Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Psalms
Book: Psalms
Chapter: 111
Overview:
The blessedness of the righteous.
- We have to praise the
Lord that there are a people in the
world, who fear him and serve him, and that they are a happy
people; which is owing entirely to his
Grace. Their fear is not
that which
Love casts out, but that which
Love brings in. It
follows and flows from
Love. It is a fear to offend. This is
both fear and trust. The
Heart touched
By the
Spirit of
God, as
the
Needle touched with the loadstone, turns direct and speedily
to
God, yet still with trembling, being filled with this holy
fear. Blessings are laid up for the
Faithful and their
children's children; and true riches are bestowed
On them, with
as much of this world's possessions as is profitable for them.
In the darkest hours of affliction and trial, the
Light of
Hope
and peace will
Spring up within them, and seasonable relief
shall turn mourning into joy. From their
Lord's
Example they
learn to be kind and full of compassion, as
Well as just in all
their dealings; they use discretion, that they may be liberal in
that manner which appears most likely to do good. Envy and
slander may for a time hide their true characters here, but they
shall be had in
Everlasting remembrance. They need not fear evil
tidings. A good
Man shall have a settled
Spirit. And it is the
endeavour of true believers to keep their minds stayed upon
God,
and
So to keep them calm and undisturbed; and
God has promised
them both cause to do
So, and
Grace to do
So. Trusting in the
Lord is the best and surest way of establishing the
Heart. The
Heart of
Man cannot fix any where with satisfaction, but in the
Truth of
God, and there it finds firm footing. And those whose
hearts are established
By Faith, will patiently wait till they
gain their point. Compare all this with the vexation of sinners.
The happiness of the saints is the envy of the wicked. The
desire of the wicked shall perish; their desire was wholly to
the world and the
Flesh, therefore when these perish, their joy
is gone. But the blessings of the
Gospel are spiritual and
eternal, and are conferred upon the members of the
Christian
Church, through
Christ their Head, who is the Pattern of all
Righteousness, and the Giver of all
Grace.