The Biblical Illustrator
Psalms 122:9
Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.
Christian patriotism
I. The Christian’s patriotic vow.
1. He will honour the King.
2. He will obey the laws, not merely for wrath, but for conscience sake.
3. He will use his influence to promote obedience in others.
4. He will personally contribute with cheerfulness to the support of the government by which he is protected.
5. He will discountenance to the utmost all those arts of evasion by which the revenue is defrauded and diminished.
6. He will unite with those who sigh and cry for the abominations of the lands.
7. If Providence should call, he will fight as well as pray.
II. The motive to this vow.
1. It is our native land.
2. The excellence of its constitution.
3. We have a life-interest in our country.
4. We should aim to do justice to the memory of our ancestors, by transmitting, unimpaired, to our posterity, the invaluable treasure of civil and religious liberties which we ourselves enjoy.
5. The house of the Lord is the glory of the land. The ark of the covenant is with us. Our privileges as Christians are great and many. And this consideration will preponderate over all others in the minds of those who truly love our Saviour’s name. (W. Newman, D. D.)
The house of the Lord
I. God’s Church as His house.
1. It is reared by Himself.
(1) The wisdom of the Architect.
(2) The firmness of the foundation.
(3) The suitableness of the materials.
(4) The efficiency of the work. The power is all His own.
2. God’s house is essentially spiritual. There are spiritual capacities, spiritual desires, spiritual purposes, spiritual exercises.
3. The house of God is intended for His own use.
(1) His dwelling-house.
(2) His banqueting-house.
(3) A house of births.
(4) A house of sacrifice.
(5) A house of prayer.
(6) A house of praise.
II. Our individual membership therein. Real godliness is kept up and maintained by secret communion with God, spiritual intercourse with the Most High, under the movings of the Holy Ghost, in the name and for the merits of the Lord Jesus, by sweet, familiar, filial addresses to God the Father. Yea, you want more? The Father’s love-tokens in reply, the Saviour’s kind word in support, and the influence of the Spirit, as green olive trees in the house of the Lord.
III. Devotedness to the house of the Lord. Seek her extension, her peace, and her privileges. (J. Irons.).