七月三十一日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/07/0731.mp3″]
经文: 歌唱的……昼夜供职。(历代志上九:33)
上帝命令圣殿中的圣歌要永不停止。歌唱者不停赞美主,祂的慈爱永远长存。因为慈爱的管理不分昼夜,永不停止,所以音乐也不能停止。在锡安圣殿的不断歌唱中,信徒可以学到一项功课。你也是一个欠债的人,故要留意不使你的感恩、你的爱停顿。在天上,你永远的居所中,神的赞美是永不停止的。学习并练习那永远的哈利路亚。当阳光普照大地时,祂的光苏醒了感恩的信徒,使他们唱出晨间的赞美诗歌。赞美好像感恩的斗蓬包里了我们的地球,并以歌唱的金腰带将它束紧。因为“祂是”,因为祂创造之工和丰富的供应,因为祂向被造之物所显示的良善,特别因为祂救赎之行动,此外更因为这些奇妙的祝福如无尽之溪水涌流,所以祂永远配受赞美。赞美主总是好的,能使白昼欢乐,使星夜光明。使劳苦变为轻省,使忧伤得以化解。赞美发出使人圣洁的光辉,胜过了属世的欢乐,使世界的光黯淡,以致我们不再盲目附从。在此时刻,我们有可以高唱的歌吗?我们能从目前的喜乐、过去的得赎和将来的盼望编织一首歌吗?但愿我们被耶稣的爱激励,能以成圣喜悦的诗篇来结束今日。
Evening, July 31
Scripture: “And these are the singers … they were employed in that work day and night.”(1 Chronicles 9:33)
Well was it so ordered in the temple that the sacred chant never ceased: for evermore did the singers praise the Lord, whose mercy endureth for ever. As mercy did not cease to rule either by day or by night, so neither did music hush its holy ministry. My heart, there is a lesson sweetly taught to thee in the ceaseless song of Zion’s temple, thou too art a constant debtor, and see thou to it that thy gratitude, like charity, never faileth. God’s praise is constant in heaven, which is to be thy final dwelling-place, learn thou to practise the eternal hallelujah. Around the earth as the sun scatters his light, his beams awaken grateful believers to tune their morning hymn, so that by the priesthood of the saints perpetual praise is kept up at all hours, they swathe our globe in a mantle of thanksgiving, and girdle it with a golden belt of song.
The Lord always deserves to be praised for what he is in himself, for his works of creation and providence, for his goodness towards his creatures, and especially for the transcendent act of redemption, and all the marvellous blessing flowing therefrom. It is always beneficial to praise the Lord; it cheers the day and brightens the night; it lightens toil and softens sorrow; and over earthly gladness it sheds a sanctifying radiance which makes it less liable to blind us with its glare. Have we not something to sing about at this moment? Can we not weave a song out of our present joys, or our past deliverances, or our future hopes? Earth yields her summer fruits: the hay is housed, the golden grain invites the sickle, and the sun tarrying long to shine upon a fruitful earth, shortens the interval of shade that we may lengthen the hours of devout worship. By the love of Jesus, let us be stirred up to close the day with a psalm of sanctified gladness.