3 4 5 6 7. 8 ΙΟ II 12 day after day, emitteth speech; night after night, announceth knowledge! In them he hath pitched a tent for the fun: and to the other end his revolution down! Thus the law of JEHOVAH is perfect, recreating the foul of man : the doctrine of JEHOVAH is true, the precepts of JEHOVAH are clear, the worship of JEHOVAH is pure, the judgments of JEHOVAH are sure, and altogether righteous; more defirable than gold-the fineft gold and sweeter than honey diftilling from the comb! By them thy fervant is instructed: for obferving them great is the reward. One's errors who can discern? from hidden faults hold me clean: 13 14 but from fins of infolence preferve thy fervant; 15 If I be guiltlefs and clear of great crimes, PSALM XX.-al. XIX. This psalm seems to have been composed when David was about to war with the Syrians. See 2 Sam. ch.8. MAY JEHOVAH hear thee in the day of diftrefs: may the name of Jacob's God protect thee: may he fend thee help from the fanctuary, and strengthen thee from Zion: 3 that we may rejoice in being faved through thee; 6 fince in the name of our God we display our banner : may JEHOVAH grant thee all thy requests. Nay, I am certain that JEHOVAH will fave his anointed, 7 will favour him, from his holy heavens, with his right hand's faving power, Let others boaft of chariots-and others of horses: 8 but we will glory in the name of our God. They fhall be humbled and fall; but we shall be exalted, and stand firm, JEHOVAH! fave the king; hear us when thee we invoke. NOTES. Ver. 1. This and the following 5 verfes are fuppofed to be spoken by a chorus of the people, praying for fuccefs to their king's arms. In ver. 7. David is supposed to interrupt them by declaring his belief that he is fure of protection: after which the chorus continue to the end. In this manner fome late tranflators have divided the pfalm. I have left it undivided, because it is not certain whether the whole may not be ascribed to David, speaking of himself as he often does elsewhere, in the third person. But let the intelligent reader judge for himself. Ver. 4. find thine bolocaufts agreeable: lit. find them fat; conformable to the injunction of Mofes, that the best and fattest of the flocks and herds should be offered to God.-Ver. 6. we difplay our banner. So the prefent text: but most of the antient tranflators feem to have read a different word (differing only in the tranfpofition of a letter) which is commonly rendered be magnified, or triumph, as our first English translators rendered it; and which is still the verfion of our liturgical pfalter. Í prefer the prefent reading, as more poetical and appofite.-Ver. 8. This verse seems to point out the precife time when the pfalm was com pofed. Hadar-ezer's army confifted chiefly of chariots and cavalry. David had neither before this victory over the Syrians; from whom his hiftorian tells us he took 100 chariots and 700 horfes. See 2 Sam. 8. 4. PSALM XXI.—al. XX. This psalm appears to be a continuation of the former, composed after the victory. 2 FOR THE FIRST MUSICIAN; A PSALM OF DAVID. IN thy might, JEHOVAH ! the king rejoiceth; and greatly exulteth in being faved by thee: 3 the defire of his heart thou haft granted him: 4 Thou haft even prevented him with bounteous bleffings; and on his head thou haft placed a crown of gold. 5 Life he had requested of thee, and longevity thou haft granted him! 6 great is his glory in being saved by thee. 7 Honour and majefty on him thou haft conferred; established him in lasting happiness; 8 and exhilarated him by thy gracious countenance. Because the king trufted in JEHOVAH, and in the bountifulness of the Moft High, from his throne he fhall never be removed. thy right hand fhall find out all who hate thee. Their fruit thou wilt deftroy from the earth, 9 10 II 12 thou wilt make them a butt to thine arrows, which, against them, thou haft fitted to thy ftring. NOTES. 13 14 Ver. 4. A crown of gold. This by interpreters is supposed to be only a metaphorical expreffion: but it befides alludes, I think, to the real crown that was taken from the king of the Ammonites, and "put upon the head of David." See 2 Sam. 12. 30.-Ver. 9. Thine band fhall find out, &c. I am not sure but this and the following verbs fhould be rendered in the preterite or present time.—Ver. 13. has been varioufly rendered. I have preferred that tranflation which appeared to be the most natural, and moft agreeable to the context. PSALM XXII.—al. XXI. The complexion of this psalm is very different from that of the foregoing. The author seems to have been in the deepest distress when be composed it; which must have been during the beat of Several parts of it are Saul's persecution. See 1 Sam. ch. 13. in the New Testament applied to Jesus Christ. The title is, FOR THE FIRST MUSICIAN; to be fung AT THE DAWN OF DAY: A PSALM OF DAVID. MY God! my God! why forfakeft thou me; remote from mine aid, and heedless of my groans? 3 My God! I cry by day, but thou hearest not! and by night; but without relief! 4 Yet thou art ftill the HOLY-ONE, the fubject of praise in Ifrael! In thee our forefathers trufted they trufted, and thou delivered ft them: to thee they cried, and were refcued ; in thee they trufted, and were not put to shame. the fcorn of men, and derifion of the people. they wry their lip, and shake their head! "He throweth himself on JEHOVAH : "let him relieve him, “fince in him he delighteth." Thou, indeed, dreweft me from the womb; on thee I was thrown from my birth; from my mother's womb my God thou hast been. Be not far from me, when distress is nigh; and no one else to deliver me. A multitude of bulls furround me; fierce bulls of Bashan encompass me: against me they open wide their mouths, like a ravenous and roaring lion! I am lax like water; diffolved are my bones; mine heart, like wax, is melted in my bowels! Like a potfherd, my substance is dried up; my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou haft laid me in the duft of death! a crowd of the wicked encompass me about: 18 |