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HE eighth, ninth, and tenth verses of this Psalm are taken from the conclusion of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple (2 Chronicles vi. 41, 42). It has, therefore, been supposed that the whole Psalm was written for that dedication service, Solomon himself being the "Anointed" of verse 10. Against this, however, is the place of the Psalm among the "Songs of Degrees ;" and the probability seems to be that this, like the rest, belongs to the period of the Return. If so, we must take it as a prayer that the glory of the second Temple may correspond with that of the first; the "Anointed " of God being Zerubbabel, the heir of David's line.

In any case, whether for the second Temple or the first, the Psalm is a magnificent dedicationhymn, while pointing not obscurely to the glories of Messiah's kingdom.

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T is the unity of the nation and of the Church, rather than that of the family, which this Psalm portrays by a lovely twofold emblem-the fragrance diffused through the highpriestly robes on some day of solemn service, and the freshness of the morning dews wafted from Hermon in the north to Zion in the south. The two mountains are thus one

in the "blessing" of God-a picture of His all-harmonising grace.

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PSALM CXXXIV.

A SONG OF DEGREES.

SOLEMN and beautiful "Good-night!" Retiring from the Sanctuary, the people salute the Levites who are left to keep watch there through the nightly hours; and these again respond in benediction. See 1 Chronicles ix. 33, and compare Revelation vii. 15. The blessing "out of Zion" follows the true Israelite to his home. Thus do the Songs of Degrees end with a Benediction.

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HIS Psalm is almost wholly taken from earlier compositions. Compare vers. 1, 2 with Psalm cxxxv. I; ver. 3 with Psalm cxlvii. 1; ver. 4 with Exodus xix. 5; ver. 5 with Psalm xcv. 3; vers. 6 and 15-20 with Psalm cxv. ; ver. 7 with Jeremiah x. 13; vers. 8-12 with Psalm cxxxvi. 10-22; ver. 13 with Psalm cii. 12; ver. 14 with Deuteronomy xxxii. 36. The 21st verse forms a kind of response to the last verse of the Psalm preceding-" Jehovah bless thee out of Zion... Blessed be Jehovah out of Zion."

The Psalm, being thus composite, was no doubt an adaptation for the services of the second Temple. First Version.

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PSALM CXXXVI.

IS mercy endureth for ever," was the constant burden of Jewish song. Here the phrase is the refrain, or chorus, to a series of brief declarations of Jehovah's mighty acts. The former part of each verse would be chanted by the Levites, the latter being the response of the whole congregation. The Psalm is called in the Jewish liturgies the "Great Milton's well-known version was composed by him at the age of fifteen. It consists of twentyfour stanzas, which are generally abbreviated in our collections, as below.

Hallel."

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