god's care of his people.
Ps. xxxiii. 18 — 22. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy ; to deliver their soul from death, and to kee'p them alive in famine. Our soul ^oaiteth for the Lord : he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because ive have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, 0 Lord, he upon us, according as we hope in thee.
IN the Psalms of David, we do not look so much for the peculiarities of the Gospel as for general views of God's providence and grace. But let them not be undervalued on that account : for the very use of evangelical truth is so to bring us into a state of reconciliation with God, that we may have a richer and more intimate enjoyment of him in all his dis- pensations.
The words before us declare the interest which he takes in his peculiar people : and, in unfolding them to your view, I will endeavour to shew,
I. God's care for his people —
The manner in which our attention is called to this subject clearly shews the vast importance of it : " Behold ! " behold the eye of the Lord is on them that fear him."
Two things in particular we are here called to notice : and.
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1. The description given of his people —
[Never can we sufficiently admire the goodness of God in giving to us such descriptions of his people as v^ill enable every upright soul to discern his own character, and to number him- self among them. Were they designated by such terms as would comprehend only those of higher attainments, the lower classes among them would be driven to despair. But when, as in the text, the lowest terms are used, even such as mark the very babes in Christ, every member of God's family is en- couraged, and emboldened to claim the privileges to which a relationship to God entitles him. There is not in his family "a new-born babe " who does not "fear" him. All regard him as a mighty Sovereign, whom they are bound to obey. All desire to serve him, and greatly dread his displeaure. All account his favour as their supreme felicity : and desire so to approve themselves to him, that they may be accepted of him in the last day. Yet, it is not on their good dispositions that they found their hopes, and much less on their actual attainments. They are sensible of their short-comings and defects, even in their very best duties ; and are conscious, that, if God were to enter into judgment with them on the footing of strict justice, they must inevitably and eternally perish. They therefore renounce, utterly, all claims upon the justice of God, and " hope altogether in his mercy," in his mercy as revealed to them in the Gospel.
" Behold," now, ye who are of a doubtful or desponding mind : Are ye not ready to leap for joy, when you find that persons of these low attainments may claim relationship to God, and assure themselves that they are interested in his paternal care ? Hear, then,]
2. The particular interest which he takes in them — [" His eye is over them at all times." It is over the whole
creation indeed, as we are told in the preceding context: " The Lord looketh from heaven ; he beholdeth all the sons of men : from the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth''." But on his peculiar people his eye is fixed with a more especial interest ; namely, " to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine ; " or, in other words, to preserve them from all dangers, and to sup- ply their every want. In relation both to their souls and bodies, they are exposed to continual and most imminent dangers. Disease or accident may at any moment consign them over to the grave. And Satan, that roaring lion, goes about seeking daily and hourly to devour their souls. On every side the world also assaults them with its temptations, whilst their own