Joel 2. 27.

Zech. 2. 5, &c.

Num. 14. 9.
Josh. 2.9.

2 Chron. 13. 12.

Num. 23. 23, 24.
Josh. 11. 20.

Ps. 76. 3.
Isai. 2. 4.

1 Chron. 29. 11. Jer. 16. 9.

Rom. 8. 31, 33.

5 God is in the midst of her, therefore shall she not be removed [moved]: God shall help her, and that, right early.

6 The heathen make much ado, and the kingdoms are moved; but God hath shewed his voice, and the earth shall melt away [melted]. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge [an high place for us].

8 0 come hither, and behold the works of the Lord, what destruction he hath brought upon the earth.

9 He maketh wars to cease in all the world: he breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spear in sunder, and burneth the chariots in the fire.

10 Be still, then, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, and I will be exalted in the earth.

11 The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge.

5 And that, right early. The assistance, which is rendered, as well as any thing, which is done, without waiting even for the sun to have fully risen, must, of course, proceed from a willing and anxious disposition. Jer. vii. 13, 25. Perhaps the Psalmist wished to say, that God would come to the succour of Jerusalem before any enemy was awake to annoy her.

66

6 The earth, &c. The heathen inhabitants of the earth melted away (see on Psalm cxvi. 10.) with fear, at the sound of the thunder, as wax melteth at the fire." Psalm xxix. 3, 4: LXviii. 2.

See on Psalm xxiv. 10.

7 The Lord of hosts. 8 0 come hither, &c. Supposing the Psalm to have been written in grateful return for victory, this is an exhortation of the pious Israelites one to another, to hasten into the field of battle, and see what glorious things God had done for their nation by the destruction of its enemies, who were all one heap of ruin.

9 And burneth, &c. To burn the chariots of war, and, indeed, anything, which belonged to conquered enemies, was, like the circumstances previously mentioned in this verse, a sign of complete victory, and, consequently, of the perfect re-establishment of peace. Josh. xi. 6. Ezek. xxxix. 9.

10 Be still, then, &c. Thus Jehovah, either addresses his chosen people, whom he had so wonderfully protected, and whom he exhorts to rely unhesitatingly upon him; or he discourages the defeated heathen from making any further hostile attempts against the objects. of His favor.

Evening Prayer.

PSALM XLVII.

Ir is generally agreed, that the present Psalm was composed on the removal of the ark, for this event was attended with much solemnity, with great rejoicing, and with a variety of music. Nevertheless, some doubt exists as to the particular removal, to which it is to be referred; whether it was that, when David brought the ark from the home of Obed-edom unto Sion (2 Sam. vi. 15), or when Solomon took it thence to the temple, which he had built for it on mount Moriah. The latter opinion is, however, deemed the more probable one, inasmuch as the fifth verse seems to coincide better with the magnificent description occurring, 2 Chron. v. 13. The Psalmist calls upon "all the people" to celebrate so glorious a festival, (which, it may be remarked, was typical of Christ's ascension into heaven,) and to proclaim aloud the praises of Jehovah.

CLAP your hands together, all ye people: O sing unto God with the voice of melody. 2 For the Lord is high, and to be feared; he is the great King upon [over] all the earth. 3 He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.

4 He shall choose out an heritage for us, even the worship [excellency] of Jacob, whom

he loved.

1 All ye people. The Psalmist's address may be solely to the large assembly from among the several tribes of his nation, which was then present. See on Psalm xcvi. 7. But, perhaps, he invites the whole world to partake in his brethren's joy, since each part of it would, in due time, have a share in the benefits and blessings of that glorious day. Ver. 9.

2 The Lord is high. See on Psalm xxi. 13.

3 Under our feet. See on Psalm viii. 6.- He shall subdue, &c. If, as has been suggested, the Psalmist here commemorates the subjugation of the Canaanitish nations to the Israelites, we have now an instance of a future, used for a past, tense, as is undoubtedly the case in the following verse. See on Psalm cxvi. 10.

4 He shall choose out, &c. By thus condescending to dwell among us, it is plain, that God, who originally selected this land of Canaan for our inheritance, designs to honor it with his peculiar protection, and to render it our permanent abode : coming, too, as it does, by special appointment, from Him to the posterity "of Jacob, whom he loved," it constitutes the source of our just pride, and, being " the glory of all lands" (Ezek. xx. 15), causes us to excel every other people.

Ephes. 4. 8, &c.

Isai. 33. 22.

5 God is gone up with a merry noise [a shout], and the Lord with the sound of the trump.

6 O sing praises, sing praises unto our God: Ephes. 5. 18, &c. O sing praises, sing praises unto our King.

Zech. 14. 9.

1 Chron. 16. 31. Rev. 19. 6.

Rom. 4. 11, 12.
Rev. 11. 15.

7 For God is the King of all the earth, sing ye praises with understanding.

8 God reigneth over the heathen: God situpon his holy seat [the throne of his holi

teth

ness.

9 The princes of the people are joined unto the people of the God of Abraham; for God, which is very high exalted, doth defend the earth, as it were, with a shield.

PSALM XLVIII.

THIS is one of the Psalms, which cause us greatly to lament the absence of all definite information, with respect to the historical allusions contained in them. The subject appears to be the providential deliverance of Jerusalem from a threatened siege, by a panic, which seized the army of certain confederate princes, when they had come within sight of the city. Some persons imagine the Psalm to be applicable to the dedication of the second temple.

Isai. 2. 2, 3.
Zech. 8. 3.

GRE

hill.

REAT is the Lord, and highly to be praised, in the city of our God, even upon his holy

5 The trump. Trumpets were much used in the religious solemnities of the Israelites, and are particularly noticed in the enumeration of musical instruments, when Solomon brought the ark into the temple. Psalm LXXXi. 3.

6 O sing praises, &c. It was customary to go out and meet kings and conquerors with songs and dances: so Miriam met Moses, Exod. xv. 20,21; and the Israelitish women, Saul and David, 1 Sam. xviii. 6, 7. 7 For. See on Psalm xvi. 9.—With understanding. "All skilful praises sing." Not in a mere chance manner, but with a song of praise duly and properly composed.

9 The princes, &c. The Psalmist predicts the union of the Gentiles and Israelites, and mentions it with the same confidence, as if "the middle wall of partition” had been already broken down. Ephes. ii. 14. Three times each year every male was commanded to appear before the Lord in his temple, under a distinct promise, that, during this unavoidable absence, He would himself become the effectual guardian of their land. Exod. xxiii. 17: xxxiv. 23, 24. The heathen kings, therefore, are supposed to have now come up to Jerusalem, to worship there in company with the children of Abraham, leaving their various countries in the interval, to the protection of Jehovah, as their common parent. See on Psalm v. 13.

1 In the city, &c. The writer, probably, alludes to the upper

2 The hill of Sion is a fair place [beautiful | Jer. 8. 19. for situation], and the joy of the whole earth: Ezek. 20. 6. upon the north side lieth the city of the great King: God is well known in her palaces as a sure refuge.

3 For, lo, the kings of the earth are gathered, and gone by together:

4 They marvelled to see such things: they were astonished, and suddenly cast down:

5 Fear came there upon them, and sorrow [pain], as upon a woman in her travail. 6 Thou shalt break the ships of the sea through the east wind.

Isai. 29. 8.

Rev. 17. 14.

2

Kings 7. 6, 7,

Acts 6. 10.

Jam. 4. 6, 7.

Nah. 1. 6.

7 Like as we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God upholdeth the same for ever.

Ps. 44. 1.

Mic. 4. 1.

portion of the city of Jerusalem, which had been built by David on mount Sion, and was, consequently, often called by his name. Mount Sion was in the tribe of Judah.

2 And the joy, &c. "The hill of Sion" is styled the delight of all the Israelites "from Dan even to Beer-sheba," as well, because it was the place, which Jehovah had chosen to put his name there, as because it was the seat of the royal house of David. Psalm cxxii. 4, 5.- -The city, &c. The lower and more ancient part of Jerusalem lay in the tribe of Benjamin, to the north of mount Sion. Matt. v. 35. It may be asked, why a fact so inconsiderable is mentioned? It occurred, apparently, to shew the great security of Sion, inasmuch as that mountain, almost inaccessible on any other side, was here defended by an exceedingly strong city. Yet, though the Psalmist records this, as a material circumstance, he proves, that he did not confide in the strength of earthly means of safety, but in the divine presence and protection, which guarded the sacred hill.

3 The kings, &c. See on Psalm xxxii. 4. The heathen princes "were assembled" (Bib. ver.) with the design of taking the city; but, either not finding themselves strong enough to accomplish their intention, or, which is much more probable, being struck with a panic, “they passed by” with their united forces, and left it unassailed. 4 Such things. Such strong works and fortifications.

6 Thou shalt break, &c. As a furious east wind suddenly dashes to pieces" the ships of the sea," so suddenly did the Almighty fill the heathen kings with unexpected terror and amazement. The east wind, now known by the name of a Levanter, is particularly tempestuous and dangerous to sailors in the Mediterranean sea. Illustrations of this kind are introduced by the sacred writers, sometimes with the mark of comparison, but frequently, as here, without it. Psalm Lxiii. 2: LXXviii. 40.

7 The Lord of hosts. See on Psalm xxiv. 10.

Isai. 26. 8.
Luke 2. 27, 38.

Mal. 1. 11.

Matt. 16. 18.

Judg. 5. 31.

8 We wait for thy loving-kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.

9 O God, according to thy name, so is thy praise, unto the world's end: thy right hand is full of righteousness.

10 Let the mount Sion rejoice, and the 2 Chron. 20. 26, 27. daughter of Judah be glad, because of thy

Neh. 12. 27.

Matt. 24. 1, 2.

Deut. 11. 18, &c.

Isai. 58. 11.

judgments.

I Walk about Sion, and go round about her, and tell the towers thereof:

12 Mark well her bulwarks; set up her houses, that ye may tell them that come after.

13 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he shall be our guide unto death.

PSALM XLIX.

Or this solemn and affecting Psalm neither the author, nor the occasion is at all known. Constituting, as it does, a meditation on the vanity of riches, and on the thoughtless pride of those, who possess them, it sets forth the certain prospect of death, from which no amount of wealth can procure exemption: it justifies

8 We wait for, &c. We are accustomed, at all times of danger, to resort to thy holy temple, and there, imploring thy mercy, patiently to wait, with earnest prayer, for some evident proofs of thy loving-kindness towards us. 2 Chron. xx. 4, &c. Psalm xxix. 8. Isai. xxxvii. 1. 9. According to thy name, &c. Into whatever corner of the world Thy name shall penetrate, men will there adore the protector of his servants with songs of rejoicing. Psalm xcviii. 4. A comparison seems designed between Jehovah and the heathen idols, to whose existence the accomplishment of no mighty works bore witness.Thy right hand, &c. All the interpositions of thy power are just and merciful; just, in disappointing our enemies; merciful, in delivering ourselves.

10 The daughter &c. The city of Jerusalem, which was the capital of the kingdom of Judah. See on Psalm ix. 14.- -Thy judgments. The decrees, which thou hast so lately carried into effect, for their own preservation and for their enemies' dismay.

11 Walk about Sion, &c. The inhabitants of Jerusalem are thus exhorted to contemplate the external magnificence and strength of their city, and to observe, that it continues, in all respects, uninjured. 12 Set up, &c. Commend her houses for the perfect condition, in which they still remain.

13 He shall be, &c. This mighty and beneficent Being will vouchsafe to guide and direct us, his chosen people, as a shepherd his flock, through all the sorrows and dangers of the present world, to the eternal and happy dwellings of heaven.