HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-10.-The blessed life. This psalm, like the previous one, begins with '' Hallelujah," e.nd is also an alphabetical psalm. -That one gave glad thanks because of what the Lord God himself, in his ways and works, was declared to be. Now this one gives like thanks for what, by the grace of God, his servant is enabled to become. "The one sets forth God, his work and his attributes; the other tells us what are the work and character of those who fear God." So that the same affirmations are made both of God and of his servant (see Pas. cxi. 3; cxii. 3; also cxi. 4 and cxii. 4). In Ps. cxi. God's faithfulness is celebrated; in this, man's faithfulness. 'l'he whole psalm is a continued reiteration of the blessedness of God's service. Ilut- I. AFTER THE MANNER OF TilE OLD TESTAMENT, THAT BLESSEDNESS IS TOLD OF AB BEING BROWN IN PRESENT EAllTIILY AND TEMPORAL REWARD. The seed of God's servant is to become both mighty and blessed. Health should be his, anJ, yet more, righteousness. Mercy shall go forth from God to him, and from him to his fellow-men. He encourages those who need a helping hand, showing favour and lending; and his enemies, for he will have enemies, he will overcome in the judgment. He shall be long :md lovingly remembered, and his trust in God shall deliver him from all fear. His enemies he shall meet in the might of confident faith, and see his desire upon them. He is generous to the poor; be mainta.ins his righteousness and rises to great honour. The ungodly see this with rage and vexation, and perish in his sight. Such was the form which God's recompenses to his faithful people took in the days of old. II. BUT EVEll GINCE 'THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST HAS DEEN PUBLISHED, THE BLESSED- NESS OF GoD'S SERVICE IS NOT LESS, DU'l' IT COMES IN A FAD DIFFERENT MANNER, For serving God may mean, and has meant to myriads, the loss, not.. the gain, of all earthly good (cf. 1 Cor. xv. 19). So that if we had no other tha.n earthly good to hope for, we should be miserable indeed. But we have. Take the suggestions of this psalm, referring them to that form of blessing which the servant of God realizes now. 1. His seed shall be mighty and blessed. Is it not so? Are not the most effectual influences which are now bearing on men those which stream forth from the Church of God? Slow, no doubt, is their operation, but ever sure and increasing. And as to being blessed-ask the faithful themselves. 2. Spiritual wealth is hia. The treasure store of Christ is opened to him, and his part therein is seen in the maintenance of holy character and standing before God and man. 3. The consolations of the Lord are his, and they make him a son of consolation likewise (2 Cor. i. 4). 4. He is endued with kindly dispositions, e.nd his fair fame his enemies cannot traduce ( cf. Revised Version, ver. 6). 6. He abides in the love of God, and when he departs hence bis memory is sacred and perpetual. 6, HfJis kept in perfect peace. (Ver. 7.) He shall be kept trusting in God, and shall see bis soul's enemies destroyed. 7. Seifi,shnes, is not in him, but a generous loving heart, for which all men bless him (ver. 9). 8. His life convicts the wicked man of his miserable folly, and robs him of all power to do him harm (ver. 10). Is not all this the blessed life ?-S. C. Ver. 4.-Light arising in darkness. L LIGHT DOES eo ARIBE, Morning by morning, if only we were astir to see it, the light arises out of the darkness. There comes the paling of the dark, and then the gradual dawn. And the method of it is full of suggestion as to like times of darkness. The light comes because the eo.rth swings itself rouud into the light. 'l'be earth, unlike the people who dwell upon it, is obedient to the Divine law concerning her; and hence, though she be in darkness, she comes out of it in due time by obeying her Creator'd will, and turning towards the light. II. '.l'HIB IS TRUE OF OTHER FORMS OF DARKNESS. 1. That of mental perplexity and doubt. '!'his is very prevalent. All thoughtful minds seem doomed to pass through it. 'l'he getting at the real truth of things, especially iu the matter of religious faith, is not easy. And if doubt he the prompting only of a sincere love of truth, then it is right, e.nd it will be dispersed ere long. But then it often is not so prompted, but springs from quite other motives. The liking to be thought intellectual and mentally capable is often the pure origin of so-called doubt. If a man ow11s himself a. believer, THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS, CXII, 1-10.
he incurs the risk, in many circles, of being regarded as weak, credulous and more or less foolish and ridiculous. Yet more, the plea of doubt absolv~lS a ma~ from takin"' a ?ecisive stand for God. _He k~ows ho ought to, but he gets out o~ the obligation, o~ thmks he does, by pleadmg his doubts. .And doubt condones sm. Hearty belief brings obligation to self-restraint along with it, but doubt is free from such incum- brance, and is therefore welcomed by the sinful heart as a friend. Liaht will not arise to such, but the darkness will deepen more and more. But to the np~ight, the sincere seeker for truth, and who is not doubting because of any lurking liking for what is evil and self-pleasing to him, in due time the light will arise. 2. The state of soul-darkness also. How much of this there is I The faith of Christ ought to make men happy to fill their souls with light and joy. But it very often fails to do this. The gladnes; of God's love seems only conspicuous by its absence in the case of all too many Christians. They are not sure that they are forgiven; they are certain they are very far from beina holy; their sanctification is anything but complete; they cannot realize the love of God to them ; they walk in darkness, and have little, if any, light; and death is still a terror to them. But are they sincere, true-hearted seekers after God? If so their light shall arise, in spite of temperament, ill health, bad teaching, earthly car~ and trouble, and any other of the many causes of soul-darkness. Only let them rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. 3. .And so, too, when the child of God is in darlcness a.s to the conduct of life. How often we Sijem unable to make out the right way, to know the right thing to do! It is so in the home, the business, the Church. But again the promise holds good. III. THE CONDITION IS EVER •.rHE SAME. .As the earth would ever be in the dark if it did not turn round to the light, so will men be unless they tum to the light. Do this in thought, in prayer, in practical obedience, and ere long the darkness will have passed, and the light will shine.-S. C.