Page:The spirit of the Hebrew poetry 1861.djvu/51

 whether textual or historical, might rob him of his treasure, or might diminish its value to him. In its relation to the religious life, and to the health of the soul, this Psalm is wholly divine; and so every particle of it is fraught with the life-giving energy; nor need religious persons—or more than one in ten thousand of such persons—concern themselves in any way with any questionings or considerations that attach to it as a human composition.

But the Psalm now in view is also wholly human, as it is also wholly divine in another sense—every particle of it being of the same stamp as other human compositions; and therefore it may be spoken of, and it may be treated, and analysed, and commented upon, with intelligent freedom, even as we treat, analyse, and expound, whatever else has come down to us of ancient literature. Let it be remembered that neither in relation to classic literature, nor to sacred literature, does free criticism include any right or power to alter the text, or to amend it at our pleasure. The text of ancient writings, when once duly ascertained, is as fixed and as unalterable as are the constellations of the heavens: and so it is that the Canon of Scripture, if it be compared with the inconstancy and variableness of any other embodiment of religious belief or feeling, is a sure foundation—abiding the same throughout all time to the world's end.

It is not only the material writing—and the Hebrew words and phrases of this Psalm, or of any other Psalm—portions as they are of the colloquial