Vers. 6, 7.-Led of the Lord. We do not know for certain what" it," in ver. 6, means. Probably the ark of tbe covenant-" the ark of thy strength" (ver. 8). Nor do we know exactly where Ephratah was, and "the fields of the wood" (see Exposition for a possible iuterpretation). But we may suffer the expressions used in these verses to suggest to us the progress of the soul led by the Lord in the ways of life. We only take "it" as telling of the grace of God, the Word of life. And concerning this we may note-- I. 'l'HAT GoD PREP.ABEi:! THE HE.A.RT THAT 18 TO RECEIVE HIS GRACE. See how it was with David, how his soul was stirred in connection with the object he had in view. And so God ever deals with men. By one means and another he gets them ready for what he is going to give them. ll. THEN ms GRACE IB HEARD OF. The Ephratah stage is reached. When the soul has been got ready, the seed is sown, the Word is hearq., and it has fallen into good gronnd. III. THEN IT IS SOUGHT AFTER AND FOUND. The search may be a long one, and the diticovery made at last in some seemingly very unlikely place-some fields of the wood, as it were, where no one would have thought of going to look for it. In what unthought-of places and ways God is found I !V, 'fHEN COME THE OPEN CONFESSION OF IT, AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THEM WUO ARE LIKE-MINDED AIID HAVE ALSO FOUND GoD. "We will go into his tabt?rnacles." They have found what their soul desired, and they will proclaim it before all by going to the house of God with the people of God. V. THIS FOLLOWED BY THE LIFE OF WAITING UPON GoD. "We will worship at his footstool." So the Divine life in us is matured and sustained. At what stage in this progress are we ?-S. C. Vera. 8, 9.-The Church the rest of the Lord. This is the only place in the Psalms where the ark is mentioned. And it is only describea. as here in 2 Chron. vi. 41. I. THE Cmracn THE Loao's RESTING-PLACE, (See Numb. x. 33-36.) When the ark set forward, it was "to search out a resting-place for them.". And where th<Jy were, God would be (ver. 13). It is not the magnificence of the shrme, the numbers or the rank or wealth of the attendants, but it is the spiritual character of the people, that God looks at. His Church consists of those who believe, love, and obey him. They are the objects of his love and care and choice. They shall have his presence, and his delight shall be with them. If. THE CHURCH CANNOT PROSPER WITHOUT TIIE PREBEN0E OF Goo IN OHR1B1', This is the meaninu of the words," Thou and the ark of thy strength." For though n had the presence°of God, we could not know it apart from Christ. "No mnn cometh u~ the Father but b.f me;" "This is life eternal, to know thee, and Jesus Obrist PB, CXXXIL 1-18.] 'l'HE BOOK OF PSALMS. 263
whom thou bast sent." Our knowledge of God is dependent on our knowledge of Christ. The ark was the ark of God's strength. Before it the waters of Jordan parted asunder; t.he walls of Jericho fell down; the idol-god of the Philistines, Dagon, was shattered. It was the symbol and pledge of strength from God for all Israel's need. Hence the consternation of Eli when he heard that the nrk of God was taken. But so is our Lord Jesus Christ the strength of God. For through him God wins us, keeps us, inspires us, strengthens us. God can do anything with us and through us when Christ is our Life. Revealed to our hearts in Christ, we are utterly bis. Ill. THE CHURCH IS BLESSED INDEED WHEN THIS PRAYER IS ANSWERED. 1. Her priests are clothed with righteousness-endued with the spirit of holiness. The bein"' clothed tells of manifested character, the habit and garment of the soul. And what ~ joy and a power to the Church is a holy ministry I Nothing can compare with it, nothing can compensate for its absence. 2. Her saints are filled with ;"oy. Gladness and sanctity go together, as they ever should. Let us ever pray, "Endue thy ministers with righteousness, and make thy chosen people joyful." IV. THE CHURCH, WOULD SHE BE TRUB BLESSED, MUST BEEK FOR THE BLESSING IN PRAYER. "Arise, 0 Lord," etc. Then the Lord will dwell in her; she will be his rest (vers. 14---18).-S. C,