The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 170

addresses bis inner self in words of comfort which are framed as if proceeding from another person. 'l'he peo.lmist is, as it were, holding a colloquy with himself. It is not that he expects help from the mountains-his hope i11 fixed on him who made the mountains. This comes out plainly in Perowne's rendering," Whence should my help come? My help (cometh) from Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth." I. THE MOUNTAINS CANNOT GIVE us HELP AND SAFETY. Illustrate from the times of Lot. He fled to the mountains; but God preserved him, not the mountain. From the times of David':1 persecution, he fled to the mountain country of Judrea and the south; but God preserved him, not the hills. Covenanters and others found safety in the rocks aud mountains in days of religious persecution; but their God was their real defence. So let mountains stand for the supreme self-efforts a man may make in his times of distress; he must be brougM to the assured conviction that they cannot bring him safety. Beyond them he must look. Only when he l'ooks beyond them do they become his security; for then God makes them such. "Some trust in horses, and some in chariots," and some in mountains; "but we will trust in the Name of the Lord." II. THE MOUNTAINS CAN DIRECT us WHERE TO FIND HELP AND B.\FETY. They appeal to both poetic and religious feeling. Buchanan, writing with the Cuchulliu hills all about him, says-- "Lord, art thou here? far from the busy orowd, Brooding in melanoholy solitude?" Moses was helped to realize the power of Jehovah by the daily impressions of the huge, craggy, awful mountain forms of Sinai. In quite an instinctive way men in all ages and in every land have inclined to build their altars on high hills, as if thus they did get nearer God. Aud it is the fact for most thoughtfully disposed persons, that more help is gained for pious meditation from mountain districts than from the change- ableness of the sea, or the varying but ever-gentle beauty of the landscapes. Mountains have a peculiar power to solemnize and to impress us all; and precisely what they bring to us is that sense of God whioh assures of his love, and help, and lead.-R. T. Ver. 4.-27ie ever-watchful, Watchman. "Shall neither slumber nor sleep." The words "slumber" and " sleep" are not climactic. Indeed, the Hebrew word for "slumber" is the stronger term of the two. There is no more in the setting of the two terms than poetical repetition. The one peril of the night-watchman i~ that be might be overcome with sleep. 'l'he one duty of the watchman is to keep ever, through his watching-time, awake and alert. Yet at the best no absolute security can be placed in any human watchman. A man may be overpowered with sleep, and be physically unable to resist its advances. Absolute security of defence lies in God, and we may fully trust in him. It is inconceivable that we can be placed in any ciroumstances or conditions which are unknown to him. Illustrations may be taken from the wilderness-journey of Israel. The pillar-cloud of the Divine presenco was always there, night and day; and never anything could happen to Israel that was not divinoly permitted. Or illustrate from the sick-bed of the sufferer. Worn out, the nurse may fall asleep, but the eye of the God of ell consolation is never dimmed (see Ps. cxxxix.). I. THE EVEU-WATCHFUL WATOHMAN BEES. This is more necessary in a watchman than keeping awake; he must be quick to observe, attentive, noticing everythin~. "All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.' God's seeing includes what is by man seeable and by man unseeable; it includes what is and what is to be. "In every place, beholding the evil and the good." II. THE EVER-WATCHFUL WATCHMAN UNDERSTANDS. He not only sees things, but sees the significance of things. Estimates the importance of what he sees. Recognizes the relation of what he sees to his people. Makes what bs sees the ground of his prompt and gracious action in their behalf. Ill THE EVEB-WATOHFUL WATCHMAN HELPS. By his merciful defendings: "No plague shall come ni"'h thy dwelling." By bis wise upholdings: "Will not suffer thy foot to be moved."" By bis wonderful overrulings, which constantly turn seeming evil into real and permanent good. If our life is thus within the constant Divine inspection, we m1Ly put away all fears, and simply "seek the kingdom of God, and his rightcousness."-R. T. lDO THE BOOK OF PSALMS, [Ps. cxxr. 1-8.