God's merciful dealings with nations.
The psalmist, no doubt, refers to the character of God's dealings with Israel, but he implies that they do but present a model of God's dealings with all nations; and he calls upon those nations to examine and. see what God's dealings had been with them, so that they might find cause for praise. The early Jews realized monotheism as a special possession of their nation. The later prophets and psalmists realized monotheism as a trust, concerning which the Jews were to make witness to all nations around them. What we still do is what the psalmist here calls upon us to do. We study the records of God's dealings with his ancient people, in order that, seeing his mercy, loving-kindness, and truth to them, we may come to know him better, understand his ways with us more perfectly, and praise him with the praise that comes of perfect trust.
I. It is quite true that we can learn God's faithfulness and considerateness (merciful kindness) in nature, which, if it be a system of law, is a system of varying and opposing laws, whose relative working must be in some restraint and presidency. And in providence, which is the adjustment of nature-workings to meet the needs of individuals, and implies a Divine Director, who knows the individuals, and has power over every thing, and, with infinite kindness can fit the two together.
II. But the term "merciful kindness" suggests something better and deeper than this. True, the people of Israel were men, even as we are men. And what God did for them as men illustrates what God can do for us as men, and even assures us what he is doing. But we must never lose sight of this point—God dealt with Israel as sinful men; and the merciful kindness is so impressive because it was pitiful and com passionate dealing with sinful men. But that is precisely what we are, and therefore God's merciful kindness to Israel is so interesting to us. It reveals him who is also our God. When the idea is once in our mind, we can read our lives, individual and national, aright, and speak of his merciful kindness to us also.—R.T.