"7. Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds, or, families, or, tribes, of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 8. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9. worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him all the earth."

In these three verses, the tribes of the spiritual Israel are enjoined to ascribe to their Redeemer all "glory and strength," as essentially inherent in him, and by him communicated to his people; to give him the entire " glory of his name," and of that salvation imported by it; to bring the "sacrifices" of the new law, and to assemble in the "courts" of his house; to worship him in that "beauty of holiness," which is constituted by the regular and solemn services of the church; to fear and obey him, as the subjects of a King, invested with plenitude of power in heaven and earth.

10. Say among the heathen, That the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously."

In other words-Make proclamation, therefore, O ye apostles and preachers of the Gospel, that a new and eternal kingdom is erected; the usurped empire of Satan is overthrown, and the Lord Jesus having redeemed mankind, reigneth in the hearts of his people by faith; a community is formed, not upon the plan of secular policy, but upon the divine principle of heavenly love; it is established on immoveable foundations, nor shall the gates of hell prevail against it; righteousness shall dwell in it, since He, who is the King of Righteousness, presides, directs, and determines all things, by his word and his Spirit.

"11. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. 12. Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord."

Transported with a view of these grand events, and beholding in spirit the advent of King Messiah, the Psalmist exults in most jubilant and triumphant strains, calling the whole creation to break forth into joy, and to celebrate the glories of redemption. The heavens, with the innumerable orbs fixed in them, which, while they roll and shine, declare the glory of beatified saints; the earth, which, made fertile by celestial influences, showeth the work of grace on the hearts of men here below; the field, which, crowned with a produce of a hundred fold, displayeth an emblem of the fruit yielded by the seed of the Word, in the church: the trees of the wood, lofty, verdant, and diffusive, apt representatives of holy persons, those "trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah," (Isa. Ixi. 3.) whose examples are eminent, fair, and extensive; all these are by the prophet excited to join in a chorus of thanksgiving to the Maker and Redeemer of the world.

13. For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth."

The coming of Christ is twofold; first, he came to sanctify the creature, and he will come again to glorify it. Either of his kingdoms, that of grace, or that of glory, may be signified by his "judging the world in righteousness and truth." If creation be represented as rejoicing at the establishment of the former, how much greater will the joy be at the approach of the latter, seeing that, notwithstanding Christ be long since come in the flesh, though he be ascended into heaven, and hath sent the Spirit from thence, yet the whole creation, as the Apostle speaks, Rom. viii. 22. "groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, expecting to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body;" when, at the renovation of all things, man, new made, shall return to the days of his youth, to begin an immortal spring, and be for ever young.

PSALM XCVII.

ARGUMENT.

In this Psalm, 1. the reign of Christ is again celebrated, and the nations are again called to rejoice on that account: 2-7. he is described as taking vengeance on his enemies, overthrowing idolatry in the heathen world, commanding adoration from all creatures, and 8, 9. inspiring gladness into the the church, by subduing her enemies: 10-12. The duties of holiness, thankfulness, and religious joy, are inculcated.

"1. The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of the isles be glad thereof."

Triumphant over death and hell, the Lord Jesus is gone up on high, and "reigneth." What greater cause can the whole earth have to "rejoice;" yea, even the most distant isles of the Gentiles to "be glad," and to sing for joy; since they are all become his subjects, and share the unspeakable blessings of so gracious a reign. We Britons, as inhabiting one of those heathen isles, and enjoying so fair a portion of evangelical blessings, have reason to repeat this verse with a particular pleasure and energy. The Hebrews called by the name of "isles," ", not only countries surrounded by the sea, but all the countries which the sea divided from them; so that the term became synonymous with Gentiles. Thus, it is said, Isa. xlii. 4. "The ISLES shall wait for his law;" which passage, Matt. xii. 21. is expounded as follows, "In him shall the GENTILES trust."

2. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation, or, establishment, of his throne."

When the mercy and grace of our heavenly King are to be described, he is likened to the sun shining in a clear firmament, and gladdening universal nature with his beneficent rays. But when we are to conceive an idea of him, as going forth, in "justice and judgment" to discomfit and punish his adversaries, the imagery is then borrowed from a troubled sky; he is pictured as surrounded by "clouds and darkness;" from whence issue lightnings and thunders, storms and tempests, affrighting and confounding the wicked and impenitent.

"3. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. 4. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw and trembled. 5. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the LORD of the whole earth."

The judgments of God, and their effects upon the world, are here set forth under the usual similitude of lightning and fire from heaven, causing the earth to tremble, and the mountains to melt and dissolve away. The exaltation of Christ to the throne of his kingdom, was followed by a dreadful display of that vengeance, which broke in pieces the Jewish nation, and brought their civil and religious polity to an utter dissolution. In the history of their destruction, the world of the ungodly may view a striking picture of the great and terrible day, when the Lord Jesus shall render a recompense to all his enemies. He is then to descend in flaming fire; lightnings shall be his harbingers; the earth shall tremble; and the hills shall, literally, "melt like wax at the presence of Jehovah."

"6. The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory."

"The heavens," by the manifestation of vengeance from thence, reveal, declare, and proclaim, the "righteous" judgments of Messiah; and "all the people" upon earth are witnesses of the "glory" of his victory over everything that opposeth itself to the establishment of his kingdom. This will be more eminently the case at the second advent, when the trumpet of the archangel shall proclaim his approach in the clouds of heaven, and all

the tribes of the earth shall see him coming in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels.

7. Confounded be, or, shall be, all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him all ye gods."

When Jesus was exalted, his Gospel published, and his power and glory made known in the heathen world, men grew "ashamed" of their " images, and boasted themselves in their idols" no more. The last clause of our verse," Worship him, all ye gods," declares the supremacy of Christ, over all that are called gods, On, in heaven and in earth, who are enjoined to pay adoration unto him, instead of claiming it for themselves.

"8. Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced, because of thy judgments, O LORD. 9. For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth; thou art exalted far above all gods."

The inhabitants of the new "Sion," or the people of God, "heard" the tidings, that idolaters and idols were fallen, and the Lord Jesus reigned triumphant; they heard, "and were glad; the daughters of Judah," or Christian churches, "rejoiced" in the Holy Ghost, and joy unspeakable, "because of these judgments" of their God upon his enemies, whereby he evinced himself superior to the powers of the earth, and the gods of the nations. Thus at the fall of Babylon, it is said, Rev. xviii. 20. "Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her." And Eusebius speaks in the following terms of the times under Constantine, which succeeded the overthrow of Maxentius and Maximin; "A bright and glorious day, no cloud overshadowing it, did enlighten with rays of heavenly light the churches of Christ over all the earth-and among all Christians there was an inexpressible joy, and a kind of celestial gladness." Ecclesiast. Hist. B. x.

"10. Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked."

Having sung the glory of the Redeemer, the Psalmist delineates the duty of the redeemed. They are characterized by their "love to God;" they are enjoined to "hate evil;" this hatred is, indeed, a consequence, and a sure proof of that love, when it is genuine and sincere. Religion must be rooted in the heart, and spring from thence. A Christian must not only serve God outwardly, but must inwardly love him; he must not content himself with abstaining from overt acts of sin, but must truly hate it. They who do so, are "the saints of God, whose souls he preserveth" from evil, and will finally deliver them from the evil one and his associates, by a happy death, and a glorious resurrection.

"11. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart."

However gloomy our prospect may at any time be, let us wait patiently, as the husbandman doth all the winter, in expectation of a future crop from the seed which lieth buried in the earth. "Light and gladness are sown for the righteous and true-hearted," though they may not yet appear; the seed-time is in this world; the harvest will be in that to come. "In due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Gal. vi. 9.

"12. Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness."

Tribulation itself, therefore, should not prevent our "rejoicing in Jehovah our righteousness," who justifieth us from our sins; no adversity ought to make us negligent in celebrating, with thanksgiving, the "commemorations of his holiness," which the church hath appointed to be observed; to the end that we may always remember with gratitude how great things he hath done for us already, and reflect with comfort on those much greater things which he hath promised to do for us hereafter.

24*

NINETEENTH DAY.-EVENING PRAYER.

PSALM XCVIII.

ARGUMENT.

In this evangelical hymn, the Prophet, 1-3. extols the miracles, the victory, the salvation, the righteousness, the mercy, and truth of the Redeemer ; on account of which, 4-9. calls upon man and the whole creation, to rejoice, and praise Jehovah.

"1. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory."

New mercies and wonders demand new songs. And what mercies, what wonders can be compared with those wrought by the holy Jesus? "Go and tell John," saith he to John's disciples; go and tell all the world, saith he to his own disciples, "the things which ye see, and hear;" the marvellous things which I do to the bodies and to the souls of men. "The blind receive their sight," and the ignorant minds are enlightened with knowledge; "the lame walk," and strength is communicated to impotent souls; "the lepers are cleansed," and the lascivious rendered chaste; "the deaf hear," and the obstinate listen to instruction and reproof; "the dead are raised," and sinners justified; "the Gospel is preached," and the world converted. "His own right hand, and his holy arm," hath done these marvellous things, without and against all worldly power; not by spear and sword, but by patience and charity, he hath "gotten the victory," and gained the glorious day.

"2. The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen."

The "salvation" of Jehovah was made known by the preaching of Christ himself in Judea, for the space of three years; "his righteousness," whereby sinners are justified, was "openly showed," by the sermons of his apostles, "in the sight of the heathen." Still let that salvation be made known, still let that righteousness be openly showed, by the ministers of the Gospel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in, and the remnant of the Jews converted; until antichrist be overthrown, and death himself fallen before the all-conquering cross.

"3. He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God."

In sending the Messiah, God showed himself mindful of the promises, which "mercy" prompted him to make, and "truth" required him to perform. These promises were made to "the house of Israel;" to the lost sheep of that house, Christ declared himself sent; and the apostles offered salvation first to the Jews; but to them it was never intended that evangelical blessings should be confined. The prophets spake in plain terms of the call of the Gentiles, who were to be adopted into the holy family, and made the children of Abraham. The Gospel was accordingly preached to the nations, the apostles made their progress through the world, and "all the ends of the earth saw the salvation of God." The Jews fell from the faith of their fathers, and, to this day, continue in their apostacy. And are not the Gentiles, in their turn, falling away, after the same example of unbelief? "Remember," yet once again, O Lord, thy "mercy and truth towards the house of Israel; yet once again let "all the ends of the earth see thy salvation."

"4. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. 5. Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp and voice of a psalm. 6. With trumpets and sound of cornet, make a joyful noise before the LORD the King."

The Psalmist, beholding in spirit the accomplishment of the promises, the advent of Christ, and the glory of his kingdom, thinks it criminal in any creature to be silent; he bids the whole earth break forth into joy, and exult in God her Saviour, with every token of gratitude and thankfulness; with voices, and instruments of all kinds, in perfect harmony, with tempers and affections according in like manner, men are enjoined to sound aloud the praises of their great Redeemer.

7. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 8. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together, 9. Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity."

The inanimate parts of creation are called upon to bear their parts in the new song, and to fill up the universal chorus of praise and thanksgiving, in honour of him that sitteth upon the throne. Or, perhaps, the converted heathen nations are intended under the figures of the "sea," the "rivers," and "the hills," and their exultations expressed by the noise of many waters, their beauty and fruitfulness by those of the hills, when, crowned with plenty, they, as it were, laugh and sing at the approach of harvest. The subject of this general joy is, as before, in Psalm xcvi. 13. the advent of Messiah to reform the world, to execute judgment upon the wicked, and to establish a kingdom of righteousness upon the earth. We expect his second advent to restore all things, to judge the world, to condemn his enemies, and to begin his glorious reign. Then shall heaven and earth rejoice, and the joy of the redeemed shall be full.

PSALM XCIX.

ARGUMENT.

Under images borrowed from the old dispensation, the Prophet celebrates, 1. the reign of Messiah, and the submission of his enemies; 2-4. his exaltation, holiness, power, and justice; which, 5. men are exhorted to acknowledge and adore. 6-9. The examples of Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, are introduced, to encourage us in worshipping and serving our God and Saviour.

"1. The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved, or, bow."

Jehovah reigneth in the Christian church, as he did of old in the Jewish temple; when he appeared between the cherubims in the holy of holies, in the form and likeness of a MAN, encompassed with glory, Ezek. i. 26. Numb. vii. 89. he subdued the enemies of Israel, when they raged most furiously against his people: he will also bring into subjection the adversaries of the Gospel, and finally render us victorious over the powers of darkness. The passions and affections may mutiny and rebel; but if Christ reign in the heart by faith, they must soon tremble and submit.

2. The LORD is great in Zion, and he is high above all people. 3. Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy."

The power and pre-eminence of the Redeemer, whom no creature is able to resist, are reasons why all should save themselves, by yielding in time to his sceptre; by taking the benefit of his protection, instead of incurring his displeasure; by "praising his great, terrible, and holy name," instead of suffering the almighty vengeance, which he who owns that name can

inflict.

"4. The King's strength also loveth judgment: thou dost establish equity; thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob. 5. Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy."

For although the "strength" of our King be infinite, yet is it never exerted but in "righteousness" and just "judgment," which are his delight; they compose the firm basis of his throne, and direct his whole administra