This Psalm, as well as the other thirteen entitled "A Song of Degrees," was composed for the singing on the road by those Israelites who went up to Jerusalem to keep the three grand festivals, to beguile their tedious journey, and also to soothe the dejected spirits of those who felt disheartened at having left their homes, their farms, and families without guardians. Ps. cxxvii. is of a soothing character, composed probably by Solomon.
In the first two verses God's watchfulness and care over His beloved are held up to the view of the pilgrims, who are impressed with the truth that no one, "by taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature." The best exposition which I can give of those two verses I have learned from our Saviour's "Sermon on the Mount" (Matt. vi. 25-33.). The third and following verses, as well as the next Psalm, are exegetical or illustrative. To whom do you attribute the gift of children? Is it not admitted on all hands to be "an heritage of the Lord?" No one can procure that blessing by personal anxiety and care: God alone can confer the gift. Well, then, the same God who gives you the heritage of children will also grant you all other blessings which are good for you, provided you act the part of "His beloved," and depend upon Him without wavering.
The above is a hasty, but I trust an intelligible, view of the scope of the Psalm.
Moses Margoliouth
Wybunbury, Nantwich.
Footnote 6: [(return)]
Lightfoot, who edited Broughton's works in 1662, entitled them as follows:—"The Works of the great Albionen Divine, renowned in many Nations for rare Skill in Salem's and Athens' Tongues, and familiar acquaintance with all Rabbinical Learning," &c.
Ben Jonson has managed to introduce Broughton into some of his plays. In his Volpone, when the "Fox" delivers a medical lecture, to the great amusement of Politic and Peregrine, the former remarks,
"Is not his language rare?"
To which the latter replies,