If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God's child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all. For everything that Christ taught, everything that makes the New Testament new and better than the Old, everything that is distinctively Christian, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God the Father.
J.I. Packer

Spurgeon PS1825

Spurgeon PS1825

EXPOSITION.

The dealings of the Lord in his own case, cause the grateful singer to remember the usual rule of God’s moral government; he is just in his dealings with the sons of men, and metes out to each man according to his measure. “With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.” Every man shall have his meat weighed in his own scales, his corn meted in his own bushel, and his land measured with his own rod. No rule can be more fair, to ungodly men more terrible, or to the generous more honourable. How would men throw away their light weights, and break their short yards, if they could but believe that they themselves are sure to be in the end the losers by their knavish tricks? Note that even the merciful need mercy; no amount of generosity to the poor, or forgiveness to enemies, can set us beyond the need of mercy. Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.

Verse 25.–“_With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright_.” “_An upright_”–the same word is oft translated “_perfect_,” he is good throughout, though not thoroughly; not one that personates religion, but that is a religious person. He is perfect, because he would be so. So Noah is termed (#Ge 6:9|); “Noah was a just man and perfect (i.e., upright) in his generation:” he was a good man in a bad age. He was like a glowing spark of fire in a sea of water, which is perfect goodness; and therefore the Holy Ghost doth so hang upon his name, as if he could not give over–it is an excellent preacher’s observation–verse #Ge 6:8|, “But Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation, and Noah walked with God. And Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah: Noah begat three sons.” Noah, Noah, Noah, I love the sound of thy name; and so are all your names precious to God, though hated by men, if the name of God be dear and sweet to you. ‘Tis also sometimes translated “plain.” #Ge 25:27|. Jacob was _t