He is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer. He is my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. Sermons
I. THE GREAT GOODNESS AND MERCY OF GOD. He praises and blesses God: 1. For what God is to him. (Ver. 1.) "My Strength." Perpetual demand arose for strength. Fierce foes were all around, and as formidable as they were fierce. No mere weakling could possibly stand against them; strength was imperatively needed, and he found it in God. All this which was true of the psalmist is true of the spiritual warrior still. "My Goodness." Whatever good there was in him, it was all of God. In the rough hurly-burly of war, character and all moral excellence had but hard times; deterioration was apt to set in. Therefore, if there were any goodness in him, it was from God. And is it not true of ourselves? Will any one dare say that his goodness is self-derived, his own production, due to his own power alone? "My Fortress" (cf. 1 Samuel 23:29 for local allusion). David knew well the value of such safe retreats. He had availed himself of them again and again. And for us all there is "the secret place of the Most High." "My high Tower." As in Central Europe, as you traverse its rivers, you see on the summits of the lofty hills, commanding the entrances and exits from the valleys beneath, the lofty towers and castles, mostly now in ruins, which warlike chieftains in bygone days erected, and within which they dwelt secure from attack, and from which they sallied forth to attack others. Such loftily placed towers were frequent in the hill-country of Palestine also, and were places of great strength. Now, of such advantage was the help of God to David, and so it is today to all who make the Lord their Refuge. From that high tower the movements of the enemy can be clearly discerned, guarded against, and aggression made upon them in a most successful way. "My Shield." That which wards off from me the stroke of sword, the thrust of spear, the point of dart and arrow. So is God to the soul. Well may he say of the Lord, "It is he in whom I trust." 2. For what God has done for him - as his Teacher. (Ver. 1.) "Which teacheth my hands to war, and," etc. Literally, this has been true again and again. See Gideon before the Midianites, David before Goliath, etc. And wherever there has been warlike skill and the wisdom which commands success, devout men have confessed that it was God from whom all the wisdom and skill came. And yet more is this true in the holy war - the conflict we have to wage with the world, the flesh, the devil. Never was there a successful warrior there but owned at once and always that it was the Lord who taught him. "My Deliverer." So was he, so is he, so will he be. David could recall instances not a few; and what servant of God, in looking back over his spiritual life, does not own, as he thinks of one trial and another that has befallen him, "Yes, the Lord was my Deliverer"? "Who subdueth my people under me." This a yet greater mercy. Life might have been delivered, but enemies might have remained enemies still, ready to break out against him at the first chance that came. But over and above deliverance, there has been given the submission of the people. And God thus deals with his servants. Not only will he deliver them from their spiritual foes, but these foes he will subdue. The lawless passions, the evil propensities, the unhallowed temper, the uncontrolled craving, - these God will subdue, so that the very desire for sin will cease. So great is God's mercy, and so full his salvation. 3. For that God has done all this for the weak and unworthy. This seems to be the connection of vers. 3 and 4 with what precedes. It is not for the great and good, the worthy and the strong, but for such as man, who is like to vanity and whose days are as a shadow. Truly it is wonderful that God should take knowledge of such a one, or make account of him at all. It is of a piece with our Lord's declarations, that he had come to call, not the righteous, but sinners; to seek and to save, not the ninety and nine safe in the fold, but the wandering sheep away and lost in the wilderness. "God so loved the world" - the mass of the unworthy. II. THE CONFIDENCE THAT GOD'S MERCY CREATES. (Vers. 5-8.) The psalmist is encouraged by what God has done to ask for yet greater things. Hence he asks: 1. That God would manifestly appear on his behalf against his enemies. Reminiscences of the old Hebrew history float before his mind: the terror and discomfiture of Pharaoh; the awful display of God's majesty at Sinai - the thunder-roll, the lightning-blaze. 2. He feels that only God can give him victory, or deliver him out of the great waters of trouble by which he is well-nigh overwhelmed. (Ver. 7.) The barbarous, cruel, and lying strangers who were against him were too many for him, and hence he turns to God (vers. 7, 8, 11). But what God has done for him encourages him thus to pray. III. THE GRATITUDE IT INSPIRES. (Vers. 9, 10.) IV. THE BRIGHT HOPE WHICH IT FOSTERS AND SUSTAINS. (Vers. 11-15.) Many regard these verses as belonging not to this psalm at all; but it seems better to look on them as declaring the motive both of its gratitude and its prayers. The hope which it expresses was cherished with longing desire, and underlaid the whole psalm. The verses point to the golden age of Hebrew history, and pray for its return. 1. It concerns their children - that they might be vigorous, strong, goodly. 2. The prosperity of their land. 3. Freedom from invasion and capture. Then happy should they be, for God would be their Lord. - S.C.
Happy is that people whose God is the Lord. : —I. EXAMINE WHAT IS COMPREHENDED IN THE RELATION REFERRED TO. This may refer — 1. To God as the object of religious worship. 2. To Him as the author of every blessing. 3. To the covenant relation in which He condescends to stand to His people. This includes — (1) (2) (3) II. ILLUSTRATE AND CONFIRM THE DECLARATION ITSELF. Such persons are happy — 1. Because all the Divine perfections are engaged in their behalf. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) 2. Because in Him they are assured of finding a refuge in every time of need. 3. Because they are warranted to expect every needful supply. 4. Because in Him they have a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. 5. Because to them all the promises of the Gospel are yea and amen in Christ Jesus. 6. Because they have a sure prospect of being with Him for ever.Learn — 1. How mistaken the men of the world are with respect to the people of God. 2. How insignificant is the worldling's portion. 3. How dangerous is the condition of those who have not the Lord for their portion. (T. Lewis.) I. Here, then, we emerge into THE BROADER OUTLOOKS AND IDEALS OF A TRULY NATIONAL MOVEMENT IN RELIGION. It is a movement to win England for Christ through the regeneration of every Englishman by the Spirit. We may get, we ought to toil for, more Christian laws, fairer conditions and better prospects for the people. We may, through the social elevation of men, and through the cleansing of their environment, help to advance them to a higher stage of life. By the organization and impact of Christian opinion we may prevent national iniquity and promote public righteousness. All these instruments of battle and victory are within the Christian armoury. But only through new men can new nations emerge, and only through the patient evangelization of our people can our country become a truly Christian land. II. Let me now remind you that WE ARE MOVED TO THIS HIGH EFFORT BY REVERENCE FOR CHRIST AND LOVING PASSION FOR MEN. The first of these motives has already been emphasized. It springs from the belief that everything was made for Christ as well as by Him; that the nations are His inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth His possession. It proceeds upon a broad conception of Christ's work as the redemption to God of all life's departments and faculties, of all earth's dominions and resources. It is fired by the determination to lay at Christ's feet everything the world counts glorious, and to place on His head the many crowns. Nothing smaller can satisfy our gratitude or reverence. We cannot rest content till the world for which He died acclaims Him Saviour and King. And we are stirred to the same endeavour by our compassion for men, and by our belief that the Gospel holds the secret of all wealth and joy. It is new life men need, the new life of a pardoned and accepted and endowed soul. And because we possess the secret of it in the Gospel we cannot rest. Its possession is an impulse, its experience a contagion. Its incoming peace creates an outgoing sympathy. We can only keep it by giving it; the heart would break did the mouth not speak. Yes, the enthusiasm of humanity is the essential effect of Christ in the heart. III. It is in no sense derogatory to the sublime spirituality of our theme to say that BY LOVE OF COUNTRY, NOT LESS THAN BY PROMPTINGS OF PIETY, ARE WE IMPELLED TO THIS BROAD MISSION. Our desire to see England, the land of our birth and love, foremost among the nations in the cause of Christ and humanity, is a distinct and legitimate factor in our zeal. "Patriotism" is a noble word, and it. stands for a grand quality. The England whose glory shines through many clouds, whose fair fame has won affection and scattered blessing the wide world over, is the England of the martyrs, the confessors, those speakers for God who made room for man, whose blood has been the seed of religion and liberty. It is the England of the missionary, the explorer, the emancipator, the philanthropist; the land of the open Book and the free charter, of the pious home and the sacred sanctuary, of the day of rest and the progressive faith; the land where heroes and saints have wrought to make life possible and to stir the grand enthusiasms of a broad humanity. That is our England. Round her our affections cling. For her our prayers arise. In her our faith and hope find anchorage. Love of such an England is love of all mankind through her. The patriotism which is loyal to such a land is the initial form of an enthusiasm for humanity. Hers is the opportunity, and hers the obligation, to lead the world to the knowledge of Christ; to teach mankind how to blend culture with piety, intelligence with faith, spiritual aspiration with practical service, and freedom of action with gracious constraint of obedience. Yes, that, and that supremely, is England's mission. IV. IS IT POSSIBLE OUR DREAM MAY BE REALIZED? I for one dare believe no less. But as to its probability, that depends. Others before us were called to do God's work, and they perished miserably because of failure. That fate may be ours. Should we grow into a nation of idlers, sensualists, atheists, our candlestick will surely be removed out of its place. It depends upon Christian men and Churches whether our sun is to sink in storm. If we would have England saved for her noble destiny, we must be more true in faith and practice. To that noble undertaking let me once more call you. Then shall the past of our country pale before its future. Our song shall be without discord, our glory shall be as the glory of the Lord, and in the gathering of the nations around the throne of the King our fatherland shall be foremost in service and reward. (C. A. Berry, D. D.) (W. M. Arthur, M. A.). I will extol Thee, my God, O King. I. THE KINGHOOD OF GOD (vers. 1-13).1. Absolutely incomparable. (1) (2) (3) 2. Supremely praiseworthy. (1) (2) (3) II. THE GLORY OF HIS PROVIDENCE (vers. 14-21). His kindness to — 1. Fallen man. 2. Universal life. The — (1) (2) (3) (4) 3. His kindness to the genuinely pious. (1) (2) (a) (b) (c) (David Thomas, D. D.) I. THE RESOLVE OF PERSONAL LOYALTY. 1. He pays homage to God as his King. 2. He personally appropriates God to himself by faith. "My God." That word "my" is a drop of honey, nay, like Jonathan's word, it is full of honey. And — 3. He is firmly resolved to praise God. My text has four "I wills" in it. And — 4. He himself will do this. No matter what other people do. Let none of us lose our own personality in the multitude, saying, "Things will go on very well without me." Each one of us must praise God. 5. And he will be always doing this In the second clause of our text we have — II. THE CONCLUSION OF AS INTELLIGENT APPRECIATION. "And I will bless," etc. 1. He presents the worship of inward administration. Therefore he blesses the Divine name. 2. And he meant that he wished well to the Lord. To bless a person means to do that person good. If we cannot give anything to God, we can desire that He may be known, loved and honoured by all men. It seems that David studied the character and doings of God, so that he found nothing in God which he could not praise. And he is very intense over this. "For ever and ever." The words run parallel with Addison's verse which tells that "Eternity's too short to utter all Thy praise." Somebody cavilled at that once, and said, "Eternity cannot be too short." But in poetry and in praise "the letter killeth." Language is poor when the soul is on fire. III. There is also THE PLEDGE OF DAILY REMEMBRNACE. "Every day will I," etc. For the greatness of gifts we have already received demands it. To-day it becomes us to sing of the mercies of yesterday. Each day has its mercy, and should render its praise. If we cannot praise God on any one day for what we have had that day let us praise Him for to-morrow. There is a seasonableness about the praising of God every day. For the praise of God is always in season. The last sentence tells — IV. THE HOPE OF ETERNAL ADORATION David believed, therefore, that God was unchangeable, and in the immortality of the soul. And his resolve was that while here he would ever praise. But yonder we will praise him better. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) I. THE SOVEREIGNTY HERE ASSERTED. 1. In the heart. 2. In the Church. 3. Over all things — in heaven, earth, hell. II. THE EXPERIENCE CLAIMED. "My God." He is my Father, and has made me an heir of His kingdom. III. THE VOW RECORDED. "I will extol Thee." 1. With the praises of the lips. 2. With the vigour of the new and inner man. 3. With the valour of faith. (R. C. Dillon, D. D.) 1205 God, titles of 1240 God, the Rock Period ii. The Church from the Permanent Division of the Empire Until the Collapse of the Western Empire and the First Schism Between the East and the West, or Until About A. D. 500 Thankfulness for Mercies Received, a Necessary Duty The Resemblance Between the Old Testament and the New. The Knowledge of God Conspicuous in the Creation, and Continual Government of the World. The Godly are in Some Sense Already Blessed Scriptural Christianity Letter Xl to Thomas, Prior of Beverley Psalms |
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