Psalm 24

Psalm 25

David's prayer to God in his distress, to be delivered, that he may come to worship him in his tabernacle.

1 Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence: and I have put my trust in the Lord, and shall not be weakened.

2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me; burn my reins and my heart.

3 For thy mercy is before my eyes: and I am well pleased with thy truth.

4 I have not sat with the council of vanity: neither will I go in with the doers of unjust things. :

5 I have hated the assembly of the malignant; and with the wicked I will not sit

6 I will wash my hands among the innocent; and will compass thy altar, O Lord,

7 That I may hear the voice of thy praise: and tell of all thy wondrous works.

8 I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of thy house; and the place where thy glory dwelleth.

9 Take not away my soul, O God, with the wicked: nor my life with bloody men.

10 In whose hands are iniquities: their right hand is filled with gi!ts.

11 But as for me, I have walked in my innocence: redeem me, and have mercy on me.

12 My foot hath stood in the direct way: in the churches I will bless thee, O Lord.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS,

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALM.

1 “ Judge me, O Lord, for Ihave walked in my innocence: and I have put my trust in the Lord, and shall not be weakened.”

David, having a misunderstanding with the kivg, appeals to the King of kings, there being none other to whom he could appeal. ‘‘ Judge me, O Lord.” Be you, O Lord, my judge; let not Saul take it on him, but do it yourself. ‘ Mor Ihave walked in my tnnocence,” with confidence I challenge God’s judgment, because my conscience, which God alone beholds, does not reprove me, ‘* for I have walked in my tmnocence.” I have led an innocent life. ‘ J have put my trust in the Lord, and shall not be weakened.” Trusting in God’s justice, J will not fail, but will conquer.

2 “* Prove me, O Lord, and try me; burn my reins and my heart.”

Having stated that he led an innocent life, he proves it by the testimony of God himself, who neither can deceive nor be deceived ; for he does not tell God to “prove and try him,” in order to come at truth of which he was ignorant, but that he may make known to others what he in secret sees. David then, on the strength of a good conscience, and in the sincerity of his heart, speaks to the Lord, saying. “ Prove me and try me;” search with the greatest diligence, examine the inmost and deepest recesses of my heart; nay more, “burn my reins and my heart,” examine my thoughts and desires as carefully as gold, when tested by the fire. Ido not think David asks here to be proved and tried by adversity, or that ‘his reins and heart” should be scorched by the fire of tribulation, when he seems to be asking for the very contrary; but he asks, as I stated-before, to be “ proved and tried” by a most minute examination and inspection ; and God having the most minute and exact knowledge of every thing, that he may declare to the world the innocence of his servant, and thus silence the calumny of his enemies.

3 “ For thy mercy is before my eyes: and I am weil pl ased with thy truth.”

He assigns a reason for wishing to be ‘‘ proved and tried,” inasmuch as his conscience encouraged him therein, as if he said, I beg of you to prove me, for I have trod thy paths, for ‘ all thy ways are mercy and truth,” Psalm xxiv.; and “ thy mercy is before my eyes,” which I always look upon and consider, in the hope of being able to imitate it, and to act by my neighbours in conformity with it ; “ And I am well pleased with thy truth.” It has pleased me,

and I have therefore lived according to it. "4 “have not sat with the council of vanity : neither will I go in with the doers of unjust things.

5 ‘I have hated the assembly of the malignant ; and with the wicked I will not sit.”

Theodoret, in my opinion, most properly says, that these words apply to the idolatrous assemblies -of the gentiles in their temples, of which David had

the greatest abhorrence, and which he witnessed while in exile with the king of the Philistines. Every thing, he says, here appears to be put in opposition to what he says in other parts of the Psalm, for instance, “Ihave loved, O Lord, the beauty of thy house;” and a little before that, “‘Z will compass thy altar, O Lord;” and herein after, “ In the churches I will bless thee, O Lord.” He calls the assembly of the idolaters the ‘council of vanity,” for what can be more vain? What, more vain than idols, false images? As the apostle says, “ We know that an idol ts nothing in the world,” 1 Cor. viii. Throughout the Scriptures idols are called vain, or vanities, Deut. xxxil., “ They have provoked me with that which was no God, and have angered me with their vanities ;” and 1 Kings xii., “‘ And turned not aside after vain things, which shall never profit you, nor deliver you, because they are vain.” See also 3 Kings xvi. ; Jeremias ii., and various other passages. ‘The same idolaters are styled, ‘‘ Doers of unjust things,” because the height of injustice is to give to creatures the worship due to God alone. ‘‘ The council of vanity,” in one verse is called the “ Assembly of the malignant” in the next; ‘ Doers of unjust things” in the same verse are called the ‘‘ Wicked,” a name peculiarly appropriate to idolaters, in the following verse.

6 “I will wash my hands among the mnocent ; and will compass thy altar, O Lord.”

Having expressed. his hatred of the conventicles of the idolatrous infidels, among whom he was then living, he adds, that he has, on the contrary, the most intense love for the tabernacle of the Lord and the assembly of the saints; and briefly states what he means to do when, through God’s assistance, he shall have been called from exile to his own country. T will wash my hands among the innocent ; and will compass thy altar, O Lord.” Beforel go into thy temple, I will do what all pious people are wont to do: “TF will wash my hands,” and go about your altar joining those in the act of it, in hymns of praise. For the meaning. Some will have it, that David alludes to the washing of hands, as a proof or sign of one’s innocence, as Pilate washed his hands before the Jews, saying, “‘Z am innocent of the blood of this just man;” as if he said, See, Ihave washed my hands, do not pollute them with the blood of this just man; and J, therefore, dare not condemn bim. We often use a similar expression when we wish to get out ofa thing. We say, ‘I wash my hands out of it.” I consider, however, the sense more likely to be, and more in keeping with the regt of the chapter, to consider David alluding to a custom of the Jews, who, previous to their entering into the tabernacle, purified both themselves and the victims they offered, which purifications or lotions, are called by the apostle, Heb. ix., ‘* Divers washings and justifications of the flesh ;” and, as those external lotions ought to be the sign of internal purity, David, there-

fore, says, “J will wash my hunds among the innocent,” as a sign of my real internal purity, as an innocent person would wash them ; and not with the hypocrites, who do so with clean hands and unclean heart. The expression, ‘* 2 will compass thy altar,” some understand of the number of victims; but I rather think it refers to those who in hymns of praise will go about the altar, as the following Psalm has it, “I have gone round, and have offered up a sacrijice of jubilation ;” and in the very next verse to this we have, “* That I may hear the voice of thy praise; and tell of all thy wondrous works.”

7 “ That Imay hear the voice of thy praise : and tell of all thy wondrous works.”

An explanation of the expression, “ Z will compass thy altar, O Lord,” that with the choir of worshippers I may hear, and join in singing the praises of the Lord. St. Augustine, arguing against the Pelagians, proves, with great accuracy and piety, from this passage, that they only hear the voice of God’s praise who refer all their actions, and all they possess, to God’s free gift. For the hearts of the just, “ who have ears to hear,” are always devoted to God’s praise, thanking him for all their own merits and virtues ; whereas, on the contrary, those who presume on their own justice, and are swollen with the idea of their own perfections, as if they had them by their own exertions, and not from God, do not hear “ the voice of thy praise,’ but the voice of their own praise.

8 ‘“*T have loved, O Lord, the beauty of thy house ; and the place where thy glory dwelleth.”

Nothing gave him more trouble in his exile than the being unable to see the tabernacle of the Lord. His mind, deeply inflamed with the love of God, looked upon no spot on the earth more beautiful than that where God was wont to shew himeelf visibly. The tabernacle that contained the ark of the covenant was called, “ The house of God,” “ the place of the habitation of his glory,” because a bright cloud would frequently descend thereon, to signify God’s presence there ; the God “ who inhabiteth light inaccessible,” Jam. i. 6., and because there, too, was the oracle from which God gave his responses.

9 ‘* Take not away my soul, O God, with the wicked: nor my life with bloody men.”

Having appealed to God, at first, as a judge, and having exposed his innocence, of which God was witness, he concludes by a prayer, that judgment may be delivered in his favour, “ Take not away my soul, O God, with the wicked.” Do not condemn me as you do the wicked; My soul” means me, as it does frequently through the Scriptures; and by “* Bloody men,” he means those who, like so many homicides, were persecuting him.

10 “In whose hands are iniquities: their right hand is filled with gifts.”

He tells us who are the wicked and the bloody men of whom he spoke in the foregoing verse ; they

COMMENTARY

ON THE PSALMS.

are those who receive bribes for unfair judgments 3 glancing at the sins of those in power, the judges. With much point he says, ‘‘ In whose hands are iniquitres ;” attributing the iniquity to that part of the body that touches the bribe, to shew the bribe was the cause of the iniquity.

11 “* But as for me, Ihave walked in my innocence : redeem me, and have mercy on me.”

He repeats his reason for not being condemned with the wicked, namely, because ‘* He walked in his innocence; that is, led an innocent life. ‘* Redeem me, and have mercy on me.” Deliver me from my present troubles, and then have mercy on me, that [ may not fall into them again. The words ‘ »edeem”* and “ deliver,” most frequently have the same meaning in the Scriptures, unless, perhaps, the Holy Ghost may insinuate that any deliverance of the elect from tribulation may be called redemption, inasmuch as such is effected through the blood of Christ our Redeemer.

12 ‘* My foot hath stood in the direct way: in the churches I will bless thee, O Lord.”

These words have reference to the concluding expression in the last verse, “ Have mercy on me.” I have asked to be delivered from my present trouble by reason of the rectitude of my life ; I ask for future mercy, because “ My foot hath stood;” that is to say, is firmly fixed and planted in the direct, honest road, and, therefore, I cannot easily leave the straight path of thy law ; and, in thanksgiving for it, ‘ Z will bless thee” and praise thee ‘‘ in the Churches,” tne assemblies of the pious.

PSALM XXXVI. David's faith and hope in God.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life; of whom shall I be afraid ?

2 Whilst the wicked draw near against me, to eat my flesh. My enemies that trouble me, have themselves been weakened, and have fallen.

3 If armies in camp should stind together against me, my heart shall not fear. If a battle should rise up against me, in this will I be confident.

4 One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after; that 1 may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life. That I may see the delight of the Lord and— may visit his temple.

5 For he hath hidden me in his tabernacle: in the day of evils, he hath protected me in the secret place of his tabernacle. .

6 He hath exalted me upon a rock: and

now he hath lifted up my head above m enemies. I have gone round, and have offered up in his tabernacle a sacrifice of jubi- ‘ lation: I will sing, and recite a psalm to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, my voice, with which I have cried to thee: have mercy on me, and hear me.

8 My heart hath said to thee: My face hath sought thee: thy face, O Lord, will I still seek.

9 Turn not away thy face from me: decline not in thy wrath from thy servant. Be thou my helper, forsake me not; do not thou despise me, O God my Saviour.

10 For my father and my mother have left me: but the Lord hath taken me up.

11 Set me, O Lord, a law in thy way, and guide me in the right path, because of my enemies.

12 Deliver me not over to the will of them that trouble me: for unjust witnesses have risen up against me; and iniquity hath lied to itself.

13 I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the

Lord.

EXPLANATION OF THE PSALM.

1“ The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear ? whom shall I be afraid 2”

Tribulation brings on darkness, prosperity brings light and serenity ; for tribulation confuses and confounds the soul, so that it cannot easily see how it ought to act, and thence is provoked to impatience, or to some other sin. But should God, by his divine light, dispel the darkness, the soul at once sees that the tribulation, which in the darkness of the night brought such horrors with it, was temporary and

_ trifling ; and sees, at the same time, that tribulation, when God protects us, can not only do us no harm, but even tends marvellously to our good. David,

having learned this by experience, exclaims, there- .

fore, for himself, and in the person of all the elect, © The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall F fear?’ In other words. ignorance and infirmity made me timid in my tribulation, but once the Lord ** enlightened” my mind, he made me clearly see that no temporal calamity can be grievous or continuous, and healed my soul with the ointment of divine love. ‘“*T fear no one,” for truth expels darkness, and ** nerfect charity casteth out fear,” 1 John iv. ‘ The Lord ts the protector of my life, of whom shail I be afraid ?” another reason why he should no lovger

The Lord is the protector of my life, of

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fear. The Lord not only is “my light and my sal

vation,” he will not desert me when enlightened and saved, but will constantly protect me with the shield of his providence and benevolence. ‘ Of whom shall I be afraid,” then? “ If God be for us, who is against us 2’ If aking, with a powerful armed escort, has no reason to fear, why should a servant of God, protected by his powerful and immortal master, have any fear about him? “ Protected by the sign of the cross, instead of shield and helmet, I will securely penetrate the ranks of the enemy,” says St. Martin ; for he was one of those who could con-

-fidently say, “ Zhe Lord is the protector of my life,

of whom shall I be afraid?”

2 “ Whilst the wicked draw near against me, to eat my flesh. My enemies that trouble me, have themselves been weakened, and have fallen.”

He describes the effects of God’s protection, and, as is usual with the prophets, makes use of the past for the future tense, to shew the certainty of the matter. The meaning is, God will so protect me, that when they who wish me harm, “shall draw near against me,” like dogs or lions, ‘* seeking to eat my flesh,” ‘ these enemies that so trouble me” will become ‘so weak” and “ so fallen” by their efforts, that, instead of harming me, they will only damage themselves. That such is the case is clear from the example, not only of David himself, but of Christ, and the martyrs, and of all the saints,

3“ Tfarmies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear. Ifa battle should rise up against me, in this will I be confident.”

To shew what unbounded confidence he has in God, he now says that he not only despises his enemies individually, but that he even fears not ‘‘ armes m camp” of his enemies, and not only so encamped, but even in actual battle. ;

4 “* One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will F seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. That I may see the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple.” ‘

This. ‘‘ one thing,” so asked, is thought by some to mean the house where the ark of the covenant lay; who will have it that he asks to return from exile, that he may be near the ark. I prefer the opinion of St. Augustine, who understands it of heaven, which seems to be not only the true, but even the literal meaning. For David does not ask to dwell near “the house of the Lord,” but “in the house of the Lord;” and it is well known that David never lived in the house of the Lord, but in his own palace, which was a good distance from the tabernacle, more so before the tabernacle was brought to Mount Sion ; and he could, bad he so chosen it, when he was king, have lived as near as he pleased to the tabernacle. Along with that, this verse is a counterpart of one in Psalm Ixxxiii., ‘‘ Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord; they shall praisethee for ever andever ;” a vhrase that can only be applied to:those that dwell

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in God’s house ia heaven. Finally, David, holy aud perfect as he was, would never have so ardently desired or asked for any temporal favour in such terms as, ‘ One thing I have asked of the Lord,” as if nothing else was to be asked. ‘The prophet then, in this passage, tells us what is the real foundation of his confidence in God, and why he fears no tem- _ poral calamity. The foundation is a fervent love of God, for he that fervently loves the supreme and cverlasting good, sets no value whatever on the things of this workl. ‘¢ One thing I have asked of the Lord; this [ will seek after.” I ask for nothing temporal; I care not for the loss of the whole world, provided I be found worthy of possessing oae thing ; for that one thing alone do I care; that one thing alone have I asked; that ove thing alone will I ask ; namely, ‘ to dwell in the house of the Lord;” not for a while, but, ‘ for all the days of my life;” that is, during the life of the saints with God, which will certain'y have no termination. Observe the point in the words, “ That I may dwell in the house of the Lord;” for while here on earth we are the children, as well as the friends of God; however, we do uot dwell with, but rather walk with God; nor do we rest in his house, bat in his tent.—* That I may see the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple.” He tells us why he longs to dwell in the hoase of the Lord, because there perfect happiness reigns. For there is to be scen the beauty of God’s house and of the heavenly host; where nothing profane can enter, but where there is a daily sacrifice of jubilation and praise,

5 “ For he hath hidden me in his tabernacle : in the day of evils, he hath protected me in the secret place of his tabernacle.”

Ife assigns a reason for having so boldly asked

-for a place in the house of the Lord, and a sight of his beauty; because he had already got a taste of his swectness, and a pledge of his love: as if he briefly raid, Having received the grace, I dare to ask for the glory. The whole is metaphorical ; for, correctly speaking, David was not “ hid in the tabernacle” of the Lord, avhen Saul was in pursuit of him ; but the whole passage means, in the evil days of the present time, God has defended and protected me as effectually as if he had placed and hidden me in the inmost recesses of his tabernacle ; and from such condescension on God’s part, I confidently hope that I will one day arrive at his house, * The one thing I have asked ;” the one thing ** J will seck after.” The second part of the verse is, in other words, a repetition of the first.

6 “ He hath exalted me upon arock : and now he hath lifted up my head above my enemies, Thave gone round, and have offered up in his tabernacle a sacrifice of jubilation: I will sing, and recite a psalm to the Lord.”

By another metaphor he conveys the same idea ; namely, that he was so defended and protected by God’s providence as if he were in a lofty and well fortified tower, isaias uses the same metaphor when

COMMENTARY GN TRE PSALMS.

he says, xxxili, 16., ‘ He shall dwell on high; the Sortifications of rocks shall be his highness.” _'The meaning then is, ‘‘ He hath exalted me upon a rock ;” placed me in an elevated, fortified position, and hence, “ My head is lifted up above my enemies;” J have subdued and vanqnished them all. Thus is described not only the protection and defence of the just, who cannot possibly be injured by any machinations of the enemy, according to,1 St. Peter iii., “ And wha is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good ?” but even we are told how the just arrived at such security ; namely, by elevating the mind in contemplation to God and to eternity. For he that seriously meditates on eternity, and has an ardent love for God, is placed on a very lofty and well fortified tower, so that nothing can harm him, all earthly things having now become so vile in his sight. ‘*Z have gone round.” The praphet having spoken of contemplation, is himself now wrapped in it; is raised up above every thing earthly, and breaks out in admiration of God’s works, and of the Almighty producer of them, “I have gone round.” I have taken a mental suryey of God’s works in heaven and on earth; “ And have offered up tn his tabernacle a sacrifice of jubilation ;” in this great tabernacle of God, the heavens, which I have ascended in spirit; in a loud voice, proceeding from intense admiration, I have offered my tribute of praise to God, the most agreeable sacrifice I could possibly offer him, as we read in another Psalm, “ Offer to. God the sacrifice of praise;” and, in the same Psalm, “ The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me,” a thing 1 have not only already done, but will do daily, for ‘*Z will sing and recite a psa’m to the Lord.”

7 “ Hear, OLord, my voice, with which I have cried to thee: have mercy on me, and hear me.”

He revertsto “ One thing Ihave asked of the Lord,” which one petition he asks may be granted, burning as he is with a vehement desire of beholding bis beloved. ‘* Hear, O Lord, my voice with which I have erted to thee;” namely, when I asked for the ‘* One thing.” ** Have mercy on me,” suffering as | am in my exile, “ and hear me.”

8 “ My heart hath said to thee: My fuce hath sought thee: thy face, O Lord, will L still seek.”

9“ Turn not away thy face from me: decline not in thy wrath from thy servant. Be thou my helper, forsake me not; do not thou despise me, O God my Saviour.”

These verses require more to be reflected on and put into practice than to beexplained. “M/yheart hath, said to thee.” My desires have spoken to thee, * Ady Juce hath sought thee.” My interior eyes, fixed ia the face of my soul, look for thy beauty—despise every thing else, “ Thy face, O Lord, will I still seek.” It shall be always my study to look for a sight of thee, ia the hope not only of seeing thee face to face in the world to come; but that also, in this world, too, I may study one thing only, to catch your looks, and through them to be enlightened and inflamed. “ Zurn

COMMENTARY ON

not away thy face from me.” Keep your eyes consiantly on me, for fear my light may grow dark, and my charity grow cold. ‘ Decline not in thy wrath Srom thy servant.” Allow me not to fall into sin, for tear you may desert me in your anger, St. Augustine justly observes that the fear alluded to here is not servile, but holy fear. Servile fear wishes for the master’s absence, to be able to cffend with impunity, and, therefore, would not make use of the expression, “* Deelie not,” but would rather say, Go away, and decline; but holy fear, that truly loves the beloved, fears nothing more than his departure. ** Be thou my helper.” Having asked God “ not to decline tn his wrath from his servant,” and that, from a cons‘deration of the impossibility of his avoidiug, by his own strength, the sins that provoke the anger of God, he cries out to him to continue helpiog him, The jast man, then, asks God’s help to avoid sin; but should he un‘ortunate'y fall, he begs he may not be Ciscarded entirely, but that he may, in mercy, be pardoned and cured; and he, therefore, adds, ‘* O Ged, my Saviour ;” for a Saviour’s duty is to be. and to cure, instead of rejecting and despising the unfortunate.

10 ‘' For my father and my mother have left me: but he Lord hath taken me up.”

A very urgent reason assigned for God’s assisting liim, there being none that loves us so ardently. Observe the third person used for the second in the end of the verse; instead of saying, Thou hast taken me up, he says, * Zhe Lord hath taken me up,” and that through reverence for God, A similar change of }erson occurs in Genesis, where Rachel says to ber father, ** Let not my lord be angry at my not being able to rise before you;” and, in Kings, Nathan says to David, ** Has this word gone out from my lord the king 2” The expression, then, “ Zhe Lord hath iaken me up,” is the same as, You, O Lord, have taken me up. ‘These words beautifully express the goodness of God, for David was then no child, to feel the want of parents; nor could it have been any great loss to him to be without his parents, who then would ra‘her have been a burden than a loss to him ; the meaning then is, I am like a new-born babe, deserted, abandoned by its natural parents, and thus exposed to all manner of danger; but when so cast away and deserted, you, O Lord, have, in the excess of your goodness, taken me up, fostered, nourished, and cherished me. And, in fact, any one that will only reflect on the frailty of human nature, the power of our invisible e1em‘es, and how much we need the grace of God in all our actions, will not deny that we are, with the greatest justice, compared to infants exposed and abandoned by their parents. So convinced was Ezechias, the prophet, of his infirmity in this respect, that it was not to an exposed infant, but to a swallow’s young, unfledged, that he compaired himself, Isaias lviti., ‘Like the young of a swallow, so will I ery.”

11 ‘Set me, O Lord, a law in thy way, and guide me in the right path, because of my enemies.”

Having compared himself to an exposed, deserted infant, adopted by God, he anon fairly asks to be shewn how to walk. He asks the grace of being able to observe all his holy commandments, which he never loses sight of through the whole one hundred and fifty Psalms. Woat else could he do? when it was the only path to that heavealy house of God, which he had just declared to be the only wish and desive of his heart. ‘* And guide me in the right path, because of my enemies ;” that is, direct me in the way of your commandments, which is truly “ the right path;” the most just, however narrow it may be, Others will have it that, “ Teach me thy way” is a request for internal inspiration; and * Direct me tn the right path,” means a petition for a loving desire of observing the commandments. |The words, “* Because of my enemies,” imply the necessity of the | grace of God in this pilgrimage here below, to protect us from our visible, as well as from our invisible enemies, who are in daily ambush, watching us, secking to divert us f'om the straight roid of virtue to the rugged and difficult passes of vice,

12 ** Deliver me not over to the will of them that trouble me: for unjust witnesses have risen up against me; and imiquity hath led to itself.”

The same petition continued. He asks to be saved from being delivered up to ‘the wil’ of his’ enemies, especially his invisible ones. A similar expression occurs in Luke xxiii, ‘* He gave Jesus up to their will.” “ For unjust witnesses have risen up,” is by many referred to the false witnesses that so calumniated David; not an improbable explanation; but I consider that the sentence will be more in accordance with what preceded. as well as wi h what fo'lows, and also with the subject of the whole Psalm, if we interpret these words as applying to the temptations, whether of demons or of men, who, by false promises, or by threats, seek to bring the just to impatience, or to any other sin, as we have in Psalm exviii., “ The wicked have told me fubles, but not as thy law.”

13 ‘I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.”

He tells us why “iniquity hath lied to itself.” For I, in spite of all my enemies, “ believe,” have the strongest confidence, that “ J wi!l see the good things of the Lord;” that is, those good things which, before God, are good; which make man happy, which alone are really good ; and that, “ tn the land of the living,” in that land where death hath no place, ro dominion.

14 “ Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.”

He concludes by an apostrophe to himself, to have patience and confidence in God, saying, My soul, as you desire to dwellin the house of God, as you have so many pledges of his love, as you “ beleeve to see

THE PSALMS.

the good things of the Lord in the land of the living,” do not be disheartened in your trouble, do not look for any earthly consolation, but “ wait patiently,” take courage in the Lord, act the part of a man, until the evil days shall have passed away, and the good ones shall have arrived.