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ACCESS TO GOD IN ORDINANCES
IT is supposed that David wrote both this and the preceding psalm when he was driven from Jerusalem by his rebellious son, Absalom. After briefly calling on God to judge between him and his blood-thirsty enemies, he here shews, that the being separated from divine ordinances was to him the heaviest part of his affliction. True, indeed, his faithful servants, Zadok and Abiathar, had brought him the ark; but that he sent back again to its wonted residence [Note: 2Sa_15:25.]; for to have the symbol of the Deity without his actual presence and favour, would afford him little consolation or benefit. To enjoy God in his ordinances, was his supreme delight. And hence he implores of God to “send forth his light and his truth,” to conduct him back to them; for who but God could devise a way for his return? or what had he to depend upon in this hour of his extremity, but the promise and protection of God himself? In the event of his being restored to God’s tabernacles, he determined that he would go with more delight than ever “to the altar of his God, even to God himself, who was his exceeding joy,” and there pay to God the vows which he had made: yes, and the harp which now hanged upon the willows should again be tuned, to sing with more devotion than ever the praises of his God. What he here promises, we find in another psalm he actually performed, as soon as the desired deliverance had been vouchsafed: “Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads: we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out, into a wealthy place. I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings: I will pay thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. I will offer unto thee burnt-offerings of failings, with the incense of rams: I will offer bullocks with goats [Note: Psa_66:12-15.].”
The words of my text consist of two parts; a devout petition to God to restore him to his wonted enjoyment of divine ordinances; and a joyful anticipation of augmented zeal in the service of his God. And, in correspondence with these, we see what, under all circumstances, it becomes us chiefly to affect; namely,
I. An intelligent and believing access to God—
It is not sufficient that we attend divine ordinances. Many frequent them without any benefit at all. We must be “led to them by God’s light and truth,” that so we may attend upon them with intelligence and faith.
[Who but God can teach us how to approach him acceptably? Or what hope can we have in approaching him, except from the promises which he has given us in the Son of his love? In order to derive benefit to our souls, we must entreat God to “send forth his light and his truth, that they may lead us.” It is only as reconciled to us in Christ Jesus, that we can venture to draw nigh to God: for in himself, though a God of love to the penitent, he is to the impenitent “a consuming fire.” Nor could we presume to come to him in Christ Jesus, if he had not expressly declared that he would forgive our sins, and receive us to mercy for Jesus’ sake — — — “This is the new and living way which God has opened to sinful man [Note: Heb_10:19-20.];” (all access to the tree of life in any other way is barred for ever [Note: Gen_3:24.];) and we should implore of God to reveal it to us, that so we may find acceptance with him, and be restored to that communion with him from which “we have been separated by our sins [Note: Isa_59:2.].”]
But we should look still farther to,
II. A life of entire devotedness to his service—
David would offer on God’s altar the sacrifices appointed by the Law. But we have a richer offering than all the cattle upon a thousand hills: yes, we ourselves are the sacrifices which God calls for; and, “as living sacrifices we must present ourselves to him,” that every faculty and power we possess may be consecrated altogether to his service [Note: Rom_12:1.].
[Truly, if God was to David “his exceeding joy,” much more must he be so to us. To David, the wonders of Redeeming Love were, comparatively, but little known. Even John the Baptist himself had but a faint insight into them, in comparison of us. “The height and depth and length and breadth of the love of Christ,” which not even an Archangel can fully comprehend, are revealed to us; and in the contemplation of them we should “rejoice in Him with joy unspeakable and glorified [Note: 1Pe_1:8.].” Never should our harp lie still. We should be singing his praises every day, and all the day long Nor need our access to God be in the least restrained by the want of public ordinances. Doubtless they are of infinite value; for “God loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob:” but in every house, and in every heart, is an altar to the Lord, from whence the sacrifices of prayer and praise may ascend up before God continually, and be regarded by him as “offerings of a sweet-smelling savour.” In a word, to be devoted to God in heart and life is the great end of ordinances; which are no farther serviceable to us, or acceptable to God, than as they are productive of these effects. And, as it was for this end that David so earnestly implored of God a restoration to his ordinances, so it is this which, in attending upon ordinances, we, my Brethren, must continually bear in mind, and make the great object of our pursuit.]
Apllication—
[As for those who are strangers to spiritual religion, I forbear to address this subject to them; for to them it can appear, as the Apostle tells us, no better than “foolishness [Note: 1Co_2:14.]:” and their very ignorance of the subject is itself a sufficient condemnation to them. But to those who have been endued with somewhat of a spiritual discernment, I may say, this subject affords abundant matter for the deepest humiliation. For, who amongst us values God’s ordinances as David did, and accounts the loss of them the most bitter ingredient even in the bitterest cup which he has to drink? And, in attending upon them, what coldness and formality do we too often feel! As for “our joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” how faint is it, when compared with that which he expressed in the psalm before us, even in the midst of his heavy and accumulated afflictions! Dear Brethren, I blush for you, and for myself also: and I would propose to you to adopt, for our future imitation, that resolved purpose of the Psalmist, “O God, my heart is fixed, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Awake up my glory, awake psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people; I will sing unto thee among the nations: for thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth [Note: Psa_57:7-11.].” Happy shall we be if we attain to such a frame; for it is an anticipation and foretaste of heaven itself.]