Day 140- 1 Samuel 11-13; Psalm 47

Henry explains that the fear of the Lord moved His people,

"Observe, 1. His modesty, in joining Samuel in commission with himself. He would not execute the office of a king without a due regard to that of a prophet. His mildness in the penalty threatened against those that should disobey his orders. He hews a yoke of oxen in pieces, and sends the pieces to the several cities of Israel, threatening, with respect to him who should decline the public service, not, "Thus shall it be done to him,’’ but, "Thus shall it be done to his oxen.’’ God had threatened it as a great judgment (Deu. 28:31 ), Thy ox shall be slain before thy eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof. It was necessary that the command should be enforced with some penalty, but this was not nearly so severe as that which was affixed to a similar order by the whole congregation, Jdg. 21:5 . Saul wished to show that his government was more gentle than that which they had been under. The effect of this summons was that the militia, or trained bands, of the nation, came out as one man, and the reason given is, because the fear of the Lord fell upon them."

I think that we can all learn from this note by Henry,

"Note, The testimony of our neighbours, and especially the testimony of our own consciences for us, that we have in our places lived honestly, will be our comfort under the slights and contempts that are put upon us."

I know that I need reminding of this.  All too often we live with the conscience, rather than acting with regard to what our conscience will say.

And the lesson continues as we see thousands guilted into turmoil,

See what work sin makes; it exposes men to perils, and then robs them of their courage and dispirits them. A single person, by faith, can say, I will not be afraid of 10,000 (Ps. 3:6 ); but here thousands of degenerate Israelites tremble at the approach of a great crowd of Philistines. Guilt makes men cowards.

On Psalm 47,

The scope of this psalm is to stir us up to praise God, to stir up all people to do so; and, I. We are directed in what manner to do it, publicly, cheerfully, and intelligently (v. 1, v. 6, v. 7). II. We are furnished with matter for praise. 1. God’s majesty (v. 2). His sovereign and universal dominion (v. 2, v. 7-9). The great things he had done, and will do, for his people (v. 3-5). Many suppose that this psalm was penned upon occasion of the bringing up of the ark to Mount Zion which v. 5seems to refer to ("God has gone up with a shout’’);—but it looks further, to the ascension of Christ into the heavenly Zion, after he had finished his undertaking on earth, and to the setting up of his kingdom in the world, to which the heathen should become willing subjects. In singing this psalm we are to give honour to the exalted Redeemer, to rejoice in his exaltation, and to celebrate his praises, confessing that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.To the chief musician. A psalm for the sons of Korah.