Vers. 11, 12.-.A remedy for troubled hearts. "But I will celebrate the deeds of Jab." With ver. 11 the chanie in the prophet's feeling actually begins. "Hithel'to he has looked too much within, has sought too much to read the mystery of God's dealings by the light of his own experience merely. Hence the despondency when he contrasts the gloomy present with the far brighter and happier past. He cannot believe that God has indeed forgotten to be gracious, that he bas indeed ch1mged hill very nature; but that he may be reassured and satisfied on this point, his eye must take a wider range than that of his own narrow experience." The remedy for troubled hearts so often is this-get out of your limited, narrow spheres; take larger, wider, more comprehensive views. Begin to consider the "God of the whole earth;" cease to keep God in the small sphere of your own personal interests. See the unchanging purpose that through the ages runs. For our help towards gaining the larger views of God, the records are left us of his dealings with men in the early ages of the world, and from them this comes out clearly and strongly-God is, everywhere and always, the Redeemer, Deliverer, Restorer, Savionr; always "putting things right again;" always working towards the highest ends of blessing for the creatures he has made. If we can get the conviction of this large truth into our souls, we are easily lifted up above the perplexities of our particular lot. If our "puzzle-piece" does seem to be oddly shaped, it fits into the great scheme, which, when completed, will plainly be seen to have accomplished the highest possible benediction for humanity. L IT COMFORTS us TO BE.MEMBER Goo's DEEDS AS A WHOLE. Take any biography given in the Old Testament. We could find in it single perplexing things; e.g. Joseph cast into the pit; David hunted over the monntains. But read the lives as a whole, 11.Ild God's purpose of grace comes fully to view. So read incidents of history, and you will be perplexed; read the history, and all becomes clear. Read the struggles of an age, and you may find no meaning; read the dealings of God with the race, and much is made plain. II. IT COMFORTS us TO BET Goo's DEALINGS ONE OVEB AGAINST ANOTHER. Nothing stands alone. Everything is prepared for, related to something else, and having its characteristic infinences and results. Things match, and the matching often provides the explanation. IIL IT COMFORTS us TO SET Goo's DEEDS IN RELATION TO OUR HIGHER NECESSITIES. Not comfortableness, but our higher moral welfare, is the end God has in view. It is often a new view of onr circumstances to read them in this light.-R. T.
Ver. 13.-The holiness of IJiuine dealin_qs. "0 God, !by way is holy I Who ie [so] great a God as [our] God?" Comp. Exod. xv. 11, "Who is like unto thee, 0 Jehovah, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" For" in the sanctuary" there is the various rendering" in holiness." It is evident that the term "holy," as applied to God, must include much more than it does when applied to men. We must try to find what wa11 especially in the psalmist's mind, and so what he put, as hie meaning, into this word. He began thinking of God's ways with his people Israel, especially in the rescue from Egypt, and deliverance at the Hed Sea. This recalled the song of Moses, and the striking contrast Letween the gods of the heathen and the God of Israel. The first thing that arrests attention whenever that contrast is made is that the God of Israel has character, and puts character into his works; but the idol-gods cannot be said to have any character. This the psalmist expresses by saying, "0 God, thy way is holy;" or, "Thy doings bear a character, they have an aim and purpose, and that is a moral aim." 1% LXXVtl, 1-20.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 121