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NOTES ON PSALM XCIII.

Verse 1. The psalmist ascribes the stability of the world to the power of God.

Verses 3 and 4. Sentiment: God is superior to all the commotions of nature.

Verse 5. Sentiment: God's law is immutable and his worship holy.

General remark. There is a peculiarity in the poetical structure of this psalm, which consists in the repetition of the same words enhanced by some additional thought.

QUESTIONS ON PSALM XCIII.

1. What is the subject of this psalm? 2. Will you please to repeat the psalm? 3. What do you say of the first verse?

4. What is the sentiment of the third and fourth verses? 5. What is the sentiment of the fifth verse?

6. What is the general remark on the psalm?

PSALM XCV.

An exhortation to praise and obedience.

1. O come, let us sing unto the LORD:

Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 2. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, And make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

3. For the LORD is a great God,

And a great king above all gods.

4. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: The strength of the hills is his also.

5. The sea is his, and he made it :

And his hands formed the dry land.

6. O come, let us worship and bow down :
Let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
7. For he is our God;

And we are the people of his pasture,
And the sheep of his hand.

To-day if ye will hear his voice,

8. "Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, And as in the day of temptation in the wilderness : 9. When your fathers tempted me,

Proved me, and saw my work.

10. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said,

It is a people that do err in their heart,

And they have not known my ways:

11. Unto whom I sware in my wrath,

That they should not enter into

my

NOTES ON PSALM XCV.

Verse 1. Rock here means fortress.

rest."

Verses 4 and 5. These verses contain a beautiful description of God's power.

Verse 7. The sheep of his hand, i. e. the sheep that his hand leads.

Verse 8, &c. In the four last verses God speaks and warns the Israelites against following the wicked example of their ancestors in the wilderness. (Comp. Ex. 17 : 1-7. Num. 14: 22, 23. 20: 1—13.)

QUESTIONS ON PSALM XCV.

1. What is the title of this psalm?

2. Will you please to repeat the psalm?

3. What is meant by rock, in the first verse?

4. What do you say of the fourth and fifth verses?

5. What is meant by the phrase the sheep of his hand, in the seventh verse?

6. What do you say of the four last verses?

PSALM XCVI.

An exhortation to praise God.

1. O sing unto the LORD a new song:
Sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
2. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name;

Shew forth his salvation from day to day.
3. Declare his glory among the heathen,
His wonders among all people.

4. For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.

5. For all the gods of the nations are idols: But the LORD made the heavens.

6. Honor and majesty are before him :

Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7. Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, Give unto the LORD glory and strength.

8. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name : Bring an offering, and come into his courts.

9. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: Fear before him, all the earth.

10. Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: The world also shall be established that it shall not be moved :

He shall judge the people righteously.

11. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad ; Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

12. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein :

Then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice

13. Before the LORD: for he cometh,

For he cometh to judge the earth :

He shall judge the world with righteousness,
And the people with his truth,

NOTES ON PSALM XCVI.

Verse 1. A new song, i. e. a song in higher strains.
Verses 10 and 13. The people, i. e. the nations.

Verses 11 and 12. By a most beautiful figure, inanimate nature is called upon to praise God.

Verse 13. The psalmist anticipates the obedience of the gentiles to the true religion.-To judge means here to rule.

QUESTIONS ON PSALM XCVI.

1. What is the title of this psalm?

2. Will you please to repeat the psalm?

3. What is meant by a new song, in the first verse ? 4. What is meant by the people, in the tenth and thirteenth verses?

5. What do you say of the eleventh and twelfth verses? 6. What do you say of the thirteenth verse?

7. What is meant by judging, in the same verse?

PSALM XCVIII.

An exhortation to praise God.

1. O sing unto the LORD a new song,

For he hath done marvellous things:

His right-hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

2. The LORD hath made known his salvation :

His righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

3. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel:

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our
God.

4. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth :

Make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

5. Sing unto the LORD with the harp;
With the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
6. With trumpets and sound of cornet,

Make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
7. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof;
The world, and they that dwell therein.
8. Let the floods clap their hands:

Let the hills be joyful together

9. Before the LORD;

For he cometh to judge the earth :

With righteousness shall he judge the world,

And the people with equity.

NOTES ON PSALM XCVIII.

Verse 1. Right-hand and arm are here used metaphorically to denote strength.—The psalmist appears to celebrate some national deliverance.

Verses 7 and 8. Inanimate nature is called upon to praise God.

Verse 9. To judge, i. e. to rule.

QUESTIONS ON PSALM XCVIII.

1. What is the title of this psalm?

2. Will you please to repeat the psalm ?

3. What is meant by right-hand and arm, in the first verse? 4. What does the psalmist probably allude to, in the same

verse?

5. What do you say of the seventh and eighth verses? 6. What is meant by judging, in the ninth verse?

PSALM C.

An exhortation to praise God.

1. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2. Serve the LORD with gladness:

Come before his presence with singing.

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