The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 4

22; I. 2; Jer. L 18-15, 88-40; Ii. IS, his displeasure and suffer at hie hands. 37---48, etc.). And the waterspringa into Their population is diminished; they are dry ground. The phrase is varied, but the "bowed down" (Revised Version), or meaning is the same. God has full control "brought low." Calamities of va1'ious kinds over nGture, and oan either take back hie befall them. Sometimes their decline is blessings, or render them of no avail. brought about through oppression, which Ver. 34.-A fruitful land into barrenness; may be either the cruel rule of a n11tive literally, inro Baltn&s. The judgment upon monarch, such as Saul, or the still heavier Sodom and Gomorrah is probably in the yoke of a foreign power, like Egypt or writer's mind. For the wickedness of them Babylon. Sometimes it comes from such that dwell therein. God does not cnpri- an affliction as b11d huvests, plagues of c-iously withdraw his blessings from a land. locusts, or pestilence. Sometimes it is If be turns a fruitful land into a barren brought about by sorrow-the death of a one, we may be sure that the inhabitants good ruler in the flower of his age, the have provoked him by their sins. extinction of e. royal stock, the destruotion Ver. 35.-He tlll'Ileth the wilderness into of a nation's best and bravest on battle-fields, a standing water; rather, a wilderness and the like. But in all ce.le.mities a.like (comp. Isa. x:s:xv. 7; xii. 18). And dry it is God's hand that deals the blow. ground into watersprings. The entire verse Ver. 40.-He poureth oontempt upon is antithetical to ver. 33. prinoes. A direct quotation from Job xii Ver. 36.-And there he maketh the 21, but not therefore to be regarded as hungry to dwell. God gives the land, spurious, since the sacred writers often quote which be has thus blessed, to some pre- one another, and the psalmists especially viously famishing people; as be did Canaan are Tery muoh in the habit of citing, or to Israel after tbev bad ho.d but scant fare in referring to Job (see, in this very psalm, the wilderness. That they ma.y prepe.re a besides the present passage, vers. 10, 18 city for habit&tion; literally, and they (bis), 20, 34,41, and 42). And canseth them prepare. It is naturally their first thought to wander in the wilderness; rather, a to pre po.re themselves a settled dwelling- wi"lderness (comp. Job xii. 24). Where place ( comp. Gen. iv. 17; xi. 4; xxv. 16, there is no way. " Wandering in a wilder- etc.). ness without a way denotes helpless em- Ver. 37.-And sow the fields; literally, barrassmeni" (Hengstenberg). and sow fields-the first act of a settled Ver. 41.-Yet setteth he the poor on high population. And plant vineyards. The from affliction. Even in suoh dread second act in a wine-producing coun}ry. calamities, when a whole nation is punished, Brend and wine were recognized in the God's providence protects the poor and East as the prime necessaries of life (see needy-not of course in all, but still in very Gen. xiv. 18; Judg. ix.13; xix. 19; 2 Sam. many, cases. The mower's soytbe passes vi. 19; Neb. v. 15; Pa. civ. 15; Dan. i. 5, over the humblest flowers. And maketh etc.). Which ma.y yield fruits of increase; him families like a :ftook (corn p. Job xxi. 11 ). rather, and get them; literally, make them. Those whom God thus preserves be collects The expression, "fruits of increase," points into "families," and looks after as carefully to the abundance oftbe harvest and vintage. as e. shepherd looks after bis sheep. Ver. 38.-He blesseth them also, so that Ver. 42.-'.l'he righteous shall ses_ it, and they are multiplied greatly. With in- rejoice. Experience will justify God's ways creasing prosperity comes increase of popu- to man. '"£be righteous "-his people- lation, ne.turally--i.e. by God's ordinary will seo that the general course of God's pro'"idence. This increase is,however, only providence is such as described (vers. SS a blessing witl.Jin certain limits. And -41), and will" rejoice" that it is so. And 1n1fereth not their cattle to decrease. This all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Tbe gain- modect under-statement suggests an enor- sayers, unable to impugn the righteousness mous increase (comp. Job xiii. 12). of the Divine proceedings, shall have no Ver. 39.-Again. There is no "agaiu" resource but to sit still and hold their in the original, but merdy the usual vaw tongues. conjunctive. Still, in tbe thought, there is Ver. 43.-Whoso is wise, and will observe no doubt e.n abrupt transition. The writer these things ; rather, wt him observB the,e turns to the darker side of the picture. thing,. It is assumed that they a.re open to They are minished and brought low. God be observed by all ; they are the patent shows his providence, not merely in blessing, facts of human life. Even they; rather, bnt also in chastising. Even the very and th611, Shall understand the loving- nation which bas been the most highly kindneae of the Lord; literally, loving-lcind- favoured may, by misconduct, fall under ne,,es; I.e. many acts of loving-kindneBB, Pl. OTII, 1-43.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS.