1. Blessed [is] the man who has not walked in the counsel of [the] wicked, and has not stood in the path of sinners, and has not sat in the seat of scorners. 2. But [has] his delight in the law of Jehovah, and meditates in His law day and night. 3. And he shall be as a tree planted by brooks of water, which gives its fruit in its season, and its leaf withers not, and all which he doeth prospers. 4. [It is] not so [with] the wicked: but they are as chaff, which the wind spatters. Wherefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of [the] righteous. 6. For Jehovah knows [the] way of [the] righteous; and [the] way of wicked [men] shall perish.
2.
1. Why are the heathen in tumultuous agitation, and [why] do the tribes of men meditate vanity? 2. The kings of the earth stand up, and the chiefs plot together against Jehovah, and against His anointed. 3. Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us! 4. He that dwells in the heavens shall laugh: Adonai shall mock at them. 5. Then will He speak to them in His wrath, and in the heat of His anger will He confound them. 6. " And I have anointed my king upon Zion, the hill of my holiness." 7. I will tell of the decree: Jehovah has said unto me, " Thou [art] my son; I this day have begotten thee. 8. Ask of me, and I will give nations [for] thine inheritance, and [for] thy possession, the ends of the earth. 9. Thou shalt crush them with, a scepter of iron, as vessels of a potter shalt thou dash them in piece-S." 10. And now-kings, be ye wise: be admonished ye judges of the earth! 11. Serve Jehovah with fear, and exult with trembling. 12. Kiss the son lest he be in wrath, and ye perish [in] the way, if His wrath burn but a little: blessed are all who have their trust in Him.
Although the translator is in no way assured that the titles form an inspired part of the book, but the contrary, and the sense of many is quite uncertain (in the Septuagint Vulgate and Syriac, we have many others and different ones), yet as they are in the Hebrew, they are given. At the utmost, they give the occasion, not the divine purpose of the psalms.
3.
*[A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.]
(* See Note p. 247. Editor.) 1. Jehovah, how many are they that press upon me! Many rise up against me. 2. Many say of my soul, " [there is] no deliverance for him in God." Selah. 3. But thou, 0 Jehovah, art my shield around me, my glory, and the lifter up of my head. 4. [With] my voice to Jehovah will I cry, and He will hear me from the mountain of His holiness. Selah. 5. I laid me down and slept; I awoke up, for Jehovah sustains me. 6. I will not fear for myriads of the peoples which have set themselves against me round about. 7. Arise, Jehovah: save me, 0 my God. For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheekbone; hast broken the teeth of wicked men. 8. Wit Jehovah is salvation, upon thy people is thy blessing. Selah.
Book 1.
4.
*[To the Chief Musician on Neginoth.-A Psalm of David.]
1. When I call, hear me, 0 God of my righteousness! In pressure thou hast enlarged me. Be favorable to me, and hear my prayer. 2. 0 ye sons of men, till when is my glory [to be put] to shame. [How long] will ye love vanity, will ye seek [a] lie. Selah. 3. Yet know, Jehovah has set apart the pious** [man] for Himself: Jehovah will hear when I cry to Him. 4. Be ye moved**** and sin not. Meditate in your hearts upon your beds and be still. Selah. 5. Sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in Jehovah. 6. Many say, " Who shall cause us to see good:" lift up upon us the light of thy countenance, 0 Jehovah. 7. Thou hast put joy in my heart more than in the time their corn and must was in abundance. 8. In peace
(*****" Or security." But it is the consciousness of safety as well as safety. Securite, not merely surete. It is the same word, only as a noun, as "trust" in Jehovah alone. Have confidence. But " dwelling in safety " gives that idea in English. " Safety "hardly would, that is merely the fact.)
will I both lie down and sleep, for thou, Jehovah, alone makest me to dwell in safety.
5.
*[To the Chief Musician upon Nehiloth.-A Psalm of David.]
1. Hear my words, 0 Jehovah; give heed to my meditations. 2. Attend to the voice of my crying, my king, and my God.; for to thee will I pray. 3. 0 Jehovah, in the-morning shalt thou hear my voice: in the morning will I address myself to thee, I will look up and wait. 4. For thou art not a God who hast pleasure in wickedness; the evil man shall not sojourn by thee. 5. The insolent fools shall not stand before thine eyes: thou hatest all the workers of vanity. 6. Thou wilt destroy those who speak lies; a man of blood and deceit Jehovah abhors. 7. But as for me in the greatness of thy goodness, I will draw near to thy house: I will bow down in thy holy temple in thy fear. 8. 0 Jehovah, lead me in thy righteousness, because of mine adversaries: make thy way plain before me. 9. For there is no truthfulness in his mouth, their inward parts are-calamity;***** their throat is an open sepulcher; their tongues they make smooth. 10. Bring guilt upon them, 0 God, let them fall through their counsels; drive them out in the multitude of their transgressions: for they have rebelled against thee. 11. And all that trust in thee shall rejoice; forever shall they shout joyously; and Thou wilt protect them; and they that love. Thy name shall exult in Thee. 12. For thou shalt bless the righteous [man] 0 Jehovah: thou surroundest him [with] favor as [with] a shield.
6.
*[To the Chief Musician on Neginoth.-A Psalm of David.]
1. 0 Jehovah, rebuke me not in Thy wrath, and chasten me not in Thine anger. 2. Be gracious to me,
0 Jehovah, for as for me I droop. Heal me, 0 Jehovah, for my bones** tremble: 3. And my soul trembles exceedingly: and Thou, -0 Jehovah, till how long. 4. Return, 0 Jehovah, free my soul: save me, for the sake of Thy goodness. 5. For there is no remembrance of Thee in death: in Sheol who shall celebrate Thy praises?*** 6. I am wearied with my groaning, all the night make I my couch to swim: I dissolve my bed with my tears. 7. Mine eye has sunk through grief: grown old through all that press upon me. 8. Depart from me, all [ye] workers of iniquity: for Jehovah has heard the voice of my weeping. 9. Jehovah has heard my supplication: Jehovah receives my prayer. 10. All mine enemies shall be ashamed and tremble exceedingly: they will turn, they will be ashamed suddenly.
7.
*[Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.]
1. Jehovah, my God, in Thee have I trusted: save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me. 2. Lest he tear as a lion, my soul, crushing [it] while there is no deliverer. 3. Jehovah, my God, if I have done this: if there be evil in my hands. 4. If I have rendered wrong to him that was at peace with me: (yea I have freed him that pressed upon me without cause). 5. The enemy shall pursue after my soul, and catch [it] and tread' my life down to the ground: and shall cause my glory to dwell in the dust. Selah. 6. Arise, Jehovah, in Thy wrath, lift thyself up because of the unrestrained fury of those that press on me: and awake for me. Thou hast commanded judgment. 7. And the assembly of the races shall surround thee; and for its sake return on high. 8. Jehovah shall judge the- peoples;—execute judgment for me, 0 Jehovah: according to my righteousness, and [let it happen] to me according to my perfectness. 9. Let the wrong of wicked men cease, and establish the righteous [man]: for indeed thou art the righteous God who triest [the] hearts and [the] reins. 10. My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. 11. God is a righteous judge: and El is angry every day. 12. If [a man] turn not, he will sharpen his sword: he has bent his bow, and made it ready. 13. And against him has he made ready instruments of death: His arrows has he made burning. 14. Behold, he is in travail with vanity: and is big with mischief, and has brought forth falsehood. 15. He has dug a pit and cleared it out; and is fallen into the hole which he had made. 16. His mischief shall return on his own head: and his violence, shall come down on the crown of his own skull. 17. I will celebrate the praises of Jehovah according to His righteousness: and will sing the name of Jehovah [the] Most High.
1234567
8.
[To the Chief Musician upon Gittith.-A Psalm of David.]
1. Jehovah our Lore how excellent is Thy name in all the earth: Thou who last set* Thy Majesty above the heavens. 2. Out of the mouth of infants and sucklings Thou hast established praise, because of those that press upon thee: to still the enemy and the avenger. 3. When I see Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and stars which Thou hast established. 4. What is feeble man, that Thou rememberest him: or Adam's son, that Thou visitest him? 5. For Thou madest him to be little less than the angels; with glory and honor hast Thou crowned him. 6. Thou hast made him to rule over the works of Thy hands. All hast Thou put under his feet: 7. Sheep and oxen all of them: and also the beasts of the plain: 8. Birds of the heavens and fishes of the sea: what passes over the paths of the seas. 9. Jehovah our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth.
The above translation was sent without any of the headings or titles, the translator being in no way assured that they form an inspired part of the book.
I have inserted them, nevertheless, in brackets [ ], because the only authorities to which I can, on the moment refer, state, that in substance, many of them are not extant in the Hebrew MSS., though very many of them are canonical parts of the Psalms.
The Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac, would not have any weight with myself against the Hebrew manuscripts.-EDITOR.
FRAGMENTS.
1.
BUT those who fight the Lord's battles must be contented to be, in no respect, accounted of:-they must expect to be, in no wise, encouraged by the prospects of human praise. And, if you make an exception; " that the children of God will praise you, whatever the world will say," beware of this, for you may turn them into a world, and find in them a world, and may sow to, the flesh in sowing to their approbation; and you will neither be benefited by them, nor they by you, so long as respect for them is your motive;-so long as you are conscious as to how they will think of you. All such motives are a poison to you, and a taking away from you the strength in which you are to give glory to God-and because such a time may be needful for you, I beseech you, be prepared for a time when you shall be as persons unknown, even to those that know' God. It is not the fact, that all that see the face of the. Lord, do see each other-it is not the fact that the misapprehension of the world is the only misapprehension the Christian must be contented to labor under. He must expect even his brethren to see him through a mist, and to be disappointed of their sympathy, and their cheers of approbation. The man of God must walk alone with God, he must be contented that the Lord knoweth. And it is such a relief, yea, it is such a relief to the natural man within us, to fall back upon human countenances, and human sympathy, that we often deceive ourselves, and think it brotherly love, when we are just resting on the earthly sympathy of a brother worm. You are to be followers of Him who was left alone, and you are, like Him, to rejoice that you are not alone, because the Father is with you, that you may give true glory to God. Oh, I cannot but speak of it. It is such a glory to God to see a soul that has been, through the flesh, accessible to the praise of man, surrounded by hundreds and thousands of his fellow-creatures, every one of whom-he knows how to please, and yet that he should be contented, yea, peaceful and happy in doing, with a single reference to God, that which he knows they will all misunderstand and misconceive. Here was the victory of Jesus.
2.
For myself,-I speak as a man,-I never found peace before God, or conscious rest with Him until I was taught the force and meaning of that cry of Jesus of Nazareth: Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani. Never, until I understood that He, who knew no sin, had (then and there, on the Cross) been made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him-could I rest as a sinner in the presence of a holy God. And, as I suppose, it is owing to the distinctive peculiarity of that, -His sorrow under the wrath of God,-not being understood-that so many Christians have no settled peace at all.
The questions of sin and of guilt, have never been met in their consciences. The incarnation is amazing and beautiful. That the eternal Son of God, the only begotten Son of the Father, should have become a babe and been laid in a manger of an inn: the contrast between the glory He came out of and the place man assigned to Him is a contrast!-God and heaven could express their delight over Him, then and there, as well as feel it (Luke 2:8-14). But the bearing of our sins in His own body was NOT in the cradle but on the Cross-and on the Cross alone.
The flight into Egypt; the return and settling at Nazareth of the child,-the youth in the temple and in returning from Jerusalem,-the hidden retirement of His early manhood,-is beautiful, each in its place: but none present us with Him as in the act of bearing our sins. Again, when we look at Him as (when He voluntarily identified Himself with those that owned their need of repentance, confessing their sins) at His baptism, in His service and ministries, all, and each part of all, is beautiful and perfect; but, if heaven could approve Him in each step, Heaven, too, could give its avowals of approval to Him:—-yet He stood not as sin-bearer under the judgment, at any of these periods.
Again, what a contrast, and who ever felt it, as He felt it, between Himself as the seed of the woman and the race of man to whom He had come What a contrast between Himself personally and individually and the house of Israel, His own, among whom He had come. Himself, not only God manifest in the flesh, but that Holy thing that was born of the virgin; holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners-apart from sin: and yet voluntarily amid sinful men and with guilty Israel-the immaculate seed of the woman, the King of Israel in His holiness. This brought with it sorrows. So, when He had entered upon service, did the constant persecution for righteousness, which He endured-and the consciousness that there was none who could sympathize with Him, and that fallen men welcomed not the mercy of which He was the Messenger; sorrows He had to endure at the hand of the world and man, but even that was not forsaking of God. But in none of these parts, nor in the being straitened when. His soul turned to His coming baptism; nor when, in the garden, His soul passed into the scenes which then lay immediately before Him was there (any more than any where else) that which there was when He cried out: Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani. Here, too, He was perfect- forsaken of God, He would not, did not, forsake God-never did God or heaven see perfection shine out of Him as then and there, when His obedience was at the goal, " Obedient unto death, the death of the Cross." But, if heaven found, in His submission under forsaking, for the sake of others, its delight-for it was the revelation of God as the Savior-God,—there was, there could be (just because it was forsaking for sin, our sin, which He had to endure) no expression of approval-NOTHING BUT FORSAKING. Why hast Thou forsaken me?
I do not see how a sinner can find rest until he has learned somewhat of that which is distinctly peculiar to Calvary: learned that, then and there, there was a cup drunk by the Lord, in obedient submission to God,- cup of wrath due to us only undergone by Christ at Calvary. The only spot I turn to when in conscience the question is about sin, or guilt, or sins (of the human family, of myself as an individual, &c., &c.) is Calvary, and to the Lord there, crying out Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani.
He bore my judgment, in my stead, then and there, in His own body on the tree in the presence of God, and received the woe of wrath and forsaking at the hand of God. And there is my quittance, clear, and full, and complete, but there alone.
The experiences of His soul, when He said, " Why hast Thou forsaken me?"-were altogether peculiar, and distinct from that which he had to endure and experience at any other time whatsoever. In that suffering of His as forsaken-I get the measure and the judgment of my
sin against God.
3.
Revelations. 22:16,17,20.
It is a great blessing when we have learned to find the key to every difficulty in Christ. In Him alone is the answer to, and the explanation, and the means of taking us out of-all our difficulties.
The two verses, 16 and 17, show us glories in Christ, which may help to throw light the first upon our position; and the second upon what is our proper occupation.
16. If Christ is the root and offspring of David,- there is no one who has any blessing in them for the earth, on which our feet stand, but He. He only can take root downward, and bear fruit upward for the earth. But the Son of David was crucified outside of Jerusalem, and, if our feet stand where His did, He is gone away into heaven, and our portion on earth is what His was, that of pilgrims and strangers.
But then He is in Heaven as the bright and morning star. He is there: and He is so there as to be looked for, the live-long night, -by a people who are waiting till the day dawn.
He is in Heaven; and I, while my feet tread the earth, look for Him, the bright morning star. All that belongs to heaven would not satisfy me. I want Him to whom heaven belongs. Thus these titles of Christ, explain to me my pilgrim character, and my character in hope.
Ver. 17 explains what our present occupation should be, and the strength of the heart in it. Though man has failed from Gen. 3 down to this hour, Christ has not failed, nor has the Spirit of God, sent down (that His people might know how He was honored on high, and not be comfortless), He has not failed. Neither does He want to keep the Bride for Himself or for another than Christ. He and the Bride, in spite of all the past failure, say "Come." The work of the Spirit and the work of faith in the Bride both conspire to say "Come"; but then, too, the individual has to say " Come." Not only in my church-place, but as an individual believer, like John in Patmos, I am to say "Come." Such, too, are in the consciousness of the blessing which is theirs as having had a fountain of living water opened in their hearts to say to those around: " Come," and take of the water of life. It is not the value of immortal souls, as man speaks; but the consciousness of the desire in Christ's heart to give the blessing which He has given to me, to others, which makes me say to others " Come." Come see a man that told me all things that ever I did-told how Samaria's daughter was a channel of grace herself-and, as such; it was her right occupation to invite others.
In ver. 20, He replies-and lets out, as from Himself, the answer to designs which were in the Spirit, and which Himself had given to the Bride: a position and an occupation which accorded with His own, " Surely, I come quickly." To Him, at least, there is, as to His return, no uncertainty. He can say, "surely," man has failed; hope has dimmed in man's heart; has flickered, and well nigh expired. In His heart, it is bright and sure, who Himself is the hope. And when He moves forward to " Come," " I come,"-then shall that which we hope-for be realized and seen. And-mark the word "quickly." To us time moves slowly on,-He seems as if He tarried. His heart, in other light than the dim twilight where we are, says " Quickly"! May our hearts live in the power of His purposes, thoughts and promise: and may we wait for the Son from heaven: be like 'unto those that wait for Him.
Simeon and Anna, and those that waited for Him had honorable occupation.—occupation much' thought of in heaven at His first coming, and so now, if we really wait for Him-is it now—-heaven delights is seeing us wait for Him.
I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come, and let him that is
athirst come: and whosoever will, let him take of the water of
life freely.
Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
THE Lord himself shall come
And shout a quickening word;
Thousands shall answer from the tomb:
" Forever with the Lord."
Then as we upward fly,
That resurrection-word
Shall be our shout of victory,
" Forever with the Lord."
How shall I meet those eyes?-
Mine on Himself I cast,
And own myself the Savior's prize:
Mercy from first to last.
"Knowing as I am known!"-
How shall I love that word,
How oft repeat before the throne,
"Forever with the Lord."
That resurrection-word,
That shout of victory-
Once more: "Forever with the Lord!"
Amen, so let it be!