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"himself; but, as it is written, (v. 9.) The reproaches of them "that reproached thee fell on me,' as if he considered that part of v. 9. as written prophetically of Christ. In Rom. xi. 9, 10. he refers to v. 23, 24. "Let their table be made a snare, and a "trap, and a stumbling-block, and a recompence unto them; "let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow "down their back alway;" as if David had in view the conduct of the Jews in their rejection of Christ. Lastly, our Saviour, when upon the cross, "knowing that all things were now accom"plished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith 'I thirst.' "Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his "mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished, and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." John xix. 28, 29, 30. St. Matthew says, "when they

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were come unto a place called Golgotha, they gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall: and when he had tasted "thereof, he would not drink." St. Luke's quotation is, "The "soldiers also mocked him, giving him vinegar." Luke xxiii. 36. Now whether he had vinegar only, or vinegar and gall, to what other Scripture could our Saviour have referred, or meant to have fulfilled, but this," they gave me gall to eat, and when "I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink?" These passages seem to establish satisfactorily that the parts to which they refer are prophetic, and applied to Christ; and if this be the case as to these parts, it must be so also with the first thirty-one verses, for they are all in the mouth of the same speaker; there is no change of person. This Psalm too is so much in unison with Psalm xxii., that if that be prophetic and applied to Christ, there can be no doubt that this is equally so.

XXI.

Contemplating the Righteousness and Justice of Christ's Government, his peculiar Attention to the Poor, his Aversion to Oppression and Wrong, the Extent and Duration of his Kingdom, the Submission that should be made to him, and the Worship he should receive.

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No. 21. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son: then shall he judge thy people according unto right, and defend the poor: the mountains also shall bring peace, and the little hills righteousness' unto the people: he shall keep the simple folk by their right, defend the children of the poor, and punish the wrong doer. They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endureth from one generation to another. He shall come down as the rain into a fleece of wool", even as the drops that water the earth. In his time shall the righteous flourish, yea, and abundance of peace, so long as the moon endureth. His dominion * shall be also from the one sea to the other: from the flood unto the world's end. They that dwell in the wilderness shall kneel before him: his enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tharsis and of the isles shall give presents: the kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring gifts. All kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall do him ser

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"He" not "they," to denote that "the King" and "the King's son" refer to one and the same person. In the Septuagint the verb in this verse is in the infinitive mood, but in the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th. verses they are in the third person singular.

"Peace" and "Righteousness;" for corresponding prophetic accounts of the character of Christ's kingdom see post, Is. ii. 4. Is. ix. 6. 7. Is. xi. 3, 4, 5. Is. lii. 7.

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"A fleece of wool," or "the mown grass, B. T." The object is to intimate the blessings he should confer.

* "His dominion, &c." so post 89. Ps. xxv. & Zech. ix. 10.

vice. For he shall deliver the poor when he crieth: the needy also and him that hath no helper. He shall be favourable unto the simple and needy: and shall preserve the souls of the poor. He shall deliver their souls from falsehood and wrong, and dear shall their blood be in his sight. He shall live, and unto him shall be given of the gold of Arabia: prayer shall be made ever unto him, and daily shall he be praised. There shall be a heap of corn in the earth, high upon the hills; his fruit shall shake like Libanus, and shall be green in the city, like grass upon the earth. His name shall endure for ever: his name shall remain under the sun among the posterities: which shall be blessed through him: and all the heathen shall praise him. Psalm lxxii. 1—17.

XXII.

Upon the perpetual Duration of Christ's Kingdom: the Assistance he should have from God: the Inefficacy of all Attempts against him—the Vengeance upon his Opponents: the Extent of his Dominion—his Relation to God: the continual Duration of his Church, and the Punishment even upon his Followers who should not keep his Commandments and act up to his Injunctions.

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No. 22. I (i. e. God) have made a covenant with my chosen; I have sworn unto David my servant, “ thy seed " will I establish for ever, and set up thy throne from one "generation to another." Psalm lxxxix. 3, 42.

Thou (i. e. God) spakest sometimes in visions to thy saints, and saidst, "I have laid help upon one that is "mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people: I "have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I "anointed him: my hand shall hold him fast; and my arm "shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not be able to "do him violence, the son of wickedness shall not hurt

"Blessed." See ante No. II.

* See ante No. 12. 1 Chron. xvii, 18,

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"him: I will smite down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him: my truth also and my mercy "shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be "exalted. I will set his dominion a also in the sea, and "his right hand in the floods; he shall call me, 'Thou "art my father, my God, and my strong salvation,' and "I will make him my first born, higher than the kings "of the earth. My mercy will I keep for him for ever"more, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His "seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his thronę "as the days of heaven. But if his children forsake my "law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my "statutes, and keep not my commandments; I will visit © "their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges. "Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take "from him, nor suffer my truth to fail. My covenant "will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of "my lips: I have sworn once by my holiness, that I will “ not fail David. His seed shall endure for ever; and his "seat is like as the sun before me. He shall stand fast "for evermore as the moon, and as the faithful witness "in heaven.” Psalm lxxxix. 20—36.

No. XXIII.

Foretelling Christ's Trust in God, and God's Support of him.

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No. 23. Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

a "His dominion," &c. See note p. 23.

b"His children," i. e. Christians.

C 66 Visit," &c. to intimate the difference that will be made even amongst Christians, between those who act up to what Christianity requires, and those who do not. So in the prophetic parable of the marriage feast, (Matt. xxii. 2—13.) the guest who had not furnished himself with a wedding garment was cast into outer darkness.

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I will say unto the Lord, "thou art my hope, and my strong 66 hold, my God, in him will I trust:" for he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter, and from the noisome pestilence he shall defend thee under his wings, and thou shalt be safe under his feathers. His faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day: for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon day. A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee. Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold; and see the reward of the ungodly for thou, Lord, art my hope-thou hast set thy house of defence very high. There shall no evil happen unto thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to bear thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet. "Because "he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver "him: I will set him up, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will hear him: yea, "I am with him in trouble-I will deliver him, and bring "him to honour. With long life will I satisfy him and "shew him my salvation." Psalm xci. 1—16 d.

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d During our Saviour's temptation, the Devil refers to the 11th and 12th verses of this Psalm, as if it were clear they were written with reference to the Messiah. "If thou be the Son of "God, cast thyself down, (from a pinnacle of the Temple) for "it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, "and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time "thou dash thy foot against a stone." Matt. iv. 6. and Luke iv. 9, 10, 11. This passage seems to justify the conclusion, that this Psalm refers to the Messiah; if not, how could the quotation have been relevant? Dr. Hales considers the Psalm prophetical, applying to the Messiah, and so must Chrysostom,

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