PSALM XLV. 1 MY heart is overflowing with a goodly theme; I will recite my song, made in honour of the King. 2 THOU art exceedingly beautiful, beyond the sons of Adam ; Therefore hath God blessed Thee for ever. 3 Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O mighty Warrior; 4 And in Thy majesty, ride on and prosper In the cause of truth, meekness and righteousness; They enter the hearts of the enemies of the King. 6 THY throne, O God, is for ever and ever; The sceptre of Thy kingdom is a sceptre of rectitude. 8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia perfume all Thy garments, Brought out of palaces, rich in Armenian ivory, to adorn Thee. 10 Attend, O daughter, and observe and incline thine ear, 11 So shall the King be enamoured of thy beauty; Because He is thy Lord, bow thyself down before Him. 12 The princess of Tyre shall bring thee presents; The wealthiest of the nations shall propitiate thy favour. 13 All-glorious is she, the daughter of a king, within the palace; 14 In robes of needle-work she is conducted unto the King; Her companions, are brought unto Thee. 15 They are conducted with joy and exultation; They enter into the palace of the King. 16" In the place of Thy fathers, Thou shalt have children; 17 "I will cause Thy Name to be remembered, "Through all succeeding generations; "Therefore shall the nations praise Thee, PSALM XLV. This Psalm is prophetic of the future triumphs of the Messiah's kingdom. It also describes in glowing language, borrowed from the manners of an eastern court, the nuptial feast of the King. The bride is a type of the Church of Christ. Compare Revel. xix. 1 goodly theme-Heb. a good matter. my song, made in honour of―Heb. my works upon. 2 beautiful-In ver. 7. this characteristic is shewn to be moral excellency. Grace, &c.-This refers to the divine power of Messiah's teaching, and to the extraordinary effect produced upon His hearers. "And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth." Luke iv. 22. "The officers answered, Never man spake like this man." John vii. 46. 3 Thy splendour, &c.-Compare Ps. xciii. 1. and civ. 1. 4 teach Thee-i. e. enable Thee to achieve. "His name shall be called Wonderful, 7 above Thy fellow-kings-" And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING of Kings, and Lord of LorDS." Revel. xix. 16. 8 perfume all Thy garments.-Heb. (are) all Thy garments. - brought out of—Heb. out of. Compare Ps. vii. 5. Notes 1 and 2. adorn-Heb. gladden. 9 Bearing Thy precious treasures, appear-Heb. With Thy precious things (come). i. e. With the costly offerings made to Thee, come, &c. Captive women graced the court of a conqueror. Arrayed in-Heb. in. See ver. 13. · gold of Ophir―The distant lands, Ophir and Armenia, are probably named as well to shew the great extent of Messiah's dominion, as to point out the fine quality of the gold and ivory possessed by the King. 10 O daughter-Upon this appellation consult Ps. xxxiv. 11. Note 1. thy father-thy royal father. See ver. 13. 11 enamoured of Thy beauty-i. e. delighted with thine excellency. See ver. 2. Note 1. "Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it... that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Ephes. v. 25, 27. 12 propitiate thy favour-Heb. soften thy countenance. 13 she i. e. the queen-consort. See ver. 9. within the palace-Heb. within. i. e. in the inner chambers, the apartments appropriated to women. is embroidered, &c.—Heb. is of embroidery of gold. 16-This and the following verse contain God's promise of future and perpetual dominion to King Messiah. Compare Ps. lxxii. 17. children-The whole Christian race is the fruit of this mystical union of Christ with His church. O si sic omnia! Would that our duty did not call upon us to exhibit the contrast! PSALM VIII. 1 O JEHOVAH, our Lord, How glorious is Thy name throughout the earth! THOU, who displayest Thy glory in the heavens, 2 Hast asserted Thy power by the mouth of sucking infants, So as to still the vengeful foe. 3 When I contemplate Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, 4 What is feeble man, That Thou shouldest bear him in mind! And what the son of man, That Thou shouldest bestow upon him Thy regard! 5 Yet Thou hast made him but a little lower than God, And Thou hast crowned him with majesty and honour! 6 THOU hast given him dominion over the works of Thy hands, 7 All sheep and oxen; And, moreover, the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the air and the fishes of the sea Every creature which traverseth the paths of the ocean! 9 O JEHOVAH, our Lord, How glorious is Thy name throughout the earth! PSALM VIII. In the early part of this Psalm, allusion appears to be made to the signal victory obtained by the youthful David over the haughty and insulting champion of the Philistines, and to the consequent delivery of the Israelites (see 1 Sam. xvii.) The Psalmist then passes, from the consideration of these individual and national mercies, to some reflections upon the general dealings of Providence towards mankind. 2 Hast asserted Thy power by-Heb. hast laid the foundation of power out of. -sucking infants-Heb. babes and sucklings. The Psalmist thus describes "weak things of the world" chosen by God to confound "things which were mighty." 1 Cor. i. 27. 3 Because of Thine enemies-i. e. in consequence of the taunts of the adversary. "But I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied." 1 Sam. xvii. 45. ·vengeful foe-Heb. enemy and avenger. 4 What-i. e. How utterly insignificant. 5 than God-This expression refers solely to man's sovereignty over the animal creation. The Psalmist has here obviously paraphrased Gen. i. 26. "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over," &c. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, following the Septuagint version, reads "than the angels," and applies the passage to the temporary humiliation of Messiah. 7 beasts of the field-i. e. wild beasts. PSALM XVI. 1 PRESERVE me, O God, for with Thee do I take refuge. 2 I say unto JEHOVAH: THOU art my Lord, All my happiness resteth upon Thee. 3 As for the divinities which are upon the earth- As for all who take delight in them— 4 Who multiply their idols-who hasten after them, 5 JEHOVAH is mine allotted portion and my cup! 6 A portion of land is fallen to me in a very pleasant place; 7 I bless JEHOVAH, who giveth me counsel; Even in the night do my reins correct me. 8 I have placed JEHOVAH always before me; Because He is on my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore is my heart glad, and my mind rejoiceth, Moreover my body resteth in confidence. 10 For Thou wilt not abandon me to the grave; THOU wilt not suffer Thy favoured one to see corruption; 11 THOU wilt shew me the path of life. With Thee is fulness of joy; At Thy right hand are lasting pleasures. 3 divinities-i. e. idols. PSALM XVI. · upon the earth-opposed to the true God, who is "in heaven." See Ps. lxxiii. 25. and Ps. cxv. 3, 4. 4 hasten after them-i. e. eagerly pursue idolatry. -I will not, &c.-i. e. I will never join in such libations as these idolaters offer. -utter their names-Heb. take their names upon my lips—i. e. invoke these false Gods. 5 allotted, &c.-Compare Ps. xi. 6. Note. — portion-The sacred writers frequently contrast the privileged condition of those who rely upon the promises of Jehovah, with the unhappy lot of those who are without this ground of confidence. See Ps. cxix. 57. "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him." Lam. iii. 24. upholdest, &c.-i. e. maintainest me in the possession of what Thy Providence has assigned to me. 6 a portion of land-Heb. measuring lines. Cords were used to parcel out lands. 7 reins-See Ps. vii. 9. Note 2. The Psalmist observes that reflection in the stillness of the night, the ordinary season of repose, tends, by the suggestions of God's Holy Spirit, to rectify his conduct. 8 always, &c.-i. e. I have constantly considered myself as in the immediate presence of God. on my right hand-This seems equivalent to "by my side." Compare Ps. cx. 5. with ver. 1. of the same Psalm. 9 Therefore is my heart, &c.—Compare Ps. xxx. 3. This and the remaining verses, taken literally, are applicable to David, and agree with the earlier part of the Psalın. They express his conviction that his life will not be given up to the fury of his deadly enemies, and the great comfort which he derives from Jehovah's favour. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Psalmist on this occasion employs a language which equally applies to the triumph of Messiah over the grave. - my body-Heb. my flesh. In perfect keeping with these specimens, we are told that Psalm ii. is " prophetic." But instead of telling us of what it is prophetic, our authors go on thus. This Psalm is prophetic. It alludes to the hostile attempts of the enemies of the royal house of David, intimating that these troubles are one day to cease, when his august descendant, Messiah, shall reign as universal Lord. We are not to be surprised at the warlike tone of this composition, as being ill suited to the peaceful character of Messiah's kingdom. It entirely accords with the idea entertained at the time by the Jewish people, in common with other nations, as to the nature of the kingly office. "Nay but we will have a king over us that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us and fight our battles." 1 Sam. viii. 19. So that the interpretation given in Acts iv. 23-30, and visibly attested by the Holy Ghost (ver. 31) is unceremoniously set aside to make room for this Jewish perversion. Again, on Ps. cxviii. 22. The stone, which the builders rejected, Is become the chief corner-stone: a passage expressly quoted by our Saviour himself (Matt. xxi. 42. Mark xii. 10. Luke xx. 17.) and referred to by his Apostles (Acts iv. 11. Ephes. ii. 20. 1 Pet. ii. 4-8.) as a prophecy of his triumph over those who "set themselves up, and took counsel together against JEHOVAH, and against His Anointed One,"-we read the following note: Jehovah hath brought it to pass that he, whose claims and pretensions were utterly disregarded by men, should attain to the highest rank amongst his people. Upon the application of this passage to Messiah, consult Ps. xvi. 9. Note 1. And on ver. 26. we are told, This and the following verse seem to contain the salutation of the priests, when advancing from the house of God to meet the procession, (ver. 19, 20.) Turning to Psa. lxviii. we perceive that our authors do not seem to be aware of the existence of such a book of Scripture as the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians, or to have ever heard of that obscure event in the history of the Christian Church, which is related in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. For the passage which St. Paul, in direct terms, quotes as a prophecy of Jesus ascending "up far above all heavens, and giving gifts unto men,—some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists, &c. for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Ephes. iv. 7-17.), is translated and explained thus: PSALM LXVIII. 18 THOU art gone up on high, THOU hast led captive the conquered enemy; And hast dwelt amongst men, yea, even rebellious men. 18 on high-i.e. upon Mount Sion. Compare Ps. xxiv. Note. the conquered enemy-Heb. captivity. i. e. the captives. - dwelt, &c.-i.e. hast continued to dwell among the Israelites, rebellious as they had proved themselves. "Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel." Num. xxxv. 34. See also Ps. lxxviii. 60. Lastly, turning to Ps. xli. lxix. cix. we perceive, as before, that the very name of Judas is unknown to our authors; and that the prophetical denunciations of God against those who betrayed and crucified the Lord of glory (John xiii. 18. xix. 28, 29. Acts i. 20. Rom. xi. 9, 10.) are actually curses imprecated by David himself upon his personal enemies! PSALM CIX. It may be observed, with reference to the imprecations found particularly in this Psalm, and in Ps. lxix. that the morality which they breathe does not ill accord either with the general character of the Mosaic dispensation, or with the state of religious knowledge, to which the Jewish nation had attained. The love of our enemies was a duty first distinctly and positively inculcated by the divine Author of the Christian faith. This pure and sublime doctrine did not form a part of the law delivered to the Jews, because of "the hardness of their hearts." Let it not be urged that it would have been better, if the sacred volume had no where exhibited the "holy men," who were of old, thus betraying, even in their intercourse with God, a deep resentment of the unprovoked injuries which they were continually suffering from the wicked. These very passages of scripture convey an useful and a very important lesson. For they teach Christians, in the most forcible manner, the value of those pre-eminent advantages which are enjoyed by them under the Gospel. These, Christian reader, are the notions of our Christian authors on this class of the Psalms of David. Now, before we enter upon the particular examination of these Psalms, we stand up in behalf of the whole Church of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and, in the name of all that is sacred and dear to us, most solemnly enter our protest against this school of interpretation. Highly as we are disposed to estimate the talents, the acquirements, and the persevering diligence displayed by our authors in other parts of their book,-and of all these qualifications for the task which they have undertaken, the volume furnishes many honourable proofs, we cannot but feel, and, feeling, cannot but proclaim, that their principles are deadly poison to the soul, and that there is but a |