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seems to have been misconceived by the two correspondents, J. B. BEED and J. BowSTEAD; both considering DAVID as the speaker whereas the best informed commentators, ancient and modern, agree in attributing it solely to the MESSIAH:- 1. "Exaudienda sunt verba Davidis, tanquam “si CHRISTUS IPSE loqueretur, qui est proprium subjectum hujus prophetia: Nec "enim omnia in DAVIDE evenerunt, omnia "autem rectè et optimè CHRISTO competere “demonstrabimus: CHRISTUM esse qui in "hoc Psalmo loquitur, sic probo: Qui loqui"tur ver. 10, idem loquitur per totum Psal$6 mum; atqui, CHRISTUS loquitur ver. 10; 26 ergo, idem loquitur per totum Psalmum. Propositionem probo, ex serie sermonis, et “singularum sententiarum cohærentiâ," &c. Poole Synops

σε

2. "The application which St. Peter makes of a great part of this Psalm to JESUS

CHRIST, Act. ii. 25-81, [and we may “add St. Paul, Act. xiii. 35,] obliges us tó “look upon it as a prophecy, wherein HE "himself is introduced as speaking to Gon THE FATHER." Dodd.

3. "Er Act. ii. 27-31, Planè apparet, personam quæ in versu decimo hujus Psalmi "introducitur, non esse Davidem, sed JE"SUM MESSIAM: quæ verba, si non sunt

Davidis, reliqua quoque ejusdem persona "sint necesse est ; quoniam una tantum, quod "totus contextus docet, loquitur, MESSIAS Figitur, qui ut SACERDOS sistitur, ver. 4 et "5, fiduciam suam testatur in DEO positam; "a quo, non solum conversationem in mediis "afflictionibus spirat, sed etiam resuscitationem ex mortuis, ad lætitiam apud DEUM "æternum perficiendam."―Dathius,

And this last ingenious commentator (late professor of Hebrew in the university of Leipsic) has judiciously rendered the first word of the title of the Psalin, bn, Michtam, " Epitaphium;" adopting the Septuagint version thereof, ζηλογραφια, signifying “a monumental inscription :" and the whole title, perhaps, 75 pr, Michtam le-David, may be correctly rendered," AN EPI"TAPH FOR THE BELOVED;" for the word 77, David, in prophetic Scripture, is unquestionably used, not as a proper name, but as an appellative, signifying "the Be

"loved."

"loved." It is so rendered in our transla.

,שירת דוד1 .tion, Isa. v

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a song of my "Beloved," meaning THE MESSIAH, in the exordium of an allegory, expressly applied to himself by JESUS CHRIST; as recorded by no less than three of the evangelists, Matt, xxi. 33, Mark xii. 6, Luke xx. 13, where the two last evangelists have given the Septuagint rendering of 717, αγαπητός, there applied to the son of the Lord of the Vineyard; and most solemnly to JESUS CHRIST at his baptism: Ούτος εςιν ὁ υἱος με, 00

αγαπητος, εν ω ευδόκησα: “ THIS IS MY

SON, THE BELOVED, IN WHOM I AM 66 WELL PLEASED," as recorded likewise by the same evangelists; and renewed at his glorious transfiguration on Mount Tabor, with the awful and impressive addition of "HEAR YE HIM!"

And this may furnish a clue to the right understanding of some signal prophecies applied, not to David the son of Jesse, but to "THE SON OF MAN," his divine descendant according to the flesh, THE BE"LOVED" at his second coming in power and great glory, to " restore again the king

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" dom

“dom to Israel," Acts i. 6, as expressly predicted, Hosea iii. 5, Amos ix. 11, Jer. xxx. 9, Ezek. xxxiv. 23, and xxxvii. 24. Zech. xii. 8, &c.

And that the whole Psalm throughout, admirably corresponds to its inscription, so explained, may further appear from the following emendation of our public translation, and the ensuing remarks.

PSALM XVI.

1. Preserve me, O God, for I have trusted in Thee.

2. I said unto THE LORD, Thou art My GOD; my goodness is nothing beside Thee.

3. As to the saints upon earth, even they are my glory; in them is all my delight:

4. [But] their sorrows shall be multiplied, that run after another [god]; I will neither offer up their libations of blood, nor will I mention their names with my lips.

5. THE LORD is the portion of my inheritance, and of my cup; Thou art the maintainer of my lot!

6. The measuring lines are fallen unto me

in

in pleasant [grounds]; yea I have a goodly heritage.

7. I will praise THE LORD who hath instructed me; even in the night season, my reins teach me.

8. I have set THE LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand, therefore I shall not slide.

9. Wherefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoiceth; moreover, my flesh shall rest in hope,

10. Because Thou wilt not leave my soul in HADES; neither wilt Thou suffer THY SAINT to see corruption!

11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life; in thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand pleasures for evermore !

REMARKS.

1. This verse is strongly expressive of our Lord's implicit trust in his HEAVENLY FATHER, throughout the whole course of his arduous mission, and especially in his last agonies: to which even his persecutors themselves bore the most unequivocal testimony: -"He trusted in GoD: Let HIM now de

“ liver