Word
of God
But he replied and
said, "It is written, 'It is not by bread alone that a man
lives, except by every word that issues from the mouth of God
The Gospel According
to Matthew 4:4
The
Book of Psalm 4:4-5
All commentary is
prefaced/edited by Doktor Riktor Von Zhades
4 Tremble and sin
not: examine your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 5
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in the Lord.
Brethren:
Be slow to wrath
(Read Ecclesiastes 7:11; Ephesians 4:26), quick to forgive. Consider
your heart whilst at rest. Be still, and meditate upon the Word of
God. Likewise live in and emulate the righteousness that has been
imputed to you by Christ, and place your trust in Him. Consider also
today in your meditations today Hosea 12:6; Colossians 3:12-17 -
Doktor Riktor Von Zhades - Humble Servant of our Lord.
“ He warns them
against sin, and exhorts them both to frighten and to reason
themselves out of it. One good remedy against sin is to stand in awe.
Be moved, in opposition to carelessness and carnal security. Always
keep up a holy reverence of the glory and majesty of God, and a holy
dread of his wrath and curse, and dare not to provoke him. One good
means of preventing sin, and preserving a holy awe, is to be frequent
and serious in communing with our own hearts: “Talk with your
hearts; you have a great deal to say to them; they may be spoken with
at any time; let it not be unsaid. A thinking man is in a fair way
to be a wise and a good man. Commune with your hearts; examine them
by serious self-reflection, that you may acquaint yourselves with
them and amend what is amiss in them; employ them in solemn pious
meditations; let your thoughts fasten upon that which is good and
keep closely to it. Consider your ways, and observe the directions
here given in order to the doing of this work well and to good
purpose.
Choose a solitary
time; do it when you lie awake upon your beds. Before you turn
yourself to go to sleep at night; examine your consciences with
respect to what you have done that day, particularly what you have
done amiss, that you may repent of it. When you awake in the night
meditate upon God, and the things that belong to your peace.” David
himself practised what he here counsels others to do (Read Psalm
63:6), I remember thee on my bed. Upon a sick-bed, particularly, we
should consider our ways and commune with our own hearts about them
Compose yourselves into a serious frame: Be still. When you have
asked conscience a question be silent, and wait for an answer; even
in unquiet times keep you spirits calm and quiet.
He counsels them to
make conscience of their duty: We must not only cease to do evil, but
learn to do well. if they would but worship God aright; and those
that know the concerns that lie between them and God will be glad of
the Mediator, the Son of David. It is required here from every one of
us. That we serve him: Offer sacrifices to him, your own selves
first, and your best sacrifices. But they must be sacrifices of
righteousness, that is, good works, all the fruits of the reigning
love of God and our neighbour, and all the instances of a religious
conversation, which are better than all burnt-offerings and
sacrifices. Let all your devotions come from an upright heart; let
all your alms be sacrifices of righteousness. [Therefore friends
take heed to]; first make conscience of offering the sacrifices of
righteousness and then you are welcome to put your trust in the Lord.
Serve God without any diffidence of him, or any fear of losing by
him. Honour him, by trusting in him only, and not in your wealth nor
in an arm of flesh; trust in his providence, and lean not to your own
understanding; trust in his grace, and go not about to establish your
own righteousness or sufficiency.” - Matthew Henry 17th
Century Theologian
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