_How amiable are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! _ A GOOD MAN IN RELATION TO THE SCENES OF PUBLIC WORSHIP I. As deprived of these privileges. In his deprivation he reveals-- 1. A devout admiration for them (Psalms 84:1). It is the law of mind, that blessings when lost always appear to us more p... [ Continue Reading ]
_My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God._ THE PROFOUNDEST HUNGER OF HUMAN NATURE The words “soul, heart, flesh,” are here used to represent the whole man, human nature in its entirety; and this human nature is here longin... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself._ SPARROWS AND SWALLOWS These birds found in the sanctuary what we would find in God. I. Houses for themselves. That they should find houses in and around the Lord’s house is remarkable, and David dwelt on it with pleasure.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house: they will be still praising Thee._ THE PRIEST AND THE PILGRIM 1. The means of grace are prized in proportion to the difficulty or danger in the way of their enjoyment. The Scottish Covenanters would not be absent from public worship, although to be presen... [ Continue Reading ]
_Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee._ SOUL STRENGTH I. It springs from a special connection with God. “Whose strength is in Thee.” In what does a soul’s strength consist? 1. Disinterested love. 2. Sympathy with right. The stronger the sympathy with right, the more mighty. 3. Concentra... [ Continue Reading ]
_They go from strength to strength._ THE THEORY OF TRUE PROGRESS What is the true progress of man? We say progress of “man” in contradistinction to the progress of ideas, “graces,” principles, faculties, or arts. 1. Progress in the accumulation of wealth is not the true progress of man. 2. Nor p... [ Continue Reading ]
_For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand._ TIME SPENT IN WORSHIP IS TIME BEST SPENT I. There is no time like it for the development of the highest thoughts. Mind quickens mind. The greater the mind with which we are in conscious contact, the more power it has to rouse the intellect and s... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the Lord God is a sun and shield._ GOD A SUN AND A SHIELD This is a startling conjunction of emblems. A “sun”: the centre of a system of worlds--the very synonym for splendour--so glorious, that it has been worshipped by multitudes as Divine. A “shield”: an implement in human war, at first si... [ Continue Reading ]
_O Lord of Hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee._ OF TRUST IN GOD I. The exercise itself. 1. Man is altogether insufficient for his own happiness. 2. God alone is all-sufficient for the happiness of man. 3. God in His Word has made a revelation of His grace, mercy, and goodwill towar... [ Continue Reading ]