Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
The law of suggestion in religious life
The law of memory recalls the same things; of association, different things. Certain sounds or sights awaken in our minds ideas which have been associated by the eye and by the ear. The name of, say, a horse calls up the picture of the horse, because of this law of association. Now, this law solves some remarkable phenomena. There are views of doctrine in whose presence devout souls are stirred with strong emotions, and these emotions are taken as evidences of the truth of the doctrines. For, say these people, “How could a false doctrine fill me with such holy thought and feeling?” But this reasoning will not hold. The emotions are the result not of the truth of the doctrine, but because men have been trained to experience such emotion in the presence of the doctrine: as men will in the presence of a picture, an image, an idol. A doctrine all unbeautiful and false may be so associated with things of beauty that it appears beautiful to those by whom it is so associated. Hard doctrines are like hard logs, which, if you let them lie long enough in the open air, under the softening influence of God’s rain and dew, become overgrown with lichens and mosses until they are beautiful. It is not the beauty of the log, but of that which is associated with and sticks to it. And so it is of places and actions, of religious observances and reasons. It is this law of association that determines our conduct in regard to them. If they have been linked on to what is beautiful and good in our experience, we love them, and keep to them. And vice versa. What responsibility, then, does this involve for those who have the training of children. What associations will they have with the Bible, the Sabbath, with the idea of God? Our text shows that David had gained such associations with the thought of God, that this outburst of praise is the natural utterance of his heart. (H. Ward Beecher.)
The general extension of Christ’s kingdom fervently implored
I. As a prophetic oracle. It assures us--
1. That the whole earth will be filled with God’s glory (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). The glory of the Lord implies--
(1) A display of His perfections in the salvation of mankind.
(2) The pious acknowledgment of God’s saving goodness.
2. That the earth will be filled with God’s glory, by means of Christ’s administration in His mediatorial kingdom.
II. As a source of sacred instruction. Thus considered, it teaches us--
1. That Christ is a Divine person.
2. That His regal acts are wondrous.
(1) He did wondrous things as the God of Israel, in behalf of His Hebrew subjects, by delivering them from grievous bondage, by preserving them amidst a dangerous wilderness, and by blessing them with a desirable inheritance (Psalms 136:10-23).
(2) He still doeth wondrous things as the King of saints, in behalf of His Christian subjects, by delivering them from a worse than Egyptian bondage (Matthew 11:28; John 8:36); by preserving them amidst most alarming dangers (Psalms 17:7; John 10:27-28); and by blessing them with a better country than that of the earthly Canaan (Hebrews 13:14; Hebrews 11:16; 1 Peter 1:3-5).
III. As an example of acceptable devotion. Thus considered, we are led to regard it as containing--
1. Grateful adoration. “Blessed be the Lord God,” etc.
(1) To praise God for His goodness is our duty, for He requires it by express injunctions (Psalms 50:14, and Psalms 107:1; Psalms 107:8 etc.).
(2) To praise God is our honour, for this is the most disinterested part of devotion; more so than that of deprecation and petition, in which we refer to our own interests. At the same time, praise renders our worship most like the worship of heaven (Revelation 15:8).
(3) To praise God is our wisdom. This duty is attended with pleasure (Psalms 147:1-20.), and is the means of obtaining renewed favours (Psalms 50:23).
2. Humble acknowledgment. “Who only doeth wondrous things.” This should be the language of all Christ’s gracious subjects, for they are saved, not by their own merit, but through God’s mercy (Titus 3:6-7). This should also be the language of all God’s honoured instruments, for God’s work is effected by His own agency. It is He who removes all hindrances that would impede the labours of His servants (Zechariah 4:6-7); and it is He alone who crowns their labours with success (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).
3. Fervent desire. “Let the whole earth be filled,” etc. It is desirable that the whole earth may be filled with God’s glory--
(1) On principles of piety, because hereby the felicity of angels will be augmented (Luke 15:10); the most pleasing satisfaction will be afforded to our gracious Redeemer (Isaiah 53:10-11); and God will become generally honoured by the human race (Malachi 1:11).
(2) On principles of benevolence; for hereby much moral evil, or sin, will be prevented (James 5:19-20); much natural evil, or misery, will be avoided, as national judgments (2 Chronicles 7:14); political discord (Isaiah 2:4); and the eternal death of immortal souls (James 5:20); and much good, or human happiness, will be occasioned. From this interesting subject we may infer--
1. The certain fulfilment of God’s purpose to fill the earth with His glory.
2. The propriety of concurring with God in fulfilling His purpose. (Sketches of Four Hundred Sermons.)