Good Talk
(No. 3399)
A SERMON PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1914.
DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.
"Talk you of all His wondrous works." 1 Chronicles 16:9.
This sentence stands in connection with exhortations to offer
thanksgiving unto the Lord and to make known His deeds among the
people. Thus it runs, "Sing unto Him; sing Psalms unto Him; talk you of
all His wondrous works."
The old typical religion of the Jews and the perverse superstition of
the heathen made some places sacred and some places unclean–some
actions holy and other actions, performed however well they might
be–common and not to be connected in any degree with holiness. But the
religion of Jesus Christ has once and for all swept away all holy
places– wherever man is holy, every place is hallowed! Jesus Christ
has consecrated the world by His Presence and wherever man chooses to
worship, there is a house for God. The religion of Jesus Christ has
also swept away those distinctions which men make as to actions being
necessarily religious or irreligious. Some will have it that to sing a
Psalm is to worship God–a sacred thing–but to feed the sparrows is,
according to them, a secular matter. To come up to a place that shall
be set apart for worship and there to bow the knee in prayer is
adoration of the Most High–but, according to them, to perform acts of
mercy and righteousness is not a tribute of homage to God! Now, the
very essence of the Christian religion is just this–that it is not a
thing confined to hours, times and places, but it is a thing of spirit
It lies not in outward garbs or in mere words, but pervades the whole
spirit of man and makes him turn his entire life into worship! Then
every action he performs in its spirit and under its influence is
holiness unto the Lord! God is worshipped by servants who fulfill the
duties of their station. By judges who decree righteousness. By
merchants who deal justly. By children who obey their parents, and by
parents who train up their children in the fear of the Lord. There is
not a line to be drawn anywhere, so that you can say, "Outside of that
you go beyond the sanctuary of religion and get into the outer courts
frequented by the multitude." Here has been the great mistake which
some Christians have made with regard to politics. They have supposed
that a man could not be a Christian and a politician, too. Hence much
injustice has been done. The fact is, when a man feels, "There is
nothing that belongs to man but what may be consecrated to God," and
when he says, "I, being God's servant, may take all that belongs to man
and devote it as holiness unto the Lord," he reaches the highest order
of manhood and illustrates the highest style of Christianity. We cannot
fully exhibit the spirit of Jesus Christ till we have learned that we
must carry out in every place–and in every sphere–the spirit of His
religion.
I make these remarks because while we are first bid to sing unto God's
praise, we are next told to talk about His wondrous works. There is a
praising for the assembly. There is a talking for the fireside–and
both are to be holy! The praise is to be hearty, sincere, unanimous,
full of animation–the talk is to be equally sincere, equally earnest,
equally sacred. You are not to say, "I have done with praising God,"
when the hymn is over and you begin to open your mouths upon ordinary
topics! But in your ordinary conversation, in the fields, by the
wayside, in the streets and in your chambers, you are still to go on
praising God and talking of all His wondrous works.
Shall there be a connection established between such a common word as,
"talk," and such grand swelling words as "the wondrous works of God"?
We wonder to find the little monosyllable in such a place! "Preach you
of all His wondrous works," would seem well enough. "Show them," would
seem sound theology, but talk you, talk you–in your ordinary, common,
everyday conversation–make the wondrous works of God to be your
conversation, your familiar talk! We must talk. We seem born to talk!
We were, wretched, indeed, if we were forbidden to speak to our fellow
creatures! Why, the world seems to be enlivened by continuous, not to
say, incessant, talking–from the first blush of morning, on through
all the bustling day and far into the shades of drowsy night–how our
tongues are occupied! They run morequickly than our feet and carry
less, though much mischief, sometimes, comes from their babble. They
are sharper than razors, some of them, and cut deeper than swords, and
kindle fire enough to set the world in a blaze! Now, this talking to
which women are proverbially disposed and in which men indulge as
freely as inclination prompts them–to be heard in every street, in
every house and in every workshop–this it is which is to be
consecrated unto God! The streams of conversation are everywhere to be
drawn off from the gutters and channels in which they gather
defilement–to be strained, cleansed and purified till they become
fresh, clear and sparkling! Then the speech of humans–man with man,
saint with saint, redeemed from the beggarly elements of common
slander, envy, foolishness and vanity shall be lifted up as on eagles'
wings till it is like the fellowship of the angels realizing the
prediction of the Psalmist to the praise of the Lord– "They shall
speak of the glory of Your Kingdom and talk of Your power." Now,
first–
I. THE SUBJECT HERE SUGGESTED FOR OUR COMMONPLACE TALK–HIS WONDROUS
WORKS– invites notice!
Brothers and Sisters, we ought to talk more about God's wondrous works
as we find them in Holy Scripture. Do you read them? Alas, in how many
a case the Bible is the least read book in the house! I am inclined to
think that although there may be more Bibles in England than any other
book, there is less of Bible reading than anything else in literature!
The sacred volume seems to be scarcely known to many, except from
Chapters read in the public services, and the quotations of the
minister, while alas, alas, for us, our conversation has very little in
it of the records of the mighty acts of the Lord! But the old saints
were known to speak to one another about the historical parts of
Scripture. They dwelt full often, and never seemed happier than when
they were dwelling upon it–on that story of the Red Sea, when the Lord
smote Rahab and broke the head of the dragon. How they would stand
together and speak of the Books of the wars of the Lord, of what He did
by the brook Arnon, and how He led His servants through Jordan and
brought them into the Promised Land, cast out the Canaanites and slew
their kings! They talked of these things, not merely as historical
events, but as seeing the Lord in them all! And they so spoke and so
read of them as to see in them subjects worthy of their study. I do not
know how it is, but we do not get at the history of our own country in
anything like the way in which one might desire, for really, the
wondrous works of God which He has done here in this land are such as
we ought to speak of at our firesides! We should look upon the events
of history and the chronicles of each day in this light. And if, as we
scanned the ample pages of history, rich with the spoils of time, we
saw God's hand fashioning its contingencies and molding them into
destiny–and the impress of His footsteps upon all its stupendous
revolutions–we should not lack for topics of conversation, but our
memories would be stored, our interest excited, our minds elevated with
noble passions and our social conversation ennobled by the
inexhaustible resources of wisdom as we talked of all the wondrous
works of the
Lord!
But, Brothers and Sisters, our own history will enable us to relate
such a multitude of tender mercies as may well become incentives to
gratitude and praise. How much might we tell of what the Lord has done
for us personally! Here is a subject that shall never be exhausted.
Talk to one another–especially to those who can understand you because
they have felt the same–of the long-suffering of God when you were in
your ungodly estate–the wonders of that love which tracked you with
its many warnings while you were still strangers to yourselves and to
God. Talk of that Almighty Power which, when the predestinated hour had
come, laid hold upon you and made you yield! Speak of what the Lord did
for you when you were in the low dungeon of your own
self-abhorrence–how He met with you when you were brought to death's
door–how Jesus appeared for you and clothed you with His
Righteousness–and your spirit revived and your heart was glad. Shall
the slave ever forget the music of his chains when they dropped from
his wrists? And will you ever cease to speak of that happy day, the
happiest of all days, when all the chains of your transgression were
forever broken off at the love touch of your Redeemer? Oh, no! Talk
still of the wondrous works of God as connected with your conversion.
And since that time, however quiet your life may have been, I am sure
there has been much in it that has tenderly illustrated the Lord's
Providence, the Lord's guidance, the Lord's deliverance, the Lord's
upholding and sustaining you! You have been, perhaps, in poverty–and
just when the barrel of meal was empty–then you were supplied. Talk of
His wondrous works! You have been in great temptation and when you were
reeling under it, or when you were slandered and no name was thought
bad enough for you, His sweet love has appeared to you and helped you
to rejoice in this, also, for Christ's name sake. Talk of this! You
have gone, perhaps, Christian, through fire and through water–yours
has been a very checkered life. You have fought with lions, or have
stood in the Valley of the Shadow of Death–but in it all
God's aid has been very wonderful! There have been miracles, heaped
upon miracles along your pathway! Perhaps you are like the Welsh woman
who said that the Ebenezers which she had set up at the places where
God had helped her were so thick that they made a wall from the very
spot she began with Christ to that she had then reached! Is it so with
you? Then talk–talk you of all His wondrous works! I am sure you would
find such talk most interesting, most impressive, and most instructive,
for the things we have seen and experienced, ourselves, generally wear
a novelty and abound in interest beyond any narrative we get from
books, or any unauthenticated story we pick up secondhand. Tell them
how God has led you, fed you and brought you to this day–and would not
let you go!
There is a topic for you–and you never shall know how large it is.
II. THE EXCELLENCY OF THIS SUBJECT IS BOTH NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE.
Were we to talk more of God's wondrous works, there would be this
negative good, that we should talk less about our own works. A man
never lowers himself more than when he tries to lift himself up. There
are some whose propensity is to use vain swelling words about their own
doings–and they seem to be never better pleased than when they are
bragging and saying, "I did this. I did that. I did the other." "Talk
you of all His wondrous works." As for your puny actions, if you judge
and estimate them properly, you will find more to mourn over than to
boast of! Give to the Lord the glory that is due unto His name and your
discretion shall not be periled.
If we talked more of God's wondrous works, we would be free from
talking of other people's works. It is easy to criticize those we
cannot rival, and carp at those we cannot emulate. He who could not
carve a statue, or make a single stroke of the chisel correctly, is
quick to point out where the handicraft of the greatest sculptor might
have been improved. It is a poor, pitiful occupation, that of picking
holes in other people's coats–and yet some people seem so pleased when
they can perceive a fault that they roll it under their tongue as a
sweet morsel! Why should this be? Why should you find fault with God's
servants in this way? They are not your servants, but His servants–He
will call them to account. He does not ask you to be thus officious.
Talk you of His wondrous works and you will not speak so unkindly of
His servants!
Did we talk more of God's wondrous works, it would keep us from the
ordinary frivolities of conversation. In the olden times they that
feared the Lord spoke often, one to another, and the Lord listened and
heard–and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that
feared the Lord and that thought upon His name. Suppose for a moment
that our ordinary conversation were taken down by an eavesdropper, as
in the case mentioned by Malachi? I do not know what your conversation
was about at tea-time this evening, but supposing that somebody had
been listening and hearing–and that you knew for certain that it was
going to be put into a book and printed–would you feel quite easy?
Suppose we could have put down in a book the talk of all our people
during the day–and could have it all read out? I am afraid we would
find that our talk is not always such as edifies and not always
seasoned with salt! In fact, some Christian people never thoroughly
talk good Gospel talk unless somebody is present in whose esteem it is
likely to raise them, or until they get into such company as they
suppose will relish it–and then they feel compelled to accommodate
themselves to the occasion. The habit of thoroughly good godly talk is
not common among professors. I wish it were. I wish that not only
sometimes our talk were what God would have it to be, but that it were
alwaysso, that our common conversation were like salt ministering
Divine Grace unto the hearers.
As there is a negative excellence about this subject of conversation,
so there is also a positive excellence. Supposing we were to talk more
of God's wondrous works–when the habit was acquired, it would
necessitate stricter habits of observation and of discrimination in
watching the Providence of God. Memory, the treasure house of the mind,
must have its goods assorted and its records indexed so that the things
of which we hear and read might not only be well retained, but easily
referred to. As Cowper says–
"But conversation, choose what theme we may,
And chiefly when religion leads the way,
Should flow like waters after summer showers,
Not as if raised by mere mechanic powers." Alas, the mercies of God
flow by us like a river! We forget to count their multitudinous waves.
We receive the mercies fresh every day and take but slight account of
them! Too often they are–
"Forgotten in unthankfulness,
And without mention, die."
The spirit of observing God in all things was prevalent among our
Puritan ancestors. They saw God in every single drop of rain and in
every ray of sunlight. They were known to talk about the most common
changes of the atmosphere as coming from the hand of God! They speak of
incidents which we might account trivial as connected with the decrees
of Him who orders all things after the counsel of His own will. Oh,
that we, too, amidst the various maze of life, could thus learn to
track the course "of boundless wisdom and of boundless love"! Such
conversation, Brothers and Sisters, would be very ennobling. Why, it
would liken us to the ancient saints and the spirits before the Throne
of God! What is their conversation there? How they talk of God's
wondrous works, God's works in Creation, God's works in Providence,
God's works in Grace! They are too taken up with the splendor of the
Divine Presence to suffer their pure conversation to degenerate into
any meaner theme. Yes, and living as we do in the Presence of God,
professing to have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and to have been
lifted up from the world into communion with Jesus Christ, it ought to
be our holy ambition to let our conversation be of things that are like
our standing–things that are worthy of our high calling and
profession–things that have to do with our election and will help us
onward to our eternal portion! We would not be so groveling, as we are,
if we talked more of the wondrous things of God.
And Beloved, while holding this lofty fellowship of heart and tongue,
how would our gratitude glow and what an impulse would be given to our
entire life!I do not know how you find it, but with me it is no easy
matter to maintain spiritual life in the fullness of its vigor. To go
week after week, month after month, and year after year, plodding on in
the pilgrimage is hard work! It needs no small degree of strength,
resolve and skill. If it were one tremendous leap, we could soon
perform it. If it were but a spurt in the race, we might soon win the
prize–but to go on, on, on–and still to keep up our zeal, still to be
awake, still to be earnest–here it is one feels the need of the
mercies of God to be means of Grace to us, to refresh our gratitude and
put fresh fuel upon the altar. Oh, Brothers and Sisters, we have not
lived yet! We do not seem to recognize what the Christian life really
means! When I instanced our conversation just now as being poor, and
mean, and barren, I did but cull one mildewed leaf out of the whole
field, for I fear our whole life is much alike. Lord, revive us! What
means is He likely to use except He employs the rod of chastisement as
the renewal of our memory of His great loving kindness, that we may be
constrained to dedicate ourselves more fully unto Him? But times flies.
Let me proceed, therefore–
III. TO URGE THIS TALKING, ORDINARILY AND COMMONLY, ABOUT GOD'S
WONDROUS WORKS.
I have already said that it would prevent much evil and do us much
good. May I not safely add that it would be the means of doing much
good to others? If we spoke often of God's wondrous works, we might
impress the sinner. We might enlighten the ignorant. We might comfort
the desponding. You say, "But how are we to do it?" I reply, "How is it
you have notdone it before?" If we began early in our Christian course
to make Jesus Christ our companion in the family and everywhere we
went–and to take Him always with us–we would never leave off! It
would become the business of our life! I have noticed that many
Christian people delay in this matter for years. They cultivate habits
of retirement and reticence more upon this subject than upon any other!
Perhaps it is a long time after they have believed that they come
forward to obey the second great command of Baptism–and the same
shyness happens with regard to their talking about Christ in all
companies. They do love Him–at least in the judgment of charity, we
trust they do. We acknowledge them, but having never began at the first
to acknowledge Him openly, they cannot break the ice now. If they had
then had the courage to say, "I have given Christ my tongue and mean to
use it for Him. I am His servant and I mean to serve Him wherever I
go," they would still have continued the profession and the practice!
Brothers and Sisters, is it shyness that restrains you? Take care it is
shyness and not cowardice! Say to yourselves, each one of you–
"Am I a soldier of the Cross, A follower of the Lamb? And shall I fear
to own His cause, Or blush to speak His name?"
What? In the presence of the noble army of martyrs who feared not to
die, do you fear to speak? What? If they stood on the burning firewood
for Christ, cannot you bear, if so it must be, a jeer or sarcasm? Must
you be wickedly dumb when you might do so much for Christ in the circle
where His Providence has cast you? Oh, be ashamed of having been
ashamed! Ask the Master that whatever fear you have, you may be
delivered from the fear of man which brings a snare! "Talk you of all
His wondrous works."
But some will object, "I have no gifts or ability." No, my Brother, my
Sister–it does not need any ability to talk, or else there would not
be so much talk in the world as there is–talk in the ordinary strain,
the commonplace prattle which breaks the silence of the world. It is
what everybody is doing. There is no gifted tongue requisite. There are
no powers of eloquence invoked. Neither laws of rhetoric nor rules of
grammar are pronounced indispensable in the simple talk that my text
inculcates, " Talk you of all His wondrous works." I beg your pardon
when you say you cannot do this. You cannot because you will not! If
you would, you could speak well of His name. Because there is no need
of ability in anyone to say something for Jesus after an ordinary sort,
I press it upon you!
Are you a nursemaid? Talk of His name to the little prattlers with whom
you are entrusted. Or are you a crossing-sweeper? Friend, there are
some you can get at that I could not! I will be bound to say the
crossing-sweeper has a friend who would be frightened if I were to
speak to him. "But I am so poor," you reply. "I work in the midst of
such a ribald, blaspheming set." Ah, Friend, but you can talk! I know
you can! There are times when you can talk even to those blasphemers!
It is little use talking to a drunk–it is like casting pearls before
swine. But he is not always drunk! There is a time of sobriety–and
then it is that you are to go to work. You are not so to talk of Christ
as to stop the mill, or to interpose your religion in the way of
business. That were indiscreet. But there are leisure times, there are
hours for dinner, there are times when they talk to you–and then is
your time to talk to them. As the profane take the liberty to force
their irreligion upon you, so you take the liberty to force your
religion upon them! Use your wits. Find out the proper times and then
turn them to the best account. "In the morning sow your seed, and in
the evening withhold not your hand, for you know not which shall
prosper, this or that."
I have only one aim tonight–if I can succeed in it, I shall be very
thankful–that Christian people shall talk more of the love of God at
the table! At the breakfast table, at the tea table, at the dinner
table–that domestic companionship and social hospitalities may be
hallowed! And this without depriving them of their genial conviviality,
but rather infusing into them a higherentertainment. That we who are
masters shall talk of the things of God so that our servants shall hear
of them and that servants shall so speak of Christ that their fellows
shall hear about Him. The great weapon of the Christian religion has
been the public preaching of the Word, nor would I disparage it, but it
will never evangelize the nations unless there is attendant with it a
constant reiteration of the preached Truth of God till it flows through
innumerable little conduits into every circle of society! Wycliffe was
but one man, but he taught others to read. One page of Matthew's Gospel
and the Epistle to the Romans was given to each. They went out and read
it in the streets. And so was the Truth of God spread until it was said
that you could not meet two men on the roadside, but one of them would
be a Lollard! In Luther's day it was not merely the preaching of
Luther, it was the singing of the hymns and the Psalms at the
spinning-wheel! It was the occupation of the solitary colporteur–it
was the general chit-chatting with everybody at the blacksmith fire, in
the farmyard, on the Exchange! Curiosity was excited, enquiry was
prompted, the popular conversation was inoculated! The fever of that
healthful sickness–repentance toward God–was spread abroad and
communicated from one to another! "Have you heard the news? Have you
heard that Luther has proclaimed that men are justified by faith and
not by works?" It was this that shook Rome! It is this which will shake
her yet again. The waking up of Christian life throughout the entire
body of the Church of God–and the enlisting of the entire life of the
Christian Church in the cause of Christ is an enterprise to be
consummated by the individual agency of each–and the general action of
all who seek the Glory of God and the welfare of man! Talk you,
therefore, of all His wondrous works!
Oh, that there should be any here who never thought of God, much less
talked of His wondrous works! Wondrous, indeed, is God's patience that
has kept you alive! Marvelous His long-suffering that, after having
neglected Him all these years, He has not cut you down! The ox knows
its owner, and the ass its master's crib, but you have not known God!
You would not keep a dog that would not follow you. You would soon
dispose of an ox that was of no service to you. Oh, why has God kept
you? It is a wonder! Here is another wonder–He bids us entreat you,
allure you, encourage you with a saving promise, "He that believes and
is baptized shall be saved." Take heed of this Gospel! May the Holy
Spirit make you yield to it. Trust Christ! Obey Him by avowing your
faith in Him, and you shall be saved!
The Lord grant it, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
EXPOSITION BY C. H. SPURGEON: PSALM 142; 143.
"MaschilofDavid."An instructive Psalm of David, for we speak to one
another in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, and they are a means of
instruction as well as a means of utterance of praise. "A prayer when
he was in the cave" and, therefore, likely to suit any of you who are
in trouble–a prayer when he hid away from Saul and was hunted like a
partridge upon the mountains–"A prayer when he was in the cave."
Verse 1. I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the
LORD did I make my supplication. Of course, the essence of his prayer
was in his heart, but it often helps the heart to use the voice! It is
much better to pray in silence if you will be heard by others, for we
are not to pray to be heard of men, but if you have opportunity to pray
aloud, I am sure you will feel it very helpful to devotion to do so. "I
cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I
make my supplication."
2. I poured out my complaint before Him. As if it were in a vessel and
he turned the vessel upside down and poured it all out. That is true
prayer–it is the pouring out of what is really in–not an utterance of
words which may, perhaps, go no farther than the mere lips. But the
pouring out of whatever is within, whether it is praise or complaint."I
poured out my complaint before Him"–realized His Presence and then
told Him my complaint.
2. I showed my trouble before Him. We must believe that God is, and
that He is the hearer of prayer. We must be conscious that we are not
only using proper words and feeling proper thoughts, but that we are
doing it before Him. "I showed my trouble before Him."
3. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path I
did not know it. I was so puzzled–so in a maze, like a man at his
wits' end. My spirit seemed turned bottom upward, like a thing that is
overwhelmed.
3. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. I
could not find out where the snare was, but "You knew my path." I knew
the trap was cunningly laid, but I could not see it. "You knew my
path." We are not ignorant of Satan's devices, but sometimes we are
completely ignorant as to what devices he is using just now, but "then
You knew my path."
4. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that
would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.It is always
a bad time when friendship seems to have died out when those who we
rely upon turn their backs upon us and refuse to sympathize with us in
any degree. It is a sad case to be in. "No man cared for my soul."
5. I cried unto You, O LORD.Ah, that is the thing to do! When no man
will know you, God will know you! When no man cares for you, God will
care for you! Prayer is an unfailing resort! "I cried unto You, O
Lord."
5. I said, You are my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
See how he clings to his God? We never cling to God as well as when
everything else fails us! To a greater or less extent, all those who
yield us comfort do, in some little measure, take our heart off our
God. But when it comes to being lonely, friendless, helpless,
forgotten, despised, rejected and outcast, oh, then it is a blessed
thing, with a two-handed faith, to lay hold on God and say, "You are my
refuge and my portion in the land of the living."
6. Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low. What a blessed
argument! Nothing can move God's pity like it! "I am brought very low."
It is not your height that God will respect–it is your lowliness. O
Soul, it is not your excellence that God regards–it is your need! Not
your goodness, but your lack of His goodness that He looks at! Not your
fullness, but your emptiness–not your strength, but your weakness!
Nothing that you have–it is your lack of everything that moves His
heart! "Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low."
6, 7. Deliver me from my persecutors: for they are stronger than I.
Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name.He asks for
deliverance so that he may praise God in it! So ought we always to
desire mercies with this in view–that we may praise God the better for
them!
7. The righteous shall compass me about; for You shall deal bountifully
with me. Lord, if You are kind to me, all Your people will hear of it.
When I get out of prison, they will say, one to another, "Such-and-such
a Brother has been cheered and comforted. His face has changed. He is
no more sad." And they will come round me. They will begin to ask me
how it came about. Thus I shall tell out Your praises–encourage others
and get to You a great and glorious name, if You shall deal bountifully
with me. Now, the next Psalm, much after the same fashion.
PSALM143.
"A Psalm of David."
Verse 1. Hear myprayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in Your
faithfulness answer me, andin Yourrigh-teousness.It is a theory held by
some persons of skeptical minds that the only benefit of prayer is the
good it does to us. That was not David's theory. Here, three times he
begs to be heard and to be answered! Oh, do they think us such idiots
that we would go on speaking in a keyhole with nobody to hear us? Do
they think us brought so low–so destitute of wit–that we think it
worth our while to speak out what is in our heart if God does not hear
and does not answer? I reckon prayer to be the most idiotic of all
occupations unless there is really a God to hear and a God to answer!
And the benefit of prayer is not in itself so much as in the full
confidence that it is a real thing–and an effective thing–that God
does hear and does interpose on our behalf!
2. And enter not into judgment with Your servant "I am Your servant. I
am not one of the ungodly whom You will judge and cast away, but still,
even though I am Your servant, enter not into judgment with me. I know
You will not judge me now as a rebel and condemn me, for You have put
away my sin, but even as Your servant I fear Your chastising rod if You
enter into judgment with me."
2. For in Your sight shall no man living be justified. I have heard
some living that think they would! They have said that the very root
and branch of sin have been cut up in them and that they walk in the
fear of God perfectly well! Ah, but I think they have not, but that
these are mistaken, for still it is very true concerning the very best
of men that they have need to pray, "Enter not into judgment with Your
servant, for in Your sight shall no man living be justified."
3, 4 For the enemy has persecuted my soul: he has smitten my life down
to the ground; he has made me dwell in darkness, as those that have
been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart
within me is deso-late.Children of God, do not expect to be always
happy, or else you will be disappointed! You will have more troubles,
if nobody else does. Depend upon it, that adversity is one of the
Covenant promises–"In the world you shall have tribulation," is your
Master's own words to you, and you must not expect to find it untrue.
You will find it true to the letter! And sometimes the troubles of life
will penetrate even to your heart and make you feel desolate. When you
are so, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial as though yours
were a new path in which nobody ever walked before you. Ah, no! David
was there! Many others have been there!
5, 6. I remember the days of old. I meditate on all Your works. I muse
on the work of Your hands. I stretch forth my hands unto You: my soul
thirsts after You, as a thirsty land. Selah. As a child puts out its
hand to its mother, so did he stretch out his hands to his God. As a
thirsty land chaps–becomes dry–turns to dust in its longing after
rain, so did his whole being thirst for his God!
7. Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit fails: hide not Your face from
me, lest I be like unto them that go down into a pit "Lest I swoon
away–lest I die–lest my hope should utterly expire! Come, Lord! Come,
Lord and rescue me!"
8. Cause me to hear Your loving kindness in the morning; for in You do
I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up
my soul unto You. Very heavy, but I lift it up. With all my might, as
though it were a dead lift, I seek to raise it out of its doubt, and
out of its sorrow.
9. 10. Deliver me, O Lord from my enemies: I flee unto You to hide me.
Teach me to do Your will; for You are my God: Your Spirit is good; lead
me into the land of uprightness. Or, "lead me in a straight path." So
it is rendered by the best scholars.
11. Quicken me, O LORD, for Your name's sake. He felt as if he would
die and, therefore, he says, "Quicken me: put new life into me." To
whom should we go for life, but to the living God? And who can
communicate with us but the same God who first made us live in His
name?
11, 12. For Your righteousness 'sake bring my soul out oftrouble. And
of Your mercy cut offmy enemies and destroy all them that afflict my
soul, for I am Your servant.