Psalms 130:7

Let Israel hope in the Lord.

Israel’s hope; or, the centre of the target

When we meet with a man who has been in special trouble, and he has escaped from it, we are anxious to know how it came to pass, in order that, if we are east into similar trial, we also may resort to the same door of hope. The other day you saw a man blind, begging ill the street, and now he has an eye bright as that which sparkles on the face of a gazelle, and you cry in astonishment “Tell me who was the oculist that operated on your eyes; for I may be in a like case, and I should be glad to know where to go?” Here, then, we have a gale of knowledge opened before us. This psalm is called “De Profundis”; its teaching is not only profound, but practical.

I. In obtaining Gospel blessings the first exercises of faith must be towards God in Christ Jesus, and not towards the blessings themselves.

1. This is the most natural order which faith can follow. Look first to the Giver, and then to the gift. Look for the Helper, and then for the help.

2. This is the necessary order--first to Christ, and then to His yoke, and to His peace.

3. It is also the easiest order. Do not try to believe in pardon in the abstract, but in Jesus the Sacrifice and Saviour, who has once for all appeared to put away sin. By looking to Him you will be saved; and what is easier than to look?

4. I believe that, in every case wherein the soul finds peace, this is the actual order. We may go about after pardon, renewal, and holiness, but we find no rest unto our souls while hunting for these. As a matter of fact, we look unto Him and are lightened, and not by any other means.

II. All exercises of faith in reference to other things must be in connection with the Lord. As the stars called “the Pointers” always point to the pole-star, so must our faith ever look to God in Christ Jesus. Having begun with Jesus, our faith must not look elsewhere. I would do nothing without Jesus. I would not even wish to repent except my eye were upon the Cross. I would not hope to think a holy thought except as my soul still gazed upon. Jesus my all. Away, away with every idea of mercy except it be mercy received through Jesus, for He alone is full of grace, and of His fulness must we receive. Mercy flows through Christ alone. So is it with “plenteous redemption.” What a grand utterance that is--“plenteous redemption”! Is there not rare music in the sound l It means plenteous forgiveness for plenteous sin, through a price paid, a ransom given. In Christ only can you find this. “With Him is plenteous redemption.” Do not dream of finding redemption in ordinances, in prayers, in tears, or in anything but the life and death and person of the Son of God. “Plenteous redemption.” Why, that means deliverance from the bondage of many lusts, freedom from the thraldom of strong passions, a ransom of captives from fierce taskmasters. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

With Him is plenteous redemption.--

Plenteous redemption

As the mighty ocean, while, from the beginning of the world, it has supplied rain and dew to water the hills and vales, and continents and islands, is undiminished; as the light of the sun, though for thousands of ages it has brightened the planets, and the broad expanse of heaven, still pours its dazzling radiance on countless worlds, so with the benefits of the Saviour’s death.

I. This redemption is ample and unlimited. St. Paul was certainly not deceiving Christians when he taught them to pray for “all men” (1 Timothy 2:1), which would be mere mockery, if all might not come to a knowledge of the truth. The Prayer Book has not been leading us astray when it has made us say so many times, and with such earnestness of heart, “That it may please Thee to have mercy upon all men.” If Christ died only for the “elect,” where would be the propriety of such petitions?

II. It cannot be exhausted, and provision has been made for each one of us. One of the lay preachers who accomplished so much good in Scotland amplified and re-echoed the sentiment--“It was not a live lamb that was tied to the door-posts of the Israelites in Egypt; only its blood was sprinkled over them. It is not the life of Christ that saves, nor imitations of His life; but His death, His blood.” (J. N. Norton.)

Plenteous redemption

I. Redemption implies captivity to the penalty and power of sin; release into safety and liberty; and the ransom of the obedience and suffering of Jesus. Faith secures release by appropriating the work of Christ, which abolishes penalty, and the work of the Holy Spirit, which regenerates and so changes the whole nature as to deliver from penalty.

II. This redemption is plenteous.

1. In the breadth of forgiveness, covering all offenders and offences, and removing them out of the sight of God.

2. In covering the breadth of man’s need, Christ saves to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25). Mind, heart, conscience, and will all purged by the power of redeeming blood.

3. In the freedom and fulness of infinite grace such a price--such love--such provision even for non-partakers.

III. It is with him. God the Father devised, the Son executes, the Spirit applies the scheme. No hope or help in man for himself or fellow-man. (Homiletic Review.)

Plenteous redemption

“Redemption” is a word which has gladdened many ears, when there was no heavenly sound in its blessed chime. Apart from any theological use of it, the word is a very sweet one, and has been melodious to many hearts. In those days when piracy was carried on continually along the coast of Africa, when our fellow-Christian subjects were caught by corsairs, and carried away captive, you can well understand how the burdened soul of the manacled slave, chained to the oar of his galley, was gladdened by the hope that possibly there would be redemption. His cruel master, who had forced him into his possession, would not willingly emancipate him; but a rumour came, that in some distant nation they had raised a sum of money to purchase the freedom of slaves--that some wealthy merchant had dedicated of his substance to buy back his fellow-countrymen; that the king himself upon his throne had promised to give a liberal redemption that the captives among the Moors might return to their homes. Truly I can suppose the hours would run happily along, and the dreariness of their toil would be assuaged, when once that word “redemption” had sounded in their ears. So with our fellow-subjects and our fellow-men, who once were slaves in our West Indian settlements. We can well conceive that to their lips the word redemption must have been a very pleasing song. O there are many sonnets in that one word, “redemption”! Now, ye who have sold for nought your glorious heritage; ye who have been carried bondslaves into Satan’s dominion; ye who have worn the fetters of guilt and groaned under them; ye who have smarted beneath the lash of the law; what the news of redemption has been to slaves and captives, that will it be to you. It will cheer your souls and gladden your spirits, and more especially so when that rich adjective is coupled with it “plenteous redemption.”

I. Redemption. What has Christ redeemed? His redemption is a very compendious redemption. He has redeemed many things; He has redeemed the souls of His people; He has redeemed the bodies of His people; He has redeemed the original inheritance which man lost in Adam; He has redeemed, in the last place, the world, considered in a certain sense--in the sense in which He will have the world at last. “The whole creation,” said Paul, “groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now”; waiting for what? “waiting for the redemption”; and by the redemption I understand that this world shall be washed of all her sin; her curse shall be removed, her stains taken away, and this world shall be as fair as when God first struck her from His mind. This Christ has redeemed; this, Christ shall, and most assuredly must, have.

II. “plenteous redemption.”

1. It is “plenteous” when we consider the millions that have been redeemed.

2. It is “plenteous,” again, if we consider the sins of all who are redeemed. S. Remember, again, that this “plenteous redemption” is plenteous because it is enough for all the distresses of all the saints. Your wants are almost infinite; but this atonement is quite so. (C. H. Spurgeon.)