God's righteous judgments endures forever

Posted : 5 Sep, 2013 02:16 AM

Psalm 119:160 Your word is true from the beginning: and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.





The "loving-kindness and the truth of God" were two heavenly

notes, on which "the sweet Psalmist of Israel" loved to dwell His "loving-kindness" in giving, and His "truth" in fulfilling-His

gracious promises. Indeed the displays of His truth-whether to

His Church collectively, or to His people individually- have

always been every way worthy of Himself. Often has His word

seemed on the eve of being falsified, clearly with the design of

a brighter and more striking display of its faithfulness. The

very night previous to the close of the four hundred and thirty

years, Israel was, to all human appearances, as far from deliverance as at any former period. But "the vision was for an

appointed time:" nothing could hasten, nothing could delay it;

for "it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty

years, even the self-same day it came to pass, that all the

hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt." At a

subsequent period, the family of David appeared upon the

point of extinction; and it seemed as if the promise of God

would fall to the ground. But to exhibit the word of God, as

true from the beginning, a providential, and almost a

miraculous, interference was manifested. When Athaliah

destroyed all the seed-royal of the house of Judah, Joash was

stolen away, put under a nurse, hid in the house of the Lord

six years, and in God's appointed time brought forth to the

people as the fulfillment of the express promise of God-

"Behold! the king's son shall reign, as the Lord had said of the

sons of David."

"Whoever is wise, and will observe these things, even they

shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord."

And thus have many of His own people been tempted in

seasons of despondency to "charge God foolishly." But who of

them has not afterwards, in some unexpected deliverance,

"set to his seal"-Your word is true from the beginning? "The

Lord shall judge His people, and repent Himself for His

servants, when He sees that their power is gone, and there is

none shut up or left." And how do these recollections put to

shame the suggestions of unbelief, and strengthen our

confidence in the prospect, or even in the present endurance,

of "manifold temptations!"

The full acknowledgment of the truths of God's word is the

ground of all our peace and comfort. The believing reception

of the testimony opens to us a free access to God. We stand

before Him self-condemned, and yet we believe that "there is

no condemnation." "The Spirit bears witness" to and "with our spirits," that "this God is our God forever and ever"-"unto

death," in death, and through eternity. In this simplicity of rest

upon the testimony, we go to our God, like Abraham, in

sensible helplessness, but in assured confidence, "strong in

faith, giving glory to God."

Many, however, have been so used to indulge the pride of

their own reasonings, that they scarcely know how to read the

Book of God without caviling. If they believe while it is in their

hands, they are not prepared to give a reason of their faith.

They have ventured into conflict with the enemy with

unproved armor, and so have been shaken and troubled. Or

perhaps their faith does not reach the whole testimony: and

therefore, being partial only it is not genuine. For if we do not

give full credence to all, we do not give true credence to any.

We do not receive it on the authority of God, but only so far as

our reasoning can explain it, or our will may approve it. What

need then have we to pray for a teachable simplicity of faithnot asking-'What think you?' but-"How read you?" In this spirit

we shall hold our anchor on solid ground; and should we

again be "tossed with the tempest," we shall look to Him, who

stills the storm, and there shall be "a great calm." Confidence

simply built upon the word of God, will endure the storms of

earth and hell.

Yet we may loosely believe all, while we practically believe

none. The generalities of truth have no influence without an

individual application. The summary look of acquiescence will

miss all the solid blessings of a reverential and experimental

faith. But to find-as the woman of Samaria found-that 'it is all

true,'-because it answers to our convictions, our wants, and

our feelings to know that the promises are true, because they

have been fulfilled in us- this is tasting, feeling, handling-this is

indeed blessedness-this makes the word unspeakably

precious to us-"a treasure to be desired." To have the witness

in ourselves that "we have not followed cunningly devised fables," but that it is "a faithful saying, and worthy of all

acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save

sinners"-this is indeed "life from the dead." Oh! how should we

seek thus to receive the word "with much assurance!" The

Israelites were not satisfied with inquiring respecting the

manna-"What is this?" or with discovering that it had

descended from heaven; but they gathered it each for himself,

and fed upon it as their daily bread. Nor will it be of any avail

to us to prove beyond contradiction, and to acknowledge with

the fullest assurance, the truth of God's word, unless we thus

embrace it, and live upon it as our heavenly portion. Faith

alone can give this spiritual apprehension-"He who believes,

has the witness in himself." But if the word be the truth of God

from the beginning, it must be eternal truth in its character and

its results; like its Great Author in every particular-enduring

forever. "Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven;

Your faithfulness is unto all generations." Here is the rock of

my confidence. How could I rest my hope on any salvation,

that did not proceed from the primary, unchangeable, eternal

mind? What assurance could I have elsewhere, that the grand

plan might not be defeated by some unexpected combination?

Whereas every act of reliance in His faithfulness establishes

more firmly His title to my confidence, and strengthens the

soul into a habit of intelligent, vigorous faith.

Lord! give unto us that "precious faith," which makes the

acknowledgment of the truth of Your word from the beginning,

and its endurance forever, the spring of continual life and

consolation to our souls.



by

Charles Bridges

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