The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 330

EXPOSITION. thou didst in their days, in the times of o:d. PSALM XLIV, The Law required all Israelites to teach •rnE date and occasion of this psalm are their children the past histQry of the nation, and especially the mercie3 wliirh bad been greatly disputed. Most critics, from Calvin vouchsafed to it (see Exod. x. 2; xii. 26, 27; to Hitzig, refer it to the times of the Mac- xiii. 8, 10, eto.). cabees. Others suggest the fourth or fifth Ver. 2.-How thou didst drive out the century e.o. One (Tholuck) dates it in the haathen with thy hand; i.e. "by thy power." reign of JehoiacLin. Hengstenberg and The conquest of Canaan is the historical fact Canon Cook argue for the reign of David. referred to. And plantedst them (comp. Exod. xv. 17, "Thon wilt bring them in, and The time of Jehoram (2 Chron. xxi. 16, 17) plant them in the mountain of thine in- and that of the defeat of Josiah (2 Chron. heritance;" and see also Ps. l::i:xx. 8, xxxv. 20-24) have also been proposed as " Thou bast brought a trine out of :Egypt; pos~ible. 'rhe Davidio date receives a cer• thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted lain amount of support from Pa. lx., which it"). How thou didst afflict the people; rather, the peoples, i.e. the Cauaanitish is in the same tone, and resembles the pre- nations. And oaat them out. So the LXX , sent psalm in several expressions (comp, the Vulgate, and even the Revised Version. Pss. Ix. 1 with xliv. 9; lx. 10 with xliv. 9, But most moderns, undentandiug "them" 10; l.x. 11 with xliv. 26; etc.). It also har- of Israel, render, but didst apread them out monizes with the place of the psalm in the (comp. Ps. lxxx. 11). Ver. 3.-For they got not the land in pos- Psalter, and with its ascription to the "sons session by their own sword, neither did their ofKorah," whowere certainly among David's own arm ■ ave them (comp. Josh. xxiv. 11, musicitms. 12) ; bnt thy right hand, and thine arm, The occasion of the psalm is some serious and the light of thy oountenanoe, beoause roverse which the Israelites had sustained thou hadst a favour unto them (seu Dent. iv. 37, 38; Josh. xxiv. 11, 18). in a war with foreign enemies, but who Ver. 4.-Thou art my Xing. 0 God; lite- wore the enemies, and when exactly the rally, thou art he that ie my Ki11g, 0 God; reverse was sustained, are uncertain. No i.e. I acknowledge no otbor king but thoe, doubt there were many temporary reverses uo other ubsolnte lord and muster. Com- in the course of David's wars, after one of mand deliveranoas for Jacob. Bein,::: King, whioh tho psalm may have been written. thou bust a right to commnnd. Wo pray thee nt this present time to commanu. our The psalm divides itself into four parts. clolivorance. In part i. (vers. 1-8) the writer recounts Ver. 5.-Through thee will we push down God's mercies in tho past, and from them our enemies. Do as we ask-command our confidently concludes that effectual help deliverance-and tbon we shall assuredly will be granted in the present emergency. "push down," i.e. overthrow nud prostrate, our enemies. Thy help will be found us In part ii. (vors. 9-16) be describes the effectual iu the future as in the past. emergency itself. In part iii, (vors.17-22) Through thy Ne.me will we tread them be urges the fact that it had not been under that rise up against us. H,wing brought about l;.y any infidelity or rebellion pushed our foes to tbo ground (comp. Dout. on the part of bis countrymen. And in x:x:xiii. 17), wo shall then be able to "tread thom under." The imugery is drawn from po.rt iv. (vers. 23-26) he makes his prayer the practice of buffo.loes and wild bulla. for deli vere.uce. Ver. 6.-For I will not trust in my bow, Tho style is throughout simple, pure, and neither she.II my sword save me (comp. noble, po~sessing all the characteristics of ver. 3). My trust, i.e., shall not be iu my- I.he best period of Hebrew poetry.· self, but in thee. 'l'ho sword and tho bow were tho orninary weapons of Ismol. Ver. 1.-We hne heard with our ears, 0 Ver. 7.-But thou hast saved ua fro1·,1 our &od1 our fathers have told us, who.t work enemiea : or, doat sa~~ '"'• It is the voice of  342 THB BOOK OF PSALMS.