Gladness Under Constrained Conditions
Psalm 37:16-20
A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.…


As I was writing these words there broke upon my ears the song of a canary bird hanging in the room overhead. Its thrilling notes were not a whir less joyous than those which I have often heard rained down from the infinite expanse of heaven by the little skylark of my native land. In spite of its cage that tiny warbler sings, and when its young mistress goes to speak to it, there is a flutter of joy in its wings as with ruffled neck and chattering gladness it leaps to bid her welcome. So let us accept our bonds, whether of poverty, or weakness, or duty, as the bird accepts its cage. You may cage the bird, but you cannot cage its song. No more can you confine or restrain the joy of the heart which, accepting its condition, sees God in it and greets Him from it.

(W. M. Taylor.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

WEB: Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.




The Righteous and the Wicked
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