alluded; beautifully representing CHRIST as the Bridegroom, and himself as his Friend, or Bridesman: "I am not THE CHRIST, "but am sent before Him: He that hath "the Bride is the Bridegroom; but the "Friend of the Bridegroom, who standeth [by] and heareth his voice, rejoiceth with 66 86 joy, on account of the Bridegroom's voice. "This then my joy is completed." John iii. 28. And thus, our Lord, pursuing the Allegory: "Can the Sons of the Bridecham"ber mourn so long as the Bridegroom is "with them?"-finely contrasting the innocent cheerfulness of his own disciples, with the rigorous fasts and mortifications of "John "the Baptist's disciples," formed on the usage of the Jewish devotees remarkably recorded by three Evangelists, Matt. ix. 15, Mark ii. 19, and Luke v. 34:- And still further unfolded, in the admirable and awakening Parable of the Ten Virgins, attendant on his marriage, Matt. xxv. 1.—And following up the same clue, the Apocalypse, represents the Evangelical Church, " prepared, as a Bride adorned for her Hus“band ;”—“THE LAMB's wife," Rev. xxi. 2-9, clearly illustrating the last part of this Psalm. PSALM XLV. FOR THE PRECENTOR ON THE HEXACHORD; FOR [THE CHOIRISTERS] THE SONS OF KORAH: A HYMN, An ANTHEM OF LOVES, [or, AN ANTHEM FOR THE BELOVED. Sept. Title.] 1. My heart is teeming with a good Oracle; I will utter my compositions touching THE KING: My tongue is like the pen of a ready 2. Thou art most beautiful above the Sons of Adam, Grace is shed forth on thy lips; Therefore hath God blessed Thee for ever. 3. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou MIGHTY, In thy glory and thy majesty : 4. And in thy majesty, ride prosperously, For the cause of Truth, Meekness, and Righteousness; And And thy right hand shall teach thee 5. Thy Arrows [are] sharp; Peoples [shall fall] under Thee; THE KING'S Enemies shall fail in heart. 6. "Thy throne, O GOD, [is] for ever " and ever! — "A Sceptre of Equity [is] the Sceptre "of thy kingdom! 7. "Thou didst love righteousness and hate "wickedness, "Therefore hath GOD, THY GOD, "ANOINTED Thee, "With Oil of Gladness, above thy Fel"lows." 8. Myrrh, Aloes, and Cassia [perfume] all thy garments, [Taken] out of the Ivory Cabinets; wherewith, 9. Among thy treasures, King's daughters gratify thee. At thy right hand is placed THE [Clad] in gold of Ophir : 10. Hearken, O DAUGHTER, consider, and incline thine ear, Forget thine own people, and thy Father's house, 11. So shall THE KING greatly desire thy beauty. For He is THY LORD, and worship Thou Him. 12. And the Daughter of Tyre [shall come] with a Gift, The Rich among the People shall sup plicate thy presence. 13. THE KING'S DAUGHTER is all glo rious in her presence, Her Vesture is of embroidered gold and needlework, 14. She shall be introduced to THE KING: The Virgins in her train, her Companions, shall be brought unto Thee, 15. With joy and gladness shall they be introduced, And shall enter into the King's Palace. 16. Instead of thy Fathers shall be thy Sons; Thou shalt make them Princes, in all They shall record thy name in every Therefore shall Peoples praise Thee for REMARKS. Among the various guesses concerning the import of the obscure Title prefixed to this Psalm; the most probable seems to be, that Dww Shoshannim, denotes some kind of musical instrument with sir strings, (from vw, six,) like as Dhe, expresses one with three strings, 1 Sam. xviii. 6;-, one with eight strings, Ps. vi. Title;—And wy, a lute or harp, with ten strings, Psal. xxxii. 2: and cxliv. 9. The last clause, "An Anthem of Loves"-seems to be well explained by the Septuagint, applying it to the MESSIAH," An Anthem for THE "BELOVED."- Indeed, the remarkable length and precision of the Title, intimates sufficiently in what high Estimation this Prophetic Hymn was formerly held by the Jewish Church; as it is now in the Christian; it being one of the proper Psalms appointed to be used on Christmas-day by our Liturgy: |