Hints to Preachers

Verse 1.—The encouraging traditions of church history. The days of yore.

Verse 1.—The parents’ duty, and the children’s privilege.

Verse 1.—Family conversation, the most profitable subject for it.

Verse 1.—The true glory of the good old times.

Verse 2.—The contrast; or, the dealings of God with saints and sinners.

Verse 3.—Free grace exalted. I. In putting a negative upon human power. II. In manifestations of divine energy. III. In its secret source, “Because thou hadst a favour unto them.”

Verse 3.—I. The creature laid low. II. The Lord exalted. III. Discriminating grace revealed.

Verse 3 (last clause).—The eternal well-spring of all mercy.

Verse 4.-I. Divine royalty acknowledged. II. Royal interposition entreated. III. Divine covenant hinted at, “Jacob;” or, the loyal subject seeking royal aid for the royal seed.

Verse 4.—Personal allegiance, and pleading intercession.

Verse 4.—“My King.” This intends—I. My Ruler. II. My Honour. III. My Leader. IV. My Defender.

Verse 4.—The deliverances of Jacob, illustrated by his eventful life.

Verse 5.—Our enemies, in what ways we push them down, by what strength, and in what spirit.

Verse 5.—Our enemies, their activity, the closeness of their approach, the certainty of their overthrow, the secret of our strength.

Verse 6.—Relinquishment of outward trusts. “My bow” may miss its aim, may be broken, may be snatched away. “My sword” may snap, or grow blunt, or slip from my hold. We may not trust in our abilities, our experience, our shrewdness, our wealth, etc.

Verse 6.—Self-renunciation—the duty of saint and sinner.

Verse 7.—Accomplished salvation. How never achieved, “But.” By whom wrought, “thou.” When performed, “hast.” For whom, “us.” To what extent, “from our enemies.”

Verse 7.—Salvation completed, hell confounded, Christ exalted.

Verse 8.—Praise, its continuance—how to make it continual, how to manifest it perpetually, influence of its continuance, and reasons to compel us to abide in it.

Verse 9.—A lament for the declension of the church.

Verse 9.—In what sense God casts off his people, and why.

Verse 9 (last clause).—The greatest of all calamities for our churches.

Verse 12.—The human and divine estimate of the results of persecution.

Verse 12.—In answer to this complaint. I. God’s people lose nothing eventually by their privations. II. The wicked gain nothing by their triumphs. III. God loses none of his glory in his dealings with either.—G. Rogers.

Verse 13.—Trial of cruel mockings; our conduct under them, comfort in them, and crown from them.

Verse 14.—Unholy proverbs or godless bywords.

Verse 15.—Confessions of a penitent.

Verse 17.—The trial, truth, and triumph of the godly.

Verse 17.—The faithful soul holding fast his integrity.

Verse 17.—What it is to be false to our covenant with God.

Verse 18 (first clause).—When we may be sure that our heart has not apostatised.

Verse 18.—I. The position of the heart in religion—it comes first. II. The position of the outer moral life in religion—it follows the heart. III. Necessity of the agreement of the two. IV. The need that both should be faithful to God.

Verse 18.—Connection between the heart and the life, both in constancy and apostasy.

Verse 18.—God’s delight in the progress of the upright.—Thomas Brooks.

Upright hearts will hold on in the ways of God, and in the ways of well-doing, notwithstanding all afflictions, troubles, and discouragements, they meet withal.—Thomas Brooks.

Verse 18.—“Thy ways.” The ways of God are—1, righteous ways; 2, blessed ways; 3, soul-refreshing ways; 4, transcendent ways—ways that transcend all other ways; 5, soul-strengthening ways; and 6, sometimes afflicted, perplexed, and persecuted ways.—Thomas Brooks.

Verse 21.—Can he not? Will he not?

Verse 21.—A question and an assertion.

Verse 22.—I. Innocence in the midst of suffering, “sheep.” II. Honour in the midst of shame, “for thy sake.”—G. Rogers.

Verse 23.—The cry of a church in sad circumstances. The plaint of a deserted soul.

Verse 24.—Reasons for the withdrawal of divine comfort.

Verse 25.—The great need, the great prayer, the great plea.

Verse 26.—A fit prayer for souls under conviction, for saints under trial or persecution, and for the church under oppression or decay.