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For this God - Who did all these wonderful things: -
Is our God - He is our portion, and he has taken us for his people.
He will be our guide - Through all the snares and difficulties of life: -
Even unto death - He will never leave us; and we, by his grace, will never abandon him. He is just such a God as we need; infinite in mercy, goodness, and truth. He is our Father, and we are the sons and daughters of God Almighty. Even unto and in death, he will be our portion.
For this God is our God forever and ever - The God who has thus made his abode in the city, and who has manifested himself as its prorector. It is our comfort to reflect that such a God is “our” God; that he has manifested himself as our friend; that we may habitually feel that he is our own. And he is not only our God now, but he will be such for ever and ever. A feeling that the true God is “our” God - that he is ours and that we are his - always carries with it the idea that this is to be “forever;” that what is true now in this respect, will be true to all eternity. He is not a God for the present only, but for all time to come; not merely for this world, but for that unending duration which awaits us beyond the tomb.
He will be our guide even unto death - The Septuagint and the Vulgate render this “he will rule or govern ποιμανεῖ poimanei - reget) forever.” The more correct rendering, however, is that in our version, which is a literal translation of the Hebrew. Some have translated it upon death, על־מות ‛al -mûth others, beyond death; but the true idea is that he will be our guide, or will conduct us all along through life; that he will never forsake us until the close has come; that he will accompany us faithfully to the end. The thought does not, of course, “exclude” the idea that he will be our guide - our protector - our friend - beyond death; but it is simply that as long as we live on the earth, we may have the assurance that he will lead and guide us. This he will do in behalf of those who put their trust in him
(a) by the counsels of His word;
(b) by the influences of His Spirit;
(c) by His providential interpositions;
(d) by special help in special trials;
(e) by shedding light upon our path when in perplexity and doubt; and
(f) by support and direction when we tread that dark and to us unknown way which conducts to the grave.
Man needs nothing more for this life than the confident assurance that he has the Eternal God for his guide, and that he will never be left or forsaken by Him in any possible situation in which he may be placed. If God, by His own hand, will conduct me through this world, and lead me safely through the dark valley - that valley which lies at the end of every traveler‘s path - I have nothing to fear beyond.
Laden with spoil, the armies of Judah returned “with joy; for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies. And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 20:27, 28. Great was their cause for rejoicing. In obedience to the command, “Stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord: ... fear not, nor be dismayed,” they had put their trust wholly in God, and He had proved to be their fortress and their deliverer. Verse 17. Now they could sing with understanding the inspired hymns of David: PK 203.1
“God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble....
He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder;
He burneth the chariot in the fire.
Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted
in the earth.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.”
PK 203.2
Psalm 46. PK 203
Read in context »In that hour of darkest trial, David sang: Ed 165.1
“I cried unto the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me out of His holy hill.
Ed 165.2
“I laid me down and slept;
I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people,
That have set themselves against me around about.”
Ed 165.3
For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. Psalm 48:14. AG 200.1
Read in context »“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.” “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death” (Psalm 46:1-3; 48:14). HP 124.6
Read in context »