No More Learning

THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
PSALM CXXXV.
Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the
Lord; 2 Praise, O ye servants of the Lord that
stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the
house of our God, 3 Praise ye the Lord; for the
Lord is good: sing praises unto His name; for it is
pleasant. 4 For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto
Himself, and Israel as His. 5 For I know that the
Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in
heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep
places. 7 He causeth the vapours to ascend from
the ends of the earth; He maketh lightnings for the
rain; He bringeth the wind out of his store-houses.
8 Who smote the first-born of Egypt, both of man
and beast. 9 Who sent tokens and wonders into
the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon
all his servants. 10 Who smote great nations, and
slew mighty kings; 11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of
Canaan: 12 And gave their land for an heritage,
an heritage unto Israel His people. 13 Thy name,
O Lord, endureth for ever; and Thy memorial, O
Lord, throughout all generations. 14 For the Lord
will judge His people, and He will have compassion on
His servants. 15 The idols of the heathen are silver
and gold, the work of men's hands. 16 They have
mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they
see not; 17 They have ears, but they hear not;
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
cxxxv. rhp
: nim nay bbr\ nim athvi $hn I nnSSn
iwrhx ma ninxna nir v maa tmafotf 2
f v; j-* :-; at; ; ? ; i v\
: d*m *a ibV? <<dt nim nn^n 3
I*t >> :? / ; - at: j? t :ri
*a 5 nn^JD1? ^1^' m iS nna apy*-*a 4
f 1 t *. : ? ? ? t: ? at j -1 t I -;i-t ?
imbxhab wjik) nir v b)iy>2 w
r v: t ? at; iv p ? :-ti
d*&>>3 pxai trwra new him vsn~itrN Sa e
? I Vatt t" jt t t: i j" t V <
D*mia pgn nypa ekveq rb$p 7 :niphn-Sai'
niaanan^8 :vniurtwj mH xxia ntry ntaaS
j": t ? ! << it :1 ? ? - ? ? ? IT r jtt-
D^nsb! i mAxinS&r 9 :nanny dSno Dnxa
. . i j ,-t it "; * tti" *at: ?
D*ia nantr 10 :vnay-^aa} npsa Dnxo *aaina
'? t " |vi itt1: t: ':-: -at: ? -j? ? :
nbxn 'nba 1 nn*DS 11 :dto d^So Km' ran
? v:it |v<< I < ? : r '? t: -t: a* -
jnjl 12 j jyja nia^a ^ jtfan ^ :iy^
Tiatr nim 13 :iay bsr&h n^nS rfrro dtw
>>|; ? t ;i l - j** t; *: t at -;I- jt : -
iay nim rnr>s 14 i-tirfh TM hir v DSiyS
a - jt: I j't 1 - it 1: j\ :: ? t: at ';
njrya ann tpa D*i^n *asy 15 j Drum vnajr^yi
? ? jti: Iv-v ? -i j"-*; itv : ? tt-:
Dh^ nar xSi DnS ns 13 :dik *r
V t . v- ? ? a" -; j; V t* jV Itt j";
tn tjx w DnS 17 nxm kS)
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
CXXXV ne'theris there any breath in their mouths. 18 They
'that make them are like unto them: so is every one
that trusteth in them, ig Bless the Lord, O house
of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron:
20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: ye that fear
the Lord, bless the Lord. 21 Blessed be the Lord
out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise
ye the Lord.
flote on The Psalmist reminds the race of Israel of
CXXXV. their mission. "For the Lord hath chosen Jacob
unto Himself, and Israel as His," to be the first of
all people on earth to receive the knowledge of the
greatest fact in the whole world, the fact that is
the beginning of all goodness and all learning and
all wisdom, the Unity and Universality of God.
"For I myself know," says the Psalmist, " that
God is great, and our Lord above all gods. "
After picturing the power of God over all the
wonders of creation, the Psalmist tells how the
Messenger Race was redeemed from slavery in Egypt,
and led safely to the land that was the ancient
heritage of Israel.
But far greater than the heritage of the land is the
heritage of the Message. "Thy name, O God, for
ever, Thy remembrance unto all generations. For
PSALM CXLV.
Davio's p8alm of praise.
I will extol Thee, my God, O king; and I will
bless Thy name for ever and ever. 2 Every day
will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy name for
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
-ittn bb drvbw wr dpiim 13 . Dn*sa nivtr JP|vYV
? ? * -; i av ? * , j :r v ;i iv ? : - / v UX. AAV.
nirrnx Jina *fen jva 20 . nirrm ins nnx
at: v j :it ? -i j" it: v j :it I -; |-
ltfraintav 'srna 21 :nirvriK <<na frtrfr *nt
I ? ? t: l <t it: v j :it t; r* :?
jpp-^Sn Df? #n* p&
it :1- -t t 1: l/"
God will judge His people, and He will have com- IRote on
passion on his servants. " IjXXXV
The Psalmist perceives that though the power and
stability of the nation of Israel may not endure, the
race of Israel shall yet remain and proclaim its
message to all the inhabitants of the world--that the
One God is the Creator of the Universe, and that all
other gods are lifeless idols--the work of men's
hands, the fiction of men's brains. *
*The six verses describing the senseless idols wrought by
heathens, and exhorting Israel and all those who fear (i. e. revere)
God to worship Him, are strikingly similar to a passage in
Psalm cxv. (page 196), and also recalls Isaiah's scornful picture
of the makers and worshippers of idols, one of the few satirical
passages in the Bible (Isaiah xliv. 9--20). Surrounded as they
were by nations who worshipped idols of wood and stone, we
can easily imagine how often the leaders of Israel felt the need
of reminding their people of the Great Message.
CXLV. ncp
-rnS r&nn
/? t: t ? ;
hvi *w h! ? 1? ^- jijjnuK 2
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
pa. CXLV. ever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord, and greatly
to be? praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall praise Thy works to another,
and shall declare Thy mighty acts. 5 I will speak
of the glorious honour of Thy majesty, and of Thy
wondrous works. 6 And men shall speak of the
might of Thy terrible acts: and I will declare Thy
greatness. 7 They shall abundantly utter the
memory of Thy great goodness, and shall sing of
Thy righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion;
slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9 The Lord is
good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His
works. 10 All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord;
and Thy godly ones shall bless Thee. 11 They shall
speak of the glory of Thy kingdom, and talk of Thy
power; 12 To make known to the sons of men
His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His
kingdom. 13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting king-
dom, and Thy dominion endureth throughout all
generations.
14 The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth
up all those that be bowed down. 15 The eyes of
all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat
in due season. 16 Thou openest Thine hand, and
satisfieth the desire of every living thing. 17 The
Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all
His works. 18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that
call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.
19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him:
He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
npn px irta-uSi ito S'-tidi nirv SnF 3(C)s. cxlv.
:nrro? K vrt^M nyn Trin niaa Yin 5
pan 8 :^-j sjn|Trxi. tyva: 151 7
-ate 9 :-tDn-^Vijn d'bx tin nirv mrrn
l -. -|t t: ? I at: j -j
rfirv wnv 10 :vfewr^a-Sy vsmi SaS nin*
t j I i itt - t-:i-: *- 't:
sinwS& niaa" :naiana^ rim y'mjyhi
if: i ; - j: t | ;it: I v ? ~:\ P*v-:i t
Dnxn *aaS 1 yninS 12 . visit writta rax**
ttiti j? ? : ? -: ^I:lt: *? ?
roa'pa i^a'pa 13 :inia^a rtq Tiaai vrniaj
'piD 14 :*rn Ifo-Saa ^nWasi D^Vy-b
m" tt / t; I : : - ;v a' t | t
Sa ^y 15 :ttttwn-W? npiri D^san-SaS nir
v
1 ? ? iTM ? ? :- t: l|-: t: t:
:inya DSax-na DnS-? nu nnxi nab" tSk
pit 17 :pyi trW? y\sro \"irn^ tf^s 16
ana i8 :v^-Saa Tbm va-n-Saa nirv
-Jt it t: ? t: at t: t; t ;i
mmi vunp* usta SaS vaob-SaS nirv
iv v:iv <<tJ:- -: <: /. t :|i t: t :i
:Dywi yb&i; Dnyie'-riNi new VK"v-iixn 19
i" ? i: ' :? t t;- -. -: >>v->>r jt ? ? : I i:
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
ps. CXLV. 20 The Lord preserveth all them that love Him:
but all the wicked will He destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord:
and let all flesh bless His holy name for ever and
ever.
mote on This is another alphabetical Psalm,* but one letter
pa. CXLV. (j) is left ou(---so the verse following verse 13 may
have been lost, perhaps before the Psalm was ever
written down. It is a Psalm of praise, which brings
home to our minds the beauty and harmony of the
Divine ordering of things, and gives us something oi
the feeling that Pope expressed when he said, " What-
ever is, is right. " We feel this in our souls rather
than think it in our minds, for to the mind of man, as
the Psalmist says in verse 3, "the greatness of God
is unsearchable.
"
The wide and comforting ideas of verses 8 and 9
lead up to two great thoughts in verse 10--that all
the works of God are for ever silently praising Him
"without speech, without language, is their voice
heard" (as David says in another Psalm), and that
all those who are " godly" perceive this and render
thanks to God.
* Like Psalms xxv. , xxxiv. , xxxvii. , cxi. , cxii. , and cxix.
PSALM CXLVI.
Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my
soul. 2 While I live will I praise the Lord: I will
sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of
man, in whom there is no help. 4 His breath goeth
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
r>>o vanfc-Sa-nn nirv itiw 20 ps. cxlv.
j* t :it t i"; at-; 1 t v t j"
1^a-S3 Tun *s-nar nirv rtan 21 :tab*
The completeness of Divine Mercy, Justice and more on
Wisdom seems to enfold our minds as we read this CXL
Psalm.
There is a little touch in verses 18 and i9 of
David's characteristic common sense, which always
seems to fortify his trust in God. "The Lord is
nigh to all them that call unto Him, to all that call
unto Him in truth. " Under stress of feeling or in
error of judgment, we sometimes pray unwisely and
fail to " call upon Him in truth" All unconsciously,
perhaps, our minds are not attuned to the thought
of God when we utter our prayer; and yet God's
saving help will be nigh, but the aspiration of our
prayer may remain unfulfilled.
The last verse seems almost prophetic; for count-
less generations have poured out their sorrows to God
in the words of those sweet singers of old, the Hebrew
Psalmists.
CXLVI.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
pa. CXLVI. forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his
thoughts perish.
5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for
his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and
all that therein is: Which keepeth truth for
ever: 7 Which executeth judgment for the op-
pressed: Which giveth food to the hungry. The
Lord looseth the prisoners: 8 The Lord openeth
the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are
bowed down : the Lord loveth the righteous r 9 The
Lord preserveth the strangers; He relieveth the
fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked He
turneth upside down. 10 The Lord shall reign for
ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations
Praise ye the Lord.
Ittote on When we are unhappy we should turn for
I>s. CXLVI. comfort to God, rather than to any mortal being.
For He has infinite pity for us in all our trials.
"For with Thee is the fountain of life, in Thy light
shall we see light. " *
If we are in misery, or in grief, or in danger,
prayer to God, in Whose hands are life and death,
brings us courage and comfort. And the comfort of
prayer is ten-fold if we have the habit of prayer, if
every day of our lives we bring before ourselves the
thought of the Goodness of God. If we start our
day by calling to mind that Highest ideal of goodness,
all day long we are more quickly conscious when we
* Psalm xxxvi. 9.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
Heta 5 :vniheto nix tfinn ova ina-t^S>><<. cxlvi.
**: ~ i t i : v ': t - '~ at:-:
inby6 :vnSx nin^y Hair hroa aby* Sn^
jV v. t. . - ^-j- v -: t v; /t" V I V t t t
nirv trns nps i rfjn* 8 :dhidk Tno niri*
nil riS n'x thSk DSiyS 1 nirv "nta if
t <: I -i v: t ': t: l<< : ?
depart from it, and let ourselves do what we know mote on
to be wrong. And so prayer both helps us to bear CXLVI.
trouble bravely, and to strive to be good.
God's lovingkindness and wisdom are so great
that we cannot really understand all about them.
But, like the Psalmist in this Psalm, we can try to
think of God's wonderful works, of His perfect justice,
His everlasting mercy, and His infinite wisdom.
And then we feel that something passes into our own
soul which helps us to try to be good and brave and
wise. Whenever we pray to God, we must think far
more of God, and of His goodness, His strength and
His wisdom, than of ourselves; and our very prayer,
by bringing these thoughts into our minds, helps us
to try to be good, and to do right.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
PSALM CXLVII.
Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises
unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is
comely. 2 The Lord doth build up Jerusalem:
He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. 3 He
healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their
wounds. 4 He telleth the number of the stars; He
calleth them all by their names. 5 Great is our
Lord, and of great power: His understanding is
infinite. 6 The Lord lifteth up the meek: He
casteth the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing
praise upon the harp unto our God: 8 Who covereth
the heaven with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the
earth, Who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young
ravens which cry. 10 He delighteth not in the
strength of the horse: He taketh not pleasure in
the legs of a man. 11 The Lord taketh pleasure in
them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God,
O Zion. 13 For He hath strengthened the bars of
thy gates; He hath blessed thy children within
thee. 14 He maketh peace in thy borders, and
filleth thee with the finest of the wheat. 15 He
sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: His
word runneth very swiftly. 16 He giveth snow like
wool: He scattereth the hoar frost like ashes.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
CXLVII. tap
*T t ? t |* a" V; jt ; ~ i t :|~
:d-D1 ^nn nirv DSeto* njrta2 :nVnn
j" jt lt|: ? / ? ? t ? . : a- t 1 - t : -i
nirr tfiajf mtya 6 nana px irfoanS' na-ani
at: ^? t-e* j**r: it ; ? I j" t i :? - a -;
rrrtna Din*S 7 :p^-nu D'sen fvsete
at: t :r iv: | vit ? *-; ? t: j* : -
rnia 9 . ^xn onn rvaxsn ntoo pxS . "pan
|j" J>> t j't T>>; att I Vjtt | j- ? ? -
nS 10 nanp* neto any *jaS nanS nanaS
< (t|; ? jv -; /? ? : ? at ; - *t :?
nxin" :nx-): $03-^ pair didd n^a^a
*natr 12 :v^onS o^nwnw VN*v-nx nirv
j. . _ i :-: /? -:r: l- v at ? ? : v t:
ptn-*a 13 ^nSx ^Sn njrnx
isssafdfj 14 qaipa ^a "pa *nna'
pi* irna nStpn 15 :^a^i D^n aSn Di^
lisa nasfa jnjin i6 n-p^ pn; nina-ns
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
>>8. 17 He casteth forth His ice like morsels: who
r yrr'
"* 'can stand before His cold? 18 He sendeth out
His word, and melteth them: He causeth His wind
to blow, and the waters flow. 19 He sheweth His
word unto Jacob, His statutes and His judgments
unto Israel. 20 He hath not dealt so with any
nation: and as for His judgments, they have not
known them. Praise ye the Lord.
IRote on This Psalm calls on us all to give thanks
JP8j to God for the blessings He has showered on us;
'and to learn by the marvels of Nature around us
how great is the Divine love that orders the world,
with all its wonders and its beauties.
The Psalmist reminds the Israelites that they are
the Messengers of God, to tell and teach His laws
to the whole world. "He sheweth his word unto
Jacob, His statutes and His judgments unto Israel. "
The Israelites are the Messengers, but God's
Message is to every human being. It tells all man-
PSALM CXLVIII.
Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from
the heavens: praise Him in the heights. 2 Praise
ye Him, all His angels: praise ye Him, all His
hosts. 3 Praise ye Him, sun and moon: praise
Him, all ye stars of light. 4 Praise Him, ye
heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above
the heavens. 5 Let them praise the name of
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
irn? ysfr D\nsp in-p 17 H^! "WcxLvh.
-bp inn tsatm nyi nW* w :w
: btrterh van npy^ hn tso 19 j dns
i"t: t t: ? Ijt\ |ar:r: jtt: ~ *it
t; - ,i? t: ? t; I" t jt
it :l-
kind that the Lord taketh pleasure in all who try mote on
their utmost to obey His laws, and who humbly Ps*
hope for His mercy. For He is infinitely merciful, CXLVI1-
and infinitely powerful. The Psalmist expresses and
reiterates the thought in the series of beautiful word-
pictures beginning: "The Lord doth build up Jeru-
salem," and continuing to the end of the 18th verse.
In joy and in sorrow whatever may happen to us,
let us always turn to Him, "Who taketh pleasure in
those that fear Him, in those that hope for His
mercy. "
CXLVIII. iT2p
vtffch Dwn-p nirrnx bbn I vr^hn
- :- <<v t - I ? t :t v j : - t :>>~
itt: t :- att:~ t 0 : 1- i*:
1 **; >> t ;- -a? ? t; vjv ;i
: Dwn Sya I nata D*sm' d<<cbti vrW? n 4
*it t - - ** v ? ~ ~: 'att - j": :l
it: *: jt ? 1 at: j" v ;* ;i
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
is. the Lord: for He commanded, and they were
XLVIII
'created. 6 He hath also stablished them for ever
and ever: He hath made a decree which shall not
pass. 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, ye
dragons, and all deeps. 8 Fire, and hail; snow,
and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling His word:
9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all
cedars: io Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things,
and flying fowl: n Kings of the earth, and all
people; princes, and all judges of the earth: 12
Both young men, and maidens; old men, and
children: 13 Let them praise the name of the
Lord: for His name alone is excellent; His glory
is above the earth and heaven. 14 He also exalteth
the horn of his people, the praise of all His saints;
even of the children of Israel, a people near unto
Him. Praise ye the Lord.
flore on The 148th Psalm is a song of praise, which, like
CXLVIII manY others, has a more beautiful sound in Hebrew
'than even in English.
The writer (like our English poet Coleridge) feels
how " Earth with her thousand voices praises God,"
and pours out a glowing expression of the thought,
which leads him to realize the high privilege of
Israel, the people to whom was given the sacred
task of teaching the world through all time the great
truth that God is the Almighty Creator of all.
Note for Older Children. --The vividness with
which the Psalmist realized this great truth seems in
itself little short of a miracle, if we consider how far
ahead he was of all contemporary ideas about the
origin of all the wonders of nature. The phenomena
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