Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/spurgeon/ps16.2

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                           EXPOSITION.

        "_O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my
Lord_." In his inmost heart the Lord Jesus bowed himself to do
service to his Heavenly Father, and before the throne of Jehovah
his soul vowed allegiance to the Lord for our sakes. We are like
him when our soul, truly and constantly in the presence of the
heart-searching God, declares her full consent to the rule and
government of the Infinite Jehovah, saying, "Thou art my Lord."
To avow this with the lip is little, but for the soul to say it,
especially in times of trial, is a gracious evidence of spiritual
health; to profess it before men is a small matter, but to
declare it before Jehovah himself is of far more consequence.
This sentence may also be viewed as the utterance of
appropriating faith, laying hold upon the Lord by personal
covenant and enjoyment; in this sense may it be our daily song in
the house of our pilgrimage.

        "_My goodness extendeth not to thee_." The work of our
Lord Jesus was not needful on account of any necessity in the
Divine Being. Jehovah would have been inconceivably glorious had
the human race perished, and had no atonement been offered.
Although the life-work and death-agony of the Son did reflect
unparalleled lustre upon every attribute of God, yet the Most
Blessed and Infinitely Happy God stood in no need of the
obedience and death of his Son; it was for our sakes that the
work of redemption was undertaken, and not because of any lack or
want on the part of the Most High. How modestly does the Saviour
here estimate his own goodness! What overwhelming reasons have we
for imitating his humility! "If thou be righteous, what givest
thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?" (#Job 35:7|.)

        "_But to the saints that are in the earth_." These
sanctified ones, although still upon the earth, partake of the
results of Jesus' mediatorial work, and by his goodness are made
what they are. The peculiar people, zealous for good works, and
hallowed to sacred service, are arrayed in the Saviour's
righteousness and washed in his blood, and so receive of the
goodness treasured up in him; these are the persons who are
profited by the work of the man Christ Jesus; but that work added
nothing to the nature, virtue, or happiness of God, who is
blessed for evermore. How much more forcibly is this true of us,
poor unworthy servants, not fit to be mentioned in comparison
with the faithful Son of God! Our hope must ever be that haply
some poor child of God may be served by us, for the Great Father
can never need our aid. Well may we sing the verses of Dr. Watts:

        "Oft have my heart and tongue confess'd
        How empty and how poor I am;
        My praise can never make thee blest,
        Nor add new glories to thy name.
        Yet, Lord, thy saints on earth may reap
        Some profit by the good we do;
        These are the company I keep,
        These are the choicest friends I know."

        Poor believers are God's receivers, and have a warrant
from the Crown to receive the revenue of our offerings in the
King's name. Saints departed we cannot bless; even prayer for
them is of no service; but while they are here we should
practically prove our love to them, even as our Master did, for
they are _the excellent of the earth_. Despite their infirmities,
their Lord thinks highly of them, and reckons them to be as
nobles among men. The title of "His Excellency" more properly
belongs to the meanest saint than to the greatest governor. The
true aristocracy are believers in Jesus. They are the only Right
Honourables. Stars and garters are poor distinctions compared
with the graces of the Spirit. He who knows them best says of
them, "_in whom is all my delight_." They are his Hephzibah and
his land Beulah, and before all worlds his delights were with
these chosen sons of men. Their own opinion of themselves is far
other than their Beloved's opinion of them; they count themselves
to be less that nothing, yet he makes much of them, and sets his
heart towards them. What wonders the eyes of Divine Love can see
where the hands of Infinite Power have been graciously at work.
It was this quicksighted affection which led Jesus to see in us a
recompense for all his agony, and sustained him under all his
sufferings by the joy of redeeming us from going down into the
pit.

        The same loving heart which opens towards the chosen
people is fast closed against those who continue in their
rebellion against God. Jesus hates all wickedness, and especially
the high crime of idolatry. The text while it shows our Lord's
abhorrence of sin, shows also the sinner's greediness after it.
Professed believers are often slow towards the true Lord, but
sinners "_hasten after another god_." They run like madmen where
we creep like snails. Let their zeal rebuke our tardiness. Yet
theirs is a case in which the more they haste the worse they
speed, for _their sorrows are multiplied_ by their diligence in
multiplying their sins. Matthew Henry pithily says, "They that
multiply gods multiply griefs to themselves; for whosoever thinks
one god too little, will find two too many, and yet hundreds not
enough." The cruelties and hardships which men endure for their
false gods is wonderful to contemplate; our missionary reports
are a noteworthy comment on this passage; but perhaps our own
experience is an equally vivid exposition; for when we have given
our heart to idols, sooner or later we have had to smart for it.
Near the roots of our self-love all our sorrows lie, and when
that idol is overthrown, the sting is gone from grief. Moses
broke the golden calf and ground it to powder, and cast it into
the water of which he made Israel to drink, and so shall our
cherished idols become bitter portions for us, unless we at once
forsake them. Our Lord had no selfishness; he served but one
Lord, and served him only. As for those who turn aside from
Jehovah, he was separate from them, bearing their reproach
without the camp. Sin and the Saviour had no communion. He came
to destroy, not to patronize or be allied with the works of the
devil. Hence he refused the testimony of unclean spirits as to
his divinity, for in nothing would he have fellowship with
darkness. We should be careful above measure not to connect
ourselves in the remotest degree with falsehood in religion; even
the most solemn of Popish rites we must abhor. "_Their drink
offerings of blood will I not offer_." The old proverb says, "It
is not safe to eat at the devil's mess, though the spoon be never
so long." The mere mentioning of ill names it were well to
avoid,--"_nor take up their names into my lips_." If we allow
poison upon the lip, it may ere long penetrate to the inwards,
and it is well to keep out of the mouth that which we would shut
out from the heart. If the Church would enjoy union with Christ,
she must break all the bonds of impiety, and keep herself pure
from all the pollutions of carnal will-worship, which now pollute
the service of God. Some professors are guilty of great sin in
remaining in the communion of Popish churches, where God is as
much dishonoured as in Rome herself, only in a more crafty
manner.

        "_The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my
cup_." With what confidence and bounding joy does Jesus turn to
Jehovah, whom his soul possessed and delighted in! Content beyond
measure with his portion in the Lord his God, he had not a single
desire with which to hunt after other gods; his cup was full, and
his heart was full too; even in his sorest sorrows he still laid
hold with both his hands upon his Father, crying, "My God, my
God;" he had not so much as a thought of falling down to worship
the prince of this world, although tempted with an "all these
will I give thee." We, too, can make our boast in the Lord; he is
the meat and the drink of our souls. He is our portion, supplying
all our necessities, and our cup yielding royal luxuries; our cup
in this life, and our inheritance in the life to come. As
children of the Father who is in heaven, we inherit, by virtue of
our joint heirship with Jesus, all the riches of the covenant of
grace; and the portion which falls to us sets upon our table the
bread of heaven and the new wine of the kingdom. Who would not be
satisfied with such dainty diet? Our shallow cup of sorrow we may
well drain with resignation, since the deep cup of love stands
side by side with it, and will never be empty. "_Thou maintainest
my lot_." Some tenants have a covenant in their leases that they
themselves shall maintain and uphold, but in our case Jehovah
himself maintains our lot. Our Lord Jesus delighted in this
truth, that the Father was on his side, and would maintain his
right against all the wrongs of men. He knew that his elect would
be reserved for him, and that almighty power would preserve them
as his lot and reward for ever. Let us also be glad, because the
Judge of all the earth will vindicate our righteous cause.

              EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.

        Verse 2.--"_O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou
art my Lord_." I wish I could have heard what you said to
yourself when these words were first mentioned. I believe I could
guess the language of some of you. When you heard me repeat these
words, "_O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my
Lord_," you thought, "I have never said anything to the Lord,
unless when I cried out, Depart from me, for I desire not the
knowledge of thy ways." Has not something like this passed in
your minds? I will try again. When I first mentioned the text,
"Let me consider," you secretly said, "I believe that I did once
say to the Lord, Thou art my Lord; but it was so long ago, that I
had almost forgotten it; but I suppose that it must have been at
such a time when I was in trouble. I had met with disappointments
in the world; and then, perhaps, I cried, Thou art my portion, O
Lord. Or, perhaps, when I was under serious impressions, in the
hurry of my spirits, I might look up to God and say, Thou art my
Lord. But, whatever I could or did formerly say, I am certain
that I cannot say it at present." Have none of you thought in
this manner? I will hazard one conjecture more; and I doubt not
but in this case I shall guess rightly. When I repeated these
words, "O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my
Lord;" "So have I," thought one; "So have I," thought another; I
have said it often, but I said it with peculiar solemnity and
pleasure, when, in an act of humble devotion, I lately threw my
ransomed, rescued, grateful soul at his feet, and cried, "O Lord,
truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant; thou hast loosed my
bonds." The very recollection of it is pleasant; and I shall now
have an opportunity of renewing my vows, and hope to recover
something of the divine serenity and joy which I at that time
experienced."--^Samuel Lavington's Sermons, 1810.

        Verse 2.--"_Thou art my Lord_." He acknowledgeth the Lord
Jehovah; but he seeth him not as it were then afar off, but
drawing near unto him, he sweetly embraceth him; which thing is
proper unto faith, and to that particular applying which we say
to be in faith.--^Robert Rollock, 1600.

        Verse 2.--"_My goodness extendeth not to thee_." I think
the words should be understood of what the Messiah was doing for
men. My goodness, _tôwb_ <02896>, "my bounty" is not to thee.
What I am doing call add nothing to thy divinity; thou art not
providing this astonishing sacrifice because thou canst derive
any excellence from it; but this bounty extends _to the
saints_--to all the spirits of just men made perfect, whose
bodies are still in the earth; and to the excellent, _addïyr_
<0117>, "the noble or super-eminent ones," those who through
faith and patience inherit the promises. The saints and
illustrious ones not only taste of my goodness, but enjoy my
salvation. Perhaps _angels_ themselves may be intended; they are
not uninterested in the incarnation, passion, death, and
resurrection of our Lord. They _desire to look into these_
things; and the victories of the cross in the conversion of
sinners cause joy among the angels of God.--Adam Clarke.

        Verse 2.--"_My goodness extendeth not to thee_;" "My
well-doing extendeth not to thee." Oh, what shall I render unto
thee, my God, for all thy benefits towards me? what shall I
repay? alas! I can do thee no good, for mine imperfect goodness
cannot pleasure thee who art most perfect and goodness itself; my
well-doing can do thee no good, my wickedness can do thee no
harm. I receive all good from thee, but no good can I return to
thee; wherefore I acknowledge thee to be most rich, and myself to
be most beggarly; so far off is it that thou standest in any need
of me. Wherefore I will join myself to thy people, that
whatsoever I have they may profit by it; and whatsoever they have
I may profit by it, seeing the things that I have received must
be put out to loan, to gain some comfort to others. Whatsoever
others have, they have not for their own private use, but that by
them, as by pipes and conduits, they liberally should be conveyed
unto me also. Wherefore in this strain we are taught, that if we
be the children of God, we must join ourselves in a holy league
to his people, and by mutual participation of the gifts of God,
we must testify each to other, that we be of the number and
communion of saints; and this is an undoubted badge and
cognizance of him that loveth God, if he also loveth them that
are begotten of God. Wherefore, if we so profess ourselves to be
of God and to worship him, then we must join ourselves to the
church of God which with us doth worship God. And this must we do
of necessity, for it is a branch of our belief that there is a
communion of saints in the church; and if we believe that there
is a God, we must also believe that there is a remnant of people,
unto whom God revealeth himself, and communicateth his mercies,
in whom we must have all our delight, to whom we must communicate
according to the measure of grace unto every one of us.--^Richard
Greenham.

        Verse 2.--"_My goodness extendeth not to thee_." Oh, how
great is God's goodness to you! He calls upon others for the same
things, and conscience stands as Pharaoh's taskmasters, requiring
the tale of bricks but not allowing straw; it impels and
presseth, but gives no enlargement of heart, and buffets and
wounds them for neglect: as the hard creditor that, taking the
poor debtor by the throat, saith, "Pay me that thou owest me,"
but yields him no power to do it; thus God might deal with you
also, for _he oweth not assistance to us_; but _we owe obedience_
to him. Remember, we had power, and it is just to demand what we
cannot do, because the weakness that is in us is of ourselves: we
have impoverished ourselves. Therefore, when in much mercy he
puts forth his hand into the work with thee, be very thankful. If
the work be not done, he is no loser; if done, and well done, he
is no gainer. #Job 22:2; 35:6-8|. But the gain is all to thee;
all the good that comes by it is to thyself.--^Joseph Symonds,
1639.

        Verse 2 (last clause).--It is a greater glory to us that
we are allowed to serve God, than it is to him that we offer him
that service. He is not rendered happy by us; but we are made
happy by him. He can do without such earthly servants; but we
cannot do without such a heavenly Master.--^William Secker.

        Verse 2 (last clause).--There is nothing added to God: he
is so perfect, that no sin can hurt him; and so righteous, that
no righteousness can benefit him. _O Lord, my righteousness
extendeth not to thee! thou hast no need of my righteousness. #Ac
17:24,25|. God hath no need of anything.--^Richard Stock, 1641.

        Verse 2.--As Christ is the head of man, so is God the
head of Christ (#1Co 11:3|); and as man is subject unto Christ,
so is Christ subject to God; not in regard of the divine nature,
wherein there is an equality, and consequently no dominion of
jurisdiction; nor only in his human nature, but in the economy of
a Redeemer, considered as one designed, and consenting to be
incarnate, and take our flesh; so that after this agreement God
had a sovereign right to dispose of him according to the articles
consented to. In regard of his undertaking and the advantage he
was to bring to the elect of God upon earth, he calls God by the
solemn title of "his Lord." "O my soul, thou hast said unto the
Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; but to
the saints that are in the earth." It seems to be the speech of
Christ in heaven, mentioning the saints on earth as at a distance
from him. I can add nothing to the glory of thy majesty, but the
whole fruit of my meditation and suffering will redound to the
saints on earth.--^Stephen Charnock.

        Verses 2,3.--"_My goodness extendeth not to thee; but to
the saints_." God's goodness to us should make us merciful to
others. It were strange indeed a soul should come out of his
tender bosom with a hard uncharitable heart. Some children do not
indeed take after their earthly parents, as Cicero's son, who had
nothing of his father but his name; but God's children all
partake of their heavenly Father's nature. Philosophy tells us,
that there is no reaction from the earth to the heavens; they
indeed shed their influences upon the lower world, which quicken
and fructify it, but the earth returns none back to make the sun
shine the better. David knew that _his goodness extendeth not
unto God_, but this made him reach it forth to his brethren.
Indeed, God hath left his poor saints to receive the rents we owe
unto him for his mercies. An ingenuous guest, though his friend
will take nothing for his entertainment, yet, to show his
thankfulness, will give something to his servants. ^William
Gurnall.

        Verse 3.--"_But to the saints that are in the earth, and
to the excellent, in whom is all my delight_."--My brethren, look
upon saintship as the greatest excellency to love it. So did
Christ. His eye was "upon the excellent ones in the earth;" that
is, upon the saints, who were excellent to him; yea, also even
when not saints, because God loved them. #Isa 43:4|. It is
strange to hear how men by their speeches will undervalue a saint
as such, if without some other outward excellency. For whilst
they acknowledge a man a saint, yet in other respects, they will
contemn him; "He is a holy man," they will say, "but he is weak,"
etc. But is he a saint? And can there be any such other
imperfection or weakness found as shall lay him low in thy
thoughts in comparison of other carnal men more excellent? Hath
not Christ loved him, bought him, redeemed him?--^Thomas Goodwin.

        Verse 3.--"_But to the saints_." I understand that a man
then evinces affection towards God, and towards those who love
God, when his soul yearns after them-- when he obliges himself to
love them by practically serving and benefiting them-- acting
towards them as he would act towards God himself were he to see
him in need of his service, as David says he did.--^Juan de
Valdes, 1550.

        Verse 3.--"_The saints_." The Papists could abide no
saints but those which are in heaven; which argueth that they
live in a kingdom of darkness, and err, not knowing the
Scriptures, nor the power of God; for if they were but meanly
conversant in the Scriptures, in the holy epistles, they should
find almost in every epistle mention made of the saints who are
thereunto called in Jesus Christ, through whom they are
sanctified by the Holy Ghost. And mark, he calleth them
"_excellent_." Some think rich men to be excellent, some think
learned men to be excellent, some count men in authority so to
be, but here we are taught that those men are excellent who are
sanctified by God's graces.--^Richard Greenham.

        Verse 3.--By David's language, there were many singular
saints in his day: "_To the saints that are in the earth, and to
the excellent, in whom is all my delight_." Was it so then, and
should it not be so now? We know the New Testament outshines the
Old as much as the sun outshines the moon. If we then live in a
more glorious dispensation, should we not maintain a more
glorious conversation? ... "_The excellent_." Were the sun to
give no more delight than a star, you could not believe he was
the regent of the day; were he to transmit no more heat than a
glow-worm, you would question his being the source of elementary
heat. Were God to do no more than a creature, where would his
Godhead be? Were a man to do no more than a brute, where would
his manhood be? Were not a saint to excel a sinner, where would
his sanctity be?--^William Secker.

        Verse 3.--Ingo, an ancient king of the Draves, who making
a stately feast, appointed his nobles, at that time Pagans, to
sit in the hall below, and commanded certain poor Christians to
be brought up into his presence-chamber, to sit with him at his
table, to eat and drink of his kingly cheer, at which many
wondering, he said, he accounted Christians, though never so
poor, a greater ornament to his table, and more worthy of his
company than the greatest peers unconverted to the Christian
faith; for when these might be thrust down to hell, those might
be his comforts and fellow princes in heaven. Although you see
the stars sometimes by their reflections in a puddle, in the
bottom of a well, or in a stinking ditch, yet the stars have
their situation in heaven. So, although you see a godly man in a
poor, miserable, low, despised condition, for the things of this
world, yet he is fixed in heaven, in the region of heaven: "Who
hath raised us up," saith the apostle, "and made us sit together
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."--^Charles Bradbury's
"Cabinet of Jewels," 1785.

        Verse 3.--To sum up all, we must know that we neither do
nor can love the godly so well as we should do; but all is well
if we would love them better, and do like ourselves the less
because we do love them no more, and that this is common or usual
with me, then I am right: so that we are to love the godly first
because God commands it, because they are good; and in these
cases our faith doth work by our love to good men. Next, when I
am at the worst, like a sick sheep, I care not for the company of
other sheep, but do mope in a corner by myself; but yet I do not
delight in the society of goats or dogs, it proves that I have
some good blood left in me; it is because for the present I take
little or no delight in myself or in my God, that I delight no
better in the godly: yet as I love myself for all that, so I may
be said to love them for all this. Man indeed is a sociable
creature, a company-keeper by nature when he is himself; and if
we do not associate ourselves with the ungodly, though for the
present, and care not much to show ourselves amongst the godly,
the matter is not much, it is a sin of infirmity, not a fruit of
iniquity. The disciples went from Christ, but they turned not to
the other side as Judas did, who did forsake his Master and
joined himself to his Master's enemies, but they got together.
Some say Demas did repent (which I think to be the truth), and
then he did "embrace this present world," but for the present
fit: put case he did forsake Paul; so did better men than he.
Indeed as long as a man hath his delights about him, he will
embrace the delights of this present world, or the delights which
belong to the world to come; join with Paul, or cleave to the
world. In this temptation our stay is, first, that we care not
for the company of goats; next, that as we should, so we would,
and desire that we may take delight in the company of sheep, to
count them the only _excellent_ men in the world, _in whom is all
our delight_. The conclusion is, that to love the saints as
saints, is a sound proof of faith; the reason is, for that we
cannot master our affections by love, but first we must master
our understandings by faith.--^Richard Capel, 1586-1656.

        Verse 4.--"_Drink offerings of blood_." The Gentiles used
to offer, and sometimes to drink part of the blood of their
sacrifices, whether of beasts or of men, as either of them were
sacrificed.--^Matthew Poole.

        Verse 4.--"_Drink offerings of blood_." It is uncertain
whether this expression is to be understood literally to be
blood, which the heathen actually mixed in their libations when
they bound themselves to the commission of some dreadful deed, or
whether their libations are figuratively called offerings of
blood to denote the horror with which the writer regarded
them.--^George R. Noyes, in loc, 1846.

        Verse 4 (last clause).--A sin rolled under the tongue
becomes soft and supple, and the throat is so short and slippery
a passage, that insensibly it may slide down from the mouth into
the stomach; and contemplative wantonness quickly turns into
practical uncleanness.--^Thomas Fuller.

        Verse 5.--"_The Lord is the portion of mine
inheritance_." If the Lord be thy portion, then thou mayst
conclude omnipotency is my portion, immensity, all-sufficiency,
etc. Say not, If so, then I should be omnipotent, etc. there is a
vast difference betwixt identity and interest, betwixt conveying
of a title and transmutation of nature. A friend gives thee an
invaluable treasure, and all the securities of it that thou canst
desire; wilt thou deny it is thine because thou art not changed
into its nature? The attributes are thine, as thy inheritance, as
thy lands are thine; not because thou art changed into their
nature, but because the title is conveyed to thee, it is given
thee, and improved for thy benefit. If another manage it, who can
do it with greater advantage to thee than thou to thyself, it is
no infringement of thy title ... The Lord is our portion, and
this is incomparably more than if we had heaven and earth; for
all the earth is but as a point compared with the vastness of the
heavens, and the heavens themselves are but a point compared with
God. What a large possession have we then! There is no
confiscation of it, no banishment from it. Our portion fills
heaven and earth, and is infinitely above heaven and below earth,
and beyond both. Poor men boast and pride themselves of a
kingdom, but we have more than all the kingdoms of the world and
the glory thereof. Christ has given us more than the devil could
offer him.--^David Clarkson.

        Verse 5.--"_Portion of mine inheritance and of my cup_,"
may contain an allusion to the daily supply of food, and also to
the inheritance of Levi. #De 18:1,2|.--^"Critical and Explanatory
Pocket Bible." By A. R. Fausset and B. M. Smith, 1867.

        Verses 5,6.--"_The Lord is the portion of mine
inheritance: the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;
yea, I have a goodly heritage_." "Blessed are the people that are
in such a case; yea, blessed are the people whose God is the
Lord." No greater mercy can be bestowed upon any people, family,
or person, than this, for God to dwell among them. If we value
this mercy according to the excellency and worth of that which is
bestowed, it is the greatest; if we value it according to the
good will of him that gives it, it will appear likewise to be the
greatest favour. The greatness of the good will of God in giving
himself to be our acquaintance, is evident in the nature of the
gift. A man may give his estate to them to whom his love is not
very large, but he never gives himself but upon strong affection.
God gives abundantly to all the works of his hands; he causeth
the sun to shine upon the evil and upon the good, and the rain to
descend upon the just and the unjust; but it cannot be conceived
that he should give himself to be a portion, a friend, father,
husband, but in abundance of love. Whosoever therefore shall
refuse acquaintance with God, slighteth the greatest favour that
ever God did bestow upon man. Now, consider what a high charge
this is; to abuse such a kindness from God is an act of the
greatest vileness. David was never so provoked as when the king
of Ammon abused his kindness, in his ambassadors, after his
father's death. And God is highly provoked when his greatest
mercies, bestowed in the greatest love, are rejected and cast
away. What could God give more and better than himself? ... Ask
David what he thinks of God; he was well acquainted with him, he
dwelt in his house, and by his good will would never be out of
his more immediate presence and company: enquire, I pray, what he
found amiss in him. That you may know his mind the better, he
hath left it upon record in more than one or two places, what a
friend he hath had of God. "_The lines are fallen unto me in
pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage_." Why, what is
that you boast of so much, O David? Have not others had kingdoms
as well as you? No, that's not the thing; a crown is one of the
least jewels in my cabinet: "_The Lord is the portion of mine
inheritance and of my cup_."--^James Janeway.

        Verses 5,6.--Take notice not only of the mercies of God,
but of God in the mercies. Mercies are never so savoury as when
they savour of a Saviour.--^Ralph Venning, 1620-1673.

                       HINTS TO PREACHERS.

        Verse 2.--"_Thou art my Lord_." The soul's appropriation,
allegiance, assurance and avowal.

        Verses 2,3.--The influence and sphere of goodness. No
profit to God, or departed saints or sinners, but to _living
men_. Need of promptness, etc.

        Verses 2,3.--Evidence of true faith. I. Allegiance to
divine authority. II. Rejection of self-righteousness. III. Doing
good to the saints. IV. Appreciation of saintly excellence. V.
delight in their society.

        Verse 3.--_Excellent of the earth_. May be translated
noble, wonderful, magnificent. They are so in their new birth,
nature, clothing, attendance, heritage, etc., etc.

        Verse 3.--"_In whom is all my delight_." Why Christians
should be objects of our delight. Why we do not delight in them
more. Why they do not delight in us. How to make our fellowship
more delightful.

        Verse 3.--Collection sermon for poor believers. I.
Saints. II. Saints on the earth. III. These are excellent. IV. We
must delight in them. V. We must extend our goodness to
them.--^Matthew Henry.

        Verse 4.--Sorrows of idolatry illustrated in heathens and
ourselves.

        Second clause.--The duty of complete separation from
sinners in life and lip.

        Verse 5.--Future inheritance and present cup found in
God. (See Exposition).

        Last clause.--What our "lot" is. What danger it is in.
Who defends it.