Morning, December 14
Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
Psalms 84:7
"They go from strength to strength."
Psalm 84:7
They go from strength to strength. There are various renderings of
these words, but all of them contain the idea of progress.
Our own good translation of the authorized version is enough for us
this morning. "They go from strength to strength." That is, they grow
stronger and stronger. Usually, if we are walking, we go from strength
to weakness; we start fresh and in good order for our journey, but
by-and-by the road is rough, and the sun is hot, we sit down by the
wayside, and then again painfully pursue our weary way. But the
Christian pilgrim having obtained fresh supplies of grace, is as
vigorous after years of toilsome travel and struggle as when he first
set out. He may not be quite so elate and buoyant, nor perhaps quite so
hot and hasty in his zeal as he once was, but he is much stronger in
all that constitutes real power, and travels, if more slowly, far more
surely. Some gray-haired veterans have been as firm in their grasp of
truth, and as zealous in diffusing it, as they were in their younger
days; but, alas, it must be confessed it is often otherwise, for the
love of many waxes cold and iniquity abounds, but this is their own sin
and not the fault of the promise which still holds good: "The youths
shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but
they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and
they shall walk and not faint." Fretful spirits sit down and trouble
themselves about the future. "Alas!" say they, "we go from affliction
to affliction." Very true, O thou of little faith, but then thou goest
from strength to strength also. Thou shalt never find a bundle of
affliction which has not bound up in the midst of it sufficient grace.
God will give the strength of ripe manhood with the burden allotted to
full-grown shoulders.