Psalm 119:68
“You are good, and do good; teach me your statutes.”
The attributes of God, if considered only in a speculative view, must excite our admiration; but, if contemplated in reference to our state and conduct, they will be to us a source of unspeakable comfort, and a spring of incessant activity. What emotions a knowledge of the Divine goodness will produce in the soul, we see in the words before us; in discoursing upon which we shall notice,
I. The goodness of God.
In conformity with the text, we shall call your attention to,
1. God’s essential goodness.
This is not an indiscriminate regard to all, whether they be good or evil; for such a regard would not consist with justice, or holiness, or truth; but it is a general benevolence towards the whole creation, operating incessantly for the good of the whole. The manner in which it reveals itself is as various as the states of men; but, however diversified its operations may be, it is the same principle in God.
God’s goodness is the sum of all his perfections.
Towards the undeserving, it is grace;
to the ill-deserving, it is mercy;
to the indigent, it is bounty;
to the distressed, it is pity and compassion;
towards the impenitent, it is forbearance;
to the obstinate and incorrigible, it is justice.
This is the view which God himself gives us of his goodness. Moses prays for a sight of God’s glory; God promises to show him his goodness; and then represents it as consisting in an united exercise of all his perfections, Exodus 33:18-19; Exodus 34:6-7. In this view, goodness resides in him necessarily, in him only, and in him continually.
2. God’s communicative goodness.
This he manifests to the world at large. When first he created the world, he formed everything “very good.” And if we look around us, we shall be constrained to say, “The earth is full of his goodness.”
Towards man in particular, his goodness is more abundantly displayed.
Towards the ungodly he has shown it, by giving his only dear Son to die for them, and his Spirit to instruct them; yes, he has set apart an order of men also to entreat them in his name to accept the offered salvation.
Towards the godly he has abounded yet still more in the exceeding riches of his grace; for, in addition to all that he has done for the ungodly, he has made his Word effectual for their conversion; and he watches over them with paternal care, supplying all their needs, and protecting them in all their dangers; and, to complete the whole, he will crown them finally with eternal glory! Psalm 103:1-5.
Such a view of God as this cannot but lead us to adopt,
II. The petition grounded upon God’s goodness.
The petition itself is such as all ought to offer for themselves.
By “the statutes” of God we understand both the truths he has revealed, and the precepts he has enjoined. Of these we are by nature ignorant; nor can we by mere human exertions ever acquire a right understanding of them, 1 Corinthians 2:14. We must be taught of God; our eyes must be opened by his Spirit; only then shall we keep his statutes, when God himself shall “write them on the fleshy tablets of our hearts.”
But the petition has peculiar force as grounded on a discovery of God’s goodness; for, in that, as in a looking-glass, we see,
1. Our duties.
The law of God primarily declares our duty towards him; but none ever attain a just knowledge of that duty from the law alone; they cannot see the necessity of loving God with all their hearts, until they have some idea of the obligations they lie under to him for the stupendous work of redemption. But let the love of God in Christ Jesus be once clearly revealed to the soul, and the excellency of the law will instantly appear; and obedience to it will be considered as perfect freedom.
2. Our defects.
We are naturally averse to acknowledge our vileness and wickedness. But a sight of the Divine goodness softens the mind and heart, and renders them sincere. Hence the more we are acquainted with God, the more we know of ourselves; and the more we have experienced of his love—the more we “abhor ourselves for our ingratitude to him, and our lack of conformity to his image! Job 42:5-6. Ezekiel 16:63.”
3. Our encouragements.
Wherever we look, we have no encouragement but in God. Indeed, if only we are acquainted with his goodness, we need no other encouragement; for, what will not He do, who is so good in himself? And what will He refuse us, who has done so much for us already! Romans 8:32. Such considerations as these are sufficient to counterbalance every difficulty that the world, or the flesh, or the devil can place in our way. Having this God for our God, we can lack nothing for time or for eternity.
Charles Simeon