The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 235

Vers. 13-15.-" Zion of the Lord beloved." I. SHE IB THE OBJECT OF THE LORD'S CHOICE. 1. We cannot get rid of the truth of God's election. Many would like to do so. It calls up in their minds thoughts of a very painful kind. It clouds for them and to them the face of God. 2. But we see it everi.Jwhere. Are not we ourselves a chosen people? With whom bath God dealt, in the way of privilege, as with us? 3. .And we act upon the principle ourselves. H we want some work to be done, we elect the best instruments we can find for it. We do not send just u.nybody, but we choose whom we shall send. 4 . .And this/act shows us how to regard the doctrine of election. The election is to service for the sake of others, not to their exclusion, as is so commonly thought; for their good, and not for their ill. Thus God chose Abraham and lsru.el, that his" way may be known upon eat·th, and his," etc. (Ps. lxvii.). Not that others may be left out of the Divine blessing, but brought into it. If we are rendering no service to our brethren, then we are not of God's elect, for u.11 his elect serve. II. SHE IS ms REST AND DESIDED HABITATION FOR EVER. 1. .Allusion is, no doubt, made to the ark of the covenant. Its shiftings and migru.tions had been many ere it was finu.lly fixed at Jerusalem. It went from Shiloh to Bethel (Judg. xx. 27); then to Mizpeh (Judg. xxi. 5); then, for twenty years, it was u.t Kir_ju.th-jearim, in" the fields of the wood;" then, for three months, in the house of Obtd-Edom; and finally u.t Zion, where the psalmist thought it would rest for evermore. 2. But what was not strictly true of tlie ark and Zion i's t1'Ue of God arid his Church. He ever dwells there; for his people have been chosen in Christ from the foundation of the world. He has u.lreu.dy done so much for them, both in providence and iii grace. Amongst ourselves nothing so binds us over to render further help as help we have already given. And certainly it is so with God. He begins bis good work, and therefore he goes on (Phil. i. 6). Then, God bas prnmised to be ever with his people (see John xiv. 16-23 ; Eph. ii. 21, 22). Amid his people only is he honoured, love<l, u.nd obeyed; other men grieve, dishonour, and despise him and his Law ; hut his people count him their" exceeding Joy." And then he is beginning alrcu.dy to renp his blessed harvest in them, Our Lord himself was the Sower who went "forth weeping, bearing," etc. (Ps. cxxvi. 6); and already he is beginning to "come ngain with rejoicing," etc. For amid his people he finds even here and now-how much more by-u.nd-by I-sympathy, love, holiness, devotion, those things in which he delights becu.use they are of and like himself. 3. .And what is true of the Church at large is true of tlie individual soul. Are we, then, members of God's Zion, enrolled in the fellowship of his Church ? IIL 'l'HE PROVISION SHALL BE ABUNDANTLY BLESSED. Her pru.ises, her prayers, her instructions, her ministers, her sacraments, her assemblies,-these are her provisions ; u.nd God shall, does, abundantly bless them to the securing of those happy results for which they were designed. IV. THE POOR SHALL BE SATISFIED WITH DREAD. In his Church the poor are the rich, and tho rich the poor. For the poor are those who know it and long for the Bread  264 'l'HE BOOK OI<' PSALMS, [Ps, oxxxn. 1-18.