For evermore. endureth for ever.

We praise Him for ever, because His mercy

3. The Lord's Name is praised: from the rising up of the sun unto the going down of the same.

The Name of the Lord in the fulness of its meaning can only be known by the study of His word. And it is in all its fulness that it is praised. For morn till eve the ceaseless song of praise shall rise to heaven, and from east to west His praises shall be sung. This name ought to be praised

1. Everywhere.

2. In all circumstances.

3. At all times.

(a) Everywhere, because "Jesus died for all," and "All nations shall do Him service."

(b) In all circumstances-in business, in the family, for, "Whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

(c) At all times-early in the morning, at noon, and at night. 4 The Lord is high above all heathen: and his glory above the heavens.

The Lord is high. He surmounts all: His greatness is unsearchable. He is so high that no bodily eye ever hath or ever can see. Him. No imagination can ever reach Him.

Above the heathen-i.e., the Gentiles, all nations of the Gentiles. "Canst thou, therefore, by searching find out God?" Job xi., 7.

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"His GLORY above the heavens." He is Himself above the nations, but His glory is above the heavens. In heaven his glory is proclaimed, for the sons of God sing His praises. But over the heavens" that glory extends. But "although he be so high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly." Ps. cxxxviii.,. 6.

"I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a humble spirit." Is. Ivii., 15.

5. Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath His dwelling so high: and yet humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth?

1. Who is like unto our God?

2. Who dwelleth so high?

He sits throned on high above the realms of space, and time reaches not to His throne. "His ways are in the sea, and His footsteps not known." Who will say unto Him, "What doest Thou?" Those who love the Lord are jealous for His honour, and say "Who is like unto Him ?" "Whom have I in heaven but Thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee." Ps. lxxviii., 24.

Who is like unto the Lord our God? There is none like Him for wisdom, power, truth, and faithfulness; for holiness, justice, goodness, grace, and mercy. And this God is our God, our Saviour and Redeemer. The challenge which the Psalmist has here given will never receive a reply, for there is no God like unto our God.

Hath His dwelling so high; "who sits throned on high." Although the heaven of the blessed is His throne, yet the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him. He is the "High God," the "Lord most High;" "from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God."

And yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth.

Here is the condescension of God, "who casts looks so low." He looks down upon man and visits him. Although God be so great Himself, yet He has an affectionate care for the meanest of His creatures. For every soul He paid the same ransom. He careth for all; He careth for ME.

6. He taketh up the simple out of the dust and lifteth the poor out of the mire.

Thus sang Hannah in 1 Saml. ii., 8. (Compare Danl. iv., 17; Ja. ii., 5.) And nearly in the same strain did Mary magnify the Lord. (S. Luke i., 46-48.) Sunk in the dust we were, and hopelessly degraded we had ever remained if the Lord had not taken us up. We were morally lost to self, to God, and without ability to help ourselves. From heaven Jesus beheld our condition with compassion, came down, and ransomed us from going down into the pit, and thus lifted us out of the mire. To the poor the Gospel was especially proclaimed. The poor-rich in faith-hath God chosen to be heirs of His kingdom." He resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." 1 Pet. v., 5.

Mire, dunghill-i.e., heaps of ashes and manure collected for using on the land.

7. That He may set him with the princes: even with the princes of His people.

Not content with taking him out of the dust, He makes him a prince of heaven, a son of the King of Kings. The Psalmist has before his eye Hannah's exaltation out of her sorrow and reproach. This is the honour which alone exalts, and this honour comes from God, and this honour have all they that love the Lord Jesus Christ.

8. He maketh the barren woman to keep house: and to be a joyful mother of children.

"They call her malady"-i.e., "Barren ;" "but she has given us good fruit." Anything that is exceedingly valuable is said to be as precious as the son of a barren woman.' 1. The simple out of the dust.

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2. The poor out of the mire.

This the Lord doeth.

3. The barren woman to keep house. Lo, "children and the fruit of the womb are a gift and heritage that cometh of the Lord." (Ps. cxxvii., 4.) God makes the barren woman a mother, and her a joyful mother. Children are-1. A mother's care. 2. A mother's joy. 3. A divine gift. Women were not supposed to have a house till they had children. But God often visited the secret sorrowing ones, and made them rejoice. He thus visited Sarah, Rachel, the wife of Manoah, Hannah, Elizabeth, and many others. The barren heart, too, He will make fruitful, and many souls be born again. We are all barren by nature, and made fruitful by grace.

And to be a joyful mother of children. (Is. liv., 1; Gal. iv., 27.) A numerous and powerful family is counted, in the East, a great blessing. 'Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them."

PSALM CXIV.

This is the first of the Three Psalms appointed for Evensong on Easter Day.

Title. The Song of the Exodus well describes it, but nowhere is this or any other title given.

Author.-Unknown; therefore attributed to several; some of them very improbable. It has been ascribed to the three Hebrew children, to Esther and Mordecai, but upon what grounds it is difficult to conceive.

Date. Also unknown. It is commonly placed after the Exilei.e., after the Children of Israel returned from captivity.

Subject. The Exodus of Israel from Egypt, and the wonderful things which God performed for them, manifesting His power over river, sea, and mountain.

Why appropriate to Easter Day.

The deliverance of the Israelites from the bondage of Pharaoh, and the miracles wrought on their behalf, are types of our deliverance from the bondage of sin, and the wonderful event by which that freedom was obtained. As they sang their triumph when the sea was past, and their enemies dead on its shores, so do we on Easter Day commemorate the triumph of our risen Lord, and His victory over sin and the grave.

Prophecies and References.

The whole of the Psalm is in the Past or the Present tense. It contains no direct reference to anything future. It refers entirely to the period when Jehovah delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt, and is typical of our deliverance from the bondage of sin.

Division. So perfect is the structure of this Psalm, and so unbroken is the strain in which it boldly soars, that it admits of no natural division. To divide it arbitrarily would destroy its force, and mar the boldness of its outlines.

1. When Israel came out of Egypt: and the house of Jacob from among the strange people.

out.

The children of Israel had been 430 years in bondage in the land of Egypt. (Gen. xv., 13; Ex. xii., 40; Acts vii., 6.) Moses led them God chose him for this purpose. House of Jacob-i.e., the descendants of Jacob. A single family they went down to Egypt, and now they leave it a mighty host. "Strange people"-i.e., from a people of strange language, or a barbarous people-i.e., a people who used them tyrannically.

"Egypt," the land of the Pharaohs, where they lived in cruel slavery, and where they were employed making bricks for Pharoah. The house of Jacob was, 1st, a tribe; 2, In Egypt a caste; 3, In Canaan a nation.

2. Judah was his sanctuary: and Israel his dominion. Why is Judah called "His sanctuary?" Ex. xv,, 17.

1. Judah led the march in the wilderness.

2. Judah was prophetically the royal tribe.

3. Judah was the Lord's "holy thing," set apart for Him. Judah, the "praise of Jehovah ❞—i.e., in the sanctuary where God dwells.

God set up His sanctuary in Jerusalem, which was a Judæan city. Why is Israel called "His dominion?" Numb. xxiii., 21. Because they are "princes with God," a royal priesthood. Dominion, states, kingdom. Ex. iv., 22; Deut. xiv., 1, 2 ; Jer. xxxi., 9; 2 Chron. ix., 8.

In the "

sanctuary" the people pay to God reverence and love. On His throne and dominion they give Him obedience and homage. 3. The sea saw that and fled: Jordan was driven back.

The sea-i.e., the Red Sea. (Ex. xiv., 21; Josh. iii., 14-16.) The sea saw Jehovah leading His redeemed ones, was dismayed, and fled. Heb. xi., 29.

The Egyptian coast of the Red Sea was a vast and dreary solitude. But when the marshalled hosts of Israel approached its banks, and when the guiding cloud was mirrored on its waters, they recognized the impression of their Creator, and made a way for His people to pass.

Jordan was driven back. The dividing of the sea begins, and the dividing of Jordan ends the desert journey of Israel. Jordan was a swiftly flowing river, its waters were instantly stayed, and, contrary to nature, they flowed up hill. The miracle is easily accounted for-God was there. Forty years elapsed between the Red Sea and the Jordan, and through them about two-and-a-half millions passed: not now by the rod as at the Red Sea, but before the ark of the Lord.

4. The mountains skipped like rams: and the little hills like young sheep.

"And the whole mountain trembled very much." Ex. xix., 18; Ps. xxix., 6.

"The

"Then the earth shook, the heavens dropped at the presence of God, it was at Sinai, before the God of Israel." (Ps. lxviii., 8.) earth quaked the mountains flowed down before the Lord."

Judges V.,

4.

Skipped-denoting the result of the thunderings and lightnings which accompanied the giving of the law. Nothing is immoveable