Verse 9: “Behold, Ο God, our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed” What marvelous words are these! In writing them down they have touched a chord in the heart, which awakens deep thoughts and feelings. The combination is beautiful and blessed — “our Shield” — “Thine Anointed.” God and the soul are brought near to each other. Their object, their center, is One — “our” — “thine.” Both are looking to the same Christ, though from different points of view. He is God’s Anointed, He is thy Shield, Ο my soul! Dwell on this blessed theme. Precious Savior! He glorifies God — reconciles the sinner, and unites both in Himself. “I in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” (John 14,17.) Blessed union — fruitful in eternal unity and glory!
Never before, Ο my soul, hast thou so seen or felt the power of this verse; and now, happily, patiently, deeply, meditate thereon, I pray thee; while the fire buns concentrate thy musings on this great truth. Think on the many blessings which flow from thy privileged place. All favor, all security, all happiness, both for time and eternity, are found therein.
But especially would I say, Meditate on Him who thus links every believer with God, and the valley of Baca with the courts above. He who is the Father s delight — the One on whom He ever looks with perfect complacency, is every believer’s hiding place — is thy hiding place. There thou art sheltered from every storm in this life; and there, too, as behind an invulnerable shield, thou art safe forever. No enemy can ever break through thy sure defense. They may threaten, but can do no more. Only watch thou, and never wander from thy hiding place. Thy only security is to keep behind the shield. Thou hast all there.
“What in thy love possess I not?
My star by night, my sun by day,
My spring of life when parched with drought:
My wine to cheer, my bread to stay,
My strength, my shield, my safe abode,
My robe before the throne of God!”
While many, alas, are satisfied with mere formalities in religion, or with the dry discussion of doctrines, high or low, as they may be called, see thou and be occupied with Christ Himself. It is the knowledge of His Person that gives strength and joy to the soul. At all times, under all circumstances, we can say, “Look upon the face of thine Anointed.” We cannot always say, Look on us; but we may always say, Look on Him. In deepest sorrow through conscious failure, or in trials and difficulties through faithfulness to His name, we can ever plead with God what Christ is. God is ever well pleased with Him — ever occupied with Him as risen from the dead and exalted to His own right hand in heaven; and He would have us also to be occupied with Him as the heart’s exclusive object.
True faith can only rest on God’s estimate of Christ, not on inward thoughts and feelings. That which may be called the faith of the formalist, rests on the ability of his own mind to judge of these matters. He trusts in himself. This is the essential difference between faith in appearance and faith in reality. The one rests in God’s estimate of Christ, the other in his own. The one trusts in Christ, the other trusts in himself. But, oh! how wide the difference between the two in God’s sight! and, alas, how wide will be the difference forever, if no change takes place! As to thyself, dear reader, on what is thy faith — thy hope resting? See, I beseech thee, that the word of the living God is the solid rock on which all thy expectations are built; and as one lost and ruined under sin, see that thou art looking to Jesus as thy Savior, and resting on the word of His grace. This is saving faith. It listens only to God.
Take an example — It is on God’s testimony to the good of Christ that the conscience rests with a perfect rest, in spite of all that it feels working within; and it is only His testimony to the Person of Christ that keeps the heart peaceful and happy in spite of all circumstances. What God says must hold good and true independently of all perplexing circumstances without, and of all contrary feelings within. Thus faith argues, and argues fairly, and walks in fellowship with God. When He proclaims from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;” the voice of faith from earth responds, “This is my beloved Savior, in whom I am well pleased.” The voices meet and agree in One. This is communion! Oh! wondrous, gracious, glorious truth! The Lord’s name alone have all the praise!
Yet one look more at this precious ninth verse, before passing on to the tenth. The thoughts love to linger over the many lines of truth which it suggests. It begets meditation. And still the leading thought is — God looks for the believer to have the same thoughts of Christ as He has Himself. But this is the work of the Holy Spirit. We only know Christ in the proportion that He is revealed unto us by the Spirit. Hence the unspeakable importance of understanding the scriptures on this point; and of giving the Holy Spirit His right place both in our hearts and ways. “For he dwelleth with you and shall be in you.” (John 14:1717Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:17).) When this leading truth of the present period is either overlooked or practically displaced, there must be great darkness and feebleness as to the Person of Christ. “No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” “Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” 1 Cor. 12:3; 2:113Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. (1 Corinthians 12:3)
11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 2:11); John 16:13, 1413Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. (John 16:13‑14).
The great object, we believe, of the Holy Spirit’s work in us, is to make good in our hearts the thoughts of God concerning Christ. This is the basis of the Christian’s walking in the light as God is in the light, and of worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth. Indeed, all hinges, practically, on this state of soul. Our consistency, spirituality, steadfastness, devotedness, and happiness, are intimately connected with it. When the heart is right with Christ, both the judgment and the practice will be right. The affections govern the judgment. God’s way of delivering souls from all evil, both inwardly and outwardly, is Christ. Our only strength is in being filled with Him. Light on the path, and strength to walk therein, flow from this.
Is it not ignorance of Christ that leads the unconverted around us to act so contrary to Him? And on the other hand, is it not the knowledge of Christ that leads to a life of holiness and practical godliness? And just in proportion as the Christian enjoys Christ, does he live above self and the world. And farther, it is only in being occupied with Christ, as He is before God, in all His loveliness, that we grow up into His likeness. This is the principle; If we would love Him more, we must be more occupied with His love to us — if we would serve Him better, we must be more occupied with His devotedness to us — if we would get rid of our spiritual deformities, we must be more occupied with His loveliness. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor. 3:1818But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18).
But, alas! how often it happens, that even true, earnest Christians are strangers to this line of truth, this character of exercise, and this fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. There is a constant tendency in such to be occupied with a sense of inward evil in place of Christ; consequently, darkness, feebleness, a lack of communion as to Christ, must be the result. Discouraged and cast down from what takes place within, they are filled with doubts and fears. They think the heart ought to get better, and not have so many bad thoughts as it once had. Most true, the Christian has to judge himself daily and hourly for everything that is contrary to Christ. But he has also another lesson of great practical importance to learn, namely, he has to learn what flows from Christ, and what flows from himself. There is no good thing in nature, and no good thing can ever come from it. “In me,” says the great apostle, “(that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing.” Every good thing cometh down from above. But we are slow to learn that there is nothing good towards God in our nature, and that nothing good in His sight can ever come from it.
We must live Christ if we would please God, and walk in fellowship with Him; but we must first learn Him. He is our lesson. Oh! that we could impress all our readers and ourselves, more deeply, with the importance of this great truth! “To learn Christ — and to live Christ.” “For me to live is Christ,” says the apostle, and in writing to the Ephesians he says, “But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.” This is our lesson, — the wide range of truth as brought out and set in. the light of heaven, in connection with the lowly Jesus on earth, and the exalted Christ in heaven. This, I repeat, is our lesson! He is the way, the truth, and the life. The character, the reality, the truth, of everything was tested by His presence on earth. All truth meets in His Person. But most and best of all, by Him we know God and are happy: and in Him as the risen, exalted, and glorified Christ, we know, and still learn more and more of our privileges and blessings in the presence of God. “Behold, Ο God, our shield, and look upon the face of thine Anointed.”
“When the hours of day are closing,
And the sun has reached the west,
Sweetly in thy love reposing,
I would lay me on thy breast.
Jesus Lord, I thirst for thee,
Thou art all in all to me.
Thou hast taught me of the union
Of my new born soul with thee,
And in hours of deep communion
Thou hast spoken, Lord, to me.
Jesus, now I thirst for Thee,
Thou art all in all to me.”
Verse 10. “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” Those who only know the pleasures of the tents of wickedness, can have no proper conception of the true, solid, lasting pleasures of the courts of the Lord. Those who know both can speak positively of the difference. Who that has spent a day with God in spirit, and in the varying exercises of meditation and devotion, cannot speak of its blessedness? But the testimony of scripture on the subject is full, and safer to judge from.
The Spirit of truth, by Solomon, has said, “For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.” (Eccles. 7:66For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 7:6)) Noisy, empty, sparkling, it may be, for a moment, and then extinguished forever. Such, alas! is the character of the so-called pleasure in the tents of wickedness. But what shall we say of the fearful condition of those who are feeling the sharp sting of sin after the pleasure is gone? Is it not misery — great misery, even in this life? but, oh! what must it be when all its bitterness is felt in the place where hope never enters. The remembrance of those shallow, short-lived pleasures of earth will afford no relief there.
But we turn to the other and brighter side of the question, and there we read of something very different — may this be the happy portion of all who read these lines! “In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:1111Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11).) Which, now, dear reader, may I ask, do you prefer? Eccles. 7:66For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 7:6) is as true as Psalm 16:1111Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11). But the path of life in the latter, and the path of folly in the former, are as wide apart as heaven and hell. Which, think you, my dear reader, is the nobler, higher, manlier, worthier, wiser path? The boisterous, hollow, unmeaning mirth of the worldling, or the calm, real, lasting joy of the Christian? Do you hesitate? Need you hesitate? The Lord enable you to choose the better part — the part that shall never be taken from you. This itself is no small comfort to the believer. “Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:4242But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:42).) We may not always enjoy or value the good part as we ought to do, hut it shall not be taken away from us. God says it, and that is enough to faith.
Besides, the same blessed truth is plainly taught in our text: “In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” What a wonderful place and portion we have here! The Lord’s name be praised. What a field for meditation! Enter it, my soul, I pray thee; come and meditate with spiritual power on these wonderful words—“Thy right hand” — the place of dignity, power, and special privilege. “Fullness of joy” — nothing lacking — “all spiritual blessings.” “Pleasures for evermore.” Not only is it the place of honor and joy, but it is our everlasting place — “for evermore.” “Pleasures for evermore.” No alloy — no fear of these pleasures ever coming to an end — they are “for evermore.”
Better, surely, better far, be in the humblest condition as to this life, with the knowledge of Jesus, than be the greatest and most exalted monarch that ever sat upon a throne, without the knowledge of Jesus. From the lowest ranks in this life, faith aspires to the highest enjoyments in heaven. It is high-born, high-souled, high in its aspirations, and high in its destinies. It affirms that one day — a single day, spent in the house of God, is better far, than a thousand spent in the tents of wickedness. And if it be so now, O, what must it be hereafter! Then the faithful in Christ Jesus shall ascend to the house of many mansions, where there is fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore. But, alas, alas, those who preferred the tents of wickedness to the company of the godly during their earthly days, can have no part or lot with them, in those abodes of unmingled, never-ending blessedness. May the Lord, in His rich grace, prevent such a fearful end in the ease of all who read these meditations! And to His name alone be all the praise and glory.