August 19

“Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me :for Thou art my strength.” — Psalm xxxi. 4.

jUpjyUIl spiritual foes are of the serpent’s brood, and seek to iusuare us by subtlety. The prayer before U3 supposes the possibility of the believer being caught like a bird. So deftly does the fowler do his work, that eiuiple ones are soon surrounded by the net. The text asks that even out of Satan’s meshes the captive one may be delivered; this is a proper petition, and one which can be granted: from between the jaws of the lion, and o-ut of the belly of hell, can eternal love rescue the saint. It may need a sharp pull to save a soul from the net of temptation, and a mighty pull to extricate a man from the snares of malicious cunning, but the Lord is equal to every emergency, and the most skilfully placed nets of the hunter shall never be able to hold His chosen ones. Woe unto those who are so clever at net-laying; they who tempt others shall be destroyed themselves.

“For Thou art my strength.” What an inexpressible sweetness is to be found in these few words! How joyfully may we encounter toils, and how cheerfully may we endure sufierings, when we can lay hold upon celestial strength. Divine power will rend asunder all the toils of our enemies, confound their politics, and frustrate their knavish tricks; he is a happy man who has such matchless might engaged upon bis side. Our own strength would be of little service when embarrassed in the nets of base cunning, but th) Lord’s strength is ever available; we have but to invoke it, and we shall find it near at hand. If by faith we are depending alone upon the strength of the mighty God of Israel, we may use our holy reliance as a plea in supplication.

“Lord, evermore Thy face we seek;
Tempted we arc, and poor, and weak;
Keep us with lowly hearts, and meek.
Let U8 not fall. Let us not fall.”