Morning, May 23
Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
Psalms 138:8
"The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me."
Psalm 138:8
Most manifestly the confidence which the Psalmist here expressed was a
divine confidence. He did not say, "I have grace enough to perfect that
which concerneth me--my faith is so steady that it will not stagger--my
love is so warm that it will never grow cold--my resolution is so firm
that nothing can move it"; no, his dependence was on the Lord alone. If
we indulge in any confidence which is not grounded on the Rock of Ages,
our confidence is worse than a dream, it will fall upon us, and cover
us with its ruins, to our sorrow and confusion. All that Nature spins
time will unravel, to the eternal confusion of all who are clothed
therein. The Psalmist was wise, he rested upon nothing short of the
Lord's work. It is the Lord who has begun the good work within us; it
is he who has carried it on; and if he does not finish it, it never
will be complete. If there be one stitch in the celestial garment of
our righteousness which we are to insert ourselves, then we are lost;
but this is our confidence, the Lord who began will perfect. He has
done it all, must do it all, and will do it all. Our confidence must
not be in what we have done, nor in what we have resolved to do, but
entirely in what the Lord will do. Unbelief insinuates--"You will never
be able to stand. Look at the evil of your heart, you can never conquer
sin; remember the sinful pleasures and temptations of the world that
beset you, you will be certainly allured by them and led astray." Ah!
yes, we should indeed perish if left to our own strength. If we had
alone to navigate our frail vessels over so rough a sea, we might well
give up the voyage in despair; but, thanks be to God, he will perfect
that which concerneth us, and bring us to the desired haven. We can
never be too confident when we confide in him alone, and never too much
concerned to have such a trust.