16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord. 17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram; 18 And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. 19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. 20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. 21 They forgat God their Saviour, which had done great things in Egypt, 22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red Sea. 23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, Had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. 24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word : 25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord. 26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, To overthrow them in the wilderness : 27 To overthrow their seed also among the nations, And to scatter them in the lands. 28 They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. 29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them. 30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. 31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore. 32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes : 33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. 34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them: 35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. 36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. 37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, 38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, Whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan : And the land was polluted with blood. 39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, And went a whoring with their own inventions. 40 Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, Insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. 41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. 12 Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. 43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, And were brought low for their iniquity. 44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: 45 And he remembered for them his covenant, And repented according to the multitude of his mercies. 46 He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives. 47 Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, To give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. 48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: And let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. WE are still traversing the same field We are still listening The theme. to the gracious acts of the Lord toward one nation of his ransomed—namely, Israel. It is another portion of their history that is reviewed, but there is as much of grace, sovereign grace, in this portion as in the first. And hence it opens, like the former, with praise and adoring wonder "Hallelujah! praise ye the Lord! For he is good! for his mercy is for ever. Who can tell the mighty deeds of the Lord? Who can shew forth all his praise ?” The only mode in which the creature can even attempt aright The plan. “Remember me, Lord, with the favour of (shewn to) thy people ! And may rejoice in the joy of thy nation, If the type afforded such matter for praise, what shall the an * Here the term ♬ is applied to Israel. It is only so used when has עם preceded it, says Hengstenberg. It may also, in such cases, imply that God's people (y) are, in themselves, no better than . But though they be by nature, they are thine. The amen. titype? If that kingdom of Israel furnished such proofs of Jehovah's love, what shall The Kingdom that is yet to come? To magnify the Lord's grace, confession is made of Israel's sin-forgetfulness, ingratitude, selfishness (vers. 6–15); and then of rebellion, idolatry, murmuring unbelief, lust, and lewdness; persevering unbelief, neglect of duty, conformity to the heathen world (vers. 16-39). Scene upon scene is brought before us in which Israel is seen defiled, polluted, stained to the core with sin. Yet the Lord saved them, when they returned from their ways (vers. 40-46), fulfilling the promise in Lev. xxvi. 12, and answering the prayer (1 Kings viii. 47), left for all ages. Yes; these scenes of grace toward the basest, most ungrateful, most perverse, are for all ages, to lead them to the cry in verse 47, "Save us, O Lord, our God! Israel must raise that cry in these latter days. Israel will raise it soon. Ere long, they shall take up the harp of David, and Solomon, and Asaph, and Heman, and the sons of Korah, and use all these songs; and this among the rest-this among the first. On that day, instead of "Amen" to the solemn curse, as in Deut. xxvii. 15-26, the people shall, with one accord, say “Amen” to the song of thanksgiving raised to Jehovah, who has gathered them from the Gentiles. "Blessed be Jehovah, God of Israel, From everlasting and unto everlasting! Thus setting forth The Lord glorified in his long-suffering to Israel, and in their final gathering. PSALM CVII. 1 O GIVE thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, From the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. 5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. 6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses; 7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. 8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. 10 Such as sit in darkness and in shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron, 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, And contemned the counsel of the Most High: 12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; They fell down, and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men ! 16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. 17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquitics, are afflicted. 18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. 19 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. 20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. 21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men! 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. 23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; 24 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. 25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: Their soul is melted because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. 28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them into their desired haven. 31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, And praise him in the assembly of the elders. 33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; 34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. 35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. 36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; 37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of in crease. 38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; And suffereth not their cattle to decrease. 39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. 40 He poureth contempt upon princes, And causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. 41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. 42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. 43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, Even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. The connection. SCARCELY has the ascending cry of the preceding Psalm ceased, when the answer* comes. For here is all Israel gathered. We say, all Israel; for it is Israel peculiarly who form the subject of it. At the same time, on the same principle that *The Jewish Fifth division of the Psalms begins here, apparently for no other reason than because Psa. cvi. ended with an Amen. Properly there is a close connection between Psa. cv, evi, and evii., equivalent to Part I., Part II., Part III., of one and the same narrative. |