How intense is the fervor of praise with which this psalm is full! The soul of the psalmist can scarce contain itself, and we are inevitably led to inquire into the reason and occasion of such gratitude. It is told of in the verses before us. No doubt the salvation spoken of was primarily a national one; it was Israel who had been so visited of God. It was Israel who was sunk so low in misery and degradation-sunk down to the dust and the dunghill, so poor and needy, so lonely, sad, and filled with reproach, like a woman to whom had been denied the gift of children. But by the grace and condescending compassion of God, she had been lifted up, and set among princes, and she had become joyful, like as a mother over her children. From Egypt's slavery to the glories of the time of David and Solomon; from the misery and shame of the days of the destruction of Jerusalem, when they were carried into captivity, to the brighter times of the return and restoration; - such deliverances as these it was which called forth the psalmist's and the nation's enthusiastic, grateful song. And the lesson for every nation or community which has been blessed of God with great prosperity, as our own nation has, is to remember the small beginnings, the humble place we once filled, and to give God all the praise for what he has wrought on our behalf. But we take our text as descriptive of spiritual deliverance - of God's salvation of the soul. The gratitude of such soul is uttered here. And it rests on these grounds -

I. THE DEPTHS FROM WHICH IT HAS BEEN UPLIFTED. They are described as the dust, the dunghill, the state of the barren woman. These images present an accumulation of shame, degradation, and distress. And the soul that has known the Holy Spirit's conviction of sin will know that such images are fit and true. St. Paul called himself, to the last, "the chief of sinners." Guilt, bondage to sin, vileness of heart and, perhaps, of life too, hopelessness, helplessness, and a fearful looking for of judgment, - facts like these justify the strong images of the verses before us as telling of the soul unsaved.

II. THE HEIGHTS TO WHICH IT HAS BEEN RAISED. See again the images employed. And they are true. They express the ideas of honor, wealth, joy, strength, fruitfulness; and they are all realized in the experience of the saved soul now, and are to be realized infinitely more hereafter.

III. THE INFINITE CONDESCENSION OF GOD IN ALL THIS. The unbeliever has objected that it is monstrous to suppose that the great God, who controls the universe, amid which this earth of ours is a mere shred and insignificant fragment, can be concerned with the petty affairs of man, especially of a poor individual, worthless, and sinful man. But is it not true that he who governs the vast universe, worlds upon worlds, has yet been at the pains to paint and fashion the wing of the meanest insect in most exquisite and perfect manner? It' he will stoop to that, he will stoop to me, poor wretched sinner though I be. I own it is wonderful; but it is true. Hallelujah! - S.C.

I. WHERE GOD'S CHOSEN ONES ARE WHEN HE MEETS WITH THEM.

1. Many of them are in the lowest place socially. The Lord excludes no man from His election on account of his rank or condition. Come as a beggar, if you be a beggar. Come in rags, if you have no other covering.

2. The expression in the text does not refer merely to social gradations; I have no doubt it has a more spiritual meaning.(1) The dunghill is a place where men throw their worthless things, How often have God's own chosen people felt themselves to be mere offscourings and sweepings, good for nothing but to be cast away! You are in a like case, for you have discovered your own utter worthlessness. When we think little of ourselves, God thinks much of us. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." He will not break thee, O thou bruised reed!(2) The dunghill is a place of contempt. Contempt sometimes sneeringly says of its victim, "He is such a person, that I would not pick him up if I saw him on a dunghill." Well, despised one, let me remind you that the Lord has often looked upon those whom man has despised.(3) The dunghill may be spiritually considered as the place of condemnation. You look at a certain article of food for instance, and the economical housewife does not wish to waste anything. Well, if it may not serve for food, may it not be useful for something else? At last, when she sees that it is of no service, the sentence of condemnation is, "Let it be cast on the dunghill." Well, poor sinner, it thou be in thyself condemned, and a hoarse voice has said, "To the dunghill with him!" yet I come to thee in Jehovah's name, and bid thee hear this word, "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust," etc.( 4) A thing which lies upon the dunghill is in contact with disgusting associates; and, therefore, the text may represent those who have hitherto lived in the midst of evil associations.

II. HOW THE LORD RAISES THEM FROM IT. He lifteth the needy out of the dunghill. It is a dead lift, and none but an eternal arm could do it. It is all done by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Word, filled with the energy of God. When the Lord begins to deal with the needy sinner, the first lift He gives him raises his desires. The man is not satisfied to be where he was, and what he was. That dunghill he had not perceived to be so foul as it really is; and the first sign of spiritual life is horror at his lost condition, and an anxious desire to escape from it. The next sign generally is that to such a man sin loses all sweetness. When the Lord begins to work with you, even before you find Christ to the joy of your soul, you will find the joy of sin to have departed. A quickened soul that feels the weight of sin cannot find pleasure in it. It is another blessed sign that the man is being lifted from the dunghill when he begins to feel that his own self-righteousness is no assistance to him; when, having prayed, he looks upon his prayers with repentance, and having gone to God's house, rests not in the outward form. It is well when a man is cut off entirely from all confidence in himself. Now comes the true lift from off the dunghill. That poor, guilty, lost, worthless one hears of Jesus Christ that He came into the world to save sinners: that poor soul looks to Him with a look which means, "Lord, Thou art my last resort! If Thou dost not save me, I must perish; and Thou must save me altogether, for I cannot help Thee."

III. HOW HE RAISES THEM UP.

1. They are lifted up by complete justification. This furnishes the believer with a throne as safe as it is lofty; as happy as it is glorious.

2. The children of God who have been taken from the dunghill, many of them enjoy full assurance of faith. They are certain that they are saved; they can say with Job, "I know that my Redeemer liveth." As to whether they are children of God or not, they have no question; the infallible witness of the Holy Spirit bears witness with their spirit that they are born of God. To know that my Beloved is mine, and that I am His, and that He loved me and gave Himself for me, this is far better than to be heir-apparent to a score of empires.

3. The children of God, favoured by Divine grace, are permitted to have interviews with Jesus Christ. Like Enoch, we walk with God. Union with the Lord is a coronet of beauty outshining all the crowns of earth.

4. Nor is this all: the elect of God, in addition to receiving complete justification, full assurance, and communion with Christ, are favoured with the Holy Spirit's sanctification. God the Holy Spirit dwells in every Christian; however humble he may be, he is a walking temple in which resides deity.

5. God lifts His people up in another sense: while He gives them sanctification and usefulness, He also anoints them with joy. Oh! the joy of being a Christian!

IV. WHERE IT IS THAT OUR LORD SETS HIS PEOPLE. "Among princes," we are told. "Among princes" is the place of select society. We are a Chosen generation, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood. Our courtly privileges are of the highest order. Listen! "For through Him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father." "Let us come boldly," says the apostle, "to the throne of the heavenly grace," etc. We have courtly audience and peculiarly select society. Next to this it is supposed that among princes there is abundant wealth, but what is the wealth of princes compared with the riches of believers? for "all things are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." "He that spared not His own Son," etc. Among princes, again, there dwells peculiar power. A prince has influence; he wields a sceptre in his own domain: and "He hath made us kings and priests unto God, and we shall reign for ever and ever." We are not kings of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and yet we have a triple dominion; we reign over spirit, soul, and body. We reign over the united kingdom of time and eternity; we reign in this world, and we shall reign in the world that is yet to come: for we shall reign for ever and ever. Princes, again, have special honour. Every one in the crowd desires to gaze upon a prince, and would be delighted to do him service. Let him have the first position in the empire; he is a prince of the blood, and is to be had in esteem and respect. Beloved, hear ye His word: "He hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus," so that we share the honour of Christ as we share His cross.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)