Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Nehemiah
Book: Nehemiah
Chapter: 9
Overview:
A solemn
Fast.
(1-3) Prayer and
Confession of
Sin.
(4-38)
1-3 The
Word will direct and quicken
Prayer, for
By it the
Spirit Helps our infirmities in
Prayer. The careful study of
God's
Word will more and more discover to us our own sinfulness,
and the plenteousness of his
Salvation; thus it calls us to
Mourn for
Sin, and to rejoice in him. Every discovery of the
Truth of
God, should render us more unwearied in attendance
On
his sacred
Word, and
On his
Worship.
4-38 The summary of their prayers we have here upon record.
Much more,
No doubt, was said. Whatever ability we have to do
any thing in the way of duty, we are to serve and
Glorify God
according to the utmost of it. When confessing our sins, it is
good to notice the mercies of
God, that we may be the more
humbled and ashamed. The dealings of the
Lord showed his
Goodness and long-suffering, and the hardness of their hearts.
The
Testimony of the prophets was the
Testimony of the
Spirit in
the prophets, and it was the
Spirit of
Christ in them. They
spake as they were moved
By the
Holy Ghost, and what they said
is to be received accordingly. The result was, wonder at the
Lord's mercies, and the feeling that
Sin had brought them to
their present state, from which nothing but unmerited
Love could
rescue them. And is not their conduct a specimen of human
nature? Let us study the history of our land, and our own
history. Let us recollect our advantages from childhood, and ask
what were our first returns? Let us frequently do
So, that we
may be kept humble, thankful, and watchful. Let all remember
that pride and obstinacy are sins which ruin the soul. But it is
often as hard to persuade the broken-hearted to
Hope, as
formerly it was to bring them to fear. Is this thy case? Behold
this sweet promise, A
God ready to
Pardon! Instead of keeping
away from
God under a sense of unworthiness, let us come boldly
to the
Throne of
Grace, that we may obtain
Mercy, and find
Grace
to help in time of need. He is a
God ready to
Pardon.