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What secrets of inward experience we have in our text. Consider —

I. THE CONFESSIONS CONCERNING THE FLESH. David was a great saint, yet he tells God — "So foolish was I... beast before Thee."

1. Foolish. It was sinful folly, not to be excused by frailty, but perverse and wilful. And is not this true of us?

2. Ignorant. Surely after all his experience he ought to have known better than to be envious of the wicked. And how often we have to make the like confession. If we could but see ourselves we should see our knowledge to be nothing and our ignorance to he all. Then —

3. "As a beast before Thee." The Hebrew is, "I was a very beast before Thee." It means, so worldly-minded, so empty of all holy desire, so short-sighted, so full of animal passions. But turn to —

II. THE EXPRESSIONS OF THE SPIRIT.

1. He is conscious of Divine regard. "Nevertheless I am," etc. Upon His mind, before His eye, in His hand.

2. Of Divine help. "Thou hast holden me."

3. Of Divine guidance. "Thou shalt guide," etc.

4. Of Divine reception. "Receive me to glory."

III. TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE. "Whom have I in heaven but Thee," etc. I have known men lose their property, and what is dearer than property, but they have not said, "Whom have I in heaven," etc. The confessions of our text will be heard in the adoring gratitude of the redeemed in glory. That Christ should have saved them — the foolish, the ignorant, and who had been as a beast before Him. But this He will do for all who believe.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

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KJV: So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

WEB: I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.