721 Give the king Your judgments , O God , And Your righteousness to the king's son .
2 May he judge Your people with righteousness And Your afflicted with justice . 3 Let the mountains bring peace to the people , And the hills , in righteousness . 4 May he vindicate the afflicted of the people , Save the children of the needy And crush the oppressor . 5 Let them fear You while the sun endures, And as long as the moon , throughout all generations . 6 May he come down like rain upon the mown grass, Like showers that water the earth . 7 In his days may the righteous flourish , And abundance of peace till the moon is no more . 8 May he also rule from sea to sea And from the River to the ends of the earth . 9 Let the nomads of the desert bow before him, And his enemies lick the dust . 10 Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands bring presents ; The kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts . 11 And let all kings bow down before him, All nations serve him. 12 For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help , The afflicted also, and him who has no helper . 13 He will have compassion on the poor and needy , And the lives of the needy he will save . 14 He will rescue their life from oppression and violence , And their blood will be precious in his sight ; 15 So may he live , and may the gold of Sheba be given to him; And let them pray for him continually ; Let them bless him all day long. 16 May there be abundance of grain in the earth on top of the mountains ; Its fruit will wave like the cedars of Lebanon ; And may those from the city flourish like vegetation of the earth . 17 May his name endure forever ; May his name increase as long as the sun shines; And let men bless themselves by him; Let all nations call him blessed .
18 Blessed be the Lord God , the God of Israel , Who alone works wonders . 19 And blessed be His glorious name forever ; And may the whole earth be filled with His glory . Amen , and Amen . 20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended .
731 Surely God is good to Israel , To those who are pure in heart ! 2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling , My steps had almost slipped . 3 For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked . 4 For there are no pains in their death , And their body is fat . 5 They are not in trouble as other men , Nor are they plagued like mankind . 6 Therefore pride is their necklace ; The garment of violence covers them. 7 Their eye bulges from fatness ; The imaginations of their heart run riot . 8 They mock and wickedly speak of oppression ; They speak from on high . 9 They have set their mouth against the heavens , And their tongue parades through the earth . 10 Therefore his people return to this place , And waters of abundance are drunk by them. 11 They say , " How does God know ? And is there knowledge with the Most High ?" 12 Behold , these are the wicked ; And always at ease , they have increased in wealth . 13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence ; 14 For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning .
15 If I had said , "I will speak thus ," Behold , I would have betrayed the generation of Your children . 16 When I pondered to understand this , It was troublesome in my sight 17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God ; Then I perceived their end . 18 Surely You set them in slippery places ; You cast them down to destruction . 19 How they are destroyed in a moment ! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors ! 20 Like a dream when one awakes , O Lord , when aroused , You will despise their form .
21 When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within , 22 Then I was senseless and ignorant e ; I was like a beast before You. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand . 24 With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory . 25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth . 26 My flesh and my heart may fail , But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever . 27 For, behold , those who are far from You will perish ; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. 28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good ; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge , That I may tell of all Your works .
91 I am telling the truth in Christ , I am not lying , my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit , 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart . 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed , separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren , my kinsmen according to the flesh , 4 who are Israelites , to whom belongs the adoption as sons , and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises , 5 whose are the fathers , and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh , who is over all , God blessed forever . Amen .
6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed . For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel ; 7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants , but: " THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED ." 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God , but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants . 9 For this is the word of promise : " AT THIS TIME I WILL COME , AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON ." 10 And not only this, but there was Rebekah also , when she had conceived e twins by one man , our father Isaac ; 11 for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad , so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand , not because of works but because of Him who calls , 12 it was said to her, " THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER ." 13 Just as it is written , " JACOB I LOVED , BUT ESAU I HATED ."
14 What shall we say then ? There is no injustice with God , is there? May it never be! 15 For He says to Moses , " I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY , AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION ."
(Read Romans 9:1-5)
Being about to discuss the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, and to show that the whole agrees with the sovereign electing love of God, the apostle expresses strongly his affection for his people. He solemnly appeals to Christ; and his conscience, enlightened and directed by the Holy Spirit, bore witness to his sincerity. He would submit to be treated as "accursed," to be disgraced, crucified; and even for a time be in the deepest horror and distress; if he could rescue his nation from the destruction about to come upon them for their obstinate unbelief. To be insensible to the eternal condition of our fellow-creatures, is contrary both to the love required by the law, and the mercy of the gospel. They had long been professed worshippers of Jehovah. The law, and the national covenant which was grounded thereon, belonged to them. The temple worship was typical of salvation by the Messiah, and the means of communion with God. All the promises concerning Christ and his salvation were given to them. He is not only over all, as Mediator, but he is God blessed for ever.
(Read Romans 9:6-13)
The rejection of the Jews by the gospel dispensation, did not break God's promise to the patriarchs. The promises and threatenings shall be fulfilled. Grace does not run in the blood; nor are saving benefits always found with outward church privileges. Not only some of Abraham's seed were chosen, and others not, but God therein wrought according to the counsel of his own will. God foresaw both Esau and Jacob as born in sin, by nature children of wrath even as others. If left to themselves they would have continued in sin through life; but for wise and holy reasons, not made known to us, he purposed to change Jacob's heart, and to leave Esau to his perverseness. This instance of Esau and Jacob throws light upon the Divine conduct to the fallen race of man. The whole Scripture shows the difference between the professed Christian and the real believer. Outward privileges are bestowed on many who are not the children of God. There is, however, full encouragement to diligent use of the means of grace which God has appointed.
(Read Romans 9:14-24)
Whatever God does, must be just. Wherein the holy, happy people of God differ from others, God's grace alone makes them differ. In this preventing, effectual, distinguishing grace, he acts as a benefactor, whose grace is his own. None have deserved it; so that those who are saved, must thank God only; and those who perish, must blame themselves only, Hosea 13:9. God is bound no further than he has been pleased to bind himself by his own covenant and promise, which is his revealed will. And this is, that he will receive, and not cast out, those that come to Christ; but the drawing of souls in order to that coming, is an anticipating, distinguishing favour to whom he will. Why does he yet find fault? This is not an objection to be made by the creature against his Creator, by man against God. The truth, as it is in Jesus, abases man as nothing, as less than nothing, and advances God as sovereign Lord of all. Who art thou that art so foolish, so feeble, so unable to judge the Divine counsels? It becomes us to submit to him, not to reply against him. Would not men allow the infinite God the same sovereign right to manage the affairs of the creation, as the potter exercises in disposing of his clay, when of the same lump he makes one vessel to a more honourable, and one to a meaner use? God could do no wrong, however it might appear to men. God will make it appear that he hates sin. Also, he formed vessels filled with mercy. Sanctification is the preparation of the soul for glory. This is God's work. Sinners fit themselves for hell, but it is God who prepares saints for heaven; and all whom God designs for heaven hereafter, he fits for heaven now. Would we know who these vessels of mercy are? Those whom God has called; and these not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles. Surely there can be no unrighteousness in any of these Divine dispensations. Nor in God's exercising long-suffering, patience, and forbearance towards sinners under increasing guilt, before he brings utter destruction upon them. The fault is in the hardened sinner himself. As to all who love and fear God, however such truths appear beyond their reason to fathom, yet they should keep silence before him. It is the Lord alone who made us to differ; we should adore his pardoning mercy and new-creating grace, and give diligence to make our calling and election sure.
