December 23

1 Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands; 2 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. 3 Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. 4 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. 5 Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. 6 He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him. 7 He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations; let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah. 8 Oh bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard; 9 Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. 10 For thou, O God, hast proved us, thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidest affliction upon our loins. 12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. 13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows. 14 Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. 15 I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of failings, with the incense of tams: I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah. 16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. 17 I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. 19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

Praise is the special topic of this Psalm, and the subjects for song are the Lord's great works, His gracious benefits, His faithful deliverances, and all His dealings with His people; "the singer then becomes personal, and confesses his own obligations to the Lord (verses 13, 14, 15); and, bursting forth with a vehement 'Come and See,' declares with thanksgiving the special favor of the Lord to himself, verses 16-20."

The psalmist's example here is a good one for us to follow. Testimony ought to be borne by all Christians.

"After we are delivered from the dreadful apprehensions of the wrath of

God, it is our duty to be publicly thankful. It is for the glory of our Healer to speak of the miserable wounds that once pained us: and of that kind hand that saved us when we were brought very low. It is for the glory of our Pilot to tell of the rocks and of the sands; the many dangers and threatening calamities that He, by His wise conduct, made us to escape: and to see us safe on the shore, may cause others that are yet afflicted, and tost with tempests, to look to Him for help; for He is able and ready to save them as well as us."—Timothy Rogers.

Closet Promise.—The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; He shall preserve thy soul.—Psalm cxxi. 7.

In my life God has always been right. I have said, "Father, I want this," and He has been silent; and I have said, "Silence gives consent, I will have it." I have taken it, and it has stung me. I have said, "I will not go down this road, it looks dark and perilous, and there may be beasts of prey down there; birds of evil omen may be darkening the black shadows of the treacherous trees." And God has said, "Go down." And I have said, "Spare me this," and He has said, "Go;" and I have in His strength gone down, and all the darkness was gone through in three yards or less, and after that came a road thronged with angels, colored with heaven, bright with all that makes heaven lustrous.—Joseph Parker.