The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 48

nnd the immcdiulc need is relief. He ther,'• eight. Thou beholdcst their ineolence nm\ fore eppronchcs God in whRt ho hopes is audacitr. "RD ecc,eptable time" (ver. 13), and humbly Ver. 20.-lleproaoh hath broken my heart. entrente for mercy (vere. 14-18). (comp. vers. 7, 9, 19). Some of his enemies' rcpronches were, no doubt, bn.sed on David's Y or. 13.-Bnt as for me, my prayer is unto old misdoings. These, which ho could not thee, 0 Lord, in an aooeptable time (comp. rebut, would cause him the se,·e1cst 11ain. Ps. :uxii. 6; Isa. xlix. 8). Professor Cheyne And I am full of heavineBB ; or, "full of nsks, "How has it been revealed to the sickness;" "very sick" (Kny); "sick to 11se.lmist that this is on ncccptnble time?" death" (Delitzsch). And I looked for somo We cun only enswer--Perh11.ps it has not to take pity, but there wns none; and for been rovooled; he may express a hope oomforters, but I found none. It is ques- rather than a full nssurance. Or it mny tioned whether David was ever without liave been revealed to him in the wny that friends to pity and comfort him, o.nd sug- olher things were. 0 God, in the multitude gested thnt at this point he passes frum of thy meroy hear me; or, "in the greatness narrntive to prophecy, 11nd describes, not of th)· morcy ; " i.s. e.s thy mercy is eo great. his own condition, but that of the Messiah, In the truth of thy BBlvation. "In the whom he typified, speaking as he wns moved exercise of that fidelity which eccures the by the Holy Ghost. Jesus was certainly sa.lve.tion of all that trust it" (Professor left without pity or comfort, when "all the Alexander). disciples forsook him, and fied" (Matt. Ver. 14.-Deliver me out of the miro, :uvi. 56). and let me not sink (comp. ver. 2, with the Ver. 21.-They gave mo also gall for my comment). Let me be delivered from them meat. Here, at any rate, the psalmist is that hate me (eee ver. 4). And out of the inspired to be Messianic. i.e. to use words deep waters (oomp. vers. 1, 2). which, while they can only be applied to Ver. 15.-Let not the watedlood ovedlow himself metaphorically and loosely, are in me. neither let the deep swallow me up, the strictest and most literal sense npplicable mid let :not the pit lhut her mouth upon me. to Christ. Gall was nctually mingled with The reference is still to vers. I, 2; and the the drink which was given to Christ just prayer is for deli,·erance from the dangers before he was crucified, and which-)le and entanglements there spoken of. tasted, but would not swallow (Matt. :r.xvil Ver. 16.-Resr me, 0 Lord, for thy loving- S!). And in my thirst they gave me vinegar kindness is good (comp. ver. 13). Turn to drink. Similarly, when upon the cross unto me according to the multitude of thy Christ uttered the words, "I thirst," thoso tender mercies. The psalmist implies that wLo stood by "filled a sponge with vinegar, God's fac.e had been for some time turned and put it upon hyssop, and put it to hie away from him, and begs to be rest.ored to mouth. When Jesus therefore had received favour. the vinegar, he said, It is finished; and he Ver. 17.-And hide not thy face from thy bowed his head, and gave up the ghost" servant (comp. Pss. x. I; xiii. I ; xxii. 24; (John xix. 29, 30); comp. Pe. xxii. 16- xxvii. 9, etc.). For I am in trouble; lite- 18, where litlle facts, not true of Do.vid, rally, /or- there iB trovbl.e to me. On the but true of Christ, are recorded of an probaLle na.ture of the "trouble,'' see tLe o.fllicted one, who pe.rUy represents David, introductory paragraph. Rear me speedily partly his great Descendant. ( comp. Pss. xxii 19; xxxi. 2; xxxviii. 22; lr.11:. 1, etc.). Vers. 22-29.-The ilnagination of tho Ver. 18.-Draw nigh unto my ■oul, and cruelties to LD inflicted on his innocent redeem it. David often complains that God Descendant works up the psalmist to a pitch is far from him (PBS. L I ; xxii. 19; xxxviii. of plll!sionate resentment, which finds veut 21 ; l:ui. 12, etc.), and prays that he will in a series of bitter imprecations, very die- "draw nigh," the sense of distance and alienation being intolerable. Deliver me to.eteful to many. They are Iese startling, becaw;e of mine enemies; i.e. becanse of howe'l'er, than some to ho found elsewhere, their plots and machinations (see ver. 4). as in Ps. cii. We may view them either as Ver. 19.-Thou hut known my reproach, an outpouring of righteous indigne.liou upon and my shame, and my dishonour (cowp. the enemies, not of David only, but of God; vers. 7-12). Whatever David has !llltfcrcd at the hands of his enemie11 has been fully or as a series of prophetic denunciations, known 1o God, who hllB at any rate per- whereby the wicked of David's tiwe were mitted it. Having Eeen and known, Goel wo.rned of the consequences of such wicked- will not forget. Ky adversarie1 a.re all ness ae theirs, and stimulated lo repentance. before thee. 'l'hon hast seen my nd ver- 11111.ries alao, und ~Lill Last them iu thy Ver. 22.-Let their table bocomo a anare PB, LXIX, 1-30,) THE BOOK OF PS.ALMS. 65