II. THE MEANS BY WHICH THIS PREDICTION IS TO BE FULFILLED. It is by prayer. Philosophy may object, but we rely on it as indispensable in the order of means. For prayer is the condition on which God puts forth His power. For with even more clearness than the law of the Divine unchangeableness is revealed, the law that prayer prevails with God is revealed likewise.

III. But not only does the text predict a change, and represent prayer as a means of realizing that change; IT DESCRIBES THAT PRAYER AS PARTAKING OF A SPECIFIC CHARACTER — as prayer for Christ; "prayer also shall be made for him continually."

IV. THE WISDOM AND GRACE OF THIS ARRANGEMENT. For —

1. It keeps us in our proper place, at the feet of God.

2. It gives us opportunity of afresh avowing our adoration of the scheme of redemption by Christ.

3. It affords the strongest assurance of success in prayer.

4. It enables all to show their love to Christ by aiding in the advancement of His Kingdom.

V. But let us regard THE ESPECIAL OBJECT OF OUR PRAYER in the behalf of Christ: what are we to pray for? Our prayers cannot be necessary for Him, in the same sense in which they are necessary for ourselves, and for each other. He knows no want, for all things are given into His hands. The prayer, then, that is to be made for Him is not to be made for Him personally, but relatively — on account of His relation to other beings — His relation to us. But not only is prayer to be made for the reign of Christ — the text predicts its continuity, or uninterruptedness; "prayer also shall be made for Him continually." Under the former dispensation, the fire which burnt upon the golden altar was never allowed to go out — and the ardent desire of the pious Israelites for the coming of Christ glowed continually on the altar of their hearts — it never went out. Observe, again, that prayer for Christ is to be offered conjointly with other things — "prayer also." In all conquered lands, the subjection of the people was marked by two things — their money was stamped with the name of the conqueror, and they were obliged to pray for him in their public worship. In allusion to this fact, it is here said of the conquering Saviour — "To Him shall be given of the gold of Sheba, prayer also shall be made for Him continually." The gold of Sheba — a portion of our worldly substance is to be devoted to Him, in connection with our prayers. For to pray in His behalf, without accompanying the act with this proof of our sincerity, would be as profane as to use all other kind of means except prayer would be impious. How many and how powerful the motives, then, which should induce us to pray for the reign of Christ! A sense of consistency demands it. A principle of benevolence to man requires it. A principle of gratitude requires it. He has prayed for us with strong crying and tears, or we should not, at this moment, be in a condition to pray for ourselves. He gave Himself for us. His priestly robes are never laid aside. And shall we intermit our prayers for Him? Let a sense of our obligation induce us to pray for Him.

(J. Harris, D. D.)

I. THE DEGREE OF THE CHURCH'S RESOURCES: that there may be sufficiency of fit instruments raised up.

II. THE FREEDOM OF ITS ADMINISTRATION — that all hindrances may be put out of the way.

III. THE DIFFUSION OF ITS PRINCIPLES — that they may spread everywhere.

IV. THE INCREASE OF ITS GLORY — that it may abound in all spiritual excellence. What reasons there are for such prayer: how certain it is to be heard if we be sincere in asking. Let our conduct prove this.

(W. Jay.)

I. WHAT SHOULD BE THE BURDEN OF OUR PRAYER? We do not want in any case to utter vain words when our knees are bent before the throne, but when we are praying for Jesus we must exercise very special care. We must endeavour to discover what Christ desires. We must pray intelligently, reverently, lovingly, and to purpose. How may this be done? The best way to plead intelligently for Christ is to remember the promises that are given concerning Him. Get hold of a promise and wrap our prayers about it; let the Word of God be the nucleus of your petition, and then frame your own loving supplications round the Spirit-breathed predictions. I have found, also, that in this matter of praying for Jesus a consideration of the character of His work is of considerable assistance. If you are wishing to do a friend a good turn, or to give a relation a present, you will naturally consider the bent of that friend's mind, the purpose of his life, the task that he may happen to have in hand, that you may give an appropriate present, or offer acceptable service. Act after the same manner with regard to Jesus. Contemplate Him, meditate upon His character, reflect on His tastes and predilections. Try to discover what would please Him most. Why was He hero on earth? He said Himself, "The Son of Man is come to seek and to Save that which was lost." Then pray that the lost may be saved; that will please Him well. He was here to make disciples; to gather round Him and behind Him a fitting retinue, as became the Prince of Life, albeit He was in disguise. Pray that the number of the disciples may be increased, that those who profess to follow Him may follow, not afar off. He was here to sanctify the saints, to wash them with the washing of water by the Word; He was here to make them clean away every whir, head, and hands, and heart, and feet. Well, pray that the saints may be made holy and kept holy, for this will please Jesus; it will mean the completion of the work that He came to earth to start,

II. HOW TO PRAY.

1. It must be continually, for so says the text, "Prayer also should be made for Him continually." Our interest in Christ should never subside; it should not even know the changes that affect our prayers for others. I am not sure that they should be so changeful, but certainly in our desire for Jesus there should be no sort of variation.

2. Then pray loyally. "Vivat Rex!" "Long live the King!" "Hosanna!"

3. Then pray generously and practically, for the text says that the gold of Sheba shall be given to Him. Praying and giving go well together. Let there be self-denial with all your supplications. Give to Him gold if you have it, or silver if you have nothing better. Give Him the best you possess.

4. Then pray praisefully, for those who pray continually are to praise daily. "Daily shall He-be praised." Adore Him while you pray for Him. And with all your praying let there be much of faith. Our prayers are wasted sometimes. Why? Because they are not prayers of faith.

(T. Spurgeon.)

II. THE SORT OF PRAYER SPOKEN OF IN THE TEXT EXPLAINS, ILLUSTRATES, AND JUSTIFIES THESE STATEMENTS. It is quite certain that Christ is to live and to prevail: it is equally certain that prayer is to be made for Him. Prayer is to be the great means of bringing in the kingdom: because Christ lives, prayer will be made: because prayer is made, His kingdom will continue to grow. He Himself has taught us thus to pray: when we say to the Father, "Thy kingdom come," we are truly praying for Christ, and the prayer is necessary to the coming of the kingdom.

III. PRAYER FOR CHRIST IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF PRAYER, It is much more important that He shall prosper than I or you. He is greater. He lives, I die. He lives not for Himself but for others; His prosperity will mean that abundant grace shall come to others; and my prayer for Him will help to hasten the day of His glory. So in praying for Him I am actually praying for all His people. Surely such prayer is the highest.

(W. Y. Fullerton.)

I. SUCH PRAYER ELEVATES THE TONE OF OUR PRAYERS. We can be selfish in prayer, and narrow, and sectarian, and even bitter; but praying for Christ will lift us above all this.

II. SUGGESTS MANY THEMES OF PRAYER — for fitting witnesses for the truth; for those labouring in the field; for doors of utterance to be opened; for conversion of many souls; for those who are saved; for the coming of Christ's kingdom.

III. INSPIRES US WITH PECULIAR EARNESTNESS. Consistency with my profession; gratitude, love to Him — all prompt such prayer.

IV. GIVES SPECIAL ENCOURAGEMENT IN OUR PRAYERS. For the worthiness of Christ and the promise of God encourage us.

V. DEMANDS CONSISTENT ACTION. It will hold us back from sin; make us thoughtful; diligent in service, etc. But let His great love constrain us.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

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Psalm 72:1-19

     5857   fame

The Poor Man's Friend
Turning to our text without further preface, we shall note in it the special objects of great grace. "He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper;" then, the special blessings which are allotted to them. Here it is said that he shall deliver them, but all through the psalms there are scattered promises full of instruction and consolation all meant for them. And, lastly, the special season which God has appointed for the dispensing of these favors. "He shall …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 18: 1872

David's Dying Prayer
In one sense this prayer is still unnecessary, for in a certain sense the whole earth is filled with God's glory. "All thy works praise thee, O God," is as true now as it was in paradise. The stars still sing their Maker's praise; no sin hath stopped their voice, no discord hath made a jarring note among the harmonies of the spheres. The earth itself still praiseth its Maker, the exhalations, as they arise with morn, are still a pure offfering, acceptable to their Maker. The lowing of the cattle, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Jesus --"All Blessing and all Blest"
THERE are many famous names in human history; but many of them are connected with deeds which have brought no blessing upon mankind. To bless, and to be blessed, is the noblest sort of fame; and yet how few have thought it worth the seeking! Full many a name in the roll of fame has been written there with a finger dipped in blood. It would seem as if men loved those most who have killed the most of them. They call those greatest who have been the greatest cutthroats. They make their greatest illuminations …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

Abandonment a Pledge of Predestination.
The state of abandonment contains in itself pure faith, hope, and charity. The state of abandonment is a certain mixture of faith, hope, and charity in one single act, which unites the soul to God and to His action. United, these three virtues together form but one in a single act, the raising of the heart to God, and abandonment to His action. But how can this divine mingling, this spiritual oneness be explained? How can a name be found to convey an idea of its nature, and to make the unity of this …
Jean-Pierre de Caussade—Abandonment to Divine Providence

The Song of Solomon.
An important link in the chain of the Messianic hopes is formed by the Song of Solomon. It is intimately associated with Ps. lxxii., which was written by Solomon, and represents the Messiah as the Prince of Peace, imperfectly prefigured by Solomon as His type. As in this Psalm, so also in the Song of Solomon, the coming of the Messiah forms the subject throughout, and He is introduced there under the name of Solomon, the Peaceful One. His coming shall be preceded by severe afflictions, represented …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Prayer and Missions
"One day, about this time, I heard an unusual bleating amongst my few remaining goats, as if they were being killed or tortured. I rushed to the goat-house and found myself instantly surrounded by a band of armed men. The snare had caught me, their weapons were raised, and I expected the next moment to die. But God moved me to talk to them firmly and kindly; I warned them of their sin and its punishment; I showed them that only my love and pity led me to remain there seeking their good, and that …
Edward M. Bounds—The Essentials of Prayer

Translators' Preface.
THE work, of which an English version is presented in this volume, appeared originally in 1837. It has already passed through four editions, from the last of which [2] this translation has been made. It is well known that Dr. NEANDER has been engaged for many years in writing a "General History of the Christian Religion and Church," and that he has published separately an account of the "Planting and Training of the Early Christian Church by the Apostles." He would doubtless have felt himself constrained, …
Augustus Neander—The Life of Jesus Christ in Its Historical Connexion

All Nations Shall Serve Him. --Ps. Lxxii. 11
All nations shall serve Him.--Ps. lxxii. 11. Fall down ye nations, and adore Jehovah on His mercy-seat, Like prostrate seas on every shore, That cast their billows at your feet. Let hallelujahs to the skies, With ocean's everlasting sound, (The voice of many waters) rise, Day without night, as time goes round. Come from the east,--with gifts, ye kings, Gold, frankincense, and myrrh; Where'er the morning spreads her wings, Let man to God his vows prefer. Come from the west,--the bond, the free, …
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

The Reign of Christ on Earth. --Ps. Lxxii.
The Reign of Christ on Earth.--Ps. lxxii. Hail to the Lord's Anointed! Great David's greater Son; Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun! He comes to break oppression, To set the captive free; To take away transgression, And rule in equity. He comes with succour speedy, To those who suffer wrong; To help the poor and needy, And bid the weak be strong; To give them songs for sighing, Their darkness turn to light; Whose souls, condemn'd and dying, Were precious in His sight. By such …
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

Jesus the Bread of Life.
JOHN vi. 1-59. In this chapter John follows the same method as in the last. He first relates the sign, and then gives our Lord's interpretation of it. As to the Samaritan woman, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so now to the Galileans, Jesus manifests Himself as sent to communicate to man life eternal. The sign by means of which He now manifests Himself is, however, so new that many fresh aspects of His own person and work are disclosed.[21] The occasion for the miracle arose, as usual, quite …
Marcus Dods—The Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of St. John, Vol. I

The Millennium in Relation to Sin.
In spite of the fact that Satan will have been removed from the earth, and that Christ reigns in person over it, yet conditions here will not be perfect even in the Millennium. Unregenerate human nature will remain unchanged. Sin will still be present, though much of its outward manifestation will be restrained. Discontent and wickedness will not be eradicated from the hearts of men, but will be kept beneath the surface by means of the Iron Rod. Multitudes will yield to Christ nothing but a "feigned …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

The Millennium in Relation to the World.
The Millennium will be the time, when, instead of Satan being the world's "Prince," the Christ of God shall be its King. The form of His government will be theocratic not democratic--"And the Lord shall be King over all the earth" (Zech. 14:9). The scope or range of His government will be world-wide. All nations will be subject to His rule, and the uttermost parts of the earth shall be possessed by Him. "He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

Prayer for and with Each Other.
"Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."--James v. 16. Let our last article touch once more the key of love wherein the article preceding that of prayer was set. To speak of the Spirit's work in our prayers, omitting the intercession of the saints, betrays a lack of understanding concerning the Spirit of all grace. Prayer for others is quite different from prayer for ourselves. The latter …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Epistle cxxi. To Leander, Bishop of Hispalis (Seville).
To Leander, Bishop of Hispalis (Seville). Gregory to Leander, Bishop of Spain. I have the epistle of thy Holiness, written with the pen of charity alone. For what the tongue transferred to the paper had got its tincture from the heart. Good and wise men were present when it was read, and at once their bowels were stirred with emotion. Everyone began to seize thee in his heart with the hand of love, for that in that epistle the sweetness of thy disposition was not to be heard, but seen. All severally …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Question Lxxxii of Devotion
I. Is Devotion a Special Kind of Act? Cardinal Cajetan, On the Meaning of the Term "Devotion" S. Augustine, Confessions, XIII. viii. 2 II. Is Devotion an Act of the Virtue of Religion? III. Is Contemplation, that is Meditation, the Cause of Devotion? Cardinal Cajetan, On the Causes of Devotion " " On the Devotion of Women IV. Is Joy an Effect of Devotion? Cardinal Cajetan, On Melancholy S. Augustine, Confessions, II. x. I Is Devotion a Special Kind of Act? It is by our acts that we merit. But …
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

The Great Crisis in Popular Feeling - the Last Discourses in the Synagogue of Capernaum - Christ the Bread of Life - Will Ye Also Go
THE narrative now returns to those who, on the previous evening, had, after the miraculous meal, been sent away' to their homes. We remember, that this had been after an abortive attempt on their part to take Jesus by force and make Him their Messiah-King. We can understand that the effectual resistance of Jesus to their purpose not only weakened, but in great measure neutralised, the effect of the miracle which they had witnessed. In fact, we look upon this check as the first turning of the tide …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Kinsman-Redeemer
'Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of Hosts is His name: He shall thoroughly plead their cause.'--JER. l. 34. Among the remarkable provisions of the Mosaic law there were some very peculiar ones affecting the next-of-kin. The nearest living blood relation to a man had certain obligations and offices to discharge, under certain contingencies, in respect of which he received a special name; which is sometimes translated in the Old Testament 'Redeemer,' and sometimes 'Avenger' of blood. What the etymological …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

His Future Work
The Lord Jesus Christ, who finished the work on earth the Father gave Him to do, who is now bodily present in the highest heaven, occupying the Father's throne and exercising His priesthood in behalf of His people, is also King. To Him belongeth a Kingdom and a kingly Glory. He has therefore a kingly work to do. While His past work was foretold by the Spirit of God and His priestly work foreshadowed in the Old Testament, His work as King and His glorious Kingdom to come are likewise the subjects …
A. C. Gaebelein—The Work Of Christ

What Messiah did the Jews Expect?
1. The most important point here is to keep in mind the organic unity of the Old Testament. Its predictions are not isolated, but features of one grand prophetic picture; its ritual and institutions parts of one great system; its history, not loosely connected events, but an organic development tending towards a definite end. Viewed in its innermost substance, the history of the Old Testament is not different from its typical institutions, nor yet these two from its predictions. The idea, underlying …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Poetical Books (Including Also Ecclesiastes and Canticles).
1. The Hebrews reckon but three books as poetical, namely: Job, Psalms, and Proverbs, which are distinguished from the rest by a stricter rhythm--the rhythm not of feet, but of clauses (see below, No. 3)--and a peculiar system of accentuation. It is obvious to every reader that the poetry of the Old Testament, in the usual sense of the word, is not restricted to these three books. But they are called poetical in a special and technical sense. In any natural classification of the books of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

The Security of Contemplatives Lies in their not Ascending to High Things if Our Lord Does not Raise Them. The Sacred Humanity must be the Road
1. There is one thing I should like to say--I think it important: and if you, my father, approve, it will serve for a lesson that possibly may be necessary; for in some books on prayer the writers say that the soul, though it cannot in its own strength attain to this state,--because it is altogether a supernatural work wrought in it by our Lord,--may nevertheless succeed, by lifting up the spirit above all created things, and raising it upwards in humility, after some years spent in a purgative life, …
Teresa of Avila—The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus

The Quotation in Matt. Ii. 6.
Several interpreters, Paulus especially, have asserted that the interpretation of Micah which is here given, was that of the Sanhedrim only, and not of the Evangelist, who merely recorded what happened and was said. But this assertion is at once refuted when we consider the object which Matthew has in view in his entire representation of the early life of Jesus. His object in recording the early life of Jesus is not like that of Luke, viz., to communicate historical information to his readers. …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Debt of Irenæus to Justin Martyr
If we are to proceed with safety in forming a judgment as to the relation between Justin and Irenæus in respect of the matter which they have in common, it will be necessary not merely to consider a number of selected parallels, but also to examine the treatment of a particular theme in the two writers. Let us set side by side, for example, c. 32 of Justin's First Apology with c. 57 of the Demonstration. Justin has been explaining to his Roman readers who the Jewish prophets were, and then …
Irenæus—The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching