Evening, April 22

Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings

"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night."

  Psalm 91:5

   What is this terror? It may be the cry of fire, or the noise of
   thieves, or fancied appearances, or the shriek of sudden sickness or
   death. We live in the world of death and sorrow, we may therefore look
   for ills as well in the night-watches as beneath the glare of the
   broiling sun. Nor should this alarm us, for be the terror what it may,
   the promise is that the believer shall not be afraid. Why should he?
   Let us put it more closely, why should we? God our Father is here, and
   will be here all through the lonely hours; he is an almighty Watcher, a
   sleepless Guardian, a faithful Friend. Nothing can happen without his
   direction, for even hell itself is under his control. Darkness is not
   dark to him. He has promised to be a wall of fire around his
   people--and who can break through such a barrier? Worldlings may well
   be afraid, for they have an angry God above them, a guilty conscience
   within them, and a yawning hell beneath them; but we who rest in Jesus
   are saved from all these through rich mercy. If we give way to foolish
   fear we shall dishonour our profession, and lead others to doubt the
   reality of godliness. We ought to be afraid of being afraid, lest we
   should vex the Holy Spirit by foolish distrust. Down, then, ye dismal
   forebodings and groundless apprehensions, God has not forgotten to be
   gracious, nor shut up his tender mercies; it may be night in the soul,
   but there need be no terror, for the God of love changes not. Children
   of light may walk in darkness, but they are not therefore cast away,
   nay, they are now enabled to prove their adoption by trusting in their
   heavenly Father as hypocrites cannot do.


   "Though the night be dark and dreary,

   Darkness cannot hide from thee;

   Thou art he, who, never weary,

   Watchest where thy people be."