neither probable in fact, nor natural. We are limited, therefore, to the time of Absalom's rebellion, as the probable date and occasion of this most beautiful, earnest, and instructive Psalm. On the maledictory and prophetic portions of it, see the General Introduction to this work. "There is no Psalm," says Dr. Alexander, "more distinctly applied to Christ in the New Testament." PSALM LXXXVI. DURING ABSALOM'S REBELLION, WHILE DAVID WAS AT MAHANAIM. David strengtheneth his prayer by the consciousness of his piety, 1-4; by the goodness and power of God, 5–10; he desireth the continuance of former grace, 11–13; complaining of the proud he craveth some token of God's goodness, 14–17. TA Prayer of David. 1 Bow down thine ear, O LORD! hear me; For I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my soul; for I am 'holy: O thou my God! save thy servant that trusteth in thee. 3 Be merciful unto me, O LORD! For I cry unto thee 'daily. 4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant; For unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. 5 For thou, LORD, art good, and ready to forgive; And plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. 6 Give ear, O LORD! unto my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee; 1 Or, one whom thou a Isa. 26. 8. Or, all the day. b Psalm 180. 7. Joel 2. 18. ४ Among the gods there is none like unto thee, Neither are there any works like unto thy works. e 9 All nations whom thou hast made Shall come and worship before thee, O LORD! And shall glorify thy name. 10 For thou art great, and 'doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone. 11 Teach me thy way, O LORD! I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. 12 I will praise thee, O LORD my God, with all my heart; And I will glorify thy name for evermore. 13 For great is thy mercy toward me; And thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest 'hell. 14 O God, the proud are risen against me, And the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; And have not set thee before them. 15 But thou, O LORD, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, Long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. 16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; Give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid. 17 Show me a token for good, That they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed; Because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me. PSALM LXIX. DURING ABSALOM'S REBELLION, WHILE DAVID WAS AT MAHANAІМ. David complaineth of his affliction, 1-4; he confesseth his former sin and folly, 5; he pleadeth his uprightness, 6-9; he complaineth of his present degradation, 10-12; he prayeth for deliverance, 13-18; he pleadeth against the reproach and bitterness of his enemies, 19-21; he devoteth his enemies to destruction, 22–29 ; he praiseth God with thanksgiving, 30–36. To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, [i. e., upon the lilies, or, upon the lily-shaped instruments.] A Psalm of David. 1 Save me, O God! For the waters are come in unto my soul. 2 I sink in 'deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into 'deep waters, where the floods over flow me. 3 I am weary of my crying; my throat is dried; b Mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. 4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: They that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: Then I restored that which I took not away. 5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; And my 'sins are not hid from thee. 6 Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts! Be ashamed for my sake: Let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel! 7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; Shame hath covered my face. a Jonah 2. 5. Heb. depth of waters. 1 Heb. the mire of depth. b Psa. 119. 82, 123. Isa. 88. 14. © John 15. 25. 3 Heb. guiltiness. 8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, Idam And an alien unto my mother's children. 9 For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up; And the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. 10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, That was to my reproach. 11 I made sackcloth also my garment; And I became a proverb to them. 12 They that sit in the gate speak against me; 13 And I was the song of the 'drunkards. But as for me, My prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, In the truth of thy salvation. 14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: Let me be delivered from them that hate me, And out of the deep waters. 15 Let not the water-flood overflow me, Neither let the deep swallow me up, And let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. 16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy loving-kindness is good: Turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. 17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; For I am in trouble: 'hear me speedily. 18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: Deliver me because of mine enemies. 19 Thou hast known 'my reproach, And my shame, and my dishonour: Mine adversaries are all before thee. d See Job 19. 18. Isa. 53. 8. 1 Kings 9. 7. Jer. 24. 9. i Isa. 49. 8. 2 Cor. 6. 2. John 1. 11, and 7. 5. e Psa. 119. 189. John 2. 17. See Psa, 89, 50, 51. Rom. 15. 3. 4 Heb. drinkers of strong Heb. make haste to hear me. drink. 20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: m And I looked for some to take pity-but there was none; And for " comforters-but I found none. 21 They gave me also gall for my meat; And in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. 22 Let P their table become a snare before them; 23 And that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; And make their loins continually to shake. r 24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, And let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. 25 Let their 'habitation be desolate; And let none dwell in their tents. S 26 For they persecute thim whom thou hast smitten; And they talk to the grief of 'those whom thou hast wounded. 27 Add "iniquity to their iniquity; And let them not come into thy righteousness. V 28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous. 29 But I am poor and sorrowful: Let thy salvation, O God! set me up on high. 30 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify him with thanksgiving. 31 This also shall please the LORD better than an ox Or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. |