Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which Thou hast wrought for us.
The moral force of God
I. Subjugating men.
1. Commanding kings (Psalms 68:29).
2. Subjugating enemies (Psalms 68:30). What wonderful changes in man God’s moral force in Christ has wrought! Witness the changes in the Corinthians. “Such were some of you,” etc. What were our forefathers but beasts? The changes in the South Sea Islanders, etc. Those changes will become universal one day (Isaiah 11:6).
II. Attracting heathens (Psalms 68:31). God’s moral force is magnetic. It is in the transcendent excellence of His character. When men come to see Him as He is in Christ, they shall “stretch out” their “hands” to Him. Such a God they want, a God whose character more than realizes their highest ideal, in whom they can centre their love and repose their utmost confidence.
III. Commanding universal worship.
1. His moral majesty is to be recognized (Psalms 68:33). The real heart of humanity can bow to nothing else.
2. His moral strength is to be recognized (Psalms 68:34), Why is not God’s moral strength more universally felt? His physical might is felt everywhere; but not His moral, and why? Because it is moral. Because it has to do with mind, which is free, irresponsible, and which is endowed with the faculty to resist, if it wills, all outward appeals. Oh that minds everywhere would open themselves to the influence of God’s character as revealed in Christi This is its “power unto salvation.” (Homilist.)
The strength of a saint
I. What is the strength of a saint?
1. It is that of a regenerated man. Not that of the body, for that is far inferior to what is found in many brutes. But “there is a spirit in man,” etc. (Job 32:8).
2. It consists in his likeness to God, in his being first made and then renewed in the image of God.
II. God has commanded this strength.
1. By what He is and by what He reveals Himself to be.
2. By the relation which God has established between every man and Himself (Job 9:19). We are all His offspring.
3. By a law of loyalty which He has written in the heart.
4. By verbal law, given in the Scriptures.
5. By the claims of the new kingdom of His grace (2 Corinthians 5:19; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
III. Let us consecrate it to Him. Say not that you have no strength. Christ gives that which is asked. It is treason to withhold it. A full blessing will attend the consecration. There is no valid excuse for refusing it. Then yield it in the worship you render and in all your service. (S. Martin, D. D.)
Some marks of God’s people
Many are seeking the Lord. We are glad, but let them make sure work of it. Now, our text describes the people of God, and thus we may discover whether we are of that number.
I. The Lord is their God. “Thy God”--so we read. They have got a God: they are not atheists. And they believe in God. Now, do we believe in Him and trust in Him? How does He become my God? I trust Him and receive pardon at His hands and He tells me of it, and then my love goes out to Him in return. The true child of God loves God. And we get to be as conscious of His presence as of the air we breathe: we hold converse with Him and we feel within our spirit that He is listening to us.
II. All their strength is at God’s disposal.
1. They heartily obey His commands,
2. They pray to Him fervently.
3. They praise Him energetically.
4. They labour for Him earnestly.
5. They live wholly to Him.
III. They ascribe to Him all that is good in them, and in their fellow-men. It is all of grace, from the first even to the last; and they are the true people of God who feel and know this.
IV. They pray to Him for their stability: “Strengthen, O God, that which Thou hast wrought for us.” Never trust in yourselves, even though your strength seems more than adequate for the occasion. When you are full of knowledge, and full of wisdom, and full of grace, yet still be nothing, and let the Lord your God be your All-in-all. “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth’s sake.” Let us begin to learn that song now, and let us sing it in life, and in death, and for ever, for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The strength of life
God has His own wise and good purposes, which will never vary in themselves; but the fulfilment of these purposes in our behalf is conditional. That is to say, our own desire and will must meet God’s will, if we are to be truly blessed. For example, generally speaking, God wills our health; but only as we ourselves obey the laws of health shall we be healthy. Again, God would have us undertake successful work; but the success is conditional on our diligence. So, too, while God desires that we should conquer temptation, and that our nature should be regenerate and pure, on our part there must be the earnest resistance of sin, and an intense, a ceaseless craving for the righteousness of God.
I. Strength--this word has had very various meanings; indeed, we might almost say that the different ideals of strength that have been cherished among the nations have determined the complexion of the world’s history.
1. Sheer, naked force has been with some the familiar and favourite type of strength. The tremendous energy of tempest, earthquake, and fire has impressed men’s minds with awe.
2. Later in the world’s history, a higher type of strength was developed, and chiefly, at first, among the Greeks, who, with their handful of disciplined troops, could put to rout the myriads of the vast horde of Xerxes. For they had learned that it is net sheer force that of itself accomplishes the greatest things, but rather force adapted and adjusted, with nice exactitude, to the required result. Thus discipline and strategy, to say nothing of courage, counted for far more than numbers; and as in war, so in ether things, mere force was not of so much account as means and methods which made for the wise direction, and therefore for the economy, of force.
3. Meanwhile the very highest type of strength was preparing in the world (Proverbs 24:5; Ecclesiastes 9:16; Ecclesiastes 9:18; Psalms 37:31; Psalms 81:13-14). The strength is the strength of righteousness, and the righteousness is the righteousness of God. In the Gospel of Christ we have this Old Testament teaching fulfilled and perfected. To be holy is to be truly strong; and this strength is to be, not for our own sakes alone, but for others--we are to be strong to serve, and save, and bless. And a new inspiration is now in the world for the effectuation of the true strength of life (1 Corinthians 1:22-24).
II. Our strength is commanded. This may be understood twofoldly.
1. It means, in part, that the invincible power of God’s will is on our side. In His ordainment of things, our victory is prepared. All the arrangements of His providence, and all the richer ministrations of His grace, are to be contributory to this results--that we shall conquer. If we remember this when the world is adverse, and when our own heart is weak; if we think of it when the forces of evil gather round our soul: that it is God’s irrefragable will that we shall conquer--oh, what mighty enthusiasm will be born of this very assurance, and how impotent will seem every opposition that sets itself against the purpose of the Most High! (1 John 5:4).
2. The words are also a stimulus to our endeavour and devotion. God commands that all things shall subserve our strength, and contribute to our victory, if we are faithful; but He likewise commands our fidelity itself, anti the putting forth of our utmost effort, without which, indeed, His purpose in our behalf cannot be fulfilled. Some fourteen years ago our colony of Natal was threatened with great disaster. The Zulus had surprised and cut to pieces one of our regiments at Isandula, and, flushed with their victory, were about to pour into Natal, to devastate and destroy; when a handful of English soldiers, hastily fortifying themselves in their position at Rorke’s Drift, set themselves to withstand the whole horde of savage, eager warriors. It was indeed a forlorn hope; but they felt that it was as though the eyes of all the world were upon them, watching whether they would do their duty, and be strong. If over men were “commanded” to be strong, by all the most sacred claims of country, kindred, and home, it was then; and right nobly did they respond to the call. And, while “all the world wondered,” these few dozens of men beat back at last the invading host. So it is with us, in our seasons of sore temptation; for-- Isaiah 59:19. And in like manner, when we are discouraged by the overwhelming difficulties of our work, asking in our dismay, “Who is sufficient for these things?” then it is that this same “command “ of God stirs the soul like the sound of a trumpet. (T. F. Lockyer, B. A.)