Psalms 78:34 - Homiletics

Mercy remembered in wrath.

"When he slew them," etc. Sin is not all wilfulness; it is also infirmity—our calamity as well as our crime. Perhaps, otherwise, repentance and pardon would be impossible. God takes account of men's weakness as well as of their guilt. He alone can hold the balance. This psalm lays a heavy indictment of disobedience, lust, and unbelief against God's chosen people. Yet there is no more touching, beautiful description of Divine compassion than Psalms 78:38 , Psalms 78:39 . In wrath he remembers mercy. The punishment of sin is not only consistent with God's mercy, it is an exercise of mercy; because both its effect and purpose are to bring men to acknowledge their sin and return to God. If it fail, hardening instead of softening, this is through impenitence and unbelief.

I. First lesson. EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT TROUBLE LEADS MEN TO SEEK GOD WHEN NOTHING ELSE WILL . "When he slew them" (cf. Psalms 119:67 , Psalms 119:71 ).

1 . Trouble scourges conscience awake; brings sin to mind ( 1 Kings 17:18 ). Joseph's brethren carried their sin on their consciences unconfessed two and twenty years; covered the sore with opium plaster of silence, indifference, forgetfulness. But with Simeon bound before their eyes, accused of being spies, families at home gnawed with hunger, conscience woke ( Genesis 42:21 , Genesis 42:22 ). In many cases trouble actually springs from sin: conscience dull, indeed, if not touched! Of course, this does not apply to all troubles. No greater mistake than for Christians to torment themselves with the notion that every trial is punishment for some special sin. Probably the hardest trials in life arise from sins of others; e.g. good wife has bad husband, good husband bad wife, godly parents undutiful, vicious children; honest man deceived by those he trusts. Even carelessness, ignorance of others, may overwhelm brightest life with calamity; e.g. whole family swept away through poisoned milk or ill-laid drains. Yet, even so, the sufferer may hear a voice none else can hear. Very solemn, touching glimpse of inner working of conscience ( Job 13:23-26 ).

2 . Trouble breaks up the illusions of life. Life's chariot wheels would drive heavily if we had no illusions. Hardly even young people would have courage to face the future if we saw things just as they are. A token man was meant for bliss—an heir of life, not death—that trouble commonly seems so strange, joy so natural. Faith can lift above sorrow, but no experience (our own or others') makes us at home with it. As misfortune tests a man's friends—perhaps few out of many, and not those he counted on—so when trouble singles us out, sets us apart on that beach of God's school, we learn the difference between dreams and realities, pleasure and profit, show and substance. Well for you if then the anchor holds; great eternal realities emerge. Terrible if the surface breaks up, shadows dissolve, and no reality, no refuge, rest, certainty, remain! The lesson of Psalms 46:1-11 . is a hard one; but those who have learned it count it worth while: "God is our Refuge "( Psalms 46:1-3 ).

3 . In trouble men learn to pray. The sense of our weakness and dependence on God, and of his nearness and readiness to help, may slumber, like sense of sin; and need heavy blow to waken it. Even earnest Christian can hardly pray when all goes smoothly, as when the storm bursts. Jonah, no doubt, a man of prayer; but never prayed before as when weeds wrapt about his head ( Jonah 2:1-10 .). Disciples ( Mark 4:38 ). Even heathen sailors ( Jonah 1:6 ). The anchor of prayer which, perhaps, has swung idly through half the voyage of life, is let down then. (See Mrs. Browning's 'Cry of the Children.') Let us correct our views of life. We are often amazed—faith is tried—by the enormous mass of human sorrow and suffering, and that life is so unstably balanced on brink of death. How would it be if trouble banished, and life secure, healthful, joyous, for centuries— men still being sinners? Would not God be more fearfully forgotten, sin regarded as a trifle, shows of life taken for substance, voice of prayer fall silent? World would become not better, but incalculably worse. In mercy, as well as judgment, man was shut out of Eden ( Genesis 3:22 ) lest immortality became a curse.

II. AS EXPERIENCE SHOWS THIS RESULT OF TROUBLE , GOD 'S WORD REVEALS THIS DESIGN OF TROUBLE . "Then they sought him." God meant they should. What we have spoken of may be called the natural effect of trouble, if accepted as God's chastening—to awaken conscience, dispel illusions, lead us to pray; not necessary result—taken amiss, it may harden. "Natural result" is only another name for Divine purpose (except so far as sin has perverted our nature). But God's Word gives far higher, more inward, view of life— a distinct Divine plan and purpose, at least forevery life yielded and trusted to God. No view of life so noble as this ( Psalms 138:8 ). Scripture abounds with illustrations: Abraham, Joseph, David, Saul of Tarsus. Exceptions? Yes, in this sense, that high place and conspicuous service are for the few. But, after all, chief aim in God's training is character, not service; not what we are to do, but to be. Tens of thousands in lowliest walks God is training, as surely as Joseph—not for high place here, but glory, honour, immortality. Now, if one thing is plain, it is that character is perfected by discipline. Gold needs the furnace ( Hebrews 12:5 ). To go above all mere human examples. Our Saviour's whole life was obedience—prayer—fellowship with his Father. But see Hebrews 5:7-9 ; Hebrews 2:10 ; John 16:32 . Those lessons, therefore, we have spoken of, do not belong merely to conversion, or early stages of Christian experience. Christian who has long rejoiced in forgiveness may need deepened sense of sin. If he has kept his head steady in prosperity, he may yet need the bracing air and cool twilight of adversity. Holiest Christian may be brought nearer to God—to the Saviour. It would be a narrow view to think all this exhausts the design of trouble. In the case of our blessed Lord we should not have dared to think of this end at all, if not so plainly taught. Main end—supreme purpose—"to give his life a ransom." He "bare our sins." Even with us, his humble imperfect disciples, suffering is largely "vicarious"—for the sake of others. Calls forth as nothing else could, sympathy, love, mutual help. Softens and enriches the soil of life. St. Paul ( Colossians 1:24 ).