9. But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame. Here the patriot bard begins to contrast the past glories of the
nation’s history with its present sadness and distress, which he does not
ascribe to the death of some human champion, or to the accidents of war, but
solely to the withdrawal of Israel’s God. It seemed to the mourner that Jehovah
had grown weary of his people and put them away in abhorrence. To show his
displeasure he had made his people to be ridiculed by the heathen, whose easy
victories over their largest armies covered Israel with disgrace. Alas for a
church and people when the Lord in the active energy of his Spirit withdraws
from them! He will not cast away his people finally and totally, but many a
church has been left to defeat and disgrace on account of sin, and therefore
all churches should be exceedingly watchful lest the like should happen to
themselves. Poverty and distress bring no shame on a people, but the Lord’s
absence takes from a church everything which can exalt and ennoble. And goest not forth with our armies. If the Lord be not the leader, of what
avail are strong battalions? May none of us in our churches have to mourn over
the ministry left without divine aid. If our great ally will not go with us our
defeat is inevitable.
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