PROVOCATION I. PRAYER (1-5). r. The Plea (r-2). "I call upon Thee." Invocation to Jehovah. 2. The Prayer (3-4). Supplication for Preservation from Moral Danger. "Workers of iniquity"-their Works. 3. The Protestation (5 ). Correction by the .righteous invited. II. PREDICTION (6). Destruction of the Godless Rulers. ill. PLAINT (7). Distress of the Godly Remnant.
THE WAYS OF GOD R ETRAC ED IV. PRAYER (8-10). 1. The Plea (Bab). "I look unto TheÂ." Ãrofession of Trust. 2. The Prayer (Sc--9). Supplication for Preserv,J,tion from Moral Danger. "Workers of iniquity-their Wiles." 3. The Petition (10). Retribution upon.the wicked invoked. SUPERSCRIPT.-A Psalm of David . . PRIMARY ASSOCIATION .-The circumstances under which David wrote this psalm are unknown, but it seems to belong to the period of the Sauline persecution. Many commentators find the psalm an enigma. There are difficulties, but most of these disappear when we bear in nlind that the writer was a seer as well as a poet, a fact which destructive critics so persistently overlook. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-The oppressed godly remnant seek grace to resist temptation during the period of prosperity of the world powers. This temptation is a double one, (a) Retaliation, (b) Recantation. These loyal ones at the close of the ti.mes of the gentiles would be like Daniel and his friends at the beginning of those times, and keep themselves unspotted from the world, cf. Dan. i. PERSONAL APPLICATION.-Provocation may easily lead the saint into sin. Be on your guard. Christians should avoid corrupt associa tions, c£ 2 Cor. vi. Plain living goes with high thinking and noble doing (4). The eye of faith has a fixed focus (8). The wise welcome just reproof, only a fool resents it (5). Lex talionis was a funda mental article of faith with all the psalmists (10). God renders the enemy powerless while His people pass on unharmed (ro). VERSE NOTES C h"b " d Ch set rort , r. set m or er, s. .w. 2 ron. XXIX. 35, xxxv. 10-16; ". " £ E d h . P al nl 1xv· ,., i:. " th incense, c . xo . xxx. 7-8; e sew ere m s ter o y 1. 15; mtmg ... - e attitude of prayer; "sacrifice" hr. as margin. Heb. word strictly refers to the meal offering, which accompanied the burnt offering. Time of evening sacrifice a recognised time -of orayer, c£ Luke i. IO. Acts iii. I. t,K d " f H d . d et . . . or, eep guar over ... , c . XXXIX. 1; xxxvu. I. _ e esrre to be guarded from (a) adopting the profane language of the ungodly surrounding him; .Äb) fr 1;11 retaliaÅg Æith unwise retorts. " . . ,, 4. men, Heb.= ish, ,.e. men of rank and pos1t1on; damtles, c£ Prov. 1v. 17; Dan. i. 5. C£ Prov. x. 17; xii. 1; xiii. 18; ">,.-V. 5, 31-32; xxvii. 6; Lev. xix. 17;" ... such oil for tlie head, my head shall not refuse." Last line somewhat difficult; if taken
ANALYTICAL S TUDIES IN THE PSALMS as R.V. = he will use no weapon but prayer against his enemies' wickedness (connecting with 3 ), if taken as margin the connection is with 4b. 6 ". d ul th c£ Chr . JU ges = r ers among e enemy; . 2 on. xxv. I2; sweet s. .w. as" dainties," (4); prophetically of the antitype Messiah. Taught by the calamities, those that are left alive will heed His words. 7. " ... plougheth and maketh furrows upon the earth," graphic picture of widespread slaughter: unburied bones lie scattered like clods behind the ploughman. This prophetically hints at the resurrection of the nation, for ploughing ever has in view a coming harvest. (b) For connected idea further devdoped, c£ Isa. xxvi. I9, Ezek. xxxvii. 8. As margin: for Heb. expression cf. Isa. liii. 12. The life is identified with the blood. 9. C£ cxl. 5. IO. "Whilst I pass by (unharmed)." Ensnaring of the enemy and the escape of the psalmist are simultaneous.
This book has 150 chapters