21 The impious borroweth, and repayeth not ;" But the JUST ONE is compassionate and liberal;

22 [D] He is ever compassionate, ever lending; And his seed is [appointed] to a blessing..

מ

23 When a man's steps are ordered by Jehovah, [E] Then he delighteth in that man's course.

24 If he fall, shall he not be raised up? [F] For Jehovah supporteth his hand.

"Borroweth and repayeth not," a proverbial expression. The impious receive good things at the hand of Providence, to which they have no claim, and are not careful to make a due return of obedience and devotion. They claim much from the mercy of God, without any care to pay the debt of gratitude for that mercy which they hope to find. Thus they are borrowers who never pay. Christ is a charitable man, ceiving again.

who gives without any prospect of re

3

25 I have been young, I am also grown old, But never have I seen the JUST ONE deserted, Or his seed begging bread.

26 Truly, such-as-obtain-his-blessing shall inherit the earth, [D]

And such as incur his malediction shall be extirpated.

27 Turn away from evil, and do good,

And dwell for evermore.

28 For Jehovah loveth judgement, And never will desert his saints;

They shall be preserved for ever. [G]

ע

29 The foolish shall perish for ever,

And the seed of the impious shall be extirpated.

The just shall inherit the earth,

And they shall dwell upon it for ever.

30 The mouth of the JUST ONE discourseth of wisdom,

And his tongue uttereth just maxims.*

31 The law of his God in his heart,

His steps shall never slide.

32 The impious is-upon-the-watch for the JUST ONE, And is seeking to put him to death.

33 Jehovah will not leave him in his power, Nor find-him-guilty when-he-is-tried.

* i. e. Just maxims of human conduct.

P

34 Wait for Jehovah and keep his way;

And he shall exalt thee to the inheritance of the

earth;

When the impious are extirpated thou shalt see it.

35 I have seen the impious playing the tyrant; And spreading himself abroad like a tree-flourishing in-its native soil. [H]

36 But I passed by [I], and behold he was not; And I sought him, but he was not to be found.

37 Keep [thy] loyalty, and look-well to [thy] integrity;

For a posterity is [appointed] for the perfect

man. [K]

38 But apostates shall be destroyed altogether, The posterity of the impious shall be extirpated.

ת

39 The [L] salvation of the just is from Jehovah, Who-giveth-them-strength in the season of dis

tress;

40 And Jehovah shall help them and deliver them, He shall deliver them from the impious, and shall

save them,

Because they have taken shelter with him.

PSALM XXXVIII.

THE BELIEVER's soul, under THE IMAGE OF A LEPER, BE

WAILS HER CORRUPTION, AND THE MISERY OF HER PRESENT

CONDITION.

THE situation of the suppliant, in this Psalm, with respect to his enemies, is exactly what is described in my notes upon the VIth Psalm. He is visited too with a disease painful and debilitating in the extreme,