above, the clouds of heaven compose an awful and gloomy tabernacle, in the midst of which he is supposed to reside the reins of whirlwinds are in his hand, and he directs their impetuous course through the world; the whole artillery of the aerial regions is at his command, to be by him employed against his enemies, in the day of battle and war...

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.

The discharge of the celestial artillery upon the adverse powers is here magnificently described. Terrible it was to them, as when lightnings and thunders, hail stones and balls of fire, making their way through the dark clouds which contain them, strike terror and dismay into the hearts of men. Such is the "voice," and such are the "arrows," of the Lord Almighty, wherewith he "discomfiteth" all who oppose the execution of his counsels, and obstruct the salvation of his chosen. Every display and description of this sort, and indeed every thunder-storm which we behold, should remind us of that exhibition of power and vengeance, which is hereafter to accompany the general resurrection.

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.

As the former part of the Psalmist's description

was taken from the appearance on mount Sinai, sơ this latter part seems evidently to allude to what passed at the Red Sea, when by the breath of God the waters were divided, the depths were discovered, and Israel was conducted in safety through them. By that event was prefigured the salvation of the church universal, through the death and resurrection of Christ, who descended into the lower parts of the earth, and from thence reascended to light and life. The xivth chapter of Exodus, which relates the pas sage of Israel through the Red Sea, is therefore appointed as one of the proper lessons on Easter Day. And thus we obtain the ideas intended to be conveyed in this sublime but difficult verse, together with their application to the grand deliverance of the true David, in the day of God's power. Indeed it is not easy to accommodate to any part of the history of the son of Jesse those awful, majestic, and stupendous images, which are made use of throughout this whole description of the divine manifestation, from verse 7. But, however this be, most certainly every part of so solemn a scene of terrors forbids us to doubt but that a “GREATER than David is here;" since creation scarce affords colours brighter and stronger than those here employed, wherewith to paint the appearance of Jehovah at the day of final redemption.

16. He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many, or, the great, waters. 17. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

For this purpose did God in so wonderful a manner display his power and glory, that he might deli

ver the sufferer out of his troubles. This deliverance is first expressed metaphorically, by "drawing him "out of the great waters," and then plainly, "he "delivered me from my strong enemy," &c. "The

great waters," in ver 16. are the same with " the "floods of the ungodly," in ver. 4. By these was Messiah, like David, oppressed and overwhelmed for a time; but, like David, he arose at length superior to them all. The " strong enemy" was obliged to give way to a "stronger than he, who overcame him, "and took from him his armour in which he trusted, "and divided the spoil :" Luke, xi. 22.

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.

The divine mercy is celebrated again and again through this sacred hymn, in a variety of variety of expressions. Innumerable foes "prevented," that is, surrounded, enclosed Christ on all sides, “in the day of "his calamity," when the powers of earth and hell set themselves in array against him; but "Jehovah "was his stay;" on him he reposed an unshaken confidence: Jehovah therefore supported his steps, and led him on to victory and triumph; from the narrow confines of the grave he translated him to unbounded empire, because he was the son of his love, in whom he delighted.

20. The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 21. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed

from my God. 22. For all his judgements were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. 23. I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity, or, from iniquities. 24. Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eye-sight.

Commentators have been much perplexed to account for these unlimited claims to righteousness made by David, and that, long after the matter of Uriah, and towards the close of life. Certain indeed it is, that the expressions, considered as David's, must be confined either to his steadfast adherence to the true worship in opposition to idolatry, or to his innocency with regard to some particular crimes falsely alleged against him by his adversaries. But if the Psalm be prophetical, and sung by the victorious monarch in the person of king Messiah; then do the verses now before us no less exactly than beautifully delineate that all-perfect righteousness wrought by the Redeemer, in consequence of which, he obtained deliverance for himself and his people. For "His" righteousness' sake Jehovah was well pleased, and rewarded with everlasting felicity the unspotted purity of his works: "He" performed an unsinning obedience to every part of the law, and swerved not from its line in a single instance: the rule was ever in his eye, and no temptation could induce him to deviate from its direction; like the light, he passed through all things undefiled, and his garments were white as the lily; therefore a glorious H 2

kingdom was given unto him, forasmuch as in him the piercing eye of heaven could discover no blemish at all.

- 25. With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright: 26. With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward: Heb. with the perverse thou wilt wrestle, or, strive.

The reason is here assigned why God "recom"pensed Messiah according to the cleanness of his "hands," namely, because he is just, in rendering to every one according to his works. He who is " mer"ciful" to his brethren shall obtain the divine mercy; he who is "upright" in his dealings with others, will have justice done him by the great Judge, against his iniquitous oppressors; he who is "pure" from deceit and hypocrisy in the service of his God, shall experience in himself a faithful and exact performance of the promises which God hath made to such; but the man that is "froward," perverse, and rebellious, must expect to grapple with an arm which will either humble or destroy. See Levit. xxvi. 3, 4, &c. 23, 24, &c. 1 Kings, viii. 32. Prov. iii. 34.

27. For thou wilt save the afflicted, or, lowly, people but wilt bring down high looks.

"God resisteth the proud," saith an apostle, "and "giveth grace unto the humble :" James iv. 6. And, indeed, what is the covenant of grace, but a covenant to humble pride, and to exalt humility; what was it, but the humility of Christ, that subdued the