CHAPTER ONE

Contents: The two ways of man.

Characters: God, righteous man, ungodly man.

Conclusion: Blessed is the man whose footsteps are ordered by the Word of God for he shall find both peace and prosperity. Those who are without God are being hurried to a terrible doom.

Key Word: Godly and ungodly, vv. 1, 4.

Strong Verses:   2, 3.

Striking Facts: Our Lord Jesus was the typical "blessed man" who delighted to do the Father's will.

CHAPTER TWO

Contents: The psalm of the king; rejected, established and finally reigning.

Characters: God, Christ, kings of earth.

Conclusion: The kings of earth are ever setting themselves in array against God and His Annointed King, but in the day when He conies those who will not bend will be broken. Infinitely wise is he who yields his life to Jesus now and dreadful is the folly of those who continue in enmity to Him.

Key Word: God's King, v. 6.

Strong Verses:   8, 12.

Striking Facts: v. 12. The yoke of Christ is intolerable to a graceless neck but to the sinner, saved by His precious blood, it is easy and light. Matt. 11:29.

CHAPTER THREE

Contents: A prayer of David (when he fled from Absalom).

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: God is a shield for His trusting people. He wards off the fiery darts of Satan and the storms of trouble, at the same time speaking peace to the tempest within the breast.

Key Word: Sustained, v. 5.

Strong Verses:   3, 5, 6.

Striking Facts: In many of the psalms of David, we can see more of David's Lord than of David himself. The agonies of Christ are wonderfully portrayed in this chapter.

CHAPTER FOUR

Contents: David's exhortation to others to serve God.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The godly are chosen, and by distinguished grace set apart and separated from men, all the longings of the soul being satisfied in God. How rash are they, who by rejecting Christ, hate their own mercies merely that they might discover the vanities of sin.

Key Word: Godliness, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   5, 8.

Striking Facts: v. 5. Let the sinner flee to the sacrifice of Calvary and there put his whole trust, for He who died was none other than the Lord Jehovah.

CHAPTER FIVE

Contents: David's prayer in which he extols God's holiness and asks judgment upon the wicked.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Prayer should be both the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening. If we pledge ourselves to Him at the beginning of day, taking sides with Him against the things He abhors, we will be apt to find His way straight before our faces throughout the day.

Key Word: Prayer, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   3, 11, 12.

Striking Facts: v. 7. (Worship toward the temple.) The temple shadowed forth the body of Christ, our Mediator, in whom alone our prayers are accepted with the Father. In our praying the soul should ever look toward Him.

CHAPTER SIX

Contents: David in weakness seeks God's help.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Our way often lies through a vale of tears, but there is One whom we can trust in the greatest straits and difficulties and who can dry our tears and stop our pains. To Him let us betake ourselves waiting upon Him in earnest prayer.

Key Word: Sore vexed, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   9.

Striking Facts: v. 2. In this psalm of sorrow, David is seen as a type of Christ who wept and cried out "My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death," but found strength to sustain in the Father above.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Contents: David prays for deliverance from persecutors.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: When the believer is slandered he has the court of heaven to fly to and a righteous Judge who is the patron of oppressed innocence. He will be our defense and will return upon the wicked their shame. Self-vindication is not judicious or serviceable.

Key Word: Persecutors, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   9, 10, 16.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Contents: Meditation on the majesty of God's works and the insignificance of man.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: When we consider the majesty of God's wonderful works in the universe, we cannot but wonder that He should notice such a mean creature as man, yet we may be sure he takes precedence of all the inhabitants of this world, being made but a little lower than angels.

Key Word: Excellence, vv. 1, 9.

Strong Verses:   4, 5, 9.

Striking Facts: The psalm wonderfully foreshadows Christ. He was the revelation of the Father's excellent name; His glory is set above the heavens; He has sovereign dominion and it is He whom God has clothed with glory and honor. For a little time He was made lower than angels, when He took upon Himself the form of a servant. All creatures are under His feet and will eventually own Him to be Lord of all.

CHAPTER NINE

Contents: Praise for victory over enemies.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: In the midst of all distresses, we may by faith find a refuge in God and when victory comes, we should not forget that He expects returns of praise.

Key Word: Praise, vv. 1, 11.

Strong Verses:   9, 10, 16, 18.

Striking Facts: v. 18 is one of the sweet promises of the Bible. When pleaded before the throne in the name of the Lord Jesus, who is indeed Himself the great Promise of the Bible, it will be found exceedingly precious.

CHAPTER TEN

Contents: The psalmist meditates on the wicked and desires to see them humbled under God's hand.

Characters: Psalmist, God.

Conclusion: The Christian cannot but lay to heart that which is offensive to God, feeling a tender compassion for those who are oppressed and a zeal for the honor of God. Let us look to God with a firm belief that He will at the proper time give redress to the injured and reckon with the oppressors.

Key Word: Wicked, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   17, 18.

Striking Facts: v. 16. We shall speed well if we carry our complaints to the King of Kings, for at the throne of the Lord Jesus, all wrongs will be redressed. "Come quickly Lord Jesus."

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Contents: The doom of the wicked.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: If we get the vision of God on His throne, governing all creatures, rendering to all according to their works, we shall then see no reason to be discouraged by the power of oppressors but will rest in Him.

Key Word: Wicked, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   4, 7.

Striking Facts: v. 4. There is One who pleads His precious blood in our behalf in the temple above and an Intercessor at the right hand of the throne who is never deaf to the cries of His trusting people.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Contents: A prayer for help against oppressors.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The believer is commonly tempted to think that because trouble has lasted long, it will last always, but if he will bring his cares and griefs to the throne of grace, he may go away with praise, being assured that all will be well at last.

Key Word: Oppressors, v. 5.

Strong Verses:   3, 6.

Striking Facts: v. 6. Some see in the seven-fold trying of God's Word, an allusion to the seven dispensations of man or to the seven periods of the church, or to that perfection signified in the number seven to which the Scriptures will have been brought at the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Contents: Prayer for deliverance from enemies.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The believer's desires often turn to impatience, for days seem long when the soul is cast down, but because God's face is hidden, it does not follow that His heart has forgotten. If we hold to God by faith, we will at the same time be assured that victory is coming and that, after all, God has dealt bountifully with us.

Key Word: Supplication, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   6.

Striking Facts: If, after all our pains, we find Jesus Christ in a new way, it will make full amends for all our long patience.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Contents: The corruption and foolishness of man.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Man in his natural state has become odious to God, utterly incapable of answering the ends of his creation, until by God's free grace, a change has been wrought.

Key Word: Corrupt, v. 1.

Strong Verses: 3 .

Striking Pacts: The only perfect goodness is to be found in Jesus Christ. All have sinned and come short of God's standard; all are therefore concluded under sin, in the same state of damnation, until by God's grace and faith in Christ, they are regenerated.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Contents: Those who shall dwell with God.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Those who would find their way to heaven must have some of heaven in them on their way there. The child of God will walk in the ordinances of the Lord, abhorring that which dishonors Him.

Key Word: Who shall abide, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   1, 2.

Striking Facts: v. 1. When we are taught of God, we will see that only our spotless Lord can find acceptance before the Majesty on High. Until we are "in Christ," conformed to His image, there is no abiding place for us in His tabernacle.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Contents: Meditation on the goodness of God.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Those who commit themselves to God's care and submit themselves to God's guidance will find a blessed portion in Him. If we have the pleasures of His favor, we should not fail to give Him the praise of it.

Key Word: Goodly heritage, v. 6.

Strong Verses:   8, 10, 11.

Striking Facts: It was the Lord Jesus, who in the fullest sense made the Father His portion, the Father's glory His highest end and the Father's will His delight. He who in soul and body was- preeminently God's Holy One was loosed from the pains of death because it was not possible that He should be holden of it. (vv. 8-10.)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Contents: David prays for relief from the pressure of enemies.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: If we are abused and misrepresented, we have a righteous God to go to whose judgment is according to the truth and by whose decisions there will be rendered to every man his due. In the prospect of awaking with His likeness, we can cheerfully waive the enjoyments of this life and suffer with patience.

Key Word: Oppressors, v. 9.

Strong Verses:   8, 15.

Striking Facts: v. 15. It is in Christ alone, the first born from the dead, the express image of Jehovah's glory, that the saints will rise immortal, incorruptible, to be eternally satisfied in heaven. We shall see Him as He is and be made like Him.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Contents: Praise for God's marvelous deliverances.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: God not only will deliver His trusting people out of their difficulties in due time, but will give them grace to bear up under their trials in the meantime. Give God the glory of all the deliverances and advancements of His Kingdom.

Key Word: Delivered, vv. 17, 50.

Strong Verses:   2, 3, 30, 32.

Striking Facts: David is here a type of Christ who was brought safely through all conflicts with the forces of evil and given to be head over all. Though He sees not yet all things put under Him, yet He knows that He shall reign until all opposing rule is put down and all men acknowledge Him to be both Lord and Christ.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Contents: God's revelation of Himself in the book of nature, book of the law and the book of human life.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: God makes Himself known through three great books, all of which have as their theme the glory and handiwork of God. The book of nature (vv. 1-6) is read by every human being. The book of the law (vv. 7-14) converts the soul and becomes an unfailing guide. The book of human life (vv. 12-14) is a Bible to the unsaved world and must therefore be maintained with unspotted pages.

Key Word: Glory of God, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   1, 7, 14.

Striking Facts: Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, is the Bridegroom who rejoices to reveal Himself to men and like the champion, wins glory to Himself in His union with His Bride, the true church.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Contents: A prayer for God's annointed people.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The children of this world trust in second causes and rise or fall with them but those who have a believing and obedient trust in God have the sure way to preferment and establishment.

Key Word: Saving strength, vv. 1, 6.

Strong Verses:   7.

Striking Facts: vv. 3, 5. In all our conflicts, we are to have an eye to the

I sacrifice of Jesus, pausing ever at His cross before we march on to battle. Come what may, having trusted in His finished work, we may then rejoice in His saving arm.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Contents: Praise for blessing and confidence for further victory.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Let praise be the blossom of prayer. Though we cannot sing a note in honor of our own strength, we can always rejoice in our omnipotent God, if we have trusted all to Him.

Key Word: Answered prayer, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   8, 13.

Striking Facts: vv. 2, 5, 6. The psalm looks forward to Jesus, who is God over all blessed forever; once crowned with thorns but now wearing the glory crown. He is the Pleader whose requests are never withheld. Let us make use of this all-prevailing Intercessor.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Contents: David in great perplexity cries for help.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Trouble and perplexity drive us to earnest prayer and earnest prayer drives away trouble and perplexity. To fall upon the knees is the surest way to whip the enemy.

Key Word: Trouble, v. 11.

Strong Verses:   22, 24, 27.

Striking Facts: The psalm gives a graphic picture of the death of the Lord Jesus and is called "the psalm of the cross. "We see both the sufferings ofChrist and the glory to follow. Oh for grace to draw near and see this great sight. (Read Matt. 27.)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Contents: David sees Jehovah as his good shepherd.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Jehovah is with (v. 1) under (v. 2) beside (v. 2) after (v. 6) before (v. 5) and ahead of (v. 6) all His trusting children. They shall not want for food (v. 2) drink (v. 2) strength (v. 3) guidance (v. 3) comfort (v. 4) satisfaction (v. 5) or life (v. 6).

Key Word: Shepherd, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   1, 4.

Striking Facts: The shepherd psalm follows the psalm of the cross. We must by experience know the value of the blood shed on Calvary's cross and see the sword awakened against the Shepherd before we can truly know the sweetness of the Good Shepherd's care. Psa. 22 is the Good Shepherd dying for His sheep. (Jno. 10:11.) Psa. 23 is the Great Shepherd caring for His sheep. (Heb. 13:20.) Psa. 24 is the Chief Shepherd coming again for His sheep. (1 Pet. 5:4.)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Contents: The one who shall stand before Jehovah.

Character: God.

Conclusion: Those who have been made meet for heaven shall be brought safely into God's presence. While none may venture to meet God's standards on the footing of the law, God's grace in Christ can make us meet.

Key Word: Blessing and righteousness, v. 5.

Strong Verses:   1, 3, 4.

Striking Facts: Christ, the ascended Savior, is here seen as Head and Crown of the universe, the King of Glory. He it was who could ascend the hill of the Lord, meeting perfectly all requirements. He has entered there as the forerunner of all who trust Him and shortly is coming out again to be acknowledged King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Contents: Prayer for guidance, forgiveness, mercy and deliverance.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: It is our duty and privilege to trustingly wait upon the Lord in adoration, supplication and service all the days of our lives. Those whose hearts are right with Him, shall not err for want of heavenly direction in any time of perplexity.

Key Word: Prayer, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   9, 14.

Striking Facts: v. 8. Good and upright. God's goodness and uprightness are in perfect union. They were perfectly blended in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on Calvary. Because God Himself has paid the price of the cross, He can be just and yet justify the ungodly; His goodness and righteousness are harmonized. Faith in this sacrifice is the sinner's only hope of being delivered.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Contents: David prays for vindication and deliverance and pledges faithfulness.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: It is a great comfort to those who have a clear conscience toward God that He is a witness to their sincerity and as the righteous God will sooner or later vindicate them.

Key Word: Examine, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   6, 7, 11.

Striking Facts: In this chapter is seen a type of Christ who was made a reproach of men and who forewarned His followers that it would also be their portion to have all manner of evil spoken against them falsely for His sake.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Contents: David glories in Jehovah's name and expresses triumphant faith.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: God is the believer's light and strength by whom and in whom he lives. We should therefore let the heart be fixed in Him and the mind stayed upon Him, waiting His deliverance in all circumstances.

Key Word: God's goodness, v. 13.

Strong Verses:   1, 3, 5, 10, 14.

Striking Facts: v. 12. We get here a picture of Christ against whom false witnesses arose, breathing out cruelty, but though He was delivered into their wicked hands, He was not delivered to their wills, for God exalted Him far above all principality and power.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Contents: Prayer for deliverance from enemies and testimony as to answered prayer.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The Lord is our strength to support us in either service orsuffering, as well as our shield to protect us from the designs of theenemy. The heart that truly believes in Him shall in due time greatly rejoice.

Key Word: Supplication, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   7.

Striking Facts: v. 2. The holy place within the veil was the place where the ark and mercy seat were which foreshadowed the Lord Jesus. If we gain acceptance in prayer, we must ever turn ourselves to the blood-sprinkled mercy seat of His atonement.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Contents: Adoration of God's mighty power.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Let the crowns, the great ones of earth, acknowledge their dependence upon God and join in worship to the blessed and only Potentate of the universe. Word: Power and majesty, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   2, 11.

Striking Facts: v. 11, Peace. Jesus, the mighty God, is our peace. Having purchased the peace of pardon on the cross, He bequeathed it in His promise to His followers, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you."

CHAPTER THIRTY

Contents: Thanksgiving for answer to prayer.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: We should hem all our blessings with praise lest they unravel. Let us never forget to pray, nor ever doubt the success of prayer.

Key Word: Thanks, v. 12.

Strong Verses:   4, 5.

Striking Facts: v. 7. The Lord Jesus is able to bring substantial consolation to the believer. He Himself was for a time deserted of the Father that those who believe on Him might not be deserted eternally.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Contents: David implores God's help against enemies and extols God for hispreservation.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: All our affairs are safe in Jehovah's hands; without reservation therefore, we should yield ourselves to the Father's hand to be sanctified by His grace, devoted to His honor, employed in His service and fitted for His Kingdom.

Key Word: Trouble, v. 9.

Strong Verses:   19, 20, 24.

Striking Facts: v. 5. These living words of David were our Lord's dying words from the cross when He made His soul an offering for sin.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Contents: The blessedness of those whose sin is forgiven.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The only cover that will hide our sins forever away from God's sight is that provided in the atoning death of His Son. He is blessed indeed who has a Substitute who assumes all accounts to stand for him. If the believer does not humble himself by the confession of his sins to God, God will humble him by chastisements.

Key Word: Forgiven, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   1, 8.

Striking Facts: v. 2. The righteousness of Christ being imputed to the believer and the believer being made the righteousness of God "in Him" his iniquity is not set to his account. Christ took upon Himself the iniquity of us all and was made sin for us.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Contents: Praise of God's wisdom and power.

Characters: Psalmist, God.

Conclusion: The righteous who know the goodness of God should never be empty of His praises. Though the residence of God's glory is in the highest heavens, yet His eye is upon every inhabitant of earth and no detail of their lives escapes His observation.

Key Word: Praise, v, 2.

Strong Verses:   4, 10, 12.

Striking Facts: v. 6. The three persons of the Godhead united in the creation of all things. Christ is the Word, (Jno. 1:1) without whom nothing was made. The Holy Spirit is the breath. God made the world, as He rules it and redeems it, by His Son and Spirit.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Contents: David thankfully records God's goodness and invites the praise of others.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: God's people who share His special favor should concur in His praises and magnify His name together. Upon every fresh occurence of His mercies, let us renew our praises, thus encouraging others to trust Him. The true and only way to happiness is to walk in the love and favor of God.

Key Word: Praise, v 1.

Strong Verse: 1, 7, 10, 15, 19.

Striking Facts: v. 20. Although it is strange that we meet with anything of Christ here, this Scripture is said to have been fulfilled in Christ. Jno. 19:36. The passover lamb of which not a bone was broken prefigured Jesus and at the same time the complete keeping of His Body, the Church.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Contents: An appeal to heaven for the confusion of enemies.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The most righteous men and the most righteous causes may expect to meet with many mighty and malicious enemies. The safest place to leave a righteous cause is with the righteous God who is able to give judgment upon it in the right way and at the right time. If God is our friend, it does not matter who our enemies are.

Key Word: Persecutors, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   27, 28.

Striking Facts: Herein David was a type of Christ to whom the wicked world was most ungrateful (Jno. 10:32) and who was slandered as no one else ever was (Matt. 26:60). If we are falsely charged, let us remember that so persecuted they the prophets and our Lord Himself.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Contents: The wicked contrasted with the righteous and the Lord of devoutmen extolled.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Sinners are self destroyers and when sin is finally made to appear in its true colors to them, they will be made a terror to themselves.But whatever is amiss with the world, we may be sure there is nothing amiss with Jehovah and that those who cleave closely to Him shall be eternally satisfied.

Key Word: Wicked, v. 1 (satisfaction, v. 8).

Strong Verses:   7, 8, 9.

Striking Facts: v. 9. Prom the Lord Jesus as the self-sufficient spring (Jno. 4:14), proceeds our life and by Him it is sustained. In His light we see light. We cannot see Jesus by the light of self, but we see self in the light of Jesus.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Contents: The riddle of the prosperity of the wicked and the affliction of the righteous.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The believer should never waste a minute fretting about his enemies, but should look forward with the eye of faith, when he will see no reason to envy wicked people their short-lived prosperity. Those who make God their heart's delight will have their heart's desire and will be fully satisfied in Him.

Key Word: Evil doers, v. 1, and righteous, v. 37.

Strong Verses:   I, 3, 4, 5, 7, 16, 23, 24.

Striking Facts: Come what may, the saints are safe in Christ Jesus and because He lives, they shall live also. As heirs with Him, heaven and eternity shall be theirs. Who would not be a Christian on such terms, in spite of all the oppression of the godless?

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Contents: David's grief, complaints and confession.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: God often contends with His children to awaken their consciences and to set their sins in order before them for their humiliation. If we are truly penitent for sin, we will make a particular acknowledgment of what we have done amiss and God will then restore the joy of salvation, with patience to bear our affliction.

Key Word: Bowed down, v. 6.

Strong Verses:   15.

Striking Facts: v. 3. This is the condition of every awakened conscience until given relief through the Lord Jesus. When man sees himself in the light of God's Word applied by the Spirit, he must acknowledge his depravity and helplessness to get deliverance apart from Jesus Christ.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Contents: The psalmist, bowed down with sorrow and sickness, is burdened with unbelieving thoughts and prays for help.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: We should not feed the fire of discontent by poring over our troubles, for we cannot, with all our disquietment, altar the nature of things. Although satisfaction is not to be found at all in the creature, it is always to be found in God, and to Him we should be drawn by our disappointments.

Key Word: Sorrow, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   1.

CHAPTER FORTY

Contents: God's salvation extolled and prayer for deliverance.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Those who seek God in all their perplexities shall rejoice and be glad in Him, for He will not only be found of them, but will be their bountiful rewarder, wherefore, they should say continually, "the Lord be magnified."

Key Word: Praise and prayer, vv. 3, 13.

Strong Verses:   2, 16.

Striking Facts: vv. 6-8. The offerings had their worth only as types of the sacrifice of Christ, but when He came, as it was foretold in the volume of the Book, they ceased to be of worth. He alone completely did the will of God. Our expiation from sin is due not to us, but our Substitute's obedience to the will of Jehovah.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Contents: Prayer for relief from sickness and confession of sins.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: When we suffer in our reputation, our first concern should be about our integrity and we may then trust our reputation to God. His good will is sufficient to secure us from the ill will of all that hate us.

Key Word: Enemies, v. 5.

Strong Verses: 1.

Striking Facts: v. 9. Betrayal was one of the bitterest drops our Lord Jesus had to take. He applied this passage to Himself (Jno. 18:18, 26) as He gave Judas the sop. The believer need not think it strange if he receives abuses from trusted friends.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Contents: The experiences of a much afflicted saint and his confidence in God.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: God often teaches His saints effectually to know the worth of His mercies by causing them to feel the want of them. A believing confidence in God is the best antidote against disquietude of spirit. The way to forget our miseries is to rest in the God of our mercies.

Key Word: Hope, v. 5.

Strong Verses:   5, 11.

Striking Facts: v. 7. Our Lord Jesus, for our sakes, was overwhelmed with a deluge of grief, like that of the old world, when the fountains of the deep were broken up. He endured all the billows of God's wrath against sin.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Contents: Prayer for God's help and leading.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: We need desire no more to give us satisfaction of heart than the good that flows from God's favor. If we conscientiously follow His light and truth, it will certainly bring us to His holy hill above.

Key Word: Oppression, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   3, 5.

Striking Facts: v. 3. No common light can show us the road to heaven, but only that light sent from heaven, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Light and the truth as it is in Jesus, the Light of the world.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Contents: Complaint of the Lord's apparent forgetfulness and entreaty for His help.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: The tokens of God's displeasure are more grievous to those who have been long accustomed to the tokens of His favor, but the remembrance of His former goodness should be a cause of heart searching and a support to faith.

Key Word: Affliction, v. 24.

Strong Verses:   5, 6.

Striking Facts: v. 22. There is a reference here to those who suffer, even unto death, for the testimony of Christ and to whom it is applied in Rom. 8:36.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Contents: A psalm of the King, looking to His advent in glory.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: In the eyes of all those enlightened by the Holy Spirit the Lord Jesus, the King of Kings, excells all the children of men in His excellencies. How much more worthy is He of our love.

Key Word: King, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   6, 7.

Striking Facts: In Jesus, the Annointed King, we behold every feature of a perfect character in harmonious proportion. He will never be so beautiful as when He is seen in union with His Bride, the Church.

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Contents: A psalm of holy confidence in God.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: God's people may count themselves safe and make themselves strong in Him in whom there is always help sufficient, no matter what is the case and exigence.

Key Word: Refuge, v. 1, 11.

Strong Verses:   1, 10.

Striking Facts: v. 4. God the Father is a river (Jer. 2:13). God the Son is a river, the fountain of salvation (Zech. 13:1, 3). God the Spirit is a river (Jno. 7:38; 4:14). The perfections of the Father, the fullness of Christ, the operations of the Holy Spirit these make up the great river that makes glad the city of God.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Contents: The people exhorted to shout over God's triumphs.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: Let all who know God and own His sceptre sing His praises forever; for while we dwell under the shadow of such a throne there is eternal reason for thanksgiving.

Key Word: Praises, v. 6.

Strong Verses:   8.

Striking Facts: The prospect of the coming universal reign of Christ as Prince of Peace is enough to make the tongue of the dumb sing.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

Contents: Praise of the beauty and strength of Mount Zion, the city of God.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: There is one city which is the world's star (Jerusalem), the most precious pearl of all lands, because it is God's city on which His eye is ever resting. (Although it has long been in the dust, it will be restored again as the capital of the whole earth (Isa. 62:6-7; Mic. 4:8).

Key Word: Mount Zion, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   1, 14.

Striking Facts: There is a spiritual Zion equally glorious and which shall never be overthrown, the Church, against which the gates of hell shall not pretvail. She is putting on her garments to welcome the King when He comes to reestablish the literal Zion and to rule over the whole earth.

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

Contents: The despicable character of those who trust in their wealth.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: There is no security in the possession and enjoyment of wealth, for money cannot buy the redemption of the soul. God's children, though poor, are truly happy above the most prosperous of this world because they are guarded against the terrors of death and judgment to come.

Key Word: The rich, v. 6.

Strong Verses:   15, 16, 17.

Striking Facts: v. 7. Christ has done that for us which all the wealth of the world cannot do, redeeming us with His precious blood (1 Pet. 1:18-19). The redemption of the soul is precious because of its tremendous cost. Having been once wrought, it ceases forever, never needing to be repeated. (Heb. 9:25-26; 10:12.)

CHAPTER FIFTY

Contents: The arraignment of the ungodly and the greatness of Jehovah.

Characters: God, Asaph.

Conclusion: Every man shall be called to give an account of himself to God. In that great day, He will make those to hear judgment who would not hearken to His calls in Grace. Those only will be gathered to God who have sincerely covenanted with Him through the sacrifice of His Son.

Key Word: Judgment, v. 6.

Strong Verses:   15, 23.

Striking Facts: v. 5. It is only by the sacrifice of Christ that sinners can be accepted of God. Those who have so covenanted will be gathered unto Christ at His coming (2 Thes. 2:1) to be assessors with Him in the later judgment of the world (1 Cor. 6:2).

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Contents: The penitential prayer of David.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: All the believer's wrong doing comes to a climax at the foot of

the throne, being violation of God's law. While the penalty of sin has

been blotted out by the blood, the defilement of all subsequent sin remains.

Confession brings sin out of its hiding place and enables the sinner to take

sides with God against it. See 1 Jno. 1:9. Key Word: Confession, v. 3. Strong Verses:   1, 7, 10, 17.

Page One Hundred Twenty-Two PSALMS

Striking Facts: v. 7. The sinner is purged by blood upon acceptance of Christ (Heb. 1:3; 9:12; 10:14) which takes away the guilt of sin. The washing (v. 2) takes away the defilement of sin in the Christian, being accomplished by the application of the Word by the Spirit. (Eph. 5:25-26.)

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

Contents: The triumph of God's people over all oppressors.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Those who think to support themselves in their own power and wealth without God and His Word, are wretchedly deceived, for their houses are built on sand. The ruin of mighty, yet godless men cannot but be universally noticed when that day comes.

Key Word: Triumph, v. 6.

Strong Verses:   8, 9.

Striking Facts: v. 8. Those whose confidence is in God are compared to green olive trees, which are fat as well as flourishing (92:14). The wicked are compared (37:35) to a green bay tree, which has an abundance of large leaves but no useful fruit.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

Contents: The foolishness and iniquity of atheism.

Characters : God .

Conclusion: Bad practices are the fruit of bad principles and bad principles are the natural fruit of denial of God. Atheists, whether in opinion or practice, are the biggest fools of earth. There cannot be right living where there is not right believing.

Key Word: Atheist, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   1.

Striking Facts: v. 6. Those who meet the atheism and sinfulness of men cannot but long for the hastening of the glorious return of the Lord Jesus to earth to bring joy to the Church, His Bride, and restoration to His people Israel.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

Contents: Prayer for rescue from oppressors.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: If we are for God, we may be assured God will be for us and that we will have such care from Him that we need never stand in fear of enemies. Let us make His strength our refuge and confidence.

Key Word: Oppressors, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   7.

Striking Facts: v. 6. In all our perplexities, if we have an eye to the Great Sacrifice of Calvary, we can look up and praise God. Apart from our Substitute, we have no ground for prayer.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

Contents: Complaint concerning false friends.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The best salve for every sore is prayer. One of the greatest griefs is to find ourselves deceived in some who have made great pretentions to friendship in the name of religion, but if our minds are stayed on Christ, we may ever have peace of heart, for His peace passes understanding (Phil. 4:6-7).

Key Word: Complaint, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   16, 17, 22.

Striking Facts: David's suffering at the hands of false friends is here a type of Christ's sufferings. Ahitiphel, who is undoubtedly referred to, is a type of Judas, for they both hanged themselves.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

Contents: David pours out complaint about enemies. Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: When we are surrounded on all sides with difficulties and dangers because of enemies, we have but one retreat the mercy of God. Faith in Him will surely banish fear.

Key Word: Enemies, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   3, 4, 11.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

Contents: David in faith pleads God's mercy in his calamities.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: God's glory should be nearer our hearts than any interests of our own. Whatever God performs concerning His people, it will finally appear to have been performed for their benefit. By faith and prayer, let us therefore take refuge in Him in every time of pressure.

Key Word: Calamities, v. 1.

Strong Verse: 3.

Striking Facts: The Psalm may be construed of Christ, who in the days of His flesh was assaulted by the tyranny of enemies. Herod and Pilate, with the Gentiles and Jews furiously raged and took counsel together against Him. The chief priests and princes were like lions in readiness to devour Him. In it all, He taught us that if we seek the Father's glory our interests are safe in His hands.

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

Contents: Prayer for the defeat of ungodly men.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: However wicked people may prosper and bid defiance to divine justice, they will eventually learn that there is a God who judges in the earth. Whatever hazard; whatever hardship, the believer may be assured of being an unspeakable gainer in the issue.

Key Word: Wicked, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   11.

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

Contents: Complaint of the malice of enemies and comfort and confidencein God.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Those who are for Christ's sake, harmless and innocent may expect to be hated of wicked men. It is their wisdom and duty in times of such difficulties, to wait upon God, for He is their defense, their refuge in whom they shall be safe.

Key Word: Enemies, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   9, 16, 17.

Striking Facts: v. 6. The persecutors of our Lord Jesus are compared to dogs (22:16). They ran Him down with barking, for otherwise they could have found no way to take Him. What they lacked in reason and justice, they made up in noise.

CHAPTER SIXTY

Contents: Prayer for the deliverance of God's people from enemies.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: God often gives His own people a hard course in this world that they may not take up their rest in the world but may dwell at ease in Him alone.

Key Word: Prayer, vv. 1, 11.

Strong Verses:   11, 12.

Striking Facts: v. 4. Christ, the Son of David, is given for an ensign of the people (Isa. 11:10), a banner to those who fear God. His love is the banner over them. In His name and power they war against the powers of darkness. Let us unfurl our banners to the breeze in confident joy.

CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

Contents: Encouraged by experiences and expectation, David calls on Godfor further deliverance.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Past experiences of the benefit of trusting God implicity should ever engage us to keep close to Him and encourage us to hope for freshmercies in the time of stress.

Key Word: Prayer, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   3, 4.

Striking Facts: v. 2. The rock is Christ. Those are safe who are in Him, but none can mount this rock except God, by His Spirit, help them to it. The Spirit is able to effect such a leading even in the case of one who is on the border of despair.

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

Contents: David professes his confidence in God and encourages himself to wait on God.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Hope in God will always be an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast. Though enemies be mighty and malicious, if God is for us and we are for God, we need not fear what man can do.

Key Word: Refuge, vv. 7, 8.

Strong Verses:   2, 5, 6, 11.

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

Contents: David's desire toward God and joyful dependence upon Him.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The believer need desire nothing more than the favor of God to make him happy and satisfied. The consciousness of communion with God is the sure pledge of deliverance.

Key Word: Longing, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   1, 7.

Striking Facts: v. 11. Those who heartily espouse the cause of Christ who is to be manifested as King of Kings, shall glory in His victory at last.

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

Contents: David prays for deliverance from the malicious designs of enemies.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: God will turn the tables on the adversaries of His people and defeat them at their own weapons, therefore the righteous need not worry about the arts of self defense, but may safely leave their avengement in His hands.

Key Word: Preservation, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   10.

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

Contents: David gives to God the glory of His power and goodness.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Praise is due to God from all the world because of His mighty works, but praise especially waits for Him in His church among His people.

Key Word: Praise, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   4.

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX

Contents: A call to praise God for His sovereign dominion and power in the whole creation.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: God's works are wonderful in themselves and if duly considered, will fill the soul with amazement and praise, for it will ever be discovered that His grace and love lay at the bottom of every testing and that everything works for the benefit of His glorious purposes.

Key Word: Praise, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   16, 18, 20.

Striking Facts: v. 13. Even the thankful heart dares not come to God apart from the Great Sacrifice. Never attempt to pray without Jesus.

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

Contents: Prayer for the prosperity of God's cause in the world.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: Those who themselves delight in praising God cannot but desire that others may be brought to praise Him, and long for the day when all nations shall bow before Him.

Key Word: Praise, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   1, 2.

Striking Facts: v. 7. Christ is coming to set up His Kingdom on the earth when all the ends of the earth shall end their idolatry and adore Him. Not until the Lord Himself is made King of Kings will God's love, light, life and liberty reach to all peoples.

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

Contents: Prayer against enemies and for God's people. All called upon to praise God for His greatness and goodness.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The glory of Zion's King is that He is a Savior and benefactor to all His willing people and a consuming fire to all those who are impenitent and enemies of God's work in the world. He continually furnishes His people with occasion for praise, and His praises shall eventually cover the earth.

Key Word: Praise, vv. 4, 32.

Strong Verses:   19, 34.

Striking Facts: v. 18. This may refer to the triumph of bringing the ark into the hill of Zion, but mystically certainly was penned with foresight of Christ who arose from the dead, with triumph ascended into heaven, taking with Him the captive spirits of the just in Paradise and thence sending the Holy Spirit unto His disciples.

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE

Contents: David complains of great distress and begs God to succor him.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: When the waters of affliction rise about us, the only course is to commit the keeping of our souls to God, that we may be neither soured with discontent nor sink with despair. Our prospects are as bright as the promises of God.

Key Word: Deep waters, vv. 2, 15.

Strong Verses:   13, 30.

Striking Facts: This Psalm has been called the psalm of Christ's humiliation and rejection, vv. 14-20 describe His Gethsemane experience (Matt. 26:36-45). v. 21 describes the cross (Matt. 27:34-48). The present blindness of Israel is pictured in vv. 22-28 (Rom. 11:9-10). v. 25 pictures Judas (Acts 1:20) a type of his generation.

CHAPTER SEVENTY

Contents: Prayer for help for the godly and shame for enemies.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: God sometimes delays help to His own people that He might excite earnest desires on their part. A heart to love His salvation and to desire His glory before our own is a good earnest of the answer to prayer and of His good will toward us. Rest assured that the enemies of Christ will have wages for their work.

Key Word: Enemies, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   4.

Striking Facts: v. 3. These exclamations of exulting insolence were hurled at our Lord Jesus as He was accompanied to the cross. Our Savior caught in His ears the distant mutter of all the violent exclamations and felt the keen poisoning edge of every insult in His omniscience, as they cried "aha, aha."

CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE

Contents: Prayer that enemies might be put to shame. Joyful praise of God's goodness.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: Those who live a life of confidence in God end continually resort to Him by faith and prayer, may promise themselves a strong habitation in Him, such as will never fall of itself, nor can ever be broken down by any invading power.

Key Word: Trust, vv. 1, 5, 14.

Strong Verses:   3, 15, 16.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO

Contents: The glories of the reign of the coming King.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: A day is coming when all shall sing "All hail the power of Jesus name, let angels prostrate fall; bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him King of All."

Key Word: King, v. 11.

Strong Verses:   17.

Striking Facts: v. 11. Jesus Christ is coming to be acknowledged Imperial Lord and King by all men, no matter how high their state. Every knee shall bow to Him and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of the Father. "Come quickly, Lord Jesus."

CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE

Contents: The temptation to envy the prosperity of wicked people and how to fortify ones self against it. The awful fate of the ungodly.

Characters: God, Asaph.

Conclusion: Observing that many wicked men prosper in their impiety and that many godly people have to drink deeply of the bitter cup of affliction, often brings one the temptation to think that, after all, all is left to blind providence. But the prosperity of the wicked will be found to be short and uncertain and sure to end in destruction arid misery. The righteous man's afflictions end in peace and eternal joy.

Key Word: Prosperity of wicked, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   24, 25, 28.

Striking Facts: v. 25. The truly pious soul longs for the Lord Jesus in all places, objects and events. Heaven would be no heaven at all if He were not there. He is better than all on earth more excellent than all in heaven.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR

Contents: The deplorable condition of God's people spread before Him with petition for deliverance.

Characters: God, Asaph.

Conclusion: The desolations of God's house cannot but grieve the believer more than any desolations that might come to his own house. In the time of such distress, he cannot sit still in apathy but will turn to God seeking to know "why?" (v. 1) the desolations have come, looking to Him for deliverance.

Key Word: Desolations, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   12.

Striking Facts: v. 12. The Christian may now plead the ancient work of the Lord Jesus, that which was finished on Calvary, which was the overthrow of Satan, sin, death and hell. He who wrought such a wonderful salvation for us cannot desert the Christian now.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE

Contents: A rebuke for those who fail to reckon with God.

Characters: God, Asaph.

Conclusion: A word from God soon abases the lofty, and hence failure to reckon on God is madness. Even kings serve His purpose when they rise and when they fall, for He is back of the scenes controling all things.

Key Word: Promotion, v. 6.

Strong Verses:   6, 7.

Striking Facts: v. 3. This verse may well be applied to Christ. The world's inhabitants were being dissolved by sin and destruction was threatened to the whole creation. Christ bore up the pillars and saved the world from utter ruin by saving His people from their sins. "He upholds all things by the word of His power."

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX

Contents: The glory of God's power celebrated.

Characters: God, Asaph.

Conclusion: The hardships which God's people suffer by the wrath of their enemies will be made to redound to the glory of God when He rises to make His judgments heard and sets the bounds to the wrath of man. Force is of no avail when leveled against the God of Hosts.

Key Word: Greatness (of God), v. 1.

Strong Verses:   7, 10.

Striking Facts: This psalm expresses the advantages the Christian enjoys in Jesus Christ through whom God is known, in whom God's name is made great. He has spoiled principalities and powers and will make a show of them openly.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN

Contents: Sorrowful complaints followed by encouragement by remembrance of God's former mighty deliverances.

Characters: God, Asaph.

Conclusion: The thoughts of unbelief can always be argued down if we but stop to meditate upon God's great deliverances of former days, for He is a God who changes not.

Key Word: Remember, vv. 2, 6, 10.

Strong Verses:   10, 11, 12.

Striking Facts: v. 11. Whatever else may be forgotten, the marvelous works of the Lord Jesus in the days of old must not be suffered to be forgotten, for the memory of the cross is always the handmaid for faith and the foundation of all true prayer.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT

Contents: Israel's sins wherewith they had provoked God. The tokens of God's displeasure as the result.

Characters: God, Asaph.

Conclusion: God's people limit Him by forgetfulness of His benefits (v. 11) refusing to walk in His commands (v. 10) and by believing not in His promises (v. 22). Yet He is full of compassion, ever waiting to forgive their iniquity and spare them from being cut off entirely.

Key Word: Longsuffering, v. 38.

Strong Verses:   72.

Striking Fact: v. 72. The psalm describing the varying conditions of the people, ends in peace with the reign of the Lord's annointed, David. When the Lord Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, comes, these desert roamings will be ended and we shall enter into the rest of a peaceful Kingdom.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE

Contents: The deplorable condition of God's people and prayer for relief.

Characters: God, Asaph.

Conclusion: If God's people degenerate through sin from what their father's were, they may expect that God will let a just reproach come upon them that they might be brought to true repentance. Those who desire God to avenge them must themselves be upon praying ground.

Key Word: Reproach, v. 4.

Strong Verses:   8, 9.

Striking Facts: v. 10. The day is coming when God will make bare His everlasting arm on behalf of His people, taking glory to His own name by sending back the Lord Jesus, the King of Kings, by the brightness of whose coming the wicked shall be destroyed and God's name glorified.

CHAPTER EIGHTY

Contents: The tokens of God's favor besought and the former blessings cited as a basis for present deliverance.

Characters: God, Asaph.

Conclusion: There is no obtaining favor with God until we are converted unto Him and there will be no turning unto Him except as we submit to His grace, for it is He who turns us. When we confess that it is our own sinful ways which have provoked God to hide His face, we are beginning at the right end and are on the road to victory.

Key Word: Turn us again, vv. 3, 7, 14, 19.

Strong Verses:   17.

Striking Facts: v. 17. Their king is called the man of God's right hand, as he was also under-shepherd under Him who was the Great Shepherd of Israel (v. 1) Christ is the Great Shepherd to whom we may commit His sheep in faith.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE

Contents: God chides His people for their ingratitude and pictures their happy state had they but obeyed Him.

Characters: God, Asaph, Joseph, Jacob.

Conclusion: God gives those up to their own heart's lust who are determined to give themselves up to be led by them. Those who will listen to the counsels of His Spirit will find those joys and consolations which always reward the obedient.

Key Word: Abandoned, v. 12.

Strong Verses :  10, 16.

Striking Facts: v. 16. The honey out of the rock speaks to us of Christ, the Rock of our Salvation (1 Cor. 10:4) and the fullness of grace in Him and the blessings of the Gospel. Those who hearken to Christ are filled and satisfied with all that is good.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO

Contents: Instructions for the judges of the earth.

Characters: God, Asaph.

Conclusion: God judges among the mighty of earth. They have their power from Him and are accountable to Him. Magistrates should therefore do good with all their power, remembering that it is their special office and duty to protect and deliver the poor. .

Key Word: Judging, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   3.

Striking Facts: v. 8. This may be taken as a prayer for the hastening of the coming of Christ who is the Judge of the earth, the King by right divine who is to inherit all nations. When He comes, all unrighteous potentates will be broken like potter's vessels.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE

Contents: An appeal to God's jealousy for His cause and prayer for defeat of enemies.

Characters: God, Asaph, Sisera, Zeeb, Jabin, Oreb.

Conclusion: We cannot but be zealous against those who federate to strike

at God, and should earnestly desire and beg of God that such enemiesshould be brought to confusion, both that He might be glorified and that they might be brought to repentance. (vv. 15-16.)

Key Word: Enemies, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   17, 18.

Striking Facts: The prophecy reaches to all the enemies of Christ's church. Those who have persistently opposed Christ and His Kingdom, may here read their doom.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR

Contents: Testimony to God's goodness and the happiness of those who put their confidence in Him.

Characters: God, Psalmist, Jacob.

Conclusion: True subjects love the courts of their King. Favored indeed are those who are constantly engaged in His service (v. 4), who find their strength in Him, and who know Him by the life of real faith. (vv. 5, 12).

Key Word: Blessed, vv. 4, 5, 12.

Strong Verses:   5, 10, 11.

Striking Facts: v. 11. God has given both grace and glory, for the Lord Jesus is the fullness of both. In Him we shall find comfort and protection and in Him no good thing may be withheld, for His grace secures every covenant blessing to the believer.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE

Contents: Prayer for an afflicted people. Remembrance of former mercies and faith for future good.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: The sense of present affliction should not be allowed to drown the remembrance of former mercies, but should rather cause us to recall them with praise, and encourage us to look for grace and mercy in reference to present distress.

Key Word: Revive us, v. 6.

Strong Verses:   6, 8.

Striking Facts: v. 10. In Christ the attributes of God meet in perfect unity in the salvation of guilty men by a holy and righteous God. By the gift of Calvary, God is as true as if He had fulfilled every letter of His threatening and as righteous as if He had never spoken peace to a guilty sinner. Christ, our perfect Substitute, has taken the full penalty of our sins.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX

Contents: The malice of enemies deplored. God's goodness pleaded in prayer for mercy.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The best self preservation is to commit ourselves to God's keeping and by faith and prayer to make Him our preserver.

Key Word: Supplication, v. 6.

Strong Verses:   5, 11, 15.

Striking Facts: In this Psalm we may hear the voice of Christ, who was both Son of God and Son of man, one God with the Father and one man with men. He prays for us as our Priest. He prays in us as our Head through His Spirit. He is prayed to by us, as our God.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN

Contents: God's favor to Zion and His great love for it.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: God has expressed a particular affection for Jerusalem because there He met and conversed with His people and showed them the great tokens of His favor. Because His love is set upon it, His people also should hold it in reverent regard.

Key Word: Zion, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   3.

Striking Facts: v. 3. Zion may be taken as a type of the Gospel church of which even more glorious things are spoken than of Jerusalem. It is the Bride of Christ, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. We need never be ashamed of the church, even in its meanest condition.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT

Contents: Lamentation over trouble and pleading with' God for mercy.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: Sometimes the best of God's saints are severely exercised with the sorest of inward troubles and would be distracted with dismal apprehensions but for the Throne of grace to which they may seek for mercy and strength. Lest there be offenses which prevent the Lord from giving favorable regard to our requests, such times should be times of earnest heart searching.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE

Contents: Joy over and praise of God's greatness. Complaint of the seeming failure of the covenant and prayer for redress.

Characters: God, David, Psalmist.

Conclusion: Though we may find it hard to reconcile some dark providences with the goodness and truth of God, yet we should hold firmly to His promises, knowing that His truth is inviolable, and pleading them in prayer before Him. No matter how serious the situation, there is ever matter for praise and thanksgiving.

Key Word: Covenant, vv. 3, 34.

Strong Verses:   7, 14, 18.

Striking Facts: v. 27. The covenant looks beyond David and Solomon. Isa. 7:13-15; 9:6-7; Mic. 5:2. Jesus has preeminence in all things, having a more glorious name than any other. When He comes, it will be seen what the covenant stores up for the once despised Son of David, but who is to be exalted as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

CHAPTER NINETY

Contents: The frailty of man and his consequent need of being submitted to God's sentences.

Characters: God, Moses.

Conclusion: Men are dying creatures and all their comforts in the world are likewise passing away with time. They should therefore stand in awe of God, walk in His ways, and with the constant apprehension of the uncertainty of life, lest they fail to be diligent and doing their best in His service.

Key Word: Frailty, v. 9.

Strong Verses:   8, 12, 17.

Striking Facts: v. 17. The beauty of the Lord is the beauty of holiness and it shall suffice, if in our lives His holiness is reflected by the Spirit and we are transformed into the image of Christ from one stage of glory to another. That beauty of holiness shone with resplendent lustre in the Lord Jesus, and as He lives in us, it may be reflected in every disciple.

CHAPTER NINETY-ONE

Contents: The preservation of those whose confidence is in God.

Characters: God, Psalmist, Moses.

Conclusion: Those who live a life of communion with God are constantly safe under His protecting wing and may preserve a holy security of mind at all times. He will be their rest and refuge forever.

Key Word: Refuge, v. 9.

Strong Verses:   1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 11.

Striking Facts: v. 1. Into the secret place those only come who know the love of God in Christ Jesus and those only dwell there to whom "to live is Christ."

CHAPTER NINETY-TWO

Contents: The ruin of sinners and the joy of saints.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: Let the Christian not fear the pride and power of evil men nor be in the least discouraged by their impotent menaces. The impenitent workers of iniquity are counted and taken as God's enemies and as such they shall perish and be scattered.

Key Word: Wicked, v. 7.

Strong Verses:   4, 12, 13.

CHAPTER NINETY-THREE

Contents: The honor of God's kingdom.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: The majesty of God's Kingdom eclipses all others. He can do everything; with Him nothing is impossible. Let not the Christian therefore fear the power of man which is borrowed, but fear Him who has power omnipotent and eternal.

Key Word: Majesty, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   5.

Striking Facts: The King Immortal and Almighty will stand upon His glorious throne in the person of the Son of Man. That the Lord Jesus already does reign in the hearts of His own should be our praise. That He may come and set up His Kingdom on earth should be our prayer.

CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR

Contents: An appeal to God to appear for His people against His and their enemies.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: There is a God to whom vengeance belongs who will certainly call enemies to account. Those who suffer wrong should be encouragedto bear it as His chastisements, committing themselves to Him who judges righteously and works all things together for the good of those who love Him.

Key Word: Evil doers, v. 16.

Strong Verses:   9, 12, 14, 22, 23.

Striking Facts: v. 14. God's people in Christ may be cast down but they can never be cast off. They cannot be utterly forsaken because they are God's inheritance in Christ. Eph. 1:18.

CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE

Contents: A call to praise God as our gracious benefactor.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: It is due our God and King that we should speak forth and sing forth His praises out of the abundance of a heart filled with love, joy and thankfulness.

Key Word: Thanksgiving, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   1, 2, 7.

Striking Facts: v. 1. Christ is the Rock of our Salvation, therefore we must sing our songs of praise to Him who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb. We are His under all possible obligations, being the people of His pasture, the sheep of His hand (v. 7). By His hand we are led into green pastures, protected and provided for.

CHAPTER NINETY-SIX

Contents: Call to all people to praise God in view of His glory and greatness.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: In God there is everything that is awful, yet everything that is amiable. Those who have come to know Him should go forth in His strength, enamoured with His beauty and to continually praise Him in song, thanksgiving and in service.

Key Word: Praise, v. 4.

Strong Verses:   4, 10.

Striking Facts: vv. 10-13. Let it be told everywhere that Christ's government will be the happy settlement of all things and that it will be incontestably just and righteous. He is coming to judge and to rule and even now is at the threshhold. "Come quickly, Lord Jesus."

CHAPTER NINETY-SEVEN

Contents: The comfort of God's people, arising from His sovereign dominion.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: It is enough to make us rejoice in and adore Jehovah that His throne is fixed upon the rock of eternal holiness, that righteousness is His immutable attribute and that judgment marks His every act. Though we cannot see or understand all that He does, we may be sure that when the books of divine providence are opened, no eye will discern a word that should be blotted out.

Key Word: Exalted, v. 9.

Strong Verses:   10, 11.

Striking Facts: Those who rejoice in Jesus Christ and His exaltation have fountains of joy treasured up for them. While they may expect tribulation in this world, the day is coming when they shall see all powers recognize the chief power and Christ's Kingdom victorious among the heathen.

CHAPTER NINETY-EIGHT

Contents: Exhortation to praise. The joy of the redeemed because of the setting up of God's Kingdom.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: The setting up of Christ's Kingdom is a matter of joy and praise. He shall be welcomed to the Throne with acclamations of joy and with loud shouts until the earth rings.

Key Word: Victory, v. 1.

Strong Verses: 1,9.

Striking Facts: Jesus, our King has lived a marvelous life, died a marvelous death, risen by a divine power, by the energy of the Spirit has wrought marvelous things and is yet to be openly proclaimed the conquering King, monarch over all the nations at His second coming.

CHAPTER NINETY-NINE

Contents: Call to praise God because of the glories of His Kingdom among men.

Characters: God, Moses, Samuel, Aaron, Psalmist.

Conclusion: The holiness of God's name makes it truly great to His friends and will make it terrible to His enemies. Let those who worship Him in all humility, praise His great Name and give Him the glory due unto it.

Key Word: Jehovah exalted, v. 5.

Strong Verses:   9.

Striking Facts: v. 5. * Jehovah has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ as our reconciled God who allows us to approach to His Throne. Jesus is the King, the Mercy Seat is the throne, and the sceptre which He sways is holy like Himself. As we exalt Him, let us draw near in all humility and adoration.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED

Contents: Call to praise God in consideration of His being and His relation to us.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: True worshippers should be joyful worshippers. If we serve Him in uprightness, realizing all His goodness, we cannot but serve Him with gladness, intermixing praise with all our service.

Key Word: Praise, v. 4.

Strong Verses:   3.

Striking Facts: v. 3. It is the Christian's honor to have been chosen out of the world by the Good Shepherd, to be His own special property, and it is his privilege to be guided by His wisdom, tended by His care and fed by His bounty.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ONE

Contents: David's vow to God when he took upon him the charge of the kingdom.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The believer should resolve to walk by the rules of Christian prudence and in the ways of Christian piety, whether he be abroad in public stations, or before his own family.

Key Word: Mercy and judgment, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   2.

Striking Facts: David is here a type of Christ who has His eyes upon the faithful in the land and will ultimately banish the wicked from His presence, v. 8 will have its larger fulfillment when He comes in judgment.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWO

Contents: Sorrowful complaint of great afflictions and a believing prospect of deliverance.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: The greatest ease to an afflicted spirit is to unburden itself by a humble representation of its griefs before God, who has invited His children to cast all their burdens upon Him, promising to sustain them.

Key Word: Prayer, vv. 1, 17.

Strong Verses:   17, 25, 26, 27.

Striking Facts: vv. 25, 26. The application of these verses to Christ (Heb. 1:10-12) shows that the Psalm has a reference to the days of the Messiah. The Son of God made the worlds (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16) yet for our sakes He became a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THREE

Contents: The psalmist, affected with the goodness of God stirs himself up

to praise God. Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: God is the fountain of all good, whatever may be the channel and to His holy name we should concentrate our praise. He has crowned us with loving kindness and tender mercies; He has removed our transgressions far from us, therefore blessing His name should be the alpha and omega of all our service.

Key Word: Bless the Lord, vv. 1, 20, 21, 22.

Strong Verses:   2, 3, 4, 5, 13.

Striking Facts: v. 4. Redemption will ever constitute one of the sweetest notes in the believer's grateful song. Glory be to our Great Substitute who has delivered us from going down into the pit by giving Himself to be our ransom.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FOUR

Contents: God's greatness, majesty and sovereign dominion celebrated.

Characters: God, Psalmist, David.

Conclusion: It is the joy of the saints that He who is their God is a great God who may be seen in all His mighty works in nature, which proclaim Him to be infinitely wise and good.

Key Word: God's greatness, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   24, 34.

Striking Facts: v. 4. This is quoted by the Apostle (Heb. 1:7) to prove the preeminence of Christ above the angels. Heb. 1:3 shows us that it is Christ who upholds all things by the word of His power.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIVE

Contents: Jehovah extolled for His deliverances of Israel. The coming forth from Egypt described.

Characters: God, Psalmist, Moses, Aaron, Jacob, Joseph, Abraham.

Conclusion: God's marvelous works will be had in everlasting remembrance by the thoughtful and the grateful, and should be the subject of familiar discourse. We should continually give thanks to Him, for at best we can give but poor returns for such rich receivings.

Key Word: Wondrous works, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   4, 5.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIX

Contents: The badness of Israel made heinous by the great goodness of God.

Characters: God, Psalmist, Moses, Aaron, Dathan, Abiram, Phinehas.

Conclusion: Man's perverseness arises continually from his stupidity toward God. Our understandings are dull; our memories are treacherous, so that we easily lose sight of God's mercies. In spite of our treatment, He is a gracious God who pities us and is ever making merciful allowances for us, not giving us our full deserts.

Key Word: Long Suffering, vv. 43, 45.

Strong Verses:   3, 5.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SEVEN

Contents: God's wisdom, power and goodness celebrated. Man's deplorable forgetfulness of His mercies.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: Those who have no special matter for praise may furnish themselves with matter enough from God's universal goodness. All receive the mercies of His providence and are therefore called upon to give thanks.

Key Word: Jehovah's goodness, vv. 8, 15, 21, 31.

Strong Verses:   8, 9.

Striking Facts: v. 2. Those who have an interest in the Great Redeemer, being saved by Him from sin and hell, of all people have reason to say that God is good and His mercy everlasting.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED EIGHT

Contents: Thanks to God for His mercies and His promises pleaded.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: We should praise God publicly as those who are not ashamed of our obligations to Him and our thankful sense of His favors, but desire that others also may be affected with a realization of His goodness and the value of leaning upon His promises.

Key Word: Praise, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   12, 13.

Striking Facts: v. 7. With such assurance, we may speak of the performance of God's promise to the Son of David, who is certainly to have the uttermost parts of the earth for His inheritance. He waits at God's right hand for the hour when He shall come forth to be proclaimed both Lord and King.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED NINE

Contents: Complaint of the malice of enemies and appeal to the righteous God for judgment.

Characters: God, David, Satan.

Conclusion: When enemies are spiteful and malicious, it is the unspeakable comfort of the Christian that God is for him and that to Him they may apply, knowing that He will concern Himself for them and will visit overwhelming ruin upon the enemy in His own time and way.

Key Word: Adversaries, v. 20.

Strong Verses:   31.

Striking Facts: David is here a type of Christ who was compassed about with hateful enemies, who persecuted Him, not only without cause, but for His love and His good works. (John 10:32).) Yet He gave Himself to prayer to pray for them. However the imprecations here are not appropriate in the mouth of the Saviour. It is not the spirit of the Gospel, but of Sinai which here speaks out of the mouth of David.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TEN

Contents: The Messiah promised to the fathers and expected by them.

Characters: God, David, Christ.

Conclusion: Christ is the rightful Lord whose title is incontestable. He will certainly come to take, and keep possession of, that Kingdom which the Father has promised, and none can hinder.

Key Word: Messiah, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   1.

Striking Facts: This psalm affirms the deity of Jesus, (v. 1) announces His eternal priesthood, (v. 4) and looks to the time when He will appear as the Rod of Jehovah's strength (Rom. 11:25-27) and as the Judge over all powers (vv. 5, 6).

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ELEVEN

Contents: Exhortation to praise God for the greatness and glory of His works.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: All who love God delight to meditate upon His works. They are all praiseworthy, and if considered, cannot but cause us to adore Him and to express His praise to others.

Key Word: Jehovah's works, vv. 2, 4, 6, 7.

Strong Verses:   4, 10.

Striking Facts: v. 9. The Christian can indeed sing of redemption, for it is an accomplished act, wrought out for us by Jesus on Calvary. All who have received Him are indeed the Lord's redeemed.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWELVE

Contents: The eternal happiness of the saints.

Characters: God.

Conclusion: The truly happy man is he who fears the Lord, for he is given outward prosperity as far as it is good for him, and all spiritual blessings which are true and eternal riches.

Key Word: The upright, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   1, 7.

Striking Facts: Fixedness of heart, the sovereign remedy against all disquieting news is one of the believer's inheritances in Christ, who has proved Himself the victor over Satan. Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith is the sure way of establishing the heart.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN

Contents: A call to praise God.

Characters: God.

Conclusion: Praise is a duty the believer should much abound in and in which he should be frequently employed, for in every place there appears the manifest proofs of God's wisdom, power and goodness.

Key Word: Praise, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   3, 7.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FOURTEEN

Contents: The deliverance of Israel out of Egypt.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: He who made the hills and the mountains to skip, can when He pleases dissipate the strength and spirit of the proudest of His enemies and make them tremble.

Key Word: Jehovah's presence, v. 7.

Strong Verses:   7.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN

Contents: Indignation against the makers and worshippers of idols and exhortation to trust in God.

Characters: God, house of Aaron, Psalmist.

Conclusion: The creatures of men's vain imaginations and the works of men's hands have no divinity in them and to worship such things is the heighth of absurdity. It is wisdom to trust in the living God who proves Himself the help and shield to all who humbly put their confidence in Him.

Key Word: Idols, v. 4.

Strong Verses:   11, 12.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTEEN

Contents: Thanksgiving for the many gracious deliverances God had wrought.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: The experiences we have had of God's goodness in answer to prayer are great encouragements to us to continue praying and should cause us to praise Him continually.

Key Word: Jehovah's benefits, v. 12.

Strong Verses:   1, 15.

Striking Facts: A psalm of thanksgiving in the person of Christ. He proclaims the mercies He experiences from His Father in the days of His incarnation and the glories He has received in the Kingdom above.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEEN

Contents: A solemn call to the nations to praise God.

Characters: God.

Conclusion: The Lord is kind to us as His creatures and merciful to us as sinners, therefore praise is due Him from all peoples. Key Word, Praise, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   2.

Striking Facts: In Jesus Christ God has shown to the world mercy mixed withkindness to the very highest degree. The tidings of His gospel to all nations should cause them to glorify God.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN

Contents: Cheerful acknowledgement of God's goodness and dependence upon that goodness for the future.

Characters: God.

Conclusion: Never failing streams of mercy flow from our God. The more our hearts are impressed with the sense of His goodness, the more we are bound to praise Him and the more our hearts will be enlarged in all manner of obedience.

Key Word: Thanks, vv. 1, 29.

Strong Verses:   6, 8 (middle verse of Bible).

Striking Facts: v. 22. Jesus Christ is the tried stone, elect, precious, which God Himself appointed. While the Jews could not see the excellence in Him that they should build upon Him, in raising Him from the dead God made Him the headstone of the corner, the foundation of the church. To the rejector He is now a stumbling stone. At His second coming He is the stone cut out without hands which is to fall upon and crush the unbelieving nations.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED NINETEEN

Contents: The excellency and usefulness of the divine revelation set forth and exhortation to all to make it their meditation and to be governed by it.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: Great blessing belongs to those who read and understand the Word of God, and more blessed is the man whose life is the practical transcript of the will of God as revealed in the Scriptures.

Key Word: The Word, v. 11.

Strong Verses:   11, 18, 27, 89, 105, 130, 160, 165.

Striking Facts: v. 99. The disciples of Christ who sit at His feet and let Him interpret the Word to them are often better skilled in divine things than the doctors of divinity. The best way to find "the wondrous things" is to saturate the study of the Word in prayer (v. 18) which makes it possible for Christ to speak to us out of the Word, through the Holy Spirit. John 16:13, 14.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY

Contents: Prayer for deliverance from the mischief designed by false andmalicious tongues.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: It is often the lot of the innocent that there are those who carry on malicious designs against them under the color of friendship. In such distresses we always have recourse to God, who, being the God of Truth, will certainly be the protection of His people from lying lips and will baffle the enemy at last.

Key Word: Lying lips, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   1.

Striking Facts: David is herein a type of Christ who was greatly distressed by lying lips and deceitful tongues, and found sufficient grace to bear in silence by waiting upon His heavenly Father.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE

Contents: The guardian care of the Lord and the peace of His house.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: The Christian may stay himself upon Jehovah as a God of power, a God all-sufficient for us. Our safety is in putting ourselves under His protection.

Key Word: Keeper, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   2, 7.

Striking Facts: v. 2. Help cometh (lit) "from before the Lord." This suggests Christ incarnate through whom God has made Himself our help and who helps us constantly by His intercession at God's right hand.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO

Contents: Prayer for the welfare of Jerusalem.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: When peace comes to Jerusalem there will be peace for all the world, therefore the saints should earnestly pray for it.

Key Word: Peace of Jerusalem, v. 6.

Strong Verses:   6.

Striking Facts: v. 5. The thought of God reigning in the Son of David, avenging the just cause, is cheering for disconsolate hearts. Christ's throne is set and truth and righteousness shall be manifested on the throne with the King when He comes.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE

Contents: Expectation of mercy from God in the day of contempt.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: When man's eyes are toward God, he will always see God's mercy coming toward him. He who dwells in heaven beholds all the calamities of His people and thence will send to save all trusting ones.

Key Word: Mercy, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   1.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR

Contents: David gives to God the glory of the deliverances of His people.

Characters: God, Israel.

Conclusion: God sometimes suffers the enemies of His people to prevail very far against them, that His own power may appear the more illustrious in their deliverance. Happy be the people whose God is Jehovah and who commit themselves to His keeping.

Key Word: Our help, v. 8.

Strong Verses:   8.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE

Contents: The security of God's people because of His promises, and the jeopardy of the wicked.

Characters: God, Israel.

Conclusion: There is no gap in the hedge of God's protection which He makes round about His trusting people. The happiness of God's people will be the vexation of those who perish in their wickedness.

Key Word: Security, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   1.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX

Contents: Thanksfulness for deliverance from captivity.

Characters: God, Zion.

Conclusion: The long want of mercies greatly sweetens them when they are returned to us. When God appears for His people they should give Him the glory and give notice to all about them what wonders He has wrought for them.

Key Word: Deliverance, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   3, 5. 6.

Striking Facts: The return out of captivity may be taken as typical of the sinner's redemption by Christ. Surely He has done great things for us, whereof we should be glad and should give Him glory continually.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-SEVEN

Contents: The vanity of worldly care and the wisdom of dependence on God for all things in the home.

Characters: God.

Conclusion: The best designed home will be a failure unless God crowns it with His favor. He would have us keep our eyes upon Him in all the affairs of the family that we might avoid excessive care. He would have us realize that our children are a trust from Him and will be most our honor and comfort if they are dedicated to Him.

Key Word: Home, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   2, 3.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT

Contents: The prosperity of those who live in the fear of God and in obedience to Him.

Characters: God, Israel.

Conclusion: Those who are truly holy are truly happy. Those may be assured of a prosperous and happy life who walk in reverence of God and evidence it by constant conformity to His will.

Key Word: Prosperity, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   1.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE

Contents: Prayer for destruction of all the enemies of Zion.

Characters: God, Israel.

Conclusion: God has many ways of disabling men to do their mischief against His people and of bringing their counsels to naught. He is righteous in allowing His saints for a time to be afflicted and He is righteous in reckoning with all persecutors in the end.

Key Word: The wicked, v. 4.

Strong Verses:   4.

Striking Facts: v. 3. The sufferings of Christ were a prophecy of what His church would be called upon to endure for His sake. The- true church has ever had fellowship with Him under His cruel flagellations.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY

Contents: The Psalmist's desire toward God and his repentance before God.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: Those who cry to God out of a sincere heart when they are in the depths of despair will soon sing of His mercy in the heights of His love.

Key Word: Supplication, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   3, 5, 6.

Striking Facts: There is but one solution to the sin question since all our transgressions are recorded. God has provided a sacrifice Christ, through whom there is redemption for all. Our transgressions will not be acted upon if we are in Christ, since He has borne the penalty for us.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE

Contents: The lowliness and humility of a sanctified heart.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The love of God reigning in the heart will subdue all inordinate self love. To know God and our duty toward Him is the highest learning to be had in this world.

Key Word: Humility, v. 1.

Striking Facts: v. 2. The Lord Jesus teaches us humility by this same comparison. Matt. 18:3. We must become, not childish, but as little children, childlike in our confidence toward God.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO

Contents: A pleading of the divine covenant and its promises.

Characters: God, David, Christ.

Conclusion: Those who have the immutable promises of God for their foundation stand upon a sure rock. God has given us His promises that our faith might have strong confidence at all times, and that we might know that His Annointed will sit upon the throne of earth to reign eternally.

Key Word: Remember David, vv. 1, 10.

Striking Facts: v. 11. Peter applies this to Christ and tells us that David himself so understood it. Acts 2:30. Christ fulfilled all the conditions and the Father has given Him the throne of his father David. Luke 1:32. He is now at the right hand of His Father's throne and when the fullness of the Gentiles is gathered in, the promise of the Davidic throne will be made good, and He will come to reign over all. The saints shall sit with Him upon this eternal throne. Rev. 3:21.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-THREE

Contents: The happiness of brotherly love.

Characters: God, Aaron.

Conclusion: To live together in peace, love, concord and mutual agreement, not only in occasional meetings, but all through the course of our lives, is indeed a great blessing and is very pleasing to our heavenly Father.

Key Word: Unity, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   1.

Striking Facts: The finest unity is that which the saints have in Christ. John 17:21. If we are in tune with Christ, we will be in tune with all His. While there may not always be oneness of view, there can always be oneness of spirit and object in Christ.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FOUR

Contents: Exhortation to, and prayer for, those who are constantly ministering before the Lord.

Characters: God, night watchers.

Conclusion: Even by night, God's servants are under His eye and have access to Him. Let them therefore bless the Lord, that spiritual blessings out of Zion might come upon them.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE

Key Word: Bless the Lord, v. 1.

Contents: A call to the servants of God to praise Him for His mighty works.

Characters: God, Pharaoh, Sihon, Og, house of Aaron, house of Levi.

Conclusion: Jehovah is great indeed, who knows no limits of time or place, who works in all the universe as He pleases. His name should endure forever in the constant and everlasting praises of His people.

Key Word: Jehovah's greatness, v. 5.

Strong Verses:   6 13.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX

Contents: Call to praise God as the great Benefactor of the whole creation.

Characters: God.

Conclusion: We should give thanks to God, not only for the mercies which are handed out to us here on earth, but for that which endures forever in the glories and joys of heaven to follow this life.

Key Word: Everlasting mercy, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   26.

Striking Facts: vv. 23-24. In our lost estate, God has extended His great mercy toward us in the gift of His Son to redeem us from sin, death and hell and save us from all spiritual enemies.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN

Contents: Lamentation over the sad condition of God's people in captivity.

Characters: God.

Conclusion: Those who are glad at the calamities that sometimes in God'sprovidence come to His people, shall not go unpunished, for those who mock their grief shall endure eternal grief.

Key Word: Captivity, v. 3.

Strong Verses:   4.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT

Contents: Thankfulness for the experience of God's goodness.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Praising God is work of which the greatest of men need not be ashamed. A debt of gratitude is due Him for the wonders of His grace, the revelation of His Word, and the confidence derived from the promises that there is no experience that can overwhelm us if we look toward Him.

Key Word: Jehovah's loving kindness, v. 2.

Strong Verses:   2, 6, 7, 8.

Striking Facts: v. 2. Christ is the essential Word, John 1:1. He and His gospel are magnified above all the discoveries God had made of Himself to the fathers.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-NINE

Contents: Meditation upon the doctrines of God's omniscience and omnipresence.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: The God with whom we have to do has a perfect knowledge of us and all the motions and actions, both of our outward and inward man. We should therefore desire of Him that when He sees sin in our hearts, He might discover it to us that we might walk in the perfect enjoyment of His presence.

Key Word: Omnipresence, v. 7.

Strong Verses:   17, 23, 24.

Striking Facts: v. 7. No one can escape the all-pervading Being and observation of the Holy Spirit. We are, whether we will it or not, as near to God as our soul is to our body, for the Holy Spirit dwells within the Christian (1 Cor. 6:19). This makes it dreadful work to sin, for it is insulting God to His face.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY

Contents: The malice of enemies and prayer for preservation.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Those are safe whom God preserves. In Him believers may count upon security against all real enemies.

Key Word: Preservation, vv. 1, 4.

Strong Verses:   7, 12.

Striking Facts: David is here a type of Christ in that he suffered before his reign and was humbled before he was exalted. As there were many who valued Him, so there were many who hated Him, and those who could not agree in anything else joined themselves faithfully together to persecute Christ.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-ONE

Contents: Prayer for God's favorable acceptance and powerful assistance.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Though the snares be placed by the enemy with ever so much subtlety, God can, and will, secure His praying people from being taken in them.

Key Word: Keeping, v. 9.

Strong Verses:   3, 8.

Striking Facts: v. 2. Christ in the evening of the world, offered up Himself a sacrifice that a way of approach might be made for the believer into theHoly of Holies. It was the fire under the incense that brought out its sweetness it is the Holy Spirit who offers fragrant prayer to God. Rom. 8:26-27. The fire, however, was from the blood-sprinkled altar, and apart from Christ's atonement, no acceptable prayer can be offered. Heb. 10:19-20.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-TWO

Contents: The malice of enemies and expectation of God's deliverance.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: There is no cave so deep or dark but that out of it we may send up our souls in prayer to God, with expectation of being brought out of all our perplexities.

Key Word: Trouble, v. 2.

Strong Verses :  5.

Striking Facts: v. 4. David is here a type of Christ, who in His suffering for us was forsaken of all men and trod the winepress alone.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-THREE

Contents: Complaint of great distresses and dangers and prayer that persecutors might be reckoned with.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: If we look with earnest desire toward God, we need not let our heart be troubled, no matter what troubles we are in. John 14:1.

Key Word: Overwhelmed, v. 4.

Strong Verses:   8, 10.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR

Contents: Acknowledgment of the great goodness of God and prayer for the prosperity of the kingdom.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Happy is the people whose God is the Lord, for even when they are weak, they may be made strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Key Word: Our strength, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   3, 15.

Striking Facts: vv. 12-14. David as king is here a type of Christ who provides effectually for the good of His chosen and who will remove every hurtful thing from earth when He comes to reign.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE

Contents: David engages himself and others to praise God.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Praising God should be our daily work, for God is every day blessing us. His greatness and goodness cannot be comprehended, and when we have said what we can in praising Him, there is more to be said.

Key Word: Great goodness, v. 7.

Strong Verses:   3, 8, 14, 16, 18, 19.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SIX

Contents: The psalmist engages himself to praise God and exhorts others to trust and praise Him.

Characters: God, Psalmist.

Conclusion: There should be no exemption from the service of praising God. So long as He lets us breathe, we should bless Him for His goodness and mercy.

Key Word: Praise, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   5, 9.

Striking Facts: The psalm is very applicable to Christ, by whom God made the world; who caused the blind to receive their sight and the lame to walk; He will subvert all the counsels of hell and earth that militate against His church and will exercise full judgment at His coming again.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SEVEN

Contents: A call to praise God. The greatness and condescending goodness of the Lord celebrated.

Characters: God.

Conclusion: Praise is comely it becomes us as reasonable creatures on account of God's manifest greatness and goodness in all nature and much more as a people in special covenant relations with Him.

Key Word: Jehovah's greatness, v. 5.

Strong Verses:   5, 11.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT

Contents: A call to all living things to praise God.

Characters: God.

Conclusion: No place is too high for the praises of the Most High. Allcreatures on earth should also speak the Lord's praise, for He is Creator and Preserver; Maker and Ruler.

Key Word: Praise, v 1.

Strong Verses:   13.

Striking Facts: v. 14. The blessing of nearness to God has now, through Christ, come upon the Gentiles. Those who were afar off are now made nigh by His blood. Eph. 2:13.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-NINE

Contents: Triumph in the God of Israel.

Characters: God.

Conclusion: Our praises of God should flow from a heart filled with delight and triumph in His attributes and our relation to Him.

Key Word: Praise, v. 1.

Strong Verses: 4.

Striking Facts: vv. 7-10. Our Lord Jesus is coming as King to overthrow all evil, to display His justice against evil-doers, and with Him, the saints shall judge the world.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIFTY

Contents: The psalmist would fill all the world with God's praises.

Characters : God.

Conclusion: What have we our breath for but to spend it in praising God and how can we spend it better? Since we must shortly breathe our last, while we have breath, let us praise the Lord.

Key Word: Praise, v. 1.

Strong Verses:   6.

Striking Facts: The first psalm began with "blessed" and ended with "blessed." The fruit of the blessedness of meditating on God's Word, is now shown in the last psalm which begins and ends (lit.) with "Hallelujah."