The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 70

Not ~o do wr enter there, but" throu!'.h much tribulation." So our Lord, and all experience, plainly declare. II. BuT WHY IS ALL TRIB? Because in our nnture there are rooted evils, which can only be got rid of by the action of tbis law of change. Snch as: 1. Self-will. See the stream come brawling noisily along, as it descends through the valley down from the hill. But, lying right in its way, lo! there is a huge rock. Down comes the stream foll tilt towards it, as if it would say, "Just you get out of my way." But that is exactly what the rock does not do; and so the angry stream dashes against it. And oh, what rage and riot, what fret and fume, there at once a1ises I But if you wait a moment, and watch, you will see that the stream seems to be thinking what it had better do; for lo! it glides softly, smoothly, quietly round the rock, which still stands stubbornly and relentlessly just where it stood before. 'l.'he stream seems to have learnt a leS$On-it has become all at once so gentle and submissive. Now, that is one of the ten thousand natural parables with which the world is full. The stream of our self-will, determined to go its own way, rushes on its course; but the rock of God's law of change, sending adversity and trial, stands in its way, and will not move, and self- will is broken against it, as God intended it should be. Only so can this evil be cured. 2. Pride. Trouble and sorrow humble men, and bring down the haughty spirit. 3. Unbeluf. The materialism and atheism of the day are shattered by this law. In the day of distress, the soul cannot keep from calling upon God. 4. Selfish- ness. Ease fosters this as it fosters so much more that is evil; hut trial often teaches men to think of others as well as of themselves. 5. And so with indolence and the love of the world. To be "in trouble as other men are" has a salutary power to rouse·men from the one and to loose them from the other. And what opportunHy does this law of change give for bearing testimony to the sustaining power of God's grace I Trouble endured with patient God-given courage is a mighty argument for God, the force of which all feel. III. WHAT SHOULD BE OUR ATTITUDE TOW ARDS THIS LA w? 1. Faint not; fret not; fear not. 2. Humble yourself beneath the mighty hand of God, so that you may secure the blessing your trouble is destined to bring.-S. C. Ver. 10.-The doing, of ungodly prosperity. One of three of these doings seems to have been in the psalmist's mind, but we cannot certaiuly say which. The words warrant either interpretation. Let us take, first, that one suggested by them as they stand in the Authorized Version, and as commonly read. 1 THE PEOPLE OF GoD .ARE LED ASTRAY. For by "his people" many understand the people of God to be meant, and that they, allured and ensnared by the glitter of earthly prosperity, tum from the ways of God to follow after these ungodly ones . .. They are led away by the evil example, just as the psalmist confesses he himself wa.s;" and they turn after them. (Cf. "Demas bath forsaken me, having loved this present world.") How often this happens! But what is meant by the "waters of a full cup," etc.? Either the cup of unholy plea.sure, which they drain to the dregs; or else it is, as in Ps. Im. 5, e.nd e.s actual e.xperience attests, that when God's people go astray, as here represented. it will be a full cup of sorrow and tears that they will have to drink, as indeed they do. 'fhe most miserable of men are backsliders from God. It cannot but be so. This is what our translators meant to imply by their rendering. But anot.her meaning that the words warrant is- IL A CBOWD FOLLOW THEM, THAT IS, THE UNGODLY, The people spoken of are the crowd of hangers-on to the prosperous-those who will try to find favour with the rich and great of this world. The Prayer-book Ver.;ion thus sets it forth: "Therefore tho people fall unto them, and thereout snck they no small advantage." These hangers- on are the people who attach themselves to the world's rich ones, and" who gather like sheep to the water-trough," in hopes of what they may get. But whether they get anything or no, the ungodly whom they follow do; they "suck no small advantage," They are yet more worshipped and fawned upon, and have ready to hand innumerable and willing tools to serve their purpose and to bring more "grist to their mill." And the result is that they get more proud and arrogant than ever (see ver. 11). But, child of God, whoe'er thou art, say to thy soul," My soul, co~e n,ot thou into thelf secret." re. LXXIIl. 1-28.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 79