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"Redemption" is a word which has gladdened many ears, when there was no heavenly sound in its blessed chime. Apart from any theological use of it, the word is a very sweet one, and has been melodious to many hearts. In those days when piracy was carried on continually along the coast of Africa, when our fellow-Christian subjects were caught by corsairs, and carried away captive, you can well understand how the burdened soul of the manacled slave, chained to the oar of his galley, was gladdened by the hope that possibly there would be redemption. His cruel master, who had forced him into his possession, would not willingly emancipate him; but a rumour came, that in some distant nation they had raised a sum of money to purchase the freedom of slaves — that some wealthy merchant had dedicated of his substance to buy back his fellow-countrymen; that the king himself upon his throne had promised to give a liberal redemption that the captives among the Moors might return to their homes. Truly I can suppose the hours would run happily along, and the dreariness of their toil would be assuaged, when once that word "redemption" had sounded in their ears. So with our fellow-subjects and our fellow-men, who once were slaves in our West Indian settlements. We can well conceive that to their lips the word redemption must have been a very pleasing song. O there are many sonnets in that one word, "redemption"! Now, ye who have sold for nought your glorious heritage; ye who have been carried bondslaves into Satan's dominion; ye who have worn the fetters of guilt and groaned under them; ye who have smarted beneath the lash of the law; what the news of redemption has been to slaves and captives, that will it be to you. It will cheer your souls and gladden your spirits, and more especially so when that rich adjective is coupled with it "plenteous redemption."

I. REDEMPTION. What has Christ redeemed? His redemption is a very compendious redemption. He has redeemed many things; He has redeemed the souls of His people; He has redeemed the bodies of His people; He has redeemed the original inheritance which man lost in Adam; He has redeemed, in the last place, the world, considered in a certain sense — in the sense in which He will have the world at last. "The whole creation," said Paul, "groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now"; waiting for what? "waiting for the redemption"; and by the redemption I understand that this world shall be washed of all her sin; her curse shall be removed, her stains taken away, and this world shall be as fair as when God first struck her from His mind. This Christ has redeemed; this, Christ shall, and most assuredly must, have.

II. "PLENTEOUS REDEMPTION."

1. It is "plenteous" when we consider the millions that have been redeemed.

2. It is "plenteous," again, if we consider the sins of all who are redeemed. S. Remember, again, that this "plenteous redemption" is plenteous because it is enough for all the distresses of all the saints. Your wants are almost infinite; but this atonement is quite so.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

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KJV: Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

WEB: Israel, hope in Yahweh, for with Yahweh there is loving kindness. With him is abundant redemption.