Psalm 113:9 He makes the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise you the LORD. Here is an evident allusion to the joy of Hannah, when her prayer was heard, and Samuel came as the firstborn of a family. "The Lord visited Hannah, so that she bare three sons and two daughters," and her adversary could provoke her no more. It is remarked that the Rabbins actually speak of a man's wife as his house; and the same form of speech is current at the present day among the Arabs. This joy men have in children, which is characteristic of every age and nation, which is, indeed, the universal sentiment, leads us to consider the mission of the children. Why do they come in helplessness, and take so long growing up to their manhood and womanhood? I. CHILDREN ARE SENT TO CULTURE CHARACTER. This is the other side of the truth with which we are familiar - that children have characters which we must culture. There is a good sense in which children are sent into the world to "train their parents." What they can do is seen in the immediate effect their coming has upon their mothers. It changes them from thoughtless, self-centered maidens into thoughtful, self-denying women. And an equal influence, though not quite so evident, is seen in the father. Family life cultures all the graces, the stronger ones no less than the milder; and it lays the burden of personal example upon the parents; for a child makes demand of father and mother that they will show him the ideal goodness. Each element of refined and Christly character may be dealt with, and special stress may be laid upon "patience" and "charity" in the sense of going outside ourselves for our interests. II. CHILDREN ARE SENT TO KEEP UP OUR INTEREST IN MORALS. This point is seldom dwelt on. Yet it is evident that the children come just at the time in our lives when material interests - business, society - become so absorbing. Moral and religious interests would pass out of our thought if it were not that every day brings to us concern for the children, and that must be a moral concern. The children break into the monotony of material middle-life associations. Everyday morals for every parent, and morals and religion for most parents, are brought closely to mind. The children are God's voice reminding man of eternal things. - R.T. Parallel Verses KJV: He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.WEB: He settles the barren woman in her home, as a joyful mother of children. Praise Yah! |
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