PSALM CXL VI. e. favourite expression in the later psalms, where it almost supersedes the phrase THE psnltcr ends with e. cluster of "Halle- " God of Israel" (see Pas. Ixxvi. 6; lxxxi: luje.h Psalms," five in number, all of them I, 4; lxxxiv. 8; xciv. 7; cxiv. 7; cxxxii. both beginning and ending with the phrase. ~. 5; an~ th? present passnge). It is rare lu the Hebrew none of them has any" ti Ue;" in the h1stoncal books and in the prophets. but it is generally considered that the Pes. Whose ~-ope is in ~he Lord ~is God (comp. x:n1. 9 ; xx:ux. 7; lxil. 5 ; Ixxi. 5, Septuagint tiUe of the majority-' Ayya{ov eto.). 1<al Z•x<1p!ov-embodies a true tradition, Ver. 6.-Whioh me.de heaven, and earth, and that they are the "Song3 of the Return the see., and e.ll the.t therein is. Who is, from the Captivity," added to the Psalter by there~ore, e.n omnipotent Help, tho very the Prophet.s Haggai nnd Zecharie.h. They opposite of " the son of man, in whom is no help'' at all (ver. 3). Which keepeth truth form a portion of the daily morning service for ever; i.e. who keeps e.ll his promises, of the Jews. Ps. cxlvi. praises God e.s e.nd he.s promised his help to all such as the only true Helper. Metricnlly, it falls call upon him faithfully (Pd. cxlv. 18). into two portions-a short opening strophe Ver. 7.-Whioh exeouteth judgment for the oppressed (comp. Ps. ciii 6, "Tho Lord of four verses (vcrs. 1-4), and e. second executeth righteousness and judgment for longer strophe of six verses (vers. 5-10), e.11 that a.re oppressed"). Isre.el's history setting forth tho blessedness of those who wns e.n ample comment on this text. Whioh take God for their Help. giveth food to the hungry (comp. Pa. cxlv. 15, 16, e.nd the comment ad loo.). The Lord Ver. 1.-Pre.ise ye the Lord (comp. on Pd. looseth the prisoners. Either cnptive cxi. 1). Praise the Lord, 0 my soul (see nations, ns Isrnel; or individuals, e.s Jere- Pss. ciii. 1, 2; civ. 1, which only differ in miah from his dungeon (Jer. xxxvii 16, 17), the verb used-" bleas" for "pcnise "). Daniel from the lions' den (Dan. vi. 23), Ver. 2.-While I live will I praise the Peter from his prison-house (Acts xii. 7-10), Lord. Nearly identical with Ps. civ. 33a. e.nd the like. Deliverance from the bands It is our duty towards God to be always or sin may e.lso be intended. praising him, if not with the lips, at any Ver. 8.-The Lord openeth the eyes of the rate with the heart. I will sing praises blind (comp. Isa. xxxv. 5). 'I'he spiritually unto my God while I have any being. Iden- blind would seem to be meant, rather the.n tical with Ps. civ. 33b. the physically blind, since thero is no record Ver. 3.-Put not your trust in princes of any restoration of physicul sight in the (comp. Pd. cxviii. 10). Israel was always Old Testnment. The Lord re.iseth them that apt to trust in human rather than Divine a.re bowed down (see Ps. cxlv.14). "Bowed help. Now it we.e Egypt (lea. xxx. 2; down," i.e., under the band of oppressors. xxni. 6), now Assyria (2 Kings xvi. 7), The Lord loveth the righteous. 'l'his lies now their own kings or nobles. At the nt the root of a.II, e.nd shows thnt the various time of the return from tbo Captivity, too deliverances spoken of in vers. 7-9 nro to much we.s expected from Zerubbe.bel and bo understood as deli vere.nces of the rig11t- the other "princes." Nor in the son of eous out of their troubles. man. The Prayer-book paraphrase, ''nor Ver. 9.-The Lord preEerveth the stran- in any child of mnn,'' brings out the sense. gers. God's goodness lee.de him not only Confidence in human aid of whatever kind to protect the righteous, but e.lso to lend his is forbi<lden. In whom there is no help; specinl help to the wee.k and afflicted clnases. or, "the.t bath no saving power" (ny1:i/n). "The slmngcr, the fa.therless, anu the Ver. 4.-His breath go3th forth, he re- widow" nro constautly mentioned in tho turneth to his earth; or, "when his breath Old Tcstnment as peculiar o~jects of the goes forth "-i.e. when Le breathes his last Divine cnre (Exod. xxii. 21, 22; Lev. xix. -'' he returns to hie earth," i.e. to the 33, 34; Dent. x. 18; Job xxix. 12; Pa. earth of which he wns made (Gen. ii. 7, 19). Ixxxii. 3; Isa. i. 28; Jcr. vii. 6, etc.). Ho In that very day hie thoughts perish. All ralieveth the fatherloes e.nd widow; or, his schemes nud projectH (' eBldonotl,, a word "upholdeth" (see tho Revised Vorsion). not occurring elsewhere) cowe to on end- But the we.y of the wiokod he turnoth up- 1<re nipped in the bud-peri~h. E~ weuk is side down (comp. Pa. cxlv. 20). His merci- he, nnu not to be depended ,;in. ful protection of his sniute lee.cls hitn to Ver. 5.-Happy is ho that h:itb the God overthrow the goiugs of the wicked, who 11ro of Jac~b for hie Help. "God of Jacob" is their enemies. PS, CXLVI. 1-10.] TIIE BOOK OJ! PSALMS. 391
Ver. 10.-The Lord shall reign for ever of Zion" (see Zech. ii. 10; viii. 3). And (comp. Pee. x. 16; cxlv. 13). Even thy this he remains "to all generations," since God, 0 Zion, unto all generations. On the the Church of Christ is now the true Zion reetoration of Israel to its o\Vll land, Jehovah (Heh. xii. 22). Pra.iae ye the Lord (see bocomes emphatkally once more "the God ver. 1).