Correct me, O LORD, but only with justice--not in Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing. Sermons
I. OBSERVE THE ADMISSION OF WRONGDOING. "Correct me," uttered at all, is an admission that correction is deserved. The whole of the supplication of course implies a reference to the relation of father and child, as if Israel said, "My Father, I have done wrong, and I know that all wrong-doing children, when the wrong is discovered, must expect to be corrected." The correction of children by their parents must have been very familiar to all Israelites; the Book of Proverbs, in many of its pithy sentences, being in part a consequence of this familiarity and in part a cause of it. A most important part in the benefit of correction came from its very certainty, from the child's knowledge that the correction could not be escaped. Though the extent of it might be an open question, the certainty was to he no question at all. The position might be put thus: If an earthly father, being evil, yet has firmness enough not to overlook the least departure from his commandments, then the pure Jehovah above, who is regarded as the Father of Israel, cannot be less strict to mark iniquity. Israel has done wrong, and to make an ample admission of the wrong, to welcome the needful chastisement, is nothing more than what is right. There is no merit in such an admission; the suppliant who makes it is only doing what he ought to do. To continue insensible of the wrong adds to the wrong, and makes correction as correction altogether in vain. II. A FEAR LEST THE CORRECTION MAY BECOME EXCESSIVE AND INJURIOUS. Israel has before its mind, the conception of a father in his relations, powers, and duties. But since the measurements are made from the earthly father with all his imperfections, it follows that not only are the encouraging aspects of the relation seen, but also dreadful possibilities as to how far the chastising force may go. Israel argues too closely from the father on earth to the Father in heaven. The earthly father is seen boiling over with rage, beating his child in the wildness of his fury, not because it has done wrong, but because it has thwarted him. It is important to notice this very partial way of conceiving the fatherhood of God; this exaggeration of mere might. There is thus given an index to the insufficiency of the knowledge which the Israelites had of God, and a proof how much Jesus was needed to come in and reveal the Father, bringing the serenity and composed action of his attributes into full view. God, of course, never acts with fury and frenzy as we apply these words to man. God produces results through man, and there may be fury in the human agents, but in the God behind them there is none. The narrow notion of Jehovah expressed in Vers. 24 and 25 itself needed to be corrected. His favor towards Israel was not an arbitrary thing, nor could it be right that his imagined wild fury might justly expend itself on heathens. If Israel was to be corrected with judgment, the same judgment was surely needed to correct the heathen. If there is fury with them, there can be no true dealing in judgment with Israel. Severity with the heathen as typical enemies of the typical people of God is another matter; but severity must never be confounded with fury. III. THE KIND OF CORRECTION DESIRED. "Correct me, but with judgment." Correction, to have any proper effect, must be deliberate, and proportioned to the offence that has been committed. While it comes from a fatherly purpose, it must come also with the calmness and impartiality of a judicial procedure. A charge is made; evidence is adduced and examined; defense, denial, extenuation, are listened to; everything must be weighed; and so he who is corrected will feel in his conscience that the correction is just. The severity is not blind and measureless force. If it cannot fall short of a certain standard of pain, neither will it exceed it. Any other sort of dealing has no right to the name of correction at all. Foolish Rehoboam, threatening to chastise the people with scorpions, is an illustration of what must ever be avoided by those who are m power. Be it a child or be it a man who is smitten, no good can be done unless there is the sense that the smiting is just. - Y.
O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in Thine anger. I. THE CHRISTIAN'S NEED OF DIVINE CORRECTION.1. To keep down pride. 2. To Overcome sloth. 3. To chastise sin. 4. To quicken grace. II. THE CHRISTIAN'S PRAYER FOR DIVINE CORRECTION. 1. How he would have God correct him. (1) (2) (3) 2. Methods of correction.(1) Outward afflictions. Loss of property. Loss of friends. Death of relatives. Personal affliction.(2) Inward afflictions. Hidings of God's face. Discomfort in ordinances. Inability to pray. 3. Blessedness of affliction (Psalm 94:12; Psalm 119:71, 75).Lessons — 1. To those who are in a declining state. Expect chastisement. 2. To those who are under the rod. Do not repine. Look inward. (John D. Lane, M. A.) 1. For the good of the soul. It has compelled many to say, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; for before I was afflicted I went astray." 2. For the conversion of the soul. But why does the rod of correction fall upon Christians? 3. To wean the heart from self-righteousness. 4. To make the backslider sensible of his guilt. 5. Moreover, the corrections of Christians are designed to prepare them for greater mercies, and for future glory. II. SHOULD THE LORD CORRECT HIS PEOPLE IN ANGER, THEY MUST PERISH BEFORE HIM. "The Lord Most High is terrible." If His wrath be kindled, yea, but a little, who can abide the clay of His coming? Hence both David and Jeremiah, "Lord, rebuke me not in Thine anger," etc., were persuaded, that, if the righteous Governor of the world should visit them in His wrath, their spirits would fail before Him. The stoutest heart must tremble at His reproof. The most fearless must be filled with dismay if they fall into the hands of the living God. III. The text contains THE PRAYER OF AN AWAKENED AND CONTRITE SOUL, that God would correct him with judgment, and not in anger. The word judgment is here used in the sense of discernment, in the same manner as in the seventh Psalm. "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day": that is, He observes and regards the way of His servants, but His indignation burns against the ungodly and the sinner. When the prophet cries, "O Lord, correct me, but with judgment," he prays that the Lord would correct him with discernment; that is, that He would remember that he was but dust, and so temper the chastisement with wisdom, love, and mercy, that instead of crushing him it may make him a more humble and dutiful child, and a more faithful and devoted servant. There are certain seasons when this prayer is peculiarly suitable and proper. 1. When the mind is deeply humbled before God under a sense of guilt and misery. 2. The supplication in the text is suitable to every returning backslider. True, I deserve to perish, but Thy dear Son is the Saviour of sinners. For His sake, "pardon mine iniquity, for it is great." I crave Thy mercy in His name; and entreat Thee to restore my soul to the paths of righteousness and peace. 3. In the prospect or under the pressure of any temporal calamity we shall need this prayer. (R. W. Alton.) (H. W. Beecher.). People Jacob, Jeremiah, TarshishPlaces Tarshish, Uphaz, ZionTopics Anger, Bring, Chastise, Correct, Diminish, Judgment, Justice, Lest, Measure, Nothing, O, Purpose, Reduce, Wise, WrathOutline 1. The unequal comparison of God and idols.17. The prophet exhorts to flee from the calamity to come. 19. He laments the spoil of the tabernacle by foolish pastors. 23. He makes an humble supplication. Dictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 10:23 4016 life, human Library May 16. "It is not in Man that Walketh to Direct his Steps" (Jer. x. 23). "It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer. x. 23). United to Jesus Christ as your Redeemer, you are accepted in the Beloved. He does not merely take my place as a man and settle my debts. He does that and more. He comes to give a perfect ideal of what a man should be. He is the model man, not for us to copy, for that would only bring discouragement and utter failure; but He will come and copy Himself in us. If Christ lives in me, I am another Christ. I am not like Him, but I have the … Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth Possessing and Possessed An Instructive Truth Dwight -- the Sovereignty of God Of the Exercises of a Religious Man Of Hiding Our Grace under the Guard of Humility A Wise Desire "And Hereby we do Know that we Know Him, if we Keep his Commandments. " "Hear the Word of the Lord, Ye Rulers of Sodom, Give Ear unto the Law of Our God, Ye People of Gomorrah," How Christ is the Way in General, "I am the Way. " Meditations for Household Piety. "For if Ye Live after the Flesh, Ye Shall Die; but if Ye through the Spirit do Mortify the Deeds of the Body, Ye Shall Live. 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