Ve_rs. 1-6.-Fl'om despondency to peace, The soul may pass quickly from one emot10n to another-from fear to hope, from the gloom of despondency to the bright- ness of peace. Such a change finds expression in this psalm. I. THE CRY. (Vers. 1, 2.) Under the pressure of affliction, hard thou()'hts of God arise. But if there be complaint of God, it is to be observed that the c°omplaint is carried to God. Instead of sullen murmuring, there is meek confession. Instead of bitter resentment, there is affectionate remonstrance. There is not only the "taking counsel :with his own so'.11," which left him in deeper" sorrow," but there is the going out of lnmself, to cast Ins cares upon God, whereby he finds relief. _II. THE APPEAL. (Vers. 3, 4.) Led by the Spirit, the child of God quickly turns h1_s er! of pain into a prayer for i:piritual help. The shadows were deepening; night, with its sleep of death, seemed near; but God was able to bring deliverance. Hence the urgent and passionate appeal. So when we are in peril let us cry to God. Our extremity is his opportunity. Our time of need is his time of mercy. III. _THE TESTIMONY. (Vers. 5, G.) Help seems to have come to the psalmist as to Dame!; while he was yet" speaking in prayer" (Dan. ix. 20, 21). So it often is. God is more ready to hear than we are to ask. "He waiteth to be gracious." 1. The pe,ace given is real. There may still be storm without, but there is calm within. 2. The confidence is romforting. Imagination no longer works by fear, but by hope and brightens all the futnre. The soul that seemed about to enter the dark valley of the shadow of death, with the terrible fear that God was departed, now rejoices in the sunshine of God's presence (Micah vii 9; Zech. xiv, 7).-W, F. Ver. 1.-God's averted face. The hiding of God's face is a sore trial to his people. If they did not love him, they could bear it; but as they love him so much, it is a great affliction. It may be said of such trials, that they a.re still harder to bear under the gospel. For the very fact that God once dwelt with men-going in and out among them as one of themselves, loving them, e.nd doing them good-makes the mystery of his silence now the deeper, and our distress the greater. "Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled" (Ps. x:u:. 7; cf. Job xiii. 24). 1. This conduct on the part of onr Lord seems alien to his nature. We expect a friend to show himself friendly. We blame e. physician if he comes not at once when urgently summoned. We would call e. father or mother unfeeling and unnatural who shut their ears to the cries of their own child. 2. Then this silence of our Lord seems contrary to his action when he was fo the world. He was then easy of access, and ready to help. True, he at first refused the Syro-phamician; but he gave her all she asked in the end. True, he delayed coming to Bethany; but he did come, in his own time, e.nd turned the house of mournin!: iuto a home of joy. 3. Then, again, we have our Lord's teaching and promises. We remember what is said, that we should" not hide ourselves from our own flesh" (Isa. !viii. 7); how we are taught to show kindness to our enemies, and even to have pity on the very brutes (Deut. xxii. 1--4; Matt, xii. 12); and "how much is a man better than a sheep I" We think also of the parables of Le.zarus, e.nd of the man who fell among thieves, and our hearts are in perplexity. "I weep ••• because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me" (Lam, i. 16). :Besides, we remember our Lord's promises. lt cannot be that he does not know; or that he lacks the power; or that his love is waxed cold. Why, then, does he let us lie at his gate; or leave us half-dead by the wayside; or fail to come to us when we are "comfortless "? These and such-like thoughts rise and trouble us. Our hearts are like a tree, with its many branches, tossed e.nd torn by the storm. But in the multitude or our thoughts within us, there are comforts still left to us. First, Christ is not changed. Next, he knows all that has come to us, and has pity. Then, he has bis own gracious purposes in our afflictions. They are necessary for our good (Isa. lix. 2; Hos. v. 15). Then we should not count such trials as strange, as we are under e. spiritual dispensation. Christ is really with us still, in his Word and Spirit and the ministry of his people. He even comes at times to us, when we know him not (Matt. xxv. 38). Then we should remember that he has, for a season, put e. restraint upon himself. We may say, like Martha," If thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." A.nd this is true. Dut our Lord rould not be here with us, e.s in the days of :Lis fle~h, ana 11t the eame time carry out his iitans of discirliue 1111,! tr11ining 1.1ncler th@ f•e. XIV. 1-7.J 'l'iiE BOOK OF PSALMS. 85
Spirit. Last of all, let us remember that tll(Jse trials are temporary. They may end here. They will certainly end hereafter (Isa, liv. 7; Ezra xxxix. 23-29). Our Lord knew himself the pain of desertion; and he longs to have us with him, where there shall be no more hidings of his face, or crying, or tears. Let us, therefore, take the counsel of Elihu, "Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment i~ before him; therefore trust thou in bim" (Job xxxv. 14:; cf. Isa. viii. 17).-W. F.