Hints to Preachers

Verse 1.—Love’s resolve, love’s logic, love’s trials, love’s victories.

James Hervey has two sermons upon “Love to God” from this text.

Verse 2.—The many excellences of Jehovah to his people.

Verse 2.—God the all-sufficient portion of his people.—C. Simeon’s Works, Vol. v., p. 85.

Verse 3.—Prayer resolved upon; praise rendered; result anticipated.

Verses 4-6.—Graphic picture of a distressed soul, and its resorts in the hour of extremity.

Verse 5 (first clause).—The condition of a soul convinced of sin.

Verse 5 (second clause).—The way in which snares and temptations are, by Satanic craft, arranged so as to forestall or prevent us.

Verse 6.—The time, the manner, the hearing, and the answering of prayer.

Verse 7.—The quaking of all things in the presence of an angry God.

Verse 10.—Celestial and terrestrial agencies subservient to the divine purposes.

Verse 11.—The darkness in which Jehovah hides. Why? When? What then? etc.

Verse 13.—“Hailstones and coals of fire.” The terrific in its relation to Jehovah.

Verse 16.—The Christian, like Moses, “one taken out of the water.” The whole verse a noble subject; may be illustrated by life of Moses.

Verse 17.—The saint’s pæan of victory over Satan, and all other foes.

Verse 17 (last clause).—Singular but sound reason for expecting divine help.

Verse 18.—The enemy’s “craft,” “They prevented me in the day of my calamity.” The enemy chained. “But the Lord was my stay.”

Verse 19.—The reason of grace, and the position in which it places its chosen ones.

Verse 21.—Integrity of life, its measure, source, benefit, and dangers.

Verse 22.—The need of considering sacred things, and the wickedness of carelessly neglecting them.

Verse 23.—The upright heart and its darling sin.—W. Strong’s Sermons.

Verse 23.—Peccata in deliciis; a discourse of bosom sins.—P. Newcome.

Verse 23.—The sure trial of uprightness.—Dr. Bates.

Verse 25.—Equity of the divine procedure.—C. Simeon.

Verse 26.—Echoes, in providence, grace, and judgment.

Verse 27.—Consolation for the humble, and desolation for the proud.

Verse 27 (second clause).—The bringing down of high looks. In a way of grace and justice. Among saints and sinners, etc. A wide theme.

Verse 28.—A comfortable hope for an uncomfortable state.

Verse 29.—Believing exploits recounted. Variety, difficulty in themselves, ease in performance, completeness, impunity, and dependence upon divine working.

Verse 30.—God’s way, word, and warfare.

Verse 31.—A challenge. I. To the gods. World, pleasure, etc. Which among these deserve the name? II. To the rocks, self-confidence, superstition, etc. On which can we trust?

Verses 32-34.—Trying positions, gracious adaptations, graceful accomplishments, secure abidings, grateful acknowledgement.

Verse 35.—“The shield of thy salvation.” What it is? Faith. Whence it comes? “Thou hast given.” What it secures? “Salvation.” Who have received it?

Verse 35.—See “Spurgeon’s Sermons,” No. 683. “Divine Gentleness Acknowledged.”

Verse 36.—Divine benevolence in the arranging of our lot.

Verse 39.—The Red Cross Knight armed for the fray.

Verse 41.—Unavailing prayers—on earth and in hell.

Verse 42.—The sure overthrow, final shame, and ruin of evil.

Verse 43 (last clause).—Our natural and sinful distance from Christ, no bar to grace.

Verse 44.—Rapid advance of the gospel in some places, slow progress in others. Solemn considerations.

Verse 46.—The living God, and how to bless and exalt him.

Verse 50.—The greatness of salvation, “great deliverance;” its channel, “the King;” and its perpetuity, “for evermore.”