The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 42

inrornparabkness of God, ---:-' ·works,' vol. iv.). Expect not true or lasting a11tia- fact1on from any created obJect. " Cease ye from man " (Isa. ii. 22). Fear him not (Isa. h. 12, 13). • III. H18 RELATION TO HIS rEOPLE. "Our God." His people are those who live ~n direc_t fello\\·ship ":ith hi.m, and show the reality of their fellowship by walking rn the l1~·ht and keepmg Ins ~ommandments. To them he has promised to be all tha~ theu· true welfare requ)res. 1. A suppor,t {. "the immovable foundation on wh1~h the.~: may s~and, firm, impregnable, secure.' 2. A defence, protecting them agamst their enemies; ' a shadow from the heat 1 a refuge from the storm ·" bearing on himself the tempest that would have fallen 0n them. "He that beli;veth shall n_ot ma~e hast:e," o: be terrified. 3. A source of strength, of peace, and of consola- tion. Rabbi Maimon has observed that the word tzur which we translate rock signifies, when applied to Jehovah, fountain, source, sp;ing. There is no aourc~ -whence continual help and salvation can arise but our God" (A. Clarke). ry. Hrs ?LA)MS u_roN ALL. 1. To trust in him. 2. Abide in him; not merely fleeing to_ lllm ma tune of troubl~ and ~anger (as a traveller may seek shelter in a hovel wl!1le _the storm lasts, and 1mmed1atel)'. afterwards leave it), but making him our hab1tat10n and home. 3. To make him our portion and "exceeding joy." "T~ust ye in the Lord for ever; for the Lord Jehovah is the Rock of Agee" (Isa. X:XYI. 4). " Rock of Ages, cleft for me ; Let me hide myself in thee." D. Ver. 3.-The Divine jud,gment of human actions. "By him actions are weighed." It is customary to determine the worth of many things by weighing them. For this purpose a fixed standard is used, and a comparison is made with it by means of a balance and scales or other instrument. Nothing can be more natural than to speak of determining the moral worth of actions in the same manner, and Justice is commonly represented as a woman holding in her hand a pair of scales in which "actions are weighed." In this sense the above expression is employed; not, however, of men, whose judgment is often mistaken or unjust; but of "God, the Judge of all." His judgment is- J. A rRESEKT JUDGMENT. They are (now) weighed. According to the ancient Egyptians, there was erected at the entrance of the unseen world a balance or scales, over which the Judge of the dead presided, and by it the character of every man was tested as soon as he died. In one of the scales the figure or emblem of truth was placed, and in the other the heart of the deceased; and the result determined his destiny. This is not an unworthy conception of the judgment to come. But their religion pertained chiefly to what would be in the future, rather than to what exists in the present. And there are many at the present day who never think that they have anything to do with God or his judgment except when they come to die. 'fhey forget that the living and all-seeing God " pondereth their goings" (Prov. v. 21 ), 11 judgeth according to every man's work" (1 Pet. i. 17), and that to him they stand responsible (Heh. iv. 13-" with whom is the account"). II. ACCORDING TO A PERFECT STANDARD. The estimate which men form of them- selve6 and others is often false, because it is not formed by means of such n standard. As "weights and measures" need to be examined and to be rectified by an imperial standard 1 so the human judgment and conscience need to be examined and to be rectified by the righteousness of God as declared in the Law and the Prophets and the Gospel of Christ. What is our relation to this standard? III. ACCORDING TO MOTIVES. The moral worth of actions does not depend upon their II outward appearance," but upon tlie heart. In the eight of God, who sees hearts as we see faces, the inward motives, principles, and intentions are in reality the actions which are weighed (Prov. xvi. 2; xxi. 2; xxiv. 11, 12; lea. xxvi. 7). Our ignorance of these necessarily makes our judgment imperfect, even in relation to ourselves. But "be is a God of knowledge,"" searches the heart," and perceives the motives which underlie all actions, and which are often so different from what they are tbougl1t to be (Ps. cxxxix. 33). IV. U NJVE!lSAL. "The Judge of all the earth." It pertains to oil actions that  OH. 11, 1-10.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 37