The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 96

EXPOSITION. ofmannsoripts, with the LXX., the Vulgate, PSALM XVL the Syriac, e.n<l most other versions, no Tan sixteenth psalm is so far connected insertion will be necessary. The meaning with the fifteenth that it is exclusively will then be, I have said to Jehovah. Thou art my Lord; Hebrew, adonai-" my concerned, like the fifteenth, with the truly Lord and Master." My goodness extendeth righteous man. It "depicts the true not to thee. This meaning cannot be Israelite e.s rejoicing in God e.s the highest elicited from the Hebrew words. Tobah is Good, e.nd ple.cing e.ffiance in him in the not " goodness," but "prosperity " or face of Death and Hades" (Kay). The "happiness" (comp. Ps. cvi. 5); o.nd 'aleyka is best explained e.s "beside thee," ascription of it to David in the title may "beyond thee." The psalmist means to well be acquiesced in. It has been called say that he has no happiness beside ( or "a golden psalm," and the word" Michtam" apart from) God. (So Ewald, Hengstenberg, in the title has been understood in this Cheyne, the 'Speaker's Commentary,' and sense (Kimchi, .Aben Ezra, margin of the the Revised Version.) Ver. 3.-But to the Hints that are in Authorized Version); but that is more the earth; rather, it i, for the saints. It probably a mnsico.l term, like "Mizmor,'' (i.e. my prosperity) is granted me for the " :Maschil," " Shiggaion," etc. It is " full advantage of the saints that e.re in the land; of the spirit of David," o.nd remarkably i.e of o.11 the true Israelites. "I hold it evangelical in tone; its :Messianic character in trust for them" (Kay). And to (rather, for) the excellent, in whom is all my is attested by the .Apostle Peter (.Acts ii. delight. .And, especially, I hold it in trust 25; xiii. 35). It seems to divide itself for "the inner circle of the excellent ones," only into two strophes-one extending from in whom God takes pleasure (Ps. cxlvii.11), ver. I to the end of ver. 6, and the other and in whom therefore I e.lso "delight." from ver. 7 to the conclusion. Ver. 4.-Their sorrows shall be multiplied tho.t ho.sten nfter another god. This is the Ver. !.-Preserve me, 0 God; i.e. keep only note of sadness in the entire psalm, me, guard me-protect me both in body e.ud it is inserted to add force by contrust to and soul. It docs not appear that the the joyous outburst in ver. 5. If men writer is tLreatened by any special danger. would not cleave to Jehovah, but would He eimply calls upon God to continue his "hasten e.fter "-or perhaps it should be prolectin"' care. For in thee do I put my translated "wed themselves to "--another trust. I~ thee, and in thee only. There- god (see Exod. ii. 16, the only other place fore to thee only do I look for protection where the word occurs), then they must not and preservation. expect "prosperity," or joy of o.ny kind. Ver. 2.-0 my soul, thou ha.at aaid unto Their "sorrows will bo mulliplied;" distress the Lord. The ordina.ry Hebrew text, ,;'1;,;,11, nnd anguish will come upon them (Prov. i. "thou hast said," requires the insertion 27); they will have to po.y dear for their of "0 my soul," or something similar. apostasy. Their drink qfferings or blood Uut if we read •mot>', with I\ large number will l not oft'vr, Drink ofl'cringa of o.ctuo.1 PB, XVI, 1-11.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 97