Psalm 106:48 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise you the LORD. The word Amen has a history full of instruction and interest. Its original meaning had reference to the material. It signified firm, durable, lasting. "I will build him a sure house." "His waters shall be sure." In course of time, like other words, Amen came to have a higher, even a social meaning. As what is firm and secure is able to bear and carry other things, it at length described carrying. "A nursing father": "Naomi took the child and became nurse." Next it was promoted to the honour of an intellectual office, and signified trustiness or skill. "He removeth away the speech of the trusty." Then it was raised to the dignity of an ethical use. As what is truthful and upright is firm, it came to mean trust and faith. "Who hath said Amen to our report?" Finally it acquired an ecclesiastical import, and is now commonly employed in the well-known sense of, "Truly; so be it; so let it be!" I. TO GOD'S COMMANDS, "Let all the people say, Amen." 1. The Divine commands are wholly right. Were we able to see absolute rectitude, looking at it as upon an elaborate architectural plan, we should find, on comparing it with the edifice of God's laws, that the latter is a wonderful and minute reflex on the former. What an inspiring thought! 2. The Divine commands are wholly beneficial. "In keeping of them is great reward." II. TO GOD'S PROVIDENCE, "let all the people say, Amen." 1. To do otherwise is thoughtless. In the Divine government there is a "balance of power." A law of compensation is at work. Weal and woe are more evenly distributed than is commonly imagined. No person, class, or condition has a monopoly of either the blissful or the baleful. One thing is set over against another. A good man in a sea of troubles is in a condition infinitely preferable to that of a bad man nursed in the lap of luxury, housed magnificently, and faring sumptuously every day. 2. To do otherwise is useless. Where is the profit of rebelling against God's sovereign dealing? It is vain to oppose the inevitable. Nay, it is worse than useless; it is injurious. It increases, instead of alleviating, our misery. An oak that had been rooted up by the winds was borne down the stream of a river, on the banks of which many reeds were growing. The oak wondered to see that things so slight and frail had stood the storm, when so great and strong a tree as itself had been rooted up. "Cease to wonder," said the reed, "you were overthrown by fighting against the storm, while we are saved by yielding and bending to the slightest breath that blows." Yes; it is eminently advantageous to say, Amen to the darkest dispensations of Providence. 3. To do otherwise is forgetful. It ignores the oft-repeated doctrine that out of our trials God perfects our good. When we murmur at sorrow, we cease to remember that it is through "much tribulation" that all kingdoms worth occupying are entered. III. TO GOD'S GOSPEL, "let all the people say, Amen." The good news of free and full pardon through the sacrifice of Christ and in answer to prayer — be that kept intact. We must take it just as it is. Nothing must be added, nothing removed. It is neither too large nor too small, and woe to us if we attempt to alter it. (T. R. Stevenson.) Parallel Verses KJV: Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD. |
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