own. The Prophets refer in language still more decisive to the unbelief and rebellion of men against the Messiah. "He was so despised that they hid their faces from him and we esteemed him not."1 The Prophet Zechariah personifies Messiah, the Shepherd whom the people reward with the contemptible sum of thirty pieces of silver. Daniel says, "And after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself."3

V. 4-6. There are tumults and commotions on earth; the children of God get afraid, and ask, “O Lord, how long?" But 'tis calm and bright in the heavens." He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision." He would do so, were He man. "It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers, that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in. That bringeth the princes to nothing;-he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity." "4 Our heart must be where God is. If we leave it on the raging and stormy earth, it joins in the raging and the storm; if we lift it to the peace and happiness of God's Heaven, His peace and happiness flow to us. The Lord has His time to laugh and to continue silent, but "Thinkest thou that I shall always be silent and thou fearest me not?" he asks (Isaiah lvii. 11). No; he will speak, and so speak that "whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.' But for a little while will He suffer his anointed One to be despised, as if He did not heed it. Within that brief period falls our existence. His voice will then be heard in all the earth, and His mighty acts will ask, "Shall men be able to depose whom I have created and instituted as king?" God has instituted Him as king: shall this king lack subjects? No, as the apostle has it, "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that He is the Lord." If not willingly, they will be compelled to do it unwillingly: should they deny His righteousness and love, they will not be able to deny His majesty and glory. This king is set upon or over Zion, viz., the heavenly Jerusalem of which Paul speaks. 6

66

V. 7-9. The prophet now hears the king's own speech. He speaks of His divine generation and appointment, which being from everlasting can never be destroyed. His royal majesty, however, was not revealed till after the time of His obedience on earth, and He was "declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead."7 Paul connects this passage with the time of Christ's resurrection, because not till then did His Sonship become manifest to them.8 Israel and its kings are sometimes called sons of God." But they bear the name of children and sons of God in a very important sense, simply on account of having experienced the love of God. The Messiah, on the other hand, is the Son of God indeed, above whom the heavens were opened, and the voice of God said: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." He testifies in this place that the ends of the earth are His possession. No king in Israel ever received promise like this. The limits of Israel were from the Red Sea even unto the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river." More remote frontiers are set to king Messiah: "He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river (Euphrates) to the ends of the earth." He who had not where to lay His head on earth, said nevertheless, "Thou hast given to thy Son power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him;" and again, "All mine are thine, and thine are mine." Our Lord did not take the world with the sceptre of the mighty on earth, but with the mild

(1) Isa. liii. 3. (6) Gal. vi. 16; iv. Psalm 1xxxix. 27.

"11

"10

(2) Zech. xi. 12. (3) Dan. ix. 26. (4) Isa. xl. 22. 23. (5) Phil. ii. 9.

26.

(7) Rom. i. 4. (10) Ex. xxiii. 31;

(8) Acts xiii. 33. Ps. lxxx. 12.

(9) Ex. iv. 22; 2 Sam. vii. 14; (11) Ps. lxxii. 8; Zech. ix. 10.

sceptre of peace. But as the shepherd uses his staff only among the sheep that hear his voice, but wears a sword against wolves, so the good Shepherd wears a sword along with His staff, and says, concerning the evil servant, "The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The Saviour is called " a Lamb;" but there is also mentioned the wrath of the Lamb; as it is written that they shall say to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come: and who shall be able to stand?”2 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

4

V. 10-12. With such thoughts of the wrath to come the royal prophet exhorts the kings of the earth to be instructed betimes. They are to rejoice in the possession of such a ruler, but to remember that the sceptre of His protection may be turned into the rod of punishment. He bids them to kiss the Son, which is a mark of homage and adoration, and to confide in and take refuge with Him, which involves an amount of power beneath the shelter of which they may securely brave any tempest. Conscious that the possession of Him includes that of everything else, the Psalmist calmly closes this impassioned song with the words: "Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."

PSALM III.

A prayer of David, falling into that period of sore temptation, when Absalom, his beloved son, sought to deprive him of his crown and life. At the end of the ten years of Saul's bitter persecution, David may have considered the time of his exile for ever gone. But it was to return once more towards the latter end of his life, caused by his own son and Ahithophel, a treacherous friend. A messenger came to David informing him that the people were running after Absalom saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom." But David said to all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise and let us flee, for we shall not else escape from Absalom!" Thus, accompanied by a few of his faithful followers and the tears of a great portion of the people, with covered head and barefooted, he went over Mount Olivet towards the river Jordan to wait in the desert for the issue of things at Jerusalem. The event is touchingly described in 2 Sam. xv. During his absence from the city, David appears to have experienced the continuous alternation of various degrees of calm repose and great anxiety and fear." Most of the psalms which he composed during that flight in the desert, or still later, betray great anxiety. This psalm, expressive of filial confidence in the midst of trouble, accords best with that melancholic disposition of peace, which may be traced in the words of the humbled king on the first day after his departure from the city. Compare also his conciliating language to Shimei. Since the contents of the psalm show that it was sung in the evening (v. 6), we may infer that it was composed on the evening of that first day when the king took night-quarters at Bahurim, close by Jerusalem.8

7

5

(1) Matt. xxiv. 50. 51. (5) 2 Sam. xvii. 21-24.

(2) Rev. vi. 16. 17. (6) Cf. Ps. lv. xxviii.

(3) John iii. 36. (4) 1 Sam. x. 1. (7) 2 Sam. xvi. (8) 2 Sam. xvi. 5-14.

E

1

1 A

PSALM of David, when he fled from Absalom
his son.

2 LORD, how are they increased that trouble me?
Many are they that rise up against me.
3 Many there be which say of my soul,

There is no help for him in God. Selah. 4 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; My glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 5 I cried unto the LORD with my voice,

And he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 6 I lay me down and sleep;

I awake;* for the LORD sustaineth me.

7 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, That have set themselves against me round about.

8 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God:

For thou smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone;
Thou breakest the teeth of the ungodly.

9 Salvation is with the LORD:

Thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

V. 1. What a share of sad experience for the humbled king was compressed into that one day. His throne is lost, the sanctuary left behind; his beloved son has become his persecutor, and a highly esteemed and trusty friend turned a traitor; faithless subjects have derided him, and even thrown stones at him! Tired and worn out with the fatigues of the day he has reached his night quarters, and withal can retire in profound calm of mind, as it is here portrayed!

3

His excitement is yet alive at the beginning of the Psalm. The first impression of the insurrection is evident (v. 2. 3). The thought of the Lord however inspires confidence (v. 4. 5). He then lies down, sure of the blessing of God upon himself and the faithful people of God (v. 6-9).

4

5

V. 2. 3. He might well complain of the multitude of his opponents. Hardly more than six hundred men had remained with him, since the people without Jerusalem had in masses joined rebellious Absalom. They said, in their overweening confidence, of him who in innumerable instances had experienced the most wonderful deliverances of God, "There is no help for him in God." Shimei in particular had indulged in blasphemy like this: "The Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and behold thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man."6

V. 4. 5. He had still a small number of faithful adherents. Valiant Joab and Abishai surrounded him. But he confides not in the spear and shield of man. The Lord is his shield: he hopes to be reinstated to honour by Him, and trusts that He will lift up his bowed head again. "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm." The priests wished to carry away the ark of the covenant: David sent it back, and said, with

(1) Psalm lv. 14. 15. (2) 2 Sam. xvi. 6. 7. (3) 2 Sam, xvi. 14. (4) 2 Sam. xv. 18. (5) 2 Sam. xv. 13. (6) 2 Sam. xvi. 8. (7) Jer. xvii. 5.

*

We may translate with A.V. in the past time, and render, "I laid me down and slept," "I awaked.' The Psalm would then have been sung in the morning; but the subsiding in gradual calm towards the end adapts it more for an evening song.

mild resignation, "Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation; but if he thus say, I have no delight in thee: behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.' He then directs his thoughts to the holy hill, and knows that, though remote from it, he is not remote from Him who hears from there. Selah follows this expression, which always occurs after emphatic thoughts, when song used to be followed by a musical interlude.

V. 6. 7. Peaceful and quieted he is about to lay him down in the midst of a rebellious people: he feels as if the Lord were standing by his side, and holding him with his right hand. Who among christians does imitate him in similar circumstances?

V. 8. 9. The recollection of great deliverances now rushed upon his mind. His song at the close of his life was, "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." Every experience which formed the basis of these expressions burst upon his soul. His enemies had frequently compassed him as wild beasts, but he had escaped from their mouth. The remembrance of such experiences kindled the hope that the Lord would help him, and break the teeth of the wild animals which were turned against him. He looks not around him on earth: his confidence and hope centre in God alone. "Salvation is with the Lord," as if he had said, What other help do I require? We may understand the people for whom he prays to designate the mass of the rebellious, which might then be paraphrased, Let not my blinded subjects suffer for the folly and wickedness of some few! The term "people of God" however means frequently in the Psalms the generation of the godly, the real Israel after the Spirit, and as such it may here have designated the faithful portion of the people, who from faith in God had continued faithful to their rightful monarch.

PSALM IV.

A Psalm of comfort of David, which probably belongs to the period when David, returning with his men to the town of Ziklag, which the king of the Philistines had given him, found that the Amalekites had invaded and burnt it, and carried off the women and children.

The six hundred who had followed David became then so filled with distrust and exasperation against David, that they actually talked of stoning him. That event would satisfactorily explain v. 6, and especially v. 6-8. The psalm was composed in the evening (see v. 9). David looks to God for strength and consolation (v. 1). He remembers his worldlyminded associates, and chides them for their hasty abandonment of confidence in his good cause (v. 2-6). He supplicates God for the return of prosperity (v. 7), though he already derives more enjoyment and blessings from his communion with the Lord, than they do from their temporal possessions (v. 8). Strengthened by these thoughts, he retires peacefully to rest under the shield and protection of God.

(1) 2 Sam. xv. 25. 26. (2) Psalm xviii. 3. (3) Psalm xxii. 17. 22. (4) Psalms xiv. 4; lxxii. 2. (5) Psalm lxxxix. 9; see also ad. Ixiii. 12. (6) 1 Sam. xxx. 6.

1

TO

the chief Musician, on the

the Harp, A Psalm of

David.

2 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; Have mercy upon me and hear my prayer.

3 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into

shame ?

How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing?
Selah.

4 But know that the LORD hath chosen His holy one:
The LORD will hear when I call unto him.

5 Stand in awe, and sin not:

Commune with your own heart

Upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 6 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,* And put your trust in the LORD.

7 There be many that say, "Who will show us any good?" LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 8 Thou hast put gladness in my heart,

More than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 9 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:

For thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

V. 2. Taking his refuge in prayer he practically expresses his conviction, that however much the unbelieving may feel inclined to ascribe to blind and unconscious fate events like that just realised, (viz. the unexpected invasion of the Amalekites), that all visitations however unexpected or distressing they be, are lodged in the hands of God and by Him dispensed to men. By calling Him the God of his righteousness, he testifies that He, to whose will every human destiny is to be referred, does not conduct the government of the world in an arbitrary manner, but after a standard of eternal truth and equity, and views his own case in that light:-"Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress," shows that he is not a novice in his communion with God, but that in similar situations he has frequently communed with him, and experienced that the prayers of the tried and distressed are not uttered in vain, but that there is an ear in heaven which is sure to hear them.

V. 3. 4. He then contemplates the case of his associates, who had joined him in the confidence that God would not leave him, His pious servant. David's example may teach us how to defend our honour, though we should with David regard it as the gift of God. It is hardly probable that he alludes to the royal glory, derived from Samuel's having anointed him, as he could not assert that during the lifetime of Saul, without appearing rebellious. Moreover, he caused himself with the consent of the people once more to be anointed after the death of Saul. But he may refer to that glory of peculiar Divine protection, which is enjoyed by the faithful servants of God (v. 4). We find, however, that the opinion obtained pretty generally, that the son of Jesse was to inherit the kingdom.