God in Nature and in Revelation
(No. 3314)
A SERMON PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 1912.
DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON, ON THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE
11, 1866.
"The Law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of
the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are
right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever:
the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether." Psalm
19:7-9.
[Another Sermon by C. H. Spurgeon upon the first clause of verse 7 is
#2870, Volume 50–REVELATION AND CONVERSION.]
WHAT I have to say this evening will really be an exposition of the
whole Psalm. I have only selected these three verses for the
convenience of having a short text. The Psalm begins upon a high
note–"The heavens declare the Glory of God; and the firmament shows
His handiwork." Only let the film of unbelief be taken from our eyes
and we shall see that everything in the great temple of Nature
proclaims the greatness and the Glory of God. Only let the naturally
deaf ear be unstopped and there will be heard voices–mysterious yet
clearly intelligible–revealing that God is still here working in
Providence, as of old He worked in Creation. It seems to me that those
persons who think that Christians are not to be delighted with the
wonders and beauties of the natural world, differ very widely from the
Psalmist whose words we are considering. One truly excellent man, whom
we all very highly esteem, declared that when travelling up the Rhine,
he did not look at the landscape because he desired to have his
thoughts completely taken up with spiritual things. I cannot condemn
the good man, yet I think that as I am dwelling in my Father's House, I
ought to take delight in my Father's works–and I must be a strange
sort of child if I think it is a token of my affection for my Father
not to care to look at the garden which He has laid out or the House
which He has built! While earnestly exhorting you to be
spiritually-minded, I would remind you that it is just as easy to be
spiritually-minded with your eyes open as with your eyes shut to all
the beauties of Nature by which you are surrounded!
There are two things in the Psalm about which I am going to speak. The
first is a parallel intended. And the second, praise expressed.
I. First, there is A PARALLEL INTENDED.
This parallel was suggested to my mind while reading Bishop Horne's
Commentary upon this Psalm. He confesses his acknowledgment to some
older author for the idea. The parallel is this–David first extols the
Revelation of God in Nature, and then extols the Revelation of God in
His Word. And he seems to imply that there is a likeness between the
two Revelations–that they are, in fact, two books of the same
Revelation or two parts of one great poem!
In reading David's remarks concerning the heavens, we may truthfully
apply them to the Scriptures. Like the heavens, the Scriptures declare
the Glory of God, and like the firmament, they show His handiwork Only
that while the firmament shows God's handiwork in Creation, the Word of
God shows that same handiwork in Redemption, in that newcreation by Him
who says, "Behold, I make all things new." Consider first the vast
expanse of the heavens. Who can measure the great curtain which God has
stretched out as a tent to dwell in? Who knows the height thereof or
the breadth thereof? Where are the compasses that can describe this
wondrous circle? And the Scriptures are just as expansive as are the
heavens–no man has yet compassed all the Truth of Divine Revelation.
As we look up to the great doctrines that tower above us like the high
mountains, we may well say, "They are high, we cannot attain unto
them." The length and breadth and depth and height of Scripture all
surpass the comprehension of mortal men! And though we do unfeig-
nedly believe and devoutly rejoice in them, it is not within the range
of our powers to fully comprehend them. There are some persons who talk
as if they know the whole circle of Divine Truth. They think they have
put the great ocean of Revelation into the small measure of their
mortal capacity, but you know, dear Friends, that it is not so. No man
will ever be able to hold the heavens in his hand or to compass the
firmament with a span. But even if he could do this, he would still
find that the Word of God in all its wondrous immensity was too vast
for him to grasp! We must hold firmly whatever we have learned of the
Truth of God, but we must always be prepared to learn more. To say of
my Bible that I have attained to every height that it reveals, is as
foolish as to say that I have reached the highest degree of spiritual
life that is possible. Paul said, "Not as though I had already
attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I
may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."
And when I have strived my utmost to know the Word of God, I still feel
that I have need to pray, "Teach me Your statutes, O Lord, and enlarge
my understanding that I may know more and more of Your Truth!" For
expanse, for loftiness, for brightness, for glory, the Scriptures are
comparable to the heavens which declare the Glory of God–and to the
firmament which shows His handiwork.
Then the Psalmist goes on to say, "Day unto day utters speech, and
night unto night shows knowledge," and so, the Revelation of God in the
Scriptures is always speaking to men. Let them turn to it whenever they
may–it has a message for them at all seasons. When we are happy and
rejoicing, it has a voice for our brightest day! And when we are
mourning and sorrowing, it is the comfort of our darkest night. During
this long night of the Church's history–the long night of her Lord's
absence–His true ministers are enabled to shine as stars in His right
hand and many a sorrowful spirit is cheered, and many a mariner upon
the sea of life is guided by their light. By-and-by, the blessed Sun of
Righteousness shall again arise with healing in His wings–and then
throughout the long and bright millennia day, and afterwards throughout
that everlasting day to which there shall be no night–we shall
continue to learn more and more of the wonders of that Revelation which
He has given us in His Word.
One great glory of the heavens is that they have a voice to all
lands–"There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the
end of the world." In a language understood by all the sons of men–not
in the language of only the Jew or of the Gentile, not in the language
of the barbarian or the Greek, alone, but in the language of all
alike–ancient and modern, bond and free–the voice of the heavens has
gone forth the wide world over declaring the Glory of God! So is it
with the Gospel! No matter where you introduce it, its message is
adapted to all the sons of men. Paul proved the power of the Gospel
among the idolaters of Ly-caonia and among the sages of Greece. It has
a voice for men of all temperaments. It speaks with equal authority to
the sturdy Anglo-Saxon and to the more volatile Frenchman. It has a
peculiar facility for adapting itself to all nationalities–it is
neither the Gospel of the Englishman, alone, nor of the American, nor
of the African, but it speaks to–
"All people that on earth do dwell!" Wherever the Bible goes, it
appears not as an exotic, but as a homegrown flower! And whenever the
Gospel is preached, it comes, not as a Revelation from the East, or the
West, or the North, or the South, but as God's message to all mankind
in the whole world!
The glory of the Scriptures is like the glory of the heavens–"in them
has He set a tabernacle for the sun"–and in the Word of God there is a
tabernacle for the Sun of Righteousness. It is within the Truths of
Divine Revelation that Jesus Christ abides as the sun does in its
proper sphere. What would the heavens be without the sun? And what
would the Scriptures be without the Sun of Righteousness? I may truly
say of the Bible–
"Here I behold my Savior's face Almost on every page."
The glory of the Gospel is that in it, God is revealed as manifest in
human flesh–all the Divine attributes are displayed in the Person of
Emmanuel, God With Us. Take Jesus Christ away from the Gospel and its
power is gone–and take Jesus Christ away from the Christian ministry
and it becomes utterly powerless. I am grieved to have to say it, but I
believe that it is because there has been so little preaching of Christ
in many of our pulpits that the hearers have been driven off to
Romanism and to all sorts of errors. The human heart needs some supreme
object of affection–and it can never be satisfied with philosophical
essays, or discussions about morality, or similar themes which have
wasted hundreds of Sundays and made the services of the sanctuary a
weariness to God's people. Oh, that there were more preaching of Jesus
Christ and Him Crucified! If He is lifted up, He will draw all men unto
Him–and He must be lifted up, or else the preaching is a mere sham, a
joy to devils, but to no one else!
David next very expressively says of the sun, "which is as a bridegroom
coming out of his chamber," and is not this a true picture of Christ as
He is revealed in the Scriptures? He compared Himself to a bridegroom
during His earthly ministry and this is His relationship to His Church,
which is "the bride, the Lamb's wife." He is here said to be "coming
out of His chamber," as He came out of the council chamber of the
Divine decree, saying, "Lo, I come: in the volume of the Book it is
written of Me. I delight to do Your will, O My God: yes, Your Law is
within My heart"–coming out of the chamber of the Divine and
invisible, and dressing Himself in the humble robes of our humanity!
Coming to a life of sorrow and suffering, yet coming to it with joyous
steps because He delighted to do the will of God and was charmed to
redeem His spouse from death and Hell! Then later, coming out of the
chamber in which He had concealed the glories of His Deity during the
33 years of His sojourn among men. And now, coming out of His chamber
continually as His Gospel is faithfully proclaimed in the power of the
Holy Spirit! Verily, this is a true picture of Christ as He is revealed
in the Scriptures, "as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber."
It is also a picture of Him as a Champion–"and rejoices as a strong
man to rule a race"–"as a strong man"–not as a weakling, panting and
struggling to stay on the track, but as a strong man rejoicing because
he knows that he shall victoriously reach the goal! Coming forth in the
Gospel, Sunday by Sunday, and week by week, our Lord Jesus Christ does
not come forth to be defeated! He does not come forth, as some of my
Brothers seen to imagine, needing their proofs of His existence and
Deity! Or their apologies for His Gospel, but He comes forth to achieve
His everlasting purposes, that He may be able to say to His Father at
the last even as He said when here upon the earth, "I have finished the
work which You gave Me to do." "The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper
in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be
satisfied." Like a strong man rejoicing to run a race, He is confident
that He shall reach the goal and win the prize. It is a long race, a
toilsome race, a race in which there are many competitors–but as Jesus
looks at them, He knows that He will beat them all–and that the crown
of victory shall surely be His!
I hope some poor troubled soul will be comforted by the next verse of
the Psalm–"His goings forth is from the end of the Heaven, and His
circuit unto the end of it." The light of the sun reaches even the
ice-caves of the frozen North and it pours down it shining rays most
lavishly upon–
"India's coral strand"–
and–
"Where Africa's sunny fountains Roll down their golden sand."
So is it in the going forth of Christ in His Gospel–"His going forth
is from the end of Heaven, and His circuit unto the ends of it." The
light of His Gospel shines upon all ranks, all classes and all
characters–the rich and the poor, the learned and the illiterate! And
the time shall come when it will shine over the whole world, for–
"Jesus shall reign wherever the sun
Does his successive journeys run–
His Kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall grow and wane no more." Then the Psalmist adds, "and
there is nothing hid from the heat thereof." The heat of the sun finds
out the little flower in the darkest glade of the forest and no doubt
it exerts a mysterious influence even in the depths of the sea and at
the bottom of the deepest mines! "There is nothing hid from the heat
thereof," even though much is hid from the light thereof. So is it with
the Gospel and with the love of Christ. Where some of you are tonight,
you may imagine that you are hidden from the heat of the Savior's love,
but is it so? You hear the Gospel, do you not? That is something, but
you say that you want to find the Christ who has His tabernacle in the
Gospel. But that very desire of yours proves that you are not hidden
from the heat of the Savior's love, for that desire is one of the gifts
of His Grace! If you have any broken-ness of heart, any consciousness
of guilt, any inclination towards repentance, this is the work of
Christ! Trust His Ever-Blessed Spirit! The flower does not know that it
could not bloom without the sun, but it is true. Perhaps it thinks that
the sun has too much to do in watching over the wide expanse of sea and
land, and in seeing its beams reflected from the glittering palace roof
to notice one poor little poppy in a glen or one primrose hidden away
in a mossy bank! But it is not
so. The sun sheds its beams upon all and is none the poorer for doing
so! And so is it with the love of Christ. If you feel even a
longingafter Him, that is a proof that you are not hidden from the heat
of His love! Breathe this prayer again and again, "Jesus, You glorious
Sun of Righteousness, shine on me and fill me with Your Divine Grace!"
As the sunflower is said to turn its face to the sun, so turn your face
to Christ! I have noticed that flowers which grow in that part of the
garden which is much in the shade always try to twist themselves into
the sunlight if they can–and you have probably noticed that when you
have flowers at your windows at home, they always try to grow towards
the glass. Do seek, especially if you are a Believer, to grow towards
the light, and most of all to grow towards Christ who is the Light, the
Light of the World, the Sun of Righteousness! Try to catch as many of
His heavenly beams as you can. Remember that the sun is none the less
glorious because he gives so many of his beams to the flowers–and
Jesus Christ will be no loser by the gift of His Grace to you! The Sun
of Righteousness will be just as bright and just as glorious as before!
No, He will be all the more glorious as His Glory is displayed in you!
I want you, then, to look upon the Word of God with great reverence and
affection because therein is set a tabernacle for Jesus Christ. If you
would learn all that you can concerning Jesus Christ, you must
diligently study the Word which reveals Him to us.
II. Having spoken upon the parallel intended, I now turn to our second
subject which is PRAISE EXPRESSED. I remind you again that I am giving
an exposition rather than preaching a sermon–and I very much question
whether it would not be better if we more often expounded Scripture
rather than gave utterance to so many of our own words and thoughts.
In speaking in this Psalm concerning the Word of God, David uses six
different expression to describe it. And to each one he attaches a
special tribute to commend it to us. As a rule, the ungodly know the
Bible only by one name or, perhaps, two. They call it the Bible or the
Scriptures–and that is about all that most of those know concerning
it. But a man who is well acquainted with its contents has many names
for it. The most notable instance of this is the 119th Psalm, which
contains 176 verses, almost everyone of which has a mention of the Word
of the Lord. It would be a profitable exercise to read that long Psalm
through carefully–and to note all the variations of expression that
the Psalmist uses concerning the Scriptures as far as they were known
to him. But for our present purpose it will suffice if we confine our
thoughts to the six descriptions and tributes that we find in this 19th
Psalm.
First, David says, "The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the
soul." In the margin, we have the word, "Doctrine," as another
rendering of the word, Law, and we know that the term, "the Law of the
Lord" is not restricted to the Decalogue, so we shall not do wrong if
we apply this expression to the Gospel which is God's special means of
converting souls–and to the whole Revelation of God's plan and method
of salvation which we find in the Scriptures. If I want to know how I
am to be saved, I come to this blessed Book and I read here, "the Law
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," which Paul said had made him
free from the Law of sin and death. I read here Christ's own words, "He
that believes and is baptized shall be saved." I read here the
matchless story of Him on who I am to believe. I read about His Person,
His Character, His Doctrine, His mission–and this "Law of the Lord"
begins to operate upon my heart as I read it! It not only changes my
outward actions, but it renews my mind, it alters the whole bent and
purpose of my life–in David's phrase–it converts my soul! The springs
of my being, which once were poisoned by sin, become purified by Grace.
I know that you have found this to be true, Beloved, and that,
therefore, you love this "Law of the Lord." McCheyne says that it is
God's Word, and not our comments upon it, that saves souls. And I have
frequently noticed, in conversions, that it has not been so much the
word of the preacher that has been blessed as the Word of God,
itself–though this, of course, is a rule to which there are
exceptions, for our Lord Jesus, Himself, said in His great intercessory
prayer, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them, also, which
shall believe on Me through their word"–not only through Christ's own
word, but through the truthful and faithful testimony off His
servants–and still is the word of earnest, believing preachers and
teachers blessed to their hearers and scholars! Yet the great
converting agency is the Word of God, for this "Law of the Lord is
perfect"–there is nothing in it in excess and there is nothing omitted
from it. It is perfect in all its operations upon my nature, perfect to
inspire my whole life and to kindle enthusiasm in my soul, perfect to
enlighten my understanding and to subdue my will, perfect for
everything which is needed for the conversion of my soul!
David next says, "The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the
simple." I take this word, "testimony," to mean the Revelation of
Himself which God has given us in His Word. He gives testimony to His
own Fatherhood and to
His adoption into His family of all who believe in His Son, Jesus
Christ. He gives testimony to all His attributes as they are revealed
in the Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. He gives testimony to
His own everlasting love and to His faithfulness to every promise which
He has made to His elect. He gives testimony to many things which we
could never have discovered from Nature and all His testimony makes the
simple wise. Over the porch of one of the academies in Athens was
written, "He that is ignorant of arithmetic may not enter here." But
over the porch of God's Word is inscribed, "He that is ignorant is
welcome here." "The testimony of the Lord" is full of Divine Wisdom,
yet it is put into such plain language that even children can
understand it–so the simple come to it that they may be made wise and,
often that which is hidden from the wise and prudent is revealed unto
babes–for so it seems good in God's sight!
I take the Word of God, then, as first of all teaching me how my soul
may be converted. And then, being converted, I come to this blessed
Book with quite another objective–not to find out how I am to be
saved, but that I may learn more concerning the God who has saved me!
And as I read His testimony with regard to Himself, it makes my simple
soul wise.
When I have got as far as that, I need something more, and David next
says, "The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart." By
this word, "statutes," I understand the Lord's ordinances of decree,
the King's royal edicts and mandates–and also His promises which are a
transcript of His decrees. David says that these "statutes of the Lord
are right." Of course they are, because they are His statutes–and that
they cause the heart to rejoice–a statement we can confirm from our
own experience! I have often confessed that when my spirit gets
depressed, nothing will sustain it but the good, old-fashioned,
Calvinistic Doctrine. You may be content with the fare set before you
by the modern school of preachers when you are not hungry. You may
enjoy it when there is fine weather. But when storms of tribulation are
howling around you, when you are conscious of a great need of
soul-satisfying food, then I believe that the old Augusti-nian
Doctrine–which is the Doctrine of the Apostle Paul and of His Lord and
Master, Jesus Christ–is the only fare upon which your heart can feast
with rejoicing! How sweet it is, at such a time, to fall back upon the
eternal purposes of God in Christ Jesus! To know one's calling and
election sure, to know that "all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to His
purpose"–this is, indeed, "a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on
the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well
refined." King Lemuel's mother said, "Give strong drink unto him that
is ready to perish, and wine unto those that are of heavy hearts." And
in a Spiritual sense, it is the strong drink and the nourishing wine of
the Doctrines of Grace that can alone sustain those who are spiritually
ready to perish and heavy of heart!
There are some who would agree with David as far as we have gone, but
they are not so eager to listen to his next sentence–" The commandment
of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." Being converted, a man
learns all he can of the testimony of the Lord, then his heart rejoices
in the statutes of the Lord and he goes on to get further enlightenment
from the commandment of the Lord. Some persons never seem to have their
eyes enlightened because they neglect to obey the Lord's precepts.
Disobedience is sure to bring its own punishment and there are some who
cannot clearly read their own interest in Christ because their neglect
to keep His commandments has closed their eyes just as a cloud of dust
might have done. There is a great reward for those who obey His
precepts and although we are saved by Grace, and not by our works, yet
in the economy of Grace there are certain rewards which are only given
to them who diligently keep the King's commandments! Happy are they
who, like Caleb, follow the Lord fully. Surely they shall be among the
virgin souls that, in the heavenly Mount Zion, "follow the Lamb
wherever He goes."
David next mentions a very practical matter–"The fear of the Lord is
clean, enduring forever." Some kinds of fear are anything but clean!
"The fear of man" has been a foul snare in which many have been
captured for the devil. Compromise is very popular, today, but the
Bible is a most uncompromising Book–and "the fear of the Lord" is a
most uncompromising principle! Once let this gracious fear thoroughly
permeate our soul and we shall never lose it, for David truly says that
it endures forever. If ever a man is really dead, buried and risen with
Christ, there is no fear of his ever undergoing such a backward process
as being dead with Christ and then alive again to the world! There are
some principles which are only powerful for a time, but the principle
of Grace, which produces the fear of the Lord, exerts a permanent
influence upon everyone in whom the Holy Spirit works it–and there is
no possibility of the love of the world or the fear of man casting it
out! May that gracious Spirit work this holy fear in each one of us!
Then, lastly, David says, " The judgments of the Lord are true and
righteous altogether." Whenever I think of the judgments of the Lord in
the olden times, I always regard them as righteous judgments. Just were
You, O Lord, when You did pour down the fiery hail upon Sodom and
Gomorrah! When You did smite Pharaoh and overthrow his hosts in the Red
Sea, and when Your angel slew the army of Sennacherib! Just have You
been, O God, in overturning ancient mo-narchs which had become hoary in
iniquity! And these are "the judgments of the Lord" which are yet to be
executed, concerning which we have the repeated declarations of
Revelation that they will all be "true and righteous." These are the
very words that are used concerning the Lord's judgments upon that
great harlot which has corrupted the earth with her fornications! With
this blessed Book in our hands–and especially if its Truths are
enshrined in our hearts–we may confidently face the future and not be
alarmed by any of the errors and heresies that may spring up around us!
The teachers of falsehood are only imitating the folly of the builders
of Babel–and all their inventions will but end in their own confusion.
The sun has gone down and in an hour or two the world will appear in a
more somber dress than it now wears. If you come out at midnight, you
will see nothing but the twinkling stars and a few glimmering lamps.
Yet the sun is not put out–his light is not quenched. Wait till the
appointed time and the great light of day shall again be "as a
bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to
run a race." Darkness may be covering your mind tonight. Darkness may
cover your circumstances. Darkness may, for a while, cover even the
Church of God on earth–but that old promise is still true–"Unto you
that fear My name shall the Sun of Righteous arise with healing in His
wings." Only be sure that you are on the Lord's side! Put your trust in
the precious blood of Jesus and wait for Him more than they that watch
for the morning. And then, when He comes, it will be to you a day of
light and not of darkness, and the days of your mourning will have
ended forever! So may the Lord comfort your hearts, sustain you under
every trial, keep you in His love and enable you patiently to wait for
His coming, for His dear name's sake! Amen.
EXPOSITION BY C. H. SPURGEON: PSALM 119:9-32.
Verse 9. How shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto
according to Your Word. "How shall a young man cleanse his way?" A
vital and solemn question. His way is full of temptations and he,
himself, has strong passions. How shall he make his way clean and keep
it so? "By taking heed thereto according to Your Word." Without heed he
will soon be in the mire, but carefully walking with God's Word as his
rule, by the blessing of God's Grace it will keep him out of sin.
10. With my whole heart have I sought You: O let me not wander from
Your commandments. There might be thought in this confession to be some
commendation of himself and, therefore, he salts it with this
prayer–"I have sought You, Lord, sincerely, but still, notwithstanding
that, I am very apt to stray away. And I shall sadly wander unless You
keep me. O let me not wander from Your commandments."
11. Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
The best thing put into the best place for the best of all purposes!
There is no antidote against sin like the possession of the Word of God
in the soul.
12. Blessed are You, O LORD: teach me Your statutes. You are blessed,
make me blessed. You are the happy God, instruct me in the way of
happiness.
13. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of Your mouth. I am
a learner, but I have tried to be a teacher, too. I have not kept the
Word of God to myself as though it were only a personal treasure for
me, but what I have heard in the secret chamber of fellowship, that
have I spoken on the housetops. Have you published abroad what you
know? Then you are the person to learn more. When men drop their money
into a money box, they have to break it to get it out again, and if
they have not need of it they will not do so. God does not care to drop
His treasure into a heart that never uses it and imparts it. Let your
lips speak what your heart learns!
14. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all
riches. If all sorts of riches were put together, I have found them
all, and more than them all in Your testimonies! I am rich in all
respects when I have You.
15. I will meditate on Your precepts, and have respect unto Your way.
Meditation treads the wine press and gets the juice out of the grapes.
A man may read too much if he reads without meditation. "I will
meditate." It is the harvesting by reaping of what we have sown by
reading.
16. I will delight myself in Your statutes: I will not forget Your
Word. I will take a deep pleasure in them and I will find an intense
joy in every pondering of them. "I will not forget Your Word." I will
never let it go out of the precincts of my memory. I will recall again
and again. I will always have a text of Your precious Book ready to my
tongue.
17. Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live, and keep Your
Word. Give me much of Your comfort, royally of Yourself! Deal
bountifully with me. I have great necessities. I am a mass of needs,
therefore, "Deal bountifully with me that I may live." And I have great
tendencies to wander. Great risks and perils. Give me abundance of
Grace that I may keep Your Word.
18. Open You my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your
Law. The wonders are there–cause me to behold them! A man may have a
fair landscape before him, rich in all beauties of form and color, but
if his eyes are closed, is he better for it?
19. I am a stranger in the earth: hide not Your commandments from me.
"I am a stranger in the earth." I do not now belong to it. I am born
and bound for Heaven. I am a pilgrim here–men do not understand me,
neither have I any settled business here. "I am a stranger in the
earth: hide not Your commandments from me." Oh, remember that I am Your
alien, Your banished one! Send me love messages from the old home and
loved country.
20. My soul breaks for the longing that it has unto Your judgments at
all times. Broken souls are many. But not on this account! Oh, how few
are in danger of breaking through such a longing as this! Would God
there were many more that did sigh and cry after the Word of God–for
longings such as these are sure to lead to an earnest search–and the
earnest search will increase knowledge and increase Grace.
21. You have rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from Your
commandments. A proud man is surely a sinful man. He may think himself
a righteous man, but he cannot be so. He has gone far astray from the
very essence of God's Law, which is that he should walk humbly with his
God.
22. Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept Your
testimonies. A man that does that is pretty sure to be reproached and
to be condemned by man, for they think that one who follows God
faithfully "is very old-fashioned, he has not much spirit, he has not
drunk in the philosophy of the age, he is a fossilized Christian," and
so on. Well, we can bear all such reproach–still we are truly glad
when we escape it.
23. Princes also did sit and speak against me: but Your servant did
meditate on Your statutes. And a great man's word goes a long way with
some people. They think a prince a great authority. "But Your servant
did meditate on Your statutes." He did not burst out in angry reply. He
did not give fierce railing for railing, but he sat himself down as
quietly as he could–the more abundantly to meditate on God's statutes.
What calmness there is here and what wisdom! For if princes should
speak against us, and the great ones of the earth should rail, what
does it matter? If they drive us away from our faith, it would
matter–but if they drive us to our Bibles, it is a benefit!
24. 25. Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors. My soul
cleaves unto the dust: quicken You me according to Your Word. Here He
prays for quickening. He felt the spiritual death that was so natural
to him, the heaviness of his heart, the tendency to sink, the
attractions of the world.
26. I have declared my ways, and You heard me: teach me Your statutes.
Open confession is good for the soul and I have made this confession.
You have heard me. Now "teach me Your statutes."
27. Make me to understand the way of Your precepts, so shall I talk of
Your wondrous works. Lord ground me and found me in Your knowledge.
Give me to know fully, firmly, what I do know. I would not be as a man
that eats, but thinks not from where the bread came, but I would wish
to understand the way of Your precepts. "So shall I talk of Your
wondrous works."
28. My soul melts for heaviness. Strengthen You me according unto Your
Word. Will not this prayer suit some that are in this house this
evening who are very dull and depressed? Oh, if your soul sinks, still
pray and say, "Strengthen You me." You need strength, dear Friends. If
you had more strength, your troubles would not crush you. Your soul
would not melt if you had more strength and confidence.
29. 30. Remove from me the way oflying: and graciously grant me Your
Law. Ihave chosen the way of truth: Your judgments have I laid before
me. As a captain lays out his chart so as to keep his course correctly
and safely, so I try to sail by it. I have chosen Your Law and precepts
and commands as my course, and I would gladly keep to them.
31. I have stuck unto Your testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame. I
am glued to them–there is no separating me, no tearing me apart from
them! "O Lord, put me not to shame."
32. I will run the way of Your commandments when You shall enlarge my
heart. I will go quicker and faster, I will have more energy, more
flaming zeal in Your service–"When You shall enlarge my heart." O
Lord, it is very narrow and very contracted. I cannot think great
thoughts, nor do great things, nor believe great promises unless You
shall enlarge my heart! Lord, give me a larger heart, stronger to obey,
more tender to love for Your name's sake!