Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc21/v21900

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 12KB | 220 lines

21901
 #4-6 The ungodly are the reverse of the righteous, both in
 character and condition. The ungodly are not so, ver. 4; they
 are led by the counsel of the wicked, in the way of sinners, to
 the seat of the scornful; they have no delight in the law of
 God; they bring forth no fruit but what is evil. The righteous
 are like useful, fruitful trees: the ungodly are like the chaff
 which the wind drives away: the dust which the owner of the
 floor desires to have driven away, as not being of any use. They
 are of no worth in God's account, how highly soever they may
 value themselves. They are easily driven to and fro by every
 wind of temptation. The chaff may be, for a while, among the
 wheat, but He is coming, whose fan is in his hand, and who will
 thoroughly purge his floor. Those that, by their own sin and
 folly, make themselves as chaff, will be found so before the
 whirlwind and fire of Divine wrath. The doom of the ungodly is
 fixed, but whenever the sinner becomes sensible of this guilt
 and misery, he may be admitted into the company of the righteous
 by Christ the living way, and become in Christ a new creature.
 He has new desires, new pleasures, hopes, fears, sorrows,
 companions, and employments. His thoughts, words, and actions
 are changed. He enters on a new state, and bears a new
 character. Behold, all things are become new by Divine grace,
 which changes his soul into the image of the Redeemer. How
 different the character and end of the ungodly!
21904
 * Threatenings against the enemies of Christ's kingdom. (1-6)
 Promise to Christ as the Head of this kingdom. (7-9) Counsel to
 all, to espouse its interests. (10-12)

 #1-6 We are here told who would appear as adversaries to Christ.
 As this world is the kingdom of Satan, unconverted men, of every
 rank, party, and character, are stirred up by him to oppose the
 cause of God. But the rulers of the earth generally have been
 most active. The truths and precepts of Christianity are against
 ambitious projects and worldly lusts. We are told what they aim
 at in this opposition. They would break asunder the bands of
 conscience, and the cords of God's commandments; they will not
 receive, but cast them away as far as they can. These enemies
 can show no good cause for opposing so just and holy a
 government, which, if received by all, would bring a heaven upon
 earth. They can hope for no success in so opposing so powerful a
 kingdom. The Lord Jesus has all power both in heaven and in
 earth, and is Head over all things to the church,
 notwithstanding the restless endeavours of his enemies. Christ's
 throne is set up in his church, that is, in the hearts of all
 believers.

21910
 #7-9 The kingdom of the Messiah is founded upon an eternal
 decree of God the Father. This our Lord Jesus often referred to,
 as what he governed himself by. God hath said unto him, Thou art
 my Son, and it becomes each of us to say to him, Thou art my
 Lord, my Sovereign'. The Son, in asking the heathen for his
 inheritance, desires their happiness in him; so that he pleads
 for them, ever lives to do so, and is able to save to the
 uttermost, and he shall have multitudes of willing, loyal
 subjects, among them. Christians are the possession of the Lord
 Jesus; they are to him for a name and a praise. God the Father
 gives them to him, when, by his Spirit and grace, he works upon
 them to submit to the Lord Jesus.

21913
 #10-12 Whatever we rejoice in, in this world, it must always be
 with trembling, because of the uncertainty of all things in it.
 To welcome Jesus Christ, and to submit to him, is our wisdom and
 interest. Let him be very dear and precious; love him above all,
 love him in sincerity, love him much, as she did, to whom much
 was forgiven, and, in token of it, kissed his feet, #Lu 7:38|.
 And with a kiss of loyalty take this yoke upon you, and give up
 yourselves to be governed by his laws, disposed of by his
 providence, and entirely devoted to his cause. Unbelief is a sin
 against the remedy. It will be utter destruction to yourselves;
 lest ye perish in the way of your sins, and from the way of your
 vain hopes; lest your way perish, lest you prove to have missed
 the way of happiness. Christ is the way; take heed lest ye be
 cut off from Him as your way to God. They thought themselves in
 the way; but neglecting Christ, they perish from it. Blessed
 will those be in the day of wrath, who, by trusting in Christ,
 have made him their Refuge.
21916
 * David complains to God of his enemies, and confides in God.
 (1-3) He triumphs over his fears, and gives God the glory, and
 takes to himself the comfort. (4-8)

 #1-3 An active believer, the more he is beaten off from God,
 either by the rebukes of providence, or the reproaches of
 enemies, the faster hold he will take, and the closer will he
 cleave to him. A child of God startles at the very thought of
 despairing of help in God. See what God is to his people, what
 he will be, what they have found him, what David found in him.
 1. Safety; a shield for me; which denotes the advantage of that
 protection. 2. Honour; those whom God owns for his, have true
 honour put upon them. 3. Joy and deliverance. If, in the worst
 of times, God's people can lift up their heads with joy, knowing
 that all shall work for good to them, they will own God as
 giving them both cause and hearts to rejoice.

21919
 #4-8 Care and grief do us good, when they engage us to pray to
 God, as in earnest. David had always found God ready to answer
 his prayers. Nothing can fix a gulf between the communications
 of God's grace towards us, and the working of his grace in us;
 between his favour and our faith. He had always been very safe
 under the Divine protection. This is applicable to the common
 mercies of every night, for which we ought to give thanks every
 morning. Many lie down, and cannot sleep, through pain of body,
 or anguish of mind, or the continual alarms of fear in the
 night. But it seems here rather to be meant of the calmness of
 David's spirit, in the midst of his dangers. The Lord, by his
 grace and the consolations of his Spirit, made him easy. It is a
 great mercy, when we are in trouble, to have our minds stayed
 upon God. Behold the Son of David composing himself to his rest
 upon the cross, that bed of sorrows; commending his Spirit into
 the Father's hands in full confidence of a joyful resurrection.
 Behold this, O Christian: let faith teach thee how to sleep, and
 how to die; while it assures thee that as sleep is a short
 death, so death is only a longer sleep; the same God watches
 over thee, in thy bed and in thy grave. David's faith became
 triumphant. He began the psalm with complaints of the strength
 and malice of his enemies; but concludes with rejoicing in the
 power and grace of his God, and now sees more with him than
 against him. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord; he has power to
 save, be the danger ever so great. All that have the Lord for
 their God, are sure of salvation; for he who is their God, is
 the God of Salvation.
21924
 * The children of men proved, and the happiness of godly people.
 (1-5) God's favour is happiness. (6-8)

 #1-5 Hear me for thy mercy-sake, is our best plea. He who will
 not ask such blessings as pardon, and justifying righteousness,
 and eternal life, must perish for the want of them. Alas! that
 so many should make so fearful a choice. The psalmist warns
 against sin. Keep up holy reverence of the glory and majesty of
 God. You have a great deal to say to your hearts, they may be
 spoken with, let it not be unsaid. Examine them by serious
 self-reflection; let your thoughts fasten upon that which is
 good, and keep close to it. Consider your ways, and before you
 turn to sleep at night, examine your consciences with respect to
 what you have done in the day; particularly what you have done
 amiss, that you may repent of it. When you awake in the night,
 meditate upon God, and the things that belong to your peace.
 Upon a sick-bed, particularly, we should consider our ways. Be
 still. When you have asked conscience a question, be serious, be
 silent, wait for an answer. Open not the mouth to excuse sin.
 All confidence must be placed on God's free grace, who justifies
 the true convert, by faith only: therefore, after commanding the
 sacrifices of righteousness, the psalmist says, Put your trust
 in the Lord.
21929
 #6-8 Worldly people inquire for good, not for the chief good; all
 they want is outward good, present good, partial good, good
 meat, good drink, a good trade, and a good estate; but what are
 all these worth? Any good will serve the turn of most men, but a
 gracious soul will not be put off so. Lord, let us have thy
 favour, and let us know that we have it, we desire no more; let
 us be satisfied of thy loving-kindness, and will be satisfied
 with it. Many inquire after happiness, but David had found it.
 When God puts grace in the heart, he puts gladness in the heart.
 Thus comforted, he pitied, but neither envied nor feared the
 most prosperous sinner. He commits all his affairs to God, and
 is prepared to welcome his holy will. But salvation is in Christ
 alone; where will those appear who despise him as their
 Mediator, and revile him in his disciples? May they stand in
 awe, and no longer sin against the only remedy.
21932
 * God will certainly hear prayer: David gives to God the glory,
 and takes to himself the comfort. (1-6) He prayed for himself,
 that God would guide him, and for all the Lord's people, that
 God would give them joy, and keep them safe. (7-12)

 #1-6 God is a prayer-hearing God. Such he has always been, and
 he is still as ready to hear prayer as ever. The most
 encouraging principle of prayer, and the most powerful plea in
 prayer, is, to look upon him as our King and our God. David also
 prays to a sin-hating God. Sin is folly, and sinners are the
 greatest of all fools; fools of their own making. Wicked people
 hate God; justly are they hated of him, and this will be their
 endless misery and ruin. Let us learn the importance of truth
 and sincerity, in all the affairs of life. Liars and murderers
 resemble the devil, and are his children, therefore it may well
 be expected that God should abhor them. These were the
 characters of David's enemies; and such as these are still the
 enemies of Christ and his people.
21938
 #7-12 David prayed often alone, yet was very constant in
 attendance on public worship. The mercy of God should ever be
 the foundation both of our hope and of our joy, in every thing
 wherein we have to do with him. Let us learn to pray, not for
 ourselves only, but for others; grace be with all that love
 Christ in sincerity. The Divine blessing comes down upon us
 through Jesus Christ, the righteous or just One, as of old it
 did upon Israel through David, whom God protected, and placed
 upon the throne. Thou, O Christ, art the righteous Saviour, thou
 art the King of Israel, thou art the Fountain of blessing to all
 believers; thy favour is the defence and protection of thy
 church.
21944
 * The psalmist deprecates God's wrath, and begs for the return
 of his favour. (1-7) He assures himself of an answer of peace.
 (8-10)

 #1-7 These verses speak the language of a heart truly humbled,
 of a broken and contrite spirit under great afflictions, sent to
 awaken conscience and mortify corruption. Sickness brought sin
 to his remembrance, and he looked upon it as a token of God's
 displeasure against him. The affliction of his body will be
 tolerable, if he has comfort in his soul. Christ's sorest
 complaint, in his sufferings, was of the trouble of his soul,
 and the want of his Father's smiles. Every page of Scripture
 proclaims the fact, that salvation is only of the Lord. Man is a
 sinner, his case can only be reached by mercy; and never is
 mercy more illustrious than in restoring backsliders. With good
 reason we may pray, that if it be the will of God, and he has
 any further work for us or our friends to do in this world, he
 will yet spare us or them to serve him. To depart and be with
 Christ is happiest for the saints; but for them to abide in the
 flesh is more profitable for the church.