not exo.ctly the req ueet of Job, who desired occurs to him-the sin which has brought to be at once cut off (Job vi, 9; vii. 15; upon him all hie misery; and his first prayer xiv. 13), but it is e. request conceivecl in the is to be" delivered" from it, llake me not so.me spirit, The pse.lmist is weary of life, the reproach of the foolish. Bo long e.s his expects nothing from it, feels that it is afflictions continued, the psalmist would bo "altogether vanity." He a.eke, therefore, e.n object of scorn to the fool e.nd the un- not exe.ctly for death, but that it me.y be godly. He prays, therefore, secondly, that told him how long he will have to endure the punishment of his sin may cease. the wretched lifo that he is leading. He Ver. 9.-I was dumb, I opened not my e.nticipates no relief except in death, and mouth (comp. vers. 1, 2). Because thou feels, at any rate for the time, that he didst it. 'rhe knowledge that my afflictions would welcome death as a deliverer. That came from thee, and were the just punish- I may know how frail I am. So most ment of my transgressions, helped me to moderns; but Hengstenberg denies that keep the silence which I observed while the ,,n cau ever mean "frail," and falls back ungodly was in my sight. upon the old rendering, "that I may know Ver. 10.-Bemove thy stroke a.way from when I shall cease [to be)," which certainly me (comp. P,i. xxxviii. 11). I am oonsumed gi vcs a very good sense. by the blow of thine hand; literally, In; the Ver. 5.-Behold, thou he.et made my de.ys quarrel of thine hand. But our version as a he.ndbreadth. It seems inconsistent gives the true meaning. Tho "quarrel" that one who profeoses to be weary of his ho.a led the "hand" to deal the "stroke" life shoul<l then complain of life's shortness. by which the sufferer is " consumed" or But such inconsistency is human, Job does "wasted away" (Kay). the same (Job xiv. 1, 2). And mine age is Ver. 11.-When thou with rebukes dost as nothing before thee. The short human oorreot man for iniquity. The calo.mities existence can scarcely be rege.rdcd by Go<l which God sends on e. man are of the ne.ture as existence at all; rather, it is mere of" rebukes" addresse<l to his spirit. They nothingness. Verily every man living at are intended to teach, instruct, wam, deter his best state is but vanity, Bo our Revisers. from evil-doing (see Job x:u:vi. 8-10). But most moderns tre.nsle.te, "Verily every Thou makest his beauty to consume away umn living was ordo.ined for utter ve.nity " like a moth; or, "thou dost consume, as by ( comp, Pas. IKii. 9; oxliv. 4), a moth, what he prizes;" i.e. his health, hill Ver. 6.-Surely every me.n walketh in a strength, "o.11 wherein he has joy e.nd satfa- ve.in show; literally, in an image, or "as fo.ction" (Hengstenberg). As a moth cor- an image;" i.e. wilh e. mere semblance of rodes a bco.utiful go.rment, so does thy life, but without tho reo.lity. Surely they displee.sure and heavy ho.nd pressing on a.re disquieted in vo.in. Their restless him corrode and destroy o.II which consti- strivings are to no end, have no result. He tuted his delight and glory. Surely every heapeth up riches, e.nd knoweth not who man is vanity (oomp. ver. 5 acl fin.). This shall gather them (comp. Job :u:vii. 16, 17; has become o. sort of refro.in, termino.ting Eccles. ii. 18, 21). the second as well e.s the first po.rt of the Ver. 7.-And now, Lord, what we.it I tor1 pso.lm (comp. Ps. cvii. 8, 15, 21, 31; E clcs. My hope is in thee. And now - under ii. 1, 11, 15, 19, 21, 23, 26; Isa. ix. 12, these circumstances - humo.n life being 17, 21). who.tit is, e.nd nil men nothing but vanity, Ver. 12.-Hear my prayer, 0 Lord, o.nd what fa my hope? what is my expecta- give ear unto my ory; hold not thy peace tion? what o.m I wnitiug for? A cry, as it at my tears, Tee.rs appeal to the Divi:1e would seem, of utter despair. But when pity in nn especio.l wo.y, "Weep nut I" so.id the night is darkest, dny da wus. "Ont of our Lord to the widow womo.n at No.in; nncl the depths" comes forth the voice of fnith to Mary Magdalene, "Why wee pest thou?'' - " My l.10pe is in THEE I" 'fhere is lie himself "offered up his supplications always hope in God. When onr fat)lor e.ud with strong crying and tco.rs" (Heb. v. 7); mother forsake u,, the Lord taketh us up. on<l so his foithful servo.uts (Job xvi. 20: Ho will not leo.ve us uor forsake us. Su tl1e Pss. vi. 6; xiii. 3; lvi. 8: Iso.. xvi. U; pso.lmist ends his complo.int by throwing xxxviii. 8; Jer. xv. 17; Lnm. ii. 11; Luke himself into the o.rms of the Divine mercy, vii. 38; Acts xx. 19). Hezckit\h's tears and unreservedly submitting himself to especially movecl God to pity him (2 Kings God's will. xx. 5). For I am a stranger with thee, nnt.l Ver. 8.-Deliver me from all my tr&ns- a sojourner, "Hore we ho.ve no continuing gressions. The app[T)ach to God q uickcns city" (Heh. xiii. 14), but are "strangers u.nd in every God-fearing mnn the sonso of sin pilgrims on the eo.rth" (Hob. xi. 13). Henoo, and the longing for pardon. So the psalmist being so wco.k o.nd dependent, we may the ho.s no sooner thrown himself upon God as more confidently cle.im God's pity. As all his one Hope, thnu the thought of his siD 111y f11thvra were (comp. Lev. xxv. 2~, "Tho l'BALMB, X 306 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS, llXIX, 1-13,
land is mitie; ye are stranger, and eojou.rner, of refreshment nnd rest. before ho is callecl taith me"). on to lenve tho enrth end" be no more;" Ver. 13.-0 spare m3, that I may recover i.e. bring his present state of existonoo to strength, before I go hence, and be no more, an end. Nothing id to be gathered from The pnlmist, no longer auxious for death, the cxprcasion used o.s to hie expectation or bnt. still exrecting it, requests of God, in non-expectation of a future life, oonclusion, a breathing-space, a. sbo1·t time
HOMILETICS. Ver. 4.-.A wise prayer. "Lord, make me to know mine end," etc. The writer of this most beautiful, though roost sorrowful, psalm opens to us his inmost heart. The inspiring Spirit speaks through one of like passions with ourselves. His own sorrows had taught him sympathy. Looking at human life, he seems to see one vast funeral procession, in which butiiness and pleasure seem alike vain. Yet he shrinks from uttering his pent-up feelings, lest he appear to the ungodly to be bla.mina God. So be turns to God and pours out his grief in prayer. b