Isai. 51. 9, 10. Isai. 17. 12, &c. Josh. 2. 9, &c. Acts 5. 38, 39. Deut. 11. 11, 12. Gen. 26. 12. Joel 2. 23, &c. Acts 17. 25, 28. 1 Cor. 3. 6, 7. 6 Who in his strength setteth fast the mountains, and is girded about with power; 7 Who stilleth the raging of the sea, and the noise of his waves, and the madness of the people. 8 They also, that dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth, shall be afraid at thy tokens; thou, that makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to praise thee. 9 Thou visitest the earth, and blessest [waterest] it: thou makest it very plenteous. 10 The river of God is full of water: thou preparest their corn; for so thou providest for the earth. 11 Thou waterest her furrows: thou sendest rain into the little valleys thereof: thou makest it soft with the drops of rain, and blessest the increase of it: the sea," either because they imagined that it could only be approached by sea, or because it was thought actually to consist of islands. Gen. x. 5. Isai. xi. 11: xxiv. 15. 66 6 And is girded, &c. See on Psalm xviii. 32. 8 They also, that dwell, &c. This would almost seem to be a prophetic announcement of the conversion of the heathen, even by means of visible and natural objects, as proselytes to the worship of the one true God. Rom. i. 20. Not only ourselves now adore thee for the gracious rain," which thou hast so lately sent to refresh our land, but the most distant, and, consequently, the most barbarous, nations will, at length, entertain a reverential fear and awe of thy holy name, as they devoutly contemplate and meditate upon the many signs of thy power and goodness, which are everywhere conspicuous in the heavens, the earth, and the sea. Isai. xLi. 5.—Thou, that makest, &c. Thou, who causest the sun by day, the moon and the stars by night, in their turns, to minister to thy praise (Psalm xix. 2): who also hast commanded man to go forth to his labor in the morning, and the beasts of the forest, "roaring after their prey," in the evening (Psalm civ. 20, &c), so that both, fulfilling thy appointment, may, in their several stations, contribute to promote thy glory. 9 Thou visitest, &c. God's providential care constitutes the source, whence the land derives even its capability of producing fruits. By "the earth," in the remainder of the Psalm, is solely to be understood the country of the children of Israel. 10 The river of God. The clouds are thus called (Deut. xi. 11. Psalm xxix. 9), those reservoirs of water, which are opened and shut at God's pleasure.- -Their corn. The corn necessary for the subsistence of the inhabitants of the earth, and which copious showers of rain have made to spring up. 11 The little valleys. As the "furrows" have just been mentioned, perhaps, this phrase points out any small hollows in the ground. 12 Thou crownest the year with thy good- | Hag. 2. 19. ness, and thy clouds drop fatness. 13 They shall drop upon the dwellings [pas- Job 38. 26, 27. tures] of the wilderness, and the little hills shall rejoice on every side. 14 The folds shall be full of sheep: the valleys also shall stand so thick with corn, that they shall laugh and sing. PSALM LXVI. Isai. 61. 11. THE only point, which appears certain respecting this Psalm, is, that it relates to some season of extraordinary joy: perhaps, however, it was written, when the foundation stone of the second temple was laid. It constitutes a solemn invocation to all the inhabitants of the world to proclaim the wonderful works of God, as well those, which occur in the general course of his providence, as, particularly, his miraculous and "noble acts" in favor of the Israelites. The author recounts the great dangers, from which his nation had been delivered, and promises, on their part, the offering of a grateful heart, in addition to the customary sacrifices of the law, to Him, who had answered so mercifully the prayers of his afflicted servants. ୦ BE joyful in [Make a joyful noise unto] Isai. 42. 10, &c. God, all ye lands: sing praises unto the ho- Rev. 14. 6, 7. nor of his name: make his praise to be glorious. 2 Say unto God, O how wonderful art thou Isai. 2. 19. in thy works! through the greatness of thy Jer. 10. 10. power shall thine enemies be found liars [yield feigned obedience] unto thee; 12 Thou crownest, &c. The herbs, fruits, and flowers, brought forth by the earth, are here figuratively represented, as a beautifully variegated crown placed on the head of the year by the hands of God himself. 13 Upon the dwellings, &c. That the wild beasts also may find food and drink in their lonely habitations. Solitary places, to which cattle resort, may be meant. By desert and wilderness in the scriptures we are not invariably to figure to our minds a country altogether barren and unfruitful, but only such a one, as is rarely or never cultivated; which, though yielding no crops of any kind, yet affords some portion of herbage for grazing, as well as moderate supplies of water. 14 The folds, &c. See on Psalm cxxxii. 16. "With 1 His name. See on Psalm v. 12.--Make his praise, &c. heart and voice" chant forth his praise. Psalm LXXXI. 1. 2 Through the greatness, &c. Because thou hast marvellously interposed to protect thy people, and executed terrible punishments on their enemies, many nations, which inwardly hate both them and Dan. 7. 14. Ps. 46. 8: 111. 2. Ex. 14. 21. Josh. 3. 16. 2 Chron. 16. 9. Matt. 28. 18. Deut. 32. 43. Rom. 15. 10, 11. Col. 3. 3, 4. Isai. 48. 10. Lam. 1. 13. Ex. 3. 7, 8. 3 For all the world shall worship thee, sing of thee, and praise thy name. 4 0 come hither, and behold the works of God; how wonderful he is in his doing toward the children of men! 5 He turned the sea into dry land, so that they went through the water on foot: there did we rejoice thereof. 6 He ruleth with his power for ever: his eyes behold the people [nations]; and such, as will not believe, shall not be able to exalt themselves. 7 O praise our God, ye people; and make the voice of his praise to be heard; 8 Who holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to slip. 9 For thou, O God, hast proved us; thou also hast tried us, like as silver is tried: 10 Thou broughtest us into the snare, and laidest trouble upon our loins: 11 Thou sufferedst men to ride over our heads: we went through fire and water, and [but] thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. their religion, being alarmed by "the greatness of thy power," will reluctantly be brought to submission, and professedly, though insincerely, to number themselves among thy true worshippers. This verse, with, possibly, the next, comprise the hymn of praise, which was to be sung in honor of Jehovah. 4 The children of men. The Israelites, whose deliverance from the bondage of Egypt is commemorated in the following verse. Psalm iv. 2. See on 5 There did we, &c. This expression refers to the songs of triumph sung immediately after the passage of the Red sea by Moses and Miriam. Exod. xv. 1, 20. 6 Such, as will not, &c. Those, whether nations or individuals, who, believing not in his power, perversely rebel against his authority and resist his decrees, will find their pride and obstinacy invincible impediments to their permanent prosperity. 9 For thou,&c. For, though thou hast not suffered us to be completely subdued and overwhelmed, still we have been lately tried by thee "in the furnace of affliction." See on Psalm xii. 7. It has been imagined, that this verse, and the two, which follow it, allude to the circumstances of the Egyptian bondage. 10 Thou broughtest, &c. Thou hast permitted our enemies, for a time, to obtain the mastery over us, as of wild animals taken in the toils of a net; and to lay heavy loads upon our backs, as if we were beasts of burden appointed solely for their use. 11 Thou sufferedst men, &c. We have been subjected to the will of cruel adversaries, just as horses are to the will of their riders: we 12 I will go into thine house with burnt-Gen. 35. 3. offerings; and will pay thee my vows, which I Eccles. 5. 4. promised with my lips, and spake with my mouth, when I was in trouble. 13 I will offer unto thee fat burnt-sacrifices, 2 Sam. 6. 17, 18. with the incense of rams: I will offer bullocks and goats. 14 O come hither, and hearken, all ye that fear God; and I will tell you, what he hath done for my soul. 1 1 Cor. 15. 8, &c. Tim. 1. 15. 15 I called unto him with my mouth, and Ps. 30. 7, 8. gave him praises with my tongue. 16 If I incline unto wickedness with mine Prov. 28. 9. heart, the Lord will not hear me. John 9. 31. 17 But God hath heard me, and considered Lam. 3. 55, 56. [attended to] the voice of my prayer. 1 John 3. 20, &c. 18 Praised be God, who hath not cast out my 2 Sam. 7. 14, 15. prayer, nor turned his mercy from me. PSALM LXVII. Luke 2. 52. THIS Psalm has been assigned to the period of the Babylonish captivity, though it really contains nothing, which can determine, with any degree of certainty, the circumstances of its composition. It forms an earnest prayer to God, that he would vouchsafe to appear as the saviour of his people, in order to excite the whole world to reverence Him, and piously to celebrate His name. For the author asserts, that all the heathen nations, when they saw the care taken by Him of the Jews, would hasten to put themselves under His government and protection. Thus, then, it may be considered, equally with the last Psalm, as foretelling the coming of the Messiah, and the consequent accession of the Gentiles. have had to contend with the most horrible dangers (Isai. xLiii. 2. 1 Cor. iii. 15); still thou didst graciously save us from all these miseries, and conduct us into a fruitful and abundant land, “a land flowing with milk and honey." The first portion of this verse may have reference to the trampling of war-horses, in the day of battle, on those persons, whom they have thrown down. 12 I will go, &c. The writer, all through this Psalm, speaks, of course, in the name of his nation. 13 With the incense, &c. With incense and rams (Psalm Lxxvi. 3): or, with the smell arising from the fat of rams burnt on the altar, which shall be as incense. Psalm cxLi. 2. 14 O come hither, &c. We may now suppose the Psalmist to be standing in the temple, and addressing the assembled multitudes, but especially, perhaps, the gentile converts to Judaism, who were commonly known by the title of those, that feared God. See on Psalm CXV. 11. Num. 6. 24, &c. Luke 2. 30, &c. Rom. 8. 19. Isai. 54. 1. Acts 10. 44, &c. Matt. 6. 9, 10. Ezek. 34. 27, &c. 1 Cor. 2. 12, 14. Acts 13. 47. GOD OD be merciful unto us, and bless us; and shew us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us; 2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. 3 Let the people praise thee, O God; yea, let all the people praise thee. 4 O let the nations rejoice [sing for joy] and be glad; for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. 5 Let the people praise thee, O God: let all the people praise thee. 6 Then shall the earth bring forth her increase; and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing. 7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the world shall fear Him. THE THIRTEENTH DAY. Morning Prayer. PSALM LXVIII. DAVID here commemorates the removal of the ark from the house of Obed-edom to the tent, which he had caused to be pitched for it on mount Sion. 2 Sam. vi. 12, &c. The Psalm consists of five parts, and is admirably adapted to the sacred and joyful solemnity, which occasioned it to be written. It appears, at first sight, to contain a mere announcement of success to David himself, as king, and of victory over his enemies, in consequence of God's presence being now peculiarly manifested in Jerusalem, and by 1 The light, &c. See on Psalm iv. 7. 2 That thy way, &c. That all mankind may know, how beneficent and merciful thou art wont to be towards thy faithful servants; what signal deliverances thou delightest to work for them; and, therefore, be induced to acknowledge and worship Thee, as the only true God. -Health. See on Psalm iii. 3. 3 Let the people, &c. This and ver. 5. were clearly intended for a chorus. Deal graciously with us, O Lord, and thus furnish to all the heathen ample cause for singing thy praise. 4 For thou, &c. Because (see on Psalm xvi. 9), having beheld the wonderful things performed by thee on behalf of thy chosen nation, they must thereby feel assured, that thou wilt ever rule (see on Psalm ii. 10.) the whole world in justice and equity. Righteously" ought also to be joined to "govern," in the last part of the verse. 6 Then shall, &c. When we shall have been rescued from our 66 |