The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 39

touch only rertain features of il And first, initiating the period of strife (oomp. Blmkos- the scene at SiTilli. peare's "Cry havock, and let slip the doge Ver. 8.-The earth shook, the heavens of war I"). Great wns the company of those al10 dropped, at the presence of God ( see that published it; literally, great was the Exod. xix. 16-18; Deut. v. 22, 23). The oompany of the women that heralded it. Tllo "dropping" of the heavens was the descent reference is to the female choirs which took of R thick thnnder-oloud upon the mount, a prominent part in the war-songs of a11oient which rested upon it, and sprearl around days (see Exod. xv. 20, 21; Judg. v. 1; 1 a dense and weird darkness. Even Sinai Sam. xviii. 6, 7). itself was moved at the presenoe of God; Ver. 12.-Kings of armies did flee apaoe; litc-rally. yonder Sinai, e.s if it were in sight, literally, di'ct flee,-did flee; i.e. fled re- and could be pointed at. The God of Israel. peatedly before Israel (see Josh. viii. 19- Our God, who did all these great things 22; x. 19, 20; xi. 8, 9; Judg. iii. 10, 29; for us. iv. 14-16; vii.19-25; viii. II, 12; xi. 29- Ver. 9. -Thou, 0 God, didst send a 33; xv. 14-16; 1 Sam. vii. 10, 11; xi. 11; plentiful .-&in. Not a literal rain, but a xiv. 47, 48; xv. 7, 8; xvii. 52; 2 Saru. v. shower of blessings-manna, qunils, wnter 17-25; viii. 1, 2, 4, 5, 13; x. 6-18, etc.), out or the rock, protection against enemies, And she that tarried at home <livided the 'l'ictorics, etc. Whereby thou didst confirm spoil. The wives of the conquerors shared (or, establish) thine inheritance (see 2 Sam. in the spoil when it was brought home (,Judg. vii. 13). When it was weary. The "·o.nder- v. 28-30). ing in the wilderness must have been inex- Ver. 13.-Though ye have lien among the pressibly dnll and wearisome, especially to pots; rather, Will ye lie dO'!Dn among the sheep- those who had left Egypt with the hope of folds 1 Will ye, 0 ye lnggo.rts of Israel, like a quick march through the waste, and a the Reubenites in the war against Sisero., in- speedy entr1mce into '· a land flowing with stead of going out to war with your brethren, milk and honey" (Exod. iii. 17). The "abide among the sheepfolds, to hear the "establishment" in Palestine under Joshua blcatings of the flocks" (see Judg. v. 16)? was a blessing that could not but be highly Yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove mlaed after well-nigh a century of cruel covered with silver, and her feathers with bondage in Egypt, and furty years of aim- yellow gold. It is certainly wrong to supply, less wandering in the Sinaitic peninsula. "yet shall ye be" before "as the wings of Ver. 10.-Thy congregation hath dwelt a do'l'e." '!'here can be no promise of good tharein; thy troop, or thy host (eee 2 Sam. made to these laggarts. Probably the mean- xriiL 11, 13). The word nsed (;i,11) is au ing is, "Will ye be," or "Will ye seek to unusne.l one. Thou, 0 God, hast prepared be as the wings of a dove, covered with of thy goodness for the poor; or, thou, 0 silver, and her feathers of yellow gold?" i.e. God, didst in thy goadness make preparation Will ye abide in your prosperity and your for the poor. " The poor" are the Israeli tee, riches, decked in gorgeous apparel, re- brought low by their sufferings in Egypt splendent with silver natl gold, while your and the wilderness; the preparations those brethren are bearing the brunt of bo.ttle, by which their conquest of Palestine was with all its ghastly sights and sounds, in facilitated (Exod. xxv. 28; Josh. :x.xiv. 12). your and tbe land's d~fence? Ver. 14.-When the Almighty scattered Vers. 11-23.-From God's mercies to his kings in it; i.e. "in the fond" (comp. ver. people at Sinai and in the wilderueas, the 10). JIIost of the defeats of kings, referred psalmist goes on to consider those connected to a.hove (8ee the comment on ver. 12), took place within the limits of Pulcsline. It was with tlie conquest of Canaan, and the white as snow in Salmon. The preseut loxt establishment of David's widespread rule. has only the two words which mean, "it The passage is difficult and obscure, perhaps enows on Salmon;" whence it is concluded from its embodying fragments of the earlier that something must have fallen out. Pro- Hebrew poetry. It is also full of curious fessorCbeynesupplics J~!:'iJ ,07, "like snow," transition8, and of ellipses which make the and under.;tands the passage to meo.n the.t, meaning doubtful. when the kings were scattered, "it was lilrn snow when it snows on Salmon "-the Ver. 11.-The I.ord gave the word. The ground was all covered with glistering arms, reader naturally asks-What word? Com- armour, and garments. Salmon was 11, mentators aDBwer variously : " the watch- wooded hill near Shechcm (Judg. ix. 48). word" (Cheyne); "promise of victory" Ver. 15.-The hill of God is as the hill of (K.e.y); "the word of command" (Dean :Bashan; rather, a mountain of God ie the Johnson); "announcement of an actual mountain of Ba,han. A sudden transition, victory ga.iaed" (Hengstenberg). I should and perhaps a quotation from an ancient rather n:iderstand a sort of creative word, poem. The special object of the psalmist'd PB, LXVIII, 1-35,] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 45