Psalm 22

Psalm 23

Who ave they that shall ascend to heaven ; Christ's triumphant ascension thither.

1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell

therein.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS.

2 For he hath founded it upon the seas; and hath prepared it upon the rivers.

3 Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord: or who shall stand in his holy place ?

4 The innocent in hands, and clean of heart, who hath not taken his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbour.

5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Saviour.

6 This is the generation of them that seek him, of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob.

7 Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates; and the King of Glory shall enter in.

8 Who is this King of Glory? the Lord who is strong and mighty: the Lord mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in. ;

10 Who is this King of Glory? the Lord. of Hosts, he is the King of Glory. |

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALM.

1 “ The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell therein.”

David proposes proving that of the immense family of the human race, Christ alone, and a few, very few others, as compared with the crowd, will enter God’s most holy and happy house; and for fear people may think they were not God’s creatures, but belonged to some other creator, as the Marcionists and Manicheans afterwards thought, he premises those two verses, in which he lays down that God is the Creator and Lord of the entire world, and of every thing in it. “ Zhe earth ts the Lord’s, and the. Julness thereof;” that is, every thing that is on or in it, and fills it. The second part of the verse explains the first, in which he states that it is principally to man he alludes, for to man alone the words, ‘“ that dwell therein,” can be applied.

2“ For he hath founded it upon the seas; and hath

prepared it upon the rivers.” * He proves God to be Lord of the earth, and of all that dwell thereon, because it was he created the earth, and made it out-top the waters so as to be habitable; for had he not made it higher than the sea and the rivers, they would have rushed in upon and overwhelmed it. God, then, having made the earth habitable, it follows that he is the Lord of all, both because man was made from the earth, and to the earth will return; and because man holds the earth here not as its lord and master, but as a husbandman placed there by God to till and cultivate it.’

3 ‘+ Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord : or who shall stand in his holy place 2”

Whereas all men are servants and husbandmen of God, and all equally till the land which is God’s, ““ Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord?” will there be any one, and who will he be, worthy of ascending to the place where God is said peculiarly to dwell?

4 ‘* The innocent in hands, and clean of heart, who hath not taken his soul in vain, nor sworn deceit fully to his neighbour.”

There will; they will ascend into the mountain of the Lord who have the four conditions here specified : First, they must be ‘ Innocent in hands,;” must have committed no sin. Second, must be “ Clean of heart,” free from sinful thoughts or desires. Third, “© Who hath not taken his soul in vain ;” who not only has neither done nor thought any evil, but has done and thought every thing that God could require of him, in order to obtain the end for which he was

created. Fourth, ‘‘ Vor sworn deceitfully to his neighbour;” easily understood. And thus the man who seeks to be worthy of ‘‘ ascending into the mountain of the Lord,” must be perfect in every respect in his heart, ia his language, in bis actions, in the perfect discharge of all the duties that appertain to his station in life. Such conditions are to be found in Christ alone. He is the only one of whom it can be said, ‘Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth;” and as David says, in Psalm xiii., “* There zs none that doeth good, no not one;” and Isaias, “We have all strayed like sheep;” and St. Paul, Rom. iii., All have sinned and need the glory of God;” and, therefore, the Lord himself justly says, John iii., * And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.’’ All others are terrestrials, sprung from the earth.j He aone is celestial, come from heaven ; holy, nnocent, unpolluted, set aside from sinners, and by hiS ascension, higher than the heavens. And it was not Christ alone that was to ascend to the mountain of the Lord, but his body too, the Church, which he ‘* Cleansed with his blood, that he might present tt to himself, a glorious church; not having spot nor wrinkle, nor any such thing, but that tt should be holy and without blemish,” Ephes. v.; and, therefore, in the next verse, he says:

5 “ He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Saviour.”

“ He,” that is, Christ, “shall receive a blessing Srom the Lord,” favours in abundance, “ and mercy from God his Saviour,” for his body, the Church, in whose regard he is the Saviour, because life everlasting in the kingdom of heaven, though justice to Christ, is mercy to the faithful; for, though the just deserve eternal life, by reason of God’s goodness, their own merits have the effect, through God’s mercy only, and thus are truly called the gifts of God. Hence, in Psalm cii., we have, “‘ Who crowneth thee mn mercy and compassion;” and in Rom. vi., “‘ For the wages of sin ts death: but the grace of God, everlasting life.” ,

6 “ This is the generation of them that scek him, of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob.”

The prophet now declares that the one he spoke of, “« The innocent in hands,” the “clean of heart, who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord,” and * shall receive a blessing,” and “ mercy from God.” is Christ, the head, and not only the head, but the head with the body of his Church. “ This is the generation of them that seck him;? that means, he that ascends to heaven, is the generator of those that are regenerated in Christ, whose principal study is to seek God, to thirst for a sight of his face, and to make for his holy mountain, with all their strength. And, in fact, a unique and perhaps characteristic sign of the elect of God, is to have a longing desire for their home, their country—heaven. The generation of the children of this world seek every thing in preference £o God, dread nothing more than death ; and, if they got their choice, would prefer living always in this world, to “being dissolved and being with Christ.”

7 “ Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter an.

The holy prophet, having foreseen that one would be found worthy of “ Going up into the mountain of the Lord,” namely, Christ, declares that he will go up at once, and that the eternal gates of heaven will be opened to him. And in a poetic strain he at once addresses now the ‘* Princes” of heaven, the Angels ; then the “ gates” themselves; orders the Angels to open, and the gates to be opened, nay, even spontaneously to admit the approaching King of Glory. He makes use of the words, “ Lift up,” and “ be ye lifted,” to shew these are not ordinary gates, hanged to a wall or a post, but to the roof or ceiling, to shew they should be raised up for admission.

8 “ Who is this King of Glory? the Lord who is strong and mighty : the Lord mighty in battle.”

He introduces him to the Princes of the heavenly Jerusalem as King, “Who ts this king of glory?” not that the Angels, on the day of his ascension, were ignorant of Christ’s being the King of Glory, but to express their admiration at the novelty of human flesh ascending to the highest heavens, not as a guest or a stranger, but as the Lord of a glorious and everlasting community. The prophet answers, that Christ is the King of Glory, the Lord most valiant and powerful, who shewed his power in battle against the prince of darkness, whom he conquered, despoiled, and left in chains.

9 “ Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter mM.

10 ‘* Who is this King of Glory? the Lord of Hosts he is the King of Glory.”

Tbe prophet imagines some hesitation on the part of the Angels in opening the gates, and he, therefore, a second time thunders. “ Lift up your gates, O ye

princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates,” thereby giving us to understand the great novelty of the matter, to find a terrestrial rising above celestial bodies—human flesh soaring above the angelic spirits themselves, to the amazement, wonder, and admiration of all nature. The Angels ask again, Who is this King of Glory ? ‘ The Lord of Hosts ts the King of Glory,” is the reply. At the sound of that most familiar name, they at once open, and with joy receive the King of Glory. ‘ Lord of Hosts” is the peculiar title of the Creator, and never applied to any one in the Scriptures, but to God exclusively. The Hebrew word has been sometimes translated God of armies, as God really is, presiding over his armies of Angels, that are innumerable and most powerful; and besides, having all created beings ' serving under him, as we read in Psalm cxlviii., “ Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy winds, which fulfil his word.” Pharaoh had a fair experience of his being the God of armies, when not only the Angels were

animals, such as frogs, flies, and gnats, and along with them things inanimate, such as hail, fire, darkness, pestilence, and the like. Some have translated “ Lord of Hosts,” ‘ Lord of virtues ;” but those who do, take “‘ virtues” in the same sense as “ Hosts,” and not in the sense of what is generally understood by virtues, namely, good moral actions or qualities.

PSALM XXIV. A prayer for grace, mercy, and protection against our enemies. x

1 To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul.

2 In thee, O my God, I put my trust: let me not be ashamed.

3 Neither let my enemies laugh at me: for none of them that wait on thee shall be confounded.

4 Let all them be confounded that act unjust things without cause. Shew, O Lord, thy ways to me, and teach me thy paths.

5 Direct me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art God my Saviour; and on thee have I waited all the day long.

6 Remember, O Lord, thy bowels of compassion; and thy mer¢ies that are from the beginning of the world.

7 The sins of my youth and my ignorances do not remember. According to thy mercy remember thou me: for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.

8 The Lord is sweet, and righteous: therefore he will give a law to sinners in the way.

9 He will guide the mild in judgment: he will teach the meek his ways.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS.

10 All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, to them that seek after his covenant and his testimonies.

11 For thy name’s sake, O Lord, thou will pardon my sin: for it is great.

12 Who is the man that feareth the Lord ? He hath appointed him a law in the way he hath chosen.

13 His soul shall dwell in good things: and his seed shall inherit the land.

14 The Lord is a firmament to them that fear him: and his covenant shall be made manifest to them.

15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord: for he shall pluck my feet out of the snare.

16 Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me; for I am alone and poor.

17 The troubles of my heart are multi-

_ plied: deliver me from my necessities. brought to war upon him, but even the minutest © P y

18 See my abjection and my labour; and forgive me all my sins.

19 Consider my enemies, for they are multiplied, and have hated me wita an unjust hatred.

20 Keep thou my soul, and deliver me: I shall not be ashamed, for I have hoped in thee.

_21 The innocent and the upright have adhered to me: because I have waited on thee.

22 Deliver Israel, O God, from all his tribulations.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALM. 1“ To thee, O Lord, have I lifted ap my soul.”

Having found no rest in creatures, but on the contrary, “ briers and thorns” every where; disgusted with my former mode of life, and having torn my | soul from the affections that tied it down to the earth, “7 lifted it up” to thee. Through constant reflection, and love inspired by you, to you I began to cling, hoping for help from you in my temptations ; and since “J put my trust in you, let me not be ashamed ;” that is, I will not go from you in confusion, without. having obtained the help I need, and thus be made ‘‘to blush” before my enemies.

2 “* Inthee, O my God, I put my trust: let me not be ashamed.

3 ‘ Neither let my enemies laugh at me: for none of them that wait on thee shall be confounded.”

An explanation of the words, “ Z'o blush before my enemies,” in the preceding verse, for he should blush if his “ enemies were to laugh at him” for having vainly trusted in God. By ‘‘ my enemies,” may be understood, both the wicked in this world, and the evil spirits, whose rejoicings and scoffings would produce intolerable confusion, were we seriously to reflect on it. He then gives a reason for his hope

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS.

• of not being confounded,” because “ none of them that wait on thee shall be confounded ;” that means, because we have learned by long experience, from the examples of our ancestors, and from your own promises, that those who put their trust in you, and patiently expect your help, were never disappointed in their ‘‘ warting on you.” To ‘wait on the Lord” is a very common expression in the Scriptures, and means to expect him in the certain hope of assistance.

4 “ Let all them be confounded that act unjust things without cause. Shew, O Lord, thy ways to me, and teach me thy paths.”

This verse may be interpreted in two ways; first, to signify that those who sin without cause, meaning those who sin through malice, and not through infirmity or ignorance, ‘‘ would be confounded.” Such persons think neither of doing penance, nor of abandoving sin, and if they hope for any thing from God, their hope is presumption. Another more literal meaning may be offered, viz., that both the visible and invisible enemies of the just would be confounded, for their persecutions of the just will be all in vain, because they will not accomplish the end they propose to themselves, the ruin of the just, and the bringing them to hell; whereas, on the contrary, such persecution becomes only an occasion to the just of exercising their virtue, and a source of everlasting merit. The prophet then throws back the confusion on his enemies, saying, Lord, do not allow me to be confounded, as] will, if my enemies laugh at me, and exult in my ruin; but, on the contrary, let them be confounded, when they see they have been persecuting me, and provoking meto impatience, without effecting their object, and in vain.

“« Shew, O Lord, thy ways to me, and teach me thy paths.” By “thy ways,” we understand his law, which is really the way to God. “ If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments ;” and the prophet having asked the Lord’s help against temptations, explains what help he specially wishes for, and says, “ Shew, O Lord, thy ways to me,” make me tread in the way of your commandments—“ and teach me thy paths ;” that is, shew methat most narrow road of thy most just law, for thus will I escape the mocking of all my enemies, and instead of being confounded, all they who, by their temptations, sought to harass me, will be confounded. He asks to be taught the paths of the Lord, not speculatively, but practically ; that is to say, he asks for such grace as may move his will to observe the commandments cheerfully.

5 “* Direct me in thy truth, and teach me ; for thou art God my Saviour ; and on thee have I waited all the day long.”

A repetition of the foregoing, and a reason as. signed for it. ‘* Direct me in thy truth.” If left to myself, I will at once turn aside to the right or to the left, deserting the path of your commandments,

on account of the prosperity or the adversity of this world : do you, therefore, take me by the hand, and direct me by the help of thy grace in the right path, “in thy truth; namely, in thy law, which is the truest of all paths. “ Hor ail thy commands are truth,” Psalm exviiii— For thou art God my Saviour ;” of thee I ask this help, because you alone, being God, can save my soul; for there is no other physician that understands the diseases of the soul; and, therefore, there is no one able to cure them but God alone, much less is there one able to restore them to perfect health; and I specially ask this favour, which I hope, too, to obtain, because “ On thee have I waited all the day long;” that is, with perseverance and patience I have waited for thy medicine, and look for relief from nobody else. It is a source of great merit with God never to give up the hope of his help in temptations, or to look to human consolation. ,

6 ‘* Remember, O Lord, thy bowels of compassion ; and thy mercies that are from the beginning of the world.”

When God allows the soul to be harassed by temptation, or to wallow in sin, he seems to have forgotten his mercy ; and thus the just man, after a long struggle with temptation, and seeing that, however he may desire it, he cannot guard against relapsing into sin, cries out to God to remember his former compassion and mercies. Between compassion and mercy there is this difference only, that the former seems to be the actual exercise or practice of mercy, the latter the habit of the virtue in the mind ; and the same difference is observable in the Hebrew, though the words are much more dissimilar, The meaning then is—Remember, O Lord, that you were compassionate ‘‘ from eternity,” and not only compassionate, but in the habit of shewing mercy, and the most paternal tenderness to thy children; and, therefore, mercy is thy distinguishing, as well as thy natural, tendency.

7 ‘* The sins of my youth and my ignorances do not remember. According to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.”

He places forgetfulness in beautiful opposition to remembrance. Remember thy mercy, but forget my sins; for one is the cause of the other, for God then remembers his mercy when he does not wish to remember our sins any longer, but so remits and blots them out, as if they were consigned to eternal oblivion. He remembers, however, the sins and ignorance of youth; that is, the sins committed through hnman infirmity and ignorance, because to those more than any others does his mercy lend itself, according to the apostle, 1 Tim. i., “‘ But I obtained the mercy of God, because I did tt ignorantly ;” and, perhaps, David had no other sins to account for; and this certainly is the prayer of a just man, who seems to have had to contend with such sins only ; and with that, sins committed -through malice are not forgiven through prayer alone, but need “ Mutts worthy of penance.”

“ According to thy mercy, remember thou me.” He declares what he said in the words, “ Remember thy bowels of compassion;” and forget my sins; for all this takes place when “ God remembers the sinner according to his mercy.”

8 “ The Lord ts sweet and righteous : therefore he will give a law to sinners in the way.”

He assures himself of the certainty of obtaining the object of his hope, by reason of God’s goodness and justice; and thus, that he is wont to correct delinquents freely, because thereby he exercises bis mercy towards man, and his justice towards sin; and the meaning is, “ Zhe Lord is sweet and righteous ;” and, therefore, loves man, and hates sin ; and, therefore, “gives a law;” that is, declares and points it out “to sinners in the way,” to persuade them to abandon the old path, and, from being bad and wicked, to become good and just.

9 “ He will guide the mild in judgment 4he will teach ihe meek his ways.”

A qualification of the expression in the last verse, “* He will give a law to sinners ;” which he says here does not apply to all sinners, but only to the mild and the meek, who do not resist God’s teachings, but rather covet instruction. “ He will guide the mild in judgment ;” that means, he will lead the humble and the mild through the straight path of his law, (for law and judgment appear to be synonymous, as we explained in Psalm xviii.,) which he then explains in other words, “ He will teach the meek his ways;” that is, to the meek he will give the grace of knowing and loving, and thus fulfilling his law. Observe that the proud are not altogether excluded from the grace of God, but have their place assigned them, The proud, to be sure, are incapable of perfection, of which this Psalm principally treats, until, from the influence of fear, they do penance, and then, having shaken off the fear, become mild and humble, The grace of God, then, first softens and subdues the proud and the obstinate, and when thus humbled and contrite, “ Jt guides them in judgment,” and * teaches them his ways.”

10 “ All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that seek after his covenant and his testimonies.”

Having stated that not only were the meek guided by God, but that all God’s dealings with such souls were acts of mercy and justice, justice meaning the honour and truth that oblige men to perform their promises, “ The ways of the Lord,” mean here his works, they being, in some respect, the ¢ way” in which he comes to us; unless we prefer to understand the expression as meaning the Lord’s rules or customs, and, as it were, the law he uses, Thus the “ Ways of the Lord ;” the law he gives us by means of which, as by a straight road, we ascend direct to God, is sometimes intended by the expression ; at other times, it signifies the law he uses himself, when, through his works, he descends to us And as Dayid had previously spoken at great length

THE PSALMS.

on the former, he now speaks of the latter, that is, of the law he made for himself, and which he observes towards us; and. he, therefore, lays down, “ All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth ;” that is, his law, his custom, his mode of dealing with us, are all in mercy and truth; so that whatever he promises in his mercy, he invariably carries out ia his truth. Who doth God so deal with? ‘ With those that seek afier his covenant and his testimonies.” He gives the name of testament, or ‘ covenant,” to that bargain he made with man, when he gave him the law, that they should be his people, and he should be their God; which bargain is called a testament in the Scripture, because it contains a promise of inheritance, and required to be confirmed by the death of the testator, as it really was by the death of Christ, as a sign of which Moses sprinkled the whole people with blood, saying, ‘‘ This 7s the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you,” Exod. xxiv., and Heb. ix. He calls the Jaw that God gaye us “ His testimonies,” because, as we have already stated, through the law God testifies his will to us. With those, then, who seek for the compact entered into by God with man to observe it, and, in like manner, seek for the law of God to carry it out, that is, with men of good will, fearing and loving God, he deals with such in the law of mercy and truth.

11 ‘‘ For thy name's sake, O Lord, thou will pardon my sin: for it is great.”

From the geveral law in which God deals with those that fear him, the prophet infers that he has a fair hope of his sins being forgiven. “ For thy names sake, O Lord,’ to make known thy mercy and thy trath, ‘* Zhou wilt pardon my sin, for tt is great.” The word great may signify numerous, as a great people, in which sense St. James uses it, when he says, “‘ We all offend in many things: or, on account of the magnitude and the grievousness of the sins, for holy souls look upon trifles as grievous, which trifles are really grievous, if we consider the greatness of the person offended. é ‘

12 ‘* Who és the man that feareth the Lord? He hath appointed him a law in the way he hath chosen.”

The prophet is now like one in love, now sighing for what he loves, now praising it, again sighing and longing for it. The just man was in love with the grace of God, ardently longed for the forgiveness of his sins, for the grace of living well, and pleasing God, and, therefore, now asks God’s grace thereto ; at one time he praises the grace, and declares the happiness of those that fear God, that is, of those who have got such a grace; and again he returns to © desire and to ask for it. Thus, in this verse and the two following, he declares the advantages those who fear God enjoy. ‘‘ Who is the man that feareth the Lord?” Wet such a man come forward and learn from me what a fortunate man he is. The next sentence, * He hath appointed hin a law in the way he

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS.

hath chosen.” Many think this a part of the happiness hereinbefore alluded to; that is to say, That man, fearing the Lord, will, in the first place, have the privilege of being instructed by God “ in the way he hath chosen ;” that is, in the state of life he may select. Not a bad interpretation, but I prefer another. The prophets are very much in the habit of repeating the same idea twice in the same verse, sometimes for explanation; and I imagine the meaning of the passage, “ Who ts the man that feareth the Lord 2” to be, who, I say, is the man that God has instructed in his law, in the way that man has selected ; that is, in the direct path of living a holy life, and moving to God, which he has already chosen of his free will. One part of the verse thus explains the other, for that is he who fears God, who, by his grace, chooses the road to him, which road is none other than the observance of the commandments,

13 “ His soul shall dwell in good things : and his seed shall inherit the tand.”

‘The happiness of the man fearing God consists in this, that “hs soul,” the man fearing the Lord, * shall dwell in good-things,” shall enjoy those good things, not for a while, orin a transitory way, but for ever, permanently. Nothing can be more true, for * To them that love God, all things work together wnto good,” asthe apostle, in his Epistle to the Romans, has it. Therefore, he that fears God must be always happy. In prosperity he will know how to enjoy it; in adversity, patience and the hope of a great reward in the kingdom of heaven will come to his help. Thus, he will always be glad, and rejoice. And himself will not only dwell in good things, but even his children; ‘“* His seed shall inherit the land;” inheritance and possession signifying the same thing, as we have already explained in Psalm xv. The children of those who fear God will possess the land, because they will live in peace therein, withont any one to injure them, in the sense we have alluded to; because to the good ‘* All things work together unto good,” and their very tribulations become a source of joy and merit.

14 “ The Lord is a firmament to them that fear him: and his covenant shall be made manifest to them.”

The reason why those who fear God shall always “ Dwell in good things,” is, because they do not depend on perishable and transitory things, but God himself is ‘‘ thecr firmament ;” that is, their hope is based on the friendship and help of God. — Firmament means foundation, on which they rest, that foundation being God himself; and their reason for depending on him is, because “ his covenant” makes it ‘ manifest to them.” They who fear God know right well, and often call to mind, the treaty he entered into with man, to be their God, and to be a most loving parent to them, on the condition of their observing his laws; and they can, therefore, understand how, by reason of this compact, they can depend upon God, as upon a most solid foundation.

15 “* My eyes are ever toward the Lord: for he shall pluck my feet out of the snare.”

Having enlarged for a while on the happiness of those that fear the Lord, he now returns to wish and to pray forit: “* My eyes are ever towards the Lord.” My mind’s eye has God ever before it, as being entirely dependent on him. The most effectual mode of prayer is, for one to place themselves in a most abject position, before the one from whom help is ex~ pected, and to propitiate the benignity of the great, rather by modestly, silently, and quietly pointing to our poverty, than by stunning them with our clamour. As we have in Psalm exxii., “As the eyes of the handmaid are on the hands of her mistress; so are our eyes unto the Lord our God, until he have mercy

on us.” For he shall pluck my feet out of the snare.” Ihave my eyes so intently fixed on God,

because he will, as I trust, deliver me from all danger of temptations, which, like snares, beset us on all sides while here below. The expression may also mean, that I always keep up the intention of pleasing God, and of doing nothing opposed to his will. It may also mean the contemplation of the divine beauty, which is always before the mind’s eye of those that seriously love God ; but, I consider the first explanation the most literal.

16 ‘‘ Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me ; for I am alone and poor.”

As he is always looking to God, he justly asks to be looked upon by him. Such was his silent prayer when he had his ‘eyes ever toward the Lord,” hoping he may regard with mercy his loneliness and his poverty. He says he is “alone,” lonely and desolate, or (which is better) because he had in spirit detached himself from the whole world, and attached himself to God alone. He calls himself * poor,” because in his humility he looked upon himself as destitute of all virtues and merits.

17 ‘ The troubles of my heart are multiplied ; deliver me from my necessities.”

Iam more inclined to think the temptations of sin are referred to here, rather than temporal troubles. David was one of those who, with the apostle, Rom. vii., groaned and said, “ But I see another law in my members, jighting against the law of my mind, and captivating me tn the law of sin, that ts in my members. Unhappy man that Iam, who shalt deliver me from the body of this death.” ‘* The necessities,’” from which he seeks to be delivered, seem to be those most troublesome motions of concupiscence, which, in spite of us, will sometimes torment us, and even lead us to sin.

18 ‘ See my abjection and my labour ; and forgive me all my sins.”

He follows up the prayer, and asks forgiveness for the sins into which he may have fallen by the force of temptation. For, though a sonl fearing God may be grievously afflicted, and take great pains in resisting concupiscence, still the just man falls seven

times; and yet, from his fall, he may be proved to be just ; because, at once, by his tears, his prayers, and his contrition, he quickly wipes away the filth and dirt into which he had incautiously fallen. By * abjection,” we are not to understand the virtue of humility ; but his abjection, properly speaking, his meanness. For the just man, when he means to become quite perfect, looks down thoroughly on himself, and still does not escape sin. Instead of ‘‘ Forgive me my sins,” the Hebrew has “bear my sins,” expressive of the trouble of the true child of God, for fear God may be displeased by the great number of them ; and he, therefore, exclaims, ‘ bear them.” Do not be fatigued in carrying them, and supportiug my weakness.

19 “Consider my enemies, for they are multiplied, and have hated me with an unjust hatred.”

He argues now from the number and the cruelty of his enemies. Lord, says he, you have seen “ My abjection and my labour; behold, now, the multitude, the cruelty, and the iniquity of my spiritual enemies. ‘The enemies who seek to draw us to sin, and incessantly inflame our concupiscence with red hot weapons, are the demons whom St. Paul calls “* The spirits of wickedness ;” that they are innumerable is well-known; and that they burn with the worst sort of hatred, with “An unjust hatred,” against us, is equally well known. Hatred is said to be unjust, or most unjust, when one hates another without cause, without any provocation. The hatred may also be said to be unjust, when one seeks to harm another ; not for any lucre or benefit, to be derived therefrom, but, from the mere spirit of mischief. Such is the hatred of the devil towards the human race, especially towards the elect ; for mankind never did any harm to the devil, but he, blinded “by envy, was the ruin of man. ‘“ By the envy of the devil, death came into the world,” Sap. ii. The same evil one now harasses the faithful by temptations, not for the purpose of deriving any benefit therefrom, but to gratify his delight in the ruin of the just.

20 ‘* Keep thow my soul, and deliver me: I shall not be ashamed, for I have hoped in thee.”

Surrounded as I am by so many enemies, especially invisible ones, to resist whom I feel my own strength unequal, Ihave, therefore, recourse to you “to keep my soul,” and by your care of it, to free and deliver me from them. For freeing and delivering from the enemy does not suppose that a capture has been made, it equally applies when a capture is prevented. ‘ Thowhast delivered my soul out of the lower hell,” Psalm lxxxv., which means, as it does here, you have prevented my falling into it. The meaning may be also, Keep my soul in the prison of this body, in which I am detained a captive, “ Mor the law of my members holds me a captive in the law of sin,” and afterwards, in the fitting time, deliver me.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS,

21 “* The innocent and the upright have adhered te me: because I have waited on thee.”

Having said, in the preceding verse, that “J shall not be ashamed, for I have hoped in thee,” he gives a reason why he would fear to be ashamed at being deserted by God, and the reason is, that ‘‘ many innocent and upright,” through the force of his example, especially from seeing him hope in God alone, “‘ adhered to thee,” who certainly would cause him to blush and to be confounded were they to see him disappointed, ‘ J shall not be ashamed,” then, has quite a different meaning in the end of the Psalm from what it had in the beginning of it. In the beginning the meaning was, ‘‘ J will not be ashamed” before my enemies in their insolence; here it is, ‘‘ 7 will not be ashamed” before my friends in their kind condolence.

22 “ Deliver Israel, O God, from all his tribulations.”

David, being not only one of God’s people, but also the prince and head of others, having prayed at sufficient length for himself, he now adds a prayer for his people ; a general one, as being unable to enter into the peculiar wants and difficulties of each individual.