By J.G. Bellet
Psalm 66
Here the praise anticipated and waited for in the preceding Psalm breaks forth in Zion. Jehovah has answered the prayer by terrible things in righteousness. (Ps. 65: 5, Ps. 66: 3, 5) The vows made are here paid. (Ps. 65: 1, Ps. 66: 13, 14) When they were afflicted they prayed, now being merry they sing psalms.
But this Psalm appears to have a very exact structure marked by Selahs. The Psalmist (the Spirit of Christ in the Remnant) calls on all lands to praise God for His judgments (1-4), and then invites them to look at those judgments (5-7). He then calls on the people to bless God for His mercies to them (leading them himself in that worship, 8-15), and then invites them to hearken to the story of those mercies (16-20).
Observe "come and see" in ver. 5, "come and hear" in ver. 16; for the manifested works, or works in the earth (the operations of His hand), are proposed to sight, the hidden works, or works in the soul (the operations of His Spirit), are proposed to the ear. The whole Psalm is an utterance of great liberty and joy of heart, and savours richly of the gladness of God's chosen in the days of the kingdom, remembering the judgments of the wicked and the discipline of the righteous which had ushered it in.
Psalm 67
This Psalm is the utterance of the Jewish Remnant brought near the kingdom and given faith to see what the result of their salvation will be upon the world generally. (See Hosea 1, 2; Ps. 85 Isa. 2: 2; Isa. 11: 9, 10) The "Redeemer of Israel" is to be the "God of the whole earth." (Isa. 54: 5)
Two lessons the world is to be taught through Israel,--righteousness, from the divine judgments in behalf of Israel on the nations (Isa. 26: 9); grace, from the divine goodness towards Israel itself. (Jer. 33: 9) It is the second of these the Remnant here desires the world may learn. And at this time also, the saints, glorified together and like Jesus in heaven, will teach the world to know the love, the wondrous love, of the Father, and that it was the Father who sent Jesus. This will be the highest, deepest lesson, and told out by the heavenly children. (John 17: 22, 23)
The desire of the Remnant in this animated little Psalm is, we may just add, very fervent and happy. They, as it were, "magnify their office," like the Apostle celebrating the great results of their own God giving them His blessing. And we know that the receiving of them will be nothing less to the whole world but life from the dead. (Rom. 11: 15)
Psalm 68
For grandeur and compass this Psalm stands, perhaps, unequalled. It was sung, most probably as the Ark was moving from the house of Obed-edom to mount Zion. It opens, therefore, with the words of Moses, as in earlier times the Ark was beginning to move through the wilderness. (Num. 10) And we are told that at the carriage of it by David singers accompanied it. (1 Chr. 15) Here we are as if listening to the song they sang.
And as the ark itself was a mystery, so was this journey of it. It was the expression of the return of the Lord to His Israel in the latter day. For then, through trials, they will be brought to the joy of God's presence again; as here the Ark, the symbol of that presence, is brought from its distant exile and seated in the heights of Zion.
This journey appears to be broken into several stages (1 Chr. 15: 26):
First Stage.--As the Ark begins its journey, the singers celebrate in a general way the different effects of the presence of God--of which, as has been said, it was the symbol--both on the wicked and the righteous. For that presence is doom to the one, but salvation to the other (1-6).
Second Stage.--After the first pause, the journey being resumed, the singers rehearse both the awful and the gracious tokens of the same divine presence, while Israel was passing the wilderness (7-10).
Third Stage.--Here they publish the power of God for Israel, when, having accomplished their passage through the wilderness, He brought them to Canaan, and there gave them the oil of joy for mourning, and beauty for ashes (11-14).
Fourth Stage.--This part of their journey appears to bring them within sight of Zion, and the singers hail that hill of God; and as they begin to ascend it, they prophesy the ascension of Christ, the true Ark, (in whom, as we know, the glory itself dwelt, for He was "God manifested in the flesh,") and the fruit to themselves and others of such ascension (15-19).
Observe, as to the angels, that they ascended at mount Sinai in their dignity, being able to bear the light of that fiery hill, having never lost their first estate of holiness and honour. But they attended on the ascension of Jesus in their ministry, being ready to serve in full subjection to Him.
Fifth Stage.--Being now in the act of bearing their sacred burden up the hill, as they contend for the summit, the inspired singers celebrate the day of Israel's trial, when the Lord will arise to deliver them from death and their outcast condition, to display His presence again in mighty power for them, and to recompense the controversy of Zion on her enemies. For this was in season, like the prophecy in the preceding stage; the struggle up the hill being a fit token of Israel's last trial, as the beginning to ascend it was of the ascension of Jesus (20-23)
Sixth Stage.--Having gained the heights of the hill and the Ark having attained its rest, the singers, in like suitableness, prophesy the final glorious rest of God and His Israel, when the same presence of God shall still be known though in a new form, or as the goings of "the king." The nations will then wait with their offerings: the spear and the sword will be rebuked; and He that rideth on the heavens will be found both in His excellency and strength for Israel, as is here announced (24-35).
The Lord of heaven will concern Himself with Israel in these latter days. (See ver. 33, Deut. 33: 26) For He will first, as the rider on the white horse, come forth from heaven for their rescue (Rev. 19), and afterwards in the opened heavens be the great centre of glory and power in the kingdom. (John 1: 51)
Such is this most magnificent Psalm, rehearsing the virtues of the Divine Presence throughout the history of God's people. The song that was sung after the Ark had been duly set by David in the tent which he had prepared for it on mount Zion, is given in 1 Chr. 16. That followed this. This was an interrupted song, while the Ark was on the way; that an unbroken one, when its journey was ended.
Psalm 69
In this solemn and affecting Psalm, we listen to an utterance of the Son of Man. His soul passes through the sense of His sorrow, and the anticipation of the judgment of His persecutors, up to His resurrection and His kingdom in Zion in the latter day. We have the communion of the soul of Jesus with God, both as the one who was able to save Him from death (Heb, 5), and as the one who judgeth righteously. (1 Peter 2) For He cries to the one, and commits the keeping of Himself to the other. And thus this Psalm illustrates those two things taught us by the Apostles in those two passages: so perfectly do the lights that shine in the old and new Scriptures, whether in the Psalms or Prophets, or in the Epistles or Apostles, blend together.
We may distribute it into the following sections or parts:
Verses 1- 12. Jesus the Son of man utters his sorrows.
NOTE.--Verse 5 shows how He identified Himself with His elect (2 Cor. 5: 21), and it is comfort to us to know that our sins have been thus confessed. And God knew the secret of all Jesus' grief, though man did not. (See Isa. 53: 4) Verse 6: He desires that none may be stumbled or offended because of His shame and sorrow (Matt. 11: 6), but learn that it was borne for others. For the affliction of the righteous one will be an offence to them who do not understand and value this. His sorrows from the hand of man were for God's glory in the world; His sorrows from the hand of God were for our atonement and salvation forever. Verse 4 is quoted by the Lord Himself in John 15.
Verses 13-18. He discloses His source of relief and support in these sorrows. As He says in another place, "for my love they are my adversaries; but I give myself unto prayer." He committed Himself to God. (Ps. 109: 4)
Verses 19-28. He arraigns His Jewish persecutors and calls for judgment.
NOTE.--This is accordingly the occasion of the present state of Israel. (See Rom. 11: 8-10) judgment rests on them, their souls, bodies, and estate. Their system, as God's witness, and God's nation, is in ruins.
Verses 29-31. He pleads for resurrection, making His vow of praise.
NOTE,--"He was heard in that he feared," or, "for His piety." (Heb. 5: 7) He was delivered out of the pit, in one view of the resurrection, by His own virtue and holiness. (Ps. 16: 10) His people are delivered through His blood. (Zech. 9: 11, Heb. 13: 20) But the great enemy is bound there. (Rev. 20: 1-3)
He will pay the vows He here makes. (See Ps. 116) And this praise for resurrection is more grateful to God than sacrifices of oxen and bullocks in remembrance of sin. And it is in fellowship with Jesus in resurrection that the saints now worship. There they lay, as on a new altar, their sacrifices of praise. (Heb. 13: 10, 15)
Verses 32-36. He anticipates Israel's repentance, and then the kingdom.
NOTE.--"His prisoners" is the title for the Remnant. (Zech. 9: 11, 12) Compare verse 32 with Ps. 22: 26, where the Remnant are clearly intended.
The common joy of heaven and earth, as attendant on the restoration of Zion to be the dwelling-place of His once poor but now enriched people, is sweetly anticipated.
Thus, in this very blessed Psalm, the spirit of Christ muses onward from His suffering up to the full joy of His expected kingdom.
