In their public character they owe to God obedience, which
cannot be rendered in any other. And in these laws they are called to
pledge themselves to that obedience by entering into Covenant with Him.
"Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the
earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the
Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is
kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."
It has been shown that Covenanting is described as a part of the service
of God. In the words, "serve the Lord," it is therefore enjoined. To
kiss a sovereign is to acknowledge his dominion, and submit to his
authority. This is done in Covenanting. The command, "Kiss ye the Son,"
therefore enjoins the service. In the passage, kings and judges of the
earth are commanded to do this; and none without making an arbitrary
assumption can say that they are not thus enjoined in their official
capacity. Nor are the people under their authority, here unaddressed.
That they are specially intended, too, appears from the
promise,--"Blessed are all they that put their trust in him;" and
moreover, from the language that precedes the passage.--"Ask of me, and
I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost
parts of the earth for thy possession."[218] The threatenings appended,
show the danger of refusing. But the same is taught besides in another
passage. "Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise
thee. O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy; for thou shalt judge
the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth."[219] The
sacred original corresponding to the first part of this portion of
Scripture is not _wrong_ rendered here, but it might have been
_otherwise_ rendered. The verb (in Hiphil, [Hebrew: yodeh]) under the
modification here employed, meaning literally, _to declare with the
outstretched hand_, imports, in its most general acceptation, _to
confess_. It is so rendered in the passage, "When thy people Israel be
smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee,
and shall turn again to thee, and _confess_ thy name, and pray, and make
supplication to thee in this house: then hear thou in heaven."[220] "To
praise," is included in the expression, "to confess." But more is
included in the latter besides. To have translated the passage from the
Psalms in this manner, would have been more i