The perverseness of the proud will be sure to put them to shame.

Posted : 22 May, 2013 02:19 AM

Psalm 119:80. Let my heart be sound in Your statutes, that I be not ashamed.





The perverseness of the proud will be sure to put them to

shame. As the preservative from this shame, David prays

therefore for a sound heart-filled with solid principle-delivered

into the mold of the word-like the sacrifices of the law-entire

for God. Often had he prayed for Divine teaching-now he begs

for soundness in the Lord's statutes. How many "have made

shipwreck of faith and of a good conscience," from an

unsound heart! Ignorant of the spirituality of God's

requirements, and resting in an outward obedience, they

falsely conceive themselves to be "alive without the law," and

"touching the righteousness that is of the law, blameless."

Others go a little beyond the surface; while the want of

"simplicity and godly sincerity," of brokenness of heart, love to

the Savior, and dependence upon His grace, sooner or later

discovers to their eternal confusion, that "the root of the matter

is" not "in them." "Their root shall be as rottenness, and their

blossom shall go up as dust. Their goodness is as a morning

cloud, and as the early dew it goes away." An unsound

professor, like beautiful fruit, may attract the careless eye; but

a more narrow inspection will show a worm at the core, which

has spoiled nearly to the surface. Such religion is only a

shriveled mass of inactive formality-a dead image of a living

thing.

Alas! how common is it to profess to take Christ for a Savior,

while the heart is evidently worshiping Mammon as its God!-

constrained-not inclined-to the Lord's statutes! How possible

is it to be "carnally-minded" in the daily routine of spiritual

exercises! How important is the recollection, that no change of

place, of company, or of circumstances, can of itself effect a change of heart! "Saul among the prophets" was Saul still;

with "another heart" indeed, but not a new heart. Sin was

restrained, but not crucified. He "went out," therefore, as one

of his progenitors, "from the presence of the Lord," and

perished, a miserable apostate from the statutes of his God.

Will profession-knowledge-gifts-feelings-privileges-avail for a

sound heart? Need we speak of Judas-a follower-no, even, an

apostle of Jesus Christ- living in a familiar communion with his

Lord-yet with all his privileges-all his profession, "gone to his

own place"-the melancholy victim of his own selfdeceitfulness? Need we allude to Balaam-"the man whose

eyes were open-which heard the words of God-which saw the

vision of the Almighty"-who could in the ken of his eye mark

the goodness of the Lord's inheritance, and even in the distant

horizon catch a glimpse of "Jacob's star and scepter," and yet

"loved the wages of unrighteousness?" Need we bring to the

mind's eye Ananias and Sapphira? Alexander-and others of

like stamp- all of whom once shone as stars in the skies of the

church-need we speak of the end of these men, to give

energy to the prayer-Let my heart be sound in Your statutes?

How fearful the thought of being "a branch in the true vine"

only by profession! to be "taken away" at length-"cast forth as

a branch- withered-gathered-cast into the fire-burned!" It is in

the inner man that hypocrisy sets up its throne; whence it

commands the outward acts into whatever shape or form may

be best suited to effect its purpose. The upright Christian will

therefore begin with calling in the help and light of God to

ascertain the soundness of his heart. "Search me, O God, and

know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if

there be any wicked way in me." Can there be a true and solid

work, where there is a professed change of heart, and no

manifested change of temper and conduct? Can that heart,

which is found upon inquiry to be earthly-unprofitable under

the power of the word-"regarding" secret "iniquity"-seeking

bye-ends of praise, reputation, or gain-and for the attainment of these ends shrinking from the appointed cross-can that

heart be sound in the Lord's statutes? Impossible.

But, on the other hand, do you find that your trust in God is

sincere, your desire towards Him supreme, your obedience to

Him entire? Prize those evidences of soundness of heart.

Thank God for them. They are the workings of His mighty

Spirit in your heart-perhaps the answer to the prayer which

that same Spirit had indited, Let my heart be sound in Your

statutes. Diligently improve all the means of grace for keeping

your heart in a vigorous state. Be daily-yes, continuallyabiding in the vine, and receiving life and health from its

fullness. Be much conversant with the word of God-loving it

for itself-its holiness-its practical influences. Be chiefly afraid

of inward decays-of a barren, sapless notion of experimental

truth; remembering, that except your profession be constantly

watered at the root, "the things that remain in you will be

ready to die." Specially "commune with your own heart."

Watch it jealously, because of its proneness to live upon itselfits own graces or fancied goodness (a sure symptom of

unsoundness)-instead of "living by the faith of the Son of

God." Examine your settled judgment, your deliberate choice,

your outgoing affections, your habitual, allowed practice;

applying to every detection of unsoundness the blood of

Christ, as the sovereign remedy for the diseases of a

"deceitful and desperately wicked heart."

But it may be said-will not these exercises of godly jealousy

hinder our Christian assurance? Far from it. They will form an

efficient preservative from carnal security. They will induce

increasing tenderness, activity, and circumspection, in our

daily walk; and thus, instead of retarding the enjoyment of our

heavenly privilege, they will settle the foundation of a peaceful

temperament. It is a light and careless frame, that is the real

hindrance to confidence. An unsound professor knows

nothing of the true spirit of adoption-nothing of that holy familiarity, with which a child of God unbosoms himself to his

heavenly Father; and if he preserves an empty name in the

church, he will be put to shame before the universe of God.

But the sound heart is connected with "a hope that makes not

ashamed"-the full blessing of scriptural confidence. For the

heart is made sound by the "sprinkling of the blood of Christ;"

and when thus "sprinkled from an evil conscience," we "have

boldness" to "draw near"-yes, even to "enter into the holiest,"-

"in full assurance of faith." Blessed privilege of access and

communion with our reconciled God! Every moment endears

the Savior to our souls, and enlivens the hope of his glorious

coming, as the joyful consummation of all the prospects of

faith-"Herein is our love made perfect,

that we may have boldness in the day of judgment."



by

Charles Bridges

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