July 14

He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. - Psalms 40:3.

LET us consider the advantages derivable from the satisfaction here enjoyed. Here, first then, our fellow-creatures are to be considered:-“many shall see it.” They will derive benefit from it, and we ought to be concerned for their welfare; we are to do them good by teaching and admonishing, inviting and attracting them to the Saviour. But how much better may we expect to succeed when we can speak from our own experience; when we can go to them and say, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ;” when we can go to them and say, “Lo, this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.”

There is another party to be considered, and that is God himself. “Many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” For his honour we ought to be concerned, and that “whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we should do all to the glory of God.” A master is never more recommended than when his servants are heard singing at their work: it shows he does not burden them; it shows that they find his service freedom and pleasure. How can God be more glorified by us than by our always being happy in his service? Oh, how it recommends the religion of the Bible when Christians let others see that wisdom’s ways are ways of pleasantness! On the other hand, when persons are always full of complaints, how do they confirm the prejudices of the world, that religion has nothing to do with pleasures!