The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 218

of tl,e mn!C'rinl universe, so here the fo'Qr thom thoughts drawn from nrioue pl!l\lms: points of the compass designate the same. expRndin11: them, and sometim,is heightening Tabor ancl Hermon undoubtedly represent the coloura I have laid help upon one that the west and the east. They present them- ie mighty ; I have ex&lted one ohosen out of •el"res to the poet's mind RB standing over the people (comp. I Sam. xvi. 1-18). agai nsl ench other, one on this side, and the David wae "mighty" from his youth-oven other on that side, of Jordan. before he slew Goliath, as appears from his Ver. 13.-Thou hast a mighty arm; lite- slaughter of the lion and the bear (l Sam. rally, an arm ,r>ith might. Strong is thy xvii. H4-3G). hand, nnd high is thy right hand. These Ver. 20.-I have found David my servant anthropomorphisms will disturb no one; (comp. I Sam. xvi. I; Acts xiii. 22). With they pervade the whole of Sr.ripture. my holy oil have I anointed him (see I Sam. Yer. 14.-J'ustioe andjudgmeut; or, rt"ght- xvi. 13). ~ousness anrl iu•tice (Cheyne). The psalmist Ver. 21.-With whom my hand shall be here rises to a higher le"re!-from that of established; i.e. "to whom I will givo con- might to that of right. God is not merely tinual support" (see I Sam. xviii. 12, 14; strong to do whatever he wills ; but all that 2 Sam. v. 10: vii. 9). l!fine arm also sh&ll he wills is oonsonant with right and justice. strengthen him (comp. ver. 13). Are the habitation of thy throne; rather, Ver. 22.-The enemy shall not exact upon the basui. or·• foundation." (So Kay, Cheyne, him ; nor the son of wiokedneee afflict him and the Revised Version.) Meroy and truth (see 2 Sam. vii. 10, which has supplied the shall go before thy faoe ; i.e. shall stand ever very words of the second olouse). in front of thee: be thy inseparable com- Ver. 23.-And I will beat down his foes pe.u10ns. W'hatever thou dOOllt shall be before his faoe, and plague them that hate done "in truth and equity." him (comp. 2 Sam. vii. 9). Ver. 15.-:Blessed is the people that know Ver. 24.-:Bnt my faithfulness and my the joyful sound. The sound of devotional meroy shall be with him (comp. Pe. lxi. 7). joy appears to be intended-the sound And in my Name sh&ll his horn be exalted which went up from the sanctuary in the (eee 2 Sam. vii. 9). great festival-times (see Numb. x. I, 9; Lev. Ver. 25.-I will set his hand &lso in the u:v. 9; P~s. xxvii. 6; lxxxi. I, etc.}. They sea, and his right hand in the rivers(comp. &hall walk, 0 Lord, in the light of thy Ps. l.xxii. 8). •• The sea" is probably the oonntene.nce. Herein consists especially Meditc.,rre.nean, and "the ri vere " the their blessedness (comp. Ps. iv. 6). Euphrates, with ite canals and amuents Ver. 16.-In thy Na.me shall they rejoioe (see I Kings iv. 21, 24; Pe. cx.xxvii. 1). all the day : and in thy righteousness shall The promise of an extended dominion is they be a&lted. The "Ne.me" and the implied in 2 Sam. vii. 9. "righteousness" of God form the glory of Ver. 26.-He shall cry unto me, Thon art tLe CLurch., and are a perpetual s-;urce of my Father (comp. 2 Sam. vii.14). My God, rejoicing to her. and the Book of my salvation (see 2 Sam. Ver. 17.-For thon art the Glory of their xxii. 2, 3, 47). strength; or, "the Ornament"-that in Ver. 27.-Also I will make him my 8.rst- which their strength and might as a people born. There is but one true " Firetborn " culminate. And in thy favour our horn -" the Only Begotten of the Father." All Bhall be exalted. Thy favour towards us other so-ea.lied " firstborne " - ae Israel exalts us among the nations. (Exod. iv. 22), Ephraim (Jer. xxxi. 9), Ver. 18.-For the lord is our Defenoe; David-are reflections or repreeen te.ti ves, and the Roly One of Israel is onr King; in some way or other, of the real and only literally, for to Jclwoah belo11gs our shield, true "Firstbom." Higher than the kings and lo the Holy One of Israel, belongs our king. of the earth; literally, the most high above The weaning seems to be that he who ie the lcings of the earth; i.e. standing to the Isre.t:l's king and shield-i.e. the Davidical other " kings of the earth" as "the Most monarch at the time - being nnder the High" to hie angelic ministers. constant protection of the Almighty, all Ver. 28.-Jlly meroy will.I keep for him for must necessarily go well with the people at evermore (comp. 2 Sam. vii. 15, "My mercy J.e.st. shall not depart away from him"). And Ver. 19.-Then thou Bpakeet; re.tiler, my covenant ■hall stand fast with him (see =• or " once npon a time," as Professor 2 Sam. vii. l 6 ; xxiii. 5). Cheyne suggests. The allusion is to the Ver. 29.-lliB seed aleo will I make to occurrence related in 2 Sam. vii. 4-17. endure for ever (comp. 2 Se.m. vii. 16, In vision (eee 2 8am. vii. 7). To thy holy "Thine house and thy kingdom shall lie one; i.e. to Nathan the prophet. And esta.blished for ever before me"). And hia 1&idst. The psalmist reports the words of throne a1 the day1 of heaven. "Thy throne the vision very freely, iuterweaving with shall be established for ever;" "I will I'S. Lxx:nx. 1-52.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 241