_The king shall Joy in Thy strength, O Lord; and in Thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice._ THE FEELINGS OF THE GOOD IN RELATION TO THE SUBJUGATION OF EVIL Take the literal view of this Psalm as a type of the moral one against error and sin, and we have-- I. Thanksgiving for victory. Verses... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou hast given him his heart’s desire._ THE DESIRE GRANTED In this Psalm the joy bells of praise and thanksgiving are rung, and “Te Deum laudamus” sung, as after a great victory. It follows close on Psalms 20:1, celebrating the fulfilment of the petitions there offered. 1. We are reminded of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_For Thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness._ GOD GOING BEFORE US The word “prevent” is now generally used to represent the idea of hindrance. “Thou preventest him” would mean commonly, “Thou hinderest him.” But here the word “prevent” means, to go before. Thou goest before him with the... [ Continue Reading ]
_He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest him a long life, even forever and ever._ RELIGION A LIFE In Christ these words are true of all who love our Lord Jesus Christ, as they are supremely true of Him who is the fountain of life. “He asked life of Thee.” Is thin true of us? That depends upon what m... [ Continue Reading ]
_His glory is great in Thy salvation._ THE GLORY OF GOD In this Psalm the poet is giving thanks for victory. The soldiers are returning from war, and are met by a chorus of maidens shouting praise to the delivering God. The poetry is not equal to the moral enthusiasm of the occasion. We are called... [ Continue Reading ]
_For Thou hast made him most blessed forever: Thou hast made him exceeding glad with Thy countenance._ EXCEEDING GLADNESS You have heard a great many sermons upon the Man of Sorrows, you cannot have heard too many; but probably you have never listened to a discourse upon the Man of Joys! I venture... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thine hand shall find out all Thine enemies._ THE EXPOSURE AND PUNISHMENT OF SIN I. The exposure of sin is inevitable. Iniquity delights in cunning, and is itself a masterpiece of cunning. It may succeed in deluding its victims, and for a time escape detection. But there is One to whom every detai... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of Thine anger._ THE DELUGE OF FIRE How, then, shall it fare with sinners when, after all, shall come that general fire so often foretold, which shall either fall from heaven or ascend out of hell, or (according to Albertus Magnus) proceed from both... [ Continue Reading ]
_For they intended evil against Thee. .. which they are not able to perform._ A MEMORABLE INSTANCE OF INTENDED EVIL THAT THE WICKED WERE NOT ABLE TO PERFORM At Rome the news of this great blow (given by the massacre on St. Bartholomew’s Day) was hailed with extravagant manifestations of joy; the Po... [ Continue Reading ]