Vers. 16-23.-Hypor::risy. God speaks to the whole nation in the previous p:1.rt of the psalm; here to hypocrites. J. 'l'HEY MADE PROFESSION OF RELIGION, WRICH THEIR LIVES CONTRADICTED. (Vera. 16-20.) 1. They treated the Divine Law with open contempt. (Ver. 17.) Because they " hated" the control that it imposes. 2. They were guilty of the grossest violations of tltat Law. (Vers. 18-20.) Theft, adultery, and false witness, not only against their neighbour, but against their own brothers, showing that they had lost even natural affection. Observe the gradual, progressive power which sin has to corrupt the whole man. II. EVIL MEN MISINTERPRET THE FORBEARANCE OF Gou. (Ver. 21.) "Because 11entence against an evil man is not speedily executed," etc. (Rom. ii. 1-4). III. Goo WILL ASSUREDLY ENTER INTO JUDGMENT WITH MEN. (Vers. 21, 22.) Men e.re solemnly called upon to consider and remember this truth, thElt they may repent, and so escape destruction. IV. THE ONLY TRUE WAY OF SALVATION IS DECLARED. (Ver. 23.) 1. The love of a grateful heart. This glorifies God. 2. And the love of an obedient life. Thio only is salvation-obedience out of love. "He that hath my Word and kcepeth it, be it is that loveth me," etc.-S.
EXPOSITION. "titles" to be entiUed to rogo.rd o.nd respect, PSALM LI. even if not absolutely o.uthoritative, find THtll is the first of a series of fifteen psalms either nothing in the psnlm unsuitable to assigned by their titles to Do.vid, and mostly David's time, or else nothing but what may attached to spooio.1 circumstances in his life, well have been a subsequent ndditiou for which are snid to ho.ve furnished tho occa- liturgicnl purposes. This is tho view token sions for their composition. The school of by many with respect to the Inst t"o verses. writers which brushes nside the" titles" os Others, however, note tho.t tho walls of unnuthorizod o.nd unhistorical, o.nd so re- Jerusalom were not built, but only in the go.rds itself as wholly free to ossign to nny course of being built, in David's time, nud psalm o.ny date o.nd ony nutho1· that it rego.rd tho whole psalm o.s eminently suite,! prefers, phtccs this among post-Co.ptivity to the period whereto the title o.scribes it oompositions, especially on account of vers. (so Hcngstenberg, Cnnon Cook, Dr. Ko.y, 18, 19 (so Professor Cheyne, Dr. Robertson Professor Alexo.uder, and others). Smith, tho Four Friends, o.nd others). Tho psalm consists of an opening strophe, Tho101 on the contrary, who consider the ex.tending to four voraos, whioh is 1111 co.rncst 394 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS, LI, 1-19,