Blessed be the LORD, for He has heard my cry for mercy. Sermons
I. HERE IS A TWOFOLD OUTLOOK. The writer of this psalm was the anointed of the Lord (ver. 8). He was Israel's king; and was withal encompassed by foes. Not only were there those who were the people of God, his inheritance (ver. 9), but there were also those who regarded not God, and who cared not for man (vers. 3, 5). And the time has not come when such a double outlook has ceased. The righteous, the wicked - tares and wheat - both are still on "the field of the world," growing together until the harvest. II. HERE IS A TWOFOLD YEARNING OF THE PSALMIST. 1. For the righteous. (Ver. 9.) "Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance." Put the emphasis on "thy,' "thine;" herein lies the force of the praying one's tender pleading with God "Feed them;" i.e. tend them, rule them; let them find thee all that thou art as their Shepherd. "Lift them up," equivalent to "bear them up," carry them in thine arms (Isaiah 63:9; Isaiah 40:11; Deuteronomy 1:31; Deuteronomy 32:11; see Perowne hereon). 2. Against the wicked. (Ver. 4.) It is here that so many have found a difficulty. We acknowledge that there would be a difficulty if these were the words of God to man; but as they are the words of man to God, why should there be any difficulty at all? Is any one bound to defend every word that any saint ever offered in prayer? Surely not. It is, however, only fair to the writer to bear in mind: (1) That he does not pray against the wicked with personal vindictiveness, but regards them as the enemies of God (ver. 5), and of society likewise (ver. 3). (2) No saint's prayers ever could go beyond the limits of the inspiration and revelation which were granted to him. No one even now can pray beyond the limits of his own knowledge. In the Old Testament times the all-conquering love of God had not been revealed as it has been to us, and so could not yield fuel for prayer. (3) That such a prayer as this is an historical representation of the petitions of saints in the psalmist's time, and is no absolute model for our time, with our larger and warmer light-beams from on high. At the same time, we are bound also to remember that we ought not to cherish the like feelings towards the wicked that we do towards the righteous. Yea, if we are righteous, we cannot. And while we plead with God to build up those who are pure and true, we ought to plead with him to frustrate the designs of unreasonable and wicked men, and to arise and vindicate the great cause of righteousness and truth. And this we may do, while leaving it absolutely with God to deal with wicked people as he sees fit. The Judge of all the earth will do right, and we surely can leave the matter there. "Vengeance is mine: I will repay, saith the Lord." Job's words are better than any prayers for vengeance: " I know that my Vindicator liveth." There let us rest. For we have to recognize - III. A TWOFOLD ACTION OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE. He builds up the righteous, but disconcerts the schemes of the wicked. So the experience of life shows us, and so this psalm indicates. 1. To the righteous. God is (1) their Strength; (2) their Shield; (3) the Stronghold of salvation for them and for their anointed king. This may be applied in the highest sense (cf. Romans 8:28; Hebrews 2:10). 2. To the wicked. (Ver. 5.) "He shall break them down, and not build them up" (cf. Psalm 18:25, 26; Psalm 37:35; Psalm 73:18-20). God will seem to men according to what they are. If they follow his commandments, peace will attend their steps. If they violate them, all nature will be full of detectives, whips, and stings. IV. A TWOFOLD ACT TOWARDS GOD. 1. Prayer. "Hear... when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle;" i.e. towards the "mercy-seat" (ver. 2). Although he was not selfish enough to cramp his desires within the limits of his own personal need, yet he was not unnatural enough to leave himself out. In fact, God was so much to him that his very life seemed bound up in God and his loving-kindness; the lack of a message from God to his spirit would almost drive him to despair (vers. 1, 2). But, as is so often the case, the very psalms which begin with the deepest sighing end with the most joyous shouting. Hence, following on prayer, there is: 2. Praise. (Ver. 6.) The lower God takes us down in the valley of humiliation, the higher will he take us up on the mount of exultation (Isaiah 41:16). And those who spend most time with God in weeping and supplication will have the loudest and sweetest strains to raise over the wonders of delivering grace. "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." This is as true of prayer as it is of work. Note: Making all allowance for the difference of tone in the two dispensations, the Hebrew and the Christian, yet throughout both the same laws hold good. 1. That prayer is one of the forces by means of which God sways the world. 2. That his people have for thousands of years been praying to him to bring in righteousness and to put down wrong of every kind. 3. That it is more certain these prayers will be answered than that the sun will rise to-morrow. 4. And, consequently, it is for men to decide whether to their life there shall attach the privilege of being borne upon the hearts of all God's saints in prayer, or the peril of being surrounded with petitions that they may ultimately be put to shame. - C.
Blessed be the Lord, because He hath heard. Homilist. These verses throw light upon the religious experience of the psalmist, and from them we learn —I. That his experience TESTIFIED OF ANSWERS TO HIS PRAYER. There are two ways in which God answers prayer — 1. Sometimes by granting the thing sought. Thus the prayers of Elijah, Moses, Hezekiah, were often answered, and thus the prayers of His people, in all ages, have some. times been answered. 2. Sometimes by endowing the suppliant with the spirit of resignation to the Divine will. This is the most general, and the most efficient way. Acquiescence in the Divine will is the highest strength and happiness of moral beings. II. That his experience ASSURED HIM OF DIVINE ASSISTANCE. 1. Strength What is the highest strength? Moral strength, strength arising from an unbounded confidence in God; strength to brave perils with a fearless heart; strength to endure trials without repining; strength "to labour and to wait." 2. Shield. Jehovah was his protector. No weapons can penetrate Omnipotence. He is the All-sufficient Guardian of His people; "under them are His everlasting arms." III. That his experience INVOLVED A CONSCIOUS TRUST IN JEHOVAH. "My heart trusted in Him." This is something more than to believe in His existence, His government, His claims, His Word; it is to exercise unbounded confidence in Him, in His character and procedure, in both His ability and disposition to help us. Because David trusted in Him, he said, "I am helped." There is no help for the soul without this trust in God. IV. That his experience WAS IDENTIFIED WITH EXULTANT GRATITUDE. "Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth." True religion is happiness; happiness was the end of Christ's interposition. "These things have I spoken unto you, that your joy might be full." There is no genuine religion where there is no happiness. (Homilist.) 2. Gratefully received. 3. Rejoicingly acknowledged. (J. E. Scott.) (A. R. Wells.) People David, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Blessed, Cry, Ear, Mercy, Petitions, Praised, Prayer, Supplication, Supplications, VoiceOutline 1. David prays earnestly against his enemies6. and for the people Dictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 28:1-96688 mercy, demonstration of God's Library Exegetic. (i) As of the De Spiritu Sancto, so of the Hexæmeron, no further account need be given here. It may, however, be noted that the Ninth Homily ends abruptly, and the latter, and apparently more important, portion of the subject is treated of at less length than the former. Jerome [472] and Cassiodorus [473] speak of nine homilies only on the creation. Socrates [474] says the Hexæmeron was completed by Gregory of Nyssa. Three orations are published among Basil's works, two on the creation … Basil—Basil: Letters and Select Works Christ is All The Great Privilege of those that are Born of God Religion Pleasant to the Religious. Psalms Links Psalm 28:6 NIVPsalm 28:6 NLT Psalm 28:6 ESV Psalm 28:6 NASB Psalm 28:6 KJV Psalm 28:6 Bible Apps Psalm 28:6 Parallel Psalm 28:6 Biblia Paralela Psalm 28:6 Chinese Bible Psalm 28:6 French Bible Psalm 28:6 German Bible Psalm 28:6 Commentaries Bible Hub |