I. PERSONAL PROFESSION (1-2). First Person. r. The Pondered Creation (ra). The Mountains. 2.. The Pressing Challenge (1b). The Question.
- The Proclaimed Confidence (2a). The Answer. 4. The Peerless Creator (2b ). The Maker. II. PROMISED PRESERVATÀON (3-8). Second Person. r. The Constant Protection (3-4). NegativÁnot suffer. 2. The Competent Protector (5). Jehovah the Keeper. 3. The Constant Protection (6). Negative-not smite. 4. The Competent Protector (7-8). Positive. Jehovah the Keeper. SUPERSCRIPT.-A Song of the Degrees (or, Ascents). PRIMARY AssocIATION.-See introduction to cxx. If Hezekiah be the anonymous author, how appropriate to the circumstances of the siege of Jerusalem by the -Assyrians! In that case, too, the .first two verses would be an expression of personal trust and the rest of the psalm very possibly an oracular response granted through a prophet of God (Isaiah?) and calculated to assure his heart. The psalm seems adapted for antiphonal song. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-Belongs to same period as cxx. Not yet can Israel look to Zion for help. This must first come direct .from heaven (2) in the person of a manifested Messiah, before the throne is established in Zion. Note the national aspect (4) aµd the individual (5). PERSONALAPPLICATION.-Note the soul (r-2) and its Saviour (3-8). Jehovah as the Keeper is mentioned three times; the keeping (cognate verb) also three times. Consider what He keeps .from. "When dwelling upon the lower levels lift your eyes higher than the heights" (1-2). Keep your eyes on your Keeper. We must distrust self if ever we are fully to trust God. The Keeper of the Assembly is the Keeper of the individual (4-5). God takes account of units. •He loves all because He loves each. Here are many precious promises for God's pilgrims. God keeps the soul entrusted to Him by faith as a very precious deposit (7b); c£ John x. 28-29. Verse 8 covers all our circumstances and all our future. VERSE NOTES 1. The poet considers Jehovah's power as displayed in creation, c£ cxxv. 2; "Lift ,, £ ··· up mine eyes, c . CXXlll. 1-2. 2. For Jehovah's promised help see 2 Kings xix. 12-34; xx. 6. His trust rests upon the divine promise. (b) An expression common in the later psalms. It contrasts Jehovah's omnipotence with the impotence of the heathen deities, such as the Assyrian invaders of Judah worshipped; see 2 Kings :x:>..'1. r 5; 2 Chron. )QO{li, 19.
THE WAYS OF GOD REC Ai LED 3. The negative particle is usually emloyed in commands or wishes; may render, "May He not ... feet to stumble.' So with next line. 4.An unslumbering and unwearied Watchman; not like some human sentinel liable to fall asleep at his post, nor like the heathen gods, I Kings xviii. 27. 6. Cf. Ps. xci. 7. "thy soul" = thy life; for fulfihnent of the promise see 2 Chron. xxxii. 22.
