Ver. 9.-Piety blessing national life, "Yea, because of the house of the Lord our Goel, I will seek to do thee good" (Prayer-book Version). Piety is seen in the tender, almost pathetic, interest the man has in the temple, where the worship of God is con- ducted; the temple which is so rich with hallowed associations. That interest fills the psalmist with admiration for the city, and concern for the well-being of those who dwell in it, and tho nation of which they all form parts. There is a possible injurious selfishness of piety, which all sectarianism tends to nourish. It localizes and narrows the interest; encourages a kind of tribal jealousy. The sect should never be permitted to take our concern from the nation, whose moral and spiritual well-being should ever be the subject of our prayer and our service. The psalmist "prays for Jerusalem because of Zion. How the Church salts and savours all around it! The presence of Jehovah our Goel endears to us every place wherein he reveals his glory." I. PIETY GOES WITH GOOD CITIZENSHIP, AND THAT BLESSES NATIONAL LIFE, Character is power in city and in national life, and even the higher possibilities of human character belong to the religious life. The peace-loving and peace-seeking citizens are the truly religious. Those who plead for righteousness in business relations, and charity in human relations, are the truly religious. The examples of good citizenship-not of noisy citizenship-are the truly pious. Of old the blessing of a nation was conceived to be its numbers; we know better than that now. "Righteous- ness exalteth a nation," and righteousness depends on righteous men, and righteous men are they who have the fear and love of God before their eyes. 'l'he heavenly citizens are the best earthly ones. II. PIETY GOES WITH SACRIFICING MINISTRY, AND THAT BLESSES NATIONAL LIFE. It should never be lost sight of that the two key-notes of Christianity are righteousness and service. A Christian cannot be content without doing good. And so the Christian citizen is an active force for good. Wherever he is, he is doing some good, lifting some burden, helping some struggler, and his ministry therefore becomes a national benedic- tion.-R. T. Vers.1-9.-Worship. "I was glad when they s11id unto me," eto. This beautiful ode is supposed to have been by one dwelling in the country, who had been invited to join, and had joined, a company of pilgrims on their way to one of the feasts at Jerusalem; on his return, this ode embodied the sentiments that had been inspired. I. 'l'HE JOY OF WORSHIP. The delight of anticipation. (Ver. 1.) The brooding gllldness which dwells on some anticipated great occasion. His imagination would draw pictures of Jerusalem and the temple on the way thither, aud all their sacred historical and religions associations; as we try to think of heaven and of the scenes in which our nature shall be perfected. II. THE JOY OF RETROSPECTION. (Vera. 2-5.) 1. He remembers with what awe and delight he was spell-bound within the gates of the city and temple. Think how a Moho.mmedan would feel at Mecca, or a Roman Catholic n.t St. Peter's in Rome, or a modern Christian in visiting Calvary, or Bethlehem, or the sepulchre where Christ la.y. But the awe and delight of spiritual worship transcend all tbe emotions inspired by hallowed places-" in spirit and in truth." 2. He was greatly moved by the sight of the stateliness and beauty of the city, which had been rebuilt after the Exile. (Ver. 3.) Tho restoration of a national structure, or of the nation itselr 11fter forfeiting its glory, or of a human life and character after loss and shame, greatly moves all sympathetic minds. The transition from darkness into light is very great. 3. The tribes gathered on such occasions, came up in obedience to the Divine law, to worship God with a national thanksgiving. (Ver. 4.) The author of the psalm was a grateful participant in the worship. The law of grateful worship is the law of all reasonable spiritual beings, the very necessity of their nature, and therefore foll of delights. 4. The "thrones of fudgment" for the civil law were under the shadow of the throne of mercy, or " the mercy-seat." The supreme tribunal was to be in the same placo as the sanctuary (Deut. xvii. 8, 9). Law and mercy, both in God and in the best man, are always closely related. 5. The highest result of true worship is to produce the spirit of peace. (Vere. 6-9.) Between God and man, among nations and Oburches, and between man and man.-S. 202 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [Ps, OXXlll, 1-4-,
EXPOSITION. Lord onr God, until that he have meroy upon PSALM CXXIIL us. We wait for the loost sign that he is about to help and deliver us. Ver. 1.-Unto thee lift I up mine eyes Ver. 3.-Have mercy upon us, O Lord; ( comp. Ps. o:i;xi. 1, where the psalmist" lifted have mercy upon us. The cry is repeated up his eyes" t,o God's dwelling-place). Now for greater emphasis. For we are exceed- the expression is bolder. The eyes are ingly filled with oontempt. This expression lifted up t,o God himself. Oh thou that can scarcely be said to fix the date of the dwellest in the heavens (oomp. Pss. ii. 4; psalm, since hatred and contempt were the xi. 4; Isa.. lvii. 15; lxvi.. 1). usual feelings wherewith the J ewe were Ver. 2.-Behold, as the eyes of servants regarded by their neigbbourR, But the look unto the hand of their masters. Watch, time of Nehemiah would certainly be no i.e., for the slightest sign I.hat he may give unsuit,lble dote (see Neh. iv. 4). of Ids will. Such signs were usually given Ver. 4.-0ur soul is exceedingly filled hv some movement of the "hand." And as with the acorning of those that are at ease; the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her i.e. the careless and irreligious (comp. Isa. mistress. Masters were waited on by male u:xii. 9, 11; Amos vi. 1). And with the slaves; their wives by handmaids-both contempt of the proud. This clause is exe- equally an:i;ious to do their will, and there- getical of the last, not additional. Translate, fore cquitlly watchful of all the signs that the scorning of lhose Iha! are at eaee-!M indicated it. So our eyes wait upon the contempt of the proud.