This, the last, book into which the psalms are not merely divisible but actually divided, supposes the people of God once more in the land, for the display of God's purpose and ways in Messiah's kingdom after being called to sit at God's right hand, characterized by His law written on their hearts. It ends with nothing but praises. How could it be otherwise when Rev. 11:1515And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15) is fulfilled?
Psalm 107
“Give ye thanks to Jehovah, for he [is] good; for his mercy [is] forever. Let the redeemed of Jehovah say [so], whom he redeemed from the oppressor's hand, and gathered them from the lands, from east and from west, from north and from south (sea). They wandered in the wilderness, in a desert way; no city of habitation they found. Hungry, and thirsty also, their soul fainted in them, and they cried unto Jehovah in their distress: out of their strait he delivereth them. And he led them by the right way to go to a city of habitation. Oh that [men] might give thanks to Jehovah [for] his mercy and his wonders to the sons of men! For he satisfied the craving soul, and filled with good the hungry soul.”
“Dwellers in darkness and death-shade, bound in affliction and iron, because they resisted the words of God (El), and despised the counsel of the Most High; therefore (and) he bowed down their heart with labor; they stumbled, and there was no helper. And they cried unto Jehovah in their distress: out of their straits he saveth them; he bringeth them out of darkness and death-shade, and their bonds he rendeth. Oh that [men] might give thanks to Jehovah [for] his mercy and his wonders to the sons of men! For he broke the gates of brass and cut off the bars of iron.”
“Fools, by their way of transgression, and by their iniquities, are afflicted; all food their soul abhorreth; and they draw near to the gates of death. And they cried unto Jehovah in their distress: out of their straits he saveth them; he sendeth his word, and delivereth them from their destructions. Oh that [men] might give thanks unto Jehovah [for] his mercy and his wonders to the sons of men! And let them sacrifice sacrifices of praise and declare his works with singing.”
“They that go down to the sea in the ships, that do business in great waters, they saw Jehovah's works and his wonders in the deep. And he said, and there arose tempestuous winds, which lifted up its billows: they rise [to] the heavens, they sink [to] the depths; their soul melteth with evil; they reel and stagger like the drunkard, and all their wisdom is confounded. And they cried unto Jehovah in their distress, and out of their straits he bringeth them. He stilleth the tempest, and their billows are silent. And they are glad because they be quiet; and he guideth them to the haven of their desire. Oh that [men] might give thanks unto Jehovah [for] his mercy and his wonders to the sons of men! And let them exalt him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the session of the elders.”
“He turneth rivers to a wilderness and water-springs to a thirsty ground, a fruitful land to saltness for the wickedness of those dwelling in it. He turneth a wilderness to a pool of water and a dry land to water-springs. And he settleth there hungry [men], and they establish a city of habitation, and sowed fields, and planted vineyards, and gained fruits of increase; and he blessed them, and multiplied greatly and their cattle he doth not diminish. And they were diminished and brought low from oppression, evil, and sorrow. He poureth contempt upon princes, and made them wander in a waste without a way. And he set high the needy one from affliction and made families like the sheep. The upright shall see and rejoice; and all iniquity shall stop its mouth. Whoso [is] wise and observeth these things, even they shall understand the mercies of Jehovah” (vers. 1-43).
Israel affords the great object-lesson of man's folly and distress in the land and out of it, as on the sea, crying to Jehovah and heard in His unfailing mercy, at last delivered from the enemy and gathered out of the lands on every side (not a few Jews from Babylon merely) to enjoy the kingdom. It is in no way the church blessed with Christ in the heavenly places, though the church may well profit from all and enjoy the truth and the mercy it describes.
Psalm 108
“A song, a psalm of David. My heart [is] fixed, O God: I will sing and sing psalms (? play), yea, my glory. Awake, O (the) lute and harp: I will wake the dawn, I will give thee thanks among the peoples, O Jehovah, and I will sing psalms to thee among the nations. For great from above the heavens [is] thy mercy, and unto the lands thy truth. Be exalted above the heavens, O God, and thy glory above all the earth. That thy beloved ones may be delivered, save with thy right hand and answer me (or us). God hath spoken in his holiness: I will exalt, I will divide Shechem and mete out the valley of Succoth. Gilead [is] mine, Manasseh mine, and Ephraim [is] the strength of my head, Judah my lawgiver; Moab [is] my wash-pot; at Edom will I cast my shoe; over Philistia will I shout. Who will bring me [to] the strong city? Who did (or will) lead me even to Edom? Hast thou not cast us off, O God? and wilt thou not, O God, go with our hosts? Give us help from distress, for (and) vain is man's salvation. In God we will do mightily (make strength); and he will tread down our adversaries” (vers. 1-14).
This Psalm consists of the latter halves of Psa. 57 and 60. with variations. The deliverance, though really of God, is not yet complete; and this is looked for.
Psalm 109
“To the chief musician, a psalm of David. God of my praise, be not silent; for the mouth of the wicked one and the mouth of deceit are opened against me with a lying tongue. And [with] words of hatred they have surrounded me and have fought against me without cause. For my love they are mine adversaries, and I [am] player; and they set upon me evil for good, and hatred for my love. Appoint over him a wicked one, and let an adversary stand at his right hand. When he is judged, let him go out guilty, and his prayer be for sin. Let his days be few, let another take his office; let his sons be orphans, and his wife a widow. And let his sons be vagabonds (wandering wanderers), and beg and seek [God] out of their desolations. Let an exactor ensnare all, that he hath, and strangers plunder his labor. Let there be none extending mercy to him, nor any one gracious to his orphans. Let his posterity (latter end) be cut off; in a generation following let their name be blotted out. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with (to) Jehovah, and his mother's sin not be blotted out. Let them be before Jehovah continually, and let him cut off from the earth their memory: because he remembered not to show mercy, but (and) pursued the poor and needy man, and one broken in heart, to slay [him]. And he loved cursing; for (and) it came to him: and he delighted not in blessing: so it was far from him. And he put on cursing as his garment, and it came like the water into his midst, and like the oil into his bones. Let it be to him as raiment he weareth, and for a belt let him continually be girded. This [is] the wages of mine adversaries from Jehovah, and of their speaking evil against my soul. But thou, Jehovah Lord, do with me for thy name's sake; because thy mercy [is] good, deliver me. For me [I am] poor and needy, and my heart wounded within me. Like a shadow at its stretching out I am gone; I am tossed like the locust. My knees totter from fasting, and my flesh faileth from fatness (oil), and I have been a reproach to them; they see me, they shake their head. Help me, Jehovah my God; save me according to thy mercy. They shall know that this [is] thy hand; thou, O Jehovah, hast done it. Let them cease, and bless thou: they have risen up and shall be ashamed, and thy servant be glad. Mine adversaries shall be clothed with dishonor, they shall cover themselves with their shame as the mantle. I will give great thanks to Jehovah with my mouth; yea, I will praise in the midst of many. For he standeth on the right hand of the needy to save [him] from those that judge his soul” (vers. 1-31).
The Psalm is applied authoritatively to Judas, but clearly includes the wicked like him, treacherous to the Messiah in the past and especially in the future to those who have His spirit. In the following we have the glorious answer of Jehovah on behalf of the despised.
Psalm 110
“A psalm of David. Jehovah said unto my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I make thine enemies a stool for thy feet. Jehovah shall send the rod of thy might out of Zion: rule in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people offer themselves willingly ( [are] voluntary offerings) in the day of thy power, in ornaments of holiness. From the womb of the dawn to thee [is] the dew of thy youth. Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou [art] priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand hath smitten kings in the day of his anger. He shall judge among the Gentiles; he hath filled with corpses, he hath smitten the head over a great country. From the brook in the way he will drink; therefore will he lift up the head” (vers. 1-7).