Young men, who are in your strength; maidens in your beauty ; old men, with lips of age dropping wisdom; children, who can only lisp His name -all join, for there is no name exalted but His alone. "His beauty is over earth and heaven"-His beauty (T, Ps. cxlv. 5), His splendour, sheds its beams now over earth as well as heaven. For the times of refreshing are come. "He hath raised up a horn for His people." He has fulfilled the words of Zechariah (Luke i. 69). Messiah has come; Messiah, with all the blessings purchased at his first coming, is now made known to Israel, and has pushed Israel's enemies off the field. And He who is this horn is the theme of delighted praise to the peculiar people, and to all saints beside, wherever found, though none have more reason than Israel to adore and love Him who saves the chief of sinners, and in sovereignty exalts the stiffnecked people to pre-eminence among the nations, making them a people "His intimate friend," as Ps. xxxviii. 12, lxxv. 2; Job xix. 14. "The theme of praise (as Deut. x. 21, N) to all His saints. : To the children of Israel, a people near to Him! Surely the "great voice of much people in heaven, saying Hallelujah!" (Rev. xix. 1) will present an appropriate response to the call in ver. 1-6. And not less does their summons to men on earth (Rev. xix. 5, 6) accord with the call in ver. 7-13. Indeed, there is the very tone and energy of heaven in this glorious burst of praise— Israel's rapturous burst of praise to Him who makes them a people near to Him. . PSALM CXLIX. This Hallelujah Psalm begins somewhat in the strain with which the preceding one closed. In Ps. cxlviii. 14, not Israel only, but “all saints," were represented as giving honour to Him who had in sovereign grace redeemed His people; and so here, while Israel are called on as peculiarly indebted to Jehovah, yet all saints are joined with them in the triumphant song. 66 Sing to Jehovah a new song; Let his praise be in the congregation of saints" (Ps. cxlviii. 14). Are we not carried away to the scene in Rev. v. 9, to the " new song" to the Lamb who takes the book and opens its seals, and claims possession of earth? Let all saints accord in this great hymn of triumph. Yet let Israel not fail to lift up their voice above all others, for they have been peculiarly honoured, and are above all others exalted. "Let · Israel rejoice in Him that MADE HIM;" i. e., made him what he is, as Deut. xxxii. 6; Isa. lvi. 5; Job xxxv. 10. "Let Zion's children re joice in their King," who takes them under His special protection, and deigns to be specially called "King of the Jews." "Praise His name in the dance, Play to Him with timbrel and harp;" as David before the ark (2 Sam. vi. 5, 14, 15), and as Jephthah's daughter welcoming her sire (Judges xi. 34). "Let His saints exult in glory!” No longer obscure, despised, the offscouring of all things, but glorious in the glory of their King, let them joyfully exult. And " on their couches," when resting from active work and meditating on the Lord's ways (not as Ps. xxxvi. 14, nor Ps. iv. 4 even; but in loftier and happier themes) "let them sing." "High praises loudly sung, The two-edged sword waved aloft!" The "exaltings" or 66 extollings" seem to refer us to all previous psalms wherein worshippers have said—"I will extol thee, O God," for the root is the same; and here, "in their throat," as it is in the Hebrew, is equivalent to speaking aloud, like Isa. lviii. 1; the very opposite of the heathen's dumb idols, Ps. cxv. 7. And what is the "TWO-EDGED SWORD?" Is it not the peculiar symbol of Messiah? As Bunyan represents his captains with the escutcheons-Captain Boanerges, with three burning thunderbolts; Captain Execution, with the axe lying at the foot of the tree-so we may say that the escutcheon of the King that cometh to avenge his Father's honour is the two-edged sword: for thus we find it in Rev. i. 16, ii. 12, as well as Heb. iv. 12; and we may add Rev. xix. 15. It is the Ehud-dagger (Judg. iii. 16) that slays the oppressor. The time is come for this now. "The meek" (ver. 4) put on salvationstrength; and their King associates them with himself in the battle. It is like Rev. ii. 26, 27, and iii. 21, even as 66 beautifying with salvation" is like Rev. ii. 28. Some, indeed, confine this to Israel, and compare Jer. li. 20, 21. But as we find "all the saints" associated in the work, we prefer the view that makes ver. 6-9 to refer to "the saints judging the world." They are figuratively said to lift up the "two-edged sword," because they join with Messiah in inflicting the fourfold vengeance (Deut. xxxii. 41). At the same time, Israel in the flesh shall be acting a part analogous to that of their King and his heavenly hosts (Ezek. xxxviii., Zech. xiv.) What an echoing back of this song is Rev. xix. 1-6, with all its "Hallelujahs!" Israel is the chief musician, or, rather, their King, Messiah himself, leads the praise; but it is for the lips of the whole congregation of his redeemed-“This honour is to all his saints," and so shall the celebration of it be. Still, sovereign grace puts Israel prominently forward; so that we cannot fail to see in the psalm, Triumphant praise from Israel, because of the coming of their King, with all his saints, to subdue the nations. PSALM CL. When men presume to dictate to the Spirit of God, how deep their fall! as we see in the apochryphal attempts at writing books of scripture to be added to the genuine Word of God. So it happens here, also; for the Septuagint have not been content to close the Book of Psalms with this most lofty and sublime doxology, but have added a psalm about David's history-a tame piece of prose that surprises every one by its inappropriateness in such a position. But the true close is the 150th Psalm, of which it may be said, that as the preceding one ushered us into the presence of the King, and placed us with him in his kingdom, this leaves us in it, singing endless "Hallelujahs.” Augustine ingeniously notices, that "Psalm 50th was one of repentance; Psalm 100th" (i.e., in the Septuagint reckoning, our 101st) "is about mercy and judgment; but the 150th is the praise of our God in his sanctuary; for there we arrive at life eternal and blessed." Hengstenberg remarks—“ As the life of the faithful, and the history of the Christ, so also the Psalter, with all its cries from the depths, runs out in a Hallelujah!" Dr Allix says of it-"It relateth to Messiah's reign, when every thing that has breath, or was made by him, shall be subjected to him." Horsley says of it—“ A grand chorus of all voices, and all instruments! " Patrick has a not uninteresting note on the many instruments of music in Psalm cxlix., which we quote here. "The ancient inhabitants of Etruria used the trumpet; the Arcadians, the whistle; the Sicilians, the pectid; the Cretians, the harp; the Thracians, the cornet; the Lacedemonians, the pipe; the Egyptians, the drum; the Arabians, the cymbal" (Clem. Pædag. ii. 4). May we not say, that in this psalm's enumeration of musical instruments, there is a reference to the variety which exists in the mode of expressing joy, and exciting to enthusiastic feeling? All nations, come and praise! Use every energy, for praise! Men in every variety of circumstances, men of every various mood, men of all capacities, come and praise! Each in his own way, sing "Hallelujah!" "Praise ye "the peculiar man of God in covenant with Israel. "Praise ye "the name that implies dominion over all the earth. I. Where shall his praise be uttered? In his sanctuary, where every thing speaks of redemption; and in the firmament, which his might has spread forth between earth and heaven, on the platform of creation. II. Why? Because of his deeds as the Mighty One*—these beams *The note, in the version of Junius and Tremellius, on the 13th verse of Psalm cxlviii., applies here also; where they say that the cause of praise is both God's own great name, and also his doings to his Church: cujus restitutionem res omnes creatæ expectant exerto capite, et angeli ipsi cupiunt introspicere.-Rom. viii. 19; 1 Peter i. 12. of glory inexpressible; and because of the "multitude of his greatness" —that Source of all these beams, his own nature in itself. III. Wherewith? With every instrument, in every way-with trumpet, psaltery, harp, soft timbrel, pipe, stringed instruments, and windinstruments; with cymbals, softly played ( that do not overpower the voice of the singer); and with cymbals of jubilee (2 Sam. vi. 5). Not merely an instrument of ten strings, as at other times; but ten distinct instruments are called for; and twelve times is the call uttered, “Praise ye!". Twelve times; so that each tribe is summoned, and then all the universe besides, to use their voice. "Let every thing that hath breath, praise Jehovah!" All creation is summoned to take part, and angels too; for they have interest in our redemption scenes since He is to "reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on earth, or things in heaven" (Col. i. 20). แ What magnificence and majesty in this close! Praise gathered in from every creature; every instrument of joy, and gladness, and triumph, and jubilee, summoned to sound loud praise; and every heart and voice engaged to help the choir. "Every voice teems with praise; every thought is about praise; every object awakens it; every power uses itself for His service" (Meditat. on Psalms). And no wonder, when we remember that we are ushered into the kingdom. "The Levites have changed their service now; no longer have they burdens to bear through the wilderness; but they lift up new songs in the house of the Lord. The heavens have changed their glory too; they have ended their laughter at the proud confederates (Psalm ii. 3); and are now filled with joy and singing, and with that glory which is to break forth from them, and be a covering over all the dwellings of Zion (Isa. iv). These are days of heaven upon the earth! The kingdom has come; and the will of the Blessed is done here as there. The mystic ladder connects the upper and the lower sanctuaries. the scene. The vision passes from before us with the chanting of all kinds of music. Man has taken the instrument of joy into his hand; but it is only to God's glory he strikes it. The creature is happy; God is glorified; yes, praise, all praise! untiring, satisfying fruit of lips uttering the joy of creation, and owning the glory of the Blessed One." Praise crowns We close The Book almost as John came away from hearing "the voice of much people in heaven, saying, Hallelujah!" We seem brought within hearing of heavenly melody, from heavenly harps and voices. Is not the closing verse taken up in Rev. v. 13—"And every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever!" And, again, in Rev. xix. 6-7, when the great multitude, with voice "as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings," cry, "Hallelujah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad, and rejoice, and give honour to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come!" May my voice be heard in that mighty thunder of praise, in the great congregation, rapturously uniting with Israel, and all the saints, in this grand chorus of the universe, this full-toned Call upon all the universe to praise Jehovah with heart, and soul, and strength, and mind! Reviews. The Prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation of St John, viewed in their Mutual Relation. With an Exposition of the Principal Passages. By CARL AUGUST Auberlen, Dr Phil., Licentiate and Professor Extraordinarius of Theology in Basil. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. 1856. WE mean to return to this work, if the Lord will, in our next Number, and to give our readers some specimens of it. Meanwhile, we cannot help bearing testimony to its excellence. It is the work of a thoughtful, spiritual, vigorous-minded man. Beside it, Hengstenberg appears poor and feeble. It is a work which ought to make way in our land, if indeed any book can make way among certain classes that does not start with a denunciation of millenarianism. We are much indebted to the publishers for this volume; and we hope that it will prove an antidote to the unmistakable Neology that is now putting itself triumphantly forward under the guise of opposition to millenarianism. The following is the conclusion of the author's preface :— "In giving to the book this more popular character, I was influenced not only by the conviction that it would be for the benefit of science, as well as the advantage of the Church, if theologians would consider more the requirements of the congregation in their exegetical labours; not solely by a desire to be of use to the numerous friends of divine truth, who seek to obtain a knowledge of the whole divine doctrine revealed to us, and to give an impulse to others to study and honour, reverence and love, the word of prophecy; but my chief motive was the deep conviction, that the times in which we live render it especially necessary that the Church of God should take heed unto the sure word of prophecy. In all periods in which the world and the Church were passing through struggles and conflicts, the disciples of the Lord turned to prophecy, and were enabled to enter more deeply into its meaning. It is true, in more senses than one, that we have inherited the fruits of preceding centuries; especially in reference to the development of the God-opposed power. Even De Wette says, in his preface to his Commentary on the Apocalypse, written in the year 1848, that he could not avoid recognising the Antichrist described by John, in the character of our times, though the external shape may be somewhat different, and the aspect even more appalling. And, indeed, we know that the spirit of lawlessness, which manifested itself |