8. Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

He who brought water out of the sacramental rock in the wilderness, hath since caused rivers of living water to flow through the world, from the Rock of our salvation; nay, he hath dissolved the stony hearts of sinners, and made to spring up in them fountains of this water of life. For these great instances of his power and his love, we are taught to bless his holy name, when we sing this Psalm, as an evangelical hymn, on the day of our Lord's resurrection.

PSALM CXV.

ARGUMENT.

:

The church, 1, 2. prayeth that God would glorify himself in her salvation; 3. she declareth her faith in him; 4-8. exposeth the vanity and folly of idolatry; 9-11. exhorteth her children to rely upon Jehovah; 12-15. foretelleth how he will bless, prosper, and increase his people, 16 18. never suffering the voice of praise and thanksgiving to cease upon the earth.

1. Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. 2. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?

From these two verses it is evident, that the Psalm is not a thanksgiving for victory, but a petition for

deliverance. God is entreated to give glory," by such deliverance," not to us," to our works or endeavours, but "to his own name;" he is requested to vouchsafe salvation, not on account of our merits, but of his "mercy," which inclineth him to be gracious; of his "truth," which disposeth him to fulfil his promises; and of his "honour," that the enemy may not have occasion to blaspheme him, and reproach his servants, as if their Master either could not, or would not, help them in the day of their distress. "Wherefore should the Heathen Where is now their God?"

66

say,

3. But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased; or, he doeth whatsoever he pleaseth.

Should the insulting adversary ask the above question, "Where is now their God?", the faithful are ready with their reply, "Our God is in the "heavens;" he is, where he ever was, upon his glorious throne, high over all the kingdoms of the world, and the powers of created nature; from thence he observeth and ordereth all things here below; what we suffer is by his appointment; and, at his good time and pleasure, he both can and will relieve us: "he doeth whatsoever he pleaseth."

4. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 5. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not. 6. They have ears, but they hear not; noses have they; but they smell not. 7. They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they through their throat.

A beautiful contrast is formed between the God of Israel and the Heathen idols. He made every thing, they are themselves made by men; he is in heaven, they are upon earth; he doeth whatsoever he pleaseth, they can do nothing; he seeth the distresses, heareth and answereth the prayers, accepteth the offerings, cometh to the assistance, and effecteth the salvation of his servants; they are blind, deaf, and dumb, senseless, motionless, and impotent. Equally slow to hear, equally impotent to save in time of greatest need, will every worldly idol prove, on which men have set their affections, and to which they have, in effect, said, "Thou art my God."

8. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

Idolaters, like the objects of their worship, are rather lifeless images than real men. What our Lora said of the Jews, is applicable to them, and indeed to all who reject the knowledge of the true God, and the doctrines of salvation: "Having eyes they see "not, having ears they hear not." They see not the things which belong unto their peace; they hear not the word of instruction and exhortation; they speak not of religion and the kingdom of heaven; they work not the works of piety and charity; they walk not in the path of the divine commandments; they are spiritually blind, deaf, dumb, lame, and impotent; and when their idols are destroyed, they will perish in like manner.

9. O Israel, trust thou in the LORD; he is their help and their shield. 10. O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; he is their help and their shield.

11. Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD he is their help and their shield.

Let the men of the world make to themselves gods, and vainly trust in the work of their own hands or heads; but let the church repose all her confidence in Jehovah, her Saviour and Redeemer, who alone can be her defender and protector; more especially let her ministers, the sons of the true Aaron, do this, who are the peculiar portion of their God, employed continually in his service, and designed to build up others in faith and hope; and let all who have been instructed, by their ministry, in the fear of the Lord, trust always in him, nor suffer any apprehension of danger or distress to separate them from him.

12. The LORD hath been, or, is, mindful of us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron. 13. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great. 14. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. 15. Ye are blessed of the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

The heart of the Psalmist is full of "blessing," and on his tongue is the word of kindness and comfort. The "blessings" formerly confined to Israel, have since been extended to the whole race of mankind. Jehovah, ever mindful" of his creatures, hath visited the world by his Son and by his Spirit; he hath formed a church from among the Gentiles, appointed a priesthood and ministry in it, and given his benediction to both; he hath "blessed," with the blessings of grace, "them that fear him," of all

nations, and of every degree; he hath "increased" and multiplied his people exceedingly; and the faithful members of the Christian church are now" the "blessed of Jehovah, who made heaven and earth," and who is, consequently, possessed of all power in both.

16. The heaven, even the heavens, or, the heavens of heavens, are the LORD's; but the earth hath he given to the children of men. 17. The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. 18. But we will bless the LORD, from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.

He who himself dwelleth in the highest heavens, where he is praised and glorified by angels, hath

given the earth" for an habitation, at present, "to the sons of men," whose duty it is to praise and glorify him here below, as the angels do above. Now as" the dead cannot praise him," as they who sleep in the silent grave cannot celebrate him, we may be certain, that he will not suffer his people to be destroyed and extirpated, but will always preserve a church to "bless him" in all ages, till the end of the world; when the dead shall be raised, and the choirs of heaven and earth shall be united, to praise and glorify him together before his throne for evermore.

TWENTY-FOURTH DAY.-MORNING PRAYER.

PSALM CXVI.

ARGUMENT.

It is not certain by whom, or upon what occasion, this Psalm was composed.

It plainly appears,