in unrightronrness." 1. Their sin was sensual indijfcl'ence to the wonders of God's redemption. (Yer. 32.) "They believed not his wondrous works "-in connection with their redcmpt.ion from the miseries of Egypt. The same sin now in reference to the 1rnrk of Christ.. 2. The punishment was trouble 11nd death. (Vcrs. 33, 34.) Sin ahrnys leRds to trouble, and sometimes to death. 3. By gmnting them their sinful desires. (Ver. 29.) lI. SUPERFICIAL REPENTANCE, (Vers. 34-37.) 1. It was inspired by/ear. (Ver. 34.) Fear-terror~never produces genuine repentance. 2. They made ·insincere promise., of amendment. (Ver. 36.) "They flattered God with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongues." It was no true repentance. 3. They were still unchanged in hea,·t. (Ver. 37 .) And no repentance is true and lasting which does not make the heart right towards God. III. lion's PITIFUL COMPASSION. (Vers. 38, 39.) 1. God's punishment of sin is a moderated punishment. (Ver. 38.) "And did not stir up all his wrath." No punish- ment goes beyond the desert., and he makes it as light as it can be, 2. God pities as well as condemns our weakness and misery. (Ver. 39.) "He knoweth our frame, and rernembereth that we are dust." 3. God'sforbearance is exercised with a view to our redemption. (Ver. 38.) "Many a time turned he his anger away." "Not willing that any should perish, but that all shonld come to repentance."--S,
EXPOSITION. I.xxviii. 62). llll'ael-alike the people e.nd the PSALM LXXIX. land-is " God's inheritance.'' Thy holy Tms is "a pslllm of complaint, closely temple have they defiled. The Babylonians parallel to Ps. lmv." (Cheyne), and must, defiled the temple by breaking into it, like that psalm, be referred to the time of seizing its treasures e.nd ornaments (Jer. Iii. 17-23), and fine.Uy setting fire to ii the Babylonian conqnest (see above, p. 81). (Jer. Iii. 13). They have laid Jerusalem on It shows us the Holy Land occnpied by the heaps. This was certainly not done either heathen, the temple desecrated, Jerusalem by Shishe.k or by Antioch us Epiphanes; Ja.id in ruins, the special servants of God but we.a done, as prophesied (Jer. ix. 11: put to death, and tlrn whole natinn of the x.xvi. 18; Mlco.h iii 12), by the Bo.by• lonians. Israelites become e.n object of scorn e.nd Ver. 2.-The dead bodies of thy servants reproach to their neighbours (vere. 1-4). have they given to be meat unto the fowls Some critics he.ve supposed that it might of tho heaven. A common incident of war- be.ve been written e.fter the invasion of fare (see the Assyrian sculptures, passim). Shishe.k; but the condition of things is The 11.esh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth; or, of the land. Hymne.s e.nd jackals far worse than can be reasonably supposed would dispute the flesh of the ale.in with to he.ve been reached e.t the.t period. vultures e.nd crows. Others incline to assign it to the e.ge of the Ver. 3.-Their blood he.ve they shed like Me.cce.bees; bnt Jerusalem was not then water round about 1eru.salem. During the destroyed, much less "la.id on bee.pa" (ver. long siege (eighteen months) the number slain in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem I). Hence the general voice of commenta- would be very large. And there wa.s none to tors is in favour of the date here advocated. bnry them (compare the prophecy of Jere- The pee.Im consists of four strophes of miah, eh. xiv. 16). The population being four verses each, together with an epilogue for the most part carried into captivity, e.nd consisting of one verse only. In vers. 1-4 but few left in the le.nd (Jer. Iii. 15, 16), the bodies of the ale.in le.y unburied, the few the situation is described. In vers. 5-8 and left not being able to bury them. Compo.re vers. 9-12 prayer is me.de to God for de- the preceding verse. li verauce, e.nd for vengeance upon the cruel Ver. 4.-We are become a reproaoh to onr enemy. Ver. 13 is e.n expression of confi- neighbours (comp. Ps. xliv.13; Le.m. ii. 15: dence in God, e.nd e. promise of perpetual v. I). The" neighbours" intended e.re the nations in tbe vicinity of the Holy Le.nd- thankfulness. the Syrians, Moabites, Ammonites, Edom- Ver. 1.-0 God, the htathen are come into ites, etc. Their e.ttitude towards laro.el thine Ulherite.nce (oo:inp. Pea. lxxiv. 2; under the circumste.nces may be gathered PB, LXXIX, 1-18.) THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 147