From J. C. Philpot's Daily Portions
September 17 "The secret of the Lord is with those who fear him; and
he will show them his covenant." Psalm 25:14 "The secret of the Lord" (that is, present
possession) "IS with those who fear him; and he WILL show
them" (that is, something future) "his covenant." This shows, that
while all the people of God, who fear his name, have the secret with them,
that is, a measure of the secret, yet all the people of God have not the
covenant revealed to them at the same time with the secret. The "secret" is
in the present tense; the "showing of the covenant" is in the future. It is very sweet to see how the Holy Spirit has
discriminated between these blessings. If, for instance, it had run thus,
"The secret of the Lord is with those who fear him, and he shows to them his
covenant," some doubting, desponding child of God might say, "How can I be
one of those that fear God? for it says, God shows to them his covenant, and
he has not shown it to me yet." But being put in the future tense, "he
will show to them his covenant," it takes the form of a promise, and so
is just adapted and sweetly suited to their needs. This covenant is the
covenant that "stands fast for evermore;" the everlasting covenant of grace,
which stands in the Person, love, blood, and work of the Son of God; the
covenant made by a Triune Jehovah, on behalf of the elect, before the world
was. What a suitable foundation for a poor tottering heart!
The Lord in showing this covenant unto those who fear him, shows them that
it is all of grace, and therefore meets all their unworthiness and
superabounds over all the aboundings of their sin; that it is more than a
match for their aggravated iniquities, and will land them safe in glory,
because God has determined to bring them there. Nothing but a covenant of
grace can suit a poor tried soul, who knows his helplessness and
worthlessness; and the Lord shows this to those who fear him.