Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with your likeness. A good man's consolation in a time of severe distress. He contrasts his enemies' condition and his own. They had their portion in this life. He looked for his in the life to come. I. THE AWAKENING. According to the ideas commonly entertained with regard to our state now and hereafter, we are awake in this life, and we sleep at death. The text suggests another thought, namely, that in this life we are asleep, and at death we wake out of sleep. Before conversion men may certainly be said to be asleep. Sin acts as a sedative. But that is not the thought here. The Psalmist was a godly man, and yet, comparing his present condition with the future, he regarded himself as asleep. We, too, have felt at tunes that the best known and most active of our powers are comparatively dormant. And it is reasonable to suppose that there are other faculties and powers within us at present slumbering, of whose existence we have no consciousness, and for which we have no name. II. THE SIGHT WHICH HE WOULD WITNESS. "I shall behold Thy face in righteousness." The face of a familiar friend is welcome. The very sight of him sometimes does good. God's face is invisible at present. "Now we see through a glass darkly." How dim is the outline of His character! Many call God their Father who would be ashamed to exhibit the qualities which they attribute to Him. Sometimes God's face does seem averted or disguised. "Clouds and darkness are round about Him." The sight of God's face will not afford delight to everyone. In some it will awaken terror; in others shame. III. THE SATISFACTION WHICH THE SIGHT WILL AFFORD. "I shall be satisfied." The worldling is not satisfied, and cannot be. The Christian cannot find satisfaction in anything that the world offers. (F. J. Austin.) Parallel Verses KJV: As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. |
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