The
beginning
of each is the same,
"Bless the Lord, O my soul.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Childrens - Psalm-Book
?
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-24 15:06 GMT / http://hdl.
handle.
net/2027/uc1.
$b283842 Public Domain in the United States, Google-digitized / http://www.
hathitrust.
org/access_use#pd-us-google
? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
pour out their feelings to God in songs of prayer, flote on
accompanying themselves with a little harp, which P8. XCVIII.
they carried in one hand, and played with the other.
Long after Bible times there were still such
musical poet-singers ; they were called minstrels; and
it became the custom for every king to have a
minstrel at his court to celebrate the great events of
his reign by singing songs about them. Sir Walter
Scott wrote a poem called the " Lay of the Last
Minstrel" about these old singing poets. When
you read it, think of David, the greatest of all
minstrels, whose Psalms we still sing, and who
played so skilfully on the harp that (as we are told
in the Bible), when King Saul was ill and sad,
David played to him, and King Saul was cured and
cheered by his sweet music.
XCIX. 132
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
pe. XCIX. called upon the Lord and He answered them. 7 He
spake unto them in the pillar of cloud: they kept His
testimonies, and the statute He gave unto them.
8 Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: Thou
wast a forgiving God to them, and an avenging God
on their evil deeds.
9 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at His
holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.
mote on Psalm xcix. is an ode to the might of God, and
IPs. XCIX. in praise of His righteousness and His mercy.
Verse 4 suggests the thought that the possession
of power often tempts mankind to an unjust use of
it. But the Divine King "loveth judgment and
hath established equity" (that is justice and
fairness).
Verse 8. "Thou didst answer them, O Lord our
God! Thou wast a forgiving God to them, and an
avenging God on their evil deeds. "
This verse sums up the Jewish conception of
Divine justice and Divine mercy, and shows us the
Psalmists' meaning when they speak of the anger or
the vengeance of God. It is not a hot impulse of
the moment, nor a wrathful desire for revenge like
human anger, but it is the spirit of Divine Justice
which permeates the world.
God has given man the knowledge to discern
between right and wrong, and power to make the
effort to do right, and to restrain himself from doing
wrong. If he fails to use this power, he sins against
the spirit of Divine Justice. By the great un-
changing laws of God, which govern the world, sin
brings its own punishment, yet--by a merciful
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOtf
-? ro phi vrny w anhx n3T uy niaya 7 ds. xcix.
rrn onoy nnx writa nirv 8 ^
t j. t K j. . jt vt - ** v: jt: it
wrbx nirv north 9 :trfbhrho hasi orb
v: <t: -? i it i--: - :avt
twrbx nirv erip-*a iehp nnS nnriefrn
l" v; /t: |t ? >> :|t j-:
ordinance that is also part of the Divine eternal flore on
laws--true repentance earns the forgiveness of XCIX.
God.
For Older Children. --The Psalmist's thought illus-
trates the practical bent of Jewish philosophy, as
contrasted with the Mystical and Mythological schools
of thought. Belief in the Unity and Universality of
God led naturally to the conception of that one First
Cause ruling over the universe by eternal laws of
infinite wisdom and perfection, and thus making
cause and effect produce a harmonious and inevitable
whole.
The Mythologists imagined the existence of a
group of immortal gods and goddesses, who were
endued with more than human powers, but with all
human moral frailties, and who ruled and made
tools of human kind--a terrible turmoil of auto-
cratic rulers!
The Mystical school borrowed both from the Jews
and from the Mythologists, and evolved a religion
comprising patron saints (who, in the popular mind,
more or less took the place of the tutelary deities of
mythology), and also a superior power intimately
related to the Godhead above, and to the saints,
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
mote on and the ordinary human beings below. ' The Mystical
ps. XCIX school also evolved a system of rewards and punish-
ments for mankind, not as a result of the natural
workings of the eternal Divine laws, but as the
result of the administration of a code of laws
drawn up by priests in whom it pre-supposes a
detailed knowledge of the Divine punishments for
every form and every degree of human fallibility and
sin.
The Reformation swept away the tutelary saints,
but preserved the intermediate deity. Professor
Berner, a Protestant, and a prominent German
jurist, said (in a lecture on the "future of Israel,"
PSALM C.
B ipsalm of praiee.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His
presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the Lord
He is God: He hath made us, and we are His
people, and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into
His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with
praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting;
and His faithfulness endureth to all generations.
1 In olden times there arose a world-wide custom of
dedicating a child at birth to the special service and protection
of some higher power. The Bible tells us how the infant
Samuel was dedicated by his mother to the service of God, and
the many Hebrew names beginning or ending with "el" (the
Hebrew word meaning God) indicate the practice of dedicating
Israelitish children--the descendants of the "Warrior of God"
(Israel)--to the service of God. The Mycologists dedicated
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
delivered before the German Society of Protes- Mote on
tants): "Down to the present time the Jews have XCIX.
been the pioneers of monotheism Judaism
in its religious separateness has done humanity the
greatest service. The religion of the future . . .
from which all dogmatic padding will have been
removed . . . will be refined into pure monotheism
by the renewed intervention of Judaism. "* Is not
this dictum the very echo of the closing prayer of
every service in the Jewish Ritual? "And the Lord
shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall
the Lord be one, and His Name one. "
c. p
: minS Ttotij
at; j : -
nnatra nirv-nx rny 2 :pferrSa nin^ lynn
at ; ? ; jt: v j: * 'v t t t t ;- * j* t
j v: a t : r * \ itt : ? tt; >>
tona rrtn nVnna vrfwn rnina I Hytf
;-:it >> at ? : ? ;t i*--; t: t t:
vn -ft-nyi nDn D^iyS nirv ato-*a <<
t i e: a : - at: t :( j i:
1 t i V.
their children to the special care and service of some one god
or goddess as its tutelary (i. e. protecting) deity, and in later
times the custom of dedication was extended first to the home-
stead and then to the nation as St. George for England,
St. Patrick for Ireland, &c.
* I quote Prof. Berner's words from Karpeles' "Jews and
Judaism in the nineteenth century. "--J. M. C.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
? Mote on This Psalm tells us that to be cheerful and
ps. C contented is one way of thanking and praising God.
Another way of praising God is to make the very
best use we possibly can of all the powers He has
given us. For as the Psalm tells us, "He hath made
us. " He gave us our bodies and our minds and
our souls, and if we try to make the very best use
PSALM CIII.
a (C)salm of Davio.
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is
within me, bless His holy name. 2 Bless the Lord,
O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3 Who
forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy
diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruc-
tion; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and
tender meries; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with
good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the
eagle's. 6 The Lord executeth righteousness and
judgment for all that are oppressed. 7 He made
known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the
children of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and
gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will He keep
His anger for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us
after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our
iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the
earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear
Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so
far hath He removed our transgressions from us.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
we possibly can of these, we are thanking God for mote on
His gifts. IP*- c-
He is always taking care of us, as a king guards
his people and a shepherd his flock; only with
infinitely greater perfection, for God is ever mer-
ciful and His commands are just and true for
ever.
cm. ap
* t:
:tehp w-m nip-Sai nirrnx *etea *ra
I :|t v "t|: t: at: v ? ;-i I>>-:it
it ; t * :: ? ~: at: v ? :-i j'~;it
Swan 4 . *ywf? nn-Sab xshri otfy-W? nSbn 3
j** - ? : it -: i- t; ** t ? a,,-: t: -
nipnx njry e :^nipa "#33 trihnh tj atea
natoS van ynv 1 :rawto-W? D^bstrai nin*
av: t t: - j- I r c: t: ? t: ? at:
HFi- P#J) 8:^
: nits' dSiy1? an* nxaS-N1? 9 jnDn-ani b<<sm
1 ? jt *: :: a't -'vt t vit -* --
nyfcy Saa wnitoj kSi <<S new WNtana-N1? 10
l" t /- t ': at t it ** t j
:VnT-SynDn -laa nxn-Sy dw naa? '3>>
I t ? ? : :- j- t 1 V at t - ? - tt - j ; ?
. ? Tip waj! ? prnn anyaa rnta p'rna 12
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
tie. CHI. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord
pitieth them that fear Him. 14 For He knoweth
our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. 15
As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the
field, so he flourisheth. 16 For the wind passeth
over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall
know it no more. 17 But the mercy of the Lord is
from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear
Him, and His righteousness unto children's children:
18 To such as keep His covenant, and to those
that remember His commandments to do them.
19 The Lord hath prepared His throne in the
heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all. 20
Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength,
that do His word, hearkening unto the voice of
His word. 21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye His
hosts; ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure.
22 Bless ye the Lord, all ye His works in all places
of His dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.
more on The 103rd and 104th Psalms form one great
Ps. Clll. song of praise.
The beginning of each is the same,
"Bless the Lord, O my soul. "
In the 103rd Psalm the poet follows out the
thought which these opening words bring into our
minds about every individual human being. They
make us think of God's tender care of us at every
moment of our lives, and His great lovingkindness
towards us all; how He pities us when we do wrong,
and mercifully forgives us when we are sorry. We
turn naturally to God for help when we are in
distress--but when all is well with us we are too apt
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
-*2 14 :wrvhv nirv Dm Doa-'ry an Dnia 1s p<<. cm.
enjx 15 :>>n>> nsy-*a -tot <<ir yr ton
nn '3 16 p nntrn r*a vo* T*na
- j I i t I-" Vt ~ | ; att -? tiV
nDm 17 :tetad liy isto*-^ tiaw iamav
:Dni^y1? vip's nafo inna nofc6 << :D^a
SHdxk iNDa pan D*a? ra riin* 19
tit t ^ - :- 1 :? l ? ? t-- t:
inan w na na: vasfra 1 riim lana 20
at t; t t: j-;it it: |j: - :?
v^yo-Sa i nih* iana 22 :iai^n w vmtro
:nirv-nn wtoi *ana inStroa niabo-Saa
it: v * :- :it / |: t:
to take it as a matter of course, to " forget all His flote on
benefits," and to be self-satisfied through the Pfi* CIH,
omission of the daily task of self-criticism and the
daily duty of humbly communing with God, in order
to perceive our own shortcomings by the light of His
perfect goodness, the thought of which should be
ever stimulating us to try to do better. God in His
mercy made known His wonderful works and the
eternal laws of Right and Wrong, through Moses,
to the Jews for them to tell and teach to the whole
world. And the Psalmist reminds us not only to tell,
but to do them ourselves in our daily life, and thus
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
on to try to merit the mercy of God, which is ever-
'l1* lasting, "to such as keep His covenant, and to those
who remember His commandments to do them. "
Note for Older Children. --The 17th and 18th verses
are a complete sermon in themselves, and inspired a
famous saying of a later preacher: "God is found by
everyone who seeks Him, if the seeker goes stead-
fastly towards Him, nor ever turns astray. "*
History, which tells both of the doers and of the
violaters of God's commandments, teaches us great
* Maimonides.
PSALM CIV.
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God,
Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honour
and majesty. 2 Who coverest Thyself with light
as with a garment: Who stretchest out the heavens
like a curtain: 3 Who layeth the beams of His
chambers in the waters: Who maketh the clouds
His chariot: Who walketh upon the wings of the
wind: 4 Who maketh His angels spirits; His
ministers a flaming fire: 5 Who laid the founda-
tions of the earth, that it should not be removed for
ever. 6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a
garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At Thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of Thy
thunder they hasted away. 8 They go up by the
mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the
place which Thou hast founded for them. 9 Thou
hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that
they turn not again to cover the earth. 10 He
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
moral lessons by the light of the eternal laws of mote on
Right and Wrong, and helps to build up the CM-
principles and characters of successive generations
of men and women. As we read verses 14 to 17 we
realize that, as each generation passes away, the
place thereof shall know it in future ages only by what
of good and helpful work it may have left us as a
heritage, and an example to posterity. This thought
is perhaps the greatest of all incentives to us all, to
strive to remember God's commandments to do them.
CIV. Tp
-tkd rhu *rhx nirv nirrnx to *tbl
>s: t : j-t - v;t jt: /t: v ? :~ /*~:it
nato nafe nix ntiy 2 :n#aS mm -tin
/v at: - ^ V ft t ; | tt jtt: I
jt- /t ? ~: ? vjt :i~ |t ? : - ? - t
miaa-W px-ro 5 :t3riS efc vmtfa ninn
av : - I vvi -|t I" j? ? t-:it: a
-bv in*Da t^ia'pa Dinn 6 nyi oSiy aian-Sa
- a ? ? J ' - ; i IVt /t' ? -
1 nr Dip&-Sx ntypa m onn 8 'msrv
na^-Sa rnajr-Sa natr-^aa 9 :dhS mb*
I ? : ~ i a - t : -1 i: I v t t :--r
pa ohms Dwa nWcn 10 :pxn niDaS
I /? ? ft* t; - ? t; -1 I vitt . * ~:
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
. CIV. sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run
among the hills, n They give drink to every beast
of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. 12
By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their
habitation, which sing among the branches. 13 He
watereth the hills from His chambers; the earth is
satisfied with the fruit of Thy works. 14 He causeth
the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the
service of man: that he may bring forth food out of
the earth; 15 And wine that maketh glad the heart
of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread
which strengtheneth man's heart. 16 The trees of
the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon,
which He hath planted; 17 Where the birds make
their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her
house. 18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild
goats; and the rocks for the conies. 19 He
appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth
his going down. 20 Thou makest darkness, and it
is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep
forth. 21 The young lions roar after their prey, and
seek their meat from God. 22 The sun ariseth,
they gather themselves together, and lay them down
in their dens. 23 Man goeth forth unto his work
and to his labour until the evening. 24 O Lord,
how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast Thou
made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches. 25
So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things
creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom
Thou hast made to play therein. 27 These wait all
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
d*n1s nap>> irvn-Sa n :nafov Dnn >>s. civ.
t: :: ? att j ;- t | :-t I i ? ? ~: *t
d^ns'y paa na^ own-spy DrvSy 12
I v-:i- ? : ? at -tv |jv: - (i:
a^yj nana! ? 1 Txn rpa? a 14 :pxo
1 p 15 :pKn-tt? dpi1? wfirb cnxn mayS
-aiS dpi^i pBfe ws S'pKrk ewaaS natr
-(: v v: I vat ? ->-t :~: v: -c:
pan1? *rjg np? tyat^ w :-;yp: tfijx
o^ha nTDn wap* mot otf-nete 17 . y^
/<<: t ? a*? (-: j*t: ? ti v ~: itt
hdpid D'ySb D^y'S D^na-in Dnn i8 :niva
iv; ~ ? t: a* **:~ ? ;--1 j* t it
: ixiaa vt tfa# DnyioS m* new 19 :D*fis^S
i :*-*t v v ? -: 1: - **ti jt t *" : ~
nynrvn-^a bbnriia rbh *m "ntfn-neto 20
It ;- t ;? i t ;at ? j* I v t v it
:oSaK Vnd eteJa cintsS d*jk? on^san 21
it : t j" ? ? It"-: I vat- j--: i ? ? : ->
-na 24 :any-ny imaySi iWsS din nx* 23
it v|t j ti-:i~: at:|t: tt j--?
n^Sa nw naana D^a rnn* 1 Ttbya 1 iin
; it t a* t jt : t: t t: | v :i_ -
-w D*T ami 9i-ta D'n 1 nr 25 ? pxn
it ? -tt a-: t jt- %v I|vt:|- I vtt
de> 26 :niSn-roy niaap ni'n nsoa ron jran
ti i: ~|: /- at: ? M? ? : w>
D^a 27 na-pnfrS jvup 1 nt na^rp ntox
t-ti I I v l- j t -. i--r |v Itt:- I a ? ? -: j-t:
l6l M
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
t>s. CIV. upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat
in due season. 28 That Thou givest them they
gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are filled
with good. 29 Thou hidest Thy face, they are
troubled: Thou takest away their breath, they die,
and return to their dust. 30 Thou sendest forth
Thy spirit, they are created: and Thou renewest the
face of the earth. 31 The glory of the Lord shall
endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in His works.
32 He looked on the earth, and it trembleth: He
toucheth the hills, and they smoke. 33 I will sing
unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to
my God while I have my being. 34 My meditation
of Him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth,
and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord,
O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.
Hote on In the 103rd Psalm, as we have seen, the
VS. CIV. wordS, <<Biess the LordS O my soul," lead the
Psalmist to the thought of the relation of the
Creator to mankind.
In the 104th Psalm the same words inspire the
Psalmist with the thought of the Creator in relation
to the whole world and its wonders.
The author of this Psalm must have travelled and
seen many countries. He must have crossed the sea
and seen whales, and the dolphins rolling about, and
turning over and over in the water, looking just as
if they were having a romp. He must have seen
burning mountains with smoke pouring out from
their summits, like Vesuvius and Etna, and he must
162
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
Tp^s TriDr, 29 * nitp pyapj ^4 nnsn ppffy
:jot; d^--^x) Dmn t)pn
intsnx ns fcnnrvi nana* sinn n^n 3o
it t-: j": --: I a "it ? l-: i j--:
:vewM nirv DSiyS nin* ntaa w 31
it -;i-: jt: i-; ? at *: jt: j; <? :
:tttfjn Dnna w isnni rW? t^a&n 32
itV;iV; * t iV I-' at ; ? - Vttt
:niya *riW? maw* Mna nirv1? rm^ 33
I*': j- i" it: --: at-: jt i- tj- t
w 35 :nirra nopx *rvfe> yhs 34
? it i- :v t a* ? jt t iV
have watched the course of rivers, from their begin- tflote on
nings amongst the hills, flowing down the valleys, P8, "IV*
"making grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for
the service of man," and making other good and
beautiful things to grow besides.
He observed how the trees are a natural home
for the birds, and the hillsides for goats and deer,
and how the wild animals all come out at night and
wander about seeking their food from God,--and
finding it. And then, when the sun rises, how they
creep back to the forests and the caves, and man
comes out to work in the sunlight. And when the
sun goes down man goes home to rest.
As these pictures of the harmony of the ordering
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
on of nature throughout the world, and in the life of
man and of all living creatures flash on his " inward
eye,"* the Psalmist feels overwhelmed with the sense
of the wonderful work of the Creator, of His Infinite
power, His Infinite wisdom, and the perfection of His
lovingkindness to all that He has created. Thank-
fulness to God takes possession of his soul, and he
pours out a song of praise and thanks.
Note for Older Children. --This beautiful Psalm
has been described by a great literary critic as, of all
poems, the one that "most truly fulfils the conditions
of real poetry, high thoughts in magnificent periods. "
Its vivid word-pictures bring forcibly before us both
the harmony and the economic marvels of creation--
the perfection of the great laws of nature by which
all creatures are fed and multiply, and all flowers and
fruit, and seed thrive and increase by the combina-
tion of the forces of nature and the toil of man.
? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
pour out their feelings to God in songs of prayer, flote on
accompanying themselves with a little harp, which P8. XCVIII.
they carried in one hand, and played with the other.
Long after Bible times there were still such
musical poet-singers ; they were called minstrels; and
it became the custom for every king to have a
minstrel at his court to celebrate the great events of
his reign by singing songs about them. Sir Walter
Scott wrote a poem called the " Lay of the Last
Minstrel" about these old singing poets. When
you read it, think of David, the greatest of all
minstrels, whose Psalms we still sing, and who
played so skilfully on the harp that (as we are told
in the Bible), when King Saul was ill and sad,
David played to him, and King Saul was cured and
cheered by his sweet music.
XCIX. 132
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
pe. XCIX. called upon the Lord and He answered them. 7 He
spake unto them in the pillar of cloud: they kept His
testimonies, and the statute He gave unto them.
8 Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: Thou
wast a forgiving God to them, and an avenging God
on their evil deeds.
9 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at His
holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.
mote on Psalm xcix. is an ode to the might of God, and
IPs. XCIX. in praise of His righteousness and His mercy.
Verse 4 suggests the thought that the possession
of power often tempts mankind to an unjust use of
it. But the Divine King "loveth judgment and
hath established equity" (that is justice and
fairness).
Verse 8. "Thou didst answer them, O Lord our
God! Thou wast a forgiving God to them, and an
avenging God on their evil deeds. "
This verse sums up the Jewish conception of
Divine justice and Divine mercy, and shows us the
Psalmists' meaning when they speak of the anger or
the vengeance of God. It is not a hot impulse of
the moment, nor a wrathful desire for revenge like
human anger, but it is the spirit of Divine Justice
which permeates the world.
God has given man the knowledge to discern
between right and wrong, and power to make the
effort to do right, and to restrain himself from doing
wrong. If he fails to use this power, he sins against
the spirit of Divine Justice. By the great un-
changing laws of God, which govern the world, sin
brings its own punishment, yet--by a merciful
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOtf
-? ro phi vrny w anhx n3T uy niaya 7 ds. xcix.
rrn onoy nnx writa nirv 8 ^
t j. t K j. . jt vt - ** v: jt: it
wrbx nirv north 9 :trfbhrho hasi orb
v: <t: -? i it i--: - :avt
twrbx nirv erip-*a iehp nnS nnriefrn
l" v; /t: |t ? >> :|t j-:
ordinance that is also part of the Divine eternal flore on
laws--true repentance earns the forgiveness of XCIX.
God.
For Older Children. --The Psalmist's thought illus-
trates the practical bent of Jewish philosophy, as
contrasted with the Mystical and Mythological schools
of thought. Belief in the Unity and Universality of
God led naturally to the conception of that one First
Cause ruling over the universe by eternal laws of
infinite wisdom and perfection, and thus making
cause and effect produce a harmonious and inevitable
whole.
The Mythologists imagined the existence of a
group of immortal gods and goddesses, who were
endued with more than human powers, but with all
human moral frailties, and who ruled and made
tools of human kind--a terrible turmoil of auto-
cratic rulers!
The Mystical school borrowed both from the Jews
and from the Mythologists, and evolved a religion
comprising patron saints (who, in the popular mind,
more or less took the place of the tutelary deities of
mythology), and also a superior power intimately
related to the Godhead above, and to the saints,
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
mote on and the ordinary human beings below. ' The Mystical
ps. XCIX school also evolved a system of rewards and punish-
ments for mankind, not as a result of the natural
workings of the eternal Divine laws, but as the
result of the administration of a code of laws
drawn up by priests in whom it pre-supposes a
detailed knowledge of the Divine punishments for
every form and every degree of human fallibility and
sin.
The Reformation swept away the tutelary saints,
but preserved the intermediate deity. Professor
Berner, a Protestant, and a prominent German
jurist, said (in a lecture on the "future of Israel,"
PSALM C.
B ipsalm of praiee.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His
presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the Lord
He is God: He hath made us, and we are His
people, and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into
His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with
praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting;
and His faithfulness endureth to all generations.
1 In olden times there arose a world-wide custom of
dedicating a child at birth to the special service and protection
of some higher power. The Bible tells us how the infant
Samuel was dedicated by his mother to the service of God, and
the many Hebrew names beginning or ending with "el" (the
Hebrew word meaning God) indicate the practice of dedicating
Israelitish children--the descendants of the "Warrior of God"
(Israel)--to the service of God. The Mycologists dedicated
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
delivered before the German Society of Protes- Mote on
tants): "Down to the present time the Jews have XCIX.
been the pioneers of monotheism Judaism
in its religious separateness has done humanity the
greatest service. The religion of the future . . .
from which all dogmatic padding will have been
removed . . . will be refined into pure monotheism
by the renewed intervention of Judaism. "* Is not
this dictum the very echo of the closing prayer of
every service in the Jewish Ritual? "And the Lord
shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall
the Lord be one, and His Name one. "
c. p
: minS Ttotij
at; j : -
nnatra nirv-nx rny 2 :pferrSa nin^ lynn
at ; ? ; jt: v j: * 'v t t t t ;- * j* t
j v: a t : r * \ itt : ? tt; >>
tona rrtn nVnna vrfwn rnina I Hytf
;-:it >> at ? : ? ;t i*--; t: t t:
vn -ft-nyi nDn D^iyS nirv ato-*a <<
t i e: a : - at: t :( j i:
1 t i V.
their children to the special care and service of some one god
or goddess as its tutelary (i. e. protecting) deity, and in later
times the custom of dedication was extended first to the home-
stead and then to the nation as St. George for England,
St. Patrick for Ireland, &c.
* I quote Prof. Berner's words from Karpeles' "Jews and
Judaism in the nineteenth century. "--J. M. C.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
? Mote on This Psalm tells us that to be cheerful and
ps. C contented is one way of thanking and praising God.
Another way of praising God is to make the very
best use we possibly can of all the powers He has
given us. For as the Psalm tells us, "He hath made
us. " He gave us our bodies and our minds and
our souls, and if we try to make the very best use
PSALM CIII.
a (C)salm of Davio.
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is
within me, bless His holy name. 2 Bless the Lord,
O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3 Who
forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy
diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruc-
tion; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and
tender meries; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with
good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the
eagle's. 6 The Lord executeth righteousness and
judgment for all that are oppressed. 7 He made
known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the
children of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and
gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will He keep
His anger for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us
after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our
iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the
earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear
Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so
far hath He removed our transgressions from us.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
we possibly can of these, we are thanking God for mote on
His gifts. IP*- c-
He is always taking care of us, as a king guards
his people and a shepherd his flock; only with
infinitely greater perfection, for God is ever mer-
ciful and His commands are just and true for
ever.
cm. ap
* t:
:tehp w-m nip-Sai nirrnx *etea *ra
I :|t v "t|: t: at: v ? ;-i I>>-:it
it ; t * :: ? ~: at: v ? :-i j'~;it
Swan 4 . *ywf? nn-Sab xshri otfy-W? nSbn 3
j** - ? : it -: i- t; ** t ? a,,-: t: -
nipnx njry e :^nipa "#33 trihnh tj atea
natoS van ynv 1 :rawto-W? D^bstrai nin*
av: t t: - j- I r c: t: ? t: ? at:
HFi- P#J) 8:^
: nits' dSiy1? an* nxaS-N1? 9 jnDn-ani b<<sm
1 ? jt *: :: a't -'vt t vit -* --
nyfcy Saa wnitoj kSi <<S new WNtana-N1? 10
l" t /- t ': at t it ** t j
:VnT-SynDn -laa nxn-Sy dw naa? '3>>
I t ? ? : :- j- t 1 V at t - ? - tt - j ; ?
. ? Tip waj! ? prnn anyaa rnta p'rna 12
155
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
tie. CHI. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord
pitieth them that fear Him. 14 For He knoweth
our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. 15
As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the
field, so he flourisheth. 16 For the wind passeth
over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall
know it no more. 17 But the mercy of the Lord is
from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear
Him, and His righteousness unto children's children:
18 To such as keep His covenant, and to those
that remember His commandments to do them.
19 The Lord hath prepared His throne in the
heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all. 20
Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength,
that do His word, hearkening unto the voice of
His word. 21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye His
hosts; ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure.
22 Bless ye the Lord, all ye His works in all places
of His dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.
more on The 103rd and 104th Psalms form one great
Ps. Clll. song of praise.
The beginning of each is the same,
"Bless the Lord, O my soul. "
In the 103rd Psalm the poet follows out the
thought which these opening words bring into our
minds about every individual human being. They
make us think of God's tender care of us at every
moment of our lives, and His great lovingkindness
towards us all; how He pities us when we do wrong,
and mercifully forgives us when we are sorry. We
turn naturally to God for help when we are in
distress--but when all is well with us we are too apt
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
-*2 14 :wrvhv nirv Dm Doa-'ry an Dnia 1s p<<. cm.
enjx 15 :>>n>> nsy-*a -tot <<ir yr ton
nn '3 16 p nntrn r*a vo* T*na
- j I i t I-" Vt ~ | ; att -? tiV
nDm 17 :tetad liy isto*-^ tiaw iamav
:Dni^y1? vip's nafo inna nofc6 << :D^a
SHdxk iNDa pan D*a? ra riin* 19
tit t ^ - :- 1 :? l ? ? t-- t:
inan w na na: vasfra 1 riim lana 20
at t; t t: j-;it it: |j: - :?
v^yo-Sa i nih* iana 22 :iai^n w vmtro
:nirv-nn wtoi *ana inStroa niabo-Saa
it: v * :- :it / |: t:
to take it as a matter of course, to " forget all His flote on
benefits," and to be self-satisfied through the Pfi* CIH,
omission of the daily task of self-criticism and the
daily duty of humbly communing with God, in order
to perceive our own shortcomings by the light of His
perfect goodness, the thought of which should be
ever stimulating us to try to do better. God in His
mercy made known His wonderful works and the
eternal laws of Right and Wrong, through Moses,
to the Jews for them to tell and teach to the whole
world. And the Psalmist reminds us not only to tell,
but to do them ourselves in our daily life, and thus
157
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
on to try to merit the mercy of God, which is ever-
'l1* lasting, "to such as keep His covenant, and to those
who remember His commandments to do them. "
Note for Older Children. --The 17th and 18th verses
are a complete sermon in themselves, and inspired a
famous saying of a later preacher: "God is found by
everyone who seeks Him, if the seeker goes stead-
fastly towards Him, nor ever turns astray. "*
History, which tells both of the doers and of the
violaters of God's commandments, teaches us great
* Maimonides.
PSALM CIV.
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God,
Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honour
and majesty. 2 Who coverest Thyself with light
as with a garment: Who stretchest out the heavens
like a curtain: 3 Who layeth the beams of His
chambers in the waters: Who maketh the clouds
His chariot: Who walketh upon the wings of the
wind: 4 Who maketh His angels spirits; His
ministers a flaming fire: 5 Who laid the founda-
tions of the earth, that it should not be removed for
ever. 6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a
garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At Thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of Thy
thunder they hasted away. 8 They go up by the
mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the
place which Thou hast founded for them. 9 Thou
hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that
they turn not again to cover the earth. 10 He
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
moral lessons by the light of the eternal laws of mote on
Right and Wrong, and helps to build up the CM-
principles and characters of successive generations
of men and women. As we read verses 14 to 17 we
realize that, as each generation passes away, the
place thereof shall know it in future ages only by what
of good and helpful work it may have left us as a
heritage, and an example to posterity. This thought
is perhaps the greatest of all incentives to us all, to
strive to remember God's commandments to do them.
CIV. Tp
-tkd rhu *rhx nirv nirrnx to *tbl
>s: t : j-t - v;t jt: /t: v ? :~ /*~:it
nato nafe nix ntiy 2 :n#aS mm -tin
/v at: - ^ V ft t ; | tt jtt: I
jt- /t ? ~: ? vjt :i~ |t ? : - ? - t
miaa-W px-ro 5 :t3riS efc vmtfa ninn
av : - I vvi -|t I" j? ? t-:it: a
-bv in*Da t^ia'pa Dinn 6 nyi oSiy aian-Sa
- a ? ? J ' - ; i IVt /t' ? -
1 nr Dip&-Sx ntypa m onn 8 'msrv
na^-Sa rnajr-Sa natr-^aa 9 :dhS mb*
I ? : ~ i a - t : -1 i: I v t t :--r
pa ohms Dwa nWcn 10 :pxn niDaS
I /? ? ft* t; - ? t; -1 I vitt . * ~:
159
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
. CIV. sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run
among the hills, n They give drink to every beast
of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. 12
By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their
habitation, which sing among the branches. 13 He
watereth the hills from His chambers; the earth is
satisfied with the fruit of Thy works. 14 He causeth
the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the
service of man: that he may bring forth food out of
the earth; 15 And wine that maketh glad the heart
of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread
which strengtheneth man's heart. 16 The trees of
the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon,
which He hath planted; 17 Where the birds make
their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her
house. 18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild
goats; and the rocks for the conies. 19 He
appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth
his going down. 20 Thou makest darkness, and it
is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep
forth. 21 The young lions roar after their prey, and
seek their meat from God. 22 The sun ariseth,
they gather themselves together, and lay them down
in their dens. 23 Man goeth forth unto his work
and to his labour until the evening. 24 O Lord,
how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast Thou
made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches. 25
So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things
creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom
Thou hast made to play therein. 27 These wait all
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
d*n1s nap>> irvn-Sa n :nafov Dnn >>s. civ.
t: :: ? att j ;- t | :-t I i ? ? ~: *t
d^ns'y paa na^ own-spy DrvSy 12
I v-:i- ? : ? at -tv |jv: - (i:
a^yj nana! ? 1 Txn rpa? a 14 :pxo
1 p 15 :pKn-tt? dpi1? wfirb cnxn mayS
-aiS dpi^i pBfe ws S'pKrk ewaaS natr
-(: v v: I vat ? ->-t :~: v: -c:
pan1? *rjg np? tyat^ w :-;yp: tfijx
o^ha nTDn wap* mot otf-nete 17 . y^
/<<: t ? a*? (-: j*t: ? ti v ~: itt
hdpid D'ySb D^y'S D^na-in Dnn i8 :niva
iv; ~ ? t: a* **:~ ? ;--1 j* t it
: ixiaa vt tfa# DnyioS m* new 19 :D*fis^S
i :*-*t v v ? -: 1: - **ti jt t *" : ~
nynrvn-^a bbnriia rbh *m "ntfn-neto 20
It ;- t ;? i t ;at ? j* I v t v it
:oSaK Vnd eteJa cintsS d*jk? on^san 21
it : t j" ? ? It"-: I vat- j--: i ? ? : ->
-na 24 :any-ny imaySi iWsS din nx* 23
it v|t j ti-:i~: at:|t: tt j--?
n^Sa nw naana D^a rnn* 1 Ttbya 1 iin
; it t a* t jt : t: t t: | v :i_ -
-w D*T ami 9i-ta D'n 1 nr 25 ? pxn
it ? -tt a-: t jt- %v I|vt:|- I vtt
de> 26 :niSn-roy niaap ni'n nsoa ron jran
ti i: ~|: /- at: ? M? ? : w>
D^a 27 na-pnfrS jvup 1 nt na^rp ntox
t-ti I I v l- j t -. i--r |v Itt:- I a ? ? -: j-t:
l6l M
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
t>s. CIV. upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat
in due season. 28 That Thou givest them they
gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are filled
with good. 29 Thou hidest Thy face, they are
troubled: Thou takest away their breath, they die,
and return to their dust. 30 Thou sendest forth
Thy spirit, they are created: and Thou renewest the
face of the earth. 31 The glory of the Lord shall
endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in His works.
32 He looked on the earth, and it trembleth: He
toucheth the hills, and they smoke. 33 I will sing
unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to
my God while I have my being. 34 My meditation
of Him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth,
and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord,
O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.
Hote on In the 103rd Psalm, as we have seen, the
VS. CIV. wordS, <<Biess the LordS O my soul," lead the
Psalmist to the thought of the relation of the
Creator to mankind.
In the 104th Psalm the same words inspire the
Psalmist with the thought of the Creator in relation
to the whole world and its wonders.
The author of this Psalm must have travelled and
seen many countries. He must have crossed the sea
and seen whales, and the dolphins rolling about, and
turning over and over in the water, looking just as
if they were having a romp. He must have seen
burning mountains with smoke pouring out from
their summits, like Vesuvius and Etna, and he must
162
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
Tp^s TriDr, 29 * nitp pyapj ^4 nnsn ppffy
:jot; d^--^x) Dmn t)pn
intsnx ns fcnnrvi nana* sinn n^n 3o
it t-: j": --: I a "it ? l-: i j--:
:vewM nirv DSiyS nin* ntaa w 31
it -;i-: jt: i-; ? at *: jt: j; <? :
:tttfjn Dnna w isnni rW? t^a&n 32
itV;iV; * t iV I-' at ; ? - Vttt
:niya *riW? maw* Mna nirv1? rm^ 33
I*': j- i" it: --: at-: jt i- tj- t
w 35 :nirra nopx *rvfe> yhs 34
? it i- :v t a* ? jt t iV
have watched the course of rivers, from their begin- tflote on
nings amongst the hills, flowing down the valleys, P8, "IV*
"making grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for
the service of man," and making other good and
beautiful things to grow besides.
He observed how the trees are a natural home
for the birds, and the hillsides for goats and deer,
and how the wild animals all come out at night and
wander about seeking their food from God,--and
finding it. And then, when the sun rises, how they
creep back to the forests and the caves, and man
comes out to work in the sunlight. And when the
sun goes down man goes home to rest.
As these pictures of the harmony of the ordering
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
on of nature throughout the world, and in the life of
man and of all living creatures flash on his " inward
eye,"* the Psalmist feels overwhelmed with the sense
of the wonderful work of the Creator, of His Infinite
power, His Infinite wisdom, and the perfection of His
lovingkindness to all that He has created. Thank-
fulness to God takes possession of his soul, and he
pours out a song of praise and thanks.
Note for Older Children. --This beautiful Psalm
has been described by a great literary critic as, of all
poems, the one that "most truly fulfils the conditions
of real poetry, high thoughts in magnificent periods. "
Its vivid word-pictures bring forcibly before us both
the harmony and the economic marvels of creation--
the perfection of the great laws of nature by which
all creatures are fed and multiply, and all flowers and
fruit, and seed thrive and increase by the combina-
tion of the forces of nature and the toil of man.
