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132 illustrations
They seek visible proof, tangible evidence that happiness exists, yet they neglect to look toward God, the fountain of all blessedness.
The psalmist does not teach that consciousness ceases at death, but rather contemplates the *second death* (*thanatos deuteros*), the grave of the lost where soul and body suffer separation from Elohim's presence.
David here stretches out his hand like a little child, crying to his Father: "Hold up my goings." **I.
Exell's Victorian exposition identifies three characteristics of true humility before Elohim.
This is not the language of divine absence, but of divine presence reconceived.
Joseph Exell observes that this practice of reviewing one's vows to God carries three profound advantages.
Consider the excellence of the Holy Scriptures against earthly treasure.
Divine interpositions manifest throughout Scripture as providential rather than miraculous rescues.
In antiquity, no emblem better captured Christ's all-pervading presence than the sun—stationed in heaven yet communicating life ceaselessly to earth below.
David's prayer—"Remember not the sins of my youth"—reflects a universal human experience: youthful transgressions, once dismissed thoughtlessly, return as haunting spectres in maturity.
This is no contradiction but the permanent rhythm of godliness itself.
The inner life must be sustained by God alone.
Matthew Arnold observed that "conduct is three-fourths of human life," and the Church's proper aim has always been to regulate and improve moral behavior.
Why may we multiply requests before the throne?
We require this petition when surrounded by gloom, when tempted, and when our path grows rough.
Reading these words while contemplating Calvary reveals their prophetic weight: they describe the precise sufferings and agony our Lord endured.
The Psalmist's cry, "Let me not be put to shame" (Psalm 25:2), rests upon confidence that those who wait upon Jehovah will not be abandoned.
First, consider the importance of public worship as it respects God Himself.
Her posture reveals the soul's constraint in desolation—constrained to cling to One who sticks closer than a brother.
All work and labor possess their worth in gold.
Fasting was not merely abstinence from food for a time, as health and duty allowed, but a spiritual discipline rooted in sorrow for sin and self-denial.
This is not blessing but irony—a sentence that cuts to the heart of human motivation.
Luthardt identifies seven critical aspects: God's kingdom surpasses all earthly kingdoms; amidst the collapse of human rule, men seek one that endures; it is founded upon moral goodness rather than external might; it originated in Elohim's *protē noēsis* (primeval thought);...
And when thou prayest—nine things pertain to the knowledge of true prayer: I. To know what prayer is. II. How many sorts of prayer there be. III. The necessity of prayer. Four things provoke us to pray: 1. God's commandment....