The subject of this Psalm is the triumph, reign and union of Christ with the Jewish Remnant. It seems to me the Spirit as in the Remnant. It is Christ as the Head of the Jewish Remnant, as King-the full spiritual recognition of Him. Verse to manifestly turns from the celebration of Christ the King, to address just admonition to the Jewish Queen, or Remnant, at His right hand. This is, manifestly to me, the Jewish Remnant in its perfect state, but it is as received in the way of grace, and therefore a daughter, and to forget her father's house. The whole question once argued between Christ and the professors of that company-the people who are to praise her thus restored, are the nations (ammim), the gathered converted Gentiles of the latter day, or new day rather. Having these points determined, the Psalm is manifest in its contents, and full of the richest matter. It is the union of Christ with the Jewish Remnant, in its proper character, with the glory of both celebrated by the Spirit. Righteousness is the character of Christ as a Jew, so therefore “God, thy God," etc. It is prophetic, and the voice, as of the Remnant, who did not see His glory as a present thing, to the Jewish company as called to Him in the latter day, and recognizing His glory in Spirit when so coming, and consolation for Christ as the real mind of the Spirit in His humiliation, for thus spake "the groanings which could not be uttered" of Simeon and Anna, and all those who looked for, etc., and were so interpreted by God.
7. "Lovedst"—"hatedst." Note here it is not "Jehovah," covenant title, but the essential nature and character of God, as such. It is God's righteous judgment of the path of the Messiah; compare Psa. 22, “My God, my God." There was relationship, but as God Himself; and according to faith in what He was. When personal relationship was spoken of, it was “Father," not “Jehovah " the covenant name with Israel. Here God righteously meets what He was.
13-16. Mark the character of consequent grace instead of successional title. I am more inclined to think " the virgins her fellows " to be the cities of Judah than anything else. Psa. 49 is the action of this, on a great principle of what God is, on the world—the resurrection of Christ the only power over it, for us. Psalm 50 unites the two, and judges the case of Israel, not for ceremonial but moral faults; compare Isa. 43. Psa. 51 is the full confession of Israel on these grounds including the guilt of Christ's death—confession upon the deep principles of truth of God's character—a new birth needed, and even desired with understanding in its fruits, as in John 3; compare Ezek. 36 " at large " being the hinge of it, and the desire of the presence of the Holy Ghost consequently, though when Zion is restored He may well offer sacrifices of praise, purging is desired before comfort. Psa. 52 is the triumph of the Spirit of Christ in the goodness of God against Antichrist—the mighty man in his own will and strength. The contrast with Antichrist is remarkable.
The King is introduced, revealed, as it were, to them in an instruction when the Spirit has put this into the heart of the "ready writer"—the spirit of revelation in knowledge of Him. Immediately thereon (Psa. 46) comes deliverance—the Remnant being thereon the nation, the Lord of Hosts with them; the triumphant consequence in summons to the world (Psa. 47) and (Psa. 48) the praise, in the city, of their joy; compare Psa. 42:6; 48:9; 446O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. (Psalm 42:6)
9We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. (Psalm 48:9)
9But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies. (Psalm 44:9) I; 48: 8, and I may add 48: 2, with Psa. 45:1414She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. (Psalm 45:14), with Psa. 46:1010Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10), et seq, with Psa. 47 more generally.
Psa. 45 is remarkable in another sense—the special introduction of the Person of Messiah—the Jews, Jerusalem was the Lord's wife, see Isaiah 50 (the Church is not that yet—she will be the Lamb's wife) and He was her King. But He came and was rejected—came suitably and lovingly, in most loving condescension to her state, and they were proud and wicked, and were divorced, divorced themselves; so spoken of Psa. 44, but then in righteousness they are there cast off, smitten into "the place of dragons," hence, in the Remnant, repentance towards God, hence receiving the Spirit, i.e., listening to the Spirit—of Christ as a Spirit of prophecy. Then Christ revealing Himself to them as their King, and therefore it could be in grace. Hence the recognition of the Person of Christ is the great thing—that that Man, come in grace and therefore known in grace, is the Lord. So we find in Zechariah, "They shall look on him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn." The previous work is seen in Isaiah 50 at the end, and at the beginning of Isa. 51 "Fearing the Lord, and obeying the voice of his Servant." But this shows, i.e., these Psalms, how the Spirit of Christ, as He who had suffered, was in all their griefs, in all their afflictions, afflicted as afterward they will find, knowing their path, and putting Himself in their sorrow, leading the blind by a way that they knew not—the process of misery, under God's hand, leading to moral profit and truth—the discovery of where they were, and then the discovery of Christ, producing joy and triumph, and results themselves to be celebrated as the accomplishment and more (in grace) of all old promises. This was the wonder also of Paul. In fact such a process passes in every converted soul; compare Gal. 4:2727For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. (Galatians 4:27).