HOMILETICS. Vers.1-14.-The tnoute of creation. The psalmist writes in a v~ry jubilant strain; his mood is that of exultation. The sunshine of prosperity is on his path, and con- sequently the spirit of sacred joy is in his heart, and words of praise upon his lips. He call~ upon the whole universe to pay its tribute of praise to Jehovah. This includes- I. 'l'HE HEAVENLY INTELLIGENCES. (Ver. 2.) It is in full accord with all that wo read in both the Old and the New Testament that we think of the angels of God of every rank and order (Col. i. 16) as uniting in the high offices of adoration and thanks- giving. They, with their loftier intelligence, their nearer access, and their larger ~xperience of the Divine goodness, must have a deeper and fuller senHe than we have of the greatness and excellency of God. II. ALL INANIMATE cnEATION. Things in heaven (vers. 3, 4), and things on earth (vers. 7-10). All these things were created by his power (ver. 6), are sustained at his word (ver. 6), a.re regulated and kept within their bounds by his laws (ver. 6), dis- charge the varied offices he has given them to fulfil (ver. 8), and thus they speak his praise. Even the fire and hail, which seem to be principally destructive, and even the stormy wind, which seems to be uncontrolled and capricious, do the Divine bidding and contribute their part in the service of nature. 11:. ALL llA:SKIND. (Vers. 11, 12.) (1) Those who are accustomed to receive honour rather than to bestow it ( ver. 11)-kings and judges of the earth; (2) those whose hearts a.re full of earthly hopes and loves, and whose lives are crowded with all pleasurable activities: (3) those who have tasted the sweets and enjoyed their portion uf earthly life, to whom little i~ left but quietude and endurance; (4) those whose minds are only just opening to the thought of the spiritual and the Divine, you11g men and maidens, old men and children ;-all mankind should look up from earth to heaven, from those about them to the Father of their spirits, and sing hie praise with reverent lip. No ht1man life is at all complete without praise; no human character deserves esteem in which reverence and gratitude do not form an essential part. But above all others, so far as our knowledge goes, are to be counted- IV. llrs REDEEMED ONES. (Ver. 14.) Israel had been humbled; its "horn" had been degraded to the very dust; it had lost its heritage; it had ~welt in a" strange laud" of servitude, far from the house and the home of God. Now 1t had been restored. Jerusalem bad been rebuilt; its walls again surrounded it; its worship had revived; the ransomed of the Lord had returned; it was once more a people" near" to Jehovah, gathering in his house, and realizing his near presence with them. Let Israel lift up its voice of [l'aise above every other. We, too, are God's redeemed ones. From the PS, ext.VIII, 1-14.) THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 409
bondage of sin we have been restored; we have been redeemed not with silver or gold, but "with the precious blood of Christ;" we have been brought out " into the glorious liberty of the children of God; " we have been raised up to "sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph, ii. 6); we have such hopes in our heart as the psalmist sang not of; we are a people "near" in every sense to our God and Saviour, having freest access to his presence and very dear to his heart. What praise should come from our lipe, rrom our souls, from our lives I
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS, Vera. 1-8.-Nature's praise-voices. In this psalm, as in all the poetry of the Old Testament, there is nothing of the idea of something Divine in nature, or even o{ a Divine voice speaking through nature; all beings are simply creatures, knowing and praising him who made them. .All nature has reason to praise the Creator who called it into being, and gave it its order so fair and so established, and poetically the uni verse may be imagined full of adoring creatures. With the psalmist's point of view that of Words- worth should be carefully compued. To a Hebrew the conception of a spirit in nature would have been at least germiual idolatry. What we have to keep in view, in reading the nature-psalms, is that kind of impression which high and sublime things universally make on all simple souls-on ordinary men, not on the unusual poet. In these verses the nature-things that are above us ue wholly in the psalmist's view. .And the great things of the firmament-sun, moon, stars, clouds, lightnings,etc.-produce an impression on men everywhere which is unique. The same impression is never produced by any- thing on the earth; not even by awe-inspiring mountains, or wild wind-driven spas. There is a quietness of impression from nature's above things. The movements are so restfully sublime, so steadily continuous. Nothing ever disturbs them; sun and moon and stars go on their way, no matter what happens in the earth-spheres. In all ages, and still, the impression of nature's above things is the impression of God. The untutored savage feels it as truly as the devout Christian. That impression made man find in the sun the presentation of God to human apprehension. But it is to be specially noticed that the impression of God which nature's above things bring to us, excites us to prnise him. 'l'he awe it brings draw us near to him; the revelation of him that it makes to us satisfies us in him, fills us with joy in him, so thnt we must praise.-ll. T,