Stronghold by virtue of his trust in Him; why dost Thou cast me off, turning away from him in scorn, as from something loathsome? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Cp. Ps. 42, 9. V. 3. O send out Thy light, that of His grace and mercy tending toward the salvation of men, and Thy truth, the faithfulness which keeps His promises without fail; let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, where His Sanctuary had been erected, and to Thy tabernacles, where the Lord dwelled in the midst of His people, letting the light of His essence appear in the revelation of His love in the Messiah, John 1, 14. V. 4. Then will I go unto the altar of God, to the place of His worship, unto God, my exceeding Joy, in

whom all the highest delights of the believer are personified; yea, upon the harp will I praise Thee, a small zither-like instrument used in divine worship, O God, my God, the emphasis again being placed upon the personal relation of the believer to his God, his highest Good. The believer having reached this point of assurance, he admonishes himself for the third time: v. 5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, who is the Health of my countenance and my God. All believers will guard against coming to their place of worship in a mechanical, dead manner, their hearts rather being united with God in the fellowship of true faith, exulting in Him as their greatest delight,

A Prayer in Times of National Distress. To the chief musician for the sons of Korah, another hymn composed by a member of this family, Maschil, a didactic poem evidently written at a time when the nation was in great peril, the period of David's wars having been suggested when he was overthrowing the Ammonites and the Edomites took advantage of his absence to make a raid on Southern Canaan, 2 Sam. 10. The psalm finds its application in the life of all Christians, being particularly suitable for times of oppression by the enemies of the Church, when it seems that the heathen and tyrants will prevail. V. 1. We have heard with our ears, O God, in the form of instruction in vogue among the children of Israel, where every housefather informed his children regarding the great works of God, Ex. 10, 2; 12, 26; Deut. 6, 20; our fathers have told us what work Thou didst in their days, in the early history of Israel, in the times of old; v. 2. how Thou didst drive out the heathen with Thy hand, for it was not their own weapons and strength which gave them the victory, as the many specific instances recorded clearly show, but the almighty power of Jehovah, and plantedst them, giving to the fathers of Israel a permanent home in Canaan; how Thou didst afflict the people, the heathen inhabitants, and cast them out. V. 3. For they, the Israelites, got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but Thy right hand and Thine arm and the light of Thy countenance, turned upon Israel in mercy, because Thou hadst a favor unto them, being disposed toward them in love. This is the first point which the inspired singer wishes to make, the fact of God's help in times past. This fact, moreover, inspires true confidence in Jehovah, the second point emphasized in the psalmist's prayer. V. 4.

Thou art my King, O God, emphatically, "Even Thou Thyself art my King"; command deliverances for Jacob, for the small flock of the faithful, of the believers of all times. V. 5. Through Thee will we push down our enemies, as an angry ox charges and overthrows every one coming into his way; through Thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. V. 6. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me, all confidence in one's own strength and ability is foolish. V. 7. But Thou hast saved us from our enemies and hast put them to shame that hated us, their opposition to Israel brought them nothing but disgrace, because God was the sole Help of His people. V. 8. In God we boast all the day long, making His almighty power the basis of their confident praise, and praise Thy name, His entire essence as revealed to men, forever. Selah. There follows a description of the desperate straits in which Israel found itself at that time, typical of the troubles which beset the Church of God, and a bitter complaint of neglect. V. 9. But Thou hast cast us off, that is, in spite of the trust which they reposed in Him it seemed that God was bent on their destruction, and put us to shame, a mockery before their enemies; and goest not forth with our armies, the various sections of Israel's army engaged in war. V. 10. Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy, in defeat and flight; and they which hate us spoil for themselves, gaining rich booty in the deserted camp of Israel. V. 11. Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat, to be used for food without offering resistance, and hast scattered us among the heathen, many members of Israel having been led away as slaves in the recent raids. V. 12. Thou sellest Thy people for naught, for a song, as though they were worthless, insignificant, as if He no longer

cared for them, and dost not increase Thy wealth by their price, He did not go high in the price which He demanded in selling them into slavery. V. 13. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbors, so that the surrounding nations would regard them with derision, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. V. 14. Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, their fate being bandied about in little verses of mockery, a shaking of the head among the people, in a gesture of sneering contempt. V. 15. My confusion is continually before me, the poet is always conscious of the disgrace resting upon him, and the shame of my face hath covered me, having taken hold of his entire being; v. 16. for the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth, the taunting mockery of whose words cut so deeply; by reason of the enemy and avenger, whose face was full of malignant hatred. The counterpart of all this is found in the treatment accorded the true believers by the children of the world, and the cry of the faithful rises to the Lord at all times in similar strains. Yet they do not continue in vain lamentations, but turn to the Lord in confident prayer. V. 17. All this is come upon us, apparently in punishment; yet have we not forgotten Thee, neither have we dealt falsely in Thy covenant, to deserve such a fate as a punishment. V. 18. Our heart is not turned back, away from the will of God, neither have our steps declined from Thy way, to follow the path of error and denial of God, v. 19. though Thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, where jackals lived, out in the wastes of the desert, where this misfortune had come upon Israel, and covered us with the

shadow of death. It is an emphatic declaration that Israel had not become apostate, continued also in the next sentence. V. 20. If we have forgotten the name of our God or stretched out our hands to a strange god, in open idolatry, v. 21. shall not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart, and nothing can be hidden before His omniscience. Then there would be reason for His being angry, then He would rightly reject His children. But this is not the case. V. 22. Yea, for Thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. That is the experience of the believers of all times on account of their adherence to God's Word, to the confession of His holy name. Cp. Rom. 8, 36. Therefore the believers are filled with the courage of faith, with the confidence which appeals to God with the certainty of being heard. V. 23. Awake! Why sleepest Thou, O Lord? this being the conclusion reached because of His failure to bring speedy deliverance to His children. Arise, cast us not off forever! V. 24. Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, as though He had forgotten all His mercy, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression, as though indifferent to all their suffering? V. 25. For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly cleaveth unto the earth, their condition being one of the greatest oppression and humility. V. 26. Arise for our help and redeem us for Thy mercies' sake, the appeal, not to the justice, but to the mercy of God for the sake of the Redeemer, being the one argument which is bound to make an impression upon the Lord. Such is the daring quality of faith, which wins victories for every Christian and for the entire Christian Church.

The Anointed of God the Bridegroom of the Church.

To the chief musician, for use in public worship, upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, a didactic poem, a song of loves. One of the members of the Korahite family composed this wonderful song by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, upon Shoshannim, that is, on or of the lilies, namely, in a figurative sense, partly explained in the words, "a song of loves," the plural referring to the bridal virgins and typifying the bride herself. The psalm is a song of the Bride, of the beloved of the great Bridegroom, the Messiah, and the plural is used because all the beloved of the King are united in the figure of the one who is His heart's delight, His Church. V. 1. My heart is inditing a good matter, the poet's heart is astir with the good word, the wonderful message, which he wants to set forth, the consoling Gospel-news: I speak of

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the things which I have made touching the King, dedicating his poem to the great King, the Messiah; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer, of a quick scribe, the thoughts, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, flowing into his pen in an uninterrupted stream. The King to whom he addresses his hymn has so filled his mind as to guide his pen in the glowing account which he here indites, a psalm of Christ, the Messiah, in His wonderful, eager love for His Bride, the Church. The King is now directly addressed. V. 2. Thou art fairer than the children of men, possessing beauty surpassing that of any mere son of man; grace is poured into Thy lips, charm and lovableness show themselves in His speech, in the beauty of His mercy and truth; therefore God hath blessed Thee forever, by virtue of the intimate relation between God and this King, the Messiah, divine blessings flow down upon Him and through His Gospel

upon the world, streams of salvation and mercy issue from His mouth in the beautiful message of redemption. Because of this glory and beauty, because of this mercy and truth, all nations of the earth are blessed in Him. V. 3. Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Most Mighty, with Thy glory and Thy majesty. He is not only a fair and gracious King, but also a great Champion of His people, who went out to battle for the salvation of mankind, invincible in His glory and majesty, the attributes of the true and only God, Ps. 96, 6. With these same wonderful qualities He is now endowed as He sits at the right hand of God, Eph. 1, 21. 22. V. 4. And in Thy majesty ride prosperously, advancing as the victorious Hero, because of truth and meekness and righteousness, for it is a war in the interest of truth and of the sufferings of righteousness, undertaken because the righteous suffer great trouble and afflictions; and Thy right hand shall teach Thee terrible things; for as gentle and gracious as the King is toward those who bow under His merciful scepter, so majestic and terrible He is in dealing with His enemies. V. 5. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies; whereby the people fall under Thee. The battle is briefly described. The King

takes His whetted arrows and sends them forth into the ranks of the enemies, into their hearts, so that the people fall before Him, wounded to death, utterly vanquished. Thus the exalted Christ exerts His almighty power. No matter how often the truth is suppressed, no matter how severely the righteous suffer, they are assured of the assistance of their almighty Redeemer. Every victory won by Christ is a judgment and punishment upon the enemies, who will be finally disposed of on the last Great Day.

From the description of the King's majesty the writer now turns to a hymn of praise and worship. V. 6. Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, the Messiah, true man, at the same time eternal God, Heb. 1, 8; the scepter of Thy kingdom is a right scepter, His dominion is one of rightness, of righteousness and justice. V. 7. Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness, the King Himself, coequal with God, hates the evil and loves the good, He causes righteousness to be applied in the government of His kingdom by mercifully giving to all its citizens, through His Word, the merciful gift of His righteousness, which, in turn, causes them to eschew evil and love the truly good; therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows. The King, the Messiah, is here clearly addressed as God, worshiped as God. God has anointed Him who is Himself God. There is only one God, and yet a distinction is here made between God and God, between the Messiah and His God

and Father. His God has anointed Christ with oil of gladness, with the Holy Ghost, who imparts joy in the Redeemer through the Word, Heb. 2, 11. 12; Is. 61, 1-3. Above His companions the Messiah is anointed, above all ordinary, merely human kings, priests, and prophets. He is anointed with the Holy Ghost without measure and therefore freely gives of this Spirit, filling the hearts of the poor and afflicted with glorious comfort, with the assurance of the forgiveness of their sins. V. 8. All Thy garments smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia, being perfumed with the most costly ointments and spices; out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made Thee glad, rather, from the palaces of ivory the stringed instruments have gladdened Thee. The ivory palaces are the habitations in Messiah's kingdom. They are white, the color of innocence, purity, holiness, and the songs performed on the stringed instruments are the praises sung in honor of the King by the citizens of His kingdom, hymns of thanksgiving to His grace. V. 9. King's daughters were among Thy honorable women, precious and valued are the bridal virgins, the maidens of the bridal procession, the believers, who are also followers of the King; upon Thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir, the Bride, or Wife, of the King appearing in the midst of the bridal virgins chosen by His grace, and identified with them for the purposes of the lesson here conveyed. The gold of Ophir decorating the queen is a picture of the rich gifts of mercy which the Messiah has bestowed upon His Church. The paragraph thus treats of Christ, true God and man, King and Bridegroom, from whom the gifts of mercy, righteousness, and joy in the Holy Ghost go forth and are bestowed upon the members of His Church, but who also lets His enemies feel the power of His majesty.

The inspired singer now repeats the words with which the King, the Messiah, addresses His Bride. V. 10. Hearken, O daughter, called so by the Bridegroom because she is begotten and regenerated through the Gospel, 1 Pet. 1, 23, and consider and incline thine ear, becoming so absorbed in the words of His grace as to forget everything else, even the closest ties of human relationship; forget also thine own people and thy father's house, all for the sake of the Bridegroom and His love; v. 11. so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty, taking pleasure in her for the beauty of her obedience, her finest and most precious ornament; for He is thy Lord, who has made her His own by the shedding of His precious blood; and worship thou Him, giving Him the honor due Him as the great Lord and serving Him in the beauty of holiness. V. 12. And the daughter of Tyre, as the representative of the heathen world, shall

be there with a gift, bringing presents and attempting to gain the favor of the Bride; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favor, seeking entrance into the kingdom of the Messiah. It is when the Bride, the Church, denies and forgets everything else, all the precious things of this world, that people outside the Church become interested. It is not by making concessions to the world that the Church gains members, but by being strictly exclusive, holding the treasure of the Gospel unpolluted. V. 13. The King's daughter, the Bride of Messiah, is all glorious within, clothed, as she is, with the garment of the Messiah's righteousness; her clothing is of wrought gold, of braided work of gold, with rich colored embroidery, the most costly garments, jewels of Christ's grace, spiritual and heavenly blessings. V. 14. She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework, skilfully embroidered; the virgins, her companions that follow her, also such believers as have been gained from the heathen world, shall be brought unto thee, being identified with the Bride and received by Christ in the eternal palaces of heaven. V. 15. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought; they shall enter into the King's palace, into the everlasting glories of heaven.

V. 16. Instead of Thy fathers shall be Thy children, whom Thou mayest make princes in all the earth. The King is here once more addressed. Instead of His fathers, the kings of the line of David who preceded Him, He will have sons, believers, citizens in His kingdom, His spiritual children; for His family will never die out, since He will always gain new adherents out of all nations, whom He will then set as princes over all the earth. All believers are kings and princes before Christ and His heavenly Father, they share in His glorious dominion, 1 Pet. 2, 9; Rev. 1, 6. And so the inspired singer finally, as a member and representative of Christ's Church on earth, extols the name of Messiah, the King. V. 17. I will make Thy name to be remembered in all generations, from generation to generation; therefore shall the people praise Thee forever and ever. Peoples, nations, believers, from every part of the earth, all the various members of the Church from all lands, give thanks to the King. And this song of thanksgiving, as it is begun here in time, will be continued without end, throughout eternity; for then the Bride, the Church, will forever be united with Christ, her Bridegroom, and her hallelujahs will sound forth in endless, glorious refrain.

The Church's Comfort and Security. To the chief musician, for use in the Temple-services, for the sons of Korah, composed by a member of this talented family, a song upon Alamoth, for soprano voices, either for a chorus of virgins or for instruments in the treble clef, with a high pitch. It is a song of faith and trust, by which the Church of God is enabled to stand firm and secure in the midst of all enmity, in spite of the attacks of the armies of Satan. V. 1. God is our Refuge, under whose protection the Church and every individual believer is safe, and Strength, the Source and Fountain of all true strength, whose almighty power can overthrow all enemies, a very present Help in trouble, a Helper in the oppressions and anxieties, in the fightings and fears, with which the children of God must ever contend. V. 2. Therefore, because God is our great and invincible Champion, will not we fear, though ever inclined to do so on account of the smallness of our faith, though the earth be removed, be changed entirely, receive an entirely different form, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, sinking down into the depths from which they rose at the almighty power of God's word, Gen. 1, 9. 10; v. 3. though the waters thereof roar, as in fierce anger, and be troubled, rushing, foaming, and frothing

like fermenting wine, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof, as from the impact of a mighty tidal wave which threatens to undermine them. Selah. Such is the picture of the catastrophes which threaten the existence of the Church, but in whose midst the believers wait quietly for the Lord, knowing that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church. The reason for this simple trust is now given. V. 4. There is a river, a mighty stream, rich in water for purposes both of drinking and irrigating, the streams whereof, the various channels of which, shall make glad the city of God, the Holy Place of the Tabernacles of the Most High, where the great Ruler of the universe, the King of His Church, resides, that is, His strong city, with the walls and bulwarks of His salvation, Is. 26, 1. 2. It is the stream of the fulness of God's mercy, dividing into so many channels, in order to gladden the many congregations of the Church, wherever they may be found, including the fellowship with the Triune God in the beauty of His revelation. V. 5. God is in the midst of her, as her Protector and Savior; she shall not be moved, not be made to totter and fall; God shall help her, and that right early, literally, "before the face of morning," before break of day, no matter how dark the night of tribulation may have seemed. The help of Jehovah is

sure in spite of all enemies. V. 6. The heathen raged, now foaming in terror over the deliverance which the Lord sends to His people, the kingdoms were moved, all their bulwarks tottering and falling with a mighty, booming noise; He uttered His voice, shouting in anger, the earth melted, dissolving before the devouring heat of His wrath, Amos 9, 5; Nah. 1, 5. V. 7. The Lord of hosts, the supreme Commander of all the heavenly armies, is with us; the God of Jacob is our Refuge, a high and safe Stronghold, which no enemies can storm and capture. Selah. Jehovah is with His Church, He is Immanuel, God-withus, not only as trusted Ally, but as our Leader and Hero, before whose almighty power all enemies are as chaff before the wind. Therefore the challenging cry of the believers rings out: v. 8. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations He hath made in the earth, in overthrowing the buildings and the enterprises of puny men, in punishing the world by bloody and destructive wars. V. 9. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth, in the interest of His Holy City, in carrying out His plans for the deliverance of His saints; He breaketh the bow and

cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariot in the fire, all instruments of the enemies employed in attacking the work of the Church, all the weapons of Satan intended for the overthrow of God's Zion. The kingdom of the Prince of Peace is established in the midst of all adversaries, and the Church Militant will become the Church Triumphant. The Church, therefore, issues a final solemn proclamation. V. 10. Be still, desist from making war upon Jehovah's Zion, and know that I am God, the God of the Church, the only true God; I will be exalted among the heathen, the great Victor on the field of encounter, I will be exalted in the earth, even the enemies being obliged to acknowledge His glory and majesty, forced to give Him the honor due Him as the Ruler of the universe. V. 11. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our Refuge. Selah. That is the confident Amen of the Christian Church and of every believer, in the trust of a world-conquering faith; for "the kingdom ours remaineth." 2) With Christ on our side, we remain victors.

2) Cp. Doctrinal Essay, North Wisconsin District, 1921: Der 46. Psalm.

The Messiah in the Glory of His

Exaltation.

To the chief musician, a psalm for the sons of Korah, written by one of their number at the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, as a prophecy of the victory and exaltation of Messiah to the right hand of Power. V. 1. O clap your hands, all ye people, the congregation of Jehovah being addressed with the summons to express their unbounded joy in a gesture of exultation which could not be repressed; shout unto God with the voice of triumph, in joyful acclaim of His majesty and glory. V. 2. For the Lord most high is terrible, to be feared, to be regarded with awe and reverence; He is a great King over all the earth, having dominion over all creatures, but ruling especially His Church with His grace and mercy. V. 3. He shall subdue the people under us, placing them in subjection to the Church by a spiritual victory, and the nations under our feet, the vanquished cheerfully joining the ranks of the victors in giving reverence to the King. V. 4. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the blessings imparted to His children by the manifestation of His grace, the excellency of Jacob whom He loved, the pride and glory of His Church, the bliss and joy of glorious perfection in heaven throughout eternity. Selah. All believers, whether they belong to Israel according to the flesh, or whether they have been gained from the ranks of heathendom, will share in the glorious blessings gained by

Christ and enjoy their happiness, world without end. The reason for this wonderful outburst of joy is now given. V. 5. God is gone up with a shout, the holy singers in the spirit see God ascend up on high with jubilation, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet, for this was the instrument used on all joyful festivals of Israel. On account of this act of God-Jehovah the urgent cry now goes forth to men. V. 6. Sing praises to God, sing praises, psalms of joyful thanksgiving; sing praises unto our King, sing praises, for God on high and the King of His Church are here identified. V. 7. For God is the King of all the earth, the King, by His marvelous exaltation, has shown Himself the God of all the earth. Sing ye praises with understanding, bringing out the joyful feelings of their heart with the proper professional skill, to express their deepest feelings. V. 8. God reigneth over the heathen, the reign of the exalted Christ, in the Kingdom of Power, extends over the entire universe; God sitteth upon the throne of His holiness, at the right hand of Power in the heavenly places, Eph. 1, 20. V. 9. The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham, rather, to this people, the great and mighty ones of the earth joining the nation of Abraham's God, united with the spiritual Israel of all times; for the shields of the earth belong unto God, all weapons of war must be lowered before Him; He is greatly exalted, since He conquers with the