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(Preached once at Spring Head Mission 7/2/39)

2 Samuel 7.18 “Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house that Thou hast brought me hitherto?”

I wish to speak on the Grace of Humility. It is by no means the most popular of the virtues, but it is not a minor virtue. Indeed, it may be claimed that it is chief among the virtues because without it none of the others come to full beauty and power. It would have been easy to take a conventional text in which the word occurs and where it is emphatically stated that God Himself resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. But to see a grace embodied, to set it forth in a shining example, always seems to be a better way than arguing for it in the abstract.

In the incident before us, indeed in the whole life of David, humility has a lovely setting and makes a great appeal. It was the quality which gave balance and beauty to the king’s character. It was the grace which, despite his grievous falls, made him the man after God’s own heart and the beloved prince of his people. It was this virtue too which gave religious significance to his reign and made it so powerful. He held his throne from God and knew that he so held it. And he sought the guidance and help of his overlord.

THE INCIDENT SET FORTH IN OUR TEXT

David was at the zenith of his power and his throne was established. The prophet had just told him that his name was to endure and his glory to continue in his house. The son coming after him was to build a house for God’s glory. In a lesser man the promise of such glory would have erected pride and vanity. A meaner man would have said: “Look at me, at the success I’ve achieved, the glory I’ve won.” But David went in and set humbly before the God who had taken him from the sheepfold and set him on a throne. His words were not “Look at me,” but, “Who am I and what is my father’s house?” I know no picture of truer humility than this great king sitting in humility and giving the praise and the glory to God. Now we can turn to the lessons the incident has for us.

SUCCESS AND EXALTATION NEED NOT SPOIL A MAN

They so often do that. Many people are afraid of them and fear for those who become prosperous and rich. But prosperity as well as adversity may be God’s gift and can be used to His glory. There is nothing sinister in the bright things given us by God. Here was a man to whom the brightest luminaries had come, and because he maintained a humble spirit, he was not only unspoiled, his success ministered to his own good and was made a blessing to others. It would be a shame not to acknowledge that there are other men and women who have gained success and honor and who have remained humble and unspoiled. They have regarded themselves, not as self-made, but as God-made and their riches and honor have been used for God’s glory and the good of their fellows. Cultivate a church in the grace of humility and you need not fear, but rather rejoice, in all the good things God gives you and your friends. But let us go further and learn a lesson that applies to more of us.

THE GRACES OF HUMILITY AND GRATITUDE ARE ALWAYS LINKED

It is humility that makes us gratefully accept the unmerited favors and undeserved mercy of God. It is pride that makes us take things as a matter of course and all the gifts of Providence and of grace as if we had a right to them and no right to be grateful. Too often we ache or a pain calls forth a lament but the joy and light of years call forth no hymn of praise. “What have I done,” we ask, “that I should suffer and remain poor? Who is David, or the other man, that he should be prosperous?” Ah! It is our pride breaking out. Why should we not take our share of hardships? Who are we that we should be spared? And there is a precaution. Instead of lamenting the adversities, try counting your blessings. Who are we? What have we done that the blessing of health, the gift of love, and friendship should be ours? Who are we that the incredible mercy of God in Jesus Christ should be ours? If in infinite wisdom God casts our lot in circumstances not as bright as others enjoy, who are we to question His appointments. Let us cherish the virtue of humility and counting our blessings and we shall bring our song of praise for the streams of the mercy God sends.

HUMILITY THE TEMPER IN WHICH TO RECEIVE NECESSARY REPROOFS

For the last lesson, we leave this incident and turn to another which reveals the same temper. There was a time when the king had done wrong and stained his name with the deepest sins. The prophet Nathan was sent to rebuke him and fulfilled his ministry faithfully, bringing the king’s guilt home to him. Again, you can understand how a proud man would have acted. He would have said, “Who are you to speak to the king so?” Instead, this humble man said, “Woe is me.” Instead of bursting into passion and standing on his dignity, he melted into repentance and confession and poured out his soul in the 51st Psalm.

How some of us cannot bear being corrected and reproved even when we know we are wrong. How we resent those who speak words of rebuke even when we deserve them. And always it is our pride that puts us in a passion. Who are we to be thus spoken to? The way of humility, David’s way, is the nobler way, the only way into peace and joy.

Let us strive to be among the humble souls who see their own emptiness and poverty, who accept correction and reproof in a humble temper, and who, to say the least, find themselves among God’s own children. Let us say from humble hearts, “Who am I that this incredible mercy should have reached me?”