self to his rest upon the cross, that bed of sorrows; and commending his spirit into his Father's hands, in full confidence of a joyful resurrection, according to the promise, at the time appointed. Behold this, O Christian, and let faith teach thee how to sleep, and how to die; while it assures thee, that as sleep is a short death, so death is only a longer sleep; and that the same God watches over thee, in thy bed and in thy grave.

6. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

Faith, revived and invigorated by prayer, and fixed on God alone, is a stranger to fear, in the worst of times. The innumerable examples of saints rescued from tribulation, and, above all, the resurrection of the Son of God from the dead, render the believer bold as a lion, although the name of his adversary be 'Legion.'

7. Arise, O Lord! save me, O my God! for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheekbone ; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

The church, through Christ, prayeth in these words of David, that Jehovah would arise as of old time, in the power of his might; that he would finally break the power of Satan and his adherents; pluck the spoil out of the jaws of those beasts of prey; and work that glorious deliverance for the members, which is already wrought for the Head, of the body mystical.

8. Salvation belongeth, or, be ascribed, unto the Lord; thy blessing is, or, be upon thy people.

The Psalm ends with an acknowledgment, which

ought always to fill the heart, and, upon every proper occasion, to flow from the mouth of a Christian; namely, that 'salvation' is not to be had from man, from the kings of the earth, or the gods of the heathen, from saints or angels, but from Jehovah alone; to whom alone, therefore, the glory should be ascribed. If He will save, none can destroy; if He will destroy, none can save. Let Balak, then, curse Israel, or hire Balaam to curse them for him; be but thy blessing,' O Lord, upon thy people, and it sufficeth.

PSALM IV.

ARGUMENT.-The person speaking in this Psalm, 1. prayeth to be heard by God; 2. convinceth the world of sin; 3. declareth the righteous to be under the divine protection; 4, 5. prescribeth solitude and meditation, as the proper means to lead men to repentance and faith; 6. showeth that in God alone peace and comfort are to be found; and, 7. how superior the joys of the spirit are to those of sense; 8. reposeth himself, in full assurance of faith, on the loving-kindness of the Lord.

1. Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness; thou enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

The church, like David, 'calls' aloud, as one in great affliction, for God's assistance: she addresses him as the God of her righteousness,' as the fountain of pardon and grace; she reminds him of that spiritual liberty, and enlargement' from bondage, which he had purchased for her, and

oftentimes wrought in her; and, conscious of her demerits, makes her prayer for mercy.'

2. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing, or falsehood?

If the Israelitish monarch conceived he had just cause to expostulate with his enemies, for despising the royal majesty with which Jehovah had invested his Anointed; of how much severer reproof shall they be thought worthy, who blaspheme the essential 'glory' of King Messiah, which shines forth by his Gospel in the church? Thou, O Christ, art everlasting Truth; all is vanity and falsehood,' transient and fallacious, but the love of thee!

3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call upon him.

Be the opinions or the practices of men what they will, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. Is David 'set apart' for the kingdom of Israel? Saul shall not be able to detain, nor Absalom to wrest, it from him. Is Messiah ordained to be King of the Israel of God? death and hell shall not prevent it. Are his disciples appointed to reign with him? infallibly they shall. Our Intercessor is already on high; and for his sake, the Lord will hear us when we call upon him.' What, then, can be said for us, if we neglect to call upon him?

4. Stand in awe, Heb. tremble, and sin not; commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.

The enemies of Christ, as well as those of David,

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are here called to repentance, and the process of conversion is described. The above-mentioned consideration of the divine counsel, and the certainty of its being carried into execution, by the salvation of the righteous, and the confusion of their enemies, makes the wicked 'tremble.' The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;' it arrests the sinner in his course, and he'sins not;' he goes no farther in the way of sin, but stops, and reflects upon what he has been doing: he' communes with his own heart upon his bed, and is still;' his conscience suffers him not to rest in the night, but takes the advantage of solitude and silence, to set before him his transgressions, with all the terrors of death and judgment; stirring him up to confess the former, and deprecate the latter, with unfeigned compunction and sorrow of heart; to turn unto the Lord, and to do works meet for repentance; to learn to do good, as well as to cease from doing evil.

5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

The Jews are no longer to offer the shadowy sacrifices of their law, since He, who is the substance of them all, is come into the world. The Gentiles are no more to offer their idolatrous sacrifices, since their idols have fallen before the cross. But returning sinners, whether Jews or Gentiles, are to offer the same 'sacrifices of' evangelical ' righteousness;' not 'putting their trust' in them, but in the Lord' Jesus, through whose spirit they are enabled to offer, and through whose blood their offerings are acceptable unto God. Faith, hope, and charity, mutually strengthen each other,

and compose 'a threefold cord,' which is not easily broken.

6. There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us!

The two former verses were addressed to rebellious sinners, inviting them to repentance and reformation. This seems to relate to the righteous, who, in times of calamity and persecution, like the friends of distressed David, are tempted to despond, on seeing no end to their troubles. The Psalmist therefore prescribes prayer to all such, as an antidote against the temptation; he directs them, in the darkest night, to look towards heaven, nor doubt the return of day, when the rising sun shall diffuse light and salvation, and sorrow and sighing shall fly away. How many are continually asking the question in this verse! How few applying to Him, who alone can give an answer of and comfort!

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7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

No sooner is the prayer preferred, but the answer is given; and the devout soul declares herself to experience a joy in the midst of tribulation, far superior to the joy with which men rejoice in the time of harvest, or that of vintage; a joy, bright and pure, as the regions from whence it descends. Such is the difference between the bread of earth, and that of heaven; between the juice of the grape, and the cup of salvation. Teach

VOL. I.

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