The God with whom we have to do, is a God of awful majesty. The universal and absolute
sovereignty of a holy God would be too terrible for us even to think of, were it not exercised by
his Son from a mercy-seat; but now it is only terrible to the workers of iniquity. While his people
express confidence and joy, and animate each other in serving him, let sinners submit to his authority,
and accept his salvation. Jesus Christ shall subdue the Gentiles; he shall bring them as sheep into
the fold, not for slaughter, but for preservation. He shall subdue their affections, and make them a
willing people in the day of his power. Also it speaks of his giving them rest and settlement. Apply
this spiritually; the Lord himself has undertaken to be the inheritance of his people. It shows the
faith and submission of the saints. This is the language of every gracious soul, The Lord shall
choose my inheritance for me; he knows what is good for me better than I do.
Verses 5–9
Praise is a duty in which we ought to be frequent and abundant. But here is a needful rule; Sing
ye praises with understanding. As those that understand why and for what reasons they praise God,
and what is the meaning of the service. It is not an acceptable service, if it is not a reasonable
service. We are never to forget the end of Messiah's exaltation, so continually do the prophets dwell
upon the conversion of the nations to the gospel of Christ. Why do we vainly fancy that we belong
to him, unless the Spirit reign in our hearts by faith? Lord, is it not thy glory and delight to give
repentance to Israel and remission of sins, now that thou art exalted as a Prince and a Saviour? Set
up thy kingdom in our hearts. Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And
so sweetly constrain all the powers and faculties of the souls of thy redeemed, into holy love, fear,
and delight in thee, that praise with the understanding may rise from every heart, both here and for
ever, to Thee, our God.
Chapter 48
The glories of the church of Christ.Verses 1–7
Jerusalem is the city of our God: none on earth render him due honour except the citizens of
the spiritual Jerusalem. Happy the kingdom, the city, the family, the heart, in which God is great,
in which he is all. There God is known. The clearer discoveries are made to us of the Lord and his
greatness, the more it is expected that we should abound in his praises. The earth is, by sin, covered
with deformity, therefore justly might that spot of ground, which was beautified with holiness, be
called the joy of the whole earth; that which the whole earth has reason to rejoice in, that God would
thus in very deed dwell with man upon the earth. The kings of the earth were afraid of it. Nothing
in nature can more fitly represent the overthrow of heathenism by the Spirit of the gospel, than the
wreck of a fleet in a storm. Both are by the mighty power of the Lord.