AUTHORIZATION. “Messrs. I. K. Funk & Co. have entered into an arrangement with me to reprint THE TREASURY OF DAVID in the United States. I have every confidence in them that they will issue it correctly and worthily. It has been the great literary work of my life, and I trust it will be as kindly received in America as in England. I wish for Messrs. Funk success in a venture which must involve a great risk, and much outlay." Dec. 8, 1881. C. H. SPURGEON. PREFACE. My Preface shall at least possess the virtue of brevity, as I find it difficult to impart to it any other. The delightful study of the Psalms has yielded me boundless profit and ever-growing pleasure; common gratitude constrains. me to communicate to others a portion of the benefit, with the prayer that it may induce them to search further for themselves. That I have nothing better of my own to offer upon this peerless book is to me matter of deepest regret; that I have anything whatever to present is subject for devout gratitude to the Lord of grace. I have done my best, but, conscious of many defects, I heartily wish I could have done far better. The Exposition here given is my own. I consulted a few authors before penning it, to aid me in interpretation and arouse my thoughts; but, still I can claim originality for my comments, at least so I honestly think. Whether they are better or worse for that, I know not; at least I know I have sought heavenly guidance while writing them, and therefore I look for a blessing on the printing of them. In fact, The collection of quotations was an after-thought. matter grew upon me which I thought too good to throw away. It seemed to me that it might prove serviceable to others, if I reserved portions of my reading upon the various Psalms; those reserves soon acquired considerable bulk, so much so that even in this volume only specimens are given and not the bulk. One thing the reader will please clearly to understand, and I beg him to bear it in mind; I am far from endorsing all I have quoted. I am neither responsible for the scholarship or orthodoxy of the writers. The names are given that each author may bear his own burden; and a variety of writers have been quoted that the thoughts of many minds might be before the reader. Still I trust nothing evil has been admitted; if it be so it is an oversight. The research expended on this volume would have occupied far too much of my time, had not my friend and amanuensis Mr. John L. Keys, most diligently aided me in investigations at the British Museum, Dr. Williams's Library, and other treasuries of theological lore. With his help I have ransacked books by the hundred, often without finding a memorable line as a reward, but at other times with the most satisfactory result. Readers little know how great labour the finding of but one pertinent extract may involve; labour certainly I have not spared: my earnest prayer is that some measure of good may come of it to my brethren in the ministry and to the church at large. The Hints to the Village Preacher are very simple, and an apology is due to my ministerial readers for inserting them, but I humbly hope they may render assistance to those for whom alone they are designed, viz., lay preachers whose time is much occupied, and whose attainments are slender. Should this first volume meet with the approbation of the judicious, I shall hope by God's grace to continue the work as rapidly as I can consistently with the research demanded and my incessant pastoral duties. Another volume will follow in all probability in twelve months' time, if life be spared and strength be given. It may be added, that although the comments were the work of my health, the rest of the volume is the product of" my sickness. When protracted illness and weakness laid me aside from daily preaching, I resorted to my pen as an available means of doing good. I would have preached had I been able, but as my Master denied me the privilege of thus serving him, I gladly availed myself of the other method of bearing testimony for his name. O that he may give me fruit in this field also, and his shall be all the praise. Clapham, December, 1869. Сы. Придет INDEX OF AUTHORS QUOTED OR REFERRED TO. Abbot, George (1651), 436 Abbot, Robert (1616), 325 Abenezra, 49, 300, 403 Adam, Thomas (1701-1784), 57 Adams, Thomas (1614), 6, 16, 22, 70, 86, 134, Addison, Joseph (1671-1719), 189, 266 Airay, Henry (1560-1616), 360 Albertus, Magnus, 362 Bales, Peter (1547-1610), 249 Ball, John (1585-1640), 115, 176, 230 Barclay, John (1734–1798), 201 Bargrave, Isaac (1623), 478-9, 480 Barnes, Albert (1798-1870), 29, 32, 43, 82, Baro, Peter (1560), 205, 208, 215 Bate, John (1865), 315 Bates, William (1625-1699), 20, 302 Baxter, Richard (1615-1691), 66, 117 Alexander, Joseph Addison (1850), 15, 31, Beecher, Henry Ward (1862), 260–1, 402 180, 216, 361 Alexander, William Lindsay (1862), 299 Alleine, Richard (1611-1681), 154, 192 Ambrose, Isaac (1592–1674), 348, 360, 436 Andrewes, Launcelot (1555-1626), 357, 382, Annesley, Samuel (1620-1696), 451 Anselm, John (1034-1109), 175 Aristotle (B. C. 384), 190, 315 Arnot, William (1858), 349 Arvine, K. (1859), 455, 481 Askew, Anne (1546), 135, 149 Ayguan, Michael (1416), 151, 164 Bacon, Francis (1560-1626), 285 Baker, Sir Richard (1568-1645), 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, Bakius, 378 Baldwin, William Charles (1863), 254 Bellarmine, Robert (1542—1621), 379, 432 Bernard (1091-1157), 72, 110, 190, 202, 432, Berridge, John (1716--1793), 456 228 Bible, Kitto's Pictorial (1855), 86, 281, 298, Bible, Religious Tract Society's Commentary upon the, 254 Bion (B. C. 280), 163 Blair, Hugh (1718-1800), 10 Bochart, Samuel (1599-1667), 298 Bogan, Zachary (1625-1659), 361, 407 Bonar, Andrew A. (1859), 42, 59, 80, 83, 107, Bouchier, Barton (1855), 119, 163, 194, 229, Bowes, G. S. (1860), 324 Bownd, Nicholas (1604), 342, 341-5, 350 INDEX. Boys, John (1571-1625), 200, 201-2, 215, 236, | Clarke, Samuel (1599–1682), 177 Bradbury, Charles (1785), 209, 226, 286, 290, | Clerke, Richard (—1634), 190 349, 363, 392 Bradford, John (1510–1555), 326, 383 Brooks, Thomas (1608-1680), 42, 45, 55, 81, Cobbet, Thomas (1608-1686), 460 Coleridge, Samuel Taylor (1772-1834), 190 Colvill, William (1655), 238, 239, 260 Brown, John (1853), 280, 283, 285, 287, 292, Cox, F. A. (1852), 430 296, 297, 298, 300, 303 Bruce, James (1730-1794), 284 Bunyan, John (1628-1688), 178 Burder, Samuel (1812), 323, 347, 418 Burgess, Anthony (1656), 317, 330, 332 Burnet, Gilbert (1643-1714-5), 55 Cotta, Giovanni, 189 Coverdale, Miles (1487-1568), 83 Burroughs, Jeremiah (1599-1616), 80, 85, Cromwell, Oliver (1599-1658), 301 249, 252, 253, 256, 260 Bush, George (1796-), 210 Butler, Samuel (1600-1680), 483 Byfield, Nicholas (1579-1622), 232 Calmet, Augustine (1672-1757), 365 Cruden, Alexander (1701-1770), 209, 334 Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature (Kitto's), Cyclopædia of Illustrations (1865), 315 Dale, Thomas (1847), 240, 241, 410, 421 Capel, Richard (1586–1656), 120, 227, 330, 380 Daly, Robert (1861), 408 Davies, Benjamin (1866), 29 Cartwright, Christopher (1602-1658), 206, Day, Martin (1660), 414 Caryl, Joseph (1602-1673), 6, 15, 22, 44, 55, Cassiodorus (470-560), 148, 156, 378 Cawdray, Robert (1609), 188, 205, 230, 231, Delany, Patrick (1686-1768), 428 Diodati, John (1576-1649), 130, 132, 133, 253, Dionysius (1471), 297, 347, 379, 383 Chalmers, Thomas (1780-1847), 88, 91, 97, Dod, John (1547—1645), 193, 195 337 Donne, John (1573-1631), 21, 66, 67, 68, 72, Dove, Henry (1690), 293, 294 Downame, George (-1634), 202, 206, 213, 215 312 Duncan, Mary B. (1866), 394 |