PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1
George Rawlinson [1812-1902] · 375,386 words · 408 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 121
calamity, which every hour records-pestilence, earthquake, tempest, and so forth. Another sees that the iiniversal design and general working of all natural laws is f.,r good and happiness, not evil; that the main part of human suffel'ing has its root in sin; that "the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord;" and…
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porous voyages I For a season of local scarcity, how many plenteous harvests! For one home in mourning, how many bright with health and love !-how many happy years, perhaps, in that very home! In a word, our Saviour sums up all we can say of the gracious gentleness of our Father's providence (Luke xii. 6, 7; Matt. v…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS• . yers. 1-50_.-~ con1-ueror'~ son~ of praise ~nd hope. It is not o?X purpose, nor .1s 1t our provmce, m tins section ot the 'Pulpit Commentary,' to wnto homilies on ~pecific texts; but rather to <l.ea.l with this psalm (as we have done with others) as a whole-for it is a unity-and to show…
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future. (Ver, 50.) "For evermore." Even so. So often has prayer been turned to praise, so often have we ce.st our burden at God's feet, and borne a song away, that we cannot doubt him now. Rather will we sing, "Because thou hast been my help, tberefon, in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice." God has helped us, a…
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Vers. 1-50.-.A retrospect of life. The sailor tells of the perils of the sea; the traveller recounts the varied incidents of his career; and the soldier who has passed through battles and sieges can speak of hairbreadth escapes and moving accidents by flood and field. So it is with human life. We have the power of l…
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acknowledgment of God as the God of all flesh-not only of David and of Israel, but of all nations. And thero is the grand hope expressed that, as God had brought the nations around within the dominion of Israel, so he would draw all the nations of the earth within the benign and blessed rule of Messiah (Rom. xv. 9). "I…
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EXPOSITION. The psalm is generally allowed to be PSALM XIX. Do.vid's, and is declared to bo his by the THE nineteenth pealm is one of meditative title. There are no intel'Dal indications by praise. The psalmist, looking a.broad over which to assign it a date. the whole world, finds two main subjects for bis eulogy-fi…
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mo.nifested to mo.n through the creation d?acribes the phenomena a1 they 11ppear to (Rom. i. 19, 20). A certain superiority hnn. He does not broach e.ny astronomical seems to be assigned to the night, "as theory. And hie circuit (i.e. his course) though the contemplation of the starry unto the ends of it; i.e. ho pr…
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mantle, but as gracious intimations of whnt 26, or "the recompense of the rewe.rd" laid God desires man to do for his own good. ~~ for men in heaven, but a. present rewiml The commandment of the Lord is pure; i.e. lD ~he act of. ke~piug them" (Kay). spotless, clean, without fault (comp. ,·er. 7, Obcd1cnce, like virtue…
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HOMILETICS. Vere: 12, 13:-:-The saint'! prayer against sin. "Clea.nse thou me." Natural theology, revelation, spmtua.l exper1ence,-these are the three s11cccssive spheres of thought PII.DL 1-14,] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 181 , through which this wondrously beautiful psalm leads us. God in nature; God in Scripture; God in …
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the one we may suppose the psalmist to have had in mind, is in the Lu.w ~f Moses (Numb. xv., especially vers. 27-31). These are the sins of which St. John says that the truo child of God does not commit sin (l John iii. 9). He has fully tauaht 0 that real Christians do commit sin, and need forgiveness (1 John i. 9,…
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in the firmament above. And we gather from the forms of expression that the writer was accustomed to speak of natural phenomena in the langnage of bis day. In bis view the firmament of heaven spread out as a hemisphere above the earth, like a splendid and pellucid sapphire, in which the stars were supposed to be fix…
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Vere. S-14.-.The voice of Jehovah in his Word. The Prophet Isaiah, in his forty- fifth chapter, and in the eighth and ninth verses, refers both to the work of God's hands in the world which he has created, and to the words of his lips in the promises he has made; and in both cases it is said, "not in vain." "Not in …
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than any works of his hands. Hence the change of the word "God " to the word "Jehovah." II. JEHOVAH, THE llEVEALED GoD, HAS PUT llEFODE us PRICELESS MATERIAL FOR OU~ USE. There are six: various terms to indicate this. Law; or the great body of truth in which God would have his people instruct-ed. Testim1Jny; or the D…
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Vers. l-14.-Nature as a preacher. Mark- I. THE GRAND SUBJECT. "The glory of God." II. TrrE SPLENDID AUDIENCE. "All the earth." III. THE FAITHFUL DELIVERY. Marked by truth, freshness, constancy, impartia!Hy (vers. 1--4). Other preachers cannot continue by reason of death. Hence there is change. One succeeds another. …
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refers to the administration of the Law. God', "judgments," being the execution of his will, must be ·• true." Based upon the eternal principles of right, they must themselves be eternal, IL. WHAT THE BIBLE DOES. 1. "It converts the soul" (Ps. xxiii. 3; 1 Tim. i. 15).. 2. It "makes wise the simple" (Ps. cxix. 130; Act…
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Law. Now the psalmist passes on to consider his own relation to the Divine Law; what light it throws upon his character and circumstances, e.nd what rewards it bestows upon those who abide in the steadfast observance of it. I. WHAT TIIE DIVINE LAW TAUGHT THE PSALMIST. (Vers. 12, 13.) 1. His manifold sins and er1'0r…
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EXPOSITION. own hancl, or without the intervention or e. PSALM XX. priest. And accept thy burnt sacrifice; Tms psalm seems to be.vo been composed Bele.h. It is a rcasono.blc conjecture that for e. epecio.l occo.eion, whenDa.vid we.a a.bout the "Sele.h" here marks a "pause," during which special sac,·ifices were offe…
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HOMILETICS, Ver. 5.-Tlie safeguai·ds -of prayer. "The Lord fulfil all thy petitions." An amazingly bold wish I Especially if you read it in the light of ver. 4, "Grant thee thy heart's desire!" It might be the worst wish we could express-even for a good man-that God would grant him all he desires. It is wriLten of …
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers.1-9.-Prayer for lsrael's king when going forth to battle: a national sermon, In this psalm, as indeed in the rest, there are most suggestive verse~, which might be elaborated into useful discourses.1 But in this division of the Commentary we refrain from dealing with isolated texts. …
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"geographical expression," no nation now has the pre-eminence over any other as before God, yet a,1y praying people can get as near to Go,l nc,w I\S evor Israel did. All devout souls ha,·e boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Hence, when any trouble-especially that of war-befalls them, they may …
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Ver. 1.-"The day of trouble." Such a day comes sooner or later to all. Nations have their" day of trnuble," when they are visited with pestilence, famine, or war, or torn by internal strifes. Individuals also have their "day of trouble" (Job v. 6, 7). Trouble is a test. It shows what manner of persons we are. Happy are…
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EXPOSITION. withholden the request of his lips. "Out PSALM XXL of the abundance of the heart tho mouth Ps. XXI is generally regarded as a companion speaketh." The deliverance from bis ene- mies, which David had earnest.Iy desired in composition to Ps.xx., being the thanksgiving his heart, he bad also devoutly requ…
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in the meeeage which Goel sent him by ta.in them, punish tbem" (comp. 1 Sam. Nathan (2 Sam. vii. 13, 16). In the full xxxi. 3). Thy right hand (the ha.nd of eenee the promise wns, of course, Messianic, greo.ter power) shall find out those that being fu!fillecl only in Christ, the Gori-Man, hate thee; uncl, of coarse, p…
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HOMILETICS. Ver. 2.-The triumpl, of victory. "Thou hast given him his heart's desire." We seem to hear in this psalm the trumpets and harps and shawms of the temple, and jubilant voices of Levites praising God for some great victory. Joy-bells are rung and Te Deum laudamus chanted because the king has come home in tr…
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trumpet.. No wish so sudden, strange, ambitious, as to take him by surprise. No lawful desire but he has provided for its satisfaction, either in creatures or in his own uncreated fulness. .And unlawful desires are ao, not because he forbids anything really good for us, but because they mean our harm, not nappiness,…
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ascertain; but this is of comparatively small importance, That the psalm is meant for a public thanksgiving is clear; and thus, with differences of detail in application thereo_f accor~ir~g- to circumstance9? it may furnish a basis for helpful teaching on days of nat1_onal reJ_o1cmg over t}1e mercies of Go~. \Vo mus…
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IV. NEW ANSWERS TO PBAYER INSPIRED NEW HOPE, (Ver. 7.) "Through the loving- kindness of the Most High he shall not be moved" (cf. P:!S. xxiii. 6; !xiii. 7). He who proves himself to be our Refuge to-day, thereby proves himself our Refuge for every day, V, THE PROVIDENTIAL INTERPOSITIONS IN ANSWER TO PRAYER AFFORDED NE…
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Ver. 4.-Prayer. What is true of Christ is true, in a sense, of his people. Here we learn- I. THE TRUE NATURE OF PRAYER. It is the desire of the heart (ver. 2). This is frequently taught by doctrine and fact in Holy Scripture. Words are of the mouth, thouc:bts are of the heart. "Words without thoughts never to heaven…
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EXPOSITION. PSALM XXII. otherwise, and which he was directed to put on I"ecor<l. 'l'he close correspondence THERE is no pso.lm which hns raised so between the psalm and the incidents of the much controversy e.s this. Admitte<l to be Passion is striking, and is admitted on all Messianio by the early Hebrew commenta-…
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Ver. 1.-'My God, my God, why hast thou "despised of the people" appeared most forsaken me! Not a cry of despair, but a evidently when they expressed their desire ~ry of loving faith, "My God, my God- that, instoad of him, a murderer should be Why hast thou for a time withdrawn thy- granted to them (Aots iii. 14). s…
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e.lwo.ys bad friends o.nd followers. Under a potsherd. All strength dies out nnder Saul's persecution be ho.d e. friend in tho action of the many acute pains which Jonathan; he was supported by his father re.ck the whole frame, and a.s little remain, and his.brethren (1 Sam. xxii. l); in e. short as there remains of mo…
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l,11ich in the picture, since it marked that Ver. 22.-I will declare thy Name unto my all was over; the Victim was on the point b_rethran. Tile thought of the brethren ie of expiring; he would never need his clothes uppermost. As, when the body wo.e re- ngain. moved, loriug messages were o.t once sent Ver. 19.-But …
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kingdom it is "the meek" especially who e. viand for which even the satisfied ar4 ehnll cnt, o.nd bo sntisfied, feeling that thoy hungry; and, on the other hand, the mosl ho.ve all their wuh lon!?' for-o. full banquet, needy and most miserable fire not excln,lecl" of tl!o very crumbs of which they are not (' Commentnry…
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deeds, holy lives, fervent prayers, ton~; an<l sufferings of those who have gone before us, are a great treasure and trust, of which we shall have to give account. 2. We are maki'Tlg the future. What pattern, work, prayer, memory, that they will" not willingly let die,'' are we handing down to our successors? Ver. 28.…
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~sk for th~ car_eful aod candid attention of the reader, as we move nlong a specific path ID the eluc1dat10n of this psalm. The title of the psalm is significant; literally, it reads ''To the chief musician [or, 'precentor'J upon Aijeletb Sbahar [or, 'the hind of th; morning,'margin]. A Psalm of David." Wu accept the b…
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horrible darkness, which found expression in the very same words, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 1 Mr. Spurgeon, indeed, admits some possible application to D.1,id himself, but says that believers will scarcely care to think of hie sufferings ; they will rather fasten their gaze on those of their Lord. Th…
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the soul can cry, "My God," we may be sure the cry is not unreciprocated. (3) Such a cry will surely Le heard. Past deliverances assure us of this. Yea, even ere the wail in the dark iB over, the light begins to dawn. "One Sunday morning," said Mr. Spurgeon, in an address at Mildmay Hall, June 26, 1890, reported in the…
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Let those saints of God who have to pass through seasons of prolonged mental anguish remember that, however severe the conflict may be, the Saviour has passed through one still more terrible than theirs. 2. J/ even the saint asks" why 1"even so did the Saviour. 'l'hc "why?" however, applies only to the opening words…
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We ory, "Why?" "Why am I thus ? " "Why all this from God to me?" God's ser- vants who have been most affiicted hnve most felt this mystery. So it was with Abra- ham, when" the horror of great darkness fell upon him" (Gen. xv.12). So it was with Jacob, !n that night of long and awful wrestling with the angel (Gen. xx…
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Vers. 11-21.-Prayer in su_ffering. The persecuted exile continues to speak of bis sufferings, but seems to rise up out of the despair of the first verse into the faith implied in prayer. Much of the suffering here described, if not productive, "as at least typical, of the suffering of Christ. An argument is still go…
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EXPOSITION. PSALM XXIII. Ver. 2.-He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; literally, in gra••y hmne- THIS little psalm is an idyll of great benuty, steads-" the richer, onsis-like spots, where describing the peace and calm delight o. homesle,id wonld be fixe,I in a barren which dwell with one whose trust is wholly…
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HOMILE'l'ICS. Ver. !.-Human experience and Divine inspiration. "The Lord is my Shepherd." The few verses which compose this psalm would leave but a small blank on the page, if blotted out; but suppose all translations which have been made of them into all languages, all references to them in literature, all remembranc…
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to feed his flock (John xxi. 15-17; 1 Pet. v. 2-4). 2. In Isa. xl. 11 (as in the psalm) Christ's tender care of individuals, even the youngest, is represented. 3 and 4. In Luke xv. 3-7 and John x. 1-16 our Savionr appropriates this similitude to himself, as seekinii; and saving the lost, ruling and feeding each one who…
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speaks of the" rod and staff." "Rod," the shepherd's crook, the received emblem of authority, guidance, and discipline. "Staff," that on which one leans, emblem of Divine strength and support. (Only one word would be used of a real sheph,•rd; the two are employed for the full spiritual meaning.) .A.11 is not case and b…
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wide, glorioua prospect bathed in aunshine. This is the privilege of faith; only faith can see goodness and mercy in all God's past dealings, and foresee them in all to come ; for that varied fitness which is one great feature of God's loving-kind □ ess, implies a great mixture of rough with smooth, dark and bright. Th…
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him as " the Shepherd and Bishop of . . . souls." 3. As the ,C,hepherd Jesus came to seek ancl save the lo~t. B:is missi~n. on earth.was emphatically for thi;, He regards men as his wealth, m which be reJ01ces; and 1f they are not under his lovincr care he misses them-be is conscious of somethin~ lacking (Luke xv. 4-6)…
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GLORIES. We can but hint, 1. Here is appropriati<m. "My Shepherd" (see John x. 11, 27, 28). 2. Here is satiifadion. " I shall not want." 3. Here is lmJalty. The psalwist not only consents to but delights in this Divine care, and bas no wigh but to follow where the Shepherd leads. 4. Here is joy. 'l'his thought is (perh…
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Vers. 1-6.-The powel' of reftootion. The psalmist looks ha.ck over his life, and sings with grateful heart of God's love and care. We may use the psalm as bringini before us some of the chan~es and contrasts of life. L YouTH AND AGE. This psalm breathes the air of youth. It is the echo of the shepherd-life among the h…
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fur us. When the Lord's day comes round, what multitlldes come together, and there is bread enough and to spare for them all! More particularly it may be said that the Lord's Supper is a "table" prepared by God for his people. Here we see his wise forethought. He saw what was needful, and designed this feast for the go…
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EXPOSITION, ing Lord is, in both parts of the psalm, the PSALM XXIV. fundamental idea" (HengAtenberg). Botb AT first sight this psalm seems to be com- parts speak of an ascent into the holy bill posed of two quite separate fragments (vers. of Zion, the first manifestly (ver. 3), the 1--0 and vers. 7-10); whence Ewald…
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ver. 4. Selah. A break, or pa.use, here And the reply follows from the previo11" oocnrred, while the procession of Levites speakers. The Lord strong and mighty, advanced to the very gates of the sanctuary. the Lord mighty in battle. It is Jehovo.h, Then the strain was resumed-the choir the Str1111g and lllighty One-str…
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often a way of talking 119 though God's providence were partial, intermittent, an occasional interference with the regular course of nature. The glorious truth, alike rational and scriptural, is that "he maketh his sun to 1ise . . . and sendeth rain," feeds the birds, clothes the lilies, makes all events to "work toget…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTIIOHS. Vers. 1--4.-Celebi·ating tM Real Presence. (For opening or reopening a church.) There seems to be no very great difficulty in finding the occasion on which this magni- ficent psalm was originally composed. In all probability it was written by David, and sung on the occasion of bringing…
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great aim of God's revelation is to bring abou.t the dwelling of man with God, and of God with man (cf. Exod. xxv. 8); (2) that this is one of the thoughts of God unfolded in its different stages in the Scriptures. 1. There was the patriarchal period, when each holy man might commune with Gvd, or erect his altar or his…
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Vers. 1-10.-Th~ King of glory. Christ as the King of glory is represented here in three aspects. I. As THE LORD OF THE EARTH. (Vers. 1, 21.) The king,loms of this world are limited. Some are larger than other~ but the largest has its bounds (Esth. t 1 • Dan. iv. 1). Christ's kingdom is unlimiterl. Go where you will,…
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courageously carried them out. But if their aspirations have been limited to this world, success brings no real satisfaction. Byron found himself famouR, and for a while was a great power; but how miserable were his last days! Even Gibbon, when he had brought his great work, that cost three and lhirty years of labour, …
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Vers. 7-10.-Appealfor God's entrance into the heart of man. Sung on the entry of the ark into the ancient gates of the fortress of Jerusalem. The singers, two choirs of priests-the one bearing the ark, the other already stationed there as warders. First choir dem11.nding admission; second reply from within," Who is t…
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(BCe Deut. xxiv. 15; u.n<l comp. Ps. xxiv. bound to pray for everything on which 4). salvation depends-as, for instance, light Ver. 2.-0 my Oo:l., I tr11St in thee (comp. nnd guidance. On thee do I wait all the Pss. vii. 1 ; xi. 1; xxxi. 1, 6, etc.). Let me day, In pmyer for these blessings, I we.it not be ashamed; ie…
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leave to their own devices, but the meek Ver. 15.-Mine eyes are ever toward he will guide iu the paths of righteousness, the Lord. David is always lookin"' to God and the meek wi!l he teach hie way. (Ps. cxli. 8), waiting for him (Ps~ xl. I ; Ver .. 10.-All the paths of the Lord a.re !xii. 1, 5; hix. 3, eto.), expeo…
1,040 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.