9. For he satisfieth the longing soul. This is
the summary of the lost traveler’s experience. He who in a natural sense has
been rescued from perishing in a howling wilderness ought to bless the Lord who
brings him again to eat bread among men. The spiritual sense is, however, the
more rich in instruction. The Lord sets us longing and then completely
satisfies us. That longing leads us into solitude, separation, thirst,
faintness and self-despair, and all these conduct us to prayer, faith, divine
guidance, satisfying of the soul’s thirst, and rest: the good hand of the Lord
is to be seen in the whole process and in the divine result. And filleth the hungry soul with goodness. As for thirst he gives satisfaction, so for
hunger he supplies filling. In both cases the need is more than met, there is
an abundance in the supply which is well worthy of notice: the Lord does
nothing in a stingy fashion; satisfying and filling are his especial modes of
treating his guests. Nor does he fill the hungry with common fare, but with goodness
itself. It is not so much good, as the essence of goodness which he bestows on
needy suppliants.
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