This psalm traces the progress of God's mercy to his people from its source in the Divine nature on to its complete fulfillment in their loving, glad allegiance, the expression of which begins and ends the psalm.

I. IT BEGINS IN THE INHERENT NATURE OF GOD HIMSELF. (Ver. 3.) "The Lord is good." From this proceeds all the rest, and in this all that follows finds its explanation. That "God is love" is, after all, the key which fits the wards and unlocks the difficult problems of life as none other does or can. On other suppositions many things - indeed, we may say most things, and these the most blessed facts of all - that we find in life are inexplicable; but with this, not even the darkest facts need be left out.

II. IT ADVANCES ON TO THE ELECTION OF HIS PEOPLE. (Ver. 4.) Back in the counsels of eternity the Divine love decreed the method of its working; and this involved the election of Israel to the especial service which they were to render. That purpose is net all worked out yet; but much of it has been - and who is there can dispute its righteousness, or wisdom, or love? How could the work have been better done?

III. THE BEGINNING OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT SEEN IN THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. (Vers. 5-7.) The material universe was formed, and is continued, not for its own sake, but for the sake of that which is moral and spiritual. This earth was to be the arena on which God's gracious purposes were to be developed and perfected. Hence was it created, adorned, and fitted to be, not only the dwelling-place, but the training-place, of intelligent and moral beings, who should ultimately, when made perfect, become the intimate friends, companions, and ministers of the Lord God himself.

IV. IT WENT ON IN THE TRIUMPHANT AND WONDERFUL PRESERVATION OF HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE. (Vers. 8-12.) The purposes of God, after a while, came into collision with the sin and selfishness of man; they ever do, and sometimes man's rage causes sore trouble to God's people; but his purpose is indestructible, and his enemies must perish.

V. IN HIS SORE PUNISHMENT OF HIS PEOPLE WHEN THEY SINNED, AND UNTIL THEY REPENTED. (Vers. 13, 14.) This portion of his dealing with them seems to have most of all impressed the psalmist's mind. He declares that it will cause the memory of the Lord to endure forever, "throughout all generations." We know how stern, how long-continued, were those disciplines, and how oftentimes the mercy of God in them was hidden from the sufferer's view. But it was part of that mercy all the same, as God's punishment of sin is ever part of his mercy. And it goes on until the sinner repents; and then God "repents himself concerning his servants."

VI. IN THE REALITY OF THE REPENTANCE AND REFORMATION WROUGHT THEREBY. (Vers. 15-18.) Who would ever have thought that idol-living Israel - for it was their besetting sin - would ever have come to speak thus contemptuously of idols and their worshippers? But God's disciplines accomplished this. "Our God is a consuming fire," blessed be his Name!

VII. IN THE PERFECT HARMONY OF WILL AND GLADNESS OF HEART IN REGARD TO HIMSELF, WHICH GOD AT LENGTH SECURED. This was his aim all through - to have a people like himself, filled with his love, animated by his Spirit, obedient to his will, and so a joy to themselves, their fellow-men, and to their God. Such is the meaning which lies underneath the exuberant expression of praise and love with which the psalm opens (vers. 1-3) and closes (vers. 19-21). - S.C.

We may suppose these words to be addressed to the sacred sentinels by the head of their course, or by the captain of the guard, or even by the high priest. We can imagine the captain of the guard coming in during the night watches, and saying to the priests who were guarding the temple (ver. 1). Or we could imagine the high priest, when the watch was set for the first part of the alight, going to the priests who were under his control, and addressing to them these same soul-stirring words. Now our text is the response of these sacred sentinels. As they listened to the captain of the guard, or to the high priest, telling them to worship by night in the courts of the Lord — to lift up their hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord — they answered him, "The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion." So that here you have brought before you the interesting and instructive subject of mutual benediction — the saints blessing each other.

I. JEHOVAH — THE FOUNTAIN OF BLESSING. There is in the Divine nature an infinite and everlasting disposition to do us good; and connected with that infinite and everlasting disposition to do us good are all power, all knowledge, all wisdom, absolute independence and eternity of being. And we find actual blessings on God's part according to that capacity. He does not bless as His creatures bless — often unwisely, often insufficiently, often half-heartedly — but when God blesses, He blesses with all that is within Him; with all that can be employed in that particular act and work of blessing.

II. THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, EVIDENCE OF DIVINE CAPACITY TO BLESS. While we, of course, look chiefly and supremely to the manifestation of God's goodness in our Lord and Saviour, we ought not to overlook the expressions of His care and kindness which we find in the grass of the field, and in the very dust which we tread beneath our feet.

III. THE CHURCH A CHANNEL OF BLESSING. The Church is the conservator of Divine revelation, — the Church is the offerer on earth of true worship — it consists of a company of priests, a royal priesthood, part of whose mission is "to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." The Church is the heritor of the covenants. God's covenants are made with His Church, and His promises are addressed chiefly to His Church. The Church is the scene of special Divine ministrations, God shows Himself to His Church as He does not to that which is called the world. It is also the scene of special heavenly influences: and in a sense next to that in which God is said to reside in heaven, the Church is the dwelling-place of the Most High. Now, what is it to be blessed out of Zion? It is surely to be blessed with Zion's blessings, and to have Zion's endowments and gifts rendered sources of advantage and profit to us.

IV. THE SAINTS AS THE MEANS OF SPREADING THE BLESSING, AND THAT, TOO, BY THE SPIRIT OF BLESSING. "The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion." "Bless thee!" You know where this was first said, and when. The Fountain of Blessing first said it. He said it in Paradise to our first father and mother when, beautiful in holiness, and glorious in uprightness and goodness, they came fresh from His hand. As their Creator, He said to them both, "Bless thee"; and we have learned to say, "Bless thee," from our Father in heaven, the Fountain of Blessing. We never should have said to each other, "Bless thee," had not God taught us; and when we say it, we but echo His voice. "Bless you," said the Son of God to the multitude around Him. And, "Bless you," said He emphatically to His apostles when He was about to leave them — when He was about to ascend from Olivet, and depart out of their sight. "He lifted up His hands, and blessed them." "Bless you," said the apostles to the Churches. How full of benedictions are these glorious epistles! "Grace, mercy, and peace be with all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all." And what has this to do with spreading the Divine blessing? Much every way. Such benediction, when sincere, and when not a mere form of words, is prayer. And every promise that is made to prayer is made to benediction. So that he who is possessed by the spirit of blessing, and who expresses it in his behaviour, and in his deportment, is constantly supplicating the throne of the heavenly grace on behalf of others.

V. THE RICHES INVOLVED IN THE DIVINE BENEDICTION. It means, The Lord speak comfortably to thee. It means, The Lord keep thee; the Lord be thy shepherd; the Lord restore thy soul when thy spirit wanders; the Lord keep thee in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake; the Lord hold up thy goings in His paths, that thy footsteps slip not; the Lord be thy light and thy salvation; God be thy refuge and strength, thy present help in trouble. May morning follow the night, and the night be driven away by the lifting up of the light of the countenance of the loving God — by expressions of His love adapted to the time of sorrow, and to the state of depression and despondency." "The Lord give thee peace," — that is, prosperity, well-being, health in the soul, comfort in the heart, rest, joy, quiet in the spirit.

(S. Martin.)