but in other parts he speaks so entirely in the person of the Messiah whom he typified, that we can scarcely apply the words to any other. Nor whilst we assert this are we in any danger of erring ; because our blessed Lord himself, and the Evangelists who wrote his life, and St. Paul also, all concur in putting this very construction upon the psalm, and in citing various parts of it as actually accomplished in Christ. " The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up^" is applied to Christ on one occasion ; and on another, " They hated me without a cause"." His general deportment is said to have been predicted in those words, " The reproaches of them that reproached thee, fell on me*^." At his crucifixion was fulfilled that remarkable prophecy, "■ They gave me gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drinks" Even to Judas who betrayed him is one portion of it applied, " Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein*^." After such autho- rities as these, we do not hesitate to interpret our text as referring to the sufferings of Christ, and as describing,
L Their overwhelming nature —
If David, as a type, had niany things to suffer, much more had that Saviour whom he typified. We will not however speak of his sufferings during the whole period of his sojourning on earth; but of those only which he endured in the closing scenes of his life, and which seem more particularly referred to in the psalm before us. That we may have a more distinct view of them, we will notice,
1. Those which were previous to his apprehension —
[" He had indeed a fearful prospect before him," a bloody " baptism to be baptized with ; and how was he straitened till it should be accomplished^!" When the time for its accom- plishment drew nigh, his " soul was so troubled, that he knew not what to say." As a man, he felt disposed to deprecate his sufferings, and to be saved from that hour that was fast ap- proaching : but, as our Mediator, he would not recede, because
^ John ii. 17. " John xv. 25. <i Rom. xv. 3.
e John xix, 29. f Acts i. 20. s Luke xii. 50.