I know not whether I have clearly brought out the early Psalms, in what I have said above. Psa. 1-8. The godly Remnant among the wicked—the purpose of God as to Messiah resisted in Israel, and by the world—the condition of the Remnant consequent on this, into which Christ enters in Spirit—His glory as Son of Man.
Psa. 9-15. Of these, Psa. 9 and 10 give the details in Canaan, Jehovah's land, in the latter day. The feelings of the Remnant, and who shall enter into God's holy hill, when all is not right. Psa. 16, Christ personally now enters into His own place among the excellent of the earth, and, trusting in Jehovah, treads the path of life, across death, into the fullness of joy in Jehovah's presence.
Psa. 17 He, and the Remnant with Him in principle, receives the reward of righteousness. Psa. 19 has “God” for Creation, and “Jehovah" for law.
Psa. 16 evidently begins quite afresh, associating Christ with the Remnant as walking down here; Psa. 18 gives a larger association with His death, reaching from Egypt to Christ's millennial glory as Son of David.
Psa. 23 I do not judge is Christ; only when He put forth His own sheep, He must go before them. It is the effect of Psa. 22, for the Remnant in faith.
Psa. 24 the smitten One of Psa. 22 Comes into Israel (the temple) in glory.
It cannot be too distinctly noted that Psa. 1 and 2 are in immediate presence of the day of the Lord, because then righteousness, and the claims of Christ will be made good by governmental judgment. It is a great key to the Psalms. The first coming of Christ was, as regards Israel, a government merely provisional. As the Lord speaks of John the Baptist, so in Matthew 10—the whole present time is unknown to this view—a Christ no longer presented to be King, and a Son of Man suffering (as that provisional Elias) and not set over all things. Hence it is said in Matt. 26:6464Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:64), "Henceforth" (ap' arti) "you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." In Luke, who always looks to present, general, result, it is merely “sitting at the right hand of power," chap. 23:69. It was in either case immediate (apo you nun). But, for the Psalms, “the day of the Lord," as a thing in present prospect, is the great point. Christ's entering into the sorrows, while most gracious, and sweet, and necessary, is a thing by the bye, and done apart, because they would have to go through sorrow. He died also for the nation (the gathering together of the children of God was intermediate) but for that the whole present time has to be passed over. It shall be made available when all Israel shall be saved.
It seems to me with increased evidence that the character of the two first Psalms shows the tone and subject of the whole Book—the government of Jehovah, first morally in respect of the law, and righteousness as contrasted with the ungodly. They that fear Jehovah, and delight in His law are known of God. Judgment is looked for—there the ungodly cannot stand. Here are no excuses of soul as to intermediate trial, but God's government in righteousness, which judgment will show.
The second point, and Psalm, is the Anointed and the decree—authoritative purpose of Jehovah; and here the kings rise up as well as Jewish rulers—take counsel against Jehovah and His Anointed. The pride of pretension in power, and the plotting of their rulers to cast off their restraint—but this is not simply moral government, but the decree of God setting up His King in Zion—His Son, owned as begotten in time, and this is made good by His executing judgment. They are called to serve Jehovah, and kiss, or do homage to the Son. Both suppose the sure result of divine judgment, but both suppose the prevalence of evil, and (the latter) opposition to Christ's authority when revealed.
Note that in these two Psalms there is, as yet, no connection between the godly Remnant and the Messiah—no Messiah in Psalm r, no Remnant in Psa. 2—each subject is distinctly treated of in the respective Psalms. Only the rulers are identified with the goyim and the Leummim, or rather with the Malkey-erets (kings of the earth).
Psa. 1 is the judgment of Jehovah in respect of His law—Psa. 2 His decree in respect of His Anointed and its effects; Psa. 1 is only Israel—Psa. 2 refers to Gentiles, only identifying Jewish rulers with them.
After these two, in the first instance, we have the godly man pressed by the multitude of enemies, but, in the first instance, of the people. He is identified with the cause of his God—the ten thousands are of the people. They are adversaries; oyvim (enemies) tsor (adversary) is used, “oppressors" or "troublers," first as to the speaker in Psa. 3, and then singularly as to Jehovah, Psa. 8:33When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; (Psalm 8:3) (2). But these seem in the people, the enemy (o-yev) would be Satan. I do not see Gentiles, save that we have seen the Jews connected with them, as in Isa. 66 But “enemy" (o-yev) is any hostile person.
It seems, I think, plain that Psa. 3 to 8 take up the Jewish part of the question, following Psa. 1, but showing, though without any revelation of divine intervention, the time when divine government has not returned to deliver the Remnant in judgment, and passes, as often noticed, to the wider sphere of the Son of Man's glory and title, but expressed by the Remnant's recognition of the exalting Jehovah's name on the earth. Psa. 2 made it impossible for the first to be fulfilled till judgment—a rejected Christ being brought in—rebellion by a confederation of Jews and Gentiles, against Jehovah and His Christ. But then this leaves the Remnant in distress, and these Psalms apply to the godly Jews.
When the ungodly have the upper hand—the godly man, though chosen, has enemies (oyvim) and adversaries (tsor-rim) but looks for the judgment of Psalm 50. But this within; He says in Psa. 8, " thine adversaries " (tsor-reyka) to Jehovah—a remarkable expression. Christ, as Christ in Israel, being rejected, is not directly mentioned in them. It is the godly man. But they confirm in the deepest way, in reading them, to my mind, the way in which Christ entered into the godly's sorrows—in which personally, for faith, in the most blessed way He took His place with them, as the Gospels show Him beginning with the baptism of John. Psa. 8 distinctly brings Him in, but as exalted Son of Man, and, as a result, Jehovah's name having become excellent in all the earth. Psa. 2 is purpose when men are rebelling against it—declares His exaltation over all the earth. In what follows we have victory over the heathen in connection with the land—Psa. 8, though that be accomplished, is above all that. But Psa. 9 and 10 take up Psa. 2, and the heathen are dealt with in the land, have perished out of it—and Jehovah takes the name of Most High (Elion)—but the wicked also, for wicked Jews and heathen are associated. Psa. 9 is more the heathen, Psalm to the evil Jews, but, in both, both are judged and the expectation of the poor is not forgotten. In Psa. 10 it is specially the wicked (ra-sha).
The spirit of the godly Remnant (Christ being rejected) is evident—confidence in Jehovah—godly fear—evil having the upper hand, looking for judgment—sense of being exposed to divine displeasure. In Psa. 3:77Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. (Psalm 3:7) (6) it is "multitude of the people" (am), in Psa. 7:88The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. (Psalm 7:8) (7) it is "families of nations" (rumnlim) tribes, in verse 9 (8) it is am-mim (peoples) as under God's government in the millennium. Remark also that in Psalm 7: 18 (17) we have Jehovah Elion as consequent on judgment, and so in Psa. 9:33When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. (Psalm 9:3), Jehovah addressed as Elion. The main point in Psa. 9 and to is the judgment of the nations in the land, its clearance from them; but we know, from elsewhere, this is where they are to be judged and subjugated, and they are seen here as associated with the wicked, as we have seen everywhere. It is not directly their subjugation to Messiah according to the demand of Psa. 2, that is more Psa. 18. It is here Israel's deliverance from the heathen, and the wicked, not their submission to Messiah. Jehovah has rebuked them—Jehovah is King—the heathen are perished out of His land. We may know that it is Christ who comes, but it is from other passages.
In the first eight Psalms we have the inner circle—the divine elements of the whole case—a divine view of the government of this world, and men in it. A godly Remnant first, with a judgment to come; then Messiah in God's counsels, but rejected of men, but Adonai (Lord) at God's right hand, Son of God, Jehovah's King in Zion; let the Kings of the earth be wise, the nations will be given Him for His inheritance, the earth for His possession. Then the sorrows of the godly, in which, as the rejected One, He takes part, then His place of Son of Man; when Jehovah, as Lord of the Jews, has His name excellent in all the earth, the rejected One takes His place of headship over everything created of Jehovah, in fact by Him as such. Then in Psa. 9 we come to the direct historical dealings down here, in connection with the establishment of this power on earth, " Jehovah is known by the judgment which he executeth"—Psalm to being the state and cry of the Remnant which brings God's judgment down, God avenges "His own elect which cry day and night unto him."
Psa. 9 and 10, having given deliverance and the state of things in the land in the latter day, Psalms 11-15 give the various feelings of the Remnant as formed by the Spirit, as elsewhere noticed. Psa. 16 and 17 give the way Christ enters into it in Spirit, and even literally in part. Psa. 18 is Israel's deliverance by Jehovah, first in Egypt, and then by Messiah at the end, and that in virtue of Christ's entering into their sorrows, and that even unto death.
There is a difference between the Psalms from 11 to 18, and 25 to 39. The former are more the great principles of the Remnant in the condition of Psalm to though expressed in the experiences of the Remnant, "In the Lord put I my trust"—"The wicked bend their bow"—"Jehovah tries the righteous"—"The godly man ceaseth"—"How long wilt thou forget me?"—"The fool hath said in his heart"—"Who shall abide in thy tabernacle?"—and then Psa. 16 and 17, the perfection of the Spirit of Christ, and its result in resurrection and a higher glory. From Psa. 25 to 39 it is more the various exercises of soul connected with their circumstances—what are called "experiences."
I see this difference in the Psalms after 10—before it, Psa. 3-7, the godly man is in the midst of evil, but passing through it in life. There is a moral judgment, and an actual judgment looked for, and there is still exhortation though evil is apparent, and opposition to godliness still holds its way. From Psa. 11 There is, so to speak, only Jehovah—the godly man looked up there, and if Jehovah looked down and found all gone out of the way, the desire is deliverance; Psa. 14:77Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. (Psalm 14:7). Still in result two things are brought out—Who shall have a place with God on the earth? (Psa. 15)—And the resurrection of Him who should be cut off. One who takes His place of delight with the saints, whose goodness does not rise up to Jehovah (a thing, note, monstrous to say, in its full sense, for one to whom it was not natural, though we have to learn it relatively) but who, trusting to Jehovah, finds the path of life into His presence through death and resurrection, which is fullness of joy—literally, as we know, fulfilled in Christ; and secondly, hearing the right, which in the rejected One is deliverance from the man of the world (which is a condemned one here), and awakening up after Jehovah's likeness. This is most clear and blessed too, and the placing of it too in the ways of God. We get it in and through Christ, as far as His own can—"at thy right hand" for instance, is only fully, literally true of Him, though He sits there now for us, and in virtue of what He has done for us (but of His own Person too), and we are in Him; but in general it is ours through Him, but it is the highest place of joy for man—a wondrous place, yet there Christ is, as Man, as having finished the work.
Psa. 15, only "abides in the tabernacle, and in the holy hill." "Trust in Jehovah" and His being the godly one's portion (Psa. 16) characterizes all, and righteousness, "loving righteousness and hating iniquity," for that is God's character as knowing good and evil, and Christ's as Man.
Psa. 3 to 7 are more circumstances and purpose, Christ taking the character of Son of man, and moral judgment, looking forward, as I said, to Jehovah's judgment; Psa. 11-17 results, evil and good, being brought out in final definite contrast. In Psa. 16 His mind rests on Jehovah, and the saints, taking a place as to goodness below, and looking up to One though Himself such), and with the other in delight—the place of a Man with Jehovah objectively, perfectly His trust (whatever came) and His delight. Psa. 17 is relationship with the world and Satan, i.e., perfect righteousness where the power of evil was. But both, as in Christ, are the Christian's part; for the second, see 1 John 4:1919We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19).
How completely Psa. 18 is David and the seed of David " for evermore," is evident—sufferings and royal triumph. Its general sense I have noted heretofore. I add here, it completes this early part of the Psalms. It is in Israel, but adds dominion over the heathen, carrying out Psa. 2, and showing the sorrows of Christ. Verse 44 is the contentions of Israel (am, people). So that Psa. 16 and 17 give us Christ personally, Psa. 18 Christ Messianically. Note the "us" in Psa. 17:1111They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; (Psalm 17:11) is only kri. All the rest of the Psalm is "me." I know not why the Magna reads "us" here, and I have not here with me the means of ascertaining.
So that passing backward, we have Psa. 11-15, the state of parties, at the end, in the land, Psa. 9, to, what passes judicially in the land, Psa. 3-8, the Remnant as true but living in the midst of the evil, Messiah not being received, and the glory of the Son of Man, and in Psa. 1 and 2 The Remnant, and Jehovah's purposes about Christ in spite of rebellion of people and Gentiles.
The Psalms after 24 to 39 are the exercises and experience of the godly, in every respect, of which the general principles are stated in Psa. 3-7.
In Psa. 24 we have had the result of all, including the position, contrast of godly and wicked, and Christ's own death, besides the testimony of creation, law, and a suffering Messiah, as in Psa. 1-15—the contrasted godly and evil man, Psa. 16; 17; 18, Christ, as we have seen. Then in Psa. 40; 41, the real mystery of Christ's part in it in the counsels of God, and the blessing of Him who understood, as down here, the place of the poor and needy one; that, as we know, closes the Book. After Psa. 32, the full, characteristic results are more brought out. In Psa. 42 and 43 we find the godly cast out—the latter one specially referring to ungodly Israel—for the former, compare Joel 2; then Psa. 44, the appeal to God on the ground of their integrity—"Jehovah" coming in at the end, i.e., being called upon, as such, to arise; then, Psa. 45, Messiah is revealed, and judgment goes on to the end of Psa. 49. Psa. 50 begins another subject—the confession of sins and of the death of Christ, and their various exercises, of which more hereafter.
On the coming in of Messiah and judgment of Jehovah, El Elohim summons all the heavens and the earth to judge His people, and then pleads with them on the ground of right and wrong—not looking for sacrifices, but righteousness.
In Psa. 51, the godly Remnant speak—own their sinful nature—do not look to sacrifices to remedy their case, but own their bloodguiltiness, their sin as to Christ—acknowledge all their past transgressions, but own their sinful nature and go on to their sin against Christ. They look for cleansing from God in mercy. One thing is clear, though transgressions are owned—inward sin presses on the spirit of the penitent, sin in his own heart as against God; mere Jewish sacrifices could not meet it—it goes far deeper (compare 1 Sam. 2:2525If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them. (1 Samuel 2:25)). I doubt ha-ra (the evil) is "this evil"—done evil. Hence he is cast on grace. The godly are cast outside, and we have all their thoughts and exercises—their thirsting after God and withal Christ, as ascended on high, to be a blessing to Israel, and His sorrows too. It closes with the Solomon reign.
From Psa. 73 to 89 we have the general condition; and relationship of Israel with God; Jehovah is not addressed as the object of the Psalm until Psa. 84, and Christ is not directly brought in. We are in Israel; only in the last we have the promise to the family of David, whose throne is now cast down.
But then from Psalm 90, we have Jehovah's interference prophetically brought in, and in this way—in Psa. 90 faith recognizes Jehovah as the refuge and dwelling place of Israel in all generations—in Psa. 91, Messiah, or the man of faith recognizes Israel's God, Jehovah, as the Most High, God over all—and is owned; Psa. 92, Jehovah's, the Most High's work is owned as delivering and making glad the righteous, and though by the man of faith, by Messiah as such. Then Psa. 93-100, the “Jehovah" comes and takes His place in power, i.e., Christ, and reigns, as we have often seen. In Psalms tot, 102, we return personally to Messiah, prophetically again, as come in the flesh—Psalm 'or, how He will rule His house and kingdom—a kind of sermon on the Mount. Psa. 102, His utter rejection as alone in Israel when faithful. How then, in the latter days when Jehovah restored Zion, could He have a part, having been cut off? He was the Jehovah, and the same yesterday, to-day and forever! Psa. 103 is consequent blessing upon forgiven Israel (see the paralytic in the Gospel). Psa. 104; 105, the blessing of Creation and of His people—Psa. 106 pleads mercy, and walking in uprightness, confesses sin, judgment but mercy in it, and looks for full deliverance.
This gives, I think, a distinct character to the two first Books, which are more Christ personally amongst the Jews, and all the three last more national and historical, and so Psa. 72 closes with the Solomon reign. Hence, up to that, it is more personal to Christ, only He is recognized as the same in Psa. 102. From Psa. 107 onwards, it is the bringing back of Israel with all the various exercises connected with it, and so returns back to their history with God, their unfaithfulness—God's taking up the land—the apostate rejection of Christ (Judas)—His session at God's right hand till He had His people of free-will in the day of His power. From this, onwards, we get "Jehovah," His ways, character, trustworthiness, dealings. But the Book begins with this, Jehovah whose mercy endures forever, having brought back His people, though to various exercises of heart before final Hallelujahs could be sung—and then, while faith declares what He is, and what they are and have been, these are what are recounted here.
In Psa. 119 we have the law written in the heart of the once straying sheep. Full integrity in that, yet impossibility to stand in God's presence or escape Him is ' owned, but, as created by Him, the soul looks to be searched out; Psa. 139.
In Psa. 118, the principle of God's dealings is fully stated, leading to Hosanna "Save I pray thee," and the answer to it quoted, as that which referred to the last days, by the Lord (Matt. 21) as is the rejected stone (v. 22) in His discussion with the Scribes at the same time. Both external, historical dealings, and internal state are found here, and not confounded. The Psa. 135-138 are ways and dealings—Psa. 139, responsibility and God's work are contrasted—Psa. 140-144 are an appeal. Then laudatory celebration of God's character, and anticipation of millennial blessings—but, unless in Psa. 72, closing the first two Books, no description of it.
From Psa. 111 to 118 is anticipative confidence in Jehovah—what He is for Israel—referring in Psa. 114, beautifully, back to Israel's going out of Egypt. In all, Israel and the heathen are here, though in the faithful Remnant, not the Jews and Christ, save as necessarily coming as Jehovah to deliver.