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PREFACE.

A CONSIDERABLE portion of the Sacred Volume (as the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament, and a large part of the several Epistles in the New Testament) is occupied with the interesting subject of Christian Experience, and exhibits its character, under different dispensations of religion, and diversified with an endless variety of circumstances, as ever essentially the same. As the same features of countenance and elevation of stature have always marked the human species in the midst of the creation of God, so an identity of feature and "measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" has, in all ages and under every shade of outward difference, distinguished the family of God, as "the people that should dwell alone, and should not be reckoned among the nations."* This indeed was to have been expected. Human nature has undergone no change since the fall. In its unrenewed state it is still captivated in the same chains of sin; and, when renewed, it is under the influence of the same Spirit of grace. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." We might therefore have conceived, that the modern believer, when employed in tracing the records of Patriarchal or Mosaical experience, will mark in the infirmities of the ancient people of God a picture of his own heart, "answering, as in water face answereth to face ;" and in comparing their exercises of grace with his own, will be ready to acknowledge-" All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."§

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In this view, it is the object of this work to exhibit an Old Testament believer in a New Testament garb, as one 'walking in the same spirit, and in the same steps" with ourselves; and, in bringing his features of character to the Evangelical standard, it is presumed, that the correspond. ence will be found to be complete. "Faith which worketh

*Numbers xxiii. 9. † John iii. 6. Prov. xxvii. 19. $1 Cor. xii. 11.

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by love"*-the fundamental distinction of the Gospel-
pervades the whole man, with at least an implied reference
to the one way of access to God,t and a distinct regard
alike to the promises, and to the preceptive§ parts of di-
vine revelation. Nor are the workings of this principle
delineated with less accuracy. In all the detail of spiritual
exercises and holy conduct, we observe its operations lead-
ing the soul into communion with God, and moulding every
part into a progressive conformity to his image. When we
view the "man after God's own heart"-taking God for
his portion-associating with his people, and feeding
upon his word;** when we mark his zeal for his Master's
glorytt-his devotedness‡‡ and self-denial§§ in his Mas-
ter's work-when we see him ever ready to confess his
name, to bear reproach,¶¶ and caring only to answer it
by a more steady adherence to his service***-do we not
in these lineaments of character recognize the picture of
one, who in after times could turn to the churches of
Christ, and say—" Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye follow-
ers of me ?"††† Or can we recollect the Psalmist's in-
sight into the extent and spirituality of the law of God,‡‡‡
and his continual conflict with indwelling sin§§§-awaken-
ing in him the spirit of wrestling prayer|||||| and confidence
in the God of his salvation¶¶¶-and not be again forcibly
reminded of him, who has left upon record the correspond.
ing history of his own experience--"We know, that the
law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin: I was
alive without the law once: but when the commandment
came, sin revived, and I died; O wretched man that I am!
who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank
-God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!"**** In short, let
his instancy in prayer†††† and praise‡‡‡‡ be remembered
-his determined§§§§ and persevering cultivation of
heart-religion ¶¶¶¶ and practical holiness ;***** his hun-
gering and thirsting after righteousness ;ttttt his jealous

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fear* and watchful tendernesst against sin, and regard for the honour of his God; his yearning compassion over his fellow-sinners; his spiritual taste, his accurate discernment; the "simplicity" of his dependence,** and the godly sincerity" of his obedience;tt his peace of mind and stability of profession;‡‡ his sanctified improvement of the cross; his victory over the world;|||| his acknowledgment of the Lord's mercy ;TT his trials of faith and patience;*** his heavenly liberty in the ways of God; his habitual living in his presence,‡‡‡ and under the quickening, restraining,|||||| directing,¶¶¶ and supporting**** influence of his word--let these holy exercises be considered--either separately, or as forming one admirable concentration of Christian excellence-and what do we desire more to complete the portrait of a finished Christian upon the Evangelical model? Is not this a visible demonstra. tion of the power of the word, in "perfecting the man of God, and furnishing him thoroughly unto all good works?"+ttt

Having explained the Evangelical character of this Psalm, some notice may next be taken of its peculiar adaptation to Christian experience. The several graces of the Christian system, delineated in this Psalm, form an excellent touchstone of the sincerity of our profession, by marking its practical influence in our daily walk and conversation ;—a touchstone, which appears especially needful in this day of profession; not-as warranting our confidence in the Saviour, or as constituting in any measure our ground of acceptance with God; but as exciting us to "give diligence to make our calling and election sure,"‡‡‡‡ and tending to quicken our sluggish steps in the path of self-denying obedience. The writer is free to confess, that his main design in the study of this Psalm was to furnish his own mind with a correct standard of Evangelical sincerity in the habitual scrutiny of his own heart; and if, in the course of this Exposition, any suggestion should be thrown out, to call the attention of his fellow-christians to

* Verse 161. † Ver. 11, 37, 133."‡ Ver. 39. § Ver. 53, 136, 158. || Ver. 103, 140. T Ver. 98-100, 104, 129, 130. ** Ver. 8, 10, 86, 116, 117. tt Ver. 104, 128. ‡‡ Ver. 165. 0 Ver, 67, 71, 75. Ver. 14, 36, 72, 127, 162. ¶¶ Ver. 64, 65, 68. *** Ver. 81-83, 107, 123. ttt Ver. 32, 45. ‡‡‡ Ver. 168. ggg Ver. 50, 93. Ver. 101. TTT Ver. 9, 24, 30, 105. **** Ver. 92, 143. tttt 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. ‡‡‡ 2 Pet. i. 10.

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this most important, but alas! too much neglected duty, he will have reason to "rejoice in the day of Christ, that he has not run in vain, neither laboured in vain."* Never let it be supposed, that a diligent, prayerful, probing, in vestigation of "the chambers of imagery," "gendereth unto bondage." Invariably will it be found to open the way to a more established enjoyment of the privilege of Christian assurance." Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." As therefore the preceptive part of Scripture thus becomes our guide in the happy path of filial obedience, our beloved rule of duty, and the standard of our daily progress; we shall learn in the use of it to depend more entirely upon the Saviour, fresh energy will be put into our prayers, and the promises of pardon and grace will be doubly precious to our souls.

It cannot then be, that these views of Gospel experience should be found unfriendly to the best happiness of mankind. We observe this Psalm to open with a most inviting picture of blessedness, and to describe throughout the feelings of one, encompassed indeed with trials superadded to the common lot of men, but yet evidently in possession of a soul-satisfying portion-of a "joy, with which a stranger doth not intermeddle." Of those, therefore, who would affix the stigma of melancholy to Evangelical religion, we are constrained to remark-that they "understand neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm."§ The children of Edom have never tasted the "clusters of Canaan," and cannot therefore form any just estimate of that goodly land. They that have spied the land, can bring a good report of it, and can tell them" Surely it floweth with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it."|| "The work of righte

*I know of no part of the Holy Scriptures' (remarks a profound divine,) 'where the nature and evidences of true and sincere godliness are so fully and largely insisted on and delineated, as in the 119th Psalm. The Psalmist declares his design in the first verses of the Psalm, keeps his eye on it all along, and pursues it to the end. The excellency of holiness is represented as the immediate object of a spiritual taste and delight. God's law—that grand expression and emanation of the holiness of God's nature, and prescription of holiness to the creature-is all along represented as the great object of the love, the complacence, and the rejoicing of the gracious nature, which prizes God's commandments" above gold, yea the finest gold;" and to which they are "sweeter than the honey and the honey-comb."-Edwards on Religious Affections, Part iii. Sect. iii.

+ 1 John iii. 19, with 18, 20, 21. Prov. xiv. 10. $1 Tim. i. 7. Il Numb xiii. 27.

ousness is peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever." 99*

The structure of this Psalm is peculiar,-divided into twenty-two parts-agreeing with the number of the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet-each part, and its several verses, beginning with the corresponding letter of the Alphabet. The whole Psalm is in the form of an ejaculatory address, with the exception of the first three verses, which may almost be considered as the preface to the whole, and one other verse towards the conclusion, where the man of God rebukes the ungodly from his presence, as if intruding into his "hiding-place," and interrupting his communion with his God.t-It is not always easy to trace the connexion between the several verses; at least not beyond the several divisions of the Psalm. Probably nothing more was intended than the record of the exercises of his own heart at different periods, and under different circumstances. If however they are not links on the same chain, in continuous and unbroken dependence; they may at least be considered as pearls upon one string, of equal though independent value. The prominent characteristic of the Psalm is a love for the word of God, which is brought before us under no less than ten different names,‡' referring to some latent and distin. guishing properties of the Divine word, whose manifold excellencies and perfections are thus illustrated with much elegant variety of diction.'§ In many instances, however, the several terms appear to have been varied, to adapt themselves to the metre; while, perhaps, at other times they may be promiscuously used for the whole revelation of God; that the view of its inexhaustible fulness might thus conciliate a more attentive regard to its authority; and might add fresh strength to the obligation to read, believe, love, and live in it.

If the writer may be permitted to suggest the method, in which this Exposition may be best studied to advantage, he

* Isaiah xxxii. 17. † Verses 115, with 113, 114.

Such as way, law, judgments, words, statutes, commandments, precepts, testimonies, righteousness, truth.

Rev. T. H. Horne's Introduction to Scripture, Vol. ii. 536.

As a proof of the promiscuous and extended application of those terms, whose definite sense is restricted to particular parts of revelation-we may mark the use of the word "law," applied by our Saviour to quotations from the book of Psalms. Compare John xv. 25, with Psalm xxxv. 19; lxix. 4; also John x. 34, with Psalm xxxii. 6.

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