Ver. 8. “Ο Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, Ο God of Jacob. Selah.” The weary pilgrim is at length before God in Zion. Blessed journey that has such an end! And blessed be the God of Jacob, that the pilgrim has now and then, even on the journey, sweet foretastes of that happy end; but, oh! what will it be when it is fully tasted in glory — in the Father’s house on high! Till then, Ο my soul, fail not to drink at the fountain, though traveling through a dry and thirsty land. Faith is as welcome now in those courts above, as thou thyself wilt be at the journey’s end. Thy title is as good now as it will he then — the name of Christ can never be more welcome than it is today. Oh! then, use thy title now — let heaven see what great and constant use thou canst make of that blessed name now.
In musing on these words, a solemn thought crosses the mind — Zion, or grace, is the meeting-place of God and His people. Every child of Adam, sooner or later, must meet God on one of two grounds: — the ground of righteousness or the ground of grace. No one can escape, or pass unnoticed in a crowd. Each one must individually, and for himself, appear before God. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Rom. 14:1212So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12).) Most solemn thought, surely! But if on the ground of righteousness, all must be lost — forever lost. Who could answer to God for one of a thousand of his many thousand sins? Hence the psalmist prays, “Enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.” (Psalm 143:22And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. (Psalm 143:2).) Human reasoning would not avail there. But no man, even now, ever reasons in the presence of God. Clearly then, on the ground of righteousness, the soul must be hopelessly lost. God grant, that my dear reader, through faith in Christ, may pass from death unto life now, and so never come into judgment. John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).
Grace, pure grace, is the only other ground. There is no middle ground in scripture. And he who stands before God on this ground is safe forever. He is saved with God’s great salvation. What he previously was, is not thought of. He is now a true believer in Christ Jesus. He honors the Savior with the confidence of his heart; and in God’s sight, there is nothing too good for him. He honors him in the fullest and most public way. In short, he is blessed according to the riches of divine grace, and the value of the work of Christ. Η e fares well; yes, as well as Christ Himself! As the bride ranks with the bridegroom — as the wife ranks with the husband, so does the Christian rank with Christ in heaven. He is joined unto the Lord and one spirit with Him. Happy they who are thus done with their own works, and trust only in the finished work of Christ. But tell me, Ο my soul, in plain terms, what is the difference to-day, between a soul that is on the ground of grace, and one that is on the ground of righteousness? Practically, the one trusts in Christ, the other trusts in himself. This is the great difference, really, between the saved and the unsaved — the Christian and the worldling. It is connection by faith with the Person of Christ that makes the difference. The one may be as full of outward religious observances as the other, but unless the heart be connected with the Person of Christ, these go for nothing. Were a school-boy to cover his slate with ciphers, not one of them could be reckoned, until he had connected them with a figure, then they would all count. Even so, a cup of cold water given in connection with the name of Christ shall have its eternal reward.
He who has felt his need and helplessness, and trusts in Christ alone, is on the ground of the pure favor of God; but he who is still a stranger to this state, however full of good works, charities, and religious duties, is on the ground of inflexible righteousness. The tree must first be made good before the fruit can be good. We must be engrafted into the living Vine, and drink of the fatness of its roots, before we can bear fruit to God. Christ only can bear fruit to God; but as the tree bears fruit through its branches, so Christ bears fruit to God through His members.
Awful indeed must be the meeting between God and the sinner on the ground of righteousness. When the plumb-line is laid to a crooked wall, it does not make it straight, but it shows out all its crookedness. The judgment-seat will prove the sinner’s condition, but it can show him no favor. The day of grace is past. It is too late to cry for mercy — yes, alas! Too late when the sentence, “Depart from me” is uttered — too late when the gates of heaven are closed — too late when the gates of hell are opened — too late when Satan whom he has served claims him as his — too late when enclosed within those fiery walls whence none ever escape! Oh! what an end for an immortal soul! The very thought of it is overwhelming. The soul shudders in writing it. Oh! what can be done now to prevent it? is the first feeling of the heart. And, yet, what can we say? The only thing that can prevent it is done already. Redemption is accomplished. Jesus died and rose again. The sure foundation of grace and glory has been laid in Zion, and whosoever believeth thereon shall never be confounded. “Christ was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt he saved,” are plain words; who can misunderstand their meaning? The jailor believed on the Lord Jesus Christ — he trusted in Him according to the word of the apostle, and was saved, and others of his household who believed. The gospel is the same today as it was then; whosoever believeth on the Son of God, hath everlasting life.
Lord of the harvest, send more laborers into the gospel-field; and grant, Lord, that thy preachers may never lose sight of the solemn results of their preaching! Surely, if preachers themselves were more alive to the awful future of a Christless soul, they would be more in earnest, and more would be awakened by their warning voice. The end is near, the time is short, the coming of the Lord draweth nigh; and souls — many souls — are perishing.
Let thy word, Ο Lord, be clothed with power from on high, that it may be more effectual in them that hear it; and fill thine evangelists, blessed Lord, with a burning desire — a consuming passion for the salvation of sinners. With the fearful end of their unawakened hearers in view, may they speak plainly, pointedly, boldly, earnestly, and affectionately: and may their constant prayer be, ‘Lord, suffer not even one precious soul to depart unimpressed, unawakened, unsaved.’
“Oh! speak of Jesus — of His grace,
Receiving, pardoning, blessing all;
His holy, spotless life to trace —
His words, His miracles recall.
The words He spoke, the truths He taught,
With life, eternal life, are fraught.
“Oh, speak of Jesus — of His death:
For sinners such as we He died.
Tis finished, with His latest breath,
The Lord, Jehovah Jesus, cried.
That death of shame and agony
Opened the way of life to me.”
While meditating on the happiness of those who had reached Mount Zion, and were before God in His holy temple, the psalmist breaks forth in fervent prayer and praise. He was longing to enjoy the same privileges himself. “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord.” How often this has been the experience of the people of God when deprived of the public means of grace so called. There is divine reality in the fellowship of saints. “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.” There is spiritual refreshment and blessing in meeting with those we love in the spirit. Ere long we shall meet in heaven to part no more, and to love each other perfectly.
The mere formalist, of course, knows nothing of these exercises, but the psalmist was the opposite of a formalist. His whole heart was in the temple-worship of God; and he enters into it, in spirit, though, perhaps, in exile. He praises God, but owing to his position, his praise turns into prayer. “Ο Lord of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, Ο God of Jacob.”
There are two distinct thoughts of great practical value to the Christian, in this short prayer. There is the sense of divine majesty, and the consciousness of divine relationship. As “Lord of hosts,” He is almighty in power; as the “ God of Jacob,” He is infinite in mercy and goodness to His people. The Jew could depend on the covenant-faithfulness of Jehovah; we, on the name of “Father” in connection with Christ. There was power to protect in the Valley of Baca; and, sweeter still, grace to bless on the holy hill of Zion. It is there the happy worshipper loses sight of self, and of all the troubles and trials of the way, and rejoices in the blessed consciousness of his relationship with the living God.
As Christians, we have “received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” We are thus taught and led by the Holy Ghost Himself, to use the sweet expression of our relationship — Father. This is our happy place now through the riches of sovereign grace. “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” (Gal. 4:66And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6).) Only yesterday, as it were, we were far off from God, and seeking happiness apart from Him, but He has had mercy — great mercy, blessed be His name, and brought us to Himself through faith in Christ Jesus. And now the children’s place and the children’s portion are ours — ours today — ours henceforth and forever. Only think, Ο my soul, on that wondrous word, which has gladdened so many hearts, “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Meditate, I say, on this great truth — on these very words — “no more” “Thou art no more a servant, but a son” — and “an heir” — “an heir of God.” Not merely, observe, an heir of heaven, or of glory, but “aw heir of God through Christ.” Oh! wondrous truth! The possessions of God are thine. And mark, too, I pray thee, that the Spirit is not speaking here of what we shall be, but of what we now are. “Thou art no more a servant, but a son.” Marvelous place — blessed privilege — glorious liberty! We can only worship and adore; nothing can be added to our possessions. His name alone have all the praise and glory. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he [Christ] is pure.” 1 John 3:1-31Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:1‑3).
Once as prodigals we wandered in our folly far from thee;
But thy grace o’er sin abounding, rescued us from misery:
Thou the prodigal hast pardoned, ‘kissed us’ with a Father’s love:
‘Killed the fatted calf,’ and called us e’er to dwell with thee above.
“Clothed in garments of salvation, at thy table is our place;
We rejoice, and thou rejoicest, in the riches of thy grace.
‘It is meet,’ we hear thee saying, we should merry be and glad,
I have found my once lost children, now they live who once were dead.”