maintenance of his integrity, than to rise from the place of a door-keeper to a throne through the smallest violation of his dutyd. He says with David, I esteem all thy precepts con- cerning all things to be right, and I hate every false waye. And with him also he prays, " O that my ways may be directed to keep thy statutesf!"]
What delight God has in such characters we may see, if we consider,
II. The blessedness that shall be accorded to them —
We are here distinctly told what God will be to them —
[There is scarcely any thing noble or useful in the sphere of nature or of art, which is not used to illustrate the goodness of God towards his people. To the upright he will be " a sun."
How welcome is the sun to one who has been groping his dubious way during a long and dreary night g. His path is now made clear, and he is enabled to avoid the stumbling-blocks which before obstructed his progress. Nor are its beams less refreshing to his body, than its light is useful to his feet. He now shakes off the anxieties and cares with which he was before disquieted. He feels his spirit exhilarated; and prosecutes his journey with ease and pleasure. Thus does God arise on those who have been sincerely occupied in doing his will. He causes light to arise in the darkness11. Even when they were in dark- ness, he was a light unto them1 ; but now he dispels all the clouds, and shines upon them with healing in his beams k. How sweet the change when the light of God's countenance is thus lifted up upon them! How plain is now the way of duty, which before was dark and intricate ! And how pleasant is it to " run the way of his commandments, now that their feet are set at liberty ! "
He will also be to them " a shield." The more upright they are, the more will Satan and the world combine against them. Men will strike at them with the sword of persecution ; and Satan will cast at them the fiery darts of temptation. But God will " compass them with his favour as with a shield." If they be wounded, he will heal them again, and overrule their mo- mentary pain for their greater advantage. As for their head, he will surely protect it in the day of battle. He will perfectly secure them from every fatal blow. Nor shall any weapon that is formed against them be ever suffered finally to prosper1.
d ver. 10. e ps. cxix. 128. ' Ps. cxix. 5.
s This metaphor must not be taken in its full extent, but only in reference to a traveller. h Ps. cxii. 4.
1 Mic. vii. 8. k Mai. iv. 2. ' Isai. liv. 17.