Middletown transcript., 1899-09-30

ry Verses, Go - Golden Text, PG.
cxxii. 1-Commentary Prepared by
fhe Rev. ID. n. Stearns.
copyright. 1899. by D. n. stearns.1
This Is one Of 10 consecutive psalms
(cxx to cxxxiv), each entitled "a Song Of
Degrees" and associated with Jerusalem
and the temple and the worship Of God.
They begin with trouble, but end with
peace and victory through the Lord that
made heaven and earth. In studying
them we must let Zion, Jerusalem, Israel
and the nations mean just what they say
and take our own lessons Pom what Is
said concerning them. 4
]. 81 was glad when they said unto me.
Let us go into the house of the Lord" )"
One who could truly say, II have pre-
pared with all my might for the house Of
my God, because I have set my affection
to the house Of my God" and who had,
as an evidence Of his affection, given Of
his own proper good 5000 talents Of gold
and 1000 talents Of silver (the gold alone
being equal in value to about $75,OO0,-
OOO), he might truly talk of rejoicing In
the worship Of God q Chron. XXX, 2-4).
His prayer, recorded In that chapter,
shows his heart toward God, his entire
dependence upon Him.
2. sour feet shall stand within thy
gates, o jerusalem" There is ever a
looking forward to the Jerusalem that
shall never be plucked up nor thrown
down any more, the city Of truth to which
all nations shall be gathered to worship
the Lord in the days that are coming
(Jer. XXI, 3S-40; Zech. viii, 5, q, %; xiv.
16; lisa. Il, ?, 81, for Jerusalem shall be
the throne Of the Lord, and all nations
shall be gathered unto 1t, to the name Of
the Lord, to Jerusalem DER. lii, I'D. II
we take the Significance Of the name, City
Of Peace, then we can receive some OF
the precious truths that are for all be-
lievers. Here our blessed God was to
be and actually was In due time cruci6ed
for US, and one Of the latest references
to Jerusalem In the Bible Is In these
words. 'tWhere also our Lord was eruci-
fed'' (Rev. xi, 81.
8 Jerusalem Is builded as q city that
is compact together" Beautiful for sit
uation, the JOY OF the whole earth Is
Mount Zion, on the sides OF the north.
the city Of the Great King. God win estab-
lish II forever Ps. xviii, 2, 81. These and
all similar words concerning Jerusalem
mustibe taken as referring to the literal
city where David reigned 33 years over
all Israel and Judah QI Sam. ', b. The
spiritual lesson for the church Is found
in Eph. H. 1922, including these words,
''In whom THAT Is, Jesus Christi all the
building, ftly framed together. groweth
unto an holy temple in the lord, in whom
ye also are builded together for an habi-
tation Of God through the Spirit" also In
these words in Col. II, 10, 'sThe head
from which all the body BY joints and
bands having nourishment ministered and
knit together increaseth with the increase
of God"
4. "Whither the tribes go up, the tribes
Of the Lord, unto the testimony Of Israel
to give thanks unto the name Of the
Lord" Three times in the year ali the
males In Israel Of certain age were
commanded to go up to Jerusalem to
worship the Lord and to keep the feast
Of unleavened bread, the feast of weeks
and the feast Of tabernacies, always
bringing "a offering Deut. xvi, 16). 1t Is
not easy to see In this lesson for the
CA0AOA uAtCbb ~ Uc Dy GOuLEdSL 6H IU
place, for there Is now no city on earth
where God specially reveals Himself, but
wherever two or three meet In the name
Of the Lord Jesus He is always IN the
midst.
5. "For there are set thrones of judg-
Fent, the thrones Of the house Of David"
Some Of these thrones Of Judgment are
mentioned in Deut. xvii, 8, 8: II Chron.
xtx, 8, and all kings who reigned right
eously sitting upon their thrones for the
Lord who placed them there may be In
cluded In the thrones Of judgment. The
onward look is to the fulfillment Of Math.
xix, 2S, when the twelve apostles shall
sit on II thrones Judging the II tribes Of
Israel. The word for the church Is found
In Rev. LII, q, where our Lord said, ITO
him that overcometh will grant to sit
with Me In Ny throne, even as / alse
overcame and am set down with MY Fa-
ther in His throne"
8. pray for the peace Of Jerusalem.
They shall prosper that love thee" A
similar command Is found in lisa. xii, o,
., "Ye that are the Lords remembrances
keep not silence and give Him no rest
I'LL He establish and till He make Jeru-
S0ACAA q RA9AcC al tuG G6IIus u1B CHI
mean nothing else, In the light Of the co..
eext and Of all Scripture. than that we
are ever 20 pray for the salvation Of Isra-
Il and for the time when Jerusalem shah
be city OF truth and Israel q righteous
nation and blessing In the midst II the
earth to all nations.
q. peace be within thy walls and pros
perity within thy palaces This is what
Isaiah, By the Spirit says shall surely
be. Thy gates shall be open continually.
They shall not be shut day nor night.
Thou shalt call thy walls Salvation and
thy gates Praise, and I will make ths
place Of my feet glorious. and they shall
call thee the City Of the Lord, the Ziou
Of the Holy One Of Israel" lisa. Il, II.
Is, 13, la. With many suchlike words
b the future Jerusalem described when
her name shall forevermore be Jehovah
the Lord Is there (Ez. xlvilk
s5. But how exceeding glorious win be
be Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which
b to come down from God out q
heaven and Is described as having streets
Y pure gold, walls that seem to be Of dia- |
nOnd, the foundations garnished with all |
manner OF precious stones, every gate
NE pearl, the glory Of God viii tighten II |
snd.the Lamb be the light thereof Grew.
ExiJ.
Q. "Fog my brethren and companions |
l1kes ] will now say, Peace be within i
nee" When Israel shall have become q |
.ighteous people, It win be a. life from |
he dead to the rest Of the world as wuil |
Is to themselves (Rom. ri. 15). Well mag
hey sing God shall bless US, and al the
.nds Of the earth shall fear Him" or. |
xvii, =, for It Is written concerning them,
.Gentiles shall come to Thy light and
sings to the brightness Of Thy rising"
lisa. X, 81.
D. Because Of the house Of the Lord |
'ur God I win seek Thy good Not the
emple Ut Jerusalem. but the presence Of
he Lord in It, was the glory Of Israel. |
Neither the temple nor che ark ot the l