"A lodge in some vast wilderness, Some boundless contiguity or shade;" where, far from the si,rht of violence and fraud, the din of business, politics, or war, he might be alor,e with God. But he discerns that if he cannot flee from mankind he can take refuge in God. He appeals from au unjust and cruel world to ete;nal righteousness, infiuite love, Divine faithfulness. He pours out his heart to God, and lays hold on him; and light and peace begin to stream in (vers. 18, 22, and closin" 0 words of psalm). The text sug:.;ests some very important views of prayer. I. lTs PERSONAL. CHARACTER; as expressing individual ntied and desire; the ,•oluntary confidential converse of the heart with God. Custom, fashion, human sympathy, and opinion are all out of court. If in the whole world not another heart or voice were rai:;ed in prayer, the believer would yet say, "As for me, I will call upon God."_ There arc other kinds of prayer: the united prayer of two or three, agreed touchmg what they shall ask; the public prayer of the assembled Church. In pri\"ate prayer, too, all is not petition for one's self or others; there is confes,ion, thankEa-ivina consecration, submission, adoration. Worship may be wordless, silent. B1,t th; mo:t wonderful, instructive, encouraging examples of prayer recorded in the Bible show us some strong earnest spirit face to face with God, in direct petition; alone with the Father of spirits, the Almighty Creator, even though a multitude were looking on, Abraham; Jacob; Moses; Joshua; Elijah; Hezekiah; Paul. This is what makes this Book of Psalms so precious a manual for the Church and for each Christian ; a storehouse of liturgies, a mar,azine of prayers. This makes David's life, in spite of his faults and sios, so true and grand a type of real godliness; the clear, full sense and unhesitating uLterance, of personal relationship to God; the reality, blessedness, duty, glorious privilege, of drawing nigh to God. 'fhink of it. There is someLhing more than sublime-appalling-in this view of prayer. 'l'hat a child of dust, yesterday in the cradle, hanging on God's absolute power over the gulf of nothingness, whose voice can reach so few, even of bis fellow-men, whose knowledge, thought, will, are bounded in such strait limits, should be able at will to speak with the Ruler and Author of the universe; to make his wish, weakness, misery, or his boldest hope and loftiest purpose, known beyond the stars, above the thrones of archangels, behind all the laws and causes aud inmost springs of nature-to God himself; and t.hat he should have a right to expect an answer! Is not this, I say, an amazing, sublime, appalling contempla- tion? How poor and low are all the heights of worldly dignity compared with the point to which these words lift our thougb,ts, to which you or I may soar if we make them our own! "As for me," etc. II. 'l'HE CERTATh'TY THAT GoD HEARS PRAYER; its sure warrant, reasonable assur- ance, joyful e □ couragement. "And the Lord shall save me." If this certainty were merely an inward persuasion, born of strong desire, it would be worthless. If based on any supposed claim of merit or Rpecia.1 favouritism, it would be blind presumption. If on the experience of fact, that God does often answer prayer, it would rest on as sure foundation as the discoveries of science, and what we call "laws of nature." But the haunting uncertainty would paralyze faith-Will God hear my prayer? It rests: 1. On God's promises. lf the Bible contains any Divine promise11, they are promises to prayer. 2. On the mediation of the Lord Jesus. The Old 'l'estament believer took his stand on the ground of God's covenant; and securely, because, though the priest- hood and sacrifices were but shadows, they were shadows of the great Reality-Christ. How much more boldly may we draw near, to whom the reality stands unveiled (Heb. iv. 16; Rom. viii. 3!) ! 3. On the promised help of the Holy Spirit. (Rom. viii. 26, 24.) Let us. take up David's purpose (ver. 17), and hold fast David's faith," He shall hear my voice."
lIOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 1.--Thegodly man in three aspects. "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." David felt this, Often had he been in trouble, but never perhaps had he been brought so low before. Evils dread~d had become realities. 'l'he dark clouds, long gathering, had now burst over him in furious tempest. Absalom, his dearly loved son, hW! rise~ I'S, LV, 1-23,] TIIE BOOK OF PSALMS. 419