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Introduction Book 1 Psalm 1 Psalm 2 Psalm 3 Psalm 4 Psalm 5 Psalm 6 Psalm 7 Psalm 8 Psalms 9 and 10 Psalm 11 Psalm 12 Psalm 13 Psalm 14 Psalm 15 Psalm 16 Psalm 17 Psalm 18 Psalm 19 Psalm 20 Psalm 21 Psalm 22 Psalms 23 and 24 Psalm 25 Psalm 26 Psalm 27 Psalm 28 Psalm 29 Psalm 30 Psalm 31 Psalm 32 Psalm 33 Psalm 34 Psalm 35 Psalm 36 Psalm 37 Psalm 38 Psalm 39 Psalm 40 Psalm 41 Book 2 Psalms 42, 43 Psalm 44 Psalm 45 Psalm 46 Psalm 47 Psalm 48 Psalm 49 Psalm 50 Psalm 51 Psalm 52 Psalm 53 Psalm 54 Psalm 55 Psalm 56 Psalm 57 Psalm 58 Psalm 59 Psalm 60 Psalm 61 Psalm 62 Psalm 63 Psalm 64 Psalm 65 Psalm 66 Psalm 67 Psalm 68 Psalm 69 Psalm 70 Psalm 71 Psalm 72 Book 3 Psalm 73 Psalm 74 Psalm 75 Psalm 76 Psalm 77 Psalm 78 Psalm 79 Psalm 80 Psalm 81 Psalm 82 Psalm 83 Psalm 84 Psalm 85 Psalm 86 Psalm 87 Psalm 88 Psalm 89 Book 4 Psalm 90 Psalm 91 Psalm 92 Psalm 93 Psalm 94 Psalm 95 Psalm 96 Psalm 97 Psalm 98 Psalm 99 Psalm 100 Psalm 101 Psalm 102 Psalm 103 Psalm 104 Psalm 105 Psalm 106 Book 5 Psalm 107 Psalm 108 Psalm 109 Psalm 110 Psalm 111 Psalm 112 Psalm 113 Psalm 114 Psalm 115 Psalm 116 Psalm 117 Psalm 118 Psalm 119 Psalm 120 Psalm 121 Psalm 122 Psalm 123 Psalm 124 Psalm 125 Psalm 126 Psalm 127 Psalm 128 Psalm 129 Psalm 130 Psalm 131 Psalm 132 Psalm 133 Psalm 134 Psalm 135 Psalm 136 Psalm 137 Psalm 138 Psalm 139 Psalms 140-143 Psalm 144 Psalm 145 Psalm 146 Psalm 147 Psalm 148 Psalm 149 Psalm 150 |
The cry of the remnant to Jehovah as the God of vengeanceWe have now the details of the coming in of the Only begotten into the world to establish the glory and divine order in the world, introduced by the cry of the remnant in Israel. Psalm 94 gives us this cry, which is at the same time the expression of the fullest intelligence of their position, of the dealings of God, of the position of the wicked, and the result about to be produced, and, as all the psalms in this book, founded on known relationship with Jehovah. We have seen that Psalm 91 is Christ's taking this place with the people, that full blessing may come on them as thus associated with Him. Psalm 94 addresses itself to Jehovah as the God of vengeance, and demands that He should show Himself — lift Himself up as Judge of the earth and give a reward to the proud. The "how long" is made pressing and urgent. The conduct and impiety of the wicked is stated. Verses 4-11 address the unbelieving Israelites on the folly of this. Verses 12-15 give a most instructive explanation of the ways of Jehovah Blessed is the man whom Jehovah chastens and teaches out of His law. This is the position of the suffering remnant, to give him quiet from the days of evil until the pit be digged for the ungodly.
No doubt, as indeed is expressed in the Psalms, the godly had
sometimes well-nigh forgotten this (Ps. 73), not always (Ps. 27:5); but faith does not, and this is the true meaning of the
remnant's sorrows — of ours too under our Father. The heart in the
midst of evil has to say to God, not only in submission, but as a
cup given of Jehovah (of our Father). Hence the distraction and
distress felt in meeting man's will in our will without resource is
gone; and God, the will being subdued (the great hindrance), teaches
the submissive heart, which is in a true position before Him.* For
faith it was withal a settled thing that Jehovah would never cast
off His people But judgment would return to righteousness, and the
upright in heart would follow it. This is the great and
all-important principle of the change which takes place in these
psalms. Judgment, long separated from righteousness, now returns to
it. Judgment was in Pilate, righteousness in Christ. There the
opposition was perfect — more or less everywhere else. Suffering for
righteousness' sake and divine righteousness established in the
heavens may be, and assuredly is, a yet better portion. It is
Christ's as man, now glorified, but it is not the maintenance of
righteousness on the earth. This will now be effectually
maintained. But who shall be found to make it good? Who will take up
the cause of the godly one, or stand up for the remnant against the
mighty workers of iniquity? If Jehovah had not, their souls had soon
gone down to silence. How true this was (as to men) of Christ, how
fully He can enter into this, I need hardly say. Even when the
remnant feared falling, Jehovah helped them. And in the overwhelming
of thought, where all the power of evil was, Jehovah's comforts
delighted his soul. In verse 20 a most remarkable appeal is
made. Were the throne of iniquity and Jehovah's throne about to join
together? If not, the days of the throne of iniquity were
numbered. That wickedness was there, was now patent. But Jehovah,
the defence of the godly, the Judge of the wicked, whose iniquity He
would bring on themselves — Jehovah would cut them off. Thus the
fullest review, as I have said, of the whole position and of
Jehovah's ways is remarkably given to us in this psalm. The introduction of the coming in of the only-begotten into the worldFrom Psalms 95 to 100 we have the progress of the introduction of the Only-begotten into the world most distinctly brought out; but here, all through, seen as Jehovah coming from heaven in judgment, and at length taking His place between the cherubim, and calling up the world to worship Him there. It puts the setting up of Israel in blessing by power, in contrast with their old failure when first delivered. |
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