They will bestow the humility of obedience and the exaltation of wisdom; they will give the love of what God loves, and the hatred of what He hates, even all evil ways. Each of the verses in this portion begins with the letter Mem, or M. With verses 97, 100, compare St. Peter i. 8—12. Morning Prayer. Lucerna pedibus meis. 105. THY word is a lantern unto my feet: and a light unto my paths. 'The Word was God;' yet was He made flesh, that we might behold His glory. He was the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.' We are as travellers journeying through the night of this mortal life, with weak and stumbling feet along the dark and difficult ways of human duty: Christ alone, the 'Light of Light,' can save us from falling, and guide us from erring. Only those lights shine truly that are made bright with that one Light; only those words can make our path clear to us, which were spoken of or by that one Word. Thus is the sure word of Scripture full of light to us, 'whereunto we shall do well that we take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts.' 106. I have sworn, and am stedfastly purposed to keep Thy righteous judgements. 107. I am troubled above measure : quicken me, O Lord, according to Thy word. 108. Let the free-will offerings of my mouth please Thee, O Lord and teach me Thy judgements. : 109. My soul is alway in my hand yet do I not forget Thy law. LXX. My soul is always in Thy hand. 110. The ungodly have laid a snare for me but yet I swerved not from Thy commandments. : 111. Thy testimonies have I claimed as mine heritage for ever and why? they are the very joy of my heart. 112. I have applied my heart to fulfil Thy statutes alway: even unto the end. As one walking by the lantern of the word of Christ, and bound by the sacraments of Christ the Word, the redeemed soul can steadfastly determine to abide in the way of its righteous Lord. It may be distressed, yet is the Lord and Giver of life always abiding with it. The servant of God is ever offering before Him 'the calves of the lips,' the freewill offerings of prayer, and the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving; yea, he has his very soul in his hand, that he may present it to Him Who will keep it for ever for him safe in His own Almighty hand. The suggestions of sin, which the Evil one lays like snares in the path of the obedient, will be passed by and escaped by him, because he will not swerve either to the right or to the left from the straight way of the commandments. Thus does the righteousness of God shine forth before him, an everlasting heritage, an everlasting joy, an everlasting duty. His heart is eager to fulfil the righteousness of God, that by loving Him for ever he may attain for ever unto Him Whom he loveth. The initial of the verses of the fifteenth portion is Nun, or N. Iniquos odio habui. 113. I HATE them that imagine evil things: but Thy law do I love. 114. Thou art my defence and shield: and my trust is in Thy word. 115. Away from me, ye wicked : I will keep the commandments of my God. The love of God is the hatred of wickedness. The follower of Christ will hate the evil things which the unbelieving dwell on in their thoughts, while yet he will seek that sinners may be brought to the knowledge of the truth. The thoughts of his Lord, and faith in His word, will be a defence and shield against their seductions and their evil example: yet at last, if he find that intercourse with them brings himself down to their worldliness and unbelief, he must separate himself from them, rather than fail in his duty to God. We may not make ourselves worse, even in attempting to make others better. 116. O stablish me according to Thy word, that I may live and let me not be disappointed of my hope. : 117. Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe yea, my delight shall be ever in Thy statutes. For we are but weak at best, and we need a Stronger than ourselves, and a Wiser than ourselves, to preserve us in the true life, and to save us from that bitterest of disappointments-the loss of the hope which we have in Christ. Therefore, like a soldier wounded and fainting in the battle, we cry to our Champion to stand by us and to hold us up a little while, until the enemy be past; knowing that if He hold us up Whose hand holds up the universe, we cannot fall, but shall indeed be safe. 118. Thou hast trodden down all them that depart from Thy statutes for they imagine but deceit. 119. Thou puttest away all the ungodly of the earth like dross therefore I love Thy testimonies. LXX. I have counted all the sinners of the earth transgressors, Therefore have I loved Thy testimonies. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of Thee: and I am afraid of Thy judgements. All those that transgress the law of righteousness have fallen, are cast down; they are found enemies of God, their thoughts become untrue, their trust is in falsehood; and, unless they repent and be raised by Him, they will be trampled with all other enemies beneath the footstool of Christ. Their doom is the doom of dross, of 'reprobate silver.' He will put away the ungodly of the earth like the dross of the earth. Thus saith the Lord, Because ye are all become dross, behold, as they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it to melt it; even so will I gather you in Mine anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you.' Well may mortal flesh tremble for fear of Him Whose justice is so searching and Whose judgments are so terrible! The initial letter of this portion is Samech, or S. With verse 119 compare Ezek. xxii. 18-22; Jer. vi. 28-30; Wis. ii. 16. Feci judicium. 121. I DEAL With the thing that is lawful and right: O give me not over unto mine oppressors. 122. Make Thou Thy servant to delight in that which is good that the proud do me no wrong. 123. Mine eyes are wasted away with looking for Thy health and for the word of Thy righteousness. |