Ver. 11.-God and man working together. "Truth sprincreth out of the earth• and right~ousness bath looked down from heaven." This is poetk phraseology, which'more prosaically may be stated thus: "When man is faithful to God thon God will be found faithful_ to m~n; and so G?d and man will w_ork together f~r good." 'l'he psalmist sees quite plamlJ'. that the mcompletc redemption can only be completed if the people put a~•ay their enls, and show themselves fully loyal to God. But he is quite confident that, 1f they do, then God will surely be faithful to them, and finish in them his work of g,ace. That God is t-0 men as men are to him, and that he and they must work tog~ther if the full blessing is to be realized, was stated by an earlier psalmist. " \v 1th the merciful man thou wilt show thyself merciful; with nu upright man thou wilt show tliysel_f upright; with the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward," Open this subject by illustrating the following topics : - L GoD AND MAN IN OPPOSITION. What G0d wimts,- man refusing. Show the confusion thus cansed. And the hopelessness of man's state, if he persists in "running on the bosses of Jehovah's buckler." II. GoD AND MAN IN INDIFFERENCE. This represents the more usual state of things. Men are often not strong enongh to actively resist; but they say, " Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?" And they say to him, "Depart from UR; we desire not the knowledge of thy ways I" But that indifference, which puts outside the Di "ine lo\"e a.nd lead, is every whit as perilous for us 8.11 active opposition. III. Goo AND MAN IN Ili.RMONY. This is the ideal state-the relation designed in man's creation. Here naturally come in evangelical teachings respecting the way in which the designed harmony was lost, and the way in which that harmony can be recovered. The beauty of the scene suggested by these figures should be dwelt on. "This is a delicious scene. Earth yielding flowers of truth, and heaven shining with stars of holiuess; the spheres echoing to each other, or being mirrors of each other's beauties. 'Earth carpeted with truth, and canopied with righteousness,' shall be a nether heaven. ·when God looks down in grace, man sends his heart upward in obedience."-R. T.
Ver. 13.-God's righteousness opening a way. "The meaning of this difficult verse may probably be as follows: Righteousness shall go before him (Jehovah), and e_hall make his footsteps a pathway for his servants to walk in." "God's march of nght will leave a track wherein his people will joyfully follow." Aben Ezra curiouHly explains this verse to mean, "He shall cause the man of righteousness to walk before him, and rnakes his footsteps for a way to him." Plainly the verse must be treated in the harmony of the psalm. Evidently the latter J art is a vision of the spiritual and temporal deliverances and blessings which would surely come to the exiles-though now in much distress-if they turned heartily to Jehovah, and persisted in serving him in truth and righteousness. Among the blessings anticipated was prosperous l,arvesting from the land; and wit.h this naturally goes safe guidance of national affairs, and a way out of national difficulties. God's faithfulness would go before the people in all their public affairs, opening for them the way in which they should go (see the term "righteousness" in rnr. 11). I. GoD's BIGBTEOUSNE~B, OB FAITHFULNESS, IS AC'l'IVE FOB BIB PEOPLE'S GOOD. It is "going before him; " it is not quiescent. "God for us" means "God working for us." JL Gon's .ACTIVE BlGHTEOUBNEB8 18 TRIUMPHANT OVEB Dil'FICULTIEB. Opening ways implies that w:iys liave been closed. Hindrances hRvo blocked them. ill. Gon's ACTIVE BIGBTE0UBNESB WORKS FOB THE COMPJ,ETION OF THE REDEMPTIVE PURPOSE. There is an inspiring sense in which we may be sure that G?d mu~t ~e true to l,imself. If h, has purposed a thing, he will surely overcQme all d1fficulties 1~ tho t'IIJ, LXXXVI, 1-17,] 'J'HE BOOK OF PSALMB. 211
way of its accomplishment, If he has planned the full redemption and sanctification of believers, it does not matter how impossible that may seem to him; "God's righteous- nose will surely go before him, and make a way."-R. T.
Ver. 8.-Listening for God's voice. The psalm was written on the return from ca tivity, 1 . THE BURDEN OF Goo's BPEEOB TO MAN. of peace. 2. 'l'he nature of peace. Peace. Peace with him. 1. The way
II. A DETERMINATION TO LISTEN. Man listens to man. 1. According to the claims of the speaker to be heard. 2. When the subject is interesting and important. 3. When the subject is important to him. Then we give the closest attention. III. 'l'RI!: PRAOTIOAL EFFECT OF Goo's SPEECH. "Let them not turn again to folly," i.e. wickedness. The wickedness will then be aggravated. It is then so well known to be wickedness. " If I had n t spoken to them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloke for their sin."-S,