Thus far the Lord hath led us; the waters have been high;
But yet in passing through them, we felt that He was nigh;
A very present helper in troubles we have found,

His comforts most abounded when our sorrows did abound.
Thus far the Lord hath led us; our need hath been supplied,
And mercy hath encompass'd us about on every side;
Still falls the daily manna, the pure rock-fountains flow,
And many flowers of love and hope along the wayside grow.
Thus far the Lord hath led us; and will He now forsake
The feeble ones whom for His own it pleased Him to take?
Oh never, never! earthly friends may cold and faithless prove,
But His is changeless pity and everlasting love.

Calmly we look behind us, on joys and sorrows past,

We know that all is mercy now, and shall be well at last;

Calmly we look before us, we fear no future ill,

Enough for safety and for peace, if Thou art with us still.

Yes, they that know Thy name, Lord, shall put their trust in Thee,'
While nothing in themselves but sin and helplessness they see.
The race Thou hast appointed us, with patience we can run,
Thou wilt perform unto the end, the work Thou hast begun.

PSALM LXVIII. 18-23.

THE LAST ENEMY CONQUERED.

'Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive: Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

'Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

'He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.

'But God shall wound the head of His enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:

"That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.'

We come now to what may be regarded as the turningpoint in this Psalm. When a prince or a king goes forth to contend against his enemies he has to put on his

armour, and leave his throne and palace and princely domains behind him for a time; and then, when he has done his work and gained the victory, he returns and ascends his throne once more amid the joyous acclamations of his people. This is what is pictured before us in the 18th verse: Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive.' This is unquestionably a foreshadowing of the day when Messiah, His conflict ended, His victory won, ascended up on high, where He was before,' triumphing over death, and leading captive all the powers of darkness. You observe the expression here, Thou hast ascended on high.' The Psalmist is addressing Jehovah, and he uses the same form of expression as that which our Lord used in His conversation with Nicodemus. 'No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven.' Our Lord speaks of His ascension as of an event which had already been actually accomplished. So here the Psalmist says, 'Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive.' This is the turningpoint in the Psalm. God arises to contend with His enemies. His own beloved Son girds on His armour and goes forth to battle with them. Nothing short of a com

plete victory will satisfy Him. Every enemy must be vanquished, every foe laid prostrate, and then, when the triumph is completed and the victory accomplished, He ascends up on high, victorious over every enemy for ever. Beloved, we have not a full sight of this victory at present: 'We see not yet all things put under Him.' But we do see this in His ascension: we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour!' Aye, truly, for in that glorious hour all heaven rang again with joyous acclamations to the Lamb which had been slain, even to Him who had by His death abolished death and opened to His people the gates of everlasting life. The world

may be content to sleep on in its sin and think but little of that mighty victory; but all heaven was moved to its very centre by His glorious conquest, when He ascended on high and led captivity captive. Beloved friends, faith will do for us now what sight will do hereafter. It will give us a glimpse within the veil where Jesus is seated once more upon His kingly throne. Dear fellow-believers, we know that our Immanuel has passed into the heavens 'there to appear in the presence of God for us.' As St. Paul writes to the Philippians, Wherefore (because of His humiliation) God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' He displays the victory which He has gained by sitting down again upon His throne, arrayed in His glorious robes of majesty and light. He has carried back with Him to His throne more than He had before, for mid the dazzling brightness of that royal robe may be traced in letters of blood that He was slain for us!'

'Thou hast led captivity (or a multitude of captives) captive.' All the enemies of God and His people, viz. Satan, Sin, Death and Hell: all these He has led captive, and 'made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it,' in His cross. Thou hast received gifts for men.' Gifts, beloved, yes! for Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.' Not otherwise, so far as we know, could those great and glorious gifts have ever been bestowed upon any of the poor erring sons of men save by the death of Him who thereby has shown how God could be just, and yet at the same time the justifier of the ungodly. So again in Acts ii. 32, 33, we read, 'This Jesus hath

God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear.' In the gift of the Holy Ghost is included all the spiritual gifts which He first received for and then gave to men. Compare ver. 18 with Eph. iv. 8. It is very interesting to observe the marginal reading of the words for men:' Thou hast received gifts in the man' that is, in the man Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ our Lord received gifts in His human nature and gave them to His brethren. 'In the man' or human nature, He received the condemnation of the broken law; so 'in the man' He received the gifts which were the reward of His sufferings.

Yea for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.' Yes, beloved, 'God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' Ah! but for that free grace, for those living gifts, you and I must have been rebels against God to this very day, and therefore in a hopeless and helpless state. But, 'thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!' Well indeed may we look unto the rock whence we were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence we were digged, while, with overflowing hearts we praise and bless God for the free grace which has made us what we are, 'new creatures in Christ Jesus.'

"That the Lord God might dwell among them.' And can it be, that He the great, the high, the holy One, who inhabiteth eternity, will yet condescend to come down, and dwell among His poor, weak, erring, fallen creatures? Yea! it is His delight to dwell among His own dear people, notwithstanding all their weakness and sin, their feebleness and shortcomings. They may have to fight with the strong man, but there is a stronger than He, who delights to dwell among them, and not all the

powers of darkness combined can prevail for one instant against Him who is the Prince of life and light. Say not, beloved, Ah, but we are so weak and so unholy! Will not He perfect that which concerneth us? Remember, He looks not on us as we are in ourselves, but as seen in the face of His anointed. And in Him the Father is ever well pleased. The Father looks upon Him and sees no longer about Him, as He once saw, anything of guilt (our guilt imputed to Him); all is bright and fair and lovely; and all that is His is ours, for we are one with Him. Only trust Him, beloved. A quick, sensitive consciousness of sin there must ever be; but alongside of that there will be a simple, loving acknowledgment that the Lord has borne the penalty of its guilt. There should be more faith and more honouring of Christ, a willingness to take Him at His word in all that He says If we are truly and earnestly struggling against sin, let us draw near to His cross with the prayer,

to us.

Following naturally upon this, we have in the 19th verse, 'Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.' When this Psalm was being sung by the Israelites, we can well understand the deep solemnity that must have pervaded the assembly at the solemn words immediately preceding, 'Thou hast ascended on high,' &c. Here, however, in the 19th verse it seems as if the whole congregation had burst forth into a chorus of praise and thanksgiving to God, 'who daily loadeth us with benefits.' 'Daily:' yes, beloved friends, we have had lovingkindnesses and blessings showered upon us, and all seemed bright and good. Ah, but the days of shadow were among the blessings too! It seemed to us then, as to Jacob of old, 'All

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