a ^ f u r . s u f f e r i n gs inflicted on Israel, which s u r p a ss -our p o w e rs of description, a nd if such, w e re a nd a re t he temporal, w h a t m u st be the e t e r n al c o n s e q u e n c es of sin? ( P s a. 90:11). B u t Pie m a k es "glad according to H is a f - flicting" (Pea. 90:15), for w h en H e covered "ali" t h e ir sin H e took a w a y "ail" H is w r a t h. 2. A plea for present mercies. "Turn us . . . cause thine anger to cease." If God h a d a l r e a dy '"brought b a c k" a nd "taken a w ay His wrath," w hy this p r a y e r? Only a f ew t h o u s a n ds h ad r e t u r n e d. T h ey h ow p r ay for t he m a n y t h o u s a n ds of Israel, w i th w h o m t h ey n ow identify t h e m s e l v e s. A nd t h e p r a y er still holds good. H e will "not be angry forever." H e c o u n ts it only a little while, "a small moment" (Isa. 547) "with great mercies will I gather thee." T h e ir afflictions will t h en s e em "light" (Rom. 8:18), for "the glory that shall be revealed." H e will "revive" - t h e m a g a in a n d t h ey shall "rejoice" in H i m (Isa. 35:10). Revival t r i n g s rejoicing, as s p r i ng t he bird's songs. H o w m u ch we need t he r e v i v i n g; how little rejoicing "in the Lord" w e . see. Lord, wilt T h ou not revive us a g a in (we h a ve seen revivals, a nd k n ow s o m e t h i ng of their joy), t h a t t hy people m a y rejoice in Thee, a nd s i n n e rs be c o n v e r t ed to T h e e? N o t e: It is God w ho m u st "turn us;" it is H e w ho m u s t "revive us." "All my springs are In Thee" (Psa. 87:7). 3. Resolution to wait on God. "I will hear what God, the Lord, will speak." It is profitable not only to s p e ak to God, b ut to be still a nd let H im s n e ak to us. A nd w h a t will H e say, Peace": "Peace, sweet peace, peace the gift of God's love." H e always, s p e a ks peace t o those w ho will listen to H i m. H is s t o r m i n gs a r e only to r e a ch t he deaf a nd m a k e t h e m listen. Yes, H e speaks, "Peace on earth, good will to man" ( L u ke 2:14). H e s p e a ks "peace" to troubled w a v es w i t h o ut ( Ma rk 4:39), a nd to troubled h e a r ts w i t h in (Jno. 14:27); for H e is "the God of Peace" (Rom. 15:33), a nd b r i n gs a "gospel of peace" (Eph. 6:15). H a s H e spoken p e a ce to y o u? Oh, yes, H e h a s (Eph, 2:17). B ut per haps, you will n ot h e ar w h a t t he Lord s p e a k s. 4. Blessings of Salvation. (2) Help Is never far from them who love the Lord. "Salvation" to come is a s n e ar as J e s us w ho is a l w a ys "at the door" (Phil. 4:5), a nd who; "comes quickly" in clouds of glory, j i g£ a s H e went (Acts 1:9-11; L u ke 21:27, 28) a nd "glory shall dwell in t he l a n d" a s it used to-.' do (2 Chr. 5:14), only mo re universally (Isa 60:2). (2) "Mercy and truth are met to- gether." This locks b a ck to v e r s es 4 a n d 5, to t he t i me w h e n, all Israel shall be s a v ed (Rom. 11:26. T he mercy of salvation c a n n ot come, e x c e pt consistently w i th t he truth. T r u th said "Thou shalt die" (Gen. .3:3: Ezek. 18:4). Me r cy says, "Let Him live." Me r cy a nd t r u th " m et to- g e t h er a t Calvary. T he sinners' S u b s t i t u te died a nd both Mercy a nd Truth w e re s a t i s- fled. "Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other." Righteousness d e m a n d ed t he execution of t he penalty. Peace oleaded be reconciled w i th t he sinner. R i g h t e o u s- n e ss a nd P e a ce kissed each o t h er u n d er t h e s h a o ow of t he cross; n o w God can be " j u s t" (righteous) " a nd t he justifier of t he u n g o d- lv" CRom. 3:26). I s n 't it b e a u t i f u l? (3) "Truth shall spring out of the earth," w h e re
of h e a r t s. T h ey c an t a ke a h e a rt all out of t u n e a n d soon b r i ng t he s w e e t e st h a r m o n i es f r o m its once d i s t r a c t ed chords 1 : " S i ng a song to J e s us w h en t he h e a rt is f a i n t; Tell it all to J e s u s, c o m f o rt or c omp l a i n t ." II. PSALM EIGHTY-FIVE. Out of t he inspired h y m n al this h as b e en selected for a lesson a s one t h a t fits t he historical situation we h a ve b e en studying. 1. We have grateful acknowledgments of p a st m e r c i es in six "Thou hasts," vv. ,1-3; 2. We have a plea f or p r e s e nt or c o n t i n u ed mercies, vv. 3-7; 3.' a resolution to w a it on God's word, vv. .8, 9; 4. a r e c o u n t i ng of blessings of salvation, vv. 10;rl3. 1st. "Thou hast." "Lord," i. e. "Jehovah," t h ey used to say, "O Baal, heart us;" now t h ey h a ve learned by t h e ir afflictions t h a t "Jehovah He is God" (1 Kgs. 18:26, 39), a nd will '' call on J e h o v ah t h e ir f a t h e r 's God, saying, "What have I any more to do with idols?" (Hos. 14:8). "Thou hast been favor- able to thy land." "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof" ( P s a. 24:1), b ut one land is peculiarly His, t he H o ly L a n d. H e claims it, saying, "The land shall not be sold forever: for it is mine" (Dev. 25:23). 2nd. "Thou hast." "Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob." By " c a p t i v i t y" is m e a nt captives. In this w a y H e w a s f a v o r- able to H i s land, for it is a blessing to a land to be occupied by one "to till the earth" (Gen. 2:5), so only does "It bring forth and bud and give bread to the eater" ( (Isa. 55:10), a n d so " t he m y r t le a nd fir t r e e " displace " t he t h o rn a nd b r i a r" (Isa. 55:13), t he land suffers w i th t h e s i n n er (Gen. 3:17, 18; R o m. 8:20; 21), so it h ad been w i th t he "pleasant" land, it w a s deso- late. , B ut w h en J e h o v ah r e m e m b e rs H i s people H e r e m e m b e rs t he land (Lev. 26:42; R o m. 8:19). A nd this will be a b e a u t i f ul e a r th yet, for t h e Lord will be f a v o r a b le to it w h e n H e b r i n gs b a ck our captivity. 3rd. "Thou hast." "Thou hast forgiven the in- iquity of thy people." T he Lord h as a pe- culiar people a s well as land (Deut. 14:2). T h e se a r e " t he J e w s ." T h ey a r e ' H i s yet,: "God hath not cast a w ay His people" (Rom. 11:2). L et us do t h e m no h a r m, b ut t o love t h e m. R e m e m b er Babylon. God h as p r o m- ised to forgive t h e m still ^-"l will- forgive their iniquity, and will remember . their sin no more." H a s H e forgiven you? If not, w h y n o t? H e .forgives Gentiles, too, w h o m a y k n ow w h a t m a de t h o se people sing, for "Blessed ( h a p p y) are those w h o se in- iquities a re f o r g i v e n" (Rom. 4:7). 4th. "Thou hast." "Thou hast covered all their sin." T h a t is one w ay of s p e a k i ng of o ur justification. Sin a t o n ed f or is. "covered." God will not look at, a nd would not- h a ve u s or others, look on it a ny more. B ut it is not covered like a body in t he g r a ve to fester, b ut w i th a p l a s t er of grace' to cure it. 5th, "Thou hast." "Thou hast turned away all thy wrath." 6th. "Thou hast." "Thou hast turned thyself from the fierce- ness of thine anger." Wh i le we consider t h a t* GocL's a n g er is not! of t he vengeful, sinful n a t u re .of u n r e a s o n i ng m e n, we. m u s t n ot dull t he edge of t he ''sword of the Spirit." by s o f t e n i ng d o wn t he t e r ms of Scripture. God's a n g er is just, H is w r a t h is r i g h t e o us a nd all t he w r a t h of m a n is not t o be f e a r ed beside it. A h i nt of " t he fierceness" of H i s, a n g er a f f o r d ed in all t he
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