Psalm 119:149 Hear my voice according to Your loving-kindness: O Lord, quicken me according to Your judgment.
In the eyes of the world, David appeared "in all his glory,"
when seated on his throne, and surrounded with the
magnificence of his kingdom. But never did he appear so
glorious in the sight of God, as when presenting himself as a
suppliant before the mercy-seat, seeking an audience of the
King of Kings only to send up reiterated cries for quickening
grace. And do I not need the same grace every moment, in
every duty? Does not "the gift of God within me" need to be
daily "stirred up?" Are not the "things that remain" often "ready
to die?" Then hear my voice, O Lord; quicken me.
But to urge my suit successfully, I must "order my cause
before God;" I must "fill my mouth with arguments." And if I
can draw a favorable plea from the character of my Judge-if I
can prove that promises have been made in my behalf, these
will be most encouraging pledges of a successful issue. Now
David had been so used to plead in cases of extremity, that
arguments suited to his present distress were always ready at
hand. He now pleads with God for quickening grace, on the
ground of His own loving-kindness and judgment. Can He
"deny Himself?"
And with what "full assurance of faith," may I ask to be heard
on account of that transcendent proof of loving-kindness manifested in the gift of God's dear Son-not only as His chief
mercy, but as the pledge of every other mercy- and
manifested too at the fittest time-according to His judgment,-
after the inefficiency of the power of reason, and the sanctions
of the law, to influence the heart, had been most clearly
displayed! And what a plea is it to ask for quickening
influences, that this is the very end for which this gift of lovingkindness was given, and that the gift itself is the channel,
through which the quickening life of the Godhead is imparted!
Could I ask for this grace on any other ground than lovingkindness? All ground of fitness or merit is swept away. On the
footing of mercy alone, can I stand before Him. And how is my
faith enlivened in retracing the records of my soul from the
beginning-how He "betrothed"-how He "drew-me with lovingkindness!" May I not then cry-"Oh! continue Your lovingkindness?" And not less full is my conviction of His judgment,
in dealing wisely and tenderly with me, according to His
infallible perception of my need. Left to my own judgment often should I have prayed myself into evil, and asked what it
would have been my curse to have received. But I have
learned, that the child must not be guided by his own will, but
by his father's better mind-not the patient by his own humor,
but by the physician's skill. Truly, even the Lord's corrections
have been in judgment! And in the thankful remembrance of
them my confidence for the time to come is established!
Gladly will I "set to my seal," that "the Lord is a God of
judgment;" and that "blessed are all those who wait for Him."
He knows not only what grace is needed, but at what time.
Not a moment sooner will it come; not a moment later will it be
delayed. "As You will, what You will, when You will" (Thomas
a Kempis)-is the expression of faith and resignation, with
which all must be committed to the Lord, waiting for the end in
humility, desire, expectation. And if in pleading my suit for a
hearing according to His loving-kindness, my poor, polluted,
lifeless petitions should find no liberty of approach; may I be
but enabled to direct one believing look to "the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne!" and I will not doubt that my feeblest
