PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3
George Rawlinson [1812-1902] · 356,243 words · 377 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 241
Ver. 14.-Limited permanency. For the changed locations of the ark, see Bethel (Judg. xx. 26, 27), Mizpeh, Shiloh, Kirjath-jearim, house of Obed-Edom, Jerusalem. We are often disturbed by the fact that God's promises have a sound of permanency, but that permanency has not been realized, at least in the way in which the …
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EXPOSITION. PSALM CXXXIII. mauy " precious" ingredients, as myrrh, cinnamou, sweet co.lamus, 11nd oassia, be- A SHORT psalm in praise of unity and sides oil olive, which was its basis ( 1!:xod. brotherly harmony. As Dr. Kay observes, xxx. 23, 24). Not only Aaron (Lev. viii. "The preservation of this unity was the …
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sense; but the reception, in t.he mind, of the funda.menta.l l,octrines of the Christian faith by a.II professed believcirs. 2. Essentia.l oneness in aim and spirit; all being e.nima.ted by the same desire to promote the glory or Christ a.nd the elevation of man- kind; all having the sa.me spirit of earnestness a.nd ho…
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like t~e _holy oil and the dew-it is a blessing for all and every one ; for all our service and ministry, for all the people, the lowly as well as those of high station, and for all the land. North and south in Palestine had been torn by discord, strife., and war; but when this psalm was written they were all "as on…
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putting one's own interests nside in order to fit ourselves to the service of others. And, in this sense, meekness is the deepest SLcret of unity. That kind of unity we should get in (1) family life; (2) Church life; (3) social life. For that, however, we need special grace, in order to triumph over sinful self-pleasin…
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chilled into dew-drops by the coolness of the uicrht, as in a climate like ours. From l\fay to October rain is unknown, the sun shini~g with unclouded brightness day after day. ~he heat b_ecomes intense, the ground hard, and vegetation would perish but for the moist west wmds that come each night from the sea. The bri…
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EXPOSITION. PSALM OXXXIV. tion to o.n immediate need-something that is to be done, and to be done at onoe. Bless TRl!l" Little Psalter" of" Songs of Aeoents" ye the Lord. This must mean" for us"- terminntes here with n short psalm, due "on our behalf." Thank God for having probably to the oompiler-a psalm of four bro…
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II. To WHOM IT IS ADDRESSED, 1. To all 8ervants of the Lnrd. For there is none that has not good reason for obeying it. But especially: 2. To them "who by night stand in the house of the Lord." Now, here allusion is made, so it seems, to those whose office it was to minister before the Lord during the night watches-the…
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EXPOSITION. I people, liis chosen people, selected by him PSALM OXXXV. out of all the nations of the earth to be hie A SONG of pmise to God (vers. 1-3, 19-21) own, his inheritance (Deut. iv. 20; vii. 6; for: 1. His mercies to Israel (vers. 4, 14). xiv. 2, 21, etc.). And Israel for his pecu- liar treasure (see Exocl.…
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HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-21.-Reasons for the worship a11d service of God. Tho psnlm suggests to us- I. Two REASONS FOR PRAISING Goo, (Vers. 1-4.) 1. God is worthy of our utmost reverence. "The Lord is good." '!'he truth is too familiar to us to strike us; but if we coutrast the character of the God whom we worship with th…
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can dispute its righteousness, or wisdom, or love? How could the work have been better done? III. THE BEGINNING OF lTS ACCOMPLISHMENT BEEN IN THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. (Vers. 5-7.) The material universe was formed, and is continued, not for its own sake, but for the sake of that which is moral aod spiritual. This ear…
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Yer. 4.-The ulection of Israd,. "Peculiar treasure" is a special covennnt-name for Israel (Exod. xiL 6; Deut. vii. 6). As used in the Scripture, "election" is not a theological term. It is not what it has been made, a doctrinal term, on which a sec- tarian system 011n be based. It stands for a fact or method or Divi…
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from things. The disturbances of nature are not real; they only represent human con- ceptions based on what is humanly observed. Tempest,~ earthquakes, etc., are in the Divine order. The hindrances can only come from inttlligeot creatures, to wl,om is entrusted a limited self-will. Man has this awful possibility given …
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this t-0 ~ 'l"ery great extent. It is a collection of records cf events that have happened. Take lustory out of the Peutateuch (or Hexateucb), out of the so-called historical books, out of the prophets, and take the references to history out of the Psalms, and what would be left? The fact is not sufficiently considered…
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figures of gods, practically take the place or the gods whom they really represent. The plea of the psalm, that idols are helpless, is effective a!!Binst the sentiment or the ordinary idol-worshipper; but the reflective idolater regards it as altogether beside the mark, because the figures are but the reminders of some…
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EXPOSITION. Ver. 6.-To him that stretchea out the PSALM CXXXVI. earth above the waters (comp. lsl\, xiii. 5; A PSALM with e. familiar refrain (comp. Ps. xliv. 24; Pa. xxiv. 2). For his mercy, etc. cxviii. 1--4, 29; 2 Chron. v. IS; Ezra. iii. II) Ver. 7.-To him that me.de grea.t lights at the end of each line. In the…
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HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-26.-The Divine constancy. The refrain of each verse of the psalm may supply us with a guiding thought in our treatment of it. From the first beginnings of creation (as we are affected by them) to the last hour of human experience, we have evidence of the goodness, the "mercy," of the Lord. It has e…
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HOMILIES BY VARLOUS AUTHORS. Yers. 1-26.-Repetitions many, but not vain. Over nnd over again the refrain co?les, "~is mercy endureth for ever." But it is never a vain repetition, unless the mrnd, by its heedlessness, makes it so. It is like the German piece of music which ie called 'The Fremensberg,' which tells on…
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Vers. 1-26 (every verse).-The <Jhurch's antiphon. There can be no doubt that this psalm was sung antiphonally in the Jewish temple, some of the priests reciting or chunting the first portion of each verse, and then the whole congregation responding, "For his mercy cndureth for ever." But this oft-repeated declaration b…
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II. ITS DIFFERENT STEPS. 1. Believing in God. This was shown by their obedience to the command ns to the Passover. Unbelief might have cavilled and objected, but the spirit of faith was given, and all Israel kept the Passover. And ere deliverance comes to the soul, there is ancl must be faith in Christ our Passover; th…
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I. THE PERSONAL SENSE OF Goo's MERCY. There are some things, perhaps many things, which cannot be learned intellectually, which no man can know until he knows experimentally. He may know about them, and may be able to talk about them, but the knowledge is a surface-matter; it is not real, not spiritually elfecti ve,…
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him; he is alone in wonderland, the Creator ann Worker of true marvels, compared with which all other remarkable things are as child'~ play. None of the crods or the lords helped Jehovah in creation or in the redemption of his people." As "'the theme of this psalm is the Divine mercy, we must find the merciful in the w…
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Ver. 13.-0vercoming 'llatural obstacles. "Divided the sea in sunder." The peculiarity of the acconnt given us of this miracle wrought for the deliverance of Israel is that it gives so distinctly the natural agencies by which it was wrought. A certain natural ob~tacle had to be overcome, and it was overcome by such f…
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Ver. 16.-Providential guidance. "Which led his people." The addition," through the wilderness," is significant and suggestive, because a wilderness is distinctly a p:,thless region, in which mere human skill is baffled. And it reminds us that Isr_ael was provided for aud guided for thirty-eight long years in such a r…
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PSALM CXXXVIL riance along the courses of all the stream& (Herod., i. 193 ; Amm. Man., xxiv. 3; "'THE most direct and striking rem1ms- Zosim., iii. pp. 173-179). To.ma.risks, cence of tho Bo.bylonish exile in the whole poplars, and e.cacie.s were also common, but Psalter" (Professor Alexander). The psalm true "will…
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HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-9.-Incongniity in religion, 'l'he psalm brings before us in very vivid colour- I. TnE DARK SHADOW CAST BY A GREAT GOOD, Patriotism is an excellent thing, and we are all of us glad and thankful to belong to e. land of light and liberty. We would not, on any account, forego so great an advantage, so…
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and help. And in every case, whether with or without words, it is a song of the heart; the lips alone can never sing the Lord's song, for such song is not alone to the Lord, but from the Lord, inspired by his Spirit and taught by his grace. II. WHEREFORB 0ANNOT 'l'HIS SONG BE BUNG IN A STRANGE LAND? It was not from me…
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Ver. 2.-Willow-types. It is remarked that there are now no willows in Babylon. The name ereb is also applied to the tamarisk and poplar. But the drooping form of the willow branches and leaves is specially suggestive of tears. It is clear that a tree growing on the river-banks, and banging over the stream, is meant.…
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exhortation to forget a lost home, and make the best of a new country;" but the psalmist was in no mood to respond to such an exhortation, I. TnE CAPTIVES MIGHT HAVE SUNG EVEN IN CAPTIVITY, They would if their faith in God had mastered their circnmsta.nces. It is not much to say for them that they were so overwhelmed …
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that they were very bad and unworthy feelings; and for us the record cnt but be " warning against cherishing sentiments of vengeance. "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." If we have the spirit that Christ taught us to cherish, we shall not even pray against our enemies, we shall only pray for them. The …
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And praiae thy Name for thy loving-kindneas stnmling all God's glory and greatness, be and for thy truth. "Mercy " and " troth " condescends to look upon the lowly, to con- are God's two highest attributes (Exod. sider their needs, and to supply them (comp. xxxiv. 6). They wore especially shown to Isa. !vii. 15). Hence…
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Throughout Scripture, pride is presented to us as the insuperable obstacle blocking the way to t~e f~vour of God: humbleness of heart is held before us as the very gateway of his kingdom. We can see the reason why it should be so. 1. · It is the truth. v\:hen we take a high view of ourselves, we see ourselves in a f…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. !~.-Exultation in God. What a contraRt between this psalm and the previous one I There the sad-hearted writer asks, "How can we sing? " Here the _:isalmist can and will do nothing but sing. The effect of this spirit is seen throughout the psalm. I. IT WILL OPENLY CONFESS Gon. (Vers…
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Vers. 1-3.- Valiant for the Lord. The Septuagint ascribes this psalm to Haggai or Zechariah. It can hardly be by David. But it was by some greatly tried but triumphant saint. L SEE How BE STANDS UP FOB GoD. Note his boldness. Not only would he pra~se God with his whole heart, but be would do this in the very face, in …
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Ver. 8.-" The Lord will perfect." I. LET us LOOK AT THE SPEAKER. He is a man like ourselves; but as we look on him, we note how bright bis eye, how radiant his countenance, how calm yet how joyous bis tone, how happy in his conviction he seems to be, ns he keeps saying to himself, " The Lord will perfect that which con…
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can hardly keep back tl,e repining that God does not deal with the big things that trouble him. So his praise is in danger of being half-hearted. The psalmist inrlicates what the good man should do at such times. He should fully learn what God would teach by the single blessing, and, letting trust blend with thanksgivi…
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stands for the whole manifestation of himse'.f. Or we may render thus, "For thou hast magnified thy characteristic of._fidelity to promises above all the other chara.cteristice implied in thy Name Jehovah." I. GoD'.B _NUIE IS THE BASIS OF OUR EXPECTATIONS. A na.me ga.thers up the characteristics of the person to whom …
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Ver. 3.-Tlie provision of inward strength. "And strengthenedst me with strength in my soul." Whether this precisely renders the thought of the psalmist may be doubtful. It certainly presents a suggestive thought to us. The statement is certainly true of God's ways with us. His best blessings come to the inward, spiritu…
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Ver. 8.-God rompletes what he undertalces. (See Phil. i. 6.) "The Lord will carry to an end all things that concern my welfare." Man lives and moves through life r,urrounded with unfinished things. He has constantly to say, "My purposes are broken off I" He is always attempting what he cannot accomplish, beginning w…
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EXPOSITION. Jouo.h sought to flee from his presence, he PSALM CXXXIX. only found himself brought more absolutely A SONG of praise to God for his omniscience, and more perceptibly into his presence his omnipresenoo,and his marvellous powers, (comp. Jer. xxiii. 21). ending with a prayer for the destruction of Ver. 8.-I…
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thy works; i.e. thy doings generally. And on thee, both sleeping and we.king, nor that my soul knoweth right well. The ever find the snbject of my thought ex- extent of the marvellonsness I moy not be hausted. e.ble to comprehend; but at lenst 1 know Ver. 19.-Burely thou wilt slay the the fact the.t they are marvellous…
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we have a gen.era! knowledge of his occupatiou o.nd his more outward and formal ~aJ:iits. That goes a very little way. 3. Sometimes wo mean more than this-we :nt1mate that w~ know what a man's principles are, what he believes, after what manner he worsb_1ps, what are bis tastes and his companionships. Here we may th…
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shone upon us, when our members were unformed, everything about ns and before us was within his knowledge. 'l'here is absolutely no remotest or darkest corner of this wide world which is not included in God's realm - the realm of his presence, his observation, his action. Everywhere his hand leads us; everywhere his …
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers.1-24.-" Lord, thou, lcnowest altogether." This psalm, one of the most sublime of them all, is of unknown authorship. It seems to be the composition of some saint of God who lived after the Captivity. If so, what proof it gives of the blessin~ of sanctified sorrow (cf. the probably c…
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tabernacled in it and dwelt among ns (Jlbn i.). He was the Son of man, and he knows what is in man. (2) And there is the testimony of conscience. The very etymology of that word implies the knowledge of some one with us; and what we call "con- science" is our recognizing that God sees and judges all we are and do. "Tho…
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on Ps. xcvii. 10) ! 3. .An intense longing after ent1i·e holiness. (Vers. 23, 24.) 'l'he psalmist yearned to be free from all sin, not only from some sins. 'l'herefore he would lay bare his soul before God-would come into the full light of God, that the Divine scrutiny might be thorough and complete. He knew that arter…
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from whence this river has flowed down; we realize the glorious truths about God- bis omnipresence and omniscience-which are the source from whence this prayer we are to consider he.a sprung. But such thoughts about God have not always such results. They are terrors to the mind of the godless, and of all who are not wa…
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5. King Varunn sees all this, what is between heaven and earth, and what is beyond. He has counted the twinklings of the eyes of men. As a player throws the dice, he settles all things. 6. May all thy fatal nooses, which stand spread out seven by seven 1md threefold, catch the man who tells a lie I may they pass by him…
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Vers. 13, 14.-The mystery of being is with God. The expression translated, "hast covered me," reaJly is, "thou weavest me," as boughs nre woven into a hedge. The "reins" may denote the sensational and emotional part of the human being. It is not possible to deal with the detailed expressions of this psalm in a public m…
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Vere. 23, 24.-0ur thoughts. "Kuaw my thoughts." '!'his pso.lm contains the finest utterance of human feeling about t.he Divine omniscience that has ever come from human lips. God sees everything and everywhere. He sees the bidden mystery, man's secret thought and purpose. 'l'o the God-fearing man that is no trouble; i.…
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VPrs. 7-10.-God everywhe,·e. "Whither fhall I go from thy Spirit? or whither ahn l' [ flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there· if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there," etc. ' I. Gon IS PRESENT EVERYWHERE. Let us try to fill ourselves with this preat- thougbt. 1. God is in heaven…
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EXPOSITION. Ver. 2.-Whioh imagine misohiefs in their PSALM OXL. heart (comp. Pss. xxviii. 3; xxxvi. 4; !xii. MAINLY a psalm of supplication. David is 3). Continually are they gathered together in grco.t straits, tbrco.tened by violent o.nd for war ; rather, continually do they ,tir up wars (comp. Pss. lxviii. 30; ou…
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were unmoved. There have been more ways than one in which onr moral and spiritual integrity has been in danger of being undermined, but the peril is past; we are true, we are free, we are pure; we have "kept the faith; " the Lord has been on our side; the aim of the enemy has been turned aside. III. OUR REFUGE IN GoD.…
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malignant, so venom ons, so hidden and unexpect~d, are his snares? Let those who have been his victims tell, and the many who still are perpetually oppressed by him. II. OuR ONLY BUT SURE DEFENCE. It is God the Lord. No power of our own, or of our fellow-man, or of any religious rite, but all and only in God. So do hi…
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Ver. 6.-The rest of personally appropriating God. "I said unto the Lord, Thou o.rt my God" (comp. Ps. xvi. 2, "I have said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord; I have no good beyond thee;" Ps. xxvii. 1, "'!'be Lord is my light and my salvation;" o.nd many other places). Indeed, a characteristic feature of the Psalms is …
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Ver. 13.-The inward sense of riglit is an assui·ance of safety. The "upright " man is the man of integrity. And the consciousness of integrity gives, and properly gives, confidence and security. A man may cherish a sense of right, of uprightness, of sincerity. He may be sure that this puts him into the sympathy and fav…
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EXPOSITION. ~ite m8 kindly, 11B in the margin. And let PSALM CXLI. him reprove me; it shall be an excellent ALMOST wholly a psalm of supplication, oil, which sball not break my head • rather David is age.in in danger, and needs e. which mv head shall not re/us~. 'fh~ psalmist will prefer the reproof of the prompt de…
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HOMILETICS. Vcrs. 1-10.-Acceptable sacrifices. The more distinctive teaching of this psalm respects- I. THE SACRIFICE OF PRAYER. (Vers. 2, 8, 9.) When the sacrificial services of the tabernacle (or temple) could not be rendered, it was open to the devout Israelite to "lift 1:1P his hands" in reverent, believing pr…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vera. 1-10.-" Keep me from the snares." This difficult psalm seems to be the cry of a. greatly tempted soul. And the temptation now did not a.rise so much from the persecutions of the ungodly as from their seduciug favours-what he calls "their dainties" (ver. 4). And he seems to have found…
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whilst others, quick-witted, agile-minded, swift to see what can be said on any given subject,-tbey are apt to think that all that can be said must be said, and with sad unwisdom they baste to say it. These are the "good talkers;" unhappy ones, they should rather be called. 2. Vanity. A liking to show off, coupled w…
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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.