“Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts:  all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life” (Psalm 42:7,8).

“As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed” (Proverbs 26:14).

This is one of the more colorful of numerous colorful verses in the Book of Proverbs which rebukes the sin of laziness. Note a few of the others:

“The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns” (Proverbs 15:19).

“For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish” (Psalm 1:6).

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes” (Psalm 119:71).

This seems like a strange testimony. Affliction is often accompanied by complaining or discouragement, but seldom by a statement of satisfaction and thankfulness, such as in our text for today.

“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein” (Jeremiah 6:16).