t.

THE OUTCOME IN BLESSING.

We next proceed to notice the remarkable promises in the third verse
of this Psalm--one of the most remarkable and inclusive contained in
the Scriptures:--

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
"That bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
"His leaf also shall not wither;
"And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

If we could offer to the ungodly a worldly plan which would ensure
their prospering in all that they undertake, how eagerly they would
embrace it! And yet when GOD Himself reveals an effectual plan to His
people how few avail themselves of it! Many fail on the negative side
and do not come clearly out of the world; many fail on the positive
side and allow other duties or indulgences to take the time that
should be given to reading and meditation on GOD'S Word. To some it
is not at all easy to secure time for the morning watch, but nothing
can make up for the loss of it. But is there not yet a third class of
Christians whose failure lies largely in their not embracing the
promise and claiming it by faith? In each of these three ways failure
may come in and covenant blessings may be lost.

Let us now consider what are the blessings, the manifold happinesses
which faith is to claim when the conditions are fulfilled.

I. Stability.--He shall be like a tree (not a mere annual plant), of
steady progressive growth and increasing fruitfulness. A tree
planted, and always to be found in its place, not blown about, the
sport of circumstances. The flowers may bloom and pass away, but the
tree abides.

II. Independent Supplies.--Planted by the rivers of water. The
ordinary supplies of rain and dew may fail: his deep and hidden
supplies cannot. He shall not be careful in the year of drought, and
in the days of famine he shall be satisfied. His supply is the living
water--the SPIRIT of GOD--the same yesterday, today, and forever:
hence he depends on no intermitting spring.

III. Seasonable Fruitfulness.--The careful student of Scripture will
notice the parallelism between the teaching of the First Psalm and
that of our LORD in the Gospel of John, where in the sixth chapter we
are taught that he who feeds on CHRIST abides in Him, and in the
fifteenth that he who abides brings forth much fruit. We feed upon
CHRIST the incarnate WORD through the written Word. So in this Psalm
he who delights in the Law of the LORD, and meditates upon it day and
night, brings forth