David foresheweth the triumphs of the Gospel. 25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; 26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. 27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. 28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. 29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. 30 As for God, his way is perfect the word of the LORD is tried he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. 31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? 32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. 33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. 34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. 35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. 36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. 37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. 38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they 39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. 40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. 41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. 42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. 43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. 44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. 45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places. 46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. 47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people unto me. 48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me thou hast delivered me from the violent man. 49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. 50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore. LECTURE 849. That we may share Christ's joy in the growth of Christianity. St. Paul, writing to the Romans, quotes the words of this psalm as a proof that it was one object of the mission of Jesus Christ, "that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy." Rom. 15. 9. And the words which he quotes are these, "Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name." Hence we learn that the victories here celebrated by David, over the heathen round about him, were types of the progress of Christ's Gospel. It is in making that blessed truth to spread over the face of the earth, that God manifests the attributes here ascribed to Him. It is in this holy work that He forwards the undertakings of the upright, and resists those of the froward. In this He humbles the proud, and gives success to the despised. In this He makes the martyr at the stake more powerful than the wrath of his oppressors, and enables them that suffer for the truth's sake to light a candle by their martyrdom, which not all the fury of their enemies is able to put out. Would we then do God service in this blessed work? Let us learn to undertake it in dependence upon Him. Strength, swiftness, and stability in our work, all must be sought for at his hands. And it is only by the weapons which are supplied out of his armoury, that we can fight successfully the bloodless battle of truth with falsehood, of peace with strife, of holiness with the abominations of iniquity. In thus applying the words of David to ourselves, we must by no means forget that they apply rather to our Saviour Christ. Only as David appropriated to himself beforehand the triumphant expressions of his Saviour's joy, so may we, after they have been in part fulfilled, and whilst they are in part fulfilling. Yes; if it is our privilege to be one with Christ, and to have Him to be one with us, we ought especially to enter into that chiefest of the joys which He feels as the Redeemer of the world, the joy of vanquishing sin and Satan, the joy of subduing idolaters, and of rooting out their false gods, by rooting out their false worship, and by making them true worshippers of the One only living and true God. Let us rejoice in every instance of success like this. Let us do all that in us lies to promote it. And let us be assured, that besides the influence of our prayers and of our gifts, we may help largely by the holiness of our lives. It is by the manner in which Christians live that the heathen chiefly hear of Christ. And when Christian people generally shall live more as Christ would have them, then we may expect to see more abundantly fulfilled these words which David spake beforehand in his name: "As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me." PART V. 0. T. N David discourseth of God's works and of his word. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honey comb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. 12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my re 8 The statutes of the LORD are deemer. LECTURE 850. Christ is the manifestation of the glory of the Father. Because we have the inestimable privilege of possessing God's written word, we are apt to neglect the important and impressive teaching of God's created works. The psalm before us would lead us to give to each of these its due attention. It commences with a statement of the lessons to be learnt from the visible heavens; and thence it turns to a most animated account of the uses of "the law of the Lord." Our thoughts are at a loss, when we endeavour to illustrate the clear, beautiful, and forcible language, in which the inspired psalmist has here treated of both these glorious subjects. We can think of nothing that will not rather weaken than strengthen the effect of what he says, when he tells us how "the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." Let us then frequently contemplate these familiar objects of creation, with a view to the proof they set before us, of the glory and skill of their Creator. Let us listen to each day and night, as they successively return to us, and tell us how great, how good God is. Tongue though they have none, yet plainly they proclaim to all the world, that the hand which made them is divine. Let us listen attentively to their voice. And when we behold the sun, coming forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoicing as a giant to run his course, let us consider his bright beams as so many lines written to remind us, that all the light and heat he gives us come from God. How easy is the transition of the psalmist from the sun, from whose heat nothing is hid, to the law of the Lord, from the power of which nothing is withheld! It is for all its proper purpose "perfect," for all its proper work infallibly "sure." It can convert the soul. It can make the simple wise. It is "right," not like man's erring wisdom; and it can rejoice the heart. It is "pure," not like man's unholy thoughts; and it can enlighten the eyes. It is an object of fear, or reverential obedience, and it will endure for ever. It is the rule by which God will judge the world, and his judgments are true and righteous altogether. How highly then ought this precious word to be prized! How much ought the use of it to be enjoyed! How profitable might we find it for our warning; how helpful to the attainment of our exceeding great reward! But, alas, when we think of its perfection, how are we convinced of our own frailty! How countless do our sins appear, when confronted with this all comprehensive rule of right! How do its just demands on us, for all our works, and words, and even thoughts, compel us to have recourse to God, in prayer for pardon and for grace! How do its strict requirements lead us, through conviction and contrition, to the cross of Christ, and oblige us to feel with thankfulness, that we have no other way of pleasing God, except by the atonement and mediation of Him, who is at once our strength and our Redeemer! "Christ," St. Paul," is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Rom. 10. 4. We have the authority of the same apostle, derived from the same chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, for holding that Christ was had in view in the psalmist's description of God's works, as well as in his meditation on God's word. For he applies to the preaching of Christ's Gospel that which is here said of day and night, " their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." Rom. 10. 18. Christ then is, as the prophet Malachi describes Him, "the Sun of righteousness." Mal. 4. 2. Christ is, as He has said of Himself," the light of the world." John 8. 12. In Him not only is the Father's glory manifest, but also "the express image of his person." Heb. 1. 3. Oh that we may see it, and rejoice! His "goings forth" have been not only "from the end of the heaven," but "from of old, from everlasting." Micah 5. 2. Oh that there may be nothing in any of our hearts, that would either shrink from the bright shining of his light, or be dead to the warm influence of his love! says David instructeth the people to pray for him. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 1 The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee. 2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion. 3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice. Selah. 4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. 5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions. 6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. 8 They are brought down and fallen; but we are risen, and stand upright. 9 Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call. LECTURE 851. Of putting our trust in the right quarter. It is generally considered that this psalm refers to the war in which David was for some time engaged against the children of Ammon and the Syrians. For it is mentioned in the history of the second book of Samuel, that when in the course of this war the Israelites gained a great victory, "David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen." 2 Sam. 10. 18. This shews us how great an armament of chariots and horsemen had been marshalled against Israel on this occasion. And it is highly probable that some such armament is referred to by the psalmist, when he says, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God." And here it is important to observe, that the kings of Israel were forbidden in the law to multiply to themselves this valuable animal; see Deut. 17. 16; so that it appeared the more difficult for them to prevail against an army, in which horses were extremely numerous. We find no mention of horses in the description of Abraham's wealth, see Gen. 24. 35, nor in the accounts of the wealth of Isaac, Gen. 26. 14, and of Jacob. Gen. 32. 5. Neither are horses mentioned among the riches of Job, see Job 1. 3, though the book contains a most remarkable description of the war horse, shewing that it was not unknown at that period. Neither do horses occur amongst the spoil of the Midianites, as recorded in the book of Numbers. See Num. 31. 32. But it is in Egypt that we first hear of horses. It was with their horses, as well as with their sheep and oxen, that the Egyptians purchased corn of Pharaoh. See Gen. 47. 17. In Egypt too we find Joseph privileged to ride in the chariot next after that of |