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Our Condition — God’s Mercy!
我们的处境 — 上帝的怜悯！
(James Smith, “Gleams of Grace” 1860)
(詹姆斯·史密斯，”恩典之光”1860年)
Many of the Psalms are poetic records of God’s mercy towards His ancient people, calling upon them to bless and praise His most glorious name.
许多诗篇都是上帝对祂古时子民怜悯的诗意记录，呼召他们祝福和赞美祂最荣耀的名。
Israel’s history forms a mirror in which we see our own spiritual history.
以色列的历史形成了一面镜子，我们在其中看到自己的属灵历史。
Oh for grace, so to read it, meditate upon it, and exercise faith in it — as to permanently profit by it.
愿有恩典，使我们读它，默想它，在其中操练信心 — 从而永久地从中获益。
My eye is now fixed upon one important verse, a record of God’s goodness to them, and equally so of His kindness to us, “Give thanks to the One who remembered us in our low estate; for His mercy endures forever!” Psalm 136:23
我的眼睛现在注视着一节重要的经文，这是记录上帝对他们的良善，同样也是对我们的恩慈，”祂顾念我们在卑微的地位；因祂的慈爱永远长存！”诗篇136:23
OUR CONDITION. LOW.
我们的处境。卑微。
We were not created so — but were brought into it by Adam’s sin, who . . .
represented us,
ruined us, and
laid us low!
我们并非被如此创造 — 而是因亚当的罪使我们陷入此境，他…
代表了我们，
毁坏了我们，
使我们沦落！
Our own conduct sunk us lower still!
我们自己的行为使我们沉得更低！
We are now, by nature, so low, that we cannot be lower!
我们现在按本性而言，如此低下，以至于不能再低！
We are now so vile, so weak, that we could not be worse!
我们现在如此污秽，如此软弱，已不能更糟！
Look at man in reference to God — he is God’s determined foe!
看看人与上帝的关系 — 他是上帝坚决的敌人！
Look at man as under the Law — he is condemned, condemned to everlasting burnings!
看看在律法之下的人 — 他被定罪，被定罪受永远的烧灼！
Look at man in the world — he is its dupe — victimized by its fashions, customs and spirit.
看看在世界中的人 — 他是世界的傀儡 — 被其时尚、习俗和精神所害。
Look at man in connection with Satan — he is Satan’s vassal, Satan’s abject slave — inhabited and influenced by Satan. Not only so, but he is led captive by Satan to do his will!
看看人与撒但的关系 — 他是撒但的附庸，撒但卑微的奴隶 — 被撒但占据和影响。不仅如此，他还被撒但掳去遵行他的旨意！
Look at man — in association with his fellow men — see his craft, cruelty, and covetousness!
看看人 — 与他的同胞的关系 — 看他的狡诈、残忍和贪婪！
Look at man ruling the brute creation — what lack of feeling, care and kindness! Often, man seems to be sunk even lower than they!
看看人统治野兽 — 何等缺乏感情、关心和仁慈！常常，人似乎沉沦得比它们还低！
GOD’S MERCY. This was . . .
神的怜悯。这是……
freely fixed upon us,
白白地赐予我们，
is very great towards us,
对我们极其浩大，
and will always distinguish us.
并将永远使我们与众不同。
He remembered us — and sent His Son to redeem us!
祂记念我们——差遣祂的儿子来救赎我们！
He remembered us — and sent His Spirit to quicken us!
祂记念我们——差遣祂的灵来使我们活过来！
He remembered us — and sent His Word to instruct us!
祂记念我们——差遣祂的道来教导我们！
He remembered us — and sent His ordinances to comfort us!
祂记念我们——差遣祂的律例来安慰我们！
He remembered us — and sent His grace to sanctify us!
祂记念我们——差遣祂的恩典来使我们成圣！
He remembered us — and sent His rod to correct us!
祂记念我们——差遣祂的杖来管教我们！
He remembered . . .
祂记念……
our guilt — and provided an atonement,
我们的罪——并预备了赎罪祭，
our weakness — and provided strength,
我们的软弱——并赐予力量，
our danger — and provided a refuge,
我们的危险——并预备避难所，
our destitute state — and provided for us a home in Heaven.
我们的贫乏——并为我们预备天上的家。
“The One who remembered us.” It was not the exercise of God’s memory merely — but the exercise of His memory influenced by immortal love. It was . . .
“那记念我们的主。”这不仅仅是神记忆的运作——而是受永恒之爱影响的记忆运作。这是……
a father, remembering his child,
一位父亲，记念他的孩子，
a bridegroom, remembering his bride,
一位新郎，记念他的新娘，
a God, remembering His poor fallen creatures, who were the objects of His love, and whom He had determined to save! Blessed, forever blessed be the Lord, for remembering us in our low estate, for His mercy endures forever!
一位神，记念祂可怜的堕落受造物，他们是祂爱的对象，是祂决意要拯救的！永远称颂主，因祂在我们卑微时记念我们，因祂的怜悯永远长存！
Mercy is man’s best friend. It is that in God which . . .
怜悯是人最好的朋友。这是神里面的那部分，它……
looks upon us with pity,
以怜悯的眼光看顾我们，
feels for us with sympathy, and
以同情的心感受我们，
exerts itself for our relief and deliverance.
为解救和拯救我们而竭力。
Divine mercy was personified in Jesus, and wept over us, stretched out its hand to help us, and shed its blood to save us. Mercy never thinks that it can stoop too low to reach us, or do too much to help us, or that anything is too good or too great to confer upon us.
神圣的怜悯在耶稣身上成为具体的形象，为我们哭泣，伸手帮助我们，流血拯救我们。怜悯从不认为俯就得太低而不能够到我们，或做得太多来帮助我们，或认为任何事物太好太大而不能赐给我们。
Mercy is God’s darling attribute. He delights in mercy — but it is never said that He delights in wrath, in judgment, or even in power — but He delights in mercy. He delights to display it to His chosen people.
怜悯是神最喜爱的属性。祂喜悦怜悯——但从未说祂喜悦愤怒、审判，甚至权能——祂喜悦怜悯。祂喜悦向祂的选民显明这怜悯。
God is said to be . . .
经上说神是……
of great mercy,
有丰盛怜悯的，
plenteous in mercy,
富有怜悯的，
abundant in mercy.
充满怜悯的。
His mercy is said to be . . .
祂的怜悯被说成是……
great unto the heavens,
高及诸天，
multitudinous and tender, and
浩大温柔，并且
from everlasting to everlasting!
从亘古到永远！
God’s mercy should be our heart’s theme.
上帝的怜悯应当是我们内心的主题。
We should think of it, speak of it, and sing of it.
我们应当思考它，谈论它，歌颂它。
We should set God’s mercy against . . .
我们应当将上帝的怜悯与以下事物对照…
our sin,
我们的罪过，
our misery,
我们的苦难，
our deservings.
我们应得的报应。
We should rejoice in its freeness, fullness, and immutability.
我们应当为它的无偿、丰盛和永恒不变而欢欣。
Let us think more of God’s mercy than of . . .
让我们多想想上帝的怜悯，而不是…
our trials,
我们的考验，
our troubles,
我们的困扰，
or our foes.
或我们的敌人。
God’s mercy will . . .
上帝的怜悯将会…
follow us,
跟随我们，
comfort us,
安慰我们，
and crown us!
并为我们加冕！
God’s mercy . . .
上帝的怜悯…
began with us of its own accord,
主动开始于我们，
came to us unsought and unsolicited,
在我们未寻求和恳求时就临到我们，
raised us from our low estate,
将我们从卑微的境地提升，
has heaped favors upon us,
将恩惠堆积在我们身上，
will not leave us now — but will follow us all the days of our life,
现在不会离弃我们 — 而是会终生跟随我们，
will comfort us . . .
会安慰我们…
in all our tribulations,
在我们所有的苦难中，
against all our sorrows, and
抵御我们所有的悲伤，并
make us a match for all our troubles!
使我们能应对所有的困境！
God’s mercy will crown us at last!
上帝的怜悯最终将为我们加冕！
Mercy will accompany us to the dark valley, and through it.
怜悯将陪伴我们走向幽谷，并穿越其中。
Mercy will conduct us to the Jordan, and over it.
怜悯将引导我们到约旦河，并越过它。
Mercy will lead us up into the holy city that has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
怜悯将引领我们进入那有根基的圣城，其建造者和创造者是上帝。
Mercy will place a crown of pure gold, or of sparkling glory, upon our heads, that we may wear it to its honor forever and ever!
怜悯将在我们头上戴上纯金的冠冕，或闪耀的荣耀，使我们永远为其荣耀而戴着它！
O beloved, how will God’s mercy look, when we contemplate it in the light of glory — when from the holy city we look back upon the past, and lift up our voices and sing, “To the One who remembered us in our low estate; for His mercy endures forever!”
噢，亲爱的，当我们在荣耀之光中思考上帝的怜悯时，将是何等景象 — 当我们从圣城回望过去，扬起声音歌唱：”归于那在我们卑微时仍记念我们的主；因祂的怜悯永远长存！”