[The xciii. Psalm is probably prophetical, and applies to Christ. Dr. Hammond says of it, "It is resolved by the Jews, R. Saad "Gavn Raci and Kimchi, to have its fullest completion in the "Messiah;" and Bishop Horne says, "The Jews acknowledge "that the kingdom of Messiah is prophesied of in it, and in the "Psalms which follow to the hundredth." (Mant.) There is however no reference to it in the New Testament, nor is there any thing in it so peculiarly applicable to Christ, as to enable one to say with moral certainty, that it was written prophetically of him. It is therefore omitted in this Collection.] [Psalm xcvi. is probably prophetic also, looking forward to the exaltation and judicial functions of Christ. Mant says of it, 66 By common consent of Jews and Christians, it is applied to the "times of the Messiah." Justin Martyr evidently so considers it in his Dialogue cum Tryphone; and in his 1st Apology, s. 52, he introduces the first ten verses (with some little variation) with this observation: "And again in another prophecy by the same David, "to shew that Christ should reign after his crucifixion, the pro"phetic spirit thus speaks; Sing unto the Lord all the whole "earth, be telling of his salvation from day to day,'" &c. &c. Upon the grounds however upon which the 93d Psalm is omitted, this is omitted also.] [Psalm xcvii. is probably prophetic also, and foretells the exaltation of Christ, the vengeance he should take upon his opponents, and the deliverance that should be afforded to his followers. Heb. i. 6. is supposed to refer to v. 7. The passage is this "When "he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith and "let all the angels of God worship him;' "" and this verse is the only part of Scripture to which the author can be supposed to have referred. It is nevertheless omitted, and the reader is referred for it to his Bible or his Prayer Book.] for by the adder, in v. 13, he understands that old serpent, the Devil. Chrys. I. Basil. Edn. 945. There appear to be three speakers in this Psalm-the Psalmist, Christ, and God: verses 2 and 9 being in the mouth of Christ, and the last three verses in that of God. [Psalms xcviii. and xcix. are probably prophetical, and refer to Christ. Mant says as to Psalm xcviii. "The Prophet, transported by the spirit into the times of the Messiah, speaks of the great deliverance as already effected," and in his Dialogue with Trypho, Justin Martyr considers the 99th Psalm as applying to Christ. They are however omitted.] 66 No. XXIV. Noticing the Pre-existence of Christ, and his Concurrence in the Creation. No. 24. Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure : they all shall wax old as doth a garment. And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight. Psalm cii. 25—28 o. XXV. Foretelling the Exaltation of Christ: the Support God should give him the Extent of his Influence and Power: the Numbers who should come to his worship: his Priesthood: and the Vengeance which should be inflicted upon his Opponents. No. 25. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on e This passage is applied unequivocally to Christ, Heb. i. 8. 10, 11, 12. "Unto the Son," he saith, "Thy throne, O God, is "for ever and ever," &c. &c. and "Thou Lord in the beginning "hast laid the foundations of the earth: and the heavens are the "works of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou remainest: "and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture "shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou "art the same, and thy years shall not fail." f Ver. 1. The Hebrew does not use here, as we do, the same my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion: be thou ruler even in the midst among thine enemies. In the day of thy power shall the people offer thee free-will offerings with a holy worship: the dew of thy birth is of the womb of the morning. The Lord sware, and will not repent: "thou art a priest for ever after the order of Mel"chizedec." The Lord upon thy right hand, shall wound even kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies, and smite in sunder the heads over divers countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way, therefore shall he lift up his head. Psalm cx. 8. word both for God the Father, and for the Son; but it uses the word "Jehovah" for the former, and "Adonai" for the latter. "Jehovah" is the word at the beginning of ver. 1, and ver. 2., and 4, and " Adonai" in this place, and in ver. 5. 66 6 g There can be no doubt either of the prophetic character of this Psalm, or of its reference to Christ. When our Saviour asked the Pharisees, "What think ye of Christ; whose Son is "he?" and they said unto him, "the Son of David;” he puts to them this question, "How then doth David in spirit call him "Lord? saying The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.' If "David then call him Lord, how is he his Son ?" Matt. xxii. 42-45. Mark xii. 35-37. Luke xx. 41-44. In St. Peter's address the day the apostles received the gift of the Holy Ghost; when he is asserting the resurrection of Christ, and its accordance with ancient prophecy, he says, "David is not ascended into "the heavens; but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my "Lord, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy foot"stool.'" In Heb. i. 13. where Christ's superiority over the angels is the matter in discussion, this question is put, "to which of "the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until "I make thine enemies thy footstool;'" and in Heb. x. 12, 13. hẹ considers the prediction verified in Christ, "This man (i. e. Jesus "Christ) after he had offered one sacrifice for sin, for ever sat "down on the right hand of God, from thenceforth expecting XXVI. Contemplating the Rejection of Christ by the Jews, and his subsequent Exaltation. No. 26. The same stone which the builders refused, is become the head stone in the corner. This is the Lord's doing; and it is marvellous in our eyes. Psalm cxviii. 22, 23 h. "till his enemies be made his footstool." In Heb. v. 6.-—Heb. vii. 17. 21. the 4th verse, "Thou art a priest for ever after the "order of Melchisedec," is treated clearly as spoken prophetically of Christ. See also Heb. v. 10. and Heb. vi. 20. See Kidder, pt. i. c. 9. p. 108. Justin Martyr sets forth the early part of this Psalm with this introduction, "But that God was to raise Christ from the dead, and receive him into heaven, "and was to keep him there till he should have subdued the "devils who opposed him, and till the number of those whom "he foreknew would be good and virtuous should be fulfilled, "hear the words of the prophet David: The Lord said unto my ""Lord,' &c." 66 1 These verses are applied to our Saviour by himself and by St. Peter. When Jesus was reasoning with the chief priests and the elders of the people, and had just intimated to them, by the prophetic parable of the wicked husbandman, that they would put him to death, he said unto them, Did ye never read in "the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same "is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and "it is marvellous in our eyes,' and whosoever shall fall on this "stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall "grind him to powder.'" Matt. xxi. 42. 44. Mark xii. 10. Luke xx. 7. St. Peter, in his spirited address to the high priest, the rulers and elders and scribes, says of our Saviour, "This is "the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner, neither is there salvation in any "other; for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts iv. 11, 12. Again, 66 2 66 St. Peter, after referring to another prophecy in Isaiah, applies this passage to Christ, "Wherefore also it is contained in Scripture, (Isa. xxviii. 16.) Behold I lay in Sion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not "be confounded.' Unto you, therefore, which believe, he is pre"cious but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which "the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,'" 1 Pet. ii. 6, 7. "A stone" is the figure under which Christ and Christ's kingdom is elsewhere spoken of in Scripture. The prophecy, Isa. xxviii. 16. is one instance. In the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, Dan. ii. the fifth kingdom, the kingdom which the God of heaven should set up, which should break in pieces and consume the four former kingdoms of the earth, viz. the kingdom of Christ, is spoken of under the figure of a stone cut out without hands, a stone that became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth, and in Eph. ii. 19, 20. St. Paul speaks of the converts to whom he writes as "Fellow citi66 zens with the saints, of the household of God, built upon the "foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself "being the chief corner-stone," and St. Peter says, "Ye also, "as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priest"hood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by "Jesus Christ." 1 Pet. ii. 5. |