months to come, that can sleep at their post, and dream of more
convenient seasons, which may never arrive''
In this view then I cannot too earnestly intreat you to offer, each of you for yourselves, the prayer of David, " Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is ;
that I may know how frail I am !" And I beseech you to
get his estimate of human life so graven on your hearts, that you may walk under the influence of it to the latest hour of your lives, in a word. My heart's desire and prayer to God for every one of you is, that you may be so *^ wise as to redeem your time," and be so taught to number your days as to apply your hearts unto wisdom'."]
" Jam. iv. 13, 14. ' Pa. xc. 12.
David's success in prayer an encouragement
TO us.
Ps. xl. 1 — 3. I ivaited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto 07ir God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall tnist in the Lord.
THIS psalm undoubtedly refers to Christ, being expressly applied to him by an inspired Apostle ; and so applied, as to have the whole weight of the Apo- stle's argument depending on the truth and propriety of his citation ^, Yet it certainly refers to David also, who, in some parts of it, speaks in his own person, and, in others, in the person of the Messiah. It is in this way that the Prophetic Writings gene- rally speak : there will be found in them a primary or historical sense, and a secondary or mystical sense; the two senses being sometimes more blended, and sometimes more distinct. Here, as in several other psalms, some parts of the psalm are more ap- plicable to David, and others to the Messiah. To David, we conceive, the words which we have just read more immediately belong : and, as spoken by
him
I Heb, X. A—g.