Psalms 51-100

These studies are not written for the scholar, nor to promote scholarship, but for the general reader, and to quicken devotion, though, it is hoped, the scholar will find the studies stimulating. Attention is called to the following features: An attempt is made by the arrangement of the text, to indicate to some extent the principle of parallelism so characteristic of Hebrew poetry. The paragraphing is intended to show the main divisions of each Psalm; and speeches within a Psalm, by one or more voices, are shown in italic print. Superscriptions and subscriptions are preserved, with here and there a word of interpretation. The theory of Dr. J. W. Thirtle has been followed throughout, namely, that many superscriptions should be the subscriptions to the preceding Psalms, and these have been so arranged. Further details will be found in the Introduction. Each Psalm has a Title, and at the end a Thought which is designed to fix in the mind the main lesson of the Psalm. To each is added a note which relates the Psalm to some incident in Christian story. The Exposition aims, as far as is practicable within its limits, at giving interpretative, homiletical, and devotional help. The acrostic Psalms are shown by the Hebrew alphabet in the left-hand margin. The verse numbers are arranged in a straight line on the left, and are not allowed to interfere with the poetic form of the Psalm. All references to Deity, both by name and pronoun, have the initial letters in capital type and this, in several places, has an interpretative value. It is hoped that these several features combined may help to make the reading and study of the Psalms more interesting and profitable.