future. (Ver, 50.) "For evermore." Even so. So often has prayer been turned to praise, so often have we ce.st our burden at God's feet, and borne a song away, that we cannot doubt him now. Rather will we sing, "Because thou hast been my help, tberefon, in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice." God has helped us, and will •• for evermore." IJ, LET US NOTE ITS CONTENTS TYPICALLY, AS FULFILLED AND FULFILLING IN ONE WHO IB OF DAVID'S BEED, YET IS DAVID'S LoaD. 1 Although it is easy to explain the greater part of the phrases of this psalm by incidents in David's personal career, there are some which seern to tower above his or any man's experience, and which can bo adequately interpreted only as t.he psalm is regarded as having not only historical meaning, but also typical and predictive significance, How this manifests itself will appear, we trust, from the present outlines. 1. The kingship of David was not only personal, but also typical and prophetic. That such was the case may be gathered from the last verse of this psalm, and also from a study of the following passa~cs : 2 Sam. vil. 12-16; xxiii. 2-5; Pss. xvi. S-10; lxxxix. 20-37; cxxxii. 11-18; ex.; Matt. xxii. 41-45; Acts ii. 25-36; xiii. 32-37. That ~racious redemptive work, which began with the calling out of Abraham (Isa. li. 2, Hebrew), was being carried forward through David with a view to its {.ulfilment in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is seated on David's throne. And the glory of King David is infinitely surpassed in David's Lord; while the promises made to David and his seed are made over to all who are in blessed covenant relation to God through the Lord Jesus Christ (Isa. lv. 3).i 2, The Lord Jes1J,S and his saints are gone forth to war. (Ver. 34.) In a high and holy sense, as the kingship of David was typical, so also were his wars. One of the early visions of the seer of Patmos indicated this, He sees One who speaks of himself as the Root and Offspring of David (Rev. xxii. 16) going forth conquering and to conquer (Rev, vi. 2); and, indeed, the entire Book of the Apocalypse might be called the 'Book of the Wars of the Lord.' 3. The issue of the great conflict is already fore- seen. The'" for evermore" with which the psalm closes spans the whole of the present dispensation, and reaches forward to the time when Jesus shall have "all enemies beneath his feet." 'l'his is beyond doubt. The everlasting covenant is "ordered in all things and sure." 4. Ere this final victory, there will intervene many a struggle and many a ,·eseu,e. While David's Lord is on high, controlling the conflict, and adminis- tering all, the saints are in the midst of the struggle. As individuals they are called to " wrestle against the world-nilers of darkness." Ministers of the gospel are to "endure hardness, as good soldiem of Jesus Christ." And the Church, o.s a whole, will have to undergo many a severe strug~lc. At times it may seem o.s if the cause were all but lost. But the great Commander will ensure his army all timely rescue as well as final triumph, 6. All the enemies of Christ will be put to sha.me. (Isa. lx. 12; Rom, xvi. 20; Ps. xviii. 40-42; also vers. 13 1 14, 45.) 6. The great King will receive the homage of the peoples, and be exalted above all, (Vers. 43, 44.) The expression it1 ver. 43, "the Head of the nations," can be fully accomplished only in Christ as our victorious Lord. "All nations shall serve him." 7. All who are now fighting on the King's side will share his victory. That which is the result for David is eusured also to "his seed" (vor. 60). As our Lord is not alone in the war, so he will not be alone when the wo.r is over. His triumph will be that also of those who are his. 8. The result of all will be a new disclosure of God. (Vcrs. 1, 2, 30, 31, 46, 47.) Just as David's career was ever unfolding to him the faithfulness and love of God, so will tho result of the Church's conflict reveal to believers how great, how vast, was the schemd 1 This is not the place to discuss the question or prophecy in the sense or prediction, The works of Dr. Patrick Fu.irbairn o.nd Dr. Payne Smith should be consulted; 11lso tho . late Dr. J. Pye Smith's• Scripture Testimony to the Messiah.' A wise, instructive artich•, by Rev. C. H. Waller, in the Theological Monthly, August, 1880, will be found helpful. Those who will not admit the existence or vo.liJity of prediction must, if consistunt, rcjoct 11 l11rge part of the New Testament as well as of the Old, • "David and David's rnle over the nations are but a typo and imago of Christ, 11u,l of that spiritual kingdom which he oame to establish" (Pcrowno, fn loc.). "If it bo romem- bered that the second and forty-ninth verses are both quoted in the New Testament (Heb. ii. 13; Rom. xv. 19) ns the words of tho Lord Jesus, it will bo clenr that II greater th:in David is h~rc" (C. I[. Spurgeon, in foe.). • 126 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [rs. xvm. 1-50,
of mercy for men's deliverance, and for the discomfiture of the powers of ill. Tho glory of God will st-11.n<l out revealed in the day of final triumph, puttin" doubts and foars to flight, as his love stands forth vindicated in the glorious result ~f all. And the oft-repeated Scripture phrase, "They shall know that I am the Lord," will be fulfilled with a glory and grandeur beyond our utmost stretch of thought. 9. All this is now God's noblest prophecy, and will be }u~rcafter the theme of the saints' noblest song. Ps. xviii. may well be regarded as finding its exposition, its supplement, in Rev. v. In the psalm we have God's providences forecast; in the Apocalypse we have God's provi- dences reviewed.. In the former David's conquests are recited; in the latter the con- ~ nests of the Root of David. In the former we have the song of the victorious David; m the latter the new song of the victorious Seed of David. And by as much as David's Lord is greater than David, by so much will the new song of the redeemed transcend the noblest flights of Hebrew praise.-C.