MARY. "He hath showed strength with his arm, 4. DAVID. "The Lord hath made known his salva- 5. DAVID. "He hath remembered his mercy and MARY. “He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy." (The Echo.). These parallels are very striking; and it seems as if Mary had this psalm in her eye when she composed her song of triumph. And this is a farther argument that the whole psalm, whether it record the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, or the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, is yet to be ultimately understood of the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ, and the proclamation of his gospel through all the nations of the earth: and taken in this view, no language can be too strong, nor poetic imagery too high, to point out the unsearchable riches of Christ. ANALYSIS OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH PSALM. This psalm has the two following parts: preceding psalm. by his own Spirit. 2. This he hath openly showed, plainly revealing the whole in his gospel. 3. He has done this in the sight of the heathen, calling them to be partakers of the same salvation promised to Abraham and to his posterity, both Jews and Gentiles. 5. That which moved him to do this; his mercy, and truth: 1. "He hath remembered his mercy." This mercy was to the house of Israel, and through them to the Gentiles; for the Gentiles were the first in the promise and covenant. There was no Jew when the covenant was made with Abraham: it was made with him while he was yet in uncircumcision; consequently the Gentiles, the whole human race, were originally included in that covenant. The descendants of Jacob were made depositaries of it for a season; but they, not having benefited by it, were rejected, and the salvation of Christ was given to the Gentiles, for whom it was originally intended, and who have kept the faith, and are daily profiting by it. 2. It is called mercy; for it was the merest mercy that said: "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head." 3. He remembered this; it was never out of the divine mind; "Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." 4. As this mercy was intended for every human soul; so it is here prophetically said: "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God." This gospel has been preached, is now in the course of being preached, and shortly will be preached to every peo I. An exhortation to sing to the Lord, and the ple under heaven. reasons of it, ver. 1-3. II. A new invitation to praise God; and to do this II. A new invitation to praise him, and that it be in every possible way. universal, ver. 4—9. I. He calls upon them to praise God: 1. Sing-a song or hymn, to the Lord-and to none other. A new song-a song of excellency. For this exhortation and command he gives the reasons. His work was a work of power and holiness. 1. "He hath done marvellous things." He has opened his greatness and goodness in the work of redemption. What marvels has not Christ done? 1. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost. 2. Born of a virgin. 3. Healed all manner of diseases. 4. Fed thousands with a few loaves and fishes. 5. Raised the dead. 6. And what was more marvellous, died himself. 7. Rose again by his own power. 8. Ascended to heaven. 9. Sent down the Holy Ghost. 10. And made his apostles and their testimony the instruments of enlightening, and ultimately converting, the world. 2. "His right hand and his holy arm hath got him the victory." 1. It was all his own work, whatever were the instruments; for without his energy they could do nothing. 2. It was his holy arm-no bloody sword, but a holy hand to do a holy work. 3. “He got himself the victory" over sin, Satan, death, and hell. 3. This salvation was made known :—1. By himself to the Jews. 2. By his apostles to all nations. 4. This salvation has been applied. 1. He hath showed his righteousness-his method of justifying sinners through his own blood, and sanctifying them 1. "Make a joyful noise.” Jump for joy, because of this most glorious news. 2. As all are interested in it, so let all do it: "All the earth." 3. In all possible ways. With harp, psaltery, trumpet, cornet; with vocal, chordal, and pneumatic music. But it is the joyful music, the heart music, which the Lord secks. 4." Before the Lord." In his immediate presence. Let all be sincere, pure, and holy. Remember the eye of the Lord is upon you: do not draw near with your lips, pipes, or stringed instruments, while your hearts are far from him. 5. And to make the music full, as if the inanimate creation had ears and hands to give an applause at the relation, and feet to dance because of it, he says: "Let the sea roar, the floods clap their hands, and the hills be joyful together." And for all this he gives a reason, with which he concludes: "For he cometh to judge the earth ;” which may be referred to his first and second coming. 1. If to the first, then the sense is,-Let all creatures rejoice because he comes to judge, that is, to enlighten, order, and govern the world. For this purpose he was incarnated, suffered, died, and rose again for the redemption of mankind; and has sent his holy gospel to enlighten the world, and his Spirit to apply its truths to the hearts of men. 2. If we consider this as referring to his last coming; then let all men rejoice, as he comes to destroy evil, The empire of God in PSALMS. the world and the church, to root out incorrigible sinners, and to make a new judgment, that there shall be nothing crooked, oblique, heaven and a new earth. or savouring of iniquity in it: "For he shall judge 3. All this shall be done with that rectitude of the world, and the people with equity.” PSALM XCIX. The empire of God in the world and the church, 1, 2. He ought to be praised, 3. Justice and judgment are his chief glory, 4. He should be worshipped as among the saints of old, whom he graciously answered and saved, 5-8. Exalt him, because he is holy, 9. LORD reigneth; let | cutest judgment and righteousthe people tremble : bhe ness in Jacob. A. M. cir. 3489. d A. U. C. 239. anno sexto. THE sitteth between the cherubims; 5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at "his foot k 2 The LORD is great in Zion; and he is stool; for he is holy. high above all the people. e A. M. 3489. B. C. 515. A. U. C. 239. Darü I., R. Persarum, anno sexto. 6 'Moses and Aaron among his priests, and m 3 Let them praise thy great and terrible Samuel among them that call upon his name; name; for it is holy. they called upon the LORD, and he answered them. NOTES ON PSALM XCIX. The Hebrew and Chaldee have no title; all the Versions but the Chaldee attribute it to David. The Syriac says it concerns "the slaughter of the Midianites which Moses and the children of Israel had taken captive; and is a prophecy concerning the glory of the kingdom of Christ." But the mention of Samuel shows that it cannot be referred to the time of Moses. Calmet thinks that it was sung at the dedication of the city, or of the second temple, after the return from the Babylonish captivity. Eight of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. join it to the preceding psalm. Verse 1. The Lord reigneth] See the note on Ps. xcvii. 1. As this not For it is holy.] wp kadosh hu. only ends this verse but the fifth also, and in effect the ninth, it seems to be a species of chorus which was sung in a very solemn manner at the conclusion of each of these parts. His holiness—the immaculate purity of his nature, was the reason why he should be exalted, praised, and worshipped. Verse 4. The king's strength] If this psalm were written by David, he must mean by it that he was God's vicegerent or deputy, and that, even as king, God was his strength, and the pattern according to which equity, judgment, and righteousness should Let the people tremble] He will establish his king-be executed in Jacob. dom in spite of his enemies; let those who oppose him tremble for the consequences. He sitteth between the cherubims] This is in reference to the ark, at each end of which was a cherub of glory; and the shechinah, or symbol of the Divine Presence, appeared on the lid of the ark, called also the mercy-seat, between the cherubim. Sitting between the cherubim implies God's graciousness and mercy. While then, in his reign, he was terrible to sinners, he is on the throne of grace to all who fear, love, and obey him. Though this symbol were not in the second temple, yet the Divine Being might very well be thus denominated, because it had become one of his titles, he having thus appeared under the tabernacle and first temple. Verse 2. The Lord is great in Zion] It is among his own worshippers that he has manifested his power and glory in an especial manner. There he is known, and there he is worthily magnified. Verse 3. Let them praise thy great and terrible name] Verse 5. Worship at his footstool] Probably meaning the ark on which the divine glory was manifested. Sometimes the earth is called God's footstool, Matt. v. 35, Isai. Ixvi. 1; sometimes Jerusalem; sometimes the temple, Lam. ii. 1; sometimes the tabernacle, Ps. xxxii. 7; and sometimes the ark, 1 Chron. xxviii. 2. The Israelites, when they worshipped, turned their faces toward the ark, because that was the place where was the symbol of the Divine Presence. For he is holy.] The burden chanted by the chorus. Verse 6. Moses and Aaron] As Moses and Aaron among the priests, and as Samuel among the prophets, worshipped God in humility, gratitude, and the spirit of obedience, and received the strongest tokens of the divine favour; so worship ye the Lord, that he may bless, support, and save you. Moses was properly the priest of the Hebrews before Aaron and his family were appointed to that office. Verse 7. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar] That is, he directed all their operations, marchings, and encampments by this cloudy pillar. See Exod. xxxiii. 9. exalt the Lord. gavest them, though "thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. 9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy. xxi. 8. 1 Sam. ii. 2. Ps. xxii. 3. cxlv. 17. John xvii. 11. A. M. 3489. B. C. 515. A. U. C. 239. Darii I., R. Persarum, anno sexto. Isai. vi. 3. them to exalt and adore him. 5. They are to worship at his footstool-all their approaches are to be made in the deepest reverence, with the truest self-abasement. They kept his testimonies] Do ye the same, and 6. "For he is holy ;" and he requires all his followers God will be your portion as he was theirs. Verse 8. Thou-forgavest them] When the people had sinned, and wrath was about to descend on them, Moses and Aaron interceded for them, and they were not destroyed. to be holy also. 3. He describes it from the mercy and clemency of the ruler. 1. He showed his mercy and kindness to Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, as intercessors for the people. "They called upon God," for themselves and for the people; "and he answered them." 1. See the intercession of Moses, Exod. xxxii. 31; 2. Of Aaron, Numb. xvi. 46–48. 3. Of Samuel, 1 Sam. vii. 5, 9, 10. 4. He spake to Moses, Exod. xxxiii. 8, 9, 11; Worship him and to Aaron, Numb. xii. 5—8. Tookest vengeance of their inventions.] God spared them, but showed his displeasure at their misdoings. He chastised, but did not consume them. This is amply proved in the history of this people. Verse 9. Worship at his holy hill] publicly in the temple. For the Lord our God is holy.] The words of the chorus; as in the third and fifth verses. ANALYSIS OF THE NINETY-NINTH PSALM. There are two parts in this psalm:- 1. From the majesty and terror of it against his enemies, ver. 1-3. 2. From its equity in the execution of judgment and justice, ver. 4. 3. From his patience and clemency in giving audience to his servants, ver. 6-8. II. A demand of praise and honour of all that acknowledge him for their King, begun at the third verse, repeated at the fifth, and continued in the last. The psalm contains a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ, and its glory. I. 1. The terror, power, and majesty of this kingdom: "The Lord reigneth." 1. He bids defiance to his enemies: "Let the people tremble." 2. "He sitteth between the cherubim." He is always present with his people; they need not fear, though the earth be moved. 3. "He is great in Zion." More potent and higher than all people. 4. "His name is great and terrible." His enemies have every thing to fear, while his friends have every thing to hope. 2. The Psalmist describes this kingdom, from its justice and equity. 1. "He loveth judgment." This is one of his perfections. 2. "He establishes equity." Gives just and equal laws to all. 3. "He executes judgment in Jacob." None of his followers shall live without law; they are obedient children, living according to his will. 4. And therefore he requires And now he adds the reason why he heard them: 1. "They kept his testimonies." Those precepts that were common to all others. 2. "And the ordinances that he gave them." As public persons who were to rule in church and state. And that it was a great mercy that the Lord heard them, the prophet acknowledges by this apostrophe— 1. "Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God." Which the history shows. 2. "Thou forgavest them;" that is, the people for whom they prayed: for in Hebrew the relative is often put without an antecedent. 3. "Thou tookest vengeance of their inventions." The golden calf was broken to pieces, Exod. xxxii.; and the false gods were put away, 1 Sam. vii. The people were not consumed, though their sin was in a certain manner visited upon them. See Numb. xiv. 23, 30, and xx. 12. II. The Psalmist concludes with a demand of praise to this kind God. 1. "Exalt the Lord." Show that he is high, holy, just, good, and kind. 2. "Worship at his holy hill." Attend his public worship, and show a godly example in this way to all others. He who is indifferent about the public worship of God, is generally not less so in private devotion. 3. The reason for all this is: "The Lord our God is holy." He requires this worship because it is a chief means by which he communicates his holiness to his followers. Without this holiness there is no happiness here, and without it none shall ever see God. Get holiness, that you may get happiness here, and heaven hereafter. All nations exhorted PSALMS. PSALM C. to praise the Lord. All nations are exhorted to praise the Lord, 1, 2; to acknowledge him to be the Sovereign Good and their Creator, and that they are his people and the flock of his pasture, 3; to worship him publicly, and be grateful for his mercies, 4. The reasons on which this is founded; his own goodness, his everlasting mercy, and his ever-during truth, 5. NOTES ON PSALM C. This psalm is entitled in the Hebrew mizmor lethodah, not "A Psalm of Praise," as we have it, but "A Psalm for the confession, or for the confession-offering," very properly translated by the Chaldee: xin 1971 by xn shibcha al kurban todetha, "Praise for the sacrifice (or offering) of confession." The Vulgate, Septuagint, and Ethiopic have followed this sense. The Arabic attributes it to David. The Syriac has the following prefixed: "Without a name. Concerning Joshua the son of Nun, when he had ended the war with the Ammonites: but in the new covenant it relates to the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith." It is likely that it was composed after the captivity, as a form of thanksgiving to God for that great deliverance, as well as an inducement to the people to consecrate themselves to him, and to be exact in the performance of the acts of public worship. Verse 1. Make a joyful noise] triumph, leap for joy. hariu, exult, All ye lands.] Not only Jews, but Gentiles, for the Lord bestows his benefits on all with a liberal hand. Verse 2. Serve the Lord with gladness] It is your privilege and duty to be happy in your religious worship. The religion of the true God is intended to remove human misery, and to make mankind happy. He whom the religion of Christ has not made happy does not understand that religion, or does not make a proper use of it. Verse 3. Know ye that the Lord he is God] Acknowledge in every possible way, both in public and private, that Jehovah, the uncreated, self-existent, and eternal Being, is Elohim, the God who is in covenant with man, to instruct, redeem, love, and make him finally happy. It is he that hath made us] He is our Creator, and has consequently the only right in and over us. And not we ourselves] × × velo anachnu. I can never think that this is the true reading, though found in the present Hebrew text, in the Vulgate, Septuagint, Ethiopic, and Syriac. Were there ever a people on earth, however grossly heathenish, that did believe, or could believe, that they had made themselves? In twenty-six of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS. we have velo anachnu, "and HIS we are;” lo, the pronoun, being put for a lo, the negative particle. This is the reading of the Targum, or Chaldee paraphrase, xx vedileyh anachna, "and his we are ;" and is the reading of the text in the Complutensian Polyglot, of both the Psalters which were printed in 1477, and is the keri or marginal reading in most Masoretic Bibles. Every person must see, from the nature of the subject, that it is the genuine reading. The position is founded on the maxim that what a man invents, constructs out of his own materials, without assistance in genius, materials, or execution from any other person, is HIS OWN; and to it, its use, and produce, he has the only right. God made us; there fore we are HIS: we are his people, and should acknowledge him for our God; we are the sheep of his pasture, and should devote the lives to him constantly which he continually supports. Verse 4. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving] Publicly worship God; and when ye come to the house of prayer, be thankful that you have such a privilege; and when you enter his courts, praise him for the permission. The word na bethodah, which we render with thanksgiving, is properly with the confession-offering or sacrifice. See on the title. Bless his name.] Bless Jehovah, that he is your Elohim; see ver. 3. In our liturgic service we say, "Speak good of his name;" we cannot do otherwise; we have nothing but good to speak of our God. Verse 5. For the Lord is good] GOODNESS, the perfect, eternal opposition to all badness and evil, is essential to God. Mercy and compassion are modifications of his goodness; and as his nature is eternal, so his mercy, springing from his goodness, must be everlasting. And as TRUTH is an essential characteristic of an infinitely intelligent and perfect nature; therefore God's truth must endure from generation to generation. Whatsoever he has promised must be cynnine soðfæstnys his. The reader will see that, in order to make this translation as literal as possible, I have preserved some old English words which we had from the Anglo-Saxon, and which have nearly become obsolete: e. g., Infare, "to go in ;" blithness, "joy, exultation;" wit ye, "know ye;" did, the preterite of to do, "made, created," the literal translation of the Hebrew, wy asah, he made; leeseway, “pasturage on a common;" winsom, "cheerful, merry;" mildheartedness, "tenderness of heart, compassion;" othfastness, "steady to the sooth or truth, fast to truth." I might have noticed some various readings in Anglo-Saxon MSS. ; e. g., ver. 1, for ionymeð idrymeth, "rhyme ye;" pinrumia winsumiath, "be winsom, be joyful." And ver. 5, for pinrum winsom, “cheerful;” spere, swete, “sweet." Anglo-Scottish Version of the Hundredth Psalm. 1. Joyes to God al the erth; serves to Lord in gladnes. 2. Enters in his sight with joying. 3. TWittes for Lorde he is God; he made us and nogt we; 4. Folke of hym, and schepe of his pasture; enters the gates of him in schrift; hys Halles in ympnys; schryves to hym. preceding psalm. 5. Loues his name, for soft is orde; withouten end in his mercy; and in generation and generation the sothfastnes of hym. Thus our forefathers said and sung in heart and mouth; and with their tongues made confession to salvation. There are but few words here which require explanation: Ver. 3, Wittes, "wot ye, know ye." Ver. 4, Schrift, "confession ;” schryves, fess ye." Ver. 5, Loues, praise ye, laud ye." Sothfastness, as above, stedfastness in the truth. con ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDREDTH PSALM. There are two parts in this psalm :I. An exhortation to praise God, and the manner in which it is to be done, ver. 1-4. II. The reasons on which this is founded, ver. 3-5. I. In his exhortation to praise God it is required,— 1. That the praise be universal: "All ye lands." 2. That it be hearty: "Make a joyful noise." Let the soul be cheerful in the work. 3. That it be not partial nor restrained: "Make a joyful noise-serve-be glad-sing-be thankful-give praise-bless his name." The various expressions show the completeness of this blessed word. 4. That it be sincere-done in his presence. 5. That it be an intelligent service: "Know ye." 6. That it be frequent and public: "Enter his gatesgo into his courts." 7. That gratitude shall be a part of it: "With thanksgiving. II. The reasons on which this is grounded; they are, 1. Drawn from the nature of God: "Know ye that Jehovah is Elohim," the true God; therefore, alone worthy to be worshipped. 2. Drawn from the benefits bestowed on us: 1. "He has made us "-capable of knowing him, and being eternally happy with him. 2. He has called upon us by his grace to be "his people, and the sheep of his pasture." He both governs and feeds us. And that we may be the more cheerful in this work, he puts us in mind of the divine attributes engaged in our redemption, goodness, mercy, and truth. 1. "He is good." This is his very nature. 2. "He is merciful." This flows from his goodness. 3. "He is true;" keeping covenant for ever with them that fear him; and fulfilling all his promises to the believing and obedient. And that we may have the more confidence, 1. "His mercy is everlasting." It continues through all the changes and chances of this life to them who trust in him; and extends through all the generations of men. 2. His truth is like his mercy, it is pledged to fulfil his promises. "God is not man that he should lie ;" he has promised, and will save to the uttermost all who come to him through Christ Jesus: "Be therefore thankful to him, and speak good of his name." |