Psalm 94:19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me your comforts delight my soul. I. IN EVIL TIMES THE MISERY OF THE SAINTS OF GOD IS MORE FROM THOUGHTS WITHIN THAN FROM TROUBLES WITHOUT. 1. The best men they are not freed, while they live here, from unruly, unsubdued thoughts. (1) From the corruptions of the unregenerate part, the remainder of a corruption in the best men, it is like fire in an oven (Hosea 7:4, 5), and he hath violent irruptions. (2) From the invasion of some enticing creature-objects amongst them, as David saw Bathsheba: Achan saw, and he desired; considered and desired: so likewise it is said in 1 John 2:6. (3) From the injections of Satan: for what are unruly thoughts? It is Satan doth himself many times immediately inject: so the devil put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ. 2. In times of trouble, these thoughts come in by multitudes: a man's thoughts are never so tumultuous as in troublesome times. (1) Because in troublesome times the souls of men are awake. In times of prosperity and peace there is usually a spirit of slumber upon men; but when God empties a man from vessel to vessel, then how full of projects is the heart of man? never brought into danger, but the man his thoughts rise. Oh, how shall I escape? what shall I do? and how shall I make provision for myself? (2) Satan takes special care to assail the hearts of men with thoughts in an evil time. 3. The great part of afflictions doth lie more in these tumultuous and unruly thoughts within, than in all a man's troubles and afflictions without: winds without do not cause an earthquake, but wind within. II. GOD DOTH PROVIDE FOR HIS PEOPLE CONSOLATIONS IN AND ANSWERABLE TO THEIR AFFLICTIONS. Consider, first, there is no affliction that ever the people of God are cast into that He leaves destitute of consolation. It is never pure darkness (Genesis 15:17), even when the Church of God was as a sacrifice cut in pieces, yet notwithstanding there was a light passed between the pieces; it is never pure darkness, but yet notwithstanding it may be many times darkness in reference to creature-comforts, they may have no comforts they can look at here below. And this consolation that God gives them is a seasonable consolation, "In the multitude of my thoughts": in the very time when I am most perplexed, then doth God bring in His consolations. Nay, not only in the affliction, but according unto the affliction, so shall the consolation be, and therefore reads it, "According to the multitude of my thoughts"; so were the multitude of God's consolations; God will give it in the time and the season of it; but, withal, the Lord will give it according unto the measure; when He doth bring great afflictions, He provideth for you strong consolations, that as the affliction aboundeth, so the consolations shall abound; the Lord tells you, that His rewards shall be according to the measure of His mercies: it is an admirable expression in Hosea 10:12. (W. Strong.) Parallel Verses KJV: In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.WEB: In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul. |
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