The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 52

EXPOSITION. the plnrnl pronoun instead of the singular PSALM VIII. one. How exoellent is thy Ne.me in all the Pa. vm. is e.ltogelher e. psalm of praise earth ! or, " How glorious ie thy Name I " und thauksgiving. Its primary idea. ie the (Kay, Cheyne). Who hast set thy glory above the heavens. It is difficult to obtain condescending love and goodness of God this sense from the present Hebrew text; towards me.n. That God, who had made but some corruption of the text is suspected, the he11vene, and set his glory ou them, Ver. 2.-0ut of the mouth of be.boa and should have e. regard for man, e.nd " visit sucklings hast thou ordained strength. Dy " babes and sucklings" are mount young him," end not only so, bnt give him eo lofty children just able to lisp God's praises, nnd u position, so exalted a destiny, ie a thought orten doing so, either through pious teaching that is well-nigh overwhelming, The or by a sort of natural instinct, sioco psalmist, filled with the thought, can do no "Heaven lies about ns in our infancy " kss than pour out his feelings of love and (Wordsworth). These scarce nrticulate gratitude in song. The Davidical author- glory mutterings form a foundation on which tho of God in part rests. :Because of thine ship is generally allowed. Wbat "upon enemies. To put them to she.me, who, having Gitlilh" means ie very uncertain, but the attained to manhood, refuse to acknowledge most probable conjecture ie that a melody, God. That thou mightest still the enemy or musical style, which David bad learnt at and the avenger. It scarcely seems as if any Gath, is intended. single individual-either Abee.lorn, or Alii- thophei, or even Satun (Kny)-is intencled. Ver. 1.-0 Lord our Lord. In the original, Hather the word~ ore used generally of all Jehovah .Adoneynu; i.e. "Jebove.h, who art those who are t:ncmiee of God, and deeirous our sovereign Lord and Master." Aff David of revenging them.elves upon him. The is here the mouthpiece of humanity, praising existence of such persons is well shown by Gr,d for mercies common to all men, he uses Hengstenberg. rs. vm. 1-0.] 'HIE BOOK OF PSALMS.