stand and wait;' but all through much tribulation.' He may send us trouble and sorrow, beloved, on our pilgrim way, but what of that, if by its means we are fitted to engage in the Lord's work? His service is 'perfect freedom' to us even now, when compassed with a frail body of sin and death, and we know that there is a time coming, when we shall mount up as on eagles' wings, when we shall run and not be weary, and walk, and not faint; when we shall no longer have to say, Lord, it is done as Thou hast commanded, but alas, what sin and weakness have marred the work, what forgetfulness of Thee, what coldness of heart! There will be nothing of all this left; the dross shall have been all purged away, and only the most fine gold will remain for ever; all that has so sadly marred our service here shall have been removed, and we shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of our Father.' 'Prayer also shall be made for Him continually, and daily shall He be praised.' May all blessings be upon His head:' all His people desire that His cause may prosper, therefore do they hourly cry, Thy kingdom come.' 'Prayer for Jesus is a very sweet idea, and one which should be for evermore lovingly carried out, for the Church is Christ's body, and the truth is His sceptre, therefore we pray for Him, when we pray for these. It is worth noting also the fact mentioned by an old divine, that, in all conquered countries two things marked the subjection of the people 1. Their money was stamped with the name of the conqueror; 2. They were obliged to pray for him in their acts of public worship. And daily shall He be praised ' 'For Him shall constant prayer be made, What a glorious prospect is this, beloved, to carry us above all the trials and sorrows which may be our portion here: shall we not say with St. Paul, I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.' There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.' The commencement of the Saviour's kingdom upon earth is small indeed; as a mere handful of corn;' for it is the day of small things, and it is on the top of the mountains; the ground seems dry, barren, and unprofitable, and forgetting that from small beginnings great results shall spring, we despair of a harvest-home. But wait yet a little longer till this glorious day shall dawn, and then, from the remotest ends of the earth, shall be gathered in a glorious harvest for the Lord of Hosts 'And the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon;' so rich and full, that the wind rustling through it shall sound like the cedars of Lebanon. The beginning how small, a handful,' but the end how infinitely glorious! 'And they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth;' literally,' they shall glitter like the blossoming of the grass after rain.' Yes, when God's children are at length made fair and perfect in His likeness, freed from each spot and stain, purified, refined and clothed with glory, honour, and immortality, they shall glitter as bright jewels in His crown of glory, and shine as the stars for ever and ever. 'His Name shall endure for ever: His Name shall be continued as long as the sun and men shall be blessed in Him: all nations shall call Him blessed.' While time is measured out by days Jesus shall be glorious among men.' Not only shall some glorify the Lord, but all shall call Him blessed,' the righteous King in His eternal righteousness and glory. Then, when the Bride shall be brought home to her Lord for ever, clothed in white raiment, pure, and shining, 'all glorious within,' when every kindred and tongue shall sing aloud their hallelujahs to Him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever, He shall take unto Him His great power and reign. The promise was made of old unto the fathers, that in these latter days the kingdom of Messiah should be set up, that all other kingdoms should perish before it, and the rule of the Prince of Peace be established in righteousness. And shall not this promise be fulfilled? It rests on the faith of Him who cannot lie; it is based on the eternal truth of the living God. Can we not even now hear the sound of His chariot wheels? Surely, 'He cometh to be admired in His saints;' to cause every foe to submit himself to His power; to rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. 'Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.' Verse 20. The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.' There was no more that David could ask. He has climbed the summit of the mount of God; he desires nothing more; with this upon his lips he is content to die. He strips himself of his own royalty, and becomes only the son of Jesse,' thrice happy to subside into nothing before the crowned Messiah. Like Simeon his language was, 'Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.' prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.' King Eternal and Immortal, We, the children of an hour, Bend in lowly adoration, At the whisper of Thy power. 'The Myriad ages in Thy sight Are but as the fleeting day; Like a vision of the night Worlds may rise and pass away. All Thy glories are eternal, None shall ever pass away; Thou art God from everlasting, Ere the beat of seraph heart; And Thy years shall have no end, F. R. HAVERGAL. PSALM LXXX. 1-7. THE SHINING OF HIS FACE. 'Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. 'Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up Thy strength, and come and save us. 'Turn us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. 'O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt Thou be angry against the prayer of Thy people? 'Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure. 'Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves. 'Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.' WE have here another Asaph-prayer,' full of pleas on behalf of Israel. The Psalmist calls to mind the days of Joseph, when the Lord miraculously fed the Israelites in Egypt; and still further the days of the tabernacle, when the Lord was known to dwell between the cherubim, upon the mercy-seat. He recalls to mind wilderness times' (v. 2), when their march was gladdened by His presence, Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh looking on the Pillar of Glory as it rose before them, the guide and partner of their way.' 'O God, bring us back again! cause Thy face to shine, and all shall be well again1!' The writer of this Psalm, evidently looking back upon a season of great declension among the Jews, and of consequent severe suffering and trial upon their part, yet draws encouragement for himself and for them in dwelling upon the infinite greatness of Jehovah, and in the consideration of His almighty power to rescue His suffering people. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel.' How tender the expression! He does not say, 'O King,' or 'O Jehovah,' but 'O Shepherd of Israel.' He is the great and Good Shepherd; and in selecting a name so full of tenderness, it would seem as if the Psalmist would say, These sheep have sorely wandered, they have strayed far away upon the dark mountains of sin, yet after all their backsliding it is still, O Lord, Thy 'little flock;' Thou hast tended it, and watched over it, Thou hast carefully guarded its tender lambs, and though now they have sinned against Thee, though they have gone astray like lost sheep, Thou wilt not leave them to perish. Thou hast said that none shall pluck them out of Thine hand. O come then and help us; listen to the cries of these Thy sheep; arise for their help; stir up Thy strength, and come and save us.' Then Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock.' 'Joseph' is here singled out because of the marvellous and especial proofs of God's 1 A. Bonar. G g с |