Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc21/v22100

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 8KB | 136 lines

22105
 #29-50 When we praise for one mercy, we must observe the many
 more, with which we have been compassed all our days. Many
 things had contributed to David's advancement, and he owns the
 hand of God in them all, to teach us to do likewise. In verse
 #32|, and the following verses, are the gifts of God to the
 spiritual warrior, whereby he is prepared for the contest, after
 the example of his victorious Leader. Learn that we must seek
 release out of trouble through Christ. The prayer put up,
 without reconciliation being made through Christ, shall be rejected.
 In David the type, we behold Jesus our Redeemer, conflicting
 with enemies, compassed with sorrows and with floods of ungodly
 men, enduring not only the pains of death, but the wrath of God
 for us; yet calling upon the Father with strong cries and tears;
 rescued from the grave; proceeding to reconcile, or to put under
 his feet all other enemies, till death, the last enemy, shall be
 destroyed. We should love the Lord, our Strength, and our
 Salvation; we should call on him in every trouble, and praise
 him for every deliverance; we should aim to walk with him in all
 righteousness and true holiness, keeping from sin. If we belong
 to him, he conquers and reigns for us, and we shall conquer and
 reign through him, and partake of the mercy of our anointed
 King, which is promised to all his seed for evermore. Amen.
22127
 * The glory of God's works. (1-6) His holiness and grace as
 shown in his word. (7-10) Prayer for the benefit of them.
 (11-14)

 #1-6 The heavens so declare the glory of God, and proclaim his
 wisdom, power, and goodness, that all ungodly men are left
 without excuse. They speak themselves to be works of God's
 hands; for they must have a Creator who is eternal, infinitely
 wise, powerful, and good. The counter-changing of day and night
 is a great proof of the power of God, and calls us to observe,
 that, as in the kingdom of nature, so in that of providence, he
 forms the light, and creates the darkness, #Isa 45:7|, and sets
 the one against the other. The sun in the firmament is an emblem
 of the Sun of righteousness, the Bridegroom of the church, and
 the Light of the world, diffusing Divine light and salvation by
 his gospel to the nations of the earth. He delights to bless his
 church, which he has espoused to himself; and his course will be
 unwearied as that of the sun, till the whole earth is filled
 with his light and salvation. Let us pray for the time when he
 shall enlighten, cheer, and make fruitful every nation on earth,
 with the blessed salvation. They have no speech or language, so
 some read it, and yet their voice is heard. All people may hear
 these preachers speak in their own tongue the wonderful works of
 God. Let us give God the glory of all the comfort and benefit we
 have by the lights of heaven, still looking above and beyond
 them to the Sun of righteousness.

22133
 #7-10 The Holy Scripture is of much greater benefit to us than
 day or night, than the air we breathe, or the light of the sun.
 To recover man out of his fallen state, there is need of the
 word of God. The word translated "law," may be rendered
 doctrine, and be understood as meaning all that teaches us true
 religion. The whole is perfect; its tendency is to convert or
 turn the soul from sin and the world, to God and holiness. It
 shows our sinfulness and misery in departing from God, and the
 necessity of our return to him. This testimony is sure, to be
 fully depended on: the ignorant and unlearned believing what God
 saith, become wise unto salvation. It is a sure direction in the
 way of duty. It is a sure fountain of living comforts, and a
 sure foundation of lasting hopes. The statues of the Lord are
 right, just as they should be; and, because they are right, they
 rejoice the heart. The commandments of the Lord are pure, holy,
 just, and good. By them we discover our need of a Saviour; and
 then learn how to adorn his gospel. They are the means which the
 Holy Spirit uses in enlightening the eyes; they bring us to a
 sight and sense of our sin and misery, and direct us in the way
 of duty. The fear of the Lord, that is, true religion and
 godliness, is clean, it will cleanse our way; and it endureth
 for ever. The ceremonial law is long since done away, but the
 law concerning the fear of God is ever the same. The judgments
 of the Lord, his precepts, are true; they are righteous, and
 they are so altogether; there is no unrighteousness in any of
 them. Gold is only for the body, and the concerns of time; but
 grace is for the soul, and the concerns of eternity. The word of
 God, received by faith, is more precious than gold; it is sweet
 to the soul, sweeter than honey. The pleasure of sense soon
 surfeit, yet never satisfy; but those of religion are
 substantial and satisfying; there is no danger of excess.

22137
 #11-14 God's word warns the wicked not to go on in his wicked
 way, and warns the righteous not to turn from his good way.
 There is a reward, not only after keeping, but in keeping God's
 commandments. Religion makes our comforts sweet, and our crosses
 easy, life truly valuable, and death itself truly desirable.
 David not only desired to be pardoned and cleansed from the sins
 he had discovered and confessed, but from those he had forgotten
 or overlooked. All discoveries of sin made to us by the law,
 should drive us to the throne of grace, there to pray. His
 dependence was the same with that of every Christian who says,
 Surely in the Lord Jesus have I righteousness and strength. No
 prayer can be acceptable before God which is not offered in the
 strength of our Redeemer or Divine Kinsman, through Him who took
 our nature upon him, that he might redeem us unto God, and
 restore the long-lost inheritance. May our hearts be much
 affected with the excellence of the word of God; and much
 affected with the evil of sin, and the danger we are in of it,
 and the danger we are in by it.
22141
 * This psalm is a prayer for the kings of Israel, but with
 relation to Christ.

 - Even the greatest of men may be much in trouble. Neither the
 crown on the king's head, nor the grace in his heart, would make
 him free from trouble. Even the greatest of men must be much in
 prayer. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, or
 their friends, who are capable of praying for themselves, yet
 neglect it. Pray that God would protect his person, and preserve
 his life. That God would enable him to go on in his undertakings
 for the public good. We may know that God accepts our spiritual
 sacrifices, if by his Spirit he kindles in our souls a holy fire
 of piety and love to God. Also, that the Lord would crown his
 enterprises with success. Our first step to victory in spiritual
 warfare is to trust only in the mercy and grace of God; all who
 trust in themselves will soon be cast down. Believers triumph in
 God, and his revelation of himself to them, by which they
 distinguish themselves from those that live without God in the
 world. Those who make God and his name their praise, may make
 God and his name their trust. This was the case when the pride
 and power of Jewish unbelief, and pagan idolatry, fell before
 the sermons and lives of the humble believers in Jesus. This is
 the case in every conflict with our spiritual enemies, when we
 engage them in the name, the spirit, and the power of Christ;
 and this will be the case at the last day, when the world, with
 the prince of it, shall be brought down and fall; but believers,
 risen-from the dead, through the resurrection of the Lord, shall
 stand, and sing his praises in heaven. In Christ's salvation let
 us rejoice; and set up our banners in the name of the Lord our
 God, assured that by the saving strength of his right hand we
 shall be conquerors over every enemy.