the hard faces of men, and in all and over all saw only the loving presence of the Lord.

Thou, which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.-Ps. lxxi. 20, 21.

My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long.Ps. lxxi. 23.

-Such was the course of David's thoughts when he dwelt by Jordan; having fled away from his kingdom before Absalom his son. Can you imagine a much harder case? or a sweeter experience? Learn then this word of the Lord and rest in it:

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer.-REV. ii. 10.

XXXI.

Between the Gates.

And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe?-2 SAM. xviii. 29.

'LOVE seeketh not her own.' David had lost kingdom and home and the hearts of his people; and now when the question of regaining them was at issue, his only eager thought seemed to be about the life of the young mischief-maker who had done it all.

The king had yielded to the persuasions of his servants not to risk himself in the battle: perhaps they feared his weakness toward Absalom, perhaps he doubted it himselfand now standing 'by the gate side' as the army marched forth, he gave the captains one by one a charge.

Deal gently for my sake with the young man, with Absalom. And all the people heard.-2 SAM. xviii. 5.

-I make no question the father's voice rang out over the heads of the people that all might hear; it was a charge to every man. And I fancy tears in the eyes of some, and a smile on the lips of others; and here and there an ominous shake of the head. 'Deal gently' with that rebel? How could it be done? Even the king knew he had no very good plea to urge,-it could be only for David's sake that

his faithful soldiers would spare David's wicked son; and with the feeling that Absalom's life might that day be at the mercy of the meanest man in all the ranks, the 'sweet singer's' pleading voice rose over the heads of the marching army, and sank into every man's inmost heart.

Gently, for my sake, with the young man, with Absalom.

-O 'young men !' what a power you are! People seem to imagine the young women will come out all right, somehow; but for the young men, hearts break and eyes weep themselves blind. A while ago we found the spotless Samuel mourning all his life over one 'choice young man' who went astray; and now another handsome fellow is crushing the heart of the dauntless king of Israel. Heart and courage and common sense.

All the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

-But they shook their heads and marched away. How could that thing be done? You cannot serve two-even earthly-masters; nor fight for and against the same cause. So the army passed slowly out of sight, and the king sat down between the two gates, in the cool shadow of the gateway, to wait; and the watchman went up to his post on the roof above. There are no psalms assigned to this experience of David's life: the tension was too great, the waiting too intense; conscious feeling itself must have been deadened as long hours wore away, and yet no news. For the battle raging 'in the wood of Ephraim,' 'over the face of all the country,' was too scattered and far away for even

the battle cries to reach the king; and there was no artillery to send its echoing thunders to Mahanaim. And in the silent waiting David's thoughts were such as could not be written down; a weary, confused tossing and mingling of hopes, fears, questions, that 'bowed down his head like a bulrush.' Would Absalom triumph, and David be led prisoner before his son? Or would the loyal arms prevail, and rebels and rebellion bite the dust together? But then, what would become of 'the young man,' even Absalom ?for I think David misdoubted the temper of the people concerning him, in spite of his own tender charge. And again in heart the father spoke his piteous cry, 'Deal gently, for my sake, with the young man, with Absalom.' Nay, let him—the king—perish rather: the one prepared to go, and sometimes very eager for it. But this young, unwashed,

unrepentant sinner!

In his distress, I fancy David rather going over old words he had written, than finding new ones; the sorrow and suspense welling out in channels already water-worn and known:

My spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me.-Ps. cxliii. 7.

-So he may have cried, feeling after God in the darkness.

Bring my soul out of trouble.-Ps. cxliii. 11.

O God, be not far from me.-Ps. lxxi. 12.

This must especially have been the entreaty. For if the assured hope of victory revived him for a minute, there came with it such bitter questions about 'the young man

Absalom,' that David could but stretch out his hands to grasp the Lord's hand, and hold that fast.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me.-Ps. cxxxviii. 7.

Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low.-Ps. cxlii. 6.

Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.-Ps. lxxxvi. 4.

-Until, like the shout over Jericho before the walls fell down, faith could answer confidently:

He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me.-Ps. lv. 18.

-What a picture it all is! The old walled town with its deep gateway, the king sitting below in the shadow, and the watchman above in the light; and on every side around them the wild wooded country, its oak - covered hills stretching away even to the battle ground. For the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.'

There the king and the watchman waited, and hours crept on, with still no word; until (express train of those days) 'Behold, a man running alone:' the news telegraphed from the walls to the gateway in equally old-time fashion. "The watchman cried and told the king.'

And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth.

-It was no routed army that came flying on; though presently another man came in sight behind the first, and also 'running alone.'

And the watchman said, Methinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings,