significantly manifested, to constitute it thenceforward an unalterable standard, even to the minutest point, for every part of our public services, the Psalter, which we now have, differs from that extant in it, (as still preserved in the Cathedral church of Ely,) in no fewer than twenty nine places; besides, the corrections, which were made with the pen, and which, therefore, we might have supposed, would have attracted more than ordinary attention, we find to have ever been almost uniformly disregarded. It must, however, be confessed, that these corrections, if individually examined, are not all calculated to produce in our minds an equal conviction of their necessity or advantage (see Psalm xxxv. 25: XLi. 8); though, at the same time, it is incumbent on us likewise to confess, that the want of this conviction should hardly have been looked upon as a sufficient reason for allowing that, on private responsibility, to be neglected, which was so deliberately and so solemnly sanctioned. A LIST OF SOME OF THE BOOKS, WHICH HAVE BEEN CONSULTED IN COMPILING THE FOLLOWING NOTES. Burder's Oriental Customs. Burder's Oriental Literature. La Sainte Bible par les Pasteurs et les Professeurs de Genève. Clerici Paraphrasi et Commentario Psalmi illustrati. Dimock's Notes critical and explanatory on the Psalms. D'Oyly and Mant's Prayer Book. Edwards's New English Translation of the Psalms. French and Skinner's New Translation of the Psalms. Hammond's Paraphrase and Annotations upon the Psalms. Horne's Commentary on the Psalms. Horne's Introduction to the critical study of the Scriptures. Johnson's Psalms of Holy David. Lowth de Sacrâ Poesi Hebræorum. Mant's Metrical Version of the Book of Psalms. Merrick's Annotations on the Psalms. Mudge's Essay towards a new English Version of the Psalms. *Munsteri Vetus Instrumentum. Nicholls's Commentary on the Book of Common Prayer. Poli Synopsis. *The Latin translation of the Psalms from the Hebrew contained in this book is worthy of considerable attention, because, though our old translators did not servilely copy from it, they yet thought of it so highly, as to defer, in a more than ordinary degree, to its authority. Indeed, some places, which had been differently translated by them in their first edition (1539), were so altered in the following year, as to show a deliberate and very strong desire of approximating to it, as closely as possible. Compare Psalm xiv. 8 cxxx. 6: cxxxix. 15, 16; but especially, cxLi. 3, &c. Psalmi Latine versi. Upsaliæ. Rosenmülleri Scholia in Vetus Testamentum. Scott's Bible. Septuagint. J. P. Smith's Scripture Testimony to the Messiah. Theodoreti Interpretatio in Psalmos. Townsend's Old Testament arranged in historical and chronological order. Travell's Paraphrase on the Psalms. Wake's New and Liberal Version of the Psalms into modern lan guage. THE PSALMS OF DAVID. THE FIRST DAY. Morning Prayer. PSALM I. THIS Composition has often been attributed to David, but seems more likely to have proceeded from Ezra, as a kind of general preface or introduction to the Psalms, when, after the return of the two tribes from the Babylonish captivity, he had collected them together, and arranged them in their present order. It is intended to teach us the respective happiness and misery of the pious and wicked, as well in this world, as in the next. B 1 That hath not walked, &c. The supreme happiness of that man is, apparently, described, who has never regulated his behaviour after the counsel and advice, which, in a casual intercourse, he may have received from the ungodly; who has not obstinately persisted in imitating their vicious and abandoned habits; who, lastly, has refused to become the associate and intimate acquaintance of such persons as scoff at the very name of piety and godliness, nor has ever frequented their assemblies. Psalm cvii. 32. It would, however, be well not to lay too much stress on this supposed gradation of crime. Though our old translators have rendered the original verbs in the past tense, the different members of this verse are only designed to point out the several offences, from which he must, in his daily actions, be free, to whom it will eventually be granted by God to be numbered among the blessed. For a previous state of absolute sinlessness is rigorously demanded of no one; but all persons, who truly repent and believe, whatever their former character may have been, will assuredly be made partakers of the joys and privileges of the redeemed. Luke xi. 28. Rom. iii. 25.-The way of sinners. It was common with the Hebrew writers to consider the manner in which a man conducted himself in relation both to his moral and religious duties, as a path along which he was accustomed to walk. Exod. xviii. 20. Job xvii. 9. Prov. ii. 9: iv. 14, 15. Hence, in this Psalm we read of "the way of sinners," and of " the way of the righteous," and elsewhere, of "the ways of the destroyer," xvii. 4; of " the way of God," xviii. 30; of " the way of godliness," ci. 2. &c. B Josh. 1. 8. 1 Tim. 4. 15. Jer. 17. 8. Gen. 39. 3, 23. Isai. 3. 10. Job 21. 18. Hos. 13. 3. Mal. 3. 18. John 10. 14. 1 Cor. 8. 3. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law will he exercise himself [meditate] day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the water-side, that will bring forth his fruit in due season: 4 His leaf also shall not wither; and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper. 5 As for the ungodly, it is not so with them; but they are like the chaff, which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth. 6 Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judgment, neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 7 But [For] the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; and the way of the ungodly shall perish. 3 Planted, &c. See on Psalm civ. 12. 4 Whatsoever he doeth. To compare men, whether good or bad, to trees, is a mode of expression by no means unusual in the scriptures. But here the figure is not strictly preserved, any more than it is, Jer. xii. 2. Ezek. xxxi. 13, 14. 5 They are like, &c. The threshing-floors in Judea, (on which the corn was trodden out by oxen,) were not under cover, as they are with us; but consisted of level plots of ground, in the open air, and frequently on eminences, in order that the chaff might be the more effectually separated from the grain by the action of the wind. Isai. xvii. 13. Judging from the next verse, which clearly announces the nature of the punishment reserved for the wicked, it would seem that, under the image of chaff scattered by the wind, is now represented their want of firm religious principle, rather than the suddenness of their destruction. The good man's readiness to meditate in "the law of the Lord" constitutes the foundation of his prosperity and of his happiness; on the contrary, because this disposition does not exist in "the ungodly," therefore, they will not become partakers with him of the divine favour. 6 Therefore the ungodly, &c. Thus the sinners will be unable to procure for themselves a sentence of acquittal in the judgment at the last day; and, consequently, will not then be numbered among the rejoicing companies of the sons of God. 7 The Lord knoweth, &c. Jehovah not only knows, but vouchsafes to reward with his approbation, the course of life and the pursuits of the righteous. Psalm ci. 5. Hos. viii. 4. Matt. vii. 23.—The way of the ungodly, &c. All their exertions, whether to promote their plea sures, or to increase their gains, however successful in the first instance they may appear, will come to nothing and end in disappointment; for misery is the inevitable portion of every ungodly person. Psalm xxxvii, 39: cxii. 10. |
