Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. As I was out for my daily walk
last evening and surveying the vast expanse of the heavens,
speckled with the twinkling stars, each set in its proper place
by the hand of Him who has formed all things for His pleasure,
and knowing that those visible to my eyes were but a drop in
the bucket compared to the limitless numbers of them that He has created
for Himself, David's exaltation came to mind. When I consider
the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon, the stars,
which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou art mindful
of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him? Then this
hymn by Joseph Addison, published in 1712, flooded into my soul.
When all thy mercies, O my God, my rising soul surveys, transported
with the view I'm lost in wonder, love, and praise, unnumbered
comforts to my soul thy tender care bestowed, before my infant
heart conceived from whom those blessings flowed. When in the
slippery paths of youth with heedless steps I ran, thine arm
unseen conveyed me safe and led me up to man. Ten thousand thousand
precious gifts my daily thanks employ, nor is the least a cheerful
heart that tastes those gifts with joy. Through every period
of my life, thy goodness I'll pursue, and after death in distant
worlds the pleasing theme renew. Through all eternity to thee
a grateful song I'll raise, but oh, eternity is too short to
utter all thy praise. The songwriter says that his
rising soul surveys these mercies. Even the grace which causes a
mortal to contemplate the mercies of God flows out from the very
mercy which he has been given. The natural man in his spiritually
dead state cannot even so much as bring to his mind the thought
of the true mercies of God. let alone have any contemplation
or meditation therein. He can only view what he might
call the mercy of God as some extension of an obligatory love
which he is convinced God owes to his creation and must, in
fairness, allow all to be protectors of. But that man who is awakened
by the Spirit of God to view his own depravity, helpless estate,
and utter worthlessness is given a realization that apart from
the bestowal of his mercy, he will surely perish. Because of
mercy he has moved to cry out with the publican, God be merciful
to me a sinner. Then when he has been given reason
to hope in that mercy alone, he can exult with David. I will
sing unto the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praise to
my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be
sweet. I will be glad in the Lord. Such is the mercy of God
which raises a beggar from a dunghill to the holy mountain where his
rising soul surveys the vast expanse of the mercies of a covenant
God, and he is transported with the view. Long before any of
those who are the objects of his mercy were ever able to contemplate
these mercies which have been visited upon them, he was faithful
to care for and keep them unto the very day of their deliverance.
"'But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, "'and
he that formed thee, O Israel, "'fear not, for I have redeemed
thee. "'I have called thee by name,
thou art mine.' "'Those mercies were given to the elect sons
of God, "'before their infants' hearts conceived "'from whom
those blessings flowed. "'Yea, even when in the slippery
paths of youth "'with heedless steps I ran, "'he was that one
who preserved them, "'even though they were yet in rebellion against
him, "'even as a father is mindful of his child "'and desires his
benefit. Surely those who have seen His grace and tasted of
His mercy can say, Thine arm unseen conveyed me safe and led
me up to man. Hitherto hath the Lord helped
us is their testimony. He daily loads His people with
benefits too numerous to mention. Even as the songwriter says,
Ten thousand thousand precious gifts my daily thanks employ. What shall I render unto the
Lord for all his benefits toward me? Yet one of the greatest of
all of the benefits given to us by our gracious Father is
the gift of being able to recognize from whom those blessings have
come and to rejoice in them. There are many in this world
who are convinced that the blessings they enjoy come to them as a
result of some activity or faithfulness on their part. What an abundant
grace is visited upon those who are given a heart to rejoice
only in him. But God, who is rich in mercy
for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ by grace
you're saved, and hath raised us up together and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages
to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.