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Bible, Crook in the Lot Study Guide, Faith, Hope, Psalm 119, Psalms, Study Guide, Thomas Boston, Thomas Boston Crook in the Lot
What then should our hope be grounded on? Is there something which can bear the weight of my hope in the midst of trial? Boston places it upon the promises set forth in Scripture. There is an interesting trick of observation. Once we have been attuned to some fact, we see that fact everywhere. I buy a model of car, I see that car everywhere. When I see how God embeds the promises of restoration in the midst of trial, I will that everywhere”
3dly, The word of God puts it beyond all peradventure, which, from the beginning to the end, is the humbled saint’s security for a lifting up, Psal. 119:49, 50. “Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction; for thy word hath quickened me.” His word is the great letter of his name, which he will certainly see to cause to shine, Psal. 138:2. “For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name;” and in all generations has been safely lippened to, Psal. 12:6. Consider,
Spurgeon writes of Psalm 119:49:
Our great Master will not forget his own servants, nor disappoint the expectation which he himself has raised: because we are the Lord’s, and endeavour to remember his word by obeying it, we may be sure that he will think upon his own servants, and remember his own promise by making it good.
C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Psalms 111-119, vol. 5 (London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers, n.d.), 239–240. He quotes Cowper a bit later on this verse:
Verse 49.—“Thou hast caused me to hope.” Let us remember, first, that the promises made to us are of God’s free mercy; that the grace to believe, which is the condition of the promise, is also of himself; for “faith is the gift of God”; thirdly, that the arguments by which he confirms our faith in the certainty of our salvation are drawn from himself, not from us.—William Cowper.
C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Psalms 111-119, vol. 5 (London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers, n.d.), 244.
The verse calls upon God to remember what God has promised. Praying God’s promises back to God is a matter we see routinely demonstrated for us in the Scripture as a means for our spiritual development.
If we find ourselves discouraged in the midst of a trial, Psalm 119:49 is a promise we should plead with God.
And Dickson writes of Psalm 138:
There is more to be seen and felt in the experience of God’s children, than they could promise to themselves out of God’s word; for they find that God in effect is better in his payment than in his promises; for thus much this commendation importeth: thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name; that is, I have found more effect in the performance of thy promise, than the promise seemed to me to hold forth in thy name, and this is the first reason of David’s engagement to thankfulness.
David Dickson, A Brief Explication of the Psalms, vol. 2 (Glasgow; Edinburgh; London: John Dow; Waugh and Innes; R. Ogle; James Darling; Richard Baynes, 1834), 471. God is indeed better than even his promise might seem to be.
1. The doctrines of the word, which teach faith and hope for the time, and the happy issue the exercise of these graces will have. The whole current of scripture, to those in humbling circumstances, is, “Not to cast away their confidence, but to hope to the end;” and that for this good reason, that “it shall not be in vain.” See Psal. 27:14. “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” And compare Rom. 9:33. Is. 49:23. “For they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.”
The concept of “wait” and “hope” are routinely joined intoa single word. Often it is unclear which word in English captures the original.
I difficulty we have with hope is that it frequently seems to delay. God often seems to take too long. Read Exodus 14.
In what circumstance do the Israelites find themselves when they are backed against the Red Sea?
What does Moses do?
When does God finally provide a rescue?
Consider the whole of Exodus and Numbers. One could ask, why didn’t God just march them into Promised Land? What does God with these people?
Consider how long God delays from sending the Messiah, from the Garden until Bethlehem.
Psalm 27, quoted by Boston, ends with the note of hope.
Read the Psalm and list
The danger the Psalmist faces.
The promises the Psalmist pleads.
The direction the Psalmist gives to himself to make it through the trial.
How does the Psalmist change from the beginning of his trouble until he claims hope.
Now set out your current problem. Set out the difficulties you face.
Look at this Psalm and adapt the promises into a prayer (write the prayer).
Now comes conclusion, Hope.
2. The promises of the word, whereby Heaven is expressly engaged for a lifting up to those that humble themselves in humbling circumstances. James 4:10. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” Matth. 23:12. “And he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” It may take a time to prepare them for lifting up, but that being done it is secured: Psal. 10:17. “Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble; thou wilt prepare their heart; thou wilt cause thine ear to hear.” They have his word for deliverance, Psal. 50:15. And though they may seem to be forgotten, they shall not be always so; the time of their deliverance will come, Psal. 9:18. “For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.” Psal. 102:17. “He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.”
This brings up an interesting issue: humble yourself, and being humbled.
It is possible to misunderstand this dynamic as meaning, God is just hard on you and then decides to be nice. But that is to fundamentally misunderstand this dynamic. While there is quite likely more to this, at the very least it amounts to putting our hope in someone other than ourself.
Read 2 Cor. 1:1-11
What is Paul’s state?
What purpose does God intend by this trial?
Read 2 Cor. 12:1-10
What trial does Paul face?
What good does God intend?
Read James 1:3-4
What trial do we face?
What good does God intend?
Read 1 Peter 1:3-9
What trials are faced?
What good does God intend?
3. The examples of the word sufficiently confirming the truth of the doctrines and promises, Rom. 15:4. “For whatsoever things were written afore-time, were written for our learning; that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” In the doctrines and promises the lifting up is proposed to our faith, to be reckoned on the credit of God’s word: but, in the examples, it is, in the case of others, set before our eyes to be seen, James 5:11. “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord: that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy. There we see it in the case of Abraham, Job, David, Paul, and other saints; but, above all, in the case of the man Christ.
Read 1 Samuel 16-31
An objection: Isn’t that a lot of Scripture? You need to know the promises to plead the promises. You need to know the stories to gain the comfort which is put there for you. Perhaps a reason the trial is more difficult than it should be is your courage is less than it could be.
Boston lists five men and “other saints”. The text concerns only David.
Read Psalm 3-7 & 18
What trials are faced?
What promises are given?
What is the end?
Lastly, His intercession is always effectual, John 11:42. “And I knew that thou hearest me always”—It cannot miss to be so, because he is the Father’s well-beloved Son, his intercession has a plea of justice for the ground of it, 1 John 2:1.—“We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Moreover, he has all power in heaven and earth lodged in him, John 5:22. and, finally, he and his Father are one, and their will one. So, for the present time, both Christ and his Father do will the lifting up of the humbled ones, but yet only in the due time.