Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: June 8th

They shall sing in the ways of the Lord. - Psalms 138:5.

THESE are words of promise as well as of prediction. God can foresee and foretell evil as well as good: this only requires his omniscience. But God is the author, the sole author, of all good; and therefore, if he foresees and insures this, it is because he has engaged to produce it; for “of him and through him are all things.” “He worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” Therefore we may consider these words as containing one of the exceeding great and precious promises upon which he has called us to hope, and which are “all yea and amen in Christ Jesus, to the glory of God by us.” The Psalmist tells us the people of God shall sing in the ways of the Lord. With regard to these ways, we know the chosen tribes went three times a year to appear before the Lord, in Jerusalem. These services were called solemn assemblies, and the people not only rejoiced before the Lord in these solemnities, but they approached him by singing. We have some of these songs: they are called “the songs of degrees;” because they sang them as they passed from one place to another, and from one company to another, thus soothing the tediousness of the passage, and increasing their desire to stand within the walls of their Jerusalem.

First, We understand the ways of the Lord to include the way in which God walks with regard to us,-his ways in nature, in his varied dealings with us, and in the different actions of his providence and grace, as well as the ways which he has appointed and commanded his people to walk in with regard to himself.

Secondly, We observe, they not only walk in the ways of the Lord, but sing in them. This implies acquiescence, approbation, satisfaction, pleasure, delight. Whence springs this singing in the ways of the Lord? We may look after some of the near sources of it. The first of which is conviction. It is a reasonable service; and as the Christian is able to give a reason of the hope which is in him, so is he also able to give a reason of his joy. Hence, says the apostle, “They joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have received the atonement.”

Secondly, It arises from renovation. He is born of God, and therefore hungers and thirsts after righteousness, and therefore he feeds-yea, he not only feeds, but feasts-upon the provision of the gospel. He finds God’s words, and he eats them, and they are to him the joy and rejoicing of his heart.

Thirdly, It is derived from experience. He has tasted that the Lord is gracious: this taste has provoked appetite, and increased it; and there is much to cause the Christian to sing in the ways of the Lord, when he considers his former experience, when he reviews the dealings of God with him, the surprising instances of goodness he has met with, in which the Lord has been not only better to him than his fears, but surpassing his hopes, and has done exceeding abundantly above what he could either ask or think.

Fourthly, This singing flows from fellowship. “As iron sharpeneth iron, so doth the countenance of a man his friend;” “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.”

Fifthly, This springs from his prospects and anticipations. The Christian while here has some Bethel visits, some Pisgah’s views; but there are better things for him still in reserve, and therefore his prospects cheer and animate him principally. Oh to see Jesus as he is! Oh to be like him! Oh to be ever with the Lord, and to have no more to do with a wicked world without and a wicked heart within! Oh to be as innocent as Adam in Paradise, and as holy as the Son of God himself!-what an expectation is here!

“There we shall see his face,

And never, never sin:

There from the river of his grace

Drink endless pleasure in.”

And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. - Acts 2:12-13.

THE audience on this occasion were divided into three classes, and these three classes are always to be found. Some wondered, some mocked, some believed to the salvation of their souls. First, Some heard with wonder. “Are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our tongue, wherein we were born?” What does all this indicate? What is it likely to lead to? What does it forebode? So it is now. The preacher seems to speak parables. The natural man discerns not the things of God, neither can he discern them; hence they marvel at the doctrines taught, at the precepts inculcated, and at the change effected in the lives and characters of those who receive the truth. This is often attended with a good effect, for it induces examination. On the other hand, the wonder often dies away.

Secondly, Some heard in mockery, and so it is now.

“Thus the wide world esteem it strange;

Gaze and admire, and hate the change.”

That which devils believe, and which makes even them to tremble, becomes a matter of mirth and mockery with some men-only serving to excite their contempt. The seat of the scorner is for the highest class of sinners. Some of these mockers were once professors. The apostate generally does all he can to defame the characters of others, so that the last end of that man is “worse than the first.”

Some mock from affectation of greatness. “Have any of the rulers believed on him?” These things, say they, may be very well for the common people, but will not do for men of taste. Some mock from affectation of wisdom. “What will this babbler say?” “Christ crucified” was “to the Greeks foolishness.” Some mock from ignorance. Hume confessed to a friend that he had never read the New Testament. Many of these mockers are afraid to read or hear the truth, lest it should disturb their peace and confidence. “This,” says Peter, “they willingly are ignorant of.” They turn their backs upon the light. Some cannot deny certain facts which are before them, but then they show their malignity by accounting for them. The zeal of Christian’s they ascribe to disappointed hopes, to ambition, a sanguine temperament, a heated imagination, to enthusiasm, etc. So it was here. The multitude ascribed the energy of the Apostles, and their knowledge of languages, to drunkenness: “These men are full of new wine.” Peter met the charge by an appeal to their candour and to their social usages: “It is,” says he, “but the third hour of the day”- that is, nine o’clock in the morning. But if the charge had been true, what could drunkenness do in teaching men the knowledge of languages? but men will say anything for the sake of objection.

Thirdly, Some heard and believed. And thus it is now, and thus God’s word is never preached entirely in vain; and therefore while some neglect or despise, and others mock and insult, there are others convinced of sin-others who receive the “faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners,” and the gospel becomes to them as “a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.”