11 ; xviii. 6-8). He sees that there are the b11Uers of his mou.th-i.e. his flattering many with him ; i.e. " many that contend utteranceB. But war was in his heart; with him;" but his <'OUrage does not fail- litore.lly, but his heart was toar. His words he is nssured of being "delivered" and woro softer than oil, yet were they drawn re-established in his kingdom "in peace." swords; i.e. keen, cutting-according to our Ver. 19.-Godshall hear, and afflict them; own idiom, " like daggers." i.e. "God will hear my prayers, and will Ver. 22.-Cast thy burden upon the Lord; effiirt my adversaries;" or, perhaps, "God rather, thy portion--{)r, the lot assigned will hear me and answer me." But this thee-that which God has given thee to requires II change in the reading. Even he bear. And he shall sustain thee, God will that abideth of old; or," he that is enthroued support thee under the lot which he assigns, of old;" he, i.e., that sitteth, and has always however ho.rd it is. He shall never suff'er sat, on his eternal throne in the heavens. the righteous to be moved; i.e. to be dis- Selah. The "selah" here marks probably turbed, shaken, unsettled from their faith a pause for adoration of the gr!'.at and in him. Note that these promises are me.de eternal King enthroned in all his glory. fo the righteous only ; and, among them, Beoause they have no ohanges; rather, the only to those who cast themselves in full men u:lw har:e no changes-exegetical of faith upon God. "them" in the first clause of the verse. Ver. 23.-But thou, O God, she.It bring The wicked "have no changes," i.e. no them down into the pit of destruction. We great reverses of fortune, until their end must understand by "them II the ungodly, comes (see Job x.xi. 7-15). Therefore they the thought of whom is associated with that fear not God; rather, and who do not fear God. of the righteous by the law of contrast. Ver. 20.-He bath put forth his hands While God sustains and supports the against such as be at peace with him. righteous, he "brings down" and crushes Some explain "he" as " the wicked col- the ungodly. The " pit of destruction " is lectively," and maintain that in this verse the grave. Bloody and deceitful men shall and the next no particular person is pointed not live out half their days (comp. Jer. o.t; but it seems better to regard the psalmist xvii. 1). Of course, the statement is not as "goddenly rovertin.2; to the fixed and intended for a universal law, and indeed deepest thought in his heart-the treachery was probably pointed especially at the of his friend " (Canon Cook). Ahithophel "bloody and deceitful men" of whom the had " put forth his hand against such as psalmist had been speo.king. The suicide were et peace with him." He hath broken of A.hithophel, and the slaughter of Absalom his covenant. The covenant of friendehip with so many of his followers, furnished a with David (ver. 14), not, perhaps, a formal striking commentary on tho statement. But one, but involved in the terms on which I will trust in thee; i.e. but I, for my they stood one towards the other. pert, will put no trust in violence or deceit-- Ver. 21.-The wor<lR of his mouth were I will trust in nothing and no one bu\ 6IllOother than butter; literally, 811Woth were God (comp. Pee. vii l; xi. 1, etc.).
HOMILETICS. Vere. 6-8.-.A pathetic prayer. " Oh that I had wings," eto. I A very natural wish, pathetically and beautifully expressed. The Prophet Jeremiah gave ~tterance to the same wish, and for similar reasons (Jer. ix. 2). Hence some have conJectured he wae the author of this psalm. The title, ascribing it to David, represents ancient Jewish tradition, which there is no adequate ground for rejecting. But the psalm contains nothing certainly to indicate at what time in David's history it was composed, or who was the treacherous friend referred to. The fact is, the Book of Psalms is a treasury, not of history, but of spiritual experience; a manual of prayer, praise, medi- tation, faith, for the Church in all ages. Its perennial meaning and value are rather raioed than lowered by the uncertainty besetting special occasions and dates which keen cri ties labour to drag to light. L THESE WORDS PICTURE FOR us A HEAR'l' WEARY OF THE WORLD. Tho writer longs passionately to be quit of it, out of sight and hearing, in restful solitude. Ho feels as OW' Engli~h poet, when taking up Jercrniah's thought he wrote- " Oh for e. lodge in some Tnet wilderness, Some boundless contiguity of shade, Where rumour of oppression and deceit, Of unsuccessful or eucceseful war, lllight never reaoh me more I " l't, LT, 1-23.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 417