Matt. 5. 23, 24. 1 Pet. 4. 19. Mark 4. 38, 40. Num. 6. 26. Isai. 9. 3. Deut. 12. 10. Job 11. 18, 19. 5 Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. 6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? 7 Lord, lift thou up the light of thy counte→ nance upon us. 8 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, since the time that their corn, and wine, and oil, increased. 9 I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest; for it is thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety. yet reverence, at least, the divine decree, by which I was publicly appointed to the kingdom; and let your communings with your own hearts during the solitude and silence of the night, by instilling into you a becoming dread of the severity of God's anger, cause you immediately to desist from your rebellious speeches and actions. 5 The sacrifice of righteousness. The party opposed to David may have confidently boasted of their numerous sacrifices, and of the advantage, which their cause would derive therefrom. They are exhorted, however, to offer them with the strictest purity of intention, and with sincere piety, if they really desired to propitiate the favour of the Almighty. Psalm Li. 19. 6 There be many, &c. David now directs his attention to his own friends and followers, (many of whom began to despond of ever seeing a termination to their troubles,) but, instead of reasoning with them, he seeks to administer comfort to their dejected minds by merely entreating, as in the next verse, that God would come without delay to his succour. 7 The light of thy countenance. The Scriptures, being the production of Eastern writers, abound with figurative language, derived from the most familiar circumstances. Hence, it need not surprise us to find even Jehovah himself described as a man, whose radiant and smiling face affords a plain indication of his favorable disposition. "To walk in the light of God's countenance" (Psalm Lxxxix. 16.) stands for an enviable state of joy and happiness, which encompass, as with a flood of light, those who put their trust in Him. 8 Thou hast put gladness, &c. Corn, wine, and oil represent every species of temporal possession. Joel ii. 19. But see on Psalm cxxxii. 16. David may possibly wish to contrast his own conduct with that of his enemies:-they inhumanly delight in beholding my misfortunes; whilst, on the contrary, the increase of their worldly substance gives me the greatest pleasure. The verse is doubtless capable of being understood in a different manner. For he might rejoice at the temporal prosperity of his rebellious subjects, as for other reasons, so, especially, because he hoped they would deem it to be the effect of God's blessing on his reign, and thus become disposed to loyalty and peace. 9 In peace. Without any anxiety of mind with respect to PSALM V. THIS is one of the many Psalms, whose date and origin are quite unknown. Nevertheless, judging from the internal evidence, there seems no impropriety in referring its composition by David to the same calamity, which is imagined to have suggested the two former. We may, therefore, again contemplate the son of Jesse suffering under the pressure of severe affliction, in consequence of the unnatural rebellion of Absalom. He entreats, that Jehovah would listen to his earnest and constant prayer for assistance: he declares also to his enemies the divine hatred against all sinners, who, he affirms, will, in the end, be as severely punished, as the good will be completely protected and rewarded. PONDER [Give ear to] my words, O Lord; 1 Pet. 3. 12. my meditation. 1 John 5. 14, 15. consider 2 O hearken thou unto the voice of my call-Ps. 65. 2. ing, my King, and my God; for unto thee will I make my prayer. 3 My voice shalt thou hear betimes, O Lord; early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. 4 For thou art the God, that hast no pleasure in wickedness; neither shall any evil dwell with thee. 5 Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight; for thou hatest all them that work vanity [iniquity]. Isai. 33. 22. 6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: Rom. 1. 28, &c. the Lord will abhor both the blood-thirsty and Rev. 21. 8. deceitful man. the dangers of the night; but, particularly, as to the result of this insurrection. The sentiment of the verse is clearly incomplete, unless, after the word "safety," we supply,-and Thou art on my side. 1 My words-my meditation. The Psalmist beseeches God to attend to his petitions, not only when audibly expressed, but even though uttered merely in the secret recesses of his heart. Psalm xix. 14. 3 And will look up. Probably to heaven, for some manifest sign of the divine favour and acceptance. Isai. xxxviii. 14. 4 Wickedness—-evil. These words evidently stand for wicked and evil men, whom, by a reference to the ancient rites of hospitality, Jehovah is declared to be unwilling either to protect from danger, or to entertain, as welcome guests, with the pleasures and plenteousness of his house. Psalm xxxvi. 8: LXV. 4. 5 Such as be foolish, &c. All sin naturally goes under the name of folly, as righteousness under that of wisdom. The ungodly, those, who perversely take delight in wickedness, will be unable to present themselves in thy sanctuary with the hope of being accepted. 6 Them that speak leasing. The liars (see on Psalm iii. 3.) now men Josh. 24.15. Prov. 3. 5, 6. Mic. 6. 12. Mark 7. 21, &c. Rom. 3. 13. 1 Thess. 2. 5. 7 But, as for me, I will come into taine house, even upon the multitude of thy mercy; and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. 8 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, because of mine enemies; make thy way plain before my face. 9 For there is no faithfulness in his mouth; their inward parts are very wickedness; 10 Their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. tioned were such as had endeavoured to poison the minds of David's subjects (Psalm iv. 2); or else, all who had violated their oaths of allegiance, by giving assistance and encouragement to his disobedient and unnatural son. Will abhor, &c. Will testify his abhorrence of these characters, by not allowing them either to dwell in his house, or to stand in his sight. 7 But, as for me, &c. The Psalmist contrasts himself with the several classes of transgressors just referred to, and declares that he, at least, will be permitted to frequent God's "house of prayer," when, through the greatness of the divine mercy, he shall have returned from his present state of banishment and exile. -Toward thy holy temple. On the supposition, that this Psalm was occasioned by Absalom's rebellion, David can only mean to point out the temporary residence of the ark on mount Sion; inasmuch as the temple, properly so called, was not erected until a few years afterwards, and that, by his son Solomon. The same remark is applicable to Psalm LXviii. 29: LXXviii. 70. If absent from Jerusalem, the Israelites used, when engaged in prayer, to turn their faces toward that quarter of the heavens, in which the sanctuary of Jehovah was situated. 1 Kings viii. 29, 48. Dan. vi. 10. Here, however, the mercy-seat, which stood in the holy of holies, seems intended. Psalm xxviii. 2. 8 Lead me, &c. Attacked, as I now am, by so many and such deadly enemies, do thou, in thy mercy and in thy justice, deign to become my guide (Psalm xxxi. 1: cxLiii. 1); point out to me the way, in which thou wouldst have me to walk, and, graciously making the rough places of it plain and free from every obstruction, lead me therein by the assistance of thy Holy Spirit. 9 Their inward parts, &c. David appears to identify the persons spoken of with wickedness itself. The change of number is remarkable, but instances of it frequently occur in the Scriptures. Deut. viii. 19: ix. 7. Psalm vii. 1, 2: cxL. 8. 10 An open sepulchre. As the flattery mentioned immediately afterwards is a flattery with intention to destroy, the Psalmist most probably now compares the words uttered by his bitter and insidious enemies to the noxious exhalations, which issue from a tomb not closed up, rather than to any desire after additional dead bodies, which a tomb, because it remains open, may be figuratively said to manifest. Jer. v. 16. See on Psalm ix. 13. 11 Destroy thou them, O God: let them Deut. 2. 30. perish through their own imaginations [coun-1 Sam. 25. 29, 39. sels]: cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness; for they have rebelled against thee. 12 And [But] let all them, that put their trust Judg. 5. 31. in thee, rejoice; they shall ever be giving of Isai. 65. 13. thanks, because thou defendest them: they that love thy name shall be joyful in thee; 115. 13. 13 For thou, Lord, wilt give thy blessing Ps. 112. 1 : unto the righteous; and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend [compass] him, as with a shield. Evening Prayer. PSALM VI. WHATEVER may have been the particular occasion, which called forth this Psalm, it evidently came from David during some period of severe affliction, when, as a punishment for his sins, he was labouring under intense pain, either of body or mind, and, perhaps, even of both. He pours out, therefore, the most affecting supplications to God, whilst describing his own wretched condition; but, firmly trusting in the divine mercy for a speedy release from his troubles, he, at the same time, rejoices in anticipating the disappointment of his enemies, who vainly expected his death. Lord, rebuke me not in thine indignation; Jer. 46. 28. 1 Cor. 11. 31, 32. 11 Cast them out, &c. By reason of their innumerable and heinous transgressions, do thou, O God, banish them from thy presence, and even drive them from thy land, which they have gloried in defiling by their rebellion. See on Psalm Lxix. 23. 12 Thy name. The name of God is a Hebraism for God himself (1 Kings v. 5. Psalm LXXV. 2), and is derived, perhaps, from the custom prevalent among heathen nations of distinguishing their idols by some appellation. Psalm xvi. 5. God's name was Jehovah, (the ever-living, unchangeable One,) by which also he was well known as the peculiar Deity of the descendants of Abraham. Exod. iii. 13, 14. Psalm LXXxiii. 18. 13 As with a shield. The shields sometimes used in former days were sufficiently large to protect the whole body. The true people of God, therefore, that is, all who had not rebelled "against the Lord and against his Anointed," are declared to be compassed about with the divine favour, as completely and as effectively, as was the person of a warrior, when covered with his great broad shield. Psalm xci. 4. 1 Rebuke me not, &c. He, who censures another during a paroxysm of anger, is wont to be too bitter in his language; as he, who, Num. 12. 13. Prov. 18. 14. Matt. 26. 38. Dan. 9. 18. Eccles. 9. 10. Job 23. 2. Job 17.7. Heb. 5. 7. Jon. 2. 2, 7. 2 Cor. 12. 8, &c. Isai. 26. 11. Jer. 20. 11. 2 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak: O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed. 3 My soul also is sore troubled; but, Lord, how long wilt thou punish me? 4 Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul: O save me for thy mercy's sake. 5 For in death no man remembereth thee: and, who will give thee thanks in the pit [grave]? 6 I am weary of [with] my groaning: every night wash I my bed, and water my couch with my tears. 7 My beauty is gone for very trouble, and worn away because of all mine enemies. 8 Away from me, all ye that work vanity [iniquity]; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. 9 The Lord hath heard my petition: the Lord will receive my prayer. 10 All mine enemies shall be confounded, and sore vexed: they shall be turned back, and put to shame suddenly. PSALM VII. DAVID, we are informed, sang this Psalm unto the Lord "concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite." We know not, however, who is intended, since no person has been so described in scripture; under the same circumstances, inflicts bodily chastisement, generally does so with unmerited severity. In this and similar addresses to the Almighty, David, like .St. Paul, would readily have added, “I speak after the manner of men." Rom. vi. 19. 4 My soul. See on Psalm vii. 2.-For thy mercy's sake. That thou mayest continue to be accounted "gracious and merciful, longsuffering, and of great goodness." Psalm cxLv. 8. 5 For in death, &c. See on Psalm LXxxviii. 10. 8 Away from me, &c. Thus does the Psalmist accost, either those, who were tempting him not to look for deliverance from God, or such as inhumanly exulted in the violence of his sufferings. He speaks to them with the devout feelings of a sincere worshipper, assuring them, that his enemies would never be allowed by God, permanently or completely to triumph over him. 10 All mine enemies, &c. They, who, in the bitterness of their hostility, wished not to see him survive his affliction, would undoubtedly be soon filled, he says, with shame and confusion; for they were destined to find their cruel hopes defeated by his unexpected restoration to health and happiness. See on Psalm xxii. 5. |