want, when the foolish virgins shall be calling in vain for oil, and the rich glutton as vainly imploring a drop of water to cool his tongue,

20. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume, into smoke shall they consume away,

The destruction of the wicked is here again set before us, but under a different image, namely, that of a sacrifice. Senseless, as cattle, they are fatted for the altar, they wanton in their prosperity, and nourish their hearts against the day of slaughter. In the mean time, the Almighty is whetting that sword, which nothing can withstand; and those fires are kindling, which shall never be extinguished. See Isa. xxxiv. 6-10,

21. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; but the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth.

The wicked man, like his leader, the "wicked "one," payeth not those whose money or abilities he hath occasion to borrow, and to employ in his service; whereas the disciple of Christ, in imitation of his master, not only punctually observeth the rules of justice and equity, but thinketh it “morę "blessed to give than to receive." In like manner, though both are indebted, for every thing, to the bounty of God, the latter maketh all the acknowledgements and returns in his power; while the former never thinketh of making any.

22. For, or, therefore, such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

They who are like their merciful and gracious

Lord, and who, by their devotion and charity, bless him, are blessed of him; they who are like their cruel and iniquitous master, and who, by their ungodliness, injustice, and hard-heartedness, dishonour their Maker and Redeemer, are cursed of him. To the former therefore, it will be said, at the last day, Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom;" to the latter, "Go, ye cursed, into the fire."

23. The steps of a good man are ordered, Heb. established, by the LORD; and he delighteth in his way. 24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

This was emphatically true of the man Christ, whose steps Jehovah established, and in whose way he delighted; who, " though he fell" by death, yet was raised again by his mighty hand and outstretched It is true likewise of Christians, whom it should support and comfort, in all dangers and temptations. See, for a parallel, Psal. xci.

arm.

25. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 26. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

So far is charity from impoverishing, that what is given away, like vapours emitted by the earth, returns in showers of blessings into the bosom of the person who gave it; and his offspring is not the worse, but infinitely the better for it. The liberal "soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall "be watered also himself:" Prov. xi. 25. The bread which endureth, as well as that which perisheth, is

his; and the blessings of time are crowned with those of eternity.

27. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. 28. For the LORD loveth judgement, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

The justice and mercy of God, the rewards which await the righteous, and the punishments that will, sooner or later, be inflicted on the wicked, are subjects on which whoever shall frequently meditate, "will depart from evil, and do good. Whatsoever "thou takest in hand," saith the wise son of Sirach, "remember the END, and thou shalt never do amiss." Ecclus. vii. 36.

30. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgement. 31. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

The word which is here, as in other places innumerable, translated "the righteous," is in the singular number, and might therefore be translated "the Righteous One," or, "the Just One ;" for it is often designed to point him out to us, who is emphatically so styled; whose "mouth" always spake

wisdom," in whose "heart was the law of God," and whose "steps" NEVER declined to evil. Lord, put thy laws into our hearts, that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth may speak; and as the mouth speaks, the hands may act, and the feet may walk.

32. The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. 33. The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

The Jews" watched" that " Just One," daily and hourly; they "sought to slay him," and did so; but "Jehovah left him not in their hands," but vindicated his innocence, by raising him from the dead. And the day is coming, when he who hath stood tamely at the bar of men, and hath suffered for truth and righteousness, shall be advanced to a throne among the saints and martyrs, to assist at the trial of his once-insulting judges,

34, Wait on the LORD and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it,

The apostle, writing to the Hebrew converts, under affliction and persecution, thus expresseth the sentiment contained in this verse: "Cast not away

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your confidence, which hath great recompense of "reward. For ye have need of patience, that after

ye have done the will of God, ye might receive "the promise. For yet a little while, and he that "shall come, will come, and will not tarry." Heb. x. 35.

35. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay-tree, or, a nalive tree, which has grown from the seed without transplantation, in the same spot. 36. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

The great Babylonian monarch had his own exaltation, and subsequent degradation, portrayed to

him, in a vision, under this very image, which conveyed to the mind a most striking and affecting idea of the rise and fall of men and empires, which have now no existence but in history. "I saw, and be"hold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height "thereof was great. The tree grew, and was strong, " and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and "the sight thereof to the end of all the earth. The "leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, "and it was meat for all: the beasts of the field "had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven " dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of "it. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, " and behold a watcher and an holy one can down "from heaven. He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew "down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off "his leaves, and scatter his fruit; let the beasts

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get away from under it, and the fowls from his "branches:" Dan. iv. 10, 11, &c. See the Prophet's exposition, 20, 21, &c. and what is said above, on ver. 10. of this Psalm.

37. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. 38. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

After taking a view of those short-lived honours, which the world setteth upon the heads of its most favoured votaries, let us turn our eyes to " the Per"fect and Upright One;" let us behold the permanent greatness and the unfading glory of the TREE OF LIFE, which is in the midst of the paradise of