Ver. 33.-God always coming to ;'udge. "Judgment" is, in Scripture, a large and comprehensive term. It is sometimes synonymous with" rule," or" government," because in ancient monarchies actual magistracy-due personal consideration and decision of rival claims, or accusations of crimes-took a prominent place, Sometimes reference is intended to that appointment of deserts in men's earthly experiences which may be regarded as a Divine judgment continually working. And sometimes the allusion is to that great occasion on which the anomalies of life are to gain permanent adjustment, and the issues of human conduct to be eternally fixed. Whatever other figures for God may gain attraction to us, we may not lose our thought of him as the" Judge of all the earth." We fix attention on the fact that the ;'udging of God is no merely future thing, the glory of a coming day. It may be urged that- I. Goo IS "EVER COMING TO JUDGE" IN THE WITNESS OF MEN'S CONSCIENCES, No man has to wait for his judgment. He has it at once in the inward conviction of the right- ness or wrongness of his action. We should never, in our thought, separate conscience from the inward voice of God our Judge. II. Goo IS EVEB .. COMING TO JUDGE" IN THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SIN AND SUFFERING. Suffering being the proper issue of sin, and necessarily connected with it by God in order to reveal its character. All suffering may be regarded as a beginning and present illustration of God's judgment. III. Goo IS EVEB " COMING TO JUDGE" IN THE CONVICTIONS WROUGilT DY THE PRE- SENCE AMONG us OF HOLY MEN, Illustrate how Enoch and Noah carried God's judg- ment on their sinful generation, in the conviction produced by their holy lives. And in the fullest sense this was true of the Lord Jesus as the holiest of men. His presence among them was God's abiding judgment on a sinful and adulterous generation. Jn measure the same is true still of both private and public spheres-the presence of holy men and women tests us, and, too often, both judges and condemns. IV. GOD IS EVER "COMING TO JUDGE" IN THE ORDERINGS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE. Calamities, and even disappointments, are signs of the Divine presence recognizing o.nd dealing with wilfulness and sin. And this is quite as true when we nre o.ble to trace the natural laws according to whose legitimate workings the calamities or failures mo.y have come. V. Goo IS SURELY ALSO COMING WITH ms FINAL JUDGMENT ON THE LIVES AND RF.CORDS OF NATIONS AND OF MEN. Of that/act we are well assured; oftho manner a.ud method of it we have only as yet vague poetical figures, which we are uno.hle to tmus- lo.te into eo.rthly fact. Enough is told us to make the thought of coming judgruent a present moral power. Do.vid connected the Di vino" judgmont" with "righteousness" and with "truth," as these, ho knew, had been so gloriously mo.nifcstcd in tho fulfil- ment of ancient promises. "'.l'hese being the characteristics of Johovnh's judgment to which the view is directed in this psalm, the essentially ;'oyous tone of it is accounted for." 'l'hink aright of God's judgment, and of it we may even learn to sing.-R. T.
Ver. 36.-The people's" Amen." With this incident should be compared the public response of the people at the seasons for the renewo.l of the covenant (Josh. xxiv. 16- 24, etc.). In the united cry of the people, when David's psalm closed, we have their acceptance of all that had been said in their behalf. 'l'he word "amen" mco.ns "firm, faithful, verily;" and the proper signification of the word is when one person confirms the word of o.nother, and expresses his wish for the success and accomplishment of the other's vows and declaro.tions. For Scripture use of the word, see the following repre- sentative passages :-Numb. v. 22; Deut. xxvii. 15; 1 Kings i. 36; Ps. xii. 13; cvi. 48; Jer. xxviii. 6; Matt. vi. 13; Rev. xxii. 20. The following early authorities confirm the fact that the word" Amen" was repeated aloud as a response by tho Christio.n con- gregations :-Justin Martyr, A.D. 13B, notices that tho peo1,le preson~ say the "Amen'• 268 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [ea. xvu.1-27.
after prayer and thanksgiving. Dionysius of Alexandria, A.D. 232, speaks of one who had often listened to the thanksgiving, and joined in the "Amen" which followed. Cyril of Jerusalem, A.D. 320, says that the Lord's Prayer is sealed with an "Amen." And Jerome, A.D. 331, speaks of the thundering sound of the" Amen" of the Roman congregations. It is very interesting to note that all the hymns found in th_e third book of' Chaldiean Magic' close with an Accadian word Kakama, which is represented in Assyrian as amanu, and is precisely the" Amen" with which we are accustomed to close our prayers and hymns. The word was used in the services of the synagogue. " The formula of consecration in the Holy Eucharist is in most ancient liturgies ordered to be said aloud, and the people respond aloud, Amen." " In most Greek liturgies also, when the priest in administering says, 'Soma Christou,' the receivers answer,' Amen.' We may dwell on- I. THE COMMON WORSHIP. Whenever a congregation of people gathers together for worship in connection with religious ceremonial, only some of them can take actual part by voice or by act. All may share in sympathy, interest, and common feeling. This is illustrated in David's bringing up the ark. All shared, but only a few were actually engaged in the ceremonial. IL THE REPRESENTATIVE VOICE or voices, of priest or of singers, of minister or of clerk. Such voices and actors should be conceived as (1) set forth by the people to act for them; (2) understanding the wants, conditions, and feelings of the people; and (3) speaking for the people. III. THE GREAT AMEN. This is to be regarded as solemnly sealing, acknowledging and accepting what has been said or done in the people's name. It is curious that it should come to be spoken by the minister, not the people. Impress the interest (1) to God of the people's Amen; (2) to the representati,e speaker; and (3) to the people themselves. Show the importance of regarding it as a solemn duty to attend so fully to Divine service, that, in uttering our Amen, we intelli- gently and solemnly take what is said, or what is done, and make it ours-our own. -R.T,
EXPOSITION.