Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/spurgeon/ps9.1

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        TITLE.--"_To the Chief Musician upon Muth-labben, a Psalm
of David_." The meaning of this title is very doubtful. It may
refer to the tune to which the Psalm was to be sung, so Wilcocks
and others think; or it may refer to a musical instrument now
unknown, but common in those days; or it may have a reference to
Ben, who is mentioned in #1Ch 15:18|, as one of the Levitical
singers. If either of these conjectures should be correct, the
title of Muth-labben has no teaching for us, except it is meant
to show us how careful David was that in the worship of God all
things should be done according to due order. From a considerable
company of learned witnesses we gather that the title will bear a
meaning far more instructive, without being fancifully forced: it
signifies a Psalm concerning the death of the Son. The Chaldee
has, "concerning the death of the Champion who went out between
the camps," referring to Goliath of Gath, or some other
Philistine, on account of whose death many suppose this Psalm to
have been written in after years by David. Believing that out of
a thousand guesses this is at least as consistent with the sense
of the Psalm as any other, we prefer it; and the more especially
so because it enables us to refer it mystically to the victory of
the Son of God over the champion of evil, even the enemy of souls
(verse #6|). We have here before us most evidently a triumphal
hymn; may it strengthen the faith of the militant believer, and
stimulate the courage of the timid saint, as he sees here _THE
CONQUEROR_, on whose vesture and thigh is the name written, King
of kings and Lord of lords.

        ORDER.--Bonar remarks, "The position of the Psalms in
their relations to each other is often remarkable. It is
questioned whether the present arrangement of them was the order
in which they were given forth to Israel, or whether some later
compiler, perhaps Ezra, was inspired to attend to this matter, as
well as to other points connected with the canon. Without
attempting to decide this point, it is enough to remark that we
have proof that the order of the Psalms is as ancient as the
completing of the canon, and if so, it seems obvious that the
Holy Spirit wished this book to come down to us in its present
order. We make these remarks, in order to invite attention to the
fact, that as the eight caught up the last line of the seventh,
this ninth Psalm opens with an apparent reference to the
eighth:--

        "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart;
        I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
        I will be glad and rejoice in thee.
                                      (Comp. #So 1:4; Re 19:7|.)
        I will sing to THY NAME, O thou Most High.
Verses #1,2|.

        As if "_The Name_," so highly praised in the former
Psalm, were still ringing in the ear of the sweet singer of
Israel. And in verse #10|, he returns to it, celebrating their
confidence who "_know_" that "_name_" as if its fragrance still
breathed in the atmosphere around."

        DIVISION.--The strain so continually changes, that it is
difficult to give an outline of it methodically arranged: we give
the best we can make. From verses #1-6| is a song of jubilant
thanksgiving; from #7-12|, there is a continual declaration of
faith as to the future. Prayer closes the first great division of
the Psalm in verses #13,14|. The second portion of this triumphal
ode, although much shorter, is parallel in all its parts to the
first portion, and is a sort of rehearsal of it. Observe the song
for past judgments, verses #15,16|; the declaration of trust in
future justice, #17,18|; and the closing prayer, #19,20|. Let us
celebrate the conquests of the Redeemer as we read this Psalm,
and it cannot but be a delightful taste if the Holy Ghost be with
us.

                           EXPOSITION.

        With a holy resolution the songster begins his hymn; _I
will praise thee, O Lord_. It sometimes needs all our
determination to face the foe and bless the Lord in the teeth of
his enemies; vowing that whoever else may be silent we will bless
his name; here, however, the overthrow of the foe is viewed as
complete, and the song flows with sacred fullness of delight. It
is our duty to praise the Lord; let us perform it as a privilege.
Observe that David's praise is all given to the Lord. Praise is
to be offered to God alone; we may be grateful to the
intermediate agent, but our thanks must have long wings and mount
aloft to heaven. _With my whole heart_. Half heart is no heart.
_I will show forth_. There is true praise in the thankful telling
forth to others of our heavenly Father's dealings with us; this
is one of the themes upon which the godly should speak often to
one another, and it will not be casting pearls before swine if we
make even the ungodly hear of the loving-kindness of the Lord to
us. _All thy marvellous works_. Gratitude for one mercy refreshes
the memory as to thousands of others. One silver link in the
chain draws up a long series of tender remembrances. Here is
eternal work for us, for there can be no end to the showing forth
of _all_ his deeds of love. If we consider our own sinfulness and
nothingness, we must feel that every work of preservation,
forgiveness, conversion, deliverance, sanctification, &c., which
the Lord has wrought for us, or in us is a _marvellous_ work.
Even in heaven, divine loving-kindness will doubtless be as much
a theme of surprise as of rapture.

              EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.

        Whole Psalm.--We are to consider this song of praise, as
I conceive, to be the language of our great Advocate and
Mediator, "in the midst of the church giving thanks unto God,"
and teaching us to anticipate by faith his great and final
victory over all the adversaries of our peace temporal and
spiritual, with especial reference to his assertion of his royal
dignity on Zion, his holy mountain. The victory over the enemy,
we find by the fourth verse, is again ascribed to the decision of
divine justice, and the award of a righteous judge, who has at
length resumed his tribunal. This renders it certain, that the
claim preferred to the throne of the Almighty, could proceed from
the lips of none but our MELCHIZEDEC.--^John Fry, B.A., 1842.

        Verse 1.--"_I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole
heart_." As a vessel by the scent thereof tells what liquor is in
it, so should our mouths smell continually of that mercy
wherewith our hearts have been refreshed: for we are called
vessels of mercy.--^William Cowper, 1612.

        Verse 1.--"_I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, I
will shew forth all thy marvellous works_." The words, "_With my
whole heart_," serve at once to show the greatness of the
deliverances wrought for the psalmist, and to distinguish him
from the hypocrites--the coarser, who praise the Lord for his
goodness merely with the lips; and the more refined, who praise
him with just half their heart, while they secretly ascribe the
deliverance more to themselves than to him. "_All thy wonders_,"
the marvellous token of thy grace. The Psalmist shows by this
term, that he recognised them in all their greatness. Where this
is done, there the Lord is also praised with the whole heart.-
_Half-heartedness_, and the depreciation of divine grace, go hand
in hand. The _lêb_ <03820> is the _lêb_ _instrum_. The heart is
the instrument of praise, the mouth only its organ.--^E. W.
Hengstenberg.

        Verse 1 (second clause).--When we have received any
special good thing from the Lord, it is well, according as we
have opportunities, to tell others of it. When the woman who had
lost one of her ten pieces of silver, found the missing portion
of her money, she gathered her neighbours and her friends
together, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece
which I had lost." We may do the same; we may tell friends and
relations that we have received such-and-such a blessing, and
that we trace it directly to the hand of God. Why have we not
already done this? Is there a lurking unbelief as to whether it
really came from God; or are we ashamed to own it before those
who are perhaps accustomed to laugh at such things? Who knows so
much of the marvellous works of God as his own people; if they be
silent, how can we expect the world to see what he has done? Let
us not be ashamed to glorify God, by telling what we know and
feel he has done; let us watch our opportunity to bring out
distinctly the fact of his acting; let us feel delighted at
having an opportunity, from our own experience, of telling what
must turn to his praise; and them that honour God, God will
honour in turn; if we be willing to talk of his deeds, he will
give us enough to talk about.--^P.B. Power, in 'I Wills' of the
Psalms.

        Verses 1,2.--"_I will confess unto thee, O Lord, with my
whole heart_," etc. Behold, with what a flood of the most sweet
affections he says that he "_will confess_," "_show forth_,"
"_rejoice_," "_be glad_," and "_sing_," being filled with
ecstasy! He does not simply say, "_I will confess_," but, "_with
my heart_," and "_with my whole heart_." Nor does he propose to
speak simply of "_works_," but of the "_marvellous works_" of
God, and of "_all_" those "_works_." Thus his spirit (like John
in the womb) exults and rejoices in God his Saviour, who has done
great things for him, and those marvellous things which follow.
In which words are opened the subject of this Psalm: that is,
that he therein sings the marvellous works of God. And these
works are wonderful, because he converts, by those who are
nothing, those who have all things, and, by the ALMUTH who live
in hidden faith, and are dead to the world, he humbles those who
flourish in glory, and are looked upon in the world. Thus
accomplishing such mighty things without force, without arms,
without labour, by the cross only and blood. But how will his
saying, that he will show forth "_all_" his marvellous works,
agree with that of #Job 9:10|, "which doeth great things past
finding out; yea, and wonders without number"? For who can show
forth all the marvellous works of God? We may say, therefore,
that these things are spoken in that excess of feeling in which
he said (#Ps 6:6|), "I will water my couch with my tears." That
is, he hath such an ardent desire to speak of the wonderful works
of God, that, as far as his wishes are concerned, he would set
them "_all_" forth, though he could not do it, for love has
neither bounds nor end: and as Paul saith (#1Co 13:7|), "Love
beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things;"
hence it can do all things, and does do all things, for God
looketh at the heart and spirit.--^Martin Luther.

                       HINTS TO PREACHERS.

        Verse 1.--I. The only object of our praise--"thee, O
Lord." II. The abundant themes of praise--"all thy marvellous
works." III. The proper nature of praise-- "with my whole
heart."--^B. Davies.

        Verse 1.--"_I will show forth_." Endless employment and
enjoyment.

        Verse 1.--"_Thy marvellous works_." Creation, Providence,
Redemption, are all marvellous, as exhibiting the attributes of
God in such a degree as to excite the wonder of all God's
universe. A very suggestive topic.