June 14

22 ¶ It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not 23 They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD at my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him 25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul of a seeketh him.

26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the LORD

27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth

28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.

29 He puteth his mouth in the dust; if so he there may be hope.

30 He giveth his cheek to him that smueth him: he is filled full with reproach.

31 For the LORD will not cast off for ever: 32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies

33 For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.

34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth

35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High.

36 To subvert a man in his cause, the LORD approves not.

37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the LORD commandeth it not.

38 Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good?

39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

"There is nothing more wonderful than God's forbearance with sinners. Their foul deeds are all done in His sight; their vile utterances are all spoken in His hearing; their sins are utterly offensive to Him; they fill Him with disgust, and loathing, and anger; and yet, though He has all power, and could crush them in a moment, He spares them! Nay, He does them good; He causes new mercies to descend upon them every day; and when at last He does proceed to punish them for their transgressions, He does so with reluctance and regret; it is with tears that He pronounces the sentence of their doom."—R. A. Bertram.

"God does not willingly afflict the children of men." He seems to share in the suffering, while He inflicts it; and to feel the very pain of His own blows, while they fall heavy upon the poor sinner. Judgment is called God's "strange work;" a work that He has no proneness to, nor finds any complacency in; and therefore, whensoever He betakes Himself to it, we may be confident that it is not for the sake of the work itself, but that He has some secret, overruling design of love, which He is to compass after an unusual, extraordinary way.

Closet Promise.—It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness—Lam. iii. 22-23.

Fresh mercies demand fresh songs. We should have a song for every day, for the Divine mercies are new every morning, and the soul's orchestra finds daily employ. Happy, indeed, is the soul ever attuned to praise. David said, in regard to prayer, "Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice,"—but in regard to praise he said: "Seven times a day do I praise Thee, because of Thy righteous judgments." The whole day is crowned with divine mercy, and the whole day should be full of praise.