This is genuine faith, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him."

Posted : 13 May, 2013 02:12 AM

Psalm 119:76 Let, I pray You, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort: according to Your word unto Your servant.





What! does the Psalmist then seek his comfort from the very

hand that strikes him? This is genuine faith, "Though He slay

me, yet will I trust in Him." The very arm that seems to be

uplifted for my destruction, shall be to me the arm of salvation.

Several of the preceding verses have spoken of affliction. The

Psalmist now prays for alleviation under it. But of what kind?

He does not "beseech the Lord, that it might depart from him."

No. His repeated acknowledgments of the supports given

under it, and the benefits he had derived from it, had

reconciled him to commit its measure and continuance to the

Lord. All that he needs, and all that he asks for, is, a sense of

His merciful kindness upon his soul. Thus he submits to His

justice in accumulated trials, and expects consolation under

them, solely upon the ground of His free favor. Indeed, it is

hard to hold on under protracted affliction without this precious

support. Patience may restrain murmuring but a sense of love

alone keeps from fainting. Holiness is our service-affliction is

our exercise-comfort is our gracious reward. All the candles in

the world, in the absence of the sun, can never make the day.

The whole earth, in its brightest visions of fancy, destitute of

the Lord's love, can never cheer nor revive the soul. Indeed, it

matters little where we are, or what we have. In the fullness of

refreshing ordinances, unless the Lord meets us, and blesses

us with His merciful kindness for our comfort, it is "a thirsty

land, where no water is." Absalom might as well have been at

Geshur as at Jerusalem, so long as he "saw not the king's

face." Nothing that the Lord "gives us richly to enjoy" will

satisfy, if this source of refreshment be withheld. The

worldling's inquiry is-"Who will show us any good?" The

Christian forms his answer into a prayer-"Lord! lift up the light

of Your countenance upon me." Let Your merciful kindness be

for my comfort. This gives the enjoyment of every real good,

and supplies the place of every fancied good. It is a blessing that never cloys, and will never end: and every fresh taste

quenches the thirst for earthly pleasures. "Whoever drinks of

this water"-says our Divine Savior-"shall thirst again. But

whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never

thirst!" "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He shall give you the

desires of your heart."

But, Reader, do you wish to realize this comfort? Then seek to

approach your God by the only way of access. Learn to

contemplate Him in the only glass in which a God of love is

seen-"in the face of Jesus Christ." Guard against looking for

comfort from any other source. Beware especially of that

satisfaction in creature-cisterns which draws you away from

"the fountain of living waters." Learn also to prize this comfort

supremely, and not to be content without some enjoyment, or

even with a scanty measure of enjoyment; but rather let every

day's refreshment be made a step for desiring and attaining

renewed and sweeter refreshment for to-morrow. Some,

however, appear to look at David's experience, as if at present

they could hardly expect to reach its happiness: and so they

go on in a low, depressed, and almost sullen state, refusing

the privileges, which are as freely offered to them as to others.

But such a state of mind is highly dishonorable to God. Let

them earnestly plead their interest in the word of promiseAccording to Your word to Your servant. Let them lay their

fingers upon one or all of the promises of their God. Let them

spread before the Lord His own handwriting and seals; and

their Savior has said-"According to your faith be it unto you."

"The king is held in the galleries;" and, if He should "make as

though He would go farther," He is willing that we should

"constrain Him, saying, Abide with us." No veil now but the

veil of unbelief need hinder us from seeing an unclouded

everlasting smile of merciful kindness upon our heavenly

Father's reconciled face. Only let us see to it, that He is the

first, the habitual object of our contemplation, the satisfying

well-spring of our delight-that He is the one desire, to which every other is subordinate, and in which every other is

absorbed.

Lord Jesus! I would seek for a renewed enjoyment in Your

merciful kindness. I would not forget, that it was this that

brought You down from heaven-that led You to endure the

death of the cross-that has washed me in Your precious

blood-that visits me with many endearing tokens of Your love.

Oh, let all my days be spent in the sense of this merciful

kindness for my comfort, and in rendering to You the unworthy

returns of grateful, filial service.



by

Charles Bridges

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