the goodly cedars were covered with the boughs thereof.

As the vine striketh its roots deep into the soil prepared for it, and then diffuseth its numerous branches all around, covering the fertile hills, by the sides of which it is planted, or running up the lofty cedars, to the bodies of which it is joined; such was the growth and fruitfulness of the Israelitish church; but much greater was that of the church Christian. Her roots were fast fixed in the hearts and affections of the faithful, and her boughs shot forth abundantly; they often felt the knife, but increased under it, both in number and vigour; till, at length, she overshadowed the Roman empire with her branches, and replenished the earth with her fruit, grateful to God and man.

11. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.

This relates to the extent of Palestine, which was occupied by the tribes of Israel, even from the Mediterranean sea,' westward, to the river' Euphrates, eastward. This was promised, Deut. i. 24: From the river Euphrates to the uttermost sea shall your coast be; and fulfilled in the days of Solomon. See 1 Kings, iv. 21; Psal. lxxii. 8. To the Christian church the whole earth was the land of promise, and the gospel was preached to all nations: 'I will give thee,' saith Jehovah to Christ, the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.' Psalm, ii. 8.

12. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges,

1

so that all they which pass by the way, do pluck

her?

The Psalmist, having described the exaltation of Israel under the figure of a vine, proceeds, under the same figure, to lament her depression. She is now represented as deprived of the protection of God, the counsels of the wise, and the arms of the valiant; of all her bulwarks and fortifications, and whatever else could contribute to her defence and security; so that, like a vineyard without a fence, she lay open on every side, to the incursions and ravages of her neighbouring adversaries; who soon stripped her of all that was valuable, and trod her under foot.

13. The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

Fierce and unrelenting, her heathen persecutor issued, at different times, from his abode, like a 'wild boar' out of the forest, resolved not only to spoil and plunder, but to eradicate and extirpate her for ever. Nor let the church Christian imagine, that these things relate only to her elder sister. Greater mercies, and more excellent gifts, should excite in her greater thankfulness and call forth more excellent virtues; otherwise they will serve only to enhance her account, and multiply her sorIf she sin, and fall after the same example of unbelief, she must not think to be distinguished in her punishment, unless by the severity of it. She may expect to see the favour of heaven withdrawn, and the secular arm, instead of supporting, employed to crush her; her discipline may be annihilated, her unity broken, her doctrines perverted,

rows.

her worship deformed, her practice corrupted, her possessions alienated, and her revenues seized; till at length the word be given from above, and some antichristian power be unchained, to execute upon her the full vengeance due to her crimes. Unclean desires and furious passions are the enemies of the soul, which deface her beauty, and devour all the productions of grace in that lesser vineyard of God.

14. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine. 15. And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest so strong for thyself.

The church, thus distressed and desolated, offereth a prayer for a return of the divine favour, and for a gracious visitation from on high: she beseecheth God to look down, with an eye of pity, from heaven, on the vineyard which his own hands had planted,' and on that royal branch, the family of David, in particular, which he had raised and established for himself, to accomplish his eternal purpose of saving mankind by Messiah, who was, one day, to spring from the root of Jesse. The Chaldee paraphrast expounds the branch,' of Messiah himself, an'wp xɔbp by, on King Messiah, whom thou hast established,' &c. So do the rabbies, Aben Ezra and Obadiah, cited by Dr. Hammond. And the LXX., instead of supposing the word " a son,' to refer to 'vine,' and so signify a' branch,' which, in the Hebrew style, is a son of the vine,' have rendered the passage, ε vor av0pwπov, 'on the son of man;' an expression actually used by the Psalmist, two verses below.

To the advent of this Son of man Israel was ever accustomed to look forward in time of affliction : on his second and glorious advent the Christian church must fix her eye in the day of her calamities.

16. It is burnt with fire: it is cut down, or, 'dug up: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

The sad estate of the vineyard is yet again set forth, to excite the compassion of Heaven. As to the latter clause of this verse, if it be rendered, as our translators have rendered it, in the present time, it seems to relate to the Israelites, and the destruction made amongst them by the wrath of God. If it have a future rendering, they shall perish at the rebuke of thy countenance,' it may be supposed to predict the fate of the adversaries, when God should deliver his people out of their hands.

6

17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man, whom thou madest strong

for thyself.

These phrases the man of thy right hand,' and 'the son of man,' if at all applicable, in a lower and subordinate sense, to a temporal king of Israel, considered as a representative of Messiah, are most certainly, in their full and prophetical acceptation, intended to denote King Messiah himself.' Assured of his coming, the church prayeth that the hand,' the protection and the power of Jehovah might be upon' him, over him, and with him, in his great undertaking finally to deliver her out

1 "Virum dexteræ tuæ:" Davidem a te designatum et con firmatum regem, et in ejus figurâ Christum.-Bossuet.

of all her troubles, and to lead her captivity captive.'

18. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.

The end of our redemption is, that we should serve him who hath redeemed us, and 'go back' no more to our old sins. That soul which hath been 'quickened,' and made alive by Christ, should live to his honour and glory; that mouth which hath been opened by him, can do no less than show forth his praise, and call upon his' saving ' name.'

19. Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. See ver. 3.

PSALM LXXXI.

ARGUMENT.-This Psalm, whensoever, or by whomsoever composed, was, probably, intended to be sung at the feast of trumpets, as also at any other feast-time. It contains, 1-3. an exhortation duly to observe the festivals of the church, 4,5. as God had appointed, who is introduced expostulating with his people, on account, 6-10. of his mercies, and 11, 12. their ingratitude, and 13-16. under the form of a most affectionate wish, renewing his promises, on condition of their obedience.

1. Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. 2. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

If Israelites were thus exhorted to keep their feastdays with joy and gladness of heart; to exalt their