The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 163

specially needful in order to: 1. .Arrest heedleB1Jfootsteps and constrain to serious reflec- tion and self-examination. "Serve the Lord with fee.r, and rejoice with trembling" (Ps. ii. 11; iv. 4). 2. Convince of sin, restrain pride e.nd presumption, and lee.cl to ~odly sorrow. 3. Deter from disobedience, ;and induce circumspection and diligence (Ps. lxxxix. 7; Prov. xvi. 6; 1 Cor. x. 12; 2 Cor. vii. 1; Phil. ii. 12; 1 Pet. i. 17). •• Fear is a great bridle of intemperance, the modesty of the spirit, and the restraint of gaieties and dissolutions; it is the girdle to the soul and the handmaid to repentance ; the mother of consideration and the nurse of sober counsels. But this so excellent grace is soon abused in the best and most tender spirits. When it is inordinate, it is never a good counsellor, nor makes a good fliend; and he that fears God as his enemy is the most completely miserable person in the world" (Jeremy Taylor, 'Of Godly Fear'). Il. Sn.""FUL. It is so when associated with : 1. Misinterpretation and false judgments of God's dealings; such false judgments being themselves due to persone.l disappoint- ment or other self-blinding influence. "In his first excitement and dismay David may not have perceived the real and deeper ground of this Divine judgment;" and thought that God had dealt hardly with him. 2. Suspicion, distrust, and " the evil heart of unbelief departing from the living God;" from which even the best of men '&re not exempt, especially when impressed with bis severity and forgetful of his ;goodness (Rom. xi. 22). 3. Servik thoughts of the service of God, as a restraint upon ,freedom and a source of trouble and danger. "How shall the ark of the Lord come to me ? " 4. Immoderate and morbid indulgence of the feeling, instead of immediate return to God at "the throne of grace," in penitence, hope, and renewed devotion (1 Sam. xvi. 2 ; xxviii 1). Ill. HURTFUL. By: 1. Producing inward distraction and despondency. 2. Estrang- ing from the fellowshlp and service of God, and preventing the accomplishment of holy purposes. How ma.ny excellent enterprises are abandoned through unworthy fears! 3. Depriving of invaluable blessings. The loss of David appears by the gain of Obed~ Edom (ver. 11), into whose dwelling the ark brought sunshine and prosperity. But with time and reflection his misjndgments were corrected, his faith revived, his fear was sanctified (Ps. ci 2) and associated with holy and ardent aspiration after th6 presence of God in his tabernacle, and he wrote Ps. xv., 'The character of the true worshipper and friend of God.' "Jehovah, who may sojourn in thy tabeme.cle? Who may dwell in thy holy mountain? He that welketh uprightly and worketh righteousness, And spea.keth truth in his heart. . . . He that doeth these things shall never be moved." (Ps. xv. 1-5.) D. Vers. 10, 11 (1 Chron. xiii 13, 14).-(THE HOUSE OF OBED-EDOM.) The ark received with a right spirit. By means of the ark "the thoughts of many hearts" were "revealed." Whilst Uzzah treated it with irreverence, and David regarded it with dread, Obed-Edom the Gittite (of Gath-rimrr.Jn) received it" with reverence and godly fear." He was a Levite, a.nd (like Samuel) of the sons of Korab, a branch of tho Kohathites, whose office it was to" bear upon their shoulders" (Numb. vii. 9); and is subsequently mentioned as porter (musician), and doorkeeper of the ark (1 Chron. xv, 18, 21, 24; xvi 5, 38; perhaps "the son of Jeduthun "). :S:e did not seek to ~ave the ark pla.ced under his ea.re; but, when requested by the kmg, he wa.s not afraid to receive it, well knowing "that, although God is a consuming fire to those who treat him with irreverence, he is infinite in mercy to those who obey him." "Oh, the courage of an honest and faithful heart!" (Hall). The ark in the house of Obed-Edom may be considered a~ representing religion in the home; ~nd wherever it truly _d~ells there is: 1. .A comcwusness of the presence of God; of which the ark was the d1vmely ordained symbol. As often as he and his household looked upon the sacred vessel, mysteriDusiy veiled with its blue covering, they would be the more deeply impressed with the conviction of tha.t presence. We have no longer the symbol; but we have the spiritual reality which it signified; the one is taken away that the other may be err, vr. 1-23.] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. Hl7