Ver. 62,-B:e gave hia people over also Ephre.im, Ephraim had enjoyed the pre- unto the sword, Thirty thousand Iere.elitee eminency from the time of the death ot were ele.in in the battle in which the ark Moses (see the comment on ver. 9). By was co.ptured (eee 1 Sam. iv. 10). And we.a the course of events between Siimuel's wroth with hie inherite.noe(comp. Pee. xx viii. death and the estl\blishment of the king• 9; xxxiii. 12; cvi. 5, 40). dom of David, the pre-eminency he.rl bee11 Ver. 63.-The ftre oonenmed their young transferred to J nrlo h, according to the men. The reference ia not to euch pe.ese.ges design of the Almighty from the first (see e.s Lev. x. 2; Numb. xi. 1; xvi. 35, where Gen. xlix. 8-10). 11, litero.l fire seems to be spoken of, but Ver. 68.-But chose the tribe of Judah. ruthor to the fire of war (Numb. xxi. 28; The choice was made when David was, by Isa. xxvi. 11; Jer. xlviii. 45), or more God's command, anointed to be king (1 genera.Uy to the fire of the Di vine anger Sam. :xvi. 1-12). The Mount Zion which (lea. x. 16-18; xlvii. 14, etc.). And their he loved (comp. P~. lxxxvii. 2, "The Lord ma.idens were not given to me.rrie.ge : loveth the gates or Zion more than all tho literally, were not praieed in song; i.e. in dwellings of Jacob"). God, no doubt. the bridal song. The destruction of the inspired David with the thought of fixing ynung men, either in battle or in any other his residence in "the stronghold of Zion" way, ea.used there to be more marriageable (2 Sam. v. 9), and or bringing up the ark of girls in Israel than there were husbands the covenant into it (2 Sam. vi. 12-17). for (comp. lee.. iv. I). The presence or the ark determined the Ver. 64.-Their priests fell by the sword. selection of Jerusalem for the site of the As Hophni and Pbinehe.e at the ta.king of temple. the ark (1 Sam. iv. 11), and, no doubt, Ver. 69.-And he built his sanctuary like many others on other occasions. And their high pa.laces; rather, like the heights. The widows made no lamentation. The solemn "heights or heaven" (Job :xi. 8; xxii. 12) funeral dirge could not take pie.co, ei nee are probably meant. Like the earth which the bodies remained on the battle-field. he bath eshblished for ever; i.e. lofty as Ver. 65.-Then the Lord a.waked as one out heaven, stable e.nd fumly fixed a.a earth. of sleep (comp. Pss. vii. 6; xxxv. 23; lxxiii. The ultimate fate of the sanctuary is 20). God is ea.id to "awake," when, after mercifully hidden from the psalmist. a time of inaction, he suddenly exerts his Ver. 70.-He chose David also his serva.nt Almighty power, to the discomfiture of his (see 1 Sam. xvi. 1, 12). And took him from enemies. That God never really slept was the sheepfolds ( comp. 1 Sam. :xvi. 11, 19; 2 the profound conviction of the Israelites Sam. vii. 8). generally (see 2 Kings xviii. 27; Pa. cxxi. 3, Ver. 71.-From following the ewes great 4). And like e. mighty me.n that shouteth by with young he brought him (comp. Isa.. xl. re a.son of wine ( comp. Zech. :x. 7: Isa. xlii.13). 11). The Hebrew word translated •• ewes Ver. 66.-And he smote his enemies in great with young" really means "ewes the hinder parts; rather, backward, so the.t the.tare giving suck." Thls ill the portion they fled before him (comp. Pss. xl. 14; of the flock which needs the tenderest care. 1:xx. 2, etc.). There is no allusion to To feed Jacob his people, and Israel his 1 Se.m. v. 6-12. The reference is rather inheritance (see 1 Chron. :xi. 2). A.s Peter, to the many victories of Israel over the Jo.mes, e.ncl John were called from their Philistines, which began under Samuel occupation of fishers to be "fishers of men" (1 Sam. vii. 10), e.nd continued under Saul (Matt. iv. 19), so Daviu was ce.lled from e.nd David. He put them to a perpetual feeding sheep to feed God's people. reproe.oh, Covered them, that is, with Ver. 72.-So he fed them according to shame e.nd disgrace. The she.me culmi- the integrity of his bee.rt. On the whole, nated, perhaps, in David's victory over David performed his task of governing Goliath (1 So.m. xvii. 40-51). Israel fo.ithfully. He had the direct testi- Ver. 67.-Moreover he refused the te.ber- mony of God to the.t effect (see 1 Kings ix. naole of J"oseph. The " tabernacle of 4). And he guided them by the skilfulness Joseph" is the sanctuary a.t Shiloh, which of his hands. Do.vid was not only an was north of Bethel, e.nd thus within the upright and faithful king, but also a. limits or the tribe of Ephraim, When u. "skilful" or prudent one. He built up hie permo.nent site we.a to be assigned to the kingdom into an empire without suffering tabernacle e.ud the a.rk, God did not choose any serious disasters. Israel reached its for them the position of Shiloh, but that of acme of glory e.nd prosperity under him, Jerusalem. And ohose not the tribe of deoline setting in under Solomon.
PBALMB-U, K 180 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS, LXXVIU, l-T2,