destruction.

He watches over us

perpetually; when the tired head is laid upon the pillow, and the soul, like an over-wearied or exhausted sentinel, sleeps at its post, it is God that keeps us all the night long, restores afresh the consciousness of morn, and invigorates us for the duties of the day. It has always appeared to me, that sleep is the nearest approach to death. When we are awake, so long we seem to have a hold of our life, in some degree, as it were, under our Own control; but, when we fall asleep, we are laid helpless; then our life is, as it were, gone from us; it is no longer under our own control, or within our grasp. It seems to me, that if we need the great Sustainer of the universe to watch over us by day, it needs his wing no less

fully and continuously to be spread over us by night. But, blessed be his name, He redeems every form of our life from destruction; He keeps us physically, intellectually, and spiritually alive, and "crowneth us with loving-kindness and with tender mercies." He surrounds us with mercies as with a diadem, wreathes around our brows a glorious coronal, and makes the world to see, and ourselves to feel, that the chaplet of his mercies is ever fragrant and ever fresh.

And all he asks of us, while he gives us such blessings as these, is the tribute of thanksgiving and of praise. He does not bid us repay him; He does not bid us suffer for him; all He asks is praise. You know the wild bee, when it flies from flower to flower, draws from

F

the blossom what feeds itself and provides for its young; and yet it is known to every naturalist, that the touch of the bee, instead of robbing the flower, lessening its beauty, or exhausting its fragrance, does just the very reverse; it adds to its beauty and increases its fragrance; and thus while the bee is enriched, the flower is not impoverished. This is just what God asks of us; He does not ask from us a tithe of what He gives; but He asks from us that tribute of gratitude and praise which gives all the glory and honour to him, but does not in the least diminish our enjoyment, or decrease the abundance which He has bestowed on us. And if these things be so, then may each and all of us say from the heart, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his

benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and with tender mercies."

CHAPTER V.

SOUL SATISFACTION.

"Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things." —Psalm ciii. 5.

THE next reason for which David purposes to praise God is, that "He satisfieth my mouth with good things." This is not merely temporal provision for the body. Interpreted in the light of parallel passages of Scripture, it intends, mainly, spiritual provision for the soul. It may include temporal provision, bestowed by the love and sweetened by the blessing of God; but, unquestionably, it primarily and chiefly means, as numerous passages I might quote prove, the satis