but God himself. We look on the stable mountains as "6 eternal,' and the hills as "everlasting;" but before God's awful presence they move as lightly as sheep and lambs at play. "Young sheep "—i.e., lambs.

3. The mountains skipped like rams. v. 4.
4. The little hills like young sheep. id.

5. What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest: and thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?

"What

"Thou sea?" Thy waters profound and tranquil, thy bed the imperishable rock, thy changeless bounds the granite cliffs. aileth thee?" Terror of Pharaoh's chariots and horsemen? The imminent destruction of a nation in its birth? The triumph of the mighty, and the recapture of a people struggling to be free? Was it for this thou fleddest? refusing to bear on thy bosom the reflection of such a spectacle. No, for thou didst hush the hosts of Egypt for ever in thy cold embrace. They invaded thy domains and found a grave. Wherefore then didst thou flee? Thy Creator requested a passage for his chosen to escape from cruel slavery, and thou didst stand aside to let them pass..

"Thou Jordan !" Just forty years after the triumph of the Red Sea, the host of Israel arrived on the banks of Jordan. Jehovah, ordering the priests to bear the ark of the covenant fully half a mile in front of the people, caused the over-flowing river to recede before them, and miraculously suspended, they stood in a glassy heap far above the city Adam, beside Zaretan. Josh. iii., 13—17.

6. Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams: and ye little hills, like young sheep?

This figure is used to show the mighty power of God compared with the grandest objects in nature. Hills and mountains are no more to Him that " rams" and "lambs." When the Law was given on Sinai, the surrounding mountains were agitated, shook, and trembled like rams in the grassy plain, and lambs gambolling around them. (Jud. v., 4.) The presence of Jehovah shook them to their foundation, and filled them with fear.

"What aileth thee

Thou sea that thou fleddest ?

Thou Jordan that thou wast driven back?
Ye mountains that ye skipped like rams?
Ye little hills like young sheep?

7. Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord: at the presence

of the God of Jacob.

"At the presence of the Lord be in pangs, O earth”—i.e., be in pain. The convulsions of nature which accompanied the Exodus were the birth-throes of the Hebrew nation. "A nation was born

66

in a day." Sinai and all its surrounding peaks may well quake for fear, for the whole earth must tremble.

The sea fled

Jordan was driven back At the presence of the Lord.

But what made the mountains and the hills skip like rams and lambs ?

The earth is warned to "tremble" at God's presence, which produced such effects on the "mountains" and "hills.'

"God of Jacob." Ex. iii., 6, 15, 16; iv., 5; 2 Sam. xxiii., 1; Isa. ii., 3; Mic. iv., 2; Matt. xxii., 32.

8. Who turned the hard rock into a standing water: and the flintstone into a springing well.

At God's command Moses smote the rock in Horeb, and water came out, of which all Israel drank. Thus the rock was turned into standing water. (Ex. xvii., 6; Numb. xx., 11.) The same powers that turned waters into a rock to be a wall to Israel, turned the rock into waters to be a well to Israel. This is the "standing water," and this the “springing well" into which the flinty rock was turned, and that rock was Christ. 1 Cor. x., 4.

"The hard rock into water."

"The flint-stone into a springing well."

The presence of the God of Israel produced this.

1. Israel Soldier of God. The name given to Jacob after his wrestling with the Angel at Peniel. Gen. xxxii., 28; Hos. xii., 4.

Egypt, called in the Bible Mizraim, or the land of Ham, and signifies black, from the colour of the soil. It is applied to that part of northern Africa which was under the dominion of the Pharaohs.

Jacob Supplanter, the second son of Isaac and Rebekah. He was called Jacob because he supplanted his brother Esau. (1) At his birth. (Gen. xxv., 26.) (2) In obtaining the birthright. (Gen. xxv., 23.) (3) In obtaining the blessing. Gen. xxvii., 27-29.

2. Sanctuary-Lat. sanctus, holy-i.e., the holy place where God chose to be worshipped and to dwell. It was the tabernacle while Israel was in the desert. (Ex. xxv., 8.) It was afterwards at Shiloh. (Judg. xviii., 31.) Finally it was built by Solomon at Jerusalem. 1 Chron. xxii., 19; 2 Chron. iii., 8.

Dominion-Lat. dominus, a lord or ruler-i.e., the extent to which individual authority or power reaches. Israel was the Lord's peculiar dominion.. But His dominion extends from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. Zech. ix., 10; Numb. xxiv., 19.

4. Skipped,. Icel. skopa. to run about.

The Lord maketh the cedars of Libanus skip as a calf. Ps. xxix., 6.

In the doom of Moab was found the accusation that he skipped for joy while deriding Israel.. Jer. xlviii., 27.

8. Hard rock-rock. The original does not contain the adjective hard.

Icel., rok, means a large mass of stone.

Standing water a pool of water.

Flint stone flint, or flinty rock, or steep cliff.

Spring ing well-a fountain of waters.

PSALM CXVIII.

The last Psalm for Evening Prayer on Easter Day.

Title. This Psalm is without any title or designation. It is the last Psalm in the Hallel, which consists of Psalms cxiii. to cxviii. inclusive. It was Lnther's favourite Psalm. He said, "This is my Psalm, the one which I love."

If

Author.-We are not told who was the author of this Psalm, but there is much in it to warrant us in ascribing it to David. David was the author, he probably composed it when he was anointed King, when he brought back the ark, or after a great victory over the Philistines. Some ascribe it to Hezekiah. Compare v. 17 with Isa. xxxviii., 1.

Date. The following different occasions are suggested when it might have been written :

1. The first celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh month of the first year of the Return, when nothing yet except the altar had been erected for the worship of God. Ezra iii., 1—4.

2. The laying of the foundation stone of the Second Temple, in the second month of the second year. Ezra iii., 8-13.

3. The completion and consecration of the Temple in the twelth month of the sixth year of Darius. Ezra vi., 15-18.

4. The extraordinary celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, after the completion of the Second Temple, recorded in Neh. viii., 13-18.

Subject. It is a national song, adapted to the rise of a hero the victory of a prince, or the building of the Temple. It describe some God-chosen hero

1. Raised to some high and lofty dignity.
2. Rejected by friends and countrymen.
3. Opposed and threatened by enemies.

4. Trusting in God, he conquers.

5. He then goes up to God's house to offer sacrifice,
6. And to express his gratitude.

7. The people bless him.

This heroic personage is typical of Christ.

The Psalm was used in the Second Temple on the Feast of Tabernacles.

Why Appropriate. This, probably, formed portion of the Hymn which our Saviour and His Apostles sang before going forth to the Mount of Olives. The repeated application of the 22nd verse in the New Testament, and the appointment by the Church of the

Psalm for Easter Day, lead us to consider the whole as a triumphant Hymn, sung by King Messiah as the head of the Israel of God, at His resurrection and exaltation.

Prophecies and References.

v. 8-9. Comp. Jer. xvii., 5, 7.

V. 19. Comp. Is. xxvi., 2.

v. 22. Comp. S. Matt. xxi., 42; Acts iv., 11; Eph. ii., 20; 1 Pet. ii., 4, 7.

v. 26. Comp. S. Matt. xxi., 9; xxiii., 39.

v. 22 is a direct prophecy respecting Christ, and our Lord Himself so applied it in S. Matt. xxi., 42. The prophet Isaiah says, "Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste." (Isa. xxviii., 16; Rom. ix., 23; 1 Pet. ii., 6.) And St. Paul, in

Ep. ii., 20, says, "Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner

stone.

Division. The natural divisions in this Psalm are few and indefinite, therefore most of those commenting upon it, have followed their own fancy, thus accounting for the diversity we find in the manner of dividing it. The following is probably the simplest mode, and the most natural :—

v. 1-4. Praise to God for mercy to Israel.

v. 5-18. Let past experience beget future trust.

v. 19--23. Praise for earthly honour, a type of Christ's exaltation. v. 24-29. Psalmist, priests, and people rejoice at the prospect of the Redeemer's kingdom.

1. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious: because his mercy endureth for ever.

This is a repetition of Ps. cvi., 1. The assembled people are here exhorted to sing aloud Jehovah's praise. As the Lord is gracious, so our praise should take the form of gratitude. We have received much of His gracious bounty, therefore let us give Him thanks for it. We must not only be grateful for the mercy, but we must praise Him who gives it.

For He is gracious, or "for He is good." "There is none good but one, that is God." Jehovah's "goodness" and His "mercy" are here the subjects of “thanksgiving."

His mercy endureth for ever—i.e., His loving-kindness. His anger endureth but for a moment, but His mercy endureth for ever. Angels know that God is good, but they cannot feel His mercy.

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2. Let Israel now confess that he is gracious: and that his mercy endureth for ever.

Let Israel say, the Lord's chosen, the children of the covenant, who had so often experienced His forgiveness, and enjoyed His favours. Let Israel say that He is gracious.

How often had Israel provoked the Lord? In Egypt, in the wilderness, under the Judges, under the Kings, and yet He graciously forgave them. If Israel does not confess that Jehovah is gracious who will? When is this confession to be made? Now. Not at some future time. Who is to make this confession? The house of Israel, the seed of Abraham. In what way does this refer to us? "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed?" "They which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." Gal. iii., 7.

3. Let the house of Aaron now confess: that his mercy endureth for

ever.

House of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were set apart to God by God.

1. They came nearest to God, and by His mercy were enabled to live.

2. In the daily sacrifices they saw His mercy.

3. In the great day of atonement they saw His mercy.

4. They were God's ministering priests.

Thus privileged, they are called upon to confess God's mercy. But Jesus has made all His own people priests unto God. (1 Peter ii., 5, 9.) Therefore they are a holy priesthood, a royal priesthood, and must magnify the eternal mercy of the Most High. 4. Yea, let them now that fear the Lord confess that his mercy endureth for ever.

"There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared." Ps. cxxx., 4. God's mercy is a truth, and its eternal duration is a truth. This is God's truth, and He would have it declared to all peoples, and proclaimed throughout all lands. If we believe this we cannot cease from praising Him whose mercy ever flows.

Now. Three times is this word repeated to mark its importance. Now, now, now, says the Psalmist. "To-day if ye will hear his voice." Now is the accepted time." Now is God's time, and when he says now shall we say "not yet?" Now with us should mean always.

1. Give thanks unto the Lord.

2. Let Israel confess.

3. Let the house of Aaron confess.

4. Let them that fear the Lord confess.

that His mercy endureth

for ever.

These are four trumpets to declare throughout creation that God's

mercy endureth for ever.