The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 2

out of their distresses. "Distrcss<'S" may Ver. 14.-He brought them out of dark- be a plural of nmplification, or it may point ness and the she.dow of doath. Wherein to the triple suffering-hunger, thirst, they ettt (vor. 10). And brake their bands faintness. in sunder. Freed them from their fetters Ver. ,.-And he led them forth by the (ver. 10), whatever thoy wore. right way; or, "by a straight way "-e. way Ver. 15.-Oh that men, eto. I A repetition in which there was no crookednees. That of ver. 8. they might go to a oity of habitation. The Ver. 16.-l!'or he hath broken the go.tes of same phrnse 118 in ver. 4. A city suitable brass. God completely liberates the un- for hCLbitation is meant. happy ones who turn to him; removes every Yer. 8.-0h th&t men would pre.ise the restmiut that confines and galls them ; Lord for his goodness ! Here the refrain breaks on their behalf, o.s it were, " go.tee of ooours for the first time. Note its repetition brass." And cut the bars of iron in sunder. in vers. 15, 21, and SI. It is an earnest Snaps fetters and prison be.rs. call on those who have experienced God's mercies to be thankful. And for his won- Vere. 17-22.-A third ole.ss of persona derful works to the children of men I or, under God's displeasure are punished by " hie wonderful doings." grievous sickness, e.nd brought to the very Ver. 9.-P'or he satisfieth the longing soul, a.nd filleth the h=gry soul with good- verge of the grave. They, too, in many ness. The "satisfaction" intended seems to cases, turn to God, and, " crying to him," be spirituo.l rather than ma.teri&l (comp. Ps. are delivered from their peril. It is for miv. 10 ; Luke i. 53). God alone can thtim, under suoh ciroumsto.noes, to make satisfy the cravings ofme.n's spiritual nature. a return by means of praise and thanks- Vera. 10--16.-There are others afflicted giving. differently-struck down by some grievous Ver. 17.-l!'ools because of their trans- calamity, imprisonment, earthly ruin, down- gression, and because of their iniquities, fall of their hopes, a sense of their bondage are afflicted. Some read c•~\n, " sick to sin-who suffer perhaps even more than men," for C'?l~ "fools," here. But the the disso.tisfied wo.nderers. They too may change is not necessary. Folly and sin are cry to God in their trouble; o.nu when they regarded as two aspects of the so.me moral do, they experience his mercy. Let them condition by the sacred writers, and sickness join in the chorUB of pre.ise. is spoken of o.s an ordinary punishment for I them (Job xxxiii. 17-22; 2 Kings v. 27; Ver. 10.-Buch a.s sit in darkness o.nd in 2 Chron. xxi. 15; xxvi. 16-19; Acts xii. the Eho.dow of death (comp. Job xvi. 16; 23). xxrn. 8). The expressions used are Ver. 18.-Their soul abhorreth all manner purposely 'l"o.gue, being intended to cover of meat (comp. Job xxxiii. 20; Ps. cii. 4). various sorts of misery. Being bound in And they draw near unto the gates of death. aft!iction e..nd iron j i.e. " in an affliction See Ps. ix. 13; and compare """"' l'<1tpw11 which holds them like bands of iron" ,cevOµowa. ,ea,/ IT/COTov ,rvJ..a.r J..nr,I,11 (Eurip., (comp. ver. 17). 'Hee.,' I). Ver. 11.-Because they rebelled against Ver. 19.-Then they ory unto the Lord in the words of God. Such deep e.ffiiction as is their trouble, and he saveth them out of here spoken of scarcely ever comes upon their distresses (see above, vers. 6 and 13). e.ny but those who have offended God by Ver. 20.-B:e sent his word, and healed resisting his will And contemned the counsel them; rather, he selld41 his word, and heals of the most High (comp. Prov. i. 25). The them (see the Revised Version). The .. counsel of God " is the course of conduct "word" intended may be e. message sent which he he.s prescribed to man, whether by a human messen.ger, like the "word" through the reason e.nd conscience that he sent to Hezekiah in his sickness (2 Kings he.s implanted in him, or through his x.x. 4; Isa. xxxviii. 4); or it may be e. revealed Word. thought suggested to the mind either Ver. 12.-Therefore he brought down directly by God, or by an angel, like that their heart with labour; rather, with misery, spoken of in Joh xxxiii. 23, 24; or, lastly, it or with sorrow. They fell down ; i.e. may be the octuo.l Word of God (John i. I), eolle.psed-£ank to the earth. And there the Son, sent by the Fnther. But this last we.s none to help. '£hey were like Job; no sense can scarcely hove been in the writer's one gave them any help in tl,eir o.filiction. mind. And delivered them from their de- Yer. 13.-Then they cried unto tho Lord struotions; or," from their grave-pits" (Kay, in their trouble, and he Daved them out of Cheyne). The word used occurs only here their distre&&es (comp. ycr. 6, and see also anu in Lam. iv. 20, whero it is translo.teu vcrs. HI a.nd 28). "pits." ps. ovn.1-43.J THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 3