Psalms 106:48

DISCOURSE: 680
PRAISE TO GOD FOR HIS MERCIES

Psalms 106:48. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord!

WE find in the world almost an universal prejudice against religion, as a source of melancholy. And more especially if the wickedness of man be portrayed in very deep colours, it is supposed that we shall drive all our hearers to despair. But where shall we find the sins of Israel more awfully depicted, than in the psalm before us? Yet, how is it closed? with weepings and with wailings? No: but with as devout an ascription of praise as is to be found in all the inspired volume. The truth is, that nothing so elevates the soul as a contrasted view of God’s mercies and our own vileness: and no man will build so high a superstructure of praise, as he who digs deepest into the corruptions of his own heart, and lays his foundation broadest on God’s sovereign grace in Christ Jesus. Behold, then, I pray you,

I. The ebullition of heart here manifested!

What is it that the Psalmist has been contemplating?
[He give us, in the psalm, an epitome of the conduct of all Israel, from the time of their coming out of Egypt to the time of David [Note: See 1 Chronicles 16:35.]. He mentions their provoking of God at the Red Sea, their lusting after sensual gratifications, their mutinying against his vicegerents, their worshipping of the molten calf, their contempt of the Promised Land, their joining with the Moabites and Midianites in the worship of Baal-peor, their quarrelling with Moses at Kadesh; and, finally, their incorporating themselves with the Canaanites, and imitating their idolatrous and cruel customs.

But together with all this, he shews how graciously God had dealt with them: for though he had inflicted many and sore judgments upon them, he had not yet finally forsaken them; but, for his own name sake, and for the sake of the covenant which he had made with them, he still continued to them his tender mercies.]
And was not all this a ground for praise and thanksgiving?
[Methinks it was not possible for any one who duly considered the subjects here brought before him, to feel otherwise than as the Psalmist himself felt on the occasion. For, had God taken them in this manner from the midst of another nation, and multiplied his mercies to them to such an extent, and for so many hundreds of years, in the midst of all their rebellions; and shall they not “bless him?” Had he so shewn himself both “the God of Israel” and “a God to Israel;” and shall they not adore him? Shall they not desire that all should be alike impressed with a sense of these mercies, and that God should be alike glorified in all and by all? Methinks, when it was said, “Let all the people say, Amen,” there was not one dissentient or silent voice in the midst of them. Indeed, we are expressly told that “they did all say, Amen; and praised the Lord [Note: See the preceding reference.].” And, if there had been one who refused to unite in this tribute of praise, he might well have been separated from the congregation, as a curse to the Church, and as unworthy to be numbered amongst the Lord’s people.]

From hence, then, we may clearly see,

II.

The corresponding feeling which it should generate in us—

We have experienced an infinitely greater redemption than they—
[Theirs was from temporal bondage, which, at all events, must have been ere long terminated by death: ours is from the chains of sin and Satan, death and hell — — — Theirs was by power only: ours is by price as well as power, even by the inestimable price of our Redeemer’s blood [Note: 1 Peter 1:18.] — — —]

And, notwithstanding this, we have been as rebellious as ever they were—
[Were our sins noted in a book, as theirs are, we should be found to have been as perverse and obstinate as they. In truth, their history is a mirror, wherein the countenance of the whole Christian world shines as clearly as the sun at noon-day. They are the very prototype, to which we are perfectly conformed; yes, and with incomparably greater guilt than they, inasmuch as our obligations to God are infinitely greater than theirs — — —]
Yet is God more merciful to us than ever he was to them—
[True, he has at times visited us with judgments: but he has never cast us off, or “shut up his loving-kindness in displeasure.” On the contrary, he still follows us with offers of mercy through his beloved Son, and importunes us to accept of reconciliation with him through the blood that was shed for us upon the cross — — —]
What, then, should be our sense of gratitude towards him!

[If the Israelites were called to bless him as “the God of Israel,” how much more should we bless him as “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and our God and Father in him! If they were called to bless him in a review of his conduct towards them, how much more may we, in reference to his conduct towards us! If every one of the people was to utter his “Amen” at the giving of thanks to God, what shall be said of us, if there be one amongst us who shall shew reluctance to unite in this holy exercise? Methinks “the very stones would cry out against him.” To every one of you, then, I say with confidence, bear your part with us: and when we say, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting,” let every one of you, without exception, “say, Amen, Amen, Amen!” yes, with one heart and one voice, I say to all, without exception, “Praise ye the Lord.”]

Address—
1.

Those who are not yet liberated from their bondage—

[Such there were in the days of Saul and of David, who were in captivity among the heathen. And how would it be possible for them to unite with their brethren in Jerusalem in these songs of praise? “How could they sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” Hence they pray, “Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy name, and to triumph in thy praise [Note: ver. 47.]!” The same prayer I recommend to you. I know you cannot rise to this devout and holy frame whilst you are under bondage to guilt and fear and evil habits: it is impossible you should. But, if once you obtain reconciliation with God, and, “by a spirit of adoption, are enabled to call him Father,” then will your mouth be opened to sing his praise; and you will desire that every child of man should join with you in that blest employment.]

2. Those who have been brought into “the liberty of the children of God”—

[To you this song of praise is nothing more than the prevailing expression of your feelings before God, To bless and magnify your God, is the joy of your soul: and you are ready to obey the call, when God’s ministers invite you to unite in that holy exercise. Behold, then, I now say, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! and let every one of you say, Amen.” Say it, then; say it cordially; say it devoutly. We are told, that when the Christians of the primitive Churches said Amen, so general and so earnest was the utterance given to that word, that the sound was like thunder. I will not pretend to say what their circumstances might call for; nor will I sit in judgment upon those of whom I know so little. But at this day, I confess, I should prefer a more quiet expression of our feelings and our desires. I am not fond of vociferation in prayer; nor do I like a noisy piety. I prefer what is intimated in that delicate expression of the Psalmist: “Praise is silent before thee, O Lord [Note: Psalms 65:1. The Hebrew, as mentioned in the margin.].” But let God hear “your breathing and your cry [Note: Lamentations 3:56.]:” and doubt not but that He will accept it at your hands; and, by the efforts which you make to praise him now, will he prepare you to join in everlasting “Hallelujahs” in the realms above.]