Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with your likeness. We may here observe — I. THE GENUINE TEMPER OF A GRACIOUS SOUL AS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE WORLD — to be taken up with God as his chief good. And this is so with him. 1. From a settled conviction of emptiness and insufficiency of any created good to be to them instead of God. 2. There is everything in God that may commend and endear Him to His people. 3. 'Tis the property of grace to carry His people to Him as their chief good. 4. Gracious souls have all found that rest, and some of them that joy in God, that nothing in the world besides can give, and which they would not exchange for anything it can offer. But — II. WHAT IT IS, WITH REFERENCE TO GOD, THAT SUMS UP HIS PEOPLE'S HAPPINESS. It is the beholding His lace, and the satisfaction that results. More especially the likeness of God in Jesus Christ. Or the likeness may mean that which is impressed upon the soul, a resemblance of the Divine glory. Oh, happy they who, from seeing God's back parts, are thus gone to see Him face to face. III. WHOEVER IS ADMITTED TO BEHOLD GOD'S FACE, IT MUST BE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1. Righteousness imputed. Jesus said, "I am the way." 2. Righteousness inherent. And this is necessary from the nature of the thing (2 Corinthians 6:14). What would sinners do in the presence of God? IV. HOWEVER MUCH WE MAY ENJOY OF HEAVEN HERE, THERE IS MUCH MORE RESERVED ABOVE WHICH THEY SHALL AT LAST OBTAIN. 1. God's people do have much of happiness or heaven, begun through God graciously showing Himself unto them. 2. But much more of heaven is yet reserved. And this is in order to wean them from the present world, and that they may have the quicker relish of their final blessedness. And, 3. This is what they are aspiring to, and shall at length obtain. V. THERE IS A FIXED AND PROPER SEASON FOR THE SAINTS' SATISFACTION. 1. The soul awakes when it is set free from the body. It does not descend into the grave with the body, but ascends to behold God's face. How calmly, then, should we contemplate death. 2. Both soul and body awake at the resurrection. The body is sown in corruption, but it shall be raised in incorruption. (D. Wilcox.) Parallel Verses KJV: As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. |
    |