OPI

í and

) koo

1

e Ps. xix. 10.

+ Or, candle,

A.C. About

100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep 444. thy precepts.

101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

103 · How sweet are thy words unto my * taste! yea, * Heb. palate.

sweeter than honey to my mouth!

104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: there-
fore I hate every false way.

NUN
105 Thy word is a † lamp unto my feet, and a light unto
my path.

*106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep
thy righteous judgments.

*107 I am afflicted very much : quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word.

108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.

109 My soul is continually in my hand : yet do I not forget thy law.

110 The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.

111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

112 I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes
alway, even unto the end.

SAMECH.
113 I hate vain thoughts : but thy law do I love.

114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield : I hope is
thy word.

115 Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.

116 Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live : and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

117 Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

118 Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes : for their deceit is falsehood.

119 Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross : therefore I love thy testimonies.

120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am
afraid of thy judgments.

AIN.
121 I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to
mine oppressors.

thou

132

quity

1 Heb. to do

d Matt, vii, 23.

Heb, causest to cease,

444.

e Ps. xix. JO. Prov. viii. 11.

122 Be surety for thy servant for good : let not the proud A.C. About oppress me.

123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.

124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.

125 I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.

126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work : for they have made void thy law.

127 • Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.

128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

PE. 129 Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth

my soul keep them.

130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

131 I opened my mouth, and panted : for I longed for thy commandments.

132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.

133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

134 Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.

135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.

136 Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

TZADDI. 137 Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments.

138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are + righteous and very faithful.

+ Heb, righ. 139 fMy zeal hath' g consumed me, because mine ene- 1 Heb. faithmies have forgotten thy words.

140 Thy word is very || pure: therefore thy servant loveth ohebi.cui me it.

141 I am small and despised : yet do not I forget thy or, ruined. precepts.

142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.

143 Trouble and anguish have * taken hold on me yet thy commandments are my delights.

*

* Heb, ac. as

cording to the custom touard those, fc.

teousness.

fulness f Ps. lxix. 9.

att
|| Heb. tried,

Hcb. Found

my

* Or, that I may keep

A.C. About 144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting
444.
give me understanding, and I shall live.

КОРН.
145 I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I
will keep thy statutes.

146 I cried unto thee; save me, * and I shall keep thy
testimonies.

147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried:
I hoped in thy word.

148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might
meditate in thy word.
149 Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness

:
O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment

.
150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are
far from thy law.

151 Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments
are truth.

152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old
that thou hast founded them for ever.

RESH.
153 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do
not forget thy law.

154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me accord-
ing to thy word.

155 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.

156 + Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord: quicken me according to thy judgments.

157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.

158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.

159 Consider how I love thy precepts : quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.

160 | Thy word is true from the beginning: and every evord is truc. one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

SCHIN.
161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause : but my
heart standeth in awe of thy word.
162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.

164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy
righteous judgments.

165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

166 Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done this commandients,

+ Or, Mony.

1 Heb. the bes ginning

Heb. they shall have no struhling

444.

167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them A.C. About exceedingly.

168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies : for all my ways are before thee.

TAU. 169 Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word.

170 Let my supplication come before thee : deliver me according to thy word.

171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.

172 My tongue shall speak of thy word : for all thy commandments are righteousness.

173 Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts.

174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.

175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.

176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

SECTION VI.
Malachi Prophesies against the Corruptions which had been
introduced during the Second Absence of Nehemiah.

MALACHI I 39.
1 Malachi complaineth of Israel's unkindness, 6 of their irreligiousness, 12 and

profaneness.
| The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel * by 433 to 428.
Malachi.

* Heb. by the hand of Ma. lachi.

39 Malachi was the last of the prophets before the Gospel dispensation. Some writers imagine that Malachi was merely a general name, signifying the angel of the Lord, a messenger or prophet; because the title of Malach Jehovah, or angel of the Lord, was often applied to the prophets. (Compare Haggai i. 13. with Malachi iï. 1.)

The Septuagint translators have rendered Malachi his angel instead of my angel, as the original imports; and several of the fathers have quoted Malachi under the name of the angel of the Lord. Calmet, after Jerome and some other ancient writers, thinks that Malachi was the same person as Ezra, who wrote the canonical book that passes under his name, and was governor of the Jews after their return from the captivity. As he revised the Holy Scriptures, and collected the canon of the Old Testament, and performed various other important services to the Jewish church, Ezra has been considered, both by ancient Jewish and also by the early Christian writers, as a very extraordinary person sent from God, and therefore they thought him very appropriately denominated Malach; but for these opinions there is no foundation whatever.

A.C. 433 to 428.

2 I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say,

It is certain that Malachi was a distinct person from Ezra, and (as Rosenmüller observes) the whole argument of his book proves that he flourished after the return from the captivity. He prophesied while Nehemiah was governer el Judea, more particularly after his second coming from the Persian court ; and appears to have contributed the weight of his exhortations to the restoration of the Jewish polity, and the final reform established by that pious and excellent governor. Archbishop Newcome supposes Malachi to have flourished about the year 436 before the Christian æra; but Dr. Kennicott places him about the year 420 before Christ, which date is adopted by Dr. Hales, as sufficiently agreeing with the description of Josephus and the varying dates of chrono

lo and The evel

5

logers.

Although the writings of this prophet are almost wholly in prose, yet they are by no means destitute of force and elegance. He reproves the wickedness of his countrymen with great vehemence; and Bishop Lowth observes that his book is written in a kind of middle style, which seems to indicate that tbe He brew poetry, from the time of the Babylonish captivity, was in a declining state, and, being past its prime and vigour, was then fast verging towards the debility

vou,

7

of age.

But as it appears from the consent of all Jewish and Christian antiquity that
the light of prophecy expired in Malachi, we suppose that the termination of his
ministry coincided with the accomplishment of the first seven weeks of Daniel's
prophecy, which was the period allotted for “sealing the vision and prophecy,"
(Dan. ix. 24.) Malachi therefore must be considered as completing the casca
of the Old Testament, about 400 years before the birth of Christ, when the
great designs of Providence were completed in the termination of the prophetic
ministry; and when a scheme of prophecy was unfolded, which in its entire
contexture was to be accommodated to, and to characterise the Messiah. Ma-
lachi certainly prophesied some time after Haggai and Zechariah, for in his tirse
the temple was rebuilt, and the worship re-established: (chap. i. 7. 18. 12. and
iii. 10.) his ministry therefore must have coincided with, or succeeded that ei
Nehemiah. He censures the same offences that had excited the indignation of
that governor, and which he had not been able entirely to reform. (Compare
Malachi ii. 11. with Nehem. xiii. 23.-27. and Malachi i. 10. with Neh. xi.
10, 11.) In the first chapter, from 1 to 6, the Jews are reminded of the special
favors God had bestowed upon them; they are then reproved for not sbewing
due reverence to God; and the priests for their prophane and mercenary como
duct; their rejection is threatened, the calling of the Gentiles is announced,
(ver. 11.) and the divine judgments are denounced against the priests and the
people for their disregard of God in their sacrifices, (12—14. and chap. ü. 10.)
and likewise for their multiplied divorces, and intermarriages with idolatrous
nations. God being wearied with the impiety of Israel, declares (chap. ü)
that the Lord whom they sought should suddenly come to his temple, preceded
by that messenger, who like an harbinger should prepare his way, that the Lord
when he should appear should purify the sons of Levi from their unrightener-
ness, and refine them as metal from the dross, (1-4.) (see Isaiah i. 25.) and
then “the offering of Judah," the spiritual sacrifice of the heart should be
pleasant unto the Lord as in the days of old," and the Lord would quickly ex: