Verg, 1-7.-Right views of God's government. I. In considering Gocl's moral government of the world, we should be careful to TAKE TRE RIGilT STANDPOINT. Much <lepenrls on the way we look at things. \Ve may be too near or too far off; we may lean too much to the one side or to tl.te other. Here tho standpoint is not earth but " berwcn." Th_is is the prrfect state. Here wo take our place by the side of God, and look at thmgs in the light of his truth. If we have the Spirit of Christ, the true Son of man, then, though on earth, we shall yet be" in heaven" (John iii. 13). II. Another thing is that we should have regard to the TROE STANDARD OF JUDGMEN'r, (Ver. 2.) Much is being done to find out about the people who lived in the ages that are past; but we have to do more with the present day. vVise governments make inquiry. as to population and the condition of the people-materially, intellectually, and socially. Here God is represented as holding inquest, and the chief concern is as to the moral condition of men. Religion is put first. If men are right with God, then all is right. The standard by which thin;rs are measured is the Law of God, How do men stand to God? Do they believe in God? What is the state of their mind and a!Tections with reference to God? "To see if there be any th:i.t understand, and seek God." It is not what other men think of us, nor is it what we think of ourselves, that is o[ importance, but the supreme thing is what God thinks of us. III. We are thus led to apprehend THE JUST RETRIBUTION IMPENDING. (Vers. 2-6.) Life presents a varied aspect. But when we look at it in the light of God, society divide11 itself into two great parties-the wicked and the righteous. 1. '!'here is marked diversity of character. Contrasted with the righteous-" my people," as God calls them in his love and grace-there are the multitude who have gone aside, and who have waxed worse and worse, in their corruption and ungodly deeds. In this psalm there is something like a climax. In P11. :x. we have the ungodly, or fool, hugging himself in his fancied security, an<l sayin_z, "I shall not be moved," Then in Ps. xi. there is an advance to a bold denial of God's omniscience and justice: "'.!.'he foundations are destroyed." Then in Ps. xii. there is a further and still more fearful stride, in daring defiance of God: "Our lips are our own: who is Lord over us?" From this it is but a step to sit d0wn "in the seat of the scornful," and to cry out in derision, "'.!.'here is no God 1" 2 . .But as there is diversity of character, so there will also be diversity of retribution. J udgment will be according to righteousness. Reason is appealed to (ver. 4). In wo11der aud pity, the question is asked, "Are they so senseless as not to see the con- sequences of their own wrong-doing?" But their stupidity and stubbornness will not stop the progress of events. Conscience is also appealed to (ver. 5). The term "there" brings the scene before us with the vividness of a picture. We see these wicked men "there" in their places; "there," in the midst of their works and their pleasures; "there," where they are priding themselves on their strength and their conquests; and "there" the hand. of God seizes them, and they are stricken with terror (Lev. xxvi. 36). And what conscience confesses, experience confirms (ver. 6), The uneasy seuse, that, after all, God is on the side of the righteous, causes fear, and events are continually occurring which go to prove that the fear is well-grounded. The near~r we come to God, the fuller our sympathy with God, the more complete our trust m God, the better shall we be able to judge as to God's doings. In God's light we shall see fr,ht. God's interest in man will be clear; God's holy grief because of the folly and \;ickedness of man, will be evident; and bright an·d enlivening as the outshini11g of the sun from the midst of clouds and darkness will be the love of God for his people, :md his tender an<! abiding care of them through all the vicissitudes of their earthly life. The wicked dishonour God by their distrust and their scorn. Let us honour God by our faith in his eternal love and goodness, and by our unceasing prayer that his salvation may come to all nation~. "Alleluia I Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power unto the Lord our God l "-W. F.
Vere. 1-7.-Conflict between God and the wiclced. The psalmist begins by !amen~ ing lhe extent and the power of the atheism which reigns among men (vers. 1-3), But the righteous who have to suffer much <•n account of it~ must not therefore l'~. xv. 1-5.] TII:E BOOK OF PSALMS. 91
despRir; fools sho.ll certainly bring destruction upon thcmscl vcs ( vers. 4-6). Ile closes with the prayer that God would send deliverance to his people (ver. 7). I. ATHEISM, (Vers. 1-3.) 1. .Atheism in the t'wught and in the desires. (Ver. I.) The "heart" in the Old Testament is not only the seat of desire, but of thought also. But it is more easy for a bad man to wish there were no God, thnu honestly to think it. 2 . .Atheism in conduct. This is described under a positive and negative aspect. Corrnpt conduct-they are gone away from the right path into every wrong way; especially they prey upon the righteous as they would eat bread; i.e. it is as natural for them to be cruel and ·J::i.just towo.rds them as it is to cat bread. They have tried to defeat the counsel~ of the poor. The negative aspect is that not any of them did good, nor did they seek God or call upon the Lord. Gcd was wholly shut out of their lives and thoughts. II. 'l'HE INCREDIBLE IGNORANCE OF ATHEISM. The" fool" bath said. "The fool" expresses the climax of imbecility, "Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge," etc.? 1. He is ignorant of God's all-seeing scrutiny of the human race. (Ver. 2.) Jn Gen. xi. 5 it is said," The Lord came down from heaven, to see the city and the tower," etc. Men from a very early period have had this thought of God's perfect know- ledge of human affairs. 2. They have had experiences which filled them with great fear, (Ver. 5.) God was in the righteous generation; where they thought themselves safe, there they began suddenly to be afraid. The discourse here is of Divine judgrnents actually inflicted. 3. They have been frustrated in their best-laid plans. (Ver. 6.) ",Whatsoever the pio•.1s man plans to do for the glory of Go<l, the chiltlren of the worltl seek to frustrate; but in the final issue their attempt is futile; for Jehovah is his Refuge." This is the meaning; and their defeat should have taught them who wns on the shle of the righteous. III. THE PRAYER SPRINGING OUT OF THIS CONFLICT DETWEEN Goo AND THE WICKED. (Ver. 7.) Prayer for the speedy deliverance of God's people. This is the perpetual cry of the Church.-S.