The river of God.
"There is a river," etc. How is it that when we read or chant this psalm, it never seems to us that it was written in an ancient foreign tongue, nigh three thousand years ago? It is as much a living voice, comes as home to our hearts, as though written in our mother tongue and our own generation. So it is with other psalms, however local in imagery, Jewish in application. Bible poetry is unlike any other, in its capacity of translation into all languages. Usually, the finer poetry is, the more it suffers in translation; the less can it make a home for itself anywhere but in its native land. Why is the case so different with the poetry of the Bible? The reason lies deeper than any poetic beauty, than human patriotism, than human sympathy. It is spiritual force. These songs of Zion utter the experience of souls quickened and breathed through—inspired by God's own Spirit. Therefore their interest is universal, their charm undying, their force inexhaustible. The living stream at which those ancient believers drank flows fuller, deeper, broader, with the lapse of ages; and still makes glad the city of God. This beautiful image, in its broadest application, is to be taken of the unfailing care, gracious presence, overflowing loving-kindness, of our God, with whom is "the fountain of life." More especially we may apply it to
These are the two main streams—one outward, one inward—by which we drink of the Divine fulness.
I. THE WRITTEN WORD. The full, deep, sweet stream of truth in the promises, precepts, prayers, revelations, histories, and examples of Old and New Testament Scriptures. Amazing effort is put forth in our day to prove that this stream is neither clear nor pure; that it flows from no certain fountain; in fact, to dry it up altogether. Modern science has taught us, what no one dreamed of at the middle of last century, that water is made up of two kinds of air, and can be decomposed by electricity. What then? Does this make any difference in the need and power of water to quench our thirst, make our fields fruitful, keep our skin and raiment and all we have clean? All this is the same now as in David's days. In like manner, the immense learning and criticism bestowed on Scripture, partly instructive, throwing a flood of light on its structure, its language and literary character; partly destructive, endeavouring to destroy its authority, page by page, and decompose it into fragments—has not in the least altered its living power or our need of its teaching. It still gives us truth, never taught or dreamed of by other religious teachers; promises of God, which are nowhere, if not in the Bible; laws which embrace and explain the whole of human duty; examples for daily guidance; a history, in which God is seen dealing with men and manifesting himself to them along one unbroken line, from the birth of our race to the end of our present world; above all, in our Lord Jesus, a personal manifestation of God, a full deliverance from all the ruin and misery of forsaking, forgetting, disobeying God, and warrant for coming to him in absolute trust and perfect love; and a glorious certainty of a life which death cannot touch—eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. All this, and more, is in the Bible. Unbelief may rob the unbeliever of his portion, but cannot impoverish the Bible. "The Word of God liveth and abideth." What joy, comfort, strength, light, purity, is it at this moment diffusing through myriads untold of Christian hearts and lives! It makes glad the city of God. A single promise may be the stay of a sinking heart; a single text the hinge of a new life.
II. THE INWARD GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Whence this wonderful power of the Scriptures to quicken, nourish, guide, bless, the higher life of man, as no other writings can? From God's Spirit in the men who wrote them. Only life feeds life. The devout reader need not perplex himself with any questions about the inspiration of the Bible, as long as he hears in it God's voice, reads in it God's thoughts, feels in it God's love, beholds in it "the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus." But for all this, inspiration—q.d, the living breath and life-giving presence of God's Spirit—is as needful for the readers as it was for the writers. Of the same sort? Certainly not. But as real (1 Corinthians 2:10-15; 1 John 3:1-24 :27; John 6:44, John 6:45). If there be one truth to which the Scriptures bear clear witness, it is the need of Divine teaching (compare with 2 Timothy 3:15, 2 Timothy 3:16; Acts 16:14; John 4:14; John 7:37-39).
III. THIS DIVINE FULNESS IS THE SOURCE OF THE CHURCH'S PEACE AND JOY. It "maketh glad the city of God"—the communion of saints; the true Israel. Ancient Jerusalem was so well supplied with water as never to fear drought. When besieged by the Crusaders, it was the besiegers who suffered thirst, not those within the walls. But one perennial spring is known to exist at Jerusalem. But beneath the temple were vast reservoirs, by some supposed supplied from a spring, but by explorers said to be fed by the rain—" the rivers of God" (Psalms 65:9). So, in the common treasure of God's Word, the common possession of God's Spirit (Romans 8:9), the Church of Christ has a never-failing fountain and unfathomable reservoir of joy, strength, peace, for evermore. (N.B.—This third head might supply a sermon by itself.)