Expositions of Holy Scripture: PsalmsMaclaren, Alexander
Religion
Expositions of Holy Scripture: Psalms
Maclaren, Alexander
Bible. Psalms -- Commentaries
We must never forget that in the Old Testament we have to do with an
incomplete and a progressive revelation, and that if we would understand
its significance, we must ever endeavour to ascertain to what point in
that progress the words before us belong. We are not to read into these
words New Testament depth and fulness of meaning; we are to take them
and try to find out what they meant to David and to his people; and so
we shall get a firm basis for any deeper significance which we may
hereafter see in them. The thought of God, then, in these words is
mainly that of a God of strong and victorious energy, a warrior-God, a
conquering King, one whose word is power, who rules amidst the armies of
heaven, and amidst the inhabitants of earth.
A brief consideration of each expression is all which can be attempted
here. 'Who is this King of Glory?' The first idea, then, is that of
sovereign rule; the idea which had become more and more plain and clear
to the national consciousness of the Hebrew with the installation of
monarchy amongst them. And it is very beautiful to see how David lays
hold of that thought of God being Himself the King of Israel; and dwells
so often in his psalms on the idea that he, poor, pale, earthly shadow,
is but a representative and a viceroy of the true King who sits in the
heavens. He takes off his crown and lays it before His throne and says:
'Thou art the King of Israel, the King of Glory.'
The Old Testament meaning of that word 'glory' is a great deal more
definite than the ordinary religious use of it amongst us. The 'glory of
God' in the Old Testament is, first and foremost, the supernatural light
that dwelt between the cherubim and was the manifestation and symbol of
the divine Presence. And next it is the sum total of all the impression
made upon the world by God's manifestation of Himself, the Light, of
which the material and supernatural light between the cherubs was but
the emblem; all by which God flames and flashes Himself upon the
trembling and thankful heart; that glory which is substantially the same
as the Name of the Lord. And in this brightness, lustrous and dark with
excess of light, this King dwells. The splendour of His regalia is the
brightness that emanates from Himself. He is the King of Glory.
Next, we have the great Name, 'the Lord,' Jehovah, which speaks of
timeless, independent, unchanging, self-sufficing being. It declares
that He is His own cause, His own law, His own impulse, the staple from
which all the links of the chain of being depend, and not Himself a
link, the fontal Source of all which is.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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