Spurgeon PS125
EXPOSITION.
In due season the Lord will hear his elect ones, who cry day and night unto him, and though he bear long with their oppressors, yet will he avenge them speedily. Observe that the mere oppression of saints, however silently they bear it, is in itself a cry to God: Moses was heard at the Red Sea, though he said nothing; and Hagar’s affliction was heard despite her silence. Jesus feels with his people, and their smarts are mighty orators with him. By-and-by, however, _they_ begin to sigh and express their misery, and then relief comes post-haste. Nothing moves a father like the cries of his children ; he bestirs himself, wakes up his manhood, overthrows the enemy, and sets his beloved in safety. A _puff_ is too much for the child to bear, and the foe is so haughty, that he laughs the little one to scorn; but the Father comes, and then it is the child’s turn to laugh, when he is set above the rage of his tormentor. What virtue is there in a poor man’s sighs, that they should move the Almighty God to arise from his throne. The needy did not dare to speak, and could only sigh in secret, but the Lord heard, and could rest no longer, but girded on his sword for the battle. It is a fair day when our soul brings God into her quarrel, for when his bare arm is seen, Philistia shall rue the day. The darkest hours of the Church’s night are those which precede the break of day. Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. Jesus will come to deliver just when his needy ones shall sigh, as if all hope had gone for ever. O Lord, set thy _now_ near at hand, and rise up speedily to our help. Should the afflicted reader be able to lay hold upon the promise of this verse, let him gratefully fetch a fullness of comfort from it. Gurnal says, “As one may draw out the wine of a whole hogshead at one tap, so may a poor soul derive the comfort of the whole covenant to himself through one promise, if he be able to apply it.” He who promises to set us in safety, means thereby preservation on earth, and eternal salvation in heaven.
EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.
Verse 5.–“_For the oppression of the poor_,” etc. When oppressors and persecutors do snuff and puff at the people of God, when they defy them, and scorn them, and think that they can with a blast of their breath blow them away, then God will arise to judgment, as the Chaldee has it; at that very nick of time when all seems to be lost, and when the poor, oppressed, and afflicted people of God can do nothing but sigh and weep, and weep and sigh, then the Lord will arise and ease them of their oppressions, and make their day of extremity a glorious opportunity to work for his own glory and his people’s good. #Mt 22:6,7|. “And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.”–^Thomas Brooks.
Verse 5.–Fear ye, whosoever ye be, that do wrong the poor; you have power and wealth, and the favour of the judges, but they have the strongest weapons of all, sighings and groanings, which fetch help from heaven for them. These weapons dig down houses, throw up foundations, overthrow whole nations.–^Chrysostom.
Verse 5.–“_For the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord_.” God is pleased to take notice of _every grace_, even the least and lowest, and every gracious inclination in any of his servants. _To fear his name_ is no great matter, yet these have a promise. _To think on his name_ less, yet set down in a “book of remembrance.” God sets down how many good thoughts a poor soul hath had. As evil thoughts in wicked men are taken notice of–they are the first fruits of the evil heart (#Mt 15:19|)–so good thoughts are they which lie uppermost, and best discover a good heart. A _desire_ is a small matter, especially of the poor man, yet God regards the desire of the poor, and calls a good desire the greatest kindness; “The desire of a man is his kindness.” A _tear_ makes no great noise, yet hath a voice, “God hath heard the voice of my weeping.” It is no pleasant water, yet God bottles it up. A _groan_ is a poor thing, yet is the best part of a prayer sometimes (#Ro 8:26|); a _sigh_ is less, yet _God is awakened and raised up by it_. #Ps 12:5|. A _look_ is less than all these, yet this is regarded (#Jon 2:4|); _breathing_ is less, yet (#La 3:56|), the church could speak of no more; _panting_ is less than breathing, when one is spent for lack of breath, yet this is all the godly can sometimes boast of. #Ps 42:1|. The description of a godly man is ofttimes made from his least _quod sic_. Blessed are the _poor_, the _meek_, they that _mourn_, and they who _hunger_ and _thirst_. Never did Hannah pray better than when she could get out never a word, but cried, “Hard, hard heart.” Nor did the publican, than when he smote his breast and cried, “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner.” Nor Mary Magdalene, than when she came behind Christ, sat down, wept, but kept silence. How sweet is music upon the _waters_! How fruitful are the lowest valleys! Mourning hearts are most musical, lowest most fruitful. The good shepherd ever takes most care of his weak lambs and feeble sheep. The father makes most of the least, and the mother looks most after the sick child. How comfortable is that of our-Saviour, “It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish!” And that heaven is not to be entered but by such as are like the little child.–^John Sheffield, 1654.
Verse 5.–“_The oppression of the poor_.” Insolent and cruel oppressing of the poor is a sin that brings desolating and destroying judgments upon a people. God sent ten wasting judgments one after another upon Pharaoh, his people, and land, to revenge the cruel oppression of his poor people. “Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: for the Lord will plead their cause.” #Pr 22:22,23|. To rob and oppress the rich is a great sin; but to rob and oppress the poor is a greater; but to rob and oppress the poor because he is poor, and wants money to buy justice, is the top of all inhumanity and impiety. To oppress any one is sin; but to oppress the oppressed is the height of sin. Poverty, and want, and misery, should be motives to pity; but oppressors make them the whetstones of their cruelty and severity, and therefore the Lord will plead the cause of his poor oppressed people against their oppressors without fee or fear; yea, he will plead their cause with pestilence, blood, and fire. Gog was a great oppressor of the poor (#Eze 38:8-14|), and God pleads against him with pestilence, blood, and fire (verse #Eze 38:22|); “and I will plead against him, with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire and brimstone.”–^Thomas Brooks.
HINTS TO PREACHERS.
Verse 5.–The Lord aroused–How! Why! What to do! When!
Last clause.–Peculiar danger of believers from those who despise them and their special safety. Good practical topic.