[PDF] Notes, critical, explanatory, and practical, on the book of Psalms

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PRINCETON,N.J.^

Presentedby ,

Division...O-^i-1*0^

SectionyS^ IS7/ "v,I

NOTES,

CRITICAL,EXPLANATORY,ANDPRACTICAL,

ONTHE

BOOKOFPSALMS,

V

ByalbertBARNES,

AUTHOROF"NOTESONTHENEWTESTAMENT,"''LECTURESONTHE

EVIDENCESOFCHRISTIANITY,"ETC.,ETC.

INTHREEVOLUMES.

Vol.I.

NEWYORK:

HARPER&BROTHERS,PUBLISHERS,

FRANKLINSQUARE.

187I.
Enterecl,accordingtoActofCongress,intheyear1SG7,by

ALBERTBAENES,

IntheClerk'sOfficeoftlieDistrictCourtoftheUnitedStatesfortheEastern

DistrictofPennsylvania.

PREFACE.

TheseNotesontlieBookofPsalmscompletemylaboursin

endeavouringtoexplainandillustratethesacredScriptures. Atmytimeoflife, - withthepartialfailureofvisionwith whichIhavebeenafflictedformorethantwelveyears, - withthe othercaresandburdensrestingonme, - andwiththemoral certaintythattheinfirmitiesofage,ifIamspared,mustsoon comeuponme,Icouldhopetoaccomplishnomore; - andIshall attemptnomore.

TheseNoteswerecommencedmorethantwelveyearsago,and

wereundertakeninpursuanceofadesirelongcherished.Tor thisworkIhadbeenmakingpreparationforseveralyears previousbythecollectionofsuchCommentariesonthePsalmsas Icouldobtain,thatmightassistmeinpreparingsomethingon thisportionoftheSacredVolumethatmightatoncebeuseful toothers,andmightmakeitmydutyandprivilege,inthisthe closinglabourofmylife,inthisdepartment,tocontemplatethe beautiesofthisbookbyaclosestudy, - anemploymentthan whichnonecouldbemoreappropriateforonewholooksatthe endofallhisearthlylaboursasrapidlyapproaching.

TheworkhasbeenprosecutedwithsuchleisureasIcould

command, - thewholeofithavingbeenwritten,asallmyother

Commentarieshavebeen,intheearlyhoursofthemorning,

uniformlyclosingmydailytaskinthisrespectasthehourof ninewasreached.BythisarrangementIhavesecuredthetime ivPREFACE. whichIhaveemployedinpreparingtheNotesontheNew Testament,onJob,onIsaiah,onDaniel,andnowonthePsalms, withoutentrenchingonwhatIfeltmightproperlyberequiredof meinmypastorallabours;and,atthesametime,Ihayesecured tomyselfpersonallytheinestimablebenefitofcommencingeach daywiththecontemplationofaportionoftheAVordofGod. InthelongperiodwhichhaselapsedsincetheseNotesonthe Psalmswerecommenced,Ihavebeenfrequentlycompelledto interruptmystudiesbytheconditionofmyeyes;and,inmore thanoneinstance,theworkhasbeenwhollysuspendedformore thanayearatatime,withlittlehopethatitAvouldberesumed again.Someapology,Itrust,maybefoundinthesefactsfor themanifolddefectswhichIhavetoomuchreasontosuppose willbeobservedbyallwhoconsultthesevolumes.Ihave performedmyworkaswellasIcould;butIhavenotaccom- plishedmyowncherishedhopesinregardtoit.ItisnotwhatI fondlytrusteditmightbe;itisnotwhataworkonthePsalms shouldbe.SomeofthereasonsforthefailureIhavestatedat lengthintheIntroduction,§8.

Itisofmoreinteresttomethanitcanbetothepublictosay

thatIcannotclosetheselabours,continuedthroughsomany yearsofmylife,withoutdeepemotion.Theveryfactthatany workoflifeisended,howeverhumbleorunimportantitmaybe initself,isfittedtosuggestsolemnreflectionstoaman'sown miud.ThenatureoftheworkinwhichIhavethusbeen engagedissuchastogivegreatadditionalsolemnitytothese reflections.Heundertakesaworkofgreatresponsibility,who engagesinthetaskofendeavouringtoexplainthe"WordofGod, andwhomaythusgivedirectiontotheviews,perhaps,ofthou- sands,onsubjectsthatmayafi'ecttheirdestinyforever. Inlooking,now,atalabourofthiskindcontinuedfornearly fortyyears,andenteredonwithnoexpectationoftheresults

PREFACE.V

whichhavebeenreached,whileIamgratefulforthepatronage extendedtomyeffortsinthiscountryandabroad,Icannotbe insensibletotheresponsibilityofhavinginthattimesentforth toinfluencemyfellow-menmorethanhalfamillionofvolumesof CommentaryontheScripturesinmynativeland,andperhaps morethanthisnumberinEngland,Scotland,andIreland;andof havingbeenpermitted,toalimitedextentatleast,thustospeak intheErenchand"Welshlanguages,inthelanguagesofIndia, andinthelanguagespokenbythemillionsofChina. "Withsuchfeelingsofgratitude,andwith,Itrust,someproper senseofmyresponsibility,Inowclosethispartofthelabourof mylife,andcommendthesevolumes,asIhaveendeavouredto dothosewhichhavegonebeforethem,totheblessingofGod.

ALBEETBAENES.

PniLADELPniA,Feb.^4,18G8.

INTRODUCTION,

§1.ThetitletotheBoohofPsalms. - Thegeneraltitletothe

BookofPsalmsinHebrewisD'^^nri

-

Tehillim,Psalms,ormorefuUj,

Q^vrrn"iDp

-

SejpherTehillim,"BookofPsalms."Sometimesashorter

titleisused - 'o'^br\ - Tillim.Othertermsareusedasappropriate toparticularpsalms,as'w^^l^i^l^ - mizmorim,orD''"]^',shirim,songs;or inthesingular,n?3T72,mizm'or,andl^li},shir,asong.Theselatter titles,however,arenotgiventotheentirecollection,buttoparticular psalms.Theformertitle - mizmor - isgiventoPs.iii.,iv.,v.,vi., viii.,ix.,xii.,xiii.,xv.,xix.,xx.,xxi.,xxii.,xxiii.,andtothirty-nine others,thelastbeingPs.cxliii.,rendereduniformlyapsalm.The lattertitle,shir,occursinPs.xxx.,xlv.,xlvi.,andintwenty-seven otherpsalms,thelastbeingPs.cxxxiv.,andisuniformlyrendered song,thoughitissometimesconnectedwiththewordmizmor,psalm, andrendered"Asongandpsalm,"asinPs^iMviii.,Ixv.,Ixvi.,Ixvii., Ixviii.,Ixxv.,Ixxxiii.,Ixxxvii.,Ixxxviii.;andinPs.cxxiii,cxxiii.,cxxiv. itisconnectedwiththeworddegrees:"Asongofdegrees." ThewordTehillimisderivedfromtheYerh - hin - halal,topraise, asinthewordHallelujah,PraiseJehovah.Thenameisgiventothe generalcollection,becausepraise,morethananyonethingelse,is thecharacteristicofthebook,andbecausethecollectionseemsto havebeendesignedtobeusedinthepublicpraiseorworshipofGod.

ProbablytheywereallthususedinHebrewworship.

ThewordPsalms,asappliedtothecollection,wehave:derivedfrom theGreektranslation,theword^aX/xbg,intheplural^aXfioi - psalmos, andpsalmoi.ThiswordisderivedfromypdWcj,psallo,totouch,to twitch,topluck - asthehairorbeard;andthen,totouchortwitcha string,totwang,thatis,tocauseittovibratebytouchingortwitch- ingitwiththefingerorwithslplectrum(TrXi'iKTpov) - aninstrument forstrikingthestringsofalyre,asaquill.Cic.N.D.,2.59.Hence thewordisappliedtoinstrumentsofmusicemployedinpraise,and thentoactsofpraiseingeneral.Thenoun - \p-iXfi6(;,psalmos - psalm, 1* viiiINTRODUCTION. meansproperlyatouching,twang,asofabowstring,orofstringed instruments;thenasong,asaccompanyingstringedinstruments ; andthenspecificallyapsalmorsongofpraisetoGod.Thusthe* ^rQY]J - ^a\\u},2>scdlo - isusedintheNewTestamentasdenotingpraise inthefollowingplaces: - Rom.xv.9,"Iwillconfess - andsingunto Thyname;"1Cor.xiv.15,"Iwillsingwiththespirit,andIwillsing withtheunderstanding;"Eph.v.19,"SingingandmciMngmelody inyourhearttotheLord;"Jamesv.13,"Isanymerry?lethim singpsalms"TheverbdoesnotelsewhereoccurintheNewTesta- ment.Thenoun - xpaSfiog,psalmos - isusedintheNewTestamentin thefollowingplacesasdenotingpsalmsingeneral: - 1Cor.xiv.

26,"Everyoneofyouhathapsalm;"Eph.v.19,"Speakingto

yourselvesinpsalms,•"Col.iii.16,"Admonishingoneanother inp)salms"InthefollowingplacesitisappliedintheNewTesta- menttotheBookofPsalms,consideredasacollectionofsongs ofpraise; - Lukexx.42,"DavidhimselfsaitliintheBookof Psalms;" - Lukexxiv,44,"Allthingsmustbefulfilled,w^hichwere writteninthelawofMoses,andintheProphets,andinthePsalms^ concerningme:"seeNotesonthatpassage; - Actsi.20,"Itis writtenintheBookofPsalms;" - Actsxiii,33,"Itisalsowritten inthesecondpsahn."Theworddoesnotelsewhereoccurinthe

NewTestament.

§2.Theauthorsofthepsalms. - ThePsalmsthuscollectedintoa bookarebynomeanstheproductionofonepoetoroneage.They stretchthroughalongperiodofJewishhistory,certainlyfromthe timeofMosestothetimeofthereturnfromthecaptivityofBaby- lon,andprobablylater,andtheyaremodifiedbyallthevarieties incidenttothepeculiaritiesoftheirrespectiveauthors;toindividual andnationalhistory;tothetimesinwhichtheywerecomposed.So manyofthem,however,arethecompositionofDavid,thatitis customarytospeakofthemas"ThePsalmsofDavid,"thoughitis probablethatnotmuchmorethanhalfofthepsalmsinthecollection werewrittenbyhim.Oftheonehundredandfiftycomprisingthe collection,accordingtotheenumerationintheHebrewmanuscripts, notquiteonehalfareusuallyascribedtohim.AccordingtoDc Wette,seventy-four;toKennicott,sixty-six;toDeRossi,sixty- seven;toRosenmiillerandEichhorn,seventy-one;andtoHengsten- berg,eighty.Itisprobable,however,thataportionofthepsalms towhichnonameisprefixedinthetitle - buthowgreataportionit isimpossiblenowtodetermine - istheproductionofDavid.Still,so manyareknowntohavebeencomposedbyhim,andhewasso, eminentasapoet,astojustifythelanguagewhichissofrequently employedwhentheyarecalledfamiliarly"ThePsalmsofDavid."

INTRODUCTION.ix

Thefollowingpersonsarementionedinthetitlesasauthorsof psalms : (1.)Onepsalm(xc.)isascribedtoMoses.Inregardtothequestion whetherthisistoberegardedasacompositionofMoses,seeNotes onthepsalm.Nootherpsalminthecollectionisascribedtohim, thoughnotafewspecimensofhispoetryarepreservedinthe Pentateuch.Whythiswasnotincorporatedwithhisotherwritings, orhowitwaspreserveduntilitobtainedapermanentplaceinthe

BookofPsalms,cannotnowbedetermined.

(2.)Davidoccupiesaprominentpositionastheauthorofmanyof thepsalmsinthecollection,but,ashasbeenremarkedabove,critics aredividedinopinionastotheexactnumberthatshouldbeascribed tohim.IntheHebrewinscriptionsofthePsalms,sixty-eightare attributedtohim.Thedifferencebetweenthisnumberandthat notedaboveinregardtotheopinionsofDeWette,Kennicott,De Rossi,Rosenmidler,Eichhorn,Hengstenberg,andothers,arisesfrom thevariationsinthemanuscriptsinrespecttotheseinscriptions ; thedifferentvalueattachedtotheseinscriptionsbyvariouscritics ; thefactthatsomepsalms,thoughwithoutatitleintheHebrew,are supposedtobesocertainlytheproductionofDavidastomakeit propertoascribethemtohim;andthefe.ctthatsomeofthepsalms ascribedtohimaresupposedbydifferentwi'iterstobelongtoalater periodoftheJewishhistoiythanhistime,andthatconsequently thetitlebywhichtheyareattributedtoDavidisanerror.Thereis everyreasontosupposethatsomeofthepsalmsnowwithouta titlearethecompositionofDavid,thoughitisnotknown,andcannot nowbeknown,whytheyarenotascribedtohiminthetitlesofthe X3salmsthemselves.Inconsequenceofthesefacts,itisimpossible nowtodeterminewithexactprecisionhowmanyofthepsalms aretobeascribedtoDavid;thoughthenumberisundoubtedly sogreatthatheistoberegardedastheprincipalauthorofthe collection. (3.)Twelveofthepsalms,Ps.1.,Ixxiii.,Ixxiv.,Ixxv.,Ixxvi.,Ixxvii,, Ixxviii.,Ixxix.,Ixxx.,Ixxxi.,Ixxxii.,Ixxxiii.,areascribedtoAsaph.

These,itwillbeseen,occupyaplacetogetherinthecollection,(Ps.lxiii. - Ixxxiii.,)withtheexceptionofPs.1.Thereasonforthisarrangement

cannotnowbeknown.DeWette(Einleitung,III.iii.)supposes that,withtheexceptionofPs.1.andIxxiii.,theseareimproperly ascribedtoAsaph,as,inhisview,theypertaintolatertimesofthe Jewishhistory,Ps.Ixxiv.andIxxix.tothedestructionofthetemple andthecity;Ps.Ixxx.totheExile,etc.Comp.theNotesonthe introductiontothosepsalms. (4.)Elevenofthepsalms,xlii.,xliv.,xlv.,xlvi.,xlvii.,xlviii.,xlix., Ixxxiv.,Ixxxv.,Ixxxvii.,Ixxxviii.,areascribedto"thesonsofKorah,"as

XINTRODUCTION.

tlieauthors,orare"fortliesonsofKorali."SeeNotestotlieintroduc- tionofPs.xlii.Itisnotcertainwhetherthesewerecomposedby "thesonsofKorah,"orwerecomposedfor"thesonsofKorah;" thatis,forthecompanyofmusicianstowhomthedirectionofthe musicinthetemplewasconfided.Itisobvious,however,thatifthe meaningisthattheywerecomposedhy"thesonsofKorah,"this furnishesnoinformationastotheindividualauthorshipofthepsalms. Bywhichoneofthemtheywerecomposed,orwhetherbymorethan one,ofcourseisnotindicatedbyatitlesogeneral.DeWette supposesthatmostofthesepsalmspertaintothetimesoftheExile, ortoalaterperiod.Thereisnothingverypeculiarinthecharacter ofthesepsalms;nothingwhichinthemselvescouldleadustoconclude thattheywerecomposedbythosetowhomtheyareascribed,rather thanbyDavidorAsaph. (5.)Twopsalms,Ixxxviii.,Ixxxix.,areascribedtoapersoncalled *'TheEzrahite."Oneofthese,Ps.Ixxxviii.,isascribedto"Heman theEzrahite,"andtheother,Ps.Ixxxix.,toMhantheEzrahite." Theformeroftheseisalsoreckonedamongthosewhichpertainto the"sonsofKorah."EthanandHemanwereprobably,however, difi'erentpersons,toeachofwhomthenameEzrahitemightforsome reasonbeapplied.In1Kingsiv.31,theyarementionedamong othersasremarkablefortheirwisdom:"Forhe[Solomon]was wiserthanallmen;thanEthantheEzrahite,andHeman,and Chalcol,andDarda,thesonsofMahol."In1Chron.ii.6,they arementionedas"sonsofZerali:""Zimri,andEthan,andHeman, andCalcol,andDara."In1Chron.vi.33,aHemanismentioned asoneofthe"sonsoftheKohathites:""Heman,asinger,theson ofJoel."So,in1Chron.xv.17,heismentionedinconnexion withEthan,whoistheresaidtobethesonofKushaiah;andin

1Chron.XV.19,heismentionedasassociatedwithAsaphand

ijthan:"Sothesingers,Heman,Asaph,andEthan,wereappointed tosoundwithcymbalsofbrass."In1Chron.xxv.1,Hemanismen- tionedwithJeduthun,asoneofthosewhosesons"shouldprophesy withhai-ps,withpsalteries,andwithcymbals."Heistherereferred toasassociatedwithAsaph.Comp.2Chron.v.12;xxix.13,14; XXXV.15.Ethanistwicementioned - 1Kingsiv.31asabove,asa wiseman,and1Chron.ii.6,asabove.CompareNotesonthe introductiontoPs.Ixxxviii.,Ixxxix. (6.)Twoofthepsalms,Ps.Ixxii.andPs.cxxvii.,areascribedto Solomon,orare"forSolomon."SeetheNotesonthetitlestothose psalms.Itcannotbepositivelydeterminedwhetherthosepsalms arehiscomposition,orwhethertheywerecomposedwithreference tohimor"/or"him.Thelatterwouldseemtobethemoreprobable opinioninregardtoPs.Ixxii.,sofarascanbedeterminedfromthe

INTRODUCTION.xi

contentsoftliepsalm;butstillthereisnothingwhichabsolutely preventsusfromascribingthetwotohimastheauthor. (7.)Fifteenofthepsalms,Ps.cxx. - cxxxiv.,areentitled"Songsof Degrees."Ofthese,fourareascribedtoDavidandonetoSolomon. Thenamesoftheauthorsoftheothersarenotmentioned.Comp. theintroductiontotheNotesonPs.cxx.Theyaregrouped togetherbecausetheyappeartohavebeenusedoncertainspecial occasions,ratherthanfromanythingpeculiarinthepsalms themselves. (8.)SomeofthepsalmsareascribedintheSeptuaginttranslation toJeremiah,toEzekiel,toHaggai,andtoZechariah.Asthereis nothingcorrespondingtothisintheHebrewtitles,thismusthave been,ofcourse,mereconjectureortradition. (9.)Thereremainsaprettylargenumberofthecollectionthe namesofwhoseauthorsarenotmentioned;and,ofcourse,thereare nownomeansofdeterminingthequestioninregardtotheauthor- ship.SucharePs.i.,ii.,x.,xxxiii.,xliii.,Ixxi.,xcii.,xciii.,xciv.,xcv., xcvi.,xcvii,,xcviii.,xcix.,c,civ.,cv.,cvi.,cvii.,cxi.,cxii.,cxiii.,cxiv., cxv.,cxvi.,cxvii.,cxviii.,cxix.,cxxxv.,cxxxvi.,cxxxvii.,cxlvi.,cxlvii., cxlviii.,cxlix.,cl.These,itwillbeseen,areirregularlyscattered throughthebook,thoughtheyare,forthemostpart,nearitsclose. Inregardtotheoriginandauthorityofthetitlestotheseveral psalms,see§4. §3.TheformationofthecollectionandarrangementoftheBooJcof Psalms. - TheJewishTalmud(Cod.Berachot,1,9)ascribesthe formationofthePsalter,ortheassemblingoftheBookofPsalms, toDavid.Itisunnecessarytoremarkthatthiscannotbeacorrect opinion,asmanyofthepsalmsareindubitablyofalaterdatethan thetimeofDavid.MostoftheChristianfathers,andmanycritics ofmoderntimes,ascribethecollectionandarrangementofthebook toEzra,andthisisnowregardedasthemostprobableopinion;andif sothecollectionmusthavebeenformedabout450yearsbeforeChrist. Butthoughthismayberegardedasthecorrectopinioninregardto thecompletionofthewholeasitnowstands,yetthereisevidence inthepsalmsthemselvesoftheexistenceofsmallercollectionsmade beforefromwhichthegeneralonewasultimatelyformed.Bywhom thosesmallercollectionsweremadeisnotnowknown,norcanitbe ascertainedwhatchangesmayhavebeenmadeinthemwhenthe generalcollectionwasformed. ThebookisdividedintheHebrewintofiveminorbooksorcollec- tions,sufficientlymarkedintheircharacter,andsoindicatedatthe closeofeachastomakeiteverywayprobablethatthesemayhave beenpublished,sotospeak,intheformofdifferentbooks,orthat xiiINTRODUCTION. thelaterwereadditionstothefirstcollectionorvolume.This divisionisfoundalsointheSeptuagintversion - afactwhichproves thatitexistedasearlyastheyear200beforeChrist.Theseportions bearmarksofbeingnotarhitjxirydivisionsmadeatthetimewhen thegeneralcollectionwasformed,butdistinctandindependent collectionsbydifferentpersons.Thegroupingisnotprecisely accurate,thatis,inthefirstpart,the"PsalmsofDavid"(Ps.i. - xli.), notallthepsalmsofDavidareincluded;andthereareafewthat arenotascribedtohiminthetitle;butstillitwassocompleteat thetime,probably,astomakeitpropertoregarditasa-collection ofhispsalmsinrespecttothepurposeforwhichthatcollectionwas made. Thefirstbookembracesthefirstforty-onepsalms,andwas,pro- bably,acollectionofDavid'spsalmsassuch,althoughitdoesnot embracebyanymeansallthathewrote,probablynotallthatwere extantatthetimewhenthecollectionwasmade.Thecloseofthis "book"isindicatedbythewords"Amen,andAmen,"Ps.xli.13. Allthepsalmsinthiscollection,exceptPs.i.,ii.,x.,andxxxiii.,are expresslyascribedtoDavid,anditiseverywayprobablethatall werecomposedbyhim.Inmanymanuscripts,intheSeptuagint, andintheLatinVulgate,thefirstpsalmisunitedwiththesecond (asare,also,inotherpartsofthegeneralcollection,Ps.xlii.and Ps.xliii.,andPs.cxvi.andcxvii.).Itisprobablethatthiscollection wasearlymade,thoughDeWettehasendeavouredtoshowthatit couldnothavebeenuntilaftertheExile,ashesupposesthatPs. xiv.andxliv.werecomposedafterthatevent.Ofthis,however, thereisnoevidence.Ofcourseitisimpossibletodetermineby whomthiscollectionwasmade.Ithasbeensupposedbysomethat itwasasearlyasthetimeofHezekiah,andthatitwasprepared underhisdirection,asheisknowntohaveorderedacollectionof theproverbsofSolomontobemadeandwrittenout(Prov.xxv.1) ; andas(2Chron.xxix.30)he"commandedtheLevitestosing praiseuntotheLordwiththewordsofDavid."(Kitto,Ency.) ThesecondbookinthegeneralcollectioncomprisesPs.xlii. - Ixxii. Thiscollectionismadeupofthepsalmsof"thesonsofKorah," Ps.xlii. - xlix.;ofoneofthepsalmsofAsaph,Ps.1.;ofnineteen psalmsofDavid;oftwowhoseauthorsarenotnamed;andofone inscribed"toSolomon,"or"forSolomon,"Ps.Ixxii.Attheend ofthiscollection(Ps.Ixxii.20)thefollowingnoticeisgiven:"The prayersofDavid,thesonofJesse,areended;"andsomehave supposedthatthiswasthecloseoftheentirepsalmsprecedingit,as onebookorcollection,Ps.i. - Ixxii.Cai-pzov.Introd.ii.107.But thatthiswasadifferentcollection,orthatthereweretwocollections madebydifferentpersons,seemsevidentfromthefactthatPs.liii.

INTRODUCTION.xiii

isthesameasPs.xlv.,withonlyslightvariations - thevariations consistingmainlyinthefactthatthewordElohimisnsedasthe nameofGodinthelatter,intheplaceofJehovahintheformer.It cannotbesupposedthatacollectorwouldhaveusedthesamepsalm withsuchavariationinthesamecollection.SoalsoPs.Ixx.isbut arepetitionofPs.xl.13 - 17,withonlyasimilarchange. Itmaybesuggestedthatthesetwocollectionsmayhavebeen subsequentlyunited,andmayhaveconstitutedonebeforethemore generalcollectionwasmade.Thus,thenaturalcloseofthiscollec- tion,asofthefirstcollection(Ps.xli.13),wouldbewiththewords "Amen,andAmen,"Ps.Ixxii.19.Totheentirecollection - thetwo combined - thesewordsmayhavebeenadded(Ps.Ixxii.20),"The prayersofDavid,thesonofJesse,areended,"meaningthatnow anentireandcompletecollectionofthePsalmsofDavidhadbeen madeinthetwocombined;or,thatasmanyhadbeencombinedfor publictvorshipaswerethenintendedtobeusedinthatservice.This ideawouldnotpreventthesuppositionthattheremayhavebeenat thattime,infact,otherpsalmsofDavidinexistence;orthatthey mighthavebeensubsequentlyintroducedintotheworshipofGodin othercollections. Thethirdbook(Ps.Ixxiii. - Ixxxix.)consistsinpart(Ps.Ixxiii. - Ixxxiii.)ofpsalmsofAsaph,andinpart(Ps.Ixxxiv. - Ixxxix.)ofthe psalmsofthesonsofKorah,includingoneofDavid(Ps.Ixxxvi.). ThebookcontainsnoneofthepsalmsofDavid,withtheexception ofPs.Ixxxvi,,andthereforethenoticeisgivenattheendofthe secondbook(Ps.Ixxii.20),that"theprayersofDavid,thesonof Jesse,areended."Itwasevidentlythedesignoftheauthorofthe compilationatthecloseofthatbooknottoadmitinthefollowing bookanijofthepsalmsofDavid;perhapsitwastheintentionnot tocollectanymoreofthepsalmsofDavidforthepurposeofpublic worship.Possibly,asDeWette(Einleitung,p.21)suggests,the authorofthecollectioninthethirdbookputthenoticeattheend ofthesecondbookthatDavid'spsalmsendedthere,itbeinghis intentiontomakeacollectionofanotherkind.Whenthiscollection wasmadeisunknown.FromPs.Ixxxv.itwouldseemprobable thatitwasmadeaslateasthereturnfromthecaptivityatBabylon. Thatpsalmmayhavebeenwrittenbyoneofthecompanycalled *'thesonsofKorah;"oritmayhavebeencomposedfortheiruse inthesanctuary.Thiscollectioncloses,likethetwoformer,with theexpressive"Amen,andAmen,"Ps.Ixxxix.52. Thefourthcollection(Ps.xc. - cvi.)ismadeupwhollyofanony- mouspsalms,withtheexceptionofPs.xc,whichisascribedto Moses,andPs.ci.andciii.,whichareascribedtoDavid.Theyare psalmswhichhavealmostnolocalreferencesorallusions,which xivINTRODUCTION. miglit,fortliemostpart,Lavebeencomposedinanycountryorat anyperiodoftheworld;andwhicli,intheirstructureandallusions, givenoindicationoftheirauthorsorofthecircumstanceswhichled totheircomposition.Theirauthorship,exceptinthethreeinstances abovementioned,cannotnoAVbeascertained;norisitnecessary todeterminethatquestioninorderfullytounderstandandappre- ciatethem.Theyweremanifestlydesignedforpublicworship,and probablyAvi-ittenwiththeintentionofbeingsoused.Thisbook closes(Ps.cvi.48)withtheexpression"Amen,Hallelujah." Thefifthandlastbook(Ps.cvii. - cL),ismiscellaneousinits character,andseemstohavebeenintendedtobeacollectionofall thescatteredpsalmswhichwouldbeproperforpublicworship, whichhadnotfoundaplaceintheothercollections.Part(Psalms cviii.,cix.,ex.,cxxii.,cxxiv.,cxxxi.,cxxxiii,,thefourlastbeing amongthe"SongsofDegrees,"cxxxviii.,cxxxix,,cxl.,cxli.,cxlii., cxliii.,cxliv.,cxlv.,)areascribedtoDavid.Part(Psalmscxx. - cxxxiv.) consistofthe"SongsofDegrees."Therest(Psalmscvii.,cxi,,cxii., cxiii.,cxiv.,cxv.,cxvi.,cxvii.,cxviii.,cxix.,cxxxv.,cxxxvi.,cxxxvii., cxlvi.,cxlvii.,cxlviii.,cxlix.,cl.)areanonymous.Bywhom,and whenthislastcollectionwasmadeisunknown.Itmaywithout improbability,however,besupposedthatitv>^asmadebythe person - Ezra,perhaps - whoundertooktocollectintoonetheentire '•'books"alreadyexisting,andwhofoundmanypsalmsthathadnot beenincludedbythecollectorsofthepreviousbooks,andwho, therefore,groupedallthesetogetherinasinglebook,tobeadded inthegeneralcollectiontothosewhichhadbeenalreadyclassified andarranged. §4.Thetitlestotlieseveralpsalms. - Allthepsalms,exceptthirty- four,havenowintheHebrewtitlesorsuperscriptions.Some,how- ever,reckonbuttwenty-fiveexceptions,as,accordingtotheir view,thephrase.Hallelujah,"PraiseyetheLord,"occurringatthe commencementofseveralofthepsalms,isregardedbythemasa titleorsuperscription.Themorecorrectsupposition,however, undoubtedlyistoregardthatphraseasapartofthepsalm.To eachoneoftheseexceptionstheTalmudgivesthenameofOrphan

Psalms.

(a)Theauthorshi])ofthesetitlesisimknown,andcannotnowbe ascertained.TheyarefoundintheHebrew;butitisnottobe supposedthat,sofarasthenameoftheauthorofthepsalmis concerned,orsofarastheyareintendedtoindicatetheauthor, theywereprefixedtothepsalmbytheauthorsthemselves.The Psalmsarenotofthenatureofepistlesorhistories,anditcannot besupposedthattheauthorwouldprefixhisnametoamerepoem

INTRODUCTION.xv

orhymn.Theprobability,therefore,is,thattheywereprefixedto thepsalmsastheycameintocommonuse,orbythecollectorsof theseveralbooks,orthecollectoroftheentirebook,eitherasin- dicatingwhatwasthecommonopiniononthesubjectoftheauthor- ship,andtheoccasiononwhichtheywerecomposed,orasan inspiredrecordinregardtothatauthorshipanddesign.The questionbywhomtheywereprefixedis,however,apointwhich cannotnowbedetermined.Ifitwerepossibletoascertainthat,it woulddomuchtodeterminetheirauthorityandworth,butthe estimateoftheirvaluemustnowbesettledbysomeothermethod thanthis. ih)Thesetitlesareofgreatantiquity.Thefactthattheyare foundintheHebrewmanuscriptsprovesthis,forthereareno Hebrewmanuscripts,howeverancient,withoutthem.Theyare found,withsomevariations,intheSeptuagint;anditisthus certainthattheyexistedbeforethattranslationwasmade.This pointisalsoconfirmedbythefactthatthetranslatorsoftheSeptua- ginthave,insomeinstances,copiedtheHebrewwordsinGreek letters,withoutattemptingtotranslatethem;andthat,inother instances,thetitleswhichtheyusearetranslationsoftheHebrew words,andshowthattheymusthavebeenmadefromaHebrew original.Thesefacts,however,wouldnotmakeitnecessaryto supposethattheyhadbeenprefixedbythewi-itersthemselves,nor woulditbenecessarytosupposethattheywereprefixedbeforethe timewhenthepsalmswerecollected, - eithertheseparatebooks,or thegeneralcollection. (c)Thedesignofthesetitlesiseithertodesignatetheauthorof thepsalm,ortheoccasiononwhichitwascomposed,orthechief singertowhomitwasdedicated,andtowhomitseemstohavebeen committedtosetittoappropriatemusic - thatis,toarrangethe musicforaXDublicuseofthepsalm;orthestyleofthepoetry;or theinstrumentwhichwastobeused;orthetunewhichwastobe sung.Someofthetitlessimplydesignatetheauthor,asinmany ofthoseascribedtoDavid;somedescribeatlengththeoccasionon whichtheyAverewritten,asPs.xviii.,xxx.,li.,lii.,Ivi.,etc.etc. Somecombineseveralofthesethingstogether,theauthor,theocca- sion,thestyleofthepoetry,themusictobeused,etc.,asPs.lii., liii.,liv.,Iv.,Ivi.Thelongestandfullestofthesetitlesisthatpre- fixedtoPs.Ix.,wherewehavethededicationtothechiefmusician, thenameoftheauthor,thestyleofthepoetry,thedesignofthe psalm,theinstrumentpofmusictobeemployed,andthehistorical occasiononwhichthepsalmwascomposed. {d)Itisverydifficultatthisdistanceoftimetoexplainthe meaningofmanyofthesetitles,andcriticshavediff'eredveiy xviINTRODUCTION. materiallyintheirconjecturesonthissubject.Thedifficultyarises inaconsiderabledegreefromourignoranceinregardtotheTemple- music,andtotheinstrumentswhichwereemployed.Thedifficulty isthesamewhichwouldexisttwoorthreethousandyearsfromthe presenttimeinexplainingabook,nowfamiliar,containing"tunes" ofmusic,andareferencetotheinstrumentsofmusicwhicharenow employedinthepubHcserviceofGod.Itmightbedifficult,ifnot impossible,sotodescribetheexactinstrumentofmusicusedasto beintelligibletoafutureage;anditwouldbeobviouslyimpossible toexplainsatisfactorilythenamesofmanyofthetuneswhicharenow incommonuse - as"Mear,""St.Martin's,""Russia,'"Windham," "Lenox."Thedifficulty,ashasbeenremarkedabove,wasfelteven atthetimewhentheSeptuagintversionwasmade,asinseveral instancestheauthorsofthatversionhavenotattemptedevento translatethetitle,buthaveexpresseditinGreeklettersanswering totheHebrew.Coverdale,whotranslatedtheBiblein1535,felt thedifficultytobesogreatthathehasomittednearlyallthetitles exceptthenamesoftheauthors.IntheseNotes,asfarasanex- planationcannowbegiventhatissatisfactoryorprobable,itwill beofferedintheexpositionoftheparticularpsalms. (e)Therehasbeenawidedifferenceofopinionrespectingthe authorityofthesetitles.Notafewmoderncritics,esj)ecially Germancritics,regardthemasofnoauthority,andargueinrespect totheauthorshipofthepsalms,andthetimeandoccasiononwhich theywerecomposed,asifnosuchtitleswerefoundintheHebrew. Bymostoftheancientcriticstheywereconsideredasgenuine,and ashavingequalauthoritywiththepsalmsthemselves.Theywere whollyrejectedatthecloseofthefourthcenturybyTheodoreof Mopsuestia,oneoftheablestandmostjudiciousoftheancientin- terpreters.Rosenmiiller,Hist.Interp.LibrorumSacrorum,P.III., p.256.TholuckandHengstenbergadmittheirauthority.The objectionstotheauthorityofthetitlearesuchasthese: - (1.)That thesubsc)'i]itionsatthecloseoftheepistlesintheNewTestamentare nowregardedasofnohistoricalvalue,anditisaskedwhymaynot thesameconclusionbeadoptedinregardtotheiitle^prefixedtothe psalms?(2.)Thattheancientversions,theSyriacandtheGreek especially,exhibitthemwithgreatvariations,oftenalteringthe Hebrew,andsometimesgivingaheadingwheretheHebrewhas none.Itisaskedwhethertheseancienttranslatorswouldhave takensuchlibertiesifthetitleshadbeenconsidered"sacredlikethe psalmsthemselves?(Kitto). - Itisaddedonthispoint,that"ifever Ezrasettledthem,thevariationsinversionsandmanuscriptshave tendedsincetomakethemdoubtful."Eichhorn,Einleitung,III.,p.

490.(3.)Itisarguedthatthetitlesareatvariancewiththo

INTRODUCTION.xvii

contentsofthepsalms.Thus,itisallegedthatsometimesthename oftheauthorisincorrectlygiven,"aswhenDavidisnamedover thepsalmsreferringtothecaptivity,"asinPs.xTv.,xxv.,li.,Ixix. ItisalsoallegedthatPs.cxxxix.cannotbeDavid's,asitisnot fi-eefromChaldaisms.Itisalsosaidthattheoccasiononwhich apsalmwascomposedisnotalwayscorrectlyspecified,asin

Ps.XXX.

Itistobeobserved,however,thatthesewriterssometimesassume thatapsalmreferstothetimeoftheexilewhenitwouldbe possibletoexplainitonthesuppositionthatitwascomposedatan earlierdate;andthatitisnotalwayssafetoarguefromthein- ternalevidenceofapsalmagainsttheinscription.Acriticaffixes hisowninterpretationtoapsalm,andthenadoptsthatasabasis ofargumentinregardtoitsorigin;whereasoften,possiblyinall cases,iftheinscriptionwereassumedtobecorrect,itwouldnotbe difficulttoexplainthepsalm,byfairrulesofinterpretation,in accordancewiththatsupposition. Onthewhole,itseemstomethattheseinscriptionsaretobe regardedasapartoftheinspiredrecord,andashavingtheauthority ofinspiration.ThefactthattheyarefoundintheHebrew, - that theycanbetracedbacktotheearliestperiodswhenwehaveany knowledgeoftheHebrewtext, - thattheyhavecomedo\vntous withthattext, - furnishesproofwhichitseemswecannotnowset aside;thattheyaretoberegardedasapartofthetext,andthat theyshouldnotberejected,exceptasanyotherportionofthe Hebrewtextshouldberejected,i.e.,onlywhenitcanbedemon- stratedthatanerrorhascreptintothetextbythefaultoftranscribers. §5.ThegeneralcharacteroftheBoohofPsalms. - ThePsalmsare mostlylyricalpoetry,thatis,poetryadaptedtotheharporlyre ; tobeusedinconnexionwithinstrumentalmusic;tobesung,not read.Suchpoetrywascommonamongtheancients,asitisamong themoderns.Anacreon,Alcseus,Stesichorus,Sappho,andHorace vrereeminentamongtheancientsaslyricpoets;andthenumerous writersofsongs,sacredandsecular,amongthemoderns,aretobe rankedinthesameclass.Thephrasely7'icpoetrynow,however,is frequentlyappliedtothatspeciesofpoetrywhich"directlyexpresses theindividualemotionsofthepoet"(Webster,Die). Lyricpoetryis,forthemostpart,anexpressionofdeepfeeling, andhasitsfoundationinfeelingoremotion.Itisnotsomuchthe fruitoftheunderstandingasoftheheart;notsomuchthecreation oftheimaginationastheutteranceofdeeppersonalemotion.It embracesinitsdesignandnatureallkindsoffeeling,andmaybe joyous,pensive,desponding,triumphant,accordingtothefeelingsof xviiiINTRODUCTION. tlieauthor,ortotlieoccasion;foralltheseutterancesmaybesung, ormaybesettomusic,thevaryingtonesofmusicbeingadaptedto expressthemaTl.Hence,inthePsalms,onehundredandfiftyin number,andcomposedbyaconsiderablevarietyofindividuals,and onmanydifferentoccasions,wehavethevariedfeelingsoftrouble, anguish,fear,hope,joy,trust,thankfulness,devotiontoGod,peni- tenceforsin,andtheexultationofforgiveness, - theheartmoved,and findingventforitsfeelingsinwordsadaptedtothemelodyofthe lyi'e,orthemusicaltonesofthevoice.Thesefeelingsareexpressed inagreatvarietyofmodesorforms,andthemusicwasintended, doubtless,tobeinaccordancewiththesevariedfeelings.The Psalms,therefore,comprisecompositionsofthefollowingclassesor orders: - (1.)HymnsinwhichthepraiseofGodistheprincipalandleading object,as(")ingeneral,GodispraisedastheGodofnatureand ofmen,Ps.viii.,civ.,cxlv.;(6)astheGodofnatureandofthe Hebrewj)eople,Ps.xix.,xxix.,xxxiii.,Ixv.,xciii.,cxxxv.,cxxxvi,, cxlvii.;(c)aspeculiarlytheGodoftheHebrewpeople,Ps.xlvii., Ixvi.,Ixvii.,Ixxv.;(cZ)asthehelperanddelivererofhispeople,Ps. xlvi.,xlviii.,Ixxv.,Ixx^d.,xviii.,xxx.,cxxxviii. (2.)PsalmspertainingtotheHebrewnation;toitshistory;tothe Divineinterpositioninitsbehalf;andtoitsrelationtoJehovah.

Ps.Ixxviii.,cv.,cvi.,cxiv.

(3.)Templepsalms,orsongsofZion.Ps.ii.,xv.,xxiv.,Ixxxvii., cxxxii. (4.)Psalmsinrelationtotrial,calamity,distress,whetherof individualsorofthenation.Theseabound,asPs.vii.,xxii.,Iv.,Ivi., cix.,xliv.,Ixxiv.,Ixxix.,Ixxx.,cxxxvii.,Ixis.,Ixxvii.,cii.,x.,xii.,xiv., xxxvi.,andmanyothers. (5.)Religiousandmoralpsalms,Ps.xc,cxxxix.,xxiii.,xci.,cxxi., cxxvii.,cxxviii.,xlii.,xliii.,ci.,cxxxi.,i.,cxxxiii.,cxix. Thei^eculiaritijoftheHebrewlyricalpoetryasdistinguishedfrom thelyricaljDoetryofotherancientpeople,andfrommostofthelyrical poetryinmoderntimes,isitsreligion.Itislyricalpoetryonsubjects pertainingtoreligion,ortobeemployedinreligion:asexpressing religiousfeeling,andasdesignedtoawakenandfostersuchfeeling. ItisintendedtoraisetheheartandtheaffectionstowardsGod;to liftwpthethoughtsofmenfromtheearth;toinspireconfidencein God;toproduceconsolationasderivedfromGodintimesoftrouble ; tocheerandcomfortmaninhispilgrimagealongapathofsorrow andtroubletoabetterabode.Muchofitcanbebestcharacterised byanexpressionderivedfromtheBibleitself - anexpressionnoless remarkableforitsbeautythanitstruthfulness - as*'Songsinthe NIGHT"(JobXXXV.10);songsindicatingthejoythatmayspringup

INTRODUCTION.xix

inthesoulofmanintimesofdistressandsorrow;songsthatshow thatthereisjoyinthedarknessofthisworld;songswhichillustrate thepowerandthevalueofreligion;songswithwhichmencheer themselvesandeachotherintheirjourneytowardsthegrave; songswhicheventheguiltymaypourforthfromheartssoftened intopenitence,andfilledwiththankfulnessintheassuranceof pardon. Itismostremarkablethatthisrichpoetryshouldhavesprungup inPalestine,andthatitshouldhavebeenconfinedtothatland.It wasnotthatthelandwasbetteradaptedtolyricpoetrythanother lands - forinthisrespectitcouldnotcomparefavourablywithmany othercountries,andparticularlywithGreece.Itwasnotthatthe eventsoftheirhistoryhadbeensuchaspeculiarlytosuggestthis kindofcomposition - forpoetryadaptedtothelyreortomusic aboundedelsewhere,andespeciallyinGreece.Itwasnotthatthe Hebrewshadamorepoeticimaginationthanotherpeople - fortheirs didnot,inthisrespect,surpasstheGreekgenius,andwhateverthere wasofpoeticimaginationinthecharacteroftheirmindswasfound withequalrichnessinArabiaandPersia.Norwasitthattheii* languagewaspeculiarlyfavourableforthiskindofpoetry - forinvery manyrespectsitwasfarinferiorinthispointtotheGreek,andhad nosuperioritycertainlyovertheArabianandPersian. Thefactthattheirpoetrytookthisturn;thefactthatallwhich theyhadwasreligious;thefactthattherewasliterallynopoetryin theirlanguagethatwasdesignedandadaptedtothedance,tofestive amusements,toBacchanalianorgies,toscenesofgaiety,frivolity, andvanity;thefactthatinallthelyricpoetryoftheHebrewsthere isliterallynothinginthisrespectthatcanbeplacedbythesideof muchintheGreeklyricpoetiy - muchinHorace - muchinBurns;by thesideofthelyricpoetryofalllandsexceptPalestine,canbetraced onlytotheideathatthenewreligionprevailedthere,andcanbebest explainedonthesuppositionthattheauthorsofthatpoetrywere insjpiredtoprepareandtransmittofuturetimesthatwhich,inall ages,wouldexpressthefeelingsoftruedevotion,andwhichmightbe permanentlyemployedinthepraisesofGod.HewiUfailtoexplain thefactthatsuchpoetryisfoundinPalestinealone,andwiUfail toappreciateitstruenature,whodoesnotadmitthatthese"sweet singers"wereinspiredbytheHolyGhost. OnthegeneralcharacterofHebrewpoetry,seeIntroductiontothe

NotesontheBookofJob,sect.v.On"theoriginandculture

oflyricpoetryamongtheHebrews,"itmaybepropertointroduce herethefollowingremarksfromDeWette's"Commentarueberdie Psalmen,"Einleitung,II.,pp.6-12.Icopyfromtheeleganttrans- lationoftheintroductionofDeWctte,byProf.J.Torrey,inthe

BiblicalRepository,Vol.lU.,pp.450-456: -

XXINTRODUCTION.

"IfwefollowthetitlesofthePsalmsandthecommonopinion,wemust supposethelyricpoetryoftheHebrews,aswellasthelargestportionofthe Psalmsthemselves,aproductionofDavidandhiscontemporaries.Thefew specimensoflyriccompositionwhichwefindbeforeDavidscarcelyenterinto consideration,comparedwiththefertilityofhisownperiod.Intheearlier historyitisbutoccasionallythatthevoiceofpoetryisheard,asinthesongs ofMosesattheRedSea,ofDeborah,andofHannah.Wearesurprised,after sofewattemptsinlyricpoetry,toseesoaccomplishedandfruitfulapoetrise upallatonce,withseveralothersinhiscompany.Sorapidaprogress supposessomeadequateoccasion,somepreparatorysteps.Now,ifwecastour eyeoverthehistoryofthetimesimmediatelyprecedingtheageofDavid,we arepresentedwithaphenomenonwhichseemstoexplainthedifficulty.Itis Samuel'sschooloftheprophets.Many,asHerder,Eichhorn,Nachtigall,and Rosenmiiller,supposethatthecompositionofpsalmswascultivatedand broughttoperfectioninthisseminary.Speciousasthisconjectureappeal's^ itishardlyreconcilablewiththefactsofthehistory.Itisnotintimated thatDavid,beforehisunction,hadanyconnexionwithSamuel.Theformer tendshisfather'sflock.IndeedSamuelappearstohavehadnoacquaintance withDavidwhenhecomestoanointhim,1Sam.xvi.6,seq.YetDavidis alreadyaskilfulminstrel,andfamedforhisart,ib.ver.18;hewasnot,there- fore,adiscii^leofSamuel,atleastinminstrelsy.Butitiswellknownthat musicandsongatthisperiodwerenotseparated;wemustthereforesuppose thatDavidwasalreadyapoet,and,assuch,knownandcelebrated.Some timeafterwards,itistrue,wefindDavidinSamuel'sschooloftheprophets, butitisonlyontheoccasionofhisflightfromSaul,1Sam.xix.18,seq.It maybepossiblethatSamuelhadsomeacquaintancewithDavidpriortobis unction,thoughnomentionismadeofitintheaccountofthattransaction,

1Sam.xvi.Buthemighthavebeenanobjectofattentiontotheprojjhet

withoutbeingproperlyhisdisciple;orperhapstheyouthwashisown instructor.Naturalcapacity,inconnexionwithfrequentpractice,might producethesamedegreeoftalent,tosaytheleast,asanartificialsystemof instruction,likethatwhichwemaysupposetohaveprevailedintheprophetic school.Atthesametime,itwouldbeanerrortoimaginethatlyricpoetry aroseamongsttheHebrewsallatonce,asifitsprungoutoftheground. David'scontemporaries,thewomenwhocelebratedwithsongandjoyhis victoryoverGoliath,praetisedaspeciesofpoetrywhich,thoughrudeand uncultivated,wastrulylyricinitskind;theirshortpoem,

Saulsmotehisthousands.

ButDavidhistenthousands,

hasalreadytheformofthepoeticparallelism,andanoriginalandsuperior mindmighteasilyadvancefromsuchabeginningtothehighestdegreeof excellence.Wefindalso,stillearlier,inadditiontotheexamplesofMoses, Deborah,andHannah,thepractice,particularlyamongthewomen,ofmusic andthedance,fromwhichsongcertainlywasnotexcluded.Jephthah's daughtercomesouttomeetherfatherwithtimbrelsanddances.Judges xi.3i.AtShilohthemaidensheldayearlyfeastwithdances.Judgesxxi.21.

INTRODUCTION.xxi

ItmayboquestionedwhetherSamsonwasnotaminstrel,forheiscalledout toplaybeforethePhilistines,Judgesxvi.25,whichiscommonlyunderstood torefertothedance,butexcludesnottheaccompanimentsofsongand instrumentalmusic.Butevenifhewasnot,strictlyspeaking,amusicianand singer,yetwemeetinhimwiththefirstMashalpoet,aswehavealsofrom thesameperiodthemasterlyapologueofJotham.Suchfacts,though insulated,pre-supposeamongapeopleaconsiderablyhighdegreeofcultiva- tion,oratleastofpoeticalcapacity.Indeed,thesongofDeborahalone provesthatthepoeticartwasalreadyarrivedatastageofimprovementsuffi- cienttoaccountfortheoriginoftheDavidianpoetry.Whetheraperiod producesoneadmirablepoemormoreisamatterofchanceratherthanthe resultofthestateofculture.Besides,thetimesoftheJudgesandofSamuel constitutedtheheroicageoftheHebrews,aperiodpeculiarlyfavourableto thefirstbeginningsandgradualimprovementofpoetry.'Suchtimes,'says Eichhoi-n,'arepoeticalundereveryclimate;'butIcannotaddwithhim, 'thatpoetry,inthiscase,islikethenation,wildandheroic,breathesonly inthewarliketrump,andknowsnofieldforpi'acticebutthatofvalourand victorywiththeirattendanttrain.'Theoccasionswhichfirstcalledforththe Hebrewpoetswere,probablyenough,connectedwithwar;butwhenpoetry hasoncesprungintolife,sheconfinesherselftonosuchnarrowlimits,and drawsstillotherobjectswithinhercircle.Withfeastsofvictory,sacrifices, dances,andotherriteswereunited,whichmighteasilyhavetemperedthesong toatoneofsomewhatsoftercharacter.Evenwarlikesongsadmitofthe gentleremotions,andthesongofDeborahisrichintouchesofamiable feeling.Whenitissaidtheysungtothetrumpet,wearecertainlynotto understanditintheliteralsense;themusicoftheharp,oftheflute,andof thetimbrel,wastheaccompanimentevenofthesongsofwar,andthese instrumentsai-eadaptedtothesoftesttones.Wearenotthenobligedto tracetheoriginofthesweetandamiablepoetryofDavid'spsalmsexclusively toSamuel'sschooloftheprophets. "UnfortunatelyweknowfartoolittleaboutthepropheticschoolofSamuel todeterminewhatinfluenceithadonthecultivationofpoetry.Thepassages relatingtoitare1Sam.x.5andxix.19,20.Inthefirstoftheseitis undoubtedlyimpliedthatthedisciplesoftheprophetshadmusicamongthem, andtheir*prophesying'(NB^Dn)hasbeenunderstood,notwithout grounds,inthesenseofsong;forthewordK'^lDjsometimessignifiespoet, Ex.XV.20,andh{Zi3,tosing,1Chr.xxv.1,seq.Wemaysuppose,however, thatthismusicwasemploj'edsimplyasasupportandaccompanimentofthe propheticdelivery.Theprophetsprobablydeliveredtheirmessages,inthe earliertimesatleast,inconnexionwithmusicandavehementactionand declamationapproachingtoadance.Thepassagein2Kingsiii.15,seq.is remarkable.TheprophetElishaisabouttopronouncetheanswerofthe LordtocertaininquiriesofJehoshaphat;butbeforehedoesit,heasksfora minstrel;andasthelatterstrikestheharp,'thehandofJehovahcomes uponhim,'andheuttershisreply.Thecasehere,itistrue,isdifferent ; theprophetdoesnotplayandsinghimself,butsubmitstotheperformanceof xxiiINTRODUCTION. another;stillitshowstheconstantconnexionofmusicwiththeprophetic office.Neitherisitdistinctlyassertedinthepassagesabovethatthe companyoftheprophetssungthemselves.ThewordN^jrin,whichisthere employed,maynotperhapssignifytosing,forSaulandSauVsmessengers prophecy - ^K32n7T - assoonastheyhearthemusic,withoutpreparationor practice.Theirprophesyingwasperhapsnothingmorethanavehement action,dancing,andgesticulation,asweseefromthecircumstanceofSaul's fallingdownnaked.Atfarthest,theymighthavejoinedinthechoralsong withthecompanyofprophets.Suchchoralchantswereperhapssunginthe schoolofSamuel,butonlyforthepurposesofdevotionandinspiration;and theproperdesignofthisschoolwastoeducateyouthforthepropheticoffice, thatis,togivecounselfromtheLordtoapeopleunderatheocraticgovern- ment.Samuelwasaprophet,andhistoryhaspreservednoremainsofany poeticalworksofhis.Isitnotmostprobablethathewasaimingtoeducate hisdiscipleslikewiseforthepropheticoffice?Now,itistruethattheHebrews drewnoaccuratelineofdistinctionbetweenlyricpoetryandprophetic eloquence;yetthesetwoalwaysdiffi?r,particularlyinthemodeofdelivery ; forthelyricpoemwasprobablysung,whilethepropheticmessagewasonly recited.Supposing,then,Samuelwasemployedinforminghisdisciplestobe propheticpoetsorspeakers,whatismorenaturalthantoimaginethatsome ofthemmightfeeldrawnbygeniusandinclinationtolyricpoetry,andsucceed inperfectingthemselvesinthis?Yetitlayout,oftheplanoftheprophetic school,andwasathingquiteaccidental.Itishardlycorrect,therefore,to considerthepropheticschoolofSamuelsimplyasaninstitutionfortheculti- vationofsingingandpoetry. "Therewereotherinstitutionswhichmayhavehadaninfluencestill moreimportantanddecidedthanthisschooloftheprophetsinpromotingthe cultureoflyricpoetry,especiallyofthereligiouskind.Ireferparticularlyto thosemusicalschoolswhich,accordingtotheaccount,1Chron.xv.16,seq., werefoundedbyDavidinaidofthepublicworship.YetIcannotretractthe unfavourableopinionIoncepronounced*upontheseandsimilarnarrativesin theChronicles;Imustratherconfirmit.Besidesthereasonstherealleged, whichImaynotrepeat,itseemstometobeacircumstanceparticularly calculatedtoexcitesuspicion,thatthepsalmsandfragmentsofpsalmsrepre- sentedbytheChroniclestohavebeensungatthededicationofthetabernacle andonsimilaroccasionscanhardlyhavebeenpennedbyDavid,butbelong rathertothelaterandlesspurestyleofthetemplepoetry.Thepsalmwhich issung,1Chron.xvi.8,seq.,iscomposedofPs.cv.andxcvi.;butbotharepro- ductionsofalaterstyle.IftheChronicleshadpresentedusonthisoccasionwith agenuinesongofDavid,suchastheelegyforwhichweareindebtedto

2Sam.i.,thiscircumstancewouldhavocontributednotalittletoaddAveight

toitsauthority,buttheinsertionofthesefragmentsthrowssuspicionoverthe wholeoftheaccompanyingnarrative.Thephrasealso,quoted1Chronxvi.41, andelsewhere,respectingtheLeviteswhowereappointedtogivethankstothe *BeytragezurEinleit.insA.T.,vol.i.,p.85,sq.

INTRODUCTIOK

. xxiii Lord,'becausehismercyenduretbforever/betraysthelaterpoetryofthe temple,anexampleofwhichwehaveinPs.exxxvi,wherethisphraseformsa regularrefrain;alsoPsalmscvi.,cvii.,andcxviii.,inwhichthisphraseoccurs, appeartobelongtoalaterstyleofpoetry. "WemayimaginethatamasterlikeDavidwouldnotbewithoutcom- panionsandassistantsinthepoeticart;and,infact,severalofDavid'scon- temporariesarenamedinthetitlesascomposersofpsalms:butthesenotices arenotalwaysgoodauthority.Solomon,accordingtothetestimonyofhistory, unitedinhimselfsuchrichnessoflyricinventionwiththesententiousstylepeculiar tohim,thatinhistimelyricpoetrymusthaveattainedtoaveryhighdegreeof perfection.'Solomonspakethreethousandproverbs,andhissongswereathou- sandandfive,'1Kingsiv.32.Itissingular,however,thatwiththeexception oftwowhicharequiteuncertain,nopsalmsofSolomonarepreservedinour presentcollection;nordowefindanypsalmwiththeauthor'snamebelonging totheperiodafterSolomon,notevenonewhichadmitsofbeingreferredwith certaintyandofnecessitytoanyparticulareventinthehistoryofthosetimes; andyetsuchlyricpoemsasthoseofHezekiahandofHabakkukclearlyevince, thatduringthisperiodthecultureoflyriccompositionhadbynomeans fallenintoneglect.Onthecontrary,wehavemanypsalmswhich,according totheresultsofasoundcriticalexegesisalmostuniversallyacknowledged,must beplacedinthetimesofthecaptivity,andafterthecaptivity;andthese psalmsrank,forpurityoflanguage,andforsublimity,beauty,andfreshnessof conception,inthehighestclass,andare,innorespect,inferiortothepoemsof Davidandhiscontemporaries,e.g.,Ps.xlv.,Ixxiv,Ixxix,,cvii.,andmany,ifnot al),ofthePsalmsofDegrees.Weareherepresented,then,withasingular phenomenon.ThelyricpoetryoftheHebrews,whichwascultivatedand broughttoperfectioninthetimesofDavid,afterproducingabundanceoffruit, sankintoareposeofnearlyfivehundredyears,andthenallatonce,inthe mostcalamitousperiodofthestate,aroseagain,survivedanothergoldenage, andyieldedasecondharvest - aphenomenonhardlycorrespondingwiththe commoncourseofevents.Thesingularity,however,disappeai-sassoonaswe supposethatthecollectionofPsalmscontainsseveralpieces,eitheranonymous orincorrectlynamed,whichbelongtotheperiodextendingfromDavidtothe captivity.Indeed,itisinthehighestdegreeprobablethatlyriccomposition flourishedsidebysidewiththepropheticpoetry,andthatmanyofthepro- phetsthemselvescontributedtoourpresentcollection,andmightreclaimtheir ownproductionsfromDavidandothers.Someoftheprophets,too,areactually namedbytheSeptuagintasauthorsofpsalms." §6.TheimprecationsinthePsalms. - Muclihasbeenwi'ittenonthe subjectoftheimprecationsinthePsalms,or,astheyarecalled,"The imprecatorypsalms;"andperhapsthereisnopartoftheBiblethat givesmoreperplexityandpaintoitsreadersthanthis;perhaps nothingthatconstitutesamoreplausibleobjectiontothebeliefthat thepsalmsaretheproductionsofinspiredmenthanthespiritof revengewhichtheysometimesseemtobreathe,andthespiritof xxivINTRODUCTION. cherishedmaliceandimplacablenesswhichthewritersseemtomani- fest.Therehasbeenprobablynoexplanationofferedwhichhas relievedthemindsofthosewhoarethusperplexed,orwhichhas furnishedasolutionwhollysatisfactoryonthequestionhowthis spiritcanbereconciledwiththepreceptsoftheNewTestamentand Aviththerequirementsoftruereligion.Itisuselesstoattemptto disguiseortoconcealthedifficulty,anditmaybeadmittedthatmost oftheexplanationswhichhavebeensuggestedleavethedifficulty justwhereitwas.Perhapsitisnotpossibleforustoremoveall suchdifficulty,orsotopresentthesubjectthatquestionsmaynotbe askedwhichitwouldbeimpossibletoanswer;and,indeed,what subjectisthereinmentalphilosophy,innaturalscience,inmorals, orintheology,onwhichquestionsmaynotbeaskedwhichthehuman powersarenotyetcompetenttoanswer?Inregardtothegrowthof abladeofgrass,questionsmaybeaskedwhichnochemist - noman - cananswer. InreferencetotheimprecationsinthePsalms,itwillbeproper, first,torefertosomespecimensofsuchpsalms,thatwemayknow wherethedifficultylies;andthentoconsiderinwhatway,ifany, thisdifficultymaybesolved. Thefollowingareamongthepassageswhichwouldbereferredto asbelongingtothatclassofpsalms.Theyarenot,indeed,allthat couldbeselected,buttheyarefairspecimens,andthereareno othersthatwouldinvolveanydifficultywhicharenotfoundinthese. Ps.v.10:"Destroythouthem,God;letthemfallbytheirowncounsels; castthemoutinthemultitudeoftheirtransgressions;fortheyhaverebelled againstthee." Ps.X.15:"Breakthouthearmofthewickedandtheevilman:seekout hiswickednesstillthoufindnone." Ps.xviii.40 - 42:"Thouhastalsogivenmethenecksofmineenemies;thatI mightdestroythemthathateme.Theycried,huttherewasnonetosave them:evenuntotheLord,hutheansweredthemnot.ThendidIbeatthem smallasthedustbeforethewind:Ididcastthemoutasthedirtinthe streets." Ps.xxviii.4:*'Givethemaccordingtotheirdeeds,andaccordingtothe wickednessoftheirendeavours:givethemaftertheworkoftheirhands ; rendertothemtheirdesert." Ps.xxxi.17:"Letmenotbeashamed,OLord;forIhavecalledupon thee:letthewickedbeashamed,andletthembesilentinthegrave." Ps.XXXV.3 - 8:"Drawoutalsothespear,andstopthewayagainstthem thatpersecuteme:sayuntomysoul,Iamthysalvation.Letthembecon- foundedandputtoshamethatseekafterraysoul:letthembeturnedback andbroughttoconfusionthatdevisemyhurt.Letthembeaschaffbefore thewind:andlettheangeloftheLordchasethem.Lettheirwaybedark

INTRODUCTIONxxv

andslippery:andlettheangeloftheLordpersecutethem.Forwithout causehavetheyhidformetheirnetinapit,whichwithoutcausetheyhave diggedformysoul.Letdestructioncomeuponhimatunawares;andlothis netthathehathhidcatchhimself:intothatverydestructionlethimfall," Ps.xl.14:"Letthembeashamedandconfoundedtogetherthatseekafter mysoultodestroyit;letthembedrivenbackwardandputtoshamethat wishmeevil." Ps.Iv.9:"Destroy,Lord,anddividetheirtongues:forIhaveseen violenceandstrifeinthecity."15:"Letdeathseizeuponthem,andlet themgodownquick[^alive,living']intohell:forwickednessisintheir dwellings,andamongthem." Ps.Iviii.6 - 10:"Breaktheirteeth,God,intheirmouth:breakoutthe greatteethoftheyounglions,OLord.Letthemmeltaw^ayaswaterswhich runcontinually:whenhebendethhisbowtoshoothisarrows,letthembe ascutinpieces.Asasnailwhichmelteth,leteveryoneofthempassaway: liketheuntimelybirthofawoman,thattheymaynotseethesun.Before yourpotscanfeelthethorns,heslialltakethemawayaswithawhirlwind, bothliving,andinhiswrath.Therighteousshallrejoicewhenheseeththe vengeance:heshallwashhisfeetinthebloodofthewicked." Ps.lix.12 - 15:"Forthesinoftheirmouthandthew^ordsoftheirlips letthemevenbetakenintheirpride:andforcursingandlyingwhichthey speak.Consumetheminwrath,consumethem,thattheymaynotbe:andlet themknowthatGodrulethinJacobuntotheendsoftheearth.Andat eveningletthemreturn;andletthemmakeanoiselikeadog,andgoround aboutthecity.Letthemwanderupanddownformeat,andgrudgeifthey benotsatisfied." Ps.Ixvili.2:"Assmokeisdrivenaway,sodrivethemaway:aswax meltethbeforethefire,soletthewickedperishatthepresenceofGod." Ps.Ixix.22 - 25:"Lettheirtablebecomeasnarebeforethem:andthat Avhichshouldhavebeenfortheirwelfare,letitbecomeatrap.Lettheir eyesbedarkened,thattheyseenot;andmaketheirloinscontinuallyto shake.Pouroutthineindignationuponthem,andletthywrathfulanger takeholdofthera.Lettheirhabitationbedesolate;andletnonedwellin theirtents." Ps.Ixxix.12:"Andrenderuntoourneighbourssevenfoldintotheirbosom theirreproach,wherewiththeyhavereproachedthee,OLord." Ps.Ixxxiii.9 - 17:"DountothemasuntotheMidianites;astoSisera,as toJabin,atthebrookofKison:whichperishedatEndor:theybecame asdungfortheearth.MaketheirnobleslikeOreb,andlikeZeeb;yea, ailtheirprincesasZebah,andasZalmunna....OmyGod,make themlikeawheel;asthestubblebeforethewind.Asthefireburnetha \vood,andastheflamesetteththemountainsonfire;sopersecutethemwith thytempest,andmakethemafraidwiththystorm.Filltheirfaceswith shame;thattheymayseekthyname,OLord.Letthembeconfoundedand troubledforever;yea,letthembeputtoshame,andperish." Ps.cix.6 - 15:"Setthouawickedmanoverhim:andletSatanstandat xxviINTRODUCTION. hisrighthand.Whenheshallbejudged,lethimbecondemned:andlethis prayerbecomesin.Lethisdaysbefew;andletanothertakehisoffice. Lethischildrenbefatherless,andhiswifeawidow.Lethischildrenbecon- tinuallyvagabonds,andbeg:letthemseektheirbreadalsooutoftheir desolateplaces.Lettheextortionercatchallthathehath;andletthestrangers spoilhislabour.Lettherebenonetoextendmercyuntohim:neitherlet therebeanytofavourhisfatherlesschildren.Lethisposteritybecutoff; andinthegenerationfollowinglettheirnamebeblottedout.Lettheiniquity ofhisfathersberememberedwiththeLord;andletnotthesinofhismother beblottedout.LetthembebeforetheLordcontinually,thathemaycutoff thememoryofthemfromtheearth." Ps.cxxxvii.7 - 9:"Remember,OLord,thechildrenofEdomintheday ofJerusalem;whosaid,Raseit,raseit,eventothefoundationthereof.O daughterofBabylon,whoarttobedestroyed;happyshallhebe,thatre- wardeththeeasthouhastservedus.Happyshallhebe,thattakethand dasheththylittleonesagainstthestones." Thesearespecimensoftlieclassofpsalmsnowunderconsidera- tion,andtliouglithenumbermightbesomewhatincreased,yetthese examplesembracethosewhicharemostdifficulttobeexplained,and involveallthedifficultiestobefoundinthisclassofthepsalms.None couldbeadducedwhichseemtobreatheamorevindictivesj^iritthan thesedo;noneseemtobemoreopposedtothespiritoftheNew Testament.If,therefore,asolutioncanbesuggestedthatwouldbe satisfactoryinregardtothesepassages,itwouldbeeasytoap^^ly theprinciplesofsuchasolutiontoallthesimilarpassagesinthe

Psalms.

Theinquirythenoccursinwhatway,ifinanyway,thedifficulty istobesolved,orwhatexplanationscanbesuggested. Onthissubjectthefollowingremarksmaybemade: - (1.)What- everdifficultythereexists,iscreatedbytheBibleitself.Therecord isonewhichthesacredwritershavethemselvesmade.Thisfactis proofatleastofcandour,andofaconsciousnessontheirpartthat therewasnothinginthisrecordwhichwasnotfoundedintruth, whichdidnotreallyoccur;thatis,thatthesefeehngsactually existedintheirminds.Itcannotbepretendedthatthewriters indulgedinfeelingswhichtheywereunwillingtorecord;whichthey wereashamedtomakeknown.Infact,theytookallthemethodsin theirpowertomakethemknown,andtohavetherecordperj)e- tuated.Theynotonlyrecordedthem - puttheminapermanent form - buttheyembodiedtheminpoetry,whichwastobeemployed inthepublicworshipofGod;whichwastogodowntofutureages, todirectthedevotionsofthepeopleoffar-distanttimes.More- over,ifthereisanycondemnationofthisspiritintheBible - ifthere wasanythingwronginthisspirit - wearetorememberthatthe

IHTRODUCTION.XX^Tl

condemnationisfoundintlioverybookwheretlieseexpressionsoccur - foritistobeassumedlieretliat,sofarastheobjectionliesagainst

theseexpressionsasapartoftheBible - asapartofapretended revelation - theBibleisonehook;theOldTestamentandtheNew arepartsofthesamerevelationfromGod.TheBible,thusin

makingtherecord,shouldbeallowedatleasttobeabookofcandour - abookinwhichthereisnoattempttoconcealwhatwasactually-

passinginthemindsofthewi'iters.Therewas,itmaybepresumed, somereasonformakingtherecordwhichwasregardedasnotincon- sistentwiththepurposeofarevelation;anditwasassumedalsothat thesethingswouldbesusceptibleofanexplanation,whichwouldbe consistentwiththeclaimthattheBiblewasarevelationfromGod. (2.)Itmaybeafairsubjectofinquiryhowmuchofwhatis chargedaswrong,harsh,andvindictive,maybereferredtothespiritof theageinwhichtheBiblewascomposed,andinwhichthesemen lived.Thisremarkisnotmadeonthesuppositionthattheprinci- plesofmoralsandreligionchangefromoneagetoanother;orthat theyaremodifiedbythecircumstancesofmen;orthatthesame thingismorallyrightinoneageorcountry,andmorallywrongin another.Truthandholiness,rightandwrong,donotchange,nor aretheydependentonthecapricesorthecustomsofmankind. Still,inordertoknowexactlywhatwasmeant;howmuchwords express;whatwasthepreciseideaintendedtobeconveyedbylan- guagethatwasused, - itisnecessaryforustoplaceourselvesinthe circumstances,andtounderstandtheprevailingcustomsandhabits ofthepeoplewhousedthelanguage."Weconstantlyapplythese principles,insensiblyitmaybe,whenwereadHomer,orwhenwe readtherecordsofknight-errantry,orwhenweendeavourtounder- standthepoeti-yofanypeopleintheearlierperiodsofhistory.The languagewhichaCovenanteroraPuritanusedmaijpossiblyhave expressednootherinternalemotionthanwouldbeexpressedbythe milderlanguagewhichweshoulduse;theroughwordswhichthe uneducatedandthevulgarusemayexpressnodifferentfeelings thanwouldbefoundtoexistwhenthethoughtsareconveyedinthe smoothtones,andthecourtlyphrasesofthoseinthehigherwalksof life.Theremaybeasmuchbitterfeelingbeneathsilkandsatinas beneathadressmadeoftheskinsofwildbeasts;inthepalaceasin thewigwam.Itmaybepossiblethatthosewholivedintheearlier agesoftheworldreallymeantnomorebythelanguagewhichthey oftenused,andwhichseemstoustobesoharsh,sorevengeful,and sosavage,thanwedointhemildertoneswhichweemploy,and whichwenowsupposetobedemandedbycivilizationandChris- tianity.Itis,atleast,asupposablecasethatthepeopleoffuture timesmayhavehadconveyedtothemasmuchintherecordsofour xxviiiINTRODUCTION. literature,andofoiircustoms,wliichtlieywillfinditdifficultto explainconsistentlywitlitheirnotionsofrefinement,civilization, andthespiritofpurereligion,asiverecogniseinthelanguageofthe Covenanters-andthePuritansofScotlandandEngland,orinthe poeticeffusionsofthedaysofDavid.Letusbesurethatweunder- standpreciselywhattheymeant,andexactlyhowourownspiritis betterthantheirs,beforewecondemnthem. (3.)Partofthesepassagesmayundoubtedlyberegardedaspro- phetic;expressingwhatwouldhe,ratherthanindicatinganyivish onthepartoftheauthorofthepsalmsthatsuchthingsshouldbe. Insomeinstances,thepassagesmighthavebeenrenderedinthe futureinsteadoftheimperativemood,withnoviolationofthelaws oftheHebrewlanguage,ortheproperprinciplesofinterpretation. Severalofthepassagesofthiskindwhichmayproperlybeapplied totheMessiah,areundoubtedlyofthisnature,andthosepassages aretobeinterpreted,whenthelawsoflanguagewilladmitofsuch aninterpretation,asexpressiveofwhatsinnersdeserve,andofwhat ivillcomeux)onthem,andnotasindicatinganydesireonthepartof theauthorthatitshouldbeso. Itmustbeadmitted,however,thatthisconsiderationdoesbyno meansremoveallthedifficulty,nordoesitinfactevendiminishit. ItcannotbeaffirmedbyanyoneacquaintedwiththeHebrewlan- guagethatthissolutioncouldbeappliedtoallthecasesinreference towhichthedifficultyexists,andthereisstillanexplanationneeded tomeetthecaseswhichcannotbebroughtunderthisrule.Ina bookclaimingtobeinspiredtheobjectionis,ineffect,asgreatif thereisonlyonesuchpassageasiftherearemany.Theessential difficultyistoexplainitconsistentlywiththeclaimtoinspiration atall. Itshouldbeconceded,further,thatthisexplanationisonewhich cannotbeadmittedinregardtothemostdifficultofthepassages.No mancanshowthattheyareallmerepredictionsofthefuture;noone canprovethatallthatisimphedinthesepassagesisamereexpression ofwhatsindeserves,orwhatoughttobeinflictedontransgressors. Beyondallquestionthereis,inmanycases,anexpressionoffeeling - ordesire - orivish;thereislanguageusedwhichimpliesthatthere wouldbegratification - satisfaction - pleasure - ifthecalamityin- vokedshouldcomeupontheenemiesofthewriter,orifthepunish- mentshouldbeinflictedonthewicked;thereiswhatisofthenature ofprayer,thatthesecalamitiesmightcome,andthatthewicked mightbedetected,arrested,punished.Wecannotonanyhonest principlesinterpretthesepsalmswithoutadmittingthis;andthe objectorhasarighttoaskhoivthisfeelingcanbevindicated;howit canbereconciledwiththespiritofChristianity;howitcanbeshown

INTRODUCTION.xxlx

tobeconsistent-svithtliebeliefthatthepsalmswereinspiredbythe HolyGhost.Thisisafairquestiontoask,anditisonewhicha believerintheinspirationoftheBibleshouldbeheldtoanswer. (4.)Someoftheexpressionsreferredtoareamererecordofthe feelingsofothers;ofthegratificationwhichtheywouldfeelinseeing vengeanceinflictedontheguilty,evenwhenrevengeshouldbetaken inthemostbarbarousandsavagemanner.Insuchacaseallthat theinspiredwriter,ortheSpiritofinspiration,isresponsiblefor,is thefairnessoftherecord;orthathehasgivenanexactstatementof thefeelingswhichwouldbecherishedandexpressedbythosewho shouldinflictthevengeance,orwhoshouldexperiencegratificationin seeingit.AmanmaydescribetheactsoftheAmericansavage, scalping,torturing,murderingbyslowdegreeswomenandchildren, ortheactsofcannibals,withoutbeingresponsibleforanyofthe feeUngsofthesavagesindoingthis;andthewi-iterofhistory cannotassuredlyberesponsibleforalloranyofthefeelingsof barbarousdelightwhichatyrantmayhaveinoppressinghissubjects, orforthefuryandhatredwhichleadsmentopursuewithvengeance theirflyingvictims.Theinspiredwriterswhomadearecordofthe crueltyofthesonsofJacob(Gen.xxxiv.25 - 29,xlix.6,7),orofthe actofDavidinbringingforththepeopleofRabbah,and"putting themundersaws,andunderharrowsofiron,andunderaxesofiron, andmakingthempassthroughthebrick-kiln"(2Sam.xii.31),or theactsofJoab,Ahithophel,Absalom,Nebuchadnezzar,Ahabor Jezebel,cannotbeheldtobeanswerableforthefeelingswhichthey manifested,orthedeedswhichtheyperformed,norisitfairtoinfer thatinmakingtherecordtheyapprovedofwhatwasdone.Allthat thewriterscanbeheldtoberesponsibleforisthecorrectnessofthe record. AninstanceofthiskindoccursinPs.cxxxvii.8,9,"Odaughter ofBabylon,whoarttobedestroyed;happyshallhebethatreward- eththeeasthouhastservedus.Kappijshallhehethattalcethand dasheththylittleonesagainstthestones."Thereisnothingtoprevent

ourregardingthisasastatementoftheactualfeelings - thepleasure - thesatisfaction - whichtheywouldactuallyfeelwhoshouldwreak

vengeanceonBabylon.Theideamaybe,andfromanythingthat appearsactuallyis,thatsuchhadbeentheprideandarroganceof Babylon,suchthewi'ongswhichshehaddonetootherpeople;such heractsofcrueltyandoppression, - thattheywhoshouldovercome, subdue,anddestroyher,wouldhaveconscioussatisfactionandplea- sureinbringingdeservedpunishmentonher,eveninthoseforms whichmenusuallyregardassavageandbarbarous.Inthisthereis nothingwhichnecessarilyimpliesthattheauthorofthepsalmswould approveofit,orthathewouldhavedoneithimself.Ifthecaseis

XXXINTRODUOTIOi^.

supposedeventoindicatetliecommonfeelingsoftheHebrewpeople, inviewofthedestructionofanenemyunderwhichthenationhad sufferedsomuchandsolong,stillitmaybeamererecordofthat feelingasamatteroffact,andtheSpiritofinspirationisresponsible onlyforafairaccountofthefeelingswhichwouldactuallyexist. Inoneofthemethodswhichhavethusbeenindicatedthedifficul- tiesinregardtoaportionofwhatarecalledtheimprecatoryiJsalms mayberemovedaltogether.Thesearesolutions,however,which cannotbeappliedtoallofthem;andifthereisanynumber,however small, - ifthereisasingleoneremaining, - towhichthesesolutions cannotbeapplied,itmustbeadmittedthattheactualdifficultystill remains;forthePsalmsaretoberegardedasformingonebook ; theyhave,asisfairlyimpliedintheideathattheyareinspired,one author - theHolySpirit;andasitisaprinciplewhichmustbeheld byallwhoregardtheBibleasaninspiredbook,thatonetextof Scripturefairlyinterpretedissufficienttoestablishthetruthofany doctrine,soitmustbeadmittedthatawell-foundedobjectiontoa singletext,fairlyinterpreted,asreallyaffectsthequestionofinspira- tionasthoughthereweremanypassagesofthatcharacter.Some othersolution,therefore,mustbefoundinordertoremovethereal difficultyinthecase. (5.)Afifthremark,therefore,inregardtotheprayersinthese passagesconsideredasinvocationsofvengeanceorofpunishment onthewickedmaybesuggested.Therealquestionis,whetherunder anycircumstancesuchprayers - suchimprecations - canberight;and whether,ifeverright,thecircumstancesinthePsalmsweresuchas tomakethemproper. Toobtainajustviewofthis,severalremarksaretobemade. (a)Davidwasamagistrate;aking.Hewas,bytheappointment ofGod,thecivilandmilitaryrulerofthenation.Hisauthoritywas notanusurpedauthority;norwerehisactsthosemerelyofaprivate man,amanindividuallywronged.Asaking - amagistrate - hewas appointedtopreserveorder;tomaintainlaw;todispensejustice; todetect,arraign,andi^unishtheguilty.Asamagistrate,here- presentedthestate;themajestyofthelaw;theinterestsofjustice. Asamagistrate,anactdone - anoffencecommitted - acrimein thecommunity,didnotrespecthimasaman - anindividual - butas appointedtoadministerthegovernmentandtodefendthestate. NoonecandenythatDavidsustainedthisrelationtothestate,and thatthedutyofmaintainingandadministeringlawrestedsupremely withhim.Fromanythingthatappears,also,theremarkhere madeisapplicabletoeachofthecaseswhere"imprecations"are foundinthePsalms.Thequestion,then,is,whetherthereisany- thingintheofficeandfunctionsofoneappointedtomakeand

INTRODUCTIOX.xxxi

executetlielawsofalandwhichwouldrendersuchimprecations justifiable. (h)Punishmentisright.Itisnotwrongthatai^enaltyshouldbe affixedtolaw;itisnotwrongthatthepenaltyofalawshouldbe inflicted;itisnotwrongthatpain,piivationofoffice,imprison- ment,andthelossoflifeitself,shouldfollowthecommissionof crime.Soalllawsdetermine;soallnationshavejudged.Itis materialheretoremarkthatthisisnotanarbitrarything;thatitis notamatterofindividualorlocalfeeling.Itislaidinourvery nature.Itisfoundinallnations.Itisactedonamongallpeople. Thereissomethinginourverynature,accountforitaswemay,which approvesofpunishmentwhenproperlyinflicted;whichapprovesofthe appointmentofapenaltyforcrime.Ifthisiswrong,itisawrongin ourverynature;itisauniversalwrong;itisawrongwhichhas goneintotheenactmentofalllaws - foralllawhasapenalty.A lawwithoutapenaltywouldbeamockeryandafarce.Whenaman, inaccordancewithajustsentenceoflaw,isfined,imprisoned, executed,weapproveofit.Wefeelthatitiswhatoughttobe done,andinthisfeelingweareconsciousofnowrong.Weare consciousthatwearenottobeblamedforapprovingthesentence whichcondemnstheguiltyanymorethanweareforapprovingthe sentencewhichacquitstheinnocent.Thefoun

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