Psalm 97:2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. I. THE PSALMIST CONFESSES HIS IGNORANCE. "Clouds and darkness are round about Him:" through clouds a little may be seen; through darkness nothing can be seen. So this may mean that slight glimpses of God may here and there be caught; but that, taken altogether, He is a mystery to men. Is there to be wondered at? Consider how short a time we are here to explore the mystery. Threescore years and ten, or at the most four or four and a half score years. "For how small a portion of even this are our powers at their best! What are thirty or forty years of life — even life at its best — to sound the depths of the Infinite? Then consider how small are our powers for this great work. We have but five gateways of knowledge. John Bunyan says, "The famous town of Mansoul had five gates, in at which to come, out of which to go." And the greater part of these are of no use for reaching the knowledge of God: only perhaps the two — Ear-gate and Eye-gate; and how small these gates are! The ear can hear only that which is within easy reach. The eye can see only that which is within the horizon's bound. We need to realize the limitations of our present condition, and then perhaps we should not be surprised — as often we are — that we cannot see through the clouds and darkness that now are around the Eternal One. II. THE PSALMIST EXPRESSES HIS CONFIDENCE. Do you believe in God? Then you must believe that justice and truth are the foundation of His throne. There is a common Latin saying, "Fiat justitia, rust coelum." If justice were not at the core of the universe the firmament would fall. Why, in the little affairs of nations the reign of injustice and falsehood sooner or later brings overthrow. It has been long coming to the Turkish Empire, but it is on its way. And if a nation cannot get on save as justice and truth prevail, be very sure that the universe cannot get on without these. We are not far-sighted enough to see how the ways of God are just and true. Some of them, because we see only a part, appear neither just nor true. But then we see only a fragment, and you cannot judge by a fragment, any more than you can judge of a house from a single brick. But we see enough of order, of law, of regularity, to be assured that, when the whole is revealed, we shall cry, "Just and true are Thy ways, O thou King of saints." (W. G. Horder.) Parallel Verses KJV: Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.WEB: Clouds and darkness are around him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. |
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