The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 333

alphabet-nun-is om~tted; h?w tbi~ came to be, we cannot tell; the Septuagint, however, and other ancient versions (with cne Hebrew mauuscript) supply the omission thus: "The Lord is faithful in hie words, snd holy in all his works." The Jews were accustomed to say that "be who could p·,ay this psalm from the heart three times daily, was preparing himself best for the praise of the world to come." It is the first and chief of the praise-psalms with which the whole Book of Psalms terminates. We have left the region of sighs and tears and piteous entreaties, and are, as one says, in the Beulah land, where the sun shineth night and day. How like it is to the life of many a child of God I There have been many long and weary years of vicissitudes and trials, and sorrows of all kinds, but at eventide there is light. As life went on it was a miniled strain that was heard, but now at its close it is all joy and peace. So is it in this Book of Psalms; so is it with many of God's beloved ones; so, when our eventide comes, may it be with us! .And now let us notice- I 'l'BE VARIOUS ELEMENTS WHICH ENTER INTO THE HIGH PRAISE OF Goo which this psalm sets forth. Note: 1. Its different forms. (1) "I will extol thee;" that is, lift up. He meant that he would do this by his song, by his words continually; he had found God to be his God, his Saviour, his ever-bounteous Benefactor and Helper, and he meant that he would proclaim all this, that all men might hear and know. How good it is for a man to act thus I (2) " I will praise thy Name." The Name of God continually stands for all that God is, and by which he is known to his people. We extol God, or should do so, for what he is to us, as the psalmist does; but praise of his Name means praise for all that be is. This is a more difficult work than the former, for in that we had God's gracious aspect turned towards us; in this, other aspects of his character are included-the mysterious and the stern. It is, indeed, the grace of God when the soul can praise God for all that he is. (3) "I will bless thy Name." '!'his is something yet higher, and of it we may say, that whilst to extol Go<l is good, and to praise his Name yet better, that which is best of all is to bless his Name. For blessing as distinguished from praise involves the grateful, loving, and heart-adoring element. There are those whom we praise, but do not bless; we may praise men for genius, skill, integrity, righteousness, but we do not bless them unless, not ouly is their character admirable, but also we have been brought into contact with them, and havo had personal knowledge and realization of their goodness; then we bless as well ns praise. Lower down in this psalm it is said, "All thy works praise thee, but thy saints shall bless thee." May this be our portion I 2. The object of all this high praise. (1) It is none other than God. Not to man, nor to angels, nor to any being less and other than God is rendered this devout and aclori □ g homage of the heart. Vve are very apt to be so taken up with the achievements of the 11gents and instruments God uses that wo are in danger of forgetting him, or of putting him in a too subordinate place. For it is he, and none other, who is the real .Author and .Accomplisher of all. But the writer of this psalm falls into no such error, but lifts up his praise solely to God. (2) Ancl to God whom he has by faith personally appropriatecl: "my God." God was to him no distant, abstract, or mere ideal Deity, but One whom he had so found to be his po1petual Benefactor and Helper, that his heart clung to him, and he called him " my God." It is such personal appropriation of God that gives vigour and intensity to our praise; without it our praiso is poor work. (3) .And confessed as King: " my God, 0 King." His faith had grasped the blessed truth that God ruled over all; none could withstand his power. "The Lord reigneth, be the nations never so uuquiet." Oh, the joy and peace that come from this faith I It was delight to the psalmist's heart to be assured, as he was, that the Divine King, whom he gladly obeyed, was King over all. 3. Fixed resolve. Four times iu these two opening verses we have the words, "I will ; " and so age.in (vers. 5, 6). Praise, like faith, is very much e. matter of tho will. \Ve are prone to make it dependent upon the emotions. lf we feel happy, then we sing praise easily; but if wa do not thus feel, then praise falters nnd dies. But let us remember lhnt the dominant faculty in our nature is not feeling, but will. When God says, "My son, give me thine hear~," he m~ans not the_ fccl(ngs, but the ~!11, unu if that be ever Oil God's side, everythrng else will soon fall rnto !ls proper pos1t1on. Let the will be right, the feelings will soon give way. 4. Its continuousness and permanence. "Every day will I," etc. Not only the bright days, but the dark ones. Praise, like prayer, must be a habit, a constant practice, or wo sl1all fall out of both its u,e und 3i8 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [1'8, 0XLV, 1-21,