EXPOSITION. a mixed eharo.eter, being in part didactic PSALM XXXIV. (vers. 11-22), in part e. pso.hn of thanks- Trus is the third of the alphabetical psalms, giving (vers. 1-10). Metrically, it ho.s and appears to have e. special connection been divided into four strophes (Kay), the with the second of them, Pa. xxv. Like first and second of five verses ea.oh, the tl.tat psalm, it omits the 11au, o.nd has e. third and fourth each of six verses. Dnt second pe at the end, which, moreover, there is· no corresponding division of tho is furnished by the same word (podeh). matter. Ac.cording to the title, it is a psalm of Ver. 1.-I will bleBB the Lord at all David. and written on the particular occa- times; i.e. even in times of adversity. H sion of his dismissal by Arliish (Abimclecb), the statement in the title may be relietl when he ho.d foolishly feigned hiwseU mo.d upon, Dn.vid's fortunes wero 110w at tl1e in consequence of what he had heard the lowest ebb. He had fiocl from the court of servants of Achi.uh so.y (1 So.m. xxi. 10-15). Saul on finding thnt Snul w11s determined to put him to denth (1 Snm. xx. 31). He As there is nothing in the psalm speciully ho.cl hoped to find a so.fe refuge with Aohish, Bnggestive of t!tie occasion, the statement but had been disappointed. llo was on the in the title must, it would seem, embody point of L>ocoming a fugitive and an outlaw, an ancient tradition. It is a composition of a dweller in dous am! cnvee oC tho cnrtu 1'8. XXXIV, 1-22,] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 2G5
(1 Sam. xxii. 1). He had as yet no body certainly agrees the statement lhnt the of followers. We cannot but admire his angel "ence.mpcth round about them that piety in composing, at such a time, a song fear him;" and the illustration from 2 vf thanksgiving to Goel. His praise shall Kings vi. 14-18 is thus exactly apposite. coi:i-_tinuo.lly be in my mouth (comp. Pee, But others deny that "the o.no-cl of the xcu. 1, 2; cxlv. I, 2; cxlvi. 1, 2; Epli. v. ~rd" h_ae ever a collective :enee, and 20; I These. v. 18). "Continually" must th1~k a eIDgle ~rsonality must necessarily bo understood o.e meaning either "every ho 1Dtendt:d, which they regard a.s identical day" or" mo.ny times ovary do.y," but must with "the captain of the Lord's host," who not be taken quito literally, or the bueinees appeared to Joshua (Josh. v. 14, 15) and of life would be at a stand. "the angel of the Lord's presence" spoken Ver. 2.-My soul shall make her boast in of by Isaiah (!xiii. 9); so Kay, Hengsten- the Lord (comp. Pa. xliv. 8; and for the berg, Bishop Horsley, Professor Alexander, meaning of "boo.sting in the Lord," ace and the ' Speaker's Commentary.' When Jer. ix. 24, "Let him that glorieth glory pr, seed to say how this one angel cau in this, that he underetandeth and knowetl1 "encamp round" a number of persons, they me, that I am the Lord which executeth reply that, of course, he 1111s hie subordinates loving-kindness, judgment, and righteous- with him-a "spangled host," tuo.t "keep ness, in the earth "). The humble shall hear watch in squadrons bright;" and that he is thereof, and be glad. They will anticipate said to do what they do, which is no doubt joy for themselves when they hear of my quite in o.ccorde.nce with ordinary modes of rejoicing. epeteh. Thus, however, the two expositions Ver. 3.--0 magnify the Lord with me, and become nearly identical, since, according to l~t us exalt his Na.me together. Not con- both, it is the angelic hoat which "encamps tent with praising God iu hie own person, around" the faithful. the psalmist calls on Israel generally to Ver. 8.-0 taste and see that the Lord is praise the Lord with him, He then pro- good j i.e. put the me.tter to the test of ceeds to assign reasons why God should be experience (comp. l Pet. ii 1 ,ID. There is praised (vcre. 4-10). no other way of rcaliy knowing how ~oo<l Ver. 4.-1 sought the Lord, and he heard God ie. Blessed hi the man that trueteth me. To "seek the Lord" is not merely to in him (comp. Pse. ii. 12; lx:uiv. 12; Pro¥. trust in him, but to fly to him, and make xvi. 20 ; Ise.. xx.x. 18 ; J er. x di. 7). 'l'rus t our requests of him in our troubles. David in God is a feelinl:' which ie Llefeed in apparently epea.ka of some special occasion itself. God also showers blceeing-e on such on which he "eouglit the Lord," and some o.e trust in him. special request which he made of him, but Ver. 9 -0 fear the Lord, ye his saints. does not tell us what the occasion or request Feo.r of God, n. reverent and godly fenr, will was. We ma.y presume that it we.a in some e.lwo.ye accompany trust in God, ench ns way connected with Lis "escape to the cave God approves. The saints of Guel bntu Adulle.m" (1 Sam. :nil. 1). And delivered love and fear him (comp. Pa. xxxi, 23). me from all my fears; literally, from all Thero ie no want to them th&t f~ar him the things which. I feared, (comp. Isa. lxvi. 4). since God supplies all their wants. ' Ver. 5.-They looked untl Mm, ..Ila w616 Ver. 10.-The young lions do laok, and lightened; or, toere brigllltmed. (Hengeten- eu1fer hunger. Some suppose the "youn~ borg); i.e. had their oountenaucee lighted lions" here to represent tho proud aaJ. up and cheered. And their faces were violent, as in Joh iv. 10. But it is simplor not ashamed. Ae they would have been if to take the present pe.ssngo literally. In God had mnde no reeponso to their appeal God's animal creatiou even the strongc,;t (comp. Pee. .xxv. 2, 3; lxxiv. 21). suffer wo.nt for a time, and havo no rewedy; Ver. 6.-Thia poor man oried, e.nd the hie huruau cree.tures neod nover be ia want, Lord heard hirn, and ao.ved him out of all since they that 1eek the Lord shall not his troubles. Almost a repetition of ver. 4, want any good thing. It is open to thmn lmt in the third person instead of the first. to "seek the Lord" e.t any time, The "poor man" intended is Dn.vid him- seU, uot au ideal poor men. Otherwise the Vere. 11-22.-Tho eocond, didaotio, po.rt demonstrative "this" (m) would not have of the psalm !Jore begins. The writer been employed. • o.ssumo.s the role of tile toachcr, nn,I, Ver. 7.-The e.ngel of the Lord onco.mpeth addressing his readers ns "sons," un,h·r- round about them that fear hiln, and de- takes to "teooh them the fear of the LorJ " livereth them. According to some com- (var. 11), or, in other words, to point out to mentators (Rosenmiiller, • Four Friends,' and others), the expression, "angel of the them in what truu religion consists. This Lord,'' is here used as a collective, and he does in two remarkable verses (vers. 13, me11n11 the angels geuero.117. Willi thil H); a(ter which he proceeds, iu the re- 256 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [re. XXXlV, 1-22.