viii. 17. _And I will wait upon the Lord, &c._
Believers are in the Scriptures abundantly encouraged to wait upon
God (Ps. xxvii. 14; Isa. xxv. 9). In Ps. lxii. 5, it is suggested
that this waiting upon God is connected with hopeful expectation of
receiving a blessing. The same truth is taught us by our Lord in His
parable on prayer (Luke xviii. 1-8). However long God delays, we must
wait expectantly. In our text, however, we have the idea of waiting
upon God while He is hiding His face from His people. The very
possibility that He should assume this attitude towards us is
depressing, and not unfrequently in our religious exercises we are
haunted by the fear that this _is_ the attitude He has assumed
towards us. Through fears and doubts that intercept our vision of
Him, we look up to see the face of our Father, and behold only a
cloud! In such a case our faith needs quickening, that our hopes may
be raised and our courage renewed. The following thoughts may conduce
to this end. I. _God does not hide His face from us because His
blessings have diminished_ (Isa. xl. 26-31; Jer. ii. 13; xvii. 13).
II. _God does not hide His face from us on account of any weariness
in His love_ (John xiii. 1; Isa. xlix. 15). III. _God does not hide
His face from us because of any caprice in His nature_ (Jas.
i. 16-17). IV. _If God does hide His face from us, it is only on
account of our sinfulness._ This is the dark atmosphere in which God
becomes lost to us (chap. lix. 1, 2). V. Consequently, _if God's face
is hidden from us, it is at once our only hope and our positive duty
to wait upon Him_ (Jas. iv. 8). Let us wait for Him and look for Him.
1. Penitently. 2. Believingly. 3. Patiently. Then will the Lord turn
us again; He will cause His face to shine upon us, and we shall be
saved.--_William Manning._