Ver. 5.-God is against the wilful. The Targum reads," And thoso that turn after their depravity, he shall bring them into Gehenna as their portion, with the workerr of falsehood." Literally, the first sentence of tho verse reads, "bend their crooked paths," i.e. so turn their paths aside as to make them crooked (Judg, v, 6). "The expression does not necessarily denote a going over to h!!atbenism; it would describe the conduct of those who, in the time of Jeremiah, made common cause with the enemies of Israel." "The emphasis is ou truth or heart and steadfastness, as against the turning back to the old wickedness of idolatry, which had drawn down God's righteous anger. The backslider has desired to cast in his lot with the ungodly; that desire shall be fulfilled to his ruin." "The lukewarm and sly, false, and equivocal ones, are in no way inferior to the open, manifest sinner, M a source of danger to the Church." Carefully notice that it is incipient, not pronounced, wilfulness which is here in consideration. The fixedly wilful are called the "workers of iniquity." 'l'he persons here are those who are wilful, but do not realize that they are. The figure is of persons who bend about, from this side to that, of the right road, though they do not step over into by-paths. They do not walk straight on, and steadily. "'rhe wavering, unsteadfast, half-hearted disciple shall be as the hypocrite and rebellions." Illustrate from the warnings of the Epistle to the Hebrews. L THE SPIRIT OF WILFULNESS NF.EDS DEALING WITH IN 1TB BEGINNINGS. Illustrate hy the kindly warnings sent to King Saul, when the spirit of self-will began to be encouraged, and by the reproofs of the living Christ to the seven Churches of Asia. Dealing with it is difficult, because ( 1) its first germs in the charact.er are not easily detected; (2) its process of growth is secret and insidious. And yet it is in pulling up the first bla.des of the weeds that the hope of the garden lies. II. THE DIVINE AID IS BEADY FOR JUST THAT STAGE OF OUR WORK. It comes: 1. As the discovery of the beginnings of the evil in our hearts. Saul would have gone on self-deluded, but for the Divine arrest and revelation. 2. As the warning of the real character of the evil. At first the blades of the tare are very like the blades of the wheat. We need a Divine discrimination. 3. As the offer of help for immediately dealing with the evil. When the cancer has threaded the tissue with its fibres the case is hopeless.-R. T. Vers. 1-5.-The safety of those who trust in God: a lesson from experience. •• They that trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abideth for ever," etc. (ver. 1). I. THEY BEST ON AN IMMOVABLE FOUNDATION. "Cannot be moved, but abidoth for ever." II. AnE SURROUNDED AND PROTECTED AS BY A WALL OF :MOUNTAINS, The distant mountains of Moab most probably alluded to, as Jerusalem was surrounded by no great mountains. God's protecting presence interposes immense insurmountable difficulties between us and our dangers. And this will be for ever so. "I will be unto her as a wall of fire round about." Ill. Goo PROTECTS THEM AGAINST THE EVIL CONSEQUENCE OF PROLONGED SUFFERINGS AT THE HANDS OF OTHERS. • (Ver. 3.) From despair of God's succour, and being drawn 4way from a steadfast following of righteous courses. IV. 'l'HE SE:S-BE OF Goo's PROTECTING STRENGTH AND GOODNESS CREATES THE PRAYER FOB STILL GREATER GOOD. "Do. good to them that are good ••• to the upright in heart." 'l'he Christian will omit the fifth verse from his prayers. Prayer for good we can all feel warranted in using, but prayer for evil we dare not utter before God,-S.
EXPOSITION. present an" enigmo.tico.l contrast" (Cheyne) PSALM CXXVI. in its two portions. Dut as the" complo.int" Tms psalm seems to bo a joint tl.anksgiving is first subdued, o.ud then merges into a aud complaint, composed soon after the re- joy-song (vors. 5, G), there is reo.lly no wo.nt turn from the Captivity. It h11.11 been said to of harmony in the compo,ition. The double tl~. CXXVI, 1-6.] 'I'HE BOOK OF PSALMS. 219
aspect of the Return-its "bitter-sweet- pure joy-l!Ong-here ends; and the second ness "-impressed itself upon the nation p11rt-the mixed joy and sorrow-begins. from an early date (see Ezra iii 9-14). Ver. 4.-Tum again our captivity, 0 Lord. The work is not half done-not half the Ver. 1.-When the Lord turned age.in the nation has returned. We, who occupy the captivity of Zion; literally, when the Lord land, ore but "a remnant" (Ezra ix. 8; turned again the returning of Zion; i.e. Neh. i. 3). Bring back, we pray thee, the "brought back those who returned from the rest of the captives. As the streams in the Ce.ptivi ty." We were like them that droam. south. As thon bringest back, after tho We could scarce credit our senses; we autumn rains, ample streams to the dry seemed to be in a happy "dream" (comp. water-courses of the Negeb, or south country. Acts xii. 9). Ver. 5.-They that sow in tears shall reap Ver. 2.-Then was our mouth filled with in joy. Then we, who are now "sowing in laughter. The Orientals weep when they tears" (Ezra iii. 12, 13; Neh. i. 4), re-estab- are disappointed, and, when they l\l'e pleased, lishing Israel in its own land a.mid grief and le.ugh (~en. xxi. 6; Job viii. 21) and shout pa.in and distress, shall "reap in joy," see for joy (Herod., viii. 99). And our tongue the fruit of our exertions, nnd rejoice thereat. with singing; rather, with a cry of joy. Ver. 6.-He that goeth forth and weepeth, Then said they among the heathen, The bearing precious seed; literally, going he Lord hath done great things for them; goes and weeping; i.e. weeping every step literally, hath magnified to do with them. as he goes-" bee.ring the draught of seed," '.fhe heathen, among whom the Israelites i.e. thti seed which he has drawn forth from had dwelt, marvelled at their deliverance. his bag, and is about to scatter on the earth. It was an event without II parallel. Thus it is that he "goes forth." How dif- Ver. 3.-The Lord hath done great things ferently does he return I He shall doubtless for 118. " What tho heathen B11id was true come again with rejoicing, bringing hia -the Lord both indeed done great things sheaves with him; literally, coming he come• for us." Whereof we are glad. For these with a cry of joy, bearing toith llim /iis sheave,. great things we rejoice and give thanks. He obtains in the end e.n ample return for 'l'he first part of the pBILlm-the absolutely all bis labours.