Jeremiah 9:23,24; Psalm 34:1-4
Let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord who exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight.
I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): Boasting is generally annoying. Even those that boast themselves cannot endure that other people should boast.
CHARLES SIMEON (1759-1836): Ungodly men love to boast of themselves—There is no man who has not some imaginary excellencies whereof to boast. If we possess any natural endowment either of mind or body, we are forward to bring it into notice, and to arrogate something to ourselves on account of it. One values herself upon her beauty; another boasts of his strength or courage; another prides himself in his wit, his penetration, or his judgment. Rather than pass unnoticed, the ungodly will boast of their iniquities and excesses; yea, strange to say!―of iniquities they have not committed, and of excesses to which they have never arrived.
C. H. SPURGEON: But there is one kind of boasting that even the humble can bear to hear―nay, they are glad to hear it. That must be boasting in God—a holy glorying and extolling the Most High with words sought out with care that might magnify His blessed name.
CHARLES SIMEON: A sense of gratitude to God for His mercies will ever abide in some measure on the soul of a true believer. But there are special occasions whereon he is so impressed with the Divine goodness, that he feels as if he never could forget it, and as if he would have the whole creation join with him in his devout acknowledgments. This was the frame of David’s mind, when [he wrote Psalm 34].
JOHN TRAPP (1601-1699): It showeth a heart full of joys unspeakable and full of glory.
CHARLES SIMEON: Let us proceed then to consider what is the true and sufficient ground of glorying…We may glory in this knowledge of God, because it comprehends and unfolds to our view wisdom, power, and riches that are indeed infinite. Jeremiah particularly directs us to consider God as exercising loving-kindness—to His friends; and judgment—to His enemies; and righteousness or justice in the distribution both of His rewards and punishments. Now this is a view of God which we have not any where, but in the Gospel of Christ. In His dealings towards the fallen angels we behold only His judgments; but in His dealings with man we behold the exercise of mercy and loving-kindness, because He accepted the mediation of His Son on our behalf. The Apostle Paul directs us therefore to look for the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:30,31.
ADAM CLARKE (1760-1832): Glory in this―that thou knowest Him.
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): “My soul shall make her boast in the Lord,”―in my relation to Him, my interest in Him, and expectations from Him.” It is not vainglory to glory in the Lord…We may glory in this—that wherever we are, we have an acquaintance with an interest in a God that exercises lovingkindness, and judgment, and righteousness in the earth, that is not only just to all His creatures and will do no wrong to any of them, but kind to all His children and will protect them and provide for them. For in these things I delight―God delights to show kindness and to execute judgment Himself, and is pleased with those who herein are followers of Him as dear children.
JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564): James in the same manner bids the lowly to glory that they had been adopted by the Lord as His children (James 1:9)―Since it is incomparably the greatest dignity to be introduced into the company of angels, nay, to be made the associates of Christ, he who estimates this favour of God aright, will regard all other things as worthless.
CHARLES SIMEON: It was He who purchased eternal life for us: none can claim any part of His glory in this respect: “His life was the ransom paid for us;” and by His obedience unto death we obtain righteousness and life. Moreover it is He who imparts eternal life to us: we receive it from Him, who “is exalted to give it,” and from “whose fulness alone it can be received.” As we cannot merit it, so neither can we obtain it, by any efforts of our own: it is purely the gift of God through Christ…Yea, we declare that every sin we have ever committed is actually forgiven, the very instant we truly believe in Christ: even “the little children in Christ” may glory in this, as a truth on which they may most confidently rely, that on their believing in Christ, they not only shall be, but actually, “are justified from all things, (Acts 13:38,39; 1 John 2:12)―Say, beloved, is not here a ground of glorying? and, if the believer did not glory in this privilege, would not the very stones cry out against him?
MATTHEW POOLE (1624-1679): My soul shall glory in this—that I have so powerful and so gracious a Lord and Master.
C. H. SPURGEON: The exultation of this verse is no mere tongue bragging, “the soul” is in it―the boasting is meant and felt before it is expressed. What scope there is for holy boasting in Jehovah! His person, attributes, covenant, promises, works, and a thousand things besides, are all incomparable, unparalleled, matchless; we may cry them up as we please, but we shall never be convicted of vain and empty speech in so doing. Truly he who writes these words of comment has nothing of his own to boast of, but much to lament over, and yet none shall stop him of his boast in God so long as he lives.
CHARLES SIMEON: The godly know, by bitter experience, that in themselves dwelleth no good thing, yea, nothing but what furnishes matter for the deepest humiliation. But they see in God sufficient to excite their devoutest adoration. Whether they contemplate the perfections of His nature, or the works of His hands, the wonders of His providence, or the riches of His grace, they are filled with wonder and astonishment; and, pouring contempt on all created excellencies, they exclaim, “O God! who is like unto thee?” “Thanks be to God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ.”
SIR RICHARD BAKER (1568-1644): Can any boasting be greater than to say, “I can do all things?” Yet in this boasting there is humility when I add, “In him that strengtheneth me,” Philippians 4:13. For though God likes not of boasting, yet He likes of this boasting, which arrogates nothing to ourselves, but ascribes all to Him.
C. H. SPURGEON: You will never exaggerate when you speak good things of God. It is not possible to do so―the more it were indulged the better.
