May 16

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

3 Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their lines to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

4 That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him and fear not

5 They encourage themselves to run evil matter: they commune of laying seams privily, they say, Who shall see them?

6 They search out iniquities, they accom-

plish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow: suddenly shall they be wounded

8 So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.

9 And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing

10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory

This Psalm is ascribed to David, without any indication of its occasion. "His life was one of conflict, and very seldom does he finish a Psalm without mentioning his enemies; in this instance his thoughts are wholly occupied with prayer against them."

From verses 1 to 6 he describes the cruelty and craftiness of his foes, and from 7 to 10 he prophesies their overthrow.

The whole Psalm is "a cry of God's elect, when persecuted for righteousness' sake, to their Deliverer and sure Avenger. The general principle stated is very clear. The Psalm will adjust itself, as an experimental utterance, to the lips of Christian faith whenever brought into contact with the evil forces of the prince of this world, so as to suffer affliction for the gospel's sake; for it expresses the condition and the hope of one actually imperilled for the truth. How aptly a portion of this Psalm applies to the suffering Truth Himself in the days of His affliction, when, pierced in His spirit by lying words, He endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself, needs not be pointed out."—Arthur Fridham.

Closet Promise.—The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.—Psalm xxxiv. 7.

The chariots of fire and horses of fire, Christians, are round about us still. Though by us unseen, they still exist. For it is as true of us as of David, when we battle for the truth, that the angel of the Lord encamps round about us to deliver. We know who it was that said, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." In the faith of His presence, go forth anew, conscious that as you fight this holy fight you will overcome at last. —William M. Taylor, D. D.