PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2
George Rawlinson [1812-1902] · 374,103 words · 397 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 301
Vers, 3-5.-The sign of the storm-gorl, (comp. Exod. xix.; xx. ; Ha b. iii.; Heb. xii. 18-21; see also Ps. lxxvii. 17, 18). There is here an evident reference to an Eastern thunderstorm. Lightning and thunder, among all superstitious peoples, are regarded as special manifestations of the Deity. To us storms are but natu…
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Ver. 10.-0ur attit,ide towa,·d evil. "Hate evil." In Scripture the term "evil" is employed in two sense~-calamity and wrong-doing. We can only "hate evil" when it stands for wrong-doing. But it is necessary to carefully distinguish between bate of the _wrong-doer_ and hate of the wrong-doing. 'l'he first is never right…
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Ver. 11.-The harvest for the righteO'IJ,s. "Light is sown." Light is the type of everything pleasant. Perhaps it is conceived of here as bidden, like seed, in the ground. God's people no more see light about their paths than men can see seed8 in the ground. 'l'hey walk in darkness. But the seeds are there, and the ligh…
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EXPOSITION, PSALM XCVIII. Ver. 4.-llake a Joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth. God is to be praised ANOTHER psalm of joy on the coming of God heartily-with a loud and ringing voice. to judge the earth (ver. 9). It is entitled The body is to unite with the soul in giving simply "a psalm," and has no 'l'ery pecul…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS .AUTHORS Ver. l.-Jehovah'11 victorie11. This psalm is almost an echo of Ps. xcvi., and, like that, tells of the triumphant issue of the Lord's great b<i.ttle. No doubt the psalmist had some special event in the history of God's people in his mind-some glorious victory given to them; but his words h…
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all, man, the under-lord, has learnt to bind the forces of nature, and to make them execute his will. They are his servants under him, and he says to this one, "Come," and it cometh, and to another," Go," and it goeth. And so here he utters his command, "Let the sea roar,'' etc. JI. As FELLOW-WORSHIPPER. The scenes, t…
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showing further kindness, To have ever helped any one gives them a sort of natural claim on us to help them again. So the psalmist, full of joy in the blessinas God was giving hi~ people in his day, felt quite sure that God must have bee; recallin~, remembenng, what great things he had done, in olden days, for'.}iis pe…
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EXPOSITION. conversion, will praise the Lord, sing of PSALM XOIX.. him, and bless his Name. (On the "great- llEBE we have the last of the series of ness" and "terribleness" of God, see Exod. Second Advent psalms, which bege.n with xv. 11; Deut. vii. 21; x. 17: Neh. i. 5; iv. Ps. xciii. The first of them, the fifth…
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•HOMILETICS, Ver, 6.-Sainuel. The venerable figure of Samuel forms the living link between two great and very diverse stages in the history of ancient Israel. He was the l~t of the judges (Acts xiii. 29), he was the first of the prophets (Acts iii. 24). Not that there were no prophets between Moses and Samuel (Judg. i…
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"Speak, Lnrd; for thy servant hea.reth," the grey-headed saint could look back in hie rublic appeal to the nRt,ion (1 Sam. xii. 2-6). Seldom has so great a life been so bl11.me- less. This view of Samuel's life and chuacter appeals: 1. To the young. You may neglect. or throw off the fear and love of God, faith and p…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 5.-" The Lord our God is holy." "This is the last of the series of royal psalms, of psalms which celebrate the coming of Jehovah as King. The first of the series is Ps. xciii. This opens with the announcement that' Jehovah is King;' passes on to tell that his throne has been from ever…
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of Ismel, the whole ritual and manner of worship of the La,v was ammged. 4. By his r'evea.le,d Word and will. Holy Scripture makes clear the mind of God in this matter. 5. By the operations o.f hi,s Spirit in their hearts. That inward witness for God ever eought to lead men to holiness. They could be in no doubt as …
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penalty we.s exacted, All his after-life testified to the truth here declared. Israel: they were forgiven, but for their unbelief none of them entered into their rest. And it is so still. How me.ny a forgiven child of God is yet bearing in weakened health, in ~arniehed reputation, in stern poverty, in enfeebled will, i…
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the" terribleness" Clf the Divine Name, and this makes him ~ay it is reverend, it is ll.Wl'-inspiring. It is one of the serious evils of our day, that the more august and F-Cllemnizing views of God seem to be lost. Thare is so little now of the "submission of holy awe." Even in acts of homage and worship we have to fea…
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belonging to the olden times, and these thr~e only, does not immediately appear. And it is singular to find both Moses and Aaron classed as priests. Probably, before the appointment of the Lcvitical priesthood, Moses had been the priest as well as leader of the people. 'fhe thought appears to be that men may now call u…
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EXPOSITION. every cle,nse of the psalm contains some PS.ALM O. snch call. Come before his preaenoe with THE hundredth psalm be.a for its title, "A singing; or, with a cry of joy. Psalm of praise," or "of tl.ianksgi ving," Ver. 3.-Know ye the,t the lord he is God; or, be sure-" recognize the fact as e. and to tliis d…
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glad shout, such as loyal ,subjects give when their king appears among them." Now. let us consider this subject of thankful praise which it brings so prominently before us. Let us glance at- I. THE HOLY DUTY TO WHICH WE ARE SUMMONED. 1. Our hearts a1·e to befull of thanksgiving. It is no mere outside worship which …
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was t11ken, 11nd from that day to this the festival has been an annual one." Ah! would that we had men of this spirit, end would make the best, not the worst, of our misfortunes 1 "The bee when in a flower from which it cannot get nectar, gets the golden farina, out of which it builds its cells, and so it rolls up its …
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III. AND ALONE EFFECTUAL, 1. It is so in our secular woi·k. Slave-work, tnsk- work, is never like that of free men. All the heart is taken out of it if it bo not glad service such as only free men can render. 2. Yet mn·e in the service of the Lord. See the elder son in the parable of the prodigal. He bad no joy in his …
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-:vhether in nature, providence, or grace, and in all it will be found that he acts con- aistently with himself. 11. As To me WORD OF TRUTII. That is containeu in the Holy Scriptures, and whether we appeal to the testimony of conscience, or to that of history, their witness agrees to and affirms the declaration of our…
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Hchre"·s cxprnssed joy by great shouts, loud blast..q, and noisy clangings. Whe.t we may properly learn is that the elements of joy and gladness, which find their easiest and best expression in music and song, are the proper accompaniment of all worship olfered to God. It has been pointed out that" thanksgiving and p…
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Ver. 5.-Thegoodnessof God. The word" good" is used as the one supremely suitable for God. But we are not left to our own guidance to find out what is included in the term. We are told that God's goodness is made up of two things: (1) his mercy; (2) his truth. "Goodness is a very comprehensive quality. It is love, kindn…
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EXPOSITION. work of them that turn aside; literally, the PSALM OL doing of acts that swerve ; i.e. "that depart Tms pee.Im deBcribes the rightful conduct from the right way." It shall not oleave to e.nd proper principles ofaction of e.n Israelite me. If such o. thing "seized on him un- king. It is regarded by some as…
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HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-8.-Four features of true piety. The psalmist bas before him the fashion- ing of his future life; he records his purpose of heart as he cherishes it before God. Applying bis words, not to his own royal estate with its peculiar obligations, but to the ordinary conditions of human life, we have four f…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. ~-S.-The secret ef a happy life. The psalm is evidently one composed on the occas10n of the setting op of a new order of thin!!S in the home or in the State or in b?th, and it tells of the psalmist's holy resolves in"regard to himself, and his cond°uct m his household and amongst …
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; Ver. 2.-Showing piety at home. Ps. c. is all about praising the Lord. This psalm is all about a holy life. The sequence of the two seems to teach that the best way of praising the Lord is by such a life as this psalm tells of. The time of the psalm's composition seems to have been when David was crowned king of all I…
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personal dislike o.od antipo.thy, though he could not but have felt that, but for the so.ke of the many whom they were lee.ding astray. And he affirmed only what he knew to be true. WliPo, then, we have to speak evil of another, let us speak only as Christ did-faithfully, openly, and for the sake of others rather than …
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Divine compl\ssions, forbearauces, long-sufferings, and considerationtL I But thero is a Bpccial tone in tbe word. It fits exactly into God's Wl\ys with ue frail, sinful men. l t would hnrdly be titt.ing to speak of God's mercy to the angels whl) have "kept their first estate." It is not the term we should choose by…
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"It is easier for most men to walk with a perfect heart in the Church, or even in the world, than in their own families," I. HoME·RELIGION ouaHT TO BE EABY. Because usually the atmosphere is healthy and inspiring. If we are the heads of the house we can give the tone to the house. If we are but members, still our well…
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I. THE s1,Al\"DERER IS .a. HIB<1HIEF-M.AKER. His interest is taken not by anything good, but by something evil. Every true and good man covers over, hides, smothers dowo, t.he evil, because it is like fire-let it spread, and it will do a world of mischief. The slanderer fixes on the tiny spark of evil, fans it until it…
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Ver, 7,-The sin of the untruthful. "He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight." There is no sin that is more difficult to deal with, when once it has become established. Many children are untruthful because they have vivid imagioatioos, aod though their words match what they see, what they see does not strictly …
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EXPOSITION. Ver. S.-For my days e.re oonsumed like PSALM CII. smoke; or, according to another reading THE ''title" of this psalm is altogether (it!iP:l, instead of i:,p;:i ), " e.re consumed into peculinr, being "e. Prayer for the afflicted, swokc," i.e. "disappear, po.as e.we.y into whtn he faints, and pours out …
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Ver. 8.-Mine enemiea reproe.oh me e.11 and deliver his saints out of their han,ld. the day, The reproach of their enemies Tho "Zion," on which he would "h;iva was always felt by the Israelites oe n bitter mercy," was not the city only, bnt lh" nggmvntion of their afflictions (see Pas. xiii. people belrmging to it. For …
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immrdintel.1• ren,lerrd, •eo Ezra iii. 10, 11; who trnnshl.tes, "He l1n.s brought down my "l'i. IG-22; Neh. xii. 27-43.) strength in the we.y," aud explains "the , er. l!l.-For he hath looked down from way" o.e "the journey of life." So also the height of hie sanctuary. God's true Rosenmiillcr Rud Hengstenberg. Re sh…
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reduced to euch distress ae that described in the text; yet it does occur; troubles do sometimes accumulate where they seem least deserved or least necessary. But if not found in this degree, yet they are found in company with: l. Bodily pain (ver. 3), or weakness, or lingering disease, or some form of physical privati…
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Vers. 23-28.-The mortality of 'TTllllll, and the eternity of God. The psalmist returns to his own persona.I condition ; he considers himself as one who has but a narrow span of life, and even that small span is likely t.o be shortened; his heart is troubled at the thought of- I. "THE BREVITY AND UNCERTAINTY OF OUB HO…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-28.-Light arising in darkness. The authorship and therefore the date of this psalm cannot be certainly fixed, or whether it be a national or an individual utterance; probably it is the latter, The alternations of thought and feeling are very noteworthy. We have- I. EARNEST PRAYER.…
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Ver. 16.-" When the Lord shall build up Zion." L WHAT 1B THIS WORK HEBE SPOKEN OF? The building up of Zion. 1. By the conversion of individual souls. The true Church can be built up in no other way. 2. By the public confession of their faith on the part of these converted ones. If they refuse this, how can the Church …
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Ver. 1.-7'1e prayer Q{the affiicted. It is uncertain whether in this psalm we have an expression of personal feeling in a time of personal suffering, or an idealizing of the affiictro nation. If we take the former view, personal nnd national views must be regarded as blended. If we take the latter view, we may give …
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III. DEPRESSION OF BPJRITB 0ALLB FOIi ALL-TRIUMPHING PATIENCE. On those who have to deal with such persons, patience has its perfect work. (1) We think how much patience the depressed require from their fellows; but (2) can we conceive aright of the infinite patience God has with them? For at such timeR they not only s…
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Vers. 12, 25-27.-Changing self; changing world; unchanging: God. A very favourite contrast with psalmists and poets. I. A CONTRAST BASED ON A FACT. The fact is that man's life iii changeable and brief. 'fhis is true of a man's bodily life, intellectual life, and life of relations. It is impressed on a man in his ti…
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bath he epokon, and shall he not make it good?" Men sometimes are neither right nor wiso in keeping their word, lJecanse they had promised una.<lvisedly, had spoken impulsively; there had been no sufficient thought behind their promise. That fear ce.n never be e.pplied to God. We may e.lways be sure that efficient know…
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"oertnin Aramaic termine.tions" indications orowneth thee with loving-kindne11 and of R later date. Whoever the an1hor, we tender meroiea (comp. Pss. viii. 5; xviil. must. regard the composition e.s less "the 50; xxiii. 6, eto.). Ver. 5.-Who satisfl.eth thy mouth with outhreat.hing of gratitude from one indi- good thi…
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ua) aooording to our iniquitiea, God never this "everlasting mercy" of God, man, punishes men eo much ae they deserve to though so feeble and fragile, does not wholly he punished; "in hie wmth he" al we.ye pass away, but continues to be the recipient "thinketh upon mercy." of God's bounty. And his righteousness Ver. 1…
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HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-5.-God's goodness t? ourselves. The psalmist begins by addressina himself• he has before him his own personal experience during 11, long (or lengthening)°life, and he finds ample reason for full, heartfelt gratitude. Of the" benefits" he has rec~ived he gil'es- ' , I. A RECITAL OF THEJII. They in…
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Instead of iuflicting pain, poverty, misery, death-the wagee of sin-God hae (1) spared to us our life anrl our health; (2) multiplied to us our comforts and our joys; (3) offered to us, in Jesus Christ, a full restoratiom to his Divine favour; (4) planted within our hearts the seeds of piety and holiness; (5) made us h…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. . Y~rs._1-5.-A pattern of :praise. T~is psalm is all praise; there is no supplica- tion 111 1t. It bas helped myriads to praise God, and the secret of such help is that the psalmist was himself filled with the spirit of praise, and it is the blessed contagion of that :,pirit that helps …
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Ver, 6.-Renewed youth, How can that be? We must grnw old. Every day brings us nearer to old age, and there is no escaping it except by premature departure. We pass on by stages which succeed each other in regular and well-marked order from infancy to the last scene of all, the second childhood, which finds us "sans tee…
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Ver. 9.-" He will 11ot always chide." Thie psalm is full of the recital of things to be thankful for, and of expectation that we be thankful. Amongst these things, this fact declared in our text is one. A.nd- I. WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL THAT IT IS ONLY CHIDING, not something worse. God is speaking to his own children, no…
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Ver. 13,-The pity of God. I. THE FULL, CLEAR DE0l,ARATION OF THTB 1s FOUND ONLY IN THE BIBLE. 1. Ie is not vn ancient mythology. The gods of the heathen were strong and much else, but not pitiful. 2. Nor in Nature. How heartless, how cruel, how utterly unsympathizing, she is I The dearly loved, the precious, the innoc…
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Ver. 3.-God the Healer of disease. Though this psalm is one of the most familiar, both its auLhorship and its particular vccasion are quite unknown. Early in the psalm this text comes. It is part of a revie1v of God's personal mercies to the psalmist, but it is doubtful whether the psalmist reforred to times of bodily …
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of boil or carbuncle, which put hi~ life in peril. He turned to God in bis distrese1, and gained from God recovery. Evidently be prayed the prayer of faith. As evi- deutly the Prophet Isaiah prayed for him the prnyer of faith. And yet it is signifi- ca.nLly told us tbo.t means were used to ensure his recovery, "Now Isa…
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true crown of II man's life?" No doubt the term "crown" may be used in a variety of scmes. The psalmist seems here to think of the crown ae that which bedecks and beautifies; and he makes us think of the crown of flowers on the May queen, rather than of the jewelled crowns on wealthy kings. So thP, question comes to…
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that the oppressed are delivered or defended; it is that those who have injured them feel the weight of Divine indignation. Judgment is in one sense for the oppressed, and in another sense for the oppressors.-R. T. Yer. 9.-0hiding, but not keeping on chiding. "He will not always chide." A prophet prays, "0 Lord, corre…
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Ver. 12.-Limitless forgiveness. What figures will best suggest the entireness of the removal of man's sin, when God, in his infinite goodness and mercy, deals with it and removes it? That question is specially iuteresting because, when ruan is forgiven his sin, be finds it so bard to get rid of the memory of it. In …
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Ver. 18.-77ze blesseanes., of covenant-keepers. Prayer-book Version, "Even upon such as keep his covenant." A distinctly Israelite point of view. If this be regarded as o. psalm of the returned Exiles, the reference is a striking one. J ndgment had fallen upon the nation because it had forsaken the national covenant…
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EXPOSITION. PSALM OIV. admitting either rendering, have preferred that of Professor Cheyne. And his ministers "THE psalmist, in a time of severe trouble, a flaming fire; or, "his ministers of flame arising from the power of the heathen, seeks and fire." consolation in reflecting on the greatness Ver. 5.-Who laid the …
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greatness in nnt11re, e.nd in the general le.ws hl'&rt (oomp. Judg. ix. 13); eeconilly, of under which he has plnced it. Neither oil to make hie faoe to shine, or give him a turn age.in to cover the oe.rth. This law, cheerful countenance; and thirdly,ofbread, once broken by the miracle of the Deluge, which strengthenet…
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awful sound of their hungry roar drowns thou me.yest give them their meat in due almost all other sounds, and shakes with see.son (nee vera. H, 23). As cattle have terror tho hearts of thoso that hear. Sud- "grase,:' and lions "mea~," from (~od, so denly, however, night turns into do.y- every kmd of animal receives …
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HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-35.-The greatness of God. This psalm, charged with the truest poetry, sings of the greatness of God (ver. 1) and of the heritage of man. The subjects are inseparably mingled. Of the former we have suggested to us- I. His GLORY. (Vers. 1, 2, 31.) II. His POWER. (Y ers. 3-9.) The winds are his me…
1,200 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.