11), that thou forgettest-show that thou Vera. 16-18.-Here begins the third part rememberest at once the sufferings of the of the psalm. It is, as has been observed, afflicted, and the guilt of their oppressors. "confident and triumphant." The psnlmist Ver. 13.-Wherefore doth the wicked oontemn God 1 God's long-suffering does has, in the first part, shown the wickcdne8S but make the wicked despise him. Where- of the ungodly; in the second, he has fore is this allowed to continue (comp. ver. prayed for vengeance on them, and for tho I)? He bath said in his heart, Thou wilt deliverance of their victims; in the third, not require it; rather, as in the Prayer-book he expresses his certainty that his prayer Version, while he doth say in his heart (see vers. 6, 11 ). is heard, and that the pnnishment and Ver. 14.-Thou hast seen it. The most deliverance for which he has prayed are a8 emphatic contradiction that was possible to good as accomplished. the wicked man's "He will never see it" (ver. 11). God sees, notes, bears in mind, Ver. 16.-The Lord is King for ever and and never forgets, every act of wrong-doing ever (comp. Pas. xxix. 10; nxlvi. 10). Thus that men commit, and especially acts of God's kingdom is established, his authority oppression. For thou beholdest mischief and vindicated, his absolute rule over all men spite; or, perhaps, mischief and grief (see made manifest. Internal and external foes Job vi. 2); i.e. the "mischief" of the are alike overcome. The heathen-whether oppressors, and the "grief" of the oppressed. uncircumcised in the flesh or in the heart (soHengstenberg, Cheyne, and the' Speaker's (J er. ix. 25, 26)-are perished out of his Commentary'). Others rofer both words to (Jehovah's) land. the feelings of the oppressed, and translate, Ver. 17.-Lord, thou hast heard tha desire "travail o.nd grief." To requite it with thy of the humble (comp. Pd. ix. 12). It is not hand. Again the Prayer-book Version i3 the psalmist's prayer alone that he regards preferable, "to take the matter into thy os heard and answered. The oppre8sed hand," both for reward and requital. The have cried to God o.gainst their oppresrnrs, poor committeth himself unto thee. He has and their cry has "come before him, and no other possible refuge-therefore no other entered into his ears." Thou wilt prepare reliance. Thon art the Helper of the father- their heart ; rather, thou doBt establi•I• less. The word "thou" is emphatic- (or, make firm) their heart. Through their " Thou, and no other (no~)." conviction thot thou art on their side, nnd Ver. 15.-:Break thou the arm of the art about to help them. Thot1 wilt ca11se wicked and the evil man; i.e. "break thou thine ear to hear; or, thou causest. Lis strength; t11kc aw11y his 11bility to work Ver. 18.-To judge the fatherless (see evil to others." Seek out his wiokedness ver. 14) and the oppressed; i.e. to vindicate till thou find none; rather, require his them-to jud!!:e between th('m nnd their wickedness. The verb is the same us tho.t oppressors. That the man of the earth may used in the 111st clnuse of ver. 13. The no more oppress; or, that te1Tene man may wicked mun had said in his henrt, "Thou no lonr,er terrify. There is o. plrly upon the wilt not require;" the psalmist ea.Uson God, two words in the originnl, which might not only to require, but to require to the thus be rendered. But it hRs been said, uttermost. Seek out, he says, require, and with truth. that this sort of rhetorical bring to judgment,a!l his wickedncSS-il\'ery ornament "does not suit the genius of our o.tom of it-until even thy se,uohing eye cuu language" (Erlo). find no mol'O to rcq uire, requite, aud punish.
HOMILETICS. Ver. 13.-The prolat of faith against sin. "Wherefore doth the wicked con- temn God?" etc. 'l'his psalm is one of those which utter with burning fervour the protest of faith against unbelief, of righteousness age.inst iniquity, of loyalty to God against rebellion. To understand these utterances, we must try to see sin us it is in itself, apart from the gracious light of forgiving mercy which the gospel sheds-as they saw it who had to live the life of faith when no cross had been set up, no sacrifice offered "for the sins of the whole world," no gospel of forgiveness preached to the nations. If the prevalence of sin, nnd its consequent misery, is so heavy a burden to pious hearts tu-day, what must it have been then 1 I. A TEnnrnL.,. VIEW OF srn: CONTEMPT OF Goo. Wilful transgressors despise God. 1. 'l'hey are reg;irdless of his Luw. (1 J ohn,.iii. 4.) It is written on tl::.eir conscience. 'l'he blessing of vbcdirnce ancl the curse of disob~dience are inwoven in their very no.ture; GS THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PII, X, 1-18. ----- ----------------- ------------ for besides that some sins (drunkenness, gluttony, lust, and sloth) destroy even tho body, the -man himsdf is worse, mentally, in character, for every sin he commits. 2. 'l'hey are careless ef Go<l', honour. Sin insults and dishonours God-a greater crime than all the injury it docs to man. 3. 'l'hey depise his call to ,·epentance. (Isa. i. 18; Acts xvii. 30.) 4. They defy his displeasure and are reckless of his judgment (Luke :xiii. 3, 5). If. A QUESTION ASKED AXD ANSWERED, "\Vhcrefore," etc. ? Because "he ho.th said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it" (so ver. 11). Men persua.de themselves that, as they forget God, so he forgets them. That is all they desire. An uncrodly man's notio°: o~ fo:giveness is me:e omission to punish; neglect of justice; indnlg'::nce, not because 1t 1s right not to pumsh, but merely because the thought of punishment is too dreadful and painful. "God," he says," is too merciful to punish." He does not consider or understand that, as it is impossible for God to forget anything, so there would be no true mercy, but the reverse, in the neglect of justice. 'l'his is what is meant by "will by no means clear the guilty," even in the very proclamation of Divine mercy (Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7). III. THE FATAL MISTAKE. God has seen, does remember, will require and judge, To build hope for eternity on the supposed negligence and injustice of God, is to try to cross an abyss on a cloud. If God forgives sinners, he must do it justly, on good grounds (Rom. i. 17, 18; ii. 6-9; iii. 23-26), The gospel is the glorious revelation of God's pardoning love and grace, not thrust at random on those who con- tinue to despise him, but freely given to each, even the worst, who seeks to "be reconciled to God" (2 Cor, v. 20), and lays hold on his promises in Christ (Heb, ii. 3 ; x:. 28, 29).