this line, which ought to begin with the unjust judge. These promises are not letter ain. llut the seed of the wioked universal nor absolute, since many good shall be cut off. The wicked shall perish, men have been assassinated by their enemies, not only in their own persons, but in their as Abel by C11in; aud ma.ny have been posterity, who shall be "cut off from the wrongfully c01demned to deo.th and exe- land of tl,e Jiving" (Isa. liii. 8), and have cuted, as Ne.\Joth e.t the instigation of 'their name blotted out" (Pa. cix. 13). Jezebel. Ver. 29.-The righteous shall inherit the Ver. 34.-Wait on the Lord (comp. vers. land, and dwell therein for ever (comp. 2, 5, 7; and Pss. xxvii. 14; I.xii. 5; oxxx. vcrs. 3, 9, 11, 18, 22, 28, 31; and Prov. ii. 5; Prov. xx. 22). The injunction is re- 21). Bishop Butler sagaciously remarks peated so oft(ln bec,rnse of man's extreme that this is the natural tendency of things, impatience and unwillingness to" tarry the if sufficient time be given, and acci<lental Lord's leisure" (Prayer-book Version of Ps. hindrances removed (' Analogy,' pt. i. eh. xxvii. 14) trustfully and confidently. And iv.). keep his way. The way in which he would Ver. 30.-The mouth of the righteous have them walk-the way of righteousness speaketh wisdom. (Ou the essential union (comp. ver. 3). And he shall exalt thee to of wisdom with goodness, see the Proverbs, inherit tho land (see ver. 29, and the oom passim.) And his tongue talketh of judg- ment ad loc.). When the ungodly are out ment; i.e. utters only what is morally right, off', thou shalt see it (comp. Pss. Iii. 5, 6; and in accordance with trnth and goodness. xci. S). Doubtless with some satisfaction. "Out of the abundance of the heart the As the " nu godly" spoken of are employed mouth speaketh." A good man out of the in watching for an occasion to " slay" the good treasure of his heart can only bring righteous (ver. 32), these last can soaroely forth good things (Matt. xii. 34, 35). witness their removal from the world by Ver. 31.-The Law of his God is in his God's providence without o. feeling of relief. heart (comp. Deu t. vi. 6 ; Pss. xl. 8 ; cxix. Ver. 35.-1 have seen the wicked in great 11 ; Isa. Ii. 7). None of his steps shall slide. power, and :fl.ourishing like a green bay 'l'he two facts are associated as cause and tree ; rather, as in the margin, like a green effect. The having the Law of God in bi.a tree in Ms own (or, his native) soil. Growing, heart prevents his sliding or going astray. i.e., rankly o.nd luxuriantly, like a leafy Ver. 32.-The wicked watcheth the right- shrub, that he.a never suffered transplanta- eous, and seeketh to sla.y him. Wicked tion (oomp. Ps. i. 3; Ezek. xxxi. 3). men hate righteous men, as being a reproach Ver. 36.-Yet he, passed away, and lo, he to them, and also as being a hindrance and was not ( of. Job xx. 5; Ps. lxxiii. 19, 20). a danger. The righteous thwart their plans, Yea, I sought him, but he could not be oppose their proceedings, often frustrate found. The sudden disappearance of an their counsels. Sometimes their opposition imposing personality astonishes o.nd con- Lrings the wicked man into peril, as when fuses us. We cannot believe that one who it takes tl10 sLupe of prosecution before a ho.a played so prominent a part in our drama. court, or of help given to one who bas of life is gone altogether. We look about fallen nmong tLievce. Hence the hatred for him ; we expect him to reappear at any folt by the wicked towards the righteous is moment. We cannot realize the foot the.t not surprising. It leads the wicked to he is ve.uished for ever. We ask ourselves, entertn.in murderous thoughts-to be ever "Where is he?" (Job xx. 7). " watcLing" for an opportunity when he Ver. 37.-Mark the perfeot man, and be- may take the righteous man at a disadvan- hold the upright; for the end of that man tage, and, if no other means of removing is peace. This translation is much disputed. him from h~ patb present themselves, kill Most ancients and many modems render him. 111odern civilization, with its precau- the first line," Keep innocency, and observe tions aud "rrsources," IJrevents actual uprightness," while some critics maintain violence for the most part; but the mur- that acharith in the second lino must meo.n deroud instinct remains, and even now, iu "posterity," and not" end." Others, age.in, his heart, ma11y a wicked man is a murderer. join Bhalom to iBh, and render, "There shall Ver. 33.-The Lord will not leave him in 'be posterity (or, o. future) to the man of his hand. God, as a general rule, does not pe11ce." However, the rendering of the allow the wicke,l rua.n to work bis will upon Authorized Version is rnto.ined by our the righteous. He intcrpo,ee one check or Revisers, and accepted iu part by Heugsten- another, and saves the righteous man from berg and Dr. Ko.y, while it has the complete destruction. Nor condemn him wheu he is o.pprovul of Co.non Cook. judged; i.e. nor will ho allow him to be con- Ver. 38.-But the transgressors shall be <letnned when the wicked IDl\n brings an destroyed together (comp. vers. 2, 9, 10, 15, accusation against bim, an,l seeks to have 20 and 34). The end of the wioked shall be him sentenced to dc-ath I,y au ignorant or out otf. If acharith be tuken ~ meo.n "po11- 1'8, x.xxvu. 1-40.J THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 289
tcrity" in the preceding verse, it mUBt be preesion WBB left obscure, though enough given the eamo eignifioation here. was said to raise the hope that this world Ver. 39.-But the se.lvation of the right- was not the end of everything, but rather eous is of the Lord (comp. Pas. iii. 8; Ix viii. the beginning. 20, etc.). He is their Strength in the time Ver. 40.-And the Lord shall help them, of trouble (eee Pee. xviii. l; xlvi. 1, etc.). and deliver them : he aha.II deliver them The laet two verses sum up the teaching of from the wicked, and save them, because the psalm, and indicate its especial object, they trust in him. The groand of God's which was to encournge and sustain the favour towar,ls the righteous, and the ground righteous under their trials, by the assurance moreover of their righteousness itself (ver. that they were under the special protection 3), is their trust in him. Trusting in him, of God, who, w!Jenever trouble threatened, they have to.ken his Law for their rule of would eland fo1·th as their Strength and life, and made it their constant endeavom to Defence, and would ultimately be their" Sal- serve and please him. 1.vation." The full meaning of this last ex•