1/ Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart;
There is no fear of God before his eyes.
2/ For it flatters him in his own eyes
Concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it.
3/ The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
4/ He plans wickedness upon his bed;
He sets himself on a path that is not good;
He does not despise evil.
5/ Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
6/ Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
Your judgments are like a great deep.
O LORD, You preserve man and beast.
7/ How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
8/ They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house;
And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.
9/ For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light.
10/ O continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11/ Let not the foot of pride come upon me,
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12/ There the doers of iniquity have fallen;
They have been thrust down and cannot rise.
Here is the root of bitterness, from which all the wickedness of wicked men comes. It takes rise from contempt of God, and the want of due regard to him. Also from the deceit they put upon their own souls. Let us daily beg of God to preserve us from self-flattery.
Sin is very hurtful to the sinner himself, and therefore ought to be hateful; but it is not so. It is no marvel, if those that deceive themselves, seek to deceive all mankind; to whom will they be true, who are false to their own souls? It is bad to do mischief, but worse to devise it, to do it with plot and management. If we willingly banish holy meditations in our solitary hours, Satan will soon occupy our minds with sinful imaginations. Hardened sinners stand to what they have done, as though they could justify it before God himself.
Men may shut up their compassion, yet, with God we shall find mercy. This is great comfort to all believers, plainly to be seen, and not to be taken away. God does all wisely and well; but what he does we know not now, it is time enough to know hereafter.
God's loving-kindness is precious to the saints. They put themselves under his protection, and then are safe and easy. Gracious souls, though still desiring more of God, never desire more than God. The gifts of Providence so far satisfy them, that they are content with such things as they have.
The benefit of holy ordinances is sweet to a sanctified soul, and strengthening to the spiritual and Divine life.
But full satisfaction is reserved for the future state. Their joys shall be constant. God not only works in them a gracious desire for these pleasures, but by his Spirit fills their souls with joy and peace in believing. He quickens whom he will; and whoever will, may come, and take from him of the waters of life freely.
May we know, and love, and uprightly serve the Lord; then no proud enemy, on earth or from hell, shall separate us from his love. Faith calleth things that are not, as though they were. It carries us forward to the end of time; it shows us the Lord, on his throne of judgment; the empire of sin fallen to rise no more.
No comments:
Post a Comment