The fervency of his love and delight in the ways and word of God.

Posted : 31 Mar, 2013 06:54 AM

Psalm 119:48 My hands also will I lift up unto Your commandments, which I have loved: and I will meditate in Your statutes.





David seems at a loss for expressions adequately to set forth

the fervency of his love and delight in the ways and word of

God. Here we find him lifting up his hands with the gesture of

one, who is longing to embrace the object of his desire with

both hands and his whole heart. Perhaps also in lifting up his

hands unto the commandments, he might mean to express

his looking upward for assistance to keep them, and to live in

them. But how humbling this comparison with ourselves! Alas!

how often from the neglect of this influence of the Spirit of

God, do our "hands hang down," instead of being lifted up, in

these holy ways! We are too often content with a scanty

measure of love: without any sensible "hungering and thirsting

after righteousness;" neither able to pray with life and power,

nor to hear with comfort and profit, nor to "do good and

communicate" with cheerfulness, nor to meditate with spiritual

delight, nor to live for God with zeal and interest, nor to

anticipate the endurance of the cross with unflinching

resolution-the soul being equally disabled for heavenly

communion and active devotedness. Shall we look for ease

under the power of this deadening malady? Let us rather

struggle and cry for deliverance from it. Let us subscribe

ourselves before God as wretched, helpless, and guilty. He

can look upon us, and revive us. Let us then "take hold upon

His covenant," and plead that He will look upon us. Let us "put

Him in remembrance" of the glory of His name, which is much

more concerned in delivering us out of this frame, by His

quickening grace, than in leaving us, stupid, corrupt, and

carnal in it. Professor! awake: or beg of the Lord to awaken

you! For if your cold sleeping heart is contented with the

prospect of a heaven hereafter, without seeking for a present foretaste of its joy, it may be a very questionable matter

whether heaven will ever be yours.

Delight, however, will exercise itself in an habitual meditation

in the statutes. The breathing of the heart will be-"Oh, how

love I Your law! it is my meditation all the day." It is in holy

meditation on the word of God, that all the graces of the Spirit

are manifested. What is the principle of faith, but the reliance

of the soul upon the promises of the word? What is the

sensation of godly fear, but the soul trembling before the

threatenings of God? What is the object of hope, but the

apprehended glory of God? What is the excitement of desire

or love, but longing, endearing contemplations of the Savior,

and of His unspeakable blessings? Hence we can scarcely

conceive of the influence of grace separated from spiritual

meditation on the word. It is this which, under Divine teaching,

draws out its hidden contents, and exhibits them to the soul,

as the objects upon which the principles and affections of the

Divine life are habitually exercised. Not that any benefit can

be expected from meditation, even upon the word of God, as

an abstract duty. If not deeply imbued with prayer, it will

degenerate into dry speculative study. Without some distinct

practical application, it will be unedifying in itself, and

unsatisfactory for its important ends-the discerning of the mind

of God, and feeding upon the rich provision of the Gospel.

Why then is the Bible read only-not meditated on? Because it

is not loved. We do not go to it, as the hungry man to his food,

as the miser to his treasure. The loss is incalculable. Our

superficial knowledge has no practical influence. It is only as

we "search," that we "know it for our good."

Let it then be a matter of daily inquiry. Does my reading of the

word of God furnish food for my soul, matter for prayer,

direction for conduct? Scriptural study, when entered upon in

a prayerful spirit, will never, like many other studies, be unproductive. The mind that is engaged in it, is fitly set for

bearing fruit; it will "bring forth fruit in due season." Meditation

kindles love, as it is the effect of love, "While I was musing,

the fire burned." "Whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty,

and continues in it, this man is blessed in his deed." But let us

take heed, that the root of religion in the soul is not cankered

by the indulgence of secret sin. The largest supply of Christian

ordinances will fail to refresh us, except the heart be kept right

with God in simplicity of faith, love, and diligence in the

service of Christ.

Come then, Christian, let us set our hearts to a vigorous,

delighting devotedness to the statutes of our God. "It is not a

vain thing for us; because it is our life." But to regard some of

the words only would be to obey our own will, not God's. Let

us lift up our hands to them all. How shadowy is the joy of

speculative contemplation, if it does not draw the heart to

practical exercise! Let faith return our obligations in the full

apprehension of the Lord's mercy. And then will love constrain

us to nothing less than "a living sacrifice" to His service. If the

professor sleeps in notional godliness, let us employ our

active meditation in searching for the mine that lies not on the

surface, but which never fails to enrich diligent, patient,

persevering labor.



by

Charles Bridges

Post Reply