(DAVID PERSONATES THE MESSIAH IN HIS PRIESTLY office.) * - 1 Guard me, O God, for with thee have I taken shelter 2 I have said unto Jehovah ;. O Lord, Thou art my good,-not besides thee. 3 For the saints, which are in the land, And my glorified ones, all my delight is in them.[A] 4 They shall multiply their sorrows [who] betroththemselves to another; [B] I will not offer their libations of blood, 5 Jehovah, my measured portion [C], and my cup, Art thou: Thy Thummim is my lot. t * The Hebrew verb expresses the action of those who watch over another's safety; as of guards attending their king, or a shepherd keeping his flock. + "Thy Thummim is my lot." That eternal perfect priesthood is allotted unto me, of which the Levitical is the general type; of the glory of which the brilliant gems on the High Priest's breastplate are the particular symbols. See Deuter. XXXIII, 8. 6 My territory is fallen in pleasant-spots, A fair heritage is [allotted] to me. 7 I will bless the Jehovah who hath been-my-counsellor, Even in the night-seasons my-secret-thoughts [D] instruct me. 8 I have set Jehovah always before me; Because he is at my right hand I shall not slip. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, my tongue [E] rejoiceth; My flesh also shall rest in security. 10 For thou wilt not relinquish my soul to hell, Thou wilt not suffer thy HOLY ONE to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of immortality; Fulness of joy,* in thy presence; Pleasures at thy right hand for ever more. *«Fulness of joy," that is, "thou wilt shew me fulness of joy, &c. and pleasures. PSALM XVII, XVIII, XIX, and XX. [See Notes.] PSALM XXI. THANKSGIVINg of the chURCH FOR Messiah's victory. · THIS Psalm consists of two parts, and a general close. The first part, consisting of the first seven verses, is a thanksgiving to God for his protection of a certain king. The second part, beginning with the eighth and ending with the twelfth verse, is addressed to that king, assuring him of success and triumph over his enemies, as the reward of his trust in God. The thirteenth verse closes the whole song, with a prayer to God to exert his power for the speedy destruction of his enemies. I cannot find that any interpreter has attended to this circumstance, that "Thou" in the first seven verses is "Thou, O Jehovah," in the five following, "Thou, O King." PART I. 1 Jehovah, in thy strength shall the King rejoice, How greatly shall he exult in thy salvation! 2 Thou hast given him the desire of his heart, And the request of his lips thou hast not withholden, 3 Truly thou preventest him with transcendant blessings. Thou settest upon his head a crown of purest gold. 4 Immortality he asked of thee; Thou hast given him a length of days [A] 5 Great is his glory through thy salvation; Honour and majesty thou hast laid upon him. 6 For thou hast appointed him blessings for ever; Thou hast gladdened him with the joy, which is in thine own presence. [B] 7 Truly the King relieth on Jehovah, And through the mercy of the Highest, he shall not slide. PART II. 8 Thine hand shall-be-successful against all thine enemies, Thy right-hand shall-be-successful against all that hate thee. [C] 9 Thou shalt make them like a furnace of fire in the season of thy manifestation. [D] Jehovah, in his wrath, shall swallow them up, and fire shall devour them. 10 Their progeny thou shalt destroy from off the earth, And their seed from among the sons of men. 11 Truly they have aimed mischief at thee, They meditated a trick [in which] they cannot [succeed;] |