Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-09-08

q mountain ridge. looks over the way
| he has come and gains vision OF the
| Journey before him.
The song although written about the
middle or David's reign. suggests
| thoughts and feelings appropriate to the
end of life. The feelings at the first
rest and lookout i'm the mountain climb
are of the same kind as those which NIL
the soul when the rest and vision at the
summit are gained.
Note in this song of praise I'd what
We're the things for which David praises
God, ever looking to him as the source
of every good: and (2) the value of the
spirit of praise both in its effect upon the
soul of him who praises and also upon
those who hear the praises.
The section includes Samuel 20 and
23:l-23; l Kings 2:1-11. the last charge OF
David to Solomon, and l Chronicles 20:
26-S0, a brief summary of David's life.
and Psalm Is. which Is substantially the
same as David's song in Samuel p.
Historical setting. Time This
triumphal hymn must have been written
before Davids great sin. but after his
great victories, perhaps the time referred
to in Samuel IL This would make the
time about b. c. l0iO
Place. 1t was doubtless written in
Jerusalem.
To-day's lesson includes verses 40-51.
chapter % Second Eiook of Samuel, as
follows:
40. Thou hast girded." LAS warriors
bind up all their garments and fortify
their loins, that they may be more fitted
for strenuous effort."-Jameson. With
strength to battle No small portion of
David's life was a warfare against out
ward enemies. the enemies of God, of his
people, and his truth, and therefore the
enemies of the world.
H-4S That I might destroy them that
hate me ] beat them small az
the dust" to be scattered to the four
winds; ''as the mirc of the street. use
less. deiling refuse. To understand
David's feelings in nttering these express
sions, we must put ourselves in his place.
A. "Strivings of my people," Internal
dissensions. of which David had not
few at first. but I'LL the nation at last
became unit. A type of the complete
triumph of Christian unity over all the
dissensions of the kingdom. "A people
which / know not shall serve me-" The
surrounding nations, of which David had
no previous personal knowledge. attacked
him. were defeated and came under his
sway.
AZ. THE Lord liveth' His God.
Jehovah. is a living God not a dead idol.
He not only exists. but lives: is alive to
the needs of his children. is quick to see
their needs. and keen to hear their pray
Compare Elijahs address on Mount Car
mel q Kings 1s:26-39). My rock" The
personal pronoun all through this song
and through the psalms is very instruc-
tive. 1t speaks to the heart. Ii signifies
a very close and definite relation. 1t
expresses Gods care for each individual,
and not merely for the whole. He call
eth his sheep by name" knowing each
individual need and longing. MY rock
the God of the rock of my saliva
ton. Compare with verses and g. and
notice 1.-The number and variety of the
terms which he employs to describe the
protection which God afforded him; and
the second by the emphatic personal
manner in which he speaks. He seems
to have a difficulty in finding any one
word which would adequately express all
that Jehovah had been to him. so he
heaps one term upon another. calling
him a rock. fortress u deliverer Il
shield, high tower a horn. a refuge.
and Saviour Taylor. The rock was
fortress. like Gibraltar which would
sustain possible attack. horn was n
terrible weapon of attack and defense.
As. 1T is God that avengeth me-" by
Furnishing his enemies.
Note that David does not claim the vic
tory himself, but attributes it, and right
ly, to God. He could have done nothing
without God. II was because he identi-
fled himself with Gods cause was adj
vancing the righteousness of God, that
he himself would triumph. He that
Identifies himself with irrelgion and sin
must fail in the end. Mrs. Partington
trying to sweep out the Atlantic ocean
with her broom was wisdom compared
with the folly of those who expect To
succeed in defiance of Gods laws.