earlier part of the Psalm and this sudden
promise is startling. Heretofore God and the angels have been the
actors prosecuting their work of protection and defence. Now it is as
though He said, "I have hid thee in My tabernacle, and now it is
_Thou_, the defenced one, who shall tread upon the lion and adder;
Thou, and I only as acting in and through thee!"[32]

The Hebrew form of expression the Holy Spirit employs presents two
powerful word-paintings. When it is said, "Thou shalt _tread_ upon the
lion and adder," there is the suggestion of stamping in pieces, of
treading one's enemies as grapes are trodden in the wine-press; and
where the promise is made, "The young lion and the dragon shalt thou
_trample under feet_," the Holy Ghost is lifting up before ancient
Israel, in their own language, the picture of the terrible onset of
{149} armed horsemen beating down the enemy with ruthless trampling
beneath the iron-shod feet of the horses.

Thus are the soldiers of God called upon not only to vanquish, but to
tread the hosts of hell as grapes are trodden in the vintage; not only
to cause them to flee, but to pursue and trample them with terrible
strength as victorious horsemen trample down the flying foe.

[1] Ps. lxxviii, 10.

[2] St. John v, 30.

[3] Isa. lvii, 15.

[4] St. James iv, 6.

[5] 1 Pet. v, 6.

[6] Ps. xx, 1.

[7] St. Luke xviii, 7-8.

[8] Exod. xxxii, 10.

[9] Ps. cvi, 23.

[10] Isa. lxiv, 7.

[11] Numbers xxiv, 9. See also Job xli, 10, and Ps. xxxv, 23, and
lxxx, 2.

[12] Castaniza, _The Spiritual Conquest_, pp. 405, 406. (Vaughan, 3d
Ed.)

[13] Ps. vii, 1.

[14] Ps. xx, 9.

[15] Ps. liv, 1.

[16] Ps. li, 1.

[17] St. John xi, 3.

[18] Ps. xlii, 1.

[19] Ps. xliii, 5-6.

[20] Ps. lxiii, 1.

[21] Ps. xci, 9.

[22] Ps. cviii, 12.

[23] Ps. cxxx, 1.

[24] St. Francis de Sales, _Spiritual Letters_, xi.

[25] Hilton, _The Scale of Perfection_, I, Pt. II, Sec. 2, chap. i.

[26] Castaniza, The Spiritual Conquest, p. 459.

[27] 2 Kings xiii.

[28] Cor. ii, 9.

[29] Scupoli, _The Spiritual Combat_, chap. xiii.

[30] _Ibid._

[31] Eph. vi.

[32] Compare Romans xvi, 20: "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under
_your_ feet shortly." "The God of peace" goes forth to war, fighting
in order to secure that peace whereby His title of "Prince of Peace" is
justified; and it is His power that will bruise Satan, but the bruising
is to be under _our_ feet. We give