Psalm 65:8 They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at your tokens: you make the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. The psalmist recognized a close relation between nature and nature's God. He saw all the beauty and blessedness of nature as divine. I. THE INCOMPARABLENESS OF GOD'S FAVOURS. The matchless phenomena of the dawn and sunset are unique in nature. When God sows the "earth with orient pearl," and the fragrance of a thousand flowers exhales upon the morning air; or when eve, all clad in sober grey, comes forth, the "firmament with living sapphire glowing." We have a hint, too, of the kingdom of grace in our text. There is probably an allusion to the morning and evening sacrifice, a God-appointed ordinance, and therefore an allusion to Christ and His atonement. II. THE FRESHNESS OF GOD'S FAVOURS. Each new morning and evening is as much a new thing as if just created. The beauty of dawn and sunset never pale. It is not only our lives that He crowns with lovingkindness and tender mercies, not only the year that He crowneth with goodness, but each morning and each evening He visiteth us. Day unto day uttereth speech. Night publisheth to night His mercies. III. THE FITNESS OF GOD'S FAVOURS. "Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice." Just the time when we most need a fresh supply. The issues of the day are taken at their fount and the results of the day are blessed at their fruition. Some of the outgoings of the morning are — 1. Forebodings. Bright mornings often usher in sad thoughts, 'tis well to be met at the threshold of the day by God's benison and smile. 2. Duty lies before us every morning. The law of duty transformed to blessed personal service, if we meet Jesus at the door of the day, His statutes then shall be our "songs in the house of our pilgrimage," and "the joy of the Lord shall be our strength." 3. Uncertainty. We never know what a day may bring forth, but if God bless its outgoings we shall not be afraid of evil tidings nor of sudden fear, our heart is fixed. IV. THE FULNESS OF HIS FAVOURS. From outgoing to outgoing, He fills up the whole day with the light that comes ix the dawn, and the whole night with the sweet peace and protection that comes at eve. V. THE UNIVERSALITY OF GOD'S FAVOURS. Once in twenty-four hours each hemisphere of the world is alternately bathed in light, or rests in the peaceful shadow of night. This is true also of His grace and Gospel. VI. THE IMMUTABILITY OF GOD'S FAVOURS. The covenant of day and night was made with Noah. Every dawn and sunset is a pledge of His unchangeable fidelity to His promise (Genesis 8:22; Jeremiah 33:20, 21). The morning fails not by the thousandth part of a second, nor shall God's Word ever fail. (F. A. Trotter.) Parallel Verses KJV: They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. |
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