September 5

appear in the next article—But “David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”

SEPTEMBER 6.—“But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”

1 Sam. xxx. 6.

It was a dreadful day for David and his fellow-sufferers, as we have seen in the foregoing article. But if the rest had no God in this time of evil he had one; David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. He seldom addressed him in the Psalms without saying, “My God.” The same privilege have all his people: they have a God who claims them, and a God whom they claim—“God, even our own God shall bless us.” “This God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide, even unto death.”

“All people will walk every one in the name of his god.” All have some rock; but “their rock is not as our rock, our enemies themselves being judges.” They who love and serve the creature more than the Creator are really worshippers of idols; and what wonder if the God they have forsaken for very vanity should say to them, in their distress, “Where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? Let them arise if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble.” Hence they faint in the day of adversity. All their resources are found worse than nothing. A Christian would rather perish than think of such comforters and deliverers—“God,” says he, “is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever”—“It is good for me to draw near to God.” So it was with David—“David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”

But in what pertaining to the Lord his God did he encourage himself? and in which all his followers may encourage themselves also? He encouraged himself in his relations. One of these he has mentioned, describing the confidence he derived from it: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” He encouraged himself in his perfections. How relieving is the thought of a Being whose mercy endureth for ever; whose understanding is infinite; whose power is almighty; whose presence is every where. He encouraged himself in his engagements. They are great and numberless. They are adapted to all that we can feel or fear. They insure grace and glory; and withhold no good thing from us. And they are all yea and Amen, in Christ Jesus. And therefore David, for their certainty, calls them a covenant, which used to be confirmed by oath and sacrifice; and says, “although my house be not so with God, yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure; for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.” He encouraged himself in the belief of his providence. He knew that a sparrow falleth not to the ground without our heavenly Father, and that the hairs of our head are all numbered. All my times, said he, are in his hand. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for