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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Psalms XLVIII].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM XLVIII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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This psalm, as the two former, is a triumphant song; some think it was
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penned on occasion of Jehoshaphat's victory
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+20:1-30">2 Chron. xx.</A>),
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others of Sennacherib's defeat, when his army laid siege to Jerusalem
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in Hezekiah's time; but, for aught I know, it might be penned by David
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upon occasion of some eminent victory obtained in his time; yet not so
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calculated for that but that it might serve any other similar occasion
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in aftertimes, and be applicable also to the glories of the gospel
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church, of which Jerusalem was a type, especially when it shall come to
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be a church triumphant, the "heavenly Jerusalem"
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+12:22">Heb. xii. 22</A>),
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"the Jerusalem which is above,"
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ga+4:26">Gal. iv. 26</A>.
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Jerusalem is here praised,
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I. For its relation to God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>.
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II. For God's care of it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:3">ver. 3</A>.
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III. For the terror it strikes upon its enemies,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:4-7">ver. 4-7</A>.
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IV. For the pleasure it gives to its friends, who delight to think,
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1. Of what God has done, does, and will do for it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:3">ver. 3</A>.
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2. Of the gracious discoveries he makes of himself in and for that holy
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city,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:9,10">ver. 9, 10</A>.
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3. Of the effectual provision which is made for its safety,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:11-13">ver. 11-13</A>.
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4. Of the assurance we have of the perpetuity of God's covenant with
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the children of Zion,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:14">ver. 14</A>.
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In singing this psalm we must be affected with the privilege we have as
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members of the gospel church, and must express and excite our sincere
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good-will to all its interests.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps48_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Beauty and Strength of Zion.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<CENTER>
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<P>A song <I>and</I> psalm for the sons of Korah.</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Great <I>is</I> the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and greatly
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to be praised in the city of our God, <I>in</I> the
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mountain of his holiness.
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2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, <I>is</I>
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mount Zion, <I>on</I> the sides of the north, the city of the great
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King.
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3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge.
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4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
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5 They saw <I>it, and</I> so they marvelled; they were troubled,
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<I>and</I> hasted away.
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6 Fear took hold upon them there, <I>and</I> pain, as of a woman in
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travail.
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7 Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The psalmist is designing to praise Jerusalem and to set forth the
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grandeur of that city; but he begins with the praises of God and his
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greatness
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
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and ends with the praises of God and his goodness,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
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For, whatever is the subject of our praises, God must be both the Alpha
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and Omega of them. And, particularly, whatever is said to the honour of
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the church must redound to the honour of the church's God.</P>
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<P>
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What is here said to the honour of Jerusalem is,</P>
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<P>
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I. That the King of heaven owns it: it is <I>the city of our God</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
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which he chose out of all the cities of Israel to put his name there.
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Of Zion he said kinder things than ever he said of place upon earth.
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<I>This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired
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it,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+132:13,14">Ps. cxxxii. 13, 14</A>.
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It is <I>the city of the great King</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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the King of all the earth, who is pleased to declare himself in a
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special manner present there. This our Saviour quotes to prove that to
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swear by Jerusalem is profanely to swear by God himself
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+5:35">Matt. v. 35</A>),
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<I>for it is the city of the great King,</I> who has chosen it for the
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special residence of his grace, as heaven is of his glory.
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1. It is enlightened with the knowledge of God. <I>In Judah God is
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known, and his name is great,</I> but especially in Jerusalem, the
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head-quarters of the priests, whose lips were to keep this knowledge.
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In Jerusalem <I>God is great</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>)
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who in other places was made little of, was made nothing of. Happy the
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kingdom, the city, the family, the heart, in which God is great, in
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which he is uppermost, in which he is all. There <I>God is known</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>)
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and where he is known he will be great; none contemn God but those that
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are ignorant of him.
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2. It is devoted to the honour of God. It is therefore called <I>the
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mountain of his holiness,</I> for <I>holiness to the Lord</I> is
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written upon it and all the furniture of it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+14:20">Zech. xiv. 20, 21</A>.
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This is the privilege of the church of Christ, that it is <I>a holy
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nation, a peculiar people;</I> Jerusalem, the type of it, is called
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<I>the holy city,</I> bad as it was
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+27:53">Matt. xxvii. 53</A>),
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till that was set up, but never after.
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3. It is the place appointed for the solemn service and worship of God;
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there he is greatly praised, and <I>greatly to be praised,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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Note, The clearer discoveries are made to us of God and his greatness
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the more it is expected that we should abound in his praises. Those
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that from all parts of the country brought their offerings to Jerusalem
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had reason to be thankful that God would not only permit them thus to
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attend him, but promise to accept them, and meet them with a blessing,
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and reckon himself praised and honoured by their services. Herein
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Jerusalem typified the gospel church; for what little tribute of praise
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God has from this earth arises from that church upon earth, which is
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therefore his tabernacle among men.
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4. It is taken under his special protection
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>):
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He is <I>known for a refuge;</I> that is, he has approved himself such
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a one, and as such a one he is there applied to by his worshippers.
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Those that know him will <I>trust in him, and seek to him,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+9:10">Ps. ix. 10</A>.
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God was known, not only in the streets, but even in the palaces of
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Jerusalem, for a refuge; the great men had recourse to God and
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acquaintance with him. And then religion was likely to flourish in the
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city when it reigned in the palaces.
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5. Upon all these accounts, Jerusalem, and especially Mount Zion, on
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which the temple was built, were universally beloved and
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admired--<I>beautiful for situation,</I> and <I>the joy of the whole
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earth,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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The situation must needs be every way agreeable, when Infinite Wisdom
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chose it for the place of the sanctuary; and that which made it
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beautiful was that it was the mountain of holiness, for there is a
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beauty in holiness. This earth is, by sin, covered with deformity, and
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therefore justly might that spot of ground which was thus beautified
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with holiness he called <I>the joy of the whole earth,</I> that is,
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what the whole earth had reason to rejoice in, that God would thus in
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very deed dwell with man upon the earth. Mount Zion was on the north
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side of Jerusalem, and so was a shelter to the city from the cold and
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bleak winds that blew from that quarter; or, if fair weather was
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expected out of the north, they were thus directed to look Zion-ward
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for it.</P>
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<P>
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II. That the kings of the earth were afraid of it. That God was known
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in their palaces for a refuge they had had a late instance, and a very
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remarkable one. Whatever it was,
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1. They had had but too much occasion to fear their enemies; for <I>the
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kings were assembled,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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The neighbouring princes were confederate against Jerusalem; their
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heads and horns, their policies and powers, were combined for its ruin;
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they were assembled with all their forces; they passed, advanced, and
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marched on together, not doubting but they should soon make themselves
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masters of that city which should have been the joy, but was the envy
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of the whole earth.
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2. God made their enemies to fear them. The very sight of Jerusalem
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struck them into a consternation and gave check to their fury, as the
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sight of the tents of Jacob frightened Balaam from his purpose to curse
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Israel
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+24:2">Num. xxiv. 2</A>):
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<I>They saw it and marvelled, and hasted away,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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Not <I>Veni, vidi, vici--I came, I saw, I conquered;</I> but, on the
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contrary, <I>Veni vidi victus sum--I came, I saw, I was defeated.</I>
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Not that there was any thing to be seen in Jerusalem that was so very
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formidable; but the sight of it brought to mind what they had heard
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concerning the special presence of God in that city and the divine
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protection it was under, and God impressed such terrors on their minds
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thereby as made them retire with precipitation. Though they were
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kings, though they were many in confederacy, yet they knew themselves
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an unequal match for Omnipotence, and therefore <I>fear came upon them,
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and pain,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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Note, God can dispirit the stoutest of his church's enemies, and soon
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put those in pain that live at ease. The fright they were in upon the
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sight of Jerusalem is here compared to the throes of a woman in
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travail, which are sharp and grievous, which sometimes come suddenly
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Th+5:3">1 Thess. v. 3</A>),
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which cannot be avoided, and which are effects of sin and the curse.
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The defeat hereby given to their designs upon Jerusalem is compared to
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the dreadful work made with a fleet of ships by a violent storm, when
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some are split, others shattered, all dispersed
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>):
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<I>Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind;</I> effects
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at sea lie thus exposed. The terrors of God are compared to an east
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wind
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+27:20,21">Job xxvii. 20, 21</A>);
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these shall put them into confusion, and break all their measures.
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<I>Who knows the power of God's anger?</I></P>
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<A NAME="Ps48_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps48_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>God's Care of His Church.</I></FONT></TD>
|
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> of
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hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever.
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Selah.
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9 We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of
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thy temple.
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10 According to thy name, O God, so <I>is</I> thy praise unto the
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ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
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11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad,
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because of thy judgments.
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12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers
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thereof.
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13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may
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tell <I>it</I> to the generation following.
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14 For this God <I>is</I> our God for ever and ever: he will be our
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guide <I>even</I> unto death.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here the good use and improvement which the people of God are
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taught to make of his late glorious and gracious appearances for them
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against their enemies, that they might work for their good.</P>
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<P>
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I. Let our faith in the word of God be hereby confirmed. If we compare
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what God has done with what he has spoken, we shall find that, as <I>we
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have heard,</I> so <I>have we seen</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>),
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and what we have seen obliges us to believe what we have heard.
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1. "As we have heard done in former providences, in the days of old, so
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have we seen done in our own days." Note, God's latter appearances for
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his people against his and their enemies are consonant to his former
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appearances, and should put us in mind of them.
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2. "As we have heard in the promise and prediction, so have we seen in
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the performance and accomplishment. We have heard that God is the Lord
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of hosts, and that Jerusalem is the city of our God, is dear to him, is
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his particular care; and now we have seen it; we have seen the power of
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our God; we have seen his goodness; we have seen his care and concern
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for us, that he is a <I>wall of fire round about Jerusalem and the
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glory in the midst of her.</I>" Note, In the great things that God has
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done, and is doing, for his church, it is good to take notice of the
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fulfilling of the scriptures; and this would help us the better to
|
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understand both the providence itself and the scripture that is
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fulfilled in it.</P>
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<P>
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II. Let our hope of the stability and perpetuity of the church be
|
|
hereby encouraged. "From what we have seen, compared with what we have
|
|
heard, in the city of our God, we may conclude that God will establish
|
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it for ever." This was not fulfilled in Jerusalem (that city was long
|
|
since destroyed, and all its glory laid in the dust), but has its
|
|
accomplishment in the gospel church. We are sure that that shall be
|
|
established for ever; it is built upon a rock, and the gates of hell
|
|
cannot prevail against it,
|
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+16:18">Matt. xvi. 18</A>.
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God himself has undertaken the establishment of it; it is the Lord that
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has founded Zion,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+14:32">Isa. xiv. 32</A>.
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And what we have seen, compared with what we have heard, may encourage
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us to hope in that promise of God upon which the church is built.</P>
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<P>
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III. Let our minds be hereby filled with good thoughts of God. "From
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what we have heard, and seen, and hope for, we may take occasion to
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think much of God's loving-kindness, whenever we meet <I>in the midst
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of his temple,</I>"
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>.
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All the streams of mercy that flow down to us must be traced up to the
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fountain of God's lovingkindness. It is not owing to any merit of ours,
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but purely to his mercy, and the peculiar favour he bears to his
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people. This therefore we must think of with delight, think of
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frequently and fixedly. What subject can we dwell upon more noble, more
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pleasant, more profitable? We must have God's lovingkindness always
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before our eyes
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+26:3">Ps. xxvi. 3</A>),
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especially when we attend upon him in his temple. When we enjoy the
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benefit of public ordinances undisturbed, when we meet in his temple
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and there is none to make us afraid, we should take occasion thence to
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think of his lovingkindness.</P>
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<P>
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IV. Let us give to God the glory of the great things which he has done
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for us, and mention them to his honour
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>):
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"<I>According to thy name, O God! so is thy praise,</I> not only in
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Jerusalem, but to the ends of the earth." By the late signal
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|
deliverance of Jerusalem God had made himself a name; that is, he had
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gloriously discovered his wisdom, power, and goodness, and made all the
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nations about sensible of it; and <I>so was his praise;</I> that is,
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some in all parts would be found giving glory to him accordingly. As
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far as his name goes his praise will go, at least it should go, and, at
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length, it shall go, when all the ends of the world shall praise him,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+22:27,Re+11:15">Ps. xxii. 27; Rev. xi. 15</A>.
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Some, by his <I>name,</I> understand especially that glorious name of
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his, <I>the Lord of hosts;</I> according to that name, so is his
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praise; for all the creatures, even to the ends of the earth, are under
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|
his command. But his people must, in a special manner, acknowledge his
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justice in all he does for them. "<I>Righteousness fills thy right
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hand;</I>" that is, all the operations of thy power are consonant to
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the eternal rules of equity.</P>
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<P>
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V. Let all the members of the church in particular take to themselves
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the comfort of what God does for his church in general
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>):
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"<I>Let Mount Zion rejoice,</I> the priests and Levites that attend the
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sanctuary, and then <I>let</I> all <I>the daughters of Judah,</I> the
|
|
country towns, and the inhabitants of them, be glad: let the women in
|
|
their songs and dances, as usual on occasion of public joys, celebrate
|
|
with thankfulness the great salvation which God has wrought for us."
|
|
Note, When we have given God the praise we may then take the pleasure
|
|
of the extraordinary deliverances of the church, and <I>be glad because
|
|
of God's judgments</I> (that is, the operations of his providence), all
|
|
which we may see wrought in wisdom (therefore called <I>judgments</I>)
|
|
and working for the good of his church.</P>
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<P>
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VI. Let us diligently observe the instances and evidences of the
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|
church's beauty, strength, and safety, and faithfully transmit our
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|
observations to those that shall come after us
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:12,13"><I>v.</I> 12, 13</A>):
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<I>Walk about Zion.</I> Some think this refers to the ceremony of the
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triumph; let those who are employed in that solemnity walk round the
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walls (as they did,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+12:31">Neh. xii. 31</A>),
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singing and praising God. In doing this let <I>them tell the towers and
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|
mark well the bulwarks,</I>
|
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1. That they might magnify the late wonderful deliverance God had
|
|
wrought for them. Let them observe, with wonder, that the towers and
|
|
bulwarks are all in their full strength and none of them damaged, the
|
|
palaces in their beauty and none of them blemished; there is not the
|
|
least damage done to the city by the kings that were assembled against
|
|
it
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|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
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<I>Tell this to the generation following,</I> as a wonderful instance
|
|
of God's care of his holy city, that the enemies should not only not
|
|
ruin or destroy it, but not so much as hurt or deface it.
|
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|
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2. That they might fortify themselves against the fear of the like
|
|
threatening danger another time. And so,
|
|
|
|
(1.) We may understand it literally of Jerusalem, and the strong-hold
|
|
of Zion. Let the daughters of Judah see the towers and bulwarks of
|
|
Zion, with a pleasure equal to the terror with which the kings their
|
|
enemies saw them,
|
|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
|
|
|
|
Jerusalem was generally looked upon as an impregnable place, as
|
|
appears,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=La+4:12">Lam. iv. 12</A>.
|
|
|
|
<I>All the inhabitants of the world would not have believed that an
|
|
enemy should enter the gates of Jerusalem;</I> nor could they have
|
|
entered if the inhabitants had not sinned away their defence. <I>Set
|
|
your heart to her bulwarks.</I> This intimates that the principal
|
|
bulwarks of Zion were not the objects of sense, which they might set
|
|
their eye upon, but the objects of faith, which they must set their
|
|
hearts upon. It was well enough fortified indeed both by nature and
|
|
art; but its bulwarks that were mostly to be relied upon were the
|
|
special presence of God in it, the beauty of holiness he had put upon
|
|
it, and the promises he had made concerning it. "Consider Jerusalem's
|
|
strength, and tell it to the generations to come, that they may do
|
|
nothing to weaken it, and that, if at any time it be in distress, they
|
|
may not basely surrender it to the enemy as not tenable." Calvin
|
|
observes here that when they are directed to transmit to posterity a
|
|
particular account of the towers, and bulwarks, and palaces of
|
|
Jerusalem, it is intimated that in process of time they would all be
|
|
destroyed and remain no longer to be seen; for, otherwise, what need
|
|
was thee to preserve the description and history of them? When the
|
|
disciples were admiring the buildings of the temple their Master told
|
|
them that in a little time one stone of it should not be <I>left upon
|
|
another,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+24:1,2">Matt. xxiv. 1, 2</A>.
|
|
|
|
Therefore,
|
|
|
|
(2.) This must certainly be applied to the gospel church, that Mount
|
|
Zion,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+12:22">Heb. xii. 22</A>.
|
|
|
|
"Consider the towers, and bulwarks, and palaces of that, that you may
|
|
be invited and encouraged to join yourselves to it and embark in it.
|
|
See it founded on Christ, the rock fortified by the divine power,
|
|
guarded by him that neither slumbers nor sleeps. See what precious
|
|
ordinances are its palaces, what precious promises are its bulwarks;
|
|
tell this to the generation following, that they may with purpose of
|
|
heart espouse its interests and cleave to it."</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
VII. Let us triumph in God, and in the assurances we have of his
|
|
everlasting lovingkindness,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+48:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
|
|
|
|
Tell this to the generation following; transmit this truth as a sacred
|
|
deposit to your posterity, That <I>this God,</I> who has now done such
|
|
great things for us, <I>is our God for ever and ever;</I> he is
|
|
constant and unchangeable in his love to us and care for us.
|
|
|
|
1. If God be our God, he is ours for ever, not only through all the
|
|
ages of time, but to eternity; for it is the everlasting blessedness of
|
|
glorified saints that <I>God himself will be with them and will be
|
|
their God,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+21:3">Rev. xxi. 3</A>.
|
|
|
|
2. If he be our God, <I>he will be our guide,</I> our faithful constant
|
|
guide, to show us our way and to lead us in it; he will be so, <I>even
|
|
unto death,</I> which will be the period of our way, and will bring us
|
|
to our rest. He will lead and keep us even to the last. He will be our
|
|
guide <I>above</I> death (so some); he will so guide us as to set us
|
|
above the reach of death, so that it shall not be able to do us any
|
|
real hurt. He will be our guide <I>beyond</I> death (so others); he
|
|
will conduct us safely to a happiness on the other side death, to a
|
|
life in which there shall be no more death. If we take the Lord for our
|
|
God, he will conduct and convey us safely to death, through death, and
|
|
beyond death--down to death and up again to glory.</P>
|
|
|
|
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