[Affliction is sometimes] sent for the conversion of the soul. Sometimes in health the Word does not touch the heart. The world is all. Its gaieties, its pleasures, its admiration, captivate your mind. God sometimes draws you aside into a sickbed, and shows you the sin of your heart, the vanity of worldly pleasures and drives the soul to seek a sure resting-place for eternity in Christ. O happy sickness that draws the soul to Jesus (Job 33, Psm. 107).
Robert Murray McCheyne

Spurgeon PS044

Spurgeon PS044

EXPOSITION.

“_Tremble and sin not_.” How many reverse this counsel and sin but tremble not. O that men would take the advice of this verse and _commune with their own hearts_. Surely a want of thought must be one reason why men are so mad as to despite Christ and hate their own mercies. O that for once their passions would be quiet and let them _be still_, that so in solemn silence they might review the past, and meditate upon their inevitable doom. Surely a thinking man might have enough sense to discover the vanity of sin and the worthlessness of the world. Stay, rash sinner, stay ere thou take the last leap. Go to _thy bed_ and think upon thy ways. Ask counsel of thy pillow, and let the quietude of night instruct thee! Throw not away thy soul for nought! Let reason speak! Let the clamorous world be still awhile, and let thy poor soul plead with thee to bethink thyself before thou seal its fate, and ruin it for ever! _Selah_. O Sinner! pause while I question thee awhile in the words of a sacred poet,– ” Sinner, is thy heart at rest? Is thy bosom void of fear? Art thou not by guilt oppres’d? Speaks not conscience in thine ear? Can this world afford thee bliss? Can it chase away thy gloom? Flattering, false, and vain it is; Tremble at the worldling’s doom! Think, O sinner, on thy end, See the judgment-day appear, Thither must thy spirit wend, There thy righteous sentence hear. Wretched, ruin’d, helpless soul, To a Saviour’s blood apply; He alone can make thee hole, Fly to Jesus, sinner, fly!” EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS. Verse 4.–“_Stand in awe, and sin not_.” Jehovah is a

name of great power and efficacy, a name that hath in it five vowels, without which no language can be expressed; a name that hath in it also three syllables, to signify the Trinity of persons, the eternity of God, One in Three and Three in One; a name of such dread and reverence amongst the Jews, that they tremble to name it, and therefore they use the name _Adonai_ (Lord) in all their devotions. And this ought every one to “_stand in awe, and sin not_,” by taking the name of God in vain; but to sing praise, and honour, to remember, to declare, to exalt, to praise and bless it; for holy and reverend, only worthy and excellent is his name.–^Rayment, 1630.

Verse 4.–“_Commune with your own heart_.” The language is similar to that which we use when we say, “Consult your better judgment,” or, “Take counsel of your own good sense.”–^Albert Barnes, in loc.

Verse 4.–If thou wouldst exercise thyself to godliness in solitude, accustom thyself to soliloquies, I mean to conference with thyself. He needs never be idle that hath so much business to do with his own soul. It was a famous answer which Antisthenes gave when he was asked what fruit he reaped by all his studies. By them, saith he, I have learned both to live and talk with myself. Soliloquies are the best disputes; every good man is best company for himself of all the creatures. Holy David enjoineth this to others, “_Commune with your own hearts upon your bed, and be still_.” “_Commune with your own hearts_;” when ye have none to speak with, talk to yourselves. Ask yourselves for what end ye were made, what lives ye have led, what times ye have lost, what love ye have abused, what wrath ye have deserved. Call yourselves to a reckoning, how ye have improved your talents, how true or false ye have been to your trust, what provision ye have laid in for an hour of death, what preparation ye have made for a great day of account. “_Upon your beds_.” Secrecy is the best opportunity for this duty. The silent night is a good time for this speech. When we have no outward objects to disturb us, and to call our eyes, as the fool’s eyes are always, to the ends of the earth; then our eyes, as the eyes of the wise, may be in our heads; and then our minds, like the windows in Solomon’s temple, may be broad inwards. The most successful searches have been made in the night season; the soul is then wholly shut up in the earthly house of the body, and hath no visits from strangers to disquiet its thoughts. Physicians have judged dreams a probable sign whereby they might find out the distempers of the body. Surely, then, the bed is no bad place to examine and search into the state of the soul. “_And be still_.” Self communion will much help to curb your headstrong, ungodly passions. Serious consideration, like the casting up of earth amongst bees, will allay inordinate affections when they are full of fury, and make such a hideous noise. Though sensual appetites and unruly desires are, as the people of Ephesus, in an uproar, pleading for their former privilege, and expecting their wonted provision, as in the days of their predominancy, if conscience use its authority, commanding them in God’s name, whose officer it is, to keep the king’s peace, and argue it with them, as the town-clerk of Ephesus, “We are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this day’s concourse;” all is frequently by this means hushed, and the tumult appeased without any further mischief.–^George Swinnock, 1627–1673.

Verse 4.–“_Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still_.” When we are most retired from the world, then we are most fit to have, and usually have, most communion with God. If a man would but abridge himself of sleep, and wake with holy thoughts, when deep sleep falleth upon sorrowful labouring men, he might be entertained with visions from God, though not such visions as Eliphaz and others of the saints have had, yet visions he might have. Every time God communicates himself to the soul, there is a vision of love, or mercy, or power, somewhat of God in his nature, or in his will, is showed unto us. David shows us divine work when we go to rest. The bed is not all for sleep: “Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.” Be still or quiet, and then commune with your hearts; and if you will commune with your hearts, God will come and commune with your hearts too, his Spirit will give you a loving visit and visions of his love.–^Joseph Caryl.

Verse 4.–“_Stand in awe_.” With sacred _awe_ pronounce his name, Whom words nor thoughts can reach.

^John Needham, 1768.

HINTS TO PREACHERS.

Verse 4.–The sinner directed to review himself, that he may be convinced of sin.–^Andrew Fuller, 1754–1815.

Verse 4.–“_Be still_.” Advice–good, practical, but hard to follow. Times when seasonable. Graces needed to enable one to be still. Results of quietness. Persons who most need the advice. Instances of its practice. Here is much material for a sermon.