PSALM CXXXVIII.
VERSE 1. “I will praise thee with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.“
We cannot be too much occupied in the praises of God. He rightly deserves all the thanksgivings we can bring to Him. It is the great engagement of heaven. Let us begin the music here. If we would be heavenly-minded on earth we must be filled with the praises of God. Notice how David resolves that in praising God it shall be done heartily. “I will praise thee with my whole heart.” If there is ever a thing that ought to be done enthusiastically it is the praising of God. I cannot bear to hear God’s praises chirped out elegantly by polite people, as if they were ashamed of what they were doing, or to see a mass of pipes and bellows left by itself to blow the praises of God by machinery, instead of men and women praising Him with their heart. Oh! how acceptable it must be to God to hear the heart speak. As for the tongue and voice, however sweet their sound, there is little in it. It is the heart. Soul-music is the soul of music. “I will praise thee with my whole heart.” See how bold the Psalmist is about this. “Before the gods,” he says, “will I do it.” Before the angels, before the kings and great ones that think themselves little gods, I will speak to the honour of Jehovah’s name. Aye, and in the idol temples, where their worshippers will be greatly wroth about it, I will praise thee with my whole heart. Before the gods will I present praise unto thee.”
- “I will worship toward thy holy temple“—
That was God’s way of worship. In the old times there was the shrine of God: there was the one altar which would render praise acceptable. David takes care to render praise to God in God’s way. And that is a great principle in worship—to avoid will-worship and to endeavour to present sacrifices such as God prescribes. “I will worship toward thy holy temple.“
What blessed reasons are here given for praising. “I will praise thee for thy loving-kindness.” Is not that the grandest word in any language—loving-kindness? It is a compound of perfect sweets to make up a yet more perfect sweetness—kindness and love mixed together. A marvellous blend! Loving-kindness! “And for thy truth“—thy fidelity—thy faithfulness to thy word. Loving-kindness gave the promise, but truth takes care to see it fulfilled. “So will I praise thy name.“
- “And praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word“—
That is, “Thy word of promise—thy gospel, which thou hast
* We reprint this Exposition at the request of a friend, and by permission of the Publishers, Messrs. Marshall Bros., Ltd., 47 Paternoster Row, London, E.C.—Ed.
applied with power to my soul. Thou hast made it to seem lustrous beyond anything else I have ever seen of thee, O my God; therefore will I magnify thee because thou hast magnified thy word.”
2, 3. “Above all thy name. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.“
Ah! this is what ties a man to praise. Answered prayer is sure to lead us to adoring gratitude. Notice that he says that God answered him not by taking away his trouble, but by strengthening him with strength in his soul. You see it does not matter whether He takes away the load or strengthens the back to bear it. And that is often the method by which he answers His servants’ cries. Not strength of body—perhaps he would have liked that—but strength of soul. And oh! when the soul is strong bodily weakness is but a very small drawback. Nay, the weakness of the body may sometimes tend to illustrate the more the greatness of the power of God. Let us read that verse again, for some of us can set our seal to it. “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.”
4, 5. “All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.“
David was a king, and kings would learn from him. You and I are not kings, but we may exercise a very beneficial influence in our own circle of acquaintances if we make bold to praise God when others can hear us. Let us speak well of His name. Wherever we go let us have a good word for our Master. When others want to know what sort of God we serve, may they gather it from our holy joy and exultant confidence at all times.
- “Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; but the proud he knoweth afar off.“
A glance of them is quite enough for Him. He has no wish to know any more about them; He so hates them. Nothing can separate God from a soul so much as pride. It is that which causes the rejection of the Gospel. Men will not have the humbling Gospel, the sinners’ Gospel. They are too fine, too good, too lofty, and so they do not want God; neither does His soul desire them. “For the proud he knoweth afar off.”
- “Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me“—
He was a king, but he had his trouble. A throne is not a place wherein we can shelter ourselves from trial. “Though I walk in the midst of trouble”—like a man that is to rush through a fire—”yet I shall be safe,” saith he, “for thou wilt revive me—give me new life. When it seems as if my life would be destroyed thou wilt quicken me again.”
7, 8. “Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.“
Note the confident spirit that runs through all this. There is a childlike trust in God, and there is a gladsome praise of God for what has been already received at His hands. Oh! for more of this spirit—the spirit that makes music to the Lord for the past and trusteth Him for the present and the future.
La na Ceisde ann —
THUGADH focal na ceisde (Eph. ii. 13) seachad le I. M. Dh’fhosgail an t-Urr. — — a’ cheisd. Thubhaint e, ann am fosgladh na ceisde:
I.—A thaobh a ni a bha iad:—
- (1) Cha’n’eil neach air bith fad ás o Dhia, a thaobh uile-láthaireachd Dhé.
- (2) Bha cuid fada o laimh, a thaobh shochoirean o’n leth muigh.
- (3) Tha na h-uile, a thaobh naduir, fada o laimh, mar tha bàs fad o bheatha.
II.—Ach ‘sann a ta an t-Abstol a’ labhaint ann an so air ciod a tha iad:—
- (1) Dh’ aithnich iad gu robh iad fada ás.
- (2) Thàinig iad gu a thuigsinn nach b’ ann air bonn an oibre, fhéin a b’urrainn doibh a bhi air an toirt am fagus.
- (3) ‘Se an cuspair troimh am bheil dùil aca gu’n tig iad am fagus do Dhia, Ìosa Crìosd, an t-aon eadar-mheadhonair eadar Dia agus daoine, neach a thàinig E féin am fagus do Dhia, agus an toiseach ann an nadur na daonnachd ann féin.
- (4) Dh’ fhoghlum iad gu robh iad cho millte annta fein, a’s nach dùineadh iad stigh ris an Tì so, gun cumbachd a bhi air a chur an gnìomh d’an taobh, a bhriseadh sios cumbachd as-creidimh agus an-toil.
- (5) Tha gràdh an cridhe air a chosnadadh dh’an chuspair a tha a’n so. ‘Se tha an fhagaisgeachd a’ ciallachadh, uchd-mhacachd agus co-chomuinn, ach tha faireachadh aca air bàs.
Ghairmeadh gu bruidhinn ris a’ cheisd:
(1) U. M. Thubhaint esan:
Is mise tha dorch, dorch, dorch, fad ás. Ach ‘sann a bhrìgh éifeachd na fala, a bha iad so air an toirt am fagus. Bha cuid cho fada ás, a’s nach robh iad féin, no an sinnsir, a’ cumail uiread ri aoradh teaghlaich. Ach bha feadhainn eile, agus mise ‘n am measg, fada ás ‘n an cridhe. Bha iad réidh ri ceilg an cridhe, agus ri truaillichdeachd an naduir.
Ach dh’ fheumadh iad a bhi air an toirt am fagus. Bha iad air an gairm gu h-éifeachdach. Ciod e sin? An toiseach, a dhearbhadh orra am peacadh, agus an truaghean. Cha b’e an t-aon tomhas a fhuair iad, uile dha’n diét so, ach cha robh an tomhas a bu lugha dheth so air nach robh blas na neo-chriochnachd.
Bha an diét ud searbh; ach ‘sann a shoillseicheadh an inntinn a
nis ann an eòlas air Criosd. Bha iad air an toirt am fagus. Thug Tròcair buaidh, d’ur a bha iad an dùil gur h-ann a chuir an gniomharan Tròcair ‘am falach. Shaoil leo gu’n d’fhuair iad na cunnartan uile ás an déigh. Ach lean na h-eagalan iad. Dh’fhaodadh, eagal nach beathaich iad na h-uain, agus na caoraich. Bha mise fo eagal nach tiginn an rathad so gu bràth. Bha mi smuaineachadh gu’m bithinn toilichte na’m faighinn slàn a leigeil leibh. Ach cha’n eil mi ‘g am fhaotainn féin an diugh cho striochta.
Ach facal mu’n fheadhainn a ta fathast fada ás. Their am Biobull riu amadain.
Ach ‘se ni fior-ghlan a ta ann an eagal Dé. Tha e glan, (1) ‘na Ughdair—an Ti naomh. (2) Do bhrigh gu bheil fuath do’n pheacadh ann. (3) Do bhrigh a’s nach ‘eil creutair air am bheil an t-eagal so nach faigh glan cùite as am peacadh mu dheireadh.
(2) I. D. Thubhairt esan :
Bitheas iad so ‘g an ceasnachadh féin a thaobh caochladh ‘nthean. Ciod e ‘tha ga mo thoirt gus na meadhonan? Gidheadh cha bhi iad toilichte gun a bhi aig na meadhonan. Bithidh duilichas orra so ‘nuair a bhitheas an fhirinn ‘na tosd riu. B’fhear leo a bhi fo bhuaidh aon earainn de’n fhirinn, no an saoghal uile. ‘Se an cliù gu bheil gràdh aca do Dhia, agus d’a shluagh. Saoilidh sinn gu’m bi moran de nithenan anns an là anns am bheil sinn beo a’ cur dragh orra, mar tha briseadh Sabaid.
Ach a thaobh chaich: ‘Se cho fad a’s a theid an cealgair, dh’fhàg cuid dhiu so cho amharusach mu’n déighinn féin.
(3) I. M. Thubhairt esan :
Dhearrbh an t-Abstol Pol gu bheil araon an timchioll-ghearradh, agus an neo-thimchioll-ghearradh fo’n fheirg. Tha searmoin-eachadh an t-soiseil mòr ann fein, gidheadh dh’an mheud a’s nach creid ‘se an diteadh os ceann na h-uile diteadh. Bha iad so air an toirt am fagus ann an cridhe, air dhoibh a bhi air an atharrachadh a thaobh an staide agus a thaobh an naduir. Bha gairm an t-soiseil air a deanamh éifeachdach dhoibh. Dh’fhoillsicheadh dhoibh an cor caillte ann an Adhamh. Chuir so gu oibre iad. Bha an t-Urr. A. MacColl a’ deanamh samhlaidh air a’ chùis so, dhe duine a bha gu a bhi air a bhàthadh. Fhad a’s a bha an anail anns an duine, bha e a’ glaochdhaich airson cabhra. A dh’aindeoin cho searbh a’s gu’n robh an deoch so, cha robh ni eile aca aig an àm gu òl deth. Cha chual iad iomradh fathast air creutair a bha cho caillte riu fein. Bha iad a’ meas gu’m b’ iad na creutairean a b’ iongantaiche a bha beo, na’m bitheadh iad air an tearnadh. Agus mur bitheadh fianuis aca ‘nan cridhe gu’n d’fhug E dhoibh nadur an ni a thug E do Rut cha’n aidicheadh iad E. Cha’n e urram o chreutair ris an robh iad a’ sealltuinn. Cha’n e urram o chreutairean a ta air a ghealltuinn dhoibh, mu bhitheas iad beo a reir na firinn.
(4) A. T. Thubhairt esan : Chuala sinn mòran de nithean
còthromach mar a tha. ‘Se ‘th ‘againn ann an so earann luach-mhor dhe’n fhirinn. Tha staid naduir fad ás. Fhuair iad so a mach gu robh iad fada ás air caochladh dhoighean: (a) a thaobh an staide, (b) a thaobh an naduir, (c) a thaobh an cleachdaidhean. Dh’aobharaich so uile gu’n robh iad astar nach b’ urrainn creutair cruthaichte a thomhas air falbh. Ciod e an t-iongantas gu’m bitheadh iad air an toirt am fagus! Thog dà ni an aire: (1) Pearsa, (2) Fuil, Iosa Crìosd. Cha’n iongtach ged a bhitheadh a mhuinntir a ta’n so a’ seinn air a Phearsa, agus air cliu na fala. Ach bithidh iad ‘g am faotainn féin fathast fada ás, d’ur a sheallas iad a stigh orra fein, agus, mar an ceudna, d’ur a choimheasas iad iad fein ri cuid eile a fhuair fagaiseachd air Dia. Ach ged ‘se sin am faireachadh, tha iad, a thaobh am fireanachaidh, agus a thaobh an uchd-mhacachaidh, cho fagus agus a bhitheas iad gu siorruidh.
Bha iad aig sìth ris a’ pheacadh, d’ur bha iad fada ás o Dhia. Ach d’ur a shaothraich an Spiorad Naomh orra, bha an t-sìth sin air a briseadh. Bha sìth ann an tigh Abraham ri Ismaeil, ach d’ur a rugadh Isaac dh’fheumadh a chur a mach.
(5) D. M. Thubhairt esan: ‘S ann bha iad so air an toirt am fagus troimh na rinn neach eile ‘n an rùm agus ‘nan àite. Fhuair iad a mach gu’n do thog an Cruithfhear ‘iomraidh ás an anam. Bha iad uair-eigin toilichte a’ chùis a bhi mar sin. Ach fhuair iad a mach an cunnart. ‘S ann d’ur a dh’fhoghluim iad nach b’urrainn iad cabhair a’ dheanamh orra fein, chaidh rathad Dhé ‘fhosgladh doibh, agus sin troimh an fhirinn, agus leis an Spiorad Naomh. Dhùin iad a stigh gu toileach ris an t-slighe so, ach ‘sann da fein a bhuineas a’ chliù. Bithidh an diabhl ag iarraidh an spùillleadh dhe na h-uile ni, agus bithidh gach là mothachadh aca air an amaideachd féin. Dh’iarraidh iad gu an croichnaich-eadh iad an turus, agus iad air am faotainn air taobh Chriosd.
(6) T. M. Thubhairt esan: Is e ni mòr ‘th’ann gu’m bitheadh péacach air an t-slighe gu ifrinn air a thoirt am fagus do Dhia. ‘Se so fàbhair a’s mo de na h-uile fàbhair. Tha creutairean ann an staid naduir a’ smuaineachadh gur h-aithne dhoibh rathad an tearnaidh, ach tha an Spiorad Naomh a’ teagasg nach gabh daoine eòlas air an rathad so dhiu fhéin ann an doigh slainteil, na’s mò na ghabhas na brùidean. Tha ‘mhuintir so làn chinnteach a thaobh cuid, gu’n robh iad air an toirt am fagus; ach cha bhi e mar sin gu tric dh’an taobh féin. Ach cha’n fhaod iad ‘toirt thairis.
(7) S. M. Thubhairt esan: Chuir briseadh cumhnaint fada ás iad. Cha robh sin a’ cur mòran dragha orra uair-eigin. Ach dh’ath-bheothaich am peacadh, agus fhuair iad bàs. Bithidh bròn orra airson charaidean, a bhi fo fheirg Dhé. Ach cha’n’eil càch fo thrioblaid no fo leòn.
(8) D. M. Thubhairt esan: Bha iad so fada ás, agus riarachta mar sin, ach thainig là eile anns an d’fhuair iad dearbhadh peacaidh agus truagh. Bha so ‘na dhiot ro shearbh, ach cha b’urrainn
doibh ‘fhaicinn gu robh diet eile aige dhoibh, airson tim, no siorruidheachd. Bha iad air an toirt gu fhaicinn gu robh e ceart dh’an Chruthfhear so a thoirt doibh. Bhitheadh iad ag ràdh: “Cha b’e nach d’rinn an Cruthfhear saothair a ghabbail riúmsa a’s aobhar gu bheil a’ chùis mar so.” Le mothachadh ‘nan anam, fhuair iad a mach gu robh iad fada ás. Ach cha bhitheadh ann ach ni ro thruagh a bhi a’ cluinninn air a bhi fada ás, mur bithheadh iomradh air an toirt am fagus. Ach bha e ‘na cheisd orra, cionnus a bha e comasach dhoibh dol as? Bha iad a’ feuchainn air rathad gu dol ás ‘fhaotainn. Bha iad a’ faicinn gu’m feumadh Ceartas a bhi air a riarachadh, ciod air bith a dh’éireadh dhoibhsan. Ach bha iad le focal agus Spiorad Dhé air an treòrachadh ann an rathad a bha ‘na iongantas dhoibh féin, gu bhi a’ faicinn slighe gu dol ás, slighe anns an robh Ceartas air a h’árdachadh. Chunnaic iad, ann an solus na firinn, Ceartas a bhi a’ faotainn riarachadh ann am bàs Chriosd, agus bha an t-anam air a thoirt gu bhi ag amharc ri Criosd agus Easan air a cheusadh. Bha lorg nan tairngean dhoibh ‘na chomharradh air a bhuaidh. Fhuair iad sith cogais. Bha iad ann an sin an dùil nach d’ theidheadh iad tuilleadh fada ás, gu-n robh iad gu a bhi a’ snàmh ann an cuan naomhachd. Thuit iad ann an gaol a’s Criosd, agus rinn Criosd neo-ni dhoibh dhe na h-uile ni eile. Cha robh e ‘na cheisd orra an là sin, an robh iad a’ gràdhachadh Chriosd, oir bha gràdh Chriosd air a dhòrtadh a mach ‘nan cridheachan.
Gidheadh tha bròn anama aca o’n là sin airson cho fada ás a’s tha iad ‘g am faotainn fein ‘nan aignidhean, agus eadhon ‘nan tuigse.
(Ri leantainn.)