The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 248

ruaiilllcr of the psalm, to give rensons which probably some circumstances of the time mny incline them to the practice of it (l'ers. made the rcoommendalion advisable. 15-22). 'l'he reasons resolve themselves Ver. 15.-The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (comp. Job xxxvi. 7; Pae, into two main grounds-the tender love xxxiii. 18; 1 Pet. iii. 12 ; and see the 11,n,l Mre of God for the righteous (vers. 15, comment on Ps. xxxiii. 18), And his ears 17-20, 22), and bis hostility to and punish- aro open unto their ory. 'l'he specific ment of the wicked (vers. lG, 21). etatemont of ver. 6 is now generalized. What God hnd done in the oasa of the Ver. 11.-Come, ye children, hearken unto psalmist, he will do in o.11 other similar me (comp. Prov. iv. 1; viii. 32; 1 John cases. His eyes will be open to hie people's ii. 1, 18; iii. 18; ii'. 4, etc.). I will teach needs, and his ears attent unto their pro.yore you the fear of the Lord; i.e. I will teach (2~hrpn. vi 40). you the nature of true religion. Nute the er. fu.-'n.e fe.ce of the Lord is against absence from what follows of any merely them the.t do evil, to cut o.ff the remembrance legal requirements, and the simple insist- of them from the earth. Conversely, Goel anee on right moral conduct (rnrs. 13, 14). turns away hie face from the wicke,1, and Ver. 12.-What man is he that desireth punishes them by causing their very memory life 1 Like most moralists, Dadd begins to perish from among men (comp. Job xviii. with asking meu-Do they wish for happi- 17 ; Pa. cix. 13 ; Prov. x. 7). The naturo.l ness? If so, and he assumes that it is so wish for continua.nee, which causes men to (comp. Arist., 'Eth. Nie.,' L i-vii.), tl,cn build themselv~e monuml'nts, and ereot he will point them out the way to it. Alld other great works, and delight in offspring, loveth many days, that he me.y see good 1 and seek to eata.blieh their families, and Mere life, mere length of days, would not create entails, and have their portraits suffice for men, would be no object of desire, taken, and "call the lands after their own unless it were assumed that the days would names" (Ps. xlix. 11), was especially strong bring them "good "-in other words, that in the Hebrew r.,ce, and mado the threat they would be happy days. that their remembrance should be cut off Ver. 13.-Keep thy tongue from evil, and peculiarly terrible to them. thy lips from speaking guile. If the end Ver. 17.-Therighteous cry, and the Lord be happiness, the mee.nswill be right moral heareth; litere.lly, they cry, and the Lord conduct; and, first of all, right government heareth. "Cry," which by the ordinary of the tongue. Sine of the tongue a.re rules of grammar should have for its numerous, and abundantly noted in the subject the "evil-doers" of the preceding Psalms (Pss. v. 9; x. 7; xii. 3; xv. 3; 1. verse, must, it is obvious from the context, 19; lvii. 4; Lu.iii. 8, 9, etc.). '!'hey are refer to the "righteous" of ver. 15, who more difficult to avoid tl,an e.ny others; are the predominant subject of the entire they cling closer to 11B; they are scarcely passage (vers.15-22). And delivereth them ever wholly laid aside. "Ifo.ny man offend out of e.11 their troubles (comp. ver. 19 and not in word, the same is a perfect man, and Ps. liv. 7). able also to bridle the whole body" (Jae, Ver. 18.-The Lord is nigh unto them iii 2). Tue meek Moses" ape.ke une.dvisedly that e.re of e. broken heart ; and sa. veth such withhis lips" (Ps. cvi.33). Job "darkened as be of a contrite spirit. On the value in counsel by words witl,out knowledge" (Job God's sight of o. broken and contrite heart.. xxxviii. 2). St. Peter's words on one see Ps. Ii. 17; and on his mercy towards occasion drew upon !Jim the rebuke, "Get the truly contrite, eeo Ps. cxlvii, 3; Isa, thee behind me, Satan" (Matt, xvi. 23). lvii. 15; lxix. 2. He "ie nigh" to such Ver. 14.-Depart from evil, e.nd do good. persons, he" dwells with" them," looks to From words the psalmist proceeds to acts, them," "revi vos their heart," "heals '' and, in t!Je briefest possible wo.y, says all them, "eaves" them. t!Je.t can be said. First, he enjoins negative Ver. 19,-Many are the affliotione of the goodness - "depart from evil," i.e. do righteous (comp. Job xxxvi. 8-10; Acts nothing that ie wrong; break no lo.ws of xiv. 22; 1 Cor. xv. 19; 2 Tim. iii. 12; God, no command of conscience; have e. Hob, xi. 33-38; xii, 5-10, eto.). The conscience void of offence, both towards righteous suffer afflictions because they 1u•. God and towards man. Secondly, he eo imperfectly righteous. They need requires positive goodness-" Do goo,!; " i.e. purging, purifying, clio.etening, to rid them actively perform the will of God from the of the dross and defilement of sin which heart; discharge every duty; practise every still clings to them, ond from which they virtue; carry out the precepts of the moral are never wholly freed while they oontinue law in every particular. Seek peace, and in the flesh. "We must through muob. pursue it. It id nQt clear w!Jy this virtue tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" ~11c of ma,ny-ill HpeciP.lly enjoined; bµt (Acts xtv. 22), We must, like tl\o C1L!3laili PB, XXXIV, 1-22.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 257