Vera. 1-18.- What God is to his people. The following general truths may be gathered up from this pRalm. !. 'J'HAT SOMETilllEB THE CHURCH OF GoD IS THREATENED BY A COMBINATION OP' MANY DANGEBB. As now-by science, philosophy, historical criticism, the spirit of commerce and the spirit of mammon, and what is called a worldly spirit. II. GoD AND HIB PEOPLE ARE ONE. (Ver. 5.) 1. One in the closest relation. Father and children; Redeemer and redeemed. 2. One in work and purpose. Ill. 'l'HIS ONENESS GIVES THEM CONFIDENCE THAT GOD WILL SilIELD THEM FB0:11 ALL REAL DANGER. And therefore they cry to him for defence and deliverance in all times of perplexity and danger. lV. THE PAST EXPERIENCES OF THE CHUBOH STRENGTHEN THIS CONFIDENCE. The history of the Church shows that God bas been her "Sun and Shield." V, THAT THE VICTORIES OF THE CHURCH OVER VARIOUS FORMS OF EVIL ABE A REVELATION OF THE NA.ME OF Goo. (Ver. 18.) God thus makes himself known to wicked men. "The end of all God's judgments, as of nJl history, is the same-that all should confess that he is One and Supreme.-S.
EXPOSITION.
PSALM LXXXIV. the first and second stanzas being shown by the pause-mark, "selah." Tars psalm, attrilmted (see title) to the "sons of Korab," or the Korahite Levites Ver.1.-How amiable aro thy taberuaoles ! (see I Chrou. xxvi. I; 2 Chrou. xx. 19), or, "how lovely are thy dwellings I" The describes the bleBSedness of their position plural is need, e.s in Pas. xliii. 3; xlvi. 4: (also Korahite); and cxxxii. 7, either be- ns dwellers in the house of God, and o,,uso the temple was made up of several keepers of its thresholds. Its date is un- comp1ntmeuts, or as a" plural of dignity." certain, but must fall earlier than the 0 Lord of hosts ( comp. vers. 3, 8, 12). Captivity, since the temple is standing Vor. 2.-lly soul longeth, yea, even (vere. 1-4, 10), nod there is au anointed faiuteth for the courts of the Lord. These expressions do not imply that the writer is king upon the throne (ver. 9). absent from the temple, but only that bis The psalm fells into three eq1111I stanzas delight in it is never satiated. My heart 01 strophes, eaoh of four verses, the ends of and my tl.esh; i.e. my whole nature. Crieth 198 THE BOOK OF PSALMS, [PB, LXXXIV, 1-12,