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I. GOD'S THOUGHTS OF US.

1. That the infinite Jehovah thinks of us is absolutely certain. I know that the notion of some men is that the world is like a watch, and that God has done with it as we do with our watches — that, is, wound it up, put, it under His pillow, and gone to sleep. But it is not so; for in this great world-watch — to keep up the figure — God is present with every wheel and every cog of every wheel; there is no action in it apart from His present putting forth of power to make it move. Now, as God thinks and must think of the whole material universe which He has created, much more does He think of men, and most of all of us who are His chosen people. God must think of us; the blood would not flow in our veins, nor would the breath make our lungs to heave, nor would our various bodily processes go on without the perpetual exercise of His power. God must think of us especially in all the higher departments of our being, for they would speedily come to nothing apart from His constant care.

2. God's thoughts of us must be very numerous. One or two thoughts would not suffice for our many needs; if He only thought of us now and then, what should we do in the meantime? But He thinks of us constantly.

3. His thoughts of us are very tender. He looks upon His people as a father upon a child. How often He has screened us from trouble! How frequently He has prepared us for a trial, so that, when it came, it did not crush us! How often He has rescued us out of sore perils! How often He has visited us in the night, and given us songs amid our sorrow!

4. Very wise.

5. Very practical. His thoughts are really His acts, for with Him to will is to do.

II. OUR THOUGHTS UPON GOD'S THOUGHTS.

1. There is no other thought that can for a moment be compared with it.

2. How delightful it is to he thought upon by God.

3. How consoling.

4. The thoughts of God often move the souls of Christians, strengthening them in faith, arousing them to love, bestirring them to zeal.

III. OUR THOUGHTS UPON GOD HIMSELF.

1. They bring us near to God.

2. They help to keep us near to God.

3. They help to restore to us God's presence if for a while we have lest it. "When I awake" — that means, "I have been asleep, and so have lost the consciousness of God's presence." Have you never known what it is, at night, to be quite sorry to go to sleep because you have been so full of holy joy that you were afraid you might lose it while you were unconscious? "When I awake, I am still with Thee." I think it means also, "When I wake up from any temporary lethargy into which I may have fallen, I am still with Thee." We all get into that state sometimes; sleeping, though our heart is awake. We wish to be more brisk, more lively; but we cannot stir ourselves up. We have fallen into a kind of stupor. What a blessing it is to be roused out of it, possibly by a severe affliction, perhaps by an earnest discourse! Then the awakened one says, "Now I have come back to Thee, my God. There was a something within me that could not forget Thee, even for a while, though it lay still and dormant."

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

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KJV: How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

WEB: How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!