A Profession of Trust

311 In Thee, O Jehovah, I have trusted, Let me not be ashamed to the age, In Thy righteousness deliver me. 2 Incline unto me Thine ear hastily, deliver me, Be to me for a strong rock, For a house of bulwarks to save me. 3 For my rock and my bulwark 'art' Thou, For Thy name's sake lead me and tend me. 4 Bring me out from the net that they hid for me, For Thou 'art' my strength. 5 Into Thy hand I commit my spirit, Thou hast redeemed me, Jehovah God of truth. 6 I have hated the observers of lying vanities, And I toward Jehovah have been confident. 7 I rejoice, and am glad in Thy kindness, In that Thou hast seen mine affliction, Thou hast known in adversities my soul. 8 And Thou hast not shut me up, Into the hand of an enemy, Thou hast caused my feet to stand in a broad place.

9 Favour me, O Jehovah, for distress 'is' to me, Mine eye, my soul, and my body Have become old by provocation. 10 For my life hath been consumed in sorrow And my years in sighing. Feeble because of mine iniquity hath been my strength, And my bones have become old. 11 Among all mine adversaries I have been a reproach, And to my neighbours exceedingly, And a fear to mine acquaintances, Those seeing me without—fled from me. 12 I have been forgotten as dead out of mind, I have been as a perishing vessel. 13 For I have heard an evil account of many, Fear 'is' round about. In their being united against me, To take my life they have devised, 14 And I on Thee—I have trusted, O Jehovah, I have said, 'Thou 'art' my God.' 15 In Thy hand 'are' my times, Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from my pursuers. 16 Cause Thy face to shine on Thy servant, Save me in Thy kindness. 17 O Jehovah, let me not be ashamed, For I have called Thee, let the wicked be ashamed, Let them become silent to Sheol. 18 Let lips of falsehood become dumb, That are speaking against the righteous, Ancient sayings, in pride and contempt.

19 How abundant is Thy goodness, That Thou hast laid up for those fearing Thee, 20 Thou hast wrought for those trusting in Thee, Before sons of men. Thou hidest them in the secret place of Thy presence, From artifices of man, Thou concealest them in a tabernacle, From the strife of tongues. 21 Blessed 'is' Jehovah, For He hath made marvellous His kindness To me in a city of bulwarks. 22 And I—I have said in my haste, 'I have been cut off from before Thine eyes,' But Thou hast heard the voice of my supplications, In my crying unto Thee. 23 Love Jehovah, all ye His saints, Jehovah is keeping the faithful, And recompensing abundantly a proud doer. 24 Be strong, and He strengtheneth your heart, All ye who are waiting for Jehovah!

The Blessedness of Forgiveness

321 By David.—An Instruction. O the happiness of him whose transgression 'is' forgiven, Whose sin is covered. 2 O the happiness of a man, To whom Jehovah imputeth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 When I have kept silence, become old have my bones, Through my roaring all the day. 4 When by day and by night Thy hand is heavy upon me, My moisture hath been changed Into the droughts of summer. Selah. 5 My sin I cause Thee to know, And mine iniquity I have not covered. I have said, 'I confess concerning My transgressions to Jehovah,' And Thou—Thou hast taken away, The iniquity of my sin. Selah. 6 For this doth every saintly one pray to Thee, As the time to find. Surely at an overflowing of many waters, Unto him they come not.

7 Thou 'art' a hiding-place for me, From distress Thou dost keep me, 'With' songs of deliverance dost compass me. Selah. 8 I cause thee to act wisely, And direct thee in the way that thou goest, I cause mine eye to take counsel concerning thee. 9 Be ye not as a horse—as a mule, Without understanding, With bridle and bit, its ornaments, to curb, Not to come near unto thee. 10 Many 'are' the pains of the wicked; As to him who is trusting in Jehovah, Kindness doth compass him. 11 Be glad in Jehovah, and rejoice, ye righteous, And sing, all ye upright of heart!

16 And the son of Paul's sister having heard of the lying in wait, having gone and entered into the castle, told Paul, 17 and Paul having called near one of the centurions, said, 'This young man lead unto the chief captain, for he hath something to tell him.' 18 He indeed, then, having taken him, brought him unto the chief captain, and saith, 'The prisoner Paul, having called me near, asked 'me' this young man to bring unto thee, having something to say to thee.' 19 And the chief captain having taken him by the hand, and having withdrawn by themselves, inquired, 'What is that which thou hast to tell me?' 20 and he said—'The Jews agreed to request thee, that to-morrow to the sanhedrim thou mayest bring down Paul, as being about to enquire something more exactly concerning him; 21 thou, therefore, mayest thou not yield to them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who did anathematize themselves—not to eat nor to drink till they kill him, and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from thee.' 22 The chief captain, then, indeed, let the young man go, having charged 'him' to tell no one, 'that these things thou didst shew unto me;'

Paul Sent to Felix the Governor

23 and having called near a certain two of the centurions, he said, 'Make ready soldiers two hundred, that they may go on unto Caesarea, and horsemen seventy, and spearmen two hundred, from the third hour of the night; 24 beasts also provide, that, having set Paul on, they may bring him safe unto Felix the governor;' 25 he having written a letter after this description: 26 'Claudius Lysias, to the most noble governor Felix, hail: 27 This man having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them—having come with the soldiery, I rescued him, having learned that he is a Roman; 28 and, intending to know the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their sanhedrim, 29 whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, and having no accusation worthy of death or bonds; 30 and a plot having been intimated to me against this man—about to be of the Jews—at once I sent unto thee, having given command also to the accusers to say the things against him before thee; be strong.' 31 Then, indeed, the soldiers according to that directed them, having taken up Paul, brought him through the night to Antipatris, 32 and on the morrow, having suffered the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the castle; 33 those having entered into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, did present also Paul to him. 34 And the governor having read 'it', and inquired of what province he is, and understood that 'he is' from Cilicia; 35 'I will hear thee—said he—when thine accusers also may have come;' he also commanded him to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 23:16-35

Commentary on Acts 23:12-24

(Read Acts 23:12-24)

False religious principles, adopted by carnal men, urge on to such wickedness, as human nature would hardly be supposed capable of. Yet the Lord readily disappoints the best concerted schemes of iniquity. Paul knew that the Divine providence acts by reasonable and prudent means; and that, if he neglected to use the means in his power, he could not expect God's providence to work on his behalf. He who will not help himself according to his means and power, has neither reason nor revelation to assure him that he shall receive help from God. Believing in the Lord, we and ours shall be kept from every evil work, and kept to his kingdom. Heavenly Father, give us by thy Holy Spirit, for Christ's sake, this precious faith.

Commentary on Acts 23:25-35

(Read Acts 23:25-35)

God has instruments for every work. The natural abilities and moral virtues of the heathens often have been employed to protect his persecuted servants. Even the men of the world can discern between the conscientious conduct of upright believers, and the zeal of false professors, though they disregard or understand not their doctrinal principles. All hearts are in God's hand, and those are blessed who put their trust in him, and commit their ways unto him.