Psalm 130:5-6 I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in his word do I hope.… I. WAITING. 1. This is the constant posture of all the saints of God. Fancy not that in heaven they have no emotion but that of joy; we know that all their emotions are joyous, but among them is this one, — that they, too, are waiting until the Lord shall again manifest Himself, for, in the day of His appearing, those disembodied spirits shall put on their resurrection bodies. 2. The children of God, on earth, are frequently in the posture of waiting as individuals. Do you not wait to be able to serve God better? Are not some of you waiting to have your tongues unloosed, — waiting to have your hearts enlarged, — waiting for better opportunities of doing God's work, or for more grace to use the opportunities you have, — and waiting for the Divine seal upon the efforts which you have put forth? I know that is so; and if we could get all that, we should still be waiting, — waiting to see all our families saved, — waiting to see all our neighbours saved. 3. It is a very blessed posture, for waiting tries faith, and that is a good thing, because faith grows by trial. Waiting exercises patience, and that is also a good thing, for patience is one of the choice gifts of God. Waling endears every blessing when it comes; and thus we get two joys, — the joy of waiting for the joy, as well as the joy of enjoying the joy when it comes. II. HOPING. 1. Hope is the reason for waiting. 2. Hope is the strength of waiting. 3. Hope is the sweetener of waiting. But make sure that your hope is a good hope, that it is a well-founded hope, that it is a happy hope, that it is a hope that "maketh not ashamed," that it is a hope that fixes itself on Christ alone; for if you have not that hope, you will not wait; and if you do not wait, you will not receive. It is the waiting soul that gets the blessing. III. WATCHING. He that waits, and he that hopes, learns to watch. First notice the figure here used, and then observe that the figure is exceeded: "My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning." 1. First, what is the figure here used? With steady and weary tramp, the watchman has gone from one tower to another speaking to his brother sentinel as he has met him, keeping to his beat all through the dreary, cold, rainy, windy night; and he says to himself, "I wish it were morning." As he exchanges the watchword with his companion, he says, "I wish it were morning. My eyelids are heavy; my head begins to ache with this constant watching for the enemy; I wish it were morning." Have you never been in that posture? 2. But the figure is exceeded by the fact, for the text says, "My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning." We have been watching longer than they who guard the city towers. The sentinel has only a few hours' night-watch; but some of us have been watching for these thirty years, some of you for these fifty years; ah, some of you for sixty years! I do not wonder that you have a stronger desire for the morning than they have wire have only watched for one night. Besides, you expect so much more than they do, for when the day comes, what does it bring to them? A little ease for the sentinel, a little rest for the nurse; but they will have to go back to the nursing or the watching as soon as the shades of night return. You and I are waiting for a daylight that will bring us endless rest and perfect joy; well may we watch more than they that watch for the morning, for theirs is but the morning of a day, but ours is the morning of an eternity which shall know no end. They do but watch for the sun with his passing beams; we watch for the Sun of Righteousness whose glory makes heaven itself. Well may we grow eager when we think of what is yet to be revealed in us. Well may our hunger increase as we think of the sweets that are reserved for us. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. |
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