He hath levelled [H] his bow, and made it ready.

13 He hath prepared for himself the weapons of death;

He putteth his arrows in action, against those who are ready for burning. [I]

14 Behold he is pregnant with vanity; [K] And he hath conceived mischief, and brought forth delusion.

15 He is digging a pit and making-(it)-deep, But he shall fall into the ditch upon which he-isat-work.

16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, And his violence shall come down upon his own

17 I will praise Jehovah for his righteousness, And sing the name of Jehovah most High.

*The crown of the head.

PSALM VIII.

[See Notes.]

PSALM IX.

THANKSGIVING FOR THE EXTIRPATION OF THE ATHEISTICAL

FACTION, PROMISED IN PSALM X. [A]

SOME expressions in this ninth psalm may be thought to indicate that it was composed during the captivity, upon some great blow sustained by the enemies of the Jews, from which the captives conceived sanguine hopes of a speedy restoration. What the particular occasion of the composition might be, in this view of its subject, it will not be found easy to determine. I have myself sometimes thought of the overthrow of the Babylonian empire by Cyrus; sometimes of the defeat of Haman's plot. But upon comparing this psalm with the 10th, so great a similitude appears between the two, both in the sentiments and the expressions, that it seems reasonable

to conclude that the subject of this, as well as of the 10th is general: and that this is indeed an appendage of the 10th, and is preposterously placed before it; being the believer's thanksgiving for that excision of iniquity, which is promised to him in the 10th.

The argument of this psalm is thus stated in the Syriac:

"Of Christ assuming his throne and kingdom, and vanquishing his enemy."

1 I will praise [thee] O Jehovah with my whole heart,

I will recount all thy marvellous works.

2 I will rejoice, and exult in thee;

I will chaunt thy name, O Most High.

3 Because mine enemies are turned back; They fall; they perish from thy presence.

4 Thou hast past sentence for me and done me right,[B]

Thou hast-taken-thy seat upon the throne of

righteous judgement.

B

5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast de

stroyed the impious one;

Their name thou hast blotted out for ever and

ever.

6 Desolations have consumed the enemy for ever; [C]

The cities which thou hast demolished, † their

very-memory is perished with them.

7 But Jehovah shall keep his seat for ever; He hath established his throne upon judgement.

8 And he will sentence the world with justice; He will try the nations with perfect-equity.

9 And Jehovah will be a high-fortress for the afflicted one,

A high-fortress in critical-times, in [the season of] distress. +

* Or, as the word might I think be rendered, the Instruments of Destruction.

+ “Demolished.” The Hebrew verb expresses the tearing up of the foundations of the buildings.

See Psalm X.

10 And they that know thy name shall trust in thee;

For never hast thou forsaken them that seek after

thee, O Jehovah.

II.

11 Sing unto Jehovah who dwelleth in Zion, Declare his doings among the peoples.

12 When he maketh inquisition for blood, [D] he remembereth them,

He forgetteth not the cry of the helpless. *

13 Take pity-upon-me, [E] O Jehovah,

See the oppression of me by-him-that-hateth-me; O thou that raisest-me-up from the gates of death;

14 That I may recount all thy praise

In the gates of the daughter of Zion. [F]

"The cry of the helpless" is the earnest incessant prayer of believers for the accomplishment of the Universal Redemption. This cry shall not be disregarded-the universal redemption shall be accomplished.