Psa 75:5, 10, 89:17, 24, 112:9, Dan 8:3 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 5. Speak not with a stiff neck. ] Mr. Bruce has observed that the Abyssinian kings have a horn on their diadem ; and that the keeping it erect, or in a projecting form, makes them appear as if they had a stiff neck ; and refers to this passage for the antiquity of the usage, and the appearance also.

‏ Psalms 75:5

Verse 5. Speak not with a stiff neck.] Mr. Bruce has observed that the Abyssinian kings have a horn on their diadem; and that the keeping it erect, or in a projecting form, makes them appear as if they had a stiff neck; and refers to this passage for the antiquity of the usage, and the appearance also.

‏ Psalms 75:10

Verse 10. All the horns of the wicked] All their power and influence, will I cut off; and will exalt and extend the power of the righteous. The psalmist is said to do these things, because he is as the mouth of God to denounce them. All was punctually fulfilled: the wicked-the Babylonians, were all cut off; the righteous-the Jews, called so from the holy covenant, which required righteousness, were delivered and exalted.

ANALYSIS OF THE SEVENTY-FIFTH PSALM

Bishop Nicholson supposes that David was the author of this Psalm; and that he composed it on his inauguration or entrance upon the kingdom; and by it he gives us an example of a good king.

There are three chief parts in this Psalm:-

I. A doxology, Ps 75:1; repeated, Ps 75:9.

II. His profession how to perform the regal office, Ps 75:2, 3, 10.

III. His rebuke of foolish men for mistakes occasioned,-

1. Partly by their pride when they rise to great places, Ps 75:4, 5.

2. That they do not consider whence their preferment comes, Ps 75:6, 7.

3. That they judge not rightly of afflictions, Ps 75:8.

I. The doxology or thanksgiving.

1. He doubles it to show that it should be frequently done: "Unto thee do we give thanks; unto thee," &c.

2. His reason for it: "For that thy name is near,"-thy help is always at hand. "The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him."

3. Of which he had experience in his exaltation to the kingdom, which he calls God's "wondrous works."

II. How the office of a good king is to be discharged.

1. I will judge uprightly.

2. To rectify disorders. They had need of a just and upright king. 1. The land and its inhabitants were disorganized. 2. He was the only stay and support of the state: "I bear up the pillars."

III. His rebuke of bad men.

1. They were fools, and dealt unjustly.

2. Wicked, and vaunted their wealth and power.

3. They used their power to oppress.

4. They were obstinate in their oppression of the poor. He refers to their false judgments.

1. They supposed that their authority and influence came by their own merit; and for them they were accountable to none.

2. They did not consider that God was the author of power, &c.

3. Their third mistake was, they imputed afflictions to a wrong cause, and did not consider that they came from God.

To show this, the Psalmist uses an elegant comparison, comparing God to the master of a feast, who invites and entertains all kinds of men at his table; who has a cup of mixed wine in his hand, by which he represents the miseries of this life. To all God reaches this cup; and every one drinks of it, some more, some less.

1. "In the hand of the Lord there is a cup." He apportions the afflictions of men.

2. "The wine is red." The high-coloured feculent wine, i.e., afflictions.

3. "It is full of mixture," not all sour, nor sweet, nor bitter. The strength of it is tempered by God to the circumstances of his creatures.

4. "He poureth out of the same." He gives to all, some even to his own children. ALL must drink of this cup.

5. But the lees or dregs of it "all the wicked of the earth shall wring out." Those who are incorrigible have afflictions without benefit; they wring the dregs out. On them God's judgments fall without mitigation.

He concludes the Psalm with-

1. A repetition of his thanks: "I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob."

2. A protestation of his duty: 1. "I will cut off the horns of the wicked." 2. "I will exalt the horns of the righteous." Those who exalt themselves shall be abased: those who humble themselves shall be exalted.

Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento,

(Hae tibi erunt artes) pacisque imponere morem;

Parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos.

VIRG. AEn. lib. vi., ver. 851.

"But, Rome, 'tis thine alone, with awful sway

To rule mankind, and make the world obey,

Disposing peace and war thy own majestic way:

To tame the proud, the fettered slave to free:

These are imperial arts, and worthy thee."

DRYDEN.

These lines of the Roman poet contain precisely the same sentiment that is expressed in the tenth verse of the Psalm. And thus God acts in the government of the world, dealing with nations as they have dealt with others: so the conquerors are conquered; the oppressed, raised to honour and dominion.

‏ Psalms 89:17

Verse 17. For thou art the glory of their strength] They are strong in faith, and give glory to thee, because they know that their strength cometh from the Lord of hosts.

And in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.] Instead of tarum, "shall be exalted," tarim, "thou shalt exalt," is the reading of several MSS.: but tarum, "shall be exalted," is supported by forty-four of Kennicott's MSS., and sixty of De Rossi's, as well as by several ancient editions, with the Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, and Arabic Versions. In the enjoyment of the Divine favour they shall grow more wise, more holy, more powerful, and, consequently, more happy.

‏ Psalms 89:24

‏ Psalms 112:9

Verse 9. He hath dispersed] He has scattered abroad his munificence; he has given particularly to the poor; his righteousness-his almsgiving, his charity, remaineth for ever. See on Ps 112:3.

His horn] His power and authority shall be exalted with honour. He shall rise to influence only through his own worth, and not by extortion or flattery.

‏ Daniel 8:3

Verse 3. A ram which had two horns] In the former vision there were four beasts, pointing out four empires; in this we have but two, as only two empires are concerned here, viz., the Grecian and the Persian. The Babylonish empire is not mentioned; its fate was before decided, and it was now at its close.

By the ram, the empire of the Medes and Persians was pointed out, as explained by the angel Gabriel, Da 8:20; and particularly Cyrus, who was the founder of that empire. Cyrus was the son of Cambyses, king of Persia; and grandson of Astyages, king of Media, by his daughter Mandane, who had been given in marriage to Cambyses. Cyrus marrying Roxana, the daughter and only child of his uncle Cyaxares, called in Scripture Ahasuerus, succeeded to both crowns, and thus united Media and Persia. A ram was the symbol of the Persians; and a ram's head with two horns, one higher than the other, appears as such in different parts of the ruins of Persepolis. See the plates of these ruins in the supplement to the seventh volume of the ancient part of the Universal History.

This ram had two horns; that is, two kingdoms, viz., Media and Persia; but one was higher than the other; and the higher came up last. Media, signified by the shorter horn, was the more ancient of the two kingdoms. Persia, the higher horn, had come up but lately, and was of little historic or political consequence till the time of Cyrus; but in the reigns of this prince and his immediate successors, Persia attained a political consequence greatly superior to that possessed at any time by the kingdom of Media; therefore, it is said to have been the higher, and to have come up last.