injunction prohibiting murder, it is said, at every man's brother will I require the life of man; in the original it is the soul of man. And the ransom of life is the ransom of the soul*. Also the word which we translate hell signifies more properly the mansions of the dead, or any place under the surface of the globe, whether that surface be land or water, and consequently the gravet. Indeed, I believe this was the original signification of the English word hell, a covered place, although it be now used universally to express the place of punishment for the wicked. It ought not, therefore, to have been used on the present occasion, where it gives countenance to the gross mistake which some have fallen into, that the soul of Christ at death descended into the place of the damned.

"Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption." In the Hebrew it is holy ones, the plural number being used instead of the singular. In many copies, however, the Hebrew corresponds with the Greek; and Dr. Kennicott thinks they all did so originally, but were afterwards intentionally corrupted, in order to destroy the force of the prophecy. However this may be, the phrase holy one, is of the same import as saint, which frequently, has no reference to moral character, but merely to being in a covenant or privileged state. So all Israelites are called saints or holy ones. If this phrase was intended for Christ, it denotes the purity and excellence of his character. To see corruption, is the same thing as being corrupted or perishing, as to see death, is to die.

66

My flesh shall rest in hope." Flesh does not seem here to be put for the body, in opposition to the mind; but for the life, as it is afterwards explained, or for the whole man. Thus, all flesh signifies not all human bodies, but all mankind, or beings consisting of both principles. If these words, then, are capable of any application to David, they express his strong confidence in God, that, notwithstanding the dangers which now surrounded him from his enemies, he should Diss. i. p. 496.

Taylor's Concordance.

+ Ibid.

not be suffered to die, nor left to perish in the grave; but should still live, to experience the goodness of God in general, and particularly in bestowing upon him the crown of Israel. Considered as the words of Christ, they express his persuasion that, although brought to the grave, he should be raised thence to life, without remaining there long enough to be cor rupted, and to become a putrid carcase, and the joy and gratitude which he felt in the prospect of such an

event.

28. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life: thou of life: thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

"Thou hast made known to me the ways of life." This, if applied to David, must mean that God had instructed him how to preserve his life and to avoid the snares of death. Considered as the words of Christ, they mean, Thou hast made me acquainted with the way of returning to life, by raising me from the dead.

"Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance." In the sixteenth Psalm the words are, “In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more.' The words of Peter, however, express nearly the same meaning; the joy to be derived from the countenance or presence of God.

In the case of David, this joy must be the pleasure to be derived from approaching God in the tabernacle, in which the king of Israel seems to have placed the chief delight of his life. In regard to Christ, it is the pleasure arising from a sense of the divine presence and favour, after he disappeared from the world.

There are other variations from the original in this quotation, besides those above-mentioned, which I have not noticed, because they appear to be immaterial.

Vol. 3.]

+

29.

Brethren, I may freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

30.

Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him to set up of the fruit of his loins upon his throne;

31. He, He, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his life was not left in the grave, neither his flesh did see corruption.

32. This Jesus God hath raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

I have left out the words, "according to the flesh he would raise up Christ," which are found in our translation of the thirtieth verse, because they are evidently spurious, being omitted in the best manuscripts and versions.

"I may freely speak unto you of the patriarch David." This kind of apology was necessary in addressing Jews on the subject of this patriarch, by whom he was held in high estimation, and who might be offended at any thing which seemed derogatory from his honour, as this application of his language to another person, and not to himself, might appear

to some.

"That God had sworn with an oath." This oath is mentioned in Ps. cxxxii. 11. and is referred to in several passages of the historical books. "Tó set of the fruit of his loins upon his throne." pression plainly implies that Christ was to be a natural descendent of David, by the male or direct

This ex

line. It was in that line that all genealogies were reckoned among the Jews.

He, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ." It is plain hence, and indeed from the whole of Peter's comment upon the language of this Psalm, that he considered the words of David as a direct prophecy of the resurrection of Christ, and not in any degree applicable to himself. Paul likewise refers to them, with the same view, in his address to the Jews at Antioch in Pisidia, recorded in chapter the thirteenth of this book. And this interpretation seems to have been admitted as just in both cases by the Jews; for in consequence of the apostle's reasoning upon this subject many of them embraced Christianity. Yet it has been observed by some, of no small reputation for sagacity, that in reading the Psalms, without any knowledge of this interpretation, all persons at the present day would have concluded that David was speaking of himself only, and intending to say, that God would not suffer him to perish by the hands of his enemies, or at most, that if he should die, God would raise him from the dead, and admit him to a state of greater happiness in a future life. It has likewise been said, that in the whole Psalm there is not a single expression which David may not well be supposed to have used concerning himself, and that no second person is mentioned or alluded to. What weight these circumstances ought to have, in opposition to the authorities before mentioned, I shall leave to the reader to determine*.

33. Therefore being by, rather, "at," the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear.

Theological Repository, Vol. iv. p. 113.

"Being at the right hand of God exalted." These words are not to be interpreted literally, as if the Supreme Being were seated upon a visible throne in the sky, and had a right hand and left, where beings are stationed according to the degree of favour which they enjoy; but, to be exalted at the right hand of God, is to be understood metaphorically, for enjoying the first place in his favour and confidence. The language is evidently borrowed from the practice of the courts of earthly princes, where men are placed at the right hand or left, according as they possess more or less of the prince's favour. That it is a metaphorical exaltation which is here referred to, is evident hence, that the proof which is adduced of his possessing it, is not his being seen lifted up on high, but his shedding forth these extraordinary powers.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are called the promise of the Father, because they had been promised to Jesus by him; and they are said to be shed or poured out by Christ, because given at his request and through his agency.

34. For David is not ascended into the heavens; but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

35. Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

Peter now produces a fresh proof of Christ's exaltation, which is borrowed from Ps. cx. 1. where David seems to be favoured with a prospect of the future Messiah, in the same manner as Abraham saw Christ's day, and to hear the language which God, the great Lord of all, addresses to him, desiring him to sit at his right hand, in the place of chief honour, until he should bring all his enemies to his feet, or make them his footstool; that is, bring them to a state of the lowest subjection. This, Peter observes, David could