and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness (that is, thy favour or mercy) hath made me great."

When difficulties stared him in the face, God had removed every obstacle, and enabled him to walk without hindrance; "Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip."

With God's help he had been enabled to put down every foe; "I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. I have wounded them, that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me."

He goes on in the same strain to the end of the Psalm, praising God for his deliverances.

There are many expressions here which evidently refer to our blessed Lord, especially in the forty-third and forty-fourth verses; "Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me."

It is true that David was enabled to put down all the efforts and strivings of his enemies. It is true that God so blest his rule that several nations, such as the Philistines, the Moabites, and Syrians,

were brought under his dominion; and thus he was made "the head of the heathen." But more truly could this be said of Christ; for to Him were given in the fullest sense "the heathen as his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth as his possession ;" and at His name every knee shall one day bow.

The forty-ninth verse is quoted by St. Paul to show that the Gentiles, or heathen, would glorify God by submitting themselves to the Saviour. (Rom. xv. 9.)

May God in mercy hasten this promised time! May those who now stand aloof from Him draw near, and submit themselves unto Him, becoming His true servants! And may we, who are His professed followers, live closer to Him day by day, acknowledging Him as the true Saviour and Lord of our hearts!

PSALM XIX. 1-6.

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handy-work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

THE houses of the Jews were so built that the

inmates could go up to the roof, and walk there, or sit and meditate, without fear of being disturbed. Perhaps David, on some clear starlight night, went thus upon the house-top of his palace. And having feasted his eyes upon the beauties of the spangled sky above him, he poured out his heart in these glowing words; "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handy-work." We have only to look above, and we shall see innumerable shining witnesses which proclaim God's glory and goodness. Each day and each night have a lesson for us. Indeed if all human preachers should grow silent, and every mouth cease from

publishing the glory of God, the heavens above would never cease to declare it.

"There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line (or sound) is gone through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." This means that there is no country in the wide world to whom God's wondrous works do not preach. St. Paul declares that for this reason the heathen are inexcusable. What they behold around and above them would be enough to show them the goodness and majesty of God, if their hearts were not blinded.

The Psalmist calls attention more especially to the glorious Sun, which comes forth in the morning like a bridegroom from his chamber in the east, and like a mighty giant strides across the sky, scattering his rays in all directions, and gladdening the earth with his genial heat. He speaks of the sun having "a tabernacle," or dwelling-place in the heavens; "In them (that is, in the heavens) hath he set a tabernacle for the sun." And the Prophet Habakkuk uses a like expression, chap. iii. II, where, speaking of God's glory being displayed, he says, "The sun and moon stood still in their habitation."

Surely we have daily proofs enough to strike us with wonder and admiration at God's doings. We feel His power and taste His goodness day by day. But to know Him and to love Him we need

the special grace of His Holy Spirit, in order to open our eyes and enlighten our darkened souls.

From the Book of Nature then-from the outer works of God which meet the eye-we may learn, if we will, the greatness and goodness of God. But there we must stop. We must open another Book, even the Book of Revelation, in order to learn what He has done to redeem us from death, and to open to us the way of everlasting life.