Psalm 77:19-20 Your way is in the sea, and your path in the great waters, and your footsteps are not known.… I. GOD EXERCISES A CONSTANT PROVIDENTIAL SUPERINTENDENCE OVER THE AFFAIRS OF HIS PEOPLE. This is evident from — 1. Scripture. 2. Experience of men in all ages. II. THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF GOD OVER THE AFFAIRS OF HIS PEOPLE IS ATTENDED BY MANY DISPENSATIONS OF INSCRUTABLE MYSTERY. This ought not to appear surprising, and ought not to produce any emotion of repining or of discontent, if two facts be considered and duly weighed. The first is, that our faculties are naturally imperfect and beclouded, physically and morally incompetent to understand much of the dispensations of a Being like the Almighty; and the second is, that the Almighty has reasons, doubtless sufficient and important, for designedly concealing from ourselves a large proportion of the course of His providence, both for designs associated with His own glory, and our future and eternal welfare. III. THE MYSTERIOUS DISPENSATIONS ATTENDING THE PROVIDENTIAL SUPERINTENDENCE OF GOD ARE REGULATED BY WISDOM AND BY GRACE. Consider this in the cases of Jacob, Joseph, and Job. And the time is not far distant when we, in the enjoyment of the good land and the large "which God has prepared for them that love Him," shall be called to "remember the way" by which He has been pleased to lead us, "to humble us and to prove us, to know what was in our hearts, whether we would keep His commandments or no," and to recollect that "as a father chasteneth his son, so the Lord our God hath chastened us" and then it will be proved, if we believe it not now, that the "light afflictions, which were but for a moment," have wrought out for us that "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." IV. THE CHARACTER THUS ASSIGNED TO THE MYSTERIOUS DISPENSATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIVINE SUPERINTENDENCE OUGHT TO PRODUCE POWERFUL RESULTS UPON ALL CHRISTIAN AND PIOUS MINDS. 1. We should exercise a spirit of entire contentment under the most severe dispensations, which Divine Providence may impose. 2. We should carefully apply all the dispensations of Divine Providence to the practical improvement of our own characters. (J. Parsons.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.WEB: Your way was through the sea; your paths through the great waters. Your footsteps were not known. |
    |