5. By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of oursalvation. God’s memorial is that he hears prayer, and his glory is that he
answers it in a manner fitted to inspire awe in the hearts of his people. The
saints, in the commencement of the psalm, offered praise in reverential
silence; and now, in the like awe-stricken spirit, they receive answers to
their prayers. The direct allusion here is, no doubt, to the Lord’s overthrow
of the enemies of his people to strike terror into both friends and foes. We do
not always know what we are asking for when we pray; when the answer comes, it
is possible that we may be terrified by it. We seek sanctification, and trial
will be the reply: we ask for more faith, and persecution scatters us.
Nevertheless, it is good to ask on, for nothing which the Lord grants in his
love can do us any harm. Terrible things will turn out to be blessed things
after all, when they come in answer to prayer. The God who saves may answer our
prayers in a way which puts unbelief into a flutter; but when faith spies the
Saviour, she is of good courage. He who is terrible is also our refuge from
terror. Who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth. Even those
who dwell in countries where nature puts on her varied terrors, and those who
see dread wonders on the deep, yet fly from the terrors of God and place their
confidence in the God of terrors. His arm is strong to smite, but also strong
to save. And of them that are afar off upon the sea. All people are
equally dependent upon God: the seafarer is usually most conscious of this, but
in reality is not more so than the farmer, nor the farmer than anyone else.
There is no room for self-confidence on land or sea, since God is the only true
confidence. Blessed be God, those who exercise faith in him anywhere will find
that he is swift and strong to answer their prayers.
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