The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 215

Sentiment and superstition aro always satisfied with themselves; make a centre of eclf; and feel relieved of all claims of duty and ri<>hteousncss. III. 'l'nE FEAR THAT INSPIRES ENDEAVO;R. He who fears aright finds the fear inspire walking in ways of obedience. This is indeed the test of all forms of fear. l'he true fear of God draws us nearer to him, and puts us upon a holy anxiety to ;,lease . him. The fear of .God excites to a _threefold endea\'our ;_ we want (1) to ,ibey him; (2) to honour him; (3) to serve him. And such practical fear is blessed. -RT. Ver. 2.-The link between labour and reward. Labour is not a part of the judgment on man's fall; the conditions under which he bas to labour may be. Labour is pre- supposed in the nature of man, and in his relations to the material world in which he is placed. There is a fixed, natural, and necessary connection between labour and reward; but man's frailties and sins, with their consequences, make contingent what should be necessary. .And so the reaping of reward for toil comes properly to be regarded as a sign of Divine working; an intervention and overruling of Divine providence. A very curious instance of the way in which nature illustrates even human wrong• doing is seen in the fish-eating bird, that will not fish for himself, but watches for and snatches away the prey for wliich another bird bas laboured, thus comina0 in between labour and reward, as evil men so often do. L THE NATURAL LINK. God has fixed, in the order of nature, that profit, increase, shall universally attend labour. The model is found in the harvest-field. Plant a seed in the prepared ground, and that labour shall be rewarded with thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. There is always something wrong when no reward follows labour. This law is as fixed as the law of the sunrising, and therefore the confidence of reward is always acting as an incentive to labour. • II. TBE INTERRUPTIONS OF THE NATURAL LINK. For interruptions of the natural order there are in this as in every other sphere of nature. It is said, " There is no law without exceptions." It would be better to say, "without limitations and qualifi- cations." Some are (1) natural. Lack of rain, locust-plague, etc., may prevent reward following labour in the harvest-field. Some are (2) artificial. They arise out of men's enmities or wrong-doings, as when Bedouins sweep away the harvest of the farmer's toil. ill THE RESTORATION OF THE NATURAL LINK. In this way the work of Divine grace in godly lives may be presented. Even while recognizing Divine permissions of calamity, we may dwell restfully on the assurance of Divine overruling. Just what God is doing in every individual and every family life of which he approves is, remov- ing or restraining the artificial, and restoring the natural.-R. T. Ver. 3.-Fami?y joys. This psalm is the picture of a God-fearing father, blessed with wealth and offspring, and with long lire to see God's blessing upon Jerusalem. Dr. Barry renders this verse," Thy wUe, in the inner chamber, is like the fruitful vine." Vines in the East are not usually trained over houses, or on walls. The vino is an emblem chiefly of fruitfulness, but perhaps also of dependence, as needing support; the olive of vigorous, healthy, joyous life. "We see the father of the family, working hard no doubt, but recompensed for all his pains by an honourable competence, and the mother, instead of seeking distraction outside her home, finding all her pleasures in the happiness o~ her numerous children, who, f~esh and h!althy_ as young saplings, gather round the simple but ample board.' 1 "Olive plants are illustrat~d thus: "This aged and ~ecayed tree is surrounded, as you see, by several young and thrifty shoota, which spring from the root of the venerable parent. They s.~em to uphold, protect, and embrace it. We may even fancy that they now bear that load of fruit which would otherwise be demanded of the feeble parent.'' J. l<'AMILY JOYS COME OUT 01' FAMILY TOH,. Ono idler in a family spoils ths family joy. Each member ruW:lt havo his or her ?Ph~re, and Juve work. '.f'ho self- indulgent member, the ne'er-do-well, the spendthrift, 1s the household anxiety. In common and united labour is found the family satisfaction. II. FAMILY JOYS COME OUT OF RELATIVITY, Each member is an individual with marked individuality. A puzzle-shaped piece. Thero is trouble when the pieces do PS, cxxvm. 1-6.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 239