Vers. 7-S, 12.-The destroctive work of man and the constructive work of God. The prayer in vers. 1, 2, to help the people sunk in the deepest misery, is followed by its basis or ground, which consists of a picture of this misery (vers. 3-9); the sanctuary is destroyed, and all traces of the presence of God among hie people have disappeared. The short prayer in vers. 10, 11 seeks support and stay in the thought of the omnipotence of the God of Israel (vers. 12-17). 'l'he prayer is renewed at the close in an expanded form (Gen. xvii. 7, 8). It shows how the Church of God and individual believers are to conduct themselves in times when everything appears to be lost and to lie in ruins. The whole psalm may suggest two general points for con- sideration-the destructive work of man, and the constructive work of God. L THE DESTRUCTIVE WORK OF MAN. (Vers. 3-9.) The enemy had destroyed everything in the sanctuary, and burnt up the holy place itself. Look at some destructive work in our day. I. Tlie material tendencies of physical science. Leading to a denial of God and immortality, and striking at the foundation of morals by deny- ing the freedom of man's nature. Ideas destructive, as well as conduct. 2. The Cl"itical spirit which is abroad. A spirit of denial, almost universally pulling down, and not building up. This and that not true-in history and creed. 3. The selfish 1:pirit, wherever it rules, is destructive. In politics aud commerce, and in our social rcla.tions-tending to antagonism and separation, and breaking all law-moral, Divine, and social 4. The absence of true propl1ets-i11spired men-is also a sign of th8 destructive process. (Ver. 9.) The true prophet is the constructor, and not the destroyer; the inspirer, 11.nd not the critic. IL THE CONSTRUCTIVE ·womr OF GoD. I. God's greatest work of old was reaemp- tive. (Vers. 12-15.) "For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth." His work in Christ is reconstructive, building men up after the highest pattern. Christ came not to destroy, but to fulfil. 2. JI_is worlc in the physical creatwn is constructive. (Vers. 16, 17.) He prepared the light and the sun, made summer and winter. The sawe mind ordained and continues the precious seasons as ordained the laws and works of redemption. 3. God's covenant is a covenant of salva,.. tion. (Ver. 20.) And the world is still in urgent need of redemption. "The dark piaces," etc. 4. The work cf redemption is God'6 own-" his own cause." (Ver. 22.) And therefore he will not abandon it. We can thtlrefore pray as the psalmist did.-S.
EXPOSITION. forth God as a righteous Judge, age.inst PSALM LXXV. wl1ow the ungodly contend in vain, and Tms is a hymn of puise in anticipation who will pour out at ln.1,-t the dregs of his of a deliverance, wliich may be from vengeance upon them. The auttior may be Sennacherib, or from some other dangerous A.eaph, and the delivere.nce that from Zerah enemy. The actual praise is confined to (2 Chron. xiv. 9-13); or the date may bo the first and the wt two verses. The later, and the writer e.n Ase.phile Levite of remainder of the poem (vers. 2-8) sets the time of Jehoshaphat or Hezekiah. PB, LXXV, 1-10.J THU: BOOK OF PSALMS. OL