The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 2 — Section 204

united worehip of all the people in his temple on Mount Zion, in the glorious feasts and festivals that were celebrdted tbere. 3. OJ her glori<YUs history. It may have been, as eomo have supposed, that the psalm was sung at the public reception into the Jewish Church of a number of converts from heathen nations, and that, as our Lord saw in tho c?ming of tho Greeks to him (John xii.) the forerunners of the coming of all the Gentilee--yea, of" all men "-so the psalmist foresees the conversion of all the nations of whom he speaks to the Name of the Lord, And the change for them shall be so great that it shall be as a new birth; whatever their native country may have been, they were really "born" in Zion. And she shall produce many great and illustrious men. 'l'he word rendered "man" ( ver. 5) denotes one of distinction and emine11ce, not an ordinary person, Jn the great day of manifestation and triumph of the people of Gud, the Lord himself shall own those born in Zion, 4. Of her great Joy. 'l'he song and the dance and all kinds of mirth shall characterize her; she shall be a gladsome city. II. To THE CmJRon OF CHRIST, The psalm, read as pa.rt of the recor,I of the Church, tells: 1. 0/ her foundation, which is Christ. He is the chief Corner-stone. "Other foundation can no man lay," etc. 2. Her position-in the holy mountains; that is, she is conspicuouR-a city set on a hill, which cannot be hid ; the mountain of the Lord's house, high and lifted up, visible from afar and on all sides. Secure, like- wise, as a mountain fortress mightily defended. Has not the Church ever been so? And holy. 'fhis is her main characteristic; she could not be the Church of Christ without this. 3. The Lord's delight in her. She is the purchase of his blood, the subject of his care, the reason of his providential rule. He who toucheth her toucheth the apple of his eye. 4. The glorious things spoken of her. How all forms of hostility yield to her-Ra.hab, the proud; Babylon, the Cl'llel; Philistia, the fierce; Tyre, the greedy of gain; Ethiopia, the degraded ;-from all such she wins trophies for Chriet. The Church's mission is to gather in all nations for him. .And see the heroes of the faith that are "born" in her: wha.t a glorious roll-call that is! And the Lord himself shall attest a.II this. What is the Epistle to the Ephesians but a. full declaration of what the Church of Christ shall be and do and enjoy? And other Scriptures declare the same. And the history of the Church is evermore confirming this word. 5. Her abiding gladness. Real religion is the most gladsome thing this side heaven; it is a. never-failing spring of pure and elevating joy. Finally, this psalm may be applied to-- III. THE INDIVIDUAL BELIEVER. For he, too, is a habitation of God. 1. Founded on the one Foundation-Christ. 2. Is as a holy m011,ntain--openly confessed, not hiding out of sight, secure in God, holy. 3. Is the o~ject of Divine delight. God loves our natural life, but our spiritual life is that which he loves most-to foster and develop and save that is the meaning of all the discipline~, trials, and varied Divine dealiags with us. 4. Glorious things are spoken of him. As to the past, all his guilt put a.way, As to the present, the hostile forces of the world-pride, cruelty, inward corruption, ever worrying the soul, as Philistia did Israel, the lusts of the world, the horde of degrading propensities-all these which war against the soul shall be subdued, and the varied powers they usurped shall be given to God. And as to the future, what bath God not promised for those who love him? And God will make such heart the means of blessing to many others, and will own what has been done. 6. And he willfill such heart with Joy.-S. C. Ver. 2.-The principles of the Divine preference. These are seen- I. IN THI': GREATER LOVE OF Goo FOR ZION THAN FOR ALL THE DWELLINGS OF JACOB. Not a few of those dwellings were spacious, magnificent, wealthy, adorned, and inhabited by men who feared God; but yet, because iu Zion God's glory was more revealed, his grace seen, his truth declared, his peoplij blessed, and because there that in man which God ever most of all delights in-the spiritual life, the life of trust, of love, of devotion to God - found its chief nourishment, expression, and delight, therefore the Lord loved the gates of Zion more, etc. II. IN THE CHARACTERS Goo APPROVES, The name of Jacob suggests one of these at first sight apparently strange preferences. "Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I bated." How many people have been puzzled over that statement, endorsed as it is by the actual dealing of God with the two men? Esau was a man richly endued PBA.LMS,-11. Q  226 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PB, LXXXVII, 1-7,