Thou hast dealt with Thy servant, O Lord.
A good man
I. The testimony of a good man.
1. Concerning God. His kind treatment and faithful promise.
2. Concerning affliction.
II. The prayer Of a good man for the highest instruction.
III. The experience Of a good man. (Homilist.)
Good judgment
I. David’s judgment expressed.
1. God had dealt with him.
2. God had dealt well with him. Adding up all our varied experiences, we can truly say that all things have worked together for our good. What strange compounds many of our lives are! The evening and the morning have made the day from the creation; and we have had darkness and brightness; but, putting the whole together, the result has been more than well.
3. God has dealt well with us as His servants.
(1) He has given us blessed work to do. To serve God is to reign.
(2) He has given us provision.
(3) He has given us encouragement.
(4) He has given us earnests of the pay which we shall receive at the end of our day’s toil.
4. He has dealt with us according to His word. The print of providence exactly answers to the type of the promise.
II. Good judgment desired (verse 66). David felt that his judgment had been greatly at fault, so that he had made great mistakes with regard to God; and new that he had come to a more correct judgment, he offered this prayer: “Teach me good judgment and knowledge.” This is what all Christians need,--better judgment--more sound judgment.
1. May God help us, for the future, first, to judge His providence better!
2. Next, judge your sufferings better, and learn to believe that it is good for you that you have been afflicted. May our judgments not be, as they sometimes have been, desponding, dark, dreary l
3. Then we shall be able to have good judgment in matters of doctrine.
4. We also need good judgment concerning our temptations.
5. And as to the many false spirits that are gone forth into the world.
III. Judgment possessed (verse 67). He seems to say, “Lord, I am very foolish, yet I have had wit enough given me, by Thy Spirit, to believe that Thy commandments are the best that can be, so I wish to keep them, and to believe that Thy commandments are the best guide to me in life, and therefore I desire to follow them.” (C. H. Spurgeon.)