but "in the image of God," he was endowed with this gloriollS yet perilous heritage-- will and conscience. Will-power to weigh reasons, b:i.lance motives, pursue a fixed purpose, choose the good or the evil, the right or the wrong; and conscience---power to pnss judgmcnt on himself, approving or condemnin~ bis own conduct. Yet God's will must needs be sovereign, supreme; even as God's conscience (if the phrase be lawful) must be supreme arbiter of right and wrong (Dan. iv. 35). Even the wrath of man ehall praise him. That the obedience, love, piety, of men will praise God is natural and easy to understand; but that man's rebellion, disobedience, even angry and violent resistance to God's will, ends in bringing praise to God,-this is indeed the deepest mystery; both of the Bible and of human life. "The wrath of man "-human pride, enmity, ambition, revenge, lawless violence--praises God. I. WHEN GoD MAKES IT THE INSTRUMENT 01.f HIS JUDGMENTS; either in chastening his people or in subtluing his foes. If this word "foes of God" sounds to any harsh and contrary to Divine love, Jct it be understood that the Bible means by it the enemies of truth, of righteousness, and of love. The Book of Judges is full of examples (see eh. ii. 7, 12, 14, etc.). In later days, the just resentment of the ten tribes against Rehoboam was the means of executing God's sentence against Solomon, and rending the kingdom (2 Chron. x. 15, 16); the invasion by Shishak, the punish- ment on Rehoboam for forsaking God's Law," and all Israel wilh him" (2 Cbron. xii. 1, 2); the leading captive of Israel by the Assyrians, and Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, the punishment of centuries of idolatry, and the fulfilment of the warnings of a long series of prophets (2 Chron. xxxvi.15-17); the overthrow of Babylon by Cyrus was the fulfilment of God's promise to restore his penitent people to their own land. II. WHEN GOD BBINGB TO NOUGilT RUI\IAN PRIDE A.ND POWEB, A.ND DELIVERS HIS PEOPLE. 'l'he destruction of Sennacherib's host, the overthrow of Pharaoh's power in the Red Sea, are leading and stupendous examples. "The remainder,'' etc. (Isa. xxxvii. 28, 29). The rendering adopted by the Revisers is according to the common use of the word (as girding on a sword, a girdle, etc.) ; but "upon thee" should be printed in italics,-there is nothin;i: to answer to it in the Hebrew. A.nd the much more intelligible and apt sense of the Authorized Version bas the authority of one of the greatest of all the Jewish commentators. Ilf. WHEN THE VIOLENCE A.ND WICKEDXESS OF MEN, IN MOST UNBRIDLED EXCESSES, WORK OUT THE PURPOSES 'A.ND FULFIL THE PROMISES OF Goo. The supreme example is the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus (see John xi. 49-52; Acts ii 23; iii. 17, 18). IV. WHEN Goo SUBDUES THE HEART OF HIS ENEMIES, A.ND TUR."8 REBELS INTO LOYAL SUBJECTS A.ND FAITHFUL SERVANTS, persecutors into preachers, blasphemers into witnesses to his truth (see A.cts ix. 13-16; 1 Tim. i. 12-17). Willingly or unwillingly, men's lives are weaving the web of God's providence, working the pattern of his purpose. 'fhe stormy current of human will cannot overflo\v its banks. In ways as yet unknown, unguessed by us, God will bring good out of evil. The song of eternity shall be, "Ho hath done all things well I"
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-12.-Tlie triumpl1s of God. There can be little doubt that this psalm is one of several others whose ma.in theme is God's deliverance of his people from Sennacherib, King of Assyria. 'l'hen, in Judah, Goel was known, and his Name W88 great in Israel. But we may fitly use the psalm as telling of those great and blessed spiritual deliverances which the son! of God's servants have often known and rejoiced in-these triumphs of God over a deadlier foe than ever any Assyrian king could be to Israel. Concerning these note- I. WHERE THEY TA.KE PLACE. (Of. vers. 1, 2.) It is where God dwells. The soul that is the abiding-place of God witnesses and shares in the triumphs of God as none other can do. Fitful and partial religion leaves the soul more often vanquished than victor, and can never sing such a psalm as this. II. THEIR NATURE. It is threefold. 1. God destroys the weapons of the soul's g_reae enerny. The arrow a of evil thought; the shield of unbelief, love of sin, indifference-- all tho.t which wards off those words of God which are sharp in the heart of the King's THE BOOlt Oll' PSALMS. [I'S. LXlt.VI, l-12,
enemies (Ps. xiv.); the sword of the soul-slaying sin; the battle, the combined arri\y of all the forces of evil. 2. Takes for himself the prey which the enemy had regarded aa hiB own. (Ver. 4.) All the spoil of Judah, which Assyria had reckoned to gather ou the mountains where they were encamped, al_l that spoil, together with what they already bad,-all \\•as taken from them (cf. Luke 11. 22). So God takes from the evil one the possession of those human powers and faculties which he had usurped and claims and keeps them as his own. 3. Keeps the enemy in the place of death. (Ver. 6.) It ~ould be of little avail if our great spiritual foe were but for a time overcome if after a little ·while he co~ld come back with all his power. But our Lord came that he might give complete deliverance; and by the soul that continually trusts in him that deliverance is realized. IIL How THEY ARE AOCOMPLISllED. (Ver. 6, "At thy rebuke.") The moment we believe, our help comes. Not before. All our strivings and endeavours leave us pretty much where we were; but when abandoning ourselves to God, that he may save us, tb.en his power is made known, the enemy is rebuked and sll\in. The life of faith is, through God's grace, the death of our foe. IV. Foa WHOM ALL THIS IS DONE. (Ver. 9, "Tho meek of the earth.") Judah and Jerusalem were emptied of all self-trust, all pride and boastincr, and had become meek, knowing that in qnittness and in confidence was their stren"gth, And so with the soul that is delivered by God. V. THE IMPRESSION PRODUCED. 1. Holy.fear. (Ver. 7.) God's mercy and deliver- ance will never destroy, but ever deepen, holy fear. And there is no argument for God so effectual amongst men as the witnessing his real spiritual deliverances of his people. 2. Disdain of the wrath of man. What can it do against us, if God be for us? 3, Exultant confession, adoration, and service, together with earnest endeavours to draw others unto Go.i-S. C.