Family experience of Divine mercies.
This is evidently a liturgical psalm, and on the whole it seems best to associate it either with the dedication of the second temple by the returned exiles, or with their keeping of the Feast of Tabernacles. The personal expressions in it need not be misunderstood. The speaker is a typical individual representing the nation. (For the probable occasion, see Nehemiah 8:13-18.) "The psalm is vividly dramatic, representing the leader of Israel with his train coming to the temple, calling for the gates to be opened to his triumphal entrance, and going in to worship the Lord. The psalm is dramatically distributed to different actors. In Psalms 118:1-4 we have
(a) the opening chorus of thanksgiving from the train of the king or leader without and the priests within; then
(b) in Psalms 118:5-9 the king thankfully records his deliverance and confidence in the Lord, and his thanksgiving is taken up by a response of like trust; next
(c) in Psalms 118:10-16 he again exults in his sure victory over all nations in the Lord's Name, in spite of fierce opposition and danger, and is answered similarly by utterance of triumph from the people; on this,
(d) in Psalms 118:16-20, follows his summons to open the gates, answered by consent from within; then
(e) in Psalms 118:21-24, entering the temple, he pours out his thanksgiving, and all alike, priests and people, glorify the Lord on ' the day that he has made;' finally,
(f) in Psalms 118:25-29, he prays, 'Save, I beseech thee' (Hosanna), and is 'blessed as coming in the Name of the Lord; ' and the whole psalm ends with a chorus of universal praise to God" (Barry). "One or two writers have thought this psalm to be too legal in its constant dwelling upon the idea of duty. But duty is the fly-wheel of the spiritual machinery. It does not inspire the noble life, it regulates it, and the psalm is for the use of those who have already received inspiration from the sight of the city of God. We fix attention on the first sphere of the enduring Divine mercy. For his goodness in family life our thanks are continually due. The house of Aaron was the type and representative of the houses (families) of Israel. And God's dealings with it suggest his dealings with them.
I. GOD'S FAMILY MERCIES APPEAR AS DIVINE SELECTIONS. We are familiar with the idea that God, in his wisdom and mercy, selects individuals for particular ministries, and honors them with the trust of such ministries; and it is but an enlargement of the truth to see, that in a similar way he selects families and communities and nations. The selection of the house, or family, of Aaron for priestly services, and of Heman for musical services, and of David for kingly services, are illustrations. And it is well when families can realize that the mercies of God to them are not merely comfortable provisions, or business successes, but their selection for high and holy trusts and responsible services.
II. GOD'S FAMILY MERCIES APPEAR AS DIVINE CORRECTIONS. This is very strikingly illustrated in the record of the "house of Aaron." We may even say that the visitations of Divine love in judgment were frequent and severe, as may be illustrated in the deaths of Nadab and Abihu; the limitation of Aaron's own life; the shifting of the priestly order in later years, etc. They who read their life-stories aright—their family life stories—never hesitate to praise God most of all for the mercy in discipline that was hard to bear.
III. GOD'S FAMILY MERCIES APPEAR AS DIVINE DELIVERANCES. Family life has its perils, its disasters, its wilfulnesses, and its mistakes. These variously affect the heads of the family as well as the members. Every family story is made up of sick nesses, sorrows, follies, and sins, and God's mercies come into the family life at every point of need as redemption, as deliverance. This the psalmists constantly recognize. This we too recognize who fully believe that God is in our family life. He is ever delivering the family from its bad self, from untoward circumstances, and from active foes.
IV. GOD'S FAMILY MERCIES APPEAR AS STRENGTHENING FOR SERVICE. In the case of the "house of Aaron" we have unusually solemn service; but that is only typical of the service which every family has to render, and which it never can render well save as it realizes the strengthening and sustaining mercy of God. Under priestly burdens a man may say, "O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake thou for me." But that is precisely what every man should say in the bearing of his own burden.
V. GOD'S FAMILY MERCIES APPEAR AS HELPINGS OF ONE ANOTHER. The clinging together and mutual helpfulness of family life are usually traced as due to family dispositions, paternal or maternal characteristics. It is altogether a higher and more inspiring view to see in family brotherliness the signs of the Divine mercy.—R.T.