Psalm 68:9 You, O God, did send a plentiful rain, whereby you did confirm your inheritance, when it was weary. Trace the analogy between the effects of rain on the earth and the influence of the Holy Spirit on the Church. I. CLEANSING. No rain in March, no rain in April, and no rain till the middle of May; the grass, the flower, the shrub, the bush, and the tree were covered with malarial excrescences, parasites, blight and dust. How long would it take the women of England, with brush and duster in hand, to dust the hedges, the gardens, the forests and the fields? They sadly needed it — months without a wash, their beauty was gone. But the rain came, washed away the dust, drowned the parasites, and removed all hindrances to growth. This is the present need of the Church of God: "showers of blessings"; the washing of regeneration. Conformity to the habits of society, worldliness, talebearing, scandalizing, pride, selfishness, envy, strife, hypocrisy, uncharitableness, assumption of holiness — these are the dust, the excrescences, the parasites, which mar the beauty and retard the growth of the Church of Christ in our day. We need a downpour of the Holy Ghost to wash all away. II. FERTILIZING (Psalm 72:6). The mown field suggests the condition of those who are exhausting themselves in the service of Christ, or, at least, those who are throwing off crop after crop of work and experience for the benefit of others. These Christians are the pillars of the truth; towards them our hearts go forth. They are so busy at work that they cannot find fault with others; and so sensible are they of their own unworthiness that they never sit in judgment upon their fellow-Christians. Their motto is, To spend and be spent for Christ. But human energy is inexhaustible, and it needs replenishing — "rain upon the mown grass." The rain fills the fibres of the tree, and penetrates the ground to water the roots, so does the influence of prayer water the soul. III. RIPENING. You see the husbandman looking at the cornfield when about ripe. A good shower ripens and fills the grain. The ripeness of the soul is like a shock of corn. God is looking out, and pours His Spirit upon it. (T. Davies, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.WEB: You, God, sent a plentiful rain. You confirmed your inheritance, when it was weary. |
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