The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 114

EXPOSITION. preface or introdnction (vers. 1-8), and a PSALM LXXVIII. continuous narrative (vers. 9-72). Tms, the first of the "historical psalms," Vers. I - 8. - The introduction calls though assigned by the rationalistic school special attention to the teaching that is (De Wette, Ewald, Koster, Hitzig) to a about to be put forth, which it declares ill period subsequent to the Captivity, is gene- be traditional (ver. 3), and, further, to be rally allowed by more sober critics (Heng- the sort of instruction which God had stenberg, Ka.y, Wordsworth, Canon Cook, especially commo.nded to be given to his Professor Alexander) to belong to the people by their teachers (vers. 5, 6) for their Davidical age-i.e. either to the reigu of edification (vers. 7, 8). Do.vid or to that of Solomon. The abrupt conclusion when David'e time ie reached Ver.1.-Give ear, 0 my people, to my law; indicates that the writer cannot carry the rather, to my teaching. Hat-to·rah-wrah with the article-ie "the Law;" but t-Orah lessons of history any further. The way in alone is any teaching or instruction. Incline which David is spoken of (ver. 72), and the your ears to the words of my mouth. Dr. (apparent) mention of the temple in ver. 69, Kay rego.rde the words of ver. 1 as "God's indicate that Solomon's reign was begun, own words," (1) on account of the expres- and make '' a few years after the accession sion, "0 my people;" and (2) on account of "my Laio." Dut " my people" is not of Solomon" the most probable date of the inappropriate in the mouth of a psalmist, composition. There is thus no reo.son for- and occurs in Pss. lix. 11 and cxliv. 2. It rejecting tile authorship of Asnph, wllioh is "indicates the love in which the effort of asserted by the title. the psalmist originated" (Hengstenberg). The pso.lm is, o.s the title also deolaree, And "law," ns already observed, is not the proper, or at o.ny rate not the only, meaning one of "instruction." It seeks to keep the of torah. people faithful to David ancl his house, and Ver. 2.-1 will open my month in a to cbeck their tendency to place themseh-es -parable. The fo.cts of lsraeliti:;h history under the leadership of the tribe of Ephro.im, are the " parable," the inner meaning of by reco.lling the whole course of God's deal- which it is for the intelligent to grasp. They e.re ,POJvav-rCJ a-uv•-ro,,nv. I will utter ings witll Israel in the past, from the time de.rk sayings of old ( comp. Prov. i. 6). of the sojo•1rn in Egypt to the esto.blishment Khidoth (mi•n) e.re properly "riddles" of De. vid's kingdom. It nlso seeks to keep (see J udg. xiv. 12). Hore the idea is that them faithful to God, b' showing how all God's dealings with his people ho.Li been their past co.lo.mities and sufforings had "riddles," whereto the psalmist would give the clue (oomp. vers. 21, 22, 33, 56-59, o.risen out of their unfaithfulness (vers. 8, etc.). 10, 22, 32, 37, eto.). Ver. 3.-Whioh ws have heard and The pea.Im divides itself merely into a known, and our f11,then have told us; or,  UH THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [re. LXXVIII. 1-72.