Jehovah, our Redeemer, is the person whose praises are to be sung. They are to be sung in a "new" song; a song calculated to celebrate new mercies, prefigured by old ones wrought for Israel in former times; a song fit for the voices of renewed and regenerate men to sing in the new Jerusalem, in those new heavens and that new earth, which constitute the new creation, or kingdom of Jesus Christ. And as the mercies of God are universal, extending themselves not only to the Jews, but to all the nations of the earth, all the nations of the earth are therefore exhorted to bear a part in this new song: "Sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth." Thus St. John, after reckoning up the 144,000, or full number of those who were sealed to salvation from among the tribes of Israel, proceeds to tell us, that he "beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands." All these sung a new song, which none could learn but the redeemed; they "cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb." See Rev. v. vii. xiv.

2. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day.

Again are we excited to sing unto the Lord Jesus, and in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, to bless his saving NAME. The latter clause of the verse is very expressive in the original,

"preach," or, "evangelize his salvation from day to day;" let it be the constant theme of all your discourses; publish it to the world in every possible way, by your words, and by your actions;

and while God allows you breath and life, let one day transmit the glorious employment to another, until it be resumed and continued in heaven to all eternity.

3. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.

The "glory" of Messiah in his incarnation, his life, his death, resurrection, ascension, and kingdom, the "wonders" or miracles by Him wrought upon the bodies and souls of men; these were the things "declared among the heathen," even "among all people," by the Apostles and their successors; these things are still declared, by the Scriptures read, and sermons preached in the Church, which was gathered originally from among the Gentiles.

4. For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5. For all the gods of the nations are idols, or, things of nought: but the LORD made the heavens.

Christ is to be celebrated, his glory and wonders are to be declared, because He is, in every possible sense, "great" great in dignity, in power, in mercy; and therefore "greatly to be praised" by every creature. The heavens and heavenly bodies. adored by the nations were no gods, but the works of "his" hands, who had fixed his everlasting throne high above them all. At the publication of the Gospel, idolatry fell before it; and what is the world itself but one great idol, which is to fall and disappear in like manner?

6. Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

What are the splendour and magnificence of earthly courts, when compared with that glory and majesty, the unutterable brightness of which fills the court of the heavenly King? Some por

tion of this celestial light is communicated, through grace, to the Christian Church, which is described by St. John, under images borrowed from the figurative sanctuary, and the earthly Jerusalem, as an edifice composed of gold and precious stones, illuminated by the glory of God and the Lamb residing in the midst of it. See Rev. xxi.

7. Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds, or, families, or, tribes of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 8. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

In these three verses, the tribes of the spiritual Israel are enjoined to ascribe to their Redeemer all "glory and strength," as essentially inherent in Him, and by Him communicated to his people; to give Him the entire "glory of his name," and of that "salvation" imported by it; to bring the "sacrifices" of the new law, and to assemble in the "courts" of his house; to worship Him in that "beauty of holiness" which is constituted by the regular and solemn services of the Church; to "fear" and obey Him, as the subjects of a King invested with plenitude of power in heaven and earth.

10. Say among the heathen, that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.

In other words-Make proclamation, therefore, 0 ye apostles and preachers of the Gospel, that a new and eternal kingdom is erected; the usurped empire of Satan is overthrown, and the Lord Jesus, having redeemed mankind, reigneth in the hearts of his people by faith; a community is formed, not upon the plan of secular policy, but upon the

Divine principle of heavenly love; it is established on immovable foundations, nor shall the gates of hell prevail against it; righteousness shall dwell in it, since He, who is the King of righteousness, presides, directs, and determines all things by his Word and his Spirit.

11. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. 12. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord.

Transported with a view of these grand events, and beholding in spirit the advent of King Messiah, the Psalmist exults in most jubilant and triumphant strains, calling the whole creation to break forth into joy and to celebrate the glories of redemption. The heavens, with the innumerable orbs fixed in them, which, while they roll and shine, declare the glory of beatified saints; the earth, which, made fertile by celestial influences, showeth the work of grace on the hearts of men here below; the field, which, crowned with a produce of an hundred fold, displayeth an emblem of the fruit yielded by the seed of the Word in the Church; the trees of the wood, lofty, verdant, and diffuse, apt representatives of holy persons, those "trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah," Isa. Ixi. 3, whose examples are eminent, fair, and extensive; all these are, by the prophet, excited to join in a chorus of thanksgiving to the Maker and Redeemer of the world.

13. For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

The coming of Christ is twofold; first He came to sanctify the creature, and He will come again to glorify it. Either of his kingdoms, that of

VOL. II.

L

grace, or that of glory, may be signified by his "judging the world in righteousness and truth." If creation be represented as rejoicing at the establishment of the former, how much greater will the joy be at the approach of the latter; seeing that, notwithstanding Christ be long since come in the flesh, though He be ascended into heaven, and have sent the Spirit from thence, yet "the whole creation," as the Apostle speaks, Rom. viii. 22, "groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, expecting to be delivered, from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body;" when at the renovation of all things, man, new made, shall return to the days of his youth, to begin an immortal spring, and be for ever young.

PSALM XCVII.

ARGUMENT.

In this Psalm, 1, the reign of Christ is again celebrated, and the nations are again called to rejoice on that account: 2-7, He is described as taking vengeance on his enemies, overthrowing idolatry in the heathen world, commanding adoration from all creatures, and, 8, 9, inspiring gladness into the Church, by subduing her enemies: 10-12, the duties of holiness, thankfulness, and religious joy, are inculcated.

1. The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of the isles be glad thereof.

Triumphant over death and hell, the Lord Jesus is gone up on high, and "reigneth." What greater cause can the whole earth have to "rejoice;" yea, even the most distant isles of the Gentiles to "be glad" and to sing for joy; since they are all become his subjects, and share the unspeakable