Psalm 30:5 For his anger endures but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. The return of God's favour to an afflicted soul is like life from the dead, — nothing is so reviving. All our bliss is bound up in God's favour; and if we have that, we have an infinite treasure, whatever else we may want. I. ILLUSTRATE THE SENTIMENT OF THE TEXT. 1. Our natural life is from God's favour. In Him we live, move, and have our being; He secures us from innumerable evils; He gives us bread, and water, and clothing, and health, and strength, and intellect. 2. Our spiritual life is from the favour of God. 3. Our eternal life is from the favour of God. By that favour we become entitled to heaven by the merits and righteousness of Christ; by that favour we are meetened for heaven through regeneration and sanctification; by that favour we are brought to heaven, through all the trying pilgrimage of life. O what views will the redeemed spirit have of the favour of God then! II. SOME PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. 1. How vain it is to expect happiness from worldly prosperity without the favour of God! What does it avail, if the whole universe smile on a man, if he be under the frown of God? 2. How fearful are the afflictions of life without the favour of God. How keen must be the strokes of the Divine rod to him who views them as the strokes of an enemy. 3. If the favour of God is life, then what vast multitudes are dead. They can find time for their games, sports, recreations, and worldly pursuits; but no time to seek the favour of God and the salvation of their souls! And how inexcusable are such persons. Beggars, when they might be the favourites of heaven; preferring sickness to health, blindness to sight, danger to safety, and the anger to the favour of God. 4. If in God's favour there is life, what a dreadful place hell must be. 5. If in God's favour there is life, what a blessed and glorious place must heaven be. (W. Gregory.) Parallel Verses KJV: For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. |
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