deep called unto deep^/' to effect his ruin ; and it seemed as if all the powers of heaven and earth were combined against him. In complaining of these things, he sometimes expostulates with God, " Why hast thou forgotten me'?" but at other times he checks himself, and, as it were, reproves his soul for its disquietude and despondency **. The psalm before us was evidently written on the same occasion : it contains the same complaints ''; and ends, like the former, with a third time condemning his own im- patience, and encouraging his soul to trust in God. His words lead us to consider,
I. The sources of dejection —
It cannot be doubted but that temporal afflictions will produce a very great dejection of mind : for though sometimes grace will enable a person to triumph over them as of small consequence, yet more frequently our frail nature is left to feel its weakness : and the eiFect of grace is, to reconcile us to the dispensations of Providence, and to make them work for our good : still however, though we are saints, we cease not to be men : and it often hap- pens, that heavy and accumulated troubles will so weaken the animal frame, as ultimately to enfeeble the mind also, and to render it susceptible of fears, to which, in its unbroken state, it was an utter stranger. The disquietude of the Psalmist himself arose in a measure from this source : and therefore we must not wonder if heavy losses, and cruel treat- ment from our near friends, or troubles of any other kind, should weigh down the spirits of those who have made less attainments in the divine life. But we shall confine our attention principally to spiritual troubles : and among these we shall find many fruit- ful sources of dejection :
^ Ps. xlii. 6, 7. Water-spouts are very formidable to mariners, because if they burst over a ship, they will sink it instantly : and here they are represented as conspiring with the tempestuous ocean for their destruction.
c Ps. xlii. 9. '1 Ps. xlii. 5, 11.
e Compare xlii. 9. with xliii. 2.