Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

"He is my rock" (as the Head said in Psa. lxxxix. 26), “and no unrighteousness is in Him.”

Such is the close of this Sabbath-song, which has been entitled by Dr Allix, "A prophecy of the happiness of the Jews in the great Sabbath of which Paul speaks in Hebrews iv.," but which might better still be described as

The Righteous One's Sabbath-song, anticipating final rest and prosperity.

PSALM XCIII.

1 THE Lord reigneth! He is clothed with majesty!

The Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself:

The world also is established, that it cannot be moved.

2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; The floods lift up their waves.

4 The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters,

Yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord,

for ever.

FROM the lips of unfallen Adam might have come the joyful The theme exclamation, "The Lord is King!" It was true then, yet

[ocr errors]

true no less when he looked on creation fallen, and himself and his posterity ruined. God reigneth!" was the rainbow of hope. So, also, in every age, God's people have called this truth to remembrance, and have been of good cheer amid frowning providences. But still, their King was invisible, and his plan of government involved in obscurity. Our Psalm refers to all this, but to more besides.

We have heard the Sabbath-song of the redeemed in the day of "The Rest that remaineth." Now, the Eternal Sabbath is contemporaneous with the Kingdom. The saints glorified shall enter on the enjoyment of the former in all its manifold phases of positive rest; the saints still on earth shall have their share in the latter when it comes, reigned over by the reigning saints, and by the King to whom these are kings (Rev. i. 6). This is the theme of the Psalm before us.

When the Lord by a prophet anointed Jehu king, we are told how those around him blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu reigneth!" (2 Kings ix. 13, 2 as here.) So the Lord's anointed Messiah is proclaimed king by every voice and heart in his dominions

"The Lord is King !”

His robes are not mere show, nor is his strength merely the power of armies attending him.

"He is clothed with majesty !

The Lord is clothed!

He hath girded himself with might !”

Nor is this all that is to furnish matter of wonder and delight and praise. This enthronization of Jehovah in our nature has intimate connection with our world's felicity.

"The world also is established;

It does not totter." (See Psalm lxxxiii. 5.)

That is, if we may be allowed to give a paraphrase of the words,

"It is made stedfast now, after all its shakings ;

It rests from all its commotions, and totters no more.” The throne of Jehovah (once seen in Exod. xxiv. 10 for a few hours), is now stretched over earth, according to God's ancient purpose, and as they look up to it, they sing,

“Thy throne was established of old,

Thou thyself art from eternity."

From the height of that immovable throne, the saints, in company with their King, look down on enemies made their footstool. They sing of the past-how these foes gathered together -"The floods, O Lord, lifted up their voice;" but in a moment the universe was witness of their impotency

“ The Lord is glorious in the height (èv 1670îs, Luke ii. 14,

xix. 38),

More than the voice of majestic waters,

Than bi lows of the sea."

The Kingdom has come, the Kingdom so often prayed for, so ardently desired, so long expected; and its coming has realised every hope.

"Thy testimonies are most true." (Ver. 5).

Our Joshua (Josh. xxiii. 14), can call all to witness that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord God spoke, (compare Rev. xxi. 5, and xxii 6). All the glorious things spoken, and all his promises, have been verified, himself being "faithful and true," (Rev. xix. 11). And the characteristics of his happy government are unlike those that marked all former dominions on earth. His palace, or "house," (see Psa, xcii. 15), is not like the gay, loose courts of earthly kings —-holiness is there; it is holiness only that would be suitable there. And, it is added,

"O Lord (all this shall remain) to eternity."

.

Connection

ceding Psalm.

The Septuagint translators felt there was such a real connection between this and the foregoing Psalm, that they entitle with the preit, “ Εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ σαββατου ὅτε κατῴκισται ἡ γῆ," " For the Sabbath-day, when the earth has been settled"-referring, evidently, to the title of Psa. xcii., “A song for the Sabbath-day." But we prefer describing it with a reference to Rev. xi. 15, as being Messiah's kingdom stilling the uproar of the nations.

PSALM XCIV.

1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth,

O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself!

2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth! render a reward to the proud. 3 Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?

4 How long shall they utter and speak hard things?

And all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?

5 They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage.

6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.

7 Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.

8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?

9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct?

He that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?

11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

with the pre

ceding.

The plan.

12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out

of thy law;

13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity,

Until the pit be digged for the wicked.

14 For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his in heritance.

15 But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.

16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?

Or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?

17 Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. 18 When I said, My foot slippeth! thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

19 In the multitude of my thoughts, within me thy comforts delight my soul. 20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous,

And condemn the innocent blood.

22 But the Lord is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
23 And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity,

And shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our God
shall cut them off.

The connection THE Kingdom, then, and its King, have been anticipated, or rather realised as if already come. With this prospect before them, the oppressed Church and its Head cry for vengeance -joining the cry of Rev. vi. 10, from under the altar; pointing the Judge to "The Day vengeance," Isa. lxiii. 4; recalling to his mind the words of the song of Moses, Deut. xxxii. 41. The appeal is made in pointed heaven-penetrating cries, verses 1, 2. Reasons for the appeal, strong and vehement, are alleged, verses 3-7. The world is warned that the appeal is lodged, verses 8-11.* This done, the Church and her Head bless the Lord for those very dealings that call for vengeance, these being instructive and sanctifying chastenings to his own, though their enemies did not mean to help them to their crown. They also bless the Lord for revealing the final issues, "teaching them out of his law," i. e., advertising them in the pages of his revealed Word of what is coming on, so that they have peace amid the storm (ver. 12-14). "Judgment shall

* Bagster has a curious remark on the phrase "He that planted the ear." The mechanism of the ear, like a root planted in the earth, is sunk deep into the head, and concealed from view.

ment goes

return to righteousness!" they exclaim: long has it seemed otherwise; judgment seemed to lodge in the streets, or stand afar off. But in God's due time, the Judge comes (ver. 3), and judghome to the righteous-justice vindicates their cause. From verse 16 to the end, we hear the same parties encouraging themselves to wait on for a season. When my soul is bewildered by endless thoughts, when every human scheme. of relief seems vanity, my resort is to thyself, the God of all consolation! What streams for the thirsty are in thee. The past, if it brought anxiety, has never failed to bring help, while the future presents the prospect of the entire overthrow of ungodliness

"Is the throne of iniquity confederate with thee? (Is it become thy
friend? Ewald.)

Framing wickedness (or, misery, Hengst.) by right of law !"
(Ver. 20.)

The question contains in itself its own answer; and even meanwhile there is a refuge

“Jehovah shall be my high place,

And my God (shall be) my rock of shelter,"

till he arises in the day of his wrath to cut them off for ever. Thus, beginning with prayer,* the Psalm ends with prophecy; beginning with an earnest call, it ends with faith's confidence of an answer, and sounds in our ear

The cry of the oppressed Church and her Head for the day of vengeance.

PSALM XCV.

10 COME, let us sing unto the Lord! Let us make a joyful noise to the rock

of our salvation!

2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,

And make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

* Augustine says, on verses 1, 2-"Prophetia est prædicentis, non audacia jubentis."

« AnteriorContinuar »