March 12

1 Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man; preserve me from the violent man;

2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

3 They have sharpened their tongues like a

serpent; adders' poison it under their lips. Seiah.

4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the way side; they have set pins for me. Selah

6 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God; hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah

9 As for the head of those that compass me

about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

10 Let burning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth; evil shall hurt the violent man to overthrow him

12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

"David was hunted like a partridge upon the mountains, and seldom obtained a moment's rest. This is his pathetic appeal to Jehovah for protection, an appeal which gradually intensifies into a denunciation of his bitter foes. With this sacrifice of prayer he offers the salt of faith; for in a very marked and emphatic manner he expresses his personal confidence in the Lord as the Protector of the oppressed, and as his own God and Defender. Few short psalms are so rich in the jewelry of precious faith."—C. H. Spurgeon.

The persecuted man turns to God in prayer; he could not do a wiser thing. It is a common thing for good men to be assailed by enemies: David was attacked by Saul, Doeg, Ahithophel, Shinei, and others; even Mordecai sitting humbly in the gate had his Haman; and our Lord, the Perfect One, was surrounded by those who thirsted for His blood. We may not, therefore, hope to pass through the world without enemies, but we may hope to be delivered out of their hands, and preserved from their rage, so that no real harm shall come of their malignity. This blessing is to be sought by prayer, and expected by faith.

Closet Promise.—Through God we shall do valiantly: for He it is that shall tread down our enemies.—Psalm lx. 12.

Mr. Spurgeon says: "Whether we meet the foe in the open field or leap upon them while they lurk behind the battlements of a city, we shall by God's grace defeat them in either case; if they bent us in with living legions, or environ us within stone walls, we shall with equal certainty obtain our liberty. Such feats we have already performed, hewing our way at a run through hosts of difficulties, and scaling impossibilities at a leap. God's warriors may expect to have a taste of every form of fighting, and must, by the power of faith, determine to quit themselves like men, but it behooves them to be very careful to lay all their laurels at Jehovah's feet, each one of them saying, 'By my God' have I wrought this valiant deed. Our spoila


PARASLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS.

Teen shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.—Matt. xxv. 1.

145 optima, the trophies of our conflicts, we hereby dedicate to the God of battles, and ascribe to Him all glory and strength."