James Nisbet Commentary - Psalms 16:3 - 16:3

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James Nisbet Commentary - Psalms 16:3 - 16:3


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

HIS DELIGHTS ARE WITH THE SONS OF MEN

‘All my delight is upon the saints, that are in the earth: and upon such as ercel in virtue.’

Psa_16:3 (Prayer Book Version)

The history of mankind, whether secular or religious, resolves itself ultimately into the history of a few individuals. God carries out His work of continuous redemption by the energy of the chosen few. Into their hearts He pours the power of His Spirit; upon their heads He lays the hands of His consecration. The deliverance of men has never been wrought by the multitude, always by the individual.

From this method of God’s working we may learn:—

I. The secret, and the sole secret, of moral power.—What was it which again and again overcame the world? Was it not faith, showing itself by self-sacrifice? Is not that secret open to the knowledge, feasible to the practice, of every one of us?

II. We may notice, secondly, that the work of these saints of God, being always and necessarily human, is never permanent in its results.—Christianity is no stereotyped system; it is no human theology; as such it is nothing; only as a Divine effort, only as an eternal progress, only as a living force, only as an inspiring, continuous effort, can Christianity regenerate the world.

III. Notice that the apparent failures were never absolute.—No good man, no saint of God, has ever lived or died in vain. The seed is not quickened except it die: even in its death, but only by its death, comes the promise of the golden grain. Heaven is for those who have failed on earth.

—
Dean Farrar.

Illustration

(1) ‘We may well regret that this psalm does not form one of our Proper Psalms for Easter Day, and is not referred to in any of the Proper Lessons for that great festival in the Lectionary. The psalm is Messianic, and predicts resurrection.’

(2) ‘There are times when our hearts are glad and we need for the expression of our gladness a “Michtam” or golden song. This psalm was written for those hours, alas! too rare, when we exult in a jubilant faith, and know it is well with us for time and well for eternity. A psalm for such an experience well begins: “Keep me, O God, for I trust in Thee.” True peace is of grace, the fruit, indeed, of faith, but, nevertheless, ripened only by the sunshine of Divine favour. When the soul is released from affliction it longs for service. Here comes the recognition of the truth that the service of man is the service of God, which is not a modern discovery: “What good I can do, cannot reach Thee in Thy greatness, but it may help Thy people on earth, and this is what I enjoy.” In the exercises of true religion there is joy, and in those of false religion there is multiplication of sorrow. It is faith in the true God, Jehovah, that sweetens the cup of life.’