amongst many other things, the twilight of the evening, and even the turning of the day towards evening, and in the Dual between the two (so-named Jewish) evenings. It also signifies to be black, and to draw towards sunset. This seems to have suggested to our translators, whose minds, no doubt, were influenced by the general tone of the Psalm, the same thought as we find expressed in other Psalms, where the majesty of God is connected with 'clouds' and with a darkened heaven, e.g. Ps. xviii. 11: 'He made darkness His secret place, His pavilion round about Him were dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.' For this reason some of the transsunset,' and

lations which I give apply the word to others to the desert.'

But as the same Hebrew root, if it is to be accepted as the same root and not as the root, signifies 'desert land,' that is, 'to be arid, sterile,' etc., the translators of the Revised Version have taken it in that sense. I do not, as a general rule, profess to criticize; but where these things so occur that they may tend to puzzle the ordinary reader, I think it well to explain them to the best of my ability. It seems to me more perfectly in agreement with the general tenour of the Psalm to take the sense as the Revised Version has it: Cast up a highway for Him that rideth through the deserts;' and for many reasons it accords so well with the name 'Jah,' the 'I am,' I might say, of the Hebrew. Still there is not universal consent. In fact, the translations here appended are generally favourable to the Authorized Version; so is Gesenius; so is Dr. Hammond, who says that the plural is acknowledged by the Hebrews to signify 'the heavens.' Hengstenberg, Dr. Wilson says, gives the sense of ' desert.'

Psalm lxviii. 4.

Septuagint : 'Επὶ δυσμῶν.

Vulgate Super occasum.'

}

On the west' (the setting sun).

Spanish: Sobre el occidente.'

French Sur les cieux.' 'Upon the heavens.'

:

Italian: 'Per luoghi diserti.' 'Through desert places.'

The German of Martin Luther is: 'Machet Bahn dem der da sanft herfährt.'

There is no disagreement as to the rendering of the seventh verse, so I do not insert the translations of it.

Before leaving this subject I will transcribe a portion of the remarks which are made by Calvin in connection with this verse: What follows is evidently added with the view of leading the posterity of Abraham, as the Lord's chosen people, to apply the observations which had been just made to themselves. The deliverance from Egypt having been the chief and lasting pledge of the Divine favour, which practically ratified their adoption under the Patriarch, he briefly adverts to that event. He would intimate that, in that remarkable exodus, proof had been given to all succeeding ages of the love which God entertained for His Church. Why were so many miracles wrought? why were heaven and earth put into commotion? why were mountains made to tremble? but that all might recognise the power of God as allied with the deliverance of His people. He represents God as having been their leader in conducting them forth. And this not merely in reference to their passage of the Red Sea, but their journeys as long as they wandered in the wilderness.'

'Blessed bee Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits the God of our salvation. Selah.'

This verse is full of comfort to the people of God will gladly respond to the first clause in blessing when the truth of the two latter clauses becomes conscious experience. The words 'daily loadeth have given rise to many suppositions as to their li meaning. By some authors they are referred to and taken as signifying God's bearing of our bur The words with benefits' are in italics, and not t found in the original language; but they accord with sense of the last clause, where the great benefit of sa tion, or rather salvations, is described.

Although the Revised Version gives Blessed be Lord, Who daily beareth our burdens,' there is no use of the word in parallel passages. The only verse can even seem to approximate to this sense is xlvi. 3, 'Which are borne by Me from the belly;' but is not 'actively' used, and will not bear the test. other passages in which the word is found are Gen. 13; 1 Kings xii. 11; 2 Chron. x. 11; Nehemiah xiii. Isa. xlvi. 1; Zech. xii. 3. If the reader refers to th passages he will perceive that their rendering m decidedly supports our translation.

In the Edinburgh edition of Calvin's Works there this note: The word which we translate "to load," sig fies to lift, to bear up, support, or bear a burden another.' Hence it would not be going far from the id meaning to translate, 'Blessed be the Lord, day by d Who bears our burthens for us.'-(Dr. Adam Clarke.)

Here is the other side in the note: 'Boothroyd, on t

contrary, asserts that, "as an active verb, it signifies to load, to lay a burthen on another, but in no instance to bear or support one." How strikingly therefore does it present to our minds the continua, grace of God, in day by day loading us with benefits!'

The plural of the word 'salvation' strengthens the force of abundance of benefits. I do not consider that the word 'loadeth 'is intended to suggest such thoughts as are generally connected with the words 'burthen' and 'load.' It signifies journeying mercies, fragrant as the spices which the camels bare, and precious as the talents of gold. The salvations are to be considered in every light, spiritual and temporal. What a God is our God, rich in grace and plenteous in mercy!

The translations which accord with our Authorized Version, are:

The Septuagint is followed by the Vulgate and the Spanish, giving an explanatory rather than a literal rendering in κατευοδώσει.

Possibly, in this Septuagint rendering the translators may have been influenced by the sense of 'lifting,' or carrying,' which attaches to the word, and which has also affected our Prayer Book rendering: 'Praised be the Lord daily, even the God Who helpeth us, and poureth His benefits upon us.' I will add the rendering of Bishop Horne, and leave the subject: Blessed be the Lord Who daily loadeth us with benefits (Heb., carries or supports us), even the God of our salvation.' Whatever view we take of the verse, it must put a song in the mouth of every beloved child of such a God.

PSALM lxviii. 20.

'He that is our God is the God of salvation: and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.'

There are several renderings of this passage. They all may be said to converge more or less to one point, namely, that the sending of death, and the escaping from death, are both alike in the hand of God. Connecting, however, the latter portion of the verse with the former, we must consider death as proceeding from the God Who is specially the believer's God, and the God of salvation. Thus it is to be regarded in the light of judgment when falling on the enemies of God and His people; as a messenger to call home the child of God to glory. It is indeed true that death is not the promise of the Gospel-that is pre-eminently the coming of Christ; but if we die, the manner how, the time when, all the issues of death are under the control of God.

The death of the body is mentioned perhaps more frequently in the Book of Revelation' than in any other of the New Testament; but the first chapter contains an assurance which silenced all the Evangelist's fears: Fear not; I am the First and the Last: I am He that liveth and was dead; and, behold I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

6

No doubt the next verse treats the subject in connection with the Lord's judgment of the wicked (ver. 21). It not unfrequently occurs that death comes upon the ungodly in a very marked manner. Many Christian men who have been persecuted by the umgodly, and have committed their cause to Him Who says, 'Vengeance is Mine,' have witnessed the cutting off of those that troubled them. The writer himself could testify to this in more than one instance.