be no possibility of eluding the officers of justice, or of evading the testimony of the witnesses. Conclusive: it is the last judgment, from which there can be no appeal, whose sentences are irre'l'ersible and eternal. III. THAT Gon WILL SETTLE THE DESTINIES OF MEN ON THE GROUNDS OF ETERNAL JUSTICE. There is a hint as to the principles on which the judgment will be based in ver. 7. Everything may be said to turn on the kind of religion which we have. '!'his is shown negatively (vers. 8-13), then positively (vers. 14-23). True religion is not outward, but inward ; not formal, but spiritual; not conventional, but personal; not in privileges, not in professions, not in ceremonial observances, but in the sincere obedience of the heart and life. It implies that God's love is supreme in the heart, and God's law is supreme in the life. Such a religion can only be obtained for sinners through Jesus Christ the Saviour. Where it really exists there is not only the form, but the power of godliness - in grateful thanksgiving and joyous obedience and adoring prayer (,·er. 23).-W. F. Vers. 7-21.-True riligion and its counterfeits. The great evil to which Israel was exposed was the separation of religion from morality. This comes out lamentably in their history, and forms the burden of much of the teaching of their prophets. So in this psalm, which contains a powerful demonstration of the worthlessness of religion without godliness. The psalm may help us to consider true religion and its counterfeits. L SUPERSTITION. (Ver. 7.) Nothing in religion can be real and true but what is based on faith in the living God. What springs from fear without knowledge degenerates into the basest idolatries. IL FoRMALISM. (Vers. 8-14.) 'l'he heading of this psalm in our Bibles is very true and suggestive. "The pleasure of God is not in ceremonies, but in sincerity of obedience." To this all the prophets bear witness. Even ceremonies appointed by God himself become not only worthless, but odious, when they are observed without faith and love (Isa. i. 11-17). Ill HYPOCRITICAL PROFESSION. (Vers. 16-21.) There is much of this always in the world-false profession, insincere obedience, unloving service. The e,il effect on individuals, families. and society is terrible. With what righteous indignation are such hypocrites arraigned I and with what stern, resistless argument is the inconsistency and enormity of their conduct denounced 1-W. F. Ver. 15.-'' The day of trouble." I. HEBE m A DAY THAT WILL COME TO ALL. You may not have hitherto known "trouble;" if so, be thankful, but prepared. 'l'he immunity of the past is no protection. Sooner or later it will be said to you, as Eliphaz said to Job, "Now it is come upon thee" (Job iv. 5). And this is well. To be without trouble would be to lack one of the chief disciplines of life, and to lay us under the suspicion of being "bastards, not sons." II. HEBE m A DUTY URGED UPON ALL. " Call upon me." 1. Thie duty is agreeable to our nature. In trouble we crave sympathy and help. As the child instinctively cries to its mother, so should we call upon God. 2. This duty is prompted by our circumstances. "Trouble" not only causes pain, but fear. Under the pressure ·of need we come to the throne of graco for mercy and grace. 3. '!'his duty is enforced by the example of the good. They speak of what they have known. With grateful hearts they tell of what the Lord bas done for them (Ps. lxx.vii. 1; 2 Cor. i. 3, 4). 4. This duty is urged by God our heavenly Father. He anticipates our needs; he lovingly invitee our confidence; he assures us of his readiness to give us help and comfort (lsa. xllii. 1, 2). III. HEBE IS A PROMISE ENCOURAGING TO ALL. The promise and the duty are connected, and both are to be taken together with what goes before (ver. 14). It iR when we have been living near to God, and have been daily performing our vows to him with praise and thanksgiving, that we are best prepared for the duty of prayer and the fullilrnent of the promises. This promise implies 'what God will do for us, and what return we should then make to God. Calling upon God in trouble has an elevating effect; it brings us into nearer fellowship with God in heart and will and life. We will "glorify" Gud for being with us in trouble, as delivering us from trouble, as making trouble worlc/or our good.-W. F. 1'8, LI. 1-19.) THE llOOK OF PSALMS. 893
Vera. l'--15.-False to covenant. God comes to Zion, as he once came to Sinai, amidst fire and tempest, calling upon the heavens and the earth to be his witnesses, while he summons his people to judgment, in which he proclaims how they bad been false to the covenant that was between them. I. THE ACCUSATION. (Vers. 7-13.) 1. They had forgotten the spiritual relations between them. (Vers. 5-7.) They were "his saints," "his people;" " he was God, even their God." And he had to testify against them. They had not acted up to the spirit of that relation. 2. They brought him unspiritool sacrifices. Their heart did not go with their offerings. He did not complain of the offering in itself, but of the spirit in which it was brought. 3. What they brought was no gift of their own. (V ers. 10-12.) Their offerings were his possessions, which he had in abundance. 4. They had forgotten his spiritual nature and requirement. (Ver. 13.) 'l'he flesh and blood of animals could not please or satisfy a spiritual nature. II. THE REQUIREMENT. (Vers. 14, 15.) 1. Thanksgiving. The gratitude and praise of the heart-a spiritual offering. 2. The paying of vows. The vows that are upon us in consequence of our covenant with God-or fidelity,faithfulness. 3. Prayer. " Call upon me in the day of trouble ; " not only then, but specially then. III. THE REWARD 0l" SPIRITUAL SERVICE. (Ver. 15.) "I will deliver thee in the day of trouble, and thou shalt praise me."-S.