The Christian Use of the Psalms. By the Rev. T.
K. Cheyne. (Isbister and Co. 6s.)—With Professor Cheyne's contention that there is much in the Psalter that is not suited to the worship of the Christian Church many of us will be disposed to agree. What remedy is possible is another matter. A large discretion left to the officiating minister would be the easiest ; but the discretion of the clergy is a somewhat uncertain quantity. Following the essay which gives a title to the volume are chapters which deal with the proper Psalms appointed for " certain days." Among these are five of the Psalms appointed for Christmas Day. Psalm xix., " The Heavens declare," &c., is, so to speak, passed by the critic. It consists, we are told, of two fragments, a Psalm of the sun, and a Psalm of the human soul. Glorious is the sun ; still more glorious the " gradual upward progress of the human character." Psalm xlv., to put it briefly, is rejected. It is Messianic, but " not on that account adapted for a Christmas Day Church Service " ; lxxxv. is admitted with reservations ; cx. is practically rejected, although it contains the well-known The Lord said unto my Lord," &c. This does not weigh with Professor Cheyne at all. "It is a huge mistake to look to [our Lord's use of this passage] for any authoritative exposition of the meaning of the 110th Psalm." As for cxxxii., "we ought not to withhold the confession that we regard that appointment [of the ritual use of the Psalm] as a misfortune." About Psalm lxxxix. we are told nothing. We cannot go through the other chapters, but must content ourselves with a few remarks. Professor Cheyne's emendations of the text are, to say the least, very bold. The rule has been to use the greatest caution in dealing with the Bible text. This is absolutely disregarded. Some of his expressions are startling. The writer to the Hebrews made "a mistake" in his view of the "blood of Jesus " ; what it really means is " the life, the personality,—that central power which expressed itself in all His thoughts," &c. " What we, in harmless simplicity, call the Ascension," is a curious phrase. And there is something very like Ebionism in the discussion of Psalm ii. It was the great contention of this heresy that the words, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee," must be interpreted of the Baptism.
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