Meditation LXXXV.
Meditation LXXXV.
A Reflection on Psalm 42:7."
Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls. All Your waves and Your billows are gone over me."
Near Guernsey, June 3, 1758.
O astonishing comparison of an ineffable excess of anguish! "Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls," that both may meet together, to heighten the flow of my misery to the last extremity. Now, from the tossing of this restless ocean, I may somewhat learn the force of the metaphor. Here, then, many waves, many billows dash upon us; nor do a thousand preceding waves, or ten thousand foaming billows that have spent their fury on us, stir up pity in the raging flood that forms itself into dreadful billows to fall on us afresh, and that in all quarters; not like the regular course of a rapid torrent—but like the random surges of an unruly ocean.
The sea-sick passengers aboard find no compassion—but reel and stagger if they attempt to walk; and if they sit, are thrown from side to side; nay, though we were hanging for life upon the very wreck, the briny deep would cover us in its cold bosom, or, dashing us from wave to wave, would spew us on the shore.
Now, if nothing milder than the ocean, not in halcyon days—but when wearing all its terrors, when roaring and raging with universal confusion, when covered with ten thousand wrestling waves all eager to destroy, urged on by following billows, and raised by the ruffling tempest from the foaming deep, could describe the condition of the psalmist, who was a godly man, a favorite of heaven, in the day of God's withdrawing and hiding himself, though but for a moment; what shall set out the eternal anguish of those from whom he is gone forever?
What billows of eternal wrath, what surges of divine indignation, shall overflow them for evermore? There, in that state, their misery is without mercy, their sea has no shore, and their ocean no bound. Hence I see, that if God is pleased to shine on the soul, all crosses are sweetened, all afflictions lightened, and the man made greatly to rejoice. On the other hand, if God hides himself, even blessings wear a gloom, and everything lowers, until he arises again with healing in his wings.
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