The plan. goodwill to man. We might exclaim, Behold the Redeemer and his gifts! for it is the song of a redeemed one by the Redeemer's side. Forgiveness is the chief and foremost of the mercies celebrated. In tone it might be compared with Mark ii. 5, 9: celebrated, not only God's Israel do not 1. The Gifts received (ver. 1-5) are with the lips, but with the whole soul. now forget him when he has blessed them (Deut. vi. 12; viii. 11, 12), for the blessings are more than temporal, and the diseases healed are more than bodily (Exod. xv. 26; Deut. xxix. 23). The strength imparted, that makes them like the soaring eagle, and to be imparted when the resurrection body is bestowed, is a removal of the evils of sin An usual word is employed in verse 5, “ Who hath satisfied TTY with good;" rendered by some, "thy mouth;" by Hengstenberg, "thy beauty,” or ornament, i. e., thy soul; by Gesenius and others, "thine age;" and by some, simply, "even thee." This full, rich, overflowing burst of song has led to the use of a term as rare as the tone of the song. The term "crowning" expresses the bestowal of dignity as well as favour, and the reference to the eagle is, q. d., makest me grow young again, and so to soar like an eagle. 2. The Receivers of the Gifts (ver. 6, 7).—The oppressed, the helpless, have been the receivers of his mercy. It is the manner of Jehovah to give thus graciously. He is the Jehovah who made known "his ways" to Moses (his principles of action), and shewed his "works" to Israel, in the days of their bondage. 3. The Giver, the fountain-head of these blessings (ver. 8-18). He is that Jehovah whose name Moses heard (Exod. xxxiv. 6) at the rock of Horeb-a name more plentiful in streams for the thirsty souls, than the smitten rock of Horeb for thirsty Israel. Here is the Fountain-head—“ Merciful, gracious, slow to anger, plenteous in mercy. Here are seven streams from that fountain-head-a, Love unupbraiding (ver. 9); then, b, Love that blesses the undeserving (ver. 10); c, Love infinite in extent (ver. 11); d, Love thoroughgoʻng in its nature (ver. 12); e, Love very tender (ver. 13); f, Love that sympathizes with us (ver. 14, 15, 16); Love that is undecaying (ver. 17, 18). 4. The Kingdom of the Giver.-In verse 19 we see that these many streams bear us on to the ocean- for we are led first to the Throne in the heavens, then to the Kingdom that ruleth over all the earth. 5. The closing burst of Praise to the Giver.-The morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy, at the sight of creation issuing from the Creator's hands. Much more cause is there now for such another song; ay, and a song so much nobler as the theme is loftier. Angels must bear a part, bringing all their strength to the work-this work of praise. AllJehovah's hosts, all Jehovah's servants, all Jehovah's creatures, inanimate as well as animate (Psa. civ. 4), in all places of his dominion, must take up the thanksgiving, and praise, and blessing. It is Rev. v. 13 anticipated. The man that hears that song, shall he not be counted a blessed man? a thousand times blessed? But the man himself shall cast his crown of bliss at the feet of his Lord-" Bless the Lord, O my soul!" ending as he began this Song of a redeemed one by the Redeemer's side. PSALM CIV. 1 BLESS the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: 3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: Who maketh the clouds his chariots: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: 4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire : 5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. 6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. 7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. 8 They go by to the mountains; they go down by the valleys. Unto the place which thou hast founded for them. 9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; That they turn not again to cover the earth. 10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. 11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. 12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. 13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. 14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man, That he may bring forth food out of the earth, 15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, And bread which strengtheneth man's heart. 16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap, the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted; 17 Where the birds make their nests as for the stork, the fir-trees are her house. 18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies. 19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. 20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. 21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. 22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. 23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. 24 O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. 25 So is this great and wide sea, Wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. 26 There go the ships there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. 27 These wait all upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. 28 That thou givest them they gather thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. 30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. 31 The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works. 32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke. 33 I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. 34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. It is not perpetuated in heaven, nor in the glorious kingdom; for there praise, "from blest voices uttering joy," fills the many mansions. mansions. Last Psalm shewed us this coming joy, arising from spiritual sources-the soul enjoying God, bathing in his holy love, knowing him, obeying him, serving him, blessing him, seeing him as he is, and for ever with him. This Psalm calls our attention to the glory of our God displayed in the material world already, and yet to be displayed in it more fully. The key-note, "Bless the Lord, O my soul!” is that on The contents. which it is raised. The same redeemed soul that, with anointed eyes, saw Jehovah in Redemption works, beholds him here in Creation scenes—in the scenes of the old and new earth. With the Book of Genesis (chap i.) in his hand, he surveys the first day's handiwork (ver. 1, 2),* God's mantle of light, and some folds of it thrown over the new-made earth. Unlike the array of earthly monarchs, “glory and majesty" (symbolised by light,) are his robe, the skirts of which adorn the earth, which is his footstool. Then the second day's work (ver. 3—5)—“ He maketh his upper chambers with waters;" that is, the very waters in the clouds are the beams on which the floor of the upper chamber of his palace is laid.-He makes winds to act for him as angels, and lightnings to do the office of servants.‡ *Not that the writer keeps close to historical arrangement; for, as Augustine says, on Psa. cv.-" Libera est laudatio a lege narrantis et texentis historiam." The eastern upper chamber was for retirement and refreshment; God is spoken of as having such an Aliah, built up in bright æther on the slender foundation of rainy clouds. (Tholuck.) In Heb. i. 7, the argument is, that angels are truly no more than the mere handiwork of the Creator; for he says that he uses winds for angels, flames of fire for ministering ones, and vice versa. Thus angels are classed with other common material agencies employed by God, and no higher. The third day's work, wherein the platform of our earth was cleared, is celebrated from verses 6 to 18-" As for the deep, thou coverest it (1) as with a garment" (see Hengstenberg). Does not this mean that, on the third day, the Lord first shone on the waters that covered earth, and stood above the hills, then, the voice from The Glory commanded these waters to their beds? And thus it was that springs began to flow among the hills, and have flowed ever since, wild asses coming to drink, birds among leafy trees, overhanging the brooks (Thy, verse 12), uttering their cheerful notes, "living their life of music" -the Lord condescending to care for every creature, yes, and for every blade of grass, and for the olive that yields oil for man, and for the vine, and the corn; for the cedars, too, and the pines or cypresses on Lebanon, where little birds and stately storks alike find nestling; while goats and jerboas sport among the rocks below. Over this scene, the fourth day's creation casts its beams (ver. 19-24). Sun and moon go forth to regulate man and beast, by interchange of day and night. And the fifth day's creation scene is not forgotten (vers. 25, 26)—the wonders of the sea; the living creatures of the immense ocean. If man has found use for that ocean, and has floated his ships upon it, in so doing he has discovered some of the uses to which the Lord's treasures hid there for him may be applied; at the same time, how feeble man's work appears, when you observe that the Lord has constituted these mighty waters the home and native abode of such monsters as “Leviathan whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein." As for the sixth day's work, it was introduced at verses 21-23-man and beast. As the Psalm is not historical, but a review of creation by one of the created ones who inhabit that earth, hence it may be that man and beast were introduced when singing of the uses of sun and moon to us— all the rather, because man's workmanship, "the ships," could not be spoken of without previously introducing man himself. Providence is creation continued from hour to hour, from age to age; and of this, verses 27, 28, 29 sing, casting in the thought of "creation subject to vanity” (ver. 29). Every spring we have a specimen of the Creator's power, to |