The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 313

penalty we.s exacted, All his after-life testified to the truth here declared. Israel: they were forgiven, but for their unbelief none of them entered into their rest. And it is so still. How me.ny a forgiven child of God is yet bearing in weakened health, in ~arniehed reputation, in stern poverty, in enfeebled will, in recurring fierce temptation, ID shortened and saddened life, the consequences of former sin I But there is no rloubt that they are forgiven acd true children of God; and yet- And it probably will be so. Until the ends and purposes for which these penalties are exacted arc fulfilled, how ce.n they come to an eind? 'l'hey are inflicted in love, not wrath, and love must hold us down to the endurance of them until that which is desired is attained. Hence: 2. Such retribut-ion is consistent with forgiveness. For though the outward penalty be continued, its character is changed. It is now not a token of anger, hut a means of blessing. For such sufferings deepen our hatred of sin, drive us to God in prayer, keep us lowly before God and man in humility, make us ever watchful and compassionate to other tempted ones, enable us to glorify God amid all, maintain the truth of God's holy law of retribution. If a.long with forgiveness there came at once remission of all penalty, we should think that God did not care much for sin, and certainly we should not. But they will cee.ee when their purpose is accomplished. III. THE LESSONS IT TEACHES. I. Hate sin. 2. Rob it of its sting by turning to Christ in repentance, by submission to his will, by careful obedience in the future, and by daily, hourly trust in his grace. 3. Fight against it in others. 4. Exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, who makes us more than conquerors over it.-S. C. Ver. 1.-The permanency of God's reign. "Ha sitteth between the cherubim." Jennings and Lowe render, "Jehovah has become King, the peoples trem hie ; ( even) he that sits upon the cherubim, the earth shakes." There is a designed contrast. The peoples tremble, the king is established firm; the earth shakes, th_e throne of the king is steady and unmoved. 'l'he figure of God as sitting on the cherubim is difficult, because we cannot be q nite sure of the ideas Israelites had of the position and relations of the fire-symbol of God in the holy of holies. In Ps. lxxx. 1 God is presented as "sitting throned above the cherubim;" and the idea here is probably "above the cherubim" rather than "on the cherubim." Then we get a clear meaning. The cherubim represent all created beings superior to man, all supersensual beings; and God is to be thought of as beyond and above even them, as superior to them as to the people of this earth, and as unaffected by conceivable changes in them as he is unaffected by the commotions of earth. The more usual way of explaining the figure is given by Spurgeon, thus: "In grandeur of sublime glory, yet in nearness of mediatorial conde- scension, Jehovah revealed himself above the mercy-seat, whereon stood the likeness of those flaming ones who gaze upon his glory, and for ever cry,' Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts.' " I. GoD's REIGN ESTABLISHED. Keep the associations of the restored exiles. They set up again the theocratic kingdom, and conceived of Jehovah e.s coming again to reign. So they naturally recalled the old sign of his presence and rule, the Sbechinah- light which shone above the mercy-seat, which the cherubic figures guarded. The sign of the lapse of the nation from Jehovah was the fading or removing of that light. Now the restored exiles rejoiced in the resumption of Jehovah's reign, and in figure presented it as God taking his seat again above the cherubim. God takes the throne only wh1Jn hearts are willing to receive him. II. GoD'~ REIGN CONFIRMED. The satisfaction of the psalmist evidently is in the fact that God means to stay enthroned. He is conceived of as unaffected by the trembling of the people or the shaking of the earth. There is even a more striking poetical figure. If even the cherubim were to tremble, or shake, or fail, God's reign is too confirmed to be affected by it. We may think of him as "above the cherubim." Absolute reliance on him may lind expression in loyal and loving service of him. -R.T. Ver. 3.-The holinesa of God. Revised Version," Holy is he.'' 'fhe refrain of the psalm is found in these words. Possibly it we.s given as a response by the congregation. What is prominent here, however, is not the purity that is in holiness, e.s the majesty that is in it, the severity tl:!at is ill it, The psaiiuist is fqll of the " greatn~ss" and 350 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [Pe .1ro1x. 1-9.