"Salvation is of the LORD." -Jonah 2:9

"Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity that is in me."   - Psalm 7:8 [KJV] What! is David become a self-justifier? Does he trust in, and depend upon his own righteousness? Does he plead it, even before the Lord, and expect justification by it? Hath he not elsewhere declared, “In Thy sight shall no man be justified” ? (Psalm 143:2.) Why then does he here talk of my righteousness? and why does he say, “The LORD reward me, according to my righteousness?”   (Psalm 18:20.)  It was far from David’s heart, to make his own righteousness the ground of his acceptance before God, or to place his hope of eternal life on it. He was a poor sinner. He knew it well. He confesses it constantly to the Lord. He declines it in point of justification, “I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even of Thine ONLY,”   (Psalm 71:16.) Why then does he here talk of his own righteousness? Let not this puzzle thy mind, nor pervert thy judgm...

"And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins." -Isaiah 11:5 [KJV] Mark these expressions, my soul, concerning thy covenant God in Christ. The Lord condescends by them to represent both His righteousness and faithfulness, as they are engaged to make good the purposes of redemption, in the Father and the Son. Jehovah's righteousness, and Jehovah's faithfulness, are blessed securities for this purpose; for so saith the Holy Ghost. "God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." Wherefore? Because "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." And do not overlook the striking figure of the girdle, which is chosen to represent it by; for as a man binds on the girdle round his loins, as a strengthener; so Jehovah takes to Himself the righteousness of His dear Son. "Let Him take hold," saith Jehovah,  "of My strength, to make peace with Me, and ...

"Make me not the reproach of the foolish." -Psalm 39:8 [KJV] Who are these "foolish?" I think the best answer to this question is given by our Lord Himself, in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. "The foolish" were those who had oil in their lamps, but none in their vessels. By "the foolish" in the text, therefore, we may understand those who have the light of knowledge in their heads, and the lamp of profession in their hands, but no oil of grace in their hearts.  They are "foolish," because they know neither God nor themselves, neither sin nor salvation, neither the depth of the fall nor the greatness of the remedy. They are "foolish," as regards themselves, in thinking that light and knowledge will save them, without life and grace; and they are "foolish," as regards others, for want of an experimental acquaintance with the heart. They know nothing, therefore, of the temptations of a child o...