The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 240

used in the temple service, o.s appears from "Let there be lights in the firmament of 1 Chron. xv. 6, 28; xxv. 1, 6; 2 Chron. v. 12; the heaven, to divide the day from the xx ix. 25, etc. night" (Gen. i. 14; comp. Job xxvi. 18). Yor. 3.-Sing unto him a new song (comp. Ver. 7.-Re ge.thereth the waters of the Pss. xl. 8; xcvi. 1; xcviii. 1; Isa. xlii. 10; sea together as an heap. An allusion to Rev. v. 9; xiv. 8). Not necossarily a song Gen. i. 8, but with a glanoe also at Exod. xv. unbenrd before, but one fresh from the 8 and Josh. iii. 13-16; as if the originnl singer's heart. Play skilfully with a loud gathering, o.ud conti?med retention, of the noise. The loudness of a thanksgiving song sea in one convex mess were as great a wn.s regarded as a.n indication of its J,earti- proof of oumipotenco as the miracles related ness ( comp. Pss. xcviii. 4; c. l ; cl. 5; and in those passages, Nes (0.1), "a heap," sec also 2 Chrou. xx. 19; xx:x. 21; Ezra iii. occurs only in the places cited, here, and in 11-18; Neh. xii. 42). P~. lx.xviii. 13. He layeth up the depth in Ver. 4.-Thc psalmist proceeds to give storehouses; literally, t!te deepa. The reasons why God is to be praised, and puts waters of the great deep are regarded es in the forefront tb is reason : For the word stored up by the Almighty iu the huge of the Lord is right; i.e. the revealed will cavities of the ocean bed for his own use, of God is exactly in accord with the eternal to be employed at some time or other iu rule of right. We cannot imagine it other- carrying out his purposes ( comp. Gen. vii. 11 wise, for God would contradict his own and Job x.xxviii. 22, 23). nature, if he ordained by a positive law anything contrary to that rule. But still Vers. 8-11.-From the exhortation in we mo.y be thankful that there is no such ver. 1, addressed to the righteous, to p1'aise contradiction-that "the Law is holy, just, the Lord, the psalmist passes now to a nnd good" (Rom. vii. 12). And all his second exhortation, addressed toallme.nkind, works a.re done in trnth{comp. Ps:cxi. 7, 8, "The works of his hands are verity and to fear the Lord, And as before in vers. judgment; all his commandments are sure. 4-7, so now in vers. 9-11, he assigns They stand fast for ever e.nd ever, e.nd are reasons. God is to be fee.red (1) on account done in truth e.nd equity"). All God's of the power which he showed in creation working (;ii,yo), e.11 his dealings with his (ver. 9); (2) on account of his ability to creatures have truth o.nd equity and faith- fulness for their basis. He can be thoroughly baffle all human counsels that are opposed trusted. This is o. second and very strong to him (ver. 10): and (8) on account of the ground for thanksgiving. uuchangeablenesa and perpetuity of his Ver. 5.-He loveth righteousness and own counsels, which nothing can alter judgment. "Righteousness" is the essential (ver. 11). principle of justice; "judgment," the carry- ing out of the principle in a.et. God loves Ver. 8.-Let all the ee.rth fear the Lord. both-a. further ground for praising him. The righteous alone have a right to "praise" The earth is full of the goodness (or, loving- God (see ver.1), but "all tile earth "-i.e. 7:indne,ss) of the Lord (comp. Ps. cxix. 64). a.II mankind-may be called upon to" fear" The earth is full, not only of God's glory him. He is an object of a.we and truo (Isa. vi. 8) and of his riches (Pa. civ. 24), "godly fear " to godly men : to the ungodly but also of his mercy, or loving-kindneEs he is e.u object of terror and servile fear, (-mn)-a ground of thankfulness that all will Let e.11 the inhabitants of the world stand ucknowledge. in awe of him. Here a.gain, as so often, Ver. 6.-By the word of the Lord were the second hemistioh merely echoes tile the heavens made. God is to be praised, first. not only for his goodness, but also for his Ver. 9.-For he spe.ke, and it was done; greatness, and especially for bis greatness rather, and it was; the thing of which he in creation (see Ps. xix. 1-6). The !Jeavons spa.kc at once existed. See the passage of were me.de " by his word" in a double Genesis which Longinns thought so striking sense-by the Word, who is the Second an instance of the sublime, "Aud God said, Person of tile Trinity (John i. 8; Heb. i. 2, Let there be light: and there waa light" JO), and by a mere utterance, without tbo (Gen. i. 3). Re commanded, and it stood employment of any mechanical means, as fast; literally, and it atood. God's lightest ,l'e learn from Gen. i. 6-8. And all the word, once uttered, is a standing le.w, to ho5t of them by the breath of his mouth, which nature absolutely conforms, and mau Tim "host of heaven" is here, undoubtedly, ought to conform (comp. Pa. cxix. 90, 91). the host of heavenly bodies-the sm1, moon, Ver. 10.-The Lord bringeth the counsel und stars-as in Gen. ii. 1. These were of the heathen to nought; literally, frus- roa,\e "by the breath of God's mouth;" i.e. tratea the coumel of the heathen, ea.uses it to by Lis simple ulterat1ce of the command- foil (ace 2 Kini.a vi, 8-12: Dnn, vi, 5-28), PB. XllilJ. 1-22.] Tllt BOOK OF PSALMS. 247