詩篇 4:1-7 Jcb

An instructive writer has made a mournful list of the honours which the blinded people of Israel awarded to their long expected King.

1. They gave him a procession of honour, in which Roman legionaries, Jewish priests, men and women, took a part, he himself bearing his cross. This is the triumph which the world awards to him who comes to overthrow man's direst foes. Derisive shouts are his only acclamations, and cruel taunts his only paeans of praise.

2. They presented him...

It is true that "calm seas never made a sailor." It is through tribulation that we develop patience. It is through pressure that we are enlarged.

Even men of the world have realized that difficulties have educative and broadening values. Charles Kettering once said, "Problems are the price of progress. Don't bring me anything but problems. Good news weakens me."

But especially from the Christian world come testimonies to the profit derived from trials.

We read, for...

The Bible is full of paradoxes, that is, truths that seem contrary to what we would normally suppose or truths that seem to contradict one another. G. K. Chesterton maintained that paradox is truth standing on its head to attract attention. Here are a few of the paradoxes trying to attract our attention.

We save our lives by losing them; we lose our lives by loving them (Mark 8:35).

We are strong when we are weak (

Give us the tokens of thy favor, the expressions of thy grace, the revelation of thy glory. Acknowledge us as thy sons and daughters, privileged ones, having access to thine audience chamber, and permitted to behold the majesty and kindness that to others are veiled. Let the light of thy loving glance descend into our soul. A day is coming when thy glory shall be flashed abroad through all the heavens, and when it shall fall like one immense sheet of lightning upon the nations. But what the...

Set him apart by making him godly; teaching him to set his affections upon things above; to hunger and thirst after righteousness; to count all things worthless in comparison with the excellency of the knowledge of Christ; to meditate day and night in God's word; to cultivate a prayerful habit of mind; to delight in the society of the people of God; and to hold all personal interests of trivial moment in comparison with the interests of the Gospel, the extension of Christ's kingdom, the...

There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. § I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.In my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.” … You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord; and to the Lord I made supplication:  “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Will the dust...

Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them … when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God. For it is He who gives you power to get wealth.Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain...

Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted. § Be still, and know that I am God. § Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God? § The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.Mary … sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. § Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. § In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness...

Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. § For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord?My beloved is white and ruddy, chief among ten thousand. § One pearl of great price. § The ruler over the kings of the earth. § His head is like the finest gold; his locks are wavy, and black as a raven. § Head...