Psalm 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. What are the lessons which our text teaches? I. It teaches that SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD FLOWS FROM THE WORD OF GOD AS THE MEANS. In the Word there are many clearly established principles, designed and calculated to quiet the mind under trials. 1. God admonishes us to this effect. The Word of God is the inspired commentary on the book of Providence. Compare the events of your life. Providence illustrates the Scriptures, and they explain Providence. If you look only at Providence, you cannot see the love of God to His people in those dispensations which are dark and afflictive. You would think that your heavenly Father trod forgotten you. But the Word of God answers us that it is not so. 2. For they show us that all events are appointed or permitted by God. Nothing is by chance. 3. And that all temporal things are subservient to what is spiritual (Romans 8:28; Psalm 25:10; 2 Corinthians 4:17). 4. That death does not terminate our existence. Look to the future state in the light of Divine revelation: that unravels the whole mystery. All that was dark in the ways of Providence is there illuminated; all that appeared disorderly is there arranged; all that seemed evil is there felt and acknowledged to be good. II. SUBMISSION FLOWS FROM FAITH AS FROM THE INSTRUMENT. Many have read the discoveries of Divine revelation, and have been strangers to unfeigned submission, because they do not fully and firmly believe these discoveries. That the exercise of faith is necessary in order to maintain this state of mind, appears from the following considerations: — 1. Those truths contained in the Scriptures, designed and calculated to produce submission, relate to things unseen and eternal (2 Corinthians 4.). 2. Faith prevents hasty and unwarranted conclusions respecting the doings of God. It is a common error, when a trial befalls us, to conclude at once that it is against us; and this error results from unbelief of the faithfulness of God to His promises. This was the conclusion of David, who "said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul." But "Blessed are all they that wait for Him." "It is good that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord" (Hebrews 2:3, 4). 3. Faith has respect to the time past, as well as the time to come: to what is recorded of the doings of the Lord, as well as to what is promised. 4. All the treasures of grace are communicated through Christ, and by Him to His people; and of His fulness they all receive. (Robert Cranston.) 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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