I. RENDERING OF THANKS (r-4). I. Exhortation-General (r). "Give thanks." 2. Exhortation-Particular (2-4). (i l Pe<?ple's Assembly (2). (ii Priestly Family (3 ). (iii Pious Adherents (4).
AN At YTlCAL ST'ODiES 1N THE PSALMS II. REASON FOR THANKSGIVING (5). Ill. REALIZATION OF HELP (6-7). "Jehovah is for me." IV. REFLECTION FOLLOWING EXPERIENCE (8--9 ). V. REVIEW OF CIRCUMSTANCES (10-18). 1. Acknowledgment (Triple) (10-12). The Name of the Lord. 2. Apostrophe (13). The Enemy thrust sore. (fig. Polyptoton). 3. Affirmation (14). Jah-my Strength-my Song-my Salvation. 4. Acknowledgment (Triple) (15-16). The Right Hand of the Lord. 5. Assurance (17). "I shall live." 6. Admission (1). The Lord chastened sore (fig. Polyptoton). VI. RELATION TO MESSIAH (19-28). I. Approach of Messiah (19-20). (i) Request (19). (ii) Response (20 ). 2. Ascription of Praise (21). (Sing.) "I will praise." 3. Acknowledgment of Messiah (22-24). National. 4. Appeal in Prayer (25). (Sing.) "I beseech Thee." 5. Acclamation of Messiah (26-27). National. 6. Ascription of Praise (28). (Sing.) "I will praise." VIL RENDERING OF THANKS (29). Exhortation-General. "Give thanks." PRIMARY AssocIATION.-David probably composed this psalm upon some special occasion of national rejoicing. The note of praise characterising the composition was first used by him (r-4, 25, 29) ; c£ I Chron. xvi. 34-3 5. That it was used l¢ter on occasions referred to by commentators is very likely (see Ezra iii. IO-II; Neh. viii. 14-18) especially the great celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles recorded Neh. viii. Intended as a processional hymn and antiphonal, but it is difficult to separate the parts with absolute certainty. r-r8 seems to have been sung while approaching the sanctuary; 19-29 at the "temple" gates and after entry, including responses by the priests within (20, 26). The psalm fittingly closes the "Hallel" in a spirit of jubilant thanksgiving for rest given Israel in Canaan and, secondly, after the Captivity. This was a favourite psalm of Luther. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-The voice of a representative of restored Israel in millennial days, reviewing the recent mighty deliverance of the nation by the advent of Messiah. Points on to the great millennial Feast of Tabernacles, Zech. xiv. 16-19 with Israel
fully returned in heart to their God and fo)filling the prophecy uttered by our Lord in the days of His rejection, Matt. xx.iii. 39; Isa. xxv. 9. For many centuries God's ancient people have remained without that which was their distinctive glory-the Temple of God, but they are seen here again in possession, and in full realization that Messiah is the Ĕole foW1dation upon which the dwelling of God among them securely rests ( cf. the Tabernacle types). To Christ they owe their spiritual and te1nporal deliverance, and the worshippers stand at last on a righteousness not their own. It is that of their ·once despised and rejected, but now risen and glorified Messiah. PERSONAL APPLICATION.-A song of the saved. Israel's Deliverer is our Redeemer. All the redeemed people of God should be magnifiers and 1nessengers of His Name. Christians, too, mai join in the oft-repeated refrain of Israel's anthem (1). Faith in God makes us independent of human helpers, even as it makes us superior to mortal foes (6). Terror of man is removed by trust in God (6). Let me hold fast this truth-God is for me, c£ Rom. viii. 3 I; Heb. xiii. 6. Verse 8, the central verse of the Bible, conveys a vital truth (8). God my Helper, the profession (7a); the proof (13b). We _are not only objects of divine protection (5-7), but also organs of divine power (ro-12). God gives the victories; let us acknowledge it in thanksgiving (12). Salvation and song ever go together (r5a). Christ is not only at God's right hand, He is God's Right Hand (r5-16). Divine chastening is tinto life not unto death (17-r8). The righteous are the saved and the saved are righteous (20-21). What man despises and tosses aside, God takes up and uses (22); c£ 1 Cor. ii. God gives us light as well as life (27) because He is love (29b). The people of God should ever begin (r) and end (29) on a note of thanksgiving. Put no trust in earthly authorities whether emperors (9) or experts (22). VERSE NOTES I. c£ cxxxvi.; Deut. v. IO. 2 ff. For sim. threefold division, c£ cxv. 9-13. 5. "distress" = strait. Masso retie text reads " ... answered me with deliverance." The title "Jah" (occurs six times here) recalls the exodus. 7. Lit. "Therefore do I look ... " = either, fearfessly face the foe, or look upon their defeat. 8. Br. "It is good ... and not to put trust in ... man ... in nobles."
ANALYTICAL STUDIES IN THE P-SALMS 10. Br. "I did cut them off;" so IIb and 12b; verses sand 13 make it clear that the crisis was past. 11. Note fig. epizeuxis for emphasis, and elsewhere in this psalm. Verses 10-12 prophetically refer to the great :mtichristian confederacy against God's people in the last dar,s, Isa. xxix. 2-7; Zech. xii., xiv. 12. 'quenched;" LXX etc. have "blazed up." In the East a fire from thorns blazes up rapidly and fiercely, but as rapidly dies down. 13. The enemy is addressed as an individual (prophetically = Antichrist); Israel and their foes like two warriors matched in single combat; lit. "thrusting thou didst thrust;"= fig. polyptoton, see 18. 14. This verse is repeated in the "habhdalah" by the Jews every Sabbath night; c£ Exod. >..-v. 2; Isa. xii. 2. See 21. 15. I.e. the festival rejoicings; "righteous," i.e. Israel regarded in the light of their calling and contrasted with the lawless nations who sought to frustrate God's purpose by destroying Israel; "tents," Heb. ohel; or, dwellings; 15b and 16 give the joyous shout of the righteous after victory; based on Exod. xv. 6, 12. 18. Lit. "chastening He chastened," fig. polyptoton. 19. "gates of righteousness," because the temple was the abode of the righteous God and righteousness the condition of entrance for God's people; Jer. xxxi. 23; Ps. xx. 2; Isa. xxvi. 2, cf. Ps. xxiv.; (b) "I will go in by them ... " 20. Response from within. "This is the gate (belonging) to Jehovah." The righteous may ( or, Let the righteous) go in by it." The emphasis is on the word "·h rig teous. 22. Metaphor from building. Combined ideas are found here. A comer-stone bonds the walls, hencč is the most important part of the structure. A large and strong stone needed, Jer. li. 26; Job xxxviii. 6. It formed part of the foundajion. Here re£ to topstone or headstone (Zech. iii. 9; iv. 7-9) which not only bonds the walls, but completes the building. Primarily may refer to Israel as a nation; :figuratively of the "house " that God promised to build for David, of which Christ is both founder and finisher; prophetically of Christ as foundation stone and chief comer-stone of all God's "buildings." Verse quoted several times in New Testament. 23. Lit. "From Jehovah did this come to pass . . . " That the despised and rejected One should tum out to be their Deliverer and Redeemer, the chosen One of God now risen and glorified, will be a wonder to Israel. 24. I.e. To Jehovah alone we owe this day of national rejoicing; " ... in it" or, in Him. 25. Br. as A.V. in the singular. A prayer that Jehovah will continue the blessed work He has begun; "now " is not an adverb of time but a Heb. particle of supplication. "Hosanna" was a "God save the King," and is so understood by the disciples, Luke xix. 3 8, etc. In later times this verse was the festal cry ( used in the plural) raised while the altar of burnt offering was solemnly compassed once 011 each of the first six days of the Feast of Tabernacles and seven times on the seventh. This seventh day was called the "Great Hosanna," and not only the prayers, but even the branches of osiers and myrtles which are bound to the palm branch were called Hosannas (Delitsch).
THE WORD OF GOD RBVERED 26. Shows the millennial temple will be completed {prophetically seen). The priests utter a ·blessing upon the entering procession with its Leader. ".Blessed in the Name of Jehovah be the Coming One " (lit.); (b) "you"= plural. 27. "El (a Mighty One) is Jehovah ... " (b) A difficult line, but is evidently the worshippers' response to the divine blessing received (a). The Heb. cannot mean, "Bind ... to the horns ... " It seems better to Tender with an ellipsis, " ... until (it is consummated at) the horns ... " The whole ritual of sacrifice is viewed, viz. a sin offering (Lev. iv.), similar perhaps to that of Ezra's day (Ezra, vi. 17). If the psalm was sung at the last Passover (see Note, p. 277) very significantly this verse immediately preceded our Lord's journey to Gethsemane. 28. "Thou art my El ... (Thou art) my Elohim." Prophetically seems to point to Israel's acknowledgment of Christ's deity. Book Five. III. The Word of God Revered by the Loyal Heart: cxix. PRIMARY AssocIATION.-Author and date of this unique psalm are uncertain. It has been variously ascribed by expositors to David, Hezekiah, Jererp.iah and Ezra. Many coincidences between the language_ of the text and the history pf Ezra's time seem to point to the last-named. Ezra is sometimes known as "the second Moses." He was clearly one who resolved to make God's Law the governing principle of his life, Ezra vii. 6, IO, II. The composition is in the form of a perfect and regular alphabetic acrostic, in an eightfold repetition, through twenty-two sections corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The writer's theme is the surpassing excellence of the divine law. In its apparent monotony there is developed sweetest music because of many subtle variations in the great theme. To quote Maclaren again, "There are but few pieces in the psalmist's kaleidoscope, but they fall into many shapes of beauty." Several characteristic features may be ·mentioned.· The first is the use of certain words as synonyms of the Law. For explana tion of these see Appendix XI. The psalm is the third commencing with a beatitude; c£ Pss. 1. and xxxii. It is an appropriate sermon on Ps. i. 1 -2. Jehovah is addressed by name exactly twenty-two times. All the verses except two (90, 122) refer to the revealed word tµider .one or other of the synonyms. One should carefully dis tinguish attributes of the Law from these synonyms, which are terms for the Law in its manifold Þpects. After the :first three introductory verses, in every verse but one (115) God is addressed. Despite the impression of tautology conveyed by a cursory glance, ·an emphatic T
unity appears upon a closer study. The links are found to be 111oral and experimental and to be discerned only as taught of the Spirit. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-Shows the effect of the Law written upon the hearts of restored Israel under the terms of the new covenant, Jer. xxxi. 31-34; c£ Heb. viii. 10. The nation is viewed as not yet in enjoyment of full deliverance, which Òomes only after the judgments of Messiah upon Israel's enemies at and following His advent in glory. In the obedience of faith which works by love renewed Israel will delight to carry out the will of God as revealed in His word. The excellencies of that word will be their continual praise. Note that eight-the new covenant number-is stamped upon the whole psalm. PERSONAL APPLICATION .-For notes under this aspect see after each section. GENERAL ANALYSIS.-The twenty-two sections seem to fall into three groups of seven, followed by the last section as a kind of appendix. The corresponding members of each group bear a certain relation to each other although the connection may not be immedi ately apparent to the casual reader; see :'Numerical Bible" (Grant).
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