HOMILETICS. Vers. 4, 5.-" Efhow me thy ways," etc. Prayer oaght to be the most natural, as it is the noblest, form of speech. H would be if human nature were not off its balance, out of tune, morally crippled and disjointed. In extremity of peril or grief, the instinct of prayer often wakes up even in godless hearts- " And lips say, 'God be merciful I' That ne'er said, • God be praised I'" But no godless lips wonld be surprised by danger or stung by pain into uttering such a prayer as this (Rom. viii. 26). 'fhe Book of Psalms abounds in prayers like thi~, or like vers. 6, 7, 11, which bear the stamp of the Holy Spirit's teaching. I. THESE WORDS TEACH OUR URGENT NEED OF GoD's TEACHING. 1. Coricerning himself. Nature is a revelation of God; a lesson-book stored with Divine meaning (Ps. xix. 1; Rom. i. 19, 20). His existence; his infinite wisdom and goodness in design, power in execution, ruling, upholding; nnchaoging faithfulness ;-these are lessons we may read, if we have eyes, in this glorious universe. But nature has no message to the individual; no answer to this petition, "Show me, teach me, lead me." Like a machine, it is guided by fixed laws; a11 is universal, calculable, relentless. The kaowledge of God the heart needs is personal. Does he care for me, love me, invite my love? l:lave I sinned against him? and, if so, will be pardon? Will he listen if I speak, answer if I pray? Is that Arctic creed true, that he "Sees with equal eye, as God of all, A hero perish or a sparrow fall"? Or that blessed faith, that, while not a sparrow dies without the will of my heavenly Father, I count for more in his reckoniag " than many sparrows"? 2. Concerning ourselves. Our life, duty, salvntion. This is the teaching the psalmist asks for: "thy ways;" "thy paths;" "Lead me in thy truth." The revela1ion of Scripture in a sense resembles that of nature, It is universal-for mankind (" all nations," Matt. xxviii. 19; Luke xxiv. 47). The individual soul needs more than revelation- inspiration, the light and leading of the Holy Spirit. II. THIS DIVINE TEACRING JS TO BE SOUGHT AND OBTAINED BY PRAYER. 1. Not as a substitute for Scripture. The inward light ie not to supersede the written Word. God has given us there, so fur as words can convey it, all the knowledge we need of himself, and of our duty, salvation, aacl destiny. 2. Nor yet to mnke us indepenclent of human teaching. God does not bestow equal light ou all Christiaas; but larger, deeper, clearer knowledge and wisdom to some, that they may impart to others. A mind too proud to learn from man is not in a fit state to be taught of God (1 Cor. xii. 8; Eph. iv. 11, 12), 3. But the capacity to apprehend Divine truth is from God. So is a right disposition of heart-faith, humility, sympathy, desire for holiness, love to God. 'l'he Bible is a senled book to the understanding as long as the heart is closed against the gospel (Matt. xiii. 13-15; 1 John ii. 20, 27). 'l'he Spirit of God can teach us more in a single verse or sentence of a sermon, book, or lttter, thnn wo can gai:i without his teaching from whole vobmes (Acts xvi. H; 1 Tbess. i. 5). Remark: This truth is vital to Protestantism. Private judgment apnrt from Divine tcnching would mean only the right to err. Daily experience shows tho adequacy of the Scriptures, studiccl with earnest prayer for the Holy Spirit apart from human teaching, to convert the heart and bless and guide the life (John vl. 45). Without such prayer and Divine teaching the most learned biblicnl scholar may utterly fail to reach the hidden heart of Scripture,
Ver. 10.-Glorious prospect of Gor£s ii£alings, "All the paths," etc. The spirit of this psalm is lowly but traaquil faith. Lowly, because of deep sense of sin (vers. 7, 11, 18) and experhmce of sorrow (vers. 2, 15-17); tranquil, because resting in God (vers. 1, 6, 8, 12). Like a flower rooted iu a rock-cleft, that shivers with every breeze, but which you may tear to pieces but not uproot. This tenth verse contains an answer to the prayer of ver. 4. Starting from his own experience, the psalmist is TH~ BOOtt. OF PSALMS. (Ps. XXV. 1-22: