December 22

13 Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.

14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting humings?

15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly, he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shiketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

16 He shall dwell on high; his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks; bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty; they shall behold the land that is very far off.

18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scrove? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?

19 Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a

people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.

20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities; thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down, not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be taken.

21 But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers, and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.

22 For the LORD in our judge, the LORD in our lawgiver, the LORD in our king; he will save us.

23 Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their roast; they could not spread the sail; then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the same take the prey.

24 And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.

In these verses the prophet presents, in contrast, the confidence and security of the righteous. He first (in verse 15) describes the characteristics of the righteous, and in the following verses their confidence in God, and their security and safety. The characteristics mentioned are: 1. Walks righteously—that is, he does right. 2. Speaketh uprightly—his words are well ordered. 3. Despiseth the gain of oppressions—he abhors the gain that is the result of imposition, false dealing, and false weights. 4. Shaketh his hands from holding of bribes—as a magistrate, he does not allow his judgment to be swayed by the prospect of reward. 5. Stopping his ears from hearing of blood—does not listen to a proposal to any scheme of violence. 6. And shutteth his eyes from seeing evil. He does not desire to see it; he is not found in the places where it is committed.

The man thus described shall be preserved from alarm and danger, as if his habitation were on a lofty cliff or rock. The strongholds of the rock shall be his lofty fortress. "Bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure." He shall be sustained, and his life shall be preserved.

Cloest Promise.—But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams.—Isa. xxxiii. 21.

Region of life and light, Land of the good whose earthly toils are o'er! Nor frost nor heat may blight Thy vernal beauty, fertile shore, Yielding thy blessed fruits for evermore!

There, without crook or sling, Walks the Good Shepherd; blossoms white and red Round His meek temples cling; And, to sweet pastures led, His own loved flock beneath His eye is led. —From the Spanish of Ponce de Leon.