Isaiah 26:4 Trust you in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: I. THE DUTY ITSELF. 1. It implies an acquiescence or submission to the will of God, whatever it may be — trusting in Him, assured that He is doing, and will do, what is right. This was the spirit of Eli of old, who, though under great family trial, still said, "It is the Lord; let Him do what seemeth Him good." This was the spirit of the patriarch Job, who under all his trials could say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." 2. It implies also an application to the Lord, with confidence that the application will not be in vain. Perhaps the best passage I can give you upon this subject will be that which contains the character given of Hezekiah. In 2 Kings 18:5, we are told, "He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses." There was habitual confidence in the Lord, which led Hezekiah to apply to the Lord in his hours of trial; and therefore, when he was in danger of being besieged, he instantly felt that his whole confidence must be in the Lord! So he took the letter, and in close communion with God read aloud that letter, trusting that the Lord would deliver him from all the threatenings which the letter contained. 3. Closely connected with these two explanations is that which I may call dependence and expectation; so that we may say, in our hours of anxiety, "Jehovah-jireh, the Lord will provide." All this is perfectly compatible with the energetic. use of means for deliverance out of our trials. Indeed, wherever there is the neglect of means, there is simple presumption. 4. Notice, again, in the description of the duty set before us in the text, that it is to endure forever. We read here, "Trust in the Lord forever." This revolves both time and circumstances. II. THE ENCOURAGEMENT. The text tells us, "For in the Lord Jehovah there is everlasting strength"; or, "The Lord Jehovah is the Rock of Ages." The encouragement, therefore, is based on the everlasting strength of God. (H. M. Villiers, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:WEB: Trust in Yahweh forever; for in Yah, Yahweh, is an everlasting Rock. |
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