in her heart."

The lengthened services of that happy day were past. David had prepared for the reception of the Ark a

"tabernacle," no doubt on the model of that which Moses had made. The introduction of the Ark into its

"most holy place"277 was made the feast of the dedication of the new sanctuary which had been reared for

its reception, when burnt-offerings and peace-offerings were brought. But there was more than this to mark

the commencement of a new religious era. For the first time the service of praise was now introduced in the

public worship of Israel.278

Shortly after it was fully organized, as also the other ritual of the sanctuary (1 Chronicles 16). The

introduction of fixed hymns of praise, with definite responses by the people (as in 1 Chronicles 16:34-36),

marks the commencement of that liturgy which, as we know, was continued in the Temple, and afterwards in

the Synagogues throughout the land. The grand hymn composed for this occasion was no doubt Psalm 24,

as its contents sufficiently indicate. But besides we have in the Book of Chronicles (16:8-36), what must be

considered either as a liturgical arrangement and combination of parts from other Psalms introduced at that

time into the public worship, or else as a separate Psalm, parts of which were afterwards inserted into others.

This question is, however, of little practical importance. In favor of the first view is the undoubted fact that

the successive parts of the hymn in the Book of Chronicles occur in Psalm 55 (1-15), 46, 57 (1), and 56 (47,

48), and the circumstance that the expressions (1 Chronicles 16:4) "to record, and to thank, and to praise,"

mark a liturgical division and arrangement of the Psalms. The first of the three classes indicated, the

Ascharah or "memorial" Psalms, were sung when meat-offerings were brought279 (Leviticus 2:2).

Psalm 38 and 70 in our Psalter may be mentioned as examples of this class. As to the second and third

classes, we need only remark that Psalm 55 is the first of the Hodim, or Thank-Psalms, and Psalm 56 of the

"Hallelujah," or "Praise" Psalms. Nor is it said that the hymn in Chronicles was actually sung in the form

there indicated, the inference to that effect being derived from the words in italics in our Authorised Version

(1 Chronicles 16:7). These are, of course, not in the Hebrew text, which has it: "On that day then gave"

(appointed) "David first" (for the first time) "to thank Jehovah" (i.e. the service of song) "by the hand of

Asaph and his brethren." On the other hand, however, the hymn in the Book of Chronicles is so closely and

beautifully connected in its various parts, as to give the impression of one whole, parts of which may

afterwards have been inserted in different Psalms, just as similar adaptations are found in other parts of the

Psalter (comp., for example, Psalm 40:17, etc., with Psalm 70).

But, whatever may be thought of its original form, this "Psalm" of eight stanzas,280 as given in the Book of

Chronicles, is one of the grandest hymns in Holy Scripture.

If the expression might be allowed, it is New Testament praise in Old Testament language. Only we must

beware of separating the two dispensations, as if the faith and joy of the one had differed from that of the

other except in development and form. From first to last the hymn breathes a missionary spirit, far beyond

any narrow and merely national aspirations. Thus, in the fifth stanza (vs. 23-27), we have anticipation of the

time when God's promise to Abraham would be made good, and all nations share in his spiritual blessing, - a

hope which, in the sixth (28-30) and seventh stanzas (31-33), rises to the joyous assurance of Jehovah's

reign over all men and over ransomed earth itself.

That this hymn is deeply Messianic, not only in its character but in its basis, needs no proof. In truth, we

regard it and the earlier hymns of the same spirit, as that by the Red Sea (Exodus 15) and that of Hannah (1

Samuel 2:1-10), as forming links connecting the earlier with the later (prophetic) portions of the Old

Testament, showing that, however gradually the knowledge may have come of the precise manner in which

the promise would ultimately be fulfilled, the faith and hope of believers were, in substance, always the

same. Nor, to pass from this to what to some may seem a comparatively secondary point, ought we to

neglect noticing as an important advance, marked even by this Psalm, the establishment of a liturgical

worship, apparent even in the introduction of a fixed hymnody, instead of occasional outbursts of sacred