4.  As it respects the office of Hebrew poetry, it is throughout subservient to the interests of revealed religion.  This is implied in what has been already said of the loyalty of the Hebrew poets to the institutions of the Theocracy.  It follows that the poetry of the Bible is all sacred in its character.  It contains no examples of purely secular poetry except here and there a short passage which comes in as a part of history; for example, the words of “those that speak in proverbs,” Numb. 21:27-30; perhaps also the lament of David over Saul and Jonathan. 2 Sam. 1:19-27.  It is certain that the song contained in the forty-fifth psalm and that of the Canticles were received into the canon solely on the ground that they celebrate the mutual love between God and the covenant people, considered as his bride; or, in New Testament language, between Christ and “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”

But sacred poetry has various uses.  One of its earliest offices was to celebrate the praises of God for his interposition in behalf of his covenant people, as in the song of the Israelites at the Red sea, and that of Deborah and Barak.  But when David was raised to the throne of Israel, the time had now come for introducing lyric poetry as a permanent part of the sanctuary service.  God accordingly bestowed upon this monarch the needful inward gifts, and placed him in the appropriate outward circumstances; when at once there gushed forth from his bosom, smit by the spirit of inspiration, that noble stream of lyric song, which the congregation of the faithful immediately consecrated to the public service of the sanctuary, and which, augmented by the contributions of Asaph, the sons of Korah, and other inspired poets, has been the rich inheritance of the church ever since.  In the book of Job, sacred poetry occupies itself with the mighty problem of the justice of God’s providential government over men.  It is, therefore, essentially didactic in its character.  In the Proverbs of Solomon, it becomes didactic in the fullest sense; for here it moves in the sphere of practical life and morals.  The book of Ecclesiastes has for its theme the vanity of this world, considered as a satisfying portion of the soul; and this it discusses in a poetic form.  Finally, the prophets of the Old Testament exhaust all the wealth of Hebrew poetry in rebuking the sins of the present time, foretelling the mighty judgments of God upon the wicked, lamenting the present sorrows of Zion, and portraying her future glories in connection with the advent of the promised Messiah.  The Hebrew harp—­whoever sweeps it, and whether its strains be jubilant or sad, didactic or emotional, is ever consecrated to God and the cause of righteousness.

(B.) THE SEVERAL POETICAL BOOKS.

I. JOB.