EXPOSITION. work of them that turn aside; literally, the PSALM OL doing of acts that swerve ; i.e. "that depart Tms pee.Im deBcribes the rightful conduct from the right way." It shall not oleave to e.nd proper principles ofaction of e.n Israelite me. If such o. thing "seized on him un- king. It is regarded by some as a portrait awe.res, he would shake it off as e. thing accursed" (Kay); comp. Dent. xiii. 17. of e.n ideal ruler, drame.tiaa.lly put into his Ver. 4.-A froward heart shall depart mouth; by others, ee an actual e.ddreee to from me; i.e. I will put away from me e.11 God by a real ruler, me.king profession of perversity of heo.rt; I will root it out and his intentions, and a.eking God to aid him rid myself of it. I will not know a wioked (ver. 2). The "title" of the pee.Im, both person. This is a possible meaning, but it is better to translate, with our Revisers, "I in the Hebrew e.nd the Septuagint, which will know no evil thing." The "principles a.scribes it to DRVid, favours the latter view. of private conduct" may be summed up Ewald and De Wette, who maintain the nuder the four heads of (1) devotion ; (2) Davidical authorship, note the simplicity, endeavour after perfectness; (3) avoidance depth, e.nd concentration of the thought of evil; (4) hatred of it. Ver. 5.-Whoso privily sle.ndereth his as wholly worthy of the reputed writer. neighbour, him will I out off. (On the Metrically, the pse.lm divides itself into heinousness of slander, see Ps~. xv. 3; xxxi. two stanzas, each of four verses. In the 13; 1. 20, etc.) It is probably not meant first stanza (vers. 1-4) the writer declares that the slanderer will be put to death, the principles on which he intendB to act but only that he will be banished, at any rate from the court, and, so far e.s possible, in his pri ve.te life. In the second (vere. put down. Him that he.th e.n high look 5-8) he enunciates those by which be and e. proud heart will not I suffer. "Lofty means to be guided in his government of looks" and a " proud heart" are age.in con- the people. joined in Prov. xxi. 4, Solomon showing that he paid attention to his father's lessons, Ver. 1.-1 will &ing of mercy and judg- David himself disclaims both in Ps. cxxxi. 1. ment. The writer does not mean the.t he is Ver. 6.-Mine eyes shall be upon the about, in thu prllllent psalm, to sing of God's faithful of the land; i.e. "my favour shall mercy and justice, but that he will me.ke it be shown to them; I will give them help one of the rulea of his life to do so. Unto and encouragement." That they may dwell thee, 0 Lord, will I Bing; or, " will I make with me; i.e. " frequent my court," either melody" (Cheyne, Kay). as officials or e.s simple courtier~. Re that Yer. 2.-1 will behave myself wisely in e. walketh in a perfect way (see the comment perfeot way (comp. Ps. xviii, 22; Isa. xxvL on ver. 2). He she.II serve me; i.e. "shall 7). The psalmist aspires after '' perfect- be promoted to office under my government." ness." Then feeling his inability to walk Ver. 7.-He that worketh deceit shall not in the perfect way by his own strength, he dwell within my holl8e, It is the duty of e. cries to God for e.id--0 when wilt thou king to see, not only tho.t his own ways are come unto me 1 "Unless," i.e.," thou come blameless, but that his entire household is nnto me, I cannot keep one of these resolu- well ordered, and consists of righteous tions. 0 Lord, come quickly." I will walk percons (comp. Job i. 5). " Deceit " here within my holl8e with a perfect heart. It means "wickedness" generally. He that is not only tLe "way," or conduct, that telleth liea shall not tarry ill my sight ; requires to be "perfect," but the "heart" literally, shall not be established; i.e. she.II also, or the motives from which the conduct not keep his position in my court, but be springs. banished from it. "Lying" is one of the Ver. 3.-1 will aet no wicked thing before sins which the psalmists denounce most mine eyes; or, no ba~e thing (Revisecl V,ir- frequently (see Psa. xxxi. 18; xl. 4; Iii. 8; sion); "no villainoiu thing" (Cheyne, Iviii. 3; lix. 12 ; !xii. 4; lxiii. 11 ; cxix. Kay); comp. Dent. xv. 9. I will set before 1G3, etc.). me uotl,ing of tLis kind, "as an object either Ver. 8.-I will early destroy e.11 the wioked of imitation or of e.tte.inment." I hate the of the land j litere.ll1, eaoh morn will I root n.or.1-8.] TIIE BOOK OF PSALMf 361
out all !he wiolied of !he land; i.e. " day e.fter long as there were "wicked doer~" in the day I will me.lie it my endeavour, not only land, they would be snre to flock to Jern- to keep my palace free from evil-doers, but salem, since the co.pita! al we.ye attracts to olee.nse the whole le.ad of them." David the criminal classes. David is especially is determined to exercise that just severity anxious that Jerusalem, which be bas me.de which is a po.rt of the duty of kings (Rom. "the city of the Lord" (2 Sam. vi. 12-19), xiii. 4), and not to be that curse to a shall be kept free from the pollutions of ,country-a weak and over-indulgent ruler evil-doers, but, to effect this object, be must (see Oe.lvin, ad loo.). That I may cut off e.11 purge the whole land. The spirit breathed wioked doers from the city of the Lord. Bo 1a that of Pa. xv. 1-5.