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THE BLESSEDNESS OF GOD’S PEOPLE
TO unfold the doctrines and duties of our holy religion is a matter of indispensable necessity to every one who would discharge the ministerial office with acceptance. Yet it is not necessary that a minister should always be laying the foundation of repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ: there are times and seasons when he should “go on unto perfection [Note: Heb_6:1.],” and exhibit Christianity in its highest stages of practical efficiency. The psalm before us will afford us ample scope for this. The words which we have just read are somewhat disconnected: but a slight alteration in the translation, whilst it will not affect the sense of the passage, will cast a light and beauty over it, and render it doubly interesting to us all. Two prelates of our Church agree in reading the passage thus: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, that abideth under the shadow of the Almighty; that saith of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I will trust.” Then the Psalmist, instead of proceeding regularly with his speech, breaks off, and in an apostrophe addresses the person whom he has been describing; “Surely he shall deliver thee [Note: Bishop Lowth and Bishop Horne, See Bishop Home on the place.],” &c. &c. According to this rendering, we have a clear exposition of the character and blessedness of every true believer. Let us consider, then,
I. His character—
He is not described either by his religious creed or by his moral conduct. We are led to view him rather in his secret walk with God: and in this view his character is portrayed,
1. Figuratively
[It will be remembered that God dwelt by a visible symbol of his presence in the tabernacle; and that the high-priest on the great day of annual atonement went within the veil, and abode there till he had sprinkled the blood of his sacrifices upon the mercy-seat, and covered the mercy-seat with his incense. Now, what he did corporeally once in the year, the true Christian does spiritually every day in the year; for through Christ we all are “made kings and priests unto our God.” Paint to yourselves, then, the high-priest in his occasional access to God; and there you see the Christian going continually within the veil, or rather habitually dwelling there, and “making God himself his habitation [Note: ver. 9.].” And truly this is “a secret place,” of which an unconverted man has no conception: it is “the secret of God’s pavilion, the secret of his tabernacle [Note: Psa_27:5.].” But we must divest ourselves of the notion of locality: for this place is wherever God manifests his more immediate presence: and therefore David beautifully calls it, “the secret of his presence [Note: Psa_31:20.].” There the Believer dwells: and, O! who can conceive “the fellowship which he there enjoys with God the Father and with the Lord Jesus Christ [Note: 1Jn_1:3.];” whilst they, with condescending and affectionate endearment, come to him, and abidingly feast with him [Note: Joh_14:21; Joh_14:23. Rev_3:20.]. In truth, the communion between God and the soul is such as no language can cunvey: it is nothing less than a mutual in-dwelling, resembling that which subsists between the Father and the Son; they being in God, and God in them; yea, and being one with God, and God with them [Note: Compare Joh_6:56 and 1Jn_4:15-16. with Joh_17:21-23.] — — — This is a mercy which the Believer alone enjoys. But some little idea of it may be formed from the favour conferred upon the camp of Israel in the wilderness. The cloudy pillar led them in all their way, affording them shade by day from the heat of the burning sun, and light throughout the night season. To no other people under heaven was this ever vouchsafed. And so it is with the camp of the true Israelites at this day: they, and they only, behold the light of God’s countenance in the nightseason of adversity; and they alone are sheltered from every thing that would oppress and overwhelm their souls; as it is written, “The Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming file by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence [Note: Isa_4:5.].”]
2. In plain terms—
[The workings of his mind, under all the trials and difficulties which he has to encounter, are here set forth. He is convinced that no created arm can be sufficient for him. Hence he directs his eyes towards the Creator himself, and saith of him, “He is my refuge” from every trouble: “He is my fortress” against every assailant: “He is my God,” all whose powers and perfections shall be employed for me. “In Him will I trust,” in Him only and exclusively; in Him always, under all circumstances; in Him, with perfect confidence and unshaken affiance. The man is not like the ungodly world, who know not what to do, and are at their wit s end when trouble comes: he is “in the secret place of the Most High;” and, where others can see nothing, he beholds “chariots of fire and horses of fire all around him [Note: 2Ki_6:17.],” or, rather, he beholds “God himself as a wall of fire round about him [Note: Zec_2:5.],” and has the very glory of God resting on him [Note: 1Pe_4:14.]. Thus is the true Believer distinguished from all others: “he beholds Him who is invisible [Note: Heb_11:27.];” and walks us in his immediate presence, saying, “If God be for me, who can be against me?”
Shall this be thought an exaggerated description? I do not say that the Divine presence is equally realized by all, or by any equally at all times: there are seasons when a Peter may be “of little faith [Note: Mat_14:31.];” and a Paul may need a special revelation for his support, saying to him, “Be not afraid; but speak, and hold not thy peace; for I am with thee; and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee [Note: Act_18:9-10,].” Nevertheless, in the general habit of their mind, their language is like that of David; “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies [Note: Psa_18:1-3.].”]
With such views of the believer’s character, you can have no doubt of,
II. His blessedness—
Here let the abruptness of the address be borne in mind. The Psalmist, instead of proceeding, as might have been expected, to declare the blessings which a person of this description should receive, addresses himself to that person in these animated terms: “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence; he shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” now, in these terms, he, in the very name of God himself, and in the most assured manner, pledges to him the protection,
1. Of God’s power—
[If war were raging in our country; or pestilence, like that which desolated Judea after David had numbered the people, and which probably gave occasion to this psalm, were carrying off multitudes all around us; we should enter more fully into the subject before us, and see more forcibly the exalted privileges of the true Believer. But we must remember that there is a moral “pestilence” raging all around us, and sweeping myriads into the pit of destruction. We should remember, too, that there is a spiritual “fowler,” who entangles, in his net, millions, unwary as the silly bird, and “leads them captive at his will [Note: 2Ti_2:26. Ô ï ῦ ä é á â ý ë ï õ ð á ã ß ä ï ò ἐ æ ù ã ñ ç ì Ý í ï é .].” What is the example of men in every walk of life, but one deadly contagion, from which it is almost impossible to escape? And what are those lusts and temptations with which we are continually beset, but baits, whereby the devil seeketh to ensnare us to our everlasting ruin? And who can preserve us from these snares, but God himself? Little will human wisdom or power avail against such potent enemies. Peter imagined himself secure enough from denying his Lord, when he formed so steadfast a resolution respecting it: but, as our Lord had forewarned him, “the cock did not crow twice, till he had denied him thrice.” And whomsoever Satan should get into his sieve, he would prove us all to be chaff, if we should be left without timely succour from on high [Note: Luk_22:31.], But “God will keep the feet of his saints [Note: 1Sa_2:9.],” and not suffer them to fall a prey to the destroyer. The care of a hen over her brood is well known. When a bird of prey is hovering over them, she calls them under her wings, and there preserves them in perfect safety. The bird of prey, when searching for them, can behold nothing but the dam. Thus will God preserve his people from all their enemies: “He will cover them with his feathers, and under his wings shall they trust:” yea, “their lives shall be hid with Christ in God,” beyond the reach of harm: and because “Christ himself is their life, when he shall appear, they also shall appear with him in glory [Note: Col_3:3-4.].” What was done by God for Israel in the wilderness, shall be done by him for every soul that puts its trust in him [Note: Deu_32:9-12.] — — —]
2. Of his faithfulness—
[For every believer the very truth of God is pledged; and “life is promised” to him by a “God who cannot lie [Note: Tit_1:2.].” It is not said that the believer shall not be tempted, or “be in heaviness through manifold temptations: but that he shall not be finally overcome, God docs engage; as the Apostle says: “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it [Note: 1Co_10:13.].” Here, I say, the very faithfulness of God is pledged; and we may be sure, that “of all the good things which he has promised to his people, not one shall ever fail [Note: Jos_23:14.].” No doubt they may through weakness be overcome for a season, as the lives of the most eminent saints but too clearly prove. But in such a case God has told us how he will act towards them: “If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail; my covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips: for once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David [Note: Psa_89:30-35.].” Of course, we are not to understand this of one who sins wilfully and habitually: for, whatever he may profess, he is no child of God, but a downright hypocrite: but of the weakest of real saints it is spoken (and to him it shall assuredly be fulfilled: for “it is not the will of our Father that one of his little ones should perish [Note: Mat_18:14.].”]
For a just improvement of this passage, let it be remembered,
1. In what way alone we can have access to God—
[We have spoken of the believer as “dwelling in God:” but how came he into that sanctuary? and where did he find a door of entrance? This is a point that should be well understood. There is but one way to the Father; and that is by Christ. Our blessed Lord himself tells us this, when he says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” It must never be forgotten, that in ourselves we are altogether departed from God; and that we can be “brought nigh only by the blood of Jesus.” It was by the blood of his sacrifice alone, that the High Priest, of whom we have before spoken, could come into the holy place of the Most High [Note: Heb_9:7.]: and it is by the blood of Jesus alone that we can venture into the holiest [Note: Heb_10:19.], or presume to ask any thing at the hands of God [Note: Heb_10:20-22.]. I beseech you, therefore, to bear this in remembrance, and never to call God yours, until you have come to him in his appointed way — — —]
2. What is that kind of confidence which we ought to maintain—
[It must not be presumptuous confidence, that overlooks the use of means or supersedes the necessity of holy fear. Satan could not be better served than by such confidence as that. And hence it was, that, in tempting our blessed Lord, he cited this very psalm, and urged a part of it as a warrant for him to cast himself down from a pinnacle of the temple; saying, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone [Note: ver. 11, 12. with Mat_4:6.].” Our Lord’s reply to him shews us our duty in relation to this matter; “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” We are not needlessly to expose ourselves to dangers, in the expectation that God will preserve us: nor are we to neglect the use of means, as though God were engaged to work miracles in our behalf. We must be humble, watchful, diligent; as it is written, “Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.” God has, indeed, engaged to “give us both to will and to do:” but, whilst we depend on him for his effectual aid, we must “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling [Note: Php_2:12-13.].” In every step of our way to Zion, we must cry, “Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe.”]
3. What should be the frame of our minds after we have come to him—
[I have said, ‘We should fear;’ for “blessed is the man that feareth always.” But this fear should temper, not weaken, our confidence in God. Hear what the Prophet Isaiah says: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for. ever; for with the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength [Note: Isa_26:3-4.].” St. Paul maintained to the uttermost the fear of which we have been speaking; for he “kept under his body, and brought it into subjection; lest that by any means, after he had preached to others, he himself should be a cast-away [Note: 1Co_9:27.].” But his confidence in God was entire. He defied all the powers in the universe to separate him from the love of God [Note: Rom_8:33-39.] — — — And you, also, may possess the same blessed hope, “knowing in whom you have believed [Note: 2Ti_1:12.],” and assured that none shall ever pluck you out of the Saviour’s hands [Note: Joh_10:28.].]