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of Adonijah and his fellow conspirators that David had to contend: they plotted against him secretly also. They uttered in whispers what they dared not utter aloud. Of all enemies in the world, a whispering enemy is most to be dreaded. Subtle as the serpent, he hisses out his poison so silently, that, ere he is aware of danger, his victim is ruined. We do one of the serpent kind wrong in comparing it to the whisperer-we mean the rattlesnake-it always sounds its rattles before injecting its poison. The whisperer, on the contrary, gives us no warning of his presence, nor of the work in which he is engaged. It was in this silent way that their enemies sought to ruin both David and the Son of David.

VERSE 8. An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth, he shall rise up no more.

Yes, "an evil disease"-and they mean, by an evil disease, not only a mortal disease, but a Divine judgment sent upon him in wrath, for his destruction, and not a fatherly chastening of him for his good. Maliciously supposing him thus divinely afflicted for his sins, they exult in the thought that he will never rise from his bed again; that he will soon be out of their way, and the realization of their heart's desire. It is thus that the wicked often turn the Divine chastenings of the righteous, chastenings designed only for their good, into proofs that they are sinners. above all others, because they suffer such things. It was in this way that the Jews, in their malice, construed the sufferings of Christ.

VERSE 9. Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. This verse was realized in the history of David, first, in Ahithophel, his chief counsellor of state;

then in Joab, the captain of his hosts; and also in Abiathar, the high priest-with each of whom he was, from their relations to him, necessarily on terms of the utmost intimacy and confidence, but each of whom betrayed him. The verse was realized also in the history of Christ, when Judas betrayed him— although our Lord, in quoting the verse as applicable to himself and Judas, only says, "He that eateth bread with me, hath lifted up his heel against me," (John xiii. 18,) leaving out the words "mine own familiar friend," as inapplicable to Judas, and the words "in whom I trusted," as inapplicable to himself. Our Lord never trusted in Judas: he knew from the beginning that Judas was not a friend, but a devil, John vi. 70, and would betray him. John vi. 64. But applied, as it may be in all its parts, to David, this verse shows that his situation was deplorable indeed. He cannot, however, but believe that the Lord will deliver him out of it; for resuming and repeating the first part of the prayer begun in the fourth verse, he adds:

VERSE 10. But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

The requital here intended cannot mean personal revenge for of any such feeling toward his enemies no mere man was ever more free than David was. The requital, then, which he prays that he may be raised up to make his enemies, must mean his being enabled to defeat all the plans of his enemies to subvert his kingdom by transferring the crown from Solomon to Adonijah. And the sequel shows that his prayer to be enabled thus to requite his enemies was answered; for, on hearing of the rebellion of

Adonijah, he rallied from the low and prostrated condition in which he seemed to be fast sinking into the arms of death, and survived long enough to see Solomon consecrated, crowned, and proclaimed king of Israel. This, of course, brought shame and confusion upon all those who had been labouring to defeat it.

VERSE 11. By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

It is even so. When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Prov. xvi. 7. This assurance David has received, that his ways have pleased the Lord. Formidable as the conspiracy was that had been formed against his throne and successor, God inspired him with a few last words so potent as to scatter the whole to the winds, and inaugurate the most peaceful and glorious reign that distinguishes the history of Israel—the reign of Solomon. May God, as our last hour approaches, give us the same glorious assurance, that none of our enemies, whether visible or invisible, have triumphed over us, and that he has endowed us with a kingdom that cannot be subverted.

VERSE 12. And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.

What David means here by his integrity, was his blameless and charitable life; not so blameless and charitable, however, that he does not confess, "I have sinned against thee." Strange! that for an integrity so imperfect and when, too, that integrity itself is inspired by his own blessed Spirit-strange that God

should set one continually before his face as an object of his unceasing protection, love, and care! Yet so it is! Such is his mercy toward the merciful. So greatly doth he love even imperfect goodness in his creatures! "A bruised reed will he not break, and smoking flax will he not quench, till he bring forth judgment unto victory." Matt. xii. 20. God grant that at our last review of life, conscience may bear as favourable testimony in our cases as it bore in David's-that we were the friends of the poor and needy, and did good unto all men as we had opportunity. We shall then learn that he who did most for others, did most for himself; and that he who did nothing for others, did nothing for himself.

VERSE 13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

A most suitable doxology with which to close a psalm setting forth in such glowing colours the mercy of God to those showing mercy to others, and endeavouring to serve him in holiness and pureness of living. If such be the mercy of the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting, who would not join in the anthem, and add thereto its fervid Amen, and Amen? May the spirit of this psalmits spirit of benevolence, faith, and holy fear-fill the hearts of us all. It is none other than the spirit of Christ, of him who went about doing good, and who could not doom even implacable enemies to destruction, without, in the same breath, weeping over them.

LECTURE ON PSALMS XLII. AND XLIII.

To be cut off from communion with God in the services of his sanctuary, was regarded by every devout Israelite as an unmistakable token of the Divine displeasure, and a great calamity. This was David's situation when he composed these two psalms. From his beloved sanctuary, with its sensible communion with God in its sacrifices and oracular responses, he was now an exile, fleeing in the wilderness beyond Jordan before his rebellious Absalom. He might have kept up communion with God by taking the ark of the covenant with him in his flight; but when the priests and the Levites brought it forth, to bear it with them, he said to Zadoc, Carry back the ark of God into the city; if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation: but if he thus say, I have no pleasure in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him." 2 Sam. xv. 26, 27. Nevertheless, David's heart, in his exile, was still drawn towards the sacred place where the presence of the ark proclaimed the peculiar presence of God; hence his words,

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VERSES 1, 2. As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

No perishing hind, or deer, ever longed more earnestly to reach the cooling streams where it could quench its thirst, than David longed to stand in the

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