The Lord Our Shepherd - An Exposition of the Twenty-Third Psalm #272312

Indeed, it is rather as a prayer, than as a song of thanksgiving, that this Psalm, which yet itself con tains no prayer, is used by many Christians. They feel that it expresses rather what they wish to be, than what they really are. They cherish the hope that ere they die, they shall one day participate in the elevated experience of the Psalmist. Yet, per haps, they make no vigorous, habitual, and determined, cfl'orts to attain that strength of faith, that beauty of holiness, and that joyfulness of spirit, which are here exhibited. They do not feel so grieved and self-con demned as they ought, for living below their privileges This is a serious, and we fear a common, error. Men too easily persuade themselves that however indispen sable progressive improvement and prosperity may be in business and in science, they are not so necessary in religion. They forget that from the moment of our spiritual birth, there must be a continual growth. That as in the corn, there is first the blade, then the ear, and then the full corn in the car: so in the fam ily of Christ, there are babes, and young men, and fathers. A babe that never grows a youth who advances not towards the maturity of manhood, is a monster in nature. It has been well remarked that there is no standing still in the school of Christ. Our constant prayer ought therefore to be, that as we become older with every advancing moment, we may also become richer and riper in every heavenly grace.