nHer doath, which is intended by the terms above named, which carry with them no moral significance, unless such moral significance is conveyed by the connection in which they stand. "Sbeol" <lenotes the realm of departed souls, looked at as the all-demanding world. "Hades" denotes the realm of departed souls, looked at as the unknown region. To the pagan world, Hades was all dark, and no light beyond. 'l'o the Hebrews it was a dim, shadowy realm, with light a.wailing the righteous in the morning (cf. Pss. xvii. 15; xliL 14). To the Christian it is neither dark nor dim, but something "very far better "-it is being'' with Christ." Hence it follows that such a moan as that in ver. 9 would be utterly out of place now; " dying" to a believer is not "going down to the pit," and ought not to be thought of as such. The tenth verse can never be inappropriate. But note : 1. Times of anxiety ancl trouble often bring out agonizing prayer. 2. We may pour forth all our agonies before God. We speak to One who will never misunderstand, and who will do for us "above all that we ask or think." Hence we are not surprised to see tho psalmist ata- IV. FounTH STAGE: RECOVERY. 1 (Ver. 11; also ver. 1, "Thou hast lifted me up;" 2 ver. 2," Thou hast healed me.") The psalmist was restored, and permitted again to sing of recovering mercy. Note: Whatever means may be used in sickness, it is only by the blessing of God thereon that they are efficacious. Therefon, he should be praised for his goodness and loving-kindness therein. v. FIFTH STAGE: THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE. (Ver. 5.) When the trouble is over, what seemed so prolonged a period before dwindles in the review to" a moment." '£here is a beautiful antithesis, moreover, in the fifth verse, which our Ileviscrs have too cautiously put in the margin, "His anger is but for a moment; his favour is for a lifetime." Bishop Perowne says, " c•:r:, seems here to be used of duralian of life, though it would be difficult to support the usage." 3 But even if the word may not be used of the duration of life, surely it is used of life in reference to its continuous- ness, as in Pss. xxi. 5 and lxiii. 5; and so is in complete antithesis to "a moment." We should render the text," For a moment in his anger, life in his favour." (Eveu here, however, we must beware of always associating sickness with the anger of God.) How gloriously true it is, "He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever" (Ps. ciii. 9, 10; Isa. lvii. 16-18) I We may not only praise God that our joys vastly outnumber our sorrows, but also that ofttimee our sorrows become the greatest mercies of all. 'fhns we are brought in thought to the- VI. SIXTH STAGE; vow. (Ver. 12,' "0 Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.") Many illustrations are to be found in the Word of God, of vows following ou the reception of special mercies from him (Gen. xxviii. 20-22 ; 1 Saro. i. 11 ; Pss. cxvi., cxxxii. 2). Note: At each instance of signal mercy in life, there should be as signal a repetition of our consecration vows.-C.
Vere. 1-12.-God's chastening hand. It is written, "No chastening for the present seemetb to be joyous, but grievous : nevertheless aflerward it yieldeth tbu peaceable fruit ofrighteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" (Heb. xii. 11). '!'his pso.lm teaches how we mo.y reap much good from the chastening of Hickness. I. 'l'he first thing is to ACKNOWLEDGE Goo's HAND. 'l'he heathen may be in doubt; they may question whether it is" o. chance" or the doin~ of God when great evil comes (1 Sam. vi. 9); but it ought not to be so with us. Behind the things seen, and all the causes we can trace, we should see the hand of God. "Thou hast lifted me up." What a blessed change this thought effects I It is like light breaking in on the darkness, and the sense of a loving presence bringing hope to our hearts in trouble. II. Again, we should CONFESS Goo's MERCY. However bad our case may bo, it 1 Both terms in var. 11 (':,!)r;,r;, and ~\ni;>) convey the thought of o. more domonstro.live emotion tho.n is usual now in such oases. • "Ho.at drawn me up, as out or o. dungeon" (Rogers). 1 It is questionable whether the word i\:9 docs not rofer to the glory of God; if so
tho word "my" is redundant and misleading (see Perowne and llengstcubcrg hereon). • "If t\Joy weigh his anger and his favour in an eqno.l bo.Jo.nce, they will o.hrnys find it verified, tho.t while the former is but for n moment, the lo.Lter continues to the end of life" (Co.Mn; nlso eeo Dr. Green and Kirkpatrick hercon). - - THE BOOK OF' PSALMS, [rs, xxx. 1-12.