The Expositor's Bible: The Psalms, Vol. 3: Psalms XC.-CL.Maclaren, Alexander
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Psalms, Vol. 3: Psalms XC.-CL.
Maclaren, Alexander
Bible. Psalms -- Commentaries
The individual experience is resumed in vv. 10-14. The energetic
reduplications strengthen the impression of multiplied attacks,
corresponding with the facts of the Restoration period. The same
impression is accentuated by the use in ver. 11_a_ of two forms of
the same verb, and in ver. 12_a_ by the metaphor of a swarm of angry
bees (Deut. i. 44). Numerous, venomous, swift, and hard to strike
at as the enemies were, buzzing and stinging around, they were but
insects after all, and a strong hand could crush them. The psalmist
does not merely look to God to interpose for him, as in vv. 6, 7, but
expects that God will give him power to conquer by the use of his
own strengthened arm. We are not only objects of Divine protection,
but organs of Divine power. Trusting in the revealed character of
Jehovah, we shall find conquering energy flowing into us from Him,
and the most fierce assaults will die out as quickly as a fire of
dry thorn twigs, which sinks into ashes the sooner the more it
crackles and blazes. Then the psalmist individualises the multitude
of foes, just as the collective Israel is individualised, and brings
assailants and assailed down to two antagonists, engaged in desperate
duel. But a third Person intervenes. "Jehovah helped me" (ver. 13);
as in old legends, the gods on their immortal steeds charged at the
head of the hosts of their worshippers. Thus delivered, the singer
breaks into the ancient strain, which had gone up on the shores of
the sullen sea that rolled over Pharaoh's army, and is still true
after centuries have intervened: "Jah is my strength and song, and He
is become my salvation." Miriam sang it, the restored exiles sang it,
tried and trustful men in every age have sung and will sing it, till
there are no more foes; and then, by the shores of the sea of glass
mingled with fire, the calm victors will lift again the undying "song
of Moses and of the Lamb."
Vv. 15, 16, are probably best taken as sung by the chorus,
generalising and giving voice to the emotions excited by the
preceding verses. The same reiteration which characterised vv. 8,
9, reappears here. Two broad truths are built on the individual
voice's autobiography: namely, that trust in Jehovah and consequent
conformity to His law are never in vain, but always issue in joy; and
that God's power, when put forth, always conquers. "The tents of the
righteous" may possibly allude to the "tabernacles" constructed for
the feast, at which the song was probably sung.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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