To a tender and ingenuous spirit, the " persecu"tion" of the tongue is worse than that of the sword, and with more difficulty submitted to; as indeed a good name is more precious than bodily life. Believers in every age have been persecuted in this way; and the King of saints often mentions it as one of the bitterest ingredients in his cup of sorrows. Faith and prayer are the arms with which this formidable temptation must be encountered, and may be The former assures us, that God can " save and deliver" us from it; the latter induces him so to do.

overcome.

2. Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

The lion" of whom David stood in fear, was probably Saul, roused, by a false accusation, to destroy him. The rage of tyrants is often in the same manner excited against the church. And we all have reason to dread the fury of one who is "the roaring "lion," as well as the "accuser of the brethren." From him none can deliver us, but God only.

3. O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;

David makes a solemn appeal to God, the searcher of hearts, to judge of his innocence, with regard to the particular crime laid to his charge. Any person, when slandered, may do the same. But Christ only could call upon Heaven to attest his universal uprightness. In his "hands" there was "no iniquity;" all his works were wrought in perfect righteousness; and when the prince of this world came to try and explore him, he found nothing whereof justly to ac

cuse him. The vessel was thoroughly shaken, but the liquor in it continued pure.

4. If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me: yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:

David probably alludes to the life of Saul, which was twice preserved by him, when he had been pressed by his attendants to embrace the opportunity of taking it away. See 1 Sam. xxiv. xxvi. Of the Son of David, St. Paul says, "In this he commended his love to us, that when we were sinners, he died for us:" Rom. v. 8. In so exalted a sense did he "deliver him that without, cause was his enemy." Wretched they who persecute their benefactor; happy he who can reflect, that he has been a benefactor to his persecutors.

5. Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust.

These are the evils which David imprecates on himself, if he were such as his adversaries represented him; persecution, apprehension, death, and disgrace. Christ, for our sakes, submitting to the imputation of guilt, suffered all these; but, being innocent in himself, he triumphed over them all; he was raised and released, glorified and adored; he pursued and overtook his enemies, he conquered the conquerors, and trampled them under his feet; and he enabled us, through grace, to do the same.

6. Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies; and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded.

To a protestation of innocence succeeds a prayer for judgement upon the case, which is formed on these two considerations; first, the unreasonable and unrelenting fury of the persecutors; secondly, the justice which God has "commanded" others to execute, and which therefore he himself will doubtless execute upon such occasions. How did he "awake," and "arise," and "lift up himself to judgement" on the behalf of his Anointed, in the day of the resurrection of Jesus, and the subsequent confusion of his enemies! And let injured innocence ever comfort itself with the remembrance of another day to come, when every earth-born cloud being removed, it shall dazzle its oppressors with a lustre far superior to that of the noon-day sun.

7. So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high.

The meaning is, that a visible display of God's righteous judgement would induce multitudes who should behold, or hear of it, to adore and glorify him. For their sakes, therefore, as well as that of the sufferer, he is entreated to re-ascend the tribunal as formerly, and pronounce the wished-for sentence. Thus the determination of the cause between Jesus and his adversaries, by his resurrection, and "return "on high," brought "the congregation of the nations" around him, and effected the conversion of the world. Nor, in human affairs, does any thing more advance the reputation of a people among their neighbours, than an equitable sentence in the mouth of him who sitteth in judgement.

8. The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

Conscious of his "righteousness" and "integrity," as to the matter in question, David desires to be judged by him who is to judge the world at the last day. How few, among Christians, have seriously and deliberately considered, whether the sentence of that day is likely to be in their favour! Yet, how many, with the utmost composure and self-complacency, repeat continually the words of this Psalm, as well as those in the Te Deum, "We believe that "thou shalt come to be our judge!" Legal, or perfect righteousness and integrity, are peculiar to the Redeemer; but evangelical righteousness and integrity all must have, who would be saved.

9. Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: or, the wickedness of the wicked shall, &c. for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. 10. My defence is of God, who saveth the upright in heart.

It is predicted, that wickedness will, in the end, be abolished, and the just immoveably established, by Him who knoweth intimately the very thoughts and desires of both good and bad men, and will give to each their due reward. How can we doubt of this, when it has pleased God to afford so many examples and preludes to it, in his dispensations of old time? The righteous cause hath already triumphed in Christ; let us not doubt, but that it will do so in the church. Happy the man, whose hope is therefore in God, because " he saveth the upright in heart.”

11. God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

The sense seems to be, that there are daily instances in the world of God's favour towards his people; as also of his displeasure against the ungodly, who are frequently visited by sore judgements, and taken away in their sins. In this light we should consider and regard all history, whether that of our own age and nation, or of any other.

12. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. 13. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

The sinner who is not converted by the vengeance inflicted on others, will himself at length be made an example of. The wrath of God may be slow, but it is always sure. In thoughtless security man wantons and whiles away the precious hours; he knows not that every transgression sets a fresh edge on the sword, which is thus continually whetting for his destruction; nor considers, that he is the mark of an archer who never errs, and who, at this very instant, perhaps has fitted to the string that arrow which is to pierce his soul with everlasting anguish.

14. Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.

This is not to be understood as if " travail" were previous to "conception." The first is a general expression, "Behold, he travaileth with iniquity:" the latter part of the verse is more particular; as if it had been said, "and having conceived mischief, he "bringeth forth falsehood." When an evil thought is