The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 344

ua) aooording to our iniquitiea, God never this "everlasting mercy" of God, man, punishes men eo much ae they deserve to though so feeble and fragile, does not wholly he punished; "in hie wmth he" al we.ye pass away, but continues to be the recipient "thinketh upon mercy." of God's bounty. And his righteousness Ver. 11.-For as the heaven is high above unto ohildren's children. God's" right,ons- the earth, eo great is hia meroy toward ness" is his E.verlasting jnstice, by which he them that fear him (comp. Pe. xxxvi. 5, gives to men according to their deserts. "Thy mercy, 0 Lord, ie in the hee.vene, Ver. 18.-To suoh as keep his covenant; and thy faithfulness reo.cheth unto the i.e. " to the faithful" -to those who, not- clouds"). The metaphor ie bold, yet in- withstanding me.ny lapses ancl many short- e.dequate; for God's mercy is infinite. comings, are yet since.re in heart, and seek Ver. 12.-As fe.r as the east is from the to do his will. Such persons remember his west, so fe.r bath he removed our tre.nsgrea- commandments to do them. sions from us. God's mercy is the cause, Ver. 19.-The Lord hath prepared (or, the removal of sin the result. The two are established) his throne in the heavens. In commensurate, and are "described by the conclusion, the incomparable majesty of God le.rgest mee.sures whioh the earth can afford." is set before us, in contrast witli the feeble- Ver, 13.-Like as a father pitieth hie ness of man, and he is put forward as the children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear one and only fit Object of worship, aiike to hi.m(comp. Deut. xxxii. 6; Job x. 8; Isa.. the spiritual (vere. 20, 21) and tlie material xxix. 16; )xiii. 16; !xiv. 8, etc.). (For the creation (ver. 22a), as well as to the psalmist nature of the "fear" spoken of, both here himself (ver. 22b). Seated on his everlast- and in ver. 11, see the description in vere. ing throne, he challenges the adoration of 17,. 18.) It must be a fear that produces tlie whole universe. And his kingdom ruleth obedience, or, in New Testament phrase, over all (comp. Pa. xlvii. 2; Dan. iv. 34, 35). that is a "godly fear" (Heb. xii. 28). Ver. 120.-Bless the Lord, ye his angels Ver. H.-For he knoweth our frame; or, ( comp. Ps. cxl viii. 2). That excel in strength. our formation (Kay)-the manner in which The angels that "excel in strength" -lite- we were formed (see Gen. ii. 7). Re re- rally, aTe mighty in •trength-may best be membereth that we are dust (comp. Gen. understood as those ea.lied in the New Tes- ii. 7; iii. 19; xix. 27; Job :xxxiv. 15, etc.). tament "e.rchangels" (1 Thess. iv. 16; Jude Ver. 15.-All for man, his days are e.a 9), the highest of the glorious beings that graes. Here is a new departure. From stand around the throne of God (P.ev. viii. the loving-kindness and mercy of God the 2, 6; x. 1) and execute his behests. These psalmist passes to the weakness and help- are they that, in an especial sense, do his lessness of man. Man is like grass (Pas. oommandments, hearkening unto the voice :nxvii. 2; xc. 5, G; cii. 11; Isa. xl. 6-8, of his word. etc.). His days fleet and fade. He never Ver. 21.-Bless ye the Lord, all ye his "continueth in one stay." As a Bower of hosts. Here the inferior angels seem to be the lleld (comp. Job xiv. 2; Ise.. xxviii. 1; meo.nt-that "multitude of tl,e host of xl. 6; J as. i. 10 ; 1 Pet. i. 24, etc.). He heaven" which appeared to tlie shepherds llourisheth ; i.e. he cometh up in full on Christ's natal de.y (Luke ii. 13), o.nd vigour, glorious to look upon, rejoicing in which is elsewhere often referred to in Holy his youth and strength, but within a little Scripture (see Pss. :xxiv. 10; cxlviii. 2; Isa.. time he fadeth, falleth away, or ie "cut xl. 26; Matt. xxv. 31; Me.rk viii. 38; Luke down, dried up, and withered." There is ix. 26; Heb. xii. 22; Jude 14). Ye minis- no strength or eta bility in him. ters of his (comp. Ps. civ. 4) that do his Ver. 16.-For the wind passeth over it, pleasure. The inferior, no less than the and it is gone; literally, it i8 not. The superior, ranks of angels contiuually carry burning sirocco, the wind of the desert, out .the will of God, being "ministering variously named in various places, blows spirits, sent forth to minister for them who upon the flower, and almost immediately shall be heirs of salvation•• (Heb. i. H). scorches it up. So man, wben be flourishes Ver. 22.-Bless the Lord, all his works in most, is for the most part brought low by all places of his dominion ( comp. P,e. xix. the wind of suffering, trouble, sickness, 1-4; cxlv. 10; cxlviii. 7-13). The" workil calamity, and sinks out of sight. And the of God "-i.e. hie material universe-e11.nnot, plaoe thereof shall know it no more; rather, of cours0, he said to "bless " God in the knowa it no moTe. Seeing it not, forgets it, same eenee that men and o.ngels do; bat, as if it had never been. So with the greatest in a lBDgue.ge of their own, they set forth men-they pass awe.y and '10 forgotten bis glory, and to the poetic mind seem truly (comp. Job vii. 10). to sing his praise. The "Song of the Three Ver. 17.-But the meroy of the Lord ie Children" is e. nature.I outburst from tlevou\ from everlasting to everlasting upon them hearts. Bless the Lord, 0 my soul (oomp. that foar him (comp. vers. 11, 13). 'fllrougll ver, 1, and the comment ad loc.). 384 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PB. cm. 1-22.