associati0ns. 3. Hebrews delivered from bondage, and from position of peril at the Red Sea. 4. Local deliverances, as in the times of the Judges, early history of David, reigns of Asa nnd Jehoshaphat. 5. National rescue from captivity. 6. Deliverance from ein, by Christ Jesus. Every case is a marvel of Divine wisdom, power, and grace. Aud God is best known in his redeemings. "He delivereth and rescueth." II. TnE DIVINE PROVIDENCES. Which efficiently provide, and mysteriously guide. By providences we mean the ordinary arrangements of life, as distinct from times of trouble and peril. 'l'hcre is a marvel of the Divine ordering of Israel's way, and of ours. Heaven-sent manna, and streams from smitten rocks, tell of an ever-wonder-working providence. To devout minds, no marvel is greater than God's making "all things work together for good." III. THE DIVINE FORBEARANCES. Many of these are called to mind in this psalm. God's long-suffering towards stiff-necked Israel must always seem a marvel of grace; and his people in every age have exclaimed, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed." IV. 'l'RE DIVINE JUDGMENTS. (Seever. 31.) These must be included, but they are put last, because "judgment is his strange work." The marvel of God's judgments is the absence of vindictiveness in them, and the power that makes them work towards ends of moral blessing.-R. T. Ver. 18.-Heart-tempting of God. Prayer-book Version," And pro,oked the Most Highest in the wilderness." The idea is that, in their urgent entreaty for meat, which became, in fact, a demand, and an expression of masterful self-willedness, the people made it necessary for God to do what he would gladly have been spared from doing- correct them by means <if severejudgments. "They required meat for their lust." God provided for their need; they wanted him to provide for their self-indulgence; and this no man has ever any right to expect of God, though, in fact, he does give us "all things richly to enjoy." But notice this point. 'l'he mere request the people made did not appear to be wrong in itself. The wrong is seen when the 1,eart, the purpose, prompt- ing the request, is clearly recognized. "God looketh on the heart." Compare th" request of Simon Magus (Acts viii. 21). Simon Peter recognized heart-tempting of God, and firmly declared, "'fhy hrart is not right in the sight of God." I. OUR REQUESTS CAN NEVER STAND ALONE. we can usually only judge the pro- priety or impropriety of a request. God never separates the request from the per,on who makes it. Even we look anxiously for signs of sincerity and earnestness. God finds all the interest of a request in the state of mind it expresses. What prompts the request is the question of supreme importance. God answers the man, not the man's words. Show in how many ways there may be divorce between the man and his request. Illustrate by Augustine's prayer, "Lord, convert me," which sounds well, and can be approved. When he added, "but not yet," he let his heart speak, and spoiled his prayer. When God read his heart, he heard this, "Don't convert me, Lord." If we look at the heart behind the request of the Israelites, we can see the unbelief which would put God to the test, and say," He can give us this light bread, he cannot give us good meat." Plead for searchings of heart before offering petitions to God, becall88 he will answer the heart, not the petition, so we must see to it that the petition expresses the heart. God is provoked by insincerity to correct through judgments (vers. 30, 31). II. Oua REQUESTS MAY REALLY BE INSULTS. None of us can come aright to God u.uless "we believe that he is, and that he is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek him." God asks for trust. "Believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." The supreme offence to God is "doubting him," "suspecting him." These men offered insult to Jehovah when in effect they said," Give us flesh to eat; ,ve know you cannot do that."-R. T.
Ver. 22.-God's call to trustfully. God is represented as being" grieved" because his people failed to trust him, and depend upon his help. The good man is troubled when those whom he loves fail to trust him. We love to be relied on. We do our noblest and our best for those who will confide in us. And from ourselves we may learn to think of God aright. The best in man is the suggestion of the truest thoughts we can have of God. Our Lord represented the attitude of God towards us when he said to 144 THE DOOK OF PSALMS. [PB, LXXVIII, 1-72,
the ruler," Onlr belie'l"e [trust]; all things are possible to him that belioveth." rr God calls us to t_rust him folly, and is grieved with u~ when we fail to trust him fully, the question anses, "Has he made such trust possible and reasonable?" We may con- fidentlr sRy he has, in view of what we know he is; what relations he bears to hiM people ; and ,vhat l hings he has been doing in all ages for his people. I. IN vIEw OF WHAT WE KNOW HE rs. Whatever side of his revelation of hi1m,,lf to us ,,e mar study, the impression left on us is that he is iiifi,nitely trustwo1'thy. 'l'nko his Creator.ship, _im:nlving_ tbo reliance, of all ,;xi~tenco on his upholding. 'l'ako his mdqendence, as indicated m the term, ' I am, given to Moses as a substitute for a name. Take his holiness, as the indication of absolute perfection in character. vVo want, in those on whom we can rely, power-we must know that they can; inde- pendence-we must be sure that they are above being biassed; and character-we must be sure of their response, in feeling, to our need. On this line it may be shown that none but God can have the right to claim our perfect trust. We may" trust in the Lord for ever." II. IN VIEW OF THE RELATIONS HE BEARS TO HIS PEOPLE, These have a special character. Deyond what God is to all his creatures, he bears special relations to his people. These gather up into the terms, Redeemer, Saviour, Father. Redeemer from Egypt, and from sin. Sa·dour from peril, and from self, Father, 118 bearing on himself· the burden of his children's well-being. If these relations are unfolded in their Christian developments, the call to full trust will be shown as every way reasonable. IIL IN VIEW OF THE T!IlNGS HE HAS BEEN DOING IN ALL AGES. This brings us to the psalm. We may select illustrations from this historical retrospect. 'l'he two things immediately connected with the text are--the failure to trust God to provide needful daily bread. They might have trusted, for he could, he did, provide. With this lesscm, the people failed to trust God for needed drink. But they might have trusted fully, for he could, he did, provide.-R. T.