The domain of God.
The main thought of these noble words is—
I. THE BOUNDLESSNESS OF GOD'S DOMAIN. Wherever we are, whithersoever we go, we are always within his charge. Could we reach the highest heavens, he is there; or the lowest depths of Hades, he is there; and could we wing our way to the far horizon, where sea and sky meet, he is there. In vain should we seek the shelter of the darkness, for darkness and light are alike to him. Even before the light of life shone upon us, when our members were unformed, everything about us and before us was within his knowledge. There is absolutely no remotest or darkest corner of this wide world which is not included in God's realm—the realm of his presence, his observation, his action. Everywhere his hand leads us; everywhere his right hand of power upholds and restrains us. Since God is everywhere, we infer—
II. THE FOLLY OF OBDURACY. The psalmist is not the man who wishes to escape from the presence and the power of God, but his words bring out very forcibly the impossibility of so doing. There are too many souls who would gladly "flee from his presence" if they could.
1. Many try to escape from the consciousness of it by immersing themselves in some form of activity, or burying themselves in excitement, but they are very partially and only temporarily successful. Beneath all and after all that they do rises up the unextinguishable thought, "Surely God is in this place!"
2. Many try to escape the remorse of a rebuking conscience by taking their own life, but they only pass from one part of God's domain to another. Whithersoever they go, "his right hand holds them." If it be possible, they only enter his nearer presence, and come into closer contact with his power than ever. The one wise thing to do is to draw near to God in penitential prayer, to seek and find reconciliation to him by faith in the Divine Savior, that there may be no need and no desire to hide from his face, to shun his voice, to fear the touch of his hand.
III. THE CONFIDENCE OF CHRISTIAN SONSHIP. 'Chat thought which is a terror to the guilty is a comfort and a security to the good. It is a strong assurance to the heart to feel that whithersoever its path may lie it must be where the Father is at hand to guide and bless.
"I know not where his islands lift
Their fronded palms in air;
I only know I cannot drift
Beyond his love and care."
It must be well with us; for we shall be with God, we shall be with Christ, in whatever part of the universe we may be. Anywhere, everywhere, his hand will be laid upon us, his arm will be around us.