Hints to Preachers

Verses 1, 2.—Prayer in its threefold form. “Words, meditation, cry.” Showing how utterance is of no avail without heart, but that fervent longings and silent desires are accepted, even when unexpressed.

Verse 3.—The excellence of morning devotion.

Verse 3 (last two clauses).—1. Prayer directed. 2. Answers expected.

Verse 4.—God’s hatred of sin an example to his people.

Verse 5.—“The foolish.” Show why sinners are justly called fools.

Verse 7.—“Multitude of thy mercy.” Dwell upon the varied grace and goodness of God.

Verse 7.—The devout resolution.

Verse 7.—I. Observe the singularity of the resolution. II. Mark the object of the resolution. It regards the service of God in the sanctuary. “I will come into thine house ... in thy fear will I worship towards thy holy temple.” III. The manner in which he would accomplish the resolution. (1) Impressed with a sense of the divine goodness: “I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy.” (2) Filled with holy veneration: “And in thy fear will I worship.”—William Jay, 1842.

Verse 8.—God’s guidance needed always, and especially when enemies are watching us.

Verse 10.—Viewed as a threatening. The sentence, “Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions,” is specially fitted to be the groundwork of a very solemn discourse.

Verse 11.—I. The character of the righteous: faith and love. II. The privileges of the righteous. (1) Joy—great, pure, satisfying, triumphant (shout), constant (ever). (2) Defence—by power, providence, angels, grace, etc.

Verse 11.—Joy in the Lord both a duty and a privilege.

Verse 12 (first clause).—The divine blessing upon the righteous. It is ancient, effectual, constant, extensive, irreversible, surpassing, eternal, infinite.

Verse 12 (second clause).—A sense of divine favour a defence to the soul.