AS A BRIDEGROOM COMING OUT OF HIS CHAMBER

The psalmist begins his poem recognizing that the whole created order is a witness to God’s glory displayed in His handiwork. Great as this display of divine glory is in creation, it is worth noticing, in passing, that God’s workmanship is displayed now and forever in His unbelievable grace towards people like us. It is the only thing that we are aware of that God is going to put on display forever, Eph. 2. 4-10. This, of course, does not detract in any way from God’s glory displayed in creation. Paul writes, ‘the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen … so that they (the human race) are without excuse’, Rom. 1. 20.

The poet likens the rising of the sun in God’s creation to a bridegroom coming out of his chamber. In the ancient world, there was nothing as spectacular as the sun rising in the morning. The poetic thought may be that during the darkness of night the sun has withdrawn to his chamber. In the morning, the sun rises and strides out of his chamber filling the world with light, beauty and hope.

When those responsible for the ship and the centurion disregarded Paul’s advice not to continue the trip towards Rome, the ship sailed with disastrous result. Luke writes, ‘when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared … all hope that we should be saved was then taken away’, Acts 27. 20. Just as the bridegroom comes out of his chamber reflecting in his countenance joy, love and wonder, so the sun, reflecting God’s glory, appears morning after morning filling our world with light, colour and beauty. Without the sun, life would be impossible.

In the spiritual realm, Paul writes, ‘For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men’, Titus 2. 11. Paul is tell­ing his own story. In the early church, who would have imagined that God’s grace would shine on Saul of Tarsus, reach­ing him, drastically changing him and using him mightily to spread the gospel? If the bridegroom leaving his chamber is a picture of the sun rising in all his strength, how much more beautiful is the grace of God striding from His chamber to positively change human beings forever?