Magazines · Psalm 31:15.

It is this One who speaks in Ps. 34. He is passing through the times in which He accomplished the will of God, and during which He attached to Himself those who, according to Ps. 16, were the excellent of the earth - the saints who, however feebly, were walking in the path of faith into which He in grace had entered, so that He might be with those in whom He had found His delight. "He who sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified are all of one." He it is who goes before the sheep when He leads them out. It is in the hearing of these companions - the humble who hear Him and are glad - that He thus speaks: "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord." Prophets and kings had desired to hear such things (Luke 10:24) as the disciples listened to "at that time." When standing by they heard Jesus say, in the hour of His rejection, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." It was at a time when city after city which had witnessed His mighty works refused to listen, and yet how perfectly does He "praise, bearing witness to His Father," because it was "well pleasing in His sight." What perfect bowing to His good pleasure! He knew the Father, whose good pleasure it was to carry out His ways by hiding these things from the wise and prudent - those who found their sphere in the present, and by revealing them to babes. Knowing thus the Father's mind, He invites the weary and heavy-laden - those who found that in the present scene "all things are full of labour," to come to Himself, where they would find His rest as this meek and lowly One. Those who thus found His company are the humble of Ps. 34, who hear Him and are glad. Personally they are weak and feeble, and He knows it; and oft-times on earth He had to say to them, "O ye of little faith." And yet what company was like His? It had such attraction that it made Thomas say to his fellow-disciples, "Let us also go that we may die with Him." The attraction and the affection were there, though the flesh was weak; for as they were in the way going up to Jerusalem, though Jesus went before them, "they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid." (Mark 10:32.) He had to speak to them of the times of suffering and rejection that He must pass through ere the time of rest and glory could be reached. It was necessary for the very maintenance of that glory that it should be so; but they were dull of hearing, and "understood none of these things." (Luke 18:34.) Still it was His path, because it was the Father's will; and if they would go after Him they must take up the cross and follow.