Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 34:11

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 34:11. Come, ye children — All ye that are of an humble, teachable spirit.

I will teach you the fear of the Lord. — I shall introduce the translation and paraphrase from my old Psalter; and the rather because I believe there is a reference to that very improper and unholy method of teaching youth the system of heathen mythology before they are taught one sound lesson of true divinity, till at last their minds are imbued with heathenism, and the vicious conduct of gods, goddesses, and heroes, here very properly called tyrants, becomes the model of their own; and they are as heathenish without as they are heathenish within.

Trans. Cummes sones heres me: bred of Lard I sal gou lere.

Par. Cummes with trauth and luf: sones, qwam I gette in haly lere: heres me. With eres of hert. I sal lere you, noght the fabyls of poetes; na the storys of tyrauntz; bot the dred of oure Larde, that wyl bryng thou til the felaghschippe of aungels; and thar in is lyfe." I need not paraphrase this paraphrase, as it is plain enough.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 34:0 Thanks for deliverance

When he first fled from Saul to the Philistine city of Gath, David expected the Philistines would welcome him as a deserter from Israel’s army, and so provide him with refuge. But the Philistines had probably not yet heard of David’s break with Saul. They knew only that David had killed thousands of their own Philistine people; perhaps he was spying out their city in preparation for more slaughter. They decided to kill him, and David escaped only by pretending to be a madman. He found a new hiding place in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 21:10-1).

Although the king of Gath’s name was Achish, the heading to this psalm calls him Abimelech. This was a Philistine royal title (meaning ‘father-king’), in the same manner as ‘Pharaoh’ was an Egyptian royal title (cf. Genesis 20:2; Genesis 21:22; Genesis 26:26).

David trusts that God’s deliverance of him will encourage others and be a cause for joint praise (1-3). His face previously showed shame and fear; now it shows radiance, for God protects and rescues the downtrodden when they cry to him (4-7). David therefore invites others to taste God’s goodness for themselves. The strongest and most successful flesh-hunting beasts do not always find enough food to satisfy them, but David never suffers a shortage of supplies. He fears God, and therefore God provides for him (8-10).
To fear God requires people to speak truthfully, do good and strive for peace. This is the only way to true enjoyment in life (11-14). God punishes those who do evil but he answers the prayers of those who live uprightly, particularly when they are tempted to give up hope (15-18). Regardless of the extent of people’s suffering, God is always able to preserve them through it. In the end, righteousness will lead to victory (19-22).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"Come ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of Jehovah. What man is he that desireth life, And loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it."

"I will teach you the fear of Jehovah" (Psalms 34:11). "David was a famous musician, a statesman, and a great soldier; but he does not say, `I will teach you to play on the harp,' or `how to handle the sword, or the spear, or to draw the bow,' nor, `to know the maxims of state policy,' but `I will teach you the fear of the Lord.'"Matthew Henry's Commentary, Vol. III, p. 357.

The knowledge that David here proposed to teach the young is the best knowledge of all; it is better than knowing all of the sciences, all of the arts, and all of the secrets of making war. Today, many a learned man is simply an ignoramus unless he also knows the Lord.

"What man is he that desireth life" (Psalms 34:12)? David's method of teaching here follows the classical pattern of throwing out a question and then providing the answer. "This method was a habit with David."F. Delitzsch, Vol. p. 411. We have already encountered it in Psalms 15, Psalms 24, and Psalms 25. Notice that David here gives preeminence to the avoidance of sins of the tongue, reminding us of the words of James who said that, "If a man stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man" (James 3:2).

The few things mentioned here by David are merely a few token things that suggest a truly righteous life in its fulness and obedience of the truth. This type of figure of speech is frequently used in the New Testament. One or two, or a very few, related things are mentioned as a metaphor standing for the whole list! This type of metaphor is called a synecdoche, In the New Testament, the most famous example of this is, "We are justified by faith," not meaning, of course, that we are justified by "faith alone," but by all of those Christian qualities of which `faith' is a prominent part.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Come, ye children - From persons in general Psalms 34:8 - from the saints and the pious Psalms 34:9 - the psalmist now turns to children - to the young - that he may state to them the result of his own experience, and teach them from that experience how they may find happiness and prosperity. The original word here rendered “children” properly means “sons;” but there can be no doubt that the psalmist meant to address the young in general. There is no evidence that he especially designed what is here said for his own sons. The counsel seems to have been designed for all the young. I see no reason for supposing, as Rosenmuller, DeWette, and Prof. Alexander do, that the word is here used in the sense of “disciples, scholars, learners.” That the word may have such a meaning, there can be no doubt; but it is much more in accordance with the scope of the psalm to regard the word as employed in its usual sense as denoting the young. It is thus a most interesting address from an aged and experienced man of God to those who are in the morning of life - suggesting to them the way by which they may make life prosperous and happy.

Hearken unto me - Attend to what I have to say, as the fruit of my experience and observation.

I will teach you the fear of the Lord - I will show you what constitutes the true fear of the Lord, or what is the nature of true religion. I will teach you how you may so fear and serve God as to enjoy his favor and obtain length of days upon the earth.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

11.Come, children, ⁽⁶⁹⁶⁾ hearken unto me. The Psalmist continues, with increased earnestness, to exhort the faithful, that they may know that nothing can be more profitable for them than to conduct themselves justly and harmlessly towards all men. As the greater part of men imagine that the best and the shortest way to attain a life of happiness and ease consists in striving to surpass other men in violence, fraud, injustice, and other means of mischief, it is necessary frequently to repeat this doctrine. Moreover, as it is necessary that the minds of men should be brought to a chastened and humble state, by calling them his children, he endeavors, by this gentle and courteous appellation, to allay all froward affections. None will stand unmoved amidst so many assaults, but those who have been endued by the Spirit of meekness with the greatest modesty. The prophet, therefore, tells them at the outset, that the rule of life which he prescribes can be observed and obeyed by those only who are meek and submissive. To the same purpose is the word come, and the command to hearken; and they imply, that men laying aside all wilfulness of spirit, and having subdued the ardor and impetuosity of their minds, should become docile and meek. He has put the fear of the Lord for the rule of a pious and holy life: as if he had said, Whilst virtue and righteousness are in every man’s mouth, there are few who lead a holy life, and live as they ought; because they know not what it is to serve God.

(696) By this affectionate appellation, Hebrew teachers were wont to address their scholars.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 34:1-22

Psalms 34:1-22 is a psalm of David when he, it says, "changed his behavior, before Abimelech." Actually, it is probably the case of when he had gone down and Abimelech or Achish the king who drove him away and departed. Now David, when he was fleeing from Saul, Saul was trying to kill him, he fled into the land of the Philistines and he was brought to the Philistine king, Achish. And suddenly David thought, "Hey, here I am, and the Philistines hate me," because he had killed Goliath, and he had been the champion of the Israelites in many battles against the Philistines. So much so that the ladies would come out in their dances and they would sing, "Saul has killed his thousands, David, his tens of thousands." "And so, here I am now in the land of the Philistines and here I am surrounded by the king and all of his army and everything else." And David thought, "Man, what if the king gets angry and orders me wiped out? I am a dead man." So David began to act like he was crazy, and of course, he was a character and I love him.

We used to do some many dumb stupid things when we kids, to get reaction from people, and all, you know, the charades and everything else that you go through. And so David just started slobbering all over his beard. And when he was brought in before King Achish, here he was slobbering all over, and he went over and scrabbled on the walls. Just started scratching on the walls and trying to climb the walls and everything else, and the king said, "What do you bring a madman to me for? Get him out of here." And so David escaped from Achish by this little ruse of feigning insanity. And so when he got out of it, when he was delivered, he wrote this psalm. And so that is the background after he is out there, and he is probably laughing, you know, and saying, "Wasn't that funny? Did you see me trying to climb the walls?" But the ruse worked at least, and he was able to escape. And he says,

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. For I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from my fears ( Psalms 34:1-4 ).

Now, David is pointing out that this action of pretending to be a madman was prompted by fear, "He delivered me out of all of my fears." Now in the book of Proverbs, it says, "The fear of man bringeth a snare." Now here David was afraid of King Achish, but look what it did to him. It reduced him to a slobbering idiot. The fear of man can reduce you. "The fear of man is a snare, but whoso puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe" ( Proverbs 29:25 ). But David is calling upon the people, "O magnify the Lord with me." The praising of the Lord by His people.

They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that reverence him, and delivers them ( Psalms 34:5-7 ).

Now the Bible says that, "He shall give His angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways, to bear thee up lest at any time you should dash your foot against a stone" ( Psalms 91:11-12 ). In the New Testament in the book of Hebrews we are told concerning angels that they are ministering spirits who have been sent forth to minister to those who are heirs of salvation. So you hear of your guardian angel. "For the angel of the Lord, encamps round about them that reverence Him, and He delivers them." So there is the opinion that we, each of us, have sort of a guardian angel that sort of watches over us. They are ministering spirits who have been sent forth to minister to us, who are the heirs of salvation.

Now I plan to have a few words with my angel when I get to heaven. I want to know where he was on a few occasions. And on the other hand, I want to thank him, for I will tell you, so many times I have been delivered, I know, only by divine providence. God's divine hand upon my life is the only... I don't know how I got out of it. To this day I don't know how, and yet God's glorious hand, the angel of the Lord. I had a very interesting experience with my angel many years ago while in high school, and I know that the angel of the Lord was with me, and protected me, and kept me, and it was a very unique and fascinating experience. I look back upon it with great gratitude, for God's protecting hand.

O taste and see that the LORD is good ( Psalms 34:8 ):

You have to experience it. I can stand here and tell you all day how good God is, but you've got to experience it for yourself. I could be eating one of those drumsticks from Swenson's up here, and I could tell you how delicious that chocolate with the almonds imbedded in it, how creamy the ice cream, and I could just go on telling you, "Man, this is just delicious," and eat it right there in front of you. But you're not going to know how delicious it is until I say, "Here, take a bite. Taste and see!" I can stand here and tell you how good God is, but you've got to really experience for yourself to really know. "O taste and see that the Lord is good."

blessed is the man who trusts in him. Reverence the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them who reverence him. The young lions do lack, they suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD will not want for any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I'm gonna teach you what it is to reverence the LORD. What man is he that desires life, and loves many days, that he might see good? ( Psalms 34:8-12 )

What man is there that doesn't want to just live a long, good life? All right, here is the rule.

Keep thy tongue from evil, thy lips from speaking deceitfully. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry ( Psalms 34:13-15 ).

"The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears are open unto their cry." In the fifty-ninth chapter of Isaiah we read, "The arm of the Lord is not short that He cannot save, neither is His ear heavy that He cannot hear. But your sins have separated you from your God." But to the righteous His ear is open to their cry. "The eye of the Lord is upon the righteous, His ear is open to their cry."

The face of the LORD is against those that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all of their troubles. The LORD is near unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit ( Psalms 34:16-18 ).

So you that are broken hearted, God is so near.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous ( Psalms 34:19 ):

God doesn't promise you divine immunity from trouble. God doesn't promise that you are not going to have any problems. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous,"

but the LORD delivereth him out of them all ( Psalms 34:19 ).

Now, many are the afflictions of the wicked, but you have to stop there. I don't care if you are righteous or wicked; you are going to have problems. There are going to be troubles in life. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; many are the afflictions of the wicked. You say, "Then what is the difference between a wicked man and a righteous man? Why, then, be righteous?" Because for the righteous the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

He keepeth all of his bones: not one of them is broken ( Psalms 34:20 ).

Now this is a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ. It is referred to in the New Testament as a prophecy concerning Christ when they decided to hasten the death of the prisoners as they were hanging there upon the crosses. They asked permission to break their legs in order to hasten their deaths. And so they broke the legs of the two thieves that were crucified beside Jesus, and when the soldier came to break His legs, they found that He was already dead. And so rather than breaking His leg, he took his spear just to make sure, and thrust it into Jesus' side, the area of the heart, and there came out the blood and the water. Signifying death by heart rupture. But they didn't break His bones in order that the scripture might be fulfilled which declared, "Not a bone of Him shall be broken." That is this psalm referring to Jesus Christ.

Now, you see, Jesus was a sacrifice for us. He was a sacrificial lamb, if you please. When John the Baptist introduced Jesus at the beginning of His ministry, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world!" ( John 1:29 ) And we are redeemed, Peter said, "Not with corruptible things such as silver and gold from our former empty life, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ who was slain as a lamb without spot or without blemish" ( 1 Peter 1:18-19 ). So as a sacrificial lamb there was one requirement for the lamb that was offered for sacrifice--it could not have any bones broken. And so the prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, being the sacrificial lamb, not a bone of Him was broken.

Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate righteousness shall be desolate. The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate ( Psalms 34:21-22 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 34

In this combination individual thanksgiving and wisdom psalm, David glorified God for delivering His people, and he reflected on the Lord’s promise to bless the godly with long life.

The title identifies the occasion on which David composed this psalm (cf. 1 Samuel 21:10-15). It is another acrostic with all but the last verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet and with the omission of a verse beginning with the letter waw.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

David addressed his people as a parent instructs his children. He promised wise counsel on the subject of trusting God.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. God’s blessing of the righteous 34:11-22

This section of verses records David’s instructions to the people concerning how they could experience a full, long life. This is didactic wisdom literature similar to what we find in the Book of Proverbs.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Come, ye children,.... Meaning either his own children, those of his own family, judging it his duty to instruct them, and bring them up in the fear of the Lord; or his subjects, to whom he stood in the relation of a father, as every king does; or all his hearers, as those who attended the prophets are called the children or sons of the prophets; or young people in common may be designed, who should be taught early their duty to God and men: unless the children of God in general are here meant; or particularly the least among them, called babes and little children, who are little in their own eyes, are modest and humble; and who, as they need instruction, are most forward to receive it; and the word "come" does not so much design local motion, a drawing near to hear, as readiness to hear, and a close attention of mind; as follows;

hearken unto me; as unto a father, giving good doctrine and wholesome advice; Proverbs 2:1;

I will teach you the fear of the Lord; which he had so often spoken of, and so many good things are promised to them that have it, and even in the context: this the psalmist could not give, nor can any man, only teach it, show the nature of it, in what it lies, how it shows itself, and what are the effects it produces: this is the first lesson to be taught and learnt; for it is the beginning of wisdom; it includes all grace, and every duty, and regards the whole worship of God, and the manner of it.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.   12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?   13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.   14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.   15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.   16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.   17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.   18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.   19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.   20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.   21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.   22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

      David, in this latter part of the psalm, undertakes to teach children. Though a man of war, and anointed to be king, he did not think it below him; though now he had his head so full of cares and his hands of business, yet he could find heart and time to give good counsel to young people, from his own experience. It does not appear that he had now any children of his own, at least any that were grown up to a capacity of being taught; but, by divine inspiration, he instructs the children of his people. Those that were in years would not be taught by him, though he had offered them his service (Psalms 32:8); but he had hopes that the tender branches will be more easily bent and that children and young people will be more tractable, and therefore he calls together a congregation of them (Psalms 34:11; Psalms 34:11): "Come, you children, that are now in your learning age, and are now to lay up a stock of knowledge which you must live upon all your days, you children that are foolish and ignorant, and need to be taught." Perhaps he intends especially those children whose parents neglected to instruct and catechise them; and it is as great a piece of charity to put those children to school whose parents are not in a capacity to teach them as to feed those children whose parents have not bread for them. Observe, 1. What he expects from them: "Hearken unto me, leave your play, lay by your toys, and hear what I have to say to you; not only give me the hearing, but observe and obey me." 2. What he undertakes to teach them--the fear of the Lord, inclusive of all the duties of religion. David was a famous musician, a statesman, a soldier; but he does not say to the children, "I will teach you to play on the harp, or to handle the sword or spear, or to draw the bow, or I will teach you the maxims of state policy;" but I will teach you the fear of the Lord, which is better than all arts and sciences, better than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices. That is it which we should be solicitous both to learn ourselves and to teach our children.

      I. He supposes that we all aim to be happy (Psalms 34:12; Psalms 34:12): What man is he that desireth life? that is, as it follows, not only to see many days, but to see good comfortable days. Non est vivere, sed valere, vita--It is not being, but well being, that constitutes life. It is asked, "Who wishes to live a long and pleasant life?" and it is easily answered, Who does not? Surely this must look further than time and this present world; for man's life on earth at best consists but of few days and those full of trouble. What man is he that would be eternally happy, that would see many days, as many as the days of heaven, that would see good in that world where all bliss is in perfection, without the least alloy? Who would see the good before him now, by faith and hope, and enjoy it shortly? Who would? Alas! very few have that in their thoughts. Most ask, Who will show us any good? But few ask, What shall we do to inherit eternal life? This question implies that there are some such.

      II. He prescribes the true and only way to happiness both in this world and that to come, Psalms 34:13; Psalms 34:14. Would we pass comfortably through this world, and out of the world, our constant care must be to keep a good conscience; and, in order to that, 1. We must learn to bridle our tongues, and be careful what we say, that we never speak amiss, to God's dishonour or our neighbours prejudice: Keep thy tongue from evil speaking, lying, and slandering. So great a way does this go in religion that, if any offend not in word, the same is a perfect man; and so little a way does religion go without this that of him who bridles not his tongue it is declared, His religion is vain. 2. We must be upright and sincere in every thing we say, and not double-tongued. Our words must be the indications of our minds; our lips must be kept from speaking guild either to God or man. 3. We must leave all our sins, and resolve we will have no more to do with them. We must depart from evil, from evil works and evil workers; from the sins others commit and which we have formerly allowed ourselves in. 4. It is not enough not to do hurt in the world, but we must study to be useful, and live to some purpose. We must not only depart from evil, but we must do good, good for ourselves, especially for our own souls, employing them well, furnishing them with a good treasure, and fitting them for another world; and, as we have ability and opportunity, we must do good to others also. 5. Since nothing is more contrary to that love which never fails (which is the summary both of law and gospel, both of grace and glory) than strife and contention, which bring confusion and every evil work, we must seek peace and pursue it; we must show a peaceable disposition, study the things that make for peace, do nothing to break the peace and to make mischief. If peace seem to flee from us, we must pursue it; follow peace with all men, spare no pains, no expense, to preserve and recover peace; be willing to deny ourselves a great deal, both in honour and interest, for peace' sake. These excellent directions in a way to life and good are transcribed into the New Testament and made part of our gospel duty, 1 Peter 3:10. And, perhaps David, in warning us that we speak no guile, reflects upon his own sin in changing his behaviour. Those that truly repent of what they have done amiss will warn others to take heed of doing likewise.

      III. He enforces these directions by setting before us the happiness of the godly in the love and favour of God and the miserable state of the wicked under his displeasure. Here are life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse, plainly stated before us, that we may choose life and live. See Isaiah 3:10; Isaiah 3:11.

      1. Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with them, however they may bless themselves in their own way. (1.) God is against them, and then they cannot but be miserable. Sad is the case of that man who by his sin has made his Maker his enemy, his destroyer. The face of the Lord is against those that do evil,Psalms 34:16; Psalms 34:16. Sometimes God is said to turn his face from them (Jeremiah 18:17), because they have forsaken him; here he is said to set his face against them, because they have fought against him; and most certainly God is able to out-face the most proud and daring sinners and can frown them into hell. (2.) Ruin is before them; this will follow of course if God be against them, for he is able both to kill and to cast into hell. [1.] The land of the living shall be no place for them nor theirs. When God sets his face against them he will not only cut them off, but cut off the remembrance of them; when they are alive he will bury them in obscurity, when they are dead he will bury them in oblivion. He will root out their posterity, by whom they would be remembered. He will pour disgrace upon their achievements, which they gloried in and for which they thought they should be remembered. It is certain that there is no lasting honour but that which comes from God. [2.] There shall be a sting in their death: Evil shall slay the wicked,Psalms 34:21; Psalms 34:21. Their death shall be miserable; and so it will certainly be, though they die on a bed of down or on the bed of honour. Death, to them, has a curse in it, and is the king of terrors; to them it is evil, only evil. It is very well observed by Dr. Hammond that the evil here, which slays the wicked, is the same word, in the singular number, that is used (Psalms 34:19; Psalms 34:19) for the afflictions of the righteous, to intimate that godly people have many troubles, and yet they do them no hurt, but are made to work for good to them, for God will deliver them out of them all; whereas wicked people have fewer troubles, fewer evils befal them, perhaps but one, and yet that one may prove their utter ruin. One trouble with a curse in it kills and slays, and does execution; but many, with a blessing in them, are harmless, nay, gainful. [3.] Desolation will be their everlasting portion. Those that are wicked themselves often hate the righteous, name and thing, have an implacable enmity to them and their righteousness; but they shall be desolate, shall be condemned as guilty, and laid waste for ever, shall be for ever forsaken and abandoned of God and all good angels and men; and those that are so are desolate indeed.

      2. Yet say to the righteous, It shall be well with them. All good people are under God's special favour and protection. We are here assured of this under a great variety of instances and expressions.

      (1.) God takes special notice of good people, and takes notice who have their eyes ever to him and who make conscience of their duty to him: The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (Psalms 34:15; Psalms 34:15), to direct and guide them, to protect and keep them. Parents that are very fond of a child will not let it be out of their sight; none of God's children are ever from under his eye, but on them he looks with a singular complacency, as well as with a watchful and tender concern.

      (2.) They are sure of an answer of peace to their prayers. All God's people are a praying people, and they cry in prayer, which denotes great importunity; but is it to any purpose? Yes, [1.] God takes notice of what we say (Psalms 34:17; Psalms 34:17): They cry, and the Lord hears them, and hears them so as to make it appear he has a regard to them. His ears are open to their prayers, to receive them all, and to receive them readily and with delight. Though he has been a God hearing prayer ever since men began to call upon the name of the Lord, yet his ear is not heavy. There is no rhetoric, nothing charming, in a cry, yet God's ears are open to it, as the tender mother's to the cry of her sucking child, which another would take no notice of: The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth,Psalms 34:17; Psalms 34:17. This intimates that it is the constant practice of good people, when they are in distress, to cry unto God, and it is their constant comfort that God hears them. [2.] He not only takes notice of what we say, but is ready for us to our relief (Psalms 34:18; Psalms 34:18): He is nigh to those that are of a broken heart, and saves them. Note, First, It is the character of the righteous, whose prayers God will hear, that they are of a broken heart and a contrite spirit (that is, humbled for sin and emptied of self); they are low in their own eyes, and have no confidence in their own merit and sufficiency, but in God only. Secondly, Those who are so have God nigh unto them, to comfort and support them, that the spirit may not be broken more than is meet, lest it should fail before him. See Isaiah 57:15. Though God is high, and dwells on high, yet he is near to those who, being of a contrite spirit, know how to value his favour, and will save them from sinking under their burdens; he is near them to good purpose.

      (3.) They are taken under the special protection of the divine government (Psalms 34:20; Psalms 34:20): He keepeth all his bones; not only his soul, but his body; not only his body in general, but every bone in it: Not one of them is broken. He that has a broken heart shall not have a broken bone; for David himself had found that, when he had a contrite heart, the broken bones were made to rejoice,Psalms 51:8; Psalms 51:17. One would not expect to meet with any thing of Christ here, and yet this scripture is said to be fulfilled in him (John 19:36) when the soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves that were crucified with him, but did not break his, they being under the protection of this promise as well as of the type, even the paschal-lamb (a bone of him shall not be broken); the promises, being made good to Christ, through him are sure to all the seed. It does not follow but that a good man may have a broken bone; but, by the watchful providence of God concerning him, such a calamity is often wonderfully prevented, and the preservation of his bones is the effect of this promise; and, if he have a broken bone, sooner or later it shall be made whole, at furthest at the resurrection, when that which is sown in weakness shall be raised in power.

      (4.) They are, and shall be, delivered out of their troubles. [1.] It is supposed that they have their share of crosses in this world, perhaps a greater share than others. In the world they must have tribulation, that they may be conformed both to the will of God and to the example of Christ (Psalms 34:19; Psalms 34:19); Many are the afflictions of the righteous, witness David and his afflictions, Psalms 132:1. There are those that hate them (Psalms 34:21; Psalms 34:21) and they are continually aiming to do them a mischief; their God loves them, and therefore corrects them; so that, between the mercy of heaven and the malice of hell, the afflictions of the righteous must needs be many. [2.] God has engaged for their deliverance and salvation: He delivers them out of all their troubles (Psalms 34:17; Psalms 34:19); he saves them (Psalms 34:18; Psalms 34:18), so that, though they may fall into trouble, it shall not be their ruin. This promise of their deliverance is explained, Psalms 34:22; Psalms 34:22. Whatever troubles befal them, First, They shall not hurt their better part. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants from the power of the grave (Psalms 49:15) and from the sting of every affliction. He keeps them from sinning in their troubles, which is the only thing that would do them a mischief, and keeps them from despair, and from being put out of the possession of their own souls. Secondly, They shall not hinder their everlasting bliss. None of those that trust in him shall be desolate; that is, they shall not be comfortless, for they shall not be cut off from their communion with God. No man is desolate but he whom God has forsaken, nor is any man undone till he is in hell. Those that are God's faithful servants, that make it their care to please him and their business to honour him, and in doing so trust him to protect and reward them, and, with good thoughts of him, refer themselves to him, have reason to be easy whatever befals them, for they are safe and shall be happy.

      In singing Psalms 34:11-22 let us be confirmed in the choice we have made of the ways of God; let us be quickened in his service, and greatly encouraged by the assurances he has given of the particular care he takes of all those that faithfully adhere to him.

Spurgeon's Verse Expositions of the Bible

Preface

For more than a century, Charles Haddon Spurgeon's sermons have been consistently recognized, and their usefulness and impact have continued to the present day, even in the outdated English of the author's own day.

Why then should expositions already so successful and of such stature and proven usefulness require adaptation, revision, rewrite or even editing? The answer is obvious. To increase its usefulness to today's reader, the language in which it was originally written needs updating.

Though his sermons have served other generations well, just as they came from the pen of the author in the nineteenth century, they still could be lost to present and future generations, simply because, to them, the language is neither readily nor fully understandable.

My goal, however, has not been to reduce the original writing to the vernacular of our day. It is designed primarily for you who desire to read and study comfortably and at ease in the language of our time. Only obviously archaic terminology and passages obscured by expressions not totally familiar in our day have been revised. However, neither Spurgeon's meaning nor intent have been tampered with.

Tony Capoccia

All Scripture references are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW NTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Updated Copy of this sermon copyrighted 1998 Ó by Tony Capoccia All Rights Reserved

TEACHING CHILDREN

by

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892)

"Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD." Psalms 34:11

It is a noteworthy, that good men frequently discover their duty when they are placed in the most humiliating situations. Never in David's life was he in a worse dilemma than that situation which prompted this Psalm to be written. It is, as you can read at the beginning, "A Psalm of David, when he faked insanity before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left."

David was carried before King Achish, the Abimelech of Philistia, and in order to make his escape, he pretended to be insane by acting in very degrading ways which easily gave the impression that he had positively lost his mind. He was driven away from the palace, and as usual, when such men are in the street, a number of children gather around him. Later, when he sang songs of praise to God, remembering how he had become the laughing stock of little children, he seemed to say, "I have caused the future generations to think less of me because of my foolishness in the streets in front of the children; now I will endeavor to undo the mischief. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD."

It is very possible, that if David had never been in such a position, he never would have thought of this duty; for I do not discover in any other Psalm that David said, "Come, my children, listen to me." He had the worries of the cities and his nation pressing upon him, and he paid very little attention to the education of the youth; but here, being brought into the most difficult position which a man could possibly be in, acting the part of a man without reason, he remembers his responsibility. The exalted, or wealthy Christian, does not always remember their responsibility to the lambs.

Departing, however, from this thought, let me address myself to the text, "Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD."

Today I have broken the sermon into five segments:

1. I shall give you one Doctrine

2. I shall give you two Encouragements

3. I shall give you three Warnings

4. I shall give you four Instructions

5. I shall give you five Subjects for children

And all of these will be taken from our text.

I. ONE DOCTRINE

"Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD."

The doctrine is, that children are capable of being taught the fear of the Lord.

Commonly, men are the wisest after they have been the most foolish. David had been extremely foolish, and now he had become extremely wise; and being so it was not likely that he would speak foolish opinions, or give the type of directions that would be dictated by a weak mind.

We have heard it said by some that children cannot understand the great mysteries of Christianity. We even know some Sunday School teachers who cautiously avoid mentioning the great doctrines of the gospel, because they think the children are not prepared to receive them. The same mistake has crept into the pulpit, for it is currently believed, among a certain group of preachers, that many of the doctrines of the Word of God, although true, are not fit to be taught to the people, since they would misapply them to their own ruin. Away with such ideas, for this is one of the errors of the Roman Catholic Church.

Whatever my God has revealed must be preached. Whatever He has revealed, if I am not capable of understanding it, I will still believe it, and preach it. I am convinced that there is no doctrine of the Word of God which a child, if he is capable of salvation, is not capable of receiving. I would have children taught all the great doctrines of truth without a single exception, that they may in later life hold firmly to them. I can bear witness that children can understand the Scriptures, for I am sure that when I was a child I could have discussed many a complicated point of controversial theology, having heard both sides of the question freely stated among my father's circle of friends. In fact, children are capable of understanding some things in early life, which we can hardly understand in our later years.

Children have a simplicity of faith. Simplicity is analogous to the highest knowledge; indeed, many of us are not aware that there is little difference between the simplicity of a child and the genius of the profoundest mind. He who receives things simply, as a child, will often have ideas which the man who is prone to use deductive reasoning could never discover.

If you wish to know whether children can be taught, I point you to many in our churches, and in godly families not geniuses, but the more common children the Timothy's and Samuel's, and little girls too, who have come to know a Savior's love. As soon as a child is capable of being damned it is capable of being saved. As soon as a child can sin, that child can, if God's grace helps it, believe and receive the Word of God. As soon as children can learn evil, be assured that they are capable, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, to learn good.

Never go to your Sunday School class with the thought that the children cannot understand you; for if you do not make them understand, it is because you do not understand it yourselves; if you do not teach children what you wish, it is because you are not fit for the task: you should use simpler words more fitted for their capacity, and then you would discover that it was not the fault of the child, but the fault of the teacher, if he did not learn. I believe that children are capable of salvation. He who in divine sovereignty redeems the gray haired sinner from the error of his ways, can turn a little child from his youthful lusts. He who in the eleventh hour finds some standing idle in the marketplace, and sends them into the vineyard, can call men at the dawning of the day to work for Him.

He who can change the course of the river when it has rolled onward and become a mighty flood, can control a newborn river leaping from its cradle fountain, and make it run in the channel He desires. He can do all things; He can work on children's hearts as He pleases, for all of them are under His control.

I will not delay to establish the doctrine, because I do not consider any of you are so foolish as to doubt it. But although you believe it, I fear many of you don't expect to hear of children being saved. Throughout the churches I have noticed a kind of abhorrence of any thing like early childhood godliness. We are afraid of the idea of a little boy loving Christ; and if we hear of a little girl following the Savior, we say it is a youthful fancy, an early impression that will die away. My dear friends, I ask you, never to treat the godliness of a young child with suspicion. It is a tender plant--don't brush it too hard.

I heard of a story some time ago, which I believe to be completely true. A dear little girl, some five or six years old, a true lover of Jesus, requested of her mother that she might join the church. The mother told her she was too young. The poor little thing was severely grieved; and after a awhile the mother, who saw that godliness was in the little girl's heart, spoke to the minister on the subject. The minister talked to the child, and said to the mother, "I am thoroughly convinced of her salvation and godliness, but I cannot take her into the church, because she is too young." When the child heard that, a strange gloom passed over her face; and the next morning when her mother went to her little bed, she saw the little girl laying there with a pearly tear or two on each eye, dead because of her grief; her heart was broken, because she could not follow her Savior, and do as He had commanded her.

I would not have murdered that child for all the world! Take care how you treat young devotion to Christ. Treat it very tenderly. Believe that children can be saved as much as yourselves. When you see the young heart brought to the Savior, don't stand by and speak harshly, mistrusting everything. It is better sometimes to be deceived than to be the one who causes a young child to be ruined. May God send to his people a more firm belief that little buds of grace are worthy of all of our care.

II. TWO ENCOURAGEMENTS

Now, secondly, I will give you two encouragements, both of which you will find in the text.

The first is that of godly example. David said, "Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD." You are not ashamed to walk in the footsteps of David, are you? You won't object to follow the example of one who was first notably holy, and then notably great. Shall the shepherd boy, the giant killer, the psalmist of Israel, and the king, walk in footsteps which you are too proud to follow? Ah! no; you will be happy, I am sure, to be as David was. If you want, however, a greater example, even than that of David, listen to the Son of David while from his lips the sweet words flow, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." I am sure it would encourage you if you always thought of these examples.

You teach children you are not dishonored by it. Some say you are nothing but a Sunday School teacher, but you are a noble person, holding an honorable office, and having illustrious predecessors. We love to see persons of some standing in society take an interest in Sunday Schools. One great fault in many of our churches is that the children are left to the young people to take care of the older members, who have more wisdom, take very little notice of them; and very often the wealthier members of the church stand aside as if the teaching of the poor were not (as indeed it is) the special business of the rich.

I hope for the day when the mighty men of Israel shall be found helping in this great warfare against the enemy. In the United States we have heard of presidents, of judges, Congressmen, and persons in the highest positions not condescending, for I hate to use such a term, but honoring themselves by teaching little children in Sunday School. He who teaches a class in Sunday School has earned a good degree. I would have rather received the title of S.S.T., than M.A., B.A., or any other honor that was ever conferred. Let me beg of you then to take heart, because your duties are so honorable. Let the royal example of David, let the noble, the godly example of Jesus Christ inspire you with fresh diligence and increasing love, with confident and enduring perseverance, still to go on in your mighty work, saying, as David did, "Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD."

The second encouragement I will give is the encouragement of great success. David said, "Come, my children, listen to me;" he did not add, "Perhaps I will teach you the fear of the Lord" but "I will teach you." He had success; or if he had not, others have. The success of Sunday Schools! If I begin to speak of that I will have an endless theme; therefore I will not begin. Many books might be written on it, and then when all were written, we might say, "I suppose that even the world itself could not contain all that might be written."

Up above where the starry hosts perpetually sing His high praise up where the redeemed saints, dressed in white robes, continually throw their crowns before His feet--we may behold the success of Sunday Schools. There, too, where voices of those taken home to heaven early in their young lives, gather Sunday after Sunday, to sing, "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild," we see with joy the success of Sunday Schools. And in almost every pulpit of our land, and there in the pews where the deacons sit, and godly members join in worship--there is the success of Sunday Schools.

And far across the broad ocean in the islands of the south, in lands where those live who bow down before blocks of wood and stone--there are missionaries saved by Sunday Schools, whose thousands, redeemed by their labors, contribute to swell the mighty stream of the tremendous, incalculable, I had almost said infinite success of Sunday School instruction. Go on! go on! So much has been done; more will be done. Let all your past victories inflame you with love; let the remembrance of campaigns of triumph, and of battlefields, won for your Savior in the realms of salvation and peace, be your encouragement for fresh duty.

III. THREE WARNINGS

Now, thirdly, I give you three warnings.

The first is, remember who you are teaching. "Come, my children."

I think we ought always to have respect for our audience. Not that kind of respect that we need to worry that we are preaching to Mr. So-an-so, or to Sir William This, or the Honorable Mr. That because in God's sight title and position is a small matter; but we are to remember that we are preaching to men and women who have souls, so that we should not waste their time with things that are not worth their hearing. But when you teach in Sunday Schools, you are, if it is possible, in a more responsible situation even than a minister.

Ministers preach to grownup people--men of judgment, who, if they do not like what he preaches, have the option of going somewhere else; you teach children who have no option to go elsewhere. If you wrongly teach the child, he believes you; if you teach him heresies he will receive them; what you teach him now, he will never forget. You are not sowing, as some say, on virgin soil, for it has long been occupied by the devil; but you are sowing on a soil more fertile than it ever will be that will produce far better fruit now than it will do in the later years of its life; you are sowing on a young heart, and what you sow will be pretty sure to remain there, especially if you teach evil, for that will never be forgotten.

You are beginning with the child; take care what you do with him. Don't spoil him. Many a child has been treated like the Indian children, who had copper plates attached to their foreheads, so that they may never grow. There are many who know themselves to be illiterate now, just because those who had the care of them when young gave them no opportunities of getting knowledge, so that when they became old they cared nothing about it. Take special care what you are doing; you are teaching children; be very mindful of what you are accomplishing. Put poison in the spring, and it will impregnate the whole stream.

Take special care what you are trying to achieve, sir! You are twisting the sapling, and the old oak will therefore be bent. Be careful! It is a child's soul you are tampering with, if you are tampering at all; it is a child's soul you are preparing for eternity, if God is with you. I give you a solemn warning on every child's behalf. Surely, if it is treachery to administer poison to the dying, it must be far more criminal to give poison to the young life. If it is evil to mislead those who are gray headed, it must be far more so to turn aside the young heart to a road of error in which he may forever walk. Yes! it is a solemn warning you are teaching children.

The second warning is, remember that you are teaching for God. "Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord."

If you, as teachers, were only assembled to teach geography, I am sure I would not interfere if you were telling the children that the north pole was close to the equator; if you were to say that the extremity of South America lay right next to the coast of Europe; I would smile at your error. And perhaps, I would even maintain it was a joke, if I heard you assure them that England was in the middle of Africa. But you are not teaching geography or astronomy, nor are you teaching for business or for the world; but you are teaching them, to the best of your ability, for God.

You say to them, "Children, you come here to be taught the Word of God; you come here, if it is possible, that we may be the means of saving your souls." Care about what you are doing when you pretend to be teaching them for God. Wound the child's hand if you like, but, for the sake of God, don't touch his heart. Say what you like about earthly matters, but I beg you, in spiritual matters, be careful how you lead him. Oh! be careful that it is the truth which you convey, and only that. And now how solemn your work becomes! He who is doing a work for himself, let him do it as he likes; but he who in laboring for another, let him be careful how he does his work; he who is now employed by a governor, let him beware how he performs his duty; but he who labors for God, let him tremble at the thought of doing careless work! Remember you are working for God. I say this, because you profess to be His servants. I fear that many among you, are far from having this view of the matter.

The third warning is remember that your children need teaching. The text implies that, when it says, "Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord."

That makes your work all the more solemn. If children did not need teaching, I would not be so extremely anxious that you should teach them right; for works that are not necessary, men may do as they please. But here the work is necessary. Your child needs teaching! He was born in sin; in sin did his mother conceive him. He has an evil heart; he does not know God, and he never will unless he is taught. He is not like some ground of which we have heard, that has good seed lying hidden in its very heart; but, instead he has evil seed within his heart. God can place good seed there. You profess to be God’s instrument to scatter seed upon that child's heart; remember, if that seed is not sown, he will be lost forever, his life will be a life of alienation from God, and, at his death, he will be thrown into the everlasting fire.

Be careful, then, how you teach, remembering the urgent necessity of the situation. This is not a house on fire needing your assistance with a fire hose, nor is it an accident at sea, demanding your oar in the lifeboat, but it is a eternal spirit calling out loud to you, "Come over and help us." I beg you, teach "the fear of the Lord," and only that; be very anxious to say, and say truly, "I will teach you the fear of the Lord."

IV. That brings me, in the fourth place, to FOUR INSTRUCTIONS, and they are all in the text.

The great complaint with some is that they cannot get children. Go and get them to come. In London we are canvassing the city; that is a good idea, and you ought to canvass every village, and every town, and get every child you can; for David says, "Come, my children." My advice then, is, get the children to come, and do any thing to make it happen. Don't bribe them that is the only plan we object to; it is only adopted in Sunday Schools of the lowest order; Sunday Schools so bad that, even the fathers and mothers of the children have too much sense then to send them there. But, except for that, don't be very particular how you get the children to school.

Why, if I could only get people to come to my place by preaching in a black coat, I would have on a tuxedo tomorrow. I would have a congregation somehow. Better to do strange things than have an empty chapel, or an empty school room. When I was in Scotland, we sent one of our workers around a village to secure an audience, and his efforts were eminently successful. Spare no means. Go and get the children in. I have known ministers who have gone out in the streets on Sunday afternoon, and talked to the children who were playing in the street, so as to induce them to come to the school. This is what an earnest teacher will do. He will say, "Come to our school; you cannot believe what a nice school it is" Then he gets the children in, and, in his kind, winning manner, he tells them some stories and anecdotes about girls and boys, and so on. And in this way the school is filled. Go and catch them any way possible. There is no law against it. You may do what you like in battle. All is fair against the devil. My first instruction then is, get children, and get them any way possible.

The next instruction is, "Get the children to love you," if you can. That also is in the text. "Come, my children, listen to me."

You know how we used to be taught in our private schools, how we stood up with our hands behind us to repeat our lessons. That was not David's plan. "Come, my children come here, and sit on my knee." "Oh!" thinks the child, "how nice to have such a teacher! A teacher that will let me come near him, a teacher that does not say "go" but "come." The fault of many teachers is, that they do not let their children near them, but endeavor to foster a kind of awful respect. Before you can teach children you must get the silver key of kindness to unlock their hearts, and get their attention. Say, "Come, my children."

We have known some good men who are objects of hatred to the children. You remember the story of two little boys who were one day asked if they would like to go to heaven, and who, much to their teacher's astonishment, said they really would not. When they were asked "why not," one of them said, "I would not like to go to heaven because grandpa would be there, and would be sure to say, ‘get out of here boys, get out of here boys.’ I would not like to be there with grandpa."

If a boy has a teacher who always wears a sour look, but who talks to him about Jesus, what does the boy think? "I wonder whether Jesus was like you; if He was, I wouldn't like Him very much." Then there is another teacher who, if he is provoked even a little, spanks the child; and, at the same time, teaches him that he should forgive others, and how kind he ought to be. "Well," thinks the child, "that is no doubt the way to be, but my teacher does not show me how to do it." If you drive a boy from you, your power is gone, for you won't be able to teach him anything. It is a waste of time to attempt teaching those who do not love you. Try and make them love you, and then they will learn anything from you.

The next instruction is, "Get the children's attention." That is in the text, "Come, my children, listen to me."

If they do not listen, you may talk, but you will waste your words. If they do not listen, you go through your labors as an meaningless drudgery to yourselves and your students too. You can do nothing without securing their attention. "That is just what I cannot do," says one. Well, that depends on you. If you give them something worth listening to, they will be sure to listen. Give them something worth hearing, and they will certainly listen. This rule may not be universal, but it is very nearly so. Don't forget to give them a few real life stories. Stories and Illustrations are very much objected to by critics of sermons, who say they ought not to be used in the pulpit. But some of us know better than that; we know what will wake a congregation up; we can speak from experience, that a few good illustrations here and there are first rate things to get the attention of persons who won't listen to dry doctrine.

Try to learn as many short interesting stories as possible, in the week just before the class. Wherever you go, if you are really a good teacher, you can always find something to make into a story to tell your children. Then, when your class gets dull, and you cannot get their attention, say to them, "Do you know "such-and-such" place downtown?" and then they all open their eyes at once, if there is such a place in the town; or, just tell them something you may have read or heard just to secure their attention.

A dear child once said: "Father, I like to hear Mr. So-and-so preach, because he puts some ‘likes’ into his sermon ‘like this, and like that.’ Yes, children always love those "likes." Make parables, pictures, figures, for them, and you will always get their attention. I am sure if I were a boy listening to some of you, unless you told me a story now and then, you would as often see the back of my head as my face; and I don't know, if I sat in a hot classroom, but that my head would nod, and I should go to sleep, or be playing with Tom on my left, and do as many strange things as the rest, if you did not strive to interest me. Remember to make them listen.

The fourth instruction is, "Care about what you teach the children." "Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord."

Not to wear you out, however, I only hint at that, and press on.

V. In the fifth place, I give to you FIVE SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSONS--five subjects to teach your children and these you will find in the verses following the text:

1. "Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." The first thing to teach is "morality." "Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

2. The second is "godliness, and a constant belief in God's oversight." "The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry."

3. The third thing is "the evil of sin:" "The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles."

4. The fourth thing is, "the necessity of a broken heart:" "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

5. The fifth thing is "the inestimable blessedness of being a child of God:" "A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him."

I have given you these divisions, and now let me refer to them one by one. Here, then, is a model lesson for you: "Come, my children, listen to me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord." David begins with a question, "Who of you loves life and desires to see many good days?" The children like that thought; they would like to live to be old. With this introduction he begins and teaches them morality: "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

Now, we never teach morality as the way of salvation. God forbid that we should ever mix up man's works in any way with the road to heaven; "For it is by grace we have been saved, through faith and this not from ourselves, it is the gift of God." But yet we teach morality, while we teach spirituality; and I have always found that the gospel produces the best morality in all the world. I would have the Sunday School teacher take special care of the morals of the boys and girls, speaking to them very particularly of those sins which are most common to youth. He may honestly and conveniently say many things to his children which no one else can say, especially when reminding them of the sin of lying, so common with children; the sin of little petty thefts, of disobedience to parents, and of failing to keep the Lord’s Day holy. I would have the teacher be very particular in mentioning these things, one by one; for it is of little help talking to them about sins in the mass: you must take them one by one, just as David did.

First look after the tongue: "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies." Then look after the whole conduct: "Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." If the child's soul is not saved by other parts of the teaching, this part may have a beneficial effect on his life; and so far so good. Morality, however, is comparatively a small thing.

The best part of what you teach is "godliness," a constant belief in God I said, not religion, but godliness. Many people are religious without being godly. Many have all the externals of godliness, all the outside of devotion such men we call religious but they have no thought about God. They think about their place of worship, their Sunday, their books, but nothing about God; and he who does not respect God, pray to God, love God, is an ungodly man with all his external religion, however good that may be. Labor to teach the child always to have an eye to God; write on his brow, "You, God, see me;" stamp on his books, "You, God, see me;" beg him to remember that,

"Within the embracing arms of God He forever will dwell;"

that the arms of Jehovah encompass him around while his every act and thought is under the eye of God. No Sunday School teacher discharges his duty unless he constantly lays stress on the fact that there is a God who notices everything. Oh! that we were more godly ourselves, that we longed for more godliness, and that we loved it better!

The third lesson is "the evil of sin." If the child does not learn that, he will never learn the way to heaven. None of us ever knew what a Savior Christ was till we knew what an evil thing sin was. If the Holy Spirit does not teach us "the exceeding sinfulness of sin," we shall never know the blessedness of salvation. Let us ask for His grace, then, we may forever be able to fight against the abominable nature of sin. "The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth." Don't spare your child; let him know what sin leads to; don't, like some people, be afraid of speaking the consequences of sin clearly and unbiased.

I have heard of a father, one of whose sons, a very ungodly young man, died suddenly. He did not, as some would do, say to his family: "We hope your brother has gone to heaven." No; but, overcoming his natural feelings, he was enabled, by divine grace, to gather the older children, and say: "My sons and daughters, your brother is dead; I fear he is in hell; you knew his life and conduct, you saw how he behaved: God snatched him away." Then he solemnly warned them of the place to which he believed, and almost knew he had gone, begging them to avoid it; and then he was the means of bringing them to serious thought. But had he acted, as some would have done, with tenderness of heart, but not with honesty of purpose, and said he hoped his son had gone to heaven, what would the others have said? "If he is gone to heaven, there is no need for us to fear, we may live any way we like."

No, no; I believe that it is not unchristian to say of some men that they have gone to hell, when we have seen that their lives have been hellish lives. But it is often said: "Can you judge your fellow creatures?" No, but I can "know" them by their fruits; I do not judge them or condemn them; they judge themselves. I have seen their sins go before them to judgment, and I do not doubt that they shall follow after. "But couldn't they have been saved at the eleventh hour?" I do not know that they can. I have heard of one who was, but I do not know that there ever was another, and I cannot tell that there ever will be. Be honest then, with your children, and teach them, by the help of God, that evil will kill the wicked.

But you will not have done half enough unless you teach carefully the fourth point "the absolute necessity of a change of heart." Oh, may God enable us to keep this constantly before the minds of the children that there must be a broken heart and a repentant spirit, that good works will be of no use unless there be a new nature, that the most laborious duties, and the most earnest prayers will all be nothing, unless there is a true and thorough repentance of sin, and an entire forsaking of it through the mercy of God. Yes! you be very sure, whatever you leave out, that you tell them of the three R's, Ruin, Regeneration, and Redemption. Tell them that they are ruined by the fall, and that if they are redeemed by Christ they never can know it until they are regenerated by the Spirit. Keep these things before them; and then you will have the pleasing task of telling them.

In the fifth place, the "joy and blessedness of being, a Christian." Well, I need not tell you how to talk about that, for if you know what it is to be a Christian you will never be short of words. Yes! beloved, when we get on this subject, our mind loves to speak, for it goes crazy with joy, and frolics in its bliss. Oh! truly was it said: "Blessed is the man whose sin is forgiven, and whose sin is pardoned." Truly was it said: "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him." Always stress this point, that the righteous are a blessed people that God's chosen family, redeemed by blood and saved by power, are a blessed people here below, and will be a blessed people above. Let your children see that you are blessed. If they know you are in trouble, come with a smiling face, if it be possible, so that they may say: "Our teacher is a blessed man, although he is weighed down with his troubles." Always seek to keep a joyous face that they may know religion to be a blessed thing; and let this be one main point of your teaching, "A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. The LORD redeems His servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him."

Thus I have given you these five lessons; and now, in conclusion, let me solemnly say, with all the instruction you may give to your children, you must be deeply conscious that you are not capable of doing any thing to effect the child's salvation, but that it is God Himself who from the first to the last must effect it all. You are a pen; God may write with you, but you can not write yourself. You are a sword; God may with you slay the child's sin, but you cannot slay it yourself. Therefore be always mindful of this, that you, yourself must first be taught by God, and then you must ask God to teach, for unless a higher teacher than you instruct the child, that child must perish. It is not all your instruction that saves his soul: it is the blessing of God resting on it.

May God bless your labors! He will do it if you are instant in prayer, constant in supplication; for never yet did the earnest preacher or teacher, labor in vain, and never yet has it been found that the bread cast upon the water has been lost.