The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 343

Vers. 6, 1.-God's greatness is goodness. "God's' majesty' is his inherent greatnesa • his 'glory' is the manifestation of that majesty; and its •splendour' in the briah~ ness of this manifestation is seen by the eye~ of men." "God declares his almighty power most chiefly in showing mercy and pity. The contemplation of simple majesty breathes awe; the sense of graciousness in majesty adds to it the glow of thankfulness." "If philosophy is to be believed, our world is but an outlying corner of creation; bearing, perhaps, as small proportion to tho great unirnrse as !"-Single 1arain bears to all the sands of the seashore, or the small quivering leaf to the foliaae of a'boundless forest. Yet even within this earth's narrow limit, how vast the work or°Providcnce I how soon is the mind lost in contemplating it I How great, then, must the Creator of all be if his works are so great! 'l'ruly 'bis greatness is unsearchable'" (Guthrie). ' I. TrIE OPPRESSION OF THE MERE BENSE OF POWEn. Only an overwhelming feelin(7 attends the working of the great forces of nature, in tempest, flood, earthquake, etc: Only a crushing humiliation follows on the masterful workings of great conquerors- Alexandcr, Attila, Napoleon, etc. And oftentimcs the almightiness of God is so presented, the majesty of his creation, his control, his judgments, that the mind and hoart of man are simply crushed befora him. See the sentiment we have in relation to giants, who are nothing but embodiments of physical power. There is no rest for man in God if all we can know of God is that he is almighty, " nono can stay his hand." Illustrate by the slavish submission of Islimism before a God conceived aa absolute power only. II. THE RESTFULNESS OF A. SENSE OF GOODNESS DEBIND POWER. Illustrate by the different feeling we have toward the giant when we see him tenderly toying and playing with a helpless babe. There is a character behind the power, which puts limitations on, and quality into, the acts of power. The giant is good. It is thus with God. We find no rest in the mighty things he has done, or does, until we see that love to us, and planning for our good, tones, qualifies, and directs all the forthputtings of his power.-R. T. Ver. 8.-The slowness of the Divine anger. "Slow to anger, and of great mercy." In former homilies it has been shown that the term " anger" can only be applied to God with extreme caution and precision. Anger is a part of the possibilities belonging to man as a moral being. He would not be a man if he could not be angry. Anger is the proper response which man makes to a certain class of related circumstances. And as man is made in the image of God, we must think that everything essential to man has its answering essential in God. Then there must be the possibility of anger in God. But man is suffering from the influence of wilfulness and sin, continued through long generations. And one of the most decided influences has been a loosening of control over the possibilities of anger, so that a man responds too quickly, and anger degenerates into passion. Such anger must never be associated with God, who must never be thought of as losing self-control under any pressure of outward circumstances, 'l'hen he is" slow to anger." L THE SLOWNESS OF D1vmE ANGER 18 MAN'S OPPORTUNITY. The type of man's anger is Cain, who, in a m~ment of _passion, slew h!s brothe~, and gave .t~at b!other no opportunity of p~tting thmgs straight. God wa1ts, and rn that wa1tmg-t1m~ man gets his opportunity of recovery and repentance. He has the chance of "commg to himself." It may never be thought that God's sloffl:less is the ~ign ?f his_ indilfer~uce. He feels responsively quicker than man does, but action on feehng IS subJect to Judg- meut and delayed by compassion. The slowness is mercy. 'l'he history of God's a,,cie~t people provides abundant illustrations of the opportunities given by the delaying of Divine auger. II. TuE sr.owKEss OF D1vrNE ANGim 18 MAN'~ l'J:nsuASION. There is something PB. OXLV, 1-21.] TUE BOOK OF PSALMS. 387