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v.9.

V. 11.

12.

V.2.

8 O put your trust in him alway, ye people: pour out your hearts before him, for God is our hope.

9 As for the children of men, they are but vanity: the children of men are deceitful upon the weights (t); they are altogether lighter than vanity itself.

10 O trust not in wrong and robbery; give not yourselves unto vanity if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

11 (u) God spake once, and twice I have also heard the same: that power belongeth unto God;

12 And that thou, Lord, art merciful for thou rewardest every man according to his work.

Psalm lxiii. (x)

O GOD, thou art my God: early will I seek thee.

itself, even when no attack is made upon it.

(t)" Upon the weights," i. e. when weighed, when brought to the test, they are deficient. The explanation of part of the handwriting against Belshazzar was, "thou art weighed in the balances, and "art found wanting." Dan. v. 27. This was about 538 years before our Saviour's birth.

(u) These verses give the reasons why it is absurd to trust in wrong, &c.; because God is full of power and mercy, or justice; and will therefore out of mercy and justice towards those on whom wrong, &c. is committed, punish with his those who commit it. power

(x) This Psalm is supposed to have been written by David: perhaps when he fled because of Absalom, about 1023 years before the Christian æra. It expresses his delight in praising God, his confidence in God's protection, and his conviction that God would discomfit his enemies.

(y)" In a barren," &c. As a man thirsteth and longeth for water in a barren and dry land, where no water is, so does my soul thirst and long for thee.

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yea, even for the living God: when "shall I come to appear before the pre sence of God." And Ps. cxliii. 6. My soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty "land."

(z)" Thus," i. e. with the same t anxiety, and then read" have I desired "to see thee in the sanctuary, to behold "thy power aud glory." The Bible translation is," to see thy power and

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glory, as I have seen thee in the sanc "tuary." He was probably lamenting his absence from the tabernacle at Jerusalem, which he often makes a subject of regret. See Ps. xlii. and lxxxiv. Upon his flight on Absalom's account, he left the ark of God behind. See 2 Sam. xv. 25, 26.

(a) "With marrow," &c. The meaning is, the praising thee with joyful lips will be as gratifying to my soul, as mar row, &c. that is, the choicest dainties, to the palate.

shadow (b) of thy wings will I rejoice.

9 My soul hangeth upon thee: thy right hand hath upholden

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v.8.

1. v. 10.

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V. II.

9.12.

3 Who have whet their tongue like a sword (g): and shoot out their arrows, even bitter words;

(b) "The shadow," &c. This has been repeatedly noticed as a highly poetical figure. See Ps. xvii. 8.-xxxvi. 7.— lvii. 1.—lxi. 4. "My trust shall be under "the covering of thy wings," and the passage in our Saviour's affectionate lamentation over Jerusalem, "How often "would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her "chickens under her wings, and ye "would not." Matt. xxiv. 37. Luke

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4 That they may privily shoot at him that is perfect suddenly do they hit him, and fear

not.

5 They encourage themselves. in mischief: and commune among themselves, how they may lay snares, and say, that no man shall see them.

6 They imagine wickedness, and practise it that they keep secret among themselves, every man in the deep of his heart.

7 But (b) God shall suddenly shoot at them with a swift arrow: that they shall be wounded.

8 Yea, their own tongues shall make them fall: insomuch that whoso seeth them, shall laugh them to scorn.

9 And all men that see it, shall say, "This hath God done:" for they shall perceive that it is his work.

10 The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord, and put his trust in him and all they, that are true of heart, shall be glad.

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Swearing by the name of God," is put for adhering to him, in opposition to going after other gods." "Thou shalt "fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, "and shalt swear by his name. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of "the people which are round about you.' See also Is. lxv. 16. and Ps. xliv. 21.

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(f) A Prayer for deliverance from enemies, foretelling their discomfiture. It is supposed to have been written by David.

(g)" A sword." See note on Ps. v.3. lv. 22. where the same figurative expres. sion occurs. Ante 309.

(b) Whereas they shoot at others v.7,8. (according to the 3d and 4th verses) God shall shoot at them, and whereas they use their tongues against others, (see 3d, 4th, and 5th verses), their own tongues shall make them fall, bring about their destruction.

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9 Thou visitest the earth, and blessest it thou makest it very plenteous.

10 The river of God (m) is full of water: thou preparest their corn; for so thou providest for the earth.

II Thou waterest her furrows, thou sendest rain into the little valleys thereof thou makest it soft with the drops of rain, and blessest the increase of it.

12 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness: and thy clouds drop fatness.

13 They shall drop upon the dwellings of the wilderness (n): and the little hills shall rejoice on every side.

14 The folds shall be full of sheep the valleys also shall stand so thick with corn, that they shall laugh and sing (0).

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13. () "The wilderness," &c. It is a sign of unusual plenty, when even the wilderness and the hills abound in pro. duce. In Ps. lxxii. 16. it is foretold among other blessings that "there shall "be a heap of corn upon the earth, high upon the hills." and see Ps. civ. 13.cxlvii. 8. 14. (0) Laugh and sing." It is highly poetical to consider what is inanimate as exhibiting marks of joy. There is a grand passage of the same kind Is. lv. 12. "The mountains and the hills shall break

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forth before you into singing, and all the

trees of the field shall clap their hands." So Ps. xcviii. 9. "Let the floods clap their "hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord;" and see

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Psalm xcvi. 11. and cxlviii. 3. 4. So
Virgil:

Ipsi lætitiâ voces ad sidera tollunt
Intonsi montes, ipsæ jam carmina rupes,
Ipfa sonant arbusta.
Eclog. v. 62. &c.
(p) A spirited invocation to praise
God, on account of his wondrous
works and the signal instances of de-
liverance he had displayed, noticing the
attention he pays to the conduct and
prayers of man, and the difference he
makes between those who look up to him,
and those who disregard him. It has the
appearance of having been written after
some deliverance from great trouble.

(q)" Be found liars." Thy works v.2. shall prove so decisively that thou art God, as to confnte all those who say thou art not. So in Ps. lxxxi. 16. in mentioning some of the consequences which would have resulted if their obedience had been such, as to have justified the giving them deliverance and putting down their enemies, this is noticed, "the "haters of the Lord should have been "found liars."

(r) "Turned," &c. The miracles of v. 5. dividing the waters of the Red Sea, to enable the Israelites to flee from the

7.6.

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9 For thou, O God, hast proved us thou also hast tried us, like as silver (†) is tried.

10 Thou broughtest us into the snare and laidest trouble upon our loins.

II Thou sufferedst men to ride over our heads we went through fire and water, and thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

12 I will go into thine house with burnt-offerings and will pay thee my vows, which I promised with my lips, and spake with my mouth, when I was in trouble.

13 I will offer unto thee fat burnt-sacrifices, with the incense of rams I will offer bullocks and goats.

14 Ocome hither, and hearken, all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul.

Egyptians, and of dividing those of Jordan to let the Priests with the ark and the people pass, were constant_topics with the Israelites for praising God. See Ps. lxxviii. 14. and Ps. cxiv.

(s)" His eyes behold." God's attention to the actions of men is often mentioned. Solomon says, Prov. xv. 3. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good;" and Prov. v. 21. "The ways "of man are before the eyes of the Lord, "and he pondereth all his goings." Job puts the question, Job xxxi. 4. "Doth

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15 I called unto him with my mouth and gave him praises

with my tongue.

16 If I incline unto wickedness with mine heart: the Lord will not hear me.

17 But God hath heard (u) me and considered the voice of my prayer.

18 Praised be God, who hath not cast out my prayer: nor turned his mercy from me.

Psalm lxvii (x).

GOD be merciful unto us, and bless us and shew us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us;

2 That thy way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all nations.

3 Let the people praise thee, O God: yea, let all the people praise thee.

4 Olet the nations rejoice and be glad for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern nations upon earth.

the

5 Let the people praise thee, O God let all the people praise

thee.

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