5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. 6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. 7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habi tation. 8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. 10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: 12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. 17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. 18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. 19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. 20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. 21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with *rejoicing. 23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; 24 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. 3 Job. 33.20. 4 Heb. singing. 25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. 28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their de sired haven. 31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness. and the watersprings into dry ground; 34 A fruitful land into barrenness, fur! the wickedness of them that dwell therein. 35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. 36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for ha bitation; 37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. 38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. 39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sor row. 40 'He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. 41 "Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. 42 The righteous shall see it, and re joice and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. 43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lov ingkindness of the LORD. 6 Heb. all their wisdom is swallowed up. 7 Heb. saltness. PSALM CVII.—The author of this psalm is not known; but it was probably David, although some think it better to consider it as having been written after the return from the Babylonish captivity. This psalin is of very singular cour tion, and was obviously intended to be sung in responses. It has a frequently recurring double burden, or intery verse. The first burden is found in verses 6, 13, 19, 28; the second, in veises 8, 15, 21, 31; that is, after the iption of a class of calamities comes the first chorus expressing the cry to the Lord for deliverance; then a single describes the deliverance as granted, after which follows the chorus of thanksgiving-and thus on to verse 35, e the system ends. The last two burdens are however separated by two verses, instead of one, as before. ill also be observed that the second chorus has sometimes annexed another reflective distich illustrative of the ment, as verses 9, 16. There are many other examples of a similar arrangement to be found in the psalms; but, owth's opinion, few of them are equal and none superior to this. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble."-Verse 26. people and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. 4 For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the 'clouds. 5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens and thy glory above all the earth; 6 That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. 7 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. Psal. 60. 5. 8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; 9 Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph. 10 Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? 11 Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? 12 Give us help from trouble: for vain the help of man. 13 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our ene mies. PSALM CVIII.-This Psalm is made up out of two others, lvii. and lx.. as indicated in the marginal references. Verse 2. "Psaltery."--Having already, under Psalm xci.. illustrated that old opinion which assigns a triangular form to the nebel, we are now prepared to illustrate another view, which was suggested to us by the examination of some of the splendid works which, in the course of the present century, have made us so well acquainted with the public and private life of the ancient Egyptians, and which are calculated to afford us, indirectly, much valuable informatat concerning the arts and implements of their neighbours, and more particularly of the Jews. At p. 573, in the note on the kinnor, we noticed the tradition which ascribed the origin of stringed instruments of the lyre or harp class to an observation of the sound caused by the twanging of a bow. It might therefore be inferred that the earliest instruments founded on this idea would bear the form of a bow. Yet we have not met with any figurs from Greek or Roman monuments which bear in their form any indication of such an origin, whilst all the harps of Egypt are more or less of the bow shape, so that the idea of such an origin would be suggested even were there no t dition to support it. This the reader will perceive by an examination of the harps in our present engravings, as well as by those contained in the group of musical performers at p. 559. Indeed we think that the engravings taken toge ther will enable him to trace the progress of the idea from the simplest modification of the bow-form to the large and magnificent bowed harp. The most simple application of this idea seems to be that afforded by the instrument represented in the figure hereto annexed; and which is given by Rosellini, as copied from a real instrument preserved in the museum at Florence. It is constructed of the same materials as that triangular instrument represented in the fourth fig, at page 620, and preserved in the same Museum. From the number of the pegs, the strings seem to have been four in number; and which appear to have been conducted through a box or belly, framed at one extremity of the arc, in order to strengthen the sound. Fig. 2 exhibits another instrument of the same kind, with the four strings stretched over a box. This figure is further interesting as showing the manner in which the instrument was played, as carried upon the shoulder. In the two very interesting and highly enriched instruments played by the two central figures in the engraving at p. 559, the very simply arched figure is preserved, but, instead of a rather extraneous box, more of unity is obtained by an extensive hollow, gradually widening, being formed between the outer and inner surfaces of the arched frame. It is also large, and is not portable while played, but rests rather awkwardly upon the ground, without any base for its support. Fig. 3 exhibits another smaller instrument of this description; and fig. 4 shows the largest of the class, and which has the same number of strings that Josephus gives to the Hebrew nebel. Our remaining small cuts exhibit instruments also of the arc form, but in which the arc is more bent. In all these the hollow frame is much enlarged towards the lower end, and its bend there sometimes furnishes a sort of base, on which the instrument may be more conveniently poised than those last noticed. None of them seem to be portable; and as they are short, they are either placed on a stand, or the player sits on the ground, on which the instrument is rested. One of these cuts (fig. 7) is particularly interesting, as from the fine manner in which the player's head is thrown back, with the mouth open, he appears to be singing, proving that the performer sometimes accompanied the instrument with his voice. Our large cut exhibits what seems the most perfect and finished forms to which the Egyptian harp ultimately arrived. It is from a painting on the walls of what, on account of this and another similar representation, is called the Harp Tomb," at Thebes. He Fig. 1. Bruce was the first to describe these representations, in a letter to Dr. Burney, which the latter printed in his History of Music.' also gave a drawing, engraved in that work, which appears to have been intended to represent the harp of our engraving. It is however so different in form and principle, though some resemblance is observable, that, as Browne suspected, it was probably finished from recollection. Denon afterwards gave, in a rude sketch, a more correct repre sentation, preserving the arc form which Bruce had destroyed. Then came the great French work on Egypt, which gave the more finished engraving, from which ours are copied; and also of the other, which is so similar that we have not thought it necessary to be here inserted. We are aware that the accuracy of even these representations has been strongly questioned by Dr. Richardson and others; but, so far as we can ascertain, the objections refer chiefly to colouring, and to some small matters of detail, which do not affect the general accuracy, particularly in a wood engraving. The only serious error seems to be, that, according to Rosellini, the second harp contains thirteen strings, not eighteen, as stated by Bruce, nor twenty-one, as in the French work. We need not expatiate on the form of the harp which our engraving so adequately represents. But we will quote a few of the observations of Bruce, whose written account is much better than his figure, and correct, except as to his fundamental error in the form of the harp and the number of the strings. After describing correctly the figure of the player, he says, "To guess by the detail of the figure, the painter should have had about the same degree of merit with a good sign painter in Europe; yet he has represented the action of the musician in a manner never to be mistaken. His left (right) hand seems employed i the upper part of the instrument among the notes in alto, as if in arpeggio; while, stooping forwards, he seems with his right (left) hand to be beginning with the lowest string, and promising to ascend with the most rapid execution; this action, so obviously rendered by an indifferent artist, shows that it was a common one in his time; or, in other words, that great hands were then frequent, and consequently that music was well understood and diligently followed. If we allow the performer's stature to be about five feet ten inches, then we may compute the harp, in its extreme length, to be somewhat less than six feet and a half. It seems to support itself in equilibrio on its foot, or base, and needs only the player's guidance to keep it steady. It has thirteen (eleven) strings, and the length of these, with the force and liberty with which they are treated, show that they are made in a very different manner from those of the lyre." He observes, that the absence of a forepiece, opposed to the longest string, must have improved its tone; but at the same time must have rendered the instrument itself weaker, and more liable to accidents, if carriage had not been so convenient in Egypt. He adds, "Besides that the whole principles upon which the harp is constructed are rational and ingenious, the ornamental parts are likewise executed in the very best manner: the bottom and sides of the frame seem to be fineered, or inlaid, probably with ivory, tortoiseshell, and mother-of-pearl; the ordinary produce of the neighbouring seas and deserts. It would be even now impossible to finish an instrument with more taste and elegance." Dr. Burney himself has some interesting remarks on the same subject (vol. i. p. 224, et seq.), liable however to the correction necessary from his having been in some respects misled by Bruce's drawing. When, some years after his letter to Dr. Burney, Bruce published his own work, he gave a representation of the second harp, which he had overlooked on the previous occasion; and which, although considerably " improved,” is far more faithfully copied than the other. With reference to both he says, "These harps, in my opinion, overturn all the accounts hitherto given of the earliest state of music and musical instruments in the East; and are altogether. in their form, ornaments, and compass, an incontestable proof, stronger than a thousand Greek quotations, that geometry. drawing, mechanics, and music, were at the greatest perfection when this instrument was made; and that the period from which we date the invention of these arts was only the beginning of the æra of their restoration. This was the sentiment of Solomon, a wiiter who lived about the time when these harps were painted. Is there,' says Solomon, any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new! It hath been already of old time which was before us."" Here then we observe real harps-the only ones of which antiquity has left any trace, and differing very considerably from any of those in use among ourselves. Such harps being in use among the Egyptians, the probability will scarcely be disputed that they were known also to the Jews; and then when we reflect that the nebel appears to have been a large stringed instrument of the harp kind, it will appear as good a probability as can be obtained that the name is applicable to some such instruments as our present cuts exhibit. However, we are not solicitous to contend that this harp must certainly have been the nebel of the Hebrews. But if it be allowed that they were acquainted with such at instrument, we will not contend that it might not be denoted by some other undetermined name of stringed instruments such as "the instrument of ten strings," "the harp of solemn sound," or "the pleasant harp," rather than that of the nebel; and shall therefore not object to be understood as introducing, under a name not distinctly appropriated, an instrument which may possibly not have been the nebel of the Hebrews, but which, by whichever of the undetermise! names they called it, could scarcely fail to have been known to them. It may also be observed, that the two great harps, having, respectively, eleven and thirteen strings, have only one less and one more than the twelve which Jose phus assigns to the nebel. Several of the smaller ones also offer such a number of strings as would alone suffice to suggest an approximation to the instrument in question. FROM A PAINTING FOUND IN A TOMB AT THEBES. at PSALM CIX. 1 David, complaining of his slanderous enemies, under the person of Judas devoteth them. 16 He sheweth their sin. 21 Complaining of his own misery, he prayeth for help. 29 He promiseth thankfulness. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. HOLD not thy peace, O God of my praise; 2 For the mouth of the wicked and the 'mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. 3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause. 4 For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer. 1 Heb. mouth of deceit. Heb. have opened themselves. 9 Let his children be fatherless, and his f wife a widow. 10 Let his children be continually vaga bonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places. 11 Let the extortioner catch all that ha hath; and let the strangers spoil his la bour. 12 Let there be none to extend merey Or, an adversary. 4 Heb. go out guilty, or wicked. 5 Acts 1.20. 6 Or, charge. |