Verse 9.-" The meek." Who they are? What are their privileges? How to be like them? Verse 9 (first clause).- Moral purity needful to a well-balanced judgment. Verse 10.-God's mercy and faithfulness in providence, and the persons who may derive comfort therefrom. Verse 11.-A model prayer. Confession, argument, entreaty, etc. Verse 11.-Great guilt no obstacle to the pardon of the returning sinner.— Jonathan Edwards. Verse 12.-Holiness the best security for a well ordered life. Free-will at school, questioned and instructed. Verse 13.-A man at ease for time and eternity. Verse 14.-I. A secret, and who know it. II. A wonder, and who see it. Verse 15. I. What we are like. A silly bird. II. What is our danger? "Net." III. Who is our friend? "The Lord.” IV. What is our wisdom? "Mine eyes," etc. Verse 16.-A desolate soul seeking heavenly company, and an afflicted spirit crying for divine mercy. Our God the balın of all our wounds. Verses 16-18.-David is a petitioner as well as a sufferer; and those sorrows will never injure us that bring us near to God. Three things he prays for:I. Deliverance. This we are called to desire, consistently with resignation to the divine will. II. Notice. A kind look from God is desirable at any time, in any circumstances; but in affliction and pain, it is like life from the dead. III. Pardon. Trials are apt to revive a sense of guilt.--William Jay. Verse 17.--Special seasons of trouble and special resort to prayer for special deliverance. Verse 18.-Two things are here taught us:-I. That a kind look from God is very desirable in affliction. II. That the sweetest cordial under trouble would be an assurance of divine forgiveness. I. That a kind look, etc. (subdivisions), 1. It is a look of special observation. 2. It is a look of tender compassion. 3. It is a look of support and assistance (with God, power and compassion go together). II. That the sweetest cordial, etc. (subdivisions), 1. Because trouble is very apt to bring our sins to remembrance. 2. Because a sense of pardon will in great measure remove all distressing fears of death and judgment. Improvement. 1. Let us adore the goodness of God, that one so great and glorious should bestow a favourable look upon any of our sinful race. 2. Let the benefit we have received from the Lord's looking upon us in former afflictions, engage us to pray, and encourage us to hope, that he will now look upon us again. 3. If a kind look from God be so comfortable, what must heaven be !-Samuel Lavington. Verse 18.-I. It is well when our sorrows remind us of our sins. II. When we are as earnest to be forgiven as to be delivered. III. When we bring both to the right place in prayer. IV. When we are submissive about our sorrows Look," etc.-but very explicit about our sins-" Forgive," etc. 66 Verse 19.-The spiritual enemies of the saint. Their number, malice, craft, power, etc. ་་ Verse 20.--Soul preservation. I. Its twofold character, "Keep," and "deliver.” II. Its dreadful alternative, "Let me not be ashamed. III. Its effectual guarantee, I put my trust in thee." Verse 20.-A superhuman keeping, a natural fear, a spiritual trust. Verse 21.-The open way of safety in action, and the secret way of safety in devotion. Verse 22.-Jacob's life, as typical of ours, may illustrate this prayer. WORKS ON THE TWENTY-FIFTH PSALM. A Godly and Fruitful Erposition on the Twenty-fifth Psalme, the second of the Penitentials; (in "A Sacred Septenarie.") By ARCHIBALD SYMSON. 1638. [See p. 74.] The Preacher's Tripartite, in Three Books. The First, to raise Devotion in Divine Meditations upon Psalm XXV. By R. Mossom, Preacher of God's Word, late at St. Peter's, Paul's Wharf, London, 1657. Folio. Six Sermons in "Expository Discourses," by the late Rev. WILLIAM RICHARDSON, Subchanter of York Cathedral. 1825. PSALM XXVI. TITLE.-A Psalm of David. The sweet singer of Israel appears before us in this Psalm as one enduring reproach; in this he was the type of the great Son of David, and is an encouraging example to us to carry the burden of slander to the throne of grace. It is an ingenious surmise that this appeal to heaven was written by David at the time of the assassination of Ish-bosheth, by Baanah and Rechab, to protest his innocence of all participation in that treacherous murder; the tenor of the Psalm certainly agrees with the supposed occasion, but it is not possible with such a slender clue to go beyond conjecture. DIVISION.- Unity of subject is so distinctly maintained, that there are no sharp divisions. David Dickson has given an admirable summary in these words:—" He appealeth to God, the supreme Judge, in the testimony of a good conscience, bearing him witness; first, of his endeavour to walk uprightly as a believer, verses, 1, 2, 3; secondly, of his keeping himself from the contagion of the evil counsel, sinful causes, and example of the wicked, verses, 4, 5; thirdly, of his purpose still to behave himself holily and righteously, out of love to be partaker of the public privileges of the Lord's people in the congregation, verses, 6, 7, 8. Whereupon he prayeth to be free of the judgment coming upon the wicked, verses, 9, 10, according as he had purposed to eschew their sins, verse 11; and he closeth his prayer with comfort and assurance of being heard, verse 12. J EXPOSITION. UDGE me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. 2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. 3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth. 66 1. Judge me, O Jehovah."—A solemn appeal to the just tribunal of the heart-searching God, warranted by the circumstances of the writer, so far as regarded the particular offences with which he was wrongly charged. Worried and worn out by the injustice of men, the innocent spirit flies from its false accusers to the throne of Eternal Right. He had need have a clear case who dares to carry his suit into the King's Bench of heaven. Such an appeal as this is not to be rashly made on any occasion; and as to the whole of our walk and conversation, it should never be made at all, except as we are justified in Christ Jesus a far more fitting prayer for a sinful mortal is the petition, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant." "For I have walked in mine integrity." He held integrity as his principle, and walked in it as his practice. David had not used any traitorous or unrighteous means to gain the crown, or to keep it; he was conscious of having been guided by the noblest principles of honour in all his actions with regard to Saul and his family. What a comfort it is to have the approbation of one's own conscience! If there be peace within the soul, the blustering storms of slander which howl around us are of little consideration. When the little bird in my bosom sings a merry song, it is no matter to me if a thousand owls hoot at me from without. "I have trusted also in the Lord." Faith is the root and sap of integrity. He who leans upon the Lord is sure to walk in righteousness. David knew that God's covenant had given him the crown, and therefore he took no indirect or unlawful means to secure it; he would not slay his enemy in the cave, nor suffer his men-at-arms to smite him when he slept unguarded on the plain. Faith will work hard for the Lord, and in the Lord's way, but she refuses so much as to lift a finger to fulfil the devices of unrighteous cunning. Rebecca acted out a great falsehood in order to fulfil the Lord's decree in favour of Jacob-this was unbelief; but Abraham left the 66 Lord to fulfil his own purposes, and took the knife to slay his son-this was faith. Faith trusts God to accomplish his own decrees. Why should I steal when God has promised to supply my need? Why should I avenge myself when I know that the Lord has espoused my cause? Confidence in God is a most effectual security against sin. Therefore I shall not slide." Slippery as the way is, so that I walk like a man upon ice, yet faith keeps my heels from tripping, and will continue to do so. The doubtful ways of policy are sure sooner or later to give a fall to those who run therein, but the ways of honesty, though often rough, are always safe. We cannot trust in God if we walk crookedly; but straight paths and simple faith bring the pilgrim happily to his journey's end. 2. There are three modes of trial here challenged, which are said in the original to refer to trial by touch, trial by smell, and trial by fire. The psalmist was so clear from the charge laid against him, that he submitted himself unconditionally to any form of examination which the Lord might see fit to employ. "Examine me, O Lord." Look me through and through; make a minute survey; put me to the question, cross-examine my evidence. "And prove me." Put me again to trial; and see if I would follow such wicked designs as my enemies impute to me. “Try my reins and my heart." Assay me as metals are assayed in the furnace, and do this to my most secret parts, where my affections hold their court; see, O God, whether or no I love murder, and treason, and deceit. All this is a very bold appeal, and made by a man like David, who feared the Lord exceedingly, it manifests a most solemn and complete conviction of innocence. The expressions here used should teach us the thoroughness of the divine judgment, and the necessity of being in all things profoundly sincere, lest we be found wanting at the last. Our enemies are severe with us with the severity of spite, and this a brave man endures without a fear; but God's severity is that of unswerving right. Who shall stand against such a trial? The sweet singer asks "Who can stand before his cold?" and we may well enquire, "Who can stand before the heat of his justice?" 3. "For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes."-An object of memory and a ground of hope. A sense of mercy received sets a fair prospect before the faithful mind in its gloomiest condition, for it yields visions of mercies yet to come, visions not visionary but real. Dwell, dear reader, upon that celestial word lovingkindness. It has a heavenly savour. Is it not an unmatchable word, unexcelled, unrivalled? The goodness of the Lord to us should be before our eyes as a motive actuating our conduct; we are not under the bondage of the law, but we are under the sweet constraints of grace, which are far more mighty, although far more gentle. Men sin with the law before their eyes, but divine love, when clearly seen, sanctifies the conversation. If we were not so forgetful of the way of mercy in which God walks towards us, we should be more careful to walk in the ways of obedience toward him. "And I have walked in thy truth." The psalmist was preserved from sin by his assurance of the truthfulness of God's promise, which truth he endeavoured to imitate as well as to believe. Observe from this verse that an experience of divine love will show itself in a practical following of divine truth; those who neglect either the doctrinal or practical parts of truth must not wonder if they lose the experimental enjoyment of it. Some talk of truth, it is better to walk in it. Some vow to do well in future, bnt their resolutions come to nothing; only the regenerate man can say "I have walked in thy truth." 4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. 5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. So far from being himself an open offender against the laws of God, the psalmist had not even associated with the lovers of evil. He had kept aloof from the men of Belial. A man is known by his company, and if we have kept ourselves apart from the wicked, it will always be evidence in our favour snould our character be impugned. He who was never in the parish is not likely to have stolen the corn. He who never went to sea is clearly not the man who scuttled the ship. 4. "I have not sat with vain persons."-True citizens have no dealings with traitors. David had no seat in the parliament of triflers. They were not his boon companions at feasts, nor his advisers in council, nor his associates in conversation. We must needs see, and speak, and trade, with men of the world, but we must on no account take our rest and solace in their empty society. Not only the profane, but the vain are to be shunned by us. All those who live for this life only are vain, chaffy, frothy men, quite unworthy of a Christian's friendship. Moreover as this vanity is often allied with falsehood, it is well to save ourselves altogether from this untoward generation, lest we should be led from bad to worse and from tolerating the vain should come to admire the wicked. "Neither will I go in with dissemblers." Since I know that hypocritical piety is double iniquity, I will cease all acquaintance with pretenders. If I must needs walk the same street, I will not enter the same door and spend my time in their society. The congregation of the hypocrites is not one with which we should cultivate communion; their ultimate rendezvous will be the lowest pit of hell, let us drop their acquaintance now! for we shall not desire it soon. They hang their beads around their necks and carry the devil in their hearts. This clause is in the future tense, to indicate that the writer felt no desire to begin an acquaintance with characters whom up till then he had shunned. We must maintain the separated path with more and more circumspection as we see the great redemption day approaching. Those who would be transfigured with Jesus, must not be disfigured by conformity to the world. The resolution of the psalmist suggests, that even among professed followers of truth we must make distinctions, for as there are vain persons out of the church, so there are dissemblers in it and both are to be shunned with scrupulous decision. 5. “I have hated the congregation of evil doers."-A severe sentence, but not too severe. A man who does not hate evil terribly, does not love good heartily. Men, as men, we must always love, for they are our neighbours, and therefore to be loved as ourselves; but evil doers, as such, are traitors to the Great King, and no loyal subject can love traitors. What God hates we must hate. The congregation or assembly of evil doers, signifies violent men in alliance and conclave for the overthrow of the innocent; such synagogues of Satan are to be held in abhorrence. What a sad reflection it is that there should be a congregation of evil doers as well as a congregation of the upright, a church of Satan as well as a church of God; a seed of the serpent as well as a seed of the woman; an old Babylon as well as a new Jerusalem; a great whore sitting upon many waters, to be judged in wrath, as well as a chaste bride of the Lamb to be crowned at his coming. "And will not sit with the wicked." Saints have a seat at another table, and will never leave the King's dainties for the husks of the swine-trough. Better to sit with the blind, and the halt, and the lame, at the table of mercy, than with the wicked in their feasts of ungodliness, yea, better to sit on Job's dunghill than on Pharaoh's throne. Let each reader see well to his company, for such as we keep in this world, we are likely to keep in the next. 6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD : 7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. 8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. 6. "I will wash mine hands in innocency."-He would publicly avow himself to be altogether clear of the accusations laid against him, and if any fault in other |