_Praise ye the Lord._ GENUINE WORSHIP: - I. The transcendent excellence of true worship (verse 1). 1. It is good. (1) It accords with the constitution of the human soul. (2) It accords with the Divine command. (3) It agrees with the genius of the universe. 2. It is pleasant. It is the grand e... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord doth build up Jerusalem._ THE GREATNESS AND GENTLENESS OF GOD The text reveals the constructive side of the Divine government. I. As shown in the building of the Church. 1. “The Lord doth build up Jerusalem,” etc. That He should do so shows-- (1) That the Church is self-demolished. ... [ Continue Reading ]
_He healeth the broken in heart._ GOD’S RELATION TO SORROWING SOULS AND TO STARRY SYSTEMS I. His relation to sorrowing souls. “He healeth the broken in heart.” There are broken hearts and wounded souls in this world. The whole human creation is groaning. God works here to heal and restore. Christi... [ Continue Reading ]
_He telleth the number of the stars._ THE STARS AND THE CROSS As the best, known constellation in our northern hemisphere is _Ursa Major _(sometimes called “the Plough”), so the best known, probably, in the southern hemisphere is _Cruz Australis, _or “the Southern Cross.” Each side of our globe has... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who covereth the heaven with clouds._ THE SKY It is a strange thing how little in general people know about the sky. There is not a moment of any day of our lives when Nature is not producing scene after scene, picture after picture, glory after glory, and working still upon such exquisite and con... [ Continue Reading ]
_To the young ravens which cry._ THE RAVENS’ CRY “Naturalists tell us,” says Caryl, “that when the raven hath fed his young in the nest till they are well fledged and able to fly abroad, then he thrusts them out of the nest, and will not let them abide there, but puts them to get their own living.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy._ FEARING AND HOPING Great kings are wont to have their favourite objects, in which they delight with a peculiar pleasure. Many monarchs have gloried in “the strength of a horse.” Their squadrons of cavalry have been t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem._ CROWNING CHRIST IN CITY LIFE Some time ago, in one of the reviews, a writer gave a picture of the London of the future, when all sanitary and political improvements shall have been perfected. No dust in the streets, no smoke in the air, no noise, no fog, spaces ever... [ Continue Reading ]
_He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates._ PIETY EXULTING IN DIVINE GOODNESS I. In the general prosperity of society. He recognizes the good hand of God-- 1. In the rebuilding of the city (verse 13). 2. In the restoration of peace and prosperity (verse 14). II. In the beneficent mutations of... [ Continue Reading ]
_He maketh peace in thy borders._ PEACE AT HOME AND PROSPERITY ABROAD: A MISSIONARY SERMON The prosperity of the Church is described in this psalm. I. What are the points which constitute the healthiness of the Church at home? To begin with the most important--the true piety of all her members. If... [ Continue Reading ]
_His Word runneth very swiftly._ THE SWIFTLY-RUNNING WORD A word is the expression of the mind, the manifestation of the man. “peak,” said the old philosopher, “that I may see thee.” More of a man is seen in his words than in anything else belonging to him. You may look into his face and be mistak... [ Continue Reading ]
_He giveth snow like wool._ FROST AND THAW Looking out of our window one morning we saw the earth robed in a white mantle; for in a few short bourn the earth had been covered to a considerable depth with snow. We looked out again in a few hours and saw the fields as green as ever, and the ploughed... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who can stand before His cold?_ HIS COLD In former days religious people were too much given to introducing the Deity directly into the workings of nature and the movements of history. The consequence was, that our forefathers made the Creator responsible for details, rather than for great leading... [ Continue Reading ]
_His statutes and His judgments unto Israel._ THE LAW OF MOSES That Law which God delivered to His own people, and for which just returns of praise are here made to Him, shall be the subject of our present inquiries, particularly the end and design of it, and its perfections, and also some defects... [ Continue Reading ]