CHAP. III. ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE MOURNERS IN ZION TO TRUST IN THE LORD, UNDER VARIOUS TRIALS, AFFLICTIONS, AND TEMPTATIONS TO EVIL. MANY are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all: the Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants : and none of them that trust in him, shall be desolate.-The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord : and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.-He knoweth the way that I take : when he hath tried me, I shall : Ps. xxxiv. 19-22. Ps. xxxvii. 23, 24. come forth as gold.-They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing; bringing his sheaves with him.— The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose: it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees; say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not: behold your God Job, xxiii. 10. Ps. exxvi. 5, 6. will come with vengeance, even God, with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty lands springs of water in the habitation of dragons, where each lay shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those the way-faring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon: it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion, with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.-Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned for she hath received of the Lord's hand, double for all her sins. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the Isa. xxxv. Isa. xl. 1, 2. God of Israel will not forsake them I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land, springs of water. Thus saith the Lord, that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee: for I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour. Although the fig-tree shall Isa. xl. 17, 18. Isa, xliii. 1-3. |