597.1 god's banner over his people. 441
2. Seek to have the dispositions of your minds suited to his dispensations towards you —
[What are the feeHngs which his mercy and truth should generate in your soul? Should they not be those of admira- tion, and love, and gratitude, and affiance ? Should they not be also those of holy zeal in his service ? Should they not be accompanied with a desire that the whole world should know him? Here then you see precisely what should be the state of your mind from day to day. This is piety: tJiis is religion. Religion is not a matter of dispute, but of practice ; and not of mere morals, but of spiritual feeling, similar to that which is expressed in my text, and venting itself in such language as this : " Bless the Lord, O my soul! and all that is within me, bless his holy name : bless the Lord, O my soul ; and forget not all his benefits'^." This is your duty, shall I say? No: it is your privilege: and it is a very antepast of heaven. May God in his mercy diffuse amongst us this spirit more and more, and attune all our hearts to sing without ceasing the praises of our God!]
k Ps. ciii. 1, 2.
god's banner over his people.
Ps. Ix. 4. Thou hast given a banner to them that feared thee, that it may he displayed because of the truth.
THIS psalm, in the title of it, is called " Michtam," a golden psalm ; and it well deserves the name. It was written by David after he had come to the full possession of the kingdom, which, during the reign of Saul% and during the seven years' division of the tribes under Ishbosheth'', had been reduced to a very low condition : " God had shewed his people hard things, and made them to drink the wine of astonish- ment." But the union of all Israel under David, and the victories they had already gained over their powerful and oppressive adversaries the Philistines, were tokens of God's returning favour to them, and a pledge to them that all his promised blessings should in due season be poured out upon them. It should seem as if the more pious part of the people had been discouraged by the long continuance of this
a 1 Sam. xxxi. 7. ^2 Sam. v. 4, 5.