The Book of Psalms by J. H. Waggoner

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Feb 11, 1875

The Book of Psalms.

By J. H. Waggoner

For the spirit of devotion, of praise, and trust, the book of Psalms stands unrivaled. No one who loves to draw near to God, whose "soul thirsts for God," can afford to pass a single day without reading more or less of the Psalms. The spirit of penitence manifested in the writings of King David reveals the secret of his character. He was not above temptation and error; nor was he above confessing his error. Some, when they have once made mention of their wrong, think it is all canceled, and feel hurt if it is ever mentioned again. But not so David. The spirit of confession seemed to have taken full possession of his being; and his lamentations over his sins against God—the God of his heart's love, his hope and his confidence—seemed to be the every-day burden of his life.

It is not every frame of mind that can appreciate the book of Psalms. The careless or lukewarm cannot adopt its fervent devotion; the pharisaical or self-conceited cannot feel its depth of penitence and humiliation; nor can the heart at ease, filled with worldly good and prosperity, breathe freely in its atmosphere of trust and patience. But when afflictions press us sorely, and deep anguish of spirit weighs us down; when our sorrow is so overwhelming that no earthly friend can help, or even realize its weight, and no human sympathy is strong enough to reach our depth of woe; then, the Psalms of David are inexpressibly sweet to the soul.

All who read the Psalms, may well admire them; but he who can say with their writer, "My tears have been my meat day and night," will love them; to him will they afford a daily feast, and prove an inexhaustible fountain of pure and holy consolation.

In reading the Psalms I have learned a lesson of "patience in tribulation" that I might never have learned anywhere else. First, I was led to wonder that my own feelings and experience in sorrow were so well described therein. If I wished to give expression to the deepest feelings of grief, I had only to read it there. And longings for deliverance, for the vindication of God's righteous judgments, reverential trust, quiet resignation to the divine will, patient hope and confidence in the darkest hour of trial,—all are there; and the heart bows to the most mysterious providence with a trust almost enrapturing under their soothing influence. Often have I stopped to wonder how David could have been situated, what deep trial he was passing through, to describe my feelings so exactly, and leave on record the words of consolation so suited to my wants.

Again, from all this I have been led to reflect on the use our afflictions may be to others. David could scarcely have realized that his trials would be the means of affording such sweet consolation to other sorrowing ones through coming ages. It is in our natures to lament our afflictions; it is only by faith that we understand that "all things" work together for our good if we love God. We cannot see what good they will work for us; much less can we understand how our sorrows may be a source of sacred joy to others. But when we consider that the Captain of our salvation was made perfect through sufferings, Heb. 2:10, that he might be a merciful high priest touched with the feelings of our infirmities, chap. 4:5; that Paul said he filled up that which was behind of the afflictions of Christ for his body's sake, which is the church, Col. 1:24; we may know that our afflictions are not all for our own sakes; and it becomes us to inquire how we may benefit others by our ills, and so let our deepest sorrows be a source of joy to some heart-stricken one. So shall we follow Christ, who died not for himself; he gives us life through his death, and a crown by his cross.

By carefully reading the Psalms, we may learn how to benefit others by the recital of our woes. Often do we hear professed Christians talk of their trials in such a manner as to leave darkness on the minds of all with whom they converse. No one would judge from their conversation that their tribulation worked patience, Rom. 5:3; or that their affliction worked for them, 2 Cor. 4:17. But who ever read the complaint of the Psalmist with increased feelings of distrust? Who can listen to the recital of his sorrows without having his heart softened and subdued into a calm and joyful resignation to the ways of God's providence?

Brethren and sisters, let us learn to imitate our Saviour in his sufferings; and if we tell our grief to others, let us so mingle our words with tears of contrition, and so manifest a spirit of resignation to the divine will, that all who weep with us may be drawn nearer to the God of all consolation, and our hearts be melted in the furnace only to flow together in Christian love and patient hope.

J. H. WAGGONER.