The King's joy in God. h PSALMS LXIII. 10, 11. LXIV. Sinners fall by their tongue. 10 They shall fall by the sword: They shall be a portion for foxes. 11 But the king shall rejoice in God; Every one that sweareth by him shall glory: But the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped. Heb. They shall make him run out like water by the hands of the sword. h Ezek. 35, 5. i Deut. 6. 13. Isa. 45. 23. & 65. 16. Zeph. 1. 5. PSALM LXIV. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 1 HEAR my voice, O God, in my prayer: Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. 2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; From the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: 3 a Who whet their tongue like a sword, b And bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words : 4 That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: c Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. 5 They encourage themselves in an evil || matter: They commune † of laying snares privily; d They say, Who shall see them? 6 They search out iniquities; 7 || They accomplish † a diligent search: Both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep. a Ps. 11. 2. & 57.4. b Ps. 58. 7. Jer. 9. 3. c See Prov. 1. 11. i Or, speech. + Heb. to hide snares. d Ps. 10. 11. & 59. 7. Or, we are consumed by that which they have throughly searched. + Heb. a search searched. Suddenly shall they be wounded. 8 So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: * All that see them shall flee away. i 9 " And all men shall fear, and shall i declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider of his doing. 10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; And all the upright in heart shall glory. e Ps. 7. 12, 13. ↑ Heb. their wound shall be. f Prov. 12. 13. & 18. 7. g Ps. 31. 11. & 52.6. h Ps. 40. 3. i Jer. 50. 28. & 51. 10. k Ps. 32. 11. & 58. 10. & 68. 3. 10. They shall be a portion for foxes] Or jackals; an ap propriate speech in the wilderness, where David was; and this prophecy was fulfilled; his enemies were routed in the wild desolate region of the east of Jordan, and their carcases became a prey to the wild beasts there. See 2 Sam. xviii. 6-8; and cp. the similar prophecy in Ps. lv. 24. 11. the king] David calls himself here, "the king," for reasons already specified, on lxi. 6. Ps. LXIV.] The form of enmity which is specially deprecated in this Psalm, is the enmity of the Tongue; and in this respect this Psalm resembles Ps. 5, which is also connected with the time of Absalom's rebellion. Probably it is a lament produced by hearing that Absalom his son was resorting to his father's counsellors for advice, and that they were conspiring against him. See 2 Sam. xvi. 20-22; xvii. 1-4. 23. The prophecy here delivered, that the counsellors of mischief would perish by their own conspiracy, was fulfilled in their case. Cp. above, on lxiii. 10. 3. And bend their bows to shoot their arrows] Rather, make tight their arrows (on their bows). See lviii. 7; cxliv. 6; and Delitzsch, p. 471. 6. They accomplish a diligent search] Or rather, "We have matured a deep-laid plot,”—he is quoting their words. 7. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow] They shoot forth the arrows of malicious devices and venomous words; but God is drawing His bow against them, and suddenly they will be pierced by His shafts, and fall to the ground. Cp. vii. 12, 13 "He hath bent His bow, and made it ready. He ordaineth His arrows against the persecutors." In Ps. xlv. 4, 5, Christ is displayed as an Archer discharging His arrows against the king's enemies; and so in the Apocalypse (Rev. vi. 2). 8. they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves] And they make them to stumble; their own tongue is upon them. They make one another to fall by their counsels, and their own tongue recoils upon them. Cp. Prov. xviii. 7: “A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul." Praise in Sion. PSALMS LXV. 1–9. God's power, love, and bounty. Heb. is silent, Ps. 62. 1. a Isa. 66. 23. b Ps. 38. 4. & 40. 12. + Heb. Words, or, Matters of iniquities. c Ps. 51. 2. & 79.9. Isa. 6. 7. Heb. 9. 14. 1 John 1. 7, 9. d Ps. 33. 12. & 84.4. e Ps. 4. 3. f Ps. 36. 8. g Ps. 22. 27. h Ps. 93. 1. i Ps. 89. 9. & 107. 29. Matt. 8. 26. k Ps. 76. 10. Isa. 17. 12, 13. Or, to sing. 1 Deut. 11. 12. Or, after thou hadst made it to desire rain. m Ps. 68. 9, 10. & 104. 13. Jer. 5. 24. n Ps. 46. 4. PSALM LXV. To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David. 1 PRAISE † waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: And unto thee shall the vow be performed. a Unto thee shall all flesh come. 3bIniquities prevail against me: C As for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. 4 d Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, And causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: f We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. 5 By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; Who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea: Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; 7 Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, 8 *And the tumult of the people. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening || to rejoice. m 9 Thou 'visitest the earth, and || " waterest it: Thou greatly enrichest it" with the river of God, which is full of water: Ps. LXV.] The previous supplicatory Psalms of David, in his distress and banishment from Jerusalem, are followed by Psalms of Praise sung in the Sanctuary of God. The present Psalm follows appropriately after the foregoing. There David in the wilderness had expressed his intense yearning for God's presence, and declared that having felt the rapturous ecstasies of spiritual communion with Him in the Sanctuary at Jerusalem (lxiii. 1, 2), he found his reward in being visited by God's comforting grace in his sorrowful banishment from home "in a dry and thirsty land, where no water was." But now the Psalmist is restored to Jerusalem, and to the service of the Sanctuary (see v. 4); and his love for God's house has been enhanced by separation from it. Cp. xlii. 4, 5; and xliii. 3, 4. The title assigns this Psalm to David himself; and there are many resemblances in it to foregoing Psalms of David. See the parallel places quoted in the notes to vv. 1-6; and even though it be allowed with some (as Delitzsch) that this title only intends here that it is composed after the model of David, and that it belongs to a later age, yet the tone of it as above described seems to have suggested its collocation in this place. But it may best be ascribed to David himself. It seems as if David's return to Jerusalem was blessed with a bountiful harvest. See below, on v. 12. And in a spiritual sense (as Athanasius observes), this Psalm describes the beauty of the Earth, fertilized by the rains and dews of Divine grace, and bringing forth rich spiritual harvests, and beautified with the flocks of Christ's hand and pasture, for those who love and serve God, as David did. Cp. Ps. 67. 1. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion] Or rather, Praise (is) silence to Thee (so Targum), O God, in Sion. See above, lxii. 1. 6, which best explains the sense of these words. of thy holy temple] Of the holiness of Thy temple. Cp. xxxvi. 8. The word for temple here is heycal, which is used for the tabernacle (1 Sam. i. 9; iii. 3. 2 Sam. xxii. 7. Ps. v. 7; xi. 4; xxvii. 4; xxix. 9. 5. By terrible things] Wrought in our behalf for our deliverance. Cp. lxvi. 3. 5; lxviii. 35. 6. girded with power] Cp. lxviii. 35 ; xciii. 1. 7. the tumult of the people] This blessing would be felt by David with deep thankfulness after the suppression of Absalom's rebellion. Much more will it be felt by those who behold the triumph of Christ over all opposition. 9. Thou greatly enrichest it-water] Rather, Thou greatly enrichest it; the river of God is full of water: it never fails like earthly streams. In a spiritual sense, this is to be applied to the pouring forth of the living waters of the Gospel (Athanasius). when thou hast so provided for it] Rather, for so Thou hast prepared it; that is, the Corn is prepared by God, and the Earth is prepared for it by Him. Harvests, whether temporal or spiritual, are not due to man's labour and skill, but to Him. See cxlvii. 8. He prepareth rain for the earth, Who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains; and see Isa. lv. 10-12; and 2 Cor. ix. 10. The Psalmist is here foretelling the gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the conversion of the Nations of the Earth to Christ (Origen). Thy paths drop fatness. PSALMS LXV. 10-13. LXVI. 1-4. 10 Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: Thou settlest the furrows thereof: + Thou makest it soft with showers: Thou blessest the springing thereof. 11 Thou crownest † the year with thy goodness; And thy paths drop fatness. 12 They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: And the little hills † rejoice on every side. 13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; • The valleys also are covered over with corn; They shout for joy, they also sing. All shall praise Thee. Cr, thou causest rain to descend into the furrows thereof. + Heb. thou dissolvest it. + Heb. the year of thy goodness. Heb. are girded with joy. o Isa. 55. 12. PSALM LXVI. To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm. 1 * MAKE a joyful noise unto God, † all ye lands: 2 Sing forth the honour of his name: Make his praise glorious. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! C a Ps. 100. 1. + Heb. all the earth. b Ps. 65. 5. Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies | † submit them- Ps. 18. 44. selves unto thee. e 4 d All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; They shall sing to thy name. Selah. | Or, yield feigned obedience, Ps. 18. 44. & 81. 15. + Heb. lie. d Ps. 22. 27. & 67. 3. & 117. 1. e Ps. 96. 1, 2. 11. thy paths drop fatness] Thy footsteps drop fatness. 12. They drop upon the pastures] The word upon is not in the original, and would be better omitted. Wherever God walks unseen, His footmarks drop fatness; they drop pastures (Heb. neoth: Gesen. 524) of the wilderness; that is, green pastures spring up, even in the wilderness, under His feet. The beautiful fresh pastures are like dew-drops, which God lets fall in His gracious progress of benediction over the earth: "Flowers laugh before Him on their beds, This is fulfilled, in the highest sense, in the gracious work of Christ, " coming down like rain on the mown grass: showers that water the earth" (Ps. lxxii. 6). Origen. as the little hills rejoice on every side] Rather, the hills are girdled with joy. David had said in one of his Psalms, composed in his banishment from Jerusalem by Absalom, that God, by His presence with him in the wilderness, had put more gladness in his heart than could be derived from any increase of corn or wine; see above, on iv. 7. But "godliness has the promise not only of the life that now is, but also of that which is to come' (see 1 Tim. iv. 8); and it may be conjectured that the King's return to Jerusalem was blessed with a bountiful harvest, and that the present Psalm is a song of thanksgiving, chanted in the Tabernacle for this blessing from above. It seems that David's flight was in the summer. See 2 Sam. xvii. 27-29. Perhaps also this Psalm of Thanksgiving for an abundant harvest was composed on an occasion when that blessing was made more acceptable by the previous famine for three years which occurred in David's reign, and which is described in 2 Sam. xxi. 1, and which seems to have preceded Absalom's rebellion; and that insurrection may have been produced in part by the popular discontent at that time; and Shimei's curses, in 2 Sam. xvi. 7, may have been caused by David's conduct to the house of Saul on that occasion. See 2 Sam. xxi. 6. But however this may be, this Psalm of Thanksgiving is not only a devout expression of praise for the mercies of God in the natural world, but may also suggest the language of VOL. IV. PART II.-97 joy and love for His goodness in the world of grace, and for the spiritual harvests of the Gospel. The words of the Psalmist in vv. 9-13, may be adopted (with S. Hilary) by all Christian people in the spiritual Sion for the refreshment of the perennial living waters which flow in the rivers of His grace, and for the blessings which spring up under the feet of Christ, ever present with His people, and for the golden crops which adorn the valleys of the wilderness, and for the flocks which clothe the pastures of His Church; and of them it may be said, with the deepest feelings of spiritual joy,— "The pastures have put on their pride, The white flocks grazing far and wide; Ps. LXVI.] The former Psalm was entitled, "A Psalm (mizmor) of David, a Song" (shir). The present Psalm is entitled, "A Song, a Psalm;" and this is the superscription of the two following Psalms also. "In Psalmo est sonoritas, in cantico est lætitia" (says Augustine). The former word indicates an instrumental musical accompaniment; the latter the vocal utterance, especially in public worship; and this is expressed in the first words of the present Psalm: "Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: sing forth the honour of His name, make His praise glorious." After the sorrowful tone of the Psalms of David in his exile, the jubilant tone of this Psalm is made more triumphant by the contrast. The present Psalm is an amplification of the foregoing one, and it refers to vows which had been made in the time of distress (see vv. 13, 14), and which are now paid in time of prosperity. In a spiritual sense, this Psalm may be regarded (with Origen, Athanasius, Theodoret, and others) as expressive of the joy of Christ and of His Church extended throughout the world, after the suffering endured by Him in the days of His humiliation, which led Him up to glory, and purchased for her the gifts of the Holy Ghost. It is fitly appointed, in the Latin and Sarum use, for the Festival of the Epiphany. 3. How terrible art thou] See v. 5; above, lxv. 5; and below, lxviii. 8. + Heb. opened. + Heb. marrow. He is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. They went through the flood on foot: 7 He ruleth by his power for ever; i His eyes behold the nations: Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah. 8 O bless our God, ye people, And make the voice of his praise to be heard: 9 Which holdeth our soul in life, And suffereth not our feet to be moved. 1 10 For thou, O God, hast proved us : m Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. 11 Thou broughtest us into the net; Thou laidst affliction upon our loins. 12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; 13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: 'I will pay thee my vows, Thanksgiving for them. 14 Which my lips have † uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, 15 I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of † fatlings, 6. the sea-the flood] Or river. The wonders and mercies of the Red Sea and the River Jordan are coupled in one breath, as in cxiv. 5. Both these were significant and prophetic of greater wonders and mercies in Christ. See on Exod. xiv., Prelim. Note; and on Josh. iii. 7-16). And therefore all the earth is here invited to praise God for them (vv. 1. 4. 8). There did we rejoice] Rather, there we will rejoice. The miracles of the Red Sea and of the River Jordan are ever present to the mind of the Universal Church; in faith she is ever standing on the shore of the Red Sea, and on the banks of the Jordan, and is rejoicing before God for them. This is done specially at Easter, when she reads the history of the Exodus, and at every administration of Baptism, when she com memorates God's mercy in leading His people Israel through the Red Sea, "figuring thereby His holy Baptism." 8. ye people] Ye nations. 10. thou, O God, hast proved us] This and the following verses are applicable to the sufferings of David in the rebellion of Absalom, and in his subsequent restoration; and they may be applied to all similar trials of God's servants, and especially to the Passion of Christ, and the glory that followed it. Hence the Sept., and Vulg., and Arabic call this Psalm "A Hymn and Psalm of Resurrection." 18. If I regard iniquity] Rather, If I had regarded iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have heard me, as He has done. The World's Harvest-home. PSALMS LXVII. LXVIII. 1. "Let God arise." a PSALM LXVIII. To the chief Musician, A Psalm or Song of David. 1 LET God arise, let his enemies be scattered: Let them also that hate him fleet before him. Ps. LXVII.] In the Syriac Version this Psalm is entitled, "A Hymn of an unknown Author," which the people sung when they brought David back over Jordan to Jerusalem (2 Sam. xix. 11. 23. 39. 41). Whatever may be the credibility of this statement, it is certain that this Psalm is an expansion of the foregoing, and displays the spiritual meaning which was in the Psalmist's mind when he thanked God for temporal mercies. He looks beyond the blessings of a bountiful harvest (as he had done in Ps. 65) to the great ingathering of all Nations into the heavenly garner. His prayer is, that "God's way may be known upon earth, His saving health among all Nations," and he utters a song of praise for what he foresees in the far-off distance of the latter days, and what has been justly called "The World's Harvest Home." 1. God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us] This liturgical prayer is grounded on the priestly Benediction prescribed by God, in Num. vi. 24-26. In that benediction the word JEHOVAH is repeated thrice; here ELOHIM takes its place, and is used once. When read by the light of the New Testament, these two passages illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity. See above, on Num. vi. 24-26. And as the present Psalm is an invitation to the Gentiles to praise the God of Israel, it was fit that they should be reminded that the Lord of Israel (Jehovah) is the God (Elohim) of the universe. The great doctrine proclaimed by this Psalm is, that "The LORD (JEHOVAH) He is God (ELOHIM); it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves;" and that therefore all Nations should join in an universal chorus of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord God of Israel, Who is the Creator, Preserver, and Sovereign of the Universe. 2. Thy saving health among all nations] Or, as the original has it, among all the heathen; and in v. 3, "Let the people praise Thee, O God," means, "Let the nations praise Thee." In this and the following verses there is an appeal to all nations to join in a response of thanksgiving for the divine benediction. Well, therefore, may the Syriac Version say in the title, that here we have a prophecy of the effects of Apostolic preaching to the heathen world (Matt. xxviii. 19, 20); and therefore the Psalm closes with the words, "all the ends of the earth shall fear Him." Cp. xxii. 27. Isa. xlix. 6; lx. 3. a Num. 10. 35. Isa. 33. 3. + Heb. from his face. Ps. LXVIII.] This Psalm was used in the Hebrew ritual, as it is now in the Christian, at Pentecost. Observe the preparations made in the preceding Psalms for the glorious revelations of this great Pentecostal Psalm. Psalm 65 opened with the announcement, "Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Sion: unto Thee shall all flesh come;" and thus a prophetic intimation was given that the Spirit "would be poured on all flesh,' as it was at Pentecost, and that all Nations would worship the God of Israel. In that Psalm also we had a vision of the spiritual Harvests which would be gathered in, when God had visited the earth and blessed it with the rains and dews of the Spirit; and that the pastures would be clothed with flocks, tended by the Shepherd's care, Who gave His life for the sheep. See lxv. 9-13. That strain of praise was continued in the next Psalm: "Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: all the earth shall worship Thee" (lxvi. 1, 3); and in the next Psalm, the Benediction, which God had appointed to be pronounced on His people Israel, is extended to all nations: "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause His face to shine upon us; that Thy way may be known upon earth, Thy saving health among all Nations. God, our own God, shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him" (lxvii. 1, 2. 6, 7). The descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost fulfilled these predictions. Then our Great High Priest spread His hands in blessing over all Nations. That Psalm, Ps. 67, opened with the Benediction which God commanded the Priests to pronounce on His People (Num. vi. 24-26). The present Psalm begins with the words which were used in the wilderness, whenever the Ark of God set forward in its march; Num. x. 35. And this Psalm, in v. 7 ("O God, when Thou wentest forth before the people "), refers to the leadership of God, guiding His people in their way from Egypt, through the desert, to the Promised Land. see As in the foregoing Psalm, the sacred Name ELOHIM, the God of the natural world, took the place of JEHOVAH (see lxvii. 1), by which He revealed Himself to His covenanted people, so it is here. The words used by Moses, when the Ark set forth, were "Rise up, O LORD;" they here become "Let GOD arise;" and for the same reason, because this Psalm is an appeal to all Nations of the Gentile World |