Yer. 13.-The sorrow of God. Occasioned by this-he could not do for his people what be would. He would have delivered them from their foes, and fed them with the finest of the wheat. They, by their conduct, compelled him to withhold his hand, and eveu to smite instead of bestow. Compare the sorrow of Christ when looking from Olivet upon Jerusalem. Be mourns over what be would have done for its people; but they "would not." I. GoD's JOY IN THE BLESSING OF BIB PEOPLE. '!'heir temporal blessing, when the slate of their minds and hearts makes bis giving temporal blessings the highest moral arid spiritual good to them. It is not merely that God "gives us all things richly to cnjo_y ; " it is that be loves to give; he finds bis joy in giving. Illustrate from the provisions made for Israel. II. GoD's SORROW BECAUSE OF THE RESTRAINT OF HIS BLESSINGS. Sometimes be cannot give temporal blessings, because the state of mind and heart of hie peopl~ would turn them into moral and spiritual cursea. See in the case of Israel; how vam, self- confident, and proud Israel would surely have become, if, taking no notice of its character, its wilfulness, and murmuring, and rebellion, God bad showered all con- PB, LXXXII, 1-8,] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 177
ceivable good on the nation I It is the grief of love that it must restrain its gifts les_t, they should be misused. _ ; APPLICATION, If we lack good things that we desire, and think we need, let us nevor explain the lack by the Divine unwillingness to bless, or by any vague notions of Divine "sovereignty." God would give these things to us if, in view of our best interests, he could. He is to be thought of as grieved that he cannot. And the thought of his grief should incite us to get rid or the hindrance that is on our side. To the trustful, humble, obedient soul God's richest benedictions may safely come, -R. 'l'.
Vere. 13, 14 (compared with Isa. xlviii. 18).-Man's inconsideration. I. GoD HAB SPOKEN AND REVEALED TO MAN' THE WAY OF LIFE. God's ways a.re the ways of life. 1. God's way is the way of law. Physical and moral a.ad spiritual. " ·whatsoever a man soweth," etc.; "To him that bath shall be given," etc. 2. God's way is the way of love. 3. God's wuy is the way of faith, So that through it he dispenses pardon, strength, and comfo t. II. Tim SIN OF MAN IS INCONSIDERATION OF GoD'S WAYS, This leads to: 1. A neglect of the Divine rule of life. An inconsiderate ma.n is a. man without understand- ing, a man without a steadfast purpose, given over to pleasure and selfishness. 2. A forfeiture of the Divine help against our difficulties. An inconsiderate ma.n cannot accept or use the Divine help. III. Goo's LAMENT OVER THIS INCONSIDERATION. 1. It hindered him/ram a benevo- lent exercise of his power on their behalf, "I gave them up to the stubbornness of their heart: " that was all God could do for them. 2. They are defeated by their enemies in the battle of life. It is only by God's help we can conquer in the gre_ac struggle we have to maintain. 3. God could not nourish them with heavenly food. (Deut. xxxii. 13.) The finest of the wheat and honey out of the rock. Like the prodigal, they lived upon the husks.-S.
EXPOSITION. the unjust judges who a.re bearing sway PSALM LXXXII. over his people on earth. The writer of the Two diOerent explanations have been given psalm may well be the Asaph of Dadil's of the general bearing and intention of this time. It consists of an exordium (ver. I); psalm-one, recently advocated by Professor a hoay, composed of dennnciation and I hrea ts Cheyne, that it is a denunciation of the (vers. 2-7); and o. conclusion, co.Hing on angels whom God has put in eharge of the God to take immediate action (ver. S). earth (see Dan. x. 13-21; xii. I), on Ver. L-God sta.ndeth in the congregation nccount of the violence and injustice which of the mighty; or," in the congregation of they have eonnived nt nud permitted; the God"-" the Divine assembly" (sec Jub i, other, thnt it is n denunciation of the human 6: ii. I; Isa.. vi, I, 2, etc.). El, in llrn judges in Israel, who are corrupt nnd op- singular, can scnrcely mean the "mi·,hty ones of earth." He judgzth among tb.e pressors of the people. The objection to gods. He "holds a court of judgrneuL iu the former view is, first, thnt ihe angels are heaven, surrounded by tlie Divine minister~, nowhere else taxed with wrong-doing, or wlt0 will execute Lis bellests" (Canon with anything worse them folly (Job xv. Cook). 15); and, secondly, that it is inconceivable Ver. 2.-Howlong will ye judge unjustlyl "The cry or the impatient Jehovah" that God should entrust the government of (Cheyne); comp. Exod, x, 3; xvi. 28; Numb. the world to suoh imperfect and peccant xiv. 11, 27. And a.coept the persons of the beings. Moreover, that God should threnten wicked! Accepting men's persons is fa,·our- bis angels with death (ver. 7) is contrary to ing them unduly on account of their position tho whole tone o.nd spirit of the rest of or outward circumstances. It wus strictly forbidden in the lliosnic Law (seo Dent, i Scripture. The other interpretation is, 17; xvi. l:J; Lev. xix. 15). therefore, to be preferred. God, standing Ver. 3.-Defend the poor and fatherless; amid the angelio host in heaven, denounces literally, judge them. "Do not deny them PSALMS-11, N 178 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PB, LXXXII, 1-8,