EXPOSITION. 16-25; L I-4; Jer. v. 26-29; Micah iii, PSALM LVID. 9-12, etc.). Aud there is no reason for A PSALM of condemnation on nnrightcous rejecting the statement of the "title," that judges. Some suppose the judges to be the psalm was written by David. It may 11uperbume,11 beings, entrusted with the either belong to the early years of David's government of the earl!., (Cheyne). Others reign, or to the time immedio.tely preceding suggest heathen rulers of Isre.el, in Baby- Abea!om's rebellion. lonia, during the time of the Captivity. The psalm consists of two strophes and a But the language is not stronger the,n that conclusion. The first strophe is one of five o.ddressed often to native judges (see lea. i. verses, and lays down the grounds of oom- rs. LVIII, 1-11.J THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 9
plaint(vers.1-5). The second, which is one cally placed first" (Cheyne). Metaphors ~f four verses (vers. 6-'--9), po.sees sentence, are accumulated. Menace follow menace. describing the coming punie11ment. The The wrath of God is first invoked opon conclusion (vere. 10, 11) expresses the the evil-doers (vere. 6-8); then (ver. 9) righteous man's so.tiefo.ction at tho result. coming jndgment is announced. Ver. 1.-Do ye indeed speak righteous• Ver. 6.-Break their teeth, 0 God, in nesa, 0 congr.;ge.tion 1 The rendering of their month. Serpent-charmers sometimes, elem (C\?!!) by "congrego.tion" is con- when they have caught their snake, proceed trary to all analogy, and quite untenable. to beat out the poison-fangs with a stone or It must either mean "dumb ones," or be stick (Geike, 'The Holy Le.nd and the e. corruption of elim (c•~!!) - " mighty Bible,' vol. i. p. 245). The psalmist, in the ones" (comp. Ps. xxix. 1). In either case first clause, seems to e.llude to thia practice· it is e.n epithet applied to the judges of the in the second, he che.ngee the metaphor: people, and not to the congregation. Do ye reverting to hie favourite ima"'e 0 of the judge uprightly, 0 ye sons of men 1 Both young lion (kephir). Break out the great questions e.re asked in bitter irony, o.s is teeth of the young lious, 0 Lord. Tb e clear from the context. "cheek teeth" (Joel i. 6), or principal Ver. 2.-Yee., ill heart ye work wicked- fangs on either side, are intended. ness; literally, wickednesses, or iniquJties. Ver. 7.-Let them melt a.way as waters These ye first devise in your heart, and which run continually; i.e." let lhem waste then (see the next clause) carry out with a.way, and go to naught, like water, that your hands. Ye weigh (or, weigh out) the runs off and accomplishes nothing." 'When violence of your hands in the ee.rth. In- he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let stead of carefully meting out justice to them be as cut in pieces; i.e. "let the men, after accurately weighing it in the arrows be e.s thongh snapped in two, or bale.nee of right a.nd equity, you weigh out headless." to them mere wrong cmd " violence." Ver. 8.-Aa e. snail which melteth, let Ver. 3.-The wicked are estranged from every one of them pass away; or, "let the womb : they go a.stray as soon e.a they them be as a snail, whic\1 melteth and be born, speaking lies, This is the lan- passeth e.wa.y" (Revised Version). Snaili guage of hyperbole, e.ud is eerie.inly not the in Palestine, during dry seasons, often profession of the doctrine of original sin. shrink, shrivel up, and disappear from their What the psalmist means is the.t those who shells (Tristram, •Natural History of the ultimately become heinous sinners, for the Bible,' p. 296), Like the untimely birth of most pa.rt show, even from their early a woman, that they may not see tha sun ; ohildhood, a strong tendency towards evil. re.ther, that hath not seen the sun (Prvfessor He implies that with others the ce.se is Cheyne, Revised Version) ; i.e. " let them different, Though there may be in them be e.s e.n abortion" (comp. Job iii. 16). a corruption of na.ture (Pa. li. 6), yet, on Ver. 9.-Before your pots can feel the the whole, they have good dispositions, and thorns, he ehe.11 take them awa.y as with e. present a. contrast to the ungodly ones whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath. whom he is.describing. This" difficult anrl obscure verse" he.s been Ver. 4.-Their poison is like the poison of variously e1plained. Professor Chevne a. serpent (comp. Pa. cxl. 3; Song of Siruch translates, "Before your pots can feel "the xxv. 15). They are like the deaf adder that thorns, and while your flesh (i.e. the flesh stoppeth her ear. The "e.dder" was sup- in the pots, on which yon are about to posed to be "dee.f," on account of its being feast) is still raw, the hot wrath of Jehovah very di.ffiouH to che.rm, It we.a thought shall sweep it away." The ReviseJ Ver• obstinately to set itself ugainst tlie charmer, sion ~i ves the following : " Before your pots e.nd, as it were, stop its ears against him. can !eel the thorns, he shall take them [i.e. Ver. 5.-Which will net hearken to the the thorns) away with a whirlwind, the voice of charmers. Serpent-charmers are A"reen [thorns) and the burning alike." Dr. alluded to in Eccles. x. 11 and Jer. vi. 17. Kay, "Before your caldrons he.rn felt the They he.ve at all times been oomrnon in the thorn-fire, even as raw flesh, even so, shall Ee.at, as they a.re still in Indi~; e.nd it is hot fury sweep him away." The general with reason suspecterl that the magicians of meaning seems to be that before the wicked Pharo.oh employed the art in their contest judges can enjoy the fruits of their wicked- with Moaos e.nd Aaron. Charming never ness, the fierce wrath of God will come so wisely; literally, though they bind their upon them like a tempest, a.nd sweep both ,pells sk•ifully. them e.nd the produce of their villainy away (oomp. 2 Sam. xxiii. 6, 7). Vere. G-!1.-" Description passes into imprecation, with an 'Elohim • emphati- Vera. 10, 11.-In conclusion, the psalmist 10 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS. Lvin. 1-11.