51 Pray, call, is there any to answer thee? And unto which of the holy ones dost thou turn? 2 For provocation slayeth the perverse, And envy putteth to death the simple, 3 I—I have seen the perverse taking root, And I mark his habitation straightway, 4 Far are his sons from safety, And they are bruised in the gate, And there is no deliverer. 5 Whose harvest the hungry doth eat, And even from the thorns taketh it, And the designing swallowed their wealth.
6 For sorrow cometh not forth from the dust, Nor from the ground springeth up misery. 7 For man to misery is born, And the sparks go high to fly. 8 Yet I—I inquire for God, And for God I give my word, 9 Doing great things, and there is no searching. Wonderful, till there is no numbering. 10 Who is giving rain on the face of the land, And is sending waters on the out-places. 11 To set the low on a high place, And the mourners have been high 'in' safety. 12 Making void thoughts of the subtile, And their hands do not execute wisdom. 13 Capturing the wise in their subtilty, And the counsel of wrestling ones was hastened, 14 By day they meet darkness, And as night—they grope at noon. 15 And He saveth the wasted from their mouth, And from a strong hand the needy, 16 And there is hope to the poor, And perverseness hath shut her mouth.
17 Lo, the happiness of mortal man, God doth reprove him: And the chastisement of the Mighty despise not, 18 For He doth pain, and He bindeth up, He smiteth, and His hands heal. 19 In six distresses He delivereth thee, And in seven evil striketh not on thee. 20 In famine He hath redeemed thee from death, And in battle from the hands of the sword. 21 When the tongue scourgeth thou art hid, And thou art not afraid of destruction, When it cometh. 22 At destruction and at hunger thou mockest, And of the beast of the earth, Thou art not afraid. 23 (For with sons of the field 'is' thy covenant, And the beast of the field Hath been at peace with thee.) 24 And thou hast known that thy tent 'is' peace, And inspected thy habitation, and errest not, 25 And hast known that numerous 'is' Thy seed, And thine offspring as the herb of the earth; 26 Thou comest in full age unto the grave, As the going up of a stalk in its season. 27 Lo, this—we searched it out—it 'is' right, hearken; And thou, know for thyself!
61 And Job answereth and saith:— 2 O that my provocation were thoroughly weighed, And my calamity in balances They would lift up together! 3 For now, than the sands of the sea it is heavier, Therefore my words have been rash. 4 For arrows of the Mighty 'are' with me, Whose poison is drinking up my spirit. Terrors of God array themselves 'for' me! 5 Brayeth a wild ass over tender grass? Loweth an ox over his provender? 6 Eaten is an insipid thing without salt? Is there sense in the drivel of dreams? 7 My soul is refusing to touch! They 'are' as my sickening food.
8 O that my request may come, That God may grant my hope! 9 That God would please—and bruise me, Loose His hand and cut me off! 10 And yet it is my comfort, (And I exult in pain—He doth not spare,) That I have not hidden The sayings of the Holy One. 11 What 'is' my power that I should hope? And what mine end That I should prolong my life? 12 Is my strength the strength of stones? Is my flesh brazen? 13 Is not my help with me, And substance driven from me?
14 To a despiser of his friends 'is' shame, And the fear of the Mighty he forsaketh. 15 My brethren have deceived as a brook, As a stream of brooks they pass away. 16 That are black because of ice, By them doth snow hide itself. 17 By the time they are warm they have been cut off, By its being hot they have been Extinguished from their place. 18 Turn aside do the paths of their way, They ascend into emptiness, and are lost. 19 Passengers of Tema looked expectingly, Travellers of Sheba hoped for them. 20 They were ashamed that one hath trusted, They have come unto it and are confounded. 21 Surely now ye have become the same! Ye see a downfall, and are afraid.
22 Is it because I said, Give to me? And, By your power bribe for me? 23 And, Deliver me from the hand of an adversary? And, From the hand of terrible ones ransom me? 24 Shew me, and I—I keep silent, And what I have erred, let me understand. 25 How powerful have been upright sayings, And what doth reproof from you reprove? 26 For reproof—do you reckon words? And for wind—sayings of the desperate. 27 Anger on the fatherless ye cause to fall, And are strange to your friend. 28 And, now, please, look upon me, Even to your face do I lie? 29 Turn back, I pray you, let it not be perverseness, Yea, turn back again—my righteousness 'is' in it. 30 Is there in my tongue perverseness? Discerneth not my palate desirable things?
71 Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days? 2 As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage, 3 So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me. 4 If I lay down then I said, 'When do I rise!' And evening hath been measured, And I have been full of tossings till dawn. 5 Clothed hath been my flesh 'with' worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome, 6 My days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope.
7 Remember Thou that my life 'is' a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good. 8 The eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes 'are' upon me—and I am not. 9 Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up. 10 He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again. 11 Also I—I withhold not my mouth—I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul. 12 A sea-'monster' am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard? 13 When I said, 'My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch. 14 And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me, 15 And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones. 16 I have wasted away—not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days 'are' vanity.
17 What 'is' man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart? 18 And inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him? 19 How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle. 20 I have sinned, what do I to Thee, O watcher of man? Why hast Thou set me for a mark to Thee, And I am for a burden to myself—and what? 21 Thou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me—and I am not!
81 And Saul was assenting to his death, and there came in that day a great persecution upon the assembly in Jerusalem, all also were scattered abroad in the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles; 2 and devout men carried away Stephen, and made great lamentation over him; 3 and Saul was making havoc of the assembly, into every house entering, and haling men and women, was giving them up to prison;
4 they then indeed, having been scattered, went abroad proclaiming good news—the word. 5 And Philip having gone down to a city of Samaria, was preaching to them the Christ, 6 the multitudes also were giving heed to the things spoken by Philip, with one accord, in their hearing and seeing the signs that he was doing, 7 for unclean spirits came forth from many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who have been paralytic and lame were healed, 8 and there was great joy in that city. 9 And a certain man, by name Simon, was before in the city using magic, and amazing the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be a certain great one, 10 to whom they were all giving heed, from small unto great, saying, 'This one is the great power of God;' 11 and they were giving heed to him, because of his having for a long time amazed them with deeds of magic. 12 And when they believed Philip, proclaiming good news, the things concerning the reign of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women; 13 and Simon also himself did believe, and, having been baptized, he was continuing with Philip, beholding also signs and mighty acts being done, he was amazed.
14 And the apostles in Jerusalem having heard that Samaria hath received the word of God, did send unto them Peter and John, 15 who having come down did pray concerning them, that they may receive the Holy Spirit,— 16 for as yet he was fallen upon none of them, and only they have been baptized—to the name of the Lord Jesus; 17 then were they laying hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And Simon, having beheld that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Spirit is given, brought before them money, 19 saying, 'Give also to me this authority, that on whomsoever I may lay the hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.' 20 And Peter said unto him, 'Thy silver with thee—may it be to destruction! because the gift of God thou didst think to possess through money; 21 thou hast neither part nor lot in this thing, for thy heart is not right before God; 22 reform, therefore, from this thy wickedness, and beseech God, if then the purpose of thy heart may be forgiven thee, 23 for in the gall of bitterness, and bond of unrighteousness, I perceive thee being.' 24 And Simon answering, said, 'Beseech ye for me unto the Lord, that nothing may come upon me of the things ye have spoken.' 25 They indeed, therefore, having testified fully, and spoken the word of the Lord, did turn back to Jerusalem; in many villages also of the Samaritans they did proclaim good news.
(Read Acts 8:1-4)
Though persecution must not drive us from our work, yet it may send us to work elsewhere. Wherever the established believer is driven, he carries the knowledge of the gospel, and makes known the preciousness of Christ in every place. Where a simple desire of doing good influences the heart, it will be found impossible to shut a man out from all opportunities of usefulness.
(Read Acts 8:5-13)
As far as the gospel prevails, evil spirits are dislodged, particularly unclean spirits. All inclinations to the lusts of the flesh which war against the soul are such. Distempers are here named, the most difficult to be cured by the course of nature, and most expressive of the disease of sin. Pride, ambition, and desire after grandeur have always caused abundance of mischief, both to the world and to the church. The people said of Simon, This man is the great power of God. See how ignorant and thoughtless people mistake. But how strong is the power of Divine grace, by which they were brought to Christ, who is Truth itself! The people not only gave heed to what Philip said, but were fully convinced that it was of God, and not of men, and gave up themselves to be directed thereby. Even bad men, and those whose hearts still go after covetousness, may come before God as his people come, and for a time continue with them. And many wonder at the proofs of Divine truths, who never experience their power. The gospel preached may have a common operation upon a soul, where it never produced inward holiness. All are not savingly converted who profess to believe the gospel.
(Read Acts 8:14-25)
The Holy Ghost was as yet fallen upon none of these coverts, in the extraordinary powers conveyed by the descent of the Spirit upon the day of Pentecost. We may take encouragement from this example, in praying to God to give the renewing graces of the Holy Ghost to all for whose spiritual welfare we are concerned; for that includes all blessings. No man can give the Holy Spirit by the laying on of his hands; but we should use our best endeavours to instruct those for whom we pray. Simon Magus was ambitious to have the honour of an apostle, but cared not at all to have the spirit and disposition of a Christian. He was more desirous to gain honour to himself, than to do good to others. Peter shows him his crime. He esteemed the wealth of this world, as if it would answer for things relating to the other life, and would purchase the pardon of sin, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and eternal life. This was such a condemning error as could by no means consist with a state of grace. Our hearts are what they are in the sight of God, who cannot be deceived. And if they are not right in his sight, our religion is vain, and will stand us in no stead. A proud and covetous heart cannot be right with God. It is possible for a man to continue under the power of sin, yet to put on a form of godliness. When tempted with money to do evil, see what a perishing thing money is, and scorn it. Think not that Christianity is a trade to live by in this world. There is much wickedness in the thought of the heart, its false notions, and corrupt affections, and wicked projects, which must be repented of, or we are undone. But it shall be forgiven, upon our repentance. The doubt here is of the sincerity of Simon's repentance, not of his pardon, if his repentance was sincere. Grant us, Lord, another sort of faith than that which made Simon wonder only, and did not sanctify his heart. May we abhor all thoughts of making religion serve the purposes of pride or ambition. And keep us from that subtle poison of spiritual pride, which seeks glory to itself even from humility. May we seek only the honour which cometh from God.
