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1. Spring follows winter and ushers in summer according to an appointed order. This fact teaches the continuous control and government of God. The regular succession of the seasons seems to declare that "the Lord reigneth." In some respects, during winter, God seems like a man travelling into a far country. Darkness and barrenness and coldness suggest absence on the part of God. The spring looks like His return.

2. The spring season is a time of resurrection to life throughout the vegetable kingdom. This suggests the continued life-inspiring power of God. There is not only infinite life in God, there is also an immeasurable life-giving power in God.

3. The great and various changes which the spring season involves show forth the unchangeableness of God.

4. The loveliness of the spring season is a reflection of the beauty of God. Every living thing is a thought of God expressed. What a glorious nature that must be which could devise and originate all that is beauteous in the spring!

5. The joyousness of spring speaks to us of the happiness of God. Beauty and joy are not always combined, but they exist together in God. God is happy, and His happiness is of a Godly sort.

6. The combination and co-operation of influences in the spring season are illustrations of the wisdom and power of God. "Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it," — in the margin, "after Thou hadst made it to desire rain." The dryness of the early part of spring works together with moisture and with spring rains to promote the fruitfulness of the earth.

7. The provision made in spring for a present and future supply of food exhibits the benevolence of God: "Thou providest them corn, when Thou hast so provided for it." Sustenance of some kind or other would seem on some grounds to be the due of man. In this case, however, the quality, and abundance, and character of the provision may all afford scope for the display of goodness. The support of a prodigal child, however, is a matter not of debt, but of grace. God made man for himself, and when man began to live for his own self, he forfeited all claim upon God's bountifulnessConclusion —

1. Praise God for the spring season. And let no scientific or philosophical view of the changes involved in the spring at all exclude God from your minds and hearts. Whatever may be the law of these changes, God makes them.

2. Let the spring teach you the folly of anxiety. See, at this season, how God clothes the grass of the field and the flowers of the field. The grass of the field chides and reproves us for our carefulness, and exhorts us, saying, "Neither be ye of anxious mind."

3. Let the spring encourage you in broad and unrestrained prayer. He who gives to us so bountifully in the spring season, is not likely to withhold any good thing.

4. Make all the sights and sounds of spring occasions of communion and intercourse with God.

5. God is renewing the face of the earth; let us seek the renewing of the Holy Ghost. We may be conscious of declension in the inward spiritual life. There is a power which can renew our spiritual life, and to that power let us turn with holy longing for its manifestation within us.

6. Let us learn from the spring season the firm foundation we have for hope. Time more or less is still before us. Cheered by the spring let us sing, "Jehovah is my shepherd, I shall not want." We may be forewarned of a passing through fire and water; aroused by the spring, let us listen to His voice who saith, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee." The religious state of mankind is most gloomy and depressing. Cheered by the spring, let us expect the day when the wilderness shall become a fruitful field, and when the desert shall rejoice and blossom as a rose. Let this spring season give to us all a lesson in hope, and let it teach us to hope in God.

(S. Martin, D. D.)

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KJV: Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

WEB: You drench its furrows. You level its ridges. You soften it with showers. You bless it with a crop.