By J.G. Bellet
Psalm 23
This may be read as a meditation of the Lord Jesus as He walked by faith in this world. He perfected the life of faith, the author and finisher of it, standing as chief among those who have obtained a good report by it. (See Heb. 11: 12) So that we may read Him in this Psalm.
He addresses Himself to His journey in fullest confidence, though it may prove a long and trying one. Every character of trial is successively anticipated--want of provision--need of restoration--the shadowy vale of death--the presence of enemies. But the resources of the hand that leads Him are felt to be equal to all, till the journey blessedly end in the house of the Lord.
The Lord knew restoration from soul-trouble in John 12: 27; and then was He ready for the valley through which He went; till, in resurrection, His cup ran over, His table was spread in the presence of His enemies, and His head was anointed, or His consecration to office was perfected. And the kingdom by and by will display this cup, this table, and this anointing, here anticipated in faith by Jesus.
It may, however, be rather used as the language or experience of any believer. We, who are weak in faith, may long to realize such precious joy and liberty more and more richly.
Psalm 24
As the preceding Psalm had given us the path of the Lord Jesus (and of any saint in company, in spirit, with Him) home to the house of the Lord, so this now gives us His path up to the throne of glory. For there were in His prospect, as there are in ours, the two objects--the Father's house, and the throne of the kingdom; and these Psalms severally trace the two paths up to those happy, brilliant scenes.
In the opening of this Psalm, the Lord's title to the earth is acknowledged: it is His by creation. So in the jubilee, the type of this same coming kingdom, the Lord asserted His title to the land. (Lev. 25: 23) And after His title to the earth is announced the enquiry arises, who shall retake Adam's forfeited dominion over it? in other terms, "who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?" for "hill" is the symbol of dominion (Isa. 2): and the Lord's future or millennial dominion will be from Zion, that holy hill where God's King is to hold His sceptre of universal rule. (See Ps. 2)
This enquiry is then answered in such terms as at once point to Jesus; and His saints or generation are joined with Him; and His title to take His throne of glory and dominion in Zion being thus established, He comes as at the second advent to take possession.
He offered to take this throne when He was here. (Matt. 21) And it is to be observed, that ere our Lord entered the gates of Zion on that occasion, He exercised His rights as Lord of the earth and its fulness (according to the course of this Psalm), by claiming the ass from its owner upon this plea, "The Lord hath need of him." (Mark 11: 3)
But, as we know, the citizens would not then have Him to reign over them; and now at His second advent, He will mike good His title in the judgment of those who thus once refused Him. (See Luke 19: 27)
Psalm 25
This is such an utterance as the, soul of David might have had on the other side of Jordan; for there he was suffering under God's hand for sin, but as touching his persecutors he was blameless. Varied exercise of heart would arise from such a condition. He would at times remember his sins, and desire to know more and more of God's own way of grace; he would at times, on the other hand, plead with the confidence of integrity. And this is His varied way in this affecting Psalm--where, though the suppliant be conscious of integrity, as before men in his sufferings, yet his condition and guilt, as a sinner before God, are forcibly brought to mind; and as a soul thus quickened to the sense of sin, he desires to know God's own way in grace or mercy. And it is only the sinner who fully learns God's way. It is a mystery to every other student. And as Israel now, because of transgression, knows Him as a "consuming fire," so in the latter day, in their broken-heartedness and repentance, they shall know Him as a "merciful God." (See Deut. 4: 24-31)
We may presume that it will be the breathing of the Jewish saints by and by. Verse 22 indeed shows that Israel is the suppliant here.
Verses 8-10, and verses 12-14, may be read as two interruptions to the cry of the suppliant by the voice or oracle of God comforting him. And I cannot pass without noticing that "the secret" and "the covenant" of the Lord (v. 14) are the same, and mean the gospel or grace of God in Christ Jesus. For such is God's covenant and God's secret. One of Christ's names is "secret," as we know. (Judges 13: 18; Isa. 9: 6. See also Deut. 29: 29)
Psalm 26
This seems to be of the same character as the preceding--an utterance of David on the other side of Jordan. There is, however, more expression of conscious uprightness towards men in it, and something of his longing after the house and congregation of the Lord, which we know from the history was David's fervent desire (see 2 Sam. 15: 25, 26), and which he here anticipates will be realized.
His casting of himself on the mercy and redemption of God, in the midst of these his assertions of integrity, bespeaks a very right state of soul.
In reading this as in continuance of the preceding Psalm, I deem it blessed to notice the advance in the poor believing sinner's experience; for here, though we get integrity pleaded, and at the same time mercy sought, the confession of sins is dropped, and anticipations of God's house taken up.
