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We are wont to admire much in our fellow-men the open hand, the free, generous impartation of what we have to those who have not. It is by no means too common a sight, but a very pleasant one when it can be seen. Close-fistedness is much more the rule than open-handedness. But God is the God of the open hand; the bounteous Benefactor of all, of good and bad alike. And not alone the love of God is shown, but his power likewise. With what toil and stress do we accomplish our works! what strain of effort we put forth! But God has but to open his hand: he speaks, and it is done; he commands, and, etc. All the processes and products of nature are but the opening of his hand; thus simply, and with the august and Divine spontaneity of omnipotence, he supplies and satisfies the innumerable, varied, ever-recurring, and vast necessities of all his creatures.

I. HOW ARE WE TO UNDERSTAND This? Certainly the broad declarations of this verse need explanation. Hence we remark:

1. That the desires which God will thus satiny do not mean all desires. Those of the wicked God does not satisfy. He may at times seem to; but ask the wicked themselves whether even then they are satisfied. They are not, and never can be. And there are many foolish and mistaken desires of good men which God does not satisfy; it would be ill for us if he did.

2. But they are the desires which he himself purposed that they should be satisfied. He created them, and designs that they should be met; they belong both to the body and the soul; they have to do with time, and with eternity likewise.

3. The universality of the text must not be insisted on even for these. For it declares only what is the general order of God's dealings with his creatures; it is his rule, but that rule has many exceptions. The lower and lesser purpose of satisfying our desires may have to give way to one that is higher and greater. This is the meaning of all the afflictions of the righteous.

4. Nevertheless, the rule holds good. God does open his hand, etc. We are apt so to gaze on the exceptions as to lose sight of the rule; this is wrong and hurtful every way.

5. And God acts in varied ways, not in any one way only. For all creatures other than man he ministers directly to their need; but for man he employs our own faculties, and thus only indirectly are our desires satisfied.

II. WHAT IS ITS PROOF? Many think in their hearts, and some openly say, that it is their own efforts that secure to them the satisfaction of their desires. God does not give to them their daily bread - they earn it; man is his own provider. Hence they demur to such declarations as in this verse. But a little reflection will show the fallacy of such thoughts; for:

1. Does not God provide both the tools - powers of mind and body - with which we work, and the material on which we work! Hence, were there only our work, where would our satisfied desires be? And the energy, too, the living force without which we could not work at all - is not this also from God? What a mere fraction of all that needs to be done is that which we do!

2. And were it much greater, what would that be in view of the magnitude, variety, and urgency of need that meets us on every hand? If God did not do as is here said, what could man do? How idle, then, is it to attribute to any other than God the supply of all our wants!

III. WHAT DOES IT SAY TO US? Very much indeed; God help us to give heed! And:

1. "Bless ye the Lord, praise him and magnify him for ever." That surely is the first claim which this truth makes upon us.

2. "Oh, put thy trust in the Lord." Does not that word come to us from all these bounties of our God?

3. "If God thus cares for my body, will he not much more care for my soul? " Will he thus minister to the short-lived, material nature, and neglect or forget the eternal and spiritual? It is impossible.

4. What must the abominableness of sin be that compels a God so gracious to inflict on us, because of it, so great and awful distresses? Not for a little thing would man have to suffer as we see he has.

5. If the opening of his hand be so blessed for us, what must be the result of the shedding of the blood of his well-beloved Son? Let us not be content with the lower gifts, as too many are, but seek those highest ones which are the purchase of the blood of Christ.

6. Let us be open-handed ourselves. (Altered and abridged from A. Fulter.) - S.C.

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KJV: Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

WEB: You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing.