MY TIMES ARE IN THINE HAND.
By Jos. Clarke
DAVID had been called of God, and set apart by the prophet Samuel, at an early age, as the anointed king of Israel. Almost at the commencement of his career, he found he had before him a life of difficulty and of peril; and he lost no time in placing his cause in the hands of a merciful and faithful God, who was amply able to defend his cause. Nothing can exceed the devotion and love David felt and expressed as he penned his Psalms. Some of these are expressive of love and praise and adoration; others are full of sorrow and contrition for his departures from God and his sad wanderings in the ways of the world. Others express his heartfelt petitions for protection in time of danger, from foes who lay in wait at every turn in life, to destroy his character and his prospects or his life. In all these varieties of trial, he learned to look to God alone for the aid he might need; and he found the help he called for; and he gave to God thanks daily for the answers he received to his prayers. In the exercise of humble faith in all the walks of private and public life, David is without an equal in history; and the constant practice he kept up throughout his life, of confiding his difficulties and burdens to God, and the relief and help he obtained, served daily to increase his confidence in God. This humble faith grew more and more strong as he advanced in years; and the words we have taken as a text present to us at once the unshaken confidence David felt in his heavenly Father, as to his life, which was so often placed in peril. My life, my all, my years, are in thine hand. As David made this exclamation his mind rested in calm, settled faith upon God. It was his custom, as he retired to his lonely couch at night, whether in youth, as a humble shepherd, or as he, in after-life, reposed in caves and dens of the mountains when hunted by his foes, or upon the battle field, or when among conspirators, to commit his life to the keeping of God. It is truly refreshing to witness the complete triumph of faith in such circumstances as this; and to appreciate it in any degree, one should be very familiar with the history of David’s life. This one feature that we present at this time will illustrate others. My times are in thine hand. Thou art to decide in this thing. Man may plan to destroy David. Absalom, Saul, Goliath, may decree that David is to fall. The kings of the earth may arise to fulfill the decree; but if God decree that David is to live on, then enemies decree in vain. Could we all, in all the varied walks in life, say as David said, “My times are in thine hand,” how happy for us! This calm, confiding faith supports the soul in every trial. Jos. CLARKE.