righteousness.' But the voice of the teacher and friend will be heard no more, though many will long remember its winning tones, and Faith and Love can join him in that new song he is singing before the throne of God and of the Lamb.

And may we not hope that this, his latest work, sown in weakness, will be raised in power' to the glory of God, in drawing hearts more to this precious part of His word for comforting, quickening, and edifying, so that, though being dead, he yet may speak.

EDINBURGH, October 1886.

E. K. N.

PREFACE.

It would not be easy to number up the commentaries on the book of Psalms. Calmet, in the early part of last century, reckoned them at about a thousand, and from his time to Mr. Spurgeon's Treasury of the House of David, they have largely increased. The present little book has a simpler object in view. Its editor (he cannot call himself author) was struck many years ago with the manner in which the Psalms have pervaded human life, and made themselves felt in the most critical moments of action and suffering; and he began to note down instances, from time to time, as they occurred in the course of his reading. The passage from Tholuck, given on page iv., fell in his way, and confirmed a growing idea that a selection of them might be read with interest, and perhaps profit. The

wise man has said of words fitly spoken, that they are like 'apples of gold in pictures (baskets) of silver.' The incidents may be the silver baskets, the Psalms are certainly the golden apples, and the only work has been the gathering and storing them. In regard to this the words of good Bishop Horne in his Commentary on the I'salms may be adopted: 'If any one derive half the pleasure from reading that has been received in the collecting, the work is more than paid.'

Had all the incidents in ordinary biography been made available, there would have been no end of material; but an attempt has been made to limit the instances to persons or events of a more public character, or to such as throw some light on the psalm, or the portion of it quoted. On the other hand, the incidents, if merely named, would have been bare and colourless, and it has been felt necessary, in a number of cases, to describe briefly the circumstances in which the words were used. These incidents are not confined to what is commonly known as the Christian circle-first, because it might be presumptuous to draw any such marked line, and next, because one object was to show the broad humanity of the book of Psalms. Its plenteous rain

has watered not only what may be called the garden of God, but has scattered drops far and wide 'to satisfy the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth.' When we find its words quoted in strange places, and by unlikely lips, we may learn their wonderful power to make room for themselves, where they may 'grow and stand;' and we may look hopefully to him who does not break the bruised reed, and who can make the seed which springs up in thorny places overcome surrounding obstacles, and change the very soil.

An attempt was made to classify the incidents under separate heads, but this was soon found to be perplexing, and indeed impossible; and the Psalms have therefore been taken in order, which may suffice for common reference. As, however, a number of the Psalms are referred to in different places, a general index, including them all, has been given; and also an index to the leading persons and events used in illustration. By this means, it is hoped, something may be done, or at least suggested, in the way of aid to reading in the family, and instruction in Sabbath classes, so as to bring this part of the Bible into connection with Christian biography and history.

Psalms and events could be arranged together in a number of consecutive courses, and thereby fresh interest might be given to both. The early Christian Church, the Reformation in the different countries of Europe, the Covenanting period in Scotland, have, all of them, had their own sacred songs, enshrined in deeds of heroic struggle, illuminated by the fires of martyrdom, endeared and hallowed by the most touching memories. The study of the event in history, and the fixing of the song in the memory, and, by God's grace, in the heart, would be one of the best ways of turning the hearts of the children to their fathers, and of giving to the young their inheritance in the son of Jesse. The same may be said of Christian biography. Silvio Pellico, in the history of his imprisonment, has a striking chapter on the written records left upon the walls by those who preceded him in the cells through which he passed. In the book of Psalms we have a series of chambers where hearts and lives have left the records of their experience. They are very varied, but in all of them, prison or palace, there is a window towards the sun-rising. The hope that the intelligence of parents and teachers may be stimulated to some such plans for deepening the interest of the