Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-05-22
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.

Topic For the Week beginning May
26--Comment by Rev. 5. II. Doyle.
ToPIc Missions: Promises and propheeies.-
Ps H.
The second psalm. like the first, is
without inscription. In some manu-
scripts it is Joined with the first, but
their utter lack Of usiry is apparent to
all, and for this reason they were sep
arated. This psalm rings with the
tramp of gathering armies and notes
of lofty challenge addressed by the
poet to the invaders of his country. 1t
must have been written when Jerusa-
lem was threatened by a confederacy
Of hostile powers" The allies must
have been tributary monarchs, but
who they were and what occasion is
here described are unknown. God has
decreed the success Of His chosen peo-
pie, and the poet calls upon the assem-
bled nations to exercise wisdom and
to serve the Lord rather than oppose
Him. kiss the Son lest He be angry
with you and We perish in the way,
for soon His wrath is kindled; blessed
are they that find refuge in Him."
This psalm is a prophecy of the re-
bellion of the nations Of the earth
against the kingdom of Christ. In the
first instance, it commemorated a ma
tional event, but it is by no means to
be limited to this application. The
poet speaks in the beginning Of an
earthly king and his wars, but his
words are not exhausted in their refer
ence to these. "The local and the tenn
poral are swallowed up in the universal
and eternal The King who sits on
David's throne has become glorified
and TRANSPORTED in the light of the
promise. The true King, who to the
prophets mind is to fulfill all his hopes,
has taken tie place of the visible and
earthly king The nations are not
merely those who are now mastering
for the battle, but whatsoever opposeth
and exalteth itself against Jehovah
and His anointed." This prophecy has
been signally fulfilled. The heather
have ragged. The kings of the earth
have set themselves against the Lord
and against His anointed. If they
still do so and oppose the progress of
His kingdom, we should not be sur
prised or discouraged, but should strive
the more earnestly to advance His
cause.
This psalm is a promise of the final
success of Christs kingdom. 1t con-
tains a sweeping and definite promise
to this effect. ASK of Me, and shall
give thee the heather for thine inner
itance and the uttermost parts of the
earth for thy possession. Thou shalt
break them with a rod of iron; thou
shalt dash them in pieces like pot
ter's vessel" Christ has asked for the
uttermost parts of the earth, and God
is fulfilling His promise. The heather
are raging and imagining vain thing
They have not, and they cannot sue
cessfully oppose the spread of Christ's
kingdom. Their only hope is in accept
ing the Christ and in serving the Lord,
and we, like the psalmist of old, should
be anxious to show unto them the path
of wisdom. We should do our part in
sending those to them who know the
folly of their position and will in
struct them to be wise. 10 serve the
Lord and to reverence the Son lest He
be angry and destroy them.
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Make a special study Of missionary
prophecies and promises.
BIBLE READINGS.
Gen. iii, Is; Ps. lxxii, 1-19. lisa. xxxv,
Ito; xiii, II; Dan. Ii, 31-45; Math. Kilt,
1913; xviii, 10, 20: Acts xiii, 46, At;
Rom. K, IA, Is; Phil. Ii, Ill.