Psalm 88:18 Lover and friend have you put far from me, and my acquaintance into darkness. 1. Acquaintance — knowing about Him only; — His birth, His life, His words familiar, but Himself unknown. Familiar with His circumstances, but ignorant of His true life — that heart of love. 2. Friend how much nearer is this! Here is trust; here is fellowship; here is love. His claim is admitted and is responded to, and His company is welcomed with delight. 3. But there is another relationship, infinitely more tender and more complete, which we may venture to claim as ours — lover: to love Him with a love that possesses us, that masters us, that subdues and compels all that we are and all that we have for His service and pleasure: a love which finds its highest heaven in His joy, its deepest hell in His grief: a love which has and holds Him for its own, for ever and for ever. This He seeks as His solace; this He offers to us as our high privilege and joy. (M. G. Pearse.). Parallel Verses KJV: Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. |
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