The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 39

thnt we can under all circumstances commend ourselves, the Church, and the world to him. V. ON BUCH GnOUNDB THE PSALMIST OFFEnS VARIED PETITIO~S. 1. For himseif. (Ver. 8.) Beautiful! He wants (1) to go along God's vray, not his own; (2) to bo shown clearly what that way is; and then (3) to be led alon" that wf!.y. He who thus puts himself into God's hand, wanting only to be led aright, shall never be put to shame, 2. For the people of God. (Ver. 11.) He prays that in the midst of the whirl and tumuU which surround them, the righteous may ever ring out a peal of joy because of God's protecting care and love. 3. For evil ones. (Ver. 10.) He prays that they may be (1) held guilty and condemned for their transgressions. Yea. (2), rejee.ted by God, even as they had themselves rejected God. We are not bound to imitate the psalmist in such petitions. Jesus Christ tells us that the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than the greatest of Old Testament prophets. They could not rise above the level of their inspiration, nor advance in prayer beyond the point their understanding had reached in those days. 1 For us H would be far more appropriate to pray for the conversion of God's enemies by the power of his love and grace. VI. THERE IS HERE A CONFIDENT ASSURANCE EXPRESSED, (Ver. 12, "Thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous . . . as with a shield.") The word means, not a small shield which may be held out to ward off a dart, but a large buckler which can cover one around as with armour. So effective are the Divine protection and care with which he guards his own. May such protection ever be ours 1 VII, lT IS WORTHY OF NOTE AT WHAT BOUR OJ.I' THE DAY THIS PRAYER IS OFFERED. \Ve are twice told in the third verse, "in the morning." The early morn, when tbo frame is freshest and the spirit freest, is the best time for devotion. The early hours, when sanctified by prayer, will help us to sanctify the whole day for God. Before ever we look upon the face of man, let us catch a morning smile from our Father in heaven; and we shall find how true it is that- "His morning smiles bless all the day." c. Vers. 1-12.-A morning prayer. Every new day the priests began anew the service of God in the temple. The altar was set in order, the lamb was made rei..dy, and as soon as the sign of day was given the morning sacrifice was offered (Lev. vi. 5; Numb. xxviii. 4). In this there was II lesson for all times. Every new day calls for a fresh consecration of ourselves to God. "When first thine eyes unveil, give thy soul leave to do the like" (Vaughan). In this morning prayer we find- I. FAITH IN GoD's FATHERLY CHARACTER, The cry," Give ear," is that of a child to its father. The priests stood for others. They offered sncrifices not only for them- selves, but for the people. But for us there is but one Priest and one Sacrifice. Through Christ we have access to God as our Father, and can cry to him for help in every time of need (Eph. ii. 16; Heb. iv. 16). II. CoNFIDENOE IN GoD'B HOLY RULE, (Vere. 3-7.) The psalmist speaks of what he knows. God is just and holy. The more we think, the more will our confidence grow. We rise from the faith that God is our Father, to the grand belief that he is "King," and that he will defend the right. Ilut let us keep in mind what sin is. Some ia theso days make light of sin. It is an inherited weakness, a necessary evil for which circumstances are to be blamed more thrm the sinner. These and such-like excuses are made, and, if this is not enough, it is said, "Somehow things will come right. If not here, yet in the future world all will be well." To such the "wrath" of God is but a figure of speech, and "hell" the invention of our slavish fears. Against nil such dangerous teaching, let us place the wholesome doctrino of the psalmist and of 9ur Lord. • III. EXPECTATION OF GoD'B GRACIOUS INTERPOSITION, (Vers. 8-10.) Help ill noeded, and earnestly implored. '!'ho cry is not for mere personal case or comfort, but for such deliverance as shall be for God's glory. Tho soul is in sympathy with 1 See footnoto to Pe. iii. 7. This is a c11So in which t!Jo 11pplicalion of the rules of a natural psychology. 11nd of hietorio setting: ·av_ails to throw light on petitions whioh are JDysterious, and which for us would not be Justifiable. 3G THE DOOK OF PSALMS. [rs. v. 1-12.