we may distinguish between three different aspects of Psalm xxiv. 1. To the unconverted, the passage, like the rest of Scripture, is without form and void. The letter may convey a meaning, but nothing of interest or of spiritual intelligence. 2. To the godly Jew it spoke of Jehovah's present rights, and future manifested dominion. 3. But though this was the very teaching of the Spirit, there was deeper instruction which the Spirit would bring out by the hand of Paul in the First Epistle to the Corinthians. A question had arisen, requiring exquisite dexterity in the answer, concerning meats offered to idols. And the answer is so contrived, in the wisdom of the Spirit, as not merely to solve the particular difficulty the Corinthians were in, a solution that would have been of little use when the emergency was over, but to lay, in the broadest and clearest manner, the deep foun dations of gospel truth. 66 The The question was, May I eat meats offered to idols?" "Yes," says Paul," only with due regard to the conscience of another." "For [and this little word has probably occasioned much difficulty to many in the interpretation] the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof." Spirit in Paul looks abroad over the whole surface of the globe, and sees not one spot that is not the Lord's. But this is not all; the words themselves require a fuller explanation. The Son might say, as Jehovah, "All the beasts of the forest are mine, and so are the cattle upon a thousand hills." But this would only be the right of the Creator. And so, when sin had found entrance into the world, while Jehovah would retain His rights as Creator, this very fact would be against man's liberty. The earth is the Lord's, and, therefore, man is not free, for on every spot of ground where he can plant his foot he is a trespasser. His very existence upon earth is, in a manner, a trespass; and if he dares to touch any of God's creatures, instead of a partaker by grace, God only knows him as an intruder upon his ground, as a thief and a robber. The key, then, to the connexion of this passage with conscience must be found in the interpretation of the word "Lord." Creation and conscience do not correspond; but conscience and the Lordship of Jesus do, and this is one blessed portion of teaching in the New Testament. Let us first look at Romans xiv. 9, "For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living." Christ, as Jehovah, was Lord from eternity. Christ, as the risen man (and, of course, not merely man), has acquired a lordship, whereby (having by Himself purged our sins) He has power to give us a dispensation to eat freely, asking no question for conscience' sake. Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. Had not man been a sinner, the first clause might have been sufficient; every creature of God is good, therefore, I may use it. And thus many an impenitent sinner is apt to justify not only the use but the abuse of God's creatures. "God," say they, "has given us all things richly to enjoy, therefore, we may enjoy ourselves and forget God." But Paul has not so learned Christ or creation either. He does not say, 66 Why am I evil spoken of for that which God has made?" but, "Why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks." Here is his warrant. He looks abroad upon the surface of creation, and sees nothing unsanctified by the blood of Christ. Therefore he may use all things. The lordship of Jesus is the liberty of the saint. The blood has cleansed all things to the believer; but the lordship of Him who died, manifested by resurrection and ascension, has pronounced all things clean. A saint will often, in grace, refuse to exercise his liberty, eating no flesh, if need be, while the world stands, lest he cause his brother to offend. But he cannot deny his liberty, for this would be to deny Christ, if it were but concerning the lawfulness of eating one morsel of meat. We seem to have similar teaching in our Lord's words (Luke xi.41)," But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.' Not that alms-giving could purchase liberty; but it would seem as if our Lord had said, "Act in grace, and so prove you are on the ground of grace; if on that ground, all things are clean unto you." I may add, that, in the two verses of 1 Cor. x. 31, 32, we have, in the clearest light, the largest extent of Christian liberty, combined with the strictest rule of Christian practice. Everything is cleansed to me, if I can use it with thanksgiving. Nothing is allowable that is not done to the glory of God. If we have grace to act on these two principles, we shall neither be Legalists on the one hand nor Antinomians on the other. I would not conclude this short paper without a few words on the peculiar force of the word "Lord” in this passage. First, the inspired writer of Psalm xxiv. has declared, The earth is Jehovah's. The uninspired authors of the Greek version have rendered the word "Jehovah" by "Lord," as their manner is. But, lastly, the New Testament has pronounced Jesus "Lord"; and now the Spirit in Paul has, as we may say, set to his seal, that those translators were right (in that passage), and that Jesus who died and rose and revived was Jehovah as well as Lord. NO XXXIV. ILLUSTRATION OF TWO ACROSTIC PSALMS, CXI. AND CXII. ANYTHING illustrative of Scripture is most precious to the Christian: it is the chart he sails by. I desire to add a mite; and will not be deterred by the feeling of either its littleness or my want of competency to present the subject in a way worthy of itself. In Hebrew, the 111th and 112th Psalms are acrostic; and there is this singularity about them, that each of them has twenty-two clauses in ten verses, and each of these clauses begins with a letter of the alphabet. I have sought to translate them as verbally as possible, and thus, so far as possible, according to my power, to present to the eye of the mere English reader the appearance they have in Hebrew,-retaining the acrostic memorial. I am not aware of having forced the sense at all. That they are remarkably connected together cannot be doubted. They correspond in subject, or are responsive: and to the eye they are the one like to the other, as are a pair of wings in a bird, though the colouring may differ [Perhaps the fanciful pairs of wings of George Herbert's day were borrowed hence;-shape being added by the poet.] All I seek is to present to the merc English reader the sense of the Hebrew in such form as that his eye may have the same benefit as has the eye which peruses them in Hebrew. Observe and compare verses 3 in both; also verses 4. Are the character of Jehovah in a certain aspect, and the character of His servant, the two subjects? The Reader is advised to turn back to Volume One, pages fifty and three hundred and twenty. There he will find reference to the two Psalms, now under consideration, in the observations made concerning First:-The Titles of the Psalms. Secondly:-The Acrostics. And Thirdly:-The Orphans. PSALM CXI. HALLELU-YAH. TET. Beth B Aleph A (Aye), I will praise Jehovah whole-heartedly: 1 Before the counsel of the upright and the congregation. Gimel G Great (are) the works of Jehovah: 2 Daleth D Diligently sought of all that delight therein. H Honorable and glorious His work: 3 Heh Vau 1 V Verily1 His righteousness stands for ever. Cheth Teth Yod Caph wonders: Ch CHaritable and compassionate (is) Jehovah. DT To his fearers he gave the prey: 5 Y (Yet) He remembers for ever His covenant. > C Caused He to declare to His people the 6 might of His deeds: LamedL (Looking) to give them the heritage of the Mem Gentiles. M Made things of His hands truth and judgment: 7 Samech DS Ayin Peh 2 Tzadee ע Standing fast for ever and ever: Ph Freedom he sent to His people; Tz 'Tis He commanded for ever His covenant: Cooph PC Consecrated and fearful His name. Resh Sin Tav R Ruling in wisdom is the fear of Jehovah; that do them: T The praise of Him stands for ever. 1 66 2 Or Pheh 8 9 10 |