Vere. 4-6.-United praise. Commencement of the worship and confessions with general praise. I. THE LEADERS OF THE WORSHIP. An honourable and responsible office. II. THEIR EXHORTATION TO THE PEOPLE. 1. As to the attitude in which they were to offer praise. "Stand up "-the fitting posture for this part of Divine worship. 2. As to the praise they were to offer. ( 1) To whom. " Jehovah your God." The true and living God, eternal and immutable; the God of Israel-he who revealed himself specially to them, took them into peculiar relation to himself, made them the objects of special care and discipline, gave them special promises. Christians have still greater reasons for calling Jehovah their God, and giving him praise. (:2) How long. "For ever and ever." Indicates that God will for ever exist, and be worthy of praise, and actually praised ; and that we should aspire md may hope to be eternally his worshippers. III. THE UNITED PRAISE. 1. Introductory. (1) Praise of God's name. Of God as revealed and declared by his works and word. (2) Declaration of the inadequacy of all praise of God. "Which is exalted," &c. Not only can no words sufficiently express his majesty and infinite excellency, but no thoughts, no emotions (which often transcend thought as well as language; see Rom. viii. 26) are worthy of them. NEHEMIAH. B THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. Len. 1x. 1-38.
An<l not only 1s ou,· praise inadequate, but "aJ,l blessing and /raise." This iii not n re~son for withholding our worship, for then no praise woul be offered in heaven or !'arth, but for striving after nobler thoughts and feelings and lang·unge, and offer- i1_1g- all with deepest humility. God condesce?ds to accept the poorost worship, if' ~rncere, and the best we can present. 2. Praise of God as "Jehovah alone." 3. Ascription to him of the creation of all things (ver. 6). A great truth not onlf un- known to most of the heathen, but given up by many cultivated men in Christian lands. In the praise of God the display of his power, wisdom, and goodness in the work of creation should hold a prominent place. He who made all should receive homage from all his intelligent creatures. 1Y. THE RECOGNITION OF OTHER WORSHIPrERs. "The host of heaven worshippeth thee." It is inspiring, when uniting in Divine worship, to remember our fellow- worshippers, and thus cultivate fellowship with them (compare the beginning of the Te Denm). The Jews had not this satisfaction in respect to any other people. They alone worshipped the true God, and they had not learnedAo think and feel as to heathen worship that it was about equivalent to their own. All the more gladly did they recognise that their God, unknown and unworshipped by the rest of the world. was adored and praised and served by hosts of exalted intelligences in other worlds. To us, also, this is an inspiriting truth, adapted to stimulate and elevate our worship. The greatest beings God has made bow down with lowliness before him, and with all the ardour of their seraphic nature celebrate his praise. We need not be ashamed to be like them, but should seek to make our worship resemble theirs as nearly ns possible, and be thankful that, through the mediation of our Re- deemer, in whom heaven and earth are united, it is as acceptable to God. They _ praise the Saviour as well as the Creator; we praise him with a feeling they cannot share ; for he redeemed us by his blood, not them. Yers. ,, 8.-Goasfavour to Abralwm. The multitude, led by the Levites, now begin the recital of God's gracious dealings with their race; and, fust, with their great ancestor, Abraham. By the words, "Thou art Jehovah God," they allege that it ,ms the only living and true God, the Creator of all things, who distinguished Abraham. and through him their nation, by his favour. They then recount- !. His 'caoICE of Abraham. Of his own gracious will separating him from others, to preserve the knowledge and worship of himself, and to be the Father of the people whom he appointed to be peculiarly his own. II. His LEADING him from Chaldma to Canaan. III. His CHANGE of his name from Abram to Abraham. Thus promising him a nurneroll6 posterity. IV. His RECOGNITION of his faithfulness. A reference to Gen. xv. 6 1 where "be- lieved '' is part of the same verb as the word "faithful" here ( comp. Gal. iii. 9- " faithful Abraham"). Abraham was faithful in heart, and that before God. He trusted God, and continued to trust him through all trio.ls of his faith. He was faithful in maintaining the worship of God in the midst of idolaters, o.nd in teaching his household to "keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment" (Gen. xviii. 19). And God marked and rewarded his fidelity. V. His COVENANT with him. Gen. xv. 18-21 seems especially referred to. The larger promise~, that_ Abraham and his posterity should be a blessing to all men, do not here come mto view. VI. His PERFORMANCE of the covenant. In which God's righteousness is recog- nised (ver. 6). . . . . . . Refled,ions:-1. All blessmgs enJoyed by men have their ongm m the_free_grace and choice of God. 2. Yet God in bis treatment of men bas regard to their faithful- ness to him. 3. The righteousness, as well as the goodness, of God assures _us that he will fulfil all his promises. 4. We as well as the Jews have reason to praise God fur the grace shown to Abraham. For he is our spiritual ancestor, " the father of all them that believe" (Rom. iv. 11). Yer. 8.-Faitkfulna, of heart. "And foundest his heart faithful before thee." We have here- I. A PRJNf:IPAL CHARACTERISTIC OF A GODLY MAN. 1. Its seat. The heart. No rm, 1x. 1-3A.] 'rIIE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. '.)9