in the meeeage which Goel sent him by ta.in them, punish tbem" (comp. 1 Sam. Nathan (2 Sam. vii. 13, 16). In the full xxxi. 3). Thy right hand (the ha.nd of eenee the promise wns, of course, Messianic, greo.ter power) shall find out those that being fu!fillecl only in Christ, the Gori-Man, hate thee; uncl, of coarse, punish them who alone of David's posterity "liveth for severely. ever!' Ver. 9.-Thou ehalt make them as a fiery Ver. 5.-B1s glory is great in thy salva- oven in the time of thine anger. Some sup- tion. David's glory exceeds that of all pose a reference to the event mentioned in other living men, through the" salvation" 2 Sam. xii. 31, "He (David) made them which God vouchsafes him. That salvation (the Ammonites) to pass through the brick- is partly temporal, consisting in deliverance kiln;" but the expression "fiery oven " from his foes; partly of 11.n unearthly and is probably not intended to be taken epiritu11.l character, arising out of his rela- literally, but metaphorically. Severe suffer- tionship to the coming Messiah. It is from ing is continually compared in Scripture to the latter point of view, rather th11.u the confinement in an oven or furnace (see Dent. former, that it is said, Honour and majesty iv. 20; I Kings viii. 51; Isa. xlviii. 10; hast thou laid upon him. Jer. xi. 4; Ezek. xxii. 18, 20, 22; lHal. iv. Ver. 6.-For thou hast made him most 1). And we may best understand the pre- blessed for ever; literally, JOT thou setlest sent passage to mean simply that in the him to be bles,ings for ever. Thou mo.kest time of his anger David would subject such him, i.e., to he a perenni11.l source of blessiugs of his enemies as fell into his hands to to men. As all mankind were blessed iu very terrible sufferings. (See, as showing Abraham (Gen. xii. 3; xviii. 18 ; xxii. 18), what extreme severities David did some- i.e. in hie seed, eo were they all blessed in times inflict on captured enemies, 2 Sam. xii. David's seed. Thou hast made him exceed- 31 which is to the point, as also is l Kings xi. ing glad with thy oountenance ; i.e. with 15, 16.) The Lord shall swallow them up in thy favour and protection, so frequently his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. and eo markedly extended to him. The metaphor is followed up, with the Ver. 7.-For the king trusteth in the addition that what was previously attri- lord. Thie is at once the ground and the buted to Duvid alone is here declared to result of God's favour to him. God favours have the sanction of God. David because of his trust, and David trusts Ver. 10.-Their fruit shalt thou destroy in God because of hie favour. The result from the earth; i.e. their offspring or pro- ie that, through the meroy (or, loving-kind- geny. Joab, by Do.vid's order8, remo.ined ness, Revised Version) of the Most High he in Edom "until he had cut off every mnle" ■hall not be moved ( comp. Pee. xv. 5 ; cxii. 6). (1 Kings xi. 16). And their seed from The words a~pear to denote a conviction, among the children of men. The second ae Professor Alexender eaye, that David olo.use, as so often, re-echoes the first, "would never be sl.Jaken from hie standing without adding o.nything to it. in God's favour." Thie conviction we may Ver. 11.-J!'or they intended evil against well conceive him to have felt, and to hnve thee. Their destruction is brought upon regarded ns one that might fittingly be ex- them by their own eel ves. They plot preernd by bis subjects, in whose mouth he ago.inst the people of God, and tlms provoke plo.ced it. But such o. conviction is not God to nnger, o.ud co.use him to deliver always borno out by event~, und David them into their enemy's ho.ad. It does not confesses elsewhere, tho.t, ut any ro.te, once matter that they can effect nothing. Tho in his life, aftor he had said, "I ehull never "intention" ie enough. They imagined a be moved," God "hid a.way his faco from mischievous device, which they a.re not able him,'' nud he "wae troubled" (Ps. xxx. to perform. The inability is not rn much G, 7). from a deficiency of etrength in themselves, ae from the oppoeition offered to their Vere. 8-12.-In this eeconcl portion of schemes by God. 'fhe best-laid plnns n,., the psalm, the people address themsel vee powerless, if God wills to bnffie them. to Davicl, anticipating future glories for Ver. 12.-Therefore she.It thou make him. "Having shown what God would do them turn their back; litcro.lly, their 11eck for bis anointed, the psalm now describes (comp. Pa. xviii. 40). Tho meo.ning is simply, "Thou eho.lt put them to flight." what the !utter shall accomplish through When thou she.It moke ready thine nnowe Di vine assistance " (Alexander). Past suc- upon thy strings against the face of them. cess is ta.ken as o. guamntee of victory over The Authorized Version, by rnpplying ull other enemies. "when" and "thine arrowe," expresses whnt the pfe.lmist hae left to the intelli- Ver. 8.-Thine hand shall find out all genco of the render. The psalmist says, thine enemies; i.e. "shall rcnch them, nt- "Thon sho.lt put them to llight; thou Bhl\1' PSALMS. {, 14G THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS. XXI. 1-13.
make ready upon thy strings ngni.:1st the of God. "De thou exalted" means, "Be faoe of them," no doubt me:ming that the thou lifted up, both in thyself, nn<l in the disdmrge of nrrows would. produco the pr,,ises of thy people" (comp. Pds. xviii.1G; lie.sty flight, but not saying it. :dvi. 10). So will wa sing and praise thy Yer. 13.-Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine power. We, e.t any rate, will do our part to own strength. The psalm, as already re- cx:\lt thee. Our tongues ~hall ever sing of marked, ends, e.s it began, with the praise the great deeds thou doest for us.