^^J!i^-'^Hii^«5^^^J:ir;t^i^hJi^^ ILEIBI^^IFllf " :)QOf . 10 used in the Suffrages at Morn, and Even. Prayer and in Te Deum . 1 18-120 XXIX For Feast of Tabernacles*: the Seven Voices explained . . . 120-125 XXX For the Feast of Hanucca: Easter Eve (W). Sung by the Levites when the basket of firstfruits was brought into the Temple (T. B. Bikkurim iii. 4) . . . 126-130 XXXI ... . . 131-135 XXXII Day of Atonement (S) : Ash-Wednesday (E) ... . . 135-138 XXXIII Partakes of the nature of the Alphabetical Psalms . ... 139-141 XXXV The imprecations compared with those of Jeremiah . . 142-146 XXXVI ... .... .... 147-150 XXXVIII Good Friday (W) : Ash- Wednesday (E) iSi-iSS XXXIX Burial Sei-vice (E) . . . 155-160 XL Good Friday (W, E) 160-166 XLI Used as a Prayer for the Sick (S) 167-170 For the Liturgical use of the Psalms I have chiefly consulted Griinwald, Ueber den Einfluss der Psaltnen, i2r=c. * Ps. xxix. seems to have been used in the Temple both on the first and last days of Tabernacles ; the last verse was also sung at the Evening Sacrifice on New Year's Day (T. B. Rosch haschana 30'', quoted by Graetz). PSALMS I— IL A LATE PREFACE TO THE WHOLE PSALTER. ' Ah, poor Man, befooled and slow And faint! Ah, poorest Man, if so Thou turn thy back on bliss And choose amiss ! For thou art choosing now : Sinner, — or Saint." (C. ROSSETTI.) PSALM I. This is a Psalm of the " two ways " — the way that ends in blessing, and the way that ends in the curse. Ebal and Gerizim (Josh. viii. 33). This thought of the two ways is very widespread and is found in the Zoroastrian religion. "Thus in a fragment of the Hadokht Nask, which gives an account of the progress after death, we find four steps mentioned in the advance of the soul. The first step of the righteous he places upon good thought, the second upon good word, the third upon good deed, and the fourth and last upon the eternal lights. The account of the contrary progress of the unrighteous soul is lost, except the last clause, ' The soul of the wicked man fourthly advanced with a step he placed on the eternal glooms'" \ReUgion of Zoroaster, R. Brown, Jun. J. Possibly there may be some connexion between the four upward steps of the good man in the Psalm and the four Zoroastrian steps — thus (a) Good thought — not "in the counsel of the wicked." {f) Good word — not "in the way of sinners." (c) Good deed — not "in the company of the scoffers." {d) The eternal lights— "\ht law of YHVH" (cf Fs. xix.). Certainly the " Law of YHVH " does not here signify the Law of Moses but rather that Divine Revelation which fulfils the same part in the world of Spirits as the sun does in the world of nature (see notes on Ps. xix.) and which may therefore be fitly compared with "the eternal lights." But whether our Psalm has been consciously influenced by the Zoroastrian thought or no it has certainly been influenced by the following passage from Jeremiah : " Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his strength and turneth away his heart from the Lord. For he becomes like the heath in the desert, that will not feel it when good comes. For it dwells in the parched places of the wilderness, a land not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and the Lord becomes his confidence, K. I 2 PSALM I. And he becomes like a tree established by the waters and that spreadeth out its roots by the stream. And that will not feel it when heat comes, but its leaf becomes green. And in the drought of the year it has no care nor ceases from yielding fruit." (Jer. xvii. 5 — 8.) The picture here is more complete than in the Psalm, since we have the bad tree as well as the good. The bad tree has no root and therefore the very sun that should have brought it life brings death. The good tree is " rooted and grounded," so that it is ever drawing fresh life from the sun. At first it might seem that in the Psalm the simile of the tree was exchanged in verse 4 for a new simile of the threshing-floor, but if we remember such passages as " their root shall be as rottenness, etc." (Is. v. 24), " their root is dried up, they can yield no fruit " (Hos. ix. 16), we shall, I think, conclude that the Psalmist had in his mind Jeremiah's picture of " the heath in the desert." The whole point of the picture is that the same sun which brings the wealth of the seasons to the good tree dries up the root of the bad. Compare also the last verse, where it is not said that God '¦'¦destroys the way of the wicked" but that "the way of the wicked perishes" — i.e. it is self-destroyed. Thus in our Psalm we find already the germ of that doctrine so often set forth in St John that the real judgement of the world is the incoming of light. The Way of life. i Happy" is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the " Ps. ii. ii wicked. Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the company of scoffers : 2 But in the law of YHVH is his delight. And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 So he becomes like a tree established'' by watercourses, ^transplanted That yieldeth its fruit in its season, And whose leaf never falls. And the growth that it makes is all thrifty. The way of death. 4 Far Otherwise with the wicked ! For they are but as wind-driven chaff! 5 Therefore the wicked will not arise in the judgement Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. Why life? 6 For YHVH taketh note>^ of the way of the righteous, <= u xim. ii. .( Why dealh? And the way of the wicked perishes. PSALM II. PSALM II. The first and last stanzas should be read together, referring as they do simply to events on earth. "YHVH and His Christ'' against whom the nations are rebelhng in the first stanza, answer to "YHVH" and "the Son" to whom they are forced to pay homage in the last stanza. The second and third stanzas should then be read together, in which the scene is not on earth but in Heaven ; since the rebellion is against " YHVH and His Christ " YHVH speaks in Stanza ii. and " His Christ " in Stanza iii. If God can say, "Israel is My son. My firstborn" (Exod. iv. 22, cf Jer. xxxi. 9), the Christian need not fear to confess that the Messianic Psalms have a relation to Israel as well as to the Christ : indeed the application to Christ will often best be seen by first considering the application to the Messiah-nation. The rebellion {v. i f ) of the " nations, peoples, kings, and rulers " must not be narrowed to the service of any historical allusion. It represents that opposition of earth to earth's God, and therefore to earth's good, which is ever going on and which is " as hopeless as if the stars were to combine to abolish gravitation " [Maclaren]. If a man fall upon any God-laid corner-stone " he is broken " (cf verse 9), but even that is better than that the corner-stone should fall upon him "and scatter him as dust" (Luke xx. 18, compare v. 12 of our Psalm). Rebellion against a law of Nature must be futile ; and Christ is the central Law of all Nature. The special use of this Psalm for Easter Day is justified by verse 7, " Thou art My Son, It is I that have begotten thee this day." These words mean much the same as Ps. Ixxxix. 27, "I too will make him My Firstborn, a Most High to the kings of the earth": the "Day" does not suggest the thought of an eternal generation, but rather that at some signal point of the world's history God had "highly exalted him and given him the Name above every name." This " Day " was the Resurrection, for then he " was declared to be the Son of God with power... by the resurrection of the dead" (Rom. i. 4). St Paul also quotes our Psalm as fulfilled in the Resurrection of Jesus (Acts xiii. 33). Death was the condition on which the Father alone could give him "the nations for his inheritance" (cf Is. Iiii. 12, Matt, xxviii. 18). He is "the firstborn from the dead ; that in all things he might have the preeminence " (Col. i. 18). It is only as "the firstborn of the dead" that he is "the ruler of the kings of the earth " (Rev. i. 5). Psalms i. and ii. forming as they do a Preface to the whole Psalter were at one time regarded as one Psalm (see Acts xiii. 33 crit. text). The point of connexion is seen in the first line of Ps. i. and the last line of Ps. ii. Ps. i., like the Old Testament, depicts the happiness that springs from obedience to the Law. Ps. ii., like the New Testament, depicts the happiness of trust in the Christ as the central Law of Creation. PSALM II. Israel speaks. The rebel-powers say I Why do the nations rage^ And the peoples ponder a vain thing > 2 Earth's kings'' take their stand. Rulers take counsel together — (It is) Against YHVH and against His Christ! 3 " Let us burst their fetters And let us cast off their bonds ! " " Acts iv. 25-1; ''Rev. xvi. n; xix. 19 Were the heavenly purpose known rebel lion would be seen to be futile. 4 The Throned-One of heaven laughs ; The Lord" derides them ! 5 Then He speaks to them in His anger And strikes them in fear with His wrath, 6 " It is I that established (?) My King Upon Zion My Holy Mountain." ¦ Adonai The heavenly pur pose is revealed on earth in His choice of the Messiah. Therefore let the rebel-powers submit in time. 7 Let me tell of the decree — YHVH said unto me, "Thou art My Son*, It is I that have begotten thee this day. 8 Ask of Me, I would give thee nations for thine inheritance. The ends" of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break ^ them with an iron= sceptre, And shatter them like a potter's vessel." 10 And now O kings be wise ; Be warned ye Judges of Earth ; II Serve YHVH with reverence, And tremblingly rejoice. 12 Pay homage to the Son'' lest He be angry and ye be lost ! For His anger may easily burn ! Happy' are all they that take refuge in Him. '' Acts xiii. 3j Heb. i, 5 V- 5 " Is. xlix. 6 ' Aramaic 8 Rev. ii. 16 27 : ™- i xix. 15 >» Aramaic cf. Prov.xxxi.! Sept. differs ' Ps. i. I FIRST COLLECTION. ' DAVIDIC ' PSALMS. PSALM III. Psalms iii. and iv. are usually regarded as a pair; the former being an evening and the latter a morning Hymn. Undoubtedly they are fitted for such use though not originally written for the purpose. The points of similarity vanish on closer examination; — compare ''My Glory" iii. 3 with iv. 2, where even if the text be correct (see Sept.) the word is probably used in another sense. Ps. iii. 5 "I laid me to sleep, I awoke " should rather be compared with Mark iv. 2 7 than with Ps. iv. 8, since it denotes man's passive "sleeping and rising night and day" as opposed to God's active work of sustentation. The structure of Psalms iii. and iv. is also different. In Psalm iii. we have four stanzas of two verses each. The Psalm depicts the progress of the soul (or shall we say of Israel?) through four stages to the repose of expectant prayer. In the first stage (Stanza 1.) we see nothing but the consciousness of need. In the second stage (Stanza 11.) the standpoint is in the unseen world of realities. The soul knows that God is its Shield and that, as Luther says, 'a little word can bring Him down' (cf v. 4). But there is a vast difference between knowing a thing and realizing it; hence the soul passes to the third stage (Stanza iii.), the stage of experience in which it comes to reahze that " Man's weakness leaning upon God Its end can never miss." The fourth stage (Stanza iv.) might seem at first sight to be retrograde, since we should scarcely expect petition to follow upon such repose of faith as we have found in Stanza iii. The answer to this difficulty is, I think, to be found in the fact that the Psalm depicts the experience of Israel and that Israel is still looking forward to the "far oflf Divine event" to which every lesser salvation pointed; hence the very triumph of Stanza iii. gives birth to the prayer of Stanza iv. The reader should study the connexion between the verses which are marked (fl), (fl,), (flj, (flg), and also, in Uke manner, the verses marked (b), (b^, {b^, (b^). FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. What seems (fl) Danger all round. (b) No help in God. What is (fli) God a Shield all round. (b^) God a, very present Help. What I learn by experience (an) When I am weak (^o) Then I am strong. What will be (03) The unseen God will arise. (bg) His salvation will ap pear. PSALM III. I O YHVH, how many are my foes ! Many are rising against me ! 2 Many are saying of my soul " There is no salvation for him in God ^" 3 But Thou, YHVH, art a Shield round about me ; My Glory, and the uplifter of my head. 4 With my voice I but call unto YHVH, And He has answered me from His Holy Hill. 5 As for me I laid me to sleep, I awoke — But YHVH it is that sustains me. 6 I fear not the myriads of people That have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O YHVH, help me O my God, Thou hast*" smitten all mine enemies on the cheek", Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 To YHVH belongeth salvation. Upon Thy People be Thy blessing. Is. Iiii. 4; Matt, xxvii. 43 ' Ps. Ixiii. 7 ' Sept. differs PSALM IV. The occasion of this Psalm may very possibly have been the Feast of the Ingathering in a disastrous season. Those gifts of the earth had sometimes to be withdrawn because they were attributed to Baal. Thus God complains of Israel, "She did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. Therefore I will return and take away my corn in the time thereof etc." (Hos. ii. 8 f). But when this was done the sinners still failed to recognize the Giver, "They have not cried unto Me with their heart, when they howl upon their beds ; they assemble themselves for the corn and wine and they rebel against Me" (Hos. vii. 14). The point of the Psalm is to shew that man's blessedness consists in the presence of the Giver, not in the possession of the gift. Israel was "separated" ("singled out") from the nations of the world for this very end that God's Presence should be its all in all. "For wherein shall it be known here that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy sight? is it not that Thou goest with us? so shall we be separated (cf v. 3 of Psalm) I and PSALM IV. 9 Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth" (Ex. xxxiv. i6). The first verse of our Psalm reads very like a gloss on the last stanza of Ps. iii. In any case the structure of the Psalm is best understood by commencing at verse 2 : the Psalm then falls into three stanzas of which the first and last closely correspond. The worldly party in Israel not only craved for temporal goods for their own sake (Stanza i.) but also as a sign of God's favour (Stanza iii.). Israel on the other hand feels that his God has "separated" him for Himself {v. 3). This must imply a being "left alone," but yet he is "not alone because the Father is with him " {v. 8). The appHcation of the Psalm to Christ is obvious. I Answer me while I cry, O God of my righteousness ! In straits Thou madest room for me ; O pity me and hear my prayer ! Worldlings crave for temporal goods. Israel is singled out for God only. Disappointed hopes may lead to sin. Thanksgiving will lead to God; Worldlings crave visible signs of God's favour. Israel's is the greater joy. Alone,yetnot alone, with God. Sons of men separated. Ex. xxxiii. 16 Eph. iv. 26 resigned 2 Ye worldlings", insulting my Glory, How long will ye love the vain. And seek the false ? 3 Note how YHVH has singled*" me out as His loved one, YHVH hears me while to Him I cry. 4 Be ye in rage — but sin" not, Speak with your hearts — on your beds — and be still '^. 5 Offer sacrifices of righteousness And put ye your trust in YHVH. 6 Many are saying, " Oh for the sight of good times ! Display Thou upon us the Light of Thy countenance YHVH." 7 Thou hast put a joy in my heart Above theirs when their corn and new wine are abounding. 8 In peace altogether I can lay me to sleep'' " Ezek. xxxiv. For thou YHVH in seclusion makest me dwell in safety. V. 1. The text is somewhat doubtful. Wellhausen would make it agree with the Septuagint and would read "Ye sons of men ; — how long ye slow of heart ! — Why will ye love vanity, etc." V. 6. "Display Thou." If there be any allusion here to the Priestly blessing in Numb. vi. 24 f. the word is purposely changed so as to signify not the " liftitig up" of God's countenance but the " displaying it as a sign." The words must be taken as those of the unbelievers who are craving for a sign. V. 8. "In seclusion." The words here translated "in seclusion," "in safety" are almost synonyms, as may be seen from Numb, xxiii. 9; Mic. vii. 14; Deut. xxxiii. 28; Jer. xlix. 31, "His God makes him to dwell free from care, though in seclusion" (Delitzsch). The thought of "seclusion" undoubtedly goes back to v. 3 where Israel was said to be "separated" or "singled out." IO FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PSALM V. This, like Psalm i, is a Psalm of the ' two ways ' ; but whereas Psalm i. shewed us the two roads. Psalm v. shews us the two ends, "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt' (Matt. xii. 33; cf Rev. xxii. 11 R.V.). The general structure of the Psalm will be seen from the marginal notes. It will be convenient to consider first the downward course and its end (verses 4 6 and 9 — 10). This is founded upon the Nature of God who cannot abide sin (verses 4 — 6) and the nature of sin which cannot abide God (verses 9 — 10). Evil, at last, must go to its own place — whatever that may mean. We now take the upward course which has a beginning (verses i — 3), a middle (verses 7 and 8) and an end (verses 11 and 12). The beginning consists of three prayers followed by three closely related resolves; thus — Prayers. Resolves. (fl) 'Give ear to my words' (ci^ 'In the morning Thou shalt hear my voice' (V) 'Consider my meditation' (p^ ' I will order my thoughts before Thee.' (c) 'Attend to the voice of my cry,' i.e. (c^ 'I will stand on my watch,' i.e. to its true meaning, whether I know it catch Thy meaning. myself or not. Thus we have a rising order of word, thought, purpose. The prayer that my words may be heard must pass into the resolve of early instant prayer. If I ask God to consider my meditation I must consider it myself, I must order my thoughts as a sacrifice in His presence. If I ask God further to attend to the purpose of my cry rather than to the words I must myself stand patiently to await His pleasure. The word once was, ' Let this cup pass from Me,' but ' the voice of the cry ' to which the Father ' attended ' was ' not as I will but as Thou wilt.' Those who ask God to attend to the voice of their cry will certainly need to stand, as the prophets did, upon the watch-tower to await and understand His answer. So much for the beginning of the upward course. The middle is set forth in verses 7 and 8 which give indeed the central thought of the Psalm, viz. that the good man enters God's presence not through his own righteousness but through God's "grace abounding." The reader will notice the contrast between "sins abounding" (v. 10) and "grace abounding" {v. 7). The etid of the upward course (verses 11 and 12) is summed up in the joy of two thoughts, God's Protection and God's Presence: these thoughts will be seen to be a development of verses 7 and 8 but in reverse order. No higher blessedness can be reached than that of verse 12: " Thou Thyself dost make the righteous man blessed — YHVH ! Shield-wise with favour dost Thou crown him." It is the joy of the Beatific Vision. PSALM V. 1 1 Three prayers for (a) Word. (b) Thought. (c) Intention. Three resolves for (fli) Word. (*i) Thought. (ci) Intention. God's Presence an impossibility to evil negatively positively. I O YHVH give ear to my words. Consider my meditation, 2 Attend to the voice of my cry, O my King and my God ; For unto Thee do I pray. 3 In the morning, YHVH, Thou shalt hear my voice; In the morning I will order" before Thee my thoughts ' And stand on my watch. 4 For Thou art not a God that can find pleasure in sin. Evil can be no guest'' of Thine ! 5 Mad-boasters cannot bide Thine eyes. Thou hatest all workers ° of vanity. 6 Those that speak lies Thou destroyest. The man of blood and fraud YHVH abhorreth. hev. vi. 6 : Numb. ^ Ps. xv. I Matt. vii. 23 I, through Grace, 7 So I, through Thy grace abounding, can enter Thy House, PreseTcT '"'° ^^^ ^^" worship at Thy holy Temple, in Thy fear. 8 Lead me, YHVH, in Thy righteousness, because of my foes ; Make Thy way straight before me. Therefore lead me with Thy Protection. They, being evil, have no part in the Divine Presence negatively positively. 9 For there is in his'^ mouth no steadfastness. Their inner being is a yawning-abyss ; Their throat an open grave, they flatter with their tongue. 10 Shew them as guilty, O God ! Let them fall through their own counsels ! Drive them out through their sins abounding ! For they have rebelled against Thee. their mouths The joy of God's Protection. The joy of God's Presence. II So Thy trusting-ones all shall be glad. They shall ever joyously sing. And Thou wilt protect'' them ; Yea those that love Thy Name exult in Thee. 12 For Thou Thyself dost make the righteous blessed — YHVH ! Shield '-wise with favour dost Thou crown him ! ' Ps. xci. 4 cover, cf. Ps. xci. 4 V. II f. The pilgrimage to God is often described under the image of Israel's journey to the Land of Promise ; as God's guiding Light was then both Light and Shield, so it will be in the future (cf. Is. xi. 16). As God's Presence brooded over His People like the cherubim that "covered" the " mercy- seat," so in the future He will "cover" them: thus protected and guided they vvill "come unto Zion with joyous songs" (Is. xxxv. lo; li. ii; Jer. xxxi. 12). See also note on Ps. xliii. 3. 12 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PSALM VI. The first of the seven 'penitential' Psalms (the others being xxxii; xxxviii; li; cii; cxxx ; cxliii). The language and thought is so similar to that of Jeremiah (see marginal references) as to justify us in asserting that the Sufferer is Israel. Israel was God's 'Servant' whose mission was to make God known to the Gentiles (Is. xlix. 3, 5, 6). This mission involved that "scattering" which seemed hke the death of Israel but which was really a "sowing in the earth" (Hos. ii. 23 and cf St John xii. 24—27). Though Israel may feel "for this cause came I unto this hour" still he prays "Father save me from this hour" — ly ij/vxn fJ-ov hapaxO-q o-6Epa (v. 3 Sept.). The sowing of Israel among the heathen was an agony of separation from God (see Stanza 1.), but the promised reward was that, in some way dimly understood, the whole world should, through Israel, be separated from evil (see Stanza iii.). We need not shrink from applying this and other penitential Psalms to Christ; for if He has united Himself, as it were in a Marriage union with our nature. He must feel the sin of that nature as if it were His own. The "sowing'' of Israel in the earth was a type of that "corn of wheat" which fell into the ground and died that it might not "abide alone." The Psalm consists of three Stanzas, ist, The Fear of Sin as Separation from God. 2nd, An agony of prayer based on the shortness of opportunity. 3rd, Separation from evil The six lines of Stanza iii. answer exactly to the six lines of Stanza i. Our Lord quotes v. 8 (Matt. vii. 23; xxv. 41; Lk. xni. 27) with reference to His own final separation from evil men. If we interpret the whole Psalm of Christ we might say that Stanza i. repre sents the shrinking fear with which He plunges into the evil of the world and takes the 'nature of sinful flesh' (see especially v. 3 and compare Joh. xii. 27; xiii. 21 and xi. 33). Stanza 11. would represent the "strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save him from death" (Heb. v. 7); the agony arising from the knowledge that the opportunity for the world was short (cf Luke xii. 50). Stanza in. would then be Christ's triumph-song of victory over the world's evil. V. 8. Separation from Sinners (Heb. vii. 26), as contrasted with v. i 'conviction of sin.' The Father hears the voice of His weeping, as contrasted with v. i ' chastisement in wrath.' V. g. The Father hears His supplication, as contrasted with v. 2 The cry for pity in weakness. The Father receives His prayer, as contrasted with v. 2 The cry for healing. V. 10. His enemies are troubled, as contrasted with v. 3 His own soul troubled. The conviction and conversion in a moment, as contrasted with v. 3 Age-long waiting. PSALM VI. 13 The agony of sepa ration from God. I YHVH I Convict" me not in thine anger. Neither chastise me in Thy wrath". 2 Pity me YHVH for that I am weak ; HeaP me YHVH for my bones are troubled ;- 3 Yea troubled"' is my soul exceedingly. But thou— O YHVH, how long.? Jer. X. : xxx. II ; xxxviii. I 24; Ps. (^) Ps. xh. 4 (5) Sept.era/idx;- e-q. Cf. St John xii. 27 The night cometh when no man can work. 4 Return, YHVH, rescue my soul ! O save me for Thy mercy's sake. 5 For not in Death is Thy memorial. And in Sheol who can give Thee thanks'*? 6 I am weary" of groaning, each night I water my bed, I bedew my couch with my tears. 7 My sight is dim^ through grief, It is aged through all my foes. " Ps. xxx. 9 (10) " Ps. Ixix. 3 (4) ' ' Ps. xxxi. 9 10; Lam. V. 17 The joy of separa tion from Evil. 8 Depart from me, all ye that work evil. For YHVH hath heard the voice of my weeping. 9 YHVH hath heard my supplication, YHVH receives my prayer. 10 All mine enemies will be shamed and troubled exceedingly, They repent, they are shamed, in a moment. V. 5. "For not iti Death is Thy memorial" — i.e. 'in death one cannot memorialize Thy goodness.' The rendering of the E.V. " there is no remembrance of Thee " is far too strong and is not justified either by the context or by the usage of Scripture. Scripture often speaks of the ' memorial ' (remembrance) of the wicked perishing (Ex. xvii. 14; Deut. xxv. 19; Job xviii. 17; Pss. ix. 6 (7); xxxiv. 16 (17); cix. 15; Ecc. ix. 5; Is. xxvi. 14). But, on the other hand, God's 'memorial' (remembrance) is "throughout all generations" (Pss. cii. 12 (13); cxxxv. 13; cf. also xxx. 4 (5); xcvii. 12; cxi. 4). The passage must not be used either one way or other in determining the belief of the writer as to the state after death. It merely asserts that the work of life ends with life, and since the work of Israel's life is to "abundantly utter the remembrance (memorial) of God's great goodness" (Ps. cxiv. 7) then, if Israel cease to be, God's ' little human praise ' will cease as well. V. 8. " Depart from me." The meaning may be gathered from the following passages: "Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men" (Numb. xvi. 26); "Depart, get you down from among the Amalekites" (i Sam. xv. 6); "Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out. ..touch no unclean thing" (Is. lii. 11). In all these passages the good are exhorted to separate themselves from the evil so as not to share their fate : but in Lam. iv. 15 the unclean are bidden to depart as lepers from those who are, or think themselves, clean. There are two other passages in the Psalms in which the expression occurs, viz. Ps. cxix. 115, "Depart from me, ye evil-doers; for I will keep the commandments of my God"; and cxxxix. 19, "Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: Depart from me therefore, ye men of blood." This is not a sentence of banishment but simply the expression of the necessary separation between good and evil. No doubt in early times the distinction between hating the sin and the sinner was often lost sight of (cf. Ps. cxix. 113; cxxxix. 21), but it should not be so under the New Testament. When then our Lord quotes these words we must interpret them in His spirit. 14 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PSALM VII. The Seventh Psalm is a Psalm of Judgement, just as the Seventh Month is the Month of Judgement (See my 'Asaph' Psalms, Leet. IL). The editor who arranged the Psalms in their present order was, I beheve, guided by this thought both here and in the case of Psalm l. which is a Jubilee Psalm or a completion of the cycle of seven times seven (see ad loc). According to the old Semitic religion God took His place for judgement in the Seventh Month and the gods of heaven and earth came humbly round Him bowing down before Him. The destiny of all was then determined (Sayce, Hib. Led. pp. 65, 94 f). This thought has certainly left its impress on the Jewish observance of ' New Year's Day ' (Seventh Month) and has coloured the imagery of the present Psalm (verses 6 — 10). Israel claims that not Merodach but Elohim the Righteous God is the true Judge who determines the destiny of all {vv. 6, f). Israel prays to be judged by this Righteous Judge (v. 8); he cannot doubt the result since his own aim is at righteousness (p. 10). On the other hand, because God is Righteous evil must become its own avenger (vv. 9% 14 — 16). Surely this is a somewhat late conception? Israel unjustly op- i YHVH, My God, in Thee I take refuge, pressed 'catches at Save me from all my pursuers and rescue me; God's skirt and prays.' 2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion, Rending with none to rescue. 3 YHVH, My God ! if I have done this— If iniquity cling to my hands, 4 If I have requited evil to my friend — Then I could exonerate my causeless foe. 5 The enemy might pursue my soul. Might overtake and trample my life to the ground. And lay my glory in the dust. V. 2. "Rending with none to rescue." If we follow the Septuagint we should read "None to redeem and none to rescue." The word fordq signifies to break e.g. a yoke (Gen. xxvii. 40), hence to "redeem" (Lam. v. 8 ; Ps. cxxxvi. 24). It is once used of rending or breaking claws in pieces (Zech. xi. 16) and might therefore be used of a lion rending his prey, but the balance of usage is undoubtedly in favour of the Septuagint. The passage in Lam. v. 8 should specially be noticed since the thought is so similar to that of our Psalm: "Slaves rule over us and redeemer there is none from their hand." V. 3. "If iniquity cling to tny hattds." Compare also verses 8, 9, 10, 17. Israel as the People of God can claim a hoUness which the individual Israelite could not claim. By this very fact Israel becomes a type and a prophecy of the Christ. V. 4. "/ could exonerate." The verb is subjunctive or optative as is noticed in the Septuarint aud Vulgate: this seems to exclude the renderings "I have spoiled" or "/ have set free." The primary sense of the word is "to strip": hence follows the meaning "to remove" "take away" e.p stones (Lev. xiv. 40, 43); hence "to deliver" " to free" out of trouble (Ps. vi. 4 (5); xvih. ig (20); xxxiv. 7 (8); \. 15; Ixxxi. 7 (8); xci. 15; cxix. 153; cxL i (2) &c.). From the sense "to free" we might easily get to exonerate, to free (from blame). The LXX read d-n-oiriaoifj.i apa airi run, iydpuy u.ov h ¦ The Vulgate, decidam merito ab inimicis meis inanis. PSALM VII. i5 The heathen have their fable of a Judge ment Day, but the true Judgement is moral, by a Righteous God. In that Day of His vengeance Israel will be safe. 6 YHVH, Arise in Thine anger! Lift Thee up against the rage of my foes ! Yea rouse Thee for me— a judgement Thou hast ordained ! 7 The assembly of the Nations comes around Thee, Then, above it, do Thou throne Thee on high! 8 YHVH (that) righteth the people. Judge thou me, YHVH ! By my righteousness, by the integrity that is mine. 9 Let the evil of the wicked end itself. But uphold Thou the righteous-one. The One who trieth hearts and reins Is Elohim the Righteous-One ! 10 My shield devolves on Elohim Who helpeth the upright of heart. II Elohim is a righteous Judge, And " will not ever be angry " " text doubtful 12 Except he repent He whets His sword. Bends His bow and makes it ready. 13 For him He prepareth the weapons of death. His arrows He maketh burning. 14 Behold he is in birth-pangs with iniquity ; Mischief he conceived and falsehood he brought forth. 15 A pit he dug and scooped it out. And fell in the trap of his making. 16 His mischief returns on his own head. And on his own crown his violence comes down. 17 1 can praise YHVH according to His righteousness. And can harp to the Name of YHVH Most High. V. 6 f. The key-note to the Psalm is to be found in verses 6 and 7 which anticipate a judgement on the nations that are hostile to Israel's God. Just as the stars seem ever to be climbing round the Pole- star but it abides changeless on the throne of heaven, so the nations of the world "come round about" the God of Israel but He in calm judgement maintains His throne. V. 7. The present text reads "return Thou on high''' but since the change required is only one of the vowel points it is better to read "sit Thou,'' or "throne Thee." V. 10. "My shield devolves on Elohitn," lit. "My shield is upon Elohim.''' Cf. the similar Psalm of Divine Judgement (Ps. xlvii. 9) " For all the shields of the earth are Elohim's " ; also Ps. Ixxxiv. 9, "Oh Elohim our shield." Our Psalmist had said (v. i) that he "took refuge" as it were under God's wings : he, like Abraham, had given up all for God ; therefore to him too God would say " I am thy shield" (Gen. xv. i). Cf. also on Ps. xviii. 2 (3), 30 (31), 35 (36). Ju.st as in Browning's Instans Tyrannus the victim of oppression at last " Stood erect, caught at God's skirts, and prayed ! " and then "...from marge to blue marge The whole sky grew his targe." So here God becomes Israel's Shield: indeed it devolves upon Him, cf. 11 Thess. i. 6 f. V. II. This verse is very doubtful. Taking the present text we should translate "Elohim is u righteous Judge" (or " Elohim judgeth the righteous") "And El is angry every day." But the Septuagint read al " not " instead of El " God." The enemy falls in the Judgement self- destroyed. i6 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PSALM VIII. This Psalm is a Psan of Creation. The episode of the Fah is passed over in the fuh assurance of God's purpose; for "what began best can't prove worst, Nor what God blest once prove accurs't." The God whose glory fills the heavens has chosen man, of the dust of the earth, as His " stronghold " for self-revelation ; the Incarnation, though not yet revealed, was involved in this choice. We seem in this Psalm to catch an echo of the joy of Him who when on earth rejoiced in the homage of children (Matt. xxi. i6) and in the knowledge that His Father was revealing Himself to babes (Matt. xi. 25, compare i Cor. i. 19 ff.). The Psalm falls naturally into three Parts. In the first we have the bold paradox that man's httleness is greater and more glorious and more God-loved than all the galaxy of stars and suns. In the second we pass to the difficulty of realizing man's true place when all the stars of night are looking down upon his in significance. In the third we come back to facts ; — Man has already a growing dominion over the earth. True greatness cannot be measured by a foot-rule. Man's greatness consists in this ; that God has chosen him to be the bearer of His Image ; all things, at last, will be placed under his feet (cf. Heb. ii. 6 — 8 in Bishop Westcott's Commentary). The critic will note that the Psalm is written in the spirit of the Priest-Code (P) not only from the fact that it ignores the Fall but also from the direct allusions to P in verses 3 and 5 — 8. Is it altogether an accident that the subject of the Eighth Psalm should be the Eighth Word of Creation, viz. " Let Us make man in Our Image etc."? God's wonderful purpose in creating . O YHVH, our Lord, How glorious is Thy Name in all the earth ! [When Thou didst put]" Thy Majesty upon"^ the heavens, 2 From the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou didst establish a stronghold'^ ; — ' text doubtful ' Numb, xxvii. 20; I Clir. xxix. 25 ¦ Sept. /raw V. 1. " When Thou didst put." The text is by no means certain. The translation which I offer provisionally has, on the whole, the authority of Sym. Jer. Syr. and Targum : it is however grammatically difificult. In any case, the general sense of the passage is clear. The Psalmist begins by acknowledging the glory of God's Name (i.e. His Self-revelation) in the earth: he then passes to the central thought, viz. the Creation of Man as God's ' stronghold ' for Self-revelation to the Worlds. When God created the heavetis, " the work of His fingers " (v. 3), He put upon them something of His own Glory, though it was but physical splendour ; but when He created Man, in His own Image (v. 5), He put upon him the capacity of sharing the joys and sorrows of the Divine Nature and thus becoming Elohim upon earth. V. i. "Thou didst establish a stronghold" — Lit. 'Thou didst lay a foundation of strength.' By the Creation of the physical Universe, which found its completion in Man, God established His PSALM VIII. 17 The difiiculty of realizing it from the standpoint of earth. Because of Thine adversaries ; — To still the enemy" and the avenger". 3 When I behold Thy heavens, The work of Thy fingers. The moon*" and the stars* which Thou didst establish — 4 What is mortal "man that Thou shouldst bear him mind, And the son of man that Thou shouldst so regard" him ? " Ps. xliv. 16 (17) " Gen. i. 15 f. in (P) ' Contrast Job vii. 17 Yet man's destiny is foreshadowed in his dominion over the creatures. 5 Yet Thou didst make him little less than Elohim,'* 1 Sept. angels And with glory and honour dost crown him. 6 Thou givest him dominion" over the work of Thy hands — "Gen. i.26(P) All things Thou didst put under his feet — 7 Sheep and oxen, all of them. Yea and the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the air and the fish of the sea. Whatever moves through ocean's paths. 9 O YHVH, our Lord, How glorious is Thy Name in all the earth ! stronghold from whence He might first reveal Himself and finally "gather together all things in One'' thus "stilling the enemy and fhe avenger." — The "enemy and the avenger" must denote that proud power which exalts itself against God and which God puts to silence not by violence but by choosing the weak things of earth (i Cor. i. 19, 27 ; cf. Jas. ii. 5). If we accept the modern theory of development the argument becomes, not weaker but, stronger. V. 4. "Mortal titan. ..the son of man." Both these expressions are used to denote man's nature on the side of weakness. The title ' Son of man ' always has this meaning in the Old Testament : cf. especially Dan. vii. 13 where the " Son of man " is identified with Israel (compare verses 14 and 18) as an idealized suffering Humanity and contrasted with the other kingdoms of brute violence. In the New Testament our Lord chooses this lowly title to denote not only the reality of His representative Humanity but also to emphasize the fact that His Kingdom was not of this world. "That Thou shouldst so regard him" — Lit. 'shouldst visit him.' 'Visiting' is here used in a good sense, as in Ps. Ixv. 9 (10) "Thou visitest the earth and waterest it," Ruth i. 6 "The Lord had visited His people in giving them bread." Compare Luke i. 68 "He hath visited and redeemed His people." ¦w. 5, 6. Without pretending that the Hebrew tenses are used with the same accuracy as the Greek we may note here the change of tense. In 5" and 6'' we have the past tense denoting, as it were, the final purpose of God in creating man (the Divine image (5") and the Dominion over Creation (6'') being virtually the same (cf. Gen. i. 26)) ; whereas the imperfect (or future) tenses in 5'' and 6" remind us that the work is still going on and thus justify the argument of the writer to the Hebrews (ii. 6-8) "We see not yet all things put under him." INTRODUCTION TO THE ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. INTRODUCTION TO THE ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. Of the Alphabetical Psalms (ix — x, xxv, xxxiv, xxxvii; cxi, cxii, cxix, cxiv) the first four belong to the First Collection and the last four to the Third Collection. For convenience of study we have grouped them together, though in point of time the First Collection is much earlier than the Third. I shall shew that while the four Alphabetical Psalms of the Third Collection are regular those of the First Collection are all irregular after a common law, since in each of them the letter fi probably stood before J^ and certainly the *] verses stood before the p verses. It will also be seen that the alphabet in these Psalms was not used as a mere acrostic, but that it was arranged in two Tables of ten letters each with direct reference to the sacred number ten, which is the number of the Covenant and which is to the Priest-Code what the number seven is to the Prophetic Writers. The order of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet is supposed to be fixed by the following alphabetical passages : Pss. xxv, xxxiv, xxxvii, cxi, cxii, cxix, cxiv ; Lam. i — iv; Prov. xxxi. lo — 31. The order, however, is not altogether uniform, for it cannot be an accident that S comes before y in Lam. ii. 16, 17, iii. 46 — 51 and iv. 16, 17. If this fact had stood alone it would have justified us in suspecting that, in the time when these Books were written, the order of the alphabet was not altogether fixed as we have it now, and that later editors might possibly rearrange an alphabetical composition making it conform to the order of the alphabet as it is known at present. Thus, for example, out of the four alphabetical chapters in Lamentations we have seen that in three the 63 comes before the y, while in one passage only (ch. i. 16, 17) the order is reversed so as to follow the present alphabet. If any unprejudiced reader will look at the latter passage he will see at once that a much better sense is obtained by transposing verses 16 and 17, i.e. he will conclude that originally the £j verse stood before the V verse, as it does in the other three chapters of this Book. Now it is an interesting fact that in the Alphabetical Psalms of the First Collection a clearer meaning would in each case be found if we were to transpose the y and £) verses (see notes pp. 33, 35). But we may go further. Not only was there an uncertainty in the order of the letters y and £3 but also, I believe, in the order of the letters p and "1. From the alphabetical fragments contained in Psalms ix — x no certain argument can be drawn, but it should be noted that it is on the letter p that Ps. ix ceases to be alphabetical and on the letter p that Ps. x begins to be alphabetical, the same words "Arise O YHVH" being found in each place. It is obvious that the disjecta membra of two or more alphabetical compositions have been pieced together. INTRODUCTION TO THE ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. 19 Now let the reader turn to the fragment Ps. x. n — end and let him transpose the letters p and 1, i.e. let him read v. 14 after verse 11. Thus: — V. II. He says in his heart "God forgets," "He hides His face,'' "He never sees." ^ 14. Thou hast seen — Thou beholdest violence and vexation. The poor may leave it all on Thee, placed in Thy hand; As for the orphan Thou art become his helper. p 1 2. Arise O YHVH ; Lift up Thine hand ; forget not the poor ! 13. Why should the wicked despise God while he saith in his heart " Thou wilt not require it." ^ 15. Break Thou the arm of the wicked — as for the evil. Thou wilt require his wickedness till Thou find none. [16. YHVH is King for ever and ever; the Nations are perished out of His Land.] n 17- Thou YHVH hast heard the desire of the poor. &c. &c. &c. The connexion of thought as indicated by the words in itaUcs is thus brought out, whereas it is obscured by the arrangement in the text. I conclude therefore that, in the original text, the '~\ stood before the p. The next alphabetical Psalm is Psalm xxv, and here again we note an irregularity in the letters p, '~\; the p being omitted altogether and the "^ doubled; but, not only so, one of the "1 verses {v. 18) actually interrupts the sense (see notes) and was probably introduced into the text from some other alphabetical Psalm while the p verse has been lost. The same transposition must also be made in Ps. xxxiv (see p. 30). In the next alphabetical Psalm (xxxvii) the case is still more clear ; If the reader will carefully compare the four Parts, stanza by stanza, he will see that the stanzas which we have printed in parallel columns correspond in a very remarkable way ; but when he comes to the letters p and "1 he will observe that it is absolutely necessary to transpose them since the "H verse (35) answers to the J verse (25) and the p verse (34) to the D verse (27). Next let him compare Part IV with Part II and he will see that the five stanzas of Part IV exactly correspond with the five stanzas of Part II, but only on condition of placing the '~\ stanza before the p stanza. Thus I conclude that in the earhest of the Alphabetical Psalms, the alphabetical order was not altogether fixed as we have it now, or, if fixed, was for some reason or other disregarded in the order of the letters p and \ We now proceed to the separate study of these Psalms. 3—2 20 FIRST COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. PS. IX* {First half). I can thank God Because He has heard my prayer. The Nations are fallen. N I I thank YHVH with my whole heart; I tell of all Thy wondrous works ; X 2 I joy and exult in Thee ; K I strike the harp to Thy Name, O Most High! 3 3 Because mine enemies are turned back. Stumble and perish before Thee : 4 For Thou hast maintained my right and my cause. Thou art set in the throne a right Judge. J 5 Thou hast rebuked the Nations, — destroyed the wicked- Their name Thou hast wiped out for evermore. They will never rise ,'1 g The enemy is ended — an eternal destruction again. Israel is saved at last. Their cities Thou hast destroyed — their very memory is perished ! 1 7 And YHVH, seated for ever, hath prepared His throne for judgement. 1 8 And He will judge the world with righteousness — and right the Peoples justly. "I 9 And YHVH becomes a tower for the oppressed — a tower in seasons of trouble. ") 10 And they that know Thy Name will trust in Thee — For never hast Thou deserted them that seek Thee O YHVH. For the Introduction to this Psalm and its connexion with Psalm x see page 22. PSALM IX. 21 Because He heard this prayer of mine. PS. IX (Second half). I can thank God T n Strike the harp to YHVH who dwelleth in Zion, Tell among the Peoples His doings, 12 For the Avenger of blood hath remembered them. For He never forgot the cry of the poor. n 13 " YHVH be gracious unto me ; Look on my poor estate from my foes. Thou that upliftest me from the gates of death, 14 That I may tell of all Thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion And rejoice in Thy salvation." Nations are £3 15 Sunk are the Nations — in the pitfall they made. In this net of their hiding their own foot is taken. 16 Known is YHVH — ^justice He hath done. Snaring" the wicked in the work of his own hands. • or sttared is They will never rise 1 17 Downward to She61 the wicked return, ^^^™' Even all Nations forgetful of God ! Israel is saved at ^ ,g Yox not alway shall the needy be forgotten, last. XT 1 ¦ /- 1 • , r Nor the expectation of the poor perish for ever. The fallen. p 19 Arise, O YHVH ! Let not frail man prevail ; Let the Nations be judged in Thy sight. jy 20 Put them in fear, O YHVH I that the Nations may know That they are but frail men. V. 17. "Downward to Shebl...." The P. B. version, "The wicked shall be turned into hell &c." is quite impossible. Sheol is not hell, and the context clearly proves that the judgement is not one of individuals but of Nations. Keble has unconsciously reproduced the Psalmist's thought in his description of Balaam's vision : ' ' In outline dim and vast Their fearful shadows cast The giant forms of empires on their way To ruin : one by one They tower and they are gone." So ' the wicked return to Sheol, Even all Nations that are forgetful of God.' 2 2 FIRST COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. PSALM IX— X. The arrangement of Psalms ix — x suggests an interesting problem in Psalm structure. If with the Septuagint we regard them as one Psalm we might suppose that the portion between the letters 1 of Ps. ix and p of Ps. x had accidentally lost its alphabetical arrangement ; but against this we have to set the fact that Ps. ix is altogether a thanksgiving for victory while Ps. x is a prayer out of the depths of oppression. Again the letter p is found in both Psalms with the words " Arise O YHVH." Consequently we are led to the conclusion that two or more alphabetical Psalms having much in common have been pieced together possibly for some special effect like music in a major and minor key. The general structure of the alphabetical arrangement would seem to have been two verses to a letter as in Psalm xxxvii. We note however that in Ps. ix the Aleph and Vaw letters are fourfold, just as in Lam. iii each letter is threefold ; these verses which have a different alphabetical structure have no very direct connexion with the sense, possibly they are fragments of a Psalm in which each letter was arranged in fours. The reader is asked to suspend his judgement until he shall have studied the whole group of alphabetical Psalms which, for this reason, have been placed together. It appears to me that the original writer of Ps. ix omitted the letter Daleth because his object was to emphasize the number ten by using only ten letters of the Alphabet and by so dividing them that the five letters of Part I should answer exactly to the five letters of Part II. Thus Aleph corresponds with Zain ; Beth with Cheth ; Gimel with Teth; Heh with Yod (see marginal notes). Then there came an editor who wished to extend the use of the number ten by making ten verses in each Part. To effect this he makes four verses of the letter J^av instead of two verses and adds verses 19, 20 from another alphabetical Psalm, thus forming also a link of connexion with Psalm x. Psalm ix is from beginning to end a magnificent thanksgiving for victory. It is quite impossible that vv. 19, 20 should have been written at the same time. It is interesting to observe that in the alphabetical fragment {vv. 19, 20) the letter ^ follows immediately after p. This, so far as it goes, confirms my contention that the original order of the alphabet was % p, ^ and not p, 1, ^ as at present. PSALM X. 23 PSALM X. This Psalm is at the same time a continuation and a contrast to Ps. ix. A continuation, in that it contains striking similarities of thought, language and alphabetical structure; a contrast, in that the enemy is no longer the Heathen without but the Heathen within ; no longer a conquered foe but a foe elated with prosperity and contemptuous alike of God and man. The Psalm must belong to a time when the Godless party in Israel was making common cause with the Heathen. The writer of Pss. ix, x, or the editor to whom we owe them in their present shape, must have intended, by placing these . Psalms side by side, to imply that as the World-powers had perished (ix. 6, 17), so the Heathen party in Israel must perish in spite of its present prosperity. The verse x. 16 interrupts the sense: may not its proper place have been after v. 5 of Ps. ix? It is of course quite possible that the unalphabetical verses (2 — 11) may be due to an editor who wished thus to point a Psalm against apostates which was originally written with reference to other enemies (cf Cheyne, Orig. of Psalter, p. 228). 24 FIRST COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. Let the hot pursuer himself be trapped. PS. X {First half). S I Why, O YHVH, shouldst Thou stand afar? Why hide in seasons" of trouble ? ¦> Ps. ix. 5 2 Proudly the wicked hotly pursueth the poor. Let them be trapped in the very deeds of their devising^ t Ps. j^. jj He believes in no retribution. 3 For the wicked boasted of his own self-will. And the rapacious hath 'blest' — hath blasphemed YHVH. 4 The wicked, pride-led (thinks) " He will not require it " ; " There is no God " is the sum of his plans. 5 His ways are ever prosperous"; Far above, out of sight, are Thy judgements. All foes he laugheth to scorn. 6 He says in his heart " I shall never be moved ; From age to age I shall come to no ill." Targum &c. 7 His mouth is full of cursing, fraud and wrong ; Under his tongue is violence and mischief V. 2. "Hotly pursueth &c." This word is used of chasing an enemy in Gen. xxxi. 36; I Sam. xvii. 53. It is used of "burning lips" (Prov. xxvi. 23), and of "fiery arrows" (Ps. vii. 13 (14)), but the locus classicus for our Psalm is the alphabetical chapter Lam. iv, where we read (v. 19 f.) "Our persecutors have hotly pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness the anointed of the Lord was taken in their pits &c." PSALM X. 25 The lion trapped. He did not believe in retribution but it is coming. PS. X {Second half). 8 He lurks in the hamlet thickets ; In secret he slays the innocent ; His eyes are in wait for the helpless. 9 He waits in the secret places, as a lion in his lair ; So he waits to capture the poor. He will" [capture the poor] — when He draws him into "Textuncer- Tj. . tain. See J^IS net, Versions 10 He is crushed, brought low and falls" the helpless. II He said in his heart, "God forgets" — "He hides His face"— "He seeth not." 1 14 Thou hast seen — Thou beholdest violence and vexation. The helpless may leave it all on Thee, placed in Thy hand. As for the orphan Thou art become his Helper. 12 Arise, O YHVH ! God, lift up Thine hand ; forget not the poor. 13 Why should the wicked blaspheme God .'' While he saith in his heart "Thou wilt not require it." K' IS Break Thou the arm of the wicked — as for the evil Thou wilt require his wickedness till Thou find none. 16 [YHVH is become King for ever and ever : The Nations are perished out of His Land.] ni7 Thou, YHVH, hast heard the desire of the humble, Thou tunest their heart and lendest Thine ear thereto : 18 Righting the orphan and oppressed that earth-born man may tyrannize no more. V. 9 f. This corresponds with v. i. There we read the prayer that the proud pursuer might be trapped, here the lion is trapped. The text in 9*^, 10 is uncertain; the words "capture the poor " may possibly be a repetition from the preceding line. If we might omit them we should read " He waits to capture the poor while He (i.e. God) is drawing him into His net." This, in any case, must be the general meaning of the passage. The translation "He croucheth, he boweth down " is contrary to the use of the words and to the authority of the Versions. The man-eating lion is drawn into God's pitfall and is there crushed. Cf. Ps. ix. 16, 17. V. 15. " Thou wilt require his wickedness till Thou find none." Wellhausen would alter the text and read " Require Thou his wickedness, forgive (it) not." But there is no need for this. God is the "requirer" of guilt (Ps. ix. 13), though the wicked man is self-blinded to the fact (Ps. x. 4). The judgement will make this manifest. The words "till Thou find none," lit. "till Thou find not," doubtless implied (to the Psalmist) a total extermination of evil men, but the Christian will see in the words the deeper thought of the extermination of evil in itself. V. i>j. " Thou tunest their heart and lendest Thine ear thereto." The human heart is God's harp. Humility is its concert-pitch. The "desire of the humble" is the music of Heaven to which God can listen with delight and lend an attentive ear. The immediate reference is to the cry of the oppressed. K. 26 FIRST COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. PSALM xxv. This alphabetical Psalm should be studied first with its twin Psalm (xxxiv) and then with the other pair of twins (Pss. cxi and cxii). In all these cases we shall see that the alphabetical arrangement is subjected to the number ten. The number ten is the number of the Covenant. In our present Psalm the close correspondence between the two halves (see marginal notes) makes it all but certain that the purpose of the original writer was to use the alphabet only so far as it fell in with his division of the Psalm into two parts of ten letters each ; thus, out of the twenty-two letters, two must be omitted ; the servile letter 'Vav would be a natural one to omit in the first half, and, since the second half ought to begin with Mem as the middle letter of the alphabet, it would follow that Latned would be the other omitted letter. This being so, the original Psalm would have consisted of two equal parts of ten verses each, viz. verses i — lo and verses 12^21. A later writer, wishing to maintain the structure of the Psalm and yet to make its verses correspond in number with the twenty-two letters of the alphabet, may have added verse 11 at the end of the first half and verse 22 at the end of the second half This suspicion becomes well- nigh a certainty when we find that it also explains the formation of Psalm xxxiv. The question now arises — The number ten denoting, as it does, the Covenant, what are we to understand by the two tens? Do they represent the two Tables, i.e. God and Manl The analogy of Pss. cxi and cxii would certainly point to this (see ad loc). We observe also that in our present Psalm the first half seems to refer to deliverance from sin {vv. 7, 8), the second half to deliverance from outward foes {vv. 15, 17, 19). It is true that in the second half (verse 18) we find the words "forgive me all my sin," but a certain amount of doubt rests upon this verse since it begins with the letter Resh instead of the letter Koph which ought to stand here. Except for this doubtful verse the whole reference in the second half is to outward afiflictions and foes. In any case it would seem that the author of verses ri and 22 recognised some such distinction as I have pointed out, since he sums up the first half in the words w. II "For Thy Name's sake, YHVH, pardon mine iniquity for it is great," and the second half in the words 0. 22 "Redeem Israel, O God, oui of all his distresses." If these verses were added by a later writer he certainly entered into the spirit and purpose of the Psalm. The first half, Uke the first 'Table' of the Covenant, relates to God. The second half, like the second 'Table' of the Covenant, relates to Man, and, like the second Table, begins with the "promise" to "inherit the Land" (v. 13). In the first half the thought is of God's own Nature for which the soul longs, whereas in PSALM XXV. 27 the second half we find ourselves dealing with the moral law and relation of man to man. This may be exemplified by the following table: First Half. v. I. Unto Thee... I lift up my soul. 5. Guide me, lead me, teach me. vv. 6, 7. Look at Thy own Nature, Thy compassions how eternal they are ! vv. 8 — 10. God is goodness and rectitude itself, therefore He must impart that goodness as forgiveness, that rectitude as guidance. Second Half. v. 12. Who is the God-fearing man? (cf notes on Ps. xxxiv. 12): he has the promise of the life that now is (v. 13). vv. 16 — 19. Bring me out of the dis tresses and troubles in which I am entangled. vv. 1 9 f Look at my enemies how many they are I (My own) integrity and rectitude shall keep me, being as they are the faint reflex of Thy Nature. V. 21. The contrast between verse 8 and verse 21 should be noted. In v. 8 God, being, as He is, goodness and rectitude, keeps and guides man, whereas, in v. 21, it is not said that man's goodness and rectitude keep him but his "integrity and rectitude." The word here translated integrity is never applied to God : it denotes the sincerity of a conscience void of offence both (a) towards God (Gen. xx. 5, 6 ; I Kings ix. 4; Job i. i, 8 &c.) and (;8) towards inan (Ps. Ixxviii. 72; Prov. x. 9; xix. I &c.). If the assertion seem too strong that a man's own integrity and rectitude should keep him, we must remember the words that follow: "For I have waited for Thee." We may also compare Prov. xx. 28 "Mercy and truth keep the king, and his throne is upheld by mercy," and Prov. xiii. 6 "Righteousness keeps the man of upright way...." In both these passages it seems clear that the mercy, truth and righteousness which "keep" the man are the mercy, truth and righteousness which he shews in his dealings with others; for "Merit lives from man to man" though "not from man, O Lord, to Thee." Verse i is a line too short, while verse 5 is a Une too long, the redundant Une beginning with f^; the sense is greatly improved if we restore this redundant Une which I have placed in brackets to what was doubtless its original position in verse i. The reader will observe that I have transposed two ") verses (18 and 19), the doubtful verse 18 being enclosed in brackets. Originally a p verse would have stood here and I have shewn (p. 18) that in some of the earlier alphabetical arrangements the order was not p, 1 but "n, p. Compare also these letters in Ps. xxxiv and Ps. 4—2 28 FIRST COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. PS. XXV {First half). The Covenant must {^ j Unto Thee, O YHVH, I lift up my soul. meanredemptionfrom [Thyself it is I hope for all the day.] 3 2 In Thee, my God, I trust ; I shall surely not be con founded I Nor shall mine enemies triumph over me. Jl 3 Yea, none that hope in Thee shall be confounded. Confounded be the wantonly treacherous ones. 1 4 Thy WAYS, O YHVH, make me to know I Thy PATHS, teach me them ! sin. Prayer for this re- H 5 Guide me in Thy truth and teach me, demptionbasedonmy ^ox Thou art the God of my salvation. sin> T 6 Remember Thy compassions, O YHVH, And Thy kindnesses, how eternal they are ! n 7 My sins of youth and transgressions remember not In Thy kindness remember — Thou art mine ! For the sake of Thy goodness — O YHVH 1 Echo of vv. 1—4 ^ 8 Goodness and rectitude (itself) is YHVH, with the added assur- r^, r -11 tt -j • • ^i ttt a at- Therefore will He guide sinners in the WAY. ance of experience. * 9 He will guide the humble aright. And teach the humble His WAY. 3 10 All the PATHS of YHVH are kindness and truth To those that keep His covenant and testimonies. 7 II For Thy Name's sake, YHVH, pardon mine iniquity for it is great. PSALM XXV. 29 PS. XXV {Second half). The Covenant must mean redemption from outward evils. )b 12 Who is the man that feareth YHVH >. Him should He teach in the way He should choose. 3 13 His soul should dwell in good, And his seed should inherit the Land. D 14 The intimate fellowship of YHVH is for those that fear Him, And His covenant is for their instruction. ^ 15 Mine eyes are ever towards YHVH ; He Himself frees my feet from the net. Prayer for this re demption based on my misfortunes. 16 Turn Thou toward me and pity me. For lonely and poor am I. 17 Oh set my heart free from its troubles, And bring me out of my deep distress. 19 Behold my enemies how many they are ! And they hate me with virulent hate. Echo of w. I — 4 with the added assur ance of experience. [n 18 Behold my affliction and misery And forgive me all my sin.] ty 20 Keep Thou my soul and deliver me ; Let me not be confounded for in Thee I trust. n 21 Integrity and rectitude shall keep me. For I have trusted in Thee. S 22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his distresses. 30 FIRST COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. PSALM XXXIV. This alphabetical Psalm when compared with the alphabetical Psalm xxv suggests a most interesting study. Both consist of two closely corresponding halves. Both contain 22 verses, i.e. a verse for each letter of the alphabet. Both omit the letter Vav. Both duplicate the letter Pe. In both the nth and 22nd verses (i.e. the letters Lamed and Pe) are superfluous and destroy to some extent the symmetry of the Psalm. Both therefore suggest an earlier arrangement in which each half of the Psalm consisted of 10 verses, the second half in each case beginning with the letter Mem which is the middle letter of the alphabet. In Ps. xxxiv the two verses which begin with Pe (viz. vv. 16 and 22) have, I think, been transposed; I have therefore restored them to what I believe to have been their original position. The motive for the transposition would be the well- known Jewish feeling that no Psalm should end in malediction. As restored. Stanza 11 of the second half answers exactly to Stanza 11 of the first half, while verse 17 becomes intelligible. The relation between the three Stanzas of the first half and the three corresponding Stanzas of the second half is very remarkable and should be studied with the marginal notes. It should be observed that the first half deals almost entirely with the relation between God and an individual speaker {v. i "I can bless...," v. 2 "My soul exalteth...," v. 3 "Magnify YHVH with me...," v. 4 "I sought...," v. 6 "This sufferer cried, i.e. / cried)," whereas the second half applies to men generally; compare also Ps. xxv. We may also trace in the two halves of the Psalm an allusion to the two Tables of the Covenant. As the second Table begins with "the Commandment of promise" so the second half of our Psalm begins with the "promise of the life that now is." Compare also on Ps. xxv and Pss. cxi and cxii. I have again transposed the letters p and "1 (pv. 18 and 19). We have already seen strong reasons for believing that in other alphabetical Psalms the *1 stood originally before the p (see p. 27). Suffice it here to remark that the transposition suits the context and makes Stanzas 11 and iii of the second half exactly correspond with Stanzas 11 and 111 of the first half There is a direct connexion between "the contrite-hearted... the crushed in spirit {v. 18)" and the fact that God "keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken (p. 20)." This connexion is lost if we read with the text 19 " Many are the misfortunes of the righteous. But YHVH frees him out of them all. 20 He keepeth all his bones, Not one of them is broken." After saying that God frees the righteous out of all his misfortunes it were surely needless to add "He keepeth all his bones &c.," whereas the "nearness of YHVH" is the pledge that the "crushed in spirit" shall not be utterly broken. PSALM XXXIV. 31 Compare 2 Cor. iv. 8 ff. "pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair ; pursued, yet not left behind ; smitten down, yet not destroyed." The words " Come ye children " &c. lya. 1 1) are usually taken with the words which follow, but they should, in my opinion, be taken as a summary of those that precede, i.e. of the first half of the Psalm. The "fear of the Lord," i.e. true religion, begins with the Duty to God, not with the Duty to Man. No doubt v. 12 begins abruptly but not more so than the 12th verse of the parallel Psalm xxv; indeed we find the same words in each case, "Who is the man...?" Verse 2 contains two thoughts, {a) the personal deliverance of the speaker and {b) the fact that other sufferers would find courage from that deliverance. These two thoughts are expanded in verses 4, 5, the relation being seen as follows : „ ., .,,.,.,.,.,„ , , , f I sought YHVH and He answered me, V. 2". In YHVH my soul exulteth. z^. 4. -^ . ^ ° „ ^ ^^ ' (.And from all my fears He set me free. !They looked unto Him and were drawn, And their faces were not ashamed. Those who "look" are "sufferers" and the One to whom they are "drawn" is either God or ' the Sufferer : the reason why they are drawn is because {v. 6), "This Sufferer cried and YHVH heard." The word which we have translated "drawn" (v. 5) occurs only in five other passages, two of which (Is. ii. 2 and Mic. iv. i) are identical. In all these passages the word is applied to People or Nations which "flow together" as a river, drawn by some overmastering attraction. Thus : Is. ii. 2 (Mic. iv. i) "...all nations shall flow unto it," i.e. to the uplifted Temple of God. Jer. xxxi. 12 "And they shall come singing with joy to the height of Zion and shall flow together (or be drawn) to the goodness of YHVH...." Jer. U. 44 "And I will visit upon Bel in Babylon and will bring forth from his mouth that which he hath swallowed down, and the nations shall not flow unto him (i.e. be drawn unto him) any more." Is. Ix. 4, 5 " Lift up thine eyes round about thee, and see ; they all gather together and come unto thee; thy sons come from far then shalt thou fear and flow together (or be drawn), yea, thy heart shall fear and be enlarged ; for the abundance as of a sea shall be turned unto thee, the host of the nations shall come unto thee." This last passage is not without difficulty, but the general sense is clear. The Daughter of Zion is compared to a river into which tributary streams (the Gentile nations) suddenly pour themselves, so that the River ' fears as it is enlarged ' and flows onward to its goal with a volume never felt before. Thus in every passage in which our word occurs it signifies an overmastering attraction to which the Nations are drawn and in which they are united. In the present Psalm the attraction is by means of a Sufferer. The Christian will read it in the light of St John xii. 32 "I if I be lifted up out of the earth (cf Is. ii. 2 ; Mic. iv. i) will draw all men unto myself" 32 FIRST COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. PS. XXXIV {First half). The Covenant (Duty to God) the key of life. X I I can bless YHVH at all times. His praise is continually in my mouth. n 2 In YHVH my soul exulteth. Sufferers shall hear and rejoice. J 3 O magnify YHVH with me And let us extol His Name together. T 4 I sought YHVH and He answered me, And from all my fears He set me free. It means safety in suffering. n S They looked unto Him and were drawn. And their faces were not ashamed. 6 This sufferer cried and YHVH heard And saved him out of all his afflictions. 7 The Angel of YHVH encampeth round them that fear Him and delivereth them. The test of expe- t3 rience. 8 Taste and see that YHVH is good, Happy the man that finds refuge in Him. 9 Fear YHVH, O ye saints of His, For there is no lack to them that fear Him. 10 Young lions may need and may hunger, But those that seek YHVH shall never lack one good thing. [7 II Come, ye children, hearken unto me, I will teach you the fear of YHVH.] V. 7. This verse must be read with v. ig. The angel host of Mahanaim (Gen. xxxii. 2) is a pledge of Jacob's victory (cf. Gen. xlviii. 16) but not of freedom from "misfortunes." The history of Jacob is the history of Israel. PSALM XXXIV. 33 PS. XXXIV {Second half). The Covenant (Duty to man) the key of life. 12 Who is the man that delighteth in life. That loveth to see good days ? 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, Thy lips from speaking fraud. 14 Turn away from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of YHVH are toward the righteous. His ears are toward their cry. It means safety in suffering. 22 YHVH redeems the souls of His servants. And none that trust in Him shall be held guilty. 17 They cry and YHVH hears. And from all their afflictions He frees them. 19 Many are the misfortunes of the righteous, But YHVH frees him out of them all. The test of expe rience. p 18 Near is YHVH to the contrite-hearted. He saveth the crushed in spirit. y 20 He keepeth all his bones. Not one of them is broken. n 21 A misfortune brings death to the wicked. And those that hate the righteous shall be held guilty. [S 16 The face of YHVH is against evil-doers. To cut off their remembrance from the earth.] V. 15 f. If following the alphabetical arrangement of Lamentations, we transpose the verses I? and S the sense becomes clearer and the parallelism more complete. V. 21. "A misfortune brings death to the wicked." Contrast v. 19 "Many are the misfortunes of the righteous, but YHVH frees him out of them all" (cf. v. 7), but one single misfortune may bring destruction upon those whose lives are not stayed upon God, who become " as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed" (2 Pet. ii. 12); cf. the "young lions" oi v. 10. 34 FIRST COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. PSALM XXXVII. If in this alphabetical Psalm we omit as before the letters Vav and Lamed (i.e. vv. lo, II and vv. 21, 22) we see at once that the Psalm divides itself into four equal parts of flve letters each, with two verses (originally) to each letter, i.e. we have four tens of verses so arranged that Part I corresponds closely with Part III and Part II with Part IV, as may be seen from the marginal notes. We are further confirmed in the omission of letters 'Vav and Lamed when we remember that, in two other alphabetical Psalms (xxv and xxxiv, see notes), these same letters Vav and Lamed had no place in the original structure. I suggest therefore that, in the present Psalm, the letters Vav (vv. 10, 11) and Lamed (vv. 21, 22) are due to a later editor who recognized the fact that the Psalm consisted of four tens of verses and therefore was obliged, while introducing four new verses, to retain the original number of forty. This he did by making the letters "l, ^, y and p consist of one verse each instead of two (see vv. 7, 20, 28'' and 34); thus, by taking one verse out of each of the four parts, the original number of forty was somewhat violently retained. If the reader will compare the parallel stanzas of Part I and Part II he will see that whereas Part I refers to the Duty to God, Part II refers to the Duty to Mati. ' Blessed are the patient ' (toward God), ' Cursed are the violent ' (toward Man) is the moral of each. In like manner it will be seen that Part III refers to God, Part IV to Man ; the moral of Part III being ' Blessed are the righteous ' (regarded as imitators of God's mercy; see note on v. 26), i.e. 'Blessed are the merciful,' while the moral of Part IV is ' Cursed are the wicked,' i. e. the unmerciful. The number ten, which is the number of the Covenant, enters doubly into the structure of this Psalm, for, if we regard the verses, each of the four Parts consisted originally of ten verses ; if, on the other hand, we regard the alphabetical letters, of which each Part has five, we see that Parts I and III, which refer to God, have ten letters, while Parts II and IV, which refer to Man, have also ten letters. Just as the words "inherit the Land" (pv. 9, 11, 22, 29, 34) imply all the promises of the Covenant, so the words "cut ofif" (9, 22, 28'', 34, 38) imply all that is included in being "cut ofif" from the Covenant (cf Exod. xii. 15; Lev. xvui. 29 &c.). This technical use of the Niphal which is so common in the Priest-code is found nowhere else in the Psalms. PSALM XXXVII. 35 I have again transposed the letters p and 1 (i.e. v. 35 f and v. 34) because the parallelism of the stanzas seems to require it and also because the ^ stood before the p in other alphabetical arrangements. As to the letters y, S I think it probable that the original text of the Psalm followed the order of the alphabetical chapters of Lamentations (see p. 18), and placed 3 before y. The transposition of these verses has caused a confusion between "nitSB'J D^Siy "the unrighteous are destroyed" (Sept. Alex.) and "I'nD^J ^'\'^h) "they are preserved for ever" (E.V. ; the P.B.V. combines both readings). If we might transpose the y and S verses the sense would be clearer and the correspondence indicated in the margin by the letters d d^ d2 d^; e e^ e.^ e^ would become symmetrical. The parallel texts as printed will shew the relation of Part I to Part II and of Part III to Part IV, but the reader is specially asked to study the still closer relationship between Part I and Part III and between Part II and Part IV. S— 2 36 FIRST COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS (a) Patience wards God, to- (b) being the reflex of His Patience, in herits the promises of the Covenant, (c) is seen in its end. (d) The moral of letter 3, i.e. of w. 3, 4- (e) The moral of letter K, i.e. of vv. 1, 2. Part I. X I Fret not thyself about the evil-doers. Be not jealous about the workers of iniquity. 2 For like grass they shall quickly fade. And like the green herbage shall wither. 3 3 Trust in YHVH and do good. Dwell in the Land, And feed on (His) Faithfulness. 4 Delight thyself also in YHVH, And He shall grant thee thy heart's desires. J 5 Cast (the burden of) thy way on YHVH, Trust in Him and He will act, 6 And will bring forth thy righteousness as light And thy judgement as the noon-day. 1 7 Hold thou still in YHVH And wait for Him ; Fret not thyself about one whose way prospers. About the man who effects his bad designs. n 8 Cease from anger. And forsake wrath ; Fret not thyself — it merely tends to harm, 9 For evil-doers shall be cut off. But those that wait for YHVH— They shall inherit the Land. Summary above. of the 1 10 Yet but a little while and the wicked is no more, Thou mayest ponder over his place — but he is not ! II But the meek shall inherit the Land And delight themselves in abounding peace. V. 3. " Trust in YH'VH" — here we have man's duty to God (First Table) — "and do good," X?-(] He will remember His Covenant for ever. 3 6 The power of His works He declared to His People, [7 To give them the heritage of the Gentiles.] Notes on PS. CXI (Part I) Compared with PS. CXII (Part I). cxi. I with cxii. i. I thank God for the Covenant — Happy alone is the man who finds his joy therein. cxi. 2 with cxii. 2. God's works are mighty and enduring so that man (through the Covenant) shall be mighty and enduring. cxi. 3'' with cxii. 3". His state is kingly — so too the good man's. cxi. 4 with cxii. 4. The mystery of God's terrible wonders unfolds at last the Divine Name as "Gracious and Merciful." So out of the darkness which seems to beset the good man there rises a Divine Nature: he too is "gracious and merciful and righteous.'' cxi. 5 with cxii. 5. As the good God gives food to all so the good man shares His joy in giving. As the good God abides by His Covenant in spite of all provocation, so of the good man — his word is his bond. (cxi. 6" with cxii. 6"). These words are difficult. They do not mean that God "shewed" i.e. caused His People to see "the power of His works," for then a different verb would have been used (as in Exod. ix. 16). They must mean that God "declared" or "told," as a revelation to His people, what the whole bearing of His mighty works had meant ; thus the line is similar in meaning to verse 4. The relation vvith cxii. 6" is not evident, but we notice in both Psalms the same relation between verses 6 and 4. Psalm cxi. should never be separated from its companion — Psalm cxii. Read together they become a prophecy of the Incarnation. The Latin Church (according to Blunt) appointed Pss. cxi — cxii. for Christmas Day; but our Church, misled by a Patristic interpretation of "provision'''' (in cxi. 5), reads PSALM CXII. 47 PS. CXII (PART I). The good man as he is in himself. [Hallelu-Yah.] /¦ X I Oh happy is the man that feareth YHVH, 3 In His commandments he finds exceeding joy. J 2 Mighty on earth shall his seed become, *T The generation of the saints shall be blessed. / n 3 Wealth and riches are in his house [1 And his righteousness abideth for ever]. T 4 There is risen in darkness a light for the saints. n " He is gracious and merciful and righteous." to 5 It is well with the man, he is gracious and giving, ^ He will maintain his words aright. 3 6 Everlastingly he remains unmoved. [7 For an eternal Memorial he is " Righteous."] Ps. cxi. as a Proper Psalm for Easter and neglects the connexion with Ps. cxii. The gth verse of Ps. cxi., "He hath sent forth Redemption for His People Holy and reverend is His Name," seems to be alluded to both in the Magnificat and in the Song of Zacharias. Thus, — " Holy is His Name'' (Luke i. 49); "He hath visited and redeemed His people" (Luke i. 68). But the obvious fitness of the two Psalms for Christmas depends not on these allusions only but on the whole subject-matter. The following outline should be filled in by the meditation of the reader : Blessedness and stability. The Will of the good God is worthy to be embraced in the hearts of His creatures (cxi. i and 7). ..One Man there is, a second Abraham, who finds "exceeding joy" in doing to the uttermost this perfect Will of God (cxii. i and 7). All God's works in Nature and Grace are stable, i.e. they have a glorious future to vvhich they tend and grow ; they are, as it were, the children of God's thought (cxi. 2 and 8). The good Man enters into their purpose, and becomes partaker of their growing future. Like another Abraham his "seed" is "mighty on earth" (cxii. 2 and 8)... Liberality. All the Glory of God is revealed at last, not in receiving but in giving. ..All is for the children ! Hence His abiding Name is Love (cxi. 3, 4, and g). So the good Man, entering into His thought, shews on earth that it is more blessed to give than to receive,... Hence too His Name is one with God's Name (cxii. 3, 4, and g). Summary. The good God binds Himself to the Covenant (cxi. 5) and gives His People a perpetual remembrance of it (cxi. 6 note), because the blessings He has in store can only be attained through Reverence (cxi. 10). So the good Man binds himself to his promise (cxii. 5) and becomes an "eternal Memorial" (cxii. 6). The wicked, being destitute of Reverence, cut themselves off from the Covenant and perish (cxii. 10). 48 THIRD COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. PS. CXI (Part II). The good God as He is towards man. God's works and thoughts are stable. His liberality is (a) free, (;8) continuous, (7) and brings him honour. See the practical result ! /¦fi 7 The works of His hands are truth and judgement, J All His precepts are sure. D 8 They are stable for ever and ever, p Being wrought in truth and right. fl g He hath sent forth Redemption for His People, ^f He hath enjoined His Covenant for ever, p Holy and reverend is His Name. 1 10 The fear of YHVH is the foundation of wisdom, jy A good intelligence comes to all those that practise them. n His praise abideth for ever. PSALM CXI— CXII. 49 PS. CXII (Part II). The good man as he is towards man. rtt 7 The good man's works and thoughts are stable. D 8 fl 9 His liberality is (v)firee. (j3) continuous, ^ X (7) a-nd brings him honour. ¦"lio Contrast the wicked ^ ^ man ! .n He will not fear because of evil tidings. His heart is fixed — stayed upon YHVH. Stable is his heart — he feareth not. Until he see his desire upon his enemies. He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor. His righteousness abideth for ever. His horn is exalted with honour. The wicked shall see and be vexed, He shall gnash his teeth and melt away. The desire of wicked men perishes. 50 THIRD COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. PSALM CXIX. "In each verse — so runs the Masoretic note on v. 122 — v. 122 alone excepted, there is found one of the ten expressions (pointing to the ten words of the Law given at Sinai)." (DeHtzsch.) The ten expressions are (i) Oracles, (2) Word, (3) Testimony, (4) IVay, (5) Judgements, (6) Precepts, (7) Commandments, (8) Law, (9) Statutes, (10) Faithfulness (according to another reading righteousness). This Jewish tradition gives us a valuable hint but it is not strictly accurate. The characteristic number of Ps. cxix. is not ten but eight; each of the twenty-two letters being repeated eight times. Thus we are led to expect rather the number eight than ten. And so we find it. The Divine Name, YHVH, occurs 22 times and, if we study the above ten expressions we shall find that eight of them occur (practically) 22 times each. Thus Law 25 times, i.e. (22-1-3) times. Oracles 19 times, i.e. (22 — 3) times. Word 22 times. Commandments 22 times, Judgemerits 22 times. Statutes 22 times. Testimonies 23 times, i.e. (22 -1- i) times. Precepts 21 times, i.e. (22 — 1) times. Thus, on an average, each of these eight terms under which the Law can be described occurs 22 times just as YHVH occurs 22 times, the letters of the alphabet being 22 in number. Thus I conclude that these eight terms have a special significance and I have printed them in small capitals. Of the other two expressions suggested by the Jewish tradition, "faithfulness" only occurs five times and can scarcely be said to be one of the names of the Law; "way" (^'^"l) occurs 13 times, in six of which, at least, it refers not to God's way but to man's way. The significance of these eight terms must now be considered. I- niin Thora "Law," lit. "teaching." Nothing can be more misleading than to confine the word, as is usually done, to the Law of Moses. There is an inwardness in the word which makes it almost identical with inspiration. Thus of the priest, through whom it came continuously as a Divine message to men, it is said "The law of truth was in his mouth..." (Mal. ii. 6; cf Jer. ii. 8; viii. 8; Ezek. vii. 26). The true seat of Thora is in the heart (Ps. xxvii. 31; xl. 8 (9); Is. Ii. 7^. The PSALM CXIX. 51 Law 0] God is properly the inspiration which proceeds from God just as the " law of kindness" (Prov. xxxi. 26) is the inspiration which proceeds from kindness, and "the law of a mother" (Prov. vi. 20) is the inspiration of a mother's influence. The Law is thus often compared to Light from Light (see notes on Ps. xix.), e.g. Is. li. 4 "a law shall proceed from Me. ..as a light to the nations." Zion is the centre from which this inspiration shall go forth ; " The Law shall go forth from Zion..." (Mic. iv. 2). The prophets felt that the written Law was only a shadow of that Law which must at last be "written in the hearts" of men (see Jer. xxxi. 33). There is no one word in English to express the meaning of Thora; if we must use the word Law we must read into it the meanings which I have here stated. Thora is found 25 times in the 119th Psalm. 2. n'lXfi " Commandment." This word differs from Thora as the command of a father differs from the influence of a mother; thus it is said "Observe, my son, the Commandment of thy father and forsake not the Thora of thy mother" (Prov. vi. 20). Or, to use another illustration, as a lamp differs from the light of the sun; so it is said (Prov. vi. 23) "the Commandment is a lamp and Thora is Light." Commandments may be many but Thora in its essence is one. " Command ment" occurs 22 times in Ps. cxix. i.e. as many times as there are letters in the alphabet. 3. tSflSJ'Jb "Judgement." This word also occurs 22 times in our Psalm and in almost every passage it must be taken as a synonym for " law" as in Ps. Ixxxi. 4 (5), where it is translated "a lava of the God of Jacob" (cf Exod. xv. 25 &c.). This sense is common in Leviticus, where we often read of the "Statutes and the judgements.'' The "judgements" of God were the Divine decisions on special cases from time to time which came through the medium of the priest. "They shall teach Thy judgements to Jacob and Thy Thora to Israel" (Deut. xxxiii. 10). 4- D^pn " statutes." There is a feeling of permanence in this word : it is used to describe what we should call the ' laws ' of the sun, moon and stars (Jer. xxxi. 35; xxxiii. 25; cf v. 24; Job xxxviii. 33), consequently it is often coupled with the words "for ever," i.e. a "perpetual statute'' (Exod. xxix. 28; xxx. 21; Lev. vi. 18 (11), 22 (15); vii. 34; x. 15; xxiv. 9 &c.). It is a favourite thought with Jeremiah that the permanence of the laws of Nature is a type and pledge of the permanence of God's statutes to Israel (Jer. xxxi. 36; cf v. 22 — 24). The word "statutes" also occurs 22 times in our Psalm. 5. (nny) my "testimony." This is another name for the Law regarded as that to which God has borne witness. A stone upon which the Law was written might be called a "testimony" (Josh. xxiv. 27) or "witness"; so the "two tables" are called the "tables of the testimony" (Exod. xxxi. 18; xxxii. 15; xxxiv. 29), and the Ark which contained them is constantly called the "Ark of the testimony." The word "testimony" is found 23 times in our Psalm. 6- /TlJbX word, oracles or logia. It generally signifies speech of a more solemn nature than the more common term dabar, and it is worthy of note that the 7—2 52 THIRD COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. Memra of later Judaism which prepared the way for the doctrine of the Logos is derived from this same word. It is often coupled with the thought of purity out of a flery trial, e.g. : Prov. xxx. 5 "Every oracle of God is purified" (i.e. as by fire). Ps. cxix. 140 "Thy word (oracle) is purified exceedingly and Thy servant loveth it." Ps. xii. 6 (7) " The oracles of YHVH are pure oracles, silver purified &c." Ps. xviii. 30 (31) "The word (oracle) of YHVH is purified &c." Compare also my suggested text in Ps. xix. 10. Ps. cxix. 103 "How sweet are Thy oracles unto my taste — more so than honey to my mouth.'' Prov. xvi. 24 "Sweet oracles are (like) dripping honey, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Compare also note on Ps. xix. Not only is the word (oracle) of God "tried," "purified" but it is itself the trier; it is t,uiv...iv(.p-^-r\%...KpvnKo% (Heb. iv. 12): so it is said of Joseph "the oracle of God tried him" (Ps. cv. 19). '~'Qr\ " Word." Davar differs from Imra somewhat as logos differs from In Psalm cxix. the Word points to a written word of Scripture but undoubtedly it must not be confined to the written word. 8- d''TlpS "Precepts." This word, which is used only in the plural, occurs 21 times in Ps. cxix. The only other passages being Pss. xix. 8 (9); ciii. 18; and cxi. 7. It signifies a sacred deposit. This root-meaning is not always obvious but it should always be present to the mind of the reader in studying verses 4, 15, 27, 4o> 45. 56, 63, 69, 78, 87, 93, 94, 100, 104, no, 128, 134, 141, 159, 168 and 173 of Ps. cxix. Though Ps. cxix. appears to be merely a collection of aphorisms arranged under the letters of the Alphabet, I feel sure that there is a deeper meaning if only it could be discovered. The analogy of the other Alphabetical Psalms would lead us to expect a division in, at least, two parts, so that the letter Mem should correspond with the letter Aleph etc. I have indicated traces of this in my marginal notes. There are, I believe, three leading thoughts in the Psalm, viz. Happiness, Guidance, Revelation (compare the Way, the Truth, the Life) which recur in the following order : Happiness K -I T * a V 9' Guidance 1 n PI D 3 fl n Revelation J 1 L3 ^ D 2f ^ The vertical line marks the chief division of the Psalm at the letter JJJ, which the Jews call the middle letter of the alphabet. The student is specially asked to study the references to Ps. xix. ; the reason for this will appear when we come to that Psalm. PSALM CXIX. 53 God's Word brings happiness when ac cepted with a whole heart. PSALM CXIX. X I Happy are they who are heart-and-soul in the way. That walk in the LAW of YHVH ; X 2 Happy are they that keep His TESTIMONIES, That seek Him with a whole heart ; X 3 Yea they do no unrighteousness. In His way do they walk. K 4 Thou hast ordained Thy PRECEPTS For a strict observance. X 5 Oh that my ways were established So as to observe Thy STATUTES. K 6 Then I should not be put to shame When I have respect unto all Thy COMMANDMENTS. X 7 I will thank Thee with an upright heart When I learn Thy righteous judgements. K 8 Thy STATUTES I will observe ; Oh forsake me not utterly. i g Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way .'' By observing Thy WORD. 3 10 With my whole heart^ have I soughf Thee ; Let me not wander from Thy COMMANDMENTS. 1 II I have stored'' Thy ORACLES in my hearty That I should not sin against Thee. n 12 Blessed art Thou, YHVH, O teach me Thy STATUTES. 2 13 With my lips do I rehearse All the JUDGEMENTS of Thy mouth. 1 14 In the way of Thy TESTIMONIES I delight. As it were in all manner of riches. 3 15 I will meditate on Thy precepts And have regard to Thy ways. 3 16 I will delight myself in Thy STATUTES, And will not forget Thy WORD. V. 3. "In His way, &c.'' The P. B. Version "For they who do no wickedness : walk in His ways " reads rather like a truism. The LXX clearly felt the difficulty for they translate, " for they that work wickedness do not walk in His ways." This third verse, as it stands, does not contain one of the eight synonyms for the Law ; if however we might venture to change 13T1 into 113T i.e. His way into His word we should gain, I think, a deeper meaning, which would be parallel to that of verse 9, viz. that the walk of life must be guided by the Word of God. The same would apply to the text of v. 37. God's Word brings guidance when stored in the heart as the heart's chief treasure. " 2 Chr. xxx. 18 f. ¦> Luke ii. 51 54 THIRD COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. God's Word (Reve lation) draws back the veil and lets the eye see wonders though apostasy seem to prevail (cf. letter Samech). 17 Deal bountifully with Thy servant that I may live. For I would fain observe Thy WORD. 18 Unveil mine eyes that I may behold The marvels of Thy LAW. ig I am but a sojourner" on earth ; O hide not Thy COMMANDMENTS from me. 20 My soul is crushed with longing For Thy JUDGEMENTS at all times. 21 Thou hast rebuked the proud, as accursed. Who go straying*" from Thy COMMANDMENTS. 22 Roll away from me reproach and contempt For I have kept Thy TESTIMONIES. 23 Yea though princes sit and speak against me, Thy servant will meditate in Thy STATUTES. 24 Thy TESTIMONIES also are my great delights ; They are my counsellors "- cf. V. 64 lit. the men of my counsd God's Word the "J 25 My soul cleaveth to the dust ; remedy for depres sion. The soul that cleaves to His testi monies (v. 31) will not long cleave to the dust (u. 25). Quicken me according to Thy WORD. "I 26 I have rehearsed my ways and Thou hast answered me ; Teach me Thy STATUTES. 1 27 Make me to understand the way of Thy PRECEPTS That I may meditate in Thy wondrous works. *1 28 My soul droopeth through heaviness ; Uphold me according to Thy WORD. *7 2g Put from me the false way. And be gracious unto me (with) Thy LAW**. *1 30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness. Thy JUDGEMENTS have I set before me. 1 31 I cleave unto Thy TESTIMONIES, O YHVH put me not to shame. ^ ? text ; see V. 58 V. 21. " The proud" — i.e. not in a social but in a rehgious sense. The word is almost a synonym for a scortier (Prov. xxi. 24; Mal. iii. 15; iv. i (iii. ig)). In the Psalter it is only found eight times, of which six are in our present Ps. (vv. 21, 51, fig, 78, 85, 122), one in the closely related Ps. xix. 13 (14) (see notes), and one in Ps. Ixxxvi. 14. In all these passages "the proud'''' denote, I believe, the freethinkers in Israel who made common cause with the heathen. Compare also the allusions to the proud in the Psalms of Solomon. V. 2g. "And be gracious unto me (with) Thy law." — In v. 58 we read "be gracious unto me according to Thy oracles" which gives much more intelligent meaning. May it not be that in the present instance "inTin Thy Law has been read by mistake for "lITlDX Thy Oradesl We have already seen (p. 50) that LAW occurs three times too often in Ps. cxix. while ORACLES occurs three times too seldom to make up the number of twenty-two. PSALM CXIX. 55 God's Word the remedy against the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (i Joh. ii. 1 6). 1 32 I will run the way of Thy COMMANDMENTS, For Thou dost enlarge my heart. n 33 Teach me, O YHVH, the way of Thy STATUTES ; And I will keep it unto the end. n 34 Give me understanding that I may keep Thy LAW ; And I will observe it with my whole heart. n 35 Make me to go in the path of Thy COMMANDMENTS, For therein is my delight. n 36 Incline my heart to Thy TESTIMONIES, And not to covetousness. n 37 Turn away mine eyes from seeing vanity ; Quicken me in Thy way^ n 38 Establish Thy ORACLE(S) to Thy servant Which tend unto Thy fear. n 39 Take away my reproach which I am afraid of ; For Thy JUDGEMENTS are good. n 40 Behold I long for Thy PRECEPTS ; Quicken me in Thy righteousness. " ? text God's Word gives heart-freedom and boldness. ) 41 Let Thy lovingkindness come unto me O YHVH, Thy salvation according to Thy ORACLE(s). 1 42 So shall I have a word of answer for my reviler. Because I trust in Thy WORD. 1 43 Take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth ; For I hope for Thy judgement(s). ) 44 I would keep Thy LAW continually. Even for ever and ever. 1 46 I shall walk at liberty. Because I seek Thy PRECEPTS. ^- 37- " Quicken me in Thy way." — This verse does not contain one of the eight words for God's Law. I suspect that the original text read word instead of way as in v. 3. This would bring it into line with such expressions as "Quicken me according to Thy Word" (vv. 25, 107), "Strengthen me according to Thy Word" (v. 28). This suggestion is confirmed from a study of the eight other passages in which "quicken me" occurs in the Psalm. Thus: — icken me according to Thy word." ,, in Thy righteousness." ,, according to Thy lovingkindness." ,, according to Thy word." ,, according to Thy judgement (i.e. Thy wont?)." ,, after Thy oracles." ,, according to Thy judgements." ,, according to Thy lovingkindness." V. 25. ' 'Quic V. 40. ' J) V. 88. ' * „ V. 107. ' )> V. 149. ' >J V. 154. ' ' ,5 V. 156. ' )) V. isg. ' ' ,, 50 THIRD COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. ) 46 I would speak of Thy TESTIMONIES even before kings, And would not be ashamed. ) 47 I delight myself in Thy commandments which I love. And will lift up my hand to [Thy COMMANDMENTS which I love]. ) 48 And will meditate in Thy STATUTES. God's Word (Pro mise) gives hope in dark hours (cf. letter Daleth). 1 49 Remember the WORD to Thy servant, Seeing Thou hast caused me to hope. T 50 This is my comfort in my affliction : That Thy ORACLE(S) quicken me. T 61 The proud have scoffed at me exceedingly (Because) I have not swerved from Thy LAW. T 52 I remember thy JUDGEMENTS of old time, YHVH, And I console myself T 53 Indignation seized me because of the wicked. The forsakers of Thy LAW. T 54 Thy STATUTES have been my songs In my pilgrimage home. T 55 I remember Thy Name in the night, YHVH", And observe Thy LAW. T 56 This much hath been mine Because I keep Thy PRECEPTS. V. 147 f. God's Word makes God Himself my por tion. n 57 My portion is YHVH, I have promised to observe Thy WORDS. n 68 I have sought Thy favour with my whole heart ; Be gracious unto me according to Thy ORACLE(s). n 59 I have bethought me of my ways. And have turned my feet unto Thy TESTIMONIES. n 60 I made haste and did not delay To keep Thy COMMANDMENTS. n 61 The cords of the wicked surround me (Because) I forget not Thy LAW. n 62 At midnight I rise to give Thee thanks'' Because of Thy righteous JUDGEMENTS. n 63 I am a companion of all them that fear Thee, And of them that observe Thy precepts. n 64 Thy lovingkindness, YHVH, fills the earth ; Teach me Thy STATUTES. -o. 147 f. PSALM CXIX. 57 God's Word reveals God as the One who is Good and brings Good, even out of evil. D 65 Thou hast dealt with Thy servant, O YHVH, according to Thy WORD. tD 66 Teach me good discernment and knowledge. For I believe in Thy COMMANDMENTS. t3 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray. But now I observe Thy ORACLES. t3 68 Good art Thou and doest good. Teach me Thy STATUTES. to fig The proud have forged a lie against me, I keep Thy precepts with my whole heart. 13 70 Their heart is gross as fat ! As for me. Thy LAW is my great delight. to 71 It is good for me that I was afflicted. That I might learn Thy STATUTES. to 72 Better to me is the LAW of Thy mouth Than thousands of gold and silver. God's Word shews me to be the work of His hands ; therefore His hands must still mould me, correct me and complete His work. 73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me. Give me understanding that I may learn thy COMMAND MENTS. 74 They that fear Thee shall see me and be glad. Because I set my hope on Thy WORD. 75 I know O YHVH that Thy judgements are right. And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me. 76 Let Thy lovingkindness be to comfort me According to Thy ORACLE(s) unto Thy servant. 77 Let Thy compassion visit me that I may live. For Thy LAW is my great delight. 78 Let the proud be shamed for that they have falsely wronged me. Whereas I for my part meditate in Thy precepts. 79 Let those that fear Thee be turned to me. And they shall ^ know Thy testimonies. 80 Let my heart be whole in Thy STATUTES, That I be not put to shame. or, they that know God's Word my one stay in utter de sertion. 81 My soul longeth for Thy salvation. In Thy WORD do I hope. 82 Mine eyes long for Thy ORACLES, Saying " When wilt Thou comfort me .-• " K. 58 THIRD COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. God's Word lets me see the stability of Nature as the pledge of a faithful Creator — I trust what He will do. 3 83 Though I am become like a bottle'' in the smoke, I have not forgotten Thy STATUTES. 3 84 How many are the days of Thy servant? When wilt Thou execute judgement on my persecutors ? D 85 The proud have dug pitfalls for me, (They) who are not in accord with Thy LAW. 3 86 All Thy COMMANDMENTS are faithfulness. Wrongly do they persecute me ; — help Thou me ! 3 87 They had well nigh made an end of me in the Land, Whereas I had not forsaken Thy PRECEPTS. 3 88 According to Thy lovingkindness quicken me. So would I observe the TESTIMONY of Thy mouth. S 8g For ever, O YHVH, Thy WORD hath its stand in the heavens. 7 go From age to age is Thy faithfulness. Thou hast founded the earth and it stands. 7 91 They stand to-day according to Thy JUDGEMENTS, For the whole are Thy servants. 7 92 Except Thy law had been my delight, I should then have perished in my affliction. 7 93 Never will I forget Thy PRECEPTS, For through them Thou hast quickened me. 7 94 Thine I am : Oh save me. For I enquire into Thy PRECEPTS. 7 95 The wicked wait for me to destroy me, I ponder over Thy testimonies. 7 96 To all perfection I see a limit. Thy COMMANDMENT is exceeding broad. ' I.e. wine-skin God's Word has jjj 97 Oh how I love Thy LAW, the promise of the life j^ j^ meditation all the day. that now is (cf. letter "^ Aleph). ti 98 Thy COMMANDMENTS make me wiser than mine enemies. For it^ is ever with me. " i.e. Thy Law V. go. This verse as it stands does not contain one of the eight synonyms for Law. I cannot doubt but that the original text, instead of "|n3DN " Thy faithfulness," read "IITIDN "Thy ORACLES." It may also be worth noting that, out of the nineteen verses in this Psalm in which the word ORACLES is found, eight times at least it comes in connexion with WORD in the preceding or following verse (see vv. 41, 50, 58, 82, 140, 148, 162, 170). If the readings I have suggested in vv. 2g, 38 and go be adopted, we should have three additional instances of this juxtaposition of WORD and oracles. PSALM CXIX. 59 ti 99 I have more insight than all my teachers. For Thy testimonies are my meditation. ti 100 I ponder more than the aged. For I keep Thy PRECEPTS. ti loi I have refrained my foot from every evil way, That I may keep Thy WORD. ti 102 I have not swerved from thy JUDGEMENTS, For it is Thou who teachest me. ti 103 How sweet to my taste are Thy ORACLES — More than honey to my mouth. ^ 104 Through Thy PRECEPTS I have understanding, Therefore I hate every false way. God's Word is a guiding light in this dark world (cf. letter Belh). God's Word is the stay amid apostasy which prevails (cf. letter Gimel). J 105 Thy WORD is a lamp to my feet. And a light unto my path. J 106 I have sworn, and will make it good. To observe Thy righteous JUDGEMENTS. J 107 I am humbled exceedingly. Quicken me, O YHVH, according to Thy word. J 108 Graciously" accept the freewill-offerings of my mouth, " Ps. xix. 14 O YHVH, And teach me Thy JUDGEMENTS. J 109 My life is ever in my hand. And I do not forget Thy LAW. J no The wicked have set a snare for me. And I stray not from thy PRECEPTS. J III Thy TESTIMONIES are mine heritage for ever. For the very joy of my heart are they ! J 112 I have inclined my heart to perform Thy STATUTES, Eternal is (their) after-gain^ cf. J'. 33 and Ps. xix. 11 (12); Prov. xxii. 4 D 113 The double-minded I hate. And Thy LAW do I love. D 114 My covert and my shield art Thou, For Thy WORD I hope. D lis Depart from me ye evil-doers. For I would keep the COMMANDMENTS of my God. D 116 Uphold me according to Thy ORACLES that I may live. And let me not be disappointed of my hope. 6o THIRD COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. The Eye of the y Servant is unto God's Word (cf. Ps. xix. 1 1 and letter Daleth). " God's Word, i.e. all that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God, is that by which man lives. 17 Hold Thou me up and I shall be safe. And shall regard Thy statutes continually. i8 Thou lightly esteemest all those that err from Thy STATUTES, For their artifice is but a lie. 19 Thou puttest away as dross all the wicked of earth. Therefore I love Thy TESTIMONIES. 20 My flesh trembleth for fear of Thee, And I reverence Thy JUDGEMENTS. 21 I have executed JUDGEMENT and righteousness ; Oh leave me not to mine oppressors ! 22 Be surety for Thy servant for good ; Let not the proud oppress me ! 23 Mine eyes long" for Thy salvation. For Thy righteous ORACLE(s). 24 Deal with Thy servant according to Thy lovingkindness. And teach me Thy statutes. 25 I am Thy servant. Oh give me understanding. That I may know Thy TESTIMONIES. 26 YHVH's time for action is come : They have made void Thy LAW. 27 Therefore I love Thy COMMANDMENTS More than gold*" — more than fine gold^ 28 Therefore all (Thy) precepts in all things I approve ; Every false way I hate. 29 Marvellous are Thy TESTIMONIES, Therefore my (very) soul keeps them. 30 The revelation of Thy WORD giveth light. Making the simple wise''- 31 I opened my mouth and drew in my breath, I have such longing for Thy COMMANDMENTS. 32 Turn Thou to me and shew me favour ; As JUDGEMENT'^ should be to those that love Thy Name. " cf. V. 82 '' Ps. xix. 10 •" Ps. xix. 8 i.e. as Thy manner is to... V. 122. This verse is without one of the eight words. The verb in the first line has two meanings (a) to be sweet, (b) to be surety. The Prayer Book Version follows the former "Make Thou Thy servant to delight in &c." a rendering which could scarcely be justified grammatically as a paraphrase. The other meaning, of surety, is undoubtedly correct. Compare Is. xxxviii. 14, " I am oppressed ; be surety for me." PSALM CXIX. 6l fl 133 Uphold my steps in Thy ORACLES ; So shall no wickedness obtain the rule over me" fl 134 Redeem me from the oppression of man ; So shall I observe Thy PRECEPTS. fl 135 Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant. And teach me Thy STATUTES. fl 136 Mine eyes flow streams of water ; For that they'' have not observed Thy LAW. " Ps. xix. 14 ' or, ttiea God's Word is "tried" and righteous and is also the trier of hearts to make them righteous. S 137 Righteous art Thou, O YHVH, And right are Thy JUDGEMENTS. If 138 Thou hast enjoined the righteousness of Thy TESTI MONIES ; And in exceeding faithfulness. S 139 My zeal hath consumed me. Because mine adversaries have forgotten Thy words. 2f 140 Thy oracle is tried'' exceedingly. And Thy servant loveth it. 2f 141 I am small and despised, (But) I do not forget Thy PRECEPTS. If 142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness. And Thy LAW is truth. X 143 Trouble and anguish have found me out, (Then) Thy commandments were my delights. V 144 The righteousness of Thy TESTIMONIES is everlasting ; Grant me understanding and I shall live. i.e. as by fire Ps. xix. g (note) God's Word is mu- p 145 I cry with my whole heart ; ¦ in flip niO-llt ir^ ' . ^-v T-rTTTTTT T sic in the night (cf. letter Zain). Answer me, O YHVH, I would keep Thy STATUTES. p 146 I cry unto thee. Oh save me. For I would keep Thy TESTIMONIES. p 147 I anticipate the dawn and cry aloud, For Thy WORD do I hope. p 148 Mine eyes anticipate the night-watches'* ' cf. v. 55 To meditate in Thy ORACLES. p 149 Hear my voice according to Thy lovingkindness ; Quicken me, O YHVH, according to Thy JUDGEMENT. p 150 They draw near who follow iniquity. From Thy LAW they are estranged. 62 THIRD COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. God's Word sums up the ' many things ' in the one thing need ful, which is Truth. God's Word brings perfect Reace to the heart that loves it and accepts it as a whole. p 161 (But) near art Thou, O YHVH, And all Thy commandments are truth. p 152 I know that Thy TESTIMONIES are of old. That Thou hast established them for ever. 1 153 See mine affliction and rescue me. For I do not forget Thy LAW. 7 154 Plead Thou my cause and redeem me; Quicken me after Thy ORACLES. "1 155 Safety is far from the wicked. For they seek not Thy STATUTES. 7 156 Many are Thy compassions, O YHVH, Quicken me according to Thy JUDGEMENTS. "] 157 Many are my persecutors and adversaries, (Yet) I swerve not from Thy testimonies. 7 158 I saw the treacherous-dealers and was grieved ; Because they have not observed Thy ORACLES. 7 159 See how I love Thy PRECEPTS, Quicken me, YHVH, according to Thy lovingkindness. 7 160 The sum of Thy WORD is truth : Each righteous JUDGEMENT of Thine is eternal. ^ 161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause ; Yet my heart is in awe of Thy WORDS. ty 162 I rejoice over Thy ORACLES As one that findeth great spoil. ^ 163 Lies I hate and abhor ; Thy LAW do I love. 2J' 164 Seven times a day do I praise Thee, Because of Thy righteous JUDGEMENTS. ^ 165 Great peace there is to those that love Thy LAW, And to them there is no stumbling-block. B* ififi I hope for Thy salvation O YHVH, And perform Thy commandments. tJ' ifi7 My soul observeth Thy testimonies. And loveth them exceedingly. ^ 168 I observe Thy PRECEPTS [and Thy testimonies]. For all my ways are before Thee. V. 168. The structure of the Psalm leads us to expect only one of the eight synonyms for Law in each verse, whereas the Hebrew text in this verse has two viz. precepts and testimonies. Of these, testimonies may easily have been copied from verse 167. PSALM CXIX. 63 The letter Tav sig nifies desire (Job xxxi. 35) and also a mark ox cross (Ezek. ix. 4, 6). n 169 Let my plaint draw nigh before Thee O YHVH, Give me understanding according to Thy WORD. T\ 170 Let my supplication come before Thee ; Give me deliverance according to Thy ORACLES. n 171 Let my lips overflow with praise-song ; Because Thou teachest me Thy STATUTES. n 172 Let my tongue respond to Thy ORACLES ; Because all Thy COMMANDMENTS are righteous. n 173 Let Thy hand be to help me. Because I have chosen Thy PRECEPTS. n 174 I long for Thy salvation O YHVH, And Thy LAW is my great delight. n 175 Let my soul live and it shall praise Thee, And let Thy judgements help me. ri 176 I have wandered like a sheep that is lost; Seek Thy servant: for I do not forget Thy COMMAND MENTS. V. 111. Here again, according to the structure of the Psalm, we should not expect to find oracles and commandments in one verse. The parallelism too with v. 171 would lead us rather to expect that as "my lips overflow with praise-song' so 'my tongue responds with words.' Such a reading would only require the omission of one letter in the Hebrew, that being the letter with which the next word begins. 64 THIRD COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. PSALM CXLV, In this, the last of the Alphabetical Psalms, the division into stanzas is by no means clearly defined, there is however a sequence of thought which is indicated in the marginal notes. After an Introduction of two verses we have four verses in praise of God's Greatness followed by four verses in praise of His Mercy as revealed in the Covenant Name (Exod. xxxiv. 6; cf Ps. cxi. 4). This completes what we may call the first half of the Psalm in ten verses. The second half repeats and expands the same two thoughts. It begins with three verses (or four, if we grant the genuineness of the J verse) on the Greatness of God in His Kingdom on Earth ; followed by six verses on His Mercy : these six verses are again subdivided, the first three (vv. 14 — 16) denoting God's mercy towards His creatures generally, the second three {vv. 17 — 19) denoting His mercy towards His own people who call upon Him. Thus, granting the genuineness of the J verse, the second half of the Psalm would consist of ten verses, divided like those of the first half, between the Greatness and the Mercy of God with more special reference to His Kingdom upon Earth. The Psalm concludes, as it opens, with a summary of two verses (vv. 20 and 21) which should be compared with vv. i and 2. Possibly V. 20 should be read with vv. 17 — 19. If so I should be inclined to think that the author of the Psalm had intentionally omitted the J verse in order that the verses in praise of God's greatness and mercy might form a ten-stringed lute in the second half just as they do in the first half PSALM CXLV. Introduction. J{ i J will extol Thee, my God, as King, I will bless Thy Name for ever and ever. 3 2 Every day will I bless Thee, And praise Thy Name for ever and ever. 65 His greatness. n 3 Great is YHVH and highly to be praised^ His greatness is unsearchable. 4 Generation to generation shall laud Thy acts. And proclaim Thy mighty deeds. 5 The splendour of the glory of Thy majesty shall they tell. And of thy wondrous works will I meditate. 6 Of the might of Thy works of awe they shall speak. And I will recount Thy greatness. Ps. xlviii. I His mercy. £3 7 The Memorial-Name of Thy abundant goodness'' shall 'Vulg. , suavitatis they utter. And ring out with songs to Thy righteousness. 8 "Gracious and compassionate is YHVH, Long-suffering and of great Kindness." 9 YHVH is good to all. His tender mercies are over all His works. 10 All Thy works praise Thee, O YHVH, And Thy saints bless Thee. V. 7. " The Metnorial... shall they utter." — God's Memorial is His Covenant-Name (see p. fi4). That Name was revealed as Mercy "unto thousands of generations'' (Exod. xxxiv. 7). The words "they shall utter" imply an exuberant speech which breaks out like the waters of a fountain (Prov. xviii. 4; Ps. cxix. 171; Ps. xix. 2 (3)). V. g. "His tender mercies are over all His works." — The canopy of heaven always remains centred over us whichever way we go ; — so it is with God's Love, we never reach its bounds (Eph. iii. ig) but it remains as completely ours as if we alone formed the Centre of the Universe. The interesting passage on God's mercy in Wisdom xi. 23 — 2fi is quoted by Neale. V. 10. "All Thy works praise Thee. ..And Thy saints bless Thee." — This verse sounds the key-note of the Psalm. Throughout the Universe God's works have only one meaning of "Glory" (cf Ps. xxix. 10) but this is not so dear to Him as His "little human praise," the heartfelt blessing oi His saints (cf. on Ps. xix.). Man is Nature's priest; he must present the offering of "all flesh." But this soulless character of Nature is only for a time ; for, through man the Creation itself shall pass into the liberty of conscious Sonship (Rom. viii. 19 ff.). I find a hint of this in v. 21 which reverses the thought of v. 10 thus : — " My mouth shall speak the praise of YHVH, And let all flesh bless His holy Name for ever and ever." 66 THIRD COLLECTION, ALPHABETICAL PSALMS. His mercy (towards His creatures). His greatness. 5 n They Speak of the glory of Thy Kingdom, And proclaim Thy might. 7 12 Manifesting His mighty deeds to the sons of men. And the glory of the splendour of His Kingdom. ti 13 Thy Kingdom is a Kingdom of all ages. And thy dominion to all generations. J [Missing verse supplied in Septuagint.] 14 YHVH is the STAY" of all that are falling. The UPLIFTER of them that are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all wait upon Thee, And Thou givest them their food in its season. 16 Thou openest Thy hand. And satisfiest the desire of every living thing. 17 Righteous is YHVH in all His ways. And LOVING in all His works. 18 Near"" is YHVH to all that call upon Him, To all that call upon Him in truth. 19 He will perform the desire of them that fear Him, Will hear their cry and will help them. His mercy (towards His own people). " Ps. xxxvii. 24 Deut. iv. 7 Conclusion. ^ ^o YHVH is the Guardian of them that love Him, But all the wicked will He destroy. n 21 My mouth shall speak the praise of YHVH, And let all flesh bless His holy Name for ever and ever. V. 14. " YHVH is the stay. ..the uplifter..." — Thus Shakespeare says; — " What's in Prayer, but this two-fold force — To be forestalled ere we come to fall Or pardoned, being down ? " In verses 7 — 9 we have the attributes of Divine mercy as they exist in God, but in verses 14 — 16, 17 — 19 we have the application of these attributes to the needs of the world as it is. The relation between these verses may perhaps be indicated as follows ; — God's Itself is nature Therefore towards the World and es pecially towards His own people He is "The Stay" of the falhng. "The Uplifter" of the fallen. " Righteous " " Loving " "Near" to His own. ' Gracious " ' Compassionate " f" Long-suffering '' ' Of great kindness " 'Good to all" V. 21. "And let all fiesh bless..." This verse which closes the Psalm must be compared, not only with the opening v. i, but also with v. 10 whicli closes the first half of the Psalm. In v. 10 it was man alone who blessed God, but here " all fiesh" is called upon to bless Him. "All flesh" includes the whole animate Creation (see Gen. vi. 12, 13, 17, 19; vii. 15, 16, 21 &c.; Ps. cxxxvi. 25). The words therefore involve a prophecy and should be compared with Ps. Ixv. 2 (3) "unto Thee shall all flesh come." DAVIDIC PSALMS RESUMED. 9 — 2 N.B. The Alphabetical Psalms being now completed the order of the 'Davidic' Psalms of the First Collection is resumed at Ps. xi. All that comes between pages i8 and 67 must be regarded as a parenthesis. It would, no doubt, have been more logical to have placed the Alphabetical Psalms of the First Collection as an Appendix to the First Collection and the Alphabetical Psalms of the Third Collection as an Appendix to the Third Collection (the Second Collection having no Alphabetical Psalms), but it seemed to me that the advantage of studying all the Alphabetical together in one group outweighed the objections that might be urged on the other side. PSALM XI. 69 PSALM XI. The circumstances of the Psalm would seem to be similar to those of Ps. cxx. The ' Servant ' of God is in danger, not so much of open foes as, of treacherous calumny. The "pillars," whether they be great men of the time or the foundations of society, are being cast down and righteousness seems in vain (v. 3 ; cf Mal. ii. 17; iii. 14 f). At such a time the 'Servant' was tempted to a pohcy of earthly expediency (Stanza i.) but meets it by the fact that he has once for all taken shelter (v. i ; cf Ruth ii. 1 2) under the wings of the Eternal (cf Ps. xxxvi. 7(8); Ivii. 1(2); Ixi. 4(5); xci. 4). In Stanza 11. he comes to the central thought — The Eternal is, even now, passing calm judgement in Heaven. Stanza in. then answers the temptations of Stanza I. but in the reverse order (see marginal notes). The feeling of useless failure {v. 3) 'What can the righteous eflfect in such disorder?' is answered by (v. 5), God is testing him by that very failure. The wounding words of the wicked (yj. 2) recoil on their own heads {p. 6). The simple fleeing to God for refuge (yj. i) is accounted to God's Servant for righteousness and the reward is to see His Face. The Psalm might be classed as a Psalm of the " two ways " and compared with Pss. i., v. and vii. Thus : — ' i. 6 "For YHVH taketh note of the way of the righteous. And the way of the wicked perishes." xi. 7 "For YHVH, the Righteous, loveth righteousness: The upright shall behold His Face." Again, as in Ps. v. 11, 12 it is God's "trusting ones" (i.e. those who have " taken refuge " in Him) who are gladdened by the joy of His Presence and called "the righteous" in v. 12. So Ps. xi. begins "In YHVH / have taken refuge" and ends (v. 7) "The upright shall behold His Face." Once more; if we compare Ps. vii. we find still more striking resemblance : — Jvii. I "YHVH. ..in Thee I have taken refuge.'' 1 xi. I " In YHVH I have taken refuge." vii. 6flf. YHVH sitting in Judgement; cf xi. 4fif. Jvii. 9 "Elohim the Righteous is the Trier of hearts, &c." ixi. 5 "YHVH trieth the righteous." vii. 13 God's burning arrows ; cf xi. 6. 70 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PS. XI. (a) God only shall be my Refuge. (b) True, the wicked wound us with words like arrows. (c) True, all is con fusion and the right eous is helpless. I In YHVH I have taken refuge — How say ye then to my soul, " Flee as a bird"' to your mountain* : 2 For lo, the wicked bend the bow. They fit their arrow on the string. To shoot", in the dark, at the upright of heart: 3 When the pillars * are torn down. What can a righteous man do .-• " " Lam. iii. 52 '' Gen. xix. ly ''Ps. Ixiv. 3f " Is. xix. 10, only God's in His heaven — All's right with the world. 4 YHVH is in His holy Temple', YHVH's throne is in Heaven. His eyes behold, His eyelids try the sons of men. ' Palace (cj) The righteous is being tested for his good. (i^i) The arrows of the wicked will recoil (cf. Ps. CXX. ) ina rain of fire upon themselves. (fli) I shall (when tried) see Him as He 5 YHVH trieth the righteous. But the wicked and lover of violence His soul hateth. 6 May He rain coals' on the wicked. Fire and brimstone^ with scorching blast, (Such be) the portion of their cup. 7 For YHVH, the Righteous, loveth righteousness : The upright shall behold His Face^ f So Sym. B Gen. xix. 24 " I John iii. i ; Rev. xxii. 4 -u. 1. "In YHVH I have taken refuge." — The E.V. "In the Lord put I my trust" is too vague. The verb is constantly used of that trust which takes shelter e.g. under the shadow of protecting wings (Ruth ii. 12; Pss. xxxvi. 7 (8); Ivii. i (2); xci. 4; cf. Jud. ix. 15; Is. xxx. 2) or under a shield (11 Sam. xxii. 31; Pss. xviii. 30 (31); Prov. xxx. 5; cxliv. 2) or under a protecting rock (Deut. xxxii. 37 ; II Sam. xxii. 3). The word is never used of that trust which may exist between equals but always of the refuge which the weak must find in the strong. V. 1. '¦'Flee as a bird &c." — Nothing is more easy, nothing more dangerous, than to suggest historical allusions ; but without assigning the Psalm to Nehemiah we may illustrate it from the noble answer he gave to his . faithless advisers: "Should su.ch a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the Temple to save his life?" (Neh. vi. 11). History repeats itself. It is rash to assume that because a Psalm suits a certain occasion it was necessarily written for that occasion. PSALM XII. 71 PS. XII. Worldly men are making an end of us ! I Save, O YHVH, for the godly is no more; For faithfulness" is ended because'' of the sons of men. 2 Falsehood they speak. Each one to his fellow. With lip of flattery. With a double heart do they speak. " or, the faith ful '" or, froiti among May God judge the levity of their words. 3 May YHVH destroy all flattering lips ! The tongue that speaketh great things. 4 Who say, " We are masters of our tongues. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us .'' " God will judge : His words are any thing but levity. 5 " Because of the oppression of the poor. Because of the sighing of the needy. Now can I arise," saith YHVH, " I can place (him) in the safety he longs for.' 6 The oracles" of YHVH are pure oracles, Silver smelted'^ from dross in the crucible. Seven times refined. " Ps. xviii. 31 '^ Prov. xxx. 5 V. I. " For faithfulness is ended because of the sons of men." — The words "sons of men'' must be interpreted by the last line of the Psalm. In themselves they denote mankind from a low point of view (Ps. Ixii. 9 (10) &c.) but occasionally they denote the low worldly party which is opposed to God ; e.g. Ps. Ivii. 4 (5) " I lie among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows," also Ps. Iviii. i (2) "Do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?" This, I think, is their significance in the present Psalm. V. 6. "The oracles are pure oracles." — There is nothing in English which answers to the Hebrew imra. We cannot use word, for that is required for davar; saying is feeble. Perhaps we might naturalize the Greek logia, meanwhile oracles seems least objectionable. For a note on this word and its special connexion with a fiery test see p. 52. We have seen that this word, which occurs so often in Ps. cxix., is used also in connexion with the promises of God which are all "yea" (11 Cor. 1. ig ; Rom. xi. 29). These promises can be trusted to the uttermost, they are therefore here called "pure oracles" and are contrasted with the vain words of the wicked in the preceding stanza (^. 4). The connexion between verses 5 and fi is, I think, as foUows : God longs to fulfil His promises and to come to the help of His saints ; but this Divine longing is conditioned by human action; hence there arises a fiery trial in which the promises of God "are tried" even as silver is tried. _ It should be noted that, whereas in the preceding Psalm (xi. 4f) God "tries'' (>/bhii) men by delaying His help, in the- present Psalm the Divine Word or promise is itself "tried" (f^xi) by a still severer test (cf. note on' Ps. cv. 19, p. 52). The cry of the oppressed (v. 5) sets God free to act (cf. Exod. iii. 7f). 72 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. He wiU keep us, 7 Thou YHVH wilt preserve us% "So Sept., and His promise; the \Yilt keep US from this generation, for ever. ^-them wicked rise only as _, ¦ , , .1 • j 8 The wicked go their round. As the rising of the scum of the sons of men. scum V. 8. "As the rising of the scum of the sons of ?;««."— What is vile and worthless rises to the top by its very levity. In verse 4 we hear the levity of the words of the wicked which, in verse fi, is put in sharp contrast to the weighty words of God which have run out, as it were, pure metal from the crucible. Thus the contrast between pure metal and dross is still in the poet's mind when, in verse 8, he would picture the end of the wicked. They rose only as dross; as dross they will be rejected. The Septuagint read a different text, not easy to account for. See Schleusner's lexicon s.v. iroXvotp^a. PSALM XIII. This Psalm falls naturally into three Stanzas after the manner of Psalm vi., with which it should be closely compared. The first Stanza is all Despondency ; the second is all Prayer; the third is all foy- Despondency, though it may have many causes, is always the result of earth- born clouds. The soul must fight its way through these clouds with the weapon of All-Prayer (cf Jas. v. 13 ff-)- By Prayer we do not mean the lip-service of "Lord, Lord" but the patient performance of unpraised duty. Matthew Arnold has truly said " We cannot kindle when we will Thy fire, which in the heart resides ; The spirit bloweth and is still. In mystery our soul abides : But tasks in hours of insight willed Can be through hours of gloom fulfilled." The Psalmist teaches a still deeper lesson. Every vision of God's Face involves a task : God then stands aside ; the servant is being tested ; his first feeling is of Despondency (Exod. iii. 11; Is. vi. 5, 8; Jer. i. 6, &c.); then follows Prayer, the task is done, and the servant comes out into the Joy of still nearer vision of God. This threefold movement of an upward widening spiral gives the law of all growth. PSALM XIII. 73 The relation which we have pointed out between the three Stanzas of the Psalm will bear minute subdivision. Thus : — Despondency. Prayer. foy- { t V. I Desertion of God. ,». 2 Hostility of man. 3 for God's Presence in answer to v. i. 4 for protection against enemies in answer to v. 2. 5 God's Presence experienced. Cf vv. i, 3. 6 Thanksgiving for a victory over foes. Cf. vv. 2, 4. PS. XIIL Despondency. '' I How long, YHVH ! wilt Thou utterly forget me ? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me .? 2 How long must I plan in my soul in daily heart-grief.'' How long" must mine enemy exalt himself against me 1 " Ps. vi. 3 Prayer. "¦3 Consider, and answer me, O YHVH my God; Lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the (sleep of) death'' ; *¦ Ps. vi. 5 4 Let not mine enemy say " I have mastered him," Let not my foes'" exult when I stumble. -Ps.vi. 7 Joy. I S As for me — in Thy kindness I trust. My heart shall exult in Thy salvation. fi Let me sing unto YHVH because He has dealt lovingly** " Pss. cxvi. 7; with me. [Yea, I will praise ttie name of YHVH, Most High.y cxiii. 7 ¦ Sept., not in Heb. V. fi. " Yea, I will praise &c." Though this occurs only in the Septuagint the symmetry of the Psalm would seem to require a line here. Thus : — V. I*. "How long wilt Thou forget...!'' V. i"". The sense of God's Face hidden '. ) ¦o. 2" V. 2'' answered by answered by V. 5". Absolute trust in God's kindness. A heart that exults in salvation. 1 answered \v. ! j by \v. v. 6". A heart-song of gratitude. &. I have triumphed in God. How long this lonely grief! How long must the enemy triumph ! ( The four 'How longs' seem to require four corresponding lines in the last Stanza, so that the Prayer Book rendering, which inserts a line from the Septuagint, may possibly be correct. The reader will not fail to note how the four prayers of the middle Stanza take the four sorrows of Stanza l. and change them into the four joys of Stanza III. Perhaps Trench's sonnet on Prayer is the best comment on this Psalm. 74 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS PSALM XIV. This Psalm, which occurs again in an Elohistic form as Ps. lin., would seem to belong to a period of practical atheism. The "fool" (v. i) is one who ignores God and thus becomes no better than the brutes that perish. Verse 2 brings to mind Gen. vi. 12 "And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." St Paul was therefore justified in giving to our Psalm (Rom. iii. lofif. ) a wider meaning than its author probably intended and in making it prove that both Jews and Gentiles "are all under sin." The text of the Psalm, especially in vv. 5, 6, is corrupt. A careful comparison with the duplicate Psalm Iiii. obliges us to conclude that the variations sprang from one original text. I would refer the Hebrew scholar to a short article on the texts of Psalms xiv. and Iiii. which I published in ffebraica, July 1886, p. 237 ff. The translation I now offer is based upon the text there suggested, and as I am writing for English readers I have not thought it necessary to reproduce the arguments there used. As the seventh Psalm is a Psalm of Judgement so the fourteenth, which closes the second group of seven, is also a Psalm of Judgement. The allusions to Genesis vi. are certainly not accidental. PS. XIV. Godless oppressors as in Gen. vi. 1 — 4. God " looks upon the earth'' (Gen. vi. 12). I The fool hath said in his heart " There is no God." They are vile and corrupt in their ways". There is none doeth good. 2 YHVH from heaven looketh forth On the children of men. To see if there were that took heed. That sought after God. » Rom. ill. 10 ff. PSALM XIV. 75 "And behold it was corrupt..." (Gen. vi. 12). These are " like natural brute beasts ..." (2 Pet. ii. 12 f.: Jude V. lo). Sudden judgement (as on the Babel builders). 3 But all was perverse. One and all were corrupt. There was none doing good. No not one !" 4 They do not know*" God, They are all evil-doers. Eating" My people As they eat bread. They do not call* upon YHVH. 5 There they feared a fear. For God has scattered the oppressor. 6 The counsel of the hypocrite He hath put to shame, For YHVH hath spurned them. = P. B. V. in serts three verses here ^ Jer. A. 25 : Ps. Ixxix. fi ¦^ Jer. X. 25 : Ps. Ixxix. 7 "Jer. A. 25: Ps. Ixxix. 6 Possibly a later ad dition. 7 O might but Israel's help come forth from Zion, When YHVH brings back His captive people Jacob shall rejoice, Israel shall be glad. w. 3, 4. The three verses inserted in the P.B.V. "Their throat is an open sepulchre before their eyes" are taken from the Septuagint, where they were doubtless inserted from Rom. iii. 13 — 18. St. Paul, in quoting our Psalm (Rom. iii. 10 ff.), coupled with it similar passages from Ps. v. 10; Ps. cxi. 4 ; Ps. x. 7 and Is. lix. 7 f. These passages thus found their way into the Septuagint, Vulgate and P. B. V. V. 4. For the interrogative H I suggest either the usual contraction for the Divine Name or the word El "God" (cf Ps. Ixxxv. (6)7, where the Septuagint read God for the interrogative H). This reading brings out the parallelism "They have not known God they have not called upon YHVH," and is well illustrated by the kindred passage in Jer. a. 25 "Pour out Thy wrath upon the heathen who know Thee not and on the families that call not upon Thy Name, for they have eaten Jacob, and eaten him up..." V. 5f. "There they feared a fear." The parallel text of Ps. Iiii. adds "where no fear was." This is probably a gloss but it is true in thought and is best explained by the interpretation of the plague of darkness given in Wisdom xvii. The last line of v. 5 and v. 6 in the present Hebrew texts runs thus : ' ' For Elohim is in the generation of the righteous The counsel of the poor ye put to shame But YHVH is his refuge," or in text of Ps. Iiii. "For Elohim hath scattered the bones of thy besieger (LXX. of the hypocrites) Thou (?) hast put them to shame For Elohim hath spumed them." These two passages, which differ so widely, are represented in the Hebrew by similar sounding words, so that a common text can be reproduced with some degree of certainty. 76 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PSALM XV. The question of verse i, 'Who can dwell as a guest with God?' is answered in four stanzas which postulate perfection, in heart, tongue, eye and hand, while the three lines of each stanza follow the threefold division of a "godly, righteous, and sober" life, i.e. duty to God, to man, and to self This has been indicated in the marginal notes. We may also observe that these four stanzas represent, alternately, positive and negative virtues. Thus, every way, an absolute perfection is predicated for the Man who shall ascend to God. The Psalm should be studied in connexion with Ps. xxiv., both being proper Psalms for Ascension Day. There is an interesting paraphrase of this Psalm in the Poems of Henry Vaughan. PS. XV. God's guest must i YHVH, who Can sojourn" in Thy Tent.' be perfect Who can dwell in Thy Holy Mountain ? in lieart (a) toward God. 2 One that walketh blameless ; (b) toward man. That doeth justice ; (c) toward self And that communes truly with himself ; V. I. The first verse must be taken as the question which is answered in the other verses of the Psalm "Quod ergo interrogavit propheta, nunc respondet Spiritus Sanctus. Et quid ei dicit? Vis scire, O propheta, quis habitabit in taburnaculo meo, aut quis requiescet in monte sancto meo? Audi quae sequuntur : si haec feceris quae sequuntur, habitabis in monte sancto meo." (S. Hieron. Presb. Tract, in Psalmos p. 28, Morin 's Edition.) V. I. Cheyne has well .shewn that the idea of dwelling as a guest with God was common to the early Semitic religions. The Psalmist takes this idea, which to the heathen was an empty form, and shews what dwelling with a holy God must involve. His words go further than he himself probably intended and fit the Psalm for its use on Ascension Day. (See also on Ps. xxiv.) V. 2. The blameless walk is the walk with God (Gen. xvii. i : 2 Sam. xxii. 24, 26). "That doeth justice." Few words have gone through such significant phases of meaning as the Hebrew word for righteousness or justice. The context here decides for the latter meaning of justice between man and man. I am glad to see that Jerome takes this view of justice in the passage before us. "Other virtues give pleasure to him who possesses them; justice gives pleasure, not to him who possesses it, but to outsiders. If I am wise, my wisdom delights myself; if I am brave, my courage delights myself; if I become chaste, my chastity is my own joy; but justice bestows its benefits, not on the man who possesses it, but on other wretched creatures who possess (it) not.... Justice knows neither brother, nor father, nor mother; what it knows is the truth, it accepts not persons, it imitates God" {Tract, in Psalmos Vol. ill. Part ii. p. 2g, Morin's Edition). "and that communes truly with himself," lit. "that speaketh the truth in his heart." The participle Kal of dabar has, not unfrequently, an inward sense, as of a voice speaking within the ' i. e. as a guest in tongue (oj) toward God. (b^ toward man. ((Tj) toward self. in eye (82) toward God. (^2) toward man. (iTj) toward self. in hand (flj) toward God. (^3) toward man. (fg) toward self. PSALM XV. 3 That never let his tongue go slandering. Nor wrought his fellow wrong. Nor dealt in tales against his neighbour. 4 One in whose eyes the vile is despicable. And that honours the fearers of YHVH, That sweareth to his hurt, yet changeth not. 6 That doth not put his money out to usury. Nor take reward against the innocent. And doing such-like things he never swerves. 77 man, e.g. "the angel that communed with me," lit. "that spake in me" (Zech. i. g, 13, 14, ig (ii. 2); "¦ 3 (7)' 'V. I, 4, 5; V. 5, 10; vi. 4; cf. Gen. xvi. 13: Jonah iii. 2). In the present passage it denotes not merely truthfulness of speech but that inner communing which places self in true relation (altniistic) to the whole. Thus it is parallel to St Paul's 0L\t\9i\iQVTe^...iv cuydirri (Eph. iv. 15). V. 3. " That never let his tongtce go slandering?' Only in one other passage is this word used of slandering (viz. 2 Sam. xix. 27 (28)). Elsewhere it signifies to go about as u spy. The connexion of thought between v. 2(0) and v. 3 (flj is the same as in Jas. iii. -i, the "perfect man" is the man who does not offend with his tongue. o. 4. " One in whose eyes the vile is despicable," The words are difficult. We may certainly dismiss the P. B. V. " He that setteth not by himself, but is lowly in his own eyes," for humility does not require that a man should hold himself as "vile" and "despicable." The key to the passage may possibly be found in Jer. vi. 30, " despicable silver shall men call them, for YHVH hath despised them" (cf. Ps. Iiii. 5(6)). Thus we might paraphrase 'One who holds vile that which God holds vile.' V. 5. " That doth not put. ..to usury." At first sight it might appear that this is rather the fulfilment of a duty towards man than towards God. But it is not so. See Levit. xxv. 36 — 38. "And doing. ..he never swerves." This line must be interpreted by the parallel line of the preceding Stanza; we then read that 'if he swear to his own hurt he changes not,' so here, there is a fixedness of purpose in all he does. Compare Horace, Ode in. Lib. iii. It is suggestive that a Psalm (xiv.) which declares that the earth is corrupt, that ' there is none that doeth good, no not one,' should be followed by a Psalm (xv.) which makes nothing less than perfection the condition of dwelling with God ! Such Divine paradox is often found in the Old Testament and is full of promise. 78 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PSALM XVI. The writer of this Psalm lived at a time when the world, the flesh and the devil were expressed in a voluptuous idolatry. But, says he, I choose God above all things (v. 2)... I know the end of idolatry (v. 4)... Having God I have all things (v. 5)... Just as Levi had no portion in the division of the Land but the Lord was his portion (Deut. xviii. if). So God is my Portion... This Portion is, in my eyes, most lovely (v. 6)... This for two reasons: — (a) His Presence means my progress under His guidance (v. 7 ; cf Ps. Ixxiii. 24)... Even pain contributes to this. ..(note on v. 7). (f) His Presence means also my security from falling (v. 8)... It was not always easy to realise His Presence... but "I have set the Lord always..." thus it has become to me a second nature. I now live in the strength of His Presence... Thus I know to whom I have entrusted each day's work... My labour is not in vain in the Lord (v. 8). Hence I find peace. Spirit, soul and body trust Him absolutely for death and all that is beyond it (vv. 9, 10)... Beyond the grave God wiU stiU be mine; and therefore the work will go on... "Thou wilt acquaint me with the path of Life." («j) Then, as now, Thy Presence will mean my progress — but not, as now, through pain. "The fulness of joy (is) in Thy Presence"... The Presence constitutes the joy. . . (1^1) Then too Thy Presence will be my security from falling... -m-y security for retaining those joys. "Pleasures that, in thy right hand, are evermore" (see note). No need there to "set the Lord alway before me"... The Son of Man has already gone through this experience. He chose God above all earthly good. His "Father" became to Him a "lovely heritage" (St John xvi. 15). He thanked His Father for "giving Him counsel" even when that counsel crossed His human will (St John iv. 34; vi. 38). "Even so. Father." He set His Father always before Him so that He remained unmoved by world or flesh or devil. Thus He looked calmly at death and saw beyond it (vv. 9, lo). Through death He entered immediately on " the path of Life " : body soul and spirit entered with new powers into " the fulness of joy.'' And into the reward which the Love of the F'ather and the gratitude of the redeemed makes ever new. PSALM XVI. 79 PS. XVI. I choose God above all things. I reject idolatry and all its works. Having God I have all things. His Presence means (a) xxi-y progress, though through pain, and (b) my security from falling. I Preserve me O God" for in Thee I take refuge. 2 As to YHVH I say : "Thou art my Lord", My good, beyond which there is none." 3 As to " the holy ones," that are in the earth. And mighty ones whose joy is all in them (I say) ; 4 " Many shall be their pangs that wed with a stranger-god, I would not pour their blood-libations. Nor take their (very) names'' upon my lips." 5 YHVH, mine allotted portion and my cup ! Thou Thyself dost uphold"^ my lot ! 6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, Yea a beauteous inheritance is mine. 7 I bless YHVH for giving me counseP, Yea nightly my reins instruct me. 8 I have set YHVH always before me''. While He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. ¦El ' Adonai Exod. 13 '^ or make wide Ps. Ixxiii. 24 ' Acts ii. 25 V. 3. The meaning of (Q'doshim) taken from the Revised Version: 'holy ones" may be determined from the following passages Job iv. 18, V. I. Job XV. 15. Ps. Ixxxix. 5 — 7. " Behold, He putteth uo trust in His servants ; And His angels He chargeth with folly : ... to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn.'' ' Behold He putteth no trust in His holy ones ; Yea the heavens are not clean in His sight." 'The heavens shall praise Thy wonders, O Lord; Thy faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones." "Who among the sons of the gods (margin) is like unto the Lord? A God very terrible in the Covtncil of the holy ones." Compare also Dan. viii. 13, where the "holy ones'' are angels (cf. Dan. iv. 13 (20); also Zech. xiv. 5; Hos. xi. 12 (xii. i)). It is therefore evident that, in our Psalm, the word is not to be translated "saints" (for which hasidim would have been used as in v. 10) but "holy ones" in a semi- mythological sense (cf. v. 4). This interpretation was, I find, suggested long ago by Kennicott. So also with addiritn, "mighty ones"-, the word is never used to denote the moral quality of "excellent" (E.V.) but rather oi power and splendour. The reading I have adopted, "whose joy is all in them" for "all that delight in them," involves only a slight change in the vowel points. The "mighty ones" are the "nobles'' who delight in idolatry. V. 7. God's "counsel," in this life, is the guidance of His eye (see on Ps. xxxii. 8, where the same word is used). This involves the trial of faith, therefore the Psalmist goes on to say " Yea 8o FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. Therefore spirit, g So my heart" is glad, ' I Thess. V. soul, and body trust ^nd my glory" rejoices, '^^ Him for the future. ,^ n t „ , Yea my flesh" too can rest secure. 10 For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Shedl, Nor wilt Thou let Thy loved-one see the Pit^ ' Ps. Ixxiii. 26 Then, as now. His 1 1 Thou wilt acquaint me with the path of Life ; — Presence will mean -pj^g fulness of joy, which is Thy Presence ; (3,) my progress, in „, , . ^, . , , , joy, and (b^) my se- Pleasures that, in Thy right hand, are evermore. curity in retaining joy. nightly my reins instruct me" or "my reins also chasten ttie etc." The same word signifies both to instruct and to chasten. The reins are the seat of feeling and emotion. God tries the hearts and reins (Ps. vii. 9 (10); xxvi. 2; Jer. xi. 20; xvii. 10; xx. 12). When then it is said "my reins instruct me" it implies a discipline which the man himself consents to and for which he even blesses God, knowing it to be for his good. V. II. According to the punctuation the "fulness of joy. ..pleasures," &c. are an expansion of the thought contained in "the path of Life.'' The "fulness of joy" results directly from the "Presence," and the fact that the "Pleasures are evermore," i.e. lasting pleasures, is because they are "in (not at) God's right hand to give, and therefore are eternal Uke Himself. PSALM XVII. This Psalm contrasts the ideal of the children of this world with that of the children of light. The Psalmist speaks in the name of Israel, indeed he drops accidentally into the plural in v. ri. In vv. I — 5 the child of light claims, not indeed perfection, but the steadfast win and purpose of following God (Righteousness). Because God is Righteous, therefore He must at last mark the difference between His children and the children of the world (vv. 6 — 8), who are then described in all their proud hostility (yjv. 9 — 12). Their ideal, their whole desire, for their present, is eating, drinking and pleasure (v. 14, see note); and, for their future, there is no thought beyond having children and leaving their all(!) to others (v. 15, see note). In contradistinction with this ideal the child of hght gives his own in v. 16. This verse consists of two hnes, of which the first answers to v. 14, the second to V. 15. The first gives Israel's ideal for the present, "As for me, in righteousness I behold Thy Face," i.e. in striving to follow God (vv. i — 5) I gain even now a growing vision of His Face ; all things in nature, all events in history, all sorrows and all joys become outward and visible signs of His Presence, so that I find " God, always, everywhere, and all in all." Then, as to the future, " I would be satisfied, in the upwaking, with Thy Image " — i.e. I look forward to a time when I shall see Thee, not as now, "in Righteousness," but, in bodily Form (see note) on Earth. PSALM XVII. 8l Thou knowest I am set to do right (cf. Ps. xviii. 20 — 23). Therefore Thou wilt distinguish between me and my proud perse cutors. Their ideal for the present. PS. xvn. I O YHVH hearken unto righteousness". Attend my cry — Give ear unto my prayer — from lips unfeigned. 2 Let judgement for me come forth from Thy presence*. Let Thine eyes regard uprightness". 3 Thou hast tried my heart — hast visited me by night — Hast tested* me — yet findest nothing: No evil thought shall pass my mouth ; 4 As for the works of men — by the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the robber". 5 My steps have held fast to Thy tracks, My footsteps did not slip. ¦ Cf. V. 16 ' Cf. V. ifi " i.e. my just cause ^ i.e. as by fire ' Dan. xi. 14 6 As for me I call on Thee, for Thou, God, wilt hear me ; Incline Thine ear to me ; hear Thou my speech ; 7 Distinguish (such) with Thy favour, O Saviour of them that trust. From such as resist Thy right hand. 8 Keep me as the very apple of an eye ; Hide me under the covert of Thy wings. 9 Because of these wicked ones that would destroy me. My foes that greedily encompass me. 10 They are enfolded in lusty strength ; With their mouth they speak out proudly. II Even now they dog our steps. Their eyes are set to cast us to the ground. 12 Like as a lion that is famished for prey. And like a young lion lurking in the coverts. 13 Arise, O YHVH ! Meet him to the face and bow him low ; Deliver my soul from the wicked — who is Thy sword. From men— Thy instruments' O YHVH— f Thy hand 14 From men who wholly are of earth. Whose portion is in living; Whose bellies Thou fillest with Thy treasure^. ^ Cf. Job xxi. 7— '4 V. 4. "/ have kept. ..paths of the robber." The word translated robber (cf. Jer. vii. 11: Ezek. vii. 22 &c.) signifies literally one who breaks through. It seems to be used here, and m Dan. xi. 14, to denote those lawless Israelites who sympathised with heathen ways as opposed to "the old paths" (Jer. vi. 16). Possibly the Hebrew word was in our Lord's mind when He said "He that entereth not by the door...the same is...a robber" (John a. .). The Psalmist is not one of these—" My steps have held fast to Thy tracks." II K. 82 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. for the future. My ideal for the present, for the future. 15 They are satisfied with children. And leave their plenty to their offspring" 1 16 As for me, in righteousness I behold Thy Face^ I would be satisfied, in the upwaking, (with)<= Thy Image. V. 15. " They are satisfied with children" The word " satisfied " is far too weak both here and in v. ifi. It signifies a satiating, a filling to the full. God is good to the just and the unjust (Matt. v. 45). He opens His hand and all things are "satiated with good" (Ps. civ. 28). But each thing can receive only according to its desire (Ps. cxiv. 16). The earth is "satiated" with rain (Ps. civ. 13) ; the beast with food (Ezek. xxxii. 4) ; the good man -with God. The desire of the children of this world as to their future does not rise beyond having children, founding a family, and leaving their abundance to others ! God gives them their desire. Compare Browning's Poem, Christmas-Eve and Easter-Day, xxii. to end. "And to leave their pletity..." There is a solemn irony in the word we translate "plenty." It signifies literally all that is left of them! but has occasionally a secondary meaning of "excellency" (Gen. xlix. 3). The irony lies in the combination of the two meanings exactly as in Job iv. 21, "Doth not their excellency (which is) in them go away? they die even -without wisdom." We are reminded of the Parable of the Rich Fool. V. 16. " As for me, iti righteousness..." These words are in sharp contrast with v. 14 as though he said, 'They are carnal, I am spiritual. They are of this world, I am not of this world.' Righteousness has many meanings in the Old Testament: in the present passage we must interpret it from V. i. As there he confidently appealed to God to "hearken unto righteousness," so here he is assured that by following whatsoever things are right he gains an ever clearer vision of God's Face. "/ would be satisfied... Thy Image.'' Here again we note the contrast with -u. 15. The children of this world are "satisfied" to have children in their own likeness, etc. but the children of light can only be " satisfied" with God and with the Divine Image. The word Temunah here translated Image is never used of likeness of character but always of likeness of form. Thus the Israelites are forbidden to represent God by an image oi any thing (Exod. xx. 4 : Deut. iv. 16, 23, 25 ; v. 8) because they "saw no image" (E.V. similitude Deut. iv. 12, 15). On the other hand, of Moses it is said, "With him will I speak mouth to mouth. ..and the image of YHVH shall he behold" (Numb. xii. 8). Job also saw the "image" of a spirit that stood before him (Job iv. ifi). These are the only other passages in which the word occurs, it is therefore evident that, in our Psalm, it must have an objective sense so that we must not translate "after Thy likeness" but "I shall be satisfied... w'///; Thy Itnage." The Psalmist expects, in the future, a far nearer vision of God — almost in human form. Compare the Vulgate " Satiabor cum apparuerit gloria tua." The key-note of the Psalm is the twice-repeated "as for me" (w. 6 and v. ifi). In v. 6 this introduces the ground of Israel's hope, viz. the righteousness which he can claim as contrasted with the Nations of the world. This 'righteousness' he sets forth very boldly in the Introduction (w. i — 5). In v. 16 the words "as for me'' again mark sharply the contrast between the aim and the end of Israel and that of the World-Nations. The children of this world have but one object for the present, a, mere animal existence (y. 14). And but one hope for the future, to transmit their goods to others {y. 15). Israel, on the other hand, has a present possessioti, not of goods but of God, discerned through that single eye which is here called ' Righteousness, ' and a hope for the future in the upwaking of the Divine Form on Earth. Another interpretation of the upwaking is however quite possible, viz. that it is used in contrast with the state of vision in the first member of the verse. In that case we should translate " As for me, in righteousness, I have a vision of Thy face. I would (fain) be satisfied in the upwaking, with Thy Image." The sense would then be similar to that of St Paul, ' We now in a glass darkly ; — But then face to face.' In either case the Psalmist's hope for the future is fixed on such a Presence of God as has been granted to us in the Incarnation. ' Job xxi. II ' Presence 'ox of Thy Image. See Greek ver sions PSALM XVIII. 83 PSALM XVIII. This Psalm occurs also, with some slight verbal changes, in 2 Sam. xxii. The author, whoever he may have been, makes frequent allusions to the Exodus. He was clearly familiar with the Book of Deuteronomy (see marginal references). This alone makes the Davidic authorship absolutely impossible ; unless we are prepared to set aside all the results of modern scholarship. The title runs as follows : " To the Precentor: (A Psalm) of [David], the servant of the Lord, who spake to the Lord the words of this sotig (Shirah) in the day the Lord delivered him from the hand of [all his enemies], and from the hand of [Saul]; and he said: — " I would suggest that an ancient title which originally alluded to Israel, the " servant of the Lord," has been modified by a later writer who intended to imply that the dehverance of Israel out of Egypt was repeated in the deliverance of David from his enemies. The original title would probably have run somewhat as follows : — For the. servant of the Lord, who spake to the Lord the words of this Shirah in the day when "the Lord delivered him from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh" (Exod. xviii. 10). Kay who maintains the Davidic authorship notes that Shirah, " song," is " a rare form ; — used of the two songs of Moses (Exod. XV. i; Deut. xxxi. 19 ff.), of the song of Israel on the borders of the wilderness." He accounts for " the prolonged reference to the Exodus in the early part of this Psalm " by asserting that " David's deliverance out of Saul's hand was not less God's own deed than the deliverance of Israel out of Pharaoh's was." The fact is that the Psalm refers to Israel. Verses 4 to 24 depict in vivid colours the Baptism (i Cor. x. 2) of Israel in the Red Sea (and at Sinai). When Israel went down into the Sea he was like Jonah (compare vv. 4 — 6 with Jonah ii.). Like Jonah he cried to God {v. 6 ; cf Exod. xiv. 10). Then, in a passage of marvellous poedc beauty, God is depicted as coming to his help (vv. 7 — 19). No doubt the shaking earth, the fire and the darkness remind us rather of Sinai (Exod. xix. and xx.) but we must not forget (Exod. xiv. 19, 20) that the Pillar of Cloud was changed and became "cloud and darkness" to the Egyptians and that St Paul tells us that the fathers "were all baptized... in the Cloud and in the Sea" (i Cor. x. 2). The ioth verse, "He... came swooping on wings of the wind," reminds us of Ex. xix. 4, "...how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto Myself" In the 14th verse — " He sent forth His arrows and scattered them, He shot out His lightnings and routed them" — we clearly have the same picture as in Exod. xiv. 24, "And... the Lord looked unto the host of the Egypdans through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and routed the host of the Egyptians." And again in the Asaph Psalm (Ixxvii. i6flf.), "The waters saw Thee, O God, &c..." Compare also the grand Theophany in Habac. iii. 84 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. So too, V. 15, "The bed of the waters was seen... at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils," is best explained by the song of Moses, Exod. xv. 8, "And with the blast of Thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea." The following passages should also be compared : — Deut. xxxii. V. 4 He is the Rock, His way is perfect. vv. II, 12 God coming as an eagle to Israel's help. V. 13 He made him to ride upon the high places... Ps. xviii. God as the Rock, vv. 2, 31, 46; v. 30 His way is perfect. V. 10 Same image in the word "swooping." ». 33 He maketh me tread the high places. St Paul would seem to have recognised our Psalm as relating to Israel when, in Rom. xv. 9, 10, he quotes it in connexion with Deut. xxxii. to prove that the Gentiles share with Israel in the deliverance of God : — " And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy; as it is written. Therefore will I give praise unto Thee among the Gentiles And would sing unto Thy name (Ps. xvui. 49). And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people" (Deut. xxxii. 43). We conclude, therefore, that this Psalm depicts the Baptism of Israel, God's " Beloved," in the ' Cloud and in the Sea,' including in that Baptism the Sinai covenant wherein God willing to save the world chose Israel as a nation (cf v. 19: see Exod. xix. 5f), and Israel chose God's service (Exod. xxiv. 3). This pure intention constitutes Israel's 'righteousness' (see vv. 20 — 24 of our Psalm: v. 22 especially should be compared with Deut vi. 2; vii. 11; viii. 11). The connexion of thought in v. 25 f is, I think, as follows: — The 'Cloud and the Sea' are the (seeming) terrors into which Israel in his obedience goes down, but in as far as he is 'loving,' 'perfect,' 'pure' the Cloud is a guiding light, the Sea a protecting wall. To the Egyptians, on the other hand, who ' contend ' with God, the Cloud becomes a stormy terror and the Sea an overwhelming destruction. This verse is the central verse of the Psalm and contains the central thought. If the interpretation I have here sketched be correct the Christian application becomes a very interesting one ; Christ is in truth what Israel was only in part, the Beloved ; He too had a ' baptism to be baptised with ' when He obediently went down into " the overflowings of ungodliness," but inasmuch as He was absolutely "loving," "perfect" and "pure" He saw the Fatherhood through all and the Father came to His aid and highly exalted Him, giving Him a glorious deliverance not for Himself alone but that He might be God's salvation unto the ends of the world. PSALM XVIII. 85 PS. XVIII. I Thee will I love, O YHVH, my Strength ! 2 YHVH my Cliff, my Fortress, my Deliverer, My Strong-One, the Rock" I can trust in ! My Shield'', my Horn of Salvation, my Tower! 3 I call upon YHVH the Praised-one, And from my foes I am saved ! " Deut. xxxii. 4. 37 *" Deut. xxxiii. 29 Israel at the Red Sea. 4 The toils" of Death came round me. The floods of Chaos terrified me, s The toils of Sheol were round me. The fetters of Death confronted me. " "breakers of Death," II. Sam. xxii. 5 Cf. Jonah ii. Israel delivered at the Red Sea by a Theophany. 6 In my distress (I thought) " I will call" upon YHVH, And will make my cry to my God : He will hear my voice from His Palace-temple, My crying will come before Him, even into His ears^" 7 Then Earth itself quivered and quaked^. The mountains' foundations were troubled. Yea, they quivered because He was wroth. 8 There went up a smoke from His*^ nostrils, And a fire consumed from His mouth. Yea, flames were kindled from Him. 9 So He bowed down the Heavens and came. With the Darkness under His feet. 10 He rode on the Cherub and flew. Came swooping'' on Wings of the wind. II He made darkness His covert. His pavilion all round Him — The dark of abysses — dense clouds of the skies. 12 Through His splendour opposing His dense clouds removed, There was hail with flames of fire. 13 For YHVH thundered in heaven, The Most High uttered His voice— [There was hail with flames of fire.]' 1 Exod. xiv. 10 1 Exod. ii. n ' Ps. Ixviii. 8 Ps. Ixxvii. ifi ff. Cf also the Psalm in Hab. iii. Exod. xix. and XX. - Deut. xxxii. 22 '¦ Deut. xxviii. 49, Jer. xlviii. 40, xlix. 22 ' Omitted in Sept. and in II. Sam. xxii. 86 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. 14 He sent forth His arrows and scattered them, He shot out His lightnings and routed" them. 15 Then the bed of the waters was seen. The foundations of Earth were laid bare. At the blast of the breath* of Thy nostrils. Exod. xiv. 24 Exod. XV. 8 Israel is now keep ing the Law and con scious of no defection from God. ifi He reaches from high. He takes me, Draws me forth from many waters, 17 Frees me from my mighty foe. From enemies too strong for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my weakness. So YHVH became my stay. 19 He brought me forth at large. He frees me because He loves" me. 20 YHVH requites me according to my righteousness. Renders me according to the cleanness of my hands. 21 Because I have observed the ways of YHVH, And not gone wickedly against my God. 22 Because all His ordinances are before me, And His statutes I put not from me. 23 And I am become perfecf" with- Him, And have kept me from mine iniquity. 34 So YHVH rendered me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyesight. Cf. V. 4 Ps. Ixviii. 22: Is. Ixiii. 12 Cf V. 5 Cf. V. 6 lit. " takes pleasure in me" Deut. vi. 2 : vii. 1 1 ; viii. 1 1 I.e. hearted V. 16. "He reaches from high. He takes ttie, &c. " This description of the sudden deliverance of Israel in answer to the cry of misery may be compared with Browning's Instans Tyrannus -. "When sudden. ..how think ye, the end? Did I say ' without friend ' ? Say rather, from marge to blue marge, The whole sky grew his targe. With the sun's self for visible boss, While an Arm ran across. Which the earth heaved beneath like a breast. Where the wretch was safe prest ! Do you see? Just my vengeance complete. The man sprang to his feet. Stood erect, caught at God's skirts, and prayed ! — So, I was afraid ! " V. 19. Israel sums up God's dealings in this one line. — Such a Providence manifests a purpose of love for the future. Possibly the Psalm at one time ended here. A different word is used (v. 1) of Israel's love of God. Israel's love springs out of God's choice: "We love Him because He first loved us." PSALM XVIII. 87 Therefore Israel's future is assured. 25 With the loving Thou shewest Thyself loving. With the perfect man Thou shewest Thyself perfect. ^Viscloin XVI • 4 26 With the pure Thou shewest Thyself pure, xix. And with the contentious Thou shewest" Thyself a contender. " Prov. iii. 34 27 Surely it is Thou that wilt save the lowly People, And abase (all) lofty looks. So n. Sam. 28 Surely it is Thou that ''wilt light'' my lamp, b ^^t in 11. YHVH, my God, will make my darkness shine. Samuel xxu. 29 Surely through Thee I can break" a host, " so Lagarde Yea, through my God I can leap the wall. God's way is thorough : through pain to glory. 30 As for God'', His way is perfect^, The promise* of YHVH is tried to the proof A Shield He is to all that trust in Him. V. 25. " With the loving, &c." Delitzsch expresses the meaning thus : (a) " Towards the loving Thou shewest Thyself loving, (P) Towards the man of entire surrender Thou shewest Thyself giving, (7) Towards him that purifieth himself Thov. shewest Th-yseli pure" (i.e. bright and clear). We may regard (a), (/3), (7) as the three upward steps to the Clear Vision of God. (a) "Loving" (hasid) very rarely applied to God, but often to men as attached to God, i.e. "godly," cf. the word "saint" in the New Testament. Towards such God shews Himself loving. (|3) The second step is entire surrender. — The word denotes whole-hearted men — such men as forsook all and followed Christ. To such God shews Himself giving (Matt. xix. 29). God never lets His servants out-do Him in generosity. (7) But there is something better than giving gifts and that is giving ourselves : and there is something better than receiving God's gifts and that is receiving God. So the last step is to purify oneself— a word much wider than moral purity, denoting that single-hearted self-surrender which keeps nothing back from God. Such men would see God bright and clear. " O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee; but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent Me " (St John xvii. 25). V. 26*". " With the contentious Thou shewest Thyself a contender." As the upward course ends in the Clear Vision of God through growing inner light so the downward course ends in putting out the eyes of the soul. — "How great is that darkness!" The eye only sees what it brings the power of seeing — for good or evil — hence "to the scorner God Himself seems a scorner" (Prov. iii. 34). If he "seek wisdom it (simply) does not exist" (Prov. xiv. fi). Reproof and kindness are useless upon him (Prov. ix. 7; xiii. i; xv. 12). The Pharisees were very near this stage when they said "This fellow doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils" (Matt. xii. 24, cf V. 31). " For I say, this is death and the sole death. When a man's loss comes to him from his gain. Darkness from light, from knowledge ignorance. And lack of love from love made manifest." Thus the soul may create for itself a world without God ! I know nothing in literature more terrible than Richter's Vision of a soul awaking in such a world. The thought in these two verses of our Psalm seems to me to be alluded to and expanded in Rev. xxii. II (R.V. margin). V. 30. "As for God, His way is perfect..." The thought is similar to that of the 'Asaph' Psalm Ixxvii. 13 (see ad loc). There is a thoroughness about God's way which does not stop at El Deut. xxxii. 4 lit. oracle. See note, Ps. xii. fi 88 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. A vision of Israel's future. 31 For who is God other than YHVH, Or who is a Rock save our God? 32 As for God" He girdeth me with strength. And hath made my way perfect. 33 He giveth me feet like the hind's. And letteth me tread'' the heights. 34 He traineth my hands for war. So the steel bow is snapped" by my arms. 35 Thou hast given me the shield of Thy help, Thy right-hand sustains me. Thy lowliness'' exalts me. 36 Thou makest me room to tread. And that my feet should not falter. 37 1 shall follow my foes and o'ertake them. Nor shall I turn back till I have destroyed them. 38 I shall smite them that they be not able to rise. They shall fall under my feet. 39 Thou hast girded me with strength for war, Thou humblest mine adversaries under me. 40 Thou hast given me the grip of my enemies. And I cut off those that hate me. 41 They cry — but there is none to help — To YHVH — but there is none that answers them. El Deut. xxxii. 13 : xxxiii. 29 or bent ¦i P.B.V."lov- ing correc tion" follows the Septuagint pain. By this very fact that "His way is perfect," He "hath made my way perfect" (y. 32). " Perfect I call Thy plan : Thanks that I was a man ! Maker, remake, complete, — I trust what Thou shalt do ! " " The promise (or word) of YHVH is tried to the proof." Just as God's way does not stop at pain so His promise does not stop at fire, but comes out as gold from the fiery trial (see note p. 52). All the promises of God are without repentance (Rom. xi. 29). From these two facts it follows that God is "A shield to all that trust in Him'' (cf. v. 35). V. 35. " ...the shield of Thy help." As in v. 30 the Psalmist explains the shield of God's help by two sharply contrasted thoughts : — (a) "Thy right-hand (i.e. Thy power) sustains me," (b) "Thy lowliness (i.e. Thy condescension) exalts me." For similar contrast see Ps. cxiii. 5 f ; cxxxviii. fi: Is. Ivii. 15. God's power sustains Israel in life and makes room for him to go along the way ; while God's lowliness, which is always closely akin to His Word moved in Israel as "the hope of glory" before the days of the Incarnation. V. 41. " To YHVH." The thought of the enemy crying unto YHVH is certainly strange. Possibly the name Elohim originally stood here : the Psalm has many points of contact with the Elohistic ' Asaph ' Psalms. If the Editor who arranged the Psalms had placed it in the Jehovistic ' Davidic ' group he may very possibly have changed Elohim into YHVH. PSALM XVIII. 89 42 I beat them as small as the dust before the wind : I pour them out as the mud of the streets. 43 Thou deliverest me from the strivings of the people ; Thou makest me the chief of the nations : A people I knew not obeys me. 44 They but hear" of me with rumour's ear : " Exod. xv. And aliens pay me homage. '* ' 45 Aliens fail — They come trembling out of their strongholds. 46 YHVH liveth, and blessed is my Rock, And exalted'' be the God of my salvation. b Exod. xv. 2 47 As for God" He granteth me vengeance, o ^i And hath subdued the peoples under me. 48 He delivers me from mine enemies : Yea from mine adversaries Thou settest me up on high ; From the violent Thou rescuest me. 49 Therefore I thank Thee among the nations O YHVH, And would strike the harp to Thy Name. 50 As One who giveth great salvation to His King, And sheweth loving-kindness to His Anointed, To David and his seed for evermore. V. 50. "His King. ..His Anointed... David." It is clear that these words refer to one and the same person ; but are we therefore compelled to interpret them of David the son of Jesse ? Those who say Yes must account for the following passages written long after David's death : Hos. iii. 5. "They shall seek unto YHVH their God and unto David their King... in the latter days." Jer. xxx. 9. " And they shall serve YHVH their God and David their King, whom I will raise up for them.'' Ezek. xxxvii. 22 and 24. "One King shall be King to them all"..." David My Servant (shall be) King." 90 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PS. XIX.* Part I. The Light of Na ture. Day I. Day 11. Day III. Day IV. Day V. Day VI. The blessings that it brings. Day 1. Day II. Day 111. Day IV. Day V. Day VI. I The heavens are telling the glory of God", " ^^ And the firmament sheweth his handiwork. 2 Day unto day abounds'' with speech, " Ps. cxix. 171 And night unto night discourseth knowledge. t[3 Not speech, not words — without their voice being heard]. 4 Through all the earth is gone forth their strain, Their words through the confines of the world. He appointed the sun to tent in them, 5 And he, like a bridegroom goes forth from his canopy. Rejoicing as a giant in running his course. fi His ingress is upon one bound of heaven, His regress on the other bound thereof. So that nothing is hid from his heat. * For the Introduction to this Psalm see page 94. + Regarded as a gloss by Olshausen and Wellhausen. V. I'. The Glory of God is His manifestation to the world. Its natural emblem is Light. The first Day tells of the creation of Light, from which all else follows. Thus, by way of parable, the first Day tells the whole story of creation as the Manifestation of God. We notice that the parallel line of Part II (i.e. v. f) contains the parallel thought : — ^just as " All Creation is one act at once — the birth of light," so all Revelation is one act at once — the birth of Thora. If any word of God ever came to man that word must ultimately reach to the highest expression. — " In the beginning was the Word — And the Word became flesh." Our Psalm is appointed fitly for Christmas Day. There is also, I believe, a correspondence between the two stanzas of Part I, so that the line i" answers to the line 4'^, " The heavens are telling the Glory of God," because " He appoints the sun to tabernacle in them." V. i''. "And the firmatnent sheweth..." The firmament was the work of the second Day. There is a thought of firmness and stability in the word which is quite foreign to our modern conception. The firmament was a partition between the upper and lower worlds (cf. Gen. i. with Ezek. i. 22 — 2fi). It gave stability to the Universe, upon it was the Throne of God (Ezek. i). What the firmament "sheweth" of God's handiwork is that it is sure and stable. If we compare the parallel line in Part II we find the parallel thought that " The testimony of YHVH is stable.'' The TESTIMONY of YHVH (see p. 51) is that which He has attested, limited and defined, as a rule of human conduct. The word was in later times specially applied to the Decalogue (Exod. xvi. 34, xxv. ifi, 21 f. &c., &c.) though it would be rash to assume that the "Ark of the Testimony," and "the tabernacle of Testimony," were originally so called because they contained the "tables of Testimony" ! Indeed, when the word "Testimony" stands alone, as in Exod. xxvii. 21, Numb. xvii. 4 (19), it seems to require a wider meaning. In a difficult passage, Ps. Ixxxix. 37, we read "...his throne is as the sun before Me, It is established for ever as the moon. And as the witness in the sky it is sure." PSALM XIX. 91 The Light of Reve lation. Sphere 1. Sphere 11. Sphere III. Sphere IV. Sphere v. Sphere vi. The blessings that it brings. Sphere vi. Sphere v. Sphere iv. Sphere in. Sphere II. Sphere I. PS. XIX. PART II. 7 The LAW of YHVH is perfect — life-reviving. The TESTIMONY of YHVH is stable — making wise the simple. 8 The PRECEPTS of YHVH are upright — gladdening the heart, The COMMANDMENT of YHVH is bright — enlightening the eyes. 9 The WORD" of YHVH is pure — enduring for ever. => o>'"oracles The JUDGEMENTS of YHVH are truth — righteous altogether, ps!' cxix. 140 Ps. Ixix. fi2, I ofi 10 O more desirable (are they) than gold ! — than much fine gold ! Sweeter are they than honey*, — and the dripping honey-comb. " Ps. cxix. 103 II Thy servant too gets warning-light" from them, »Ps. cxix. 105 In keeping them the after-gain'' is great. " Ps. cxix. 112 12 Who can comprehend his errors .¦" From hidden (faults) Oh cleanse me ! Probably a later [13 Also from proud ones keep Thou back Thy servant, Let them not master' me. So shall I be perfect. And clean from much transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight O YHVH, my Rock and my Redeemer.] ¦ Ps. cxix. 133 Is this "witness in the sky" the firmament? If so it would be an interesting comment on the words of our present Psalm. The second line of stanza i. should also be compared with the second line of stanza ii. (i.e. V. i^ with v. 5°). The 'canopy' from which the sun goes forth is the 'firmament." ¦it. 2". "Day unto day abounds with speech." — Literally 'bubbles over with..'' There is a well- spring of joy and meaning too full for utterance. This is the work of the Third Day. There is an old Jewish tradition that ' Praise-songs to God arose on the Third Day. ' (See Hebrew Poem by R. Judah Ha- Levi in 'Treasures of Oxford,' p. 59). The line should first be compared with the third line of stanza ii. This wellspring of joy in Creation is due to the sun, ' Rejoicing as a giant in running his course.' Next we should compare it with the third line in Part II (v. 8") " The precepts of YHVH are right, gladdening the heart,' i.e. Revelation regarded as the sacred deposit (see on precepts, page 52) finds its answering echo in the heart (cf. Ps. cxix. 128) which it fills with joy. V. 2'. "Night unto night..." This fourth line corresponds with the work of the fourth Day. On that Day the luminaries were placed in the firmament to give light upon the earth. By this means ¦night unto night discourseth knowledge.' The fourth line of stanza ii. tells us of the sun that 'his ingress is upon one bound of heaven...,' but the words ingress and regress of v. 6 must not be confined to the daily rising and setting of the sun : they refer rather to his yearly movement among the Signs 92 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. of the Zodiac or the Spheres. The word we have translated regress always denotes in Biblical Hebrew "the turn" of the year (Ez. xxxiv. 22; i Sam. i. 20; 2 Chr. xxiv. 23; Ps. xix. 6(7) are the only passages). In later Hebrew it was used to denote the solstices. The Babylonian Year was a repetition of the day on a larger scale. As the day consisted of equal periods of light and darkness so their year consisted of six months (decline), during which the sun was moving from his birth to his death, and six months (ascent), during which he was moving from his death to his birth. Thus the thoughts of day and night were transferred to the year : each night he went " beneath the waters " and traversed the underworld, so in what we may call the night of the year he was " beneath the waters.'' This gives a much deeper meaning to the words of verse 6 "and nothing is hid from his heat." Compare the hymn, Veni Redemptor Gentiutti, oi St Ambrose, quoted by Neale : " From God the Father He proceeds ; To God the Father back He speeds : Proceeds — as far as very hell. Speeds back — to light ineffable." If we compare the fourth line of Part I with the fourth line of Part II we are reminded at once of the work of the fourth Day ; as on that Day the luminaries became " for signs and for seasons '' causing " night unto night to discourse knowledge '' so (in the world of Revelation) the " commandment," which is likened to a lattip (Prov. vi. 23), shone out in man's darkness — "bright, enlightening the eyes" so that man can say (v. 11') "Thy servant too gets warning- light from them." V. 4". " Through all the earth is gone forth their strain." — This, omitting the gloss, is properly the fifth hne. In Creation the fifth Day introduces for the first time the marvel of animated life : — for the first time too we read "And God blessed them." The birds are God's preachers. To them, as giving voice to Creation's Hymn, we might apply the words, "Through all the earth is gone forth their strain." We must compare this line with the fifth line of Part II (v. 9°), "The oracles of YHVH are pure &c...." The oracles of YHVH (see note, p. 51) are those Divine utterances 'whose very sweetness yieldeth proof that they were born for immortality ' ; while they satisfy the heart they enlarge it for a wider fulfilment to come. In this sense they are " enduring for ever." If the reader now passes to v. 10'' which we have coupled with v, 9* he will note how the thought is expanded. "Sweeter are they than honey — and the dripping honey-comb." The words are almost identical with Ps. cxix. 103, "How sweet are Thy oracles unto my taste — more so than honey to my mouth." V. 4'' with cf'. "Their words, &c." "The judgements of YHVH..." This sixth line answers to the work of the sixth Day. In the world of Nature the "Heavens" arrive, on the sixth Day, at articulate speech in the creation of Man, so that, through him "their words (go) through the confines of the world." So too in the world of Revelation the sixth Day is associated with God's judgements (see notes on 'Asaph' Psalms), thus it is said, "The judgements of YHVH are truth" — not merely true but truth itself, as the final expression of His thought seen and justified before men and angels. So it is added — "righteous altogether." The same idea is expressed Ps. cxix. ifio, "The sum of Thy word is truth. Each righteous judgement of Thine is eternal." V. 4. "their strain." — The Hebrew text gives "their line," i.e. their measuring-line. The going forth of a measuring-line implies the establishment of a claim (cf. Jer. xxxi. 39), which would give a very possible sense here. But the parallelism seems to suggest that we should read (with LXX), and Wellhausen D7p instead of Dip, and translate "their voice" or "their strain." V. 9. The text reads " The fear of YHVH." I am, however, convinced that the text here is wrong, and that instead of Hin* nXT, "the fear of YHVH," we ought to read Hin* JTlDX, "the word, or rather the oracles, of YHVH. And this for the following reasons : ist. The other five terms Law, testimony, precepts, comniatidments , judgements, are all synonyms for the Law (see notes on Ps. cxix. page 50 f ), consequently we should expect some such expression as "the oracles of YHVH are pure and endure for ever," instead of the present text, which scarcely makes sense. 2nd. The very expression is found in Ps. xii. 6 (7) " The oracles (flllDS) of YHVH are pure oracles, silver purified (HQIIV)..." And again, Ps. cxix. 140, " Thy word (i.e. oracles, "IfllDK) is purified (flSllV). And again, Ps. xviii. 31 (30) and 2 Sam. xxii. 31, " The word of YHVH is pure " Thus -we find that this particular name for the word (or oracles) of God is constantly PSALM XIX. 93 coupled with the idea of purity from a fiety trial. A similar thought is found in Ps. cv. ig, " The word (mON) of YHVH purified him (innSlV)," i.e. tried him as by fire [cf. Heb. iv. 12 f ]. Thus I conclude that the proper reading in our Psalm is " The word (JTIDK) of YHVH is pure and endureth for ever," i.e. the oracles of YHVH have stood the fiery test and abide. If the reader object that the words '''' DNTi and *¦" TIIDX were not likely to be confounded, I reply that the Septuagint have actually made this confusion in Prov. i. 29, where the Hebrew has " the fear of the Lord," and the Greek " the word of the Lord." irv. 13, 14. Wellhausen regards v. 14 as a gloss, but the 13th verse is also very different in style and reads like a pious prayer written on the margin of a hymn. Probably it was suggested by the mention of "errors..." "hidden faults" in v. 12. The scribe feels that there is one other class of sins from which he must pray for deliverance — viz. sins of presumption. " Errors" ..."hidden (things) mean to the Psalmist much more than the "ignorances"..." hidden sins" of the scribe. The cry, "Who can comprehend his errors" is not the wail of "an infant crying in the night. ..and with no language but a cry." It is rather man's thanksgiving for the Revelation as the Light of Life — 'Apart from that Revelation who would have known right from wrong? but now that Light makes the simple wise.' Since however the gloss has become part of the text we must interpret it according to the later and more dogmatic theology of the scribe. In his eyes ignorances... hidden sins... proud ones denote the three steps on the downward road which ends in the great transgression. 'Ignorances' are sins which the sinner did not know to be sinful (Levit. iv. and v.). 'Hidden sins' — literally 'Hidden things.' Not secret faults which the sinner tries to hide from God and man, but sins which are hidden from himself, pitfalls into which he might sink unawares. Thus when Saul of Tarsus with a clear conscience persecuted the Church it was a sin of 'ignorance,' but when Abimelech took Sarah (Gen. xx.) it was 'hidden sin.' In the former case light was needed to the conscience, in the latter light to the intelligence. For all such sins of 'ignorance' the Jewish Law provided atonement through sacrifice (Numb. xv. 27 f.). Not so with 'proud sins,' i.e. sins of presumption; for these no sacrifice was provided (Numb. xv. 30 f.). Though there might be forgiveness for such, as in the case of David, yet it was beyond the Covenant ; therefore the scribe prays ' also from proud ones hold Thou back Thy servant.' Man without the Divine Word (Law) would be like a universe without its sun; he would have no light to his conscience whereby he might avoid sins of ignorance, no light to his intelligence whereby he might escape hidden sins, no restraint upon life to keep him within the orbit of his being, and by force of attraction hold him back from ruin. It is however only fair to say that the word we have translated "proud ones" might refer to "proud men" as in the closely parallel passage Ps. cxix. 122 — 125. 94 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PSALM XIX. I have shewn in my Akkadian Genesis that the six "Days" of Creation correspond with the six spheres, each having, according to Babylonian thought, its presiding planet or deity. The sun's course through these six spheres completed the ancient year of six months. This being so, the ' music of the spheres ' is not an idle dream of the poets. Each season has its meaning and is a parable to the wise : — " These, as they change. Almighty Father, these Are but the varied God. The rolling year Is fuh of thee ! " This nineteenth Psalm interprets the music of the spheres. The Psalm consists of two parts, which are so different in style that many suppose them to have been originally distinct. Whether this be so or no the two parts have now a close relation to one another. Part I is a magnificent poem, setting forth the oflSce of the sun as giving voice and meaning to the whole universe, which, but for him, would be a silent instrument, dumb to the glory of God, but which now brims over with such joy and praise as can scarcely find expression. All this new meaning which awakes in the heavens is due to the sun which ' tabernacles ' among them and is, as the poet seems to suggest (v. 5), the Bridegroom of Nature. Part II (». 7 to end) is wholly different in style, and reminds us of Psalm cxix. It is all in praise of the Law. We should however be greatly mistaken if we supposed that the Law which the Psalmist found to be light and hfe was the letter of the Mosaic code ; on the contrary, it was the Living Voice of God speaking through Priest and Prophet, sufficing for every need as it arose. To the Psalmist Law (Thora) was almost identical with Revelation. It is only when we have realized this that we can appreciate the relation between the two parts of the Psalm. What the sun is in the world of nature that the Law (Thora, Divine Word) is in the world of men. Without this inspiration, or Divine Word, which indwells the ages, the world of man would be a voiceless chaos, but, with it, all things "mean intensely and mean well" (cf Is. xiv. 18). In Part I the Divine Name is El, as the God of Nature : in Part II it is YHVH, as the God of the Covenant. The style of Part I is very dififerent from that of Part II, but, on the other hand, they are similar in structure. Both (if we omit the portions marked as gloss) consist of two stanzas of six lines each, which seem to have reference to the six 'Days' or Spheres of Creation (see notes). Part II is much more artificial in its structure, and its two stanzas correspond in reverse order : it probably belongs to the same period as Ps. cxix., whereas Part I may be much earlier. PSALM XX. 95 PSALM XX. This Psalm is best interpreted from the story of Jacob at Peniel (Gen. xxxii. 24 flf.) There God "answered him in the day of his trouble" (Gen. xxxv. 3), shewing him that the Divine Name (Nature) could not be won without the struggle. The life of Jacob (Israel) was felt to be in this respect a type of the Nation (Israel) : cf Hos. xii. 3f The mission of Israel is to win God's Name by struggle and to express that Name to the World. This involved separation from the World, and therefore the hatred of the World. Israel becomes the "Sufifering Nation." Israel must conquer the World not by might or by strength but by winning and by imparting the Divine Name. Let the Psalm now be read with this meaning in view. The lives of the Prophets (e.g. Jeremiah) led to the expectation that God's Ideal for Israel must find expression in the life of a Perfect Man. The world being what it is, such a Man must be a Sufferer (cf Plato Rep. 11. p. 44; Davies and Vaughan' s translation; Wisdom of SoL ii. vv. 13 — 20). But the world will not always be what it is. The Redeemer will at last receive the gratitude of the redeemed. "This Psalm is the prayer which the Church might be supposed offering up, had all the redeemed stood by the Cross, or in Gethsemane, in full consciousness of what was doing there" (A. A. Bonar, quoted in Treasury of David). Let vv. I — 5 be now read in this light — We Christians know how the Father did "answer Him in the day of His trouble," and how the " Name above every name " became His Name and " set Him on high." Knowing this we can take to ourselves the lesson and comfort of w. 6—8. The chief division of the Psalm comes between verses 5 and 6. Many commentators from Ewald downwards suppose that a sacrifice had been offered at this point and that the second half of the Psalm (yjv. 6 — 10) denotes the acceptance of this sacrifice. This is by no means improbable. The student should carefully compare the thought and structure of this Psalm with that of Psalm xxviii. which may be called its octave. 96 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. The Vision of Vic tory realized as an historic present. Comfort from the Vision. PS. XX. I YHVH answer thee in the day of "trouble ; The Name of Jacob's God set thee on high'' ! 2 Send thee thy help from the Sanctuary" ; And sustain thee from out of Zion ! 3 May He remember all thy offerings ; And graciously accept thy sacrifice ! 4 Grant thee thy very heart's desire^ ; < And accomplish" all thy purpose! ' 5 We sing for joy in Thy salvation, We exult in the name of our God ; YHVH accomplishes all thy requests. 6 Now know I that YHVH helpeth His Anointed, That He answers him from His holy heaven, With the saving help of His right hand. 7 Some — in chariots, and some, in horses*^! ' But we — we make mention of the Name of YHVH our God, 8 As for them, they sink and they fall ; But we, we arise and stand firm. 9 O YHVH save ! In the day when we call the King answers us. V. I. The Yalkut sees in these words a reference to Gen. xxxv. 3, where Jacob says, " Let us go up to Beth-el ; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my trouble." The verb we have translated "set thee on high" has also the kindred meaning of safety. From the same root we have the Hebrew word for a "high tower." The two meanings are again combined in Prov. xviii. 10. " The name of YHVH is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe (marg. set aloft)." Compare Prov. xxix. 25, "Whoso putteth his trust in YHVH shall be safe (marg. set on high)." The word is again coupled with the Name of God in Ps. xci. 14, "/ will set him on high because he hath known my Name " (cf. Pss. lix. i (2) ; Ixix. 29 (30) ; c-vli. 41). When then it is said, "The Name of Jacob's God set thee on high" it must imply that as Jacob became Israel through partaking of the Name (Nature) of God, so too it must be in the history of Jacob's seed. V. 9. Many commentators here, following the Septuagint, disregard the accents, and translate "0 Lord save the King, He hears us (or and hear us) in the day when we call." This interpretation probably led to the use of the Psalm in the Accession Service. The Yalkut draws attention to the fact that the Psalm ends as it began. It began, "YHVH answer thee in the day of trouble." It ends, " In the day when we call the King answers us." The Midrash explains the readiness of the answer from the words, "He shall call me and I will answer him, I (myselO am with him in trouble..." (Ps. xci. 15). Though God may allow His People to be afflicted yet "in all their trouble He is troubled," (Is. Ixiii. 9). ° Gen. xxxv. ¦¦Prov.xviii.io or in safety '^ Ps. xxviii 1 ' John xvii. ' Luke xii. 50 Deut. xvii. 16 PSALM XXI. 97 PSALM XXI. The " King " in this Psalm is a reflex of God. In him God is well-pleased (vv. I — 3). God gives him an endless life (v. 4). God puts of His own Majesty upon him {v. 5). Through him God fulfils the old promise that all the world shall be blessed and makes him radiant of the very brightness of the Shechina (v. 6). This King places his whole trust in God and never can be moved (v. 7 ; cf Is. xlii. 4). Can such a description have been intended to apply to any monarch who ever sat upon a throne? I refuse to believe it. The fulsome flattery of Eastern hyperbole is alien to the spirit of the Old Testament. Early kings, like Saul and David, lived on familiar terms with their people, and, in later times, Isaiah ridicules with stinging words the god-like pretentions of the heathen kings (Is. xiv. i2fif.). The fact is that, from the very earliest time, God Himself was felt to be "the King" of Israel (i Sam. xii. 12). When a king was afterwards appointed he "sat upon the throne of God" (i Chron. xxix. 23). The Prophets looked forward to a time when the Kingship of God over Israel, and even over '' the whole earth" (Zech. xiv. 9), would become a realized fact (Is. xxiv. 23; lii. 7 &c.). This thought finds expression in the Psalms of the Theophany (see on Pss. xciii. &c.). Side by side with this expectation of a visible reign of God upon earth we find another channel of expectation, not clearly defined, in which the Divine reign on earth is to be realized through an ideal " David " who should, as it were, so completely fill " God's throne " that what is said of God may fitly be said of him. Thus:— Hos. iii. 5, "They shall seek unto YHVH their God and unto David their King..." Jer. xxx. 9, "And they shah serve YHVH their God and David their King..." Ezek. xxxvii. 22 and 24, "Our King shall be King to them all..." "David My servant (shall be) King." It is in this sense that I understand the word ' King ' in many passages of the Psalms, e.g. Ps. xviii. 50 (51) "Who giveth great salvation to His King And sheweth loving-kindness to His Anointed, To David and his seed for evermore." The Jewish tradition is therefore to be accepted which asseits that the King in Psalm xxi. is none other than King Messiah (see Yalkut). K. 13 98 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. The division of the Psalm is as follows : — Verses i — 6 are addressed to God. Verses 8 — 12 are addressed to the King. (This is evident from v. <)b). Verse 7 is addressed neither to God nor to the King but forms a connecting link between the two main portions of the Psalm. Verse 13 drops, as it were, the parable of the King and claims for the People that triumph which strictly belongs only to their ideal Representative. The first main division of the Psalm may be described as the arming of the King. The weapons of his warfare are ah spiritual. God puts such Majesty upon him that he becomes the effulgence of His Glory, the expression of His essence (Heb. i. 3). But this same Glory that makes him a fount of endless blessing to his own People makes him a terror to his foes (contrast v. 6 with v. 9). Thus in the second main division of the Psalm the King is seen armed with terrors which remind us of Milton's description in Paradise Lost, Bk. vi. 824 — 866. In vv. 9, 10 the imagery is, I think, coloured by associations connected with Molok, "the King." To those who refuse the joy of God's Presence (w. 6) that Presence becomes a consuming fire. It is a fearful thing to reject God and "fall into the hands'' of the Laws of Nature (Heb. x. 31). PSALM XXI. 99 The armitig of the King. Our King becomes the reflex of God and dispenser to us of His blessings. PS. XXI. I O YHVH, in Thy might the King rejoices ; O how exceeding glad he is through Thy Salvation ! 2 Thou gavest him his heart's desire" ; Thou didst not withhold the request of his lips. 3 But didst meet'' him with blessings of goodness ; Setting on his head a crown of gold. 4 Did he ask life of Thee t — -Thou gavest it — A length of days to all eternity ! 5 Great is his glory through Thy Salvation ; Splendour and majesty'' Thou layest upon him. 6 For Thou makest him an endless blessing'^; Gladdening him with the joy that is Thy Presence. " Ps. XX. 4 '' anticipate ' Ps. viii. 5 ' Gen. xii. 2 Central thought. The victory of the King. Our King (Melek) becomesto his enemies a very Molok. 7 For the King trusteth in YHVH, Through the lovingkindness of the Most High he never be moved. shall 8 Thy hand shall reach all thine enemies ; Thy right-hand shall reach them that hate thee. 9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery furnace in the time of thy Presence; YHVH will devour them in His anger, the fire will consume them. 10 Thou destroyest their fruit from off the earth, Their seed from among the children of men. II Though they plotted evil against thee. They devised a device — but were powerless ! 12 For thou turnest them to flight. Aiming thy bow-strings at their faces. Our victory, too, is only in God. 13 O YHVH be Thou exalted in Thy mights We sing, we strike the harp, through Thy power. 13—2 lOO FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PSALM XXII. The Sufifering Servant feels himself forsaken in spite of prayer (vv. i and 2). He looks back to a time when men had only to cry and be helped (pv. 1, and 5) but not so now! The Sufferer must bear the reproach of being forsaken by God in whom he trusts {vv. 6 — 8). Yet he knows that God Himself caused him to be born and that the blind instinct of an infant's mother-trust had behind it the mother-care of God (vv. 9 and 10 ; compare Aug. Confess. Book t. [vi.] 7) ; therefore, like an infant "crying in the night" his one prayer is "be not far" (v. 11). His thought turns naturally to the strength of the enemy (cf. btdls and lions, vv. 12, 13), and to his own weakness (vv. 14 and 15) : next, the cruelty of the enemy (cf dogs, vv. 16 — 18), and his own meek submission in their hands. Again the Sufferer commits himself to God with the same prayer "be not far" (v. 19): he prays to be delivered from the cruelty of the dog (v. 20), from the strength of the lions and bulls (vv. 20 and 21) — While this prayer is yet on his lips there breaks the full assurance that God has ansnwred him (v. 21): instead of the bulls he sees now brethren, instead of the assembly of evildoers like dogs (v. i6) he sees now a Great Congregation of worshippers (v. 22). The Sufiferer has gone through the experience of Joseph and, like Joseph, now proclaims God's name to reconciled brethren. Here the Psalm may be said to end. All that follows is the utterance, not of the Sufiferer, but of the Congregation of Israel which, as a Chorus, draws the lesson from the Sufferer's experience. Thus (vv. 23 and 24) ; — All believers are called upon to thank God because the Sufferer's pain was not in vain and the Sufiferer's prayer was not unheard. Since his pain was not in vain, all earth's suffering-ones can " feast and be filled " {v. 26). Since his prayer was not unheard, all " seekers of God" can praise Him so that his experience is the Sursum Corda of humanity (v. 26). But further — the Sufifering Servant will bring the whole world to the feet of God (vv. 27 and 28) ; through him life's happiness becomes a sacrificial feast, life's misery a devoted homage (v. 29) ; all this is seen to spring from the fact that the Sufiferer did not save himself (v. 29). Therefore an undying seed shall serve him, ever springing to tell new truths of his righteousness and of the finished work that he hath done. Chrisdans believe that this has found its fulfilment in Christ. " Glory on glory compasseth Him round. From henceforth unto all the deathless years ; The smile of God wherewith He sitteth crowned. More sweet because the memory of tears Is in His heart, and dieth not away ; And in exchange for every weary day He spent on earth, some blessed soul forgiven. Some face once darkened with our sin and night. Is lifted up to Him in cloudless light. And addeth glory to those days of heaven." [Quoted by Bourne in The King of Sorrow, p. 58.] PSALM XXII. Id But though I would maintain most strongly that the full meaning of the Psalm is to be found alone in Christ I have no wish to close my eyes to the fact that, in the mind of the writer, the Sufiferer was Israel. This will appear in the notes. Meanwhile there is no fact in the Life of our Lord more certain than that He regarded Himself as sent to fulfil God's ideal of Israel. This appears at His baptism— in His Temptadon in the Wilderness— in His choice of the name "Son of Man" (compare Dan vii. 13, 27)— in His forecast of His sufferings and the glory that should follow. When then, upon the cross. He takes upon His lips the first words (Matt, xxvii. 46) and probably the last words (John xix. 23) of the Psalm, we may conclude that the Psalm as a whole was in His mind and was His strong comfort in death. Thus Jerome, commenting on v. i, says, "Hoc versiculo Dominus in cruce pendens usus est: ex quo animadvertimus totum Psalmum a Domino in cruce posito decantari" (Comment, in Psalmos, p. 32). A cry of wonder but not of doubt. Matt, xxvii. 46, Eli, Eli PS. XXII. 1 My God", my God", why hast Thou forsaken me.' Far from my help, from the words of my complaint ! 2 O my God*" I cry in the daytime, but Thou answerest not, ^Elohitn In the night-time also, but there is no rest for me : 3 Yet Thou art Holy, Throned on the Praise-songs of Israel. 4 In Thee our fathers could trust. They trusted and Thou didst deliver them ; 5 Unto thee they cried and escaped. They trusted and were not shamed ; fi But I am a worm and no man. The reproach of men, the despised of the people. 7 All that see me mock" at me. They shoot out the lip, they wag'' the head. 8 " He casts (his burden) on YHVH — let Him release him. Let Him deliver him, since He delighteth" in him." ' Luke xxiii. 35 ' Mark xv. 29 ' Matt, xxvii. 39. 43 vv. I — 5. Israel cries to his Father ; not doubting His goodness but asking to see the meaning of his sufferings, cf. Lam. v. I9f. "Thou O Lord, remainest for ever; Thy throne from generation to generation. Wherefore then dost Thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?" But though "Zion said, the Lord hath forsaken me" (Is. xlix. 14) still Zion knew, "For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee " (Is. liv. 7, cf. Ixii. 4). The promise to Jacob, " I will not forsake thee until I have done all that I have spoken to thee of," was the promise to Israel (Deut. xxxi. 6). Still, while the suffering lasts it is strange : — strange that the Holy should let His Holy One suffer: — all the more strange in that the past history of Israel was a record of temporal blessings and deliverances (vv. 4, 5). w. 6 — 8. The language of these verses is elsewhere applied to Israel, e. g. worm. " Fear not, thou worm Jacob" (Is. xii. 14). Reviled of men... despised of the people. "Thus saith... the Redeemer I02 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. The strength of the foe. The weakness of the sufferer. The cruelty of the foe. The meekness of the sufferer. 9 Yet it was THY doing I came from the womb, Thou wert my cause of trust upon my mother's breasts. 10 On Thee have I been cast from my birth. Thou art my God" from my mother's womb. II Be not FAR from me, for trouble is nigh. And helper is none ! 12 Many bulls are come about me. Mighty ones of Bashan ring me round. 13 They open their mouths at me. As a lion that rends and roars. 14 I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is become like wax. It is melted within my body. 15 My strength" is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue cleaveth to my jaws. And in the dust of death Thou art laying me low. 16 For dogs are come about me. The assembly of evil-doers have closed me round. They pierce'' my hands and my feet. 17 1 may count all my bones. They'' look on ! — they gloat over me. Eli ' or, my palate. Reading te' for kht ¦ ? text " emphatic of Israel... to hira whom man despiseth, to him whom a. nation abhorreth..." (Compare also Jer. xlix. 15, where Edom is said to be ^^ despised among meti.") All... mock at me, compare Neh. ii. 19; 2 Chr. xxx. 10. They wag the head, "They hiss and wag their head" (Lam. ii. 15). v. 8 should be compared with the remarkable passage Wisdom 11. 16, 17, which marks the transition between the thought of the righteous Nation and the righteous Man. vv. 9 — II. The thought goes back to the difficulty which remained unsolved in w. i — 5 but there is less of wonder, more of child-like trust. The God who has led me all my life through from helpless infancy will not leave me now in my distress. If to any reader the language of these verses should seem to bespeak a love too individual to be applied to Israel he is invited to consider such passages as the foUov/ing : — ' ' Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne (by Me) from the belly, which are carried from the womb. And (even) to (your) old age I (am) He ; aud (even) to hoar hairs will I carry you..." (Is. xlvi. 3f cf. ; Hos. xi. 1, 3). vv. 12 — 21. The .Sufferer is laid at Death's door by God Himself (v. 15). His foes take this opportunity of shewing their hatred. Their blindness, ferocity and cowardice is described under the imagery of bulls, lions, dogs. The words " They pierce (lit. they have dug through) my hands and my feet " since they are used of dogs, probably imply the cowardly attack that a band of Syrian dogs would make upon a man who was lying helpless. I speak now only of the primary meaning. Those who believe in Inspiration will admit that the word may have been so chosen as to fit even the details of the Crucifixion. For my own part, were it proved that, in the Crucifixion, the feet of Christ were not pierced, the words would lose none of their force as a picture of His sufferings on the Cross. While the Sufferer is crying to God, not merely for deliverance, but for a solution of the mystery of suffering (see on vv. 1 — 5), the sudden answer comes (v. 21). Tliou hast answered me! PSALM XXII. 103 His strong crying unto Him that is able to save. The answer comes. 18 They part" my garments among them. And for my vesture they cast lots". 19 But Thou, O YHVH, be not far ! O my Strength, haste to my help ! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, My dear-life from the power of the dog. 2 1 Save me from the mouth of the lion. From the buffalo horns — Thou hast answered me. "- Mark XV. 24; Luke xxiii. 34; Matt. xxvii. 35; John xix. 24 The sufferer sees the joy set before him. The Chorus of Cre ation. 22 I can declare Thy name unto my"' brethren. In the midst of the Congregation I shall praise Thee.. ( The Congregation of Israel now speaks and draws the lesson fro-m the above.) 23 O ye fearers of YHVH, give Him praise; O all ye seed of Jacob, give Him honour ; All ye seed of Israel, shew him reverence ; 24 For He did not despise — He did not spurn the Sufferer's pain. He did not hide His face from him. But while he was crying unto Him He hearkened. 25 Thou art my theme of praise in the great Congregation, I pay my vows amidst His worshippers. 2fi The lowly shall feast and be filled. Seekers of YHVH shall praise Him, " May your heart live for ever." 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto YHVH, All the families of the Nations shall worship before Him. 28 For (now) the Kingdom is YHVH's, And He rules among the Nations. 29 All earth's richest worship as they feast, All that go down to the dust kneel before Him, For His own life He did not save ! 30 A seed shall serve Him, It shall be counted as the " Lord's people." 31 They shall come and tell of His righteousness. To a people yet to be born — how He hath finished" it. ' Heb. ii. ii, 12, cf. Matt. xxviii. 10; John XX. 17 John xix. 23 vv. 22 — 31. This answer, so far as Israel is concerned, gives the solution of the Second Isaiah. The suffering of Israel is not in vain. He becomes the reconciliation of the World. He gathers in the Gentiles. God's Kingdom, at last, is set up on earth. 104 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PSALM XXIII. Nothing can exceed the exquisite beauty of this Psalm unless it be its spiritual depth. The Psalm falls naturally into two Stanzas of three verses each. In the flrst we see the Divine Shepherd caring for the natural needs of His sheep; in the second for the spiritual needs of man ; or, to put the same thought in other words, the flrst stanza relates to what we call joys, the second to the deeper experience through what we call trials, including therein death itself In Stanza I we note 3 thoughts in the 3 verses. (a) The all-embracing security of the Divine Shepherd's presence (v. i). (b) The green pastures and restful waters that He prepares (food and drink) for His sheep (v. 2). (c) The kindly restoring guidance whereby He brings back the weary and the wanderers, and sets them in the track of His flocks (v. 3). In Stanza II we find the same three thoughts, though, from the nature of the case, it was not possible to keep so closely to the image of the sheep when dealing with human trials. Thus ((Z,) the security of the Divine Shepherd's presence in the "Dark Valley" (v. 4) of pain, sorrow or death, is as all-embracing as the thought in v. 1 to which it corresponds. (1^,) The feast that the Shepherd spreads in v. 5 answers to the green pastures and restful waters of v. 2 ; but there is now an added thought ; it is " in the presence of foes." These spiritual enemies so far from hindering the feast are but evidence of the guardian care of the Shepherd. (c^ The same kindly guidance which brought back the weary wandering sheep in verse 3 is seen in verse 6 to work through all the changes and chances of life so as to make them all "work together" for good in bringing man to God his home. The word 'pursue' gives just a hint of hostile forces, but the same enchantment which had changed the Dark Valley has also changed the 'foes' to a 'feast' (v. 5) and the pursuers to ' goodness and mercy ' (w. 6). The words (v. 6) which we have translated "I am homed in the House..." lit. "I return into &c. ..." cannot, according to the Hebrew pointing, signify "I dwell in...." The analogy of verse 3 also requires the sense of return; as, in v. 3, the Shepherd brings the sheep back and sets it in the right tracks, so, in v. 6, He brings the man back, by many devices of love, to the only true home which is Himself PSALM XXIII. 105 All spiritual utterances are capable of meanings wider than the speaker's thought. Our Psalm may therefore justly be applied to the relation between God and the individual soul; still, even this relation will best be understood by interpreting it first of the relation between God and Israel, then between God and Christ (which gives the basis for individualism), and lastly between God and the Church (the true Israel). God is "the Shepherd of Israel" (Ps. Ixxx. i (2); Is. xl. 11; Ezek. xxxiv. 12). The Wilderness was, for Israel, the " Dark Valley " (Jer. ii. 6), but the Shepherd of Israel 'turned this Shadow of Death into morning' (Amos v. 8) by the felt nearness of His Presence (cf Is. xliii. 2; Ixiii. 9; Ps. xci. 15). Thus, through the Wilderness life (Deut. viii. 2 f ) Israel was intended to learn these three lessons of trust. («]) The absolute security of the Divine care. It was in the Wilderness that Israel (God's "Son," Exod. iv. 22) learnt to lean on his Father's Presence. His Father was "with him in trouble" (Ps. xci. 15). " In all his afiflictions He was afflicted, while the Angel of His Presence was saving them" (Is. Ixiii. 9). Thus the Wilderness was eminently a season of Revelation, "I did know thee in the Wilderness, in the land of great drought" (Hos. xiii. s). (b^ Again, in the Wilderness Israel learnt the ' Providence ' of the Divine Shepherd. The gift of the Manna explained the hunger as well — " He suffered thee to hunger and He fed thee with manna... that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live" (Deut. viii. 3). (ci) Lastly, in the Wilderness Israel learnt that the Divine Shepherd had guided them in ways that to them were strange. "Thou leddest Thy people like a flock/' (Ps. Ixxvii. 20; cf Is. Ixiii. 12, 13; Ps. Ixxvih. 14, 53). When the Land of Promise was reached, Israel might say, ' Naught but goodness and kindness pursue me all the days of my life, and I am homed in the House of YHVH for ever and ever.' But though Israel may have been said to have learnt these lessons there was only One who truly learnt them, and he was God's 'Only' Son — the Lamb of God. (a.) In the 'Dark Valley' of this world he "learned obedience by the things that he suffered" (Heb. v. 8). Every desertion of earth brought the Father's Presence nearer. "Thou art with me" — "I am not alone because the Father is with me." Thus the Dark Valley became a Revelation to man and God; to man, of a Divine Fatherhood; and to God, of a perfect human Sonship. (^,) In the Dark Valley of a hostile world God 'spread a feast' for him — He who could say 'My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me' must have found all life a feast. God 'anointed him with the oil of gladness above his fellows' and even his "cup" of sorrows was "fulness itself" of joy. (^,) His life was preeminently a guided life. He did not come of himself, the Father sent him. All through his ministry he 'did nothing of himself (S. John v. 19, 30; viu. 28; ix. 4; xii. 49; xiv. 10). The Father guided him through the grave K. M I06 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. and gate of death up to the highest place at His right hand; so that, looking back on sorrows such as no other life has known, he can confess, " Naught but goodness and kindness pursue me all the days of my life and I am brought home to the House of YHVH for ever and ever " (cf Heb. xiii. 20). If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God we shall understand that "green pastures " and " restful waters " cannot mean for us the idle life of the well-fed beast but the ' food convenient ' for the man. " In pastures green .? not always ; sometimes He Who knoweth best, in kindness leadeth me In weary ways, where heavy shadows be — Out of the sunshine warm and soft and bright. Out of the sunshine into darkest night ; I oft would faint with sorrow and affright — Only for this — I know He holds my hand ; .So, whether in the green or desert land, I trust, although I may not understand. And by still waters ? no, not always so ; Ofttimes the heavy tempests round me blow. And o'er my soul the waves and billows go : But when the storm beats loudest, and I cry Aloud for help, the Master standeth by. And whispers to my soul, " Lo it is L" And more than this : where'er the pathway lead He gives to me no helpless broken reed. But His own hand sufficient for my need. So where He leads me I can safely go : And in the blest hereafter I shall know Why in His wisdom He hath led me so." — Anon. PSALM XXIII. 107 PS. XXIII. (a) The Shepherd's Presence is all-suffic ing. (b) Makes life a feast. (c) Gives restoring guidance. I YHVH is my Shepherd", I can lack'' nothing! 2 In green pastures He maketh me lie down ; He gently leads" me by the restful waters. 3 He restoreth my soul ; He guideth me in the right tracks ; for His own Name's sake. * Gen. xlviii. 15 (Heb.) '' Deut. ii. 7 ° Is. xlix. ro (a,) The Shepherd's Presence is all-suffic ing. (^2) Makes life a feast. (iTi) Gives restoring guidance. 4 Yea when I go through the Dark- Valley* I fear no ill, for Thou art with me; Thy stafif and stay — they comfort me. 5 Thou spreadest a table for me in the sight of my foes ; Thou enrichest my head with oil. And my cup is fulness itself! fi Naught but goodness and kindness pursue me All the days of my life ! And I am homed' in the Housed of YHVH, for ever and ever! ' Jer. ii. 6 " am returned, cf. I Pet. ii. ' Exod. XV. 1 7 -V. I. "Shepherd" — In the Old Testament when this title is applied to God it is always as the Shepherd of the People, not of the individual soul. See Is. xl. 11; Ezek. xxxiv. 1 1 ff. ; Pss. Ixxviii. 72 ; Ixxix. 13; Ixxx. I, etc. There is, I believe, only one exception, viz. Gen. xlviii. 15 f. where Jacob says, "The God that was my Shepherd (EV fed me) all my life long unto this day, the Angel which redeemed me from all evil..." But this is really no exception because Jacob's life is a type and prophecy of that of Lsrael as a Nation. The promise, "Lo I am with thee" (Gen. xxviii. 15) was the secret of Jacob's life just as the Presence of the Shechina was that of Israel's (Exod. xiii. 21 f.; xiv. 19 ; Numb. a. 33 ; Deut. i. 33). By reason of this Presence every hostile event became to Jacob a blessing in disguise (Gen. xxxi. 25 — 55 ; xxxii., and xxxiii. etc. ) and also to Israel, e.g. the Red Sea.. .Amalek. ..etc. But if God be the Shepherd of Israel, and of Christ, how is Christ the Good Shepherd? The answer is in Ezek. xxxiv. where God after speaking of Himself as the Shepherd (vv. 11 — 22) says, V. 23, "And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, (even) my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd." A Shepherd was needed upon earth who should be to men all that the Father is to him (cf. St John x. 14, 15 with Bp. Westcott's note). V, 4. "The Dark-Valley" — Literally the valley of gloom. A mistaken derivation, which is at least as old as the vowel points, has given rise to "the Valley of the Shadow-of-death," but this sense has become so embedded in the language and literature of the Bible that it is mere pedantry to ignore it. I have intended by "The Dark-Valley" to hint at this, but, at the same time, not to exclude all those wider meanings which "the Wilderness" had for Israel (Jer. ii. fi) and which we include under 'the Wilderness of Temptation.' V. 6. "All the days" — In the Septuagint the same words are used as in the promise of Christ's Presence with His Church (Matt, xxviii. 20). 14- lo8 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PSALM XXIV. An old tradition, preserved by the Septuagint, assigns this Psalm to the flrst day of the week. Now the first day is the beginning of the Creation of God — the birth of Light. But Light in Nature is only a parable of the "Glory of the Lord" (cf John i. 9 and Ps. xix.). We might indeed modify the Poet's words and say that 'All Creation is one act at once, the incoming of God's Glory.' The Psalm is a Dedication-Psalm and will be best understood from the Vision that Ezekiel saw of the Dedication of his Temple. When the Temple at Jerusalem was lying in ruins God shewed Ezekiel a Vision of another Temple unlike the former (Chaps, xl— end). Ezekiel describes its Gates and all its measurements most minutely; for everything was symbolical. But what avails a Temple unless God dwell in it? And Ezekiel had seen the "Glory of the Lord" desert the Temple at Jerusalem, being driven away by the sins of the People (Chap. xi. 22 f). Will God then return to the Temple of the future? This question is answered in Chap, xliii. i ff., " Afterward He brought me to the Gate, the Gate that looketh toward the East : And behold the Glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East and His voice was like the noise of many waters: and the earth shined with His Glory... And the visions were like the visions that I saw by the river Chebar ; and I fell upon my face. And the Glory of the Lord came into the House by the way of the Gate whose prospect is towards the East. So the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner Court; and behold the Glory of the Lord filled the House'' (xliii. i — 5)... That ' Glory ' was not a Pillar of Cloud and Fire but " Upon the likeness of the Throne was the likeness as the appearance of a Man" (Chap. i. 26). Such was to Ezekiel the Dedication of the Temple of the future. God would not leave His Temple of the Universe, though men were sinners ; He would enter that Temple through its eastern Gate, He would pass through the inner Gate into the inmost Shrine and His Glory would be " the likeness as the appearance of a Man upon the Throne " —a "King of Glory." Let us now turn to the Psalm (v. if) "The earth is YHVH' S... upon the Ocean-floods." The Temple of Creation is finished... But what avails a Temple if God Himself dwell not in it?... The sin of man has driven God away... The Glory has deserted this Temple ! There is no communion between God and man ! Therefore the Psalmist says "Who can ascend..." [See vv. 3 — 6 with marginal notes.] To man this seemed impossible. But God had promised " As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord" (Numb. xiv. 21). As in vision Ezekiel saw the Glory enter in through the Gates into the Temple, so now the Psalmist sees that same Glory enter, as a "King of Glory," through the Gates of Earth and Heaven; andj filhng all things with His Glory, restore the broken Communion between God and Man — "Lift up your heads..." [See vv. 7 — 10 with marginal notes.] PSALM XXIV. 109 If we ask 'How has this been fulfilled?' the answer is (vv. ^ — 6) One Man did "ascend the Mountain of the Lord..." He was "clean of hands. ..pure of heart..." He did "bear away a blessing from YHVH..." Just in so far as the Christian lives in the presence of this great Fact all "Heaven is opened" (John i. 51) for him... All Hfe is transfigured. Earth becomes to him " The broad foundation of' a hbly place, Man's step to scale the sky." All things are his, the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are his, for he is Christ's; and Christ is God's (i Cor. iii. 23). Thus he can say, with a new meaning, "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof" (v. i, see footnote). The Psalm then is, in the fullest sense, a Psalm of Creation. In His Eternity all is " one act at once " ; the incoming of the King of Glory. This being so the Psalm lends itself to all the stages of His incoming. Milton was justified in applying it to the first creation of the worlds by the Son of God : "heaven open'd wide Her ever-during gates, harmonious sound. On golden hinges moving, to let forth The King of Glory, in his powerful Word And Spirit, coming to create new worlds." (Book vii. 205 — 209.) And again, on His completion of this work : "Up he rode, FoUow'd with acclamation... The heavens and all the constellations rung. The planets in their station listening stood, While the bright pomp ascended jubilant. Open, ye everlasting gates ! they sung ; Open, ye heavens ! your living doors ; let in The great Creator, from his work return'd Magnificent, his six days' work, a world." (Book vil. 557 ff) The Gospel of Nicodemus was justified in applying the Psalm to the entrance of Christ into Hades since this was one stage of His creative work : " Then came again the voice, saying, ' Lift up your gates, ye princes I and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in I ' " "And Hades, hearing the voice, the second time, answered, as one forsooth unwilling, 'Who is this King of Glory?' And the Angels of the Lord answered, 'The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.' And straightway, with that word, the brazen gates were broken, and the bolts of iron torn asunder, and the bound in death were loosed from their chains, and we with them. And the King of Glory entered, in form even as a man, and all the dark places of Hades were lighted up" (see the whole passage in^Bp. Forbes on Article HI. and compare the use of the Psalm for Easter Eve, in the Latin Church). But by far the most obvious use of the Psalm is for Ascension Day, as is appointed in our own Church. IIO FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PS. XXIV. As the Heaven so i The earth is YHVH'S and the fulness thereof": "Quoted in le I jure. the Earth is God's t/c t-. u j iU j ii lu • iCor. x. 26, Ihe world, and the dwellers therein. 28 2 For He it was that built it on the Waters, That founded it upon the Ocean-floods. But no road from ^ ^ho Can asceud the Mountain of YHVH ? fepttmafcolMbT" "^ho Can Stand within His Holy Place? V. 1". St Paul quotes this passage (l. Cor. a. 2fi) to shew that all God's creatures of food may be dedicated to God's use (cf. Ps. 1. 12). "It is used in a very glorious sense by the Eastern Church in her Funeral Service, when at the moment in which the coffin is let down into the grave the Priest exclaims, ' The Earth is the Lord's, atid the fultiess thereof:' that is, the multitude of the bodies of the faithful who there are awaiting His Second Coming" (Neale). Both these interpretations are but special instances of the great truth implied by the Psalmist. If we seek his original meaning it may be found from such passages as the following: "Behold the Ark of the covenant oi the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you..." (Josh. iii. 11, 13), and "As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord" (Numb. xiv. 21). When the Priests and Levites moved upwards in procession round the walls of Jerusalem (see later, on the Songs of Ascents) they were not merely ' dedicating ' the City but were claiming the whole earth for God. Hence the "gates'' and "the everlasting doors" are not so much the Gates of Zion as of the Heavenly Jerusalem of which Zion was the pledge. Many commentators, missing the connexion between v. i and v. 7, have followed Ewald in assigning ¦vv. 7 — 10 to another writer. The connexion of the verses may be traced as follows : V. I. The Earth is YHVH'S and the fiilness thereof" — This is the claim of the Seraphim. "The fulness of the whole earth is His Glory" (Is. vi. 3) but it is only prophetically true "The whole earth shall be filled with His Glory" (Ps. Ixxii. 19), but at present "The Heavens are the Lord's Heavens but the Earth He has given to the children of raen " (Ps. cxv. 16) — given to raen to make it His. But herein comes a break in the Glory (i.e. the Manifestation) of God, for all men have "sinned and come short of the Glory" (Rom. iii. 23); therefore our Psalra says — V. 3. "Who can ascend the Mountain of YHVH?" The "Mountain of YHVH" is the Heaven of Heavens which ought to have been conterminous with Earth so that every Earthly beauty and delight should have led up naturally to its Eternal counterpart in the Heavens. The life of man would then have been an Enoch-walk with God ; the days of earth and the days of Heaven would have been 'linked each to each in natural piety.' — But now "Who can ascend...?" If one could be found of perfect purity and perfect truth (v. 4) he might walk that way that leads to God — nay more, (v. 5) hints that such an one might open the road for others, "He might bear away a blessing frora YHVH..." (cf. the Psalm of the ideal King, Ps. xxi. 6). But alas 'no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth was able to open this (road) neither to look thereon ' (Rev. v. 3). But now there comes to the Psalmist the same vision of victory that St John saw (Rev. v. 5 — 14). He sees the ideal King coming along that Road and he cries as a challenge to the Gates of Heaven "Lift up your heads, O ye gates. ..that the King of Glory may come in!" The title "King of Glory" is unique. The Glory is the Manifestation of God: the King of Glory must therefore be the King who lies open to and reflects God, i.e. He is the ideal King of whom we read in Ps. xxi. All others had 'come short of the Glory' but He is the King of PSALM XXIV. I II „ (outwardly. Pure {. ,, (inwardly ; True f ^^'^'"i;' (outwardly. Such an one might open the way for God to man and for man to God. The Conqueror is seen coming as the " Hero-God." The Conqueror is not alone. He comes with His "Hosts." As the Heaven so the Earth is God's de facto. 4 One clean of hands, And pure of heart. That never set his mind to what is false. Nor swore in order to deceive, .i He might bear away a blessing" from YHVH, A boon of righteousness from the God of his salvation. fi Such must be the race of those that seek Him ; Of those that seek Thy face — A very Jacob'' ! 7 " Lift up your heads, O ye gates. Be ye lift up ye everlasting doors. That the King of Glory" may come in !" 8 " Who then is the King of Glory ? " "YHVH, a mighty one and a hero, YHVH, a hero in battle. 9 Lift up your heads O ye gates. Lift yourselves ye everlasting doors. That the King of Glory may come in I " lo " Who is He then— the King of Glory ? " " YHVH of Hosts— He is the King of Glory." » Gen. 29 xxxii '¦John 5' i. 47- Glory — d7roi!7a(r/ia t^s 86|7)! (Heb. i. 3). The Psalmist feels the mystery of this Holy Being so he cries — or hears a Voice that cries — (v. 8) "Who then is the King of Glory?" — The answer reminds us of the " Mighty God " of Is. ix. 6 and of the Conqueror from Edom (Is. Ixiii. i^ — 6). As, in the latter passage, the Conqueror was " alone, and of the people there was none with him." So here, at the first entry, he enters alone, "YHVH, a mighty one and a hero, YHVH, a hero in battle." But now the Vision changes ; the Conqueror is seen not alone but with ten thousands of His saints. Once more the challenge sounds, "Lift up your heads O ye gates...." Once more the question, "Who then is He — the King of Glory?" — but the answer is significantly different, "YHVH of Hosts...." The Lord of Hosts is not here a mere title of the God of battles as though this verse were an idle repetition of v. 8, but the Hosts are the 'hosts' of His redeeraed (cf Exod. xii. 41, 51; vii. 4 &c.) with whom He is seen now to enter into the Heavenly City. Thus we see that verses 7 and 8 speak of a single entry won through conflict and therefore correspond with verses 3 and 4 ; while verses 9 and 10 speak of the entry of all the redeeraed and thus correspond with the hinted promise of verses 5 and 6. " For lo ! there breaks a yet raore glorious day ; The Saints triumphant rise in bright array: The King of glory passes on His way. Halleluia!" This Psalm is one of our Ascension Day Psalms. The reader would do well to study it in connexion with the Proper Preface for Ascension Day and the Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus that follows. I Cor. ii. 8; James ii. i I 12 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. (Ps. xxv. is among the Alphabetical Psalms. See p. 26.) PSALM XXVI. This is essentially a pilgrim-Psalm. Doubtless it was composed for the use of those Processions which at the Feast of Dedication and at other times encompassed the Temple of God (see note on v. 6 f ). Such sacred Processions, rising upward from Court to Court, were felt to be a type of hfe's pilgrimage to God. (This will be seen more cleariy when we come to the 'Songs of Degrees'.) It is evident that, to our Psalmist, the Procession was no mere empty form but a representation before God of his own life-struggle upwards to its goal. At the start he claims, not "innocency" P.B.V. but " singleheartedness." As his feet are aiming at the Upper Temple Court so his Hfe is aiming at Truth {vv. 3 and 11). This implies that he leaves behind him (renounces) the lower Worid (vv. 4, 5). The brasen laver (Exod. xxx. i8ff) suggests to him that sanctification without which no man can see the Lord. While he washes in it he is washing, not in water, but in innocency (v. 6) for his whole being is set toward God. We might have expected the Psalm to end here. It does indeed come to a climax in verse 6, which is the middle verse of the Psalm. The six verses which follow take up the same thoughts but in inverted order (see marginal notes, the law of the Psalm being a /3 y yi ^^ a^ -i- y^). Thus the conditions would be exactly satisfied if we suppose it to be sung by two Processions, the one ascending, the other descending (the turning point being the Altar-Court, i.e. at ¦)' ¦/,) ; one singing the Stanzas a yS y as it ascends the three Courts to the Altar; the other singing Stanzas y^ p^ uj as it descends through the same three Courts and comes at last to y,^ the Court of the Gentiles. The order will be best understood from the following sketch. y Altar Court yi ft \ «i /• j3 Court of Israel y a Court of the Women Court of the Gentiles Si ,7!! The life of the ideal Israel is an ascending to God (Altar Court) as a Priest and a descending to bring God down to men (Court of the Gentiles). Thus the words (v. 12) "My foot has its stand oh the level" have a double meaning (see note and -y, in sketch). When Israel reaches the Court of the Gentiles so that "In full Congregarion he blesses YHVH" (v. 12 see note) then his work is done, " his foot standeth right." When y^ answers to yi then all the World will be an Altar-Court. The above sketch would also explain the allusions to the " Congregation " in jS and ^i since this is the Court of Israel. Every true life has in it these two movements, ascending to God, descending to the World ; and these two movements answer so closely the one to the other that they are always one movement in God's sight and form together the Dedicated walk with God. PSALM XXVI. 1^3 PS. XXVI. Part L {The ascent, from the World to God.) (a.) I, God's Pil grim, am whole-heart ed with Him. ^ I Judge me, O YHVH, for I walk in singleheartedness". In YHVH I trust, I waver not. 2 Test me YHVH and try me. Prove'' my reins and my heart. 3 For Thy mercy is before mine eyes. And I walk in Thy truth. ' i.e. as by fire. See Sept. and Vulg. (/3) I renounce the Congregation of Satan. 4 I have not sat with worthless men. And with the hypocrites I have no intercourse. 5 I hate the congregation ¦= of evil doers, And with the wicked I will not sit. cf. Ps. i. ¦ Vulg. ecclesi- am (7) God's Altar re presents my goal. fi I would wash'' mine hands in innocency, And would encompass Thine Altar, O YHVH ¦^ Exod. xxx. 19 f. w. I — 3. Man's life here below is a pilgrimage to God. 'Israel,' God's Pilgrim, walks with a single heart {v. i") towards God's truth (v. 3') and with a step that is iitiwavering {v. i"") because it never loses sight of God's mercy (v. 3'). But this ideal needs the support of the prayer in v. 1 which is practically repeated in v. 11, "But I in singleheartedness would walk, Redeem me and shew me mercy.'' The past tense in -a. i" and the future in v. 11" should be noted. The Pilgrim begins by claiming for himself the single heart ; he ends by praying for it ! In the outset he says "Thy mercy is before my eyes"; but when he has seen more of it, he cries "Redeem me and shew me mercy ! " V. 4. "Hypocrites" — literally "hidden ones," i.e. "dissemblers." The Talmud has another word with a similar meaning, viz. "dyed ones," on which Buxtorf quotes T.B. Sota 22', "Be not afraid of Pharisees, nor of those who are not Pharisees, but of the dyed ones who seem like Pharisees, whose deeds are the deeds of Zirari and who seek for the reward of Phineas." V. 5. "The congregation of evil doers.''' The Jewish commentators illustrate this by "the congregation of Korah." The Vulgate has " ecclesiam pessimorum." It is evident from verses 4, 5 and the corresponding verses 9, 10 that the sinners were not heathen but apostate Jews. V. 6'. " And would encompass Thine Altar." The verb here must signify movement either round or partially round the Altar; for, as Delitzsch has well noted, it may be used "even of compassing in a semicircular fashion (Gen. ii. 11; Numb. xxi. 4)." As a matter of fact we know from Jewish sources that Processions round the Altar formed part of the ritual of the Feast of Tabernacles. The Altar was indeed a Temple in miniature; it rose in three terraces (Edersheim, Temple, p. 131); the inclined plane running round it lent itself to the same symbolism as the three Courts of the Temple. What that symbolism was will be explained in our Introduction to the Songs of Degrees and the Levitical Psalms. (See also on Ps. xxix.) IC IS 114 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. Part II. {The descent, from God to the World.) (ji) This goal of mine shall be the goal of others. In order to make heard the voice of the Thanksgiving, In order to recount all Thy wonders. ; YHVH, I have loved Thy Temple's Home, The place of the Shrine of Thy Glory. (|8j) Let me not be numbered with the Congregation of Satan. ' 9 O gather not my soul with the sinners. Nor my life with men of blood : lo In whose hand is crime. And their right-hand is full of bribes. (tti) Letmebecome whole-hearted. (73) I have reached my second goal (the Court of the Gentiles). ( II But I in singleheartedness'' would walk, [ Redeem me and shew me mercy. 12 My foot has its stand on the level. In full-congregation'' I bless YHVH. ¦ Vulg. in ec- clesiis V. 7. "In order to make heard the voice of the thanksgiving." The "thanksgiving" was so closely associated with the religious processions that Nehemiah uses the same word for both. Thus : — xii. 31, "I appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks (lit. 'thanksgivings')." Cf. also 38 and 40. This passage will be fully considered later: suffice it now to remark that Nehemiah's two processions moved in opposite directions just as I have supposed the two choirs to do in my introduction to this Psalm. The reader will observe that v. 7 may either be read with v. 6 or with v. 8. In either case the meaning is the same. Israel aspires to God that he raay make God known. ' For their sakes I dedicate myself that they also may be dedicated.' V. 9. "O gather not..." The word asapli signifies "to gather iti." The Asiph was the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, Nature's great yearly Parable of the final itigathering of souls. In the present passage this thought is latent. There are two homes, the home of sin and the home of God. The Psalmist, like Dante, has looked upon the home of sin. His words are rather a shudder than a prayer, " 0 gather not my soul with the sinners, &c." In the parallel passage of the following Psalm he uses the same word to express his o-«'n confidence in God's mercy, "Though father and mother should forsake me, yet let YHVH (or YHVH will) gather me in." See further on the word asaph under the ' Asaph ' Psalms. V. 12". The word here translated '^ the level" is often used of plain, i.e. level country, but it is also used of equity (Is. xi. 4; Ps. xiv. 6 (7) &c.). Sometimes, as in our Psalm, the two meanings are combined, e.g. Ps. xxvii. 11, "lead me in a plain path (marg. 'way of plainness' E.V.)." When then our Psalmist says, 'My foot stands in the level,' I believe that he uses the word in its double meaning and thus interprets the ritual of the Procession : ' My foot stands on the level, for I have literally reached the lower Court, the Court of the Gentiles, and in full-congregation I bless God,' also ' My foot standeth in equity (cf. Mal. ii. fi) for the end of Israel's pilgrimage is to turn the Gentiles to God.' V. 12''. "In full-cotigregation . . ." A different word, though from the same root, is used in verse 5 ; there the thought was on the Congregation itself but here the form of the word fixes the thought rather on the place where the Congregation meets, i.e. the Court. The end of the Pilgrimage is reached at last. PSALM XXVII. 115 PSALM XXVII. Here again we have a Psalm of man's pilgrimage to God. It is closely related to Ps. xxvi. both in language and structure (see marginal notes). Both Psalms consist of two Parts, and in each case Part II differs so widely in its sad tone from the exultation of Part I that commentators who have not understood the connexion have resorted to the theory of independent Psalms. Psalms xxvi. and xxvii. are both explained by the theory which I have suggested. Part I is an ascent, in three stages, from the World to God. Part II is a descent, in three stages, from God to the World. We might express this somewhat differently by saying that Part I gives the ideal. Part II the actual; Part I, the life of devotion, Part II, the hfe of service ; the work of Israel (and of man) being to make the two coincide. The Processions ascending and descending the three Temple Courts gave, I believe, the outward form and clothing to these thoughts ; but it would shew a marvellous lack of poetical imagination and of spiritual insight if we were to suppose that the "One thing" (v. 4), the goal of the Psalmist's life, could have been nothing more than to reside in the Temple ! The commentator on Dante gives him credit for meaning within meaning; the thoughts of the Psalmist go quite as deep as those of Dante. Psalms xxvi. and xxvii. should be carefully studied together. Both give God's ideal of Israel, who walks the dedicated Way, and by selfdedication brings all the Nations to God. This being so both Psalms find their full meaning only in Christ who 'dedicated Himself that we men 'might be dedicated also in truth.' There is no doubt a difference in tone between these two Psalms. In Ps. xxvi. there is more of struggle, in Ps. xxvii. there is more of repose. The former is a Psalm for Gethsemane, the latter for the victory of the Cross. The Latin Church, guided by a true instinct, appointed the latter Psalm for Good Friday and Easter Eve. 15- 1x6 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PS. XXVII. Part I. {The ascent, from the World to God) (a) I, God's Pil grim, walk safely, through His Presence. He is the Way. I YHVH is my Light and my Salvation, Whom should I fear ? YHVH is my life's defence. Whom should I dread ? 2 When the wicked made onslaught upon me. To eat up my flesh" — Those oppressors and foes of mine — It was they that stumbled and fell. 3 Though a camp should encamp against me. My heart should not fear. Though there rose up war against me, I still should be confident. Ps. iii. 6 ((3) "One thing" I desire; to be God's guest. He is the Truth. ( 4 One thing have I asked of YHVH, And it I will seek ; That I may dwell in YHVH'S House All the days of my life. To behold the fair-beauty of YHVH, And meditate in His Palace. 5 For He would hide me in His pavilion. In the day of evil. Would cover me in the covert of His tent. Would set me high upon the rock. V. 2. " To eat up my fiesh." In the late form of the language (Chaldee) a false accuser is called by a -vvord which Aben Ezra explains as ' an eater of the flesh.' This derivation is not certain since the Hebrew word to eat, like the Latin edere came to have two meanings, to eat and to edit or promulgate (see Buxtorf s. v. aid), but, as Delitzsch well remarks, " even in Job xix. 22, to eat up one's flesh is equivalent to persecute one even to destraction by evil speaking (in Aram. by evil reports)." Thus we see that the enemies in verse 2 and the "false witnesses" of v. 12 are identical.V. 3. "Though a camp should encamp...." When Jacob saw the Angels he said, "This is God's host (or camp) : and he called the name of the place Mahanaim (the two hosts or two cattips),'' Gen. xxxii. 2 (3). When men fear God they have no cause for other fear; "the angel of the Lord encampeth round them and delivereth them" (Ps. xxxiv. 7 (8)). God promised this protecting Presence to Israel (Zech. u. 5 ; ix. 8). PSALM XXVII. 117 (7) I have gained my goal. The Altar is the pledge of it. He is the Life. 6 And now my head is high Above mine enemies. I have encompassed and sacrificed in His Tent Sacrifices of Jubilee^ I sing, I hymn unto YHVH. See Sept. and Vulg Cf. Ps. xxvi. 6 Part II. (The de.'scent, from God to the World.) (7i) Leaving the Altar I need that pledge in the world. ( 7 Hear, O YHVH, I cry with my voice, Shew me mercy'', and answer me. 8 Thine — says my heart — is " Seek ye My Face," Thy Face, O YHVH, I seek. bPs. (ft) Turn not Thy guest from Thy door. ^ 9 Hide not Thy Face from me. Turn not away Thy servant in anger, Thou that hast been my help ! Cast me not off, forsake me not, O God of my salvation ! 10 Though father and mother should forsake me. Yet let YHVH take" me in. " Josh. XX. 4 V. 6. The Vulgate, following the Septuagint, has here an interesting reading. "Circuivi, et immolavi in tabemaculo ejus hostiam vociferationis." The word circuivi, " I have encompassed," is obtained by taking the Hebrew word, which the E.V. translates "round about," as a verb. It cannot be denied but that the usual rendering "above mine enemies routid about me" gives good sense, but the harder reading suggested by the Septuagint and Vulgate ought surely to be preferred when we bear in mind the fact that the same verb occurs in the same sense in the parallel verse of the parallel Psalm, i.e. Ps. xxvi. 6, "I would encottipass Thine Altar...." If the view that I have suggested be correct the fith verse in each of these Psalms represents the turning point of the Processions. The origin and significance of these Processions will be explained more fully when we come to the Songs of Degrees. "Sacrifices of Jubilee." Vulg. " hostiatti vociferationis'' Jer. " hostias jnbili." The Hebrew word is translated in raany ways in the E.V. Thus Lev. xxiii. 24, "blowing of trurapets"; xxv. 29, "the jubilee" (marg. "loud of sound")-, 11 Sam. vi. 15, "shouting"; Ps. Ixxxix. 15 (16) "the joyful sound " (but see note). The leading thought in the word both at the Feast of Trumpets and at the Jubilee is the loud cry (whether of shouting or of tnimpets) in answer to which God has promised to come down to the deliverance of His people. The following passages in which the word occurs should be carefully considered: Numb. x. 8 — 10; Ps. xlvii. 5 (6), see note; 11 Chron. xiii. 12. As far as we can gather frora Scripture the trumpets were never blown over the sacrifices of an individual but always over the sacrifices of the Community; hence our view is confirmed that the speaker in our present Psalm is Israel. V. 7. '•/ cry with my voice." These words denote a loud ciy. We picture the Procession leaving the Altar-Court, going down, as it were, into the temptations and sorrows of the World with a loud cry to God. If we apply the Psalm to Christ we have a parallel in Heb. iv. 7, "in the I I 8 FIRST COLLECTION, ' DAVIDIC ' PSALMS. (aj Be Thyself the Way. So shall Thy Pilgrim be safe. ^11 Teach me, O YHVH, Thy way. And lead" me in a leveP path, 'Ps. v. 8 Because" of mine enemies". s. xxvi. n " cf. V. 6 12 Give me not over to the will of mine oppressors, For false witnesses have risen against me cf- '"• 2 (note) That breathe out cruelty. ^. (72) The Altar is a pledge : therefore '13 Oh'' if I did not believe to enjoy the goodness of YHVH ¦* Sept. differs in the land of the living ! — Israel can afford to | 14 Wait for YHVH, be strong and let thy heart be firm, wait(cf.7and7r). I And Wait for YHVH. days of His flesh having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying...." It may be worth noting that the 7th verse of Ps. xxvi. begins the descent with the voice of thanksgiving just as this verse does "svith the voice of supplication. V. 13. " Oh if I did not believe...." If I had not, as it were, gone up into the third Heaven and there contemplated God's goodness as it is (Part I), I should not have been able to understand the mystery of the World's sorrows (Part II) ; but now that I have gone into the Sanctuary (see note on Ps. Ixxiii. 17), I understand His growing purpose; therefore I can say " Wait for YHVH." PSALM XXVIII. This Psalm, in point of structure, has much in common with its octave, Ps. xx. The chief division, as in that Psalm, is between verses 5 and 6. The latter half as in Ps. xx, implies some outward, visible sign of God's favour, possibly an accepted sacrifice, which is the pledge of Israel's victory in the future. But our Psalm has also points of contact with Pss. xxvi, xxvii. (See marginal references.) There is the same thought of the two Congregations (viz. the Congregation of God's People, and the Congregation of the wicked) that we saw in Ps. xxvi (cf xxvi. g with xxviu. 3). Israel, conscious of choosing God, yet conscious of much failure, feels the horror of being "gathered in" at last with the sinful nations of the World. If God were to leave him such a fate must be his (v. i); but the whole Ritual of Sacrifice is a pledge that God will not leave him to himself; this is his " supplication... a.i he lifts up his hands to the Shrine of the Holy Place" (v 2). In verse 6 there comes the full assurance that God "hath heard the voice of this supplication." (Compare the 6th verse of Pss. xxvi. and xxvii.) The Sacrifice has been accepted (cf Ps. xx. 6). The whole character of the Psalm is now one trumpet-peal of victory, a Gloria in Excelsis. PSALM XXVII. 119 PS. XXVIII. God is my portion. How terrible if He were not to hear rae ! If He were to num ber me with the wicked ! whose work I hate, and whose end I know- too well ! ¦ cf. V. 6 ' Ps. XX. -i ' cf. Ps. xxvi. 9 I Unto Thee, O YHVH, I cry ; Thou art my Rock, be not deaf towards me ; For shouldst Thou be silent unto me I am become like those that go down to the pit. 2 Hear the voice of my supplications" as I cry unto Thee, As I lift up my hands to the Shrine of Thy Sanctuary ^ 3 Draw me not in with the wicked". Nor with the workers of wrong. Men that speak peace to their neighbours While evil is in their hearts. 4 Give them as their work is. As the evil of their deeds, As the work of their hands give to them ! Requite them as they do deserve. 5 Because they have no understanding of the doings of YHVH'', ' Rom. i. 21 Nor of the work of his hands; He shall pull them down. And not build them up. Nay but God has heard me. 6 Blessed be YHVH ! For He hath heard the voice of my supplications" 7 YHVH is my Strength and my Shield, In Him my heart trusted and I am helped. So that my heart exulteth. And I praise Him beyond' my song. 8 YHVH is a Strength for His People^ A Defence'' of safety to His Anointed. 9 Oh save Thy People ! Bless Thine Inheritance' ! Tend them and bear-" them up for ever ! " cf. V, 2 and Ps. XX. 6 ^ i.e. more thati song can tell s so Sept. '' Ps. xxvii. I ' Deut. ix. 29 ' Is. Ixiii. 9 ; Mic. vii. 14 V. 4. These words need not be regarded as an imprecation. They denote that sensitive shrinking from Evil which springs from the desire of God's Presence (cf notes on Pss. v. 4 — 10 ; vi. 8). We must, in justice to the Psalmist, exclude all thought both of personal enraity and of eternal conderanatioii ; when then the Psalmist says "Requite them as they do deserve" he does not go beyond St. Paul's denunciation of Alexander, " The Lord reward him according to his works " (2 Tim. iv. 14). There are eyes so blinded that nothing but the flash of judgement can make them see. What would perfect Charity pray for in such a case? Meanwhile until our charity be perfect I20 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. it is safer for us to apply all such passages only to God's enemies who are fighting in our own hearts and striving to hinder us from communion with Him. V. 5. "Because they have no understanding..." Their minds may have been enlightened but "their foolish heart was darkened" (Rom. i. 21). The "fool" in Scripture is the raan who puts out the eyes of his own soul. V. 7. "And I praise Hitn beyond tny song" — Compare "Sacrifices of Jubilee" Ps. xxvii. 6. When words have done their utmost there must still be that homage of Creation's Chorus of which the Tnimpet of Jubilee is a type : " The shout of the King is among them. One King and one song, One thunder of manifold voices harmonious and strong. One King and one love, and one shout of one worshipping throng." (c. Rossetti.) -u. 9. "Oh save..." This verse is not so much a prayer as a Hosannah. The certainty of God's help was attained in verse fi, which is exactly parallel to the fith verse of Psalm xx. In Ps. xx. 9 we also read "O YHVH save!" just as here we have, "O save Thy People!" The last words of this verse are a Pastoral Symphony with allusions to Deut. ix. 29 and Is. Ixiii. 9, "They are Thy People and Thine Inheritance which Thou broughtest out by Thy great power..." " In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved thetn : in His love and in His pity he redeemed them ; and He took them up and bare thetn up all the days of old." It is a singular coincidence that this passage from Isaiah should also be quoted in the Midrash on Ps. XX. 9 (see note). As the good shepherd carries the feeble lambs so will God carry His People. PSALM XXIX. It is impossible to understand this Psalm until we can dismiss from our minds the prevalent idea that it is "a magnificent description of a thunderstorm." It is true that the " Voice '' of the Lord sometimes signifies the thunder. It is true also, that the Seven Voices of our Psalm and the Seven Voices and Seven thunders of Rev. viii. and x. have one and the same origin as we shall presently see, in the Symbolism of the F'east of Tabernacles : but no Commentator has been found to assert that Rev. viii. or x. is "a magnificent description of a thunderstorm which passed from north to south over the Isle of Patmos." The very structure of the Psalm points to a mystical meaning. It consists of five Stanzas. Of these the first and last correspond as Introduction and Conclusion and each contains the Divine Name in every line. The body of the Psalm consists of the three middle Stanzas which alone contain the Seven Voices (see margin). We learn from the Title of the Psalm in the Septuagint that it was assigned by tradidon to the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. This "last day, the great day of the feast" (St John vii. 37 ff.) was I believe not the eighth day but the seventh day, i.e. Hoshannah Rabba, the day of the water-drawing Festival on PSALM XXIX. 121 which the Jews used to surround the Altar seven times (Mishna, Sukkah iv. 5. See Appendix C in my translation of the Yalkut on Zechariah). This interesting tradition, preserved by the LXX., is also confirmed by the Zohar {Parasche "l^f) where, as Delitzsch states, "Ps. xxix. is connected with the pouring out of water on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Hoshannah Rabba), since it is said, that by means of the seven 'Voices' (answering to the seven compassings of the Altar) seven of the Sephiroth open the flood gates of heaven." Now the Feast of Tabernacles was in the seventh month. It closed the cycle of the Jewish Feasts. The seventh day of this Feast was closely associated with the gift of rain (and fruitful seasons) for the coming year. The seven compassings of the Altar represented, I believe, the cycle of the completed year which ended in the seventh month, each compassing representing one month. If this be so the seven 'Voices' of our Psalm would represent the course of God through the year that was closing; each 'Voice' answering to a month. It need scarcely be said that the cycle of the year pointed onwards to God's increasing purpose and the coming of His Kingdom. Thus to sum up : — The Jewish year began with the Vernal Equinox: it ended with the Autumnal Equinox in the seventh month ; the first day of that month being called " New Year's Day." The Feast of Tabernacles, in this seventh month was the Sabbath of the year and was a thanksgiving for the Seasons and also a spiritual interpretation of God's great purpose for the world as seen in the seven cycles of months. We can now see why "The Voice of YHVH" is repeated seven times in the Psalm and why it should have given rise to the "seven thunders" of Rev. x. 3. The flrst Voice is " upon the waters " (April) ; for the Spring of each year is a repetition of the Day when God's Spirit first "brooded upon the waters"; in Spring as Shelley says "Through wood and stream, and field and hill and ocean, A quickening life from the earth's heart has burst. As it has ever done, with change and motion. From the great morning of the world ! when first God dawn'd on chaos." The second and third Voices are with power and with Majesty as the purpose of the year expands in May and June. The fourth Voice breaketh the Cedars, for July is the month of the tempest's power. The flfth and sixth Voices cleave out the flaming flre and desolate the wilder ness-pastures, for this season is the season of greatest heat, the fifth month being called by the Babylonians "the descent of flre." The seventh Voice is at the Autumnal Equinox; it strips the forests bare. "When yellow leaves, or none, or few do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold. Bare ruin'd choirs; where late the sweet birds sang." The best comment on the whole Psalm is to be found in the beautiful words in which Thomson gathers up the lessons of the Seasons. The coincidence here is certainly undesigned. K. 16 122 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. cf Voices I and II verses 3 and 4". cf Voices III, IV and V verses 4^ — 7. , "These as they change. Almighty Father, these Are but the varied God. The rolling year Is full of Thee ! Forth in the pleasing Spring Thy beauty walks. Thy tenderness and love. Wide flush the fields ; the softening air is balm ; And every sense, and every heart, is joy. Then comes Thy glory in the Summer months. With light and heat refulgent. Then Thy sun Shoots full perfection through the swelling year; . And oft Thy voice in dreadful thunder speaks ; Thy bounty shines in Autumn unconfined. And spreads a common feast for all that lives. cf Voices VI and I with clouds and storms VII verses 8 — 9. 1 Around Thee thrown, tempest o'er tempest roll'd Majestic darkness I On the whirlwind's wing I Riding sublime Thou bidd'st the world adore. cf verse i. Nature, attend ! Join every living soul cf verse 9"=. Beneath the spacious temple of the sky. In adoration join ; and ardent raise One general song ! cf verse 10. for the great Shepherd reigns cf verse 11. And this unsuffering Kingdom yet will come." The connexion of Psalm xxix with the octave of Psalms (xx. — xxviii.) which it closes is suggestive. If from this octave we omit the Alphabetical Psalm (xxv.) we obtain a series of Altar-Psalms with frequent allusions to an accepted sacrifice (e.g. Pss. XX. and xxviii.; xxvi. and xxvii.), also to a 'King' who goes forth to war (Ps. XX.), who fights only with spiritual weapons (Ps. xxi.) and who appears again as the "King of Glory" opening the Way to Heaven (Ps. xxiv.). We also find in this group of Psalms at least two allusions to the " encompassing " of the Altar (Pss. xxvi., xxvii.), while Ps. xxix., the Psalm of the seven 'Voices,' is directly connected by Jewish tradition with the seven " encompassings " of the Altar on the seventh day of Tabernacles. May we not venture to suggest that the whole group formed, as it were, a Passion Play for the Season of Tabernacles? PSALM XXIX. 123 PS. XXIX. I Give unto YHVH, ye sons of God", Give unto YHVH glory and strength'', 2 Give unto YHVH His Name's due glory. Worship YHVH with hallowed " pomp. or of the mighty ¦ Sept. differs Voice I. Voice II. Voice III. 3 The VOICE of YHVH is upon the waters, YHVH is on the great waters. 4 The VOICE of YHVH is with power, The VOICE of YHVH is with majesty. V. I. The reading of the P.B.V., which is derived from the Vulgate and Sept., is an interesting example of a reading creeping into the text from the margin of a manuscript. Originally the Sept. would have read "Bring unto the Lord, O ye sons of God, Bring unto the Lord glory and honour." But since the Hebrew words here translated "sons of God" are somewhat unusual and might be translated "sons of rams," a scribe must have written this in the margin as an alternative rendering. A later scribe inserted it in the text. Hence the P.B.V. " Bring unto the Lord, O ye mighty, [Bring young rams unto the Lord], Ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength." V. 3. "The Voice. ..upon the waters... the great waters." The waters are the origin of all things. In Creation the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Each year the Parable of Creation begins afresh in Spring. Voice I. is therefore either the first month of the Year or the first voice of creation of which that month is a type. The "great -waters" in v. 3 and the "Water-flood" in v. 10 are practically the same. It is true that the word tnabbul occurs only in V. 10 and in Gen. vi. — xi. and that in Genesis it always signifies the Deluge, but to give it the sense of Deluge in the Psalm would be to introduce a thought quite alien to the context. As I understand it verse 10 sums up the lesson of the Seven Voices, God's Kingdom began -with Creation (from the Waters) and His Kingdom continues for ever, "YHVH sat enthroned at the Water-flood, And YHVH sitteth as King for ever." If, as I have suggested, this Psalm was the Psalm for Hoshannah Rabba, the great Water Festival, then there would be an additional reason for tracing the origin of all things to the Waters. After V. 3" the text inserts "The God of Glory thunders." This line clearly destroys the structure and parallelism of the verse, while on the other hand a line is needed after v. 7". I have therefore restored it to what I believe to have been its original position. 16 — 2 124 Voice IV. Voice V. Voice VI. Voice VII. FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. 5 The VOICE of YHVH breaketh the cedars, YHVH shattereth the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He maketh them" skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young antelope. 7 The VOICE of YHVH cleaveth the '' flames of fire, [The God of Glory thunders]". 8 The VOICE of YHVH casteth the wilderness in birth-pangs, YHVH casteth in birth-pangs the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The VOICE of YHVH maketh the oaks to cast their birth and strippeth the forests. And throughout His Palace-temple it all proclaimeth " GLORY." "i.e.thecedars '' or with " Transposed from V. 3 V. fi. "He ttiaketh them skip..." i.e. the cedars, not the mountains. The up-and-down motion of a -n'ind-swept wood is here compared to the skipping of a calf Though Lebanon and Sirion are mentioned in v. fi"" the thought is centred, not upon the mountains, but, upon the woods that clothe them. To make the mountains skip (as in Ps. cxiv. 4, 6) destroys the unity of thought which belongs to each ' Voice.' The Septuagint mistook two words in this verse and thus obtained a translation which is of no interest except to those who would study the origin of mistakes. V. 7. "The Voice of YHVH cleaveth the fiames of fire." The word here translated cleaveth is often used for hewing rock or stone or even for digging a well. Once in the E.V. it is translated cut, viz. Is. U. 9 "Art Thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon?" Cf. Chap, xxvii. i with Cheyne's note. The expression in the Psalm is no doubt remarkable. Well hausen would read " YHVH's voice splitteth [rocks, YHVH's voice sendeth forth] flaraes of fire." There is however no need for this. The word was probably chosen because of sorae association of semi-mythological thought similar to that in Is. li. 9. It should be observed that the oldest name of the fifth month signified "fire making fire," and that the Assyrians called it the month of the descent of fiire -. so in our Psalm it is the fifth ' Voice ' that ' ' heweth out the flames of fire.'' I agree however with Wellhausen when he says " As the verse reads at present, it is incomplete." There is no other verse in the Psalm consisting of one line. The line which I have inserted from v. 3 exactly meets the difficulty. In v. 3 it was redundant ; but here it is required by the parallelism. V. 9. " The Voice of YHVH ttiaketh the oaks to cast their birth.'' The usual translation, "maketh the hinds to bring forth young ! " destroys the parallelism, drags in a thought which is alien to the whole passage and ends in an almost inconceivable bathos — " Parturiunt monies; nascetur ridiculus mus ! " The fact is that the Hebrew word not only for ram but also for stag, hitid, is derived from a root signifying strong, from which also the words for oak and other strong trees is derived. This similarity has not unfrequently given rise to confusion. [See the Greek versions on Gen. xlix. 21; Ps. xlii. 2 ; Is. Ixi. 3 &c.] Dr Schiller- Szinessy, in his Hebrew note on this passage, in his edition of Qimchi on the Psalms, says "I have no doubt" but that the sacred writer intends to imply, not hinds but "some kind of strong trees such as the oak, &c." Though this view was, long ago, propounded by Lowth it has, strange to say, met with little or no acceptance. My reasons for advocating it are as follows : — ist. The verb which I have translated " cast their birth " is another voice of the sarae verb which in verse 8 I have translated "casteth in birth-pangs.'' This being so the thought is clearly continuous in vv. 8, g. The Wilderness (not the desert) is in birth-pangs at the touch of Autumn while the next ' Voice ' makes the strong trees to cast their birth as it strips the forests bare. PSALM XXIX. 125 10 YHVH sat enthroned at the Water-flood, And YHVH sitteth as King for ever. II YHVH will give strength" to His people, YHVH will bless His People with peace. The thought of birth-pangs led the writer to make the words for oaks and forests feminine though in both cases the feminine was unusual. Rosenmuller stales that the verb, which in Hebrew has the sense of "strips bare," has in Arabic the sense of causittg abortion. If this be so we see how tlie poet so chose his language as to convey the double thought. In any case there is an allusion to the birth-pangs of a new Creation caused by the near approach of God and earth (cf Pss. xcvii. 4; cxiv. 7; Hab. iii. 10; Rom. viii. 22). "Atid throughout His Palace-temple." God's Palace-temple is the Universe. All the seven 'Voices' of the Year are, in their ultimate meaning summed up in one word and that is "Glory." The Glory of God is the Manifestation of God. All God's Voices in Nature point to this. The Feast of Tabernacles, in the seventh month, with its seven circuits round the Altar was felt to be an acted Parable of the final goal of Creation. Compare Rev. a. 4 ff. (R.V.) " And when the seven thunders uttered (their voices) I was about to write : and I heard a Voice frora heaven saying. Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and write thera not. And the angel which I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven, and sware that there shall be time no longer; but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery of God...." V. II. " YHVH will give strength to His People. ..peace.'' In verse 10 we see God's Kingdom come on earth; while verse 11 shews us the effect of this upon His People. To His People He gives that attribute of " Stretigth" which seemed most peculiarly His own (cf. v. i' with 11°) and crowns it with that "Peace" which is the perfection of His own Unity — "That they may be One even as we are One.'' According to Old Testament thought Peace is the bond of perfectness which reconciles all things in heaven and in earth (see notes on Ps. cxxii.). Thus the Yalkut on this passage " R. Simeon ben H'lafta says. Great is Peace. When the Holy One, blessed be He, created His Universe He made Peace between the upper and the lower worlds. On the First Day He created from both upper and lo%uer worlds, as it is said, ' In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.' On the Second Day (He created) 'the Firmament,' i.e. from the upper world. On the Third Day 'Let the waters be gathered together,' i.e. from the lower world. On the Fourth Day 'Let there be lights <$;c.,' i.e. from the upper world. On the Fifth Day 'Let the waters bring forth &c.,' i.e. from the lower world. On the Sixth (Day) He created 'Man,' whose body is from the lower world and whose soul is from the upper world." The object of the writer is to shew that the promise of the First Day is fulfilled in the Sixth. Man is the Microcosm. Through Man God must at last reconcile all things whether in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath. Delitzsch may well say " How expressive in such a Psalm as this is the concluding word ' with Peace I ' It overarches it like a rainbow. The beginning of the Psalm shews us the heavens open, and the throne of God in the midst of the angelic songs of praise, and the conclusion of it shews upon the earth.... His people victorious and blessed with peace. Gloria in excelsis is the beginning, and pax iti terris the close." 126 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PSALM XXX. Here again the Title to the Psalm has preserved a tradition as to its use in the Temple. As the Tide of Ps. xxix. showed its use for the last day of Tabernacles so the Hebrew title of Ps. xxx. shews that it was appointed for the next Festival, viz. the "Dedication of tlw Temple." This is confirmed by Sofrim, c. i8, §2 which refers the Psalm to Hanucca i.e. to the Dedication of the Temple (see Graetz). Now it is an historical blunder to suppose that Hanucca had its origin in the Dedicadon by Judas Maccabaeus B.C. 165. If the reader wiU turn to the Introduction to the Songs of Degrees he will see that the thought of Dedication has its origin in one of Nature's parables. What Judas did was to associate an historical fact, the cleansing of the Temple, with Nature's festival of the Winter Solstice, the season of Light's new birth ; a festival which was certainly observed by all nations of antiquity. The new historical significance failed to displace the older associations of the growing light so that the Feast was still sometimes called the "Feast of Lights" (Josephus, Ant. xii. 7). To all intents and purposes it was a repetirion of the Feast of Tabernacles. There was the same carrying of branches (2 Mace. X. 6 f ) the same singing of the Hallel each day for eight days ; the same symbolism of lights and lamps. It was indeed a transference of the thought of New Year from the Autumnal Equinox (7th month) to the Winter Solstice (ioth month). We learn from Maimonides that one observance of Hanucca (Dedication Feast) was the lighting of candles, one on the first day, two on the second, three on the third, &c. during the eight days of the Feast. Whatever meaning may have been given to this, its origin is obvious; from the Winter Solstice begins the growing light of the year ; it is the ' Birth-day ' of the Sun, who, according to Babylonian thought, comes forth then from beneath the waters of death. From this point the motion of the Sun is, for six months, in an ever-widening spiral. Surely this is one of God's parables which His children should interpret? I once saw a Hymn (it was, I think, for S. Thomas' Day, Dec. 21st), in which the thought of the widening spiral from the Winter Solstice was worked out. The writer was probably unconscious of the fact that he was developing an idea which underlay much of the religion of Babylonia. I shall have occasion, in my Introduction to the Songs of Degrees, to shew the connexion between the Dedication of the Temple, with its 'encompassing' processions, and the Dedication of the Temple of the Universe as typified by the movement of the Sun : suffice it now to state that the latter is the origin of the former and is alluded to in Psalms which may have been written long before the Dedication by Judas Maccabaeus. It is a suggestive fact that Enoch (Hanoc) and Hanucca are merely varieties of the same word. Bearing these thoughts in mind we turn to the Psalm itself PSALM XXX. 127 PS. XXX. The new-bom Sun (at Hanucca) is a type of Israel's resurrec tion. Darkness does its work and leads to Light. So God's 'anger' leads to the joy of His Presence. I I extol Thee, O YHVH, for Thou hast lifted me out^ And not let my foes rejoice over me. 2 O YHVH, my God, I cried unto Thee, And Thou hast healed me ! 3 O YHVH, from She61 Thou hast brought up my soul ; From being among those that descend to the Pit Thou hast made me to live'' ! 4 Hymn to YHVH, O ye Saints of His ; Give thanks to His holy Memorial "-Name ; 5 For His anger'' is over at once. While His favour is all life-long" : At evening' Weeping comes to lodge. But morning' rings with Song. i.e. of a pit Ezek. xxvii. II— 14 " Exod. iii. 15 " Is. liv. 7 ff. : Ix. 10; cf. 2 Cor. iv. 1 7 " or life itself ^ Is. xvii. 14 V. I. " Thou hast lifted tne out." The verb is an unusual one and would be used for drawing up water in a bucket or drawing a prisoner out of a dungeon such as that in which Jeremiah was plunged (Jer. xxxviii. 7 — 13). The speaker feels that he has been brought up from Sheol (v. 3) ; that God had given him new life when he had, as we say, one foot in the grave. The Title of the Psalm, which assigns it for the "Dedication of the Temple" (Hanucca) justifies us in regarding it, not as the experience of an individual but of Israel who having died under the stroke of God's anger (Hos. xiii. i) has been raised by God to new life (Hos. vi. 2; Ezek. xxxvii. i — 10, quoted by Baethgen). Thus, at Hanucca, Israel like another Enoch (Hanoc) is saved out of death and walks with God. In the Latin use this Psalm is appointed for Easter Eve. V. 4''. " His holy Memorial-Natne" It is now a recognised fact that this word, which the E.V. translates "remembrance" or "memorial," really signifies "Name." Wherever it is said of God there is, I believe, a reference to the Eternity of His Mercy. See Exod. iii. 15; Hos. xii. 5 (fi) ; Ps. xcvii. 12; cii. 12 (13); cxi. 4 (note, p. 43); cxxxv. 13; cxiv. 7 (note, p. fis). It will be seen from these passages, that God's Memorial-Name is that Name of Gracious and Merciful, to which His works, in Nature and in History, all point. The word has a special significance here, since the object of the whole Stanza is to shew, from Nature, that God's Mercy exceeds His Anger as far as light exceeds darkness. V. 5. "But mornitig rings with Song" Sorrow is only a lodger in God's House. The Parable of the Seasons shews, when truly understood, that God's great end is not sorrow but joy. There is il story quoted from the Talmud (but without reference) in Psalm Mosaics as follows: — "When Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden of Eden they wandered over the face of the earth. And the sun began to set, and they looked with fear at the lessening of the light, and felt a horror like death steal over their hearts. And the light of heaven grew paler, and the wretched ones -clasped each other in an agony of despair. Then all grew dark, and the luckless ones fell on the earth, silent, and thought that God had withdrawn from them the light for ever ; and they spent the night in tears. But a beam of light began to rise over the Eastern hills after many hours of darkness, and the golden sun came back and dried the tears of Adam and Eve, and then they 128 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. Israel, like Jonah, g Methought, when all went well with me, had needed the hiding '^ t t. 11 u j » ,.„ „ _ ^ I shall never never be moved. of God s Presence. cried out with joy and said, ' Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the Moming ; this is a law that God hath laid upon nature.'" There is a lovely poem by C. Rossetti on this text which I cannot forbear to quote: " Nothing is great on this side of the grave. Nor anything of any stable worth : Whatso is born from earth returns to earth : Nothing we grasp proves half the thing we crave : The tidal wave shrinks to the ebbing wave: Laughter is folly, madness lurks in mirth : Mankind sets off a dying from the birth : Life is a losing game, with what to save? Thus I sat mourning like a mournful owl. And like a doleful dragon made ado. Companion of all monsters of the dark : When lo ! the light cast off its nightly cowl. And up to heaven flashed a carolling lark. And all creation sang its hymn anew. When all creation sang its hymn anew What could I do but sing a stave in tune? Spectral on high hung pale the vanishing moon Where a last gleam of stars hung paling too. Lark's lay — a cockcrow — with a scattered few Soft early chirpings — with a tender croon Of doves — a hundred thousand calls, and soon A hundred thousand answers sweet and true. These set me singing too at unawares: One note for all delights and charities. One note for hope reviving with the light, One note for every lovely thing that is ; Till while I sang my heart shook off its cares And revelled in the land of no more night." But if light follows darkness it is also true that darkness succeeds to light : we might therefore be tempted to ask which of the two points to God's end? Therefore the Psalmist says "His anger is over at once | While his favour is all life-long." The anger is swift and terrible but it so does its work that the sorrow is turned into joy (John xvi. 20). This transmuted sorrow lives on as the soul's brightest possession. It had come in the night as a lodger, but in the morning it is found to be an angel. These transmuted sorrows justify William Blake in saying, " Eternity is in love with the productions of time." V. 5''. " While His favour is all life-long." Or "Life (itself) consists in His favour." Eternal life consists in knowing God. It is not measured by duration. There is no doubt an antithesis between "the anger" that "is over at once" and "the favour" that is "for life"; but the former is finite, the latter is infinite. V. 6. "Methought ivhen all went well with tne." Literally "As for me T said (or thought) iti my tranquillity." The word here used for tranquillity or prosperity does not of itself imply any sin on Israel's part; but the glare of prosperity hides God (Jer. xxii. 21) just as the sun hides the beauty of the stars. In one sense Light is the only revealer; but in another sense Darkness is a revealer as well. Darkness is but a comparative term ; it is but the reticence of Light. God teaches PSALM XXX. 129 7 Thou, YHVH, through Thy favour, hadst made my hill so strong. Thou didst hide Thy Face^ and I was in dismay" ! » Ps. civ. 29 8 Then unto Thee, YHVH, I cry ; Unto YHVH'' I make supplication. ^ or Adonai But, like Jonah be neath the waters, he had cried to God. 9 " What gain (can there be) in my blood. In my going to the Pit? Can dust praise Thee", Can it declare Thy truth? 10 Hear, YHVH, and be gracious unto me YHVH, be Thou my Helper!" Cf Ps. vi. God had answered ii Thou didst turn for me my mourning into dancing, ^™ ^^r^""""'"" Thou didst loose my sackcloth and girdle me with gladness, of which Hanucca is . . a type and pledge. 12 So that my inner-being'' might hymn Thee without ceasing'' My gloty, YHVH, O my God, for ever will I praise Thee. see Sept. us this lesson by a thousand voices in the world of Nature ; the cold dark Winter nurses the buds of Spring. It seemed to Israel in the full spring-tide of God's favour that Winter could never come — " / shall never -never be tiioved." But Winter came all the same. V. 7. "Thou didst hide Thy Face, and T was in dismay!" This was Israel's Winter. God's "favour" was "life itself" to him {y. 5). His soul drooped and shut up like a flower when the Sun of God's Presence was gone. But that Winter was preparing a. glorious Spring for Israel : " In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment ; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer " (Is. liv. 8). V. 9. See note on Ps. vi. 5, which is closely parallel. V. II. " Thou didst loose my sackcloth..." Israel thus interprets the lesson of the Season. With growing Light all Nature casts off. her sackcloth and is girdled with gladness. This points to a Divine purpose. This purpose must be fulfilled through Israel : if God so clothe the dumb world with resurrection-life how much more shall He clothe His own Son that serveth Hira? We note again in this verse that the joy does not merely succeed the sorrow, but is woven out of its very substance; the "mourning is turned into dancing" just as in St John xvi. 20 the "sorrow" is "turned into joy." See also note on l-. 5. 17 I30 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. ADDITIONAL NOTE TO PS. XXX. This Psalm is well fitted to answer a difificult question in the Spiritual life — Why does God sometimes hide His Face from us 1 To answer this I would suggest the following outUne for meditation. V. 4. God's holy Memorial- Naine.... "Gracious and Merciful" (see note 4''). All the voices of Nature which point to this are voices of God (read Stanza 11.).... The return of morning-light brings us this message every day from God.... The return of increasing-light (at Winter Solstice) brings us this message in another form every year from God (see note on v. 5). What the Light of the Sun is to Nature, that the Light of God's Countenance is to us. When God looks upon us we are filled with life and joy (pv. i — 3 and vv. II, 12). When God looks away from us we are "in dismay" (v. 7). Why then does not God always lift up the Light of His Countenance upon us ? Let Nature answer. What would perpetual day be without night?... What would perpetual Summer be without Winter?... Darkness is needed, not merely for rest; it is also a revealer (see note, v. 6). So then the hiding of God's Face may sometimes be for our good — Israel found it so (Read vv. 6 — 8).... He learnt three lessons, (a) his own weakness, (b) God's strength, (c) the poiver of prayer. But there must be some other good reason why God's Face should sometimes be hidden; for was it not once hidden from Christ?... Christ did not need to learn the lessons (a), (b), (c) mentioned above. But Christ did need an opportunity for entire devotion to His Father's will — Did not the Darkness give this?... If then there be any servant of God who is in heaviness, because God's Face is not now shining upon him, let him recognise the uses of Darkness. Perhaps God is teaching him the lesson (a), or (b), or (f)? If he has learnt these God may be giving him a precious opportunity for devoted service. In any case let him remember v. 5.... What the morning song of joy will be may be judged from vv. 11, 12. PSALM XXXI. 131 PSALM XXXI. If we omit a Preface (vv. i — -3^ see note) and a Conclusion (?/». 23, 24) the Psalm consists of four Stanzas of about equal length, the first three consisting of 5 verses each, and the fourth of 4 verses. At first sight there is a difficulty in passing from the calm trust of Stanza I. (vv. 4 — 8) to the deep depression of Stanza 11. (vv. 9 — 13) and then rising again through the growing trust of Stanza m. {¦vv. 14 — 18) to the exultation of Stanza iv. {m>. 19^22). If, however, the reader will verify the references to Jeremiah and to the Lamentations which are given in the margin, he will see that the words are not the words of an individual but of Israel, who, being in some peril from enemies, trusts himself in God's hand (Stanza i.), remembering what God had done for him in bringing him back from the Captivity (vv. 7, 8) : then indeed his case had seemed desperate (see Stanza 11.) ; the Captivity was the death of the Narion (v. 22 with note); but even then Israel had trusted God (Stanza in.); and God had brought him up from his grave, and shewn him unlooked-for joy in the Return from Captivity (Stanza iv., see notes). This being so Israel may well trust himself to God in the lesser sorrows of the present. The Key note of the Psalm is struck in ¦w. 15 and 5 "My times are in Thy hand" "Into Thy hand I commend my spirit" Israel, as we have seen, learnt this lesson in the Return from the Captivity. It was not merely that the joys of the Return succeeded to the sorrows of the Captivity but that the joys were woven out of the very substance of the sorrows (see note on v. 19). Without that death the resurrection-life of Israel, so fruitful in Revelation, could never have been : ' Ought not the Christ-Nation to have suffered these things and to enter into his Glory?' The apphcarion of the Psalm to Christ Himself needs no development; we may however point out that the Disciples of Christ learnt the lesson in the same way that Israel did. Calvary was to them the death of all their hopes (cf Stanza 11.), but when God had turned for them that sorrow into the joy of Easter and of Whitsunday they learned that trust which can say "My times are in Thy hand," "Into Thy hand I commend my spirit." Thus the Psalm has a lesson for aU rime for the Israel of God (see note v. 5). 17- 132 FIRST COLLECTION. 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PS. XXXI. A moveable Preface which occurs again at the beginning of Ps. Ixxi. I In Thee, YHVH, I have taken refuge, Never can I come to shame ! In Thy righteousness deliver me : 2 Incline Thine ear to me. Make haste to help me : Be Thou to me a refuge-rock, A fortress-home, to save me 3 For my rock and my fortress Thou art : Cf Te Deum stanza I. Israel, looking back on what God had done for him in the Cap tivity trusts Him for the lesser troubles of the present. And, for Thine own Name's sake. Thou wilt lead " and " guide" me. 4 Thou wilt free me from this net they have hidden for me. For Thou art my refuge. 5 Into'' Thy hand I commend my spirit'' ; " Thou hast redeemed me, YHVH, Thou God of Truth ! fi Thou" hatest those that observe'' vain idols'' But as for me I trust in YHVH. ^ 7 I am glad and rejoice in Thy lovingkindness. Seeing Thou hast looked" on mine affliction". Hast known the sorrows of my soul. 8 Thou hast not given me over to the enemy's hand. But hast set my feet at large. Ps. xxiii. -i, 3 Luke xxiii. 4fi; Actsvii. 59 So Sept, Syr. Targ. Jonah ii. 8 (9) Luke i. 48; cfGen.xxix. .32 -vv. I — 3". These verses occur again, with slight verbal changes, in Psalm Ixxi., a Psalm which is so similar, in style and subject-matter, to our present Psalm, that I am inclined to think that both were composed for the same Temple-use. These verses, which I have called a moveable Preface, have no very direct connexion with the words which immediately follow ; the transition from the 'Rock' and 'Fortress,' of v. 3", to the 'Guiding Shepherd,' of v. 3'', being very abrupt. It should however be observed that the idea of God as a ' Refuge ' is common to v. 2'^ and v. 4'', and that the words 'I shall never come to shame' (Vulg. "non confundar in aeternura" as in Te Deum) are based (v. 1) upon the fact that 'I have taken refuge in God' and again (v. 17) upon the fact that 'I have called upon Thee.' Again, in v. iif there seems to be an allusion to v. i". Thus we conclude that the Preface is an integral part of Ps. xxxi. though the structure of the Psalm is complete without it. V. 5. "Into Thy hand I commend my spirit," i.e. 'Into Thy mighty keeping I entrust, as a safe deposit, my very being.' Though, from Calvary onwards, these words have been consecrated to the hour of death, they have a meaning also for the fullest energy of life. When St Peter said, " Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator" (i Pet. iv. 19), he did not speak of dying but of living. We need the PSALM XXXI. ^33 stanza II. Israel's sorrow in the Captivity seemed hopeless. Statiza III. Yet, even then, Is rael trusted in God. 9 Be gracious to me, YHVH, for I am in distress'* ; Mine'' eye is dim through grief''; — My soul too and my body ; IO For my life is consumed" with sorrow. And my years with sighing ; My strength is enfeebled through mine iniquity''. And my bones are languishing: 1 1 To all my foes I am a scorn ; To my neighbours a burden. And a terror to my friends ; Those that see me in the street flee away from me ; 12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind ; I am become like a broken vessel". [3 For' I have heard the slander of the many. With fear on every side'. While they consult together against me. Planning to take my life. 14 But as for me, on Thee I repose O YHVH ; I say, "Thou art my God." 15 My times are in Thy hand *'', Rescue me from the hand of mine enemies, And from my pursuers. " Lam. i. 20 " Ps. vi. 7 ° Jer. XX. 18 ' or, tny p. ishment ^ Jer. xxii. 28 'Jer. XX. 10 ej/. 5 prayer quite as much for life as for death. It is best to read this verse with v. 15 "My times are in Thy hand." Because God is "the God of Truth," (v. 5), the "Faithful Creator," therefore St Paul can look through death to the end of God's great plan and can say, " I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to guard that which I have comraitted unto Him against that day" (11 Tim. i. 12). In this sense, too. Browning has said : Grow old along with me ! The best is yet to be. The last of life, for which the first was made : Our times are in His hand Who saith, " A whole I planned. Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!" V. 7. " Seeing Thou hast looked on my affliction." The words are almost identical with the play on the name of Reuben (Gen. xxix. 32), " She called his name Reuben for she said Surely YHVH hath looked on my affliction.'' The Septuagint, both here and in the Psalm, read Tr\v Taixtlvatsw, which is the word used by the Virgin Mary in the Magnificat, " He hath looked upon the lowly estate of His handmaiden." This word for " afflictioti" is constantly used of the sorrows of Israel in Captivity, whether in Egypt (Exod. iii. 7, 17; iv. 31; Neh. ix. 9) or in Babylon (Lam. i. 3, 7, 9; iii. I, 19; Is. xlviii. 10). The allusion in our Psalm is to God's visiting and redeeming His People by freeing them out of Captivity. This redemption was a type of the great Redemption ; consequently the allusion in the Magnificat is not a raere accident. 134 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS, ifi Let the light of Thy countenance shine" on Thy servant, "Numb.yi., Save me in Thy lovingkindness ! 17 O YHVH, I cannot come to shame^ ° »• ' For I have called upon Thee, Let the wicked come to shame", ' Jer- "vii. 18 Let them be silent in Sheol. 18 Let lying lips be stricken dumb. Which rail against the righteous. With pride and with contempt. 3 ) ) ) ) ) Stanza IV. The Return from Captivity was to Israel a revelation of the hidden goodness of God. 19 Oh how great is Thy goodness. Which Thou hast hidden away for them that fear Thee ; — Which Thou hast wrought for them that take refuge'' iWv.i Thee ; — In the very sight" of the children of men ! 20 Thou coverest them in the covert of Thy Presence, From the conspiracies of mighty-men ! Thou hidest' them, as in a Shrine, From the strife of tongues. " Ps. xxiii. 5 ' Ps. xxvii. 5 V. 16. "Thy Servant," i.e. Israel, see Jer. xxx. lo; xlvi. 27 f. ; Ezek. xxxvii. 25 (quoted by Baethgen). V. 19. " Which Thou hast hidden a-way.." God has two ways of hiding. In the time of trouble He hides His people in the Sanctuary of His Presence (see v. 20), and He also hides away blessings as a father lays up for his children. To His prodigal sons He may give at once the portion of His "hidden treasure" which falleth to them (see Ps. xvii. 14), but for His faithful children, who are ever with Him, He waits for a convenient time, lest a blessing coming too soon should become a curse. In the life of Israel such a convenient time was the Return from the Captivity. It was a season in -vvhich God's goodness was ever coming as a fresh surprise : the joy seemed too great to be true (see Ps. cxxvi. i — 3) : Zion saw with wonder (Is. xlix. 21) her sons coming from far ; all nations that had despised her now flock to bring to her their choicest tribute (Is. Ix. 4ff.): it was, moreover, a season of Revelation, a season to which v/e owe the writings of the Second Isaiah and a large number of the Psalms. Well might Israel say, " Oh ho%v great is Thy goodness which Thou hast hiddeti away for thetn that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that take refuge in Thee ; — in the very sight of the children of men ! " These last words denote not merely that God's goodness to Israel is shewn openly but that it is shewn in the presence, and in spite of, a hostile world. (See the parallel passage, Ps. xxiii. 5.) V. 20. The word which we have translated " cotispiracies" is of doubtful meaning. Aquila seems to identify it with the similar word which the E.V. translates "the rough places" (Is. xl. 4). Jerome too translates "a duritie." The primary signification of the root is to bind: hence the Targum reads "from the bands (or troops) of tnen." But though the one word is doubtful the general meaning of the passage is clear : — God's Presence is a Sanctuary (cf. Ps. xxvii. 4, 5) in which perfect rest may be found from all the troubles of earth and from that opposition which the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews calls "the contradiction of sinners" (Heb. xii. 3). Christ only among men found this perfect rest upon earth. Browning, in his study of Lazarus, has given us a marvellous picture of a man hidden in God's Presence from the strife of tongues. PSALM XXXI. 135 Chorus. Let all Israel learn the lesson of the past (cf Stanza /.). 21 Blessed be YHVH for He hath distinguished me with His lovingkindness. As it were in a fenced city. 22 But, as for me, I said* in my alarm, I am cut off" from the sight of Thine eyes ! Whereas Thou heardest the voice of my supplication. While I was (yet) crying" to Thee. 23 Love YHVH, all ye His saints; YHVH that keepeth faithfulness. And plentifully repayeth the proud doer. 24 Be strong'', and let your heart be firm. All ye whose hope is in YHVH. " Lam. iii. 18 ^ Ps. Ixxxviii. 6 (fi) ; Jonah ii. 4 ; Lam. iii. 64 " Ps. xxviii. 2 ; Lam. iii. 57 ' Josh. i. 6, 9, 18 V. 'il. "He hath distinguished tne... fenced city." The primary meaning of the verb here used is to separate (see Lev. xxvii. 2 ; Numb. vi. -i, and cf the kindred word in Ps. xvii. 7), hence to be wonderful or to aet wonderotisly (Judg. xiii. 19). In the present passage the context decides for the primary sense: as a raan is separated or set apart in the safety of a "fenced city," so Israel feels that God Himself had been to him a strong city (Is. xxvi. i ; xxxiii. 21 ; Zech. ii. 5). Other nations may have their strongholds but the ' distinguishing ' mark of Israel is the Divine 'Presence,' "so shall we be separated... ixom all the people that are upon the face of the earth" (Exod. xxxiii. 16). V. 22. "But, as for ttie, I said in my alarm..." The season of Israel's panic fear was the season of the Captivity depicted in Stanza II. (w. 9 — 13). It was then that Israel said, "The waters flowed over my head, I said I am cut off" (Lam. iii. 54; cf. Jonah ii. 4); "I said. My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord" (Lam. iii. 18); "Zion said. The Lord hath forsaken me..." (Is. xlix. 14). Ezekiel expressed the same thought in the vision of dry bones, "Behold, they say. Our bones are dead, and our hope is lost; we are cut off for our parts" (Ezek. xxxvii. 11). The Captivity was the death of the Nation, the Return was a resurrection from the dead. PSALM XXXII. This Psalm, which is the second of the penitenrial Psalms, was used in the Jewish Church for the close of the Day of Atonement. Let us interpret it with this thought only in view. On that one Day the Jewish Church received the most solemn assurance that God had forgiven the guilt of His People and covered all their sin (Ps. Ixxxv. 2). God had said "On that Day he (the Priest) shah make Atonement for you to cleanse you; from all your transgressions before the Lord ye shaU be clean" (Lev. xvi. 30). This assurance of the forgiveness of the sins of the past year was conveyed to the eyes of the assembled worshippers in three ways, (i) by the scape-goat (Lev. xvi. 21), (h) by the sacrifices, (ih) by the High 136 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. Priest coming forth from the Holy of Holies (Ecclus. 1. 20). If we picture Israel singing Psalm xxxii. at this supreme moment of realized forgiveness we shall best understand the meaning of the Psalm in the Old Testament and its relation to the Atonement of Christ. In point of structure the Psalm consists of seven Stanzas; the law of forma tion being a, b, c, d, c^, b^, a^; in other words, the first three Stanzas and the last three correspond with one another but in inverted order. Thus the flrst and last stanzas (a and «i) depict the happiness of the sin-forgiven People. The second Stanza corresponds with the sixth (b with b^) inasmuch as the Psalmist tells his own brutish silence in the second and dissuades from the hke folly in the sixth. The third Stanza is continued and completed by the flfth; both teh of the joy of pardon; in the third we see the Father faUing on the Prodigal's neck and kissing him, while in the fifth the Prodigal receives the pledges of restored sonship amid the music and the joy of the Home. The fourth Stanza, which we have marked d, is of course the middle Stanza, and, as such, gives the leading thought "Now is the acceptable time, Now is the Day of Salvation." The Psalm must be studied with its companion, Ps. xxxiii. ; it wih then be evident that it depicts the experience, not of a private individual but, of Israel. PS. XXXII. (a) Oh the happi- 1 Happy" is he whose transgression is forgiven, » Ps.xxxiil. 12 ness of the Atone- ^j^^^^ ^^^ j^ covered ! ment ! 2 Happy is the man to whom YHVH imputes no guilt. And in whose spirit there is no guile ! vv. 1, ¦/. In these verses, sin, that it might appear exceeding sinful, is pictured under four names : — (a) transgression, (b) sin, (c) guilt, (d) guile. Of these, (a) transgression consists of acts of disobedience which therefore need pardon ; (b) sin is a missing of the mark, a wrong aim of life, which needs Atonement ; (c) guilt is that sense of sin -which creates an obstacle between man and God and which therefore needs a reassurance of favour on God's part ; while (d), guile, is an unwillingness on the sinner's part to face the facts of his own sinfulness ; this last therefore needs on God's part a kind severity which shall unsparingly bring the truth home. Now, in the attributes of God (Exod. xxxiv. 7) we find that His Nature is to "forgive guilt, and transgression, and sin, attd by tio means spare," i.e. we find that, in the very Nature of God, a fourfold provision for the fourfold need of man. Compare Pss. cxxx. 4 ; Ixxxv. 2. In the Attributes of God one word is used for "forgiveth" (lit. beareth) but in our Psalm we have three: ist the transgression 15 forgiven, i.e. borne and taken away (cf. Is. Iiii. 4; Joh. i. 29); 2ndly the sin is covered, i.e. it is so expiated that it ceases to exist even for God's eye (Ps. Ixxxv. 3; Jer. 1. 20; Mic. vii. 19); 3rdly the guilt is tiot itnputed, as though God Himself had said " Neither do I condemn thee." In the light of this infinite forgiveness the sinner for the first time sees himself, and then " in his spirit there is no guile." "When once pardon is realized the believer has courage to be truthful before God: he can afford to have done with "guile" in the spirit. Who would not declare all his debts when they are certain to be discharged by another? Who would not declare his malady when he- was sure of PSALM XXXII. 137 (b) Brutish silence 3 When I kept silent, my bones were worn away dries up the soul as t,, , . u .^i 1 1 ,, : , i hrough my moaning all the day long. the rainless season a j a / t> does the earth. 4 For day and night Thy hand weighed heavy on me. My moisture was changed into Summer drought. (c) Manly confes- 5 I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, sion opens the fiood- a j mi t i- i „, f , And my guilt I did not cover. gates of pardon. ¦' ° I said, I will confess my transgressions to YHVH, And Thou — Thou didst pardon the guilt of my sin ! a cure? True faith knows not only that "guile" before God is impossible, but also that it is no longer necessary. The believer has nothing to conceal : he sees himself before God, stripped, laid open, and bare ; and if he has learned to see himself as he is, so also he has learned to see God as He reveals Himself. There is no guile in the spirit of one who is justified by faith ; because in the act of justification truth has been established in his inward parts. There is no guile in the spirit of him who sees the truth of himself in the light of the truth of God. For the truth of God shows him at once that in Christ he is perfectly righteous before God, and in himself he is the chief of sinners. Such a one knows that he is not his own, for he is bought with a price, and therefore he is to glorify God ! There is no guile in the spirit of him whose real object is to glorify Christ and not himself But when a. man is not quite true to Christ, and has not quite ceased to magnify self, there may be guile, for he will be more occupied with thoughts about himself than with the honour of Christ. But if the truth, and honour, and glory of Christ be his supreme care, he may leave himself out of the question, and, like Christ, "commit himself to Him that judgeth righteously" [J. W. Reeve, quoted in Treasury of David, Vol. ii. p. 100]. V. I. "Happy is he, etc." Literally "Oh the happiness of, etc." There are three Psalms, in the First Collection, which begin with this word, viz. Pss. i., xxxii., and xii. Thus it will be noted that the First Collection opens and closes with a Psalm of Beatitude. Of these Ps. i. , which is really a Preface to the whole Psalter, dwells on the happiness which coraes from feeding, as it were, in meditation, on the Law ; Ps. xxxii. exults in the happiness of the Atonement ; while Ps. xii. passes to the happiness which springs from ' taking thought for the poor and needy.' The happiness of Israel through the Law is characteristic of the time of Deuteronomy : " Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord" (Deut. xxxiU. 29). This verse must be interpreted from the 12th verse of Psalm xxxiii. V. 2. "Happy is tnan, etc." The Hebrew word for man here is Adatn, not Ish as in Ps. i.; there an individual case was supposed, but here Adam fixes the thought upon mankind, for whom an Atonement has been provided if only they will accept its freely offered pardon. Compare St Paul's argument in Rom. iv. 6 — 8. This Psalm was used on the Day of Atonement, which was a yearly -witness to the fact that mankind was forgiven in God : Verses 1 , 2 must have been understood by the Jewish Church in the light of that forgiveness. V. 3. " V/hen I kept silent." Silence here is not opposed to speech, for he was " moaning all the day long." Kay well quotes Hos. vii. 14; "They cried not to me with their heart, when they hcrwled upon their beds." Speech is given to man that he may draw near to God with it. If he use it not to this end he is no better than the brutes. Verses 3, 4 should be compared with the corresponding Stanza, w. 8, 9 ; in the one Stanza the Psalmist was brutish and ignorant as it were a beast before God, and God was compelled to curb him with a heavy hand (v. 4), while, in the other Stanza, the Psalmist, having found the joy of pardon, holds up his own past sorrow as a warning (v. 8); if God's children would but come to Him there would be no need for the bit and bridle! Many Commentators regard w. 8, 9 as the words of God, but the parallelism of the Stanzas seems to require the interpretation which I have given. V. 4. "My moisture... Summer drought." If this Psalra were originally written for the Day of Atonement there would be a special fitness in this iraage since, in Palestine, the six raonths of the 18 138 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. (d) Now is the ac ceptable time. 6 For this let every saint make his prayer to Thee In the season of finding^ Only in the overflowing of the great waters. They will not reach unto Him^ Is. Iv. 6 ' or unto him {c{) More than par don — sonship. 7 Thou art a Covert for me. Thou dost preserve me from trouble. With ringing songs of deliverance Thou dost compass me round. (ij) Man being not a brute but a son must act as such. 8 I instruct thee, I shew thee the way thou should'st go, I counsel thee, (keeping) mine eye upon thee. 9 Be not ye like horse and mule which have no understanding. Whose pride must be curbed with bridle" and bit, '¦ Prov. xxvi. 3 Or they will not come near unto thee. (a,) Oh the happi ness of the Atone ment ! 10 Many are the stripes for the wicked. But he that trusteth in YHVH, Lovingkindness will compass him round. II Rejoice in YHVH and be glad ye righteous. Ring out with joy all ye that are upright in heart. rainless season practically end at the Autumnal Equinox, the Day of Atonement being the ioth day after the Equinox. V. 6. The words translated great waters ot many waters occur twenty-six times in the Old Testament, of which eleven are in the Book of Ezekiel. They follow two very opposite lines of thought thus; (A) they denote the sea (Ezek. i. 24; xxvi. 19; xxvii. 2fi; xhii. 2 etc.). The sea being the home of mystery and terror, the "great waters" were used of any overflowing calamity (Ps. xviii. 16 (17); cxhv. 7; Cant. viii. 7 etc.). But (B) they denote also the waters as the source of fruitfulness (Ezek. xix. 10; xxxi. 5, 7, 14; xxxii. 13; 2 Chron. xxxii. 4 etc.). This thought seems to be characteristic of Ezekiel, and may possibly he traced to his abode in Babylonia. The question now arises in which of the two senses, (A) or (B), are the words to be interpreted in our Psalm? The context must decide. The word " overfiowitig" would seem at first sight to point to the meaning (A), but on the other hand in Job xxxviii. 25 the " ovetfiotving of waters" is evidently used in a beneficent sense of the abundant rain (see context) ; and the reference to " Summer drought" in v. 4 inclines us, on the whole, to interpret v. 6 as of the season of blessing which man would certainly miss unless he had first made his prayer in the ' season of finding.' The ten days inclusive between New Year's Day and the Day of Atonement were regarded by the Jews as a critical time of Judgement, during which mercy was extended to the sinner ; and to these ten days the words of Is. Iv. fi were applied, viz. " Seek ye YHVH while He may be found ...while He is near." [See my translation of the Yalkut on Zechariah, pp. 55, 73.] These days were indeed the Rogation days of the Jewish Church. The seventh month was the time when the rains of Palestine should begin after the long months of " Summer droughts." PSALM XXXIII. 139 PSALM XXXIII. Though Ps. xxxiii. is not alphabetical it has many of the characteristics of the Alphabetical Psalms. Not only do the 22 verses correspond with the number of the letters in the Hebrew Alphabet but the ten stanzas remind us of the way in which the number ten enters into the formation of the Alphabetical Psalms (see p. 26). Again, Ps. xxxiii. falls into two distinct Parts, which correspond the one to the other exactly in the way which we have traced in the Alphabetical Psalms (p. 26 etc.). Lastly, it is followed by Ps. xxxiv., which is strictly Alphabetical (see p. 30). It is therefore evident that our present Psalm is a connecting hnk with Alphabetical Psalms, and should be studied in close connexion with Pss. xxv. and xxxiv. (pp. 26, 30). We now turn to the Psalm itself Part I (t.w. i — 11) refers to God and the World; Part II {yv. 12 — 22) refers to 6^1?^ and Israel. The five Stanzas of Part I answer, Stanza by Stanza, to the five Stanzas of Part II (see marginal notes). But though these Stanzas answer to one another we note that there is also a relation between the first and last Stanzas, and this is a peculiarity which we have had occasion to note in the Alphabetical Psalms (e.g. Ps. xxv., pp. 28 f). In Part I God is praised as the Creator of the World; in Part II, as the Redeemer of Israel. Part I fixes our attenrion on the Word of God (vv. 4, 6, 9, 11); Part II, upon the Eye of God ipv. 13 — 15, 18). In Part I we see that the Word, or purpose, of God in Creadon, was (a) not arbitrary (vv. 4, 5) ; (b) that it was Creative without efifort (vv. 6, 7) ; (c) that it necessarily demands the homage of all created things; (d) that any opposition to the Word or purpose of God must be futile. In Part II we see that the Eye, or choice, of God is, in Israel's case, (^j) not arbitrary (yv. 13 — 15); (b^ that it implies all the power Israel can need (vv. t6, 17); (ci) that God's Eye of Providential care responds to the eye of Israel's upward look; (a'l) that the great purpose of God for Israel cannot ultimately fail. The reader will observe the relation of the Stanzas (a) (b) (c) (d) to (a{) (b^) ((Tj) (^1) respectively. For purposes of comparison these Stanzas have been printed on opposite pages as in the Alphabetical Psalms. 140 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PS. XXXIII (First half, God and the World). Preface. Israel's joy in Re demption. (a) God's work of Creation is founded upon right, and there fore is stable. I Ring out with joy, O ye righteous'', in YHVH ; For to the upright psalms'' are well-seemly ^ 2 Give thanks to YHVH with the harp. Hymn unto Him to the ten-stringed lute; 3 Sing unto Him a New Song, Sweet melody with clashing-trumpet-sound". 4 For the Word'' of YHVH is right. And all His work is faithful. 5 He loveth righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the loving-kindness of YHVH. 't'. 12 and Ps. xxxii. I '' Ps. cxlvii. , ° Ps. xxvii. 6, note '' Deut. xxxii. 4 (b) The only power in Creation is the breath of God. (c) All created things must pay ho mage. (d) His purpose alone will last. 6 By the Word of YHVH the heavens were made. And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth ; 7 Gathering as in a water-skin" the waters of the sea. Storing the deeps (as) in a treasure-house. 8 Let all the earth fear before YHVH, Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. 9 For He spake and it became ! He commanded and it stood fast! 10 YHVH bringeth to nought the counsel' of the heathen, He frustrateth the thoughts^ of the nations ; II The counsel of YHVH ever endureth. The thoughts of His heart are from age to age. Sept. ' f . u ^ V. ll Sept. has a double read ing of this line ¦vv. I — 3. The best comment on these verses is Ps. cl. : — Here, as there, we have every kind of music and every kind of song; — in short a Chorus of Creation. It is perhaps not altogether fanciful to regard the ten Stanzas of the Psalm as the strings of the "ten-stringed lute." V. 3. " Sing... a Nnu Song." The other passages in which "the New Song" occurs are Is. xlii. 10 ; Pss. xl. 3 (4) ; xcvi. 1 ; xcviii. 1 ; cxliv. 9 ; cxiix. i ; Rev. v. 9 ; xiv. 3. In all these passages we note two characteristics of the 'New Song,' (i) It is always for new mercies, (ii) It is a Chorus of Creation. The old Song was the Song of Moses at the Red Sea. The next great Redemption was the Redemption from Babylon. All the Old Testament passages in which the "New Song" occurs belong, I believe, to this joyous time. The next great Redemption came about 500 years later, not for one Nation only but for the whole world, through Christ ; the New Song of this Redemption is given in Rev. v. 9, and is a Chorus in which the Church, Angels, and all created things unite. The final Redemption is yet to come, but St John had a vision of its New Song (Rev. xiv. i — 3 ; cf xv. 1, 3). PSALM XXXIII. 141 Preface, Blessed is the Na tion of God's free choice (cf. Deut. xxxiii. 29). PS. XXXIII (Second Jialf, God and Israel). 12 Happy" is the Nation whose God is YHVH ! The People He chose for Himself as His heritage''! " Ps. xxxii. 1 " Deut. xxxii. 9 (ui) God's choice of Israel is founded upon right, and therefore is stable. (il) Israel's power is not in horses but in the fact of God's choice (cf. Deut. xxxiii. 29). (cj) Israel should pay the homage of an expectant eye. Conclusion. (d^ Israel's expec tation of Redemption to corae (cf. w. i — 3 and ¦m. 10, 1 1). { 13 YHVH looked from heaven. He saw all the children of men ; 14 He looked forth from the place of His dwelling. Upon all the inhabitants of the earth ; li He it is that formeth all their hearts. That taketh note of all their doings. 16 A king is not saved by the greatness of his host". Nor a warrior delivered by the greatness of his strength. 17 Vain is the horse'' for victory; By mere greatness of power He" doth not deliver. 18 Behold the eye of YHVH is towards them that fear Him, Towards them that are expectant' of His lovingkindness; 19 To deliver their soul from death. And to preserve them in life from famine*^. 20 Our soul waiteth for YHVH, Our Help'' and our Shield'' is He! 21 For in Him our heart is glad ; For we trust in His holy Name. 22 Let Thy lovingkindness, O YHVH, be upon us. Even as we wait expectant' upon Thee. '^ ox power '^ Prov. xxi. 3 1 ; Ps. cxlvii. 10 ' or he sPs. XXXVU. 19 ' Deut. xxxiii. 29 'v.\% V. 6. "By the Word. ..by the breath." There was no effort in Creation. The Yalkut quotes the legend of God creating all things with the letter Heh, i.e. with a mere breathing, and adds, " He fainteth not, neither is weary " (Is. xl. 28). Creation carae into being and continues to exist simply by the will of God. V. 7. Gathering as in a water-skin. So Sept., Sym., Targum; Jerome, "quasi in utri." The usual rendering, "in a heap," though it follows the vowel points, must be rejected because of the parallel passages. Job xxxviii. 8, " or (who) shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, (as if) it had issued out of the womb." Also v. 37, " Who can number the clouds by wisdom or who can stay (?) the bottles of heaven ? " In our Psalm the thought is centred on the Work of the Third Day of Creation, when God restrained the waters: — "Let the waters be gathered together... and let the dry land appear" (cf. Job xxxviii. 8 — 11). This work was as easy for God as it would be for a man to fill a water-skin. 142 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. (Psalm XXXIV. This Alphabetical Psalm is given pp. 30 — 33.) PSALM XXXV. Before discussing the imprecations in this Psalm we should do well to consider the passages in Jeremiah which are strikingly parallel to Ps. xxxv., and indeed to the whole group of Psalms in which it occurs. The question between Jeremiah and the false prophets (Jer. v. 31; xiv. 14; xxiii. 14 ff. ; xxvii. 14; xxix. 8 f) was one of life or death for Israel. The false prophets carried the People with them when they spoke smooth words of ' peace ' : but Jeremiah knew, to his own sorrow, that it was too late for peace. Thus to save his People he suffered as a traitor (ch. xxxvii. 14) and was hated by his own. At such ¦ a time indignation against false prophets must have been to Jeremiah loyalty to God and man. The following passages should be carefully considered : Jer. xviii. vv. 18 — 23, R.V. "Then said they. Come, let us devise devices against Jeremiah ;... Come, and let us smite him with the tongue (cf Ps. xxxv. 15), and let us not give heed unto any of his words. Give heed to me, O Lord, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me (cf Ps. xxxv. i, note rare word). Shall evil be recompensed for good ? for they have digged a pit for my soul (Ps. xxxv. 7). Remember how I stood before Thee to speak good for them, to turn away Thy fury from them (cf Ps. xxxv. v. 12 f). Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, etc., etc.... Yet, Lord, Thou knowest aU their counsel against me to slay me (cf Ps. xxxv. 12); forgive not their iniquity (Ps. xxxv. 4), neither blot out their sin from Thy sight; but let them be overthrown (marg. made to stumble, cf Ps. xxxv. 6) before Thee; deal Thou with them in the time of Thine anger." Jer. XX. vv. 7 — 13, "O Lord, Thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived;... I am become a laughing-stock all the day, everyone mocketh me (cf Ps. xxxv. 16, 21, 25)... because the word of the Lord is made a reproach unto me, and a derision all the day. And if I say, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name (cf Ps. xxxix. i, 2), then there is in mine heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot contain (cf Ps. xxxix. 3 with Ps. xxxviii. 13). For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side (cf Ps. xxxi. 13). Denounce, and we will denounce him, say all my familiar friends (Ps. xii. 9), they that watch for my hairing (Ps. xxxv. 15 and xxxviii. 17); peradventure he will be enticed, and we shah prevail against hirn, and we shall take our revenge on him. But the Lord is with me as a mighty one and a terrible; therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail; they shall be greatly ashamed, ... even with an everlasting dishonour PSALM XXXV. 143 which shall never be forgotten. But, O Lord of hosts,... let me see Thy vengeance on them ; for unto Thee have I revealed my cause. Sing unto the Lord, praise the Lord : for He hath delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evil-doers " (compare the rapid transitions from imprecation to thanksgiving in Ps. xxxv. vv. 9 f, 18, 27 f). From Chapter xxiii. (vv. 9 — end) we learn that the indignation of Jeremiah was directed especially against the Prophets who falsely prophesied peace in the name of God. Thus : Jer. xxxiii. 11, 12, "For both prophet and priest are profane (cf note on Ps. xxxv. 16) ;... wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places (note rare word) in the darkness ; and they shall be driven on and fall therein " (cf Ps. xxxv. 6 note). In this Chapter too there is a remarkable passage in which Jeremiah ridicules the use of the phrase, " Thus saith (the Lord) " on the lips of these speakers of smooth words. Thus : V. 31, "Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues and say, ' He saith '." These are words of ridicule and translarion is not easy — literally "who take their tongues and keep ' saith '-ing 'Thus saith'." The margin of the E.V. has " that smooth their tongues,'' and I think it probable that Jeremiah chose the unusual expression " take their tongues " in order to hint at the meaning of the similar sounding word which signified " to smooth!' In any case he ridicules their use of the word " Thus saith." This passage has an important bearing on Ps. xxxvi. i (see note). Other close parallels (see notes) of thought and language make it highly probable that our Psalm was written by Jeremiah. When we read the imprecations of the tender-hearted Jeremiah we must " compare thera with the bettering of the times,'' and do him the justice to remember that those who hated him were hating their own good. Srill, for us, the fact remains that the One who alone could say "He that hateth me hateth my Father also'' (Joh. XV. 22), was the One who "when he was reviled he reviled not again" (1 Pet. ii. 23). In the wise words of Jer. Taylor, " That zeal only is safe, only acceptable, which increases Charity directly ; and because love to our Neighbour and obedience to God are the two great portions of Charity, we must never account our zeal to be good, but as it advances both these, if it be in a matter that relates to both; or, severally, if it relates severally. S. Paul's zeal was expressed in preaching without any offerings or stipend, in travelhng, in spending and being spent for his flock, in suff"ering, in being willing to be accursed for the love of the People of God and his Countrymen. Let our zeal be as great as his was, so it be in affecrions to others, but not at ah in angers against them : In the first there is no danger; in the second there is no safety. In brief, let your zeal (if it must be expressed in anger) be always more severe against thy self than against others." (Holy Living, Chap. iv. Sect. 3.) In point of structure our Psalm falls naturally into three Parts, each of which ends in Thanksgiving. r44 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PS. XXXV. I O YHVH strive with them that strive with me. Fight with them that fight with me. 2 Grasp shield and buckler And rise to my help ! 3 Draw out javelin and dirk to oppose my pursuers. Say unto my soul : " I am thy salvation." 4 Let them be shamed and disgraced that are seeking my life. Let them be turned back and dishonoured that are planning my hurt. 5 Let them be as the chaff before the wind, and the Angel of YHVH driving"; » Ps. xxxvi. u 6 Let their way be dark and slippery'', and the Angel of i" Jer. xxiii. 1 2 YHVH pursuing them. 7 For they have wantonly hidden a net for me, Wantonly have they dug a pitfall" for my life! '¦ Jer. xviii. 20, 8 May a ruin unforeseen come upon him. His own net that he hid catch himself. In a ruin whereby he may fall. Vow of Thanks- 9 So my soul shall exult in YHVH, giving. Shall be joyous in His salvation. IO All my bones shall say ; "YHVH who is like unto Thee, Delivering the sufferer from his too-strong foe. Yea the sufferer and the poor from his spoiler ? " 1 1 There rise up wrongful witnesses. Who question me of what I know nothing''- "icf Jer.xxxvii. 12 They reward me evil" for good", '-^ ° Jer. xviii. 20 To the very bereavement of life. I'. 1. " them that strive with ttie." A rare word, the only other passage (besides Is. xlix. 25) being the parallel passage in Jeremiah (xviii. 19), "Give heed to me, O YHVH, and hearken to the voice of them that strive ivith me " (see context). V. 6. " Let their way be dark and slippery." The rare reduplicated word which is here translated "slippery" occurs only in the parallel passage of Jeremiah (xxiii. 12), "Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery (ways) in the darkness." In Daniel xi. 21, 34 it is twice used of fiattcries, i.e. smooth speeches. These passages are significant ; like is punished by like ; the false prophets who caused others to fall by their smooth, slippery tongues shall themselves be set on slippery places and driven into darkness. The verse requires a Dante to illustrate it. PSALM XXXV. 145 13 As for me, were they ill? — then my clothing was sackcloth. My soul I afflicted with fasting. And what my prayer was — may it home" in my bosom"! »Matt. x. 13; 14 As he were my friend or my brother I walked, I went bowed as though it were the mourning of' a mother. '' ox for 15 But, did I halt".' — they were glad, -Jer. xx. 10 And gathered and gathered against me. Smiting'' me at unawares <• i.e. with the They rent me without ceasing ; xvitTV8 ' ifi As dissimulators with mocking scoffs, They gnash" their teeth upon me. « Lam. ii. ifi V. 14. "As though... of a mother." The Hebrew may signify either "as one that mourns for a mother" or "as it were a mother that mourneth." The image in the latter case is far more forcible. V. 15. "But did I Aa// .?"— Literally, oti my halting. Cf. Jer. xx. lo "All my familiars watched for my halting.'' Also Ps. xxxviii. 17 (18). Micah had pictured Israel as a lame sheep wandering astray and brought back to the fold by God. This name of the lame one, her that halteth, left its mark. (See Mic. iv. 6, 7 ; Zeph. iii. 19 and cf Gen. xxxii. 31 (32).) " Sttiiting tne..." This form of the word occurs nowhere else. Some give it a passive sense and translate "objects" i.e. smitten ones. But the weight of authority goes the other way, Sym. and Targum agreeing with Jerome's translation percutientes , i.e. smiters. The parallel passage in Jereraiah xviii. 18 ("Come and let us smite him with the tongue") strongly confirms the translation we have given. "At unawares." Lit. "and I kneiu it tiot." Three times in the Psalm this phrase occurs, viz. ¦w. 8, II, 15. A man could scarcely be said to be smitten and not to know it, but he may be either slandered unawares or slandered about things of which he knows nothing (y. 11). St Jerome, applying the words to Christ, says : " Quid non cognoverit, quaeritur. Quidam putant, dolorem vulnerum quae patiebatur in cruce. Sed melius ad peccata refertur : quod non habuerit conscientiam peccatorura quare crucifixus sit" (Comment, in Psalmos, Morin, p. 42). V. 16. As dissimulators with mocking scoffs. The Heb. text reads "with hypocrites of (or rather dissimulators of) the scoffers of u. cake"-, but the Septuagint, instead of maog, "cake," read lifog, "raockery," and translate, "they mocked me with mockery." The letters / and m axe easily mistaken in Hebrew manuscript, and I greatly doubt whether the word cake had any place in the original Hebrew text. The English words hypocrite, hypocrisy do not at all represent the O.T. use of the corresponding words either in the Hebrew or in the Greek. A hypocrite in O.T. was one who led others itito apostasy. Thus: Prov. xi. 9 "The hypocrite (i.e. the dissimulator) with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour." Is. xxxii. 6 "For the vile person. ..to practise hypocrisy (R.V. profaneness), to utter error against the Lord, to make empty the soul of the hungry..." Jer. xxiii. 11, 15 "For both prophet and priest are profane," "For from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness (marg. E.V. hypocrisy) gone forth into all the land." (See context.) Compare also Dan. xi. 32 " And such as do wickedly against the Covenant shall he pervert (marg. R.V. make profane) by flatteries." The meaning is well seen in 11 Mace. vi. 25 where Eleazar says "and so they, by reason of my dissimulation (see Greek) and for the sake of this brief and moraentary life, should be led astray because of me..." I conclude that this verse in the Psalm is to be interpreted from the use of the word in the parallel passage of Jeremiah which refers to the false prophets. (See also p. 143.) The Yalkut quotes a passage from T. B. Sanhedrin 52" which is interesting from the light it throws on the denunciation of the 'false prophets' in 11 Peter and Jude. The passage is to the K. 19 146 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. Vow of Thanks giving. 17 O Lord, how long wilt Thou look on ? Bring back my soul from this ruin of theirs. My dear-life" from the lions. 18 I will thank Thee in full Congregat^on^ Will praise Thee among much people. " Ps. xxii. ^o ' Ps. xxii. 22 Vow of Thanks giving. 19 Let not my causeless" enemies be glad, Nor my wanton foes wink with the eye : 20 For it is no'' peace they devise. But slanderous devices against the quiet in the land. 21 They have made mouths at me. They said "Aha! Aha! our eye hath seen"!" 22 Seen hast Thou, O YHVH — keep not silence ; O Lord, be not far from me ! 23 Rouse Thee and wake for my right — O my God and my Lord — for my cause ! 24 Judge me in Thy righteousness, O YHVH, my God, And let them not rejoice over me. 25 Let them not say in their heart " Aha ! we have*' our wish ! " Let them not say, " We have devoured him." 2fi Let them be shamed and dishonoured together That rejoice in my misfortune. Let them be clothed with shame and disgrace That exalt themselves against me. 27 Let them sing and be glad that delight in my right. Let them ever say "YHVH be magnified," Who delights in His servant's well-being. 28 And my tongue too shall muse of Thy kindness. Yea, all the day long of Thy praise. 'John XV. 25 '' i.e. anything but " Lam. ii. 16 ' Lam. ii. 16 following effect. Resh Laqish quotes this verse of our Psalm to explain the fate of Korah, the "hypocrisy" of Korah being shewn "in the matter of eating," and thus it was a fitting punishment that "the prince of Gehinnom should gnash (with a play upon the name Korah) upon thera with his teeth." The rare word for "eating" occurs again T. B. Sanhedrin 103'' "Great is eating (? hospitality) since it removed two tribes from Israel " (see Buxtorf s.v. iltS^J?) ; the two tribes being Ammon and Moab, of whom it is said that they are not to enter the Congregation of the Lord, "Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way" (Deut. xxiii. 3 f.). PSALM XXXVI. [47 PSALM XXXVI. This Psalm consists of two Parts linked together by the three concluding verses (10 — 12). Part I (vv. I — 4) depicts the downward progress of the unbeliever by four steep steps ; action (Stanza i.) deepening in each case into its corresponding cliaracter (Stanza 11.). The relation of the four lines of Stanza i. to the four lines of Stanza 11. may be indicated as follows (see also marginal notes) : (a) Secret pleasure in an act which he knows to be forbidden. (p) God's judgements have no terror for him. (c) He comes to persuade himself that there is no such thing as retribution. (d) Transgression which began by being cherished in the heart comes out on the lips — the man has become a scoffer. (a') Open pleasure in evil for its own sake. (1^') He deliberately sets himself to choose the wrong way. (<:') He plans evil upon his bed. (Contrast Ps. Ixiii. 6 (7).) (d^) He loses the spiritual insight whereby good is discerned. We have here inverted the order of Stanza 11. in order to shew the relation between (a) and (a'), (b) and (b') etc. ; the order in the Psalm is, however, the true order by which acts become character — "Pharaoh hardened his heart — and the heart of Pharaoh was hardened." Part II (vv. S — 9) also consists of two Stanzas, the first of which gives four Attributes of God in four consecutive lines, while the second Stanza answers to the first, hne by hne, shewing the bearing of these four Attributes upon the world of men. The relation of these two Stanzas has been fully treated in the notes. The Psalm concludes with vv. 10 — 12 which serve to supply a connexion, not otherwise evident, between Parts I and II (see Notes). The juxtaposition of Parts I and II thus brings into sharp contrast the evil of the bad man and the goodness of God and reminds us of Ps. hi. i, "Why boastest thou thyself in evil, O tyrant? The Lovingkindness of God is for all rime." (See context and notes.) 19- 148 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PS. XXXVI (PART I). The sinner's down ward progress in action. a I Transgression is pleasant to the wicked in his" inmost " Sept. Syr. heart, b There is no dread of God before his eyes. cf. Ps. x. n\ c 2 For he flatters himself (that there is none) to find" and ^ q^^j^jj^ ^g. hate his iniquity, ^°^- ""¦ ^ d The words of his mouth are mischief and fraud ". „ pg_ ^^ ^ The sinner's down ward progress in cha racter. d^ He has ceased to be wise in well-doing ; c' 4 He devises mischief upon his bed '', b^ He takes his stand in a way the reverse of good, a} Evil he anything but abhorreth ! '' Mic. ii. I V. 1 . The Hebrew text, as it stands, is extremely difficult ; we should have to translate " Thus saith Transgression in the tnidst of tny (or, following the Versions, his) heart." This might be paraphrased. There is an Oracle of Transgression, etc., - i.e. there is an inner voice which is not the ' Thus saith ' of God but the ' Thus saith ' of the Devil. We have already seen (p. 143) that, in Jeremiah's time, the cant use of the word "Thus saith" (neura) on the lips of the false prophets had moved his indignation : " Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that take their tongues and keep saying 'Thus saith'" (Jer. xxxiii. 31). We have also traced the influence of Jeremiah in this group of Psalms. If therefore the present text is to stand we must explain it as a direct allusion to Jeremiah's denunciation of the false prophets in Chapter xxxiii. I have however ventured, with some hesitation, to adopt the reading suggested by Graetz, i.e. to change the letter X into J? and thus to get the word "pleasant" instead of "Thus saith." This seems to me to be the best solution of the difficulty and it is borne out by the parallelism of the lines which I have marked a and a'. If this view be adopted we may compare Prov. ix. 17, where the tempting voice persuades the sinner that secret indulgence is "pleasant." " There is tio dread of God..." The word here used for fear is quite distinct from that "fear" of the I^ord which is the beginning of wisdom. The sinner has so put God out of his life that he has lost even the dread of judgement. The nearest parallel to this verse is Ps. a. 5 " Far above, out of sight are Thy judgements." The way in which this self-delusion may come about is depicted in Deut. xxix. 19 f. Tennyson saw that the danger was real for us all "This is a terrible age of unfaith, ... One can easily lose all belief, through giving up the continual thought and care for spiritual things" (A Memoir, Vol. I. p. 309). V. 3. "He has ceased to be wise in well-doing." Kay translates "He has ceased to have dis cernment to do good," i.e. "His discernment is only on the side of evil. Cp. Rom. xvi. 19." V. 4. "He takes his stand, etc." i.e. he makes a deliberate choice of the way of death (cf. Ps. i.). V. 4. "Evil he anything but abhorreth," i.e. he dearly loves it. In the corresponding line of V. I we saw that the single act of transgression was pleasant to him ; but now the act, by repetition, has become character: he not only does such things but finds his pleasure in evil (cf. Rom. i. 32). This is the lowest stage of the sinner's progress. PSALM XXXVL 149 PS. XXXVI (Part II, possibly a separate Psalm). Four Attributes of God. (a) 5 YHVH, up to Heaven is Thy LOVINGKINDNESS"; (/3) Thy FAITHFULNESS" to the skies ; (7) 6 Thy RIGHTEOUSNESS as the Mountains of God", (8) Thy JUDGEMENTS (are) like the great Deep". Both man and beast Thou, YHVH, wilt save. " Ps. Ixxxix. 2 (3) ^ Ps. civ. 16 " Ps. Ixxviii. 15 The relation of these four Attributes to men. ' (a^) 7 How precious* is Thy Lovingkindness, O God j '' Ps. cxxxix, 17 ; Is. (/3^) So the sons of men may shelter" neath the shadow xxviii. 16 " Ruthii. 12 XXXI. 14 of Thy wings" ; (7^) 8 They are full-fed from the rich-provision '^ of Thy 'fatness, ]er. House, , (S^) And from Thine Eden-stream Thou givest them drink. 9 For with Thee is the Fountain^ of Life, And in thy Light we see light. Jer. ii. 13; xvii. 13; xviii. 14 V. 6. The Yalkut suggests the thought that as the Mountains restrain the Deep so God's '.teousness restrains His fud.oements. R. Judah says " Except Thy Righteousness had been as the Mountains of God who could abide Thy Judgements, the Great Deep ? " "Both ttian and beast." Have we any right to place a limit to the power and goodness of God or to assert that in the future man only can share it? (Compare note on Ps. cxiv. 12, p. 66.) V. 8. '-From Thine Eden-stream Thou givest them ^dritik." The reference to the River of Paradise is quite unmistakeable. This River, with its four streams, was treated by Ezekiel as an allegory. He saw it (Chap, xlvii.) coming forth from the Altar — for the Will of God involves Sacrifice — He saw it encompass the whole Land and carry life wherever it went, making it once more a Paradise — for only when the Will of God is done can man find the joy he was made for. This Will of God which begins in Sacrifice and ends in joy is God's " Eden-stream." There is One who drank of that Cup — " The Cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink of it ? " — and found the joy, — the Paradise regained. Since then one of His servants saw that Eden-stream coming forth, not from an Altar, but "from the throne of God and of the Lamb" (Rev. xxii. i). The Cup should remind us of the joy of Christ as well as of the blood of Christ. vv. 5, 7; (a) with (a^), " YHVH, up to Heaven is Thy Lovingkindness," "How precious is Thy Lovingkindness..." The Lovingkindness of God is that Attribute which expresses His eternal purpose for man, which no ingratitude on man's part can ultimately turn aside -(see Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7 ; Ps. Ixxxix. 28 (29), 33 (34), etc.). This tnercy or lovingkindness therefore "endureth for ever." The Psalmist sees this quality of Divine Mercy reaching "up to Heaven" as a safe Refuge (cf. Ps. Ixxxix. 2) for the littleness of man, therefore he cries "How precious, etc." The word "precious," in Hebrew, signifies that which is weighty, reliable; thus the "precious corner stone" (Is. xxviii. 16) is that which is a safe foundation (cf I Pet. ii. 4, fi, 7). This last passage shews us the Psalmist's vision fulfilled in Christ ; God's Attribute of lovingkindness was, in Old Testament times, seen as the Foundation-stone of the Universe, but to us it has been revealed as "a living Stone." (p!) with (/31), " Thy Faithfulness to the skies," " So the sons of men tnay shelter neath the shadow of Thy wings." God's Faithfulness, which is often coupled with His Lovingkindness, represents ' the same thought frora a soraewhat sterner point of view ; we might illustrate lovingkindness by the love of a m.other, faithfulness by that of a father. The faithfuhiess of God is often used in connexion or with ISO FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. Conclusion linking Part I with Part II. The Prayer of Ps. xxxv. 5 is suddenly answered. 10 Continue Thy Lovingkindness to them that know Thee, And Thy Righteousness to the upright of heart. II Let not the foot of pride come upon me. Nor the hand of the wicked make me an exile. 12 There are they fallen — those workers of wickedness! They are driven" — they cannot rise! 'Ps. xxxv. 5 reference to God's great purpose either in Creation or in the Call of Israel (see Pss. xxxiii. 4 ; xxxvii. 3; Ixxxix. 2, 5, 8, 24, 33; xcviii. 3; c. 5; and cf. I Cor. i. 9 ; I Thess. v. 24; etc.). Because of this sure purpose of God, "the sons of men may shelter neath the shadow of (His) wings." Taking shelter under God's wings means such a life-choice as Ruth made (Ruth ii. 12). The verb is used again in connexion with God's wings in Pss. Ivii. i (2) ; Ixi. 4 (5) ; xci. 4. vv. 6, 8; (7) with (7'), "Thy Righteousness as the mountains of God," "They are full-fed with the rich-provision of Thy House." The Mountains of God here signify not merely high mountains but also Nature's Sanctuaries ; the mountains both protect and fertilize the valleys ; thus in another Psalm (Ixxii. 3) it is said, "The mountains shall bring peace to the people and the hills (shall flow- down) with righteousness." The verb we have translated " they are full-fed " is specially used of being full to saturation ; thus, of rain abundantly waterittg the earth (Ps. Ixv. 10 (11); Is. Iv. 10; Iviii. 11, etc.). Hence it is applied to the soul three times in Jer. xxxi. iyv. 12, 14, 25), "And their soul shall be as a watered garden," "And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness," "For I have satiated the weary soul..." Thus a lovely image from Nature is transferred to the spiritual life; as the streams from the mountains fill the lowlands with plenty, so from God's Sanctuary- Home the hearts of men shall be abundantly satisfied with Righteousness. " Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness, for they shall be filled." (S) with (5^), "Thy yudgements (are) like the great Deep," " And from Thine Eden-stream Thou givest them drink." As, in v. 5, God's Faithfulness represented the sterner side of His Lovingkindness, so here, in v. 6, His yudgements represent that Justice which is the sterner side of His Righteousness. They are compared to the Great Deep, i.e. the infinite waters out of which all things had their being (Gen. vii. 11; Ps. Ixxviii. 15; Is. li. 10; Amos vii. 4). At first sight it may seem strange that the "Great Deep" of God's "Judgements" should be coupled with the " River of His pleasures," i.e. the stream that waters His own Paradise. But is it not most true that God's own Life and Joy is in giving forth life to every creature ? " Both man and beast Thou YHVH wilt save," "For with Thee is the Fountain of Life..." If this be so, then this giving forth must be ' the River of His Own Paradise.' Of this River He must, if He love men, ' give them to drink.' To us this giving forth means sacrifice, but some, like James Hinton, have seen that the infinite capacity for sacrifice (the Great Deep) is the pledge of the unending ever-springing Joy (the Eden-stream) in the Life to corae. Thus (S) and (S^) will ultimately be reconciled, for, as Tennyson once said, (see Metnoir, Vol. I. p. 46fi): "...the great deeps of Eternity Roar only round the wasting cliffs of Time.'' It is a favourite thought with Jeremiah (see marginal references) that God is the " Fountain of the water of Life " : those therefore who forsake God forsake their own life. The ritual of the Water-drawing Festival was intended to perpetuate this thought (see on St John vii. 37 ff.). ¦vv. 10 — 12. These verses may very possibly have been added by a later Psalmist. They link together Parts I and II, compare Lovingkindness and Righteoustiess v. 10 with Part II, vv. 5, 6, " ; also the reference to the wicked, vv. 11, 12 with Part I, vv. 1 — 4. The unusual word 'driven' (i.e. as outcasts) certainly has reference to the 5th verse of the preceding Psalm and is the fulfilment of the imprecation there denounced (see note and compare Jer. xxiii. 12). The words "they cannot rise" (v. 12) carry our thoughts to Ps. i. 5, which Psalm is also recalled by v. 4. PSALM XXXVIII. 151 (Ps. XXXVII. is among the Alphabetical Psalms. See pp. 34 — 39.) PSALM XXXVIII. The title "for the Memorial" or "to make remembrance" which occurs here and in Ps. Ixx. gives the key to the interpretation. This word was used especially of calling sin to remembrance. There was a deep sense of conviction among the Hebrews that sin might slumber only to wake up to more terrible retribution, e.g. i Kings xvii. 18 " art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son '' : cf Gen. xii. 9, Ezek. xxi. 24 (29). So the trial of jealousy (Numb. v. 15) was intended to bring home the guilt "it is... an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance" For this same end the Day of Atonement was instituted whereby there was "a remembrance of sins made every year" (Heb. x. 3); not merely to remind man or to remind God but to offer to God such recognition as might prevent the accumulated weight of unacknowledged sin from crushing out the life of Israel. Christ's word has changed this "remembrance of sins" into the "remembrance of Me" (Luke xxii. 19; I Cor. xi. 25). There was another, still more technical, sense of the word memorial (azkara) in which it was applied to that particular handful of the meal-offering which was burnt with frankincense on the altar, i.e. the sample which by its acceptance shewed that the whole offering was accepted by God: this sample was called the "memorial" or "remembrance" (Lev. ii. 2, 9, 16; v. 12; vi. 15; xxiv. 7; Numb. v. 26). The Targum actually translates the heading of our Psalm in this sense " The handful of frankincense, the good memorial for Israel." By mentioning frankincense the Targum limits the thought of the memorial (azkara) by excluding the sin-offering, in which case no frankincense was offered (Lev. v. 12; cf Numb. v. 26). The Targum would thus imply that Israel was 'a sweet savour, acceptable unto God.' The Septuagint (cts dva/nvijo-iv irepi aa^^drov) still further limits the thought of the azkara or memorial by the strange addition relating to the Sabbath. These words must refer to the memorial of the Shew-bread which was offered every Sabbath. Thus (Lev. xxiv. 5 — 8, R. V.) " And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth parts of an ephah shall be in one cake. And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the Lord. And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row that it may be to the bread for a memorial (azkara, avdij.vrjvr;o-is). This is our sursum corda ; God in accepting Christ has accepted Man ; the frankincense burnt on God's Altar is the pledge that the whole of the offering has been accepted by him (Heb. x. 10). "As for me— poor and needy though I be— The Lord is taking thought for me" {v. 17). The Writer of the Episde to the Hebrews shews us how the Divinely appointed "remembrance" or recognidon of sins led up to, and found its completion in, the perfect obedience of Christ (Chap. x. 3—10). PS. XL. Part I. {Probably belonging to the early days of the Return from Captivity.) Israel, like Jonah, ' I Waited and" waited for YHVH, '^waiting I has been rescued from And He hath inclined unto me '^"''"^ the Deep (Babylon) a j u j and, like Jonah, will ^"^ ^^^"^^ ""^ ^'y- now fulfil his mission 2 For He hath brought me up from the pit of tumult'', i=sept. 0/ to the World. From the miry clay; ""'"-y ¦v. 1. "/ waited and waited..." The rendering of the E.V. "/ waited patiently," suggests a virtue of patience which is not implied. The words signify the intent longing -with which Israel had endured the Captivity (cf. Ps. cxxx. 5). This longing for God had now been rewarded (cf Is. xxv. 9). There is a fine passage in the Yalkut (and Midrash) on this verse, expressing Israel's one duty of hoping against hope, even for ever (cf. Ps. cxxxi. 3). " And heard my cry.'' The word here translated cry is always used of a cry of distress (Exod. li- 23, of the cry of Israel in Egypt; I Sam. v. 12, of a plague-stricken city; Ps. xviii. fi (7) see notes; Ps. xxxiv. 15 (ifi); Ps. xxxix. 12 (13) see notes; Ps. cii. i (2); Ps. cxiv. 19; Jer. viii. 19, a cry of captivity ; Lam. iii. 56). V. 2. "For He hath brought me forth from the pit of tumult." 'The pit,' 'the mire,' 'the deep waters,' ' the waterflood,' &c. were often used in Hebrew poetry to picture Babylon, that land of waters, which like a great sea-monster had swallowed up Israel. Compare the parallel Psalm, Ixix. I, 14 f., to which this is indeed the answer. Thus the Yalkut on Zech. i. 8 interprets 'the deep' K. 21 l62 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. The Nations will be drawn to God as the only true refuge. God's mercies in the past are number less, and point to an infinity of Love yet to be revealed. And hath set my feet upon upon a rock. Giving me firm treading. 3 And hath put a New Song in my mouth, A Praise-song to our God ; Many shall see and shall fear. And shall put their trust in YHVH. 4 Oh happy is the man" that made YHVH his trust" And did not turn to the proud-ones ^ Or to apostates" with their lies. 5 Great things hast Thou done — Thou art YHVH, my God ! Thy marvels and Thy purposes to usward — There is none that compareth with Thee !— Would I tell them and speak of them ; They outnumber all recounting. " Jer. xvii. 7 ' Sept. vani ties '¦ doubtful word as Babylon, and quotes Is. xliv. 27. See also Pss. xxx. and xxxi. (pp. 126 ff.), which should be read in connexion with Part I. of the present Psalm, containing as they do the same allusions to the deliverance of Israel from Babylon as of a Jonah from the waters (cf. note on v. 4). "Giving me firm treading." Just as in the parallel Psalm (xxxi. 8), where he says. Thou "hast set my feet at lar.^e." 'And He hath put a New Song..." The "New Song" refers to the late deliverance 3, p. 140. It is a frequent thought in Deutero-Isaiah that the Gentiles His great work in the redemption of Israel from Babylon Iv. 5; Ix. 5, &c.). V. 3. from Babylon. See note on Ps. xxxiii. '-Many shall see and shall fear.. would be drawn to God by witnessing (see Isaiah xii. 5 ; xiv. 22 ; xlix. 7 ; lii. V. 4. " Oh happy is the man ihat made YHVH his trust." These words must be explained from the famous passage Jer. xvii. 5 — 7, which, as we have seen, also underlies Psalm i. The words of Jeremiah are, "Cursed is the man who trusteth in man and turneth away his heart from YHVH Blessed is the man (geber, same word as in Psalm) who trusteth in YHVH (cf V. 4 of Psalm) and YHVH becomes his trust (mibtah, same word as in Psalm)." If this passage of Jeremiah was in the writer's mind we can understand why he should have added "And did not turn to the proud-ones. Or to apostates with their lies'' Commentators differ as to the exact meaning of these latter words, but the general sense is clear : they indicate a trust in the arm of flesh instead of a trust in God. Such trust is a refuge of lies (Is. xxviii. 15, 17). The Hebrew is different, but the meaning is identical with Ps. xxxi. fi, "Thou hatest those that observe vaiti idols; But as for me..." It must be noted that these words occur in Jonah ii. 8 f. "those that observe vain idols forsake their own mercy (compare Jer. xvii. 5 — 7 quoted above) But as for me, &c." Thus we obtain another link in the chain which binds Pss. xxx., xxxi. and xl. to the Book of Jonah. The connexion of thought between verses 3 and 4 would seem to be as follows : — ' The deliverance from Babylon has not only put a new song in our mouth but it is a vindication of our God before the world : many will see it and be converted to trust in Him,* for now they see that the Prophets were right when they said that the only strength and happiness for man is to make God, and not flesh, his trust.' V. 5. "Great things, &c. " The word signifies both great and manifold. In the present passage it directs thought to the manifold mercies which God had shewn to Israel in the past (see Neh. ix. 19, 27, 28, 30, 31, 35). The thought of these manifold deliverances in the past leads naturally to the Covenant Name of PSALM XL. 163 This Love demands, fi Sacrifice and oblation Thou didst not delight" in;— "z,. 7 not sacrifice, but, love ,,. v ^ t-. j in return: I offer my- ^^"^ ^^"^ ^ast Thou opened— self to do His Will, Burnt-offering and sin-offering Thou didst not ask; 7 Then said I, " Lo I come," With the roll of the Book that is written about me, God. "Thou art YHVH (the Eternal) t/iy God!" (cf. Mal. iii. fi). All the mercies that have been shewn in the history of the Nation are but a. few utterances of the infinite mercy of the Eternal — Oh thy marvels and Thy purposes to usward! Thy "marvels" have been shewn, and they seem infinite, " Would I tell them and speak of them They outnumber all recounting." What, then, must Thy "purposes" be which still remain to usward? We may compare St Paul's use of the word 'mystery' (Eph. i. 9; iii. 9; Col. i. 26, 27, &c.) as the unfolding of a loving purpose of God. V. 6. "Sacrifice and oblation," &c. The idea that prompted sacrifice was in itself right and good, representing as it did man's tribute of gratitude to God, man's desire to give his best. But what is man's best? The Prophets recognized that sacrifice, as a. mere ritual act, was useless, and that, even at the best, it was only a stage in the education of man (see I Sam. xv. 22 ; Amos v. 21—24; Hos. vi. 6; Is. i. 11 — 13; Mic. vi. 6 — 8; Jer. vii. 22 f. ; Ps. li. ifi). The fact that sacrifice was impossible all through the long years of the Captivity tended, under God's Pro-vidence, to create a nobler idea of sacrifice as the gift of self. No doubt there was a reaction in later times, but the thought of the Suffering Servant was never afterwards lost to Israel. " Mitie ears hast Thou opened." Literally, "Ears Thou hast dug for tne." Two interpretations are given of these strange words and both seem to rae to be unsatisfactory. (i) They have been explained frora Exod. xxi. i — 6, where a slave who loved his master might dechne to accept his freedom, in which case " his master shall bore his ear with an awl ; and he shall serve him for ever." But the language here is entirely different; the word for "bore" is from a different root, and surely if the Psalmist had intended an allusion to such a custom he would have said "mine ear'' not "mine ears." (ii) The other interpretation is somewhat better, and has the authority of Cheyne and Delitzsch, viz. ' Thou hast given me the faculty of hearing and obeying Thy Will.' But against this we may argue that the Hebrew idiom for an 'open ear' requires a different verb, galah (see Job xxxiii. 16; xxxvi. 10, 15; I Sam. xx. 12; xxii. 8; II Sam. vii. 27; Ruth iv. 4, &c. ); or pathah (Is. xxxv. 5; xlviii. 8) ; or paqah (Is. xlii. 20) ; or, better still, the word used in Is. 1. 4, when the Suffering Servant says, "moming by morning He wakeneth for me the ear so as to hear," &c. Thus both interpretations are attended with difficulty ; if however the present text be correct I have no better solution to give; we must however note that the Septuagint had most certainly a different text before them when they translated o-fi/ia hi KaTijpTicrdi fioi, i.e. " a body Thou hast prepared (or made firm) for ttie." Speaking of these words (on Heb. a. 4) Dr Westcott says, "There can be no question that this is the true reading of the Greek. The conjecture that CCOM*. is an early blunder for lOTIA, (the reading of the other Greek versions) cannot be maintained in the face of the evidence." I cannot however believe that the Septuagint used these words as a free paraphrase to express the general meaning of our present Hebrew text : indeed the verb, KaT-qpTLata fioi, shews that they read V n3313 instead of *7 JTilD (see Heb. and Sept. on Ps. Ixviii. 10). If then the Septuagint, which is the oldest translation, had a different Hebrew text before them may it not be that that text represented the true reading? The Septuagint would require some such text as the following M Iti V n331D, i.e. " Then u body Thou didst prepare (or make strong) for me." The Hebrew word that I have suggested for body is twice used of Israel as the Suffering Servant, Is. 1. 6, "I gave my body to the smiters." Is. li. 23, "Thou hast laid thy body to the ground." This part of the Psalm is, as we have seen, full of the thoughts and language of Deutero-Isaiah, such a conception therefore of Israel as offering his body to suffer and fulfil God's will would be quite in accordance with the spirit of the Psalm (compare also Heb. x. 5—10, and especially the argument founded on the word body in v. 10). V. 7 f. " With the roll of the Book'' &c. If we are right iu ascribing this Psalm to the early days of the Return from Babylon then the "roll of the Book" would be the Book of Deuteronomy, 21 2 1 64 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. 8 To do Thy will, my God, I do delight", ' v- 6 And Thy Law is in my inmost heart. and thus to fulfil 9 I tell the good-news of Righteousness Israel's mission to the jj^ ^^^ f^n assembly; World. , , , , ,. Lo I withhold not my lips ; Thou, YHVH, Thou knowest it 10 Thy Righteousness I hide not within my heart ; Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation I tell ; I keep not back Thy mercy and truth From the full assembly. which, from the reforms of Josiah, had become essentially the "King's Book" (see Deut. xvii. 14^20; cf II Kings xxii. 11). This Book was to be the King's Vade Mecum, "And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this Law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites : and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life " Thus when the Psalmist pictures the happy future he sees Israel, represented by the ideal King, with God's Law in his hand as the guide of his life and written also in his heart (v. 8 of Jer. xxxi. 33) as his heart's chief joy. May we not say that the Book of Deuteronomy was in a special way Christ's Book? The way in which He used it to meet His temptations (Matt. iv. 4, 7, 10) and to sum up the whole duty of raan (Matt. xxii. 37 ; Luke x. 27 ; Mark xii. 29) would seem to shew that He had literally raade it a constant study, and though He does not hesitate to go beyond its precepts (Matt. v. 31 ; xix. 7 f. ; cf. Deut. xxiv. i ; Matt. v. 43 ; cf. Deut. xxiii. 6), yet even so He is only obeying the spirit of Deuteronomy by insisting on a deeper interpretation of the love of God and man. The rendering of the Sept. and Vulgate, which may be translated " At the head of the Book " directed Patristic thought to the protevangelium, some writers (e.g. St Jerome, St Ambrose) referring it to the opening words of the Bible, " In the beginning God created," &c. (Gen. i. i) ; others (e.g. Theophylact) to the words, "Let us make man in our Image..." (Gen. i. 26); others again (e.g. St Isidore) find the first promise of the Incarnation in Gen. i. 23, " This is now bone of my bone," &c. (see Neale's Comraentary and Suicer s.v. /ce^aXis). St Jerorae also finds an allusion to the first verse of St John's Gospel, for, in his coraraent on this Psalm he writes, " propterea laetus in mundum venio. Et de me scribitur : ' In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum'" (Comment, in Psalmos, Morin, p. 45). May it not be that this interpretation influenced the words with which the writer to the Hebrews introduces the quotation of the text in Heb. a. 5 ff. ? "Therefore when He entereth into the world. He saith, ' Sacrifice and offering ' Then said I, Lo, I come, in the roll of the Book (or at the (very) head of the Book) it is written of Me, to do Thy will, O God." w. 9. "/ tell the Good-News of Righteousness." Even if this verse stood alone it would abundantly prove the influence of Deutero-Isaiah. This argument will appeal chiefly to the Hebrew scholar, but the English reader should compare Is. xii. 27; xlii. 6; Ixi. i. PSALM XL. 165 Two verses added by a later Editor who wished to adapt the above Psattn to the needs of his own time and to unite it with an earlier Psalm, of the time of Jeremiah. But alas the actual n O YHVH do not Thou" "withhold"" Thy mercy from me, " emphatic Let "Thy mercy and truth "=" ever preserve me: ° "• 9 12 For evils have compassed me "beyond number''," ^ Mine iniquities^ overtake me, c ^^ pimish- So that I cannot see, ""^"'^ They "outnumber^" the hairs of my head, '^-5 And mine heart hath failed me. is still far from the ideal ! Part II. {An independent Psalm which occurs again as Ps. Ixx. and which probably belongs to the times of Jeremiah) 13 "Be pleased, O YHVH, to deliver me; O YHVH speed to my help. vv. II, 12. Just as Isaiah once took an old prophecy of Israel's glory in the latter days (Is. "¦ I — 4) and then, in the verses that follow, sharply contrasted this ideal with Israel's sad present, so, I suggest, a later Psalmist, possibly during the troubles of the Persian period, to have taken this Psalm of Lsrael's ideal, and to have held it up before God as a plea for mercy. I have placed in inverted commas the words in which he alludes to that earlier Psalm. Thus, in that earlier Psalm, Israel had so overflowed with God's "mercy and truth" that he could not "withhold his lips" from utterance (yv. 9, 10), but now, alas, instead of giving to the heathen he must pray to receive for himself (v. 11). In that earlier Psalm God's mercies had been "beyond number" (v. 5); but now Israel can see nothing but "evils'' and sorrows which are "beyond tiutnber," nay which " outnutiiber" the hairs of his head (y. 12). Another point of connexion, not obvious to the English reader, lies in the emphatic use of Thou in v. 11; and also in the rare word which we translate "compassed" in v. 12. The locus classicus for the use of this word is Jonah ii. 5 (6), " The waters compassed me," &c. : but we have already seen that Part I. is full of the thought of Jonah (see notes on vv. 2, 4). 'w. 13 — 17. These verses occur again in the Elohistic Psalra Ixx. with slight various readings, all of which might be accounted for as mistakes of spelling. If the reader will verify the references to Ps. xxxv. he will see that the standpoint of these verses is exactly that of the former Psalm, which, as we have seen, is so strongly influenced by Jeremiah. The reader is also asked to notice the close correspondence between the Psalms which form the closing group of Book l. and those which close Book 11. We shall return to this point when we come to consider those Psalms in their proper place in the Second Collection. V. 13. This verse, which is practically identical with the ist verse of Ps. Ixx., is there translated by the Vulgate "Deus, in adjutorium meura intende : Doraine, ad adjuvandum rae festina." These words were adopted in the Sarum use as the Versicles after the Lord's Prayer at Matins : indeed, as Blunt shews (Annotated Book of Common Prayer), "These versicles and responses have been used time imraemorial as the opening of the daily service of praise which the Church i66 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. 14 Let them be shamed" and confounded together That are seeking my soul [to destroy it]''; Let them be turned backward and disgraced That find pleasure in my misfortune "- 16 Let them be dumbfounded* to their shame That say [unto me] " Aha, Aha= 1 " 16 Let all that seek Thee be joyful and glad in Thee ; Let them that love Thy salvation ever say, "YHVH be magnified V 17 As for mes — poor and needy — The Lord'' taketh thought' for me. My Helper, my Deliverer Thou art: My God, do not delay!" ¦¦ Ps. xxxv. 26 b omitted ir parallel texl " Ps. xxxv. ¦zt "¦ turned back ward in pa rallel text " Ps. xxxv. 21, ' Ps. xxxv. 27 s Ps. xxxv. 1 3 ¦^ Adonai ' anotherread- ing in paral lel text continually offers to God." Blunt quotes an old exposition of these versicles as follows: "And take heed that all this verse, both that part which is said of one alone, and that which is answered of all together, are said in the singular number : as when ye say ' mine ' or ' me ' and not ' our ' or ' us,' in token that ye begin your praising and prayer in the person of holy Church, which is one, and not many." So in the old English Prymer the singular number was retained, " God, take heede to rayn help : Lord hie thee to help me"; but in the revision of 1552 the pronouns were changed to the plural, V. "O God, make speed to save us R. O Lord, make haste to help us." Would it not be well for our Public Worship if, having learnt the lesson of individualism, we could once more take up the older thought of the solidarity of the Church? In passing I may remark that the juxtaposition of these Versicles is most suggestive. First we have a verse whose context points to the unsatisfactory nature of any sacrifice man can offer (Ps. li. 15, see context), and this is followed by the verse we have already quoted from Ps. Ixx., the Psalra of the 'Memorial' or 'Remembrance.' Blunt well says that these Versicles "are the Sursum Corda of the Daily Service." PSALM XLI. 167 PSALM XLI. Psalm xii., like Ps. xl., is a theodicy. As in Ps. xl. we saw Israel fulfiUing his Duty to God, yet not finding at once the reward he might have looked for, so in Ps. xii. we find him fulfilling his Duty to man, yet without the promised reward of earthly happiness. It consists of three Parts, which are closely related to one another. Part I has 3 verses (a, b, c). Part II has 6 verses, which so correspond with Part I that they may be represented by «i, b.^, Cj, a^, b,^, c^ (see notes). Part III has 3 verses which answer both to Parts I and II, and which may therefore be represented by a^, b^, c^. Part I gives, in a bold sketch, the promise of Deuteronomy, with special reference to the Second' Table of the Covenant, the Duty to man. Israel has fulfilled this duty, he has been merciful. How then stands the promise? Surely he should obtain mercy, and should inherit the Land {vv. i — 3). Part II (vv. 4—9) contrasts this promise with the sad reality. Israel, the merciful, has found on earth anything but mercy (see notes) : Job's experience is repeated in his case. In Part III (vv. 10 — 12) Israel appeals, like Job, from the cruelty of man to the faithfulness of God. Such I believe to be, historically, the origin of the Psalm, which, like others of this group, should be studied with constant reference to the Book of Job. Compared with the Nations of the World Israel represented the virtue of humanity, 7nan as contrasted with the beasts (Dan. vn., v. 3 fif. : v. 13), this Psalm therefore, while giving the experience of Israel, is well fitted to depict the reception that the Christ would meet, not from Judas only, but from an ungrateful world. When once we have realized that the problems which were fought out in the experience of Israel as a Nation were solved in the personal experience of Christ we shall obtain that light on social and national duties which our own age is feeling after. ^ The reader will observe that Ps. xl., on the contrary, deals rather with the Duty to God, i.e. with the First Table of the Covenant. i68 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. PS. XLI. The merciful man (Israel) should find mercy and happiness on earth. (a) I Happy is he who is considerate for the afflicted ; YHVH will deliver him in the evil day: (b) 2 YHVH will guard him and give him life. That he may be happy in the Land ; Nor wilt Thou give him up to his foes' desire: (c) 3 YHVH will support him on the couch of languishing ; Thou turnest all his bed for him in sickness. But I (Israel) have found just the re verse ! («i) 4 But I say, YHVH be gracious unto me ! Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee. V. 1. "Happy is..." It is unfortunate for the English reader that this word which occurs twenty-five times in the Psalter should have been translated in the E.V. by the word "blessed" nineteen times, and six times by the word "happy," which is the true meaning. The Hebrew has two distinct words for "happy" and "blessed," and though in the Jewish mind the two thoughts were more nearly related than they were with us, still the distinction should always be observed ; indeed if in the present passage we were to translate "Blessed is..." we should lose the whole point of the passage, which is to indicate that earthly prosperity and happitiess is the natural result which Israel had been led to expect in return for acts of kindness to the afflicted. If we omit the Preface (Pss. i., ii.) which begins and ends with this word (Ps. i. i ; ii. 12), we note that it occurs six times in the First Collection, and that these six instances are in, what we may call, the present group of Psalms (xxxii. i, 2; xxxiii. 12; xxxiv. 8 (9); xl. 4 (5); xh. I (2)). The key-note to all these passages is Deut. xxxiii. 29, "Happy art thou, O Israel... O people saved by YHVH." Thus in Ps. xxxii. 1, 2 we have the happiness of the Nation for whom God has found Atonement : in Ps. xxxiii. 1 2 the happiness of the People He has chosen for His own heritage : in Ps. xxxiv. 8 (see p. 32) the whole experience of life is used to point the moral that the Covenant-keeping People will "never lack one good thing": in Ps. xl. 4 (see note) we come to the happiness of Israel, rewarded because he "made YHVH his trust." We note that this passage, like Ps. i., is founded upon Jer. xvii. 5 — 7 (where, however, Jeremiah does not say "Happy is the man..." but "Blessed is the man..." Perhaps his own experience had taught him the distinction?) We also saw that in Ps. xl. (Part i.) Israel was filled with the spirit of philanthropy, the spirit indeed of Deutero-Isaiah. If, before the Captivity, he had been a Jonah in his exclusiveness, now, after his deliverance, he is a Jonah iu his missionary zeal. He has then been "considerate for the afflicted," and now at length raay expect in return the favour of God and the gratitude of man. This is the subject of Ps. xii. i — 3. The best comment is Job xxix. 12 ff where the same problem is discussed, " I delivered the poor that cried. The fatherless also that had none to help him Then I said I shall die in my nest. And I shall multiply my days as the sand: My root is spread out to the waters (cf Jer. xvii. 5 — 7) &c.... but now" &c. (see Chap, xxx) 2/. 2. " That he may be happy in the Land." — The Second Table of the Covenant relates t the Duty to man. The reward of this Second Table is to inherit the Land. Israel has fiilfill H this Duty and has reason to expect the promise of Deuteronomy. V. 4. "But I say..." The thought is exactly similar to that of Job xxx. i, quoted above (note w 1 There is a relation between the verses i — 3 and 4 — 9 which may be indicated thus : — PSALM XLI. 169 (^1) s My foes bespeak evil for me ; "When will he die and his name perish.?" (ci) 6 If he visit me he speaketh falsehood, His heart gathereth to itself slander; When he goeth forth he utters it. (a.^) 7 They all whisper together — these haters of mine ; Against me, they think that the evil is mine": (62) 8 " Some heavy crime is cleaving to him. And now he is down he will never again rise." (ca) 9 Even my familiar friend whom I trusted — He that eateth my bread — hath lifted the heel against me. "¦ Job xi. fi ; xxii. 5 ff. ; Is. Iiii. 4 But, in spite of all, {a^) 10 But Thou, YHVH, be gracious and raise me up my hope is in God. g^ ^.j^^^ j ^^^ reward'' them. w. 1—3. / had reasonably expected. (a) V. I. Forgiveness of sins (cf. ihe evil day). (b) V. 2. Protection from foes and long, happy life in the Land of Proraise. (c) V. 3. Comfort and support on the bed of sickness. vv. 6 — 9. I have found, on the contrary. (aj, flj) '"- 4 "''''i '"¦ ?• '^^^ sense of sin op presses me, and is burdened by the unkind judgments of men. (i5i, ^2) '"¦ 5 with V. 8. Foes count on my speedy death and think it the fit reward of sorae great crirae ! (ci, (Tj) V. 6 with V. 9. Sick-bed visitors indeed ! Job's comforters ! Even my own trusted friend ! V. g. "Evetl my fattiiliar frietid..." Literally "the man of tny peace^ a phrase found in Jeremiah (xx. 10; xxxviii. 22). The reader will again notice the famous passage Jer. xx. to which we have had occasion to refer so frequently in this group of Psalms. The only other passage in which this phrase is found is in the Prophecy of Obadiah against Edom, a prophecy which occurs also in Jer. xlix. 7 — 22. The words (Obad. v. 7) are as follows: — "All the men of thy covenant have deceived thee ; thy familiar friends (men of thy peace) have prevailed against thee ; thy very bread(eaters) have put a wound on thee.'' Edora has been faithless to his 'brother' Israel and will himself experience the ingratitude that he has shewn. We are not to think of an individual traitor like Ahithophel, but rather of an Edom who in the hour of Israel's hurailiation was false to the ties of blood (cf. Ps. cxxxvii. 7 ; Lara. iv. 22). This desertion, which was so keenly felt by Israel, was experienced in all its fulness by our Lord, who quotes this verse (St John xiii. 18). V. 10. The Midrash on this verse is worth translating. It is as follows: — "'And Thou YHVH be gracious unto tne atid raise me up again, that I may requite them.' He said to him, 'David, what wouldst thou requite thera? evil?' He answered, 'God forbid! for as for me, when they were sick my clothing was sackcloth (Ps. xxxv. 13), but when I ara sick they pray for rae that I may die; yet when they are sick I pray for them and cover myself with sackcloth, / afflict my sold with fasting.' They said to him, ' David, who knows what that sackcloth meant, and what it was that thou didst pray for them?' He answered, 'If so let it come upon myself, and let my prayer return into mine own bosom (Ps. xxxv. 13), therefore (I say). Thou, YHVH, be gracious unto me.' Then the Holv One blessed be He, said, ' Seeing that thou hast done this I know indeed that thou hast pleasure in Me.'" K. " " Contrast Ps. xxxv. 12 ; xxxviii. 20 (21) I70 FIRST COLLECTION, 'DAVIDIC PSALMS. (^3) II Hereby shall I know that Thou hast pleasure in me. In that my foe does not triumph over me. (cs) 12 As for me, in mine integrity Thou upholdest me, And settest me before Thy Face for ever. Ascriptionofpraise, 13 Blessed be YHVH, the God of Israel, to close Book I. From Aeon to Aeon ! Amen and Amen ! vv. 10—12. The general relation of these verses, which we have called Part III., to the expectation of Israel (Part I.) as contrasted with the actual experience of Israel (Part II.), may be shewn in a paraphrase as follows : — -i/. 10 with vv. I, 4 and 7. 'I, the merciful,_ looked indeed for mercy (a). But, on earth, men did their utmost to shut out the mercy of heaven (a^ with a^). But, in spite of this I can still say, "be gracious unto me" (cf. v. 10 with v. 4). I know that Thou wilt raise me up, even though it be from the gates of death, and I, the merciful, shall reward them.' [N.B. It is quite possible that on the lips of the Psalmist these last words denoted vengeance: but if so he fell short of his own ideal of the merciful man. The Christian will best interpret the spirit of the words by reading them in the spirit of Christ.] V. II with vv. -i, 5 and 8. 'I, the merciful, looked for long and happy days in the Land, shielded from enemies (b). But, on earth, enemies were all round me, not only gloating over my troubles, but, hardest of all, claiming them to spring from the anger of my God against some horrible sin of mine (^1 with b.^. But, in spite of this, I commit my cause to God: He will shew openly before the world that He does take pleasure in me' (v. 11). V. 12 with vv. 3, 6 and 9. 'I, having shewn raercy to others, looked for corafort and support in my own sickness (c). But, on earth, my sick-bed visitors merely watched me for evil (c^, and those that should have been bound to me by every sacred tie were ready to spurn me with the heel (cj). But, in spite of all this, God is ray support (cf. v. 12 with v. 3). He upholds me, so that I am not alone; He sets me before His Face for ever, so that the old promise finds in my case a deeper meaning, "Thou turnest all his bed for him in sickness."' CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED BY J. AND C. F. CLAY, AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 9002 08837 4591