Vers. 1-3.-Abiding under God's shadow. In order to understand this most precious promise, inquire- !. WHAT 1s THE SIWRET PLACE OF THE MosT HIGH? The idea of this "secret place" is frequently met with. 1. Sometimes it tells of some secret hiding-place, such as David often resorted to when a fugitive; and the sure protection of God is likened to such safe shelter. 2. At other times, the central tent of the commander of an army seems to be meant, as in Ps. xxvii. 5, "He shall hide me in his pavilion," etc. The enemy would have to break through rank after rank of the encamped army ere he could reach the well-guarded central tent of the leader. So inaccessible to the foe, so strongly placed was it, that it is taken as an emblem of our security in God. 3. But it is to the most holy place of the tabernacle and temple that we think allusion is here made. 'l'hat sacred chamber was emphatically the secret place of the Most High. It was entered but once a year, and then only by one person, the high priest, bearing the blood of atonement. For all the rest of the year no footfall was heard in that secret place, no eye looked upon the glory of God that shone forth there. That loneli- ness told of the sad alieoation that had sprung up between God and man through man's sin. But that secret place was the earthly dwelling-place of God. There, between the cherubim, his glory shone forth, and there he was said to dwell. II. BuT WHAT IS IT TO DWELL THERE? Literally, no man ever dwelt there. We are driven, therefore, to seek the spiritual meaning of this word. And we note that: 1. Israel entered there in the person of the high priest, when he bore in his hand the atoning blood, which he was about to sprinkle upon the mercy-seat. All Israel found entrance there in their high priest, their representative. And whilst they continued in the faith of God, obeying and trusting him, they spiritually dwelt in that secret place, and, as a fact, were under the shadow-the high priest was so literally-of the Most High. No evil befell them, no plague came nigh their dwelling. It waa well with them indeed. 2. And we enter and dwell there when, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we come to God, pleading his all-sufficient sacrifice and atonement, of which the blood borne by the high priest told. And we dwell there as we coatinue in that precious faith, Then we, too, are under the shadow of the Almighty. '.l.'he Law's condemnation, sin's power, earthly care, death, and the grave, can do us no harm; we are under the sure and blessed shelter of our God; Next let us note- III. 'l'HE CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS INDWELLING. 1. The Lord i's to 'US our Refuge. The Law's condemnation would fasten upon us but for this. And he is our Fortress- the place of vantage whence we fight successfully the spiritual warfare. And he is our God, in whom we trust; he is the confidence, the delight, the joy of our souls; so that we say of him, "He is my God." 2. And all this we take personally, each of us individually appropriating it. 'fhe Lor<l is not merely "a Refuge," but "my Refuge,"" my Fortress," etc. 3. And we confess it. "I will say of the Lord," etc.; "With the mouth coufession is made unto salvation." IV. THE BURE FRUIT 01' BUCH DWELLmo IN THE SECRET PLACE OF THE MosT llioH. We shall commend God to others. The rest of the psalm is oue prolonged testimouy to the blessedness of thus dwelling in God. " Surely he shall deliver thee," etc. Are we, then, thus individually and avowedly dwelling in God ?-S. C.
Ver. 2.-.A sacred resolve. "I will say of the Lord." Consider- 272 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PB, XOI, 1-16,
I. SucH RESOLVES GENll:RALLY. It is good to make them; for: 1. They are really prayers. Underlying them there is the desire of the heart tbs.t God may give the help needed to fulfil such resolve. 2. They are a blessed stirri"'g up of the grace of God that is in us. The will summons the soul to energy by means of such holy resol ,·es. 3. They are well-pleasing to God, for they are an actual ende,ivour to do his will. II. Tars RESOLVE. 1. Su its nature. He would take the Lord as his "Refuge." !t is_ a confession of need and of trust. An~ as bis •: Fortress." He would need help rn his warfare; he would rely on the Lord for 1t. As bis God, bis soul's Centre, Strength, e.nd Joy. 2. He would do this now. 3. Openly. 4. Pe,·sonally. 6. Habitually. III. WHAT LED TO 'l'HIS R~:soLVE. The experience of God's sheltering love of which be tells in the first verse. He was dwelling in the secret place, was abidino- in Christ, and he found, as a fact of his experience, that he was sheltered from all eviE IV. How THIS RESOLVE WAS SUSTAINED. By going and telling others of what God had done for him, and would do for them.-S. C.