Psalms 9:19-20 - Homiletics

An appeal to God.

"Arise, O Lord," etc. The mysteries of life are no modern discovery. They perplexed and oppressed the souls of ancient saints, often well-nigh to the overthrow of faith. They are aggravated and emphasized by the fact, which we perhaps fail sufficiently to grasp, that Israel stood alone among nations as the witness to the unity, holiness, and truth of God. The host of surrounding peoples, some of them at the very summit of worldly greatness, worshipped "gods many and lords many." Hence Israel's enemies could not but be regarded as God's enemies; Israel's cause as God's cause.

I. AN APPEAL TO GOD AS THE LORD OF THE WHOLE WORLD , to manifest his sovereignty. The word for "man" expresses mortal weakness. Q.d. : "Let not weak mortals fancy themselves strong enough, or seem to others strong enough, to defy thy rule, break thy Law, disregard thy displeasure." Psalms 9:8 shows that the world of mankind is in view, not merely Israel. The broad universal spirit of the Old Testament Scriptures is among the notes of inspiration. In the sacred enclosure of Israel the psalmist saw men sinning against light; in the great outlying world of heathendom he saw them sinning without the light of revelation ( Romans 2:12-14 ). But in all, the root-mischief is the same—human self-will. If all men, instead of pleasing themselves, set themselves to do God ' s will, a change would pass over all life, private and public, like the breaking forth of spring out of winter. Faith does not dictate to God how or when men are to be brought to their right senses; to see that God is God, and men "but men"—weak, frail, ignorant, sinful. But faith longs and pleads that it be done.

II. THERE ARE TIMES AND CIRCUMSTANCES which give to this appeal special urgency. In ancient Israel, when idolatry threatened to suppress true religion; or heathen invaders threatened the national existence. For the Christians of the first three centuries, in the deadly persecutions of the Roman emperors. For lovers of God's pure Word and of freedom, during the dark years before the Reformation, in the gigantic growth of superstition, corruption, and ecclesiastical tyranny. The blood of Albigenses, Lollards, Huguenots, and a great army of martyrs beside, seemed to cry for vengeance ( Revelation 6:10 ). In our own time the frightful prevalence of crime and vice, and of squalid misery in the midst of wasteful luxury; the murderous war-preparations of Christian nations; the slow progress of the gospel where it is matched against the mighty forces of heathenism, Buddhism, Mohammedanism; and the bold and subtle forms of atheism or unbelief that fill the very atmosphere of our age;—all these awaken in our hearts this earnest, passionate longing; try our faith with this deep perplexity ( Isaiah 64:1 ). Multitudes of earnest Christians find no comfort but in the belief that the second coming of the Lord is near at hand. They echo St. John's "come quickly" ( Revelation 22:20 ).

III. THE GOSPEL SHEDS A LIGHT ON THIS MYSTERY , which prophets and kings of old longed for, but could not see (see 2 Peter 3:9 ; 1 Timothy 2:3 ). God could crush and stamp out sin, and destroy sinners quickly enough, by his almighty power. But his amazing purpose has been and is to "overcome evil with good;" subdue unbelief and rebellion, not by vengeance, but love. Mercy rejoices against judgment. The cross—grace and truth by Jesus Christ-exerts a power impossible before. The prophets show the possibility of the penitent being pardoned ( Isaiah 1:18 ; Ezekiel 33:11 , etc.). Yet Manasseh's conversion is almost a solitary instance. The regeneration of a nation—as of nations of cannibal savages in our own day by the preaching of the gospel—was a thing impossible. Hence inspired psalmists saw no alternative but either the prosperity of the wicked or their destruction ( Luke 9:54 56; Luke 24:46 , Luke 24:47 ). But power will not always sleep, nor judgment tarry ( 2 Peter 3:7 , 2 Peter 3:10 ; 2 Thessalonians 1:7 , 2 Thessalonians 1:9 ).