certnin extent, reproved (vere. 8-14), the paralld in the second hemistich-Thou pee.lwist now ad<lreeses to the ungodly, the elanderest thine own mother's son-implies open e.nd wilful tru.negressors, a. fe.r sterner tliat an actual brother is intended. It is rebuke. Th~y claim the privileges of God's one of tl.Je speciu.l characteristics of the reprobnte to be "without natural affection" covenanted servants (ver. 16), but perform (Rom. i. 31 ). none of the duties (vers. 17-20), thus bring- Ver. 21.-Theee things hast thou done, ing down upon themselves a terrible menace. and I kept silence; thou thonghtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself. Be- Ver. 16.-llut unto the wicked God eaith, cause God dicl not inlerpose openly to What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, punish the sins committed, the tra11sgrcssor or that thou ehouldest take my covenant in dared to imagine him to be indifferent to thy mouth 1 The wicked a.l!surned that they sin," such an one as bimself"-no holier, were true Israelites. They were familiar no purer, no more averse to evil. nut I with the words of God's statutes, and with will reprove thee, and set them in o~de~ the terms of the covenant. They claimed before thine eyes. Ilut now tbe t i m~ is the right of enforcing them against others .come when I shall no longer keep silcnre; (Rom. ii. 18-20), while in their own per- I shall openly•• reprove" thee, anr! 111,Hch:1! sons they set them at nought (vers. 18-20). in set order before thee all the wicked dceJ~ God declares that thq have no right to which thou ha.st done. God, ns Cal,i11 assume to be teachers of otliers until they says, '' will lay before them in exact order a have taught themeelres-they are unfit full catalogue of their misdeeds, which tlley even to "take his covenant in their mouth." must read and own, whether they will or Ver. 17.-Sseing thou ha.test instruction not.,, (comp. Prov. i. 2:i, 29). God, by his Law, Ver. 22.-Now consider this, ye that for- teaches men their duties; but many men get God. Having been "rcpro,ed," the " bate" to be instructed. And castest my wicked are now, in conclusion, exhorted anu words behind thee (comp. I Kings x:i1'. 9; warned. "Consider this;" i.e. take it to Neh. ix. 26). They proceed from "inward heart, reflect upon it, let it sink deeply into nlie1mt.ion" to "open rejection" of tile your minds and consciences, an,l a.et upon moral law. it. Lest I toar you in pieoes, and there be Ver. 18.-When thou ea.west a thief, then none to deliver. A most awful threRt. To thou consentedet unto him. God tests his " tear in pieces " is the net of a wild benst professed, but really disobedient, servants (P~. vii. 2). Job declares that Goll" teareth by the second table of the Decalogue, and him;" but otherwise the expression is finds them wanting. If they do not them- scarcely used of Divine chastisements. selves actually rob, they give their consent, Certainly, if God, in his angn, lays bolt! they become accessories before the fact, to upon o. man to punish him, there is no pos- robbery. They probably participate in the sil.,Je deliverance nt the hand of any other gains. And hast been partaker with adul- mo.n (Pa. xlix. 7, 8). Deliverance, if it corms terers; rather, and u:ith ad·ulterers i8 thy at all, must come from the Redeemer within portion; i.e. thou bo.st throwu in thy lot the Godhead. with tbem, hast adopted their principles, Ver. 23.-Whoso offereth praise glori.fict!i bast set at nought the seventh no less than me; and to him that ordereth his conversa- the eighth commandment. tion aright will I ehow the salvation ot VM. 19.-Tho.i givest thy mouth to evil, Goil. As the wicked have thoir pa.rting and thy tongue frameth deoeit; ro.ther, thou warning, so the godly have their parting hast loosed thy mout/1 to evil; i.e. given it encourngemeut. Uod is "glorified" (see liberty to utter all manner of wicked speech ; ,·er. 15) by those who offer him praise from and especially thou hast used mouth and a sincere hoart; nnd ifa man will lny down tongue to cozen and deceive. for himself a straight po.th ancl pursue it, Ver. 20.-Thou Bittest and speakeat against God will "show him bis snlvation," i.e. thy brother. Professor Cheyne understands will bring hinI to peace and blessedness. by " brother" any fellow-Israelite; but the
HOMILETIC.S. Ver, 21.-Thougl.ts of God. "Thou thoughtest • , , ns thyself." What a man thinks in his heart of God is the turning-point of life and character. If we think "nil thincrs 0 l\re naked and opened," etc. (Heb. iv. 13), that we really "havo to do" wilh God this must nee,ls tell on our whole viow of life, from its greatest affairs to its Joust. If we think God takes no note of bin, we shall be careless of sia. If we think of God ns severe, implacable, unjust, we may fear him, but cannot love him. If we 388 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS. L. 1-28.