Ver. 12.-'Z'he inquiry of the grat~ful heart. Many ·are the blessed spirits tha~ worship God-penitence, faith, reverence, hope, and others. But none are more acceptable than the spirit of gratitude. It is that, spirit which speaks here in our text. The following verses contain the answer which the same spirit gives. The inquiry before us implies remembrance of- I. THE BENEFITS wmoH THE LORD BATH CONFERRED Ul'ON us. 1. It is difficult because of their number, character, variety; and because of Satan's never-ceasing endeavour to hinder us herein. 2. But is full of advantage. More glory comes to God. Our own soul is blessed. We become able to help others. 8. It is a habit which we should cultivate. II. THE RESPONSE WHIOH THESE BENEVITS DEMAND. That of a grateful heart, first and chief of all. God is ever seeking to make up this response; and the devil is ever seeking to prevent it. III. 'l'm;; Lonn WHO PROMPTS THE INQUIRY WILL ENABLE us TO GIVE THE RESPONSE.-S. C.
Vers. 13, 14.-'Z'he answer of the grateful heart. That answer is threefold. I. HE WILL AC0EPT GoD's SALVATION. 'l'his the meauing of the words, "I will take the cup of salvation." God has designed salvation for each one of us; he puts it before us as the mastet" of a feast was wont to hand the cup to each guest. And the grateful heart here says, "I will take thy salvation, 0 Lord, the pardon which is in Christ, the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, and eternal life." No worship or service is pleasing to God until this is done. II. HE WILL 0ALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD. Thus,-by fervent prayer, will he keep in communion with God, and look to him day by day for all needed grace. III. HE WILL OPENLY ACKNOWLEDGE GoD. "I will pay my vows," etc. What has gone before has been transacted between God and the soul ; this should be before all men. If there be these three things, all holy obedience will follow; there will be the consecrated life.-S. 0, i6 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [P!. 0XVI, 1-10,
Ver. 15.-The Divine estimate of the saint's death. The text is one of the precious words of the Bibl_-ne of the instances in which the Bible sheds bright light over the darker facts of life. Sorrow, temptation, disappointment, sin, and, as here, death, are all _irradiated by t~e light the Bible sheds upon them. Our text calls death "precious." This a strange epithet for death-one we should never have given to it. But it is true, nevertheless, as here used. Therefore note- I. THE MEANING OF THE WORD "PRECIOUS." It is used frequently in a like ~ense, aad means : 1. God will not suffer death to come to his saints save as he permits ; and never shall his_ saints cease from off the earth. The fact of the old age to which they commonly attain seems to confirm what the text affirms. But: 2. The word "precious" denotes also the mind of God in contemplating the death of his saints. He delights in all their life-in its beginning, its progress, and now its end. This is the last step of the saint, and our text tells with what loving regard the Lord looks down upon it. II. THE REASON OF THIS DIVINE ESTIMATE. 1. Because of his love and sympathy. His saints are dear to him. 2. .At the time of their death there is more than ever a response of trust and desire made to the heart of God. In the full vigour of life we are apt to forget, or to think but seldom and slightly, of God; we do not feel our dependence upon him as we should. But when heart and flesh fail-when all our strength is gone, then there is that utter casting of the soul upon God in which God delights. 3. •The wondrous witness to others on behalf of God which the death of many a saint has borne. See how Paul never forgot the dying speech of Stephen. The blood of the martyrs has been ever the seed of the Church. And in calmer deaths than these witness for God has also been borne, and with power unknown before. 4. The precious blood of Christ is glorified. For at such times that is all their trust. During life we discuss all manner of questions, doctrines, and beliefs; but when we come to die, it is, "Thou, 0 Christ, art all I want!" 5. It is the moment of their safe ingathering. Till then, they have been, as the sheep in the wilderness, liable to wander, exposed to peril, watched for hungrily by the wolves of hell, often all but lost. But death is God's angel gathering them safe within the eternal sheep-fold. Such are some of the grounds wherefore "precious in the sight," etc. III. BUT NOTE THE CONCLUSIONS THIS WARRANTS CONCEL\NING THE FUTURE OF THE PEOPLE OF Goo. 1. Death cannot end all. How could such death be " precious " ? 2, Nor can it introduce us into a state of mere unconsciousness. Death for God's saints is not a sleep, but the entrance on fulness of life with Christ. 3. Still less into any purgatory. Scripture has nothing to say of such condition for God's saints. But: 4. It is a departing and being with Christ, which is far better. Surely we may" comfort one another with these words." IV. THE ONE LllUTATION OF THIS STATEMENT. 1. It is not as to time. We may die at any moment. 2. Nor as to place. It may be anywhere. 3. Nor as to manner. It may be in deep peace or dreadful pain. 4. But it is as to character. Of the saints of God alone is it said that their deaths are "precious in," etc. Therefore, by surrender to Christ, be one of God's saints.-S. C. Ver. 16.-The Loras service commended. It is so- I. BY SCRIPTURE. (See text.) The one trouble of the psalmist seems to be lest ho should not be owned by the Lord as his servant. Hence: 1. He asserts with emphasis, "Truly I am thy servant." Here is not a mere make-believe, as so many professed servants of the Lord are. 2. And he reasserts it. "I am thy servant," not was, or will be but I am, here and now, this day, tbiue. 3. And he cites a fact which unanswe1·- ably proves his assertion. I am " the son of thine handmaid." Slaves born in the house home-born of another slave, were regarded as the property of their master, even more thaa those gained by purchase or taken captive in war. The meaning, therefore, is "I am thy very ow □." Thus completely and altogether does the psalmist dedicate himself to God. 4. And he brings forward the mighty motive which had led him thus to do. "Thou hast loosed my bonds.'' He was speaking, probably, of the bonds of death, from the very gates of which he bad been ~elivered ~ver. 8). In his over• whelming gratitude for this deliverance, he yields himself entirely to God. What a contrast does the psalmist present to the ordinary run of me~ I They ea.re nothing for God's service, If they begin it, they soon forsake it; or 1f perchance they seem to PB, CXVI, 1-19,] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 77