The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 253

who in eh. xv. 24 is coupled as priest with which (vers. 8-22) the people are reminded Benaiah, should stand in the place of this of their past history anrl of the me.rvellou< name or else vice versti. providence which had governed their career Ver. 7.-The rendering should run, On from Abraham to the time they were settled that day did David first commit to the hand in Canaan, but in the second (vers. 23-36) of Asaph. and his brethren to render praises their thought ie enlarged, their sympathies to Jehovah.; i.e. after the following manner immensely widened, so as to include all the and words. The word 11.rst marks the world, encl their view is borne on to the solemn establishment of set public worship momentous reality of judgment. in the metropolis. Vers. 8-10.-These verses are an ani- Vers. 8-36.-These verses, then, provide mated invocation to thanks e.nd praise. the form of praise which David wished to Vere. 11-14.-The call to thanksgiving be used on this, o.ud probably in grateful and to the praise of adoration is now in repetition on some succeeding occasions. these verses succeeded by an earnest admo- David makes selections from foll? psalms nition to practical seeking of the Lord, and already known; for it cannot be supposed mindful obedience to him. that the verses we have here were the Vere. 14-22.-These verses rehearse the original, and that they were afterwards ancient e.nd blissful covenant which had supplemented. The first fifteen verses me.de Israel so to differ. These are called (viz. 8-22) are from Ps. cv. 1-15. The mine anointed .. , my prophets, in harmony next eleven verses (23-33) are from Ps. with whe.t we read in the splendid pe.sse.ge, xcvi. 1-13; but o. small portion of the first Exod. xix. 3-6. The substitution in our and last of these verses is omitted. Our vers. 15, 19 of the second person pronoun thirty-fourth verse is identical with Ps. pltUal, in place of the third person of the cvii. 1; oxviii. 1 ; cxxxvi. l ; and forms the psalm, helps spee.k the reality of this occa- larger part of Ps. cvi. 1. It is, in fact, a sion and its dramatic correctness. The doxology. And our thirty-fifth and thirty- literal original of onr Authorized Version in sixth verses consist of a short responsive ver. 19, but few, even a few, is, men of num- (" and say ye") invocation, followed Ly ber, i.e. men who could eN1ily be numbered. another doxology. These are taken from Vers. 23-36.-The grandeur e.nd unusuo.l Ps. cvi. 47, 48. Hereupon "all the people" comprehensiveness of the adoration and are directed to find the final outburst of homage here proclaimed, as to be offered to praise to Jehovah, and "Amen." In the the omnipotent Ruler of all nations, should first of these seleotioDB (vers. 8-23) there is be well pondered. Our eye and ear mny no material variation from the language of have become too fomilinr with it, but when the psalm itself. Yet the orig[nal psalm put a little into relief, anu referred io its has Abraham, where Oil? own thirteenth original time of de.y, it ie fit to be ranked verse reads lmul. And the original psalm among the strongest moral evidences of uses the thir,I pereol!, where our fif1eenth inspiration in the word and the speLLkcr. aud nineteenth verses have the second per- Ver. 23.-Thie verse is composed of the son. In the second seleotiou it is worthy latter half of each of the first two ver,es of of note that our ver. 29, "Come before him," the psalm (xcvi.), prob8bly preserves the ante-temple reading, Vcrs. 34-36.-Thcse verses, from the while Ps. xcvi. 8 was afterwards, to fit first, forty-seventh, aud forty-eighth of Ps. temple times, altered into, "Come into liis ovi., must hl\ve suggested the Bl\U inter- cou,·ts." The nrrangement of all the suc- mediate contents of tlrnt psalm, tho signifi- ceeding clauses does not exactly ogree with cant key-note of which is soun,led iu our the arrangement of them found in the pse.lm, thirty-fifth verse. The suggestion in the 11s for instance in the latter half of our ver. 30 mid.,t of the unbounded glauuess of this day and in vor. 31, compared with the clauses of is affecting, rrnd must huve been intended vers. 10, 11 of the psalm. Again, one clause for salutary lesson and timely warning. In of the tenth verse of the psalm, "He shall the midst of the fulue:;s of pmise anJ joy, judge the people righteously," is not found the people are led to pmyer-aayye-mHI the in either 11lternative position open to it pmyer is an humble petition for snlv:1tio11, throu..,h the inversion of ole.uses, in our vers. union, and protection from every enemy. 30, 31. The rhythm and metre of the Gorl's treatment of his anointed people Irn,I pse.lm are,however,equally unexceptionable. been on his part one continued protection 'l'he whole of the twenty-nine verses of this ancl one prolonged salvation. Yet they huu pse.lm of praise (vere. 8-36 inclusive) a.re oftun m,ithor pruyed for these nor acknow- divided into portions of three. verses each, ledged them. Now thoy are led ngain by except the portion vers. 23-27 inclusive, the he.nd, as it were, to tlie foot~tool of tht1 which consists of five verses. As regards throne. the matter of it, it me.y bo remarked ou as Vera. 37-43.-Theso verses give the nov. brcakiug into two puts, in the first of new-orJ.ai11ed dis~ribut.ion of pri•,st11 ~rnl 248 THE '.rIRS'r BOOK OP THE CFIRONTCLES. (ctt. :in. 1-43.