The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 97

ash&med; i.e. will not nllow shame to stop present one. "The house of my sojournings" my mouth. Tho writer is evidently not a is either this present world, where all men 1..-ing himself, probably not among the great a.re "strangers and pilgrims" (Heh. xi. 13), ones of tile earth (see vers. 51, 69, 78, 85, or perhaps some foreigu le.nd in which the etc.). writer had been a sojourner. Yer. 47.-And I will delight myself in thy Ver. 55.-I have remembered thy Name, com.m'l.ndments (comp. vers. 14, 16, 24, 35, 0 Lord, in the night (comp. Pss. !xiii. 6; 77, eto.). Whioh I h&ve loved (see below, cxlix. 5; e.nd Job xxxv. 10). And have kept vers. 48, 97, 113, 119, 127, 159, lti3, lti7). thy L&w. The night is the time when wicked Yer. 48.-M:y h&nds a.lso will I lift up men do their most wicked deeds (Job xxiv. unto thy comma.ndments, which I have 14---16). I keep thy Law both night a.nd loved. In a sort of qualified worship (comp. de.y. Gen. xiv. 22; Pss. xxviii. 2; cxxxiv. 2; Ver. 56.-This I ho.d, beoause I kept thy cxli. 2; Lam. iii. 41). And I will meditate precepts; rather, this I have, that I keep in thy statutes. Almost a. repetition of thy precepts; i.e. this one thing I have, and ver. 15a. it is my best and dearest possession, that I keep thy commandments. l ZAIN. Ver. 49.-ll.emember the word unto thy n CRETH. servant ; i.e. "the word spoken to thy ser- Ver. 57.-Thou a.rt my Portion, 0 Lord vant." Some speci1<l Diviue communication (see Pee. h:xiii. 26; cxlii. 5; and comp. made to the writer is perhaps meant. Upon Numb. xviii. 20; Josh. xiii. 33). I ha.ve which (rather, because) thou hast caused me said the.t I would keep thy words; or, "I to hope (comp. vers. 74, 81, 147). ha'l"e resolved" (Cheyne). Ver. 50.-This is my comfort in my afflic- Ver. 58.-1 intreated thy f&vonr with my tion. Nekhamah, " comfort," occurs only whole he&rt; literally, I have supplicated here and in Job vi. 10; but the meaning thy face (comp. Pa. xiv. 12). Be merciful is well ascertained. For thy Word ha.th unto me, aocording to thy Word. A repe- quickened me ; or, "thy promise." The tition of the prayer of ver. 41. "word," whatever it was, referred to in ver. Ver. 59.-1 thought oo. my w11.ys; i.e. I 49. This had given the psalmist new life. examined my conduct in the past, considered Ver. 51.-The proud have ha.dme greatly it, and passedjudgment upon it. And turned in derision; rather, proud men. There is my feet unto thy testimonies. When I found no article. (For the "derision" to which my conduct amiss, I altered it, turning my the righteona are always exposed, see Job feet into the way of thy commandments. XXX. 1, 9; Pas. XXXV. 16; xliv. 13, 14; Ver. 60.-1 m&de h&ste. Men are apt to Lam. iii. 14; Jer. xx. 7, etc.) Yet have I put off their repentance-to delay it to a not declined (or, swerried) from thy Law more "convenient season" (Acts xxiv. 25). (see the comment on ver. 31). The psalmist was not so foolish-he "me.de Ver. 52.-1 remembered thy judgments of haste," he says; and delayed not to keep old, 0 Lord. Not merely thy sentences upon God's commandments. This was wise, for wicked men, but all the course of thy pro- " now is the accepted time " (2 Cor. vi. 2). vidential government of the world, includ- Ver. 61.-The ba.nds of the wicked have ing thy deliverances of thy servants. And robbed me; rather, the snares of wicked men 'D.e.ve comforted myself. Have found comfort, entangled me (comp. vers. 23, 157, 161). But i.e., in calling them to mind, and dwelling I have not forgotten (or, I did not forget) upnn them. thy L&w. Ver. 53.-Horror ha.th taken hold upon Ver. 62.-A.t midnight I will rise to give me bec&use of the wicked that forsake thy thanks unto thee (comp. ver. 55). Becauae Law. 'l'be Revised Version has "hot in- of thy righteous judgments (see the comment dignation" instead of "ilorror;" and so on ver. 7). Rosenmiiller, Hengstenberg, Cheyne, Pro- Ver. 63.-I e.m a. oompanion of a.11 them fessor Alexander, and others ; bnt Dr. Kay th&t fear thee; i.e. I do not consort with the well defends the Authorized Version(' 'l'he ungodly or the oareless, but only with those Psalms,' Appendix i pp. 462, 463). The who love and reverence thee. Jt is well to feelin"" intended probably resembled that live "sep&rate from sinners" ( comp. Ps. i. I). descril,ed by Ezra (iL 6). The &.6u,.,_[,. of And of them th&t keep thy precepts. Obedi- tlio LXX. does not ill express it. ence necessarily follows on reverence a.nd Ve!. 54.-Thy statutes have been my songs godly fear. in the houae of my pilgrunage; literally, Ver. 64.-The earth, 0 Lord, is full of thy B°"']B ha De thy statutes been ta me in the house meroy (comp. Ps. xxxiii. 5). Gocl's meroy nf my •ojournings. I have me.de thy statutes is "over all bis works" (Pa. cxlv. 9). The the Ll1ewe of wy songs, as they are of this whole world is full of it. Pessimistic views PB, OXIX. 1-176.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 107