Homilist Psalm 75:1-10 To you, O God, do we give thanks, to you do we give thanks: for that your name is near your wondrous works declare.… I. He is near as the SUSTAINER OF A DISSOLVING SYSTEM (ver. 3). The force of disintegration operates every moment, not only in organized matter, but even in what we call simple substances, if, indeed, such things exist. The mountains falling come to nought. Every plant in the great system of vegetation is dissolving; and the great world of animal life, from the tiniest insect to the hugest monster of the forest or the sea, is ever in the process of dissolution. What prevents the whole universe tumbling to pieces, flying off part from part, particle from particle as a log of wood in the flames? No force short of God. The same principle of disintegration is at work in human society. Families, societies, Churches, nations, are dissolving; kingdoms are constantly breaking into pieces. God alone keeps things together, bears up the pillars of a dissolving universe. "He upholds all things by the word of His power." II. He is near as the REBUKER OF HUMAN WICKEDNESS (vers. 4, 5). 1. Three phases of wickedness are here indicated: — (1) Folly — "Deal not foolishly." Sin is folly. It is against the reason, the interests, the dignity and blessedness of existence. "He that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul."(2) Haughtiness — "Lift not up the horn." Pride and arrogance enter into the very essence of wickedness. "God resisteth the proud," etc. (3) Recklessness — "Speak not with a stiff neck." Bold, shameless, obstinate disregard to the claims of God and all the moral proprieties. 2. God is present in the world, reproving all the wickedness with the voice of Providence, by the admonitions of conscience, by the ministry of His Word and the stricings of Ills Spirit. III. He is near as THE SOVEREIGN DISPOSER OF ALL SOCIAL CHANGES. "For promotion cometh neither from the east," etc. "But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another" (1 Samuel 2:7). He is in the rise and in the fall, not only of empires, but individual men. "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust," etc. IV. He is near — ADMINISTERING TO ALL MEN DISPENSATIONS FROM A COMMON SOURCE (ver. 8). What is that cup? Infinite benevolence; and from this cup "He poureth out of the same," great natural blessings. "God is good, and His tender mercies are over all the works of His hand." 1. The cup is a mixed cup. "Full of mixture." What an infinite variety of blessings are in this cup, this cup of level Something from it falls fresh upon every being every hour. 2. The contents of this cup have a different effect upon different characters. To the righteous it is a pleasant cup. Its blooming, sparkling mixture is delicious and inspiring. Not so to the wicked; what is delicious and sustaining to the good is distasteful and pernicious to the evil. Moral character changes subjectively the very nature of things. V. He is near to DESTROY THE POWER OF THE WICKED AND TO AUGMENT THE POWER OF THE RIGHTEOUS (ver. 10). Matthew Arnold has somewhere described God "as a stream of tendency that maketh for righteousness." His meaning, I presume, is that the whole procedure of God in the moral world tends to put down the wrong and to raise and glorify the right. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: {To the chief Musician, Altaschith, A Psalm or Song of Asaph.} Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare. |
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