LONGING, OR THIRSTING, AFTER GOD ｜ 渴慕神

ENLONGING, OR THIRSTING, AFTER GOD. Expressions of longing by Old Testament saints: Ps. 42:1, 2. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God. Ps. 63:1, 8. O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee. My soul followeth hard after Thee. Ps. 73:25. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. Ps. 84:2. My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Ps. 119:20. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto Thy judgments at all times. Ps. 130:6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. Ps. 143:6. I stretch forth my hands unto Thee: my soul thirsteth after Thee, as a thirsty land. Job 23:3. Oh that I knew where I might find Him! Isa. 26:9. With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early.

BSBPsalm 42:1, 2 1 For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?

中渴慕神，或说渴想神。旧约圣徒渴慕之情的表达：诗篇 42:1-2 —— 神啊，我的心切慕你，如鹿切慕溪水。我的心渴想神，就是永生神。63:1, 8 —— 神啊，你是我的神，我要切切地寻求你。我的心渴想你。我心紧紧地跟随你。73:25 —— 除你以外，在天上我有谁呢？除你以外，在地上我也没有所爱慕的。84:2 —— 我羡慕渴想耶和华的院宇，我的心肠、我的肉体向永生神呼吁。119:20 —— 我时常切慕你的典章，甚至心碎。130:6 —— 我的心等候主，胜于守夜的等候天亮。143:6 —— 我向你举手；我的心渴想你，如干旱之地盼雨一样。约伯记 23:3 —— 惟愿我能知道在哪里可以寻见神！以赛亚书 26:9 —— 夜间我心中羡慕你；我里面的灵切切寻求你。

ENThe looking and seeking of the longing soul: Ps. 27:8. When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face; my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Ps. 34:4. I sought the Lord, and He heard me. Ps. 77:6. My spirit made diligent search. Ps. 119:10. With my whole heart have I sought Thee. Micah 7:7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. Heb. 12:2. Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Ps. 4:6. There be many that say, Who will show us any good? (so say dissatisfied men of the world; but the longing soul trustingly cries) Lord, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us. Promises to the longing soul: Ps. 37:4. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Ps. 103:5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things. Ps. 107:9. For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Jer. 29:13. Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. Matt. 5:6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matt. 6:33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

BSBPsalm 107:9 For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

中渴慕之灵魂的仰望与寻求：诗篇 27:8 —— 你说：你们当寻求我的面。那时我心向你说：耶和华啊，你的面我正要寻求。34:4 —— 我曾寻求耶和华，他就应允我。77:6 —— 我心里默想，我的灵仔细省察。119:10 —— 我一心寻求了你。弥迦书 7:7 —— 至于我，我要仰望耶和华，要等候那救我的神。希伯来书 12:2 —— 仰望为我们信心创始成终的耶稣。诗篇 4:6 —— 有许多人说：谁能指示我们什么好处？（世上不得满足之人如此说；渴慕的灵魂却信靠地呼求：）耶和华啊，求你仰起脸来，光照我们。给渴慕之灵魂的应许：诗篇 37:4 —— 又要以耶和华为乐，他就将你心里所求的赐给你。103:5 —— 他用美物使你所愿的得以知足。107:9 —— 因他使心里渴慕的人得以知足，使心里饥饿的人得饱美物。耶利米书 29:13 —— 你们寻求我，若专心寻求我，就必寻见。马太福音 5:6 —— 饥渴慕义的人有福了，因为他们必得饱足。6:33 —— 你们要先求他的国和他的义，这些东西都要加给你们了。

EN[An abiding thirst for God and righteousness, like light shining into the darkness, expels all other thirst of the human soul. It banishes alike the weariness of satiety from excess of pleasures, and the anguish of unsatisfied craving after unattainable gratification. B.] [The Book of Psalms and the Book of Job seem especially to be the records of the aspirations, the struggles, the experiences of the soul in its efforts to reach out and find some sure personal knowledge of God. This aspiration, struggle, longing, is voiced alike in the cry of Job, "Oh that I knew where I might find Him!" and the cry of David, "My soul thirsteth for God, the living God." It is this soul-thirst that must necessarily precede the inflowing of the Divine Life, which is ever surrounding the soul, ready to give of itself to every one that is ready to receive it. The one obstacle to be overcome is the will—that strange, mysterious essence of individuality which differentiates the soul from everything else in the universe, even from God Himself. But once this obstacle is removed, and the will resolves and desires to yield to God, to obey His laws and to be instructed by His Divine Spirit—then the life of God in the soul is begun. The Interior.]

中〔对神、对公义那持久不退的渴，正如光照进黑暗，把人灵魂里一切别的渴驱逐出去。它同时逐走两样东西：纵情享乐至于餍足所生的倦怠，以及苦求不可得之满足而不得时的煎熬。B.（编者巴特勒）〕〔诗篇与约伯记，似乎尤其是灵魂之渴望、挣扎与经历的实录——记录它奋力伸手、要寻得某种确凿而亲身之神的认识。这渴望、挣扎、切慕，同样发声于约伯的呼喊：『惟愿我能知道在哪里可以寻见他！』也发声于大卫的呼喊：『我的心渴想神，就是永生神。』正是这灵魂之渴，必须先于神圣生命的涌入——那生命始终环绕着灵魂，随时准备把自己给予每一个预备好领受的人。唯一需要越过的障碍是意志——那个奇特神秘的个体性本质，把灵魂与宇宙间万物、甚至与神自己区分开来。但这障碍一旦挪去，意志一旦决意并愿意向神降服、顺从他的律法、受他神圣之灵的教导——那时，神在灵魂中的生命就开始了。《The Interior》（内地报）〕

EN[The God of the Bible is a living God. He has a heart of tenderness and love, like our mother's heart. He thinks of His creatures and cares for them; He seeks their companionship, is interested in their life, craves their affection, and is grieved by their sin or alienation. Jesus is the revealer of God, and He uses but one name in making God known—the name Father—putting into the holy word all that is tender, sweet, and compassionate; all that love could possibly mean. This truth of the living God assures us of complete satisfaction. We know what a satisfying of the heart even a strong human friendship gives; yet this, at its best, is only a hint of what God is to those who bring their thirsts to Him. The cross of Christ meets the heart's most anguished cry for pardon; the Divine love meets the deepest yearnings of the hungriest soul for love; God's wisdom answers all the questions of human eagerness to know. Things will never satisfy an immortal life; even the best of God's blessings and gifts will not do it. Nothing less than God Himself will suffice. J. R. Miller.]

BSBPsalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You.

中〔圣经的神是活的神。他有一颗温柔慈爱的心，像我们母亲的心。他思念他的受造之物，顾念他们；他寻求与他们为伴，关切他们的生活，渴望他们的爱慕，也因他们的罪或疏离而忧伤。耶稣是神的启示者；他在使人认识神时只用了一个名字——『父』——把一切温柔、甘美、体恤，把爱可能意味的一切，都灌注进这个圣洁的字里。关于这位活神的真理，向我们保证了完全的满足。我们知道，即便一段深厚的人间友谊也能给心多大的餍足；然而这友谊即使达于至善，也不过是一点暗示，示意神对那些把自己的渴带到他面前的人是什么。基督的十字架应对了人心求赦最痛切的呼喊；神圣的爱应对了最饥渴之灵魂对爱最深的渴望；神的智慧回答了人求知之切的一切问题。『东西』永远填不满一个不朽的生命；即便神最好的福分与恩赐也做不到。除了神自己，别无一物能够足够。米勒（J. R. Miller）〕