The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 40

thought ia not Dashan, but Mount Zion; Ver. 20.-He tlio.t is our God is the God and what he is nbout to celebrate is J ehovah'e of salvation; rather, God is to u~ a God choice of Mount Zion for his dwelling-place, of sa~ing deeds (Ko.y), or of deliverances nncl hie establishment on H. But he prefers (Revised Version): i.e. not of salvation only to introduce the subject by n contrast with in the abstract (ver. 19), but of deeds by the great range of Cnnaan. Ilashan, ho which we are saved. And unto God the snys, is truly "11 mountain of God "-i.e. n Lord bdong the issues from death. It is very great mountain (see the comment on through God only that, when death threatens, Pa. xxxvi. 6)-" ono which seemed ia on men escape it. especial degree to show forth creative power." Ver. 21.-But God shall wonnd the head It is also an high hill j or mlher, a mountain of his enemies; or, "yet surely God will of peaks, containing numerous pointed sum- smite," etc. Though he gives escape from mits. Yet God did not choose one of these death, yet he will not do so al wl\ys. On for his habitntion. ,,. tho contrary, he will assureuly smite and Ver. 16.-Why leap ye, ye high hills 1 destroy his enemies, wounding them where rather, Why look ye askance, ye mountains of a wound is fatnl. And the hairy ace.Ip of r,ealcs? In jealousy at not being chosen. such a one as goeth on still in hi:i tres- fhis is the hill which God desireth to dwell passes. "The Lairy scalp," says Dr. Kay, in; rather, on the mountain which God "points almost certainly to Absalom." desirelh to dwell in-a continuation of the Others take it e.s merely indicating the preceding sentence. The mountnin intended young and strong. is, of cc-ursc, Mount Zion, a comparatively Ver. 22.-The Lord mid, I will bring low elevation. Yea, the Lord will dwell in again from Be.ahBD, I will bring my people it for ever; i.e. make it his permanent, not again from the depths of the sea. Our merely hie temporary, habitation, like Sinai. translators' interpolation of the words, " my Ver. 17.-The ohariots of God are twenty people," is unhappy. The psalmist means thousand, even thousands ofe.ngels. Another to represent God as threatening his enemies, abrupt transition. The psalmist sees God not as encouraging his faithful ones. Thongh move from Sinai, where he had represented his enemies (ver. 21) fly to Bashan and him ns present in ver. 8, into the sanctuary bury themselves in its woods, or though of Mount Zion. lle is, of course, accom- they even hide themsdves in the depths panied by hie angelic host. This is described of the sea, he will search them out, 11nd as a host of chariots ( comp. 2 Kings vi. 17)- "bring them back," that vengeance may be twenty thousand in number, nud "thousands taken on them (see ver. 23). of repetition "-or thousands multiplied by Ver. 23.-That thy foot may be dipped in thousands, as Hengstenberg understands the blood of thine enemies; i.e. "I will the phrnse (comp. Dan. vii. 10). The Lord bring them back for thee, my people, to (Jehovo.h)isamongthem; or, "in theirmiilst.'' dip your feet in their blood." The same As in Sine.i, in the holy place : re.ther, metaphor is used in Isa. lxiii. 1-3: but it Sinai is in the sanctuary. 'fhe glories of is God himself who, in that passage, has Sinai are, ns it were, transferred thither. his feet reddened in his enemies' blood Ver. 18.-Thou hast e.soended on high; i.e. And the tongue of thy dogs in the eame. e.scended into the sanctuary, Mount Zion- The Authorized Version has omitted one gone up with the nrk when it was trans- word of the original here. Transfate, .Ana ferred thither (see 2 Sam. vi. 12-19; that the tongue of thy dogs may have ita 1 Chron. xv.11-28). Thou hast led oaptivity portion from the s,,me (comp. 2 Kings ix. oa.ptive ; i.e. thou he.et made many cap- 35: J er. xv. 3). tives-or enabled us to te.ke many prisoners. Verd. 2!-27.-Again we find a transi- Thou hast received gifts for men; rather, tio □. The conquest of Cana.an is complete among men. Tribute from Israel's enemies is probably inteniled (see 2 Sllm. viii. 2; -God is gone up into his sanctuary. The oomp.1 Kings iv. 21). Yea, for the rebellious nations are led captive or put to tribute also ; literally, yea, rebels also; i.e. enemies, Robels are crushed; the lust remnants 01 that when reduced have rebelled, e.nd then them sought out, brought back, and d~- submitted to pay tribute a seconcl time. livered into the ha.nus of Isrnel. N 01v we That the Lord God (Jah Elohim) might dwell among them; "That God, after the h11ve a description of God's "goings in the nations had been subdued nnd submitted sanctuary" (var. 2!). Some critics suppose themselves, might re.st quietly thenceforth a pnrticular occ~ion to be pointed at: but in Zion." the expression "goings" rather indicates Ver. 19.-lllessed be the Lord, who daily something ha.bitunl, or, at any rate, re- loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation; rather, blessed be the Lord curring. God is from time to time glorified day by day; he will bear (our burden) for in his sanctua.ry by ceremonies which the us, (he is) the God of our salvation. poet describes.  THE DOOK OF PSALMS. [l'B. LXVIII, 1-35,