Bible Commentaries

Psalms 32

Proper Psalm for Ash Wednesday (Morning).

Psalms 32-34 = Day 6 (Evening).

‘THOU, GOD, SEEST ME!’

‘Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy.’

Psalms 33:18

I. There is a hope that cannot exist without fear, and a fear that should not be dissevered from hope.—There is a fear that is obnoxious to perfect love; that is, a fear that has torment in it; it must be cast out, and sent to its own place—the bosom of the Evil One. But the fear we speak of, angels would not be without for worlds; and saints cannot be without it. You may call it a loving solicitude to do our heavenly Father’s will, without deviation or diminution. This fear is its own guarantee that the things feared will not come to pass. Like one that possesses some potent spell by which every conceivable danger may be obviated, he has just so much fear of evil as hinders him from forgetting the spell; while the conscious possession of the spell fills him with joy in the sense of all-sufficient strength, and with a confident anticipation of final, everlasting victory.

II. The eye of the Lord is upon such.—They hope in His mercy because they are already, and are hourly, the recipients of His mercy. They know that His eye beams with loving-kindness, and it is a foretaste of heaven to know that His eye is upon them. Their works are done for His eye. Their conduct appears strange to men, and men ask, ‘Who is the spectator for whom these strange actions are performed?’ They go boldly forth, lambs among wolves, because the Good Shepherd has His eye upon them. He guides them with His eye. When they discover that they are quitting the path of His approving glance, they hasten back.

They meet the eye of the Lord in prayer; in praise; in the study of His Word; in the exercise of faith; in their labours for the good of men; when men frown and rage; in the calm and in the storm; at noonday and in the dead of night; in sickness and bereavements; in health and deliverances. The eye of the Lord was upon the disciples when they were toiling in rowing; when they were sad, dispirited, bewildered on the lake of Gennesareth. They should have known that it was, but did not discover it till afterwards. Let us beware lest our little faith hinder us from seeing the eye of the Lord when things seem contrary and wearisome.

Illustration

‘The believer is not only surveyed as one amongst God’s creatures, but he is looked upon personally. He is not lost in the crowd. “Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool, where is the house that ye build unto Me? and where is the place of My rest? For all those things hath Mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.”

I must comfort my soul in some of its sad hours with this reflection: “Thou art not overlooked—thou art not cast aside in the Divine mind by others more worthy than thyself—in that mind, every thing, every person, has a proper place—thou art under the Divine eye. Behold that Eye looking upon thee, and be assured that thou art cared for; be at peace.”’