PSALM XLII. 1—5.

The psalmist's zeal to serve God in the temple.

1. As the hart panteth after the water brooks,
So panteth my soul after thee, O God.
2. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God:
When shall I come and appear before God?
3. My tears have been my meat day and night,

While they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? 4. When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me : For I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God,

With the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul?

And why art thou disquieted in me?

Hope thou in God:

For I shall yet praise him

For the help of his countenance.

NOTES ON PSALM XLII. 1—5.

Verses 1 and 2. To appear before God, in the second verse, means to worship him in the temple; (comp. Exod. 23: 17.)-These two verses beautifully describe the intense desire and earnest longing of the psalmist for the enjoyment of God in the sanctuary.

Verse 3. It appears that the psalmist was surrounded by wicked persons who reproached him for his piety.-My tears have been my meat day and night, i. e. instead of taking my customary food I weep.

Verse 4. The psalmist calls to mind his going, with the joyous crowd, to visit the temple, in the time of the great festivals. These things, i. e. my former religious privileges. I pour out my soul in me, i. e. I am dissolved in

tears. I had gone, i. e. I formerly went.-The house of God, i. e. the temple, which the pious Israelites were required to frequent three times in a year; (comp. Deut. 16:16.)

Verse 5. The psalmist consoles himself with the hope that he shall again enjoy his former privileges.

Inference from the whole passage: a religious man sets a high value on the services of the sanctuary.

QUESTIONS ON PSALM XLII. 1-5.

1. What is the subject of this passage?
2. Will you please to repeat the passage?

3. What does the phrase, to appear before God, in the second verse, mean?

4. What do the first and second verses describe?

5. What appears to have been the situation of the psalmist, as described in the third verse?

6. What is the meaning of the clause, my tears have been my meat day and night, in the same verse?

7. What do you say of the fourth verse?

8. What is meant by these things, in the fourth verse? 9. What is the meaning of the clause, I pour out my soul in me, in the same verse?

10. What is meant by I had gone, in the same verse? 11. What is meant by the house of God, in the same verse? 12. What is the purport of the fifth verse?

13. What is the inference from the whole passage?

PSALM XLIV. 1—8.

Praise for former national favors, and hope of further deliverance.

1. We have heard with our ears, O God,

Our fathers have told us,

What work thou didst in their days,
In the times of old.

2. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand,

And plantedst them;

How thou didst afflict the people,

And cast them out.

3. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword,

Neither did their own arm save them:

But thy right-hand, and thine arm,

And the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a

favor unto them.

4. Thou art my King, O God:

Command deliverances for Jacob.

5. Through thee will we push down our enemies : Through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

6. For I will not trust in my bow,

Neither shall my sword save me.

7. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, And hast put them to shame that hated us. 8. In God we boast all the day long,

And praise thy name forever.

NOTES ON PSALM XLIV. 1-8.

Verse 1. Sentiment: we have learned by tradition from our fathers what wonders God wrought for them.

Verse 2. The heathen, i. e. the Canaanites who formerly inhabited Palestine.-Plantedst them, i. e. gavest them (the Israelites) a secure dwelling-place.-The people, i. e. the heathen mentioned before.-Cast them out, more correctly spread them out, i. e. give them (the Israelites) abundant room.

Verse 3. They, i. e. the Israelites.—The land, i. e. Palestine.-Arm here metaphorically denotes strength.— Light of God's countenance denotes his favor,

Verse 4. Jacob here means the Israelites or descendants of Jacob.

Verse 5. Through thee, i. e. with thine assistance. Inference from the whole passage: nations, like individuals, are dependent on God's favor.

QUESTIONS ON PSALM XLIV. 1-8.

?

1. What is the subject of this passage? 2. Will you please to repeat the passage? 3. What is the sentiment of the first verse? 4. Who are the heathen mentioned in the second verse? 5. What is meant by plantedst them, in the same verse 6. Who are the people mentioned in the same verse? 7. What is meant by cast them out, in the same verse? 8. Who are the persons spoken of in the third verse? 9. What is meant by the land, in the same verse? 10. What does the word arm denote?

11. What is meant by the phrase, the light of God's coun

tenance.

12. What is meant by Jacob, in the fourth verse?

13. What is meant by the phrase through thee, in the fifth verse?

14. What is the inference from the whole passage?

PSALM XLVI.

The psalmist professes his confidence in God amidst the greatest earthly commotions.

1. God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

2. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of

the sea;

3. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,

Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. 4. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God,

The holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. 5. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved :

God shall help her, and that right early.

6. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved:

He uttered his voice, the earth melted.

7. The LORD of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our refuge.

8. Come, behold the works of the LORD,

What desolations he hath made in the earth.

9. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariot in the fire.

10. Be still, and know that I am God:

I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

11. The LORD of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our refuge.

NOTES ON PSALM XLVI.

Verse 1. Strength here means defense or protection. Verses 2 and 3. The language in these verses is figurative, and describes great earthly commotions.

Verse 4. The figurative language commenced in the preceding verses is continued. The sentiment of the verse is: we, who dwell in the city of God, near the sanctuary of the Host High, dwell by peaceful streams, and not on a troubled ocean.-The city of God means Jerusalem. Verse 5. She, i. e. the city of God or Jerusalem. Verse 6. He, i. e. Jehovah.

Verse 7. The LORD of hosts is with us, namely, to aid us.