The Twofold Song
W. Jay. Psalm 101:1-8 I will sing of mercy and judgment: to you, O LORD, will I sing. I. WHAT IS THERE IN MERCY TO DEMAND A SONG? 1. Freeness. 2. Fulness. 3. Greatness. 4. Seasonableness. 5. Permanency. II. WHAT IS THERE IN JUDGMENT TO ALLOW OF A SONG? 1. You are not required, properly speaking, to bless God for your afflictions themselves. No; afflictions are in themselves evils; the effects of sin. But, through the overruling providence of God, they may be made the means to take away sin; and Christians are required, not only to be submissive under their sufferings, but to acquiesce in the will of God concerning them. 2. There are views to be taken of your afflictions which will allow, yea, require even, your thanksgiving and praise. (1) The nature of them. They are not the inflictions of the judge, but the chastisements of the Father. (2) Their brevity. What is time to eternity, and what is our life to time itself? But frequently your trials are much shorter than life. (3) Their judiciousness. There is nothing casual in them. (4) Their alleviation. If you would "sing of mercy and judgment," you must dwell upon the blessings you still enjoy, as well as upon those of which you have been deprived; you must look upon the bright side, and not be always gazing on the dark. (5) Their usefulness. If the vine had reason it would thank the vinedresser for the use of the knife by which it was pruned, and made to bring forth more fruit; and if the ground had reason it would bless God for the ploughshare which breaks up the fallow. I never knew a man converted to God by gaining a fortune, but I have known more than one converted to God by losing one. (W. Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: {A Psalm of David.} I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing. WEB: I will sing of loving kindness and justice. To you, Yahweh, I will sing praises.