n the house of
God,' xii. 40.

Not a voice was silent, there was no idle person in the choir. Headed by
their choir-master they did their utmost to praise the Lord.

'The singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.'

Nor were the musical people the only ones who showed their joy that
happy day. For, as the priests offered great sacrifices, the rejoicing
was both universal and tremendous. 'For God had made them rejoice with
great joy.' Not the men alone, but the wives and the children, so that

'The joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.'

Women's tears, how often we read of them in the Bible! Rachel weeps
over her children and will not be comforted, Hagar lifts up her voice
and weeps over her son, Naomi weeps as she comes back to her desolate
home, Hannah weeps as she kneels in the tabernacle court, the widow
weeps as she follows her only son to the grave, and the company of women
weep as Jesus of Nazareth is led out to the cross.

So many women's tears, so very few women's smiles; so much mourning and
lamentation, so very little happiness and rejoicing. But, on this day of
dedication, the wives were as merry and glad as the husbands, and even
the children took part in the general joy.

It is interesting to notice that the Book of Psalms was the national
song-book of the Jewish nation, a large number of the Psalms having been
composed for special occasions, in order to commemorate certain
memorable days in the history of the nation.

One Psalm, namely Psalm cxlvii., was probably composed in the time of
Nehemiah, in order that it might be sung at the dedication of the walls.

Ver. 1: 'Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our
God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

Ver. 2: 'The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: He gathereth together the
outcasts of Israel.'

Ver. 12: 'Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

Ver. 13: 'For He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; He hath
blessed thy children within thee.'

There follows in the Psalm a curious mention of snow and ice. The
dedication of the city took place late in the year, and probably
Jerusalem was white with snow as the singers in their white robes went
round the walls, the snow being a glorious emblem of the purification
which had just taken place. White as snow,--white in the blood.

Vers. 16-18: 'He giveth snow like wool: He scattereth the hoar frost
like ashes. He casteth forth His ice like morsels: who