June 24

Psalm xviii. — 1. Oh! sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory.

2. The Lord hath made known his salvation; his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

3. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth; make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

5. Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp and the voice of a psalm.

6. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.

7. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

8. Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together

9. Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

Psalm cxxxii. — 8. Arise, O Lord! into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.

9. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.

13. For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.

14. This is my rest forever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

15. I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread.

16. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

Psalm xxiv. — 1. The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

2. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

5. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob!

7. Lift up your heads, O ye gates! and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

8. Who is this King of glory? the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.

9. Lift up your heads, O ye gates! even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

10. Who is this King of glory? the Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.

The latter psalm has the ring of a triumphal march. It was sung by responsive choirs at a grand national festival. David, proclaimed by acclamation king at Hebron, had driven out the Jebusites from the stronghold of Zion; had taken possession of the fort, and built his capital around it. He was now about to bring into the city the ark of God, which, as the symbol of the divine presence, had been the source of his strength, and had given him the victory. All the earth was the Lord's; all its people were under his control. Jehovah had set him up as king upon this hill, and he would now consecrate it to his abode. David, regarding himself as only an agent and representative of the divine government, would have

the true King, the King of glory, enthroned and honored in Zion. But the gates of the city are altogether too low and mean for the entry of such a guest. They must lift up their heads. The ancient doors, which had suffered for so many chiefs and princes, must be made broader and loftier to receive this mighty King. And his retinue should consist, not of princes and warriors, dividing, as it were, the honors of victory, but of true, humble, upright, noble souls, who bring to him the service of clean hands and pure hearts; who seek his face as their chief good, and make his glory their chief joy. So let our hearts enthrone the Lord over all that is given us, and over all the world.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 80, 88, 93, 104.

Thine, O Lord! is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine: thine is the kingdom, O Lord! and thou art exalted as Head over all. We bless thee that thou hast given unto thy Son the kingdom in this world, and hast promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against his Church; and we beseech thee hasten the day when Zion shall be a joy and praise in all the earth. Make thy Word a comfort and a joy unto all believers, and the power of God unto salvation to the world that lieth in wickedness.

O Lord Jesus! rule thou in our hearts: enter

in, thou King of glory! By thy redeeming grace take away our sins; by thy sanctifying presence fill our souls with thy peace. May we do all things to thy glory, and show forth thy praise in our lives! We humbly thank thee, O Lord! for the blessings of the past night; for thy daily benefits to us, and to all dear to us. Bless this household, this day and always, with thy grace. May we know the joy of a full consecration unto Him who hath redeemed us to God with his precious blood! and, having served him in his kingdom here, may we come to be partakers of his glory in the kingdom of his Father, for Christ's sake! Amen.