; Ver. 2.-Showing piety at home. Ps. c. is all about praising the Lord. This psalm is all about a holy life. The sequence of the two seems to teach that the best way of praising the Lord is by such a life as this psalm tells of. The time of the psalm's composition seems to have been when David was crowned king of all Israel, and his new government was about to begin. It has been well said that in this psalm David was both merry and wise. We have here- I. A WISE AND HOLY RESOLVE. "I will behave myself," etc. See: 1. It begins with himself. If only everybody would begin there! But so many are for tryiug to put others right before they are right themselves. 2. It refers to his conduct. "I will behave." How we behave--not how we talk, think, profess, desire, but how we behave-is the all-important thing. That is what men will judge us by, and by which we shall influence others. 3. It declares his deliberate resolve. That he would behave himself wisely. Some would have said," grandly," or" merrily," or" just as I please;" but this man says, "wisely." Oh that we all would make such choice as this, especially those who are in the morning of their lives I David made this choice because he felt it so necessary. He was a king, and a foolish king is a nation's trouble. And he was a king surrounded by many perils. And the same resolve suits all sorts and conditions 36( THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PB, 01, 1-8
of men. Moreover, D1wid felt that ho would be wise only as he walked in a perfect way. Tbe right way is the wise way, and vice versd. "'l'he fear of the Lord is tho beginning of wisdom." Turn to the right, and keep straight on. 4. .And that he made up his mind about it. "I will behave," etc. See what a number of "I wills" ancl "shalls" there are in this psalm. You IDAY s11y, "He did not keep his resolve." That is true; but prob11bly he would h11vo fallen yet more deeply had be never ma,le such resolve as this. Such resolves are good to make. They commit you on the side of God; especially the resolve to be openly and always on the Lord's side, l I. A FERVENT CRY FOR GRACE TO KEEP IT. "Oh when wilt thou come unto me?" 1. This is an intmruption, but no hindrance. Holy thought and prayer may interrupt, but they do not hinder, our work. The haymaker, stopping to whet his scythe, does not hinder his work, but helps it. So does such a prayer aR this. 2. B is a confession of utter weakness in himsel,f apart from God, and a cry for God to come and abide with him. The holiest resolves, without much cry to God for grace to keep them, come to nothing. III. THE TEST LAID DOWN whereby it should be known whether he was keeping it. There should be such test. 1. David lays down this-his conduct at home. "I will walk within my house," etc. 2. We are truly what we are at home. In the world we have to be reserved and cautious; in the Church we show our best side; but at home our true character is revealed. And, alas! some people can be saints at church and devils at homo, and hence are no saints at all. 3. But we cannot be right at home unless ou,r heart be right with God. It is a matter of the heart, and the heart given to God. Let parents remember this. If you would have a happy, heaven-like home, let your hea.rts be perfect with God.-S. C. Ver. 3.- Wicked things. I. WE 0ANNOT HELP SEEING WICKED THINGS, BUT WE ABE NOT TO SET THEM BEFORE OUR EYES. That is: 1. Be will not thinlc of them. They may be where be cannot but see them; b1it be will turn away his eyes from them, and bis thoughts likewise. 2. He will not sympathize with or desire them. They have a fatal attraction, an<l appeal to our nature where it is most susceptible of temptation. 3. Be will 'TWt strive after them. However gainful they may be, their wickedness shall bar all endeavours after them. II. WE ARE TO HATE THEM. There is to be, not the mere negative grace of not choosing them-that is much-but there is to be the further positive grace of hatred towards tnem. Now, to help us herein, think of: 1. The harm wickedness has done to men generally. What havoc it bas wrought, and is working still I Could the world be but rid of its sin, its sorrows would not trouble us much. 2. The harm wrought in your own sO'Ul. 3. The dishonour done to Christ. 4. And let your hatred of wicked- ness take practical form. Attack the fortress of sin, fight against it wherever you find it, make aggressive effort against it and for the cause of Christ. So will this hatred blessedly grow. III. WHEN WICKED1'"ESS SEEKS, AS IT WILL, TO OLEAVE UNTO US, WE ARE TO CAST IT OFF. 1. See bow our Lord did this. "Get thee behind me, Satan! " Sin will try to adbere to you; but spurn it at once. 2. Consider how to do this. Prayer will ..,.reatly help· for sin is its direct antauonist. One must destroy the other. They ~unot coexlst. Plead and trust the" promises of God to help you. Av:oid the occasions of sin. Carry the war into the enemy's country; not merely resist, but attack. Military writers all insist on the advantage against a foe of attacking, not waiting to be attacked. And, without doubt, aggressive work for Christ, a. figbting faith, is an immense advantage and safeguard.-S. C. Ver. 5.-Sl,anderers. I. THERE A.RE sucH PEOPLE, David had to do with many of them-Doeg, Cush, Ziba, etc. Aud such ever haunt the precincts of courts. And they exist still Note their characteristics. 1. They are not men who merely speak evil of their fell0'1D-men. No good man likes to do this. But sometimes it hae to be done-in giving evidence in courts of law; for the sake of vindicating or warning others. Our Lord spoke evil of the scribes and Pharisees. But he did so beca.use, not only was his witneas true, but it was necessary to be given, for the people at large were deceived by them. And he spoke freely before their face, and never because of men, PB, 01, 1-8,] 'l.'liE BOOK 01!' PSALMS. 865