THE BLESSEDNESS OF GOD's PEOPLE.
?s. xci. 1 — 4. He that dtvelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadoiv of the Almighty. I will sag of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress : my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust : his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
TO unfold the doctrines and duties of our holy eligion is a matter of indispensable necessity to every one who would discharge the ministerial office with acceptance. Yet it is not necessary that a minister should always be laying the foundation of repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ: there are times and seasons when he should " go on unto perfection1/' and exhibit Christianity in its highest stages of practical efficiency. The psalm before us will afford us ample scope for this. The words which we have just read are somewhat discon- nected : but a slight alteration in the translation, whilst it will not affect the sense of the passage, will cast a light and beauty over it, and render it doubly interesting to us all. Two prelates of our Church agree in reading the passage thus: " He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, that abideth under the shadow of the Almighty ; that saith of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I will trust." Then the Psalmist, instead of proceeding regularly with his speech, breaks off, and
a Heb. vi. 1. K 2