priesthood. And then, again, verse 9 seems to tell of Earth filled with his glory. “In his temple everything saith 'Glory!'" (i its all-the all of the temple.) Happy they on whose side this Jehovah stands! (ver. 11). He can say to the soul as Jesus said to the sea in Mark iv. 39, "Peace.” That this is the full reference of the Psalm, we may fully believe; and yet this reference by no means forbids. our using it as an appropriate song to the Lord when celebrating the majesty of his voice heard in the storms that sweep over the land, from Lebanon on the north to Kadesh on the south; or that voice heard in the hearts of men, when He stirs their conscience and speaks his message of grace. plication. It is the same Lord, and the same majesty, that is shewn forth in scenes of nature, in the doings of grace, and in the Threefold apfull outburst of glory. Our Lord, in the days of his flesh, might use it in that threefold way, and we still do the same. We celebrate his present bestowal of "strength" and of "peace, in verse 11, while still we wait for the completeness of both in the day when we shall get the "grace that shall be brought us at the Appearing of Jesus Christ." The Psalm is thus fitted for manifold occasions, though most specially for the day of the Lord, being throughout The Righteous One's adoration of the God of Glory, in the * Barclay's Paraphrase will give the reader some help in filling up the pregnant brevity of these magnificent verses. We give a part of it wherein he refers to the events of the Cross, as much as to the events of the "Great Day,” making the idea of a storm only the colouring of the style. The title. PSALM XXX. A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David. 1 I WILL extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, And hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 4 Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, And give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5 For his anger endureth but a moment: in his favour is life : 6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 7 Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: 8 I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication. 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me! Lord, be thou my helper ! Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. "A Psalm, a Song of the Dedication of the House; by David." Such is the title in the Hebrew, referring to the occasion whereon the writer of it was moved by the Holy Ghost to take up his harp, and touch its plaintively-pleasant The occasion. strings. It is supposed that "The house of David" means that house,* or temple, which David wished to have built to the Lord-an “house of cedar-an house for my name" (2 Sam. vii. 7-13.) This house David was not allowed to build ; but he was permitted to fix upon the place where it was afterwards to be reared, and to dedicate that spot-doing which might be called undoubtedly, "The dedication of the house." The spot was Ornan's threshing-floor on Mount Moriah. The case is recorded in 1 Chron. xxi. 26, the Lord answering him. by fire from heaven, so that David exclaimed, "This is the house of the Lord God!" (1 Chron. xxi. 1.) The circumstances are altogether such as to furnish a fit occasion for a psalm, whose strains are melancholy intermixed with the gladsome and the bright. The plague that followed the sin of numbering the people had brought the Psalmist low, to the very gates of death, for the sword was suspended over his head; but the voice that uttered, "It is enough!" lifted him and his up again. The morning of that day rose in clouds and portentous gloom, but its setting sun shed its sweetest rays on Jerusalem from a sapphire sky, and left a forgiven people and a forgiven king reposing in the restored favour of Jehovah. Our David could take up these strains, and adopt them as his own. There was a time when his sacrifice was offered, and the temple of his body accepted by the Father. He, too, had been low, and had been lifted up (ver. 1); had cried, and been healed (ver. 2); had been brought up from among the dead (ver. 3). Who could call on men so well as He to sing to Jehovah (ver. 4), and "celebrate the memorial of his holiness"—that is, to celebrate whatever called that holiness to mind, and kept it before men. Was it not holiness that shone forth most brightly in all his suffering? Was it not holiness that shone through the darkness of Calvary? "But thou art holy!" was not that the comforting thought that upheld him on the cross? If the Lord's sore judgment on Israel, when 70,000 were cut off for one sin, shewed David how holy the Lord was, surely infinitely more did the outpoured fierceness of wrath manifest it to our David, and to all who are his saints. Yet, even as that wrath was not eternal, for the angel put up his sword in its sheath, so that anger poured out on the true David, "endured but a moment," and his resurrection morning Christ using this psalm. The members of Christ. was all joy (ver. 5). And once past, it never returns. Established on the Rock that never changes, He was able to say, "In my prosperity, I shall never be moved." "Thou, Lord, hast imparted strength to my mountain by thy love," (vers. 6, 7). Once "Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled,” and my prayer then was the prayer of one who sought thy glory even under gloom, and who pleaded that "thy truth" was pledged to deliver me. And thou didst deliver, with such a deliverance as calls for everlasting praise, and for praise which never has a break in it from this time and for evermore. At the resurrection morning (we have said) Christ began to enter into this joy, for it was then that the Father distinctly said, "It is enough! Stay now thy hand "--fulfilling the type given in the angel's sword put up into its scabbard at the spot where "The House" was dedicated. But no one of his members, all of whom have been (ver. 2) healed, can fail to find in this Psalm very much that suits their own experience.* They have had their "moment of anger;" when the Lord awoke them, and made them know their guilt, and dropped on their conscience a drop of wrath that might make them cry vehemently for deliverance, though He meant soon to wipe it off. Each of "his holy ones" has known this "moment of anger,' followed by "life in his favour," from the hour when his anger was turned away. From that time forth they have had their "night of weeping" oftentimes, but never any more of anger. They have had their sorrows, weeping has "lodged" in their dwellings oftentimes, and they have walked through many a howling wilderness; but it was always followed by a "morning of joy," some sweet beams of love and favour making them feel night turning into day. And they are expecting very soon their Resurrection-morning, when unmingled joy cometh, joy like that of their Lord's at his resurrection. It is then that they will, in the highest sense, sit on their Rock of Ages * David was "healed" at his restoration to health and strength, and in being saved from the pestilence; the Son of David at his resurrection. The soul is healed at its repentance and conversion: the body will hereafter be heal.d when it is repaired, beautified, and glorified. and have their “shouting for joy” at morning, singing such a song as this: "I [even I] am in peace! I shall never be moved ! “O Lord, thou hast imparted strength to my mountain by thy love! [alluding to Zion, the seat of royalty.] "Once thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled; “And I called unto thee, O Lord, "And I made supplication [in words like these]: "What profit is there in my blood? "Shall the dust praise thee? "Would not thy faithfulness be honoured in saving the chief of sinners ? "And now thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; "Thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, "In order that my glory* may sing praise unto thee, and not be silent.” And with one accord all the "holy ones" join in the concluding burst of rapturous gratitude, the true David himself leading the song “O Lord, my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever !” And thus comes to a blessed close this song of the righteous, which we may call, perhaps not improperly, The Song of the Righteous concerning the Night of Weeping and the Morning of Joy. PSALM XXXI. To the Chief Musician, A Psalm of David, 1 IN thee, O Lord, do I put my trust! Let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. 2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: Be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. 3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; Therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. 4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. 5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. 6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy : For thou hast considered my trouble. Thou hast known my soul in adversities; *Tholuck, and many others, understand "my soul" by "my glory." |