Wait on the Lord and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
A twofold admonition and promise.
I. The admonition.
1. Wait on the Lord. Do you thus wait? Now, in the present time, and at all times?
2. Keep His way. This is beautifully connected with the former. Wait--and work. Wait--and walk. Get grace--and exercise it.
II. The promise.
1. “He shall exalt thee to inherit the land.” God is the source of all elevation and honour.
2. “When the wicked are cut off, thou,” etc. And they will be cut off from all they enjoy here, and from all hope hereafter. And as the saint will see the destruction of the sinner, so the sinner will see the salvation of the righteous, and not partake of it. This must be a source to him of the keenest anguish, for it might have been his own. (W. Jay.)
Obedience the remedy for religious perplexity
To some persons it may sound strange to speak of difficulties in religion, for they find none at all. But this arises, in many cases, from ignorance of religion itself. They observe forms, but their heart is not in the work. But when they are awakened, and earnestly seek the right way, then, from time to time, they are troubled with doubts and misgivings, and oppressed with gloom. To all those who are perplexed, one precept must be given--obey. It is obedience which brings a man into the right path; it is obedience keeps him there and strengthens him in it. Under all circumstances, whatever be the cause of his distress--obey. Apply this exhortation to those who have but lately taken up the subject of religion at all. Every science has its difficulties at first; why, then, should the science of living well be without them? And others are impatient with themselves, forgetting that a Christian spirit is the growth of time, and that we cannot force it upon our minds, however desirable and necessary it may be to possess it; that by giving utterance to religious sentiments we do not become religious--rather the reverse; whereas if we strove to obey God’s will in all things, we actually should be gradually training our hearts into the fulness of a Christian spirit. But, not understanding this, men are led to speak much upon sacred subjects, in the hope of its making them better: and they measure their advance in faith and holiness, not by their power of obeying God in practice, but by the warmth and energy of their religious feelings. And then, when these fail, and when, as sometimes is the case, their old sins revive, they are discouraged, and tempted to despair. But let them “wait on the Lord,” this is the rule; “keep His way,” this is the manner of waiting. Go about your duty; mind little things as well as great. Do not pause, and say, “I am as I was; day after day passes, and still no light”; go on. (J. H. Newman.)