459. Saturday after Twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity.
Psalm 31, 19-24. Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man; thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord; for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications, when I cried unto thee. O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.
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“Fear was on every side; while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. But I trusted in thee, O Lord; I said, Thou art my God” (v. 13. 14). The faithful are everywhere surrounded by mortal enemies; but God is their strong fortress. They are everywhere in mortal danger, and everywhere under safe protection. None can fully express the love felt for them by the mighty Lord of heaven. Joh. Arndt says:
He who of his whole heart with a living and sure hope gives himself to God possesses God himself with all the treasures of his grace, with all his goodness and love. God gives himself entire to him who gives himself to God. To him who gives God his whole heart God gives his whole heart with all his goodness and his salvation.
What a Tabor in the wilderness! “Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence,” says the Psalmist. The secret of his presence; that is, a sure hiding-place, unseen of human eyes! They live before the countenance of the Lord, and this is their protection. They flee to him; and “he maketh his face to shine upon them”; who shall dare touch them when they are under his eye? Thus Joseph is delivered from the wicked woman, Daniel from the lions, and his friends from the fire. But the deliverance is often hid a long time, even from the children of God themselves. Yet it always shews itself at the proper time; only our time is not his; for our faith is to be tried. David recounts his experience: “I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes; nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplication when I cried unto thee.” Though I was unbelieving, thou didst hear me. The Lord knows our weakness, and saves us of his “great goodness.” This he has hid from them that fear him, — hid it from them, and for them, — in order to reveal it before the eyes of all in due season. “O love the Lord, all ye his saints!” Rejoice in him with holy joy; and give yourselves to him with your whole heart. “Be of good courage;” hear this, ye timid ones, who fear his anger, and who see everything in dark colors; do hear and heed these words himself has spoken: “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord!”
My God, thou knowest thy servant. When I see thy face to shine I am of good courage; but when thou dost hide it from me my heart grows faint. Take not thy goodness away from thy poor child; but hide me always in the secret of thy presence, and keep me in thy pavilion, and strengthen my heart, and be unto me a strong city, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.*
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting thou art God,
To endless years the same.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come!
Be thou our guard while life shall last,
And our eternal home.
[TLH 123, LSB 733, ELH 160; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.