INTRODUCTION.

PSALM LVII. 2.

I WILL CRY UNTO GOD MOST HIGH, UNTO GOD THAT PERFORMETH ALL THINGS FOR ME.

THE greatness of God is a glorious and unsearchable mystery. "The Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth," Psalm xlvii. 2. The condescension of the most high God to men is also a profound mystery. "Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly," Psalm cxxxviii. 6. But when both these meet together, as they do in this scripture, they make up a matchless mystery. Here we find the most high God performing all things for a poor distressed creature.

Three things are remarkable in the former part of this psalm-the extreme danger of the psalmist his earnest address to God in that extremity-the arguments he pleads with God in that address.

B

His extreme danger is expressed both in the title and in the body of the psalm. The title tells us, that this psalm was composed by him when he hid himself from Saul in the cave. This cave was in the wilderness of Engedi, among the broken rocks where the wild goats inhabited, an obscure and desolate hole; yet even thither the envy of Saul pursued him, 1 Sam. xxiv. 1, 2. And now he who had been so long hunted as a partridge upon the mountains, seems to be enclosed in the net; for the place was begirt with his enemies. Having in this place no out-let another way, and Saul himself entering into the mouth of this cave, in the sides and creeks whereof he and his men lay hid, and saw him; judge to how great an extremity and to what a desperate state things were now brought. Well might he say, as it is in verse 4, "My soul is among lions, and I lie even among them them that are set on fire." What hope now remained? What but immediate destruction could be expected?

Yet this danger frightens him not out. of his faith and duty; but betwixt the jaws

of death he prays, and

earnestly addresses:

himself to God for mercy, verse 1, "Be merciful to me, O God! be merciful to me!" The repetition denotes both the extremity of the danger, and the ardency of the supplicant. Mercy! mercy! Nothing but mercy, and that exerting itself in an extraordinary way, can now save him from ruin.

The arguments he pleads for obtaining mercy in this distress, are these-he pleads his reliance upon God as an argument to move his mercy; "Be merciful unto me, O God; be merciful unto me! for my soul trusteth in thee; yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast," verse 1. And then he pleads former experiences of his help in past distresses, as an argument encouraging hope under the present strait; "I will cry unto God most high, unto God that performeth all things for me."

In which words observe the duty resolved upon; "I will cry unto God." Crying unto God, is an expression that denotes not only prayer, but intense and fervent prayer; and then observe the encouragements to this resolution; and these are taken from the sovereignty of God,

and from the experience he had of his providence.

He encourages himself from the sovereignty of God; "I will cry unto God most high." Upon this he acts his faith in the extremity of danger. Saul is high, but God is the Most High; and, without his permission, he is assured Saul cannot touch him. He had none to help; and if he had, he knew God must first help the helpers, or they cannot help him. He had no means of defence or escape before him, but the Most High is not limited to

means.

The experience of his providence hitherto also encourages him; " Unto God that performeth all things for me." The word which we translate 66 performeth" comes from a root, that signifies both to perfect, and to desist or cease; for when a business is performed and perfected, the agent then ceases and 'desists from working. To such a happy issue the Lord had brought all his doubtful and difficult matters before; and this gives the psalmist encouragement, that he will still be gracious, and perfect that which concerneth him now, as he speaks in Psalm cxxxviii.

8," The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me."

If we bring our thoughts a little closer to this scripture, it will give us a fair and lovely prospect of Providence in its universal, effectual, beneficial, encouraging influence upon the affairs and concerns of the saints.

The expression imports the universal interest and influence of Providence in and upon all the concerns and interests of the saints. It has not only its hand in this or that, but in all that concerns them. It has its eyes upon every thing that relates to them throughout their lives, from first to last. Not only the great and more important, but the most minute and ordinary affairs of our lives are transacted and managed by it. It touches all things that touch us, whether more nearly or remotely.

It displays the efficacy of providential influences. Providence not only undertakes, but “performeth" and perfects what concerns us. It goes through with its designs, and accomplishes what it begins. No difficulty so clogs it, no cross accident so falls in its way, but it carries