.8. (1) This and the following verses to the end are nearly the same as the first five in Ps. cviii. which is one of the Psalms for Ascension Day. 1.9. (m) "Glory," i. e. tongue, voice. In Ps. cviii. 1. he says, " I will sing and " give praise with the best member that I " have." 7.9. (n) For "right early," Dr. Hammond, and after him Mr. Street, read " the morning," which is more poetical; and then it is like the idea in Ovid, ".... Vigil ales ibi cristati cantibus oris And in Milton's Allegro, the hound and horn Chearly rouse the slumb'ring morn." (0) Reflections by David upon the conduct of the persons who set or supported Saul against him; a prayer for their discomfiture, or a prediction that it would occur, and a confident assumption that they would be signally pu nished. 3 The ungodly are froward, even from their mother's womb : as soon as they are born, they go astray, and speak lies. 4 They are as venomous as the poison of a serpent: even like the deaf adder, that stoppeth her ears; 5 Which refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer : charm he never so wisely. 6 Break (q) their teeth, O God, in their mouths; smite the jaw-bones of the lions (r), O Lord : let them fall away like water that runneth apace; and when they shoot their arrows, let them be rooted out. 7 Let them consume away like a snail, and be like the untimely fruit of a woman : and let them not see the sun. 8 Or ever (s) your pots be made hot with thorns : so let indignation vex him, even as a thing that is raw. (p) "Congregation," i. e. of Saul's v.1. advisers or instigators. (q) " Break," &c. Dr. Hammond v 6. reads the verbs in this and the next two verses as futures, not as optatives; as predictions, not as imprecations: "God " shall break," &c. "the Lord shall " smite," &c. "they shall be rooted " out," " they shall consume away," &c. "and not see the sun," and "so "shall indignation," &c. (7) "The lions," i. e. those who are v.6. savage as lions. See Ps. lvii. 4, 5. (5) " Or ever," &c. If this is the v.8. right translation, the meaning may be, " as when your pots are made hot with "thorns," (which made the quickest and hottest fire, see Ps. cxviii. 12.) so let thine indignation use and act upon them as such a fire would act upon raw meat; or, perhaps, for " a thing that is " raw," the reading should be "a liv ing animal." They had two kinds of fuel in Palestine, dried dung, and 9. (1) ante 209. 204. 221. EVENING PRAYER. Psalm lix. (x) DELIVER me from mine enemies, O God: defend me from them, that rise up against me. wood or thorns; the latter made the quicker fire, and gave the stronger heat. The same idea occurs in Ps. xxi. 9. "Thou shalt make them like a fiery " oven in time of thy wrath the Lord " shall destroy them in his displeasure, "and the fire shall consume them." The Bible translation is, "Before your pots "can feel the thorns," (which was probably a proverbial expression to denote extreme suddenness) "he shall take "them away as with a whirlwind, both "living, and in his wrath." No doubt the object is either to pray that some very heavy judgment might fall upon 'them, or to foretell that it would. (t) "Rejoice." He would have two grounds for being thankful; the one 2 O deliver me from the wicked doers: and save me from the blood-thirsty-men. 3 For lo, they lie waiting for my soul: the mighty men are gathered against me, without that he was not included in the destruction, the other that he is delivered from the oppression, &c. of those on whom it did fall. (u) "Wash," &c. i. e. the destruction shall be such, that he shall have the opportunity even of washing his feet in the blood of the slain. So Ps. lxviii. 23. God is represented as having promised to bring again his people with such vengeance upon their adversaries, "that thy " foot may be dipped in the blood of " thine enemies, and that the tongue of "thy dogs may be red through the " same." (x) A prayer for deliverance from some unjust attack, expressing the utmost confidence that God would grant 1 1 any offence or fault of me, O || people forget it: but scatter them Lord. 4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault (y): arise thou therefore to help me, and behold. 5 Stand up, O Lord God of hosts, thou God of Israel, to visit all the heathen (z): and be not merciful unto them that offend of malicious wickedness. 6 They go to and fro in the evening: they grin like a dog, and run about through the city. 7 Behold, they speak (a) with their mouth, and swords (b) are in their lips: for "who doth " hear (c)?" 8 But thou, O Lord, shalt have them in derision: and thou shalt laugh all the heathen to scorn. 9 My strength will I ascribe unto thee: for thou art the God of iny refuge. abroad among the people, and put them down, O Lord, our defence. 12 For the sin of their mouth, and for the words of their lips, they shall be taken in their pride : and why? their preaching is of cursing and lies. 13 Consume them in thy wrath, consume them, that they may perish: and know that it is God that ruleth in Jacob, and unto the ends of the world. 14 (f) And in the evening they will return: grin like a dog, and will go about the city. 15 They will run here and there for meat: and grudge if they be not satisfied. 16 As for me, I will sing of thy power, and will praise thy mercy betimes in the morning : for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my 10 God sheweth me his good-trouble. ness plenteously : and God shall let me see my desire (d) upon mine enemies. 11. Slay them not (e), lest my it. It is supposed by some to have been written by David when Saul sent messetgers to his house to watch and kill him, and Michal his wife let him down through a window. See 1 Sam. xix. Others suppose that it was written in Hezekiah's time, when Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent Rabshakeh to Jerusalem with a great army. (y) "Without my fault," i. e. without any fault in me. (z) "Heathen," i. e. perhaps, wicked doers. 7. (a) "They speak," &c. i. e. when they speak, it is as if swords were in their lips, what they say is so destructive. 7. (b) "Swords," &c. See note on Ps. lv. 22. ante 309. (c) "Who doth hear." These are 17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing for thou, O God, art my refuge, and my merciful God. 15. (f) The Bible translation is (taunt- v.14. ingly) "Let them return, &c. and go "about the city; let them run," &c. Let that be their punishment, which, according to verse 6. is now part of their offence. Psalm lx. (g) God, thou hast cast us out, and scattered us abroad : thou hast also been displeased; O turn thee unto us again. 2 Thou hast moved the land, and divided it : heal the sores thereof, for it shaketh. 3 Thou hast shewed thy people heavy things: thou hast given us a drink (b) of deadly wine. 4 Thou (i) hast given a token for such as fear thee : that they may triumph, because of the truth. 5 Therefore were thy beloved (g) This Psalm is supposed to have been written by David. It refers to some great distresses the people had had, notices an assurance God had given David that he should reduce the neighbour. ing nations to subjection, and expresses a conviction that God's assistance would secure him success. It was probably written soon after David was anointed king over Israel. Upon the battle in which Saul was slain, many of the Israelites deserted their cities, and left them to the Philistines, who dwelt in them. David was at first king over the house of Judah only, and one of Saul's sons, Ishbosheth, was made king over the rest of Israel; there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, and it was not until after he had reigned seven years and six months over Judah that David was made king over all Israel. It is probably therefore to these events that David alludes in the early part of the Psalm. The last eight verses are nearly the same as the last eight in Ps. cviii. 2.3. (b) "A drink," &c. A figurative expression for great affliction. So Is. li. 17. "Awake, awake, stand up, O "Jerusalem, which hast drank at the " hand of the Lord the cup of his fury, "thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup " of trembling, and wrung them out." See also Is. li. 22.-Jer. xxv. 15. So our Saviour repeatedly speaks of his afflictions under the figure of "a cup." Thus, Matt. xx. 22. he puts the question to Zebedee's children, Are ye able to A (4) The right reading may perhaps be, " God hath given me this assurance in " his sanctuary, I shall rejoice and di" vide Sichem," &c. &c. and then the meaning is, I shall divide, i. e. have under my dominion, Sichem and Succoth; Gilead, Manasses, Ephraim, and Judah are already mine; I shall have the same power over Moab as over my wash-pot; I shall be able to tread Edom under my feet, and Philistia shall be so completely subdued unto me, as to be glad to have me to rule over her. Or God may be considered as speaking, and David might understand that he was to be the instrument in God's hand to subdue these powers. (1) "Philistia," &c. In Ps. cviii. 9. the expression is, " Upon Philistia will " I triumph." The meaning here probably is, be thou glad of me as thy master, to be under my controul and government. So Ps. lxxxix. 12. " Tabor and " Hermon shall rejoice in thy name." (m) The reading should perhaps be, " Hast thou then cast us out, O God," &c. out, O God: wilt not thou, O God, go out with our hosts? II O be thou our help in trouble: for vain is the help of man. 12 Through God will we do great acts: for it is he that shall tread down our enemies. Psalm lxi. (n) HEAR my crying, O God: give ear unto my prayer. 2 From the ends of the earth (0) will I call upon thee : when my heart is in heaviness. 8 So will I always sing praise unto thy Name: that I may daily perform my vows. MORNING PRAYER. Psalm lxii. (r) My soul truly waiteth still upon God: for of him cometh my salvation. 2 He verily is my strength and my salvation: he is my defence, so that I shall not greatly fall. 3 How long will ye imagine mischief against every man: ye 3 O set me up upon the rock that is higher than I: for thou | shall be slain all the sort of you; that hast been my hope, and a strong tower for me against the enemy. 4 I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever: and my trust shall be under the covering (p) of thy wings. yea, as a tottering wall (s) shall ye be, and like a broken hedge. 4 Their device is only how to put him out whom God will exalt: their delight is in lies; they give good words with their mouth, but curse with their heart. 5 For thou, O Lord, hast heard my desires : and hast given an (q) heritage unto those that fear thy Name. 6 Thou shalt grant the King a long life: that his years may endure throughout all generations. 7 He shall dwell before God for ever: O prepare thy lovingmercy and faithfulness, that they may preserve him. (n) This is understood to be a Psalm of David's, and is supposed to have been written on account of his flight upon Absalom's rebellion. It begins with an anxious appeal to God for protection, and concludes as if he either had received it, or was fully assured he should. ข. 2. (0) "The ends of the earth," i.e. the distant parts to which he had been constrained to flee. In Ps. xlii. 8. which was written on the same occasion, he says, he will remember God " concern" ing" (or, even from) "the land of "Jordan, and the little hill of Hermon." 5 Nevertheless, my soul, wait thou still upon God: for my hope is in him. 6 He truly is my strength and my salvation: he is my defence, so that I shall not fall. 7 In God is my health and my glory: the rock of my might, and in God is my trust. (p) "Covering," &c. See note on v.4. Ps. xvii. 8. ante 255. (q) For "given an heritage unto," v.5. B. T. reads, " given me the heritage of," &c. meaning the land of God's people, of the Israelites. (r) This Psalm is supposed to have been written by David. It expresses in a strong and confident manner his reliance upon God's protection against the attempts of his enemies, and exhorts the people to put their trust in him. (5) " A tottering wall," i. e. so far v.3. from being able to make any resistance, as to be hardly capable of standing by |