The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 220

might be worse. "Wherefore cloth a livina man complain--!\ mnn for the punishment of his sins?" (Lnm. iii. 39; cf. Micah vii. 9). Desides, there are alleviations. We mcot with kindness and sympathy; we are cheered by the ministry of loving friends; we have the teaching and experiences of other sufferers open to us in books; above all, wo have the consolations of our holy religion. III. A~ain, it is meet that we should SEEK TO KNOW Goo's WILL, He does not act from passion or caprice. He has a purpose, and his purpose must be worthy of himself, as well as benign and gracious toward us. Vvc know as a general truth that "the will of God is our sanctification" (1 Thess. iv. 3). But we should inquire, besides, as to what special end God mny have in view in the particular trial that has come to us. It may be he wishes to teach us the brevity of life. "Work, therefore, while it is called to-day" (John ix. 4). Or his object may be to humble our hearts and to quicken our sympathies with others. "Look not, therefore, on your own things, but look also on the things of others" (Phil. ii. 4). Or his purpose may be to loosen us from earthly things, and to bind us more closely to himself as our Saviour and our God. "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" (1 John v. 21). In any case, like Job, let us say, "That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more" (Job xxxiv. 32; cf. Josh. vii. 6). IV. Again, we should pray that we may be able to SURRENDER ouasELVEB WHOLLY TO Goo. "The hardest, the severest, the last lesson which man has to learn upon this earth is submission to the will of God. It is the hardest lesson, because to our blinded eyesight it often seems a cruel will. It is the severest, because it can be only taught by the blighting of much that has been most dear; it is the last lesson, because when a man has learned that, be is fit to be transplanted from a world of wilfulness to a world in which one will alone is loved and done. All that saintly experience ever had to teach resolves itself into this-the lesson how to eay affectionately, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt" (F. W. Robertson). When we have learned this lesson, then we are able to see with thankfulness and joy that God's holiness and love are one (ver. 4). Besides, we have reached a height which, looking before and after, we recog- nize the gracious dealings of God with us all through, and are able to say that it was good for us to have been afflicted (vers. 6-12). Perhaps, like the psalmist, we may have been falling into carnal security. We have said to ourselves," I shall never be moved." Our presumption bas brought upon ue chastisement. \Ve presumed upon our health, and God eent sickness; we presumed upon our friends and lovers, and God has put them far from us; we presumed upon our reputation and worldly comforts, and God has brought us low; we presumed upon our religious faith and privileges, and God has bid his face from us, and taught us that we must rely only on himself. Our trials have moved ns to prayer (vers. 8-10); our prayer has brought us help and comfort from God (ver. 11), and now with renewed hope and joy we can sing God's praise (ver. 12).-W. F. • Ver. 4.-The holiness of Ghrist. We may apply these words to Christ. We should "give thanks at the remembrance of bis holiness" as- I. GLORIOUSLY INDEPENDENT. 'l'he holiness of the creature is derived. It is not by will, or by effort, or by discipline as something that has been wrought out by himself· it is of God. But the holiness of Christ was bis own; it was essential to his being; it was the outshining of the glory that he had from eternity (Isa. vi. 3; John xii. 41). II. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. Thank God, there have been, and there are, good men upon earth• but none of them is ~rfect. None is good from the first; none is wholly and always' good. The holiness of the best ie not only derived, but imperfect. 'l'his is the confession of every one that ie godly when coming before God. But the holiness of Christ was perfect. Nothing could be added to it-nothing higher could be co!!• ceived. In thie respect he stands alone, the first, and tho last, nnd th~ only one, m human likeness who had kept the Law perfectly, and who could say, m tho face of enemies and of (riends, "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" (John viii. 46). UL INVIOLABLY PURE. Some may seem pure because they have not been tried. But Christ was subjected to the severest trials and temptations; yet hie holy soul wns ncnr stained b;r sia. He w11s born with.out sin (Luke i. 35); be lived in a.n e\'il rs. x:x.x. 1-12.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 225