Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures for ever more. God appeals to us by various motives. Amongst others this, which is addressed to our natural desire for happiness, — the blessedness of the children of God in another world. In the hope that some may be constrained thereby to seek Christ, we would consider the words before as. Now were the promises of our text to be realised, then, what in a few years would be our happiness? I. IT WOULD BE COMPLETE. "Fulness of joy" is there. No more evil. Especially no more sin. Therein "dwelleth righteousness." It may be a far more glorious earth than ours, but this is not the substance of our hope. That hope is for freedom from sin; no more tormenting passions, no more envy, or anger, or tyrannical appetites. And there will be no more sight of evil in others. And no more temptations of Satan, And no more exposure to the wrath of God, for there shall be "no more curse." And death and sickness and pain shall be no more. Nor toil, nor weariness, nor want, for the Lord is our Shepherd and we shall not want. And then we shall see His glory and His bliss. And all this will make us like Him. Our body shall be changed "like unto His glorious body." That was revealed, in fact, at the Transfiguration. And what is better, we shall be like Him in mind as well as form. When we see His wisdom, goodness, holiness, truth and love, then shall we contract something of the same glory. And we shall share in His glorious bliss. It will be "fulness of joy." Each as happy as his soul can be. II. THEN JOYS WILL BE AS ETERNAL AS THEY ARE COMPLETE. Death shall not take them from us, nor will they be liable to decay. It is an inheritance "incorruptible" and that "fadeth not away." And yet many "make light" of these promises. They have no heart for such a heaven. May God change their heart. You, whose hope this is, live as those who look for such a heaven. (Baptist W. Noel, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. |
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