2 power and] PSALMS. [goodness of God. to shine, and bread which strengthen- that leviathan, whom thou hast made eth man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; 17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir-trees are her house. 18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies. 19 He appointeth the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. 20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. 21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. 22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay then down in their dens. 23 Man goeth forth to his work, and to his labour until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. 25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. 2 There go the ships: there is to play therein. 27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. 28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. 30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. 31 The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works. 32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke. 33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being. 34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. 35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD. (I) PSALM CIV. EXPOSITION. (1) Meditation on the creation and providence of God. This psalm is eminently sublime and beautiful. The Most High is here represented as clothed with glory and majesty light ineffable his garment; and the visible heavens a curtain of sapphire, which shades from our mortal eyes a splendour that they could not support. "Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters:" may not this refer to those pillars of cloud, commonly called waterspouts, and which are common in the Mediterranean? These form a communication between the sea and skies-his towering chambers in the clouds on which he rides. The next image is still more sublime, (as was long ago remarked by Mr. Addison,) and has perhaps no parallel, even in the inspired writings. "He walk eth," with a dignified deliberation, “ upon the wings of those winds" that are known to advance, at times, not less than 100 miles within the hour. The following verse has an ambiguity and obscurity which is often attendant on the sublime, and may be rendered either -"He maketh his angels winds, and his ministers flaming fire;" that is, they move with the force and rapidity of the tempest and the lightning or the words may be rendered inversely "He maketh the winds his messengers, and the flame (i. e. the lightnings) his ministers;" meaning, that all the agents in nature are employed to perform his will. The rest of the imagery, if not equally grand, is no less beautiful and appropriate. The hills, the valleys, the skies, the seas, are all explored for images to display the glory of NOTES. Ver. 20. All the beasts-Heb. "Do trample (or tread the forest." Ver. 25. Great beasts---Meaning the monsters the deep. A recapitulation] PSALM CV. PSALMS. [of God's goodness 15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no O GIVE thanks unto the LORD; harm. call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. 2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. 3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. 5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 60 ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. 7 He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth. 8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. 9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; 10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: 11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance : 12 When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. 13 When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people ; 14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; 16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. 17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: 19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. 20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance : 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom. 23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies. 25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants. 26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen. 27 They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. 28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word. 29 He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish. Ver. 21. Substance-Heb. " Possession. See Gen. ali. 14, 40. Ver 23. Israel came into Egypt.-Gen. xlvi. 6. Ver. 27. His signs-Heb. words of his signs." See Exod. x. 19 xiii. 32 He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. 33 He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts. 34 He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillars, and that without number, 35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground. 36 He smote also all the first-born in their land, the chief of all their strength. 37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. 38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them. 39 He spread a cloud for a cover ing; and fire to give light in the night. 40 The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock, and the PSALM CV. [Israel. waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river. 42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. 43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness: 44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people; 45 That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD. (K) PSALM CVI. PRAISE ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise? 3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. 4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; 5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance. 6 We have sinned with our fathers, EXPOSITION. (K) A review of God's mercies to Israel. -This is another of those psalms usually called historical, or narrative. The first of them, (Psalm ́lxxviii.) has been already considered, and is attributed to Asaph. This we know (at least the first fifteen verses,) was composed by David, on occasion of placing the ark of God in Zion. (1 Chron. xvi.) Much of the matter of this psalm is similar to that of the seventyeighth, above alluded to, with which it may be compared, as also with the scriptures referred to in our notes. The nature of our plan prevents us from going repeatedly over the same ground. Suffice it to remark here, that after a general exhorta tion to praise God, we have a general view of his mercies towards Israel, from the covenant made with Abraham to their taking possession of the land of Canaan; and the great end of all his dispensations towards them, in the close of the chapter, is stated to be, that "they might observe his statutes and keep his laws." So, under the New Testament dispensation, the great object of Christ's redemption is stated to be, that "he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus ii. 14.) NOTES. Heb. "He gave their Ver. 40. Quails.-Exod. xvi. 12, &c. 125 Israel] PSALMS [exhorted we have committed iniquity, we have into the similitude of an ox that eateth done wickedly. 7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. 8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. 9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. 10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11 And the waters covered their enemies there was not one of them left. 12 Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. 13 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: 14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. 16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD. 17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. 18 And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. 19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. 20 Thus they changed their glory grass. 21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; 22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea. 23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. 24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: 25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD. 26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness: 27 To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands. 28 They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. 29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them. 30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. 31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore. 32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes: 33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. NOTES. PSALM CVI. Ver. 1. Praise ye the Lord-Heb. "Hallelujah." Ver 7. Provoked him-"Thee," as harmonizing better with the former member of the verse. See Exod. xiv. 11, 12. Ver. 11. Not one of them left.-Exod. xiv. 28. Ver. 12. They sung his praise.-Exod. xiv. 31.xv. 1, &c. Ver. 13. They soon forgat his works- Heb. "They made haste, they forgat,” &c. i. e. “They hurried to forget his works." Ver. 14. They lusted exceedingly-Heb. "They lusted a lust." See 1 Cor. x. 6. Ver. 16. They envied Moses.-Num, xvi. 1, &c. 34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: 35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. 36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. 37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils; 38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. 39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. 40 Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. 41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. 42 Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand. 43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity. 44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: PSALM CVI. [God. 45 And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. 46 He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives, 47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. 48 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting : and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD. (L) PSALM CVII. GIVE thanks unto the LORD, for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. 5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainteth in them. 6 Then they cried unto the LORD EXPOSITION. (L) A Psalm of praise, confession, and prayer. This is another of the historical psalms, and recapitulates the same wonderful deliverances on the part of God, and the like perverse rebellion on the part of Israel. The points particularly reproved in the conduct of the latter are their murmuring in the wilderness for want of food and water, which were miraculously supplied; the rebellion of Korah and his confederates; the worshipping of a calf in Horeb;-and the idolatry of Baal-peor. These circumstances mark the Jewish character with a degree of perverseness, ingratitude, and folly, credible only to those who have a deep acquaintance with the depravity of human nature. But to this we may add also, the farther degradation of their character during their state of slavery in Egypt, when they seemed to have been reduced to a state of extreme |