or, rent it, The imagery of nn earthquake "the valley of Succoth" (Gen, xxxiii. 17). le kopt up. Heal the breaches thereof; for God, having assigned the whole land to hie it shaketh. 'fhe po.nio fenr still continued, people (Gen. xiii. 11, 15), "meted it out" Ver. 8.-Thou hast showed thy people through Joshua, his servant, and gave lo he.rd things; litc-mlly, a hard thing, or each tribo its inheritance. harshness; i.e. eevority. Thou he.st made us Ver. 7.----0ilead is miae, and Manasseh is to drink the wino of e.;tonishment; or, of mine. Gilead WAB an old name for tho trembling (as in Isa, Ii. 17, 22); comp. Pa. tei-ritory beyond the Jordan (Gen. xxxvii. luv. 8; Jor. xxv, 15-17; xlix. 12; Ezek. 25), especially the more northern portion of xxiii, 32-34; Zech, xii, 2. The outpour- it, Manas,eh had a portion of this territory ing of Di vine vengeance is repreeentod under a.esigned to him (Numb. xxxii. 39-42; the figure of presenting a cup, which the Josh. xvii, 1), But ManaBBeh had also a doomed mo.n is forced to drink. large inheritance on -the western side of Ver. 4.-Thou he.at given e. ba.nncr to Jordan (Josh. xvii. 7-11). It is not quite them the.t fee.r thee, the.t it me.y be dis- clear whdher both the divisions of Manas- played because of the truth. So most com- seh, or the eastern one only, ie here in- mentators. But the ancient rendering, tended. Ephraim also is the strength of recently revived by Professor Cheyne, is mina head. Ephraim was the most im- perhaps preferable. According to this, the portant of the tribes next to Judah, and meaning is, "Thou hast indeed given a held the cen tra.l position in the western banner to them that fear thee (see Exod, region, forming the main strength of the xvii. 15), but only that they may flee before northern kingdom after the separation under Jeroboam (see 1 Kings xii. 25; and the how" ( .-oii q,u')'••v ,bro 1rpou<fnrou .-&~wv, LXX.). On the last occasion that the comp. Isa. vii, 2, 5, 9, 17; ix. 21 ; Hos. iv. banner had been lifted, it had seerued to 17; v. 7-14; vi. 4-10, etc.). J'ude.h is m7 be, not so much e. rallying-point, as a signal le.wgiver (comp. Gen. xlix. 10; Numb. xxi. for dispersion, 17); i.e. "my ruling tribe"-the tribe to Ver. 5.-The.t thy beloved me.y be de- which I have committed the government of livered; se.ve with thy right he.nd, a.nd hee.rmy people" (see 1 Sam. xvi. 1; 2 Sam. ii me j rnthcr, hear ,u. From compla.int (vere. 4; v. 1-3; Ps. lx.xviii. 68), 1-4) the psalmist e.bruptly turns to prayer, Ver. 8.-Moe.b ie my we.shpot. A term of thus closing the first strophe with a. gleam extreme contempt (see Herod., ii. 172). The of hopo. subjugation of Moab was prophesied by Balaam (Numb. xxiv. 17), and effected by Vere. 6-8.-Appenl ie next made to God's De.vid (2 Sam. viii. 2). Over Edom will I promises. Some suppose tha.t a Divine ce.st out my shoe. The reference to Ruth oracle had been recently given to David iv. 7, 8, which is commonly me.de, is nry himself, and that he here records the words doubtrul. Probably no more is intended of it. But, in that case, it is difficult to than that Edom will be a slave of so low a. rank a.s only to clean the shoes of ite master. e.ccount for the despondent tone of Ters, The subjugation of Edom, like tha.t of 1-i. Hengstenberg'e exple.ne.tion seems Moub, ho.cl been pr1>phesietl by Balaam preferable, the.t David now encourages him- (Numb. xxiv. 18). Philistia, triumph thou self by a "reference to the general a.epect bece.uee of me. The context will not allow of of the e.ssure.nces given in the Penta.teuch this rendering, since Philistia, like the other enemies of Lre.el, must be triumphed over, in regard to the possession of the land of and not triumph. Translate, o-rer Philistia Canaan in its widest extent, and to victory ia my triumphing (comp. Pa. cviii 9). over hostile neighbours," nnd that he ho.s his eya especially on the blessing of Jacob Ver$, 9-12.-Rehearse.l of God's promises (Gen. xlix.) and the blessing of Moses has raised the psalmist out of despondency, (Dent. xxxiii.). If these assurances are to e.nd he can now confidently call God to his be depended on, Isre.el co.nnot now be a.bout assista.nce. Edom is to be conquered, for to succumb to Edom. so God hae promised (ver. S). But how? Ver. 6.-God ha.th spoken in bis holiness; Who will lead out Israel's armies? Will or, promised by Ma holiness (comp. Ps. lxu:ix. God, who has lnt.ily "cast Israel off"? If 85). As God is holy, ho cannot fnlsify his not, it must be mnn. Ilut "vain is the prouises. I will rejoioe, I will divide help of mnn" (rnr, 11). S() the co.11 is Sheohem, e.nd mete out the valley of Sno- mndo thnt Goll will give help in the trouble coth; i.e. I will distribute Cunal\n o.mong -and with the roll comes full confidence my people-both the western region, of which Sheobem was the chief town (l Kings - and lho tl'iumpl.mnt cry goes forth, xiL 25), l\nd the ea.stern, which oontl\iued "Through God wo shnll do vcilia.ntly; for 16 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PI!, LX, 1-12,
he it is that ehall tread down our enemies" Ver. 11.-Give III help trom trouble. (ver. 12). Faith combats doubt, n1;1d, overcoming it, finds an utteranoe-" Give us help no1D, Yer. 9.-Who will bring me into the whatever thou hast done in the past." Our strong oity T The "strong oity" of Edom trouble is great. "Help us from it." Fol was Sola, "The Cliff"-now Petra. And vain is the help of man. We have, there- it we.s e. city of enormone strength, rock- fore, no hope but in thee. hewn in the main, and gunrded by frightful Ver. 12.-Throngh God we ah&ll do va- precipices. Who will conduct me through liantly. No miracle is expected or asked its stre>ng nRtural and artificial defences, for. Let God look upon us favonralily- and give me possession of the plaoo? Who let his light shine into our henrts, and then will lead me into Edom 1 Who will even "we ourselves shnll do valiantly "-we bring me into the oountry? The Edomites, shall gain the victory-we sliall uocomplish flushed with their recent victory, will, of the prophecy of Baluam (Nu111b. xxiv. 18); course, dispute my entrance, Who will nnd Edom shall pa.ea into our possession. enable me to overcome their resistance? (For the fulfilment, see 2 Sam. viii. 14: Yer. 10.-Wilt not thou, 0 God, which l Chron. xviii. 13.) For he it is that shall hadst cast ll8 off l rather, Ha.it =t thou, 0 tread down our enemies (comp. Pa. xliv. 5), God, cast us ojff Can we expect thee to which has the eame meaning, "Thr,,ugh lead us, when thou hnst eo lately oaet us thy Nume will we tread them under tb.at off, and, ne we hear it said on all sides, rise up against us." (For the extent to dost net go ont with our armies 1 A refer- which Edom was trodden down, see I Kings ence, perlmps, to Ps. xliv. 9, xi. 15, 16.)