PSALM LXXXVIII—A HYMN OF COMPLAINT 1007 me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. 5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. 6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah. 7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee. Psalm 88 A prayer containing a grievous complaint. A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. my cry; LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: 2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto 3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. 4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength: 5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand. 6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. 7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah. 8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth. 9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee. 10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah. 11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? 12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness; in the land of forgetfulness? 13 But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent1 thee. 14 LORD, why casteth thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? 15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. 16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off. 17 They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together. "The Revised Version reads " come before thee." 1008 PSALM LXXXIX-GOD'S GREAT DEEDS 18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. Psalm 89 1 The psalmist praiseth God for his covenant, 5 for his wonderful power, 14 for the care of his church, 19 and for is favour to the kingdom of David. 38 Then, complaining of contrary events, 46 he expostulateth, prayeth, and blesseth God. Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. WILL sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. 2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. 3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, 4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. 5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. 6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD? 7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. 8 O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? 9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. 10 Thou hast broken Rahab1 in pieces, as one that is slain: thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm. 11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. 12 The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. 13 Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. 14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. 15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. 16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. 17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. 18 For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king. 19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have 'Rahab stands often for Egypt; here it perhaps refers to a primeval monster. Satan Denies Job's Goodness FROM THE BOOK OF JOB, BY WILLIAM BLAKE, THE + "And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job?"-Job, 1, 8. J OB'S prosperity seemed to suggest that he was special ly favored of Heaven for his goodness. So indeed he was. Having described his happy condition, the Book of Job turns next to a remarkable scene which is represented as occurring in the presence of God himself. The "sons of God," all the powers and spirits of Heaven, "came to present themselves before the Lord." Among them came Satan, or as he is called in the Hebrew, "the Adversary." This mocking "spirit that denies" was questioned by the Lord as to where he had been. Satan said he came "From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it." The Lord asked if he had noted Job? There was no other man, declared the Lord, so perfect and so upright. Satan answered with open malice that it was a wise thing for Job to be good, since therefore the Lord had "made an hedge about him, and about his house," so that no evil could reach the man. Job had seen that goodness brought prosperity. "But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." |