XXIV.

OUR SAFETY.

I I WILL love thee, O Lord, my strength.

2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;

My buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised:

So shall I be saved from mine enemies.

4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me. 6 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God:

He heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

7 Then the earth shook and trembled ;

The foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,

And fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down and darkness was under his feet.

10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

II He made darkness his secret place;

His pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. 12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed; hail-stones and coals of fire.

13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,

And the Highest gave his voice; hail-stones and coals of fire.

14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;

And he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered

At thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. 16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,

And from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay. 19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;

According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

PSALM XVIII.

THIS Psalm, which in another version is recorded in 2 Sam. xxii., may be regarded as David's Pisgah view of his life. At the close of his earthly course he reviews all God's dealings with him in covenant-mercy, and then looks beyond them to the spiritual fulfilment in Christ Jesus of the gracious promise of establishing his throne. In its fullest sense this Psalm is true only of Christ and in Christ, and as such is twice expressly applied to our Lord (Heb. ii. 13; Rom. xv. 9). But it refers also to all 'who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.' For if we be like the Son of David, we also must be made perfect through suffering.' Yet how precious in each struggle to hear the voice of Jehovah, and in each trial to realize His hand-to feel that 'goodness and mercy have followed us all our

days!' And when at even we lay down our armour, may we be able on looking back to praise, and in looking forward to rejoice! But in order thus to identify ourselves with the final triumph of the blessed gospel, we must in our lives and labours have identified ourselves with the life and the work of Christ. And thus to identify our history with, and to read it as in Christ, is indeed to have a history.

The main object of this Psalm is to illustrate our vital union with Christ, the Son of David. The first part expresses His identification with us, the second our identification with Him. Because He thoroughly identifies Himself with us, our deliverance is so certain, so special, so marked, and so striking. Because we so thoroughly identify ourselves with Him, our strength is so great, our victory so decided, our triumph so continuous, and our hope and anticipation so spiritual. These two divisions of the Psalm, which some have described as presenting David as passive in the hands of God, and as active with Him, but which we have viewed as the twofold aspect of our identification with Christ in the covenant of grace, are clearly marked in the text (vers. 1, 31, and ver. 32 to the end). Both sections are prefaced by an expression of feelings corresponding to the experience which is to find utterance.

A most noble beginning is made in a profession which, without further introduction, seems to burst from the fulness of a grateful heart. There is no coldness here, no doubt nor hesitation. Of what the heart is full the mouth floweth over. Yet can even the weakest believer deeply sympathize with it. 'I will love Thee, Jehovah, my strength.' The term used for

love (which in this form occurs only in this passage) is expressive, not only of deep and tender, but of continuous, of close-clinging, and sustaining affection. Love such as that which joins the Church to her Lord has no parallel on earth, nor even in heaven. It is unique-deep, tender, continuous, close-clinging, and sustaining. And, as in the language of the bride (Song ii. 6), the profession of this love is joined with confession of our weakness and acknowledgment of His strength. It is remarkable that the word for 'strength' is also unique. Very characteristically, it is derived from a verb originally denoting to tie firmly together. Again, our confession is twofold-of His fulness and of our emptiness; of our love and of His grace. Our love towards Him, and His strength towards us, are inseparably joined. Our love to Him is unique; our strength in Him is also unique. There is no other Rock like that of Jacob; and thus, with the deepest sense of weakness in ourselves, yet by faith laying hold on Him who is our God in Christ, can we sing, and burst forth abruptly for very joy, 'I will love Thee, Jehovah, my strength.'

It has been aptly noted by one that the titles here given to our God are the fruit of sufferings. For in seasons of trial we learn rightly to know and to name our God. We then become acquainted with Him, 'not by the hearing of the ear,' but our eyes see Him. The finest gold is that which has passed again and again through the fire. Hence David calls God by names connected with the chief deliverances in his life. We also love to name ourselves by His name, and to designate Him in a manner analogous to that

of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Hence, we speak of Jehovah-Jireh, Jehovah-Nissi, and Jehovah-Shalom. 'Jehovah, my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my Rock in whom I find refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my Salvation, my high Fort.' Yet it should be remembered that these names express not merely past, but present experience. He has proved Jehovah, found Him such, therefore now and for evermore he applies to Him. Very touching are the reminiscences of former scenes and dangers in the history of the persecutions by Saul. This mountain and that rock were his bulwark and high fortress. Yet not they, but Jehovah in them. For straight through these natural means did he look up to the supernatural First Cause. And when the special occasion no longer existed, did he still call Jehovah by these names. So we also, in our believing review of the past. Even a heathen poet speaks of the pleasure of looking back upon past trials. Yet we look rather upon a present Saviour than a past affliction. 'To you, therefore, which believe, He is precious.' The expression, 'my God, my Rock in whom I find refuge' (or hide myself for refuge; the tense indicating continuance for the future), is peculiarly emphatic, as indicating deep joy and confidence, and as connected both with the past and the future of God's Israel. It reminds us of the stone of Israel' (Gen. xlix. 24); it occurs in the Song of Moses (Deut. xxxii. 4, 'The Rock'), from which, indeed, it seems to be taken; it recurs in Ps. xcii. 15, 'He is my Rock,' and again in the Song of the Lamb,' Isa. xxvi. 4: 'for in Jah Jehovah is the Rock of eternities,' corresponding to Eph. iii. 21: Unto

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