This Ps. was prob. composed as an evening Ps., on the same occasion as Ps. iii. 6-8. (6) set themselves, arrayed themselves for battle. This verse is " a quiet, meek expression of believing confidence. That God will protect him is pledged by the protection of the night."a (7) arise, etc., confidence taking shape as prayer. smitten..bone, denoting violence and humiliation. broken the teeth, fig. taken fr. wild animals. (8) salvation, fr. all kinds of trouble. blessing is, prefer, "Thy blessing be upon Thy people." Different views of salvation reconciled (v. 8).-I. Salvation is of Jehovah. II. It is of Christ, but salvation must be applied, and here two things are requisite-the message and the conveyance, so that salvation is of-III. The Holy Spirit. IV. There must be faith. V. Connected with baptism. VI. It is ascribed to prayer. VII. Is connected with the ministry. VIII. Is laid at the door of our own responsibility. Observe the fourfold basis. 1. The infinite love of the Father; 2. The obedience and sacrifice of Jesus; 3. The operation of the Holy Spirit; 4. The presentation of the Gospel."-Salvation-The text is true in respect to salvation in every sense of the term. I. Temporally. II. Spiritually, the soul's salvation is of the Lord. 1. He is its author, prompted by His goodness, planned by His wisdom, wrought out by His power; 2. He is the finisher of it; 3. He is the preacher of it. III. Physically, in the resurrection. The Book of Psalms.-"The Psalms is a theatre, where God allows us to behold both Himself and His works; a most pleasant green field; a vast garden, where we see all manner of flowers; a paradise, where we see the most delicious flowers and fruits; a great sea, in which are hid costly pearls; a heavenly school, in which we have God for our teacher; a compend of all Scripture ; a mirror of Divine grace, reflecting the lovely face of our heavenly Father, and the anatomy of our souls."f PSALM THE FOURTH. 1—4. (1) hear, more correctly, answer me. God of my righteousness, or my righteous God." enlarged, etc., “thou didst make a broad place for me in the straits," in wh. I lay." a"Thou, who Ref. may be to Saul's persecutions. (2) sons of men, the Heb. maintainest my term used signifies “men in high station," the leaders among his cause. But not enemies. my glory, his united and prosperous kingdom: into be confined to cluding his personal honour. leasing, or lying. (3) godly, this; it also the O. T. design. of the pious. (4) stand in awe, comp. Eph. iv. knowest the 26. True fear would restrain their violence. commune.. bed, righteousness, "let the still night hours bring calmer, wiser thoughts." right and my means, Who the sincerity of The great trials of life (v. 1).-There are four aspects in which my heart and life."-Perowne. David is represented to us as a good man in great trial. I. Prayb"A common sa- ing. In his prayer there is-1. A recognition of God's righteouslutation in Ara- ness; 2. A remembrance of God's goodness; 3. An invocation of bic is 'Space and God's favour. II. Rebuking. It is marked by-1. Boldness; ease to thee.""Spk. Com. 2. By alarm; 3. By authority. III. Teaching. It presents us two grand subjects. 1. The universal craving of humanity; 2. The only satisfaction of humanity. IV. Exulting. 1. God made him inwardly happy, even in his poverty; 2. God made him cond A. S. leas, emp-sciously secure.e c B, ney ioh, men in high station; B, ney adam, men in low station. ty, false. e Dr. Thomas. 5-8. (5) offer, etc., this is best regarded as Dav.'s advice to aThough now his followers.a sacrifices, used here generally for relig. worship." (6) who.. good? apply to Dav.'s followers, whose condition many regarded as desperate. the light, etc., wh. would abundantly cheer despondent hearts. (7) corn and wine, this is said bec. shortness of provision was a chief cause of their distress. (8) in peace, even in the face of all the dangers of another night. Both should be rendered at once; as soon as I lie down calm sleep will come. Comp. 2 Sa. xv. 7-9; and for the general applica19; De. xxxiii. 19. tion, Ps. 1. 14, li. c "The situation gives this the character of a despondent question arising fr. а disheartened view of the fu The light of God's countenance (v. 6).-What is the meaning of this prayer? I. That the mind is decided in seeking happiness in God alone. II. A desire to have a full manifestation of the Divine favour. III. That the mind seeks for clearer evidence of its reconciliation to God. IV. That the soul has already had such a taste of the blessing sought as to regard its full bestowment as the highest enjoyment.-The pursuit of happiness (v. 6).-We have-I. The world's complaint and dissatisfaction. "Who," etc. Ask the question-1. Of experience; 2. Of_revelation. Can Jacob tell us? or Job? or the rich man? The reason of the answer-No-is-(1) Conversation with incompetent advisers; ture."-Delitzsch. 2. Still clinging to the same pursuits. II. We have the Chris-d For joy of hartian seeking his happiness. 1. It is the highest kind of happi- vest and vintage ness; 2. It sought in God; 3. It is totally independent of every-seasons see Is. ix. thing connected with this world. See next verse.f-The two cries 3; Je. xlviii. 33. and the two answers (v. 6).—I. The cry of the sons of men. Ite Evang.Preacher. is the cry of-1. Emptiness; 2. Weariness; 3. Darkness; 4. f Arch. Boyd,M.A. Helplessness; 5. Earnestness; 6. Despair; 7. It is loud and g Dr. Bonar. universal. II. The cry of the sons of God. It is the cry-1. Of The answer of a the few and not of the many; 2. It is a certain and definite cry; Christian sailor, 3. It is a cry to go; 4. It is a cry for light; 5. A cry which will who was not sure be answered.-Not afraid in the dark.-Many children afraid in the dark. Why? The folly of this. The cure of this fear is trust in God. "The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee." This text reminds us-I. Of the good child's bedroom. Peace. Peace with God. Peace with conscience. Peace with parents, etc. II. The song with which the good child sings himself to sleep. Some children cry themselves to sleep night after night. The good child sings, and his song is: "Thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety." III. The guard who keeps the good child's bedroom door. The Lord. Watchful. Strong. Silent (Ps. cxxi. 3, 4). The most timid child would sleep sweetly, even in the dark, if he knew that his mother sat beside his couch. God's love is greater than a tender mother's (Isa. xlix. 15). We know a little girl who sleeps in a cot that is close to her father's bed. Very often when she wakes up in the night she says, Papa, let me take hold of your hand," and then quietly falls asleep. Let us all try to put our hand into the hand of our heavenly Father." 66 Safety. When one asked Alexander how he could sleep so soundly and securely in the midst of danger, he told him that Parmenio watched; he might well sleep, when Parmenio watched. Oh, how securely may they sleep over whom He watcheth that never slumbers nor sleeps!-Providential interpositions.-The goodness or mercy of God is seen when it interposes for the help of man. The ravens, in a time of famine, bring Elijah bread and flesh (1 Kings xvii. 6). The story is known how Du Moulin, during the massacre of the Huguenots, in Paris, was cherished for a fortnight by a hen, which came constantly and laid her that he could swim,when asked why he remained so calm in a fearful storm, was, "Though I sink, I shall only drop into the_hollow of my Father's hand; for He holds' all these waters there." Another says, h Hive. faith; and there is a vicious fear, which is the pro duct of doubt. The former leads to hope, as relying on God, in we be whom believe. Persons lose God; persons of the other cal. "It was wise ad racter fear to eggs where he was concealed. Also how at Calais an Englishman, who crept into a hole under a staircase, was there preserved character fear to by means of a spider, which had woven its web over the hole, find Him."-Pas- and so the soldiers slighted the search there. It is related of Aristomenes that, being thrown for dead into a ditch along with others, he found his way out by means of a fox which came thither, and pointed a passage out. Lord Mountjoy, coming from Ireland, had perished, together with his ship's company, had not Providence wonderfully preserved them by means of certain seabirds. Camerarius relates how, in the time of a siege, when the inhabitants, who were sorely pressed by the Turks, placed a large store of bee-hives on the walls of the besieged place, and furiously tumbling down the hives on their enemies, the latter were so desperately stung, that in a pang of indignation they gave up the siege, to the inexpressible joy of the besieged Christians, who were holpen by these new and wonderful recruits !i vice of Sydney a Ps. lxxiii. lxxv. 4, 5. b Pr. xxii. 29. 3, PSALM THE FIFTH. 1-4. (1) meditation, a scarcely audible utterance; like Hannah's. A " murmur. (2) cry, when heart-thought gains utterance in prayer. my King, God was true King of Israel," David only vicegerent. (3) morning, the sign of pious earnestness is beginning the day with God. direct, lit. set in order, indic. careful preparation. look up, look out, in sense of "watching unto prayer." (4) dwell, as if under Div. protection. "Evil cannot be guest of Thine." David's state of mind in relation to God and to society.-I. His state of mind in relation to God. 1. His beliefs. He believed in God's (1) Omniscience; (2) Holiness; (3) Righteous administration. 2. His feeling towards God. It was one of (1) Personal interest; (2) Of earnest supplication; (3) Of practical expectancy. 3. His purpose towards God. (1) Early prayer; (2) Orderly prayer. II. His state of mind towards society. 1. He regarded all who are his enemies as enemies of God. (1) This is the common mistake of bigots; (2) The common persecuting spirit of bigots. 2. He regards all who were God's friends as his own. Look up! (v. 3).-"Look up!" thundered the captain of a vessel, as his boy grew giddy while gazing from the topmast. "Look up!" The boy looked up, and returned in safety. Young man, look up, and you will succeed. Never look down and despair. Leave dangers uncared for, and push on. If you falter, you lose. Look up! Do right, and trust in God. C 5-7. (5) foolish, or the boastful." stand,' as courtiers in presence of the King of kings. workers of iniquity, Matt. vii. c"Men who make 23. (6) leasing, Ps. iv. 2. abhor, regard with detestation." bloody, or murderous. Ref. may be to Ahithophel, the adviser of the Absalomic revolt. (7) house, or tabernacle. temple, applied to the sanctuary before Sol.'s temple was reared. word used here means, literally, a palace. evil their business or trade."Spk. Com. d Fr. Lat. abhorrere, to bristle, shiver from or at the presence of any one. e 1 Sa. i. 9, iii. 3; 2 Sa. xxii. 7. The David's resolution in regard to the house of God (v. 8).—I. Observe the singularity of the resolution. II. Mark the object of the resolution: it regards the service of God in the sanctuary. III. The manner in which he would accomplish the resolution. 1. Impressed with a sense of the Divine goodness; 2. Filled with W. Jay. holy veneration. 8—12. (8) lead me, as a shepherd." righteousness, "wh. is pledged to succour those who worship Him, and seek His guidance." enemies, lit. watchers. way straight, the way of Thy providential leadings make plain. (9) faithfulness, trustworthiness. inward part, their motive. throat, etc., out of it comes moral putridness. flatter, lit. make their tongue smooth. (10) destroy, or treat them as guilty. own counsels, wh. God may turn to foolishness. (11) defendest, or do thou shelter them. (12) wilt bless, lit. dost bless. shield, tsinnah, Heb. for the large shield wh. covered the whole body. a Ps. xxiii. 2, 3, xxxi. 3. b "The climax appears to be,are a very place of destruction, their throat is a Yawning sepulit, their tongue their inner parts chral passage to is a smooth and easy entrance." Jennings & Lowe. c 2 Sa. xv. 31, xvii. 14, 23. d C. H. Spurgeon. of God in those power. Devils An know the ex from a fallen The righteous (v. 11).-I. Observe the character of the righteous. 1. They are men of faith; 2. They are men of love. II. The privileges of the righteous. 1. They have joy-great, pure, satisfying, triumphant, and constant; 2. They have defence by power, providence, angels, and grace.d-God's promise fulfilled.-The Reformed Churches in France, whose history exhibits a series of There is a pecuthe most atrocious perfidy on the part of their oppressors, were liar manifestayet, whilst in the possession of the city of Rochelle and the free tion of the power institutions of Protestantism, always too formidable for their that believe. All enemies either to suppress their religion, or to subdue them as creatures mania body. The papacy, which everywhere, and at all times, seeks fest His creative self-aggrandisement by destroying the liberty which Christianity felt His power ever upholds, seeing the vast importance of attaching Rochelle to punish. to its interests, made various attempts, through its tools, the gels display His reigning monarchs of France, to dispossess the Reformed Churches power to govern and uphold in unof this their stronghold; and consequently it underwent several sullied holiness. memorable sieges, the last of which occurred in the years 1627 and But only those 1628, when, after a noble resistance, it finally surrendered to the who believe besiegers, who demolished its fortifications, and confiscated its ceeding greatmunicipal rights. During this siege, which was endured withness and mighty unexampled bravery, patience, and fortitude, and was protracted to nearly fifteen months, the inhabitants were reduced by famine to the misery of being obliged to have recourse to the flesh of horses, asses, mules, dogs, cats, rats, and mice; and a single peck of corn is said to have been sold for a sum equivalent to about twenty-five pounds sterling of our money in the present day. To add to the horrors of this famine, which daily carried more than two hundred of the besieged into eternity, there were many riches of His instances of cruelty. There were also numerous examples of mercy. great and liberal generosity among the inhabitants; of whom a merchant, named Thinault, and the Sieur Du Prat, distributed gratuitously a very large store of wheat to their suffering fellowcitizens, trusting to the hope of being repaid when better times should arrive. There were others who dispensed their charity so secretly that their names were never discovered; and among the rest, the following example is narrated: "The Sieur De la Goute, an honorary king's advocate, had a sister, the widow of a merchant named Prosni, who, being a very religious and benevolent woman, at the time when the famine became more severe than it had before been, freely assisted the poor with her present surplus. Her sister-in-law, the wife of her brother De la Goute, being differently inclined, reproved her for her conduct, asking her in anger, 'What she would do when her all should be expended?' Her reply was, 'My sister, the Lord will provide for working of His power to recover state, and then to maintain. Here is at once a display of the power of His grace and the A poor widow was weeping in the room where lay the body of Their only child came in, and said, "Why do her husband. you weep So, mother?" The mother told him ferred to their wrong you can do to God is to It is right to cherish great self-distrust, to realise your weakness and helplessness, but do not stop here. Confide as much you hope less from yourself."Madame Guyon. doubt His love. more in God as me.' The siege was continued, and the famine increased its fearful ravages, and poor widow Prosni, who had four children, found herself in a great strait-all her store of provisions being exhausted. She applied to her sister for relief, who, in the stead of comforting, reproached her for her improvidence; tauntingly adding that as she had done mighty well to be so reduced under all her great faith and fine words that the Lord would provide for her,' so in good time He might provide for her. Wounded to the heart by these words, poor widow Prosni returned to her house in sad distress, resolving, nevertheless, to meet death patiently. On reaching her home, her children met her with gladdened hearts and joyous faces, and told her that a man, to them an entire stranger, had knocked at the door, it being late, and, on its being opened, he threw in a sack of about two bushels of wheat, and then, without saying a word, suddenly departed. The widow Prosni, scarcely able to believe her own eyes, with an overflowing grateful heart towards her gracious benefactor, the immediately ran to her sister-in-law as quickly as her famished exact medium, condition would allow, and upon seeing her exclaimed aloud, promise." Cole-'My sister, the Lord hath provided for me,' and saying no more returned home again. By means of this unexpected relief, conveyed to her so opportunely, she was enabled to support herself and family until the end of the siege, and she never knew to whom she was instrumentally indebted for this timely and merciful assistance." "Pantheism and idolatry naturally end in each other; for all extremes meet. The Judaic religion is the true com ridge. author,David The first of the penitential Pss. Comp. prob. in time of severe sickness. Many think it should be con nected with Absalom's rebellion. Sheminith:-with b Matt. xxvii. 46. a Job xvii. 7; Ps. xxxi. 9. PSALM THE SIXTH. 1-5. (1) O Lord, Heb. Jehovah. rebuke.. anger, the Psalmist asks the entire removal of God's chastisement. Some comp. with Jer. x. 24.a (2) weak, exhausted, drooping as a blighted plant. vexed, perturbed, shaken. (3) sore vexed, John xii. 27. (4) return, to my relief. In suffering God seems to be absent, but is not. (5) death, the climax of sickness.c The state after death was generally regarded by the Heb. as one of utter inactivity. grave, Sheol, the unseen world. A revengeful God the creation of a guilty conscience (v. 1).—We make two remarks on David's idea of God's hot displeasure. I. It was generated in a guilty conscience by great suffering. Observe two facts. 1. That he was conscious of having wronged his Maker; 2. He was conscious of having deserved God's displeasure. II. It was removed from his guilty conscience by earnest prayer. True prayer does two things. 1. It modifies for the better the mind of the suppliant; 2. It secures the necessary assistance of the God of love. d 6—10. (6) all the night, or every night. bed to swim, a strong fig. for his constant weeping. water, drench, or flood. A priest, by the (7) consumed,a" as a garment fretted by moths." (8) workers, name of John, is etc., Ps. v. 5. hath heard, this change of tense indicates a mentioned as renewal of confidence and hope. (9) will receive, the Psalmist having been re- felt sure that hearing pledged acceptance. Receive means favourjected from the bishopric of Ra- ably accept and regard. (10) let all, or better, I know that all, venna for ina- etc. return, or be turned back. Certain that his prayer is bility to repeat heard, he no longer fears his enemies. the Psalms without a book. A man of prayer.-Of Mr. Thomas Hooker, of New England, How often is the his biographer says, "He was a man of prayer;" which, indeed, |