9 They in the wilderness that dwell 10 The kings of Tarshish, and the isles, 11 Yea, all the mighty kings on earth And all the nations of the world Do service to him shall. 12 For he the needy shall preserve, 13 The poor man and the indigent 14 Both from deceit and violence 15 Yea, he shall live, and giv'n to him For him still shall they pray, and he 16 Of corn an handful in the earth On tops of mountains high, With prosp'rous fruit shall shake, like trees The city shall be flourishing, Her citizens abound In number shall, like to the grass That grows upon the ground. 17 His name for ever shall endure; Last like the sun it shall: Men shall be bless'd in him, and bless'd 18 Now blessed be the Lord our God, For he alone doth wondrous works, 19 And blessed be his glorious name The whole earth let his glory fill, PSALM LXXIII. THE paraphrase* of this Psalm, the reader will perceive to be full and explicit, I trust, in every particular, exactly squared according to the parallels, and the analogy of the common faith of God's elect.-If that does not satisfy, the writer has no more to say but this only, that, as the Psalm is all spoken in one person, this interpretation must be allowed, or that of several of the parallels, such as Psalm xvi. xvii. xxvi. xxxv. xxxvii, &c. (which by the New Testament, I suppose, is put beyond all controversy) must be rejected. The structure of the Psalm is what may be called hypothetical, consisting of a series of conditions, the supposing any one whereof to be true, would be to land the argument in a manifest absurdity: a method of reasoning, which is exceedingly common, not only in the Holy Scriptures, but also in all writings and discourses whatsoever. The objections they bring against the application of this Psalm, as spoken in the person of the Messiah, they think unanswerable; as from ver. 2. But, as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well See Note, page 94, nigh slipt.' But what can be inferred from these words, but that the speaker, in the circumstances supposed and described, was in great anxiety and pressure of spirit, almost overwhelmed and overcome by the consideration of the matter in his view?Which is really confirmed and demonstrated by the next words, properly understood; although the translators, filled with nothing in their minds but the persons, situations, and frailties of the penmen, as appears from their contents of all the Psalms, as well as of this, have accommodated the turn of the words to the state of their fancied speaker, and have made him say, 'I was envious,' &c. which, upon any occasion but the present, where they most deserved, would have been rendered thus, I was moved with ⚫ zealous indignation,' or, I was exceedingly griev⚫ed at the foolish,' &c.-It would look very like affectation, and an useless display of what the most part of my readers would call pedantry, to endeavourto justify, by quotations from the critics, this observation upon ver. 3. which I shall leave to every honest and wise heart to consider; and pass on to ver. 16. • When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me'-or rather as the margin* tells us, according to the Hebrew reading, 'It was labour in mine eyes.' Now what can be understood by this plain, Hebrew reading, but that it was painful or grievous to behold?--And how remarkably was this fulfilled, when Jesus saw the buyers and sellers in the temple, and in him was fulfilled this saying, The zeal of ⚫ thine house hath eaten me up?' John ii. 17.-Ver. 21. explains the whole in plain terms, Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. -But what shall be made of the next verse, ‹ So foolish was I, and ignorant;' (Heb. as the margin, • I knew not'); 'I was as a beast before thee;' (Heb. marg. 'with thee') ?-Psal. xcii. 6. is by no means parallel to this, although quoted on the margin. *If the paraphrase of this verse should fail of giving * Prose Psalms of the Bible. satisfaction to our bold objectors, I would ask them what good consistent sense they will put upon these words of the prophet, which the Holy Ghost is witness, are spoken of the Lord Jesus Christ? Who is blind but my Servant? or deaf as my Messenger that I sent? Who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he 'heareth not!' Isa. xlii. 19, 20. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb be'fore his shearers, so opened he not his mouth ;' Isa. liii. 7.—and, I am a worm, and no man!' Psal. xxii.-Meaning, in all these passages, the appearances he made in his estate of humiliation among men, and the estimation wherein he was held of them as a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; without form or beauty, in their eyes, why he should be desired, &c. 1 How zealously his spirit burn'd, YE ET God is good to Israel, 2 But as for me, my steps near slipp'd, My feet were almost gone. 3 For I envious was, and grudg'd When I perceiv'd the wicked sort 4 For still their strength continueth firm; 5 They are not toil'd like other men, Nor plagu'd, as others be. 6 Therefore their pride, like to a chain, Doth cover them throughout. 7 Their eyes stand out with fat; they have More than their hearts could wish. 8 They are corrupt; their talk of wrong Both lewd and lofty is. 9 They set their mouth against the heav'n's In their blasphemous talk; And their reproaching tongue throughout 10 His people oftentimes for this 11 And thus they say, How can it be 12 Behold, these are the wicked ones, In worldly things; they do increase To no effect in innocence Washed my hands have I. 14 For daily, and all day throughout, 15 If in this manner foolishly |