Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-03-10
sUNDAY-sCHooL LESSON.
DELIGHT IN COPS HoUsE.-Psalr

DELIGHT IN COPS HoUsE.-Psalms
"a: liz. March Is.
Psalm 81 belongs to the third group
or book of the Psalms, which includes
psalms IS 49,. This book was perhaps
supplementary collection, added in the
time of Hezekiah. Eleven psalms of this
portion are ascribed to Asaph, four to
the sons of korah, and one to David.
This psalm. generally, is attributed to
David. There are resemblances in style,
thought, and language, which link it
closely with Psalm AZ, which is confess
eddy the work of David. 1t is supposed
that both these Psalms were written
while in exile at the time of Absalom's
rebellion e SAM, chapters 14-10); and
that they express his longings for re.
turn to- the privileges of Zion. The
psalm is divided by the "selah' into
three parts of four verses each. The
first part sings of worship; the second
of strength; the third of joy or reward.
This is well denominated one of the
sweetest of the psalms. The psalmist's
thought is fixed not SO much on his own
condition as on the sanctuary in Jerusa-
lem. He begins with an exclamation Of
delight in it:
1. How amabe thy tabernaces, o Lord of hostsl
The plural tabernacle" is poetical
designation of the sanctuary as consist
ing of parts, or merely as extensive, or
simply equivalent to the singular. 1t
does not decide whether Davld's taberna-
Gle or Solomon's temple is meant.
g. My soul longeth, yea fanteth for the courts
of the Lord my heart and my flesh creth out for the
| living God.
1t is the psalmist's absence from the
sanctuary that occasions the above ex-
clamation, and to express his yearning
after it. His whole inward nature not
only desires, but also is exhausted by
the pain of separation. The "courts"
are put for the whole building, and the
building is regarded as the special abode
of God. The epithet "living" describes
God as containing in himself the essence
of life, and emphasizes his constant pres
ence among his people and his power to
help them.
8. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house. and the
| swallow nest for herself where she may lay her
young, thine affairs, Lord of hosts, my King.
| and my God.
In sad contrast with his own absence
the psalmist, with poetical exaltation of
feeling, recollects that even the birds
enjoy the sacred place from which he is
excluded, they unconscious of its holy
excellence, he pineth for its sight. The
psalmist-poet in his longing for Gods
house envies the irrational creatures that
find home there.
f. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they
will be still praising thee Seah.
Praising God is happiness it is the
thankful communion of the soul with the
} source of holiness and peace.
5. Blessed is the man whose strength in thee; il
whose heart are the ways of them.
Blessed is the man who relys on Goo
for all strength, outward and inward
The "ways" may be understood as defn
ed by the proceeding Gin thee, and ST
equivalent to "thy ways" that is, godly
manner of love; or it may refer to ;
pilgrim procession to the sanctuary de
scribed in the following verses, so tina
the sense would be: sin whose heart
are the high-roads of the godly worship
ers going up to Jerusalem"
8. Who passing through the valley of Baca make
| a well; the rain also tilleth the pools.
So blest of God are these pious wor
shippers that fertility follows their steps
the very soil responds to their presence
so in the opposite direction David in
, vokes on Gilboa the curse of sterility
:. because it was the scene of Saul's deaf
. e Sam. l: Ply; both expressions be
y long to poetical idealism. The litera
+ meaning of the psalmist here is that tn
- journey to Jerusalem to worship God
blessed one, and will be blessed by Goo
7. They go from strength to strength, every
/; them in Zion appeareth before God.
d Here the band of worshipers reach th
sanctuary. So far from being exhauste
e by their journey, they actually gatht
% fresh vigor, so potent is the divine pre-
It ence with them. The figure of tn
l. journey the psalmist sets forth the IT
IT newal of all strength that God bestov
d on those who rely on him and walk
,r his ways. To "appear before God"
20 to 90 to worship at the sanctuary, whe
lr his presence was.
!, 8. . Lord God of hosts hear my prayer: give ear
- God of Jacob. selah.
o. 9. Behold, God our shield, and look upon the ia
of thine anointed.
l. The psalmist, from this contemplate
+ of the happiness of the worshipers recu
er ring to his own condition of banishme
y or absence, cries out to God in praye
$, Jacob is the special ancestor, from who
10 none but Israelites were descended, al
fd therefore the God of Jacob is the God
the people Israel. In verse 8 the psall
m ist seems to have the nation in view {
n pecially: he addresses God as so
g. shield" the nations covering, protectc
co and asks him to regard the king.
TO- For day in thy courts is better than tho
st and. had rather be doorkeeper in the house Of
4 God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.