EXPOSITION. Ver. 2.-Whioh imagine misohiefs in their PSALM OXL. heart (comp. Pss. xxviii. 3; xxxvi. 4; !xii. MAINLY a psalm of supplication. David is 3). Continually are they gathered together in grco.t straits, tbrco.tened by violent o.nd for war ; rather, continually do they ,tir up wars (comp. Pss. lxviii. 30; ou:. 7). maligno.nt enemies (vers. 1-5), ngo.inst Ver. 3.-Theyhave sharpened their tongue■ whom he prays to God for o.id (vers. 1, 4, 6, like a serpent (comp. Pss. liL 2; !vii. 4; !ix. 7; 8). At the so.me time, ho pro.ises God for hiv. 3). Adders' poison is under their lip■ his protection in past dangers (ver. 7), o.nd (comp. Ps. I viii. 4:; Rom. iii. 15). The expresses his confidenco tho.t judgme_nt will mo!lning is th!lt their tongues inll.iot wounds which are ns painful as poisoued wounds. overt,lke tho wicked (vers. 9-11), and the Tho po.use-sign, "selo.b," mo.rks off the first cause of the_ righteous ho vindico.ted (vers. stanza. 12, 13). The ascription to Do.vid is borne Ver. 4.-Keep me, 0 Lord, from the bands out by the contents. of the wicked ; preserve me from the violent man. A repetition of vcr. 1 in a. modified Ver. 1.-Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil form. 'l'be fact of iteration indico.tes the man. The prayer is not directed o.gainst an extremity of the pso.lmist's need. Who have individuo.l, but agai '.lst David's enemies purposed to overthrow my goings; i.e. to genero.lly. '!'hey are "evil" or "wicked" bring me to destruction (comp. Ps. xvii. 5)- men, o.nd especially " men of violence " (see Ver. 5.-The proud have hid a snare for the next clause, and comp. Yer. 4). Preserve me, and oords. An instance of the figure me from the violent man; literally, from hendiady,. What is meant is o. snare com- tlle man of -violence, (comp. 2 Sam. xxii. 49; posed of cords. Such snares, when lo.ill for Pe. xviii. 48). animo.ls, wore "bidden " in long grass, or 328 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PB. OXL. 1-13,
low shrubs, or rough ground. They have them; or, "burning coe.ls sho.11 be thrown spread a net by the wayside; they have set upon them." Let them be oa.st (or, "they gins for me ( comp. Pss. x:ui. 4; xxxv. 7; shall be cast") into the :fire, into deep pits, lvii. 6 ; cxix. 10; cxli. 9; cxlii. 3). A that they rise not up age.in. The clauses second pa.use-sign marks off e. second sta.nzo.. are declaratory rather than opta.tive. The Ver. 6.-I Hid unto the Lord, Thou a.rt psalmist sees the wrath of God poured out my God : hee.r the voioe of my supplica- upon his enemies, who are a.t the ea.me time tions, 0 Lord (comp. Pss. xxxi. 14; cxliii. God's enemies-they are cast into the fire 1). The expressions used a.re markedly prepared to receive the wicked-and plunged Davidica.l. into deep pitB whence they find it impossible Ver. 7.-0 God the Lord. In the Hebrew, to extricate themselves. "Jehove.h Adonai "-a comparatively ra.ro Ver. 11.-Let not an evil speaker be address. The strength of my se.lvation. The established in the earth; literally, a man solid strength upon which I ground all my of tongue shall not be established in the land hopes of salvation (comp. Ps. l.xxxix. 26). -a man, i.e., of pretence and seeming, who Thon hast covered my head in the day of talks grandly, hut effects nothing. Such battle. In past combats thou bast protected a one shall not obtain pe1·manent establish- me, as with a shield (Pss. xviii. 2; xxxiii. ment as a power iu the land. Evil shall 20), wherefore I put the greater trust in hunt the violent man to overthrow him ; thee for the future. The "head" is men- literally, to destructions-a. plural of com- tioned as one of the chief vital parts. pletenesR. Ver. 8.-Grant not, 0 Lord, the desires of Ver. 12.-I know that the Lord will main- the wicked. The " desires of the wicked " tain the oause of the afflicted. The psalmie are hurtful both to themselves and others. is confident, not only that the wicked will It is in his mercy that God does not grant be punished, but also that the righteous, them. Further not his wicked device; whatever sufferings may come upon them, lest they exalt themselves. So the LXX., will ultimately be delivered out of their µ.frrron {,,/,"'6wtT,11. Others transle.te, " Or afflictions (comp. Pa. ix. 4, 9, 12, 18, etc.), how they will exalt themselves I" The And the right of the poor. It is not to be third stanza here terminates. supposed tllat "the right" is always with Ver. 9.-As for the head of those that "the poor:" but, when it iR, God will oompass me about. The" head" of David's assuredly be their champion, enemies is put in contrast with his own Ver. 13.-Surely the righteous shall give "head" (see ver. 7). While God shields thanks unto thy Name; the upright shall and protects his head, theirs has no pro- dwell in thy presence. The result of God's tection, but the mi&ohief of their own lips punishment of the wicked, and deliverance which covers them, but with confusion, of the righteous is naturally that the right- rather th.e.n with defence or safety. eous give him thanks, frequent his courts, Ver. 10.-Let burning coals fall upon and " dwell," as it were, " in his presenoe."
HOMILETICS. Vera. 1-13.-In danger. The position of the psalmist is that of a man in danger. His enemies are strong and cunning; they are bent on his destruction, and spare no pains to accomplish his ruin. At such a time the godly man has one resource which never fails him. The psalm speaks to us of- I. THE PERILS WHICH SURROUND us. These are twofold. 1. That of violence. (Vere. 4, 11.) Not the violence of the sword and the spear, but that of fierce, forcible temptation, coming down upon us suddenly, and likely to overthrow us in one fate_ful and fatal hour; that which attacks and overwhelms the soul "between the mornrng and the evening." 2. That of deceit. (Ver. 5.) Wo think we are secure, we are not aware that any evil awaits us, we are like the man in whose path the secret pit is digged; but in truth we are going on in the direction of some serious sin-selfishness, worldliness, pride, vanity, intemperance, impurity, unbelief, or some other_ moral or spiritual calamity-and if we are not arrested i_n ou~ w~y, we shall fall ID a~d be destroyed. It is the unseen and unsuspected peril which 1s most to be dreaded in the path of life. II. A BENSE OF PAST DELIVERANCE. (Ver. 7.) A~ we look back we see that our strong Deliverer," the strength of our salvation," has put forth his power on our behalf, has " covered our head in the day of battle." There were times when our virtue or our piety was energetically assaulted; but, in the strength of God, we stood firm and PS. OXL. 1-13.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 829