2. Prayer and praise may well go together. If we pray in faith, not trusting in ourselves but in God, we may be assured of deliverance, victory, and safety; so that we shall boast in Him, and praise His name. 3. When the Israelites were in captivity, being thus chastised for their sins, how did they act? They poured out their complaint to God. Such is the conduct of the Church, and of every pious individual, in the time of distress. In our troubles we ought to be thoughtful and penitent, and to unfold our case to Him who only can relieve us. 4. Happy is the nation, the Church, the individual, who can say that God is not forgotten, nor His covenant treated unfaithfully, nor His way forsaken. If we thus cleave to God, whatever our afflictions may be, and however we may be persecuted, we may be assured that the eye of God is upon us for good, and that He in due time will deliver us out of our troubles. 5. When we are faithful and upright in our walk before God, we can pray with confidence as well as with earnestness. Our souls may for a season be bowed down to the dust: but He will arise when He sees fit, and be our Helper: He who redeemed Israel from captivity will redeem us; will deliver us from our spiritual enemies, and cause us to rejoice in His salvation; and He will do this for His mercies' sake. PRAYER. We magnify Thee, O Lord, for all Thy goodness to Thy Church and people. We have reason to say, that, through all ages, Thou hast done great things for us. In all our troubles and sorrows, may we call upon Thee, and trust in Thy goodness, faithfulness, and power. Help us to walk before Thee in faith, holiness, and obedience; and may we be supported and comforted in all our afflictions, and redeemed from all evil, for Thy mercies' sake; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. PSALM XLV. This Psalm is supposed to have been written upon the occasion of Solomon's marriage. Spiritually viewed it refers to Christ and the Church (Heb. i. 8, 9.), and to the calling of the Gentiles. (I. Introduction.) 1 My heart is inditing a good matter; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. (II. Majesty and grace of Christ's kingdom.) 2 Thou art fairer than the children of men; Grace is poured into thy lips: Therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. 3 Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O most mighty, With Thy glory and Thy majesty. 4 And in Thy majesty ride prosperously Because of truth and meekness and righteousness; And Thy right hand shall teach Thee terrible things. 5 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies ; Whereby the people fall under Thee. K 6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: The sceptre of Thy kingdom is a right sceptre. 7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: Therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 8 All Thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, Out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made 9 Kings' daughters are among Thy honourable women: Upon Thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. (III. Duty of the Church.) 10 Hearken, O daughter, and consider, Forget also thine own people, and thy father's 11 So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: (IV. Honour paid to her: description of her.) 12 And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift: Even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour. 13 The King's daughter is all glorious within : Her clothing is of wrought gold. 14 She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework: The virgins her companions That follow her shall be brought unto Thee. 15 With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought : They shall enter into the King's palace. (V. Her prosperity.) 16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, When thou mayest make princes in all the earth. 17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: Therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever. REFLECTIONS. 1. Let our hearts dwell on the good matter here set before us, that we may speak of Christ our King with knowledge and readiness. 2. Here our blessed Lord is described, as to Himself, when compared with men, ver. 2; as a glorious and prosperous spiritual conqueror, ver. 3-5; and as an everlasting and righteous King, ver. 6-8; and as one joyful in the number of converts, ver. 9. Thus we ought to think of our Saviour, as pre-eminently blessed of the Father; as the Teacher of truth, humility, and righteousness, subduing the hearts of men by His word and Spirit; as being Himself God, ruling in righteousness, and hating iniquity; and as rejoicing in His redeemed mystical body, the Church. 3. Here is the duty of the whole Church, and of each of her members. We should remember that Christ is our Lord, whom we are to worship, love, and honour. We must sacrifice or abandon every thing which would induce us to forget our allegiance to Him. We must do His will, in order that we may live in His favour. 4. Here the call of the Gentiles into the Christian Church is foretold; and then the Church is described in figurative language. She has the beauty of internal and external holiness; and she stands in the presence, and enters into the palace, of her Lord and King. 5. The sixteenth verse foretells the prosperity of the Church in all the earth. Wherever the Gospel is received as the word of power and life, it makes us "kings and priests unto God." The seventeenth verse is the language of the Psalmist, foretelling that Christ would be remembered and praised through all ages. PRAYER. O blessed and glorious Saviour, in the light of Thy truth, and by the power of Thy Spirit, may we truly know Thee, and acknowledge Thee in the glory of Thy Person, and in the offices which Thou sustainest. Rule, O God, in all the world, and cause truth, and meekness, and righteousness to prevail universally. May Thy Church see and perform her duty; renounce the world, and shine before Thee and before men in the beauty of holiness; until she shall enter into the everlasting mansions. And may we be of the number of those who remember Thee, and who praise Thee now and for evermore. Amen. |