Brought very low.
I. THIS A CONDITION VERY COMMON. Sometimes it is through:
1. Mental distress, helplessness, sorrow, despair.
2. Or sickness of body, as Hezekiah.
3. Or outward disaster, as in this psalm.
II. ITS CAUSES GENERALLY TRACEABLE:
1. To ourselves—our own sin or folly.
2. To others with whom we are associated.
See this verse, where "former iniquities" mean the iniquities of people who have lived before us. Parents, ancestors. We all are members one of another, and if one suffer, all others suffer with him. Hence it may be their sin or folly rather than our own.
3. To God. He, as with Job, may see fit to let us be brought very low.
III. ITS REASONS VARIOUS.
1. Punishment.
2. Discipline.
3. For the drawing of the soul nearer God.
4. For opportunity of testifying to God's sustaining grace.
5. To teach sympathy.
IV. BESET WITH PERIL. The devil loves to hit a man when he is down. Hence he assails the mind with thoughts hard, bitter, unbelieving, desperate. Shipwreck of faith and good conscience lies near at hand.
V. BUT MAY BECOME THE MEANS OF GREAT SPIRITUAL ATTAINMENT. Even our Lord "learned obedience" so.—S.C.