Psalm 71:22-24 I will also praise you with the psaltery, even your truth, O my God: to you will I sing with the harp, O you Holy One of Israel.… Dr. Sanday has remarked that, "on the great world-stage different races have different functions," and that "for the Hebrew it was reserved beyond all other peoples to teach the world what it knew of religion." I. THREE FEATURES OF THE DIVINE CHARACTER. 1. Holiness. "O Thou Holy One of Israel." The root idea is separation. The Most High forbids the people to follow certain practices then in vogue among the surrounding heathen, and the reason given is because He is holy, and they, His people, are to be like Him (Leviticus 19:2). In every case where such prohibitions occur, we find that the practices condemned are morally alike, that they are mischievous and vile; and therefore by such teaching the Hebrew rose to the conception of a God altogether different from the gods of the heathen — of a Being who had no pleasure in selfishness or cruelty or hatred. Further, it is clear that such a doctrine put honour upon men as well as upon God. When the command was understood, "Ye shall be holy: for I am holy," the Jews must have seen that they were created for better things than hatred, malice, or lust. They were fulfilling the end of their creation when they conquered such passions, when they were ruled by kindness, honour, and purity. 2. Truth. "I will praise Thee with the psaltery, even Thy truth, O my God." The want of this virtue has often made the world a pandemonium. We can scarcely conceive a worse condition of things than when men are unable to trust their fellows — when men's word is not their bond, and their most solemn pledges are no guarantee whatever that they will act accordingly. Sir Richard Burton once said that "to the Oriental lying was meat and drink and the roof that covered him." Strong words, and yet a statement confirmed by multitudes of others who have lived in the midst of them. Such a condition of things undoubtedly existed among the neighbours of the Jews; they were false in word and deed, cunning, deceitful, treacherous. Here again the Hebrew stood alone in splendid isolation from his neighbours. His God was the "Strength of Israel, who will not lie," the "God of truth, and without iniquity." His promises held good; His threats were fulfilled. No wonder, then, when men believed thus, that their conduct should differ from that of others; and hence we find, among the characteristics of the perfect man of the Scriptures, truthfulness both without and within: "he that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not"; "he that speaketh the truth in his heart." 3. Love. Notice the boldness of the psalmist's claim — "my God"; and his grateful acknowledgment of the redemption of his soul — "my soul, which Thou hast redeemed." To the writer of this psalm, God was the Father of His creatures, One who had lovingly watched over the psalmist himself from his birth, and to whom in distress he could turn with the certain assurance of help. II. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRAISE WHICH THE PSALMIST RESOLVED TO OFFER. 1. Sincere. "My lips shall greatly rejoice," etc. Let us see that we do not grieve our heavenly Father by insincere praise; however successful song may be as an artistic performance, it is abhorrent to God if words which mean so much are uttered with lips which do not greatly rejoice — lips which would be as readily used in the service of him who is the great Father's adversary and ours. 2. Hearty. Not merely should the psalmist's lips be made to rejoice, but all the powers of his redeemed soul; and, that he might present a worthy offering to God, both psaltery and harp should be called into service Evidently he believed that music might be the handmaid of worship, and that the skill of man in the production of sweet sounds ought to be consecrated to the service of God. (W. Scott Page.). Parallel Verses KJV: I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. |
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