Vere. S-14.-.The voice of Jehovah in his Word. The Prophet Isaiah, in his forty- fifth chapter, and in the eighth and ninth verses, refers both to the work of God's hands in the world which he has created, and to the words of his lips in the promises he has made; and in both cases it is said, "not in vain." "Not in vain" is the earth formed; "not in vain" is the promise uttered. In both there is a Divine aim and purpose. That antithesis between the works and the Word of God is more ancient than Isaiah's day. It goes back to the time of Moses, who in the ninetieth psalm speaks to God as the Ever-living One, the Framer of the earth, aad yet the Refuge of his people. .And between Moses and Isaiah, in this nineteenth psalm we have the like distinction drawn. Its first six verses refer to God's works in the world, the rest, to his words in the Word.2 Seven lines of exposition are required for their unfolding. I. THE HEAVENS SPEAK OF GOD; THE WORD DE0LAREB JEHOVAH. It is too commonly supposed that the use of the several words "Elohim" and "Jehovah" indicates a difference either of date, of document, or of authorship. 'fhere does not seem to ue to be any adequate ground for snch distinctions. As we in one aud the same sermon or tract may use a dozen different names for God, why may it not have been so of old? 8 The word "Elohim" iadicates God as the God of nature. 'l'he word "Jehovah" points to him as the revealed God of our fathers. And it is from our own revealed God that the Word proceeds, from the depths of his heart; it is far mon
1 See the closing chapter of Mr. Wallace's recent and valuable work on 'Darwinism (1889); Mr. Fiek'e 'Excursions of an Evolutionist,' eh. xi.; the introduction to Dr. Wilson's admirable work on 'Evolution;' and the Rev. W. Arthur's mo,t powerful works on 'Reliuion without God,' and 'God without Religion.' There is a masterly volume by 0 the Rev. Dr. Chapman, M.A., on 'Pre-organio Evolution, and the Biblical Idea of God' (Clark: 1891). Professor R. Watts'e 'Rei~n of Causality ' has some very pow:erful and c~ose reasoning on this subject. The st~dent will £ad~ lielpful summary of th~ v~e"'.e ?f ancient and modern philosophers on the idea of cause, ID Rev. J. R. Thomson s Dictionary of Philosophy,' pp. 201, et B«J· .. . . . . • On the different styles of wntmg m this psalm, see 'Cambndge Bible.' • In conversation with a learned Jew, the writer stated the views here given, and a.eked him, "Is there any reaBOn, in your judgment,_ why this should not have been the case?" The answer was "On the contrary, there 1a every reason why it should have been so. We Jews vary the name of God aocording to the conception of him whioh we wish at the time to convey." PS, XIX. 1-14.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 135