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I. THE STATE OF MIND HERE SPOKEN OF. The soul may be said to trust, or stay, upon anything, when it relies upon it for its present comfort and future salvation. The soul that possesses the blessing here spoken of, has for the object of its trust and stay the Lord Jehovah. It confides in His name and character as revealed in the Scriptures of truth: it relies upon His promises of mercy and grace declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord and derives its support and consolation from viewing God as "in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." This confidence in the Almighty stands opposed to various false refuges and deceitful grounds of confidence.

1. It is opposed to that confidence which men are often apt to place in an arm of flesh, in human wisdom, experience, power, interest, etc.

2. This affiance in the Lord Jehovah is likewise directly opposite to all reliance on our own services and performances.

3. This trust in Jehovah is very different from confidence placed in any feelings, or what are usually termed frames of mind. These are, at best, very uncertain, often very deceitful.

II. THE PROMISE OR BLESSING HERE SPOKEN OF. "Perfect peace."

1. There is an energetic simplicity in the original expression: it is "peace, peace"; intimating that the soul which steadfastly reposes itself on God, may expect every kind of peace as its portion. Whether you understand by the word, reconciliation with God, amity with men, composure in the conscience, resignation to the appointments of providence, rest from the turbulency of sinful passions and appetites, or finally, that everlasting state of rest and felicity which remains for the people of God; rain all these senses peace is the happy lot of those whose minds are stayed on God.

2. But the thing especially intended here seems to be composure of mind, as opposed to distraction or disquietude.

3. This may be properly termed, "perfect peace," not because it actually excludes every degree of disquietude from the soul; nor, as if in the measure in which it is enjoyed, it never met with any interruption; but it is perfect peace, when compared with any satisfaction or composure of mind which this world, or anything in it, can administer, and as proceeding from Him from whom cometh every good and every perfect gift; as being the best preparative for, and support under, the troubles of life, and, probably, the choicest foretaste that can be communicated to us of the peace of God's eternal kingdom.

4. This blessing will be enjoyed, this peace will be experienced in the soul, in proportion to the degree of its confidence in God.

III. ENFORCE THE EXHORTATION here given. "Trust ye in the Lord forever": to which is subjoined the encouraging declaration, "for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." Such an exhortation as this supposes their state to be distressing and dangerous, and that either through ignorance they are likely to betake themselves to false refuges, or through fear may be deterred from venturing upon what they believe to be the true one.

1. God calls upon you to do this.

2. Whatever your wants and necessities may be, you will thus obtain a rich and full supply of them.

3. Take the precious promises which He has caused to be recorded for this purpose.

4. Examples might also be produced from Scripture, in abundance, of those who looked unto Him and were lightened.

(S. Knight, M. A.)

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KJV: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

WEB: You will keep whoever's mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.