Homilist Psalm 146:5 Happy is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: I. HAPPINESS IN A WORLDLY SENSE IS AN IMPOSSIBLE ATTAINMENT. This is proved — 1. By the wants, calamities, passions, and weaknesses of human nature. Each of these would prevent the attainment of happiness. 2. By the changing, transitory nature of the world and its contents. That pleasure which can be dashed away in a moment cannot be happiness. 3. By the fact that all here are under the dominion of sin. Sin blights all things, sin embitters all things, sin brings a curse on all things. II. HAPPINESS IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE IS A POSSIBLE AND A BLESSED REALITY. The reasons for this, given in our text, are two-fold — assistance in the present and hope in the future. 1. Assistance in the present. The God of Jacob is his help. Notice that a man may have difficulties and yet be happy. God is his help. Oh, what a help! His power, greatness, goodness, all exercised on the Christian's behalf. 2. Hope for the future — "Whose hope is in the Lord." Hope, even in the present, can give happiness. But this hope will one day be realized and its fruition will be perfect joy. It is in the Lord our God that perfect happiness is only to be found. May we seek Him for our help and make Him our hope. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:WEB: Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Yahweh, his God: |
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