excludes, as you will see at once, the possibility of the rectitude here being the believer's own; 'for,' the Psalmist adds, 'I wait on Thee. Helpless, hopeless, nothing in myself, I wait on Thee. I am complete in Thee; I stand perfect in Thee. These mine enemies are great, they are mighty, and they persecute me wrongfully, but my help is in the name of the Lord. O my God, I wait on Thee.' I know that I shall not be disappointed of my hope; 'I know whom I have believed'; 'Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.' This word 'trouble' occurs repeatedly in the 107th Psalm, as for instance, 'They cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.' Here, it is not sin which is the trouble of which the Psalmist speaks; Israel was God's own redeemed people already; it is sorrow, from which he prays that they may be redeemed; he seeks deliverance for them from the troubles and afflictions of this life, and he uses the strongest language possible when he says, 'Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his trouble.' Yes, beloved friends, He not only redeems us from sin, but from sorrow and suffering. Himself bare our sins and carried our sorrows; He took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses. Not only did He put them away, He took them on Himself in all their details; the 'groans, the tears, the agonies and cries,' all these were borne by Him, that they should burden us no more. Oh for a realising view of the great, the unsearchable love of Christ in thus redeeming us, not only from our sins, but our sorrows! Child of God, that very trouble which is now sinking into your heart, He bore it, and bore it for you! Oh, let us seek, by God's grace, to live more in the realized sense of this great redemption; to go forth into the future that may lie before us, meeting its unknown and dark places with a stedfast eye, because that is fixed on Him, and so when trials and sorrows befal us, we shall hear in every one of them His voice saying,

eye

'My child, fear not! this very grief which is now troubling thee, this very sorrow, this very anxiety, this very care, I have Myself borne on the cross, and it is not possible that you can be crushed by it.' And so, beloved Christian friends, as we go on our several ways, (and God only knows whither those ways may lead,) let this be the language of our hearts, Jesus, Thy will be done. All is right, all is well and wise, kind and loving! Jesus, I will trust in Thee. The redemption price is full, complete for evermore; Thou hast borne my sins and carried my sorrows; I will go forward in Thy name, looking unto Thee for help, for strength, for guidance. I will “hope in the Lord," for with Him there is mercy and " plenteous redemption."

Jesus, I will trust Thee, trust Thee with my soul;
Guilty, lost, and helpless, Thou canst make me whole,
There is none in heaven, or on earth like Thee;
Thou hast died for sinners-therefore, Lord, for me.

Jesus, I may trust Thee, Name of matchless worth,
Spoken by the angel at Thy wondrous birth;
Written, and for ever, on Thy cross of shame,
Sinners read and worship, trusting in that Name.

Jesus, I must trust Thee, pondering Thy ways,
Full of love and mercy all Thine earthly days;
Sinners gathered round Thee, lepers sought Thy face,
None too vile or loathsome for a Saviour's grace.

Jesus, I can trust Thee, trust Thy written word,
Though Thy voice of pity I have never heard;
When Thy Spirit teacheth, to my taste how sweet,—
Only may I hearken, sitting at Thy feet.

Jesus, I do trust Thee, trust without a doubt,
Whosoever cometh, Thou wilt not cast out;
Faithful is Thy promise, precious is Thy blood;
These my soul's salvation, Thou my Saviour God.

WALKER.

PSALM XXVI.

COMPASSING THE ALTAR.

'Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.

'Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. 'For Thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in Thy truth.

'I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dis

semblers.

'I have hated the congregation of evildoers; and will not sit with the wicked.

'I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass Thine altar, O Lord:

"That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Thy wondrous works.

'Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thine honour dwelleth.

'Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: 'In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. 'But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

'My foot standeth in an even place in the congregations will I bless the Lord.'

THE central thought of this Psalm is contained in the 6th verse, 'I will wash mine hands in innocency, so will I compass Thine altar, O Lord:' and around this thought, and in connection with it, all the other statements of the Psalm are gathered. The altar which the Psalmist here speaks of 'compassing' was that of burnt sacrifice, and by saying that he will compass it,' he means that he will diligently and constantly frequent it. When he says, 'I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass Thine altar, O Lord,' the idea in his mind is that of the sacrifice and atonement which were made upon that altar. Thus he desired to come, cleansed, washed, and purified in that precious blood of which

prays

Therefore he clean heart, O This altar I

the other was but a type and emblem. in another Psalm, 'Create in me a God, and renew a right spirit within me.' will often frequent; I will constantly be found there. And I will come there only as a poor sinner, having no worthiness of my own, trusting only to Thy cleansing power: 'I will wash mine hands in innocency, so will I compass Thine altar, O Lord.'

'Judge me,' or, 'give sentence with or from me.' It is as though he had said, 'As a servant of the Lord I am not understood by the people of the world. It is the Lord whom I would have to judge me, to give sentence for me according to the right, not according to my right, but to Thy right. Give sentence for me Thyself, 'plead Thou my cause, O Lord, and fight against them that fight against me.'

"

For I have walked in mine integrity,' or in my sincerity. The Psalmist could urge that plea, beloved friends. How weak soever his desires might be, how feeble soever his endeavours after holiness, at least they were sincere. Therefore he could say, 'Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in mine integrity; I have trusted also in the Lord, therefore I shall not slide.' This was the secret of David's safety. He did not trust for one moment in his own sincerity. He had no confidence in himself. I have trusted also in the Lord.' Oh, that we could all more fully enter into this feeling; then should we go on our way safely, 'looking unto Jesus,' finding all our joy, as well as all our peace and confidence, in Him. Therefore, I shall not slide.' And then, he goes 'Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.' Surely, dear friends, this is not the language of a proud or self-righteous man; not as the Pharisee, 'I thank Thee that I am not as other men are;' but rather as the poor publican, 'God be merciful to me a sinner.' Do Thou, Father, by Thine own Spirit and power examine

on,

me and prove me, and try my reins and my heart. Whatever there is of life must come from thence; therefore, 'O Lord, try my reins and my heart.' 'Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.'

'For Thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes.' The idea of sacrifice was not in his mind, as a thing of blood and terror, but as the exceeding great proof of a love stronger than death, and a mercy and grace freely bestowed upon him, through the death of another, and that other the Son of God Himself, by whom alone he could ever be reconciled unto God. And so by faith, even amid the comparatively dim light of the types and shadows, he looked forward to that day when God would indeed provide Himself a Lamb for a burnt offering; and thus he says, having Thy lovingkindness before mine eyes, I have walked in Thy truth.' I have not sat with vain persons,' with such as make light of sacred things; I will have nothing to do with that company; 'neither will I go in with dissemblers,' those who profess to love and serve my Master, and yet love Him not, nor serve Him; with such I will have no intercourse. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; I will not sit with the wicked.' My trust shall be in the Lord, and in Him alone, and I know that I'shall not be ashamed,' I 'shall not slide.' That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Thy wondrous works.' Thanksgiving, beloved friends; yes, truly, for the great blessings of light and life which He hath brought. Are they not deserving of our continued thanksgiving? Who can fathom the depth of that love which has provided that whosoever cometh and believeth in Christ shall be received, saved and justified freely from all things? Well might the Psalmist go on to say, 'Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thine