Herod might glory in the slaughter of the Innocents at Bethlehem; but he could not touch a hair of the Saviour's head. Persecution may produce suffering among the faithful; but the gates of hell cannot prevail against them.

He is described too as a great mischief-maker, and a lover of what is evil and false; "Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness."

God may seem to bear with such evil conduct for a time; but ere long He will punish the sinner. And see what strong expressions are here used; "God shall destroy thee for ever "He shall make thee a monument of eternal ruin. "He shall cast thee away"—as chaff is scattered before the wind, or as worthless branches are put aside for the burning. He shall "pluck thee out of thy dwelling-place"

as one is dragged out of a tent, whither he has fled for shelter. And lastly, he shall “root thee out of the land of the living"-as a tree is torn up from the spot in which it grew.

We know nothing of Docg's end, unless the tradition of the Jews be correct, who say that he was Saul's armour-bearer, and fell in the battle on Mount Gilboa.

Meanwhile the righteous will look on with wonder at God's power, and with thankful confidence in their own security; "The righteous also

shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness."

The expression, "The righteous shall laugh at him," would not, certainly, justify us in exulting over another, however much he deserved punishment. It has been remarked that there is a twofold laughter. One, when a man, from an evil spirit of revenge, laughs at his enemy; this of course no Christian can do, but rather he feels compassion for his fallen foe. The other arises. from a consideration of God's righteous judgment, when a man has contended with Him, and sinned presumptuously against Him.

In the two last verses, David contrasts his own happier lot, with the miserable end of the ungodly; "But I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever." He was "in the house of God;" they were in the world. He was as a fruitful olive-tree; they were as barren and useless wood. And all this because he had "trusted in the mercy of God," whilst they "in the abundance of their riches."

What reason have God's people to praise Him for past mercies, and to wait upon Him for future blessings! It is good to do this, both for our own sake, and for the sake of others who may be led to take courage by our holy example.

PSALM LIII.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread they have not called upon God. There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them. Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

THIS

HIS Psalm is so essentially the same as the Fourteenth, that it will not be necessary to consider it afresh.

PSALM LIV.

Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul; they have not set God before them. Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. He shall reward

evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth. I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble; and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

IN

N the first three verses of this Psalm we have David's prayer for deliverance from his oppressors and from those who forget God; and in the four last verses he expresses his full confidence in the Lord as his Helper and Deliverer.

By the "name" of God is meant God Himself; "Save me, O God, by thy name;" that is, by Thy Godhead, by Thy own almighty power. David had but little confidence in man's help, but he had great faith in God's; he therefore puts himself in God's hands, and asks Him to save as none other can save. And he adds; "Judge me by thy strength." By this he means; Vindicate my cause, and show, by exerting Thy strength on my behalf, that Thou art on my side.

No one was more continually beset with foes than David. He had enemies in his own house

and enemies without, who maligned him, and sought to take away his life. He might well say, "Strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul," or my life.

But from all these he turned in sadness and found rest in God. "Behold, God is mine helper," was his thankful exclamation; and so let it be ours. Are we in trouble? He will support us. In our dreariest moments He is near; and underneath are the everlasting arms bearing us up. Are we in doubt or difficulty? He will help us through; He will be our unerring Counsellor. Are we lost in sin? He can stretch out His arm to save us; He can pardon every sin, and endue us with strength to resist it for the time to come.

Yes, Christian, God is thy helper. Therefore trust, and be not afraid. Put thyself in His hands, and thou art safe.

So confident was David that God would hear his prayer and give him the needed help, that he here says, "I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good." He brings to God the freewill offering of a grateful heart-the best sacrifice he could offer. And here is the great secret of all true service. Our prayers, our praises, our gifts, are all worthless unless our hearts go with them. God does not require the