16 That thou mayest take the matter into thine hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee, for thou art the helper of the friendless. 17 Break thou the power of the ungodly and malicious [the evil man]: take away his ungodliness, and thou shalt find none. 18 The Lord is King for ever and ever; and the heathen are perished out of the [his] land. 19 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poor [humble]; thou preparest their heart, and thine ear hearkeneth thereto; 20 To help the fatherless and poor [the oppressed] unto their right, that the man of the earth be no more exalted against them. PSALM XI. His friends had advised David to flee to some place of refuge, and, most probably, into the mountainous parts of Judea, for the purpose of avoiding the persecutions of Saul. 1 Sam. xix. 2. In this Psalm, however, he disclaims all idea of trusting to any other means of safety than the protection of Jehovah; feeling assured, that, as the righteous governor of the universe, he will, both support the innocent, and pour the severity of his judgments on the wicked. IN the Lord put I my trust: how say ye, then, Isai. 26. 3, 4. to my soul, that she should flee as a bird Luke 13. 31. unto the hill? 17 Malicious. See Psalm xxxviii. 17, on the word "malice."Take away, &c. If thou, O God, shouldst vouchsafe, in our behalf, to punish, according to his deserts, our pitiless adversary, he would, through fear of thy power, so entirely abandon his ungodliness, that, though afterwards sought for by thee, no vestige of it would be found remaining. To seek, and not find, is a Hebrew mode of expression for utter extirpation. Psalm xxxvii. 17, 37. 18 The heathen, &c. The Psalmist comforts himself with the conviction, that Jehovah would not fail to destroy the persecutor of his people; both, because his power, as the supreme ruler of the world, is everlasting, and because, for their benefit, he formerly drove out the seven idolatrous nations from the land of Canaan. Psalm XLIV. 2. 19 Thou preparest, &c. God's preventing grace, actuating our hearts, and instilling into them good desires, disposes us to utter petitions, to which he never refuses to listen. Psalm xxxiii. 14. 20 The man of the earth. A mortal man, one "formed of the dust of the ground," like themselves. Psalm ix. 20. 1 As a bird. With the same haste, that a bird flies from the net spread for its destruction. The two following verses declare the reasons for the advice given to David, and appear to contain the very words of his friends. Matt. 26. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Isai. 66. 1. 2 Chron. 16. 9. Heb. 4. 13. Prov. 6. 16, &c. Ps. 75. 9, 10. Ezek. 38. 22. 2 For lo, the ungodly bend their bow, and make ready their arrows within the quiver, that they may privily shoot at them which are true of heart. 3 For the foundations will be cast down; and what hath the righteous done? 4 The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord's seat [throne] is in heaven. 5 His eyes consider [behold] the poor, and his eye-lids try the children of men. 6 The Lord alloweth the righteous; but the ungodly, and him that delighteth in wickedness [violence], doth his soul abhor. 7 Upon the ungodly he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest; this shall be their portion to drink: 2 Their arrows, &c. The arrows, which are contained in their quivers. Lam. iii. 13. See on Psalm vii. 13. 3 The foundations, &c. Every government ought to be founded upon laws and justice, which guarantee protection to the subject. Saul, however, they say, will not attend to these ; and they ask indignantly, what crimes David, (who had never, in any way, violated his duty as a good citizen,) could be imagined to have committed, so as to provoke his wrath, and to excite such ill treatment. 4 The Lord, &c. David's reply to his counsellors breathes the greatest piety and confidence.- -His holy temple. Not his earthly residence, either on mount Sion, or on mount Moriah, but that place in the heavens, where God is always deemed to be peculiarly present; since the ark had not yet been brought from Kirjath-jearim by David, and much less had Solomon erected that building, to which the name 66 temple" especially belonged. Psalm xviii. 6: cii. 19. Hab. ii. 20. 5 The poor. This word, though not in the original, may be explained by what occurs on Psalm LXxii. 2.- -His eye-lids try, &c. The eye-lids of God are put, by a bold metaphor, for God himself, who, having the power accurately to explore the secret thoughts and intentions of man's heart, knows how best to frustrate his evil designs. Psalm vii. 10. Prov. xvii. 3. 7 He shall rain, &c. The allusion is manifestly to "the cities of the plain," and to their destruction. Gen. xix. 24, 25. The word "snares" is used to bring to our notice the suddenness, as well as the completeness, of the ruin: it will come upon the ungodly, as much unawares, and destroy them as effectually, as a net closes upon, and envelops, the prey caught in it. Psalm xxxv. 8: cxvi. 3. Luke xxi. 35. -Their portion to drink. It became the custom, in ancient times, for "the governor of the feast" to apportion to each guest his due share of meat and drink; and, if a desire existed to shew peculiar honor to any one, to that individual was assigned a larger quantity. Gen. XLiii. 33, 34. 1 Sam. ix. 22, &c. 8 For the righteous Lord loveth righteous- Job 36. 7. ness; his countenance will behold the thing Isai. 61. 8. that is just. Evening Prayer. PSALM XII. THE occasion of this Psalm is unknown, but David is yet considered to have been the author of it. He laments the decrease of God's faithful servants, together with the universal corruption of his fellow-countrymen: nevertheless, in the midst of these causes for dejection, he comforts himself with contemplating the truth and certainty of the divine promises on behalf of the righteous. HELP [Save] me, Lord, for there is not one | Mic. 7. 2, &c. godly man left; for the faithful are mi- 2 Tim. 3. 1, &c. nished from among the children of men. 2 They talk of [speak] vanity every one with his neighbour: they do but flatter with their lips, and dissemble in their double heart. 3 The Lord shall root out all deceitful lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 4 Which have said, With our tongue will we prevail: we are they, that ought to speak: who is Lord over us? 5 Now, for the comfortless troubles' sake of the needy, and because of the deep sighing of the poor, Jer. 9. 1, &c. 2 1 Sam. 2. 3. Dan. 7. 25, &c. Ex. 5. 2. Ex. 3. 7, 8. 6 I will up, saith the Lord; and will help Mic. 7. 8, 9. every one from him that swelleth against him, Ps. 119. 126. and will set him at rest [in safety]. 8 His countenance, &c. He will look with a pleased countenance, that is, with approbation and favor, on uprightness and equity. Psalm xxi. 6. 2 They talk of vanity, &c. See on Psalm xxxviii. 12. The talk of "the children of men" is all vain and empty, full of lies and deceit, so that no person can with safety believe the declarations of his neighbour. 3 Shall root out, &c. As a tree is cut down, and rooted out from the place where it grew, so will the dissembler and the self-confident boaster be utterly and violently destroyed. 4 With our tongue, &c. There is nothing, which we shall be unable to accomplish by means of our eloquence, or, at least, by our haughty and deceptive language. C 7 The words of the Lord are pure words, even as the silver, which from the earth is tried, and purified seven times in the fire. 8 Thou shalt keep them, O Lord; thou shalt preserve him from this generation for ever. 9 The ungodly walk on every side; when they are exalted, the children of men are put to rebuke. PSALM XIII. No certain information is now in existence concerning either the author, or the cause, of this Psalm. But if, as has been conjectured, it was composed during the Babylonish captivity, and not by David, it must be deemed an earnest entreaty by the writer for the restoration of himself and of his countrymen to Judea, concluding with strong expressions of assurance respecting that joyful event, in consequence of the loving-kindness and faithfulness of God. Deut. 31. 17. Matt. 26. 38. Jer. 51. 39. Col. 2. 13, 14. HOW long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 2 How long shall I seek counsel in my soul, and be so vexed in my heart? how long shall mine enemies triumph over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death; 7 The words, &c. Jehovah's promises of protection, (which, in the preceding verse, he is introduced as actually uttering,) are free from any admixture of untruth and insincerity, in the same manner as silver, taken out of the earth and frequently (see on Psalm Lxxix. 13.) purified in the fire, is entirely free from dross. 8 Thou shalt keep them, &c. The same change of number may exist here, as Psalm v. 9. "The needy" and "the poor," that is, the helpless and afflicted, constitute the objects of God's peculiar care, and will always be protected by him from the machinations of such kinds of men as swell against them. Ver. 5, 6. 9 The ungodly, &c. This either means, that the wicked, remaining unpunished, "stalk about openly" and fearlessly; or, that they are accustomed to surround the good for the purpose of doing them some act of violence.- When they are exalted, &c. When the wicked abound and prosper, all other men are sure to be the victims of oppression and insult. 2 How long, &c. How long shall I remain in anxiety and doubt, ignorant what measures to devise for escaping from my present trouble? So many short interrogations indicate the eagerness and distress of the Psalmist. 3 Consider and hear me, &c. Since Jehovah was described (ver. 1.) 4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed | Ex. 32. 12. against him; for, if I be cast down, they that Jer. 1. 19. trouble me will rejoice at it. 5 But my trust is in thy mercy, and my heart is joyful in thy salvation. 6 I will sing of the Lord, because he hath dealt so lovingly with me; yea, I will praise the name of the Lord most highest. PSALM XIV. Luke 2. 20. Rom. 15. 13. Ps. 116. 7 : 119. 17. FROM the expressions contained in the last verse, the present Psalm, like the former, is said to have originated in the circumstances of the Israelites, when captive at Babylon. The writer complains bitterly of the impiety and general corruption of the people, amongst whom he was detained in bondage; and entreats, that Jehovah would vouchsafe to bring back his countrymen to their own land. See Psalm Liii. THE fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. 2 They are corrupt, and become abominable, in their doings: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 3 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any, that would [did] understand, and seek after God. Rom. 1. 23. Ephes. 2. 12. Gen. 6. 11, 12. Gen. 18. 20, 21. as hiding his face from his chosen people, nor taking any notice of their trouble, he is now implored to behold (see on Psalm xxxviii. 17.) them, and to listen to their supplications.- -Lighten mine eyes, &c. In the time of sickness and affliction, particularly as death approaches, the eyes grow dim and heavy. Consequently, this is a prayer for deliverance from extreme danger, because then the eyes of the Israelites would again be rendered bright and sparkling, as if by that light from within, which health and joy impart. 1 Sam. xiv. 29. Ezra ix. 8. 5 And my heart, &c. And I am filled with delight, as well at the consciousness of thy power, as at the certainty of thy willingness, to save and restore us. These considerations infuse comfort into the Psalmist's mind, and induce him to anticipate, as he plainly does in the next verse, the speedy termination of his national misfortunes. 6 Most highest. See on Psalm ix. 2. 2 They are corrupt, &c. They, who are so foolish, so utterly devoid of understanding, and so incorrigibly profane, as even to endeavor to persuade themselves, that " there is no God," to take account of their actions, would naturally become corrupt and abandoned in their lives. If the opinion referred to in the introduction be correct, the God intended must be Jehovah, the everliving, almighty, God of the Israelites. |