The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 351

means of leading her to Jesus. The experience of a young civil encrincer, whom the writer visited in his !a.stillness, was precisely the same. 2. Those who can give us no comfort or rest in the troubles of life are of little use in such a world as this. In a letter of an aged Unitarian minister to a friend of the writer, the expression is used, "I am just battling with the inevitable." "Battling with the inevitable I" So it must be, if men turn away from our God as the Redeemer from sin, the Saviour of the lost. 3. It is the glory of Christ as our Refuge that he can hide us securely in the fiercest trou hies of life. " Shonld storms of sevenfold thunder roll, And shake the globe from pole to pole No flaming bolt shall daunt my face For Jesus is my Hiding-place." c. Vers. 1-11.-Hopefor the troubled. Faith in God assures- I. HELP IN TROUBLE. It may be some sto1m of outward or of inward trial comes, or both may be combined. Enemies may rage without, and sin may rouse tumults and fears within. But "God is our Refuge;" be is always near, always sufficient. The manslayer might fail to reach the place of safety; but God is at our right hand, and it needs but a cry from our hearts to secure his help. The Israelite might perish, though he had his hand on the horn of the altar (1 Kings ii. 25); but if we "flee for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us,!! we are safe (Heb. vi. 18). It is this faith in God that gives true fearlessness. '!'rusting in God and doing good, who can harm us ( l Pet. iii. 13)? 11. COMFORT IN TROUBLE. (Vers. 4, 5.) There is an advance here to what is more inward and spiritual-to the Divine consolations of the good. 'fhe "river," with its several " streams," typifies those consolations as they are to be found in the \Vord and ordinances of the gospel and the love of God in Christ Jesus. They are free, affluent, abiding. Other waters may fail (Isa. xix. 6), but they "go on for ever." Like the waters from the rock that followed Israel through all their wanderings, so they are ever beside us and open to us, so that whosoever will may drink and be refreshed. "God is in the midst of her." This is the secret of the whole. ill. DELIVERANCE FROM TROUBLE. Trials are needful; they have their purpose, and when it is accomplished they cease. As with the wars that desolate the earth, they are under the control of God. It is for us to be patient and trust. God's time is the best time. It may be dark now, but the dawn of a brighter day is near (ver. 6). There may be conflict and strife now, and as good soldiers of Jesus Christ we must endure barJness; but victory is sure. We are not only to learn patience from what we "behold" of the works of the Lord, but from what we "know" in the secrets of our own experience (vers. 8-10) ; besides, we have the sure word of prophecy and of promise. " The Lord of hosts is with us ; " and if so, greater is he that is for us than all they that can be a~ainst us. "The God of Jacob is our Refuge;" and if so, we rnay be confident that God will keep us in all places whither we go, and will not only sanctify unto us all our trials, but bring us in the end into tho land of everlasting peace.-W. F. Vers. 1-11.-A Divine Refuge and Strength. The ground-t.hought is, "God is our Refuge and Strength,'' and it returns with only a slight change of form at the end of the secowl and third strophes. The strophes are: vers.1-3; vers. 4-7; vers. 8-11. I. Goo·s RELATION To us. 1. A relation of strength. (Vors. 6, 7, 9.) 2. Of intimate nearness. (V ers. 5, 7.) "In the midst of her." "With us." Immanuel. How near God is to us in Christ 1 3. Of parental tenderness. "The God of Jacob is our Refuge." Christ calls us "little children," denoting how God feels toward us. . II. WHAT WE SHOULD DE IN CONSEQUENCE OF BUCII A IlELATION. 1. Fearless amid the greatest changes. (Vers. 2, 3.) But evil men have much to fear from God. 2. Glad or }oyful. (Ver. 4.) God will help "right early," or "in the morning." 3. Obedient to the omnipotent God. "Be still" is equivalent to" know whnt I arn, and cease from ware against my people." "He brcaketh the bow of the strongest, nud cutteth the spear in sunder; be burneth the chariot in the fire."-S. I'll, XLVII. 1-0.] TllE BOOK OF PSALMS. 365