The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 128

mo.nifested to mo.n through the creation d?acribes the phenomena a1 they 11ppear to (Rom. i. 19, 20). A certain superiority hnn. He does not broach e.ny astronomical seems to be assigned to the night, "as theory. And hie circuit (i.e. his course) though the contemplation of the starry unto the ends of it; i.e. ho proceeds from firmament awo.kened deeper, more spirituo.l, one end of the heavens to the other. And thoughts than the brightness of day." there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. Ver. 3.-There is no speech nor la.nguage, Me.ny things are hidrlcn from the light of where their voice is not hea.rd; ra.ther, the sun, but nothing from its "heat," wbich there is no speech, there are no words; their is the vital force whence the whole earth 'Doice is not heard; i.e. the speech which reeeives life and energy. they utter is not common speech-it is without sound, without la.nguage; no articu- Vera. 7-11.-The transition from the la.te voice is to be h~a.rd. (So Ewald, Hup- glories of the ma.terie.l universe to the '' law feld, Perowne, Ka.y, Hengstenberg, Alex- of the Lord" is abrupt and startling. Some o.nder, and our Revisers.) go so far as to say that there is no con- Ver. 4.-Their line is gone out through nection at e.11 between the first and second a.11 the ea.rth. It is much disputed whe.t "their line" mea.ns. 'fhe word used, qa11 parts of the psalm. But it is the law and (1R), mea.ns, ordinarily, e. "measuring-line" order that pervades the material universo (Ezek. xlvii. 3; Zech. i. 16, eto.), whence it which constitutes its main glory; e.nd the comes to he.ve the further sense of a termi- analogy between God's physical le.ws and nus or bounda.ry; that which the meo.suring- his moral laws is evident, 11nd generally line me.rks out. It is e.lso thougllt to he.ve admitted (see tile gree.t work of Bishop signified e.n e.rchitect's rule; and, hence, Butler, part i.). anything regule.ti ve, e.s a decree, precept, or le.w (see Isa.. xxviii. 10). 'fhe LXX. Ver. 7.-The Law of the Lord is perfect. tmnsle.ted it in this place by 4>6oyyos, "e. Wlle.tsoever proceeds from God is perfect in mUBica.l sound;" e.ud Dr. Ke.y supposes its kind; his "Law" especially-the mlo '' the regula.tive chord," or "key-note," to of life to his rationul creo.turcs. That be intended. Perhe.ps "decree" would be salve.tion is not by the Lo.w is not the fault in this place the best rendering, since it of the Law, but of man, who co.nnot keep it. would suit the "words" (millim) of the "The Le.w" itself "is holy, and the com- second cle.use. The "decree" of the mandment holy, o.nd just, e.nd good" (Rom. hea.vens is one proclaiming the glory of vii. 12). Converting (re.ther, as in tho God, and the duty of all men to worship margin, restoring) the soul. 'fhe word him. And their words to the end of the employed, mi!shibah, is used or restoring world. Though they have neither speeoh from disorder and decny (P~. lxu. l!l), nor lo.nguo.ge, nor e.ny articulate words, yet from sorrow and affliction (Ruth iv. 15), they he.ve "words" in o. certain sense. from death (1 Kings xvii. 21, 22). The Millim is said to be used of thoughts just Law, by instructing men, restores them shaping themselves into le.ugu11ge, but not from moral blindness to the light which is yet uttered (Kny). In them hath he set a theirs by nnture (Rom. i. 19), nnd, as o. t11berne.ole for the sun. God he.a me.de the further consequence, in nrnny cases, restores hce.vens the sun's dwelling-place, the ple.ce them from sin to righteousness. The testi- where he passes the dny. There is, perhaps, mony of the Lord is sure. 'E,luth-tho word B tBcit allusion to the Shechine.h, which tre.nsloterl "testimony "-is employed cspo- dwelt in tile te.bemucle of the congregation. cially of tile Decalogue (ExOll. xxv. 16, 21, Ver. 5.-Whioh is e.s e. bridegroom coming 22, 26; Numb. ix. 15; xvii. 23; xriii. 2, out of his ohe.mber; litemlly, and he is as a etc.); but may be regarded n.s one of the bridegroom. The bridegroom went forth to many synonyms under which the wllolo Lo.w meet the bride in glorious Bpparel, and mo.y be spoken or (see Ps. oxix. 2, 14, 22, "preceded by e. blo.ze of torch-light" (Ko.y). 24, 88, etc.). Tho L11w is "suro "-i.e. The snu's "chumber" is where he pnsses fixed, firm, stable-in comparison with the the nigllt-below tile earth; from this he fleeting, shifting, unet11blo judgmcnts of bursts forth o.t morning in his full glory, human reason. Making wise the simple; scu.ttering the d11rkness, nncl ligllting up i.e. eulightoning their moral judgment. his splendid "te.bernado." And rejoioeth Vor. 8. -The statutes of the Lo,d are as a strong me.n to run o. re.ce (comp. Judg. right, rejoicing the heart ; rather, th6 v. 31, "As the eun when he goeth forth in precepts of the Lord are right. Anotlier of Hs might"). The Prayer-book Version, if the mo.ny synonyms under which the Law less litere.l, better conveys the spirit of the me.y be spoken of (see Dr. Ke.y's preface original. to the hundred and ni acteenth psolm). Ver. 6.-His going forth is from the end God's precepts "rojoico tho heart" of the of the hBllven. The poet, like other poets, godly. They e.ro not felt as stern oom- l'SALMS, lt 130 'l'HE DOOK OF PSALMS. [PS. XIX, 1-14.