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This psalm brings before us the glorious picture of universal homage rendered to God, and the reason of such homage, and the effects thereof. How vast the choir which celebrates this high praise! How varied the notes of their song! How high the value at which God estimates their praise, and how great is its volume! - it is as "the sound of many waters." In this verse we are shown both the inner and outer circles of this choir of God's worshippers, and the intent is that we may be led to find and claim our place, not merely among all God's works which praise him, but also among his saints who bless him. Consider -

I. THE OUTER CIRCLE OF THE CHOIR. It is very large; for it includes all God's works.

1. Such as are inanimate - the outspread earth, the mighty mountain masses, the great and wide sea, the heavens, and all the stars of light.

2. And such as have life. From its lowest vegetable forms up to the most lofty of all the creatures of God; from the meanest insect that for one brief summer day flies through the air, up to man made in the very image and likeness of God.

3. And such as have intelligence and will and a moral nature capable of knowing good and evil; for these also are among the works of God, though at the head of them all. And they all praise him in so far as they are his works. This cannot be said of our works. Too many of them discredit and disgrace us, and the less seen or said of them the better. But of God we can say, "All thy works praise thee." Examine them how we will, subject them to the severest scrutiny, and the verdict of the psalmist will remain unchallenged. The power, the wisdom, the skill, the goodness of God, are evident in them all. And this not alone in the greater works of God, but in those that are less known and are on a smaller scale. Most of them have no power or choice in the matter, others act on the impulses of mere animal instinct, and yet others who have intelligence and will, but, alas! a corrupt heart likewise, even they, in those regions of their nature where their evil will has no power, are compelled to render their tribute of praise. As it has been said, the ungodly are creatures of God, even if they be not of his new creation; and all that is in them that is of God in the structure of their body, mind, and will, unites, and cannot but unite, in the universal chorus with which all God's works praise him. It matters not whether we survey his works in nature, in providence, or in grace. Of them all, when rightly understood, the same may be said - they all praise him. But all these - magnificent as so many of them are, and radiant with beauty and with ever manifold proof of the power, the wisdom, and goodness of God - these are yet but the outer circle. Consider, then -

II. THE INNER CIRCLE OF THIS GLORIOUS CHOIR, who ever worship God. This consists of the saints of God. "Thy saints shall bless thee." But:

1. Who are God's saints? The name has fallen into ill repute. It is a term of scorn, of contempt, of dislike, in the mouths of not a few. They hold and affirm that if a man is called a saint, it is because he is either a hypocrite or a fool. It is because the world has seen too many sham saints, that it thus speaks of all saints. Hence no one now would dare to say of himself, however much he might hope it in his heart, that he was one of God's saints. The Church of Rome professes to be able to make saints. Her canonization is held to entitle any deceased individual to a right to a place amongst God's saints. But will any one take upon himself to show that the saints of the Roman calendar are all of them thus entitled? We hope they are; but we cannot say there is no room for doubt. Man-made saints are ever of a questionable kind. Nor is it essential to be numbered amongst God's saints that we should no longer live here upon earth. Those of whom the psalmist speaks were not dead, but living people. They might be poor, tried, troubled, tempted; but amid all such circumstances they lived here on earth as God's saints. Nor were they absolutely Perfect. Some of them were very far from that; and we do not know where to find any such now. There have been self-deluded, though well-meaning people, who have professed perfection; but to other eyes their perfection has not been evident. They have been good, devout, kind-hearted, and truly religious people; but flawless, faultless, they have not been. And where are there any such? But if the name of saint belongs only to such, then there are no saints, and there never have been. But they are those of whom it may be said that the whole trend and aim of their lives is to do God's will. They trust him, they love him, they worship him, they seek ever to obey him. It is the steady aim and honest endeavor of their lives, and in the main and increasingly they do walk with God and are well-pleasing in his sight. And, blessed be God! there have been, and there are, many such - the good Lord make all of us such! - and these are the saints of God. Not flawless, immaculate, perfect People, but those who come nearest to it of all people living. They are the salt of the earth, the light of the world, the elect Church, God's best gift to our world. They are found in every Church, they are confined to none. No Church is without them; none has them all.

2. These form the inner circle of God's worshippers. Their prerogative and privilege the highest of all. For they are more than others. God has not dealt with any others as he has with them. To them he has opened the treasure-store of his grace, and blessed installments of what shall be fully theirs one day, they both here and now enjoy. They are the temples of the Holy Ghost; they are inheritors of eternal life. And they glorify God more than others. It is the aim and bent of their lives. Through them many other precious jewels of God are taken up out of the mire of sin, in which they have been long lying, and they witness for God amid the world of the ungodly. God is their exceeding Joy, and they are his beloved. For them God orders his providential government. They are as the apple of his eye, and for them God's well-beloved Son was given up to die, and the Holy Ghost was sent and yet abides in the world. "And it doth not appear what they shall be."

3. And they render special worship. The other works of God praise him, but his saints bless him. That is more than praise; for though we praise that which excites our admiration - as do skill, genius, wisdom, power - yet we only bless where our love is stirred. Admiration is good, but love is that in which God delights, and only his saints can render him that. Admiration, that which excites our praise, may leave our heart cold and uncheered; but love enkindles a blessed inward fire, which illuminates and cheers the heart wherein it burns. Those who bless the Lord are blessed of him, and blessed they are.

III. THE TRANSITION FROM ONE TO THE OTHER. From the outer circle to the inner.

1. For men it is possible. For it has often been accomplished. Every regenerated heart has been translated from the one to the other, and the transition is ever taking place. And the whole Bible is full of declarations and directions on the matter. To bring it about is the aim of all God's dealings with us.

2. And the means are plainly shown. Let there be the desire to enter into this inner circle, then the steps are the renunciation of all known sin; for it is sin alone that keeps us back. Then the surrender of the will to God, that which he means when he says, "Give me thine heart." This will involve obedience to God's commands, and then, for the maintenance of all this, and for the full entrance into the state of grace, let there be continual trust in God to do his work in your soul.

3. And how infinitely desirable all this is! For our own sake, for that of others, and for the honor of Christ. - S.C.

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KJV: All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.

WEB: All your works will give thanks to you, Yahweh. Your saints will extol you.