INTO THINE HAND I COMMIT MY SPIRIT - Robert Murray Mcchene
“Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, 0 Lord God of truth.”—Ps. xxxi., 5.
THERE is something peculiarly sweet in these words, because they are the words used by the Lord Jesus in his agony. For six long hours he hung upon the accursed tree, bearing the sins of many. No thought of man can imagine the load he bore: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” The vinegar mingled with gall was bitter, but it was nothing to the cup of wrath; the pain of his mangled body was terrible, but it was nothing to the intense agony of the sword of justice that pierced him. This was his last solemn cry: “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit;” and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. It is sweet to an afflicted sufferer to use the same words as Jesus. It is sweet to use the words of a departed friend. We treasure them in our memory, and embalm them in our hearts. But what friend is like Jesus, whose word* were all gracious words?
It is sweet to a heavy-laden convinced sinner to take up the words of Jesus in the 40th Psalm: “Innumerable evils have compassed me about, and mine iniquities have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up.” It is sweet to a believing soul to take up his words in Isa. !., 8: “He is near that justifieth me; who is he that will contend with me?”
And so it is sweet for a poor afflicted, dying worm to take up these sweet words: “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.”
Observe three things:—
1. The person who speaks—a tempted, afflicted soul. Such was David: “Pull me out of the net.”—Verse 4. Satan and the world had cast a net around his soul. Snare after snare, like the meshes of a net, enclosed him. He felt himself helpless: “I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel.” Nowhere can he go, but to his redeeming God: “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, 0 Lord God of truth.”
Such was the Lord Jesus: “Many bulls have compassed me; strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths as a ravening and a roaring lion.”—Ps. lxii., 12. Where could he go but to his God? “Into thy hands I commend my spirit.” So there may be some tempted, afflicted here, enclosed in the net of Satan—beset by bulls of Bashan; let him take up his sweet word: “Into thy hands I commend my spirit.”
2. The person to whom he speaks—The Redeemer. On the one side there is a worm; on the other, a redeeming God. When the Lord Jesus took up this word he put in Father: for the Father was his Redeemer. When he had finished the work which the Father gave him to do; when he had drunk the last dregs of infinite suffering; he could look up and claim full deliverance: “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” When Stephen took up this saying, he said: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” The Redeemer seems to be chiefly meant; he that bore our sins in his own body op. the tree, not excluding the other persons of the Godhead. It is a poor, guilty, helpless worm looking up to him that died for us: Into thine hand I commit my spirit, O Lord God, faithful and true.
3. The thing committed— “My spirit/’ The soul of man is the most precious part. I do not mean to speak lightly of the body— far from it. It is the creation of God, and though frail, and about to crumble in dust, yet it is a dear companion, and will be raised again incorruptible. But the spirit is the precious part. “What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” The soul was made in the image of God. It is this which the poor tempted soul commits to the great Redeemer’s hands; the part where sin commences, and bursts forth in action; where guilt lies heavy; where the blood of Jesus giveth peace; where Satan tempts the spirit. It is this the man gives in charge to the great Redeemer of souls.
I. The times when we should do this.
1. The time of conversion. This seems to be the meaning of Paul: “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day.” Sometimes conversion is described in the Bible from God’s part in it: Jesus finding the lost sheep; Jesus passing by, and spreading his skirt over the soul; the Father drawing the soul to Jesus. At other times it is described from the creature’s part: Coming to Jesus, beholding the Lamb, cleaving to Christ; or as here, committing the spirit to his hands. O it is a happy day, when a poor sinner discovers that his spirit is wholly lost and undone; that his soul is like the leper’s body, unclean, unclean; that his sins are infinite, and his heart a rock; a fountain of pollution, unsearchable, uncontrollable, insufferable; and when he discovers Jesus an almighty and all-loving Redeemer, divine and glorious in his person, and yet wounded and broken under the wrath-of God, borne for us; when the sinner commits his poor, guilty, helpless, polluted soul into the hands of the Lord Jesus! Heavy-laden sinner, commit thy soul to Jesus. It is in great danger. The law condemns thee: Thy sins are many—thy deserved hell is beyond thought terrible. Satan is resisting thee; tempting thee; beguiling thee. Jesus alone can save: “Into thine hand I commit my spirit.”
2. Time of temptation. This seems to have been peculiarly the time alluded to in the Psalm: “Pull me out of the net.” Verse 4. The temptations of God’s children are very dreadful. Often a child of God goes on a long time without temptation. He is like Naphtali, “satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord.” Perhaps he laughs at temptation, and thinks it will never come near him. Suddenly the sky is overcast, a strong current of temptation is allowed to set upon his heart.
” Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.”
The world concurs. Satan stirs up all his malice. What horrors now surround the tempted soul! He flies to his knees; but he is afraid to pray. He flies to his Bible; but it is a sealed book. Sin darkens the mind, and scares him away from prayer. All the while God’s people admire and praise, though their words are like gall; what can help the tempted man? None but Jesus. O to discover Jesus in such an hour!—the Redeemer—that died— that lives—the Advocate with the Father! O to be enabled to commit one tempted soul into his hands! Poor tempted soul! give thyself away to Jesus; he can blot out the sin, and change the heart.
3. In time of affliction. Some Christians have little affliction. They sail on a smooth sea; they enjoy health of body for years together; they never knew what it was to want a comfortable meal. Death has perhaps not once entered their dwelling. They think it will be always thus. But a change comes. The “harp of thousand strings” becomes out of tune. The “clay cottage” gives tokens of decay, or grim Want invades their dwelling, or Death comes up into the window. Ah! it is hard to bear. No affliction for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous. Who can comfort? None but Jesus. He knew all sorrow—deeper sorrows than we have ever known, or ever will. His heart is not of stone. He feels along with us. Afflicts not willingly. Seeks to bring us more to himself. O afflicted believer, commit thy weeping, suffering, pining, trembling soul to Jesus: “Into thine hand I commit my spirit.”
4. In time of duty. Often at first the convert thinks only of enjoyment, of hearing sermons, enjoying sacraments, and Christian converse. I have often been struck how often the inquiry is mode. Did you enjoy that sacrament, or that sermon? How seldom did you improve it! What change has it wrought in your life? But when God stirs up the soul, a path of duty is seen stretching before it. Often perplexed and intricate, often steep and slippery, often dangerous and terrible. Oh! what shall I do? How difficult to know the right way; and when I know it, how hard to follow it I Commit thy soul to Jesus. “In him are hid treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” His grace is sufficient for thee. “He brings the blind by a way which they know not.” He has light to guide thee, strength to uphold, and grace to give thee courage: “Into thine hand I commit my spirit.”
5. In time of death. Few ever think of dying till dying comes. The last enemy that shall be overcome is Death; and an awful enemy ho is. We go alone. No earthly friend goes with us. We never went the way before. It is all strange and new. The results are eternal. If we have not rightly believed, it is too late to mend. These are some of the solemn thoughts that overshadow the soul. What can give peace? None but Jesus; the sight of Jesus as a Redeemer; the same yesterday, today, and for ever; the same sight we got when first we knew the Lord; when first he chose us, and we chose him; when first he said. Seek ye my face, and we said to him, Thy face, Lord, shall we seek? To see him as a God of truth; the Lord that changes not; the unchanging One; the same Jesus; thus to see him and to cry, * Into thy hands I commit my spirit;” this is peace.
Dundee, 1843.