but bas been surprised into a wiclrnd action, Ver. 7.-Thcu nrt my hiding-place (co:np. no sooner done thnn regretted. Such a one, Pas. xvii. 8; xxvii. 5; xxxi. 20; cxliii. 9); in Archbishop Leighton's words, "Vulnus thou shalt preserve me from trouble. Hid- alit venie et cmco cnrpitur igne." den in God, there can no harm happen to Ver, 4.-For day and night thy hand W&B him. Thou shalt compass me about with hea.vy upon me. David sees now that bis BOJlgs of deliverance. "Songs of deliver- sufferings at this time cnme from God, and nnce" are such songs as men sing when were a part of the pnnishment of his sin. they have been delivered from peril. God They continued without intermission both will make such songs to sound in the by day and by night. His consoience we.a psalmist's eus or in his heart. never wholly at rest. llly moisture is turned Vere. 8, !l.-St. Jerome, and others after into the drought of summer; literally, my •ap was changed through Bummer drought ; him, including Dr. Kay, have regarded this i.e. the vital principle, which ha.d been passage as an utteranc,, of God., who first strong in him, wa.s changed-burnt up and admonishes David, and then passes on to an exhausted-by the heat of God's wrath. admonition of the Isroelites generally. But Ver, 5.-I aoknowledged my sin llllto thee such a sudden intrusion of a Divine utter- (comp. 2 Sam. xii. 13). Conscience once fnlly awakened, all reticence was broken ance, without any notice of a change of down. David confessed his sin fully and apee.ker, is without parallel in the Psalms, freely--eonfessed it as "sin," as "trans- and should oortainly not be admitted wilh- gression," and as "iniquity " (oompare the out some plnin necessity. Here is no neces- comment on ver. 1). And mine iniquity sity at all. The words are quite suito.ble in have I not hid; rather, did I not hide. I <lid not attempt to gloss over or conceal the mouth of David, as an o.dmonition to the extent of my guilt, but laid my soul the Israelites of his time; they accord with bare before thee. Hengstenberg well re- the title, whioh he himself seems to ho. vo marks that the psalmist is probably not prefixed to the psalm, and e::tplain it; and -speaking of a " making known by the they fulfil the promise made in Ps. li. 15. mouth," but of" an inward confession, snob as is accompanied with po.infill repentance Ver. 8.-I will i.nstrnot thee and teach and sorrow, with begging of pardon for sin thee in the way which thou shalt go. We and for the offence rendered to the Divine must suppose the "godly man" of ver. 6 Majesty." I so.id, I will confeSB my trans- addressed, if we regard David as tbe speaker. rresaions llllto the Lord; and thou forgavest Such a mnn was not beyond the need of the iniquity of my sin. Upon David's con- instruction and teaching, ainoe he was liable fession, whether it were inward or outward, to sins of infirmity, and e\"en to grievous followed without any interval God's for- falls, as had been seen by David's exo.mple. giveneBB-forgiveness which, however, did I will guide thee with mine eye; i.e. "I will not preclude the e.xaotion of a penalty re- keep watoh over thee with mine eye, o.nd quired for the justification of God's ways to guide thee as I see to l>e neoessary." man (2 Sam. xii. 14), and also, perho.ps, for Ver. 9.-Be ye not as the horse, or a.s the proper impreesing of the offender himself, mule, whioh have no Ullderatanding. The who would have been less sensible of the singular is exchanged for the pluru.l, since heinousness of his sin, if it had gone un- the "instruction" is now intended, not for punished. the godly man only, but for all. Israel had Ver. 6.-:ror this; or, becauae of thia; i.e. been always stiff-necked (Exod. x:uii. 9; on aooount of this experience of mine-this x..xxiii. S, 5; x..xx:iv. 9; Dout. iL 6, rn; x. immediate following of the grant of forgive- 16; 2 Cbron. XXL 8; Actd vii. 51), like n. ness upon oonfessiou of ein-ilha.ll every one restive horse or mnle. David exhorts them tha.t is godly-i.e. that is sincere and earnest to be so no more. Tbc horse and mulo are in religion, though he mo.y be overtaken in excusable, since they" bl\vo no underataad- a f11,u\t or surprised into a sin-pray unto ing "-or," no discornmout "-Isro.el would thee in a time when thou mayest be found ; be inexcusable, since it hod the gift of literally, in a time of finding, whioh some reason. Whose mouth must be held in with understand as a timo when God "finds," bit and bridle j rather, whose adornings ara and visits, some iniquity io his servants, with bit and bridlo lo llold them in (compare and others, as the Authorized VorBion, "in the Revised Version). Lest they oome near a time when thou art gracious, and allowest llllto thee. This clause is obsoure. It may thyself to be found by those who approach mean, " Lest they come too near to theo," thee." Surely in the floods of rreat waters so as to do thee damage, as wilcn a riding they (i.e. the waters) shall not oome nirh horse tosses his head and strikes the rider llllto him; i.e. shall not approach suoh a in the faoe, or wi.Jon I\ chariot horse rears man to iajuro him. and falls back upon the driver; or it mny 238 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PB, XXXII. 1-11,
moon, "Else they will not come near to end with n note of joy, or at nny rate in 11 thee," i.e. until they are trapped with bit and tone that is cheerful nnd encouraging. The bridle, they will refuse to come near io thee. present psalm, though reckoned nroon" lho V or. 10.-Many sorrows shall be to the pcnitent.inl ones, both begins nud ends°wiLh wioked. A furtber warning to those ad- joyful utterances. In ,ere. 1, 2 Do.vid pours dressed in the preceding verse. The LXX. forth the feeling of gladne1s which fills his emphasize this by substituting for the own heart. Here ho calls upon the "right- generic "sorrows" the specific µd.cr.,.,-y,s, eous:• _gene.rally, who yet_ need forgiveness, "lashes," the usual punishment of the horse to reJ01ce w1tl1 him. And shout for joy, all and mule. J3ut he that trusteth in the ye that aro upright in heart. All ye, i.e., Lord, mercy &hall compa88 him about (comp. who are honest and sincere in your on- Dent. xxxii. 10). dea.-o_urs o.fter. well-doing. The phrase Ver. I I .-Be glad in the Lord, aud rejoioe, explains the" r1ghteoua" of &he preceding ye righteouL Da,id's psalma almost always hemistfoh.