One. The hindrance to blessing has arisen through man's unbelief, whereby man's heart remained unreconciled to God. But Israel shall turn to the Lord, and then truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down satisfied from heaven. Ver. 9-13.

We are reminded of Psalm ix. by the order of this psalm. First, thanksgivings for an event, and then prayer that the event may come to pass.

PSALM LXXXVI.

We have here a prayer of the godly remnant.

They ask for God's saving help in the day of trouble. Ver. 1-7.

They present their praises to Him on account of His greatness and the greatness of His works. Every nation that He has made shall bow before Him. Ver. 8-10.

In the remembrance of God's loving-kindness to them in saving their souls, they seek Jehovah's help to walk in all things according to His truth, to be full of thankfulness, and to glorify His name for ever. Ver. 11-13.

They further ask for God's saving help against the proud, that is, against the world, who, as led by pride, are cruelly oppressive when their pride is crossed. Ver. 14-17.

PSALM LXXXVII.

This is a psalm in praise of Zion.

She is the chosen city of God; and, in due time, He will be found dwelling there (Ps. cxxxii. 13, 14). Vers. 1 and 2.

Glorious things are spoken of her. God Himself has said, speaking of the Egyptians, Babylonians, Philistines, Tyrians, and Ethiopians, that they shall be reckoned citizens of Zion, -“born there,” through becoming born of Him who dwells there. Ver. 3-6.

The prophet declares that all His springs are in her. Yer. 7.

PSALM LXXXVIII.

A prayer of Jehovah's anointed One, under Jehovah's wrath. He records His prayers as continually before Jehovah, whilst suffering under His hand: "Thy wrath lieth hard upon Me, and Thou hast afflicted Me with all Thy waves." Ver. 1-8.

He further records His prayers as uninterruptedly offered, whilst having nothing before Him but death. Ver. 9-12.

He yet further records His prayers, saying: "Why, C Jehovah, dost Thou cast off My soul,-Thy wrath goeth over Me." Ver. 13-18. When He suffered at the hands of men, it was for righteousness; when at the hands of God it was for sin; "for He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (1 Cor. v. 21).

PSALM LXXXIX.

This psalm in its fulfilment seems to be an utterance of Jehovah's anointed One, as the seed of David to whom such great promises were made, in the days of his flesh. Whilst the heir of such great promises, He finds himself in circumstances of utter prostration.

It is truly a lament, but a lament of a right godly kind; that is, in the way of remembering and holding fast, not letting go, God's promises. Therefore first in order comes the song of praise, afterwards the note of sorrow.

In the first place, He praises Jehovah for His loving-kindnesses and His faithfulness, quoting the very words of the covenant and oath made to David in respect to his seed: "For ever will I establish thy seed, and build up thy throne to all generations" (2 Sam. vii. 12, 16). Ver. 1-4.

He then offers special praise unto Jehovah on account of His faithfulness,-a God so strong, so terrible, and yet so faithful to His promises. In the very heavens shall His faithfulness be a matter of wonderment, the truth being that

David could have had no such seed, no seed morally fit to receive the promise of David's throne, seeing that promise lay in the path of obedience (Ps. cxxxii. 11, 12), had not God constituted His own Son David's seed. Ver. 5-14.

He next celebrates the blessedness of the people that shall come to the knowledge of this manifestation of Jehovah's name, and that shall rejoice in the seed of David as, of Jehovah, both their shield and their king. Ver. 15–18.

...

Then He brings before Jehovah His own words spoken in vision to His godly one, that is, to Nathan the prophet (2 Sam. vii. 4, 17). These words concern David, announcing all the favour that it was His good pleasure to bestow upon David: "No enemy shall exact upon him, nor shall any child of iniquity afflict him; . . . and I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry unto Me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation. Also I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth." But this favour to David culminates in words concerning his seed, "I will set up for ever his seed, and his throne as the days of heaven; " and again, "His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before Me." David is to have a seed to sit on his throne, to inherit his throne and his glory, and that seed is to flourish for ever. Ver. 19-37.

In contrast with all this are the present circumstances of Him who is truly the predicted seed of David, circumstances of utter rejection, both by God and man. The explanation is simple, though deep. The people that He is to reign over have to be saved first, and their salvation demands His death. But this explanation does not make trial no trial. Ver. 38-45.

Then comes His prayer, a prayer from a heart so crushed: "How long, O Jehovah? Wilt Thou hide Thyself for ever? Shall Thy wrath burn like fire? Remember, as regards Me, what My life is." As yet He has the answer only in His own bosom of faith and confidence, but He has it there, knowing

that the Lord whom He serves will not violate His former loving-kindnesses and faithfulness, and therefore He concludes with, "Blessed be Jehovah for ever. Amen and amen." Ver. 46-52.

PART IV.

PSALM XC.

Moses is not only a type of Jehovah's anointed One, but he also represents the godly remnant in his day. So we may regard the prayer of this psalm as a prayer that the godly remnant of Israel in days still future will readily adopt.

The Lord Himself has ever been a habitation for His servants. Ver. 1.

As regards men in general, whilst God Himself endures for ever, He has cut short their days. Though a thousand years with Him are but as yesterday when it is passed, He has made man's days very few. His days are as a sleep, in which no account is taken of time. This is by reason of God's anger. The cause is sin; and the measure of His displeasure against sin cannot be told; therefore sinners falling under it lie under it for ever. Moses, identifying himself with fallen man as a whole, prays that God would give them power to turn to account the above facts, namely, the limited measure of their days, and the cause thereof, that they may become wise unto salvation. Ver. 2-12.

Then, more especially identifying himself with his own people, whose future apostasy from God he well knew (Deut. xxxii. 21), he prays for Jehovah's return to his nation. He prays that they, as His servants, may be early satisfied with His loving-kindness, that His beauty may be upon them, and that the work of their hands may be established before Him. Ver. 13-17.

PSALM XCI.

This psalm happily follows the previous one, as a word of encouragement to those found praying according to the

same.