The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 234

over wo.,ee, on the surface of its sea; It can waken our faculty of song, it can fill our life with its joy in God, It is well, however, for us to distinguish between "happiness" and "joy," It would be true to say that religion does not promise happiness, it promises joy. It would even be true to s11y, that religion does not promise happiness because it promises joy, "Joy" is so much deeper, so much more satisfying and blessed, that he who has it will never ask for happiness. Observe the distinction in the meaning of the words, "Happiness" is plea.sure in something that may "hap," or "happen; " pleasure in things outside us-in circumstances, in excitements-and so it cannot be abiding and unchanging. All days cannot be sunny. All lives cannot be painless and sor- rowless. All circumstances cannot please. He who want.~ happiness has to depend on the variable conditions of a sin-stricken and, therefore, sorrow-filled earth. Mere happi- ness too often proves only "as the crackling of thorns under a pot." But "joy " means "leaping out," pleasure that gushes forth from a fountain within us, in streams ever refreshing the desert circumstances around us, and making them " blossom as a rose." Pleasure that beamR out its holy rays, as from a central sun of bliss dwelling in our heart, and gilding everything about us, making the very light brighter, the clouds to scatter, or to be flushed with crimson glories, and turning even the night to day. The Christian man has no security of mere happiness. He must share the common mingled heritage of sunshine and shadow, health and sickness, friendship and loss, pleasures and disappointments, success and failure. But he may be secure of joy. " He that believeth on me," said the Lord Jesus, "out of bis belly shall flow rivers of living water." And close by our text we read, "With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." The one great reason for joy is stated to be that "God is become our Salvation." We joy in God (1) as the unchanging One; (2) as the almighty One; (3) as the all-loving One; (4) as the.redeeming One. It is, we have seen, a memory of deliverances which calls forth into expression the trustful joy of our text. And what have we to say of gifts bestowed, sicknesses healed, broken hearts comforted, bondages of evil broken up? We keep the word "salvation" too exclusively for the forgiveness of sins and recon- ciliation with God; we want it to include all the multiplied and ever-repeated deliver- ances and rescuings and recoverings of God. Matthew Henry says, " God is my Salvation; not my Saviour only, by whom I am saved, but my' Salvation,' in whom I am safe. He shall have.the glory of all the salvations which have been wrought in me, and from him only will I expect all the future salvations I may noed." The salvation of God's ancient people was not the deliverance from Egypt only, but that together with a tbqusand other deliverances scattered over their history. And so we joy in God because he saves us from all our bondages. He saves us from pride, from inward lusts, from out\\·ard evils. He saves us from greed, and covetousness, and clinging to the world, and envyings, and backbitings, and unforgivings, and failing charity. Sonls can never sing that have such fetters on them; but he proclaims" liberty to the captive, and opening of the prison to them that are bound." II. THE HALLOWING INFLUENCE wmoH A SPIRIT OF HOLY JOY IN Goo WOULD EXERT ON OUllSELVEB, AND ON THOSE AROUND us. In ordinary life the men of sanguine, hopeful temperament are usually the successful men. Despondent, doubting men accomplish but little. The invigorating of hope makes men mightier than their difficulties. It is the same in Christian life. Doubt and fear hinder. Hope cheers. Joy puts song into work. Ought a Christian to live in a minor key? Songs pitched thus will never cheer himself, or any one about him. Joyful Christians are a joy to themselves, and to all a.round them, The homes are brightened by them ; the children learn to watch theit faces, and to listen for their words ; our Churches rejoice in the sunny-souled members Everybody is glad in the man whose very presence seems to say," Sing unto the Lord a new song." Such Cluistians let us all seek to be. " Ye pilgrims on the road •ro Zion's oity, sing; Sir.g on, rejoioing every day 1n Christ th' eternal King." B. T. Ver. !.-Faith and/ear. "I will trust, and not be afraid." This expression reminds us (1) of our liability to/ear, and (2) of the power of faith to overcome fear. ISAIAH. Q  226 THE IlOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [ou, xu. 1-6,