here gives of God's greatness. He describes a Storm, and the Lord speaking to us, as it were, in the thunder and in the hurricane; "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth the Lord is upon many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty."

All nature proclaims the glory of God. He speaks to us in everything; in the gentle breeze as well as in the hurricane. But in a storm, the Lord specially makes Himself to be heard. The thunder is His "voice." He is described as rending the trees by His power. The Cedar is mentioned as the queen of the forest; and the Cedars of Lebanon as the stateliest of all.

At His thunder the very hills quiver and quake; "He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn." The forests seem to be shaken by the violence of the storm. They are swayed to and fro by God's majestic power. The word "Sirion" is another name for Hermon, one of the mountains of Galilee. (Deut. iii. 9.)

It is further stated that “The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire" (referring to the lightning flash, which appears in streaks and tongues). "The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds (or deer) to calve, and discovereth the forests." Neither the sturdy trees

nor the tender deer can resist His power.

That

which is great cannot escape because of its greatness, nor that which is little because of its insignificance.

When it is said that the Lord "discovereth the forests," it is meant that He makes bare and uncovers the trees, stripping off their leaves, by the mighty force of the storm.

And then it is added, "In his temple doth every one speak of his glory." This refers perhaps both to His earthly Temple, and also to His Temple above, His Upper Sanctuary, where all unite in praising Him, and in admiring His glory.

And now for the lesson which the Psalmist would teach us. It is this: If God is the God of glory, His people need be afraid of nothing: "The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever. The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace." By the thunderstorm, God displays to the wicked His awful power; but He shows also to His people that He is strong to protect and defend them.

In the storms and trials of life, then, let us never fear, so long as the Lord is on our side. He can calm our minds and give us confidence, even when all is turmoil around us. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon thee; because he trusteth in thee."

PSALM XXX. 1-5.

I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

HERE and elsewhere we find that words of

praise were ever uppermost in David's mouth. He had probably, at this particular time, experienced a deliverance from some painful illness, and his grateful heart scarcely knew how to contain itself; "I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit."

He had been, as it were, at the pit's mouth; but he had been rescued. And since God had in mercy thus lifted him up, he desires to show his gratitude by "extolling," or lifting up, the name of the Lord. He is not content however to offer up

his praises alone. He felt perhaps that solitary praise was too cold for him, and he longed to kindle a flame of thankfulness in other hearts also. So he calls upon all the Lord's people to join him in this work of praise; "Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness" (or His mercy). "For," as he adds, "his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." United Prayer brings a blessing, and so does united Praise. God accepts it, and is honoured by it. And surely when we receive mercies from God, we should ask others to blend their note of praise with us, that it may go up as incense to His mercy-seat.

He looked upon his past trial as "a light affliction which endured but for a moment;" but his present joy was for a whole lifetime. His Weeping was like a Traveller, who in the morning leaves the lodging into which he had entered the evening before; and then another guest arises, namely, Joy.

And how often is it so with ourselves! We have our hours of darkness, and then comes a morning without clouds, a day of bright sunshine and peace. And even though our own lot should be continued sorrow here—one unbroken night-still, if we are indeed God's people, there is joy before us, an eternal day without a sigh

or a tear: for "in the Lord's presence is fulness of joy, and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

Let us bear our trials then meekly, patiently, and even cheerfully, knowing that however painful they may be, they cannot last very long, and they will be followed by one long, calm eternity of happiness.