Psalms 17

DISCOURSE: 515
THE MAN OF GOD

Psalms 17:15. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

IN respect of outward appearance, there is but little difference between “the man of God,” and “the men of this world” — — — But, in their inward principle, they are as far asunder as light from darkness. The Psalmist here contrasts them,

I. In their desires—

The men of this world affect only the things of time and sense—
[”They have their portion in this life.” Pleasure, riches, honour, are the great objects on which their affections are set, and in the attainment of which they suppose happiness to consist. For these they labour with incessant care: and if they may but transmit this portion in rich abundance to their children, they bless themselves, as having well discharged the offices of life — — —]
The man of God has his affection set rather upon things invisible and eternal—
[There is a remarkable decision manifest in that expression, “As for me,” I will do so and so. It resembles the determination of Joshua; who, if all Israel should forsake the Lord, declared this to be his fixed resolution, “As for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

In that other expression, too, “I will behold thy face in righteousness,” there is, I think, a peculiar delicacy and beauty. It is not merely “I will seek thy favour,” or, “I will follow after righteousness;” but I will seek thy favour in the only way in which it can ever be obtained, namely, in an entire compliance with thy holy will, as revealed in thy blessed word. In this view it imports, “I will seek thy favour in the way of penitential sorrow; for how shall an impenitent sinner ever find acceptance with thee? — — — “I will seek it in a way of believing confidence:” for thou art never more pleased than when a perfect reliance is placed on thy dear Son, and in “thy promises, which in him are yea, and in him Amen” — — — “I will seek it in a way of incessant watchfulness:” for if I practise iniquity in my life, or “regard it in my heart,” thou canst never receive me to mercy — — — “I will seek it also in a way of universal holiness:” for it is the obedient soul alone on which thou canst ever look with complacency and delight — — —

We mean not to say that “the man of God is perfect;” for there is yet much imperfection cleaving to him: but we do say, that, in the habitual desires and purposes of his soul, he accords with the description here given.]
Nor do the two characters differ less,

II.

In their prospects—

“The men of this world” can hope for nothing but disappointment—

[Admitting that they attain the summit of their ambition, they only grasp a shadow. Possess what they may, they feel an aching void, a secret something unpossessed: “In the midst of their sufficiency they are in straits.” As for an eternal state, they do not even like to think of it: their happiness depends on banishing it from their thoughts; and if at any time it obtrude itself upon their minds, it brings a cloud over their brightest prospects, and casts a damp over their richest enjoyments — — —]
Not so “the man of God:” his pursuits are productive of the most solid satisfaction—

[Even in this life he has a portion which he accounts better than ten thousand worlds: so that in him is fulfilled what our blessed Lord has spoken, “He that cometh to me, shall never hunger; and he that believeth in me, shall never thirst.” He has gained a superiority to earthly things, which no other man, whatever he may boast, is able to attain — — — But when, at the resurrection of the just, he shall “awake” to a new and heavenly state, how rich will be his satisfaction then! Then will he “behold God face to face:” then, too, will he have attained God’s perfect image in his soul: and then will he possess all the glory and felicity of heaven. Could we but follow him into the presence of his God, and behold him in the full enjoyment of all that he here desired and pursued, methinks we should every one of us adopt the Psalmist’s determination, and say, “As for me, this shall be my one desire, my uniform endeavour, and the one great object of my whole life” — — —]

Observe,
1.

How wise is the Christian’s choice!

[The world may deride it as folly, if they will: but I appeal to every man who possesses the least measure of common sense, whether he do not in his heart approve the very things which with his lips he ventures to condemn? Yes; there is not one, however averse he may be to live the Christian’s life, who does not wish to “die his death;” nor one, however he may dislike the Christian’s way, who does not wish, if it were possible, to resemble him in his end. Let it be a fixed principle, then, in all your minds, that “the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding”— — —]

2. How happy is the Christian’s way!

[Because the Christian renounces the vanities of the world, those who have no other source of happiness than the world, imagine that he is deprived of all his pleasures. But we might as well represent a philosopher as robbed of his happiness, because he has ceased to amuse himself with the trifles which pleased him in the years of childhood. The Christian has lost his taste for the vanities which he has renounced: “Whilst he was a child, he occupied himself as a child: but when he became a man, he put away childish things.” He now has other pursuits, and other pleasures, more worthy of his advanced age, and more becoming his enlarged mind. When the question is asked, “Who will shew us any good?” His answer is, “Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me!” Know ye then, Brethren, that, however deeply the Christian may mourn over his short-comings and defects, and however ill he may be treated by an ungodly world, he is incomparably happier than any ungodly man can be. What says our blessed Lord to “the poor, the mourners, the meek, the pure, the righteous? Blessed, blessed, blessed, are ye all.” On the contrary, upon “the rich, the full, the gay, he denounces nothing but woe, woe, woe.” Be assured, then, that they only are blessed who seek the Lord; and that “in keeping his commandments there is great reward”— — —]