xxxvii. 35; Ix.xiii. 18-20). God will seem to men according b what they are. If they follow his commandments, peaco will attend their steps. H they violate tl:cru, all nature will be full of detectives, whips, and stings. IV. A TWOFOLD ACT TOWARDS Goo. 1. Prayer. "Hear . . . when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle;" 1 i.e. towards the "mercy-seat" (ver. 2). Although he WM not selfish enough to cramp bis desires within the limits of his own persona.I need, yet he was not unnatural enough to leave himself out. In fact, God wo.s so much to him that his very life seemed bound up in God and his loving-kindness; the la.ck of a ~essage from God to his spirit would almost drive him to despair (vers. 1, 2). But, a.s 1s so often the case, the very psalms which begin with the deepest sigbin" end with the most joyous shouting. Hence, following on prayer, there is: 2. Praise~ (Ver. 6.) The lower God takes us down in the valley of humiliation, the higher will he take us up on the mount of exultation (Isa. xii. 16). And those who spend most time with God in weeping and supplication will have the loudest and sweetest strains to raise over the wonders of delivering grace. "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. n This is as true of prayer as it is of work. , , Note: Making all allowance for the difference of tone in the two dispensations, the Hebrew and the Christian, yet throughout both the same laws hold good. 1. That prayer is one of the forces by means of which God sways the world. 2. That his people have for thousands of years been praying to him to bring in righteousness and to put down wrong of every "kind. 3. That it is more certain these prayers will be o.nswered than that the sun will rise t<rmorrow. 4. And, consequently, it is for men to decide whether t.o their life there shall attach the privilege of being borne upon the hearts of all God's saints in prayer, or the peril of being surrounded with petitions that they mo.y ultimately be put to shame.-C. Vers. 1-9.-Man's cry and God's response. In this psalm we find- !. MAN's CRY To Gon. (V ers.1-5.) Prayer is an instinct of the heart. Man cries to man. There is a bond of brotherhood between all men. 'l'he simple fact that a brother is in need gives him a claim to help. Friend cries to friend. The nearer our relationships, the deeper our obligations. The child cries to its father. Whatever may be the conduct of others, we are sure that parents will do what they can for their children. With how much more reason and confidence may we cry to God! Ho is ever near. He is always pitiful. He will surely help all those who cry to him. It is true we may be tried, sorely tried. Distresses may multiply. Our fears may magnify our danger. We may tremble as on the verge of the gulf. But let us not despair. Bartimams was not answered at the first, but he cried again. 'l'he Syro- Phcenician woman seemed at first to be met with repulse· and refusal, but she pleaded the more earnestly. The sisters of Bethany were left for three whole days in their woe ; but the Saviour came in his good time, bringing light and joy. So let us learn to pray and wait. Daniel took comfort by looking toward Jerusalem; let us look above, to Jesus, "the Author and Finisher of our faith." II. Gov's RESPONSE TO MAN'e cnv. (Vers. 6-9.) In the deepest sense, God's response to man's cry is Christ. In him God has come to us in human form, bringing salvation. Through him God is ever with us, to hear the prayer of the sinner and to satisfy the desires of hie saints. When we pray it may be that the answer is delayed. As Joseph spoke roughly to hie brethren, though love and kindness were in his heart all the time, so God may seem for a while to close his ear, and suffer us to strugglo and cry in vain; but we are sure that hie love does not change. Ho is not like Baal (1 Kings xviii. 27) or the god of Ekron (2 Kings i. 2). If he delays it is because this is needful. It is part of his discipline; it is necessary for the full accomplishment of his purposes. It may be also that God will answer our prayers in a way different from what we expected. "\Ve are weak and ignorant. Our minds are clouded, our hearts are confused. We are harassed and distressed by the things which press most closely upon us. We are not fit judges as to what iF1 best. Let us confide in God. He knows what we are o.nd what we need. His way is always the best way. Paul, 1 "Thy holy ore.cle," ,-:.i:, (see Hengslenberg hereon: Dr. llloll, in Scho.ft"'e L11-nge; and
the translation in 'The P~alws in Cb~~n.ologi~al Q_rder,' by 'l'hree Friends). PS, xxvm. 1-9.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 211