El ;i. ,::.;;:;, '"^fgive theft Boat} tfor MeifoiGuftng1 efM_ Cottegt- outMi Colony^ • YAJLE-^MViEiasinnf • • iLHiaiSAisy • Anonymous Gift lut thy hands towards Him. Put iniquity away, do not permit iniquity to be in thy tents ! He talks as if he is very sure, more so than Eliphaz and Bildad, that Job is guilty of much sin. Then he draws a charm ing picture of the blessed results if Job confesses and re pents. He would forget his misery " as waters that are passed away." Everything is painted by him in the rosiest colors as if he knew what God would do for Job. The time did come when Job got richer blessings than those outlined by Zo phar. And what Zophar said, " Yea, many shall make suit unto thee" (Marginal reading: Entreat thee), came ac tually true when Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar had to hum ble themselves before this Servant of God. Zophar's final word is a warning of the fate of the wicked. It was meant for Job. The blunt, rough way of Zophar, who does not contribute anything new and fresh to the controversy, makes Job more confident that he is right and he gives a remarkable answer. Job's Answer to Zophar. CHAPTERS XII, XIII AND XIV. 1. His Sarcasm. Chapter xii: 1-6 2. He describes God's Power. 7-25. 3. He denounces his friends, xiii : 1-13. 4. He appeals to God. 14-28. 5. The brevity and trouble of life. Chap, xiv: 1-6. 6. A ray of light through hope of immortality. 7-32. Chapter XII: 1-6. He answers not only Zophar but the 156 THE BOOK OF JOB others as well. Before this Job had expressed his disap pointment in them, rebuked them for their unkindness, and assailed as worthless their arguments, but now he treats them in a very sarcastic manner. " No doubt but ye are the people And wisdom shall die with you." Was he then without any understanding or inferior to them? Do you think I am ignorant of the things you have spoken to me about ? You mock me ; I am nothing but a laughingstock. You as my neighbours come to me and say — he calls on God, that He should answer him. Yet I am the just, the perfect man; you make sport of me. You are at ease and treat the one who is down, over whelmed by misfortune, with contempt. But remember: "The tents of robbers prosper, And they that provoke God are secure; Abundance does He give unto them." This is what Zophar had claimed in his address, that the wicked do not prosper. (See xi: 2, 14, 19, 20.) Robbers often prosper and those who are secure are often those who provoke God. Perhaps his friends with their pros perity might belong to that class. Verses 7-^25. This is also in answer to Zophar's argu ment. Zophar had spoken of the greatness of God. The wisdom which Zophar had tried to impress upon him is so elementary that the beasts themselves know something about it. "But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee; Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these, That the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind," THE BOOK OF JOB 157 Job outstrips Zophar's speech in every way. He is ahead in the controversy. In Verses 12—13 Job seems to have Bildad's statement in mind (Chapter viii: 8-9), and he declares now that with God is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding. But what follows, while true in itself, is but the one side of God's doings, and the darkest pessimism, such as suited his mind. God spoils counsellors, maketh judges fools, looseth the bonds of kings, leadeth priests away spoiled, overthroweth the mighty, pours contempt on princes ; He increaseth the na tions and destroyeth them. " He taketh away the heart of the chiefs of the people in the earth, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. They grope in dark without light, And He maketh them stagger like a drunken man." It is a dreadful picture Job has drawn of God by the one-sided description of His greatness. Not a word of His Love and Mercy. It is in full keeping with his de spairing heart. Chapter XIII: 1-5. He had told in the previous words that he was not an ignorant man. What his wise friends had told him he understood perfectly ; both nature and history had taught him the greatness of God which they had emphasized. What ye know, I know; I am not infe rior to you. I am just as good as you are. What he desires is not to speak with them but to the Almighty ; he wants to reason with God. The parallelism of verses 4 and 5 is interesting and has been rendered as follows : " But as for ye, plastered with lies are ye, Physicians of no value are ye all Would ye but altogether hold your peace; That, of itself, would show that ye are wise.' Still stronger is his rebuke as found in verses 7-13. He warns them that their whole course is wrong. They are presumptuous in talking deceitfully for God. All this he speaks in self-defense, that he is innocent, and with it 158 THE BOOK 0£ JOB the subtle accusation against God once more, that He is unjust. He also warns them that " He will surely re prove you " and this came true. Verses 14-28. Then his words addressed to God Him self. He dares to 'approach Him. Knowing the great ness and awfulness of God, and perhaps conscious too of not having Him honoured as he should have done, he says, this would be the meaning of the rather difficult verse (14), come what may I take my life in my hand and risk it. The paraphrase of the Companion Bible expresses it correctly. " Aye, come what may, I willingly the risk will take; and 'put my life into my hand." But at that moment when he makes this resolve his faith breaks through and he utters one of the sublimest words which ever came from human lips. " Yea, though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." And thousands upon thousands have spoken it after him, thus honouring God with faith's sweetest song in the night. He wants God to hear his speech diligently and have his declaration come into His ear. He expresses his hope that God would yet declare him just, that is justify him, then who will dare to contend with him? And then that pleading of his with so much pathos ! Relieve me from the sufferings, withdraw thine hand far from me, which rests upon rne; and let not thy terror make me afraid. Then call Thou, and I will answer. (Verses 20— 22.) Or let me speak, he says, and answer Thou me. Then once more the right note, that note which finally must be sounded to the full in his wretched misery — " How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin." But it was only mo mentarily. He breaks out in fresh charges against God. His self-righteousness has blinded him so that he asks, " Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face, and holdest me for Thine enemy?" Horrible charges he brings against His Maker, the charges of injustice. (Verses 26-28.) He THE BOOK OF JOB 159 wanted to listen to God, but He gives Him no chance to speak. When finally God speaks, Job is in the dust. Chapter XIV: 1-6. A true picture he has drawn in these words of man's frailty. Besides this unclean, for, Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one. He requests that he might be let alone " till he shall accom plish as an hireling his day." Verses 7-22. There is hope for a tree, he declares, though cut down, but it may sprout again. " But man that dieth, and wasteth away ; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? " He speaks of man " who lieth down and riseth not." That is the language of man apart from revelation. It is the expression of one who is in darkness and uncertainty. Frequently teachers of errors, like soul-sleep, the annihilation of the wicked, etc., in de fense of their false teachings quote Job and the utterances of these friends as if these were true revelations from God, when their words are only the expressions of the human mind, and often false and misleading. What Job spoke and his friends is given in an unfailing inspired account, but revelation is a different matter altogether. Then Job's desire is to be hidden in Sheol, until His wrath be past. " That Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me ! " In this he expresseth the wish to believe that there is hope and that some one might give him the assurance about it — " If a man die, shall he live again? " But this ray of hope is only for a moment and once more he gives way to despair and continues his awful suspicions that God is his enemy. The first series of con troversies are a complete failure. Job by justifying him self has dishonored God, and his friends by condemning him and not giving him the comfort he needed have sinned as well. 160 THE BOOK OF JOB 2. THE SECOND SERIES OF CONTROVERSIES. Chapters XV-XXI. Eliphaz's Second Address. CHAPTER XV. 1. Tells Job that he is Self-condemned. 1-6. 2. Charges him with pride. 7-16. 3. The Wicked and their lot. 17-35. Verses 1-6. His second address is not as lofty as his first. Job's language has evidently annoyed him very much. He characterizes his words as vain, unprofitable, which can do no good. He charges him with having cast off fear and having become one who restrained devotion before God. He tells Job that what he has spoken only confirms their views of him, that he is a wicked man and suffers justly for his sins. "Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I; Yea, thine own lips testify against thee." Verses 7-16. Wrong as Eliphaz's rebuke is, he adds still another charge. He tells him he is filled with pride. What Job knows they know also. " What knowest thou, that we do not know? What understandeth thou, which is not in us ? " " And why does Thine heart carry thee away? And why do thine eyes wink? (in pride) That thou shouldest turn thine anger against God And cause such words to issue from thy mouth." Then, as he did in his first address, Eliphaz speaks once more of the holiness of God. " Behold He putteth no trust in His holy Ones. Yea, the heavens are not clean in His sight." Verses 17-35. Here we have another description of THE BOOK OF JOB 161 the wicked, their miserable lot and what is in store for them. What he said was meant to terrify Job. Every word must have cut deep into Job's miserable soul, for he knew with Eliphaz he was a wicked, impious man. We see that Eliphaz said nothing new. He re-stated the for mer argument. Job's Reply to Eliphaz. CHAPTERS XVI-XVII. 1. Miserable comforters are ye all. xvi: 1-5. 2. Oh God! Thou hast done it! 6-14. 3. Yet I look Thee! 15-22. 4. Trouble upon trouble; self-pity. Chapter xvii: 1-12. 5. Where is now my hope? 13-16. Chapter XVI: 1-5. How masterfully he meets their wrong accusations and how he brings forth his suffering afresh, yet always with that horrible nightmare, God is not for me, but against me! Such things Eliphaz spoke he had heard before. What are you anyway? Nothing but miserable comforters. If they were in the condition in which he is, he would also speak. " But I would strengthen you with my mouth, 'and the solace of my lips should assuage your grief." I would never treat you as you treat me. Verses 6-14. And now he charges God with being re sponsible for all. What does he say ? " Thou hast made me desolate. . . . Thou hast laid fast hold on me. . . . He hath torn me in His wrath and persecuted me. . . . He has gnashed upon me with His teeth. . . . He hath delivered me to the ungodly." Remarkable is verse 10. " They have gaped upon me with their mouth ; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully ; they gather themselves against me." This was done to another Suf ferer, the Lord Jesus Christ. But He murmured not ; He did not dishonour God as Job did, but glorified Him. It is interesting to make a pontrast between these two suffer- 162 THE BOOK OF JOB ers. It brings out the perfection and loveliness of our Saviour. But in all these ravings, faith, which slumbers in his breast, asserts itself, and tries to awake. He says " my witness is in heaven, and He that voucheth for me is on high." Thus he clings to God. How beautiful this word suits us, who know Him who has gone on high and who voucheth for us there, needs hardly to be pointed out. But Job knew Him not as we know Him. Once more he desires that daysman. " 0 that one might plead for man with God, as a man pleadeth for His neighbour ! " Chapter XVII: 1-12. What a pathetic description of his troubles ! And he cannot deliver himself from the obsession that God is the author of it all. Verses 13-16. And what is his hope now? How dark and evil his thoughts ! The grave is to be his house, the darkness his bed. Corruption, his father, the worm his mother and his sister. He and his hope will go down to the bars of the pit, and rest together in the dust. But we shall soon hear another confession from his lips. Bildad's Second Address. CHAPTER XVIII. 1. New Reproaches. 1-4. 2. Once again, the Wicked and what they deserve. 5-21. Verses 1-4. Bildad has the good sense in this second oration to be very brief. He, like Eliphaz, pays his com pliments to Job and reproaches him. How long are you going to speak yet any way! You, you tell us that we are like the beasts, stupid and ignorant ! Keep on with your nonsense you but tear yourself in your anger; it is all unavailing and not changes things for thee. This is the meaning of his rebuke. Verses 5-21. Then the favored theme, the wicked and what is in store for them. Apart from the falsity of the application of all Bildad says to Job, his words are cer- THE BOOK OF JOB 163 tainly true and very poetic. Thus he speaks of the wicked and his fate : "Terrors make him afraid on every side, And chase him at his footsteps. Through pangs of hunger his strength declines, Calamity ever stands ready at his side, The members of his body to consume, Yea, Death's Firstborn his members shall destroy. His confidence be rooted out of his tent, It shall lead him away to the king of terrors. They that are none of his shall dwell in his tent, And upon it brimstone shall descend." All his words, though true, were consummated cruelty. It must have been torture and agony unspeakable for suf fering Job to hear himself thus portrayed as the wicked man, whose lot is well deserved. Job's Reply to Bildad. CHAPTER XIX. 1. How long will ye vex my soul? 1-6. 2. And I am not heard! 7-12. 3. Forsaken of men he pleads to be pitied. 13-24. 4. Faith Supreme. 25-27. 5. The Warning to his friends. Verses 1-6. Bildad's scathing speech did not bring him into the dust. He acknowledges the words vexed his soul and broke him in pieces, but he does not change his view-point. He repudiates the guilt with which they charged him and continues to blame God. Verses 7-12. Afresh he breaks forth in accusing God. He charges Him with not answering his prayers. " He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. He hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone." He imagines that His wrath is kindled against him. But what a display of divine Mercy and Patience ! 164 THE BOOK OF JOB God looked upon the worm in the dust and pities him, as He still pities His children. Verses 13-24. Then the description of his forsaken condition. Read it in these verses. His brethren, his kinsfolks, his wife, all have turned against him. His 'servants look upon him as an outcast. Young children even despise him. Then the wail for pity : " Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O, ye my friends." Verses 25-27. But what a change! Suddenly light breaks in. He does not speak by himself, but the Spirit of God enlightens his soul and utters words which stand in striking contrast with all the previous wailings. The witness he bears is not without difficulties in point of translation. Darby's translation is as follows : "And as for me, I know that my Redeemer liveth And at the Last, He shall stand upon the earth; And if after my skin this shall be destroyed Yet from out of my flesh I shall see God. Whom I shall see for myself And mine eyes shall behold and not another: — Though mine eyes be consumed within me." The Companion Bible paraphraseth the text in an ex cellent way: " I know that my Redeemer ever liveth, And in the latter day on earth shall stand; And after worms this body have consumed, Yet in my flesh I shall Eloah (God) see, Whom I, e'en I, shall see upon my side, Mine eyes shall see Him — stranger now no more: For this my inmost soul with longing waits." And the Redeemer of whom he speaks, enabled to utter these words of faith by the power of another, is the Lord Jesus Christ, the risen, living, coming Redeemer, the victor over death and the grave. Here is the testimony of the Book of Job to the Hope of the coming of the Lord, the resurrection of the body and the glorification of the Saints. THE BOOK OF JOB 165 Verses 28-29. How astonished his friends must have been at this wonderful outburst from his lips, which but a few moments ago almost blasphemed God. He asks them why they persecute him, inasmuch as the root of true faith is in him. He warns them that there is judgment. The Second Address of Zophar. CHAPTER XX. 1. Zophar's swift reply. 1-3. 2. Another Description of the life and fate of the Wicked. 4-29. Verses 1-3. Zophar, the twitterer, begins his reply to Job with impatient haste. Job's words, probably those found in Chapter xix : 2, 3, and the last two verses, have made him angry. He boils over with indignation. He is ready now to confirm the testimony already given and wound the suffering servant of God still more. Verses 4-29. He follows the same path and there is again nothing new in his argument. The description of the wicked is great ; no fault can be found with what he says about those who are ungodly. The triumphing of the wicked, and the joy of the ungodly is for a moment only. He is bound to perish swiftly ; like a dream, like a vision he vanisheth away. His children remain poverty stricken. He may swallow down riches, but he vomits them up again. And 'so he continues in his portrayal of the ungodly. Wrath is finally coming upon him. Such is the portion of the wicked man from God. But the serious mistake Zophar made is twofold. Job had pleaded for pity. Not a word of pity comes from Zophar's lips. The whole address is meant to tell Job " Thou art that man ! " And the second mistake, he does not consider for a moment Job's utterance which could not come from the lips of an ungodly person, but from one who knows God. 166 THE BOOK OF JOB Job's Reply. CHAPTER XXI. 1. Hear my solemn words — then mock on. 1-6. 2. His Testimony concerning the Experiences of the Wicked. 7-26. 3. Your answers are nothing but falsehoods. 27-34. Verses 1-6. This answer shows that Job gets the upper hand over his accusing friends in this controversy. In a masterly way he meets their arguments. He wants them to hear diligently, and if they choose, after he has spoken, they may mock on. He is not complaining to man, or making his appeal to these human friends. He begins to look for another helper, even to God. Verses 7-26. Zophar's eloquent words concerning the wicked are taken up by Job and he proves that experi ence shows another side besides the one Zophar had made so prominent. The wicked often live to a ripe old age and possess great power. They have large families and their houses are safe from fear; nor is the chastening hand of God upon them. They prosper and all goes well with them ; their cattle increase. They sing to the timbrel and to the harp and rejoice at the sound of the pipe. They love pleasure and have a good time. Then suddenly Job changeth the description. They spend their days in prosperity — but in a moment they go down to Sheol. It reminds us of Asaph's great Psalm (lxxiii) in which he describes the prosperity of the wicked : " When I thought to know this it was too painful for me ; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places ; Thou castedst them down to destruction." Job declares they reject and defy God; they laugh at the thought of praying to Him. Then he gives his own, personal testimony " the counsel of the wicked is far from me." In this he shows his friends that they are wrong in THE BOOK OF JOB 167 classing him with the wicked. Then he continues in un folding the problem of the wicked and how God deals with them. Verses 27-34. Without enlarging upon the final state ments of his answer, we only remark that Job shows that his friends have not only failed to convince him, but their answers are insincere and nothing but falsehoods. The victory is on his side ; yet the problem, " why do the righteous suffer and how can their suffering be harmonized with a righteous God," remains as unsolved as before. 168 THE BOOK OF JOB 3. THE THIRD SERIES OF CONTROVERSIES. Chapters XXII-XXXI. The Third Address of Eliphaz. CHAPTER XXII. 1. Is not thy wickedness great? 1-6. 2. In what Job had sinned. 6-11. 3. The Omniscience of God and the Ways of the Wicked. 12-20. 4. Eliphaz's Exhortation and Promise. 21-30. Verses 1-5. The third cycle of addresses begins again with Eliphaz, the wise man from Teman. He tries to maintain his dignity and lofty conception, but he proves too well that Job's accusation of insincerity is too well founded. He starts out with reminding Job of the Maj esty of God. Can then a man be profitable to God? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty when thou art righteous? Or does He gain anything by it if thou art perfect in thy ways ? Since then God has no interest in man's righteous ness, and He cannot punish Job for his righteousness, he draws the conclusion that Job is a great sinner. Is not thy wickedness great? Neither is there an end to thine iniquities. Verses 6-11. And now having made the assertion, ac cording to his logical conclusions, he attempts to show that Job not alone must have sinned, but in what his sin consists. He charges him with avarice, with cruelty, with dealing in a heartless way with widows and with the father less. Then he tells Job that is " why these snares are around thee and thou art covered with darkness and with the waters of affliction." The astonishing thing is that every word of what Eliphaz says is a lying invention. Job later gives the most positive proof that all was a concoction of falsehoods. The Word of the Lord con cerning Job shows up Eliphaz as a miserable liar, for the Lord had said concerning Job, " there is none like him in THE BOOK OF JOB 169 the earth, a perfect and an upright man." Would the Lord have spoken thus if Job had outraged the laws of humanitarianism and withheld water and bread from the destitute or stripped the naked of their clothing? But how could Eliphaz ever stoop so low? It was but the result of his iniquitous logic. Job must be a sinner; he is a wicked man and without any real facts he draws his conclusions that Job must have done these things and charges him positively with it. The same fatal logic is still with us. Evil, for instance, comes upon a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ; he passeth through affliction, sor row upon sorrow comes upon him, then someone suggests that his life must be wrong and the slanderous tongue soon charges some specific evil. Verses 12-20. Eliphaz speaks next of God's Omnis cience and then again brings in the favoured theme of himself and his friends, the wicked and their defiance of God. Then in self-righteousness he declares — " But the counsel of the wicked is far from me." Strange it is this word which came from Job's lips first (Chapter xix: 16). Evidently Eliphaz repeats this phrase to mock and to insult Job. Verses 21-30. Once more as before he turns exhorter. Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee. He gives him instruction what he is to do, and what God will do for him if he acts upon his advice. But while the exhortations 'are all proper, they are altogether out of place with Job. For if Job acted upon this advice and would repent according to Eliphaz's demand he would by doing so assent to the false and lying accusations of his three friends. He would acknowledge himself the wicked man they had made him out to be. What he says as to restoration is almost prophetic of what should come to Job in blessing at the close of his trial. 170 THE BOOK OF JOB Job's Reply. CHAPTERS XXIII AND XXIV. 1. O that I knew where I may find Him. 1-8. 2. Trusting yet Doubting. 10-17. 3. Hath God failed? Chapter xxiv: 1-12. 4. Job's further testimony as to the Wicked. 13-25. Chapter XXIII: 1-9. Job here does not disprove at once the false charges of Eliphaz. He can afford to wait till later, till their mouths are completely silenced. Then he speaks the final word. He acknowledgeth that he is still rebellious. His hand which is upon him is heavier than all his groanings. Then that outburst which re veals the longing of his tried and tempest tossed soul — " Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might even come to His seat ! I would order my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments." Then in blinded self-righteousness he speaks a bold word : " I would know the words He would answer to me, and under stand what He Would say to me." He is so sure of it all that he declares " He would give heed to me." How dif ferent it was when the Lord did speak and Job's lips are sealed, only to open in expression of deepest self-abhor rence. Yet even in the words he speaks here, still in the dark as to the reason of his suffering, he demonstrates that he is not the defiant wicked man, but one who long3 for God. Verses 10-17. Trusting yet Doubting expresseth the sentiment of what he says next. Trust is expressed in the beautiful utterance, " But He knoweth the way that I take ; when He hath tried me I shall come forth as gold." Yet it is self-vindication which speaks next, not in God's presence, but to clear himself before his friends. " My foot held fast to his steps." Doubt follows for he still con siders God, not his friend, but his enemy. Chapter XXIV: 1-12. The rendering of the opening verse is difficult to make. It has been paraphrased in this THE BOOK OF JOB 171 wise : " Since, then, events from the Almighty are not hid, why do not they who love Him know His ways? " This perhaps expresseth the true meaning of his thought. He shows what so often happens on the earth and which seemingly indicates a failure of God in His righteous gov ernment. Why is it all ? And never before in the history of the race has Job's charge of the failure of God been so prominent as in our evil days. " From city and from houses groans ascend ; With shrieks those being murdered cry for help Yet God regards not this enormity.'' Verses 13-25. He describes the paths of the wicked again and yet they seem to escape the retribution in this life which they so well deserve. They even have security. And Job still is haunted by the thought that in these facts there is found an evidence that God is favorable to them. Death surely comes to them " yet a little while and they are gone " but what comes after death he does not men tion. Then boldly he raiseth himself up and says, " And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech of no account? " What an assertion that all he declared is infallibly true ! The Third Address of Bildad. CHAPTER XXV. 1. What God is. 1-3. 2. What man is. 4-6. Verses 1-3. Bildad's arguments are exhausted. He has reached the end of his resources and Zophar does not open his lips again. Nevertheless Bildad's final word is of great force and beauty, with deep meaning. He gives a picture of what God is. " With Him dominion is reverence ; He maketh Peace in His high places. 172 THE. BOOK OF JOB The number of His hosts who can count? And upon whom doth not His light arise? How pregnant with meaning these four sentences ! Verses 4-6. And what is Man, man the creature of the dust, the earthworm. "How then can man be just with God? Or he be pure who is of woman born? Behold for Him the Moon hath no brightness, And even the stars are not pure in His sight. How much less man, that is but a worm! Or any mortal man — nothing but a worm!" Job's Reply. CHAPTER XXVI. 1. A sarcastic beginning. 1-4. 2. Job also knows and can speak of the Greatness of GOD. 5-14. Verses 1-4. You have helped me greatly, Bildad, me, who am without power. Whom does thou instruct any way? And what kind of a spirit is it which speaks through thee? In other words he means to say, I have no more use for your argument at all. Verses 5-14. But let me, Bildad, tell you something about the greatness of God before which your words pale into nothing. And so he utters a description of God's greatness which is indeed greater than Bildad's. And after this sublime unfolding of God's greatness and power, he truthfully says : "Lo these are but the outlines of His ways A whisper only do we hear of Him But who can comprehend the thunder of His Power?" THE BOOK OF JOB 173 JOB'S CLOSING WORDS IN SELF-VINDICATION. Chapters XXVII-XXXI. CHAPTER XXVII. 1. My Righteousness I hold Fast. 1-6. 2. The Contrast between himself and the Wicked. 7-23. Verses 1-6. Zophar, the third friend, no longer speaks. Perhaps Job paused after his remarks in answer to Bildad and waited for Zophar's criticism. Perhaps that young hot-head hid his inability of advancing another argument under an assumed disgust. Critics have as signed verses 7—10 and 13—23 to Zophar and claim that Job did not speak them at all. But other Critics, like Wellhausen, Kuenen and Dillman say that these verses are a later insertion. We do not need to waste our time by examining these claims of the inventive genius of these scholars. There is nothing to them. Job now becomes bolder, knowing that his friends had spent their last arrow against him. He still accuseth God that He has taken away his right and wronged him. And he is determined, more so than ever before, not to give in to the abominable logic of his friends. " My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go ; my heart does not condemn me as long as I live." It is the vindication of himself. Verses 7-23. And this self-vindication he pursues when he pictures the godless and contrasts them with himself, showing that he cannot be identified with these. How could this description of the godless ever be applied to himself? True, he had suffered like the wicked suffer, but will his end be like theirs? Thus he tries to show them that they had done him an injustice, for he was an upright man, who in spite of his misery held on to God. 174 THE BOOK OF JOB CHAPTER XXVIII. I. The treasures of the Earth. 1-6. 2. The better treasures. 7-22. 3. God knoweth the way and the true Wisdom. 23-28. Verses 1-6. This part of the monologue of Job does not seem to have much relation, if any, to the controver sial matter of the previous chapters. He speaks first of the treasures of the earth, the riches which man seeks after, but which do not last, and are so often man's un doing. Job shows that he had a good knowledge of mining operations. He knows of veins of silver and how gold is refined. Iron is taken out of the earth and copper molten out of stone. Then he describes how the miner with his mining lamp makes an end to the darkness when he digs into the mountains and then he sinks a shaft. They are so far down that the foot which passeth above them knows nothing where they are. The dangers of mining he also mentions -" they hang ( suspended by ropes) afar from men, they swing to and fro." All this man does, risking life and comfort, to get gold and the treasures of the earth. Verses 7-22. But there are better treasures, truer riches than these. Job evidently aims at a contrast with what man seeks in earthly things and the better things which are for him. There is a better way than digging into the earth for gold and precious stones. "There is a path no bird of prey has ever known, Nor has the eagle's eye discovered it. A path which no proud beast hath ever trod; Not e'en the lion ever passed that way." But these paths are not for finding treasures of the earth ; and so there is another way to get other riches, far better than silver and gold. Then he speaks again of what man does to bring hidden things to light, how he lays his hand on the flinty rock and overturns the mountains in his mining operations, stemming the subterranean waters, THE BOOK OF JOB 175 and all to bring the hidden treasures to light. Then he asks: " But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? " Alas ! man does not know the price of wisdom ; it is not found in the deep, nor in the sea. Gold cannot buy it, nor silver. The price of wisdom is above rubies, the gold of Ophir, the precious Onyx (beryl) or the sapphire. " Whence then cometh wisdom? " Verses 23-28. Here is the answer : " God under standeth the way thereof. Yea, in all His creation, He knows the way and much more so in redemption He is in the person of His blessed son, the Way to Himself, and in Him all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge are hid." Then comes the revelation of true wisdom : " Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom ; and to depart from evil is understanding." God has spoken to his heart and an swered the question concerning wisdom and understanding. And ere long Job himself will demonstrate in his experi ence the meaning of this verse. In reverence and fear he then turns to Him, bowing in the dust; from evil, yea, from himself he turns, departs and finds the true wisdom and understanding. CHAPTER XXIX. 1. His Past prosperity and honors. 1-10. 2. The good works he did. 11-25. Verses 1-10. The words spoken by. Job were whole some words, showing that his mind was moving in another channel, but now he reverts to the old complaint in self- occupation, self-pity and self-vindication. What a hor rible thing this old self ! And before the sun can scatter his dark night, that self must be laid into the dust of self- abhorrence. And so we hear him review the past. Some 20 times he says " I " in this chapter. It reminds one of the man in Romans vii with his " I." Retrospect is good if it is done with praise and in humility. Not once does 176 THE BOOK OF JOB Job utter a word of praise. It is all spoken to remind his friends, as well as himself, what a great man he was. How often it is with the Lord's servants, that they live in the past and then nourish a most subtle pride. Verses 11-25. What a prominent place he used to occupy and the good works he did! The words need no further comment ; what he means is on the surface. He glories in his good character and in his good works. Self is triumphant. His friends well knew that every word he spoke of his past greatness was true and not a lie. CHAPTER XXX. 1. His Present Humiliation and Shame. 1-19. 2. No answer from God; completely forsaken. 20-31. Verses 1-19. He had spoken of his past greatness and now he describes his present misery. Ah! the bitterness of it — those younger than I have me in derision ! Alas ! through it all we hear nothing but pride. He scorns those who were so much beneath him. And those who were scourged out of the land, these children of fools and base men, mock him, the former prince among men. " I am become their song; I am a byword to them; they abhor me; they spit in my face." Then he describes his afflic tion. " Days of affliction have taken hold upon me — the pains that gnaw me take no rest." He is in the mire and has become like dust and ashes. Verses 20-31. He brings in God again. Thou dost not answer me ! Heaven had been silent to all his pleas. What a dreadful charge : " Thou art turned to be cruel to me ; with the might of thy hand Thou persecutest me " ! He thinks himself completely forsaken, not knowing that God's thoughts towards him were thoughts of love and peace. His skin is black, he says, his bones are burned with heat. No joy for him, nothing but weeping. THE BOOK OF JOB 177 CHAPTER XXXI. 1. My Chastity and Righteousness (verses 1-12). 2. My Philanthropy (verses 13-23). 3. My Integrity and Hospitality (verses 24-34). 4. Let God and Man disprove me (verses 35^40). Verses 1-12. His final word is the final word in his self-righteous vindication. He gives Eliphaz the lie. He gives a review of his life to prove that he is clean in the sight of God and of man. Even if after this outburst his friends would have an inclination to answer him they could not have done so. He silenced them for good. But what are his declarations after all? Nothing else but the filthy rags of his own righteousness, the vain boastings of a good, moral man, such as we hear on all sides. He shows that in his character he was morally pure. The gross sins of the flesh he had avoided. He had even abstained from a look which might stir his passion. He knew that God watched him and therefore the sin of adultery was shunned by him ; he did not sin against a neighbour's wife. If he had ever done that, then let the sanctity of his home and his own wife be violated. Then he enumerates his great philanthropy. He had respect of the widow; he shared his bread with orphans ; those who were naked he had clothed. Verses 24-34. He was not a worshipper of gold, a covetous man, nor had he worshipped like others about him, the sun and the moon, or what sun-worshippers did, kissing the hand and wafting it towards the sun. He was a hospitable, a kind hearted man ; nor did he cover his transgressions as Adam did, nor did he hide his iniquity in his bosom. His was a walk in integrity. Verses 35-40. "Lo, here is my signature, let the Al mighty answer." I sign my name to all I have said; I swear to it. Let mine enemies also bring forth his accu sations and sign them also. He challengeth God and Man. And even to the land he appeals that all his trans- 178 THE BOOK OF JOB actions were just. Job's words are ended. One feels like saying, "Thank God!" His final word may be condensed in one sentence: " / am clean." The next time he speaks and opens his lips, he says, " Behold I am vile." How he came to this the rest of the book will teach us. THE BOOK OF JOB 179 IV. THE TESTIMONY OF ELIHU. Chapters XXXII-XXXVII. If the Book of Job were now ended the last word would be Job's. Furthermore the enigma of suffering would remain unexplained and God's character would stand im peached. Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar ceased answering Job because he was righteous in his own eyes. But sud denly another appears on the scene. Nothing is said how he came to be there ; yet he must have listened to the con troversy, for he sizeth up the whole situation and boils down the whole matter in a few terse statements. Critics and most expositors have spoken rather slightingly of Elihu. We heard some years ago a prominent Bible teacher speak of him as " a young theologian who has just been ordained and who thinks he has a lot of knowl edge." Others call him " a conceited young philosopher " and that his babbling should be treated with silent con tempt. Such statements only prove that the men who make them have not gone deep into the meaning of this book and that they lack in spiritual discernment. Just such a one, sent by God, is needed to exercise a mediatorial function and to prepare the way for the Lord Himself to come upon the scene. It is generally pointed out that God rebukes him in the words of Chapter xxxviii : 2. But God speaks to Job who applies it to himself. The vindi cation of Elihu from such criticism of man is found in the last chapter. CHAPTERS XXXH-XXXIH: 1-?. 1. Elihu introduced (verses 1-5). 2. I waited, but now must speak (verses 6-22). 3. His address to Job (chapter xxxiii:l-7). Verses 1-5. As Elihu had listened to the different addresses his wrath was stirred up. His name is very 180 THE BOOK OF JOB suggestive. Elihu means " My God is He " ; Barachel — "the Blessed God"; the Buzite, "the rejected One" of Ram, and Ram means " Exalted." These are names which find their fullest application in the person of our Lord, whom Elihu in his mediatorial work represents. But why was his wrath kindled? Because Job justified himself rather than God and because Job's friends had found no solution of the problem, yet they condemned Job. This is indeed the result of the whole controversy in a nutshell. From the fourth verse we learn that he was a younger man ; he maintained silence because they all were elder than he. Verses 6-22. He tells them why he waited and did not speak before. He thought " days should speak, and mul titude of years should teach wisdom," so he was not a froward, 'conceited young man. But he acknowledges the spirit and that the inspiration of the Almighty gives understanding. Depending on that he must speak. He tells the three friends in plain words that they did not convince Job, nor did one of them answer his words. With Job, Elihu says he has no controversy and he does not intend to use the speeches of the three men. Verse 15 is a soliloquy in the third person, spoken by Elihu as he looked on the three men. Then he says that he must speak. He is filled with words 'and the mighty con straint of the spirit within him, makes him like wine which has no vent and is ready to burst like new bottles. Chapter XXXIII: 1-7. The Chapter division here is unfortunate. The opening verses belong properly to the preceding chapter. What a difference between Elihu's words in addressing Job and the way the three other men had acted. He is calm, gentle and kind. He assures him that what he is going to say comes from the Almighty. Now, Job, if thou canst answer me, arrange thy words and stand up. " Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead." We believe with this Elihu refers to Job's desire for a daysman. Now in the person of Elihu he has come. He encourages Job not to be afraid, for " I am THE BOOK OF JOB 181 also formed of clay." How beautifully all this may be applied to the true Daysman, our Lord, we leave to the meditation of the reader. CHAPTER XXXIII. 1. Elihu rebukes Job (verses 8-13). 2. How God deals with man (verses 14-22). 3. How God in Grace recovers (verses 23-30). 4. Mark well Job, hearken unto me (verses 31-33). Verses 8-13. Elihu treats Job in a dignified, yet firm manner. He speaks as one who is sure of the whole mat ter. He has heard Job's speeches; he knows the mistake Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar made, in treating Job as a suspicious character, a hypocrite and a godless man. No such wrong accusations are made by Elihu. He knows where Job's trouble lies and already spoke of it (xxxii : 2) ; it is his self-justification and pride stands behind it. But Elihu's zeal is for the honor of the name and character of God. What Job had said in charging God he must re buke. He therefore quotes Job's utterances in his previ ous addresses. Without entering into a lengthy argu ment to disprove the charge of Job, or to explain the mys tery of the sufferings Job underwent, he utters one mas terly sentence. " Behold in this (his wrong charges against God) thou art not just. I will answer thee, that God is greater than Man." Well spoken! God is greater than man, therefore His ways are past finding out, yet all must be perfect and righteous. And because God is God — "Why dost thou strive against Him? for He giveth not account of any matter of His." Verses 14-22. But God, though He is greater than man, does not pass by man or ignore him. Elihu speaks of two different ways in which God deals with man. The first is in a vision of the night, in a dream. When there was no Bible, the revelation of God, God spoke to man individually by dreams and visions. He does not do so any longer for we have His completed Word in which His 182 THE BOOK OF JOB will is made known unto us. The purpose of this way of dealing with man is to withdraw him from an evil way and to warn him so that he may leave the pride which man nourisheth in his bosom ; to keejv-his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the^sword. But there is another way in which God deals with man, the way of affliction and suffering. The description Elihu gives of a sufferer fits Job's case exactly. To understand this method of God in dealing with man there is need of a messenger from God, a mediator, one who comes in, a daysman to interpret the meaning of the affliction and God's object in it. It is not a common interpreter who can do this, but one of a thousand — yea, He is needed who is " the chiefest among ten thousand." This inter preter is to show unto man his uprightness. But whose uprightness, or righteousness, is meant? It has been translated by " to show unto man what is right for him " ; and so most expositors explain that it means the inter preter tells the sufferer how to do right before God ; and critics even suggest that the word " uprightness " should be changed to " fault." There is a deeper meaning here. The word " his " should be spelled with a capital " H " — - not man's, but God's righteousness, the interpreting mes senger is to show to the afflicted one. The following para- phrasic translation puts it in the right way : " Then, then, He speaks to him by Messenger Who can interpret; One 'mong thousands chief, Who will reveal to man HIS righteousness. Then He doth show him Grace (Divine and saith:) "Deliver him from going down to death; A Ransom I have found — Redemption's price." In these words we have Him declared who is the revealer of God's Love and Righteousness, the Son of God, though His Name is not mentioned, yet He is the only One who reveals to sinful man His righteousness. He has paid re demption's price, He has made atonement and therefore He can deliver the sinner from going down to the pit. THE BOOK OF JOB 183 Here we have the Gospel in the Book of Job. Then the blessed results. His flesh Becomes as fresh as a young child; this is the new birth He prays to God as His re deemed child and He shows Him Grace and beholds His face with joy, even the face of a loving Father. This is the way God bestows upon man His righteousness through Him, His well beloved Son, who has found the ransom. He sings a new song. " I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not. He hath re deemed my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall behold the light." Verse 31-33. After this glowing utterance in which Elihu brings in God in His Grace, he turns to Job. " Hast thou anything to say, then answer me." But Elihu waits in vain. Job's lips are sealed. CHAPTER XXXIV. 1. Hear my words ye wise Men (verses 1-4). 2. The Refutation of Job's accusation of God (verses 5-30). 3. Job needs testing to the end (verses 31-37). Verses 1-4. In beginning this part of the address, in which Elihu vindicates God's character against Job's in sinuations, he addresses the friends of Job, and perhaps others also who were gathered there. He wants them to pay the closest attention to what he will say. Verses 5-30. This is the main burden of his address ; it is taken up with refuting Job's charge against God. He treats Job with all fairness and quotes what he said before. The wrong Job had done in his words is found in verses 5—9. Then Elihu brings forth the refutation that God is unjust. He shows that God is righteous. He is God and the Almighty and He cannot do that which is evil and unrighteous. If sin or wickedness were in Him He would not be God. His Creation bears witness to this. He sustains all in His goodness. Note verse 14 in its true rendering, " Should He set His heart upon Himself," what then would become of man? All flesh would then expire 184 THE BOOK OF JOB and man would turn to dust again. But He does not set His heart upon Himself. Finally Elihu demonstrates the righteousness of God from His greatness and his Omnis cience. His judgments also declare that He is righteous. (Verses 26-30.) Verses 31-37. And Job has not yet learned the lesson ; he needs more testings. Did ever a word like the follow ing come from his sinful lips ? " I have borne Chastise ment, I will not offend any more." Has he asked in hu mility to be taught? Or has he said, "If I have done iniquity I will do it no more ? " Alas ! his spirit, in spite of all affliction, was still unbroken. " Would that Job were tried unto the end, because he answered like wicked men, for he addeth rebellion unto his sin, He clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God." CHAPTER XXXV. 1. Remember the Greatness of God (verses 1-8). 2. Why God is silent and does not answer (verses 9-16). Verses 1-8. Job having kept silence Elihu continues and asks him if this is sound judgment, what he had said, " My righteousness is greater than God's righteousness." This was the logical conclusion which Elihu drew from some of his words. Because God did not care for him the sufferer what profit was it to him if he bad not sinned? Then Elihu answers and his friends as well by following Job's unjustly charge. He points out the Greatness of God and that cannot in any way be affected by what man does. That was Job's contention. Look at the heavens which are higher than the creature of the dust. If thou hast sinned by thy many sins, what canst thou do to Him? If thou are just, what givest thou to Him? Thy sin may hurt thee, and thy righteousness may profit thee; how canst thou claim that He has afflicted 3Tou in an unright eous way? In all this Elihu had accommodated himself to Job's wrong reasoning. Verses 9-16. Furthermore. Elihu shows that this rea- THE BOOK OF JOB 185 soning of Job is utterly false. Job had contradicted him self. God takes notice of man. Then he gives the rea sons why God does not answer the cry of the afflicted. It is not his indifference but Man's sin and forgetfulness of Him. None saith, " Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night ? " The true reason is the evil doer's pride. God will in nowise hear vanity. Pride, vanity, self-will and all that goes with it makes it impossible for a righteous God to hear. And therefore Job's conten tion that it does not matter with God whether a man sins or is righteous is disproven. CHAPTER XXXVI: 1-21. 1. God's care over the Godly (verses 1-7). 2. The purposes of Affliction (verses 8-18). 3. Job to consider this (verses 19-21). Verses 1-7. Elihu had told Job in the last verse of the preceding chapter that he had opened his mouth in vanity and had multiplied words without knowledge. That should have explained to Job the reason why God did not answer. There could be no reply from Job and so Elihu continues. He is not through yet with speaking in behalf of God. Sublimely he stands up for God. " I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker." He tells Job, " One that is perfect in knowledge is with thee." How could he say this? Because Elihu knew in speaking for God His Spirit would speak through him to Job. All Job had said was wrong. Though God is mighty, yet does He not de spise any. He does not preserve the life of the wicked, nor does He withdraw His eyes from the righteous. But the day is coming when God will reward the righteous. "He seateth them with kings upon the throne He makes them sit in glory; raised on high." Beautiful Truth! It is a glimpse of the Gospel again, as expressed also in Hannah's song of Praise. (1 Sam uel ii.) 186 THE BOOK OF JOB Verses 8-18. But what about the afflictions of the righteous? Here Elihu speaking in God's behalf lifts the veil. He permits them to be bound in fetters and in sor row's bonds, so that He, the righteous God, may show to them their deeds, to uncover their transgressions which have for its source that which God hates, pride (the crime of the Devil; 1 Tim. iii: 6). It is love and kindness, not his wrath and displeasure, which are revealed in the afflic tions of the righteous. He wants to instruct them by suffering. And if they hearken and learn the lesson, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and end their earthly existence in peace and pleasantness. It was a call to Job to acknowledge this, it is a prophecy that ere long he would find it out, when God has accomplished His purpose with him, and his end would be peace and prosperity. The wicked do not heed this and therefore perish. Let any man refuse to hear Him and harden his heart against Him, they shall perish among the unclean. He would have led out Job in a broad place, but if Job continues in the argument of the wicked, reasoning and pleading as they do, charging God falsely, then let him beware. " Be cause there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke, then a great ransom cannot deliver thee." We dare not meddle with this verse as others have done. Let it stand as it is, this solemn truth! There is wrath and if man does not hearken to God His wrath in judg ment will be displayed and the great ransom, not even the great ransom, can deliver. Verses 19-21. These verses contain wholesome words of exhortation addressed to Job to take heed and not to regard iniquity. CHAPTERS XXXVI: 22-XXXVII. 1. God's Power and Presence in Nature (chapter xxxvi: 22-33). 2. The Thunderstorm (xxxvii: 1-5). 3. The Snow and the Rain (verses 6-16 and Storms). 4. Elihu's Concluding Remarks (verses 17-24). THE BOOK OF JOB 187 Chapter XXXVI: 22-33. The chapter division in the A. V. is at fault. These concluding verses of the thirty- sixth chapter begin the final section of Elihu's testimony. Unspeakably great in every way, in diction and reverence, is this man's witness to the ways of God in Creation's work. They show that he speaks not of himself, but the One who is perfect in knowledge speaks through him. God's power is displayed in nature and man should extol His work and gaze in wonder upon it. "Lo! God is Great — greater than we can know; The number of His years past finding out. Tis He Who draweth up the vapour clouds, And they distil from heaven in rain and mist, E'en that which from the low'ring skies does fall, And poureth down on man continually. Can any man explain the rain-clouds balancings, The rumbling thunders of His canopy? Behold He spreadeth out His light thereon While making dark the bottom of the sea. Yet He His judgment executes by these; By these He giveth food abundantly. He graspeth in His hand the lightning flash And giveth it commandment .where to strike. Of this the noise thereof quick notice gives The frightened cattle warn of coming storm." * How beautiful! It also proves the antiquity of the Book. In early days man knew the Creator by His works and was fully occupied with them. (Romans i: 20-21.) Chapter XXXVII: 1-5. And now the Thunderstorm. His voice is heard in the thunder, His power displayed in the lightning and Elihu, in vivid description, trembles. "He thundereth with His voice of Majesty One cannot trace Him, though His voice be heard. God's voice is wondrous when He thundereth. Great things He doth ; we comprehend them not." And if He is so wonderful in nature, His ways there past finding out, how much more in His providential dealings. * Companion Bible. 188 THE BOOK OF JOB Yet whether in nature or in providence, His ways are perfect. Verses 6-16. The description of God's perfect ways in nature are continued by Elihu. The snow and the rain, the hot blast of the summer, the biting frost of winter, the formation of ice by His breath and the storms, all is in His hands and controlled by Him. O Job! hearken, hearken! Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Verses 17-24. And now the concluding words of his great, God-given testimony. They are to impress Job and all of us with the frailty, the nothingness of man. " Touching the Almighty, we cannot find Him out ; He is excellent in power; and in judgment and plenteous jus tice He will not afflict. Men do therefore fear Him; for none can know Him, be they ere so wise." This must be man's true attitude. This should have been Job's place before the Almighty. Surely the beautiful and powerful testimony of Elihu must have been a spiritual anassthetic to Job. But more than that, it clears the way for the Almighty to speak. THE BOOK OF JOB 189 V. THE LORD'S TESTIMONY TO JOB AND CONTROVERSY WITH HIM. Chapters XXXVIII-XLI. CHAPTER XXXVIII: 1-38. 1. The Lord speaks to Job (verses 1-3). 2. The Questions of the Lord (verses 4-38). Verses 1-3. The voice of man is hushed; the voice of the Lord begins to speak. The Almighty, the Creator, the Lord of All comes now upon the scene. He too, like Elihu, had been the silent listener; He heard Job's com plaint and wailing and the babblings of his friends. Elihu's wonderful utterance, inspired by the Lord, was ended. The Thunderstorm is on, no doubt a literal storm, the dark clouds gather — " Then from the North there comes a golden light. God appears in wondrous Majesty" (chapter xxxii:22). The golden light of God's own Presence and Glory over shadows the scene. Out of the whirlwind His own voice is heard. It is that voice which David in the " Thunder storm-Psalm " (Psalm xxix) so wonderfully describes. The voice which is upon the waters — full of majesty, the voice which breaketh the cedars ; the voice which divideth the flames of fire. When David thus extolled the voice of the Lord, he shows the demands of that voice. " Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the Glory due unto His Name; worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness." And that voice, though terrible in majesty, will bring peace. " The Lord will bless His people with peace." What a scene it must have been there in the land of Uz, when the Voice of the Lord spoke out of the whirlwind! We can imagine how good Elihu stepped aside and covered his face. And Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, terror- 190 THE BOOK OF JOB stricken, fell on their faces in the dust, while silent Job, awe-struck, dares not to look up. And what He speaks is for the one great purpose to humble Job, to bring him in the dust. Job's last utterance was this : Oh, that the Almighty would answer me (xxx:35). He answers Him now. " Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? " What a blunder expositors have made of speaking of Elihu's gentle words, and true words, as " a harsh judgment " and that God rebukes him in this verse. No ; God does not rebuke Elihu who had exalted His Name and His works. He rebukes Job. He had darkened counsel by the multitude of his senseless words. God answers Job. He is going to ask him questions. Verses 4-38. If we were to examine these questions minutely, which the compass of our work does not allow, we would have to write many pages. There are 40 ques tions which the Lord asks of Job, His creature, concerning His own works in creation. They relate to the earth and its foundations upon which all rests, the bounds of the sea — " When I decreed for it My Boundary And set its bars and doors and to it said, Thus far — no farther, Ocean, thou shalt come: And here shall thy proud waves be stayed." He asks about the morning light and the unknown depths, the unexplored depths of the sea, with their hidden secrets, and the gates of death. He questions as to the elements, the treasuries of the snow, the storehouse of hail, the rain, the winds and the ice — "Whose is the womb whence cometh forth the Ice? And heaven's hoar-frost, who gave it its birth? As turned to stone, the waters hide themselves; The surface of the deep, congeal'd, coheres." And what about the things above, the stars and their won derful constellations? THE BOOK OF JOB 191 "Canst thou bind fast the cluster Pleiades? Or canst thou loosen great Orion's bands? Canst thou lead forth the Zodiac's monthly signs? Or canst thou guide Arcturus and his sons ? " And then the rain clouds, the lightnings and their con trol. What questions these are. They cover every de partment of what man terms " natural sciences " — geol ogy, meteorology, geography, oceanography, astronomy, etc. Job had not a single answer to these questions and if he had spoken his words would have been folly. And we, 3000 years or more after, with all our boasted prog ress, scientific discoveries of the great laws of nature, are still unable to answer these questions in a satisfactory way. All the boastings of Science of getting at the se crets of Creation are nothing but foam. One breath of the Almighty and man's speculations, apart from Him and His Word, are scattered to the winds. But what is the aim of the Lord in putting these questions? To show that God is greater than man and to humble man, to bring Job to the needed true knowledge of himself and to deliver him from the pride of his heart. CHAPTERS XXXVIII: 39-XXXIX. 1. The Beasts of Prey (chapter xxxviii : 39-41 ) . 2. The Wild Goats, the Ass, the Unicorn and the Ostrich (chapter xxxix: 1-18). 3. The Horse, the Hawk and the Eagle (verses 19-30). Chapter XXXVIII: 39-41. God's own wisdom and Power in Nature, as witnessed to by Himself, is followed by His witness as to the sustenance of His creatures, how mercifully He provides for their need. This section be gins with the query, " Knowest thou?" Could he hunt the prey of the lion, or fill the ravenous appetite of their young? God considers the young, even so unclean a bird as the raven has its food provided by God. Wonderful it is to read that the young ravens in their helplessness cry to God. The beasts acknowledge the creator by their in- 192 THE BOOK OF JOB stincts and look to Him for food, though it be not the sweet song of a lark, but only the croak of a raven. How it reminds us of the witness of the same Creator who speaks here, when He was clothed in creature's form. " Consider the ravens ; for they neither sow nor reap ; which neither have storehouse nor barn ; and God feedeth them. How much more are ye better than the fowls " (Luke xii: 24). And striking it is that He begins by calling Job's attention to the wild Beasts first, though they are now man's enemy through man's sin. God in His infinite wisdom and benevolence cares for them. Chapter XXXIX: 1-18. Then what about the goats of the rock and their young? His omniscient eye beheld them out in the desert rocks and He watched over their young. Could He then not watch the footsteps of His higher creature, even His offspring, man? Then the wild ass, also a desert animal. He cannot be tamed. God made him so. The Unicorn (the Aurochs) with his strength is known to God also. He has the power to make him the willing slave ; man cannot do it. And the Peacock with its goodly wings and the Ostrich, which leav- eth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust. Who takes care of these hidden eggs, which the foot might crush and wild beasts break? It would be amusing, if it were not so sad, when Critics declare that the author of " the poem " made a mistake when he speaks of the eggs of the Ostrich. But it is not an " author " who speaks, but the Creator Himself and He knows more about His creatures than all the " scientists " in the world. Verses 19-30. Next the description of the noble horse. Did Job give the war horse his strength or clothe the neck with the rustling mane, or make him leap like the locust? The picture of the war horse in battle is sublime also. God shows to Job a glimpse of His works, and the wisdom which has created them, as well as His care in keeping them. Such a God is He whom Job has maligned. The hawk too may teach him a lesson. Is it by Job's instructions that the hawk soars high into the air, and is THE BOOK OF JOB 193 it by his command that the eagle mounts and builds his nest in the dizzy heights, from where he spys his prey? No answer could Job give. His silence is assent. God is great and unsearchable and Job but the rebellious worm of the dust. CHAPTER XL. 1. The Answer Demanded (verses 1-2). 2. Job's Answer (verses 3-5). 3. Jehovah's Appeal to Job (verses 6-14). 4. Behold Behemoth! (verses 15-24). Verses 1-3. Now comes the direct word of Jehovah •out of the storm-cloud to Job. He addresses him as " he that reproveth God." He had contended with the Al mighty and now the Almighty Job had judged faces him and demands an answer. Let him answer. Verses 3-5. And Job answers ; and what an answer it is ! It is the answer for which God was waiting. " Lo ! I am vile ; what shall I answer Thee ? I will lay my hand upon my mouth." He acknowledges that he had spoken too much and that now he cannot answer and proceeds no further. He is completely silenced, acknowledges his own nothingness and vileness, that his words were wrong and that he has nothing else to say. He was convinced that such a God who had spoken to him of Creation and His creatures, making known His power, wisdom and care, could never be unjust in His dealings with man. Verses 6-14. But Jehovah, the searcher of hearts, has not yet finished. Job's abominable pride must be laid bare. Jehovah asks him the serious question, " Wilt thou disannul My judgment? Wilt thou condemn Me, that thou mayest be righteous? Hast thou an almighty arm like God, or canst thou thunder with a voice like His? " Then he tells him: " Deck thyself now with majesty and glory." Array thyself with majesty and power. Come and take my place and then thus arrayed let Job be in God's place, rule and deal with proud man and the evil doers, 194 THE BOOK OF JOB " Send far and wide thy overflowing wrath ; And on each proud one look, and bring him low; Each proud one single out, and humble him; Yea, crush the evildoers where they stand; Hide them away together in the dust; And in the deepest dungeon have them bound." It is Divine irony, but needed in order to humble Job still more. He who was so proud and had so stubbornly defended his righteousness in self- justification and God- accusation, how could he do what Jehovah asked him to do? But if he were to do it, then Jehovah would be ready to own to him " that thy right hand to save thee will suffice." It all strikes home to the proud, self-righteous heart of Job. Verses 15-24. The Lord asks Job to consider the Be hemoth; it is undoubtedly the Hippopotamus (the Greek for River-horse). A description of this powerful beast follows. He calls the Behemoth the " chief of the ways of God," one of His greatest works in animal creation. The Behemoth is one of Job's fellow-creatures " which I made as thee." He eateth grass like an ox. He has tremen dous strength in his loins and legs. He takes its rest under the shady trees and fears nothing : "Suppose the stream should swell, he will not blench For he believes that Jordan he can drink. Shall any take him while he lies on watch ? Or with a ring shall any pierce his nose?" Behemoth then is a powerful, uncontrollable beast which lives for itself. How weak then is man as contrasted with this beast in possession of such marvellous strength. Yet it is only a beast and Job is a man. How abominable then must Job's pride and boasting appear in the sight of the Lord. CHAPTER XLI. 1. Leviathan, the Untamable Beast of Power (verses 1-11). 2. Its Description (verses 12-24), 3. His Remarkable Strength (verses 25-34). THE BOOK OF JOB 195 Verses 1-11. The Leviathan has generally been identi fied with the crocodile. Like the Behemoth, the Leviathan is a strong and untamable beast. Jehovah asks, Canst thou draw up Leviathan with hook? Canst thou pierce his jaw with a reed? Will he make a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a servant forever? Then He de clares that he is fierce, and even at the sight of him one is cast down. And if a creature is so mighty and strong what must the One be who called this creature into exist ence? Verses 10 and 11 should be rendered as follows: " Who then is able to stand before Me (the Creator) who did give to me first that I should repay him? since all be neath the heavens is mine." Verses 12-24. A more detailed description of the Levi athan follows. His frame is strong; his outer garment, so invulnerable, who can strip it off? His teeth are ter rible, who can open the doors of his face (his mouth)? His scales, his armour, are his pride. Here is a good de scription of the crocodile's hide. The scales are so near each other that no air can come between them; they are joined one to another, they stick together, that they can not be sundered. His sneezings flash forth light and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. The eyes of the crocodile are visible quite a distance under water. The Egyptians therefore used the crocodile's eye in the hiero glyphics for the dawn of the morning. The entire descrip tion shows what a terrible beast it is. Verses 25-34. Then his great strength is unfolded. If one lay at him with the sword, it cannot avail. The dart, the spear and the pointed shaft make no impression upon him. He counteth iron as straw and brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee ; clubs are counted as stubble. The final statement concerning Levi athan is " He is king over all the sons of pride." This last word is significant — " He is King over all the sons of pride." It has a deeper meaning. In Isaiah xxvii :1 we read: "In that day the Lord with His sore and strong sword shall punish Leviathan the piercing ser- 196 THE BOOK OF JOB pent, even Leviathan the crooked serpent ; and He shall slay the Dragon that is in the sea." Here Leviathan typifies the power of darkness. Both the Behemoth and the Leviathan typify Satan, his character and his rule. He is king over all the sons of pride. These two beasts are likewise a good description of the Beasts spoken of in Revelation, which at the end of this age will manifest their power and pride as Satan's masterpieces. And now the deduction which Job could easily make. If he is proud then he belongs to Leviathan the king who rules over the sons of pride. Jehovah has touched the secret in Job's bosom. He has searched out the depths of his heart. Pride, the Devil's crime, has been cherished by him. And now with the heart laid bare by Jehovah's dealing we shall hear Job's voice once more. THE BOOK OF JOB 197 VI. THE CONFESSION OF JOB. CHAPTER XLII: 1-6. Critics claim that Job's answer is misplaced and that it really ought to be put in connection with chapter xii : 3—5. This is another evidence of the lack of spiritual discern ment of these " great " scholars. They treat the Word of God as literature only and criticise it as such. We have seen that the additional words of Jehovah were needed to bring Job completely into the dust and bring from his lips the confession which alone could satisfy Je hovah and be the great blessing for himself. This con fession we have now before us. Then Job answered the Lord and said: I know that Thou canst do all things, And that no purpose of thine can be withstood. Who is this that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that which I understood not. Hear I beseech Thee and I will speak; I will demand of thee, and I will speak and declare Thou unto Me. I heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; But now mine eye seeth Thee, Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent In dust and ashes. Here we have his full answer, his complete prostration before Jehovah. He acknowledgeth first Jehovah's su preme power. He is omnipotent and can do all things. Then he quotes Jehovah's own words (xxxviii:3; xl:2). Thou hast asked me, " Who is this that hideth counsel without knowledge ? " It is strange that some expositors can misapply these words as if the Lord again rebuked Elihu. No, as we have shown before, He rebukes Job for his wild and audacious charges he had made against the Lord. And now Job acknowledgeth that Jehovah's rebuke is right. It is all true, he saith, I uttered things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, beyond 198 THE BOOK OF JOB my ken. Hear me now, Jehovah, I will speak. Once more he quotes Jehovah's word. Thou hast said (chapter xl:2), "I ask of thee, answer ME." Here then is my answer, he replies — I heard of Thee by hearing of the ear ; but now mine eye hath seen Thee — this is my answer now — I abhor myself. In dust and ashes I repent. Face to face with Jehovah, His power and His Holiness prostrate Job in the dust. No creature can stand and boast in His presence. His plea of innocence, of right eousness, of philanthropy and all the boastings of his former greatness is gone. He seeth himself stripped of all; he stands in Jehovah's presence in nakedness and shame. Nor does he say that he abhors now what his mouth hath spoken, but it is himself, his wicked, proud self, which he abhors. He has taken the place of great ness. Now Jehovah can come forth and lift him up and raise him to blessing and glory. This great scene corre sponds with the vision of Isaiah when he beheld the Lord and cried out " Woe is me ! for I am undone ; because I am of unclean lips." (Isaiah vi:5.) And Daniel also! (Daniel x.) Peter on the Lake of Galilee was face to face with Him, who hath spoken to Job, the same and not an other, and when he seeth His power and realizeth this is Jehovah, Peter falls at His feet and like Isaiah, Daniel and Job, acknowledges his nothingness. " Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, 0 Lord." The enigma of the Book of Job is solved. God per mitted the afflictions to come upon His servant Job, not only to manifest His power, but for Job's good, to draw him into the place of nearness and of blessing. And that place is the dust, " in dust and in ashes." This is the place which all God's Saints must own. And blessed are we, beloved reader, if we follow the wooings of Grace, if we let His Spirit put us daily into that place, so that the Lord's hand may be prevented from putting us there by suffering and affliction. THE BOOK OF JOB 199 VII. THE EPILOGUE. JOB'S RESTORATION AND BLESSING. CHAPTER XLII: 7-17. 1. Jehovah's Message to Job's Friends (verses 7-9). 2. Job's Restoration (verses 10-15). 3. The Conclusion — Peace. Verses 7-9. Like the beginning of the Book, the pro logue, the epilogue is not in a poetic measure, but in prose. The Lord addresseth Eliphaz as the most promi nent one of the three friends of Job. His wrath is kindled against the three. Though they had apparently stood up for Him and defended His character, yet under the searchlight of the Omniscient One, who searcheth the hearts of men, they are found wanting. The charges they had brought against his servant Job, were false. They had wickedly accused Job, whom He had declared to be " a perfect and an upright man." In all their charges they had slandered God. Then the Lord, said, " for ye have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job hath." Here is a beautiful lesson. Job hath confessed and Jehovah hath forgiven. He forgets all Job's sinful utterances ; He remembers them no more. But in infinite grace He takes the few sentences scattered throughout Job's speeches in which he honoured the Lord and expressed trust in Him and with these He is well pleased. It must have been a sweet music in Jehovah's ear when Job said, " Though He slay me yet will I trust." And so He acknowledgeth Job as His servant. They must bring sacrifices — a . burnt-offering ; and that bless edly shows us the Cross. " And my Servant Job shall pray for you ; for Him I will accept. . . ." Sweet scene now as Job prays for his humbled friends. How it again reminds us of Him, who ever liveth and maketh intercession for His people. Him God hath accepted in His great sacrificial Work on the Cross, and we are accepted in Him. 200 THE BOOK OF JOB So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the Lord commanded them ; and the Lord accepted Job. This is the last as to Job's friends. Verses 10-15. And now Job's restoration and double blessing. All his kinfolks return with all his acquaint ances and sit down to a meal in sweet communion. What about his bodily disease? Nothing is said of that. But assuredly the Lord touched his suffering body, and He who spoke to the leper, must have spoken to Job, " Be thou clean," and the loathsome disease vanished, and as Elihu had said, his flesh became like that of a young child. They also brought him money and rings of gold. They were not presents to enrich him, the Lord did that for Job, but simply to show how happy they were over Job's healing and restoration. All his wealth becomes twice as large as before. The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his begin ning. While his possessions are doubled, his sons and daughters are not. He gives him also seven sons and three daughters. This does not mean, as some suppose, that they were not new sons and daughters, but that the restoration is that in resurrection. Such a view is unten able. The sons and daughters were born to him. The names of the three daughters are given. Jemimah (a dove) ; Keziah (Cassia) ; Keren-happuch (flashes of Glory). Such were the blessed results of Job's experi ence, expressed by these names. Purified and humble like the dove; Cassia, which is fragrance, worship and adora tion ; and the flashes and splendour of glory. Verses 16-17. We have reached the end. It is an end of peace, a perfect day. Four generations he beholds and at the ripe old age of 140 years he is gathered to his fathers. In consulting the Septuagint version we find a long addition to the last verse which begins with this state ment : " and it is written that he will rise again with those whom the Lord raises up." Then follows Job's geneal ogy. It is taken from some apocryphal writing but it THE BOOK OF JOB 201 shows that the hope of the resurrection of the body was believed in ancient days. Surely Job will be there " in that day " and his great utterance, " I know that my Redeemer liveth," and the hope of seeing Him will be realized. " Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord ; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." (James v:15.) And all His people know this matchless truth, that the Lord in all His deal ings with His people " is very pitiful and of tender mercy." In our annotations we have pointed out repeatedly the comparison of Job in his sufferings with the Lord, our Saviour, and His holy sufferings in the sinner's place. It brings out the perfection of Him who is altogether lovely. An application to Israel can also be made. If this is followed out it will prove of much interest. Israel, like Job, is suffering, self-righteous, but some day the nation will come face to face with Jehovah and be humbled in the dust. Then their restoration when they will receive double of the Lord's hand for all their sins. (Isaiah xl:2.) PSALMS CONTENTS PAGE Introduction 205 Division of the Psalms 215 Analysis and Annotations 218 The Psalms. Introduction. "Although all Scripture breatheth the grace of God, yet sweet beyond all others is the Book of Psalms." This is the ancient wit ness of Ambrose. And Luther said " You might rightly call the Psalter a Bible in miniature." Hundreds of similar testimonies could be added. The Psalms have always been one of the choicest portions of the Word of God for all Saints, Jewish and Christian. The ancient Jews used the Psalms in the Temple worship. The so-called "Great Hallel " consisting of Psalms cxiii-cxviii was sung during the celebra tion of Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. Daily in the Temple Psalms were sung in a prescribed order. The Jews still use them in all their feast days and in the synagogue. The Psalms are mentioned in connection with praise in the New Testament (Col. iii: 16; James v:13). The Church from the very start has used them in public and private devotion. All branches Of Christendom use them today; Protestantism, Romish and Greek Cath olicism make use of them in responsive reading or chanting. And even more so are they used and have always been used by indi viduals, because the heart finds in these songs and prayers, the differ ent experiences of human life, and the different emotions. The sufferer steeped in sorrow finds in this book the experiences of suf fering and sorrow; he finds more than that, encouragement to trust God and the assurance of deliverance. The penitent soul finds that which suits a broken and contrite heart. The lonely one, helpless and forsaken, reads of others who passed through the same experience. Then there is comfort, joy and peace, as well as hope. They stimu late faith and confidence in the Lord and are breathing a spirit of worship and praise which produce reverence and praise in the heart of the believer. The Lord Jesus and the Psalms. But there is another reason why believers love the Psalms. The Lord Jesus is not only revealed in this Book as nowhere else (as we shall show later) but He used the Psalms throughout His blessed life on earth and even in glory. Here are His own prayers pre written by the Spirit of God. The expression of sorrow, loneliness, rejection and suffering describe what He passed through in His life of humiliation. The praise and worship, the trust and confidence in 205 206 THE PSALMS God, express likewise prophetically that life of obedience and trust. We believe when He spent nights in prayer to pour out His heart before His Father, on the mountain or in the desert, He must have done so by using the Psalms. He used the Psalms speaking to His disciples; with Psalm ex He silenced His enemies. Gethsemane is mentioned in the Psalms; and in the suffering of the Cross He ful filled all that the Psalms predict. In resurrection He used the xxii Psalm: "Go and tell My Brethren." He opened to His disciples the Scriptures "that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me" (Luke xxiv: 44) as He had before told the two on the way to Emmaus " Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. When He ascended on high and took the seat at God's right hand, and God welcomed Him to sit down and to be the priest after the order of Melchisedec it was according to the Psalms. And in His messages from the throne in speaking to the churches He uses the Psalms (Rev. ii: 27). And when He comes again the Hallelujah chorus of the ending of this Book will be sung by heaven and earth and all the predicted glory, as given in the Psalms, will come to pass. This Book then ought to be precious to us, because it was precious to Him and makes Him known to our hearts. The Spirit of God also quotes the Psalms more frequently in the Epistles than any other Old Testament book. The Title of the Book. Our English word Psalms is taken from the Greek word employed in the Septuagint translation — " Psalrnoi " ; this means " songs." It is also frequently called Psalter. This word is also Greek, from " Psalterion," a harp or any other stringed instrument. The Hebrews call this Book " Tekillim," which means to make a. joyful sound, or praises. It is in the Hebrew Bible in the third division, the " Kethubim" section. It is the great poetical Book of the O. T. We refer the reader to our remarks on Hebrew poetry in the introduction to the Book of Job. The poetry of the Psalms is of a lyric character. The real great beginning of lyric poetry is with King David. He was remarkably gifted and yet it was not natural gift which produced these wonderful utterances but it was the Spirit of God who tuned his harp. Our space is too valuable to pay much attention to the Critical School with their denials of the Davidic authorship of different Psalms, and that which is worse, the denial of the Messianic predictions of the Psalms. If these Critics were but seekers after the fine gold, the precious gems of truth and divine knowledge, so richly stored in this mine, they would cease criticising and become worshippers. THE PSALMS 207 The Authorship of the Different Psalms. Nearly one-half of the Psalms, seventy-three in all, were given by the Holy Spirit through the Shepherd King of Israel, David, who is rightly called the sweet singer of Israel. The following are the Davidic Psalms: iii-ix; xi-xli (except Psalm xxxiii; li-lxx; lxxxvi; ci; ciii; cviii; cix; ex; exxii; exxiv; Cxxxi; exxxiii; cxxxviii-cxlv. Asaph has twelve Psalms: Psalm 1 and Psalms lxxiii-lxxxiii. The children of Korah composed eleven Psalms: Psalms xiii, xliv- xlix, Ixxxiv, Ixxxxv, lxxxvii and lxxxviii. One by Heman the Ezrahite Psalm lxxxviii, and one by Ethan the Ezrahite Psalm lxxxix; one by Moses, Psalm xc. That makes 99 Psalms whose authors are known; the remaining 51 have no inscription. The Collection and Arrangement of the Psalms in its Present Form. From the foregoing paragraph we learn that the known authors of the Psalms are: David, Asaph, the Children of Korah, Moses, Heman and Ethan. If we take into consideration that other Psalms were written during the Exile we see that the authors are centuries apart. The people Israel possessed these Psalms in an un collected form; they laid about loose, so to speak. Someone at some time collected them in a book, in the form we have them now. Who did this valuable collecting and arranging of these Psalms we do not know for it is not revealed. But this we can say of cer tainty that the Hebrew Saint who did it was called to do it by the Spirit of God and the very arrangement of these Psalms in the Book as we have it now is the perfect work of the Holy Spirit. Here we clash with the Critics who speak of " different editors arranging and re-arranging at different occasions." They claim, for instance, that the statement at the close of Psalm Ixxii " The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended," shows that it is misplaced because other Davidic Psalms come later, and that probably this is the work of some editor, etc. But the phrase at the close of Psalm lxxii rather means something different, as we take it. The Seventy-second Psalm reveals the glories of the coming Kingdom of Him who is greater than Solomon, and David, getting a glimpse of it, declares "The prayers of David, my prayers are ended; I have nothing greater to ask, than what this Psalm reveals." The work the unknown collector has done shows that it is the work of bne person guided by the Spirit of God. Let us suppose that we had in our possession a basket containing 150 precious stones, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds and pearls and we went with this basket to some jeweler with the request to 208 THE PSALMS arrange these gems in a necklace. How would he go about? Would he take out a stone at random and put it on a string and then take another, and another till he had strung them all? Certainly not. He would examine each stone. He would study the value of every emerald and sapphire, the brilliancy of each diamond and the lustre of every pearl. Then he would continue to study where each belongs on that chain so as to tell out its own value in relation to the other. And here were 150 gems of greater value than earthly gems, gems of divine inspiration. They are to be arranged in perfect order so that each gem has the right place, to tell out its own story, in this book. Who else could do this but He who knows the value and meaning of these Psalms! The Spirit of God through His chosen instrument put these Psalms together and therefore we have in the arrangement a most wonderful, consecutive revelation. It is this knowledge which so many readers of the Psalms have missed. Gen erally one Psalm is read without considering that this Psalm stands in some relationship to the preceding one and to those which follow, that it is only a link in a chain. Just as Romans vi leads to Romans vii and Romans vii to Romans viii, so if is with the Psalms. And here we shall discover the divine wisdom. These Psalms come in clusters and must be treated as belonging together to get the real spiritual and especially prophetic message. We give the most simple illustration of this fact found in the book known to many readers of the Psalms: Psalm xxii is a prophecy of Christ in His suffering, or the good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep. Psalm xxiii shows Him as the great Shepherd of the sheep and Psalm xxiv re veals Him as the coming, chief Shepherd in Glory. The many other most interesting inter-relation of Psalms the annotations will point out. Before we give the great message of the Book of Psalms we call attention to other matters of importance in the study of this remarkable Book. The Hebrew Terms in Connection with the Psalms. In many of the Psalms we find the beginning a Hebrew word. For instance in Psalm viii " To the Chief Musician upon the Git- tith," or in Psalm xvi " Michtam of David." It is now a ques tion whether these terms belong to the Psalm with which they are connected in our English Bibles, or to the preceding Psalm. When we read the last chapter of Habakkuk we find a psalmodic phrase at the close " To the chief singer upon Neginoth." Upon this the interesting theory has been advanced that the different titles in the Psalms are misplaced, that what is the superscription of the differ ent Psalms should be the subscription of the preceding one. In other words, to give an illustration, the words standing at the be ginning of Psalm viii " To the chief musician upon the Gittith,'' belongs to Psalm vii, Our work dpes not permit a minute examina- THE PSALMS 209 tion of this.* Such a misplacement could of course easily happen when we remember that the Hebrew manuscripts were written with out a break. We give in alphabetical arrangement the Hebrew Titles and their English Meaning. Aijeleth=Shahar. Psalm xxii. "The hind of the Dawn." The early light preceding the Dawn of the morning, whose first rays are likened to the shining horns of a hind. (Delitzsch) Alamoth. It means " Concerning Maidens." It is found in the beginning of Psalm xlvi. AI-Tashcheth. "Destroy not." In Psalms lvii-lix and in Psalm Ixxv. Gittith. "Winepresses." In Psalms vii, Ixxx and lxxxiii. Jeduthun. " Praise Giver." xxxix, lxii and lxxvii. Mahalath. "Sickness." Delitzsch says on the meaning the fol lowing " Upon Mahalath signifies after a sad tone or manner, whether it be that Mahalath itself is a name for such an elegiac kind of melody, or that it was thereby designed to indicate the initial word of some popular song. So that we may regard ' Mahalath ' as equiva lent to piano or andante." This would correspond to Psalm liii where this word is found. Mahalath Leannoth. It means " Sickness unto Humiliation." It stands connected with Psalm lxxxviii. Maschil. " Instruction," found in Psalms xxxii, xiii, xliv, Iii— lv, Ixxiv, lxxviii, lxxxviii, lxxxix, cxlii. Michtam. "Engraven." In Psalms xvi, Ivi-lx. Muth=Labben. "Death for the Son." It is found as the super scription of Psalm ix. Neginoth. " Smitings," in Psalms iv, vi, liv, lv, lxi, lxvii and lxxvi. Nehiloth. "Possessions," in Psalm v. Sheminith. "The Eighth Division" or "upon the Octave," in Psalm vi and xii. Shiggaion. "Loud Crying." Psalm vii. Shoshannim. " Lilies," in Psalms xiv and Ixix. Shoshannim=Eduth. " Lilies of testimony." Psalm ixxx. Eduth (testimony) is found in Psalm Ix. The word Selah occurs 71 times in the Psalms. It means "To pause," with a secondary meaning to "lift up." We can take it as an indication that in reading we should pause, meditate and then lift up our hearts in praise and prayer. * Dr. J. W. Thirtle of England, to whom we are indebted for this suggestion, has written a volume on it. "The Titles of the Psalms." We recommend it to those who desire to follow it more closely. 210 THE PSALMS The Alphabetical Psalms. A number of the Psalms in the Hebrew are in an alphabetical ar rangement, that is certain verses begin with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This arrangement is not always perfect. Psalms ix and x contain (the two together) the letters of the alphabet with several missing. Psalms xxv and xxxiv are also incomplete in the alpha betical scope. Psalm xxxvii has a perfect alphabetical character. Other alphabetical Psalms are Psalms cxi and cxii. The most perfect Psalm in this respect is the longest in the Book, Psalm cxix. The Psalms and the New Testament Scriptures. As already stated the Psalms are quoted by the Spirit of God more than any other Old Testament book. This is significant and a divine indication of the great importance of these inspired gems. We give now a list of quotations as found in the N. T. and also those passages where the Psalms are alluded to. Matthew iv: 6 (Psalm xci: 11). This first quotation is by the Devil. By this he showed his great knowledge of the Word and its meaning. Matthew xiii: 35 (Psalm lxxviii:2). Matthew xxi: 42 (Psalm cxviii:32). Matthew xxvii: 43 (Psalm ex). John ii: 17 (Psalm lxix:9). John vi:31 (Psalm lxxviii:24, 25). John vii: 42 (Psalm cxxxii:ll). John x:34 (Psalm lxxxii:6). John xiii: 18 (Psalm xii: 9). John xv:25 (Psalm xxxv:19; lxix:4). John xix: 24 (Psalm xxii: 18). Verse 28 (Psalm lxix:21). Verse 36 (Psalm xxxiv: 20). John xx:17 (Psalm xxii: 17). Acts i:20 (Psalm lxix:25). Acts i: 16 (Psalm xii: 9). Acts ii:25 (Psalm xvi: 8). Verse 34 (Psalm cx:l). Acts iv:25 (Psalm Ii: 1, 2). Acts xiii: 33 (Psalm ii:7). Verse 35 (Psalm xvi: 10). Romans iii: 4 (Psalm li:4). Verse 12 (Psalm xiv: 2). Verse 13 (Psalm cxl:3). Romans iv:6 (Psalm xxxii: 1, 2). Romans xi:9, 10 (Psalm lxix:22, 23). Romans xv: 10 (Psalm cxvii:l). Ephes. iv:8 (Psalm lxviii:18). 2 Cor. iv:13 (Psalm cxvi:10). Hebrews i: 10-12 (Psalm cii: 25-27). Verse 8-9 (Psalm xiv: 6-7). Verse 13 (Psalm xc:l). Hebrews ii: 6 (Psalm viii: 4). Hebrews iv:3 (Psalm xcv:ll). Verse 7 (Psalm xcv:7). Hebrews v:2 (Psalm ii:4). Verse 6 (Psalm cx:4). Hebrews vii: 17 (Psalm ex: 4). Revel. ii:27 (Psalm ii:8). This is not by an means a complete list of quotations, for there are many more passages. We have quoted only the most prominent. See also Psalm in Hebrew i:5 and Revel, ii: 27. Psalm iv: 4 in Ephesians iv:26. Psalm iv:8 in Matthew vii: 23. In Psalm vi:8. Matthew xi:16 in Psalm viii: 2. Psalm vii: 6 in 1 Corinth, xv: 25-27. Psalm ix:8 in Acts xvii: 31. Psalm xix: 4 in Romans x:18. Psalm xxi:l in Matthew xxvii: 46. Psalm xxii: 21 in 2 Tim. iv:17. Psalm xxiv:l in 1 Cor. x:26. Psalm xxvii: 1 in Hebrew xiii: 6. Psalm xxxiv: 8 in 1 Peter ii: 3. Psalm xl: 6-8 in Hebrews x:5-7. THE PSALMS 211 Psalm xii: 9 in Mark xiv: 18 and John xiii: 18. Psalm xlviii:2 in Matthew v. -35. Psalm 1:14 in Hebrews xiii: 15. Psalm lv:22 in 1 Peter v:7. Psalm lvi:4 in Hebrews xiii: 6. Psalm lxix:21 in Mark xv: 36. Psalm lxxix: 6 in 2 Thess. i: 8. Psalm l:;xxix: 27, 37 in Revel. i:5 and iii: 14. Psalm xcvii:6 in Hebrews i:6. Psalm civ in He brews i: 7, etc. In all about 50 Psalms are directly and indirectly quoted and alluded to in the Books of the New Testament. The Message of the Psalms. It would be impossible to give a complete review of the great message contained in the Psalms. A close study of each Psalm only can bring this out fully and even then we probably touch but the surface of this marvellous mine of wisdom and knowledge. That a part of the message is the experience of the Saint in the world, his trials, sorrows, the persecutions he suffers, his dependence on God, his deliverance and much else, is known to all readers of this book. Yet it must be remembered that the experiences are those of Jewish Saints; true Christian experience is higher. In the midst of perse cutions from the enemies, these Jewish Saints call to God to destroy their enemies, to burn them up like stubble. The New Testament demands that Saints should love their enemies. What these im precatory Psalms mean and how perfectly in order they are in the message of this Book we shall show in the annotations. Nor do we find in these experiences salvation made known as it is in the Gospel dispensation. While the writers of the Psalms call on the Lord and use different names by which they call Him, as Rock, fortress, shepherd, shield, etc., nowhere do we find that one ever utters the word " Father," nor is there a declaration of the Sonship of the Saint, nor do we find anything of the blessed Hope of Glory to be with Him in the Father's house. The message of Praise, giving Thanks, Adoration and Worship is another prominent feature. But true Christian Worship and praise is of a higher note and order. No such doxology like the doxology of Ephes. i:3 is found anywhere in the Psalms. Yet the Christian believer, with the light of the full Gospel revelation, indwelt by the same Spirit who gave the Psalms, can get the sweetest comfort and encouragement from the experiences recorded in these songs. While this is part of the message of this Book, the great message is the message of Prophecy. The Book of Psalms is pre-eminently a prophetic Book. The New Testament warrants us to say this for the quotations from the Psalms are overwhelmingly on prophetic lines. It is not said too much when we say that all the great prophetic messages of the Prophets of God, and their visions concerning the future are wonderfully given by the Psalms and many of them are enlarged. The prophetic scope of the Psalms is truly marvellous. 212 THE PSALMS Yet this feature of it is the most neglected in the study of the Book. It is rarely ever studied as a prophetic book; the devotional study has always been in the lead. What then is the Prophetic Message of the Psalms ? The prophecies of the Psalms comprise the following three themes: 1. The prophetic message concerning the Messiah, His humilia tion and His exaltation. There are more prophetic statements on this theme of all themes in the Psalms, than in the Book of Isaiah or in any of the other prophetic books. As already stated in the paragraph of this introduction relating to the Lord Jesus and the Psalms, we have in many of them the pre-written prayers of our Lord, as well as the expressions of His sorrow and grief. The story of His life of loneliness down here, the hatred which He met, the rejection from the side of the nation; the betrayal and other features of His humiliation are found over and over again in the Psalms. While the chosen instruments passed through experiences of sorrow and trial, the Spirit of God pictures in them Him who could say "Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto Me." (Lament. i:12). But the application of these Psalms to the Person of our Lord needs great caution. Some teachers have erred grievously in this matter. We heard several years ago of a Bible teacher applying Psalm xxxviii:7 to our Lord: " For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease, and there is no soundness in my flesh." And this teacher declared that the Lord suffered thus because He took upon Himself our sickness and diseases. Such teaching must be severely condemned for it is positively false. Nor must other similar expressions be put into the mouth of our Lord. He had no need to complain of sins for He had no sin. He had no need to use the Fifty-first Psalm. The sufferings of the Cross are prophetically revealed in the xxii Psalm and in others as well. Then the glory which is to follow, the Kingship of Christ, His Kingdom is wonderfully predicted in many of the Psalms. His first Coming in humiliation, to be rejected and to die; His second Coming to be accepted and to reign over the earth, these are the two great prophetic messages of the Psalms. It is of much interest to note the order of the four great Messianic Psalms which we find in the first section of the Book. The Spirit of God calls our attention to them in the N. T. The second Psalm is the first; here the Divine Sonship of our Lord is made known. The Eighth Psalm is next quoted; there He is the Son of Man. In Psalm xvi we see Him as the Obedient One and in Psalm xxii obedient unto death, the death of the Cross. Son of God — Son of Man, Obedient, obedient unto death, the death of the Cross. And with each of these Psalms His glory is connected. 2. The second Prophetic theme of the Psalms we mention are the THE PSALMS 218 sorrows, trials and suffering of Israel and their coming deliverance, restoration, blessing and glory. We do not mean by this the pre diction of their present wanderings and the afflictions which are upon that nation as a result of having rejected the Christ, but the ex periences through which a godly Jewish remnant will have to pass when this present age closes in its predicted darkness and apostasy. Of this time Jeremiah speaks as the time of Jacob's trouble. " Alas ! for that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it." That remnant will appear when the purpose of this present dispensation, the out call ing of the people for His Name (the Church) is accomplished, A remnant of His earthly people, energized by the Spirit of God, will turn to the Lord and pass through that time of trouble, of which our Lord speaks as the great tribulation. It will be the travail time for them. They suffer from the side of ungodly nations and pray for deliverance. (See Isaiah lxiii-15-lxiv.) The Psalms give us the completest picture of their harrowing experiences. Here we read their sorrows, their afflictions. We hear their prayers, their cry " How long, O Lord, how long ! " We hear them plead that the Lord might intervene and come down to save them. The nations about them persecute them. The land, which is partially restored, is invaded again. Then we read in the Psalms of a Wicked Man who domineers over them; one who breaks the covenant. This is the Man of Sin, the final Anti-Christ. And as they pray for deliver ance, they cry to God for vengeance, to deal with their enemies and with His enemies according to His righteousness. This will ex plain perfectly the imprecatory prayers we find here and there in this book. Suddenly the scene changeth. Their prayers are answered. Heaven opens and the long expected King returns. Their tears are wiped away; their moans are changed to songs, their agonizing cries are turned to laughter. They are delivered and receive the blessing as His people, their land is blest and they become the channel of blessing and mercy to the nations of the earth. It is all intensely interesting and fascinating. 3. The third prophetic theme shows the future glories in store for His redeemed people, for the nations of the earth and for creation itself. In other words we have prophecies relating to the Coming Kingdom. The prophetic teaching of the Psalms annihilates Post- millennialism. These prophecies show conclusively that there can be no blessing for Israel, for the nations, for the earth, no peace and prosperity, no world conversion, till the King comes back. The Book ends with the mighty Hallelujahs, the glorious consummation when heaven and earth will sing His praises. How well Handel caught this message when in his Oratorio, "The Messiah," he con- 214 THE PSALMS eludes all with a mighty Hallelujah chorus. Our annotations will ad here to this threefold prophetic message. The task is difficult to condense these great truths. Far easier it would be to write a book of a thousand pages than one of a hundred. It is all so rich and glorious. THE PSALMS 215 The Division of the Psalms. The unknown collector of these Psalms has divided the Book into five sections, which we must maintain and fol low. These five sections correspond in a remarkable man ner with the five books with which the Bible opens, the Pentateuch. This was known to the ancient Jews, for they call the Psalter " the Pentateuch of David." The Aramaic comment (Midrash) on Psalm i: 1 declares that " Moses gave to the Israelites the five books of the Law and corresponding with these David gave them the five books of the Psalms." I. THE GENESIS SECTION, Psalms I-XLI. This section has the same character as the Book of Genesis in that it has much to say about man. We have first a con trast between the righteous and the ungodly. After that a contrast between the first man, Adam, and the second Man who was made a little lower than the angels. (Psalm VIII.) Here also is a description of the Wicked One, in whom in some future day the defiance of the ungodly will culminate. This man of sin, the Anti-Christ, is revealed in Psalms IX and X ; the tribulation which is yet to come for man is revealed in the Psalms which follow. The Christ, the last Adam, in His obedience, even the obedience unto the death of the cross, His salvation and His Glory are unfolded. (Psalms XVI-XLI.) The first Book ends with a Blessing and a double Amen. II. THE EXODUS SECTION. Psalms XLII-LXXII. Like in the Book of Exodus, where the story is written how God redeems by blood and by power, we see a people groaning and moaning. The opening Psalms show a peo ple oppressed and longing for God. This is the godly Jewish remnant. Then we find their prayers answered by the coming of the King (Psalm xiv). Redemption by 216 THE PSALMS power then takes place and the blessings of the Kingdom, when Christ has returned, are revealed in a number of Psalms. The lxxii Psalm, the conclusion of this second Book gives the Reign and the Kingly Glory of Christ. This book also ends with a double Amen and the state ment, so very appropriate to this Book, " And let the whole earth be filled with His glory." The book of Exo dus ends with the glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle, the Exodus portion of the Psalms ends with His glory filling the whole earth. III. THE LEVITICUS SECTION. Psalm LXXIII- Psalm LXXXIX. This is the briefest section. The theme of Leviticus is " Holiness unto the Lord." In this section we are brought into the sanctuary and we behold the holiness of the Lord in dealing with His people. The Asaph Psalms are put into this section and nearly every Psalm has something about the sanctuary, the congrega tion, Zion and approaching the Lord. It also closeth with a benediction and a double Amen. IV. THE NUMBERS SECTION. Psalms XC-CVI. The first Psalm of this section is the Psalm Moses wrote, in all probability when he saw the people dying in the wil derness. The second Man is seen in Psalm xci. Here we have the prophetic Psalms which show that the times of unrest and wanderings will cease, when the Lord reigneth and when the nations will worship Him. No rest and no peace till then. This section ends with an Amen and a Hallelujah. V. THE DEUTERONOMY SECTION. Psalms CVII- CL. In this section, as it is in Deuteronomy, the Word is magnified. The Lord Jesus Christ quoted this book of Deuteronomy exclusively in His conflict with the devil. Christ is seen as the Living Word in the beginning of this section. His rejection, His exaltation, His Return and the Hallelujah times which follow are once more revealed in a cluster of Psalms (cix— cxiii). Then follows the con- THE PSALMS 217 summation, deliverances, the end-ways of God, His Praise and His Glory. This section ends with five Hallelujah Psalms. It is the Hallelujah chorus of completed re demption. 218 THE PSALMS Analysis and Annotations. I. THE GENESIS SECTION. Psalms I-XLI. 1. Subdivision. Psalms I-VIII. PSALM I. The Godly and the Ungodly. 1. The Godly, His Character and His Fruit (verses 1-3). 2. The Ungodly in Comparison with the Godly (verses 4-6). The first eight Psalms are the Psalms in embryo, just as the opening chapters of the Book of Genesis are the Bible in a nutshell. Throughout the Psalms we can trace the subjects of these eight Psalms, the godly and the un godly ; but especially the great theme of the Psalms, Christ, the Perfect Man, the King rejected, the suffering of the righteous during the time of His rejection, the King enthroned and all things put under His feet. These are the leading themes of Psalms i— viii. Psalms i and ii are introductory to the entire collection, put there by the Holy Spirit. In some ancient manu scripts the first Psalm is not numbered, in others the i and ii Psalms are put into one. The first Psalm begins with a beatitude and the second ends with a beatitude. The righteous man, negative and positive, nothing evil in him, no fellowship with sinners, and positive, obedience and entire devotedness to God, does not mean the natural man. The godly One is the perfect One who walked down here separated from sinners, and devoted to God. He walked in obedience, in dependence on God and in communion with Him, and therefore the blessing, honor and glory are His. But the godly man is also the believer, born of God, separated, a Saint, who delights in the things of God, meditates in His Word day and night. It is still more, a description of what the true believing remnant of Israel THE PSALMS 219 will be some day, " like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season." Such is converted, redeemed Israel's future as revealed here and also by Isaiah: " Thy people shall all be righteous, they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified " (Isaiah lx:21). We behold then in these opening verses of the Psalms the Lord Jesus Christ as the perfect Man, the individual believer in his separation and devotion, and what Israel, saved and converted, will be in the future.* Then the ungodly : " Like the chaff which the wind driveth away " is a prophecy of the time when the ungodly are dealt with in judgment, when " He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire " (Matt, iii: 12). Then the ungodly will forever disappear and ceaSe troubling the righteous. They will have no place in the assembly of the righteous in millennial times. PSALM II. The Rejected King. 1. The Rejection and the Coming Confederacy (verses 1-3). 2. Jehovah's attitude and interference (verses 4-6). 3. The Coming of the King and His Inheritance (verses 7-9). 4. Warning and Exhortation (verses 10-12). Verses 1-3. The rejection of the perfect Man, the Son of God, by man, is. here revealed. It is the first psalm quoted in the New Testament. See Acts iv : 25- 28. In this quotation it is applied to the Jews and Gen tiles gathered together against the Lord, and against His *The Romish church has a volume called "The Psalter of the Virgin Mary compiled by Doctor St. Bonaventura." It is in Latin and contains the 150 Psalms, greatly abridged, and each addressed to Mary. Psalm i begins as follows: "Happy is the man that loves thy Name, O Virgin Mary, thy grace will comfort his soul. Ave Maria." Psalm xix: "The Heavens declare thy glory, O Virgin Mary." Horrible blasphemy 1 220 THE PSALMS Christ. This rejection continues throughout this present age ; it becomes more marked as the age draws to its close. Finally the nations with their kings and also apostate, Israel will form a great confederacy, they will form a tumultuous throng, taking counsel together for one great purpose, Satanically conceived and executed, to defy God and His Christ. The Generallisimo will be Satan through the Beast. It is the gathered confederacy as seen in Revelation. " And he gathered them together in a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon" (Rev. xvi: 16). "And I saw the Beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse (Christ) and His army " (Rev. xix: 19). Verses 4r-6. Heaven is silent till the appointed time comes. Here we have, as in Psalm ex, the exalted position of the rejected Christ: He sitteth in the heavens; His place is at the right hand of God. He shares the Fa ther's throne. In infinite patience He is waiting, silent to all what wicked men do in dishonouring His Name. But when on earth the final rebellion takes place, then He will laugh at them and hold them in derision.* Then He who has so long spoken in love, will speak in wrath and begin the execution of God's judgments which are committed into His hand. Then will He be established as God's King upon the holy hill of Zion. Verses 7-9. And now we hear Him speak; He pro claims God's counsel concerning Himself. He declares who He is, " the Son of God "— " Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten thee." (See the N. T. comment, Acts xiii: 33, 34.) It is not a declaration of His eternal Sonship (though that is implied), but speaks of Him as the incarnate One and the Risen One. And His Second * The Jewish comment contained in the ancient " Yalkut Shimoni " is interesting. " Like a robber who was standing and expressing his contempt behind the palace of the King, and saying, If I find the Son of the King, I will seize him, kill him, and crucify him, and put him to a terrible death, but the Lord mocks at it." THE PSALMS 221 Coming will be the completest vindication of His Sonship. It will demonstrate that He whom the nations rejected is the Son of God, who walked on the earth, who died, rose from the dead, ascended upon high and is manifested in power and glory. Then every mouth will be stopped and every knee must bow. He asks the Father and He gives Him the nations for His inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. In His prayer in John xvii (the model of His priestly intercession through out this age of grace), He said, "I pray not for the world." When His present priestly ministrations cease, that is, when His own have been received by Him in glory, then will He ask for the world and receive the kingdoms of this world, to shepherd the nations with a rod of iron and execute judgment among them. Verses 10-12. The exhortation and warning closes this perfect and beautiful Psalm. It is meant especially for that time when the final revolt takes place. The appeal goes forth then to turn to the Lord, to kiss the Son — " for in a little will His anger kindle." So even at that time mercy still is waiting. Critics object to the use of the Aramaic word " Bar " — • 'Son — and give as the correct translation " receive instruction " or " do hom age." The word " Bar " is used in place of the Hebrew " Ben " for the sake of euphony. " Blessed are they that put their trust in Him." That is true of all at all times. It is our blessedness. PSALMS III-VII. Sorrows and Trials of the Godly Remnant. PSALM III. 1. Persecution and Comfort (verses 1-4). 2. Arise Jehovah! Save me, O my God (verses 5-8). The five Psalms which follow bring before us the godly remnant of Israel, their sorrows and trials during the end of the age, while the expected Redeemer and King has not 222 THE PSALMS yet come. While this is the dispensational aspect, the application is wider. The trials and sorrows are common to all Saints, who live in accordance with their calling apart from the World which rejects Christ; and the com fort belongs to them likewise. Verses 1-4. The Psalm was written by David when he fled from the face of Absalom. Persecution is mentioned first. The remnant is suffering persecution and that from their own unbelieving brethren, who sneer at them and mock. "There is no salvation (deliverance) for him from God." But the godly trust in Jehovah as a shield about them, giving protection; He is my glory and the lifter up of mine head. Thus David encouraged himself in the Lord and so do all Saints in persecution and the remnant when they are persecuted in the time of Jacob's trouble. Verses 5-8. The simple faith produces peace and quietness. He has slept in peace evert if myriads of people should set themselves around him. He cries to Jehovah to arise and to save. Then faith looks back and remem bers that God hath smitten the enemies in the past, and broken the teeth of the ungodly. He acknowledgeth that Salvation belongeth to the Lord, it is of Him and that His blessing rests upon His people who trust in Him. Viewed in connection with the remnant of Israel in the coming tribulation all this takes on an interesting mean ing. It is called a morning hymn. PSALM IV. 1. The Cry to Jehovah (verses 1-3). 2. The Warning to the Enemies (verses 4-5). 3. The Assurance of Faith. Verses 1-3. The fourth Psalm is closely connected with the third; the third is " a Morning Psalm " and the fourth " an Evening Hymn." He calls God " God of my righteousness " and He knows that He will act in right eousness toward him, be gracious and hear prayer. Then THE PSALMS the appeal to the sons of men, who love emptiness and seek after a lie. They should know that the Lord hath set apart the godly for Himself and therefore He will hear. Verses 4-5. This expresseth the concern of the godly for those who reject the Lord, it is a warning appeal to turn from their evil ways, to offer the sacrifioes of right eousness and to trust Jehovah. Verses 6-8. The mocking words " who will show us any good ? " the challenge of unbelief, is met by prayer and the assurance of faith. " Lift upon us the light of Thy countenance, Jehovah." This we shall find later is a choice prayer of the Jewish Saints in the tribulation. (See Psalm Ixxx.) His heart is filled with joy; he knows he is safe. " For Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." Such is the experience of the godly, who trust the Lord. Their hearts are filled with gladness ; their safety is the Lord. PSALM V. 1. The Cry to God the King (verses 1-3). 2. Hating Iniquity and Trusting in Mercy (verses 4-7). 3. Prayer for Guidance and Judgment (verses 8-12). Verses 1-3. In the Third Psalm trust is expressed in God as shield ; in the fourth the prayer is to the God of righteousness. " Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King and my God." It is a fresh and more intense prayer, because evil increaseth and abounds. The cry is to God as King. David calls Him King, as the Jewish remnant will pray to the King and look for the coming of the King. The church looks for the Lord, for the Bridegroom. No where is the Lord Jesus Christ spoken of as the King of the church. Verses 4—7. The Holiness of God is recognized and shared by the godly in hating iniquity. His confidence is in a sin and iniquity hating God, a holy God. He has no pleasure in wickedness or in folly. Falsehood He hates 224 THE PSALMS and liars He will destroy. Such are the enemies of God and his enemies also. The bloody and deceitful man men tioned in verse 6 is the first mention of the Man of sin, the false Christ, who will persecute Jewish Saints in the fu ture. And how beautiful it is to see faith breaking through the gathering storm clouds again — " But as for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of Thy mercy, in Thy fear I will worship toward Thy holy Temple." The final victory is seen by faith. Verses 8-12. Prayer for guidance stands first. " Lead me, Jehovah, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies." What these enemies, especially the future en emies of Israel will be, their character, is described and this is followed by prayer for judgment. Here is the first im precatory prayer. (Verse 10.) This and the other im precatory prayers will be prayed during the final days of this age, when the wicked are ripe for judgment. It will be answered and then the righteous will be delivered and have joy. (Verses 11, 12.) All this we shall find very much more prominent in the Exodus section of the Psalms. PSALM VI. 1. The Cry of Repentance (verses 1-3). 2. In Deep Distress (verses 4-7). 3. Jehovah has Heard (verses 8-10). Verses 1-3. Here we have the deep soul exercise of the godly expressed. In the midst of the trials and sorrows they search their hearts. The persecution of the enemies is used under God to bring His people in the dust. And so they feel the trial and sorrow which passeth over them as Divine displeasure against sin. They feel it is the chastening hand of God which rests heavily upon them. Perhaps bodily sickness is also indicated. They cry, Jehovah how long? It is a night experience, of deepest woe and agony. We know that all things must work to gether for good to them that love God and that our Loving Father does not chasten in the heat of wrath. THE PSALMS 225 Verses 4-7. But there is deeper distress. There is groaning, the couch is covered with tears, the eyes are sunken in because of grief. The remnant is put into the place of dust, and that is the place of blessing and deliv erance. Verses 8-10. Faith again is victorious. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping; heard the voice of my supplication; He will receive my prayer. The last verse is prophetic. All the enemies will be ashamed, they shall be suddenly ashamed. That will be when the Lord returns to save His people. PSALM VII. 1. Confidence and Prayer (verses 1-2). 2. Unjust Persecution (verses 3-5). 3. Arise Jehovah! (verses 6-10). 4. God's Dealings in Government (verses 11-16). 5. Thanksgiving (verse 17). Verses 1-2. It has been suggested that over this Psalm should be written the sentence, " Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? " David appeared to God to judge His cause, that a righteous God cannot but save the right eous and judge the wicked. David sang this unto the Lord concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite. Who Cush was we do not know. He must be a type of the Man of Sin. David appeals to God who is his refuge, to save and rescue him. The lion stands ready to tear him to pieces. Verses 3-5. He knows it is unjust persecution he is suffering. If he had done evil to others he might well be treated in this way. Verses 6-10. Then follows the appeal to Jehovah to arise in His anger, and to awake for him the judgment He has commanded, when the peoples are assembled for judgment. This appeal from the lips of the remnant will be answered by the manifestation of the Lord. Verses 11-168 God's judgments jn righteousness wjll 226 THE PSALMS overtake the wicked. ¦ It is a prophetic description of that day when the wickedness of the wicked comes to an end and the righteous are established. Verses 14—16 are an other description of the Man of Sin, the Wicked One. Verse 17. A Word of Praise closes this series of Psalms in which the Millennial Name of Jehovah is given " The Most High." We see that the overthrow of the wicked brings the Praise of Jehovah," as it will be heard on earth when He has come back. In reviewing these Psalms, beginning with the third, we have a morning hymn (iii), followed by an evening hymn (iv) ; then a night experience (v), followed by the deepest night (vi) and the breaking of the morning, when the Judge ariseth and the wickedness of the Wicked come to an end (vii). The Son of Man; AH Things put under His feet. PSALM VIII. 1. A little lower than the Angels; Crowned with Glory (verses 1-5). 3. All Things put under Him (verses 6-8). 3. How excellent is Thy Name over all the Earth (verse 9). Verses 1-5. In this Psalm we behold Christ again, and here as Son of Man. Three times this Psalm is quoted in the New Testament ; in Matthew xxi : 16, 1 Corinth, xv : 27 and Hebrews ii : 6-9. The latter passage shows clearly who the Son of Man is who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, to taste death for every thing and who is now crowned with glory and honor.* The Psalm begins with praise; it will be His praise in that coming day when all things are put under His feet * The inscription of this Psalm is " upon Gittith " — the wine press. If the theory is correct that the titles of the Psalms were mis placed, then "Gittith" should belong to the preceding Psalm>lrwhere it would find a good application. But it is equally in place in the beginning of this Psalm, for the Son of Man went into the winepress, the suffering of death when He shed His precious blood. THE PSALMS 227 as the second Man, the last Adam, then His Name will be excellent in all the earth and His Glory will be set in the Heavens (the New Jerusalem). The little children in the Temple who sang their Hosannahs when the Lord Jesus was there foreshadow this coming praise. Many exposi tors have made of " the son of Man " Adam, the first man ; but he is the type of the last Adam ; the Lord Jesus is meant as Hebrew ii : 6—9 tells us so clearly. Verses 6-8. The first man lost his dominion through sin, the second Man has bought it back by His death. When He comes again then all things will be put under His feet. During His absence " we see not yet all things put under Him." He must reign till all enemies are put under His feet. Verse 9. The Psalm closes with the same praise with which it begins. It is the future praise of Him, who was made a little lower than the angels and whose Name in that day will be excellent in all the earth. We beheld Him as the perfect Man, as the King, rejected by men, en throned by God, with the nations for His inheritance, in the opening Psalms. Then followed (Psalms iii-vii) the experiences of the godly during His absence, especially the Jewish remnant and the Eighth Psalm shows Him as Son of Man, who comes for the deliverance of His people and receives the dominion over all the earth. The Godly Remnant, The Wicked One and His Followers. PSALMS IX-XV. PSALM IX. 1. The Praise of the Most High (verses 1-2). 2. Millennial Deliverances and Glories (verses 3-12). 3. Prayer for Divine Intervention; Faith's Vision (verses 12-18). Verses 1-2. Psalms ix— xv continue the great prophetic story. Once more the godly remnant is before us and in this section the Wicked One, the man of sin, is also re- 228 THE PSALMS vealed. The first part of this Psalm is a prophetic vision of what will be on earth, when the Son of Man has come and when all things are put under Him. His triumph is celebrated. We doubt not what is written here will be the comfort of that company of believing Jews at the end of the age as they anticipate in faith what will be when the King comes. But how much more we His heavenly people should praise Him, and declare His wondrous works in grace. Verses 3-12. What it will mean when the Lord reigns is told out in these verses. His enemies will be defeated; He rebukes the nations and destroys the wicked; He judg- eth the world in righteousness, and He is a refuge for His people. The Lord will dwell in Zion, Israel will sing praises and become the witness amongst the nations. Verses 13-20. TJp to the previous verse we saw the glorious results for Israel when the Son of Man comes. But that has not yet come. Faith realizeth it. In verse 13 we hear the voice of supplication of those who in faith look forward to the promises, but who suffer in the midst of the trials of the ending days of the age. They are hated and suffer and long to shew forth praises in Zion. Then once more the vision of faith what must happen ere long to the nations and to the wicked (15—18). The plea " Arise, 0 Lord," is the prayer for His glorious manifes tation. This Psalm and the next are linked together by the let ters of the Alphabet (in Hebrew). Ten letters are used in this Psalm and five in the next Six letters are dropped out in this alphabetical composition. The irregularity may be explained as in harmony with the time of tribu lation, when everything on earth is broken and out of joint. PSALM X. 1. The Cry of Jehovah and what Causeth It (verses 1-2). 2. That Wicked One (verses 3-11). 3. Prayer for Divine Interventions Faith's Vision (verses 12-18). THE PSALMS 229 Verses 1-2. Here is a renewed cry to* Jehovah and why? Because the Wicked in his pride persecutes the poor. The Wicked is that coming man of Sin. Verses 3-11. That persecutor of the Saints of God is now prophetically revealed in his arrogant pride, defiance of God and oppression of the poor and needy. Such will be the character of the Beast out of the earth, the man of sin and son of perdition (2 Thessal. ii). We shall get other photographs of the same person in other Psalms. Verses 12-18. Significant prayers these. And they will be prayed by that future remnant. Arise — Lift up Thy hand — forget not ; — Thou hast seen it — Break thou the arm of the wicked ! And then faith seeth the an swer. " The Lord is King forever and ever." The prayer of the humble has been heard. The man of the earth no more oppresseth. PSALM XI. 1. Faith's Resources in the Day of Trouble (verses 1^1). 2. The Recompense for the Righteous and the Wicked. Verses 1-4. Their refuge is the Lord, in Him they trust as we, His heavenly people, know Him as our hiding place in the time of trouble. That coming day of trouble is the time " when the foundations are destroyed." It is the time of apostasy and confusion. But their comfort is " Jehovah is in His holy temple, the Throne of Jehovah is in heaven." Verses 5-7. But faith also reckons with the day of retribution and judgment, when the days of tribulation are ended. Then the wicked receive their punishment. But the righteous shall behold His face. PSALM XII. 1. The Arrogancy of the Wicked in the last Days (verses 1-4). 2. Then Jehovah will act and deliver His people (verses 5-8). Verses 1-4. It is the time of departure from the Lord ; 230 THE PSALMS the godly and faithful have ceased. It is a mass of cor ruption, lying lips, flattering lips, proud lips. They re ject the Lord. "Who is lord over us? " Verses 5-8. Then faith sees the coming intervention. The Lord will speak. " Now will I arise, saith Jehovah, I will set him in safety whom they would puff." Jehovah will keep His people in these coming dark days. — " when the wicked walk on all sides and the vilest men are exalted." PSALM XIII. 1. How long? Answer me, Jehovah (verses 1-4). 2. The Victory of Faith (verses 5-6). Verses 1-4. Four times " How long? " The trial of faith becomes more severe. Sorrow is in the heart and an enemy is outside. Has then Jehovah forgotten? The hearts begin to despair; an answer is demanded, it must come " lest I sleep the sleep of death." Verses 5-6. But here comes the change. Faith tri umphs and is victorious. " I have trusted in Thy mercy ; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing unto Jehovah, for He hath dealt bountifully with «ie." PSALM XIV. 1. The Days of Noah Repeated (verses 1-6). 2. Salvation and Glory (verse 7). Verses 1-6. As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be when the Son of Man cometh. Here we have a pro phetic forecast of these coming days of corruption and violence. Iniquity abounds, wickedness is on all sides. None doeth good, none seeketh after God. While all this is used by the Spirit of God in the Epistle to the Romans to describe the condition of the race at large, here dis- pensationally it describes the moral conditions in the end of the age. Verse 7. Will this end? Is there to be a better day THE PSALMS 231 than violence and wickedness? When will that day come? It comes when the salvation comes out of Zion (Romans xi : 26) , when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of His people, when Israel is restored. That will be when the Lord returns. PSALM XV. 1. The Question (verse 1). 2. The Answer (verses 2-5). Verse 1. The connection with the previous Psalm is obvious. When He comes and that promised salvation becomes reality, who then shall sojourn in His tabernacle? Who shall dwell in His holy Hill? Who will become a partaker of that kingdom, when the King is set upon the holy hill of Zion ? Verses 2-5. The answer is given. The character here described is impossible for the natural man. To walk up rightly, to work righteousness, to speak the truth in the heart and practise righteousness in life is only possible if man is born again. So Israel will be born again, receive the new heart and the Spirit and thus enter the Kingdom. A Revelation of the Christ of God. PSALMS XVI-XXIV. PSALM XVI. 1. The Obedient One (verses 1-3). 2. The Path He Went (verses 4-8). 3. Death and Resurrection (verses 9-11). In the nine Psalms which compose this section Christ is marvellously revealed. We notice an interesting progress in the messianic message of this section, culminating in the manifestation of the King, the Lord of Glory in Psalm xxiv. In the xvi Psalm we behold Christ in His obedience on earth. See also Paul's testimony in Acts xiii : 35. Verses 1-3. Here we hear Him speak ; it is not David 232 THE PSALMS who speaks of himself. This we learn from Acts ii : 25, when Peter quoted this Psalm and states that David spoke concerning Him (Christ). As the all obedient One, in humiliation He lived the life of faith and dependence on God. He took the place of lowliness in which He said to Jehovah, " Thou art my Lord." And this humiliation was for the Saints and the excellent, His own people in whom is all His delight. Verses 4-8. In that path the Lord was His portion and His cup, He was His All, nor did He want anything beside Him. " Thou maintainest my lot." Thus He could say " the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places, yea, I have a goodly inheritance." And so He walked in obedience, learning obedience though He was the Son, with the Lord always set before Him. Verses 9-11. These last three verses show that He went into death, the death of the cross as seen in Psalm xxii, with the assurance that His soul should not be left in sheol and that His body should not see corruption. It is the promise of resurrection and after that glory, the way of life through death into the presence of God, to the right hand of God, where there is fullness, of joy and pleasures for evermore. It is a beautiful prophecy of Him who walked on earth in obedience, devoted to God, dying the sinner's death, His resurrection and His presence in glory. We shall find these precious prophecies concerning Him self more fully revealed in this section. PSALM XVII. The Prayer of Christ against the Enemy. 1. The Righteous Intercessor (verses 1-5). 2. Prayer for Deliverance (verses 6-12). 3. The Deliverance (verses 13-15). Verses 1-5. This Psalm is blessedly linked with the foregoing one. We hear Christ interceding for the Saints in whom is His delight (xvi: 3). He pleads His own per- THE PSALMS 233 fection. He is righteous; His prayer does not come from feigned lips. Not David, but Christ alone could truly say, " Thou hast proved my heart ; thou hast visited me in the night ; Thou hast tried me. Thou findest nothing." By the Word of God He had walked and was kept from the paths of the destroyer. What a grand testimony to inspiration we have in verse 4 when the Spirit of Christ declares beforehand that Christ would walk in obedience to the Word and that Word is called here " the Word of Thy lips," which came from the mouth and heart of God. Verses 6-12. It is- a marvellous prayer for His own with whom He so perfectly identifies Himself. The Sev enth verse is the key, for He prays, " Show Thy marvel lous Loving-kindness, delivering those who put their trust in Thee by Thy right hand from those rising up against them." He pleads for His beloved Saints that they may be kept as the apple of the eye, and hidden under the shadow of His wings. He speaks as for Himself, but it is for the Saints, those that trust God, and God hears Him and answers. The enemy threatens His people on earth and therefore we find the plural in verse 11, " they have now compassed us in our steps." Verses 13-15. The final prayer is to the Lord to arise and to rescue His suffering people from the wicked one, who is the sword in the hand of the Lord. Then when the Lord ariseth His people will behold His face in right eousness and in awakening shall be satisfied with His like ness. Oh, blessed Hope! which is ours too, when shall it be! PSALM XVIII. The Story of God's Power in Behalf of Christ. 1. In the Jaws of Death (verses 1-6). 2. God Appearing and Delivering (verses 7-18). 3. God gave Him Glory (verses 19-27). 4. His Enemies Subdued (verses 28-42). 5. The Head of the Nations (verses 43-45). Verses 1-6- This is another remarkable Psalm, 234 THE PSALMS Though David wrote it not everything could be his expe rience. He was a prophet (Acts ii : 30) and prophesied; much in this Psalm is prophecy describing the Deliverance of Christ from the Jaws of Death and the Glory God has given Him, and this deliverance and glory also con cerns the remnant of His earthly people in " that day." The Psalm begins with an outburst of Praise and it ends with His Praise among the nations. Hebrew authorities tell us that the proper translation of " The Lord is my Rock " is " Jehovah, my cleft of the rock." It is Christ the rock, cleft for us, in whom the believer has found His refuge. , And He Himself was saved from His enemies and in Him His people are saved and will be saved from their enemies (verse 3). It is His own death experience which is described in verses 4-6. " The sorrows of death com passed me, and the floods of Belial (marginal reading) made me afraid." Then in His distress He called and cried unto God and was heard. Verses 7-18. In these verses we have the answer in behalf of Christ. It is a wonderful description of God's power and His appearing. It is the manifestation and glory of Jehovah in deliverance. " He sent from above, He took Me, He drew me from great waters. He deliv ered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hate me, for they were too strong for me." This describes His resurrection. At the same time while all this shows His experience as the author and finisher of the Faith, it is also the experi ence of His trusting people, and the deliverance of that remnant living during the tribulation period. Verses 19-27, The Lord has recompensed Him for His righteousness. He not only raised Him from the dead " but gave Him glory." He was brought forth into a large place. He was delivered because God delighted in Him and He has rewarded Him. Verse 23 as it stands in the authorized version can not apply to Christ. It is in fact a poor translation. The translation in the Numeri cal Bible is very satisfactory. " I was also perfect with THE PSALMS 235 Him and kept myself from pcrverseness being mine." Verses 28-42. He will save an humble people and all His enemies will be conquered by Him. While much in this section was David's experience, who overcame all his enemies, in its prophetic meaning it must apply to the Lord Jesus. Verses 37-42 speak prophetically of this coming great victory when all His enemies will be made the footstool of His feet. Verses 43-45. He becomes the head of the nations. " Thou hast made me the head of the nations " cannot apply to David and his experience, but it is David's son and David's Lord who will head the nations of the earth. It is the coming Kingdom which is described in verse 44. " As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me, the strangers (Gentiles) shall submit themselves unto me." The marginal reading is suggestive, " they shall yield feigned obedience unto Me," which tells us that the obedi ence of many during the Kingdom reign of our Lord will not be whole-hearted and therefore the revolt at the end of the thousand years. (Revel, xx.) His Praise will then be heard among the nations. (Verses 49-50.) PSALM XIX. Christ in Creation and in Revelation. 1. In Creation (verses 1-6). 2. In Revelation (verses 7-11). Verses 1-6. This Psalm also bears witness to Christ as Creator and as revealing Himself through the Word. The two great books, Creation and Revelation, bear wit ness to Him. The Heavens which declare the Glory of God were created by Him. (Col. viii: 16; John i:3.) And there is a testimony to Him in Creation which is continuous. " Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sboweth knowledge." (See Romans i:20.) The Sun especially mentioned, for the Sun is the type of Christ. " As a bridegroom coming out of His chamber 236 THE PSALMS he rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course. His going forth is from the end of the heavens, and his circuits unto the end of it and nothing is hid from the heat thereof." He is the Sun of Righteousness, who will arise some day with healing beneath his wings. Verses 7-11. The second witness to Him is the Law of Jehovah, the testimony and the precepts of the Lord. It is His written Word. This Word comes from Himself and speaks of Himself. What this Word is and what it produces and the practical use of the testimony of the Lord as well as prayer are mentioned in these verses. The nineteenth Psalm is an introduction to the next five Psalms, which tells us more fully of the person of Christ, the Creator and Revealer, in His great work as Redeemer. PSALM XX. Christ and His Salvation as Contemplated by His People. 1. What God has done for Christ (verses 1-4). 2. His Salvation His people enjoy (verses 5-9). Verses 1-4. " My Redeemer " was the last word of the previous Psalm. Christ the Redeemer of His people is revealed in this Psalm. His death and sacrificial work, revealed in Psalm xxvii, are here anticipated. He who humbled Himself has been heard by Jehovah, He has set Him upon high (marginal reading), He has sent Him help, He has accepted His great offering, the whole burnt offering which typifies the death of the Cross. All the desires of His heart are given to Him and all His counsels will be fulfilled. The believing remnant is contemplating the Redeemer and His Salvation. Because He has been heard, because His offering is accepted, because He is set on high, they possess salvation. Verses 5-9. This salvation is now celebrated in in spired song. It is anticipatory of that coming salvation. They will rejoice in His salvation, as we, His heavenly THE PSALMS 237 people, now rejoice in it. Banners, the symbol of victory won, will be set up. The intercessions of His Anointed (Christ) will be answered, all enemies are bowed down and fallen. " But we are risen and stand upright " refers to the day of Israel's national and spiritual resurrection. In anticipation of the trouble of the last days we read the prayer of this godly remnant. " Save Lord ! Let the King hear us when we call." PSALM XXI. The King's Glory anticipated and contemplated. 1. The King's Power, Glory and Salvation (verses 1-6). 2. His Victory over the enemies (verses 7-13). Verses 1-6. This is another Messianic Psalm in antici pation of the glory of the King. The prayers He offered up are all answered. (See Ps. xx:4.) He shares the strength of Jehovah as the risen and exalted One. The desire of His heart is fulfilled, as it will be when the kingly crown of pure gold is set upon His head, the head which was once crowned with thorns. He had gone down into the jaws of death and then received life, yea, eternal life, as the head of the new creation, which shares this life He has received. And His glory is great in Jehovah's salva tion, the salvation which the Lord has planned and which He has accomplished, which is His glory. Verses 7-13. Here once more the downfall and com plete overthrow of the enemies, when the King reigns, is prophetically anticipated. Then we hear in the last verse a prophetic prayer, that all this might be accomplished. " Be Thou exalted, Lord, in Thine own strength." And when He is exalted, then Israel redeemed will sing — " So will we sing and praise Thy power." * *And how the Critics have made havoc with all these Psalms, trying to find a solution, when the Lord Jesus is the only solution as He is the key to all the Scriptures ! The Targura reads in verses J and T " King Messiah " and Jewish interpretation has mostly been 238 THE PSALMS PSALM XXII. The Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that follows. 1. The Suffering (verses 1-21). 2. The Glory (verses 22-31). Verses 1-21. In many respects this Psalm is tbe most remarkable in the entire book and one of the sublimest prophecies in the whole Bible. The sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow are here wonderfully foretold. The inscription mentions Aijeleth Shahar, which means " the hind of the morning." Jewish tradi tion identifies this hind with the early morning light, when the day dawns and the rays of the rising Sun appear like the horns of the hind. The eminent Hebraist, Professor Delitzsch, makes the following remark : " Even the Jew ish synagogue, so far as it recognizes a suffering Messiah, hears His voice here, and takes the hind of the morning as a name of the Shechinah, and makes it a symbol of coming redemption. And the Targum recalls the Lamb of the morning sacrifice, which was offered as soon as the watch man on the pinnacle of the temple cried out, " The first rays of the Morning burst forth." All this is very sug gestive. The inscription also tells us that the Psalm was written by David. " We know, however, of no circum stances in his life to which it can possibly be referred. In none of the persecutions by Saul was he ever reduced to such straits as those here described." (Perowne.) David's personal experience is all out of question. He speaks as a Prophet, such as he was (Acts ii: 30) and the Spirit of God useth him to give one of the completest pic tures of Christ, His suffering and glory, which to David must have been a mystery, so that with other prophets, he on Messianic lines. Perowne writes on this kingly Psalm " Each Jewish Monarch was but a feeble type of Israel's true King; and all the hopes of pious hearts still looked beyond David or David's children to Him who should be David's Lord as well as David's Son." THE PSALMS searched and enquired as to its meaning. (See 1 Peter i: 10-12.) Our Lord in uttering the solemn word with which this Psalm begins in the darkness which enshrouded the Cross gives us the conclusive evidence that it is He of whom the Psalm speaks. The Spirit of God equally so in Hebrews ii: 11—12 shows that it is Christ. And the glory-side of this gem of prophecy proves fully that none other than the Christ of God is meant. The precious, blessed, unfathomable work of the sin- bearer on the Cross and its far reaching results in bless ing and glory is here unfolded to our faith, as well as for our joy and comfort. The heart .of the atonement occu pies the foreground, not the physical sufferings, but the suffering He endured from the side of God, when He made Him who knew no sin, sin for us. " My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" — But Thou art holy! That is the answer to the " Why? " And when the blessed One was thus forsaken, and faced as the substitute of sinners the holy, sin-hating God, He finished the work, the work which enables God to be just and the justifier of all who believe in Jesus. " It is finished ! " was His trium phant shout, expressed in the Greek by one word — " Tete- lestai." And our Psalm ends with a similar word — " He hath done " — the Hebrew word " Ohsa " expresseth the same thought — it is finished. Still more astonishing are the details of His physical sufferings, which were all so minutely fulfilled on Calvary. Here we find foretold the piercing of hands and feet, the excessive thirst He suffered, the terrible agony by hanging suspended, every bone out of j oint ; the laughter and hooting of his enemies, the very expressions they used surrounding the cross are given here, and the dividing of the garments and casting lots over them and other details are prophetically revealed. And to this must be added another fact. Crucifixion was an unknown method of death in Jewish Law. Among ancient nations the Roman penal code alone seems to contain exclusively this cruel penalty; Rome evidently invented it. Yet here this un- 240 THE PSALMS known death penalty is described in a perfect manner. What an evidence of Divine inspiration ! And the Critics, how they have tried to explain away this great prophecy ! And they are still trying to explain it away. Some apply it to Hezekiah; others say it may describe the sufferings of Jeremiah; still others say it is the Jewish nation. And some try to make it out as being only coincident that the Hebrews had such a piece of literature and that one of their own, Jesus of Nazareth, made such an experience. Surely these infidels are fools, for only a fool can adopt and believe such a method of reasoning against these conclusive evidences of revelation. Verses 22-31. The deliverance of the sufferer comes in with the twenty-first verse. Thrice He calls for help. " Haste Thee to help Me " — " Deliver my soul from the Sword " — " Save me from the Lion's Mouth." Then we hear of the answer: " Thou hast answered Me from the horns of the wild-oxen." He was surrounded by the dogs (Gentiles) and the assembly of the wicked (Jews) as men tioned in verse 16, but now God has answered Him. The sufferings are ended and the glory begins. The horns of the wild-oxen denote power; the power of God answered Him and raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory. We therefore behold Him at once as the risen One with a great declaration. "I will declare Thy name unto my brethren." And thus He spake after His passion and resurrection, " Go and tell my brethren that I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your. God." This brings out the first great result of His finished work. It is the Church, His body, brought into this definite and blessed relationship with Himself. In the midst of the congregation (the Church) He sings praises. He is in the midst. " For both, He that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified are all of one ; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will de clare Thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee." (Hebrews ii: 11- 12.) And tlien the circle widens. Israel tqo. will praige THE PSALMS 241 Him, all the seed of Jacob will glorify Him. The ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord. All the kindreds of the nations will worship Him. He will re ceive the Kingdom and the Glory. Thus this Psalm, which begins with suffering, ends with Glory, a Glory yet to come for Israel and the nations of the earth. PSALM XXIII. Christ the great Shepherd. 1. Assurance (verses 1-3). 2. Comfort (verses 4-6). Verses 1-3. Well has it been said "without Psalm xxii, there could be no Twenty-third Psalm." While the former Psalm reveals Christ as the good Shepherd, who gives His life for the sheep, this Psalm makes Him known as the great Shepherd of the sheep, whom the God of peace hath brought again from the dead, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. (Hebrews xiii: 20.) And all who deny the atoning work of Christ have no claim what ever upon the assurance and comfort of this Psalm. But we must not overlook the fact that the first appli cation of the Twenty-third Psalm must be made in connec tion with that godly remnant of Israel of a future day. While He is individually the Shepherd of all who trust in Him, He is also nationally the Shepherd of Israel. The Patriarch Jacob spoke of this when he said, " the God which fed me," or, literally, " my Shepherd." In Psalm Ixxx : 1 the Lord is spoken of as being the Shepherd of Israel nationally, while in another Psalm the pious in Is rael declare " we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hands." In Isaiah xl:2 we have record of another national promise made to His people Israel — "He shall feed His flock like a Shepherd" and Micah calls Israel "the flock of Thine inheritance" (vii: 14). The entire xxxiv chapter of Ezekiel reveals Him as the 242 THE PSALMS Shepherd and His future work when He will gather gra ciously the scattered sheep of Israel and lead them back to their own land. This Psalm has therefore a wider na tional application, especially in connection with the al ready mentioned godly remnant who look forward during the time of Jacob's trouble, the great tribulation, to His visible manifestation. It will be their comfort, when they walk through the valley of the shadow of death, when their enemies arise threateningly on all sides. Then they will say, " I will fear no evil, for Thou art with Me " and again " Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." Their hope is expressed in holy anticipation as dwelling finally in the house of the Lord forever, that is the hope of sharing the blessings and glories of the mil lennial reign. Much has been written devotionally on this Psalm. Hundreds of books have been published, but it has never been exhausted nor ever will be. The Assurance of the first three verses belong to every believer on the Lord Jesus. He is individually the Shepherd and each child of God can say, " Jehovah is my Shepherd," the Shepherd who never fails, who never changeth, the Jehovah Jireh — the Lord who provides. He gives pasture, peace and rest, with the never failing waters, the supply of His Spirit. Then He restoreth after failure and leads in paths of righteousness for His Name's sake. Verses 4-6. And here is the comfort for all earthly circumstances, no matter where the path may be. Good ness and mercy are in store for all His sheep and the blessed goal to be with Him, not in an earthly house, where yet His glory is to dwell visibly, but in the Father's house with its many mansions. A good way to read this Psalm is by asking the ques tion, " What shall I not want? " I shall not want — Rest — for He makes me to lie down in green pastures. Drink — for He leadeth me beside the still waters. Forgiveness — for He restoreth my soul. THE PSALMS 243 Guidance — for He leadeth me in the paths of right eousness. Companionship — for Thou art with me. Comfort — for Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me. Food — for Thou preparest a table before me. Victory — in the presence of mine enemies. Joy — Thou anointest my head with oil. Overrunning Joy — for my cup runneth over. Everything in time — for goodness and mercy shall fol low me. Everything in eternity — for I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. PSALM XXIV. The Chief Shepherd, the King of Glory. 1. Who shall dwell with Him when He comes? (verses 1-6). 2. The Glorious Manifestation of the King (verses 7-10). Verses 1-6. This Psalm may have been composed and used on the occasion of the removal of the Ark from the house of Obed-Edom, to the city of David on Mount Zion (2 Sam. vi). It is a millennial Psalm and describes how the Lord will enter His glorious dwelling place on Mount Zion when He appears in power and in Glory. When the King comes back He will choose Zion for His glorious rest, as so many prophecies tell us, and reign from there, while another house of the Lord, the great millennial temple filled with His glory, will then be built. Who then shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? That these questions have nothing to do with the church, which at that time is as the glorified body with the Lord, is obvious. The character of those who will enter into His presence when He comes back to earth to dwell in Zion, and who will share the blessings of the kingdom, is that of practical righteousness, which is the fruit of faith. This company includes those Israelites who believed during the tribulation, who turned to the 244 THE PSALMS Lord, and also the company of Gentiles who learn right eousness when the judgments of the- Lord are in the earth. (Isaiah xxvi: 9.) Verses 7-10. Here we have the glorious Manifestation and entry of the King into His House and dwelling place. It is a most sublime description. It has nothing to do with the ascension of our Lord ; it is His glorious Return and Entry into the earthly Zion to fill it once more with His visible Glory. And the King of Glory is the Lord of Hosts. Jehovah of Hosts, He is the King of Glory. He who was forsaken on the Cross is now crowned with many crowns. This Psalm ooncludes this series which so wonderfully tells out the Person and work of Christ. PSALMS XXV-XXXIX. The fifteen Psalms which follow give the deep soul exer cise of the godly. All fifteen, except the thirty-third, are marked as Psalms of David. Much of it expresses un doubtedly his own individual experience during the days of his suffering and at other occasions. Prophetically these Psalms give again the experience of the godly rem nant of Israel in the time of trouble, preceding the com ing of the King. We also can trace in these experiences much which concerns our Lord in His earthly life, when as the Holy One He lived that perfect life of obedience and trust, suffering too among the ungodly. But great cau tion is needed in the application of these Psalms to our Lord. Here we find expressions which could never be true of Him, who knew no sin. For instance some have applied Psalm xxxviii : 7 : " for my loins are filled with a loathsome disease and there is no soundness in my flesh " to the Lord Jesus, simply to sustain the theory that He carried lit erally our diseases in His body. This is positively wrong. His body was a holy body. Death had no claim on it nor could disease lay hold on that body. But many of these experiences are unquestionably the experiences of the Per- THE PSALMS 245 feet and Righteous Man, the second Man, walking in the midst of sinners. These fifteen Psalms are rich in spiritual food, yet it must always be remembered that strictly speaking it is not Christian experience, but the experience of Jews under the Law dispensation, and it needs spiritual discernment in using these utterances for ourselves with our heavenly calling and spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. We give but one illustration of what we mean. The much beloved xxxvii Psalm with its blessed promises which we as Christian believers have a right to enjoy and to claim contains the promise, " But the meek shall inherit the earth ; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace" (verse ii). This is promised to the godly Jews who will inherit the earth. The Church does not inherit the earth, but hers is a heavenly possession. When our Lord in the kingly proclamation, the sermon on the mount, said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth," He quoted from the thirty-seventh Psalm. This promise has therefore nothing whatever to do with the church, but is a Kingdom promise for the godly in Israel.* The scope of our work does not permit a detailed expo sition of these 15 beautiful Psalms. We must leave it to the reader to ponder over them prayerfully and to enjoy their blessed comfort, yet always " dividing the Word of Truth rightly." PSALM XXV. Prayer for Mercy and Deliverance. 1. Dependence on the Lord (verses 1-7). 2. Confidence and Assurance (verses 8-14). 3. The Lord the Refuge in Trial and Distress (verses 15-22). * It is deplorable that of late not a few of God's people have been confused by "new light" concerning the kingdom. This theory claims that John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus never offered the promised kingdom to Israel, but that the Kingdom of Heaven is equivalent with the present dispensation. 246 THE PSALMS Verses 1-7. This is another alphabetical Psalm, though not perfect in structure as two letters of the He brew Alphabet (v and k) are missing. This great prayer- psalm begins with the expressions of trust in Jehovah. The soul is uplifted and calm in His presence. Depending on the Eternal One, the soul knows that none that wait on Him shall be ashamed. David found this true in his own experience; so have generations upon generations of His people, and the godly of Israel in the future will make the same experience. They will turn to Him and inquire for His ways, His paths and His truth. Here are their prayers : " Show me — Lead me — Teach me — Remem ber Thy mercies — Remember not my sins — Remember me." And He will answer, yea, He will remember their sins and iniquities no more and remember them in mercy. Our prayer as Christian believers is also for guidance, but we know that our sins are put away, that He hath saved us. Verses 8-14. Here we find expressions of confidence and assurance. He guides the humble in judgment, He teaches the humble His way, a truth which all His people may well remember. The godly in Israel, fearing the Lord, express their confidence that their seed shall inherit the earth and that " all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testi monies." Yea, they know His secrets through His Word ; this godly remnant will see and enjoy His covenant, the new covenant. ( See Jeremiah xxxi : 31-34. ) Verses 15-20. They are in distress, a net has entan gled their feet ; they are desolate and afflicted, in affliction and pain, the burden of sin is upon them, enemies hate them with cruel hatred. They look away from self and from man and are turning their eyes only to the Lord. From Him their deliverance must come. " Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles." And that prayer will be answered. THE PSALMS 247 PSALM XXVI. An Appeal on account of Righteousness. 1. Pleading Integrity (verses 1-5). 2. Separated unto the Lord (verses 6-8). 3. Be gracious unto Me (verses 9-12). Verses 1-5. The opening verses remind us of the first Psalm and well may we put these words into the lips of the perfect Man, who walked in integrity and was sepa rate from sinners. Here we find no Confessions of sin, no pleadings for forgiveness, but instead an avowal of con scious uprightness and separation from wicked men as well as love for His house and for the place where His honour dwells. It is the godly remnant pleading not exactly moral perfection, but uprightness of heart, which has led them apart from the apostate part of the nation. They hate the congregation of evil doers, and on account of this they look for divine vindication. No Christian believer pleads on such grounds with God. We plead that worthy Name, the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 6-8. The washing of the hands in innocency is a Jewish figure. See Deut. xxi : 6. They cleanse them selves from defilement to approach His altar as the priests had to wash their hands and feet. Exodus xxx : 17-21. Verses 9-12. Then their prayer — redeem me and be merciful unto me — gather not my soul with sinners — all the pleading of integrity of heart and separation from evil-doers has not produced assurance of acceptance, though in hope they look forward to the day when in the congregations they will bless the Lord. How different the assurance which Grace gives to us, that we are redeemed and the fullest mercy is on our side. 248 THE PSALMS PSALM XXVII. Holy Longings and Anticipations. 1. Confidence in the Lord (verses 1-3). 2. Longings and Anticipations (verses 4-6). 3. Earnest prayer in trial and trust in the Lord (verses 7-14). Verses 1-3. This Psalm leads us deeper. We repeat that primarily it is a rehearsal of David's experience, per haps at the time of Absalom's rebellion. Here faith breaks through in triumph, with deep longings for the house of the Lord and for His presence, which is fol lowed by a description of the trials through which the godly Israelites will pass in the future. He is Light, Sal vation and the Strength of Life; thus faith lays hold on the Lord and in view all fear and terror must vanish. " The Lord is my light and my salvation ; whom shall I fear ? the Lord is the strength of my life ; of whom shall I be afraid? " It belongs to us all. Yet greater is the shout of faith uttered on the pinnacle of our great Salva tion Epistle, Romans viii — " If God be for us, who can be against us ? " Verses 4-6. Heart longings and blessed anticipations follow. They long for the earthly sanctuary, we for our heavenly abode. Their desire is to dwell in the house of the Lord — to behold the beauty of the Lord — to in quire in His temple. And we too desire to be with Him, to behold Him face to face, and what it will mean then to inquire in His holy Temple! What it will be when up yonder we shall no longer look into a glass darkly ! Then follows praise. Their heads will be lifted up — " there fore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of j oy ; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto Jehovah." And while Israel will sing on earth when their earthly hope and deliv erance has come, the praises of His church will fill the heavens above. Verses 7-14. Once more we hear the cry in distress. The present trouble which is upon them comes into view. THE PSALMS 249 They plead, " leave me not, neither forsake me, 0 God of my salvation " — a prayer which no true Christian believer needs to pray. PSALM XXVIII Prayer for Judgment and Praise for the Answer. 1. Prayer for Judgment (verses 1-5). 2. Praise for the Answer (verses 6-9). Verses 1-5. Their cry now increaseth because of their enemies, the enemies of Israel in the last days. They breathe out cruelty to them (xxvii: 12). They pass through the valley of the shadow of death and if He does not answer and remains silent they be like those that go down to the pit. Hence the imprecatory prayer, " Give them according to their deeds, etc." (Verse 4.) Verses 6-9. In faith the answer is anticipated and praise is given for it. The Psalm ends with a prayer. "Save thy people (Israel), and bless thine inheritance, and lift them up forever." The next Psalms bring the answer. PSALM XXIX. The Judgment Storm. 1. Give unto the Lord the Glory of His Name (verses 1-2). 2. The Day of the Lord described as a Thunderstorm (verses 4-9). 3. The Calm after the storm — the Lord is King (verses 10-11). Verses 1-2. The voice of His trusting people is hushed; His voice is now heard. From Psalm xxv to xxviii we have seen the soul exercise of the remnant of Israel, we heard their prayers, we learned of their hopes and anticipations and of their trials and sorrows. Their last prayer in the preceding Psalm was " Save Thy peo ple," and now He is seen arising to save them. His glory and strength, the Glory of His Name, is now to be mani fested. 250 THE PSALMS Verses 4-9. This is one of the most wonderful poetic descriptions we have in the Bible. The Day of the Lord, when He will be manifested in wrath and in mercy, is de scribed under an onrushing thunderstorm. The mighty tempest passes from North to South. Jehovah thunder eth, great waters sweep along, His voice is heard with power. The mighty cedars of Lebanon are broken by the fury of the storm. The Cedars of Lebanon are symboli cal of the high and exalted things which will be broken to pieces in that day. (Read Isaiah ii: 11-14.) Lebanon and Sirion, the lofty mountains, skip like a young unicorn. The mountains will be shaken by mighty earthquakes and all the governments, typified by mountains, will also be shaken. He is manifested with flames of fire, the lightning of His righteousness, which ushers in His glorious reign. Then the hind is made to calve — it means Israel's new birth, while the forests (the nations) are stripped and laid low. And in His Temple, that greater house, whose maker He is, earth and heaven, " all that is therein utter- eth Glory." (Literal transl.) Verses 10-11. The Storm is past. The Lord has come. The Judgment flood is gone. Jehovah now has taken His throne. He is King and blesseth His people with Peace. The name of Jehovah is found 18 times in this Psalm and this Jehovah is our ever blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. PSALM XXX. A Psalm of Praise. 1. Praise for Deliverance (verses 1-5). 2. The Past Experience (verses 6-12). Verses 1-5. The inscription says that the Psalm was written by David as a song of dedication of the house. It probably means the house of the Lord mentioned in 1 Chron. xxii: 1. The Psalm must be looked upon as expressing prophetically the praise of the nation for the THE PSALMS 251 deliverance and when that greater house of the Lord will be on the earth. (Ezek. xl, etc.) David's experience, of course, stands in the foreground. It is generally assumed that David was sick unto death and that the Lord raised him up. But this foreshadows the experience of the rem nant of Israel. They approached the pit, while their foes were ready to rejoice over them, but the Lord intervened, and they were saved and healed. Then the singing begins. (Verse 4.) Weeping had endured for a night, the dark night of tribulation, but joy came with the morning, that blessed morning for which all is waiting, when the day breaks and the shadows flee away. Verses 6-12. This is a rehearsal of the experiences through which they passed. Mourning for them is turned into dancing ; the sackcloth is taken off and the garments of joy and gladness are put on. Then Kis Glory will be manifested and will sing His Praise throughout Israel's land and the whole earth will be filled with His Glory. PSALM XXXI. The Enemies of Israel and the Victory. 1. The Prayer for Deliverance (verses 1-18). 2. The Victory (verses 19-24). Verses 1-18. Many Saints have turned to this Psalm for encouragement in time of trouble and sorrow. And there is much in it which helps the trusting soul. Notice the different names of Jehovah — my rock — my house of defense — my strong rock — my fortress — my Strength — God of Truth. But like the previous Psalms this one also unfolds prophetically the sufferings of the remnant of Israel during the last days of this age. Yet likewise we may think of Him who endured the con tradiction of sinners. The words " into thine hand I commit my spirit " were used by our Lord when He laid down His life on the cross. (Luke xxiii: 46.) Verses 19-24. The outcome of all the suffering and 252 THE PSALMS trials will be victory for the godly. His goodness will be displayed in their behalf ; He will answer the voice of their supplications in the coming great deliverance. The faith ful ones will be preserved, the proud rewarded for their evil deeds. PSALM XXXII. Fullest Blessing. 1. The Blessedness of Righteousness Imputed (verses 1-5). 2. The Blessedness of Hiding-place (verses 6-7). 3. The Blessedness of Guidance and Preservation (verses 8-11). Verses 1-5. This is the first of the 13 Maschil Psalms, the Psalms of special instruction. They tell us of the understanding which the godly in Israel will have in spirit ual things (see Daniel xii: 10). All these Maschil Psalms have reference to the last days. The foundation of this Psalm is David's own experience. See the application of it in Romans iv. This blessedness of being justified by faith, and all that is included, will be the portion also of the godly in Israel during the end of the age, after the true Church has been caught up. They will pass through David's experience and enjoy the "sure mercies of David." Verses 6-7. And the Justifier is the Hiding-place, the Refuge. As He is now the Hiding-place for His trusting people, so will He be their Hiding-place. The floods of great waters point clearly to the great tribulation. They . will be preserved as it is written concerning this godly remnant by Isaiah : " Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thy self as if it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast." (Isaiah xxvi: 20.) Verses 8-11. Then the blessedness of Guidance and Preservation. His eye will rest upon them and with His eye He will guide them, as He watches over and guides all His people. And finally the righteous kept and delivered will shout for joy. THE PSALMS 253 PSALM XXXIII. The Future Praise of Jehovah. 1. The Call to Praise Jehovah (verses 1-3). 2. His Praise as the Creator (verses 4-9). 3. His Praise of His Governmental Dealings (verses 10-17). 4. His Praise as the Keeper and Deliverer of the Righteous (verses 19-22). What the last verse of the preceding Psalm exhorts to shout for joy, is in this Psalm more fully unfolded. Such praise the Lord has not yet received, it looks for ward to millennial times when all the earth fears the Lord and all the inhabitants stand in awe of Him (verse 8). Now they oppose and defy Him and His Word. Then the counsel of the nations will be brought to nought and His people Israel, His own nation, will be blessed. The last verse is a prayer that His mercy may be bestowed upon His people Israel, who hope in Him. PSALM XXXIV. The Perfect Praise of His Redeemed People. 1. His Praise for Salvation (verses 1-10). 2. The Instructions of the Righteous (verses 11-16). 3. His Redemption Remembered (verses 17-22). This is another alphabetical Psalm, only one letter is omitted. It is primarily the praise of David after his escape from Gath, as the inscription tells us. Prophet ically it is the Praise of His redeemed and delivered peo ple, delivered from all their fears (verse 4) and saved out of all their troubles (verse 6). Such will be their wor ship and praise in the coming day, while they themselves will be teachers and instructors in righteousness. (Verses 12-16; see 1 Peter iii: 10-12.) Verse 20 is a literal prophecy concerning our Lord and was literally fulfilled (John xix: 36). But the believer also can claim this promise, for we are His bones. " It 254 THE PSALMS intimates to the believer the limitation within which the power of the oppressor is -confined, with whom he is in ceaseless conflict. As the same Scripture which contains the record of Messiah's sufferings provided also that no bone of Him should be broken, so it is with the Saint." They will be kept by His own power. The last two verses of this Psalm shows the judgment of the wicked and the deliverance of the righteous in that day. We have seen once more how Psalm is linked with Psalm. PSALM XXXV. The Cry for Justice and Divine Help. 1. The Cry of Distress (verses 1-10). 2. The Contrast? (verses 11-18). 3. Prayer for Vindication and Victory (verses 19-28). This Psalm introduces us again to the suffering of the righteous, giving another prophetic picture of the distress of the remnant. When David composed this Psalm we do not know. But He casts himself completely on the Lord and calls to Him for help and vindication. Thus the godly have always done when surrounded by tbe ene mies who persecuted them. The condition of the godly when violence is in the earth during the time of Jacob's trouble is here fully pictured, and their prayers pre written by the Spirit of God. They look to Him to fight against their enemies, so that they may be confounded and put to shame, that they might be like the chaff before the wind, driven away. These are imprecatory petitions, such as a Christian is not authorized to pray, but these petitions will be perfectly justified in those final days, when judgment is decreed upon the enemies of God. The godly act in righteousness towards the wicked, but they reward evil for good, showing that they are ripe for judg ment. And therefore their plea, " How long, O Lord, wilt Thou look on? " (verse 17). " Rescue my soul from Iheir destructions, my darling from the lions." This re- THE PSALMS 255 minds us of the xxii Psalm where this expression applies to our Lord. The remnant suffers with Him. And then their faith looks forward to the time of vindication and victory. PSALM XXXVI. Contrasts. 1. What the wicked is and does (verses 1-4). 2. What Jehovah is and does (verses 5-9). 3. Prayer and Trust in His loving kindness (verses 10-12). The wicked are described in their wickedness, with sin in the heart, no fear of God ; filled with pride and flattery, speaking evil and doing evil. " But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." (2 Tim. iii: 13.) This is the Divine forecast for the last days and these opening verses of this psalm show the .wicked of the last days. But what a Lord He is whom they do not fear ! What a contrast ! And the righteous know His mercy, His faithfulness, His righteousness and His judgment. Only good is in store from His side for those who trust in Him. His lovingkindness is excellent, He covers them with the shadow of His wings, He satisfies them abundantly with the fatness of His house. Such will be the hope and comfort of the godly when the wicked wax worse and worse, till the day comes when the workers of iniquity shall fall, unable to rise again. PSALM XXXVII. The Blessed Lot of the Righteous contrasted with the Wicked. 1. Waiting for Jehovah and His Promise (verses 1-11). 2. The Doom of the Wicked and the Portion of the Righteous (verses 12-20). 3. The Ways of the Righteous and the Wicked (verses 21-29). 4. God's gracious Ways with the Righteous (verses 30-40). 256 THE PSALMS This Psalm is also Alphabetical in structure and some what proverbial in character. It is full of sweet comfort and encouragement to faith. All the Saints of God have fed on its beautiful statements, and the coming Saints of Israel will find help and strength in it for their souls. He who trusts in the Lord and waits for Him needs not to fret on account of evil-doers; they will soon be cut off. But what is the righteous man to do ? Trust in the Lord — Delight thyself in Him — Commit thy way unto the Lord — Rest in the Lord. If God's people will but do this all is well, for He who never f aileth adds His promises. He promises safety, the fulfilment of the heart's desire; He will bring it to pass and bring forth righteousness as the light. Waiting for the Lord will end for the godly of that coming day, when the evil-doers will be cut off in judgment and when those who waited on the Lord shall inherit the earth. This is Israel's promise which will be realized for the godly remnant when the Lord appears in glory in their midst. These brief hints will help in the study of the entire Psalm. It must be looked upon as prophetic, pointing to the day when the wicked troubles no more, when his end is come and when the Lord exalts the righteous to inherit the land. PSALM XXXVIII. The Suffering Saint and Confession of Sin. 1. Suffering and Humiliation (verses 1-8). 2. Looking to the Lord (verses 9-15). 3. Confession and Prayer (verses 16-20). This Psalm is read by the Jews on the Day of Atone ment. It pictures great suffering in body and soul; it reminds us in different ways of the Book of Job. (See and compare verse 2 with Job vi : 4 ; verse 4 with Job xxiii: 2; verse 11 with Job xix: 13; the loathsome disease, with no soundness in the flesh, also reminds of Job's expe rience.) And the suffering one looks to Jehovah, He is THE PSALMS 257 his hope. He confesses his sins, pleads, "Make haste to help me, 0 Lord of my salvation." And that cry will always be answered. PSALM XXXIX. Deep Soul Exercise in view of Man's Frailty and Nothingness. 1. The Vanity of Life (verses 1-6). 2. Self- Judgment and Prayer (verses 7-13). This Psalm is connected closely with the preceding one and shows deep soul exercises. In the midst of trial, with God's hand resting upon the sufferer, he had been silent before his enemies. Before the Lord he did not maintain silence but pours out his heart, confessing the vanity of his fleeting life which appears to him as a hand-breadth and altogether vanity. Beautiful is verse 7. " And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee." All else the Saint waits for in this little life down here is vanity except the Lord. These two^ Psalms have also their spe cial application to the suffering remnant, who learn the vanity of all things and wait for the Lord only. PSALMS XL AND XLI. PSALM XL. Christ the Obedient One and the Fruit of His Work. 1. The Path of the Obedient One (verses 1-12). 2. His Prayer and His Comfort (verses 13-17). Verses 1-12. The Fortieth and Forty-first Psalms are Messianic. Our Redeemer and Israel's Redeemer is bless edly revealed in them both and with the testimony to Him the first Book of the Psalms closes. Psalm xl begins with what may be termed " Christ's resurrection song." He came and went as the sin-bearer into the horrible pit (He brew: the pit of destruction) and the miry clay, and the 358 THE PSALMS power of God brought Him out, raised Him from the dead, set His feet upon a rock and established His goings (His ascension). A new song is put into His mouth, "even praise unto our God." It is the song of redemption which He sings first and all who believe on Him join in that song. That is why we read " our God." The many who shall see it are those who trust in Him who was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification. And who can tell out the wonderful works He has done in redemption ; " they are more than c'an be numbered." Verses 6-8 are quoted in Hebrews x. The ears opened, literally " digged ears," refers us to Exodus xxi. The N. T. quotes the Septuagint translation, made undoubt edly with the sanction of the Holy Spirit, " a body hast Thou prepared Me." In verses 13-17 we hear Him pray as the sin-bearer of His people, as we hear Him say in verse 12 that the sins He bore are more than the hairs upon His head. The doom of those who reject and de spise Him, and the blessing of all who love His salvation are likewise mentioned. PSALM XLI. Faith and Unbelief in View of the Cross. 1. Faith in Him and the Results (verses 1-3). 2. Unbelief and its Hatred (verses 4-9). 3. The Vindication of the Christ of the Cross (verses 10-13). The Poor One (literally: the miserable, exhausted One) is the Lord Jesus suffering on the Cross. Blessed are they who understand as to Him, who consider Him, for it means deliverance, salvation, preservation, victory and happiness. But unbelief mocks and sneers at Him. They speak against Him, make evil devices against Him, the sin-bearer, that an evil disease (literally: a thing of Belial) is upon Him and that He shall rise no more. All this points back to the cross and is still true of the unbe liever who rejects the Cross. Verse 9 refers to Judas THE PSALMS 259 who betrayed Him. See John xiii : 18 and notice when our Lord quotes from this Psalm He omits the words " whom I trusted," for the Omniscient One knew Judas, and did not trust him. And He, the poor and needy One, the miserable One, the Forsaken One, had His prayer answered; He is the risen One (verse 10) ; in God's own presence, before His face (verse 12). The first Book of the Psalms ends with Praise, prophetic of the Praise which is yet to fill all the earth. Amen and Amen. THE SECOND BOOK. PSALMS XLII-LXXII. The second Division of the Book of Psalms corresponds to the Book of Exodus, the second Book of the Penta teuch. That book begins with the groans and moans of a suffering people in Egypt and after redemption by blood and by power, ends with the Glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle when the work was finished. Ruin, oppression, suffering and sorrow, ending in deliverance and redemp tion, is the order in which the Psalms in this section are arranged. It is a most interesting study and we regret that we cannot enter into all the details, to explore these mines of prophecy. The oppressed, persecuted people, who suffer surrounded by the ungodly, is that same godly remnant of Israelites. Their deliverance comes by the visible manifestation of the Lord, the second coming of our Lord. The Psalm which concludes this Exodus of the Psalms is the lxxii, the great Kingdom Psalm, when His Kingdom has come and the King reigns in righteousness. PSALMS XLII-XLIX. These 8 Psalms form the first section. Here the rem nant is seen in great distress, having fled from Jerusalem on account of wickedness during the time of the great tribulation (Daniel xii:l), longing for deliverance. 260 THE PSALMS Then we learn how that deliverance comes by the manifes tation of the King and the results which follow that deliv erance. PSALM XLII. Longing after God in the midst of Distress. 1. Longing after God and His Sanctuary (verses 1-6). 2. Distress and the Comfort of Hope (verses 7-11). This is the second Maschil Psalm, for instruction of the godly of that day. The remnant looks towards the sanc tuary, the house of God, from which they are separated and driven away. They are panting after God, as the hart panteth after the water brooks. Their cry comes from " the land of Jordan " — Jordan, the type of death, and from the Hermons (which means " ban "), from the hill Mizar (littleness). The enemy taunts, "Where is thy God? " For them deep calleth unto deep and they cry out " all thy waves and billows are gone over me." They suffer with Him, bearing His reproach, over whose blessed head the waves and billows also passed. " Why hast Thou forgotten me?" they cry to God and remind Him of the oppression of the enemy. Yet Hope and trust fills their soul. PSALM XLIII. The cry against the Ungodly Nation and Antichrist. 1. The Cry to God (verses 1-2). 2. Send out Thy Light and Truth (verses 3-5). Here their enemies are mentioned, the ungodly nation, serving the Beast (Revel, xiii: 11-18). The deceitful and unjust man, is that coming man of sin, the son of perdition, who then has taken his seat in the temple of God in Jerusalem. (2 Thess. ii.) They realize their help must come from the Lord to lead them to the holy hill and the sanctuary. They call for the coming of Him who is " the Light and the Truth." THE PSALMS 261 PSALM XLIV. The Increased Cry for Deliverance. 1. My King, 0 God! Command Deliverances (verses 1-8). 2. Trouble upon Trouble and Confusion (verses 9-21). 3. Awake! Arise for our Help! (verses 22-26). The third Maschil Psalm. They remember the days of old, what God did for His covenant people in the past, how He gave them the land with an outstretched arm and delivered them from their enemies. They own Him as King and call on Him to command deliverances for Jacob. Then they utter their -complaint and describe the great troubles and calamities they are facing; they are spoiled, like sheep appointed for meat, scattered, scorned and de rided. Yet they have not forgotten Him. Then follows the cry for the Deliverer and for deliverance. " Arise for our help, and redeem us for Thy mercies sake." PSALM XLV. The Answer. The King Messiah and His Glory. 1. The King in His Majesty and Power (verses 1-5). 2. His Throne and His Glory (verses 6-8). 3. With the King, Sharing His Glory and Kingdom (verses 9-17). This beautiful Psalm, a perfect gem, gives the answer to the prayer of distress, " Arise for our help," with which the preceding Psalm closed. It is also a Maschil Psalm and a traditional view claims Solomon as the author. And how the Critics have laboured, without success, to explain away its Messianic meaning! The Jews have borne witness to this fact. The Chaldean Targum para phrases verse 2 by saying, " Thy beauty, O King Messiah, is greater than that of the sons of men." And the emi nent Jewish expositor Aben-Ezra says, " This Psalm treats of David, or rather of his son the Messiah." But the first chapter in the Hebrew Epistle establishes for ever that the Lord Jesus Christ is here prophetically re- 262 THE PSALMS vealed. It has the inscription " upon Shoshannim " (Lilies). Here the theory that the inscriptions belong to preceding Psalms breaks down, for He is the Lily of the valley, revealed now as the King, the Beloved One. What sublime descriptions of the Person of our Lord! Here is His perfect Humanity, fairer than the children of men, with grace poured into His lips. His kingly Glory, His manifestation in Glory, executing the vengeance of God upon His enemies and delivering His waiting people. Here is His Deity, for the King is God, " Thy Throne, O God, is forever " ; His Cross, He loved righteousness and hated iniquity, and the oil of gladness which is upon Him in resurrection glory, and His fellows share His glory. He receives the Kingdom. With Him is the Queen at His right hand in gold of Ophir, the Lamb's wife, to share His rule and reign with Him. The King's daughter is Israel, now all glorious within, born again, with garments of wrought gold, the symbol of gk>ry. Her companions are nations now brought to the King. From henceforth the Name, which is above every other Name, will be re membered and His people will praise Him forever and ever. PSALM XLVI. The Deliverance and what follows. 1. God is our Refuge and Strength (verses 1-3). 2. His Coming in Power and Glory (verses 4-7). 3. What follows His Manifestation (verses 8-11). This is " a song upon Alamoth," which means " maidens' voices " and calls to remembrance the song which Miriam and the women sang when the Lord redeemed His people by power at the Red Sea. The remnant delivered relates prophetically the experience of deliverance. They trusted in God as their refuge and strength, though the earth was moved and the mountains carried into the sea. Then He appeared and helped His people " at the dawn of the morning." The nations raged, the kingdoms were THE PSALMS moved — then His voice was heard, while His people shouted " Jehovah of hosts is with us." They call next to behold the desolations which judgment has wrought. Then, 'and only then follows peace and all wars are ended. " He maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth, He breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear asunder." PSALM XLVII. He is King over all the earth. 1. In the midst of His People (verses 1-5). 2. The Praise of His Delivered People (verses 6-9). And now we see prophetically how the redeemed people clap their hands and shout unto God with the voice of triumph, for Messiah is King and then they sing praises unto the King, for He is King over all the earth and highly exalted. Every knee must bow and 'every tongue confess. PSALM XLVIII. The Judgment of the Nations and the Millennium. 1. Jerusalem the City of the King (verses 1-3). 2. The Confederated Nations scattered (verses 4-7). 3. The Millennium (verses 8-14). Jerusalem is now seen as the city of the great King. His glorious throne will there be established, and Mount Zion becomes the joy of the whole earth. Verses 4—7 show what preceded the coming of the King. The nations had come against Jerusalem (Zech. xiv), a mighty con federacy was assembled. He came and scattered them by His judgments. Then Jerusalem is established forever; His millennial reign begins. 264 THE PSALMS PSALM XLIX. Retrospects and Meditations. I. Hear this, all ye Peoples! (verses 1-4). 2. His Message of Retrospect and Encouragement (verses 5-20). If such is the outcome and the goal of the purposes of God concerning His People, why should they fear in the days of evil, which precede the coming glory? The ungodly will pass away no matter .how great their riches are, nor can they redeem themselves; their way is folly; like sheep they are laid in the grave and death feeds on them. But different is the lot of the righteous. They shall have dominion over them in the morning, when the night of suffering and trouble is ended. They will be redeemed from the power of the grave and He shall re ceive them, " for He will swallow up death in Victory." PSALMS L AND LI. PSALM L. The Demands of a Righteous God. 1. His Coming and His Call (verses 1-6). 2. The God of Israel Speaks (verses 7-13). 3. The Demands of Righteousness (verses 16-21). Psalms 1 and li belong together. In the first God is described coming to Israel, proclaiming His righteousness and demanding righteousness from His people and in the second Israel makes confession of sin. Psalm 1 is by Asaph. He describes the Lord shining out of Zion, com ing in glory as the righteous Judge to judge His people. When the Lord appears His people will be gathered in His presence, for He has a controversy with them ; He declares unto them the righteousness which He as their God re quires. He does not want their ritual services, sacrifices and offerings, but He requires that which is the fruit of true faith, the sacrifice of thanksgiving and practical THE PSALMS 265 righteousness of life. He uncovers their moral condition and warns, " Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver." PSALM LI. The Confession. 1. Conviction and Prayer for Forgiveness (verses 1-8). 2. Prayer for Cleansing and Restoration (verses 9-13). 3. Bloodguiltiness acknowledged (verses 14-19). 4. Prayer for Zion (verses 18-19). This great penitential Psalm, according to the inscrip tion, was the outburst of confession and repentance of David when Nathan had uncovered his sin. Well has it been said, " So profound a conviction of sin, so deep and unfeigned a penitence, so true a confession, a heart so tender, so contrite, a desire so fervent for renewal, a trust so humble, so filial in the forgiving love of God, are such as we might surely expect from ' the man after God's own heart.' " We cannot enter into all the petitions and ex pressions of sorrow over sin which are found in this re markable Psalm. It goes deep in confession and broken- ness of spirit. All the Saints of God know something of such deep soul exercises on account of sin. We point out the prophetic meaning of the Psalm. It is the future Confession of Israel of their sin and espe cially their bloodguiltiness which is upon that nation. It is therefore the answer of penitent Israel to the words of the righteous Judge in the preceding Psalm. David had bloodguiltiness upon him. And when the Jews delivered the Holy One into the hands of the Gentiles they cried, " His blood be upon us and upon our children." This bloodguiltiness will then be confessed when the Lord comes, when they look upon Him whom they pierced and shall mourn for Him. (Zech. xii: 10.) Isaiah liii is a similar confession which Israel will yet make. It will be the time of their deep contrition, national repentance and weeping. 266 THE PSALMS Then they will become the teachers of the Gentiles, to teach transgressors His ways, that sinners be converted unto Him. They will sing aloud of His righteousness, when the Lord has taken away their sins. Then they will bring sacrifices of righteousness and the Lord will do good to Zion and build Jerusalem. PSALMS LII-LV. PSALM LII. The Proud and Boasting Man. 1. The Character of the Man of Sin (verses 1-7). 2. The Character of the Righteous (verses 8-9). The four Psalms which follow (all Mashil Psalms) give mostly a prophetic picture of the Man of sin, the final Antichrist, the false Messiah-king, under whom the godly in Israel will especially suffer. He is first described as the mighty man, the super-man, who boasts in evil. He is also a lying, deceitful man, " working deceitfully " and having a " deceitful tongue." But God is going to deal with him, destroy him forever, take him away, pluck him out of his dwelling place, and out of the land of the living. He will be destroyed with the brightness of the Lord's Coming. (2 Thes. ii:8.) PSALM LIII. The Apostasy under the Man of Sin. This Psalm is in greater part the same as the four teenth. It is the description of the apostasy, the com plete turning away from God and opposition to God, which will hold sway when Satan's mighty man is on the earth. Then the godly remnant will sigh for the coming of salvation out of Zion. THE PSALMS 267 PSALM LIV. The Prayer of the Godly. 1. The Prayer for Salvation (verses 1-3). 2. The Assurance of Faith (verses 4-7). During that final Apostasy when the Man of Sin is re vealed, the Saints among the Jews will suffer persecution as the prophetic Word elsewhere reveals. Here is another prophetic record of their prayers, with a believing antici pation of deliverance. PSALM LV. In the Throes of the Great Tribulation. 1. Prayer for Help (verses 1-3). 2. Longings to Escape (verses 4-8). 3. The Great Tribulation (verses 9-21). 4. The Comfort of Hope (verses 22-23). The man of sin, the Antichrist, stands out prominently in this Psalm. Because of him and his oppression, the godly remnant calls for help. They are overwhelmed with horror and beholding the abomination, they wish for wings like a dove and escape from the storm and the tempest of the great tribulation. This is in accordance with Mat thew xxiv: 15—16, which refers to the same time. They will actually flee to the mountain and will be away from Jerusalem as we learned in Psalm xiii. The great tribu lation has begun and of Jerusalem it will be true " wicked ness is in the midst thereof, deceit and guile depart not from her streets." And this wicked one, the Antichrist, is one of the nation, not a stranger, the man with a flatter ing tongue, who even walked in the house of God. And now his character and the character of his followers is exposed as they turn against the godly. Hence the im precatory prayer (verse 15). Here is the 70th week of Daniel's prophecy, the last seven years, divided into half. In the first half the Antichrist is the man who claims 268 THE PSALMS friendship, with words smooth as butter, but in the middle of the week he breaks the covenant and puts his hands against such as are at peace with him. (Verse 20.) PSALMS LVI-LX. PSALM LVI. The Faithfulness of God, the Comfort of His People 1. Trust and Comfort (verses 1-9). 2. Praise for Anticipated Deliverance (verses 10-13). These five Psalms which are grouped together are Mich- tam Psalms. This one was written by David when the Philistines took him at Gath. The inscription Jonath- elem-rechokim has been rendered by the Septuagint trans lators as " upon the people driven afar from the holy place," the literal rendering is, " The dove of silence in far off places." On account of the great tribulation, the abomination in Jerusalem, seen in the previous Psalm, the godly have left the city and here we have the expressions of their trust in the faithfulness of their God. What ever the enemy may do they can say in all their wan derings and with all their tears, " Thou tellest my wan derings, put Thou my tears into Thy bottle, are they not in Thy Book? " Blessed comfort is ours too. PSALM LVII. Perfect Trust in God. 1. Sheltered until the Trouble is Past (verses 1-5). 2. Deliverance and Praise (verses 6-11). The inscription is Al-taschith, which means " Destroy not " ; it is the Michtam of David when he fled from Saul. It shows us once more the exercise of faith in the godly of Israel. In the shadow of His wings they take refuge till these calamities are overpast. They look for intervention from above, from where it will surely come at the close of THE PSALMS 26 d the days of tribulation. " He shall send from heaven, and save me." Then they know they will be delivered in an ticipation of which the voice of praise is heard. " Be Thou exalted, 0 God, above the heavens, let Thy glory cover all the earth." PSALM LVIII. A Judgment Psalm. 1. Why God must Judge (verses 1-5). 2. The Judgment Executed (verses 6-11). "Do ye of a truth in silence speak righteousness?" (Literal rendering of the first verse). Righteousness is not heard on earth. Wickedness and violence are on the earth, therefore God must arise and deal with these condi tions in judgment. It will overtake the wicked and the imprecatory prayers will be answered. Then the right eous will be glad when he seeth the vengeance and it will be said, " Verily there is a reward for the righteous ; verily He is a God who judgeth the earth." PSALM LIX. Gentile Enmity against Israel. 1. Surrounded by Nations (verses 1-8). 2. Their Judgment Anticipated (verses 9-17). Another Michtam of David when he was persecuted by Saul. While in previous Psalms we saw prophetically the remnant of the last days suffering from their own ungodly brethren and the Antichrist, here the nations are their enemies. The word " Heathen " should always be trans lated nations. They will surround Jerusalem. This is mentioned in verse 6. They are like the dogs, the term used for Gentiles in the Word. The godly pray for deliv erance and in faith sing of His power — " I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the Morning " — that coming morning when the shadows flee away. 270 THE PSALMS PSALM LX. The Lord with His People. 1. Confessions and Prayer (verses 1-5). 2. The Inheritance Anticipated (verses 6-8). 3. Faith's Certainty (verses 9-12). This Psalm, " Shushan-Eduth " (the lily of testimony), also a Michtam of David, has for its beginning a confes sion of the godly in Israel. The Lord they acknowledge had scattered them and is angry with them. They pray for restoration. " That thy beloved may be delivered, save with Thy right hand and hear me." Then He hears and answers in His holiness and His people rejoice as once more they possess their earthly inheritance. The casting of the shoe upon Edom means the subjugation of Edom, taking possession and making Edom a servant. PSALMS LXI-LXVIII. PSALM LXI. The Identification of the King with His People. 1. His Cry and their Cry (verses 1-4). 2. His Answer and Exaltation (verses 5-8). These 8 Psalms are grouped together leading up again to the final deliverance of Israel and the Glory of the Lord. The question in connection with this Psalm is, who is the King whose years shall be from generations to generations, that is forever, who shall abide in God's pres ence forever? The ancient Jewish Targum says it is King Messiah, which is the true answer. This is the key to this Psalm. The King, Christ, is seen as identified with the remnant. He walked on earth trusting, having as the dependent Man His shelter in God. And so does the godly remnant trust and fleeing to the rock which is higher than they, find their shelter there also. And when the King comes back they will have their full deliverance. THE PSALMS 271 PSALM LXII. Waiting and Trusting. 1. He Only (verses 1-2). 2. Persecuted (verses 3-4). 3. My Expectation from Him (verses 5-12). This Psalm is not difficult to interpret. It has always been food for the Saints of God. Faith in God in the midst of adversity and persecution, waiting on Him, ex pecting salvation, deliverance and defense only from Him is beautifully expressed. Like all these Psalms this one also gives us a prophetic glimpse into the experience of the remnant of Israel. But it has its practical value for us likewise. The first verse literally rendered is, " Only unto God my soul is silence — " that is hushed in His presence, in confident submission. To expect all from Him, nothing from man, to look away from self and magnify the Lord, is the secret of a life of rest and victory. PSALM LXIII. Heart-longings. 1. To see Thy Power and Glory (verses 1^1). 2. Satisfied Longings (verses 5-11). A Psalm of David when he was an outcast in the wilder ness of Judah. Thus it fits in well with the outcast rem nant, thirsting after God, longing to see His Power and His Glory displayed. And these longings are created in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, as in our hearts also. These longings will be satisfied in the coming day of His manifestation, when His people shall praise and worship Him. PSALM LXIV. The Wicked and their End. 1. The Power of the Wicked ' Displaced (verses 1-6). 2. Their Sudden End (verses 7-10). 272 THE PSALMS This Psalm stands in contrast with the preceding ones. The outward circumstances, the deeds and power of the wicked, are seen again. But suddenly the Lord will act and strike down the wicked. He will avenge His own elect, who cry day and night unto Him. (See Luke xviii : 1—7. The widow in this parable is the godly Is- raelitish remnant.) PSALM LXV. The Times of Restitution and Refreshing. 1. Spiritual Blessings (verses 1-5). 2. Earthly Glories and Blessing (verses 6-13). The four next Psalms unfold prophetically the times of restitution of all things as spoken by the mouth of His holy Prophets since the world began. Here we get the visions of Israel's restoration, her spiritual blessings and her praise unto the Lord, and what will be the result for the nations and for all creation. We recommend a care ful study in details by comparing Scripture with Scrip ture. In this Psalm Zion is mentioned first. It will be the joy of the whole earth and His Praises will sound forth from the glorious place of His rest. Then He who answereth prayer unto Him, who is the Desire of all na tions, all flesh will come. The nations will be gathered into the kingdom. Israel's transgression will be purged away and they will be fitted to draw near and be satisfied with the blessings of His house, that future holy Temple which will be filled with His Glory. (Ezekiel xliii.) The terrible things in righteousness with which the Lord has answered the pleadings of His suffering people, are His judgments, the vengeance of God. The results will be " Peace on earth, Who stilleth the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the tumult of nations." Verses 9—13 show that the curse which rests now upon creation will then be removed and even creation itself will shout for joy and sing. THE PSALMS 273 PSALM LXVI. The Praise and Worship of the Millennium. 1. What God hath Wrought! (verses 1-7). 2. Israel's Praise and Worship (verses 8-20). " Shout aloud unto God, all the earth ! Sing the Glory of His Name, ascribe to Him glory, in His praise." This will be done in the coming Kingdom age. And Israel will be the leader of that praise, calling upon the nations to join into the glory song. " All the earth shall worship Thee, and shall sing unto Thee, they shall sing Thy Name, Israel will worship in the beauty of holiness, and this people, now a holy nation and kingdom of priests, become His witnesses." Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul." PSALM LXVII. The Fullest Blessing. This brief Psalm does not permit any division. It is closely linked with the preceding one, telling us of the fullest blessings in store for Israel and the whole earth, when the new day has dawned and the King reigns. If this little Psalm in its prophetic message were understood it would end forever all postmillennial misconceptions as to the conversion of the world. Israel prays that the Lord may be gracious to them as He will in that coming day. As a result of Israel's conversion by the coming of the Lord, His way will be known upon the earth and His salvation among the nations. Then the peoples will praise, and the nations will be glad and rejoice. The Lord will be King of nations (verse 4) and the earth yield her increase. Here is God's way for the full Blessing, the earth and the race needs. Israel prays " God shall bless us " and as the result " all the ends of the earth shall fear Him." But Israel's Blessing is inseparably connected 274 THE PSALMS with the return of our Lord. No Blessing and Restora tion till He comes again. PSALM LXVIII. The Great Redemption Accomplished. 1. The Introduction (verses 1-3). 2. The Proclamation of His Name and of His Acts (verses 4-6). 3. A Historic Review (verses 7-12). 4. Israel's Place of Blessing and the Redeemer (verses 13-19). 6. His Victory over the Enemies (verses 20-23). 6 The Great Procession (verses 24-29). 7. The Conversion of the Nations and the Kingdom (verses 30-35). This is one of the greatest Psalms. The Name of God is found in it in seven different forms : Jehovah, Adonai, El, Shaddai, Jah, Jehovah-Adonai and Jah-Elohim. The opening verses mention three great facts of the accom plished redemption. God arises — the enemies are scat tered — the righteous rejoice. See Numb, x : 35. Praise then begins. Verse 4 correctly rendered is " Sing unto God, sing forth His Name, Cast up a way for Him that rideth in the deserts" (not heavens). See also Isaiah lxii:10. The word used for deserts (Araboth) refers to the regions south of Jerusalem, Jordan and the Dead Sea. The One who comes as the glorious King is He who hath passed through the scenes of death and has the power to lead from death to life. He delivers His earthly people Who waited for Him, while the rebellious dwell in a parched land. The manifestation of the God of Israel at Sinai (verse 7, etc.) is the type of His future manifestation. Verse 13, " Though ye have lain among the sheepfolds (Israel) — Wings of a Dove Covered with silver and greenish gold." The Dove, as the sacrificial bird, is a type of Christ, but it is also applied to godly Israel in the Song of Solomon, when they are addressed as " 0 my dove." It applies therefore to both. The wings are cov ered with silver and gold. Silver stands for redemption THE PSALMS 275 and the greenish gold, the finest, for Glory. Christ has brought redemption and Glory, and under His blessed wings, Israel, enjoys and possesseth both. Then the mount of God where His Glory will be seen where He dwells forever. Verse 18 is quoted in Ephesians iv : 8. He, the Redeemer of Israel, had descended first into. the lower parts of the earth, even into the depths of death and the grave. Then he ascended into glory. But no tice, it saith here that this ascended One received gifts for men, but in Ephesians we read that He communicates that which He hath received as the risen and glorified One. The Holy Spirit adds to it in Ephesians. But He also omits something. He leaves out " even for the rebellious." This refers to rebellious Israel and has no place in the Epistle which concerns the church alone. Then His vic tory over the enemies and the lawless leader, the Anti christ. (Verses 20-23.) The wonderful procession, He the triumphant leader, the head of the new Creation. (Verses 24-29.) And finally the world and the nations bowing before Him. There will be a Temple in Jerusalem once more, as we saw before. The Kings of the earth will go there to worship and to bring presents. And then Peace on earth, true peace, lasting peace, universal peace, which the world tries to have now while we write this, without the Prince of Peace. " He scattereth the peoples that delight in war." (Verse 30.) Peace on earth in the Psalms always follows the visible and glorious Manifesta tion of the King. A PSALMS LXIX-LXXII. PSALM LXIX. The Suffering and Rejected Christ. 1. Hated without a Cause (verses 1-6). 2. Bearing Reproach (verses 7-12). 3. His Own Prayer (verses 13-21). 4. The Retribution (verses 22-28). 5. His Exaltation and the Glory (verses 29-36). 276 THE PSALMS These four Psalms go together and lead us prophetically from the suffering and rejected Christ to the Glory of His Kingdom in the Ixxii Psalm. The Sixty-ninth Psalm, like the Forty-fifth, bears the inscription upon Shoshanim (lilies). It concerns Christ and indirectly also the people who suffer for His sake. The Spirit of God in the N. T. quotes this Psalm repeatedly. See Verse 4 and John xv : 25 ; verse 9 and John ii : 17 and Romans xv : 3 ; verses 22-23 and Romans xi:9-10; verse 25 and Acts i:20. Verse 21 was literally fulfilled as we find from the Gospels, Matthew xxvii: 34, 48; Mark xv:23, 36; Luke xxiii: 36 and John xix : 28-30. No further evidence is needed that the Lord Jesus Christ in His suffering and rejection is here described. Yet the Critical school attempts to deny the prophetic aspect. Referring to verse 21 and what the Gospels say about our Lord's words " I thirst," that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, Prof. Davidson saith in the Century Bible " the fulfilment of Scripture referred to must not be understood as the accomplishment of a direct prophecy." And again in commenting on verses 22—23, quoted by the Spirit of God in Romans xi, the same pro fessor declares, " These imprecations are among the dark est and fiercest in the Psalter. The gulf which separates these verses from " Father forgive them," marks the im passable limits of typology." But it does not in the least. The words apply to the nation as righteous retribution from the side of God after they rejected His Son. In His heart there is still the same Love, for they are still beloved for the Father's sake. But these imprecations also belong rightly into the lips of the remnant against' the Antichristian oppressors of the last days. Well may we read the Psalm and think of all His suffering and sorrow in our behalf. The Psalm ends with His Praise, the exaltation and Victory of the Christ who died for the ungodly. THE PSALMS 277 PSALM LXX. This Psalm is " to bring to remembrance." It is the repetition of the last five verses of the Fortieth Psalm. The Cross is again made known and the attitude of men towards that cross, those who reject Him and those that love His Salvation. PSALM LXXI. Israel's Song of Hope. 1. Declaration of Trust (verses 1-11). 2. Anticipations of Faith (verses 12-18). 3. Revival and Victory (verses 19-24). This Psalm, which bears no inscription whatever, gives another prophetic picture of the faith and the anticipa tions of faith as found in the godly of Israel, when the salvation is about to come out of Zion. They look to Him who is all sufficient to deliver and to save them. The Psalm may well be called Israel's song of Hope. It abounds in many beautiful, refreshing statements, equally precious to us. PSALM LXXII. The Kingdom Psalm. 1. The King, Who Reigns in Righteousness (verses 1-4). 2. His Kingdom from Sea to Sea (verses 5-11). 3. The Blessings and the Kingdom (verses 12-20). The last Psalm of this Exodus section describes the establishment of the promised kingdom, the kingdom of heaven on earth. Surely the Spirit of God directed the arrangement of the Psalms, and put each into the right place. Here we have a beautiful prophecy of what is yet to be and for which all is waiting now, in a time when every form of government ha-s failed and law and order 278 THE PSALMS seems to go to pieces. The King and the King's Son is the Lord Jesus Christ, He who came as the Only Begotten from the bosom of the Father to this earth, to seek the lost sheep of the house of Israel, offering them first the promised Kingdom. His own received Him not. In pre vious Psalms we heard the voice of His complaints, His sorrows and saw the sufferings of the cross. But here we behold Him enthroned as the King of Righteousness and the King of Peace. Righteousness and Peace He alone can bring to man and He will surely bring both for the whole earth when the cloud brings Him back. Then He will be feared and worshipped as long as the sun and moon endure, for all times. Showers of blessing will fall and the righteous will flourish, while the wicked can trouble the righteous no more. Abundance of Peace will be the lot of mankind then and His kingdom will include all the kingdoms of the earth. His enemies will lick the dust and kings will bring Him presents. And the Blessings of His Kingdom! All the subjects in His kingdom will share them and all creation as well. The doxology of this sec tion is the greatest of all. " And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen." — The prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended. Let us quote once more Prof. Davidson what he makes of this. " A note, probably added by the Editor of the Elohistic collection, to mark the end of a group of Davidic Psalms." What blindness ! David had seen the glories of the kingdom of Him who is His Lord and His Son and then declared " his prayers are ended." He has nothing more tlo pray for. THE PSALMS 279 THE THIRD BOOK. PSALMS LXXIII-LXXXIX. The third division of the Book of Psalms corresponds in character to the third Book of the Pentateuch, the Book of Leviticus. That is the Book of the Sanctuary, of Holiness. And this section, which is the shortest, also has the same character. Each Psalm brings the Sanc tuary of Israel in view, with the same prophetic-dispensa- tional character as in the first two Books. The Compan ion Bible gives the following division of the 17 Psalms: Psalms lxxiii-lxxxiii, The Sanctuary in Relation to Man. Psalms lxxxiv-lxxxix, The Sanctuary in Relation to Je hovah. PSALMS LXXIII-LXXVII. Psalms of Asaph concerning the Sanctuary. PSALM LXXIII. The Problem of the Suffering of the Righteous. 1. The Perplexity (verses 1-9). 3. Departure from God (verses 14-14). 3. The Sanctuary and the Solution (verses 15-28). Eleven Psalms by Asaph open this Leviticus section. The clean heart is mentioned at once, and the 'assurance that truly God is good unto Israel and to those of clean heart. But here is the old question, the wicked prosper in spite of all their pride, their violence and corruption, while the righteous suffer. The prosperity of the wicked had an evil effect too upon the people, who departed from God. And Asaph's steps had well nigh slipped, as some said, " Verily I cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency." Then he turns to the sanctuary and finds the solution. In the light of God and His Holi ness he sees their end. Desolation is coming upon them in a moment, they are utterly consumed with terrors. £80 THE PSALMS Then having had the vision of the Sanctuary he grieves over his foolishness, like a beast which does not know God. But could there be more beautiful words than those in verses 23-26! Read and enjoy them. But the experi ence of Asaph will be the experience of the godly remnant. PSALM LXXIV. The Enemy in the Sanctuary. 1. The Prayer on account of the Enemy (verses 1-3). 2. The Work of the Enemy (verses 4-9). 3. Intercession for Intervention (verses 10-23). This is a Psalm for instruction, a Maschil Psalm. The enemy is seen in the Sanctuary. This has been applied to the defilement of the Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes, but prophetically it rather refers to that end-time, when the enemy will defile the temple with the abomination of deso lation. (Matthew xxiv: 15.) Then the remnant loving the sanctuary tells the Lord about it as we read in this Psalm, and in a mighty intercession pleads for interven tion. " 0 deliver not the soul of thy turtledove (Israel) unto the multitude of the wicked — Have respect unto the Covenant, for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty." How true that will be during the great time of trouble. And then the cry to God to arise. PSALM LXXV. The Divine Answer. 1. Christ the Righteous Judge (verses 1-5). 2. His Judgment (verses 6-10). It' is Christ as King who is pictured in this Psalm com ing to answer the pleas of His people in behalf of His Sanctuary. The translation in our version of the open ing verses is faulty. " We give thanks to Thee, 0 God, we .give thanks — Thy Name is near ! When I have taken THE PSALMS 281 the set time, I, even I, will judge uprightly. Though the earth and all the inhabitants thereof are melting, I myself set up its pillars." Then He executes His judgments. He deals with the wicked, the horn lifted up, the man of sin. He putteth down and lifteth up. The wicked will be cut off and the righteous exalted. PSALM LXXVI. Divine Government established and maintained. 1. The Prince of Peace Reigns (verses 1-6). 2. The Day of Wrath and what it brought (verses 7-12). We behold the Lord now in Judah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, His Name great in Israel! In Salem He has His tabernacle and in Zion His dwelling place. There, as the Prince of Peace, He broke the arrows, the shield, and sword and battle. The stouthearted were spoiled. Judg ments were heard from heaven ; the earth feared and was still, then the meek of the earth were saved. The Lord is terrible to the kings of the earth, the final confederacy of nations. How wonderful the order of these Psalms ! PSALM LXXVII. The Distressed Saint and His Comfort. 1. The Distress (verses 1-10). 2. The Comfort (verses 11-20). This Psalm shows the distress of the Saint in deepest exercise of soul. He earnestly seeks the Lord and never leaves off ; " my hand was stretched out in the night, and failed not" (literal translation of verse 2). He moaned and complained and his spirit was overwhelmed. Then in still greater distress he asks, " Will the Lord cast off forever? — Is His mercy come to an end forever?" — > " Hath God forgotten to be gracious ? " The Comfort comes to him as he thinks of God's past deahngs, as he 282 THE PSALMS remembers His works of old. He realizeth " Thy way, 0 God, is in the Sanctuary, who is so great a God as our God? " He remembers how God redeemed His people Is rael in the past, and this being His way as a Holy God, the God of the Sanctuary, He will redeem again and mani fest His power. One can easily see how this Psalm also is Israelitish and finds its application in the last days. PSALMS LXXVIII-LXXXIII PSALM LXXVIII. A Historical Retrospect. 1. The Call to Hear (verses 1-8). 2. Ephraim's Failure (verses 9-11). 3. His Dealings in Power and Mercy (verses 12-55). 4. The Continued Provocation (verses 56-64). 5. His Sovereign Grace in Chosing David (verses 65-72). This historical Retrospect needs no further comment. It is God speaking to the hearts of His people through their own history from Egypt to David. How graciously He dealt with them all the way! The crowning fact is His sovereign Grace in choosing Judah, Mount Zion which he loved, building there His Sanctuary, and choosing David His servant to feed Jacob His people and Israel His in heritance. Here we may well think of the Son of David, God's Anointed in whom God's sovereign Grace is made known and who will yet feed Jacob and Israel His inherit ance. PSALM LXXIX. Lamentation and Prayer on account of the enemy. 1. The Enemy in Jerusalem (verses 1-4). 2. How Long, Lord? (verses 5-13). Zion, the place He loves, mentioned in the preceding Psalm, is here prophetically seen in desolation. The na tions have come into the inheritance, Jerusalem is become THE PSALMS 283 a heap of ruins, the temple is defiled. The dead bodies of His servants and His Saints lie unburied, and the people are a reproach, a scorn and a derision. A similar proph ecy we found in the Seventy-fourth Psalm, which should be compared with this Psalm. While Jerusalem and the temple has seen more than once such desolations, we must view these predicted calamities as being the final disaster which is yet to overtake that City. Read Daniel ix : 27 ; Matthew xxiv: 15, and Rev. xi and Rev. xiii: 11-18. And in that day of calamity where shall the faithful turn? They cry to Him whose faithfulness is proven by the deal ings of the past and assured by the Davidic Covenant. How long Lord? P'our out Thy wrath upon the nations and the kingdoms, the ten kingdoms and the little horn of Daniel vii. They pray, " Remember not our former in iquities — Help us, God of our Salvation." Then when the answer comes they will give Him never ceasing praise. PSALM LXXX. Looking to Heaven for Help through the Man at His Right Hand. 1. Calling to the Shepherd (verses 1-4). 2. The Ruin of His Inheritance (verses 5-16). 3. The Man of the Right Hand (verses 17-19). This Psalm continues the same theme. They call now definitely to the Shepherd, He who is enthroned in glory between the Cherubim. They ask Him to " shine forth," to manifest Himself in glory and power for their salvation, to answer their cries for help. Three times they plead, " Turn us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved." Ancient Jewish com ments on this verse say that the Face which shines upon Israel is the Messiah. Even so when His Face shines, when He is manifested in Glory His earthly people will be saved. And they know Him. They speak of Him as "the Man of Thy right hand," as "the Son of Man 284 THE PSALMS whom Thou madest strong for Thyself." It is our Lord who sits at the right hand of God, waiting till His enemies are made the footstool of His feet. (Psalm xc.) Criti cism refuses to accept this. They say, " Of course Israel is meant." (Century Bible on the Psalms, p. 88.) PSALM LXXXI. Hope Revived. His gracious Return to Israel. 1. The Blowing of the Trumpet (verses 1-5). 2. His Loving Call to His People (verses 6-12). 3. Gracious Results Promised (verses 13-16). Hope has revived and singing is commanded. What interests us most is the call to blow the trumpet in the new moon. The Blowing of the Trumpet, in the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus xxiii), marks the beginning of Is rael's New Year. Dispensationally it stands for the re- gathering of Israel and is followed by the Day of Atone ment, that future day, when they shall look upon Him whom they pierced (Zech. xii: 10) and after that the final feast, the harvest feast of tabernacles, a type of the mil lennium. Thus with the blowing of trumpets begins the revival of Israel's Hope in answer to the prayers of the preceding Psalm. And He Himself addresses His people and promises as a result of hearkening to His voice deliv erance from their enemies and other blessings. PSALM LXXXII. Concerning Judgment. 1. The Judge with His Righteous Judgment (verses 1-5). 2. Arise O-God! Judge the Earth (verses 6-8). His own presence in the congregation of God (Israel) means a righteous judgment. Israel is then owned as His congregation. (Numb, xxvii: 17.) The judges among them were called gods; the Hebrew word for judges in THE PSALMS 285 Exodus xxi : 6 is " Elohim " — gods, mighty ones. Our Lord refers to this verse 6 in John x : 34. But' they were unrighteous in their judgments and so He comes Himself to execute judgment and to do justice to the afflicted and needy. And more than that, He will judge the earth and the nations. PSALM LXXXIII. The final Enemies overthrown. 1. The Enemies in Confederacy (verses 1-8). 3. Their Complete Defeat and Fate (verses 9-18). Elsewhere in Prophecy we read of the confederacies of nations, Israel's enemies, coming against the land of Israel in a final great onslaught. There will be an invasion from the North mentioned in Isaiah xxix ; Joel ii ; Daniel viii : 9— 12, and in Zech. xii : 2. Then there will also be Gog and Magog invading the land (Ezek. xxxviii, etc.). It seems the former is in view here. The godly remnant prays and speaks of these invading hosts as " His enemies " calling upon the Lord to deal with them. Their satanic object is to cut them off from being a nation. They remind the Lord of what He did with Israel's former enemies and treat them likewise, so that Jehovah may become the Most High (God's millennial Name) over all the earth. PSALMS LXXXIV-LXXXIX. PSALM LXXXIV. In view of the Sanctuary. 1. Heart Longings (verses 1-7). 2. In the Sanctuary (verses 8-12). The two next Psalms are of the sons of Korah, who themselves are monuments of saving Grace. (They were saved from the fate of Korah; see Numb, xxvi: 10-11.) In these precious outpourings of the heart for the sane- 286 THE PSALMS tuary of the Lord, we read prophetically the heart long ings of the remnant of Israel. They are not yet in pos session of the fullest blessings but look forward now to an early realization of all their hopes of being at His altars again. And all they long for will be their happy and lasting portion. They will go from strength to strength; He will be their Sun and Shield; He will give Grace and Glory. Verse 9 shows us our Lord. " Behold, 0 God our shield, look upon the face of Thine Anointed (Christ)." It is through Him that all this will be accom plished. PSALM LXXXV. All Promised Blessings realized. 1. What Grace has done (verses 1-3). 2. Prayer for the Fulfilment (verses 4-9). 3. Righteousness and Peace (verses 10-13). What will come to Israel when Christ returns to be their King is blessedly made known in the opening verses of this other Korah Psalm. Favour will rest upon the land ; the captivity of Jacob is brought back; their iniquity is forgiven and their sin covered ; His wrath is turned away. Hence they pray that all this may speedily be accom plished as it surely will in the days when heaven will send Him back. Then He will speak peace to His people and His Saints and glory will dwell in the land, even their land (verses 8—9). Then righteousness and peace will kiss each other and Truth shall spring out of the earth. PSALM LXXXVI. A Prayer. 1. The Prayer of the Poor and Needy One (verses 1-9). 2. The Praise of His Name (verses 10-17). This Psalm has for an inscription " A prayer of David." We can hear in it the voice of the Son of David, our Lord, THE PSALMS 287 pleading in the place of humiliation, and also the pleadings of the remnant Saints. The prophetic element enters in with verse 9. " All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord." This will be the glorious result of His humiliation. Into the many and precious details of this Psalm we cannot enter in. The name of the Lord (Adonai) is found seven times in this Psalm. PSALM LXXXVII. Zion and its Coming Glories. Another Korah Psalm. Zion is the object of Jehovah's Love where He will manifest His Glory. Glorious things are spoken of the City of God. This we learn from many visions of the Prophets. When these prophecies are ful filled and the glory has come, then Rahab (Pride — Egypt) and Babylon shall know, as well as Philistia, Tyre and Cush. Nations will be born again and turn to the Lord and share the Blessings of the Kingdom. Then the singers will sing " All my Springs are in Thee," in Him who dwelleth in Zion. The Christian believer gives now this testimony and knows its blessed truth, that Christ is all and in Him we have all our resources. But what will it be when nations with Zion shall know this ! PSALM LXXXVIII. The Deepest Soul Misery poured out. 1 In Deepest Misery and Distress (verses 1-7). 2. Crying and No Answer (verses 8-18). This is a Maschil Psalm by Heman the Ezrahite. See 1 Kings iv:31; 1 Chronicles vi:33, 44; xxv: 4. It is a Psalm of deepest distress, picturing the darkest experience with no ray of light or word of comfort. That it de scribes the real experience of a Saint no one would doubt. But in it we can hear again the voice of sorrow of Him 288 THE PSALMS who was the Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. It is His testimony concerning that He passed through as the great Sufferer. " Thou hast laid me into the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and Thou hast afflicted me with all Thy waves." — " Thy fierce wrath goeth over me, Thy terrors cut me off." Such was His experience when on the Cross. The Christ in Humiliation and Suffering is mentioned so fre quently to remind His people of the costprice of Deliver ance and Glory, and that His must be the Glory and 'the praise. PSALM LXXXIX. God's Faithfulness. His Oath bound Covenant with David. 1. Jehovah's Faithfulness (verses 1-18). 2. His Covenant with David (verses 19-37). 3. The Ruin and Desolation (verses 38-45). 4. How Long, Lord? Remember! (verses 46-52). A Maschil of Ethan, a Merarite (1 Chron. vi:4; xv: 17). The greater part of this Psalm extols Jehovah's lovingkindness and faithfulness and makes prominent the covenant with David. We must of course look beyond David and behold Him, the Son of David in whom this covenant will be ratified. Viewed prophetically this Psalm becomes intensely interesting. Verses 4—37 tell us of all the blessings which will be on earth when our Lord, the Son of David, is King. He is the Firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. (Verse 27.) All His enemies will be beaten down, they are scattered. (Verses 10, 22.) Justice and Judgment will be the foundations of His throne, mercy and truth will go before His face. (Verse 14.) His people will be blessed and walk in the light of His countenance; He will be the glory of their strength, their defense and their King (15—18). His seed (includ ing the heavenly people, the church, and the earthly peo ple) shall endure forever, and His throne as the days of THE PSALMS 289 heaven (29, 36). The past ruin of the house of David and the people Israel, the result of unbelief and disobedi ence, covered with shame instead of glory, is described in verses 38-45 and the prayer follows that the Lord may remember what He has sworn to David. 290 THE PSALMS THE FOURTH BOOK. PSALMS XC-CVI. The Ninetieth Psalm begins the fourth Book of Psalms, corresponding in different ways with the Book of Num bers. It opens with the only Psalm written by Moses in the wilderness when the people were dying on account of unbelief, and is followed by a Psalm which shows the sec ond Man, the Lord as the Head of a new Creation. In this Book are found numerous millennial Psalms, showing us prophetically when under Christ, in the day when all things are put under His feet, the wilderness experiences of His people end, glory comes to Israel, the nations and all the earth. PSALMS XC-XCIII. PSALM XC. Man's Condition of Sin and Death. 1. The Eternal One (verses 1-2). 2. Frailty and Death because of Sin (verses 3-10). 3. The Prayer: Return Jehovah! How long (verses 11-17). This Psalm of Moses shows what man is as a sinner, picturing his nothingness, the misery and frailty of his life, and death. The race dies, but does not become ex tinct, for He says, " Return ye children of men." They are carried away as with a flood, they are as a sleep-like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up ; in the evening it is cut down and wither- eth." And time to the Eternal One is as nothing, for a thousand years are to Him as nothing. (See 2 Peter iii : 8. ) It is true, every statement as to frailty, uncer tainty and death, of the entire race. But even in this Psalm of the first man with sin and death, we must see the prophetic aspect. If Verses 7-8 is true of those who died in the wilderness, it is also true of God's earthly THE PSALMS 291 people in the time of their trouble. " For we are consumed by thine anger and by Thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance." Hence their plea to return. The prayer with which this Psalm of Death closes becomes illuminated when we look at it dispensationally. " Re turn, 0 Lord, how long? And let! it repent Thee con cerning thy servants. O satisfy us early with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. — Let Thy work appear unto Thy servants and Thy Glory unto their children." It is the expression of hope uttered by His earthly Saints. PSALM XCI. Christ, the Second Man. 1. In Dependence (verses 1-2). 2. In Security (verses 3-8). 3. His Triumph and Exaltation (verses 9-16). This Psalm has no inscription. Its author is unknown, but we know it is the testimony of the Spirit of God con cerning the second Man, our Lord. Satan knew this also for he quoted this Psalm to our Lord in Matthew iv, omit ting the words " in all thy ways." (Verses 11— 12— Mat thew iv: 6.) It is the Psalm God's people love to read on account of its precious assurances given to those who put their trust in Him. In a larger and prophetic sense we have here the blessings of God's power in the Kingdom age when under the rule of the King His people will be kept from all evil. But let us not forget that we have in it a prophetic picture of our Lord as He walked as the de pendent Man on the earth. He dwelled in the secret place of the Most High and trusted in Him, walking in perfect obedience. Death had no claim on His life, for He knew no sin. No evil could come near Him. Angels ministered unto Him. The Lion and the Adder — Satan in his two-fold character, as the powerful enemy and as THE PSALMS the sneaking, hidden serpent — He tramples under His feet. And some day the enemy will also be completely bruised under the feet of His people. Then His exalta tion, " I will set Him on high." PSALM XCII. A Psalm of Praise. 1. Praise for His Works (verses 1-5). 2. The Enemies who perish (verses 6-9). 3. The happy lot of the Righteous (verses 10-15). The inscription tells us it is a Psalm for the Sabbath day. The rest for His people comes when the Lord arises, delivers them, and the enemies perish. This Psalm looks forward to that rest, the coming great Lord's day. The praise is on account of the work Jehovah has done, His redemption work in behalf of His people. " Thou hast made me glad through Thy work — I will triumph in the work of Thy hands." Then the wicked shall perish, and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered, while the Saints of God shall flourish like the Palm tree. PSALM XCIII. Jehovah Reigneth. This is a Kingdom Psalm by an unknown author. The Lord reigneth in majesty. And under His reigfi the world is established; He is above all the floods of many waters, none can withstand Him. Revelation xi: 15-18 may be read in connection with this brief kingdom Psalm. The angry nations mentioned in this passage correspond with the floods of waters mentioned in the Psalm, THE PSALMS PSALMS XCIV-C. PSALM XCIV. Prayer for the Execution of the Vengeance of God. 1. The Prayer on account of the Enemy (verses 1-7). 2. Expostulation with the Wicked (verses 8-13). 3. The Comfort of the Righteous (verses 14-23). The seven Psalms grouped together lead now on to the full establishment of the kingdom on earth and most of these Psalms celebrate His judgment reign, and the bless ings of the age to come. We start once more with a Psalm which pictures vividly the trials of the days which precede the coming of the Lord and the coming of His kingdom. The Spirit of God has arranged these Psalms, as we have by this time learned, in such a manner as to lead from suffering to glory, the path which He went and which His people are appointed to follow also. Hence we see in this Psalm the wicked persecuting and breaking in pieces the people of God, and the righteous remnant is calling to the God to whom vengeance belongeth to show Himself, that is, to manifest His glory in their behalf. The voice of faith we hear also, the assurance that the Lord will not forsake His people nor His inheritance, that the Lord will intervene in behalf of His own and cut off the wicked. PSALM XCV. In Anticipation of His Coming. 1. Singing unto Him? (verses 1-5). 2. Let us Worship and bow down (verses 6-11). It is a call to Israel in anticipation of the soon appear ing of the expected Saviour-King. The next Psalm will show that He has come. How are they, His people, to welcome Him? With singing, with confession (this is the literal translation of thanksgiving in verse 2), with wor ship and prostration. And there is the warning now not to 294 THE PSALMS harden their hearts, not be like their fathers who could not enter into His rest. His people must welcome Him as a willing, as an obedient people and such will be the humble remnant, having passed through the gracious discipline of the tribulation days. The end verses are quoted in Hebrews iii and iv. PSALM XCVI. The Lord has Come. 1. The New Song (verses 1-3). 2. The Lord Supreme (verses 4-6). 3. Glory unto His Name (verses 7-10). 4. Creation Celebrating (verses 11-13). And now He has come and is manifested in the earth. The singing times begin and will last for a thousand years, when they will merge into the never ceasing songs of eter nity. It is a call now to make the glad and glorious news known in all the earth and to make His glory known among the nations. That will be the work of converted Israel. Not much comment is needed; it is all so plain if we just see it refers to His visible Return. And while Israel rejoices, the nations hear that He reigneth, all creation will rejoice as well, for He takes the curse away and delivers creation from its groans. PSALM XCVII. His Glorious Reign. 1. Jehovah Reigneth (verses 1-5). 2. In Righteousness and with Glory (verses 6-12). He reigneth ! Earth and the multitude of isles will now rejoice, for He whose right it is occupies the throne and all unrighteousness, wickedness and idolatry will be ban ished. Zion and the daughters of Judah rejoice and all the righteous rejoice. It is the time of singing and of THE PSALMS 295 joy. And the heavens will reveal His righteousness, while angels worship Him. (Verse 7 and Hebrews i: 6.) What glory scenes will then take place upon this earth ! PSALM XCVIII. The New Song. 1. The Call to Sing (verses 1-3). 2. The Response (verses 4-6). 3. The Praise of All (verses 7-9). The Lord by His Coming has done wonderful things. He has brought salvation and Victory; He has made known His salvation, His righteousness in judgment was seen by the nations. He has also remembered the house of Israel in His mercy and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of God. And therefore the call to sing the new song. And all the world and creation will join in. PSALM XCIX. The Reign of Righteousness. 1. His Throne (verses 1-3). 2. Judgment and Righteousness Executed (verses 4-6). 3. His Gracious Dealings (verses 7-9. It is a Psalm of the righteous government. The Lord who reigns is holy, demands obedience. He is holy and must be worshipped. Moses and Aaron were His priests in the past and Samuel among them that called upon His Name. He dealt graciously with His people in the past and forgave them, and the same Lord now reigneth and will deal in righteousness and mercy with His people. PSALM C. Nothing but Praise. It is Israel's voice in praise which we hear in this brief Psalm, which so fittingly concludes this series of great 296 THE PSALMS millennial Psalms. They exhort that all the earth should make a joyful noise unto the Lord, to serve Him and come before Him with singing. The third verse tells us that they are the speakers. All are to enter His gates with thanksgiving and come into His courts with praise. How often is this Psalm used in a spiritualised way, making the gates and the courts some church building. But we wor ship in Spirit and in Truth and not in an earthly house. The gates and courts have reference to that future Tem ple, which will be a house of prayer for all nations. PSALMS CI-CVI. PSALM CI. The Righteous King Speaketh. 1. The Character of the King (verses 1-3). 2. His Righteous Demands of His Subjects (verses 4-8). A Psalm of David. He speaks as King concerning him self and those in his kingdom. But it is evident that once more he speaks as a prophet concerning the true King, the Son, whom God had promised through him, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is a King of perfect righteousness, which David was not. This true King is in complete fellowship with Jehovah, for He is one with Him. He will not tol erate evil in His Kingdom of righteousness. The proud and the wicked are not suffered by Him. He will destroy early (morning by morning) the wicked out of the land and all evil doers will be cut off from the city of the Lord. Those who walk in a perfect way shall serve Him. PSALM CH. Christ the King in His Humiliation. 1. In the place of Humiliation and Dependence (verses *l-7). 2. His Enemies (verses 8-11). 3. The set Time for Zion (verses 12-16). 4. The Blessings which follow (verses 17-22). 5. The God-man in His Work (verses 23-28). THE PSALMS 297 That this Psalm is a prophecy concerning the suffer ings of Christ, His humiliation and death, and the gracious results which flow from it, is confirmed by the quotation in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. In that chapter His work and His Glory are unfolded. Here we have both. First we have a prophetic picture of the lonely One, like a pelican, an owl in the desert and as a sparrow alone upon the house top. What a deep humilia tion for Him who created all things (verses 23-28) to take the lowest place, even like a sparrow. Then we read how His enemies reproach Him. He eats His bread like ashes and mingles His drink with weeping. He suffers more than that, in making atonement — God's indignation and wrath is upon Him. Next we read something of the joy which was set before Him on account of which He endured the cross, despising the shame. Here is part of the travail of His soul. God will, through Him, have mercy upon Zion when the set time to favour her has come. All nations will then fear His Name, and all the Kings behold His glory. And Zion shall assuredly be built when the Lord appears in glory, His second Coming. Then the glorious results when " the people are gathered together (in the kingdom) and the kingdoms serve the Lord." The closing verses tell us of His Glory as the God-Man. The Man who suffered thus is the Lord of all, Jehovah the Creator. The Spirit of God alone could teach the true application of these words and He has done so in Hebrews i : 10-12. PSALM CHI. The Praise of Israel. 1. The Benefits of full Salvation (verses 1-7). 2. Merciful and Gracious (verses 8-18)., 3. His Throne and His Kingdom (verses 19-22). This is the well-beloved Psalm, because God's people love it for its precious and beautiful expressions, telling 298 THE PSALMS out the full salvation of our Saviour Lord and the gra cious compassion which He manifests towards His own. But we must not overlook the prophetic aspect, which but few believers have recognized. It is really the hymn of Praise which will be sung by redeemed and restored Israel. Theirs will be a whole-souled Praise. Their iniquities are forgiven, their diseases are healed, their life is redeemed from the pit, they are crowned with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Their youth is renewed like the eagle's (Isaiah xl : 28-31, which will be fulfilled then). And then the riches of mercy towards His beloved people! His Throne and His kingdom are seen in the closing verses and everything blesses Him. PSALM CIV. Creation's Praise. 1. The Creator (verses 1-4). 2. The Foundations of the Earth (verses 5-9). 3. His Works Manifesting His Kindness (verses 10-23). 4. How Manifold are Thy Works (verses 24-30). 5. Rejoicing in His Works. Hallelujah (verses 31-35). He is now praised as the Creator by creation. He is seen in His Creator-Glory. When the kingdom is estab lished that Glory will then be manifested. Verse 4 is quoted in Hebrews I showing that the Glory of the risen Christ is here likewise revealed. The angels of God will ascend and descend upon the Son of Man. Then creation will be in its rightful place and man will see His Glory there. The earth will be filled with His Riches (verse 24). Then too sinners will be consumed out of the earth and the wicked be no more for He is King. The Psalm ends with Hallelujah. His people and all creation will praise Him. THE PSALMS 299 PSALMS CV AND CVI. The Memories of the Past. The last two Psalms of this fourth section review the entire History of Israel up to the time of the Judges. It is the story of God's faithfulness and mercy, and the story of their shameful failure and Apostasy. He is ever mind ful of His Covenant, and that covenant is mentioned first, as the foundation of all. Then how He watched over them. The story of Joseph is mentioned, followed by the rehearsal of the deliverance out of Egypt. The cvi Psalm is couched in words of confession, showing their failure all the way, sinning, forgetting, lusting, unbeliev ing and disobedient. Only infinite Mercy and Grace could save such a people. Prophetically these Psalms express the repentance and national confession of Israel, when the Lord has saved them. Then with a new heart, the nation born again, with a new spirit within them, they read their history aright and learn to know the God of Jacob as never before. It is the fulfillment of Ezekiel xxxvi:31. " Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourself in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abomina tions." 300 THE PSALMS THE FIFTH BOOK. PSALMS CVII-CL. The final section of the Book of Psalms, the fifth, is just like Deuteronomy. It shows God's ways with Israel, the end of these ways in deliverance not only for His peo ple, but for their land, for the nations of the earth, for all creation. The Book ends with the Hallelujah chorus of redemption. PSALMS CVII AND CVIII. PSALM CVII. Israel's Deliverances. 1. The Wanderers Regathered (verses 1-9). 2. The Prisoners Released (verses 10-16). 3. The Fools Healed (verses 17-22). 4. Brought to the Haven of Rest (verses 23-32). 5. The Praise of His Ways (verses 33-43). In the Book of Deuteronomy, in Moses' great prophe cies, we read of the scattering of the nation, the lot which should befall them as a disobedient people, becoming wan derers among the nations. But we read also of the prom ised regathering and the promises of restoration (Deut. xxx). How harmonious it is to find the first Psalm of the Deuteronomy section celebrating this promised regath ering and restoration! Again we see the divine power which guided the hand of the instrument who arranged these Psalms. And they thank and praise Him for this accomplished salvation. As wanderers amongst the na tions they suffered and yet perished not as the peculiar nation ; but now they are brought back to the city of habi tation, to their own land. They had rebelled against the words of God and sat as prisoners in darkness and shadow of death ; but now they are released and He brought them out of the darkness, out of judicial blindness, out of na tional and spiritual death, into life and light. They were THE PSALMS 301 fools on account of their transgressions ; but1 now His Word has healed them. They were the storm tossed na tion upon the restless waves of the sea, the emblems of the nations of the world ; but now the storm is passed, the sea of nations is calm and He has brought them into the desired haven. For all this they praise Him. They are now " Israel His Glory " through whom and in whom He has glorified Himself. PSALM CVIII. Israel's Praise for Salvation. 1. Israel's Praise (verses 1-4). 2. The Inheritance (verses 5-9). 3. Through God alone (verses 10-13). This Psalm is not a patchwork of two other Psalms as the Critics declare (Ps. lxxii:8-12 and lx:7-14), but it comes in as a Psalm of David to give another hint on Israel's praise in the day of deliverance. Their heart is fixed to sing His praise. It is a praise not only amongst themselves, but a praise among the nations. Where they were once a byeword they are now a blessing. And their deliverance and possession they will enjoy is not of them selves; it is through God and His power. The second part of the Psalm looks back to the time when deliverance had not yet come. PSALMS CIX-CXIII. PSALM CIX. Christ in Humiliation. 1. Despised and Rejected (verses 1-5). 2. The Rejectors and their Fate (verses 6-20). 3. The Christ in His Sorrow (verses 21-25). The five Psalms which are next grouped together belong to the most interesting in the whole collection. They give a marvellous prophecy concerning Christ, His rejection. 302 THE PSALMS Exaltation and coming Glory. In Psalm cix we see Him rejected. In Psalm ex He is at the Right hand of God, waiting till His enemies are made His footstool, returns as the victorious King and becomes the Priest after the order of Melchisedec. The three Psalms which follow, all Halle lujah Psalms, show forth His Glory and His Kingdom. The cix Psalm gives us once more the story of His rejection. We hear the complaints from Himself, indited by His Spirit. He is the hated One. They fight against Him without a cause. They reward Him with evil for good, and His love, the love which sought them, they answer with hatred. In verses 6—15 has reference to Judas who betrayed Him and applies to all those who reject Him. Verse 8 is quoted by Peter in Acts i:20. Of the betrayer it is said " He loved cursing, so let it come unto him ; as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him." But this is true of all who reject Christ. All the cursing and punishment which come upon the re jectors of Christ are self chosen. In the closing verses ' we hear the weeping, sorrowful voice of the rejected One. PSALM CX. The Psalm of the King=Priest. 1 His Person, Exaltation and Waiting (verse 1). 2. His Manifestation and His Glory (verses 2-4). 3. His Judgment and His Glory (verses 5-7). Seven verses only, but what revelations and depths we find here! The Psalm is frequently quoted in the New Testament. Who is the Person of whom the first verse testifies ? Here is the Critics' answer. " Is the Psalm Messianic? Looking at it by itself, and without pre possession, one would not say that it is, for the writer has in mind some actual ruler of his own day, and his refer ences are to events of his own times " (Prof. Davidson). But what about the words of our Lord in Matthew xxii: 41-46? In the light of these words every critic who de- THE PSALMS 303 nies the Messianic meaning of this Psalm is branded as a liar. And such they are. Our Lord shows that David wrote the Psalm, that he wrote by the Spirit, that the Psalm speaks of Him, as David's Lord and David's son. To deny these facts is infidelity. And the Holy Spirit uscth the Psalm to show the exaltation of Christ. See Acts ii: 34-35; Hebrews i: 13 and Hebrews x: 12-13. How well it fits in with the preceding Psalm. The re jected One is the risen One. His work on earth as the exalted Him to His own right hand. There He waits for sin-bearer is finished. God raised Him from the dead and the hour when God will make His enemies His footstool. This is not accomplished by the preaching of the Gospel, nor by the work of the church, but by God when He sends Him back to earth again and He will bind Satan and all His enemies will be overthrown. The rod of His power will proceed out of Zion and He will rule in the midst of His enemies. Then in that coming day of power, His people (Israel) will be a willing people, who will shine in the beauty of holiness in the dawning of the morning. He will be the true Melchisedec, a Priest upon His own Throne. Then His judgment work and His Victory, j udging nations and the wicked head of nations. " He shall drink of the brook in the way, therefore shall He lift up the head." He was the humbled One, who drank of death, and now is the exalted One.* PSALM CXI. Hallelujah! He Has Done It. This is the first Hallelujah Psalm following the ex Psalm, in which He is praised for what He is and for what He has done. It is a perfect alphabetical Psalm, not a letter of the Hebrew Alphabet is missing. It shows the perfect One and the perfect Praise He will receive * For a complete exposition see the author's pamphlet " The Royal Psalms" (price 10 cents). 304 THE PSALMS when He is on the Throne as the King-Priest. The next Psalm is also perfect in its Alphabetical character. Both Psalms have 22 lines, each prefixed by a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in their right order. All then will be order and all human speech can say will be said in praise of Him who has done it. Read the Psalm and see how His work in redemption is praised. He has now sent re demption to His people. Verse 9 is quoted in Zacharias' song, Luke i : 68, showing that in faith he too looked for ward to the time of the Kingdom. PSALM CXII. Hallelujah! The Righteous are Blessed. The second Hallelujah Psalm tells of blessedness of the righteous in the day the Lord is enthroned. It is pre eminently Israel. His seed will be mighty upon the earth — wealth and riches will be in their house. And the righteous character, their righteous acts are given. " He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor." While this is done by the Jews even today in their unbelief, what will it be in the day they know Him and worship the King ? See Paul's answer in Romans xi: 12—15. The desire of the wicked is then perished. Righteousness reigns. PSALM CXIII. Hallelujah! Praise His Name! This third Hallelujah Psalm begins with a Hallelujah and ends with Hallelujah. It is given in the authorized version as " Praise ye the Lord " (as in all these Psalms). It would be more sublime to maintain this grand old He brew word " Hallelujah." His Name is praised. "Praise the name of the Lord — Blessed be the Name of the Lord." Yea from the rising of the Sun unto the going down, from one end of the earth unto the other, the Lord's Name is, THE PSALMS 305 praised. He is above all nations. What Hannah so beautifully uttered in her Song of Praise has come. " He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, -and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that He may set him with princes, even with the Princes of His people." That is Israel re deemed by Him. And so is " the barren woman, a joyful mother of children." PSALMS CXIV-CXVII. PSALM CXIV. Retrospect. As in the book of Deuteronomy God's ways with His people are reviewed so we find in some of these Psalms the reminders of God's dealing with Israel in the past. Here it is first of all the deliverance out of Egypt and what happened then, the type