The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 63

simplicity and fervour, by strong conviction of dependence and by trustful reliance and these were lighted up by hovefulness. And having watched the dependent suppliant, in sympathy with him, wo are now invited to see the other sight. God sees his suppliant, and sees him with gracious eye. He hears his suppliant, and bends a willing ear. He approves his 8uppliant, and "grantR him that which he requested." We have here what we may justly regard in the first two particulars as leading instances, in the last as a fruitful suggestion. I. OF THE EFFI0AOY OF PRAYER IN GENERAL. The tale is very short, very plain, and, if not true, is simply gratuitously false and misleading. It is the case of the sup- plication of a righteous man availing much in its operative effect with God. The person who prayed probably exercised no very important and influential sway over society and his fellow-beings around. The thing for which he prayed probably stood in no very vital or active relation to the well-being of those around. Probably the time was no very critical moment, when great issues might depend on what should seem a very small matter, as affecting primarily but one individual. The person, the thing granted, and the time must have had-they always do have-their importance and their own inevitable significance; but this was all that they had now. But in the absence of knowledge of details and of surroundings, it is deemed sufficiently important for the Divine page to use this opportunity of showing us God answering the earnest, trusting prayer of his child and servant. I!. OF THE ANSWER OF A MAN'S PRAYER, TRUE TO THE EXACT REQUEST OP IT. This is a thing not always possible. We ask and have not, because we ask amiss. The ways of asking amiss are many, almost innumerable. They may be classified, however, under few heads. The "amiss " may consist in the thing not being good for us; not being for God's glory to give. The "amiss" may consist in the thing asked not being good for us as yet. The "amiss" may consist in the thing asked not being the best thing for us. How often God withholds the literal answer to give a spiritual substitute! How often, in the very process of gift, short as it is, he substitutes a higher, better prize than that which we asked I How often the very highest mode of answer is found to consist in withholding the solid, material substance, which is what does not last, in order to give the unseen, spiritual substance, which is in its very nature eternal I Sometimes, again, the "amiss" may consist in what we ask not being good for others as well as self. Each of us is part of a great whole, and an intrinsic part of it. Fellow- ship of joy, vicariousness of suffering, combination in toil and work, partnership on the largest scale, in the largest sense, and in the most se·arching detail, are all radical elements of our human nature and human life. And the clear vision of these, and the prompt recognition of them, are constantly obscured and eclipsed to us simply because we let self-regard slip into selfishness, forget the second great command, and try to famish on a lower principle in place of flourishing on charity. And it is in prayer that we may not unfrequently give the most subtle illustration of this subtle snare of our nature and life. Hence it may be rarely that God can give the answer of prayer true to the exact matter of it. But here we have a grateful and suggestive instance of the kind. III. Of the fact that there is in the sovereign Giver the gracious incliMtion to give, when possible, according to this rule. His is the disposition full of grace as to thu method of giving, as well as of bounty in the matter of what is given. We may often spoil what we give by the manner in which we give; not so he. We may often recoive, spoiled by the manner of it, what is given; but never so when the gift is from him. These are some of the chief marks of the grace in giving which is so acceptable to those who ask, or who, without asking, stand in need; and they are all suggested by this history. 1. To give if possible just that which is asked. 2. 'l'o give it promptly, and make it thereby twice given. 3. To give it without any reflections o!l tho past. 4. To give without imposing conditions on time to come. 5. Still to give, thou~h it be on the part of the supreme, gracious Giver himself, without reminding there aud then of the debt which it involves, of the bounty which it reveals, of the absence of claim, right, merit, in default of all of which nevertheless it is not withheld. Most l(ratefully does that oue sentence of tho sacred page suggest all these thoughts to us, in which it is said, with effective brevity in tefcrence to Jabcz, "And God granted him that which he rcquc~tcd."  THE FIRS1' IlOOK 01!' 'l'llE CHllO~ICLES. [cu. 1v. 1-13.