四月九日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/04/0409.mp3″]
经文: 祢的温和使我为大。（诗篇十八：35）
这句经文可以翻译为“祢的仁慈使我为大”。大卫以感激的心将自己所有的伟大归功于上帝的仁慈。另有翻译作“祢的供应”。供应是仁慈的行动表现。仁慈是花蕾，供应是花朵。仁慈是种籽，供应是收成。有人将它译作，“祢的帮助”。帮助是供应的另一作法。供应是圣徒中的稳固联合，帮助他们服事主。“祢的屈尊”结合了上述的观点，其中包括了谦卑。不论翻译为何，上帝谦卑自己为了使我们成为大。另外尚有其他的翻译，例如七十士译本翻作：“祢的管教（父亲般的纠正）使我为大。”迦勤底（Chaldee）意译本译成：“祢的话使我增添。”两者的含义是相同的。大卫将自己所有伟大之处归功于天父的仁慈。但愿这一感受今晚在我们心中引回响，将我们的冠冕摘下放置在那稣的脚前，并向祂诉说：“祢的温和使我为大。”我们经历中上帝的温和是何等奇妙！祂的管教、耐性和教导是何等温柔！但愿你心中的感激苏醒，但愿你的谦卑加深！今晚睡觉以前，但愿你的爱再被点燃。
Evening, April 9
Scripture: “thy gentleness hath made me great.”(Psalm 18:35)
The words are capable of being translated, “thy goodness hath made me great.” David gratefully ascribed all his greatness not to his own goodness, but the goodness of God. “Thy providence,” is another reading; and providence is nothing more than goodness in action. Goodness is the bud of which providence is the flower, or goodness is the seed of which providence is the harvest. Some render it, “thy help,” which is but another word for providence; providence being the firm ally of the saints, aiding them in the service of their Lord. Or again, “thy humility hath made me great.” “Thy condescension” may, perhaps, serve as a comprehensive reading, combining the ideas mentioned, including that of humility. It is God’s making himself little which is the cause of our being made great. We are so little, that if God should manifest his greatness without condescension, we should be trampled under his feet; but God, who must stoop to view the skies, and bow to see what angels do, turns his eye yet lower, and looks to the lowly and contrite, and makes them great. There are yet other readings, as for instance, the Septuagint, which reads, “thy discipline”－thy fatherly correction－“hath made me great;” while the Chaldee paraphrase reads, “thy word hath increased me.” Still the idea is the same. David ascribes all his own greatness to the condescending goodness of his Father in heaven. May this sentiment be echoed in our hearts this evening while we cast our crowns at Jesus’ feet, and cry, “thy gentleness hath made me great.” How marvellous has been our experience of God’s gentleness! How gentle have been his corrections! How gentle his forbearance! How gentle his teachings! How gentle his drawings! Meditate upon this theme, O believer. Let gratitude be awakened; let humility be deepened; let love be quickened ere thou fallest asleep to-night.
