down upon his own pate. I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness; and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.

THE 'HE name of "Cush the Benjamite" is mentioned

in the Heading to this Psalm. But we read in the Old Testament of no person of that name: probably, therefore, it is a name given to Saul or to Shimei. It is clear that David refers throughout the Psalm, as well as in those that go before, to some persecution that he himself endured.

The Psalm opens with an expression of strong confidence in God, on whose Almighty protection David casts himself, lest his enemy with the fierceness of a lion should overpower him. It has been truly said that, 'The door is shut against our prayers, if we cannot open it with the key of confidence.'

In the third and following verses, he appeals to God to acknowledge his innocence. He speaks also of the forbearance he had himself shown towards his enemies, and that he had given no occasion for their hatred. Had it been otherwise, he feels that they might well trample upon him, and put him to shame; "O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me ; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy :) let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust."

When he puts in the words, "Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy," it is as much as to say, instead of returning evil to him who acted peaceably towards me, I have done the very reverse, I actually rescued my enemy from danger.

In the full consciousness of his own integrity, he calls for judgment between himself and his persecutors, and entreats God to avenge him; "Arise, O Lord, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of mine enemies and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded. So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes, therefore, return thou on high."

By these last words he seems to mean, that a clear display of God's righteous judgment would induce multitudes, when they beheld it, to rally round their heavenly King, and adore Him for His justice. For their sakes therefore, as well as on his own account, he asks God to ascend His throne, and pass sentence.

The next five verses require no explanation. In verses 14, 15, and 16, David describes the excessive malice of his wicked enemy, and shows how the evil which he had carefully planned, shall recoil upon himself; "Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His

mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate."

So it was with Haman, who was hanged on his own gallows. And so it was with the Jews, the enemies of our Lord. They digged, as it were, a pit for Christ. They were eager to shed His blood; but that blood came back in judgment upon themselves, and upon their children.

This Psalm, like many others, begins with mournful complainings, but ends with words of praise. The Psalmist was so sure that God would undertake for him and deliver him, that he already lifts up the voice of thankfulness; "I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness; and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high."

The truth is, that if we bring our troubles to God, and cast our burden upon Him, He will not only sustain us, and enable us to bear the weight, but He will fill our souls with a joy which we never experienced before. Our affliction will be felt to be a blessing, and our joy will be "in the Lord."

PSALM VIII.

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

THIS is one of those Psalms which has a further meaning than appears at first sight.

In the first verse God is praised for His greatness and goodness; "O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth, who hast set thy glory above the heavens!"

In the next verse it is declared that He makes even children, weak and helpless babes, to praise and glorify Him, and to stop the mouths of His opposers; "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine

enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger."

This was wonderfully the case when the Little Children in the Temple lifted up their voices to acknowledge our Lord, and thus reproved the scornful Scribes and Pharisees. (Matt. xxi. 15, 16.) And so it is oftentimes in our own day.

But now let us look at the remaining verses of the Psalm. We may suppose David, on some clear night, when the heavens were glittering with their bright and beauteous orbs, gazing upwards, and exclaiming with holy wonder, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Must he not be beneath Thy notice, too insignificant to be regarded by Thee, and to enjoy so many marks of Thy favour ? And yet Thou hast greatly honoured him, and made him lord of all creation; "All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas"-all are subject to Thee.

But if we turn to Heb. ii. 6-10, we shall see that St. Paul looked upon this Psalm as pointing to the Saviour. Thus when David spoke of man being "made a little lower than the angels," he referred to Christ, who "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." And