7 Thou puttest more gladness into my heart

Than they have, when their corn and wine abound.

8 I lie down, and sleep at once,

For thou, O Jehovah! alone, makest me dwell in safety.

PSALM V.

SOME interpreters are of opinion that this Psalm was occasioned by the troubles to which the malevolence of Saul exposed David: others think that it originated in Absalom's conspiracy. The latter appears to me to be the most likely. There is a close coincidence between ver. 10 and 2 Sam. xv. 31, where David, in the depth of his distress, implores that the counsel of Ahitophel may be turned into foolishness.

The Psalm affords an impressive example of the fervency and perseverance of genuine devotion: it illustrates the sanctity of God's character, and the necessity of sanctity in those who aspire to his favour: it indicates the ruin of those unhappy men whose words are fair, while their hearts are filled with malevolence: and it concludes with an ardent aspiration on behalf of all those, whose rectitude proves them to be the saints and servants of the most Holy God.

TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN. ON WIND INSTRUMENTS. A PSALM OF DAVID.

1 GIVE ear to my words, O Jehovah!

Consider my meditation.

2 Hearken to the voice of my cry, my King! and my God! For unto thee do I pray.

3 O Jehovah! in the morning thou shalt hear my voice:

In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and I will watch: 4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness,

Neither shall an evil man dwell with thee.

5 The proud shall not stand in thy sight; Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity.

which beams forth from the smiles of affectionate friends and benefactors, towards the objects of their love and favour.

PSALM V.

3. And I will watch.]-The original word is expressive of expectation, which looks abroad and around to the utmost

distance, in order to descry the first appearances of aid that present themselves. Vide Isa. xxi. 5.

5. The proud.]—By these are meant arrogant, empty, foolish boasters, who glory in their folly and impiety. Such were Absalom and his confederates.

6 Thou wilt destroy them that speak falsehood;

A bloody and deceitful man Jehovah abhorreth.

7 But as for me, through the multitude of thy mercy, I shall come into thy house,

And in thy fear will I worship at thy holy temple.

8 Lead me, O Jehovah! according to thy righteousness;

On account of my enemies, make thy way straight before me.

9 For there is no truth in their mouth;

Their inward part is very wickedness;
Their throat is an open sepulchre;
They flatter with their tongue.

10 Destroy thou them, O God!

Let them fall by their own counsels:

Cast them down for the multitude of their transgressions,
For they are rebellious against thee.

11 But let all them that trust in thee rejoice,

Let them ever shout for joy, for thou defendest them;
Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee:
12 For thou, O Jehovah! wilt bless the righteous;
With favour wilt thou compass him, as with a shield.

PSALM VI.

THERE is nothing contained in this Psalm that enables us to form a decisive opinion respecting the occasion on which it was written, further than that it was during a season of deep distress. The trouble into which David was brought by the injurious conduct of his adversaries, produced the most gloomy and painful apprehensions upon him, and affected his health in a serious degree. In addition to these troubles, he was evidently suffering from consciousness of his own misconduct, and alarmed lest the displeasure of God should be awakened against

8. Lead me, &c.]—By the righteousness of God, in this place, we are to understand his veracity, and faithfulness to his engagements. This agrees with the judgment of Calvin. The sense of the passage may be thus expressed: "My enemies are malevolent and treacherous; they will circumvent and ensnare me, if possible; therefore I will not rely upon

my own prudence and sagacity, but upon the guidance which God has promised to extend to me: Show me, therefore, O Jehovah! thy way; make it plain before me; that way, by which I may be delivered from their stratagems, and may be placed in perfect safety: do this, in agreement with thy truth, and the promises which thou hast made to me."

C

him. He begins, therefore, with deprecating the anger of God, and earnestly imploring his mercy; he proceeds to describe the sorrows by which he was agitated; and concludes by expressing a joyful expectation, drawn from his confidence in God's veracity and goodness, that he should be delivered from all his distresses,

TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN. ON STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. UPON THE OCTACHORD. A PSALM OF DAVID.

1 O JEHOVAH! rebuke me not in thy anger:

Neither correct me in thy hot displeasure.

2 Have mercy upon me, O Jehovah! for I am very feeble. O Jehovah heal me, for my bones are agitated.

3 My soul also is exceedingly distressed;

But thou, O Jehovah! how long wilt thou be angry?

4 Return, O Jehovah! deliver me;

Save me for thy mercies' sake.

5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee;

In Hades, who shall give thee thanks ?

6 I am weary with my groaning;

All the night make I my bed to swim;

I melt my couch with my tears.

7 My eye is shrunk with grief;

It is become old, on account of all my enemies.

1. Rebuke me not, &c.]-It is evident that David was conscious of having brought upon himself his present sufferings by his transgression; he therefore entreats that God would not act towards him as a justly incensed Sovereign, but would exercise the merciful correction of a compassionate Parent. It is most likely that this Psalm was written subsequently to the death of Uriah the Hittite.

2. My bones are agitated.]—His anguish was so extreme as to reduce his strength, and affect his whole frame.

3. But thou, O Jehovah, &c.]- This abrupt exclamation is characteristic of intense anguish. The supplement by which the sense is completed is taken from a passage somewhat similar, in Psalm lxxix. 5: "How long, Lord, wilt thou be angry? for ever?"

4. Return, &c.]-Absence and desertion are indications of displeasure; he therefore prays that God will no longer express his anger by leaving him a prey to grief and to his adversaries, but return to him with marks of forgiveness and favour.

5. In death there is no remembrance of thee.]-It is almost inevitable to inquire, respecting these words, whether the writer was ignorant of the existence of a state of life separate from the present world? As there are several other passages in the Psalms, as well as in other parts of the Old Testament, which suggest such an inquiry, I shall refer the reader to the Appendix, No. II., for a statement of what appears to me to be the most satisfactory solution of this difficulty.

8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity,

For Jehovah heareth the voice of my weeping: 9 Jehovah heareth my supplication :

Jehovah receiveth my prayer.

10 All my enemies shall be ashamed, and greatly terrified : They shall be turned back, and be ashamed suddenly.

PSALM VII.

THIS Psalm was probably written, either when David was in the wilderness of En-gedi, 1 Sam. xxiv., or in that of Ziph, 1 Sam. xxvi. On both these occasions Saul was pursuing him with relentless malignity, urged on by the accusations of David's enemies, of whom Cush seems to have been one. It is immaterial to which of these occurrences we assign the composition. In both David was exposed to imminent peril of losing his life. The Psalm commences with imploring deliverance from the dangers to which its author was exposed from the fury of his adversaries, who were savage and murderous as ravenous beasts. It proceeds solemnly to disclaim the crimes with which David was charged, and to entreat an equitable decision of the controversy between his enemies and himself.

SHIGGAION, ¿.e. A SONG OF DAVID, WHICH HE SANG TO JEHOVAH, CONCERNING THE WORDS OF CUSH, A BENJAMITE.

10 JEHOVAH! my God, in thee do I put my trust:

Save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:

2 Lest one tear me like a lion,

Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

3 O Jehovah! my God, if I have done this—

If there be iniquity in my hands;

4 If I have requited with evil one that was at peace with me, Or have wronged him that without cause is my enemy,—

TITLE. Shiggaion.]-This word is supposed to mean a song, so denominated from some peculiarity, either in the subject of it, or in the character of the metre and the music.

TITLE. Cush.]-Nothing is known respecting this person, further than what may be collected from the Psalm and title. It is evident that he was a partizan of Saul, and an enemy to David.

3. If I have done this, i. e. the wickedness with which my enemies charge me. 1The abrupt and imperfect enunciation of this passage is expressive of the pain which David suffered from the calumnious insinuations that were propagated against him by the adherents of Saul; which, however, he indignantly repels.

4. Vide Additional Notes.

5 Let the adversary persecute me, and take me; Let him trample my life upon the earth,

And let my glory dwell in the dust. SELAH. 6 Arise, O Jehovah! in thy anger;

Lift up thy hand against the rage of my enemies;

And awake for me the judgment which thou hast commanded. 7 So shall the assembly of the people surround thee;

For their sake, therefore, return to the high place. 8 Jehovah judgeth the people:

Judge me, O Jehovah! according to my righteousness,
And according to my integrity that is within me.

9 O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,
But establish thou the just:

For the righteous God trieth the hearts and the reins. 10 My defence is in God,

Who saveth the upright in heart.

11 God is a righteous Judge;

And God is angry every day.

12 If a man turn not, he whetteth his sword;

He bendeth his bow, and maketh it ready:

13 He also prepareth for him the instruments of death: He fashioneth his arrows for the persecutors.

14 Lo! one travaileth with iniquity;

He conceiveth mischief, and bringeth forth falsehood:

15 He diggeth a pit, and scoopeth it out,

But he falleth into the snare which he hath made.

5. Let my glory dwell in the dust.]— i. e. Let my reputation and honour be taken from me, and let them perish together with the strength and beauty of my person.

6. Awake for me, &c.]-The divine judgment is here represented as if it were inattentive and asleep; and the great Judge himself, as if he had withdrawn from his tribunal. The Psalmist, therefore, prays that God would return to the high place, referring to the elevated tribunals whence magistrates deliver their judgments, in the presence of surround

ing multitudes, and convince the people of his innocency, and of the regard which God paid to truth and rectitude of conduct.

14. Lo! one travaileth, &c.]—The progress of impiety is thus depicted by a comparison with the process of the conception and birth of animals, especially the human: a figure not unfrequent in the Scriptures, by which the laborious efforts of wicked men to accomplish their nefarious purposes are expressed, and the disappointment which they often experience.