Furthermore, a coincidence of word between the Psalm and the history is seen in comparing Psalm cxxxix. 2 with 2 Sam. vii. I, 1 Chron. xvii. I. We saw that the subject uppermost in David's mind in Psalm cxxxviii. was Jehovah's promise to him of a perpetual throne and seed, recorded in 2 Sam. vii. As, therefore, cxxxix. has been shown to be closely linked to cxxxviii., the same promise must still be in David's thought in cxxxix., as a consolatory assurance of salvation to him and his seed in all coming troubles: "When David, the king, sat in his house," according to the history, Jehovah gave him the promise; and so in the Psalm, David, with undesigned coincidence of thought and language, says, "Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising;” viz., when "he went in and sat before Jehovah" (2 Sam. vii. 18; 1 Chron. xvii. 16).

God's having "covered David in the (dark) womb " is his assurance here that no darkness can hide him from Jehovah's protection (Ps. cxxxix. II, 13); so also in David's Psalm (xxii. 10), he says, "I was cast upon Thee from the womb." He adds (ver. 14), “I am fearfully made," using the same Hebrew (1) to express the same idea of God's infinite power being such as to inspire reverential fear, in the Psalm, as he used in the independent history (2 Sam. vii. 23): "God went to do for you terrible things ;" and again, in Psalm lxv. 5, "By terrible things in righteousness wilt Thou answer us, O God of our salvation." Job's (x. 10, 11) vivid description of God's creation of the embryo was possibly before David's mind. His reference here (ver. 16) to the "book" of God's predestinating love—" In Thy book all my members are written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them "-corresponds to that in David's Psalm (lvi. 8), “My wanderings are they not in Thy book?"

"How precious," he exclaims (ver. 17), “are Thy thoughts unto me!" just as in his THIRTY-SIXTH PSALM (ver. 7) he says, "How precious" (the same Hebrew as in cxxxix. 17) "is Thy loving-kindness, O God!" The thoughts of God to him, prominent in David's mind at this time, were the Divine pro

mises of setting up David's seed, and establishing his kingdom for ever. The history (2 Sam. vii. 18, 19) incidentally reveals "how precious" these were in David's estimation, and "how great the sum of them." "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto? And this was yet a small thing in Thy sight, O Lord God; but Thou hast spoken also of Thy servant's house for a great while to come." "If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand" (Ps. cxxxix. 18): here David remembers, and appropriates to his seed, God's promise to Jacob (Gen. xxxii. 12): "I will surely make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered." Again, in what follows, "When I awake, I am still with Thee," we discern the same voice as in Psalm lxiii. 6: "When I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches." The Divine promise evidently was the one thought ever before David, on the night after Nathan had announced it to David. It was probably during the night that the main idea of this Psalm was sketched out under the Spirit; hence he naturally refers to the night and darkness in verses II, 12: "If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me; yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee, but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee."

The Psalm attributes to David the sentiment, "Surely Thou wilt slay the wicked-depart from me, therefore, ye bloody men;" and the history, with the unstudied consistency of truth, puts into his mouth, in reference to Joab, Abner's treacherous murderer, exactly similar language: "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner; let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father's house. Died Abner as a fool? as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. The Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness." Such, too, was his spirit in slaying Saul's slayer and Ishbosheth's murderers, and, finally, in directing Solomon "not to let Joab's hoar head go down to the grave in peace" (2 Sam. iii. 28, 29; iv. 10, 12

1 Kings ii. 5, 6), since David had not felt himself previously strong enough to execute just vengeance on him (2 Sam. iii. 39). David's own shedding of blood was forced on him (with the one sad exception, now forgiven, that of Uriah): therefore Shimei's charge against him (2 Sam. xvi. 7), as "a man of blood," could not debar him from Jehovah's promised blessing. David accordingly, conscious of his own integrity, yet feeling the need of God's testing and leading, prays in conclusion, "Search me, O God, and know my heart-see if there be any way of sorrow in me-and lead me in the way everlasting." The Hebrew for idols is akin to that for sorrows (SY). So the author of Psalm cxxxix. is identified with that of Psalm xvi., which is an undoubtedly Davidic Psalm: for Psalm xvi. 4 has the same sentiment incidentally, and therefore undesignedly, introduced: "Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god." "The way of idolatry” (not only outward idolatry, but the more refined form, the seat of which is the heart (1 John v. 21), is "the way of sorrow," and shuts out from "the way everlasting."

The title attests David's authorship of PSALM CXL. The Psalm resembles the undoubtedly Davidic Psalms at the same time, the originality, condensation, elevation of tone, and the vigour of style, preclude its being an imitation by some later composer. It connects itself with the Psalms preceding and succeeding it in its reference to the future destinies of David's seed. Like them, it is marked by the use of rare and poetical words. As in Psalm cxxviii. he had set before his seed God's promise of perpetuity (which the history, 2 Sam. vii., records) as the ground for hope and praise; and in cxxxix. the omniscience and omnipotence of God, as the motive for shunning evil, and thereby having God's safeguard in all dangers; so now he brings before them the coming dangers from violent and calumnious enemies, such as Saul had been hence he borrows in this Psalm much from his Sauline Psalms: thus ver. I, "Deliver me from the violent man," answers to Psalm xviii. 48, and in the history (2 Sam. xxii. 49), in the past time, "Thou hast delivered me from

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the violent man." So ver. 2, "They are gathered together," answers to Psalms lvi. 6, lix. 3; and ver. 3, " Adders' poison is under their lips," answers to lviii. 4; and ver 2, “They have sharpened their tongues," answers to lxiv. 3, "Who whet their tongue like a sword." The image of "a snare, cords, a net," is a favourite one with David (Ps. xxxi. 4, lvii. 6, lxiv. 5, cxlii. 3).

But what especially identifies the Psalm as David's is the allusion to "war" and the “battle" in verses 2, 7, “Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle" (Hebrew, armoury). Goliath had "a helmet of brass upon his head," yet this did not save his forehead from David's sling and stone. Saul would have had David wear his helmet of brass, but David put it off, as not having proved it. But he had another helmet, which he had proved, and which saved his head from the enemy; it was God's faithfulness to His child: "Thou hast covered my head in the day of armature." The allusion to Saul's arming of him is evident (1 Sam. xvii. 38), yet incidental, just such a coincidence as the forger would never invent, and which truth alone has produced. The king's bodyguard was designated "keeper of his head" (xxviii. 2): such Achish intended David to be to him. But David himself had as the keeper of his head the great Jehovah Himself.

In verse II the Hebrew accents require the translation, “ A man of violence (and) evil, He (Jehovah) shall hunt him ;" answering to xxxv. 6, "Let the angel of the Lord persecute them." Again, verse 12, "The Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor," answers to David's Psalm, ix. 4, "Thou hast maintained my right and my cause.' Solomon adopted the same phrase and thought in his prayer (1 Kings viii. 45, 49), "Maintain Thou their cause." All these harmonies are indicative of truth, and confirm our faith in the written Word.

The central thought of PSALM CXLI. lies in verses 3,4, wherein David by his own prayer indirectly warns his posterity to seek grace to resist the temptation, sure to arise in witnessing in times to come the prosperity of the godless world powers

and the depression of the elect nation of Jehovah. "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips," answers exactly to David's resolution in Psalm xxxix. I, “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked. is before me," i.e., whilst as yet they are not cut off, but flourishing; and xxxvii. 1, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity."

The cycle of Davidic Psalms (cxxxviii.-cxlv.), of which cxli. is one, was called forth by David's reflections upon God's promise to him and his seed in 2 Sam. vii. He desired that they should not forfeit it by sin, and he wishes hereby to encourage them to believing hope amidst the trials which under the Spirit he foresaw. From his own experience, he tells them to trust in God as the anchor of safety in the coming storms. This prophetic legacy of David corresponds to his last words in 2 Sam. xxiii. 1-7. The cycle fitly closes David's contributions to the Psalter, as its reference is prophetically to the events affecting David's seed and kingdom to the remotest times. In Psalms cxlii., cxliii., he shows his seed how to sustain themselves in times of extremity. Psalm cxliv. forms the transition from the prayer songs to the praise song with which, in cxlv., the whole series concludes. Psalm cxxxviii., the opening Psalm, wherein he joyfully praises God for the promise (2 Sam. vii.), answers to the closing Psalm of the series, cxlv., wherein he rejoices at its fulfilment. Thus the lamentations and prayers are enclosed between the praises and thanksgivings. This series, instead of the diffuse style of the previous Psalms, is characterized by the liveliness and terseness of the earliest Psalms of the Psalter-a strong confirmation of their Davidic authorship. These eight Psalms of David, viz., seven, the sacred number, with an introduction, are appended to his seventy-two preceding ones.

The 141st Psalm shows its connection with the whole cycle by its rare and elevated forms, which characterize all in the group. Verses 9, 10, connect themselves with verse 5 of cxl. Verse 6 points to cxxxviii. 4. What proves that David looked