In twenty wonderful words he
completely
answers
his own question.
his own question.
Childrens - Psalm-Book
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-24 15:05 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
on simple. " Those who obey God's laws, though they
may be neither clever nor learned, have a sure guide
which is denied to those who rely only on their own
wisdom. "The statutes of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart. " To keep the statutes of the
Lord, such as the commandments to rest ourselves
and to let others rest on the Sabbath Day, not to
covet our neighbours' goods, not to steal, not to say
nasty things of other people,--these help every one
of us to real happiness, and also help us to make the
lives of others happy. "The commandment of the
Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. " The com-
mandments of God make us see clearly the laws of
Right and Wrong that are true for all people and for
all time. "The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring
for ever. " Fear is generally a thing to be ashamed
of and to shake off as quickly as possible, but the fear
of God is mingled with love and trust, and is a pure
and right feeling. It should be always with us to
warn us to resist if we feel tempted to do something
we know to be wrong. The fear of the Lord is not
such fear as is felt by a coward, who is ever seeking
ease and safety for himself; but it is the conscious-
ness of a humble-minded human being that his own
strength and his own wisdom are not enough to
make him strong and wise, unless he also obeys the
laws that God in His Infinite wisdom has made for
the conduct of our life. "The judgments of the
Lord are true, and righteous altogether. " Whatever
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
sorrow, or pain, or disappointment we may have to mote on
bear, we should know it is the will of God, and try X1X-
to bear it bravely, in the spirit of one of the Psalms,
which says, " I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments
are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted
me. " We know that God has sent us our trials,
and that He in His Infinite mercy will give us
strength to bear them. As another Psalm says,
"Be of good courage, and He will strengthen your
heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. "
The tenth verse--extolling the judgments of God
in simple but forcible imagery--ends the second part
of the Psalm.
The third and last part expresses the crowning
thought of the whole Psalm, the contrast between the
Infinite wisdom of God and the limited wisdom of man.
Here David tells us his own feelings, and shows his
own fine character. He was hasty, but always ready
to acknowledge his own sins, and humbly to pray for
God's forgiveness when he knew he had done wrong.
He says he will obey God's laws even when he does
not understand them, in order to have the great
reward of being saved from wrong-doing. "Who
can understand his own errors? " he cries, and then he
humbly prays to God to keep him from sinning,
either wilfully or through ignorance. He ends with
the prayer that his words and his thoughts may be
pleasing to God.
15
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
PSALM XX.
XTo tbe Cbief musician, a ipsalm of David.
The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the
name of the God of Jacob defend thee; 2 Send
thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee
out of Zion; 3 Remember all thy offerings, and
accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. 4 Grant thee
according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy
counsel. 5 We will rejoice in Thy salvation, and in
the name of our God we will set up our banners : the
Lord fulfil all thy petitions. 6 Now know I that
the Lord saveth His anointed; He will hear him
from His holy heaven with the saving strength of
His right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots, and some
in horses: but we will remember the name of the
Lord our God. 8 They are brought down and
fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. 9 Save,
Lord: let the King hear us when we call.
Wore on Trust in God whatever happens. That thought
IPs. XX. was always uppermost in David's mind. In joy
and sorrow alike, it shines out in all his Psalms.
It comforted him in all his troubles, and made him
never lose courage. At a moment of great misery
and danger, he said, " Ye that fear the Lord praise
Him, for He hath not despised nor abhorred the
affliction of the afflicted, neither hath He hid His
face from him, but when he crieth out to Him He
heareth. " And so in this Psalm, David prays foi
16
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
XX. 3
:frb -tota nhtb
r t: ': ? :i-
: apy* *nSx 1 Dtr ? rnntr* nnx ova nin* smp
||-:|- j" v: <<>> I :v -: att . ? : t ;i
'jjTOy-^. i. \33S3 frlOi*4 ^t. ? n3^: Jplfety
1 jrtvin *a ^nyn; nny 6 *spp^ij#J^ PW
'Vi*>> ni^ata ienp wo tfiU! in$b rfin*
I ? : -j? ? :? a :|t j? ? : ? ? --:p ' ? : t:
Prtrp-Defr 1 ttH3x1 D'DWa PlWfl 3313 pfot 7
it: I-: :--:|- >>? - rra
uap owri 1W1 ipa nan 8 'tatj wthx
:usnp-DVa was* 'nSan nynrtn nirv 9 imtonai
God's blessing on his people, and he reminds them mote on
to set up their banners in the name of God, and to IP3, XX.
fight all life's battles bravely, ever trusting in God.
David described those who set up their banners in
the name of God as "His anointed. " This ex-
pression is a bit of poetic imagery;' that is of in-
direct description by means of a comparison which
brings the poet's thought very clearly to our minds.
In the land of Palestine, where King David lived,
i See Psalm cxxxiii.
17
C
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
mote on that way of speaking by imagery is still used just as
ps. XX. it was in his timB) not only m p0etry, but in ordinary
conversation. In England we use it in poetry, but
not in conversation. 1
1 Thus Tennyson, in describing a beautiful damsel, says:
". . . A brow
May blossom and a cheek of apple blossom. "
And Shakespere, describing daybreak, says:
"Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain-tops. "
PSALM XXIII.
B ffisalm of Davio.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth
my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteous-
ness for His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I. walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear
no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy
staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table
before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou
anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the
days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the
Lord for ever.
mote on As we read this Psalm about God's care of us, we
IPs. XXIII. pUj. our trust in Him, and feel we never shall be afraid
18
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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
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
27
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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.
29
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
on simple. " Those who obey God's laws, though they
may be neither clever nor learned, have a sure guide
which is denied to those who rely only on their own
wisdom. "The statutes of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart. " To keep the statutes of the
Lord, such as the commandments to rest ourselves
and to let others rest on the Sabbath Day, not to
covet our neighbours' goods, not to steal, not to say
nasty things of other people,--these help every one
of us to real happiness, and also help us to make the
lives of others happy. "The commandment of the
Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. " The com-
mandments of God make us see clearly the laws of
Right and Wrong that are true for all people and for
all time. "The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring
for ever. " Fear is generally a thing to be ashamed
of and to shake off as quickly as possible, but the fear
of God is mingled with love and trust, and is a pure
and right feeling. It should be always with us to
warn us to resist if we feel tempted to do something
we know to be wrong. The fear of the Lord is not
such fear as is felt by a coward, who is ever seeking
ease and safety for himself; but it is the conscious-
ness of a humble-minded human being that his own
strength and his own wisdom are not enough to
make him strong and wise, unless he also obeys the
laws that God in His Infinite wisdom has made for
the conduct of our life. "The judgments of the
Lord are true, and righteous altogether. " Whatever
'4
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
sorrow, or pain, or disappointment we may have to mote on
bear, we should know it is the will of God, and try X1X-
to bear it bravely, in the spirit of one of the Psalms,
which says, " I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments
are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted
me. " We know that God has sent us our trials,
and that He in His Infinite mercy will give us
strength to bear them. As another Psalm says,
"Be of good courage, and He will strengthen your
heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. "
The tenth verse--extolling the judgments of God
in simple but forcible imagery--ends the second part
of the Psalm.
The third and last part expresses the crowning
thought of the whole Psalm, the contrast between the
Infinite wisdom of God and the limited wisdom of man.
Here David tells us his own feelings, and shows his
own fine character. He was hasty, but always ready
to acknowledge his own sins, and humbly to pray for
God's forgiveness when he knew he had done wrong.
He says he will obey God's laws even when he does
not understand them, in order to have the great
reward of being saved from wrong-doing. "Who
can understand his own errors? " he cries, and then he
humbly prays to God to keep him from sinning,
either wilfully or through ignorance. He ends with
the prayer that his words and his thoughts may be
pleasing to God.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
PSALM XX.
XTo tbe Cbief musician, a ipsalm of David.
The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the
name of the God of Jacob defend thee; 2 Send
thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee
out of Zion; 3 Remember all thy offerings, and
accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. 4 Grant thee
according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy
counsel. 5 We will rejoice in Thy salvation, and in
the name of our God we will set up our banners : the
Lord fulfil all thy petitions. 6 Now know I that
the Lord saveth His anointed; He will hear him
from His holy heaven with the saving strength of
His right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots, and some
in horses: but we will remember the name of the
Lord our God. 8 They are brought down and
fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. 9 Save,
Lord: let the King hear us when we call.
Wore on Trust in God whatever happens. That thought
IPs. XX. was always uppermost in David's mind. In joy
and sorrow alike, it shines out in all his Psalms.
It comforted him in all his troubles, and made him
never lose courage. At a moment of great misery
and danger, he said, " Ye that fear the Lord praise
Him, for He hath not despised nor abhorred the
affliction of the afflicted, neither hath He hid His
face from him, but when he crieth out to Him He
heareth. " And so in this Psalm, David prays foi
16
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
XX. 3
:frb -tota nhtb
r t: ': ? :i-
: apy* *nSx 1 Dtr ? rnntr* nnx ova nin* smp
||-:|- j" v: <<>> I :v -: att . ? : t ;i
'jjTOy-^. i. \33S3 frlOi*4 ^t. ? n3^: Jplfety
1 jrtvin *a ^nyn; nny 6 *spp^ij#J^ PW
'Vi*>> ni^ata ienp wo tfiU! in$b rfin*
I ? : -j? ? :? a :|t j? ? : ? ? --:p ' ? : t:
Prtrp-Defr 1 ttH3x1 D'DWa PlWfl 3313 pfot 7
it: I-: :--:|- >>? - rra
uap owri 1W1 ipa nan 8 'tatj wthx
:usnp-DVa was* 'nSan nynrtn nirv 9 imtonai
God's blessing on his people, and he reminds them mote on
to set up their banners in the name of God, and to IP3, XX.
fight all life's battles bravely, ever trusting in God.
David described those who set up their banners in
the name of God as "His anointed. " This ex-
pression is a bit of poetic imagery;' that is of in-
direct description by means of a comparison which
brings the poet's thought very clearly to our minds.
In the land of Palestine, where King David lived,
i See Psalm cxxxiii.
17
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
mote on that way of speaking by imagery is still used just as
ps. XX. it was in his timB) not only m p0etry, but in ordinary
conversation. In England we use it in poetry, but
not in conversation. 1
1 Thus Tennyson, in describing a beautiful damsel, says:
". . . A brow
May blossom and a cheek of apple blossom. "
And Shakespere, describing daybreak, says:
"Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain-tops. "
PSALM XXIII.
B ffisalm of Davio.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth
my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteous-
ness for His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I. walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear
no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy
staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table
before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou
anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the
days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the
Lord for ever.
mote on As we read this Psalm about God's care of us, we
IPs. XXIII. 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
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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,
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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
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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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