. 11. O God, how long shall the adversary do this dishonour: how long shall the enemy blaspheme (t) thy Name? for ever? 12. Why withdrawest thou thy hand why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosom, to consume the enemy? 13. For God is my King of old: the help that is done upon earth, he doeth it himself. 14. Thou didst (u) divide the sea through thy power: power thou breakest the heads of the dragons (a) in the waters. 15. Thou smotest the heads of Leviathan (y) in pieces: and gavest him to be meat for the people in the wilderness. (≈) 16. Thou broughtest out fountains (a), and waters out of the (s) "Understandeth," i. e. "is inspired," "hath knowledge communicated to him "from above." (t) v. 11. "Blaspheme," by insinuating that he cannot be the true God who suffers his people to be so reduced. See Ps. lxxiii. 8. lxxix. 13. (y) v. 15. "Leviathan," i. e. " Pharoah." (z) People in the wilderness," i. e. "the animals of prey." (a) v. 16. "Fountains, &c." This refers to what happened in the wilderness after the Israelites had left Egypt: they murmured for want of water, and Moses by God's command smote a rock with his rod, and water came out of it, and supplied their wants. See Exod. xvii. 1 to 6.Numb. xx. 1 to 11. This is often noticed as a signal instance of God's power. In Ps. cv. 40. "He opened the rock of stone, "and the waters flowed out, so that hard rocks: thou driedst up (b) mighty waters. 17. The day is thine, and the night is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun. 18. Thou hast set all the borders (c) of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter. 19. Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy hath rebuked: and how the foolish people hath blasphemed (d) thy Name. 20. O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the enemies: and forget not the congregation of the poor for ever. 21. Look upon the covenant (e): for all the earth is full of darkness and cruel habitations. 22. O let not the simple go away ashamed: but let the poor and needy give praise (g) unto thy Name. "rivers ran in the dry places." See also Ps. lxviii. 16, 17. (b) "Driedst up, &c." This probably refers to the miracle at Jordan, when the running of the stream was suspended, and the priests with the ark stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the river, and all the Israelites passed through on dry ground. Josh. iii. 7 to 17. See Psalm cxiv. (c) v. 18. "Borders" or "divisions," such as "earth and sea, hill and vale, &c." (d) v. 19. "Blasphemed." Blasphemed." See note on verse 11. (e) v. 21. "The covenant." Reference is repeatedly made to a covenant or promise from God to the Israelites, as a well-known thing. See Psalm lxxvii. 8.-cvi. 44. It alludes perhaps to the promise, Levit. xxvi. 3. 12. If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments and do them, "I will give peace in the land, &c. and "" ye shall chase your enemies, &c. and I "will walk among you, and will be your "God, and ye shall be my people." See Jer. xi. 3. 66 (g) v. 22. "Give praise," i. e. "have "occasion to give praise; from thy inter"position to deliver them." 23. Arise, O God, maintain 4. The earth is weak, and all thine own cause (h): remember the inhabitants thereof: I bear up how the foolish man blasphemeth the pillars of it. thee daily. 24. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the presumption of them that hate thee increaseth ever more and more. (h) v. 23. "Thine own cause.' The Israelites were the only worshippers of the true God, and when they were oppressed, their calamities were urged by the heathen as a proof that their God was not the true God: their welfare, therefore, and the estimation of God among the heathen nations, were reciprocal and identified, and on that account their success is called God's << own cause." See note on Ps. xxv. 10. See also Ps. lxxix. 9. (i) "A thanksgiving after some deliverance or success, looking up to God as the great Disposer of events, and the Judge of the ungodly. The time or occasion of writing it is not known, nor the author. It has the appearance of being written by some king who had met with considerable opposition, and who was scarcely seated in the throne, and at a time when the people had been considerably reduced. Perhaps in the early time of David's reign, either before the ten tribes of Israel submitted to his government, or just upon their submission. See 2 Sam. i. to v. and ante, 327. Ps. lx. (m) v. 7. "From the east, &c." i. e. (probably) "from any quarter of the earth, is "not obtained by human means, nor con 5. I said unto the fools, "Deal "not so madly:" and to the ungodly, "Set not up your ❝horn; 6. "Set not up your horn on high and speak not with a "stiff neck." 7. For promotion cometh neither from the east (m), nor from the west : nor yet from the south. 8. And why? God is the Judge he putteth down one, and setteth up another. 9. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup (n), and the wine is red: it is full mixed (0), and he poureth out of the same. "ferred by human hands. It is the gift of "God alone." David had been anointed by Samuel under God's express command as the person God chose to reign over Israel long before he was invested with the actual government. See 1 Sam. xvi. 1. 13. (n) v. 9. "A cup." Calamities are often mentioned under this similitude. Thus, Is. li. 17. (ante, 327. note on Ps. lx.) and v. 22. "Behold, (saith the Lord,) I have "taken out of thine hand the cup of trem"bling, even the dregs of the cup of my "fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: "but I will put it into the hand of them "that afflict thee." So Jer. xxv. 15. "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel unto 66 me, take the wine cup of this fury at my "hand, and cause all the nations, to whom "I send thee, to drink it." See also Ezek. xxiii. 32, 33. Our Saviour uses the word "cup," in the same way, Matt. xx. 22. -xxvi. 39. Luke xxii. 42. See ante, 327. note, on Ps. lx. (0)" Full mixed." It was the practice to mix other powerful ingredients with wine to increase its strength. Thus Prov. xxiii. 30. the idea is raised from "tarry ing long at the wine," to "going to seek "mixed wine." So Is. v. 22. woe is denounced " upon them that are mighty to "drink wine, and men of strength to "mingle strong drink. (p) v. 10. "The dregs," i. e. " the sediment, the part where all the most powerful ingredients were settled: the strongest part." See 2. Lowth's Is. 18. (9) "Suck them out," so as to exhaust every drop. The same idea, as Is. li. 17. where Jerusalem is said to have drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and to have wrung them out. (r) A spirited triumphal hymn, supposed to have been written upon the miraculous destruction of the army of the Assyrians in the time of Hezekiah, when the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in their camp 185,000 persons. A. C. 710. See 2 Kings xix. 35. and Is. xxxvii. 36. (s) v. 1. "Jewry,” i. e. “ Judea.” (t) v. 2. "Salem," i. e. "Jerusalem." (u) v. 4. "Of more honour, &c." i. e. (probably) "of more service than all the advantages of natural situation, inacces"sible mountains, &c." According to Psalm xcvi. 4. "The strength of the hills "is his also;" and according to Jer. iii. 23. "in vain is salvation hoped for from "the hills, and from the multitude of "mountains: truly in the Lord our God "is the salvation of Israel." (x)" Hills of the robbers." Places of peculiar strength-such as robbers select, to secure themselves from pursuit: (y) v. 5. "Robbed," i. e. (probably) "spoiled." (2) "Have slept, &c." i. e. (perhaps) "are overtaken by death." (a) "Found nothing," "have got no "spoil." (b) v. 8. "Thy judgment," i. e. "upon "the Assyrians." (c) v. 10. "Turn to thy praise," i. e. "give occasion for praising thee, because "it can do nothing when thou opposest it." (d) "Refrain,” i. e. " check, humble." (e) v. 11. "Bring presents." To testify respect and joy: in consequence of this deliverance, many did bring "gifts "unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and pre"sents to Hezekiah king of Judah, 2 "Chron. xxxii. 23. (g) v. 12. "Spirit," or "pride." Psalm lxxvii. (h) WILL cry unto God with my voice even unto God will I cry with my voice, and he shall hearken unto me. 2. In the time of my trouble I sought the Lord: my (i) sore ran, and ceased not in the night season; my soul refused comfort. 3. When I am in heaviness, I will think upon God: when my heart is vexed, I will complain. 4. Thou holdest mine eyes waking (k): I am so feeble, that I cannot speak. 5. I have considered the days of old and the years that are past. 6. I call to remembrance my song and in the night I commune with mine own heart, and search out my spirits. 7. "Will the Lord absent him"self for ever: and will he be no "more intreated? 8. "Is his mercy clean gone "for ever and is his promise (1) "come utterly to an end for 66 evermore? 66 66 9. "Hath God forgotten to be gracious and will he shut up (m) his loving-kindness in displeasure ?" (h) An appeal to God in time of great distress, perhaps during the Babylonish captivity. After looking up with confidence to God, it notices their lamentable condition, puts the question whether farther assistance from God may be expected, answers it by imputing God's desertion to their own misconduct, and concludes by calling to mind in a spirited way what God had before done for them, particularly when he led them through the Red Sea. "Ascending (in the words of Bp. Lowth) "from a cool deliberate opening to a high degree of sublimity." See Kennett's Sermons, 214. (i) v.2. "My sore ran," or rather, "my "hand was stretched out," (Doyley,) i. e. "in supplication and prayer.' (k) v. 4. "Holdest mine eyes waking," i. e. "preventest my sleeping." (2) v. 8. "Promise." See note on Ps. lxxiv. 21. (m) v. 9. "Shut up," i. e. " without ever "relaxing." (n) v. 10. "Mine own infirmity," i. e. (probably) "imputable to my own mis"conduct." (o)" The right hand," i. e. "the signal "proofs of his power;" what he calls, in v. 11. his “works and wonders of old time." (p) v. 14. "Declared," i. e. "shewn, proved." (q) v. 16. "The waters, &c." Referring probably to the deliverance of the Israelites, and the destruction of the Egyptians at the Red Sea. See Exod. xiv. 21.to the end. 19. "Thy way (r) is in the sea, "and thy paths in the great wa"ters and thy footsteps are not "known. (s) (r) v. 19. "Thy way, &c." Nahum says, "The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind, "and in the storm, and the clouds are the "dust of his feet." 20. "Thou leddest thy people "like sheep by the hand of "Moses and Aaron." (s) "Not known," i. e. (perhaps) “ in"visible, not to be traced." Lessons for the Fifteenth Day of the Month throughout the Year. EVENING PRAYER. Psalm lxxviii. (t) HEAR my law (u); O my people : your ears unto the words of my mouth. incline 2. I will open my mouth in a parable (x): I will declare hard (x) sentences of old; (t) A short account of some of the signal instances, from the time of Moses to that of David, of God's interference on behalf of the Israelites, of their disobedience and punishments, and of the readiness with which God again took them into favour. The pointing out what God had before done for them, and how great had been his forbearance, was calculated to raise in their minds the warmest impressions of gratitude and adherence; to attach them to him, as he had shewn such strong 3. Which we have heard and known and such as our fathers have told us; 4. That we should not hide them from the children of the generations to come: but to shew the honour of the Lord, his mighty and wonderful works that he hath done. attachment towards them. It was probably written in David's time. By referring, as it does, to facts recorded by Moses, it shews. that the Jewish church which used it esteemed the books of Moses the foundation of true history as well as of true religion. 1. Newt. Diss. 9. |