Ver. 45.-The freedom of right-u illedneas. "I will walk at liberty : for I have sought rs. oxxx.1-176.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. Vil
thy precepts." The AposUe Paul earnestly contends that" we are called unto liberty," but he carefully distinguishes liberty from self-willedness. A man can never have his liberty save on the supposition that he knows what to do with it, and is able to do what he knows. And so the godly man is a free man, he is able to do what be likes, but the distinct assumption is that his likes have come into the renewincr grace and are still in the sanctifying grac<', of God. He is free because he is ricrht':willed: and can he trusted with bis liberty. 'l'be phrase is significant, "freedom in ~i"hteous- ness." We get the idea illustrated if we observe our anxiety that our sons should be right-principled ere they go forth to meet life's temptations. We are not afraid for them to have their freedom, if only they are right-willed. The psalmist may only mean freedom from special circumstances of constraint and intimidation, but we can use his words in a more comprehensive and more general sense. I. RIGBT-WILLEDNEBB AS A CONDITION TO BE GAINED AND KKPT. Here it is the disposition to seek the guidance and help of God's precepts in every emergency of life. Wrong-willedness is an undue tendency to trust in self for wisdom nnd guidance. Dependent man never comes right until be wants God; and he never keeps right unless he leans on God. The very essence of the example of the Lord Jesus lies in his right-willedn/!$S. No restraint had ever to be put on him, because he always wanted what God wanted- for him. We only get our wills set in harmony with Gud's in the persuasion and power of God's Spirit; but we can set ourselvll.i, and keep ourselves, open to his gracious leadings and inspirings and inworkings. II. RIGBT-WILLEDNESB AS A OONDITION IN WilICH FBEEDOU CAN BE ENJOYED. Where there is that disposition and purpose there is always sensitiveness to evil. It is detected at once. It is disliked. To it there is a natural resistance. It is illustrated in Joseph, who '' could not do wickedly;" and in the Hebrew youths, who could not "defile themselves with the king's meat." These young people could be trusted anywhere, because they were set on doing right. The only man in God's world who is really free, and can be safely trusted with freedom, is the man who means to do right, who is resolved to do God'11 will as he may get tc know it.-R. T.
Ver. 47.-The foy of obedience. "And I will delight myself in thy command- ments." It may be urged, and indeed it is sometimes urged, that "obedience is obedience by whomsoever it is done, in whatsoever circumstances and in whatsoever spirit. If a master or a king issues a command, he gets all he can expect to get if whnt he wishes to be done is done. It cannot matter to him whether it is done with a grumble or with a smile. And it must be the same with God. We may reasonably expect him to be satisfied if what he wishes to have done is done." It is easy to answer that formal obedience involves no personal relationship; but as soon as that is recognized, the moral quality of the obedience becomes the true ground of acceptance. What is really accepted is the man in the obedience, and not the mere act of obedience. 'l'he best figures of the Divine relations with men are taken from fnmily life. A master may be satisfied with formal obedience, and so may a king (though the deeper truth is that both want to find willing love-service in the obedience), but a father nover is. Ile wants his child to obey; but he never can rest content until hi~ child loves lo obey, and is manifestly happy in his obedience. I. AN OBEDIENCE WIIICH CAUSES STRAIN. 1. '!'here is the strain which follows upon the feeling that we must. A power is compelling us-a power which wo fear; a power which can punish," casting body and soul into hell." Much of the obedience of lifo has no higher range than this. Men obey, but there is neither credit nor joy in their obedience, for in their hearts they say, "We would not, if wo dared not." Neither God nor man cares for such obedience as that. 2. 'l'hore is the strain which follows upun the feeling that we ought. 'l'his is altogether higher and nobler. Duty is one of the most exalted inspirations. Aud yet it may keep the strain, and " man may but force himself to meet his duty. If man may be satisfied with that, Gou cannot. 'l'ho true obedience is out of the range of strain. God's acceptance waits until heart and !,and go well together, and we love what we do. II. THE OB.EDlENOE wwo11 KNOWS NO STRAIN. It is no trouble to do what we wish to do. '!here is no selllle of straiu when we love and choose and persist in fiudiug 152 THE DOOK OF PS.ALMS. [PB, OXIX, 1-176,