How graceful and animated is that rich and flourishing picture of nature, which is exhibited in the sixty-fifth ever, turned out quite different: for what he could not foresee or hope, the Almighty performed for him. The veteran soldiers flowed in to him from every quarter, and his whole camp was so liberally supported by the good and opulent citizens, that in this very situation he was enabled to collect an army and risk the event of a battle. See 2 SAM. xvii. 26-29. : He therefore compares himself to a sheep, and the Almighty to a shepherd a very obvious figure, and which every day occurred to his sight during his stay in those desert parts. The sheep, timid, defenceless, exposed to all the beasts of prey, and possessed of little knowledge or power of foreseeing or avoiding danger, are indebted for life, safety, and every thing to the care of the shepherd. We must remember also, that the exiled king had formerly himself been a shepherd. The recollection therefore of his past life breaks in upon his mind. "JEHOVAH,” says he, “is my "shepherd, I shall want nothing." It is his province to provide for my existence, and to procure for me those blessings which I am unable to obtain for myself. The tender herb (dasha, which is properly the virgin herb, or that which has not budded into seed or blossom) is more grateful to sheep than that which is seeded (gneseb) GEN. i. 10, 11. In meadows, therefore, covered with the green and tender grass, he supposes JEHOVAH to cause him to rest under his care. He was expelled to Lebanon, from the tops of which cataracts of melted snow are constantly falling: these are dangerous for sheep to approach, nor is the water sufficiently wholesome. He therefore adds, that he is led to waters gently flowing, where the clear stream meanders through the fertile plain. The scene which was before his eyes consisted of rude hills and valleys, deep, gloomy, dark, and horrid, the haunts only of the fiercest animals. I would here remark, that the word maby, which according to the Masoretic punctuation is read Tzilmavet, and translated the shadows of death, would be better read Tzilamot, and translated simply shades, or the valley of the shades, and I am led to this conclusion by comparing it with the Arabic. There is no safety for the sheep in these valleys but in the care of the shepherd. You are therefore presented with a great variety of contrasted imagery in this Psalm; on the one hand, the open pastures, and the flowing rivulets, the recollection of which never fails to delight; and on the other hand, the cheerless and gloomy valleys, which inspire the reader with fresh horror. Descending from fig. urative to plain language, he next celebrates the bounty of God in preparing him a banquet in the face of his enemies; and therefore regales himself with the delicious hope, that he shall once more be restored to his sacred temple. M. Mr. TATE (in our common version of the Psalms) has been remarkably fortunate in his paraphrase of the first verses of this Psalm; so much indeed, that for simplicity, and a close adherence to the spirit of the original, I cannot help preferring it to the celebrated translation of Mr. Addison: Psalm. When the Prophet, with a fertility of expres sion correspondent to the subject, praises the beneficence of the Deity in watering the earth and making it fruitful. On a sublime subject also, but still one of the gay and agreeable kind, I mean the inauguration of Solomon, which is celebrated in the seventy-second Psalm, there is such variety and beauty of imagery, such a splendour of diction, such elegance in the composition, that I believe it will be impossible in the whole compass of literature, sacred or profane, to find such an union of sublimity with sweetness and grace. These few select examples of the elegant and beautiful in lyric composition, I have pointed out for your more attentive consideration; and I am of opinion, that in all the treasures of the Muses you will seek in vain for models more perfect. I will add one other specimen, which, if I am not mistaken, is expressive of the true lyric form and character; and compresses in a small compass all the merits and elegance incidental to that species of composition. It is, if I may be allowed to use the expression of a very polite writer, The fifteenth Psalm is also admirably translated by the same hand: the last verse in particular is beautiful and sublime: though the classical reader will see that the translator had his eye on the "Si fractus illabatur orbis” of Horace. T. 14 CALLIMACH. Hymn. in Apoll. v. 112. The Psalmist contemplating the harmony which pervaded the solemn assembly of the people, at the celebration of one of their festivals, expresses himself, nearly as follows: 15 This Psalm is one of the fifteen, which are entitled, Odes of the Ascensions: that is, which were sung when the people came up either to worship in Jerusalem at the annual festivals, or perhaps from the Babylonish captivity. The return is certainly called "the ascension or coming up from Babylon," EZR. vii. 9. And the old SYRIAC translator, who explains the subjects of the psalms by apposite titles, refers to this circumstance almost all the psalms that bear this inscription; some of them indeed without sufficient foundation; but many of them manifestly have relation to it. Theodoret indiscriminately explains them all as relating to the Babylonish captivity; and thus illustrates the title: " Odes of the Ascensions: Theodotion, Songs of the Ascensions: But Symmachus and Aquila, on the returns. It is evident that the coming up, and the ascent relate to the return of the people from the Babylonish captivity." THEOD. in Ps. cxx. But we must not omit remarking also, that both in the Old and New-Testament there is scarcely a phrase more common than "to go up to Jerusalem, to go up to the feast," &c. (See Joan, vii. 8.) And observe above the rest, Ps. cxxii. which can scarcely be applied to any thing but the celebration of some festival. What the Jews say about the steps ascending to the temple is unworthy the attention of any person of common sense. In the last period of this psalm, the particle □v (shom) is necessarily to be referred to the word pry (tzion ;) and there is nothing else to which it can be referred. Besides, to what, except to Sion, can the promises Berachah and Chajom relate? (See particularly Ps. cxxxii. 13 and 15.) These words are indeed ambiguous, so that they may refer either to temporal or eternal happiness, or to both alike. (Compare DEUT. xxviii. 2, &c. with Ps. xxiv. 5, and Prov. xxvii. 27, with Dan. xxii. 2.) And in this place, according to the nature of the mystical allegory, they may be interpreted in either sense. If these remarks be true, the critics have taken a great deal of pains about nothing. There is no occasion for emendation. If the ellipsis be only supplied by the word ce-tal (as the dew) or simply by the particle ve or ce (and or as) before the word descending (or which descends) the construction will be complete. In the same manner Hezekiah says in ISAIAH : “ As a swallow, (and as) a crane, so I chattered.” Chap. xxxviii. 14. Author's Nate. "On Aaron's consecrated head, "Ran trickling from above: "And reach'd his beard, and reach'd his vest: "Or Sion's hill descend: "That hill has God with blessings crown'd, 16 On a former occasion I thought it necessary to trouble the reader with an imitation of Buchanan's version of this beautiful psalm. I have since endeavoured to complete it. If the measure should seem in the eyes of some to bear too near a resemblance to that of their old acquaintance Sternhold, I have only to urge, that its simplicity seems to be more suita. ble to the subject, than that which Mr. Merrick has adopted Notwithstanding our author's ingenious defence of his own (which is also Mr. Merrick's) interpretation of the last verse, I am well convinced that Buchanan's version is right, and that the particle shom in the last verse relates to the persons, and not to the place: indeed, not only a great part of the general utility, but even the beauty of this ode is lost, by interpreting it oth-. erwise. The following I submit with all humility to the judgement of the reader, merely that I may not leave the former stanzas imperfect : PSALM CXXXIII. Sweet is the love, that mutual glows Within each brother's breast; And binds in gentlest bonds each heart, Sweet as the odorous balsam pour'd On Aaron's sacred head, Which o'er his beard, and down his vest, A breathing fragrance shed. Like morning dews on Sion's mount That spread their silver rays; And deck with gems the verdant pomp, To such the Lord of life and love His blessing shall extend: And life that ne'er shall end. T. LECTURE XXVI. THE INTERMEDIATE OR MIXED STYLE OF THE HEBREW ODE. The lyric poetry of the intermediate or mixed style consists of an union of sweetness and sublimity-The ninety-first and eighty-first Psalms explained and critically illustrated-Of the digressions of the Hebrew poets, also of Pindar; not upon the same principle-A criticism upon the seventy-seventh Psalm-The nineteenth Psalm in English verse. HAVING LAVING dismissed the subject of the more beautiful species of ode, in order to proceed by proper stages to what I deem the summit of excellence and sublimity in the lyric poetry of the Hebrews, it will be necessary to rest a while, and to bestow some little attention upon that middle style of composition, to which I adverted as constituting one of the grand divisions of this order of poems. This again may be considered as admitting of a subdivision, as including both those lyric compositions, in which sweetness and sublimity are so uniformly blended, that every part of the poem may be said to partake equally of both; and those, in which these qualities separately occur in such a manner, that the complexion of the poem is altogether changeable and diversified. Of each species I shall endeavour to produce an example or two. The subject of the ninety-first Psalm is the security, the success, and the rewards of piety. The exordium exhibits the pious man placing all his dependence upon Almighty God: "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High; |