"his beloved sleep ;" or, as Dr. Hammond renders it, "SINCE he giveth his beloved sleep," the difficulty will vanish, and the sense appear to be as above. Nor can we easily find a more profitable piece of instruction, with regard to the of all our concerns, temporal and spiritual. 3. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

management

The labours of mankind, first in building houses and cities, and then in guarding and securing their possessions, are undergone, not with a view to themselves alone, but to their families, which they would establish and perpetuate. The Psalmist, therefore, in the preceding verses, having taught men to expect a happy settlement only from the favour of Jehovah, now directs them to look up to him for the farther blessing of a numerous and virtuous progeny. He can in a moment blast the most fruitful stock, or he can "make the barren woman to keep house, and to "become a joyful mother of children." "Lo, chil"dren are an heritage of Jehovah ;" an heritage which he bestows on those who fear him; "the fruit of the "womb is a reward" conferred by him, where he sees it will be a blessing indeed, upon faithful and pious parents. St. Paul calls the converts made by his ministry, his "children ;" and all believers are the children of Christ, the "heritage" given him by his Father, the "reward" of his righteous life, and meritorious death; as it is written, "I will give "thee the heathen for thine inheritance:" "He shall "see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied." Psalm ii. 8. Isa. liii. 11.

4. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

Children, when well educated, are like so many "arrows in the hand of a strong man," ready winged with duty and love, to fly to the mark; polished and keen, to grace and maintain the cause of their parents, to defend them from hostile invasions, and instantly to repel every assailant. The apostles and first Christians were arrows in the hand of Messiah, with which he encountered his enemies, and subdued the nations to the faith. When by the splendour of their sanctity, the power of their miracles, and the efficacy of their preaching, they pierced the hearts of thousands and ten thousands, what were they but "arrows in the hand of 72, the Mighty One?" And in this instance likewise it may truly be said, that no well-nurtured son of Christ and the church will hear his father dishonoured, or despise his mother when she is old.

5. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

In a house full of dutiful children consisteth the happiness of their parents, who then can never want friends; friends, that will at no time be "ashamed," but will at all times rejoice to appear for them, to meet their "enemies" and accusers" in the gate," "in or place of judgement; there to answer any charge

* Mr. Merrick observes, that the gate was sometimes the seat of war, as well as the place of judicature. Then was war in "the gates;" Judges v. 8. He mentions a remarkable Chinese

against them, to vindicate them in their persons, their good name, or their property. It is a glorious sight to behold children thus standing forth in the defence of their parents. In the multitude of true believers consist the glory of Christ, and the riches of the church. How forward were the primitive Christians to meet the enemies of these their spiritual parents "in the gate;" how ready, in their cause, to speak, openly, and, having witnessed a good confession, to die by the hand of the executioner! Therefore shall they not be ashamed at the judgement of the last day, but shall then stand with great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted, persecuted, and tormented them. For their heavenly Father will then be their Judge, and will own, in his turn, the cause of his dutiful children, who for his sake endured tribulation, and loved not their lives unto the death. Confusion shall overwhelm the accuser of the brethren, with all the instruments of his malice; but glory, honour, and immortality, shall be given to the children of God.

PSALM CXXVIII.

ARGUMENT.

This Psalm containeth a promise made to him who, 1. feared Jehovah, and walked in his ways, that he should be blessed, 2. in his person, and, 3, 4. in his family, and that he should see the good of

proverb : "When a son is born into a family, a bow and arrow "are hung before the gate."

Jerusalem. The Psalm was, probably, sung at the marriages of the Israelites, as it is now a part of the matrimonial service among us. In its prophetical and exalted sense, it hath respect to the person, marriage, family, and city, of Messiah.

1. Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD: that walketh in his ways.

Happiness belongeth not to the rich, the powerful, and the prosperous, as such; but in every state and condition, blessed is the man that "feareth Jehovah," that so feareth him as to obey him, and to “walk in "his ways," notwithstanding all the obstructions he may meet with from the world, the flesh, and the devil. Blessed above all the sons of men, and the author of blessing to them all, was the man Christ Jesus, because above them all, and for them all, he feared, he loved, and he obeyed.

2. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

The person is here beautifully changed, and to the man who feareth Jehovah is addressed an enumeration of those blessings which shall attend him. He is to "eat the labour of his hands," that is, the fruit, or returns of his labours. Hereby it is implied, that he is not to be idle, but to " labour," that he may eat; that he is not to be niggardly, but to "eat," when he has laboured; that he is neither to be unjust, by living upon the labours, nor enslaved, by depending upon the bounty, of others, but to eat of "his own" labours; and that he, whose labours pro

cure him a sustenance, hath enough to be " blessed" and happy." Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be "well with thee:" every thing shall happen, which God seeth to be best for thee in this life, and (as saith the Chaldee Paraphrast on the place) "it shall "be good to thee in the world to come." The glory of Christ, and the salvation of mankind, were the fruits of his actions and his sufferings in the days of his flesh; so that, in the enjoyment of them, he doth no more than "eat of the labours of his hands;" or, to use the words of Isaiah," he seeth of the travail "of his soul, and is satisfied." Before he went hence, he took comfort in the reflection, "I have glorified "thee on the earth, I have finished the work which "thou gavest me to do:" John xvii. 4. Happy shalt thou be, O Christian, and it shall be well with thee, if at thy latter end thou shalt be able to draw comfort from the same consideration.

3. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

Marriage was ordained by God to complete the felicity of man in a state of innocence; and the benediction of heaven will ever descend upon it, when undertaken in "the fear of the Lord." The vine, a lowly plant, raised with tender care, becoming, by its luxuriancy, its beauty, its fragrance, and its clusters, the ornament and glory of the house to which it is joined, and by which it is supported, forms the finest imaginable emblem of a fair, virtuous, and faithful wife. The olive-trees planted by the inhabitants of the eastern countries around their tables, or banquet