1 Sing joyfully to God our strength. This psalm, it is probable, was appointed to be sung on the festival days on which the Jews kept their solemn assemblies. In the exordium, there is set forth the order of worship which God had enjoined. They were not to stand deaf and dumb at the tabernacle; for the service of God does not consist in indolence, nor in cold and empty ceremonies; but they were, by such exercises as are here prescribed, to cherish among themselves the unity of faith; to make an open profession of their piety; to stir up themselves to continual progress therein; to endeavor to join, with one accord, in praising God; and, in short, to continue steadfast in the sacred covenant by which God had adopted them to himself.

Such having been the use of festival days under the law, we may conclude, that whenever true believers assemble together at the present day, the end which they ought to have in view is to employ themselves in the exercises of religion — to call to their remembrance the benefits which they have received from God — to make progress in the knowledge of his word — and to testify the oneness of their faith. Men only mock God by presenting to him vain and unprofitable ceremonies, unless the doctrine of faith go before, stirring them up to call upon God; and unless, also, the remembrance of his benefits furnish matter of praise. Yea, rather it is a profanation of his name, when people quench the light of divine truth, and satisfy themselves with performing mere outward service. Accordingly, the faithful are here not only enjoined to come together to the tabernacle, but are also taught the end for which they are to assemble there, which is, that the free and gracious covenant which God has made with them may be brought anew to their remembrance, for increasing their faith and piety, that thus the benefits which they have received from him may be celebrated, and their hearts thereby moved to thanksgiving. With respect to the tabret, harp, and psaltery, we have formerly observed, and will find it necessary afterwards to repeat the same remark, that the Levites, under the law, were justified in making use of instrumental music in the worship of God; it having been his will to train his people, while they were as yet tender and like children, by such rudiments, until the coming of Christ. But now when the clear light of the gospel has dissipated the shadows of the law, and taught us that God is to be served in a simpler form, it would be to act a foolish and mistaken part to imitate that which the prophet enjoined only upon those of his own time. From this, it is apparent that the Papists have shown themselves to be very apes in transferring this to themselves. Under the new moon, by the figure synecdoche, is comprehended all the other high feasts. Sacrifices were daily offered; but the days on which the faithful met together at the tabernacle, according to the express appointment of the law, are called, by way of eminence, the days of sacrifice.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

INTRODUCTION

Superscription.To the chief Musician upon Gittith. Gittith is explained in several ways. One interpretation is that it was a musical instrument invented in Gath, or common among the Gittites. Or it may have been the name of a tune to which the Psalm is to be sung, and which originated from Gath. Others have derived the word from = a wine press, and concluded that it denotes an instrument which was used by those accustomed to tread the wine-vat, and intended to accompany the songs of the vintage. Fuerst in his Lexicon says it is the proper name of a musical body of Levites, who had their chief seat in the Levitical city . A Psalm of Asaph. This Psalm appears to have been composed by Asaph, who was the contemporary of David.

Occasion.The Psalm seems to have been composed for the celebration of the Passover. It is well remarked by De Wette that as the Hebrews were required to make known to their children the design of the ordinance of the Passover (see Exo. 12:26-27), nothing would be more natural than that the sacred poets should take occasion from the return of that festival to enforce the truths pertaining to it in songs composed for the celebration. Such seems to have been the design of this Psalm,reminding the people of the goodness of God in the past, and recalling them from their sins by a remembrance of His mercies, and by a view of what would be the consequences of fully obeying His law.Barnes.

RELIGIOUS WORSHIP

(Psa. 81:1-7.)

In these verses we have an exhortation to worship God. By nature man is a worshipper. There is that within him which impels him to render homage to some thing, or being. If this tendency of our nature be misdirected, its exercise will be most baneful in its influence upon us. But if it be rightly directed, its exercise will influence us most blessedly. Religious worship is set before us here,

I. In its Object. Godthe Supremely Good. The object is

1. A Person. Not an abstraction of the intellect, or a mental concept, a mere idea. Nor yet an impersonal influence or force. Nor yet the absolute substantia underlying all phenomena. But a Divine Person.

2. A Person related to us. The Psalmist does not represent God as enthroned in solitary and awful grandeur, having no interest in His creatures, and being inaccessible to them. He is God our strength, the God of Jacob, who regards the cry of His troubled people, and delivers them. He is deeply concerned in the welfare of His creatures and is ever actively engaged in promoting it.

3. A Person of supreme excellence. GOD, THE GOOD. He is essentially and infinitely perfect. He is worthy of the homage of the noblest spirits. There are in Him those properties which meet our deepest and holiest cravings. The intellect craves truth; and in Him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The conscience cries out for rectitude; and in His character and administration He presents to us the example of immutable and perfect righteousness, and by the salvation of Jesus Christ makes us partakers thereof. The heart longs for perfect goodness, for some one to love who meets its ideal of excellence, who abideth faithful, and abideth evermore; and the longing is met by God in Christ. In Him the heart finds rest. The spirit yearns for some supernal and unfading beauty and glory, which it may admire and adore; and God answers the yearning by revealing Himself to the pure in heart. Here is the one sublime Object of true worship. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.

II. In its character. Several characteristics of true religious praise are here indicated.

1. It is hearty. Sing aloud, make a joyful noise. It is not mere loudness and noise that are desired, but a loud noise as the natural expression of a full heart. The Lord delights in the hearty worship of His people. The psalmody of merely professional choirs, however perfect artistically it may be, is obnoxious to Him who will be worshipped in spirit and in truth. If there must be deficiency in our psalmody, it is better far that it should be in the musical execution than in the spiritual feeling.

2. It is joyous. Make a joyful noise. There are seasons in life when we feel that

Notes of sadness

Best befit our state forlorn.

But, when we recall the benefits which we have received from God, and the great things which He has done for us, songs of gladness should be the true expression of our feelings. We should praise God not with funeral dirges, but with grateful anthems; not with plaintive cries, but with cheerful hearts and joyous songs.

3. It is variously expressed. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp, with the psaltery, &c. The use of both vocal and instrumental music is here enjoined. It is an ignorant prejudice which would exclude all instrumental music from religious worship, a prejudice which is directly opposed to much of the teaching of the inspired Word concerning worship. When instrumental music is an aid to vocal, and when it stimulates or expresses religious emotions, it is not only lawful, but eminently desirable.

III. In its obligation. This was a statute for Israel, &c. Religious worship is here represented as a binding duty. On what ground does this obligation rest? Why does God require us to worship Him?

1. Because it is right. The obligation to praise God is based upon

(1.) What He is in relation to us. He is our Creator, Sustainer, Sovereign.

(2.) What He is in Himself. He is a Being of infinite perfection. We are so constituted that we ought to reverence that which is holy, to love that which is kind and good, to admire that which is beautiful, to trust that which is truthful. God is infinitely truthful, beautiful, good, and holy, therefore we ought to trust, admire, love, and adore Himwe ought to worship Him. Or we may argue the obligation to worship God,

2. Because it is needful. That necessity shapes itself to our mind in this way.

(1.) Man must worship. If he worship not the true God, he will exalt some creature into a god, or make an idol of wealth, pleasure, fame, &c.

(2.) That which man worships exercises the mightiest influence upon him. Worship is a transforming thing. We become like unto the object of our worship. Let a man make power his idol, and he will grow into a cruel tyrant. Let any one worship pleasure, and his sensuous and animal nature will be developed at the expense of his moral and religious nature. Let another make wealth his god, and he will shrivel into a wretched miser. Let a man worship any fellow-creature, and he will come to resemble him, and it is very probable that the resemblance will be most complete in eccentricities and imperfections.

(3.) The worship of God is the only one which is conducive to human well-being. Worshipping God our whole nature receives harmonious and happy development. Adoring Him in Christ we are being transfigured into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord the Spirit. Our highest blessedness is in the worship of Him who is God over all, blessed for ever. Therefore the Lord commands us to worship Him.

IV. In its incentives. I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots, &c. The Psalmist in Psa. 81:6-7 represents Jehovah as addressing them, and reminding them of His goodness in delivering them from Egypt, with its oppressions and distresses. He does this as an incentive to them to worship God. Gods goodness to us should awaken our gratitude to Him, and gratitude is one of the chief elements of worship. The remembrance of Gods former mercies should awaken us to praise Him in thankful songs; while the blessings that we are constantly receiving should lead us to live lives of grateful praise. A correct estimate of Gods goodness to us and its due impression upon our heart would prove an abiding incitement, and ever-increasing in power, to move us to worship Him.

CONCLUSION.

1. See these characteristics of true worship. It must have God for its Object; it should be hearty, joyous, and reverent, and it may be variously expressed.

2. Remember that such worship is a duty which we owe to God. Reason, conscience, gratitude, aspiration, and the holy Word all urge the command, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God.

3. Let us esteem it a privilege rather than a duty. If through Christ we are atoned unto God, and are walking with Him, then religious worship will be the heaven of our soul.

4. Let us cultivate worship as the very spirit of our life. Let gratitude, trust, adoration, be an abiding spiritual state with us. Let us seek to be of those

With whom the melodies abide
Of th everlasting chime;

Who carry music in their heart
Through dusky lane and wrangling mart,

Plying their daily task with busier feet,
Because their secret souls a holy strain repeat.

Keble.

THE SOLICITUDE OF GOD FOR THE WELL-BEING OF MAN

(Psa. 81:8-16.)

We shall endeavour to expound this section of the Psalm from the 13th verse, as from a centre. In that verse the Psalmist, speaking as the month-piece of the Lord, expresses an intense wish that Israel had followed the Divine counsel and kept the Divine law. We regard it as an utterance of Gods solicitude for mans well-being.

I. The solicitude of God for the well-being of man is very deep. Oh, that My people had hearkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways! God in His great love here expresses His regret because of the sin and punishment of His people. He is not an unfeeling, cold, heartless Ruler. He is profoundly interested in those over whom He reigns. Their holiness and happiness are a great pleasure to Him. Their sin and suffering cause Him sorrow and pain. This is not the only passage in which He laments the disobedience and punishment of Israel. (See Isa. 48:18; Hos. 11:8.) So also our Lord mourned, with intense feeling, over the guilty and doomed people of Jerusalem. (See Mat. 23:37.) With all the unfathomable love of His nature God mourns over our sins and sorrows. He is not willing that any of His creatures, created in His image, should perish. The depth of His solicitude for the good of man is manifested by the gift of His only-begotten Son for human salvation. He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all.

II. The solicitude of God for the well-being of man has respect to his various needs. The Divine arrangements concerning Israel were of such a nature that, if they had kept the commands of the Lord, their peace would have been secured, their wants abundantly and choicely supplied, and their prosperity continued. God would have

1. Subdued their enemies. I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto Him. He would have fought their battles and vanquished their foes; for they were His foes also. If they had been obedient to the Lord, He would have conquered their enemies quickly. Soon, in a little time, He would have defeated them. They would not have been long harassed by them. He would have conquered their enemies completely. So utterly would He have broken their power, that even those whose hearts were still hostile to them and to Him, would come and acknowledge His supremacy, feeling themselves powerless to stand against Him. Let Christians learn a lesson from this. Our spiritual enemies are many, subtle, and powerful. We are not able to subdue them. But if we walk in the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, He will speedily vanquish them for us. Our foes cannot harm us if we are in the way of His commandments. Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. If they had been obedient, God would have

2. Supplied their wants. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat; and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee. The provisions here indicated are most choice. The fat of the wheat, the very best food of the land. And even in the hard and barren rocks the bees should have stored the finest honey for them. The provisions here indicated are most abundant. They were to open the mouth wide, and God promises to fill it. He promises to satisfy them. How rich and abundant are the blessings which God has provided for us! Very appropriately has Christianity been compared to a great feast. Its blessings are various and choiceWine and milk; pardon, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost, the favour of God, the hope of heaven, &c. Its blessings are abundant and free. Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Buy wine and milk without money and without price. The riches of Christ are unsearchable riches. The treasures of His grace are inexhaustible, infinite.

3. Continued their power and prosperity. Their time should have endured for ever. Had they remained faithful to God, their possession of Canaan would have been undisturbed, their peace and prosperity would have been perpetuated. It was their unbelief and disobedience towards God that brought upon them all their sufferings and sorrows. Even so it has ever been, and in all cases. Righteousness exalteth a nation. Persistence in evil will overthrow the most ancient thrones, and ruin the most magnificent kingdoms. Sin is the deadly enemy of the peace, prosperity, and power of both individuals and nations. The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

III. The solicitude of God for the well-being of man recognises the great conditions of that well-being. Two great conditions of the well-being of man are mentioned here

1. Receiving communications from God. Oh, that My people had hearkened unto Me. There can be no true growth, peace, or joy for man, except in communication with God. While priests and prophets spake to the Jews, and they gave heed to them, it was well with the nation. But when the people would not hearken to the voice of the Lord, dark clouds began to gather on the firmament, and speedily heavy storms fell upon them. The true well-being of man can never be secured except his mind and heart are in a condition to receive the light and truth of God.

2. Rendering obedience to God. O that Israel had walked in My ways, &c. Human blessedness is ever dependent upon obedience to Divine law. The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just, and good; and it is only as man walks in the way of the commandments that he can be virtuous, useful, or blessed. The Jews had disregarded the divinely-prescribed way; and, as a result, their peace and prosperity had forsaken them. Even the unfathomable solicitude of God for our well-being cannot secure that well-being except we render to Him loyal obedience. (See Psa. 19:7-8; Psa. 19:11.) Wouldst thou know the secret of the true blessedness of being? Learn it in true-hearted obedience to God. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep His testimonies; that seek Him with the whole heart.

IV. The solicitude of God for the well-being of man is exercised in harmony with mans moral freedom. He commands, exhorts, entreats Israel to that obedience upon which their happiness depended. He endeavoured to allure them to righteousness and faithfulness by His promises. He sought to deter them from evil by His threatenings. By both goodness and severity He tried to save them from sin and ruin. When all means failed to bless and save them, He pathetically bewails their obstinacy in sin, and its consequences. But He never attempts to compel them to yield obedience to Him. He respects mans moral freedom.

1. Notwithstanding the solicitude of God for their well-being, Israel would not obey Him. He had commanded them not to worship idols, but to worship Him alone. And as an incentive to obedience He reminded them of the wonderful display of His power when He brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and of their obligations to Him by reason of what He had done for them. But they would not obey Him. God saves men with the consent of their will, not against their will.

2. Notwithstanding the solicitude of God for their well-being, He left them to themselves. When Israel proved incorrigibly depraved, He gave them up unto their own hearts lust; and they walked in their own counsels. They would not be governed by Him, so He allowed them to attempt self-government. They would not listen to His voice, so He ceased to speak to them. My Spirit shall not always strive with man. Ephraim is joined to his idols; let him alone. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. Quench not the Spirit. No punishment is more severe than that of being given up by God, and none is more just. Man first abandons God, utterly turns his back upon Him, persistently disregards His voice, and sets at nought His will, and then God leaves him to take his own course. My people would not hearken to My voice; and Israel would none of Me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust. He will not coerce the will of man.

CONCLUSION.

1. Let the solicitude of God for our salvation encourage us to trust in Him.

2. Let the solicitude of God for our salvation arouse the careless to solicitude for themselves. If God is so anxiously concerned for your well-being, it surely behoves you to consider your own state.

3. Let us beware lest, notwithstanding the solicitude of God for our salvation, we destroy ourselves by our self-will. Our moral freedom is a most glorious endowment. Let us not pervert it into a crushing curse.

Our wills are ours, we know not how;
Our wills are ours, to make them Thine.

Tennyson.

EXHORTATION, PROMISE, AND ENCOURAGEMENT

(Psa. 81:10.)

Illustrations of this metaphor are often met with. Oriental rulers have been known to put jewels into the mouth of a favourite. Gods blessings are better than these. He pays well. There is another illustration. At an Eastern feast the master will take a piece of the fattest part of the meat, dip it in the liquid fat, and, by way of compliment, will put it in the mouth of a favoured guest. There is yet another illustration. Last year I discovered suddenly a nest of young birds. Unable to fly, the little creatures at once mistook the intruder for their mother, or their father, and opened their mouths, until each seemed to be all mouth. The text contains

I. An exhortation. Open thy mouth wide. What does it mean?

1. Labour after a sense of need. The birds feel a lack by instinct. Prayer with Christs people should be an instinct also. We need all things, and in ourselves have nothing. Let us become conscious of weakness. We have not attained to a high degree of grace, if we think we have done so. A sense of spiritual wealth is a token of poverty. We must count ourselves nothing.

2. Open the mouth wide and increase the vehemence of desire, so that no cannot be taken for an answer. Prayers speed best which are vehement, not those which besiege the throne of the Almighty, and make ones flesh creep by their irreverence. Still, if we would have great things, we must want them terribly, must hunger and thirst after righteousness.

3. The way of opening the mouthpray for capacity. In the birds nest where goes the biggest piece? Into the widest mouth. It is so with us; we have different capacities. We are not straitened in God, but in ourselves. A bushel cannot be put into a peck. May we become more capacious. Let us seek after greater things. God can do more than we ask. He that craves spiritual good will have itGod will be sure to give it. It is in His way to give great things. We should not ask trifles, nor be satisfied with being little Christians. Then we must attempt great things. William Huntingdon prayed for a pair of leather breeches, and he got them. William Carey prayed for India. The one was a little thing, soon done with; the other is still being answered.

II. A promise. I will fill it. It is a great God who says it. God has a way of filling our mouths so that they are never empty. What does He fill us with? With prayer, with arguments, a sense of want, of desire. He will give all kinds of spiritual blessing.

III. An encouragement. It is Jehovah who speaks. He says, I am God. With men ask little, and expect less; with God ask much, and expect more. We cannot with our need surpass His benevolence. In prayer we ask our own, because we are Christs. The Lord has brought us from Egypt. He cannot do for us again so much as He has already done. Life in the soul is the master blessing. What cannot God do who brought the plagues on the enemies of Israel? Who would not ask great things of such a God? He makes a path for His people. And we have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.C. H. Spurgeon, from a report in The Christian World.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Psalms 81

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE

A Mission-Song, to be Sung to the Northern Tribes.

ANALYSIS

Stanza I., Psa. 81:1-5, A Festive Celebration Invoked; in which People, Levites, and Priests can Recall the Early History of the Nation. Stanza II., Psa. 81:6-10, The Voice of the Divine Redeemer of the Nation is Heard; Recounting the Deeds by which He made the Nation His Own, and Summarising the Covenant into which He Entered with it. Stanza III., Psa. 81:11-16, Divine Lamentation over the Nations Past Failures, with Renewed Invitations and Promises designed to Win the People back to their Allegiance.

(Lm.) By Asaph.

1

Ring out your joy unto God our strength,

give a sacred shout to the God of Jacob:

2

Raise ye a melody and hold forth[146] the timbrel,

[146] Or: bring hitherLeeser, Dr., Per.; strikeCarter; soundDel., Kp.

the lyre so sweet with the lute:

3

Blow at the new moon the horn,

at the full moon for the day of our feast.

4

Because a statute for Israel it is,

a regulation by the God of Jacob:

5

A testimony in Joseph he appointed it,

when he went forth over the land of Egypt:

the language[147] of One I have not known I now hear:[148]

[147] Ml.: lip.
[148] The Psalmist, speaking in the name of the nation, says that at the Exodus Israel first learnt to know the voice of its DelivererDr.

6

I have removed from the burden his shoulder,

his hands[149] from the basket[150] are set free:[151]

[149] Ml.: palms.
[150] HodThrupp.
[151] Ml.: passed.

7

In distress thou didst cry and I rescued thee,

I answered thee in the hiding-place of thunder,[152]

[152] That is, in the pillar of cloud; cp. Psa. 18:11, Exo. 14:19; Exo. 14:24Dr. The thunder-cloud, in which he at once revealed and concealed Himself, thundering down Israels foes (which is to be understood more especially of the passage through the Red Sea; vid. Psa. 77:19)Del.

I tried thee at the waters of Meribah

8

Hear O my people and I will adjure thee,

O Israel If thou wilt hearken to me

9

There must not be within thee a strange GOD,

nor mayest thou bow down to the GOD of an alien:

10

I Jehovah am thy God,

who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt:
Open wide thy mouth and I will fill[153] it.

[153] A believing yearning, which is hungering for grace and eager for salvation (Psa. 119:131)!Del.

11

But my people hearkened not to my voice,

and Israel consented not unto me:

12

So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart,

they might walk in their own counsels;

13

Oh that my people were hearkening unto me,

that Israel in my ways would walk.

14

Right soon their foes would I subdue,

and against their adversaries would I turn my hand:

15

The haters of Jehovah would come cringing unto him.[154]

[154] Should offer flattery unto himLeeser; crouch to himCarter; Their haters would have to fawn on themP.B.

so let their own time be to the ages:

16

I would feed thee with the choicest[155] of the wheat,

[155] Ml.: marrow-fat.

and out of the rock with honey would I satisfy thee.[156]

[156] Cp. Deu. 32:13.

(Nm.)

PARAPHRASE

Psalms 81

The Lord makes us strong! Sing praises! Sing to Israels God!
2 Sing, accompanied by drums; pluck the sweet lyre and harp.
3 Sound the trumpet! Come to the joyous celebrations at full moon, new moon and all the other holidays!
4 For God has given us these times of joy; they are scheduled in the laws of Israel.
5 He gave them as reminders of His war against Egypt where we were slaves on foreign soil. I heard an unknown voice that said,
6 Now I will relieve your shoulder of its burden; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks.
7 He said, You cried to Me in trouble and I saved you; I answered from Mount Sinai[157] where the thunder hides. I tested your faith at Meribah, when you complained there was no water.

[157] Implied. Literally, in the hiding place of thunder.

8 Listen to Me, O My people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you will only listen!
9 You must never worship any other god, nor ever have an idol in your home.[158]

[158] Literally, There shall no foreign god be in you.

10 For it was I, Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Only test Me![159] Open your mouth wide and see if I wont fill it! You will receive every blessing you can use!

[159] Implied.

11 But no, My people wont listen. Israel doesnt want Me around.
12 So I am letting them go their blind and stubborn way, living according to their own desires.
13 But oh, that My people would listen to Me! Oh, that Israel would follow Me, walking in My paths!
14 How quickly then I would subdue her enemies! How soon My hands would be upon her foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before Him; their desolation would last forever.
16 But He would feed you with the choicest foods. He would satisfy you with honey for the taking.[160]

[160] Literally, honey out of the rock.

EXPOSITION

The best introduction to this psalm is the series of Asaphic psalms which leads up to it; yet, when thus reached, this psalm will be found to have features all its own, which immensely add to its interest and to its instructiveness for other times. Its adaptation to the Northern tribes is seen, in part, in the Divine and National titles which it employsGod of Jacob (Psa. 81:1; Psa. 81:4); Israel (Psa. 81:4; Psa. 81:8; Psa. 81:11; Psa. 81:13), Joseph (Psa. 81:5), My people (Psa. 81:8; Psa. 81:11; Psa. 81:13): in part also in its omission of any direct allusions to Judah, Jerusalem or the Temple: perhaps, moreover, in the probability that the Feast of Trumpets would be the last to fall out of observance among any of the tribes. It has often been remarked how lively an interest in the Northern tribes Asaph everywhere displays; nor is it difficult to account for this, when we call to mind the non-localisation of the tribe of Levi, and the distribution of the Levitical cities throughout all the landNorth as well as South. It may thus quite easily have happened that this Asaph of Hezekiahs days was, by domicile, a Northerner, while yet loyal to the Divine preference for the South. There needs but one touch further to make the picture live before us; and that is, the conception of a missionary Levite traversing the North, harp in hand, and trying to win back the wanderers by singing to them this song. Other songs of the series there were which he may have sung at other times, or in alternation with this. His was a harp of many strings. At one time he would gently remind Ephraim how he had turned in the day of battle, and how Joseph had irrevocably lost the honour of having the Sacred Tent within his bounds (78). At another time he would boldly claim for Judah the supreme honour of having the Cherubic Throne in his midst (80). But, even before he could win attention to those messages, here was one which would strike a winsome herald note, impinging on no susceptibilities save of aspostates wholly given to idolatry: containing no allusion to the South, no mention of David. Radical reform, it is true, would demand the declaration of fuller truth in these regards; but all cannot be done at onceit is worth an effort, costing self-restraint, to win the ear of the rebellious, even for a moment, provided some essential thing can be successfully lodged therein. And truly the most essential thing of all, for Israelites wandering away into idolatry, is here: their covenant-relation to Jehovah, and his inexorable claim that their obligations under that covenant be fulfilled. From this point of view, how skilfully the story is told: with all the charms of music, introduced; with all the fascinations of ancient history, the famous and irreversible past, commenced; barbed with pointed reminiscences of old-time refractoriness; merged into the pathos of direct appeal; ascending to the height of positive mandate; coming down again to the attraction of bountiful and all-comprehensive promise; sobered by tones of Divine lament; invigorated by rapid transition from the irredeemable past to present lingering possibilitiesOh that my people were even now hearkening! hearkening to counsels which must still be maintained, walking in ways of obedience that must still be trodden: oh that they were! oh that they would! Right soon would I subdue their foes: these Syrians those Assyrians, yonder Greeks and Romans. Is there nothing here to give point to appeal and make it victorious? Only let Israel RETURN (2Ch. 30:6-9), and all shall yet be well. No real blessing should then be too rich, too good to be bestowed on obedient Israel: fattest wheat, freshest honeynothing too good!

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1.

Why does Rotherham feel this psalm is addressed to the northern tribes?

2.

Who is Asaph? Discuss.

3.

There seems to be a large number of musical instruments used in Israels worshipwhy?

4.

What feast is here celebrated?

5.

The very worst thing that can happen to a man is described in Psa. 81:12. What is it? Discuss.

6.

God has promised honey in the rock for His peoplebut upon what conditions?

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

1. Sing aloud This call upon the people to join together, to shout aloud joyfully to God, is according to all Old and New Testament ideas of divine worship. “Thou shalt rejoice in thy feast” was a command, (Deu 16:14😉 and therefore Nehemiah disallowed mourning on a day of worship. “This is a holy day unto the Lord your God; mourn not nor weep for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh 8:9-10. Mourning was counted by the Hebrews as an unclean act, unfitting the worship of God. It was regarded as the immediate consequence of sin and the death sentence. Hence, the bread eaten by mourners was unclean. (Leviticus 26, 14; Hos 9:4😉 the high priest and Nazarite were prohibited mourning, even for a father or a mother, (Lev 21:10-11; Num 6:2; Num 6:7-8😉 though the inferior priests might take on mourning for near relatives, Lev 21:1-4. The reason assigned for this prohibition of mourning is, that the priest was holy, and “the anointing oil of God was upon him.” Lev 21:8; Lev 21:12

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 81

Historical Background – This Psalm was probably read at certain festive occasions.

Structure – The first five verses of Psalms 81 are a call from God for the children of God to assemble. The Lord reminds them of their deliverance from Egypt (Psa 81:5-7; Psa 81:10). Then He admonishes them for their stubbornness (Psa 81:8-13). Finally, the Lord reminds them of the blessings that await them if they would only obey His Word (Psa 81:14-16).

Psa 81:3  Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

Psa 81:3 “Blow up the trumpet in the new moon” – Comments – Moses commanded that two silver trumpets be made for sounding to the assembly (Num 10:1-2).

Num 10:1-2, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.”

The trumpets were blown for many occasions. They were blown monthly based on the new moon, which signified the beginning of a new month, that is, the first day of the month (Num 10:10).

Num 10:10, “Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.”

The blowing of trumpets was accompanied by a burnt offering in the beginning of each month (Num 28:11-15).

Num 28:11-15, “And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD ; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; And three tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram; And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of an hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year. And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.”

The trumpets were also blown at the Feast of Trumpets, one of the major annual festivals. This was called a day of blowing the trumpets (Lev 23:24, Num 29:1).

Lev 23:24, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.”

Num 29:1, “And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.”

Psa 81:3 “in the time appointed” Comments – Many modern English translations read, “at the full moon.”

ASV, “Blow the trumpet at the new moon, At the full moon , on our feast-day.”

YLT, “Blow in the month a trumpet, In the new moon , at the day of our festival,”

This full moon would have occurred at the fifteenth of each month. In the seventh month, the first day was the Feast of Trumpets. The tenth day was the Day of Atonement. On the fifteenth day of this same month, at the full moon, was the Feast of Tabernacles. See Numbers 29 for a full description of these feasts in the seventh month.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

A Joyful Salutation and God’s Response.

To the chief musician upon Gittith, to be sung to the accompaniment of the zitherlike instrument which David brought along from the Philistine city of Gath, a psalm of Asaph, an antiphonal, festal hymn, probably for the celebration of the Passover, God Himself answering the praise of His people by reminding them of their obligations and picturing to them the happy consequences of obedience and loyalty to Him.

v. 1. Sing aloud unto God, our Strength, letting exultation sound forth in His honor, to praise Him for His almighty protection; make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob, the only true God, Jacob representing the Church of all times.

v. 2. Take a psalm, the summons being addressed to the chorus of Levites to begin their songs of praise, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery, zither and harp being used largely in the Temple orchestra on account of the pleasing quality of their music.

v. 3. Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, the horns, as blown by the priests, being the most prominent instruments on the Feast of the New Moon, the civil new year, on the first of Tishri, Num 10:10, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast-day, for trumpets were used on all the great festivals.

v. 4. For this was a statute, for Israel, pertaining to the precepts governing the covenant people, and a law of the God of Jacob, fixed by Him to regulate the customs of the feasts.

v. 5. This He ordained in Joseph, this one tribe here representing the entire nation, for a testimony, when He went out through the land of Egypt, in preparing for the exodus of His people; for from that time dated the personal intercourse of Jehovah with His people; where I heard a language that I understood not, the psalmist speaking in the name of Israel, states that the fact of a strange language in the mouth of their oppressors in Egypt increased the burden of their slavery. The mention of these facts agreed with the object of the Hebrew festivals, which were to bring the great deeds of God to the remembrance of all believers. The Lord Himself now takes up the strain of the hymn.

v. 6. I removed his shoulder from the burden, by setting His people free from the serfdom of Egypt; his hands were delivered from the pots, from the baskets which the children of Israel were forced to carry as hods in transporting building materials for the monuments of Pharaoh.

v. 7. Thou calledst in trouble, when the Egyptians oppressed them, and I delivered thee, Exo 2:24-25; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder, literally, the veil of the thunder, the pillar of cloud, from out of which God wrought His wonders at the passage of the Red Sea. I proved thee at the waters of Meribah, testing their faith by the miracle there performed, Exo 17:6-7. Selah.

v. 8. Hear, O My people, a most impressive appeal, and I will testify unto thee; O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto Me! The Lord now states the terms of the solemn covenant between Himself and Israel.

v. 9. There shall no strange god be in thee, every form of idolatry being an abomination before Him ; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

v. 10. I am the Lord, thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, Exo 20:2; open thy mouth wide, to receive the great spiritual blessings due to the people of the covenant, and I will fill it, He alone being able to give the full and lasting satisfaction of peace and blessedness.

v. 11. But My people would not hearken to My voice, as events after the giving of the Law showed; and Israel would none of Me, disobedience and self-will being its outstanding characteristics.

v. 12. So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust, their stubbornness, that being God’s punishment upon the stubborn and rebellious of all times; and they walked, were engaged in and with, their own counsels, totally estranged to Jehovah.

v. 13. Oh, that My people had hearkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways! In that event their entire history would have had a different cast, and their fate would not have been so sad.

v. 14. I should soon have subdued their enemies, whom they were too indifferent to drive out completely, Judges 1, 2, and turned My hand against their adversaries, to exterminate them altogether.

v. 15. The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto Him, brought into subjection by the almighty power of the Lord; but their time, that of the children of Israel, their pleasant relations with the covenant God, should have endured forever.

v. 16. He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat, with the richest blessings of His goodness and mercy; and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee. Cf Deu 32:1-47. Such is the earnest appeal of the Lord as it finds its application in the Church, also of the New Testament, a sermon which should be heeded especially in these last days of indifference and enmity toward God.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

EXPOSITION

PROFESSOR CHEYNE regards this psalm as composed of “two distinct lyrical passages,” accidentally thrown together (compare his theory of Psa 19:1-14, Psa 24:1-10, Psa 36:1-12, Psa 55:1-23, Psa 77:1-20, etc.); and certainly there is more reason for this than can be adduced for his other separations. It is difficult to trace any connection between the joyous opening strophe (Psa 81:1-5) and the sad and chastened monody which follows (Psa 81:6-16).

Psa 81:1-5 appear to be the preface of a song of thanksgiving, intended for public recitation at one of the great public festivalseither the Passover or the Feast of Tabernacles.

Psa 81:6-16 are part of a psalm of complaint, wherein God expostulates with his people.

Psa 81:1

Sing aloud unto God our Strength. “Loud” singing is regarded as indicative of earnestness and sincerity (see 2Ch 20:19; Neh 12:42; Psa 33:3; Psa 98:4, etc.). (On God as Israel’s “Strength,” see Psa 27:1; Psa 28:8; Psa 46:1; Psa 111:7.) Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. The word translated “make a joyful noise” is especially used of the blare of trumpets (Le 23:24; Num 29:1).

Psa 81:2

Take a psalm; or, lift up a song. And bring hither the timbrel; rather, strike the timbrel. The pleasant harp with the psaltery. The instruments ordinarily used in the service of the sanctuary were harps, psalteries, and cymbals (1Ch 15:16; 1Ch 16:5; 1Ch 25:6; 2Ch 5:12; 2Ch 24:25; Neh 12:27). Here the timbrel () seems to take the place of the cymbal.

Psa 81:3

Blow up the trumpet in the new moon. There was a Mowing of trumpets at the beginning of every month (Num 10:10), in connection with the appointed sacrifices (Leviticus 28:11-15); so that the month intended cannot, so far, i.e. fixed. As, however, the chief blowing of trumpets was on the first day of the seventh month (Le 23:24), most commentators regard the psalm as composed for this occasion. There are some, however, as Hengstenberg, Professor Cheyne, and Professor Alexander, who consider it to be a Passover psalm. In the time appointed; rather, at the full moon; i.e. on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when the Feast of Tabernacles was opened (see Num 29:12). Trumpets were probably blown then also. On our solemn feast day. The Feast of Tabernacles is called , “the feast,” in many passages of the Old Testament.

Psa 81:4

For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob; rather, this is a law (Kay, Cheyne, Revised Version). See the passages quoted in the preceding note.

Psa 81:5

This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony. The special mention of “Joseph” here is strange. Professor Cheyne explains, “God appointed the Law to be valid in northern as well as southern Israel.” Hengstenberg and Professor Alexander account for the expression by the pre-eminence of Joseph during the sojourn in Egypt. When he went out through the land of Egypt. When he (Joseph) went out over (or, across) the land,” i.e. at the time of the Exodus. Where I heard a language that I understood not. It can scarcely be supposed that this clause belongs properly to Psa 81:5. It is rather an introduction to the monody wherewith the psalm (as it has come down to us) concludesthe mournful complaint of God against his people. So Professor Cheyne, who translates, “The discourse of no whom I had not known (i.e. of God) did I hear.”

Psa 81:6-16

The “discourse” is now given. It commences somewhat abruptly, and is, perhaps, itself a fragment, the beginning of which is lost. God reminds Israel of his past favours (Psa 81:6, Psa 81:7), exhorts them to faithfulness (Psa 81:8, Psa 81:9), promises them blessings (Psa 81:10), complains of their waywardness (Psa 81:11, Psa 81:12), and finally makes a last appeal to them to turn to him, and recover his protection, before it is too late (Psa 81:13-16).

Psa 81:6

I removed his shoulder from the burden. In Egypt, burdens were borne upon the shoulder, either simply held upon it with both hands, or distributed between the two shoulders by means of a yoke. His hands were delivered from the pots; rather, from the basket; i.e. the basket in which the clay was carried before it was made into bricks.

Psa 81:7

Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee (see Exo 2:23; Exo 3:7; Exo 14:10, etc.). I answered thee in the secret place of thunder. The pillar of the cloud seems to be meant. In this, and from this, God answered the cry of his people (Exo 14:24). I proved thee at the waters of Meribah (Exo 17:7). The “selah” after these words marks a pause, during which the people addressed might reflect on the manifold mercies which God had vouchsafed to them in Egypt, in the wilderness, and elsewhere.

Psa 81:8

Hear, O my people (comp. Psa 81:11, Psa 81:13). Israel is still “God’s people,” however rebellious (Psa 81:11, Psa 81:12). God has not yet given them up. And I will testify unto thee; or, “protest unto thee” (Kay, Cheyne). O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; or, “if thou wouldst but hearken unto me!”

Psa 81:9

There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god (comp; Exo 20:3; Deu 5:7). Such worship had evidently begun, and required to be forbidden afresh.

Psa 81:10

I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt. The reminder was continually needed (see Exo 20:2; Le Exo 26:13; Deu 5:6; Hos 12:9; Hos 13:4). Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. God’s gifts, both temporal and spiritual, are proportioned to our eager longing for them. As Christ could not do his miracles in one place because of their unbelief, so God cannot give lavishly unless we desire largely.

Psa 81:11

But my people would not hearken to my voice (comp. Psa 78:10, Psa 78:41, Psa 78:56; 2Ki 17:14; 2Ch 36:15, 2Ch 36:16). And Israel would none of me; literally, would not obey me (see the Prayer book Version).

Psa 81:12

So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust. God’s Spirit will not always strive with men (Gen 6:3). After a time, if they persist in evil courses and disobedience to his commands, he “gives them up,” withdraws from them, leaves them to themselves, to the “lust,” or rather “stubbornness” of their own heartsto their own perverse wills and imaginations. And they walked in their own counsels (comp. Jer 7:24). This result is inevitable. If God no longer guides their thoughts and enlightens their understandings, they can but follow their own foolish counsels, and the result cannot but be disastrous.

Psa 81:13

Oh that my people had hearkened unto me! rather, would hearken unto me!. And Israel had walked in my ways! rather would walk!

Psa 81:14

I should soon have subdued (rather, I should won subdue) their enemies. Israel is still surrounded by enemies, anxious for his destruction. God could subdue them and sweep them away in a moment, if he pleased; and would do so, if Israel would repent and return to him. The appeal is to the living Israelthe Israel of the psalmist’s time, which is given one more chance of triumph over its enemies. And turned my hand against their adversaries. Logically, the two clauses should have been inverted, since the subjugation of Israel’s enemies would be the effect of God’s hand being turned against them.

Psa 81:15

The haters of the Lord. Israel’s enemies are always spoken of as God’s enemies also (comp. Psa 3:2, Psa 3:7; Psa 9:3; Psa 68:1; Psa 79:6, Psa 79:7, etc.). They “hate” Jehovah (Psa 21:8; Psa 83:2), not merely as Israel’s Protecter, but as the Source of all good, whereas they delight in evil. Should have submitted themselves unto him; rather, should submit themselves, or “should yield feigned obedience”. But their time (i.e. Israel’s time) should have endured forever; rather, should endure.

Psa 81:16

He should have fed them also; rather, he should feed. With the finest of the wheat; literally, with the fat of the wheat (comp. Deu 32:14 and Psa 147:14). And with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee; rather, would I satisfy thee. The expression, “honey out of the rock,” is taken from Deu 32:13. It evidently means “honey of the best”native honey, stored by the bees in clefts of the rocks. Of course, both the “wheat” and the “honey” are metaphors, which we are to regard as shadowing forth all temporal and spiritual blessings.

HOMILETICS

Psa 81:13

God’s lamentation over man’s lost opportunities.

“Oh that my people,” etc.! Among the saddest words ever spoken are those we utter concerning what might have been. Lost opportunities; neglected duties; mischance that was within a hairbreadth of good fortune; misunderstandings that a little candour or patience would have prevented; voices we do not listen to, but whose echoes haunt us; the joy, wealth, success, love, happiness, within our grasp, if we had not let them slip;what a weight of meaning, depth of sadness, these put into the words, “It might have been”! How many lives are wearing themselves out in the gloom of failure or disappointment! what countless multitudes have closed in sorrow and shame, whose whole course would have been different, if at some “parting of the ways,” perhaps in the early morning of life, they had not taken the wrong turn! A more awful depth of meaning and pathos belongs to the closing verses of this psalm. God’s lamentation over man’s lost opportunities. We speak of what might have been and has been; God speaks of what ought to have been on men’s part, and what surely would have been on his.

I. GOD‘S VIEW OF HUMAN LIFE. The Bible mode of regarding human life differs from the way in which we naturally look at our own lives, by the same distinction which marks off Bible history from ordinary history, Bible poetry from ordinary poetry, Bible morality or ethics from those of ordinary moralistssupreme universal reference to God. Account for it as you please, the Scriptures in this respect stand apart from all other literature. Man naturally puts himself, as the old astronomers the earth, as the centre of all things. The Bible teaches him that God is the Centre as well as Source of all life (Rom 11:36). Even religious people talk and think of religion as an important element in human life, essential to its true happiness, neglect of which is guilty and disastrous. The Bible speaks of and to men as made for God, missing the whole purpose and blessing of life if estranged from him. So while we look at what is, God’s Word shows him beholding what ought to be. We picture what might have been, he tells us what would have been; we hope or fear what may be, he reveals what will be. We are absorbed in the present; God shows us its root in the past, its fruit in the future (Gal 6:7, Gal 6:8). It may be askedWhat room, then, for repentance and pardon? Is not this to throw us back under the dominion and condemnation of law? Answer: God’s laws are of two sorts: the law of love and duty, fulfilled by willing obedience, which, therefore, man can disobey and break; and natural lawsspiritual as well as materialwhich cannot be broken. For God to set them aside would be to destroy, not to save. E.g. the thief, the liar, the drunkard, may repent of his sin, and God will pardon it; but the restoration of confidence, and conscious sense of honesty, or the regaining of health destroyed by intemperance, can come only by the practice of the appropriate virtues.

II. THE REAL TURNING POINT OF LIFE. God’s own voice here sets forth the blessings which Israel not only might, but certainly would, have enjoyed, if they had not flung them away wilfully, ungratefully, mealy (Psa 81:14-16). What, then, hindered? Where was the false step”the parting of the ways”? Answer: Psa 81:11, Psa 81:12. This was the secret of all Israel’s calamities and misery. Note that the Revised Version here uses the present and the future (Psa 81:13-16). The Hebrew equally admits this rendering; nothing forbids our combining both meanings. But the reference of the whole psalm is to the past. It begins with a shout of joy, referring to the Feast of Trumpets, the beginning of the (civil) year, and the Feast of Tabernacles, at full moon of the same month. Then looks back to the institution of these festivals, the Law of Moses, the deliverance from Egypt. Then to the whole subsequent historyone long record of rebellion and ingratitude (Jer 22:21). The LESSON is for us (1Co 10:11). By “turning point of life” I mean not some one fatal crisis, at some special time (though such there are, in many lives), but the guiding force, determining motive, master principle, which gives character to each day as well as to the whole life; makes each step an advance in the right path, or an error. Obedience to the voice of God. 1. In his Word (Joh 10:27; Joh 12:47-50). 2. Conscience, which is the inward echo of God’s voice. 3. His providence. 4. His Spirit, who alone can give the hearing ear and understanding heart. Here is something sadder yet: “Israel would none of me” (Joh 5:40, Joh 5:42; Joh 8:47). To disobey, to wander, to be lost, you need not resolve on self-destruction; you need only to be careless, let things drift, like one who sleeps when his boat is drifting towards the rapids. You can be careless. God cares, “Oh that my people,” etc.! (Luk 19:41, Luk 19:42; Mat 23:37).

HOMILIES BY S. CONWAY

Psa 81:10

Open thy mouth wide; or, great expectations encouraged.

There is no one that we like less than a man who is always begging. Our way is to tell people who ask of us, that they are not to come again, or that we can do but very little for them. And those who ask know how we feel, and hence they plead, perhaps, that they have never asked before, or that they never will again, or that they only ask for a very little. Now, it is not difficult to defend this our common conduct with suppliants; but what a contrast it offers to our God’s dealing with us! He does not send us away when we come to him, nor complain that we come so often, or that we ask so much; but, as here, he encourages our greatest expectations, and bids us “open our mouth wide,” etc. Such immense encouragement does he give to us to all boldness in prayer.

“Thou art coming to a King,
Large petitions with thee bring;
For his grace and power are such,
None can ever ask too much.”

The psalmist had probably often noticed how the young birds open their mouths wide for the food which they know the parent bird will give them, and for which, therefore, they wait with such eager expectancy. And he points to this familiar fact, and bids his countrymen in like manner expect blessing from God, for God will not disappoint them. Now, on this subject, note

I. THAT THERE ARE SOME WHO NEVER OPEN THEIR MOUTHS AT ALL. They do not believe in prayer, they count it so much waste breath, and affirm that it avails no more than the piteous cry of the hare when she knows that the hounds are upon her. They urge that all things are governed by fixed law, and no desire of ours, however fervent, can make the slightest alteration. Or else, they say that if what we ask for be right for God to give, he will give it without our prayer; that if it be not right, then, as certainly, he will not give it: he knows our need without our telling him. But we have one short reply to all this, and we say to all such disbelievers in prayerHave you ever really prayed? Myriads of believing souls there are who with one voice will affirm, “I sought the Lord, and he heard me;” and we prefer to believe these who know that God heareth prayer, rather than you who have never really prayed.

II. THERE ARE OTHERS WHO OPEN THEIR MOUTHS, BUT NOT “WIDE,” as we are here bidden to do. They pray, but they do not expect much to come from it. In words they ask for great things, but they do not really believe they will have them. Our Lord’s command to us is, “When ye pray, believe that ye receive” (Mar 11:24). Now, in regard to temporal blessings, it may be that we cannot have confident expectation that we shall have the precise favour we ask for; but we ought to have such expectation that that which is really best for us God will certainly give. But in regard to spiritual blessings, such as deliverance from sin, for which, in words, we so constantly pray, we ought to expect the very blessing itself. “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin;” there is, therefore, absolute warrant for expecting such cleansing; and we need not think, though practically we do, that the blunder of a little lad known to the writer, is really the truth. In repeating the General Confession, when he came to the words, “and there is no health in us,” he substituted for them, “and there is no help for it.” And that is what so many practically think. They remember their own grievous past, they know the force of long evil habit, and their own wretched weakness, and they see the persistence of evil and sin everywhere, even in the good; and they come to the sorrowful conclusion that “there is no help for it” this side the grave. They have no real expectation of deliverance, and, therefore, they do not get it. And yet people go on perpetually asking for it. The reason of their not having is that they will not open their mouths wide, and so God cannot fill them with his blessing. But

III. NONE EVER WILL, UNLESS THE CONDITIONS OF SUCH EXPECTATION BE FULFILLED. There must be:

1. A mouth to open; that is, power to believe. Now, we all have that, and use it every day about other things.

2. Need of God’s blessing. Unquestionably there is that.

3. Sense of this need. Consciousness of it, and distress because of it. Hunger after God’s blessing.

4. Will to believe. Trust is more a matter of the will than of the reason. “I will trust, and not be afraid.” Refuse to doubt, resolve to believe.S.C.

Psa 81:11, Psa 81:12

Given up.

Note

I. THE CONDITION CONTEMPLATED. It meant:

1. No longer held back from sin. “Their own hearts’ lust” was to lead them now.

2. No longer urged to goodness.

3. The Spirit no longer striving with them.

4. Divine chastisements abandoned. (Cf. Isa 1:5.) See the history of Israel for proof of all this. And it is true still, when a soul is “given up” by Godwhen even his resources seem exhausted.

II. ITS TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES,

1. They are often naturally visible. A God-forsaken people, Church, soul, can be readily recognized. Disaster, defeat, shame, weakness, death,these are some of the outward signs.

2. They are felt within. (See the history of Saul, 1Sa 28:6.) Ah! the inward misery of the soul given up of God.

III. THE INVARIABLE CAUSE. (Hos 4:17; and see text.)

1. They would not hearken to God’s voice. Neither by his messengers, nor through conscience, nor in providence.

2. They would have none of God. They cared neither for his favour nor for his frown.

IV. THE DIVINE RELUCTANCE TO THUS DEAL WITH THEM. (Psa 81:13; Hos 11:8; Mat 23:37; Luk 13:34.)S.C.

Psa 81:12

Our own way our worst woe.

Our text a declaration of God’s dealing with rebellious men. We note concerning it that

I. IT TELLS OF A PUNISHMENT WHICH SEEMS NO PUNISHMENT AT ALL. Those who rebelled so grievously against God were allowed to do just as they liked, to have their own way as they pleased.

1. Now, our text does tell of punishment. It is not a statement of indifference On the part of God, or of failure, but of his holy displeasure.

2. And it is a punishment of which we have many instances. As when Israel lusted after flesh (Psa 78:30). And when they would have a king, and God gave them Saul (1Sa 12:1-25.; Hos 13:1-16.). The history of Balaam. Ephraim joined to his idols. The devils asking and being allowed to enter the swine at Gadara. “Not this man, but Barabbas!” and they had their way. The prodigal would go into the far country. And there are many other illustrations beside.

3. God is slow to resort to it. He tries all other means first.

4. It convinces when none other will. Men are forced to believe, then, that God was right and they wrong.

5. But it seems the reverse of punishment. For the Law of God was to Israel a yoke which galled and fretted and chafed them incessantly. Its “thou shalt not” met them at every turn of their lives. Now, this punishment seemed to be deliverance from the yoke and licence to do as they pleased. Where was the punishment in that?

6. And men think the same still. For to them the service of God is so much restraint, religion a tight torturing ligature, which holds them back from what they chooses and binds them down to what they would never choose. And undoubtedly religion is a restraint and a bond. We are never to conceal this fact, and the really religious have no desire to. But men generally do not like it at all, and are glad to be rid of it.

II. BUT IT IS A PUNISHMENT SO TERRIBLE THAT NONE CAN BE MORE SO. To be given up to our own hearts’ lust is God’s most awful doom.

1. What would such so called liberty be in other regions? Suppose the stars, instead of obeying their Creator’s laws, were each to wander at its own will? Where would music be it the laws of harmony were not obeyed? What home would that be where there was no law? Or state, where anarchy prevailed?

2. And so in regard to the soul. Man is made for God, and, as St. Augustine says, “Nostrum cor inquietum est donec requiescat in te.” It must be so. See the varied and appalling judgments of which the Bible tellsthe Deluge; Sodom; the destruction of Pharaoh, etc. What are they all but the natural results of determined sin? Better any punishmenteven hell itselfthan that God should leave us alone, or give us up, as told of here.

CONCLUSION. Are you suffering under the hand of God now? Then assuredly he has not left you alone. Turn to him. Are you at ease in sin? Then “Awake, thou that sleepest!” You have need to. Are you serving God? Then let all men know that his service is perfect freedom, the delight of your soul.S.C.

Psa 81:13-16

What might have been.

These verses tell what Israel missed, but might have had. And they are written for our learning. Note

I. WHAT GOD WAS PREPARED TO DO FOR THEM.

1. Subdue their enemies.

2. Discomfit their adversaries.

3. Conversions should have been numerous.

4. Eternal life should have been theirs.

5. And fulness of joy.

And in reference to men now: God waits to be gracious and to do all for them that corresponds to the blessings told of here.

II. BUT NONE OF THIS CAME TO PASS; ONLY THE VERY OPPOSITE. In their character, conduct, and condition, things went from bad to worse. Enemies not subdued; their adversaries became stronger; sin rampant; their days few and evil; want and misery in their dwellings.

III. HOW SUCH RESULT CAME ABOUT.

1. It was not God’s will. Cf. the tears of Christ over Jerusalem. “How often would I have gathered thee,” etc.!

2. But it was Israel’s own fault. (Psa 81:11, Psa 81:12.) Thus it ever is.

IV. THE SORROW OF IT ALL. God dishonoured; the Holy Spirit grieved; their children and their neighbours led astray; themselves given up of God; and all this need not have been. Dread the doom of such.S.C.

HOMILIES BY R. TUCK

Psa 81:1-3

The consecration of music.

Instrumental music was associated with the Mosaic festivals; but the organization of music for ordinary religious worship is supposed to have been the work of David. The important differences between ideas of music in the ancient East and in the modem West needs to be carefully shown. Noise is chiefly considered in the East, harmonies are most valued in the West. Even the chanting at religious services was more like that which we call “Gregorian” than like the double tunes ordinarily used. Public services gained a new and attractive feature when music was introduced into them; and those gifted with the power of singing and playing were allowed to take part in them. Then public services rose from being bare duty to become personal pleasure. Perhaps David’s work in consecrating to God’s worship poetical and musical gifts has never been worthily estimated. Thomson tells us that “the Orientals know nothing of harmony, and cannot appreciate it when heard.” He went to a grand concert of instrumental musicians. “Seated on a raised platform at one end of the room were half a dozen performers, discoursing strange music from curious instruments, interspersed with wild bursts of song, which seemed to electrify the congregation. They had a violin, two or three kinds of flutes, and a tambourine. One man sat by himself, and had a large harp.” “No doubt the temple service, performed by those who trained for it, stirred the deepest fountains of feeling in the vast assemblies of Israel, at the great feasts.”

I. THE CONSECRATION OF MUSIC AND SONG TO GOD. All man’s talents, gifts, and endowments can be devoted to the service of God. Man has no powerpoetical, artistic, musical, dramatic, or practicalin the use of which he cannot or may not serve God. Very strange was the notion once entertained that instrumental music was not becoming to God’s worship. And even yet there is a strange limitation to particular instruments, which alone are regarded as appropriate. We need to see more clearly that every gift has its Divine sphere of service.

II. THE CONSECRATION OF MUSIC AND SONG TO MAN. Especially to man’s artistic culture, and to man’s pleasant and healthy recreation. The gifted in this direction are human benefactors. But we need to secure consecration to the highest and best interests of man. The gifted should never pander to low tastes, or help to degrade their fellows.

III. THE CONSECRATION OF MUSIC AND SONG TO THE SERVICE OF GOD THROUGH THE SERVICE OF MAN. This should be the high aim of all the gifted. In the use of their gifts so to serve their fellow men, as that God should be glorified through their ministry.R.T.

Psa 81:4

Authority in religion.

“For this was a statute for Israel.” Reference is directly to the “blowing up the trumpet in the new moon.” However that might be done, because it was felt to be suitable, or because it was pleasant, it had to be done because it was required; and it would have to be done, whether men could recognize its suitability or not, whether men found it pleasant or not. There is authority in relation to religious observances; some persons more readily recognize and respond to that authority than others; but all pious persons find somewhere and in something an ultimate basis of appeal. For some it is the inspired Scriptures, for some it is the witness of the universal Church, and for some it is the requirement of some duly authorized teacher. There has always been discussion as to the proper centre of authority in religion, and the universal Church is divided into sections by the variety of opinion on this subject.

I. AUTHORITY IN RELIGION MUST SATISFY MAN CONCERNING THE TRUTH. So many men always nave been, and some always must be, incompetent to decide perplexing doctrinal or ethical questions for themselves. Some are unduly biassed by education; some have neither mental powers nor leisure time for carrying on the necessary studies. In every department of truth, most men take their opinions on the authority of others; and it is even more necessary, in regard to the higher truths of religion, that men should have their standards and their guides. True, we have the Bible; but men like Anselm, Augustine, Calvin, and Wesley, with the great teachers of later days, have been authorities in religious truth to thousands.

II. AUTHORITY IN RELIGION MUST LIMIT MAN‘S VAGARIES. The speculative faculty leads men, in these times, to wander in all sorts of unknown regions; and produces a restlessness and uncertainty which are seriously imperilling faith. Perhaps we read men’s books too much, and God’s book too little. Happy they who can rest in the “truths most surely believed among us,” because they are declared with an authority which they can recognize.

III. AUTHORITY IN RELIGION MUST ENFORCE MAN‘S DUTIES. Social life has changed the conception of what is becoming to a Christian. We want guidance in the modern endeavour to live The Christian life. Self-indulgence weakens our will, and we want the help of distinct requirements in ordering our religious habits. But yielding to authority must be kept within healthy limitations, and preserve personal independence and responsibility.R.T.

Psa 81:5

The unknown tongue.

“I heard a language that I understood not.” It is exceedingly difficult to trace the meaning of this sentence. The first suggestion is, that it may refer to the sojourning Israelites not understanding the language of the Egyptians. Another suggestion is, that Israel did not understand the voice of God when heard from Sinai. Jennings and Lowe give a fresh and striking suggestion. They think the sentence is the utterance of God when passing over Egypt to judge it; and they translate, speaking thus, “The saying, ‘I know not,’ I will hear.” The reference is to the boastful saying of Pharaoh, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? I know not the Lord.” And God is represented as saying, “I will hear his speech; I will take notice of it; I will punish it.” If we are to assume that God is speaking in this verse, as he seems to be in Psa 81:6, then this reference to Pharaoh may be accepted. Another idea is, that in this sentence the psalmist makes a sudden break, and abruptly exclaims, “The language of one I know not, I hear;” and what he hears he proceeds to tell in the following verses. God’s voice sounded strange to him.

I. THE UNKNOWN VOICE OF GOD. Illustrate by the direct speaking of God from Sinai, which so alarmed the people. All close communications of God with men, whether by vision or voice, are humbling, surprising, and overwhelming. Unknown, in the sense of being unfamiliar; and unknown because unexpected. God communicates in the language of men, since he desires to be understood; but his will is usually revealed through human agencies.

II. THE UNKNOWN LANGUAGE OF EGYPT. This may be shown to have made part of the burden and trouble of Israel, from which God so graciously delivered them. It was the laud of the stranger, and the different language spoken by the inhabitants constantly reminded Israel of its bondage and its hope.

III. THE “UNKNOWN” DECLARATION OF PHARAOH. His saying, “I know not.” His declaring that Jehovah was to him unknown. His language about “not knowing” the God of the Hebrews. God took notice of the boastful speech; for the declaration that he did not know really meant that he did not care, and so he must be made to know, by seeing and feeling the judgments which Jehovah executeth. It is necessary to remember that Eastern poetical figures are often far fetched, and very difficult to trace.R.T.

Psa 81:7

The secret place of thunder.

“Thunder covert;” literally “hiding place of thunder;” i.e. the dark thunderclouds, from behind which God spoke to the Israelites. Some writers find a reference to the pillar of cloud and fire, in which God appeared for the guiding of Israel’s journey. But there is no special reason for calling the pillar of cloud a “thundercloud.” The poet is, in a very general way, reviewing the Divine dealings with Israel; and here the troubles connected with the time at Sinai are clearly referred to. The “hiding place of thunder” is surely the “thick darkness where God was” (Exo 20:21) when the Law was given from the “smoking mountain,” amid “thunderings and lightnings.” The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews rhetorically contrasts the revelations from Sinai and from Zion (Heb 12:18-24). His description of the revelation given from Sinai may help us to understand this poetical figure, “the secret place of thunder.” “Ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard in,reared that the words should not be spoken to them any more.” Thunder, then, may be taken, poetically, as the characteristic of the Old Testament dispensation. We must keep in mind two things:

(1) the intensity of the thundernoise in mountain districts; and

(2) the peculiar Eastern sentiments about thunder. In illustration of (1), Dr. Stewart gives the following experience of a thunderstorm at Mount Sinai. “Every ball; as it burst, with the roar of a cannon, seemed to awaken a series of distinct echoes on every side; they swept like a whirlwind among the higher mountains, becoming faint as some mighty peak intervened, and bursting with undiminished volume through some yawning cleft, till the very ground trembled with the concussion It seemed as if the mountains of the whole peninsula were answering one another in a chorus of the deepest bass. Ever and anon a flash of lightning dispelled the pitchy darkness, and lit up the mount as if it had been day; then, after the interval of a few seconds, came the peal of thunder, bursting like a shell, to scatter its echoes to the four quarters of the heavens, and overpowering for a moment the loud howlings of the wind.” In illustration of (2), the fear produced by thunderings now may be shown, though superstitious ideas are checked by some measures of scientific knowledge. The fear of thunder is shared by the animals in the fields. Thunder, then, is the fitting illustration of the old dispensation; but unsuitable to the new dispensation. It fits the old because it impresses on man the sense of mystery; it gives man an idea of force; and it fills man’s mind with fear.

I. THUNDER BRINGS A SENSE OF MYSTERY. In those days, how it comes was not known. Always, when it comes is not known. It was, and it still is, something over which men can only wonder. Show that this character is preserved in the God of the Old Testament. He hides himself. “Clouds and darkness are round about him.” His voice is to man but as the inarticulate thunder. In some ages of the world, and in some Conditions of the race, mystery in God is the best education; it awakens the spiritual faculties in child ages, as it does in children.

II. THUNDER GIVES MAN AN IDEA OF FORCE. When he hears it, man feels there is something wholly beyond his control. And force must be felt by the Israelites to lie behind law. He who gives the Law must be felt able to enforce its sanctions. Joubert tells us that the absolute rule of moral training is “force till right is ready.” The thunderings and lightnings of Sinai impressed the force of the Divine authority.

III. THUNDER FILLS MEN‘S MINDS WITH FEAR. If fear is not the highest motive inspiring obedience, it is the necessary motive for many people, and the first motive for all. Fear is not lost, as the inspiration of obedience, in Christianity, it is only glorified in love. “Perfect love casteth out fear.” Storm and tempest clear the atmosphere, and prepare for the warmth and quickening of the steady sunshine; and so the thunder of the Old Testament prepares for the life giving sunshine of the New.R.T.

Psa 81:9

The sole Object of worship.

This verse recalls to mind the second recitation of the Decalogue in Deu 5:1-33. “In Deu 5:9 the keynote of the revelation of the Law from Sinai is struck; the fundamental command which opens the Decalogue demanded fidelity to Jehovah, and forbade idol worship as the sin of sins.” The claim of Jehovah on the Israelites needs to be precisely described. God, as El, was very generally, perhaps universally, known. But men went wrong, in relation to him, when they began to make representations of him. Then two things happened:

(1) different representations became fixed to different localities and countries; and

(2) the representations came to be worshipped, rather than the spiritual Being whom they represented. Israel was selected, as a nation, to preserve for the world the imperilled primary truth of the unity and spirituality of God. So two things are firmly asserted as the basis of God’s revelation of his will to Israel

I. GOD IS THE ONE GOD OF THE WHOLE EARTH. “Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is one Lord.” “The God of the whole earth shall he be called.” There are no such things as “strange gods.” An idol is a “nothing,” a “vanity.” God is God alone. See the importance of this for Israel. Looking on the nations around them, they might imagine that the gods of the nations were doing better for them than Jehovah was doing for his people, and so they might be tempted to join service to these strange gods with service to Jehovah. So they must learn that God was really the God of all nations; the one and only true God. In view of our work among the heathen, we still must hold fast this primary and fundamental truththere is but one God; and he is as truly the God of the heathen as of the civilized and the Christianized.

II. GOD IS THE ONE OBJECT OF HUMAN WORSHIP. Man must worship. He feels dependent. He must look out of himself for some one on whom to lean. He must be sure that be on whom he leans is absolutely trustworthy. There never can be more than one absolutely trustworthy Being. If right ideas be attached to God, we must feel that there can only be one God. He must be the perfect realization of our highest conceptions; and therefore our admiration and our dependence will unite to make him the sole Object of worship. He who knows God wants to worship no other.R.T.

Psa 81:10

Sufficiency in God.

“Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” Whatsoever be the needs or the desires of God’s people, there is abundance of grace for the supplying of the needs, and the satisfying of the desires, Compare our Lord’s saying to his disciples, “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my Name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full,” The figure in the text is explained in Thomson’s ‘Land and the Book.’ “It is said to have been a custom in Persia, that when the king wishes to do a visitor especial honour, he desires him to open his mouth wide, and the king then crams it full of sweetmeats, and sometimes even with jewels. And to this day it is a mark of politeness in Orientals to tear off the daintiest bits of meat for a guest, and either lay them before him, or put them in his mouth.” In declaring himself to be Israel’s God, and demanding the sole and entire worship of the people, Jehovah graciously adds the assurance, that he is at once able and willing to meet and supply all their need. He could not ask their entire trust if he was not efficient to meet all their wants. There was no call to seek the help of any strange god, for they were in no sense straitened in Jehovah. This subject may be applied to Christians by taking illustrations, from the history of Israel’s wanderings, of the following points.

I. SUFFICIENCY IN GOD FOR ISRAEL‘S KNOWN NEEDS. These concerned

(1) daily supply;

(2) wise guidance;

(3) efficient defence;

(4) patient bearing with infirmities;

(5) provision for social relations and national requirements.

So we can never think of any want we have that is beyond God’s supply.

II. SUFFICIENCY IN GOD FOR ISRAEL‘S UNKNOWN NEEDS. For our real needs are not those we find out for ourselves. Those are our superficial needs, and often not even real needs. It introduces a surprise of grace to say there is the supply in God of all the needs of which he knows and we do not. Often it is God’s supplying us that brings the consciousness of the need. Flow good that God’s grace is not limited by our knowledge!

III. SUFFICIENCY IN GOD IS ASSOCIATED WITH GOOD WILL. That gets expression in gracious and satisfying assurances and promises.R.T.

Psa 81:11

The sin of self-will.

Observe that the sin of which complaint is here made is not that Israel did not hearken, but that Israel would not hearken. God goes in behind the acts of disobedience, and is concerned with the spirit of wilfulness which found expression in the acts. The judgment of God upon them brings to view the special feature of their sin. “So I gave them up to the obduracy of their heart, that they should walk in their own counsels” (Psa 81:12).

I. SELF–WILL AS THE SIN INTO WHICH MEN FELL. Self-will is the perverted use of free will. Free will could be self-will if man were an independent creature. Free will must not be self-will, because man is a dependent creature. Free will became self-will, because man allowed himself to be guided by what seemed “pleasant to the eyes and good for food,” rather than by what he knew to be the will of him on whom he depended. Serving himself is the essence of sin for one who has been made dependentin every way dependent upon God. What we have to counteract is the delusion that man is an independent being, and therefore may “follow the devices and desires of his own heart.” Illustrate from Dan 5:28.

II. SELF–WILL AS THE SIN FROM WHICH MEN ARE DELIVERED. There are penalties into which men have brought themselves by their self will, and from these they need to be delivered. But it would be no effective redemption that dealt only with penalties. Deliverance from self-willedness, in a dependent creature, can only be effected by making him on whom he depends so infinitely attractive that he wins full trust and obedience. And this is accomplished by God’s manifestation of himself to men in the Person, life, and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

III. SELF–WILL AS THE SIN INTO WHICH THE REDEEMED ARE IN DANGER OF FALLING BACK. Illustrate from the Israelites, as redeemed unto the service of Jehovah, from Egypt. Bring out

(1) the open ways, and

(2) the subtle ways, in which nowadays Christians may be tempted to the self-trust which breaks them away from their dependence on God.R.T.

Psa 81:13

The sorrow of God.

Occasioned by thishe could not do for his people what he would. He would have delivered them from their foes, and fed them with the finest of the wheat. They, by their conduct, compelled him to withhold his hand, and even to smite instead of bestow. Compare the sorrow of Christ when looking from Olivet upon Jerusalem. He mourns over what he would have done for its people; but they “would not.”

I. GOD‘S JOY IN THE BLESSING OF HIS PEOPLE. Their temporal blessing, when the state of their minds and hearts makes his giving temporal blessings the highest moral and spiritual good to them. It is not merely that God “gives us all things richly to enjoy;” it is that he loves to give; he finds his joy in giving. Illustrate from the provisions made for Israel.

II. GOD‘S SORROW BECAUSE OF THE RESTRAINT OF HIS BLESSINGS. Sometimes he cannot give temporal blessings, because the state of mind and heart of his people would turn them into moral and spiritual curses. See in the case of Israel; how vain, self-confident, and proud Israel would surely have become, if, taking no notice of its character, its wilfulness, and murmuring, and rebellion, God had showered all conceivable good on the nation! It is the grief of love that it must restrain its gifts lest they should be misused.

APPLICATION. If we lack good things that we desire, and think we need, let us never explain the lack by the Divine unwillingness to bless, or by any vague notions of Divine “sovereignty.” God would give these things to us if, in view of our best interests, he could. He is to be thought of as grieved that he cannot. And the thought of his grief should incite us to get rid of the hindrance that is on our side. To the trustful, humble, obedient soul God’s richest benedictions may safely come.R.T.

HOMILIES BY C. SHORT

Psa 81:13, Psa 81:14 (compared with Isa 48:18)

Man’s inconsideration.

I. GOD HAS SPOKEN AND REVEALED TO MAN THE WAY OF LIFE. God’s ways are the ways of life.

1. God’s way is the way of law. Physical and moral and spiritual. “Whatsoever a man soweth,” etc.; “To him that hath shall be given,” etc.

2. God’s way is the way of love.

3. God’s way is the way of faith. So that through it he dispenses pardon, strength, and comfort.

II. THE SIN OF MAN IS INCONSIDERATION OF GOD‘S WAYS. This leads to:

1. A neglect of the Divine rule of life. An inconsiderate man is a man without understanding, a man without a steadfast purpose, given over to pleasure and selfishness.

2. A forfeiture of the Divine help against our difficulties. An inconsiderate man cannot accept or use the Divine help.

III. GOD‘S LAMENT OVER THIS INCONSIDERATION.

1. It hindered him from a benevolent exercise of his power on their behalf. “I gave them up to the stubbornness of their heart:” that was all God could do for them.

2. They are defeated by their enemies in the battle of life. It is only by God’s help we can conquer in the great struggle we have to maintain.

3. God could not nourish them with heavenly food. (Deu 32:13.) The finest of the wheat and honey out of the rock. Like the prodigal, they lived upon the husks.S.

Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary

Psalms 81.

An exhortation to a solemn praising of God. God challengeth that duty by reason of his benefits. God, exhorting to obedience, complaineth of their disobedience, which proverb their own hurt.

To the chief musician, upon Gittith: A Psalm of Asaph.

Title. lamnatseach al haggittith leasaph.] This psalm is supposed to have been written for the feast of trumpets. See Lev 23:24. In the Jewish Liturgy it is still made use of upon this occasion. To this the blowing of the trumpet (Psa 81:3.) refers; for the new moon in the month Tisri, when this feast was celebrated, was the first day of the Jewish year; at which time the world was supposed to have been created. See Numbers 29.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Psalms 81

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph

2Sing aloud unto God our strength:

Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

3Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel,

The pleasant harp with the psaltery.

4Blow up the trumpet in the new moon,

In the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.

5For this was a statute for Israel,

And a law of the God of Jacob.

6This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony,

When he went out through the land of Egypt:

Where I heard a language that I understood not.

7I removed his shoulder from the burden:

His hands were delivered from the pots.

8Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee;

I answered thee in the secret place of thunder:
I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.

9Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;

10There shall no strange god be in thee;

Neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

11I am the Lord thy God,

Which brought thee out of the land of Egypt:
Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

12But my people would not hearken to my voice;

And Israel would none of me.

13So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust:

And they walked in their own counsels.

14Oh that my people had hearkened unto me,

And Israel had walked in my ways!

15I should soon have subdued their enemies,

And turned my hand against their adversaries.

16The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him:

But their time should have endured for ever.

17He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat:

And with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Contents and Composition. On the superscription see Introd. 12, No. 7. The Psalm falls into two divisions of such distinct characters, that Olshausen has been led to assume the existence of two poems originally distinct, the second of which, moreover, has been mutilated at the beginning and end. But the first section, Psa 81:2-6, forms the introduction to the second, Psa 81:7-16, which in the form of a declaration from God Himself, contains an exhortation addressed to the Church bidding them celebrate a certain festival in a manner pleasing to Him. For after a demand for joyful celebration, with music of all kinds, which in Psa 81:2 is directed to the whole people (Ezr 3:11,) there follows in Psa 81:3, one addressed to the Levites (2Ch 5:12); and lastly, in Psa 81:4, one to the Priests (Num 10:10; 2Ch 7:6), while in Psa 81:5-6 this summons is supported by an allusion to the Divine institution of the festival. Then begins the exhortation placed in the mouth of Jehovah Himself, attention being called to the blessings which the festival was designed to commemorate (Psa 81:7-8). Upon this is based a demand for His exclusive worship in Israel (Psa 81:9-11). A complaint of former disobedience is then introduced, (Psa 81:11; Psa 81:13), which is followed by a desire for present and future obedience, enforced and impressed upon the minds of the people by the promise of abundant blessing (vers 1417).

The reference to the historical circumstances attending the establishment of the festival is favorable to the supposition that the Passover is intended, as the one which begins with the full moon of the month Nisan (Venema, De Wette, Hengst., Delitzsch, Hitzig). For Psa 81:6 does not speak of the Exodus from Egypt (The ancient translators, Aben Ezra, Luther, Geier, Kster) or of the march of Joseph=Israel through the land of Egypt, that is, through the midst of the country before the eyes of the Egyptians while they were unable to prevent them, (Calvin, Rudinger, Hengstenberg), but of the passing of God against or over the land in connection with the slaying of the first-born (Kimchi and most of the recent commentators). Without this historical reference, we would be inclined to think of the feast of Tabernacles (Hupfeld and most of the ancients after the Targum and Talmudical tradition) for this was celebrated during the full moon of the month Tischri, whose new moon began the civil year of the Jews, the day of the sounding of trumpets, (Lev 23:24; Num 29:1), to which Psa 81:4 a seems expressly to allude But it is to be remarked, against this supposition, that all the new-moons were distinguished as sacred days not only by sacrifices (Num 28:1 f) but also by trumpet blowing (Num 10:10). Hence there are no better means of deciding afforded by the latter, than by the expression: day of our feast. For, though the feast of Tabernacles is frequently named simply the feast () yet this expression denotes also the Passover (Exo 12:14; Num 28:17, comp. Isa 30:29, and Hitzig on Eze 45:21), and the assertion of Hupfeld (De primitiva et vera festorum apud Hebr. ratione1851), that the solemn character of the Passover-festival excluded the manifestations of joyfulness, and that what is said on the subject in 2Ch 30:20 f. is to be rejected as unhistorical, has not been allowed to pass uncontradicted (comp. Delitzsch on the passover-rites during the period of the Second Temple in the Zeitschrift fr luhh. Kerche und Theologie 1855). The original significance of the festival spoken of, lying, as it does here, beyond the field of the historical retrospect, does not come into view as bearing upon the observance of the feast, or the reference of the Psalms to the latter generally. There is therefore no importance to be attached to the remark of Delitzsch that the feast of tabernacles appears in the earliest giving of the law (Exo 23:16; Exo 34:22), as the feast of the ingathering of the harvest, and that it did not receive its historical connection with the journeying through the wilderness until the addition was made referring to the celebration of the festival in Canaan (Lev 23:39-44). But the fact that the great day of Atonement fell upon the tenth of Tischri is certainly of importance. For if the Psalmist were speaking of the feasts of that month it would surely be surprising that no allusion was made in the Text to this day, which fell directly between the new and the full moon. It is also in favor of Nisan, that the rejoicing, which begins on its new-moon as the first day of the sacred new year, could be united without any interruption to that of the full moon and its festival. This connection between the two would be distinctly expressed, if the words at the full moon could be placed at the end of the verse (Hupfeld). But such a transposition would be too violent. The juxtaposition, however, of the new and the full moon does not compel us either to assume, that this Psalm was intended to be sung at both feasts (Muntinghe, Rosenmller), or to explain the words which denote the new moon, as referring to the month generally, (Venema, Hengstenberg). It is only the blowing at the new and the full moon that is spoken of, and the former could, without prejudice to its special meaning, be mentioned here also as the formal proclamation (Maurer) of the great festal day which fell in the same month. For the usual rendering: in the day of our feast, is wrong. Because is used and not it must mean: against, or, for (Gen 7:14; Job 21:30). Nor are we instead of, in the full moon (after the analogy of the Syriac since De Dieu) to translate indefinitely at the appointed time4 (Sept. Vulg., Aben Ezra and others), or even in the new moon as in the day of the moons being covered (according to the Talmudical explanation).

[The explanation of in Psa 81:4 given by Hengstenberg and referred to above, namely, that it means the month, and that consequently the month is first named, and then the particular part of it seems to me to be more natural than Dr. Molls supposition. The verse seems to have been an imitation of the formula, employed in Lev 23:5, and frequently in the designation of any particular feast day. This view is also adopted and defended by Alexander. An additional reason may be given for this sense of the word. The historical allusions plainly require that the Passover be understood as the feast in question. All the various opinions and needless discussions thereon have arisen from the assumption that the word must mean new moon, which naturally suggests, as shown above, the feast of Tabernacles.J. F. M.]

On the instruments comp. Introd., 11. The time of the composition can only be inferred approximately from the fact that essential points of agreement with Psalms 77, 78 lead us to refer them all to one and the same author. The desultory character of the poem, and the circumstance that God addresses the Church in the declaration concerning the feast, are both conditions which suit the prophet-singer Asaph. According to Talmudical tradition this Psalm was also the Jewish new-year Psalm, and in the weekly liturgy of the Temple was to be sung on Thursday as Psalms 82 on Tuesday.

[The following is Dr. Alexanders rendering of Psa 81:4, on which compare the remarks above: Blow, in the month, the trumpet at the full moon, on the day of our feast.J. F. M.]

Psa 81:6. I heard a language that I understood not.In this Psalm as in many lyrico-prophetical utterances of the Old Testament God and the poet are alternately the speakers. It would be altogether unnatural to introduce between them, without any notice whatever, the people, first designated Joseph, as here speaking also, and to make them say that they had heard a language spoken in Egypt, which they did not understand. (The form is used poetically after the analogy of compound names beginning with ). It is true indeed that in other places (Deu 28:49; Isa 33:19; Jer 5:15; Psa 114:1) great importance is attached to this in order to set forth the blessings of deliverance from the oppression of a strange-speaking people and of the possession of a home freed from foreign occupation. It is also allowable to give a turn to the sentence, by connecting it with the foregoing infinitive (Ewald), which is unassailable on grammatical grounds, instead of supplying, incorrectly, the adverb of place: where (Hengstenberg and most of the ancients) which owes its origin to the false reference of the going forth to the people of Israel. But even if the people could be considered as the subject, the language heard and unknown, that is, strange to them, when God went forth against the land of Egypt, could not have been the Egyptian language, which they had listened to for 430 years. With this connection of the clauses it would be much more correct to understand the language of God (Lud. de Dieu, Kster) in the judgment inflicted upon Egypt heard by the Israelites and not understood by them. But if we assume that it is Gods speaking that is mentioned, and consider the Psalmist as the one who hears, it is then most natural to take the sentence as independent, and to understand it of the language of revelation. But the Psalmist does not say that he is now hearing the unknown voice uttering what follows (De Wette). God does, it is true, utter what follows, and His words are the contents of what is heard. But this utterance is neither cited as being His, nor introduced as a revelation made suddenly (Dderderlein, Muntinghe, Olshausen). It is rather presented in such a manner that the prominence is not given to what is sudden, unexpected, or overpowering in the communication, on account of which the recipient of it is unable to tell how it is made, but to the character of the language of revelation, as not coming within the range of human acquirement as other kinds of speech do. For denotes neither a special declaration nor the voice by which it is pronounced, but primarily the lips, then (as also the tongue), dialect, idiom, language in its special signification (Bttcher, Proben, p. 50); and expresses knowing by investigation, proof, or study. By this explanation: language of such a kind, as, etc., we avoid the difficulty which results from supplying a genitive of the person, which is certainly admissible linguistically. For, in the present connection, the language or kind of speech of one not known by the Psalmist (or by the Israelitish Church) would only suggest again to us a spiritvoice, or that speaking, or the sound of a lip was heard, while the form could not be distinctly seen, nor the face be recognized (Job 4:12). For there is no ground given in the context for maintaining, by referring to Exo 6:2, that God Himself is meant, who in His name and nature is both known and unknown (Delitzsch). The context rather refers to the testimony given by God, which is authentically explained by Him in the sequel (Hupfeld). [Perowne: The interpretation which regards the language here spoken of as the voice of God, and as virtually given in the following verses, is now that most commonly adopted. To express this we must omit the italicized where of the English Version, and make the words form an independent sentence.J. F. M.]

Psa 81:7-8. Carrying-basket [E.V.: pots]. Similar baskets are not only found represented on Egyptian monuments, but there are also inscriptions which mention the Aperin () who dragged stones to the great watch-tower (Papyrus Leydensis, I. 346) or to the treasure-house (id. I. 349, following Lauth) of the city of Rameses. But the translation: pot, is also allowable (many following Isaaki and Kimchi) with reference to the work of the Israelites in clay, (Exo 1:14).The veil of the thunder [E. V., secret place of thunder] is not the clouds generally, which in several theophanies (Psa 18:12; Hab 3:4) are mentioned as veiling the majesty of God, and at the same time manifesting it; but the cloudy and fiery pillar (Exo 13:21), from out of which God wrought His wonders against the Egyptians in the passage of the Red Sea, Exo 14:19 f. (most, following Kimchi). For along with the first great miracle of the journey the second is mentioned, the water smitten from the rock (Ex. 17:17). By employing the local designation water of Meribah=water of strife, as well as by the words. I proved thee, the way is prepared for the reproach which follows (Hengst.), and the unbelief and ingratitude of the Israelites at that time pointed out (Luther).

Psa 81:11-12. Open wide thy mouth.It is against the context to refer this expression to hunger for Gods word, and to the desire to appropriate Gods laws as the bread of life and the food of the soul, Psa 119:131; Jer 15:16; Eze 2:8 (Targum., Schnurrer). For the words serve as a poetical momentum to raise into prominence the idea of Gods readiness to satisfy all needs (Hupfeld), but have their real ground in this truth, that the feeling of need and desire for its satisfaction must be accomplished by a confession of our own inability to accomplish this end. [Psa 81:12. Perowne; So I gave them up. The word is used of the letting go of captors, slaves, etc., of giving over to sin, Job 8:4. This is the greatest and most fearful of all Gods punishments. Comp. Psa 78:29.Stubbornness. The word occurs once in the Pentateuch, Deu 19:18. and several times in Jeremiah. The English Version renders it here lusts,5 and in all the other passages, imagination, but wrongly.J. F. M.]

Psa 81:16 f. Their time is not the evil time of the haters of God (Theodoret, Isaaki, Aben Ezra) but the lifetime of the Israelites (Kimchi) and that as a people (Hitzig), Psa 89:30; Psa 89:37. The last verse has an unmistakable allusion to Deu 32:13. In that passage there follows besides: oil out of the flinty rock. Honey out of the rock is probably not wild honey, as an emblem of good things obtained without labor, or as describing the fertility of the country. But the later. which is frequently mentioned as a type of the Divine blessing, is distinguished as something extraordinary and preternatural by this hyperbolical expression. A change of into after Pro 16:21 (Olshausen) is consequently unnecessary. But the slight change in the pointing by which the vav conversive becomes vav copulative (Olshausen) is quite natural. In this case the promise is continued, and this continuation was not merely to be expected, but the transition to the third person (occasioned by the naming of Jehovah in the preceding verse) and the immediate return to the first person become hereby intelligible and agreeable. The present pointing, on the contrary, which arose, perhaps, from considerations of euphony, (Hupfeld) requires us in strictness to separate the last clause from the preceding, and to regard it as an account of an actual event (Sept., Syriac, Ewald, Hitzig, Delitzsch). But it has an altogether different position and significance from those of the historical pictures, with which Psalms 77, 78. abruptly conclude, and is followed by no further utterances from God. We can hardly assume that the narrative portion has been transferred from the end of Psa 81:8 to the end of the Psalm, and there is the less reason for this assumption, as in that case there would be no occasion for the change of the personal pronouns. [Alexander: The English Version refers these four verses all to past time, had hearkened, had walked, should have subdued, should have submitted, etc. This is in fact the true construction of Isa 48:18; but there the conditional or optative particle is construed with the preterite, and not with the future tense, as here, which makes an essential difference of syntax. See Nordheimers Heb. Gr., 1078.J. F. M.]

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. The Church has at all times to give to God the Lord the honor and acknowledgment which are His due; but especially must it manifest to the whole world its sense of this obligation by its observance of the sacred seasons appointed specially for this end, and, by maintaining these sacred ordinances, contribute to their preservation in the world, and show themselves to be, and build themselves up as, a Church of God. This is most effectually done, partly by solemn prayers, psalms, and hymns, to the praise of the Lord, partly by proclaiming His mighty deeds, and especially those which have served to found and maintain His Church in the world, and by a practical meditation upon them; partly by appropriating in Gods worship the blessings, means of grace, and salvation, offered and supplied to the members of the Church through Gods special ordinances.
2. The obligation of the Church to honor and serve God is based upon His right to the Church which He has redeemed and purchased from bondage as His own inheritance. Thus all the sacred days of the Church of God have an actual and historical foundation, which on one side stands related to the revelation of God, and on the other to the salvation of its members. The feasts of the Old Testament receive in this way a typical significance, and their celebration, a moral character essentially distinct from heathen worship, and divested of the sensuousness which marks the rites of many forms of religion.

3. Faithfulness to the only true God is manifested, on the one hand, by obedience to His commands and ordinances, and on the other, by trusting to His promises and gifts. In both aspects we have examples of warning and encouragement in the history of our forefathers. But it is of paramount importance that we do not study these examples merely as the subjects of a narrative, but that we make them subservient to practical wisdom in life. For, according to mens desires, and according to their conduct, will there be measured out and allotted to them, what will cast them to the ground, or preserve them in life; and God deals out with no sparing hand, nor does the covenant relation protect the unfaithful, ungrateful, and disobedient. He who will not hear must feel. But if the sinner is converted from the error of his way, God gives him to taste renewed mercy, and to experience the transcendent power of His salvation. And He attracts and invites him in His compassion to this course by holding out to him His promises.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

The mighty deeds of God, which we celebrate in our solemn assemblies have their significance, not merely in the history of our forefathers, but also for the life of the Church even to the end of the world.In the sacred seasons of our Church let us not only praise God with joyful song and grateful prayer, let us also seek to be edified by the preaching of His word.The solemn services of our sacred days are not founded upon human will, but upon the command of God.True praise to God does not consist in outward actions and ceremonies, but in a personal consecration to God in order to more confirmed fidelity to His covenant.God may prove us, but let us not dare to tempt Him.As unfaithfulness to God bears its bitter fruits, so does faithfulness its sweet fruits of promise.When we hear of the sins of the fathers, it is not enough that we deplore them, we must avoid them too.

Starke: Let him who will sing, sing to Gods glory.Sabbaths and sacred days are nothing but monuments of Divine blessings. If men would but bear this in mind, many acts of desecration would be unperformed.In the first commandment lies the ground-work of all the others; for to him who does not fear, love, and trust in God, there is no sin so great as that he cannot fall into it.God is much more willing to bestow upon us His mercy than we are to receive it.

Osiander: Let us bear in mind, that it is not human devices, but true godliness, that makes us secure from our foes.Menzel: It is the nature and custom of the world to let God say what He will, and then to do as it wills.Frisch: Let the world follow its ways, but keep thou firm to the ways of Gods children, who seek their happiness in Him.Rieger: What the Lord can arouse in the conscience of every one; with what powerful leadings and gracious offers He can encourage a heart, when He appears before it with these words: Hear, I will testify.Richter (Hausbibel): God loves specially in us the ever-open mouth of the soul. It is no trouble to Him to feed and revive us. But he who despises His willing goodness and mercy is an abomination to Him.Tholuck: Such is man! He laments that prosperity has forsaken him, and in departing from the way of his God, he leaves the way of happiness.Guenther: We are and shall be the people of God. Do we hearken to His voice? Do we long after communion with Him?Why is it so ill with thee here below? Because thou dost not hearken to God, because thou dost not walk in His ways. How well it might be with us if we would only have it so!Taube: What God by His Divine right has ordained for a testimony to His people, is now Israels sacred duty and rich blessing.The excellence of Gods love is displayed in three of its attributes. It rebukes, it complains, it allures.

[Matth. Henry: Gods grace is His own, and He is debtor to no man; and yet as He never gave His grace to any that could say they deserved it, so He never took it away from any but such as had first forfeited it.God would have us do our duty to Him that we may be qualified to receive favor from Him. He therefore delights in our serving Him, not because He is the better for it, but because we shall be.

Scott: As the giving of the law from Mount Sinai, and the trials of Israel in the wilderness were proofs of the Lords peculiar regard to that people, so humiliating convictions of sin, and sharp afflictions, are generally, and the law written in our hearts, always, evidential of the love of God to our souls.J. F. M.]

Footnotes:

[4][So the Engl. Vers. In this the root is supposed to be cognate with to divide out. But the Syriac Keso (comp. ), the full moon, as being covered furnishes the key to the right meaning.J. F. M.]

[5][The meaning hardness (transferred by Hengstenberg to wickedness) is established beyond dispute. The Syriac and the Hebrew derivatives from the same root show this. The rendering lusts probably arose in this way. The LXX. being ignorant of the true meaning followed the parallelism and translated in both clauses, which our translators adopted in the first.J. F. M]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

CONTENTS

The Writer of this Psalm is calling upon Israel to bless the God of Israel: and he proposeth the subject and points to the cause. The Psalm concludes with lamenting the sad departures of Israel in many instances.

To the chief musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

It is very probable that this Psalm formed part of the religious worship in the temple on the feast days. We find several occasions of this sort: such as the feast of trumpets; Lev 23:24 ; Num 29:1 ; and the jubilee trumpet; Lev 25:9 : and we know that instruments of music were used in the temple service. But as we also know, that almost all things in the dispensation under the law were shadows and types only of a better dispensation under the gospel, I venture to believe that we cannot derive any one authority for musical instruments in the house of God, from what we behold in those periods before the coming of Christ. And, without doubt, every mind that is truly spiritual must allow that the melody of the soul can need no stringed instruments to awaken real devotion within. These were carnal things before the time of reformation. I would desire to sing with the spirit, and to sing with the understanding also, when I approach the throne of grace, to praise a God in Christ. I would sing loud indeed unto Jesus the Rock of my strength, and desire to bring all the devout chords of my soul to tell my God of his redemption, of his jubilee, and salvation. 1Co 14:15 ; Eph 5:17-20 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Consecration and Expectation

Psa 81:8-10

I. The duty of religion flows directly from the fact of God. Wherever God is acknowledged there religion is obligatory. To us then who admit that there is a God of whom we know something religion cannot be optional. God is, and it is our duty to honour and obey Him. Full obedience, then, is one fundamental element of religion, as it is brought before us in our text We might find a ground for demanding obedience to God further back than any special experience of God’s redemptive working. A sufficient stringency of duty arises, for instance, from the relation of the creature to the Creator. The demand that we should perfectly obey and wholly consecrate ourselves to the Lord our God comes to us as it did to Israel. Nor can we pretend to have complied faithfully with it. Under the uniformity of our worship our fickleness has been every whit as real as that of Israel long ago. Might not an impartial observer conclude that we worshipped at least two Gods? A God of this world six days and a God of the world to come, whom we seek to placate, on the odd seventh day, with no great earnestness, by certain acts of worship of no long duration? The truth is that we fail in the fundamental element of religion which I have called obedience, unless we do all things, week-day and Sunday, to the glory of the only God. There is an interesting parallel between us and the Israelites. As Israel traced its origin to God’s redemptive grace working by Moses, so we may trace the origin of our Christian Church to God’s redemptive grace working by Christ.

II. We pass now to the second element of religion which our text gives us the element of expectation. We fail in this duty of expectancy as much as in the duty of obedience. A large expectation is as much a duty as a complete consecration. The religion of redemption is emphatically the religion of hope. Our prayers disappoint us, not because we ask more than we had a right to expect, but because we ask too little. If we ask of the greater things we shall get all we need of the less. All sin is unreasonable, but no sin has so little to say for itself as the sin of those who profess to lament their failure, and yet refuse to admit those words of salvation which are ever sounding in their ears, and which, if believed, would make all things new.

P. J. Maclagan, The Gospel View of Things, p. 187.

References. LXXXI. International Critical Commentary, vol. ii. p. 209. LXXXI. 12, 13. Bishop Harvey Goodwin, Parish Sermons (2nd Series), p. 50. LXXXII. 8. F. D. Maurice, Sermons, vol. iii. p. 1. LXXXII. International Critical Commentary, vol. ii. p. 214. LXXXIII. 3. J. T. Stannard, The Divine Humanity, p. 141. LXXXIII. 16. J. Keble, Sermons from Lent to Passiontide, pp. 23, 34. LXXXIII. International Critical Commentary, vol. ii. p. 217.

Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson

PSALMS

XI

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS

According to my usual custom, when taking up the study of a book of the Bible I give at the beginning a list of books as helps to the study of that book. The following books I heartily commend on the Psalms:

1. Sampey’s Syllabus for Old Testament Study . This is especially good on the grouping and outlining of some selected psalms. There are also some valuable suggestions on other features of the book.

2. Kirkpatrick’g commentary, in “Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges,” is an excellent aid in the study of the Psalter.

3. Perowne’s Book of Psalms is a good, scholarly treatise on the Psalms. A special feature of this commentary is the author’s “New Translation” and his notes are very helpful.

4. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David. This is just what the title implies. It is a voluminous, devotional interpretation of the Psalms and helpful to those who have the time for such extensive study of the Psalter.

5. Hengstenburg on the Psalms. This is a fine, scholarly work by one of the greatest of the conservative German scholars.

6. Maclaren on the Psalms, in “The Expositor’s Bible,” is the work of the world’s safest, sanest, and best of all works that have ever been written on the Psalms.

7. Thirtle on the Titles of the Psalms. This is the best on the subject and well worth a careful study.

At this point some definitions are in order. The Hebrew word for psalm means praise. The word in English comes from psalmos , a song of lyrical character, or a song to be sung and accompanied with a lyre. The Psalter is a collection of sacred and inspired songs, composed at different times and by different authors.

The range of time in composition was more than 1,000 years, or from the time of Moses to the time of Ezra. The collection in its present form was arranged probably by Ezra in the fifth century, B.C.

The Jewish classification of Old Testament books was The Law, the Prophets, and the Holy Writings. The Psalms was given the first place in the last group.

They had several names, or titles, of the Psalms. In Hebrew they are called “The Book of Prayers,” or “The Book of Praises.” The Hebrew word thus used means praises. The title of the first two books is found in Psa 72:20 : “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” The title of the whole collection of Psalms in the Septuagint is Biblos Psalman which means the “Book of Psalms.” The title in the Alexandrian Codex is Psalterion which is the name of a stringed instrument, and means “The Psalter.”

The derivation of our English words, “psalms,” “psalter,” and “psaltery,” respectively, is as follows:

1. “Psalms” comes from the Greek word, psalmoi, which is also from psallein , which means to play upon a stringed instrument. Therefore the Psalms are songs played upon stringed instruments, and the word here is used to apply to the whole collection.

2. “Psalter” is of the same origin and means the Book of Psalms and refers also to the whole collection.

3. “Psaltery” is from the word psalterion, which means “a harp,” an instrument, supposed to be in the shape of a triangle or like the delta of the Greek alphabet. See Psa 33:2 ; Psa 71:22 ; Psa 81:2 ; Psa 144:9 .

In our collection there are 150 psalms. In the Septuagint there is one extra. It is regarded as being outside the sacred collection and not inspired. The subject of this extra psalm is “David’s victory over Goliath.” The following is a copy of it: I was small among my brethren, And youngest in my father’s house, I used to feed my father’s sheep. My hands made a harp, My fingers fashioned a Psaltery. And who will declare unto my Lord? He is Lord, he it is who heareth. He it was who sent his angel And took me from my father’s sheep, And anointed me with the oil of his anointing. My brethren were goodly and tall, But the Lord took no pleasure in them. I went forth to meet the Philistine. And he cursed me by his idols But I drew the sword from beside him; I beheaded him and removed reproach from the children of Israel.

It will be noted that this psalm does not have the earmarks of an inspired production. There is not found in it the modesty so characteristic of David, but there is here an evident spirit of boasting and self-praise which is foreign to the Spirit of inspiration.

There is a difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint. Omitting the extra one in the Septuagint, there is no difference as to the total number. Both have 150 and the same subject matter, but they are not divided alike.

The following scheme shows the division according to our version and also the Septuagint: Psalms 1-8 in the Hebrew equal 1-8 in the Septuagint; 9-10 in the Hebrew combine into 9 in the Septuagint; 11-113 in the Hebrew equal 10-112 in the Septuagint; 114-115 in the Hebrew combine into 113 in the Septuagint; 116 in the Hebrew divides into 114-115 in the Septuagint; 117-146 in the Hebrew equal 116-145 in the Septuagint; 147 in the Hebrew divides into 146-147 in the Septuagint; 148-150 in the Hebrew equal 148-150 in the Septuagint.

The arrangement in the Vulgate is the same as the Septuagint. Also some of the older English versions have this arangement. Another difficulty in numbering perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another, viz: In the Hebrew often the title is verse I, and sometimes the title embraces verses 1-2.

The book divisions of the Psalter are five books, as follows:

Book I, Psalms 1-41 (41 chapters)

Book II, Psalms 42-72 (31 chapters)

Book III, Psalms 73-89 (17 chapters)

Book IV, Psalms 90-106 (17 chapters)

Book V, Psalms 107-150 (44 chapters)

They are marked by an introduction and a doxology. Psalm I forms an introduction to the whole book; Psa 150 is the doxology for the whole book. The introduction and doxology of each book are the first and last psalms of each division, respectively.

There were smaller collections before the final one, as follows:

Books I and II were by David; Book III, by Hezekiah, and Books IV and V, by Ezra.

Certain principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection:

1. David is honored with first place, Book I and II, including Psalms 1-72.

2. They are grouped according to the use of the name of God:

(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovah psalms;

(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohim-psalms;

(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovah psalms.

3. Book IV is introduced by the psalm of Moses, which is the first psalm written.

4. Some are arranged as companion psalms, for instance, sometimes two, sometimes three, and sometimes more. Examples: Psa 2 and 3; 22, 23, and 24; 113-118.

5. They were arranged for liturgical purposes, which furnished the psalms for special occasions, such as feasts, etc. We may be sure this arrangement was not accidental. An intelligent study of each case is convincing that it was determined upon rational grounds.

All the psalms have titles but thirty-three, as follows:

In Book I, Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 33 , (4 are without titles).

In Book II, Psa 43 ; Psa 71 , (2 are without titles).

In Book IV, Psa 91 ; Psa 93 ; Psa 94 ; Psa 95 ; Psa 96 ; Psa 97 ; Psa 104 ; Psa 105 ; Psa 106 , (9 are without titles).

In Book V, Psa 107 ; III; 112; 113; 114; 115; 116; 117; 118; 119; 135; 136; 137; 146; 147; 148; 149; 150, (18 are without titles).

The Talmud calls these psalms that have no title, “Orphan Psalms.” The later Jews supply these titles by taking the nearest preceding author. The lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; and 10 may be accounted for as follows: Psa 1 is a general introduction to the whole collection and Psa 2 was, perhaps, a part of Psa 1 . Psalms 9-10 were formerly combined into one, therefore Psa 10 has the same title as Psa 9 .

QUESTIONS

1. What books are commended on the Psalms?

2. What is a psalm?

3. What is the Psalter?

4. What is the range of time in composition?

5. When and by whom was the collection in its present form arranged?

6. What the Jewish classification of Old Testament books, and what the position of the Psalter in this classification?

7. What is the Hebrew title of the Psalms?

8. Find the title of the first two books from the books themselves.

9. What is the title of the whole collection of psalms in the Septuagint?

10. What is the title in the Alexandrian Codex?

11. What is the derivation of our English word, “Psalms”, “Psalter”, and “Psaltery,” respectively?

12. How many psalms in our collection?

13. How many psalms in the Septuagint?

14. What about the extra one in the Septuagint?

15. What is the subject of this extra psalm?

16. How does it compare with the Canonical Psalms?

17. What is the difference in the numbering of the psalms in our version which follows the Hebrew, and the numbering in the Septuagint?

18. What is the arrangement in the Vulgate?

19. What other difficulty in numbering which perplexes an inexperienced student in turning from one version to another?

20. What are the book divisions of the Psalter and how are these divisions marked?

21. Were there smaller collections before the final one? If so, what were they?

22. What principles determined the arrangement of the several psalms in the present collection?

23. In what conclusion may we rest concerning this arrangement?

24. How many of the psalms have no titles?

25. What does the Talmud call these psalms that have no titles?

26. How do later Jews supply these titles?

27. How do you account for the lack of titles in Psa 1 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 10 ?

XII

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS (CONTINUED)

The following is a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms:

1. The author: “A Psalm of David” (Psa 37 ).

2. The occasion: “When he fled from Absalom, his son” (Psa 3 ).

3. The nature, or character, of the poem:

(1) Maschil, meaning “instruction,” a didactic poem (Psa 42 ).

(2) Michtam, meaning “gold,” “A Golden Psalm”; this means excellence or mystery (Psa 16 ; 56-60).

4. The occasion of its use: “A Psalm of David for the dedication of the house” (Psa 30 ).

5. Its purpose: “A Psalm of David to bring remembrance” (Psa 38 ; Psa 70 ).

6. Direction for its use: “A Psalm of David for the chief musician” (Psa 4 ).

7. The kind of musical instrument:

(1) Neginoth, meaning to strike a chord, as on stringed instruments (Psa 4 ; Psa 61 ).

(2) Nehiloth, meaning to perforate, as a pipe or flute (Psa 5 ).

(3) Shoshannim, Lilies, which refers probably to cymbals (Psa 45 ; Psa 69 ).

8. A special choir:

(1) Sheminith, the “eighth,” or octave below, as a male choir (Psa 6 ; Psa 12 ).

(2) Alamoth, female choir (Psa 46 ).

(3) Muth-labben, music with virgin voice, to be sung by a choir of boys in the treble (Psa 9 ).

9. The keynote, or tune:

(1) Aijeleth-sharar, “Hind of the morning,” a song to the melody of which this is sung (Psa 22 ).

(2) Al-tashheth, “Destroy thou not,” the beginning of a song the tune of which is sung (Psa 57 ; Psa 58 ; Psa 59 ; Psa 75 ).

(3) Gittith, set to the tune of Gath, perhaps a tune which David brought from Gath (Psa 8 ; Psa 81 ; Psa 84 ).

(4) Jonath-elim-rehokim, “The dove of the distant terebinths,” the commencement of an ode to the air of which this song was to be sung (Psa 56 ).

(5) Leannoth, the name of a tune (Psa 88 ).

(6) Mahalath, an instrument (Psa 53 ); Leonnoth-Mahaloth, to chant to a tune called Mahaloth.

(7) Shiggaion, a song or a hymn.

(8) Shushan-Eduth, “Lily of testimony,” a tune (Psa 60 ). Note some examples: (1) “America,” “Shiloh,” “Auld Lang Syne.” These are the names of songs such as we are familiar with; (2) “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood,” are examples of sacred hymns.

10. The liturgical use, those noted for the feasts, e.g., the Hallels and Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 146-150).

11. The destination, as “Song of Ascents” (Psalms 120-134)

12. The direction for the music, such as Selah, which means “Singers, pause”; Higgaion-Selah, to strike a symphony with selah, which means an instrumental interlude (Psa 9:16 ).

The longest and fullest title to any of the psalms is the title to Psa 60 . The items of information from this title are as follows: (1) the author; (2) the chief musician; (3) the historical occasion; (4) the use, or design; (5) the style of poetry; (6) the instrument or style of music.

The parts of these superscriptions which most concern us now are those indicating author, occasion, and date. As to the historic value or trustworthiness of these titles most modern scholars deny that they are a part of the Hebrew text, but the oldest Hebrew text of which we know anything had all of them. This is the text from which the Septuagint was translated. It is much more probable that the author affixed them than later writers. There is no internal evidence in any of the psalms that disproves the correctness of them, but much to confirm. The critics disagree among themselves altogether as to these titles. Hence their testimony cannot consistently be received. Nor can it ever be received until they have at least agreed upon a common ground of opposition.

David is the author of more than half the entire collection, the arrangement of which is as follows:

1. Seventy-three are ascribed to him in the superscriptions.

2. Some of these are but continuations of the preceding ones of a pair, trio, or larger group.

3. Some of the Korahite Psalms are manifestly Davidic.

4. Some not ascribed to him in the titles are attributed to him expressly by New Testament writers.

5. It is not possible to account for some parts of the Psalter without David. The history of his early life as found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1and 2 Chronicles, not only shows his remarkable genius for patriotic and sacred songs and music, but also shows his cultivation of that gift in the schools of the prophets. Some of these psalms of the history appear in the Psalter itself. It is plain to all who read these that they are founded on experience, and the experience of no other Hebrew fits the case. These experiences are found in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles.

As to the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition, I have this to say:

1. This theory has no historical support whatever, and therefore is not to be accepted at all.

2. It has no support in tradition, which weakens the contention of the critics greatly.

3. It has no support from finding any one with the necessary experience for their basis.

4. They can give no reasonable account as to how the titles ever got there.

5. It is psychologically impossible for anyone to have written these 150 psalms in the Maccabean times.

6. Their position is expressly contrary to the testimony of Christ and the apostles. Some of the psalms which they ascribe to the Maccabean Age are attributed to David by Christ himself, who said that David wrote them in the Spirit.

The obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result if it be Just, is a positive denial of the inspiration of both Testaments.

Other authors are named in the titles, as follows: (1) Asaph, to whom twelve psalms have been assigned: (2) Mosee, Psa 90 ; (3) Solomon, Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ; (4) Heman, Psa 80 ; (5) Ethem, Psa 89 ; (6) A number of the psalms are ascribed to the sons of Korah.

Not all the psalms ascribed to Asaph were composed by one person. History indicates that Asaph’s family presided over the song service for several generations. Some of them were composed by his descendants by the game name. The five general outlines of the whole collection are as follows:

I. By books

1. Psalms 1-41 (41)

2. Psalms 42-72 (31)

3. Psalms 73-89 (17)

4. Psalms 90-106 (17)

5. Psalms 107-150 (44)

II. According to date and authorship

1. The psalm of Moses (Psa 90 )

2. Psalms of David:

(1) The shepherd boy (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 ).

(2) David when persecuted by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ).

(3) David the King (Psa 101 ; Psa 18 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 2 ; Psa 110 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 20 ; Psa 21 ; Psa 60 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 41 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 3:4 ; Psa 64 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 ).

3. The Asaph Psalms (Psa 50 ; Psa 73 ; Psa 83 ).

4. The Korahite Psalms (Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 84 ).

5. The psalms of Solomon (Psa 72 ; Psa 127 ).

6. The psalms of the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah (Psa 46 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 )

7. The psalms of the Exile (Psa 74 ; Psa 79 ; Psa 137 ; Psa 102 )

8. The psalms of the Restoration (Psa 85 ; Psa 126 ; Psa 118 ; 146-150)

III. By groups

1. The Jehovistic and Elohistic Psalms:

(1) Psalms 1-41 are Jehovistic;

(2) Psalms 42-83 are Elohistic Psalms;

(3) Psalms 84-150 are Jehovistic.

2. The Penitential Psalms (Psa 6 ; Psa 32 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 51 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 130 ; Psa 143 )

3. The Pilgrim Psalms (Psalms 120-134)

4. The Alphabetical Psalms (Psa 9 ; Psa 10 ; Psa 25 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 37 ; 111:112; Psa 119 ; Psa 145 )

5. The Hallelujah Psalms (Psalms 11-113; 115-117; 146-150; to which may be added Psa 135 ) Psalms 113-118 are called “the Egyptian Hallel”

IV. Doctrines of the Psalms

1. The throne of grace and how to approach it by sacrifice, prayer, and praise.

2. The covenant, the basis of worship.

3. The paradoxical assertions of both innocence & guilt.

4. The pardon of sin and justification.

5. The Messiah.

6. The future life, pro and con.

7. The imprecations.

8. Other doctrines.

V. The New Testament use of the Psalms

1. Direct references and quotations in the New Testament.

2. The allusions to the psalms in the New Testament. Certain experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart, such as: (1) his peaceful early life; (2) his persecution by Saul; (3) his being crowned king of the people; (4) the bringing up of the ark; (5) his first great sin; (6) Absalom’s rebellion; (7) his second great sin; (8) the great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 ; (9) the feelings of his old age.

We may classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time, thus:

1. His peaceful early life (Psa 8 ; Psa 19 ; Psa 29 ; Psa 23 )

2. His persecution by Saul (Psa 59 ; Psa 56 ; Psa 34 ; Psa 7 ; Psa 52 ; Psa 120 ; Psa 140 ; Psa 54 ; Psa 57 ; Psa 142 ; Psa 17 ; Psa 18 )

3. Making David King (Psa 27 ; Psa 133 ; Psa 101 )

4. Bringing up the ark (Psa 68 ; Psa 24 ; Psa 132 ; Psa 15 ; Psa 78 ; Psa 96 )

5. His first great sin (Psa 51 ; Psa 32 )

6. Absalom’s rebellion (Psa 41 ; Psa 6 ; Psa 55 ; Psa 109 ; Psa 38 ; Psa 39 ; Psa 3 ; Psa 4 ; Psa 63 ; Psa 42 ; Psa 43 ; Psa 5 ; Psa 62 ; Psa 61 ; Psa 27 )

7. His second great sin (Psa 69 ; Psa 71 ; Psa 102 ; Psa 103 )

8. The great promise made to him in 2Sa 7 (Psa 2 )

9. Feelings of old age (Psa 37 )

The great doctrines of the psalms may be noted as follows: (1) the being and attributes of God; (3) sin, both original and individual; (3) both covenants; (4) the doctrine of justification; (5) concerning the Messiah.

There is a striking analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms. The Pentateuch contains five books of law; the Psalms contain five books of heart responses to the law.

It is interesting to note the historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms. These were controversies about singing uninspired songs, in the Middle Ages. The church would not allow anything to be used but psalms.

The history in Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah is very valuable toward a proper interpretation of the psalms. These books furnish the historical setting for a great many of the psalms which is very indispensable to their proper interpretation.

Professor James Robertson, in the Poetry and Religion of the Psalms constructs a broad and strong argument in favor of the Davidic Psalms, as follows:

1. The age of David furnished promising soil for the growth of poetry.

2. David’s qualifications for composing the psalms make it highly probable that David is the author of the psalms ascribed to him.

3. The arguments against the possibility of ascribing to David any of the hymns in the Hebrew Psalter rests upon assumptions that are thoroughly antibiblical.

The New Testament makes large use of the psalms and we learn much as to their importance in teaching. There are seventy direct quotations in the New Testament from this book, from which we learn that the Scriptures were used extensively in accord with 2Ti 3:16-17 . There are also eleven references to the psalms in the New Testament from which we learn that the New Testament writers were thoroughly imbued with the spirit and teaching of the psalms. Then there are eight allusions ‘to this book in the New Testament from which we gather that the Psalms was one of the divisions of the Old Testament and that they were used in the early church.

QUESTIONS

1. Give a list of the items of information gathered from the titles of the psalms.

2. What is the longest title to any of the psalms and what the items of this title?

3. What parts of these superscriptions most concern us now?

4. What is the historic value, or trustworthiness of these titles?

5. State the argument showing David’s relation to the psalms.

6. What have you to say of the attempt of the destructive critics to rob David of his glory in relation to the Psalter by assigning the Maccabean era as the date of composition?

7. What the obvious aim of this criticism and the necessary result, if it be just?

8. What other authors are named in the titles?

9. Were all the psalms ascribed to Asaph composed by one person?

10. Give the five general outlines of the whole collection, as follows: I. The outline by books II. The outline according to date and authorship III. The outline by groups IV. The outline of doctrines V. The outline by New Testament quotations or allusions.

11. What experiences of David’s life made very deep impressions on his heart?

12. Classify the Davidic Psalms according to these experiences following the order of time.

13. What the great doctrines of the psalms?

14. What analogy between the Pentateuch and the Psalms?

15. What historic controversies concerning the singing of psalms?

16. Of what value is the history in Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles, and in Ezra and Nehemiah toward a proper interpretation of the psalms?

17. Give Professor James Robertson’s argument in favor of the Davidic authorship of the psalms.

18. What can you say of the New Testament use of the psalms and what do we learn as to their importance in teaching?

19. What can you say of the New Testament references to the psalms, and from the New Testament references what the impression on the New Testament writers?

20. What can you say of the allusions to the psalms in the New Testament?

XVII

THE MESSIAH IN THE PSALMS

A fine text for this chapter is as follows: “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Psalms concerning me,” Luk 24:44 . I know of no better way to close my brief treatise on the Psalms than to discuss the subject of the Messiah as revealed in this book.

Attention has been called to the threefold division of the Old Testament cited by our Lord, namely, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luk 24:44 ), in all of which were the prophecies relating to himself that “must be fulfilled.” It has been shown just what Old Testament books belong to each of these several divisions. The division called the Psalms included many books, styled Holy Writings, and because the Psalms proper was the first book of the division it gave the name to the whole division.

The object of this discussion is to sketch the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah, or rather, to show how nearly a complete picture of our Lord is foredrawn in this one book. Let us understand however with Paul, that all prophecy is but in part (1Co 13:9 ), and that when we fill in on one canvas all the prophecies concerning the Messiah of all the Old Testament divisions, we are far from having a perfect portrait of our Lord. The present purpose is limited to three things:

1. What the book of the Psalms teaches concerning the Messiah.

2. That the New Testament shall authoritatively specify and expound this teaching.

3. That the many messianic predictions scattered over the book and the specifications thereof over the New Testament may be grouped into an orderly analysis, so that by the adjustment of the scattered parts we may have before us a picture of our Lord as foreseen by the psalmists.

In allowing the New Testament to authoritatively specify and expound the predictive features of the book, I am not unmindful of what the so-called “higher critics” urge against the New Testament quotations from the Old Testament and the use made of them. In this discussion, however, these objections are not considered, for sufficient reasons. There is not space for it. Even at the risk of being misjudged I must just now summarily pass all these objections, dismissing them with a single statement upon which the reader may place his own estimate of value. That statement is that in the days of my own infidelity, before this old method of criticism had its new name, I was quite familiar with the most and certainly the strongest of the objections now classified as higher criticism, and have since patiently re-examined them in their widely conflicting restatements under their modern name, and find my faith in the New Testament method of dealing with the Old Testament in no way shattered, but in every way confirmed. God is his own interpreter. The Old Testament as we now have it was in the hands of our Lord. I understand his apostle to declare, substantially, that “every one of these sacred scriptures is God-inspired and is profitable for teaching us what is right to believe and to do, for convincing us what is wrong in faith or practice, for rectifying the wrong when done, that we may be ready at every point, furnished completely, to do every good work, at the right time, in the right manner, and from the proper motive” (2Ti 3:16-17 ).

This New Testament declares that David was a prophet (Act 2:30 ), that he spake by the Holy Spirit (Act 1:16 ), that when the book speaks the Holy Spirit speaks (Heb 3:7 ), and that all its predictive utterances, as sacred Scripture, “must be fulfilled” (Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:16 ). It is not claimed that David wrote all the psalms, but that all are inspired, and that as he was the chief author, the book goes by his name.

It would be a fine thing to make out two lists, as follows:

1. All of the 150 psalms in order from which the New Testament quotes with messianic application.

2. The New Testament quotations, book by book, i.e., Matthew so many, and then the other books in their order.

We would find in neither of these any order as to time, that is, Psa 1 which forecasts an incident in the coming Messiah’s life does not forecast the first incident of his life. And even the New Testament citations are not in exact order as to time and incident of his life. To get the messianic picture before us, therefore, we must put the scattered parts together in their due relation and order, and so construct our own analysis. That is the prime object of this discussion. It is not claimed that the analysis now presented is perfect. It is too much the result of hasty, offhand work by an exceedingly busy man. It will serve, however, as a temporary working model, which any one may subsequently improve. We come at once to the psalmist’s outline of the Messiah.

1. The necessity for a Saviour. This foreseen necessity is a background of the psalmists’ portrait of the Messiah. The necessity consists in (1) man’s sinfulness; (2) his sin; (3) his inability of wisdom and power to recover himself; (4) the insufficiency of legal, typical sacrifices in securing atonement.

The predicate of Paul’s great argument on justification by faith is the universal depravity and guilt of man. He is everywhere corrupt in nature; everywhere an actual transgressor; everywhere under condemnation. But the scriptural proofs of this depravity and sin the apostle draws mainly from the book of the Psalms. In one paragraph of the letter to the Romans (Rom 3:4-18 ), he cites and groups six passages from six divisions of the Psalms (Psa 5:9 ; Psa 10:7 ; Psa 14:1-3 ; Psa 36:1 ; Psa 51:4-6 ; Psa 140:3 ). These passages abundantly prove man’s sinfulness, or natural depravity, and his universal practice of sin.

The predicate also of the same apostle’s great argument for revelation and salvation by a Redeemer is man’s inability of wisdom and power to re-establish communion with God. In one of his letters to the Corinthians he thus commences his argument: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? -For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preach-ing to save them that believe.” He closes this discussion with the broad proposition: “The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,” and proves it by a citation from Psa 94:11 : “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”

In like manner our Lord himself pours scorn on human wisdom and strength by twice citing Psa 8 : “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight” (Mat 11:25-26 ). “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” (Mat 21:15-16 ).

But the necessity for a Saviour as foreseen by the psalmist did not stop at man’s depravity, sin, and helplessness. The Jews were trusting in the sacrifices of their law offered on the smoking altar. The inherent weakness of these offerings, their lack of intrinsic merit, their ultimate abolition, their complete fulfilment and supercession by a glorious antitype were foreseen and foreshown in this wonderful prophetic book: I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices; And thy burnt offerings are continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he-goat out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, And the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all of the birds of the mountains; And the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Psa 50:8-13 .

Yet again it speaks in that more striking passage cited in the letter to the Hebrews: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers, once purged should have no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, But a body didst thou prepare for me; In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure: Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God. Saying above, Sacrifice and offering and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein, (the which are offered according to the law), then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second” (Heb 10:1-9 ).

This keen foresight of the temporary character and intrinsic worthlessness of animal sacrifices anticipated similar utterances by the later prophets (Isa 1:10-17 ; Jer 6:20 ; Jer 7:21-23 ; Hos 6:6 ; Amo 5:21 ; Mic 6:6-8 ). Indeed, I may as well state in passing that when the apostle declares, “It is impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins,” he lays down a broad principle, just as applicable to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. With reverence I state the principle: Not even God himself by mere appointment can vest in any ordinance, itself lacking intrinsic merit, the power to take away sin. There can be, therefore, in the nature of the case, no sacramental salvation. This would destroy the justice of God in order to exalt his mercy. Clearly the psalmist foresaw that “truth and mercy must meet together” before “righteousness and peace could kiss each other” (Psa 85:10 ). Thus we find as the dark background of the psalmists’ luminous portrait of the Messiah, the necessity for a Saviour.

2. The nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah. In no other prophetic book are the nature, fullness, and blessedness of salvation so clearly seen and so vividly portrayed. Besides others not now enumerated, certainly the psalmists clearly forecast four great elements of salvation:

(1) An atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit offered once for all (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:4-10 ).

(2) Regeneration itself consisting of cleansing, renewal, and justification. We hear his impassioned statement of the necessity of regeneration: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts,” followed by his earnest prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” and his equally fervent petition: “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psa 51 ). And we hear him again as Paul describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin Psa 32:1 ; Rom 4:6-8 .

(3) Introduction into the heavenly rest (Psa 95:7-11 ; Heb 3:7-19 ; Heb 4:1-11 ). Here is the antitypical Joshua leading spiritual Israel across the Jordan of death into the heavenly Canaan, the eternal rest that remaineth for the people of God. Here we find creation’s original sabbath eclipsed by redemption’s greater sabbath when the Redeemer “entered his rest, ceasing from his own works as God did from his.”

(4) The recovery of all the universal dominion lost by the first Adam and the securement of all possible dominion which the first Adam never attained (Psa 8:5-6 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 ; 1Co 15:24-28 ).

What vast extent then and what blessedness in the salvation foreseen by the psalmists, and to be wrought by the Messiah. Atoning sacrifice of intrinsic merit; regeneration by the Holy Spirit; heavenly rest as an eternal inheritance; and universal dominion shared with Christ!

3. The wondrous person of the Messiah in his dual nature, divine and human.

(1) His divinity,

(a) as God: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever” (Psa 45:6 and Heb 1:8 ) ;

(b) as creator of the heavens and earth, immutable and eternal: Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end Psa 102:25-27 quoted with slight changes in Heb 1:10-12 .

(c) As owner of the earth: The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein, Psa 24:1 quoted in 1Co 10:26 .

(d) As the Son of God: “Thou art my Son; This day have I begotten thee” Psa 2:7 ; Heb 1:5 .

(e) As David’s Lord: The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool, Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:41-46 .

(f) As the object of angelic worship: “And let all the angels of God worship him” Psa 97:7 ; Heb 1:6 .

(g) As the Bread of life: And he rained down manna upon them to eat, And gave them food from heaven Psa 78:24 ; interpreted in Joh 6:31-58 . These are but samples which ascribe deity to the Messiah of the psalmists.

(2) His humanity, (a) As the Son of man, or Son of Adam: Psa 8:4-6 , cited in 1Co 15:24-28 ; Eph 1:20-22 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Compare Luke’s genealogy, Luk 3:23-38 . This is the ideal man, or Second Adam, who regains Paradise Lost, who recovers race dominion, in whose image all his spiritual lineage is begotten. 1Co 15:45-49 . (b) As the Son of David: Psa 18:50 ; Psa 89:4 ; Psa 89:29 ; Psa 89:36 ; Psa 132:11 , cited in Luk 1:32 ; Act 13:22-23 ; Rom 1:3 ; 2Ti 2:8 . Perhaps a better statement of the psalmists’ vision of the wonderful person of the Messiah would be: He saw the uncreated Son, the second person of the trinity, in counsel and compact with the Father, arranging in eternity for the salvation of men: Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 . Then he saw this Holy One stoop to be the Son of man: Psa 8:4-6 ; Heb 2:7-9 . Then he was the son of David, and then he saw him rise again to be the Son of God: Psa 2:7 ; Rom 1:3-4 .

4. His offices.

(1) As the one atoning sacrifice (Psa 40:6-8 ; Heb 10:5-7 ).

(2) As the great Prophet, or Preacher (Psa 40:9-10 ; Psa 22:22 ; Heb 2:12 ). Even the method of his teaching by parable was foreseen (Psa 78:2 ; Mat 13:35 ). Equally also the grace, wisdom, and power of his teaching. When the psalmist declares that “Grace is poured into thy lips” (Psa 45:2 ), we need not be startled when we read that all the doctors in the Temple who heard him when only a boy “were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luk 2:47 ); nor that his home people at Nazareth “all bear him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth” (Luk 4:22 ); nor that those of his own country were astonished, and said, “Whence hath this man this wisdom?” (Mat 13:54 ); nor that the Jews in the Temple marveled, saying, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (Joh 7:15 ) ; nor that the stern officers of the law found their justification in failure to arrest him in the declaration, “Never man spake like this man” (Joh 7:46 ).

(3) As the king (Psa 2:6 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 45:1-17 ; Psa 110:1 ; Mat 22:42-46 ; Act 2:33-36 ; 1Co 15:25 ; Eph 1:20 ; Heb 1:13 ).

(4) As the priest (Psa 110:4 ; Heb 5:5-10 ; Heb 7:1-21 ; Heb 10:12-14 ).

(5) As the final judge. The very sentence of expulsion pronounced upon the finally impenitent by the great judge (Mat 25:41 ) is borrowed from the psalmist’s prophetic words (Psa 6:8 ).

5. Incidents of life. The psalmists not only foresaw the necessity for a Saviour; the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation; the wonderful human-divine person of the Saviour; the offices to be filled by him in the work of salvation, but also many thrilling details of his work in life, death, resurrection, and exaltation. It is not assumed to cite all these details, but some of the most important are enumerated in order, thus:

(1) The visit, adoration, and gifts of the Magi recorded in Mat 2 are but partial fulfilment of Psa 72:9-10 .

(2) The scripture employed by Satan in the temptation of our Lord (Luk 4:10-11 ) was cited from Psa 91:11-12 and its pertinency not denied.

(3) In accounting for his intense earnestness and the apparently extreme measures adopted by our Lord in his first purification of the Temple (Joh 2:17 ), he cites the messianic zeal predicted in Psa 69:9 .

(4) Alienation from his own family was one of the saddest trials of our Lord’s earthly life. They are slow to understand his mission and to enter into sympathy with him. His self-abnegation and exhaustive toil were regarded by them as evidences of mental aberration, and it seems at one time they were ready to resort to forcible restraint of his freedom) virtually what in our time would be called arrest under a writ of lunacy. While at the last his half-brothers became distinguished preachers of his gospel, for a long while they do not believe on him. And the evidence forces us to the conclusion that his own mother shared with her other sons, in kind though not in degree, the misunderstanding of the supremacy of his mission over family relations. The New Testament record speaks for itself:

Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them. How is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them Luk 2:48-51 (R.V.).

And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. And Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. Joh 2:3-5 (R.V.).

And there come his mother and his brethren; and standing without; they sent unto him, calling him. And a multitude was sitting about him; and they say unto him. Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answereth them, and saith, Who is my mother and my brethren? And looking round on them that sat round about him, he saith, Behold, my mother and my brethren) For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother Mar 3:31-35 (R.V.).

Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest. For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world. For even his brethren did not believe on him. Jesus therefore saith unto them, My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil. Go ye up unto the feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; because my time is not fulfilled. Joh 7:2-9 (R.V.).

These citations from the Revised Version tell their own story. But all that sad story is foreshown in the prophetic psalms. For example: I am become a stranger unto my brethren, And an alien unto my mother’s children. Psa 69:8 .

(5) The triumphal entry into Jerusalem was welcomed by a joyous people shouting a benediction from Psa 118:26 : “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Mat 21:9 ); and the Lord’s lamentation over Jerusalem predicts continued desolation and banishment from his sight until the Jews are ready to repeat that benediction (Mat 23:39 ).

(6) The children’s hosanna in the Temple after its second purgation is declared by our Lord to be a fulfilment of that perfect praise forecast in Psa 8:2 .

(7) The final rejection of our Lord by his own people was also clear in the psalmist’s vision (Psa 118:22 ; Mat 21:42-44 ).

(8) Gethsemane’s baptism of suffering, with its strong crying and tears and prayers was as clear to the psalmist’s prophetic vision as to the evangelist and apostle after it became history (Psa 69:1-4 ; Psa 69:13-20 ; and Mat 26:36-44 ; Heb 5:7 ).

(9) In life-size also before the psalmist was the betrayer of Christ and his doom (Psa 41:9 ; Psa 69:25 ; Psa 109:6-8 ; Joh 13:18 ; Act 1:20 ).

(10) The rage of the people, Jew and Gentile, and the conspiracy of Pilate and Herod are clearly outlined (Psa 2:1-3 ; Act 4:25-27 ).

(11) All the farce of his trial the false accusation, his own marvelous silence; and the inhuman maltreatment to which he was subjected, is foreshown in the prophecy as dramatically as in the history (Mat 26:57-68 ; Mat 27:26-31 ; Psa 27:12 ; Psa 35:15-16 ; Psa 38:3 ; Psa 69:19 ).

The circumstances of his death, many and clear, are distinctly foreseen. He died in the prime of life (Psa 89:45 ; Psa 102:23-24 ). He died by crucifixion (Psa 22:14-17 ; Luk 23 ; 33; Joh 19:23-37 ; Joh 20:27 ). But yet not a bone of his body was broken (Psa 34:20 ; Joh 19:36 ).

The persecution, hatred without a cause, the mockery and insults, are all vividly and dramatically foretold (Psa 22:6-13 ; Psa 35:7 ; Psa 35:12 ; Psa 35:15 ; Psa 35:21 ; Psa 109:25 ).

The parting of his garments and the gambling for his vesture (Psa 22:18 ; Mat 27:35 ).

His intense thirst and the gall and vinegar offered for his drink (Psa 69:21 ; Mat 27:34 ).

In the psalms, too, we hear his prayers for his enemies so remarkably fulfilled in fact (Psa 109:4 ; Luk 23:34 ).

His spiritual death was also before the eye of the psalmist, and the very words which expressed it the psalmist heard. Separation from the Father is spiritual death. The sinner’s substitute must die the sinner’s death, death physical, i.e., separation of soul from body; death spiritual, i.e., separation of the soul from God. The latter is the real death and must precede the former. This death the substitute died when he cried out: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me.” (Psa 22:1 ; Mat 27:46 ).

Emerging from the darkness of that death, which was the hour of the prince of darkness, the psalmist heard him commend his spirit to the Father (Psa_31:35; Luk 23:46 ) showing that while he died the spiritual death, his soul was not permanently abandoned unto hell (Psa 16:8-10 ; Act 2:25 ) so that while he “tasted death” for every man it was not permanent death (Heb 2:9 ).

With equal clearness the psalmist foresaw his resurrection, his triumph over death and hell, his glorious ascension into heaven, and his exaltation at the right hand of God as King of kings and Lord of lords, as a high Driest forever, as invested with universal sovereignty (Psa 16:8-11 ; Psa 24:7-10 ; Psa 68:18 ; Psa 2:6 ; Psa 111:1-4 ; Psa 8:4-6 ; Act 2:25-36 ; Eph 1:19-23 ; Eph 4:8-10 ).

We see, therefore, brethren, when the scattered parts are put together and adjusted, how nearly complete a portrait of our Lord is put upon the prophetic canvas by this inspired limner, the sweet singer of Israel.

QUESTIONS

1. What is a good text for this chapter?

2. What is the threefold division of the Old Testament as cited by our Lord?

3. What is the last division called and why?

4. What is the object of the discussion in this chapter?

5. To what three things is the purpose limited?

6. What especially qualifies the author to meet the objections of the higher critics to allowing the New Testament usage of the Old Testament to determine its meaning and application?

7. What is the author’s conviction relative to the Scriptures?

8. What is the New Testament testimony on the question of inspiration?

9. What is the author’s suggested plan of approach to the study of the Messiah in the Psalms?

10. What the background of the Psalmist’s portrait of the Messiah and of what does it consist?

11. Give the substance of Paul’s discussion of man’s sinfulness.

12. What is the teaching of Jesus on this point?

13. What is the teaching relative to sacrifices?

14. What the nature, extent, and blessedness of the salvation to be wrought by the coming Messiah and what the four great elements of it as forecast by the psalmist?

15. What is the teaching of the psalms relative to the wondrous person of the Messiah? Discuss.

16. What are the offices of the Messiah according to psalms? Discuss each.

17. Cite the more important events of the Messiah’s life according to the vision of the psalmist.

18. What the circumstances of the Messiah’s death and resurrection as foreseen by the psalmist?

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

XV

PSALM AFTER DAVID PRIOR TO THE BABYLONIAN EXILE

The superscriptions ascribed to Asaph twelve palms (Psa 50 ; 73-83) Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun presided over the Levitical singers in the time of David. Their sons also directed the various bands of musicians (1Ch 25 ). It seems that the family of Asaph for many generations continued to preside over the service of song (Cf. Ezr 3:10 ).

The theme of Psa 50 is “Obedience is better than sacrifice,” or the language of Samuel to Saul when he had committed the awful sin in respect to the Amalekites. This teaching is paralleled in many Old Testament scriptures, for instance, Psa 51:16-17 . For thou delightest not in sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

The problem of Psa 73 is the problem of why the wicked prosper (Psa 73:1-14 ), and its solution is found in the attitude of God toward the wicked (Psa 73:15-28 ). [For a fine exposition of the other psalms of this section see Kirkpatrick or Maclaren on the Psalms.]

The psalms attributed to the sons of Korah are Psa 42 ; Psa 44 ; Psa 45 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 ; Psa 49 ; Psa 84 ; Psa 85 ; Psa 87 . The evidence that Psalms 42-43 were one poem is internal. There are three stanzas, each closing with a refrain. The similarity of structure and thought indicates that they were formerly one psalm. A parallel to these two psalms we find in the escape of Christian from the Castle of Giant Despair in Pilgrim’s Progress .

Only two psalms were ascribed to Solomon, viz: Psa 72 and 127. However, the author believes that there is good reason to attribute Psa 72 to David. If he wrote it, then only one was written by Solomon.

The theme of Psa 72 is the reign of the righteous king, and the outline according to DeWitt, which shows the kingdom as desired and foretold, is as follows: (1) righteous (Psa 72:1-4 ) ; (2) perpetual (Psa 72:5-7 ); (3) universal (Psa 72:8-11 ); (4) benign (Psa 72:12-14 ); (5) prosperous (Psa 72:15-17 ).

Psa 127 was written when Solomon built the Temple. It is the central psalm of the psalms of the Ascents, which refer to the Temple. It seems fitting that this psalm should occupy the central position in the group, because of the occasion which inspired it and its relation to the other psalms of the group. A brief interpretation of it is as follows: The house here means household. It is a brief lyric, setting forth the lessons of faith and trust. This together with Psa 128 is justly called “A Song of Home.” Once in speaking to Baylor Female College I used this psalm, illustrating the function of a school as a parent sending forth her children into the world as mighty arrows. Again I used this psalm in one of my addresses in our own Seminary in which I made the household to refer to the Seminary sending forth the preachers as her children.

The psalms assigned to the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah are Psa 46 ; Psa 47 ; Psa 48 . The historical setting is found in the history of the reign of Hezekiel. Their application to Judah at this time is found in the historical connection, in which we have God’s great deliverances from the foreign powers, especially the deliverance from Sennacherib. We find in poetry a description of the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem in the Lamentations of Jeremiah and in Psa 74 ; Psa 79 .

The radical critics ascribe Psa 74 ; Psa 79 to the Maccabean period, and their argument is based upon the use of the word “synagogues,” in Psa 74:8 . The answer to their contention is found in the marginal rendering which gives “places of assembly” instead of “synagogues.” The word “synagogue” is a Greek word translated from the Hebrew, which has several meanings, and in this place means the “place of assembly” where God met his people.

The silence of the exile period is shown in Psa 137 , in which they respond that they cannot sing a song of Zion in a strange land. Their brightening of hope is seen in Psa 102 . In this we have the brightening of their hope on the eve of their return. In Psa 85:10 we have a great text:

Mercy and truth are met together;

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

The truth here is God’s law demanding justice; mercy is God’s grace meeting justice. This was gloriously fulfilled in Christ on the cross. He met the demands of the law and offers mercy and grace to all who accept them on the terms of repentance and faith.

Three characteristics of Psa 119 are, first, it is an alphabetical psalm; second, it is the longest chapter in the Bible, and third, it is an expansion of the latter part of Psa 19 . Psalms 146-150 were used for worship in the second temple. The expressions of innocence in the psalms do not refer to original sin, but to a course of conduct in contrast with wicked lives. The psalmists do not claim absolute, but relative sinlessness.

The imprecations in the psalms are real prayers, and are directed against real men who were enemies of David and the Jewish nation, but they are not expressions of personal resentment. They are vigorous expressions of righteous indignation against incorrigible enemies of God and his people and are to be interpreted in the light of progressive revelation. The New Testament contains many exultant expressions of the overthrow of the wicked. (Cf. 1Co 16:22 ; 2Ti 4:14 ; Gal 5:12 ; Rev 16:5-6 ; Rev 18:20 .) These imprecations do not teach that we, even in the worst circumstances, should bear personal malice, nor take vengeance on the enemies of righteousness, but that we should live so close to God that we may acquiesce in the destruction of the wicked and leave the matter of vengeance in the hands of a just God, to whom vengeance belongs (Rom 12:19-21 ).

The clearest teachings on the future life as found in the psalms, both pro and con, are found in these passages, as follows: Psa 16:10-11 ; Psa 17:15 ; Psa 23:6 ; Psa 49:15 ; Psa 73:23-26 . The passages that are construed to the contrary are found in Psa 6:5 ; Psa 30:9 ; Psa 39:13 ; Psa 88:10-12 ; Psa 115:17 . The student will compare these passages and note carefully their teachings. The first group speaks of the triumph over Sheol (the resurrection) ; about awaking in the likeness of God; about dwelling in the house of the Lord forever; about redemption from the power of Sheol; and God’s guiding counsel and final reception into glory, all of which is very clear and unmistakable teaching as to the future life.

The second group speaks of DO remembrance in death; about no profit to the one when he goes down to the pit; of going hence and being no more; about the dead not being able to praise God and about the grave as being the land of forgetfulness ; and about the dead not praising Jehovah, all of which are spoken from the standpoint of the grave and temporal death.

There is positively no contradiction nor discrepancy in the teaching of these scriptures. One group takes the spirit of man as the viewpoint and teaches the continuity of life, the immortality of the soul; the other group takes the physical being of man as the viewpoint and teaches the dissolution of the body and its absolute unconsciousness in the grave.

QUESTIONS

1. How many and what psalms were ascribed to Asaph?

2. Who presided over the Levitical singers in the time of David?

3. What is the theme of Psa 50 , and where do we find the same teaching in the Old Testament?

4. What is the problem of Psa 73 , and what its solution?

5. What psalms are attributed to the sons of Korah?

6. What is the evidence that Psalms 42-43 were one poem and what the characteristic of these two taken together?

7. What parallel to these two psalms do we find in modern literature?

8. What psalms were ascribed to Solomon?

9. What is the theme of Psa 72 ?

10. What is the outline according to DeWitt, which shows the kingdom as desired and foretold?

11. When was Psa 127 written and what the application as a part of the Pilgrim group?

12. Give a brief interpretation of it and the uses made of it by the author on two different occasions.

13. What psalms are assigned to the era of Hezekiah and Isaiah, and what their historical setting?

14. What is their application to Judah at this time?

15. Where may we find in poetry a description of the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem?

16. To what period do radical critics ascribe Psalms 74-79; what is their argument, and what is your answer?

17. Which psalm shows the silence of the exile period and why?

18. Which one shows their brightening of hope?

19. Explain Psa 85:10 .

20. Give three characteristics of Psa 119 .

21. What use was made of Psalms 146-150?

22. Explain the expression of innocence in the psalms in harmony with their teaching of sin.

23. Explain the imprecations in the psalms and show their harmony with New Testament teachings.

24. Cite the clearest teachings on the future life as found in the psalms, both pro and con.

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

Psa 81:1 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, [A Psalm] of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

Upon Gittith ] An instrument brought from Gath, or used by Obed Edom, the Gittite; or a psalm to be sung at the vintages, i.e. at the Feast of Tabernacles. It containeth a solemn thanksgiving (for which cause also that feast was instituted), with so great joy, that Plutarch took occasion therehence to write, but falsely, that the Jews did then keep a feast, or holy day, to Bacchus, .

Ver. 1. Sing aloud unto God ] Be loud and large in his praises, set them forth cheerfully and courageously. God loveth zeal in all his services, In symposio gaudium cantu accendite.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)