celebrated ? See how easily the expectations of his enemies were disappointed, and their bloody purposes were frustrated, by one blast of his displeasure g! ]
For this he is greatly to be feared —
[For this exercise of his power indeed he was praised ; as well he might be for such a merciful and complete deliverance. But it may truly be said, that he is " fearful in praises11 :" for this display of his power clearly shews, that " it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Accordingly we find, that the inspired writers generally make this im- provement of God's omnipotence, and suggest it as a motive to reverence his majesty, to regard his will, and to tremble at his displeasure l ]
We may learn from hence,
1. How the mercies of God are to be improved —
[All of us have experienced mercies in abundance : and from them we may obtain the brightest discoveries of our God. O what displays of power, of goodness, and of truth, might all of us behold, if we called to mind the various deliverances which God has wrought out for us, and especially that re- demption which was prefigured by the history before us ! The connexion between the two is expressly marked by God him- self; and we are told, what a mixture of admiration and reverence, of love and fear, a just view of these miracles of mercy will assuredly create k. Let them then produce these effects on us ; and let us now begin, what we hope to continue to all eternity, " the song of Moses and the Lamb."]
2. How every attempt against him or his people shall surely issue —
[Here we see a lively representation of the final issue of every contest which man shall enter into with his Maker. The forbearance of God may be long exercised ; and his ene- mies may appear for a time to have gained their point : but in due time, hell shall open wide its jaws to swallow them up, and they shall become the wretched victims of their own impiety. Against God and his Church, there is no device, no counsel that shall stand.
e ver. 9, 10. The picture here is highly finished. The amplifi- cation in the former verse, and the conciseness of the latter, form a beautiful contrast ; whilst the image that closes the description, strongly marks the completeness of the judgment executed.
h The last clause of the text may be understood as limiting and illustrating the two that precede it. Compare Luke i. 49.
1 Ps. lxxxix. 6—8. Heb.xii. 28, 29. Deut. xxviii. 58, 59.
k Rev. xv. 3, 4.