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PREFACE.

THE

HE work which is now introduced to the public is the fruit of the Author's laborious and prayerful researches in Holy Scripture for many years. His aim has been to bring out from vague generality into their vivid distinctness the personal and national allusions occurring in the several Psalms, by comparison of these with the Scripture histories which synchronise with them. The incidental and unobtrusive correspondences of phrase and fact between the Psalms and the independent histories prove that the coincidence is the result of truth, not of design. Thus a powerful confirmation is afforded of the genuineness, and therefore of the inspired authority, of those Old Testament Scriptures which modern rationalism has assailed.

The following Table of Contents will serve as a copious index of the particulars discussed. An Index of the Psalms noticed in this work will be given at the end, and will include the whole CL. of the Psalter, with references to the Lectures which severally treat of and illustrate them. So the student of any particular Psalm will know in what Lecture to find the illustration of the Psalm he desires.

May God overrule this work to His own glory, and to the edification of His people! If we would "taste the honey of God," we must "have the palate of faith."

ST. CUTHBERT'S RECTORY, YORK,

January 24th, 1876.

A. R. F.

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS.

Ps. lix. 3 with 1 Sam. xxii, 8, 13. The 'transgression' and 'sin' alleged David disproves in both Psalm (lix. 3) and history (1 Sam. xxiv. 9-12): Ps vii. 3, 4, xxv. 3. As dogs prowling about for prey at evening, Saul's men sought David (Ps. lix. 6), coinciding with 1 Sam. xix. 11. Such also should be their punishment: Ps. lix. 14. The morning of their expected triumph proved that of his thanksgiving for deliverance: Ps. lix. 16, xxii. 16, 20. Saul himself wandered at last at night, seeking counsel in vain from God, and only through a witch learning from Samuel his doom: 1 Sam. xxviii. Saul's doom (Ps. lix. 3, 11, 13) that of apostate Israel: 1 Sam. xxxi., 2 Sam. iv., xxi., Rom. xi., Ps. cix. 10, 15. The end designed is that all "may know God rules in Jacob unto the ends of the earth": Ps. lix. 13 with 1 Sam. xvii. 46. Reversal of Saul's and David's positions: 1 Sam. xxiv. 14 with 2 Sam. ix. 8, xix. 28, Ps. cix. 10. David's escape from being "shut up." in the " strong city," Keilah: Ps. xxxi. 5, 6, 7, 8, 21, with I Sam. xxiii. 3. 4, 6, 7, II. 12. Baalites in Keilah 2 Sam. iv. 9, 1 Sam. xxiv. 18, xxvi. 8 (margin), Ps. lv. 3.

LECTURE III.

Pages 8-16

Oldest Scriptures more historical, and less poetical, than the later. No scope for myths. Hebrew poetry scant before David. David's Psalms 80 out of the

150.

Affliction his training school.
Ps. lii. "to the chief musician."
and said": 1 Sam. xxii. 9-11, 22. Ps. lii. 1, "Mighty man"; "boastest
in mischief," with 1 Sam. xxi. 7. 2 Sam. i. 19: True hero might belongs to
the godly alone: Ps. xviii. 25. 'Lying'- devouring words": Ps. lii. 3
with 1 Sam. xxii. and xxiv. 9. Ps. xvii. 3, 4, Selah: peculiar to David: Hab.
iii. 9, 13. Hallelujah. Elohim' characterizes David's Psalms: Ps. cviii.,
cxliv., with 2 Sam. vii., I Chr. xxviii. 20, xxix. 1. Reason: Ps. xviii. 31,
lxxii. 18. Saul's trust in riches to compass his murderous end lii. 7 with
1 Sam. xxii. 7-9, viii. 11, 12, 15. His doom: Ps. lii. 5 with 1 Sam. xxii.
18-20, xxxi. 6, 2 Sam. xxi. 1-14
Pages 17-23

The Psalms liturgical rather than lyrical.
Maschil. "Doeg the Edomite." "Told

LECTURE IV.

Connection of Psalms with religious awakenings. David's tone and style: relation to Pentateuch. Pss. xvi., xvii., a pair: the Psalmist's danger and threefold consolation. Michtam: Pss. xvi., lvi., lvii., xxv. 14. The Septuagint title of Ps. xvi. Hezekiah's Miktab (Isa. xxxviii. 9-20) restored David's Psalms to liturgical use: 2 Chr. xxix. 30. Coincidence between Hezekiah's writing and the Psalms of David and his singers, Pss. vi. 5, xxx. 9, xxvii. 13, xlix. 1, cii. 24. David's 'preservation' among the Philistines, I Sam. xxvii. 1, xxi. 10, compared with Ps. xvi., lvi. His renouncing their sorrow-multiplying idolatries to take Jehovah for his 'inheritance,' xvi. 4-6, coinciding with I Sam. xxvi. 19. Ps. xi. I, "Flee as a bird," with 1 Sam. xxvi. 20, xiii. 6: his flight not ultimately inconsistent with Ps. xi. 1: 1 Sam. xix. 18, Neh. vi. II. Triumph of his faith over fear, 1 Sam. xxvii., xxviii., xxix. xxx. 6, Jer. iii. 23. Jehovah counselled David by Abiathar: Ps. xvi. 7 with I Sam. xxii. 20, xxiii. 2, 4, 6, 9, xxx. 7, 8. Contrast Saul's retributive doom for shuffling transgression: I Chr. x. 13, 1 Sam. xxviii. 6, 7, Isa, iii. 9, 11.

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