Vers. 49-56.-" Songs in the night." The comfort of God in time of trial is the theme of this section. .As to these songs, we are told- I. GoD GIVES THEM. (Ver. 49.) 'l'he Word which it is prayed the Lord would remember is God's own Word ; and it is told what that Word has done-" caused me to hope." This God's Word ever does. II. TREY ABE OUR COMFORT IN AFFLIOTION. (Ver. 50.) .And what a number or these precious words there are I 'l'here is no conceivable stress o.f soul which is not thought of and provided for by some fit and sure word of the comfort of God. III. 'l'HEY II0LD us FAST IN THE RIOBT WAY. (Ver. Gl.) To be held up to scorn and derision is more than most can bear; they give way, yield, and swerve beneath its pitiless power ; but not so he to whom the comfort of God is known. 'l'be sense of his approval, the gleam of the crown of life, the anticipation of his "well done," a.ad of the joy of the Lord, hold fast the heart, and steady the wavering will. It bas ever been so, and will ever be so. IV. THEY BRING TO MEMORY THE VERDICT OF GoD. (Ver. 52.) This: 1. When man's verdict has been clearly and cruelly given against us. (Ver. 51.) 'l'bey deemed him a miserable fool. 2. When thinking of how God wi!l fudge them who are now judging him. He can leave them to hie tribunal, whence ri~hteous judgment will go forth. 3. W71en contemplating the high-handed wiclcedness of those that forsake God's Law. (Ver. 68.) Burning indi11;na.tion and horror take hold of him at the sight of them, but again the memory of God's judgmente has been bis comfort. The history of Israel had recorded many such judgmente. Y. 'l'BEY HAD BRIGHTENED THE WEARY JOURNEY OF THE DAY AND THE DABK BOUJIII O.B' NIGHT. (Vers. 64, 55.) "Such songs h11ve power to quiet The restless pulse or ea.re, .And come like benediction That follows after prayer. 11 And the night shall be filled with mnsia, .And the cares th11t infest the day Shall fold their tents like th~ Ara.be, And as silently s~11l 11way." • • (H. W. Longfellow.) [32 THE DOOK OF PSALMS. [1'8, CXIX, 1-176.
VJ. IluT ONLY THE FAITHFUL CAN HAVE THESE SONGS, (Ver. 56.) How true this l The joy of the Lord comes not to the half-hearted and the compromiser and the unfaithful. Bnt to him who keeps God's precepts they do come.-S. C. Vers. 5'1-64.-God the Portion of his people. This may be understood either way: as the portion which God gives his people-he bestows himself upon them; or the portion which they choose and claim. Probably the latter is the meaning here. They have turned their backs on the world as a portion, and have resolved that as for them they will be the Lord's, and he shall be theirs. Accordingly, we have given here sundry signs and effects of God being his people's Portion. I. APrROPRIATION. The word" my" denotes that. Until our faith in God advances to this personal appropriation of him, it will not do much for us. We must believe in God, not only as a Portion for bis people, but each one of us must be able to say, "Ho is rny Portion" (cf. Ps. xci. 2). II. CONSECRATION AND CONFESSION, "I have said that I would," etc. (ver. 57). Not only is there the inward resolve to live the life of obedience, but the open avowal thereof. Wonderfol is the increased hold of God which confessing him gives to the soul. III. SUPPLICATION. "More of God" is the soul's craving and cry; with the whole heart his favour is entreated (ver. 58). The hunger afte1· God grows by what it feeds on. God is the one only satisfying Portion of the soul (cf. Ps. !xiii. 1, 2). His loving-kindness is deemed better than life. IV. CONSIDERATION. There will be the thinking on our ways. We shall consider them, examine them, hold them up to the light, so as to see if they be what God would l1ave them be. .And such consideration will be followed by its proper consequence-it will not stop short with itself, but will go on, and that speedily (ver. 60), to the practical result of turning" our feet unto," etc. (ver. 59). There is much consideration which never advances so far as this, much thought which never bears this blessed fruit. Then there will be- V. CONSOLATION. This ever follows, never precedes, such practical consideration as that just spoken of. But it does follow. There will be trials to be met, and burdens to be borne, and many temptations; but there will be support and consolation abundant (vers. 61, 62). VI. AssoCIATION. The instinct of the regenerate soul is to find others like itself. They will associate, let the cost be what it may. VII. AsPIBATION. The soul recognizes how full the earth is of God's mercy. It would enjoy more for itself.-S. C.
Vers. 65-72.-The blessed effe,cts of affiiction. I. THEY ABE CONFESSED. (Ver. 65.) Did not the following verses tell us, we should hesitate to say that the frank confession, "Thou hast dealt well with thy servant," referred to afflictions that he had suffered. But such is tbe reference. Many a child of Uod bas made the confession here on earth ; all will make it in heaven. IL WE NEED THE TEACHING OF Goo ERE WE SEE THEM. (Ver. 66.) This is what is implied; it is as if he had said," Unless thou dost teach me, I shall never be able to see that it is good for me that I have been afflicted," He would have the teaching, that he may yet more clearly see how well God bath dealt with him. But it is so; for- III. AFFLICTION OFTEN BESTOBEB AND RESTRAINS THE BOUL. (Vers. 67, 71. See history of Manasseh, 2 Chron. xxxiii.) The burnt child dreads the fire. "Lord, with what care thou hast beuirt us round! " If the way of transgressors was not bard, we should all go that way~ The meaning and intent of affliction is to keep us near and to draw us nearer to God. Happy are they who, when the storm of life beats heavily, bide the more closely within the sure shelter of the love of God I And this is what God wonld have us do. And what a holy restraint the memory of past al:Iliction exer- cises upon us I '!'he sin which. before was vtry attr~ctive has n~w, becaus~ brnuded with the dread marks of God's displeasure, lost most, 1f not all, of its attraction. And this is another end God designs. IV. RIGHTLY READ, IT PROVES THE GOODNESS OF Goo. (Ver. 68.) It is because it is so often wrongly read that unbelief, pessimism, and atheism so largely prevail. But submission, prayer, trust., will ever lead to the right reading. I'll, OXI:I:, 1-176,] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 133