PART III.-TRUST.

6 The words of Jehovah are pure * words, Silver assayed in a crucible of earth, Gold purified seven times.

7 Thou wilt keep them,† O Jehovah ;

Thou shalt preserve us for ever from this genera

tion.

8 The impious shall be getting them ‡ [D] out-ofthe-way,

When the scorn of the sons of men is exalted. § [E]

teacher human or divine. They form their own opinions from their own reflections, and they claim a right to speak as freely as they think; to propagate and maintain their own notions, however opposite to the general belief, and even to revile the established religion.

*« Pure words," free of all untruth, deceit or insincerity. "Keep them," that is keep thy words, thy promises.

"Shall-be-getting-them out of the way." They will endeavour to escape and secrete themselves, but will not be able to effect it.

§ "When the scorn of the sons of men is exalted."-" The scorn of the sons of men," that is he whom the sons of men despised. Compare Symnachus.

PSALM XIII.

[See Notes.]

PSALM XIV.

PROPHETIC OF THE EXTIRPATION OF THE IRRELIGIOUS

FACTION.

PSALMIST.

1 The fool hath said in his heart, "there is no God."

They are corrupted, they are abominable in their frolics, * [A]

No one doeth good.

2 Jehovah † looked down from Heaven upon the sons of men

To see if any one were growing-wise, seeking the

Elohim.

* In their profligacy.

+ God.

3 They are all [B] gone astray together; they are

rotten;

No one doeth good; no not one.

[C] [An open sepulchre is their throat,
They set-a-polish with their tongues,
The poison of asps is under their lips.

Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness,
Their feet are swift to shed blood.

Destruction and misery is in their ways,
And the way of peace they have not known,
The fear of God is not before their eyes.]

(GOD SPEAKS.)

4 Have they no consideration, all the dealers in

5 There they are thrown into terror [E], where

no terror is! *

Truly God is with the generation of the just one!

6 The counsel of the helpless man shall put them to shame, [F]

For Jehovah is his refuge.

7 O that the deliverance of Israel were sent forth from Zion.

When Jehovah † restoreth the captives of his

people,

Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

PSALM XV.

[See Notes.]

* No cause of terror, according to appearances and human pro

babilities.

+ God.

C

PSALM XVI.

A MYSTICAL PRAYER OF DAVID IN THE CHARACTER OF

HIGH PRIEST.

This sixteenth Psalm is not only cited as David's by two of the Apostles, St Peter and St Paul, but in applying it to Christ, both argue from the supposition, that David was its author. Admitting that David was the author, of which, after the decision of the Apostles, a Christian may hardly be at liberty to doubt; it is evident from the structure of the Psalm itself, that it is, what the same authority hath pronounced it, prophetic. For the whole is uttered in the character of the High Priest. But with what propriety could David speak in that character, otherwise than prophetically; in the hope of that priesthood which was to come into his family, in the person of his descendant.