Ps. cl. 6. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.
GREATLY diversified has David's experience been, as depicted in the Book of Psalms. Sometimes we
find him bowed down under a sense of sin, and some- times sunk almost in the depths of despondency : but here we view him elevated as on Mount Tabor, and breathing, as it were, the very atmosphere of heaven. It should seem as if all the concluding psalms had been penned at the close of life, when his soul was altogether ripened for glory. In all the five last psalms he speaks the language of praise. Every one of them begins and ends with Hallelujah, that is, " Praise ye the Lord." In the psalm before us, short as it is, he repeats his exhortation no less than thir- teen times. O that he might not repeat it in vain ! O that we might " drink into his spirit," and be trans- ported, like him, with love and gratitude, with adora- tion and thanksgiving ! Be it known, that,
I. God deserves all imaginable praise from his crea-
tures—
[What perfection of the Deity is there, which, if duly con- templated, is not a fit subject for praise ? His goodness, his mercy, his loving-kindness, his truth, and faithfulness, call for
the loudest praises of all his creatures The same we may
say of his justice too : for though to ungodly men it is a for- midable attribute, yet to the creation at large it has a bright and favourable aspect, inasmuch as it is adverse to nothing but what is hostile to the interests of the whole intelligent
creation
But contemplate God in the person of his Son : think of him as assuming our nature, and expiating our sins by his own blood upon the cross, and as becoming the living Head of all his believing people, and, finally, as engaged to " perfect that which concerneth them," and to preserve them blameless to his heavenly kingdom: think of him, I say, in all that he has done and suffered for a ruined world, and in all that he has engaged to do for those who trust in him, and then say, whether the tongues of men and angels be sufficient to declare his goodness, or whether eternity itself will suffice to utter all his praise a? Surely it is well and justly said, that " his name is above all blessing and praise15."]
Yes,
II. There is not " a thing that breathes" which has
not abundant occasion to praise him —
a Ps. cvi. 2. b Neh. ix. 5.