Ver. 4.-God's preventions. This prayer, "Incline not my heart to any evil thing," should be compared with the clause in the Lord's Prayer, "Lead us not into tempta- tion." In neither case can God be thought of as the direct cause of evil or temptation ; but in both cases he may be thought of as the indirect occasion. God does place men in circumstances in connection with which temptation may come to them; and the circumstances may even induce an evil inclination to yield to the temptation. II belonged to the intense Hebrew conception of God, and of God's relations with men, that the distinction between God as cause and God as occasion was hopelessly confused. "Incline not my heart" can only mean, "Do not put me into such circumstances as must incline my heart to evil." Here is- I. A. DEEP SENSE OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OIRCUMSTANCES AND FEELINGS. 11 Oh that nothing may aiise in thy providence which would excite our desires in a wrong direction I" We are creatures of circumstance. Inward moods nnswer responsively to outward conditions. 1. There are circumstances which excite evil feeling in us always. 2. There are circumstances which excite evil in us whet1 we are in particular states of body or of mind. These, being the more subtle mischief, send us the more earnestly seeking the Divine defending and help. II. A. DEEP SENSE OF THE CONTROL WHICH Goo CAN BA VE OF OUR FEELING THROUGH THE MASTERY OF OUR OIRCUMSTAN0ES. "Our times are ill his hand," and through our times he can effectually control us. It is often left as an impression Oil religious minds that something called "natural lnw" is rulillg in the sphere of things; and that God's operations are confined to the sphere of hearts. That impression needs to be removed. God does work in hearts ill a spiritual way, but it is also true tlrnt he is ever active in the sphere of events and circumstances, in order to use them for his higher work ill feeling and in souls. So the good mo.n asks God to be in the circumstallces in order that he may ho.ve control in the feelings.-R. T.
Ver. 6.-Reproof and kindnus. "Let the righteous man treat roe with nny amount of ignominious reproach for my sins, yet I will prefer him to the ungodly, however prosperous, my prayer being ever that I may be saved from the evil deeds of the latter." Read, 11 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be o. kindness: let him reprove me; such oil for my heid let not my bead refuse." Roberts tells us that in the East "certain oils are said to have a most salutary effect on the head; hence, in fevers, or any other complaints which affect the head, Eastern medical mell always recommend oil. I have known people who were deranged cured ill a very short time by nothing more than the application of a peculiar oil to the hee.d. Thus the reproofs of the 342 TlIE BOOK OF PSALMS. [1'8. CXLI. 1-10.