that the oppressed are delivered or defended; it is that those who have injured them feel the weight of Divine indignation. Judgment is in one sense for the oppressed, and in another sense for the oppressors.-R. T. Yer. 9.-0hiding, but not keeping on chiding. "He will not always chide." A prophet prays, "0 Lord, correct me, but in measure." The supreme danger of all who are in positions of authority over others-parents, teachers, masters-is that they may chastiRe beyond the requirements of the particular case; they may continue the chiding under the impulse of feeling, when judgment requires its strict limitation. They who chide when in a passion always over-chide; they try to satisfy their feeling -and it is unrestrained feeling-rather than the actual demands of the case. Now, the psalmist has the utmost satisfaction in God, because he is quite sure that God never over-chides. There never yet was one unnecessary stroke given by the Lord's rod. 'l'bat complaint no man ever yet fairly made. I. Goo NEED NOT OVER-CHIDE. Either by ma.king the chiding over-severe or by keeping it on too long. He need not: 1. Because he is never carried a.way by feeling. God is the infinitely self-restrained One; and so he is a.I ways himself, and perfectly competent to deal with every case. 2. Because he has the infinite power to estimate influences and results. 'l'his is often the explanation of man's over-chiding. He cannot follow influences, and so see quickly when his object is attained. And it may be added that God has power to stop chidings. Man has not. He may be compelled to keep on awhile a. training-work he ha.a begun, because, even if he could stop it, he would do serious mischief by stopping it. The ,omniscience and omnipotence of God prevent him from ever needing to over-chide. II. Goo DOES NOT OVEB-CHIDE. For the assnra.nce of this, appeal may be made to the experience of God's people in a.11 ages. Their marvel always bas been, a.nd always will be, that God should put such strict limitations on his chidings, and accomplish such an "exceeding and eterna.l weight of glory" by such "light afflictions." This compla.int no child of God, who \Vas in his right mind, ever made; certainly no child of God ever had a right to make. That God will ·surely chide us is our ground of assurance. Our self-willedness will never be left alone, to ruin us. That God will never over-chida is our abounding consola.tion.-R. T.
Ver. 10.-The measure of the Divine dealings. The point made by the psalmist is tba.t God's dealings with men a.re not measured with the same measure as man's dea.lings with his fellow-men. If we think precisely we shall admit that God does deal exa.ctly with us" a.fter our sins;" but it is as our sins are divinely estimated. When man proceeds to recognize and' punish sins, he deals with sins, rather than with sinners; and metes out his punishments according to standard, with no consideration for the individual. Man, when he a.uthoritatively punishes, is not supposed to make a.llowa.nces. Judges a.dminister law irrespective of persons. Clemency, with us, is left to the supreme a.uthority behind the judge; and only comes in after the judge has given his judgrnent according to standard, Man's law concerns a.cts, not motives. Uod's judgments are a.fter a.nother standard. God judges sinners, not merely sins. God unites the clemency of the king with the justice of the magistrate. God makes a.11 rea.sonable allowances. God considers the force of human frailty. God estimates circumsta.nces a.nd motives. Then God's is the higher standard, but it is one which only the God of infinite wisdom a.nd perfect righteousness can use. This may be worked out a.long two lines. J. THE MEASURE OF DIVINE DEALING IS WHAT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE RACE. God never measures humanity by the standard he provides for the angels. He never measures humanity fallen by the standard he provides for humanity iota.et. He does not measure the race in itR sava.ge condition with the standard for the race civilized. He does not make one absolute standard to apply equally to every branch of the race. He is mindful of, and considerate towa.rds, a.11 forms of racial peculiarity and disability. Carefully show the distinction between an absolute standard of morals, and an absolute setting, or application, of tha.t standard. If God deals with a morally fallen and frail race, he lets mercy help justice to fix the standard. 394 TilE BOOK OF PSALMS. [l's. cm. 1-22,
II. THE MEASURE OF DIVINE DEALINGS TS WHAT IS POSSIBLE TO THE INDIVIDUAL, This is fully treated under var. 14. One point only need be mentioned. In e1•ery siu committed by the individual ibe element of heredity has to be ttiken iuto account. The sin is not absolutely and entirely the man's own. Yet man ca.n never measure this heredity; so bis measures will never suffice for deciding the Divine judgments and dealings.-R. T.