October 8, 2013
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Priest forever, do not delay! ~ Psalm 110 | letter 165 on assurance and joy
“After Job had almost lost himself in the labyrinth of the divine counsels, how contentedly does he sit down, at length, with this thought: 'Though I know not the way that he takes (for his way is in the sea and his path in the great waters, his thoughts and ways are infinitely above ours and it would be presumption in us to pretend to judge of them), yet he knows the way that I take,' . . . ”
~ from Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on Job 23
Priest Forever, Do Not Delay!
Serpentine labyrinth to mine eyes
Abba's loving counsels in disguise
The LORD's chastening do not despiseIn this season of the dark night,
In ev'ry command, let me delight,
Living by faith, not by sightSupply me with strength as my days,
Priest forever, do not delay!
Light my candle, turn night to dayHere I watch upon my tower
Holy dew, sprinkle and shower
Strengthen in the day of Your powerAs You drink, lift up my head,
Rescue me from slavish dread
Feed me, fill me, O Living Bread!No vain comfort, but full consolation,
Fresh oil for happy consecration,
Free, unreserved dedicationMy soul, fear Jehovah and be blessed,
Hear His Word, joyfully acquiesce,
Bearing fruit with a heart of gladness* * *
Psalm 110
3 Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day of your power,
in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours.
4 The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.” . . .
7 He will drink from the brook by the way;
therefore he will lift up his head.Psalm 112
1 Praise the LORD!
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commandments! . . .
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright . . .* * *
"Happy the man fearing Jehovah, in his commandments delighting greatly. There is here not only an obvious connection with the close of the preceding psalm, but an obvious advance upon it or progression of ideas. As the fear of the Lord is there declared to be the principle of all true wisdom, so here it is declared to be the source of all true happiness. The second clause defines the meaning of the first by showing, that the fear there mentioned is a fear consistent with, or rather necessarily involving, a complacent acquiescence in God's will, thus entirely excluding a mere slavish dread, which is incompatible with such a disposition."
~ J.A. Alexander on Psalm 112:1, The Psalms Translated and Explained, Vol. III, 114-115.
* * *
Philippians 2:12-16.
Colossians 1:9-12.My other letters on assurance and fighting for joy can be found here.
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Comments (5)
Timely post as I was just talking w/my SS kids about the difference btween joy and happiness (as we were discussing the fruits of the spirit) and the importance of joy.
Hope all is well with you. Hugs.
As I've said before, I equate joy and happiness, i.e. - if we're joyful in/through Christ, we will be happy.
Anyhow, it's definitely true that there is an infinite difference between worldly joy/happiness and Holy Spirit-imparted joy/happiness, and we need to be learning for ourselves and teaching others so we might discern the difference. Praising God you have that opportunity with your SS class!
Anyhow, I've been struggling with submitting myself to God's will for me. (That's the primarily reason why I ended up writing this post.) As a result, I've been robbing myself of the joy/happiness He wants to give me (Jer. 4:18), so I'd definitely appreciate your prayers. Thanks SO much!
RYC: Eventually happy is the person whom God corrects. Once the marks and bruises heal.
I miss my rec button and everyone's comments in my dashboard view.
Yes, eventually happy, but I'll say happy even before the healing, since God's discipline is full proof of His Fatherly love pursuing us...
Hebrews 12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
(And yes, I miss those things also.)