“Lift up the Hands Which Hang Down”

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. straight...: Or, even Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: - Hebrews 12:12-14

    The opening word of verse 12 connects this passage with all that has preceded it concerning our heavenly Father’s chastisements. ― “Wherefore.” With that word, the Holy Spirit tells us why our heavenly Father deals with us in such goodness, grace, and love when he chastens us. The Lord our God chastens us that he might keep us in his grace, that he might keep us looking to Christ, that he might keep us from the apostasy by which multitudes have perished.

    Our Weakness

    We all like to think we are spiritually strong, in good health, and fully capable of doing what we ought to do. But that is not the case. The fact is the Lord’s sheep are sheep. Weakness is common to sheep. They are easily exhausted. Often, they are lame, lame because the Good Shepherd graciously breaks their feet. When he breaks their feet, it is that he might carry them in his arms and teach them to follow him.

    Verse 12 speaks of sluggishness, weariness, and weakness. ― "Lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees." Remember, the passage before us speaks of believers as a people running a race. When a runner’s hands dangle at his side, when his knees begin to wobble, it is not likely that he will proceed much further. This is precisely the condition in which David found himself in Psalm 73. He wrote, "My feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped” (v. 3).

    How weak our hands are! How feeble our knees! How sluggish and inactive we are in prayer! —In hearing the Word of God! —In Worship! —In holding fast our profession! —In the performance of those things by which the gospel of Christ is to be adorned!

    We are easily wearied and fatigued with weights and burdens of sins and afflictions. We are faint, fearful, and timorous, because of unbelief, because we do not trust God’s goodness, grace, love, and the promises of his unfailing goodness, compassion, grace, and care. Are we not?

    This is the Lord’s word of exhortation to you and me. —"Lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees!" He here calls for us to be active in every duty—courageous before every foe—and of good cheer in every woe. He is calling for us to patiently bear every burden he puts upon us, looking to him for help, and strength, and protection.

    Helping the Weak

    Particularly, this is a call for us to help one another in such times of need. Eliphaz commended Job because God’s servant Job had been such a helper of his weak brethren. ― "Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees" (Job 4:3-4).

    We know that Paul is primarily referring to and urging us to help one another because Hebrews 12:12 is a quotation from Isaiah 35:3-4, where the admonition cannot be mistaken. ― "Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you."

    When our brethren are weak, when it appears that they are ready to quit the race, let us refresh and strengthen them with love, sympathizing with them, speaking comfortably to them, and bearing their burdens. That is what brothers and sisters do for one another. It is called “love” (Gal. 6:1-3).

    “Make Straight Paths”

    When one of God’s children appear to be lame, perhaps lame by their own foolishness, we are to make straight paths for their feet, that they may be healed ― "And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed" (v. 13). The word "feet" refers to our walk, our manner of life, both in the church, and in the world—“How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O Prince’s daughter”(Song 7:1). There are straight paths made ready for our feet to walk in.

    These “straight paths” are the “old paths” of Gospel truth (Jer. 6:16), the paths of Holy Scripture (Ps. 119:41-48). The straight path in which we must walk is the path to the house and throne of our God (Ps. 122:1-4). We make the paths straight for ourselves and for one another by steadfastly refusing to add anything to the Word, ordinances, and worship of our God and by taking care not to neglect that which God has ordained for our souls’ good. Make the paths straight for yourself. Make the paths straight by deliberate example for one another.

    “The Lame”

    How tenderly the Lord urges us to this business of caring for one another. ― “Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way.” The word “lame” is a very strong word. It means that which is twisted and broken. Who would not pity a man fallen in the streets, whose legs had been twisted and broken? How much more we ought to pity a lame member of Christ’s body. How much more we ought to pity a lame member of our family. It matters not whether the lameness is the lameness of his corrupt nature, or lameness caused by his own foolish and sinful behavior, or lameness caused by the neglect of his soul.

    Ours is not to judge and blame, or even diagnose, but to heal. ― “But let it rather be healed.” As Gill explains, “Let the fallen believer be restored, the weak brother be confirmed, the halting professor be strengthened, and everyone be built up and established upon the most holy faith, and in the pure ways of the Gospel.” Shall we not do for one another what our God does for us? Read Micah 4:6-8 and Zephaniah 3:19-20.

    How can we heed this admonition? How can we strengthen our own hands and one another’s? How can we strengthen our own feeble knees and each other’s? How can we make straight paths for our own broken legs and one another’s? Read verse 14, and you will see. ― "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."