The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 365

nnd imporfect, theodicy." Tile wicked man tlie wicked, "trusting in thoir wealth, and has his good tiliugs in this life, and II fter boasting themselves in tha multitude of death evil things, while ~ith the good man their riches" (ver. 6), so opulent that they tile case is exnctly the contrary. The date build houses which they expect to "continuu of the psalm is uncertain ; but from its style for ever," o.nd proprietors on such a scale il may be placed between the time of David that their lands a.re "callc,l after their nnd tbnt of Hezekiah. The ascription of it names" (ver. 11); and both parties equally to " the sons of Korab" deserves acceptance. short-lived, soon swept away from earth Metrioolly, the composition divides itself (vera. 10, 12). How is it that God 1Ll!ows all into three portions: (1) a short prelude, or this, and how is man to reconcile himself to introduction (vers. 1-4); (2) a strophe, it? Simply by two reflections-one, that forming the main body of tile psalm (vers. for the wicked, who have their portion in 5-15); and (3) a summing-up, or conclu- this life, there is no hope of happiness after sion (vers. 16-20). death (vera. 14, 17): and the other that" God Ver. 1.-Rear this, all ye people; rather, will redeem the righteous from the power of all ye peoples. Like Ps. xlvii., tilis psalm is the grave, and will 1·eceive them" (ver. 15). addressed to the nations generally, w!Jo are all equally interested in it. The writer Ver. 5.-Wherefore should I fear in the regards his mission ns not con:fined to Israel days of evil 1 i.e. ho.ve I reason to foe.r, or but extending to the whole of mankind'. ma.y I trust in God's protection? Are, or Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world; are not, the righteous under his cure? When litere.lly, of the.fleeting (-fm), of this fleeting, the iniquity ot my heels ; ro.thcr, of my transitory scene. supplanter,-of those that would trip me np. Ver. 2.-Both high and low, rioh and poor, Bhlill oompasa me about; i.e. surround me, together. The teaching of the psalm con- lie in wait for me on every side (comp. Pd. cerns all ranks a.like. To the great and rich xvii. 10-12). it will carry warning; to the poor and lowly, Ver. 6.-They that trust in their wealth; consolation. ro.ther, ei,en of them that trust in their Ver. 3.-Ky month sh.all speak of wisdom wealth. The Eense runs on from the pre- (comp. Job xxxili. 3, 4). It is not his own ceding verse (so Heugstenberg and Professor "wisdom" tilat the psalmist is about to Choyne). And boast thomselves in the utter, but a. wisdom communicated to him multitude of their riches. Such men Rre from without, to which he has " to incline always persecutors of the righteous. They his ear" (ver. 4). And the meditation ot are worldly, c1Lrne.l, godless. my heert she.II be of llll.derstanding ; or, of Vor. 7.-None of tl.Jem can by any means diacernment (Kay). redeem his brother. 'J.'he text is suspcol ed. Ver. 4.-I will incline mine ear to e. If we read 1!:I for i1tl, with Ewald and Pro- parable. The pse.Imi.i.t is "like e. minstrel fessor Cheyne, the right translation will be, who h1Ls to play e. piece of music put into Neoerthele,s, no man can by any mean, his bands. The strain is none of his own redeem himse1f. With nil his boosting, the devising; and as he proceeds, each note rich man cannot etfect his own redemption ; awakes in him a my,;torious echo, which he nor, however gre1Lt his weo.lth, can he give would fain catch and retain in memory " to God a ransom for him ; i.e. for himself. (Koy). A. "parable" in the Old Testament "Brother" is not used in the Psalms in the weans any enigmatical or dark saying, into sense of "fellow-man," but only in the which much metaphor or imagery is intro- literal sense of close blood-relation (Pss. duced, so th1Lt it is only ,pwvav crvvero'i,n. XXXV. 14; ). 20). I will open my dark saying upon the harp; Ver. 8.-For the redemption of their soul i.e. with e. harp o.ccompaniment. l\Iusic WRB is precious; or, costly-too costly, i.e., for o. J,clp to inspired persons iu tl,e delivery of them, however i-ioh they may be, to bo able messages wl,ich they wero commissioned to to effect it (comp. Job xxxvi. 18, HJ). And deliver (&ee 1 Sam. x. 5; 2 Kings iii. 15). it oeaeeth tor ever; rather, and one must let that alone for ever (Cheyne, Kay, Hengstcn- Vers. 5-15.-Tho prelude, or introduc- berg, Revised Version). tion, being over, the substance of the "dark Ver. 9.-That he should atill live tor ever, snying" is now brought forth. The problem e.nd not see oorrnption. Thie verse is to be closely connected witil ver. 7, ver. 8 being is propounded. On the one hand a.re the pe.rcnthetic1Ll. It describes the effect which righteous, fallen upon evil days, surrounded the payment of a ransom by the rioh, were by treacherous foes, ever on the watch to do it possible, might be expected to have. them a miachicf (ver. 5); on the other are Ver. 10.-J'or he aeeth that wise mon die, PS, XLlX, 1-20.J 'rHE DOOK OF PSALMS. 379