MERCY AND TRUTH ARE MET TOGETHER

This portion of the psalm begins with a wise resolve which all believers should make: “I will hear what God the Lord shall speak”. Centuries earlier, Moses had written, “And he (the Lord) humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live”, Deut. 8. 3. Eli’s advice to young Samuel is always valid, “thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth”, 1 Sam. 3. 9. God speaks to us today through the Scriptures, which should therefore be read prayerfully, diligently, systematically and expectantly. And surely we ought to plan our reading so as to cover all 66 books of the Bible at least once yearly, quite apart from pursuing a detailed study of selected books or themes. We must not neglect whole portions of His Word and merely read what we enjoy!

“For he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly”, v. 8. Habitual exposure to God’s Word makes for peace and serenity in the Christian. Do we not regularly find that a season of prolonged Bible reading has a cleansing and stabilising effect on mind and heart, irrespective of the portion being read? “But let them not turn again to folly”: for God’s Word is meant to be corrective as well as informative. It should modify our behaviour as well as enlightening our minds. If we “turn again to folly”, if we close our Bibles and resume frivolous or disobedient living, we must expect discipline. “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves”, James 1. 22.

We conclude with part of J. G. Bellett’s fragrant comments on verses 10, 11 in “Meditations on the Psalms”: “Truth, which required death, Gen. 2. 17, and mercy which can think of nothing but life and blessing, are here together. Death is endured according to truth, and the culprit given life and liberty according to mercy. Righteousness also kisses peace and peace kisses righteousness. Instead of being offended at each other’s presence, they welcome each other”.

“By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous”, Rom. 5. 19.