PSALM CIX. 1 O GOD of my praise, be not Thou silent! 2 For men open a wicked and a deceitful mouth against me. They speak against me with false tongues; 3 Yea, they encompass me with words of hatred, And fight against me, without cause. 4 In return for my love, they show enmity towards me; But I give myself unto prayer. 5 They repay me evil for good, And hatred for my love. 6 Place over him a wicked man, And let an adversary stand at his right hand. 7 When his cause is decided, let him go forth condemned, And let his supplication be accounted an offence. 8 Let his days be few; Let another take his office. PSALM CIX. It may be observed, with reference to the imprecations found particularly in this Psalm, and in Ps. Lxix. that the morality which they breathe does not ill accord either with the general character of the Mosaic dispensation, or with the state of religious knowledge, to which the Jewish nation had attained. The love of our enemies was a duty first distinctly and positively inculcated by the divine Author of the Christian faith. This pure and sublime doctrine did not form a part of the law delivered to the Jews, because of "the hardness of their hearts." Let it not be urged that it would have been better, if the sacred volume had no where exhibited the "holy men," who were of old, thus betraying, even in their intercourse with God; a deep resentment of the unprovoked injuries which they were continually suffering from the wicked. These very passages of scripture convey an useful and a very important lesson. For they teach Christians, in the most forcible manthe value of those preeminent advantages which are enjoyed by them under the Gospel. ner, 1 of my praise i. e. the object of my 6 him - i. e. my enemy. - at his right hand-" And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan (an adversary) standing at his right hand to resist him." Zech. iii. 1. Compare also ver. 31. 7 let his supplication &c.— i. e. Let his prayer for mercy and pardon, addressed to this wicked judge, be by him construed into an aggravation of his guilt. 9 Let his children be fatherless, And his wife, a widow. 10 Let his children also be vagabonds and beggars; Driven from their ruined dwellings, let them seek a home. Let the extortioner seize upon every thing which he hath, And let strangers plunder the fruit of his toil. 12 Let there be no one extending kindness to him, Nor any one showing pity to his fatherless children. 13 Let his posterity be cut off; In the next generation, let their name be blotted out. 14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by JEHOVAH, And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. 15 Let them be before JEHOVAH continually, That He may cut off their name from the earth; 16 Because he remembered not to show kindness, But persecuted the afflicted and poor man, Yea, the broken-hearted, in order to put him to death. 17 Since he loveth cursing, let it come unto him; Since he hath no pleasure in blessing, let it be far from him. 18 Since he clotheth himself with cursing, as with his garment, Let it enter into him, like water Into his bones, like oil. 19 Let it be unto him as the vest with which he is clad, And as the girdle with which he is constantly girded. 20 May this be the reward of JEHOVAH to mine adversaries, Even unto those, who speak evil against me! 21 But do Thou, O JEHOVAH, my Lord, And my heart within me is deeply wounded. 23 I am gone, like a lengthened shadow; I am shaken off, as a locust; 24 My knees totter through fasting, And my body faileth for want of fatness. 25 Yea, I am become an object of reproach unto them; Those, who see me, shake their heads. 26 Aid me, O JEHOVAH, my God, Save me, according to Thy loving-kindness; 27 And let them know that this is Thy hand, And that Thou, JEHOVAH, hast done it. 28 Though they curse, yet do Thou bless! When they rise up, let them be brought to shame ; 29 Let mine adversaries be clothed with disgrace, And let them be arrayed with shame, as with a robe. 30 I will greatly celebrate JEHOVAH with my mouth; Even amidst the multitudes will I praise Him, 31 Because He standeth at the right hand of the poor, To save him from those, who sentence him to death. PSALM CX. 1 THE solemn declaration of JEHOVAH unto my Lord: "Sit Thou at My right hand, "Until I shall have made Thine enemies Thy footstool. 2 "JEHOVAH will send out from Sion the rod of Thy might; "THOU shalt rule amidst Thine enemies. 3 "THY people shall freely offer themselves, 4 5 "At the gathering of Thine armies, in sacred robes; "THY youths shall be unto Thee, 66 Beyond the dew-drops from the womb of the morning. "JEHOVAH hath sworn, and He will not repent: "THOU shalt be a Priest for ever, "According to the order of Melchisedek. "JEHOVAH is at Thy right hand, “HE shall crush kings in the day of His wrath; 6 "He shall execute judgment upon the heathen, "Surrounded by the bodies of the slain. 7 "HE shall crush the heads "Over mighty countries. "HE shall cause Him to drink of running waters, in the way; “Therefore will He raise up His head.” I will praise JEHOVAH with my whole heart, In the company of the upright, and in the public assembly. 2 Great are the works of JEHOVAH; Sought out by all who take delight in them. 3 His doings are excellent and glorious, And His benevolence endureth for ever. 4 HE hath caused His wonderful works to be remembered; Gracious and merciful is JEHOVAH! 5 He hath given food unto those who reverence Him; HE is ever mindful of His covenant. 6 He hath proclaimed the might of His works unto His people, By giving unto them the possessions of the heathen. 7 The works of His hands are truth and equity; All His statutes are faithful. 8 They are sustained for ever and ever, They are made in truth and rectitude. 9 He hath sent forth redemption unto His people, He hath appointed His covenant for ever; Holy and fearful is His Name! 10 The reverence of JEHOVAH is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do them. His praise endureth for ever. |