This is the song of Enos, as heard and delivered in that He feared, but revealing withal the Son as entering into that state, as explaining and able now to speak of His humiliation into it, according to its wisdom, and the counsel of God in it, as being (having triumphed) in the glory which He had before. Yet is it too a voice remarkably, and decidedly, in the Jewish Remnant; and note, His resurrection belongs to the Jews, i.e., as on earth, actually as His state. It would be too large a field to follow this here; suffice it to say, it includes His reign, not as sitting in heavenly places-but it is an assurance of this unto all men. If we seek argument, let us see not only our Lord's, after the resurrection, but Peter's and Paul's in the Acts. The great congregation is the Jewish people at large-Christ had not failed in testifying to them. The three first verses are a statement of the results of which Christ is the Witness as heretofore; the rest, the principles on which it went, and circumstances which thereon necessarily accompanied it. It is a sort of comment, so to speak, by Christ on the whole transaction. Note, His Enos state was in connection with the Jewish Remnant, and includes His whole manifestation as to its actual associations and development, i.e., His Enos state was exhibited while a Jew, for it was also under the law, which was one of its grand trials, according to the very estate and subjection of man, quod rota, before God's holiness, or He would not be put to full trial, and Christ accordingly was so placed—born under the whole argument sub modo of Paul in the Epistle to the Romans.
This Psalm is the whole conduct of Christ throughout, and the explanation of it, on deeper principles, from its source, in the will and character and law of God—He becoming a Servant. Of this, there can be no need of comment, for we have the Apostle's—only note—and it is quoted in the Epistle to the Hebrews, as other like passages.
The way in which Christ in this Psalm takes part with Israel, though His eternal undertakings to do so are brought out in it, is very remarkable; compare this verse with verse 3.
Rather " Thou hast dug ears for me," i.e., as the Apostle translates it, giving the sense from the Septuagint, " prepared a body," the place of obedience and servitude, where commands are received. It is different from Isa. 50, that is the exhibition of the patient consequence—here it is “digged” (ka-rah), there “opened" (pa-thakh). Christ's service among the Jews, glorifying the Father at all cost in verse 9 is very affecting. Verses 1 and 2 are the resurrection or waiting for it, instead of seeking present deliverance. Therefore in verse 3, “My mouth," "our God," for then He could join them to Himself. But the body of the Psalm is still His condition amongst them, and, as we have said, the real interpretation, meaning and power of it—His expression of His mind, meaning, and conduct, and thoughts in it. This is most exquisite—His thoughts and acts, not His feelings merely, as oppressed—His perfectness.
10, 11. These also are very affecting. The appeal of Christ, our Lord, on the faithfulness He had shown in declaring the character of God, Jehovah, in spite of all that the congregation (Kahal ray) was. The characters of integrity and sin, mixed all through here, are very definite and remarkable, they leave a truth in the soul of every believer—they are true efficiently only in Christ, however.
The Psalm is the interpretation in the wisdom of God, the expression of the meaning of all these circumstances. Consequently Christ is identifying the Remnant with Him, accomplishing the will of God—faithful in all circumstances, and bearing iniquities, interceding thereon for the full peace of the people; Remnant thus preserving Him given—Himself their substitute for anger, and He entirely dependent upon God as poor and needy, and waiting His deliverance under the stroke, as Paul says by the Spirit of Christ, as " poor yet making many rich," and again so then death worketh in us and life in you," for he filled up that which was left of the sufferings of Christ for His " Body's sake, which is the Church."
I do not know that it is more than suitability, but it is striking how in this Psalm the Zevach (offering) and min'chah (mealoffering) are connected with incarnation, having ears (preparing a body) for the Lord, and the cha-ta-ah (sin-offering) and o-lah (burnt-offering) with His doing Jehovah's will (compare Hebrews 10). I am aware fire was applied to all, and blood sprinkling with the peace-offerings, and in Hebrews they are all thrown together the second time they are mentioned. Still I cannot help thinking there is suitableness, marking the o-lah and cha-ra-ah as that offering of the body once for all, which could not be disconnected from the life, as the purity and perfection of the Victim was needed and proved in obedience, and trial too, but was yet distinct. The rejection is general I admit fully, and all go on to or are founded on, if not expression of, Christ's death, but the two are specifically expressive of it. The "once for all" would not apply to the other two, because the peace-offering went on to our feeding on it, and the min'chah depicted His Person, though that was offered.
In this Psalm, though it be not the principal subject, yet the desire for confounding the enemies is found; the fourfold offerings are found too, to all which the incarnation and obedience of Christ are substituted. But while this gives the scope and purport of the obedience, the obedience of Messiah, His willingly undertaking the place of obedience, and Jehovah's will and service being His delight, is the object of the Psalm, not expiatory work. Observe, it is mutual—“Thou hast prepared," “Lo! I come." In Christ's part there are two things, besides faithful accomplishment. “It is written"—"in the Volume of the Book"—it was in the divine counsels; His own willingness—“Lo! I come." Then comes also, to fulfill it, His state—“I delight to do thy will, thy law is within my heart," faithfulness in the face of the fuller congregation. This also, I think, twofold; first, moral righteousness—“I have preached righteousness," but besides this, Jehovah's righteousness and faithfulness, and salvation and loving-kindness. This was different from simply preaching righteousness. He was faithful between right and man, and preached righteousness. But He pleaded also Jehovah's cause, His character and ways and faithfulness. Thus grace (chesed) and truth (emeth) came by Jesus Christ, but this was, as Peter says, “by the righteousness of God their Savior." But then He feels the sins of the people.