Spurgeon: April PM
* 04/09/PM
"Thy gentleness hath made me great."
--Psalm 18:35
The words are capable of being translated, "Thy goodness
hath made me great." David gratefully ascribed all his greatness
not to his own goodness, but the goodness of God. "Thy
providence ," is another reading; and providence is nothing
more than goodness in action. Goodness is the bud of which
providence is the flower, or goodness is the seed of which
providence is the harvest. Some render it, "Thy help ," which
is but another word for providence; providence being the firm
ally of the saints, aiding them in the service of their Lord. Or
again, "Thy humility hath made me great." "Thy condescension "
may, perhaps, serve as a comprehensive reading, combining the
ideas mentioned, including that of humility . It is God's
making Himself little which is the cause of our being made
great. We are so little, that if God should manifest His
greatness without condescension, we should be trampled under His
feet; but God, who must stoop to view the skies, and bow to see
what angels do, turns His eye yet lower, and looks to the lowly
and contrite, and makes them great. There are yet other
readings, as for instance, the Septuagint, which reads, "Thy
discipline"--Thy fatherly correction--"hath made me great;"
while the Chaldee paraphrase reads, "Thy word hath increased
me." Still the idea is the same. David ascribes all his own
greatness to the condescending goodness of his Father in heaven.
May this sentiment be echoed in our hearts this evening while we
cast our crowns at Jesus' feet, and cry, "Thy gentleness hath
made me great." How marvellous has been our experience of God's
gentleness! How gentle have been His corrections! How gentle
His forbearance! How gentle His teachings! How gentle His
drawings! Meditate upon this theme, O believer. Let gratitude be
awakened; let humility be deepened; let love be quickened ere
thou fallest asleep to-night.