So

no less forcible way, the way of picture, or representation. manifold is the wisdom of God; so various are the ways by which he communicates it to men.

4. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

The instruction which the heavens disperse abroad is universal as their substance, which extends itself in "lines," or rays, over all the earth;"' by this means their "words," or rather, their *" significant actions" and operations, are every where present, even "to the ends of the world;"' and thereby they preach to all nations the power and wisdom, the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord. The apostles' commission was the same with that of the heavens; and St. Paul, Rom. x. 18. has applied the natural images of this verse to the manifestation of the Light of Life, by the sermons of those who were sent forth for that purpose. He is speaking of those Jews who had not obeyed the gospel. "But I say," argues he, “have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." As if he had said, They must have heard, since the apostles were commanded not to turn unto the Gentiles, till they had published their glad tidings throughout Judea; but the knowledge of him is now become universal, and all flesh has seen the glory of the Lord; the Light Divine, like that in the heavens, has visited the whole world, as the prophet David foretold, in the xixth Psalm. The apostle cannot be supposed to have made use of this Scripture in a sense of accommodation only, because he cites it among other texts which he produces merely as prophecies. And if such be its meaning, if the heavens thus declare the glory of God, aud this is the great lesson they are incessantly teaching; what other language do they speak, than that their Lord is the representative of ours, the bright ruler in the natural world of the more glorious one in the spiritual, their sun of the "Sun of righteousness?" But of this the following verses will lead us to speak more particularly.

5. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man

to run a race..

In the centre of the heavens there is a tent pitched by the Creator for the residence of that most glorious of inanimate sub

words) is used for expressing מלי whence) מלל The verb-מלים •

the meaning by signs. It has this sense, Prov. vi. 13. n hip speaking with his feet.

stances, the solar light; from thence it issues, with the beauty of a bridegroom, and the vigour of a champion, to run its course and perform its operations. A tabernacle, in like manner, was prepared for him, who saith of himself, “I am the LIGHT of the world," John viii. 12. And as the light of the sun goes out in the morning with inconceivable activity, new and youthful itself, and communicating life and gaiety to all things round it, like a bridegroom, in the marriage garment, from his chamber to his nuptials; so, at his incarnation, did the Light Divine, the promised bridegroom, visit his church, being clad himself, and clothing her with that robe of righteousness, which is styled, in holy Scripture, the marriage garment; and the joy, which his presence adminis tered, was, like the benefits of it, universal. And as the material light is always ready to run its heavenly race, daily issuing forth with renewed vigour, like an invincible champion still fresh to labour; so likewise did HE rejoice to run his glorious race; he excelled in strength, and his works were great and marvellous; he triumphed over the powers of darkness; he shed abroad on all sides his bright beams upon his church; he became her deliverer, her protector and support; and showed himself able in every respect to accomplish for her the mighty task he had undertaken. What a marvellous instrument of the Most High is the sun at his rising, considered in this view!

6. His going forth is from the end of heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

The light diffused on every side from its fountain, extendeth to the extremities of heaven, filling the whole circle of creation, penetrating even to the inmost substances of grosser bodies, and acting in and through all other matter, as the general cause of life and motion. Thus unbounded and efficacious was the influence of the Sun of Righteousness, when he sent out his word, enlightening and enlivening all things by the glory of his grace. His celestial rays, like those of the sun, took their circuit round the earth; they went forth out of Judea into all parts of the habitable world, and there was no corner of it so remote as to be without the reach of their penetrating and healing power. "The Lord gave the word, great was the company of those that published it," Psa. Ixviii. 11. It was the express declaration of our Saviour himself, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come," Matt. xxiv. 14. And St. Paul affirms, that the gospel was come unto all the world, and had been preached to every creature under heaven," Col. i. 6, and 23. The prophet there

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fore, having thus foretold the mission of the apostles, and the success of their ministry, proceeds in the next place to describe their "doctrine;" so that what follows is a fine encomium upon the gospel, written with all the simplicity peculiar to the sacred language, and in a strain far surpassing the utmost efforts of human eloquence.

7. The law, or doctrine of the Lord is perfect, converting, or restoring the soul, the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

The word of God in this and the following verses, has several most valuable properties ascribed to it. It is perfectly well adapted in every particular, to "convert," to restore, to bring back "the soul" from error to truth, from sin to righteousness, from sickness to health, from death to life; as it convinces of sin, it holds forth a Saviour, it is a means of grace, and a rule of conduct. It giveth wisdom, and by wisdom stability, to those who might otherwise, through ignorance and weakness, be easily deceived and led astray; "it is sure," certain and infallible in its directions and informations, "making wise the simple."

8. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

To those who study the righteousness of God therein communicated to man, it becometh a never-failing source of consolation and holy joy; the conscience of the reader is cleansed by the blood, and rectified by the Spirit of Christ; and such a conscience is a continual feast; the "statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart." The divine word resembleth the light in its brightness and purity, by which are unveiled and manifested to the eyes of the understanding, the wonderful works and dispensations of God, the state of man, the nature of sin, the way of salvation, the joys of heaven, and the pains of hell: "the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes."

7. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

"The fear of the LORD," which restrains from transgressing that law by which it is bred in the heart, is in its effect a preservative of mental purity, and in the duration both of its effect and its reward eternal; it "endureth for ever." The judgments of "the LORD are" not, like those of men, oftentimes wrong and unjust, but all his determinations in his word are "truth and righteousness united" in perfection.

10. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey, and the honey-comb.

What wonder is it, that this converting, instructing, exhilarating, enlightening, eternal, true, and righteous word, should be declared preferable to the riches of eastern kings, and sweeter to the soul of the pious believer, than the sweetest thing we know of is to the bodily taste? How ready we are to acknowledge all this! Yet, the next hour, perhaps, we part with the true riches to obtain the earthly mammon, and barter away the joys of the Spirit for the gratifications of sense! Lord, give us affections towards thy word in some measure proportioned to its excellence; for we can never love too much what we can never admire enough.

11. Moreover, by them is thy servant warned; and in keeping them there is great reward.

The Psalmist here bears his own testimony to the character above given of the divine word; as if he had said, The several parts of this perfect law, hereafter to be published to the whole race of mankind, have been all along my great instructors, and the only source of all the knowledge to which thy servant hath attained; and I am fully assured, that the blessed fruit of them, when they are duly observed, and have their proper effect, is exceeding glorious, even eternal life.

12. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults.

The perfection and spirituality of God's law render it almost impossible for a fallen son of Adam even to know all the innumerable instances of his transgressing it. Add to which, that false principles and inveterate prejudices make us regard many things as innocent, and some things as laudable, which in the eye of heaven are far otherwise. Self-examination is a duty which few practise as they ought to do: and he who practises it best, will always have reason to conclude his particular confessions with this general petition, "Cleanse thou me from secret faults!"

13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

In the preceding verse, David had implored God's pardoning grace, to cleanse him from the secret sins of ignorance and infirmity; in this he begs his restraining grace, to keep him back from presumptuous sins, or sins committed knowingly, deliberately, and with an high hand, against the convictions and the remonstrances of conscience: he prays that such sins might not "have dominion over him," or that he might not by contracting evil habits, become the slave of an imperious lust, which might

at length lead him on to "the great transgression," to rebellion, and final apostacy from God; for he who would be innocent from thegreat transgression," must beware of indulging himself in any.

41. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

The prophet, having before solicited the justification of his person through grace, concludes with a petition for the acceptance of all his offerings, and more especially of these his meditations, at the hands of that blessed One, whom he addresses as the author of all good, and the deliverer from all evil; as the "strength," and the "Redeemer" of his people.*

PSALM XX.

ARGUMENT.

1-4. The church prayeth for the prosperity of King Messiah, going forth to the battle, as her champion and deliverer; for his acceptance by the Father, and for the accomplishment of his will. 5, 6, 7. She declareth her full assurance of faith, and her resolution to trust in him alone, and not in the arm of flesh. 8. She foreseeth the fall of her enemies, and her own exaltation; and, 9. concludeth with a prayer to the God of her strength.

1. The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble: the name of the God of Jacob defend thec.

This may be considered as the address of a people to their king, when he goeth forth to the battle against their enemies. But it is to be regarded, in a more general and useful view, as the address of the church to Christ her king, in" the day of his trouble." She prayeth for the accomplishment of his warfare," through the name of the God of Jacob," dwelling in him. And this warfare, though accomplished in his own person, still remaineth to be accomplished in his people, until the last enemy shall be destroyed, and death shall be swallowed up in victory. It is still" the day of trouble;" still

•If the reader shall have received any pleasure from pursuing the comment on the foregoing Psalm, especially the first part of it, he is to be informed, that he stands indebted, on that account, to a Discourse entitled, CHRIST THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, published in the year 1750, by the late Reverend Mr. George Watson, for many years the dear companion and kind director of the author's studies; in attending to whose agreeable and instructive conversation, he has often passed whole days together, and shall always have reason to number them among the best spent days of his life; whose death he can never think of, without lamenting it afresh; and to whose memory he embraces, with pleasure, this opportunity to pay the tribute of a grateful heart.