I. CONFESSION. THE FEARLESSNESS OF FAITH (1-3). Jehovah the Refuge of the Righteous. 1. Answer of the Psalmist (1). To the Advice of the Friends. 2. Adyice of the Friends (2-3). Violence of tlie Wicked manifested. II. CONFIDENCE. THE FOUNDATION OF FAITH (4-6). A Further Answer. 1. Authority of Jehovah. His Sovereignty (4a). 2. Administration of Justice. Its Equity (4b-6). Violence of the Wicked punished. ill. CONCLUSION. THE FRUIT OF FAITH (7). Jehovah the Rewarder of the Righteous. 1. Attribute of Righteousness (7a). 2. Approval of Righteousness (7b ). SUPERSCRIPT.-David1 s. SUBSCRIPT.-For the Chief Musician; relating to the Sheminith. PRIMARY Assoc1ATION.-Writte11 by David ahnost certainly during the period of his life spent at the court of Saul. There he became in imminent danger of his life, but because he held a position of responsibility, he felt he could not abandon his post without clear guidance from God. Notwithstanding the earnest advice of fainthearted friends and conscious of his rectitude, he resolves to face the danger assured that God would protect him. The time for flight did come later. On subscript, see Ps. v. note; cf. 1 Chron. xv. 21. D
AN ALYT ICAL S TUDIES IN TH E PSALMS PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-111 the history of the godly Jewish remnant of the future belongs to that period known as the first half of Daniel's seventieth "week." The usurper, Antichrist, is upon the throne, but the Great Tribulation has not yet broken out (midst of the week); the time for the godly ones to flee is not yet, (Matt. xxiv. 15 ff.). PERSONAL APPLICATION .-If the saint of God has taken refuge in the Lord, why should he try to seek an asylum elsewhere, 1. The well-meant advice of our friends is not always in line with the will of God, 1-4. The sorely-tried saint can flee for refuge to God while still remaining at his post of duty, I. When the foundations of the state and of society seem to be crumbling, the people of God take refuge in Him, 3-4. The godly are "God-like" in loving righteous ness (7) and hating evil, 5. The eyes of faith are upon the unseen Protector in the heavens rather than on the unseen foes in the dark, 2. The rightepus (a) have taken refuge in God-past; (b) now endure testing,-present; (c) hall behold His face,-prospect, r, 5, 7. Fellowship here leads on to the fellowship hereafter, 7. VERSE NOTES 1. Br. "In Jehovah have I taken refuge," c£ vii. r; "my soul," i.e. emph. for "me"; "as a bird," graphic picture of those in persecution, who have no resource but in flight; "mountain," i.e. hill country, which with its _caves was a natural place of retreat for fugitives. 2-3. Fainthearted friends urge their reasons for the advice. 3. "foundations," i.e. the fundamental principles oflaw and order, which were being subverted. 4. "eyelids," these are contracted when one wishes to examine an object closely. 5. The form of the Heb. word indicates "trieth (and approveth) the ri7hteous," and (b) (trieth and) hateth (i.e. rejecteth) the wicked(= lawless one); 'His soul hateth," i.e. God's essential nature is antagonistic to evil; c£ Isa. i. 14. 6. The fate of Sodom is the typical example of judgment upon gross and defiant sin; with Ezek. xxxviii. 22 c£ Luke xvii. 28-30, 32; "snares," bee. the judgment will take the wicked unawares; "brimstone," Heb. word may cover any kind of mineral pitch or oil, and possibly sulphur as well. Sir Wm. Dawson has shown that the instrument of divine judgment upon Sodom and the cities of the plain was almost certainly a bitumen or petroleum eruption, when burning showers of ignited gas and oil rained down upon the doomed cities. The valley of the Dead Sea is known to be a rich oil district. This valley may have been in view when David wrote the psalm. 7. "righteousness," i.e. righteous acts. The ungodly are destroyed, but the upright are admitted to Jehovah's presence, cf. Rev. x:xii. 4 •.
RESPONSE OF THE DESPISED REMNAN T
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