"fleece," bec11u~e Gideon wanted to believe, but needed help to believing. The ~cribes nnd Pharisees who sought a sign, or token, of the Meesiahship of Jesus were refu~ed, because they had no intention of allowing themselves to be persuaded by it, but meant to turn it to account in intensifying their prejudice against Jesus. A pious man may always freely ask God for a token; but whether one is given to him will entirely depend upon the attitude e.nd mood of his mind, e.nd upon the Divine judgment that II tokt-n will he a real good to him. Withholding the tokens for which we long and pray is sometimes a form of Divine discipline. Whe.t is referred to by the psalmist here is not a miraculous sign, such as Gideon had, but some evident striking proof, in ordinary daily relations, of God's good will to him. Tholuck says, "Is it not the fact that the more we recognize in every daily occurrence God's 1,ecret inspiration guiding nn,l controllini( us, the more will all which to others wears a. common, every• day aspect to us prove a sign and a wondrous work." I. 'l'HE DESIRE FOR TOKENS OF Goo's GOOD WILL, Those reconciled to God want to keep up the ~ense of reconciliation. Modern tokens may be expected in two ways, 1. Jn an evident orderin~ and controlling of our outward circumstances, We may see the "good band of our God upon us for good." Doors opened. Ways made plain. Hindrances taken out of the way. 2. In the comfortable sense of God's love in our souls; the inward communications of Divine gra.ce. II. THE I'CTRP0SE FOB WHICH THE DESIRE WAS CHERISHED, That God's service might be commended to others. And that the proofs of Divine favour might so influence the foes of the psalmist, that the strain of their enmity might be relieved. He felt that those who were bitter against him would change their ways if they saw, by some plain sign, that God was on his side.-R. T,
Ver. ll.-Si11gle-lieartedness. "Unite my heart to fear thy Name." I. WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PBAYEB? 1. It is prayer against double-mindedneu. "The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh," etc. Two masters in the house whom we alternately serve-the heavenly and the earthly. Two steering the boat of our lives. 2. For wholeness or entireness of mind in tlie service of God. That the divided heart may be made one. That the conflicting aims should be destroyed by the strength and superiority of the one aim-to love and serve God as our Father. II. THE ANSWER TO THE PBAYEB WOUI.D INCLUnE: 1. .A Bense of oneness with God. Let a man honestly and truly give himself to God, and make no re~erves; let him determine to be true and faithful,-then he comes at once into the secret of faith and accepta11ce and fellowship with God, and he keeps the secret pure and bright. 2. T,iwrnplvznt strength. Secret of strength is concentration upon a supreme a.im and singleness of purpose. We cannot work out two plans of life that are in their nature '111/Utl/,Wly exclusive. When we can set aside all compromises and serve God wi_th a. united heart, we shall no longer be constantly baffled and defeated by our temptations, but able to cry with joy, "Thanks be unto God, that giveth us the victo~y throu~h our Lord Jesus Christ I" 3. This will give us real peace. The peace of conscious rectitude; feeling that our purpose is honest and simple-to be Cbris_t's without reserve. ':1-'he peace of a great deliverance; and feel that we are the subJects of a. great salvation, The peace of a great fearlessness ; nothing to terrify the man who is at one with God i sits above all storms, and is secure a.nd at home with God.-S.
EXPOSITION. of those who flock Into hie Ohuroh (vere. PSALM LXXXVII. 4--6), and their acknowledgment of the Tms short psalm, opening with the pratse blessings which they receive through it. of Zion, or of tbe Jewish Church (vers.1-3), The two "selahs" divide the psalm into passes into a glorification or the Church two Bta.nza.s, each of three verses, a.nd • universal, when all the na.tions have come 11hort epode consisting of a single verse. into it (vers. i--7). The glorification falls Vere, 1-3.-The prail!08 of Zion. (1) under two heads-God's acknowledgment Sbe is built upon the holy D10uotains: (2) l'B, T,XXXVII, 1-7,] TllE BOOK OF PSALMS. 223