PSALM CXXXIII.

ARGUMENT.

This short but pleasing Psalm was composed either to recommend unity among the tribes of Israel, or to celebrate it when it had taken place. Bishop Patrick justly observes, that "it was as fitly used

by the first Christians, to express their joy for "the blessed union of Jews and Gentiles; and

may now serve the uses of all Christian societies, "whose happiness lies in holy peace and concord." It containeth, 1. a rapturous exclamation on the comforts and advantages of union, which, 2, 3. are illustrated by the two exquisite similitudes of the holy anointing oil and of dew.

1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity.

But unity

Many things are good which are not pleasant ; and many pleasant, which are not good. among brethren, whether civil or religious, is productive both of profit and pleasure. Of profit, because therein consisteth the welfare and security of every society; of pleasure, because mutual love is the source of delight, and the happiness of one becomes, in that case, the happiness of all. It is unity alone, which gives beauty as well as strength, to the state; which renders the church, at the same

time, "fair as the moon, and terrible as an army "with banners." Cant. vi. 10.

2. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3. As the dew of Hermon*, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

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Unity, beginning in the prince, and diffused through the people, is here illustrated," saith doctor Delany, "by two images, the most apt and beau"tiful that ever were imagined. Kingdoms are con"sidered as bodies politic, of which the king is the

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head, and the people, in their several ranks and "orders, the parts and members. A spirit of union "beginning upon the prince, whose person is sacred, " is like oil poured upon the head of Aaron, which naturally descends, and spreads itself over all the parts of the body, and diffuses beauty and fragrance over the whole, reaching even to the skirts "of the garment. Oil is, without question, the

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finest emblem of union that ever was conceived. "It is a substance consisting of very small parts, "which yet, by their mutual adhesion, constitute one "uniform, well united, and useful body. The sacred "oil carries the idea and the advantage of union yet

* Bishop Lowth seemeth fully to have justified our translators in supplying the ellipsis as they have done, and thereby removing the absurdity of making the dew of Hermon, a mountain on one side of Jordan, towards the eastern extremity of Canaan, descend on the mountain of Zion, which was situated on the other side of Jordan, at Jerusalem.

"farther; which being extracted from various spices,

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yet made up one well cohering and more valuable compound. The next image carries the exhorta❝tion to union, and the advantages of it, still higher. "Hermon was the general name of one mountain, comprehending many lesser and lower hills, under "the surround of a greater. Union in any nation is "the gift of God; and therefore unity among bre"thren, beginning from the king, is like the dew of heaven, which falling first upon the higher summit "of Hermon (refreshing and enriching wherever "it falls), naturally descends to Zion, a lower; and "thence even to the humble valleys. Zion was the "centre of union to all the tribes; there God him"self had promised his people rest, and peace from "their enemies; which, however, were of little value "without union and harmony among themselves *." Thus far this learned and pious author, whose explanation of the Psalmist's imagery, as descriptive of civil unity in the state, is so just and elegant, that I could not forbear transcribing the passage at length. It only remains to be added, that these divine pictures receive an additional beauty, and the colouring is much heightened, by their being viewed in another light, as representations of spiritual unity in the church. The spirit of heavenly love was that oil of gladness which Jehovah poured without measure on him who is the high-priest and head of his church. Insinuating and healing, comforting and exhilarating, it is diffused from him over his body mystical, even

* Life of King David, vol. iii. p. 204.

down to the least and lowest members; " of his ful"ness have we all received;" and, as it is said of Mary's box of spikenard in the Gospel, "the house "is filled with the odour of the ointment." Nor did the dew of heaven, in time of drought, ever prove more refreshing and beneficial to the mountains of Judah, than are the influences of grace, when descending in soft silence from above upon the church; in the union and communion of which, God hath "commanded the blessing, even life for ever"more." O come the day, when division shall cease, and enmity be done away; when the tribes of the spiritual Israel shall be united in a bond of eternal charity, under the true David, in the Jerusalem which is above; and saints and angels shall sing this lovely Psalm together!

PSALM CXXXIV.

ARGUMENT.

With this Psalm, Christians in the church, like the Levites of old in the temple, 1, 2. call upon each other to bless God, and 3. upon God to

bless them all.

1. Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. 2. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.

The first word in this verse, (6 Behold," seemeth to point at the reasons which the priests in the temple

had to bless Jehovah; as if it had been said, Behold, the house of God is built, the holy services are appointed, and the Lord hath given you rest from your enemies, that you may serve him acceptably; set about it, therefore, with gratitude and alacrity. We read, 1 Chron. ix. 33. that the Levitical singers were

employed in their work day and night;" to the end, doubtless, that the earthly sanctuary might bear some resemblance of that above, where, St. John tells us, the redeemed "are before the throne of God, and "serve him day and night in his temple:" Rev. vii. 15. Christians are the redeemed of the Lord, redeemed from the guilt and dominion of sin, delivered out of the hands of their enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil, that they may become the servants of Christ. He hath built his church, and in it he wills that men pray, lifting up holy hands, and that they offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving. "Behold," therefore, "bless the Lord Jesus, all ye "servants of his;" bless him in the cheerful and busy hours of day; bless him in the solemn and peaceful watches of the night; making melody, even then, in your hearts at least, if not with your voices. The pious Mr. Nicholas Farrer exhibited, in the last century, an instance of a Protestant family, in which a constant course of psalmody was appointed, and so strictly kept up, that through the whole four and twenty hours of day and night, there was no portion of time, when some of the members were not employed in performing that most pleasant part of duty and devotion. The reader may see the curious life of this extraordinary person, as drawn up by Dr.