‏ Psalms 79

* The deplorable condition of the people of God. (1-5) A

petition for relief. (6-13)1-5 God is complained to: whither should children go but to a

Father able and willing to help them? See what a change sin made

in the holy city, when the heathen were suffered to pour in upon

them. God's own people defiled it by their sins, therefore he

suffered their enemies to defile it by their insolence. They

desired that God would be reconciled. Those who desire God's

favour as better than life, cannot but dread his wrath as worse

than death. In every affliction we should first beseech the Lord

to cleanse away the guilt of our sins; then he will visit us

with his tender mercies. 6-13 Those who persist in ignorance of God, and neglect of

prayer, are the ungodly. How unrighteous soever men were, the

Lord was righteous in permitting them to do what they did.

Deliverances from trouble are mercies indeed, when grounded upon

the pardon of sin; we should therefore be more earnest in prayer

for the removal of our sins than for the removal of afflictions.

They had no hopes but from God's mercies, his tender mercies.

They plead no merit, they pretend to none, but, Help us for the

glory of thy name; pardon us for thy name's sake. The Christian

forgets not that he is often bound in the chain of his sins. The

world to him is a prison; sentence of death is passed upon him,

and he knows not how soon it may be executed. How fervently

should he at all times pray, O let the sighing of a prisoner

come before thee, according to the greatness of thy power

preserve thou those that are appointed to die! How glorious will

the day be, when, triumphant over sin and sorrow, the church

beholds the adversary disarmed for ever! while that church

shall, from age to age, sing the praises of her great Shepherd

and Bishop, her King and her God