ht to draw weapons for its warfare
against clear revelation. And yet here it is, embedded in the very
heart of those Scriptures which we are told were "given by inspiration
of God, and which are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may
be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Then with this
precious assurance of its "profitableness" deeply fixed in our hearts
by a living faith, and in absolute dependence on that blessed One who
is the one perfect Teacher, let us consider the book.

First, then, let us seek to get all the light we can from all the
exterior marks it bears before seeking to interpret its contents. For
our primary care with regard to this, as indeed with regard to every
book in the Bible, must be to discover, if possible, what is the object
of the book,--from what standpoint does the writer approach his subject.

And first we find it in that group of books through which the voice of
man is prominent--Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Canticles. In these is heard
the music of man's soul; often--nay, mostly--giving sorrowful and
striking evidence of discord, in wail and groan, in tear and sigh; and
yet again, in response evidently to the touch of some Master hand, that
knows it well,--a tender, gracious, compassionate touch,--rising into a
song of sweetest harmony that speaks eloquently of its possibilities,
and bears along on its chords the promise and hope of a complete
restoration. But we shall search our book in vain for any such
expression of joy. No song brightens its pages; no praise is heard
amid its exercises. And yet perfectly assured we may be that, listened
to aright, it shall speak forth the praise of God's beloved Son; looked
at in a right light, it shall set off His beauty. If "He turns the
wrath of man to praise Him," surely we may expect no less from man's
sorrows and ignorance. This, then, we may take it, is the object of
the book, to show forth by its dark background the glory of the Lord,
to bring into glorious relief against the black cloud of man's need and
ignorance the bright light of a perfect, holy, revelation; to let man
tell out, in the person of his greatest and wisest, when he, too, is at
the summit of his greatness, with the full advantage of his matured
wisdom, the solemn questions of his inmost being; and show that
greatness to be of no avail in solving them,--that wisdom foiled in the
search f