Lecture Tenth

In the last lecture the Prophet said that the mercies of God are renewed daily. This must indeed be viewed according to the apprehension of men, for to God belongs no charge. But the mercies of God seem to be renewed when he for a time hides his face, and again becomes reconciled to us. The Prophet mentions morning; and he alludes, as I think, to this passage in the Psalms —

“If weeping dwells with us in the evening,
yet joy will return in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5.)

He then means that God hastens to succor men in misery.

He subjoins the word truth, because a sense of God’s mercy can never come to us except he offers it to us. Were then God to take away the promise, all the miserable would inevitably perish; for they can never lay hold on his mercy except through his word. This, then, is the reason why Scripture so often connects these two things together, even God’s mercy and his faithfulness in fulfilling his promises. It now follows, —