Isaiah 44:1-7

Isaiah 44:1. Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:

After all these charges, you see, the love of God to his chosen people is still the same. Well might Paul say, «I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.» Sin is an exceedingly evil and bitter thing, but even that shall not divide us from the love of God, for, «while we were yet sinners, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.» So herein grace triumpheth over sin, and layeth our follies beneath its feet.

Isaiah 44:2. Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing is on thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel. Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts, I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

Now turn to Psalms 85:1. This Psalm is dedicated to the chief musician. It is a Psalm worthy of the ablest musician. It is to be sung with care; they are well instructed who can understand it, and enter into the experience it describes. It is called- A Psalm for the sons of Korah. I have often reminded you, dear friends, that, when Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, went down alive into the pit, the sons of Dathan and Abiram perished with their fathers, but we read, «Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not» We cannot tell why, we must set it down to the sovereign grace of God: and if it were so, then I can see why they henceforth became singers in the sanctuary. «A Psalm for the sons of Korah.» You will sing best who wonder most at your salvation. You who can see no reason for it, except the sovereign goodness of God, will have sweet voices tuned with gratitude wherewith to praise God. The first verse of the Psalm contains a happy memory

This exposition consisted of readings from Isaiah 43:22; Isaiah 44:1; and Psalms 85:1.