the question of the age to which the book of Job belongs, and passing by some gems of poetry contained in the book of Genesis, we may say that the oldest recorded song of certain date which the world possesses is that of the Israelites upon their deliverance at the Red sea.  Exod., ch. 15.  Next in order (to pass by the poetic effusions of Balaam, and some other fragments, Numb., chaps. 21-24) come the song which Moses wrote for the children of Israel just before his death (Deut., ch. 32), and (according to the title, the genuineness of which there is no valid reason for doubting) “the prayer of Moses the man of God,” contained in the ninetieth psalm.  In the period of the judges we have only the song of Deborah and Barak.  The perfect originality of all these primitive songs is acknowledged by all.  It constitutes indeed one of their chief charms.  With “the sweet psalmist of Israel” began the era of lyric song; with Solomon that of didactic, and with Hosea, Joel, Isaiah, and their contemporaries, that of prophetic poetry.  The poets to whom, under the illumination of the Holy Ghost, these different forms of Hebrew poetry owe their origin, are all distinguished for their originality.  So is also the book of Job, that great didactic song so perfectly unique in its character.

The wonderful freshness and simplicity of thought in Hebrew poetry is inseparably connected with its originality.  A thought is fresh when it bursts forth directly from the inner fountain of the soul just as it was conceived there.  But the moment the man pauses to remould it and shape it to some artificial standard of propriety, it loses its originality and its freshness together.  It is no longer the living, glowing conception as it existed in his bosom, but rather what he thinks it ought to have been.  In the process of working it over he has killed, if not its life, at least its power.  But the Hebrew poet opens, so to speak, the floodgates of his heart, and pours forth the stream of his thoughts and emotions just as they have sprung into being there.  Because he is under the sanctifying and illuminating influence of the divine Spirit, they are high and holy thoughts.  Because they come forth in their primitive form, they are natural and fresh; and for this reason the lapse of ages does not diminish their power over the human spirit.

Intimately connected also with the originality of Hebrew poetry is its charming variety.  The Hebrew poets are exceedingly unlike each other in native character, in training, in surrounding circumstances, and in the nature of the work laid upon them by the Spirit of inspiration.  And as they all write in a natural and appropriate way, it follows that their writings must exhibit great diversities.  No two writers can well be more unlike each other than Isaiah and the author of the book of Job.  With Isaiah the central object of thought is always Zion, in whose interest he sees God governing the world, and whose future glory is revealed to him