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The grand subject here is, "waiting upon the Lord." The term is of frequent occurrence in God's Word. It sometimes means nothing more than a quiet, restful frame of soul; and sometimes it will be found to set forth a waiting for the Lord, a patient waiting on Him in expectation of deliverance. But "waiting on Him" seems to imply more than this; it implies a diligent use of those means that He has appointed for the communication of His grace — waiting on Him in the use of those means. It is not an indolent waiting.

I. GOD'S GRACIOUS COMMUNICATION OF NEEDFUL HELP TO HIS POOR, TRIED, WEAK, AND HELPLESS PEOPLE.

1. Every creature is of necessity weak; it is not his fault — it is his nature. When Adam left his hold on God he necessarily fell; as necessarily as any branch would fall if cut off from the parent stem. The creature has no power to sustain himself, nor to help himself; and it was never intended that he should have.

2. If man as an unfallen creature is weak; well may we say, that as a fallen creature, he is altogether weakness.

3. But even as a renewed creature he is weak, and if left to himself, unable to cope with one enemy, or to maintain his own standing for one single moment. "Without Me ye can do nothing."

4. Besides this, there are certain periods in which the believer is more than ordinarily faint and weak. There are many things that try him.

5. Oftentimes too, through want of watchful, prayerful, holy seeking and turning over the page of conscience, he weakens his little strength. But it is to these very souls that the Lord communicates strength. "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength." The necessities of God's people seem to touch the very heart of God. But there is something in the very glory of God that constrains Him to grant them His help in their hours of need. This was David's plea: "pardon mine iniquity, for it is great," but "for Thy name's sake," he says.

II. OBSERVE THROUGH WHAT CHANNEL IT COMES. It is not a natural channel; it is not the strength of nature, but it is in the way of waiting dependence on Himself. There is a wondrous analogy between the operations of God in grace and in nature. God has given to us the promise that "seed-time and harvest shall never fail" while the world remains; but does this hinder the necessity of casting in the seed? Does it hinder the necessity of ploughing the land before it, and of harrowing it in, and protecting it? The more I look at this appointment of God, the more I see of infinite wisdom in it. I am in great distress, in great need, no one knows of my pressure. Perhaps I tell my friend, but I find no relief at all. And now I cast myself on the Lord — God reveals Himself to me as my Father-it quiets me, it comforts me. See how the Lord makes one step preparatory to another, and makes one thing the means of obtaining another. Prayerfulness leads to strength; that leads to courage; that leads to submission; that leads to patience, and that leads to praise. Observe the same, too, of all other means of grace. Talk we of the Bible, or hearing the Word unfolded? In prayer we speak to God; in His Word He speaks to us by His Spirit. Look at the very means of grace themselves: there is the unfolding of the same wisdom in the means appointed. What a suitable and reasonable ordainment it is!

III. THE ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY OF THIS CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION. "They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength." When God puts forth His promise He pledges all that is in Himself to fulfil that promise. This is God's appointed way. Perhaps we can say there are no instances upon record in which it was otherwise, but I dare not say that God may not in one moment so break in upon a man's soul, by the holy anointing of the Spirit, as to give him the most perfect conviction that he is a child of God. See the greatness of the communication. They shall "run"; they shall "walk"; and they shall "mount up." Concluding remarks —

1. Would that the saints of God did more deeply feel that they are fainting and full of weakness!

2. Though it is no small mercy to be deeply conscious of our utter weakness before God, take heed how you abuse this glorious doctrine of the blessed Spirit by living a life of ceaseless and useless complaint. There is an observation, I think in Owen, that the religion of some consists in little more than in going from house to house, from friend to friend, from saint to saint, telling one's nothingness, sinfulness, and wretchedness. They make a sort of secret balm of it.

3. What vast encouragement is here!

(J. H. Evans, M. A.)

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KJV: He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

WEB: He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.