The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-09-28
roy IN GODS HOUSE.
for October 4. 1s89-Text. PsA.
l22-Memory Va. 60.

~-e~ ssOsS -
GOLDEN TEXT.-I was glad when they
said unto me. Let us go into the house OF
the Lord.-Psa. 12I
Read Psalm 81.
LIGHT FROM OTHER sCRIPTUREs.-
The House Of God.-Psa. 81: 1856: Chron.
5:l3, II; Joel 2:15; lisa. 2:3; Mark II :l5-l7 For
the Church Of God.-Psa. as: 1925: lisa.
4:3-5: s2:l: Zech. s:2o-22; Heb. 12:i3. "a: Rev.
2o:4-S; Chaps. p. q: Acts 2I-4: John Az. "A.
THE DATE OF this Psalm Is unknown.
II fits best the times Of David and Solo
mon, except the plural thrones" In v. &
But, whenever written. II belongs to post
exile collection. Just as our modern hymn
books are continually obtaining new hymns
from very ancient days ard revising them
for present use. The application was to
the times after the return which We are
now studying.
EXPLANATORY.
I. The Joyous Summons.-N.l Il was
glad when they said" 1t is always q
JOY to be summoned with others to
something good. This Psalm is sup
posed to have been sung just as the pill
grim band climbed up the hill to the
walls of Jerusalem for one of the great
feasts, the social joyous occasions of the
year, to the Jews. 1t was so good to be
at the Holy City, the center Of life and
religion of country and of nation, the
focus of all that made the nation what
it was; 1t was so good to be at the end
of their exile, at the close of their long,
hard journey-that they sang out their
praises so loud that the other pilgrim
bands could hear them and take cour-
age.
III. The Place.-Vs. 1-3. "Let us go
into the house of the Lord" The tenn
pie. the chief glory of the city, the CEN
tral light, the source of religion, the
symbol of Gods presence, the gate of
Heaven. V. 2. "Our feet shall stand:"
II. ", are standing. This is a lively ex-
preston OF the satisfaction and delight
Of one who finds himself on this high
day Of festal joy within the sacred
walls, mingling with the throng Of wor-
shippers who crowd the courts of the
temple, and taking his part, with full
sense of his privileges as an Israelite,
in the solemn services Of the feast."-
Perowne. Jerusalem" the capital
city, "the Joy of the whole earth." the
symbol of all that was highest and best
in the nation. the type of the New Jeru-
salem. V. 3. "Builded as a city that IS
compact together" Either In contrast
with the scattered dwellings Of the
country villages, "a compact line Of
stately buildings which form so impos-
ing n feature of the capital" or. more
probably, In allusion to the fact that
there are no more waste places, no
more gaps and heaps OF ruin."--Pe-
rowne.
Ill. The Company.-V. L "Whither
the tribes go up" This expression Is .
strong proof that this is an early Psalm:
for 1T wns part Of the Machiavellian
policy OF Jeroboam to put stop TO this
custom, lest such occasions should be
made the means of restoring the ma
tional unity q Kings 12:26)." - Pc
rowne. Jerusalem was the place to which
1t was commanded that the tribes 60
up; this act was part Of the Divine sys-
tenn, and the custom was restored at q
later day. Unto the testimony Of Is-
rael." Better, as X. ". for testimony
unto Israel, proving their devotion to
God and His cause.
". The Character Of the People
VS.. 4, 5. First. They give thanks unto
the name of the Lord" The very Joy
Of life is to praise God. Second. Right
eousness. V. s. "For there" In Jeru-
salem, "are set thrones of judgments: -
1t was the civil and religious metrop-
oils. Justice, righteousness, the hatred
of all oppression, all wrong Of every
kind, are the characteristics of the
true city Of God. "The thrones Of the
house OF David" David and his sue
cessors, especially "great David's Great
er Son." who rules in the city Of God,
and his rule Is Righteousness evermore.
All sin is treason to the great King.
V. The Blessing. - vs.. 90. v. g.
"Pray:" Because God is the source OF
the blessings needed, and they can be
given only to those who so put their
trust in God, and SO love and care for
the city of God, as TO pray for her. The
best blessings cannot be received by a
prayerless soul. They fall on 1t as rain
on q desert. Itch peace:" Rest
from enemies, peace among its
people, peace with God. peace
in the soul. "Of Jerusalem:" Je-
rusalem means "IIabitation Of Peace"
They shall prosper that love thee:"
Because that means the love of what
Jerusalem stood tor and was the means
Of imparting to the world, the knowl-
edge of God, the character Of God, all
that was holy and loving and true. V.
2. "Peace be within thy wallis" To
those who belong to the city and that
which 1t represents,-true Jews, true
people Of God, within the fold. prosper
ity within thy palaces" The inner
dwellings, the homes Of the people
v. S. "For my brethren and compan'
ions sakes:" He was not selfish In his
hopes and prayers. His was no lonely