Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance; feed them also and lift them up for ever.
A prayer for the Church militant
Here are four choice blessings.
I. save thy people. This prayer may refer--
1. To their conversion.
2. Their sanctification.
3. Their recovery from backsliding.
4. Their deliverance from temptation.
5. The need of the whole church. If we pray this prayer we must try and save souls.
II. bless thine inheritance. After men are saved they have still many wants: such as--
1. Greater unity in the Church.
2. More earnestness.
3. More happiness.
When we pray this prayer select some out of God’s inheritance and pray especially for them. And take care practically to prove the sincerity of your prayer.
III. feed them also. Hence pray--
1. For ministers to be provided.
2. A clear insight into God’s truth.
3. Invoke communion with Christ. And here, also, see that we practically carry out this prayer.
IV. lift them up for ever. God’s people want lifting up, they are heavy by nature. They need it--
1. In character.
2. When in conflict; and--
3. At the last, that we may get home to be with God; (C. H. Spurgeon.)
An intercession sublimely catholic
This short prayer contains a sketch of the blessedness of the good--here called God’s people and His inheritance.
I. deliverance. “Save Thy people.” They are in danger. From what must men be delivered in order to be made happy? Sin. This is the great enemy.
1. Man must be delivered from its guilt. Sin resting on the conscience is the thundercloud of hell; this cloud must be “blotted out.”
2. Man must be delivered from its dominion. Man under the control of sin must be miserable. He has eternal battling with self, the universe, and God.
3. Man must be delivered from its consequences--remorse, despair, etc. From all this man must be saved, and the salvation can only be accomplished through Jesus Christ.
II. guardianship. “Feed them also,” that is, “take care of them.” Be to them what the faithful shepherd is to the sheep.
1. Ward off the enemy, Keep the lion and the wolf at a distance.
2. Restrain from dangers. Let not the flock fall over precipices, or go into bewildering thickets.
3. Supply with provisions. Lead them into “green pastures.” All this the Great Shepherd of souls does for His flock.
III. sustentation. “Lift them up for ever.” Deal tenderly with them, as the shepherd with the weaklings of his flock. It is said of Christ that “He shall lead His people like a flock,” etc. (Homilist.)
A benevolent prayer
1. For salvation.
2. For blessing.
3. For a Shepherd’s care. (J. E. Scott.)
The secret source of the saints’ supplies
An old Scotch baron was attacked by his enemy, who encamped before his gates, and would allow no provisions to enter them. He continued the siege long enough to have exhausted the supplies within, but there were no signs of capitulation. Weeks and months passed away, and yet no surrender. After a long time the besieger was surprised, one morning, to see a long line of fish, fresh from the sea, hung over the wall, as much as to say, “We can feed you; and surely you cannot starve us out so long as there are fish in the sea, for we have an underground connection with it, and the supply is exhaustless!” So Satan may besiege our gates, but he can never compel us to surrender, for our food comes, not through the gates, but from above, and through channels invisible to his eye, the supply of which is inexhaustible..