Psalm 31:19 Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for them that fear you… I. THE SUBJECT OF HOLY WONDER. "Thy goodness." 1. David is astonished at the great goodness of God which is laid up; the goodness of God which David had not as yet tasted, had not actually received, but which his faith realized, and looked upon as its fixed and settled heritage. (1) Think of how much He laid up in His eternal purpose, when He chose His people, and laid up for them the grand intention (Malachi 3:17). (2) How great is the goodness of God, which He laid up in the covenant of grace. (3) Think of what He has laid up in the person of His Son — the same treasure, only now more clearly revealed to us, and brought forth in the person of the Well Beloved, so that we may the more readily partake of it. Pardon for all your sins; justification through faith in His sacrifice; life through His death; sanctifying power is in the blood of Jesus. All that you can want, for the whole journey from the place where you now are right up to the right hand of the Most High — all this is laid up for you. "Ye are complete in Him."(4) Think of what is laid up for you in the work, office, and mission of the Holy Spirit. Do not imagine that the standard of your attainment is the maximum of a Christian. Do not consider that you have obtained all that God is willing to bestow. The laid-up treasures in the Holy Spirit are probably vastly greater than any of us have ever been enabled to conceive. (5) The greatest goodness of all, we sometimes think, but perhaps improperly, is that goodness which is to be revealed when this life is over, which God has laid up for them that fear Him. The night lasts not for ever: the morning cometh. 2. There are some treasures which we enjoy now. (1) Think of that which Christ wrought out before the sons of men in Gethsemane's sweat and blood, in Gabbatha's scourging, in Golgotha's death. (2) Think of what God has wrought out for you in your own experience in the work of the Holy Spirit upon your soul. Blessed be God, with a thousand imperfections and faults, still I find in my soul some kindlings of love towards His name. (3) We have also another instance of what God has wrought out for us in the shape of providential mercies. We have all some providences to remember which seem very special to us. II. THE FAVOURED PERSONS WHO ENJOY THE LORD'S GREAT GOODNESS. Why is it put so — "Laid up for them that fear Thee; wrought for them that trust in Thee;" unless it be true that he who trusts God fears God? The whole compass of the fear of God is gathered up into a centre in that point of trust. Why so? 1. Because trust is the root of true fear. To trust God is the root of all genuine religion. "Without faith, it is impossible to please God." Faith is the foundation of all the other graces. 2. Faith or trust is the test of the genuineness of religion. 3. Trust is the flower of the fear of God. The highest morality is to trust Christ. III. SOME THINGS THAT MAKE US SEE THAT GREATNESS. 1. Observe the multitude of these people. The goodness of God to any one of them is quite unsearchable, but what must be the great goodness which He has laid up for all His people! 2. Think of the undeservingness of each one of these. Many of them the chief of sinners. 3. Remember the need they were in. 4. Think of the great goodness of God to His saints in contrast to the great evil of man to them. Some of these saints have died cruel deaths. The most of them have had to pass through obloquy and scorn; but oh! bow great is Thy goodness which Thou hast wrought in them, sustaining them all, and making them more than conquerors through Him that loved them! IV. WHAT SHOULD THIS TEACH US? 1. Should it not make us grateful to God for such wondrous kindness? Can you not afford a song? 2. Let it inspire us with confidence. All that you can want is provided in Christ. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! |
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