5.

- mine age is as nothing before thee:] That is, my age is as nothing in Thy sight; or, when compared with Thy duration. Green, Merrick.

6. in vain:] In the pursuit of transitory things. Bp. Wilson.

7.—what wait I for?] What can I depend on for happiness? Bp. Wilson.

my hope is in thee.] I will not impatiently desire any thing in this world: but my hope is in Thee, as the only true and lasting good. Dr. Wells.

8.- the reproach of the foolish.] That is, a matter of scorn and insult to the sneerer and atheist, who is the fool described by the Psalmist; and who is indeed eminently so above all others. Mudge.

11.-thou makest his beauty to consume away &c.] See the note on Job iv. 19.

Such as have formed themselves to feel the impressions of resignation are in proportion superiour to all difficulties. Their spirits are calm; and, instead of plunging into deeper distresses and even guilt, as the impatient do, they find their way, if any one can be found, out of every perplexity. By excluding eager hopes and high desires of earthly good, this pious principle excludes also jealous envy, keen resentment, tormenting fears, bitter disappointments, and final dislike of every thing. He that gives himself up into the hands of God, with unfeigned approbation of the Divine conduct in whatever may befall him, will act as he ought on all emergencies, with uprightness and alacrity, with

The benefit of confidence in God.

с

12 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a c Lev. 25. stranger with thee, and a sojourner, 1 Chron. 29. as all my fathers were.

23.

15. Ps. 119. 19.

1 Pet. 2. 11.

13 O spare me, that I may recover Hebr. 11. 13. strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

PSALM XL.

1 The benefit of confidence in God. 6 Obedience is the best sacrifice. 11 The sense of David's evils inflameth his prayer. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of

David.

waiting I

WAITED patiently for the Heb. In LORD; and he inclined unto waited. me, and heard my cry.

of noise.

2 He brought me up also out of tan horrible pit, out of the miry clay, + Heb. a pit and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

in

3 And he hath put a new song my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

5 Many, O LORD my God, are

courage and honour; will suffer with a composed and even temper; will thus give testimony to the efficacy of religion, and vindicate the dispensations of Providence to mankind. Abp. Secker.

Psalm XL. In this Psalm David thankfully acknowledges God's goodness to him, in delivering him from some special and imminent danger. He then declares his resolution to serve God faithfully and cheerfully, by fulfilling His will to the utmost of his power and by teaching it to others. He commends himself to God's merciful Providence, beseeching him to finish what He had begun, by continuing to be his deliverer. The circumstance of three verses of this Psalm being quoted in the tenth chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, proves that they are a direct prophecy of Jesus Christ, who only could fulfil the will of God completely, and who came into the world for that very end; as well as to declare His righteousness to the great congregation of the whole world. This application of the Psalm makes it highly suitable to Good Friday. Travell.

Ver. 2. He brought me up &c.] David means, that God delivered him, when he was fallen into such deep distress, that he was quite unable to help himself. Bp. Patrick.

17 But I am poor and needy; yet the LORD thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

PSALM XLI.

God's care of the poor. 4 David complaineth of his enemies' treachery. 10 He fleeth to God for succour.

David.

+ Heb. forsaketh.

deliver him + in time of trouble. 2 The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

6.-mine ears hast thou opened:] This phrase seems to signify, the fitting and disposing the ear to hear God's will. It is remarkable, that the Greek version, as well as the quotation from it in Heb. x. 5, instead of the phrase, "Mine ears hast Thou opened," reads, "A body hast Thou prepared Me:" intimating the great superiority of Christ's death to the sacrifices of the law. Travell, Edwards.

burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.] That is, considered independent of that holiness of life, without which sacrifice never could have been acceptable to a holy and righteous God. Dr. Magee.

7.-Lo, I come: &c.] Lo, I come to make an offering of myself by a sincere obedience unto Thee; as Christ will also actually do, by offering up His body to be a sacrifice for the sins of the world: In the volume of the book of the law it is thus written, or required of all truly religious persons, particularly of kings, and so of me in both respects, to be careful to offer a due obedience to Thy will, as well as to legal sacrifices. Dr. Wells.

in the volume] Or "roll," of the book. See Jer. xxxvi. 2, &c. It is well known that the ancient Jewish books did not, like ours, consist of distinct

3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt

weak, or, sick. + Heb. in the

day of evil.

Or, do not

thou deliver.

make all his bed in his sick- ↑ Heb. turn.

leaves bound together; but were, as the copies of the Pentateuch used in the Jewish synagogue still are, long scrolls of parchment, rolled upon two sticks, with the writing distinguished into columns. Parkhurst.

| 9. I have preached &c.] I have proclaimed Thy mercy and goodness to me before Thy people, in their full assemblies. Bp. Patrick.

12. mine iniquities] He means the evils which his iniquities had brought upon him. Bp. Hall. By this expression, as relating to Christ, is meant, the iniquities of mankind which He had taken upon Himself. Bp. Wilson.

The Church, like her Redeemer, is often poor and afflicted in this world, but Jehovah thinketh upon her, and is solicitous for her support; she is weak and defenceless, but Jehovah is her help and her deliverer. With such a Father, and such a friend, poverty becometh rich, and weakness itself strong. In the mean time, let us remember, that He who once came in great humility, shall come again in glorious majesty. "Make no long tarrying, O our God." Bp. Horne.

Psalm XLI. It is not improbable that this Psalm was written by David after his sickness, when Absalom

David fleeth to God for succour.

+ Heb. evil to me.

+ Heb. A thing of Belial.

a John 13. 18.

+ Heb.

5 Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?

6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth

Amen, and Ämen.

PSALM XLII.

Psalm giving instruction of &c.

Heb.

water brooks, so panteth my brayeth.

a

9 Yea, † mine own familiar friend, the man of my in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath + lifted up his heel against me.

peace. ↑ Heb. magnified.

10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

11 By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.

13 Blessed be the LORD God of

conspired against him. Dr. Delaney. Our Saviour Himself has taught us to apply the ninth verse to the traitor Judas. See John xiii. 18. Travell.

Ver. 4. heal my soul;] Forgive my sins, and restore me to health. Dr. Wells.

6. And if he come &c.] If one of them cometh to see me, he telleth lies; his heart gathereth up falsehood against me, and when he goeth forth he immediately spreadeth it. "He telleth lies," that is, his very compliments of condolence are falsehood and lies. Green.

8. An evil disease, &c.] That is, the punishment of some great crime hath so entirely seized upon him, that he shall not be able to escape from it. Rosen

müller.

9. Yea, mine own familiar friend, &c.] He means either Ahithophel, or some other perfidious counsellor or courtier, who was a type of Judas, as David was a type of Christ, in being thus betrayed. Poole.

-hath lifted up his heel against me.] Has shewn great treachery towards me. Edwards. The figure is taken from wrestlers who endeavour to supplant each other with their feet. Rosenmüller.

12.-settest me before thy face] Raisest me up again to the enjoyment of Thy presence. Mudge.

13. Blessed be the Lord God &c.] These words seem to be added at the end of this book of Psalms by the collector of it. Green. See the Introduction.

We learn from the third verse of this Psalm, that though an exemption from sorrow and sickness is not promised to the children of God, yet strength and comfort are given unto them from above, to support and carry them through their trials; and they who, in the days of their health, have by their alms given rest to the bodies, or by their counsels restored peace to the

2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

a

3 My tears have been my meat a Ps. 80. 5. day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holy day.

down.

5 Why art thou cast down, O + Heb. bowed my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet || praise him ||for the help of his countenance.

Or, give

thanks. Or, his

salvation.

6 O my God, my soul is cast down presence is within me: therefore will I remem

consciences, of others, shall have the bed of pain made easy unto them, by the hand of their heavenly Father. Bp. Horne. The end of the first Book of Psalms.

Psalm XLII. This Psalm was most probably composed by David, when he was driven by Absalom from Jerusalem. Dr. Wells. The author of this elegant complaint, exiled from the temple, and from the publick exercise of his religion, to the extreme parts of Judea, persecuted by his numerous enemies, and agitated by their reproaches, pours forth his soul to God in this tender and pathetick composition. The ardent feelings of a devout heart are admirably expressed, while the memory of former felicity seems to aggravate his present anguish. The extreme anxiety of a mind, depressed by the burden of sorrow, and yet at the same time impatient under it; overcome by an accumulation of evils, yet in some degree endeavouring to resist them, and admitting, through the dark cloud of affliction, a glimmering ray of hope and consolation, is finely depicted. Bp. Lowth.

the sons of Korah.] These were probably an eminent order of singers in the house of God. See 1 Chron. ix. 19, and xxvi. 1. Poole.

Ver. 3. My tears have been my meat day and night,] He means that his grief at his forced absence from God's house was so great, that he was obliged to vent it by tears continually. Dr. Wells.

4. When I remember &c.] I pour out my soul within me while I call to mind these things; how I went to the tabernacle, walking in solemn pace to the house of God, amidst the multitude keeping holiday, with the voice of praise and thanksgiving. Green.

5.-for I shall yet praise him &c.] This passage

He encourageth his soul

| Or, the little hill.

| Or, killing.

ber thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from || the hill Mizar.

7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go Í mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

to trust in God.

1023.

JUDGE me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly Or, nation: O deliver me † from the de- + Heb. from ceitful and unjust man.

my

unmerciful.

a man of deceit and

2 For thou art the God of iniquity. strength why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God + my exceeding joy + Heb. the yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, my joy. O God my God.

gladness of

11.

PSALM XLIII.

1 David, praying to be restored to the temple, promiseth to serve God joyfully. 5 He encourageth his soul to trust in God.

should be read as it is in the last verse of this and of the next Psalm. Bps. Hare and Lowth.

6.- from the hill Mizar.] The word "Mizar" signifies little. It might be the name of some hill beyond Jordan, or possibly some little hill now in view. The general sense of the verse is, "I will remember Thee, whatever dangers surround me, and whithersoever I am driven." Archdeacon Randolph.

7. Deep calleth unto deep] That is, one calamity invites and brings on another. Rosenmüller.

There is no metaphor more frequent in the sacred poems, than that by which sudden and great calamities are expressed under the figure of a deluge of waters. This metaphor seems to have been remarkably familiar to the Hebrews, as if directly taken from the nature and state of their country, which was subject to sudden and heavy floods. Bp. Lowth.

10. As with a sword &c.] The reproaches of my enemies are as cutting as a sword. Bp. Patrick. 11.-the health of my countenance,] The restorer of my drooping spirits. Bp. Wilson.

In the first verse of this Psalm, the thirst, which the "hart" experienceth, when chased in sultry weather over the dusty plains, is set before us as a representation of that ardent desire after the waters of eternal comfort, which the temptations, the cares, and the troubles of the world, produce in the believing soul. Bp. Horne.

By due reverence and affection to God's worship, and to His church, we bring ourselves by degrees to that true and entire love of God Himself, to which so many pretend, and so few attain; to that high value and estimation of Him and of His presence, that we really conternn and despise all the pleasure and profit of this world, and the world itself, for interposing and obstructing our immediate resort to His heavenly mansion. Lord Clarendon.

1

PSALM XLIV.

The church, in memory of former favours, 7 complaineth of their present evils. 17 Professing her integrity, 24 she fervently prayeth for succour.

¶ To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.

Psalm XLIII. This Psalm, in all probability, was composed by the same author as the former, and upon the same occasion. Bp. Patrick Nothing can be imagined more natural to a man of David's character, and under the circumstances in which he was placed, than that solemn appeal to the Divine justice, against a vile son, and a wicked people, with which this Psalm begins; or the earnest supplication for relief and restoration which follows it; or that lively expression of hope, and confidence in the Divine protection, which concludes it. Dr. Delaney. More than thirty manuscripts confirm the opinion of Bp. Lowth, that this and the preceding are one Psalm. Street.

Ver. 3. O send out &c.] In other words, O let Thy gracious favour, and the truth of Thy promises, be my sure guide to conduct me to Thy holy mountain, where Thou hast fixed Thy dwellingplace. Bp. Patrick, Travell.

We learn from this Psalm, that if the Prophet begged of God to deliver him from the malice of his enemies, it was chiefly with a view to return to the tabernacle, that he might praise God, and express his joy, love, and gratitude. And the complaints and sighs which he uttered, because he could not come into the house of God, should engage those who have the liberty to serve God in religious assemblies, gladly to improve so inestimable a blessing. Ostervald.

Psalm XLIV. This Psalm appears to have been composed at a time when the Jewish state suffered grievously from their enemies, and many were carried into captivity; though the state itself still subsisted, and the public worship of God was maintained. It is not unlikely that Hezekiah was the author of it; and that perhaps, soon after the blasphemous message of Rabshakeh, 2 Kings xviii. 13, &c. Mudge.