The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 343

"oertnin Aramaic termine.tions" indications orowneth thee with loving-kindne11 and of R later date. Whoever the an1hor, we tender meroiea (comp. Pss. viii. 5; xviil. must. regard the composition e.s less "the 50; xxiii. 6, eto.). Ver. 5.-Who satisfl.eth thy mouth with outhreat.hing of gratitude from one indi- good things. So Del\n Johnson and our vidual spirit" than "intended to be used as Revisers. But the reudoriug of •,11 by a ne.tional thanksgiving" (Kay). "mouth" is very doubtful. 'fhe originnl The psalm ,livides itself into four por- meaning of the word seems to have been tions : the first (vera. 1-5) an outburst of "gay ornameut," whence it pns~ed to praise for blessings granted by God to oooh "gaiety," •• desire of enjoyment," " de~ire" generally (.-~v hrt8uµl11.V a-ov, LXX.). Dr. man severally; the second (vers. 6-14) o.n Kay translates, "thy gay heart; ·• Professor <'num,•ration of bis loving-kindnesses towards Cheyne, "thy desire." God satisfies the bis Church as a whole; the third (vers. 15- reasonable desires of his servants, giving 18) a representation of man's weakness and them "all things richly to enjoy" (1 Tim, dependence on God ; and the fourth (vers. vi. 17), and "satisfying the desire of every living thing" (Ps. oxlv. 16). So that thy 19-22) a glance at God's unchanging youth is renewed like the eagle's; rather, glory, and a call upon all his creation to like an ea.gl.e ( comp. Ise.. xl. 31). The mean- bless and worship him. ing is, not "thy youth is renewed as e.n ~agle's youth is," for an eagle's youth is not Yer. 1.-Bless the Lord, 0 my soul Re- renewed ; but "thy youth is renewed, and pented in ver. 2; also at the end of the is become in its strength like an eagle." psalm; and again iu Ps. civ. 1, 35. To Ver. 6.-The Lord u:ecuteth righteous- "bless" is more than to praise; it is to ness e.ndjudgment; literally, rigltteousnesaea praise with affection and gratitude. The and judgmenta; i.e. "e.cts of righteousness psalmist calls upon his own soul, and so on and e.cts of judgment." For all the.t e.re each individual soul, to begin the song of oppressed. The care of God for the " op- praise, which i. to terminate in a general pressed" is e. marked feature of Holy Scrip- chorus of blessing from all creation (vers. ture (see Exod. ii. 23-25; iii. 9; Judg. ii. 20-22). And all tha.t is within me. "All 18; vi. 9; Job xxxv. 9-14; Pas. ix. 9; x. my whole nature-intellect, emotion, feel- 18; lxxix. 21: cxlvi. 7: Isa. i. 17, etc.). ing, sentiment-brain, heart, lungs, tongue,'' Ver. 7.-He ma.de known his we.ye unto etc. Bless his holy Name; i.e. his mani- Moses. God's ways are "past finding out" fested Personality, which is almost the same by man ( Rom. xi. 33); they must be " mnde thing as himself. knO\vn " to him. God made them known Ver. 2.-Bless the Lord, 0 m::, soul. Re- to Moses by the revelations which he gave petition, in Holy Scripture, is almost always him, especially those of Siuai. Bis e.cts for the sake of em phaBis. It is not "vain unto the children of Isre.eL The rest of repetition." Our Lord often uses it: "Verily, the Israelites were taught mainly by God's verily, I say unto you; " "My God, my God, "acts "-not that bis words were concealed why hast thou forsaken me?" "Feed my from them, but because sheep ... Feed my sheep." And forget not all hiB benefits (comp. Deut. vi 12: viii.11, " Seguius irritant e.nimum demissa per e.ures, l 4, etc). Man is so apt to "forget," that he requires continual exho1to.tion not to do so. Quam qum aunt oculis subjecta fidelibus." Ver. 3.-Who forgiveth all thine iniqui- Ver. 8.-The Lord is merciful aud gra- ties. This is the 1irct and greatest of cious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. "benefits,'' and is therefore placed first, e.s This was e. part of the revelation made to that for which we ought, above all else, to Moses (Exod. xx.xi v. 6), whose words the bless God. God's forgiveness of sin is 11, psalmist closely echoes, both here and in freq ucnt topic with the psalmists (see Pss. Ps. lxxxvi. 15 (comp. e.lso Pss. cxi. 4; cxii. x.xv. 11, 18; x.xxii 1; Ii. 9; J.xxxv. 2; 4; cxlv. B). lxx.xvi. 5, etc.). Who healeth e.ll thy Ver. 9.-He will not always chide; or, diseases. This is best understood literally contend (see Isa. lvii. 16; and cowp. Jer. iii. -not as mere "parallelism." Among the 5, 12). God will relent from his anger and greatest blessinga which we receive of God forgive men, after a while. He will not be is recovtry from sickness. "extreme to mark what is done amiss." Ver. 4.-Who redeemeth thy life from Neither will he keep his anger for ever. ll.estruction. When sickness seems about He is not implnce.1.,Jo. He will acct>pt re- t.o be mortal, or when danger threatens from pentance and amendment (Ezek. xviii. 27). fobs, God oft.i:n steps in and "redeems" He will e.coept atonement (1 John ii. 2). tneo-i.e. saves them, rescues them (see Pss. Ver.10.-llehath not dealt with us after lvi. 13; c:ui. 8; Isa. :nxvili.16, 20). Who • our sinl; uor rewarded us (rather, relJuited, PB, om. 1-22.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 383