but the special Divine association with it dntes from tho time whcu David brought back t.he ark, and found for it a resting-place in the new tabernacle on Mount Zion. That ark was the symbol of abiding Divine presence. 'l'he poet cBn only liken the sudden and overwhelming destruction of the Assyrian army to the springin" of a lion on his prey. Then it WI\S easy to conceive of the holy place at Jerusalem ~s the den or col"ert where the lion abode, and out of which he sprang. In treating such poetical figures, we should remember that Easterus allowed themselves a freer poetical licence than we do; and we should treat their extravagant figures with great care and becoming reverence. First recall to mind that God is everywhere present, We must never prison the thought of God to any time or any place. "'l'he heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?" (Isa. lxvi. 1). But, keeping tliat as our primary thought of God, we may realize helpful associations of God with places and persons. I. Goo MAY BE THOUGHT OF AS THE GoD OF A NATION. "Elohim" for all the world, God was "Jehovah" for Israel-by virtue of special relations and revelations, the "God of Israel." So there is a proper sense in which God may be spoken of as the "God of England;" and we rightly realize the unique relations in which he stands to us. Impress that effective education of the rising race includes the teaching of this special relation of God to our nation. II. GoD MAY BE THOUGHT OF AS THE GoD OF A BUILDING. In the wilderness we read of "God's tabernacle;" in the later history we read of God's "dwe!ling- place in Zion.'' So now we properly speak of God's ho11se," and understand certain buildings to be consecrated to him. There he is pleased to manifest himself. III. GoD ll!AY BE THOUGHT OF AS THE Gon OF A PERSON. God was, in a sense, in Moses, with Moses. God's Spirit dwelt "without measure" in Christ. Still God works through his ministers, making of them his earthly dwelling-place. IV. GoD MAY BE THOUGHT OF AS THE Gon OF A BYlllDOL. As in the Shechinah- cloud, and as in the Holy Sacrament. God is everywhere, God is here.-R. T.
Ver. 4.-Tlie Teturning Conqueror; or, God glorified in his triumph over euil. The actual triumph over the Assyrian army is poetically presented in the sudden excla- mation of ver. 3, "There brake ho the arrows of the bow, the Ahield, and the sword, and the battle." In ver. 4 God is regarded as returning to Zion with the spoils of the camp. The precise figure is difficult to trace. Some render, "Bright art thou and glorious from the mountains of spoil ; " and understand the mountains to be referred to on which the hostile army had encamped. The Prayer-book Version has, "'l'hou art of more honour and might than the hills of the robbers." Others read, "Enlightened art thou, and glorious, coming down from the mountains of prey;" and this seems to give the most simple and suggestive explanation. Hadng the lion-figure still in mind, the psalmist sees the lion returning from his prey, with the pride of his triumph on him; and this suggests the glory of God the Conqueror and Deliverer. Compare the son"s the women sang when Saul and David returned from the conquest of the Philisti~es; or Moses' song at the Red Sea; or Deborah's song at the defeat of Sisera; or the cry of Isaiah, "Who i,; this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah ? " Our joy in the returning Conqueror, our glory in his triumph for us, may be said to depend on three things. I. THE GREATNESS OF THE DISTRESS FROM wmcH WE AllE DELIVERED. Illustrate from the hopeless condition of Hezekiah at this time. He had no force effective to c-ombat Assyria; and internal conflict broke up and weakened the little force be had. It was a time of uttermost distress; the very independence, the very existence, of the nation was imperilled. Then contrast the state of things when the hostile army became dead men. Imagine the relief, and the joy of the relief. Such feeling is thus expressed elsewhere: "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing." Lead on to show what that deliverance must be which God wrought, in Christ Jesus, for those wh,se hopeless distress is described in Rom. iii. 10-19, II. Oun SENSE OF TBE PC.WEB SHOWN lN OUR DELIVERANCE. 'fhe agency used for the destruction of the Assy1ian army cannot be certainly known. But we feel this- that destruction was a unique and amazing display of Divine power, There had re. LXJI VI. 1-12.J TIIE BOOK OF PSALMS. lOi