What will attract one will not another. Satan knows when to have us-where and 110w we are most open to his assaults. What need we have to obey our Lord's words, ",Vatch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation" I III. THE FOWLER THAT SEEKS TO ENTRAP TIIE souL. It is he whom the Bible calls Satan. We dare not ignore his existence or bis power. Our Lord had just come from fierce encounter with him, and bids us pray, "Deliver us from the evil one." Remember Christ has destroyed the works of the devil. IV. THE CAPTURE OF SOULS. The soul of the psalmist knew this bitter experience, as have thousands more. Some subtle lure, some crafty bait, has wrought the harm. How many such ensnared souls we meet with every day I V. BUT TIIE SNARE MAY BE BROKEN, 'l'his too bas often occurred. Some powerful word, some startling providence, soI!le gracious working of the Spirit of God, bas led to it. Vl THE JOY OF ESCAPE. Are we free? From the condemnation of the Law, the power of sin, the fear of sorrow and death, are we free? Then praise God and seek to get others free. "I would say again to you netted ones-you that are reaity caught in the trap and held fast., 'Ob, that the Lord would come at once and set you free!• I think he will-yea, I am sure that he will if you cry to him to do so. I have heard of a sailor who had been in prison, that, after his release, he had money in his pocket, and guing over London Bridge he saw a man selling birds-thrushes, larks, and so on. 'What do you want for that lot?' said Jack. I forget how much it was, but Jack found the money ; and as soon as the birds were his he opened the door and let them all fly away. The man called out, 'Wbatever did you buy those birds for, and then let tbem all fly away?' ' Ob,' said the sailor, ' if you had been in prison, as I have, you would be sure to set everything free you could get a-hold of.' You ancl I ought to display the same kind of feeling towards all bondaged souls. I am sure that the Lord Jesus Christ is more tender-hearted than we are; and therefore he will certaialy come and set free all prisoners who beg him to open their cage-doors. He is the great Emancipator; show him your bonds, and beg for liberty, and he will grant it you" (C. R Spurgeon).-S. C. Ver. 1.-Jehovahfor us. "The Lord who wae on our side." It is well to bear In mind that, usually, in the Old Testament, the term "the Lord" would be better rendered "Jehovah," the covenant name for God. Many passages in which the term occurs gain new force when distinctly associated with the Israelite covenant. The tone of this psalm is altogether different from that of the preceding one. The historical association is uncertain. Taking the psalm as a whole, it would seem to be a rejoicing of the exiles in Babylon when the proclamation of Cyrus permitted them to return to their native land. But this association does not easily explain the precise figure of the snare in ver. 7. It is better to keep the psalms of degrees associated with the life of the returned exiles in Jerusalem, and to :find the suggestion of the figures in their particular experiences. L THE KEY-NOTE OF THr: lBRAELITE HIBTORY. "The Lord is on our side." Another psalmist gives it thus: "The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our Refuge." The names of Goi imply the appropriation of God to themselves by Israel, "Jehovah-Jireb," "Jehovah of hosts," "Jehovah Tsidkenu,'' etc. (compare Ebenezer). Note the one supreme lesson learned by the succ~sses and foi!ur_es of their wilderness-experiences. They were strong when God was wi_th th:m· Fa11'1ro came when God bid his face from them; woe came when they hid their faces from God. The symbol of the presence was the Shechinah-glory in the holy of holies; but we should not fail to see that the tabernacle and temple did but represent the people; and God's glory iu them did but represent his abiding presence with his people. But it should further be noticed that throughout the Israelite history it is Jehovah, the covenant God, who is with them; and that his keeping with them must be seen as bis faithfulness to hie covenant-pledge. It is a faithfulness which should inspire faithfulness. II. THE KEY-NOTE OF THE IsBAELITE IIOPE, The national life had always been in the special Divine care, and it always would. The one holy God, who could only be •erved in righteousness, whose uniqueness is gathered up into the term" Jehovah," had PS, CXXIV, 1-8,] THE HOOK OF PSALMS. 209
chosen this people for his inheritance. Would, then, the nation abide even through what seemed an overwhelming discipline? Was there a certain future for the nation, though now it lay low under the shadows? The answer is this-" The Lord is on it.a side."-R. T.