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and incurable presumption. But it will scarcely be supposed that the Gospel has reduced us to a lower state than was enjoyed under the law, or deprived us of privileges that were possessed under that less perfect dispensation: yet behold, with what intimate access to God the Psalmist was favoured, and what communion with him he teaches every contrite sinner to expect! It is worthy of observation, that in this psalm there is not one single petition, or thanksgiving the whole of it is occupied in stating what comfort he found in God, and in encouraging others to expect the same. Especially in the words which we have just read, we see,

I. His happy experience

Great and manifold were David's trials, from his earliest youth even to his dying hour. But "in all he encouraged himself in the Lord his God:"

He waited upon God as his all-sufficient help

[The psalm begins with affirming this: and, in our text, he encourages his soul to persevere in this blessed course: "My soul, wait thou only upon God." As for men, he found that they could not be relied upon: both rich and poor were alike but a broken reed, " a lie and vanitya." Nor could power or wealth afford any better ground of confidence. God alone has the power requisite for supplying the wants of his creatures; and therefore "from God alone was all his expectation." To him he looked in all his troubles, whether of a temporal or spiritual nature. When persecuted by Saul, he fled to his invisible Protector, and took refuge under the shadow of Jehovah's wings

In like manner, when assaulted by Satan, his great spiritual adversary, "he gat him to his Lord right humbly," and sought in him that salvation which He alone can giveUnder all circumstances he considered God as able, willing,

yea

and pledged too, to deliver him: and to him he ran, as to a strong tower, in which he found unfailing security. As to the time and manner of his deliverance, he left that entirely to God.] He found in God all that his diversified necessities required

[He was never disappointed of his hope. The many miraculous escapes which he experienced, testify that God was ever nigh at hand to help him and the peace and stability which he obtained in his soul after his most grievous fall,

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manifestly prove, how exceedingly the grace of God was magnified towards him--We wonder not at his frequent repetition of the same acknowledgments, or at the augmented confidence with which he was enabled to look forward to a continuance of the Divine favour even unto death'.]

But from this experience he was fully qualified to give

II. His advice founded upon it

To wait on God is the duty of every living creature, and especially of those who are instructed in the knowledge of his revealed will. "He is the one source of every good and perfect therefore David advises us to wait,

1. In a way of earnest prayer

gift."

On him

[We should not merely call upon God, but "pour out our hearts before him." If our troubles be of a more public nature, we should, like Hezekiah, spread our wants before him: or, if they be known to ourselves alone, we should, like Hannah, carry them to the Lord". The direction given us by God himself is, that "in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we should make our requests known unto God." We should not say of one thing, It is too great for me to ask; or of another thing, It is too small: we should remember, that "he will be inquired of by us," before he will communicate to us his promised blessings: and, if we ask in faith, he will "do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we either ask or think."]

2. In a way of confident expectation

[We should "not stagger at any of God's promises, but be strong in faith, giving glory to God." If he see fit to delay his answer, we must not be discouraged, but wait his time; assured, that "the vision shall not tarry" beyond the precise moment that he sees to be best for us. We must trust him no less when we see no way for our deliverancem, than when the promised relief is visibly at hand. Under all the endearing characters which are assigned to him in our text, we should expect his gracious interposition. If our difficulties and trials be of a temporal nature, we should anticipate with confidence his effectual aid"; and if of a spiritual nature, we should feel

e ver. 1, 2. with the text.

f Compare ver. 2. with ver. 6. "Not greatly moved;" "Not moved at all."

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assured, that none shall finally prevail against us°: we should confidently say, "In the Lord have I righteousness and strength." "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory."]

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1. To those who are labouring under temporal affliction

[Those who have no God to go to, often sink under their troubles, and not unfrequently seek refuge from them in suicide. Be ye not like to them. There is a God, whose is the earth, and the fulness thereof, and who feedeth even the ravens that call upon him. Your trials are intended to lead you to him; and if they have this effect, you shall have cause to bless him for them to all eternity. Only remember not to lean to the creature for support. Seek every thing in God; in "God only;" in "God at all times;" and you shall not be disappointed of your hope.]

2. To those who are bowed down with spiritual trouble

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[Hear what instruction the Prophet Jeremiah gives to persons in your state". David had sunk under his troubles, if he had not cast his care entirely upon the Lord. Follow then his example in this particular: charge it upon yourself to do so; 'My soul, wait thou only upon God." And if still distressing fears oppress you, chide your unbelieving soul as he did, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my confidence and my God."]

。 Jer. i. 19.

P Lam. iii. 25, 26. Add to this, Lam. iii. 27, 28, 29.
9 Ps. xxvii. 13, 14.
r Ps. xlii. 11.

DC.

THE BELIEVER S DISPOSITIONS TOWARDS GOD.

Ps. lxiii. 1-7. O God, thou art my God: early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee; my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night-watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

IT is justly said of God, that "he giveth songs in the night" and never was there a more striking evidence of it than in the psalm before us. David is supposed to have written it when he was in the wilderness of Ziph, fleeing from Saul who was seeking to destroy him. But we can scarcely conceive that he would call himself "the king," as he does in the 11th verse, in the life-time of Saul: for though he believed that God would ultimately raise him to the throne, it would have been treason against his legitimate prince to arrogate to himself the title of

king;" nor can we conceive that under his perilous circumstances he would have given Saul so just a ground of accusation against him. For these reasons we are inclined to think it was written at the time that he fled into the wilderness from Absalom, when he, and the people that were with him, were in the greatest distress for every necessary of life". But what are the contents of this psalm? Nothing but joy and triumph: the things of time and sense were as nothing in his eyes; but God was "all in all."

From that portion of the psalm which we have read, we shall take occasion to shew you the desires, the purposes, and the expectations of a renewed soul. I. The desires

As soon as the soul has obtained an interest in Christ, and reconciliation with God through him, it is privileged to claim God as its own peculiar portion it is entitled to say of Christ, "My Beloved is mine, and I am his :" "He has loved me, and given himself for me." And to the Father himself also, as now reconciled to him, he can say, "O God, thou art My God." It is no wonder then, that from henceforth God becomes the one object of his desire.

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The soul now finds no satisfaction in earthly things— [The whole world appears to it as "a land where no water is." The whole creation seems to be but " a broken cistern,' which, whilst it promises refreshment to the weary and heavyladen, is never able to impart it.

a 1 Sam. xxiii. 15.

b 2 Sam. xvii. 28, 29.

If it be objected, that, though David, under his peculiar trials, found the world so barren of all good, we may find it a source of comfort to us; we answer, That there is nothing in this world that is suited to satisfy the desires of an immortal soul; and that, the more we have of this world, the more fully shall we be convinced, that it is altogether an empty bubble, a cheat, a lie; and that "vanity and vexation of spirit" is written by the finger of God himself upon all that it contains. The carnal mind cannot credit this: but the renewed soul needs no argument to convince it of this truth.]

Its desire therefore is after God alone

["Early will I seek thee," is the language of every one that is born of God. In the secret chamber his first waking thoughts will be, "Where is God my Maker?" where is Jesus my Redeemer? where is the blessed Spirit my Sanctifier and my Comforter? In the public ordinances also especially will his soul desire communion with its God. It has beheld somewhat of God's power and glory in the manifestations of his love, and in the communications of his grace; and it bears those seasons in remembrance, and longs to have them renewed from time to time. The bare ordinances will not satisfy the believer, if God be not in them: it is not to perform a duty that he comes up to the sanctuary, but to meet his God, and enjoy sweet converse with him and if he meet not God there, he is like a man who, with much ardent expectation, has gone to a distant city to meet his friend, and has been disappointed of his hope: or rather he is like those of whom the prophet Jeremiah speaks, who in a season of extreme drought came to the pits and found no water; and returning with their vessels empty, were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads." They know by sad experience that "there is no water" elsewhere; and if they find not access to "God, the living fountain," their very "flesh" sympathizes with their "souls," and fainteth by reason of the painful disappointment. This is beautifully described in another psalm : and it is realized in the experience of every believer, in proportion to the integrity of his soul before God, and to the measure of grace with which he is endued — . -]

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In perfect correspondence with the desires of a renewed soul, are,

II. Its purposes

The Believer determines to praise and glorify his God

[The language of his heart is, "My heart is fixed, O God, d Ps. xlii. 1—3.

c Jer. xiv. 3.

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