Psa 50:1-6 | TDavid | STEP | PSALM L Title . A Psalm of Asaph. This is the first of the Psalms of Asaph, but whether the production of that eminent musician, or merely dedicated to him, we cannot tell. The titles of twelve Psalms bear his name, but it could not in all of them be meant to ascribe their authorship to him, for several of these Psalms are of too late a date to have been composed by the same writer as the others. There was an Asaph in David's time, who was one of David's chief musicians, and his family appear to have continued long after in their hereditary office of temple musicians. An Asaph is mentioned as a recorder or secretary in the days of Hezekiah , and another was keeper of the royal forests under Artaxerxes. That Asaph did most certainly write some of the Psalms is clear from , where it is recorded that the Levites were commanded to "sing praises unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer," but that other Asaphic Psalms were not of his composition, but were only committed to his care as a musician, is equally certain from , where David is said to have delivered a Psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. It matters little to us whether he wrote or sang, for poet and musician are near akin, and if one composes words and another sets them to music, they rejoice together before the Lord. Division . The Lord is represented as summoning the whole earth to hear his declaration, ; he then declares the nature of the worship which he accepts, , accuses the ungodly of breaches of the precepts of the second table, , and closes the court with a word of threatening, , and a direction of grace, . EXPOSITION Verse 1 . The mighty God, even the Lord. El, Elohim, Jehovah, three glorious names for the God of Israel. To render the address the more impressive, these august titles are mentioned, just as in royal decrees the names and dignities of monarchs are placed in the forefront. Here the true God is described as Almighty, as the only and perfect object of adoration and as the self existent One. Hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun until the going down thereof. The dominion of Jehovah extends over the whole earth, and therefore to all mankind is his decree directed. The east and the west are bidden to hear the God who makes his sun to rise on every quarter of the globe. Shall the summons of the great King be despised? Will we dare provoke him to anger by slighting his call? EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS Whole Psalm . The exordium or beginning of this Psalm is the most grand and striking that can possibly be imagined -- the speaker GOD, the audience an assembled world! We cannot compare or assimilate the scene here presented to us with any human resemblance; nor do I imagine that earth will ever behold such a day till that hour when the trumpet of the archangel shall sound and shall gather all the nations of the earth from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other; when the dead, small and great, shall stand before God, and the sea shall give up the dead which are in it, and death and hell shall deliver up the dead that are in them. Barton Bouchier. Verse 1 . El , Elohim, Jehovah has spoken! So reads the Hebrew. Andrew A. Bonar. Verse 1 . (first clause) . Some have observed that these three names, El, Elohim, Jehovah, here mentioned, have three very distinct accents set to them, and which being joined to a verb singular (dbd), hath spoken, contains the mystery of the trinity of Persons in the unity of the divine Essence. John Gill. Verse 1 . And called the earth , etc., i.e., all the inhabitants of the earth he has commanded to come as witnesses and spectators of the judgment. Simon de Muis. Verse 1-5. -- No more shall atheists mock his long delay; His vengeance sleeps no more; behold the day! Behold! -- the Judge descends; his guards are nigh, Tempests and fire attend him down the sky. When God appears, all nature shall adore him. While sinners tremble, saints rejoice before him. Heaven, earth and hell, draw near; let all things come, To hear my justice, and the sinner's doom; But gather first my saints (the Judge commands), Bring them, ye angels, from their distant lands. When Christ returns, wake every cheerful passion, And shout, ye saints; he comes for your salvation. Isaac Watts. HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS Verse 1 . It unspeakably concerns all men to know what God has spoken. W. S. Plumer. Verse 1 . Who has spoken? The Mighty, not men or angels, but God himself. To whom has he spoken? To all nations -- all ranks -- all characters. This calls for, Reverence -- it is the voice of God. Hope -- because he condescends to speak to rebels. Where has he spoken? In creation. In providence. In his word. G. R. Verse 1-6 . The court called in the name of the King of kings. The judgment set, and the judge taking his seat; . The parties summoned; . The issue of this solemn trial foretold; . Matthew Henry. Verse 1-15 . God's call to man. Man's call to God. WORKS WRITTEN ABOUT THE FIFTIETH PSALM IN SPURGEON'S DAY In the old quarto edition (1634) of "Mr. Paul Bayne's Commentary on Colossians," among the "divers places of Scripture briefly explained," there is an exposition of , of this Psalm, entitled, "The Terror of God displayed against carnal security."

Psalms 50:1-6

PSALM L

Title. A Psalm of Asaph. This is the first of the Psalms of Asaph, but whether the production of that eminent musician, or merely dedicated to him, we cannot tell. The titles of twelve Psalms bear his name, but it could not in all of them be meant to ascribe their authorship to him, for several of these Psalms are of too late a date to have been composed by the same writer as the others. There was an Asaph in David's time, who was one of David's chief musicians, and his family appear to have continued long after in their hereditary office of temple musicians. An Asaph is mentioned as a recorder or secretary in the days of Hezekiah 2 Kings 18:18, and another was keeper of the royal forests under Artaxerxes. That Asaph did most certainly write some of the Psalms is clear from 2 Chronicles 29:30, where it is recorded that the Levites were commanded to "sing praises unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer," but that other Asaphic Psalms were not of his composition, but were only committed to his care as a musician, is equally certain from 1 Chronicles 16:7, where David is said to have delivered a Psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. It matters little to us whether he wrote or sang, for poet and musician are near akin, and if one composes words and another sets them to music, they rejoice together before the Lord.

Division. The Lord is represented as summoning the whole earth to hear his declaration, Psalms 50:1-6; he then declares the nature of the worship which he accepts, Psalms 50:7-15, accuses the ungodly of breaches of the precepts of the second table, Psalms 50:16-21, and closes the court with a word of threatening, Psalms 50:22, and a direction of grace, Psalms 50:23.

EXPOSITION

Verse 1. The mighty God, even the Lord. El, Elohim, Jehovah, three glorious names for the God of Israel. To render the address the more impressive, these august titles are mentioned, just as in royal decrees the names and dignities of monarchs are placed in the forefront. Here the true God is described as Almighty, as the only and perfect object of adoration and as the self existent One. Hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun until the going down thereof. The dominion of Jehovah extends over the whole earth, and therefore to all mankind is his decree directed. The east and the west are bidden to hear the God who makes his sun to rise on every quarter of the globe. Shall the summons of the great King be despised? Will we dare provoke him to anger by slighting his call?

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Whole Psalm. The exordium or beginning of this Psalm is the most grand and striking that can possibly be imagined -- the speaker GOD, the audience an assembled world! We cannot compare or assimilate the scene here presented to us with any human resemblance; nor do I imagine that earth will ever behold such a day till that hour when the trumpet of the archangel shall sound and shall gather all the nations of the earth from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other; when the dead, small and great, shall stand before God, and the sea shall give up the dead which are in it, and death and hell shall deliver up the dead that are in them. Barton Bouchier.

Verse 1. El, Elohim, Jehovah has spoken! So reads the Hebrew. Andrew A. Bonar.

Verse 1. (first clause). Some have observed that these three names, El, Elohim, Jehovah, here mentioned, have three very distinct accents set to them, and which being joined to a verb singular (dbd), hath spoken, contains the mystery of the trinity of Persons in the unity of the divine Essence. John Gill.

Verse 1. And called the earth, etc., i.e., all the inhabitants of the earth he has commanded to come as witnesses and spectators of the judgment. Simon de Muis.

Verse 1-5. -- No more shall atheists mock his long delay;

His vengeance sleeps no more; behold the day!

Behold! -- the Judge descends; his guards are nigh,

Tempests and fire attend him down the sky.

When God appears, all nature shall adore him.

While sinners tremble, saints rejoice before him.

Heaven, earth and hell, draw near; let all things come,

To hear my justice, and the sinner's doom;

But gather first my saints (the Judge commands),

Bring them, ye angels, from their distant lands.

When Christ returns, wake every cheerful passion,

And shout, ye saints; he comes for your salvation.

Isaac Watts.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 1. It unspeakably concerns all men to know what God has spoken. W. S. Plumer.

Verse 1.

Verse 1-6.

Matthew Henry.

Verse 1-15.

WORKS WRITTEN ABOUT THE FIFTIETH PSALM IN SPURGEON'S DAY

In the old quarto edition (1634) of "Mr. Paul Bayne's Commentary on Colossians," among the "divers places of Scripture briefly explained," there is an exposition of Psalms 50:21-23, of this Psalm, entitled, "The Terror of God displayed against carnal security."

EXPOSITION

Verse 2. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. The Lord is represented not only as speaking to the earth, but as coming forth to reveal the glory of his presence to an assembled universe. God of old dwelt in Zion among his chosen people, but here the beams of his splendour are described as shining forth upon all nations. The sun was spoken of in the first verse, but here is a far brighter sun. The majesty of God is most conspicuous among his own elect, but is not confined to them; the church is not a dark lantern, but a candlestick. God shines not only in Zion, but out of her. She is made perfect in beauty by his indwelling, and that beauty is seen by all observers when the Lord shines forth from her.

Observe how with trumpet voice and flaming ensign the infinite Jehovah summons the heavens and the earth to hearken to his word.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 1-5. -- See Psalms on "Psalms 50:1" for further information.

Verse 2. Out of Zion, the perfection of God's beauty hath shined; or, God has caused the perfection of beauty to shine out of Zion. Martin Geier.

Verse 2. God hath shined. Like the sun in his strength, sometimes for the comfort of his people, as Psalms 80:1; sometimes for the terror of evil doers, as Psalms 94:1, and here. But evermore God is terrible out of his holy places. Psalms 68:35 89:7. John Trapp.

Verse 2. God hath shined. The proper meaning of ([py) is to scatter rays from afar, and from a lofty place, and to glitter. It is a word of a grand sound, says Ch. Schultens, which is always used of a magnificent and flashing light ... It is apparently used of the splendid symbol of God's presence, as in Deuteronomy 34:2, where he is said to scatter beams from Mount Paran. From which it is manifest that it may refer to the pillar of cloud and fire, the seat of the Divine Majesty conspicuous on Mount Sinai, or on the tabernacle, or the loftiest part of the temple. Hermann Venema.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 1-6.

Verse 1-15.

Verse 2.

EXPOSITION

Verse 3. Our God shall come. The psalmist speaks of himself and his brethren as standing in immediate anticipation of the appearing of the Lord upon the scene. "He comes," they say, "our covenant God is coming;" they can hear his voice from afar, and perceive the splendour of his attending train. Even thus should we await the long promised appearing of the Lord from heaven. And shall not keep silence. He comes to speak, to plead with his people, to accuse and judge the ungodly. He has been silent long in patience, but soon he will speak with power. What a moment of awe when the Omnipotent is expected to reveal himself! What will be the reverent joy and solemn expectation when the poetic scene of this Psalm becomes in the last great day an actual reality! A fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. Flame and hurricane are frequently described as the attendants of the divine appearance. "Our God is a consuming fire." "At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire." Psalms 18:12. "He rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind." "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God." 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8. Fire is the emblem of justice in action, and the tempest is a token of his overwhelming power. Who will not listen in solemn silence when such is the tribunal from which the judge pleads with heaven and earth?

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 3. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence. He kept silence that he might be judged, he will not keep silence when he begins to judge. It would not have been said, He shall come manifestly, unless at first he had come concealed; nor, He shall not keep silence, had he not at first kept silence. How did he keep silence? Ask Isaiah: "He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." Isaiah 53:7. But he shall come manifestly, and shall not keep silence. How manifestly? A fire shall go before him, and round about him a mighty tempest. That tempest is to carry wholly away the chaff from the floor which is now in threshing; that fire, to consume what the tempest carries off. Now, however, he is silent; silent in judgment, but not in precept. For if Christ is silent, what mean these gospels? What the voices of the apostles? the canticles of the Psalms? the lofty utterances of the prophets? Truly in all these Christ is not silent. Howbeit he is silent for he present in not taking vengeance, not in not warning. But he will come in surpassing brightness to take vengeance, and will be seen of all, even of those who believe not on him; but now, forasmuch as although present he was not concealed, it behoved him to be despised: for unless he had been despised he would not have been crucified; if not crucified he would not have shed his blood, the price with which he redeemed us. But in order that he might give a price for us, he was crucified; that he might be crucified he was despised; that he might be despised, he appeared in humble guise. Augustine.

Verse 3. (first clause). The future in the first clause may be rendered he is coming, as if the sound of his voice and the light of his glory had preceded his actual appearance. The imagery is borrowed from the giving of the law a Sinai. J. A. Alexander.

Verse 3. (first clause). May our God come! (Version of Junius and Tremellius.) A prayer for the hastening of his advent, as in the Apocalypse, 22:20. Poole's Synopsis.

Verse 3. A fire shall devour before him. As he gave his law in fire, so in fire shall he require it. John Trapp.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 1-6.

Verse 1-15.

EXPOSITION

Verse 4. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth. Angels and men, the upper and the lower worlds, are called to witness the solemn scene. The whole creation shall stand in court to testify to the solemnity and the truth of the divine pleading. Both earth beneath and heaven above shall unite in condemning sin; the guilty shall have no appeal, though all are summoned that they may appeal if they dare. Both angels and men have seen the guilt of mankind and the goodness of the Lord, they shall therefore confess the justice of the divine utterance, and say "Amen" to the sentence of the supreme Judge. Alas, ye despisers! What will ye do and to whom will ye fly? That he may judge his people. Judgment begins at the house of God. The trial of the visible people of God will be a most awful ceremonial. He will thoroughly purge his floor. He will discern between his nominal and his real people, and that in open court, the whole universe looking on. My soul, when this actually takes place, how will it fare with thee? Canst thou endure the day of his coming?

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 4. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth. That these dumb creatures may be as so many speaking evidences against an unworthy people, and witness of God's righteous dealings against them. See Deuteronomy 32:1 Isaiah 1:2 Micah 6:2. The Chaldee thus paraphrases: He will call the high angels from above; and the just of the earth from beneath. John Trapp.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 1-6.

Verse 1-15.

Verse 4.

Verse 4. The judgment of the visible church. It will be by God himself, public, searching - - with fire and wind, exact, final. EXPOSITION Verse 5 . Gather my saints together unto me. Go, ye swift winged messengers, and separate the precious from the vile. Gather out the wheat of the heavenly garner. Let the long scattered, but elect people, known by my separating grace to be my sanctified ones, be now assembled in one place. All are not saints who seem to be so -- a severance must be made; therefore let all who profess to be saints be gathered before my throne of judgment, and let them hear the word which will search and try the whole, that the false may be convicted and the true revealed. Those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice; this is the grand test, and yet some have dared to imitate it. The covenant was ratified by the slaying of victims, the cutting and dividing of offerings; this the righteous have done by accepting with true faith the great propitiatory sacrifice, and this the pretenders have done in merely outward form. Let them be gathered before the throne for trial and testing, and as many as have really ratified the covenant by faith in the Lord Jesus shall be attested before all worlds as the objects of distinguishing grace, while formalists shall learn that outward sacrifices are all in vain. Oh, solemn assize, how does my soul bow in awe at the prospect thereof! EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS Verse 5 . Gather , etc. To whom are these words addressed? Many suppose to the angels, as the ministers of God's will; but it is unnecessary to make the expression more definite than it is in the Psalm. J. J. Stewart Perowne. Verse 5 . My saints , the objects of my mercy, those whom I have called and specially distinguished. The term is here descriptive of a relation, not of an intrinsic quality. J. A. Alexander. Verse 5 . Gather my saints together unto me . There is a double or twofold gathering to Christ. There is a gathering unto Christ by faith, a gathering within the bond of the covenant, a gathering into the family of God, a gathering unto the root of Jesse, standing up for an ensign of the people. "In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious." Isaiah 11:10 . This is the main end of the gospel, the great work of ministers, the gathering of sinners unto Christ. But then there is a gathering at the general judgment; and this is the fathering that is here spoken of. This gathering is consequential to the other. Christ will gather none to him at the last day but those that are gathered to him by faith here; he will give orders to gather together unto him all these, and none but these, that have taken hold of his covenant ... I would speak of Christ's owning and acknowledging the saints at his second coming. His owning and acknowledging them is imported in his giving these orders: Gather my saints together unto me. ... Now upon this head I mention the things following: -- Saintship will be the only mark of distinction in that day. There are many marks of distinction now; but these will all cease, and this only will remain. Saintship will then be Christ's badge of honour. Beware of mocking at saintship, or sanctity, holiness and purity; for it is Christ's badge of honour, the garments with which his followers are clothed, and will be the only badge of honour at the great day. Christ will forget and mistake none of the saints. Many of the saints are forgotten here, it is forgotten that such persons were in the world, but Christ will forget and mistake none of them at the great day; he will give forth a list of all his saints, and give orders to gather them all unto him. He will confess, own, and acknowledge them before his Father, and his holy angels. Matthew 10:32 Luke 12:8 Revelation 3:5 . They are to go to my Father's house, and they are to go thither in my name, in my right, and at my back; and so it is necessary I should own and acknowledge them before my Father. But what need is there for his owning them before the angels? Answer. They are to be the angel's companions, and so it is necessary he should own them before the angels. This will be like a testimonial for them unto the angels. Lastly. The evidences of his right to and propriety in them, will then be made to appear. Malachi 3:17 : "And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels." It is too late for persons to become his then; so the meaning is, they shall evidently appear to be mine. James Scot, Verse Gather my saints together unto me. Our text may be considered as the commission given by the great Judge to his angels -- those ministering spirits who do his will, hearkening to the voice of his power. The language of the text is in accordance with that which was uttered by our Lord when, alluding to the coming of the Son of Man, he says, "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." But previous to this final, this general gathering together of his saints to judgment, Jehovah gathers them together in various ways, in various places, and by various means, both of providence and of grace. Previous to his being seated on a throne of judgment, we behold him sitting on a throne of mercy, and we hear him saying, Gather my saints together unto me. These words lead us to notice -- The characters described, My saints. The command issued, Gather my saints together unto me. THE CHARACTERS HERE DESCRIBED -- my saints, we are to understand my holy ones -- those who have been sanctified and set apart by God. None of us possess this character by nature. We are born sinners, and there is no difference; but by divine grace we experience a change of nature, and consequently a change of name. The title of saint is frequently given to the people of God in derision. "Such an one," says a man of the world, "is one of your saints." But, my brethren, no higher honour can be conferred upon us than to be denominated saints, if we truly deserve that character; but in what way do we become saints? We become saints -- By divine choice. The saints are the objects of everlasting love; their names are written in the Lamb's book of life; and it is worthy of remark that wherever the people of God are spoken of in sacred Scripture, as the objects of that everlasting love, it is in connection with their personal sanctification. Observe, they are not chosen because they are saints, nor because it is foreseen that they will be so, but they are chosen to be saints; sanctification is the effect and the only evidence of election. We become saints -- By a divine change which is the necessary consequence of this election. An inward, spiritual, supernatural, universal change is effected in the saints by the power of the Holy Ghost. Thus they are renewed in the spirit of their minds, and made partakers of a divine nature ... Remember, then, this important truth, that Christians are called by the gospel to be saints; that you are Christians, not so much by your orthodoxy as by your holiness; that you are saints no further than as you are holy in all manner of conversation. The people of God furnish an evidence of being saints by their godly conduct. "By their fruits," not by their feelings; not by their lips, not by their general profession, but, "by their fruits shall ye know them." The character of the saints is evidenced by divine consecration. The people of God are called holy inasmuch as they are dedicated to God. It is the duty and the privilege of saints to consecrate themselves to the service of God. Even a heathen philosopher could say, "I lend myself to the world, but I give myself to the gods. But we possess more light and knowledge, and are therefore laid under greater obligation than was Seneca." THE COMMAND ISSUED. Gather my saints together unto me. Jehovah gathers his saints to himself in various ways. He gathers them to himself in their conversion. The commission given by Christ to his ministers is, "Go ye forth into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," or in other words, Gather my saints together unto me. The gospel is to be preached to sinners in order that they may become saints. Saints are gathered together by God in public worship ... He gathers his saints together to himself in times of danger. When storms appear to be gathering around them, he is desirous to screen them from the blast. He say to them, in the language of Isaiah, "Come, my people, and enter into thy chamber -- the chamber of my perfections and my promises -- enter into thy chamber and shut the doors about thee, and hide thyself until the calamity is overpast." God gathers his saints together in the service of his church. Thus Christ collected his apostles together to give them their apostolic commission to go and teach all nations. At the period of the Reformation, the great Head of the church raised up Luther and Calvin, together with other eminent reformers, in order that they might light up a flame in Europe, yea, throughout the world, that the breath of popery should never be able to blow out. God gathers his saints together in death, and at the resurrection. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." This is the commission which death is habitually receiving -- "Go, death, and gather such and such of my saints unto me." As the gardener enters the garden, and plucks up the full blown flower and the ripened fruit, so Jesus Christ enters the garden of his church and gathers his saints to himself; for he says, "Father, I will that all they whom thou hast given me may be with me, where I am, and behold my glory." Condensed from J. Sibree's "Sermon preached at the reopening of Surrey Chapel, August 29th, 1830." Verse 5 . (second clause) . Made, or ratifying a covenant; literally, cutting, striking, perhaps in allusion to the practice of slaying and dividing victims as a religious rite, accompanying solemn compacts. (See Genesis 15:10-18 .) The same usage may be referred to in the following words, over sacrifice, i.e., standing over it: or on sacrifice, i.e., founding the engagement on a previous appeal to God. There is probably allusion to the great covenant transaction recorded in Exodus 24:4-8 . This reference to sacrifice shows clearly that what follows was not intended to discredit or repudiate that essential symbol of the typical or ceremonial system. J. A. Alexander. Verse 5 . Made a covenant with me . Formerly soldiers used to take an oath not to flinch from their colours, but faithfully to cleave to their leaders; thus they called sacramentum militaire, a military oath; such an oath lies upon every Christian. It is so essential to the being of a saint, that they are described by this, Gather together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me. We are not Christians till we have subscribed this covenant, and that without any reservation. When we take upon us the profession of Christ's name, we enlist ourselves in his muster roll, and by it do promise that we will live and die with him in opposition to all his enemies ... He will not entertain us till we resign up ourselves freely to his disposal, that there may be no disputing with is commands afterwards, but, as one under his authority, go and come at his word. William Gurnall. HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS Verse 1-6 . The court called in the name of the King of kings. The judgment set, and the judge taking his seat. The parties summoned; Psalms 50:8 . The issue of this solemn trial foretold; Psalms 50:6 . Matthew Henry. Verse 1-15 . God's call to man. Man's call to God. Verse 5 . The great family gathering. Who are gathered. How they are gathered. To whom. When they are gathered. Verse 5 . (last clause). The covenant. The sacrifice which ratifies it. How we may be said to make it.

EXPOSITION

Verse 6. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness. Celestial intelligences and the spirits of just men made perfect, shall magnify the infallible judgment of the divine tribunal. Now they doubtless wonder at the hypocrisy of men; then they shall equally marvel at the exactness of the severance between the true and the false. For God is judge himself. This is the reason for the correctness of the judgment. Priests of old, and churches of later times, were readily deceived, but not so the all discerning Lord. No deputy judge sits on the great white throne; the injured Lord of all himself weighs the evidence and allots the vengeance or reward. The scene in the Psalm is a grand poetical conception, but it is also an inspired prophecy of that day which shall burn as an oven, when the Lord shall discern between him that feareth and him that feareth him not. Selah. Here we may well pause in reverent prostration, in deep searching of heart, in humble prayer, and in awe struck expectation.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 6. The heavens shall declare his righteousness. It is the manner of Scripture to commit the teaching of that which it desires should be most noticeable and important to the heavens and the earth: for the heavens are seen by all, and their light discovers all things. Here it speaks of the heavens, not the earth, because these are everlasting, but not the earth. Geier and Muis, in Poole's Synopsis.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 6. (last clause). Then slander will not pervert the sentence, undue severity will not embitter it, partiality will not excuse, falsehood will not deceive, justice will surely be done.