The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 331

confident hope that speaks, not that of gmti- heathen neighbours," or "to be sold for tudo. And hast put them to shame that slaves among them by our co.ptors." No hated us ; rather, and pnttest t11em to •hame general dispersion of the nation is intended. that hate us. 'file writer is sure that God Ver. 12.-Thou ael!est thy pooplo for will do in the future· as he has done in tile nought; litemlly, for not-wealth (comp. Jar. past, nnd ~ill rniso Isrnel up ag,1in from xv. 13). The whole people is rego.rded, not the low e.shtc into wllich they have been 11s sold for slaves, but a.a delivered over to l,rought by disaster. the will of their enemies; and all "for Yer. 8.-In God we boast all tho day nought," God go.ining nothing in exchange. long, and praisa thy Name for ever. We Thou dost not inorease thy wealth by their boast of God as our God, who BBves u.s, and price. A repetition for the snke of empho.sis, puts to shame our enemies (see ver. 7). but adding no new idea. Vers. 9 -16. -These verses form the Ver. 13.-Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours (comp. Pas. xlii. 10; lxxix. second stanza, nnd are a loud and bitter 4; 1xxx. 6). They would be reproached, complaint. God has recently dealt with not so much as cowards, or e.s weak and Israel exceptionally-has seomed to "cast powerless themselves, but rather as having them off," has "put them to she.me," allowed e. weak and powerless God (comp. 2 Kings them to be defeated and despoiled, slain xviii. 33-35; xix. 12). A soom and a e.nd carriecl int.o captivity, me.de e. scorn o.nd derision to them that are round about us. (For in~ta.oces of the " scorn and derision " a derision, a reproach a.nil o. byword. He whereto the Israelites were exposed at the no longer "goes forth with their armies," hands of the heathen, see 2 Kings xviii. 23, to secure them victory over their foes, but 24; xix. 23, 2i; Neh. ii. 19; iv. 2, 3; holds aloof, e.nd covers them with confusion. Pas. lxxix. 4: cxxxvii. 7.) The description implies, not a single defeat, Ver. 14.-Thou makest us a byword among the heathen (comp. Job xvii. 6; Jer. xxiv. but a somewho.t prolonged period of depres- 9). A sho.king of the head among the people; sion, during which several "armies" havo rather, among tl,e peoples ( comp. Ps. xxii. 7). been beaten, several battles lost, multitudes Ver. 15.-My confusion is continually slain, and great numbers carried away co.p- before me, and the shame of my face bath tive (vP.r. 11). Still, a general captivity, covered me (see the comment on ver. 9). Ver. 16.-l!'or the voice of him that re- like the Babylonian, is certainly not spoken proaohath and blasphemeth. The reproaches ot The nation is as yet unconquered. It of the heathen were most commonly "blo.e- 11eeds but a return of God's favour to turn phemies," eioce they consisted very mainly the vanquished into the victors, and to of contemptuous expressions against the reµlace shame by boasting. God of Israel (see the comment on ver. 13: and comp. Iso.. xxxvii. 3, 23). By reason Ver. 9.-But thou hast cast off (comp. ot the enemy and avenger. The persons Pa. xliii. 2) and put ns to shame (see also by whom the blasphemous reproaches were ver. 16 ). It ia the shame of defeat, rather uttered-Israel's enemies bent on avenging tlian tile physico.l pains or material losses, former losses and defeats. that grieve t~e writer. And g~est not ~orte with our armies. Israel ho.a still "armies Vera. 17-22.-lo this third stanza the at her disposal. It is therefore certainly psalmist strongly emphasizes his complaint not the early Maccabeao perio<l, nor the time by meiotainiug that the co.le.mitios from of the expiring monarchy. Her armies have which they o.re suffering have not come upon free play, are sent forth, only God does not "go forth" witll thew (cowp. Pa. Ix. 10). the people through auy fault of their own, Ver. 10.-Thou makest us to turn baok or been in any way provoked or deserved from the enemy. Thou briogest it to pass Ho is, perhaps,over-confident; but we cannot that we turn our backs io shameful flight doubt that he is sincere in the belief, which from the enemy, either making a fee~lo he expresses, that the people, both before resislo.nce or none at all. And they which hate us 1poil for themselves. Spoil us of nod during their calamities, have been our arms and oruameuts, which they seize obedient and faithful to God, wholly free and appropriate. from idolatry, o.od exemplary io their oon- Ver. 11.-Thou haat given us like sheep duct and life. There a.re not many periods appointe<l for meat. •• As sheep for the of Israelite history at whioh suoh a descrip- shambles " (Kay)-a free translation, which tion could have been given without manifest well expresses the meaning. And h11&t scattered us among the heathen. Either untruth, and the lime of David is oertaioly "cauwd us to disperse ourselves among our more suitable for it than almost any other, PB, XLIV. 1-26.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 343