By J.G. Bellet
Psalm 111
This Psalm, and all those down to the Psalm 118, are without any title. This we may take as a little notice that they hang, in some sense, on the preceding Psalms. For the great divine mystery of the "poor and needy man," exalted to be "lord" in heaven now, with the promise of a kingdom, had been there revealed; and these Psalms appear to be certain exercises of heart over that mystery. And let me say, the soul should ever be ready to entertain all divine revelation in this way. When the Apostle had, under the Holy Ghost, traced deep and extensive purposes of God (Rom. 9-11), at the close, he breaks out with a note of admiration, "O the depth of the riches!" And poor and profitless will be all our knowledge, if it lead not to this--"if out of our meditations we do not bring home a few chips to kindle our own fire."
The Jews connected several of these Psalms (Ps. 113-118), and called them "the Great Hallel," using them particularly at the feasts.
Jesus Himself, or the Spirit of Christ in the worshipper, is heard in them.
Praise breaks forth at the very outset. Such would be the fruit of the lips, when the soul had been listening (as we have presumed) to the great theme of the preceding Psalms.
Here in this 111th, the worshipper is celebrating the covenant-works of God, of which, amid the multitude of them, as we know, the sufferings and glory of Jesus form the great material. The "good understanding" of those who feared the Lord is also declared, for the end will surely show the wisdom of having so lived in this present evil world.
Psalm 112
The theme is continued--the further blessings of the one who feared the Lord. Jesus is, in the full sense, this obedient one; and all that is here spoken of was pledged in resurrection to Him, and shall be His portion in the kingdom. The present virtues and advantages of the good and righteous one, the one who fears God, are also more fully exhibited. But this is another hallelujah--this is still to the praise of the same Lord--another lifting of the voice in praise.
The Jewish character of this Psalm (as is that of the Psalms generally) we may gather very surely from the way in which the Spirit in St. Paul uses v. 9 in 2 Cor. 9: 8-10. For we may observe, that that which is matter of promise here, is only matter of desire there. And this is easily accounted for--and it is beautiful. For the blessings, which the saints are to reckon upon in this age, are not earthly, or in the circumstances of the present life, as the promise of God in this Psalm intimates. We may desire, in brotherly love, present good things for the saints, as John does for Gaius (3 John 2); but such things are not the subject of promise from God to us.
Psalm 113
This is still an utterance of joy and praise prepared for the same time and people. It is a rich and lofty note of thanksgiving to Jehovah for all that He has done in grace for His people, expressed in the striking figures of raising the poor one out of the dust, and of making the barren woman to keep house. The songs of Hannah (1 Sam. 2) and of Mary (Luke 1) are kindred with this; and they were, in their day, the poor one and the barren wife, and, in a mystery, Jerusalem. The works were praised in Ps. 111; the deeper theme, the name of Jehovah, is sounded here.
Psalm 114
Again we have the same subject. The Exodus is here remembered by the Israel of the latter day. And their fathers, in their day of conflict with enemies, were commanded to have the same recollection, so that they might not fear any that stood against them. (See Deut. 7: 18)
And the secret of all holy courage is very strikingly disclosed--the power of the divine presence felt through all creation, as soon as it set itself in company with chosen and redeemed Israel.
And in a more awful form will nature again feel it, when the Lord rises up the second lime for Israel and for judgment. There will be a great shaking then. The heavens and the earth will be moved, and the sun and moon be darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. In this language the prophets announce the power of that coming day, when judgment shall fall on the nations, and Israel again become the sanctuary and dominion of the Lord. The second advent will surprise the world, as the presence of Jehovah of old did the hills and the seas, as described here in figure.
The conceptions here are in the richest style of poetry, as has been observed by others. How various the beauties of the oracles of God, how high and deep the wonders, how infinite and unspeakable the moral glories!
Psalm 115
This Psalm is still in beautiful connection. The earth may tremble, as we have just seen, when the Lord is revealing Himself and declaring His righteousness, but Israel will have a song then. And this is their song, in spirit; in anticipation, the resurrection song of Israel (verses 17, IS). It breaks forth very gloriously, ascribing all the praise of their present condition to the Lord. Conscious resurrection must do that (see Rom. 4: 20); for a dead one, now in life again, has nothing less than divine power to own. The Israel of the latter day here celebrate Jehovah as "their help and shield." Through all their holy order they do this. And they triumph over their adversaries and all their vain confidences, and trust Him for blessing still to come (verses 12, 13). And that confidence is at once honoured by an oracle from above. (14, 15)
Israel rejoices in the thought that their God is "in the heavens." (v. 3; see Ps. 110: 1) They may not fully understand it; but we know that as Jesus in the grave was a sign to them (Matt. 12: 40), so is Jesus in resurrection. (Acts 2: 30, 31, Acts 13: 32, 33) And they will have an answer to the oft-repeated challenge of their enemies, "where is thy God?" v. 2, 3; see Ps. 42, Ps. 79, Joel 2, Micah 7)
Psalm 116
This is the resurrection song of Messiah. It beautifully follows the preceding one, as though Messiah would join this joy and praise, or rather, let His voice rise and swell above that of Israel, so that He might be the leader of the congregation. We know from 2 Cor. 4: 13, that it is Jesus who is heard in this Psalm; but we there also learn that any with "like spirit of faith" may, in their measure, use it.
He, to whom Jesus called as able to save Him from death, had heard Him; and this Psalm is, so to express it, His "I thank thee, Father, that thou hast heard me." (John 11) The true Hezekiah, the head and representative of Israel, is heard here. "The living, the living," he praises God. (See Isa. 38) He pays those vows which in His distress He had made. (Ps. 22, Ps. 61, Ps. 66) Jacob had somewhat failed in doing this, or been tardy to do it. (Gen. 28, 35)
The "land of the living," or the land of the glory (Isa. 4: 5, Ezek. 26: 20), is Canaan. The Jews so interpreted it. But that of course.
The Lord's cups are two,--that of sorrow, and that of praise; in other words, that of Gethsemane or Calvary (Luke 22), and that of the kingdom. (See Ps. 75)
The Lord's "haste" (v. 11) would seem to express the paschal character of His soul. Critics tell us, that the original word does not imply "moral defect." It is the same word as in Ex. 12: 11. For His whole life was in the stranger-character of Israel in the Passover of Egypt, and was the great sure witness that all men were liars--apostates from God. But from mere "men," He separates the elect, appearing to give them close identity with Himself, as being also precious to the Lord in their death, as He had been.
His song in the kingdom is again suggested here. (Ps. 22, Heb. 2) And if Jesus sang with His disciples in the days of His flesh (as we know He did--Matt. 26: 30), how much more will He be prepared to do so in the days of the kingdom!
But beside the Lord thus singing in company with His saints, may we not suggest that at times He will be heard alone? For it is here witnessed concerning Him, "I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all His people." (v. 14, 18) It is a tender thought, and the soul will touch it softly. But it does appear that He will be heard alone at times. For if His sorrows were once peculiar, so may we say His joys will be. And this may lead us to allow the thought, that Jesus will, at times, have a solitary or peculiar song, the congregation then giving audience; as at times we know they will be heard themselves; and at times He will lead them. (Psalm 34: 3)
Psalm 117
Here the earth is called on to join in resurrection joy and praise, and to celebrate "mercy and truth," as risen Israel was now doing. Israel, and Israel's living Head, had been heard chanting their several hallelujahs, and the nations are now, in their turn, called into this harmony and to take part in this holy music.
This Psalm, the shortest portion of the Book of God, is quoted, and given much value to, in Rom. 15. And upon this it has been profitably observed, "it is a small portion of Scripture, and as such we might easily overlook it. But not so the Holy Ghost. He gleans up this precious little testimony which speaks of grace to the Gentiles, and presses it on our attention."
And I may say, I have long delighted in the fact, that the Spirit in the course of the New Testament is often dragging into light, so to speak, some obscure corners of the old scriptures which might be naturally passed by--as Hosea 11: 1, Amos 5: 26, Amos 9: 11, Hab. 1: 5, Prov. 25: 22, Nahum 1: 15. But it helps to affirm the precious truth, that "all scripture is given by inspiration of God." The stars in that hemisphere of glories may differ in magnitude, but they are all equally the workmanship of one hand. There is, perhaps we may say, no portion of the Old Testament, that is not either expressly cited, or distinctly referred to, or silently glanced at in the New.
