Psalms · Chapter 65

Verse 1. Praise waiteth for thee] Praise is silent or dumb for thee. Thou alone art worthy of praise; all other perfections are lost in thine; and he who considers thee aright can have no other subject of adoration. Unto thee shall the vow be performed.] All offerings and sacrifices should be made to thee. All human spirits are under obligation to live to and serve thee. All Jews and Christians, by circumcision and baptism, belong to thee; and they are all bound to pay the vow of their respective covenants to thee alone; and the spirit of this vow is, to love thee with all their powers and to serve thee with a perfect heart and willing mind, all the days of their life.

Verse 1. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion — Waits in expectation of the mercy desired; waits till it arrives, that it may be received with thankfulness at its first approach. For, when God is coming toward us with his favours, we must go forth to meet him with our praises. Praise waits with an entire satisfaction in thy holy will, and in dependance on thy mercy. When we stand ready in every thing to give thanks, then praise waits for God. Hebrew, hlht hymd Ël, lecha dumijah tehillah, praise is silent unto thee, as wanting words to express thy great goodness, and being struck with silent admiration of it. As there are holy groanings in prayer, which cannot be uttered, so there are holy adorations in praise which cannot be expressed, and yet shall be accepted by Him who searcheth the heart, and knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit. Our praise is silent, that the praises of the blessed angels, that excel in strength, may be heard. Before thee (thus the Chaldee) praise is reputed as silence. So far is God exalted above all our blessing and praise. Praise is due to God from all the world; but it waits for him in Sion only, in his church among his people; all his works praise him, that is, they minister matter for praise, but only his saints bless him by actual adorations. Unto thee shall the vow be performed — The sacrifices and thank-offerings, which thy people vowed unto thee, in the time of their danger, when they were supplicating deliverance, and other blessings, at thy hands, shall be faithfully paid. We shall not be accepted in our thanksgivings to God for the mercies we have received, unless we make conscience of paying the vows which we made when we were in pursuit of these mercies; for better is it not to vow than to vow and not to pay.

1. Praise waiteth—Or, Praise is silent; or, To thee silence is praise: see on Psalm 62:1, and Revelation 8:1. Submitting all things to the will of God, and quietly resting there, is as praise; and this only could make praise or prayer acceptable.

Verse 2. Unto thee shall all flesh come.] All human beings should pray to God; and from him alone the sufficient portion of human spirits is to be derived. It is supposed to be a prediction of the calling of the Gentiles to the faith of the Gospel of Christ. A minister, immensely corpulent, began his address to God in the pulpit with these words: “O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come!” and most unluckily laid a strong emphasis on ALL FLESH. The coincidence was ominous; and I need not say, the people were not edified, for the effect was ludicrous. I mention this fact, which fell under my own notice, to warn those who minister in righteousness to avoid expressions which may be capable, from a similar circumstance, of a ludicrous application. I have known many good men who, to their no small grief, have been encumbered with a preternatural load of muscles; an evil to be deprecated and deplored.

Verses 2, 3. O thou that hearest prayer — That usest and delightest to hear and answer the prayers of thy people in Zion; which he justly mentions as one of the chiefest of God’s favours vouchsafed to his church; unto thee shall all flesh come — Men of all sorts and nations, who were allured by this and other singular benefits, to unite themselves to the Jewish Church, according to Solomon’s prediction, 1 Kings 8:41-43. Or, rather, this may be considered as a tacit prediction of the conversion of the Gentiles, namely, that on account of God’s mercy in hearing the prayers of his people, all mankind, out of every nation, should come and make their supplications before him in his church, when called by his gospel. And the chief subject of the prayers made by all flesh to God being the forgiveness of sin, in order to this it is here confessed, Iniquities prevail against me — My iniquities are so many and so great, that on account of them thou mightest justly reject my prayers, and destroy my person; they are a burden too heavy for me; but thou shalt purge them away — This is another glorious privilege granted to thy people, that, in answer to their prayers, thou dost graciously pardon and take away their sins.

Verse 2. To thee shall all flesh come. The gentile nations, in the uttermost parts of the earth, as in ver. 5, 8. Psalm 22:27. 66:1-4.

2. Thou that hearest prayer—A recognition of deity which gratitude dictates and experience attests. See introduction. Unto thee shall all flesh come— “All flesh” is a term denoting all nations and varieties of mankind. They shall yet come, in guilt and in trouble, to the one only God for deliverance. They shall yet confess him in prayer and hymns of praise. Isaiah 66:23. An anticipation of Messiah’s universal reign.

Verse 3. Iniquities prevail against me] This is no just rendering of the original, ynm wrbg tnw[ yrbd dibrey avonoth gaberu menni; “iniquitous words have prevailed against me,” or, “The words of iniquity are strong against me.” All kinds of calumnies, lies, and slanders have been propagated, to shake my confidence, and ruin my credit.

Our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.] Whatsoever offences we have committed against thee, thou wilt pardon; תכפרם tecapperem, thou wilt make atonement for them, when with hearty repentance and true faith we turn unto thee. This verse has been abused to favour Antinomian licentiousness. The true and correct translation of the former clause will prevent this.

The old Scottish Version of this verse, in their singing Psalms, is most execrable:—

“Iniquities, I must confess,

Prevail against me do:

And as for our trans-gres-si-ons

Them purge away wilt thou.”

O David, if thou art capable of hearing such abominable doggerel substituted for the nervous words thou didst compose by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, what must thou feel, if chagrin can affect the inhabitants of heaven!

Verses 2, 3. O thou that hearest prayer — That usest and delightest to hear and answer the prayers of thy people in Zion; which he justly mentions as one of the chiefest of God’s favours vouchsafed to his church; unto thee shall all flesh come — Men of all sorts and nations, who were allured by this and other singular benefits, to unite themselves to the Jewish Church, according to Solomon’s prediction, 1 Kings 8:41-43. Or, rather, this may be considered as a tacit prediction of the conversion of the Gentiles, namely, that on account of God’s mercy in hearing the prayers of his people, all mankind, out of every nation, should come and make their supplications before him in his church, when called by his gospel. And the chief subject of the prayers made by all flesh to God being the forgiveness of sin, in order to this it is here confessed, Iniquities prevail against me — My iniquities are so many and so great, that on account of them thou mightest justly reject my prayers, and destroy my person; they are a burden too heavy for me; but thou shalt purge them away — This is another glorious privilege granted to thy people, that, in answer to their prayers, thou dost graciously pardon and take away their sins.

Ver. 3. Iniquities prevail against me. Hebrews the words [and devices] of iniquity are strong against me; that is, the lies and slanders of wicked men.—As for our transgressions, the sins we have really committed, thou shalt purge them away by the blood of atonement. Hebrews 9:14.

3. Iniquities prevail—Hebrew, words or matters of iniquities have prevailed. They have been too strong. Psalm 38:4; 40:12. The preterit of the verb refers to sins, or matters of public wrong, the consequences of which they had not been able to endure nor their guilt atone, till now God had interfered and directed the atonement, and delivered them. Against me—The sudden transition from the third to the first person singular is a poetic freedom often used, the psalmist representing the people. Purge them—rpk, (kaphar,) atone, expiate, cover. The standing word in the Old Testament for the expiatory act.

V. 4. Approach-To draw near to God in his house and ordinance, by prayer and praise, and other acts of communion with him. Satisfied-With the blessings there conferred upon thy people, the favour and fellowship of God, remission of sins, renovation of heart and life, joy and peace, and well-grounded assurance of eternal life.

Verse 4. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest] This is spoken in reference to the priests who were chosen of God to minister at the tabernacle; and who were permitted to approach, draw nigh, to the Divine Majesty by the various offerings and sacrifices which they presented. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house] Though we are not priests, and have not the great felicity to minister before thee in holy things; yet we can worship at thy temple, feel the outpouring of thy Spirit, and be made happy with the blessings which thou dispensest there to thy true worshippers.

Verse 4. Blessed is the man — The particular person, how poor and mean soever; whom thou choosest — To be one of thy peculiar people; and causest — That is, permittest and commandest; and by the disposal of thy providence, and the influence of thy grace, inclinest and enablest, to approach unto thee — To draw near to thee in thy house and ordinances, by prayer and praise, and other acts of communion with thee. That he may dwell in thy courts — In the courts of thy house; may frequently resort thither, and wait upon thee there, at all opportunities, among thy people. He mentions courts, because the people were permitted to go no further into God’s house. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house — We shall enjoy solid satisfaction, such as all men desire, but which only thy true and genuine people obtain, in those spiritual and everlasting blessings there conferred upon them, namely, thy grace, and favour, and fellowship with thee. Observe, reader! remission of sins, renovation of heart and life, the knowledge of God and of ourselves, and of our duty and true interest, joy and peace through believing, with well-grounded hopes of eternal life, are the blessings included in the goodness of God’s house, or holy temple, which is here mentioned, in comparison of which all the enjoyments of this world are but dross and dung.

4. Whom thou choosest—See Psalm 4:3. Causest to approach… thee—A priestly honour under the law, (Numbers 16:8,) but offered now to all. (Hebrews 10:19-22.) Satisfied with the goodness of thy house—To be “satisfied” with God’s gifts and favour, so that the heart gratefully rests there, is the highest return we can make to him; while to profess his name and still seek our pleasure in the world is the greatest reproach to him and to the religion we profess. Thy holy temple—The word is simply synonymous with the terms “thy courts” and “thy house” in this same verse, and is no proof that this psalm was of later date than David’s time. See its use in 1 Samuel 1:9, and 3:3, where it applies to the tabernacle.

V. 5. Righteousness-By virtue of thy faithfulness, and goodness. Wilt thou-Thou wilt graciously answer our prayers. The confidence-Thou art the stay and support of all mankind, by thy powerful and gracious providence.

Verse 5. By terrible things in righteousness] The Vulgate joins this clause to the preceding verse: “Thy holy temple is wonderful in righteousness: thou wilt hear us, O God of our salvation.” But the psalmist may refer to those wonderful displays of God’s providence in the change of seasons, and fertilization of the earth; and, consequently, in the sustenance of all animal beings.

The confidence of all the ends of the earth] Thou art the hope of thy people scattered through different parts of the world, and through the isles of the sea. This passage is also understood of the vocation of the Gentiles.

Verse 5. By terrible things, &c. — Or, in a terrible manner; that is, so as to strike thy people with a holy awe and reverence of thee, and of thy judgments, and thine enemies with dread and horror. The Chaldee renders the word, tarwn, noraoth, here used, in a wonderful manner. This may be understood of the rebukes which God, in his providence, sometimes gives to his own people; he often answers them by wonderful and terrible events, for the awakening and quickening of them; but always in righteousness; he neither doth them any wrong, nor intends them any hurt; for even then he is the God of their salvation. But it is rather to be understood of his judgments upon their enemies; God answers his people’s prayers by the destructions made for their sakes among those who reject his truth; and the recompense which he renders to their proud oppressors as a righteous God, the God to whom vengeance belongs, and the God that protects and saves his people. The clause may be read, by wonderful things wilt thou answer us; things which are very surprising, and which we looked not for, Isaiah 64:3. Or by things which strike an awe upon us. “The ancient church here foretels,” says Dr. Horne, “that God would answer her prayers for the coming of the Messiah, by wonderful things in righteousness, which were brought to pass by the death and the resurrection of Christ, the overthrow of idolatry, and the conversion of the nations.” Some again, by these wonderful things, understand the works of God’s providence mentioned in the following verses; “which, however they may be disregarded by us, through our familiarity with them, are indeed most stupendous, amazing, and awful; such as will always engage the inquiry and excite the wonder of the most profound philosophers; but will for ever surpass their comprehension.” See Dodd. Who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth — Of all thy saints all the world over, and not only of those who are of the seed of Israel. For he is the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews; the confidence of them that are afar off from his holy temple, that dwell in the islands of the Gentiles, or that are in distress upon the sea. They trust in him, and cry to him when they are at their wit’s end. Nor is there any other in whom they can safely trust, or to whom they can have recourse with any prospect of relief. For this God of our salvation is the only object of a safe and undeceiving confidence; there is no other person or thing in the world that any man living can trust to, without fear or certainty of disappointment.

5. By terrible things in righteousness—God’s work of salvation is often attended with acts of terror and judgment, as in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. He hates sin as he loves holiness, and his “wrath is revealed from heaven against it.” Romans 1:18. Who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth—Not that God is actually known and trusted by all men, but that he is the only true confidence of all, and this, as Perowne says, is his claim upon “all the ends of the earth” to be thus recognised and trusted. Tholuck thinks, “it implies the confession that the prayers of the heathen, (being offered in sincerity,) however erroneous their ideas of God may be, do after all ascend to the throne of the God of Israel,” which accords with Acts 10:34, 35; Romans 2:14, 15.

Verse 6. Setteth fast the mountains] It is by thy strength they have been raised, and by thy power they are girded about or preserved. He represents the mountains as being formed and pitched into their proper places by the mighty hand of God; and shows that they are preserved from splitting, falling down, or mouldering away, as it were, by a girdle by which they are surrounded. The image is very fine. They were hooped about by the Divine power.

Verses 6, 7. Which setteth fast the mountains — That they are not overthrown by floods, or earthquakes, or other natural causes; which stability they have only from God’s preserving providence, which alone sustains all persons and things; being girded with power — Being able to do it, and that with infinite ease, having only to speak and it is done. Which stillest the noise of the sea — When it is very tempestuous, and threatens to swallow up ships and men that are in it, or to overflow the earth. And the tumults of the people — As he stills the natural, so he also quiets the metaphorical seas, tumultuous and unruly mobs and insurrections of people, often represented under this emblem in the prophetical writings.

6, 7. Mountains… seas… people—In these verses we are taught that the same God who “setteth fast the mountains,” and “stilleth the… seas,” also hushes “the tumult” of nations. The God of nature is the God of history. “Waves” are a symbol of a people in a state of agitation, tumult, or war.

V. 7. Tumult-No less wild and impetuous.

Verse 7. Stilleth the noise of the seas] Thou art Sovereign over all the operation of sea and land. Earthquakes are under thy control: so are the flux and reflux of the sea; and all storms and tempests by which the great deep is agitated. Even the headstrong multitude is under thy control; for thou stillest the madness of the people.

Verses 6, 7. Which setteth fast the mountains — That they are not overthrown by floods, or earthquakes, or other natural causes; which stability they have only from God’s preserving providence, which alone sustains all persons and things; being girded with power — Being able to do it, and that with infinite ease, having only to speak and it is done. Which stillest the noise of the sea — When it is very tempestuous, and threatens to swallow up ships and men that are in it, or to overflow the earth. And the tumults of the people — As he stills the natural, so he also quiets the metaphorical seas, tumultuous and unruly mobs and insurrections of people, often represented under this emblem in the prophetical writings.

6, 7. Mountains… seas… people—In these verses we are taught that the same God who “setteth fast the mountains,” and “stilleth the… seas,” also hushes “the tumult” of nations. The God of nature is the God of history. “Waves” are a symbol of a people in a state of agitation, tumult, or war.

V. 8. Thy tokens-Terrible thunders and lightnings, and earthquakes, and comets or other strange meteors, or works of God in the air. Morning-The successive courses of the morning and evening; or of the sun and moon which go forth at those times. Thus the whole verse speaks of the natural works of God, the former clause, of such as are extraordinary and terrible, the latter of such as are ordinary and delightful.

Verse 8. Are afraid at thy tokens] Thunder and lightning, storms and tempests, eclipses and meteors, tornadoes and earthquakes, are proofs to all who dwell even in the remotest parts of the earth, that there is a Supreme Being who is wonderful and terrible in his acts. By these things an eternal power and Godhead become manifest even to the most barbarous. From this verse to the end of the Psalm there is a series of the finest poetic imagery in the world.

The outgoings of the morning, &c.] The rising and setting sun, the morning and evening twilight, the invariable succession of day and night, are all ordained by thee, and contribute to the happiness and continuance of man and beast. Or, All that fear thee praise thee in the morning, when they go to their work, and in the evening, when they return home, for thy great goodness manifested in the continuance of their strength, and the success of their labour.

Verse 8. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts — Namely, of the earth; are afraid at thy tokens — Hebrew, Ëyttwam, meothotheicha, at thy signs, at the great and terrible judgments which thou inflictest upon wicked men, and particularly on the enemies of thy people. Or rather, at such occurrences as extraordinary thunders, lightnings, and meteors in the air, comets in the heavens, or volcanic eruptions and earthquakes on the earth; all which are the works of God, whatever secondary causes he may use to produce them. As if he had said, The remotest and most barbarous people are struck with the dread of thee, when thou alarmest them with any unusual tokens of thy power. Thou makest the out goings of the morning and evening to rejoice — The successive courses of the morning and evening, or of the sun and moon, which go forth at those times, the one bringing the light of the morning, and the other the shades of the evening, and both which are said poetically to rejoice, because they give men occasion of rejoicing. For as it is God that scatters the light of the morning, and draws the curtains of the evening, so he does both in favour to man. And how contrary soever light and darkness are to each other, or how inviolable soever the partition between them may be, both are equally welcome to the world in their season. And it is hard to say which is more welcome to us, the light of the morning, which befriends the business of the day, or the shadows of the evening, which befriend the repose of the night. Doth the watchman wait for the morning? So doth the hireling earnestly desire the shadow. Thus, this whole verse speaks of the natural works of God; the former clause of such as are extraordinary and terrible, the latter of such as are ordinary and delightful.

8. Uttermost parts—The boundaries, the whole compass. The full phrase occurs Isaiah 40:28, “The ends,” or compass, “of the earth.” So Job 28:24. Afraid at thy tokens—The “terrible things” (verse 5) which God shall perform in the redemption of his people, by his judgments upon guilty men and nations, shall cause all dwellers upon earth to fear him. See Revelation 14:7. Outgoings of… morning… evening—The breaking forth, or place of going forth; that is, the portals of morning and evening. These shall sing. That is, all creatures within the compass of the earth, from the gates of the east to those of the west, shall be made to rejoice. Such shall be the benign reign of the one only God and Jesus Christ his Son.

V. 9. River-With rain, which he very significantly calls a river for its plenty, and the river of God, of God’s immediate providing. Them-The inhabitants of the earth. Provided-Or, disposed, the earth, which without this would be hard and barren.

Verse 9. Thou visitest the earth] God is represented as going through the whole globe, and examining the wants of every part, and directing the clouds how and where to deposit their fertilizing showers, and the rivers where to direct their beneficial courses.

The river of God] Some think the Jordan is meant; and the visiting and watering refer to rain after a long drought. But the clouds may be thus denominated, which properly are the origin of rivers.

Thou preparest them corn] Or, Thou wilt prepare them corn, because “thou hast provided for it.” Thou hast made all necessary provision for the fertilization of the earth. Thou hast endued the ground with a vegetative power. Rains, dews, and the genial heat of the sun enable it to put forth that power in providing grass for cattle, and corn for the service of man.

Verses 9, 10. Thou visitest — In mercy, or with thy favour, the earth, and waterest it — The whole earth, which is full of thy bounty. So understood, he continues to speak of the general providence of God over all people. Or, he may mean, Thou visitest the land — Namely, the land of Israel; and so he proceeds, from God’s general providence over all places and nations, to his particular and special providence over his people in the land of Canaan, whereof he gives one eminent and considerable instance, namely, his giving them rain and fruitful seasons, and that after a time of drought and scarcity, to which, it is not improbably supposed, this Psalm refers. And this may be the particular occasion, for which the psalmist said, that praise waited for God in Zion. Thou enrichest it with the river of God — With rain, which he calls a river for his plenty, and the river of God, because it is of his immediate providing; which is full of water — The clouds, like a vast river, are never exhausted, or, if they empty themselves upon the earth, they are soon and easily replenished again. Thou preparest them corn — By these means thou causest the earth to bring forth and ripen corn for its inhabitants; when thou hast so provided for it — Hebrew, hnykt ˆk, cheen techineah, hast so ordered, disposed, or prepared it; namely, the earth by thus watering it, which would otherwise be hard and barren. Thou settlest the furrows thereof — Which are turned up by the plough or spade. Or, thou bringest them down, as tjn, nachath, rather signifies: for the rain dissolves the high and hard clods of the earth. Thou blessest the springing thereof — When all is done, the fruitfulness of the earth must not be ascribed to the rain or sun, or any second causes, but to thy blessing alone.

Ver. 9. Thou visitest the earth and waterest it. In this climate, we have western gales and frequent rains; but in Syria they had little more than the former and the latter rain, which suggested the idea of a welcome and refreshing visit from God.—The river of God. The river of thy pleasure: 36:8. The river that makes glad the city of God: 46:4. The Gihon which watered Jerusalem, or the brook Kidron which washed the east of the city, or Jordan in the midst of the land. These, abounding with water from numerous springs, irrigated the country, and made it abundantly fruitful.

9. The psalmist having finished his contemplation of God’s work among the nations, (verses 5-8,) now turns to his providence in nature, in adapting its forces and the order of the seasons to the uses and wants of man. Thou visitest the earth—Thou hast visited the earth. The verb is in the preterite—a fulfilment of the promise, Deuteronomy 11:11, 12. But there is a special application of these descriptions to the season then present, as appears from the interchange of the past and future tenses of the verbs. The word visit, here, denotes a special visit, as if God came down in person to attend to the wants of the earth. Thou… waterest it— Causest the water to overflow it. Greatly enrichest it—The earth was barren before because of its dryness, but God’s showers have made it rich. Palestine and Arabia would now become fruitful with all the products suited to them, if well watered. River of God—Not any particular “river” or channel of Palestine, but a poetic expression for the fulness of those celestial waters which are sent down to enrich the earth by the wonderful provision of God. Preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it—A beautiful thought beautifully expressed. The verb prepare is repeated, to show that it is God who foresees and tenderly cares for our wants, and that the rain is his pledge of harvest. “Thou writ prepare their corn, because thus (for this end) thou wilt prepare the earth.”

V. 10. Bringest down-For the rain dissolves the high and hard clods of earth.

Verse 10. Thou waterest the ridges] In seedtime thou sendest that measure of rain that is necessary, in order to prepare the earth for the plough; and then, when the ridges are thrown into furrows, thou makest them soft with showers, so as to prepare them for the expansion of the seed, and the vegetation and developement of the embryo plant. Thou blessest the springing thereof.] Literally, Thou wilt bless its germinations-its springing buds. Thou watchest over the young sprouts; and it is by thy tender, wise, and provident care that the ear is formed; and by thy bountiful goodness that mature grains fill the ear; and that one produces thirty, sixty, or a hundred or a thousand fold.

Verses 9, 10. Thou visitest — In mercy, or with thy favour, the earth, and waterest it — The whole earth, which is full of thy bounty. So understood, he continues to speak of the general providence of God over all people. Or, he may mean, Thou visitest the land — Namely, the land of Israel; and so he proceeds, from God’s general providence over all places and nations, to his particular and special providence over his people in the land of Canaan, whereof he gives one eminent and considerable instance, namely, his giving them rain and fruitful seasons, and that after a time of drought and scarcity, to which, it is not improbably supposed, this Psalm refers. And this may be the particular occasion, for which the psalmist said, that praise waited for God in Zion. Thou enrichest it with the river of God — With rain, which he calls a river for his plenty, and the river of God, because it is of his immediate providing; which is full of water — The clouds, like a vast river, are never exhausted, or, if they empty themselves upon the earth, they are soon and easily replenished again. Thou preparest them corn — By these means thou causest the earth to bring forth and ripen corn for its inhabitants; when thou hast so provided for it — Hebrew, hnykt ˆk, cheen techineah, hast so ordered, disposed, or prepared it; namely, the earth by thus watering it, which would otherwise be hard and barren. Thou settlest the furrows thereof — Which are turned up by the plough or spade. Or, thou bringest them down, as tjn, nachath, rather signifies: for the rain dissolves the high and hard clods of the earth. Thou blessest the springing thereof — When all is done, the fruitfulness of the earth must not be ascribed to the rain or sun, or any second causes, but to thy blessing alone.

10. Waterest the ridges… settlest the furrows—The idea is that of complete saturation, which would level the surface of a ploughed field; further expressed in “Then makest it soft with showers.” Blessest the springing—The sprouting. The tender shoots, the earliest promise of the year.

Verse 11. Thou crownest the year] A full and plentiful harvest is the crown of the year; and this springs from the unmerited goodness of God. This is the diadem of the earth; trc[ ittarta, Thou encirclest, as with a diadem. A most elegant expression, to show the progress of the sun through the twelve signs of the zodiac, producing the seasons, and giving a sufficiency of light and heat alternately to all places on the surface of the globe, by its north and south declination (amounting to 23 28’ at the solstices) on each side of the equator. A more beautiful image could not have been chosen; and the very appearance of the space termed the zodiac on a celestial globe, shows with what propriety the idea of a circle or diadem was conceived by this inimitable poet.

Thy paths drop fatness.] Ëמעגלי magaleycha, “thy orbits.” The various planets, which all have their revolutions within the zodiacal space, are represented as contributing their part to the general fructification of the year. Or perhaps the solar revolution through the twelve signs, dividing the year into twelve parts or months, may be here intended; the rains of November and February, the frosts and snows of December and January, being as necessary for the fructification of the soil, as the gentle showers of spring, the warmth of summer, and the heat and drought of autumn. The earth’s diurnal rotation on its axis, its annual revolution in its orbit, and the moon’s course in accompanying the earth, are all wheels or orbits of God, which drop fatness, or produce fertility in the earth.

Verses 11, 12. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness — Thou, by thy powerful goodness, dost enrich and adorn all the seasons of the year with their proper fruits and blessings. And thy paths — Either, 1st, Thy clouds, (as the word Ëylg[m, is rendered in the Liturgy version,) upon which God is frequently said to walk or ride, and which drop fatness upon the earth; or the outgoings, or ways of the divine goodness. Wherever God goes, speaking after the manner of men, or works, he leaves the tokens of his mercy behind him, he dispenses rich and salutary blessings, and thus makes his paths to shine after him. Mudge renders this verse, Thou encirclest the year with thy richness, and the tracks of thy wheels drop fatness. God is considered, he thinks, in his chariot, riding round the earth, and from that chariot, that is, the clouds, everywhere distilling fatness, fertility, and increase. They — God’s paths, the clouds; drop upon the pastures of the wilderness — And not only upon the pastures of the inhabited land. The deserts, which man takes no care of, and receives no profit from, yet are under the care of the divine providence; and the produce of them redounds to the glory of God, as the great Benefactor of the whole creation. For hereby they are furnished with food for wild beasts, which, being God’s creatures, he thus takes care of and provides for. And the little hills — He intends chiefly the hills of Canaan, which, for the generality of them, were but small, if compared with the great and high mountains which are in divers parts of the world. He mentions the hills, because, being most dry and parched with the sun, they most need, and are most benefited by the rain; rejoice on every side — That is, all around, as being clothed with verdure, enamelled with flowers, and rendered fertile for the use of man and beasts. Nothing can be more elegant and poetical than the personifying of the hills, the pastures, and valleys in this and the following verse. But, indeed, as Dr. Delaney justly observes, this whole paragraph, from the 9th verse to the 13th, is “the most rapturous, truly poetic, and natural image of joy that imagination can form.” The reader of taste cannot but see this in any translation of it, however simple. “When the divine poet had seen the showers falling from heaven, and Jordan overflowing his banks, all the consequent blessings were that moment present to his quick, poetic sight, and he paints them accordingly.”

Ver. 11. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness. In luxuriant and golden harvests, and with the rich clusters of the mantling vine; yea, with all the plenteous stores of food for man and beast.—Thy paths. Hebrews thy orbits, all the circling seasons of the year, as ruled by the courses of the heavenly bodies.

11. Crownest the year—From the sprouting (verse 10) to the harvest, the year is honoured, distinguished, by God’s blessing. The crowning, as with a chaplet, is at once a finishing act and a token of honour, and completes the cycle of blessings on the year. Thy paths… fatness—God’s “paths” are his ways, or modes of procedure, and whether in nature, moral government, or redemption, his footsteps, or, as the word literally means, the tracks of his chariot, are rich in blessings of wisdom, power, and grace. Here his way is in nature, with its lesson of providence to man and all living creatures. “He maketh the clouds his chariot,” (Psalm 104:3,) which along their pathway distil “upon the pastures of the wilderness,” and “the little hills” are girded with joy.

V. 12. Wilderness-Which though neglected by men, are furnished with food for beasts.

Verse 12. The pastures of the wilderness] Even the places which are not cultivated have their sufficiency of moisture, so as to render them proper places of pasturage for cattle. The terms wilderness and desert, in the Sacred Writings, mean, in general, places not inhabited and uncultivated, though abounding with timber, bushes, and herbage.

The little hills rejoice] Literally, The hills gird themselves with exultation. The metaphor appears to be taken from the frisking of lambs, bounding of kids, and dancing of shepherds and shepherdesses, in the joy-inspiring summer season.

Verses 11, 12. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness — Thou, by thy powerful goodness, dost enrich and adorn all the seasons of the year with their proper fruits and blessings. And thy paths — Either, 1st, Thy clouds, (as the word Ëylg[m, is rendered in the Liturgy version,) upon which God is frequently said to walk or ride, and which drop fatness upon the earth; or the outgoings, or ways of the divine goodness. Wherever God goes, speaking after the manner of men, or works, he leaves the tokens of his mercy behind him, he dispenses rich and salutary blessings, and thus makes his paths to shine after him. Mudge renders this verse, Thou encirclest the year with thy richness, and the tracks of thy wheels drop fatness. God is considered, he thinks, in his chariot, riding round the earth, and from that chariot, that is, the clouds, everywhere distilling fatness, fertility, and increase. They — God’s paths, the clouds; drop upon the pastures of the wilderness — And not only upon the pastures of the inhabited land. The deserts, which man takes no care of, and receives no profit from, yet are under the care of the divine providence; and the produce of them redounds to the glory of God, as the great Benefactor of the whole creation. For hereby they are furnished with food for wild beasts, which, being God’s creatures, he thus takes care of and provides for. And the little hills — He intends chiefly the hills of Canaan, which, for the generality of them, were but small, if compared with the great and high mountains which are in divers parts of the world. He mentions the hills, because, being most dry and parched with the sun, they most need, and are most benefited by the rain; rejoice on every side — That is, all around, as being clothed with verdure, enamelled with flowers, and rendered fertile for the use of man and beasts. Nothing can be more elegant and poetical than the personifying of the hills, the pastures, and valleys in this and the following verse. But, indeed, as Dr. Delaney justly observes, this whole paragraph, from the 9th verse to the 13th, is “the most rapturous, truly poetic, and natural image of joy that imagination can form.” The reader of taste cannot but see this in any translation of it, however simple. “When the divine poet had seen the showers falling from heaven, and Jordan overflowing his banks, all the consequent blessings were that moment present to his quick, poetic sight, and he paints them accordingly.”

V. 13. Sing-They are abundantly satisfied with thy goodness, and in their manner sing forth the praise of their benefactor.

Verse 13. The pastures are clothed with flocks] Cattle are seen in every plain, avenue, and vista, feeding abundantly; and the valleys are clothed, and wave with the richest harvests; and transports of joy are heard every where in the cheerful songs of the peasantry, the singing of the birds, the neighing of the horse, the lowing of the ox, and the bleating of the sheep. Claudian uses the same image:—

Viridis amictus montium.

“The green vesture of the mountains.”

Shout for joy, they also sing.] They are not loud and unmeaning sounds, they are both music and harmony in their different notes; all together form one great concert, and the bounty of God is the subject which they all celebrate. What an inimitable description! And yet the nervous Hebrew is not half expressed, even by the amended translation and paraphrase above.

Verse 13. The pastures — Which were bare before; are clothed with flocks — As they are with grass. They are so well stocked that they seem covered over with sheep and cattle, feeding or resting in them; the valleys also are covered with corn — So that the face of the earth cannot be seen for the abundance of it. He mentions valleys, or low grounds, as being generally most fruitful, but does not intend to exclude other places. Such are some of the good effects of these refreshing, fertilizing rains. They shout for joy: they also sing — They are abundantly satisfied with thy goodness, and, in their manner, sing forth the praises, and declare the goodness of their great Creator and Benefactor.

13. Pastures—The word properly means sheep, young sheep: but in Isaiah 30:23 it must take the sense of pasture. So here the connexion imposes the same sense, only the idea is sheepwalk. The sheepwalk shall be clothed with sheep. The mountains and uplands of Palestine begin to appear brown and barren as early as June, for want of moisture. The valleys—Contrasted with the upland downs or sheepwalks. As the latter are clothed with sheep, so are these with corn—all kinds of edible grain. And in this richness of divine blessing animals and inanimate nature shout for joy, yea, they also will sing.