Psalm 44:1-26 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work you did in their days, in the times of old. No stories stick by us so long as those that we hear in our childhood, notwithstanding that so many of them are idle, vain and fabulous. But amongst the early Christians and the old believers in the far-off times, nursery tales were far different from what they are now. Abraham would, no doubt, talk to young children about the flood, and the Israelites who had been in bondage in Egypt would tell their children about that, and how the Lord delivered them. In primitive Christianity it was the custom of parents to tell their children the story of Jesus, and so it was among our Puritanic ancestors. The old Dutch tiles were the lesson-books in Bible history of many beside Doddridge. The writer of this psalm seems to have had told him by his father the story of the wondrous things God had done in the days of old. Let us now recall such things, and speak — I. OF THE WONDERFUL STORIES WE HAVE HEARD OF THE LORD'S ANCIENT DOINGS. God has, at times, done very mighty acts at which men have been exceedingly amazed. See the history of Israel in Egypt, in the wilderness, in Canaan; of Sennacherib and many more. And in the New Testament, of Pentecost and of all the triumphs of the Gospel told of there. And since those days in the history of the Church, of , Luther, Calvin and others not a few. And nearer to our own times, of Wesley, Whitfield and the . Now, in all these works of old there were these features — 1. They were sudden. The old stagers in our churches think that things must grow gently, by degrees. But all God's works have been sudden. At Pentecost. At the Reformation. In Whitfield's day. And so in all revivals. 2. God's instruments have been insignificant. See little David when he slew Goliath; a woman slew Sisera. And also were Luther, Whitfield and the rest. 3. And all these works were attended with much prayer. II. THE DISADVANTAGES UNDER WHICH THESE OLD STORIES FREQUENTLY LABOUR. People say, "Oh, times are different now." But has God changed? Cannot He do vow what He did of old? III. THE PROPER INFERENCES THAT ARE TO BE DRAWN FROM THE OLD STORIES OF GOD'S MIGHTY DEEDS. 1. There should be gratitude and praise. 2. Prayer. For how many are still unsaved. Preaching will not alone save them. God has done much in answer to prayer. 3. Entire dependence upon God. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: {To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.} We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. |
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