Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/spurgeon/ps9.13

Text File | 1993-03-19 | 4KB | 75 lines

                           EXPOSITION.

        Memories of the past and confidences concerning the
future conducted the man of God to the mercy seat to plead for
the needs of the present. Between praising and praying he divided
all his time. How could he have spent it more profitably? His
first prayer is one suitable for all persons and occasions, it
breathes a humble spirit, indicates self knowledge, appeals to
the proper attributes, and to the fitting person. _Have mercy
upon me, O Lord_. Just as Luther used to call some texts little
Bibles, so we may call this sentence a little prayer-book; for it
has in it the soul and marrow of prayer. It is multum in parvo,
and like the angelic sword turns every way. The ladder looks to
be short, but it reaches from earth to heaven.

        What a noble title is here given to the Most High. _Thou
that liftest me up from the gates of death_! What a glorious
lift! In sickness, in sin, in despair, in temptation, we have
been brought very low, and the gloomy portal has seemed as if it
would open to imprison us, but, underneath us were the
everlasting arms, and, therefore, we have been uplifted even to
the gates of heaven. Trapp quaintly says, "He commonly reserveth
his hand for a dead lift, and rescueth those who were even
talking of their graves." We must not overlook David's object in
desiring mercy, it is God's glory: "_that I may show forth all
thy praise_." Saints are not so selfish as to look only to self;
they desire mercy's diamond that they may let others see it flash
and sparkle, and may admire Him who gives such priceless gems to
his beloved. The contrast between the gates of death and the
gates of the New Jerusalem is very striking; let our songs be
excited to the highest and most rapturous pitch by the double
consideration of whence we are taken, and to what we have been
advanced, and let our prayers for mercy be made more energetic
and agonizing by a sense of the grace which such a salvation
implies. When David speaks of his showing forth _all_ God's
praise, he means that, in his deliverance grace in all its
heights and depths would be magnified. Just as our hymn puts
it:--

        "O the length and breadth of love!
                Jesus, Saviour, can it be?
        All thy mercy's height I prove,
                All the depth is seen in me."

        Here ends the first part of this instructive psalm, and
in pausing awhile we feel bound to confess that our exposition
has only flitted over its surface, and has not digged into the
depths. The verses are singularly full of teaching, and if the
Holy Spirit shall bless the reader, he may go over this Psalm, as
the writer has done scores of times, and see on each occasion
fresh beauties.

              EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.

        Verse 14.--"_That I may show forth all thy praise_," etc.
to show forth _all_ God's praise is to enter largely into the
work. An occasional "_God, I thank thee_," is no fit return for a
perpetual stream of rich benefits.--^William S. Plumer.

                       HINTS TO PREACHERS.

        Verse 13.--"_Have mercy upon me, O Lord_." The publican's
prayer expounded, commended, presented, and fulfilled.

        Verse 13.--"_Thou liftest me up from the gates of
death_." Deep distresses. Great deliverances. Glorious
exaltations.

        Verse 14.--"_I will rejoice in thy salvation_."
Especially because it is _thine_, O God, and therefore honours
thee. In its freeness, fullness, suitability, certainty,
everlastingness. Who can rejoice in this? Reasons why they should
always do so.