Psalm 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.… I. FAITH EXPECTS TO SEE ENRAPTURING VISIONS. 1. What? "The goodness of the Lord." The forces of God are adequate to overcome the forces of evil. The eternal right must prosper. God will do more than hold His own. No good reason is there to be hopeless about a world that has God in it and over Psalms 2:2. Where? "In the land of the living." That the goodness of the Lord will be seen in the land of the dead no one doubts; what we sometimes forget is that we are to look for increasing revelations of His goodness in the present. "Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is." "The meek shall inherit the earth." "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." II. FAITH AWAKENS FORTITUDE. It gives strength of heart and hope; inspires courage; lights the eye; nerves the impotent arm; plucks victory from defeat. III. FAITH LEADS TO FIDELITY. Those who are full of faith are characterized by faithfulness; they can be depended upon to do their duty, for they have an abiding principle of obedience within their hearts. So long as we are in the world we must needs battle against adverse circumstances, but let us see to it that over against every evil we put the Heaven-provided antidote; that over against worldly trouble we put Divine comfort; that over against painful discipline we put the Divine purpose; that over against the world's sin we put the world's Saviour. (J. M. Campbell.) Parallel Verses KJV: I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.WEB: I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living. |
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