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SIMPLE EXPOSITION 
 
 THE PSALMS. 
 
A 
 
 SIMPLE EXPOSITION 
 
 OF 
 
 THE PSALMS. 
 
 RIGHT REV. ASHTON OXENDEN, D.D. 
 
 BiSlIOl' OF MONTREAL, AND METROPOLITAN OF CANADA. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 HATCHARDS, PICCADILLY. 
 HAMILTON, ADAMS, & Co. PATERNOSTER ROW. 
 1874. 
 
LONDON : 
 
 rrinlcd by John Strangewavs, Castle St. Leicester Sq. 
 
A SIMPLE EXPOSITION OF 
 
 THE PSALMS. 
 
 Psalm LXXIII. 1-15. 
 
 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean 
 heart. ^But as for me, my feet were almost gone ; my 
 steps had well-nigh slipped. ^For I was envious at the 
 foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. '^For 
 there are no bands in their death ; but their strength is 
 firm. ^ They are not in trouble as other men ; neither 
 are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride com- 
 passeth them about as a chain ; violence covereth them 
 as a garmem. 'Their eyes stand out with fatness : they 
 have more than heart could wish. ^They are corrupt, 
 and speak wickedly concerning oppression : they speak 
 loftily. ^They set their mouth against the heavens, and 
 their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his 
 people return hither ; and waters of a full cup are wrung 
 out to them. "And they say, How doth God know ? and 
 is there knowledge in the Most High? ^^gg^^old, these 
 are the ungodly, who prosper in the world ; they increase 
 in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and 
 washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long 
 have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. ^*If 
 VOL. H. B 
 
 800472 
 
2 
 
 PSALM LXXin. 
 
 I say, I will speak thus ; behold, I should offend against 
 the generation of thy children. 
 
 ''HIS, like two or three of the other Psalms, 
 
 , speaks of the prosperity which the wicked 
 often enjoy, and accounts for God's dealings with 
 them. It is called ' a Psalm of Asaph.* Whether 
 he was the writer of it, or whether David wrote it, 
 and intrusted it to him for use in public worship, is 
 somewhat doubtful. 
 
 The Psalmist begins by declaring that God is 
 good to Israel," that is, to His own people, even to 
 such as are of a clean heart.'' He arrived at this con- 
 clusion after a long struggle, which grace enabled 
 him to overcome ; and this struggle he goes on to 
 describe in the following verses. What staggered 
 him was the marvellous prosperity of the ungodly. 
 This shook the whole edifice of his faith to the 
 very foundation. Men of this description often live 
 without much sickness or trouble, and die quietly, 
 having no bands in their death, whilst God's truest 
 servants are often tried and afflicted up to the very 
 hour of theij departure. 
 
 They are haughty too, and puffed up with their 
 success. Their very look unveils their character ; 
 ''Their eyes stand out with fatness." 
 
 There is some difficulty in explaining the tenth 
 verse. It probably means that God's people ^'return 
 hither that is, to the same disturbing thought 
 which had been mentioned in the beginning of the 
 
PSALM LXXIII. I- 1 5. 
 
 3 
 
 Psalm. They cannot get over it, and it perplexes 
 them, and they experience much trouble in conse- 
 quence. Waters of a full cup are wrung out to 
 them." And this leads them to ask, How doth 
 God know ? and is there knowledge in the most 
 High.^" They are ready to call in question the 
 very righteousness and knowledge of God. 
 
 But then he corrects himself, If I say, I will 
 speak thus ; behold, I should offend against the 
 generation of thy children I should be a traitor 
 to those whom I love to call my brethren. 
 
 Hard and unbelieving thoughts will occasionally 
 start up in the mind even of a child of God. We 
 hear even a man like Jeremiah raising a doubtful 
 complaint to heaven in the hour of temptation ; 
 
 Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with 
 thee ; yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments. 
 Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper ? 
 Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treach- 
 erously ? Thou hast planted them ; yea, they 
 have taken root : they grow, yea, they bring forth 
 fruit. Thou art near in their mouth, and far from 
 their reins.'' 
 
 Let us remember that God's dealings are always 
 right, though we may not understand them ; and 
 that what we know not now, we shall know here- 
 after. 
 
4 
 
 Psalm LXXIII. 16-28. 
 
 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me, 
 1' Until I went into the sanctuary of God ; then under- 
 stood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slip- 
 pery places : thou castedst them down into destruction. 
 ^^How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment ! 
 they are utterly consumed with terrors. ^^As a dream 
 when one awaketh ; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou 
 shalt despise their image. Thus my heart was grieved, 
 and I was pricked in my reins. ^'^So foolish was J, and 
 ignorant; I was as a beast before thee. ^3 Ngygj-theless 
 I am continually with thee ; thou hast holden me by my 
 right hand. ^^Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and 
 afterward receive me to glory, ^^wj^om have I in heaven 
 but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides 
 thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth : but God is the 
 strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. ^' For, lo, 
 they that are far from thee shall perish : thou hast de- 
 stroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. ^^But it is 
 good for me to draw near to God : I have put my trust in 
 the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works. 
 
 T^O understand the mysterious dealings of God 
 
 was a matter too hard for the Psalmist, until 
 he sought a better light than his own. I went," he 
 says, into the sanctuary " (where God's word is 
 to be found, and where God Himself is), "then 
 understood I their end." The truth then broke 
 in upon him, and his difficulty vanished. 
 
PSALM LXXIII. 16-28. ^ 5 
 
 He then saw that the position of the ungodly 
 was in no way to be envied. The places they 
 occupy are slippery and dangerous, and their hap- 
 piness but a dream. Turning to God, the Psalmist 
 says, " O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shall de- 
 spise their image." God may seem to slumber now ; 
 but soon He will rise up, and pour contempt on 
 those who have made a great figure in the world. 
 
 God's darkest dealings with men would often 
 be made clear, if we did but carry our difficulties to 
 Him. He is our '^sanctuary," and His word our 
 light. Let us trust Him more entirely, in the full 
 persuasion that " He is good to Israel," to His own 
 true people, to such as are of a clean heart." 
 
 From the twenty-third verse to the end the 
 writer expresses his perfect confidence in God. 
 Seeing the miserable end of the worldly, he deter- 
 mines to cling more than ever to that Rock on which 
 he had taken his stand ; I am continually with 
 thee." Thou shalt be my present guide, he says, 
 and my future portion, the object of my love, and 
 the strength of my sinking hearts 
 
 Have we come to the same happy conclusion ? 
 Is it our wish to take God as our Counsellor through 
 life, and our Guide through all its varied difficulties ? 
 Can we say to Him, whether living in the midst of 
 a busy world, or leading a solitary life, "I am 
 continually with thee ; thou hast holden me by my 
 right hand.^'^ Above all, when beloved friends 
 
6 
 
 PSALM LXXIII. 16-28. 
 
 surround us, and there is much here on earth to 
 draw us downwards, can we Hft up our voice and 
 exclaim, Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and 
 there is none upon earth that I desire besides 
 thee?'^ 
 
 Happy those, whose affections are fixed on 
 God, and God alone ; then, when flesh and heart 
 fail," which they assuredly will ere long. He will 
 be the strength of their heart, and their portion 
 for ever." 
 
7 
 
 Psalm LXXIV. 1-9. 
 
 O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever ? why doth thine 
 anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? ^ Remem- 
 ber thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old ; 
 the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed ; 
 this Mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. ^Lift up thy 
 feet unto the perpetual desolations ; even all that the 
 enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. * Thine 
 enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations ; they set 
 up their ensigns for signs. man was famous accord- 
 ing as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. ®But 
 now they break down the carved work thereof at once 
 with axes and hammers. 'They have cast fire into thy 
 sanctuary ; they have defiled by casting down the dwell- 
 ing-place of thy name to the ground. ^They said in their 
 hearts, Let us destroy them together : they have burned 
 up all the synagogues of God in the land. ^We see not 
 our signs : there is no more any prophet : neither is there 
 among us any that knoweth how long. 
 
 A SAPH is the supposed writer of this Psalm. 
 
 It was evidently written during the time of 
 the Babylonish captivity, when the country had 
 been laid waste, and the temple destroyed by Nebu- 
 chadnezzar. 
 
 The Psalmist begins with a mournful appeal to 
 God, and complains of being cut off, and that for 
 ever. He reminds God of that endearing relation 
 which once subsisted between Him and His 
 
8 
 
 PSALM LXXIV. 1-9. 
 
 people, like that between a shepherd and his 
 sheep. 
 
 He entreats God to remember His flock or 
 congregation; and he reminds Him that he had 
 formerly redeemed them from Egyptian bondage, 
 that he had regarded them as His inheritance, and 
 had fixed His abode among them. All these were 
 strong arguments why God should not forsake 
 them now, in the hour of their sorrow. And who 
 that knows anything of God's character can for a 
 moment doubt His faithfulness? ''Can a woman 
 forget her sucking child (He asks), that she should 
 not have compassion on the son of her womb ? 
 Yea, they may forget ; yet will I not forget thee." 
 
 The expression, Lift up thy feet unto the per- 
 petual desolations," means. Stand no longer afar 
 off, but draw near to us in our misery. The havoc 
 made by the enemy is then described — how he 
 wickedly profanes the sanctuary, roaring like a 
 wild beast in the midst of the sacred assemblies, 
 and setting up his own banners, as if the land were 
 his. 
 
 Once it was accounted a noble thing to fell wood 
 for the sanctuary of the Lord ; to go up to Lebanon, 
 and hew down trees for the Holy House ; but 
 now how changed the state of things ! Now men 
 glory in breaking down the beautiful carved work, 
 and setting fire to the Temple, which had been built 
 with so much care ; A man was famous according 
 
PSALM LXXIV. -1-9. 
 
 9 
 
 as he had Hfted up axes upon the thick trees. But 
 now they break down the carved work thereof with 
 axes and hammers." 
 
 How melancholy is the cry which is uttered in 
 the ninth verse ; We see not our signs." In the 
 country there is no sign of that prosperity which 
 once prevailed. In the Temple there is no sign of 
 God's presence, and no voice of prayer is heard. 
 There is no token of His favour, which is better 
 than life itself No miracles are wrought ; and 
 there is no more any prophet," or messenger to 
 reveal God's will to us. 
 
 How sad it» is when God departs from any 
 people, or from any soul ! In such a case our only 
 remedy is prayer ; O Lord, revive thy work." 
 " Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.'^ 
 
lO 
 
 Psalm LXXIV. 10-23. 
 
 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach ? shall the 
 enemy blaspheme thy name for ever ? " Why withdrawest 
 thou thy hand, even thy right hand ? pluck it out of thy 
 bosom. ^-For God is my King of old, working salvation 
 in the midst of the earth. ^^Thou didst divide the sea by 
 thy strength : thou brakest the heads of the dragons in 
 the waters. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in 
 pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabit- 
 ing the wilderness. ^^Thou didst cleave the fountain and 
 the flood : thou driedst up mighty rivers. ^<^The day is 
 thine, the night also is thine : thou hast prepared the 
 light and the sun. ^'Thou hast set all the borders of the 
 earth : thou hast made summer and winter. Remember 
 this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that 
 the foolish people have blasphemed thy name. ^^O de- 
 liver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of 
 the wicked : forget not the congregation of thy poor for 
 ever. ^^Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark 
 places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. 
 21 0 let not the oppressed return ashamed : let the poor 
 and needy praise thy name. 22 Arise, O God, plead thine 
 own cause : remember how the foolish man reproacheth 
 thee daily. Forget not the voice of thine enemies : the 
 tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth con- 
 tinually. 
 
 " J^THIE Psalmist having in the former verses dwelt 
 on the sorrows and calamities of God's people, 
 now prays earnestly for deliverance. He asks that 
 
PSALM LXXIV. 10-23. 
 
 II 
 
 this season of misery may have an end. It seemed 
 as if God had looked on with unconcern, whilst the 
 Temple was destroyed, the Synagogues burnt up, 
 and the Land laid waste. He therefore beseeches 
 God to draw out His hand, and stretch it forth 
 for the deliverance of His children. 
 
 In the twelfth and following verses he speaks of 
 God's almighty power, as shown in His dividing 
 the Red Sea for His people to pass over; His 
 destruction of the Egyptian army, who are here 
 compared to sea-monsters ; and in drawing water 
 out of the stony well. He mentions also God's 
 power which is displayed in the works of nature ; 
 
 The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou 
 hast prepared the light and the sun. Thou hast 
 set all the borders of the earth : thou hast made 
 summer and winter." 
 
 All this gave the Psalmist confidence that God 
 could, and would, rescue His people from their op- 
 pressors — that the same power which had been 
 again and again exercised would now be employed 
 in their defence. He speaks too of the way in 
 which the enemy had dishonoured God, and tram- 
 pled upon His poor defenceless people, whom he 
 compares to a helpless turtle-dove. 
 
 Have respect (he says) to the covenant ; for 
 the dark places of the earth are full of the habita- 
 tions of cruelty." Remember, that is. Thy promises ; 
 
12 
 
 PSALM LXXIV. 10-23. 
 
 for no help is to be found in men who delight only 
 in cruelty and oppression. 
 
 In our darkest days, when the storms and 
 tempests of life are raging horribly, it is a comfort 
 to know that there is a covenant God to whom we 
 can flee for refuge. He never changes, and will 
 never desert us. 
 
 The Psalmist appeals to God's sense of justice, 
 when he says in the twenty-first verse, O let not 
 the oppressed return ashamed : let the poor and 
 needy praise thy name.'' His ear is ever open to 
 the cry of the oppressed. Their wants are known 
 to Him ; every trial they endure, every unkind 
 word spoken against them, every sorrow that grieves 
 their heart — all, all are known to Him ; and He 
 will one day avenge them ; and make the hearts 
 of His poor and afflicted ones to rejoice, and utter 
 songs of praise. 
 
13 
 
 Psalm LXXV. 
 
 Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give 
 thanks : for that thy name is near thy wondrous works 
 declare, ^when I shall receive the congregation 1 will 
 judge uprightly. ^ The earth and all the inhabitants 
 thereof are dissolved : I bear up the pillars of it. * I said 
 unto the fools, Deal not foolishly ; and to the wicked, 
 Lift not up the horn : ^Lift not up your horn on high : 
 speak not with a stiff neck. ^'For promotion cometh 
 neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the 
 south. 'But God is the judge: he putteth down one, 
 and setteth up another. ^For in the hand of the Lord 
 there is a cup, and the wine is red ; it is full of mixture ; 
 and he poureth out of the same : but the dregs thereof, 
 all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and 
 drink them. ^But I will declare for ever; I will sing 
 praises to the God of Jacob. ^''AU the horns of the 
 wicked also will I cut off ; but the horns of the righteous 
 shall be exalted. 
 
 p^ERE we have a Psalm of thankfulness for some 
 special deliverance, probably from the Assy- 
 rians who were the great enemies of Israel. 
 
 Help had marvellously come from God ; to 
 Him therefore thanks are offered. He had shown 
 that His ''name" (that is, He Himself) was near, 
 and therefore His people were safe. 
 
 The Psalmist says, '' When I shall receive the 
 congregation," or when I shall assume my office of 
 
14 
 
 PSALM LXXV. 
 
 authority over the people, I will judge uprightly." 
 And such is the duty of all in power ; and thus do 
 rulers become the supporting pillars of the world, 
 though for a while confusion and disorder may 
 seem to reign. 
 
 In the fourth and following verses there is a 
 word of warning for those proud and foolish men who 
 set themselves against the Lord and His people. 
 They may lift up their horn as it were, and stiffen 
 their necks, against the Lord, looking to this and 
 that ally to strengthen their cause, but God is 
 the judge : he putteth down one, and setteth up 
 another." He can bless one man's purpose, and 
 wither and destroy another's; He can exalt this 
 one and humble that, whether in the case of an in- 
 dividual or of a nation. See in the eighth verse how 
 His power is described : In the hand of the Lord 
 there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of 
 mixture, and he poureth out of the same : but the 
 dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall 
 wring them out, and drink them." As the head of 
 a family passes the cup at table, so the Lord, the 
 great Head of His people, hands to mortals, 
 according to their deserts, either the cup of con- 
 solation or the cup of wrath. And when He 
 presents this cup to evil-doers, they must drink it 
 to the very dregs, however nauseous or deadly the 
 draught. 
 
 Once more, the Psalmist exclaims that his lips 
 
PSALM LXXV. 
 
 15 
 
 will never grow w^eary of praise ; But I will declare 
 for ever (that is, God's generous character and His 
 wonderful deliverances) : I will sing praises to the 
 God of Jacob. All the horns (or power) of the 
 wicked will I cut off ; but the horns of the righteous 
 shall be exalted." As the servants of a Holy God, 
 we should desire to put down sin, and to encourage 
 what is good and pleasing to Him. 
 
Psalm LXXVI. 
 
 In Judah is God known ; his name is great in Israel. ^In 
 Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling-place in 
 Zion. ^ There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, 
 and the sword, and the battle. ^Thou art more glorious 
 and excellent than the mountains of prey. ^The stout- 
 hearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep : and 
 none of the men of might have found their hands. ^At 
 thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse 
 are cast into a dead sleep. ^Thou, even thou, art to be 
 feared ; and who may stand in thy sight when once thou 
 art angry? ^Thou didst cause judgment to be heard 
 from heaven ; the earth feared, and was still, ^ when 
 God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. 
 
 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee : the remain- 
 der of wrath shalt thou restrain. Vow, and pay unto 
 the Lord your God : let all that be round about him 
 bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. *-He 
 shall cut off the spirit of princes : he is terrible to the 
 kings of the earth. 
 
 nPHIS is manifestly another Psalm of gratitude 
 
 for some great deliverance, composed pro- 
 bably after the destruction of the Assyrians. Judea 
 was the land which God loved to honour, and its 
 inhabitants were very dear to him. Salem, the 
 city of peace, Avas as it were His special dwelling- 
 place ; for where He abides there must be peace. 
 There brake he the arrows of the bow, the 
 
PSALM LXXVI. 
 
 17 
 
 shield, the sword, and the battle/' Where He 
 appears, every weapon is blunted and broken. It 
 is so both literally and spiritually. The foes of the 
 Church prove utterly powerless before Him, for 
 no weapon formed against her can prosper." 
 
 Addressing Zion, or the Church of God, the 
 Psalmist says, ^'Thou art more glorious and ex- 
 cellent than the mountains of prey." Other lands 
 may be powerful, and for a time victorious, but 
 none are so glorious in God's sight as His own 
 blessed Zion — His Church and people of old, and 
 the Christian Church now. 
 
 See how it was with the stout-hearted Assyrians, 
 notwithstanding their powerful war-chariots and 
 horsemen; "The stout-hearted are spoiled, they 
 have slept their sleep : and none of the men of might 
 have found their hands." They grasped the sword, 
 and thought to carry all before them ; but their 
 strength failed them, and their hands waxed feeble. 
 
 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot 
 and horse are fallen into a dead sleep." It was said 
 of them, When they arose early in the morning, 
 behold they were all dead corpses." 2 Kings, xix. 35. 
 And again, "Thy shepherds slumber, O King of 
 Assyria : thy valiant ones shall dwell in the dust." 
 Nahum, iii. 18. 
 
 Thus did God "cause judgment to be hea^d 
 from heaven." The confusion was quelled at His 
 
 VOL. 11, 
 
i8 
 
 PSALM LXXVI. 
 
 bidding ; The earth feared, and was still." And all 
 that seemed so destructive of God's glory, in the 
 end conduced to His honour. 
 
 Such then being the case, the nations that are 
 round about Judea are called upon to give in their 
 allegiance to the God of Israel ; Vow, and pay 
 unto the Lord your God : let all that are round 
 about him bring presents unto him that ought to be 
 feared." Give up your useless opposition, O ye 
 men, and yield yourselves up to the Lord's happy 
 service. 
 
19 
 
 Psalm LXXVII. 1-9. 
 
 I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my 
 voice; and he gave ear unto me. ^In the day of my 
 trouble I sought the Lord : my sore ran in the night, and 
 ceased not : my soul refused to be comforted. ^ i remem- 
 bered God, and was troubled : I complained, and my 
 spirit was overwhelmed. "^Thou boldest mine eyes wak- 
 ing : I am so troubled that I cannot speak. have 
 considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. 
 
 call to remembrance my song in the night : I com- 
 mune with mine own heart : and my spirit made diligent 
 search. ^Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be 
 favourable no more ? ^ Is his mercy clean gone for ever? 
 doth his promise fail for evermore? ^Hath God forgot- 
 ten to be gracious ? hath he in anger shut up his tender 
 mercies ? 
 
 11 WHETHER this is the supposed complaint of 
 some pious Jew, or of the Psalmist himself, it 
 matters little ; we have here what answers to the 
 experience of many of God^s afiflicted children, and 
 the Psalm is calculated for the use and consolation 
 of any one in distress. 
 
 The Psalmist cries unto God, knowing that 
 He will both hear and help, whilst the world is 
 unwilling to do the one, and unable to do the 
 other. He says, I remembered God, and was 
 troubled. I complained, and my spirit was over- 
 whelmed." There are times when the believer thinks 
 
20 
 
 PSALM LXXVII. 1-9. 
 
 of God's past dealings with himself or with others, 
 and he is filled with sadness. He cannot explain 
 them, and for the moment a dark cloud comes over 
 his mind. He is so disquieted in his heart, that 
 he can neither sleep nor pray ; " Thou holdest mine 
 eyes waking ; I am so troubled that I cannot sleep.'* 
 At such a time he feels almost powerless, so that 
 he cannot speak ; but only thinks upon God, and 
 hopes in Him. 
 
 It is well if the afflicted soul can revert to some 
 act of God's mercy, and can fix itself there, and find 
 rest ; I have considered the days of old, the years 
 of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in 
 the night : I commune with mine own heart : and 
 my spirit made diligent search." And he is at 
 length led to exclaim with a mixture of faith and 
 distrust, Will the Lord cast off for ever ? And will 
 he be favourable no more ? Is his mercy clean 
 gone for ever ? Doth his promise fail for ever- 
 more Hath God forgotten to be gracious ? Hath 
 he in anger shut up his tender mercies." 
 
 We may ask the question in our distress, but 
 the Bible gives us a plain answer. No, God will 
 not cast off His people. His mercy endureth for 
 ever. His love is more stable than a rock ; water 
 cannot quench it. Thus St. Paul asks, Hath God 
 cast away his people And he answers with holy 
 indignation, God forbid : God hath not cast away 
 his people whon> he foreknew." 
 
PSALM LXXVII. 1-9. 
 
 21 
 
 Trust then, O believer, and be not afraid. Your 
 heavenly Father may seem to be afar off, but He 
 is very near to thee. His dealings may be myste- 
 rious, but there is love in them, if thou hast eyes 
 to see it. Flee then to His bosom, for there is 
 your sure refuge. 
 
22 
 
 Psalm LXXVII. 10-20. 
 
 And I said, This is my infirmity : but I will remember the 
 years of the right hand of the Most High. ^^I will 
 remember the works of the Lord ; surely I will remember 
 thy wonders of old. ^^I will meditate also of all thy 
 work, and talk of thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in 
 the sanctuary : who is so great a God as our God ? 
 ^^Thou art the God that doest wonders : thou hast 
 declared thy strength among the people. ^^Thou hast 
 with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob 
 and Joseph. ^^The waters saw thee, O God, the waters 
 saw thee ; they were afraid : the depths also were trou- 
 bled. i^The clouds poured out water ; the skies sent out 
 a sound : thine arrows also went abroad. I'^The voice of 
 thy thunder was in the heaven : the lightnings lightened 
 the world : the earth trembled and shook. ^^Thy way 
 is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy 
 footsteps are not known, ^ojj^qu leddest thy people like 
 a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. 
 
 T^HE writer of this Psalm now gives up the doubts 
 
 and questionings which he had expressed in the 
 former verses, and acknowledges that they were 
 owing to his own weakness and infirmity of faith ; 
 " And I said, This is my infirmity.'' There is no 
 weakness in God's purposes; no defect in His 
 
PSALM LXXVII. 10-20. 
 
 23 
 
 mercy. The fault is in myself ; this is my in- 
 firmity. 
 
 He then strengthens himself by dwelling on the 
 Lord's wondrous dealings in the past ; I will re- 
 member the years of the right hand of the Most 
 High that is, I will think on those past years when 
 He showed forth His mighty power, and stretched 
 out His hand to save. 
 
 **Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary.'' It is 
 to be learnt there; for there all God's gracious 
 dealings are recorded. It is in the sanctuary we 
 learn what God has done for us, and how we should 
 regard Him. 
 
 In the fourteenth and following verses, we are 
 reminded of God's marvellous acts towards His peo- 
 ple Israel — how He redeemed from their Egyptian 
 bondage — how the very waters of the sea acted as 
 their slave, and made way for them — and how He 
 led them step by step through the wilderness by 
 the hand of Moses and Aaron. 
 
 And ought not we to look back and wonder at 
 the Lord's gracious dealings with us ? Has He not 
 redeemed us at the price of His own blood ? Has 
 He not brought us safely through the troubled 
 waters of life ? Have not many and great de- 
 liverances been wrought for us ? 
 
 Thank God, we have a Shepherd, a tender, loving 
 Shepherd, who leads us by as sure a way as He led 
 
24 
 
 PSALM LXXVII. 10-20. 
 
 Israel, and is ready to bring us into a happier 
 resting-place than Canaan proved to them. 
 
 * Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us 
 O^er the world's tempestuous sea ; 
 Guide us, guard us, keep us, feed us ; 
 For we have no help but Thee.' 
 
25 
 
 Psalm LXXVIII. i-ir. 
 
 Give ear, O my people, to my law : incline your ears to the 
 words of my mouth, will open my mouth in a parable ; 
 I will utter dark sayings of old : •''Which we have heard 
 and known, and our fathers have told us. '^We will not 
 hide them from their children, showing to the generation 
 to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and 
 his wonderful works that he hath done. ^For he esta- 
 blished a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in 
 Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should 
 make them known to their children ; ^That the genera- 
 tion to come might know them, even the children which 
 should be born, who should arise and declare them to 
 their children ; 'That they might set their hope in God, 
 and not forget the works of God, but keep his comm 
 ments : ®And might not be as their fathers, a stub 
 and rebellious generation ; a generation that set not tl 
 heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast 
 God. »The children of Ephraim, being armed, and 
 rying bows, turned back in the day of battle. 
 kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk i 
 law; "And forgat his works, and his wonders tl 
 had showed them. 
 
 pjERE is a declaration of God's deali 
 
 His people, and their behaviour to 
 in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in 
 Canaan, up to the time of David. It 
 
26 
 
 PSALM LXXVIII. I-II. 
 
 our use and admonition ; and we may here view 
 as in a glass the mercies which the Lord has dis- 
 played, and the returns which men have too often 
 made for them. 
 
 Asaph, who wrote this Psalm, speaks with 
 authority as a great teacher. "I will open my 
 mouth ill a Parable that is, I will utter things 
 which have a hidden meaning in them. He speaks 
 of God establishing a testimony in Jacob, and ap- 
 pointing a law in Israel.*' He gave to His people a 
 code of laws and precepts for their guidance ; He 
 entered into a covenant with them, that they and 
 their children might serve Him. 
 
 But alas, the children of Ephraim (that is, the 
 whole Israelitish nation), being armed, and carrying 
 bov/s, turned back in the day of battle. They kept 
 the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his 
 ; and forgat his works, and his wonders that he 
 d showed them." When they went to battle, it 
 s not from mere weakness or fear that they fled 
 before their enemies ; but it was from want of 
 God assured them that He was with them, 
 promised them victory ; but they believed not ; 
 st faith in their Almighty Captain, and so 
 e conquered, 
 it not oftentimes so with thee, O Christian } 
 fhy foes, but stronger is thy Defender, 
 k, but He is all-powerful. And how 
 
PSALM LXXVIII. I- 1 1. 
 
 27 
 
 easily art thou turned back in the day of battle ! 
 Oh rise up, and be of good courage. Quit you like 
 men, and be strong. Go forth in the strength of 
 the Lord, and soon every enemy shall be laid low 
 before thee. 
 
28 
 
 Psalm LXXVIII. 12-31. 
 
 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in 
 the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. ^^He divided the 
 sea, and caused them to pass through ; and he made the 
 waters to stand as an heap. ^^In the daytime also he led 
 them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. 
 ^^He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them 
 drink as out of the great depths. ^^He brought streams 
 also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like 
 rivers. ^''And they sinned yet more against him, by pro- 
 voking the Most High in the wilderness. ^^And they 
 tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their lust. 
 ^^Yea, they spake against God : they said, Can God fur- 
 nish a table in the wilderness ? Behold, he smote the 
 rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams over- 
 flowed ; can he give bread also ? can he provide flesh for 
 his people? -^Therefore the Lord heard this, and was 
 wroth : so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger 
 also came up against Israel ; 22ggc3^use they believed not 
 in God, and trusted not in his salvation, ^sxhough he 
 had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the 
 doors of heaven, ^^And had rained down manna upon 
 them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. 
 ^■'^Man did eat angels' food : he sent them meat to the 
 full. 26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven ; 
 and by his power he brought in the south wind. ^^He 
 rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls 
 like as the sand of the sea ; "«And he let it fall in the 
 midst of their camp, round about their habitations. -■''So 
 they did cat, and were well filled : for he gave them their 
 
PSALM LXXVIII. 12-31. 
 
 29 
 
 own desire; They were not estranged from their lust: 
 but while their meat was yet in their mouths, The wrath 
 of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, 
 and smote down the chosen men of Israel. 
 
 "^HE Psalmist proceeds to mention in detail some 
 
 of the marvellous works of God in Egypt, 
 which he here calls the field of Zoan," for Zoan 
 was one of the chief cities of Lower Egypt. 
 
 1st, he mentions the dividing of the Red Sea 
 for the Lord's people to pass over, making the 
 waters to stand as an heap." 
 
 2ndly, God's wondrous provision of a Cloud, 
 by which He led them in the day-time, and a fiery 
 Light which served as a beacon to direct their 
 course during the dark night. 
 
 3rdly, the two occasions on which the hard 
 Rock was smitten, and streams of water gushed 
 out from it. 
 
 4thly, the raining down Manna to supply their 
 daily wants in the wilderness. And this is here 
 called, *^The corn of heaven," for it came as a 
 direct gift from God ; and Angels' food," that is, 
 food more fit for angels than for men. 
 
 5thly, He rained Flesh also upon them as dust, 
 and feathered Fowls like as the sand of the sea." 
 He sent quails in answer to their entreaty, though 
 it proved to be more of a curse than a blessing. 
 
 He gave them their own desire ;" but since it was 
 a Vv^ron^ desire He granted it rather in an^er than in 
 
30 
 
 PSALM LXXVIII. 12-31. 
 
 love. And therefore it is added in the thirtieth verse ; 
 '^They were not estranged from their lust;" that is, 
 they did not restrain their intense desire, even when 
 they ought to have been satisfied. And the con- 
 sequence was, that the wrath of God came upon 
 them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down 
 the chosen men of Israel." 
 
 What a lesson to us ! How thankless we are 
 for God's signal mercies to us ! How often too do 
 we choose gifts, which only prove a curse ; and 
 then the wrath of God comes upon us for making 
 a wrong choice. Better is it to leave all in His 
 hands, asking Him to guide us in our petitions, and 
 to grant them, if He sees it good for us. 
 
31 
 
 Psalm LXXVIII. 32-52. 
 
 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his won- 
 drous works. 33 Therefore their days did he consume in 
 vanity, and their years in trouble. ^^When he slew them, 
 then they sought him ; and they returned and enquired 
 early after God. ^'^And they remembered that God was 
 their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer. Never- 
 theless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they 
 lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was 
 not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his 
 covenant. ^^But he, being full of compassion, forgave 
 their iniquity^ and destroyed them not ; yea, many a time 
 turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his 
 wrath. 2^ For he remembered that they were but flesh ; 
 a wind that passeth away, aiyl cometh not again. ''^^How 
 oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve 
 him in the desert ! "Yea, they turned back, and tempted 
 God, and limited the Holy One of Israel, '^^xhey remem- 
 bered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them 
 from the enemy. ^^How he had wrought his signs in 
 Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan : '^^And had 
 turned their rivers into blood, and their floods, that they 
 could not drink. '^^He sent divers sorts of flies among 
 them, which devoured them ; and frogs, which destroyed 
 them. ^^He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar, 
 and their labour unto the locust. He destroyed their 
 vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost. He 
 gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to 
 hot thunderbolts. '^^He cast upon them the fierceness of 
 his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by send- 
 
3.2 
 
 PSALM LXXVIII. 32-52. 
 
 ing evil angels among them. ^<^He made a way to his 
 anger ; he spared not their soul from death, but gave 
 their life over to the pestilence ; ^^And smote all the 
 first-born in Egypt ; the chief of their strength in the 
 tabernacles of Ham : ^"^But made his own people to go 
 forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like 
 a flock. 
 
 TN this part of the Psalm the object of the writer 
 seems to be to show that Israel of old was a 
 refractory and rebellious people. For all this," 
 he says — for all the wonderful and gracious works 
 which the Lord wrought for their deliverance — 
 " they sinned still, and believed not." " When he 
 slew them ;" that is, when He punished them by 
 sending even death among them, for a while they 
 sought him." It seemed as though an impression 
 were made upon their hearts ; but it was only 
 momentary ; They did but flatter him with their 
 mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. 
 Their heart was not right with him." 
 
 And what happened ? Did the Lord at once 
 and for ever cast them off as they deserved ? No, 
 He dealt with them as a tender and compassionate 
 Father, forgiving their sins, and exercising the 
 utmost forbearance towards them ; again and again 
 turning away His anger when they showed the least 
 sign of repentance ; For he remembered that they 
 were but flesh." And what a blessing it is that 
 God has this always before His mind ; He knoweth 
 
PSALM LXXVIII. 32-52. 
 
 33 
 
 our frame, and remembereth that we are but dust." 
 He takes into account the weakness of His child- 
 ren, and is ever ready to show them mercy. 
 
 One of Israel's greatest sins was that they so 
 soon forgot the God who punished, and the God 
 who spared them. "They remembered not His 
 hand" — neither His hand of power, nor His hand 
 of protecting and saving mercy. As an instance of 
 this the Plagues are mentioned with which God 
 visited the Egyptians by way of correction ; turn- 
 ing their rivers into blood, so that they could not 
 drink ; sending swarms of flies among them, and 
 frogs which destroyed them ; blasting their crops 
 with caterpillars and locusts ; stripping their trees 
 with hail and frost ; and cutting off their flocks and 
 herds with storms. And then, as if He reserved 
 His sorest scourge to the last. He smote every 
 Egyptian family with the hand of death, sending 
 the destroying angel into every household. 
 
 And now look at the last verse. Whilst laying 
 His heavy hand upon His enemies, that hand was 
 stretched out as a gentle, guiding, protecting hand 
 towards His own blessed people ; He " made his 
 own people to go forth as sheep, and guided them 
 in the wilderness like a flock." 
 
 VOL. IL 
 
 D 
 
34 
 
 Psalm LXXVIII. 53-72. 
 
 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not ; but 
 the sea overwhelmed their enemies. ^^And he brought 
 them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this moun- 
 tain, which his right hand had purchased. "He cast out 
 the heathen also before them, and divided them an inhe- 
 ritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in 
 their tents. ^^^Yet they tempted and provoked the most 
 high God, and kept not his testimonies ; ^^But turned 
 back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers : they were 
 turned aside like a deceitful bow. For they provoked 
 him to anger with their high places, and moved him to 
 jealousy with their graven images. ^^When God heard 
 this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel : ^^So 
 that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which 
 he placed among men ; "^^And delivered his strength into 
 captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand. ^^He 
 gave his people over also unto the sword ; and was wroth 
 with his inheritance. The fire consumed their young 
 men ; and their maidens were not given to marriage. 
 
 Their priests fell by the sword ; and their widows made 
 no lamentation. ^^Then the Lord awaked as one out of 
 sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of 
 wine. ^^And he srnote his enemies in the hinder parts ; 
 he put them to a perpetual reproach. ®^ Moreover he 
 refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe 
 of Ephraim ; ^^But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount 
 Zion which he loved. ^^And he built his sanctuary like 
 high palaces, like the earth which he hath established 
 for ever. '^Hq chose David also his servant, and took 
 
PSALM LXXVIII. 53-72. 
 
 35 
 
 him from the sheepfolds : ' ^ From following the ewes 
 great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his 
 people, and Israel his inheritance. '-So he fed them 
 according to the integrity of his heart : and guided them 
 by the skilfulness of his hands. 
 
 HE Psalmist dwells upon the same strain in 
 
 these concluding verses ; namely, on what God 
 had done for His people Israel, and the manner in 
 which they provoked Him to anger by their in- 
 gratitude and idolatry. 
 
 With regard to the former, it is said that He 
 led them on safely," whilst He allowed the sea 
 to overwhelm their enemies. He brought them 
 through the wilderness, and placed them within the 
 Promised Land, leading them close to mount Zion, 
 on which the Temple was afterwards built. He 
 drove out the heathen inhabitants and gave His 
 own people a settled inheritance in the country. 
 
 And then with regard to their conduct, it is 
 said that **they tempted and provoked the most 
 high God," turning aside like the arrow from an 
 untrue bow, and forsaking His service for the 
 blindest idolatry ; so that, as St. Paul tells us, God 
 was forced to say of His own children, **A11 the 
 day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a 
 disobedient and gainsaying people." 
 
 This moved the Lord to anger, so that He for 
 awhile forsook His people and gave them up to 
 their enemies. But soon He heard their cry of 
 
36 
 
 PSALM LXXVIIT. 5 3-72. 
 
 distress, and woke up as it were to defend them. 
 He raised Judah to be the leading tribe, and 
 caused His Temple to be built within their inheri- 
 tance. From another tribe he chose a ruler for 
 them, even David His servant. So he fed them 
 with the integrity of his heart ; and guided them 
 by the skilfulness of his hands." 
 
 When we read such a description as this of 
 IsraeFs deep ingratitude and waywardness, a feel- 
 ing of shame comes over us that they should have 
 so requited their gracious and loving Father. But 
 do v/e not in them see a sad picture of ourselves ? 
 For has not God shown us even greater mercies 
 than He displayed towards them ? And yet some 
 of us have turned against our Benefactor, and many 
 of us have felt coldly and unthankfully towards 
 Him. 
 
 Pardon, O Lord, our base ingratitude, and pour 
 out upon us such a feeling of love as shall melt our 
 cold hearts, and break down every barrier that 
 keeps us from Thee. 
 
37 
 
 Psalm LXXIX. 1-7. 
 
 O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance ; thy 
 holy temple have they defiled ; they have laid Jerusalem 
 on heaps. ^The dead bodies of thy servants have they 
 given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh 
 of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. ^ Their blood 
 have they shed like water round about Jerusalem ; and 
 there was none to bury them. ''We are become a 
 reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to 
 them that are round about us. ^How long. Lord? wilt 
 thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire ? 
 ^Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not 
 known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called 
 upon thy name: ^For they have devoured Jacob, and 
 laid waste his dwelling-place. 
 
 TTHIS Psalm was evidently written when Israel 
 
 was in a very low and suffering condition — 
 probably during their captivity in Egypt, when 
 they had seen their city and Temple destroyed by 
 the king of Babylon. 
 
 They complained before God that the heathen 
 had gained possession of His sacred inheritance, 
 defiled His Temple, and laid Jerusalem on heaps. 
 They had not only slain many of His servants, but 
 had left their bodies unburied, to be food for birds 
 and beasts of prey. And now, instead of being 
 honoured as they once were, they had become a 
 
38 
 
 PSALM LXXIX. 1-7. 
 
 reproach to their neighbours, a scorn and derision 
 to them that were round about them. 
 
 What a change had passed upon the Lord's 
 chosen people ! How were His favoured servants 
 fallen ! How had their glory departed from them ! 
 And why ? By reason of their sin — that sin which 
 the Lord had borne with so long, but at length was 
 forced to punish — that sin which showed that, al- 
 though they were outwardly the people of God and 
 enjoyed special privileges, their hearts were not 
 right with Him. 
 
 In the fifth and two following verses we have 
 the prayer they put up in their distress ; Lord, how 
 long.?" This is the language of anxiety and of 
 earnest desire. How long wilt thou punish ^ How 
 long wilt thou hide thy face from thy children ? 
 How long wilt thou allow the enemy to lord it 
 over them ? Wilt thou be angry for ever ? Shall 
 thy jealousy burn like fire, till we are utterly con- 
 sumed by it ? 
 
 Then follows a prayer that God will avenge 
 Himself; ^'Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen 
 that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms 
 that have not called upon thy name." These per- 
 secuting heathen not only harassed God's people, 
 but they dishonoured God. They knew Him not, 
 and called not upon His name. It is for this reason 
 that the Lord is asked to check them, and to put 
 them down. 
 
PSALM LXXIX. 1-7. 
 
 39 
 
 And will not God avenge His own elect, which 
 cry day and night unto Him ? Surely He will 
 avenge them speedily. He will bring out His own 
 glory, destroy the power of every enemy, and make 
 His blessing to rest upon His children, 
 
40 
 
 Psalm LXXIX. 8-13. 
 
 O remember not against us former iniquities : let thy tender 
 mercies speedily prevent us ; for we are brought very 
 low. ^Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of 
 thy name ; and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for 
 thy name's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, 
 Where is their God ? let him be known among the hea- 
 then in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy 
 servants which is shed. ^^Let the sighing of the prisoner 
 come before thee ; according to the greatness of thy 
 power preserve thou those that are appointed to die ; 
 12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their 
 bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached 
 thee, O Lord. ^^So we thy people, and sheep of thy 
 pasture, will give thee thanks for ever ; we will show 
 forth thy praise to all generations. 
 
 nPHE Psalmist continues his prayer. '^O re- 
 
 member not against us former iniquities " — 
 bring not to our charge the many transgressions 
 we have been guilty of. "Let thy tender mercies 
 speedily prevent us," or interpose before matters 
 have gone too far. Help us, and purge away our 
 sins." " Let the sighing of the prisoner come before 
 thee " — the sighing of the captive Jew in his state of 
 exile. " Preserve thou those that are appointed to 
 die " — those thy servants who are exposed to suffer- 
 
PSALM LXXIX. 8-13. 
 
 41 
 
 ing and death. And lastly he asks that God's re- 
 proachful enemies may be punished. 
 
 And now observe the reasons he gives for urging 
 his request. Firsts on account of their abject con- 
 dition ; for we are brought very low.'' We are re- 
 duced to great extremity ; all hope in ourselves is 
 gone ; therefore we look to Thee. Secondly, he pleads 
 the glory of God's name, which would be tarnished 
 if His people were to be destroyed. Why should 
 God's enemies speak contemptuously of His pro- 
 tecting care ; Wherefore should the heathen say, 
 Where is their God.^" Thirdly, it will encourage 
 the people ; So we thy people and sheep of thy 
 pasture will give thee thanks for ever : we will 
 show forth thy praise to all generations." 
 
 And are not these fitting pleas for us Christians 
 to use with God } It is well to feel our nothingness, 
 and to acknowledge that we are brought very low 
 yea, so low that we cannot help ourselves, that we 
 may look up to Him who says '^in me is thy help." 
 And we too may ask God to save us for the glory 
 of His name — not for any merits of our own, but for 
 the sake of His own love and greatness — not be- 
 cause we are deserving, but because He is gracious. 
 We may ask Him to hear the sighing of His pri- 
 soners, not because they deserve to be heard, but 
 because they are weary of their chains, and long to 
 be set free. 
 
 Let the love and mercy of God in thus hearing 
 
42 
 
 PSALM LXXIX. 8-13. 
 
 US, and granting our prayers, encourage us, and 
 win us over to Himself ; So we thy people and 
 the sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks 
 for ever : we will show forth thy praise to all 
 generations." 
 
43 
 
 Psalm LXXX. 1-7. 
 
 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph 
 Hke a flock ; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, 
 shine forth. ^ Before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Ma- 
 nasseh, stir up thy strength, and come and save us. 
 3 Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; 
 and we shall be saved. '^O Lord God of hosts, hj 
 long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy peod^^ p 
 ^ Thou feedest them with the bread of tears ; and gl^est 
 them tears to drink in great measure. ^Thou makesL 
 a strife unto our neighbours ; and our enemies lauVg-j^ 
 among themselves. ^Turn us again, O God of host^ 
 and cause thy face to shine ; and we shall be saved/ ' 
 
 '^HIS Psalm, like the two last, is a Psalm o^j^^ 
 captivity. The sacred writer calls upoif '^^^ 
 as Israel's Shepherd, who had been with Jc^ph 
 Egypt, and had led His people like a fiocl; ^j^j-Q^crj^ 
 the wilderness. He speaks of Him as/^ ^^^jjjj^g 
 between the cherubims." The niercy-^^|- ^j^^ 
 symbol of His presence ; and on eit%j- ^[^^ 
 mercy-seat in the Temple was the^ figm^^ ^^^^ 
 cherubims or angels. He therefQre thinks of God 
 - as dwelling between the cherubiths^ ^i^^ ^y^^ ready 
 to hearken to the prayers of His children. He 
 speaks of Him too as ^^the Lord God of Hosts 
 that is, the God of armie?_who commands the 
 
44 
 
 PSALM LXXX. 1-7. 
 
 hosts of heaven, and those too that are gathered 
 on earth. 
 
 And see what he asks. Firsts he beseeches 
 God to "give ear.*' This, thank God, He is always 
 ready to do. His ear is never closed against the 
 cry of His needy children ; nay, the greater their 
 need, the more willing He is to hearken to them. 
 Secondly, he prays that God will shine forth " — 
 that He will manifest Himself — that He will let 
 light come from His presence in the midst of their 
 Irkness and distress. Thirdly, he says, " Before 
 
 sia 
 
 raim, Benjamin, and Manasseh (that is, in the 
 t of all thy people), stir up thy strength, and 
 me and save us." Let thy deliverance be an 
 en one, and thy salvation such as may be seen 
 all. Fourthly, he entreats God not to be angry 
 witi "^^^ people, nor to reject their prayer. He 
 g fed them with the bread of tears ; He had 
 made tl^^^ occasion of strife to their neighbours, 
 and the% ^•'^^^ their ridicule. But now he be- 
 seeches Go^ ^^^^ them again," and restore them 
 to their for\^^ prosperity, and to look upon them 
 
 ^ ..r\\. His favour and blessing^, 
 evermore witi\ ^ 
 
 Let us neve^ ^^^t)t that the Lord will do this, 
 
 1 rv^^i'X. for those who call upon Him 
 
 and even moie,X ^ 
 
 with earnest heart 
 
45 
 
 Psalm LXXX. 8-19. 
 
 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt ; thou hast cast 
 out the heathen, and planted it. ^ Thou preparedst room 
 before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it 
 filled the land. ^''The hills were covered with the shadow 
 of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. 
 " She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches 
 unto the river. ^-Why hast thou then broken down her 
 hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck 
 her? i^The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and 
 the wild beast of the field doth devour it. Return, 
 we beseech thee, O God of hosts ; look down from hea- 
 ven, and behold, and visit this vine ; ^^And the vineyard 
 which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that 
 thou madest strong for thyself. ^^It is burned with fire ; 
 - it is cut down : they perish at the rebuke of thy coun- 
 tenance. ^' Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right 
 hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for 
 thyself. *^So will not we go back from thee : quicken us, 
 and we will call upon thy name. ^^Turn us again, O 
 Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine ,* and we shall 
 be saved. 
 
 '^HE Psalmist taking a review of God's pasJ-^gg^T 
 ings with His people Israel, compgf^ them 
 to a Vine. This is a comparison often hiade use of 
 in Scripture. In Isaiah, v. i, the proph^^ says, Now 
 will I sing to my beloved a song /of my beloved 
 touching his vineyard." And the^ in the seventh 
 verse he adds, " The vineyard of the Lord of hosts 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
46 
 
 PSALM LXXX. 8-19. 
 
 is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his 
 pleasant plant.'* Again in Jen ii. 21, the Lord de- 
 clares, I had planted thee a noble vine/* 
 
 He declares that He planted it in a chosen spot, 
 making room for it by driving out the heathen 
 inhabitants, causing it to take deep root, and 
 making it fill the land. But alas, after a while. He 
 had been forced to break down her hedges, and to 
 allow the enemy, like a wild boar out of the wood, 
 to carry on the work of destruction. 
 
 But he entreats God to return, and show mercy 
 to His land and people, to look down, and visit 
 the beloved vine of His planting. Let thy hand 
 (he says) be upon the man of thy right hand, and 
 upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for 
 thyself.'^ Each Israelite was '^the man of God's 
 right hand He. had made him strong for Him- 
 self" 
 
 This prayer is accompanied by a vow ; So will 
 not we go back.'* Are we ready to make this vow ? 
 Are we prepared thus to pledge ourselves ? Too 
 often we are disposed to go back. We take a step 
 forwSilv. and then our strength fails us. What 
 reason haf we t^^en day by day to pray, Lord, 
 quicken us ^'i^e us not only daily bread for our 
 bodies, but dA^Y S^^^^ o^^^' souls." We cannot 
 too frequently often-repeated prayer of 
 
 this Psalm TuP again, O Lord God of hosts, 
 cause thy face to?^^^^ ' ^^^^^ saved.'* 
 
 \ 
 
47 
 
 Psalm LXXXI. 1-7. 
 
 Sing aloud unto God our strength : make a joyful noise unto 
 the God of Jacob. ^Take a psalm, and bring hither the 
 timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. ^Blow up 
 the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on 
 our solemn feast day. '^For this was a statute for Israel, 
 and a law of the God of Jacob. ^This he ordained in 
 Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land 
 of Egypt ; where I heard a language that I understood 
 not. removed his shoulder from the burden : his 
 hands were delivered from the pots. ^Thou calledst in 
 trouble, and I delivered thee ; I answered thee in the 
 secret place of thunder ; I proved thee at the waters of 
 Meribah. 
 
 HIS was a Passover Hymn, perhaps sung when 
 
 King Hezekiah held his great Passover at 
 Jerusalem. This was always a season of great 
 rejoicing ; and the Psalmist calls upon the Levites 
 and others to tune the people's hearts to joyful 
 gladness by the sound of musical instruments. 
 
 God is here spoken of as ^^our strength." He 
 was the strength of Israel, and He is the strength 
 of our nation, of our Church, and of each individual 
 believer. In the hour of weakness, He is our strong 
 support ; and in the time of danger, our deliverer. 
 He is also called the God of Jacob " — the covenant 
 God of Jacob and his descendants, and of us who 
 
48 
 
 PSALM LXXXL I-/. 
 
 are the true Israel. This God is our God for ever 
 and ever ; he will be our guide even unto death." 
 
 " Blow the trumpet (he says) in the new moon 
 that is, at the festival held at the time of the new 
 moon. This custom was according to the Jewish law, 
 and this God ordained in Joseph (or in Israel) for 
 a testimony, when he went out through the land of 
 Egypt." The passover, with the various regulations 
 concerning it, was appointed on the occasion of 
 Israel's departure from Egypt, and was to com- 
 memorate that event. 
 
 When speaking of Egypt, the Psalmist could 
 not help referring to the hardships which Israel 
 endured there, and from which God had delivered 
 them. I heard a language that I understood not ;" 
 here he describes the misery of having been forced 
 to dwell among a strange people. And he adds, 
 (speaking in God's name), ''I removed his shoulder 
 from the burden : his hands were delivered from 
 the pots. Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered 
 thee. I answered thee in the secret place of thun- 
 der (that is, in the lonely, solemn place where 
 the thunder rolled, as it did at Sinai). I proved 
 thee at the waters of Meribah." 
 
 God heard Israel, and delivered him ; and then 
 proved his faithfulness by sundry trials. And so 
 He does with us. He hearkens to our pra3^er; 
 and then tries us, because we need the refining 
 process. 
 
49 
 
 Psalm LXXXI. 8-i6. 
 
 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee : O Israel, 
 if thou wilt hearken unto me ; ^ There shall no strange 
 god be in thee ; neither shalt thou worship any strange 
 god. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out 
 of the land of Egypt : open thy mouth wide, and I will 
 fill it. "But my people would not hearken to my voice ; 
 and Israel would none of me. ^-So I gave them up unto 
 their own hearts' lust : and they walked in their own 
 counsels. Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, 
 and Israel had walked in my ways ! ^^I should soon 
 have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against 
 their adversaries. ^^The haters of the Lord should have 
 submitted themselves unto him : but their time should 
 have endured for ever. ^^He should have fed them also 
 with the finest of the wheat : and with honey out of the 
 rock should I have satisfied thee. 
 
 JJ ERE is a kindly address on the part of God to 
 His people Israel, and an afifectionate re- 
 monstrance with them on account of their disobe- 
 dience and ingratitude. If they had but hearkened 
 unto Him, it would have been well with them. 
 But His command was, There shall no strange 
 god be in thee ; neither shalt thou worship any 
 strange God : I am the Lord thy God ;" and they 
 refused. Again He graciously promised, Open 
 thy mouth wide, and I will fill it but they cared 
 not for His goodness ; and the consequence was 
 VOL. IL E ' 
 
50 
 
 PSALM LXXXI. 8-16. 
 
 He *'gave them up unto their own hearts* lust, and 
 they walked in their own ways." 
 
 God is ever saying to us, Open thy mouth 
 wide, and I will fill it.'*' As the parent bird feeds 
 its young, or as a mother nourishes her infant 
 child, so God is always ready to supply our wants. 
 He seems to say, ^ You need go to no other gods, 
 for I can and will meet all your necessities.* 
 
 What the Lord here says to His beloved but 
 rebellious people is what He said to that same 
 people many years after. He here declares, Oh 
 that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel 
 had walked in my ways ! Then I would have done 
 so and so." And when in the days of His flesh, the 
 Saviour stood near the city of Jerusalem, He ex- 
 claimed, '^O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would 
 I have gathered thy children together, as a hen 
 gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye 
 would not !* 
 
 Had Israel been faithful and true to her Lord, 
 then He would have been as a man of war to fight 
 for them, and as a husbandman to feed them. He 
 would have " subdued their enemies,'* so that their 
 time (that is, the days of His people) should have 
 endured for ever ;** and He would have fed them 
 with ''wheat" and ''honey" — all that they needed 
 for their comfort and refreshment. 
 
Psalm LXXXII. 
 
 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty ; he judgeth 
 among the gods. ^ How long will ye judge unjustly, and 
 accept the persons of the wicked? ^Defend the poor and 
 fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. ^Deliver 
 the poor and needy : rid them out of the hand of the 
 wicked. ^They know not, neither will they understand ; 
 they walk on in darkness : all the foundations of the 
 earth are out of course. have said, Ye are gods ; 
 and all of you are children of the Most High. ^But 
 ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. 
 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth : for thou shalt inherit all 
 nations. 
 
 TT ERE is a warning and an exhortation to all 
 persons in authority, such as magistrates 
 and judges. Such persons act in God's name, 
 and by His commission. He is said here to 
 stand in their assemblies, and to superintend their 
 proceedings. The Psalm was probably written at a 
 time when there was much that was unjust and 
 oppressive in the administration of justice, and 
 when the magistrates were corrupt, and open to 
 bribery. 
 
 This produced such confusion, that the Psalmist 
 declares, *^A11 the foundation?! of the earth are out 
 
52 
 
 PSxVLM LXXXII. 
 
 of course." So it must ever be ; for if the leaders 
 in a land are corrupt, the people will share their 
 corruption. If the salt has lost its savour, the mass 
 must putrefy ; if the light has become darkness, 
 how great must be that darkness ! 
 
 The expression, " Ye are gods," as addressed to 
 rulers, shows how highly exalted they are above 
 their fellow-men ; for they are called by His name 
 whose authority they bear, and for whom they act. 
 Great then will be their fall, if their lives are in- 
 consistent with their high calling. And therefore it 
 is here added, But ye shall die like men, and fall 
 like one of the princes.'^ 
 
 It is said concerning a Monarch of old, that 
 he desired his servant each morning to address him 
 thus, '^Remember that thou art mortal." And 
 certainly it would be well for those who fill 
 high positions to be reminded that, great as they 
 may be in this world's estimation, they are but 
 men, and will share the fate of the poorest and 
 humblest. 
 
 In the last verse there is a prayer that God 
 would come forth, and take the judgment of the 
 world into His own hands. 
 
 Our Lord Himself refers to the expression, 
 ''Ye are gods," when the Jews complained of His 
 asserting His Divine authority. ?Ie seemed to 
 say, 'If the Scriptures confer the name of gods 
 
PSALM LXXXII. 
 
 53 
 
 on those judges who acted for Him, ye ought not to 
 be offended, when I declare that I and my Father 
 are one. For how much higher is the claim which 
 I, the Son of God, possess !' 
 
54 
 
 Psalm LXXXIII. 
 
 Keep not thou silence, O God : hold not thy peace, and be 
 not still, O God. -For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult; 
 and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. ^They 
 have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and con- 
 sulted against thy hidden ones. ^They have said. Come, 
 and let us cut them off from being a nation ; that the 
 name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. ^For 
 they have consulted together with one consent : they are 
 confederate against thee : ^The tabernacles of Edom, 
 and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes ; 
 ^ Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek ; the Philistines with 
 the inhabitants of Tyre ; ^Assur also is joined with them: 
 they have holpen the children of Lot. ^Do unto them as 
 unto the Midianites ; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the 
 brook of Kison : Which perished at Endor : they 
 became as dung for the earth. ^^Make their nobles like 
 Oreb, and like Zeeb : yea, all their princes as Zebah, and 
 as Zalmunna ; ^^Who said. Let us take to ourselves the 
 houses of God in possession. O my God, make them 
 like a wheel ; as the stubble before the wind. "As the 
 fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the moun- 
 tains on fire ; ^^So persecute them with thy tempest, and 
 make them afraid with thy storm : ^''Fill their faces with 
 shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord. ^'Let 
 them be confounded and troubled for ever ; yea, let them 
 be put to shame, and perish : ^^That men may know that 
 thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the Most High 
 over all the earth. 
 
PSALM LXXXIIT. 
 
 55 
 
 HE Psalmist, on behalf of his brethren, entreats 
 
 God to hear and help them in their troubles. 
 He regards his enemies as the enemies of God, and 
 treats them as one and the same. He speaks of 
 them as having taken crafty counsel" against 
 His people Israel, " His hidden ones," and having 
 joined together in an unholy confederacy against 
 them. This was the case when the enemies of the 
 Israelites leagued together to harass and destroy 
 them. The Edomites, the Ishmaelites, the Moabites, 
 the Hagarenes, and the other nations mentioned 
 here, joined forces to thrust out the Lord's chosen 
 ones. And the same spirit was shown when His 
 Anointed One came into the world. Then His 
 enemies caballed against Him ; and Herod and 
 Pilate who before were foes were made friends, 
 regarding Him as their common enemy. 
 
 And now the Psalmist prays that God would 
 ^act towards these threatening foes, as He did of old 
 towards those who persecuted His people in the 
 wilderness ; and also in the days of Deborah, 
 Barak, and Gideon ; O my God," he prays, make 
 them like a wheel " — like anything that the wind 
 rolls along, and drives before it ; as the stubble," 
 which is dashed to and fro by the tempest ; destroy 
 them, as the thick wood is destroyed by the con- 
 suming fire driven along by the hurricane. He asks 
 that their proud and boastful countenances may be 
 put to shame, and that they may be led to seek 
 
56 PSALM LXXXIII. 
 
 — a. . 
 
 God ; and further, that a feeling of awe may be 
 produced among all the surrounding nations. Such 
 was the effect produced by the Lord's deliverance 
 in the days of Jehoshaphat ; The fear of the Lord 
 was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when 
 they had heard that the Lord fought against the 
 enemies of Israel." 2 Chron. xx. 29. 
 
 Sometimes God shows forth His love, and men 
 are won by it ; their rebellion ceases, and they yield 
 themselves to Him. But at other times He displays 
 His power, He uplifts His arm. He strikes down 
 His foes ; and men can but acknowledge His 
 greatness, and no longer dare to oppose Him. 
 
57 
 
 Psalm LXXXIV. 
 
 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts ! -My 
 soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the 
 Lord : my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living 
 God. ^Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the 
 swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, 
 even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 
 * Blessed are they that dwell in thy house : they will be 
 still praising thee. ^Blessed is the man whose strength 
 is in thee ; in whose heart are the ways of them, ^^Who 
 passing through the valley of Baca make it a well ; the 
 rain also filleth the pools. "They go from strength to 
 strength ; every one of them in Zion appeareth before 
 God. ® O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer : give ear, 
 O God of Jacob. ^Behold, O God our shield, and look 
 upon the face of thine anointed. ^^For a day in thy 
 courts is better than a thousand : I had rather be a 
 doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the 
 tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and 
 shield : the Lord will give grace and glory : no good 
 thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 
 Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in 
 
 thee. 
 
 HE house of God is ''amiable," or lovely, in the 
 
 eyes of His people, and it was especially so in 
 the eyes of the holy Psalmist. He had so tasted 
 that the Lord was gracious, that he had a constant 
 longing for communion with Him in His ordinances. 
 Like the bird, which is happy in securing its 
 
58 
 
 PSALM LXXXIV. 
 
 nest within the precincts of the sanctuary, so the 
 child of God finds the sweetest repose in the courts 
 of the Lord's House. There he finds safety and 
 peace. He is sheltered from the turmoil of the 
 world without. 
 
 In the fourth verse he breaks out into an excla- 
 mation of joy, when he thinks of their happiness 
 who have a place in God's House. And he adds, 
 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee ; in 
 whose heart are the ways of them." It is not only 
 whilst such a man is actually worshipping God that 
 he is happy, but he is happy akvays, trusting in God 
 for strength, and delighting in those ways which 
 He approves. 
 
 It is difficult to know what the valley of Baca " 
 means. But the general idea of the passage seems 
 to be this — that the child of God in his spiritual 
 journey usually meets with trials and difficulties, 
 which are here likened to the valley of Baca ; but 
 that God refreshes him in his weariness, and helps 
 him on in his weakness, until he reaches his jour- 
 ney's end, the Zion that his soul longs for. There 
 he shall dwell for ever in safety and happiness. 
 Blessed indeed are those Christian pilgrims, who 
 arc content to bear the cross, as they press on 
 towards their eternal resting-place ! 
 
 How beautiful is the prayer, and the expression 
 of holy trust which follows ! The Lord is spoken 
 of as a Sun " to cheer, enlighten, and direct us on 
 
PSALM LXXXIV. 
 
 59 
 
 our way ; and also as " a Shield " to protect us in all 
 our danger. Oh that He may be otcr sun and our 
 shield, and then we shall be safe and happy what- 
 ever may befall us ! Oh that we may never cease 
 to trust Him, and never will He forsake us ! 
 
 Once more the Psalmist speaks of the loveliness 
 of God's House ; For a day in thy courts is better 
 than a thousand." The hours we spend there are 
 our best hours; and even the lowest seat in His 
 courts is more to be desired than the highest places 
 which the world has to offer us. 
 
6o 
 
 Psalm LXXXV. 
 
 Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land : thou hast 
 brought back the captivity of Jacob. ^Thou hast for- 
 given the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all 
 their sin. ^Thou hast taken away all thy wrath : thou 
 hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. 
 *Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger 
 toward us to cease. ^Wilt thou be angry with us for 
 ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? 
 ^Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may 
 rejoice in thee? ^Show us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant 
 us thy salvation. will hear what God the Lord will 
 speak : for he will speak peace unto his people, and to 
 his saints : but let them not turn again to folly. ^ Surely 
 his salvation is nigh them that fear him ; that glory may 
 dwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together ; 
 righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth 
 shall spring out of the earth ; and righteousness shall 
 look down from heaven. ^^Yea, the Lord shall give that 
 which is good ; and our land shall yield her increase. 
 ^•^ Righteousness shall go before him ; and shall set us in 
 the way of his steps. 
 
 JT may be that this Psalm was written by some 
 Jew, filled with thankfulness for the resto- 
 ration of his countrymen from the land of their 
 captivity, and anxious that they should show 
 forth their gratitude by their devotedness to God's 
 service. 
 
 Sin was the cause of their punishment ; and 
 
PSALM LXXXV. 
 
 6l 
 
 now God had seemed to put it away, and obliterate 
 it, by restoring them to His favour. He is not 
 content with their outward restoration, but he asks 
 that they may be quickened inwardly by His grace ; 
 
 Wilt thou not revive us again ; that thy people 
 may rejoice in thee ?" 
 
 Quickening and reviving grace is what we all 
 need. Without it we may have external prosperity ; 
 but inward health and life are the work of God in the 
 soul by His Holy Spirit. The same almighty power 
 that raised Christ from the grave can alone effect it. 
 
 In the eighth verse the Psalmist speaks in the 
 person of the people, when he says, I will hear 
 what God the Lord will speak." He expresses a 
 readiness to hear God, and confidence in Him 
 that what He would say would be for the good 
 of His people. And should not we show the same 
 readiness ? Whatever God may command, we 
 should yield obedience to it. Whatever He may 
 say, we should believe it ; whatever He may re- 
 quire, we should do it ; whatever He may ask us 
 to surrender, we should resign it. 
 
 His thoughts seem to reach forward to gospel 
 times, when He says, Mercy and truth are met 
 together, righteousness and peace have kissed each 
 other." God's mercy, and yet His gratitude and 
 truth, did indeed work together in Christ, who 
 offered Himself the just for the unjust to bring 
 us to God. The righteousness of God was esta- 
 
62 
 
 PSALM LXXXV. 
 
 blished, and at the same time our peace was insured. 
 It has been well said that since these attributes 
 of mercy, righteousness, and peace, met together in 
 the Saviour, they should not be separated in His 
 people. We may in some measure resemble our 
 blessed Lord and Master by showing this short, 
 but complete, rule of life ; ' Show Mercy ; speak 
 Truth ; do Righteousness ; and follow Peace.* 
 
 May * the Lord give us that which is good,' 
 and then temporal and spiritual prosperity will 
 follow as a sure consequence ! 
 
63 
 
 Psalm LXXXVI. 1-7. 
 
 Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me : for I am poor and 
 needy. -Preserve my soul, for I am holy : O thou my 
 God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. ^ Be merciful 
 unto me, O Lord : for I cry unto thee daily. '^Rejoice 
 the soul of thy servant : for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift 
 up my soul. ^For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to 
 forgive ; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call 
 upon thee. ^ Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer ; and 
 attend to the voice of my supplications. 'In the day of 
 my trouble I will call upon thee : for thou wilt answer 
 me. 
 
 AVID here makes repeated approaches to God, 
 and presses his case before Him in many- 
 different forms. He beseeches God to bow down 
 his ear'' to him; to preserve him'' from all danger; 
 to be merciful " unto him ; to rejoice his soul ; " 
 to " give ear unto his prayer ; " and especially to 
 do this in the day of his trouble." 
 
 Then observe, he urges his suit with six special 
 pleas. 
 
 Firsty because of his poverty; for I am poor 
 and needy." When we come to Him as beggars, 
 then it is that He loves to open the stores of His 
 bounty. The Publican was needy ; the Prodigal 
 
64 
 
 PSALM LXXXVI. 1-7. 
 
 felt that he was in want; and they were both 
 accepted. 
 
 Secondly, because of his consecration to God's 
 service ; ^^for I am holy/' He seemed to say, am 
 thy servant, thy child ; therefore hear me, preserve 
 me, save me.' In another Psalm he uses nearly the 
 same plea, I am thine, save me." It was not on 
 account of his goodness that he urged his claim, but 
 because he belonged to God. 
 
 Thirdly y because of his importnnity ; for I cry 
 unto thee daily." The soul that makes not one 
 cry, but a daily cry — the soul that waits upon 
 God perseveringly, and continually — that is the 
 soul that returns from mercy's gate heard and 
 accepted. 
 
 FoiLrthlyy because he does more than lift up his 
 voice ; he lifts itp his sonl to God. Such is real 
 Prayer. It is the lifting up of the soul to God, 
 the breathing out our inmost wants to Him. 
 
 Fifthly y because of God's goodness and mercy ; 
 for thou. Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, 
 and plenteous in mercy." And when we feel that 
 such is God's character, what an encouragement it 
 is to us to come boldly unto the throne of 
 grace. 
 
 Lastly y because God is a prayer-answering God ; 
 for thou wilt answer me." At all times, but espe- 
 cially in the day of our trouble," it is a comfort 
 to know that God will answer our petitions in His 
 
PSALM LXXXVI. 1-7. 65 
 
 own best way. Either He will take away our 
 trouble, or give us grace and strength to bear it. 
 He will either give us what we ask, or something 
 better. 
 
 VOT.. 
 
66 
 
 Psalm LXXXVI. 8-17. 
 
 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord ; 
 neither are there any works like unto thy works. ^All 
 nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship 
 before thee, O Lord ; and shall glorify thy name. For 
 thou art great, and doest wondrous things : thou art God 
 
 ^ alone. "Teach me thy way, O Lord ; I will walk in thy 
 truth : unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise 
 thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart ; and I will 
 glorify thy name for evermore. " For great is thy mercy 
 toward me : and thou hast delivered my soul from the 
 lowest hell. Gud, the proud are risen against me, 
 and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my 
 soul, and have not set thee before them. ^^But thou, O 
 Lord, art a God full of compassion and gracious, long- 
 suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. ^^'O turn 
 unto me, and have mercy upon me : give thy strength 
 unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. 
 *'Show m« a token for good ; that they which hate me 
 may see it, and be ashamed ; because thou, Lord, hast 
 holpen me, and comforted me. 
 
 '^HE Psalmist is persuaded of Jehovah's great- 
 ness ; " Among the gods there is none like 
 unto thee, O Lord." And he foretells that this 
 will be acknowledged by all the nations of the 
 earth. He looks forward to that time when neither 
 
PSALM LXXXVI. 8-17. 
 
 67 
 
 in Jerusalem, nor on the Mountain of Samaria, shall 
 God be exclusively known ; but in every place shall 
 men worship the Father/' 
 
 But great and glorious as God is, we need His 
 inward teaching before we can feel towards Him 
 as we ought, and love and fear Him as He deserves. 
 Therefore David asks the Lord to teach him, and 
 to show him His ways. And certainly the more 
 we know of His goodness, the more will our 
 hearts overflow with gratitude and praise. Each 
 mercy will bring us a step nearer to heaven, and 
 lead us to serve God with a more undivided 
 heart. 
 
 But David, like other servants of God, had 
 many hindrances on his way. Hear how he speaks 
 in the fourteenth verse ; O God, the proud are risen 
 against me, and the assemblies of violent men have 
 sought after my soul, and have not set thee before 
 them." Their opposition was hard to bear, but in 
 turning from them to God he felt relief From 
 them he met with only violence and wickedness, 
 but in God he found abundant compassion, long- 
 suffering, and mercy. O turn unto me (he says) 
 and have mercy upon me." Give thy servant 
 strength, and show me some manifestation of thy 
 power, that my very enemies who hate me may 
 see it and be ashamed, because thou. Lord, hast 
 holpen me, and comforted me." 
 
 Although God may not see fit to show plainly 
 
68 
 
 PSALM LXXXVI. 8-17. 
 
 to the world that He is with His people to cheer 
 and defend them, the day is coming when all shall 
 acknowledge that He is a Sun and a Shield to 
 His beloved children. 
 
69 
 
 Psalm LXXXVII. * 
 
 His foundation is in the holy mountains, ^xhe Lord loveth 
 the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 
 3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. * I 
 will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that 
 know me : behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia ; 
 this man was born there. ^And of Zion it shall be said, 
 This and that man was born in her ; and the Highest 
 himself shall establish her. ^The Lord shall count, when 
 he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. 
 'As well the singers as the players on instruments shall 
 be there : all my springs are in thee. 
 
 '^HE praise of Zion, the city and sanctuary of 
 God, forms the subject of this beautiful 
 Psalm. 
 
 " His foundation (that is, the city which He 
 has founded) is in the holy mountains. The Lord 
 loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings 
 of Jacob." That city was specially dear to God 
 for the Templets sake in which He vouchsafed His 
 peculiar presence. And because the holy city was 
 planted there, the very mountains, the entire range 
 of them, had a sacredness about them. An addi- 
 tional honour too was given to Zion.^ when Jesus 
 Himself stood in the streets of Jerusalem, and 
 within the precincts of that holy Temple. Out of 
 Zion went forth the law, and the word of the Lord 
 
70 
 
 PSALM LXXXVIL 
 
 from Jerusalem. And still more will it be so in 
 the latter days, when the heathen nations shall be 
 added to the Church. It is to this that the Psalmist 
 no doubt alludes in the fourth verse ; I will 
 make mention of Rahab (or Egypt) and Babylon 
 to them that know me : behold Philistia and Tyre, 
 with Ethiopia." The Prophet Isaiah speaks in the 
 same strain, when he says, Sing, O barren, thou 
 that didst not bear ; break forth into singing, and 
 cry aloud, thou that didst not travail Avith child ; 
 for more are the children of the desolate than the 
 children of the married wife, saith the Lord." And 
 again, Lift up thine eyes round about and see : 
 all these gather themselves together, they come to 
 thee : thy sons shall come from far, and thy 
 daughters shall be nursed at thy side." 
 
 Are we citizens of God's spiritual Zion ? Are 
 we true members of His Church, born in her by 
 a new and heavenly birth There is joy in the 
 Church below, but greater and purer joy in Jeru- , 
 salem which is above. The singers shall be there." 
 And we too may lift up our hearts, and say, All 
 my springs are in thee." Thou art as a Fountain, 
 from whence all my happiness flows. 
 
 * O Zion, seat of IsraeFs King, 
 Be i^ine to drink thy living spring.' 
 
 \ 
 
71 
 
 Psalm LXXXVIII. 1-9. 
 
 O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and nigh 
 before thee. ^ Let my prayer come before thee : incHne 
 thine ear unto my cry ; ^ For my soul is full of troubles : 
 and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. ^ I am 
 counted with them that go down into the pit : I am as a 
 man that hath no strength. ^ Free among the dead, like 
 the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest 
 no more : and they are cut off from thy hand. ® Thou 
 hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. 
 ^ Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted 
 me with all thy waves. ® Thou hast put away mine 
 acquaintance far from me ; thou hast made me an 
 abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot 
 come forth. ^ Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: 
 Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out 
 my hands unto thee. 
 
 T^HIS is indeed a Psalm of sadness. The writer 
 
 of it strikes the keynote of sorrow in the 
 third verse, and keeps it up to the end. The sun 
 never breaks through the clouds : all is darkness, 
 without a single gleam of light. Unmanned as he 
 is by a sense of his misery, the Psalmist however 
 still utters the language of prayer. His faith, 
 though like a very slender thread, still remains 
 unbroken,sand he feels that he has an Almighty 
 Saviour to trust to. 
 
72 
 
 PSALM LXXXVIII. 1-9. 
 
 He speaks of himself as one overwhelmed with 
 trouble ; " I am counted with them that go down 
 into the pit : I am as a man that hath no strength." 
 Nay, he goes further, and describes himself as 
 among those who are cut off from God's favour 
 and from the world's concerns ; Free among the 
 dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom 
 thou rememberest no more : and they are cut oft 
 from thy hand." 
 
 Again, in the ninth verse, he shows that he still 
 clings to prayer ; Mine eye mourneth by reason 
 of affliction : Lord, I have called daily upon thee, 
 I have stretched out my hands unto thee." He 
 sighs with his heart ; he prays with his mouth ; he 
 entreats with outstretched hands. He is like a 
 child, which in its helplessness stretches out its 
 arms to its loving parent. It is a happy thing for 
 us, if amidst all our mourning we can carry our 
 sorrow to the Lord, and call upon Him to help us. 
 
 On looking once more at the Psalm, you will 
 see hoj*'' almost every expression used here might 
 have been breathed forth by our suffering Re- 
 deemer, who, in His agony in the garden, ex- 
 claimed. My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even 
 unto death." His soul was indeed " full of troubles," 
 when under the weight of our sins He sank into 
 the grasve, in order to raise us out of it, 
 
73 
 
 Psalm LXXXVIII. 10-18. 
 
 Wilt thou show wonders to the dead ? shall the dead arise 
 and praise thee? " Shall thy lovingkindness be de- 
 clared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? 
 ^2 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark ? and thy 
 righteousness in the land of forgetfulness ? But unto 
 thee have I cried, O Lord; and in the morning shall 
 my prayer prevent thee. Lord, why castest thou off 
 my soul ? why hidest thou thy face from me ? I am 
 afflicted and ready to die from my youth up : while I 
 suffer thy terrors I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath 
 goeth over me ; thy terrors have cut me off. They 
 came round about me daily like water ; they compassed 
 me about together. Lover and friend hast thou put far 
 from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. 
 
 I^AVID'S argument with God, that He would 
 show him mercy, is that the time would soon 
 be gone by for the exercise of it ; for Wilt thou 
 show wonders to the dead ? shall the dead arise, 
 and praise thee Under this feeling he had cried 
 unto the Lord, and pleaded earnestly w^ith Him. 
 And such too is his determination for the future ; 
 
 But unto thee have I cried, O Lord ; and in the 
 morning shall my prayer prevent (or be before- 
 hand with) thee." As if he had said, I will not 
 lose a single moment; at the earliest dawn I will 
 kneel before God. 
 
 Our Lord passed whole nights in supplication ] 
 
74 
 
 PSALM LXXXVIII. IO-18. 
 
 and the morning star often found Him where the 
 evening star had left Him. So should it be with 
 us. We should seek God early, before the day- 
 floods us with its thousand cares, and before our 
 thoughts and feelings lose their freshness. We 
 should give the prime to God. 
 
 The Psalmist's language is somewhat despond- 
 ing and reproachful in the fourteenth, fifteenth, 
 and sixteenth verses. He speaks of the Lord cast- 
 ing him off, and hiding His face from him ; of His 
 pouring out His wrath upon him, so that he was 
 distracted and almost crushed under the weight of 
 His anger. 
 
 Sometimes God's servants, in moments of gloom, 
 are tempted to take unjust views of their heavenly 
 Father. They dwell on His wrath ; they picture 
 to themselves His uplifted arm ; but they forget 
 His love and tenderness. David sometines rea- 
 soned with himself under these circumstances ; 
 " Will the Lord cast off for ever ? Is his mercy 
 clean gone for ever ? And I said. This is my in- 
 firmity ; but I will remember the years of the right 
 hand of the Most High." 
 
 Oh that we may realize God^s love even in the 
 midst of our suffering ; and say, Though he slay 
 me, yet will I trust in him." 
 
75 
 
 Psalm LXXXIX. i-i8. 
 
 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever : with my 
 mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all genera- 
 tions. - For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for 
 ever; thy faithfulness' shalt thou establish in the very 
 heavens. ^ I have made a covenant with my chosen, I 
 have sworn unto David my servant. ^ Thy seed will I 
 establish, for ever, and build up thy throne , to all 
 generations. * And the heavens shall praise thy 
 wonders, O Lord; thy faithfulness also in the congre- 
 gation of the saints. ^ For who in the heaven can be 
 compared unto the Lord ? who among the sons of the 
 mighty can be likened unto the Lord ? ' God is greatly 
 to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had 
 in reverence of all them that are about him. ^ O Lord 
 God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee ? or to 
 thy faithfulness round about thee ? ^ Thou rulest the 
 raging of the sea : when the waves thereof arise, thou 
 stillest them. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as 
 one that is slain : thou hast scattered thine enemies with 
 thy strong arm. The heavens are thine, the earth also 
 is thine : as for the world, and the fulness thereof, thou 
 hast founded them. ^'^ The north and the south thou 
 hast created them : Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in 
 thy name. Thou hast a mighty arm : strong is thy 
 hand, and high is thy right hand. Justice and judg- 
 ment are the habitation of thy throne : mercy and truth 
 shall go before thy face. Blessed is the people that 
 know the joyful sound : they shall walk, O Lord, in the 
 light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they 
 
76 
 
 PSALM LXXXIX. I~l8. 
 
 rejoice all the day : and in thy righteousness shall they 
 be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength ; 
 and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. For the 
 Lord is our defence ; and the Holy One of Israel is our 
 king. 
 
 TN this Psalm God is praised for His singular 
 mercies, and for His eternal promise to David, 
 and his seed for ever. These are the two subjects 
 dwelt upon in the first eighteen verses. 
 
 As regards this covenmited promise^ God says, I 
 have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn 
 unto David my servant ; thy seed will I establish 
 for ever, and build up thy throne to all genera- 
 tions.'^ Here the Lord pledges himself that David's 
 throne and kingdom shall be a lasting one. We 
 find a similar promise given in 2 Sam. vii. i6, 
 " Thine house and thy kingdom shall be established 
 for ever before thee : thy throne shall be established 
 for ever." 
 
 And how has this promise been fulfilled 'i 
 Partly in the long duration of David's family on 
 the throne of Israel; and partly in that spiritual 
 reign which the Son of David has exercised ever 
 since, and will exercise for ever. For you will re- 
 member that when He came into the world it was 
 said of Him, He shaM be great, and shall be 
 called the son of the Highest : and the Lord God 
 shall give unto him the throne of his father 
 David. And he shall reign over the house of Israel 
 
PSALM LXXXIX. I" 1 8. 
 
 77 
 
 for ever ; and of his kingdom there shall be no 
 end." 
 
 Happy those who belong to this kingdom, and 
 share the vast blessings and privileges connected 
 with it ! O Lord, make us Thy true and faithful 
 subjects, and give us loyal hearts to serve Thee. 
 
 As to God's mercy ^ which is here dwelt upon, it 
 is better felt than described. The ruling of the 
 troubled sea ; the breaking up of strong nations, 
 like Rahab or Egypt ; the scattiering of His ene- 
 mies; all this shows the Lord's power, but His 
 love and mercy tan only be truly felt by that 
 heart which is influenced by His grace. The peo- 
 ple may well rejoice who worship this God. They 
 know the joyful sound of His voice, as the Israel- 
 ites were gladdened by the trumpet note, calling / 
 them to their appointed feasts. May we be thus 
 gladdened, and rejoice in the Lord always j 
 
 /' 
 
 _ /' 
 / 
 
78 
 
 Psalm LXXXIX. 19-37. 
 
 Then thou spakest in vision to thy Holy One, and saidst, 
 I have laid help upon one that is mighty ; I have exalted 
 one chosen out of the people, j ]^a,ve found David my 
 servant ; with my holy oil have I anointed him : With 
 whom my hand shall be established : mine arm also shall 
 strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact upon him: 
 nor the son of wickedness afflict him. And I will beat 
 down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate 
 him. 24 j^y faithfulness and my mercy shall be with 
 him : and in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will 
 set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the 
 rivers, j^e shall cry unto me. Thou art my Father, my 
 God, and the Rock of my salvation. "'Also I will make 
 him my first-born, higher than the kings of the earth. 
 .28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my 
 coveiid? nt shall stand fast with him. ^9 ^qq^ ^Iso will 
 I make i^o endure for ever, and his throne as the days of 
 heaven. If his children forsake my law, and walk not 
 in my judg:ments ; If they break my statutes, and keep 
 not my commandments ; Then will I visit their trans- 
 gression witfh the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. 
 33 Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take 
 from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My cove- 
 nant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out 
 of my lips. ^r. Qnce have I sworn by my holiness that I 
 will not lie unto Oavid. ^6 His seed shall endure for ever, 
 and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be esta- 
 blished for ever as the moon, and as • a faithful witness in 
 heaven. 
 
PSALM LXXXIX. 19-37. 
 
 79 
 
 HE Psalmist, in order to show the wonders of 
 
 God's dealings with David's kingdom, refers to 
 his very humble origin ; " I have exalted one chosen 
 out of the people." He thus shows that his election, 
 and the success of his career, were of God. The 
 young shepherd became a sovereign, whose do- 
 minion extended from the shores of the Medi- 
 terranean to the river Euphrates. And so too He 
 who is the King of kings, and Lord of lords, was 
 but a root out of the dry ground, and was in the 
 form of a servant. 
 
 What is said in these verses belongs much more 
 to Christ than to David, and we are quite justified 
 in applying them to Him. Hear what God says 
 concerning Him. 
 
 1st. That He would strengthen him. Jesus 
 seemed at times to be weak indeed, a worm and 
 no man ; " but H^e was stronger than the kings ot 
 the earth. And so is it with His people who trust 
 in Him. 
 
 2ndly. Though He would have many foes, they 
 would not overpower Him. They would harass 
 and oppress Him, but they would not subdue Him. 
 He would in the end show Himself to be stronger 
 then they. 
 
 3rdly. His seed will continue for ever. The 
 Church of Christ has a vitality in it, which will 
 never fail. Its power is boundless; its flame is 
 unextinguishable ; its life is eternal 
 
8o 
 
 PSALM LXXXIX. 19-37. 
 
 4thly. His covenant will stand firm, as the sun 
 or the moon in the heavens. God's children may 
 be faithless, but He will be faithful. They may 
 break His laws, but His promise shall never be 
 broken. 
 
 The faithfulness of God is something for us to 
 rest upon. All around us is shifting and uncertain. 
 Oh let us rest on something sure, and solid, and 
 unchangeable. Let us build for eternity on that 
 Rock which is immovable. 
 
8i 
 
 Psalm LXXXIX. 38-5.2. 
 
 But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth 
 with thine anointed. ^^Thou hast made void the cove- 
 nant of thy servant ; thou hast profaned his crown, by- 
 casting it to the ground. ^^Thou hast broken down all 
 his hedges ; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. 
 *^A11 that pass by the way spoil him : he is a reproach to 
 his neighbours, ''^'phou hast set up the right hand of his 
 adversaries ; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. 
 ^^Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast 
 not made him to stand in the battle. '"Thou hast made 
 his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the 
 ground. ''^The days of his youth hast thou shortened : 
 thou hast covered him with shame. '^^How long, Lord? 
 wilt thou hide thyself for ever ? shall thy wrath burn like 
 fire? "^'Remember how short my time is : wherefore 
 hast thou made all men in vain ? '^^What man is he that 
 liveth, and shall not see death ? shadl he deliver his soul 
 from the hand of the grave ? *^ Lord, where are thy former 
 loving-kindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy 
 truth ? Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants ; 
 how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the 
 mighty people; "Wherewith thine enemies have re- 
 proached, O Lord ; wherewith they have reproached the 
 footsteps of thine anointed. "Blessed be the Lord for 
 evermore. Amen, and Amen. 
 
 J N these last verses the Psalmist utters his com- 
 plaint. At the time things had a gloomy 
 aspect. The kingdom of Israel was at a low ebb* 
 VOL; IT, e 
 
82 
 
 PSALM LXXXIX. 38-52. 
 
 It seemed as though God had cast off and ab- 
 horred His anointed one, had been unmindful of 
 His covenant, had poured contempt upon his 
 crown or royal dignity, had broken down his 
 towers and defences, and made him an object of 
 scorn to his neighbours. 
 
 The Psalmist says, in the forty-fifth verse, The 
 days of his youth hast thou shortened ; thou hast 
 covered him with shame." He does not mean by 
 this that God had cut short his life, but that He 
 had made his vigour to decline and lowered his 
 prosperous condition, so that old age stemed to 
 have cl-ept upon him. 
 
 And then, having made his complaint, he asks 
 God how long this state of things will last ; How 
 long, Lord, wilt thou hide thyself for ever ? Shall 
 thy wrath burn like fire ? Remember how short 
 my time is." By this he meant that his life at 
 best was but a little span ; and he asks that that 
 little may be prosperous and happy. We may be 
 quite sure that the Lord remembers the shortness 
 of our stay here, and is ever mindful of our trials. 
 He sometimes leaves us to suffer, because He 
 sees that the discipline is good for us, and He 
 is thus ripening us for a happier and a purer 
 state. 
 
 But this long Psalm has a beautiful ending. 
 It closes with words of calm thankfulness and sub- 
 mission ; Blessed be the Lord for evermore. 
 
PSALM LXXXIX. 38-52. 
 
 83 
 
 Amen, and Amen." Whatever be the Christian's 
 triab, and whatever amount of sorrow he may be 
 called to pass through, he can and will say, 
 "Blessed be the Lord for evermore." 
 
84 
 
 Psalm XC. 
 
 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. 
 -Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou 
 hadst formed the earth and the world, even from ever- 
 lasting to everlasting, thou art God. ^Thou turnest man 
 to destruction ; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. 
 '^For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday 
 when it is past, and as a watch in the night. ^Thou 
 carriest them away as with a flood ; they are as a sleep : 
 in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. 
 ^ In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up ; in the 
 evening it is cut down, and withereth. ^ For we are con- 
 sumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. 
 ^Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins 
 in the light of thy countenance. ^For all our days are 
 passed away in thy wrath ; we spend our years as a tale 
 that is told. ^^^The days of our years are threescore years 
 and ten ; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore 
 years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow ; for it is 
 soon cut off, and we fly away. ^^Who knoweth the power 
 of- thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy 
 wrath. ^2 So teach us to number our days, that we may 
 apply our hearts unto wisdom. Return, O Lord, how 
 long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. 
 
 satisfy us early with thy mercy ; that we may rejoice 
 and be glad all our days. ^^Make us glad according to 
 the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years 
 wherein we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto 
 thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. ^' And 
 ]e\ the beauty of the Lord gur God be upon us ; and 
 
PSALM XC. 
 
 85 
 
 establish thou the work of our hands upon us ; yea, the 
 work of our hands establish thou it. 
 
 HIS is called "A Prayer of Moses the man 
 
 of God and it is supposed to have been 
 written by him. It opens with an expression of 
 faith in the eternal God. And then the shortness 
 of human life is spoken of in contrast with God's 
 eternity. Thou turnest man to destruction ; and 
 sayest, Return, ye children of men." This refers 
 to the penalty inflicted on man for sin, the sen- 
 tence being, " Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt 
 thou return." 
 
 The ninth verse may be in allusion to the 
 great age of those who lived immediately after the 
 Fall. But even then age was nothing in God's 
 sight ; it was passed as a watch in the night." 
 As to a rich man a thousand sovereigns are as one 
 penny, so to the eternal God a thousand years are 
 as one day. The shortness of our life, and the 
 suddenness of our departure hence, are compared 
 to a flood or tempest sweeping all before it, and 
 flowing by, never to return ; also to sleep, which 
 lasts but for a few hours ; and further, to the 
 grass, which is growing one moment and " is cut 
 down the next. This our penalty, and the sorrow 
 that accompanies it, is all owing to our sin, and to 
 God's wrath which is the consequence of it. 
 
 The Psalmist regrets that men so little consider 
 God's just displeasure on account of sin ; Who 
 
86 
 
 PSALM XC. 
 
 knoweth the power of thine anger ? Even accord- 
 ing to thy fear, so is thy wrath." That is, our 
 feehng of awe or sin is awakened in us by the 
 deserved wrath of God. This keeps us in a state 
 of dread, when we should otherwise rejoice all the 
 day in the love and goodness of God. 
 
 He prays for wisdom ; and beseeches the Lord 
 to return, as if He had absented Himself from us 
 by reason of our sins. Make us glad (he adds) 
 according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted 
 us." As Noah was made glad after the dangers 
 of the flood, and Jacob after his distress in the 
 famine, and Joseph after his imprisonment, and 
 the children of Israel after their captivity ; so after 
 a time of punishment and suffering, we may well 
 turn to God and ask Him to receive us, giving us 
 the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of 
 praise for the spirit of heaviness. 
 
87 
 
 Psalm XCI. 1-7. 
 
 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall 
 abide under the shadow of the Almighty. ^ i ^yill say of 
 the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress : my God ; in 
 him will I trust. ^Surely he shall deliver thee from the 
 snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 
 *He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his 
 wings shalt thou trust : his truth shall be thy shield and 
 buckler. ^Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by 
 night ; nor for the arrow that flieth by day ; ^Nor for the 
 pestilence that walketh in darkness ; nor for the destruc- 
 tion that wasteth at noonday. thousand shall fall at 
 thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand ; but it shall 
 not come nigh thee. 
 
 HIS Psalm is so beautiful and so rich in 
 
 comfort, that I cannot forbear from breaking 
 it up into two portions, that we may dwell upon it 
 at the greater length. 
 
 The security of the man who seeks shelter in 
 the Lord is here described. He is spoken of as 
 dwelling in the secret place of the Most High,'* 
 and abiding under His shadow.'' This gives one 
 a comforting idea of safety and repose ; and such 
 does Christ offer to the weary and heavy laden, 
 who long for rest. Protection from the fowler's 
 snare, and from the pestilence which stalks abroad, 
 and kills its victims by thousands, is here promised 
 
88 
 
 PSALM XCI. 1-7. 
 
 And as if this were not enough, it is added, He 
 shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his 
 wings shalt thou trust." His care of us shall be as • 
 that of the tender bird, which spreads out her 
 feathers to protect her young. We shall be safe 
 under His protection. 
 
 We are beset by dangers on all sides. There is 
 the nightly terror which keeps us awake ; and the 
 arrow that is aimed at us, first by one foe and then 
 another. There is the hidden disease, which we 
 cannot see or guard against ; and the open destruc- 
 tion which we are too careless to escape. There are 
 the secret attacks of Satan, and the enticements of 
 an ungodly world. Both without and within we 
 are in danger. But God is our refuge. His truth, 
 that is His promise, is our shield and buckler. 
 
 Many a one has found it so. Many a Christian 
 soldier has gone into the battle-field, with fearless 
 confidence, feeling that God's arm is around him, 
 and therefore he is safe. Many a Christian min- 
 ister has stood between the dead and the living 
 whilst the plague has raged ; he has comforted the 
 sick and dying ; and has come away unhurt ; for 
 God has been with him in the path of duty. And 
 so will it be with us, if we place ourselves trustfully 
 into God's hands, and shelter ourselves for time 
 and for eternity in Him. 
 
89 
 
 Psalm XCI. 8-i6. 
 
 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward 
 of the wicked. ^Because thou hast made the Lord, which 
 is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation ; 
 
 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague 
 come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels 
 charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They 
 shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot 
 against a stone. ^^Thou shalt tread upon the lion and 
 adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample 
 under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, 
 therefore will I deliver him : I will set him on high, 
 because he hath known my name. ^^He shall call upon 
 me, and I will answer him : I will be with him in trouble; 
 I will deliver him, and honour him. With long Hfe will 
 I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. 
 
 JT is here declared that although God's servants 
 shall escape the punishment of the wicked, 
 they will be witnesses of it ; Only 
 shalt thou behold, and see tj 
 wicked," 
 
 The protecting ministjj 
 brought out in the < 
 are the guardians 
 
90 
 
 PSALM XCL 8-16. 
 
 the path of duty, doing God's work and obeying 
 His will, we may reckon on their protection. Satan 
 misapplied this text, when he endeavoured to per- 
 suade the Saviour needlessly to throw Himself into 
 danger ; upon which our Lord replied, Thou 
 shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." 
 
 The thirteenth verse refers again to our protec- 
 tion from danger; ''Thou shalt tread upon the lion 
 and adder, the young lion and the dragon shalt 
 thou trample under thy, feet.'' We need not take 
 this literally, but we may consider the lion " and 
 the "adder" as signifying any enemy that may 
 attack us; and however great their number, and 
 however hurtful their venom, they will be power- 
 less if God is protecting us. 
 
 That we shall have trouble is very certain ; for 
 no child of Adam is exempt from it. But the 
 Lord here declares, '' I will be with him in trouble." 
 with ^is promise the edge of our trial is 
 sting is taken away. Better is it 
 God helping us to bear it, 
 I's smiles, with God at a 
 
 us ; With long life 
 |im my salvation " — 
 
91 
 
 Psalm XCII. i-6. 
 
 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing 
 praises unto thy name, O Most High : ^Xo show forth 
 thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness 
 every night, ^Upon an instrument of ten strings, and 
 upon the psaltery ; upon the harp with a solemn sound. 
 *For thou. Lord, hast made me glad through thy work ; 
 I will triumph in the works of thy hands. ^ O Lord, how 
 great are thy works ! and thy thoughts are very deep. 
 ^ A brutish man knoweth not ; neither doth a fool under- 
 stand this. 
 
 JN the heading of this Psalm it is called ^'A Psalm 
 or Song for the Sabbath-day." Perhaps then 
 it may have been composed for the public service 
 of God on that day. Thanksgiving is our duty, 
 and ought to be our delight. " It is a good thing to 
 give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto 
 thy name, O Most High : to show forth thy loving- 
 kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every 
 night.'' Praise is good for us, and it is acceptable 
 to God: therefore it is "a good thing," and we 
 shall do well to cultivate it. In the morning our 
 devout thoughts should turn to that great love 
 that has watched over our unprotected hours, 
 and has brought us to all the fresh enjoyments of 
 a new day ; and then when the day closes, and the 
 night approaches, we should think of God s faithful- 
 
92 
 
 PSALM XCII. 1-6. 
 
 ness in having guarded us and kept us through all 
 its varied events. Every kind of instrument may be 
 employed in this blessed work of praise — the ten- 
 string lute, the psaltery or lyre, and the harp 
 v/ith its sweet and solemn tones. 
 
 . For (says the Psalmist) thou, Lord, hast made 
 me glad through thy work." It is God alone who 
 can give us true gladness. He only can ^'make us 
 to lie down in green pastures, and lead us beside 
 the still waters.'' He only can restore, or refresh 
 our souls. But when He speaks the word, and fills 
 us with His presence, then is there gladness within, 
 a peace which the world cannot give, a joy with 
 which a stranger cannot intermeddle. 
 
 The expression, Thy thoughts are very deep," 
 refers to God's motives and dealings being often 
 beyond our ken. They are altogether lost to the 
 man, whose mind is uninfluenced by the Spirit of 
 God ; but to the child of God, His ways, though 
 sometimes dark and unintelligible, are always 
 right, and always based in love. 
 
93 
 
 Psalm XCIL 7-15. 
 
 When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the 
 workers of iniquity do flourish ; it is that they shall be 
 destroyed for ever. *But thou, Lord, art most High for 
 evermore. ^For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord, for, lo, thine 
 enemies shall perish ; all the workers of iniquity shall be 
 scattered. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn 
 of an unicorn : I shall be anointed with fresh oil. Mine 
 eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies ; and mine 
 ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up 
 against me. ^'-^The righteous .shall flourish like the palm- 
 tree ; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those 
 that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in 
 the courts of our God. **They shall still bring forth fruit 
 in old age ; they shall be fat and flourishing ; ^^To show 
 that the Lord is upright : he is my rock, and there is no 
 unrighteousness in him. 
 
 J^OW is it that bad men often seem to prosper ? 
 
 This is a question which often presented 
 itself to the Psalmist's mind. He here answers 
 the question; "When the wicked spring as the 
 grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do 
 flourish ; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever.'* 
 That which is not of God may rise and flourish in 
 appearance, but in the end it is only as a thistle 
 bush or a noxious weed, good for nothing but the 
 fire. Like senseless cattle, the wicked grow fat for 
 the approaching day of slaughter. Or like grass 
 
94 
 
 PSALM XCII. 7-15. 
 
 and flowers, which reach their perfect beauty, and 
 then the mower enters with his scythe, and cuts 
 them down. Thus is the justice of God vindicated ; 
 
 But thou. Lord, art most High for evermore." 
 So will it be with all the enemies of God. They 
 now seem to prevail ; but they will soon perish. 
 
 But my horn (or power)/' says the Psalmist, " shalt 
 thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn : I shall be 
 anointed with fresh oil;" or, in other words, I 
 shall be blest and honoured. 
 
 He compares the righteous to a Palm-tree, ever 
 green and flourishing, whilst other trees are dry 
 and withered ; and to a cedar for its growth and 
 vigour. And he speaks of such as being planted 
 in the house of the Lord ;" that is, enjoying religious 
 privileges here on earth, and then taken up to 
 enjoy a higher culture above. The palm and the 
 cedar wither and decay when they grow old ; but 
 with the holy servant of God it is far otherwise : he 
 bears fruit in old age, ever growing, ever ripening, 
 till the time of his removal comes. And all this 
 shows that the Lord is upright, a rock on which 
 we may build, a righteous one whom we may 
 safely trust. 
 
95 
 
 Psalm XCIII. 
 
 The Lord reigneth ; he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is 
 clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself : 
 the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. 
 2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from ever- 
 lasting. 3 The floods have hfted up, O Lord, the floods 
 have lifted up their voice ; the floods lift up their waves. 
 ^The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many 
 waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea. ^Thy 
 testimonies are very sure ; holiness becometh thine 
 house, O Lord, for ever. 
 
 T^HE majesty, the power, and the holiness of 
 
 God, are set forth in this short Psalm. 
 As to His Majesty y He is represented as ''reign- 
 ing,'* and seated on His throne with His kingly- 
 apparel girded around Him. Even now the Lord 
 is King, and reigns over the worlds which He has 
 made ; but His kingdom is not generally acknow- 
 ledged, nor His will obeyed. The Psalm however 
 points to a time when He shall be owned and 
 adored as the Sovereign of the whole universe. 
 
 As to His PoweTy it surpasses the mighty force 
 of the boundless ocean. Picture to yourself a 
 storm at sea. The billows rise high, as if intent 
 upon splashing against the very clouds. Their 
 sound is terrific. They carry all before them. But 
 
96 
 
 PSALM XCIII. 
 
 far greater is "The Lord on high." His thunder is 
 more awful, and His power resistless. 
 
 But He is a God not only to be feared and 
 reverenced, but also to be trusted; '^Thy testi- 
 monies very sure." Whatever He promises He 
 performs. His word is like a rock : it is firm and 
 can be relied upon. 
 
 Lastly, His Holiness is spoken of; ''Holiness 
 becometh thine house for ever." God is holiness 
 itself The atmosphere which surrounds Him is 
 holy. His people are a holy people. His sanc- 
 tuary on earth is a holy place. And His courts 
 above are the abode of holiness. 
 
 May this mark then be deeply impressed upon 
 our characters ! May we earnestly desire to be 
 holy even as God is holy. May our outer walk 
 be as becometh the gospel of Christ ; and may our 
 inner man be daily brought more and more under 
 the sanctifying influence of the Spirit of God ! 
 
97 
 
 Psalm XCIV. 1-13. 
 
 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth ; O God, to. 
 whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself. - Lift up thy- 
 self, thou judge of the earth : render a reward to the 
 proud. 3 Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall 
 the wicked triumph? ^How long shall they utter and 
 speak hard things ? and all the workers of iniquity boast 
 themselves? ^They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, 
 and afflict thine heritage. ^ They slay the widow and the 
 stranger, and murder the fatherless. ^ Yet they say. The 
 Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard 
 it. ^ Understand, ye brutish among the people : and ye 
 fools, when will ye be wise? ^He that planted the ear, 
 shall he not hear ? he that formed the eye, shall he not 
 see? ^^He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he 
 correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he 
 know ? 1^ The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that^ 
 they are vanity. Blessed is the man whom thou chast- 
 enest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law ; That 
 thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity 
 until the pit be digged for the wicked. 
 
 T^HE Psalmist here puts himself in God's hands, 
 
 assured that He will avenge His people's 
 wrongs. God Himself declares, in Deut. xxxii. 35, 
 "To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence;" 
 and our Lord, in one of His parables, speaks of God 
 
 VOL. IL 
 
 H 
 
98 
 
 PSALM XCIV. I- 1 3. 
 
 as " avenging his own elect, which cry day and night, 
 though he bear long with them." 
 
 This assurance ought to give us confidence. 
 Our persecutors may be *'proud" and arrogant ; they 
 may ''triumph" for a time ; they may ''speak hard 
 things " against God's elect ; they may " break in 
 pieces," and almost destroy His heritage; they 
 may " slay the widow and stranger, and murder the 
 fatherless." But all this will only last for a time. 
 God will manifest Himself as the Almighty suc- 
 courer of His people. 
 
 The Psalmist uses this argument, He who is the - 
 great Maker of the ear and eye, and the great 
 Teacher of men, must needs Himself hear and see 
 and know all that is going on ; and He that has so 
 often and so signally punished the heathen or the 
 wicked, is sure one day to lift up His avenging 
 arm, though now he may refuse to stretch it forth. 
 " He that planted the ear, shall he not hear ? he 
 that formed the eye, shall he not see.'* He that 
 chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct ? he 
 that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know .^" 
 
 In the eleventh and following verses the Psalmist 
 promises a blessing on the man whom God chastens. 
 And was He not now standing aloof from His peo- 
 ple for their good ? They needed trial and dis- 
 cipline, and He was allowing them to suffer. He 
 was fitting them for that season of rest and de- 
 liverance which was coming, and at the same time 
 
PSALM XCIV. I- 1 3. 
 
 99 
 
 He was making ready the pit into which the - 
 wicked should be plunged. 
 
 Welcome suffering then ! Welcome trial ! Soon 
 it will be exchanged for peaceful repose, and for 
 joy that shall not be taken from us. 
 
100 
 
 Psalm XCIV. 14-23. 
 
 For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he 
 forsake his inheritance. *^But judgment shall return 
 unto righteousness : and all the upright in heart shall 
 follow it. ^^Who will rise up for me against the evil- 
 doers ? or who will stand up for me against the workers 
 of iniquity ? Unless the Lord had been my help, my 
 soul had almost dwelt in silence. ^^When I said. My 
 foot slippeth ; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. ^^In the 
 multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight 
 my soul. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship 
 with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? ^i^hey 
 gather themselves together against the soul of the 
 righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. 22 gut the 
 Lord is my defence ; and my God is the rock of my 
 refuge. -^And he shall bring upon them their own 
 iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness ; 
 yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off. 
 
 A T the close of the last portion, the Psalmist 
 
 spoke of a rest that was coming for God's 
 beloved, but afflicted people. And now He speaks 
 of God's faithfulness, and the certainty of His pro- 
 tection ; For the Lord will not cast off his people, 
 neither will he forsake his inheritance. But judg- 
 ment shall return unto righteousness, and all the 
 upright in heart shall follow it;" that is to say, the 
 judgment of God shall be so manifest to the world, 
 
PSALM XCIV. 14-23. 
 
 lOI 
 
 that it will be seen that He is a righteous God ; 
 and all the upright will acknowledge it. 
 
 In the sixteenth verse an appeal is made by the 
 Psalmist to his brethren to help him. And yet he 
 falls back upon the Lord Himself; for He is, after 
 all, his great Helper. The fact of God being on his 
 side kept him from fainting ; His mercy sustained 
 him ; and He was his Comforter, when his own 
 inward thoughts were leading him to despond- 
 ency. 
 
 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship 
 with thee, which frameth mischief by a law ? " 
 Here is an evident allusion to some power that 
 was opposing the people of God. Can such a 
 power, asks the Psalmist, have any sanction from 
 God, whilst it is systematically engaged in plotting 
 evil ? Surely not. And therefore, though they 
 may " gather themselves together against the 
 righteous," and " condemn the innocent," God will 
 act as their defender ; The Lord is my defence, 
 and my God is the rock of my refuge." 
 
 Here is ground indeed for encouragement. 
 For though things may look very dark, and hosts 
 of foes may be leagued against us, there is an in- 
 visible arm shielding us, and God is preparing de- 
 struction for our enemies. Be trustful then, and 
 patient ; for the Lord will never forsake His 
 people, or allow the wicked to prevail against 
 them. 
 
102 
 
 Psalm XCV.. 
 
 O come, let us sing unto the Lord : let us make a joyful 
 noise to the Rock of our salvation. ^L^t us come before 
 his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise 
 unto him with psalms. ^For the Lord is a great God, 
 and a great King above all gods. ''In his hand are the 
 deep places of the earth : the strength of the hills is his 
 also. ^The sea is his, and he made it : and his hands 
 formed the dry land. ^ O come, let us worship and bow 
 down : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. ^For he 
 is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and 
 the sheep of his hand : to-day if ye will hear his voice, 
 ® Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in 
 the day of temptation in the wilderness : ^When your 
 fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 
 
 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, 
 and said. It is a people that do err in their heart, and 
 they have not known my ways. " Unto whom I sware 
 in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest. 
 
 T^HE plan of the Psalm is this — the Church of 
 God is exhorted to praise Him who alone 
 is the true God ; devoutly to fall down before Him ; 
 and not to harden the heart, which ought to be 
 obedient to Him, as our fathers did in the wilder- 
 ness, and thereby excluded themselves from the 
 Land of Promise. 
 
 It is well to stir up one another to the work 
 of Prayer and Praise ; and therefore we use this 
 
PSALM XCV. 
 
 103 
 
 Psalm in the opening of our public worship. And 
 reasons are here given for devoutly approaching 
 Him ; For the Lord is a great God, and a great 
 King above all gods.'' The valleys of the earth, 
 and the hills are His, and the sea with its myriads 
 of inhabitants. All are His workmanship, and are 
 under His control. 
 
 We are therefore exhorted to come to His 
 footstool, and in doing so to use the posture of 
 needy and sinful men — to bow down, and kneel 
 before Him. How unlike this is the cold, careless 
 manner in which many present themselves before 
 God in His house ! They sit there whilst prayer 
 is being offered, because there is no feeling of 
 earnestness and reverence in their hearts, and no 
 longing desire to ask that they may have, to seek 
 that they may find, and to knock at the gate of 
 mercy that it may be opened to them. 
 
 God is spoken of in the seventh verse as our 
 God," and we as *'the people of His pasture, and 
 the sheep of His hand," or those whom He delights 
 to lead to the good Shepherd of the flock. Such 
 was Israel of old, and such are we now. 
 
 A warning is given in the concluding verses 
 not to act as our forefathers during the forty years 
 of their wilderness life. That was a time of hard- 
 ness and ingratitude, of waywardness and unbe- 
 lief They were God's people in name, but their 
 hearts were not given to Him. And hence of 
 
104 
 
 PSALM XCV. 
 
 those who came out of Egypt, none entered the 
 Promised Land, but Caleb and Joshua. 
 
 May God keep us from such unbelief, and give 
 us grace to love and serve Him ; and may our 
 worship of Him. be hearty and true ! 
 
105 
 
 Psalm XCVI. 
 
 O sing unto the Lord a new song : sing unto the Lord, all 
 the earth. ^Sing unto the Lord, bless his name : show 
 forth his salvation from day to day. ^ Declare his glory 
 among the heathen, his wonders among all people. * For 
 the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised : he is to be 
 feared above all gods. ^ For all the gods of the nations 
 are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. ^Honour 
 and majesty are before him : strength and beauty are in 
 his sanctuary. ^Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of 
 the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. 
 8 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name : bring 
 an offering and come into his courts. worship the 
 Lord in the beauty of holiness : fear before him, all the 
 earth. *^Say among the heathen, that the Lord reigneth : 
 the world also shall be established that it shall not be 
 moved, he shall judge the people righteously. " Let the 
 heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad : let the sea 
 roar, and the fulness thereof. ^-Let the field be joyful, 
 and all that is therein : then shall all the trees of the 
 wood rejoice Before the Lord ; for he cometh, for he 
 Cometh to judge the earth : he shall judge the world 
 with righteousness, and the people with his truth. 
 
 nPHIS Psalm, like the last, contains an exhort- 
 
 ation to praise God in the sanctuary. It 
 is a kind of missionary hymn fitted for public 
 worship. The Prophet Isaiah, in ch. xlii. lo, 
 uses nearly the same words as those with which 
 
io6 
 
 PSALM XCVI. 
 
 this Psalm opens. " Sing unto the Lord (he 
 says) a new song, and his praise unto the end of 
 the earth. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof 
 lift up their voice. Let them give glory unto the 
 Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.'' 
 
 In the sixth and following verses the Temple 
 worship is specially alluded to; '^Strength and 
 beauty are in his sanctuary;'* Bring an offering, 
 and come into his courts;" and again, Worship 
 the Lord in the beauty of holiness," — that is, with 
 the beauty of a holy worship. The place we wor- 
 ship in is " His sanctuary;" and we should there- 
 fore come with reverence and devoutness, feeling 
 that He is there among us. We should not come 
 empty, we should "bring an offering;" and the 
 most acceptable offering we can bring is that of a 
 truly devout and prayerful heart, a contrite and be- 
 lieving spirit. And we should remember that it 
 must be " a holy worship" — not merely the pour- 
 ing out of holy words, but the utterance of holy 
 desires and entreaties. 
 
 Then follows mention of the heathen and of 
 the proclamation of the gospel to them ; Say 
 among the heathen that the Lord reigneth." That 
 will not be a reign of terror, but of joy, and of 
 joy so great that even inanimate nature will utter 
 her voice of praise : " Let the heavens rejoice, and 
 let the earth be glad ; let the sea roar, and the ful- 
 ness thereof. Let the fields be joyful, and all that 
 
PSALM XCVI. 
 
 107 
 
 IS therein ; then shall all the trees of the wood 
 rejoice before the Lord." 
 
 The Lord's coming is spoken of at the end of 
 the Psalm, not as something to be dreaded, but as 
 something to awaken our joy; "He shall judge 
 the world with righteousness." Injustice and op- 
 pression shall then cease, and the law of love and 
 justice shall prevail; Righteousness shall be the 
 girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of 
 his reins." That will indeed be a time of un- 
 speakable blessedness to the people of God. 
 
io8 
 
 Psalm XCVII. 
 
 The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice : let the multitude 
 of isles be glad thereof. ^ Clouds and darkness are round 
 about him : righteousness and judgment are the habita- 
 tion of his throne. ^ A fire goeth before him, and burneth 
 up his enemies round about. ^^His lightnings enlighten 
 the Avorld : the earth saw and trembled. * The hills 
 melted like wax at the presence of the Lord : at the 
 presence of the Lord of the whole earth. <^The heavens 
 declare his righteousness : and all the people see his 
 glory. ^ Confounded be all they that serve graven images, 
 that boast themselves of idols : worship him, all ye gods. 
 ^Zion heard, and was glad, and the daughters of Judah 
 rejoiced ; because of thy judgments, O Lord. ^ For thou, 
 Lord, art high above all the earth : thou art exalted far 
 above all gods. ^''Ye that love the Lord, hate evil : he 
 preserveth the souls of his saints, he delivereth them out 
 of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the 
 righteous, and gladness for the -upright in heart. ^"^Re- 
 joice in the Lord, ye righteous : and give thanks at the 
 remembrance of his holiness. 
 
 'T^HE Lord ever reigns, as Sovereign of the world. 
 
 But when the Psalmist says, The Lord 
 reigneth," he is evidently speaking of some special 
 and marked display of His kingly power. And 
 this, he says, is a cause of joy. It is not a fearful, 
 but a comforting truth to all who love what is good, 
 even to the remotest isles. The clouds and dark- 
 ness," which are round about him," are meant to 
 
PSALM XCVII. 
 
 109 
 
 describe His greatness and glory ; and such were 
 His accompaniments when He gave the law from 
 Sinai. 
 
 A curse is pronounced, in the seventh verse, 
 against all idolatries ; Confounded are all they that 
 serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols." 
 And the very idols themselves, or those who bow 
 down before them, are exhorted to give their 
 allegiance to the one true God. This shall be the 
 case when heathen nations are brought to Christ. 
 It was so with many nations that have embraced 
 the gospel. The idols were cast away, and the 
 true God was worshipped ; He was exalted 
 above all gods." 
 
 The Psalm closes with comfortable words for 
 the people of God. If He is Sovereign, they that 
 ''hate evil" are the citizens of His kingdom; and 
 for them *' light (or prosperity) is sown." They may 
 be in sorrow and distress now ; but gladness is 
 their portion: it is ''sown,'^ and may not for a 
 while make its appearance ; but it will one day 
 spring up. 
 
 Job was in gjeat sadness at one time, but light 
 was sown for him, and the day came when he 
 enjoyed it. St. Paul had his trials by sea and by 
 land, from the heathen and from false brethren ; for 
 many a long night heaviness was his portion ; but 
 the morning of his joy has now come, and all his 
 sorrows are now past, never to return. 
 
no 
 
 PSALM XCVII. 
 
 Yes, light is sown for the righteous. Then be 
 not cast down, if a little trouble comes. Bear it 
 cheerfully, and hopefully, believing that the pro- 
 mised relief is not far off, when your sorrow shall 
 be turned into joy. 
 
Ill 
 
 Psalm XCVIII. 
 
 O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done mar- 
 vellous things : his right hand and his holy arm hath 
 gotten him the victory, ^xhe Lord hath made known, 
 his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly showed 
 in the sight of the heathen. ^He hath remembered his 
 mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel ; all the 
 ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 
 *Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth : make 
 a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. ^Sing unto 
 the Lord with the harp ; with the harp, and the voice of 
 a psalm. ® With trumpets, and sound of cornet, make a 
 joyful noise before the Lord the King. "Let the sea roar, 
 and the fulness thereof : the world, and they that dwell 
 therein. ^Let the floods clap their hands : let the hills 
 be joyful together ^Before the Lord ; for he cometh to 
 judge the earth : with righteousness shall he judge the 
 world, and the people with equity. 
 
 T^HIS Psalm has been described as 'the echo 
 
 of the ninety-fifth Psalm.' There is however 
 a little difference between the two. The Lord is 
 here set forth as a Conqueror ; His right hand 
 and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory." 
 He has overcome His foes, and established His 
 glorious kingdom among men. 
 
 All this is the language of prophecy. The 
 declaration of God's saving mercy to the heathen, 
 and at the same time His mindfulness of Israel, 
 
112 - PSALM XCVIII. 
 
 His chosen people, is here spoken of as a blessing 
 already accomplished. And, thank God, it has 
 been already partly fulfilled in Christ, who, when 
 He came, was a light to lighten the Gentiles, and 
 the glory of His people Israel and it will be more 
 completely true in that glorious day when Jew 
 and Gentile shall all be brought to partake of the 
 one great salvation purchased for them. 
 
 In the thought of this, and especially in the 
 prospect of the Lord's Second Coming, the 
 Psalmist calls upon all to raise their songs and 
 praise; "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all 
 the earth; make a noise, and rejoice, and sing 
 praise." 
 
 And how is this to be done ? By every means 
 in our power, " with the harp and the voice of a 
 psalm ; with trumpets and sound of cornet/^ We 
 must praise God with the best means we have, 
 and the best instruments we can procure. 
 
 And who are included in this thankful band 
 The sea with its roaring waves ; the world and its 
 countless inhabitants ; the floods too are to clap 
 their hands (or rejoice), and the hills be joyful toge- 
 ther. ^ The inanimate parts of creati9n (says Bishop 
 Horne)'are called upon to bear their parts in this 
 new song, and to fill up the universal chorus of 
 praise and thanksgiving in honour of Him that 
 sitteth upon the throne.' 
 
 When the Lord comes to establish His king- 
 
PSALM XCVIII. ^ 113 
 
 dom, and to execute judgment in the world, then 
 will our joy rise to its highest pitch ; Ifeaven and 
 earth will rejoice together, and the happiness of 
 the redeemed shall be full. 
 
 VOL. IL 
 
 I 
 
114 
 
 Psalm XCIX. 
 
 The Lord reigneth ; let the people tremble : he sitteth be- 
 tween the cherubims ; let the earth be moved. ^ The 
 Lord is great in Zion ; and he is high above all the 
 people. ^ Let them praise thy great and terrible name : 
 for it is holy. ^ The king's strength also loveth judg- 
 ment ; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judg- 
 ment and righteousness in Jacob. ^ Exalt ye the Lord 
 our God, and worship at his footstool ; for he is holy. 
 • Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel 
 among them that call upon his name ; they called upon 
 the Lord, and he answered them. ^ He spake unto them 
 in the cloudy pillar : they kept his testimonies, and the 
 ordinance} that he gave them. ^ Thou answeredst them, 
 O Lord our God : thou wast a God that forgavest them, 
 though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. 
 » Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill, 
 for the Lord our God is holy. 
 
 T^HE ninety - seventh Psalm begins with the 
 
 words : ''The Lord reigneth : let the earth re- 
 joice." And here it runs thus ; " The Lord reigneth : 
 let the people tremble.*' We may set our Ame?i 
 to both, for the manifest reigning of the Lord is 
 matter of great joy to His own people, whilst it 
 strikes terror upon the unbelieving world. 
 
 The thought that God reigns above should fill 
 us all with a holy awe. There He ''sitteth between 
 
PSALM XCIX. 
 
 the cherubims." He is often thus described ; for 
 the ark, which was the most sacred thing in the 
 world, had the figures of cherubims on each side of 
 it ; and this was the place of God's special presence. 
 Hence He is said to ''sit between the cherubims," 
 giving laws to His people, and granting their 
 petitions. 
 
 '' The Lord is great in Zion.'^ He is known and 
 praised there, and His greatness is acknowledged. 
 And there too ^' He is high above all people 
 that is. He is exalted and honoured. '' The King's 
 strength also loveth judgment." This means that 
 whatever there is of power in God is exercised in 
 favour of justice and righteousness. 
 
 Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, are here called 
 " priests." Strictly speaking, they did not fill the 
 priestly office ; but the title was probably given to 
 them because they were men much employed about 
 sacred things. They are here mentioned as ex- 
 amples of the way in which God accepts His people, 
 and honours them by special answers to their 
 prayers. When it is said that God '' forgave them,'* 
 it probably means that God forgave the people 
 when they repented, and for whom they earnestly 
 pleaded. 
 
 Let us listen then to the Psalmist's closing 
 exhortation : Exalt the Lord our God, and wor- 
 ship at His holy hill ; for the Lord our God is' 
 holy." In drawing near to God, we should re- 
 member that He is a holy God ; and this should 
 
ii6 
 
 PSALM XCIX. 
 
 call out all our reverence and watchfulness. We 
 should prostrate ourselves before Him in all hu- 
 mility, and the more we think of His holiness the 
 deeper should be the feeling of our unworthiness. 
 
117 
 
 Psalm C. 
 
 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. ^ Serve the 
 Lord with gladness : and come before his presence with 
 singing. ^ Know ye that the Lord he is God : it is he 
 that hath made us, and not we ourselves ; we are his 
 people, and the sheep of his pasture. * Enter into his 
 gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise : 
 be thankful unto him, and bless his name. ^ For the 
 Lord is good ; his mercy is everlasting : and his truth 
 endureth to all generations. 
 
 ' JT is with good reason (says Matthew Henry) 
 that many sing this Psalm in their religious 
 assemblies, for it is very proper both to express 
 and to excite pious and devout affections towards 
 God in our approach to Him in holy ordinances. 
 And if our heart go along with our words, we 
 shall make melody in it to the Lord. The Jews 
 say it was penned to be sung with their thank- 
 offerings. Perhaps it was ; but as there is nothing 
 in it peculiar to their economy, so its beginning 
 with a call to all lands to praise God plainly 
 extends it to the Gospel Church.' 
 
 How wide the call ! Every one who has a 
 mouth to speak, and a heart to feel, is included in 
 it ; for all the lands,'* or inhabitants of the world, 
 are here appealed to. And is not the day coming 
 when all shall know the Lord, from the least to 
 
ii8 
 
 PSALM C. 
 
 the greatest ? To Him shall every knee bow, and 
 every tongue confess Him. 
 
 Lord, hasten the glorious time when Jew and 
 Gentile shall with one mouth glorify Thee, and 
 they shall come from every corner of the globe to 
 worship before Thee. 
 
 How joyful is the call ! Make a joyful noise 
 unto the Lord ;" Serve the Lord with gladness ; 
 come before his presence with singing Enter 
 into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his 
 courts with praise ; be thankful unto him, and 
 bless his holy name." And ought not a feeling 
 of joy to spring up in our hearts when we are sum- 
 moned to God's house } Ought we not to go there 
 in a spirit of thankfulness and praise 1 
 
 Hovv^ consU'aining is the call ! God has the 
 strongest claim upon us. He is our Creator and 
 our Shepherd : He hath made us, and not we 
 ourselves ; we are his people and the sheep of 
 his pasture.^' His goodness too is a further 
 motive to serve Him; The Lord is good; his 
 mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to 
 all generations." The love of God, and His kind- 
 ness towards us, should lead us to give our whole 
 heart to Him. 
 
119 
 
 Psalm CI. 
 
 I will sing of mercy and judgment : unto thee, O Lord, will 
 I sing. 2 I y^iii behave myself wisely in a perfect way. 
 O when wilt thou come unto me ? I will walk within my 
 house with a perfect heart. ^ I will set no wicked thing 
 before mine eyes : I hate the work of them that turn 
 aside ; it shall not cleave to me. * A froward heart shall 
 depart from me : I will not know a wicked person. 
 ^ Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut 
 off : him that hath an high look and a proud heart will 
 not I suffer. « Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of 
 the land, that they may dwell with me : he that walketh 
 in a perfect way, he shall serve me. ^ He that worketh 
 deceit shall not dwell within my house : he that telleth 
 lies shall not tarry in my sight. ^ I will early destroy all 
 the wicked of the land : that I may cut off all wicked 
 doers from the city of the Lord. 
 
 T^AVID here makes a solemn profession of his 
 duty as a God-fearing king. 
 First, of thankfulness to God for all His good- 
 ness towards him; I will sing of mercy and 
 judgment : unto thee, O Lord, will I sing." 
 Praise is one of the happiest and most profitable 
 duties we can perform, and one that brings fresh 
 blessings with it. Try it, and you will soon find 
 your reward. 
 
120 
 
 PSALM CI. 
 
 Secondly, he speaks of what his own conduct 
 shall be ; I will behave myself wisely in a perfect 
 way " I will walk within my house with a per- 
 fect heart.'* To act well before men in public, one 
 must live before God in private. Our walk at home 
 must be humble, holy, and consistent, else what we 
 do and say abroad will have little weight. No one 
 knew this better than David, and therefore he 
 could speak from his own experience. 
 
 Thirdly, he speaks of his hatred of sin, and of 
 his determination to put it down. He says, I 
 will not know a wicked person that is, I will 
 have no intercourse with him ; I will mark him to 
 avoid him. 
 
 But he declares that he will show favour to 
 those who are true and upright ; Mine eyes shall 
 be upon the faithful in the land, that they may 
 dwell with me : he that walketh in a perfect way, he 
 shall serve me." 
 
 You will observe, there is a short prayer or 
 enquiry thrown in, and mingled with his resolutions. 
 It is in the third verse ; " When wilt thou come 
 unto me.^" Perhaps he felt the difficulty of per- 
 forming all that he was promising, and so darts up 
 a prayer to God for help. God's people often feel 
 that they long for His presence. Whether they be 
 in trouble, in sorrow, or in weakness — whether the 
 outer world is smiling', or frowning, upon them — 
 
PSALM CI. 
 
 121 
 
 they want to feel God's nearness, and to be 
 guided and upheld by Him. Our best joys are 
 unsatisfying, if He is absent, so that we may well 
 look up and say, *^When wilt thou come unto 
 me?" 
 
122 
 
 Psalm CI I. 1--12. 
 
 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. 
 2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in 
 trouble ; incline thine ear unto me : in the day when I 
 call answer me speedily. ^ For my days are consumed 
 like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. *My 
 heart is smitten, and withered like grass ; so that I forget 
 to eat my bread. * By reason of the voice of my groan- 
 ing my bones cleave to my skin. ^ I am like a pelican 
 of the wilderness : I am like an owl of the desert. ' I 
 watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the housetop. 
 ^Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that 
 are mad against me are sworn against me. ^For I have 
 eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weep- 
 ing. Because of thine indignation and thy wrath : for 
 thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. ^^My days 
 are like a shadow that declineth ; and I am withered 
 like grass. ^-But thou, O Lord, shalt endure forever; 
 and thy remembrance unto all generations. 
 
 E are told in the Heading that this is ''A Prayer 
 of the afHicted, v/hen he is overwhelmed, and 
 poureth out his complaint before the Lord." And 
 truly they are very sorrowful words which the 
 Psalmist utters; but they are not hopeless words, 
 for he looks up to God with the assured confidence 
 that from Him cometh relief; ''Hear my prayer, 
 O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not 
 thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble ; 
 
PSALM CII. I-I2. 
 
 123 
 
 incline thine ear unto me : in the day when I call 
 answer me speedily.'* 
 
 Then he tells out his sorrows, and describes their 
 bitterness ; My days are consumed like smoke, 
 ' and my bones are burned as an hearth. My heart 
 is smitten, and withered like grass ; so that I forget 
 to eat my bread. By reason of the voice of my 
 groaning my bones cleave to my skin." This is 
 something like the language used in the thirty- 
 second Psalm ; My bones waxed old through my 
 roaring all the day long. My moisture is turned 
 into the drought of summer." 
 
 In the sixth and seventh verses he compares 
 himself to three forlorn Birds, — to the solitary 
 pelican, to the owl which shuns the light, and to 
 the sparrow which is perched upon a dreary 
 housetop. Thus he passed his days of wretched- 
 ness, watching for brighter and happier times, 
 reproached and taunted by his enemies, and feeding, 
 as it were, upon ashes instead of bread, and mingling 
 tears with his very drink. 
 
 He compares himself also to the dark SJiadozVy 
 which becomes feebler and feebler as the evening 
 advances, and to Grass that has lost its moisture. 
 
 But thou, Lord (he adds), shalt endure for 
 ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations." 
 He turns away from v/hat is weak and perishable, 
 to that which will last — from that which is uncertain 
 to that on which he can rely — from the shifting 
 
124 
 
 PSALM CIL I-I2. 
 
 sand to the firm and unshaken Rock — from the 
 world and its trials, to God who is full of power and 
 goodness. It has been said that the Psalmist here 
 'ties together in one bundle his whole misery, and 
 all his helplessness, and throws it with one mighty- 
 fling upon the Eternal/ 
 
125 
 
 Psalm CI I. 13-28. 
 
 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion : for the time 
 to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. For thy 
 servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust 
 thereof. *^So the heathen shall fear the name of the 
 Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. ^^When 
 the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. 
 ^^He will regard the prayer pf the destitute, and not 
 despise their prayer. ^^This shall be written for the 
 generation to come : and the people which shall be 
 created shall praise the Lord. ^^For he hath looked 
 down from the height of his sanctuary ; from heaven did 
 the Lord behold the earth. ^^To hear the groaning of 
 the prisoner ; to loose those that are appointed to death ; 
 2^ To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise 
 in Jerusalem ; 22 when the people are gathered together, 
 and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord, ^spje weakened 
 my strength in the way ; he shortened my days. I said, 
 O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days : 
 thy years are throughout all generations. ^sQf old hast 
 thou laid the foundation of the earth : and the heavens 
 are the work of thy hands, ^efhey shall perish, but thou 
 shalt endure : yea, all of them shall wax old like a gar- 
 ment ; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they 
 shall be changed : But thou art the same, and thy 
 years shall have no end. xhe children of thy servants 
 shall continue, and their seed shall be established 
 before thee. 
 
 JN the former verses we saw the Psalmist in deep 
 affliction, mourning over his misery. But it 
 
126 
 
 PSALM CII. 13-28. 
 
 was not altogether his own private sorrow that 
 troubled him : it was the sorrow of his people also. 
 And here he speaks of better times coming to his 
 beloved Zion. 
 
 Some think from what is said in these verses, 
 that the Psalm was written during the captivity, 
 and that special reference is made to the rebuilding 
 of the sacred city and Temple. He is filled with the 
 assurance that God ^Svill have mercy upon Zion 
 and that, although now in distress, ''the time to 
 favour her is at hand for he sees with thankfulness 
 that God's people are interesting themselves in her 
 ruins. And he regards this movement as favour- 
 able to the conversion of the heathen. He pictures 
 the Lord as looking down " from His throne 
 in heaven, and listening to the groans of His 
 afflicted ones. 
 
 In the twenty-fourth verse he speaks of his 
 strength having been wasted, and his days 
 shortened, by what be had gone through. But he 
 feels that, however much weak men may fail, and 
 although the visible heavens and earth may perish, 
 the Lord Himself will not change. He felt himself 
 to be but mortal ; but the children of God's servants 
 — His people — would continue, and their seed would 
 be established for ever. 
 
 In this unsteady, fluctuating world, our great 
 consolation is that the Lord is as an unchanging 
 Rock, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. His 
 
PSALM CII. 13-28. 
 
 127 
 
 word, His promises, His purposes, His love, have a 
 root to them which can never be moved. 
 
 The twenty-fifth and two following verses are 
 quoted by St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, 
 to strengthen his argument as to our Lord's 
 divinity. On reading the verses here as they 
 stand in the Psalm, no one would suppose that 
 they refer to the Son of God ; but as St. Paul 
 applies them to Him, we may safely regard them 
 as referring to God our Saviour, the almighty 
 Creator of the world, and our Redeemer. Some- 
 times, when buffeted by the storms of life, and 
 almost disheartened in our course, we are thankful 
 that our anchor is fixed and imbedded within the 
 veil," and our hope is therefore sure and stead- 
 fast." 
 
128 
 
 Psalm CI 1 1. i~io. 
 
 Bless the Lord, O my soul : and all that is within me, bless 
 his holy name. ^ Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget 
 not all his benefits : ^Who forgiveth all thine iniquities ; 
 who healeth all thy diseases ; ^Who redeemeth thy life 
 from destruction ; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness 
 and tender mercies ; ^ Who satisfieth thy mouth with 
 good things ; so that thy youth is renewed like the 
 eagle's. ^The Lord executeth righteousness and judg- 
 ment for all that are oppressed. ' He made known his 
 ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 
 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and 
 plenteous in mercy. ^ He will not always chide : neither 
 will he keep his anger for ever. ^*^He hath not dealt 
 with us after our sins ; nor rewarded us according to our 
 iniquities. 
 
 TT has been said of this Psalm, that 'it bears the 
 character of great tenderness, and that it is a 
 still clear brook of praise.' 
 
 David here calls upon his inner man, his soul, 
 to bless the Lord, and gives his reasons which thus 
 call forth his thankfulness. He mentions several 
 benefits which he had experienced ; but he places. 
 
 First and foremost, the blessing of Forgiveftess, 
 No blessing can compare with this, and no happi- 
 ness is like his whose unrighteousness is forgiven, 
 and whose sin is covered." And no one knew its 
 value more than David. 
 
 Next, he praises God for healing all his 
 
PSALM cm. I- 10. 
 
 129 
 
 maladies. Whether he meant here to refer to his 
 spiritual diseases, as well as his bodily, we know 
 not. We need God's restoring power in either case; 
 and how ready He is to exert it, if we only make 
 the application. 
 
 Further, he thanks God for saving his life. 
 David had much cause to bless God for this mercy, 
 and have not we likewise ? Does He not daily 
 rescue us from dangers which threaten our lives, 
 and does He not crown us with lovingkindness 
 and tender mercies 
 
 He specifies too the great love of God in satisfy- 
 ing and refreshing him with His grace, so that, like 
 the eagle which moults year by year, and thus 
 seems to grow young again, he is daily renewed 
 within, and ripens more and more for heaven. 
 
 The Psalmist goes on to enumerate several acts 
 by which the Lord displays His goodness. He is the 
 Vindicator of the oppressed. He revealed Himself 
 to Moses and the Israelites. He is full of mercy and 
 grace ; and even when He is angry, He is still ready 
 to receive the penitent ; and when He punishes, 
 His punishment does not come up to our iniquities. 
 
 Oh for a heart so full of thankfulness, that it is 
 ever ready to pour out praises to God ! We should 
 be disposed to thank Him not only for what He 
 has done for us, but for what He is in Himself, for 
 all the bright and heartfelt features in His glorious 
 character. 
 
 Vol. li. K 
 
I30 
 
 Psalm CIII. 11-22. 
 
 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his 
 mercy toward them that fear him. "As far as the east is 
 ft'om the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions 
 from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the 
 Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our 
 frame ; he remembereth that we are dust. ^^As for man, 
 his days are as grass : as a flower of the field, so he 
 flourisheth. ^« For the wind passeth over it, and it is 
 gone ; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But 
 the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting 
 upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto 
 children's children ; To such as keep his covenant, and 
 to those that remember his commandments to do them. 
 
 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens ; 
 and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye 
 his angels, that excel in strength, that do his command- 
 ments, hearkening unto the voice of his word, Bless ye 
 the Lord, all ye his hosts ; ye ministers of his, that do his 
 pleasure. ^2 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of 
 his dominion : bless the Lord, O my soul. 
 
 OD.'S mercy is infinite : its extent is immea- 
 
 surable. As we cannot span the distance 
 between heaven and earth, so we cannot set any 
 limit to His mercy. And when He forgives, He so 
 entirely puts away our sins, that they shall be 
 sought for and not found ; if we forsake them, He 
 will thoroughly pardon them. He has a father's 
 j)ity for us, and knovvinn- how little we can do, and 
 
PSALM cm. 11-22. 
 
 how little we can bear, He deals with us accordingly, 
 and thus shows the tenderness of His compassion 
 towards us. 
 
 Think what a God we have to deal with ; and 
 will not His love draw out our afifections ? Will 
 not His goodness soften the hardest of us, and lead 
 us to repentance ? Shall we not love One who has 
 so loved us ? 
 
 In the nineteenth verse the Psalmist says, *^ The 
 Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and 
 his kingdom ruleth over all." By this He seems to 
 remind us that there is an overruling providence 
 that ordereth all things in heaven and earth, an 
 eye that never sleeps, a love that never cools, 
 a care for us that never flags nor wavers. This 
 should make us content and satisfied, feeling that 
 there is a God above in whose hands we are 
 safe. 
 
 David concludes this beautiful Psalm by appeal- 
 ing to the Angels, and to the hosts of heaven (that 
 is, the sun, moon, and stars), to unite with him 
 in this work of praise. And then, finally, he stirs 
 up his own soul, lest having been engaged with 
 calling upon others, he should neglect a duty which 
 he felt to be incumbent upon him. He began with 
 "Bless the Lord, O my soul;" and now that he 
 has penned this thanksgiving hymn, he does not 
 say, * Now, O my soul, thou hast blest the Lord, 
 thou mayest therefore rest;' but he feels that 
 
132 
 
 PSALM cm. 11-22. 
 
 when he has done even so much in the service of 
 God, he must still stir up himself to do more. One 
 who has drunk deep of the fountain of God's good- 
 ness, will never feel that his work of praise is 
 ended. 
 
133 
 
 Psalm CIV. 1-18. 
 
 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very 
 great ; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. -Who 
 coverest thyself with light as with a garment : who 
 stretchest out the heavens like a curtain : ^Who layeth 
 the beams of his chambers in the waters : who maketh 
 the clouds his chariot : who walketh upon the wings of 
 the wind : -^Who maketh his angels spirits ; his ministers 
 a flaming fire : ^Who laid the foundations of the earth, 
 that it should not be removed for ever. ^ Thou coveredst 
 it with the deep as with a garment : the waters stood 
 above the mountains. ' At thy rebuke they fled ; at the 
 voice of thy thunder they hasted away. ^ They go up by 
 the mountains ; they go down by the valleys unto the 
 place which thou hast founded for them. ^ Thou hast set 
 a bound that they may not pass over ; that they turn not 
 again to cover the earth. He sendeth the springs into 
 the valleys, which run among the hills. They give 
 drink to every beast of the field : the wild asses quench 
 their thirst. By them shall the fowls of the heaven 
 have their habitation, which sing among the branches. 
 
 He watereth the hills from his chambers : the earth is 
 satisfied with the fruit of thy works. He causeth the 
 grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of 
 man : that he may bring forth food out of the earth ; 
 ^^And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil 
 to make his face to shine : and bread which strengthen- 
 eth man's heart. The trees of the Lord are full of sap ; 
 the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted ; Where 
 the birds make their nests : as for the stork, the fir trees 
 
134 
 
 PSALM CIV. I-18. 
 
 are her house. The high hills are a refuge for the 
 wild goats ; and the rocks for the conies. 
 
 HE Psalm opens with the sacred writer calling 
 
 upon his own soul to praise the Lord ; and 
 then follows the chief subject of this praise, namely, 
 the works of God which like a mirror reflect His 
 greatness. He represents God as " clothed with 
 majesty and honour;" as invested with light; as 
 laying the beams of his chambers in the waters ;" 
 that is, making His habitation above the watery 
 clouds ; as making the clouds and winds " His 
 chariot,'^ and driving them about at pleasure. 
 
 He maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers 
 a flaming fire." He is supposed to be speaking 
 of the windSy which the Lord uses as angels or 
 messengers ; and of the ligJitning^ which He employs 
 as His ministers or servants, to accomplish His 
 purposes. 
 
 ''Thou cfoveredst it witli the deep as with a 
 garment : the waters stood above the mountains." 
 He seems to be here speaking of the state of 
 things at the beginning of Creation, when as yet 
 no dry land appeared — all was a watery waste. 
 And then at His " rebuke," or command, the whole 
 was reduced to order. '' A bound " was set, which 
 the waters could not pass ; and the springs and 
 rivers all had their proper channels, and ministered 
 to the wants of God's creatures. Thus the earth 
 is refreshed, and produces its fruit ; the grass grows 
 
PSALM CIV. I- 1 8. 
 
 and herbs flourish to meet the wants of men ; and 
 wine and oil and bread come forth, and other rich 
 productions to gladden man's heart. 
 
 The trees of the Lord " are spoken of; that 
 is, great and lofty trees, which at once display the 
 power of their Creator, and especially the noble 
 Cedars of Lebanon,'* which appeared as though 
 they were above all others of the Lord's planting. 
 They are " full of sap " — they are abundantly sup- 
 plied with all that is necessary for their growth. 
 
 And now let us ask ourselves. Do not the works 
 of nature display both the infinite power and love of 
 God } Ought they not to waken in us feelings of 
 the richest gratitude } And yet we Christians have 
 even richer treasures, in which to find proofs of the 
 grace and goodness of the Lord. The work of 
 Redemption proclaims to us above all else that 
 God is indeed a God of love. 
 
136 
 
 Psalm CIV. 19-35. 
 
 He appointed the moon for seasons : the sun knoweth his 
 going down. '^^ Thou makest darkness, and it is night : 
 wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. The 
 young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat 
 from God. "^"^ThQ sun ariseth, they gather themselves 
 together, and lay them down in their dens. ^3 Man goeth 
 forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. 
 2^ O Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in wisdom hast 
 thou made them all : the earth is full of thy riches. So 
 is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping 
 innumerable, both small and great beasts. '-^^ There go 
 the ships : there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made 
 to play therein. These wait all upon thee ; that thou 
 mayest give them their meat in due season, That thou 
 givest them they gather : thou openest thine hand, they 
 are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are 
 troubled : thou takest away their breath, they die, and 
 return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they 
 are created : and thou renewest the face of the earth. 
 
 The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever : the Lord 
 shall rejoice in his works. He looketh on the earth, 
 and it trembleth : he toucheth the hills, and they smoke. 
 
 I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live : I will sing 
 praise to my God while I have my being. My medita- 
 tion of him shall be sweet : I will be glad in the Lord. 
 
 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let 
 the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. 
 Praise ye the Lord. 
 TN the first of these verses the Psalmist speaks 
 
 of the sun and moon, of the day and night; 
 
PSALM CIV. 19-35. 
 
 137 
 
 and of the Beasts of the forest to whom the night 
 belongs, and of Man whose is the day. 
 
 Then he speaks of the great and wide sea," 
 of the innumerable creatures inhabiting it, and of 
 the ships that float upon its surface. He makes 
 special mention of Leviathan," or the whale 
 which sports in its waters. And he speaks of all 
 these beings as God's pensioners, fed by His 
 bounty, and dependent on Him for their existence. 
 He breathes life into them, and they live, and the 
 face of the earth is renewed — it is prevented from 
 being a desolation. 
 
 Let us pause a moment, and reflect how wonder- 
 ful is God's provision for His creatures in the world ! 
 He has Himself fed them, and supplied their 
 various wants, for nearly six thousand years. He 
 has millions of guests on earth, on the mountain- 
 top, in the air, and in the ocean depths, that look 
 to His hand ; but His treasury is not exhausted 
 yet. And can we suppose that He who bears such 
 loving care for the hungry lions will forget His 
 people ? If He concerns Himself about the wild 
 beasts of the forest, will He permit His beloved 
 children to perish in sorrow and neglect ? Surely 
 they cannot starve in the midst of such riches. 
 
 In the thirty-second verse the Psalmist says, 
 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth ; he 
 toucheth the hills and they smoke." This is to 
 remind us that, when the Lord pleases. He can 
 
138 
 
 PSALM CIV. 19-35. 
 
 make great convulsions in the world, and the very 
 hills feel His power, as Sinai smoked at His presence. 
 
 He speaks of his meditation on these subjects 
 being sweet ; and he desires that sinners who will 
 not praise God for His goodness may be swept off 
 from the earth. Lord, tune our hearts for thy 
 praise, that we may be fitted for our happy work 
 in heaven. 
 
139 ^ 
 
 Psalm CV. 1-22. 
 
 O give thanks unto the Lord ; call upon his name : make 
 known his deeds among the people. ^ Sing unto him, 
 sing psalms unto him : talk ye of all his wondrous works. 
 2 Glory ye in his holy name : let the heart of them rejoice 
 that seek the Lord. * Seek the Lord, and his strength : 
 seek his face evermore. ^ Remember his marvellous 
 works that he hath done ; his wonders, and the judg- 
 ments of his mouth ; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, 
 ye children of Jacob his chosen. ^ He is the Lord our 
 God : his judgments are in all the earth. ^ He hath 
 remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he 
 commanded to a thousand generations. ^ Which cove- 
 nant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac ; 
 ^^And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to 
 Israel for an everlasting covenant : Saying, Unto thee 
 will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inherit- 
 ance : ^- When there were but a few men in number ; 
 yea, very few, and strangers in it. When they went 
 from one nation to another, from one kingdom to ano- 
 ther people ; He suffered no man to do them wrong : 
 yea, he reproved kings for their sakes ; Saying, Touch 
 not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 
 ^« Moreover he called for a famine upon the land : he 
 brake the whole staff of bread* He sent a man before 
 them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant : Whose 
 feet they hurt with fetters : he was laid in iron : Until 
 the time that his word came : the word of the Lord tried 
 him. 20 f he king sent and loosed him ; even the ruler 
 of the people, and let him go free. He made him lord 
 
140 
 
 PSALM CV. 1-22. 
 
 of his house, and ruler of all his substance : 22 To bind 
 his princes at his pleasure ; and teach his senators 
 wisdom. 
 
 ^HIS Psalm opens with an exhortation to praise 
 
 God for His wonderful doings towards Israel 
 His people. We are called upon to glory in God's 
 holy name." Whilst wise men glory in their wis- 
 dom, mighty men in their greatness, and rich men 
 in their riches, we are called upon to glory in some- 
 thing better, in that name which God has acquired 
 by His glorious deeds. And surely those who seek 
 the Lord, and who are mindful of His marvellous 
 works, have reason to rejoice even amidst their 
 greatest trouble. 
 
 In the first place, God has been mindful of His 
 covenant, that covenant which He made successively 
 with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He promised to 
 them and to their posterity a grant of the Land of 
 Canaan. When they entered it they were very few 
 in number, and strangers to the soil ; and they 
 would soon have perished without leaving a trace 
 behind them, had not the mighty arm of God 
 shielded them, making '^one nation after another" 
 give way to them, and reproving even kings for 
 their sakes." God's special care for them was 
 very great. He calls them "His anointed," " His 
 prophets;" and bids no man dare to touch them, or 
 to injure them, saying, " Touch not mine anointed, 
 and do my prophets no harm." 
 
PSALM CV. 1-22. 
 
 Then mention is made of Joseph, and of God's 
 providence in sending him during the year of famine 
 to prepare the way for His people ; how he was 
 cast into prison, and was then delivered and raised 
 to be governor of the land ; " He made him to be 
 lord of his (Pharaoh's) house, and ruler of all his 
 substance." 
 
 All this showed God's exceeding love and care- 
 fulness for His people Israel, which the Psalmist 
 goes on to detail in the verses which follow. Is it 
 any wonder then that a feeling of gratitude sprang 
 up within him, and that such glorious words as these 
 burst from his lips, O give thanks unto the Lord ; 
 call upon his name ; make known his deeds among 
 the people 
 
 May there be a chord in our hearts ready to 
 vibrate at the mention of God's great goodness ! 
 
142 
 
 Psalm CV. 23-45. 
 
 Israel also came into Egypt ; and Jacob sojourned in the 
 land of Ham. 24And he increased his people greatly; 
 and made them stronger than their enemies. He 
 turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly 
 with his servants. He sent Moses his servant ; and 
 Aaron whom he had chosen. ^7 They shewed his signs 
 among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. He 
 sent darkness, and made it dark ; and they rebelled not 
 against his word. He turned their waters into blood, 
 and slew their fish. Theii* land brought forth frogs in 
 abundance, in the chambers of their kings. He spake, 
 and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their 
 coasts. 3^ He gave them hail for rain, and flaming flre 
 in their land. He smote their vines also and their fig- 
 trees ; and brake the trees of their coasts. He spake, 
 and the locusts came, and caterpillars, and that without 
 number. And did eat up all the herbs in their land, 
 and devoured the fruit of their ground. He smote also 
 all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their 
 strength. He brought them forth also with silver and 
 gold : and there was not one feeble person among their 
 tribes. ^* Egypt was glad when they departed : for the 
 fear of them fell upon them. He spread a cloud for a 
 covering ; and fire to give light in the night. The 
 people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them 
 with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock, and 
 the waters gushed out ; they ran in the dry places like a 
 river. por he remembered his holy promise, and 
 Abrnhnm his servant. And he brou^rht forth his people 
 
PSALM CV. 23-45. 
 
 with joy, and his chosen with gladness: ^*And gave 
 them the lands of the heathen : and they inherited the 
 labour of the people ; That they might observe his 
 statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord. 
 
 "^HE Psalmist proceeds to enumerate God's deal- 
 
 ings with Israel from the time that they set 
 their foot in Egypt, or, as he here calls it, the land 
 of Ham." He showed in the former verses how 
 Joseph providentially prepared the way for them, 
 and now he mentions various circumstances of their 
 after history. 
 
 He alludes to their great increase during their 
 sojourn in Egypt, how the hearts of the Egyptians 
 turned against them, and how Moses and Aaron 
 were chosen as their deliverers. And then reference 
 is made to the various plagues with which they 
 were visited. Only seven of them however are 
 mentioned, and these not in the regular order in 
 which they were sent. 
 
 And having dwelt awhile on the plagues, he 
 speaks of the wondrous deliverance of the Israelites ; 
 
 He brought them forth also with silver and gold," 
 alluding to the jewels which they were permitted 
 to borrow from their enemies. 
 
 The Psalmist makes special allusion to three 
 miracles which the Lord wrought for them in the 
 wilderness. One of them was the spreading of a 
 Cloud over them, which served as a protection to 
 them during the heat of day, and as a burning 
 
144 
 
 PSALM CV. 23-45. 
 
 flame to give them light by night. And this Cloud 
 may be regarded by us as a lasting emblem of God's 
 protecting care of His people, and of the light 
 which He makes to shine upon them during the 
 time of darkness. 
 
 Another miracle which he mentions is tlie supply 
 of Quails and Mannay which the Lord gave in 
 answer to their prayer ; and further, the opening of 
 the Rocky from which the waters gushed out and 
 supplied their burning thirst. And in these too we 
 see an emblem of that spiritual nourishment, with 
 which the Lord satisfies and refreshes His people in 
 their wilderness journey, so that if we come to Him 
 we shall never hunger, and if we believe on Him we 
 shall never thirst. 
 
 And in all that He did for His people, " He re- 
 membered his holy promise, and Abraham his ser- 
 vant." Has He said, and will He not do it } Has 
 He promised to abide with His Church, and will 
 He not be with it to the end } 
 
145 
 
 Psalm CVI. 1-3 i. 
 
 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord ; for 
 his mercy endureth for ever. ^ Who can utter the mighty 
 acts of the Lord? who can show forth all his praise? 
 2 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth 
 righteousness at all times. * Remember me, O Lord, 
 with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O 
 visit me with thy salvation ; * That I may see the good 
 of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy 
 nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance. ^ We 
 have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, 
 we have done wickedly. ^ Our fathers understood not 
 thy wonders in Egypt ; they remembered not the multitude 
 of thy mercies ; but pi-ovoked him at the sea, even at the 
 Red sea. ^ Nevertheless he saved them for his name's 
 sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. 
 9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up : so he 
 led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. 
 
 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated 
 them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 
 " And the waters covered their enemies : there was not 
 one of them left. Then believed they his words ; they 
 sang his praise. They soon forgat his works ; they 
 waited not for his counsel. But lusted exceedingly in 
 the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And 
 he gave them their request ; but sent leanness into their 
 soul. 16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron 
 the saint of the Lord. The earth opened and swallowed 
 up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. And 
 a fire was kindled in their company ; the flame burned 
 VOL. IL L 
 
146 
 
 PSALM CVI. I -3 1. 
 
 up the wicked. They made a calf in Horeb, and 
 worshipped the molten image. Thus they changed 
 their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. 
 21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great 
 things in Egypt. ^- Wondrous works in the land of Ham, 
 and terrible things by the Red sea. Therefore he said 
 that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen 
 stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, 
 lest he should destroy them. 2* Yea, they despised the 
 pleasant land, they believed not his word. But mur- 
 mured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice 
 of the Lord, Therefore he lifted up his hand against 
 them, to overthrow them in the wilderness. To over- 
 throw their seed also among the nations, and to scatter 
 
 Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. Thus 
 they provoked him to anger with their inventions : and 
 the plague brake in upon them. ^^Then stood up 
 Phinehas, and executed judgment : and so the plague 
 was stayed. And that was counted unto him for righte- 
 ousness unto all generations for evermore. 
 
 "^HIS Psalm, like the last, refers to the past 
 
 history of the Israelites. The object of the 
 hundred and fifth Psalm was to show how great 
 had been God's favour, and how wondrous His 
 dealings towards His people ; whereas in the pre- 
 sent Psalm their repeated disobedience and rebel- 
 lion are set forth. 
 
 The fourth verse contains a prayer which we 
 may offer as well as the Psalmist. We too may 
 say, Remember me, O Lord, with the favour 
 
 them in the lands. 
 
 28 
 
 They joined themselves also unto 
 
PSALM CVI. 1-3 1. 
 
 which thou bearest unto thy people : O visit me 
 with thy salvation ; that I may rejoice in the glad- 
 ness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine 
 inheritance." We, too, long for God's favour, and to 
 be partakers of that glorious salvation which He 
 has made over to His people. His inheritance. 
 
 How great was the sin of the Israelites, our 
 fathers!" His wonders in Egypt were thrown 
 away upon them ; His mercies were forgotten. 
 How marked was their deliverance from the hand 
 of Pharaoh ! How wonderful were God's dealings 
 at the Red Sea ! And yet in the midst of all, 
 they provoked God to anger, and tempted Him 
 in the desert. " They soon forgat his works ; they 
 waited not for his counsel " — they were fretful 
 and impatient. They lusted exceedingly in the 
 wilderness, and tempted God in the desert." This 
 refers to the clamour they made for other food 
 than manna. And though their request was 
 granted, it brought them no blessing ; for God 
 **sent leanness into their soul.'* 
 
 Their conduct towards Moses and Aaron is 
 referred to, which on one occasion brought down a 
 heavy judgment upon Dathan and Abiram who 
 were the ringleaders, and upon all their company. 
 Their worship too of the molten calf is mentioned, 
 which showed hoiv soon they forgot all that God 
 their Deliverer had done for them. And but for 
 the intercession of Moses and Phinehas, who stood 
 
148 
 
 PSALM CVI. I -3 1. 
 
 before him in the breach/' He would have cast 
 them off for ever. 
 
 You will observe that the conduct of Phinehas 
 is mentioned as an act of righteousness, worthy of 
 being handed down from age to age. He was a 
 good man, and faithful to his trust, amidst a 
 God-forgetting people. And what a mercy it is 
 that God accepts our poor, imperfect deeds, if done 
 in a right spirit, and for the promotion of His 
 glory ! 
 
149 
 
 Psalm CVI. 32-48. 
 
 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went 
 ill with Moses for their sake. Because they provoked 
 his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. 
 
 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the 
 Lord commanded them. But were mingled among the 
 heathen, and learned their works. ^^And they served 
 their idols : which were a snare unto them. Yea, they 
 sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils. 
 ^® And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons 
 and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the 
 idols of Canaan : and the land was polluted with blood. 
 
 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went 
 a whoring with their own inventions. Therefore was 
 the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, in- 
 somuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. And he 
 gave them into the hand of the heathen ; and they that 
 hated them ruled over them. ''^ Their enemies also op- 
 pressed them, and they were brought into subjection 
 under their hand. Many times did he deliver them ; 
 but they provoked him with their counsel, and were 
 brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless he regarded 
 their affliction, when he heard their cry. '^^ And he re- 
 membered for them his covenant, and repented according 
 to the multitude of his mercies. He made them also to 
 be pitied of all those that carried them captives. Save 
 us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the hea 
 then, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph 
 in thy praise. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from 
 everlasting to everlasting : and let all the people say. 
 Amen. Praise ye the Lord. 
 
PSALM CVI. 32-48. 
 
 'JpHE account of the sins of Israel is continued 
 in these verses. Their disobedience at the 
 waters of Meribah, or strife, is especially spoken of. 
 For there it was that they so provoked Moses, 
 that he, "the meekest man upon earth," "spake 
 unadvisedly with his lips,'' and so incurred God's 
 anger. 
 
 Again, they offended by disobeying God re- 
 garding the utter destruction of the heathen nations 
 whom they found in the Land of Canaan. Instead 
 of doing this, they learnt their evil ways, and even 
 their idolatry, offering up their sons and daughters 
 as idol sacrifices, so that " the land was polluted 
 with blood." 
 
 All this brought God's anger upon them. His 
 ''wrath was kindled against His people, insomuch 
 that he abhorred his own inheritance." And yet 
 in their misery His love prevailed ; where sin 
 abounded grace did much more abound. " He 
 regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry. 
 And he remembered for them his covenant, and 
 repented according to the multitude of his mer- 
 cies." 
 
 When it is said here and elsewhere that God 
 repents^ it is meant that He changes His way of 
 acting, either in answer to our prayers, or on our 
 showing signs of contrition. Such was the case in 
 the present instance. And God's mercy in time 
 past leads the Psalmist to lift up his heart to God, 
 
PSALM CVI. 32-48. 
 
 and pray, "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather 
 us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto 
 thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.'^ 
 
 Some have come to the conclusion, from these 
 words, that this Psalm was written in the time of 
 the captivity; and that what God did for His 
 chosen in the wilderness, stirred up the sacred 
 writer to ask God to grant similar mercies to His 
 people now in their Babylonish bondage. 
 
 O God, make us so to dwell on Thy mercies in 
 days gone by, that we may trust Thee for the 
 future, and not be afraid even in the midst of our 
 deepest distress. 
 
152 
 
 Psalm CVII. 1-9. 
 
 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good : for his mercy 
 endureth for ever. ^ Let the redeemed of the Lord say 
 so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy. 
 ^ And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and 
 from the west, from the north, and from the south. * They 
 wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way ; they found 
 no city to dwell in. ^ Hungry and thirsty, their soul 
 fainted in them. ^ Then they cried unto the Lord in their 
 trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. 
 ^ And he led them forth by the right way, that they might 
 go to a city of habitation. ^ Oh that men would praise 
 the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to 
 the children of men! ^ For he satisfieth the longing 
 soul, and fiUeth the hungry soul with goodness. 
 
 TTERE, in this Psalm, there is a call to the 
 redeemed,'* or Church of God, to praise 
 Him for having delivered His people from their cap- 
 tivity both in Egypt, and also in Babylon, gather- 
 ing them from the north, south, east, and west, and 
 also for bringing them safely to their own land. 
 
 Their dangers and deliverances are represented 
 by four comparisons. Firsts they are compared to 
 travellers, wandering through a trackless wilderness, 
 and led to an inhabited city ; secondly, to those 
 bound in fetters, and then set at liberty; thirdly y 
 to persons suffering from sickness, but now healed ; 
 and, fourthlyy to those who are rescued from a 
 storm at sea. 
 
 In the portion now before us, the Jewish Church, 
 and perhaps also the Christian, in its difficulties and 
 
PSALM CVII. 1-9. 
 
 deliverance, is compared to Travellers ; They wan- 
 dered in the wilderness in a solitary way : they 
 found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, 
 their soul fainted in them." 
 
 This at one time was a true picture of Israel's 
 history, and it is so of ours. Our life here is a wil- 
 derness life. We are strangers and wanderers in 
 this foreign land, at a distance from our promised 
 Canaan. And whilst here we often suffer from 
 unsatisfied longings. We desire what we cannot 
 obtain. Our hopes are at times unduly excited, 
 and our expectations raised, and then they are 
 dashed to the ground. This often proves to us a 
 world of disappointment. 
 
 But if we cry unto the Lord in our trouble,'' He 
 is sure to give us deliverance, either by strengthen- 
 ing us to bear our trial, or rescuing us from it. It 
 was so with Israel of old, and it is so with the Lord's 
 Church now. Just as the Traveller " is led forth by 
 the right way " to some city which he desires to 
 reach, so God leads us. If we put ourselves confi- 
 dently into His hands. He is sure to bring us by 
 the right way," though perhaps it may not be by 
 the shortest or pleasantest road. 
 
 Then let us fearlessly entrust ourselves to His 
 safe guidance. Let us follow the path which He 
 marks out, knowing that His ways are ways of 
 pleasantness, and His paths are peace ; and that 
 " He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the 
 hungry soul with goodness." 
 
154 
 
 Psalm CVII. 10--16. 
 
 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being 
 bound in affliction and iron. " Because they rebelled 
 against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of 
 the most High. ^- Therefore he brought down their heart 
 with labour ; they fell down, and there was none to help. 
 13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he 
 saved them out of their distresses. He brought them 
 out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their 
 bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the Lord 
 for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the 
 children of men ! ^'^ For he hath broken the gates of 
 brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. 
 
 J N this portion of the Psalm God's sufifering and 
 redeemed people are likened to Prisoners in a 
 dreary dungeon who are set free. 
 
 See how their misery is described ; They " sit in 
 darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound 
 in affliction and iron.'' And what is this world 
 sometimes to us but a cheerless prison in which we 
 are confined ? The fetters of sorrow bind and 
 chafe us, and all is darkness around and within us. 
 And it may be with some of us, that if we were to 
 trace our trials up to their source, we should perhaps 
 find that what is said here is also true of us ; Be- 
 cause they rebelled against the words of God, and 
 contemned the counsels of the Most High, there- 
 
PSALM CVII. 1 0-16. 
 
 fore he brought down their heart with labour ; they 
 fell down, and there was none to help." 
 
 Happy for us, if when in this condition we apply 
 unto God for relief, and through His mercy ob- 
 tain it, as Israel did ; " Then they cried unto the 
 Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of 
 their distresses. He brought them out of darkness 
 and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in 
 sunder." 
 
 When St. Peter was in prison, there was One who 
 burst open the iron gate, and set him at liberty. 
 And when St. Paul's feet were put in the stocks in 
 the Philippian dungeon, suddenly there was a 
 great earthquake, so that the foundations of the 
 prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors 
 were opened, and every one's bands were loosed." 
 And the Lord regards the sorrowful sighing of His 
 prisoners now, and brings them forth in safety. 
 How are we sometimes tied and bound with the 
 chain of our sins ; but His nature and property is 
 ever to have mercy and to forgive, and in His piti- 
 fulness He looks upon us, and sets us free. 
 
 Lead us, Lord, to realize this — to know both the 
 cruel bondage of sin and the sweetness of that 
 " liberty which will make us free." Open our lips, 
 that we may praise Thee for Thy goodness, and for 
 Thy wonderful works to the children of men. 
 
156 
 
 Psalm CVIL 17-22. 
 
 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their 
 iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all man- 
 ner of meat ; and they draw near unto the gates of death. 
 19 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he 
 saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, 
 and healed them, and delivered them from their de- 
 structions. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his 
 goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of 
 men ! ^2 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanks- 
 giving, and declare his works with rejoicing. 
 
 "X^TE come now to the third comparison which 
 
 the Psalmist uses. He compares the suf- 
 fering and saved Church to Sick Men mercifully 
 delivered from the jaws of death; ''Fools (he says), 
 because of their transgressions, and because of their 
 iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all 
 manner of meat, and they draw near to the gates 
 of death." 
 
 Many a person through his own folly and sin is 
 brought low. Sickness comes upon him, his appe- 
 tite fails, his strength is reduced, and he comes 
 to the very verge of the grave ; but when at the 
 worst, he experiences relief, and is saved from his 
 distresses. There is a spiritual sickness, of which 
 God's people know the misery. The food which 
 nourishes the souls of others has no sweetness for 
 
PSALM CVII. 17-22. 
 
 them. The word of life is distasteful to them. 
 Prayer is irksome. They starve in the midst of 
 ordinances. But they wake up to the sadness and 
 hopelessness of their condition ; and the moment 
 they put out their signals of distress, there is One 
 who is ready to come to their rescue. Their first 
 cry reaches His ears, and He immediately stretches 
 out His hand to save them. There is a balm to 
 suit their wound, and a Physician to apply it. He 
 sends his word, and heals them, and delivers them 
 from their destruction." 
 
 Look at Israel in Egypt and in Babylon. There 
 was no health in them. They were in a state of 
 abject misery. Their hope had well-nigh fled. But at 
 length God sends them their deliverance. He raises 
 up saviours for them, and brings them back to their 
 desired land. And look at the suffering Church 
 in the later times of her captivity and sorrow. 
 She mourns, but not hopelessly, for her Lord is 
 near, and 'watches over her with a Father's love. In 
 her affliction He is afflicted, and He rejoices in her 
 final deliverance. 
 
 Oh that these thoughts may stir up our thank- 
 fulness and warm our cold hearts ! The only sacri- 
 fice we can offer is that of praise, heartfelt, cease- 
 less praise, to the Giver of all our mercies. 
 
158 
 
 Psalm CVII. 23-43. 
 
 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in 
 great waters. These see the works of the Lord, and his 
 wonders in the deep. '-'^ For he commandeth, and raiseth 
 the stormy wind, which hfteth up the waves thereof. 
 2« They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to 
 the depths : their soul is melted because of trouble. 
 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, 
 and are at their wit's end. Then they cry unto the 
 Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their 
 distresses. ^9 maketh the storm a calm, so that the 
 waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because 
 they be quiet ; so he bringeth them unto their desired 
 haven. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his 
 goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of 
 men ! Let them exalt him also in the congregation of 
 the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 
 
 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings 
 into dry ground. ^^A fruitful land into barrenness, for 
 the wickedness of them that dwell therein. He turneth 
 the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into 
 watersprings. And there he maketh the hungry to 
 dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation. And 
 sow the fields and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits 
 of increase, He blesseth them also, so that they are 
 multiplied greatly ; and suffereth not their cattle to de- 
 crease. Again they are minished and brought low 
 through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. He poureth 
 contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the 
 wilderness, where there is no way. Yet setteth he the 
 poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families 
 
PSALM evil. 23-43. 
 
 159 
 
 like a flock. 'p^^ righteous shall see it, and rejoice : 
 and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. " Whoso is wise, 
 and will observe these things, even they shall understand 
 the loving-kindness of the Lord. 
 
 '^HE last comparison drawn in this Psalm is be- 
 
 tween the deliverance of God's suffering Church 
 and those who are rescued from a Storm at sea. 
 
 A graphic picture is here drawn of those that 
 " go down to the sea in ships, that do business in 
 great waters." Theirs is a hard and perilous life ; 
 but although " they see the works of the Lord, and 
 his wonders in the deep," they do not always realize 
 them. 
 
 The sudden rising of a storm is here beautifully 
 painted ; For he commandeth and raiseth the 
 stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 
 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again 
 to the depths ; and their soul is melted because of 
 trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a 
 drunken man, and are at their wit's end." 
 
 Then a cry is often put forth, never uttered be- 
 fore. Hearts that never breathed the breath of 
 prayer pour it out now. And God who had in His % 
 anger called up the powers of nature, compas- 
 sionately orders them back into their bounds. 
 ''Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and 
 he brought them out of their distresses. He maketh 
 the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are 
 
 still. 
 
i6o 
 
 PSALM CVII. 23-43. 
 
 The Church too encounters many a storm ; but 
 the Saviour is with her in the ship, and He both 
 calms her fears, and removes her dangers, saying 
 to the troubled souls, Peace, be still," and at 
 length He brings them safely into their desired 
 haven. 
 
 In the verses which follow, the Psalmist speaks 
 generally of the Lord's dealings with the wicked, 
 and with His own people. In the one case He 
 punishes, turning as it were the rivers into a wilder- 
 ness, and fruitful lands into barrenness ; and in the 
 other case He brings blessings, where before all was 
 drought and misery. 
 
 Such are His just dealings, and they may well 
 cause joy to the righteous and strike dumb with 
 awe the proud boaster. Let every wise man lay 
 these things to heart, and learn the lesson they are 
 intended to teach. 
 
 P 
 
i6i 
 
 Psalm CVIII. 
 
 O God my heart is fixed ; I will sing and give praise, even 
 with my glory. ^ Awake, psaltery and harp : I myself 
 will awake early. ^ I will praise~thee, O Lord, among the 
 people : and I will sing praises unto thee among the 
 nations. For thy mercy is great above the heavens, and 
 thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. ^ Be thou exalted, O 
 God, above the heavens ; and thy glory above all the 
 earth ; ^ That thy beloved may be delivered : save with 
 thy right hand, and answer^me. ' God hath spoken in 
 his holiness ; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and 
 mete out the valley of Succoth. ^ Gilead is mine ; 
 Manasseh is mine ; Ephraim also is the strength of mine 
 head ; Judah is my lawgiver. ® Moab is my washpot ; 
 over Edom will I cast out my shoe ; over Philistia will I 
 triumph. Who will bring me into the strong city ? who 
 will lead me into Edom ? Wilt not thou, O God, who 
 hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with 
 our hosts ? ^2 Give us help from trouble : for vain is the 
 help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly : for 
 he it is that shall tread down our enemies. 
 
 T^HIS Psalm is a repetition of Ps. Ivii. 7-1 1 ; and 
 
 of Ps. Ix. 5-12. It will not therefore be neces- 
 sary to explain it. 
 
 VOL, TT, 
 
 M 
 
1 62 
 
 Psalm CIX. 1-20. 
 
 Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise. ^ For the mouth 
 of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened 
 against me : they have spoken against me with a lying 
 tongue. ^ They compassed me about also with words of 
 hatred ; and fought against me without a cause. ^ For 
 my love they are my adversaries : but I give myself unto 
 prayer. ^ And they have rewarded me evil for good, and 
 hatred for my love. ^ Set thou a wicked man over him : 
 and let Satan stand at his right hand. ^ When he shall 
 be judged, let him be condemned ; and let his prayer 
 become sin. ^ Let his days be few ; and let another 
 take his office. ^ Let his children be fatherless, and his 
 wife a widow. Let his children be continually vaga- 
 bonds, and beg : let them seek their bread also out of 
 their desolate places. Let the extortioner catch all that 
 he hath ; and let the strangers spoil his labour. 
 there be none to extend mercy unto him : neither let there 
 be any to favour his fatherless children. Let his posterity 
 be cut off ; and in the generation following let their name 
 be blotted out. Let the iniquity of his fathers be re- 
 membered with the Lord ; and let not the sin of his 
 mother be blotted out. Let them be before the Lord 
 continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from 
 the earth. Because that he remembered not to show 
 mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he 
 might even slay the broken in heart. *'As he loved 
 cursing, so let it come unto him : as he delighted not in 
 blessing, so let it be far from him. ^»As he clothed 
 himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it 
 come into his bowels lik^ water, and like oil into his bones. 
 
PSALM CIX. 1-20. 
 
 163 
 
 Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, 
 and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually, L^t 
 this be the reward of mine adversaries from the Lord, and 
 of them that speak evil against my soul. 
 
 HIS is one of the most perplexing portions of 
 
 God's word, for we have here the direct 
 prayer of the Psalmist for God's vengeance on his 
 enemies. 
 
 We must remember however these two 
 things — First, that David was a public man, ap- 
 pointed to his office by God Himself, and therefore 
 any sin against him was a sin against God. Se- 
 condly, it is God's righteous way to punish the 
 sinner either now or hereafter. The consequence of 
 sin is punishment, and punishments proceed from 
 God. And thus David here only asks the Lord to 
 act according to His righteous purpose in vindicating 
 His servant, and inflicting their deserts upon his 
 enemies. They had spoken against him, fought 
 against him, returning evil for good, and hatred for 
 the love which he had shown them. The" spirit 
 however which speaks here by David, is not the 
 spirit of Zion, but of Sinai. That spirit is over- 
 powered in the New Testament by the spirit of 
 love. 
 
 His imprecations begin in the sixth verse. He 
 asks that his enemy may feel the tyranny of the 
 wicked, as he himself has tyrannized over others, 
 and that he may meet with a righteous judgment 
 
164 
 
 PSALM CIX. 1-20. 
 
 at the hands of God. We find St. Paul expressing 
 a similar wish in the case of Alexander the Cop- 
 persmith ; The Lord reward him according to his 
 deeds." He further asks that his life, which is 
 so hurtful' to others, may be short, and that another 
 and a worthier may fill his post ; that his punish- 
 ment may be entailed upon his posterity ; and that 
 as he loved cursing, so he may be under God's 
 curse himself. 
 
 We see in Acts, i. 20, that St. Peter applies this to 
 the traitor Judas, who was condemned in the judg- 
 ment of God, who ended his life in the midst of his 
 days, and whose office was filled by another, who 
 was more true and faithful to his trust. No doubt 
 David's words refer specially to his own perse- 
 cutors, and to the wicked generally ; but St. Peter 
 shows how fittingly they could be applied to Judas. 
 
 May God give us right feelings towards our ene- 
 mies ; and whilst we smart under their treatment, 
 may we be confident that their punishment will 
 come ; and meanwhile may we, like David, give 
 ourselves unto prayer!'' 
 
i65 
 
 Psalm CIX. 21-31. 
 
 But do thou for me, O God the Lord, for thy name^s sake : 
 because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me. ^2 por I am 
 poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. 
 23 1 am gone hke the shadow when it decHneth : I am 
 tossed up and down as the locust. My knees are weak 
 through fasting ; and my flesh faileth of fatness. L be- 
 came also a reproach unto them : when they looked upon 
 me they sKaked their heads, Help me, O Lord my God ; 
 O save me according to thy mercy. That they may 
 know that this is thy hand ; that thou, Lord, hast done it. 
 2® Let them curse, but bless thou : when they arise, let them 
 be ashamed ; but let thy servant rejoice. Let mine 
 adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover 
 themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle. 
 3® I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth ; yea, I 
 will praise him among the multitude. For he shall 
 stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from 
 those that condemn his soul. 
 
 J^AVID in the latter portion of the Psalm com- 
 mends himself, and his case, to God ; But do 
 thou for me, O God the Lord, for thy name's sake.'* 
 Such too was Hezekiah's conduct in the midst of 
 his troubles ; Lord, I was oppressed, undertake 
 for me." He speaks of himself as poor and needy," 
 of having a broken and wounded heart/' of his 
 strength failing him from loss of appetite, of being 
 reproached by his persecutors, and their contemp- 
 tuously " shaking their heads " at him. He com- 
 
PSALM CIX. 21-31. 
 
 pares himself to a declining shadow which grows 
 less and less, and to a restless locust. 
 
 But he looks up to God in his weakness, and lays 
 hold of His strength ; " Help me, O Lord my God : 
 O save me for thy mercy's sake." And he asks 
 this, not on his own account solely, but that God 
 may be known among men as a righteous Judge, 
 and the Avenger of His servants. 
 
 It is a comfort to know that whilst we are lying 
 under the undeserved curse of our enemies, we may 
 be receiving a secret blessing from God ; and whilst 
 shame may be their portion, light and joy are sown 
 for the righteous. Let them curse, but bless 
 thou : when they arise, let them be ashamed, but 
 let thy servants rejoice." Indeed God can in 
 many ways turn the curse of the wicked into a 
 blessing, as in the case of Balak ; and he can also 
 make the violence of our persecutors a means of 
 wholesome discipline to our souls. 
 
 This Psalm of sadness, like others, ends joyfully. 
 The Psalmist seems to recover himself in the last 
 two verses ; 'T will greatly praise the Lord with my 
 mouth ; yea, I will praise him among the multitude. 
 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to 
 save him from those that condemn his soul." 
 
167 
 
 Psalm CX. 
 
 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, 
 until I make thine enemies thy footstool. ^ The Lord shall 
 send the rod of thy strength out of Zion : rule thou in the 
 midst of thine enemies. ^ Thy people shall be willing in 
 the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the 
 womb of the morning : thou hast the dew of thy youth. 
 * The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a 
 priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. ^ The 
 Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the 
 day of his wrath. ^ He shall judge among the heathen, 
 he shall fill the places with the dead bodies ; he shall 
 wound the heads over many countries. ^ He shall drink 
 of the brook in the way : therefore shall he lift up the 
 head. 
 
 UTHER calls this Psalm 'the true high Psalm 
 
 of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ* It can be 
 no other than the Messiah that David here addresses. 
 When our Lord asked the Pharisees, What think 
 ye of Christ ? Whose Son is he } " He quoted 
 the first verse of this Psalm. And it is remarkable 
 that no man was able to answer Him a word. No 
 one could deny that it referred to Christ. In other 
 passages also of the New Testament it is quoted 
 with a like meaning. 
 
 He begins by declaring that it is God's will to 
 exalt His Son ; The Lord said unto my Lord, 
 Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine ene- 
 mies thy footstool." 
 
 He promises that Christ should be enabled 
 
PSALM ex. 
 
 to display His power in Jerusalem, becoming a 
 Ruler, even in the midst of His enemies, and that 
 His people should become the willing followers of 
 so great a Leader. So will it ever be " in the day 
 of His power." He has only to speak the word, 
 and great will be the company of His adherents. He 
 has only to work by His Holy Spirit, and His power 
 will be felt. 
 
 There is a difficulty in understanding the precise 
 meaning of the latter part of the third verse. The 
 day of the Lord's power seems to be here compared 
 to the vigour and freshness of the early morning, 
 when the dew gives new life to exhausted nature. 
 And truly when Christ moves the heart, there is 
 a new life springing up within : there is health, 
 and growth, and fruitfulness. 
 
 In the last four verses, the Psalmist speaks of the 
 priesthood of Christ, which is an everlasting priest- 
 hood, after the order of Melchizedek." Next, 
 he speaks of the victories of Clirist, which He will 
 enable His people to achieve over the great ones of 
 the earth. And, lastly, he speaks of the strength 
 and comfort vjhich. Christ received amidst His trials. 
 
 To suffer with Christ is our allotted portion. Let 
 us be willing sufferers, and never faint under our 
 trials. Let us take the cup that is offered to us, 
 whether of sorrow or of joy. Let us go for re- 
 freshment to the brook," which God has provided ; 
 for there we .shall obtain strength, and grace, and 
 'comfort, to help us on our heavenly way. 
 
169 
 
 Psalm CXI. 
 
 Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my v/hole 
 heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the con- 
 gregation. 2 The works of. the Lord are great, sought 
 out of all them that have pleasure therein. ^ His work is 
 honourable and glorious : and his righteousness endureth 
 for ever. * He hath made his wonderful works to be re- 
 membered : the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. 
 
 * He hath given meat unto them that fear him : he will 
 ever be mindful of his covenant. ^ He hath showed his 
 people the power of his works, that he may give them the 
 heritage of the heathen. ' The works of his hands are 
 verity and judgment ; all his commandments are sure. 
 
 * They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth 
 and uprightness. ^ He sent redemption unto his people : 
 he hath commanded his covenant for ever : holy and 
 reverend is his name. The fear of the Lord is the 
 beginning of wisdom : a good understanding have all 
 they that do his commandments : his praise endureth for 
 ever. 
 
 'X'HIS and the two following are Psalms of praise, 
 
 and the word Hallelujah/' or Praise ye the 
 Lord,'* is given as the key-note at the head of each. 
 
 The Psalmist here declares his own determina- 
 tion to pour praises, not only from his lips, but from 
 his heart — not only when alone, but w^hen with 
 others, in the assemblies of God's people. 
 
 He then speaks of the groundwork and cause of 
 his thankfulness, namely, the works of God, which 
 
I/O 
 
 PSALM CXI. 
 
 He pronounces to be great, and honourable, and 
 glorious, and wonderful. He seems to have had 
 his eye specially on the Lord's marvellous dealings 
 with His people Israel. 
 
 He reminds us, in the fifth verse, how He fed 
 His people in the wilderness ; He hath given 
 meat unto them that fear him ; he will ever be 
 mindful of his covenant." He gave them manna 
 in the desert, and made water to gush out of the 
 stony rock. He will never leave unsupplied the 
 wants of those who fear Him. He will never 
 break the promises of His covenant. This makes 
 us go to Him with composure, and say, '^Give 
 us this day our daily bread and this makes us 
 feel that He will give all that we need for our 
 souls ; that He will withhold no good thing from 
 those that lead a godly life. 
 
 In the sixth verse, he alludes to the Lord's 
 miraculous dealings with His people in their past 
 history, and how He brought them safely into 
 their promised land, driving out the heathen be- 
 fore them, and making over their inheritance to 
 them ; He hath showed his people the power of 
 his works, that he may give them the heritage of 
 the heathen." 
 
 And again, in the ninth verse, he reminds them 
 of their " redemption," referring, no doubt, to His 
 deliverance of them out of Egypt, and of the still 
 more glorious redemption " which He has since 
 
PSALM CXI. 
 
 171 
 
 accomplished by Christ. Thank God, He hath 
 sent redemption to his people ; he hath commanded 
 his covenant for ever : holy and reverend is his 
 Name." This gives a sweetness to our song of 
 praise, this touches the most responsive chord in 
 our hearts. There is " redemption " for us, if we 
 will but accept it believingly, heartily, thankfully. 
 
 The Psalm concludes by telling us that our first 
 step in the path of wisdom is to fear God. The 
 fear which He speaks of is that reverential fear 
 which does not thrust out love, but goes hand in 
 hand with it ; that fear which leads us to admire 
 the works of God, and praise Him for them. 
 
172 
 
 Psalm CXII. 
 
 Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the 
 Lord, that dehghteth greatly in his commandments. ^ His 
 seed shall be mighty upon earth : the generation of the 
 upright shall be blessed. ^ Wealth and riches shall be in 
 his house ; and his righteousness endureth for ever. 
 ^ Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness : he 
 is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. ^ A 
 good man showeth favour, and lendeth : he will guide his 
 affairs with discretion. Surely he shall not be moved 
 for ever : the righteous shall be in everlasting remem- 
 brance. ''He shall not be afraid of evil tidings : his heart 
 is fixed, trusting in the Lord. ^ His heart is established, 
 he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his 
 enemies. ^ He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor ; 
 his righteousness endureth for ever ; his horn shall be 
 exalted with honour. The wicked shall see it, and be 
 grieved ; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away : 
 the desire of the wicked shall perish. 
 
 'T'HIS seems almost like a continuation of the last 
 
 Psalm. In the concluding verse the Psalmist 
 had spoken of the fear of the Lord," as the be- 
 ginning of wisdom." And here he begins by de- 
 claring the blessedness of the man that feareth 
 the Lord.'' And now let us see in what this blessed- 
 ness consists. 
 
 First, in His seeming prosperity, His seed shall 
 be mighty upon earth ; the generation of the up- 
 right shall be blest ; wealth and riches shall be in 
 
PSALM CXII. 
 
 his house.'^ And certainly one does see in the 
 world that God blesses the upright, though He often 
 brings affliction upon them. 
 
 Secondly, there is comfort to them in the midst 
 of their trouble ; " There ariseth light in the dark- 
 ness." In another place it is said, that " Light 
 is sown for the righteous." A dark cloud may be 
 over him now, but light is near. 
 
 Thirdly, a good man is kind and generous to 
 others, and there is a firmness and stability about 
 him which shows that he is blest of God. 
 
 Fourthly, He is not fearful^ but confident. He is 
 " not afraid of evil tidings." He does not live in 
 dread of the future, but is full of faith and trust, 
 feeling that in God's hands he is safe. 
 
 But what does the Psalmist mean, when he speaks 
 of the righteous seeing his desire upon his ene- 
 mies ?" He means, I think, that he has no cause 
 to fear the violence of his foes ; for he will one day 
 see them overpowered, as he has himself often de- 
 sired. They shall be brought down, and his house 
 shall be exalted with honour ; that is, he shall 
 be owned and honoured by God. 
 
 Having thus dwelt on the blessedness of the 
 righteous, there is a closing word showing the 
 misery of the wicked. The fact of seeing the 
 righteous honoured will be a torment to the wicked, 
 and their own desires will miserably perish, and 
 come to naught, 
 
174 
 
 Psalm CXI 1 1. 
 
 Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, 
 praise the name of the Lord. ^ Blessed be the name of 
 the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. ^ From 
 the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the 
 Lord's name is to be praised. ^ The Lord is high above 
 all nations, and his glory above the heavens. ^ Who is 
 like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, 
 6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in 
 heaven, and in the earth ! ^ He raiseth up the poor out 
 of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, 
 « That he may set him with princes, even with the princes 
 of his people. ^ He maketh the barren woman to keep 
 house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye 
 the Lord. 
 
 T N this third Hymn of Praise, the general character 
 of God is the groundwork of thankfulness to 
 His servants. He is worthy to be praised not in 
 Israel merely, but in all the world ; and great as 
 some nations and sovereigns are, He is far above 
 them. 
 
 The Psalmist speaks of God's great condescen- 
 sion. Although He " dwelleth on high," He "hum- 
 bleth himself, and beholds the things that are in 
 heaven, and on the earth." He, whose glory is so 
 great, and whose majesty is infinite, has an ear to 
 hear, and a heart to feel for and care for the hum- 
 blest of His creatures. What would you think if 
 
PSALM CXIII. 
 
 you heard of some mighty sovereign, rich, and 
 great, and powerful, surrounded by all the pomp 
 of royalty, leaving these for a while, and going 
 among the dwellings of the poor in order to feed 
 the hungry, and bind up the wounds of the suffer- 
 ing ? You would say that here was condescension, 
 indeed, and love the most unselfish. But this is 
 what your Lord has done. This is what He is ever 
 doing. He not only concerns Himself about great 
 things, but He takes note of all the little wants 
 and circumstances of our daily life. Nothing is too 
 great for His power to grapple with, and nothing is 
 too small for His loving care. 
 
 But further, the Lord delights in bettering the 
 condition of those who are in distress, and replen- 
 ishing the stores of the needy ; He raiseth up the 
 poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of 
 the dung-hill, that he may set him with princes, even 
 with the princes of the people. He maketh the 
 barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful 
 mother of children." 
 
 Like some rich and benevolent person, whose 
 great enjoyment is in giving relief, and making 
 others happy ; so is it with God. He is not only 
 full of riches, but He loves to bestow them. He is 
 ever ready to help the helpless, and to stretch out 
 the arm of His mercy towards those who have no 
 deliverer. 
 
 Cheer up then, O believer. Perhaps thou art 
 
176 
 
 PSALM CXIII. 
 
 lying low in the dust, alone and forsaken. Perhaps 
 all looks gloomy around thee, and no helper seems 
 to be near. But God, thy God, knows thy condi- 
 tion. He is waiting to be gracious unto thee. 
 Turn towards Him with a cry for help, and He can, 
 and assuredly will, bestow it. And then, you too 
 will raise your Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord.'' 
 
177 
 
 Psalm CXIV. 
 
 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a 
 people of strange language; ^Judahwas his sanctuary, 
 and Israel his dominion. ^ The sea saw it, and fled : 
 Jordan was driven back. * The mountains skipped like 
 rams, and the little hills like lambs. ^ What ailed thee, 
 O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou 
 wast driven back ? ^ Ye mountains, that ye skipped like 
 rams ; and ye little hills, like lambs ? ^ Tremble, thou 
 earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the 
 God of Jacob ; ^ Which turned the rock into a standing 
 water, the flint into a fountain of waters . 
 
 OD'S wonders that He wrought for Israel are 
 
 here celebrated, and His people are reminded 
 of them to excite their thankfulness. 
 
 When the people of Israel were delivered from 
 Egypt, ''Judah was their sanctuary." Whether 
 the tribe of Judah, or the land of Judah, is meant 
 here, it is difficult to say. But it evidently means 
 that within the tribe of Judah, or in that country 
 afterwards called Judaea, was their abode and rest- 
 ing-place. Here was their temple built ; and from 
 this place, and from this tribe, did the Saviour come 
 forth to establish His kingdom. A distinction is 
 also here drawn between Judah and Israel, which 
 leads one to infer that this Psalm was written after 
 the captivity. 
 
 VOL. II. N 
 
178- 
 
 PSALM CXIV. 
 
 The power of God was felt by the Red SeUy 
 which fled as it were before His power, making 
 a way for His people to pass through ; also by the 
 River Jordan^ which stopped in its course at God's 
 bidding ; by the Mountains also, and especially 
 Mount Sinai, which shook when God spoke from it ; 
 and lastly, by the Rock, which poured forth water at 
 the command of God ; and for the refreshment of 
 His servants. 
 
 And then the Psalmist adds, ^'Tremble, thou 
 earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the pre- 
 sence of the God of Jacob.'^ The earth and its 
 inhabitants may well acknowledge the power and 
 presence of God. And yet how often does man in 
 his folly remain unmoved, when the Lord speaks, 
 or v/hen He displays His presence ! 
 
 O sinner, thou hast great need to tremble 
 now, since God is near, very near, to thee. When 
 He thunders, thou hast need to tremble, or when 
 He lays His hand upon thee in sickness. Thou 
 mayest well tremble, for thou art not ready. But 
 much more wilt thou tremble, when thou art 
 brought face to face before Him. Then wilt thou 
 indeed call to the rocks and mountains to fall upon 
 thee, and hide thee from the face of Him that 
 sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the 
 Lamb. 
 
 But how different is it with the believing, loving 
 Christian ! He has no need to tremble or be afraid. 
 
PSALM CXIV. 
 
 179 
 
 The very nearness of his Father to him is his com- 
 fort and his joy. That promise of the Saviour is 
 very sweet to him, "If a man love me, he will 
 keep my words ; and my Father will love him, and 
 we will come unto him, and make our abode with 
 him.'/ 
 
i8o 
 
 Psalm CXV. 
 
 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give 
 glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. ^ Where- 
 fore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? 
 3 But our God is in the heavens : he hath done whatsoever 
 he hath pleased. ^ Their idols are silver and gold, the 
 work of men's hands. ^ They have mouths, but they speak 
 not : eyes have they, but they see not. ^ They have ears, 
 but they hear not : noses have they, but they smell not. 
 ^ They have hands, but they handle not : feet have they, 
 but they walk not : neither speak they through their 
 throat. ^ They that make them are like unto them ; so is 
 every one that trusteth in them. ^ O Israel, trust thou in 
 the Lord : he is their help and their shield. O house 
 of Aaron, trust in the Lord : he is their help and their 
 shield. ^1 Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord : he is 
 their help and their shield. xhe Lord hath been mind- 
 ful of us : he will bless us ; he will bless the house of 
 Israel ; he will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless 
 them that fear the Lord, both small and great. The 
 Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your 
 children. Ye are blessed of the Lord which made 
 heaven and earth. The heaven, even the heavens, 
 are the Lord's : but the earth hath he given to the 
 children of men. The dead praise not the Lord, neither 
 any that go down into silence. But we will bless the 
 Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the 
 Lord. 
 
 *\ rE come now to another group of three Psalms 
 
 ending with the words, ''Praise ye the 
 
 Lord. 
 
PSALM CXV. 
 
 I8l 
 
 Here the Psalmist begins by expressing his 
 conviction, that all glory and praise are due to 
 God. And he draws a comparison between the 
 heathen gods and the God of Israel. Whilst He 
 is " in the heavens," and therefore all powerful and 
 all gracious, they (or their representatives) are 
 upon earth, and therefore powerless. The fact of 
 God being ''in the heavens" implies that there is 
 no limitation of His power; but that He is exalted 
 above earthly limits, as the heavens are high and 
 infinite above the earth. 
 
 And he adds, " They that make them are like 
 unto them ; so is every one that trusteth in them." 
 For indeed this is one of the degradations of false 
 religion — that man becomes like his God. The 
 worshippers of a soulless God become soulless 
 themselves. And equally true it is that the real 
 adorer of the true God becomes more and more 
 conformed to His likeness. 
 
 Then, in the ninth and following verses, the 
 people of Israel, the priests (or House of Aaron), 
 and all who fear God are exhorted to trust Him 
 more than ever. 
 
 In the three last verses it is shown to be the 
 privilege of those who are upon earth to praise 
 God ; " The heaven, even the heaven of heavens, 
 are the Lord's : but the earth hath he given to the 
 children of men." God has given them their term 
 here, that they may spend it in His service, and to 
 
182- 
 
 PSALM CXV. 
 
 His honour. Those who have passed away have 
 glorious work to do, and a work too of praise. But 
 we who are here are specially called upon to show 
 forth our gratitude, by praising Him to whom we 
 owe all; '^The dead praise not the Lord, neither 
 any that go down into silence ; but we will bless 
 the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. 
 Praise ye the Lord." Such is our present duty; 
 and such too our exalted privilege, as God's 
 children. 
 
i83 
 
 Psalm CXVI. 1-9. 
 
 I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my 
 suppHcations. ^ Because he hath inchned his ear unto 
 me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. 
 ^ The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of 
 hell gat hold upon me : I found trouble and sorrow. 
 * Then called I upon the name of the Lord ; O Lord, I 
 beseech thee, deliver my soul. ^ Gracious is the Lord, 
 and righteous ; yea, our God is merciful. ^ The Lord 
 preserveth the simple : I was brought low, and he helped 
 me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul ; for the Lord hath 
 dealt bountifully with thee. ^ For thou hast delivered my 
 soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from 
 falling. ^ I will walk before the Lord in the land of the 
 living. 
 
 nPHE c^racious answer which the sacred writer of 
 
 this Psalm had received to his prayers pro- 
 duced in him a feeling of love and gratitude to 
 God, and made him resolve to call upon God ever 
 
 He had evidently borne severe affliction ; and 
 from this he had found deliverance in answer to 
 his earnest prayer ; " The sorrows of death com- 
 passed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me : 
 I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon 
 the name of the Lord ; O Lord, I beseech thee, 
 deliver my soul. Gracious is the Lord, and 
 righteous ; yea, our God is merciful. The Lord 
 
 after. 
 
PSALM CXVI. 1-9. 
 
 preserveth the simple : I was brought low, and he 
 helped me/' 
 
 And cannot many of God's praying people bear 
 testimony to the same precious truth — that God 
 does hear our prayers — that He does rescue us 
 from our difficulties, when we fly to Him ? When 
 we are brought low," He is sure to " help " us ; not 
 always however by delivering us from our trouble, 
 but sometimes by strengthening us to bear it. He 
 does not always answer us according to our wish^ 
 but always according to our welfare. He does not 
 always give us kindy the very thing that we ask 
 for ; but He is sure to give us in kindness. The sick 
 man asks for health, God perhaps refuses, but 
 grants him peace of mind and strength to endure. 
 St. Paul asks for success in his ministry : God 
 allowed him to be cast into the prison at Philippi; 
 but that prison proved to be a field that bore much 
 fruit. Thus does the Lord ^^hear our voice and 
 our supplication.'' 
 
 Upon this the Psalmist makes two resolutions. 
 One is to repose in God's promise and love ; Return 
 unto thy rest, O my soul ; for the Lord hath dealt 
 bountifully with thee." The other is to lead the 
 life of a true servant of God ; I will walk before 
 the Lord in the land of the living." 
 
 How happy is the effect of sanctified^ afflic- 
 tion ! The recovered man finds his rest in God — 
 a better rest than he ever knew before. And the 
 
PSALM CXVI. 1-9. 
 
 18S 
 
 life that has been given back to him he cheerfully 
 devotes to the service of his generous Benefactor. 
 Feeling that his Saviour has died for all, he no 
 longer lives unto himself, but unto Him who died 
 and rose again. He walks before the Lord, in 
 the land of the living.'' 
 
1 86 
 
 Psalm CXVI. 10-19. 
 
 I believed, therefore have I spoken : I was greatly afflicted. 
 " I said in my haste, All men are liars. What shall I 
 render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me ? 
 will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name 
 of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in 
 the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of 
 the Lord is the death of his saints. O Lord, truly I am 
 thy servant ; I am thy servant, and the son of thine hand- 
 maid : thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee 
 the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name 
 of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in 
 the presence of all his people ; In the courts of the 
 Lord^s house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise 
 ye the Lord. 
 
 HTHE Psalmist goes on to speak of his past ex- 
 
 perience, and of his future resolutions. 
 As regards the past, he says, " I believed, there- 
 fore have I spoken. I said in my haste. All men 
 are liars.'' In the time of his affliction, his faith led 
 him to believe that God alone was trustworthy, 
 and that all others were but broken reeds, and not 
 to be relied on. 
 
 And now he turns his thoughts to God, and 
 exclaims, How can I repay him for all that he 
 has done for me ''What shall I render unto the 
 Lord for all his benefits towards me.-^" He de- 
 termines that all he can do is to pour out his thank- 
 ful heart to the Lord. '' I will receive (he says) the 
 
PSALM CXVI. 10-19. 
 
 187 
 
 cup of salvation." This no doubt refers to the 
 practice, at all festivals, of drinking a cup of wine in 
 token of thankfulness to God. And he here calls 
 this cup of thanksgiving, the cup of salvation." 
 
 It is a cause of thankfulness that we have a 
 special Eucharistic Rite, which shows forth our 
 grateful remembrance of what the Lord has done 
 for us. We may come into " the courts of the Lord's 
 house,'' and at His Table we may make our ^^sacri- 
 fice of thanksgiving," and "call upon the name of 
 the Lord." And if we come to the Lord's Supper 
 in this thankful and rejoicing spirit, we shall find 
 that the Saviour is there to bless and to refresh us. 
 
 I must call you back for a moment to what the 
 Psalmist says in the fifteenth and sixteenth verses. 
 He thinks of the value of his own life, and how it 
 had been graciously spared ; " Precious in the sight 
 of the Lord is the death of his saints." And then 
 he adds, " O Lord, truly I am thy servant ; I am 
 thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid : thou 
 hast loosed my bonds " — Thou hast dealt with me, 
 as with thy servant, "loosing my bonds;" that is, 
 delivering me from death, and bringing me out of 
 my affliction. 
 
 Very dear to God are the various events which 
 befall His servants. His eye watches every step 
 they take. Above all, does He measure out the 
 close of their life, and draw near to them in their 
 dying hour. 
 
i88 
 
 Psalm CXVII. 
 
 O praise the Lord, all ye nations : praise him, all ye people. 
 2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us : and the 
 truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord. 
 
 T^HIS little Psalm is considered to have been a 
 
 Temple Psalms and to have been sung either 
 at the beginning or end of the Temple service. 
 It is thought by others to have been a kind of 
 Doxology, to be attached to other Psalms, as 
 occasion might require. 
 
 Observe, First, there are two exhortations here 
 to praise the Lord ; one at the beginning and the 
 other at the close of the Psalm. The Psalmist s 
 own heart was full of thankfulness, and therefore 
 he wanted others to praise the Lord. And again 
 and again in the Psalms is this delightful duty 
 pressed upon us. 
 
 Observe, Secondly, the persons who are called 
 upon to engage in this work of praise ; not merely 
 the Jewish people, but the world at large : O 
 praise the Lord, all ye nations : praise him, all ye 
 peopled God has a claim to universal worship. 
 He is not the God of the Jews only, but of all 
 people. It is true that the knowledge of God was 
 for a time confined to His people Israel, but this 
 was only for a time ; and although this was not 
 
PSALM CXVII. 
 
 fully announced until Christ appeared, yet there 
 were little foreshadowings and anticipations of it 
 every now and then. And here is one in the 
 Psalm before us. 
 
 Let us help on this grand announcement, and 
 do our best to bring all nations to the knowledge 
 and love of God. And never let us think that our 
 work is done till some hearts are touched in every 
 nation, and some lips are opened to adore the 
 God of their salvation. 
 
 Observe, Thirdly, the grounds of our praise. 
 God's merciful kindness," and His ever-endur- 
 ing truth." It has been said that mercy and truth 
 are the two divine powers, which shall one day be 
 perfectly developed and displayed in Israel, and 
 going forth from Israel shall conquer the world. 
 Has not every Christian reason to thank God for 
 that goodness which has followed him all his days, 
 and for that truth which discloses to him the one 
 only Name by which he can be saved } 
 
Psalm CXVIII. 1-14. 
 
 O give thanks unto the Lord ; for he is good : because his 
 mercy endureth for ever. ^ Let Israel now say, that his 
 mercy endureth for ever. ^ Let the house of Aaron now 
 say, that his mercy endureth for ever. ^ Let them now 
 that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 
 ^ I called upon the Lord in distress : the Lord answered 
 me, and set me in a large place. ^ The Lord is on my 
 side ; I will not fear : what can man do unto me ? ^ The 
 Lord taketh my part with them that help me : therefore 
 shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. ® It is 
 better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in 
 man. ^ It is better to trust in the Lord than to put con- 
 fidence in princes. All nations compassed me about : 
 but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them. They 
 compassed me about ; yea, they compassed me about : 
 but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They 
 compassed me about like bees ; they are quenched as the 
 fire of thorns : for in the name of the Lord I will destroy 
 them. 12 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall : 
 but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and 
 song, and is become my salvation. 
 
 nPHERE are many opinions as to the time when 
 
 this Psalm was written. I am incHned to 
 think that it was after the Babylonish captivity, 
 and that the deliverance here spoken of is the 
 restoration of God's people from their wretched 
 exile. If this be the case, probably the building 
 referred to in the twenty-second verse was the 
 
PSALM CXVIII. 1-14. 
 
 191 
 
 building of the Temple in the second year after the 
 return to their own land. 
 
 Luther speaks of this Psalm with peculiar 
 affection. * This is my Psalm/ he says, * which I 
 love. Though I love all the Psalms and the Scrip- 
 tures, and regard them as the comfort of my life, 
 yet have I had such experience of this Psalm that 
 it must be called my Psalm ; for it has been very 
 precious to me, has delivered me out of many 
 troubles ; and without it neither emperors, nor 
 kings, nor the wise and prudent, nor saints, could 
 have helped me.^ 
 
 The sacred writer calls upon his brethren, the 
 priests, and all that fear God, to express their thank- 
 fulness for the Lord's mercy. He speaks too, as 
 he had done in the sixteenth Psalm, of the gracious 
 way in which his prayers had been heard. And 
 he declares his conviction that it is better to trust 
 in the Lord than in the greatest and best of men. 
 And do we not feel the same ? Man is uncertain, 
 fickle, changeable ; God is ever the same ; He 
 changeth not. Therefore we too will say with the 
 Psalmist, It is better to trust in the Lord than to 
 put confidence in man." 
 
 He speaks of having been compassed about 
 and attacked by his various enemies, who swarmed 
 around him like bees. But he says, In the name 
 of the Lord will I destroy them." And then, as if 
 he saw one of them before him, he exclaims, 
 
192 
 
 PSALM CXVIII. 1-14. 
 
 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall : 
 but the Lord helped me." And so does the Lord 
 help every one that trusts Him. We are weak and 
 powerless in ourselves, but He is on our side, a 
 gracious and almighty Helper. 
 
193 
 
 Psalm CXVIII. 15-29. 
 
 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of 
 the righteous : the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. 
 ^6 The right hand of the Lord is exalted ; the right hand 
 of the Lord doeth valiantly. I shall not die, but live, 
 and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath 
 chastened me sore : but he hath not given me over unto 
 death. Open to me the gates of righteousness : I 
 will go into them, and I will praise the Lord : This 
 gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter. 
 -1 I will praise thee : for thou hast heard me, and art 
 become my salvation. 22 fhe stone which the builders 
 refused is become the head stone of the corner. ^3 xhis 
 is the Lord's doing ; it is marvellous in our eyes. This 
 is the day which the Lord hath made ; we will rejoice 
 and be glad in it. ^5 Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord : 
 O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity, Blessed 
 be he that cometh in the name of the Lord : we have 
 blessed you out of the house of the Lord. ^7 Qod is the 
 Lord, which hath showed us light : bind the sacrifice 
 with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. Thou art 
 my God, and I will praise thee : thou art my God, I will 
 exalt thee. O give thanks unto the Lord ; for he is 
 good : for his mercy endureth for ever. 
 
 '^HE tone of this latter half of the Psalm is 
 very triumphant and joyous. It speaks of 
 blessings received, of deliverances vouchsafed, and 
 of the praise and thankfulness which follow. The 
 VOL. IL O 
 
194 
 
 PSALM CXVIIL 15-29. 
 
 voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the taber- 
 nacles of the righteous that is, it is heard in 
 every dwelling of Israel. 
 
 In the fifteenth verse, the Psalmist expresses 
 his anxiety to enter into God's house, to praise 
 Him there. He calls the gates of the Temple 
 the gates of righteousness,*' because none but the 
 righteous are welcome there, and the worship con- 
 ducted there is a holy worship. 
 
 What is said in the twenty-second verse leads 
 one to think that this Psalm was sung at the 
 building of the Temple. And if we turn to Ezra, 
 iii. 10, II, it will be seen that on that occasion a 
 song of praise was sung, which may be the very 
 one before us : " And when the builders laid the 
 foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the 
 priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Le- 
 vites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise 
 the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of 
 Israel. And they sang together by course, in prais- 
 ing and giving thanks unto the Lord ; because he 
 is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. And all 
 the people shouted with a great shout, when they 
 praised the Lord, because the foundation of the 
 house of the Lord was laid." 
 
 Our Lord Himself refers to the twenty-second 
 verse of this Psalm, as describing His own op- 
 posers, and their inability to defeat His glorious 
 will. Though the Psalmist was not evidently 
 
PSALM CXVIII. 15-29. 
 
 speaking of Him, yet his words described the Sa- 
 viour's triumph and exaltation. 
 
 The Psalm winds up with Hosannah, or ' Save, 
 O Lord y and with these words our Lord's en- 
 trance into Jerusalem was hailed by the Jews. 
 
 God is the Lord, which hath showed us light/' 
 who hath brought us prosperity in the midst of 
 our distress. " Bind the sacrifice with cords, even 
 unto the horns of the altar f that is, bring your 
 sacrifices, for they are welcome. Bring them in 
 such numbers that they may fill the Temple, and 
 reach to the very horns (or ornaments) of the 
 altar. 
 
 The last verse is a repetition of the first. Let 
 us act upon it ourselves, and let us say to all 
 around us, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he 
 is good, for his mercy endureth for ever." 
 
196 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 1-8. 
 
 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law ot 
 the Lord. ^ Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, 
 and that seek him with the whole heart. ^ They also do 
 no iniquity : they walk in his ways. ^ Thou hast com- 
 manded us to keep thy precepts diligently. ^ Oh that my 
 ways were directed to keep thy statutes ! ^ Then shall I 
 not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy com- 
 mandments. ^ I will praise thee with uprightness of 
 heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. 
 ^ I will keep thy. statutes : O forsake me not utterly. 
 
 '^T'HIS remarkable Psalm is arranged alpha- 
 
 betically. To each of the twenty-two letters 
 of the alphabet a separate portion, containing eight 
 verses, is assigned ; and every verse of each dis- 
 tinct portion begins with the same letter. Thus, 
 each verse in the first portion begins with the 
 Hebrew IqUqv A/ep/z ; in the second portion with 
 Bet/iy and^so on. 
 
 The subject of the Psalm is t/ie Word of God ; 
 the praise of this word ; the assertion that it is 
 the only sure way of salvation, and the only 
 comfort in suffering ; the determination to be 
 faithful to it ; prayer for the spiritual understand- 
 ing of it, &c. It has been observed that ' the tone 
 of the Psalm is that of soft, quiet melancholy, 
 comforted by God.' In the German Bible it is 
 
PSALM CXIX. 1-8. 
 
 197 
 
 called * the Christian's golden A B C of the praise, 
 love, power, and use of the word of God.' It is 
 difficult to determine who was the Writer of this 
 Psalm. 
 
 It begins by declaring the blessedness of those 
 who are leading unblemished lives, and are walk- 
 ing in the way of God's commandments, seeking 
 Him with their whole hearts, and therefore giving 
 themselves entirely to Him. Such is God's com- 
 mand, and blessed are those who keep it. 
 
 In the latter half of this portion the Psalmist 
 expresses his earnest wish that such may be his 
 own experience ; " Oh that my ways were directed 
 to keep thy statutes!" Then he seems to feel 
 that it must go well with him. 
 
 First, a holy boldness will be given him ; I 
 shall not be ashamed, when I have respect unto 
 all thy commandments.** He will feel no shame 
 in God's sight, or in man's. He will be able to 
 look up without fear, and to look around with 
 confidence. 
 
 Secondly, a feeling of thankfulness will possess 
 him ; " I will praise thee with uprightness of 
 heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous 
 judgments." He will see that all is right, and has 
 been ordered in love, and his heart will swell with 
 gratitude. 
 
 Thirdly, he will feel sure that God will not 
 desert him ; " I will keep thy statutes : O forsake 
 
PSALM CXIX. 1-8. 
 
 me not utterly." When God's promises come home 
 to us, then we are calm and trustful. We may at 
 times feel our condition to be desolate, but how 
 encouraging to know that God has said, I will 
 never leave thee, nor forsake thee ! " 
 
199 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 9-16. 
 
 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking 
 heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole 
 heart have I sought thee : O let me not wander from thy 
 commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, 
 that I might not sin against thee. ^- Blessed art thou, O 
 Lord : teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I 
 declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have re- 
 joiced in the way of thy testimonies, a« much as in all 
 riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect 
 unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes : I 
 will not forget thy word. 
 
 ^yy^HEREWITHAL,'^ the Psalmist asks, ^^shall 
 a young man cleanse his way.'*" Some 
 think that by the " young man," he meant himself. 
 At any rate the question is a very sensible one for 
 any young person. And the answer is plain : "By 
 taking heed thereto (that is, to his way) according 
 to thy word." God's word is the great and unerr- 
 ing guide for both young and old on their way 
 through life. 
 
 He speaks of his past experience, and says, 
 
 With my whole heart have I sought thee : O let 
 me not wander from thy commandments." Let me 
 not go astray from that blessed path which thy 
 word marks out for me. 
 
 He speaks also of having ''hid God*s word in 
 his heart." This is the case when any one receives 
 that word in faith, and counts it as a precious seed 
 
200 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 9-16. 
 
 sown deep within him. There it is, ever guiding 
 and directing him in all his difficulties, comforting 
 him in all his troubles, and above all guarding him 
 against temptation ; that I might not sin against 
 thee." And if God's word is in our heart, our 
 mouth will speak of it ; " With my lips have I de- 
 clared all the judgments of thy mouth " — I will 
 speak to others of what God has so graciously 
 spoken to me. 
 
 He describes the joy that he felt in this holy 
 walk with God. It was as if his way had been 
 strewed with riches. He had indeed found his lot 
 to be a happy one ; for God was witl;i him, and 
 His word was a lamp unto his feet, and a light unto 
 his path. 
 
 And see what his resolution is for the future. 
 He speaks of meditation ; I will meditate on thy 
 precepts." And no exercise is more profitable for 
 the soul. He next speaks of obedience; "I will 
 have respect unto thy ways I will not only read 
 Thy w^ord, but I will closely follow its directions. 
 He is resolved to find all his joy in God's word ; I 
 will delight myself in thy statutes." And when the 
 truth of God is heartily welcomed, and received 
 into the soul, it does give a pleasure above all else. 
 And, lastly, he is determined always to be faithful 
 to God's truth, never letting anything banish it 
 from his memory ; I will not forget thy word." 
 I may forget earthly things, but I will never forsake 
 God or His word. 
 
201 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 17-24. 
 
 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep 
 thy word. *® Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold 
 wondrous things out of thy law. I am a stranger in 
 the earth : hide not thy commandments from me. My 
 soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judg- 
 ments at all times. Thou hast rebuked the proud that 
 are cursed, which do err from thy commandments. 
 22 Remove from me reproach and contempt ; for I have 
 kept thy testimonies, Princes also did sit and speak 
 against me : but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. 
 2* Thy testimonies also are my delight and my coun- 
 sellors. 
 
 JN this third division the Psalmist breaks out 
 into earnest prayer, and asks God, — 
 First, To show grace and goodness to him ; 
 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may 
 live, and keep thy word.'^ He does not ask God 
 to deal with him according to his deserts, but to 
 "deal bountifully " with him according to His mercy. 
 God gave him life originally; and now he prays 
 that that life may be spent in conformity with His 
 laws. 
 
 Secondly, To enlighten him ; ''Open thou mine 
 eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy 
 law. I am a stranger in the earth ; hide not thy 
 commandments from me." There are in God's 
 word precious and inscrutable treasures; but we 
 
202 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 17-24. 
 
 see them not, and desire them not, except God is 
 pleased by His Holy Spirit to unseal our spiritual 
 vision. We are like blind men in the midst of 
 beautiful scenery ; or like poor men with riches 
 near them, which they do not discern ; or like the 
 deaf, with sounds of the sweetest music all around 
 them. So is it with ourselves ; and we all need 
 grace to give us the capacity which is lacking. 
 And the more God enlightens us, the more won- 
 drous things " we shall discover in His law. 
 
 He speaks of himself as " a stranger in the 
 earth," and entreats God to reveal to him what he 
 knows not, for otherwise it will remain hidden from 
 him. And he describes the yearning of his soul for 
 heavenly things ; My soul breaketh for the longing 
 that it hath unto thy judgments at all times." 
 
 Thirdly, He asks to be delivered from the re- 
 proach of his proud and contemptuous enemies. 
 God had often rebuked these in a marked manner, 
 as when He overthrew Pharaoh and his hosts ; and 
 he entreats Him now to be his defence against 
 them. 
 
 He declares too that amidst all their ragings, 
 the Lord's testimonies are his delight and his coun- 
 sellors. And whilst princes are plotting and de- 
 liberating against him, the word of God stands in 
 the place of the highest and ablest counsellors. 
 May we have such a shield and guide amidst the 
 difficulties of life ! 
 
203 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 25-32. 
 
 My soul cleaveth unto the dust : quicken thou me according 
 to thy word, j have declared my ways, and thou 
 heardest me : teach me thy statutes. ^'^ Make me to un- 
 derstand the way of thy precepts : so shall I talk of thy 
 wondrous works. My soul melteth for heaviness : 
 strengthen thou me according unto thy word. Remove 
 from me the way of lying ; and grant me thy law 
 graciously. I have chosen the way of truth : thy judg- 
 ments have I laid before me. I have stuck unto thy 
 testimonies : O Lord, put me not to shame. I will run 
 the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge 
 my heart. 
 
 nPHE complaint here is not an unusual one, 
 
 even with a true Christian. He mourns over 
 the sad fact that his soul is for ever cleaving to the 
 dust. He feels that here below is not the proper 
 atmosphere for his soul ; for he constantly finds a 
 leaden weight drawing him downwards, and when 
 he would rise heavenwards there is something 
 ever pulling him back. His prayer therefore is, 
 Quicken thou me, according to thy word." 
 Enable me to reach that high standard which 
 God's word sets before me. 
 
 " I have declared my ways that is, I have 
 brought my case before God again and again, and 
 He has heard me, and relieved me. He describes 
 
204 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 25-32. 
 
 the trouble he has gone through as " melting'* his 
 very soul, and taking away all his power ; and 
 therefore, feeling a little doubtful about the future, 
 he appeals to God for His help ; Strengthen 
 thou me according to thy word.'* 
 
 He asks God to make him faithful, to enable 
 him to avoid everything false or deceitful, cleav- 
 ing firmly to the plain path which His word 
 marks out. Remove from me," he says, the 
 way of lying : and grant me thy law graciously. 
 I have chosen the way of truth : thy judgments 
 have I laid before me. I have stuck unto thy 
 testimonies : O Lord, put me not to shame." He 
 dreads any departure from God's law, and entreats 
 that he may be kept in the strict path, so as not 
 to dishonour his religious character. 
 
 He finishes with a hearty promise ; I will 
 run the way of thy commandments, when thou 
 shalt enlarge my heart." He felt that he could 
 cheerfully and happily run his course, when, in 
 answer to his prayers, God would quicken and 
 expand his soul. When the Lord fills our hearts 
 with light and love ; when He teaches us to know 
 Him and to trust in Him ; when He brings our 
 wills into subjection to His will, then His service 
 is no longer a constraint, but our delight, and we 
 joyfully run the way of his commandments." 
 
205 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 33-40. 
 
 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes ; and I shall keep 
 it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall 
 keep thy law ; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. 
 3^ Make me to go in the path of thy commandments ; 
 for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy 
 testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine 
 eyes from beholding vanity ; and quicken thou me in thy 
 way. Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted 
 to thy fear. Turn away my reproach which I fear : 
 for thy judgments are good. Behold I have longed 
 after thy precepts : quicken me in thy righteousness. 
 
 jn^ACH expression here is important, as showing 
 the Psalmist's earnest desire to be a profit- 
 able student of God's word. 
 
 First, he prays that God Himself would be his 
 Teacher, and that He would give him that which 
 he has not, a spiritual understanding. Then he 
 promises that he will never depart from the way 
 of God's statutes," but will " keep it unto the 
 end ;" and that he will observe it not formally or 
 superficially, but " with his whole heart." 
 
 Then he further desires to practise what he 
 learns ; Make me to go in the path of thy com- 
 mandments ;" not mer-ely to understand the right 
 way, but to walk in it. And here we often err; 
 we are often more anxious to know God's will than 
 
206 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 33-40. 
 
 to do it. But little will God's word profit us, unless 
 we forthwith become doers, as well as hearers and 
 readers, of it. 
 
 He asks that his heart may be changed, that 
 he may find all his delight in God's testimony, 
 and have no hankering after the world and its 
 idols. And nothing will effect this but the in- 
 fusion of a new desire within, which finds satis- 
 faction in the ways of God. 
 
 Again : he prays for restraining grace, which 
 shall keep him from beholding vanity," or being 
 captivated by anything of a mere worldly nature ; 
 for there is always danger lest we be entrapped 
 in the world's snares, even when we have pro- 
 fessedly abandoned them. 
 
 He adds, Stablish thy word unto thy servant, 
 who is devoted to thy fear ;" that is, make good 
 thy promises, and fix them firmly in thy servant's 
 heart. 
 
 And lastly, he prays, " Turn away my reproach 
 which I fear : for thy judgments are good." The 
 reproach which he feared most was that of de- 
 parture from God. This he dreaded ; and there- 
 fore, feeling his own weakness and liability to fall, 
 he casts himself again and again upon God, and 
 asks for His sustaining and quickening grace. 
 
207 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 41-48. 
 
 Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salva- 
 tion, according to thy word. ''^ So shall I have wherewith 
 to answer him that reproacheth me : for I trust in thy 
 word. And take not the word of truth utterly out or 
 my mouth ; for I have hoped in thy judgments. '^'^ So shall 
 I keep thy law continually for ever and ever. And I 
 will walk at liberty : for I seek thy precepts. ^"^^ I will 
 speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not 
 be ashamed. And I will delight myself in thy com- 
 mandments, which I have loved. My hands also will 
 I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved ; 
 and I will meditate in thy statutes. ^ 
 
 T^HE three first verses contain a prayer, and the 
 
 last four sundry resolutions based upon it 
 The inspired writer prays for salvation, and 
 this perhaps includes both temporal and spiritual 
 deliverance. The believer's hope of this is built 
 on two pillars which will not fail him — God's 
 mercies and God's promise, " according to thy 
 word." The assurance of this will give us great 
 boldness when the enemy reproaches us and taunts 
 us with the feebleness of our trust. 
 
 Again he prays, " Take not the word of truth 
 utterly out of my mouth, for I have hoped in thy 
 judgments." He desires to make a bold profession 
 of his faith, when called to do so. Have we 
 
208 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 41-48. 
 
 not all need to pray that we may never be 
 ashamed to own God's truth, and may never deny 
 Him before men ? We want God's word to be 
 firmly fixed in our hearts, so that we may be ever 
 ready fearlessly to declare it. 
 
 Now, then, for his resolutions. 
 
 The first is, I will walk at liberty." God's 
 service should be no constraint to us, but our de- 
 light. For if the Son of God makes us free, then 
 shall we be free indeed. 
 
 His second resolution is, that he will be bold and 
 fearless in his religious profession ; I will speak 
 of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not 
 be ashamed." Such was the boldness of Daniel 
 before Nebuchadnezzar, and of St. Peter and 
 St. Paul when brought up before the rulers for 
 Christ's sake. May God give us a fearless heart, 
 and an unfaltering tongue, when His honour is at 
 stake ! 
 
 Thirdly, he is determined to pay cheerful and 
 loving obedience to God's commands. His com- 
 mandments, though like a galling chain to the un- 
 godly, are sweet to those who are His true people. 
 
 Lastly, he declares, My hands also will I lift 
 up unto thy commandments, which I have loved ; 
 and I will meditate in thy statutes." The lifting 
 up of the hands is an expression of fervent desire 
 in connexion with prayer. The outward act 
 symbolises the lifting up of the heart. 
 
209 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 49-56. 
 
 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou 
 hast caused me to hope. ^^This is n^f comfort in my 
 affliction : for thy word hath quickened me. The proud 
 have had me greatly in derision : yet have I not declined 
 from thy law. I remembered thy judgments of old, O 
 Lord ; and have comforted myself. Horror hath taken 
 hold upon me, because of the wicked that forsake thy law. 
 
 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my 
 pilgrimage. I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in 
 the night, and have kept thy law. ^ This I had, because 
 I kept thy precepts. 
 
 HE Psalmist felt that God's word" was some- 
 
 thing upon which he could rely, and there- 
 fore he had built his hope upon it. And now he 
 calls that word, or promise, to God's remembrance, 
 and pleads it before Him. For again and again 
 had he found comfort from it in his heaviest 
 afflictions ; and it had been as a cordial to revive 
 him. Those who make God's promise their portion 
 may also make it their plea. For hath he said, 
 and shall he not do it ? or hath he spoken, and 
 shall he not make it good.-^" God is wise, and 
 therefore need not change His counsel : He is 
 faithful, and will not break His word. 
 
 He speaks, in the third verse, of ''the proud" 
 having *' had him in derision," yet he had re^ 
 VOL, IL 
 
210 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 49-56. 
 
 mained steadfast ; he had not " declined from God's 
 law." He remembered God's judgments upon 
 Pharaoh, and other wicked opposers, and he felt 
 comforted. But still a feeling of horror came over 
 him when he thought of the open way in which 
 the wicked trample upon God's law. When he 
 observed this he was horror-struck and saddened. 
 He expresses the same deep feeling in another 
 part of this Psalm, where he exclaims, " Rivers of 
 waters run down mine eyes, because they keep 
 not thy law." 
 
 In the last three verses he speaks thankfully 
 of his own peace and joy ; Thy statutes have 
 been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. I 
 have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, 
 and have kept thy law." 
 
 This world is ^*the house of our pilgrimage;" 
 it is not our home.^ We meet with many a trial 
 here ; but no matter, they will soon pass away. 
 And even now there are joys for the believer. 
 God's statutes are our guide by day, and our songs 
 in the night. 
 
 '*This I had" — this comfort and peace — 
 because I kept thy precepts." Here is the great 
 secret of our joy, faithfulness to God, and an 
 honest determination to keep His commands. 
 This brings real peace to the soul. 
 
211 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 57-64. 
 
 Thou art my portion, O Lord : I have said that I would 
 keep thy words. I entreated thy favour with my whole 
 heart : be merciful unto me according to thy word. I 
 thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testi- 
 monies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy 
 commandments. The bands of the wicked have 
 robbed me : but I have not forgotten thy law. ^~ At 
 midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of 
 thy righteous judgments. I am a companion of all 
 them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. 
 «^ The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy : teach me thy 
 statutes. 
 
 JT is only a really religious man who from his 
 heart can say, Thou art my portion, O Lord." 
 Some find their portion altogether in the world, and 
 others partly in the world, and^ partly in God. But 
 to be able to say, Thou art my portion, O Lord," 
 and no other, is indeed a high standard to reach. 
 It is as much as to say, my happiness is in God ; 
 my rest is in Him ; He is all my salvation and 
 all my desire. Having Him, I have all I need, 
 ''To me to live is Christ." 
 
 The Psalmist dwells on his past experience. 
 He had "entreated God's favour;" and he had 
 found it, and rejoiced in it. He had the daily 
 comfort of feeling that ''the Lord was on his side," 
 and he need fear nothing. 
 
212 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 57-64. 
 
 He had thought on his ways" — on his present 
 condition, and his future hopes and prospects— and 
 had turned his feet unto God's testimonies," as his 
 only safety and happiness. 
 
 He had not only learnt God's will, but he had 
 forthwith acted in accordance with it; made 
 haste, and delayed not to keep thy command- 
 ments." Such promptitude in carrying out the pur- 
 pose and command of God is what He approves. 
 
 He had suffered from his foes, and they had 
 robbed and plundered him of his worldly goods ; 
 but they could not deprive him of the peace which 
 he derived from God's law. Our worldly wealth we 
 can never make sure of, for thieves often break 
 through and steal;" but God's truth is a sure pos- 
 session. 
 
 In the remaining verses he speaks of his future 
 course ; " At midnight I will rise to give thanks 
 unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments. I 
 am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of 
 them that keep thy precepts." A feeling of thank- 
 fulness urges him to get up at midnight, to offer up 
 his prayers and praises to God. And his devoted- 
 ness to God makes him cling to the companionship 
 of His people. 
 
 In the last verse he seems to say, ' Do thou, of 
 whose mercy the earth is full, show it unto me by 
 ^ivln^ mc a spiritual insight into thy statutes/ 
 
213 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 65-72. 
 
 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according 
 unto thy word. Teach me good judgment and know- 
 ledge : for I have believed thy commandments. Before 
 I was afflicted I went astray : but now have I kept thy 
 word. Thou art good, and doest good : teach me thy 
 statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me : but 
 I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. Their 
 heart is as fat as grease ; but I delight in thy law. It 
 is good for me that I have been afflicted ; that I might 
 learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better 
 unto me than thousands of gold and silver. 
 
 HROUGHOUT this Psalm the principal feature 
 
 is the writer's desire to be taught by God, and 
 to be enabled to live in accordance with His word. 
 A feeling of thankfulness too for God's dealings 
 with him frequently shows itself, especially in the 
 verses now before us. 
 
 " Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, 
 according unto thy word." Such was his thankful 
 conviction. God had sent him many a trouble ; 
 but still He had "dealt well with him.'' He 
 specially refers to the blessing that affliction had 
 been to him ; Before I was afflicted, I went astray ; 
 but now have I kept thy word." And again a few 
 verses on he says, It is good for me that I have 
 been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." 
 
214 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 65-72. 
 
 When we live in peace and prosperity, and 
 know no sorrow, we are very apt to wander from 
 God, and to feel ourselves at home in fhe world. 
 Affliction comes, and if it be sanctified affliction, it 
 softens our hearts, and opens our ears, to discipline. 
 And then we see the vanity of the world, and the 
 misery of sin. The Prodigal's distress first brought 
 him to himself, and then to his Father. Almost 
 all God's servants have felt the good of affliction. 
 *^ The rod and reproof give wisdom." 
 
 '^The proud have forged a lie against me.'' 
 They have falsely accused me ; they have taunted 
 me with distrust of God ; but they have not shaken 
 me from my firm foundation. Let them say what 
 they will, I will keep thy precepts, and not dread 
 their reproach. Their heart is as fat as grease " — 
 they are asleep and secure ; but I meanwhile bask 
 in the sunshine of God's truth, and enjoy a peace of 
 which they are ignorant. 
 
 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than 
 thousands of gold and silver." If such was the ex- 
 perience of an Old Testament saint, how much more 
 should we feel it who are Christians ! And we shall 
 feel it, if our eyes have indeed been opened to see, 
 and our hearts to feel, the precious things contained 
 in God's law. It will be more precious to us than 
 gold, and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. 
 
215 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 73-80. 
 
 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me : give me un- 
 derstanding, that I may learn thy commandments. 
 
 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me ; 
 because I have hoped in thy word. I know, O Lord, 
 that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulneifes 
 hast afflicted me. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kind- 
 ness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy 
 servant. " Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I 
 may live : for thy law is my delight. Let the proud be 
 ashamed ; for they dealt perversely with me without a 
 cause : but I will meditate in thy precepts. "^^ Let those 
 that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known 
 thy testimonies. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes ! 
 that I be not ashamed. 
 
 T^HE Psalmist here again expresses his loyalty to 
 
 the word of God. Thy hands have made 
 me and fashioned me : give me understanding." 
 He seems to feel that, since God is his Creator, He 
 will not refuse to be also his Teacher — that He 
 will give him a new and better life in accordance with 
 His word. Thus he will be an encouraging example 
 to the faithful ; They will be glad when they see 
 me, because I have hoped in thy word." 
 
 He again reverts to his affliction, which, as he 
 mentioned in the last portion, had been so great 
 a blessing to him. He here speaks of his trials as 
 a proof that God had been true to him ; " I know 
 
2l6 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 73-80. 
 
 that thy judgments are right, and that thou in 
 faithfulness hast afflicted me." There may be diffi- 
 culties in some of God's dealings with us ; but we 
 may be sure that all is right, and that He has had 
 a gracious purpose in all that He has done. When 
 God chastens us, it is a comfort to feel that He 
 does not act towards us as an enemy, but as a 
 fSithful and true JFriend, as a Father who scourges 
 his chMdren for their eventual profit. 
 
 He earnestly seeks from God a still further 
 blessing. He wants to find comfort in God's mer- 
 ciful kindness," and to realise more His tender 
 mercies." He wishes the proud and godless to 
 meet with the shame and confusion which they 
 so richly deserve, and the devout to rally round 
 him. 
 
 Did we but know more of the love of God, and 
 of His exceeding tenderness in His dealings with 
 us, we should be better satisfied to leave all in 
 His hands, and to trust Him, when we cannot 
 understand His reasons. 
 
 His closing wish is that his " heart may be 
 sound in God's statutes, that he be not ashamed." 
 Soundness in God's statutes is a great blessing. 
 It is something more than mere knowledge of 
 doctrine, or an occasional relish for God's truth. It 
 is being firmly established and built up in the ways 
 of God, so that we shall not be easily moved from 
 our stronghold. 
 
21/ 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 81-88. 
 
 My soul fainteth for thy salvation : but I hope in thy word. 
 «2 Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou 
 comfort me? ^^For I am become like- a bottle in the 
 smoke ; yet do I not forget thy statutes. How many 
 are the days of thy servant ? when wilt thou execute 
 judgment on them that persecute me ? ®^ The proud have 
 digged pits for me, which are not after thy law. All 
 thy conimandments are faithful : they persecute me 
 wrongfully ; help thou me. They had almost consumed 
 me upon earth ; but I forsook not thy precepts. Quicken 
 me after thy loving-kindness ; so shall I keep the testimony 
 of thy mouth. 
 
 nTHERE is a tone of deep melancholy in this 
 
 division of the Psalm ; but it is not a hope- 
 less melancholy; it is tinged with believing con- 
 fidence. 
 
 My soul fainteth for thy salvation ; " and 
 " Mine eyes fail for thy word," are strong expres- 
 sions showing the Psalmist's earnest longing for 
 deliverance. Perhaps there was some trouble from 
 which he desired to be saved, or he thirsted for 
 a fuller manifestation of God's power and grace 
 in his soul. He was ready to faint, but he was 
 supported by God's word. His eyes well-nigh 
 failed, but his trust did not. *^ When wilt thou 
 comfort me.^" was not the cry of impatience, 
 
2l8 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 81-88. 
 
 but the earnest, anxious cry of one who felt per- 
 suaded that God could, and would, give him the 
 consolation he needed. 
 
 His sufferings had made him feel like a leathern 
 bottle blackened and shrivelled up in the smoke ; 
 but still his eye was turned to God's statutes. 
 He thinks of his days — -his suffering days — and 
 asks if they will not soon come to a close, by the 
 overthrow of his persecutors. They digged pits for 
 him ; they persecuted him ; they nearly consumed 
 him ; but they could not rob him of God's grace, 
 or of a single syllable from His word. 
 
 Thank God, He has set limits to the mischief 
 of the ungodly. They may beat and bruise our 
 bodies, but they cannot reach our souls. They may 
 lay snares for us, misrepresent us, and speak 
 against us ; but they cannot disturb our hope, or 
 destroy the preciousness of God's truth. If we put 
 up the cry, Help thou me," our heavenly Pro- 
 tector is near, and will defend us. 
 
 Again, he prays, as he had done more than 
 once before, Quicken me." Keep Thy work 
 alive, that is, in my soul. Prevent me from going 
 wrong, and let not my enemies overpower me. 
 Let that new life which Thou hast kindled in 
 my soul never die out, but be daily nurtured 
 within me. 
 
219 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 89-96. 
 
 For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy 
 faithfulness is unto all generations : thou hast established 
 the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day 
 according to thine ordinances : for all are thy servants. 
 ^- Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then 
 have perished in mine affliction. I will never forget thy 
 precepts : for with them thou hast quickened me. I 
 am thine, save me ; for I have sought thy precepts. 
 
 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me : but 
 I will consider thy testimonies. I have seen an end 
 of all perfection : but thy commandment is exceeding 
 broad. 
 
 npHE stability of God's word, and its eternal and 
 
 unchanging nature, are what is insisted upon 
 in these verses. Having heaven for its standing 
 place, it is imperishable. God has built the heavens 
 and the earth on a sure foundation, as something 
 lasting ; and such too are His word, and His faith- 
 fulness. Thus, saith the Lord, if ye can break 
 my covenant of the day and my covenant of the 
 night, and that there should not be day and night 
 in their season, then may also my covenant be 
 broken." 
 
 It is here declared that they " (that is, the 
 heavens and the earth, and all their hosts) '^are 
 God's servants." They have a work to do, a pur- 
 
220 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 89-96. 
 
 pose to accomplish, and a place assigned to them. 
 They do God's will, and set forth His glory. And 
 since all, in their several capacities, serve the ends 
 of their Creator, much more should man ; and yet 
 sometimes we find him to be the only rebel, the 
 only unprofitable burden. 
 
 The Psalmist felt that he owed everything to 
 God's word; "Unless thy law had been my de- 
 lights, I should then have perished in mine afflic- 
 tion.'* He would have fainted, but for this sustain- 
 ing cordial. He would have sunk, but for its life- 
 giving power. He would have given up all for 
 lost, but for the blessed hope which was thus kept 
 alive. 
 
 How confidently he speaks of his own allegiance 
 to God ; I am Thine; save me." Conscious as 
 he was of his own unworthiness, he still felt that he 
 had given himself to God unreservedly, and there- 
 fore could call himself His, and trust his salvation 
 to Him. In one sense, we can all say, I am Thine." 
 We are His by creation, by redemption, and by 
 our own promises. But are we also His by the full 
 and entire surrender of our hearts, our wills, and our 
 affections, to Him ? May God enable us to say 
 without any reserve whatever, I am Thine " — Thy 
 servant to obey Thee ; Thy disciple, to follow Thee ; 
 Thy child, to love Thee ! 
 
 The meaning of the last verse seems to be that 
 all earthly perfections have an end ; but God's com- 
 
PSALM CXIX. 89-96. 
 
 221 
 
 mandments, on the contrary, are unlimited, both 
 as to their power and their duration. What servant 
 of God is there who cannot say, During my life I 
 have seen an end of all perfection ; but thy com- 
 mandment is exceeding broad ?" 
 
222 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 97-104. 
 
 0 how love I thy law ! it is my meditation all the day. ^® Thou, 
 
 through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than 
 mine enemies : for they are ever with me. I have more 
 understanding than all my teachers : for thy testimonies 
 are my meditation. I understand more than the 
 ancients, because I keep thy precepts. I have re- 
 frained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep 
 thy word. 1 have not departed from thy judgments : 
 for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words 
 unto my taste ! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth ! 
 
 Through thy precepts I get understanding : therefore 
 I hate every false way. 
 
 "Xl have already heard the Psalmist describing 
 God's law as his delight. And he bursts 
 forth with admiration of its preciousness ; O how 
 
 1 love thy law He had found its comfort in 
 sorrow, and its sweetness in his daily life. He often 
 and often recurred to it ; It is my meditation all 
 the day." 
 
 He uses very strong language to show how God 
 had enlightened him through His word. He had 
 thus become wiser than his enemies ; he had more 
 understanding than his teachers ; he understood 
 more than the ancients. All these had human 
 learning only, whilst he was taught of God. They 
 possessed head knowledge only, but his knowledge 
 
PSALM CXIX. 97-104. 
 
 223 
 
 was of the heart. He speaks of God's commandments 
 being ever with him." Wherever we go, we should 
 carry the Bible with us ; not in our hands, but in 
 our hearts — not packed up with our dress, but 
 stored in our memories. 
 
 Again, he exclaims, How sweet are thy words 
 unto my taste ! yea, sweeter than honey to my 
 mouth !" Can you and I say this ? We read our 
 Bibles conscientiously. We have our stated hours 
 for the study of the word. We should feel uncom- 
 fortable if we passed a day without opening the 
 Sacred Volume. We look upon it as a duty which 
 we rigidly perform. But perhaps we find it an 
 irksome task, a distasteful employment. And why 
 is this } It is because we seek not for God's 
 teaching. We are like sick men with dainties be- 
 fore them, but they lack the appetite that is need- 
 ful for their enjoyment. Oh that a hungering and 
 thirsting for spiritual food may be given us ; then 
 we also shall add our testimony to the Psalmist's ; 
 
 how I love Thy words!" ''How sweet are 
 they unto my taste!" 
 
 And shall we not go a step further, and say 
 with the Psalmist, '' Through thy precepts I get 
 understanding ; therefore I hate every false way." 
 False teaching and false ways generally go toge- 
 ther. But if we have been really taught by the 
 Holy Spirit of God, we shall love His ways, and 
 to walk in the path of holiness will be our delight. 
 
224 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 105-112. 
 
 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 
 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep 
 thy righteous judgments. I am afflicted very much : 
 quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word. Accept, 
 I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O 
 Lord, and teach me thy judgments. My soul is con- 
 tinually in my hand : yet do I not forget thy law. The 
 wicked have laid a snare for me : yet I erred not from 
 thy precepts. Thy testimonies have I taken as an 
 heritage for ever ; for they are the rejoicing of my heart. 
 "2 1 have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes 
 always, even unto the end. 
 
 "^jy HAT is God's word ? Let the Psalmist an- 
 swer the question, Thy word is a lamp 
 unto my feet, and a light unto my path.'* 
 
 1. A \dimp stems to s/iow ns w/ia^ is a^nzss. The 
 rough places, the dangerous spots, the inequalities 
 in a road, are instantly brought to view by a lamp. 
 They existed before, but they were unseen. Now, 
 however, they are clear to our view. Such a work 
 does the word of God do for us. 
 
 2. Again, a lamp guides tts to zvhat is right. It 
 makes the path clear which we are to follow. How 
 important it is to the traveller to see his way so 
 that he cannot mistake it. And is it not still 
 more important to those who are seeking heaven to 
 )iave li^rjit thrown upon their course, .so that they 
 
PSALM CXIX. IO5-II2. 
 
 225 
 
 shall not err therein ? Is it not well to have a word 
 ever saying to us, " This is the way ; walk ye in 
 it, when ye turn to the right hand, or to the left." 
 
 3. A lamp also cheers us in the midst of otir 
 gloom. After a dark and mournful night, what can 
 be more exhilarating than the light ? And to our 
 afflicted soul, how precious ofttimes is the word of 
 God ! It cheers the heart, and brings it the truest joy. 
 
 Solomon bears the same testimony as the 
 Psalmist, when he says, The commandment is a 
 lamp, and the law is light, and reproofs of instruc- 
 tion are the ways of life." 
 
 In the hundred and eighth verse, he asks God ''to 
 accept the free-will offerings of his mouth." By this 
 he no doubt means his prayers and praises. They 
 are called elsewhere the calves of our lips," and 
 the fruits of our lips." The offering of our purses 
 to God is not so pleasing to Him as the offerings of 
 the heart expressed by our lips. And these must be 
 free-will offerings," or He will not accept them. 
 
 In the next verse he declares, ''My soul is 
 continually in my hand ; yet do I not forget thy 
 law." He had evidently been in danger of his life. 
 And it is well for us all to feel that we die daily, 
 and to go through this v/orld with our life, as it 
 were, in our hand — ready to give it up at a moment's 
 notice, and feeling that we possess a life which is 
 eternal, and cannot be affected by the casualties of 
 this present world. 
 
 VOL. IL Q 
 
226 
 
 Psalm CXIX. i 13-120. 
 
 I hate vain thoughts : but thy law do I love. Thou art 
 my hiding-place and my shield : I hope in thy word. 
 
 Depart from me, ye evildoers : for I will keep the com- 
 mandments of my God. Uphold me according unto 
 thy word, that I may live : and let me not be ashamed oi 
 my hope. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe : and 
 I will have respect unto thy statutes continually. Thou 
 hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes : 
 for their deceit is falsehood. Thou puttest away all 
 the wicked of the earth like dross : therefore I love thy 
 testimonies, ^^o ]\/[y f[Qsh trembleth for fear of thee ; and 
 I am afraid of thy judgments. 
 
 ''J'^HERE are several declarations here which will 
 greatly help us in our every-day life. 
 
 First, the Psalmist declares his feeling with re- 
 gard to " vain thoughts." He does not say that he 
 is free from them. This we can none of us say. 
 But he speaks of their being hateful to him ; " I hate 
 vain thoughts." The holier our aim is, and the 
 more we have of God's Spirit dwelling within us, 
 the more distressing will every wrong thought be to 
 us. Their very presence will be painful, and we 
 shall do all we can to banish them. 
 
 Secondly, he lifts up his heart to God, and says. 
 Thou art my hiding-place and my shield " — my 
 hiding-place in trouble when it comes, and my 
 
PSALM CXIX. 1 13-120. 
 
 227 
 
 shield to ward it off lest it come. Every moment 
 of our lives we meet with trials, dangers, and disap- 
 pointments ; and we need a constant refuge or 
 hiding-place whereunto we may flee. There are 
 many shelters which offer themselves to us, but the 
 Psalmist had discovered the true one. God was his 
 hiding-place and his shield. 
 
 Thirdly, he determines that he will have nothing 
 to do with the wicked ; Depart from me, ye evil- 
 doers." Not only does he wish to drive out all vain 
 thoughts from his inner heart, but all vain persons 
 from his company. Our Lord was accused of hold- 
 ing intercourse with publicans and sinners ; but He 
 did so with the simple desire of doing them good. 
 Their company must in itself have been most hate- 
 ful to Him ; but His loving heart yearned over 
 them, and He longed to save their souls. And so 
 should it be with us. We should hate their ways ; 
 but desire above everything to win them over to 
 God. 
 
 Fourthly, consciousof his weakness and liability 
 to fall, he asks God to put forth His helping hand ; 
 Uphold me according to thy word ;" and again. 
 Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe." Even 
 when we are walking uprightly in the path which 
 God marks out, we have great need to be kept 
 from falling. And we have need also to be kept 
 from tiring, lest we should turn aside to evil-doing, 
 or grow weary of well-doing. 
 
228 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 1 13-120. 
 
 No one is so strong but that he needs to offer 
 up this prayer, or so safe that he can do without 
 God's protection. It has been said that * we stand 
 no longer than God holds us, and go no further 
 than He carries us.' 
 
229 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 121-128. 
 
 I have done judgment and justice : leave me not to mine 
 oppressors. Be surety for thy servant for good : let 
 
 salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness. Deal 
 with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me 
 thy statutes. I am thy servant ; give me understanding, 
 that I may know thy testimonies, j^- ^[^^q {qj. thee, 
 Lord, to work : for they have made void thy law. 
 
 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold ; 
 yea, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all thy 
 precepts concerning all things to be right ; and I hate 
 every false way. 
 
 '^HE Psalmist, feeling that his cause was a right- 
 
 eous one, and having done justice to others, 
 hopes that God will do him justice, and leave him 
 not to the tender mercies of his oppressors. He 
 asks God to act the part of a Friend and Surety 
 towards him, and not to allow him to be trodden 
 underfoot by his enemies. 
 
 " Mine eyes fail," he says, for thy salvation, and 
 for the word of thy righteousness." He had long 
 looked for help, but it came not. And so it often 
 is with ourselves. We ask God for some blessing, 
 or some deliverance ; but He seems as if He heard 
 not, and we become impatient, and fancy that we 
 are neglected. Our wisdom however is to trust God, 
 
 not the proud oppress me. 
 
 Mine eyes fail for thy 
 
230 
 
 PSALM CXIX. I2I-I28. 
 
 and leave our matters in His hands. If He gives 
 a promise, He will surely perform it. " Though 
 it tarry, wait for it ; because it will surely come." 
 
 He asks God to deal graciously with him, 
 giving him a clear insight into His revealed word ; 
 and he pleads his devotedness to God's service. 
 Then he feels that he will be armed against all 
 opposition, and be able to face his fiercest foes. 
 He complains that his enemies had made void, 
 and set at defiance, the laws of God ; and therefore 
 he entreats that they may be put down. It is 
 time for thee. Lord, to work." We can never 
 know when God may see fit to punish. Therefore 
 the wicked must take care, lest the next sin they 
 commit, should seal their doom, and lest the mo- 
 ment should be at hand when it is time for God 
 to work." 
 
 This portion concludes with a general expres- 
 sion of admiration for God's word ; Therefore 
 I love thy commandments above gold ; yea, above 
 fine gold. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts 
 concerning all things to be right ; and I hate every 
 false way." We should love God's precious words 
 better than money, for it can renew our souls ; 
 and when all else fails, it will be our prop and 
 support. And if we really love God's truth, we 
 shall ^'hate every false way." 
 
231 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 129-136. 
 
 Thy testimonies are wonderful : therefore doth my soul keep 
 them. The entrance of thy words giveth light ; it 
 giveth understanding unto the simple. I opened my 
 mouth, and panted : for I longed for thy commandments. 
 "2 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou 
 use St to do unto those that love thy name. Order my 
 steps in thy word : and let not any iniquity have dominion 
 over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man : so 
 will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon 
 thy servant : and teach me thy statutes. Rivers of 
 waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy 
 
 ONDERFUL is the effect of God's word 
 
 upon the soul ; it quickens, comforts, saves. 
 The entrance of it, as we are told here, '^giveth light ; 
 it giveth understanding to the simple." Sometimes 
 the word, like seed, remains upon the surface, and 
 then it produces no effect ; but when it gets into 
 the soil of the heart, then what a change does it 
 effect ! The soul, that is in darkness as regards 
 spiritual things, becomes full of light, and the 
 simple understands. Whilst God hides His truth 
 from the wise and prudent, He reveals it unto 
 babes. 
 
 The Psalmist puts up four important peti- 
 tions, — 
 
 law. 
 
232 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 129-136. 
 
 1st, He prays to be regarded with an eye of 
 mercy, as God is accustomed to look upon those 
 who love Him. He feels that one look of mercy 
 from his heavenly Friend would be worth more 
 than all earthly supports. If only the light of his 
 Father's countenance be lifted up towards him, all 
 will be well. 
 
 2ndly, He asks to be kept in the path of truth 
 and holiness. He wishes every step of his w^ay 
 to be ordained and regulated according to God's 
 word. Let us honestly ask this, and ours will be 
 a path of happiness. Let us pray and strive against 
 sin, and it will never be allowed to tyrannize 
 over us. 
 
 3rdly, He entreats deliverance from man's op- 
 pression, pledging himself to live a life of holy 
 obedience ; ^' so will I keep thy precepts." 
 
 4thly, He begs for God's favour and accept- 
 ance. He does not ask for corn or wine, for silver 
 or gold, but his prayer is, Make thy face to shine 
 upon thy servant." Though the world frown upon 
 me, do Thou smile. 
 
 At the close of these petitions comes an ex- 
 pression of the Psalmist's bitter grief at the sin 
 and disobedience of those around him ; " Rivers 
 of waters run down mine eyes ; because they keep 
 not thy law." The man of real piety will feel more 
 grieved at dishonour done to God than at any 
 slight which has been shown to himself. 
 
233 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 137-144. 
 
 Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments. 
 138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are right- 
 eous and very faithful. My zeal hath consumed me, 
 because mine enemies have forgotten thy words. Thy 
 word is very pure : therefore thy servant loveth it. I 
 am small and despised : yet do not I forget thy precepts. 
 "2 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and 
 thy law is the truth. Trouble and anguish have taken 
 hold on me : yet thy commandments are my delights. 
 ^^'^ The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting : 
 give me understanding, and I shall live. 
 
 nPHE sacred writer expresses here more strongly 
 
 than ever his loyal attachment to God and 
 His word. He declares that all the Lord's deal- 
 ings are upright, righteous, and faithful ; and so 
 too are His judgments and His testimonies. He 
 speaks of those who disregard God's commands as 
 giving him positive pain and misery ; My zeal 
 hath consumed me ; because mine enemies have 
 forgotten thy words." 
 
 Are we sufficiently zealous for God's glory ? 
 When we hear of men disobeying God, and treat- 
 ing His word with disrespect, does a feeling of 
 holy indignation spring up within us } And, above 
 all, does it bring us upon our knees, to pray for 
 them that they may be brought to a better mind ? 
 
234 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 137-144. 
 
 God's word bears the image of His holiness 
 and purity ; therefore we should love it, as we love 
 God Himself. We should not merely love it be- 
 cause it is wise and true, but because it is like the 
 Fountain from whence it comes ; " Thy word is 
 pure ; therefore thy servant loveth it." The purer 
 we are in heart and life the more we shall love 
 God's truth, and the more relish we shall have 
 for it. 
 
 The experience of all God's children is that 
 trial and affliction is their portion. In looking 
 back on the past, we must all be disposed to say. 
 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me.'* 
 We have all had our days of trouble, and our ^ 
 nights of anguish. These have come to us in 
 some shape or other ; none are wholly exempt 
 from them. Happy is it, if we can add, Yet thy 
 commandments are my delights." Thrice happy 
 those who in the midst of all their sorrow can fall 
 back upon God's word, and find there such a fount 
 of consolation as shall refresh and strengthen their 
 hearts. 
 
 What the Psalmist seems chiefly to desire is a 
 fuller understanding of God's testimonies. And 
 this he feels must come from above ; and there- 
 fore he prays, *^Give me understanding, and I 
 shall live." God Himself must be our Teacher, 
 and He alone must show us the true value of 
 His word, 
 
235 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 145-152. 
 
 I cried with my whole heart ; hear me, O Lord : I will keep 
 thy statutes. I cried unto thee ; save me, and I shall 
 keep thy testimonies. I prevented the dawning of the 
 morning, and cried : I hoped in thy word. Mine eyes 
 prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy 
 word. Hear my voice according unto thy loving- 
 kindness : O Lord, quicken me according to thy judg- 
 ment. They draw nigh that follow after mischief : they 
 are far from thy law. Thou art near, O Lord ; and all 
 thy commandments are truth. Concerning thy testi- 
 monies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them 
 for ever. 
 
 E see here the Psalmist's g^reat earnestness 
 
 in prayer. He says, I cried unto thee with 
 my whole heart." What a contrast is this to prayer 
 as it is commonly offered ! The lips move, and 
 certain pious utterances come forth, but that is all. 
 The man who prays does not perhaps feel that he is 
 in God's presence, and he does not realize his wants. 
 The consequence is that such prayers never reach 
 the ear of God ; they are neither heard nor an- 
 swered. How different was it in the case before 
 us. It was the heart praying ; it was the cry of one 
 who had something of importance to ask for ; 
 " Hear me, O Lord Save me.'' 
 
 He says, " I cried unto thee." And to whom 
 
236 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 145-152. 
 
 else could he cry in his need ? Whither should the 
 child go but to his Father, when anything ails him ? 
 Whither should the poor and needy turn but to 
 their Helper, whose arms are thrown open to re- 
 ceive them ? Thank God, in that quarter, we are 
 sure of relief. 
 
 I prevented (or was beforehand with) the 
 dawning of the morning, and cried." In another 
 Psalm, he says, My voice shalt thou hear in the 
 morning, O Lord." It is well to rise early ; but 
 still better is it to begin the day with God. We 
 should do this before other things crowd in upon 
 our minds. We should give our best, our freshest, 
 our freest thoughts to God, and not allow the world 
 to step in and occupy the ground. 
 
 The Psalmist was pressed by two applicants — 
 by men whose intentions were full of wickedness, 
 and who were averse to God's commands ; They 
 draw nigh that follow after mischief ; they are far 
 from thy law ;" and also by God Himself, whose 
 object was to do him good ; Thou art near, O 
 Lord, and all thy commandments are truth." They 
 both draw near, one with a curse, and the other with 
 a blessing. 
 
 God is always "near," when we need Him — 
 near to help us in our difficulties, to support us in 
 our trials, to save us in times of danger. Let each of 
 us pray, Lord, draw nigh unto me ; yea, take up 
 thine abode in my heart, and dwell there." 
 
237 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 153-160. 
 
 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me : for I do not forget 
 thy law. Plead my cause, and deliver me : quicken 
 me according to thy word. Salvation is far from the 
 wicked : for they seek not thy statutes. Great are thy 
 tender mercies, O Lord : quicken me according to thy 
 judgments. Many are my persecutors and mine 
 enemies ; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. 
 
 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved ; because 
 they kept not tiiy word. Consider how I love thy 
 precepts : quicken me, O Lord, according to thy loving- 
 kindness. Thy word is true from the beginning : and 
 every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for^ever. 
 
 T^HERE are three distinct prayers in these 
 
 First, the Psalmist prays for Compassion and 
 Delivermice ; " Consider mine affliction, and deliver 
 me." We find, a few verses on, the cause of his 
 affliction stated ; Many are my persecutors and 
 mine enemies and again, " I beheld the trans- 
 gressors, and was grieved, because they kept not 
 thy word." The wicked oppressed, and ill-treated 
 him. This was hard enough to bear. But still 
 more did their rebellion against God grieve him. 
 This, as he said before, " made rivers of waters run 
 down his eyes." This saddened him more than any 
 injury or insult offered to himself 
 
 verses. 
 
238 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 153-160. 
 
 Secondly, he prays for Justice to be done him : 
 Plead my cause, and deliver me.'* If he could 
 only feel that the Lord was on his side, he could 
 bear any amount of trials and persecutions. His 
 prayer was something like Hezekiah's ; Lord, I 
 am oppressed ; undertake for me." If Thou art 
 my Pleader and my Advocate, I care not if all the 
 world open their mouths against me. 
 
 Thirdly, he prays for God's Qidckening Grace, 
 He had asked this in the previous verses of the 
 Psalm ; and in this portion he repeats the words 
 three times over ; Quicken me according to thy 
 word Quicken me according to thy judgments;" 
 
 Quicken me, O Lord, according to thy loving- 
 kindness." He felt that his sluggish heart needed 
 constant rousing, and therefore he asks God to keep 
 him alive by His Almighty power. 
 
 The Psalmist, in the last verse, bears a noble 
 testimony to the truth and value of God's word. It 
 has always been found faithful, and has never failed 
 any who ventured upon it. And it will be found 
 faithful to the end. God's word, like its author, is 
 eternal, unchangeable, inexhaustible : we cannot 
 trust it too much. Other things which we trust 
 to for enjoyment will pass away, they come up 
 and are cut down like a flower ; but God's word 
 is sure, and precious, and lasting. 
 
239 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 161-168. 
 
 Princes have persecuted me without a cause : but my heart 
 standeth in awe of thy word, i''- I rejoice at thy word, as 
 one that findeth great spoil. ^^'^ I hate and abhor lying : 
 but thy law do I love. Seven times a day do I praise 
 thee because of thy righteous judgments. Great peace 
 have they which love thy law : and nothing shall offend 
 them. Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done 
 thy commandments. My soul hath kept thy testi- 
 monies ; and I love them exceedingly. I have kept 
 thy precepts and thy testimonies : for all my ways are 
 before thee. 
 
 J N the midst of persecution, the Psalmist declares 
 that God's word was still his fear, his joy, his 
 love, the object of his thanksgiving, and the ground 
 of his hope. The great ones of the earth persecuted 
 him. He did not however quail before them, but 
 he did fear before God's word, to disobey which 
 would be to him the greatest evil. Most true it is 
 that if we fear God^ we have no one else that we 
 need fear. 
 
 But the Psalmist's fear was a holy and loving 
 fear, and therefore it was connected with joy. For 
 at the same time he could say, I rejoice at thy 
 word, as one that findeth great spoil." Like the 
 man who had the hidden treasure in his field, and 
 whose joy was great when he discovered the spoil ; 
 
240 
 
 PSALM CXiX. 161-168. 
 
 SO is it with those who search in the field of Scrip- 
 ture. Their joy is great when they discover the 
 treasures which it contains. 
 
 By the expression, Seven times a day do I 
 praise thee," is meant, I constantly offer up my 
 praises — not once or twice a day, at stated times — 
 but constantly my full heart pours forth its thanks. 
 The work of praise is one which Christians are very 
 backward in performing. But praise should be a 
 habit with us, a kind of second nature. We should 
 praise God on all occasions for His precepts, which 
 are just and good ; for His promises and threaten- 
 ings ; for His chastisements and His blessings ; for 
 we need both. In all things, by prayer and suppli- 
 cation, with thanksgiving, let our requests be made 
 known unto God." 
 
 Happy the man who can from his heart say, I 
 have done thy commandments ;" " My soul hath 
 kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly 
 
 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies." 
 For he can also say from his own happy experience. 
 Great peace have they which love thy law, and 
 nothing shall offend them." 
 
 It has been said, ' They that love the world, 
 have great vexation, for it does not answer their 
 expectation ; but they that love God's word, have 
 great peace, for it outdoes their expectation, and 
 in it they have sure footing.' 
 
241 
 
 Psalm CXIX. 169-176. 
 
 Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord : give me under 
 standing according to thy word. ^"^ Let my suppHcation 
 come before thee : deliver me according to thy word. 
 
 My hps shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me 
 thy statutes. My tongue shall speak of thy word : for 
 all thy commandments are righteousness. ^'^ Let thine 
 hand help me ; for I have chosen thy precepts. ^'^ I have 
 longed for thy salvation, O Lord ; and thy law is m}^ 
 delight. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee ; 
 and let thy judgments help me. ^"^ I have gone astray 
 like a lost sheep ; seek thy servant ; for I do not forget 
 thy commandments. 
 
 "\ ^ T^E shall find nowhere more earnest prayer than 
 
 in this Psalm. And here, in this last division 
 of it, the sacred writer asks God to admit him into 
 His near presence ; Let my cry come near before 
 thee Let my supplication come before thee." He 
 speaks of his cry " to show his intense earnestness, 
 and of his " supplication," to show that, as a sup- 
 pliant, he feels his unworthiness. We must come to 
 God as persons in great need, and looking only for 
 mercy. What he wants is understanding," that he 
 may know God's will; and deliverance," so that 
 his enemies may not triumph over him. And he 
 asks for both, according to God's word," as much 
 as to say, ' Lord, give me such an understanding 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 R 
 
242 
 
 PSALM CXIX. 169-176. 
 
 and such a deliverance as Thou hast promised : 
 I ask no other/ 
 
 And when these prayers shall be answered, he de- 
 clares that thanksgivings shall come from his grate- 
 ful heart ; My lips shall utter praise, when thou 
 hast taught me thy statutes. My tongue shall speak 
 of thy word, for thy commandments are righteous." 
 He will not only praise God for what He has done, 
 but will speak to others of His goodness. 
 
 In the next verse, the Psalmist prays, " Let 
 thine hand help me.'' This is the prayer of a 
 Child to his Father, of a sick and wounded Sufferer 
 to one who is watching over him. It is the cry of 
 helplessness and want to One who is all-powerful 
 and all-merciful. He seems to say, 'Guide me, 
 strengthen me, support me, defend me ; for my 
 way is dark and slippery, and I need Thy help.' 
 
 In the last verse, he appeals to his heavenly 
 Shepherd, and speaks of himself in terms of low- 
 liness. And does not our Church put almost 
 the same confession into our mouths ; ' We have 
 erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep V 
 Ah, who is there that has not strayed And who 
 is there that does not find himself constantly wan- 
 dering from the fold } We have all need to say, 
 ''Seek thy servant." Act, Lord, "the shepherd's 
 part, and be ever calling us back into Thy fold- 
 
243 
 
 Psalm CXX. 
 
 In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me. 
 - Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a 
 deceitful tongue. ^ What shall be given unto thee ? or 
 what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue ? ^ Sharp 
 arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. ^ Woe is me, 
 that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of 
 Kedar ! ^ My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth 
 peace. ^ I am for peace : but when I speak, they are for 
 war. 
 
 'T'HE writer of this Psalm knew what sorrow was, 
 
 and had experienced the only true relief; 
 In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he 
 heard me." One would almost desire sufifering, if 
 one could be sure of the enjoyment which followed 
 in his case. 
 
 In the closing verse of the last Psalm he spoke 
 of himself as a straying sheep, who casts himself on 
 the shepherd's care. And here he complains of 
 himself as a sheep in the midst of wolves. He is 
 sufifering from the lies and slanders of his enemies, 
 and he declares that they deserve to be punished 
 by " sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of 
 juniper." Having pierced and wounded him with 
 their words, they merit in return cutting pain like 
 
244 
 
 PSALM CXX. 
 
 that of sharp arrows, and lasting pain such as that 
 produced by coals of juniper. 
 
 He mentions the men of Mesech and Kedar, 
 alluding probably to the barbarous people who 
 lived in the neighbourhood of the Caspian Sea, 
 and to the tent-dwelling Arabs, and expresses his 
 misery in being brought in contact with persons of 
 this character. My soul (he says) hath long dwelt 
 with him that hateth peace. I am for peace ; but 
 when I speak, they are for war." 
 
 These persons with whom he had to do were of a 
 different spirit from himself They were for violence, 
 but he was for gentleness. They were for stirring up 
 discord and confusion, but he was for quietness and 
 rest. Our lot may sometimes be cast with such; 
 and, if so, our course is clear. As St. Paul says, 
 we should not only** seek peace," but '* ensue it," 
 or follow it up by every means in our power, re- 
 turning good for evil, and ever living in the hope 
 of bringing about peace at last. 
 
245 
 
 Psalm CXXI. 
 
 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh 
 my help. ^ My help cometh from the Lord, which made 
 heaven and earth. ^ He will not suffer thy foot to be 
 moved : he thatkeepeth thee will not slumber. * Behold 
 he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 
 * The Lord is thy keeper : the Lord is thy shade upon thy 
 right hand. ^ The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor 
 the moon by night. ^ The Lord shall preserve thee from 
 all evil : he shall preserve thy soul. ^ The Lord shall 
 preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time 
 forth, and even for evermore. 
 
 HIS is supposed to be one of the Pilgrim 
 
 Psalms, and is expressive of heartfelt trust 
 in God, the Keeper of His Church. It may per- 
 haps have been the evening song of the sacred 
 pilgrim band, as they approached the mountains of 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 One can imagine the pious Jew exclaiming, as 
 he gazes upon Mount Zion in the distance, I will 
 lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh 
 my help." I will look to God, whose dwelling- 
 place is there, as my all-sufficient Helper. His 
 eye never closes ; His hand is never powerless ; 
 
 Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slum- 
 ber nor sleep." 
 
246 
 
 PSALM CXXT. 
 
 The Lord is spoken of as the Believer's shade 
 or shelter. He is our Protector against the burn- 
 ing heat of sorrow, and against the storms of life. 
 Thus the Prophet Isaiah says, Thou hast been a 
 strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his 
 distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the 
 heat, when the blast of the terrible one is as a 
 storm against the wall." 
 
 But what is meant by the promise, The sun 
 shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by 
 night } " We can understand that there is danger 
 from the burning heat of the sun, from which we 
 need protection ; but the moon is harmless in its 
 effects upon us. It refers probably to the sudden 
 cold which follows the intense heat of the day in 
 an Eastern climate. And since the moon rules the 
 night, the danger is attributed to the moon. It 
 would mean that God will protect His people from 
 the scorching heat of day as well as from the 
 piercing cold of night ; that is, from every danger 
 at whatever season, and from whatever quarter it. 
 may come. 
 
 This is also expressed in the two following 
 verses ; The Lord shall preserve thee from all 
 evil : he shall preserve thy soul (or thy life). The 
 Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy com- 
 ing in, from this time forth, and even for ever- 
 more." 
 
 What a fund of comfort there is in these verses ! 
 
PSALM CXXI. 
 
 247 
 
 If God is^our Helper, our Keeper, our Shelter, our 
 Preserver, then we need never fear either the perse- 
 cutions of men or the assaults of evil spirits. We 
 may go forth into the world, secure in His hands 
 and fearless of all foes. 
 
248 
 
 Psalm CXXII. 
 
 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the 
 house of the Lord. ^ Our feet shall stand within thy 
 gates, O Jerusalem. ^ Jerusalem is builded as a city that 
 is compact together : * Whither the tribes go up, the 
 tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give 
 thanks unto the name of the Lord. ^ For there are set 
 thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. 
 ^ Pray -for the peace of Jerusalem : they shall prosper that 
 love thee. ' Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity 
 within thy palaces. ^ For my brethren and companions' 
 sakes, I will now say. Peace be within thee. ® Because 
 of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good. 
 
 '^'"HE Pilgrim Band is supposed now to have 
 arrived at the very gates of the Holy City, 
 and to be filled with joy and admiration at the 
 sight of its sacred buildings. Our feet " (worn with 
 our long and wearisome journey) " shall stand within 
 thy gates, O Jerusalem." This was the end of 
 all their toil, and the great object they had in 
 view. 
 
 As they behold the city they rejoice, saying, 
 ''Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact 
 together." It was once a dreary waste, but it is 
 now a glorious city, well ordered, and at unity 
 with itself. 
 
PSALM CXXII. 
 
 249 
 
 By the expression, There are the thrones of 
 judgment," is meant. There is the king's throne, 
 and the thrones of the judges and chief officers, all 
 in harmony and well arranged. 
 
 The Psalmist calls upon all to ''pray for the 
 peace of Jerusalem and especially on account of 
 its being the place of the Lord's sanctuary, and the 
 metropolis of His Church. Therefore he says, 
 " Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will 
 seek thy good." 
 
 The holy city was a type of God's Church of 
 old, and also of His Church now. We should 
 pray for its peace, saying, Peace be within ':hy 
 walls, and prosperity within thy palaces." The 
 peace and prosperity of the Church will be very 
 dear to every true Christian. Her life and unity 
 will be ever near his heart. 
 
 What the Psalmist here puts into the mouth of 
 the Jewish Pilgrim, we may use for ourselves when 
 we think of God's House of Prayer ; '' I was glad 
 when they said unto me. Let us go into the house 
 of the Lord." There should be a gladsome feeling 
 within us whenever we are summoned into those 
 sacred courts. We should consider it our highest 
 privilege to assemble there, and join our brethren in 
 the holy and happy work of prayer and praise, 
 feeling that a day in his courts is better than a 
 thousand." 
 
250 
 
 Psalm CXXIII. 
 
 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest 
 in the heavens. ^ Behold, as the eyes of servants look 
 unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a 
 maiden unto the hand of her mistress ; so our eyes wait 
 upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon 
 us. 3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon 
 us : for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. * Our 
 soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that 
 are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud. 
 
 HE point in this Psalm is frequently misunder- 
 
 stood. The comparison of servants looking 
 to the hand of their masters, is generally taken to 
 signify their looking for direction and guidance. 
 But this is not the case here. The Believer is here 
 represented as looking up to God, not for gitidance 
 merely, but rather for mercy. As the eyes of 
 servants or slaves are fixed suppliantly upon their 
 masters, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, 
 until that he have mercy upon us." 
 
 And this is fully borne out by the third and 
 fourth verses, Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have 
 mercy upon us ; for we are exceedingly filled with 
 contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the 
 scorning of those that are at ease, and with the 
 contempt of the proud." They had met with un- 
 worthy treatment from the heathen nations around 
 
PSALM CXXIIL 
 
 251 
 
 them, especially during their captivity, and now 
 they look to God as the avenger of their wrongs. 
 
 The whole passage paints in a striking manner 
 the right position of those who sigh under the 
 judgments of God. They do not rage and murmur, 
 because they know that they deserve to suffer, 
 but they humble themselves under the hand that 
 afflicts them. 
 
 It is a blessing that under such circumstances 
 we have One to fly to who dwelleth in the 
 heavens." He is far exalted above the earth and 
 all its evils, and He is infinitely rich in aid for His 
 people. In another Psalm it is said, Our God is 
 in heaven ; he doeth whatever he will." Let us 
 look to Him for daily guidance, strength, and help ; 
 but above all, as in the case before us, let us look 
 to Him for that mercy which we so greatly need, 
 and which He is so ready to bestow. We may 
 shrink from applying in the time of distress to the 
 potentates of the world, for they are faithless and 
 uncertain ; but we may with confidence lift up 
 our eyes to him that dwelleth in the heavens." 
 
252 
 
 Psalm CXXIV. 
 
 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may 
 Israel say ; ^ if it had not been the Lord who was on 
 our side, when men rose up against us : ^ Then they had 
 swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled 
 against us'; * Then the waters had overwhelmexi us, the 
 stream had gone over our soul : ^ Then the proud 
 waters had gone over our soul. ^Blessed be the Lord, 
 who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul 
 is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers : the 
 snare is broken, and we are escaped. ^ Our help is in 
 the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 
 
 nPHIS song was evidently written immediately 
 
 after some great national deliverance had 
 been wrought for Israel. They had been brought 
 into such straits that but for the Lord's gracious 
 interference their safety would have been threat- 
 ened, and their very existence perhaps jeopardised ; 
 
 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, 
 now may Israel say ; if it had not been the Lord 
 who was on our side, when men rose up against 
 us ; then they had swallowed us up quick (or 
 alive), when their wrath was kindled against us; 
 then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream 
 had gone over our soul : then the proud waters 
 had gone over our soul." 
 
 By the proud waters" which were nearly over- 
 
PSALM CXXIV. 
 
 253 
 
 whelming them, the Psalmist means the attacks of 
 their enemies, who in their pride and arrogancy 
 were ready to have annihilated them, had not the 
 Lord fought for Israel. 
 
 This calls out a feeling of unbounded thankful- 
 ness and praise ; Blessed be the Lord who hath 
 not given us as a prey to their teeth." Like roaring 
 lions they were ready to devour us ; but the Lord 
 was with us, as He was with Daniel. He stopped 
 their mouths, restrained their fury, and rescued 
 His people from destruction. And now, like poor 
 timorous birds, they have escaped the snare which 
 has been set for them ; the snare is broken, and 
 they are delivered. 
 
 Since the days of the Israelitish Psalmist how 
 many deliverances have been wrought ! Take St. 
 Paul's case, for instance. His enemies, like wild 
 beasts, again and again attacked him, but he es- 
 caped with the help of God. The Lord (he says) 
 stood by me, and strengthened me, and I was 
 delivered out of the mouth of the lion." 
 
 And so it has been with the Church of God. It 
 has been opposed by enemies, and deceived by 
 false friends. The waves have dashed against it, 
 threatening to overwhelm it ; but the Lord is on 
 our side, and therefore we have conquered every 
 foe. Truly we may say, Our help is in the name 
 of the Lord, who made heaven and earth." 
 
 May it ever be thus with thee, O believer! 
 
254 
 
 PSALM CXXIV. 
 
 Thine enemies are many, thy strength is small. 
 But look up, for He is with thee who is Almighty. 
 He can scatter every foe, can stop the mouths of 
 lions, bring strength out of weakness, and make 
 thee more than conqueror. 
 
255 
 
 Psalm CXXV. 
 
 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which 
 cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the 
 mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is 
 round about his people from henceforth even for ever. 
 ^ For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of 
 the righteous : lest the righteous put forth their hands 
 unto iniquity. '^Do good, O Lord, unto those that be 
 good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. ^ As 
 for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord 
 shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but 
 peace shall be upon Israel. 
 
 a beautiful comparison the safety of those 
 who place themselves under God's protecting 
 care is set forth. They that trust in the Lord are 
 like Jerusalem with its encircHng hills, affording it 
 a shelter from the stormy blast, and protection 
 from its foes. 
 
 Such is the safety of God's people. They may 
 be attacked and threatened, but no weapon turned 
 against them shall prosper. They cannot be re- 
 moved, but abide for ever, firm and unshaken. 
 Well it is if we can realise this our safety — if we 
 can say, " He only is my rock and my salvation : 
 he is my defence ; I shall not be greatly moved." 
 
 By "the rod of the wicked" the Psalmist means 
 his sceptre, or power The wicked may harass the 
 
2S6 
 
 PSALM CXXV. 
 
 people of God ; they may oppress them for a time, 
 but they shall not eventually obtain dominion over 
 them. The Lord will interfere, putting forth His 
 own protecting and avenging arm, and checking the 
 usurper's power. 
 
 And further, God will not only defend His 
 people by throwing His shield around them, and 
 keeping them in perfect peace whilst their minds 
 are stayed upon Him, but He will punish their ad- 
 versaries ; ''As for such as turn aside into their 
 crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with 
 the workers of iniquity ; but peace shall be upon 
 Israel." Whilst they shall be punished with the 
 evil workers, God s Israel, His chosen ones, shall 
 enjoy peace, even that peace which is their ap- 
 pointed portion, as the heritage of the Lord. 
 
 In the midst of this comforting assurance of 
 the Psalmist to God's believing and trusty ones, 
 and his warning to the wicked, he breathes forth 
 a prayer ; Do good, O Lord, unto those that be 
 good, and to them that are upright in their hearts." 
 Thus he commends these to God's special care, 
 and asks Him to bless them, to comfort them, and 
 to prosper them. These are they whom God de- 
 lights to honour. He makes all outward things, 
 and all spiritual gifts, to advance them heaven- 
 wards, and to work together for their eventual 
 good. 
 
257 
 
 Psalm CXXVI. 
 
 When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were 
 hke them that dream. ^ Then was our mouth filled with 
 laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they 
 among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for 
 them. 3 The Lord hath done great things for us ; whereof 
 we are glad. * Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the 
 streams in the south. ^ They that sow in tears shall reap 
 in joy. ^ He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing pre- 
 cious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, 
 bringing his sheaves with him. 
 
 HIS is clearly a song of the captive Jew on 
 
 his restoration after the long banishment of 
 his nation in Babylon. That captivity was a time 
 of sore, degradation and misery ; and when the way 
 was opened by the providence of God for their 
 return, it must have been a moment of unmixed 
 joy. " Then was our mouth filled with laughter, 
 and our tongue with singing ; then said they 
 among the heathen. The Lord hath done great 
 things for them/' Truly when God brought back 
 these homeward-bound ones of Zion to their father- 
 land, they were as dreamers. Their redemption 
 broke upon them so unexpectedly, that it seemed 
 at first not to be a reality, but only as a beautiful 
 dream. 
 
 Nehemiah describes the rejoicing on this occasion 
 VOL. II. S 
 
2S8 
 
 PSALM CXXVL 
 
 to be exceedingly great : " That day they offered 
 great sacrifices, and rejoiced ; for God had made 
 them rejoice with great joy. The wives also and 
 the children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem 
 was heard even afar off." 
 
 There is a prayer in the fourth verse suitable 
 to us all, whatever be our "captivity,'' whether 
 earthly or spiritual, whether it has been of long or 
 short duration, whether heavy or light. We too 
 may say, "Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as 
 the streams in the south." Speak the word only, 
 and our course will be changed, like that of some 
 river, which, having been long dried up, flows again 
 with renewed vigour. 
 
 The closing verses contain words full of com- 
 fort to the sorrowful, and of encouragement to the 
 distressed ; " They that sow in tears shall reap in 
 joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing 
 precious seed, shall doubtless come again with 
 rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." The 
 husbandman enters upon his work under many 
 difficulties, but he sows in faith ; and he is sure one 
 day to be rewarded : he will reap, if he faint not. 
 
 And we too may have to struggle with many 
 and great trials. Our seed may be long under the 
 ground, our labour may seem to be in vain, and 
 our efforts all to no purpose ; but let us wait a 
 little while, and our harvest is sure. Let us then 
 labour on faithfully, truthfully, hopefully. 
 
259 
 
 Psalm CXXVII. 
 
 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that 
 build it : except the Lord keep the city, the watchman 
 waketh but in vain. ^It is vain for you to rise up early, 
 to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows : for so he 
 giveth his beloved sleep. ^Lo, children are an heritage 
 of the Lord : and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 
 *As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are 
 children of the youth. ^ Happy is the man that hath his 
 quiver full of them : they shall not be ashamed, but they 
 shall speak with the enemies in the gate. 
 
 '\'\ WITHOUT God's blessing no work of ours can 
 
 prosper. We may take the utmost pains, 
 or use the greatest skill, in erecting a house ; we 
 may patrol the streets of a city, and watch over 
 the treasures which it contains ; we may rise up 
 early, and late take rest, exercising incessant care ; 
 but all to no purpose except the Great Builder is 
 there to help us, and the Almighty Watchman to 
 guard us. 
 
 And further, whilst the men of the world are 
 tearing their bodies and minds to pieces with over- 
 strained anxiety and carefulness, God enables His 
 own people to enjoy peace and quietness ; He 
 giveth his beloved sleep." The eager worldling is 
 
26o 
 
 PSALM CXXVII. 
 
 kept awake by his anxious exertions, but with the 
 godly there is rest even in the midst of labour. 
 
 Cease then, O man of the world, from your too 
 great eagerness. Work heartily, and then leave 
 the result to God. And thou, O suffering one, 
 racked with pain and restless from disease, look 
 up with hope, and remember that He giveth his 
 beloved sleep." When we thus cast all our care 
 upon Him, and place ourselves in His hands. He 
 will relieve us from all anxiety, and order every- 
 thing concerning us. 
 
 Our domestic comforts too, and our family 
 blessings, are of His providing. Our children are 
 His gift, an heritage of the Lord." Happy is he 
 who is thus blest ! His young children are like so 
 many arrows, of which the warrior s quiver is full ; 
 for these shall boldly face their enemies when they 
 meet them at the entrance of the city. 
 
 Then let your eye be turned towards the Lord. 
 If you build, He only can bring your work to per- 
 fection. If you have possessions, and you desire to 
 keep them, entrust them to His guardian care. If 
 you have a family, remember that your little ones 
 are a precious trust committed to you ; they are 
 His gift, to be trained and reared for Him. Let 
 us beware of the empty boast, that we are able to 
 do this or that. Alone we can do nothing : but 
 with God's help all things are possible. 
 
26 1 
 
 Psalm CXXVIII. 
 
 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord ; that walketh in 
 his ways. ^ For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands : 
 happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. ^Thy 
 wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house : 
 thy children like olive plants round about thy table. 
 "Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth 
 the Lord. ^The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and 
 thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy 
 life. ^Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and 
 peace upon Israel. 
 
 A BEAUTIFUL picture is here drawn of one 
 
 who lives in the fear and service of God, 
 showing the present happiness which attends his 
 path. 
 
 First, his jPr^?/^r/;/ is mentioned ; '^Thou 
 
 shalt eat the labour of thine hands ; happy shalt 
 thou be, and it shall be well with thee." It is said 
 of the ungodly that he shall labour, and another 
 shall eat the fruit of his labour ; but godliness has 
 the promise of the life that now is and of that 
 which is to come. 
 
 The God-fearing man is happy in his labour. 
 His very toil is sweet to him, for God's approving 
 eye is ever upon him. He feels that he has his 
 
262 
 
 PSALM CXXVIII. 
 
 Father's blessing, and this soothes every trial, and 
 removes every care. Happy shalt thou be, and 
 it shall be well with thee.** 
 
 Secondly, his Social Blessings are spoken of ; 
 *^ Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides 
 of thine house ; thy children like olive plants 
 round about thy table." He regards his wife as 
 from the Lord,'* and his children as an heavenly 
 heritage. 
 
 Thirdly, his Chttrch privileges : The Lord shall 
 bless thee out of Zion ; and thou shalt see the good 
 of Jerusalem all the days of thy life." Spiritual 
 blessings are here promised ; and perhaps those 
 future blessings which were to spring from the 
 gospel are here shadowed forth. 
 
 Every pious Israelite felt an unspeakable 
 interest in all that concerned Jerusalem. That 
 city and its temple were very dear to his heart. 
 All the day long his thoughts were constantly 
 reverting to Zion. And should not the Christian 
 cling with as true affection to the Church of God, 
 of which he is a member ? Dearly as he loves his 
 own family and household, should he not, like Eli, 
 be anxious, tremblingly anxious, for the ark of 
 God } The welfare and prosperity of the Church 
 should be the first and chiefest object of his un- 
 ceasing anxiety. He looks for the fulfilment of 
 this promise, Thou shalt see thy children's child- 
 ren, and peace upon Lsracl." 
 
PSALM CXXVIII. 
 
 263 
 
 ' Happy/ says one, ' is he who fears God. Only 
 let there be no failure on your side ; there will 
 certainly be none on God's. Sing, pray, and go 
 on in the way of righteousness. Only perform 
 faithfully thy part, and the rich blessing of the 
 Highest shall be renewed to thee day by day.* 
 
264 
 
 Psalm CXXIX. 
 
 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may 
 Israel now say: ^jyj^ny a time have they afflicted me 
 from my youth : yet they have not prevailed against me. 
 2 The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long 
 their furrows. *The Lord is righteous: he hath cut 
 asunder the cords of the wicked. ^Let them all be con- 
 founded and turned back that hate Zion. ^Let them be 
 as the grass upon the house-tops, which withereth afore 
 it groweth up: '^Wherewith the mower filleth not his 
 hand : nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom. ® Neither 
 do they which go by say, The blessing of the Lord be 
 upon you : we bless you in the name of the Lord. 
 
 /^NE can fancy some loyal Israelite, having come 
 out of great tribulation, either national or 
 personal, and uttering the plaintive but truthful 
 words of this Psalm ; " Many a time have they 
 afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say." 
 They have reviled and persecuted me ; again and 
 again have they lifted up their hands against me. 
 Yet they have not prevailed against me ; they have 
 not gained their object. As the plough is drawn 
 through the soil, breaking it up, and uprooting every- 
 thing before it, so they have made their " furrows 
 upon my back." But God has been on my side to 
 shield and protect mc ; The Lord is righteous ; he 
 hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked." 
 
PSALM CXXIX. 
 
 265 
 
 The Psalmist goes on to pray that it may ever 
 be so, and that the haters of Zion may be ulti- 
 mately defeated ; Let them all be confounded 
 and turned back that hate Zion." He prays too 
 that they may be like grass ; not like the luxuriant 
 grass in the open field, that yields its precious crop 
 to the cultivator, but like the straggling grass 
 which springs up upon the housetop, only to wither 
 away in the scorching sun, or to be rooted up as a 
 noxious weed, which provokes a curse, rather than 
 a blessing, from the passer-by. 
 
 How great a difference between the mere afflic- 
 tion of the world, and that which God owns, und 
 which brings Him to our side ! The one is burden- 
 some and hopeless ; the other is a discipline which 
 does us good. The one " worketh death the other 
 holds out an exceeding and eternal great reward. 
 The one is a burning furnace which consumes ; the 
 other, a fire tempered by the heavenly Refiner, and 
 from which the gold comes forth purified. 
 
 Lord, if affliction should be my portion, do 
 Thou stand by me to support me. If the plougher 
 should plough upon my back, let me not repine, 
 but cheerfully bear all for my Master's sake, 
 " knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and 
 patience experience, and experience hope ; and 
 hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God 
 is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost 
 which is given unto us." 
 
266 
 
 Psalm CXXX. 
 
 Out of the depths have I cried unto th^e, O Lord. ^ Lord, 
 hear my voice : let thine ears be attentive to the voice of 
 my suppHcations. ^ If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniqui- 
 ties, O Lord, who shall stand ? ^ But there is forgiveness 
 with thee, that thou may est be feared. ^ I wait for the 
 Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 
 ^ My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch 
 for the morning : I say, more than they that watch for 
 the morning. ^ Let Israel hope in the Lord : for with 
 the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous 
 redemption. ^And he shall redeem Israel from all his 
 iniquities. 
 
 '^HE depths " which the Psalmist speaks of here 
 were the deep afflictions into which he had 
 sunk. Into these he had been plunged, and from 
 these he puts up his cry for help. Jonah, when 
 in the whale's belly, darted up a prayer to God; 
 and the Psalmist here does the same. His faith 
 does not fail him, and he feels that an unseen but 
 Almighty One is very near, and can in an instant 
 succour him ; therefore he beseeches God to hear 
 the voice of his complaint. 
 
 In true lowliness of heart he acknowledges that 
 if God were to mark and reckon strictly with him 
 for each one of his sins, he could not stand erect, 
 but must surely fall. But he treasures up that 
 
PSALM CXXX. 
 
 267 
 
 most precious truth, ''There is forgiveness with 
 thee, that thou mayest be feared/* 
 
 Here indeed is the groundwork of all our hope. 
 And yet are we not told in another place that 
 He is a God who will by no means clear the 
 guilty?" The fact is this — that no sin passes 
 unnoticed by the searching eye of God. He sees 
 it, and notices it; but at the same time He is 
 ready to forgive it, if we come to Him in penitence 
 and faith. And it is this, His loving mercy. His 
 willingness to pardon us, that makes us regard Him 
 with filial fear — not with dread, but with holy fear, 
 which belongs to those who are His devoted 
 children. 
 
 And now he says, " I wait for the Lord, and 
 in his word do I trust. My soul waiteth for the 
 Lord more than they that watch for the morning." 
 Like the Traveller, who after hours of weary toil 
 anxiously awaits the first streak of morning light ; 
 or like the chastened Sufferer, who, after a long 
 night of ceaseless pain and misery, tossed upon his 
 sleepless bed, counts the leaden hours until the 
 dawn breaks ; or as the loving Parent looks out for 
 the return of his long-lost Son ; so the Believer 
 thinks of God, and longs that He would draw near 
 to Him. The night of weeping seems long, but he 
 looks with hope for the returning light. The 
 thought of mercy is sweet to him, yea, sweeter than 
 rest to the weary, or liberty to the captive. 
 
268 
 
 PSALM CXXX. 
 
 And therefore he recommends this tranquil 
 frame to all of his people ; " Let Israel hope in 
 the Lord ; for their Redeemer is strong, and His 
 mercy infinite and inexpressible ; " with him is 
 plenteous redemption." 
 
 The teaching of the whole Psalm is this — that 
 the people of God should not complain of their 
 afflictions, but pray to their Lord and Saviour that 
 He would forgive their sins and save them from 
 the punishment they deserve. This is the royal 
 way, by which we may attain to peace in affliction, 
 and rise from that to joy. 
 
269 
 
 Psalm CXXXI. 
 
 Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty : neither 
 do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too 
 high for me. ^ Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, 
 as a child that is weaned of his mother : my soul is even 
 as a weaned child. ^Let Israel hope in the Lord from 
 henceforth and for ever. 
 
 JT strikes one at first sight that there is a little of 
 boasting in this Psalm, and that David seems 
 to be commending his own state of mind. But 
 the words are not uttered in the spirit of self- 
 commendation, but are rather expressive of what 
 he desired to be, and of what grace had in some 
 measure made him. He seems to say, A proud 
 heart and lofty eyes are ill suited to my case : I 
 have reason to think little of my own attainments, 
 and through God's teaching I have learned to 
 entertain low thoughts of myself 
 
 Humility is one of the sweetest of Christian 
 graces. It is a lesson learnt before the Cross. 
 And how hard to learn it ! How much needs to 
 be pulled down, and rooted up ! How difficult 
 to dislodge the natural pride of our hearts, and to 
 tear away every remnant of pride ! 
 
 But are not the best and brightest Christians 
 
270 
 
 PSALM CXXXI. 
 
 the lowliest and humblest of all ? The loveliest 
 flower sometimes grows out of sight. The most 
 refreshing showers sweep along the valleys. The 
 sweetest singers love the shade. Truly " the orna- 
 ment of a meek and quiet spirit are in the sight of 
 God of great price." Lord, clothe me with this 
 dress ; and let me not merely wear it outwardly, 
 but let it be the inner drapery of my heart. 
 
 The Psalmist compares himself to a weaned 
 child." For a while he had been restless, and had 
 pined after his former delights, but now he had 
 given them all up for what was truer and more 
 lasting. And what is our own experience ? Have 
 we turned away from sin ? Have we divorced 
 ourselves from the world ? And can I now say, 
 None of these things any longer attract me ; my 
 soul is even as a weaned child ?" 
 
 Now then let us learn the lesson which David's 
 experience teaches us ; Let Israel (or God s 
 people) hope in the Lord from henceforth and for 
 ever." When God weans us from that on which 
 we have set our hearts. He does not leave us there, 
 like a child bereft of its mother, and left to starve. 
 But He awakens in us new sources of enjoyment ; 
 and new hopes spring up within us. We have a 
 new life before us, and new prospects brighten up 
 our path. Our hope is now in the Lord, and that 
 hope will have a brighter and a brighter light as 
 our end approaches. 
 
271 
 
 Psalm CXXXII. 
 
 Lord, remember David, and all his afflictions : ^ How he 
 sware unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty God of 
 Jacob ; ^ Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of 
 my house, nor go up into my bed ; * I will not give sleep 
 to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, ^ Until I find 
 out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty 
 God of Jacob. ^ Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah ; we 
 found it in the fields of the wood. ' We will go into his 
 tabernacles : we will worship at his footstool. ^ Arise, O 
 Lord, into thy rest ; thou, and the ark of thy strength. 
 ^ Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness ; and let 
 thy saints shout for joy. For thy servant David's sake 
 turn not away the face of thine anointed. The Lord 
 hath sworn in truth unto David ; he will not turn from 
 it ; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. 
 ^2 If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony 
 that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon 
 thy throne for evermore. ^'-^ For the Lord hath chosen 
 Zion ; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my 
 rest for ever ; here will I dwell ; for 1 have desired it. 
 
 I will abundantly bless her provision : I will satisfy 
 her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests 
 with salvation : and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. 
 ^' There will I make the horn of David to bud : I have 
 ordained a lamp for mine anointed. His enemies will 
 I clothe with shame : but upon himself shall his crown 
 flourish. 
 
PSALM CXXXII. 
 
 ^OLOMON, or some Jewish Citizen who felt a 
 lively interest in the welfare of the kingdom, 
 must have written this Psalm. 
 
 He asks God to have in remembrance David, 
 and the covenant He made with him, the many- 
 trials he passed through in the service of God, and 
 his deep concern about the building of the Temple, 
 " a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty 
 God of Jacob." 
 
 The exact meaning of the sixth verse has 
 caused a little difficulty ; Lo, we heard of it (that 
 is, the ark), at Ephratah ; we found it in the fields 
 of the wood." It possibly means that when they 
 sought for the ark to bring it to Jerusalem, they 
 first 'heard tidings of it at Ephratah, or Bethlehem, 
 and then they found it at Kirjath-jearim, or the 
 City of the Wood. 
 
 He prays that God would rise up as it were, and 
 make His presence, or shekinah, to rest upon the 
 ark ; and that He would bless His ministering 
 servants, and those to whom they ministered ; 
 
 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness ; 
 and let thy saints shout for joy." 
 
 And now, for David's sake, and for His servant's 
 sake, he prays that God will ''not turn away the 
 face of His anointed " (or they whom He has 
 chosen), but will fulfil His promise that one shall 
 never be wanting of his seed to sit upon the throne 
 of Israel. 
 
PSALM CXXXII. 
 
 Towards the close of the Psalm sundry blessings 
 are promised. 
 
 1st. The land shall be fruitful ; I will abund- 
 antly bless her provision ; I will satisfy her poor 
 with bread." There shall be enough and to spare. 
 
 2ndly. They shall have a holy and faithful min- 
 istry ; " I will clothe her priests with salvation." 
 They shall save others, and be saved themselves. 
 
 3rdly. The Church members shall be a happy 
 people ; " Her saints shall shout aloud for joy." 
 
 4thly. The seed royal shall be blest ; I will 
 make the horn (or power) of David to bud ; I have 
 ordained a lamp for mine anointed." 
 
 Lastly. The king's foes shall be disgraced, and 
 he himself shall triumph ; His enemies will I 
 clothe Avith shame ; but upon himself shall his 
 cjown flourish." 
 
 Such is the portion of God's servants. Happy 
 are the people that are in such a case ; yea, blessed 
 are the people that have the Lord for their God ! 
 
 VOL. IL 
 
274 
 
 Psalm CXXXIII. 
 
 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to 
 dwell together in unity ! ^ It is like the precious oint- 
 ment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even 
 Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his 
 garments; ^ As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that 
 descended upon the mountains of Zion : for there the 
 Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. 
 
 JT has been remarked that many things are good 
 for us, but 7iot pleasant ; as for instance medi- 
 cine, which is nauseous to the taste, but condu- 
 cive to our health ; or the chastisements of God, 
 which are anything but welcome at the time, but 
 which work for our eventual good. Other things 
 again are pleasant^ but not good; as for example 
 herbs, which have a sweet fragrance, but contain a 
 deadly poison. But David says here, How good 
 and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together 
 in unity." 
 
 It is beautiful to see this in a Christian Family ; 
 "Where each is contributing to the happiness and 
 welfare of his brother, and where all are closely 
 united by the strong bond of true affection. 
 
 It is beautiful to see it in a Christian ChurcJi; 
 
PSALM CXXXIIL 
 
 275 
 
 where agreement in doctrine, oneness of aim, and 
 brotherly concord prevail among its scattered mem- 
 bers, making them strong and compact as an army 
 with banners. 
 
 It is beautiful to behold it in a Christian Nation; 
 where the Sovereign rules in the fear of God, and 
 in the hearts of his subjects ; and where among 
 high and low peace and contentment abound. 
 
 This unity is compared to ''Precious Ointment," 
 with which the High Priest was anointed. It spreads 
 its fragrance, and diffuses its influence all around, 
 and has a blessed effect upon all who come within 
 its reach. 
 
 It is compared also to the Dew," which falls 
 upon Hermon and other dry and barren mountains, 
 fertilising and refreshing them with its spangled 
 drops. The land which is thus watered, as the 
 Land of Israel was of old, receives a blessing from 
 God. And so also that people is happy, among 
 whom unity prevails, for there God's blessing rests 
 and '' life for evermore." 
 
 Oh for more of this unity ! Let us endeavour 
 to promote it, having our own mind at peace with 
 God, and striving to stir up others to its enjoy- 
 ment. May God " take away all hatred and pre- 
 judice, and whatever else may hinder us from 
 godly union and concord, that, as there is but one 
 Body, |and one Spirit, and one Hope of our calling, 
 one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and 
 
2/6 
 
 PSALM CXXXIII. 
 
 Father of us all, so we may henceforth be all of 
 one heart and of one soul, united in one living bond 
 of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may 
 with one mind and one breath glorify God, through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord." 
 
277 
 
 Psalm CXXXIV. 
 
 Bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by 
 night stand in the house of the Lord. ^Lift up your 
 hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. ^ The Lord 
 that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion. 
 
 HE words contained in the first and second 
 
 verses are, no doubt, specially addressed to 
 the Priests assembled in the House of God. But 
 they may be applied also in a more general sense 
 to all the Lord's servants. His praise should be 
 ever on their lips. Our habitual frame should 
 be one of thankfulness. When we rise in the 
 morning, when we sit down to our meals, when 
 things go well with us, and even when they run 
 counter to our wishes, a grateful spirit should 
 possess us. In all things by prayer and suppli- 
 cation ivith thanksgivingl' should our requests be 
 made known unto God." We should desire and 
 cultivate more of this spirit. 
 
 ^ Oh ! for a heart to praise the Lord, 
 
 A heart from sin set free, 
 A heart that's sprinkled with the blood 
 So freely shed for me ! ' 
 
278 
 
 PSALM CXXXIV. 
 
 And this spirit of thankfulness should especially 
 mark our Public Worship. In God's House the 
 voice of prayer, and the still happier voice of praise, 
 should be continually heard. Thus in another 
 Psalm the sacred writer says, Praise ye the Lord. 
 Praise God in his sanctuary." 
 
 The worshippers who are assembled in the even- 
 ing in God's House are represented in this Psalm 
 as calling upon the Priests to praise the Lord 
 in their name ; Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye 
 servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the 
 house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the 
 sanctuary, and bless the Lord." 
 
 To bless the Lord," is to praise and glorify 
 Him, and to offer unto Him the sacrifice of praise. 
 There /was much of this in the Temple Service of 
 old, and there should be much also in our Christian 
 worship. The Psalms, which are many of them 
 Songs of Praise, were much used by the Jews, and 
 we too employ them largely in our Church assem- 
 blies. 
 
 The lifting up of our hands " symbolizes the 
 elevation of our hearts. David in another Psalm 
 says, Hear the voice of my supplications, when I 
 cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands towards thy 
 holy oracle." Oh that our hearts may be raised 
 heavenward, then will our prayers and praises be 
 indeed an acceptable service ! 
 
 The Priests in return gave the People their 
 
PSALM CXXXIV. 
 
 279 
 
 blessing in the Lord's name ; The Lord that 
 made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion." 
 
 Thus we may gather from this short Psalm 
 that the sure way to obtain the blessing of the 
 Lord is to bless and praise Him with all our 
 hearts. 
 
28o 
 
 Psalm CXXXV. 1-12. 
 
 Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord ; praise 
 him, O ye servants of the Lord. ^ Ye that stand in the 
 house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, 
 ^ Praise the Lord ; for the Lord is good : sing praises 
 unto his name ; for it is pleasant. * For the Lord hath 
 chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar 
 treasure. ^ For I know that the Lord is great, and that 
 our Lord is above all gods. ® Whatsoever the Lord 
 pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, 
 and all deep places. ''He causeth the vapours to ascend 
 from the ends of the earth ; he maketh lightnings for the 
 rain ; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries. ® Who 
 smote the firstborn of F^gypt, both of man and beast. 
 ^ Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, 
 O itgypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants. 
 Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings ; 
 Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bash an, 
 and all the kingdoms of Canaan : And gave their land 
 for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people. 
 
 T^HIS Psalm is an enlargement of the last. Here 
 
 is a general exhortation to all God's servants 
 to praise Him, but more particularly to the Priests 
 to do so, for they were the true leaders in both 
 Prayer and Praise. But in this Psalm the exhorta- 
 tion is accompanied by the mention of certain works 
 of God, which specially deserve to be celebrated. 
 Our reasons for praising God are manifold. . 
 
PSALM CXXXV. I-I2. 
 
 281 
 
 His Goodness to us is one reason; ''for the Lord 
 is good." If Ave think of His mercy, His loving- 
 kindness, His patience, His overflowing bounty to- 
 wards us, this will stir us up to praise Him. 
 
 His Greatness is another reason ; " I know that 
 the Lord is great." The almighty power of God 
 fills us with awe ; but when we know that that 
 power is tempered with the purest love, we are at 
 once filled with grateful thoughts towards Him. 
 He is above all that are called gods — above them 
 in might, and above them in goodness and love. 
 
 His Works in naticre call forth our praise ; " What- 
 soever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaver^, and 
 in earth, in the seas, and in all deep places./ He 
 causeth the vapours (or mists) to ascend from the 
 ends of the earth ; he maketh lightnings for the 
 rain (or to accompany the rain) ; he bringeth the 
 wind out of his treasuries." 
 
 But especially was God s Deliverance of His 
 people from their Egyptian persecutors a motive to 
 stir up their praises ; as also the many tokens He 
 gave of His protecting love, and the wonders He 
 showed His people in the land of Egypt and on 
 their way to Canaan. 
 
 And have not we greater reasons still for thank- 
 fulness^ — we, to whom God has revealed His ex- 
 ceeding love in sending His dear Son to redeem us 
 '* O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and 
 ' knowledge of God ! How unsearchable are his 
 judgments, and his ways past finding out!" 
 
282 
 
 Psalm CXXXV. 13-21. 
 
 Thy name^ O Lord, endiireth for ever ; and thy memorial, 
 O Lord, throughout all generations. For the Lord will 
 judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning 
 his servants. The idols of the heathen are silver and 
 gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, 
 but they speak not ; eyes have they, but they see not ; 
 
 They have ears, but they hear not ; neither is there 
 any breath in their mouths. They that make them are 
 like unto them : so is every one that trusteth in them. 
 
 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel : bless the Lord, O 
 house of Aaron : Bless the Lord, O house of Levi : ye 
 that fear the Lord, bless the Lord, Blessed be the 
 Lorji out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise 
 ye the Lord. 
 
 AVING exhorted the people to praise the Lord, 
 and the Priests to put up their thanksgivings 
 for them, the Psalmist bursts out into words of praise 
 himself; Thy name, O Lord, endureth for ever, 
 and thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all genera- 
 tions." God is ever the same — the same almighty, 
 loving, wonder-working God. He who wrought 
 deliverances for Israel can deliver us. His own 
 right hand, and His holy arm, will ever be gaining 
 fresh victories for His people. And " His memo- 
 rial," that is, the remembrance of His gracious acts, 
 endureth for ever." It will be handed down from 
 
PSALM CXXXV. 13-21. 
 
 283 
 
 generation to generation, and will never be for- 
 gotten. 
 
 For the Lord will judge his people." He will 
 act justly towards them. He will interpose in their 
 behalf. And though He may seem at times to be 
 acting harshly towards them, He will one day show 
 that it is only in appearance ; He will repent him- 
 self of his servants that is. He will show that He 
 delights not in punishing them, but rather in doing 
 them good. 
 
 Then the Psalmist unmasks the sheer folly of 
 idolatry. The idols of the heathen, he says, are 
 manufactured by men. They have mouths, like 
 living beings, but no -speech ; eyes, but no sight ; 
 ears, but no power of hearing ; lips, but no breath 
 passing through them. Here is utter folly. And 
 the makers of them are as despicable and senseless 
 as the idols themselves, and so is every one that 
 trusteth in them. 
 
 How different is it with our God! He does 
 indeed deserve our heartiest praise. The Psalmist 
 therefore calls upon his brethren to bless the Lord." 
 He also charges the Priests and Levites to do the 
 same ; yea, all who fear the Lord. 
 
 And then he adds, Blessed be the Lord out of 
 Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the 
 Lord." Let praise sound forth from Zion ; and let 
 God, whose dwelling-place is in the Temple at Jeru- 
 salem, receive the praises of His believing people. 
 
284 
 
 Psalm CXXXVI. 1-12. 
 
 O give thanks unto the Lord ; for he is good : for his mercy 
 endureth for ever. ^ O give thanks unto the God of 
 gods : for his mercy endureth for ever. ^ O give thanks 
 to the Lord of lords : for his mercy endureth for ever. 
 * To him who alone doeth great wonders : for his mercy 
 endureth for ever. ^ To him that by wisdom made the 
 heavens : for his mercy endureth for ever. ^ To him that 
 stretched out the earth above the waters : for his mercy 
 endureth for ever. To him that made great lights : for 
 his mercy endureth for ever : ^ The sun to rule by day : 
 for his mercy endureth for ever : ^ The moon and stars 
 to rule by night : for his mercy endureth for ever. To 
 him that smote Egypt in their first-born : for his mercy 
 endureth for ever. And brought out Israel from among 
 them : for his mercy endureth for ever. With a strong 
 hand, and with a stretched-out arm : for his mercy en- 
 dureth for ever. 
 
 HIS Psalm has a distinctive feature in it, namely, 
 
 that in each verse the words recur, For his 
 mercy endureth for ever." There is a repeated call 
 to praise God, and in each case the argument rests 
 upon this base — on the mercy of God which never 
 
 In the opening verses there is a threefold call 
 to give thanks unto God. And then, in the fourth 
 and following verses, it is shown why the Lord is 
 worthy to be praised. 
 
 fails. 
 
PSALM CXXXVI. I- 1 2. 
 
 285 
 
 First, because of the miracles which He hath 
 wrought ; To him who alone doeth great wonders." 
 And these miracles which the Lord performed for 
 Israel's sake, as well as those which Jesus performed 
 in after times, were all displays of mercy as well as 
 power. 
 
 Secondly, for His wisdom in the work of Crea- 
 tion — in framing the heavens — in separating the 
 earth from the waters, so that it became an abode 
 for man — in placing the two great Lights in the 
 firmament, the Sun to rule the day, and the Moon 
 and Stars to rule the night. , 
 
 Thirdly, because of His marvellous delvve^lance 
 of His people. He specially mentions the crowning 
 judgment with which God visited their oppressors, 
 " Smiting Egypt in their first-born, and bringing out 
 Israel from among them with a strong hand and a 
 stretched-out arm." And all this because His 
 mercy endureth for ever." 
 
 Now, if we trace God's acts, and especially His 
 dealings with His people Israel, from the first even 
 until the present time, we shall see that mercy 
 marked them all — unceasing and unfailing mercy. 
 
 And at that special crisis in the world's history, 
 when the Son of God in our form visited this world, 
 sounds of mercy announced His arrival among us : 
 His errand was one of mercy; mercy stamped His 
 every act whilst upon earth. And now that He is 
 seated at His Father's right hand on the throne 
 
286 
 
 PSALM CXXXVI. I- 12. 
 
 above, a rainbow of mercy surrounds His presence. 
 And if you and I are partakers of His grace here, 
 and are inheritors of His glory hereafter, we owe it 
 all, not to ourselves, but to His abounding mercy. 
 So that from the first page to the last in our history 
 it may indeed be written, " His mercy endureth for 
 ever." 
 
28; 
 
 \ 
 
 Psalm CXXXVI. 13-26. 
 
 To him which divided the Red sea into parts : for his mercy 
 endureth for ever: ^^And made Israel to pass through 
 the midst of it : for his mercy endureth for ever : But 
 overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea : for his 
 mercy endureth for ever. To him which led his people 
 through the wilderness : for his mercy endureth for ever. 
 
 To him which smote great kings : for his mercy en- 
 dureth for ever : And slew famous kings : for his mercy 
 endureth for ever : Sihon king of the Amorites : for his 
 mercy endureth for ever : And Og the king of Bajshan : 
 for his mercy endureth for ever : And gave their land 
 for an heritage : for his mercy endureth for ever : Even 
 an heritage unto Israel his servant : for his mercy en- 
 dureth for ever. ^3 Who remembered us in our low estate : 
 for his mercy endureth for ever. And hath redeemed 
 us from our enemies : for his mercy endureth for ever. 
 " Who giveth food to all flesh : for his mercy endureth 
 for ever, q g[yQ thanks unto the God of heaven : for 
 his mercy endureth for ever. 
 
 T^HE Psalmist continues in this latter half of the 
 
 Psalm to speak of God's dealings with His 
 people Israel as proofs of His mercy. 
 
 He mentions their miraculous passage through 
 the Red Sea, and the overthrow of Pharaoh and 
 his army. Here was certainly no display of mercy 
 towards the Egyptians; and yet mercy /lad been 
 
288 
 
 PSALM CXXXVI. 13-26. 
 
 shozvn towards them also, but they despised it. 
 And now their day of grace had passed away, 
 and the time of judgment was come. But how 
 goodness and mercy followed His people all through 
 their pilgrimage ! He led them through the waste, 
 howling wilderness like a flock, clearing every 
 obstacle out of their way, smiting great kings " 
 who opposed them, and slaying famous kings," 
 "Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of 
 Bashan," and making over their lands *'for an heri- 
 tage," ^'even an heritage unto Israel his servant." 
 
 There is a touching allusion to the fact that the 
 Lord delights to succour the needy in their distress, 
 and to help the weak in their time of need ; Who 
 remembered us in our low estate ; and hath re- 
 deemed us from our enemies." And what truer 
 characteristic can we find of a real Friend than 
 this — that He is ready to fly to our side in the 
 hour of need, and that He rejoices to lift the poor 
 out of the dust, and to rescue the prisoner from his 
 dungeon } Unlike those who turn away from us in 
 our poverty, and look coldly upon us because we 
 are down. He is the same to us in adversity and in 
 prosperity — yea, more disposed to draw near to us 
 when in distress than when the world is smiling 
 upon us. 
 
 With regard to the twenty -fifth verse, it has 
 been remarked that the Psalmist here extends the 
 fatherly providence of God indiscriminately, not 
 
PSALM CXXXVI. 13-26. 
 
 289 
 
 only to the whole human race, but to all animals ; 
 so that it might not appear wonderful that He 
 should be so kind and provident a Father towards 
 His own elect, since He reckons it no burden to 
 provide for oxen and asses, ravens and sparrows. 
 
 He concludes by making one more general 
 appeal to his fellow-men to utter words of thank- 
 fulness to the Almighty One ; O give thanks unto 
 the God of heaven ; for his mercy endureth for 
 ever." 
 
 Vol. II. 
 
 u 
 
290 
 
 Psalm CXXXVII. 
 
 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, 
 when we remembered Zion. ^ We hanged our harps upon 
 the willows in the midst thereof. ^ For there they that 
 carried us away captive required of us a song ; and they 
 that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one 
 of the songs of Zion. ^ How shall we sing the Lord's 
 song in a strange land? ^ If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, 
 let my right hand forget her cunning. ^ If I do not re- 
 , member thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my 
 mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. 
 ' Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day 
 of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foun- 
 dation thereof. ^ O daughter of Babylon, who art to be 
 destroyed ; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as 
 thou hast served us. ^ Happy shall he be, that taketh 
 and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. 
 
 nPHIS was the plaintive song of Israel during 
 
 their long and distressing exile in the Land 
 of Babylon, or more probably towards the close of 
 it. The whole tone of the Psalm shows that it 
 could not have been written by one who knew of 
 the exile merely by hearsay. They were strangers 
 there, far away from their native land, and from 
 those religious privileges which they had so abun- 
 dantly enjoyed there. They were thrown among 
 those who had no sympathy whatever with their 
 
PSALM CXXXVII. 
 
 291 
 
 special feelings, and who dishonoured the God 
 whom they feared and loved. 
 
 Many a time as they sat by the rivers of 
 Babylon — those rivers which reminded them of 
 their sorrows — their hearts ached, and their eyes 
 were filled with tears, as they thought of Zion and 
 its blessedness. And such was their sadness, that 
 they put aside the harps which they used to handle 
 with such true joy. 
 
 Their enemies would sometimes in mockery ask 
 them to sing, saying, Give us one of your favourite 
 songs, of which we have heard so much. But they 
 were forced to refuse ; for how could they singj the 
 Lord's song in a strange land— how could they be 
 happy in the midst of such deep sorrows ? And 
 how inconsistent was this demand of their enemies ! 
 For they were asking that which their own conduct 
 had rendered it impossible to give. It was like 
 damming up a fountain, and then requiring water 
 to flow from it. 
 
 Indeed if they were to sing, and especially songs 
 of joy, in Babylon, it would be like forgetfulness 
 of their own beloved Home ; and they would de- 
 serve to be deprived of the use of their right hands, 
 and no longer touch the harp. It would rather 
 become them to weep than to sing under such 
 circumstances. It were more natural for them to 
 ask God to deliver them from the hands of their 
 oppressors. He had done so. when the Edomites 
 
292 
 
 PSALM CXXXVII. 
 
 Oppressed them ; and they ask Him now to execute 
 judgment upon the Babylonians also ; " O daughter 
 of Babylon, who art to be destroyed, happy shall 
 he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us. 
 Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy 
 little ones against the stones." 
 
 The punishment of the Babylonians had been 
 foretold, and the Psalmist now prays that that pre- 
 diction might be fulfilled ; and that those who had 
 treated Israel with so much cruelty might in their 
 turn suffer as they deserved. 
 
293 
 
 Psalm CXXXVIII. 
 
 I will praise thee with my whole heart : before the gods will 
 I sing praise unto thee. - 1 will worship toward thy holy 
 temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and 
 for thy truth : for thou hast magnified thy word above all 
 thy name. ^ In the day when I cried thou answeredst 
 me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. 
 ^ All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, 
 when they hear the words of thy mouth. ^ Yea, they 
 shall sing in the ways of the Lord : for great is the glory 
 of the Lord. ^ Though the Lord be high, yet hath he 
 respect unto the lowly : but the proud he knoweth afar 
 off. ^ Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt 
 revive me : thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against 
 the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save 
 me. ® The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me : 
 thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever : forsake not the 
 works of thine own hands. 
 
 J^AVID comes before the Lord with a heart 
 overflowing with thankfulness for the great 
 mercies which he had received ; I will praise thee 
 with my whole heart," not with a mere corner of it. 
 And he adds, " Before the gods will I sing praises 
 unto thee ; " challenging the so-called gods of the 
 heathen to confer any boon so great upon their 
 servants. 
 
 He declares too that he will worship towards 
 
294 
 
 PSALM CXXXVIII. 
 
 God's holy temple/' He uses the same expression 
 in Ps. V. 7. This was the habit of every devout 
 Israelite. Thus it is said of Daniel that "his 
 windows being open in his chamber towards 
 Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times 
 a day and prayed.'* As Christians sometimes turn 
 towards the East in token of the Saviour's ap- 
 pearing, so the Jew looked toward the Holy City 
 from whence his chiefest blessings flowed. 
 
 The Psalmist praises God for His " lovingkind- 
 ness," which prompted Him to make such gracious 
 promises, and for His " truth " in fulfilling them to 
 the v^ery letter ; for (he adds) thou hast magnified 
 thy word above all thy name ; " that is, Thou hast 
 kept Thy word, and so hast honoured it above all 
 Thy other attributes. 
 
 For this shall Kings and Princes praise the 
 Lord; for their greatness sinks into nothing in 
 comparison with His. And yet high as the Lord 
 is. He looks favourably upon the lowly, whilst He 
 detects at a glance the haughtiness of the proud. 
 
 Again, though He afflicts us for a time — though 
 we '*walk in the midst of trouble" — He loves to 
 restore and revive His people ; and His acts, 
 though they may seem to be for their chastise- 
 ment, are in the end for their perfection ; The 
 Lord will perfect that which concerneth me. Thy 
 mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the 
 works of thine own hands." 
 
 \ 
 
PSALM CXXXVIII. 
 
 295 
 
 Be sure of this; that there is nothing which God 
 does for us that is not for our eventual good. 
 There is no act of His, and none of His dealings 
 with us, that does not tend to our eternal ad- 
 vantage, though at the time we may be led to 
 exclaim in our folly, All these things are against 
 me." Say then to the Lord, ^ Do with us as it 
 seemeth best unto Thee. We are the clay and Thou 
 art the Potter. Form and fashion us according to 
 Thine own mind. Perfect that which concerneth 
 us. Begin, carry on, and complete the moulding 
 process. Forsake not the works of Thine own 
 hands.' 
 
296 
 
 Psalm CXXXIX. 1-13. 
 
 O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. ^ Thou 
 knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou under- 
 standest my thought afar off. ^ Thou compassest my path 
 and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 
 ^ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, 
 thou knowest it altogether. ^ Thou hast beset me behind 
 and before, and laid thine hand upon me. ^ Such know- 
 ledge is too wonderful for me ; it is high, I cannot attain 
 unto it. ' Whither shall I go from thy spirit ? or whither 
 shall I flee from thy presence ? ^ It I ascend up into 
 heaven, thou art there : if I make my bed in hell, behold, 
 thou art there. ^ If I take the wings of the morning, 
 and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea ; Even 
 there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall 
 hold me. " If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover 
 me ; even the night shall be hght about me. Yea, the 
 darkness hideth not from thee ; but the night shineth 
 as the day : the darkness and the light are both alike to 
 thee. 13 For thou hast possessed my reins : thou hast 
 covered me in my mother^s womb. 
 
 T^AVID speaks here of God's wonderful omni- 
 
 potence and omniscience. He is everywhere, 
 and nothing is beyond the reach of his knowledge. 
 There is in God a searching power which defies -all 
 concealment ; Thou knowest my downsitting and 
 mine uprising : thou understandest my thoughts 
 afar off — even before a word is uttered. Our 
 
PSALM CXXXIX. I-13. 
 
 297 
 
 path by day, and our bed by night, are overlooked 
 by Him. He hedges us in on every side, and 
 makes us feel that He is near us ; Thou hast 
 beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand 
 upon me." 
 
 David here shows that although God is high 
 above us, and very far removed from us, yet He 
 draws near to each one of us. He seems to an- 
 swer the doubt expressed in Job, xxii. 12 ; Is not 
 God in the height of heaven ? And thou sayest. 
 How doth God know ? can he judge through the 
 dark cloud ? Thick clouds are a covering to him, 
 that he seeth not." Yes, God looks out fron:^ His 
 throne above, and is conscious of all that goes on 
 in this world of His. Yea, being in heaven, He 
 the better knows what is done on earth. 
 
 Such knowledge," exclaims the Psalmist, " is 
 too wonderful for me : it is high, I cannot attain 
 unto it." We cannot fathom it, much less attain to 
 it. It is infinite, and therefore beyond our reach. 
 
 To flee then from God's presence is impossible, 
 for He is everywhere, and His eye follows us 
 whichever way we turn. If we could mount up 
 to heaven with a view of getting beyond His 
 reach. He is there, for it is His especial dwelling- 
 place. If we were to sleep in the grave. He can 
 find us even there. Or if we could follow the sun 
 in his course, and transplant ourselves to the fur- 
 thest corner of the earth, we should find God 
 
PSALM CXXXIX. I-I3. 
 
 there. If we were to hide ourselves under the 
 cloak of night, all would be in vain, for darkness 
 and light are the same to His all-seeing eye. 
 
 But the Psalmist goes even further, and speaks 
 of God's knowledge of him, even before he was 
 born ; " For thou hast possessed my reins : thou 
 hast covered me in my mothers womb/' 
 
 Listen to this, O Sinner, and tremble before 
 the searching eye of such a God. He was ac- 
 quainted with thee before thou wast born. Thy 
 sins, thy evil thoughts, thy wrong intentions, even 
 though never ripened into acts, are all known to 
 Him ! Not one is hidden from His view. He was by 
 thee yesterday, when thou steppedst aside from the 
 path of duty. He will be near thee tomorrow, 
 when thou earnest thy evil purposes into effect. 
 
 But listen to this also, O Child of God, and 
 rejoice. Thy Father is near : thy Friend is by thy 
 side. He knows all 
 
 \ 
 
399 
 
 Psalm CXXXIX. 14-24. 
 
 I will praise thee : for I am fearfully and wonderfully made : 
 marvellous are thy works ; and that my soul knoweth 
 right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when 
 I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the 
 . lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my sub- 
 stance, yet being unperfect ; and in thy book all my 
 members were written, which in continuance were 
 fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How 
 precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God ! how 
 great is the sum of them ! ^Mf I should count them, they 
 are more in number than the sand : when I awalie, I am 
 still with thee. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O 
 God : depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. por 
 they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take 
 thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that 
 hate thee ? and am not I grieved with those that rise up 
 against thee ? I hate them with perfect hatred ; I count 
 them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my 
 heart : try me, and know my thoughts : And see if 
 there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way 
 everlasting. 
 
 T"^ H E marvellous framework of our bodies 
 
 awakens the Psalmist's admiration, and calls 
 forth his praises. We are indeed fearfully and 
 wonderfully made," and as wonderfully sustained. 
 When we think of the dangers with which we are 
 daily surrounded, and how little is enough to ex- 
 
300 
 
 PSALM CXXXIX. 14-24. 
 
 tinguish life, and yet how we rise up above these 
 dangers and live on, we have reason to be filled 
 with wonder and thankfulness. 
 
 And then we must remember that the Lord 
 planned our being before we ever saw light ; My 
 substance was not hid from thee, when I was 
 made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest 
 parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my sub- 
 stance, yet being unperfect ; and in thy book all 
 my members were written, which in continuance 
 were fashioned, when as yet there was none of 
 them.'* He formed us out of nothing, furnishing 
 our various members according to the work they 
 had to undertake. 
 
 And God's designs, and thoughts, and purposes 
 concerning us have been full of mercy and wisdom. 
 And as to their variety and number, they are so 
 great, that if we were to attempt to count them they 
 would prove to be more than the sand with its 
 grains innumerable. In the morning when I wake 
 Thy thoughts and Thy presence are still around 
 me; and at the last, when I wake up in glory, I 
 shall still feel that even death cannot separate me 
 from Thee. 
 
 To this wise and gracious God then we are 
 bound to lift up our hearts in praise, thanking 
 Him not only for His goodness towards us, but 
 also for His punishment of the wicked. David 
 speaks of his own feeling towards these ; " For 
 
PSALM CXXXIX. 14-24. 
 
 301 
 
 they speak against thee wickedly, and thine ene- 
 mies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, 
 O Lord, that hate thee ? and am not I grieved 
 with those that rise up against thee ? I hate them 
 with perfect hatred : I. count them mine enemies.'* 
 His was a righteous anger; and he hated them 
 because they were haters of his God. 
 
 And now, having spoken of God's searching 
 power at the beginning of the Psalm, he closes it 
 with a prayer that the Lord would search and try 
 him, correcting whatever might be wrong in him, 
 and leading him into the right way. And every 
 real Christian will desire the same. He will wish 
 that every wrong thing in him may be searched 
 out, and dragged from its hiding-place, so that it 
 may at once, and for ever, be put away. 
 
302 
 
 Psalm CXL. 
 
 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man : preserve me from 
 the violent man ; 2 Which imagine mischiefs in their 
 heart ; continually are they gathered together for war. 
 ^ They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent ; 
 adders' poison is under their lips. * Keep me, O Lord, 
 from the hands of the wicked ; preserve me from the 
 violent man ; who have purposed to overthrow my 
 goings. ^ The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords ; 
 they have spread a net by the wayside ; they have set 
 gins for me. ^ I said unto the Lord, Thou art my 
 God : hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. O 
 God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast 
 covei-ed my head in the day of battle. ® Grant not, O 
 Lord, the desires of the wicked : further not his wicked 
 device; lest they exalt themselves. ^As for the head 
 of those that compass me about, let the mischief of 
 their own lips cover them. Let burning coals fall upon 
 them : let them be cast into the fire ; into deep pits, that 
 they rise not up again. " Let not an evil speaker be es- 
 tablished in the earth : evil shall hunt the violent man to 
 overthrow him. j know that the Lord will maintain the 
 cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. Surely 
 the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name : the up- 
 right shall dwell in thy presence. 
 
 TTERE is a Prayer for protection from the as- 
 saults of the wicked, and deliverance from 
 his power. He is described, 
 
PSALM CXL. 
 
 First, as evil Deliver me, O Lord, from 
 the evil man " — not especially from Saul, or any 
 other one in particular, but from every malicious 
 oppressor. 
 
 Secondly y as 'Violent;" ''Deliver me from the 
 violent man." 
 
 Thirdly, as continually laying malicious plots ; 
 Which imagine mischiefs in their hearts ; continu- 
 ally are they gathered together for war." They 
 have all the desire to carry their violent plans into 
 effect, although they may lack the opportunity. 
 
 Fotcrthly^ diS preparing their speech for the in- 
 jury of God's people ; " They have sharpened their 
 tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under 
 their lips." Their venom and treachery can only 
 be compared to that of a serpent. 
 
 Fifthly, he is described as setting his snares, 
 and cords, and nets, and gins to entrap David ; 
 " The proud have laid a snare for me, and cords ; 
 they have spread a net by the wayside ; they have 
 set gins for me." 
 
 But he thanks God for having protected him 
 in the hour of danger ; Thou hast covered my 
 head in the day of battle." And this leads him to 
 pray that the desires of the wicked may in future 
 be overthrown and rendered powerless — that He 
 would fight for him as He did for Israel in the days 
 of old, when He destroyed thousands of them with 
 hailstones ; Let burning coals fall upon them : 
 
304 
 
 PSALM CXL. 
 
 let them be cast into the fire ; into deep pits, that 
 they rise not up again." 
 
 Words of earnest trust conckide the Psalm ; 
 " I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of 
 the afflicted, and the right of the poor. Surely the 
 righteous shall give thanks unto thy name : the 
 upright shall dwell in thy presence." However 
 great their affliction, let them feel sure that the 
 Lord will avenge their cause. However hot the 
 furnace. He stands by to see that they are not 
 destroyed. 
 
 Above all, let every child of God comfort him- 
 self with the assurance that he will one day share 
 the presence of his Lord. However tried here, he 
 will one day be glorified with Him. 
 
305 
 
 Psalm CXLI. 
 
 Lord, I cry unto thee : make haste unto me ; give ear unto 
 my voice, when I cry unto thee. ^ Let my prayer be set 
 forth before thee as incense ; and the Hfting up of my 
 hands as the evening sacrifice. ^ Set a watch, O Lord, 
 before my mouth ; keep the door of my Hps. ^ Incline 
 not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works 
 with men that work iniquity : and let me not eat of their 
 dainties. ^ Let the righteous smite me ; it shall be a 
 kindness : and let him reprove me ; it shall be an ex- 
 ^ cellent oil, which shall not break my head : for yet my 
 prayer also shall be in their calamities. ^When their 
 judges are overthrown in stony places, they shah hear 
 my words ; for they are sweet. Our bones are scattered 
 at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth 
 wood upon thj^ earth. ^ But mine eyes are unto thee, O 
 God the Lord : in thee is my trust ; leave not my soul 
 destitute. ^ Keep me from the snares which they have 
 laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity. 
 
 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I 
 withal escape. 
 
 HE subject of this Psalm is much like that of 
 
 the last. Here too is a cry for help in the 
 hour of David's oppression. He turns to God as 
 his safe refuge, and entreats Him speedily to relieve 
 him. He compares his prayer to incense " which 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 X 
 
3o6 
 
 PSALM CXLI. 
 
 mounts up with a sweet savour to heaven and is 
 acceptable to God, and he also compares it to 
 the " evening sacrifice." 
 
 But knowing how strongly he was tempted to 
 murmur against God's providential dealings with 
 him, and to pass over into the path of prosperous 
 sinners, he prays, Set a watch, O Lord, before my 
 mouth ; keep the door of my lips. Incline not my 
 heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works 
 with men that work iniquity ; and let me not eat 
 of their dainties." He prays that nothing may ever 
 induce him to cast in his lot with the wicked, and 
 partake of their luxuries and pleasures. 
 
 Let the righteous smite me " — let God, the 
 righteous One, chasten me as severely as He pleases ; 
 I shall consider it a boon and a blessing. I will 
 count His correction as an act of kindness, and His 
 reproof as oil which shall not bruise, but soothe, 
 my aching head. And as for my enemies, I will 
 plead for them in their troubles. 
 
 The sixth and seventh verses are somewhat diffi- 
 cult. By the judges " the Psalmist probably means 
 the possessors of the world's power. When these 
 are overthrown, my words will be welcome, for they 
 speak of a greater than the greatest. He speaks of 
 his bones being scattered, like wood cut and strewed 
 upon the ground ; this describes the intensity of his 
 sufferings and the desolation he felt. But in the 
 midst of it all. lie turns his eye of sorrow to his 
 
PSALM CXLI. 
 
 Almighty Helper, and feels perfectly safe ; " In thee 
 is my trust ; leave not my soul destitute." 
 
 At the close he desires that the wicked may 
 " fall into their own nets/' or, as Job says, that they 
 may be "taken in their own craftiness whilst he 
 escapes under the shield of his Defender. 
 
3o8 
 
 Psalm CXLII. 
 
 I cried unto the Lord with my voice ; with my voice unto 
 the Lord did I make my suppHcation. ^ i poured out my 
 complaint before him ; I showed before him my trouble. 
 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou 
 knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have 
 they privily laid a snare for me. ^ I looked on my right 
 hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know 
 "me : refuge failed me ; no man cared for my soul. ^ I 
 cried unto thee, O Lord : I said. Thou art my refuge and 
 my portion in the land of the living. ^Attend unto my 
 cry * for I am brought very low : deliver me from my 
 persjecutors ; for they are stronger than L Bring my 
 soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name : the 
 righteous shall compass me about ; for thou shalt deal 
 bountifully with me. 
 
 '^'^HE heading to this Psalm tells us the occasion i 
 
 ot it ; namely, when David was in peril, hid in 
 the caves of Engedi. It probably contains the feel- 
 ings which he then expressed, and which were after- 
 wards committed to writing. 
 
 The danger he was in called forth all his trust. 
 His earnest cry was lifted up to God ; he poured 
 out his complaint before Him ; he told Him of his 
 trouble. But whilst thus overwhelmed, and exposed 
 to the snares which his enemies were laying for him, 
 
PSALM CXLII. 
 
 he comforted himself with the thought that there 
 was One above who knew every step in his path ; 
 there was a sheltering hand ever over him. 
 
 See too how naturally he looked for human 
 succour, but in vain. And this it was which drove 
 him closer to his God ; I looked on my right 
 hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would 
 know me : refuge failed me ; no man cared for my 
 soul. I cried unto thee, O Lord ; I said, Thou art 
 my refuge and my portion in the land of the living." 
 
 When in that case he felt his utter helplessness, 
 and at the same time the almighty power of God. 
 It is well too if we learn this at any cost. The 
 drying up of all our earthly streams is the only thing 
 which will send us in earnest to the Fountain of 
 living waters. 
 
 How humble his supplication is, Attend unto 
 my cry." He felt that he had no claim upon 
 God s help ; but he entreats Him, on account of his 
 wretchedness, not to turn a deaf ear to his urgent 
 cry. Though God has many calls to listen to, He 
 will never pass by the cry of His needy and be- 
 lieving servants. 
 
 Again he prays, " Bring my soul out of prison." 
 That cave was a dreary prison to him. And we too 
 seem oftentimes to be shut up and cannot get out. 
 Some trouble compasses us in on every side, and 
 there appears no way of escape. The world encloses 
 us ; Satan imprisons us ; our own evil thoughts and 
 
310 
 
 PSALM CXLII. 
 
 desires forge chains as it were to bind us. Christ 
 alone can set us free. Let us apply to Him then, 
 Bring my soul out of prison." Burst our bonds 
 and set us free. Deliver us from our bondage, and 
 give us the true liberty of Thy ransomed children. 
 
 s 
 
311 
 
 Psalm CXLIII. 
 
 Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications : in 
 thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. 
 2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant : for in 
 thy sight shall no man living be justified. ^ For the 
 enemy hath persecuted my soul ; he hath smitten my life 
 down to the ground ; he hath made me to dwell in dark- 
 ness, as those that have been long dead. * Therefore is 
 my spirit overwhelmed within me ; my heart within me 
 is desolate. ^ I remember the days of old ; I meditate on 
 all thy works ; I muse on the work of thy hands. I 
 stretch forth my hands unto thee : my soul thirsteth after 
 thee, as a thirsty land. Hear me speedily, O Lord : my 
 spirit faileth : hide not thy face from me, lest I be like 
 unto them that go down into the pit. ^ Cause me to hear 
 thy lovingkindness in the morning ; for in thee do I 
 trust : cause me to know the way wherein I should walk ; 
 for I lift up my soul unto thee. ^ Deliver me, O Lord, 
 from mine enemies : I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach 
 me to do thy will ; for thou art my God : thy spirit is 
 good ; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken 
 me, O Lord, for thy name's sake : for thy righteousness' 
 sake bring my soul out of tilDuble. - And of thy mercy 
 cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my 
 soul : for I am thy servant. 
 
 npHE first part of this Psalm contains a de- 
 claration of David's distress and complaint ; 
 the last part, his prayer and hope. There is a 
 
PSALM CXLIIL 
 
 repose and quietness about the Psalmist's mind, 
 which looks down as from a high tower and spreads 
 its wants before God. He appeals to God's faith- 
 fulness in fulfilling all His promises, and to His 
 righteousness or goodness towards those who seek 
 Him. 
 
 What he says in the second verse shows his 
 true humility. He asks God not to enter into 
 judgment with His servant — not to be extreme to 
 mark all that is done amiss — for at this rate not 
 one among us could be justified in His sight. 
 Thank God, He is full of mercy, and deals not 
 with us according to our strict deserts. 
 
 In the midst of his trials and persecutions he 
 says, "I remember the days of old;" that is, I 
 think ol' former deliverances, and the many acts ot 
 kindness and mercy which I have received ; and 
 this encourages me. Now is the dark hour of 
 sorrow with me — the night of weeping ; but 
 cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the 
 morning ; for in thee do I trust ; cause me to 
 know the way wherein I should walk ; for I lift 
 up my soul unto thee." He asks to be shown the 
 way of safety, the way in which he should find 
 refuge. 
 
 He asks too for God's teaching — that holy 
 teaching which shall not only enlighten his eyes, 
 but mould his heart ; Teach me to do thy will ;" 
 and again, Lead me into the land of uprightness " 
 
PSALM CXLIII. 
 
 — unto those blessed paths where all is right, and 
 free from evil. 
 
 He further prays for God's quickening grace, 
 to stir him up and give life to his soul ; Quicken 
 me, O Lord, for thy name's sake." Not only does 
 the sleeper need to be awakened, and the dead to 
 live ; but those who have been awakened and are 
 alive daily need to have their souls renewed, and 
 fresh life given them. 
 
 Having once more entreated God to deliver him 
 from his enemies, he concludes with the thankful 
 and loyal acknowledgment, for I am thy servant." 
 He gloried in the name even of a servant, and 
 felt it was his highest honour to have God for his 
 Master. 
 
Psalm CXLIV. 
 
 Blessed be the Lord my strength, wljich teacheth my hands 
 to war, and my fingers to fight. ^ My goodness, and my 
 fortress ; my high tower, and my dehverer ; my shield, 
 and he in whom I trust ; who subdueth my people under 
 me. ^ Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of 
 him ! or the son of man, that thou makest account of 
 him ! ^ Man is like to vanity : his days are as a shadow 
 that passeth away. ^Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and 
 come down : touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. 
 ^ Cast forth lightning, and scatter them : shoot out thine 
 arrows, and destroy them. Send thine hand from above ; 
 rid iijie, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand 
 of strange children ; ® Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and 
 their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. ^ I will 
 sing a new song unto thee, O God : upon a psaltery and 
 an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. 
 ^'^ It is he that giveth salvation unto kings : who delivereth 
 David his servant from the hurtful sword. " Rid me, 
 and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose 
 mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right 
 hand of falsehood : That our sons may be as plants 
 grown up in their youth ; that our daughters may be as 
 corner-stones, polished after the similitude of a palace ; 
 
 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of 
 store ; that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten 
 thousands in our streets ; That our oxen may be strong 
 to labour ; that there be no breaking in, nor going out ; 
 that there be no complaining in our streets. Happy is 
 
PSALM CXLIV. 
 
 that people, that is in such a case : yea, happy is that 
 people, whose God is the Lord. 
 
 JT has been remarked that this Psalm forms a 
 transition from the two Prayer-Psalms preceding 
 it, and to the Song of Praise which immediately 
 follows it. The cloud of adversity was already 
 beginning to disperse, and the sun of salvation was 
 on the eve. of breaking forth. 
 
 David begins by acknowledging his gratitude 
 to God for having taught him and helped him 
 manfully to resist his enemies. He speaks of 
 Him as his Goodness, his Fortress, his Tower of 
 Strength, his Deliverer, and his Shield ; and ex- 
 presses his wonder that He who was so great 
 should notice one so insignificant as himself 
 
 In the eighteenth Psalm he spoke of what God 
 had done — how marvellously He showed His power 
 in delivering him ; He bowed the heavens and came 
 down, and darkness was under his feet." And here 
 he uses similar language in his prayer that God 
 would now help him. What the Lord had once 
 done for him, he asks Him to do again. For 
 he now says, Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and 
 come down : touch the mountains, and they shall 
 smoke," &c. 
 
 And fully assured that the Lord would stand 
 forward for his rescue, he says, I will sing a new 
 song unto thee, O God " — a song of thankfulness, 
 a song of praise. 
 
3i6 
 
 PSALM CXLIV. 
 
 In the four last verses he shows what would be 
 the happy consequences of such a deliverance. 
 General prosperity and plenty would be the result, 
 and the rising generation would become ornaments 
 to God's Church ; that our sons may be as plants 
 grown up in their youth ; that our daughters may 
 be as corner-stones, polished after the similitude of 
 a palace." There would be joy on all faces, and 
 contentment in all minds. There would be plenty 
 too on all sides — full garners — prolific flocks — 
 abundant labour accomplished — and not a com- 
 plaint uttered throughout the land. 
 
 David felt that such would be the effect of the 
 Lord's interference ; and to this he looks forward 
 with unshaken confidence and hope. And as if 
 this d^l iverance had already come, bringing its 
 blessed fruits with it, he exclaims, Happy is that 
 people that is in such a case ; yea, happy is that 
 people whose God is the Lord." Happy you and 
 I, if we have David's trust, and if we can feel that 
 David's God is our God ! 
 
317 
 
 Psalm CXLV. 1-13. 
 
 I will extol thee, my God, O King ; and I will bless thy name 
 for ever and ever. ^ Every day will I bless thee ; and I 
 will praise thy name for ever and ever. ^ Great is the 
 Lord, and greatly to be praised ; and his greatness is 
 unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to 
 another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. ^ I will speak 
 of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous 
 works. ® And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible 
 acts ; and I will declare thy greatness. ' They shall 
 abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and 
 shall sing of thy righteousness. ® The Lord is gracious, 
 and full of compassion ; slow to anger, and of great 
 mercy. ® The Lord is good to all ; and his tender mercies 
 are over all his works. ^^All thy works shall praise thee, 
 O Lord ; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall 
 speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power. 
 *2 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and 
 the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is 
 an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth 
 throughout all generations. 
 
 nPHIS is an easy-flowing song of praise, the out- 
 
 pouring of a grateful heart. The Jews re- 
 mark, that 'he is a son of the world to come who 
 is able to pray this Psalm three times a-day from 
 his heart' It is indeed a kind of Our Father " 
 for every thankful one. 
 
 " I will extol (or make much of) thee, my God, 
 O King ; and I will bless thy name for ever and 
 ever. Every day will I bless thee, and I will 
 
3i8 
 
 PSALM CXLV. I-13. 
 
 praise thy name for ever and ever.'* Such was the 
 Psalmist's resolve ; and why ? Because the Lord 
 is great and glorious. He heaps words upon words 
 to express his sense of God's greatness. He calls 
 God his King, and thus compels himself and all 
 earthly powers to keep their proper place, lest they 
 should obscure the glory of God. 
 
 But not only does he speak of God's greatness, 
 but also of His goodness. His slowness to anger, 
 and of His great mercy. This goodness is every- 
 where manifest; and the spacious folds of His 
 mantle of mercy furnish a hiding-place for all 
 who seek it. 
 
 Having addressed God as his King, he now 
 speaks of His kingdom. But how unlike this to 
 other kingdoms ! They are powerless in com- 
 parison with God's kingdom. They are small and 
 insignificant, but His is almighty and all-extensive : 
 " Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy 
 dominion endureth throughout all generations." It 
 will survive all the transitory kingdoms of this 
 world. They are ever struggling to become greater 
 and greater ; but this has in itself a greatness which 
 excels all. Daniel, speaking of the heavenly king- 
 dom, says, that it shall never be destroyed, and it 
 shall stand fast for ever." 
 
 God grant that we mfey have our part in this 
 kingdom ! May we be citizens of it now, and share 
 the everlasting glories of it hereafter with our risen 
 ^nd ascended Lord I 
 
319 
 
 Psalm CXLV. 14-21. 
 
 The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that 
 be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon thee ; 
 and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou 
 openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every 
 living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and 
 holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them 
 that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. 
 
 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him : he also 
 will hear their cry, and will save them. The Lord pre- 
 serveth all them that love him : but all the wicked will 
 he destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the 
 Lord : and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and 
 ever. 
 
 T^HE Psalmist, having in the former verses 
 
 declared that the Lord is gracious," and 
 good to all," enlarges upon this by showing how 
 this goodness is manifested : — 
 
 First, in His condescension to the afflicted and 
 the hnmble ; " The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and 
 raiseth up all those that be bowed down." Han- 
 nah describes the same feature in the Lord's 
 goodness ; " He raiseth up the poor out of the 
 dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, 
 to set them among princes, and to make them 
 inherit the thronfe of glory," He loves to help 
 
320 
 
 PSALM CXLV. 14-21. 
 
 the helpless, and to visit the meek with sal- 
 vation. 
 
 Secondly, in His botmty towards His needy 
 creatures ; The eyes of all wait upon thee ; and 
 thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou 
 openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of 
 every living thing." Men speak of nature provid- 
 ing for the necessities of all; but the eye of the 
 Psalmist sees a kind and gracious God spreading 
 the table for every living creature. His bounteous 
 hand has been thus stretched out for thousands 
 of years, and yet it is not grown empty. He 
 still feeds and satisfies those whom He has 
 created. 
 
 Thirdly, in hearkening to the petitions of those 
 who fe^r Him and call tip on His name ; ^'The 
 Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, 
 to all ^that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil 
 the desires of them that fear him ; he also will 
 hear their cry, and will save them." He is a 
 prayer-hearing God ; and is ready to relieve even 
 before our cry for help is uttered. 
 
 Lastly, The Lord preserveth all them that 
 love him : but all the wicked will he destroy." 
 It is true, the Lord maketh. His sun to rise on 
 the just and on the unjust, and sends His rain on 
 the just and on the unjust alike, so that none goes 
 away with empty hands ; but what are the gifts 
 of sunshine and rain compared with the glorious 
 
PSALM CXLV. 14-21. 
 
 321 
 
 blessings which He bestows upon them that fear 
 Him? 
 
 The Psalmist in the last verse not only declares 
 generally that all shall join in praising this glorious 
 God, but that he will not suffer his own mouth to 
 be silent. 
 
 VOL. ir. 
 
 Y 
 
322 
 
 Psalm CXLVI. 
 
 Praise ye the Lord. Pi'aise the Lord, O my soul. - While I 
 live will I praise the Lord : I will sing praises unto my 
 God while I have any being. ^ Put not your trust in 
 princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 
 4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth ; in that 
 very day his thoughts perish. ^ Happy is he that hath 
 the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord 
 his God : ^ Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and 
 all that therein is : which keepeth truth for ever : 
 ^ Wliich executeth judgment for the oppressed : which 
 giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the pri- 
 soners : ^ The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind : the 
 Lor^ raiseth them that are bowed down : the Lord loveth 
 the righteous : ^ The Lord preserveth the strangers ; he 
 relieveth the fatherless and widow : but the way of the 
 wicked he turneth upside down. The Lord shall reig^n 
 for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. 
 Praise ye the Lord. 
 
 'T'HE Psalmist here calls upon men to praise the 
 
 Lord ; and having done so he summons his 
 own heart to this happy work, expressing his 
 determination so long as his life is spared to be 
 ever uttering His praises. 
 
 He had himself found the utter folly of trusting 
 to the help of men, even the most powerful men. 
 They may have large possessions here on earth,, 
 but no part of it is really their own, but the 
 
PSALM CXLVI. 
 
 little bit in which they shall lie till the morning 
 of the resurrection ; He returneth to his earth." 
 But on the other hand he Avill know how blessed 
 a thing it is to have an almighty arm to lean 
 upon ; Happy is the man that hath the God of 
 Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his 
 God." 
 
 Now observe the various reasons he gives why 
 God should be thus trusted. 
 
 Fi7^st, because He is the great Creator of all 
 things ; " which made heaven and earth, the sea, 
 and all that- therein is." Here then is One stronsf 
 indeed to rely upon. 
 
 Secondly, because He is true to His promises ; 
 He keepeth truth for ever." No word of His 
 ever has or ever will fall to the ground. 
 
 Thirdly, because He is the Avenger of those 
 who are wronged; He executeth judgment for 
 the oppressed." 
 
 Fourthly, because He bountifully provides for 
 the wants and necessities of His creatures ; He 
 giveth food to the hungry." This He does by 
 supplying the ordinary cravings of man and beast. 
 Sometimes he does it in a special way, as in the 
 case of Elijah. Sometimes He does it miracu- 
 lously, as when in the person of Christ He fed the 
 four thousand. And is He not ready to feed us 
 spiritually, to dispense the bread of life to His 
 hungering children } 
 
324 
 
 PSALM CXLVI. 
 
 Fifthly^ because He looks with an eye of pity 
 upon those who are in sorrow — the prisoner, the 
 bHnd, the oppressed, the stranger, the fatherless 
 and widow. Whatever be our bodily ailment, or 
 our spiritual need, He has an ear to listen, and a 
 heart to feel for the wants of all. Their distress is 
 of itself a sufficient plea for His acceptance. 
 
 Lastly^ because He not only discerns between 
 the righteous and the wicked, but the one He 
 keeps under His loving care, whilst He overthrows 
 the schemes and projects of the other. 
 
 How comforting is this truth — '^theLord loveth 
 the righteous." In one sense it may be said that 
 He loves all, even the wicked. Towards them 
 however it is the love of pity and compassion; 
 but towards His own people He feels the affection 
 of a Father. Well may we rejoice in such a God, 
 and be thankful that His reign will be an endless 
 one. 
 
325 
 
 Psalm CXLVII. i-ii. 
 
 Praise ye the Lord : for it is good to sing praises unto our 
 God ; for it is pleasant ; and praise is comely. - The 
 Lord doth build up Jerusalem : he gathereth together the 
 outcasts of Israel. ^ He healeth the broken in heart, and 
 bindeth up their wounds. * He telleth the number of the 
 stars ; he calleth them all by their names. ^ Great is our 
 Lord, and of great power : his understanding is infinite. 
 * The Lord lifteth up the meek : he casteth the wicked 
 down to the ground. Sing unto the Lord with thanks- 
 giving ; sing praise upon the harp unto our God : ^ Who 
 covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for 
 the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. 
 ^ He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens 
 which cry. He delighteth not in the strength of the 
 horse : he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. 
 *^ The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in 
 those that hope in his mercy. 
 
 T^HE four last Psalms belong to one and the 
 
 same class. Their tone is entirely joyful, 
 without any background of lamentation, as in other 
 Psalms. They are supposed to have been written 
 after the release of the Jev/s from their captivity, 
 when the city was rebuilt. In Neh. xii. 43, we are 
 told that " they offered in that day great sacrifices, 
 and rejoiced ; for God had given them great joy, 
 and also the women and children rejoiced ; so that 
 the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off." 
 
326 
 
 PSALM CXLVII. I-II. 
 
 Having sounded the note of praise in the first 
 verse, the Psalmist speaks of it as a good thing, 
 and a comely or fitting thing, for any one to engage 
 in. It is a work that brings its own v/ages ; and it 
 is indeed a comely work, for in giving honour to 
 God we really do ourselves honour. 
 
 He then proceeds to enumerate some of the 
 Lord's excellencies : — 
 
 Firsts He shows special kindness to Israel, 
 raising the fallen, and gathering the scattered. 
 
 The Lord doth build up Jerusalem : he gathereth 
 together the outcasts of Israel." Jerusalem and its 
 scattered inhabitants had just experienced His 
 mercy. 
 
 Secondly^ He restores His bruised and contrite 
 ones ; He healeth the broken in heart, and bind- 
 eth up their wounds." 
 
 Thirdly, He preserves order in the firmament 
 above, giving proof of His power, and the greatness 
 of His understanding; "He telleth the number of 
 the stars ; he calleth them all by their names. 
 Great is our Lord, and of great power ; his under- 
 standing is infinite." 
 
 FoicrtJily, He takes pleasure in upholding the 
 lowly, and in crushing the pride of the sinner ; 
 
 The Lord lifteth up the meek : he casteth the 
 wicked down to the ground." 
 
 Fifthly, He provides a sufficiency of rain for 
 the earth, so that the grass springs up abundantly, 
 
PSALM CXLVII. 1-1 1. 
 
 and the beasts and birds have no lack of food ; 
 
 who covereth the heaven with clouds, who pre- 
 pareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to 
 grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast 
 his food, and to the ravens which cry." 
 
 Lastly, He takes pleasure in the love and fear 
 of His children ; this is more pleasing to Him than 
 the exercise of their strength and power. 
 
 It is good thus to mark the excellencies of God, 
 and to praise Him for what He is in Himself, as 
 well as for what He has done for us. This kind of 
 love is indeed good ; it is pleasant, and comely ; 
 it brings glory to God, and exalts our own souls. 
 
328 
 
 Psalm CXLVII. 12-20. 
 
 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem ; praise thy God, O Zion, 
 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates ; he 
 hath blessed thy children within thee. He maketh 
 peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of 
 the wheat. He sendeth forth his commandment upon 
 earth ; his word runneth very swiftly. He giveth snow- 
 like wool : he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. He 
 casteth forth his ice like morsels : who can stand before 
 his cold ? He sendeth out his word, and melteth them : 
 he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow. ^» He 
 showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judg- 
 ments unto Israel. -'^ He hath not d^alt so with any 
 nation : and as for his judgments, they have not known 
 them. Praise ye the Lord. 
 
 nPHE Psalmist in these lines calls upon his Jewish 
 
 brethren more especially to sing the praises 
 of God. They of all men had reason to do so ; 
 
 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates ; 
 he hath blessed thy children within thee." He 
 had oftentimes done this, making Jerusalem the 
 terror of its enemies, and a peaceful resting-place 
 for its children. It had its bars and its gates ; but 
 this w^as not enough. God must strengthen those 
 bars and fortify those fortifications, or they would 
 be worse than useless. 
 
 " He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth 
 
PSALM CXLVII. 12-20. 
 
 thee with the finest of the wheat/* He not only 
 makes their defences sure, but grants them the 
 blessing of peace, and with it plenty. Canaan was 
 a fruitful land ; but nothing prospered, when the 
 curse of war prevailed. And is it not He who 
 "maketh peace" in the soul, who calms the trou- 
 bled spirit, and breathes peace within ? 
 
 " He giveth snow, like wool ; he scattereth the 
 hoarfrost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like 
 morsels : who can stand before his cold He has 
 only to give the command, and the earth is pre- 
 sently covered with a snowy fleece, and frost and 
 hail and ice are sprinkled on the ground. And 
 then His word goes forth again, and He melteth 
 them : he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters 
 flow." 
 
 Probably the Psalmist may be speaking a 
 parable here. The snow and hoar and frost may 
 be an image of the dreary trials which Israel had 
 been passing through ; and the south wind dis- 
 pelling it all may be emblematic of God's mercy in 
 bringing joy and prosperity again to His people. 
 
 But God's word is specially directed towards 
 Israel, and His judgments towards Israel. He 
 takes them into His especial guidance, giving them 
 various laws, and regulating their conduct accord- 
 ing to His will. And well it may be said of them, 
 "He hath not dealt so wath any nation ; and as for 
 his judgments, they have not known them." There 
 
330 
 
 PSALM CXLVII. 12-20. 
 
 is no nation which He watched over with such 
 loving care — no people to w^hom He gave such 
 minute directions — revealing to them His will, and 
 displaying towards them the tenderness of a Father 
 and a Friend. 
 
 And may not we say of ourselves, He hath 
 not dealt so with any nation" — so kindly, so 
 graciously, so condescendingly ? Let us therefore 
 exclaim, Praise ye the Lord." 
 
331 
 
 Psalm CXLVIII. 
 
 Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens : 
 praise him in the heights. ^ Praise ye him, all his angels : 
 praise ye him, all his hosts. ^ Praise ye him, sun and 
 moon : praise him, all ye stars of light. * Praise him, ye 
 heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the 
 heavens. ^ Let them praise the name of the Lord : for 
 he commanded, and they were created. ^ He hath also 
 stablished them for ever and ever : he hath made a decree 
 which shall not pass. ^ Praise the Lord from the earth, 
 ye dragons, and all deeps : ^ Fire and hail ; snow, and 
 vapours ; stormy wind, fulfilling his word : ^ Mountains, 
 and all hills ; fruitful trees, and all cedars : Beasts, and 
 all cattle ; creeping things, and flying fowl : Kings of 
 the earth, and all people ; princes, and all judges of the 
 earth : Both young men and maidens ; old men and 
 children : Let them praise the name of the Lord : for his 
 name alone is excellent ; his glory is above the earth and 
 heaven. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the 
 praise of all his saints ; even of the children of Israel, a 
 people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord. 
 
 TT ERE is another invitation to all created things 
 
 to unite in one great tribute of praise. The 
 Psalmist first lifts his eyes to. the heaven above, 
 with its various inhabitants — those thousands and 
 ten thousands who minister unto Him. Next, he 
 calls upon the Sun, Moon, and Stars, which seem 
 to bedeck its surface ; and the Waters, or Clouds, 
 
332 
 
 PSALM CXLVIII. 
 
 which appear at times to rise above it. All are 
 exhorted to join in this glorious work of praise. 
 Nothing is too high ; nothing too low. Let 
 them praise the name of the Lord : for he com- 
 manded, and they were created. He hath also 
 stablished them (or kept them in their places) for 
 ever and ever : he hath made a decree which shall 
 not pass." His laws concerning them are fixed 
 and unchangeable. 
 
 The Earth below is also invited to join in this 
 eucharistic chorus ; Ye dragons (or whales) and 
 all deeps ; fire (or lightning) and hail ; snow and 
 vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word" — each 
 executing God s commands, and doing the work 
 to which He appoints it ; mountains and all hills ; 
 fruitful trees and all cedars ; beasts and all cattle ; 
 creeping things and flying fowl." 
 
 And lastly He summons the Great Men of the 
 earth, both young and old, to praise Him with 
 their lips and lives. Kings are named, because God 
 has especially glorified Himself in them; the old, 
 whose long life contains many proofs of His good- 
 ness ; and the young, whose fresh vigour is in itself 
 a matter of praise. 
 
 We may be surprised that we should be asso- 
 ciated with the dumb and inanimate creation in 
 this work. But do not they tend to the promotion 
 of His glory as much or more than ourselves ? 
 By their obedience to His will, by their beauty 
 
PSALM CXLVIII. 
 
 333 
 
 and their excellence, they daily and hourly show 
 forth the praises of the Lord, whilst we do it but 
 rarely, and not without effort. 
 
 Let them all praise the name of the Lord ; for 
 His greatness and glory are excellent, and He it is 
 who exalte th the horn (or power) of His people, 
 even of Israel, a people near unto Him." Mark 
 this expression of the Lord's tenderness towards 
 His people. He is far above them, dwelling in 
 the light which no man approacheth unto ; but He 
 is very near to those who love Him — near to them 
 to bless them and hear their prayers, and supply 
 their minutest wants — and especially near to them 
 in the person of His Son, ''through whom we have 
 access by one Spirit unto the Father.'* 
 
,334 
 
 Psalm CXLIX. 
 
 Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and 
 his praise in the congregation of saints. ^ Let Israel 
 rejoice in him that made him : let the children of Zion be 
 joyful in their King. ^ Let them praise his name in the 
 dance : let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel 
 and harp. * For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people ; 
 he will beautify the meek with salvation. ^ Let the saints 
 be joyful in glory : let them sing aloud upon their beds. 
 ^ Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two- 
 edged sword in their hand ; To execute vengeance upon 
 the heathen, and punishments upon the people ; ^ To 
 bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters 
 of iron ; ^To execute upon them the judgment written : 
 this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord. 
 
 /"^ OD'S mercies are new every morning ; and 
 
 therefore we are here called upon to " sing a 
 new song," and to utter our praises in the public 
 assemblies of His people; for there God loves to 
 be praised and honoured. 
 
 Israel is more especially urged to this joyful 
 work ; Let Israel rejoice in him that made him : 
 let the children of Zion be joyful in their King." 
 Happy people to have such a King — a Sovereign 
 who watches over them with almighty care, and 
 with loving tenderness. 
 
 Let them praise his name in the dance." 
 There was of old a kind of sacred dance, accom- 
 
PSALM CXLIX. 
 
 335 
 
 panied with music ; by which they showed their 
 joy, and set forth the praises of God. Such a 
 mode of praise has given place to other w^ays of 
 displaying our thankfulness; but still we are bound 
 to testify our gratitude to God by every means in 
 bur power. 
 
 Let the saints be joyful in glory," or honour. 
 Let them be thankful to God for having raised 
 them to honour, and having delivered them from 
 the shame in which they once lay. Let them 
 sing aloud upon their beds," — on those beds of rest 
 where He giveth His beloved sleep ; and those beds 
 of suffering where He chastens them in love. 
 
 But whilst they praise with their lips, they 
 must defend themselves against their enemies with 
 a two-edged sword in their 'hands. Nehemiah tells 
 us that, in building the city, they worked with 
 sword in hand ; so now they are called upon to 
 praise God, but with their swords ready to complete 
 the overthrow of their enemies. 
 
 We must have bold and valiant hearts, as well 
 as thankful ones ; and be ready to show our zeal 
 for the Lord of Hosts against His enemies; ''This 
 honour have all his saints." 
 
 Let us be ready then either for the peaceful 
 work of praise, or the more laborious work of 
 fighting our battles and those of our God. Though 
 the one is a happier work than the other, we must 
 not shrink from it. 
 
336 
 
 Psalm CL. 
 
 Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary : praise 
 him in the firmament of his power. ^ Praise him for his 
 mighty acts : praise him according to his excellent great- 
 ness. ^ Praise him with the sound of the trumpet : praise 
 him with the psaltery and harp. * Praise him with the 
 timbrel and dance : praise him with stringed instruments 
 and organs. ^ Praise him upon the loud cymbals : praise 
 him upon the high sounding cymbals. ^ Let every thing 
 that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. 
 
 T^HE last Psalm in this beautiful Book begins 
 
 and ends, like the four which preceded it, 
 with " Praise ye the Lord." 
 
 We are here told zvhcre we should praise Him. 
 In the earthly Sanctuary and in the heavenly 
 Temple ; Praise God in his sanctuary : praise 
 him in the firmament of his power." If we begin 
 to praise Him here, we shall continue that happy 
 work in heaven ; and then we shall praise Him 
 without imperfection and without cessation. It is 
 done but poorly here ; but it will be well done 
 there. 
 
 We are also here told ivhy we should praise 
 Him; *'For his mighty acts," and for ''his excel- 
 lent greatness," — for all His goodness towards men 
 and towards ourselves, and for the greatness and 
 nobleness of His character. 
 
PSALM CL. 
 
 337 
 
 Again, we are told wJicrcwitJi we should praise 
 Him ; with various kinds of instruments — the 
 trumpet, the psaltery, the harp, the timbrel, the 
 organ, and the cymbals. In praising God we 
 should spare no cost or pains. Everything should 
 be pressed into His service, and made to resound 
 His praises. And let us remember it is not only 
 with holy voices and holy sounds that we should 
 praise God, but also with holy acts, not only with 
 our lips, but in our lives. This is the best music, 
 and the sweetest melody, in God's ears. 
 
 Lastly, we are told wJio should praise Him : 
 Everything that hath breath," — every creature that 
 breathes, and above all, every man who has a heart 
 to feel and a tongue to utter thankfulness. Having 
 breath, let it be perfumed with the praises of God. 
 Let it be to us as the air we breathe, without which 
 we cannot live. Soon we shall breathe God's 
 praises in a purer and better air. 
 
 And shall I be silent } Shall I be dumb when 
 all Creation sings to God's glory } O Lord, quicken 
 this dull heart of mine, and tune it to sing Thy 
 praises ! May I catch something of the Psalmist's 
 spirit, and with him praise my God throughout 
 eternity ! 
 
 VOL. n. 
 
 z 
 
LONDON : 
 Printed by John Strangeways, Cast'.e St. 
 Leicester Sq. 
 
MESSRS. HATCHARD'S 
 NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Just published, in crown 8vo. cloth antique, price 4^-. dd. 
 
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 No. d. 
 
 1. The Bible 1 
 
 2. Prayer 1 
 
 8. Public PrHver 1 
 
 4. Faniily Pravcr 1 
 
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 Ditto ; in cover" .. .* 3 
 
 6. The Sinuer and the Saviour . . 1 
 
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 8. Are you Ready ? 1 
 
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 of being Christened ..... . 1 
 
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 are the Welcome Guests ? . . 1 
 
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 13. How shall I spend Sunday ? 1 
 
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 lo. The Great Journey 1 
 
 IG. How shall I spend Christmas? 1 
 
 17. 1 am Deaf, and therefore do not 
 
 go to Church 1 
 
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 and but few understand . . 1 
 
 19. Old John ; or, the Bible with 
 
 a large Print 1 
 
 20. Is my State a safe one? 1 
 
 21. Poor Sarah 1 
 
 22. The Holy Spirit 1 
 
 23. A Happy New Year 1 
 
 24. A Wo id or two about Lent .. 1 
 
 25. How shall I spend Whitsun 
 
 tide? 1 
 
 No. d, 
 
 26. Private Prayers for Cottagers 1 
 
 lUrto, in cover 2 
 
 27. How shall 1 spend To-dav ? .. 1 
 
 28. What shall I do this Michael- 
 
 mas? 1 
 
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 30. A Word or Two for Servants . . 1 
 
 31. My Duly to the Heathen .... 1 
 
 32. The Promised Land 1 
 
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 34. WJiat can I do for my Church 
 
 and my Parish ? 1 
 
 So. Thoughts for the Sick and Sor- 
 
 rovvful 2 
 
 36. Tlie Pathway through tlic 
 
 Corn-field 1 
 
 S7. Simple Truth for the Unlearned 1 
 
 .S8. Do you believe the Bible? 1 
 
 oS. True and Falst- Repentance.. 1 
 
 40. David Jones, or, the old Welsh 
 
 Churchman 1 
 
 41. Alfred Barton; or, the Down- 
 
 hill Path 1 
 
 42. The Great Deliverer 1 
 
 45. The Joyful Resurrection .... 1 
 
 44. Heavenward. A Tract for 
 
 Ascension Day 1 
 
 45. Deathbeds 1 
 
 46. The Sleeping Sinner on Earth 1 
 
 47. The Awakened Sinner in Hell 1 
 
 48. The Penitent Sinner on Earth 1 
 
 49. The -Saycci Sinner in Heaven 1 
 
 PLUCKLEY TRACTS. 
 
 OLD TESTAMENT SERIES. 
 2b for Is. 4rf. assorted) or the 33 lunnhers in packety 2s. 
 
 No. d. 
 
 1. Adam; or the Forfeited In- 
 
 heritance 1 
 
 2. Cain and Abel; or, the Inhdei 
 
 and the True Believer 1 
 
 3. Enoch; or, a Close Walk with 
 
 God 1 
 
 4- Metliuselah; or, Life's Pil- 
 grimage 1 
 
 5. Noali ; or, the Preacliing Life 1 
 
 6. Abraham ; or, Faitli and Works 1 
 
 7. Lot; or, the IJnhanpy Choice 1 
 
 8. Isaac ; or, the Child of Pronii.?e I 
 
 9. Jacob; or, the Wrestler with 
 
 God I 
 
 10. Joseph ; or, tlie Secret of True 
 Prosperity ,,,, 1 
 
 No. d. 
 \l. Job; or, the Blessing of AfSic- 
 tion 
 
 12. Moses ; or, the Faithful Leader 
 
 13. Pharaoh ; or, the Gradual Hard- 
 
 ening of the Heart ........ 
 
 14. Balaam; or, the Empty Wish 
 
 15. Joshua; or, the Pious Officer 
 
 16. Samson; or, Man's WeaknesB 
 
 and God's Strength 
 
 17. Ruth ; or, tlie Mourner Com- 
 
 forted 
 
 IS. Eli; or, Mistaken Kindness .. 
 
 19. Samuel ; or, the Son of many 
 
 Prayers , 
 
 20. Saul; or, Misery in the midst 
 
 oi Greatness 
 
PLUCKLEY TRACTS. 
 
 OtD TESTAMENT 
 No. d. 
 
 21. David; or, tlieM -n after God's 
 own Heart 2 
 
 23. Solomon; or, Grace is Better 
 than Wisdom 
 
 23. Elijah; or, the Tearless Maa 
 
 of God 
 
 24. Elisha; or, tlie Lowly Ex- 
 
 alted 
 
 25. Hezekiah; or, the Good King 
 
 26. Manasseli; or, tlie lloyal Peni- 
 
 tent 
 
 27. Josiah; or, the Right-minded 
 
 King 
 
 No. d, 
 
 28. Daniel; or, the Safety of those 
 
 Avho Trust God I 
 
 29. Shadrach, Mesliach, and Abed- 
 
 nego; or, Deliverance iu the 
 
 Midst of D'ina:er 
 
 3D. Jonah ; or, the Withered Gourd 
 
 31. Belshazzar; or the Hand- 
 
 writing on the Wall 
 
 32. Nehemiah; or, Prayer the 
 
 Secret of Success 
 
 33. Hanian; or, the Favour;te Dis- 
 
 graced 
 
 PLUCKLEY TRACTS. 
 
 NEW TESTAMENT SERIES. 
 
 26 for Is. 4i. assorted, or the 34 numbers in 'packet^ 2s, 
 
 No. 
 
 34. St. John the Baptist; or, the 
 
 Voice in the Wilderness 
 
 35. Simeon; or, the Aged BeUevcr 
 
 36. Andrew; or, the True-hearted 
 
 Brother 
 
 37. St. Peter; or, Strength and 
 
 Weakness. Part I 
 
 38. St. Peter; or, the Zealous and 
 
 Faithful Minister. Part II. 
 
 39. St. ?i(ratthew; or, Leaving ail 
 
 for iChrist 
 
 40. Lazf/rus and his Sisters ; or, the 
 
 Fi^mily whom Jesus Loved-. 
 
 41. Zac/cheus; or, the Seeker Be- 
 
 v\/arded 
 
 42. Mary; or, the Honoured Mother 
 
 43. Judas Iscariot; or, a Traitor 
 
 among the Twelve 
 
 44. Saul;, or, the Pharisee Con- 
 
 verted 
 
 45. St. Paul; or, the Soldier of 
 
 Christ 
 
 46. Nicodemiis ; rr, the Weak Be- 
 
 liever made Strong 
 
 47. Pilate; or, the Unrighteous 
 
 Judge 
 
 48. The Dying Thief; or. Salvation 
 
 to the Uttermost 
 
 49. St, Stephen; or, the Fearless 
 
 Martyr 
 
 50. The Woman who was a Sinner; 
 
 or, the Penitent's Love to 
 
 Christ 
 
 61. Mary Magdalene; or, the 
 Faithful Mourner at tlie Cvoss 
 
 No. 
 
 52. Cornelius; or, the First-fruiis 
 
 from among the Gentiles 
 
 53. Onesinius; or, the Converted 
 
 54. St. John ; or, tlie Disciple 
 
 whom Jesus Loved 
 
 55. The Woman of C;.inaan ; or, 
 
 Prayer Heard and Answered 
 
 56. St. Thomas; or, Enc )urage- 
 
 ment to the Weak Believer . . 
 
 57. Philip; or, tlie Heaven-sent 
 
 Guide » 
 
 58. Timothy; or, in the Morning 
 
 Sow thy Seed 
 
 59. Gallio; or, the Spirit of Care- 
 
 less Indilference 
 
 GO. Lydia; or, the Woman whose 
 Heart the Lord opened .... 
 61. The Heathen Jailor; or, What 
 ^ shall I do to he Snved ? .... 
 C2. The Man Born Blmd ; or. Christ 
 near to us in the Hour or 
 
 Need • .... 
 
 63. Ananias and S-tpphira; or the 
 Hidden Falsehood hrought 
 
 to Light 
 
 Simon the Sorcerer; or the 
 
 I'alse Convert 
 
 Anuila and Priscilla; or, the 
 
 Ciiristian Helpers 
 
 Till' Cripple of Betliesda; or, 
 Wilt thou he made Whole? 
 G7. Joseph of Arimathea; or. i 
 Hidden One of Christ's Flock 
 
 64. 
 
 65 
 
 C6. 
 
 London : HATCHARDS, Piccadilly; 
 
 HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO. PATERNOSTEll ROW.