Thy Mercy, 0 Lord, Is in the Heavens
In the midst of a world filled with wickedness, we must elevate our thoughts to the contemplation of God's secret providence and remember that the world is full of God's goodness and righteousness.
John Calvin preaches about the contrast between the depravity of men and the faithfulness and mercy of God, emphasizing the importance of not being influenced by the wickedness around us but instead focusing on the goodness and righteousness of God that governs heaven and earth with equity. He warns against being contaminated by the malice of others and encourages maintaining true godliness amidst the confusion and corruption of the world by fixing our gaze on the secret providence of God.
Text
Thy mercy, 0 Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. --Psalm 36:5
After having spoken of the very great depravity of men, the prophet, afraid lest he should become infected by it, or be carried away by the example of the wicked, as by a flood, quits the subject, and recovers himself by reflecting on a different theme. It usually happens, that in condemning the wicked, the contagion of their malice insinuates itself into our minds when we are not conscious of it; and there is scarcely one in a hundred who, after having complained of the malice of others, keeps himself in true godliness, pure and unpolluted.
The meaning therefore is: Although we may see among men a sad and frightful confusion, which, like a great gulf, would swallow up the minds of the godly, David, nevertheless, maintains that the world is full of the goodness and righteousness of God, and that he governs heaven and earth on the strictest principles of equity.
And certainly, whenever the corruption of the world affects our minds, and fills us with amazement, we must take care not to limit our views to the wickedness of men, who overturn and confound all things; but in the midst of this strange confusion it becomes us to elevate our thoughts in admiration and wonder, to the contemplation of the secret providence of God. --Commentaries
Sermon Outline
- The Depravity of Men
- The Goodness of God
- Elevating Our Thoughts to God's Providence
- Avoiding the limitation of our views to human wickedness
- Admiring God's secret providence in the midst of confusion
Key Quotes
“The contagion of malice insinuates itself into our minds when we are not conscious of it; and there is scarcely one in a hundred who, after having complained of the malice of others, keeps himself in true godliness, pure and unpolluted.” — John Calvin
“We must take care not to limit our views to the wickedness of men, who overturn and confound all things; but in the midst of this strange confusion it becomes us to elevate our thoughts in admiration and wonder, to the contemplation of the secret providence of God.” — John Calvin
Application Points
- We must be careful not to limit our views to the wickedness of men and instead focus on the goodness and righteousness of God.
- We should elevate our thoughts to the contemplation of God's secret providence in the midst of confusion.
- We must remember that the world is full of God's goodness and righteousness, even in the midst of depravity.