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2 lines
2.5 KiB
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<p>We have here, 1. The great intimacy and freedom that had been between David and his God. David had opened his case, opened his very heart to God: “<i>I have declared my ways</i>, and acknowledged thee in them all, have taken thee along with me in all my designs and enterprises.” Thus <i>Jephthah uttered all his words</i>, and Hezekiah spread his letters, <i>before the Lord. “I have declared my ways</i>, my wants, and burdens, and troubles, that I meet with in my way, or my sins, my by-ways (I have made an ingenuous confession of them), and <i>thou heardest me</i>, heardest patiently all I had to say, and tookedst cognizance of my case.” It is an unspeakable comfort to a gracious soul to think with what tenderness all its complaints are received by a gracious God, <a class="bibleref" title="1John.5.14,1John.5.15" href="/passage/?search=1John.5.14,1John.5.15"><span class="bibleref" title="1John.5.14">1 John 5:14</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="1John.5.15">15</span></a>. 2. David’s earnest desire of the continuance of that intimacy, not by visions and voices from heaven, but by the word and Spirit in an ordinary way: <i>Teach me thy statutes</i>, that is, <i>Make me to understand the way of thy precepts</i>. When he knew God had heard his declaration of his ways he did not say, “Now, Lord, tell me my lot, and let me know what the event will be;” but, “Now, Lord, tell me my duty; let me know what thou wouldst have me to do as the case stands.” Note, Those who in all their ways acknowledge God may pray in faith that he will <i>direct their steps</i> in the right way. And the surest way of keeping up our communion with God is by learning his statutes and walking intelligently in the <i>way of his precepts</i>. See <a class="bibleref" title="1John.1.6,1John.1.7" href="/passage/?search=1John.1.6,1John.1.7"><span class="bibleref" title="1John.1.6">1 John 1:6</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="1John.1.7">7</span></a>. 3. The good use he would make of this for the honour of God and the edification of others: “Let me have a good understanding of <i>the way of thy precepts</i>; give me a clear, distinct, and methodical knowledge of divine things; <i>so shall I talk</i> with the more assurance, and the more to the purpose, <i>of thy wondrous works</i>.” We can talk with a better grace of God’s wondrous works, the wonders of providence, and especially the wonders of redeeming love, when we understand the way of God’s precepts and walk in that way.</p>
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