Praise inspired by personal experience.
"And he hath lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints." The figure of the horn is a familiar one, and need not be again explained. What is noticeable here is that the supreme subject of praise for man is God's personal dealing with him in the sphere of his moral and religious life. This we refer to as a man's personal experience.
I. PRAISE INSPIRED BY THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE. In this man's praise is common with the praise of all creation and all creatures. All have their being from God; all are sustained in their places in God; all have their movements directed by God; all have their wants supplied by God; all are helped to fulfill their mission by God. "All thy works praise thee, in all places of thy dominion." And yet here man stands out in front of all creation, because he knows that he is, in his willfulness, a disturbing element in God's providence; and so has an altogether fuller sense of the wonder-working of a providence which can remedy and restore, as well as sustain and provide. And besides this general view, each man should have such a particular impression of God's workings and overrulings in his actual life-experience, as would be for him the constant inspiration of fresh praise and trust. And the experiences of the individual may be illustrated by the experience of God's people Israel, whose horn he had so often "lifted up."
II. PRAISE INSPIRED BY THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF GOD'S GRACE. Illustrate by John Newton, who, when reproved for his testimony and his joy in Christ, replied, "How can the old blasphemer be silent!" It is here that redeemed man passes out of the sphere of nature, and out of the sphere of ordinary humanity. God has "brought him out of the miry pit and horrible clay, and put a new song in his mouth." And to him all life is but a repetition of the restorings and deliverings which is ever calling forth fresh songs to him who "redeemeth our soul from destruction."—R.T.
HOMILIES BY C. SHORT