The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 117

God, but who, like Daniel and his companions, stuck unto God's testimonies, then hie history would justify the assertion here made. And there have been many such. II. TENACITY WILL ALWAYS BE TRIED, 1. It C-011,ld, not else be known. It micrht be professed, but could never be proved. Hence: 2. Owr Lord was wont to test the sincerity of all t11ho came to him. And he does so still. See the history of the Syro- phrenician woman. How terrible was the strain and test to which she was subjected but which, as the Lord knew she would, she trinmphantly endured I ' III. IT IS A VERY BLESSED GIFT. For, as this verse suggests: 1. It delivers from shame. The shame of a rebuking conscience; of men's contempt; of God's being ashamed of us; and of our dishonouring God. The want of such tenacity involves all this shame; and a terrible thing it is. 2. It secures great blessing. Inward peace and confidence towards God; the respect and admiration of our fellow-men ; they cannot help themselves; they must admire such steadfastness; they ever have done so, and thus the blood of the martyrs has become the seed of the Church. It receives also God's great reward (Mau. x. 32), and brings glory to him now. IV. IT IS ATTAINABLE BY ALL. This may seem an exaggerated, if not an untrue, statement, but it is neither. No doubt there are men, who by their temperament and physical constitution, their sound health and well-balanced and not too susceptible nervous organization, seem incapable of fear; but there are others, and these the majority, who seem constitutionally weak. But, nevertheless, this blessed enduement of strength all may have. See St. Peter giving way anu. cowardly denying his Lord at the challenge of a servant-girl; and that same man, when emptied of his self-confidence and baptized with the Holy Spirit, dauntless and firm as a rock. Out of weakness he, as myriads more, was made strong. God is able to strengthen us with all might by his Spitit in the inner man. Let self-trust go, his love come in, and the Spirit fill us, and so this great gift shall be ours.-S. C. Ver. 32.-Running the way of God's commandments. I. WHAT THIS 1s. 1. It ia not a common thing. In ordinary men you do not see it at all ; they very often run, and at headlong speed, but it is the reverse of the way told of here. And even when we have become Christians, there is too often only a creeping along, a very slow walking, and that interrupted by many a halt, and sometimes by positive turning back; but how little of this running I 2. For running means increased en11rgy in God's service. The very word implies that. It is the very opposite of listlessness, taking our ease, and of all indifference. Go along by the sido !Jf a country mill-stream in the hot summer months. .Aa you come to the mill you hear no sound. The pleasant beat of the wheel, the murmur of the grinding, and the cool plash of the water on the far aide of the stream, are all missing. You draw near, and you see the co.use. 'fhe stream has well-nigh disappeared; the muddy banks are steaming in tbe heat; there is but a small dribble of water at the bottom; the mill-wheel is motionless and blistering in the s1111. But come that wo.y again after the spring or autumn rains, or during the wet winter months. How the water rushes along I how it whirls the mill- wheel round I how it compels the miller to find an overflow, lest its force do serious dame.gel Now, the contrast between the miserable, scant supply of water in the hot summer months, and tho.t other full, rushing flow, is no greater than that between the common life of too mo.ny Christians and that running in the way of God's command- ments of which the psalm here tells. 3. .And careful laying aside of hindrances, Many of our hindrances allow of quiet walking, but not of running (cf. Heh. xii. 1). 4. Mwe steadfast looking to the end of the way. "Looking unto Jesus." If we look aside, we linger, swerve, and slacken our pace. 6. Greater joy in God's service. Running is a symbol of joy (Acts iii. 8). IL IT Is VERY DESIRABLE. 1. J!'or its effects on our own spiritual life. 2. Fol' its influence on the world. 3. .And on the Ohurch. 4. .And, above all, for the honour of Ghrist. Note- III. !Ts CONDITION. "When thou shalt enlarge my heart." That is : 1. The undel"standing; that wo may see and know the truth. 2. The affections; that we may feel it. 3. The conscience; that we may be arousoo. 4. The will; that we may resolve. -s.c. PSALMS-III, K 130 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS, CXIX, 1-178.