can dispute its righteousness, or wisdom, or love? How could the work have been better done? III. THE BEGINNING OF lTS ACCOMPLISHMENT BEEN IN THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. (Vers. 5-7.) The material universe was formed, and is continued, not for its own sake, but for the sake of that which is moral aod spiritual. This earth was to be the arena. on which God's gra.cious purposes were to be developed and perfected. Hence wa.s it created, adorned, and fitted to be, not only the dwelling-pla.ce, but the training-place, of intelligent and moral beings, who, should ultimately, when made perfect, become the intima.te friends, compa.nions, and ministers of the Lord God himself. IV. IT WENT ON IN THE TRIUMPHANT AND WONDERFUL PRESERVATION OF ms CHOSEN PEOPLE. (Vers. 8-12.) The purposes of God, after a. while, came into col- lision with the sin and selfishness of man; they ever do, and sometimes man's rage causes sore trouble to God's people; but his purpose is indestructible, and his enemies must perish. V. IN HIS SORE PUNISHMENT OF ms PEOPLE WHEN THEY SINNED, AND UNTIL THEY REPENTED. (Vers. 13, 14.) This portion of his dealing with them seems to have most of all impressed the psa.lmist's mind. He declares that it will cause the memory of the Lord to endure for ever," throughout all generations." \Ve know how stern, how long-continued, were those disciplines, and how oftentimes the mercy of God in them was hidden from the sufferer's view. But it was part of that mercy all the sa.me, as God's punishment of sin is ever part of his mercy. And it goes on until the sinner repents; and then God "repents himself concerning his serva.nts." VJ. IN THE REALITY OF THE REPENTANCE AND REFORMATION WROUGHT THEREBY. (Vers. 15-18.) Who would ever have thought that idol-living Israel-for it was their besetting sin-would ever have come to speak thus contemptuously of idols and their worshippers? But God's disciplines accomplished this. "Our God is a consuming fire," blessed be his Name I VII. IN THE PERFECT HARMONY OF WILL AND GLADNESS OF HEART IN REGARD TO HIMSELF, WHICH GoD AT LENGTH SECURED. This was his aim ell through-to have o. people like himself, filled with his love, animated by bis Spirit, obedient to his will, and so a joy to themselves, their fellow-men, and to their God. Such is the meaning which lies underneath the exuberant expression of praise and love with which the psalm opens (vers. 1-3) 11nd doses (vers. 19-21).-S. C.
Ver. 3.-The pleasantnetJs of the Divine Name. "God is love," and this absolute fl\Ct concerning him is embodied in the Divine Name. This is especially true for us to whom the Di vino No.me of names is" our Father." 'l'he word used here is elsewhere used in the sense of propitious or gracious; and it is the graciousness, pitifulness, long- suffering of God which man thinks of as making his Name so lovtly. In Ps. !iv. 6 we find the expression, "I will praise thy Name, 0 Lord; for it is good." Some think the meaning of the psalmist is, that the work of offering praise is plearnnt; but it is fresher, and 11n indication of deeper feeling in the pso.lmist, that he should o.ssociate pleaso.nt- ness even with the sound of the Divine Name. I. 'l'HE PLEAeANTNESS OF TUE DlVINE NAME, BECAUSE OF WHAT IT RE0ALLS. Thero fa a whole history of Divine dealings embodied in the No.me. Illustrate from tho way in which some special intervention of God was put into o. specio.1 form of the Divine Name, such as Jehovah-jireh, Jehovo.h-nissi, Jehovah-tsidkcnu, etc. The whole story of the Divine patience, intervention, o.nd redemption is gathered up into the general name Jehovah, and is recalled by it. So tho spiritu11l redemption is recalled by the name given to God manifest in the ilesh-Jchovo.h-Jesus, Jehovo.h-Emmanuel. How pleasant the names which recall such gracious things! II. THE PLEASANTNESS OF THE DIVINE NAME BECAUSE OF WilAT IT CO~TAINS. It is familiar to point out that a no.me embodies and expresses the 11ttributes or cho.mcteristica of a person. The early Bible names ho.ve distinct meanings; they describe persons. The Divine Name is lovely because it describes our ideo.l of every- thing true, pure, kind, gracious, wise. It describes him who is the "chief 11mong ten thousand, and altogether lovely." 'l'he sat.isfo.ction and rest of the human heart cannot come only out of what God says, or out of what Gc,d does; it comes out of what God i•; and what God is is embodied in his Name. ll82 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS. CXXXV. 1-21.
III. THE PLEASAJ!."'TNESS OF TBE DIVINE NUIE DEOAUSl!I OF WHAT IT BUGGEBTS OR ASSURES. When we have absolute con6dcncu in a person, and seal that confidence by fixing our own name for him, all our future relations with that person are guaran- teed. So the name Jehovah (YeAweA), "lam that I am," seals ourabsolute confidence in God, and suggests entire trust in him, and the certainty of Divine help e.nd blessing in all that may unfold before us. He is the "same yesterday, e.nd to-day, and for ever."-R. T.