Commentary of Charles Spurgeon, Adam Clarke & Matthew Henry
Remember now thy Creator
in the days of thy youth,
nor the years draw nigh,
when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; Vs.1
A call to young people to think of God, and mind
their duty to Him, when they are young:
Remember now thy Creator in the days
of thy youth.
It addresses the youth throughout the creation; and says in effect: - You are not your own, you have no right to yourselves. God made
you; He is your Creator: He made you that you might be happy; but you
can be happy only in Him....Remember Him Now, in this part of your youth -
you have no certainty of
life;
now is yours,
to-morrow may not be.
You are young; but you may
never be old.
1. The royal preacher's application of his sermon
concerning the vanity of the world and every thing in it. .... therefore,
that you may not be deceived by this vanity, nor too much disturbed by it, remember
your Creator, and so guard yourselves against the mischiefs that arise from
the vanity of the creature.
2. It is the royal physician's antidote
against the particular diseases of youth, the love of mirth, and the indulgence
of sensual pleasures, the vanity which childhood and youth are subject to; to
prevent and cure this, remember thy Creator.
The reason to enforce this command: While the evil days
come not, and the years of which thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them.
1. Do it quickly,
(1.) Before sickness and death come.
1. Do it quickly,
(2.) Before old age
comes, which, if death prevent not, will come, and they will be years of
which we shall say, We have no pleasure in them,—when we shall not relish
the delights of sense.
Here is another consideration which should weigh with you: should you
live to old age. it is a very disadvantageous time to begin to serve the
Lord in. Infirmities press down both body and mind, and the oppressed
nature has enough to do to bear its own infirmities; and as there is
little time, so there is generally less inclination, to call upon the
Lord.
Evil habits are strengthened by long continuance; and every desire
and appetite in the soul is a strong hold for Satan.
There is little
time for repentance,
little for faith,
none for obedience.
The evil days
are come, and the years in which you will feelingly be obliged to say,
Alas! "we have no pleasure in them;" and, what is worse, the heart is
hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
It is the greatest absurdity and
ingratitude imaginable to give the cream and flower of our days to the devil.
