Isaiah 38:17-19 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but you have in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption… I. A SAD, HEAVY AFFLICTION. "Behold, for peace," &c. The affliction is aggravated — 1. By a description of it in its own nature. (1) In the quality of it — "bitterness." (2) In the quantity of it — "great bitterness." 2. By opposition of the blessing which is removed — "peace"; a word that comprehends an temporal blessings, and more particularly is taken, in Holy Writ, for health — a blessing without which all other blessings have no relish in them. 3. By the surprise of it — "Behold!" as a strange thing. 4. And this further aggravated it, if we understand it, as we must in a spiritual sense — that, his sickness calling his sins to remembrance, and causing some distrust of God's love, instead of that peace of conscience he had had heretofore, his spirit was now troubled and greatly embittered. And "a wounded spirit, who can bear?" II. A MERCIFUL DELIVERANCE OUT OF THIS AFFLICTION. "Thou hast in love," &c. The mercy of the deliverance wants not its heightening circumstances; as — 1. From the efficient cause. It was God delivered him. 2. From the motive or impulsive cause — "love." 3. From the danger he was delivered out of, and that no ordinary one — "a pit" — "the pit of corruption," even the grave. III. A BLESSED IMPROVEMENT OF THIS MERCY. "For Thou hast cast," &c. This is the crown of mercies, when temporals are thus accumulated with spirituals; this a recovery indeed, of the whole man, when health is improved unto salvation, and strength of body accompanied with pardon of sins. This is right "saving health." IV. A THANKFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THIS IMPROVED MERCY. That is set forth — 1. By showing the impossibility for the dead to perform this duty. 2. And then showing, not the possibility only, but the probability, that the living will, i.e., such as Divine mercy continues in life, and especially such as are by that mercy preserved from imminent danger of death. 3. Exemplified in himself. "As I do this day." (A. Littleton, . D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. |
    |