Call to Worship January 31 2022
Psalm 11
“[Matthew] Henry: ‘Though honest good people may be run down, and trampled upon, yet God does and will own them, and favor them, and smile upon them, and that is the reason why God will severely reckon with persecutors and oppressors, because those whom they oppress and persecute are dear to him; so that, whosoever touches them, touches’ the apple of his eye,’” v. 7.[1]
“[John] Morison closes his comments on this Psalm thus: ‘Impenitent sinner! read this Psalm, and mark your approaching doom! To flatter yourself with the hope of escape is vain. The elements of omnipotent wrath are all prepared, and the tempests which will hurl you to perdition will speedily begin to blow. Already the moral heavens are covered with threatening clouds, and the lightning’s flash is seen playing around your devoted head, the gulf from beneath is yawning wide to receive you; but one more stage in impenitence, and you are undone forever; the Judge stands at the door, the last call to repentance is about to be addressed to you, the knell of judgment shall speedily be heard, and through the gloomy shade of death you shall pass into a region where the wrath of God shall be the everlasting portion of your cup. Hasten then, O sinner, to the cross of Christ. He who died on that cross welcomes you, after all your impenitence he welcomes you. Your hard and flinty heart he can soften and change. Your sins of crimson dye he can pardon and remove; but forget not that the day of your merciful visitation hastens to a close, and that the insulted compassion of a dying Saviour will realize a fearful vindication in the ceaseless torments it will produce.’”[2] (John Morison, 1791-1859, Scottish
[1] William S. Plumer, Studies in the Book of Psalms: Being a Critical and Expository Commentary, with Doctrinal and Practical Remarks on the Entire Psalter (Philadelphia; Edinburgh: J. B. Lippincott Company; A & C Black, 1872), 173.
[2] Ibid., 173.