0547. Praise God for His Worthy One–his Character

Praise God for His Worthy One–his Character

"Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: He is gracious, and fall of compassion, and righteous" (Psa_112:4).

After we have praised God for His works and for His words, is it not fitting that we should praise Him for His Son? The 112th Psalm, like the 1st Psalm, primarily sets forth Jesus Christ. The words of our key verse cannot be said of any mere man. Of course, they are applicable to the righteous, and include the redeemed, because Jesus Christ hath imputed to His saints His own righteousness. Primarily the words fit Christ; they set forth the glories of our Lord Himself. We so use them.

1. "He is gracious, and full of compassion" (Psa_112:4). Our Lord was full of grace and truth. The people wondered at the gracious words that fell from His mouth. When He saw the multitude, He had compassion on them. He seemed to live entirely outside of Himself. His one thought was others. He sought not His own things, He sought the things of others.

2. He is righteous (see Psa_112:4). He alone is righteous. All men have sinned and all have come short of the glory of God. "In Him there was no sin;" "He had no sin;" "He knew no sin."

3. He showeth favor, and lendeth (see Psa_112:5). Consider all the merciful deeds of Christ. Every heart-beat was in behalf of some one who needed Him. He "went about doing good," and "healing all who were oppressed."

4. "He will guide His affairs with discretion" (Psa_112:5). Our Lord moved with stately and sane steppings among the people, He never said an unguarded word: He did not say something to-day, that He must needs retract to-morrow. The people noted that He answered all their questions discretely. He startled and ensnared the scribes and Pharisees with His questions, but they never startled or ensnared Him.

5. "He shall not be moved for ever" (Psa_112:6). Many were the attempts made against Christ. The rulers tried to catch Him in His phrases; they sought to overthrow His claims. But Christ was never moved. He made claim to Deity and called God His Father. The Pharisees were moved with choler against Him. They sought to betray Him, but Christ never wavered. He was impregnable in every statement that He made, and every claim that He put forth. He could not be moved. No mighty rock was even more solidly anchored upon the everlasting mountains, than were the words of our Lord anchored in the eternal purposes of God’s unchanging decrees.

6. "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings" (Psa_112:7). When Daniel heard the decree of the Persian king was signed, he opened his window and prayed toward Jerusalem. When our Lord was compassed about by those who sought to destroy Him; when the wicked were approaching the Garden of Gethsemane Christ was never afraid. When they led Him before Annas, and Caiaphas, and Pilate, and Herod, and back to Pilate again, Christ was never afraid. He moved among them, weak and weary, but fearless and unafraid.

7. "His heart is established" (Psa_112:8). Christ loved His own and loved them unto the end. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, "If it be possible let this cup pass from Me," He was not turning back from the Cross. He was established. Within Him there was not a shadow of turning.

8. "He hath dispersed, He hath given to the poor" (Psa_112:9). Everything said above is said in order that this may be said. This is climactic. All He had and all He was, is summed up in the one word, "He hath dispersed;" in the one word, "He hath given to the poor."

"I gave My life for thee,

My precious Blood I shed,

That thou mightst ransomed be,

And quickened from the dead.

I gave, I gave, My life for thee;

What hast thou given for Me?"

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR