6 Heb. with the instrument of psaltery.

PSALM LXXI.-Although this psalm has no title, it is by general consent ascribed to David, and supposed to have been composed during Absalom's revolt, as he mentions his old age, and his danger of perishing. It is almost a copy of Psalm xxxi.; and as the passages, in the present psalm, which refer to his advanced age are wanting in the other, it seems as if the thirty-first psalm (written probably during the persecutions of Saul) was taken, and adapted, by a little alteration and addition, to his later affliction.

TITLE, "For Solomon."-This psalm was evidently written when David caused Solomon to be proclaimed king, as recorded in 1 Kings i.

Verse 8. "From sea to sea.”—In the obvious sense, with reference to Solomon-for we are not here or elsewhere investigating the ulterior reference of the psalms to the Messiah-this probably means from the Red Sea to the Medi terranean.

"From the river unto the ends of the earth."-That is, from the Euphrates to the shores of the Mediterranean. In this and many other passages "the land" would be better than "the earth." Properly understood, the expression is not peculiarly Oriental, meaning no more than is meant by the names-such as "Land's End," "Finisterre" &c.—which Europeans apply to the utmost land points of their respective territories. It will be observed that the Hebrew has but

one word (Peretz,) for all that we express by the discriminating terms "earth, land, ground, soil," &c. ; and that the largest term, "the earth," is rather too frequently given as the equivalent in our version.

20. "The prayers of David...are ended.”—As David did not long survive the solemn appointment of Solomon as king, it is very probable that the present was the last psalm he composed, and therefore may have been placed last in any original collection of the psalms penned exclusively by him. It is certain, however, that in the present order of the psalms, many in the remaining portion of the book were composed by David. The second of the five books into which the Hebrews divide the psalms ends here.

4 For there are no bands in their death: with terrors. but their strength is 'firm.

5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a gar

1 Or, a psalm for Asaph.
2 Or, yet.
3 Heb. clean of heart.
Heb. in the trouble of other men. 7 Heb. with. 8 Heb. they puss the thoughts of the heart.
10 Heb. it was labour in minc eyes. 11 Heb. I knew not.

TITLE. We have already under Psalm 1. stated that the psalms thus superscribed are usually attributed to that Asaph who was chief musician in the time of David. Calmet, however, thinks that from the internal evidence which they offer, these psalms could not have been composed in the time of David; but some in the time of Jehoshaphat, and others during the Captivity; and that they were probably written by some descendants of this celebrated master of the temple music, whose name they, by way of distinction, prefixed to their psalms.

Verse 6. "As a chain."-This reference is probably to a chain worn around the neck for ornament.

The prophet complaineth of the desolation of the sanctuary. 10 He moveth God to help in consideration of his power, 18 of his reproachful enemies, of his children, and of his covenant.

'Maschil of Asaph.

GOD, why hast thou cast us off for ever? by doth thine anger smoke against the eep of thy pasture?

2 Remember thy congregation, which ou hast purchased of old; the "rod of ine inheritance, which thou hast reemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou ist dwelt.

3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual delations; even all that the enemy hath done ckedly in the sanctuary.

4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy ngregations; they set up their ensigns for

ns.

5 A man was famous according as he had ted up axes upon the thick trees.

6 But now they break down the carved

7. A psalm for Asaph to give instruction. 2 Or, tribe.

mers.

7 They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

8 They said in their hearts, Let us 'destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom. 12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 Thou didst 'divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the 'dragons in the waters.

14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

Heb. they have sent thy sanctuary into the fire. 4 Heb. break
Heb. break.
7 Or, whales.

Exod. 14. 9.

601

15 Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: 'thou driedst up "mighty ri

vers.

16 The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the

sun.

17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth thou hast "made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

get not the congregation of thy poor for

ever.

20 Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy

name.

22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.

23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: 19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtle- the tumult of those that rise up against thee dove unto the multitude of the wicked: for- | 'increaseth continually.

Exod. 17.5. Num. 20. 11. 9 Josh. 3. 13. 10 Heb. rivers of strength. 11 Heb. made them. 18 Heb. ascendeth.

PSALM LXXIV.-This is one of the psalms which, from its marked reference to the taking of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple, could not have been written (unless in the spirit of prophecy) earlier than the Captivity. Bishop Patrick thinks its author may have been one of the descendants of Asaph, who was allowed to remain at Jerusalem with the Chaldeans. Some think that the psalm has a prophetic reference to the desolation of the city and Temple under Antiochus Epiphanes, or even to the final destruction by the Romans.

Verses 13, 14. "Dragons...Leviathan.”—Pharaoh and his host are undoubtedly figuratively designated by these terms. This use of the name "Leviathan," as a symbol of the Egyptians or of their king, strengthens the conclusion that the crocodile is the animal intended by that name, since it could only have been known to the Jews as a beast of the Nile, and as such was the most fitting symbol that could be chosen.

PSALM LXXV.

1 The prophet praiseth God. 2 He promiseth to
judge uprightly. 4 He rebuketh the proud by
consideration of God's providence. 9 He praiseth
God, and promiseth to execute justice.

To the chief Musician, 'Al-taschith, A Psalm or
Song of Asaph.

UNTO thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto
thee do we give thanks: for that thy name
is near thy wondrous works declare.

2 'When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly.

3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.

4 I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:

1 Or, destroy not. 2 Or, for Asaph.

5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the 'south.

7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.

9 But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

10 All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

Or, when I shall take a set time.

4 Heb. desert.

PSALM LXXV. This psalm is generally supposed to have been composed on occasion of the defeat of Sennacherib's army, in the time of Hezekiah. Some, however, think it was written by David, during Saul's persecutions; and Calmet assigns it to the Babylonish captivity.

Verse 8. "The wine is red."-This verse has not been well understood even by Harmer, who has done much to elucidate it. If he had made as much use of Sir John Chardin's published Travels as he did of his manuscript notes, he would more nearly have guessed its meaning. The word rendered "red" is not usual in Hebrew. It is chamar, and every one seeks its root in the Arabic. In that language it has the meanings of "to be red," and also "to mix, agitate, reverse.' Our translators have chosen the former sense, supposing the reference to be to the colour of the wine. But as applied to wine by the Arabians, the latter sense is usually if not always intended; and then it is not applied to the quality of the wine, to denote its being turbid or mixed with dregs, as some suppose, but to its effects upon the drinker, confounding, bewildering, intoxicating. So Chardin, with his usual accuracy, observes that the vessels in which the Persians keep their wine are called by them khomr, an Arabic word for wine, and which comes from a verb that signifies "to mix," because the wine mixes and confounds the understanding. (Voyages,' tome iv. p. 72, edit. 1811.)

"It is full of mixture."-Green takes the very great liberty of rendering "is unmixed," which really spoils the sense he intended to make more clear. It is evident that wine of the strongest quality is intended; and having no idea of other mixing than with water, which would weaken the wine, he translates "unmixed,” meaning unmixed with water

Now the fact is, that the best wines of the East are much mixed with dregs, as in the vessels in which they are preserved, so that commonly, when drawn out, the liquor is strained for use. It is to this condition of the wine, most obviously, that the text refers; and how clearly does it explain what follows! "He poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them." This is probably intended to denote that the pure and clear wine should be given as a wine of blessing to the righteous, while the wicked should

IN Judah is God known: his name is great from heaven; the earth feared, and was in Israel.

PSALM LXXVI.-This Psalm is generally supposed to refer to the same event (the defeat of the Assyrians) and by the same author as the preceding. It will be observed, that after that victory, Hezekiah "commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer." (2 Chron. xxix. 30.) Three psalms appear to be denoted as those of "Asaph the seer;" but it is not well agreed whether this Asaph was the same who lived in the time of David, and whose words were adopted as suitable to the occasion, or another Asaph who lived in the time of Hezekiah. Bishop Patrick and Calmet, with many others, are of the latter opinion. Those who are of the former, suppose its original reference was to the victory obtained by David over the Ammonites, or over the Philistines in the valley of Rephaim.