8 The voice of the
Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh
the wilderness of Kadesh.
Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh
the wilderness of Kadesh.
Childrens - Psalm-Book
pUj.
our trust in Him, and feel we never shall be afraid
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
It was the custom in King David's time, and it ? fio^2. n
still is the custom to anoint every monarch with oil TM*
at his coronation, as a sort of visible token of the
prayer that God's blessing might be poured on the
King like the oil that was being poured on him in
the coronation ceremony. All of us are monarchs
of our own conduct; and if we rule that with the
thought of God and goodness ever in our minds,
we, too, have His blessing poured on us, and are
"His anointed. "
*Wt ipm ni& l i\x <<:n;n *Di3 *#xn \b#n
of anything; because God is always taking care of tiote on
us and will always help us. p8, XX111
19
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
on For Older Children. --The series of simple
word-pictures in this idyllic Psalm convey the poet's
thoughts to our minds with a quite indescribable
charm and vividness. It appeals to all, young and old
alike, by reason of the simplicity of its imagery and
the force and fervour of the pervading idea--trust in
the goodness of God--ever the key-note of David's
religion and of all his Psalms.
The fourth verse helps us to try to be brave and
PSALM XXIV.
a ipsalm of Davio.
The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof;
the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For He
hath founded it upon the seas, and established it
upon the floods. 3 Who shall ascend into the hill
of the Lord? or who shall stand in His holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who
hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn
deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the
Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salva-
tion. 6 This is the generation of them that seek
Him, that seek Thy face, O Jacob. Selah. 7 Lift
up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye
doors of the universe; and the King of glory shall
come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord
strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and lift ye the doors
of the universe; and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
patient when trouble comes to us, and not to let our Wore on
minds dwell on the thought of how unlucky we are, (R)s' XXIII
or how miserable we feel. Our trouble gives us pain
like a rod beating us, but our trust in the mercy and
lovingkindness of God is like a staff supporting us
under our load of trouble; and when we have to
bear that load, we learn to know the comfort of the
Staff that supports us and gives us strength.
XXIV. 73
j ; ? ? t:
nirra 2 . m *atsh San nxiSoi pnn nirvS
v 1 t iv; i * t; -; att; j- - -
D^sa *pa 4 :iehp ripoa MpHw nirv-ins
? -- f /". i :l t I': ? I t at : j-:
wi~ : ? i: a* ;- :-t - j t t i <v -: 't ? ? v-
*riSSa n1rnri rrtn* nxo nana nb" 5 . noiaS
v: | t t; at; j" ? ? t t ;l jt * iT ;-:
: hSd xj*is *e^ao FT] 1n nt e j
niin DSiv 'nns %tjMm Da^'an i tnoej )w 7
t; at ^ :? :it ? ;i v it *t: *:
nia;n nro nirv niain nno>> j niasn "nSa
a ? ; t i: i 't~ |VVV V i t~ I
: i v it *t; <: it t : * '* t i:
ho ht kvi "b 1o niaan irSa xim D^iy ^nns
jhSd niaan ho nixax nirv niain
t i V j t ~ IV IV < a t: jt; >> t
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
IRote on Musing on the marvellous works of God, David
ps. XXIV. asks himself what sort of man can make his life
acceptable to his Creator.
In twenty wonderful words he completely answers
his own question. "He that hath clean hands"
(who never lets his hands do what he knows is wrong),
"and a pure heart" (who desires to be just and kind
and generous); "who hath not lifted up his soul unto
vanity" (who does whatever he undertakes not
merely in order to bring himself glory, but to try to
serve his fellow-creatures), "nor sworn deceitfully"
PSALM XXV.
a psalm of David.
Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 2 O my
God, I trust in Thee: let me not be ashamed, let not
mine enemies triumph over me. 3 Yea, let none
that wait on Thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed
which transgress without cause. 4 Shew me Thy
ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths. 5 Lead me in
Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of
my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O Lord, Thy tender mercies and Thy
lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my trans-
gressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou
me for Thy goodness' sake, O Lord. 8 Good and
upright is the Lord: therefore will He teach sinners
in the way. g The meek will He guide in judgment:
and the meek will He teach His way. 10 All the
paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
(who always speaks the truth). Such, David adds, mote on
is the generation of seekers after God, "of the seekers XXIV
of Thy face" (i. e. Thy favour). And he calls the
children of Israel (Jacob) to witness--for to them the
knowledge of the Law of Goodness had been given
to make it known to all mankind. In a glowing
image he exhorts his own generation to seek the
Lord--to lift the iron gates and open the heavy
doors of sloth and selfishness, that the glory of the
Lord may enter into the soul of man.
qswtpz Dnly yxt 9 j^rra D'N^n nnv ja
xxv. n3
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
fl>8. XXV. keep His covenant and His testimonies, 1 1 For
Thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity;
for it is great. 12 What man is he that feareth the
Lord? him shall He teach in the way that He shall
choose. 13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his
seed shall inherit the earth. 14 The secret of the
Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will
shew them His covenant. 15 Mine eyes are ever
toward the Lord; for He shall pluck my feet out
of the net. 16 Turn Thee unto me, and have
mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring
Thou me out of my distresses. 18 Look upon mine
affliction and my pain; and' forgive all my sins.
19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and
they hate me with cruel hatred. 20 O keep my
soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed: for
I put my trust in Thee. 21 Let integrity and
uprightness preserve me; for I wait on Thee.
22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
motes on This Psalm, like many others, shows how David's
ps. XXV. perfect trust in God's goodness gave him courage
under all his trials. He prays to be led to try to
do right: "Lead me in Thy truth and teach me,"
and then he feels confident that God in His In-
finite mercy will forgive him for whatever he does
wrong. Feeling how blind we poor mortals are,
and how little we know compared with God, he
invokes the Infinite power and wisdom of God,
and trusting in His Infinite lovingkindness, he says,
24
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
nrrSm nirv w-\vzh" :vrnyi innn t>e. xxv.
t ; -i t: at: j| ; ? l i: it f: *: ;? ? : i:
rrirv nn* k"kpi pit % 12 min-ai *a 'jiy1?
at . j": ? tl 4V I - j- ? -;i-
eni! iyill rj? ri n*iCDa i^313 nnn^ ^a
jDyninS inna$ vk^S nirv niD w :pn
it ? 1; ? : At ? ? i- t ;i j I vit
nana tfirr3 rvirr^N Tan w 15
V jV" P < ? at: V t -- **l
*jbi Trv-? 3 oam ^N-nas 16 j^ji
? it j-t: h'i i* wt: /- ? ? ? ? ; it : -
-nxi 13 pa^in 'nipwaa win *xb rinx n
": *i * ' 1 - | i : ? a* :? j? t: jt
! Qr*a ^a*t nxn 19 pnitterr^a^ n&i ^ayi <<jy
at * /--: 1 : it -- t: t; a* t:t;
"ibm *^s3 matr 20 j^ur Dan nwfcn
? a" ? -: ? :"t jt: t * 1 **; jt t C- ; ? *
a; ? V / t I IIt ? /? t I* -
It 1 t * a** t; ? v /* v;; IT* 'I*
"the meek will He guide in judgment, and the meek 'Wore on
will He teach His way. " *>8- XXV-
Verses 16, 17, 18, and 19 describe the troubles
that assail us all. The enemies of which David
speaks are, as often as not, within ourselves--our
own sins and foibles. These are our worst
enemies.
"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear
Him. " To have the thought of trying to obey God's
laws ever in one's mind, to hold fast to it at all
25
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
on times, in trouble and in joy--that is the secret of the
Lord, and whoever has it understands God's
covenant with mankind.
So David prays with perfect faith; "O bring
Thou me out of my distresses," and not only for
himself but for all his kindred and his people;
"Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. "
David's own self seems to be brought very near
us. We feel as if we know him, and can almost
PSALM XXIX.
a psalm of Davio.
Give unto the Lord, O ye sons of the mighty, give
unto the Lord glory and strength. 2 Give unto
the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship
the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the
God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many
waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the
voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 5 The voice
of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord
breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He maketh
them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion
like a young buffalo. 7 The voice of the Lord
divideth the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the
Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh
the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
hear his voice. He speaks to us, not like a poet-king mote on
who lived thousands of years ago in a far-off land, P8* XXV.
but like a familiar friend who comforts us when we
are unhappy by telling us of the difficulties and
troubles he has gone through. We see that his
difficulties were just the same as ours are, and that
the perfect trust in the goodness of God that helped
him and gave him courage, will help and support
us too.
XXIX. E3
: ijn tqS nin*1? ! Qn nhx rfovh ton
-mna riirv1? mmr\ sotf nina rfsrth inn 2
D'mn nmn-Sx D^rrSy' rrirv Sip 3 *tf-fp
Sip naa nirp-Sip 4 . ^an D^a-Sy. riirr
"Qeh DniN naer nirv Sip 5 . vna nirp
Sjy-iaa diwi e . ppSn mx-nx riin*
ain ninrSij? 7 . d^ntj3 iaa jiVei fajS
nirv S^rv nan;! : Sw nin* Sip 8 ? m nian1;
t)^rm niS>>x SSin? 1 riin; Sin 9 . ^. p
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
t>s. XXIX. maketh the hinds to calve, and layeth bare the
forests: and in His temple doth all speak of His
glory. 10 The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood;
yea, the Lord sitteth as King for ever, n The
Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord
will bless His people with peace.
mote on This Psalm describes how a great storm shows
ps. XXIX- the power of God. But we do not fear the storm
for we feel that we, like the storm, are the work of
God, and that He is taking care of us at all times,
in calm and in storm; so the very storm itself gives
us a sense of peace and safety.
Note for Older Children. --Psalm xxix. consists of
three parts. The first, an invocation to mankind to
realize the power and grandeur of the Almighty. The
second, a vivid description of a storm as an illustra-
tion of the power of God. The last, beginning in the
middle of the gth verse, gives a yet greater sense of
the power of God by its sudden change from telling
of the storm raging over sea and land, to telling of
PSALM XXXII.
a (C)ealm of (C)avio.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto
whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose
spirit there is no guile. 3 When I kept silent, my
28
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
btefth nirv 10 :itaa fri faroi rrt >>>>'XXIX
iay^ ft riin:" * thy1? njp* 30. ag?
: eiWn iajrnx to* 1 ^ IB!
God the Ruler of the storm, glorified in His Temple, tflote on
(i. e. in Heaven,) protecting the dwellers on earth, XXK
the Prince of Peace.
The three thoughts presented to our minds by
the glowing imagery of these three pictures,
culminating in the thought of Divine Peace, are
a typical example of the genius of ancient Hebrew
poetry.
The word "Give" in the first and second verses
of this Psalm does not mean "give" in the
literal sense, but rather "ascribe" or "understand
and acknowledge that "--. The Hebrew word t>1p
(the same root and the same word as the English
"call"), means "voice," and, associated with the
name of God, means " thunder. "
xxxii.
-tin*?
: n'on inna pxi ftp h nirv nerrK1?
it-: j : If*: I>st j jt: ;- i
i- t *t-:i~: at t-: j t ? : v: v\ j.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
H>8. XXXII. bones waxed old through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me:
my moisture is turned into the drought of summer.
Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and
mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess
my transgressions unto the Lord; and Thou for-
gavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto
Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found: surely
in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh
unto Him. 7 Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt
preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me
about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way
which thou shalt go: I will counsel thee with mine
eye upon thee. 9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the
mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth
must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come
near unto thee.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he
that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him
about. 11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye
righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright
in heart.
IHote on Over and over again in the Psalms David owns
ps. XXXII. that he has done wrong and prays humbly for
forgiveness, with perfect trust that if he is truly
sorry and determined to turn from evil and do right,
God will forgive him.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
^vh ^sru tit tyo nann rbh) rf I *a
I nriMi nin^ Ws hv rrhu *m&n
t - tiV j' t - I I-; t t
D':n D:p t)ige^ pi n%6 nvb yh$ I Tpn
DiSnS iny jDnv-jnaa P? 0 P# ^1 wt? ;?
D*iTTO nim ^naEr 1 1 :aasto* iDn nirva
Al ? ? - *;i jt (? <: ? iv: 1: v v at i-
j nS-n^-Sa winni
When David knew he had done wrong, he was mote on
miserable as long as he kept silent. In this Psalm P8- XXXII.
he expresses the misery of his mind by describing
the misery of his body. His bones ached, he groaned
with pain, his skin was parched with fever.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
mote on Then he confessed his sins to God, "and Thou
IPs. XXXII. forgavest the iniquity of my sin. " He knew that
humble and whole-hearted acknowledgment of sin
to God is the essence of repentance, and the begin-
ning of amendment. This story of his own experience
forms the first part of the Psalm.
In the second part, beginning verse 6, David calls
on all who are godly (i. e. all who desire to be good)
to learn by his lesson to confess their sins to God
"in the time when Thou mayest be found. " That
means whilst the sin of their wrong-doing is clear
in their minds; for repetition of evil deeds is apt to
make people blind to their own wickedness, and
then God cannot be found, because the blindness of
the sinner to his own guilt prevents him from
making that humble and whole-hearted confession
of his sin that carries him far towards Divine forgive-
ness and help.
When this awful moral blindness overwhelms us
we cannot find, because we cannot seek God's help.
Also,--"in the floods of the great waters"--(i. e. when
we are well nigh overwhelmed with some great
catastrophe suddenly happening to us) we often
cannot all at once find comfort in perfect trust in
God, unless in the calm time of our ordinary life we
have tried to think daily of God and His Goodness,
and have made constant effort to order our conduct
by the light of that lofty ideal. That is the thought
suggested and implied by the second half of verse 6.
The history of the world furnishes many examples
of men who have succumbed to the great moral
danger of becoming accustomed to allowing them-
selves to sin. Thus King Henry VIII. ascended the
throne full of high resolves to set an example of
virtue. By degrees he grew deaf to the voice of
conscience when he was tempted to do evil, and
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
became a prey to ungovernable passions. Robes- mote on
pierre, who began life with a great sense of the XXXII.
awful responsibility of shedding human blood,
gradually became the most reckless and callous of
murderers.
David well understood this danger, and all through
his life strove earnestly against it. After he became
a great and powerful king, when Nathan the prophet
rebuked him for a sin he had committed, he com-
posed one of the most beautiful of all his Psalms,
the fifty-first, imploring God's pardon, and the help
of His holy spirit, the spirit of goodness.
The seventh verse ends this part of Psalm xxxii. with
the courage-giving thought that whatever happens,
God's succour is with them that trust in Him.
In the third part of the Psalm the poet (like Dante
and Milton in later ages) imagines that God Him-
self is speaking, and guiding the human mind to
perceive and to pursue the path of goodness. For
the Divine gift to man of the power of understanding
Right and Wrong and of controlling his actions by
that power is well-nigh lost if man needs to be
driven along the right path by outward force like a
horse or a mule.
The fourth and final part (verses 10 and n) is the
climax of the whole poem,--a picture of the perfect
happiness of the soul of all who try their best to do
right.
Psalm xxxii. is a fine example of the construction
of a Hebrew poem. Each verse is divided into two
parts, one of which illustrates or amplifies the other,
and each part of the Psalm has its own thread of
thought, but the whole leads up to and culminates
in the one great comprehensive moral reflection of
the closing verses.
33
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
PSALM XXXIII.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise
is comely for the upright. 2 Praise the Lord with
harp: sing unto Him with the psaltery and an
instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing unto Him a new
song; play skilfully with a loud noise. 4 For the
word of the Lord is right; and all His works are
done in truth. 5 He loveth righteousness and
judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the
Lord. 6 By the word of the Lord were the
heavens made; and all the host of them by the
breath of His mouth. 7 He gathereth the waters
of the sea together as an heap: He layeth up the
depth in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the
Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in
awe of Him. 9 For He spake, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast. 10 The Lord
bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought:
He maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever; the
thoughts of His heart to all generations. 12 Blessed
is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the
people whom He hath chosen for His own inheri-
tance. 13 The Lord looketh from heaven; He
beholdeth all the sons of men. 14 From the place
of His habitation He looketh upon all the inhabi-
tants of the earth. 15 He fashioneth their hearts
alike; He considereth all their works. 16 There is
no king saved by the multitude of an host: a
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
XXXIII.
i nSnn nijo on&'b nin*a dws
It ? : rrjt 't ;- at l~ | ?
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
It was the custom in King David's time, and it ? fio^2. n
still is the custom to anoint every monarch with oil TM*
at his coronation, as a sort of visible token of the
prayer that God's blessing might be poured on the
King like the oil that was being poured on him in
the coronation ceremony. All of us are monarchs
of our own conduct; and if we rule that with the
thought of God and goodness ever in our minds,
we, too, have His blessing poured on us, and are
"His anointed. "
*Wt ipm ni& l i\x <<:n;n *Di3 *#xn \b#n
of anything; because God is always taking care of tiote on
us and will always help us. p8, XX111
19
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
on For Older Children. --The series of simple
word-pictures in this idyllic Psalm convey the poet's
thoughts to our minds with a quite indescribable
charm and vividness. It appeals to all, young and old
alike, by reason of the simplicity of its imagery and
the force and fervour of the pervading idea--trust in
the goodness of God--ever the key-note of David's
religion and of all his Psalms.
The fourth verse helps us to try to be brave and
PSALM XXIV.
a ipsalm of Davio.
The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof;
the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For He
hath founded it upon the seas, and established it
upon the floods. 3 Who shall ascend into the hill
of the Lord? or who shall stand in His holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who
hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn
deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the
Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salva-
tion. 6 This is the generation of them that seek
Him, that seek Thy face, O Jacob. Selah. 7 Lift
up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye
doors of the universe; and the King of glory shall
come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord
strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and lift ye the doors
of the universe; and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah.
20
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
patient when trouble comes to us, and not to let our Wore on
minds dwell on the thought of how unlucky we are, (R)s' XXIII
or how miserable we feel. Our trouble gives us pain
like a rod beating us, but our trust in the mercy and
lovingkindness of God is like a staff supporting us
under our load of trouble; and when we have to
bear that load, we learn to know the comfort of the
Staff that supports us and gives us strength.
XXIV. 73
j ; ? ? t:
nirra 2 . m *atsh San nxiSoi pnn nirvS
v 1 t iv; i * t; -; att; j- - -
D^sa *pa 4 :iehp ripoa MpHw nirv-ins
? -- f /". i :l t I': ? I t at : j-:
wi~ : ? i: a* ;- :-t - j t t i <v -: 't ? ? v-
*riSSa n1rnri rrtn* nxo nana nb" 5 . noiaS
v: | t t; at; j" ? ? t t ;l jt * iT ;-:
: hSd xj*is *e^ao FT] 1n nt e j
niin DSiv 'nns %tjMm Da^'an i tnoej )w 7
t; at ^ :? :it ? ;i v it *t: *:
nia;n nro nirv niain nno>> j niasn "nSa
a ? ; t i: i 't~ |VVV V i t~ I
: i v it *t; <: it t : * '* t i:
ho ht kvi "b 1o niaan irSa xim D^iy ^nns
jhSd niaan ho nixax nirv niain
t i V j t ~ IV IV < a t: jt; >> t
21
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
IRote on Musing on the marvellous works of God, David
ps. XXIV. asks himself what sort of man can make his life
acceptable to his Creator.
In twenty wonderful words he completely answers
his own question. "He that hath clean hands"
(who never lets his hands do what he knows is wrong),
"and a pure heart" (who desires to be just and kind
and generous); "who hath not lifted up his soul unto
vanity" (who does whatever he undertakes not
merely in order to bring himself glory, but to try to
serve his fellow-creatures), "nor sworn deceitfully"
PSALM XXV.
a psalm of David.
Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 2 O my
God, I trust in Thee: let me not be ashamed, let not
mine enemies triumph over me. 3 Yea, let none
that wait on Thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed
which transgress without cause. 4 Shew me Thy
ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths. 5 Lead me in
Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of
my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O Lord, Thy tender mercies and Thy
lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my trans-
gressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou
me for Thy goodness' sake, O Lord. 8 Good and
upright is the Lord: therefore will He teach sinners
in the way. g The meek will He guide in judgment:
and the meek will He teach His way. 10 All the
paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as
22
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
(who always speaks the truth). Such, David adds, mote on
is the generation of seekers after God, "of the seekers XXIV
of Thy face" (i. e. Thy favour). And he calls the
children of Israel (Jacob) to witness--for to them the
knowledge of the Law of Goodness had been given
to make it known to all mankind. In a glowing
image he exhorts his own generation to seek the
Lord--to lift the iron gates and open the heavy
doors of sloth and selfishness, that the glory of the
Lord may enter into the soul of man.
qswtpz Dnly yxt 9 j^rra D'N^n nnv ja
xxv. n3
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
fl>8. XXV. keep His covenant and His testimonies, 1 1 For
Thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity;
for it is great. 12 What man is he that feareth the
Lord? him shall He teach in the way that He shall
choose. 13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his
seed shall inherit the earth. 14 The secret of the
Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will
shew them His covenant. 15 Mine eyes are ever
toward the Lord; for He shall pluck my feet out
of the net. 16 Turn Thee unto me, and have
mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring
Thou me out of my distresses. 18 Look upon mine
affliction and my pain; and' forgive all my sins.
19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and
they hate me with cruel hatred. 20 O keep my
soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed: for
I put my trust in Thee. 21 Let integrity and
uprightness preserve me; for I wait on Thee.
22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
motes on This Psalm, like many others, shows how David's
ps. XXV. perfect trust in God's goodness gave him courage
under all his trials. He prays to be led to try to
do right: "Lead me in Thy truth and teach me,"
and then he feels confident that God in His In-
finite mercy will forgive him for whatever he does
wrong. Feeling how blind we poor mortals are,
and how little we know compared with God, he
invokes the Infinite power and wisdom of God,
and trusting in His Infinite lovingkindness, he says,
24
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
nrrSm nirv w-\vzh" :vrnyi innn t>e. xxv.
t ; -i t: at: j| ; ? l i: it f: *: ;? ? : i:
rrirv nn* k"kpi pit % 12 min-ai *a 'jiy1?
at . j": ? tl 4V I - j- ? -;i-
eni! iyill rj? ri n*iCDa i^313 nnn^ ^a
jDyninS inna$ vk^S nirv niD w :pn
it ? 1; ? : At ? ? i- t ;i j I vit
nana tfirr3 rvirr^N Tan w 15
V jV" P < ? at: V t -- **l
*jbi Trv-? 3 oam ^N-nas 16 j^ji
? it j-t: h'i i* wt: /- ? ? ? ? ; it : -
-nxi 13 pa^in 'nipwaa win *xb rinx n
": *i * ' 1 - | i : ? a* :? j? t: jt
! Qr*a ^a*t nxn 19 pnitterr^a^ n&i ^ayi <<jy
at * /--: 1 : it -- t: t; a* t:t;
"ibm *^s3 matr 20 j^ur Dan nwfcn
? a" ? -: ? :"t jt: t * 1 **; jt t C- ; ? *
a; ? V / t I IIt ? /? t I* -
It 1 t * a** t; ? v /* v;; IT* 'I*
"the meek will He guide in judgment, and the meek 'Wore on
will He teach His way. " *>8- XXV-
Verses 16, 17, 18, and 19 describe the troubles
that assail us all. The enemies of which David
speaks are, as often as not, within ourselves--our
own sins and foibles. These are our worst
enemies.
"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear
Him. " To have the thought of trying to obey God's
laws ever in one's mind, to hold fast to it at all
25
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
on times, in trouble and in joy--that is the secret of the
Lord, and whoever has it understands God's
covenant with mankind.
So David prays with perfect faith; "O bring
Thou me out of my distresses," and not only for
himself but for all his kindred and his people;
"Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. "
David's own self seems to be brought very near
us. We feel as if we know him, and can almost
PSALM XXIX.
a psalm of Davio.
Give unto the Lord, O ye sons of the mighty, give
unto the Lord glory and strength. 2 Give unto
the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship
the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the
God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many
waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the
voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 5 The voice
of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord
breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He maketh
them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion
like a young buffalo. 7 The voice of the Lord
divideth the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the
Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh
the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
hear his voice. He speaks to us, not like a poet-king mote on
who lived thousands of years ago in a far-off land, P8* XXV.
but like a familiar friend who comforts us when we
are unhappy by telling us of the difficulties and
troubles he has gone through. We see that his
difficulties were just the same as ours are, and that
the perfect trust in the goodness of God that helped
him and gave him courage, will help and support
us too.
XXIX. E3
: ijn tqS nin*1? ! Qn nhx rfovh ton
-mna riirv1? mmr\ sotf nina rfsrth inn 2
D'mn nmn-Sx D^rrSy' rrirv Sip 3 *tf-fp
Sip naa nirp-Sip 4 . ^an D^a-Sy. riirr
"Qeh DniN naer nirv Sip 5 . vna nirp
Sjy-iaa diwi e . ppSn mx-nx riin*
ain ninrSij? 7 . d^ntj3 iaa jiVei fajS
nirv S^rv nan;! : Sw nin* Sip 8 ? m nian1;
t)^rm niS>>x SSin? 1 riin; Sin 9 . ^. p
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
t>s. XXIX. maketh the hinds to calve, and layeth bare the
forests: and in His temple doth all speak of His
glory. 10 The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood;
yea, the Lord sitteth as King for ever, n The
Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord
will bless His people with peace.
mote on This Psalm describes how a great storm shows
ps. XXIX- the power of God. But we do not fear the storm
for we feel that we, like the storm, are the work of
God, and that He is taking care of us at all times,
in calm and in storm; so the very storm itself gives
us a sense of peace and safety.
Note for Older Children. --Psalm xxix. consists of
three parts. The first, an invocation to mankind to
realize the power and grandeur of the Almighty. The
second, a vivid description of a storm as an illustra-
tion of the power of God. The last, beginning in the
middle of the gth verse, gives a yet greater sense of
the power of God by its sudden change from telling
of the storm raging over sea and land, to telling of
PSALM XXXII.
a (C)ealm of (C)avio.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto
whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose
spirit there is no guile. 3 When I kept silent, my
28
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
btefth nirv 10 :itaa fri faroi rrt >>>>'XXIX
iay^ ft riin:" * thy1? njp* 30. ag?
: eiWn iajrnx to* 1 ^ IB!
God the Ruler of the storm, glorified in His Temple, tflote on
(i. e. in Heaven,) protecting the dwellers on earth, XXK
the Prince of Peace.
The three thoughts presented to our minds by
the glowing imagery of these three pictures,
culminating in the thought of Divine Peace, are
a typical example of the genius of ancient Hebrew
poetry.
The word "Give" in the first and second verses
of this Psalm does not mean "give" in the
literal sense, but rather "ascribe" or "understand
and acknowledge that "--. The Hebrew word t>1p
(the same root and the same word as the English
"call"), means "voice," and, associated with the
name of God, means " thunder. "
xxxii.
-tin*?
: n'on inna pxi ftp h nirv nerrK1?
it-: j : If*: I>st j jt: ;- i
i- t *t-:i~: at t-: j t ? : v: v\ j.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
H>8. XXXII. bones waxed old through my groaning all the day long.
4 For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me:
my moisture is turned into the drought of summer.
Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and
mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess
my transgressions unto the Lord; and Thou for-
gavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto
Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found: surely
in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh
unto Him. 7 Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt
preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me
about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way
which thou shalt go: I will counsel thee with mine
eye upon thee. 9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the
mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth
must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come
near unto thee.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he
that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him
about. 11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye
righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright
in heart.
IHote on Over and over again in the Psalms David owns
ps. XXXII. that he has done wrong and prays humbly for
forgiveness, with perfect trust that if he is truly
sorry and determined to turn from evil and do right,
God will forgive him.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
^vh ^sru tit tyo nann rbh) rf I *a
I nriMi nin^ Ws hv rrhu *m&n
t - tiV j' t - I I-; t t
D':n D:p t)ige^ pi n%6 nvb yh$ I Tpn
DiSnS iny jDnv-jnaa P? 0 P# ^1 wt? ;?
D*iTTO nim ^naEr 1 1 :aasto* iDn nirva
Al ? ? - *;i jt (? <: ? iv: 1: v v at i-
j nS-n^-Sa winni
When David knew he had done wrong, he was mote on
miserable as long as he kept silent. In this Psalm P8- XXXII.
he expresses the misery of his mind by describing
the misery of his body. His bones ached, he groaned
with pain, his skin was parched with fever.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
mote on Then he confessed his sins to God, "and Thou
IPs. XXXII. forgavest the iniquity of my sin. " He knew that
humble and whole-hearted acknowledgment of sin
to God is the essence of repentance, and the begin-
ning of amendment. This story of his own experience
forms the first part of the Psalm.
In the second part, beginning verse 6, David calls
on all who are godly (i. e. all who desire to be good)
to learn by his lesson to confess their sins to God
"in the time when Thou mayest be found. " That
means whilst the sin of their wrong-doing is clear
in their minds; for repetition of evil deeds is apt to
make people blind to their own wickedness, and
then God cannot be found, because the blindness of
the sinner to his own guilt prevents him from
making that humble and whole-hearted confession
of his sin that carries him far towards Divine forgive-
ness and help.
When this awful moral blindness overwhelms us
we cannot find, because we cannot seek God's help.
Also,--"in the floods of the great waters"--(i. e. when
we are well nigh overwhelmed with some great
catastrophe suddenly happening to us) we often
cannot all at once find comfort in perfect trust in
God, unless in the calm time of our ordinary life we
have tried to think daily of God and His Goodness,
and have made constant effort to order our conduct
by the light of that lofty ideal. That is the thought
suggested and implied by the second half of verse 6.
The history of the world furnishes many examples
of men who have succumbed to the great moral
danger of becoming accustomed to allowing them-
selves to sin. Thus King Henry VIII. ascended the
throne full of high resolves to set an example of
virtue. By degrees he grew deaf to the voice of
conscience when he was tempted to do evil, and
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
became a prey to ungovernable passions. Robes- mote on
pierre, who began life with a great sense of the XXXII.
awful responsibility of shedding human blood,
gradually became the most reckless and callous of
murderers.
David well understood this danger, and all through
his life strove earnestly against it. After he became
a great and powerful king, when Nathan the prophet
rebuked him for a sin he had committed, he com-
posed one of the most beautiful of all his Psalms,
the fifty-first, imploring God's pardon, and the help
of His holy spirit, the spirit of goodness.
The seventh verse ends this part of Psalm xxxii. with
the courage-giving thought that whatever happens,
God's succour is with them that trust in Him.
In the third part of the Psalm the poet (like Dante
and Milton in later ages) imagines that God Him-
self is speaking, and guiding the human mind to
perceive and to pursue the path of goodness. For
the Divine gift to man of the power of understanding
Right and Wrong and of controlling his actions by
that power is well-nigh lost if man needs to be
driven along the right path by outward force like a
horse or a mule.
The fourth and final part (verses 10 and n) is the
climax of the whole poem,--a picture of the perfect
happiness of the soul of all who try their best to do
right.
Psalm xxxii. is a fine example of the construction
of a Hebrew poem. Each verse is divided into two
parts, one of which illustrates or amplifies the other,
and each part of the Psalm has its own thread of
thought, but the whole leads up to and culminates
in the one great comprehensive moral reflection of
the closing verses.
33
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
PSALM XXXIII.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise
is comely for the upright. 2 Praise the Lord with
harp: sing unto Him with the psaltery and an
instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing unto Him a new
song; play skilfully with a loud noise. 4 For the
word of the Lord is right; and all His works are
done in truth. 5 He loveth righteousness and
judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the
Lord. 6 By the word of the Lord were the
heavens made; and all the host of them by the
breath of His mouth. 7 He gathereth the waters
of the sea together as an heap: He layeth up the
depth in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the
Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in
awe of Him. 9 For He spake, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast. 10 The Lord
bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought:
He maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever; the
thoughts of His heart to all generations. 12 Blessed
is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the
people whom He hath chosen for His own inheri-
tance. 13 The Lord looketh from heaven; He
beholdeth all the sons of men. 14 From the place
of His habitation He looketh upon all the inhabi-
tants of the earth. 15 He fashioneth their hearts
alike; He considereth all their works. 16 There is
no king saved by the multitude of an host: a
34
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
XXXIII.
i nSnn nijo on&'b nin*a dws
It ? : rrjt 't ;- at l~ | ?
