xxvi. 8. _Yea, in the way of Thy judgments, O Lord, have we
waited for Thee._
+I. Observe what God's judgments are.+ They are simply the expression
of His thoughts. His final judgment is the declaration of His
thoughts of a man's character; His judgments here are also His
declaration of what He thinks of our conduct and ways. One special
thing for which psalmists and prophets adore Him is that men can see
that His judgments are true and righteous (Ps. xix. 9; cxix. 75, &c.)
Their tendency and aim is to teach men what righteousness is (ver. 9).
+II. The way of God's judgments is the way of His laws.+ The
calamities which men call "judgments" are generally the results of
infraction by them of the laws by which He governs the universe.
The civil war in America was a judgment of God because it was a
natural result of their toleration and defence of slavery; the war,
with all its terrors, was a heavy penalty, and was clearly connected
with their sin. So the cattle-plague of England was doubtless a
natural result of some violation, through carelessness or greed, of
God's laws concerning the breeding and tending of cattle, and was
thus one of God's judgments.
+III. The way of God's judgments prescribes our way of prayer and
expectation.+ We are to pray and expect, not that, while we continue
as we were, God will remove the judgment; but that He will help us to
understand it, and that He will dispose us to abandon the conduct
that has brought it upon us. In thus waiting upon God--with penitence
for our transgression, with prayer for light, and with sincere
resolve to amend--we may expect God to bless us; but this we may
expect only while we wait upon Him thus.--_Alexander Mackennal, B.S.:
Sermon on the Cattle-plague._
Those who wait for God in the way of His judgments are, 1. Those who
in prosperous and peaceful times endeavour to serve Him. 2. Those who
desire to learn from them the lessons they were designed to teach.
3. Those who honour God by submission and trust in the trying hour.
4. These, even in the midst of judgment, may confidently expect the
favour of God. A purpose of benevolence runs through even the stern
and "strange work" of justice; and God, even when He chastises, will
not utterly smite down the trusting heart.--_William Manning._