Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc24/v24100

Text File | 1994-03-01 | 8KB | 152 lines

24103
 #5-8 It is for the Lord that my soul waits, for the gifts of his
 grace, and the working of his power. We must hope for that only
 which he has promised in his word. Like those who wish to see
 the dawn, being very desirous that light would come long before
 day; but still more earnestly does a good man long for the
 tokens of God's favour, and the visits of his grace. Let all
 that devote themselves to the Lord, cheerfully stay themselves
 on him. This redemption is redemption from all sin. Jesus Christ
 saves his people from their sins, both from the condemning and
 from the commanding power of sin. It is plenteous redemption;
 there is an all-sufficient fulness in the Redeemer, enough for
 all, enough for each; therefore enough for me, says the
 believer. Redemption from sin includes redemption from all other
 evils, therefore it is a plenteous redemption, through the
 atoning blood of Jesus, who shall redeem his people from all
 their sins. All that wait on God for mercy and grace, are sure
 to have peace.
24107
 * The psalmist's humility. Believers encouraged to trust in God.

 - The psalmist aimed at nothing high or great, but to be content
 in every condition God allotted. Humble saints cannot think so
 well of themselves as others think of them. The love of God
 reigning in the heart, will subdue self-love. Where there is a
 proud heart, there is commonly a proud look. To know God and our
 duty, is learning sufficiently high for us. It is our wisdom not
 to meddle with that which does not belong to us. He was well
 reconciled to every condition the Lord placed him in. He had
 been as humble as a little child about the age of weaning, and
 as far from aiming at high things; as entirely at God's
 disposal, as the child at the disposal of the mother or nurse.
 We must become as little children, #Mt 18:3|. Our hearts are
 desirous of worldly things, cry for them, and are fond of them;
 but, by the grace of God, a soul that is made holy, is weaned
 from these things. The child is cross and fretful while in the
 weaning; but in a day or two it cares no longer for milk, and it
 can bear stronger food. Thus does a converted soul quiet itself
 under the loss of what it loved, and disappointments in what it
 hoped for, and is easy whatever happens. When our condition is
 not to our mind, we must bring our mind to our condition; then
 we are easy to ourselves and all about us; then our souls are as
 a weaned child. And thus the psalmist recommends confidence in
 God, to all the Israel of God, from his own experience. It is
 good to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord
 under every trial.
24110
 * David's care for the ark. (1-10) The promises of God. (11-18)

 #1-10 David bound himself to find a place for the Lord, for the
 ark, the token of God's presence. When work is to be done for
 the Lord, it is good to tie ourselves to a time. It is good in
 the morning to fix upon work for the day, with submission to
 Providence, for we know not what a day may bring forth. And we
 should first, and without delay, seek to have our own hearts
 made a habitation of God through the Spirit. He prays that God
 would take up his dwelling in the habitation he had built; that
 he would give grace to the ministers of the sanctuary to do
 their duty. David pleads that he was the anointed of the Lord,
 and this he pleads as a type of Christ, the great Anointed. We
 have no merit of our own to plead; but, for His sake, in whom
 there is a fulness of merit, let us find favour. And every true
 believer in Christ, is an anointed one, and has received from
 the Holy One the oil of true grace. The request is, that God
 would not turn away, but hear and answer their petitions for his
 Son's sake.

24120
 #11-18 The Lord never turns from us when we plead the covenant
 with his anointed Prophet, Priest, and King. How vast is the
 love of God to man, that he should speak thus concerning his
 church! It is his desire to dwell with us; yet how little do we
 desire to dwell with him! He abode in Zion till the sins of
 Israel caused him to give them up to the spoilers. Forsake us
 not, O God, and deliver us not in like manner, sinful though we
 are. God's people have a special blessing on common enjoyments,
 and that blessing puts peculiar sweetness into them. Zion's poor
 have reason to be content with a little of this world, because
 they have better things prepared for them. God will abundantly
 bless the nourishment of the new man, and satisfy the poor in
 spirit with the bread of life. He gives more than we ask, and
 when he gives salvation, he will give abundant joy. God would
 bring to nothing every design formed to destroy the house of
 David, until King Messiah should arise out of it, to sit upon
 the throne of his Father. In him all the promises centre. His
 enemies, who will not have him to reign over them, shall at the
 last day be clothed with shame and confusion for ever.
24128
 * The excellency of brotherly love.

 - We cannot say too much, it were well if enough could be said,
 to persuade people to live together in peace. It is good for us,
 for our honour and comfort; and brings constant delight to those
 who live in unity. The pleasantness of this is likened to the
 holy anointing oil. This is the fruit of the Spirit, the proof
 of our union with Christ, and adorns his gospel. It is
 profitable as well as pleasing; it brings blessings numerous as
 the drops of dew. It cools the scorching heat of men's passions,
 as the dews cool the air and refresh the earth. It moistens the
 heart, and makes it fit to receive the good seed of the word,
 and to make it fruitful. See the proof of the excellency of
 brotherly love: where brethren dwell together in unity, the Lord
 commands the blessing. God commands the blessing; man can but
 beg a blessing. Believers that live in love and peace, shall
 have the God of love and peace with them now, and they shall
 shortly be with him for ever, in the world of endless love and
 peace. May all who love the Lord forbear and forgive one
 another, as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven them.
24131
 * An exhortation to bless the Lord.

 - We must stir up ourselves to give glory to God, and encourage
 ourselves to hope for mercy and grace from him. It is an
 excellent plan to fill up all our spare minutes with pious
 meditations, and prayers and praises. No time would then be a
 burden, nor should we murder our hours by trifling conversation
 and vain amusements, or by carnal indulgences. We need desire no
 more to make us happy, than to be blessed of the Lord. We ought
 to beg spiritual blessings, not only for ourselves, but for
 others; not only, The Lord bless me, but, The Lord bless thee;
 thus testifying our belief that there is enough for others as
 well as for us, and showing our good will to others.
24134
 * God to be praised for his mercy. (1-4) For his power and
 judgments. (5-14) The vanity of idols. (15-21)

 #1-4 The subject-matter of praise, is the blessings of grace
 flowing from the everlasting love of God. The name of God as a
 covenant God and Father in Christ, blessing us with all
 spiritual blessings in him, is to be loved and praised. The Lord
 chose a people to himself, that they might be unto him for a
 name and a praise. If they do not praise him for this
 distinguishing favour, they are the most unworthy and ungrateful
 of all people.

24138
 #5-14 God is, and will be always, the same to his church, a
 gracious, faithful, wonder-working God. And his church is, and
 will be, the same to him, a thankful, praising people: thus his
 name endures for ever. He will return in ways of mercy to them,
 and will delight to do them good.

24148
 #15-21 These verses arm believers against idolatry and all false
 worship, by showing what sort of gods the heathen worshipped.
 And the more deplorable the condition of the Gentile nations
 that worship idols, the more are we to be thankful that we know
 better. Let us pity, and pray for, and seek to benefit benighted
 heathens and deluded sinners. Let us endeavour to glorify his
 name, and recommend his truth, not only with our lips, but by
 holy lives, copying the example of Christ's goodness and truth.