43. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

FOR the sake of the Church and the world, not less than for our own sakes, let us give diligence to clear up our interest in the Gospel, that "the joy of the Lord may be our strength" in his service. The want of personal assurance not only brings a loss in our own experience, but a hindrance to usefulness within our appointed sphere. Hence our efforts are often powerless in parrying off the attack of "him that reproaches us ;" and our attempts to "strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees "1 of our

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brethren unavailing. Sometimes in this state of perplexity we are afraid to speak for the Saviour, lest we should incur the charge of hypocrisy. At other times we are ashamed to speak, from the absence of that only constraining principle" the love of Christ." And thus, the word of truth is taken out of our mouths." Often have we wanted a word to speak for the relief of the Lord's tempted people, and have not been able to find it; so that the recollection of precious lost opportunities may well give utterance to the prayer-" Take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth." Not only take it out of my heart; but let it be ready in my mouth for a confession of my Master. Some of us have known the pain and sorrow consequent upon the indulgence of worldly habits and conversation, when a want of liberty of spirit has hindered us from standing up boldly for our God. We may perhaps allege the plea of bashfulness or judicious caution in excuse for silence; which how

1 Isaiah xxxv. 3.

2 2 Cor. v. 14.

ever, in many instances, is only as a self-deceptive covering for the real cause of restraint-the want of apprehension of the mercy of God to the soul." All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom."1 Wisdom is indeed required to know when, as well as what, to speak. "There is a time to keep silence, as well as a time to speak;" and "the prudent shall keep silence in that time." 3 But it will be always well to examine, whether it is our cross to be "dumb with silence". whether, when we "hold our peace even from good, our sorrow is stirred," and our "heart hot within us, and the fire burning." 4 Oh! let" not the word of truth be taken utterly out of our mouth." If we cannot say all we want of our Saviour, let us say all we can. A word spoken in weakness may be a word of Almighty power, and a present help to one of the Lord's "little ones." And in our connexions with the world, many occasions will unexpectedly offer, when the heart is wakeful and active to improve them. The common topics of earthly conversation may furnish a channel for heavenly intercourse; so that our communications even with the world may be like Jacob's ladder, "whose bottom rested upon the earth, but the top reached unto the heavens." 5 And oh! what a

1 Psalm cxlv. 10-13.

Amos v. 13.

2 Eccles. iii. 7.

4 Psalm xxxix. 2, 3.

5 Gen. xxviii. 12. 'Why do I make any of my visits to any of my neighbours, or countenance their visits unto me? Lord, I desire to let fall something, that may be for the good of the company; even, that more may be known of thee, and done for thee, from what passes in it. And when I propose to ingratiate myself unto any people by the civilities of conversation, it shall be, that I may gain thereby the better advantages to prosecute purposes

relief is it to the burdened conscience, if but a few words can be stammered out for God, even though there are no sensible refreshings of his presence upon the soul. But to give power and acceptance to our word, it must be "spoken out of the abundance of the heart."1 And when the heart is inditing a good matter, speaking of the things touching the king, our tongue will be the pen of a ready writer." This prayer is the same confidence of faith that was expressed in the preceding verse-"For I have hoped in thy judgments"-an acceptable spirit of approach to God, and an earnest of the revival of life and comfort in the Lord's best time and way.

The Lord sometimes punishes the unfaithfulness of his people, in neglecting to use the spiritual weapon of his word, by "taking it out of their mouth" when they most need it. Let us then "hide it in our hearts." "Let it dwell in us richly in all wisdom," that it may be ready for every circumstance of emergency.

44. So shall I keep thy law continually, for ever and

ever.

THE heaping up of so many words in this short verse, appears to be the struggle of the soul to give something like an adequate expression of the vehemency of its longings to glorify its Saviour. And indeed the Lord's return to us, unsealing the lips of the dumb, and putting his word again into our mouth, brings with it a fresh sense of constraining obligation. A

upon them. In conversation, I would especially lay hold on all advantages to introduce as much as I can of a lovely Christ into the view of all that I come near unto.' Cotton Mather, Student and Pastor, pp. 74, 75. 1 Matt. xii. 34. 2 Psalm xlv. 1, 2. 3 Col. iii. 16.

new prospect is opened of employment in his praise and service; not only as our present privilege, but as an antepast of our heavenly employment, when the word will never more "be taken out of our mouth; but we shall be able to "talk of his wondrous works," 1 and to "keep his law for ever and ever." The defects in the constancy and extent of our obedience (as far as our hearts are alive to the honour of God,) must ever be our grief and burden; and the prospect of its completeness in a better world, is that which renders the anticipation of heaven so delightful. There we shall be blest with suitable feelings, and therefore be enabled to render suitable obedience-even one unbroken consecration of all our powers to his work. Then "shall we keep his law continually for ever and ever." When once we have found admittance before the throne of God, we " shall serve him day and night in his temple," 2-without sin--without inconstancywithout weariness, without end! We speak of heaven; but oh! to be there! To be engaged throughout eternity in the service of love to a God of love! In one day's continuance in the path of obedience even here, in the midst of the defilement which stains our holiest services, how sweetly do the minutes roll away! But to be for ever employed for him, in that place where there shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth"--this gives an emphasis and a dignity to the heavenly joy, which may well stamp it as "unspeakable and full of glory."4 May we not then encourage the hope, that the Lord is making us meet for heaven, by the strength and constancy of our desires to " keep the law of God?" And is it not evident, that heaven itself can afford no real delight

1 Verse 27.

3 Ib. xxi. 27.

to one, who feels the service of God on earth to be irksome? He stands self-excluded by the constitution of his nature, by the necessity of the case. He has no heart for heaven, no taste for heaven, no capacity for the enjoyment of heaven-" He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still." 1

Heavenly, gracious Father, who and what are we, that our hearts should be made the unworthy recipients of thy grace? that our wills should be subdued into "the obedience of faith?" and that we should be permitted to anticipate the blessed period, when we shall keep thy law continually for ever and ever ?" May this prospect realize the happiness of our present obedience! May he, who has "bought us with a price" for his glory, reign in our hearts, and live upon our lips; that each of us may have his mark upon our foreheads-the seal of his property in us, and of our obligation to him- -"Whose I am, and whom I serve. "2

45. And I will walk at liberty; for I seek thy

precepts.

IT was a fine expression of a heathen, To serve God is to reign: '3 and certainly David appears to have found the liberty of a king in linking his affections

1 Rev. xxii. 11.

2 Acts xxvii. 23.

3 'In regno vivimus. Deo servare est regnare.'-Seneca. When the female martyr Agatha was upbraided, because, being descended of an illustrious parentage, she stooped to mean and humble offices- Our nobility '-she replied-' lies in this; that we are the servants of Christ,' Bp. Sumner's Evidences, pages 359, 360.