2 Clouds and darkness
are round about Him: righteousness and judgment
are the habitation of His throne.
are round about Him: righteousness and judgment
are the habitation of His throne.
Childrens - Psalm-Book
xciv.
! ? J t ? ? ; att j* . I * /i *l
j tr^ x1pn jfy nr-Dn x^rj jtn ytobq 9
:nyn dnk ns^an nov t&n D*ia na^n 10
"It jt t i" - ;i - - a* j ?
: San nan *a Dnx nint^na yn* nin*"
v it r j" ? att ::- -- "\ t:
: unaSn jjnninai it tinD$n^{ naarj 12
:nn^ >>ehS nn3' ny yn ^a i1? awn1? 13
- it 'jt tIt IV t ? <- at "j* l |j* \ -;
: atj? * iriWi iay rtrv E^'ts* t6 i *a 14
j; t-:i-; a - jt: j * I <*
I" ? ? : ? t t-;i-; at; ? j t j vvi - i'
j mt *|? y*s-Dy ^' axwa D^yna-Dy h mp^a w
|-. -it --: 4 ? '? --: ? r ? ? : ? <i |jt i-
nan niritr 1 ayaa ^ nmty nin*"
jt it; it c: ? a- tjt;v t ;\ >>"
nin<<' Tpjpn naa *rnoN-DK << j^fia
tyftof? ! l^m^ ^Ip? W}t? an? "19 :^nyiy
: pn^g Say ntf nVin km ^nan*n 20:
'H^ 22 ny^nj> *j5j Dni pnx 21
? " l j * ? * at; ? j j* jt;
nin; Drya? : wvavi Ojtorng 1 DrvSy
137
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
>te on In the opening verses the Psalmist, moved by
. XC1V. the terrible calamities that had befallen Israel,
utters a vehement and impetuous prayer to God
for the speedy punishment of the oppressors of Israel.
The meaning of the epithet " God of vengeance,"
is rather God of retribution and of Justice, for the
very recital of the wicked deeds of wanton cruelty
convinces the Psalmist that God is ever just, and
that all suffering will be remembered by the Divine
Justice and Mercy, and with this thought in his mind
he calls on both persecutors and persecuted to
understand this truth. "He that planteth the ear,
shall He not hear? He that formeth the eye, shall
He not see? Shall not He correct Who chasten-
eth the people and Who teacheth man wisdom?
PSALM XCV.
O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make
a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let
us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and
make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. 3 For
the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all
gods. 4 In His hand are the deep places of the
earth: the strength of the hills is His also. 5 The
sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed
the dry land. 6 O come, let us worship and bow
down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For He is our God; and we are the people of His
pasture, and the sheep of His hand. To-day if ye
will hear His voice, 8 Harden not your heart, as
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
Happy is the man whom God chasteneth, whom iRote on
Thou teachest from Thy law. " S>s. XCIV.
The rest of the Psalm is a series of poetic pictures
of the strength of soul and the serene courage that
come to us if we have absolute faith in the Goodness
of God, and absolute trust that by reason of His
Goodness good shall triumph over evil and right
over wrong.
When trouble overtakes us, or doubts haunt us,
let us call to mind the heartening words of the
nineteenth verse, " In the multitude of my thoughts
within me, Thy comforts delight my soul," which
are like an answering echo to these inspiriting
words of David, "Be of good courage, and He
shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the
Lord. "
XCV. TO
hotm 2 "^^> nyn'a nin^ naana <<f?
jt : -: |" ; ? j; t *t at |- *t-; -: ;i
Siia hit 'a 3 yna nin&n rnina vas
j t j'* i ? : ? at: 'tt
ita neta 4 :D*ir? <<J? aJw Sna ^ nirv
t;i iv 1 ? v*. t _ t |v *v at:
D'n b-r&x 5 :iS Dnn nisyini. px-npnp
ninwa ^3 <<. . :wr vn* ne>an ^nw wm
|-: ? ] ltt <tt v v ~: at t j:
wrbx *a 7 'ygm nirr'asS ninaa ny-oai
"v: * ? i" * at : i": ? t ;; * tat : -:
: n3i03 rifeo dva mnoa DD33S itrpn-Sx 8
it;*- t - /; at ? : ? v : - ;t j I: ~
139
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
ps. XCV. at Meribah, and as in the day of Massah in the
wilderness*: 9 When your fathers tempted Me,
proved Me, and saw My work. 10 Forty years long
was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a
people that do err in their heart, and they have not
known My ways: 11 Unto whom I sware in My
wrath that they should not enter into My rest.
IRote on The 95th Psalm is the first of six joyous songs of
ps. XCV. praise an(1 thanks to the Almighty Creator of the
whole world. These songs are all full of word-
pictures of the wonder and grandeur of God's works,
and of exhortations to Israel, His chosen messengers,
to be ever faithful to their great trust.
The Psalmist pictures God Himself mourning
when one whole generation of Israel faltered in their
faith, and so became unworthy to enter that Holy
Land which was destined to be the home whence
religious truth was to be carried abroad to all the
nations of the earth, through the chosen messengers
of God.
PSALM XCVI.
O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the
Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing unto the Lord, bless
His name; show forth His salvation from day to
day. 3 Declare His glory among the heathen, His
wonders among all people. 4 For the Lord is
great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared
above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations
are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.
* Exodus, ch. 17, v. 7.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
: torrca *aona dariiaK *mdji tb>k 9 i>u. xcv.
ct:it j t t: a:- ** 1 --. h j? ? * -:
$h t$ naxi nin? wjaj 1 d*j? |-]n 10
*rwatp:ri0M 11 :*m wnf? Dni on aaS
? :* v -: itt: ':it :a? ? jt? ?
To understand the greatness of this message, we Dote on
must remember that in those days most people believed fte. XCVi
that there were a number of gods, and that all the
marvels of creation were ruled over each by its own
god. Thus they thought there was a sun-god, a
moon-god, an earth-goddess, a sea-god, a god of the
winds, and so on.
But Israel is the Messenger of God to tell and to
teach to all mankind that there is only one God, the
Creator of all, and that to Him and to Him alone
all human beings are directly responsible for every
act of their lives.
XCVI. 12
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
ps. XCVI. 6 Honour and majesty are before Him: strength
and beauty are in His sanctuary. 7 Give unto the
Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the
Lord glory and strength. 8 Give unto the Lord
the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and
come into His courts. 9 O worship the Lord in
the beauty of holiness: tremble before Him, all the
earth. 10 Say among the heathen that the Lord
reigneth: the world also shall be established that it
shall not be moved: He shall judge the people
righteously. 11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the
earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness
thereof. 12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is
therein: then shall all the trees of the wood sing for
joy. 13 Before the Lord: for He cometh, for He
cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world
with righteousness, and the people with His truth.
Woteon The 96th Psalm, like the 95th, is a song
'of praise and thanks to God, and a trumpet call to
the Jews to proclaim their great message to the
whole world.
When we see the sun shining, the trees waving
in the wind, and the sea tossing its great waves;
when grass springs up in the fields, and the wild
flowers blossom, it is good to remember that all this
is the work of the One God; it is the whole earth
singing His praise to us and to all mankind if they
will but hear it; for God made it all, and as surely
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
an 7 ne^aM rnxsn'i vjsk -nnr-rin 6p<<. xcvi.
j t i t|; 1: v v : ? : ^ att: jt t: i
'it t t i- j t a*^ j: :' t i~
:vnrwnS nmo-w top nias nirvS an 8
it:-; j t ; ? 1 : 3r: j: t |-t ^ t
: Harris vMt? enjrrmna nirvS vuwn >>
j" t: ? - t -I j : : ? i t i? ? : ? c I ^-t
-"*fe^3tnfc? iSjr 12 ito&tt D;n mrv pxn
v -: t: - ti j i: t - -~ | vatt
t ? t: ** : ? -it t -: /t a
D'ayi pTi? b^ft-topv! psn tab^S
as the world exists by God's wisdom, so surely is all 'IRote on
mankind judged rightly by God's righteousness. P8* XCVI.
Although not described in the Bible as a Psalm of
David, this is, in fact, part of the song of thanks-
giving composed by him for Asaph,1 the chief of the
Levites, appointed to minister daily before the Ark
of the Lord, when David had brought the Ark to
Jerusalem (I. Chron. xvi. ). Another portion of the
same song is almost identical with Psalm cv. , which
is also not called a " Psalm of David. "
1 See notes on Psalm Ixxxi.
M3
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
PSALM XCVII.
The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the
multitude of isles be glad.
2 Clouds and darkness
are round about Him: righteousness and judgment
are the habitation of His throne. 3 A fire goeth
before Him, and flameth around his enemies. 4 His
lightnings lightened the world: the earth saw, and
trembled. 5 The hills melted like wax at the presence
of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole
earth. 6 The heavens declare His righteousness, and
all the peoples see His glory. 7 Ashamed be all they
that serve graven images, that boast themselves
of idols; worship Him, all ye gods. 8 Zion heard,
and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced
because of Thy judgments, O Lord. 9 For Thou,
Lord, art high above all the earth: Thou art
exalted far above all gods. 10 Ye that love the
Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of His
saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the
wicked. 11 Light is sown for the righteous, and
gladness for the upright in heart. 12 Rejoice in the
Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remem-
brance of His holiness.
mqteon This is an ode to the goodness and greatness
"* of God. The might and marvel of His works
are brought vividly before our mind by graphic
word-pictures of the wonders He has made.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
XCVII. ts
:D<<n )r\w< pxn b:n ifo mrv
I ? -- >>* * :;? I Vat t j"t |ttl jt;
:iND3 fas tastrai p-ra vmd ^snyi py 2
1 : ? I 1: t: ? | i. t ? : jv t-;i- ntt
xfco Dnn 5 :pxn Snni nnxn San van?
- - * t I Vitt t - lt -:i t a" ? ? | jT t'
,t . j*cit t it: I a :? ? 3" t --
fc'wtrn ahhito Mmsn boa H5jr^
_{,_. ,. a. . . . . . it . - ; . - . . . . . . r
nun na1wni fnt 1 naew nw8 jD^Sx-Sa
j: t: t -i i T ? ~ t : it r v: t
tvSy rrirv 1 nnfcra 9 :nirv Ttpseto pa1? n-nn*
I j: v t: <t ** 1 ? i t: I v jt: ? I -1-: at:
I- v: t - t ? *JTi- /: I v<<ti t
D'yeh i>>e VTpn nitrs3 nob> p voto nin*
:nnab> aS-nt^Si pnvS snr nix " :DSnr
it : * >>" ": *: I a--- - j-. t 1 ,. . . -
itehp -dtS rhni rrtrva D'p*w viois> 12
1 :|t :at i- | ? --i j ;?
Then follows an invocation to all the world, even "IRote on
to the idols, to worship the Almighty Creator. IPs. XCVII.
The last three verses are a sort of response in-
spired by the stirring phrase, "Ye that love the
145 L
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
1Mote on Lord hate evil. " God is ever and infinitely good;
IPs. XCV1I. with the love of God in our hearts-we love good-
ness and hate evil. "Light is sown for the
righteous. " Just as the seeds sown in the furrows
PSALM XCVIII.
a ipsalm.
O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath
done marvellous things: His right hand, and His
holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory. 2 The
Lord hath made known His salvation: His
righteousness hath He openly shewed in the sight of
the nations. 3 He hath remembered His mercy
and His truth toward the house of Israel: all the
ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth:
make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
5 Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the
harp and the voice of a psalm. 6 With trumpets
and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the
Lord, the King. 7 Let the sea roar, and the
fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell
therein. 8 Let the floods clap their hands: let the
hills be joyful together. 9 Before the Lord; for
He cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness
shall He judge the world, and the people with
equity.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
spring out of the ground, so "light" appears along the Hote on
path of life of those who always try to do what they XCVII
know to be right, and " gladness," the cheerfulness of
a serene conscience, is in their hearts.
XCVIII. TO
tM j t: ? I- Xtl * t l~ >?
inyie* rrirv ynin 2 :iwnp yim ikr iS-ny^n
a t 1: t ;i - 1 :|t ~ /: -: >> r i ?
iftoexi 1 npn nif 3 nnpix rhi D;inn *yyS
t 1 v:iv : * t 1 |t : ? it* -
nyri^n n^tr; rix fix-'pSx-S:) an b$H? : rva1?
msn <<3Tfi irres nin^ wnn 4
nrraifns e jhtst ^ipinia3a nia3a nin^ mar 5
D>>n ay*r 7 . nirv iSoh 1 *)sh wnn ns^ ^toi
in: f|3-inmy ninni 8 nn *at? i ixSai
iat ;; ? 't; ^t ? ? ; j; . . . . a .
pxn tastf1? N3-*a nin^^sb 9 :<<an* Dnn
i*x l"; ? --; f vav; ** j ; *
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
ite on This Psalm was written in a moment of great glad-
? XCVIII. ness, when the people of Israel had been saved from
some terrible danger. It exactly expresses what we
all feel when we have been very unhappy and are very
happy again. We feel so grateful to God that we
want the whole world to join with us in praise and
thanks for His everlasting goodness and mercy.
You must have noticed the Psalmists often say
"sing and play music," on the harps and psaltery and
trumpets, to express praise and thanksgiving to God.
In olden times poets did not write their poems,
but just sang their thoughts as they came into
their minds; the songs were passed on from mouth
to mouth, till at last, perhaps hundreds of years
later, they were written down, and, later still,
printed. In the same way the Psalmists used to
PSALM XCIX.
The Lord reigneth; let the peoples tremble.
He abideth amid the cherubim; let the earth
quake. 2 The Lord is great in Zion; and He is
high above all the peoples.
3 Let them praise Thy great and awful Name;
holy is He.
4 The King's strength also loveth judgment; Thou
hast established equity, Thou hast executed judgment
and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at His
footstool; holy is He.
6 Moses and Aaron among His priests, and
Samuel among them that called on His name: they
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
pour out their feelings to God in songs of prayer, flote on
accompanying themselves with a little harp, which P8. XCVIII.
they carried in one hand, and played with the other.
Long after Bible times there were still such
musical poet-singers ; they were called minstrels; and
it became the custom for every king to have a
minstrel at his court to celebrate the great events of
his reign by singing songs about them. Sir Walter
Scott wrote a poem called the " Lay of the Last
Minstrel" about these old singing poets. When
you read it, think of David, the greatest of all
minstrels, whose Psalms we still sing, and who
played so skilfully on the harp that (as we are told
in the Bible), when King Saul was ill and sad,
David played to him, and King Saul was cured and
cheered by his sweet music.
XCIX. 132
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
pe. XCIX. called upon the Lord and He answered them. 7 He
spake unto them in the pillar of cloud: they kept His
testimonies, and the statute He gave unto them.
8 Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: Thou
wast a forgiving God to them, and an avenging God
on their evil deeds.
9 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at His
holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.
mote on Psalm xcix. is an ode to the might of God, and
IPs. XCIX. in praise of His righteousness and His mercy.
Verse 4 suggests the thought that the possession
of power often tempts mankind to an unjust use of
it. But the Divine King "loveth judgment and
hath established equity" (that is justice and
fairness).
Verse 8. "Thou didst answer them, O Lord our
God! Thou wast a forgiving God to them, and an
avenging God on their evil deeds. "
This verse sums up the Jewish conception of
Divine justice and Divine mercy, and shows us the
Psalmists' meaning when they speak of the anger or
the vengeance of God. It is not a hot impulse of
the moment, nor a wrathful desire for revenge like
human anger, but it is the spirit of Divine Justice
which permeates the world.
God has given man the knowledge to discern
between right and wrong, and power to make the
effort to do right, and to restrain himself from doing
wrong. If he fails to use this power, he sins against
the spirit of Divine Justice. By the great un-
changing laws of God, which govern the world, sin
brings its own punishment, yet--by a merciful
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOtf
-? ro phi vrny w anhx n3T uy niaya 7 ds. xcix.
rrn onoy nnx writa nirv 8 ^
t j. t K j. . jt vt - ** v: jt: it
wrbx nirv north 9 :trfbhrho hasi orb
v: <t: -? i it i--: - :avt
twrbx nirv erip-*a iehp nnS nnriefrn
l" v; /t: |t ? >> :|t j-:
ordinance that is also part of the Divine eternal flore on
laws--true repentance earns the forgiveness of XCIX.
God.
For Older Children. --The Psalmist's thought illus-
trates the practical bent of Jewish philosophy, as
contrasted with the Mystical and Mythological schools
of thought. Belief in the Unity and Universality of
God led naturally to the conception of that one First
Cause ruling over the universe by eternal laws of
infinite wisdom and perfection, and thus making
cause and effect produce a harmonious and inevitable
whole.
! ? J t ? ? ; att j* . I * /i *l
j tr^ x1pn jfy nr-Dn x^rj jtn ytobq 9
:nyn dnk ns^an nov t&n D*ia na^n 10
"It jt t i" - ;i - - a* j ?
: San nan *a Dnx nint^na yn* nin*"
v it r j" ? att ::- -- "\ t:
: unaSn jjnninai it tinD$n^{ naarj 12
:nn^ >>ehS nn3' ny yn ^a i1? awn1? 13
- it 'jt tIt IV t ? <- at "j* l |j* \ -;
: atj? * iriWi iay rtrv E^'ts* t6 i *a 14
j; t-:i-; a - jt: j * I <*
I" ? ? : ? t t-;i-; at; ? j t j vvi - i'
j mt *|? y*s-Dy ^' axwa D^yna-Dy h mp^a w
|-. -it --: 4 ? '? --: ? r ? ? : ? <i |jt i-
nan niritr 1 ayaa ^ nmty nin*"
jt it; it c: ? a- tjt;v t ;\ >>"
nin<<' Tpjpn naa *rnoN-DK << j^fia
tyftof? ! l^m^ ^Ip? W}t? an? "19 :^nyiy
: pn^g Say ntf nVin km ^nan*n 20:
'H^ 22 ny^nj> *j5j Dni pnx 21
? " l j * ? * at; ? j j* jt;
nin; Drya? : wvavi Ojtorng 1 DrvSy
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
>te on In the opening verses the Psalmist, moved by
. XC1V. the terrible calamities that had befallen Israel,
utters a vehement and impetuous prayer to God
for the speedy punishment of the oppressors of Israel.
The meaning of the epithet " God of vengeance,"
is rather God of retribution and of Justice, for the
very recital of the wicked deeds of wanton cruelty
convinces the Psalmist that God is ever just, and
that all suffering will be remembered by the Divine
Justice and Mercy, and with this thought in his mind
he calls on both persecutors and persecuted to
understand this truth. "He that planteth the ear,
shall He not hear? He that formeth the eye, shall
He not see? Shall not He correct Who chasten-
eth the people and Who teacheth man wisdom?
PSALM XCV.
O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make
a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let
us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and
make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. 3 For
the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all
gods. 4 In His hand are the deep places of the
earth: the strength of the hills is His also. 5 The
sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed
the dry land. 6 O come, let us worship and bow
down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For He is our God; and we are the people of His
pasture, and the sheep of His hand. To-day if ye
will hear His voice, 8 Harden not your heart, as
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
Happy is the man whom God chasteneth, whom iRote on
Thou teachest from Thy law. " S>s. XCIV.
The rest of the Psalm is a series of poetic pictures
of the strength of soul and the serene courage that
come to us if we have absolute faith in the Goodness
of God, and absolute trust that by reason of His
Goodness good shall triumph over evil and right
over wrong.
When trouble overtakes us, or doubts haunt us,
let us call to mind the heartening words of the
nineteenth verse, " In the multitude of my thoughts
within me, Thy comforts delight my soul," which
are like an answering echo to these inspiriting
words of David, "Be of good courage, and He
shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the
Lord. "
XCV. TO
hotm 2 "^^> nyn'a nin^ naana <<f?
jt : -: |" ; ? j; t *t at |- *t-; -: ;i
Siia hit 'a 3 yna nin&n rnina vas
j t j'* i ? : ? at: 'tt
ita neta 4 :D*ir? <<J? aJw Sna ^ nirv
t;i iv 1 ? v*. t _ t |v *v at:
D'n b-r&x 5 :iS Dnn nisyini. px-npnp
ninwa ^3 <<. . :wr vn* ne>an ^nw wm
|-: ? ] ltt <tt v v ~: at t j:
wrbx *a 7 'ygm nirr'asS ninaa ny-oai
"v: * ? i" * at : i": ? t ;; * tat : -:
: n3i03 rifeo dva mnoa DD33S itrpn-Sx 8
it;*- t - /; at ? : ? v : - ;t j I: ~
139
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
ps. XCV. at Meribah, and as in the day of Massah in the
wilderness*: 9 When your fathers tempted Me,
proved Me, and saw My work. 10 Forty years long
was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a
people that do err in their heart, and they have not
known My ways: 11 Unto whom I sware in My
wrath that they should not enter into My rest.
IRote on The 95th Psalm is the first of six joyous songs of
ps. XCV. praise an(1 thanks to the Almighty Creator of the
whole world. These songs are all full of word-
pictures of the wonder and grandeur of God's works,
and of exhortations to Israel, His chosen messengers,
to be ever faithful to their great trust.
The Psalmist pictures God Himself mourning
when one whole generation of Israel faltered in their
faith, and so became unworthy to enter that Holy
Land which was destined to be the home whence
religious truth was to be carried abroad to all the
nations of the earth, through the chosen messengers
of God.
PSALM XCVI.
O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the
Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing unto the Lord, bless
His name; show forth His salvation from day to
day. 3 Declare His glory among the heathen, His
wonders among all people. 4 For the Lord is
great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared
above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations
are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.
* Exodus, ch. 17, v. 7.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
: torrca *aona dariiaK *mdji tb>k 9 i>u. xcv.
ct:it j t t: a:- ** 1 --. h j? ? * -:
$h t$ naxi nin? wjaj 1 d*j? |-]n 10
*rwatp:ri0M 11 :*m wnf? Dni on aaS
? :* v -: itt: ':it :a? ? jt? ?
To understand the greatness of this message, we Dote on
must remember that in those days most people believed fte. XCVi
that there were a number of gods, and that all the
marvels of creation were ruled over each by its own
god. Thus they thought there was a sun-god, a
moon-god, an earth-goddess, a sea-god, a god of the
winds, and so on.
But Israel is the Messenger of God to tell and to
teach to all mankind that there is only one God, the
Creator of all, and that to Him and to Him alone
all human beings are directly responsible for every
act of their lives.
XCVI. 12
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
ps. XCVI. 6 Honour and majesty are before Him: strength
and beauty are in His sanctuary. 7 Give unto the
Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the
Lord glory and strength. 8 Give unto the Lord
the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and
come into His courts. 9 O worship the Lord in
the beauty of holiness: tremble before Him, all the
earth. 10 Say among the heathen that the Lord
reigneth: the world also shall be established that it
shall not be moved: He shall judge the people
righteously. 11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the
earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness
thereof. 12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is
therein: then shall all the trees of the wood sing for
joy. 13 Before the Lord: for He cometh, for He
cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world
with righteousness, and the people with His truth.
Woteon The 96th Psalm, like the 95th, is a song
'of praise and thanks to God, and a trumpet call to
the Jews to proclaim their great message to the
whole world.
When we see the sun shining, the trees waving
in the wind, and the sea tossing its great waves;
when grass springs up in the fields, and the wild
flowers blossom, it is good to remember that all this
is the work of the One God; it is the whole earth
singing His praise to us and to all mankind if they
will but hear it; for God made it all, and as surely
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
an 7 ne^aM rnxsn'i vjsk -nnr-rin 6p<<. xcvi.
j t i t|; 1: v v : ? : ^ att: jt t: i
'it t t i- j t a*^ j: :' t i~
:vnrwnS nmo-w top nias nirvS an 8
it:-; j t ; ? 1 : 3r: j: t |-t ^ t
: Harris vMt? enjrrmna nirvS vuwn >>
j" t: ? - t -I j : : ? i t i? ? : ? c I ^-t
-"*fe^3tnfc? iSjr 12 ito&tt D;n mrv pxn
v -: t: - ti j i: t - -~ | vatt
t ? t: ** : ? -it t -: /t a
D'ayi pTi? b^ft-topv! psn tab^S
as the world exists by God's wisdom, so surely is all 'IRote on
mankind judged rightly by God's righteousness. P8* XCVI.
Although not described in the Bible as a Psalm of
David, this is, in fact, part of the song of thanks-
giving composed by him for Asaph,1 the chief of the
Levites, appointed to minister daily before the Ark
of the Lord, when David had brought the Ark to
Jerusalem (I. Chron. xvi. ). Another portion of the
same song is almost identical with Psalm cv. , which
is also not called a " Psalm of David. "
1 See notes on Psalm Ixxxi.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
PSALM XCVII.
The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the
multitude of isles be glad.
2 Clouds and darkness
are round about Him: righteousness and judgment
are the habitation of His throne. 3 A fire goeth
before Him, and flameth around his enemies. 4 His
lightnings lightened the world: the earth saw, and
trembled. 5 The hills melted like wax at the presence
of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole
earth. 6 The heavens declare His righteousness, and
all the peoples see His glory. 7 Ashamed be all they
that serve graven images, that boast themselves
of idols; worship Him, all ye gods. 8 Zion heard,
and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced
because of Thy judgments, O Lord. 9 For Thou,
Lord, art high above all the earth: Thou art
exalted far above all gods. 10 Ye that love the
Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of His
saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the
wicked. 11 Light is sown for the righteous, and
gladness for the upright in heart. 12 Rejoice in the
Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remem-
brance of His holiness.
mqteon This is an ode to the goodness and greatness
"* of God. The might and marvel of His works
are brought vividly before our mind by graphic
word-pictures of the wonders He has made.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
XCVII. ts
:D<<n )r\w< pxn b:n ifo mrv
I ? -- >>* * :;? I Vat t j"t |ttl jt;
:iND3 fas tastrai p-ra vmd ^snyi py 2
1 : ? I 1: t: ? | i. t ? : jv t-;i- ntt
xfco Dnn 5 :pxn Snni nnxn San van?
- - * t I Vitt t - lt -:i t a" ? ? | jT t'
,t . j*cit t it: I a :? ? 3" t --
fc'wtrn ahhito Mmsn boa H5jr^
_{,_. ,. a. . . . . . it . - ; . - . . . . . . r
nun na1wni fnt 1 naew nw8 jD^Sx-Sa
j: t: t -i i T ? ~ t : it r v: t
tvSy rrirv 1 nnfcra 9 :nirv Ttpseto pa1? n-nn*
I j: v t: <t ** 1 ? i t: I v jt: ? I -1-: at:
I- v: t - t ? *JTi- /: I v<<ti t
D'yeh i>>e VTpn nitrs3 nob> p voto nin*
:nnab> aS-nt^Si pnvS snr nix " :DSnr
it : * >>" ": *: I a--- - j-. t 1 ,. . . -
itehp -dtS rhni rrtrva D'p*w viois> 12
1 :|t :at i- | ? --i j ;?
Then follows an invocation to all the world, even "IRote on
to the idols, to worship the Almighty Creator. IPs. XCVII.
The last three verses are a sort of response in-
spired by the stirring phrase, "Ye that love the
145 L
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
1Mote on Lord hate evil. " God is ever and infinitely good;
IPs. XCV1I. with the love of God in our hearts-we love good-
ness and hate evil. "Light is sown for the
righteous. " Just as the seeds sown in the furrows
PSALM XCVIII.
a ipsalm.
O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath
done marvellous things: His right hand, and His
holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory. 2 The
Lord hath made known His salvation: His
righteousness hath He openly shewed in the sight of
the nations. 3 He hath remembered His mercy
and His truth toward the house of Israel: all the
ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth:
make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
5 Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the
harp and the voice of a psalm. 6 With trumpets
and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the
Lord, the King. 7 Let the sea roar, and the
fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell
therein. 8 Let the floods clap their hands: let the
hills be joyful together. 9 Before the Lord; for
He cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness
shall He judge the world, and the people with
equity.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
spring out of the ground, so "light" appears along the Hote on
path of life of those who always try to do what they XCVII
know to be right, and " gladness," the cheerfulness of
a serene conscience, is in their hearts.
XCVIII. TO
tM j t: ? I- Xtl * t l~ >?
inyie* rrirv ynin 2 :iwnp yim ikr iS-ny^n
a t 1: t ;i - 1 :|t ~ /: -: >> r i ?
iftoexi 1 npn nif 3 nnpix rhi D;inn *yyS
t 1 v:iv : * t 1 |t : ? it* -
nyri^n n^tr; rix fix-'pSx-S:) an b$H? : rva1?
msn <<3Tfi irres nin^ wnn 4
nrraifns e jhtst ^ipinia3a nia3a nin^ mar 5
D>>n ay*r 7 . nirv iSoh 1 *)sh wnn ns^ ^toi
in: f|3-inmy ninni 8 nn *at? i ixSai
iat ;; ? 't; ^t ? ? ; j; . . . . a .
pxn tastf1? N3-*a nin^^sb 9 :<<an* Dnn
i*x l"; ? --; f vav; ** j ; *
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
ite on This Psalm was written in a moment of great glad-
? XCVIII. ness, when the people of Israel had been saved from
some terrible danger. It exactly expresses what we
all feel when we have been very unhappy and are very
happy again. We feel so grateful to God that we
want the whole world to join with us in praise and
thanks for His everlasting goodness and mercy.
You must have noticed the Psalmists often say
"sing and play music," on the harps and psaltery and
trumpets, to express praise and thanksgiving to God.
In olden times poets did not write their poems,
but just sang their thoughts as they came into
their minds; the songs were passed on from mouth
to mouth, till at last, perhaps hundreds of years
later, they were written down, and, later still,
printed. In the same way the Psalmists used to
PSALM XCIX.
The Lord reigneth; let the peoples tremble.
He abideth amid the cherubim; let the earth
quake. 2 The Lord is great in Zion; and He is
high above all the peoples.
3 Let them praise Thy great and awful Name;
holy is He.
4 The King's strength also loveth judgment; Thou
hast established equity, Thou hast executed judgment
and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at His
footstool; holy is He.
6 Moses and Aaron among His priests, and
Samuel among them that called on His name: they
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
pour out their feelings to God in songs of prayer, flote on
accompanying themselves with a little harp, which P8. XCVIII.
they carried in one hand, and played with the other.
Long after Bible times there were still such
musical poet-singers ; they were called minstrels; and
it became the custom for every king to have a
minstrel at his court to celebrate the great events of
his reign by singing songs about them. Sir Walter
Scott wrote a poem called the " Lay of the Last
Minstrel" about these old singing poets. When
you read it, think of David, the greatest of all
minstrels, whose Psalms we still sing, and who
played so skilfully on the harp that (as we are told
in the Bible), when King Saul was ill and sad,
David played to him, and King Saul was cured and
cheered by his sweet music.
XCIX. 132
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
pe. XCIX. called upon the Lord and He answered them. 7 He
spake unto them in the pillar of cloud: they kept His
testimonies, and the statute He gave unto them.
8 Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: Thou
wast a forgiving God to them, and an avenging God
on their evil deeds.
9 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at His
holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.
mote on Psalm xcix. is an ode to the might of God, and
IPs. XCIX. in praise of His righteousness and His mercy.
Verse 4 suggests the thought that the possession
of power often tempts mankind to an unjust use of
it. But the Divine King "loveth judgment and
hath established equity" (that is justice and
fairness).
Verse 8. "Thou didst answer them, O Lord our
God! Thou wast a forgiving God to them, and an
avenging God on their evil deeds. "
This verse sums up the Jewish conception of
Divine justice and Divine mercy, and shows us the
Psalmists' meaning when they speak of the anger or
the vengeance of God. It is not a hot impulse of
the moment, nor a wrathful desire for revenge like
human anger, but it is the spirit of Divine Justice
which permeates the world.
God has given man the knowledge to discern
between right and wrong, and power to make the
effort to do right, and to restrain himself from doing
wrong. If he fails to use this power, he sins against
the spirit of Divine Justice. By the great un-
changing laws of God, which govern the world, sin
brings its own punishment, yet--by a merciful
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOtf
-? ro phi vrny w anhx n3T uy niaya 7 ds. xcix.
rrn onoy nnx writa nirv 8 ^
t j. t K j. . jt vt - ** v: jt: it
wrbx nirv north 9 :trfbhrho hasi orb
v: <t: -? i it i--: - :avt
twrbx nirv erip-*a iehp nnS nnriefrn
l" v; /t: |t ? >> :|t j-:
ordinance that is also part of the Divine eternal flore on
laws--true repentance earns the forgiveness of XCIX.
God.
For Older Children. --The Psalmist's thought illus-
trates the practical bent of Jewish philosophy, as
contrasted with the Mystical and Mythological schools
of thought. Belief in the Unity and Universality of
God led naturally to the conception of that one First
Cause ruling over the universe by eternal laws of
infinite wisdom and perfection, and thus making
cause and effect produce a harmonious and inevitable
whole.
