engaged in their respective duties. Psal 139 is a psalm of the new birth of Israel from the womb of
the Babylonish captivity, to a life of righteousness; Psal 140-143 may be a picture of the trials to
which the unrestored exiles were still exposed in the realms of the Gentiles. Henceforward, as we
approach the close of the Psalter, its strains rise in cheerfulness; and it fittingly terminates with
Psal 147-150 which were probably sung on the occasion of the thanksgiving procession of Nehe
12, after the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem had been completed. Moral characteristics of the
Psalms .—Foremost among these meets us, undoubtedly, the universal recourse to communion
with God. Connected with this is the faith by which the psalmist everywhere lives in God rather
than in himself. It is of the essence of such faith that his view of the perfections of God should be
true and vivid. The Psalter describes God as he is: it glows with testimonies to his power and
providence, his love and faithfulness, his holiness and righteousness. The Psalms not only set forth
the perfections of God; they proclaim also the duty of worshipping him by the acknowledgment
and adoration of his perfections. They encourage all outward rites and means of worship. Among
these they recognize the ordinance of sacrifice as in expression of the worshipper’s consecration
of himself to God’s service. But not the less do they repudiate the outward rite when separated
from that which it was designed to express. Similar depth is observable in the view taken by the
psalmists of human sin. In regard to the law, the psalmist, while warmly acknowledging its
excellence, feels yet that it cannot so effectually guide his own unassisted exertions as to preserve
him from error Psal 19. The Psalms bear repeated testimony to the duty of instructing other in the
ways of holiness. Psal 32,34, 51 This brings us to notice, lastly, the faith of the psalmists in righteous
recompense to all men according to their deeds. Psal 37, etc. Prophetical character of the Psalms
.—The moral struggle between godliness and ungodliness, so vividly depicted in the Psalms,
culminates in Holy Scripture, in the life of the Incarnate Son of God upon earth. It only remains to
show that the Psalms themselves definitely anticipated this culmination. Now there are in the Psalter
at least three psalms of which the interest evidently centers in a person distinct from the speaker,
and which, since they cannot without violence to the language be interpreted of any but the Messiah,
may be termed directly and exclusively Messianic. We refer to Psal 2,45,110, to which may perhaps
be added, Psal 72. It would be strange if these few psalms stood, in their prophetical significance
absolutely alone among the rest. And hence the impossibility of viewing the psalms generally,
notwithstanding the drapery in which they are outwardly clothed, as simply the past devotions of
the historical David or the historical Israel. The national hymns of Israel are indeed also prospective;
but in general they anticipate rather the struggles and the triumphs of the Christian Church than
those of Christ himself.
Psaltery
This was a stringed instrument of music to accompany the voice. The Hebrew nabel or nebel
is so rendered in the Authorized Version in all passages where if occurs, except in (Isaiah 5:12;
14:11; 22:24), marg.; (Amos 5:23; 6:6) where it is translated viol. The ancient viol was a six-stringed
guitar. In the Prayer Book version of the Psalms the Hebrew word is rendered “lute.” This instrument
resembled the guitar, but was superior in tone, being larger, and having a convex back, somewhat
like the vertical section of a gourd, or more nearly resembling that of a pear. These three instruments,
the psaltery or sautry, the viol and lute, are frequently associated in the old English poets and were
clearly instruments resembling each other though still different. The Greek psalterium (psalterion),
from which our word is derived, denotes an instrument played with the fingers instead of a plectrum
or quill, the verb being used of twanging the bow-string. It is impossible to say positively with what
frankie
(Frankie)
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