The grievous conflict of the flesh and the Spirit, and the glorious conquest of the Spirit at the last.
I. THE BEGINNING OF THE PSALM. In this he ingeniously pointeth at those rocks against which he was like to have split his soul.
II. THE MIDDLE OF THE PSALM. In this he candidly confesseth his ignorance and folly to have been the chiefest foundation of his fault.
III. THE END OF THE PSALM. In this he gratefully kisseth that hand which led him out of the labyrinth.
Such is the clear and accurate summing up of the contents of this psalm by an old Puritan divine. Should any of us, unhappily, find our own portraiture in the conduct told of at the beginning, may it not be long ere the middle and the end of the psalm portray us equally well!—S.C.