1, 2. "Silence, even from good." The best thing often, only not from the "good" of prayer.

3. "Then spake I with my tongue," not to murmur, not to combat man, but to pray. All the rest of the psalm is prayer. See Phil. iv. 6.

4-6. It is very probable that the affliction was bodily sickness. What a marvel it is.that we do not always lay the shortness and un

trouble.

vain show!"

in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

10 Remove thy stroke away

7. Very emphatic. Much the same as Ps. Ixii. 5. "Wait for"=expect.

8-11. In vers. 8, 11, the writer speaks of sin, that always has to do with affliction, though by no means always as a direct chastisement for it.

But the latter is here very plainly declared; "thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity." What can be plainer? "Like a moth."

12, 13. The prayer seems to be for deliverance from the temporal evil, yet we must remember that in Old Testament times the atone

QUOTED IN NEW TESTAMENT. Ver. 6-8, in Heb. x. 5-7. Psalm 40.

A Psalm of David.

I I WAITED patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up also

ment was incessantly before the mind in sacrifice. The reasons pleaded in these verses why God should hear, and spare him, want to be studied. "For I am a stranger;" "before I go hence." Not only is the briefness of life in itself a comfort to the sorrowful believer; but he may plead that very briefness as a reason why God should send him relief. To "be no more" is the regular Old Testament phrase for not being in this world. See Gen. v. 24, which is conclusive on the point since Enoch was certainly somewhere when "he was not."

out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come:

4, 5. The considerate and painstaking lovingkindnesses of God, and the number thereof.

6-10. The great instance of Divine love, as in John iii. 16, and 1 John iv. 9. Best to take these words solely in reference to Christ. The commentary in Heb. x. 1-18, the full interpretation. Vers. 9, 10 speak of Christ as the Teacher, just as vers. 6-8 speak of him as the sacrifice. This latter is too exclusively put forward by some. Observe the combination: "righteousness," "faithfulness," "lovingkindness," "truth," together making "salvation."

6. Nothing is further from the

in the volume of the book it is written of me,

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within within my heart.

9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

Io I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

II Withhold not thou thy

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meaning of this verse than any depreciation of sacrifice. What God did not desire was sacrifice as an end and without reference to Christ. See Heb. x. 8-10. He taketh away the first that he may establish the second." "Mine ears hast thou opened": does this refer to Exod. xxi. 6? or is it to be taken like Isa. 1. 5? In each case opening the ear" means ready obedience; but the idea of the bond-servant is the most likely. The Septuagint version is very striking (and St. Paul quotes it in Heb. x. 5), "a body hast thou prepared me. Compare Phil. ii. 7, 8: Took upon him the form of a servant," &c.

7. This "volume" must be the Scriptures, and could not with any sense be made to refer to David.

11-17. Prayer grounded on this lovingkindness and truth of God. Verse 12 points to "iniquities" as the cause of disquietude; and vers. 14, 15, point to human adversaries as having much to do with it.

tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.

14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that

seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that

wish me evil.

15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.

16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.

17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

5 Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?

6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.

7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.

8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.

9 Yea, mine own familiar 4. So against thee."

wholesome!

"Sinned

5-9. Can hardly imagine anything more rancorous than such conduct. All the more so because of its underhand aspect. "His heart gathereth iniquity to itself," i.e., picks up matter for unfriendly comments.

9. Our Lord's words (John xiii. 18) are very strong on this verse : "that the Scripture might be fulfilled." It is not necessary to regard it as foretelling anything, but as describing something in David's history which was to be "fulfilled," i.e., receive a fuller accomplishment in the experience of "David's seed."

Psalm 42.

I As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against

me.

10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

II By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over

me.

12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.

13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

10. The only petition in psalm (as in ver. 4). "That I may requite them"; not as private revenge, but public duty.

II. Not his own wisdom or worthiness, but God's favour.

12. "Upholdest me in my integrity,” that is, general honesty of purpose towards God. Think over this. There is much legitimate comfort to be derived from it.

This psalm ends the first book of Psalms, according to Jewish fathers; and the doxology (ver. 13) is supposed to apply to whole book, not the psalm.

2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I - come and appear before God?

3 My tears have been my