ANALYSIS OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND PSALM

There are two general parts in this Psalm: - I. A description of the calamities of the Church, under the person of an afflicted man, ver. 1-11.

II. The consolation afforded in these calamities, and the ground of it, ver. 12-28.

I. The description, &c., is formed into a prayer proposed in the two first verses: - 1. "Hear my prayer." 2. "Hide not thy face." In this prayer he complains, and shows his wretched state by various metaphors or figures.

1. A consumption of strength: "My days are consumed." 2. From continual weeping: "My bones cleave to my skin." 3. From his solitude: "Like a pelican in the wilderness." 4. From his continual watching: "I watch, and am like a sparrow," &c.

5. From the reproach of his enemies. "Mine enemies reproach me." 6. From his sadness: "I have eaten ashes like bread." All these increased, from a sense of God's displeasure.

1. "Because of thine indignation." 2. Because of his sufferings: "Thou hast lifted me up, and hast cast me down." 3. And the effect produced: "My days are as a shadow." II. He comforts himself in the promises of God: - 1. "I am withered like grass: but thou shalt endure for ever." 2. I shall soon be forgotten; "but thy remembrance is unto all generations." 3. Thou seemest to take no heed: but "thou wilt arise." He was the more confident: - 1. Because the set time to favour Zion was come.

2. This he saw more clearly from the concern with which God had filled the hearts of the people: "Thy servants take pleasure in her stones." 3. He consoled himself in the prospect of the conversion of the heathen themselves: "So the heathen shall fear thy name." 4. For this he gives a particular reason: Because "the Lord shall build up Zion." 5. And he will do this, because of the prayers of the people: "He will regard the prayer," &c.

This should be done in such a manner, that: - 1. Record should be made of it: "This shall be written." 2. And it should be a blessing to those that were unborn: "The people which shall be created shall praise the Lord." And for this he assigns the proper reasons.

1. "The Lord looked down from heaven." 2. "He heard the groans of the prisoners." These mercies call for gratitude and obedience:- 1. They should "declare the name of the Lord." 2. And this will take place "when the people are gathered together," &c.

The psalmist fears that he shall not live to see this deliverance: - 1. "For he weakened my strength in the way, - he shortened my days." 2. Yet he earnestly desires to see it: "Take me not away." To strengthen this petition, he pleads God's unchangeableness; and he proves God to be eternal, because he is immutable.

1. Not so the earth, for it had a beginning: "Of old thou hast laid," &c.

2. Not so the heavens; for they are "the work of thy hands." 3. Neither shall they continue: "They shall perish," &c.

But God is always the same. Every thing that is mutable acquires by its change some property, quality, form or accident, which it had not before: but God, being an infinite Spirit, and infinitely perfect, can suffer no loss, can have no addition. For as he wants nothing, nothing can be added to him; as he inhabits eternity, nothing can be taken from him. In him, therefore, there is no possibility of change; and, consequently, none of decay or perishing.

From these considerations the psalmist draws this comfortable conclusion: - 1. His Church and servants shall continue also: "The children of thy servants," - the apostles, with the patriarchs, shall dwell in thy kingdom-in the new Jerusalem.

2. "And their seed;" as many as are begotten by the Gospel, if they remain in the faith that works by love, "shall be established," - persevere, remain, continue before thee-live in thy presence for ever.