The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-10-26
PSALMS OF DELIvERANCE.


| READ jeremiah 81.
PLACE IN HISTORY.-The exact date
OF these Psalms is unknown. but they be-
long In spirit to the long period Of the re-
turn from the exile. covered by Ezra, Ne
hemiah and Esther.
EXPLANATORY.
I. A Prayer for Help.-S5:1-7.
Title.-For the Chief Musician. The
leader of the choir to be used in public
worship. Hence the Polychrome trans
!ates For the Liturgy" "The sons Of
Korah:" The name of one of the choirs,
taken from the famous Korah, one of
David's chief musicians, just as now we
have the Handel and Haydn society,
and speak of the Sons of the Revolu-
ton.
First there is a grateful remembrance
of what God had already done for
them. V. /. Thou hast been favorable
unto thy land:" Shown by bringing
back the captivity of Jacob" This was
n most marvellous event. This gracious
deliverance was proof that (V. p
Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of Thy
people:" Cancelled it, as an account of
debt is cancelled, or taken away as n
heavy, crushing burden. Covered all
their SIM" Blotted it out of sight, cov-
cred 1t with mantle, so that they were
in Gods sight as those who had never
! sinned.
Second. We have prayer for more
of the same blessings. For their re-
pentance had been imperfect and the
outward blessings were therefore of
necessity incomplete. Therefore they
pleaded what God had already done as
reason for asking more. VA. Turn
u.s." or turn to us Or. V. margin), re-
store us (Polychrome). "Anger:" En-
pressing "a mixed feeling Of grief and
indignation. Alexander. V. 5. "An-
ger to all generations: The time of
trial and tribulation seemed so long.
as II there were never to be an end!
V. 6. "Quicken us again" Give us new
life, as the fields in the spring rains and
sunshine. V. 7. Grant us Thy saliva
tom" From sin and departure from
Thee.
II. The Assurance of an Answer
VS.. s-l3. VS.. II will hear" or LET me
hear" "what the Lord will speak,"
Peace. "For He will speak peace"
"a great word which sums up and COM
prises all else."-Perowne. "But let
them not turn again to folly:" The
folly Of sin, idolatry and all evil.
Salvation. V. 9. Surely His saliva.
tion is nigh them that fear Him." How
ever dark the night, the dawn must be
near at hand.
Glory. "That glory may dwell in our
land:" Gods glory, "the manifest pres
ence Of God tabernacling visibly among
th0n a. Of old"
The Cardinal Virtues. v. 10. "Mercy
truth righteousness
peace:" These are the four cardinal
virtues of Christ's kingdom. "Met to-
gether kissed each other:" All
the virtues are together in harmony, as
they always will be in perfect char
acter. V. II. Truth springeth out Of
the EARTH" etc.
Prosperity. v. -. "And our land
shall yield her increase: 1.-THE blessings
of prosperity are promised as the visible
reward and sign of Gods favor. V. 10.
III. A Psalm of Thanksgiving for the
Answer.-126:1-4. V. /. when the
Lord turned again the captivity of
Zion:" Or, as margin of r. ", brought
back those that returned to Zion. 1--WE
were like them that dream" 1. e., so
unexpected and so wonderful was our
redemption from the exile. V. 2.
Laughter singing" were the
natural expressions of joy at this Won
derful deliverance. "Then said they
among the nations:" The nations that
looked on recognized the wonder, and
acknowledged that there must have
been an interposition Of Divine power.
V. 4. Turn again our captivity" or,
turn again to US our captives, the num-
bers Of their brethren who still re-
mained in exile. "As the streams In the
south:" The south was the general
term for that plain which stretched
southwark from Jerusalem to the edge
of the Arabian desert. In the heats of
summer it lies parched and barren, the
watercourses dry, not the smallest rill
trickling over the hot stones, every
remnant Of vegetation withered. But
when the winter SHOWS begin to dissolve
upon the mountains and the spring
rains to fall, soon the parched ground
becomes pool. The channels are
filled, the streams In an incredibly short
time convert the wilderness into fruit
full field. Thus the exiles pray that their
brethren may return as the streams
flow down to the south country in the
spring.
". A Great Promise for All Time
1868, 6. The prayer Of V. is Joined
with an expression Of faith, claim on
the promises of God in nature and in His
Word. V. 5. "They that SOW in tears:"
Not far from the literal fact" as when
the supply Of grain us so scanty that
to use it for sowing is almost to take
the bread out of the children's mouths"
Shall reap in joys" There are no
tears now. but only the shoptinD md