SECTION II

Psalm 25. We now commence a group of fifteen experimental psalms, in which there is an apprehension of grace which must necessarily follow on Psalm 22, which presents the sinoffering. Previously there had been no confession of sin or desire for forgiveness; but here in Psalm 25 we have this confession and desire, vv 7, 11, 18.

It is in the form of an acrostic, so one could say it is the A B C of conversion, in which are formed all the moral elements of it: confidence in God, forgiveness sought, and a desire to be directed by God in His ways and paths. It closes with a desire that integrity and uprightness may preserve, and looks for redemption for Israel. This psalm calls for attention, as in it are found the moral springs of much that follows.

Psalm 26 is an appeal to Jehovah on the ground of integrity and confidence in Him; therefore he does not slip or waver. He loves the habitation of Jehovah's house and the place where His glory dwells. (v 8) He desires to act consistently with “the law of the house”. “Shall be most holy”. Note, this is said both as to the law of the sin-offering and the law of the house, see Lev 6: 25; Ezek 43: 12. In Psalm 22 the law of the house is established, and in this psalm the law of the house is recognised, hence the intense separation from all that is contrary to that, the habitation of Jehovah’s house which He loved. He being in moral accord with it both as to his hands and feet, has ability to approach; to “compass thine altar, O Lord”, and publish with the voice of thanksgiving.

It concludes with the foot standing in an even place, where Jehovah is known and blessed.

Psalm 27 gives us his desire to dwell in the house (v 4); and not only the desire but the purpose, he seeks it. To dwell there all the days of his life, and to behold the beauty or graciousness of Jehovah, see Ps 63: 2.

He desires the place for communion; but when there is sheltered, hidden, concealed, lifted up: so in the time of trouble he sings in the presence of his enemies. What God is for us inside strengthens us in the presence of our enemies outside.

The latter part of the psalm from verse 7 is rather difficult to connect with the former part, but rather suggests the testings of faith, and the last verse connects with the first verse, that is, the first verse is the result of his waiting upon Jehovah.

Psalm 28. The silence of Jehovah is deprecated (see Ps 22: 2), but Jehovah is his Rock, the unchangeable One.

He lifts up his hands towards the oracle of his holiness; in the intelligence of what is suitable to Jehovah he sees the judgment of those who do not regard His deeds or the work of His hands, and predicts their downfall.

In verse 6 Jehovah has not been silent to him, so he blesses Jehovah, who is his strength and shield; also he sees Jehovah to be the strength and salvation of His people, the Anointed being its measure, a very important principle, and to be much noted in the psalms. We also have to learn that what God is for Christ He is for us.

Psalm 29 is the glory psalm. Here is found the expression “God of glory”. In verses 1 and 2 all created intelligences are called upon to give Jehovah glory; it is their true happiness to do so. Verse 3 begins with the manifestation of glory, which seems to be figured by one of the Jehovah storms prevalent in Palestine at certain times of the year. It begins in the north, and sweeping down through the land dies away in the wilderness of Kadesh.

This glory is manifested in His voice seven times, and it ends with a temple every whit of which says “Glory”, a structure to utter glory. So the assembly in Ephesians 3, built up in Christ Jesus, is a fitting vessel to express the glory of God. The psalm closes with the assurance that Jehovah sits upon the flood, and will give strength to His people, and bless them with peace. It is a beautifully suggestive psalm, and is distinguished by the expression “God of glory”, which is only found here in the Old Testament.

It seems to close the grouping of these five psalms.

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Psalm 30. This psalm sets before us a deeply important and blessed lesson we all have to learn: the morning (v 5) is better than the mountain, v 7.

It seems that David had been let down into death, but was healed, raised, quickened and delivered; thus he calls on all the saints to sing psalms to Jehovah (v 4). “For a moment is passed in his anger, a life in his favour; at even weeping cometh for the night, and at morn there is rejoicing”.

In verse 6 he gives a past experience in which he was in apparent security: his mountain by the favour of God standing strong; but this favour was withdrawn, and he was plunged into the bitter night of weeping. A mountain in scripture seems to indicate blessing from God, established on the earth, something temporal, in which we recognise His goodness and favour. “By thy favour”, not by his wit or skill: all was piously recognised as coming from God, but our true blessing lies in the knowledge of God Himself.

Jacob had to say, “As for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem”, Gen 48: 7. A “little way” through sorrow to Christ; and then as another has said, ‘The grave of our earthly hopes becomes the birth-place of our heavenly hopes’.

So with Job, his mountain was made to stand strong by the favour of God, which he piously recognised; but he tells us in the midst of it all he had fears, and so it came to pass his mountain went, but he came by the loss of all to a true knowledge of himself, and thereby into a knowledge of God, thus finding that God was better than His blessings. The morning was better than the mountain. Hezekiah was let down into death as in this psalm, and brought up out of it; so after his recovery, at the conclusion of his writing, he says, “Jehovah was purposed to save me. - And we will play upon my stringed instruments all the days of our life, in the house of Jehovah”, Isa 38: 20.

So here in this psalm, “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent”.

So the Lord could say to His sorrowing disciples, with the dark shadow of His death and departure upon their spirits, their sorrow shall be turned into joy … “and your joy no man taketh from you”, John 16: 22.

It was the joy of finding Him, and knowing Him the other side of death. The apparent loss of their earthly hopes was true gain, as they were taught by Him, who owned them as “brethren”, that heavenly relationship and blessing were greater than earthly blessing.

The “morning” is better than the mountain!

Psalm 31. Here the godly soul is in the presence of adversaries, “the sons of men”, who are very fully described, but his confidence is in Jehovah his God, whose goodness never fails. “How great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee”. God had known his soul in adversity, and had not shut him up into the hand of the enemy.

This psalm very fully shews how God is for His people, and the blessedness of confidence in Him is also greatly emphasised. In the language of verse 5 the Lord upon the cross expresses this confidence to His Father, “Into thy hand I commit my spirit”. How fully is this in keeping with the gospel in which it is found.

In some features the preceding psalm is much like John, and this like Luke; but we must bear in mind we have not in the Psalms what is proper to Christian relationships, though they may be suggested anticipatively.

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From ‘Mutual Comfort’, 1918