HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. !~.-Exultation in God. What a contraRt between this psalm and the previous one I There the sad-hearted writer asks, "How can we sing? " Here the _:isalmist can and will do nothing but sing. The effect of this spirit is seen throughout the psalm. I. IT WILL OPENLY CONFESS Gon. (Vers. 1, 2.) "Before the gods," meaning, we think, those high princes and potentates-god-like in their majesty, power, and in the abject homage and deference that men paid to them-under whose authority and oppression they had so long lived. The den of lions, the burning fiery furnace, had hitherto been the penalty which had to be paid, did any man dare to pre.be Jehovah in the presence of these mighty kings. But it had been done all the same; and here the psalmist declares he will do it again. And, indeed, the spirit of praise is irre- pressible. It must tell out its gladness in God. II. AND WILL DECLARE THE REASON WHY. 1. Because of the Lord's "loving- kindness." (Ver. 2.) We do not know what special instance of this called forth the praise here expressed ; but he whose eyes are opened of the Lord to mark his loving- kindness will never lack loving-kindness to mark. 2. His "truth." 'l'he Lord's fidelity to his Word. What he promised he performed. How uo believing we too often are I Yot those who have trusted the Lord have never hnd cause to regret their doing eo. 3. And this in so emphatic and extraordinanJ a manner. "Thou hast magnified thy Word," etc. 'l'he Lord's name and renown for fidelity were great almidy, and had lod to high expectation; but what the Lord had done ho.d surpassed all expectation- it had been "above all thy Name." 4. And this had been a matter of the psalmist', own personal e:cperience. (Ver. 3.) :Whether or no the particular burden, for relief from whicll he had cried unto the Lord, had been taken away, wo do not know; but if, as is so often the case, it had not, there hlLd been given strength to bear it-" 'l'hou strengthenedst me," etc. Ono way or the other, the cry of tho believer is heard, anc. either the trouble itself is removed, or grace sufficient, not only to bear it, but to enable us to glory in it, is given instead; and this, surely, is the better of the two. And all this the psalmist had himself experienced (2 Cor. xii. 9). III. WILL CONFIDENTLY EXPECT 0REAT BLESSING AB 'l'llE BEBlJLT OF ms TESTI- HONY, (Vers. 4, 6.) Kings, not merely common people, but kings - a very unlikely class-shall be moved by it. They shall come away from the paths of sin into the ways of the Lord; they shall be really converted. And, what i.,i more, they shall "sing in" those ways; they shall rejoice and be glad. And such confident expectation will ever result from this spirit. lV. WILL DISCLAIM ALL WORTH AND GOODNESS OF ITS OWN. (Ver. 6.) He con- fesses that he is one of the lowly oues, and that it is all of the Lord's condescension that he bas ~en noticed at all, rsAUfB-ITI. ~ THE llOOK OF PSALMS. [PB. oxxxvm. 1-8.
V. _WILL ~ FOR~ ARD WtTROUT FEAR. (Ver. 7.) 1. Oft 'ouble ; even though he walk m the midst of 1t; for God will revive him. 2. Of his enmniea; for God will save him. 3. Of persoi1al failure; for (ver. 8) "the Lord will perfect," etc. He might, and probably would, fail; but God will not allow of that. VI. BUT WILL NOT, THEREFORE, PRESUME. Instead or this, the psalm ends with the humble prayer, "Forsake not the work-s," etc. Such are some of the blessed • fruits of the spirit of exultation in God. Let us cherish it more by confession by trust, by persoual experience.-S. C. '