Free my soul from prison, that I may praise Your name. The righteous will gather around me because of Your goodness to me. Sermons
I. GOD'S BOUNTIFULNESS AS OUR IMPRESSION OF GOD'S DEALINGS WITH US. It is not the constant impression. Sometimes we have to say, "My purposes are broken off;" "He hath hedged up my way with thorns." Sometimes what strikes us is the narrow limitations within which God puts his answer to our needs and desires. But there is no good man's life into which, at some time, the almost overwhelming impression of God's bountifulness has not come. He has surprised us with his benedictions; altogether gone beyond our expectations and our prayers. The times he has chosen, the deliverances he has wrought, the guidance he has given, the provisions he has made, have altogether astonished us. His bountiful goodness has called forth our songs. But the cases of bountifulness illuminate all his dealings with us. We know what he can do, and what he will do sometimes, and so light is thrown on all his dealings. He is never short of the bountiful, save for good reasons. He is always as bountiful as he can wisely be. It is helpful to read all our life in the light of those times when God, as it were, went beyond his usual in blessing. The infinite resources are open to us. II. GOD'S BOUNTIFULNESS AS OTHER PEOPLE'S IMPRESSION OF GOD'S DEALING WITH US. St. Paul thought of himself as a monument of grace, on whom other people might look, and from whom other people might gain confidence in the grace of God. The unusual in our lives sets us in the world's eye, makes us spectacles unto men. If the unusual is manifestly God's unusual, God's bountifulness in dealing with us, it has a most gracious impression on those around us. They learn "what almighty grace can do." And if ours is a Divine triumph over extraordinary difficulties and depressions, it is the assurance to others that God can make his grace abound unto all sufficiency. - R.T.
Bring my soul out of prison. : —I. THE PRISON INTO WHICH SO MANY SOULS ARE CAST. David said, "In the way wherein I walked, the hunters laid a snare for me." No one had better intentions than David; and I believe that nobody has better intentions than ourselves. But the best of wishes will do us little benefit unless we have brave resolves. To intend well is one thing; but if the intention stop short of action, it is worth nothing. When we intend well without practical resolution, it seems as if a trap were laid for us. We are oftenest caught in what seems our strongest point because we do not guard and watch ourselves where we are unconscious of weakness. Therefore, we all need to take heed lest we also be caught tripping. David further said, "The hunters are stonger than I." What makes our enemies strong? It is one's own weakness, the result of sin. David again cries, "Bring my soul out of prison!" It is a blessed thing when a man feels that his inclination to sin is like having his soul in prison. What man who is worthy of the name would not prefer liberty to bondage? II. THE WAY TO GET ONE'S SOUL OUT OF PRISON. We read in Bunyan's marvellous parable that when Christian had been beaten sore by a giant and thrust into Doubting Castle, he gave himself up to misery and despair. But one day he said, "Why, what a fool am I to stay here in all this wretchedness, when I have in my breast a key to unlock the gates of Doubting Castle." And taking out the key he found it fitted the lock, and he escaped. It was, says Bunyan, a key called Promise. This should teach us that when we seek in God's Word and find His promises, they are to us as a key to open the door of the prison into which our sins have thrust us. Would you have this priceless, this wonderful key always within your reach? Then hold on to God's promises, which apply to every individual case. (W. Birch.) Homilist. : —I. MAN'S MORAL IMPRISONMENT. All sinners are in a state of bondage. They are "spirits in prison." Like fallen angels they are in "chains of darkness." 1. A state of darkness. Justice shuts out the light from the prisoner in the cell. How morally benighted is the unregenerate soul l Having "the understanding darkened." 2. A state of confinement. Materialism — intemperance — avarice — prejudice — unholy associations and habits manacle his faculties. 3. A state of criminality. A prisoner is under sentence of condemnation. So every sinner is a moral criminal, condemned alike by God and by his own conscience. II. MAN'S MORAL LIBERATION. "Bring my soul out of prison." 1. A consciousness of its wretched condition. "O wretched man that I am," etc. How can I become free? Who can level those massive walls, who can break those fetters? 2. A consciousness that God alone can deliver. "Bring my soul." He feels he cannot emancipate himself, nor can his fellow-men effect his deliverance. Hence to Him he looks who came "to preach deliverance to the captive," etc. III. MAN'S MORAL MISSION. "That I may praise Thy name." 1. Deep in the heart of all men is the feeling of obligation to worship God. 2. Moral misery consists in this, the soul feeling its obligation to worship, and yet unable to do so through the enthralling influence of its corruptions. Hence the text may be regarded as the prayer of every sin-convicted soul. (1) (2) (3) (Homilist.) (1) (2) (3) 2. Carelessness. (1) (2) 3. Discontentedness. 4. Selfishness. (1) (2) (3) II. A SUITABLE PETITION. It is expressive of — 1. Consciousness. The spiritual dead feel not their awful condition. 2. Helplessness. We can do nothing; but He is faithful who has promised. 3. Tenderness. "Bring." The invalid cannot bear harsh treatment. And our compassionate Lord deals gently with us. Doubtless David had former proof of this, hence his present cry. Further, this would necessitate God's coming Himself, not even trusting His loved ones to His ministering spirits. "Come Lord Thyself, and bring my soul out of prison." Then it was a petition of — 4. Completeness. "Bring my soul out." It is well for our souls, when we get so dissatisfied with our prisons as to want to leave them entirely. III. A JUSTIFYING REASON. How could David praise God's name? 1. By making known His wondrous power. 2. By living near to God. 3. By warning others of their danger. (A. H. Stote.) 1. An awakened sinner. 2. A disconsolate Christian, when oppressed or persecuted, or under trouble. II. THE END FOR WHICH THIS MERCY WAS DESIRED. Mercy wanted calls for prayer; and the earnestness of the prayer should correspond with the magnitude of the blessing we implore. Mercy received requires praise; and the more importunate the prayer, the more animated will be the praise in return. 1. Praise may be considered as mental. 2. Vocal. 3. Practical. (B. Beddome, M. A.). I. THE REASONS URGED. 1. A consciousness of moral unrighteousness (ver. 2). No man will ever pray rightly until he is made deeply conscious that he has no claims whatever upon the favour of God, and that his necessities, if relieved at all, must be relieved by sovereign mercy alone. 2. A terrible sense of danger (vers. 3, 4). 3. An encouraging reminiscence of God (ver. 5). 4. An intense craving of the heart (ver. 6). There are two figures here indicating the craving of the heart after God. The first is taken from human life. As the suffering child stretches forth its hand to its mother, as the dying patient to his physician, as the drowning man to the rope thrown out for his rescue, so the soul of the penitent stretches out Jim hands to God; he must have Him or die and be lost. God is the necessity of necessities, the Supreme need. Another figure indicating the craving of the heart after God is the longing of the parched earth for fertile showers. II. THE BLESSINGS INVOKED. 1. Soul deliverance (ver. 7). This has been provided in Christ. 2. Soul guidance (ver. 8). Let the morning dawn on me, and The night of darkness and sorrow depart, and show me the way in which I ought to walk, — the way of rectitude, of safety. 3. Soul loyalty (ver. 10). 4. Soul quickening (ver. 11). There must be life to struggle for deliverance, life to follow the Divine guidance, to reach the level land of rectitude, and to walk in it. (David Thomas, D. D.) 1. That we should approach God in the full belief that He is the "Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." 2. We should appeal to Him not only as merciful, but also as faithful and righteous. 3. We should come as sinners imploring pardon. 4. Thus coming to God, we should seek comfort by uttering our grief in His presence and casting all our care on Him. 5. We should direct our thoughts from our sorrows to Him before whom we bow, and contemplate His character and former mercies. 6. Encouraged by such contemplation we should with renewed confidence present our petitions. 7. Expecting consolation in the path of obedience alone, we should pray to be enabled to do the will of God. 8. In our prayers we should renew the consecration of ourselves to God, and seek protection, deliverance and salvation as His "servants." "I am Thine, save me." (Newman Hall, LL. B.) 5344 imprisonment 5088 David, character Out of the Deep of Loneliness, Failure, and Disappointment. The Ceaselessness of Prayer The Theology of St. Hilary of Poitiers. Question of the Contemplative Life Psalms |
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