The Song consists of three parts: the first spoken in the person of the psalmist, the second of Messiah, and the third again by the psalmist. But the division will be different according to the reading that may be adopted of the 6th verse. As that verse stands in the Masoretic text, it contains the word which God, according to the 5th verse, spake in his wrath," and is therefore a part of the psalmist's narration. The first part, therefore, spoken by the psalmist, consists of the first six verses. The 7th, 8th and 9th, are spoken by the Messiah, and make the second part. But if we adopt that reading of the 6th verse, which is expressed in the version of the LXX, then the 6th verse is spoken by the Messiah of himself. And, in this case, the first part spoken by the psalmist ends with the 3d verse; Messiah speaks the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th verses; and the psalmist, again, the three following.

PART I.-PSALMIST.

1 To what purpose do the heathen confederate, And the nations meditate* a vain thing?

*Or threaten. Or if p may be taken adverbially, “ And the nations mutter angrily in vain."

2 The Kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the Statesmen sit in council together, Against Jehovah, and against his Anointed One.

3 "Let us break off their fetters,

"And cast away from us their-twisted-cords."

✦ He that sitteth in heaven shall laugh, [A] The Lord shall make scorn at them.

5 Then shall he speak against them in his wrath,[B] And in-his-burning-anger he shall strike-themwith-dismay;

6 [C] Yet will I anoint my King Upon my holy hill of Sion.

PART II.-MESSIAH.

7 [D] I will publish the decree of God: Jehovah saith unto me,

My Son art Thou; I, this day, have begotten

thee.

8 Demand of me; for I appoint the Heathen

thine inheritance,

And the extremities of the earth thy-fast-pos

session.

9 Thou shalt rule them with a sceptre of iron, Thou shalt break [E] them to pieces like a potter's vessel.

PART III.-PSALMIST.

10 Now therefore, O ye kings, grow wise, Be taught, O ye judges of the earth,

11 Serve the Jehovah

With fear, and rejoice with diffidence.*

12 Kiss the Son

Lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way; [F]
For, within a little, shall his wrath blaze forth-
Blessed is every one who taketh shelter under
him.

* Literally "with trembling;" but the thing meant is that sort of fear which arises from a man's diffidence of his own strength and

THE general subject of this psalm is the same as of the two preceding. It is a prayer for grace and

power: a notion which the word " trembling" not at all conveys in our language. Serve the Lord, says the Psalmist, with fear, and rejoice; take satisfaction, joy and glory to yourselves in becoming his servants. But let it be a holy temperate joy, fearful of offence, not heedless and presumptuous, verging on the licentious

mercy, and for God's protection against the atheistical faction. But it is distinguished from many of the like general argument, that it is a prayer offered in a particular place, at a particular time, in a particular character. The place, the inner-court of the temple, [see verse 4. & 7.]-the time, the hour of morning-sacrifice, [verse 3.]—the character, that of a Priest or Levite, as may be inferred from the sacrifical terms TN and N in the 3d verse.

This psalm, therefore, is the private prayer of a Priest or Levite, at the foot of the altar of burntoffering, when he comes to set things in order for the morning-sacrifice. But in the character of this priest is typified, that of a true member of the Christian church, one taught in the mysteries of the gospel, and admitted to the privileges of the faithful, in opposition to idolaters and infidels.

A PRAYER OF THE MESSIAH, IN THE CHARACTER OF A PRIEST, COMING AT AN EARLY HOUR TO PREPARE THE ALTAR OF BURNT-OFFERING FOR THE MORNING SACRIFICE.

1 GIVE ear, O Jehovah, to my words,

Consider my sighing. [A]