h0re hikes lhfl pince of "sAlvntion" in ver. by his nesisting grace, they have done goocl I, Other1';sc there is no cliff'orence. The works. Go,l who has given Blllvation in the past Ver. 9.-Surely men of low degree nre is the Being from whom it is expected in vanity, e.nd men of high degree o.re e. lie; the future. ri.ther, only vanity-or, nought but vanity- Ver. 6.-He only is my R~ok and my are men of lou, degree; common men, ns we Bdvation; he is my Dafence; I shall not be call them-mere son~ of Adam. This is moved. IJcntical with ver. 2, except in too evident for dispute; but, in the view the omission of the single wor,l "greatly." of the p;almist, this is not the wol'st. "l\1en The psalmist's confidence hllB increased. of high degree" (beney i~lt) are no better- He frels unw that, whatever his enemies they are "a lie"-o.n unrcn.lity-11. fading, may attempt, be will not be sbnken nt all. false illusion. To be laid in the balance; Yer. 7.-In God is my se.lvation and my rather, in the balance, they go up (Hupfcl,l, g:ory. The Inst phrase is new. ~he Ewahl, Ilitzig, Revised Version). They psalmist feels thn.t the Go,! who sn,es b1ru, are altogether lighter than vanity; or, alto- at the same time sheds on him glory and gether made out of vanity (Kny) ; i.e. there honour. The Rock of my strength, 11.nd my is no substance, no solidity, iu them. Refuge, is in God (comp. Pss. ix. !.J; !vii. 2; Ver. 10.-Trust not in oppression (comp. xciv. 22, etc.). 'l'er. 3). The class that supported Absalom Yer. 8.-Trust in him e.t all times, ye wn.s the clas, of oppressors in Israel, whom people. It is chn.racteristic of Da'l'id to join David kept under and restrained as for as the "people" with himself in all bis fears possible. 'l'he writer warns them age.inst e.nd iu all bis bopea. Even at the worst trusting in their power to oppress, since times, Go,I he.d alweys some faithful ones in s.ic.h strength as they have is not their own, Isroel-e. "remrn1nt" (lsi.. i. 9); e.nd men but lent them by God. And become not of this sort clung to D.Lvid through all his vain in robbery; or, rely not vainly on robbery perils, and were sufficiently nnmerous to (Kay). Do not suppose that God will constitute e. "people" (see 2 Sam. xviii. nllow you to continue oppressing nnd rob- 1-6). Pour out J'Our heart before him bing. Such a belief is o. vain illusion. If ( comp. Pss. xlii. 4; cxlii. 2, etc.) : Goi is riches incree.se, set not your heart upon them. a Refuge for us (comp. ,er. 7). Even when wealth llccumule.tes naturally, and not o.s the result of ill-doing, it is not Vera. 9-12.-" Here the psalmist becomes e. thiDg to be trusted or set store by. didactic" (Professor Cheyne). He en- Ver. 11.-God bath spoken once; twice courages the faitbfnl, and warns the wicked, have I heard this (comp. Job xxxiii. 14). by the declaration that men of c;very sort When e. thing is spoken twici,, then '· are but vanity" -have no strength, no llssuro.nce is made doubly sure. That power bclongeLh unto God. God, i.e., is the only permanence-while power belongs only to ultimate Source of all power. God. Tho,e who "' oppress" and "rob" a.re, Ver. 12.-Aleo unto thee, 0 Lord, belongeth consequently, not to be feared-there is no mercy; or, loving-kindness. "Of Divine strength in riches-God alone determines power all nature speaks; the knowledgo the issues of things. Unto him belongs of God's mercy rests mainly on revelation" (Kay). For thou renderest to every man mercy, or loving-kindness-a quality which according to his work. When God rewe.rds leads him not only to forgive men their well-doing, it is still of bis mercy, since no transgressions, but to" reward" them, when, man ce.n clo.im that he deserves reward.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-12.-This is a psalm of testimony. It includes two things.. I. AK EXPnEssrnN OF PERSONAL co:-:FIDENCE IN Goo. Som~ t_rust Jn themselve~; e,ther, in their fellow-men; others, in the laws of nature. All_th1s 1s so far good. It 1s well to be sell-reliant. It is \\'ell to take advantage of the wisdom and help of ot~ers. It is well to act iu the line of law, and in dependenc? upo1;1 the settled order of things with which we are connected.. But there is somethrng lnghcr anci bc~ter.. The true ivay is to trust in God. Trust ~ God puts things in their right places; rnsp1res courage and fortitude; ennobles and satisfies our whole being (vers. 5-7). II. AN EAl!NEBT EXBORTATION TO ALL MEN TO POT THEIB TllUST IN Goo. (Vere. 8-12.) All men have their trials. There will come times when they are troubled and perplexed, when they must look out_ of the':°selves ~nxio~sly for help. T~ey are tempte<l. They are in da11ger of puttmg their trU11t 1n obJects that are vain and 1'8. LXII, 1-12,] TIIE BOOK 011' PSALMS. 21
worthless, If dirnppointed, they are apt to get soured and harclemd in sin. The remedy counselled is twofold. 1. Trust. God is the true and only Being worthy of supremr. trust. There is everything in him to inspire confidence and hope. "At all tirnr:a." In the darkness and in the light, in adversity as well as prosperity; when he hid~s his face as when he makes his countenance to shine upon us. 2. Prayer. We are always freo to come to God. We may tell him all that is in our hearts. What a joy in this trust I What I\ comfort in 'tbh unbosoming of our.;el vcs ! Go,! will not only hear, but have pity. He will not only answer, but ma~nify his "power" and hi.~ "mercy" in our deliverance. Who so fit tu give this counsel-as to trust and prayer -as the man who is speaking from the depths of his own experience, and from the abiding convictions of his own heart (2 Cor. iv. 13; 1 John i. 1-3) !-W. F. Ver.1.-Waiting. "Silent unto God "-so the word" waiteth" may be interpreted. Take this in connection with the word "only" repeated with such emphasis and mean- ing, and we may understand the silence as deeply expressive. I. SIGN OF FAITII. The soul says, "I can tmst and wait." H. RECORD OF CONFLICT. '£here has been a struggle. Peace has not bcm won 'l\"ithout a hard fight, and "strong crying nnd tears." We must sacrifice self before we can say, in the silence of our hearts," All is well." III. EXPDESSIOH OF THE SOUL'S COMPLETE ACQUIESCENCE. There may have been disappointments from men, but there is hope in God. He is to be trusted at all times. His will is holy and good, and all our "expectation is from him." Hence> there is the stillness of content (vers. 5-8). IV. FoRESHADOWING OF VICTORY. "Power belongcth unto God," and that power is pledged in behalf of his people. How God may "·ork we cannot surely tell, but we wait for light. 'l'bcre is a time to "stand still" (Exod. xiv. 13); and there is a time to "go forward" (Exod. xiv. 15). When we do as the Lord commands, we shall "see the salvation of Gud."-W. F.