In such a stanza, the first member may correspond to the third, and the second to the fourth; as in Ps. 103: 11, 12. For as the heavens are high above the earth, - so great is his mercy toward them that fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. These are the most regular and perfect forms of parallelism. There are others less perfect, in which there is a less exact correspondence of the members in sense and grammatical construction, both being often continued from one member to the next, and even from one parallelism to another; as in Ps. 68 : 7, 8. O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the desert, earth shook, yea the heavens dropped, at the presence of God, that Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel. The poetical form often differs from that of prose only by the division of the sentence into members of nearly equal length, having no special correspondence in sense or grammatical construction, a mere rhythmical parallelism; as in Ps. 115: 1-8. Not unto us, Jehovah, not unto us, A mouth have they, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; But with these are interchanged the more regular and perfect forms, giving a higher poetical effect to the whole. It is the alternation of these numerous varieties in the forms of parallelism that constitutes the principal charm of the external form of Hebrew poetry. § 8. Peculiarities of Structure. 1. THE acrostic, or alphabetic form; in which the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, in their regular order, are the initial letters of the successive lines, or stanzas, of the poem. In the Psalms there are seven of this class; namely, Pss. 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, 145. Pss. 111 and 112 are the simplest examples of this form, containing each the same number of lines as there are letters in the Hebrew alphabet, and the successive lines beginning with the letters in their regular order. These two psalms have another marked correspondence. In both, vv. 9 and 10 consist each of three members, the corresponding members in both psalms having the same initial letter, showing that the two were composed on the same plan. Ps. 119 is constructed with equal regularity, in twenty-two stanzas according to the number of the Hebrew letters, each stanza having eight parallelisms, or sixteen lines, and the first line of each parallelism beginning with the initial letter of the stanza. The memory was thus aided in treasuring up, and in calling to mind, the devout sentiments and practical precepts of the psalm. The remaining four, Pss. 25, 34, 37, 145, are not equally perfect, though nearly so. 2. Forms with a constantly recurring refrain after each member, as in Ps. 136. 3. The gradational form, where the closing sentiment or expression in the second member of each parallelism is repeated in the first member of the succeeding one; as in Ps. 121. Less perfect examples are found in Pss. 124 and 127. 4. The strophic form; as in Ps. 107, where vv. 8 and 9, 15 and 16, 21 and 22, 31 and 32, mark the division into strophes. Another example is found in Pss. 42 and 43, which evidently were written as one psalm, and in some manuscripts are united in one. The refrain in Ps. 42: 5, 11, 43 5, divides it into three nearly equal parts. Ps. 57 is divided into two Ps. 80 is divided into four : equal portions by the refrain in vv. 5 and 11. parts by the refrain in vv. 3, 7, 14 and 15 (varied in form), and 19. 5. Choral form, composed to be sung by alternating choirs; as Pss. 24, 115, 135. That which distinguishes the poetry of the psalms, in its spirit, the essential and pervading characteristic, is religious sentiment. God, revealing himself in nature and his word as the Creator and Sovereign of the xxi universe, as God of all the nations of the earth and in a special sense of his chosen people, these are the themes of the Hebrew poet, and the basis of all his religious and moral views and sentiments. Whatever is sublime or beautiful in nature is sung only in praise of its more glorious Author. The attributes of the Divine Being, the principles of his government, his purposes with regard to the destiny of man, his past, present, and prospective dealings with individuals and with nations, are here exhibited with all the resources of poetic art. Religious experience is delineated in its various forms, and under every condition and relation in life. But the national traits are everywhere preserved. All is domestic. The various fortunes of the Hebrew race, in its earlier history, furnished ample materials for historical illustration, whilst the gorgeous scenery of the Holy Land, its sublime mountains, its lovely hills and valleys, plains and rivers, and its romantic pastoral life, supplied inexhaustible stores of imagery from nature, for every purpose of poetic illustration and embellishment. PSALMS. FIRST BOOK. PSALM I. 1 HAPPY the man, Who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stands in the way of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of scoffers 2 But in the law of Jehovah is his delight, And in his law he meditates day and night. 3 And he shall be as a tree planted by the water-courses, Which yields its fruit in its season; And his leaf shall not wither, And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 Not so are the wicked, But as the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For Jehovah knows the way of the righteous; But the way of the wicked shall perish. V. 3. Shall prosper.] Or, he will cause to prosper. V. 6. Knows.] Recognizes, as that which he approves and delights in A 1 |