displnya of nuguet power, which reached their climax in the death of the Egyptian firetborn. Deliverance by miraculous intervenUone. Ill. GoD'B REDEMPTION OF IBBAEL FROM 1TB OWN WILF'C'LNEBB. God's deliverance of a man is never complete while it deals exclusively with his circumstances and surroundings. A man ie not redeemed until he iR redeemed from his bad self. The nation was not redeemed until God's gracious working within it had been completed. We see this in scenes of the wilderness-journey. We see it all through, up to the great Babylonish captivity. Retlemption comes by Divine discipline.-R. T. Ver. 4.-Seeking the Lord's face. The idea of reviewing the history is prominent, but the psalmist recognizes how much depends on the spirit in which that review is done, if any real moral and religious benefit is to be derived from it. Read it as one who is seeking for signs of the Lord's prrsence and power. Read it in such a mood and way that upon you shall rest signs of Divine favour. Let the result of it be that you will seek to have the shinings of the face on you, which you can see made all the glory of the history. I. SEEKING THE LoBD mMBELF. This may be taken as referring to adequate knowledge of God. This is not in itself sanctifying; for men may know without loving. But it is the proper beginning. Seek to know God. Fearlessly take all his workings into account; both those easy to understand, and those difficult. Never shirk any facts. Only he who is willing to see the revelation of himself which God has made in history all round and all through, will ever get to know God worthily. So much mistake is made by deciding beforehand who and what God is, and then selecting, from the revelations of hie Word and works, only what will support our pre- arranged conceptions. Few of us yet know worthily the unity of the many-sided God. II. SEEKING THE LORD'S STRENGTH. Signs of the Divine power in history. Now, our impression of strength is but a small one while we keep in the material regions, and see only what a man can lift, what be can pull, or what he can carry. The really strong man is he who can master difficulties, put things straight, prove himself mightier than opposing forces, and even opposing forces in combination. This is the strength of the Lord God, of which we want to find signs; and precisely signs of this-the Lord, the Overcomer, mastering all hostile forces-we find abundant in the Old Testament history. III. SEEKING THE LoBD's FACE. The full face looking at us is the sign of favour. The downcast face is the sign of disapproval. What the child of God wants is to live with bis Father's full open face smiling upon him. " When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek." We may read God's dealings in such a spirit as to win God's favour in the reading.-R. T.
Ver. 8.-0ovenantfaitlifulness. The psalmist, as a just returned, or as a speedily returning, exile-one just making preparations for his return-is anxious to be right- hearted in relation to this new national restoration, and he is anxious to help others to be right-hearted, So be thinks over aloud his personal experiences of God's dealings with himself (Ps. ciii.); the marvels of God's handiwork !n nature (Ps. civ.); the overrnlings of Divine providence in the national history (P~. cv.); and the causes for national humiliation (Pa. cvi.). The leading idea before us, in this and the following psalm, is this. God and Israel entered into mutual covenant. Read the national story how you may, you will find that God has always been faithful to bis pledges in that covenant, and the people have constantly been unfaithful. The marvel of mercy is that God's patient and persistent faithfulness triumphs at last over man's wilfulness and unfaithfulness. I. GoD MADE COVENANT WITH HIS PEOPLE IN OLD TIMES. It is not only that God made promises; the marvel of Divine grace is, that God should condescend to stand on man's platform, and join with man in putting himself under solemn pledge. Covenant- making is an idea of early tribal times, when legal documents could not be written and signed. Illustrate God's covenant with Abraham, which was renewed again and again. Dwell on tbe fact that there were two persons, and two sets of conditions, in a covenant; and each was released if the other broke his terms. Lead on to show how the name is preserved in relation to the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4'.?2 THE BOOK OF PSAL!IIS. [PB, 0V, 1-45. ------------------------- ---- --- n. GOD WAB ALWAYS FAITHFUL TO HIS l'I,EDGEB IN COVENANT. This the psalmist treats as an unquestionable hist-0rical fact-. God was true to Abraham, Isaac, Israel in Egypt, Joseph. True to covenant in dealing with Pharaoh, Israel'11 oppressor. True in bringing Israel at last to the promised land. Providences are only rightly read as God's fulfilment of his covenant. That which is true of Israel is true of our persona lives. God has been to us Provider, Guide, Ruler, and Overruler. Ill. GoD l!IIAY BE FULLY TRUSTED TO PROVE FAITHFUL IN NEW B0ENEB. This is the appeal which the psalmist makes to the returning exiles. God has ever been faithful to your fathers; he will be faithful to you. So our trust is in what we know God to be; and we know him by what he has done, and does. He is the "faithful Promiser;" we may fully trust him.-R. T.