Psalms · Chapter 19

1-6. The book of the scriptures shews us his will; the excellency thereof, ver. 7-11. A prayer against sin, ver. 12, 14.

To the chief musician, A psalm of David.

V. 1. The heavens-They are as a legible book, wherein he that runs may read it. The glory-His eternal power and Godhead, his infinite wisdom and goodness. Firmament-Or, the expansion, all the vast space extended from the earth to the highest heavens, with all its goodly furniture.

Verse 1. The heavens declare the glory of God] Literally, The heavens number out the glory of the strong God. A first view of the starry heavens strikes every beholder with astonishment at the power by which they were made, and by which they are supported. To find out the wisdom and skill displayed in their contrivance requires a measure of science: but when the vast magnitude of the celestial bodies is considered, we feel increasing astonishment at these works of the strong God.

The firmament] The whole visible expanse; not only containing the celestial bodies above referred to, but also the air, light, rains, dews, &c., &c. And when the composition of these principles is examined, and their great utility to the earth and its inhabitants properly understood, they afford matter of astonishment to the wisest mind, and of adoration and gratitude even to the most unfeeling heart.

1-6. Secondly, He leads us to the book of Scripture, on which he passes still higher encomiums, and shows that it produces still better and more important effects, effects more closely connected with our salvation, 7-11. Thirdly, He addresses a prayer to God for pardon and restraining grace, and for the acceptance of these and all other his devotions and meditations. “The piety of this Psalm,” says Bishop Sherlock, “is so natural, and yet so exalted; so easy to be understood, so adapted to move the affections, that it is hardly possible to read it with any attention without feeling something of the same spirit by which it was endited.” May the reader find this to be true by experience! NOTES ON PSALM 19.

Verse 1. The heavens, &c. — To magnify the power, wisdom, and goodness of the Creator, the psalmist begins with the works of creation, and, amidst the immensity of them, singles out those which are most conspicuous, grand, and striking, and best adapted to impress the mind of his reader with a sense of the infinite greatness and majesty of God, and to beget in him a solemn awe of, and veneration for, his matchless glories. The heavens — That is, the visible heavens, so vast and spacious, and richly adorned with stars and planets, so various and admirable in their courses or stations; so useful and powerful in their influences; declare the glory of God — His glorious being or existence, his eternal power and Godhead, as it is expressed, Romans 1:20; his infinite wisdom and goodness; all which they demonstrate, and make so visible and evident to all men of reason and consideration, that it is ridiculous to deny or doubt of them, as it is ridiculous to think of far meaner works of art, as suppose of houses, clocks, or watches, that they were made without an artist, or without a hand. The Hebrew, µyrpsm, mesapperim, is literally, they tell, or, preach, the glory of God. And this language of the heavens is so plain, and their characters are so legible, that all, even the most barbarous nations, that have no skill either in languages or letters, are able to understand and read what they declare. The firmament — Or, the expansion, all the vast space extending from the earth to the starry heavens, and especially the atmosphere, comprehending that fluid mixture of light, air, and vapours, which is everywhere diffused about us; and to the influences of which are owing all the beauty and fruitfulness of the earth, and all vegetable and animal life: all these by their manifold and beneficial operations, as well as by their beauty and magnificence, show his handiwork — As Creator, Preserver, and Governor. The excellence of the work discovers who was the author of it, that it did not come by chance, nor spring of itself, but was made by a Being of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness.

1. The heavens declare—Publish, with the adsignification of praise; they celebrate, as the word often denotes. Glory of God—The moral excellence of his nature. Numbers 14:20, 21; John 11:40. Firmament—The Hebrew [yqr, (rakeea,) firmament, comes from [qr, (raka,) to spread out. In the Old Testament the noun has the sense of expanse, and also of firmness, steadfastness. The latter idea comes to us through the Septuagint, sterewma, and the Vulgate firmamentum. It occurs once in New Testament, Colossians 2:5, and is rendered steadfastness. The idea of firmness is phenomenal, because the sky, as an arch, appears to support the celestial bodies. Job 37:18. The Hebrews had no accurate knowledge of celestial distances, and the firmament, with them, sometimes meant atmosphere, (Genesis 1:6, 7,) and at others, as in the text, the region of the planets and stars. Genesis 1:14; Daniel 12:3. The Hebrew idea of rakeea embraces the notions of extension and regularity, and as Girdlestone says, (Hebrew Synonymes, page 424,) “It is clear that the ideas of heaven presented to the Jew by the Bible are singularly in accordance with the views entertained by students of modern astronomy.”

V. 2. Day-Every day and night repeats these demonstrations of God’s glory. Uttereth-Or, poureth forth, constantly and abundantly, as a fountain doth water; So this Hebrew word signifies. Knowledge-Gives us a clear knowledge or discovery of God their author.

Verse 2. Day unto day uttereth speech] Each day is represented as teaching another relative to some new excellence discovered in these manifold works of God. The nights also, by the same figure, are represented as giving information to each other of the increase of knowledge already gained.

“The labours of these our instructers know no intermission; but they continue incessantly to lecture us in the science of Divine wisdom. There is one glory of the sun, which shines forth by day; and there are other glories of the moon and of the stars, which become visible by night. And because day and night interchangeably divide the world between them, they are therefore represented as transmitting, in succession, each to other, the task enjoined them, like the two parts of a choir, chanting forth alternately the praises of God.”—Bishop Horne.

Verse 2. Day unto day — Or rather, day after day, uttereth speech — Hebrew, rma [yby, jabiang omer, poureth forth the word or discourse, (namely, concerning God,) constantly, abundantly, and forcibly, as a fountain doth water, as the word signifies. It hath, as it were, a tongue to speak the praises of its Maker. Night unto night showeth knowledge — A clear and certain knowledge, or discovery of God its author, and his infinite perfections. “The labour of these our instructers,” says Dr. Horne, “knows no intermission, but they continue to lecture us incessantly in the science of divine wisdom. There is one glory of the sun, which shines forth by day; and there are other glories of the moon and of the stars, which become visible by night. And because day and night interchangeably divide the world between them, they are therefore represented as transmitting in succession, each to other, the task enjoined them, like the two parts of a choir, chanting forth alternately the praises of God.” Thus the instruction becomes perpetual. Every day and every night renews or repeats these documents and demonstrations of God’s glory: so that he who has neglected them yesterday has an opportunity put into his hands again to-day of profiting by their instruction. And, at the same time, the circumstances of their regular, constant, and beneficial vicissitude, set forth and proclaim aloud the excellence of that wisdom and goodness, which first appointed, and still continues it. How does inanimate nature reproach us with our indolence, inattention, and indevotion!

2. Day unto day—That is, perpetually; day and night, responding to each other in their alternations.

V. 3. Heard-Or, understood; there are divers nations in the world, which have several languages, so that one cannot discourse with, or be understood by another, but the heavens are such an universal teacher, that they can speak to all people, and be clearly understood by all.

Verse 3. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.] Leave out the expletives here, which pervert the sense; and what remains is a tolerable translation of the original:—

µlwq [נשמ ylb דברים ואינ אמר אינ

Ein omer veein debarim, beli nishma kolam.

“No speech, and no words; their voice without hearing.”

מליהם תבל hxqbw µwq axy xrah lkb

Bechol haarets yatsa kavvam: Ubiktsey thebel milleyhem.

“Into all the earth hath gone out their sound; and to the extremity of the habitable world, their eloquence.”

The word wq kau, which we translate line, is rendered sonus, by the Vulgate, and fqaggov, sound, by the Septuagint; and St. Paul, Romans 10:18, uses the same term. Perhaps the idea here is taken from a stretched cord, that emits a sound on being struck; and hence both ideas may be included in the same word; and µwq kavvam may be either their line, or cord, or their sound. But I rather think that the Hebrew word originally meant sound or noise; for in Arabic the verb [Arabic] kavaha signifies he called out, cried, clamavit. The sense of the whole is this, as Bishop Horne has well expressed it:—

“Although the heavens are thus appointed to teach, yet it is not by articulate sounds that they do it. They are not endowed, like man, with the faculty of speech; but they address themselves to the mind of the intelligent beholder in another way, and that, when understood, a no less forcible way, the way of picture or representation. The instruction which the heavens spread abroad is as universal as their substance, which extends itself in lines, or rays. By this means their words, or rather their significant actions or operations, מליהם, are everywhere present; and thereby they preach to all the nations the power and wisdom, the mercy and lovingkindness, of the Lord.”

St. Paul applies this as a prophecy relative to the universal spread of the Gospel of Christ, Romans 10:18; for God designed that the light of the Gospel should be diffused wheresoever the light of the celestial luminaries shone; and be as useful and beneficent, in a moral point of view, as that is in a natural. All the inhabitants of the earth shall benefit by the Gospel of Christ, as they all benefit by the solar, lunar, and stellar light. And, indeed, all have thus benefited, even where the words are not yet come. “Jesus is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” His light, and the voice of his Spirit, have already gone through the earth; and his words, and the words of his apostles, are by means of the Bible and missionaries going out to all the extremities of the habitable globe. On these words I shall conclude with the translation of my old Psalter:— Ver. 1. Hevens telles the joy of God; and the werkes of his handes schewis the firmament.

Ver. 2. Day til day riftes word; and nyght til nyght schewes conyng. Ver. 3. Na speches er, ne na wordes, of the qwilk the voyces of thaim be noght herd.

Ver. 4. In al the land yede the soune of tham; and in endes of the wereld thair wordes.

Ver. 5. In the Soun he sett his tabernacle; and he as a spouse comand forth of his chaumber: he joyed als geaunt at ryn the way.

Ver. 6. Fra heest heven the gangyng of hym: and his gayne rase til the heest of hym: nane es that hym may hyde fra his hete.

All the versions, except the Chaldee, render the last clause of the fourth verse thus: “In the sun he hath placed his tabernacle;” as the old Psalter likewise does. They supposed that if the Supreme Being had a local dwelling, this must be it; as it was to all human appearances the fittest place. But the Hebrew is, “Among them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun.” He is the centre of the universe; all the other heavenly bodies appear to serve him. He is like a general in his pavilion, surrounded by his troops, to whom he gives his orders, and by whom he is obeyed. So, the solar influence gives motion, activity, light, and heat to all the planets. To none of the other heavenly bodies does the psalmist assign a tabernacle, none is said to have a fixed dwelling, but the sun.

Verse 3. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard — There are divers nations in the world which have different languages, so that one nation cannot discourse with or be understood by another; but the heavens speak in a language which is universal and intelligible to them all. “No nation or people,” says that wise and learned heathen Tully, “is so barbarous and stupid as not to perceive, when they look up to the heavens, that there is a god; or to imagine, that these things, which have been made with such wonderful art and wisdom, are the effect of blind chance.” In short, the works of creation speak in the common voice of reason, and want no interpreter to explain their meaning; but are to be understood by people of all languages on the face of the earth. There is not a word or speech of theirs, (thus the verse may be translated,) the utterance of which is not heard. Dr. Waterland, however, renders it, They have neither speech nor words; that is, utter no articulate sounds; without these is their voice heard. Thus the margin. Others, again, interpret it thus: They have no speech nor word, nor is any voice, or sound, heard from, or among them; yet their line, &c., as in verse 4. In one of these senses, the elegant author of the Spectator, in his beautiful ode on these verses, seems to have understood the passage:

What, though in solemn silence all

Move round this dark terrestrial ball?

What, though nor real voice nor sound

Amidst their radiant orbs be found?

In Reason’s ear they all rejoice,

And utter forth a glorious voice,

For ever singing as they shine,

“THE HAND THAT MADE US IS DIVINE.”

3. There is no speech nor language—Literally, no speech and no words; not heard is their voice. The words translated speech, language, and voice, apply only to the human voice and to articulate speech. These the heavenly bodies have not, yet they are said to declare, publish, show, utter forth, great truths of God. They speak to the reason. See Romans 1:19; Acts 14:17.

V. 4. Line-Their lines, the singular number being put for the plural. And this expression is very proper, because the heavens do not teach men audibly, or by speaking to their ears, but visibly by propounding things to their eyes, which is done in lines or writings. Gone-Is spread abroad. Earth-So as to be seen and read, by all the inhabitants of the earth. Words-Their magnificent structure, their exquisite order, and most regular course, by which they declare their author, no less than men discover their minds by their words. Sun-Which being the most illustrious and useful of all the heavenly bodies, is here particularly mentioned.

Verses 4, 5. Their line — Their admirable structure, made with great exactness, and, as it were, by rule or line, as the word wq, kav, here used, generally signifies. Or, their lines, the singular number being put for the plural, that is, their writing, made up of several lines. In this sense, the very same word is taken, Isaiah 28:10. And thus understood here, the expression is peculiarly proper, because, as has just been intimated, the heavens and other works of God do not teach men with an audible voice, or by speaking to their ears, but visibly, by exhibiting things to their eyes, which is done in lines, or writing, or by draughts or delineations, as the Hebrew word may also be rendered. Their line, in this sense, is gone out — Is spread abroad, through all the earth — So as to be seen and read by all the inhabitants of it; and their words — Their magnificent appearance, their exquisite order, their regular course, and their significant actions and operations, by which they declare their Author no less intelligibly than men make known their minds by their words; to the end of the world — To the remotest parts of the globe. “The instruction which they disperse abroad is as universal as their substance, which extends itself over all the earth. And hereby they proclaim to all nations the power and wisdom, the mercy and loving-kindness, of the Lord. The apostle’s commission was the same with that of the heavens; and St. Paul has applied the natural images of this verse to the manifestation of the light of life by the preaching of those who were sent forth for that purpose.” — Horne. In them — In the heavens, hath he set a tabernacle for the sun — Which, being the most illustrious and useful of all the heavenly bodies, is here particularly mentioned. By the Creator’s setting a tabernacle, or fixing a tent, for it, he seems to intend his collecting together, and condensing into one body, the solar light, which, it seems, from Genesis 1:3, 14-18, was at first diffused abroad, in equal portions, over and around the new-made world. Which is as a bridegroom — Gloriously adorned with light, as with a beautiful garment, and smiling upon the world with a pleasant countenance; coming out of his chamber — In which he is poetically supposed to have rested all night, and thence to break forth, as it were, on a sudden. And rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race — Who, conscious of, and confiding in, his own strength, and promising himself victory, and the glory that attends it, starts for the prize with great vigour and alacrity. Dr. Dodd thinks the comparison is taken from the vehemence and force wherewith a warrior runs toward his enemy.

Verse 4. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. The LXX, fqoggov, phthoggos. Vulgate, sonus, their sound; the music of their voice. The elegant Tertullian, in his apology for the christian religion, applies the same idea to the spread of the gospel. After stating to the emperor that their cities, their camps and castles, were full of christians, he asks, “In whom have all the nations of the earth believed, except in Christ? Not only the Parthians, the Medes, the Elamites; not only Phrygia and Pamphylia; not only Egypt, Lybia, and Cyrene; not only the boundaries of Spain, but Gaul, and those parts of Britain, inaccessible to the Roman arms, are become subject to Christ.” Origen also asks, “When before the time of Christ did the land of Britain agree in the worship of one God? When did Mauritania, [the country of the blacks] when did the whole globe at once agree in this? Whereas now, on account of the churches spread to the utmost boundaries of the world, the whole earth rejoices to invoke the God of Israel.” As three bishops from England attended a council at Aries in the south of France, in the year 215, (Origen, hom. 4. apud Ezekiel) it is almost certain that the gospel was preached in this island in the apostolic age.

4. Their line—The word generally means a measuring line, but here seems to take the sense of rule, law, as in Isaiah 28:10-17. The Septuagint has sound, (fqoggov,) which Paul quotes, Romans 10:18, and applies to the universal spread of the gospel. Words—Used generally, and here figuratively, for any mode of conveying ideas or wishes, whether by words proper or other signs. Thus Proverbs 6:13, “He speaketh with his feet.” In them—In the midst of them; and the figure of his tent being pitched there is in allusion to the oriental custom of putting the tent of the emir in the centre of the encampment.

V. 5. Bridegroom-Gloriously adorned with light as with a beautiful garment, and smiling upon the world with a pleasant countenance. Chamber-In which he is poetically supposed to have rested all night, and thence to break forth as it were on a sudden. Strong man-Conscious and confident of his own strength.

Verse 5. Which is as a bridegroom, &c.] This is a reference to the rising of the sun, as the following verse is to the setting. He makes his appearance above the horizon with splendour and majesty; every creature seems to rejoice at his approach; and during the whole of his course, through his whole circuit, his apparent revolution from east to west, and from one tropic to the same again, no part of the earth is deprived of its proper proportion of light and heat. The sun is compared to a bridegroom in his ornaments, because of the glory and splendour of his rays; and to a giant or strong man running a race, because of the power of his light and heat. The apparent motion of the sun, in his diurnal and annual progress, are here both referred to. Yet both of these have been demonstrated to be mere appearances. The sun’s diurnal motion arises from the earth’s rotation on its axis from west to east in twenty-three hours, fifty-six minutes, and four seconds, the mean or equal time which elapses between the two consecutive meridian-transits of the same fixed star. But on account of the sun’s apparent ecliptic motion in the same direction, the earth must make about the three hundred and sixty-fifth part of a second revolution on its axis before any given point of the earth’s surface can be again brought into the same direction with the sun as before: so that the length of a natural day is twenty-four hours at a mean rate. The apparent revolution of the sun through the twelve constellations of the zodiac in a sidereal year, is caused by the earth’s making one complete revolution in its orbit in the same time. And as the earth’s axis makes an angle with the axis of the ecliptic of about twenty-three degrees and twenty eight minutes, and always maintains its parallelism, i.e., is always directed to the same point of the starry firmament; from these circumstances are produced the regular change of the seasons, and continually differing lengths of the days and nights in all parts of the terraqueous globe, except at the poles and on the equator. When we say that the earth’s axis is always directed to the same point of the heavens, we mean to be understood only in a general sense; for, owing to a very slow deviation of the terrestrial axis from its parallelism, named the precession of the equinoctial points, which becomes sensible in the lapse of some years, and which did not escape the observation of the ancient astronomers, who clearly perceived that it was occasioned by a slow revolution of the celestial poles around the poles of the ecliptic, the complete revolution of the earth in its orbit is longer than the natural year, or the earth’s tropical revolution, by a little more than twenty minutes; so that in twenty-five thousand seven hundred and sixty-three entire terrestrial revolutions round the sun, the seasons will be renewed twenty-five thousand seven hundred and sixty-four times. And in half this period of twelve thousand eight hundred and eighty-two natural years, the points which are now the north and south poles of the heavens, around which the whole starry firmament appears to revolve, will describe circles about the then north and south poles of the heavens, the semi-diameters of which will be upwards of forty-seven degrees. Coming out of his chamber] wtpjm mechuppatho, from under his veil. It was a sort of canopy erected on four poles, which four Jews held over the bridegroom’s head.

Verses 4, 5. Their line — Their admirable structure, made with great exactness, and, as it were, by rule or line, as the word wq, kav, here used, generally signifies. Or, their lines, the singular number being put for the plural, that is, their writing, made up of several lines. In this sense, the very same word is taken, Isaiah 28:10. And thus understood here, the expression is peculiarly proper, because, as has just been intimated, the heavens and other works of God do not teach men with an audible voice, or by speaking to their ears, but visibly, by exhibiting things to their eyes, which is done in lines, or writing, or by draughts or delineations, as the Hebrew word may also be rendered. Their line, in this sense, is gone out — Is spread abroad, through all the earth — So as to be seen and read by all the inhabitants of it; and their words — Their magnificent appearance, their exquisite order, their regular course, and their significant actions and operations, by which they declare their Author no less intelligibly than men make known their minds by their words; to the end of the world — To the remotest parts of the globe. “The instruction which they disperse abroad is as universal as their substance, which extends itself over all the earth. And hereby they proclaim to all nations the power and wisdom, the mercy and loving-kindness, of the Lord. The apostle’s commission was the same with that of the heavens; and St. Paul has applied the natural images of this verse to the manifestation of the light of life by the preaching of those who were sent forth for that purpose.” — Horne. In them — In the heavens, hath he set a tabernacle for the sun — Which, being the most illustrious and useful of all the heavenly bodies, is here particularly mentioned. By the Creator’s setting a tabernacle, or fixing a tent, for it, he seems to intend his collecting together, and condensing into one body, the solar light, which, it seems, from Genesis 1:3, 14-18, was at first diffused abroad, in equal portions, over and around the new-made world. Which is as a bridegroom — Gloriously adorned with light, as with a beautiful garment, and smiling upon the world with a pleasant countenance; coming out of his chamber — In which he is poetically supposed to have rested all night, and thence to break forth, as it were, on a sudden. And rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race — Who, conscious of, and confiding in, his own strength, and promising himself victory, and the glory that attends it, starts for the prize with great vigour and alacrity. Dr. Dodd thinks the comparison is taken from the vehemence and force wherewith a warrior runs toward his enemy.

5. As a bridegroom—The figure denotes joy and festivity. The rising sun is like the coming forth of the bridegroom from the nuptial chamber, or canopy, to receive gratulations and diffuse gladness. The figure is wholly oriental. See Matthew 25:1, etc.

V. 6. The ends-His course is constant from east to west, and thence to the east again. So that there is no part of the earth which doth not one time or other feel the benefit of his light and heat.

Verse 6. His going forth is from the end of heaven — His course is constant from east to west, and thence to the east again. Or, “the light diffused on every side from its fountain, extendeth to the extremities of heaven, filling the whole circle of creation; penetrating even to the inmost substances of grosser bodies, and acting in and through all other matter as the general cause of life and motion.” — Horne. And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof — There is no part of the earth which doth not, at one time or other, feel the comfort and benefit of its light and heat; and there is no creature which does not, more or less, partake of its influence.

6. From the end of the heaven… unto the ends of it—The description is in the language of common life. But as the natural sun appears to sweep the circuit of the heavens, flooding the celestial spaces with his light and heat, so spiritually does the “Sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2,) who also is the “Bridegroom.” John 3:29.

V. 7. The law-The doctrine delivered to his church, whether by Moses, or by other prophets. Having discoursed hitherto of the glory of God shining forth in, the visible heavens, he now proceeds to another demonstration of God’s glory, which he compares with and prefers before the former. Perfect-Completely discovering both the nature and will of God, and the whole duty of man, what he is to believe and practice, and whatsoever is necessary to his present and eternal happiness. Whereas the creation, although it did declare so much of God, as left all men without excuse, yet did not fully manifest the will of God, nor bring men to eternal salvation. Converting-From sin to God, from whom all men are naturally revolted. Testimony-His law, so called because it is a witness between God and man, what God requires of man, and what upon the performance of that condition, he will do for man. Sure-Heb. faithful or true, which is most necessary in a witness: it will not mislead any man, but will infallibly bring him to happiness. Simple-Even persons of the lowest capacities.

Verse 7. The law of the Lord] And here are two books of Divine Revelation: 1. The visible HEAVENS, and the works of creation in general.

2. The BIBLE, or Divinely inspired writings contained in the Old and New Testaments. These may all be called the LAW of the Lord; hrwt torah, from hry yarah, to instruct, direct, put straight, guide. It is God’s system of instruction, by which men are taught the knowledge of God and themselves, directed how to walk so as to please GOD, redeemed from crooked paths, and guided in the way everlasting. Some think that hrwt torah means the preceptive part of Revelation. Some of the primitive fathers have mentioned three LAWS given by God to man: 1. The law of nature, which teaches the knowledge of God, as to his eternal power and Deity, by the visible creation. 2. The law given to Moses and the prophets, which teaches more perfectly the knowledge of God, his nature, his will and our duty. 3. The law of grace given by Christ Jesus, which shows the doctrine of the atonement, of purification, and of the resurrection of the body. The first is written in hieroglyphics in the heavens and the earth. The second was written on tables of stone, and in many rites and ceremonies. The third is to be written on the heart by the power of the Holy Ghost. Is perfect] hmymt temimah, it is perfection, it is perfect in itself as a law, and requires perfection in the hearts and lives of men. This is ITS character.

Converting the soul] Turning it back to God. Restoring it to right reason, or to a sound mind; teaching it its own interest in reference to both worlds. This is ITS use.

The testimony of the Lord] twd[ eduth, from d[ ad, beyond, forward. The various types and appointments of the law, which refer to something beyond themselves, and point forward to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Some understand, the doctrinal parts of the law. Is sure] hnman neemanah, are faithful; they point out the things beyond them fairly, truly, and fully, and make no vain or false report. They all bear testimony to the great atonement. This is THEIR character. Making wise the simple.] The simple is he who has but one end in view: who is concerned about his soul, and earnestly inquires, “What shall I do to be saved?” These testimonies point to the atonement, and thus the simple-hearted is made wise unto salvation. This is THEIR use.

Verse 7. The law of the Lord — The doctrine delivered to his church, whether by Moses, or by other prophets and holy men of God after him: for the title law is not only given to the ten commandments, or the moral law, as Romans 2:23-31; but also to the whole word of God, as Psalm 1:2, and 119:70; Jeremiah 8:8, and elsewhere; and in this general sense it must be here understood, because the effects here mentioned are not produced by, much less are they appropriated to, one part of it merely, but belong to the whole, the doctrines, declarations, narrations, precepts, counsels, exhortations, promises, threatenings, and particularly to that covenant made with man, therein revealed. Having discoursed hitherto of the glory of God, shining forth in, and demonstrated by, the visible heavens, he now proceeds to another demonstration of God’s glory, which he compares with, and prefers before, the former. Is perfect — Completely discovering both the nature and will of God, and the whole duty of man, what he is to believe and practise, and whatsoever is necessary to his present and eternal happiness. Whereas the creation, although it did declare so much of God as left all men without excuse, yet did not fully manifest the will of God, nor bring men to eternal salvation. Converting the soul — From error to truth, from sin to righteousness, from sickness to health, from death to life; Hebrew, vpn tbyvm, meshibath nephesh, restoring, or bringing back the soul; namely, to God, from whom it had revolted, 1 Peter 3:18, to his favour, his image, and communion with him. This law, or word, convinces of sin, holds forth a Saviour, is a mean of grace, and rule of conduct. The testimony of the Lord — The same word, so called, because it is a witness between God and man, testifying what God requires of man, and what, upon the performance of that condition, he will do for man; is sure — Hebrew, hnman, neemanah, faithful, or true, a quality most necessary in a witness: it will not mislead or deceive any man that trusts to it, and follows it, but will infallibly bring him to happiness, Making wise — Unto salvation, as is expressed 2 Timothy 3:15, which is the only true wisdom; the simple — The humble and teachable, who are little in their own eyes; or rather, the weak and foolish, even persons of the lowest capacities, and such as are apt to mistake and are most easily seduced. Even these, if they will hearken to the instructions of God’s word, shall become wise, when those who profess themselves wise shall, by leaning to their own understanding, and despising or neglecting the directions of the divine oracles, become and prove themselves to be fools, Romans 1:22.

7. The law… testimony—Here begins the second strophe. The transition from material nature to the written law is abrupt, and scarcely to be accounted for by poetic license. “Law,” here, (torah,) is specifically the law of Moses, the whole body of written law, as Psalm 78:5; Isaiah 51:7. “Testimony” is used as a synonyme of law, and is so called because it is God’s witness of himself, of what is fit and right for man, of his hatred of sin and his eternal purpose to punish it unless atoned for and repented of. Exodus 25:16, 21. Perfect—Not as containing every possible detail of duty, but as defining the only moral state which is acceptable to God— supreme love—which is ethically the essence of all pure law. Converting the soul—Restoring, or bringing back the soul. See on Psalm 23:3. The idea is that of moral restoration to the favour of God. It is the office of the law to present to the mind that standard of purity which God will accept, and by reproving sin to turn back the soul to God—the New Testament idea of conversion. The Septuagint and New Testament, have the word, ‘epistrefw, to turn again, or turn back. Acts 3:19: “Repent and be turned back.” Matthew 13:15; 1 Corinthians 3:6. The torah, or law of Moses, embraced every means for the restoration of the soul to God. Sure—Faithful, true, steadfast. Its derivative, amen, (a word of confirmation.) brings out the idea. It is parallel to 2 Corinthians 1:20. Simple—Credulous: the opposite of wise. Those who, from want of experience or judgment, are easily persuaded to a wrong course. Proverbs 1:32; 14:15. Comp. 2 Timothy 3:15: “Wise unto salvation.”

V. 8. Right-Both in themselves, and in their effect, as guiding men in the ready way to eternal happiness. Rejoicing-By the discoveries of God’s love to sinful men, in offers and promises of mercy. Commandment-All his commands. Pure-Without the least mixture of error. The eyes-Of the mind, with a compleat manifestation of God’s will and man’s duty: both which, the works of nature, and all the writings of men discover but darkly and imperfectly.

Verse 8. The statutes of the Lord] µydwqp pikkudim, from dqp pakad, he visited, cared, took notice of, appointed to a charge. The appointments, or charge delivered by God to man for his regard and observance. Are right] ישרים yesharim, from rvy yashar, to make straight, smooth, right, upright, opposed to crookedness in mind or conduct; showing what the man should be, both within and without. This is THEIR character. Rejoicing the heart] As they show a man what he is to observe and keep in charge, and how he is to please God, and the Divine help he is to receive from the visitations of God, they contribute greatly to the happiness of the upright-they rejoice the heart. This is THEIR use.

The commandment] hwxm mitsvah, from hwx tsavah, to command, give orders, ordain. What God has ordered man to do, or not to do. What he has commanded, and what he has prohibited.

Is pure] From hrb barah, to clear, cleanse, purify. All God’s commandments lead to purity, enjoin purity, and point out that sacrificial offering by which cleansing and purification are acquired. This is ITS character.

Enlightening the eyes.] Showing men what they should do, and what they should avoid. It is by God’s commandments that we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the necessity of redemption, so that we may love the Lord with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. For this is the end of the commandment, and thus to enlighten the eyes is ITS use.

Verse 8. The statutes of the Lord — Another word signifying the same thing with law and testimonies, are right — Both in themselves, and in their effect, as guiding men in the ready way to eternal happiness. Rejoicing the heart — By the discoveries of God’s love to sinful men, in offers and promises of mercy. The commandment of the Lord — All his commands; is pure — Without the least mixture of error. Enlightening the eyes — Of the mind, with a complete manifestation of God’s will and man’s duty; both which the works of nature and all the writings of men discover but darkly and imperfectly.

8. Statutes—Precepts, mandates. Right—Straight, even; as a path, opposed to crooked, perverse, froward. Deuteronomy 32:5; Psalm 125:5. Rejoicing the heart—This is their effect on the obedient. The highest joy of men and angels is conscious conformity to the law of God. Commandment—The singular put collectively for the whole code. The fundamental idea of the word is authority of law, as a matter established, appointed. Pure—In the sense of clear, lustrous, glittering, as in Job 33:3; Isaiah 49:2. So, also, the Septuagint, thlaughv, (far-shining;) the figure is explained by enlightening the eyes. The idea is that of a polished mirror, reflecting light. Compare 2 Corinthians 3:18.

V. 9. The fear-The law and word of God, because it is both the object and the rule, and the cause of holy fear. Clean-Sincere, not adulterated with any mixture. Constant and unchangeable, the same for substance in all ages. Judgments-God’s laws are frequently called his judgments, because they are the declarations of his righteous will, and as it were his judicial sentence by which he expects that men should govern themselves, and by which he will judge them at the last day.

Verse 9. The fear of the Lord] hary yirah, from ary yara, to fear, to venerate; often put for the whole of Divine worship. The reverence we owe to the Supreme Being.

Is clean] hrwhc tehorah, from rhc tahar, to be pure, clean; not differing much from hrb barah, (see above,) to be clean and bright as the heavens; as purified SILVER. Its object is to purge away all defilement, to make a spotless character.

Enduring for ever] לעד tdmw[ omedeth laad, standing up to PERPETUITY. The fear that prevents us from offending God, that causes us to reverence him, and is the beginning as it is the safeguard of wisdom, must be carried all through life. No soul is safe for a moment without it. It prevents departure from God, and keeps that clean which God has purified. This is ITS use.

The judgments of the Lord] µycpvm mishpatim, from tpv shaphat, he judged, regulated, disposed, All God’s regulations, all his decisions; what he has pronounced to be right and proper.

Are true] tma emeth, truth, from אם am, to support, confirm, make stable, and certain. This is the character of God’s judgments. They shall all stand. All dispensations in providence and grace confirm them; they are certain, and have a fixed character.

And righteous altogether.] They are not only according to truth; but they are righteous, wqdx tsadeku, they give to all their due. They show what belongs to God, to man, and to ourselves. And hence the word altogether, wdjy yachdav, equally, is added; or truth and righteousness united.

Verse 9. The fear of the Lord — True religion and godliness, prescribed in the word, reigning in the heart and practised in the life; or rather, that word or law itself is intended, and called the fear of the Lord, because it is both the rule and cause of that fear, or of true religion; is clean — Sincere, not adulterated with any mixture of vanity, falsehood, or vice; not countenancing or allowing any sin or impurity of any kind, and preservative of the purity and holiness of the soul; enduring for ever — Constant and unchangeable, the same for substance in all ages. Which is most true, both of the moral law and of the doctrine of God’s grace and mercy to sinful and miserable man, which two are the principal parts of that law of which he here speaks. For as to the difference between the Old Testament and the New, that lies only in circumstantial and ritual things, which are not here intended. And that alteration also was foretold in the Old Testament, and consequently the accomplishment of it did not destroy, but confirm, the certainty and constancy of God’s word. This also is opposed to human laws, in which there are, and ought to be, manifold changes, according to the difference of times, and people, and circumstances. The judgments of the Lord — His laws, frequently called his judgments, because they are the declarations of his righteous will; and, as it were, his judicial sentence, by which he expects that men should govern themselves, and by which he will judge them at the last day; are true — Grounded on the most sacred and unquestionable truths; and righteous altogether — Without the smallest exception; not like those of men, often wrong and unrighteous, but perfectly and constantly equitable, just, and holy.

9. The fear of the Lord—We must accept this as another title of “the law,” ver. 8, by metonomy of the effect, that is, taking the effect, “fear,” for the cause, “law,” because it is the office of the latter to create fear, or reverence, in the mind, as Deuteronomy 17:19. tary, (yeerath,) translated “fear,” seems to take the signification of instruction, doctrine, from its verbal root hry, (yahrah,) which in Hippil has the sense of to instruct, teach. From the same root comes hrwt, law. The connexion— the parallel word “judgments” in the next line—and the predicates pure and enduring forever—require the sense we have given. Clean—Pure, unmixed. The word is often applied to the purity of metals. Exodus 25:11, 17, Psalm 12:6; the purity of water, etc., Ezekiel 36:25. There is no alloy of error in God’s word. Enduring for ever—For the reason just given—its purity—it will never change or pass away. Unlike human laws, which often contain mixtures of good and evil, the divine law is essential holiness, justice, and love; the living word, which abideth for ever. Judgments—So called because God’s laws are the rule and measure of his judicial decisions on moral conduct. Are true—Truth, faithfulness, the abstract for the concrete. Altogether—Wholly and harmoniously. Whether viewed separately or as a collective body, the divine laws are perfect in themselves and in their harmony. The poetic measure of verses 7, 8, 9 is very regular. Each verse is of two lines, each line having five words, making ten words in each verse, the number of commandments in the decalogue.

Verse 10. More to be desired are they than gold] This is strictly true; but who believes it? By most men gold is preferred both to God and his judgments; and they will barter every heavenly portion for gold and silver! Sweeter also than honey] To those whose mental taste is rectified, who have a spiritual discernment.

Honey-comb.] Honey is sweet; but honey just out of the comb has a sweetness, richness and flavour, far beyond what it has after it becomes exposed to the air. Only those who have eaten of honey from the comb can feel the force of the psalmist’s comparison: it is better than gold, yea, than fine gold in the greatest quantity; it is sweeter than honey, yea, than honey from the comb.

Verse 10. More to be desired are they than gold — Than the wealth of this world, although so generally preferred before them; yea, than much fine gold — Than gold of the best quality, and in the greatest quantity; than all the treasures and precious things which are brought from other countries. Sweeter also — Namely, to the soul of the pious believer; than honey and the honeycomb — Than the sweetest thing we know of is to the bodily taste: yielding more true, and noble, and lasting satisfaction and happiness than any or all the delights of sense. Observe, reader, the pleasures of sense are the delight of brutes, and therefore debase the soul of man: the pleasures of religion are the delight of angels, and exalt it. The pleasures of sense are deceitful, they soon surfeit, and yet never satisfy; but those of religion are substantial, and satisfying, and there is no danger of exceeding in the pursuit or enjoyment of them.

Ver. 10. Much fine gold. Hebrews zpmw omippaz. The LXX, precious stones, for these were set in gold.

10. More to be desired—An expression of the excellence and sweetness of God’s law to those who love it, above all that is desirable of earth.

Verse 11. By them is thy servant warned] rhzn nizhar, from rhz zahar, to be clear, pellucid. By these laws, testimonies, &c., thy servant is fully instructed; he sees all clearly; and he discerns that in keeping of them there is great reward: every man is wise, holy, and happy, who observes them. All Christian experience confirms this truth. Reader, what says thine?

Verse 11. By them is thy servant warned — I say nothing of thy law but what I have proved to be true by experience. The several parts of it have been and still are my great instructers, and the only source of all the knowledge to which thy servant hath attained. I am daily taught and admonished by them. They show me my duty in all conditions, and warn me of the consequences of not complying with it; so that by them I am preserved from falling into sin and danger. In keeping of them there is great reward — “I am fully assured that the blessed fruit of them, when they are duly observed, and have their proper effect, is exceeding glorious, even eternal life.” — Horne. Those that make conscience of their duty, will not only be no losers, but unspeakable gainers. They will find by experience that there is a reward, not only after keeping, but in keeping God’s commandments; a present great reward of obedience in obedience. Religion is health and honour; it is peace and pleasure: it will make our comforts sweet, and our crosses easy; life truly valuable, and death itself truly desirable.

11. Moreover—Besides the excellence of the law as experienced by the obedient soul, it is the only truthful guard and warning of the soul against sin. Reward—The Hebrew word denotes the end, or last stage, of a thing; hence wages, “reward,” because these come when the labor is ended. So obedience to God’s law has not all its blessed effects in present experience, but in the end of life will receive its full recompense.

V. 12. Who-Thy law, O Lord, is holy and just and good. But I fall infinitely short of it. Cleanse-Both by justification, through the blood of thy son; and by sanctification thro’ thy holy spirit. Though the first may seem to be principally intended, because he speaks of his past sins. Secret-From the guilt of such sins as were secret either, from others; such as none knows but God and my own conscience: or, from myself; such as I never observed, or did not discern the evil of. Pardon my unknown sins, of which I never repented particularly, as I should have done.

Verse 12. Who can understand his errors?] It is not possible, without much of the Divine light, to understand all our deviations from, not only the letter, but the spirituality, of the Divine law. Frequent self-examination, and walking in the light, are essentially necessary to the requisite degree of spiritual perfection.

Cleanse thou me from secret faults.] From those which I have committed, and have forgotten; from those for which I have not repented; from those which have been committed in my heart, but have not been brought to act in my life; from those which I have committed without knowing that they were sins, sins of ignorance; and from those which I have committed in private, for which I should blush and be confounded were they to be made public.

Verse 12. Who can understand his errors? — Upon the consideration of the perfect purity of God’s law, and the comparing of his spirit and conduct with it, he is led to make a penitent reflection upon his sins. Is the commandment thus holy, just, and good? then who can understand his errors? Lord, I am a sinful creature, and fall infinitely short of the demands of thy law, and am condemned by it. Cleanse thou me — Both by justification, or the pardon of my sins, through the blood of thy Son, which is in due time to be shed for me; and by sanctification through thy Holy Spirit, working in and with thy word, to the further renovation of my heart and life. For these are the two ways of cleansing sinners most frequently spoken of, both in the Old and New Testament: though the first may seem to be principally, if not only intended, because he speaks of his past sins, from which he could be cleansed no other way but my remission. From secret faults — From the guilt of such sins as were secret, either from others, such as none knows but God and my own conscience; or from myself, such as I never observed, or did not discern the evil of. Pardon my unknown sins, of which I never repented particularly, as I should have done.

12. Errors—The radical idea of the word is, to wander, go astray, rove; used often of unconscious sins, (sins of ignorance,) as Leviticus 4:2. These are difficult to detect. The Hebrew is very emphatic: As to his wanderings, who can know them? Secret faults—Sins of ignorance. The law of Moses prescribed atonement for such, after they should come to the knowledge of the person. Leviticus 4; 5:15-19; Numbers 15:25. They belonged to the lowest class of offences; yet, if persisted in after knowledge, they became wilful transgressions.

V. 13. Presumptuous-From known and evident sins, such as are committed against knowledge, against the checks of conscience, and the motions of God’s spirit. Dominion-If I be at any time tempted to such sins, Lord let them not prevail over me, and if I do fall into them, let me speedily rise again.

Verse 13. From presumptuous sins] Sins committed not through frailty or surprise, but those which are the offspring of thought, purpose, and deliberation. Sins against judgment, light, and conscience. The words might be translated, Preserve thy servant also from the proud; from tyrannical governors, i.e., from evil spirits.—Bishop Horsley. So most of the versions understand the place.

Let them not have dominion over me] Let me never be brought into a habit of sinning. He who sins presumptuously will soon be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Then shall I be upright] Let me be preserved from all the evil that the craft and malice of the devil or man work against me, then shall I continue to walk uprightly, and shall be innocent from the great transgression-from habitual sinning, from apostasy, from my easily-besetting sin. He who would be innocent from the great transgression, must take care that he indulge not himself in any. See Bishop Horne. Most men have committed some particular sin which they ought to deplore as long as they breathe, and on account of the enormity of which they should for ever be humbled.

Verse 13. Keep back thy servant also — Hebrew, Ëcj, chasoch, cohibe, subtrahe, restrain, or withdraw. The word is emphatical, and implies the natural and great proneness of man to commit even wilful sins, and the necessity of divine grace, as a bridle, to keep men from the commission of them. From presumptuous sins — Having begged pardon for his secret faults, including therein, probably, sins of ignorance and infirmity; he now prays for restraining grace, to keep him from sins committed knowingly and deliberately, against the convictions and the remonstrances of conscience and the motions of God’s Holy Spirit. Let them not have dominion over me — If at any time I be tempted to any such sins, Lord, let them not prevail over me; and if I do fall into them, let me speedily rise again. Then shall I be upright — That will be an evidence of my sincerity, and I shall have this comfort, that though I am still compassed about with many infirmities, yet I am an upright person, and such as thou dost accept. And I shall be innocent — Hebrew, ytyqn, nikkeeti, I shall be cleansed, or kept pure, as this word primarily signifies; from the great transgression — From the guilt of such presumptuous sins, which are, indeed, very great transgressions, and such as, if followed by impenitence and obstinacy, thou wilt not pardon.

Ver. 13. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous… The LXX, from the worship of strange… The word gods is omitted, lest it pollute the sacred page of both the Greek and the Hebrew text.

13. Presumptuous sins—Literally, proudnesses: sins committed with knowledge and passion, such as hinted at Psalm 119:21: the extreme opposite of the “secret faults,” of verse 12. Dominion—This again marks the danger of these haughty sins; they are such as rule the man where they exist. The psalmist deprecates their existence and dominion.

V. 14. Let-Having prayed that God would keep him from sinful actions, he now prays that God would govern, and sanctify his words and thoughts: and this was necessary to preserve him from presumptuous sins, which have their first rise in the thoughts. Redeemer-This expression seems to be added emphatically, and with special respect to Christ, to whom alone this word Goel can properly belong.

Verse 14. Let the words of my mouth] He has prayed against practical sin, the sins of the body; now, against the sins of the mouth and of the heart. Let my mouth speak nothing but what is true, kind, and profitable; and my heart meditate nothing but what is holy, pure, and chaste. Acceptable in thy sight] Like a sacrifice without spot or blemish, offered up with a perfect heart to God.

O Lord, my strength] yrwx tsuri, “my fountain, my origin.” My redeemer.] ylag goali, my kinsman, he whose right it is to redeem the forfeited inheritance; for so was the word used under the old law. This prayer is properly concluded! he was weak, he felt the need of God’s strength. He had sinned and lost all title to the heavenly inheritance, and therefore needed the interference of the Divine kinsman; of HIM who, because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, also partook of the same. No prayer can be acceptable before God which is not offered up in his strength; through HIM who took our nature upon him, that he might redeem us unto God, and restore the long-lost inheritance. Lord my helpar and my byer.—Old Psalter. He who is my only help, and he that bought me with his blood. This prayer is often, with great propriety, uttered by pious people when they enter a place of worship.

Verse 14. Let the words of my mouth, &c. — Having prayed that God would keep him from sinful actions, he now prays that God would govern and sanctify his words and thoughts. And this was necessary in order to his preservation, even from presumptuous sins, which have their first rise in the thoughts, and thence, probably, proceed to expressions before they break forth into actions. Be acceptable in thy sight — Be really good and holy, and so well pleasing to thee. O Lord, my strength — O thou who hast hitherto strengthened me, both against my temporal and spiritual enemies, and whose gracious and powerful assistance is absolutely necessary to keep me from being overcome by my sinful inclinations and other temptations. And my Redeemer — This expression seems to be added emphatically, and with a special respect to Christ, to whom alone this word, lag, goel, properly belongs. See notes on Job 19:25. Through his blood and Spirit alone did and could David expect the pardon and grace for which he here prays.

Ver. 14. My Redeemer. Hebrews ylag goali, my kinsman, whose right it was to redeem the inheritance. Surely the psalmist refers to Him who became bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh; our kinsman, who redeemed us by the sacrifice of Himself.

14. Let the words—A comprehensive prayer that both the inner man and the outgoings of the heart may be acceptable to God. Meditation of my heart—Its devices and secret counsels. What higher standard of holiness does the New Testament set for us than is contained in these last two verses?