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auditory from Psalm 66. 8-14 67 [in margin: Introduc[tion] from Psalm 122.6]. 68
Blessed be the Lord for his gracious assistance; may the word of thanksgiving and
exhortation be followed with the blessings of grace and peace in Christ. Jesus, our
peace, our joy and hope, all in all, and this day of public rejoicings be a good day
unto the people of the Lord, a season of joy and peace with comfort in believing
that the Lord is Peace, and oh, may the Lord pity his poor servant and handmaid
in this present affliction. Lord, pardon our former sinful joys; and change our
sorrows and pains, in Thy own good time, into songs of praise unto Thee, as the
God of our deliverance, our help in a time of need. Heal our diseases and restore
to former strength and health that we may both go up again to Thy Sanctuary and
render thanks unto our God who heareth prayers. Increase our patience and trust
and let my chastisement upon us be sanctified and speedily removed; remember
all our relations in their afflictions; spare us and our children. Strengthen Thy
unworthy servant, blessed Jesus, and let Thy grace be sufficient for him. Accept
of his gratitude at Thy Table for the beginning of Thy mercy then 15 years ago,
and do not leave me but lead me and help me safely through. Amen.
May ’83
3. Blessed be God, who heareth prayers. The day before yesterday I was
directed, whilst praying to set that day apart for fasting and praying, to implore
His mercy for the removal of our present affliction, and the Lord, I humbly hope,
has heard the voice of my supplications, and last night in particular comforted my
dear friend. She hath been troubled with pains more than ordinary occasioned by
blisters drawn unfortunately by the campfire that was applied to the hardness in
the groins and had last night a very severe tooth and earache, with other colical
uneasiness in her stomach, and was complaining also of a troubled mind, which
she told me then had distressed her long before when up stairs. This morning she
related how she was comforted in a dream, with these good words. Cast thy
burden upon the Lord and He will sustain thee; 69 through Thy sins mere on
scarlet, they shall be white etc., Isaiah 1.18. Oh, may these good and comfortable
words be accomplished and the Lord strengthen her precious health not only but
also purify her person and sanctify her nation in the blood and through the Spirit
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then her sickness will be for Thy glory, oh, my
merciful God and Father, and to her eternal salvation. Amen.
5. Yesterday my dear wife was visited in the afternoon with a pretty high fever,
which continueth almost the whole night. This morning she feels through mercy a
little better. May the Lord bless the mercurial ointment applied to the hardness in
her groins, and remove it speedily without further accident! Blessed be our God
67 Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept us among the living,
and has not let our feet slip. [Invitation to Gentiles to praise Israel’s God, who has not let his people
perish.] For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the
net; you laid burdens on our backs; you let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and
through water; yet you have brought us out to a spacious place. [Probably a reference to the escape
from slavery in Egypt, the arduous trek through the wilderness [fire], and the crossing of Jordan
[water], as well as to Israel’s subsequent history.] I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I
will pay you my vows, those that my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
68 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.”
69 Psalm 55:22
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