vi. 21-23.-Solomon is there entreating God to let His mercy rest upon the Temple. His first petition is that when any prayed toward that place, God would hear from heaven "and forgive.” His second petition runs thus: "If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid on him to make him swear, and the oath come before Thine altar in this house: then hear from heaven, and do, and judge Thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness."

Now unquestionably there was nothing vindictive, nothing contrary to the spirit of meekness, in this prayer. The retribution asked for was good for all. That the unjust should triumph over the righteous, was not good for any. That would have undermined the foundations of the Israelic Theocracy; would have thrown a stumbling-block in the way of the pious; would have hardened the ungodly in their sin. (Cp. x. 12, xii. 1, xiv. 6, lviii. 11, lxiv. 9, lxxiii. 2-14, lxxiv. 20.) If God were not to punish the high-handed violators of Law and Right, then would Israel be less favoured than the generality of heathen nations; amongst whom providential retribution on impious pride and violence was confidently looked for by the more religious class of minds. (See, e.g., Soph. Cd. Tyr. 882-902 : εἰ γὰρ αἱ τοιαίδε πράξεις τίμιαι, Τί δεῖ με χορεύειν.)

4. These Psalms, then, may be viewed as the outpourings of a spirit animated by the highest love of truth and righteousness and goodness,-zealous for the maintenance of God's honour,-nay, and anxious for the recovery of the bold transgressor himself.

This last aim shines through most manifestly in x. 15: "Break Thou the arm of the wicked and bad man: so, when Thou inquirest into His wickedness, Thou shalt find none." When the imprecation assumed its most solemn form, it was like the excommunication pronounced by the Apostle, "a delivering unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord." (1 Cor. v. 5.) In cases of less heinousness, the end hoped for was the present recovery of the offender.

It is recorded of Cæsarius of Arles, that when he suffered injurious treatment from any one, his practice was to pray: "May God pardon thy sins! May God take thy sins away! May God punish thy sins in order that they may not cleave to thee! May God correct thy errors in this world!" (Neander's Memor. p. 357.)

This way of viewing the subject has been singularly illustrated by the experience of modern reformatory philanthropists. "If the

sentimentalists] cast righteous retribution for the past out of their penal theories, they abandon one of the most powerful means which God has created for arousing that 'godly sorrow,' which is the first beginning and the only safe foundation for a genuine reformation of character." (Rev. W. L. Clay: The Prison Chaplain, p. 365.)

5. It is not difficult now to answer the question; In what way are these Psalms to be viewed, when they are recited in public worship?

thunders of Sinai launched These have not been silenced

Surely they are like echoes of the against wilful, unrepenting, sinners. by the Gospel. "For the wrath of God is revealed (by the Gospel) against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness." (Rom. i. 18.) That Epistle, in which the tender love of the High-Priest of the human race is most largely set forth, warns us still that "our God is a consuming fire" (Hebr. xii. 25 : cp. x. 27, 31; Rom. ii. 5 ; 2 Tim. iv. 14; Rev. vi. 16, 17).

Sin is an utterly hateful thing, that must be exterminated out of God's universe. This is revealed plainly. Into the holy city "shall in no wise enter anything that defileth:" (Rev. xxi. 27: cp. Ps. ci. 8, civ. 35). The Psalms proclaim this irreconcilable antagonism between God's kingdom and all that is selfish in man. They "to whom the word of God came" in old time were by these Psalms placed under a necessity of either departing from iniquity or pronouncing sentence on themselves.

Here then is the answer to the question propounded above. When these awful words are heard in Church, they are to be listened to as warnings from the invisible world against allowing any of the accursed thing to cleave to ourselves. They tell us how God of old "judged His people :"-how "every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward." They leave us to infer, "how much sorer punishment” (Hebr. x. 29) is justly due to those who slight the obligations laid on them by Christ their gracious Saviour.

"When any of you," says Cæsarius, "is singing the verse of the Psalm where it is said, 'Let the proud be put to shame' (cxix. 78), let him be earnest to avoid pride, that he may escape everlasting shame. When we sing; 'Thou wilt destroy all them that are seduced away from Thee' (lxiii. 27), let us strive to escape from all evil desires; and as often as sinners are oursed in the Psalms, let us endeavour to flee from sin, lest we be found to curse ourselves with our own mouth." (In the App. to Vol. V. of St. Augustine's Works; p. 335 F, 336 A.)

Whereas, at my entrance, I took even the choicest part of the Bible to be at best but like some Indian province, wherein, though mines and gems were more abundant than in other countries, yet they were but sparingly to be met with, here and there; after a competent stay, my ensuing perusals presented it to me, if not as a royal jewel made of gold and precious stones, yet (which is gloriouser) like Aaron's breastplate, a sacred jewel, the particular instructions for which were given by God Himself, and which, besides the various number of flaming gems set in finc gold and placed in a mysterious order, was ennobled by that URIM-VE-THUMMIM, wherein God vouchsafed to reveal Himself to mortals. ... This experiment keeps me from wondering to find in the inspired poet's description of the man he attributes blessedness to, that his CHEPHETZ, "his DELIGHT, is in the law of the Lord, and in His law will He meditate day and night."

(ROBERT BOYLE, On the Style of the Holy Scriptures.)