to bear, "For before thee shall no living one be justified"—not one of all descended from Adam. (Compare - here with Gen. iii. 20, where Eve's posterity get that name after the Fall.) But my appeal is thy "truth and righteousness," which are engaged to carry me through; and my need of help is great,

"For the foe is pursuing (7) my soul!” (ver. 3.)

And then, as if overtaken in the pursuit, he cries, "He has smitten my life to the ground! He has made me dwell in deep darkness, like one eternally dead (Hengst.); and my spirit is overwhelmed (Ps. cii., title, and cxlii. 4) within me; my heart in the midst of me is desolate."

At ver. 5, there is a gleam of light through the "darkness;" he recalls to mind God's love manifested to Israel in former days.

66

At ver. 6, there is a renewed appeal to the Lord's pity, drawn from his state, resembling a weary land"—(like Isa. xxxii. 2)—a land where a traveller is exhausted by the rough roads and crooked paths, and goes on under the oppressive heat of the sun's intolerable rays. It was thus our Surety learned by experience to sympathise with us; and thus it was he became the "shadow of a great rock in a weary land." He here calls the Father to notice his self-emptying and humiliation, while bearing wrath for our sins

"My soul is to thee as a weary land."

At ver. 7 and 9, he seeks speedy relief; and the clause, " Make me to know the path I should walk in," is similar to the "If it be possible" of his prayer in the garden. In the case of one of his members, the words have of course a different application, and yet one resembling this in the circumstance that it is a petition for guidance under our personal difficulties.

At ver. 10, do we not hear, "Not my will, but thine be done," mingled with the filial accents of confidence, "My God!"

The

But at ver. 11, 12, the prospect opens out on future glory. Spirit, that same eternal Spirit" by whom he offered himself without spot to God, shall lead him forth from these scenes, and place him

"In the land of uprightness."

The land of plainness (?), a land where no wickedness of men, and malice of Satan, vex the soul from day to day; a land where no rough paths and crooked turns lengthen out the traveller's weary ourney (see ver. 5); but where all is like the smooth pasture-lands of Reuben (Deut. iii. 10, John xiii. 9), a fit place for flocks to lie down. "Thy Spirit" will do this in his love, when “. my Spirit" (ver. 7), my overwhelmed human soul, seemeth ready to fail. Thou wilt be to me what thou wert to David, in "bringing his soul out of all distress (1 Kings i. 29), and establishing him on his throne. All foes shall be Is not this the kingdom come, and its King And is not this a song alike for the Head and the members?

(.תַּצְמִית) extirpated

exalted?

A Psalm for Head and members, when feeling the heat of the weary land.

PSALM CXLIV.

The Spirit of the Lord spake by David the words of this song, when the king felt his need of the King of kings to subdue the turbulent and proud spirits who were ambitious of distinction (ver. 2), as well as to conquer the nations of idolaters who hated God's anointed (ver. 7-11.) The Spirit leads him back to the day when he sang Ps. xviii. (see ver. 1-2), delivered from Saul and other foes; and still further back to the quiet night when the strains of Ps. viii. ascended to the ear of Jehovah (see ver. 3); but He does not fail also to lead him forward to a future day, when earth shall witness its millennial scenes, among which not the least wonderful and refreshing shall be Israel in all the restored plenty of his last times, with the favour of Jehovah over all. In all this, David was the type of Christ.

Jehovah's 's grace to man is the theme of ver. 1, 2; that expression, "My goodness," ", may be understood as if declaring that all the kindness or mercy that is in God is made over to his own people; q. d., all in thee that is kind is my property.

of

Man's unworthiness and littleness are the theme of ver. 3, 4-the contrast to the preceding verse. The Hebrew of ver. 4, 66 man is a vapour," reads suggestively, recalling the disappointment of the first family on earth; q. d., all come of Adam are as sure to disappoint, and to be disappointed, in the fond hopes cherished concerning them, as Abel, so short-lived, and untimely in his end.

God's strength laid hold upon by his own against foes is the theme of ver. 5-8. The God of Sinai is remembered in ver. 5; and the ease with which he can overwhelm his foes is expressed, ver. 6, 66 Lighten with lightning," and forthwith they are scattered (dorpaуоv ảσтρаπην. Sept.) The "right hand of falsehood," ver. 8, expresses the violation of solemn oaths and engagements, in ratifying which the right hand was lifted up to heaven. (Gen. xiv. 22, &c.) With majesty and might, with lightning and fire like this, shall the Lord appear, when he arises at last to the final conflict.

Praise and prayer, in prospect of victory, form the matter of ver. 9-11. And here "The New Song" is mentioned, which "New Song" is ever sung by one whose eye is on that vail which was rent-looking either at the Saviour going in with the sacrifice, or coming out the second time to bless.

The happy scene to be witnessed, when these desires are responded to, is the subject of ver. 12, to the end. Do all this for us, in answer to

our desire;

"That our sons may be as plants (of the palm-tree,

VOL. VIII.

says the Targum),

Vigorously shooting up in their youth;

Our daughters like corner-columns,
Polished like a palace."

T

These are the choice of men! Each one full of life and beauty, walking before the Lord.

"Our granaries full, supplying one kind of food after another;"

like Egypt in Joseph's days. There is a scene of plenty, as if the curse were lifted off the soil.

"Our flocks increased to thousands,

Increased to thousands in our fields." (in Job v. 10).

Here are the pastures peopled with their appropriate tenants, and a scene of peaceful plenty set before us. And then follow the yoked cattle, carrying their loads through the streets-a token of busy com

merce.

"No breach" in the tribes, like Judg. xxi. 15; or in individuals, like Uzzah, 2 Sam. vi. 8.

"No going forth" to war.

"No cry," like that in Isa. xxiv. 11, over disasters.

Happy days when these scenes are realised! Happy people who shall enjoy them! Men shall in that day exclaim with Balaam, “How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob !"—or rather, all shall then unite in tracing the blessing to its fountain-head,

"Blessed are the people whose God is Jehovah."

Every member of Christ may take up this psalm in behalf of his own country and people—yea, in behalf of our common humanity, praying for the day when all earth shall enjoy these blessings, by enjoying Jehovah as their God. It is a prospect that awaits the world when Christ returns; and our expectation of such happiness in reserve for our world is kept alive by a song like this—

A song of David, and David's Lord, in prospect of the prosperity Jehovah brings to his own.

PSALM CXLV.

A Hymn of Praise concerning the Reign of Jehovah, and His Kingdom.

A Davidic and an alphabetic psalm. In regard to its alphabetic structure, it has one peculiarity, viz., the "nun" is omitted; the reason of which may be, that (as we have seen in some other psalms of this structure) by means of that, or some other such omission, he might be kept from putting stress on the mere form of the composition.

It is peculiar, also, in its title; indeed, quite unique-"Of David; praise." The word is . Some render this “ a hymn;" others, such as Hengstenberg, "a praise-song," differing in this from the , the "prayer-song." It is prayer turned into praise. Patrick remarks, that the term seemed so peculiar and excellent, that it was

given from this psalm to the whole book, which is entitled by the Jews the book of Bythner has this note on the word—" So called because it is throughout nothing but the celebration of God; so that the ancient Jews used to say, that the man was already enjoying the felicity of the age to come who daily recited it three times with the mouth and heart."

We are getting now beyond the region of other themes; all in the remaining psalms is praise, praise ;—and this title is an appropriate introduction to the closing group of praise-psalms; nor is its burden less appropriate, for, being a song of the kingdom, it ushers us into the region of eternal praise.

What a song in the lips of Christ for the Father's ear! What a song to soothe his own soul, when still "Man of sorrows!" For the prospect is presented here of the kingdom being made manifest, so that all shall see the glory of the Lord. It is a psalm that gathers up much of the excellency of former psalms; and so truly is the style of royalty and the manner of a kingdom in it, that we find, in after days, the writer of the Book of Esther using expressions regarding the king and kingdom of Media and Persia, that bear a striking analogy to the terms employed by the psalmist-only the one speaks of the earthly, the other of the heavenly throne.

1. The harp extols Jehovah for what he is, in ver. 1-3, “My God, O King!"-rather, My God, who art "THE KING." It is much more emphatic than Ps. v. 3, "My God, and my King;" here he is sung of as the only King. We are reminded at once of Ps. xlv. 2, "My words concern the King."

"Yes, let me bless (7272) thy name for ever and ever" (comp.

1 Pet. i. 3, &c.)

Every day will I bless thee (comp. Ps. xix. 2);

Yes, let me praise (q. d., let me hallelujah) thy name for ever and ever!

Great is Jehovah; and (b) worthy to be praised ! "

How many terms of adoration and honour! praise, praise, is on his lips; the harp-strings will utter nothing but praise; for "of his greatness there is no searching out" (comp. Job v. 9).

2. The harp extols the deeds that shew Jehovah's name, in ver. 4-6.

"Generation to generation shall commend his works.
Yea, they shall declare his mighty acts."

66

Compare Ps. xix. 2, day unto day" uttering the Lord's praise in creation; but here it is both creation-works and redemption-wonders that are shewn. For cannot fail to remind us of the acts of Him who overthrew Israel's foes, and of Him whose name is, "Mighty One" (Ps. xlv. 3), and "Mighty God" (Isa. ix. 6). His mighty acts, in establishing his kingdom on earth, upon the ruins of

Antichrist's dominion, shall form part of the theme.

And that is the

time when, in a special sense, the next clause shall be understood.

Of the majesty of glory (which is) thy beauty,

And of the chronicles of thy wondrous acts, let me speak."

Oh how his beauty shall burst forth when the King appears with his many crowns! And if Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, amid gorgeous splendour, suggested to his people to cry, "A god, not a man!" what shall creation feel at this sight? The Lord's beauty, Ti (a word applied to creature-beauty in Hos. xiv. 6, Zech. x. 3), is here emphatically exalted beyond comparison by the addition of "the glory of thy beauty;" ay, and "the majesty of the glory." And then the "Chronicles (7) of thy wondrous acts" is a term applied in 1 Chron. xxvii. 24, 1 Kings xi. 41, to the acts of Solomon and David, the journals or records made of their deeds; even as it is, in Esther vi. 1, to the king of Persia. The terms all bear reference to royalty and govern

ment.

"And they shall speak of the overwhelming might (Y) of thy terrible acts;"

done in past days, such as Israel has delighted to tell to their children (Ps. lxxviii. 4), even such as He did at the Red Sea (Exod. xv. 11, , as here.)

"And thy greatness; I will recount it!"

As if, while other men are uttering the praise, the psalmist had caught up the theme, as one which he must have part in-that "greatness spoken of 1 Chron. xvii. 19, when he sat before the Lord—that royal greatness which a Persian king's wealth and magnificence faintly pointed to. (Esther i. 4, "excellency of his greatness.”)

3. The harp extols Jehovah's past manifestation of his gracious character, in ver. 7-9. The first words in ver. 7 are, 66 They shall pour out (as from a gushing spring, Ps. xix. 2) the memory of thy great goodness"); and perhaps we ought to understand the clause as asserting that the Lord's "great goodness" is itself the " 7" the thing to be remembered concerning him-his memorial, as in Exod. iii. 15, Ps. cii. 12. And then there is allusion to Exod. xxxiv. 6, Numb. xiv. 8, in ver. 8; for the God who was thus gracious in the wilderness to his people remains the same evermore. This is He who at Calvary, in his incarnate Son, manifested his gracious name. We now turn to the sacrifice of Calvary, as best displaying his great goodness in this memorial:

"The Lord is good to every one;

And his yearning bowels are over all his works."

He attends to individual souls, and yet also bends, like the blue sky, over all his universe in mercy. His mercies, like the rainbow, span We see this at the rock of Horeb (Exod. xxxiv.); but we

the world.