as that we let not our left hand know what our "right hand doeth." Matt. 6. 3.

The character of the kind of person here intended is briefly but clearly traced in this simple profession of his faith, “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God; in him will I trust." The safety which ensues on his thus abiding under the shadow of the Almighty is described more at length; and the psalmist assures him that angels have it in charge to keep him from harm in all his ways. Nay, God also speaks in his own person at the close of the psalm, declaring of such an one as this, that He will himself deliver him, set him on high, answer to his call, be with him in trouble, deliver him and honour him, satisfy him with length of life, and shew him the salvation of the Lord. And all this for a reason expressly stated, "Because he hath set his love upon me;" and again, "because he hath known my name," that is to say, has acknowledged its excellency, has confessed and honoured God before men, has honoured him by holiness of life. Happy they who have reason such as this to shew, for hoping and trusting that God will deliver them; happy, because, whatever be the promises of God revealed in the Old Testament, we know that God has revealed to us better things in the New; we learn there that all things, not only prosperity but also tribulation, not only safety but also hurt and affliction, yea, and even temptation also, "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God." Rom. 8. 28.

And here it must be observed, that two of the verses of this psalm are applied to our blessed Lord by the tempter in the wilderness, namely these: "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." See Matt. 4. 6. And as our Lord appears to have admitted, that these words properly applied to Him, we have here an instance of the Scriptures testifying of Christ, in a passage, which without this notice, we should have been apt to apply only to a devout Christian. Let us then see throughout this psalm the testimony of prophecy to the holy and devout life of Jesus Christ, and to the love of the only begotten Son towards the Father, and of the Father to the Son. And let us glorify God for shewing us, in Christ, how we ought to call upon Him, love Him, and obey Him; and for promising us in Christ, promising to the members, as partakers in the felicity of the Head, not only safety, but also honour; not only to be satisfied with such length of life as we have here, but also to enjoy everlasting salvation.

The psalmist setteth forth subjects of praise towards God.

A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day.

1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most high:

2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.

4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

5 O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.

7 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:

high for evermore.

9 For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

10 But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.

11 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.

12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

15 To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in

8 But thou, LORD, art most him.

LECTURE 937.

God is to be praised for his works, and for his dealings. Though the title of this psalm states that it is "a Song for the sabbath day," the psalm speaks of that which it is a good thing to do on every day, namely, to sing praises unto God. And we cannot better employ such skill in music as we may possess, than in shewing forth God's loving kindness in the morning, and his faithfulness every night. Certainly they who add daily praise to their daily prayers, who either by themselves, or in common with their assembled families, make the sound of God's praise to be heard, by singing psalms and hymns unto his glory, they who do thus each morning, or each evening, or both, enjoy a very great privilege, and perform a service very acceptable to God, if they perform it with a devout spirit, very acceptable to our heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The topics or subjects of the praise which the psalmist here enumerates, are chiefly these, the great works of God, his judg

ments on the wicked, and his goodness to the godly. "For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands." The works of creation, no less than those of redemption, are well fitted to engage our devout attention, and to suggest thoughts of thankfulness, and songs of praise. We find indeed that in the psalms, those inspired songs of Sion, and those best models both for the matter and manner of all devotional hymns, there occurs very frequent mention of God's great power and goodness as the Maker and Governor of the universe. Let us therefore attentively mark the many traces of the divine workmanship which are brought before our view every day. Let us both enjoy the good things which God gives us in this present world, the glorious sights, the pleasant fruits, the fragrant flowers; and let us also frequently make these things the subjects of our devout reflection, and of our heartfelt praise.

It is the part of an unwise man to take no notice of the excellency of God's work. Nor does such an one think of the end which awaits the wicked after they have been permitted to flourish for awhile, namely, "that they shall be destroyed for ever." But this also is in the apprehension of the devout, a thing for which God ought to be praised; one proof among many, that He is "most high for evermore." It would indeed be no small disparagement of his greatness and his goodness, if those who are his enemies, and the enemies of his people, fared as well in the end as his devoted worshippers. Whilst on the other hand it is a manifest token of his righteousness, if his enemies, though permitted to flourish for awhile, are sure to perish miserably in the end.

Another proof that "the Lord is upright," and that "there is no unrighteousness in him," arises from the consideration of his favour shewn unto the godly. And the psalmist, speaking in their name, professes his conviction, that God will exalt their horn, and anoint them with fresh oil; that is to say, will raise them to the height of prosperity; that He will give them every advantage in the end over the wicked that rise up against them; that He will make them flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon; that they will be as though planted in his house, and flourishing in his courts; or, as it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." Is. 61. 3. Lastly, let us observe that hereby is God glorified, if we bear much fruit. Let us observe that the psalmist especially praises God for this, in behalf of these trees of righteousness, "they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing." The older therefore we grow, let us so much the more abound in good works; and we shall be so much the better fitted to be transplanted into that eternal life, where we shall sing God's praise incessantly.

The psalmist declareth God's majesty and power.

1 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 everlasting.

LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.

4 The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine 3 The floods have lifted up, O house, O LORD, for ever.

LECTURE 938.

The character which becomes members of God's family. "The Lord reigneth." The highest rank among mankind is that of royalty. We cannot therefore frame a notion or use language concerning God, that shall more highly exalt Him, than to say that He is a King. But we may put this notion in many points of view. We may add that He is King of kings. We may regard Him, according to the striking figure adopted in this psalm, as "clothed with majesty." We may conceive Him in his kingly robes as "clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself." We may take the solid earth, which seems to our mere sense the most unmovable of all things, for an emblem of the firmly stablished throne of God; remembering, that whilst the world had its beginning in time, God is from everlasting. Or fixing our thoughts on that one of all earthly objects, whose wide expanse, and the fury of its agitated waves, seein to render it beyond all others uncontroulable and irresistible, we may impress ourselves with a lively conviction of the strength of the Almighty, by reflecting, in the words of the psalmist, "The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea."

And now, with our minds elevated by this striking description of God's great majesty and power, with these noble conceptions of his greatness set before us in the most vivid light, to what purpose shall we turn them? Is it enough that we ponder with admiration on the grandeur of an object so sublime as the almighty everlasting God? Far from it; we are reminded, as the psalm concludes, that He, whose power and majesty is so great, that it might seem to render us altogether beneath his notice, has vouchsafed to care for us, and has given us this proof of his caring for us, that He has revealed his testimonies unto us. He has told us what is his will in our behalf. He has informed us of the end for which we were created. He has accounted for all the misery which we find abounding in the midst of us, by relating how we fell from our original righteousness. He has shewn us the way

provided in his mercy for our restoration to holiness and happiness. He has testified of our Redeemer, from one end of the Scriptures to the other. He has taught us to rely with implicit faith on the redemption wrought for us by his ever blessed Son, who took on Him our flesh, and died for us on the cross. He has given us the promise of the Comforter to help us in living such a life on earth as becomes the redeemed of the Lord. And He has given us the assurance of a glorious resurrection, after this transitory life ended, after this guilty world destroyed, a glorious resurrection to eternal life. Such is the tenour of God's testimonies. How very sure must they be, seeing they are the testimonies of God; seeing they are the word of Him who reigneth King of kings, and Lord of lords, for ever! How entirely may we rely on the truth of his promises, how deeply must we stand in awe of his terrible threatenings, since there is nothing that can resist his power, nothing that can prevent his fulfilling his will!

And if He be Himself so great, his majesty so glorious, what manner of persons ought they to be, who shall be fit to be subject unto Him as his people, yea and shall be admitted, such is his grace vouchsafed to his faithful subjects, admitted to dwell with Him as his household? Let the psalmist reply to this enquiry: "holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever." If then we would be accounted meet members of that family, part in heaven, part on earth, which is named after the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, see Eph. 3. 14, 15, by the honourable name of sons of God, let us study to be "holy in all manner of conversation." 1 Pet. 1. 15. Let there be no action done by us, that is not fit for this great God to see, no word uttered which He with whom we dwell would be displeased to hear, no thought harboured which we should be ashamed for Him to witness. "Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever." Let us think of this, when tempted to transgress. Let us think of this, when apt to flag in self denial, when loth to persevere in well doing. And whether it be the world that is enticing us, the flesh that would rebel, or Satan that endeavours to beguile our souls, let us check the first thought of surrendering to sin, by reflecting on this awful truth, "holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever."