Strength and Beauty
S. Conway Psalm 96:6 Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. It is supposed that this psalm was composed for the dedication of the temple at Jerusalem; but it existed in the time of David, though it was doubtless used in the service of the second temple. The previous reference of the strength and beauty told of here is to the massive foundations and the solid structure of the temple, - such was its strength; and the "beauty" told of the lavish adornments and the varied splendour and richness which characterized all the appointments of the house of the Lord. In very real and literal sense "strength and beauty were in his sanctuary." I. THEY ARE THE DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF ALL GOD'S WORKS. "Jehovah made the heavens" - so we read in ver. 5; and assuredly they are seen there. And look where we will, it is the same. See the account of the Creation. II. THEE SHOULD BE IN OUR SANCTUARIES TODAY. It is a public dishonouring of God if men are content that the sanctuaries in which they worship should be mean and ill-appointed, as so many of them are, whilst in their own houses no costly expense is spared and no adornment withheld (see Haggai 1:4). On the other hand, the magnificent churches, minsters, abbeys, which still remain in this and other lands, have throughout all the long centuries since they were built borne silent but eloquent testimony to the reverence, love, and devotion towards God which dwelt in the hearts of their builders, and which it was their profound conviction ought to dwell in the hearts of all. Meanness and miserable selfishness often skulk behind the plea of spirituality of worship, and that the heart is all that God desires. III. THEY ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE WELFARE OF ANY CHURCH. 1. Strength must be there. Not necessarily the strength of wealth, or intellect, or social rank, but spiritual strength - that strength which springs from a firm and living faith universally and tenaciously held, manifesting itself in conscientious adherence to the truth and unsullied righteousness of life, and nourished by fervent prayer and diligent use of all the means of grace. If such strength be wanting, then the glory of that Church has departed, and her decay and dissolution and degradation are at hand. Ecclesiastical organization and money and property may keep up the scaffolding and outworks of such Church for a while, but ere long they too will fail, and the Church must die. But with such spiritual strength, the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. 2. And there must be beauty also. "The beauty of holiness," in which we are bidden "worship the Lord" (ver. 9). By this we understand that moral and spiritual beauty, such as were pre-eminent in our Lord; that winsomeness and grace, that attractiveness of love and pity and compassionate helpfulness, that beautiful grace of which St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13. has so much to say, that sweet reasonableness and evident sincerity, and that holy peace and joy which union with Christ imparts, - such is the beauty, the only real beauty, which should be in the Church of the living God. IV. AND THEY SHOULD CHARACTERIZE THE TEMPLE OF THE SOUL. 1. Strength born of faith and love, which holds the soul true to Christ and causes it to be rooted like the oak, and grounded like the deep foundations of a temple, so that it can never be moved. 2. Then beauty. The superstructure, fair in form and symmetrical, that arrests the attention and awakens the delight of the beholder - that holy beauty of Christ-like character, which, with strength also, he is waiting and willing to impart to every faithful soul. - S.C. Parallel Verses KJV: Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. WEB: Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.