Ver. 2.-Prayer as incense. From the mention of the evening sacrifice we may gather that the psalmist is actul\lly praying in the eve11ing. Incense wl\s offered whon the lam pa were trimmed i11 the morni11g, and when the lamps were lighted '' between the eve11ingA," after the evening sacrifice. Incense, offered arter sacrifice, is the symbol of the worship of the soul already reconciled to God. The evening sacrifice is the regular burnt offering of self-dedication. "As incen~e is carefully prepared, 340 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [rs. CXLI, 1-10. --------------------------------- kindled with holy fire, and devoutly presented unto God, so let my prayer be." There are two things 3:bout incense which may be taken as suggestive-its steady ascending as ,.;moke; and its pleasantness. I. THE ASCENDING OF INCENSE AS A SUGGESTION OF PRAYER. The smoke, richly !a~en with p~rfun:e, rises _stea~ily up, in a quiet and gent.le, yet persistent way, until 1t IS_ lost to sight m the high air. It should not be lost sight of that incense appeals to sight as well as to smell. And prayer is really the soul's ascending to God. It is a.s the smoke la.den with the soul's perfume of dependence, desire, and trust. It is the m~n who is continually either looking on the level, or looking down, looking up, nay gomg up, getting soul-wings and rising to God. It implies getting, at least for the time, free from earthly entanglements. It is leaving the baser self, as the incense smoke leaves the wood of the spices; it is carrying up the sublimer self, as the incense smoke carries up the very essence of the spices. We do not apprehend prayer until we see it as the sours going up to God. II. THE PLEASANTNESS OF INCENSE AS A SUGGESTION OF PRAYER. Usin<> the fi<>ure of a man, God is said to have "smelled a sweet savour" from the smoke of Noah's sacrifice. Smoke of incense is not pleasant to us, but Ea.sterns love strong and unusual scents. We note that the smoke was full of perfume, and that God is well pleased with. Then there must be perfume iu our prayer that ascends to him-perfume of trust, humility, love, fervent desire, and confident assurance. Ca.n we think of God as enjoying our prayers? -R. T. Ver. 3.-0ur lip-watchman. Our lips are poetically presented as the door of our mouth. A man's heart is not to be trusted as an inspirer of speech. Every man needs to have the speech examined and tested before it is let pass the door of his lips. The psalmist feels that he cannot trust himself to examine, criticize, qualify bis own speech, especially in times of excitement. And yet he must do this work himself, No one but himself can know what he is inwardly urged to say. In asking God to set a sentinel at the door of bis lips, the psalmist does but, in e. figure, ask God to give him quietness and self-control, so that he may be able to judge the wisdom of what he is moved to speak. For if any man asks God to "set a watch at the door of his lips," God will answer the prayer by making the man his own sentinel, and giving him that most valuable power, the power of self-criticism. Why do we need a watchman? I. BECAUSE OF OUR NATURAL DISPOSITIONS. Many are nervously excitable; over- sensitive; quick to reply; impulsive; ready to suspect evil; or passionate. And many have no keen sense of the befitting or the becoming. Some a.re talkative, and readily carried by excitement beyond the bounds of prudence. What all such persons really need is not to be put into bonds and limitations, but by Divine grace to be helped to gain control of themselves. Their life-work is in their own dispositions; and God's grace is ready for the strain and conflict of that life-work. 11. BECAUSE OF OUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. The psalmist was suffering persecution; he was miaunderstood and slandered, and was afraid of himself lest he should speak, under excitement, rash and bitter words. Our circumstances of peril are: 1. When anger rises within. 2. When those we address are o.ngry. 3. When speaking of those a<>ainst whom we are prejudiced. 4. When in the presence of those who may wrongly ;eport us. 5. When we ha.ve reason to fea~ that the in_nocent may be injured. 6. When we have reason to doubt our own motives. In this mBtter of watching speech, God helps those who help themselves.-R. 'l'. Ver. 3.-T!,e power of human speech for good and evil. There is, perhaps, no other power given us by God which more evidently distinguishes us from the beast~, than the power of intelligent speech. And perhap9 we have no power that can do more to help and bless others. And yet this also is true-no other faculty is tnore degr~ded by sin. One is led even to exclaim, "What shall be <lone unto thee, 0 thou deceitful tongue, thou lovest all devouring words!" I. 'l'HE POWER OF MAN's SPEEr,H Fon GOOD, Describe the power of Demostheues to sway au Athenian audience to patriotic enterprise; or Peter the Hermit calling for a Crusade; or Father Mathew plea.ding the temperance claims. Show what ~ gentle-voiced, sympathetic woman can do at the bedside of the sufferer. PB, OXU, 1-10.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS, 841
"Words, sweet words; A blessing comes softly from kindly lips.'' U. THE POWER OF MAN'e BPEE0H FOB INJURY. The few words of a king, e. ruler e. statesman, have often loosed the dogs of hateful war. The lecturer can persuade young eouls to deny God and righteousness and truth. Men, and women too, can by the blandishments of speech, become tempters, drawing others into sin. The Bible ha~ metaphors suggesting the good and evil of our speech. "The words of e. man's mouth are as deep waters;" "A. word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in framings of silver;" 11 A. wholesome tongue is a tree of life;" "My speech shall drop as the rain, and distil as the dew;" "There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword;" "Their tongue is an arrow shot out, it speaketh deceit; one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour, but in heart he layeth in wait." The Apostle St. James makes the bad tongue to be a "spark of hell, lighting upon earth the ,flames of perdition." Everything else may be tamed, but the "tongue can no man tame;" it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. III. THE PRACTICAL POWER OF CHRISTIANITY ON MAN'S BPEF.CH, 1. The founda- tion of the restraint of speech is a change and renewal of the heart. 2. Then there should be formed a very resolute and sincere purpose to win the rule of it. The matter should come forcibly before us. The habits we have formed must be considered; the indulgences of the tongue must be tested; our life in the light of our speech must be judged. And there must be constant watchfulness, with keen recognition of occasions of failure. Prayer may well be directed to winning power over our tongue.-R. T.