stands o.far off, and hides himsel.f In times of trouble. 1 Such trials were felt by the Protestants in their early strug[(les; by the Covenanters in times of persecution in Scotland; by faithful ones on the occasion of the St. Bartholomew Massacre; by thQ Waldenses and Albigensee; by Puritans and Independents under Charles I.; by Churchmen under Cromwell; and by the Malagasy in our own times; and it is only by the terror of such times that psalms like this can be understood. II. HARD QUESTIONS. Of these there are two. One is in the first verse. 1. Why is God silent P As we look at matters. we might be apt to say that if God has indeed a people in the world, be will never let them fall into the hands of the destroyer; or that, if they are oppressed by evil men, God will quickly deliver them out of their hands, and will show bis disapproval of their ways. But very often is it otherwise-lo sight, and then faith is tried; and it is no wonder that Old Testament saints should ask " Why?" when even New Testament saints often do the same I But we know that to bis own, God gives an inward peace and strength that are better marks of bis love and better proofs of bis timely aid than any outward distinction could possibly be. Take, e.g., the case of Dlandina in the times of early persecution ; and the cases of hundreds of others. And besides this, it ie by the Christ-like bearing of believers under hardships such as these, that God reveals the reality and glory of bis redeeming ~race ( see 1 Pet. iv. 12-14). 2. A second question is: Why doth the wicked contemn God 1 Ah ! why does he? He does contemn God in many ways. (1) His inward thought is, "There is no God" (ver. 4). (2) He denies that God will call him to account (ver.13). (3) He denies that God watches his actions (ver. 11). (4) He lulls himself in ima·rinc,l perpetual security (ver. 6). Thus the life of such a one is a perpetnal denial or defiance of God. And all this is attributed (a) to" pride" (ver. 4); (b) to love of evil as evil (ver. 3). And yet the psalmist, seeing through the vain boast of the ungodly, may well peal out again and again the question," Why does hedo this?" for the implied meaning of the writer is, "Why does be do this, when, in spite of all his proud glory- ing in ill, he knows that God will brir.g his wiclcedness to an end, and will call him to account for it, This is the thought;which connects our present division with the next. III. PERMANENT SOLACE. However hard it may be to interpret the ways of God at any one crisis, yet the believer knows that he must not judge God by what he sees of his ways, but ought to estimate his ways by what be knows of God. And there are four great truths known about God by the revelation of himself to man. 1. Jehovah is the eternal King (ver. 14). 2. God is the Helper of the fatherless (ver. 14). 3. God is known as the Judge of the oppressed (ver. 18; cf. Pss. ciii. 6; xciv. 8-23). 4. God hears his people's cry (ver. 17). When believers know all this, they have a perpetual source of relief even under the heaviest cares. God's plan for the world, in bis govern- ment thereof by Jesus Christ, is to redress every wrong of man, and to bring about 11eace, by righteousness (Ps. lxxii. 2--4). IV. FERVID PRAYER. (Ver~. 12, 15.) Times of severest pressure are those which force out the mightiest prayer (Acts iv. 33-110). Luther, etc.; Daniel (ii. 16-18 ; ix.1-19). The true method of prayer is thus indicated, viz. to ascertain from God's revelation of himself, what he is and what are his promises, and then to approach him in humble supplication, pleading with him to reveal the glory of his Name, by fulfilling the promises he has made; and when our praye:rs move in the direct line of God's promises, we are absolutely sure of an answer (but see Pe. lxv. 6; Rev. viii. 4, 5; Deut. xxxii. 26-29). To-day is a day of God's concealing himself; but his day of self-revealing is dmwing nigh.-C. Vers. 1-18.-Times of darkness and fear. The experiences of the psalmist may di fler from our, but by faith and sympathy we can enter into hie feelings. Ilesidcs, thno is always more or lees of trouble. Life is full of vicissitudes. Times of darkness 1md of fear come to all. Not from one, but from many, tho cry goes up to Heaven, "·why standest thou afar off?" J, THE coMrLAIN'r. (Vere. 1-11.) Why? Perplexity and fear are natural because o[ the silence of God. What makes hie silence tho more awful is that it is in sight of the su.fj'trings of the good (ver. 2). On every side evil abounds. Truth, justice, benevolenci,, 1 See homily by the writer in 'Pulpit Commentary: Revelntion,' viii. 1, "Siknoe in
he11.ven." 70 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS, X, 1-18,
are set at naught. Might prevails against right. Righteousness is fallen in the dust, Oppression has reached such a height that it seems as if it would finally triumph. The mystery deepens, when we mark that God's silence is in the hearing of the vauntings of the wicked (vers. 3-11). The proud not only boast of their streugth, but exult in their success. They have accomplished their evil desires. They parade their insolence. and scorn in the very hearing or Heaven. Seeing there is no judgment executed, they harden their hearts, and hold on their way with reckless _hardihood. II. THE APPEAL. (Vers.12-18.) The cry is impassioned and urgent. God's truth and honour a.re concerned. Redress IDU$t be given, else things will soon be beyond remedy. 1. The experience of the past is urged. (Ver. H.) God is just. What he has done is earnest of what he will do. His deeds bind him as well as his promises. 2. The present also bears witness. (Ver. 5.) There is requital even now. As surely as the good is blessed in his deed, the wicked is cursed in his wickedness. 3. The future £s therefore anticipated with confidene,e. (Ver. 6.) As the singer muses on the character and ways of God, he rises t-0 a bolder strain. Faith sees the vision of coming judg- ment. There are sore trials, there are groat perplexities, but God is just. He is not indifferent. He is not helpless. He is not slack concerning his promise. But he waits in long-suffering mercy for the fit-the appointed time. A prepared heart will always find a prepared God (vers. 16-18): "Thou wilt cause thine ears to hear." Men may give their ears, and no more. Not so God. He not only bears, but acts. There is the tenderest pity; but there is also the most tremendous power. "It is a fearful thing io fall into the hands of the living GoJ."-W. F.