75. The Bitter and the Sweet.

Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.. - Isaiah 38:17.

HERE is the case of a man who, as far as mortal help was concerned, was a dead man, and yet prayer prevailed for his recovery, and the lengthening of his life.

He records his experience for the glory of God, for his own refreshment, and for our encouragement.

In our deep depressions we have the same God to help us.

Hezekiah sets before us in this verse,—

I. HEALTHFUL BITTERNESS. "For peace I had bitter bitterness" (margin).

1. He had been in peace. Probably this had brought with it a dangerous state, in which the mind became carnally secure, self-contented, stagnant, slumbering, careless, worldly.

2. He underwent a change. It was sudden and surprising — "Behold." It broke up all his peace, and took the place of it.

3. His new state was one of emphatic sorrow — "Bitterness." "Great bitterness." In bodily condition and in mental emotion he tasted the wormwood and the gall. Read previous verses, and see how he mourned.

4. It wrought his health. "So wilt thou recover me" (verse 16).

· It led him to repentance for the past. He speaks of "my sins."

· It brought him to his knees in prayer.

· It revealed his inward decline, and weakness of grace.

· It made him put away his defilements.

· It deepened his faith in God. "The Lord was ready to Save me" (verse 20).

5. Peace came back again, and with it songs of joy.

If any are now drinking the bitter cup, let them be of good cheer, for there is a cup of salvation in God's hand.

II. DELIVERING LOVE. "In love to my soul thou hast delivered it."

In its first meaning we see recovery from sickness, but it intends much more: upon the surface lies benefit to his soul.

Let us observe—

1. The deed of love. "Thou hast loved my soul from the pit" (margin).

· The Lord delivers the soul from the pit of hell, of sin, of despair, of temptation, of death. He alone can do this.

2. The love which performed the deed.

· Love suggested and ordained it.

· Love actually performed it by its own hands. "In love to my soul thou hast loved it from the pit."

· Love breaks the heart, and binds it up.

· Love sets us free, and then holds us captive.

· We are by love loved out of sorrow, rebellion, despondency, coldness, and weakness.

Acknowledge this heartily.

· Measure this love by your demerit, your danger, your present complete safety, and by the greatness of the Deliverer, and what the delivery cost him.

· Treasure this love, and sing of it all the days of your life.

III. ABSOLUTE PARDON. "Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back?"

1. This was the cause of his restored peace. He was burdened while sin remained, but when that was gone, peace returned.

2. This removed the whole burden. "Sins"; "my sins"; "all my sins:"

3. This involved effort on God's part. "Thou hast cast?' We remember the more than herculean labors of Jesus, who has hurled our load into the bottomless deep.

4. This is wonderfully described. "Behind thy back"; this is:

· The place of desertion. God has gone from our sin never to return to it. He has left it for ever, and it will never cross his path again, for he never moves backward.

· The place of forgetfulness: he will not remember it any more.

· The place of nonentity: nothing is behind the back of God.

Therefore we will tell others our story, as Hezekiah has told us his. Let us seek out one or more who will hear us with attention.

"Therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments" (verse 20). At this hour let us lift up the voice of gratitude.