Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I call to You all day long. Sermons
I. MAN'S SOUL IS THE SPHERE OF GOD'S MORAL TRAINING. We may see God in history; but his supreme interest is in characters, not in events. We may see God in providence; but we fail to see him aright, unless we trace the influence of incidents on our principles and on our spirit. Everything has a moral side and a moral mission. God is ever moulding disposition and character, which are the shapings of the soul. This is true of every man. Humanity to God is a collection of spirits, or spiritual beings, set for their moral training in varied bodily forms and relations. II. MAN'S SOUL IS THE SPHERE OF GOD'S REDEMPTIONS. The mistake made about Christ the Saviour in the days of his flesh was quite a representative mistake. Men thought he came to deliver a nation from foreign dominion; whereas he came to save souls from sin. The body redemptions follow on as the natural consequences of the spiritual redemptions. God's great work is saving souls from death. Therefore it is that before we can hope that Christ and his work will ever be appreciated, we are compelled to awaken soul anxiety; or, in other words, seek to produce conviction of sin. When our Lord's saving work is fully studied as a moral redemption, a quickening of souls with a Divine life rather than an adjustment of broken external relations, the full mystery of it will be revealed and realized. III. MAN'S SOUL IS THE SPHERE OF THE DIVINE SANCTIFYINGS. The present work of the living Christ, realized by us as the inworking of the Holy Ghost, is not the change of the things with which we have to do, but a change of the relations in which we stand to the things; a change wrought in us - wrought in the souls that we are. This change, in effect, changes the character of the things with which we have to do. - R.T.
Show me a token for good, that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed; because Thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me. At the outset note —1. How this man in the hour of conflict looks to his Divine protector. Not to men but to God does he cry, And observe — 2. That his troubles drove him to God. Too often they drive men away from God. 3. We look to God along. We may not set up a rival with God in the temple of our trust. What is it that thou wouldst yoke with God? Oh to be cut clear of all visible supports, and props, and holdfasts! You have seen a balloon well filled struggling to rise: what kept it downy What hindered it? The ropes which bound it to earth. Cut clear the ropes, and then see how it mounts! With a spring it leaps upward while we are gazing into the open sky. Oh for such a clearance and such a mounting for our spirits! Alas, we are hindered and hampered, and those bonds which detain us are our visible supports and reliances. "My soul, wait thou only upon God." The Lord bring us into this high state of spiritual emancipation. Now, let us notice the request David puts up. If we are in his state of mind when we put up a like prayer, this asking for a token will do us no harm: otherwise such desire may be very hurtful to us. I. THIS REQUEST FOR A TOKEN. It was to be from God and according to God's will, and asked in faith, not in unbelief. For we have no right to say we will not believe unless God give us a token. We are bound to believe Him whether He gives us a token or not. And tokens that men have had, or thought they had, they have come to question about after a while. Peter, though he had seen our Lord's transfiguration, declares that he had the "more sure word of prophecy." Yet may we ask for tokens in a subordinate sense, when we are willing to believe God without them: we may ask for them as confirmatory signs and seals. Several such are named in this psalm. 1. We may long for answer to prayer (Cf. 5:1, 6). If we have received such answers (and have we not?), we may take them as tokens for good. 2. Then, preservation of character is another token (ver. 2). If amid much trial and temptation we have been able to maintain an unblemished reputation, then you need not envy any among the sons of men. 3. Deliverance in trouble is another such (ver. 2). And there is another form of token which must never be overlooked, and that is — 4. A sense of pardoned sin (vers. 3, 5). Before this all ills disappear. And — 5. Support under trial. If God gives you this, if you are able to say to all God sends you, "Thy will be done," take comfort from that. 6. Cheering visits from Christ, and fresh anointings of the Holy Spirit are also most sure tokens for good. They are implied in vers. 4, 11, 16; and in our text. II. THE RESULT OF SUCH TOKENS. Our enemies are abashed before them, The most malicious adversaries of God's people have stood in awe of them. III. CONCLUSION. What an unhappy state must those be in who have troubles, but have no God to go to: enemies, but no defender; darkness, but no star of hole. Your friends, and, still less, yourself, are to be trusted in such times. What can they do? Oh, seek the Saviour's face. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) 1. A deep sense of sin is a token for good — the precursor of salvation. Sinners must be made sorrowful for their sins, or they cannot be saved. 2. Prayerfulness. Do you feel a strong impulse to pray for the prosperity of the Church, or for one of its individual members; for your family, or for your personal growth in the Divine life? It is "a token for good," the work of the Spirit within you, a sure precursor of some blessing which God has in store for you. 3. A spirit of inquiry into the meaning of God's Word. Luther received "a token for good" when reading an ancient manuscript in his cell. He saw what a treasure of light and life there was in the Bible compared with the traditions of the Papacy. He discovered the doctrine of justification by faith, which he calls "the test of a standing or falling Church." He also found that millions of people were ready to receive its blessed light. 4. In the prosecution of our work God gives "tokens for good." A preacher saw no good done, and resolved to quit the scene of his labours, but he was encouraged by the dream of a man with a small hammer striking a large head, which after a long time flew into a thousand pieces. 5. Dark and distressing dispensations of Providence are often a "token for good." Health decays: business fails. Temporal loss often leads to spiritual gain. If God takes away one blessing He confers another more fitted to promote our well-being than that of which He deprived us. The drying up of the streams of earthly comfort lead men to seek the water of life. (H. Woodcock.) (Samuel Martin.) To what shall we liken comfort? It is like copious and heavy dew to withering flowers. It is like rain to the parched and thirsty earth. It is like an anodyne to sharp pain. It is like the sight of coast and harbour to the mariner, when the sea is rough and the sky is stormy. It is like the appearance of the moon after hours of thick, black, dark cloudiness. It is like the mother's voice to a terrified child, and like the mother's arms to a fretful babe. "Comfort" is a word which we interpret by our feelings. A mother's lap and bosom, and a bird's nest, are embodiments of God's idea of comfort.(Samuel Martin.). His foundation is in the holy mountains. Homilist. I. It is GLORIOUS IN ITS ELEVATION (ver. 1). The spiritual Church is a city set upon a hill. Though elevated it is safe; its foundation is in the everlasting mountains. "Upon this rock," etc.II. It is SPECIALLY REGARDED BY GOD (ver. 2). The infinitely loving One must be interested in all the works of His hand; even the sparrow that falls not to the ground without notice. But for those Christian men who constitute the true spiritual Church He has a special regard. III. It is ILLUSTRIOUS IN ITS HISTORY (ver. 3). Many glorious things had been said of Zion. It was said that they should call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and they should call all the nations to it; it was said they should come to see the city of Zion, and flow together to the goodness of the Lord. It was said by God (1 Kings 9:3; 2 Chronicles 7:16). But what far more glorious things have been said of the true Church. Read what victories she has won, not only in the time of the apostles, but in every subsequent age. It has been said of the true Church, that it is "a royal priesthood." IV. It is SUPERIOR TO ALL OTHER COMMUNITIES (ver. 4). Compare commercial, scientific, political, and other religious communities with it, and in all that is morally great and glorious, the brightest of their fires pales into dimness. V. IT IS THE BIRTH-SCENE OF THE GOOD (ver. 5). In the true spiritual Church, souls are born again. VI. It is DIVINELY REGISTERED (vers. 6, 7). Jehovah kept a register of all that were born in Jerusalem, and so He does of all who are spiritually born in the true Church. "When He writeth up the people." Ah I the time will come when He will write up a register of all true men. No others, however lofty in rank and illustrious in genius, will find a place in that book. No one shall enter heaven who is not found written in "The Lamb's Book of Life." VII. IT is INFINITE IN ITS RESOURCES. "All my springs are in Thee." This is what the poet says, as the representative of all that were born in Zion; and this is what all the members of the true spiritual Church can also say and most deeply feel. All my fountains are in Thee, in Thee, that is, in Zion or in God. If in Zion, it is from God. (Homilist.) I. ITS FOUNDATION (ver. 1). Christ's charactor, teachings, miracles, and merit.II. ITS FAVOUR (ver. 2). God canopies the city with His wing of covenant promise, and belts it with the attributes of His Being. III. Its FAME: (ver. 3), (2 Chronicles 7:16; Psalm 132:18-17; Zechariah 1:14; Zechariah 2:4-12). IV. ITS FRATERNITY (vers. 4-6). Here are the true aristocracy of souls, the real nobility of earth. V. ITS FUTURE (ver. 5). VI. ITS FOUNTAINS (ver. 7). (J. O. Keen, D. D.) People David, Korah, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Cry, Daily, Favour, Goes, Gracious, Merciful, Mercy, OOutline 1. David strengthens his prayer by the consciousness of his religion5. By the goodness and power of God 11. He desires the continuance of former grace 14. Complaining of the proud, he craves some token of God's goodness Dictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 86:3 8640 calling upon God Library A Sheaf of Prayer Arrows'Bow down Thine ear, O Lord, hear me; for I am poor and needy. 2. Preserve my soul, for I am holy: O Thou my God, save Thy servant that trusteth in Thee. 3. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto Thee daily. 4. Rejoice the soul of Thy servant: for unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5. For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee.'--PSALM lxxxvi. 1-5. We have here a sheaf of arrows out of a good man's quiver, shot into heaven. … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture My Savior Whose Infinite Grace That it is Profitable to Communicate Often The Truth of God Sermons of St. Bernard on the Passing of Malachy The Mercy of God The Third Commandment Psalms Links Psalm 86:3 NIVPsalm 86:3 NLT Psalm 86:3 ESV Psalm 86:3 NASB Psalm 86:3 KJV Psalm 86:3 Bible Apps Psalm 86:3 Parallel Psalm 86:3 Biblia Paralela Psalm 86:3 Chinese Bible Psalm 86:3 French Bible Psalm 86:3 German Bible Psalm 86:3 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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