Whilst God himself thus becomes their light and protection, he informs us further,]
What he will do for them —
[He will give them grace. Certain it is that he must have given them grace before, or else they never would have been able to attain to real uprightness. But, as their conflicts in- crease, he will give them more grace"1. As particular occasions call for it, he will give them seasonable grace, even in the very time of need". And if their temptations should exceed all that ever were experienced by man, he will give them grace sufficient for them0. " My grace is sufficient for thee," is his word to every soul, however buffeted by Satan, or ready to sink under the violence of his assaults. " They shall receive continually out of Christ's fulness, even grace for grace."
He will also give them glory. His favours to them shall not terminate with their present state of existence. He will not only make them more than conquerors here, but will give them an imfading crown of righteousness and glory in a better world. Whatever felicity the angels enjoy in heaven, that shall his saints also participate. And as our first parents were banished from the tree of life for yielding to the tempter, so shall they, who resist and overcome him, be admitted to the tree of life that grows in the midst of the paradise of God, and shall go no more out for ever p.
" Nor will he withhold from them any thing that is truly good." Were wealth and honour good for them here below, they should possess it. If God withhold those things from his people now, he does it because he knows that they would not, on the whole, be good for them. He that gave his own Son to die for them, will assuredly give them all other things that will promote their welfare. They shall never want any thing for body or soul, for time or eternity.]
Infer —
1. How truly blessed are they who are upright before God!
[This is the Psalmist's own reflection q. He varies indeed the term by which he describes the people of God ; but his meaning is the same ; for none can be upright except those who trust in him, because nothing but the grace of God can make them so : nor do any trust in him without receiving that grace which shall make them upright. The manner in which he expresses his reflection, is worthy of notice ; he does not merely assert it as a fact, or appeal to men for the truth of it, but appeals to God himself respecting it. " O Lord God of
m Jam. iv. 6. n Heb. iv. 16. ° 2 Cor. xii. 9.
p Rev. ii. 7. <i ver. 12.