Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc21/v23750

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 10KB | 164 lines

23752
 * The Lord is to be praised for his works.

 - The psalmist resolves to praise God himself. Our exhortations
 and our examples should agree together. He recommends the works
 of the Lord, as the proper subject, when we are praising him;
 and the dealings of his providence toward the world, the church,
 and particular persons. All the works of the Lord are spoken of
 as one, it is his work; so admirably do all the dispensations of
 his providence centre in one design. The works of God, humbly
 and diligently sought into, shall all be found just and holy.
 God's pardoning sin is the most wonderful of all his works, and
 ought to be remembered to his glory. He will ever be mindful of
 his covenant; he has ever been so, and he ever will be so. His
 works of providence were done according to the truth of the
 Divine promises and prophecies, and so were verity, or truth;
 and by him who has a right to dispose of the earth as he
 pleases, and so are judgment, or righteous: and this holds good
 of the work of grace upon the heart of man, ver. #7,8|. All
 God's commandments are sure; all have been fulfilled by Christ,
 and remain with him for a rule of walk and conversation to us.
 He sent redemption unto his people, out of Egypt at first, and
 often afterwards; and these were typical of the great
 redemption, which in the fulness of time was to be wrought out
 by the Lord Jesus. Here his everlasting righteousness shines
 forth in union with his boundless mercy. No man is wise who does
 not fear the Lord; no man acts wisely except as influenced by
 that fear. This fear will lead to repentance, to faith in
 Christ, to watchfulness and obedience. Such persons are of a
 good understanding, however poor, unlearned, or despised.
23762
 * The blessedness of the righteous.

 - We have to praise the Lord that there are a people in the
 world, who fear him and serve him, and that they are a happy
 people; which is owing entirely to his grace. Their fear is not
 that which love casts out, but that which love brings in. It
 follows and flows from love. It is a fear to offend. This is
 both fear and trust. The heart touched by the Spirit of God, as
 the needle touched with the loadstone, turns direct and speedily
 to God, yet still with trembling, being filled with this holy
 fear. Blessings are laid up for the faithful and their
 children's children; and true riches are bestowed on them, with
 as much of this world's possessions as is profitable for them.
 In the darkest hours of affliction and trial, the light of hope
 and peace will spring up within them, and seasonable relief
 shall turn mourning into joy. From their Lord's example they
 learn to be kind and full of compassion, as well as just in all
 their dealings; they use discretion, that they may be liberal in
 that manner which appears most likely to do good. Envy and
 slander may for a time hide their true characters here, but they
 shall be had in everlasting remembrance. They need not fear evil
 tidings. A good man shall have a settled spirit. And it is the
 endeavour of true believers to keep their minds stayed upon God,
 and so to keep them calm and undisturbed; and God has promised
 them both cause to do so, and grace to do so. Trusting in the
 Lord is the best and surest way of establishing the heart. The
 heart of man cannot fix any where with satisfaction, but in the
 truth of God, and there it finds firm footing. And those whose
 hearts are established by faith, will patiently wait till they
 gain their point. Compare all this with the vexation of sinners.
 The happiness of the saints is the envy of the wicked. The
 desire of the wicked shall perish; their desire was wholly to
 the world and the flesh, therefore when these perish, their joy
 is gone. But the blessings of the gospel are spiritual and
 eternal, and are conferred upon the members of the Christian
 church, through Christ their Head, who is the Pattern of all
 righteousness, and the Giver of all grace.
23772
 * An exhortation to praise God.

 - God has praise from his own people. They have most reason to
 praise him; for those who attend him as his servants, know him
 best, and receive most of his favours, and it is easy, pleasant
 work to speak well of their Master. God's name ought to be
 praised in every place, from east to west. Within this wide
 space the Lord's name is to be praised; it ought to be so,
 though it is not. Ere long it will be, when all nations shall
 come and worship before him. God is exalted above all blessing
 and praise. We must therefore say, with holy admiration, Who is
 like unto the Lord our God? How condescending in him to behold
 the things in the earth! And what amazing condescension was it
 for the Son of God to come from heaven to earth, and take our
 nature upon him, that he might seek and save those that were
 lost! How vast his love in taking upon him the nature of man, to
 ransom guilty souls! God sometimes makes glorious his own wisdom
 and power, when, having some great work to do, he employs those
 least likely, and least thought of for it by themselves or
 others. The apostles were sent from fishing to be fishers of
 men. And this is God's constant method in his kingdom of grace.
 He takes men, by nature beggars, and even traitors, to be his
 favourites, his children, kings and priests unto him; and
 numbers them with the princes of his chosen people. He gives us
 all our comforts, which are generally the more welcome when long
 delayed, and no longer expected. Let us pray that those lands
 which are yet barren, may speedily become fruitful, and produce
 many converts to join in praising the Lord.
23781
 * An exhortation to fear God.

 - Let us acknowledge God's power and goodness in what he did for
 Israel, applying it to that much greater work of wonder, our
 redemption by Christ; and encourage ourselves and others to
 trust in God in the greatest straits. When Christ comes for the
 salvation of his people, he redeems them from the power of sin
 and Satan, separates them from an ungodly world, forms them to
 be his people, and becomes their King. There is no sea, no
 Jordan, so deep, so broad, but, when God's time is come, it
 shall be divided and driven back. Apply this to the planting the
 Christian church in the world. What ailed Satan and his
 idolatries, that they trembled as they did? But especially apply
 it to the work of grace in the heart. What turns the stream in a
 regenerate soul? What affects the lusts and corruptions, that
 they fly back; that prejudices are removed, and the whole man
 becomes new? It is at the presence of God's Spirit. At the
 presence of the Lord, not only mountains, but the earth itself
 may well tremble, since it has lain under a curse for man's sin.
 As the Israelites were protected, so they were provided for by
 miracles; such was that fountain of waters into which the flinty
 rock was turned, and that rock was Christ. The Son of God, the
 Rock of ages, gave himself to death, to open a fountain to wash
 away sins, and to supply believers with waters of life and
 consolation; and they need not fear that any blessing is too
 great to expect from his love. But let sinners fear before their
 just and holy Judge. Let us now prepare to meet our God, that we
 may have boldness before him at his coming.
23789
 * Glory to be ascribed to God. (1-8) by trusting in him and
 praising him. (9-18)

 #1-8 Let no opinion of our own merits have any place in our
 prayers or in our praises. All the good we do, is done by the
 power of his grace; and all the good we have, is the gift of his
 mere mercy, and he must have all the praise. Are we in pursuit
 of any mercy, and wrestling with God for it, we must take
 encouragement in prayer from God only. Lord, do so for us; not
 that we may have the credit and comfort of it, but that thy
 mercy and truth may have the glory of it. The heathen gods are
 senseless things. They are the works of men's hands: the
 painter, the carver, the statuary, can put no life into them,
 therefore no sense. The psalmist hence shows the folly of the
 worshippers of idols.
23797
 #9-18 It is folly to trust in dead images, but it is wisdom to
 trust in the living God, for he is a help and a shield to those
 that trust in him. Wherever there is right fear of God, there
 may be cheerful faith in him; those who reverence his word, may
 rely upon it. He is ever found faithful. The greatest need his
 blessing, and it shall not be denied to the meanest that fear
 him. God's blessing gives an increase, especially in spiritual
 blessings. And the Lord is to be praised: his goodness is large,
 for he has given the earth to the children of men for their use.
 The souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the
 burdens of the flesh, are still praising him; but the dead body
 cannot praise God: death puts an end to our glorifying him in
 this world of trial and conflict. Others are dead, and an end is
 thereby put to their service, therefore we will seek to do the
 more for God. We will not only do it ourselves, but will engage
 others to do it; to praise him when we are gone. Lord, thou art
 the only object for faith and love. Help us to praise thee while
 living and when dying, that thy name may be the first and last
 upon our lips: and let the sweet savour of thy name refresh our
 souls for ever.