Spurgeon: May PM
* 05/27/PM
"What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead
dog as I am?"
--2 Samuel 9:8
If Mephibosheth was thus humbled by David's kindness, what
shall we be in the presence of our gracious Lord? The more grace
we have, the less we shall think of ourselves, for grace, like
light, reveals our impurity. Eminent saints have scarcely known
to what to compare themselves, their sense of unworthiness has
been so clear and keen. "I am," says holy Rutherford, "a dry and
withered branch, a piece of dead carcass, dry bones, and not
able to step over a straw." In another place he writes, "Except
as to open outbreakings, I want nothing of what Judas and Cain
had." The meanest objects in nature appear to the humbled mind
to have a preference above itself, because they have never
contracted sin: a dog may be greedy, fierce, or filthy, but it
has no conscience to violate, no Holy Spirit to resist. A dog
may be a worthless animal, and yet by a little kindness it is
soon won to love its master, and is faithful unto death; but we
forget the goodness of the Lord, and follow not at His call.
The term "dead dog" is the most expressive of all terms of
contempt, but it is none too strong to express the self-
abhorrence of instructed believers. They do not affect mock
modesty, they mean what they say, they have weighed themselves
in the balances of the sanctuary, and found out the vanity of
their nature. At best, we are but clay, animated dust, mere
walking hillocks; but viewed as sinners, we are monsters indeed.
Let it be published in heaven as a wonder, that the Lord Jesus
should set His heart's love upon such as we are. Dust and ashes
though we be, we must and will "magnify the exceeding greatness
of His grace." Could not His heart find rest in heaven? Must He
needs come to these tents of Kedar for a spouse, and choose a
bride upon whom the sun had looked? O heavens and earth, break
forth into a song, and give all glory to our sweet Lord Jesus.