PSALM CII-It appears from verse 13, that this psalm was written towards the end of the Captivity; but its author cannot be determined. Daniel and Nehemiah have been named.

Verse 6. "Pelican"-(NP, kaath). The pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) is spread over many parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Its plumage, when full grown, is nearly all white; with an expanse of wings that sometimes reaches to twelve feet. The most remarkable feature in the pelican is the pouch, a curious dilatation of the throat, for the bestowment of the food till the hour of retirement and eating has come round. We have often seen one of the species sitting on the ledge of a rock, a foot or two above the surface of the water, in pensive silence during the whole day; the continuity of its proceeding being only interrupted at distant intervals by the near approach of some unlucky fish, upon which it darted with unerring certainty, and then resumed its wonted stillness. At other times we have observed them urging their way, with rapid flight, thirty or forty miles into the country, after a day's fishing, to feast in the lonely wilderness upon the contents of their well-stored pouches: and were then reminded of the words, "I am like a pelican in the wilderness."

7. "Sparrow."-The word, taippor, we have explained elsewhere to be a general term for birds, or perhaps for small birds in particular, while, at the same time, it is the proper name of the sparrow. It is quite clear that the word should be understood here in its general, not its restricted, signification; for the intimations do not by any means agree with a pert, active, chattering bird, fond of society, like the sparrow, but seems rather to require some moping bird, that sits watching solitary upon the house tops, in the night season. The owl might well enough be understood; but it is safer to take the reference indefinitely, as indeed most translators do, having, instead of "sparrow alone,”— ["solitary bird," or "solitary little bird ;" and "bird alone," or "little bird alone."

BLESS the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

8 'The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from

us.

13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

16 For the wind passeth over it, and 'it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it

no more.

17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

18 "To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, "that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul. Heb. great of mercy. Heb. mighty in strength.

Psal. 86. 15.
Heb. it is not.

Jer. 32. 18.
♪ Deut. 7. 9.

1 Exod. 34 6,7 Num. 14. 18. Deut. 5. 10. Nehem. 9. 17. 3 Heb. according to the height of the heaven. PSALM CIII.—Patrick, Delaney, and others, conceive this psalm to have been composed after David had recovered from a dangerous illness; but Dathe concludes that it was written after his affliction for the child of Bathsheba.

Verse 5. "Thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.”—This most probably alludes to the renewal of vigour and activity in birds after the moulting season, when they appear with full and renovated plumage. The change is of course most remarkable in such full-feathered and powerful birds as the eagle. That the eagle actually renews its youth, is one of those old absurdities, to which this text, properly understood, affords no sanction.

PSALM CIV.

1 A meditation upon the mighty power, 7 and wonderful providence of God. 31 God's glory is eternal. 33 The prophet voweth perpetually to praise God.

BLESS the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters who maketh the clouds his chariot who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

:

4 'Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which

thou hast founded for them.

9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which 'run among the hills.

11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses 'quench their thirst.

12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which 'sing among the branches.

13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and 'oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

16 The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;

17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. 18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies. 19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. 27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

31 The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

1 Heb. 1. 7. Heb. he hath founded the earth upon her bases. 5 Heb. walk. 6 Heb. break. 7 Heb. give a voice. 10 Heb. all the beasts thereof do trample on the forest. 11 Heb. formed. 12 Psal. 145. 15. 13 Heb, shall be. PSALM CIV.—This psalm is generally admitted to have been written by David, with whose name it is superscribed in the old versions. Bishop Lowth in different lectures returns repeatedly to this magnificent composition, which he puts under the head of the Idyllium. "The hundred and fourth psalm," he observes, "demonstrates the glory of the Creator from the wisdom, beauty, and variety of his works. The poet embellishes this noble subject with the clearest and most splendid colouring of language; and with imagery the most magnificent, lively, diversified, and pleasing, at the same time select, and happily adapted to the subject. There is nothing of the kind extant, indeed nothing can be conceived, more perfect than this hymn, whether it be considered with respect to its intrinsic beauties, or as a model of that species of composition."

3 Or, the mountains ascend, the valleys descend. • Heb. who sendeth. 8 Judg. 9. 13. Heb. to make his face shine with oil, or more than oil.

Verse 17. " As for the stork, the fir trees are her house."-We have spoken generally of the stork in the note to Levit. xi. 19, and have given a representation of it under Job xxxix. In the note, we mentioned the situations in which the bird prefers to establish its nest, being the elevated points of public buildings and private houses. That it does not usually build in trees, has been urged as an objection to our considering the stork to be intended in the present text. But this objection has less weight than appears at first view. The storks will build any where, rather than on the ground or in very low situations; and in the East the roofs are flat, and form in some sort an occupied part of the house; while those high stacks of chimneys are wanting which in Europe afford them an ample choice of convenient foundations for their nests. It is true the wind chimneys mentioned under Lev. xi., furnish an admirable substitute; but these occur only in a limited region of Asia, and then only to the better sort of houses. It hence follows that when all the elevated points have been secured, there remain some birds, and in some situations the greater number of them, that have no othe alternative than to resort to the trees in the neighbourhood. Never having had occasion to observe their habits in a place where fir-trees grew, we cannot from our own knowledge speak of their preference for such trees: but Shaw says that then "the fir and other trees" became the dwelling of the stork in Barbary. In fact, we conjecture that the psalmist does not speak of a general but a local habit. The stork in every locality naturally selects the trees best adapted to its purpose; and we may suppose that this happened to be the fir-tree in the place where this psalm was

written.

21. "The young lions roar after their prey."-With respect to the lion, the ideas of prey and roaring are almost constantly associated in the Bible. Accordingly, it is commonly stated that the lion does not roar except when he has his prey in view, or is in the act of striking it down. This the more explains, also, the terror which all creatures manifest at the lion's roar, since it affords them ground to suspect that they are themselves the objects of his destroying notice.

PSALM CV

1 An exhortation to praise God, and to seek out his

works. 7 The story of God's providence over Abraham, 16 over Joseph, 23 over Jacob in Egypt, 26 over Moses delivering the Israelites, 37 over the Israelites brought out of Egypt, fed in the wilderness, and planted in Canaan.

O GIVE thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.

2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.

3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.

4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

60 ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

7 He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

another, from one kingdom to another peo

ple;

14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; 15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.

17 He sent a man before them, 'even Joseph, who was sold for a servant :

18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: 'he was laid in iron:

19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. 21 'He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his "substance:

22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.

23 "Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their ene

mies.

25 He turned their heart to hate his

9 Which covenant he made with Abra- people, to deal subtilly with his servants. ham, and his oath unto Isaac;

10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting

covenant:

11 Saying, 'Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, 'the lot of your inheritance:

12 When there were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.

13 When they went from one nation to

1 Chron. 16. 8. Heb. the cord. 11 Gen. 46. 6.

Isa. 12. 4.

Gen. 37. 28.
12 Exod. 1. 8, &c.

26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.

27 They shewed "his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.

28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.

29 "He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.

30 18Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.

Gen. 17.2; 22. 16, &c.; 26.3; 28. 13; and 35. 11. Luke 1. 73. Heb. 6. 17.
6 Gen. 39. 20. 7 Heb. his soul came into iron. 8 Gen. 41. 14.
14 Exod. 7.9. 15 Heb. words of his signs.

13 Exod. 3. 10.

18 Exod. 8..6.

3 Gen. 13. 15, and 15. 18.
10 Heb. possession.
17 Exod. 7. 20.

9 Gen. 41. 40.
16 Exod. 10. 22.

31 "He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.

32 20 He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.

33 He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts. 34 "He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,

35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground. 36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.

37 "He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

38 "Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.

39 "He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.

40 "The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

41 "He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.

42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.

43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with "gladness:

44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;

45 That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD.

13 Exod. 12. 29. 28 Exod. 17. 6. Num. 20. 11. 1 Cor. 10. 4. 29 Heb. singing.

30 Deut. 6. 10, 11. Josh. 3. 17.

PSALM CV.-The first part of this psalm (to verse 16) is the same, with some small variation, as that given in 1 Chron. xvi., which was sung on the bringing of the ark to Mount Zion; and some think that the remainder was added by David at a subsequent period. But it is the opinion of Calmet and Dathe that the sequel was added by some holy person after the Captivity, and sung at the dedication of the second temple. This and the following psalm are chiefly historical and refer to circumstances which have already engaged our attention.

PSALM CVI.

1 The psalmist exhorteth to praise God. 4 He prayeth for pardon of sin, as God did with the fathers. 7 The story of the people's rebellion, and God's mercy. 47 He concludeth with prayer and praise. 'PRAISE ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORI? who can shew forth all his praise? 3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;

5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inherit

ance.

9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

11 'And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.

12 "Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

6

13 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

14 'But 'lusted exceedingly in the wilder ness, and tempted God in the desert.

15 10And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

16 "They envied Moses also in the camp. and Aaron the saint of the LORD.

17 "The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram 18 And a fire was kindled in their com

6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wick-pany; the flame burned up the wicked.

dly Our fathers understood not thy wonders worshipped the molten image.

19 "They made a calf in Horeb, and

in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. 21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;

22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

Heb. Hallelujah. Psal. 107. 1, and 118. 1, and 136. 1. 3 Exod. 14. 11, 12.
Exod. 15. 24, and 17.2. 7 Heb. they made haste, they forgat.
11 Num. 16. 1, &c.
12 Num. 16. 31. Deut. 11. 6.

Exod. 14. 27, and 15. 5. 5 Exod. 14. 31, and 15 1 8 Num. 11. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 6. 9 Heb. lusted a lust. 10 Num. 11.31 18 Num. 16. 35, 46. 14 Exod. 32. 4.

16 Heb. a land of desire. 17 Num. 14. 2. 18 Heb. to make them fall. 20 Num. 25.7. 21 Num. 20. 13. Deut. 7.2. 23 Judg. 1. 21. * Judg. 2. 16. 25 Or, impoverished, or weakened. 26 Deut. 30. 3.

PSALM CVI.-The first and the two last verses of this psalm are ascribed to David in 1 Chron. xvi., which affords a reason for concluding that the whole was written by him. Yet it is supposed by many to have been composed during the Captivity: but this opinion does not seem to be well supported, for verse 47, on which it chiefly rests. happens to be one of those which occur in the psalm of David, in 1 Chron. xvi. This psalm ends the fourth of the books into which the Psalms are divided by the Jews.

Verse 28. "Ate the sacrifices of the dead."-It appears that "the dead," is a term of contempt applied to idols; per haps not without some reference to the fact that many of these idols were no other than men, deified after their deaths. To eat of what had been offered to them in sacrifice, implied a certain participation in the act of sacrifice. Some interpreters are, however, of opinion that the sacrifices which it was usual among the heathen to offer in honour of the dead, are here intended.