Ver. 8.-" The Lord will perfect." I. LET us LOOK AT THE SPEAKER. He is a man like ourselves; but as we look on him, we note how bright bis eye, how radiant his countenance, how calm yet how joyous bis tone, how happy in his conviction he seems to be, ns he keeps saying to himself, " The Lord will perfect that which con- cerneth me." Then be pnuscs a moment, ns H some doubt or question had entered his mind, and he adds, "Thy mercy, 0 Lord, endureth for ever;" and then, with nn upward look of inttnse devotion, addressing bis words to the Lord, he prays, "Forsake not the works of thine own hands." Now, as we thus in thought ~nze upon ~he mnn, and feel that assuredly be bas got hold of a secret that too many of us do not possess, Pome less-favoured one than the speaker comes up to him with wonder, wistfulness, perplexity, and desire written plainly on his countenance, and begins to- ll. .A.ss: HIM A FEW QUESTIONS. He asks: 1. " What do you mean when you say, •The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me'? You seem quite sure and very happy about it; but what do you mean?" The man replies, "I mean that whatever really concerns me the Lord will setl after, and bring it to a perfect issue, whether it be what has to do with my outward circumstances, or with what is of far more importance--my standinu in bis sight the condition of my soul. There are many things which concern m~; but what they are I leave to tbo Lord to determine; for I often find, as many others have told me is true of them likewise, that I much con- cern myself about thin"s which, after all, do not really concern me, and about which, therefore, I need not t;ouble. But whatever does really concern me, and especially my soul's full salvation, I am sure the Lord will perfect." 2. "But how do you k1101.0 MS 'l'HE BOOK OF PSALMS, [PB, CXXXVIII, 1-8,
all this 1" so bis questioner asks again; and the psalmist is at no loss for reply. "Well," be says," I know the Lord bas be<>un his work in me. I am as certain of this as I am that I am alive; be has given me ~ew tastes, dispositions, and desires; the sins I once loved I now bate, and the holiness which heretofore I bad no care for I now long after; hence I am sure the Lord bas be"un bis work in me. And it is not hie wav to leave off what he once begins. Why ~hould be? Is he lacking in power or love·? Further, what strong guarantees I have thus to believe I The honour of the Divine Name is pledged t-0 keep those who trust in him; the atonement of the Lord Jesus- for will he not 'with him also freely give us all things' ?-the power of the Holy Spirit, which worketh in me now; the promises, so many, so great, and precious, con- tained in the Holy Scriptures; and ruy own experience thus far, and that of many others ;-all encourage and establish my faith that 'the Lord will perfect that,' etc." 3. "But are you riot afraid 1" it is further asked; "for while all must admit the force of the arguments you have urged, yet there are facts which it seems to us may reason- ably lead you to feel less confident than you now seem to be. Are we not perpetually warned against departing from the living God, grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit? How many are the Scriptures which bid us, by direct precept or by actual example, to fear lest we should come short of eternal life ! And have not many actually made shipwreck of faith and a !(OOd conscience? Think of all those who, on the night of the Passo,er, came out of Egypt, but yet never entered into Canaan; their carcases fell in the wilderness, because of their unbelief, And have not you a corrupt nature, an evil bias, a heart prone to evil, and loving it all too well? And are not temptations everywhere, and so many of them subtle and strong, and before which many souls have fallen ? And do you not know that you, as do even the best of men, often sin, often tran8gress God's commandment by thought, word, or deed?" Then we notice that he looks sad for a while, as if be cannot deny what has been urged; but presently he looks up, and his eyes are turned not to us, but lifted heavenward; and we hear him say," Thy mercy, 0 Lord, enduretb for ever;" and be adds the prayer, "Forsake not the work," ete. So we cannot but- IlI. NOTE THE ROCK ON WHICH HE RESTS, It is the ever-enduring mercy of the Lord on which be stays himself by means of continued faith and prayer. It is not his own strength or good resolves, but that ever-enduring mercy which fortifies him against all the risks and perils which be knows beset him; and be will a.bide in that mercy through continual prayer and trust, IV. TRY TO LEARN ms SECRET, Why should not we have like confidence? OI course, ere ever this be possible, the Lord's work must have begun in us; we must have yielded ourselves up to him in real repentance and faith; but if we have done that, why, instead of our too common misgiving and fear, have we not this glad per- suasion that is expressed in our text? 1. How it would honoU'r God I For it would bo all through simple and utter trust in him-through nothing whatever of ourselves, but all of him. 2. And how it woold bless us I What sunshine of the soul we should enjoy! out lives would be radiant with joy, and our lips filled with praise; the joy of the Lord would be our strength. 3. And how, thr01J,gh us, others would be blessed I The writer of l'~. Ii. says if but the Lord will restore to him the joy of his salvation, and uphold him with bis free spitit, "then will I teach transgressors," etc. (ver. 13). And, without doubt, it is only as we are confident in tho Lord that we render effective service and become channels of blessing to others: which God grant we may 1-S. C. Ver. 1.- Unity, entireness, and sin~rity in worship. "With my whole heart." The tenor and tone of the psalm suggest the authorship of Zerubbabel or of Nebamiah. Some important success had evidently been just gained; hut there was still grave cause for anxiety. Some work of pressing need wae seriously impeded, We can easily fit this into the times and experiences of Nehemiah, There was, consequently, the temptation to mingle fears with trust, and offer to God thanksgivings and praises that were imperfect, incomplete, the expression of the "divided heart." And often• times in life the godly man is placed in such a position as is represented in this psalm. He has received some sign of the Divine favour which calls for pmise and encourages trust; and yet he cannot shut hie eyes to the fact that this intervention of God has ouly lifted the fringe of bis difficulties, They t-.ang heavy nbout him still; nntl hu PS. oxxxvm. 1-8.J '1.'llE BOOK OF PSALMS. 309