (51) Be gracious unto me, O God — for thou art loving and Prayer for very pitiful — and blot my transgressions out of thy book. ^°''^y^"^^^ Nay, I need cleansing as well as forgiveness : for the mire of sin has defiled my soul. O wash me well and make me clean. I pray for thy grace, for full well I know the burden of Confession . . . 1 1 -NT • • ^nd entreaty my sm : it is ever in my thoughts. Not against men in- (3.12) deed have I sinned, but against thee alone, and done that which is displeasing to thee. I acknowledge that thy judgment is just and impartial. I am weak and prone to sin ; for such is the nature with which I was born. Grant me that wisdom of heart which leads to the truth that thou lovest to find in men. Cleanse me from the leprosy ^ of sin : wash away my stains till I be clean every whit. * Hyssop was used in the cleansing of the leper. 199 Psalm 51:8 The Messages of Then, with sin forgiven, may it be mine to hear glad cries of joy sent up by the members of my broken body/ O forgive and forget my sin, look not upon it, blot it out of thy book. Cleanse and forgive and create me anew ; for a clean heart is thy creation. Create such a heart for me, God, and plant within me a new and steadfast spirit. Deny me not thy presence : take not from me thy spirit of revelation. Give me again the joy which once I knew ere 1 forfeited it through sin — the joy of knowing that thou art helping and saving me. Support me with the spirit which readily wills and does that which is good. Vow of ser- Then shall I be fit to be thy missionary servant, teach- vice (13-14) jj^g ^^ heathen thy ways, and turning the godless to thee. O Jehovah, the God who canst save me, if thou do but save me from the deadly perils which beset me on every side, I will celebrate thy faithfulness in a ringing song. The true If thou, O Lord, do but open the lips which sorrow has (is-^j)^ closed,'^ I will use them to declare thy praise; and my thank-offering I will render in song, for animal sacrifice thou dost not desire.^ The sacrifice that thou desirest is a broken spirit ; and the heart that is crushed thou dost love, O God. 1 Is the speaker an individual or the church ? This verse would be very intelligible, if the speaker were Israel (cf. v. 13), In exile (cf. v. 18: also Ps. 38 and especially 102, where the same figure of a sick body, with allu- sion to " bones " (vv. 3-5), is found in a psalm undoubtedly collective). ^ Cf. 137 : 4. 8 Cf. 40 : 6 ; 50 : 9-14, 200 the Psalmists Psalm 102 : 10 Now hear my prayer, O Lord.'for the holy city and tern- Prayer for temp' city pie. According to thy grace, remember for good the inV^"^^ ^ temple on Zion's holy hill ; and build up the broken walls ^^^' of Jerusalem ; and in those glad days, when we can wor- ship thee once more, thou wilt accept the sacrifices pre- scribed by the law.^ 5. An Appeal to Jehovah to Pity and Restore His People (102) Give ear, O my God, to my cry for help. O graciously The sorrows look and listen, and speedily answer my cry. For my °i.ii)^^ days pass like smoke, and I am like a man that is sick. It is as if my bones were burning with fever heat, and my heart withering like grass beneath the fierce sunshine. I have forgotten to take to me nourishment. My sorrow has so wasted me that my bones stare out. In our deso- late city I am lonely as an owl among ruins, singing my sleepless lament like a bird all by itself upon the house- top. The enemy hurl at me ceaselessly their insane re- proaches, and use my name for a curse — so glaring is my misery, with ashes for bread and tears for drink ; and it is thy fierce anger that has brought me to this pass, catch- ing me up like the whirlwind, and then hurling me down 1 It is a mooted point whether the last two verses are integral to the psalm or not. If they are, they would go a long way to show that the psalm was, from the first, a "collective" psalm; but some suppose that they were added, to adapt an originally personal psalm to the use of the congregation. 20I the days of restoration (16-22) Psalm 102 : 11 The Messages of to the ground. The shadows are long. I am in the evening of my days, and I wither away like grass. Appeal to But thou, O my God, dost not wither. Through all the Jehovah to ^g^s thou dost abide upon thy throne forever. O come on'zio^n^^ thyself. Rise and take pity on Zion, and show her thy (12-15) favor ere it is too late, for the hour is already come ; and thy servants love her so very dearly — her very ruins are dear. O come and save her, and the sight of a restored Jerusalem will lead all the nations with their rulers to ac- knowledge thy glory and to worship thee. Vision of ^ For Jehovah, in pity for the prayer of the desolate, will assuredly reveal his glory by rebuilding Jerusalem. Let this prophecy be written down, for it will surely be ful- filled, and later generations will praise Jehovah's faithful- ness. For on the heavenly heights he is not unmindful, but he looks down upon the earth to listen to the moan of prisoners doomed to death and to set them free ; that, in the golden Messianic age, when the nations assemble to wor- ship Jehovah, the story of his praise may be told in Jeru- salem. Prayer to But the glory of those days fades again before my pres- jehovrh to ent misery. I am like a weary traveller, with strength raSVorevlr' Weakened and days cut short — and Jehovah has done it. (23-28) o my God, cut me not off in the midst of my days that are all too few ; for thou art eternal. Long ago didst thou create the earth and the heavens. They shall perish, but thou dost stand : they shall wear out and be changed 202 the Psalmists Psalm 143 : 2 like a garment. But as for thee, thou art ever the same, and thy years are endless; and in thine own good time thou shalt surely establish thy servants forever in their city, with the steady light of thy favor upon them ever- more. 6. A Prayer for Pardon and Restoration (130) Out of the depths of our ^ distress we cry to thee, our Prayer from God, who art throned on high. Give very earnest heed, Lr forglve- O Lord, to our loud entreaty. For if thou shouldst con-""^^^"4> tinue to remember our sins, w^e should all, O Lord, be doomed to destruction. But thou canst forgive, and by thy forgiveness thou winnest men to worship thee. Earnestly do we wait, O our God, hoping in thy prom- Confident ise of forgiveness and deliverance from distress. We wait ^^_p^^*^^i°° for the Lord more than the weary watchmen wait for the morning. Hope, O Israel, in thy God, for with him is the love and the will and the power to redeem ; and Israel he will surely redeem from all her sins and sorrows. 7. A Cry for Deliverance and Guidance (143) In thy faithfulness and love, I beseech thee, my God, Humble and give ear to my earnest supplication, and enter not into prfyer baled judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight can no living "P°r J^^°' ■' ^ ■' ' J i3 *> vahs ancient goodness Vv. 7, 8 put It beyond doubt that the speaker in this psalm is not an (i-6) individual, but the community. 203 Psalm 143 : 3 Tlie Messages of the Psalmists thing be justified. Hear me in love, for the enemy has persecuted me and crushed my life down to the ground, and constrained me to make my home in the darkness/ like the dead that cannot rise again, so that my spirit faints and my heart is numb. In my despair, I bethink me of the days of old, and longingly brood over all that thou then didst do, and I stretch out my hands in prayer for thy blessing, yearning for it as the thirsty land yearns for the rain. Prayer for O answer me speedily, my God, for my spirit is fainting; iSmction^' hide not thy face from me, or I shall be like them that go f^iaj""'"^^ down to the grave. After the night of sorrow, let thy mercy dawn upon me. My trust is in thee, and to thee I lift up my soul, to thee I flee. O deliver me, then, from my foes, and show me the path to take, and teach me to do thy will ; for thou art my God. Let thy good spirit guide me on a smooth and level way. O bring me out of my distress, and in thy faithfulness restore me to life again for thy name's sake, and, in thy love, destroy mine ene- mies every one, for I am thy servant. 1 Whether prison or misfortune is not clear. 204 THE PSALMS OF PETITION THE PSALMS OF PETITION INTRODUCTION It is not unnatural that the psalms of petition should constitute the largest group in our division of the Psalter. For in the psalms men speak to God, and the most natu- ral and perhaps most frequent speech of men to God is the speech of entreaty. On the loftier heights of experience and in the more exalted moods of the spirit, songs of adoration may be raised to him ; but men to whom life is a daily battle and a hope deferred, wrestle with God — if they believe in him at all — and tell him their sorrow, and speak to him as a man to his friend : or, when a less im- pulsive mood is on them, they lift up meek eyes to him who dwelleth in the heavens, and humbly beseech him to be gracious (123). The psalmists were, most of them, men who had drunk deep of sorrow. Theirs was a lot of fightings within and wars without. As a whole, the psalms breathe an atmos- phere of conflict ; they are the words of men whose heart was often sore, and whose life was sometimes in peril. It 207 The Messages of is seldom possible to make out with any precision who the enemies were of whose malicious presence they so of- ten and so bitterly complain. Sometimes we think we can see lurking behind the words, which for us are all too vague, the figures of the Samaritans, the Arabians, and the other neighbors who thwarted so persistently Judah's efforts to re-establish her ecclesiastical life in early post- exilic times (31) ; sometimes we can be tolerably sure who those unfeeling heathen were, that trampled upon Jewish customs, desecrated the temple and martyred the faithful (79). Plainly enough, the sorrow is often far larger than an individual sorrow ; it sometimes rises out of the depths of some great national humiliation (cf. Pss. 44 and 60). But, whoever the enemies be from whom the psalmists pray to be delivered, they are assuredly no phantom fig- ures, but painful and provoking realities, men of violence and arrogance, with cunning dispositions, sharp tongues, and sometimes swords as sharp. To the psalmists, both the commoner and the rarer tragedies of life are familiar. They know the pang of kindness rejected and friendship betrayed (41 19; 55 : 12-14). They live in a world devoid of love and loyalty (12:1); and they are sometimes rewarded for their own fidelity to the cause of religion by the cruel horrors of per- secution (79 : 3). The men who sing to us in the psalms are men whose eyes may soon be closed in the darkness of death (13 : 3 ; cf. 88 : 5). They know too well the vanity 208 the Psalmists of human help. They know that whether they look on the right hand or the left there is none to care ; but they are just as sure that Jehovah cares (142 : 4, 5). It is instructive and almost exhilarating to watch how rays of light flash ever and anon through the psalmists' darkness ; or we might more truly say, how the darkness is pierced by a mild yet steady light, which not seldom shines so brightly as to chase it all away. For, as the darkness and the light are both alike to God, so the psalm- ists, each in his own measure, tasted something of that divine superiority to the chances and changes of human fortune. " My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast, I will sing and play " (57 : 7). They are not afraid though the mountains be torn up by the roots and flung unto the sea (46 : 2). If only Almighty God is with them, how can flesh harm them (56 : 4) ? So with quiet hearts they lie down amid perils ; they sleep^ and awake refreshed, sustained by the God who never slumbers or sleeps (3 : 5, 6 ; 121 : 4). In hours of dejection they remind themselves of the power he displayed in creation (74 : 12 ff.), or at the conquest of Canaan (44 : 3), and they know that he is a God of love as well as of power. He is the shepherd of Israel (80 : i), the God of infancy and the God of age (22 19, 10; 71 : 9, 18) who tenderly and sleeplessly 209 TJie Messages of watches over his people (121 14), and whose inmost nature is love. With special delight do the psalmists recall the ancient revelation of their God as " full of compassion and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy and truth" (Exod. 34 : 6 ; Ps. 86 : 15 ; 103 : 8) ; and to this love, in the last resort, they can always make a confident appeal, for it is the most fundamental thing in the nature of God. It was his love for Israel that launched and sus- tained her upon her unique career ; and that love was again and again confirmed in the great crises of her his- tory (cf. 46). So, whether the prayer of the psalmists be for forgiveness or guidance or vindication in the eyes of the world — a vindication which sometimes assumes the unlovely form of a desire for vengeance (35 : 5, 6 ; 59 : 1 1 -13) — they always look with confidence to him. They approach him either as humble penitents (51) or as men with a good conscience (7:4; 17:1-4); and though, with their limited outlook upon another world, they are eager and all but clamorous to have their wrongs righted and their cause vindicated in this, and though the blessings for which they pray are often of a material sort, there are many who have mounted to the higher uplands of the spiritual life and whose dearest satisfaction is to have the gracious face of God shining upon them (4:6). God was to the psalmists a tremendous reality, more real than the enemies who vexed and the doubts which per- plexed them. For, though they sometimes cried " How 210 the Psalmists Psalm 3 : 6 long ? " they never allowed themselves long to forget that these things v^ere but for a little time, while their God was on his throne, unchangeable and eternal (102 : 27) ; and behind and beneath the yearning for material satisfaction and earthly vindication was the inextinguishable thirst for him (42 : i, 2). II PRAYERS FOR DELIVERANCE, PRESERVATION, OR RESTORATION ^ I. For Protection from Active Foes (3)" Many there are, O my God, that vex and oppose me ; God can many imagine that God cannot help me. But thou, the heipiess(i-4) great God of Israel, thou art not impotent. Thou dost on all sides defend me. Thou dost bring me to honor and lift up my head. Often and loudly I have called to Jeho- vah, and he always sends answer from his temple hill. So, with the assurance of his protection in my heart, I May he help laid me down and fell quietly asleep, and slept till the doil'e^be^fore morn a sleep unbroken, for Jehovah sustained me all the ^5-8) time ; and in his keeping I fear not the hosts that ring me 1 The situation in most of these psalms is too indeterminate to make it worth while to hazard a guess at their origin or date. Many of them appear to be collective psalms. 2 A morning prayer. 211 Psalm 3 : 7 TJie Messages of round. For, though these godless foes of mine long, like wild beasts, to devour me with their cruel teeth, thou canst crush them, as in days gone by. O arise, and help me, then, my God, for thou canst help ; and with that help bless not myself alone, but all thy people. Prayer for help (i) Appeal to the faint- hearted slanderers (2-5) The singer's joy in God (6-8) 2. For Protectioti against Slander (4) ' O God, who defendest my cause, answer my prayer when I call. As, in days gone by, thou hast brought me out of straits into a roomy place, so now this night be gra- ciously pleased to hear my prayer. How long is mine honor to be stained "^ by slanders that have no foundation } Rest assured that Jehovah is think- ing of me. He has shown me a special mark of his favor in answering my prayers.^ Be afraid, if ye please ; but commit not the sin of uttering your terror aloud. Be quiet and still. Offer the proper sacrifices, put your trust in Jehovah and all will be well. There are many faint-hearted ones, who ask, " Will ever fortune smile on us again ? " Have they forgotten the priestly blessing .'' * Have they forgotten that all is well when Jehovah shines upon us with his gracious face .-* Yes, that is joy indeed. The gladness which thou hast * An evening praj^er, 2 The Greek version reads, 3Cf. Jer. 15: I ; Job 42; 8. 4 Num. 6 : 24-26, how long (shall ye be) heavy-hearted." 212 tJie Psalmists Psalm 7 : 7 put into my heart, O my God, is more, far more, than the gladness of the harvest home. So in peace I will lay me down and fall asleep without a thought or care, for it is thou, my God, alone that makest me to dwell securely. 3. Fo7- a Judgment which is Just (7) In thee is my refuge, O Jehovah, my God, save me from Confession all my persecutors, who, like wild beasts, would fain tear °^_^^"°'^^"'=* me alive, while there is none to save me. O Jehovah my God, I protest mine innocence, and am ready to die* if I speak not the truth. If my hands are stained with wickedness, if I have been false to my friendships, or if I have even vexed ^ my wanton oppressors, then may my foes hunt me down and destroy me, trampling my life to the earth, and laying mine honor in the dust. Arise, O God, and vindicate mine innocence before the Prayer that world. Arise in hot anger against mine opponents, and wouid%ub- at the judgment which thou hast appointed, awake for me. h-g^^cause"'* On that day let all the peoples of the world gather round (6-9) about thee, and sit '^ thou above them upon thy high throne ; 1 It is hardly possible to follow the English version in taking 4b as a par- enthetical clause ; it is more naturally regarded as co-ordinate with the pre- ceding clause. But in that case the word seems too strong for the situation, whether we render it "oppress," or, by a transposition of the consonants, "plunder." The general sense, however, is clear. Ewald supposes that two clauses may have been lost. 3 " Sit " instead of "return" by a probable change (v. 27). The differ- ence between the Hebrew words is slight. Psalm 7 : 8 The Messages of and, while thou dealest judgment to all, remember, Jehovah, the innocence which is mine, and judge me thereby. Grant that the wickedness of the ungodly may come to an end ; but do thou defend and establish the just. For thou thyself art just ; thou canst rightly read the innermost heart of man, and thou knowest the hearts that are true. The certain- Therefore I am sure that thou wilt defend and save me. jus^^judg-'^'^ Thou art a judge who is righteous— a mighty God, ever mentis ready sternly to punish wrong. But look ! mine enemy is preparing again for the fray. He ^ is sharpening his sword again, his bow is bent and ready — yes, ready for his own destruction, though he knows it not. His deadly weapons and fiery shafts ^ shall compass only his own ruin. Look at his folly — his laborious and malicious toil shall mis- carry ; not only miscarry, but recoil upon himself — caught like the huntsman in the pit he had dug for his prey, or smitten by the stone that he himself had hurled. Jehovah hath championed my cause in the judgment, I will therefore render him thanks and sing praise to his name, for he is God most High. 1 That is, the wicked. As in the immediate context, the wicked is the subject, it seems better to assume that it is he, and not God, who whets his sword in this verse. 2 Such as were used to set houses or besieged cities on fire. 214 tJic Psalmists Psalm 12:8 4. For Protection against Deceitfulness (12) Help, O my God, for the good and the faithful are Prayer for vanished from the world. Men lie to one another with fromThe ^* words that are fair out of hearts that are false. May ^^^g?;^^"^^^!^^ Jehovah destroy those lying and arrogant lips which say, (1-4) " Our tongue is our strength, our lips are our allies ; we own no lord." My God has a word to match the word of these proud Jehovah's lips. " Because the needy are crushed," he says, " and the ing promise poor are made to groan, I myself will arise and show my- ^s-S) self the saviour of them that are mocked and despised." ' This reassuring word, uttered by a prophet of Jehovah,^ comforts and strengthens my soul ; for it is a word that is sure of fulfilment, precious and pure as silver seven times refined. It gives me the confidence that thou, O Jehovah, wilt guard and preserve us ^ from this evil age and for evermore, even though the godless strut about, and the worthless are in places of authority.* ^ The precise meaning of 5c is uncertain. " I will set him in safety at whom men snort," or " in the safety for which he longs," or (Wellhausen) "Whoso longs for me, him will I place out of danger." Baethgen : " I will (gloriously) appear to him." 2 Cf. Isaiah 33 : 10. ' Or, them (cf. v. 5 : Hebrew " him ")• 4 V. 8 is exceedingly obscure. Cheyne and Wellhausen transpose the last two verses. Baethgen renders : " Though the godless let themselves go, in the vineyard despised of men " (that is, Israel) — somewhat forced and unsatisfactory, in spite of the familiar comparison of Israel to a vineyard. Psalm 13 : I The Messages of 5. For God's Manifestation of Himself (13) Passionate O my God, thou art forgetting me continually; how dSvtrince l^^g, O tell me, how long wilt thou refuse to look upon (1-4) me ? How long is my soul to be troubled^ and my heart to be sorrowful every day ? How long am I to be under the heel of mine enemy ? O my God, look down and lis- ten to my prayer. My eyes are growing dim ; lighten them with thy light, lest they soon be dark in death, and then my foes would claim the victory for themselves, and be glad at my discomfiture. Confidence But, as for me, I have no fear. In thy love do I put my aliswer(5-65 trust. I know that thou wilt save me, and then, with glad heart,'^ I shall praise in song thine exceeding goodness to me. 6. For Deliverance from Insolent Foes (17) Listen, O my God, to the cry of innocence; hearken to the prayer of my guileless lips. Decide thou my cause, for thine eyes see truly — they see what I am. When thou comest to me in the stillness of the night, and dost prove and try my heart, thou findest no evil thought there ; and not in thought alone, but in word and deed alike my life is pure. My lips have not transgressed, and I have kept An assertion of innocence (1-5) 1 In V. 2a, read " pains " instead of " plans," by a change as slight in the Hebrew as the English. ' In contrast with the gladness of his enemies (v. 4). 216 tJie Psalmists Psalm 17 : 14 me from the ways of the violent ; ' and my feet have trod- den unswervingly in thy paths. In mine innocence I call upon thee, O God. I know Appeal to that thou wilt hear, for thou hearest those who trust thee, s^ve from° Show me in answer thy wondrous lovingkindness, thou Jjj^thg"^^^^ who savest from their adversaries those who put their trust enemy (6-12) in thy strong hand. Keep me in thy tenderest care, and cover me with thy protection. Preserve me from the un- godly who do me violence, and from the deadly enemies who gather about me ; for they are very cruel. They have closed their hearts to pity, they vex me with their insolent words, they dog my steps, they gather round me. They earnestly aim to bring me to the earth ^ — cruel as a lion lurking in ambush for his prey. Rise, O my God, and meet them face to face. Fell Praj^er for them to the earth, and set me free. Save me by thy from woSy sword ' from the wicked ; save me by thy hand, O my God, ^^^ ^^3, h) from worldly men with their lives secure, and their maws well filled — who leave what they have to their children.* ^ Vv. 3c, 4 are very difficult and confused. Duhm emends and trans- lates : " My mouth does not transgress, at thy doing I am still, I have taken heed to the words of my lips, my steps have held fast to the ways of a Pharisee." Wellhausen (3c, 4a) : If I think evil, it passes not out of my mouth into act. I have held fast to the law thou hast uttered." 2 Baethgen translates, " to break into the land " {i.e., a foreign enemy assails Palestine) — not very probable. 3 Difficult and possibly corrupt. < Most commentators interpret v. 14 as a prayer that the vengeance upon the wicked continue till the third generation ; but it seems in the context more like a description of the wicked. 217 Psalm 17 : 15 TJie Messages of The psalm- I know of a joy that is sweeter far ; and mine it shall be God''(°i^)" to behold thy face, with mine innocence vindicated ; and on the morrow, when I awake, I shall be satisfied with the vision of thee. * 7. For Deliverafice from Efiemies (25)^ Prayer for O my God, I lift up my soul in confidence to thee, and, lu^dan^ce"' ^s I trust in thcc, put me not to shame before mine f "1^^'"'^°" enemies, and do not give them the victory over me. Nay, I know that thou wilt not put to shame any who wait upon thee, but only those who wantonly disown thee. O my God, teach me thy ways and guide me in the paths of thy law, for thou art the God who savest me — I wait for thee all the day long. Remember, O my God, the pity and the love that thou didst show in the olden time ; do not recall, I beseech thee, the sins of my youth ; ^ but in love remember thou me, for thy goodness' sake. The love of Good and upright is Jehovah ; therefore he shows the God (8-14) 1 This verse is exceedingly hard, and many interpretations have been sug- gested. There is a danger of reading both too much and too little into it. The chief proposals have been to refer the waking to the resurrection, or to waking from the sleep of misfortune, and to interpret the seeing of God's face as equivalent to visiting the temple (of. Is. 6). The last suggestion, though it may seem meagre, cannot be pronounced impossible in the light of passages like 42 : 2 ; 84 : 7 (Greek version). 2 An alphabetic psalm, with no particular sequence of thought. s The sins of the wilderness, and, generally, of the early history. The psalm is most naturally interpreted as a collective psalm : notice the numerous plurals, vv. 3, 8, 9, etc., and cf. v. 22. 218 the Psalmists Psalm 31 : i way to wanderers. He guides the humble rightly and teaches them his way. With all who keep his laws Jehovah deals evermore in a spirit of faithful love. Be- cause thou art a pitiful God, O pardon my sin, which is great. Jehovah will teach the man who fears him the way he should choose. He himself will enjoy prosperity, and those who come after him will possess the land. Jehovah reveals the purposes of his covenant to those who fear him. Mine eyes are ever fixed upon my God, for my deliver- Prayer for ance will come from him. Graciously look upon me, fori (fjlzo^"*^^ am crushed and lonely. Remove ' the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress. Look upon my trouble and affliction, and all my sins forgive. See how many are my foes and how cruelly they hate me. O preserve me, save me, put not my faith to shame. Let mine honor and innocence preserve me, for I wait on thee.'' 8. For Deliverance from Extreme Distress (31) O my God, let not my confidence in thee be put to Confident shame. Hear me, for thou art faithful, and save me ddr^era^nce 1 By the change of a letter. The text is usually interpreted, " Give room to my distressed heart." Baethgen : " distresses assail my heart." 2 V. 22 : " O God, redeem Israel out of all her distresses." The pres- ence of the word " God" instead of "Jehovah " (see p. i8), and the fact that the alphabet is already exhausted in v. 21, combine to make us believe that this verse is a later addition, cf. 34 : 22. But it proves that, at any rate by the time the verse was added, if not from the beginning, the psalm was interpreted collectively, 219 Psalm 31:2 The Messages of speedily. Be unto me as a rock and a fortress to shelter me. Yea, I know that thou art indeed my rock and for- tress, and that, for thine own name's sake, thou wilt lead me and guide me with a shepherd's care, and deliver me from the traps which they have cunningly set for me ; for thou art my defender. Into thy strong hands, then, I commit my life, and thou dost in thy faithfulness redeem me. Those who worship ^ vain idols thou hatest ; but I have a glad and happy faith in thee. For I know that in thy kindness thou wilt look upon my misery, and take pity upon the distress of my soul, and bring me out to a place where there is room, and preserve me from the power of the foe. The suppii- O have mercy upon me, for I am in distress ; body and fg-is)^^^^"^^^^ soul are wasting away with grief. In sorrow and sighing my years are spent. In my misery ^ my strength is fail- ing, and my body is wasting away. My neighbors oppress me and mock me, and my friends are afraid of me. At the sight of me in the streets, men flee as from a leper. They forget me as if I were dead. I am worthless as 1 In the word shomerim, those who regard \Ao\% (cf. Jonah 2 : 8), some have seen an allusion to the Samaritans, which, though not demonstrable, would be quite in the spirit of Hebrew word-play. In that case, the " forti- fied city " in V. 21 (if the text is correct, which is by no means certain) would probably be Jerusalem about the time of Nehemiah. 2 This translation rests on the Septuagint. The difference between this and the reading of the Hebrew text, "by reason of my sin," is very slight. The thought involved in the Hebrew text is, of course, a common Old Testament thought. 220 the Psalmists Psalm 31 : 24 a vessel that the potter casts aside. Whisperings reach my ears of their cruel secret plots against my life, and terrors are on every side. But, as for me, my trust is in thee, O my God. I con- Prayer for fess my faith in thee. My destiny is in thy hands. O tion oiioll save me from the persecution of my foes. Let the light of ^^'^"^^^ thy gracious face shine upon thy servant, and help me in thy love. O put not to shame thy servant who trusts thee, but put to shame the godless, and bring their proud and lying lips to the silence of the grave. O how manifold is the blessing thou hast treasured up for Jehovah's those who fear thee : nay, openly before all the world thou his people hast bestowed it on those who put their trust in thee. ^^9-24) Thou wilt hide them far away from the tongues of conten- tion and slander. O blessed be Jehovah, for his love to me has been wonderful in the time of distress.^ As for me, I had rashly thought I was cast out of thy pres- ence ; but thou hast listened to my earnest cry for help. O love Jehovah, all ye that are his, for he preserveth the faithful ; ^ but the arrogant he richly requites. O let your hearts be brave and strong, all ye that wait upon Jehovah. * There are textual and contextual difficulties in the abrupt reference to the besieged, or rather fortified, city (v. 21); and Wellhausen's suggested emendation, embodied in the above paraphrase, is worth serious considera- tion. 2 Or, keepeth faith (that is, with the good). 221 Psalm 35 : i The Messages of 9. For Delivet'ance from Malicious Foes (35) The psalm- O my God, comc to the fray and help me. Fight with 1st s to Jehovah those that fight with me. Seize shield and buckler. Arise Ss^enfmle? ^"*^ ^^^P "^^- ^raw spear and battle-axe.* Face my per- (i-io) secutors and give me the assurance that thou wilt help me. Shame and confusion be upon them that seek to destroy me : shame and defeat upon all who are scheming to ruin me. As chaff before the wind may they vanish, driven away by Jehovah's angel ; dark and slippery be their way, with his angel driving them on.^ For without cause they sought to entrap me cunningly; and my prayer is that they be caught in their own trap, overtaken by a swift and unexpected doom. Then shall I rejoice and be glad in the God who saves me. Yea, with my whole being I shall praise thee as the matchless Saviour, who delivers his poor crushed servants from the hands of the robbers. His tender False witnesses arose and demanded restitution of that wi^^fhem in which I had never taken. They returned me evil for fortui!^^^ good, making desolate my soul.^ Far other was my treat- (11-18) ment of them. When they were sick, I fasted and wore 1 This seems better than to regard the word rendered " battle-axe " as a verb, meaning " block the way " (v. 3). 2 Clauses 5b and 6b have possibly been transposed. 3 The phrase is difficult (12b). Literally: "childlessness for my soul." Wellhausen renders : " Comfortless is my soul." Cheyne: "Bereavement is come to my soul." Duhm emends and translates, " Laying traps for my soul." 222 the Psalmists Psalm 35 : 25 mourning apparel, and prayed for them, with head bent low upon my bosom. I went about robed in black, and bowed as for a dead kinsman — nay, mourning even as a mother mourns/ But when calamity came upon me, strangers,^ whom I did not know at all, gleefully gathered together and assailed me with their railing impious words, mocking and mocking continually,^ and gnashing upon me with their teeth. How long, O Lord, wilt thou look silently on ? Rescue my lonely soul from the roaring * lions, and I will publicly praise thee in the great congre- gation. O forbid that those who wantonly oppose me should Prayer for look at me with eyes of malicious delight. For it is not (1^28)^"*^^ peace that they speak concerning the quiet in the land ; they cherish treacherous purposes against them. With open mouths they shout, " Hurrah ! Hurrah ! At last we have seen the end of them. " But, O my God, thou too canst see. Speak and draw near me. Awake, arise, my God and my Lord. Declare me innocent — for thou art just — and put an end to their malicious joy, so that they may no more shout, " Hurrah ! We have got the ^ Or, as one mourns for his mother. 2 There is much doubt about the meaning of this word (in 15b) and even the correctness of the text. Possibly we should emend, as above, to "strangers," by the addition of a single letter. But even this is not very satisfactory in the context. 3 The text of 16a is exceedingly obscure, and almost certainly corrupt. * In 17b, " destructions " emended by Olshausen to " roaring " (lions). 223 Psalm 35 : 25 The Messages of desire of our hearts ; we have swallowed him up." Shame and confusion be upon them that rejoice at my calamity, and haughtily lift themselves up against me. But may those who, love my cause yet have reason to sing songs of gladness, saying, " Great be Jehovah, whose heart's de- sire is for the welfare of his servant." Then evermore my tongue shall utter its praise of thy kindness. 10. For Healing and Vindication (41) Blessed are Happy are all who consider the weak ; in the day of the^mercifui ^^^j^ misfortune Jehovah will save their lives and preserve them from the rage of their foes, and give them happiness upon the land. When they are sick, he watches by their bed, and tends them and eases their pain. The malice With all my soul I pray that this happiness may be of tjie enemy ^.^^ . graciously heal the sufferings of thy sinful servant, and disappoint mine enemies who cruelly long for the day of my death and the extinction of my name. Sometimes they visit me, the hypocrites, with their false tongues and their foul hearts ; and then they go straight out and talk about me, whispering together and thinking in their cruel hearts, " Some malignant disease is upon him ; now that he is down, he will never be up again." Yes, my bosom friends, my very dependents, have rewarded my love with disdain. Prayer for But, O my God, do thou in thy mercy raise me up vengeanc""^ again, that I may give them what they deserve ; and thus, (^°-^2) 224 the Psalmists Psalm 64 : 8 with mine enemies balked, I shall know that thou art pleased with me. As for me, thou upholdest me because of mine innocence, and dost suffer me to stand in thy presence forever. 1 1 . For Deliverance from Determined and Malicious Enemies (64) Hear my lament, O God, for I am in deadly peril ; save Prayer for me from the enemies who affright me. Put me beyond from ma"?-^ the reach of their secret counsels and deliver me from ^Ss^i"!) their boisterous clamor — wicked and iniquitous mob as they are— for they wage war upon the godly with their sharp tongues, from which they launch their bitter words like arrows against the innocent, shooting at them secretly and suddenly and without restraint of conscience. They strengthen each other's hands, and discuss their vile and treacherous plans, thinking no one will ever see them. Yes, in their corrupt and crafty hearts,^ they skilfully lay their cunning, diabolic plans. But God, too, has his arrows, and with a swift, sudden God's judg- shot he will wound them and bring them to such utter [Jem fj^Jo) ruin for their cruel words, ^ that all who see them shall ^ 6b is probably corrupt, and has to be emended on the basis of Jer. 17:9. If " deep ■' be not altered to " deceitful," at any rate it seems necessary to alter " man " to " incurable " — the two words being much alike in the He- brew. (The heart is incurable, and the thought profound or deceitful). ' 8a is very difficult and obscure, and the above paraphrase is only provi- sional. 225 Psalm 64 : 8 The Messages of wag their heads in astonishment ; and every one shall be afraid when they consider what Jehovah has done, and shall tell the story of the divine vengeance. But the right- eous shall be glad in him ; they shall trust and make their boast in him. 12. For Deliverance from Watchful Foes (71) Prayer— O my God, never let my confidence in thee be put paJtmerdes to shame.^ Hear me — for thou art faithful — and save erance^from '^^^ "^^ ^^^*^ "^^ ^^ ^ xo(^ and a fortrcss ^ to shelter cruel ene- j^g_ Yea, I know that thou art indeed my rock and for- mies (1-13) ■' tress. Save me, then, O my God, from the cruel grasp of the ungodly, for I hope in thee. O Lord, my God, I have trusted in thee since my youth. It was thou who didst bring me out of the womb,' and on thee have I leaned and in thee have I hoped * continually since the day of my birth. I have suffered so sorely that many look upon me as a monster : but thou hast ever been my strong refuge, my mouth is ^ ever full of thy praise and glory. Now that I am old and my power is spent, O leave me not nor cast me off, as my deadly enemies fancy thou hast done ; for in their secret conclaves they say, " His god has left him ; 1 Vv. 1-3 = 31 : 1-3. 2 Emend 3a in accordance with 31 : 2b. 8 V. 6, cf. 22 : 10. « In 6c, instead of " my praise (shall be)," read perhaps by a very slight change, "my hope (has been)." * y. 8 ; or it may be a wish, " may my mouth be . . ." 226 tJie Psalmists ' Psalm 71 : 22 let us chase him and seize him, for there is none to help him." O be not far from me, O my God, come and help me speedily.^ Bring shame and confusion and disgrace upon those who hate me and seek my ruin . But, as for me, I will wait patiently and gladly for thee, Song of praising thee more and more, telling continually the story pJosp^J." of of thy countless deeds of victory. In the strength ^ of the ^Ustver '^'^ Lord my God, I come and celebrate thy righteousness, (14-24) even thine alone. By thy goodness to me thou hast taught me to praise thee from my earliest days, and I have ever been ready to tell the story of thy wondrous kindness. O continue thy love till I am old and gray,^ and leave me not, and I will tell to coming generations the story of thy mighty power. A wondrous tale it is ; for there is none like thee, Jehovah : thou doest great things, thy power and thy righteousness reach high heaven. Trouble enough thou hast indeed caused me to see, but thou wilt revive me again, and lift me out of the depths, increasing mine honor and restoring me to comfort once again ; ' and, O my God, I will acknowledge thy faithfulness in praise up- on the harp and cithern, thou Holy One of Israel. With * V. 12 : cf. 38 : 21, 22. ' So the Greek version; or the meaning may be, " I will sing the praises of thy mighty deeds.'''* 3 There is no contradiction between vv. i8 and 9, if we assume that the psalm is collective, as it most probably is (cf. the plurals in 20, R. V.). For the "youth'' of the nation, cf. 129 : i, 2 ; for its "age" and even "gray hairs," cf. Hos. 7 : 9 (cf. pp. 26, 27). 227 Psalm 71 : 23 The Messages of my lips and with my heart, I will sing thy praise as my redeemer, and I shall never cease to speak of thy right- eous loVe in appointing to shame and confusion all who seek my ruin. 13. For Preservation as of Old {yy) Sore distress With a loud voice I cry to my God in the assurance that ^^"^^ he will hear me. In my distress I seek the Lord, praying in the night with outstretched hands unceasingly ; but my soul refuses to be comforted. The thought of God makes me sigh and covers my spirit with gloom. Appeal to When, troubled and speechless, I sleep not in the night, ?s°hJhad^^' I think of the days of old, communing with mine own done in the heart, and I ask myself whether the Lord is going to cast past (4-10) ^ tj <_» us off forever, and be gracious no more. In his anger will he utterly forget his mercy and his faithfulness, and close his heart to pity ? Ah ! this it is that wounds me, I said,— that the right hand of the most High is no longer the same.^ Jehovah's But I will Call to mind the wonders which thou hast veTiedMi^'the ^o^c in the days of old, and deeply ponder them. Ah ! "lirades^of^ then ' thy way was majestic, thou hadst no peer among history the gods ; for thou wast a God who did marvels, thou didst show thy power in the world in the redemption of thy » In V. 10, instead of "the years of the right hand of the most High," it is better to translate " the change,''^ etc. 2 At the exodus. 228 tJie Psalmists Psalm 80 : 6 people by thy strong arm. No sooner did the waters see thy dread form than they were troubled, and quivered to their depths. Torrents fell from the black clouds, thun- ders rolled in the heavens, lightning arrows sped to and fro. The thunders rumbled, the lightning lit up the trem- bling world. In the waters of the storm thy path was all unseen. Like a shepherd thou didst guide Israel thy flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. ^ 14. For the Preservation of Israel, JehovaKs Vine (80) Hearken, thou glorious ' Shepherd-god : appear once a prayer for more in thy glory and strength before Israel,' and unite saving%es- her to us in Judah, and come and save us all. ^^"^^ ^^'3) O Jehovah of hosts, restore us and shine upon us with thy gracious face, that so we may be saved. O Jehovah of hosts, how long is thine anger to last The con- with the prayers of thy people.^ Abundant tears are our tfTJpeopkat meat and drink. Our enemies mock * and jeer at us ; Jefa^^f*^. \ and it is all thy doing. 1 If this is the real end, it is more than usually abrupt. We expect the appeal to continue : Why is it not so now ? why is there no nuch revelation of thy power to-day as there was in the days of Moses ? 2 " Cherubim" (v. i) is either an allusion to the thunder-cloud, on which Jehovah rides (i8 : lo), or a reminiscence of the ark. 8 Ephraim and Manasseh are taken to represent the northern kingdom, here regarded perhaps in an ideal aspect. * "Thou makest them (scornfully) nod their head" (by emended text): or, with present text, " thou makest us a bone of contention," that is, they wrangle about us (v. 6). 229 Psalm 80 : 7 The Messages of O Jehovah of hosts, restore us and shine upon us with thy gracious face, that so we may be saved. Israel, his Israel, thy vine, thou didst bring out of Egypt, and plant been latd ii^ the land of Canaan, clearing the ground for her by waste (8-13) driving away the native peoples. She struck her roots deep and overspread the land, covering the mountains with her shade, and with her giant branches, ^ and shooting her boughs as far as the sea and the distant Euphrates.' O why then hast thou torn down her fence, ^ and left her for every traveller to pluck ? Even the wild boar tramples her, and the beasts eat her up. A prayer for O Jehovah of hosts, tum again, we pray, look down tion^oTthe from heaven upon this vine ; if our plaint be not enough, vine (14-17) look with thine own eyes upon its devastation, and take it into thy gracious keeping. Plant again the vine thou didst plant of yore * — the vine which is now burnt and hewn down — and restore the people who are perishing before thine angry face. Let thy protecting hand be over the men whom thou hast reared to manhood's strength.** 1 This is the general meaning of v. lo, but the detail is not so clear; either (i) covering the cedars of God {i.e. , the giant cedars) with her branches, or (ii) her branches were cedars of God, that is, gigantic. In the former case, the cedars (of Lebanon) will represent the north, as the mountains do the south. 2 The ideal limits of the empire ; the sea is the Mediterranean. 3 That is, destroyed the kingdom of Judah. * 15b appears to be inadvertently copied from 17b. • That is, Israel (cf. v. 15). 230 the Psalmists Psalm 85 : 9 grant our request and we will not depart from thee, a vow of Preserve us in life, and we will honor thee in worship. fi^.^'Jgf* O Jehovah of hosts, restore us and shine upon us with thy gracious face, that so we may be saved. 15. For Restoration and Forgiveness (85) Once, O our God, thou didst show ^ favor to our land, Jehovah's by stilling thine anger against us, graciously forgiving our g°v?nes?and sins, and bringing thy people back from exile. favor (1-3) Once again give over thine anger, and restore us; or A prayer for wilt thou cherish thy wrath against us forever ? O wilt SraSSnU-j) thou not bring thy people back again from the gates of death, and make them glad in thee ? Show us thy mercy, our God, and save us. 1 tremble with expectancy to hear what answer the vision of the mighty Jehovah will make to my prayer.'' (Pause.)' Now ^lyMs"!!) 1 know that it will be an answer of peace — peace to his loyal people that turn their hearts to him. " Yes, assuredly, he will soon save those who fear him, and honor the land 1 It is also possible to interpret vv. 1-3 of the existing situation (" thou hast shown," etc.) and to take 4-7 as the prayer offered by Israel in the past. The diflference in mood between the two paragraphs is undeniable. 2 For a very similar passage, cf. Hab. 2 : i flF. 3 He waits and listens. * The Hebrew text of v. 8, which in clause c is rather unsatisfactory, can be easily emended on the basis of the Septuagint, which reads : He will speak peace to his people, and to his saints, and to those that turn their hearts to him. Psalm 85 : 9 The Messages of by his glorious presence.* In the golden days so soon to dawn, men will be kind and loyal to each other, while from hea,ven salvation and her sister peace will shower their blessings down upon them. Yes, faithfulness will spring up among men like a golden harvest, and salvation will look down upon the happy earth from the windows of heaven. Jehovah will send his blessing, and his land will yield her harvest. He will pass through the land, attended by peace and salvation — salvation going as herald before him, and peace * following in the track of his steps. 16. For Guidance and Favor (86)' Prayer to Hear me, O my God, for I am poor and needy. Pre- pity (°-7) serve thy servant who loves thee and trusts in thee. Thou art my God, be gracious to me, for I cry to thee con- tinually. Make glad thy servant who longs for thee ; for thou art good and forgiving and rich in mercy to all that call upon thee. Give earnest heed, O my God, to my loud supplication. In time of distress I call upon thee, for thou dost answer me. Jehovah is There is no God like thee, and no works like thine. (8-^10) ^ ° Thou art the creator of all nations ; they shall come before 1 It is not quite certain whether, in v. 9, the glory that is to dwell in the land, is implicitly contrasted with the existing shame — glory in a general sense — or whether it refers to Jehovah's own glory, that is, his presence. ' So by a simple, but very probable emendation. * This psalm is composed, almost exclusively, of citations from the Psalter. 232 the Psalmists Psalm thy presence, and do humble homage to thy name. For thou art great and a worker of wonders. Thou art God alone. Teach me, then, thy way, that I may walk therein, and Prayer for heartily unite with those who fear thy name.^ I will fj^d'^fayor praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and honor ("-^7) thy name forever ; for in thy great love thou hast saved me from the depths of the underworld. O my God, bands of haughty and violent and unscrupulous men have risen up against me to take my life; but thou, O Lord, art a God of pity and grace, a God of abounding patience and love and faithfulness. O turn to me, thy servant, in mercy, and endue me with thy strength and help, and grant me a sign that the issue will be good, and let mine enemies be put to shame, when they see how thou, O my God, hast helped and comforted me. 17. The Prayer of Despair (88) O Jehovah, my God, I cry to thee by day and night for The singer's help. O grant that my prayer may reach thine ears ; for ""^J ^^'^^^ my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death. I am as a man without strength — counted as good as dead. Yea, ^ V. II. " Unite my heart." This is supposed to mean, " concentrate my heart upon thy service," or, as the psalm is almost certainly a collective psalm, " make us resolve, with one mind, to fear thee." But the phrase is somewhat strange, and some probability attaches to Duhm's simple emen- dation, " My heart shall join those who fear thy name." Psalm 88 : 4 The Messages of my home is already among the dead,' Hke the slain in their graves whom thou hast forgotten — cut off from thy pro- tecting hand. Thou hast set me at the bottom of the un- derworld, among the shadows deep and dark. Thou hast suffered the billows of thine anger to reach me ; thou hast made me an abomination to my friends, so that they will not come near me,'' and I am as a prisoner, unable to go out. Mine eyes are wasted with sorrow, as I call on thee with outstretched hands continually. His appeal O help me, ere I perish ; for thou canst work no wonder to save htm ^^^ ^^e dead, nor can the shades arise and praise thee. from death ^q story of thy love and faithfulness can be told in the (10-13) ■' cruel grave. In the dark land of forgetfulness there can be no revelation of thy wondrous power to save. There- fore, while I am yet alive, I cry in the morning to thee for help. The singer's O why dost thou forsakc me and hide thy face from de?oktlon'^ me ? For from my youth I have been wretched and at (14-18) j.j^g point of death.^ Thy terrors are upon me, they have robbed me of my senses. Thy fierce and awful anger, like a surging flood continually round about me, has swept me into destruction. Those who love me thou 1 Instead of "free" (A. V.) or "cast off " (R. V.) among the dead, wp should probably emend to " I am reckoned," or "have been made to dwell with, the dead." 2 As if he were a leper. 8 See note on 71 ; 18 (p. 227). the Psalmists Psalm 123 : i hast put far away from me, and darkness is my only friend.^ 18. For Deliverance from Slander (120) When I cried to Jehovah in my distress, he answered Israel's me. O hear me again, my God, and deliver me from the deiivera^nce tongue of calumny and falsehood. (^' ») Thou hast solemnly sworn ^ to punish the slanderer, and The divine this shall be the manner of his punishment : thou wilt give fyingSd'^" him over to the sharp arrows of his warrior foe, and his treachery house thou wilt give to the flames. Alas ! that my pilgrimage is spent among barbarous The sadness and heathen men.^ I have dwelt long enough among °hepfous® °^ the enemies of peace. I am for peace ; but, the moment ^5-7) I speak of it, they are for war. 19. For Divine Pity (123) To whom can we look but to thee ? Unto thee, then, Israel long- do we lift up our eyes, O thou whose home is in heaven. foflLdivme 1 So Duhm. If this be too modern, possibly a better parallelism would be secured by a single change in the division of the letters of the last two words : " Acquaintances he has removed" {i.e., thou hast removed). 2 These two verses are very obscure, and the precise meaning is quite uncertain. But "what shall he give thee and what shall he add to thee ?" seems to be modelled on the formula for oaths, "Jehovah do so unto me and more also," etc. 3 Meshech (Gen. lo : 2), between the Black Sea and the Caspian. Kedar (Gen, 25 : 13), an Arabian tribe. These tribal names are perhaps meant to be symbolical ; the peoples they represent are too far apart to be taken literally, unless the song was intended to be sung by the Dispersion. Psalm 123 : 2 TJie Messages of As earnestly as a servant watches the hand of his master, or a maid the hand of her mistress, so earnestly do we watch for, a sign from thee, our God, in the hope that thou wilt show us thy pity. O pity, pity us, our God ; for we have tasted enough of the bitterness of scorn, enough of the contempt of the proud that are at ease. 20. For Childlike Confidence in Jehovah (131) My heart is not haughty, O my God, nor do I wear a lofty look, nor deal with things too great and high for me. My soul was like a troubled sea ; but now I have made it still and quiet, and it lies in a happy peace, like the weaned child that rests on his mother's bosom. O Israel, hope in thy God, now and evermore. 21. For Deliverance from Scorn and Persecution (44)^ What Jeho- From the days of the olden time, the story of all that iSaei\n the thou didst, O God, in the days of our fathers, has been early days Confession of childlike humility (1,2) Confidence in God (3) (1-3) handed down to us — how by thy mighty hand thou didst tear up the peoples of Canaan by the roots and crush them, planting our fathers in their places and causing them to spread abroad. For surely it was not their own sword that won the land, nor their own arm the victory ; but it 1 Of the remaining psalms in this group (44, 74, 79, 54, 55, 60, 140, 141, 142), it is highly probable that the first three (47, 74, 79) are Maccabean and quite possible that the others are also, though certainty on such a point is, in the nature of the case, unattainable. 236 tJie Psalmists Psalm 44 : 3 was thy mighty arm that conquered, and thy gracious face that smiled upon them in love. It was thou, my king and my God, who didst ordain the Israel's un- victories of Israel. It is thou who dost strengthen us to fideS-e i^n his thrust back our foes and stamp upon them ; for never do I p^^^'' ('^'^^ trust in my bow or sword to give me the victory. Our victory comes from thee, as also the confusion of our foes ; therefore we always boast in thee, and praise thy name continually. Yet, despite our praises of thee, and the work thou Israel's pres- didst for our fathers, thou hast rejected us, their children, and suffeT- and disgraced us, by refusing to accompany our armies to ^"^^ ^^"^^^ battle. Thou hast put us to rout before the foe : they plunder us to their heart's content. Thou hast given us up like sheep to be butchered, and scattered us as slaves about the world. Thou hast sold thine own people for a paltry price, yea, for a mere song. Our neighbors mock and jeer at us ; we are a byword throughout the world. Everyone shakes his head scornfully at us, and it is all thy doing. I am continually overwhelmed with shame and confusion of face; for the scorner and the blasphemer assail me with their words, and the enemy glares at me with eyes that bode vengeance. All this misery has come upon us, though we be inno- Israel faith- cent. We have not forgotten thee, or been false to the death*° covenant. In thought and in deed we have loyally walked (^7-22) , in thy ways, and yet thou hast thrust us into the deep 237 Psalm 44 : 19 The Messages of Passionate prayer for deliverance (23-26) Appeal to Jehovah to remember and help his people (1-3) The heathen assaults upon the temple, peo- ple, and re- hgion (4-9) darkness of the wilderness where the wild beasts are. If we had really forgotten thee, O our God, and stretched out our hands, in worship, to another, wouldest thou not have searched that out ? for thou knowest the secrets of the heart. But thou knowest well, O God, that it is for our loyalty to thee that we are being slain continually and counted no better than sheep for the slaughter. Thou art sleeping, Lord, awake, arise, reject us not for- ever. O why art thou turning thy back upon us ? why art thou forgetting our oppression and misery ? for — body and soul — we are humbled to the dust. O rise, help, and redeem us, for thy mercy's sake. 22. For Deliverance from Plunder and Spoliation (74) our God, art thou not our Shepherd, and are we not the sheep of thy pasture ? Why then is thine anger hot, and why hast thou cast us off so utterly ? Remember thy congregation which, in the ancient days, thou didst redeem from the bondage of Egypt, to be thine own forever. Think of thine ancient home on Zion, now an utter deso- lation, and visit the ruins thereof. Everything in the temple has been dishonored by the enemy. They roar hke lions through the midst of it, they set up their ensigns upon it, fastening them with blows from their axes into the woodwork of the door.' The carv- 1 So substantially Duhm. Others, " hewing the woodwork like a woods- man in a forest." The text is uncertain (v. 5). 238 the Psalmists Psalm 74 : 19 ing they hack to pieces with axes and hatchets. They have profaned thy holy house ^ by setting it on fire. Their rooted purpose is to exterminate us altogether : they have burned every sanctuary in the land. The badges of our faith are no more to be seen. There is not a prophet left — not one who knows how long these horrors will last. How long, O our God, is the enemy to scoff } is he to Appeal to blaspheme thy name continually ? Why wilt thou not put who^JhovVed forth thy hand and strike ? For thou art our king from JiJeTrfation the ancient days, evermore working deeds of deliverance (10-17) in the midst of the earth. In the battle with that great monster, the primeval deep, it was thou ^ that didst crush him by thy might, shivering in pieces the heads of the dragons who came to his aid, and also the many-headed leviathan, whose body thou didst give the beasts of the wilderness to devour. It was thou who, by a stroke, didst create the springs and the brooks, and dry up ever-flowing streams. Thine are the day and night, and it was thou that didst establish sun and star. It was thou that didst fix earth's boundaries : it was thou that didst create sum- mer and winter. Yet, despite this mighty power of thine, the reckless Prayer for enemy have blasphemed thy name. O give not thy dear f/om cmeity ones over to the beasts : forget not thy poor servants for- (^^-^3) ' In I Mace. 4 : 38, only the gates are burned. 2 In w. 13-17, "thou" occupies a prominent position, and is very em- phatic. of the hea then {1-4) Psalm 74 : 20 The Messages of ever. Think of thy covenant with them and pity them ; for cruelty follows them into the dark places where they take refuge. O save from shame thy people who are crushed, and turn their sorrow into praise. Arise, O my God, defend thy cause. Bethink thee how continually thou art insulted by reprobates, and forget not the tumult- uous clamor that ceaselessly rises from their rebel lips. 23. For Help in Bitter Need (79) The cruelty Heathen have entered thy land, O our God, desecrated thy holy temple, and laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have thrown out the dead bodies of thy faithful servants for birds and beasts to feed on. Unburied lie the corpses round about Jerusalem of those whose blood they poured out like water. ^ On every side our neighbors revile and mock and jeer. Prayer for O our God, when will thine anger be past ? Will thy (s-TsI^ ^^^P flaming indignation against us never cease ? The heathen nations that do not worship thee have devoured and deso- lated thy people. O pour out thy wrath upon them ; but meet us soon with thy pity, and remember not against us the sins of our forefathers,^ for we are utterly crushed. • If not for our sakes, then for thine own, come to our help, O God of our salvation. Come to the defence of thine 1 Vv. 2, 3 are quoted in i Mace. 7 : 17, and referred to the massacre of the Hasidaeans by Aiclmus (162 B. C). 2 Or possibly, " former sins," cf. v. 9. 240 the Psalmists Psalm 45 : 2 honor. Forgive and save us for thine own name's sake, and stop the mouths of the heathen, who impudently deny thy power. Before our very eyes, avenge upon the heathen the slaughter of thy servants. Listen to the pris- oners' moan, and free by thy majestic arm those that are doomed to death ; and punish our neighbors richly for their blasphemy of thee. Then we who are thy flock ^ will thank our good Shep- Vow of herd forever, and declare thy praise for all time to come, ^^'^j''"'^^ 24. For Delivera?tce from Oppressors (54) O God ! manifest thy power and save me and make my Prayer for cause triumphant. Hear, O hear my prayer, O God. For from o^p"^* strangers have risen up against me and violently sought P"^"^"" ^^"3) my life, forgetting that there is a God who can save me and take vengeance upon them. For see ! the Lord is helping and sustaining me ; yes, Assurance of and he shall avenge me of mine enemies. Cut them off, ^"^^^"^ (4'7) O God, in thy faithfulness, and I will offer free-will offer- ings to thee, and praise thy gracious name, for thou hast brought me safely out of all my trouble, and feasted my eyes on my foes, 25. For Help against a Traitorous Friend (55) Give earnest heed, O God, to my prayer, and hide not Passionate thyself, but answer the loud and bitter lament which I desperaTe* situation 1 C£. 80 : I ; 23 ; i. (j.„) 241 Psalm 55 : 3 The Messages of Vengeance upon the traitor (12-15) Assurance of answer (16-19) raise, because of the clamor ^ of my godless foes, as they plunge me into trouble in the fury of their hatred. Oh I am utterly confounded. My heart is throbbing fast in deadly terror. I am trembling with fear, yea, overwhelmed with horror. I long in my heart for the wings of a dove, that I might fly away, far away, into the wilderness, and rest there in peace, escaping with all speed from the rag- ing tempest within the city ; for, night and day, wrong and strife keep watch like sentinels upon her walls. Within the city itself is evil, sorrow, ruin ; while oppres- sion and fraud haunt the market-place continually. O Lord, confuse, confound them. The taunts of an enemy I could have borne, the arro- gance of one who hated me I could have shunned ; but thou ! my comrade, my own familiar friend, with whom I had intercourse so pleasant, and who had gone by my side in the throng to the temple. May a swift and sudden doom, like the doom that overtook Korah, plunge them in their infamy down alive into the pit.^ As for me, I cry to God ; and he will surely hear me, when three times a day I lift my plaint to him, and he will bring me safely out of the sore battle where many are against me. Yes, in answer to my prayer, he who sits 1 Emended text : better than the doubtful " oppression " of the text (v. 3). 2 The last clause of v. 15 is diflScult, but must, one would think, have had a stronger meaning in such a context, than that given in A. V. or R. V. 242 the Psalmists Psalm 60 : i upon his everlasting throne will humble those lawless men ^ who do not fear him. He sullied the covenant of friendship by laying cruel The traitor hands upon his own friends. Smooth-tongued as he was ^^'* and fair-spoken, his words were sharp as swords, and war was in his heart. I will commit ' my cause to my God, for he loves me,^ Destiny of and will sustain me : he never suffers the righteous to tot- anVthJtJ'ii- ter. But I know, O God, that thou wilt hurl my adversa- ^o'' (^2, 23) ries speedily into the grave ; for blood-thirsty and treach- erous men are cut off in their prime. But, as for me, I trust in thee. 26. For Jehovah's Help in Battle (60) O our God, thou hast rejected us. Thou hast broken The prayer our ranks and routed us in thine anger. O restore us to feated (1-5) 1 " Changes " in verse 19 is unsatisfactory and improbable, but no very probable emendation has been suggested. ' As the verb is in the imperative, the speaker must be addressing himself. Duhm, however, thinks that the verse is interpolated, partly because of the abrupt change in the personal pronouns; the ^^ in " he shall sustain thee" does not agree well with the emphatic ihou at the beginning of the next verse. 3 Unfortunately much uncertainty attaches to the word rendered " thy burden " in the English version (v. 22). It is not even certain whether it is a noun (= burden, care, desire, etc.) or a verb. The above rendering is at least a possible translation, and in any ca^e represents— perhaps not too strongly — the general sense. Psalm 60 : 2 The Messages of victory again.* The whole land trembles with the horror of our defeat : thou hast shaken and riven it as with an earthquake, and it is swaying to and fro. O heal this torn land of ours again. Thou hast beset us with hardship. Thou hast given us the intoxicating cup of thine anger to drink, so that we can no more keep our feet. Thou hast given thy worshippers a banner, to which they may flee from the enemies' arrows.'^ O hear our prayer, and come to the fray ; smite with thy victorious arm, and deliver thy beloved. ^ Ancient ora- Fulfil now the ancient oracle, which promised victory to Tnl vk™i^" the king, and the conquest of all the northern land on (6-8) both sides of the Jordan— promised, too, the possession of Ephraim the warlike, and Judah the leader, the humilia- tion of Moab and Edom,* and the triumphant conquest of Philistia. Prayer for O that this promisc might now be fulfilled! O that K?ade°^ someone would lead me to Edom's strong city!* But (9-12) 1 Either, thou hast turned us back ; or, turn us back, restore us, cf . 2b. 2 V. 4 is exceedingly difficult. If the above paraphrase be correct, it will be uttered in bitter irony. This banner is not, as it should be, the rallying point for a fresh fight. Or the meaning may be : to rise up (that is, against heathen nations) in defence of the truth. There are difficulties in both translations. 3 Vv. 5-12 = 108 : 6-13. 4 To wash (miry) feet in, and cast (soiled) shoes over, are expressions of contempt. It is said that the throwing of the shoe indicated claim to pos- session. 5 Possibly Petra (the Sela of the Old Testament)— almost inaccessible. 244 the Psalmists Psalm 140 : 13 thou, O our God, who alone canst help us, hast rejected us and dost not accompany our armies to battle. O help us thyself against the foe, for vain is the help of man. By the help of God we shall yet do bravely, and he will tram- ple on our foes. 27. For Preservation in Extreme Danger (140) Deliver me, O my God, from the violent m_en, who are con- Danger from tinually scheming and stirring up strife with their sharp ^^y In^d vio- and poisonous tongues. Preserve me from the arrogant 'ence of violence of the ungodly, who scheme to trip me up with (1-5) the snares which they secretly lay in my path. O Jehovah, thou art my God, listen to my earnest Prayer for prayer. O Jehovah, my Lord, my mighty Saviour, thou J^e enemie°s' dost shield my head in the day of battle. O fulfil not then p^^"^ (^■^> the desires of the godless, crown not their wicked pur- poses with success. Let them not lift up their heads against me ; but let Prayer for their slanders bring them to ruin. Rain down burning up^o'n^the coals upon them ; ^ smite them down with thy fire, so that 7^.^^?^ they shall never rise again. May there be no place for the slanderer in the land, and may the man of violence be hunted from misfortune to misfortune. Well do I know that Jehovah champions the cause of Confidence the godly who are crushed. They shall live to praise thy iriJmph of name and dwell in the light of thy gracious countenance. Jjj'j ^p^s^* 1 Cf. II : 6. 245 Psalm 141 : I The Messages of Appeal to Jehovah (1,2) Prayer to be kept from impatience and partici- pation in sin (3,4) Welcome is reproof from a friend (5) Prayer for deliverance (7-10) The plaint (1-4) 28. For Deliverance fro7n the Ways of the Wicked (141) my God, hasten to my help, and hearken to the voice of my cry. May my hands uplifted in prayer be as accept- able to thee as the incense of evening sacrifice. Forbid, O my God, that the sight of the vi^icked should lead me to be guilty of impatient speech, or to associate with them in their godlessness. Never be it mine to share their sinful pleasures. A wound from a good man I will take as a kindness : ^ a reproof from him is as welcome as oil to the head of a guest.^ I will pray for him in his calamity.^ Like the clods turned over by the plough, our bones are scattered on the ground, ready to be devoured by the greedy jaws of the under-world. Our eyes are toward thee, in whom we trust. Pour not out our life like water upon the ground. O preserve us from the snares which the wicked have laid for us ; and grant that they may fall therein themselves while we pass by unharmed. 29. For Deliverance from Deterjnined Persecutors (142) Earnestly do I make my supplication to thee, O my God, pouring out my complaint and telling my sorrow be- 1 Cf. Prov. 27 : 6. 2 Cf. Luke 7 : 37, 46. 3 The precise meaning of 4d is very obscure, while the meaning and con- nection of V. 6 are hopelessly difficult. It is hardly worth while to enumer- ate the desperate attempts to make sense of this verse. 246 the Psalmists Psalm 22 : 7 fore thee — thou knowest it well — when my spirit faints. Secret snares are laid in my path, and, wherever I look — to the right or the left — there is no escape, and there is none to care for me. To whom can I cry but to thee ? Thou art my refuge The prayer and my portion in the land of the living. Listen to my ^^'''' cry, for I am very weak. Save me from my persecutors who are too strong for me. Bring me out of prison, that so I may give thee thanks ; for the righteous are awaiting a proof of thy favor to me. Ill ANSWERED PRAYERS I. The Triumph of the Sufferer (22) My God, my God, why hast thou left me ? why hast Forsaken by thou gone so far away, neither helping nor hearing m.e, de°spSed by despite the loud cries that all the day and night I cease- "^^" ^^"^^ lessly send up to thee ? Yet it cannot be that thou hast forgotten ; for thou art the Holy One who art throned upon the praises of thy grateful people, and never in the days gone by did our fathers trust thee in vain. Never didst thou put their faith to shame ; thou didst save them when they cried to thee. But it is not so with me. Like a worm I am trodden under foot, reproached and despised by one and all. All who see me mock me with their gaping 247 Psalm 22 : 7 The Messages of Passionate appeal to the God of his infancy (9-11) Malicious cruelty of the enemy n the other side, see Cheyne's " Aids to the Devout Study of Criticism," chs. ii and iii (New York, Thomas Whit- taker, 1892). The discussion of the question of the " I " of the Psalter — whether it is individual or collective — was practically started in its modern form by Smend's essay " Ueber das Ich der Psalmen " in the " Zeitschrift fiir die alttestamentliche Wissen- schaft," 1888, pp. 49-147. Besides the books which deal exclusively with this subject, for example, by Baer, " Individ- ual- und Gemeindepsalmen" (1894), who examines every psalm, and by Engert, " Der betende Gerechte der Psalmen " (1902), who believes that the " I " is always collective, the ques- tion is often touched in books on the Psalter ; for example, by Cheyne and Robertson in the volumes already mentioned. Robertson argues well for the probability of individual psalms, as does Sellin, in the essay already referred to. A brief dis- cussion of the question will be found in Davison's ** Praises of Israel," ch. vii. The Theology of the Psalter. Cheyne, "Origin of the Psalter," Lectures VI, VII, and VIII may be consulted with much profit. Davison has several clear and useful chapters in his " Praises of Israel." A brief essay will be found in chapter iii of Perowne's commentary. More elaborate and often highly suggestive is the section (Book 2) in Binnie's " Psalms," though much of what he says is written from a somewhat unhistorical standpoint. Jen- 326 Appendix nings and Lowe have some pertinent remarks in chapter iv of vol. i, on the " Relation of the Psalms to the New Testament." Kirkpatrick's commentary, vol. i, ch. ix, of the Introduction will also be found useful. Several of the books just men- tioned discuss the imprecatory psalms : on this subject, com- pare also Sharpe's " Student's Handbook," pp. 373-380. Much fantastic writing has gathered round the Messianic ele- ment in the Psalter. The line of argument, for example, in Bishop Alexander's Bampton Lectures for 1876 on " The Wit- ness of the Psalms to Christ and Christianity " (London, Murray, 1877), would, speaking generally, carry little convic- tion to a student trained to the historical method. The ques- tion is also discussed from the older standpoint by Sharpe (337 ff.). So the " Studies in the Book of Psalms, "by Forbes (T. & T. Clark, 1888), who believes that the order of the Psalms contains a divine mystery, are marked by a pathetic ingenuity. A sane discussion will be found in Kirkpatrick, vol. i, ch. viii, of the Introduction. The Use of the Psalms in the Christian Church. Cheyne deals directly with this subject in his " Christian Use of the Psalms " (London, Isbister, 1899), which discusses certain psalms in detail and raises the question whether, from the standpoint of historical exegesis, these psalms may still be fairly sung by the Christian Church. Other less elaborate dis- cussions will be found in Perowne's " Psalms," vol. i, ch. ii, Alexander's Bampton Lectures (Lecture 8), Binnie's Psalms, pp. 367-403, Davison's " Praises of Israel," ch. x. 327 Appendix Book of Lamentations. The literature on The Book of Lamentations is not very ex- tensive. Of commentaries may be mentioned that of Ewald, who includes the poems of this book among the Psalms of the Exile (" Commentary on the Psalms," vol. ii, pp. 99-124, Williams & Norgate, 1881); Cheyne, in the Pulpit Com- mentary on "Jeremiah and Lamentations" (London, Kegan Paul, Trench & Co.); Streane, on "Jeremiah and Lamen- tations," in the Cambridge Bible series (1892); and Lohr in Nowack's Handkommentar series (1893). For Introduc- tion, the student should consult W. R. Smith's article in the Encyclopaedia Britannica ; the articles in the "Dictionary of the Bible," and the "Encyclopaedia Biblica," and Driver's chapter in his ' ' Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament." Adeney's volume (" The Canticles and Lamenta- tions ") in the "Expositor's Bible" series (London, Hodder & Stoughton) is also good. For a brief statement of some of the questions involved, see Cheyne's "Jeremiah: His Life and Times," in the "Men of the Bible" series (London, James Nisbet & Co.), pp. 1 77-181. Hebrew Poetry. The modern phase of the discussion of Hebrew poetry may be said to have been inaugurated by Herder's " Der Geist der hebraischen Poesie," one of the epoch-making books of literary history and Biblical interpretation. In England, the habit of regarding the Bible as literature was started by Bishop 328 Appendix Lowth's illuminating and fruitful " Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews." Jebb's " Sacred Literature " is written in the same spirit as Lowth, but with little of his power. Of more recent books, Isaac Taylor's " Spirit of the Hebrew Poetry " (London, Bell & Daldy, 1861) is worthy of special mention ; it is a noble book, full of insight. Moulton's vol- ume on "The Literary Study of the Bible" (Boston, Heath & Co. ; London, Isbister, Rev. edit., 1899) has done much to impress upon the educated world a sense of the literary form of the Hebrew Scriptures. Robertson's " Poetry and Religion of the Psalms," ch. vii, has some fine remarks on Hebrew poetry. The subject receives very competent treatment in the articles on Poetry in Hastings' "Dictionary of the Bible," and the " Encyclopaedia Biblica," and in Driver's discussion at the beginning of his chapter on the Psalms in his " Intro- duction to the Literature of the Old Testament." The most elaborate discussion of the Biblical material on its literary side is Konig's " Stilistik, Rhetorik, Poetik in Bezug auf die biblische Litteratur " (1900), and the most interesting and popular attempt to illustrate the nature and contents of He- brew poetry is Kautzsch's " Die Poesie und die poetischen Biicher des Alten Testaments " (1902). 329 INDEX OF BIBLICAL PASSAGES INDEX OF BIBLICAL PASSAGES PSALMS PAGES 92 2 268, 269 3 211, 212 4 212, 213 5 148, 149 6 i95» 196 7- 213, 214 8 39. 40 9 68-70 10 70. 71 II 57,58 12 215 13 216 14 58,59 15 103 16 82, 83 17 216-218 18 271-273 19: 1-6 37 19:7-14 93 20 263 21 262, 263 22 247-250 23 84,85 24 : 1-6 103, 104 24 : 7-10 142 25 218, 219 26 149 27 150, 151 28 250, 251 29 35, 36 30 132, 133 31 219-221 32 198, 199 33 43-45 34 87, 88 35 222-224 36 59, 60 •73-7* .196, 197 ...60, 61 1-126 37 38 39 40 I24-I2<- 41 224, 225 42 145-147 43 -147 44 236-238 45 260, 261 46 115, 116 47 284 48 "7, "8 49 76-78 50 104-100 51 199-201 52 62, 63 53 ("ote 2) 58 54 241 55 241-243 56 251, 252 57 253, 254 58 179-181 59 181, 182 60 243-245 61 264 62 63, 64 63 264, 265 64 225, 226 65 120, 121 66 121-123 67 •123 68 128-1:52 69 183-185 70 125,126 71 226-228 72 266-268 333 Index of Biblical Passages PSALMS PAGES 73 78-80 74 238-240 75 64,65 76 118, 119 77 228, 229 78 158-161 79 240, 241 80 229-231 81 165, 166 82 65-66 83 188, 189 84 143-145 85 231, 232 86 232, 233 87 291 88 233,235 89 273-277 66, 67 85, 86 67, 68 28 90 91 92 93 94 72, 7 95 289, 293 96 285, 286 97 287, 288 98 286, 287 99 288, 289 100 290 loi 265, 266 102 201-203 103 41, 42 104 37-39 105 166-168 106 162-164 107 112-115 108 : 1-5 (note 2) 253 108 : 6-13 (note 3) 244 109 186, 187 no 267, 270 III 46 112 89 113 47 114 171 "5 45,46 116 135, 136 "7 47 118 133-135 "9 94-103 120. .235 .86 122 142, 143 123 235, 236 124 119, 120 125 86, 87 126 123, 124 127 : I, 2 84 127: 35- 90 128 90, 91 129 120 130 203 131 236 132 277, 278 133 •151 169 .178, 179 ,126, 127 . . . 80-82 245 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 246 142 246, 247 143 203, 204 144 : i-ii 127, 128 144 : 12-15 89, 90 145 47, 48 146 48, 49 147 42, 43 49 136 50 148. 149. 150. LAMENTATIONS PAGES 1 305-308 2 299-302 3 310-313 4 302-305 5 308, 309 334 Ube Iblstorical Series FOR BIBLE STUDENTS EDITED BY Professor Charles F. Kent, Ph.D., of Yale University, and Professor Frank K. Sanders, Ph.D., of Yale University. IN response to a widespread demand for non-technical yet scholarly and reliable guides ^o the study of the history, literature, and teaching of the Old and New Testaments, and of the contemporary history and litera- ture, this series aims to present in concise and attractive form the results of investigation and exploration in these broad fields. Based upon thoroughly critical scholar- ship, it will emphasize assured and positive rather than transitional positions. The series as a whole is intended to present a complete and connected picture of the social, political, and religious life of the men and peoples who figure most prominently in the biblical records. Each volume will be complete in itself, treating com- prehensively a given subject or period. It will also refer freely to the biblical and monumental sources, and to the standard authorities. Convenience of size, clearness of presentation, and helpfulness to the student, will make the series particularly well adapted for (i) practical text- books for college, seminary, and university classes ; (2) hand-books for the use of Bible classes, clubs, and guilds ; (3) guides for individual study ; and (4) books for general reference. CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS Publishers ------ New York Ube Ibtstottcal Series FOR BIBLE STUDENTS HISTORY OF THE HEBREW PEOPLE L Ube IHniteb Iking&om. Eleventh edition. II. Ube 2)ivi&e& IRing&om. Eleventh edition. Charles F. Kent, Ph.D., Woolsey Professor of Biblical Lit- erature, Yale University. HISTORY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE III. Ube iJSab^lonfan, ipersxan, an^ Oreeft ipcrfobs. Seventh edition. Charles F. Kent, Ph.D., Woolsey Professor of Biblical Lit- erature, Yale University. IV. Ube ^accabean an^ IRoman peviob (including New Testament Times). Third edition. James S. Riggs, D.D., Professor of Biblical Criticism, Auburn Theological Seminary. CONTEMPORARY OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY V. Ibistors Of tbc JEgsptians. James H. Breasted, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Semitic Lan- guages and Egyptology, the University of Chicago. VI. Ibistor^ of tbe ffiabslonfatts an^ Hss^rfanB. Second edition. George S. Goodspeed, Ph.D., Professor of Ancient History, the University of Chicago. NEW TESTAMENT HISTORIES VII. Ube life of Jesus. Fourth edition. Rush Rhees, President of the University of Rochester. Vlll. Ube Bpostolfc Bge. Fifth edition. George T. Purves, Ph.D., D.D., late Professor of New Testa- ment Literature and Exegesis, Princeton Theological Seminary. OUTLINES FOR THE STUDY OF BIBLICAL HISTORY AND LITERATURE. IX. jfrom Earliest Uimes to tbe Captfvft?. X. jfrom tbe Eiile to 200 H. 2). Frank K. Sanders, Ph.D., Professor of Biblical History and Archaeology, Yale University. Vols. I, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 are now ready. Ubc Student's 0U> XTestament LOGICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY ARRANGED AND TRANSLATED BY Charles Foster Kent, Ph.D., Woolsey Professor of Biblical Literature in Yale University THIS work gives a logical and chronological arrange- ment of the Old Testament, rearranging systemati- cally the early songs, primitive traditions, tribal stories, laws, exhortations, and historical narratives. Where there are two or more different versions of the narrative, as is often the case in the first twelve Books of the Bible, these versions are printed side by side. It gives a clear translation not only of the words, but also of the ideas and the spirit of the original texts. The introductions and explanatory notes will give all needed explanations of obscurities of the texts and of the historical and geographical connections. ARRANGEMENT OF VOLUMES I. Ube 3Begfnnlng0 of Ibebrew Dfstoris. {J^eady March, 190h.) II. Dfatorfcal an^ JBfograpbfcal flarratfves. {In preparation.) III. propbetfc Sermons, Epfstlcs, an6 Bpocal^pees. IV. laws an^ Ura6it(onaI prece&ents. V. Songs, psalms, anfe fJra^crs. VI. proverbs an6 2)i^act(c poems. Full descriptive circulars and specimen pages sent free on request CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 153-^57 Fifth Avenue - . - - New York Date Due " 1 f