"The Lord Stood with Me"

The Prince of ancient Poets has described his hero as ever attended by the goddess Minerva, who, in his greatest perils, stood constant by his side. In the thickest of the fight, she is seen attired in celestial armor, holding the glittering before him — warding oft’ the darts that were aimed at his precious life, and cheering him on to deeds of lofty daring. This beautiful and imposing conception was but the creation of fancy; but what Homer only faintly aspired to in this fiction, becomes a glorious truth in the economy of God’s providence. In the “the lord stood with me.” 166

great struggle of life, an infinitely mightier Being than heathen poet ever conceived of, does stand ever beside His chosen people — inspiring them by an assurance of Almighty protection, and strengthening them by the infusion of supernatural power.

The past history of the church is illustrated and illuminated by the shining memorials of His faithfulness. A whole cloud of witnesses can testify how often He interposed to deliver them out of perplexity and danger — how often He consoled their sorrows, assuaged their pains, supplied their necessities, cheered their solitude, put to flight their fears, aad brought gladness to eyes that were ready to fail ’ with wakefulness and tears.’

The Father of Israel from the top of Moriah, proclaims the faithfulness of God. The great Lawgiver, from out of the depths of the Eed Sea — from beside the smitten rock gushing out with water — before the brazen serpent — testifies to the constancy of the Almighty care. From out of the lion’s den of Babylon and the seven times heated furnace, comes the same inspiring testimony; and thei solitudes of the brook Cherith and of the Rocky Patmos are vocal with it too. Amid the terrors of Caesar’s judgment-hall, we have heard it proclaimed with an unblanched cheek, and an unfaltering tongue — “The Lord stood with me and strengthened me.” There was a greater than Caesar, whose presence overshadowed the intrepid Apostle — whom he feared more than he feared the thirsty blood-hounds around him — and therefore, stretching forth that hand that had been raised above the crowded Acropolis, and lifting up the voice that had affrighted

Agrippa on his throne, — he preaches the very Jesus who had been proscribed, in the ears of the startled tyrant! The sustaining assurance of God’s presence made the old man bold — it was this which made his right arm strong, and kept his countenance unblanched.

And what then? Will this Omnipotent protector ever forsake him? No! One such divine interposition as that in Nero’s hall is enough to found a life-time of faith on. The Apostle knows that his Almighty friend is ever constant; therefore it is, that fortified by the past, and looking down with hope through a dark and troubled future, he exclaims with triumphant confidence: “And the Lord WILL deliver me from every evil, and WILL preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever.”