The Operations of the Divine Lovingkindness
C. Bradley, M.A. Psalm 107:43 Whoever is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the LORD. Human love, we may say as a general rule, is easily understood by human creatures. Not so the Divine love, the lovingkindness of the Lord. Guided by a wisdom to which our minds cannot reach, that often operates towards us in a way that much perplexes us. I. WHENEVER HE LOVES, HE AFFLICTS US. Either He finds us in trouble, or He ere long brings us into it — that is one of the rules He has laid down for the exercise of His lovingkindness. Are you, then, prepared to receive affliction from Him when, though conscious of a whole mass of evil dwelling in you, you can discover no indulged, no specific sins which have called down that affliction on you? Are you prepared for the storm, and the storm of God's raising, when honestly engaged in your worldly callings? Are you prepared for hunger, and thirst, and faintness of soul in God's own ways, while walking with God, following prayerfully and closely as you can the Lord's own guidance? II. HE GENERALLY BRINGS HIS PEOPLE TO AN EXTREMITY OF DANGER OR OF TROUBLE, BEFORE HE SUCCOURS THEM. We are often made to see and to see with wonder that our extremity is, indeed, God's opportunity; that His helping work begins just when we are beginning to fear there is no help for us; that He does all that is needful for us when we are brought with a sorrowful and perhaps half despairing heart to say, nothing can be done. Deliverance we may depend on, but we must not depend on it till the extremity comes. III. HE DRAWS FORTH FROM HIS PEOPLE EARNEST PRAYER FOR RELIEF BEFORE HE SENDS IT THEM. He has it in store for them, but He says, "I will be inquired of them for it before they shall have it." And this is one of His main designs in allowing our troubles to come to an extremity before He helps us — He wants to strip us of all creature-confidence; that we may be compelled to turn to Him for help, be constrained to come to Him with our difficulties and sorrows. Our prayers do Him no good, but they do us good — they bring us into closer union with Himself, the fountain of all good. IV. WHEN THE LORD DELIVERS HIS PRAYING PEOPLE IN THEIR EXTREMITIES, HE GENERALLY DELIVERS THEM SIGNALLY AND MOST EFFECTUALLY. 1. Signally. He lays bare His arm as He delivers them; makes it visible; compels them to see, and to see with grateful wonder and a thrilling delight, that their deliverance is His work and His alone. 2. Effectually. He makes the help He gives them adequate to their extremity and more than adequate to it, surpassing their necessity. He often blesses and enriches them while He delivers them. (C. Bradley, M.A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD. WEB: Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of Yahweh. A Song. A Psalm by David.