Psalms 26:8

For Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes; and I have walked in Thy truth.

The loving kindness of the Lord contemplated

I. We have a pleasant object of contemplation--the loving kindness of the Lord. God has ever been manifesting this. In creation, especially in the creation of man. Other principles came afterwards into operation. God must be just as well as beneficent. Hence man, when he sinned, had to feel the effects of God’s sore displeasure. But it is only when this is viewed in its connection with a dispensation of mercy, and as designed to lead us to repentance, that it can be regarded as manifesting His loving kindness. It is not merely forbearance--the patience which endures for a season the vessels of wrath, and which must at last give way to the growing vengeance provoked by their iniquities. It is the pitying tenderness with which our miseries and dangers are regarded, the redeeming love which would rescue us from them all, and receive and cherish us again as dear children, and delight in us at all times to do us good. Therefore consider--

1. What has been done to render the exercise of mercy consistent with justice. See this in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is it that arrests the attention and draws to itself the rapt admiration of the disciple whom Jesus loved? “Herein,” he exclaims, “is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to he the propitiation for our sins.” Did he overlook the other doings of God, in which He has shown His goodness to the children of men? No; but he felt that this transcends them all. In this he saw most clearly that God is love.

2. Think on the fruits of this loving kindness. Our mercies temporal and spiritual stretch on through all eternity. Notice also its spontaneous character, and its constancy.

II. The manner in which it should be before our eyes.

1. As the frequent subject of our thought.

2. As the sure ground of our hope.

3. As the motive of our praise. (James Henderson, D. D.)

Think well and do well

David is labouring under the fear that he should be judged and condemned with the ungodly. He therefore urges reasons wherefore this should not be so. And this amongst the rest, that his thoughts were upon the loving kindness of God. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he,” We may form a better judgment of ourselves, probably, from the tenor of our thoughts than from any other evidence. If our thoughts all go downward, downward we ourselves are going. But if there be some breathings towards the heavenly, then may we have hope that we also are ascending towards the heavenly places and shall dwell in them hereafter. David could urge, besides the secret evidence of his devout thoughts, the public proof of his holy acts--“I have walked in Thy truth.” The two must go together to become valid evidence. Fruitful subject. “Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes.” It is exceedingly profitable for the Christian to have always some subject of thought upon his mind. When the mind does not receive holy matters to feed upon, as a rule it preys upon itself; like certain of our bodily organs which, if not supplied with nutritive matter, will soon begin to devour their own tissues. The mind when it eats into itself forms doubts, suspicions, complaints; and nine out of ten of the doubts and fears of God’s people come from two things--walking at a distance from God, and want of spiritual nutriment for the soul. A powerful stream of holy contemplation will scour the thoughts and bear away the foul deposits of unholy thought. Now, David’s theme here is a rightful subject for meditation. It is our bounden duty to think much upon God’s loving kindness. And it is a good subject, and wide, and pleasing. Very plain too, and suitable and seasonable for us all.

II. A life ordered by a right rule. “I have walked in Thy truth.” He means, “I have tried to order my religion according to the truth God has revealed.” Can we all say that? Do not most of us worship God in the way, and because it is the way, our forefathers did? We are of one mind with the old Saxon king who, when he was about to be baptized, stood with one leg in the water and inquired of the bishop, “Where do you, say my ancestors are gone? They knew nothing about your Christianity. All cast into hell,” said the bishop. “Well, then,” said this fine old Conservative, “I will go with them; I should not like to be parted from my kith and kin.” Very much of this principle rules our country still. David means, next, that he had walked according to God’s law. “I have walked in Thy truth.” But--

III. See the link which binds the two parts of the text together. The one has been the consequence of the other. Because I thought much of Thy love, therefore I walked in Thy truth. Our thoughts greatly influence our actions. You cannot send the mind up the chimney and expect it to come down white. Whatever road the thoughts traverse, all the faculties of manhood will go after them. But there are some men who separate these things. There are some men who think, or say they think, of God’s loving kindness, but do not walk in God’s truth. What do we say of men who make the doctrines of grace an excuse for licentiousness? Paul said, “Their damnation is just.” Others there are who say they walk in God’s truth, but His loving kindness is never before their eyes. They boast of their character, but they never think of God’s grace. They are Pharisees; they know not what spirit they are of. Let us remember that when we get dull in the practical part of religion, the best way of revival is to think more of the loving kindness of God. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

An encouraging contemplation

I. As a subject of contemplation. David said, “My meditation of Him shall be sweet.”

II. As the source of encouragement. How often we need this--under a sense of guilt; in our afflictions.

III. As an incitement to praise. “How lamentable,” says Leighton, “is it that a world so full of God’s mercy should be so empty of His glory!”

IV. As an example for our imitation. There have been those who have sought to resemble Him. (W. Jay.)

The manifestness of Divine benignity

“God is beauty and love,” says Plato; and these words are echoed by all whose spiritual vision is not dimmed by sensual feeling and sceptical thought. What is meant by Divine goodness or benignity? Not good-doing, but good-being--goodness of nature.

I. God’s benignity is a fact ever before the eyes of man’s investigating intellect. Man’s logical pathway to this great idea is by three grand stages.

1. The master disposition of a moral being is ever the essence of his moral character. The varied impulses of the soul have been resolved into two grand dispositions--the good-seeking and the self-seeking. With a change of the presiding disposition there comes a thorough revolution of character.

2. The master disposition of an absolutely competent being is always expressed in the general tendency of his works. God is such a being; He has all wisdom, all power; and we are authorised to look upon the universe as the expression of His heart.

3. The general tendency of the universe is to produce happiness. And this general impression is confirmed by all scientific research, which demonstrates that the organisation of all sentient beings is contrived for happiness; and that the external sphere of every such being contains full provision for its happiness. But how comes it, then, that there is so much suffering in the world?

(1) Sufferings form a small item compared with enjoyments.

(2) It subserves benevolent ends.

II. It is a fact ever before the eve of man’s general consciousness. And universal man believes in it with a faith underlying all the phenomena of life. There is--

1. A universally felt responsibility for moral evil.

2. A universally felt appreciation of benignity as the essence of excellence.

3. A universally felt obligation to worship.

4. A universally felt desire for continued existence.

III. It is a fact ever before the eye of man’s Biblical faith. The Scriptures reveal the goodness of God as--

1. Conferring blessings of a transcendent character.

2. Conferring these blessings on those who justly deserved His displeasure.

3. Conferring them by means of the most stupendous sacrifice. “He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all.” That God should have bestowed any favour upon sinful creatures and enemies is a wonderful display of goodness; but that He should have made such a sacrifice “passeth knowledge.” More, He makes us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. His goodness is His glory. Faith in His goodness--

(1) Is essential to spiritual union;

(2) is the necessary condition of spiritual culture;

(3) is the solving principle of all intellectual difficulties touching His government;

(4) is the under foundation of all our hope. (Homilist.)

The loving kindness and truth of God

I. What we are to understand by this.

1. It may be taken for either an essential perfection in God, or some external dispensation of good from God. In the former sense, Psalms 51:1; in the latter, Psalms 42:8. In both senses here.

2. It displays and exerts itself in many acts of providence, but especially in Christ, and the vouchsafement of spiritual and eternal blessings by Him (Joel 2:13; Titus 3:4).

3. It may be considered as respecting others or ourselves (Ephesians 5:25; Galatians 2:20).

II. What it is for God’s loving kindness to be before our eyes.

1. Duly to apprehend it.

2. To believe it, and be persuaded of it (John 8:56; Hebrews 11:13).

3. To esteem and prize it (Psalms 36:7).

4. To consider it, and be seriously reminded of it (Exodus 20:20; Song of Solomon 1:4).

III. What is meant by God’s truth.

1. His immutable faithfulness (Psalms 89:49; Psalms 94:4).

2. His Word (Psalms 119:142).

3. The sincerity of those that belong to Him (Psalms 51:6).

IV. What it is to walk in His truth.

1. To place our firm reliance on the faithfulness of God.

2. To attend strictly to the Word of God, both its doctrinal and practical parts.

3. To be upright in our way, in opposition to that walking in craftiness which is the celebrated policy of the children of this world.

4. Perseverance in this course. (T. Cruso.)

Psalms 26:8

Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy house.

The importance of public worship

The form of godliness may often remain when the power is wanting; but the power cannot well subsist where the form is altogether absent. Consider the importance of public worship--

I. As it respects God. If there be a Supreme Being, a Creator of the race, worship should be rendered to Him, both private and public. The natural sentiments of mankind universally attest this. And now that revelation has been given, the light of the Gospel has come, we are inexcusable if we do not obey the desire. God does not need it, but is willing to accept it.

II. As it concerns the world. Independently of its effect on the moral principles of the race, it tends to peace and order, it humanises and civilises, it strengthens the bonds of the social relation and brings out the best that is in man.

III. As it concerns ourselves. We are parts of a great whole, each with duties to the rest. Public worship aids in these. It gives warmth to piety and adds solemnity to moral virtue. As members of the universal Church, we adore the God and Father of us all, through the Redeemer of the race, by the sanctifying Spirit in whom we all have access. (Hugh Blair, D. D.)

Love for the sanctuary

I. The object of the Psalmist’s affection. It is “the habitation of Thy house and,” etc. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,” and when anything is thoroughly loved it is very hard to put into one or two words all that you want to say; language seems to fail. Hence, again and again does the Psalmist tell of his affection for the house of God.

II. His profession of this affection. Some people make no profession; that they make none is their main profession. Let them take care lest, if now they regard not the Lord, He at the last them: a poor thing this. But how different was the Psalmist’s oft-repeated avowal.

III. Some of the reasons for this profession. They have to do with present enjoyment and hope of the future. (J. Aldis.)

The institutions of God’s house

I suppose that nothing short of an entire suspension of the privileges which we recount of our Sabbath would make us understand what the house of God is worth to us, and enable us to enter fully into the mind of the man who, driven forth an exile from Zion, uttered the longing of his heart in these burning words: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so,” etc. (Psalms 42:1). There are those who cannot remember the time when they did not love the habitation of God’s house; others have found, perhaps late in life, what blessings are for them there. But let us note some of the reasons in which this love of the house of the Lord is founded.

I. There I first learned to know myself and Thee. There has been rest since you knew the worst of yourself, and knew that God knew it, and pitied and loved yon still.

II. There I have learnt most richly the meaning of Thy discipline and found strength to endure. Some of you have gone thither crushed by burdens, pressed by temptations, beggared by losses, bewildered by difficulties; ready to cry, I can strive no longer, I am worn out, I give up the battle at last in despair. And then blessed words have seemed to stream down on you from the height, with a soothing sweetness, with an invigorating force such as no words which you have ever heard elsewhere have conveyed.

III. For there I was guided into Thy most blessed service.

IV. There I found meat and fruitful fellowship, and so did those I love best. We little estimate what the house of the Lord has been worth to our souls. As little do we measure its worth to our homes: what peace, unity, charity it has engendered; what wandering, schism, and bitterness it has spared. (J. Baldwin Brown, B. A.)

The house of God

I. Reasons for loving the house and worship of God.

1. Because we love Him whose house it is.

2. Because of the exercises there performed: prayer, reading, and exposition of the Word, praise.

3. Because of the company we meet there: God’s children, angels, God Himself.

4. Because of blessing received there: pardon, guidance, comfort, joy.

II. How this affection should be shown.

1. By regular attendance.

2. By entering heartily into the services.

3. By using our influence to bring others.

4. By contributing to maintain the house and worship of God. (Robert Newton.)

Public worship

The most vital thing, as far as the welfare of our country is concerned, is not what we call its constitution, nor its fiscal policy, nor its elementary education, nor its intellectual or industrial achievements; but, paradoxical as it may sound, its attendance at the sanctuary on the Lord’s day.

I. Our highest being is dependent on our conception of the character of God. If there is no power outside a man greater than himself whose law he recognises and to whom he responds, then, saving the law of the state and the convention of society, he is subject to no law, he is the free creature of his passions. But if man needs an authority outside self to control his selfish passions, he needs an ideal standard above that of common attainment if he is to reach to higher moral excellence. With a lofty ideal, a standard above ourselves, we are always being dissatisfied with ourselves and forced to make efforts to improve. Men may rise towards their God; they cannot rise above Him. One thing more, man needs also within himself an impulse to work, for virtue is often very hard unless you have some motive which shall lead to higher desires. If we turn from theory to history and to personal experience, is it not a fact that morality has risen or gone down just in proportion as faith in God has been strong or feeble? Even so calm and unprejudiced an observer as Darwin said that with the more civilised races the conviction of the existence of an all-seeing deity has had a potent influence on the advancement of morality.

II. This faith in God is to a great extent dependent upon public worship. In this busy distracting age, were there no stated times for public worship, men would run great risk of forgetting God and becoming avowed atheists. If, then, the life of faith largely depends on Divine worship, and upon the life of faith depends the highest well-being of society, then everyone who by his example encourages the neglect of public worship, whatever be his motive, is contributing to the degradation of his country, while in many cases he is securing his own. And while attending service ourselves, we should do our utmost also to induce others to be present; to be rid of all which keeps men away from the house of God; and to acquire everything that may properly attract them there. (Canon Page Roberts.)

The value of public worship

I. Worship is an institution for our instruction. Not only is intellectual enlightenment gained, but a deep insight also into many weighty truths, a juster discernment of right and wrong, an intimate acquaintance with the state of our own heart, the need of salvation and growth in grace.

II. It re-confirms our good resolutions. They need to be again and again renewed. In the congregation we enter into the communion of saints, and are mentally incited to keep our vows. We join a brotherhood possessing the same frailties and having the same needs. The inequalities of life, so apparent in the world, vanish here, where all are drawn with the same bonds of love, and inclined to encourage and assist each other on the way of life.

III. It renews and strengthens our religious feeling. We often approach a service with the world still about us, with trouble and sorrow surging round. In the sanctuary, prayer and praise and the Word have calmed our minds, raised us to a higher plane, given us a truer sense of the proportion of things, juster views of God and His dealings. (Homilist.)

David’s affection for the house of God

I. David had an affection for the sanctuary.

1. An ardent affection.

2. A constant affection.

3. A practical affection.

II. Reasons for this affection. Because of--

1. The Proprietor’s residence there.

2. The company it furnishes.

3. The blessings it affords,

4. The habits it induces. (Sketches of Four Hundred Sermons.)

The sanctity of Christian art: a church-restoration sermon

The Greek version of this passage may be translated, “Lord, I have loved the beauty of Thy house, the place of the tabernacling of Thy glory.” It was the beauty of God’s house that excited the ardour of the Psalmist. It was not beneath the dignity of inspiration to care for the decent and splendid provision for the worship of the Supreme; and in Bezaleel and Aholiab, art received her first consecration to the worship of God.

I. The duty of reverent care for the externals of worship.

1. It may be urged that it is not right to affirm that an ordinance suited to an early age of civilisation must continue, notwithstanding the advance of human knowledge. But, at the same time, it should not be forgotten, that that part of the ceremonial law connected with the fabric of the temple had in it an element of stability.

2. It may be alleged that what was necessary to draw the minds of the Jews from the tawdry splendours of the Canaanitish worship is unnecessary in these days of Christian enlightenment. But what was attractive in the old beliefs was Probably a remnant of the old tradition of reverence to God which had never wholly died out amongst the heathen.

3. It may be asserted that the spiritual nature of the Gospel is entirely alien from a system that appeals to the senses and enlists the imagination. But it can be answered, that the profoundest theological reasons may be adduced for a worship and adoration appealing to every power of humanity: as witness the early Christian services, the Epistles, the Catacombs; and when the taste and bearing of Greece combined with the practical skill of Italy to erect and adorn shrines for worship, all the arts found their legitimate sphere in the service of the Christian religion.

II. The final cause why God has implanted in us a sense of the beautiful. In Him alone is perfection, beatitude, joy. All that is beautiful and lovely here below comes from Him. Even in our fallen human nature there remains sufficient virtue and grace to make us acknowledge and revere the true. We love the beautiful. And where can we find a place for it so appropriate as the courts of the Lord’s house? It may confidently be asserted, that in the history of the world the highest manifestations of the beautiful have been evolved in the sublime adoration of God. (A. P. Forbes, D. C. L.)

Our worship of God

The words are those of an old Jewish poet, spoken centuries before the rise of Christianity. They express a pious feeling which is a dominant irate of the Psalter. The affection of those inspired singers for the sanctuary of the Lord seems irrepressible; out it must, whatever the theme--whether a prayer, or a lamentation, or a thanksgiving, or a sorrowful confession of sin, or a song of victory. The temple of Jerusalem was the Keblah towards which God’s ancient people turned the face in prayer, wherever they might be. They speak of “abiding in God’s tabernacle,” of “dwelling in His house forever,” of “dwelling in His courts,” and being “satisfied with the beauty of His house, even of His holy temple.” They never weary of describing the glory of Mount Zion, and the happiness, the exultation of Divine worship.

1. Avoid narrowness in your religious views. Open your heart and mind to the whole Bible, not only to a part of it. No portion of Scripture is superfluous, but everything is necessary in its place--as a link in a chain, a stage in the growth, a step on the ladder that reaches from earth to heaven.

2. Never imagine that while beauty and stateliness are desirable in secular buildings, they are superfluous in the house of God. Never dream that spirituality of worship is furthered by poverty of accessories, by absence or meagreness of ornament, by an utter lack of comeliness in the consecrated place. All outward and visible beauty is a symbol and prophecy of the Unseen and Eternal Beauty, and therefore naturally fitted to lift our hearts to that great Object of all worship. The Church may rightly be made glorious with lavish expense of art, and time, and means: if only because the masses of God’s poor stand in pressing need of some such contrast with their ordinary haunts, to waken in their souls the sense of something higher, purer, nobler than the sights and sounds to which hard necessity has restricted them.

3. Every church is “holy ground,” for it is a meeting place of God and man; and what is holy should be beautiful. Beauty is the natural stimulus of love. The truth that God meets us here in a special way does not contradict the truth of His Presence everywhere. The prophets and teachers of Israel knew quite well that the Spiritual is the only Real, and that spiritual worship means a worship which is heartfelt, not hollow, reasonable not magical and meaningless,--a worship in which the entire consciousness, the whole nature, concentrates itself upon God. Sursum corda--Lift up your hearts! and your churches may be perfect shrines of beauty, and your services musical as the song of angels; your worship will not therefore be less but more spiritual. (C. J. Ball, M. A.)

Love to the house of God

I. The object of the Christian’s love.

1. This habitation, or house, is designed by the Great Proprietor of it for public worship.

2. It implies the manifestation of the Divine Presence.

II. The Christian’s love to the house of God.

1. The love of affection.

2. The love of preference.

3. Because of advantages realised by attending it.

(1) Children of God are born there.

(2) There the believer was convinced of sin.

(3) There the presence of God is manifested.

(4) It is the banqueting house.

(5) It is the place of instruction.

(6) Its exercises sweeten for glory.

4. Because they worship with good men.

5. It is a practical love.

(1) Regular attendance.

(2) Engagement in its services, according to ability.

(3) Invitation to others to attend.

(4) Pecuniary support.

(5) Prayer.

III. Application.

1. How great the importance and advantages of Divine worship. Christ and His apostles honoured it (Luke 4:16; Acts 2:46).

2. How great the guilt and danger of neglecting the house of God (Psalms 73:27; Zechariah 14:17; Zechariah 14:19; Hebrews 10:25).

3. If the earthly temple is so loved, what love will the heavenly temple create! (Helps for the Pulpit.)