of our salvation, be "ma.de perfect through own miscond net shall bring destruction suffering " (Heh, ii. 10). Jlut the Lord upon the wicked man-destruction of the delivereth him out of them all When they body in many cases (Ps. vii. 15, 16), in all, havo done their appointed work of purging, if he persists in his wickedness, destruction purifying, instructing, improving, or wha.t- of the soul. And they tha.t hate the ever else their work me.y be, God removes thA righteous shall be desolate; rather, shall be afflictions with which he has visited us or held gui'lty (comp. Ps. v. 10, and the allowed us to be visited, ultimately, when comment ad loo.). he takes us to himself, mercifully delivering Ver. 22.-The Lord redeemeth the soul of us " out of them e.ll." his servants (comp. Pss. xxv. 22 ; cx:n:. Ver. 20.-B:e keepeth all his bones: not 8). Some translate, "The Lord delfoers," one of them is broken. The " bones " e.re etc. Bnt the LXX. he.ve >-.uTpc{,rreTa.,. :put for the entire frame, or body, of a man .And the verb need means primarily, as Dr. (comp. Pss. vi. 2; xxxi.10; xxxii. 3; xxxviii, Ke.y says, "to sever," then "to set free, 3; xiii. 10; cii. 3), God "keepeth," i.e. release, emancipate; especially to set free watches over, keeps from harm, the entire by paying a price; to redeem, or ransom." persons of the righteous, letting no hurt And none of them that trust in him shall be touch them, but such as he permits and desolate ; rather, shall be held guilty, or sees to be needful. In using the phrase, shall be condemned-the same word as in the "not oue of them is broken," the psalmist preceding verse (comp. Rom. viii. 33, 34). probably alludes to Exod. xii. 46 and Numb. Those whom God he.s redeemed he justifies, ix, 12, to.king the Paschal lamb e.s e. type and eaves from ell oondemnation. They of innocence, e.nd so of godliness. are "passed from death unto life" (John Ver. 21.-Evil shall slay the wioked. Hia v. 24:).
HOMILETICS. Ver. 1.-A duty, a privilege, a purpose. "I will bless," eto. A Christian man, burdened and oppressed with many troubles, was seeking relief in prayer. But even prayer was difficult. Suddenly these words came into his mind, "I will bless the Lord at all times." 11 At all times?" he thought; 11 then now." He began to think of his reasons for blessing God, and as the scale in which be weighed God's mercies grew heavy, the scale in which he weighed his trials grew light by comparison. His sorrowful prayer was turned into thanksgiving; and he rose up strengthened and comforted. 'fhese words express a duty, a privilege, a purpose. I. A DUTY-of perpetual obligation. God's mercies ore II new every morning" (L·am. iii. 23),,nay, every moment. Some signal instance mt1y be the Moses' rod to make the stream of thankfulness gush forth, as, according to the title, wa.s the case with this psalm. But as the clock is silently marking time every moment, and not only when it strikes the hour, so the silent sense of God's goodness should never dio out of the Christian's heart, though there are special times for his lips to utter prnlse. Every brea.th, every heart-beat, is a new gift of life (Acts xvii. 28; I's. cvii. 1, 8). II. A PnIVILEGE-of the noblest kind. If it is true the.t every duty brings rew!lrd in some sense with it, this is eminently true here. 1. God accepts our praise, as glorifying him (Ps. 1. 23). 2. Praise hallows our enjoyments (Deut. vii. 11, 12); and brings sunshine into our darkest seasons (Acts xvi. 25). 3. It is the noblest employ- ment, that in which we rise nearest to heaven. Not seeking, as in prnyor,from God, but striving to render somewhat to him, we lny our hearts open for his best blessings. III. A thoughtful, wiHe, m:d holy PURPOSE. The fulfilment of this duty and exercise of this privilege are not to be loft to transient impulse or to rare occasions. "I will ... a.tall times." '!'here are set occasions when "pmise is comely." And there are sunny seasons, when God puts "a. new song" in our mouth. But the text points to the habitual culture of a. thankful spirit. . CoNOLUBION. 1. Forget not God's mercies. Review them. 2. Place over against them thy unworthiness. 3. Let the heart be often lifted up in thankfulness, when the lips a.re silent and the hands and eyes busy with the world, "At a.11 times;" "for his mercy endureth for ever." Ver. 8.-The test of experience. "Oh, taste and see I" The glory of our age is its experimental science. The method of the old philosophers, against which Lord Bacon PSALMS, I 258 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS. XXXIV, 1-22,