It is those who know their own frailty and liability to sin; who know the manifold temptations which surround them, and the terrible attractiveness which many of them can present; who know from past experience what frequent and grievous falls are possible; that can best understand the statement of fact which this doxology contains, and the significance of it. He who can guard such creatures as we are from stumbling, in such a world as this, must be the only God; must be He who was, and is, and is to come; must possess throughout all time and all eternity the highest powers and glories which the heart of man can conceive. The wonders of the material universe impress us in our more solemn moments with feelings of awe, and reverence, and love for Him who is the Author of them all. How much more should the wonders of the kingdom of heaven do so! Out of sinful man to make a saint is more than to make a world out of nothing; and to keep sinful men from stumbling is more than to keep the stars in their courses. There is a free and rebellious will to be won and retained in the one case, whereas there is nothing but absolute and unresisting obedience in the other. The difference is that which is so beautifully expressed in the 103rd and 104th Psalms. In the latter of these two exquisite songs of praise and thanksgiving Jehovah is praised as the Creator and Regulator of the world, in the former as the Pardoner and Preserver of His servants. In the one case blessing and praise is offered to the Lord--
"Who laid the foundations of the earth, That it should not be moved for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a vesture; The waters stood above the mountains. They went up by the mountains, They went down by the valleys, Unto the place which Thou hadst founded for them. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; That they turn not again to cover the earth. O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all: The earth is full of Thy riches. Let the glory of the Lord endure for ever; Let the Lord rejoice in His works: Who looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; He toucheth the mountains, and they smoke."
Ps. civ. 5, 6, 8, 9, 24, 31, 32.
But in the other song the Lord is praised, not so much in relation to the glorious universe which He creates and controls, but in relation to the spirits of men, whom He restores, and of angels, whom He retains, to willing obedience and service.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, Nor rewarded us after our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Bless the Lord, ye angels of His; Ye mighty in strength, that fulfil His word, Hearkening unto the voice of His word, Bless the Lord, all ye His hosts; Ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure."
Ps. ciii. 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 20, 21.
It is quite in harmony with such a strain as this that the joyous doxology with which St. Jude's stern letter suddenly ends is written. Its clauses lend themselves to that parallelism which distinguishes Hebrew poetry, and they have not only the spirit, but the form, of a concluding strophe of praise.
"Now unto Him that is able to guard you from stumbling, And to set you before the presence of His glory without blemish in exceeding joy, To the only God our Saviour, Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Glory, majesty, dominion and power, Before all time, and now, and for evermore. Amen."