God beholds him with pleasure and delight!

(Charles Simeon)  LISTEN TO AUDIO!  Download Audio

"Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them." Matthew 6:1

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men!" Matthew 6:5

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting!" Matthew 6:16

"Everything they do is done for men to see!" Matthew 23:5

There is a wide difference between ostentatious sanctity and true devotion to God.
Hypocrites always endeavor to attract the attention of others. The truly holy man, on the contrary, desires privacy and retirement. Though he is cheerful before men, his sorrows are deep before God. Were his groanings overheard by the world, he would probably be made an object of pity or derision; but God beholds him with pleasure and delight!

"This is the one I esteem—he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My Word!" Isaiah 66:2

"The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love! Psalm 147:11

"The Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with salvation!" Psalm 149:4

What inexpressible comfort should this administer to humble penitents!

The humbler the thoughts that we have of ourselves—the greater does God esteem and delight in us.

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise!" Psalm 51:17