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Williams: AN EXPOSITION THE BOOK OF PSALMS, WITH frartM §mmU mh ©teiratas. BY MATTHEW HENEY, LATE MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL. UNABRIDGED AND ILLUSTRATED. Loisnrcm- HENRY G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1853. ff EXPOSITION OF THE BOOK OE PSALMS. INTRODUCTION. We have now before us one of the choicest and most excellent parts of all the Old Testa ment ; nay, so much is there in it of Christ and his Gospel, as well as of God and his law, that it has been called the abstract or summary of both Testaments. The history of Israel, which we were long upon, led us to camps and council-hoards, and there enter tained and instructed us in the knowledge of God; the book of Job brought us into the schools, and treated us with profitable disputations concerning God and his providence ; but this book brings us into the sanctuary, draws us off from converse with men, with the politicians, philosophers, or disputers of this world, and directs us into communion with God, by solacing and reposing our souls in him, lifting up and letting out our hearts towards him. Thus may we be in the mount with God ; and we understand not ourselves if we say not, "It is good to be here." Let us consider, I. The title of this book. It is called, 1. The Psalms; under that title it is referred to. Im. xxiv. 44. The Hebrew calls it Tehillim, which properly signifies ' psalms of praise, because many of them are such ; but Psalms is a more general word, meaning all metrical compositions fitted to he sung ; which may as well be historical, doctrinal, or supplicatory, as laudatory. Though singing be properly the voice of joy, yet the intention of songs is of a much greater latitude— to assist the memory, and both to express and to excite all the other affections, as well as this of joy. The priests had a mournful muse as well as joyful ones. And the Divine institution of singing psalms is thus largely intended ; for we are directed not only to praise God, but to teach and admonish ourselves and one another in isalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, Col. iii. 16. 2. It is called the Book of Psalms ; bo it 3 quoted by St. Peter, Acts i. 20. It is a collection of psalms, of all the psalms that were Divinely inspired : which, though composed at several times, and upon several occasions, are here put together, without any reference to or dependence upon one another. Thus they were preserved from being scattered and lost, and laid in so much greater readiness for the service of the church. See what a good Master we serve, and wnat pleasantness there is in wisdom's ways, when we are not only commanded to sing at our work, and have cause enough given us to do so, but have words also put into our mouths, and songs prepared to our hands. II. The author of this book. It is, no doubt, derived originally from the blessed Spirit. They are spiritual songs, words which the Holy Ghost teacheth. The penman of most of them was David, the son of Jesse, who is therefore called the sweet Psalmist of Israel, 2 Sam. xxiii. 1. Some that have not his name in their titles, yet are expressly ascribed to him elsewhere, as the second Psalm, Acts iv. 25, and Psalms xcvi. and cv., 1 Chr. xvi. One psalm is expressly said to be the prayer of Moses, Ps. xc. ; and that some of the psalms were penned by Asaph is intimated 2 Chr. xxix. 30, where they are said to praise the Lord in the words of David and Asaph, who is there called a seer or prophet. Some of the psalms seem to have been penned long after, as Ps. exxxvii., at the time of the captivity in Babylon ; but for certain the far greater part of them were penned by David himself, whose genius lay towards poetry and music, and who was raised up, qualified, and spirited for the establishing of the ordinance of singing psalms in the church of God, as Moses and Aaron were in their day for the settling of the ordinances of sacrifice : theirs is superseded, but this remains and will to the end of time, when it shall be swallowed up in the songs of eternity. Herein David was a type of Christ, who descended from him ; not from Moses, because he came to take away sacrifice, (the family of Moses was soon lost and extinct,) but to establish and perpetuate joy and praise ; for of the family of David, in Christ, there shall be no end. III. The scope of it. It is manifestly intended, 1. To assist the exercises of natural religion, and to kindle in the souls of men those devout affections which we owe to God as our Creator, Owner,- Ruler, and Benefactor. The book of Job helps to prove our first principles or the Divine perfections and providence; but this helps to improve them in prayers and praises, and professions of desire towards him, dependence on him , and an entire devotedness and resignation to him. Other parts of Scripture show that God is infinitely above man, and his Sovereign Lord ; but this shows us that, notwithstanding that, he may be conversed with by us sinful worms of the earth, and there are ways in which, if it be not our own faults, we may keep up communion with him in all the various conditions of human life. 2. To advance the excellences of revealed religion, and, in the most pleasing, powerful manner, to recommend it to the world. There is indeed little or nothing in all the book of Psalms of the ceremonial law ; though sacrifice and offering were yet to continue many ages, yet they are here represented as things which God did not desire, Ps. xl. 6 ; li. 16 ; as things comparatively little, and which m time were to vanish away. But the word and law of God, those parts of it which are moral and of perpetual obligation, are here all along magnified and made honourable : nowhere more. And Christ, the crown and centre of revealed religion, the foundation, corner, and top- Btone of that blessed building, is here clearly spoken of in type and prophecy ; both his sufferings and the glory that should follow, and the kingdom he should set up in the n INTRODUCTION. world, which God's covenant with David concerning his kingdom was to have its accom plishment in. What a high value doth this book put upon the Word of God, his statutes and judgments, his covenant, and the great and precious promises of it; and how doth it recommend them to us as our guide and Btay, and our heritage for ever ! IV. The use of it. All Scripture, being given by inspiration of God, is profitable to con vey Divine light into our understanding ; but this book is of singular use with that to convey Divine life and power, and a holy heat, into our affections. There is no one book of Scripture that is more helpful to the devotions of the saints than this, and it has been so in all ages of the church ever since it was written, and the several parts of it delivered to the chief musician, for the service of the church. 1. It is of use to be sung. Farther than David's psalms we may go, but we need not go, for hymns and spiritual songs. What r' the rules of the Hebrew metre were, even the learned are not certain. But these psalms ought to be rendered according to the metre of every language, at least, so as that they may be sung for the edification of the church ; and, methinks, it is a great comfort to us, when we are singing David's psalms, that we are offering the very same praises to God that were offered him in the days of David, and other the godly kings of Judah. So rich, so well made, are these Divine poems, that they can never be exhausted, can never be worn threadbare. 2. It is of use to be read and opened by the ministers of Christ, as con taining great and excellent truths, and rules concerning good and evil- Our Lord Jesus expounded the psalms to his disciples, the gospel psalms, and opened their understandings (for he had the key of David) to understand them, Im. xxiv. 44. 8. It is of use to bo read and meditated upon by all good people. It is a full fountain out of which we may all be drawing water with j oy. 1st. The Psalmist's experiences are of great use for our direction, caution, and encouragement ; in telling us, as he often doth, what passed between God and his soul, he lets us know what we may expect from God, and what he will expect and require, and graciously accept, from us. David was a man after God's own heart, and, therefore, those who find themselves in some measure according to his heart, have reason to hope that they are renewed by the grace of God, after the image of God, and may have much comfort in the testimony of their consciences for them, that they can heartily say Amen to David's prayers and praises. 2nd. Even the Psalmist's expressions, too, are of great use ; and by them the Spirit helps our praying infirmities, because we know not what to pray for as we ought. In all our approaches to God, as well as in our first returns to God, we are directed to take with us words, Hos. xiv. 2 ; these words, words which the Holv Ghost teacheth. If we make David's psalms familiar to us, as we ought to do, what ever errand we have at the throne of grace, by way of confession, petition, or thanks giving, we may from thence be assisted in the delivery of it ; whatever devout affection is working in us, holy desire or hope, sorrow or joy, we may there find apt words wherewith to clothe them : sound speech which cannot be condemned. It will be good to collect the most proper and lively expressions of devotion which we find here, and to methodize them, and reduce them to the several heads of prayer, that they may be the more ready to us ; or we may take sometimes one choice psalm, and sometimes another, and pray it over, that is, enlarge upon each verse in our own thoughts, and offer up> our meditations to God, as they arise from the expressions we find there. The learned Dr. Hammond, in his preface to his Paraphrase on tlie Psalms, sect. 29, saith, ' That going over a few psalms with these interpunctions of mental devotion, suggested, animated, and maintained by the native life and vigour which is in the Psalms, is much to be preferred before the saying over of the whole Psalter ; since nothing is more fit to be averted in religious offices than their degenerating into heartless, dispirited recitations.' If, as St. Austin adviseth, we form our spirit by the affection of the psalm, we may then be sure of accep tance with God in using the language of it. Nor is it only our devotion and the affections of our mind that the book of Psalms assists, teaching us how to offer praise so as to glorify God; but it is also a directory to the actions of our lives, and teacheth us how to order our conversation aright, so as that, in the end, we may see the salvation of God, Ps 1. 6. These psalms were thus serviceable to the Old Testament church, but to us Chris tians they may be of more use than they could be to them who lived before the coming of Christ ; for, as Moses' sacrifices, so David's songs, are expounded and made more intelli gible by the Gospel of Christ, which lets us within the veil; so that if, to David's prayers and praises, we add St. Paul's prayers in his Epistles, and the new songs in the Revelation we shall be thoroughly furnished for this good work, for the Scripture perfected makes the man of God perfect. As to the division of this book we need not be solicitous ; there is no connexion (or very seldom) between one psalm and another, nor any reason discernible for the placing of them in the order wherein we here find them ; but it seems to be ancient, for that which is now the 2nd Psalm was so in the apostles' time, Acts xiii. 38. The vulgar Latin joins the 9th and 10th together: all Popish authors quote by that; so that from thenceforward throughout the book, their number is one short of ours : our 11th is their 10th our H9th their 118th. But then they divide the 147th into two, and so make up the number of 150 Some have endeavoured to reduce the Psalms to proper heads, according to the matter of them ; but there is many times such a variety of matter in one and the same psalm that it cannot be done with any certainty; but the seven penitential psalms have been in a s particular manner singled out by the devotions of many. They are reckoned to be the eth, 32nd, 38th, 51st, 102nd, 130th, and 143rd. The Psalms have anciently been divided into- * five books, each concluding with "AmeD, amen," or "Hallelujah ;" the first endinc with P&. xii., the second with Ps. lxxn., the third with Ps. Ixxxix., the fourth with Ps cvi the fifth withP*. cl. Others divide them into three fifties, others into sixty parts two- 'for everv day of the month,— one for the morning, the other for the evening. Let good Christian* divide them for themselves, so as may best increase their acquaintance with them that they may have them at hand upon all occasions, and may sing them in the spirit and with the understanding. PSALM I. 7 This is a psalm of Instruction concerning good and evil, setting before us life and death, the blessing and the curse, that we may take the right way which leads tohappineBB, and avoid that which will certainly end in our misery and ruin. The different character and condition of godly people and wicked people, those that serve God, and those that serve him not, is here plainly stated in a few words ; so that every man, if he will he faithful to himself, may here see his own face, and then read his own doom. That division of the children of men into saints and sinners, righteous and unrighteous, the children of God, and the children of the wicked one, as it is ancient, ever since the struggle began between sin and grace, the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, so it is lasting, and will survive all other divisions and subdivisions of men into high and low, rich and poor, bond and free ; for by this men's everlasting state will be determined, and the distinction will last as long as heaven and hell. This psalm shews us, I, The holiness and happiness of a godly man, ver. 1 — 3. II. The sinfulness and misery of a wicked man, ver. 4, 5. III. The ground and reason of both, ver. 6. Whosoever collected the psalms of David, (probably it was Ezra,) with good reason put this psalm first, as a preface to the rest, because it is absolutely necessary to the acceptance of our devotions that we be righteous before God ; for it is only the prayer of the upright that is his delight, and therefore that we be right in our notions of blessedness, and in our choice of the way that leads to it. Those are not fit to put up good prayers that do not walk in good ways. BLESSED is the man that walketh not in the counsel Nor standeth in the way of sinners, [of the ungodly, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season ; His leaf also shall not wither ; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The psalmist begins with the character and condition of a godly man, that those may first take the comfort of that to whom it belongs. Here is, First. A description given of the godly man's spirit and way, by which we are to try ourselves. The Lord knows them that are his by name, but we must know them by their character, for that is agreeable to a state of probation, that we may study to answer the character; which is indeed both the command of the law, that we are bound in duty to obey, and the condition of the promise, that we are bound in interest to fulfil. The character of a good man is here given by the rules he chooseth to walk by, and to take his measures from. It is of great consequence to us what we take at our setting out, and at every turn, for the guide of our conversation, whether the course of this world or the word of God. An error in the choice trf our standard and leader is original and fatal, but if we be right here we are in a fair way to do well. 1. A. godly man, that he may avoid the evil, utterly renounces the conduct of evil-doers, and will not be led by them ; ver. l,he " walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly," &c. This part of his character is put first, because those that will keep the commandments of their God must say to evil-doers, "Depart from us," Ps. cxix. 115. And departing from evil is that in which wisdom begins. 1st. He sees evil-doers round about him. The world is full of them, they walk on every side. They are here described by three characters, — ungodly, sinners, and scornful. See by what steps men arrive to the height of impiety ; nemo repente sit turpissimus,— none reach the height of vice at once. They are ungodly first, casting off the fear of God, and living in the neglect of their duty to him. But they rest not there ; when the services of religion are laid aside, they come to be sinners, that is, they break out into open rebellion against God, and engage in the service of sin and Satan. Omissions make way for com missions ; and by these the heart is so hardened that at length they come to be scorners; they openly defy all that is sacred, scoff at religion, and make a jest of sin. Thus is the way of iniquity down-hill; the bad grow worse, sinners themselves become tempters to others, and advocates for Baal. The word which we translate ungodly, signifies such as are unsettled, aim at no certain end, and walk by no certain rule, but are at the command of every lust, and at the beck of every temptation : the word for sinners, such as are determined for the practice of sin, and set it up as their trade ; and then the scornful are those that set up their mouths against the heavens. These the good man sees with a sad heart ; they are a constant vexation to his righteous soul. But. 2nd. He shuns them wherever he sees them. He doth not do as they do : and that he mav not he doth not converse familiarly with them. First. He doth not 8 PSALM I. walk in the counsel of the ungodly. He is not present at their counsels, nor doth he advise with them ; though they are never so witty, and subtle, and learned, if they are ungodly they shall not be the men of his counsel ; he doth not consent to them, nor say as they say, Lu. xxiii. 51 ; doth not take his measures from their principles, nor act according to the advice which they use to give and take. The ungodly are forward to give their advice against religion ; and it is managed so artfully, that we have reason to bless ourselves from it, and to think ourselves happy if we escape being tainted and ensnared by it. Secondly. He stands not in the way of sinners ; that is, he avoids doing as they do. Their way shall not be his way ; he will not come into it, much less will he continue in it, as the sinner doth, who " sets himself in a way that is not good," Ps. xxxvi. 4. He avoids, as much as may be, being where they are ; that he may not imitate them he will not associate with them, nor choose them for his companions. He doth not stand in their way to be picked up by them, Pr. vii. 8, but keeps as far from them as from a place or person infected with the plague, for fear of the contagion, Pr. iv. 14, 15. He that would be kept from harm must keep out of harm's way. Thirdly. He sits not in the seat of the scornful. He doth not repose himself with those that sit down secure in their wickedness, and please themselves with the searedness of their own con sciences. He doth not associate with those that sit in close cabal to find out ways and means for the support and advancement of the devil's kingdom ; or that sit in open judgment magisterially to condemn the generation of the right eous. The seat of the drunkards is the seat of the scornful, Ps. Ixix. 12; happy is the man that never sits in it, Hos. vii. 5. 2. A godly man, that he may do that which is good, and cleave to it, submits to the conduct of the word of God, and makes that familiar to him, ver. 2. This is that which keeps him out of the way of the ungodly, and fortifies him against their temptations, " By the words of thy lips I have kept me from the path of the destroyer, Ps. xvii. 4. We need not court the fellowship of sinners either for pleasure or improvement, while we have fellowship with the word of God, and with God himself, in and by his word ; " When thou wakest, it shall talk with thee," Pr. vi. 22. We may judge of our spiritual state by this, What is the law of God to us? what account do we make of it? what place has it in us? See here, 1st. The entire affection which a good man has for the law of God. His delight is in it. He delights in it, though it be a law, a yoke, because it is the law of God, which is holy, just, and good, which he freely consents to, and so delights in it after the inner man, Rom. vii. 16, 22. All that are well pleased there is a God, cannot but be well pleased there is a Bible, a revelation of God, of his will, and of the only way to happiness in him. 2nd. The intimate acquaintance which a good man keeps up with the word of God. In that law doth he meditate day and night ; and by this it appears his delight is in it ; for what we love we love to think of, Ps. cxix. 97. To meditate in God's word is to discourse with ourselves concerning the great things con tained in it, with a close application of mind, a fixedness of thought, till we be suitably affected with those things, and experience the savour and power of them in our hearts. This we must do day and night, that is, we must have a constant habitual regard to the word of God as the rule of our actions, and the spring of our comforts, and we must have it in our thoughts accordingly upon every occasion that occurs, whether night or day. No tune amiss for the meditating on the word of God, nor any time unseasonable for those visits We must not only set ourselves to meditate on God's word morning and evening at the entrance of the day and the night, but these thoughts should be inter woven with the business and converse of every day, and with the repose and slumbers of every night ; When I am awake, I am still with thee " Secondly. An assurance given of the godly man's happiness, with which we should encourage ourselves to answer the character of such 1 In general, he is blessed, ver. 1. God blesseth him, and that blessing will make him happy. Blessednesses are to him,' blessings of all kinds of the upper and nether springs, enough to make him completely happy : none of the ingre dients of happiness shall be wanting to him. When he undertakes to describe a, blessed man, he describes a good man; for, after all, those only are happv truly happy, that are holy, truly holy; and we are more concerned to know the way to blessedness than to know wherein the blessedness will consist Nay, goodness and holiness is not only the way to happiness, {Rev. xxii 14) but happiness itself. Supposing there were not another life after this vet that man is a happy man that keeps m the way of his duty. 2. His blessedness is here illustrated by a similitude ; ver 3 " He shall h.. liko a tree," fruitful and flourishing. This is the effect, 1 st 'Of his pious practice ¦he meditated in the law of God turns that in maim et sanguinem,-' into juice 'and blood and that makes him like a tree. The more we converse with the word of liod the better furnished we are for every good word and work Or or,A rvf m,« frllSSd -rLesS!?g- H& is 1?lessed f tht Lord> and therefore' "he shall be hke a tree. The Divine blessing, produceth real effects. It is the happiness PSALM I. 9 of a godly man, First. That he is planted by the grace of God. These trees were by nature wild olives, and will continue so till they are grafted anew, and so planted by a power from above. Never any good tree grew of itself; it ia the planting of the Lord; and therefore he must in it be glorified, Isa. lxi. 3; " The trees of the Lord are full of sap." Secondly. That he is placed by the means of grace, here called the rivers of water, those rivers which make glad the city of our God, Ps. xlvi. 4 ; from these a good man receives supplies of strength and vigour, but in secret undiscerned ways. Thirdly. That his prac tices shall be fruit abounding to a good account, Phil. iv. 17. To those whom God first blessed he said, Be fruitful. Gen. i. 22, and still the comfort and honour of fruitf ulness is a recompence for the labour of it. It is expected from those who enjoy the mercies of grace, that, both in the temper of their minds and in the tenor of their lives, they comply with the intentions of that grace, and then they bring forth fruit. And be it observed, to the praise* of the Great Dresser of the vineyard, they bring forth their fruit (that which is required of them) in due season, when it is most beautiful and most useful ; improving every opportunity of doing good, and doing it in its proper time i. Fourthly, That his profession shall be preserved from blemish and decay ; his leaf also shall not wither." Those who bring forth only the leaves of profession, without any good fruit, even their leaf will wither, and they shall be as much ashamed of their profession as ever they were proud of it ; but if the word of God rule in the heart, that will keep the profession green, both to our comfort and to our credit. The laurels he has won shall never wither. Fifthly. That prosperity shall attend him wherever he goes,— soul prosperity. Whatever he doth, in conformity to the law, it shall prosper and succeed to his mind, or above In singing these verses, being duly affected with the malignant and dangerous nature of sin, the transcendent excellences of the Divine law, and the power and efficacy of God's grace, from which our fruit is found, we must teach and admonish ourselves and one another to watch against sin, and all approaches towards it,— to converse much with the word of God, and abound m the fruits of righteousness. And in praying over them we must seek to God for his grace, both to fortify us against every evil word and work, and to furnish us for every good word and work. 4 The ungodly are not so : But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous : But the way of the ungodly shall perish. Here is, First. The description of the ungodly given, ver. 4. 1. In general; they are the reverse of the righteous, both m character and condition. Iney " are not so " The Seventy emphatically repeat this, Not so the ungodly, they are not so • ' they are led by the counsel of the wicked, in the way of sinners, to the seat of the scornful. They have no delight in the law of God, nor ever think of it; they bring forth no fruit, but grapes of Sodom ; they cumber the ground 2 In particular; whereas the righteous are hke valuable, useful, fruitful trees, they " are like the chaff which the wind driveth away ; the very lightest of the chaff, the dust which the owner of the flour desires to have driven away, as not capable of being put to any use Would you value them ? Would you weigh them? They are like chaff, of no worth at all in Gods account, how highly soever they may value themselves. Would you know the temper of their minds? They are light andvam; they have no substance in them, no solidity ; they are easily driven to and fro by every wind and ^empta- tion.and have no stedfastness. Would you know their end ? 1 tew rath ot God will drive them away in their wickedness, as the wind doth the chaff, which is never gathered or looked after more. The chaff may be for a while among the wheat, but He is coming whose fan is in >s hand, and who will thoroughly purge his floor. They that by their own sin and folly make them selves Is chaff will be found so before the whirlwind and fire of Divine wrath, (Ps. xxxv. 5,) so unable to stand before it or to escape it. Isa. xyu. 13. Secondly. The doom of the ungodly read, ver. 5. 1. . They will be cast, upon their trial; as traitors convict. They " shali not stand in the judgment," that is, they shal f be found guilty, shall hang down the head with shame and co„fuS,0n, and all their pleas and excuses will be overruled as frivolous. There is a judg ment to come, in which every man's present character and work though never so Stfully concealed and disguisecf, shall be truly and perfectly discovered, and I atroear in its own colours; so every man's future state will be by an lire- 10 PSALM II. versible sentence determined for eternity. The ungodly must appear in that judgment, to receive according to the things done in the body. They may hope to come off, nay, to come off with honour, but their hope will deceive them ; they " shall not stand in the judgment;" so plain will the evidence be against them, and so just and impartial will the judgment be upon it. 2. They will be for ever shut out from the society of the blessed. They shall not stand "in the congregation of the righteous," that is, in the judgment, so some, in that court wherein the saints, as assessors with Cnrist, shall judge the world,— those holy myriads with which he shall come to execute judgment upon all, Jude 14; 1 Cor. vi. 2. Or, in heaven there will shortly be a general assembly of the church of the firstborn, a congregation of the righteous, of all the saints, and none but saints, and saints made perfect; such a congregation of them as never was inthis world, 2 Tkes. ii. 1. The wicked shall not have a place in that con gregation. Into the New Jerusalem none unclean, or unsanctitied, shall enter; they shall see the righteous enter into the kingdom, and themselves to their everlasting vexation thrust out, Lu. xiii. 27. The wicked and profane in this world ridiculed the righteous, and their congregation despised them, and cared not for their company; justly, therefore, will they be for ever separated from them. Hypocrites in this world, under the disguise of a plausible profession, may thrust themselves into the congregation of the righteous, and remain un disturbed and undiscovered there, but Christ cannot be imposed upon, though his ministers may ; the day is coming when he will separate between the sheep and the goats, the tares and the wheat : see Mat. xiii. 41, 49. That great day, so the Cnaldee here calls it, will be a day of discovery, a day of distinction^ and a day of final division ; then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, which here it is sometimes hard to do, Mal.m. 18. Thirdly. The reason rendered of this different state of the godly and wicked, ver. 6. l. God must have all the glory of the prosperity and happiness of the righteous. They are blessed because the Lord knows their way ; he chose them into it, inclined them to choose it, leads and guides them in it, and orders all their steps. 2. Sinners must bear all the blame of their own destruction. There fore the ungodly perish because the very way in which they have chosen and resolved to walk leads directly to destruction: it naturally tends towards ruin, and therefore must necessarily end in it. Or we may take it thus : " The Lord knows," that is, he approves of, and is well pleased with, "the way of the righteous," and therefore under the influence of his gracious smiles it shall prosper and end well. But he is angry at the way of the wicked ; all they do is offensive to him, and therefore it shall perish, and they in it. It is certain every man's judgment proceedeth from the Lord, and it is well or ill with us, and is likely to be so to all eternity, according as we are or are not accepted of God. Let this support the drooping spirits of the righteous, that the Lord knows their way, knows their hearts, Jer. xii. 3 ; knows their secret devotions. Mat. vi. 6 ; knows their character, now much soever it is blackene'd and blemished by the reproaches of men ; and will shortly make them and their way manifest before the world, to their immortal joy and honour. Let this cast a damp upon the security and jollity of sinners, that their way, though pleasant now, will perish at last. In singing these verses, and praying over them, let us possess ourselves with a holy dread of the wicked man's portion, and deprecate it, with a firm and lively expectation of the judgment to come, and stir up ourselves to prepare for it; and with a holy care to approve ourselves to God in every thing, entreating his favour with our whole hearts. PSALM II. As the foregoing psalm was moral, and shewed us our duty, so this is evanerelical and shews us our Saviour. Under the type of David's ki/gdom, which was of Divine appointment, met with much oppos.tion, but prevailed at last, the kingdom ot the Messiah, the son of David is prophesied of, which is the primary intention and scope of the psalm ; and I think there is less in it of the type, and more of the antitype than in any of the gospel psalms, for there is nothing in it but what is applicable to Christ but some things that are not at all applicable to David ; ver. 6, 7, ¦¦ Thou art mv Son " ver. 8, "I will give thee the uttermost parts of the earth;" and, ver 12 "Kiss the. Son." It is interpreted of Christ, Acts iv. 25 ; xiii. 33 , Heb. i. 5. The Hoiv GhnS V»r» foretells, I. The opposition that should be given to the kingdom of the Messiah ver. 1-3. II. The baffling and chastising of that opposition ver 4 5 in S setting up of the kingdom of Christ notwithstanding that opposition ' ver 6 TV The confirmation and establishment of it, ver. 7. V. A promise of the enin™™- 1 ^ success of it, ver. 8, 9. VI. A call and exhortation Vkto™ and prince" toS the™* selves the willing subjects of this kingdom, ver. 10—12? Or Sii"? we haw hIS I. Threatenirigs denounced against the adversaries of Christ's kinsdom ver T_ «' II. Promises made to Christ himself, the head of this kingdom ver 7—9 m r i given to all to espouse the interests of this kingdom, ver. 10-12.' This nsalm T»fJ former, is very fitly prefixed to this book of devotions, because, as it is necessary to our d> PSALM II. 11 acceptance with God that we should be subject to the precepts of his law, so it is likewise that we should be subject to the grace of his Gospel, and come to him hi thd name of a Mediator. WHY do the heathen rage, And the people imagine a vain thing ? % The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, And cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh : The Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath And vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion. We have here a very great struggle about the kingdom of Christ: hell and heaven contesting it; and the seat of the war is this earth, where Satan has long had a usurped kingdom, and exercised dominion to that degree, that he lias Deen called the prince of the power of the very air we breathe in, and the od of the world we live in. He knows very well that as the Messiah's king- ,om riseth and gets ground his falls and loseth ground ; and, therefore, though it will be set up certainly, it shall not be set up tamely. Observe here. First. The mighty opposition that would be given to the Messiah and his kingdom, to his holy religion, and all the interests of it, ver. 1 — 3. One would have expected that so great a blessing to this world should have been univer sally welcomed and embraced, and that every sheaf should immediately have bowed to that of the Messiah, and all the crowns and sceptres on earth should have been laid at his feet; out it proves quite contrary. Never were the notions of any sect of philosophers, though never so absurd, nor the powers of any prince or state though never so tyrannical, opposed with so much violence as the doctrine and government of Christ. A sign it was from heaven, for the opposition was plainly from hell originally. 1. "We are here told who would appeal* as adversaries to Christ, and the devil's instruments in this opposition to his kingdom. Princes and people, court and country, have sometimes separate interests, but here they are united against Christ ; not the mighty only, but the mob, the heathen, the people, — num bers of them, communities of them, though usually fond of liberty, yet averse to that liberty Christ came to procure and proclaim. Not the mob only, but the mighty, among whom one mignt have expected more sense and consideration, appear violent against Christ ; though his kingdom is not of this world, nor in any danger of weakening their interests, but very likely, if they please, to strengthen them, yet the kings of the earth and rulers are up in arms presently. See the effects of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman, and how general and malignant the corruption of mankind is: see how formidable the enemies of the church are; they are numerous, they are potent. The unbelieving Jews are here called heathen, so wretchedly were they degenerated from the faith and holiness of their ancestors ; they stirred up the heathen, the Gentiles, to prosecute the Christians. As the Philistines and their lords, Saul and his courtiers, the disaffected party and their ring leaders, opposed David's coming to the crown, so Herod and Pilate, the Gentiles and the Jews, did their utmost against Christ, and his interest in men, Acts iv. 27. 2. Who it is that they quarrel with, and muster up all their forces against. It is "against the Lord, and against his anointed," that is, against all religion in general, and the Christian religion in particular ; and it is certain, all that are enemies to Christ, whatever they pretend, are enemies to God himself; they " have hated both me and my Father," J no. xv. 24. The Great Author of our holy religion is here called the Lord's Anointed, or Messiah, or Christ. in allusion to the anointing of David to be king. He is both authorized ana qualified to be the church's head and king, is duly invested in the office, and every way fitted for it, and yet there are those that are against him ; nay, therefore they are against him, because they are impatient of God's authority, envious at his advancement, and have a rooted enmity to the Spirit of holiness. 12 PSALM II. 3. The opposition they give is here described. 1st. It is a most spiteful and malicious opposition. They rage and fret, gnash their teeth for vexation, at the setting up of Christ's kingdom ; it creates in them the greatest uneasiness that can be, and fills them with indignation, so that they have no enjoyment of themsel *es : see Lu. xiii. 14 ; Jno. xi. 47 ; Acts v. 17, 33 ; xix. 28. Idolaters raged at the discovery of their folly, the chief priests and Pharisees at the eclipsing of their glory, and the shaking of their usurped dominion. Iney that did evil raged at the light. 2nd. It is a deliberate, politic opposition. They imagine, or meditate, that is, they contrive means to suppress the rising interests of Christ's kingdom, and are very confident of the success ot their contrivances ; they promise themselves that they shall run down religion, and carry the day. 3rd. It is a resolute, obstinate opposition. They set themselves, set their faces as a flint, and their hearts as an adamant, in defiance of reason and conscience, and all the terrors of the Lord ; they are proud and daring, like the Babel-builders, and will persist in their resolution, come what will. 4th. It is a combined, confederate opposition. They "take counsel together, to assist and animate one another in this opposition ; they are unanimous in their resolutions, and carry them nemine contradicente, that they will puBh . on the unholy war against the Messiah with the utmost vigour. And there upon councils are called, cabals are formed, and all their wits are at work to find out ways and means for the preventing of the establishment of Christ s kingdom, Ps. Ixxxiii. 5. 4. We are here told what it is they are exasperated at, and what they aim at in this opposition ; ver. 3, "Let us break their bands asunder. I hey will not be under any government,— they are children of Belial, that cannot endure the yoke,— however, not under the government of the Lord and Ins Anointed; they will be content to entertain the notions of the kingdom of God and the Messiah, which will serve them to dispute of, and to support their own dominion with. If the Lord and his Anointed will make them rich and great ; in the world, they will bid them welcome ; but if they will restrain their cor- rupt appetites and passions, regulate and reform their hearts and lives, and bring them under the government of a pure and heavenly religion, truly, then, they will not have this man to reign over them, Lu. xix. 14. Christ has bands and cords for us ; they that will be saved by him must be ruled by him : but they are cords of a man, agreeable to right reason, and bands of love, conducive to our true interest. And yet against those the quarrel is. Why do men oppose religion, but because they are impatient of the restraints and obligations of it ? They would break asunder the bands of conscience they are under; and the cords of God's commandments, by which they are called to tie themselves out from all sin, and to tie themselves up to all duty, they will not receive, but cast them away as far from them as they can. t ^ 5. They are here reasoned with concerning it ; ver. 1, Why do they do this? ' 1st. They can shew no good cause for opposing so just, and holy, and gracious ' -: a government, which will not interfere with the secular powers, nor introduce, any dangerous principles hurtful to kings or provinces ; Dut, on the contrary, if universally received, would bring a heaven upon earth. 2nd. They can hope for no good success in opposing so powerful a kingdom, with which they are utterly unable to contend. It is a vain thing ; when they have done their worst Christ will have a church in the world, and that church shall be glorious and triumphant. It is built upon a rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The moon walks in brightness, though the dogs bark at it. Secondly. The mighty conquest gained over all this threatening opposition. If heaven and earth be the combatants, it is easy to foretell which will be the conqueror. They that make this mighty struggle are the people of the earth, and the kings of the earth, who, being of the earth, are earthy ; but he whom they contest with is one that sits in the heavens, ver. 4. He is in the heaven, a place of such a vast prospect that he can oversee them all, and all their pro jects ; and such a vast power that he can overcome them all, and all their attempts. He sits there as one easy and at rest, out of the reach of all their impotent menaces and attempts. There he sits as judge in all the affairs of the children of men, perfectly secure of the full accomplishment of all his own purposes and designs, in_ spite of all opposition, Ps. xxix. 10. The perfect repose of the Eternal Mind may be our comfort under all the disquietments of our mind. We are tossed on earth, and in the sea, but he sits in the heavens, where he has prepared his throne for judgment. And therefore, 1. The attempts of Christ's enemies are easily ridiculed. God laughs at them for a company of fools ; he hath them and all their attempts in derision, and therefore the virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised them, Isa. xxxvii. 22. Sinners' follies are the just sport of God's infinite wisdom and power ; and those attempts of the kingdom of Satan which in our eyes are formidable in his are despicable. Sometimes God is said to awake, and arise, and stir up himself for the vanquishing of his enemies, here he is said to sit still and do it ; for the PSALM II. 13 utmost operations of God's omnipotence create no difficulty at all, nor the least disturbance to his eternal rest. 2. They are justly punished, ver. 5. Though God despiseth them as impotent, yet he doth not therefore wink at them, but is justly displeased with them, as impudent and impious, and will make the most daring sinners to know that he is so, and to tremble before him. 1st. Their sin is a provocation to him. He is wroth, he is sorely displeased. "We cannot expect that God should be reconciled to us, or well pleased in us, but in and through the Anointed ; and therefore, if we affront and reject him, we sin against the remedy, and forfeit the benefit of his interposal between us and God. 2nd. His anger will be a vexation to them. If he but speak to them in his wrath, even the breath of his mouth will be their confusion,— slaughter and consumption, Isa. x. 23; 2 Thes. ii. 8. He speaks, and it is done ; he speaks in wrath, and sinners are undone. As a word made us, so a word can unmake us again ; " Who knows the power of his anger?" The enemies rage, but cannot vex God. God sits still, and yet vexeth them ; puts them into a consternation, so the word is, and brings them to their wit's end. His setting up this kingdom of his Son in spite of them, is the greatest vexation to them that can be. They were vexa tious to Christ's good subjects; but the day is coming when vexation shall be recompensed to them. 3. They are certainly defeated, and all their counsels turned headlong ; ver. 6, "Yet have I set my lung upon my holy hill of Zion." David was advanced to the throne, and became master of the stronghold of Zion notwithstanding the disturbance given him by the malcontents in his kingdom, and particularly the affronts he received from the garrison of Zion, who taunted him with their blind and their lame,— their maimed soldiers, 2 Sam. v. 6. And the Lord Jesus is exalted to the right hand of the Father, has all power both in heaven and in earth, and is head over all things to the church, notwithstanding the restless endeavours of his enemies to hinder his advancement. 1st. Jesus Christ is a king, and is invested by him who is the fountain of power with the dignity and authority of a sovereign prince in the kingdom both of providence and grace. 2nd. God is pleased to call him his King, because he is appointed by im, and intrusted for him, with the sole administration of government and judgment. He is his King, for he is dear to the Father^ and one in whom he is well pleased. 3rd. Christ took not this honour to himself, but was called to it; and he that called him owns him : I have set him. His commandment, his commission, he received from the Father. 4th. Being called to this honour, he was conhrmed in it. High places, we say, are slippery places, but Christ being raised is fixed : I have set him, I have settled him. 5th. He is set upon Zion, the hill of God's holiness, a type of the gospel church, for on that the temple was built, for the sake of which the whole mount was called holy. Christ's throne is set up in his church, that is, in the hearts of all believers, and in the societies of them. The evangelical law of Christ is said to go forth from Ziun, Isa. ii. 3 ; Mic. iv. 2 ; and therefore that is spoken of as the head-quarters of this general, the royal seat of this prince, in whom the children of men shall be joyful. We are to sing these verses with a holy exultation, triumphing over all the enemies of Christ's kingdom, not doubting but they will all of them be quickly made his footstool, and triumphing in Jesus Christ as the great trustee of power. And we are to pray in firm Delief of the assurance here given, ' Father in heaven, thy kingdom come ; let thy Son's kingdom come.' 7 I will declare the decree : The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son ; This day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, And I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron ; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. We have heard what the kings of the earth have to say against Christ's kingdom, and have heard it gainsaid by him that sits in heaven. Let us now hear what the Messiah himself has to say for his kingdom, to make good his claims, and it is what all the powers on earth cannot gainsay. 1. The kingdom of the Messiah is founded upon a decree, an eternal decree of God the Father. It was not a sudden resolve, it was not the trial of an experiment, but the result of the counsels of the Divine wisdom, and the determinations of the Div.infi will before all worlds, neither of which can be altered. The precept 14 PSALM II. or statute, so some read it; the covenant or compact, so others; the federal transactions between the Father and the Son concerning man's redemption, represented by the covenant of royalty made with David, and his seed, Ps. Ixxxix. 3. This our Lord Jesus often referred himself to, as that which all along in his undertaking he governed himself by, " This is the will of him that sent me," Jno. vi. 40; This commandment have I received of my .bather, Jno. x. 18 ; xiv. 31. 2. There is a declaration of that decree, as far as is necessary for the satisfaction of all those who are called and commanded to yield them selves subjects to this king, and to leave them inexcusable who will not have him to reign over them. The decree was secret ; it was what the h ather said to the Son, when he possessed him in the beginning of his way before his works of old ; but it is declared by a faithful witness, who had lain in the bosom ot the Father from eternity, and came into the world as the prophet of the church to declare him, Jno. l. 18. The fountain of all being is, without doubt, the fountain of all power ; and it is by, from, and under him, that the Messiah claims : he has his right to rule from what Jehovah said to him, by whose word all things were made, and are governed. Christ here makes out a twofold title to his kingdom : , . , First. A title by inheritance; ver. 1, "Thou art my Son; this day have 1 begotten thee." This scripture the apostle quotes, Seb. i. 5, to prove not only that Christ has a more excellent name than the angels, but that he obtained it by inheritance, ver. 4. He is the Son of God, not by adoption, but hia begotten Son, the only begotten of the Father, Jno. i. 14. And the Father owns him, and will have tliis declared to the world as the reason why he ia constituted King upon the holy hill of Zion ; he is therefore unquestionably entitled to, and perfectly qualified for, that great trust. He is the Son of God, and therefore of the same nature with the Father ; has in him all the fulness of the Godhead, infinite wisdom, power, and holiness. The supreme govern ment of the church is too high an honour, and too hard an undertaking, for any mere creature ; none can be fit for it but he who is one with the Father, and was from eternity by him, as one brought up with him, thoroughly apprised of all his counsels, Pr. viii. 30. He is the Son of God, and therefore dear to him ; his beloved Son in whom he is well pleased, and upon this account we are to receive him as a King ; for, because " the Father loveth the Son, he hath given all things into his hand," Jno. iii. 35 ; v. 20. Being a Son, he is heir of all things; and, the Father having made the worlds by him, it is easy to infer from thence, that by him also he governs them ; for he is the Eternal "Wisdom, and the Eternal "Word. If God hath said unto him, " Thou art my Son." it becomes each of us to say to him, Thou art my Lord, my Sovereign. Farther to satisfy us that his kingdom is well grounded upon his sonship, we are here told what his sonship is grounded on ; " This day have I begotten thee," which refers both to his eternal generation itself, for it is quoted, Heb. i. 5, to prove that he is "the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person,'' ver. 3, and to the evidence and demonstration which was given of it by his resurrection from the dead, for to that also it is expressly applied by the apostle, Acts xiii. 33, " He hath raised up Jesus again, as it is written. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." It was by the resurrection from the dead, that , sign of the prophet Jonas, which was to be the most convincing of all, that he was " declared to be the Son of God with power," Rom. i. 4. Christ is said to be the first begotten, and firstborn from the dead, Rev. i. 5, Col. i. 18 ; and immediately after his resurrection it was that he entered upon the administra tion of his mediatorial kingdom. It was then that he said, "AH power is given unto me," and to that especially he had an eye when he taught his disciples to pray, Thy kingdom come." Secondly. A title by agreement, ver. 8, 9. The agreement is in short this, the Son must undertake the office of an intercessor, and upon that condition he shall have the honour and power of a universal monarch: see Isa. liii. 12, "Therefore will 1 divide him a portion with the great, because he made inter cession for the transgressors." "He shall be a priest upon his throne, and the counsel ofpeace shall be between them both," Zee. vi. 13. 1. The Son must ask. This supposeth his putting himself voluntarily into a state of inferiority to the Father by taking upon him the human nature ; for, as God, he was equal in power and glory with the Father, and had nothing to ask. It supposeth the making of a satisfaction, in the virtue of which the intercession must be made, and the paying of a price on which this large demand was to be grounded : see Jno. xvii. 4, 5. The Son, in asking the heathen for his inheritance, aims not only at his own honour, but at their happiness in him- so that he intercedes for them, ever lives to do so, and is therefore able to save to the uttermost. .2. The Father will grant, more than to the half of the kingdom, even to the langdom itself. It is here promised him, 1st. That his government shall be universal. He shall have the heathen for his inheritance ; not the Jews ojHv to whose nation the church had been long confined, but the Gentiles also those PSALM II. 15 In the uttermost parts of the earth (as this nation of ours) shall be his possession, andhe shall have multitudes of willing, loyal subjects among them. Baptized Christians are the possession of the Lord Jesus, they are to him for a name and a praise ; God the Father gives them to him, when by his Spirit and grace 1m works upon them to submit their necks to the yoke of the Lord Jesus. This is in part fulfilled ; a great part of the Gentile world received the Gospel when it was first preached, and Christ's throne was set up there where Satan's seat had long been ; but it is to be yet farther accomplished, when " the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ,'r.Reu. xi. 15; " Who shall live when God doth this ? " 2nd. That it Bhall be victorious ; " thou shalt break them." that is, those of them that oppose thy kingdom, " with a rod of iron," ver. 9. This was in part fulfilled when the nation of the Jews, Those that persisted in unbelief and enmity to Christ's Gospel, were destroyed by the Roman power, which was represented Dan. ii. 40, by feet of iron, as here by a rod of iron. It had a farther accomplishment in the destruction of the pagan powers, when the Christian religion came to be established; but it will not be completely fulfilled till all opposing rule, principality and power shall be finally put down, 1 Cor. xv. 24: see Ps. ex. 5, 6. Observe, How powerful Christ is, and how weak the enemies of his kingdom are before him ; he hath a rod of iron wherewith to crush them that will not submit to his golden sceptre ; they are but like a potter's vessel before him, suddenly, easily; and irreparably dashed in pieces by him ; see Rev. ii. 27. Thou shalt do it, that is, thou shalt have leave to do it ; nations shall be ruined, rather than the gospel church shall not be built and established : " I have loved thee, therefore will I give men for thee," Isa. xliii. 4. Thou shalt have power to do it, and none shall be able to stand before thee, and thou shalt do it effectually. They that will not bow shall break. In singing this, and praying it over, we must give glory to Christ as the eter nal Son of God, and our rightful Lord ; and must take comfort from this promise, and plead it with God, that the kingdom of Christ shall be enlarged and established, and shall triumph over all opposition. 10 Be -wise now therefore, 0 ye kings : Be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 1 1 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, And ye perish from the way. When his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. We have here the practical application of this gospel doctrine concerning the kingdom of the Messiah, by way of exhortation to the kings and judges of the earth. They hear that it is in vain to oppose Christ's government ; let them therefore be so wise for themselves as to submit to it. He that has power to destroy them shews that he has no pleasure in their destruction ; for he puts them into a way to make themselves happy, ver. 10. Those that would be wise must be instructed ; and those are truly wise that receive instruction from the Word of God. Kings and judges stand upon a level with common persons before God *,' and it is as necessary for them to be religious as for any others. They that give law and judgment to others must receive it from Christ, and it will be their wisdom. What is said to them is said to all, and is required of every one of us, only it is directed to kings and judges, because of the influence which their example will have upon their inferiors, and because they were men of rank and power that opposed the setting up of Christ's kingdom, ver. 2. We are exhorted, First. To reverence God, and to stand in awe' of him, ver. 11. This is the treat duty of natural religion. God is great and infinitely above us, just and oly, and provoked against us, and therefore we ought to fear him and tremble before him; yet he is our Lord and Master, and we are bound to serve him; our Friend and Benefactor, and we have reason to rejoice in him. And these are very well consistent with each other, for, 1. We must serve God in all ordinances of worship, and all instances of a godly conversation, but with a holy fear, a jealousy over ourselves, and a reverenee of him. Even kings themselves, whom others serve and fear, must serve and fear God ; there is the same infinite distance between them and God that there is between the meanest of their subjects and him. 2. We must rejoice in God; and, in subordination to him, we may rejoice in other things, but still with a holy trembling, as those that know what a glorious and jealous God he is, whose eye is always upon us. Our sal- 16 PSALM II. vation must be wrought out with fear and trembling, Phil. ii. 12. "We ought to rejoice in the setting up of the kingdom of Christ, but rejoice with trembling; with a holy awe or him, a holy fear for ourselves lest we come short, and a tender concern for the many precious souls to whom his Gospel and kingdonij are a savourof death unto death. "Whatever we rejoice in in this world, it must] always be with trembling, lest we grow vain in our joy, and be puffed up with] the things we rejoice in ; and because of the uncertainty of them, and the; damp which by a thousand accidents may soon be cast upon our joy. To rejoice with trembling is to rejoice as though we rejoiced not, 1 Cor. vii. 29. Secondly. To welcome Jesus Christ, and to submit to him, ver. 12. This is the great duty of the Christian religion ; it is that which is required of all, even kings and judges, and it is our wisdom and interest to do it. Observe here, 1. The command given to this purpose; "Kiss the Son." Christ is called the Son, because so he was declared ver. 7, " Thou art my Son." He is the Son of God by eternal generation, and upon that account he is to be adored by us: he is the Son of man, that is, the Mediator, Jno. v. 27, and upon that account to be received and submitted to. He is called the Son to include both, as God is often called emphatically the Father, because he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in him our Father ; and we must have an eye to him under both considerations. Our duty to Christ is here expressed figuratively, "Kiss the Son." Not with a betraying kiss, as Judas kissed him, and as all hypocrites who pretend to honour him, but really affront him, but with a believing kiss. 1st. with a kiss of agreement and reconciliation ; Kiss and be friends, as Jacob and Esau ; let the quarrel between us and God be taken up, let the acts of hostility cease, and let us be at peace with God in Christ, who is our peace. 2nd. With a kiss of adoration and religious worship ; they that worshipped idols kissed them, 1 Kin. xix. 18 ; Has. xiii. 2. Let us study how to do honour to the Lord Jesus, and to give unto him the glory due unto his name ; " He is thy Lord, and worship thou him," Ps. xiv. 11 ; with him that " sits on the throne, we must worship the Lamb," Rev. v. 9 — 13. 3rd. With a kiss of affection and sincere love1;^ "Kiss the Son," that is, enter into a covenant of friendship with him, and let him be very dear and precious to you, love him above all, love him in sincerity, love him much, as she did to whom much was forgiven, and in token of it kissed hia feet, Lu. vii. 38. 4th. With a kiss of allegiance and loyalty, as Samuel kissed Saul, 1 Sam. x. 1 ; Swear fealty and homage to him, submit to his government, take his yoke upon you, and give up yourselves to be governed by his laws, disposed of by his providence, and entirely devoted to his interest. 2. The reasons to enforce this command; and they are taken from our own interest, which God in his Gospel shews a concern for. Consider, 1st. The certain ruin we run upon if we refuse and reject Christ ; " Kiss the Son," for it is at your peril if you do not. First. It will be a great provocation to him ; Do it " lest he be angry." The Father is angry already, the Son is the Mediator that undertakes to make peace ; if we slight him, the Father's wrath abides upon us, Jno. iii. 36 ; and not only so, but there is an addition of the Son's wrath too, to whom nothing is more displeasing than to have the offers of his grace slighted, and the designs of it frustrated. The Son can be angry, though a Lamb, he is the lion of the tribe of Judah ; and the wrath of this King, this King of kings, will be as the roaring of a lion, and will drive even mighty men, and chief captains, to seek in vain for shelter in rocks and mountains, Rev. vi. 16. If the Son be angry, who shall intercede for us ? There remains no more sacrifice, no other name by which we can be saved. Unbelief is a sin against the remedy. Secondly. It # will be utter destruction to yourselves; "lest ye perish from the way,' or 'in the way,' so some. In the way of your sins, and from the way of your vain hopes ; lest your way perish, as Ps. cxvi. ; lest you prove to have missed the way to happiness. Christis the way ; take heed lest ye be cut off from him as your way to God. It intimates that they were, or at least thought themselves, in the way, but by neglecting Christ they perished from it, wnich aggravates their ruin, that they go to nell from the way to heaven, are not far from the kingdom of God, and yet never come thither. 2nd. The happiness we are sure of if we yield ourselves to Christ. " When his wrath is kindled," though " but a little/' the least spark of that fire is enough to make the proudest sinner miserable, if it fasten upon his conscience ; for it will burn to the lowest hell. One would think it should therefore follow, "when his wrath is kindled," woe be to those that despise him. But the psalmist! startles at the thought, blesseth himself from that dreadful doom, and blesseth those that do escape it. They that trust in him, and so kiss him, are truly happy ; but they will especially appear to be so when the wrath of Christ is kindled against others. Blessed will they be in the day of wrath that by trusting in Christ have made him their refuge and patron ; when the hearts of others fail them for fear, they shall lift up their heads with joy ; and then those who now despise Christ and his followers will be forced to say it to their own greater confusion, Now we see that blessed are all they, and they only, that trust in him. PSALM III. 17 In singing this, and praying it over, we should have our hearts filled with a holy awe of God, but borne up with a cheerful confidence on Christ, in whose mediation we may comfort and encourage ourselves and one another : " We are the circumcision that rejoice in Christ Jesus." PSALM III. As the foregoing psalm, in the type of David in preferment, shewed us the royal dignity of the Re^gemer, so this, by the example of David in distress, shews us the peace and holy security of the redeemed; how safe they really are, and think themselves to he, under the Divine protection. David being now driven out from his palace, from the royal city, from the holy city, hy his rebellious son Absalom, I. Complains to God of his enemies, ver. 1, 2. II. Confides in God, and encourageth himself in him as his God notwithstanding, ver. 3. III. Recollects the satisfaction lie had in the gracious answers God gave to his prayers, and his experience of his goodness to him, ver. 4, 5. IV. Triumphs over his fears, ver. 6 ; and over his enemies, whom he prays against, ver. 7. V. Gives God the glory, and takes to himself the comfort of that Divine blessing and salvation which are sure to all the people of God, ver. 8. Those speak best of the truths of God that speak experimentally ; so David here speaks of the power and goodness of God, and of the safety and tranquillity of the godly. A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. LOBD, how are they increased that trouble me ! Many are they that rise up against me. 2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.1 Selah 3 But thou, 0 Lord, art a shield for me ; My glory, and the lifter up of* mine head The title of this psalm, and many others, is as a key hung ready at the door to open it, and let us into the entertainments of it. "When we know upon what occasion a psalm was penned, we know the better how to expound it. This was composed, or at least the substance of it was meditated and digested in David's thoughts,, and offered up_ to God, then when he fled from Absalom his son, who formed a conspiracy against him to take away not his crown only but his life; we have the story, 2 Sam. xv., &c. 1. David was now in great grief. When in his flight he went up the mount of Olives he wept greatly, with his head covered, and marching barefoot; yet then he composed this comfortable psalm. He wept and prayed, wept and sung, wept and believed; this was sowing in tears. " Is any afflicted ? let him pray ; " nay, let him sing psalms, let him sing this psalm. Is any afflicted with undutiful disobedient children ? So was David, and yet that did not hinder his joy in God, nor put him out of tune for holy songs. 2. He was now in great danger. The plot against him was laid 4eep, and the party that sought his ruin was very formidable, and his own son at the head of them, so that his affairs seemed to be at the last extremity j yet then he kept hold of his interest in God, and improved that. Perils and frights should drive us to God, not di'ive us from him. 3. He had now a great deal of provocation given him by those from whom he had reason to expect better things ; from his son, whom he had been indulgent of, from his subjects, whom he had Been so great a blessing to, which he could not but resent, and was enough to break in upon any man's temper; and yet he was so far from any indecent expressions ot passion and indignation, that he had calmness enough for those acts of devotion which require the greatest fixedness and freedom of thought. It was a sign his mind was very sedate, that the Spirit cam6 upon him, who chooseth to move upon the still waters. Let no unkindness, no, not of a child, or a friend, ever be laid so much to heart as to disfit us for communion with God. 4. He was now suffering for his sin in the matter of Uriah; this was the evil which for that sin God threatened to raise up against him out of his own house, 2 Sam. xii. 11, which no doubt he observed, and took occasion from thence to renew his repentance for it; and yet he did not therefore cast away his confidence in the Divine power and goodness, nor despair of succour. -Even our sorrow for sin must not hinder either our joy in GJocl or our hope in God. 5. He seemed cowardly in fleeing from Absalom, and quitting his royal city. before he had had one push for it ; and yet by this psalm it appears he was full of true courage arising from his faith in God. True Christian fortitude con sists more in a gracious security and serenity of mind, in patient bearing, and patient waiting, than in daring enterprises with sword iii hand. In these three verses he annlws himself to God. Whither else should wa eo bnf to him, when B 18 PSALM III. any thing grieves us or frightens us? David was now at a distance from his own closet, and from the courts of God's house, where he used to pray, ana yet he could find a way open heavenward. Wherever we are we may have ac cess to God, and may draw nigh to him whithersoever we are driven. JJavm in nis flight attends his God, „ , , j „„. ' First. With a remonstrance of his distress, ver. 1, 2. He looks round and doth as it were take a view of his enemies' camp, or receive informations or. their designs against him, which he brings to God, not to his council-Doara. Two things he complains of concerning his enemies : ,.,. ; _>,-* 1. That they were very many. " Lord, how are they increased ! beyond what they were at first, and beyond whatever he thought they would have been Absalom's faction, like a snowball, strangely gathered m its motion. He speaks of it as one amazed, and well he might, that a people he had so manyw ays obliged should almost generally revolt from him, and rebel against him, and choose for their head such a silly, giddy, young fellow as Absalom was. How slippery and deceitful are the many I and how little fidelity and constancy is to be found among men ! David had had the hearts of his subjects as much as ever any king had, and yet now of a sudden he had lost them. As people must not trust too much to princes, Ps. cxlvi. 3, so princes must not build too much upon their interest in the people. Christ, the son of David, had many enemies; when a great multitude came to seize him, when the crowd cried, Crucify him, crucify him, how were they then increased that troubled him! ilven good people must not think it strange if the stream be against them, and the powers that threaten them grow more and more formidable. . 2. That they were very malicious. They rose up against him, they aimed to trouble him; but that was not all, "they said of his soul, There is no help for him in God." That is, First. They put a spiteful invidious construction upon his troubles, as Job's friends did upon his, concluding that, because his ser vants and subjects forsook him thus, and did not help him, God had deserted him, and abandoned his cause ; and he was therefore to be looked on, or rather; to be looked off, as a hypocrite, and a wicked man. Secondly. Ihey bias*,, phemously reflected upon God as unable to relieve him ; his danger is so great that God himself cannot help him. It is strange, that so great un belief should be found in any, especially in many, in Israel, as to think any party of men too strong for Omnipotence to deal with. Thirdly. Ihey endea voured to shake his confidence in God, and drive him to despair of relief from him. 'They have said it to my soul,' so it may be read : compare Ps. xi. 1; xiii. 10. This grieved him worst of all, that they have so ill an opinion of him as to think it possible to take him off from that bottom. Even the temptation was a buffeting to him, a thorn in his flesh ; nay, a sword in his bones. Note» A child of God startles at the very thought of despairing of help m God ; yon cannot vex him with any thing so much as if you offer to persuade him, ' there, is no help for him in God." David comes to God, and tells him what his ene-. mies said of him, as Hezekiah spread Rabshakeh s blasphemous letter before ,11111 111 VJUU, ULllr l.MIU, UU lillUU BO.J UllliU llljf BUUlj A ttlll K"J MMiuuuiij Ps. xxxv. 3 ; and that shall satisfy me, and in due time silence them. To this ' complaint he adds " Selah," which occurs about seventy times in the book of Psalms. Some refer it to the music with which in David's time the psalms were sung ; others to the sense, and that it is a note commanding ^a solemn pause : Selah, Mark that, or stop there, and consider a little. As here, they say, There is no help for me in God, Selah; take time for such a thought as this. " Get thee behind me, Satan ; the Lord rebuke thee !" away with such a vile suggestion ! ?J Secondly. With a profession of his dependence upon God, ver. 3. An activo | sliever, the more be is beaten off from God, either by the rebukes of providence pr the reproaches of enemies, the faster hold he will take of him, and the closer,? ' ill he cleave to hini ; so David here, when his enemies said, " Ihere is no help ' believer, the more be is beaten off from God, either by the rebukes of providence or the reproaches of enemies, the faster hold he will take of him, and the closer,? will he cleave to him ; so David here, when his enemies said, " Ihere is no help ' for him in God," cries out with so much the more assurance, "But thou, 0, Lord, art a shield for me;" let them say what they will, I am sure thou wilt never desert me, and I am resolved, I will never distrust thee. See what God is to his people, what he will be, what they have found him, what David found in him. 1. Safety ; "Thou art a shield for me," a shield about me, so some, to secure me on all sides since my enemies surrounded mc. Not only my shield. Gen. xv. 1,_ which notes an interest in the Divine protection; but a shield for me, which notes the present benefit and advantage of that protection. 2. Honour, " Thou art my glory." Those whom God owns for his are not only safe and easy, but really look great, and have true honour put upon them, far above that which the great ones of the earth are proud of. David was now in disgrace, the crown was fallen from his head ; but he will not think the worse ot himself, while he has G od for his glory ; Isa. lx. 19, " Thou art my glory," that PSALM III. 19 Ss, thy glory I reckon mine, so some ; that is it I aim at, and am ambitious of, whatever my lot is, and whatever becomes of my honour, that I may be to my Uod tor a name and a praise. 3. Joy and deliverance; "Thou art the lifter up of my head, that is, thou wilt lift up my head out of my troubles, and restore me to my dignity again in due time ; however, thou wilt lift up my head under my troubles, so that I shall not droop nor be discouraged, nor shall my spirits fail ii m n IT8' 0(, tin,es Go?'s Pe°Ple °an lift up their heads with Joy, knowing that all shall work for good to them, they will own it is God that is the lifter up ot their head, that gives them both cause to rejoice and hearts to rejoice In singing this, and praying it over, we should possess ourselves with an apprehension of the danger we are in from the multitude and malice of our spiritual enemies, that seek the ruin of our souls by driving us from our God • JIIIM IVlIlllPPtl nnr-^olv-iic in ,-lw. ,11 _-, .¦...•. ,..¦ ,.,,.1 .].,......-- *.C .1, , ,1 i_ _ n o .' protect, and will in due time crown, his own interest, both in the world and in the hearts of his people. 4 I cried unto the Loed with my voice, And he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5 I laid me down and slept ; I awaked ; for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, That have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, 0 Lord ; save me, 0 my God : [bone ; . For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord : . Thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah. David having stirred up himself, by the irritations of his enemies, to take hold on God, as his God, and so gained comfort enough in looking upward, when if he looked round about him nothing appeared but what was discouraging, here looks back with pleasing reflections upon the benefit he had found by trusting in God, and looks forward with pleasing expectations of a very bright and happy issue which would shortly be put to the dark dispensation he was now under. First. See with what comfort he looks back upon the communion he had had "with God, and the communications of his favour to him, either in some former troubles he had been in, and through God's goodness got through^ or in this hitherto. David had been in his time exercised with many difficulties, often oppressed and brought very low ; but still he had found God all-sufficient. He now remembered with pleasure, 1. That his troubles had always brought him to his knees, and in all his diffi culties and dangers he had been enabled to acknowledge God, and to lift up his heart to him, and his voice too ; and this will be a comfortable reflection : "I cried unto God with my voice." That care and grief doth us good and no hurt, which sets us praying, and engageth us, not only to speak to God, but ( to cry to him as those that are in earnest; and though God understands the language of the heart, when the voice is not heard, 1 Sam. i. 13, and values not the hypocritical prayers of those who cause their voice to be heard on high, Isa. lviii. 4,— vox et preterea nihil,—' voice, and that is all,"— yet, when the earnestness of the voice comes from the fervency of the heart, notice shall be taken of it in the> account, that we cried unto God with our voice. 2. That he had always found God ready to answer his prayers; Still "he heard me out of his holy hill," from heaven, the hi^h and holy place, from the ark on mount Zion, whence he used to give answers to those that sought to him. David had ordered Zadok to carry back the ark into the city, when he was upon his flight from Absalom, 2 Sam. xv. 25 ; knowing that God was not tied, no, not to the ark of his presence, and that, notwithstanding the distance of place, he could by faith receive answers of peace from the holy hill. Wo such thing can fix a gulf between the communications of God's grace towards us and the operations of his grace in us, between his favour ana our faith. The ark of the covenant was in mount Zion, and all the answers to our prayers come from the promises of that covenant. Christ was set king upon the holy hill of Zion, Ps. ii. 6 ; and it is through him, whom the father hears always- f.h.it im* ni'nvm.o n,*o li,,,n-,l 20 PSALM III. 3. That he had always been very safe and very easy under the Divine protection j ver. 5, " I laid me down and slept," composed and quiet, and awaked refreshed, " for the Lord sustained me." 1st. This is applicable to the common mercies of every night, which we ought to give thanks for alone and with our families every mbrning. Many have not where to lay their head, but wander in deserts, or, if they have, dare not lie down for fear of the enemy ; but we have laid us down in peace. Many lay them down and cannot sleep, but are full of tossings to and fro till the dawning of the day, through pain of body, or anguish of- mind, or the continual alarms of fear in the night; but we lie down and sleep in safety, though incapable of doing any thing then for our own preservation. Many lie down and sleep, and never wake again,— they sleep the sleep of death, as the firstborn of the Egyptians,— but we lie down, and sleep, and awake again to the light and comfort of another day ; and whence is it, but because the Lord hath sustained us with sleep as with food? we have been safe under his protection, and easy in the arms of his good providence. 2nd. It seems here to be meant of the wonderful quietness and calmness of David's spirit,, in the midst of his dangers. Having by prayer committed himself and his ; cause, to God, and being sure of his protection, his heart was fixed, and hei was easy. The undutifulness of his son, the disloyalty of his subjects, the treachery of many of his friends, the hazard of his person, the fatigues of his march, and uncertainty of the event, never lost him an hour's sleep, nor gave any disturbance to his repose, for the Lord, by his grace and the consolations of his Spirit, powerfully sustained him, and made him easy. It is a great mercy, when we are in trouble, to have our minds stayed upon God, so as never either to eat or sleep with trembling and astonishment. . 3rd. Some of the ancients apply it to the resurrection ot Christ. In his sufferings he offered up strong cries, and was heard ; and therefore, though he laid him down and slept the sleep of death, yet he awaked the third day, for the Lord sustained him that he should not see corruption. 4. That God had many a time broken the power, and restrained the malice of his enemies ; had smitten them upon the cheek bone, ver. 7 ; had silenced them and spoiled their speaking, blemished them and put them to shame, smitten them on the cheek reproachfully; had disabled them to do the mischief they intended, for he had broken then1 teeth. Saul and the Philistines, that were sometimes ready to swallow him up, could not effect what they designed. The teeth that are gnashed or sharpened against God's people shall be broken ; and, when at any time the power of the church's enemies seems threatening, it is good to remember how often God has broken it, and we are sure that his arm is not shortened. He can stop their mouths, and tie their hands. Secondly. See with what confidence he look3 forward upon the dangers he had yet in prospect Having put himself under God's protection, and often found the benefit of it, 1. His fears were all stilled and silenced, ver. 6. With what aholy bravery (joth he bid defiance to the impotent menaces and attempts of his enemies : " I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that " either in a foreign invasion or an intestine rebellion "set themselves" as it were encamped " again3t me round about." No man less safe ; his enemies are numerous, ten thousands. They are spiteful and resolute, they have set themselves against me ; hay, they have pre vailed far, and seemed to have gained their point, for they are against me rounds about on every side, thousands against one ; and yet no man more secure. I will not be afraid for all this; they cannot hurt me, and therefore they shall not .frighten me; whatever prudent methods I take for my own perservation, I will not disquiet myself, distrust my God, nor doubt of a good issue at last. When ing the event. Note, A cheerful resignation to Go'd is the way to obtain a cheerful satisfaction and confidence in God. ' 2. His prayers were quickened and encouraged, ver. 7. He believed God was his Saviour, and yet prays ; nay, he therefore prays : " Arise, O Lord ; save mej.y ml HP"1' TT Pr?,misei* °.f salvation do not supersede, but engage, our petitions tor it. He will for this be enquired of. 3. His faith became triumphant.. He began the psalm with complaints of the strength and malice of his enemies, but concludes it with exultation in the power and grace of his God, and now sees more with him than against him, X - — -¦ -¦ — '--- **"> J-+i«. ->f fearing God, 24 PSALM IV. conversing with our own hearts, and offering spiritual sacrifices ; and, in praying over them, beg of God grace thus to think and thus to do. 6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good ? Loed, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, [increased. More than in the time that their corn and their wine; 8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep : For thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. We have here, First. The foolish wish of worldly people ; " There be many that say, Who will shew us any good ? " 'Who will make us to see good?' What good they meant is intimated ver. 7 ; it was the increase of their corn and wine. All they desired was plenty of the wealth of this world, that they might enjoy abundance of the delights of sense. Thus far they are right, that they are desirous of good, and solicitous about it ; but there are these things amiss in this wish : 1. They inquire in general who will make them happy, but do not apply themselves to God, who alone can ; and so expose themselves to be ill advised, and shew they would rather be beholden to any than to God ; for they would willingly live without him. 2. They inquire for good that may be seen, seeming good, sensible good, and were not for the good things that were out of sight, and are the objects of faith only. The source of idolatry was a desire of gods that they might see, therefore they worshipped the sun ; but as we must be taught to worship an unseen God, so to seek an unseen good, 2 Cor. iv. 18. We look with an eye of faith farther than we can see with an eye of sense. 3. They inquire for any good, not for the chief good ; if it be outward good, present good, partial good, good meat, good drink, a good trade, a good estate ; and what are all these worth without a good God, and a good heart ? Any good will serve the turn of the most of men, but a gracious soul will not be put off so. This way, this wish, of carnal worldlings is their folly, and yet many there be that join in it; and so will their doom be ; " Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things ;" the penny thou didst agree for. Secondly. The wise choice which godly people make. David and the pious few that adhered to him dissented from that wish, and joined in this prayer, "Lord, lift thou up the .light of thy countenance upon us." 1. He disagrees from the vote of the many ; God had set him apart for himsejf by distinguishing favours, and therefore he sets himself apart by a distinguishing character. They are for any good, for worldly good, but so am not I ; Twill not say as they say. Any good will not serve my turn ; the wealth of the world will never malce'a portion for my soul, and therefore I cannot take up with it. 3. He and his friends asree in their chouje of God's favour as their felicity ; that is it which in their account is better thanUife, and all the comforts of life. 1st. That is it which theyThost earnestly desire and seek after. This is the breathing of their souls, " LorfflUift thou up the light of thy countenance upon ub;" most are for other things^Jut we are for this. Good people, as they are distinguished by their practices, so they are by their prayers, not the length and language of them, but the faith and fervency of them. They whom God hath < set apart have a prayer by themselves, which, though others may speak the words of, they only offer up in sincerity ; and this is a prayer which they all say amen to, Lord, let us have thy favour, and let us know that we have it, and we desire no more ; that is enough to make us happy. Lord, be at peace with us, accept of us, manifest thyself to us ; let us be satisfied of thy lovingkindness and we will be satisfied with it. Observe, though David speaks ver 7 8 of himself only, here in the prayer he speaks for others also, "upon us," as fchrist taught us to pray, ' Our Father." All the saints come to the throne of grace on the same errand ; and in this they are one, they all desire God's favour as their chief good. We should beg it for others, as well as for ourselves • for in God's favour there is enough for us all, and we shall have never the'lesa for others sharing. 2nd. That is it in which above any thing they rejoice, ver 7 Thou hast hereby many a time put gladness into my heart, not only 'supported and refreshed me, but filled me with joy unspeakable; and, therefore that is it which I will fetill pursue, which I will seek after all the days of my life When God puts grace in the heart, he puts gladness in the heart; nor is anv joy comparable to that which gracious souls have in the communications of the Divine favour, no, not the joy of harvest, of a plentiful harvest, when the corn and wine increaseth. This is gladness in the heart, inward solid substantial joy. The mirth pf worldly people is but a flash, a shadow even PSALM V. 25 in laughter their heart is sorrowful, Pr. xiv. 13. 'Thou hast given glad ness in my heart,' so the word is. True joy is God's gift, not as the world §iveth, Jno. xiv. 27. The saintB have no reason to envy carnal worldlings leir mirth and joy, but should pity them rather; for they may know better, and will not. 3rd. That is it which they entirely confide in, and in that confidence are always easy, ver. 8. He had laid him down and slept, Ps. iii. 5 ; and so he will still, " I will lay me down," having the assurance of thy favour, " in peace ¦ " and with as much pleasure as they whose corn and wine increaseth," and wlio lie down as Boaz didjn his threshing-floor, at the end of the heap of corn to sleep there, when his heart was merry, Ru. iii. 7. " For thou only makest me to dwell in safety." Though I am alone, yet I am not alone, for God is with me ; though I have no guards to attend me, the Lord alone is sufficient to protect me; he can do it himself when all other defences fail. If he have the fight of God's countenance, First. He can enjoy himself. His soul returns to God and reposeth itself in him as its rest, and so he lays him down and sleeps iii peace. He has what he would have, and is sure that nothing can come amiss to him. Secondly. He fears no disturbance from his enemies, sleeps quiet, and is very secure, because God himself has undertaken to keep him safe. When he comes to sleep the sleep of death, and to lie down in the grave, to make his bed in the darkness, he will then, with good old Simeon, depart in peace, Lu. ii. 29 ; being assured that God will receive his soul to be safe with himself, and that his body also shall be made to dwell in safety in the grave. Thirdly. He commits all his affairs to God, and contentedly-leaves the issue of them with him. It is said of the husbandman that, having cast his seed into the ground, he sleeps and riseth night and day, and the seed springs and grows up he knoweth not how, Mar. iv. 2S, 27. So a good man, having by faith ana prayer cast his care upon God, he sleeps and resteth night and day, and is very easy, leaving it to his God to perform all things for him : welcome his holy will. In singing these verses, and praying over them, let us, with a holy contempt of the wealth and pleasure of this world as insufficient to make us happy, earnestly seek the favour of God, and pleasingly solace ourselves in that favour, and with a holy indifferency about the issue of all our worldly concerns ; let us cdmmit ourselves and all our affairs to the conduct and custody of the Divine providence, and be satisfied that all shall be made to work for good to us, if we keep ourselves in the love of God. PSALM V. This psalm is a prayer, a solemn address to God, at a time when the psalmist was brought ' Into distress by the malice of his enemieB. Many such times passed over David; nay, . there was scarce any time of his life to which this psalm may not be accommodated; for in this he was a type of Christ, that he was continually beset with enemies ; and his powerful and prevalent appeals to God when he was so beset, pointed at Christ's dependence on his Father, and triumphs over the powers of darkness in the midat of , ^is sufferings. In this psalm, I. David settles a correMsmdence between his soul and .'God, promising to pray, and promising himself thajpsod would certainly hear him, Ver. 1 — 3. II. He gives to God the glory, and .tageyto himself the comfort of God's holiness, ver. 4—6. III. He declares his resolutpm to keep close to the public worship of God, .ver. 7. IV. He prayed, I. For himself, that God would guide him, ver. 8; 2. Against his enemies, that God would destroy them, ver. 9, 10 ; 3. For all the people of God, that God would give them joy, and keep them safe, ver. 11, 12. And this is all of great use to direct us in prayer. To the chief Musician upon Nehilotta. A Psalm of David. GIVE ear to my words, 0 Lord, consider my meditation. 2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my For unto thee will I pray. [God : 3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, 0 Lord ; In the morning will I direct my grayer unto thee, and will look up. 4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness : Neither shall evil dwell with thee. 5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight : Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 26 PSALM V. 6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: The Lord -will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. The title of this psalm has nothing in it peculiar, but that it is said to be upon Nehiloth, a word nowhere else used. It is conjectured (and it is but a con jecture) that it signifies wind-instruments, with which this psalm was sung, as Neginoth was supposed to signify the stringed instruments. In these verses David had an eye to God, First. As a prayer-hearing God ; and so he has always been, ever since men began to call upon the name of the Lord, and yet is still as ready to hear prayer as ever. Observe how David here styles him, " O Lord," ver. 1,3; Jehovah, a self-existent, self-sufficient being, whom we are bound to adore ; and my King' and my God," ver. 2, whom I have avouched for my God, and to whom I have sworn allegiance, and under whose protection I have put myself as my King. We believe that the God we pray to is a King and a God, King of kings, and God of gods ; but that is not enough. The most commanding, encouraging prin ciple of prayer, and the most powerful prevailing plea in prayer, is to look upon him as our King and our God, whom we lie under peculiar obligations to, and whom we have peculiar expectations from. Now observe, ,f.i 1. What David here prays for, which may encourage our faith and hopes1 in all our addresses to God. If we pray fervently and in faith, we have reason to hope, 1st. That God will take cognizance of our case, the remonstrance we make of it, and the requests we make upon it ; for so he prays here, " Give ear to my words, O Lord.' Though God is in heaven, he has an ear open to his people's prayers ; and it is not heavy, that he cannot hear. Men perhaps will not or cannot hear us, our enemies so haughty that they will not, our friends at such a distance that they cannot ; but God, though high, though in heaven, can and will. 2nd. That he will take it into his wise and compassionate consideration, and will not slight it, or turn it off with a cursory answer ; for so he prays, " Consider my meditation." David's prayers were not his words only, but his meditations. As meditation is the best preparative for prayer, so prayer is.the best issue of meditation. Meditation and prayer should go together, Ps. xix. 14. And when we thus consider our prayers, then and then only we may expect that God will cdnsider them, and take that to his heart which comes from ours. 3rd. That he will in due time return a gracious answer of peace ; for so he praysfe ver. 2, " Hearken to the voice of my cry." His prayer was a cry, it was the voice of his cry, which notes fervency of affection, and importunity of expres sion ; and such effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man avail much, and do wonders. 2. What David here promiseth, as the condition on his part to be performed, fulfilled and kept, that he might obtain this gracious acceptance j and this may guide and govern us in our addresses to God, that we may present them aright.; for we ask and have not, if we ask amiss. Four things David here promiseth, and so must we : . 1st. That he will pray, that he will make conscience of it, and make a busine s| of it; "Unto thee will I pr*y." Others live without prayer, but I will prayS Kings on their own thrones (so David was) must be beggars at God's throne Others pray to strange gods and- expect relief from them ; but to thee, to the! only will I pray. Ihe assurances God has given us of his readiness to hear prayer should confirm our resolution to live and die praying 2nd. That he will pray in the morning. His praying voice shall be heard then, and then shall his prayer be directed, that shall be the date of hi= letters to heaven; not that only, morning and evening, and at noon will I pray." nay, seven times a day will I praise thee, but that certainly. Morning prayer is our duty; we are the fittest for prayer when we are in the most fresh and lively, and composed frame, got clear, of the slumbers of the night, revived by them and not yet filled with the business of the day. We have then most need of prayer, considering the dangers and temptations of the day, to which we are exposed, and against which we are concerned, by faith and prayer, to fetch in fresh supplies of grace. J ' 3rd. 1 hat he will have his eye single, and his heart intent in the dutv • " I will direct my prayer, 'as a marksman directs his arrow to the white; with such a fixedness and steadiness of mind should we address ourselves to God Or as we du-ect a letter to a, friend at such a place, so must we direct our prayers to God as our Father in heaven ; and let us always direct them to be left with the Lord Jesus, the great Mediator, and then they wi 1 be sure not to miscarry. All our prayers must be directed to God, that is, his honour and elorv must he aimfcd ai a?B(T,.hi!5ert end inilli0UT prayen6 letour «™ TpetlE be, Hallowed, glorified be thy name, and then we may be sure of the same gracious answer to it that was given to Christ himself, "I have glorified ™ and I will gS?" 4th. That he will patiently wait for an answer of peace. " I will look m> ¦ " will look after my prayers, and ." hear what God the W T "ni ™Pi> PSALM V. 27 Ps. lxxxv. 8; Sab. ii. 1 : that if he grant what 1 asked I may be thankful; iT he deny, I may be patient ; if he defer, I may continue to pray and wait, and may not faint. We must look up or look out, as he that has shot an arrow looks to see how near it has come to the mark. We lose much of the comfort of our prayers for want of observing the returns of them. Thils praying, thus waiting, as the lame man looked stedfastly on Peter and John, Acts iii. 4, we may expect that God will give ear to our words, and consider them, and to. him we may refer ourselves, as David here; who doth not pray, Lord, do this or the other for me, but hearken to me, consider my case, and do in it as seemeth good unto thee. Secondly. As a sin-hating God, ver. 4—6. David takes notice of this, 1. As a warning to himself, and all other praying people, to remember that, as the God with whom we have to do is gracious and merciful, so he is pure and holy. Though he is ready to hear prayer, yet if we regard iniquity in our heart he will not hear our prayers, Ps. lxvi. 18. 2. As an encouragement to his prayers against his enemies ; they were wicked men, and therefore enemies to God, and such us he had no pleasure in. See here, 1st. The holiness of God's nature. When be saith, "Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness," he means, thou art a God that hatest it, as directly contrary to thine infinite purity, and rectitude, and holy will. Though the workers of iniquity prosper, let none from thence infer, that God hath plea sure in wickedness ; no, not in that by which men pretend to honour him, or those do that hate their brethren and cast them out, and say, " Let the Lord be glorified. God has no pleasure in wickedness, though palliated with a cloak of religion. Let those, therefore, who delight in sin, know that God hath no delight in them ; nor let any say when he is tempted, " I am tempted of God," for God is not the author of sin, neither shall evil dwell with him ; that is, it shall not always be countenanced and suffered to prosper. Dr. Hammond thinks this refers to that law of Moses, which would not permit strangers that persisted in their, idolatry to dwell in the land of Israel. 2nd. The justice of his government. The foolish shall not stand in his sight; that is, shall not be smiled upon by him, nor admitted to attend upon him, nor shall they be acquitted in the judgment of the gre"at day. The workers of iniquity are very foolish : sin is folly, and sinners are the greatest fools of any others ; not foots of God's making, — those are to be pitied, he hateth nothing that he has made, — but fools of their own making, and those he hates. Wicked people hate God, justly therefore are they hated of him, and it will be their endless misery and ruin ; Those whom thou hatest thou shalt destroy; parti cularly two sorts of sinners, who are here marked for destruction. First. Those that are fools ; that speak leasing, or lying, and that are deceitful. There is a particular emphasis laid on these sinners, Rev. xxi. 8, all liars; and xxii. 15, "whosoever loves and makes a lie." Nothing more contrary than this, and therefore nothing more hateful to the God of truth. Secondly. Those that are cruel ; Thou wilt abhor the bloody man ; for inhumanity is no less contrary, no less hateful to the God of mercy, whom mercy pleaseth. Liars and murderers are in a particular manner said to resemble the devil, and to be his children; and, therefore, it may well be expected that God should abhor them. These were the characters of David's enemies, and such as these are still the enemies of Christ and his church, men perfectly lost to all virtue and honour ; and the worse they are the surer we may be of then- ruin in due^ime. In, singing these verses and praying over them, we must engage and stir up ourselves to the duty of prayer, and encourage ourselves in it, because we shall not seek the Lord in vain ; and must express our detestation of sin, and our awful expectation of that day of Christ's appearing, which will be the day of the perdition of ungodly men. 7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multi tude of thy mercy : And in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. 8 Lead me, 0 Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine Make thy way straight before my face. [enemies ; 9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth ; Their inward part is very wickedness ; Their throat is an open sepulchre ; Thev flatter with their tongue. 28 PSALM -V. 10 Destroy thou them, 0 God ; Let them fall'by their own counsels ; Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions ; For they have rebelled against thee. ¦ : 1 1 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice : Let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them j Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. 12 For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous ; With -favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. In these verses David gives three characters, of himself, of his enemies and of all the people of God, and subjoins a prayer to each of them. First. He gives an account of himself, and prays for himself, ver. 7, 8. 1. He is stedfastly resolved to keep close to God, and to his worship. Sinners go away from God, and so make themselves odious to his holiness, ami ob noxious to his justice ; but as for me, that shall not keep me from thee. God's holiness and justice are so far from being a terror to the upright in heart, to drive them from God, that they are rather by them invited to cleave to him. . -'thyl .... thy faithful worshippers. David was much in secret worship, prayed often alone by himself, ver. 2, 3 : and yet was very constant and devout in his attendance on the sanctuary. The duties of the closet are designed to prepare us for,' not excuse us from, public ordinances. 3rd. To worship him reverently, and with a due sense of the infinite distance there is between God and man^ In thy fear will I worship," with a holy awe of God upon my spirit, Heb. xii. 28. God is greatly to be feared by all his worshippers. 4th. To take his encouragement in worship from God himself only. First. From his infinite mercy. It is in Ural multitude of that (the inexhaustible treasures of mercy that are in God, aimr the innumerable proofs and instances of it which we receive from him,) that David confides, and not in any merit or righteousness of his own, in his ap* proaches to God. The mercy of God should ever be both the foundation of our hopes and the fountain of our joy in every thing wherein we have to doiwith him. Secondly. From the instituted medium of worship ; which was then the temple, here called the temple of his holiness, as a type or Christ, the great and only Mediator, who sanctifies the service, as the temple sanctified the gold ; and to whom we must have an eye in all our devotions, as they then had to the temple. *' 2. He earnestly prays, that God by his grace would guide and preserve him always in the way of nis duty ; ver. 8, "Lead me in thy righteousness, because of mine enemies, Heb., ' Because of those which observe me,' which watch' for my halting, and seek occasion against me. See here, 1st. The good use which David made of the malice of his enemies against him. The more curious they were in spying faults in him, that they might have whereof to accuse him, the more cautious he was to avoid sin, and all appearances of it, and the more solicitous to be always found in the good way of God and duty. Thus by wisdom and grace good may come out of evil. 2nd. The right course which David took for the baffling of those who sought occasion against him. Ha, committed himself to a Divine conduct, begged of God both by his providences? and by his grace to direct him in the right way, and keep him from turning aside out of it, at any time, in any instance whatsoever, that the most critical and captions of his enemies, like Daniel's, might find no occasion against him. The way of our duty is here called God's way and his righteousness, because" he prescribes to us.by his just and holy laws, which, if we sincerely set before us as our rule, we may in faith beg of God to direct us in all particular cases. How this prayer of David's was answered to him, see 1 Sam. xviii. 14, 15. Secondly. He gives an account of his enemies, and prays against them, ver. 9, 10. 1. If his account of them be true, as no doubt it is, they have a very bad character ; and if they had not been ill men indeed they could not have been enemies to a man after God's own heart. He had spoken, ver. 6, of God's hating the bloody and deceitful men ; Now, Lord, saith he, that is the character of my enemies. They are deceitful ; there is no trusting them ; for " there is no faithfulness in their mouth." They thought it was no sin to tell a deliberate lie, if it might but blemish David, and make him odious ; " Lord, lead me," saith he, ver. 8, for such as these are the men I have to do with, against whose slanders innocency itself is no security. Do they speak fair ? Do they talk PSALM V. 29 of peace and friendship ? They flatter with their tongues ; it is designed to cover their malice, and to gain their point the more secure. Whatever they pretend of religion or friendship, two sacred things, they are true to neither ; their inward part is wickedness itself, — it is very wickedness. They are like wise bloody, for their throat is an open sepulchre ; cruel as the grave, gaping to devour and to swallow up ; insatiable as the grave, which never saith, It is enough," Pr. xxx. 15, 16. This is quoted Rom. ui. 13, to shew the general cor ruption of mankind ; for they are all naturally prone to malice, Tit. iii. 3. The grave is opened for them all, and yet they are as open graves to one another. 2. If his prayer against them be heard, as no doubt it is, they are in a bad con- .dition. As men are and do, so they must expect to fare. He prays to God to destroy them, (according to what he had said, ver. 6, "Thou shalt destroy" men of this character, so let them fall ; and sinners will soon throw themselves into ruin, if they be let alone;) to cast them out of his protection and favour, out of the heritage of the Lord, out of the land of the living. And woe to those whom God casts out. They have by their sins deserved destruction ; there is enough to justify God in their utter rejection ; " Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions," by which they have filled up the measure of their iniquity, and are become ripe for ruin. Persecuting God s servants fills the measure as soon as any thing, 1 Thes. ii. 15, IS. Nay, they may be easily made to fall by their own counsels ; that which they do to secure themselves and do mischief to others, by the overruling providence of God, may be made a means of their destruction, Ps. vii. 15 ; ix. 17. He pleads, " They have rebelled against thee." Had they been only mine enemies, leould safely have forgiven them, but they are rebels against God, his crown and dignity ; they oppose his government, and will not repent to give him glory, and therefore I plainly foresee their ruin. His prayer for their destruction comes not from a spirit of revenge, but from a spirit of prophecy ; by which he foretold, that all that rebel against God. will certainly be destroyed by their own counsels. If "it is a righteous thing with 'God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble " his people, as we are told it is, 2 Thes. i. 6, we pray it may be done whenever we pray, " Father, thy will be done." Thirdly. He gives an account of the people of God, and prays for them, concluding with an assurance of their bliss, which he doubted not of his own interest in. Observe, 1. The description he gives of God's people. They are "the righteous, ver. 12 ; for they put their trust in God, are well assured of his power and all-sufficiency, venture their all upon his promise, and are confident of his pro tection in the way of their duty ; and they love his name, are well-pleased with all that by which God has made himself known, and take delight in their acquaintance with him. This, is true and pure religion, to live a fife of com placency in God, and dependence on him. 2. His prayer for them ; "Let them rejoice ; let them have cause to rejoice, and hearts to rejoice. Fill them with joy, with great joy, and unspeakable, " let them shout for joy." With constant joy, and perpetual ; " let them ever shout for joy, with holy joy ; and that which terminates in God, let them be joyful in thee, in thy favour, in thy salvation, not in any creature. Let them rejoice, "because thou coverest them," or overshadowest them, dwellest among them. Perhaps it is an allusion to the pillar of cloud and fire, which was to Israel a visible token of God's special presence with them, and the special protection they were under. Let us learn of David to pray not for ourselves only, but for others ; for all good people, for all that trust in God and love his name, though not in every thing of our mind, or in our interest. Let all that are entitled to God's promises have a share in our prayers. " Grace be with all that love Christ in sincerity." This is to concur with God. . . 3. His comfort concerning them, ver. 12. Therefore he takes them into his prayers, because they are God's peculiar people; therefore he doubts not but his prayers shall be heard, and they shall always rejoice ; for, 1st. They are happy_ in the assurance of God's blessing; " Thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; wilt command a blessing upon them. Thou hast in thy word pronounced them blessed, and therefore wilt make them truly so ; ¦ Those whom thou blessest, they are blessed indeed.' 2nd. They are safe under the protection of thy favour; 'with that thou wilt crown him ' so some read it ; it is his honour ; it will be to him a diadem of beauty, and make him truly great. With that thou wilt compass him, wilt surround him on every side, as with a shield. A shield in war guards only one side, but the fayour of God is to the saints a defence on every side, like the hedge about Job, round about, so that while they keep themselves under the Divine protection they are entirely sate, and ought to be entirely satisfied. . , - ... . In singing these verses, and praying them over, we must by taith put our selves under God's conduct and care, and then please ourselves with his mercy and grace, and with the prospect of God's triumphs at last over all his enenues, and his nermle's triumohs in him and in his salvation. 30 PSALM VI. David was a -weeping prophet as well as Jeremiah, and this psalm is one of his lamenta tions ; either it was penned at a time, or at least calculated for a time, of great trouble, hom outward and inward. Is any afflicted ? is any sick r Let him sing this psalm. The method of the psalm is very observable, and what we shall often meet with. He begins with doleful complaints, but ends with joyful praises; like Hannah, who went to prayer with a sorrowful spirit, but when she had prayed went her way,_ and her countenance was no more sad. Three things the psalmist is here complaining of: 1. Sickness of body. II. Trouble of mind, arising from the sense of sin, the merito rious cause of pain and sickness. III. The insults of his enemies upon occasion of both. Now here, 1. He pours out his complaint before God, deprecates his wrath, and begs earnestly for the return of his favour, ver. 1 — 7 ; 2. He assures himself of, an answer of peace shortly, to his full satisfaction, ver. 8—10. This psalm is like the book of Job. To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David, OLOBD, rebuke me not in thine anger, Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. 2 Have mercy upon me, 0 Lord ; for I am weak : 0 Lord, heal me ; for my bones are vexed. 3 My soul is also sore vexed : But thou, 0 Lord, how long ? 4 Beturn, 0 Lord, deliver my soul : Oh save me for thy mercies' sake. 5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee : In the grave who shall give thee thanks ? 6 I am weary with my groaning ; All the night make I my bed to swim ; I water my couch with my tears. EASTERN COUCH (ANCIENT) ANn BED (MODEKJTJ. 7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; It waxeth old because of all mine enemies. PSALM VI. 31 rrv«.o ,«™oa sneak the language of a heart truly humbled under humbling ThSncerof a tooken aSd contrite spirit under great afflictions, sent on providences, ot a broken ana g corruption. Those heap up wrath purpose to awaken conscience, butJthose are getting ready for mercy who under God's retakes; sow in tears, as David dofii here. Let us observe J^ ^^SS^^^^^^F^ h^conTp^f bones are vexed "is bones a no n,s M '. ialcrown w01lld not keep ¦ fia David was a king, yet sick aim pa , fuBject t0 the common calamities W ^ll^f^^^wSSMfi2n,aiiuuirf war from his youth, °^hT?wUl not secure him from distempers, which, will soon make even the yet that will not sec.V™ "","00 Thmiirh David was a good man, yet neither Strong men to bo^*h^^7n8,heaitrS"toi behold, Tie whom thou lovest will his, goodness keep ^'n health Lord^D , ^ H ta been the « J™*- Let this help to re cone, re v directed and encouraged by their lot of some of the ."g* *ain*S' a™ "trouble in that case, who is for the body, and example to.shew before God our tioumeir ^ . • f . d trouble; "My takes cognizance of its ailments. 2. ™ ™m|r'ieT0US than the vexation of the soul is a ^KS^^'aman wiU su™ aui his inlrmity," if that be in good plight his sin to his r!m«mbr*n5^Cdwaes the vexation of his soul that made him pleasure against him ; an d h it was ^^J*0^? the same time to have cry I am weak heal m e. 1 t isa s aov tmmj 1 o sometimes the lot of Ms hones vexed and his soul vexed too ^ »» compiicat6-d trouble, it was ^TpVV<^^o«»b^in, bothgof body and mind, and ^tofffiBS^^^A^I^teta made upon him. They lay Secondly. The impre ssion wmo^ n^ hg mad(j ^ ^ed t0 g M94eo^«sTs^^^^ his couch. 5. lhe ^^'rt^^eyeyf^ei old because of his enemies, who a!EK«^gfesaa£aEK,ss This was the wormwood and the gall '? ^l?™1^?^ I therefore fie prays, the infusion of this that made it ndeed a bitter cup^ ana t deserved it, ver. 1, " O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger "g|18^ti p Lord rebuke "neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. He doth nol pi a* ^ me not, Lord, chasten me not; f™ "L^^th*" He can bear the rebuke chastens, "as a father the son in whom he dehghteth^ ne f his and chastening well enough if G°d a* the |»f™™hear the jo7 and gladness countenance upon him, ana bl£K Jpuit rn^e M mwui be tolerable, if he have of his lovingkindness ; the affliction ' «.">? £°°* Zi&e his bones ache, if God's SSToW^ h?s0hrttea^ehrtteC»eeLl prayer is, " Lord, rebuke me 32 PSALM VI. not in thy wrath ;" let me not lie under the impressions of that, for that will sink me. Herein David was a type of Christ, whose sorest complaint in his sufferings was of the trouble of his soul, and of the suspension of his Father's smiles. He never so much as whispered a complaint of the rage of his enemies,— Why do they crucify me ? or the unkindness of his friends, —Why do they desert me ? but he cried with a loud voice, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Let us thus deprecate the wrath of God more than any outward trouble whatsoever, and always take heed of treasuring up wrath against a day or affliction. 2. That which he desires as the greatest good, and which would be to him the restoration of all good, is the favour and grace of God. He prays, 1st. That God would pity him, and look upon him with compassion. He thinks himself very miserable, and misery is the proper object of niercy ; and thefflj fore he prays, " Have mercy upon me, O Lord ;" in wrath remember mercyyanS deal not with me in strict. justice. 2nd. That God would pardon his sins: M that is the proper act of mercy, and is often chiefly intended in that petifflgi] Have mercy upon me. 3rd. That God would put forth his power for his relief; "Lord, heal me," ver. 2 ; " Save me," ver. 4 ; speak the word, and I shall be wholeji and all will be well. 4th. That he would be at peace with him ; Return, O LonB receive me into thy favour again, and be reconciled to me. Thou hast seemed" to depart from me, and 'neglect me ; nay, to set thyself at a distance, as one angry; but now, Lord, return, and shew thyself nigh to me. 5th. That he would especially preserve the inward man, and the interests of that, whatever- becomes of the body ; " O Lord, deliver my soul" from sinning, from sinking! from perishing for ever. It is an unspeakable privilege that we have a God1 to go to in our afflictions ; and it is our duty to go to him, and thus to wrestle with him, and we shall not seek in vain. Fourthly. The pleas with which he enforceth his petitions : not to move God, he knows our cause; and the true merits of it, better than we can state it; but to move himself. 1. He pleads his own misery, and that his misery had con tinued long. " I am weak," I am troubled, sore troubled ; O Lord, how lanjfl Shall I be so ? 2. He pleads God's mercy, and from thence we take some of-ora| best encourgements in prayer. " Save me, for thy mercy's sake." 3. He pleads God's glory, ver. 5, " For m death there is no remembrance of thee." Lorafn^ thou deliver me and comfort me, I will not only give thee thanks for my deliver-*. ance, and stir up others to join with me in these thanksgivings, but I will spend, the new life thou shalt intrust me with in thy service, to thy glory, and all the' remainder of my days preserve a grateful remembrance of thy favours to] me, and be quickened thereby in all instances of service to thee ; but if 1 did I shall be cut short of that opportunity of honouring thee, and doing good to others; for " in the grave, who will give thee thanks?" Not but that separate souls live and act, and the souls' of.the faithful joyfully remember God, and givP thanks to him ; but, 1st. In the second death (which perhaps David, being now troubled, in soul under the wrath of God, had some dreadful apprehensions of ) there is no pleasing remembrance of God ; devils and damned spirits blaspheme him, and do not praise him. Lord, let me not lie always under this wrath, for that is Sheol, it is hell itself, and lays me under an everlasting disability to praise thee. They that sincerely seek God's glory, and desire and delight to praise him, may pray in faith, Lord, send me not to that dreadful place, where there is no devout remembrance of thee, nor any thanks given to thee. 2nd. Even the death of the body puts an end to our opportunity and capacity of glorifying God in this world, and serving the interests of his kingdom among men, bj opposing the powers of darkness, and bringing many on this earth to know God, and devote themselves to him. Some have maintained, that the joyiipt saints in heaven are more desirable,# infinitely more so, than the comfortstaL saints on earth ; yet the services of saints on earth, especially such eminent riiroB as David was, are more laudable, and redound more to the glory of the DMJjfl grace, than the services of saints in heaven, who are not employed in malSH taining the war against sin and Satan, nor in edifying the Dody of fMBB Courtiers in the royal presence are most happy, but soldiers in the fielbVtu"r more useful ; and therefore we may with good reason pray, that if it be the wilii of God, and he has any farther work for us or our friends to do in this worldile will yet spare us or them to serve him. To depart and be with Christ is most happy for the saints themselves ; but for them to abide in the flesh is more pro fitable for the church. Andtfthis David had an eye to when he pleaded this, " In the g/aye, who shall give thee thanks ? " Ps. xxx. 9 ; lxxxviii. 10 ; cxv. 1 7 ; Isa. xxxviii. 18. And this Christ had an eye to when he said, " I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world." We should sing these verses with a deep sense of the terrors of God's wrath, which we should therefore dread and deprecate above anything ; and with! thankfulness, if this be not our condition ; and compassion to those who are thus afflicted. If we be thus troubled, let it comfort us, that our case is not without! precedent ; nor, if we humble ourselves, and pray as David did, shall it be lonifi without redress. '' ¦{ PSALM VI. 33 8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity ; For the Lord hath heard the voice of my -weeping. 9 The Loed hath heard my supplication ; The Loed 'will receive my prayer. 10 Let all mine enemies he ashamed and sore vexed : Let them return and be ashamed suddenly. ''/"What a sudden change is here for the better! He that was groaning, and weeping, and giving up all for gone, ver. 6, 7, here looks and speaks very plea sant. Having made his requests known to God, and lodged his case with him, lie is very confident the issue will be good, and his sorrow turned into joy. First. He distinguisheth himself from the wicked and ungodly, and fortifies himself against their insults ; ver. 8, " Depart from me, all ye workers of ini quity." "When he was in the depth of his distress, 1. He was afraid that God's wrath against him would give him his portion with the workers of iniquity -, but now that cloud of melancholy was blown over, he is assured that his soul shall not be gathered with sinners, for they are not nis people. He began to suspect himself to be one of thetn, because of the heavy pressures of God's wrath upon him ; but now all his fears are silenced, he bids them depart, knowing that his lot is among the chosen. 2.-The workers of iniquity had teazed him, ana taunted him, and asked him, "Where was his God? triumphing in his despondency and despair, but now he had wherewith to answer them that reproached him, for God was about to return in mercy to him, had now comforted his spiritj and would shortly complete his deliverance. 3. Perhaps they'had tempted him to do as they did, to quit his religion, and betake himself for ease to the pleasures of sin. But now. Depart from me;" I will never lend ear to your counsel; you would have had me to curse God and die, but I will bless him, and live. This good use we should make of God's mercies to us, we should thereby have our resolutions strengthened never to have anything more to do with sin and sinners. David was a Tcing, and he takes' this occasion to renew his purpose of using his power for the suppression of sin, and the reformation of manners, Ps. lxxv. 4 ; ci. 3. "When God has done great things for us, that should put us upon studying what we shall do for' him. Our Lord Jesus seems to borrow these words from the mouth of his father David, when, having all judgment committed to him, he shall say, "Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity," Lu. xiii. 27 ; and so teaches us to say so now, Ps. cxix. 115. Secondly. He assures himself that God was, and would be, propitious to him, notwithstanding the present intimations of wrath which he was under. 1. He is confident of a gracious answer to this prayer which he is now making. While . he is yet speaking, he is aware that God hears, as Isa. lxv. 24 ; Dan. ix. 20, and therefore speaks of it as a thing done, and repeats it with an air of triumph, " the Lord hath heard;" and again, "the Lord hath heard." By the workings of God's grace upon his heart, he knew his prayer was graciously accepted, and therefore did not doubt but it would in due time be effectually answered. His tears had a voice, a loud voice in the ears of the God of mercy ; and " the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping." Silent tears are not speechless ones. His prayers were cries to God; and "the Lord hath heard the voice of my supplica tions," has put his fiat to my petitions, nnd so it will appear shortly. 2. From thence he infers the like favourable audience of all his other prayers ; he " has heard the voice of my supplication," and therefore he will receive my prayer ; for he gives, and doth not upbraid with former grants. Thirdly. He either prays for the conversion or predicts the destruction of his enemies and persecutors, ver. 10. 1. It may very well be taken as a prayer for ttieir conversion. "Let them all be ashamed" or the opposition they have given me, and the censures they have passed upon me ; let them be (as all true peni tents are) vexed at themselves for their own folly ; let them return to a better temper and disposition of mind, and let them be ashamed of what they have_ done against me, and take shame to themselves. 2. If they be not converted, it is a prediction of their confusion and ruin. They shjjl be ashamed, and sore vexed, i so it may be read, and that justly ; they rejoicedTnat David was vexed, ver. 2, 3, ' and therefore, as usually, it returns upon themselves; they also shall be sore ve&4- They that will not give glory to God shall have their faces filled with everlasting shame. ¦=^-:- In singing this, and praying over it, we must dfa^glory *° ^0(*> as a God ready to hear prayer, must own his goodness to us Yn hearing our prayers, and must encourage ourselves to wait upon him, and to trust in him in the greatest straits and difficulties. 34 PSALM VII. It appears by the title that this psalm was penned upon a particular occasion, which was the malicious imputations that David was unjustly laid under by some of his enemies. Being thus wronged, I. He applies himself to God for favour, ver. 1,2. II. He appeal! . to God concerning hia innocency as to those things whereof he was accused, ver. 3—5, . III. He prays.to God to plead his cause, and judge for him against his persecutor!, ver. B— 9. IV. He expresseth his confidence in God that he would do so, and would return the mischief upon the hnad of those that designed it against him, ver. 10— IB, V. He promiseth to give God the glory of his deliverance, ver. 17. In this David ws a type of Christ, who was himself, and still is in his memhers, thus injured, but will certainly be righted at last. Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. OLORD my God, in thee do I put my trust : Save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver 2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion, [me Jj Bending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. 3> 3 0 Lord my God, if I have done this ; If there be iniquity in my hands ; [me ; 4 If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with (Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine," enemy :) 5 Let the enemy persecute my soul, a'nd take it; Yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, And lay mine honour in the dust. Selah. 6 Arise, 0 Lord, in thine anger, Lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies : And awake for me to the judgment that thou hast com manded, [about : 7 So shall the congregation of the people compass theej For their sakes therefore return thou on high. 8 The Lord shall judge the people : Judge me, 0 Lord, according to my righteousness,,; And according to mine integrity that is in me. 9 QJHfsftfte wickedness of the wicked come to an end; ,^Bnt establilsrKhe just : For the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. Shiggaion is a song or psalm ; the word is used so only here and Hab. Hi. 1. , A. wandering song, so some ; the matter and composure of the several parts being different, but artificially put together. A charming song, so others ; very delightful. David not only penned it, but sang it himself in a devout religions;^ manner unto the Lord, concerning the words or affairs of Cush the Benjamit^j : that is, of Sanl himself, whose barbarous usage of David bespoke him rather %; Cushite, or Ethiopian, than a trueborn Israelite. Or more likely it was some kinsman of Saul named Cush, who was an inveterate enemy to David,. Misre presented him to Saul as a taaitor, and (which needed not) exasperated Saul against him; one of those children of men, children of Belial indeed, whom David complains of, 1 Sam. xxvi. 19, that made mischief between him and Saul. David, thus basely abused, has recourse to the Lord. The injuries mengdo M should drive us to God, for to him we may commit our cause. Kay, he-^gs to the Lord ; his spirit was not ruffled by it, nor cast down, but so composed/and cheerful, that he was still in tune for sacred songs, and it did not occasion one jarring string of his harp. Thus let the injuries we receive from men, instead of provoking our passions, kindle and excite our devotions. In these verses-, PSALM VII. 35 First. He puts himself under God's protection, and flies to him for succour and shelter; ver. l,"Lord, save me, and deliver me" from the power and malice of " all them that persecute me," that they may not have their will against me. He pleads, 1. His relation to God. Thou art my God, and therefore whither else should I go but to thee? Thou art my God, and therefore my shield, Gen. xv. 1 ; my God, and therefore I am one of thy servants who may expect to be protected. 2. His confidence in God. Lord, save me, for I depend upon thee ; " in thee do I put my trust," and not in any arm of flesh. Men of honour will not fail those that repose a trust in them, especially if they them selves have encouraged them to do so ; which is our case. 3. The rage and malice of his enemies, and the imminent danger he was in of being swallowed up by them. Lord, save me or I am gone; he will tear my soul like a lion tearing his prey, with so much pride, and pleasure, and power ; so easily, so cruelly. St. Paul compares Nero to a lion, 2 Tim. iv. 17, as David here com- nares Saul. 4. The failure of all other helpers. Lord, be thou pleased to ieliver me ; for otherwise there is none to deliver, ver. 2. It is the glory of God to help the helpless. Secondly. He makes a solemn protestation of his innocency, as to those things whereof he was accused, and by a dreadful imprecation appeals to God, the searcher of hearts, concerning it, ver. 3 — 5. Observe, in general, 1. When we are falsely accused by men, it is a great comfort if our own consciences acquit us. ¦Hie murus aheneus esto 1: Nil conscire sibi.- *Be this thy brazen bulwark of defence, Still to preserve thy conscious innocence.' Not only, that they cannot prove their calumnies, Acts xxiv. 13, but that our hearts can disprove them to our own satisfaction. 2. God is the patron Qf_wjronged innocency. David had no court on eacth to appeal to ; his prince, thatshVcri magnify God's favour to man ? 1st. "When we consider how the glory of God shines in the upper world, we may well wonder he should take cognizance of such a mean creature as man : that he who is resi dent in and president over that bright and blessed part of the creation, should humble himself to behold the things done upon this earth: see Ps. cxiii. 5, 6. 2nd. When we consider of what great use the heavens are to men on earth, and how the lights of heaven are divided unto all nations, Deu. iv. 19, Gen. i. 15? we may well say, "Lord, what is man," that thou shouldst settle the ordinances ot' heaven with an eye to him, and to his benefit, and that his comfort and con venience should be so much consulted in the malting of the lights of heaven, and directing their motions I Secondly. How he expresseth this admiration; ver. 4, "Lord, what is man," Enosh, sinful, weak, miserable man, a creature so forgetful of thee, and his duty to thee, "that thou art" thus "mindful of him," that thou takest cognizance of him, and of his actions and affairs, that in the making of the world thou hadst a respect to him ? What is " the son of man, that thou visitest him ? " Dost not only feed him and clothe him, protect him and provide for him, in common with other creatures, but visitest him, as one friend visits another, art pleased to converse with him, and concern thyself for him? What is man, so mean a crea ture, that he should be thus honoured; so sinful a creature, that he should be thus countenanced and favoured ? Now this refers, 1. To mankind in general. Though " man is a worm, and the son of man is a worm," Job xxv. 6, yet God puts a respect upon him, and shews him abundance of kindness. Man is above all the creatures in this lower world the favourite and darling of Providence. For, 1st. He is of a very honourable rank of beings. We may be sure he takes place of all the inhabitants of this lower world, for he is made but "a little lower than the angels," ver. 5 : lower indeed, because by his body he is allied to the earth, and to the beasts that perish ; and yet by his soul, which is spiritual and immortal, he is so near akin to the holy angels, that he may be truly said to be but a little lower than they, and is in order next to them. He is but for a little while lower than the angels, while his great soul is cooped up in a house of clay ; but the children of the resurrection shall be io-^eXoi, — * angels' peers,* Lu. xx. 36, and no longer lower than they. 2nd. He is endued with noble faculties and capacities; " Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour." He that gave him his being has distinguished him, and qualified him for a dominion over the inferior creatures ; for haying "made 42 PSALM IX. him wiser than the beasts of the earth, and the fowls of heaven," Job ' xxxv. .11, he has made him fit to rule them, and it is fit they should be ruled by him. Man's reason is his crown of glory ; let him not profane that crown by disturb ing the use of it, nor forfeit that crown by acting contrary to its dictates. 3rd. He is invested with a sovereign dominion over the inferior creatures, under God, and is constituted their lord. He that made them, and knows them, and whose own they are, has " made man to have dominion over them, ver. S. His charter, by which he holds this royalty, bears equal date with his creation, Gen. i. 28, and was renewed after the flood, Gen. ix. 2. God has put all things under man's feet, that he might serve himself not only of the labour, but of the products and lives, of the inferior creatures ; they are all delivered into his hand, nay, they are all put under his feet. He instanceth in some of the inferior animals, ver. 7, 8 ; not only sheep and oxen, which man takes care of and provides for, but the beasts of the field, as well «s those of the flood ; yea, and those creatures which are most at a distance from man, as the fowl of the air, yea, and the fish of the sea, which live in another element, and pass unseen through the paths of the seas. Man has arts to take these ; though many of them are much stronger, and many of them much swifter than he, yet one way or other he is too hard for them ; Jos. iii. 7, " Every kind of beasts and birds and thinss. in the sea is tamed, and hath been tamed ; he has likewise liberty to use them, as he has occasion ; " Rise, Peter, kill and eat," Acts x. 13. _ Every dish of fisH and fowl that comes to our table is an instance of this dominion man has over the works of God's hands, and it is a reason for our subjection to God our chief Lord, and to his dominion over us. 2. But this refers in a particular manner to Jesus Christ ; of him we are taught to expound it Heb. ii. 6—8, where the apostle, to prove the sovereign dominion of Christ, both in heaven and in earth, shews that he is that man, that Sdn of man, here spoken of, whom God has crowned with glory and honour, and made to have dominion over the works of his hands. And it is certain that the greatest favour that ever was shewed to the human race, and the greatest honour that ever was put upon the human nature, was by the incarnation and exaltation of the Lord Jesus, far beyond the favours and nonours done us by creation and providence ; though those also are great and far more than we deserve. We have reason humbly to value ourselves by it, and thankfully to admire the grace of God in it. 1st. That Jesus Christ assumed the nature of man, and in that nature humbled;! himself. He became the Son of man, a partaker of flesh and blood; being wL' God visited him; which some apply to his sufferings for us, for it is said* Heb. ii. 9, by "the suffering of death," a visitation in wrath, " he was crowded with glory and honour." God visited him, that is, having laid upon him the iniouity of us all, he reckoned with him for it, visited him with a rod, and with stripes, that we by them might be healed. He was for a little while (so the apostle interprets it) made lower than the angels, when he took upon him the form of a servant, and made himself of no reputation. 2nd. That in that nature he is exalted to be Lord of all; God the Father exalted him because he had humbled himself; crowned him with glory and honour, the glory which he had with him before the worlds were ; set hinftt. his own right hand ; constituted him not only the head of the church, but hgjpT over all things to the church ; and gave all things into his hand, intrusted him with the administration of the kingdom of providence in conjunction with, and subserviency to, the kingdom of grace. All the creatures are put under his feet, and even in the days of his flesh he gave some specimens of his power over them, as when he commanded the winds and the seas, and appointed a fish to pay his tribute. a With good reason therefore doth the psalmist conclude as he began, " Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth ! " which has been honoured with the Eresence of the Redeemer, and is still enlightened by his Gospel, and governed y his wisdom and power. And in singing this, and praying over it, though «fli must not forget to acknowledge with suitable affections God's common favour? to mankind, particularly in the serviceableness of the inferior creatures to us, yet we must especially set ourselves to give glory to our Lord Jesus, by con fessing that he is Lord, and submitting to him as our Lord, and waiting till to see all things put under him, and all his enemies made his footstool. PSALM IX. In this psalm, I. David praiseth God for pleading his cause, and giving him victory over his enemies, and the enemies of his country,, ver. 1 — 6, and calls upon others to join with him in his songs of praise, ver. 11, 12. II. He prayB to God that he might still have farther occasion to praise him, for his own deliverances, and the confusion of \m enemies, ver. 13, 14, 19, 20. III. He triumphs in the assurance he had of God's judging the world, ver. 7, 8; protecting his oppressed people, ver. 9 10, 18; and bringing biH PSALM IX. 43 and their implacable enemies to ruin, ver. 15 — 17. And this is very applicable to the kingdom of the Messiah, the enemies of which have been In part destroyed already, and shaU be yet more and more, till they all be made his footstool, which we are to assure ' ourselves of, that God may have the glory, and we may tuke the comfort. To the chief Musician upon Muth-labben, A Psalm of David. I WILL praise thee, 0 Lord, with my whole heart ; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. 2 I will be' glad and rejoice in thee : I will sing praise to thy name, 0 thou most High. 3 When mine enemies are turned back, They shall fall and perish at thy presence. 4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause ; Thou satest in the throne judging right. 5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, Thou hast destroyed the wicked, Thou hast put out their name for ever and ever. 6 0 thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end : And thou hast destroyed cities ; Their memorial is perished with them. 7 But the Lord shall endure for ever : He hath prepared his throne for judgment. 8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, He shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. 9 The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. ] 0 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee : For thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. The title of this psalm gives a very uncertain sound concerning the occasion of penning it. It is upon Muthlabben, which some make to refer to the death of Goliath, others to Nabal, others of Absalom, but I incline to think it sig nifies only some tune or musical instrument to which this psalm was intended tu b>' sung; and that the enemies he is here triumphing in the defeat of are the . .Philistines, and other the neighbour nations that opposed his settlement in the throne, whom he contested with, and subdued in the beginning of his reign, 2 Sam. v. and viii. # In these verses, First. David excites and engages himself to praise God for his mercies, and the great things he had of late done for him and his government, ver. 1, 2. Note, 1. God expects suitable returns of praise from those for whom he has done marvellous works. 2. If we would praise God acceptably, we must 1 (raise him in sincerity with our hearts, and not only with our lips, and be ively and fervent in the duty, with our whole heart. 3. When we give thanks for some one particular mercy, we should take occasion from thence to remem ber former mercies, and so to " shew forth all his marvellous works." 4. Holy joy is the life of thankful praise, as thankful praise is the language of holy joy ; ]' I will be glad and rejoice in thee." 5. Whatever occurs to make us glad, our joy must pass through it, and terminate in God only ; " I will be glad and rejoice in thee," not in the gift so much as in the Giver. 6. Joy and praise are Eroperly expressed by singing of psalms. 7. When God has shewed . himself to e above the proud enemies of the church, we must tuke occasion from thence to give glory to him as the Most High. 8. The triumphs of the Redeemer ought to be the triumphs of the redeemed : see Rev. xii. 10 ; xix. 5 ; xv. 3, 4. Secondly. He acknowledges the almighty power of God, as that which the strongest and stoutest of his enemies were no way able to contest with or stand before, ver. 3. But, 1. They are forced to turn back, their policy and their courage fail them, so that they cannot, they dare not, push forward in their enterprises, but retire with precipitation. 2. When once they turn back, 44 PSALM IX. they fall and perish, even their retreat will be their ruin, and they will save themselves no more by flying than by fighting. If Haman begin to fall before Mordecai he is a gone man, and shall prevail no more : see Est. vi. 13; 3. The presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power, is sufficient for the destruc tion of his and his people's enemies. That is easily done which a man doth with his very presence ; with that God confounds his enemies, such a presence has he. Thiswas fulfilled when our Lord Jesus with one word, "I am he," made his enemies to fall back at his presence, Jno. xviii. 6, and at the same time could have made them perish. 4. When the enemies of God's church are put to con^ fusion, we must ascribe it to the power, not of instruments, but of his presence, and give him all the glory. Thirdly. He gives to God the glory of his righteousness in his appearing on his behalf; ver. 4, "Thou hast maintained my right and my cause ;" that is my righteous cause, when that came on, " thou satest in the throne judging* right." Observe. I. God sits in the throne of judgment. To him it belongs to decide controversies, determine appeals, to right the injured, and to punisli the injurious; for he hath said, "Vengeance is mine." 2. We are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth, and with him there is no unrighteous ness. Far be it from Gock that he should pervert justice. If there seem to us to be some irregularity in the present decisions of Providence, yet those! instead of shaking our belief of God's justice, may seem to strengthen our belief of the judgment to come, which will set all to rights. 3. Whoevejl disown and desert a just and injured cause, we may be sure that the rig^hteoup God will maintain it, and plead it with jealousy, and will never suffer it to be run down. Fourthly. He records with joy the triumphs of the God of heaven over all the powers of hell, and attends those triumphs with his praises, ver. 5. By three steps the power and justice of God had proceeded against the heathen and wicked people that were enemies to the king God had lately set up upon his holy hill of Zion. 1. He had checked them ; " Thou hast rebuked the heathen ; " that is, hast given them real proofs of thy displeasure against them. This he did before he destroyed them, that they might have taken warning by the rebukes of Providence, and so nave prevented their own destruction. 2. He had cut them off; "Thou hast destroyed the wicked." The wicked are marked for destruction, and some are made monuments of God's vindictive justice and destructive power in this world. 3. He had buried them in obli vion and perpettfal infamy : had " put out their name for ever," that they should never be remembered with any respect. Fifthly. He insults over the enemy whom God thus appears against; ver.fi, "Thou hast destroyed cities." Either, thou, O enemy, hast destroyed our cities, at least in intention and imagination ; or, thou, 0 God, hast destroyed , their cities by the desolation brought upon their country. It may be taken ^ either way, for the psalmist will nave the enemy to know, 1. That their destruction is just ; and God was but reckoning with them for all the mischief which they had done and designed against his people. The malicious and vex-, atious neighbours of Israel, as the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Edonrites. and Syrians, had made incursions upon them when there was no king in Israel to fight their battles, had destroyed their cities, and done what they could to make their memorial perish with them; but now the wheel was turned, upon them, their destructions of Israel were come to a perpetual end, they shall now cease to spoil, and must themselves be spoiled, Isa. xxxiii. 1. 2. That it is total and final ; such a destruction as should make a perpetual end of them, so that the very memorial of their cities should perish with them. So devouring a., thing is time. And much more such desolations do the righteous judgments of God make upon sinners, that great and populous cities have been reduced to such ruins, that their very memorial is perished, and those that have sought them could not find where they stood. But we look for a city that has stronger- foundations than so. * Sixthly. He comforts himself and others in God, and pleaseth himself with the thoughts of him. 1. With the thoughts of his eternity. On this earth we see nothing durable, even strong cities are buried in rubbish, and forgotten, "but the Lord shall ' endure for ever," ver. 7. There is no change of his being ; his felicity, power, and perfection, are out of the reach of all the combined forces of hell and ,! earth ; they may put an end to our liberties, our privileges, our lives, but our God is still the same, and sits even upon the floods, unshaken, undisturbed, Ps. xxix. 10 ; xciii. 2. ¦ 2. With the thoughts of his sovereignty both in government and judgment. I He hath prepared his throne, has fixed it by his infinite wisdom, has fixed it by. \ his immutable counsel. It is the great support and comfort of good people when the power of the church's enemies is threatening, and t"he posture of its \ affairs melancholy and perplexed, that God doth now rule the world, and will ' shortly judge the world. PSALM IX. 45, 3. With the thoughts of his justice and righteousness in all the administra tions of his government. He doth all every day, he will do all at the last day, according to the eternal, unalterable rules of equity; ver. 8, "He shall judge the world," all persons, and all controversies : w shall minister judgment to the people," shall determine their lot both in this and in the future state, "in righteousness and in uprightness," so that there shall not be the least colour of exception against it. 4. With the thoughts of that peculiar favour which God bears to his own people, and the special protection which he takes them under. The Lord that endures for ever is their everlasting strength and protection. He that judgeth the, world will be sure to judge for them, when at any time they are injured or distressed, ver. 9. He "will be a refuge for the oppressed;" a high place, a Btrong place, "for the oppressed in times of trouble." It is the lot ot God's people to be oppressed in this world, and to have troublous times appointed to them. Perhaps God may not presently appear for them as their deliverer and avenger, but m the midst of their distresses they may by faith fly to him as their refuge, and may depend upon his power and promise for their safety, so that no real hurt shall be done them. 5. With the thoughts of that sweet satisfaction and repose of mind which they have that make God their refuge ; ver. 10, " They that know thy name will put their trust in thee," as I have done, for the grace of God is the same in all the saints, and then they will find, as I have found, that " thou dost not forsake them that seek thee," for the favour of God is the same towards all the saints. Note, 1st. The better God is known, the more he is trusted. Those who know him to be a God of infinite wisdom will*trust him farther than they can see him, Job xxxv. 14; to be a God of almighty power, will trust him when creature confidences fail, and they have nothing else to trust to, 2 Chr. xx. 12; and to be a God of infinite grace and goodness, will trust him though he slay them. Job xiii. 15. Those that know him to be a God of inviolable truth and faithfulness will rejoice in his word of promise and rest upon that, though the performance be deferred, and intermediate providences seem to contradict it. Those that know him to be the Father of spirits, and an everlasting Father, will trust him with their souls as their main care ; and trust in him at all times, even to the end. 2nd. The more God is trusted, the more he is sought unto. If we trust God, we will seek him by faithful and fervent prayer, and by a constant care to approve ourselves to him in the whole course of our conversa tion. 3rd. God never did nor ever will disown or desert any that duly seek to him and trust in him. Though he afflict them he doth not leave them, he doth not leave them comfortless; though he seem to forsake them for a while, yet he' will gather them with everlasting mercies. 1 1 Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion : . Declare among the people his doings. [them : 12 When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth He forgetteth not the cry of the humble. 1,3 Have mercy upon me, 0 Lord ; *? Consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, , Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death : 14 That I may .shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the ] I will rejoice in thy salvation. [daughter of Zion 16 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made :. In the net which they hid is their own foot taken. 1Q The Lord is known by the judgment which he exe- cuteth \ [Higgaion. Selah. The wicked, is snared in the work of his own hands. 1 7 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God. 18 For the needy shall not alway be forgotten : The expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. 46 PSALM IX. 19 Arise, 0 Lord ; let not man prevail : Let the heathen be judged in thy sight. 20 Put them in fear, 0 Loud : [Selah. That the nations may know themselves to he hut men. In these verses, First. David, having praised God himself, calls upon and invites others to praise him likewise, ver. 11. Those who believe God is greatly to be praised not only desire to do that work better themselves, but desire that others also may join with thein in it, and would gladly be instrumental to bring them to it. " Sing praises to the Lord which dwelleth in Zion." As the special residence of his glory is in heaven, so the special residence of his grace is in his church, of which Zion was a type. There he meets his people with< his promises and graces, and there he expects they should meet him with their praises and ser vices. In all our praises we should have an eye to God as dwelling in Zion, in a special manner present in the assemblies of his people, as their protector and patron. He resolved himself to shew forth God's marvellous works, v&r. 2, and here he called upon others to " declare among the people his doings \% he commands his own subjects to do it. for the honour of God, of their country, and of their holy religion ; he courts his neighbours to do it ; to sing praises, not as hitherto to their false gods, but to Jehovah who dwelleth in Zion, to the God of Israel, and to own among the heathen that the Lord has done great things for his people Israel, Ps. cxxvi. 3, 4. Let them particularly take notice of the justice of God in avenging the blood of his people Israel on the Philistines, and other their wicked neighbours, who had in making war upon them used them barbarously and given them no quarter, ver. 12. When God comes to make inquisition for blood, by his judgments on earth, before-he comes to do it by the judgment of the great day, he remembereth them, remembers every drop"of the innocent blood which they have shed, and will return it sevenfold upon the head of the bloodthirsty. He will give them blood to drink, for they are worthy. This assurance he might well build upon that word, Deu. xxxii.fe "He will avenge the blood of his servants." Note, There is a day cominlp when God will make inquisition for blood, when he will discover what has been shed secretly, and revenge what has been shed unjustly : see Isa. xxvi.31 ; Jer. Ii. 35. In that day it will appear how precious the blood of God's people' is to him, Ps. lxxii. 14, when it must all be accounted for. It will then appear that he has not forgotten the cry of the humble, nor the cry of their blood, nor the cry of their prayers, but both are sealed up among his treasures. Secondly. David, naving praised God for former mercies and deliverances, earnestly pmys that God would still appear for him; for he sees not yet all things put under him. He prays, 1. That God would be compassionate to him; ver. 13, "Have mercy upon me," who having misery only, and notmerit, to speak for me, must depend upon mere mercy for relief. 2. That he wouhf be concerned for him. He is nt>t particular in his requests, lest he should seem to prescribe to God, but refers himself to the wisdom ana will of God fn this modest request, " Lord, consider my trouble," and do for me as thou thinlrest fit. He pleads, 1st. The malice of his enemies, the trouble which he sulfereffl of them that hated him ; and hatred is a cruel passion. 2nd. The experieiKn he had had of Divine succours, and the expectation he now had of the con!? tiuuance of them, as the necessity of his case required. O thou that liftest 3H up, that canst do it, that hast done it, that wilt do it, whose prerogative it is to lift up thy people from the gates of death. We are never brought so low, so near to death, but God can raise us up. If he has saved us from spiritual and eternal death, we may from thence take encouragement to hope that in all'ouf < distresses he will be a very present help to us. 3rd. His sincere purpose tot praise God when his victories shall be completed, ver. 14. Lord save me, not that I may have the comfort and credit of it, but that thou mayest have the glory, ''That I may shew forth all thy praise;'' and that publicly,"in thegajps of the daughter of Zion. There God was said to dwell, ver. 11. and there David would attend him, with joy in God's salvation, typical of the great salvation which was to be wrought out by the Sou of David. Thirdly. David by faith foresees and foretells the certain ruin of all wicked people both in this world and in that to come. 1. In this world, ver. 15, 16. God executeth judgment upon them when the measure uf • their iniquities is full, and doth it so as, 1st. To put shameiupon them, and make their fall inglorious, for they sink into the pit which' they themselves digged, Ps. vu. 15 ; they are taken in the net which they themselves laid for the ensnaring of God s people, and they are snared in the work of their own hands. In all the struggles David had with the Philistines they were the aggressors, 2 Sam. v. 22. And other nations were subdued by those waia '" which they embroiled ,l«~"i"« And manv times the overruling providf PSALM X. 47 of God so orders it, that their persecutors and oppressors are brought to ruin by those very projects which they intended to be destructive to the people of God. Drunkards kill themselves; prodigals beggar themselves; the conten tious bring mischief upon themselves; and thus men's sins may be read in their punishment, and it becomes visible to all, that the destruction of sinners is not only meritoriously but efficiently of themselves, which will fill them with the utmost confusion. 2nd. So as to get honour to himself. "The Lord is known ; " that is, he makes himself known " by these judgments which he exeouteth." It is known there is a God who judgeth in the earth; that he is a righteous God, and one that hates sin, and will punish it. In these the "Tfrathof God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighte ousness of men ; and therefore the psalmist adds here a note extraordinary, commanding special regard, Higgaion; it is a thing to be carefully observed and meditated upon. What we see of present judgments, and what we believe of the judgment to come, ought to be the subject of our frequent and serious meditations. 2. In the other world, ver. 17. " The wicked shall be turned into hell," as cap tives into the prison-house, even "all the nations that forget God." Note, 1. That forgetfulness of God is the cause of all the wickedness of the wicked. 2. There are nations of those that forget God, multitudes thut live without God in the world, many great and mighty nations who never regard him, nor desire the knowledge of his ways. 3. Hell will at last be the portion of such, a state of everlasting misery and torment; Sheol, a pit of destruction, in which they and all their comforts will be for ever lost and buried. Though there be nations of them, yet they shall be turned into hell, like sheep into the slaughter-house, PS. xlix. 14; and their being so numerous will neither be any security or ease to them, nor any loss to God, or the least impeachment of his goodness. Fourthly. David encourngeth the people of God to wait for his salvation, though it should be long deferred, ver. 18. The needy may think themselves, and others may think them, forgotten for a while, and their expectation of help from God may seem to have perished, and to have been for ever frustrated; but he that believeth doth not make haste, the vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak. We may build upon it as undoubtedly true, that God's people, God's elect, shall not always be forgotten, nor shall they be dis appointed of their hopes from the promise. God will not only remember them at last, but will make it appear that he never did forget them. It is impossible he should, though a woman may forget her sucking child. Fifthly. He concludes with prayer that God would humble the pride, break the power, and blast the projects of all the wicked enemies of Iris church; "Arise, O Lord," ver. 19, stir up thyself, exert thy power, take thy seat, and deal with all these proud and daring enemies of thy name, and cause, and people. 1. Lord, restrain them, and set bounds to their malice. "Let not man prevail ; " consult thine own honour, and let not weak and mortal men prevail against the kingdom and interest of the almighty and immortal God. " Shall mortal man be too hard for God, too strong for his Maker?" 2. Lord, reckon with them, "Let the heathen be judged in thy sight;" that is, let them be plainly called to an account for all the dishonour done to thee, and the mischief done to thy people. Impenitent sinners will be punished in God's sight, and when their day of grace is over the bowels even of infinite mercy will not relent towards them, Rev. xiv. 10. 3. Lord, frighten them ; ver. 20, "Put them in fear, O Lord." Or, strike a terror upon them, make them afraid with thy judgments. God knows how to make the strongest and stoutest of men to tremble, and to flee when none pursues; and thereby he makes them know that they are but men, and own it; theyare but weak men, unable to stand before the holy God; sinful men, the guilt of whose consciences makes them subject to frights. Note, It is a very desirable thing, much for the glory of God, and the peace and welfare of the universe, that men should know and consider themselves to be but men ; depending creatures; mutable, mortal, and accountable. In singing this, we must give to God the glory of his justice in pleading his people's cause against his and their enemies, and encourage ourselves to wait for the year of the redeemed, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion, even the tinal destruction of all antichristian powers and factions, to which many of the ancients apply this psalm. PSALM X. The Septuagint translation joins this psalm with the 9th, and makes them hut one; but the Hebrew makes it a distinct psalm, and the scope and style is different. In this psalm, 1. David complains of the wickedness of the wicked, and describes the mighty pitch of impiety to which they were arrived, to the great dishonour of God, and the ^prejudice or his church and people, and the delay of God's appearing against them, ver. 1 — 11. II. He prays to God to appear against them for the relief of his people, and comforts himself with hopes that he would do so in due time, ver. 12—18. 48 PSALM X. WHY standest thou afar off, 0 Lord ? Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble ? 2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor : Let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined,' 3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, And blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth. 4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will God is not in all his thoughts. [not seek after Goi'k 5 His ways are always grievous ; Thy judgments are. fax above out of his sight . As for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. 6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved : For / shall never he in adversity 7 His month is full of cursing and deceit and fraud : ' Under his tongue is mischief and vanity 8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: In the secret places doth he murder the innocent : His eyes are privily set against the poor. 9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den : He lieth in wait to catch the poor : He doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. 10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, That the poor may fall by his strong ones. 11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: He hideth his face ; he will never see it. David in these verses discovers, First. A very great affection to God and his favour; for in the timeJB trouble that which he complains of most feelingly is, God's withdrawing.™ gracious presence ; ver. 1, ' Why standest thou afar off," as one unconcern^ in the indignities done to thy name, and the injuries done to thy peoj^fl Note, God's withdrawings are very grievous to his people at any time, pi; especially "in times of trouble." Outward deliverance is afar off, andfl hidden from us, and then we think God is afar off, and we therefore wStS inward comfort ; but that is our own fault, it is because we judge by outwagjA appearance; we stand afar off from God by our unbelief, and then we compM that God stands afar off from us. ~M Secondly. A very great indignation against sin, the sins that made the timei perilous, 2 Tim. iii. 1. He beholds the transgressors, and is grieved, is amazed; and brings to his heavenly Father their evil report ; not in a way of vainglory, boasting before God that he was not as these publicans, Lu. xviii. 11, muchless venting any personal resentments, piques, or passions of his1 own ; but as.one that laid to heart that which is offensive to God and all good men, and ear nestly desired a reformation of manners. Passionate and satirical invectives' against bad men do more hurt than good ; if we will speak of their badness, lej, it be to God in prayer, for he alone can make them better. This long remon* strance of the wickedness of the wicked is here summed up in the first words of it ; ver. 2, " The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor," wheretwo _— D — , — v„ . .-¦¦.. ,- , - — — , acquiesce n. ...... dictates ; and those that either eclipse them or will not yield to them, the} malign, and are inveterate in their hatred of them. Tyranny both in state 4 church owes its original to pride. The psalmist, having begun this descriptf presently inserts a short prayer, a prayer in a parenthesis, which is an adv| PSALM X. 49 tnge, and no prejudice to the sense : " Let them be taken," as proud people often are in the devices that they have imagined," ver. 2. Let their counsel be turned headlong, and let them fall headlong by them. These two heads of the charge are here enlarged upon. 1. They are proud, very proud, and extremely conceited of themselves; juBtly, therefore, did he wonder that God did not 6peedily appear against them, for he hates pride, and resists the proud. 1st. The sinner proudly glories in his power and success. He boasteth of his heart's desire, brags that he can do what he pleaseth, as if God himself could not control him; and that he hath all he wished for, and has carried his point. Ephraim said, "I am become rich, I have found me out substance," Hos. xii. 8. Now, Lord, is it for thy glory to suffer a sinful man thus to pre tend to the sovereignty and felicity of a god? 2nd. He proudly contradicts the judgment of God, which we are sure is according to truth ; for he# " blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhors." ' See how God and men differ in their sentiments of persons. God abhors covetous worldlings, who make money their god, and idolize it ; he looks upon them as his enemies, and will have no communion with them; "the friendship of the world is enmity to God." But proud persecutors bless them, and approve their saying, Ps. xlix. 13 ; they applaud them as wise whom God pronounceth foolish, Lu. xii. 20 ; they justify them as innocent whom God condemns as deeply guilty before him; and they admire them as happy in having their portion in this life whom God declares upon that account truly miserable ; "Thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things." 3rd. He proudly castB off the thoughts of God, and all dependence upon him, and devotion to him; ver. 4, "The wicked, through the pride of bis coun tenance," that pride of his heart which appears in his very countenance, Pr. vi. 17, " will not seek after God," nor entertain the thoughts of him ; "God is not in all his thoughts," that is, not in any of them. "All his thoughts are that there is no God. See here, First. The nature of impiety and irreligion. It is, not Beeking after God, and not having him in our thoughts. No inquiry after him, Job xxxv. 10 ; Jer. ii. 6 ; no desire towards him, no communion with him, and a secret wish to have no dependence upon him, and not to be beholden to him. Wicked people will not seek after God, that is, not call upon him ; they live without prayer, and that is living without God. They have many thoughts, many projects and devices, but no eye to God in any of them, no submission to his will, nor aim at his glory. Secondly. The cause of this impiety and irreligion, and that is pride. Men will not seek after God, because they think they have no need of him, their own hands are sufficient for them ; they think it a thing below them to be religious, because religious people are few, and mean, and despised, and the restraints of religion will be a disparagement to them. 4th. He proudly makes light of God's commandments and judgments ; ver. S, " His ways are always grievous ;" that is, he is very daring and resolute in bis sinful courses ; he will have his way, though never so tiresome to himself and vexatiouB to others ; he travails< with pain in his wicked courses, and yet his pride makes him wilful and obstinate in them. God's judgments, that is, what he commands, and what he threatens for the breach of his commands, are far above, out of his sight ; he is not sensible of his duty by the law of God, nor df his danger by the wrath and curse of God. Tell him of God's authority over him, he turns it off with this, he never saw God, and therefore doth not know that there is a God; he is in the height of heaven, and quo? supra nos nihil ad nos,— 'we have nothing to do with things above us.' Tell him of God's judg ments which will be executed upon those that go on still in their trespasses, and he will not be convinced that there is any reality in them ; they are far above, out of his sight, and therefore he thinks they are mere bugbears. • 5th. He proudly despiseth all his enemies, and looks upon them with the utmost disdain. He puffs at-them. whom God is preparing to be a scourge and ruin to him, as if he could baffle them all, and was able to make his part good with them. But as it is impolitic to despise an enemy, so it is impious to despise any instrument of God's wrath. fitn. He proudly sets trouble at defiance, and is confident of the continuance of his own prosperity : ver. 6, " He hath said in his heart," and pleased himself with the thought, " I shall not be moved," my goods are laid up for many years, and "I shall never be in adversity." Like Babylon, that said, "I shall be a lady for ever," Isa. xlvii. 7 ; Rev. xviii. 7. Those are nearest ruin who thus set it farthest from them. . 2. They are persecutors, cruel persecutors. For the gratifying of their pride, covetousness, and in opposition to God and religion, they are very oppressive to all within their reach. Observe concerning these persecutors, 1st. That they are very bitter and malicious ; ver. 7, His mouth is full of curs ing." Those he cannot do a real miBchief to, yet he will spit his venom at, and breathe out the slauEhter which he cannot execute. Thus have God's faithful 50 PSALM X. worshippers been anathematized, and cursed with bell, book, arid candle. "Where there is a heart full of malice, there is commonly a mouth full of curses. . 2nd. That they are very false and treacherous. There is mischief designed, but it is hid under the tongue not to be discerned, for the mouth is full or deceit and vanity; he has learned of the devil to deceive, and so to destroy; with this his hatred is covered, Pr. xxvi. 26. He cares n'ot what lies he tells, nor what oaths he breaks, nor what arts of dissimulation he useth to compass his ends. 3rd. That they are very cunning and crafty in carrying on their designs. They have ways and means to concert what they intend, that they/ may the more effectually accomplish it. Like Esau, that cunning hunter, he sits in the lurking places, in the secret places, and his eyes are privily set to do mischief, ver. 8, not because he is ashamed of what he doth, (if he blushed, there were some hopes he would repent,) nor because he is afraid of the wrath of God, for he imagines God will never call him to an account, ver. 11, but because he is afraid lest the discovery of his designs should be the breaking of them. Per haps it refers particularly to robbers and highwaymen, who lie in wait for honest travellers, to make a prey of them and what they have. 4th. That they are very cruel and barbarous. Their malice is against the innocent, that never provoked them ; against the poor, that cannot resist them, and that it will be no glory to them to triumph over. Those are perfectly lost to all honesty and honour, against whose mischievous designs neither innocence nor poverty will be any man's security. Those that have power ought to protect the innocent, and provide for the poor ; yet he will be the destroyer of those whose guardian he ought to be. And what do they aim at? It is to catch the poor, and draw them into their net, that is, get them into their power, not to strip them only, but to murder tnem ; they hunt for the preciuus life. They are God's poor people that they are persecuting, against whom they bear a mortal hatred, for his sake whose they are, and whose image they bear, and therefore they lie in wait to murder them; " He lies in wait as a lion" that thirsts after blood, and feeds with pleasure upon the prey. The< devil, whose agent he is, is compared to a roaring lion that seeks not what, but \ whom, he may devour. 5th. That they are base and hypocritical, ver. 10. He "croucheth and hum- bleth himself," as beasts of prey do, that they may get their prey within their reach. This intimates that the sordid spirits of persecutors and oppressors will stoop to any thing, though never so mean? for the compassing of their wicked designs. Witness the scandalous practices of Saul when fie hunted David. It intimates likewise, that they cover their malicious designs with the pretence of meekness and humility, and a show of kindness to those they design,] the greatest mischief to ; they seem to humble themselves, to take cognizance* of the poor, and concern themselves in their concernments, when it is in ordera to make them fall, to make a prey of them. ,t 6th. That they are very impious and atheistical, ver. 11. They could not$ thus break through all the laws of justice and goodness towards man, if thflp had not first shaken off all sense of religion, and risen up in rebellion against the light of its most sacred and self-evident principles. " He hath said in his heart, God has forgotten." When his own conscience rebuked him for his wickedness, and threatened him with the consequences of it, and asked how he would answer it to the righteous Judge of heaven and eartjh, he turned it off with this, " God has^ forsaken the earth," Eze. viii. 12 ; ix. 9. This is a blas phemous reproach, First. Upon God's omniscience and providence-as if he could not or did not see what men do in this lower world. Secondly. Upon his holiness and the rectitude of his nature, as if, though he did see, yet he did not dislike, but was willing to connive at the most unnatural and inhuman villaiiies.; Thirdly. Upon his justice and the equity of his government, as if, though he did see and dislike the wickedness of the wicked, yet he would never reckon; with them, nor punish them for it, either because he could not, or durst not,,oi; was not inclined to it. Let those that suffer by proud oppressors hope tlJffl God will in due time appear for them ; for those that are abusive to them uj9 abusive to God Almighty too. Wk In singing this, and praying over it, we should have our hearts much affecte™ with a holy indignation at the wickedness of the oppressors, a tender compas sion of the miseries of the oppressed, and a pious zeal for the glory and honour of God, with a firm belief that he will in due time right the injured, and reckon with the injurious. 12 Arise, 0 Lord ; 0 God, lift up thine hand : Forget not the humble. 13 Wherefore doth the -wicked contemn God? PSALM X. 51 He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. 14 Thou hast seen it; [thy hand : For thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with The poor comrnitteth himself unto thee ; Thou art the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: Seek out his wickedness till thou find none. 1 6 The Lord is King for ever and ever : The heathen are perished out of his land. 17 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble : Thou wilt prepare their heart, Thou wilt cause thine ear to hear : 18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, That the man of the earth may no more oppress. •David here, upon the foregoing remonstrance of the inhumanity and impiety of the oppressors, grounds an address to God; wherein observe, First. What he prays for. 1. That God would himself appear; ver. 12, " Arise, O Lord ; O God, lift up thine hand." Manifest thy presence and pro vidence in the affairs of this lower world; "Arise, O Lord, to the confusion of those who say thou hidest thy face. Manifest thy power, exert it for main taining of thine own cause, lift up thine hand to give a fatal blow to these oppressors ; let thine everlasting arm be made bare. 2. That he would appear for his people. " Forget not the humble, the afflicted," that are poor, that are made poorer, and are poor in spirit. Their oppressors in their presumption say, Thou hast forgotten them ; and they in their despair are ready to say the same. Lord, make it to appear that they are both mistaken. 3. That he would appear against their persecutors, ver. 15. 1st. That he would disable them to do any farther mischief ; " Break thou the arm of the wicked ; " that is, take away his power, "that the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared," Job xxxiv. 30. We read of oppressors whose " dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged," Dan. vii. 12, that they might have time to, repent. 2nd. That he would deal with them for the mischief they had done. " Seek out his wickedness;" let it all be brought to light, which he thought should for ever lie undiscovered; let it all be brought to account, which he thought 'should for ever go unpunished; bring it out "till thou find none," that is, till none of his evil deeds remain unreckoned for, none of his evil designs remain undefeated, and none of his partisans undestroyed. Secondly. What he pleads, for the encouraging of his own faith, in these petitions. 1, He pleads the great affronts which these proud oppressors put upon God himself. Lord, it is thine own cause we beg thou wouldest appear in -, the enemies have made it so, and therefore it is not for thy glory to let them go .unpunished ; ver. 13, " Wherefore do the wicked contemn God ?" He doth so ; for he saith, " Thou wilt not require it :" that is, thou wilt never call them to j an account for what they do ; than which they could not put a greater indignity upon the righteous God. The psalmist here speaks with admiration, 1st. At the wickedness of the wicked. Why do they speak so impiously, why so absurdly? It is a great trouble to good men to think what contemptis cast upon the holy God by the sin of sinners, upon his precepts, his promises, his threatenings, his favours, his judgments; all are despised and made light of. "Wherefore do the wicked thus contemn God?" It is because they do not know him. 2nd. At the patience and forbearance of God towards them. Why are they suffered thus to contemn God? Why doth he not presently vindicate himself and take vengeance on them ? It is because the day of reckoning is yet to- oome, when the measure of their iniquity is full. 2.. He pleads the notice God took of the impiety and iniquity of these Oppressors, ver. 14. Do the persecutors encourage themselves with a ground less fancy that thou will never see it? Let the persecuted encourage them selves with a well-grounded faith, not only that thou hast seen it, but that thou dost behold it ; even all the mischief that is done by the hands, and all the spite and malice that lurks in the hearts of these oppressors. It is all known to thee, and observed by thee ; nay, not only thou hast seen it, and dost behold it, but 52 PSALM X. thou wilt requite it, wilt recompense it into their bosoms, by thy just and avenging hand. 3. He pleads the dependence which the oppressed had upon him. The poor committeth himself unto thee;" each of them doth so, poor I for one. They rely on thee as their Patron and Protector, they refer themselves to thee as their Judge, in whose determination they acquiesce, and at. whose disposal they are willing to be. 'They leave themselves with thee,' so some read it; notpre- scribing, but subscribing to thy wisdom and will. They thus give thee honour as much as their oppressors dishonour thee. They are thy willing subjects, and put themselves under thy protection, therefore protect them. 4. He pleads the relation in which God is pleased to stand to us. lst(> As a great God. " He is king for ever and ever," ver. ] 6 ; and it is the office of a king_ t|p administer justice for the restraint and terror of evil-doers, and the protection and praise of them that do well. To whom should the injured subject appeal but to the sovereign ; " Help, my Lord, O king ; " " Avenge me of mine advej- ; sary." Lord, let all that pay homage and tribute to thee as their king have the'! benefit of thy government, and find thee their refuge. Thou art an everlasting - king, which no earthly prince is, and therefore canst and wilt by an eternal judgment dispense rewards and punishments in an everlasting state, when time shall be no more ; and to that judgment the poor refer themselves. 2nd. As a good God. " He is the helper of the fatherless," ver. 14 ; that is, of those who ' have no one else to help them, and have many to injure them. He has appointed . kings to defend the poor and fatherless, Ps. lxxxii. 3 ; and therefore much more will he do it himself; for he has taken it among the titles of his honour, to be a Father to the fatherless, Ps. lxviii. 5 ; a Helper of the helpless. 5. He pleads the experience which God's church and people had had of God's readiness to appear for them. 1st. He had dispersed and extirpated their- enemies; ver. 16, "The heathen are perished out of his land;" that is, the remainders of the Canaanites, the seven devoted nations, which have long been .-< as thorns in the eyes and goads in the sides of Israel, are now at length utterly*"! rooted out ; and that is an encouragement to us to hope that God will in like' * manner break the arm of the oppressive Israelites, that were in some respects ¦ worse than heathens. 2nd. He had heard and answered their prayers ; ver. 17, " Lord, thou hast" many a time "heard the desire of the humble," and never saidst to a distressed supplicant, Seek in vain. Why may not we hope for the continuance and repetition of the wonders, the favours, which our fatherB told us of? 6. He pleads their expectations from God pursuant to their experiences'^^ him. " Thou hast heard," therefore "thou wilt cause thine ear to hear,''Si^ Ps. vi. 9. Thou art the same, and thy power, and promise, and relation to thy people the same ; and the work and workings of grace are the same in them, and therefore why may we not hope that He who has been will still be, will ever be, a God hearing prayer ? But observe, 1st. In what method God hears prayer. He first prepares the heart of his people, and then gives them au answer of peace; nor may we expect his gracious answer but in this way; so' that j' God's working upon us is the best earnest of his working for us. He prepares,* the heart for prayer by kindling holy desires, and strengthening our most holy" faith, fixing the thoughts, and raising the affections, and then he graciously accepts the prayer ; he prepares the heart for the mercy itself that is wanting andr prayed for, makes us fit to receive it and use it well, and then gives it in to us. The preparation of the heart is from the Lord," and we must seek unto him for it, Pr. xvi. 1, and take that as a leading favour. 2nd. What he will do in answer to prayer, ver. 18. First. He will plead the cause of the per secuted ; will judge the fatherless and oppressed, will judge for them, clear up their innocency, restore their comforts, and recompense them for all theioss and damage they have sustained. Secondly. He will put an end to the fury,' of the persecutors. Hitherto they shall come, but no farther ; here shall the proud waves of their malice be stayed; an effectual course shall be taken >, " that the man of the earth may no more oppress." See how light the psalmist now makes of the power of that proud persecutor whom he had been describ ing in this psalm, and how slightly he speaks of him, now he had been consider ing God's sovereignty. 1st. He is but a man of the earth, ' a man out of the earth,' so the word is ; sprung out of the earth, and therefore mean and weak, and hastening to the earth again. Why then should we be afraid of the fury of the oppressor, when he is but man that shall die, a son of man that shall be ; asgrassVZsa.il. 12. He that protects us is the Lord of heaven; he that perse-"' cutes us is but a man of the earth. 2nd. God has him in a chain, and can 1 easily restrain the remainder of his wrath, so that he cannot do what he would. When God speaks the word, Satan shall by his instruments no more deceive, Rev. xx. 3 ; no more oppress. In singing these verses, we must commit religion's just, but injured cause, to j God, as those that are heartily concerned for its honour and interests, belief- ¦'¦ mg that he will in due time plead it with jealousy. i! PSALM XI. 53 In this psalm we have David's struggles with, and triumphs over, a strong temptation to distrust God, and betake himself to indirect means for his own safety in a time of danger. It is supposed to have been penned when he began to feel the resentments of Saul's envy, and had had the javelin thrown at him once and again. He was then advised to run his country. ' No,' saith he, ' I trust in God, and therefore will keep my ground.' Observe, I. How he represents the temptation, and perhaps parleys with it, ver. 1—3. II. How ho answers it, and puts it to silence, with the consideration of God's dominion and providence, ver. 4 ; his favour to the righteous, and the wrath which the wicked are reserved for, ver. 5 — 7. In time of public fears, when the insults of the church's enemies are daring and threatening, it will be profitable to meditate on this psalm. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. IN the Lord put I my trust : How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? 2 For, lo, lie wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow upon" the string, That they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. 3 If the foundations be destroyed, What can the righteous do ? Here is, First. David's fixed resolution to make God his confidence. " In the Lord put I my trust," ver. 1. Those that truly fear God and serve him, are welcome to put their trust in him, and shall not be made ashamed of their doing so. And it is the character of the saints that, having taken God for their God, they make him their hope. Even when they have other things to stay themselves upon, yet they do n6t, they dare not, stay upon them, but on God only. Gold is not their hope, nor horses and chariots their confidence, but God only. And, therefore, when second causes frown, yet their hopes do not fail them, because the First Cause is still the same, is ever so. The psalmist, before he gives an account of the temptation he was in to distrust God, records )iis resolution to trust in him, as that which he was resolved to live and die by. Secondly. His resentment of a temptation to the contrary. " How say ye to my soul," which hath thus returned to God as its rest, and reposeth in him, " Flee as a bird to your mountain," to be safe there out of the reach of the fowler ? This may be taken either, 1. As the serious advice of his timorous friends; so many understand it, and with great probability. Some that were hearty well-wishers to David, when they saw how much Saul was exasperated against him, and how maliciously he sought his life, pressed him by all means to flee for the same to some place of shelter, and not to depend too much upon the anointing he had received ; which they thought was more likely to lose him his head than to save it him. That which grieved him in this motion was, not that to flee now would savour of cowardice, and ill become a soldier, but that it would savour of unbelief, and would ill become a saint, who had so often said, " In the Lord put I my trust." Taking it thus, the two following verses are the reason with which these faint-hearted friends of David backed this advice. They would have him flee, 1st. Because he could not be safe where he was, ver. 2. Look, say they, how the wicked bend their bow ; Saul and his instruments aim at thy life, and the uprightness of thine heart will not be thy security. See what an enmity there is in the wicked against the upright, in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the- woman, what pains they take, what preparations they make to do them a mischief. They privily shoot at them, or in darkness, that they may not Bee the evil designed, to avoid it, nor others to prevent it ; no, nor God himself to punish it. 2nd. Because he could be no longer useful where he was; for, say they, " If the foundations be destroyed," as they were by Saul's maladmin istration, if the civil state and government be unhinged, and all out of course, Ps. Ixxv. 3, lxxxii. 5, what canst thou do with thy righteousness to redress the grievances ? Alas, it is to no purpose to attempt the saving of a kingdom so wretchedly shattered; whatever the righteous can do signifies nothing. Abi in cellum, et die miserere mei Domine, — ' Away to thy cell, and there cry, Pity me, O Lord.' Many are thus hindered from doing the service they might do to the public in difficult times by a despair of success. 2. It may be taken as a taunt wherewitfi his enemies bantered him, upbraid ing him with the professions he used to make of confidence in God, and scorn fully bidding him try what stead that would stand him in now. You say, God 54 PSALM XI. is your mountain ; flee to him now, and see what the better you will be. Thus they endeavoured to shame the counsel of the poor, saying, There is no help for them in God, Ps. xiv. 6; iii. 2. The confidence and comfort which the saints have in God, when all the hopes and joys in the creature fail them, is a riddle to a carnal world, and is ridiculed accordingly. Taking it thus, the two following verses are David's answer to this sarcasm; in which, I. He complains of the malice of those who did thus abuse him; ver. 2, " They bend their bow, and make ready their arrows ;" and we are told, Ps. lxiv. 3, what they are, " even bitter words," such words as these, by which they endeavour to discourage their hope in God, which David felt as a sword in his bones. 2. He resists the temptation with a gracious abhorrence; ver. 3. ' He looks upon this suggestion as striking at the foundations which every "\ Israelite builds upon. If you destroy the foundations, if you take good people off from their hope in God, if you can persuade them that their religion is a cheat and a jest, and can banter them out of that, you ruin them, and break their hearts indeed, and make them of all men the most miserable. The prin ciples of religion are the foundations on which the faith and hope of the right eous are built. These we are concerned, in interest as well as duty, to hold fast against all temptations to infidelity; for, if these be destroyed, if we let these go, "What can the righteous do?" Good people would be undone if they had not a God to go to, a God to trust to, and a future blisB to hope for. 4 The Lord is in his holy temple, The Lord's throne is in heaven : His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. 5 The Lord trieth the righteous : [hateth. But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul , C Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, Fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest : This shall he the portion of their cup. 7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness ; His countenance doth behold the upright. The shaking of a tree, they say, makes it take the deeper and faster root. The attempt of David's enemies to discourage his confidence in God engageth him to cleave so much the closer to his first principles, and to review them: < which he here doth abundantly to his own satisfaction, and the silencing of all temptations to infidelity. That which was shocking to his faith, and has been so to the faith of many, was the prosperity of wicked people iii their wicked ways ; and the straits and distresses which the best men are sometimes reduced to ; from hence such an evil thought as this was apt to arise, Surely it is vain to serve God ; and we may call the proud happy. But, to stifle and shame all such thoughts, we are here called to consider, Fir9t. That there is a God, a God in heaven. " The Lord is in his holy temple " above, where, though he is out of our sight, yet we are not out of his, ; Let not the enemies of the saints insult over them, as if they were at a Iobs, and at their wit's end. No ; they have a God, and they know where to find him, and how to direct their prayer unto him as their Father in heaven. Or, he is in his holy temple ; that is, in his church. He is a God in covenant and communion with his people, through a Mediator, of whom the temple was a type. We need not say, Who shall go up to heaven to fetch us from thence a God to trust to? No, the word is nigh us, and God in the word. His Spirit is in his saints, those living temples, and "the Lord is that Spirit." ' Secondly. That this God governs the world. The Lord has not only his residence but his throne in heaven, and he has set the dominion thereof in the earth, Job xxxviii. 33 ; for, having " prepared his throne in the heavens, his kingdom ruleth over all,' Ps. ciii. 1ft. Hence the heavens are said to rule," Dan. iv. 26. Let us by faith see God on his throne ; on his throne of glory^ infinitely transcending the splendour and majesty of earthly princes; on his' throne of government, giving law, giving motion, and giving aim to all the* creatures ; on his throne of judgment, rendering to every man according to his' works ; and on his throne of grace, to which his people may come boldly for* mercy and grace ; and we shall see no reason to be discouraged by the pride and power of oppressors, or any of the afflictions that attend the righteous. Thirdly. That this God perfectly knows every man's true character "His eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men." He not only sees thenybut PSALM XI. 65 he sees through them ; not only knows all they say and do, but knows what they think, what they design, and how they really stand affected, whatever they pretend. We may know what men seem to be, but he knows what they are; as the refiner knows what the value of the gold is when he has tried it. God is said to try with his eyes and his eyelids, because he knows men, not as earthly princes know men, by report and representation, but by his own strict inspec tion, whi The times are bad indeed when there is no such thing as sincerity to be met with; when an honest man knows not who to believe, nor who to trust, nor dares put confidence in a friend, in a guide, Mic. vii. 5, 6; Jer. ix. 4,5. Woe to those who help to make the times thus perilous ! 3. "When the enemies of God, and religion, and religious people, are impu dent and daring, and threaten to run down all that is just and sacred, then the times are very bad ; when proud sinners are arrived to such a pitch of impiety as to say, " With our tongues will we prevail" against the cause of virtue. 'onr lips are our own," and we may say whatwewill; "Who is lord over us?" either to restrain us, or to call us to an account, ver. 4. This speaks, 1st. A proud conceit of themselves, and confidence in themselves, as if the point were indeed gained by eating forbidden fruit, and they were as gods, independent and self-sufficient, infallible in their knowledge of good and evil, and therefore fit to be oracles; irresistible in their power, and therefore fit to be lawgivers, that could prevail with their tongues, and, like 'God himself, speak, and it is done. 2nd. An insolent contempt of Gods dominion; as if he had no pro priety in them,— their lips are their own ; an unjust pretension, for who made man's mouth ? In whose hand is his breath, and whose is the air he breathes in? And, as if he had no authority either to command them or judge them. "Who is lord over us?" like Pharaoh, Ex. v. 2. And this is as absurd and unreasonable as the former; for He in whom we live, and move, and have our being, must needs be, by an indisputable title, Lord over us. 4. When the poor and needy are oppressed, and abused, and puffed at, then the times are very bad. This is implied; ver. 5, where God himself takes notice of the oppression of the poor, and the sighing of the needy ;*they are oppressed because they are poor, have all manner of wrong done them purely because they are not in a capacity to right themselves. Being thus oppressed, they dare not speak for themselves, lest their defence should be made their offence ; but they sigh, secretly bemoaning their calamities, and pouring out their souls in sighs before God If their oppressors be Bpoken to on their behalf, they puff at them, make light of their own sin, and the misery of the poor, and lay neither to heart: see Ps. x. 5. 5. When wickedness abounds, and goes .barefaced under the protection and countenance of those in authority, then the times are very bad, ver. 7. When the vilest men are exalted to places of trust and power, that, instead of putting the laws in execution against vice and injustice, and punishing the wicked according to their merits, patronize and protect them, give them countenance, and .support their reputation by their own example, then the wicked walk on every side, they swarm in all places, and go up and down seeking to deceive, and debauch, and destroy others ; they are neither afraid nor ashamed to dis cover themselves ; they declare their sin as'Sodom, and there is none to check or control them. Baa men are base men, the vilest of men, and they are so, thottgh they are never so highly exalted in this world. Antiochus the illustri ous the Scripture calls a vile person, Dan. xi. 21. But it is bad with a kingdom when such are preferred; then no marvel if wickedness grow impudent' and insolent. "When the wicked bear rule, the people mourn." Secondly. Let us now see what good thoughts we are here furnished with for such bad times ; and what times we may yet be reserved for we cannot tell. Whftn times are thus bad, it is comfortable to think, 1. That we have a God to go to, from whom we may ask and expect the . This he begins with, ver. 1, "Help, Lord, for the redress of all our grievances. godly man ceaseth." All other helps and helpers fail; even the godly and faithful, who should lend a helping hand to support the dying cause of religion, they are gonei and therefore whither shall we seek but to thee? Note, W hen godly, faithful people cease and fail, it is time to cry, Help, Lord! The abound ing of iniquity threatens a deluge. Help, Lord, help the virtuous; few seek to hold fast their integrity, and to stana in the gap; help to save thine own interest in the world from sinking. "It is time for thee, Lord, to work." 2. That God will certainly reckon with false and proud men, and will punish and restrain their insolence. They are above the control of men, and set them at defiance. Men cannot discover the falsehood of flatterers, nor humble the haughtiness of those that speak proud things ; but the righteous God will cut off all flattering lips that give the traitor's kiss, and speak words softer than oil, when war is in the heart; he will pluck out that tongue that speaks proud things against God and religion, ver. 3. Some translate it as a prayer, 'May God cut off those false and spiteful lips : ' " Let lying lips be put to silence." 58 PSALM XIII. 3. That God will, in due time, work deliverance for his oppressed peonle, and shelter them from the malicious designs of their persecutors ; ver. 5, .Now will I arise, saith the Lord." This promise of God, which David here delivers by the Spirit of prophecy, is an answer to that petition which he put up to God by the Spirit of prayer. Help, Lord, saith he. I will, saith God; here I am with seasonable, help, and effectual help. 1st. It is seasonable, now, in the fittest time. First. When the oppressors are in the height of their pride and insolence, when they s,ay, "Who is lord over us?" then is God's time to let them know to their cost, that he is above them. Secondly. When the oppressed arej in the depth of their distress and despondency ; when they are sighing HkeJ Israel in Egypt, by reason of the cruel bondage, then is God's time to appear for them; as for Israel, when they were most dejected, and Pharaoh was moat elevated. " Now will I arise." Note, There is a time fixed for the rescue of oppressed innocency : that time will come, and we may be sure it is of all other the fittest time, Ps. cii. 13. 2nd. It is effectual. " I will set him in safety; M or, in salvation; not only protect him, but restore him to his former prosperity, . will bring him out into a wealthy place, Ps. lxvi. 12. So that upon the whole , matter he shall lose nothing by his sufferings. 4. That, though men are false, God is faithful ; though they are not to be trusted, God is. They speak vanity and flattery ; but " the words of the Lord, are pure words," ver. 6; not only all true, but all pure, "like silver, -tried in\ a furnace of earth," or crucible. It notes, 1st. The sincerity of God's word. Every thing is really as it is there represented, and not otherwise; it doth not jest with us, nor impose upon us, nor has it any other design upon us but our own good. 2nd, The preciousness of God's word. Tt is of great intrinsic valued J like silver refined to the highest degree; it has nothing in it to depreciate ifr.$ 3rd. The many proofs that have been given of its power and truth. It has been1 '' often tried; all the saints in all ages have trusted it, and so tried it, and it never deceived them or frustrated their expectation; but they have all set to their - seal that God's word is true, with an experta crede, — ' trust one that has made trial ; ' they have founid it so. Probably this refers especially to these promises of succouring and relieving the poor and distressed. Their friends put them in hopes they will do something for them, and yet prove a broken reed. But the words of God are what' we may rely upon; and, the less confidence is to be put in men's words, let us, with the more assurance, trust in God's word. 5. That God will secure his chosen remnant to himself, how bad soever theV timeB are; ver. 7, "Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.f*: This intimates that as long as the world stands there will be a generatioirftof proud and wicked men in it, more or less, who will be in danger by their wretched arts of ruining religion,, by "wearing out the saints of the Most High," Dan. vii. 25. But let God alone to maintain his own interest, and to preserve his own people. He will keep them from this generation; that is, 1st. From being debauched by them; and drawn away from God, from mingling with them, and learning their works. In times of general apostacy the Lord knows them that are his, and they shall be enabled to keep their integrity. 2nd. From being destroyed and rooted out by them. The church is built upon a rock, and so well fortified that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. In the worst of times God has his remnant, and in every age will reserve Jo himself a holy seed, and preserve that to his heavenly kingdom. ¦ ; In singing this psalm and praying over it, we must bewail the general cor-sj ruption of manners; thank God that things are not worse than they are, but" pray and hope that they will be better in God's due time. / PSALM XIII. This psalm is the deserted soul's case and cure. Whether it was penned upon any par- -, ticular occasion doth not appear, but in general, I. David sadly complains that God ; had long withdrawn from him, and delayed to relieve him, ver. 1, 2. II. He earnestly prays God to consider his case, and comfort him, ver. 3, 4. III. He assures himself of . an answer of peace, and therefore concludes the psalm with joy and triumph, because he concludes his deliverance as good as wrought, ver. 5, 6. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. HOW long wilt thou forget me, 0 Lord ? | For ever ? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me Hi 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily ? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me ? PSALM XIII. 59 8 Consider and hear me, 0 Lord my God: Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death ; 4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him ; And those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved 5 But I have trusted in thy mercy ; My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. 6 I will sing unto the Lord, Because he hath dealt bountifully with me. David, in affliction, is here pouring out his soul before God. His address is short, but the method is very observable, and of use for direction and encouragement. First, His troubles extort complaints, ver. 1, 2; and the afflicted have liberty to- pour out their complaint before the Lord, Ps. cii. title. It is some ease to a, troubled spirit to give vent to its griefs, especially to give vent to them at the throne of grace, where we are sure to nnd one who is afflicted in the afflictions of his people, and is troubled with the feeling of their infirmities; thither we have boldness of access by faith, and there we have 'freedom of i speech,' irappwia. Observe here, 1. What it is that David complains of. Three things : 1st. God's unkindness; so he construed it, and it was his infirmity. He thought God had forgotten him, had forgotten his promises to him, his covenant with him, his former lovingkindness which he had shewed him, and which he took to be an earnest of farther mercy ; had forgotten that there was such a man in the world who needed and expected relief and succour from him. Thus "Zion said, My God has forgotten me," Isa. xlix. 14; "Israel said, My way is hid from the Lord," Isa. xl. 27. Not that any good man can doubt the omniscience, and goodness, and faithfulness of God; but it is a peevish expression of prevailing fear, which yet, when it ariseth from a high esteem and earnest desire of God's favour, though it be indecent and culpable, shall be passed by and pardoned, for the second thought will retract it, and repent of it. God hid his face from him; that is, he wanted that inward comfort in God which he used to have, and herein was a type of Christ upon the cross crying out, "Mv God, why hast thou forsaken me?" God sometimes hides his face from his own children, and leaves them in the dark concerning their interest in him. And this they lay to heart more thaifany outward trouble whatsoever. , 2nd. His own uneasiness. First. He was racked with care, that filled his 'head. " I take counsel in my soul ; " that is, I am at a loss, and am inops consilii,—' have no friend to advise with,' that I can put any confidence in, and therefore am myself continually projecting what to do to help myself; but none of my projects are likely to take effect. So that I am at my wit's end, and in a continual toss. Anxious cares are heavy burthens with which, many times, good people load themselves more than they need. Secondly. He was over whelmed with sorrow that filled his heart ; " 1 have sorrow in my heart daily." iHe had a constant disposition to sorrow, and it preyed upon his spirits ; not only in the night, when he was silent and solitary, but by day too, when lighter griefs are diverted and dissipated by conversation and business ; nay, every day brought with it fresh occasions of grief. The clouds returned after the rain. The Dread of sorrows is sometimes the saint's daily bread. Our Master himself wns a man of sorrows. 3rd. His enemies' insolence, which added to his grief. Saul, his great enemy, and others under him, were exalted over him, triumphed in his distress, .pleased themselves with his grief, and promised themselves a complete victory over him. This he complained of as reflecting dishonour upon God, and his power and promise. 2. How he expostulates with God hereupon. How long shall it be thus? And shall it be thus for ever ? Long afflictions try our patience^ and often tire it; and it is a common temptation when trouble lasts long to think it will last always: and despondency then turns into despair, and those that have long been without joy begin at last to be without hope. Lord, tell me how long thou wilt hide thy face, and assure me that it shall not be for ever, but that thou wilt return at length in mercy to me, and then I shall the easier bear my present troubles. Secondly. His complaints stir up his prayers, ver. 3, 4. We should never allow ourselves to make any complaints but what are fit to be offered up to God, and what drive us to our knees. Observe here, 1. What his uetitions are. Consider my case, hear my complaints, and 60 PSALM XIV. lighten mine eyes ; that is, 1st. Strengthen my faith : for faith is the eye of the soul, with which it sees above, and sees through the things of sense.# Lord, enable me to look beyond my present troubles, and to foresee a happy issue of them. 2nd. Guide my way ; enable me to look about me, that I may avoid the snares which are laid for me. 3rd. Refresh my soul with the joy of thy salva tion. That which revives the drooping spirits is said to enlighten the eyes, 1 5am. xiv. 27 ; Ezra ix. 8. Lord, scatter the cloud of melancholy which darkens my eyes, and let my countenance be made pleasant. 2. "What his pleas are. . He mentions his relation to God, and interest in hL "O Lord, my God," and insists upon the greatness of the peril, which calls] for speedy relief and succour. If his eyes were not lightened quickly, 1st. HL concludes that he must perish. I shall sleep the sleep of death, I cannot Me under the weight of all this care and grief. Nothing more killing to a soul than . the want of God's favour ; nothing more reviving than the return of it. 2nd. That then his enemies would triumph ; Lest mine enemy say, So would I have} it ; lest Saul, lest Satan, be gratified in my fall. It would gratify the pride of his enemy ; he will say, I have prevailed, 1 have gotten the day, and been too: hard for him and his God. It would gratify the malice of his enemies;they will rejoice when I am moved. And will it be for God's honour to suffer Shem. thus to trample upon all that is sacred both in heaven and earth? .4 Thirdly. His prayers are soon turned into praises, ver. B, 6. But my heart* shall rejoice, and I will sing to the Lord." What a surprising change is here in a few lines; in the beginning of the psalm we have him drooping and trem- < bring, and ready to sink into melancholy and despair; but in the close of it, rejoicing in God, and elevated and enlarged in his praises. See the power of" faith, the power of prayer, and how good it is to draw near to God. If we bring our cares and griefs to the throne of grace, and leave them there, we may go away, like Hannah, and our countenance be no more sad, 1 Sam. i. 18. Add ' here observe the method of his comfort. ,v ¦ 1. God's mercy is the support of his faith. My case iB bad enough, and I am ready to think it deplorable, till I consider the infinite goodness of God ; and finding I have that to trust to I am well enough, though I have no merit of my;" own. In former distresses I have trusted in the mercy of God, and I 'never found that it failed me ; his mercy has in due time relieved me; and my con fidence in it has in the meantime supported me. Even in the depth of thisv distress, when God hid his face from me, when without were fightings and within were fears, yet I trusted in the mercy of God, and that was as an anchor ; in a storm, by the help of which, though I was tossed, I was not overset. And still I do trust in thy mercy; so some read it. I refer myself to that, with an assurance that will dajwell for me at last. This he pleads with God, knowing whatpleasure he takes in those that hope in his mercy,Ps. cxlvii. 11. t jm 2. His faith in God's mercy tilled his heart with joy in his salvation; for joy and peace come by believing, Rom. xv. 13; "Believing ye rejoice," 1 Pet. i. 8. Having put his trust in the mercy of God, he is fully assured of salvation, anal that his lieart, which was now daily grieving, should rejoice in that salvatioBl Though weeping endure long, joy will return. * 3. His joy in God's salvation would fill his mouth with songs of praise; ver. 6, " 1 will sing unto the Lord ;" sing in remembrance of what he has dorte^ . formerly. Though I should never recover the peace I have had, I will die bless ing God that ever I had it. He has dealt bountifully with me formerly, ana ^ he shall have the glory of that, however he is pleased to deal with me now. j I will sing in hope of what he will do for me at last ; being confident that all | will end well, will end everlastingly well. But he speaks of it as a thing past, '.' He has dealt bountifully with me," because by faith he had received the ear-, nest of the salvation, and he was as confident of it as if it had been donj& already. ' •' In singing this psalm, and praying over it, if we have not the same complaints to make that David had, we must thank God that we have not, dread and deprecate his withdrawing, pity and sympathize with those that are troubled in mind, and encourage ourselves in our most holy faith and joy. PSALM XIY. It doth not appear upon what occasion this psalm was penned, nor whether upon aflL particular occasion. Some say David penned it when Saul persecuted him ; otheill when Absalom rebelled against him ; but they are mere conjectures, which have1 nj certainty enough to warrant us to expound the psalm by them. The apostle in quotiH part of this psalm, Romf iii. 10, &c, to prove that Jews and Gentiles are all under Bffl ver. 9, ar.d. all the world is guilty before God, ver. 19, leads us to understand i'tll general as a description of the pravity of the human nature, and the sinfulness of tH sin we are conceived and born in, and the deplorable corruption of a great part of man-'1 kind, even of the world that lies in wickedness, 1 Jno. v. 19. But as in those psalmB PSALM XIV. 61 which are designed to discover our remedy in Christ, there is commonly an allusion to David himself, yea, and some passages that are to be understood primarily of him. as in Ps. ii., xvi., xxii., and others; so in thiB psalm, which is designed to discover our wound hy sin, there is an allusion to David's enemies and persecutors, and other the , oppressors of good men at that time, to whom some passages have an immediate refer ence. In all the psalms from the 3rd to this, (except the 8th,) David had been com plaining of those that hated and persecuted him, insulted him and abused him- now here he runs up all those bitter streams to the fountain, the general corruption of , nature, and sees they were not his enemies only, but all the children of men that were thus corrupted. Here is, I. A charge exhibited against a wicked world, ver 1 II. The proof of the charge, ver. 2, 3. . III. A serious expostulation with' sinners' especially with persecutors, upon it, ver. 4—6. IV. A believing prayer for the salva tion of Israel, and a joyful expectation of it, ver. 7. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. THE fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable -works, There is none that doeth good. 2 The Lord looked do"wn from heaven Upon the children of men, To see if there were any that did understand, And seek God. 3 They are all gone aside, They are all together become filthy : There is none that doeth good, no, not one. If we apply our hearts as Solomon did, Eccl. vii. 26, " to search out the wick edness of folly, even of foolishness and madness," these verses will assist us in the search, and will shew us sin exceeding sinful. Sin is the disease of mankind, and it appears here to be malignant and epidemical. First, See how malignant it is, ver. 1, in two things : 1. The contempt it puts upon the honour of God ; for there is something of 5ractical atheism at the bottom of all sin ; " The fool hath said in his heart, 'here is no God." "We are sometimes tempted to think, Sure there never was so much atheism and profaneness as there is in our*days, but we see the former days were no better; even in David's time there were such as had arrived to such a height of impiety as to deny the very being of a God, and the first and self evident principles of religion. Observe, 1st. The sin ner here described. He is one that saith in his heart "There is no God;w he is an atheist. There is no Elohimt no judge or governor of the world, no ^Providence presiding over the affairs of men. They cannot doubt of the being of God, but will question his dominion. He saith this in his heart; it is not his judgment, but his imagination. He cannot think there is none, but he wisheth there were none, and pleaseth himself with the fancy that it is possible there maybe none; he cannot be sure there is one, and therefore he is willing to think there is none. He dares not speak it out lest he be confuted, and so undeceived ; but he whispers it secretly in his heart, for the silencing of the clamours of his conscience, and the emboldening of himself in his evil ways. 2nd. The character of this sinner. He is a fool, ne is simple and unwise; and this is an evidence of it: he is wicked and profane; and this is the cause of it. Note, Atheistical thoughts are very foolish, wicked thoughts, and they are at the bottom of a great deal of the wickedness that is in this world. The Word of God is a discerner of these thoughts, and puts a just brand on him that harbours them, "Nabal is his name, and folly is with him;" for he thinks against the clearest light, against his own knowledge and convictions, and the common sentiments of all the wise and sober part of mankind. And there is no man will say, " There is no God," till he is so hardened in sin, that it is become his interest there should be none to call him to an account. 2. The' disgrace and debasement it puts upon the nature of man. Sinners are corrupt, quite degenerated from what man was in his innocent estate. , ¦' They are become filthy," ver. 3, putrid and stinking. All their faculties are so disordered, that they are become odious to their Maker, and utterly incapable to answer the ends of their creation. Corrupt indeed : for, 1st. They do no good, but are the unprofitable burthens of the earth ; they do God no service, bring him no honour, nor do themselves any real kindness. 2nd. They do a great deal of hurt: "they have done abominable works," for such all sinful 62 PSALM XIV. works are. Sin is an abomination to God ; it is that abominable thing which he hates, Jer. xliv. 4, and sooner or later it will be so to the sinner. It will be found to be hateful, Ps. xxxvi. 2; an abomination of desolation, that is, making desolate, Mat. xxiv. 15. This follows upon their saying, " There is no God;* for they that " profess they know God, but in works deny him, are abominable, and to every good work reprobate," Tit. i. 16. Secondly. See how epidemical this disease is ; it has infected the whole race of mankind. To prove this, God himself is here brought in for a witness, and he is an eyewitness, ver. 2, 3. Observe, 1. His inquiry. "The Lord looked down from heaven, a place of- prospect which commands this _ lower' woria'|i from thence with an all-seeing eye, he took a view of all the children of men::' and the question was, Whether there were any among them that did understand,;* themselves aright, their duty and interests, and did seek God, and set hint* before them. He that made this search was not only One that could find out a good man if he was to be found, though never so obscure; but One that would-be glad to find out one; and would be sure to take notice of him, as of Noah in the old world. 2. The result of this inquiry, ver. 3. Upon search, upon his search, it appeared, "They are all gone aside;" the apostaqvjus universal, " there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Till the free and mighty grace of God has wrought a change, whatever good is in any of the children of men, or is done by them, it is not of themselves, it is God's work in them. "When God had made the world, he looked upon his own work, and all was very good, Gen. i. 31 ; but, some time after, he looked upon man's work, and behold,';, all was very bad, Gen. vi. 5 ; every operation of the thought of man's heart was ' evil, only evil, and that continually. They are gone- aside from the right way.* of their duty, the way that leads to happiness, and are turned into the paths of the_ destroyer. ' In singing this, let us lament the corruption of our own nature, and see what need we have of the grace of God ; and, since that which is born of the flesh is flesh, let us not marvel that we are told we must be born again. . 4 Have all the ¦workers of iniquity no knowledge ? Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And call not upon the Lord. 5 There were they in great fear : For God is in the generation of the righteous. 6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, Because the Lord is his refuge. . I 7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion ! . \ When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, ¦ Jacob shall rejoice, and. Israel shall be glad. In these verses the psalmist endeavours, First. To convince sinners of the evil and danger of the way they are in how secure soever they are in that way. Three things he shews them which it may be, they are not very willing to see,— their wickedness, their folly, and their danger; while they -are apt to believe themselves very wise, and iood and safe. See here, * 1. Their wickedness. This is described in four instances : 1st. They are them«l selves workers of iniquity ; they design it, they practise it, and take as much pleasure in it as ever any man did in his business. 2nd. They eat ud God's people with as much greediness as they eat Mead; such an innate and inveterate enmity they have to them, and so heartily do they desire their ruin, because they really hate God, whose people they are. It is meat and drink to* persecutors to be doing mischief : it is as agreeable to them as their necessary' food. They eat up God s people easily, daily, securely, without either check •' of conscience when they do it, or remorBe of conscience when they have done' it ; as Joseph s brethren cast him into a pit, and then sat down to eat bread Gen. xxxvii. 24, 25 :• see Mic m. 2, 3. 3rd. They callnot upon the Lord. Note, Those that care not for God s people, tor God's poor, care not for God himself but live in contempt of him; and the reason why people run into all manner of wickedness, even the worst, is, because they do not call upon God for his grace. What good can be expected from those that live without prayer? 4th. They shame the counsel of the poor, and upbraid them with making God their refuge,.as Davids enemies upbraided him, Ps. xi. 1. Note, Those are very wicked indeed, and have a great deal to answer for, who not only shake oft religion, and live without it themselves, but say and do what they can to PSALM XV. 63 put others out of conceit with it that are well inclined ; with the duties of it, as if they were mean, melancholy, and unprofitable; and with the privileges of it, as if they were insufficient to make a man safe and happy. Those that banter religion, and religious people, will find, to their cost, it is ill jesting with edged tools, and dangerous persecuting those that make God their refuge. "Be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong." He shews them, 2. Their folly. They have no knowledge : so it is a sign ; for if they had any knowledge of God, if they did rightly understand themselves, and would but consider things as men, they would not be so abusive and barbarous as they are to the people of God. 3. Their danger; ver. 5, "There were they in great fear." There, where they ate up God's people, their own consciences condemned what they did, and filled them with secret terrors. They sweetly sucked the blood of the saints; but in their bowels it is turned, and become the gall of asps. Many instances : there have been of proud and cruel persecutors, who have been made, like Pashur, Magor-missabibs, terrors to themselves and all about them. They that will not fear God perhaps may be made to fear at the shaking of a leaf. ¦ Secondly. He endeavours to comfort the people of God, 1. With what they have. They have God's presence; ver. 5, he "is in the generation of the righteous:" they have his protection; ver. 6, "The Lord is their refuge." This is as much their security as it is the terror of their enemies, who may jeer them for their confidence in God, but cannot jeer them out of it. In the judgment-day it will add to the terror and confusion of sinners to bee God own (the generation of the righteous, which they have hated and bantered. 2. With whait they hope for : and that is the salvation of Israel, ver. 7. When David wtos driven out by Absalom and his rebellious accomplices, he comforted him self with an assurance that God would in due time turn again his captivity, to the joy of all his good subjects. But surely this pleasing prospect looks farther. He had, in the beginning of the psalm, lamented the general corrup tion of mankind ; and, in the melancholy view of that, wishes for the salvation which, in the fulness of time, was to come out of Zion; salvation from sin, that great salvation which should be wrought out by the Redeemer, who was expected to come to Zion, to turn away ungodliness from Jacob, Horn. xi. 26. The world is bad ; Oh that the Messiah would come and mend them ! There is a universal corruption ; Oh for the times of reformation ! Those will be as joyful times as these are melancholy ones. Then shall God turn again the captivity of his people: for the .Redeemer shall ascend up on high, and lead captivity captive, and Jacob shall in that rejoice. The triumphs of Zion's king will be the joys of Zion's children. The second coming of Christ, finally to extinguish the dominion of sin and Satan, will be the completing of this salva tion, which is the hope, and will be the joy, of every Israelite indeed. And with the assurance of that we should, in sinking this, comfort ourselves and one another, with reference to the present sms of sinners, and sufferings of saints. PSALM XV. The scope of this short but excellent psalm is to shew us the way to heaven, and lo con vince us that, if we would be happy, we must be holy and honest. Christ, who is himself the way, and in whom we must walk as our way, has also shewed us the same way that is here prescribed, Mat. xix. 17, " If thou wilt enter into life, keep the com mandments." In this psalm, I. By the question, ver. 1, we are directed and excited to inquire the way. II. By the answer to that question in the rest of the psalm, we are directed to walk in that way, ver. 2 — 5. III. By the assurance given in the close of the psalm, of the safety and happiness of those who answer these characters, we are encouraged to walk in that way, ver. 5. A Psalm of David. IORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle ? J Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, Nor doeth evil to hie neighbour, Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned ; But he honoureth them that fear the Lord. 64 PSALM XV. He that sweareth to his oivn hurt, and changeth not. *,, 5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, - . Nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. Here is, First. A very serious and weighty question, concerning the chai! racters of a citizen of Zion ; ver. 1, " Lord, who snail abide in thy tabernacle Hf that is, Let me know who shall go to heaven. Not who by name,— so the Lord* only knows them that are his ; but who by description, What kind of people are they whom thou wilt own, and crown with distinguishing and everlasting favours? This supposeth that it is a great privilege to be a citizen of Zioiy an unspeakable honour and advantage ; that all are not thus privileged, but* a remnant only: and that men are not entitled to this privilege by their birth'!; and blood; all shall not abide in God's tabernacle that have Abraham to their father, but according as men's hearts and lives are accordingly will their lot be. It concerns us all to put this question to ourselves, Lord, what shall I be, and do, that I may abide in thy tabernacle? Lu. xviii. 18 ; Acts xvi. 30. Observe, 1. Who this inquiry is addressed to ; to God himself. Note, Those that would find the way to heaven must look up to God, must take direction from* his word, and beg direction from his Spirit. It is fit he himself should gives laws to his servants, and appoint the conditions of his favours, and tell whp;*are' his, and who not. '*¦ 2. How it is expressed in Old Testament language. 1st. By the tabernacle j we may understand the church militant, typified by Moses' tabernacle, fitted, to a wilderness state, mean and moveable. There God manifests himself, and* there he meets his people, as of old, in the tabernacle of the testimony, the tabernacle of meeting. Who shall dwell in this tabernacle ? that is, Who shall be accounted a true, living member of God's church, admitted among the spi ritual priests to lodge in the courts of this tabernacle? We are concerned to inquire this, because many pretend to a place in this tabernacle who really have no part nor lot in the matter. 2nd. By the holy hill we may understand' the- church triumphant, alluding to mount Zion, on which the temple was to be built by Solomon. It is the happiness of glorified saints that they dwell in.that holy hill, they are at home there, they shall be for ever there. It coucerris.ua to know who shall dwell there, that we make it sure to ourselves that we shall have a place among them, and may then take the comfort of it, and rejoice in prospect of that holy hill. Secondly. A very plain and particular answer to this question. Those that desire to know their duty, with a resolution to do it, will find the Scripture* a very faithful director, and conscience a faithful monitor. Let us see. then 4-he particular characters of a citizen of Zion. ,, 1. He is one that is sincere and entire in his religion. "He walketh uprightly,"': according to the condition of the covenant, Gen. xvii. 1, " Walk before me,and<' be thou perfect," (it is the same word that is here used,) and then thou1 Bhalt find me a God all-sufficient. He is really what he professeth to be, is sound at heart, and can approve himself to God in his integrity in all he doth; his conversation is uniform, and he is of a piece with himself, and endeavours to "stand complete in all the will of God. His eye perhaps is weak, but it is singlsj. he has his spots indeed, but he doth not paint; "an Israelite indeed, in whonH is no guile," Jno. i. 47 ; 2 Cor. i. 12. I know no religion but sincerity. i 2. He is one that is conscientiously honest and just in all his dealings,' faith-' ful and fair to all with whom he has to do. He " w orketh righteousness :" that is, he walks in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord, and takes , care to give all their due ; is just both to God and man ; and in speaking to" both he speaketh that which is the truth in his heart; his prayers, professions, and promises to God,come not out of feigned lips, nor dares he tell a lie, or. so much as equivocate in his converse or commerce with men. He walks! by the rules of righteousness and truth, and scorns and abhors the gains of injustice and fraud; and reckons that cannot be a good bargain, nor a saving one, which is made with a lie ; and that be who wrongs his neighbour, though never so plausibly, will prove in the end to have done the greatest injury to himself. 3. He is one that contrives to do all the good he can to his neighboursslbnt., is very careful to do hurt to no man, and is in a particular manner tender of his neighbour's reputation, ver. 3. He doth no evil at all to his neighbour willingly or designedly, nothing to offend and grieve his spirit, nothing to pria judice the health or ease of his body, nothing to injure him in his estate aa secular interests, in his family or relations ; but walks by that golden rule or equity,— to do as he would be done by. He is especially carefuf not to injure" his neighbour in his food name, because many who would not otherwise wrong] PSALM XV. 65 their neighbours make nothing of that; and he that in this matter bridles not his tongue, his religion is vain. He knows the worth of a good name, and there fore he backbiteth not, defames no man, speaks evil of no man, makes not others' faults the subject of his common talk, much less of his sport and ridi cule, nor speaks of them with pleasure, nor at all but for edification ; he makes the best of every body, and the worst of nobody. He doth not take up a reproach ; that is, he neither raiseth it, nor receiveth it ; he gives no credit nor countenance to a calumny, but frowns upon a backbiting tongue, and so sileuceth it4 Pr. xxv. 23. If an ill-natured character of his neighbour be given him, or an ill-natured Btory be told him, he will disprove it if he can : if not, it shall die with him, and go no farther. His charity will cover a multitude of sins. 4. He is one that values men by their virtue and piety, and not by the figure they m'ake in the world, ver. 5. 1st. He thinks the better of no man's wicked ness for his pomp and grandeur ; " In his eyes a vile person is contemned." Wicked people are vile people, worthless, and good for nothing; so the word signifies, as dross, as chaff, as salt that has lost its savour; they are vile in their choices, Jer. ii. 13, in their practices, Isa. xxxii. 6. And for this wise and good men contemn them, — not denying them civil honour and respect as men, as men in authority and power perhaps, 1 Pet. ii. 17 ; Rom. xiii. 7,— but in their judg ment of them, agreeing with the word of God. They are so far from envying them that they pity him; despise their gains, Isa. xxxiii. 15, as turning to no account; their dainties, Ps. cxli. 4 ; their pleasures, Heb. xi. 24, 25, as sapless and insipid. They despise their society, Ps. cxix. 115 ; 2 Kin. iii. 14, despise their taunts and threats, and are not moved by them, nor disturbed at them: they despise the feeble efforts of their impotent malice, Ps. ii. 1, 4, and will shortly triumph in their fall, Ps. Iii. 6, 7. God despiseth them, and they are of his mind. 2nd. He thinks the worse of no man's piety for his poverty and meanness; "but he honours them that fear the Lord." He reckons that serious piety, wherever it is found, puts an honour upon a man, and makes his face to shine more than wealth or wit, or a great name among men doth or can. He honours such; that is, he esteems them very highly in love, desires their friend ship and conversation, and an interest in their prayers; is glad of an oppor tunity to shew them respect, or do them a good office ; pleads their cause, and speaks of them with veneration, rejoiceth when they prosper, grieves when they are removed, and their memory when they are gone is precious with him. By this we may judge of ourselves in some measure: What rules do we go by in judging of others? 5. He is one that always prefers a good conscience before any secular interest or advantage whatsoever ; for if he has promised upon oath to do any thing, though afterwards it appear much to his damage and prejudice in his worldly estate, yet he sticks to it, and changeth not, ver. 4. See how weaksighted ana shortsighted even wise and good men may be, they may swear to their own hurt, which they were not aware of when they took the oath: but see how strong the obligation of an oath is, that a man must rather suffer loss to himself and his family, than wrong his neighbour by breaking his oath. An oath is a sacred thing, which we must not think to play fast and loose with. 6. He is one that will not increase his estate, by any unjust practices, ver. 5. 1st. Not by extortion. " He putteth not out his money to usury," that he may live at ease upon the labours of others, while he is in capacity of improving it by his own industry. Not that it is any breach of the law of justice or charity for the lender to share in the profit which the borrower makes of his money any more than for the owner of the land to demand rent from the occupant, money being by art and labour as improvable as land; but a citizen of Zion will freely lend to the poor, according to his ability, and not be rigorous and severe in recovering his right from those that are reduced by Providence. 2nd. Not by bribery. He will not "take a reward against the innocent :" that is, if he be any way employed in the administration of public justice, he will not for any gain, or hope of it to himself, do any thing to the prejudice of a righteous cause. Thirdly. The psalm concludes with a ratification of this character of the citizen of Zion. He is like Zion-hill itself, which cannot be moved, but abideth for ever, Ps. cxxv. 1. Every true, living member of the church, like the church itself, is built upon a rock, which the gates of hell cannot prevail against. He that doth these things shall never be moved;" shall not be moved for ever, so the word is. The grace of God shall always be sufficient for him to preserve him safe and blameless to the heavenly kingdom; temptations shall not over come him, trouble shall not overwhelm him, nothing shall rob him of his present peace or his future bliss. In singing this psalm we must teach and admonish ourselves and one another, to answer the characters here given of the citizen of Zion, that we may never be moved from God's tabernacle on earth, and may arrive at last at that holy hill, where we shall be for ever out of the reach of temptation and danger. E 66 PSALM XVI. This psalm has something of David in it, but much more of Christ. It begins with stich expressions of devotion as may be applied to Christ, hut concludes with such confidence of a resurrection (and so timely a one as to prevent corruption) as must be apphed^o Christ, to him only, and cannot be understood of David, as both St. Peter and St. Paul have observed, Acts ii. 24; xiii. 36 ; for David died and was buried, and saw corrup tion. I. David speaks of himself as a member of Christ, and so he speaks the language of all good Christians, professing his confidence in God, ver. 1 ; his consent to him, ver. 2 ; his affection to the people of God, ver. 3 ; his adherence to the true worship of God, ver. 4; and his entire complacency and satisfaction in God, and the interest he had in him, ver. 5—7. II. He speaks of himself as a type of Christ, and so he speaks the language of Christ himself, to whom all the rest of the psalm is expressly and af large applied, Jets ii. 25, &c, " David speaketh concerning him," (not concerning himJl self,) "I foresaw the Lord always before my face," &c. ; and this he spake, being a prophet, ver. SO, 31 ; spake, 1. Of the special presence of God with the Redeemenjj his services and sufferings, ver. 8; 2. of the prospect which the Redeemer had of his own1 ^ resurrection, and the glory that should follow, which carried him cheerfully through;:, his undertaking, ver. 9 — 11. Michtam of David. PEE SERVE me, 0 God : For in thee do I put my trust. [my Lord!; 2 0 my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art My goodness exlendeth not to thee ; 3 But to the saints that are in the earth, And to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after anb-,, Their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, [ther god: Nor take up their names into my lips. [cup: 5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my • Thou maintainest my lot. ( 6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; Yea, I have a goodly heritage. 7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel : My reins also instruct me in the night seasons. This psalm is entitled Michtam, which some translate a golden psalm, a very- precious one, more to be valued by us than gold, yea than much fine gold; because it speaks so plainly of Christ and his resurrection, who is the true treasure hid in the field of the Old Testament. First. David here flies to God's protection with a cheerful, believing confi dence in it ; ver. 1, " Preserve me, O God," from the deaths, and especialtyfrom the sins, to which I am continually exposed ; " for in thee," and thee onlyj *' do1 I put my trust." Those that by faith commit themselves to the Divine bare,' and submit themselves to the Divine conduct, have reason to hope for the benefit of both. This is applicable to Christ, who prayed, "Father, save me from this hour," and " trusted in God that he would deliver him." Secondly. He recogniseth his solemn dedication of himself to God aB his' God; ver. 2, " O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord," ; and therefore thou mayest venture to trust him. Note, 1. It is the duty and interest of every one of us to acknowledge the Lord for our Lord, to subject ourselves to him, and then to stay ourselves upon him. Adonai signifies *nvr stayer,' the strength of my heart. 2. This must be done with our souls. "0„ my soul, thou hast said " it. Covenanting with God must be heart-w'ork, alP that is within us must be employed therein, and engaged thereby. 3. Those"; who have avouched the Lord for their Lord should be often putting them-f| selves in mind of what they have done. Hast thou said unto the Lord, if hon art • my Lord? say it aga\n then, stand to it, abide by it, and never unsay it. Hast-, thou said it? take the comfort of it, and live up to it. " He is thy Lord, and™ worship thou him," and let thine eye be ever towards him. J Thirdly. He devotes himself to the honour of God, in the service of theij saints; ver. 2, 3, "My goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the saints.*! PSALM XVI. G7 Observe, 1. Those that have taken the Lord for their Lord, must, like him, be- good, and do good ; we do not expect happiness without goodness. 2. What ever good there is in us, or is done by us, we must humbly acknowledge that it extendeth not to God ; so that we cannot pretend to merit any thing by it. God has no need of our services, he is not benefited by them, nor can they add any thing to his infinite perfection and blessedness. The wisest, and best, and most useful men in the world, cannot be profitable to God, Job xxii. 2; xxxv. 7. God is infinitely above us, and happy without us, and whatever good we do it is all from him ; so that we are indebted to him, not he to us. David owns it ] Chr. xxix. 4, " Of thine own have we given thee." 3. If God be ours, we must for his sake extend our goodness to those that are his, to the saints in the earth; for what is done to them he is pleased to take as done to himself, having constituted them his receivers. Note, 1st. There are saints in the earth, and saints on earth we must all be, or we shall never be saints in heaven. Those that are renewed by the grace of God, and devoted to the glory of God, are saints on earth. 2nd. The saints in the earth are excellent ones, great, mighty, magnificent ones, and yet some of them so poor in the world, that they needed to have David's goodness extended to them. God makes them excellent by the grace he gives them. " The righteous is more excellent than his neigh bour." And then he accounts them excellent; they are precious in his sight, and honourable; they are his jewels, his peculiar treasure. Their God is their glory, and a diadem of beauty to them. 3rd. All that have taken the Lord for their God delight in his saints as excellent ones, because they bear his image, and because he loves them. David, though a king, was a companion for all that feared God, Ps. cxix. 63, even the meanest, which was a sign that his delight was in them. 4th. It is not enough for us to delight in the saints ; but, as there is occasion, our goodness must extend to them; we must be ready to shew them the kindness they need? distribute to their necessities, and abound in the labour of love to them. This is applicable to Christ. The salvation he wrought out for us was no gain to God, for our ruin would have been no loss to him ; but the goodness and benefit of it extends to us men, in whom he delighted, Pr. viii. 31. "For their sakes," saith he, "I sanctify myself," Jno. xvii. 19. Christ delights even in the saints on earth, notwithstanding their weaknesses and manifold infirmities, which is a good reason why we should. Fourthly. He disclaims the worship of all false gods, and all communion with their worshippers, ver. 4; where, 1. He reads the doom of idolaters, who "hasten after another god," being mad upon their idols, and pursuing them as eagerly as if they were afraid they would overgo them. " Their sorrows shall be multiplied," both by the judgments they bring upon themselves from the true God whom they forsake and by the disappointment they will meet with in the false gods they embrace. They that multiply gods multiply griefs to themselves ; for whosoever thinks one god too little, will find two too many, and yet hundreds not enough. 2. He declares his resolution to have no fellowship with them, nor with their unfruitful works of darkness. "Their drink offer ings of blood will I not offer," not only because the gods they are offered to are a lie, but because the offerings themselves are barbarous. At God's altar, because the blood made atonement, the drinking of it was most strictly pro hibited, and the drink offerings wrere of wine; but the devil prescribed his worshippers to drink the blood of the sacrifices, to teach them cruelty. I will have nothing to do, saith David, with those bloody deities, nor so much as "take their names into my lips" with any delight in them, or respect to them. Thus must we hate idols and idolatry with a perfect hatred. Some make this also applicable to Christ and his undertaking, shewing the nature of the sacri fice he offered,— it was not "the blood of bulls and goats, which was offered according to the law," that was never named, nor did he ever make any mention of it, but his own blood — shewing also the multiplied sorrows of the unbe lieving Jews, who hastened after another king, Caesar, and are still hastening after another Messiah, whom they in vain look for. Fifthly. He repeats the solemn choice he had made of God for his portion and happiness, ver. 5 : takes to himself the comfort of the choice, ver. 6 ; and gives God the glory of it, ver. 1. This is very much the language of a devout and pious soul in its gracious exercises, I. Choosing the Lord for its portion and happiness. The most of men take the world for their chief good, and place their felicity in the enjoyments of it; but this I say, " The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup ; the portion I make choice of, and will gladly take up with, how poor soever my condition is in this world. Let me have the love and favour of God, and be ^accepted of him ; let me have the comfort of communion with God, and satis- Sfftion in the communications of his graces and comforts. Let me have an interest in his promises, and a title by promise to everlasting life and happiness in the future state, and I have enough, I need no more, I desire no more to complete my felicity. "Would we do well and wisely for ourselves, we must 68 PSALM XVI. take God in Christ to be, 1st. The portion of our inheritance in the other world. Heaven is an inheritance, God himself is the inheritance of the saints there, whose everlasting bliss it is to enjoy him. We must take that for our inheritance, our home, our rest, our lasting, everlasting good, and look upon this world to be no more ours than the country is through which our road lies when we are in a journey. 2nd. The portion of our civd in this world with which I am nourished and refreshed, and kept from fainting. Those have not God for theirs who do not reckon his comforts the most reviving cordialugg acquaint themselves with them, and make use of them as sufficient to balance all the grievances of this present time, and to sweeten the most bitter cup of. affliction. 2. Confiding in him for the securing of this portion. " Thou maintainest my lot." Thou that hast by promise made over thyself to me to be mine wilt gra ciously make good what thou hast promised, and never leave me to myself to forfeit this happiness, nor leave it in the power of mine enemies to rob me of it. Nothing shall pluck me out of thy hands, nor separate me from thy love, and the sure mercies of David. The saints and their bliss are kept by the power of God. 3. Rejoicing in this portion, and taking a complacency in it; ver. 6, The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places." Those have reason to say so that have God for their portion; they have a worthy portion, a goodly heritage. What can they have oetter ? What can they desire more ? " Return unto tsfry rest, O my soul," and look no farther. Note, Gracious souls, though they Brail covet more of God, never covet more than God; but, being satisfied ofiibis lovingkindness, are abundantly satisfied with it, and envy not any their carnal mirth, and sensual pleasures and delights, but account themselves truly happy in what they have, and doubt not but to be completely happy in what they hope for. Those whose lot is cast, as David's was, in a land of light, a valley of vision, where God is known and worshipped, have upon that account reason to say the lines are fallen to them in pleasant places ; much more they <¦ that have not only the means, but the end, not only Immanuel's land, but * Immanuel's love. 4. Giving thanks to God for it, and for grace to make this wise and happy choice ; ver. 7, " I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel," this counsel to take him for my portion and happiness. So ignorant and foolish are we, that if we be left to ourselves our hearts will follow our eves, and we shall choose our own delusions, and forsake our own mercies for lying vanities; and therefore, if we have indeed taken God for our portion, and preferred spiritual and eternal blessings before those that are sensible and temporal, we must thankfully acknowledge the power and goodness of Divine grace, directing and enabling us to make that choice. If we have the pleasure of it, let God ha-ve^i the praises of it. '? 5. Making a good-use of it. God having given him counsel by his Word and Spirit, his own reins, that is, his own thoughts, also instructed him in the nights season, when he was silent and solitary, and retired from the world. Then jus own conscience (which is called the reins, Jer. xvii. 10) not onlyrefleeted with comfort upon the choice he had made, but instructed or admonished him con cerning his duty, which he was obliged to by this choice; catechised him, and 3 engaged and quickened him to live as one that had God for his portion, by faith to live upon him, and live to him. Those who have God for their portion. who will be faithful to them, must give their own consciences leave to deal thus faithfully and plainly, with them. 1 to do his will, and delighted to pro undertaking, pursuant to his lather's counsel, depending upon him to maintain his lot, and to carry him through his undertaking. We may also apply it to ourselves in singing it, renewing our choice of God as ours, with a holy com placency and satisfaction. 8 I have set the Lord always before me : Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be movedi 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth : My flesh also shall rest in hope. : 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell ; Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption 1 1 Thou wilt shew me the path of life ; PSALM XVI. ' 69 In thy presence is fulness of joy ; -At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. All these verses are quoted by St. Peter, in his first sermon after the pouring out of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost^ Acts ii. 25—28, and he tells us ex pressly, that David in them speaketh concerning Christ, and particularly of his resurrection. Something we may allow here of the workings of David's own pious and devout affections towards God, depending upon his grace to perfect every thing that concerned him, and looking for the blessed hope and a happy state on the other side death, in the enjoyment of God. But in these holy elevations towards God and heaven he was carried, by the spirit of pro phecy, quite beyond the consideration of himself and his own case, to foretell the glory of the Messiah, in Buch expressions as were peculiar to that, and could not be understood of himself. The New Testament furnisheth us with a key to let us into the mystery of these lines. FirBt. These verses for certain must be applied to Christ. Of him speaketh the prophet this, as did many of the Old Testament prophets, who "testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow," 1 Pet.'x. 11, and that is the subject of this prophecy here. It is foretold (as he himself shewed concerning this, no doubt, among other prophecies in this psalm, Lu. xxiv. 44, 46,) that Christ should suffer, and rise from the dead, 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4. 1. That he should suffer and die. This is implied here, when he saith, ver. 8, ." I shall not be moved." He supposed that he should be struck at, and have a dreadful shock given him, as he had in his agony, when his soul was exceeding sorrowful, and he prayed that the cup might pass from him. When he saith, "my flesh shall rest," it is implied that he must put off the body, and therefore must go through the pains, of death. It is likewise plainly intimated, that hia soul must go into a state of separation from the body, and that his body so deserted would be in imminent danger of seeing corruption ; that he should not only die, but be buried, and abide for some time under the power of death. 2. That he should be wonderfully borne up by the Divine power in suffering and dying. 1st. That he should not be moved nor driven off from his under taking, nor sink under the weight of it; that he should not fail nor be dis- 1 not sink. Note, God will not only deliver his people out of their troubles: in \ due time, but he will sustain them, and bear them up under their troubles in the meantime. 5. That which especially magnified the deliverance was, that his comfort was the fruit of it, and God's favour was the root and fountain of it. 1st. It was an introduction to his preferment; ver. 19, " He brought* me forth also^ out of my straits "into a large place," where I had not only room to turn me,, i but room to thrive. 2nd. It was a token of God's favour to him, and that - made it doubly sweet. " He delivered me because he delighted in me," not f; for my merit, but for his own grace and good-will: compare this with, i 2 Sam. xv. 26, "If he thus say. I have no delight in thee, here 1 am." We owe our salvation, that great deliverance, to the delight God had in the Son. of ' David, in whom he has declared himself to be well pleased. ^ In singing this, we must triumph in God, and trust in him. And we mapi apply it to Christ, the Son of David. The sorrows of death surrounded hinijjiO his distress he prayed, Heb. v. 7; God made the earth to shake and tremblej and the rocks to rend, and brought him out in his resurrection into a large! place, because he delighted in him and his undertaking. fl 20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness ; '< According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recom dence, he forms the light and creates the darkness, Isa. xiv. 7, and sets the onej over against the other. It is likewise an instance of his goodness to man, f&Jl he makes the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice, Ps. lxv. 8. NJffl only glorifies himself but gratifies us by this constant revolution: for, as tnJJ light of the morning befriends the business of the day, so the shadows of the - I evening befriend the repose of the night. Every day and every night speakB the goodness of God, and, when it has finished its testimony, leaves it to the t next day, to the next night, to say the same. 3. The light and influence of the sun doth in a special manner declare the. ^lory of God; for, of all the heavenly bodies, that is the most conspicuous h\,j itself, and most useful to this lower world, which would be all dungeon and allj desert without it. It is not an improbable conjecture, that David penned this! psalm when he had the rising sun in view, and from the brightness of it tookj occasion to declare the glory of God. Concerning the sun, observe here*! 1st. The place appointed him. In the heavens God hath set a tabernacle for ¦ the sun. The heavenly bodies are called hosts of heaven, and therefor 6' are fitly said to dwell in tents, as soldiers in their encampments. The sun is said to have a tabernacle set him, not only because he is in continuaj motion, ai)|| ^never has a fixed residence ; but because the mansion he has Will, at the ejujl ^of time, be taken down like a ten*, when the heavens shall be rolled togethfifl like a scroll, and the sun shall be turned into darkness. 2nd. The coursed assigned him. That glorious creature was not made to be idle, but his t goinJ| forth (at least as it appears to our eye) is from one point of the heavens, and his circuit from thence to the opposite point, and thence, to complete his diurn^| revolution, to the same point again ; and this with such steadiness and cotKji stancy, that we can certainly foretell what hour and what minute the sun wilH rise at such a place any day tocome. 3rd. The brightness wherein he appears^ He "is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber," richly dresse^ up and. adorned, as fine as hands can make him, looking pleasantly himself, and making all about him pleasant; for "the friend of the bridegroom rejoiceth greatly to hear the bridegroom's voice," Jno. iii. 29. 4th. The cheerfulness wherewith he makes his tour. Though it Beems a vast round he has to walk, and he^aa. not a moment's rest, yet, in obedience to the law of his creation, and f or tnH service of man, he not only doth it, but doth it with a great deal of pleasure, amu I *' rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race." "With such satisfaction did Chriffll r the Sun of Righteousness, finish the work that was given him to do. *5th. Hill universal influence on this earth : " There is nothing hid from the heat thereof^ no, not metals in the bowels of the earth, which the sun has an influence upon. Thirdly. To whom this declaration is made of the glory of God. It is made to all parts of the world ; ver. 3, 4, " there is no speech nor language," (that%j w 8 *] PSALM XIX. g5 po nation, for the nations were divided after their tongues. Gen x 32) " whera their voice is not heard. Their line is gone through all the rarth "Tthe eouf noctial line, suppose,) "and" with it "their words to the e.Xf the world " proclaiming the eternal power of the God of nature, ver 4 The apostle useth this as a reason why the Jews should not be angrV with hire .and others for preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, because God had already made him self known to the Gentile world by the works of creation, and feTn™ ; himself without witness among them, Rom. x. 18; so that they were without eMuse if they were idolaters, Rom. i. 20, 21. And those were .without blaX that bv Preaching the Gospel to them endeavoured to turn them from their idolatry7 If God used these means to prevent their apostacy, and they proved ineffectual' the apostles did well to use other means to recover them from it! • The, have ™J.,fe °i' lan«uage' (f° so,m-e read it.) 'and yet their voice is heard? All K „ K, y hear,th?sf natural, immortal preachers speak to them in their own tongue the wonderful works of God. """ »3nd'" *j.nPnK theseverses we must give God the glory of all the comfort ^o^eS^n^^L^u^^s80' heaTe"' 8tUl ^ *h™ ^ b^ 7 The law of the Lobd ^perfect, converting the soul : 'Jfhe testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. ^ he statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart : *jthe commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever : The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous I altogether. [fine goid . 10 More to be . desired are they than gold, yea, than much pweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 1 1 vloreover by them is thy servant warned : and in keeping of them there is great reward. 12 (Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins ; Let them not have dominion over me : Then shall I be upright, And I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my Be acceptable in thy sight, [heart, 0 Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. God's glory, that is, his goodness to man, appears much in the works of creation, Dut much more in and by Divine revelation. The holy Scripture, as it is a rule both of our duty to God and of our expectation from him, is of much greater use and benefit to us than day or night, than the air we breathe in, or the light of the sun. The discoveries made of God by his works might have served if man had retained his integrity ; but to recover him out of his fallen state another course must be taken, that must be done by the Word of God. And here. First. The Psalmist gives an account of the excellent properties and uses of the Word of God, in six sentences, ver. 7 — 9, in each of which the name Jeho vah is repoated, and no vain repetition, for the law has its authority and all its excellency from the lawmaker. Here are six several titles of the Word of God, to take in the whole of Divine revelation, precepts and promises, and especially the Gospel. Here are several good properties of it which prove its Divine original, which recommend it to our affection, and which extol it above all other laws whatsoever. And here are several good effects of the law upon the minds of men, which shew what it is designed for, what use we are to make 86 PSALM XIX. of it, and bow wonderful the efficacy of Divine grace is, going along, with it, and working by it. | 1. " The law of the Lord is perfect." It is perfectly free from all conniption. Perfectly filled with all good, and perfectly fitted for. the end for which it is esigned. It will make the man of God perfect, 2 Tim. iii. 17. Nothing is to be added to it, or taken from it. • It is of use to convert the soul, to bring us back to ourselves, to our God, to our duty ; for it shews us our sinfulness anjil misery in our departures from God, and the indispensable necessity of our return to him. I 2. " The testimony of the Lord" (which witnesseth for him to us) "is sure," inoontestably and inviolably sure, what we may give credit to, may reUy upon, and may be confident it will, not deceive us. It is a sure discovery oil Divine truth, a sure direction in the way of duty. It is a sure fountain of Iiviihg com forts, and a sure foundation of lasting hopes. It is of use to make us wi se,'wise to salvation, 2 Tim. iii. 15. It will give us an insight into things Divjlneijand a foresight of things to come. It will employ us in the best work, an df secure to us our true interests. It will make even the simple wise, for their sd _\U and eternity, who yet are no conjurers (as we say) for this world. Those 1 .at are humbly simple, that is, sensible of their own folly, and willing to be aught, those shall be made wise by the Word of God, Ps. xxv. 9. 3. " Tiie statutes of the Lord," (enacted by his authority, and bindii-^, wherever they come,) they " are right," exactly agreeing with the eternal and principles of good and evil; that is, with the right reason of man, ai right counsels of God. All God's precepts concerning all things are Ps. cxix. 128, just as they should be, and they will set us to rights if we r them, and submit to them; and, because they are right, they rejoice the The law, as we see it in the hands of Christ, gives cause for joy ; and wl is written in our hearts it lays .a foundation for lasting joy, by restoring our right mind. 4. "The commandment of the Lord is pure." It is clear without darkn is clean without dross and defilement ; it is itself purified from all alloy, purifying to those that receive and embrace it; it is the ordinary means l the Spirit useth in "enlightening the eyes ;" it brings us to a sight and sei of our sin and misery, and directs us in the way of duty. 5. " The fear of the Lord," that is, true religion and godliness prescrib the Word, reigning in the heart, and practised in the life, "is clean," itself, and it will make us clean, Jno. xv. 3 ; it will cleanse our way, Ps. ex and it " endureth for ever," that is, it is of perpetual obligation, and can. rfffi be repealed. The ceremonial law is long since done away, but the law con eijik ing the fear of God is ever the same. Time will not alter the nature of 1 .oral good and evil. , '' ;n 6. " Tbe judgments of the Lord," all his precepts, which are framed in infinite wisdom, they are true." They are grounded upon the most sacred and unques tionable truths; they are righteous, all consonant to natural equity; and they are so altogether, there is no unrighteousness in any of them, but they are aft of a piece. Secondly. He expresseth the great value he had for the Word of God, and the great advantage he had and hoped to have by it, ver. 10, 11. _m 1. See how highly he prized the commandments of God. It is the charaolm of all good people that they prefer their religion and the Word of God, 1st. Ms before all the wealth of the world. It is more desirable than gold, than &m gold, than much fine gold. Gold is of the earth, earthly ; but grace is the image* of the heavenly. Gold is only for the body, and the concerns of time; but grace is for the soul, and the concerns of eternity. 2nd. Far before all the pleasures and delights of sense. The Word of God, received by faith, is sweet to the soul, "sweeter than honey, and the honeycomb." The pleasures, of, sense are the delight of brutes, and therefore debase the great soul of man;! the pleasures of religion are the delight of angels, and exalt the soul. Thai pleasures of sense are deceitful, will soon surfeit, and yet never satisfy; but those of religion are substantial and satisfying, and there is no danger :juf exceeding in'them. 2. See what use he made of the precepts of God's Word; "By them is thy servant warned." The Word of God is a word of warning to the children "0f, men ; it warns us of the duty we are to do, the dangers we are to avoid, and], the deluge we are to prepare for, Eze. iii. 17; xxxiii. 7; it warns the wickefc not to go on in his wicked way, and warns the righteous not to turn from liia- good way. And all that are indeed God's servants take this warning. 3. See what advantages he promised himseif by his obedience to God's p?8* cepts ; " In keeping of them there is great reward?' Those that make conscience! of their duty will not only be no losers by it, but unspeakable gainers. Therii is a reward not only after keeping, but in keeping, God's commandments*'" present great reward of obedience in obedience. Religion is health and honour, to all, 'rules id the right, iceive leart. lit to oh to PSALM XIX. 87 it is peace and pleasure; it will make our comforts sweet, and our crosses easy ; lite truly valuable, and death itself truly desirable. Ihirdly. He draws some good inferences from this pious meditation upon the excellency of the Word of God. Such thoughts as these should excite in us devout affections, and then they are to good purpose. I. He takes occasion from hence to make a penitent reflection upon his sins; for ' by the law is the knowledge of sin." Is the commandment thus holy, just, and good? then "who can understand his errors?" I cannot, whoever can. From the rectitude of the Divine law he learns to call his sins his errors ; if the commandment be true and righteous, every transgression of the commandment is an error, as grounded upon a mistake ; every wicked practice takes rise from some corrupt principle, it is a deviation from the rule we are to work by, the way we are to walk in. From the extent, and strictness, and spiritual nature of the Divine law, he learns that his sins are so many that he cannot under stand the number of them ; and so exceeding sinful that he cannot understand the heinousness and malignity of them. We are guilty of many sins, which, through our carelessness and partiality to ourselves, we are not aware of; many we have been guilty of which we have forgotten ; so that, when we have been never so particular in the confession of sin, we must conclude with an et cestera, — 'and such like :' for God knows a great deal more evil by us than we do by ourselves. In many things we all offend, and who can tell how often he offends? It is well we are under grace, and not under the law, else we were undone. 2, He takes occasion from hence to pray against sin. All the discoveries of sin made us by the law should drive us to the throne of grace, there to pray, as David doth here, 1 1st. For mercy to pardon. Finding himself unable to instance in all the par ticulars of his transgressions, he cries out, "Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults;" not secret to God, so none are; nor only such as a?e secret to the world, but such as were hid from his own observation of himself. The best of men have reason to suspect themselves guilty of many secret faults, and to pray to God to cleanse them from that guilt, and not to lay it to their charge ; for even our sins of infirmity and inadvertency, and our secret sins, would be our ruin, if God should deal with us according to the desert of them. Even secret faults are defiling, and render us unfit for communion with God; but when they are pardoned we are cleansed from them, 1 Jno. i. 7- 2nd. For grace to help in time of need. Having prayed that his sins of in firmity might be pardoned, he prays that presumptuous sins might be prevented, ver. 13. AH that truly repent of their sins, and have them pardoned, are in care not to relapse into sin, nor to return again to folly, as appears by their prayers, which concur with David's here; where observe, First. His petition; "Keep me from "ever being guilty of a wilful, "presumptuous sin." We ought to pray that we may be kept from sins of infirmity, but especially from presumptuous sins', which most offend God, and wound conscience: which wither our com forts and shock our hopes. However, let none such have dominion over me, let me not be at the command of any such sin, nor be captive by it. Secondly. His plea; "So shall I be upright, that is, I shall appear upright j I shall preserve the evidence and comfort of my uprightness; "and I shall he innocent from the great transgression," so he calls a presumptuous sin, because no sacri fice was accepted for it, Num. xv. 28 — 30. _ Note; 1st. Presumptuous sins £re very heinous and dangerous. Those that sin against the habitual convictions and actual admonitions of their own consciences, in contempt and defiance of the law and its sanctions, that sin with a high hand, they sin presumptuously, and it is a great transgression. 2nd. Even good men ought to be jealous of themselves, and afraid of sinning presumptuously, yea, though through the grace of God they have hitherto been kept from them. Let none be high- minded, but fear. 3rd. Being so much exposed, we have great need to pray to God, when we are pushing torward towards a presumptuous sin, to keep us back from it, either by his providence preventing the temptation, or by his grace giving us victory over it. 3. He takes occasion humbly to beg the Divine acceptance of those his pious thoughts and affections, ver. 14. Observe the connexion of this with what goes before : he prays to God to keep him from sin, and then begs he would accept his performances; for, if we favour our sins, we cannot expect God should favour us or our services, Ps. lxvi. 18. Observe, 1st. What his services were; the words of his mouth, and the meditations of his heart, that is, his holy affec tions offered up to God. The pious meditations of the heart must not be smothered, but expressed in the words of our mouth, for God's glory^ and the edification of others ; and the words of our mouth in prayer and praise must not be formal, but arising from the meditation of the heart, Ps. xiv. 1. 2nd. What was his care concerning these services, that they might be acceptable 88 PSALM XX. with God, else what do they avail us? Gracious souls have all they aim at if they be accepted of God, for that is their bliss. 3rd. What encouragement he had to hope for this; because God was his strength and his redeemer. If we, seek assistance from God, as our strength, in our religious duties, we may hope to find acceptance with God of our duties ; for by his strength we have power with him. In singing this we should get our hearts much affected with the excellency of the Word of God and delivered into it. and much affected with the evil of sin, the danger we are in of it, and the danger we are in by it, and fetch in help from Heaven against it. PSALM XX. It is the will of God that prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving should be made, in a special manner, for kings and all in authority. This psalm is a prayer, and the next a thanksgiving, for the king. David was a martiarprince, much in war. Either this psalm was penned upon occasion of- some particular expedition of his, or in general, as . a form to be used in the daily service of the church for him. In this psalm we may ' observe, I. What it is they beg of God for the king, ver. 1 — 4. II. With what assur- ance they beg it. The people triumph, ver. 5 ; the prince, ver. 6 ; both togetlii™ ver. 7, 8; and so he concludes with a prayer to God for audience, ver. 9. In.tl David may well be looked upon as a type of Christ, to whose kingdom, and its interest among men, the church was in every age a hearty well-wisher. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. THE Lord hear thee in the day of trouble ; The name of the God of Jacob defend thee 2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, And strengthen thee out of Zion. 3 Kemember all thy offerings, And accept thy burnt sacrifice ; Selah. 4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, And fulfil all thy counsel. 5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, And in the name of @ur God we will set up our banners :•. The Loed fulfil all thy petitions This prayer for David is entitled, a Psalm of David ; nor was it any absurdity at all for him, who was divinely inspired, to draw up a^directory, or form of > prayer, to be used in the congregation for himself and those in authority under him; nay, it is very proper for those who desire the prayers of their friends to tell them particularly what they would have to be asked of God for them. Note, Even great and good men, and those that know never so well how to pray for themselves, yet must not despise, but earnestly desire, the prayers of others for them, even thoBe that are their inferiors in all respects. Paul often begged of his friends to pray for him. Magistrates, and those in power, ought to esteem and encourage praying people, to reckon them their strength, Zee. xii. 5, 10, and to do what they can for them, that they may have an interest! in their prayers, and may do nothing to forfeit it. Now observe here, I First. What it is that they are taught to ask of God for the king. I. That God would answer his prayers. " The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble," ver. 1, and " the Lord fulfil all thy petitions," ver. 5. Note, 1st. Evej'Mj the greatest of men may be much in trouble. It was often a day of trouble with David himself, of disappointment and distress, of treading down, and of perplexity. Neither the crown on his. head nor the grace in his heart would exempt him from trouble. 2nd. Even the greatest of men must be much in prayer. David, though a man of business, a man of war, yet was constant to nis devotions. Though he had prophets and priests, and many good people '. among his subjects, to pray for him, yet he did not think that excused him from praying for himself. Let none expect benefit by the prayers of the church, OT , of their ministers or friends for them, who are capable of praying for theni-rt selves, and yet neglect it. The prayers of others for us must be desired, not to supersede, but to second our own for ourselves. Happy the people that have praying princes, to whose prayers they may thus say, Amen. PSALM XX. 89 2. That God would protect his person, and preserve his life in the perils of war. " The name of the God of Jacob defend thee," and set thee out of the reach of the enemies. 1st. Let God by his providence keep thee safe, even the God who preserved Jacob in the davs of his trouble. David had mighty men for his guards, but he commits himselt, and his people commit him, to the care of the Almighty God. 2nd. Let God by his grace keep thee easy from the fear of evil; Pr. xviii. 10, " The name of the Lord is a strong tower," into which the righteous run by faith, and are safe ; let David be enabled to shelter himself in that strong tower, as he has done many a time. 3. That God would enable him to go on in his undertakings for the public good ; that in the dav of battle he would " send him help out of the sanctuary, and strength out of Zion;" not from common providence, but from the ark of the covenant, and the peculiar favour God bears to his chosen people Israel; that he would help him in performance of the promises, and in answer to the prayers made in the sanctuary. Mercies out of the sanctuary are the sweetest mercies, -such as are the token of God's peculiar love; the blessing of God even our own God. "Strength out of Zion is spiritual strength, strength in the soul, in the inward man, and that is it we should most desy.-e both for ourselves and others, in services and sufferings. 4. That God would testify his gracious acceptance of the sacrifices he offered with his prayers, according to the law of that time, before he went oiH on this dangerous expedition; " The Lord remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifices," ver. 3, or, 'turn them to ashes;' that is, the Lord give thee the victory and success which thou didst by prayer with sacrifices ask of him, and thereby give as full proof of his acceptance of the sacrifice, as ever he did by kindling it with fire from heaven, By this we may now know that God accepts our spiritual sacrifices, if by his Spirit he kindles in our souls a holy fire of pious and Divine affection, and with that makes our hearts burn within us. 5. That God would crown all hia enterprises and noble designs for the public welfare with the desired success; ver. 4, " The Lord grant thee according to thine own heart." This they might in faith pray for, because they knew David was "a man after God's own heart/' and would design nothing but what was pleasing to him. Those who make it their business to glorify God, may expect that God will, one way or other, gratify them ; and they who walk in his counsel* may promise themselves that he will fulfil theirs. "Thou shalt devise a thing and it shall be established unto thee." Secondly. What confidence they had of an answer of peace to these petitions for themselves and their good king ; ver. 5, " We will rejoice in thy salvation.'* We that are subjects will rejoice in the preservation and prosperity of our prince ; or rather, *ln thy salvation, O God,' in thy power and promise to save, 'will we rejoice; that is it we depend upon now, and which in the issue we shall have occasion greatly to rejoice in. Those that have their eye still upon the salvation of the Lord shall have their hearts filled with the joy of that salvation. " In the name of our God will we set up our banners." 1. We will wage war in his name, we will see that our cause be good, and make his glory our end in every expedition ; we will ask counsel at his mouth, and take him along with us ; we will follow his conduct, implore his aid, and depend upon it, and refer the issue to him. David went against Goliath, in the name of the Lord of hosts, I Sam. xvii. 45. 2. We will celebrate our victories in his name. When we lift up our banners in triumph, and set up our trophies, it shall be in the name of our God; he shall have all the glory of our success, and no instrument shall have any part of the honour that is due to him. In singing this we ought to offer up to God our hearty 'good wishes for the {rood government we are under, and to the prosperity of it. Bat we may look farther; these prayers for David are prophecies concerning Christ the Son of David ; and in him they were abundantly answered : he undertook the work of our redemption, and made war upon the powers of darkness; in the day of trouble, when his soul was exceeding sorrowful, the Lord heard him, heard him in that he feared, Heb. v. 7; sent him help out of the sanctuary, sent an angel from heaven to strengthen him, took cognizance of his offering, when he made his soul an offering for sin, and accepted his burnt sacrifice, turned it to ashes; the fire that should have fastened upon the sinner, fastening upon the sacrifice, with which God was well pleased. And he granted him according to his own heart, made him to see of the travail of his soul to his satisfaction, prospered his good pleasure in his hand, fulfilled all his petitions for himself and us, for him the Father heareth always, and his intercession is ever pre vailing. 6 Now know I that the Loud saveth his anointed ; He will hear him from his holy heaven With thp. aavi no* strength of b^ r\oht hand 90 PSALM XX. 7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses : But we will remember the name of the Loud our God. 8 They are brought down and fallen : But we are risen, and stand upright. 9 Save, Lord : Let the king hear us when we call. Here is, First. Holv David himself triumphing in the interest he had in the prayers of good people ; ver. 6, " Now know I " (I that pen the psalm know it,) ''that the Lord saveth his anointed." because he hath stirred up the hearts of the seed of Jacob to pray for him. Note, It bodes well to any prince and people,, and may justly be taken as a happy presage, when God pours upon them a spirit. of prayer. If he see us seeking him, he will be found of us ; it he cause us to hope in his word, he will establish his word to us. Now so many that have an interest in heaven are praying for him, he doubts not but thatGod will hear him, and grant him an answer of peace ; which will, 1. Take its rise from above. ,He will hear him from his holy heaven, of w.hich the sanctuary was a type, Heb. \\. 23; from the throne he hath prepared in heaven, of which the mercy- seat was a type. 2. It shall take its effect here below. He will hear him with the saving strength of his right hand; that is, he will give a real answer to his prayer, and the prayers of his friends for him, not by letter, or by word of mouth, but, whicn is much better, by his right hand, by the saving strength. of his right hand." He will make it to appear he hears him by what he doth for him. Secondly. His people triumphing in God, and their relation to him, and his. revelation of himself to them, by which they distinguish themselves from those that live without God in the world. 1. See the difference between worldly people and godly people in their confidences, ver. 7. The children of this world trust in second causes, and think all is well if those do but smile upon them. Ihey "trust in chariots and in horses;" and the more of them they can bring into the field the more sure they are of success in their wars. Probably David has here an eye to the Syrians, whose forces consisted much of chariots andhorsemen, as we find in the history of David's victories over them, 2 Sam. viii. 4; x. 18., But, say the Israelites, we neither have chariots and horses to trust to, nor do we want them, nor if we had them would we build our hopes of success upon. that ; but we will remember, and rely upon, the name of the Lord our God£ upon the relation we stand in to him as the Lord our God, and the knowledge! we have of him by his name, that is, all that whereby he makes himself known ; this we will remember, and upon every remembrance of it will be encouraged.. Note, Those who make God and his name their praise maymake God anu his, name their trust. 2. See the difference in the issue of their confidences, and by that we are to judge of the wisdom of the choice. Things are as they prove: see who will be ashamed of their confidence and who not ; ver. 8, They'that trust in their chariots and horses are brought down and fallen ; and their chariots and horses were so far from saving them that they helped to sink'them, and made them the easier and the richer prey to the conqueror, 2 Sam. viii. 4. But we that trust in the name of the Lord bur God, not only stand upright and keep our ground, but are risen and have got ground against the enemy, and have triumphed over them. Note, A believing, obedient trust in God. and his name, is the surest way both to preferment and to establishment^ to rise and to stand upright; and this will stand us in stead when creature con fidences fail those that depend upon them. Thirdly. They conclude their prayer for the king with an Hosanna; Sav$ now we beseech thee, O Lord! ver. 9. As we read this verse it may be taken as a prayer that God would not only bless the king, " Save, Lord, give him success, but that he would make him a blessing to them, " Let the king hear us, when we call "to him for justice and mercy. Those that would have goo^ of their magistrates must thus pray for them ; for they, as all other creatures are that to us, and no more, that God makes them to be. Or it may refer ta the Messiah, that King, that King of kings; Let him hear us when we call; let him come to us, according to the promise, in the time appointed ; let him, as the freat Master of requests, receive all our petitions, and present them , to hia 'ather. But many interpreters give another reading of this verse, by alterinjj the pause; "Lord, save the king, and hear us when we call;" and so it isasun*. mary of the whole psalm, and is taken into our English Liturgy, ( O Lord, save the king, and mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.' In' singing these verses, we should encourage ourselves to trust in God, and stir up ourselves to pray earnestly, as we are in duty bound, for those in autho' rity over us, that under them we may lead quiet and peaceable lives, in all godliness and honesty. PSALM XXI. 91 As the foregoing psalm was a prayer for the king, that God would protect and prosper him, so this is a thanksgiving for the success God had blessed him with. Those whom we have prayed for we ought to give thanks for, and particularly for kings in whose prosperity we share. They are here taught, 1. To congratulate his victories, and the honour he had achieved, ver. 1—6. II. To confide in the power of God for the com pleting of the ruin of the enemies of his kingdom, ver. 7—13. And in this there is an eye to the Messiah, the prince and the glory of his kingdom ; for to him divere pas sages in this psalm are more applicable than to David himself. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. THE king shall joy in thy strength, 0 Lord ; And in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice ! 2 Thou hast given him his heart's desire, And hast not withholden the request of his lips, Selah. 3 For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness : Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. 4 He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, Even length of days for ever and ever. 5 His glory is great in thy salvation : Honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. 6 For thou hast made him most blessed for ever : [nance. Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy counte- David here speaks for himself in the first place, professing that his joy was in God's strength, and in his salvation, and not in the strength or success of his armies. He also directs his subjects herein to rejoice with him, and to give God all the glory of the victories he had obtained ; and all with an eye to Christ, of whose triumphs over the powers of darkness David's victories "were but shadows. . ' • First. They here congratulate the king's joys, and concur with him in them, ver. 1. The king doth rejoice ; he useth to rejoice in thy strength, and so do we : what pleaseth the king pleaBeth us, 2 Sam. iii. 36. Happy the people. the character of whose king it is that he makes God's strength his confidence, and jfiod's salvation his joy; that is pleased with all the advancements of God's '. Kingdom, and trusts God to bear him out in all he doth for the service of it. ;'Our Lord Jesus in his great undertaking relied upon help from Heaven, and pleased himself with the prospect of that great salvation which he was thereby to work out. I ¦' .1 Secondly. They give God all the praise of those things which were the matter of their king's rejoicing. 1. That God had heard his prayers ; ver. 2, " Thou Tiast given him his heart's desire," (and there is no prayer accepted, but what is the heart's desire,! the very thing they begged of Goa for him, Ps. xx. 4. Note, God's gracious returns of prayer do in a special manner require our humble returns of praise. When Goa gives to Christ the heathen for his inheritance, gives him to see his seed, and accepts his intercession for all believers, he gives him his heart's desire. 2. That God had surprised him with favours, and much outdone his expecta tions ; ver. 3, " Thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness." All our blessings are blessings of goodness; and are owing not at all to any merit of ours, but purely and only to God's goodness. But the psalmist here reckons it in a special manner obliging, that these blessings were given in a preventing way. This fixed his eye, enlarged his soul, and endeared his God, as one expresseth it. When God s blessings come sooner, and prove richer, than we imagine,— when they are given before we prayed for them, before we were ready for them, nay, when we feared the contrary,— then it may be truly said, that he prevented us with them. Nothing; indeed prevented Christ ; but to mankind never was any favour more preventing than our redemption by Christ, and all the blessed fruits of his mediation. 3. That God had advanced him to the highest honour, and the most extensive power ; " Thou hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head," and kept it there when his enemies attempted to throw it off. Note, Crowns are at God's dis pose; no head wears them but God sets them there; whether in judgment to his land, or for mercy, the event will shew. On the head of Christ God never set a crown of gold, but of thorns first and then of glory. D2 PSALM XXI. 4. That God had assured him of the perpetuity of his kingdom, and therein had done more for him than he was able either to ask or think, ver. 4. When he went forth upon a perilous expedition he asked his life of thee, which he then put into his hand, and thou not only gavest him that, but withal gavestf him length of days for ever and ever ; didst not only prolong his life far beyond his expectation, but didst assure him of a blessed immortality in a future state,, and of the continuance of his kingdom in the Messiah, that should come of his loins. See how God's grants often exceed bur petitions and hopes, and infer from thence how rich he is in mercy to those that call upon him. See also, and rejoice,'in the length of the days of Christ's kingdom. He was dead indeed, that ¦we might live through him ; but he is alive, and lives for evermore; and of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end ; and because he thus lives we shall thus live also. 5. That God had advanced him to the highest honour and dignity ; ver. 5, "His glory is great," far transcending that of all the neighbouring princes, "in the salvation " thou hast wrought for him and wrought by him. The glory which every good man is ambitious of, is to see the salvation of the Lord; "Honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him," as a burthen which he must bear, as a charge which he must account for. Jesus Christ "received from God the Father honour and glory," 2 Pet. i. 1? ; the glory which he had with hiraj, before the worlds were, Jno. xvii. 5. And on him is laid -the cHarge of an universal government, and to him all rjower in heaven and earth is committed. 6. That God had given him the satisfaction of being the author of all bliss to mankind, ver. 6. ' Thou hast set him to be blessings for ever,' so the margin ; reads it; thou hast made him to be a universal, everlasting blessing to the' world, in whom the families of the earth are and shall be blessed ; and so "thou hast made him exceeding , glad," with the countenance thou hast given to. his undertaking, and to him in the prosecution of it. See how the Spirit of prophecy gradually riseth here to that which is peculiar to Christ, for none but he is blessed for ever, much less a blessing for ever ; to that eminency that the expression speaks. And of him it is said, that " God made him full 'of joy with his countenance." ¦ And, in singing this, we should rejoice in his joy, and triumph in hia exaltation. 7 For the king trusteth in the Lord, [be movejjj And through the mercy of the most High he shall not 8 Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies : Thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee 9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger : The Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, And the fire shall devour them. 10 Their fruit shalt thou destroy from (he earth, And their seed from among the children of men. ] 1 For they intended evil against thee : They imagined a mischievous device, Which they are not able to perform. 12 Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, When thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them. 1 3 Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength : So will we sing and praise thy power. The psalmist, having taught his people to look back with joy and praise on what God had done for him and them, here teacheth them to look forward with faith, and hope, and prayer upon what God would farther do for them. The king rejoiceth in God," ver. 1, and therefore we will be thankful ; " The ,' king trusteth in God," ver. 7, therefore will we be encouraged. The joy and confidence of Christ our King is the ground of all our joy and confidence. PSALM XXII. 93 First. They are confident of the stability of David*^ kingdom ; " Through the mercy of the Most High," and not through his own merit or strength, "he shall not be moved." His prosperous state shall not be disturbed ; his faith and hope in God, which is the stay of his spirit, shall not be shaken. " The mercy of the Most Higjh," the Divine goodness, power, and dominion, is enough to secure our happiness, and therefore our trust in that mercy should be enough to Bilence all our fears. God being at Christ's right hand in his suffering, Ps. xvi. 8, and he being at God's right hand in his glory, we may be sure he shall not, he cannot, be moved, but continueth ever. Secondly. They are confident of the destruction of all the impenitent, im placable enemies of David's kingdom. The success with which God had blessed David's arms hitherto was an earnest of the rest which God would give him from all his enemies round about, and a type of the total overthrow of all Christ's enemies, that would not have him to reign over them. Observe, ]. The description of his enemies. They are such as hate him, ver. 8. They hated David because God had set him apart for himself; hated Christ because they hated the light ; but both were hated without any just pause, and in both God was hated, Jno. xv. 23, 25. 2. The designs of his enemies ; ver. 11, " They intended evil against thee, and imagined a mischievous device." They pre tended to fig_ht against David only, but their enmity was against God himself. They that aimed to unking David, aimed in effect to ungod Jehovah. What is devised and designed against religion, and against the instruments God raiseth up to support and advance it, is very evil and mischievous ; and God takes it as devised and designed against himself, and will so reckon for it. 3. The disappointment of them. They devise what they are not able to per form, ver. 1 1. Their malice is impotent, and they imagine a vain thing. Ps. ii. 1. 4. The discovery of them; ver. 8, "Thy hand shall find them out, though never so artfully disguised by the pretences and professions of friendship ; though mingled with the faithful subjects of this kingdom, and hardly to be distinguished from them ; though flying from justice, and absconding in their close places, yet thy hand shall find them out wherever they are. There is no escaping God's avenging eye, no going out of the reach of his hand ; rocks and mountains will be no better shelter at last than fig leaves were at first. 5. The destruction of them. It will be an utter destruction, Lu. xix. 27 ; they shall be swallowed up and devoured, ver. 9. Hell, the portion of all Christ's enemies, is the complete misery both of body and soul. Their fruit and their seed shall be destroyed, ver. JO. The enemies of God's kingdom in every age shall fall under the same doom ; and the whole generation of them will at last be rooted out, and all opposing rule, principality and power, shall be put down. The arrows of God s wrath shall confound chem, and put them to flight, being levelled at the face of them, ver, 12; that will be the lot of daring enemies that face God. The fire of God's wTath will consume them, ver. 9 ; they shall not only be cast into a furnace of fire, {Mat. xiii. 42.) but he shall make them them selves as a fiery oven or furnace; they shall be their own tormentors,— the reflections and terrors of their own consciences will be their hell. Those that might have had Christ to rule and save them, but rejected him, and fought against him, even the remembrance of that will be enough to make them, to eternity, a fiery oven to themselves. It is the worm that dies not. Thirdly. In this confidence they beg of God that he would still appear for his anointed, ver. 13; that he would act for him in his own strength, by the ' immediate operations of his power as Lord of hosts, and Father of spirits ; making little use of means and instruments. And, 1. Hereby he would exalt himself, and glorify his own name. "We have but little strength, and are not so active for thee as we should be, which is our shame. Lord, take the work into thine own hands ; do it without us, and it will be thy glory. 2. Hereupon they would exalt him; "So will we sing and praise thy power" the more triumphantly. The less God has of our service when a deliverance is in the working, the more he must have of our praises when it is wrought without us. PSALM XXII. The Spirit of Christ, which was in the prophets, testifies in this paalm, as clearly and fully as anywhere elae in all the Old Testament, "the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow, ' 1 Pet. i. 11 ; of him, no doubt, David here speaks, and not of himself, or of any other man. Much of it is expressly applied to Christ in the New Testament, all of it may be applied to him, and some of it must be understood of him only. The providences of God concerning David were so very extraordinary, that we may suppose there were Bome wise and good men who then could not but look upon him as a figure of him that was to come. But the composure of his psalms especially, in which he found himself wonderfully carried out by the spirit of prophecy, far beyond his own thought and intention, was, we may suppose, an abundant satisfaction to himself, that 94 PSALM XXII. he was not only a father of the Messiah, but a figure of him. In this psalm he speaks, I. Of the humiliation of Christ, ver. 1—21 ; where David, as a type of Christ, complains of the very calamitous condition he was in upon many accounts : 1. He complains, and mixeth comforts with his complaints. Complains, ver. 1, 2 ; hut comforts himself, ver. 3— 5. Complains again, ver. 6—8 ; but comforts himself again, ver. 9, 10. 2. He complains, and mixeth prayers with his complaints. Complains of the power and rage of his enemies, ver. 12, 13,16,18; of his own bodily weakness and decay, ver. 14, 15, 17 ; but prays that God would not be far from him, ver. 11, 19 ; that he would save and deliver him, ver. 19—21. II. Of the exaltation of Christ, that his undertaking should he for the glory of God, ver. 22 — 25; for the salvation and joy of his people, ver. 26— 29; and for the perpetuating of his own kingdom, ver. 30, 31. In singing this psalm, we must keep our thoughts fixed upon Christ, and be so affected with his sufferings as to experience the fellowship of them, and so affected with his grace as to experience the power and influence of it. To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. MY God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring ? 2 0 my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; :| And in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But thou art holy, ; 0 thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in thee : They trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered : They trusted in thee, and were not confounded. 6 But I am, a worm, and' no man ; A reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn : They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying^ 8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him : Let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb : Thou didst make me hope tehen I was upon my mother's 10 I was cast upon thee from the womb : [breasts. Thou art my God from my mother's belly. Some think they find Christ in the title of this psalm "upon Aijeleth Shahar," —'the hind of the morning.' Christ is as the swift hind upon the mountains"of spices, Cant. viii. 14; as the loving hind, and the pleasant roe, to all believers, Pr. v. 19; giveth goodly words, like Naphtali, who is compared to a hind^ei, loose, Gen. xlix. 21 . He is the hind of the morning, marked out by the counsels of God from eternity, to be run down by those dogs that compassed him, ver. 16. But others think it notes only the tune to which the psalm was set. In these verses. we have, First. A sad complaint of God's withdrawings, ver. 1, 2. This may be applied to David, or any other child of God, in the want of the tokens of his favour! and pressed with the burthen of his displeasure, roaring under it, as one over whelmed with grief and terror, and crying earnestly for relief, and in this'case apprehending himself forsaken of God, unhelped, unheard, yet calling him again and againt My God, and continuing to cry day and night to him, and earnestly desiring his gracious returns. Note, 1. Spiritual desertions are the saints' sorest afflictions. "When their evidences are clouded. Divine consolations sus pended, their communion with God interrupted, and the terrors of God set themselves in array against them, how sad are their spirits, and how sapless all their comforts ! 2. Even their complaint of these burthens is a good sign of spiritual life, and spiritual senses exercised. To cry out, My God, why am I sick ? why am I poor ? would give cause to suspect discontent and worldlineW^ PSALM XXII. 95 But, "why hast thou forsaken me?" is the language of a heart binding up its happiness in God's favour. 3. When we are lamenting God's withdrawings, yet still we must call him our God, and continue to call upon him as ours. When we want the faith of assurance, we must live by a faith of adherence ; however it be, yet God is good, and he is mine ; and though he slay me, yet will I trust in him ; though he do not answer me presently, I will continue praying and waiting; though he be silent, I will not be silent. But it must be applied to Christ ; for in the first words of this complaint he poured out his soul before God when he was upon the cross, Mat. xxvi. 46. Probably, he proceeded to the following words, and, some think, repeated the whole psalm, if not aloud, because they cavilled at the first words, yet to him self. Note, 1st. Christ in his sufferings cried earnestly to his Father for hia savour and presence with him. He cried in the daytime upon the cross, and " in the night season," when he was in his agony in the garden, he offered up " strong crying and tears to him that was able to save him," and with some fear too, ffeb.y.7. 2nd. Yet God forsook him, was far from helping him, and did not hear him, and this was it which he complains of more than all his sufferings. God delivered him into the hands of his enemies ; it was by his determinate counsel that he was crucified and slain, and he did not give m sensible comforts ; but Christ having made himself sin tor us, in conformity thereunto, the Father laid him under the present impressions of his wrath and displeasure against sin. " It pleased the Lord to bruise him, and to put him to grief," Isa. liii. 10. But even then he kept fast hold of his relation to his Father as his God, by whom he was now employed, whom he was now serving, and with whom he should shortly be glorified. Secondly. Encouragement taken in reference hereunto, ver. 3—5. Though God did not hear him, did not help him, yet, 1. He will think well of God. "But thou art holy ;" not unjust, or untrue, or unkind in any of thy dispensa tions; though thou dost not presently come in to the relief of thine afflicted people, yet thou lovest them, art true to thy covenant with them, and dost not countenance the iniquity of their persecutors, Hub. i. 13; and, as thou art infinitely pure and upright thyself, so thou delightest in the services ot thine upright people. " Thou inhabitest the praises of Israel ; " that is, thou art pleased to manifest thy glory, and grace, and special presence with thy people, in the . sanctuary where they attend thee with their praises; there thou art always ready to receive their homage, and of the tabernacle of meeting hast said, "This is my rest for ever." This speaks God's wonderful condescension to his faithful wor shippers, that, though ne is attended with the praises of angels, yet he is pleased to inhabit the praises of Israel. And it may comfort us in all our complaints that, though God seem for a while to turn a deaf ear to them, yet he is so pleased with his people's praises that he will in due time give them cause to change their note. Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him." Our Lord Jesus in his sufferings had an eye to the holiness of God, to preserve and advance the honour, , of that., and of his grace in, inhabiting the praises of Israel, notwithstanding the iniquities of their holy things. 2. He will take comfort from the experiences which the saints in former ages had of the benefit of faith and prayer ; ver. 4, 5. " Our fathers trusted in thee; cried unto thee, and thou didst deliver them;' therefore thou wilt in due time deliver me, for never any that hoped in thee were made ashamed of their hope ; never any that sought thee sought thee in vain. And thou art still the same in thyself, and the same to thy people that ever thou wast. They were our fathers, and thy people are beloved tor the fathers' sakes, Rom. xi. 28. The entail of the covenant is designed for the support of the seed of the faithful ; he that was our fathers' God must be ours, and therefore will be ours. Our Lord Jesus in his sufferings supported himself with this, that all the fathers who were types of him in nis sufferings, Noah, Joseph, David, Jonah, and others, were in due time delivered, and were types of his exaltation too , therefore he knows he also shall not be confounded, Isa. 1. 7. « Thirdly. The complaint renewed of another grievance, and that is the con tempt and reproach of men. This complaint is nothing so bitter as that before, Gous withdrawings; but, as that touches a gracious soul, so this a generous soul, in a very tender part, ver. 6—8. Our fathers were honoured ; the patriarchs in their day, first or last, appeared great in the eye of the world, Abraham, Moses, David ; but Christ is a worm, and no man. It was great condescension that he became man, a step downwards that is and will be the wonder of angels ; yet as if it were too much, too great to be a man, he becomes a worm, and no man. He was Adam, ' a mean man,' and Enosh, ' a man of sorrow ; but lo ¦ Ish, ' not a considerable man ;' for he took upon him the form of a servant, and his visage was marred more than any man's, Isa. Hi. 14. Man at the best is a worm, but he became a worm and no man ; and if he had not made himself a worm he could not have been trampled upon as he was. The word signifies such a worm as was used in dyeing scarlet or purple, whence some make it an allusion to his bloody sufferings. See what abuses were put upon him : 1. He was reproached as an ill man, as a blasphemer, a sabbath breaker, a wmebibber, a false prophet, an enemy to Cesar, a confederate with the prince of the devils. 96 PSALM XXII. a false prophet, an enemy to Cesar, a confederate with the prince of the devils, 2. He was despised of the people as a mean contemptible man, not worth taking notice of; his country in an ill name, his relations poor mechanics, his fbllowers none .of the rulers' or the Pharisees, but the mob. 3. He was ridiculed as a foolish man, and one that not only deceived others, but himself too. They that saw him hanging on the cross laughed him to scorn. So far were they from pitying him, or concerning themselves for him, that they added to his afflictions with all the gestures and expressions of insolence, upbraiding him with his fall ; they make mouths at him, make merry over him, and make a jest of his suffer ings ; they shoot out the lip, they shake their head, saying^ This was he that said he trusted God would deliver him ; now let him deliver him. David was some times taunted for his confidence in God ; but in the sufferings of Christ this was literally and"" exactly fulfilled, those very gestures were used by those that reviled him, Mat. xxvii. 39, they wagged their heads ; nay, and so far did their malice make them forget themselves, that they used the very words, ver; 43, " He trusted in God; let him deliver him." Our Lord Jesus, having undertaken to satisfy for the dishonour we had done to God by our sins, did it by submitting to the highest instance of ignominy and disgrace that could be. Fourthly. Encouragement taken as to this also; ver. 9, 10,. Men despise me, "but thou art he that took me out of the womb." David, and other good men, have often, for direction to us, encouraged themselves with this, that God was not only the God of their fathers, as before, ver. 1, but the God of their infancy, who began betimes to take care of them, as soon as they had a beings and there fore they hope will never cast them off? He that did so well for us in that help less, useless state, will not leave us when he has reared us, and nursed us up into some capacity of serving him. See the early instances of God's providen tial care for us, 1. In the birth. He took us also out of the womb, else we had died there, or been stifled in the birth. Every man's particular time begins with this pregnant proof of God's providence, as time in general began with the creation, that pregnant proof of his being. 2. At the breast. " Then didst thou make me hope ;" that is, thou didst that for me in providing sustenance for me, and protecting me from the dangers to which 1 was exposed, which encourages ine to hope in thee all my days. The blessings of the breasts, as they crown the blessings of the womb, so they are earnests of the blessings of our whole lives; sure he that fed us then, will never starve us, Job iii. 12. 3. In our early dedi cation to him. "I was cast upon thee from the womb," which perhaps refers to his circumcision on the eighth day ; he was then by his parents committed and given up to God as his God in covenant,— for circumcision was a seal of the covenant, — and this encouraged him to trust in God. t Those have reason to think themselves safe who were so soon, so solemnly, gathered under the wing's of the Divine majesty. 4. In the experience we have had of Gods goodness to ns all along ever since, drawn out in a constant, uninterrupted series of preser*- vations and supplies. " Thou art my God," providing for me, and watching 'over me for good, "from my mothers belly ;" that is, from my coming into the world, unto this day. And if, as soon as we became capable of exercising reason^ we put our confidence in God, and committed ourselves and ourway to him, we need not doubt but he will always remember the kindness of our youth, and the love of our espousals, Jer. ii. 2. This is applicable to our Lord Jesus, over whose incarnation and birth the Divine providence watched with a peculiar care, when he was born in a stable, laid in a manger, and immediately exposed to the malice of Herod, and forced to flee into Egypt ; " when he was a child, God loved him and called him thence," Hos. xi. 1, and the remembrance oftthis comforted him in his sufferings. Men reproached him, and discouraged his confidence in God ; but God had honoured him, and encouraged his confidence in him. 1 1 Be not far from me ; for trouble is near ; For there is none to help. 1 2 Many bulls have compassed me : Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, As a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint : My heart is like wax ; It is melted in the midst of my bowels. PSALM XXII. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd ; And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws ; And thou hast brought me into the dust of death. ] 6 For dogs have compassed me : The assembly of the -wicked have inclosed me : They pierced my hands and my feet. 97 SO 21 DOGS OP PALESTINE. 17 I may tell all my bones : They look and stare upon me. 18 They part my garments among them, And cast lots upon my vesture. 1 9 But be not thou far from me, 0 Lord : 0 my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword , My darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth : For thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. In these verses we have Christ suffering, and Christ praying, by which we are directed to look for crosses and to look up to God under them. First. Here is Christ suffering. David indeed was often in trouble, and beset with enemies : but many of the particulars here instanced in are such as were never true of David, and therefore must be appropriated to Christ in the depth ,of his humiliation. 1. He is here deserted by his friends. " Trouble " and distress "is near, and there is none to help," none to uphold, ver. 11. He trod the winepress alone ; for all his disciples forsook him and fled. It is God's honour to help when all other helps and succours fail. 2. He is here insulted and surrounded by his enemies, such as were of a higher rank, who, for their strength and fury, are compared to bulls, strong bulls of fiashan, ver. 12, fat and fed to the full, haughty and sour; such were the chief ijgriests and elders that persecuted Christ ! and others of a lower rank, who are Compared to dogs, ver. 16, filthy and greedy, and unwearied in running him p>wu. X1— ---«-- ...... • - 6j for the 98 PSALM XXII. chief priests sat in council to consult of ways and means to take Christ. These enemies were numerous and unanimous : many, and those of different and clashing interests among themselves, as Herod and Pilate, yet have agreed to compass me. They have carried their plot far, and seem to have gained their point, for they have beset me round, ver. 12 ; they have inclosed me, ver. 16. They are formidable and threatening; ver. 13, "they gaped upon me with their mouths," to show me that they would swallow me up ; and this with as much strength and fierceness as a roaring ravening lion leaps upon his prey. 3. He is here crucified. The very manner of his death is described, though never in use among the Jews ; " They pierced my hands and my feet,' ver. ie, which were nailed to the accursed tree, and the whole body left so to hang, the effect cf which must needs be the most exquisite pain and torture. There is ho. one passage in all the Old Testament which the Jews have so industriously corrupted as this, because it is such an eminent prediction of the death of Christ, and was so exactly fulfilled. 4. He is here dying, ver. 14, IB ; dying in pain and anguish, because he was to' satisfy for sin, which brought in pain, and for which we must otherwise have lain in everlasting anguish. Here is, 1st. The dissolution of the whole frame of his body ; " I am poured out like water," weak as water, and yielding to the power of death, emptying himself of all the supports of his human nature. 2nd. The dislocation of his bones. Care was taken that not one of them should be broken, Jno. xix. 36, but they were all out of joint, by the violent stretching of lus body upon the cross, as upon a rack. Or, it may note the fear that seized,*; him in his agony in the garden, when he began to be sore amazed, the effect ok which perhaps was. (as sometimes it has been, of great fear, Dan. v. 6,) that "the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another." His bones were put out of joint that he might put the whole creation into joint again, which sin had put out of joint, and might make our broken bones to rejoice.'1? 3rd. The colliquation of his spirits ; " My heart is like wax," melted to receiv^; the impressions of God's wrath against the sins he undertook to satisfy for;" melting away like the vitals of a dying man ; which, as it satisfied for the hard ness or our hearts, so the consideration of it should help to soften them. When Job speaks of his inward trouble, he saith, " The Almighty makes my heart soft," Job xxiii. 16 ; and see Ps. lxviii. 2. 4th. The failing of his natural force; " My strength is dried up," so that he became parched and brittle " like a pot sherd," the radical moisture being wasted by the fire of Divine wrath preying upon his spirits. "Who then can stand before God's anger ? or who knows the power of it ? " If this were done in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" 5th. The clamminess of his mouth, a usual symptom of approaching death ; " My tongue cleaveth to my jaws." This was fulfilled both in his thicSt" upon the cross, Jno. xix. 28, and in his silence under his sufferings : for, as a sheep before the shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth, nor objected against anything done to him. 6th. His giving up the ghost ; " Thou hast ,broug;h|j me to the dust of death ;" that is, I am just ready to drop into the grave \$IM nothing less would satisfy Divine justice. The life of the sinner was forfeitpflr and therefore the life ot the sacrifice must be the ransom for it. The sen tence of death passed upon Adam was thus expressed, " Unto du&t thou shalt return ;" and therefore Christ, having an eye to that sentence in his obedienfe to death, here useth a like expression, " Thou hast brought me to the dust of death." j 5. He was stripped. The shame of nakedness was the immediate consequence of sin ; and therefore our Lord Jesus was stripped of his clothes when he vkb, crucified, that he might clothe us with the robe of his righteousness, andjaojjf the shame of our nakedness might not appear. Now here we are told, 1st. Howj his body looked when it was thus stripped ; " I may tell all my bones," ver. LM His blessed body was lean and emaciated with labour, grief and fasting, during! the whole course of his ministry, which made him look as if he was near fifty years old when he was yet but thirty-three, as we find, Jno. viii. 57. His wrinkles now witnessed for him that he was far from being what he was called, "?(,, gluttonous man, and a winebibber." Or, his bones might be numbered, because his body was distended upon the cross, which made it easy to count his ribs| " They look and stare upon me," that is, my bones do, being distorted, aij§I having no flesh to cover them, as Job saith, Job xvi. 8, " My leanness rising Up in me, beareth witness to my face." Or, the standers-by, the passers-by, are amazed to see my bones start out thus, and, instead of pitying me, are pleased, even with such a rueful spectacle. 2nd. What they did with his clothes, which they took from him; ver. 18, "They part my garments among them," to every soldier a part, " and upon my vesture," the seamless coat, " do they cast lots. This very circumstance was exactly fulfilled, Jno. xix. 23, 24 ; and though it was no great instance of Christ's suffering, yet it is a great instance of the fulfilling of the Scripture in him. Thus it was written, and therefore thus it behdffijl Christ to suffer. Let this therefore confirm our faith in him as the twjl PSALM XXII. 99 Messiah, and inflame our love to him, as the best; of friends, who loved us, and suffered all this for us. Secondly. Here is Christpraying, and with that supporting himself under the trarthen of his sufferings. Christ in his agony prayed, prayed earnestly, prayed that the cup might pass from him. "When the prince of this world with his terrors set upon nim, gaped upon him as a roaring lion, he fell upon the ground and prayed ; and of that David's praying here was a type. He calls God his ' strength, ver. 19. "When we cannot rejoice in God as our song, yet let us stay ourselves upon him as our strength ; and tafce the comfort of spiritual supports •when we cannot come at spiritual delights. He prays, 1. That God would be with him, and not set himself at a distance from him ; " Be not thou far from the," ver. 11 ; and again, ver. 19, "Whoever stands aloof from my sore, Lord, do not thou. The nearness of trouble should quicken us to draw near to God, and then we may hope that he will draw near to us. 2. That he would help him, and make haste to help him ; help him to bear up under his troublesj that he might not fail nor be discouraged, that he might neither shrink from his undertaking nor sink under it ; and the Father heard him in that he feared, Heb. v. 7, and enabled him to go through with his work. 3. That he would deliver him, and save him, ver. 20, 21. 1st. Observe what the jewel is which he is in care for; The safety of my soul, my darling : let that be redeemed from the power of the grave, Ps. xliv. 15 ; Father, into thy hands I commit that, to be conveyed safe to paradise. The psalmist here calls his bouI Mb darling, his only one, so the word is: My soul is my only one. I have but one soul to take care of, and "therefore the greater is my shame if I neglect it, and the greater will the loss be if I let it perisn. Being my only one it ought to be my darling, for the eternal welfare of which I ought to be deeply concerned, I do not use my soul as my darling unless I take care to preserve it from every thing that would hurt it, and to provide all necessaries for it, and be entirely tender of its welfare. 2nd. Observe what the danger is from which he prays to be delivered ; from the sword, the flaming sword of Divine wrath, which turns every way. This he dreaded more than any thing, Gen. iii. 24. God's anger was the wormwood and the gall in the bitter cup that was put into his hands : O deliver my soul from that ; Lord, though I lose my life, let me not lose thy love. Save me from the power of the dog, and from the lion's mouth. This seems to be meant of Satan. that old enemy, that bruised the heel of the seed of the woman, the prince ot this world, with whom he was to engage in close combat, and. whom he saw coming, Jno. xiv. 30. Lord, save me from being overpowered by his terrors. He pleads, " Thou hast" formerly "heard me from the norns of the unicorn," that is, saved me from him in answer to my prayer. Which may refer to the victory Cnrist had obtained over Satan, and his temptations, Mat. iv., when the devil left him for a season, Lu. iv. 13, but now returned in another manner to attack him with his terrors. Lord, thou gavest me the victory then, give it me now, that 1 may spoil principalities and powers, and cast out the prince of this world. Has God delivered us from the horns of the unicorn, that we be not tossed? Let that encourage us to hope that we shall be delivered from the lion's mouth, that we be not torn. He that has delivered doth and will. This prayer of Christ no doubt was answered, for the Father heard him always ; and, though he did not deliver him from death, yet he suffered him not to see corruption, but the third day raised him out of the dust of death, which was a greater instance of God's favour to him than if he had helped him down from the cross ; for that would have baulked his undertaking, whereas his resurrection crowned it. In singing this we should meditate on the sufferings and resurrection of Christ, till we experience in our own souls the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings. 22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren : In the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. 23 Ye that fear the Lord, praise him ; All ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him , And fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. 24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted ; Neither hath he hid his face from him ; But when he cried unto him, he heard. 25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation : I will pay my vows before them that fear him. 100 PSALM XXII. 26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied : They shall praise the Lord that seek him : Your heart shall live for ever. 27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord : [thee. And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before 28 For the kingdom is the Lord's : And he is the governor among the nations. 29 All they that he fat upon earth shall eat and worship : All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him : And none can keep alive his own soul. 30 A seed shall serve him ; It shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness Unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. The same that began the psalm complaining, who was no other than Christ ii his humiliation, •ends it here triumphing, and it can be no other than Cnrist it his exaltation. And, as the first words of the complaint were used by Chris! himself upon the cross, so the first words of the triumph are expressly applied to him, Heb. ii. 12, and are made his own words : " I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. The cer tain prospect which Christ had of the joy set before him not only gave him a satisfactory answer to his prayers, but turned his complaints into praises.- He saw of the travail of his soul and was well satisfied ; witness that triumphant word wherewith he breathed his last, " It is finished." Five things are here spoken of, the view of which was the satisfaction and triumph of Christ in his sufferings. First. That he should have a church in the world, and those that were given him from eternity should, in the fulness of time, be gathered in to him.. This is implied here, that he should see his seed, Isa. liii. 1Q. It pleased him to think, l'. That by the declaring of God's name, that is, by the preaching of the^ajt lasting Gospel in its plainness and purity, many should be effectually called to him and to God by him. And for this end ministers should be employed # . publish this doctrine to the world, who should be so much his messengers and his voice, that their doing it should be accounted his doing it ; their word is his, and by them he declares God's name. 2. That those who are thus calli should be brought into a very near and dear relation to him, as his bretl for he is not only not ashamed, but greatly well pleased to call them so ; ai. ^believing Jews only, his countrymen, but those of the Gentiles also, who bee: fellow heirs, and of the same body, Heb. ii. 11. Christ is our elder brother, takes care of us, and makes provision for us, and expects that our desire Bhi be towards him, and that we be willing he should rule over us. 3. That 4L_ brethren of his should be incorporated into a congregation, a great congrega tion. Such is the universal church, the whole family that is named from lum. into which all the children of God that were scattered abroad are collected, liifflj in which they are united, Jno. xi. 52; Eph. i. 10. And that they should also mj incorporated into lesser societies, members of that great body, many religions: assemblies for Divine worship, on which the face of Christianity should appeST and in which the interests of it should be supported and, advanced. 4. Thai these should be accounted the seed of Jacob and Israel, ver. 23 ; that on them, though Gentiles, the blessing of Abraham might come, Gal. iii. 14 ; and to them might pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenant, and the service of God,iai much as ever it did to Israel according to the flesh, Rom. ix. 4; Heb. Viii. '10. The Gospel church is called the Israel of God, Gal. vi. 6. Secondly. That God should be greatly honoured and glorified in him by that church. His Father's glory was that which he had in his eye throughout his whole undertaking, Jno. xvii. 4, particularly in his sufferings, which he entered upon with this solemn request, Father, glorify thy name, Jno. xii. 27, 28. Hi foresees with pleasure,^ >1 1. That God would be glorified by the church that should be gatheredto himj" and for that end they should be called and gathered in, that they might be unto PSALM XXII. 101 God for a name and a praise. Christ by his ministers will declare God's name to his brethren, as God's mouth to them ; and then by them, as the mouth of the congregation to ^od, will God's name be praised. All that fear the Lord will praise him, ver. gs.even every Israelite indeed : see Ps. cxviii. 2—4 ; cxxxv. 1 9, 20. The business of Christians, particularly in their solemn religious assemblies, is to praise and glorify God, with a holy awe and reverence of his majesty; and therefore they that are here vcalled upon to praise God are called upon to fear him. 2, That God would be glorified in the Redeemer, and in his undertaking. Therefore Christ is said to praise God in the church, not only because he is the Master of the assemblies in which God is praisedj and the Mediator of all the praises that Are offered up to God, but because he is the matter of the church's praise : see Eph. iii. 21. All our praises must centre in the work of redemption, and a great leal of reason we have to be thankful, 1st. That Jesus Christ was ownedby hia Father in his undertaking, notwithstanding the apprehension he was sometimes under that his Father had forsaken him \ ver. 24, " For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted" one, that is, of the Buffering Redeemer ; but has graciously accepted it as a full satisfaction for sin, and a valuable consideration on which to ground the grant of eternal life to all believers. Though it was offered to us poor sinners, he did not despise or abhor it for our sakes, nor did he turn hist face from him that offered it, as Saul was angry with his own son, because he interceded for David, whom he looked upon as nis enemy. But when he cried unto him, when his blood cried for peace and pardon for us, he heard him. This, as it is the matter of our rejoicing, ought to be the matter of our thanksgiving. Those who have thought their prayers slighted and unheard, yet, if they continue to pray and wait, will find,they have not sought in vain. 2nd. That he himself will go on with his undertaking and Complete it. Christ saith, " I will pay my vows," ver. 25. Having engaged to bring many sous to glory, he will perform his engagement to the utmost, and will lose none. Thirdly. That all humble gracious souls should have_ a full satisfaction and happiness in him, ver. 26. It comforted the Lord Jesus in his sufferings, that in and through him all true believers should have everlasting consolation. 1 . The poor in spirit shall be rich in blessings, spiritual blessings ; the hungry shall be filled with good things. Christ's sacrifice being accepted, the saints shall feast upon the sacrifice, as under the law upon the peace offerings, and so partake of the altar. "Tne meek shall eat and be satisfied," eat of the bread of life, feed with an appetite upon the doctrine of Christ's mediation ; which is meat and drink to the soul that knows its own nature and case. They that hunger and thirst after righteousness in Christ shall have all they can desire to satisfy them, and make them easy, and shall not labour as they have done for that which satisfieth not. 2. They that are much in praying shall be much in thanks giving. " They shall praise the Lord that seek him," because through Christ they are sure of finding1 him ; in the hofcies of which they have reason to praise him, even while they are seeking him. And the more earnest they are in seeking him, the more will their hearts be enlarged in his praises when they have found him. 3. The souls that are devoted to him shall be for ever happy with him ; "Your heart Bhall live for ever." Yours that are meek, that are satisfied in Christ, that continue to seek God, whatever becomes of your bodies, your hearts shall live for ever ; the graces and comforts you have shall be perfected in ever lasting life. Christ has said, "Because I live, you shall live also," Jno. xiv. 19; and therefore that life shall be as sure, and as lonjj as his. Fourthly. That the church of Christ, and with it the kingdom of God among men, should extend itself to all corners of the earth, and should take in all sorts of people. 1. That it should reach far, ver. 27, 28. That whereas the Jews had long been the only professing people of God, now "all the ends of the world should" come into the church, and, the partition wall being taken down, the Gentiles should be taken in. It is here prophesied, 1st. That they should be converted; They shall "remember and turn to the Lord." Note, Serious reflection is the first step, and a good step it is towards true conversion. "We must consider and turn. The prodigal came first to himself, and then to his father. 2nd. That then they should De ^admitted into communion with God, and with the assem blies that serve him; "They shall worship before thee," for "in every place incense shall be offered to God," Mai. i. 11 ; Isa. lxvi. 23. Those that turn to God will make conscience of worshipping before him. And good reason there is why all the kindreds of the nations should do homage to God, for, ver. 28, "The kingdom is the Lord's;" his, and his only, is the universal monarchy. First The kingdom of nature is the Lord Jehovah's, and his providence rules among the nations, and upon that account we are bound to worship him; so that the design of the Christian religion is to revive natural religion, and the .principles nnrl lnws nf it Christ Hipd tn hrinu- n<* tn God. thfi finH that made us, fror allegiance. 102 PSALM XXIII. Secondly. The kingdom of grace is the Lord Christ's, and he, as Mediator, is appointed governor among the nations ; head over all things to his church. Let every tongue therefore confess that he is Lord. 2. That it should include many of different ranks, ver. 29 : high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, meet in Christ. 1st. Christ shall nave the homage of many of the great ones. " They that be fat upon earth," that live in pomp and power, they "shall eat and worship;" even they that fare deliciously, when they have eaten and are full, shall Dless the Lord their God for their plenty and prosperity. 2nd. The poor also shall receive his Gospel. Those that go down to the dust, that sit in the dust, Ps. cxiii. 7, that can scarce keep life and soul together, they shall bow before the Lord Jesus, who reckons it his honour to be the poor man's King, Ps. lxxii. 12 ; and whose protection doth in a special manner draw their allegiance. Or this may be understood in general of dying men, whether poor or rich. See then what is our condition : we are going down to the dust, to which we are sentenced, and where shortly we must make our bed : nor can we keep alive our own souls, we cannot secure our own natural life long ; nor can we oe the authors of our own spiritual and eternal life. It is, therefore, our great interest, as well as duty, to bow before the Lord Jesus,, to give up ourselves to him to be Ms subjects, and worshippers ; for this is the only way, and it is a sure way, to secure our happiness, when we go down to the dust. Seeing we cannot keep alive our own souls, it is our wisdom by an obedient faith to commit our souls to Jesus Christ, who is able to save tnera, and keep them alive for ever. Fifthly. That the church of Christ, and with it the kingdom of God among men, shall continue to the end through all the ages of time. Mankind is kept up in a succession of generations; so that there is always a generation passing away, and a generation coming up. Now, as Christ shall nave honour from that which is passing away, and leaving the world? ver. 29, they that go down to the dust shall bow before him j and it is good to die bowing before Cnrist. Blessed are the dead who thus die in the Lord ; so he shall have honour from that which is rising up and setting out in the world, ver. 30. Observe, 1. Their application to Christ; "A seed shall serve him," that is, shall keep up the solemn worship of him, and profess and practise obedience to him as « their Master and Lord. Note, God will have a church in the world to the end! of time; and, in order to that, there shall be a succession of professing Chris-! tians, and Gospel ministers, from generation to generation. "A seed shall* serve him," that is, there shall be a remnant more or less to whom shall pertain the service of God, and to whom God will give grace to serve him. Perhaps not the seed of the same persons, for grace doth not run in a blood ; he doth not say their seed, but a seed. Perhaps but few, yet enough to preserve the entail. . 2. Christ's acknowledgment of them ; " They shall be accounted to him for a generation," that is, he will be the same to them that he was to those who went before them. His kindness to his friends shall not die with them, but shall be drawn out to their heirs and successors ; and instead of the fathers shall be the children, whom all shall acknowledge to be " a seed that the Lord bath blessed," Isa. lxi. 9; lxv. 23. The generation of the righteous God will graciously own aj his treasure, his children. 3. Their agency for him ; ver. 31, " They shall come," shall rise up in their ; day, not only to keep up the virtue of the generation that is past, and to dot' work of their own generation ; but to serve the honour of Christ, and t- welfare of souls in the generations to come. They shall transmit to them tnl < Gospel of Christ (that sacred depositum) pure and entire, even "to a people ? that shall be born" hereafter ; to them they shall declare two things : Jst. That1! there is an everlasting righteousness, which Jesus Christ hath brought in. This * righteousness of his, and not any of our own, they shall declare to be the foundation of all our hopes, and the fountain of all our joys: see^om. i. 16, 17. 2nd. That the work of our redemption by Christ is the Lord's own doing, ^ Ps. cxviii. 23; and no contrivance of ours. This we must declare to oar children, 'that God has done this." It is his wisdom in a mystery, it is his arm revealed. In singing this, we must triumph in the name of Christ, as above every names must give him honour ourselves ; rejoice in the honours others do him, and in . the assurance we have that there shall be a people praising him on earth wheD we are praising him in heaven. * PSALM XXIII. Many of David's psalms are full of complaints, but this is full of comforts, and tb« expressions of delight in God's great goodness and dependence upon him. It in psalm which has been sung by good Christians, and will be while the world standi, PSALM XXIII. 103 with a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction. I. The psalmist here claims relation to % God as his shepherd, ver. 1. II. He recounts his experience of the kind things God had done for him, as his shepherd, ver. 2, 3, 5. III. From hence he infers, that he should want no good, ver. 1 ; that he needed to fear no evil, ver. 4 ; that he would never leave or forsake him in a way of mercy, and therefore he resolves never to leave or forsake God in the way of duty, ver. 6 ; and in this certainly he has an eye, not only to the blessings of God's providence, which made his outward condition prosperous, but to the communications of God's grace, received by a lively faith, and returned in a warm devotion, which fills his soul with joy unspeakable ; and, as in the foregoing psalm he represented Christ dying for his sheep, so here he represents Christians receiving the benefit of all the care and tenderness of that great and good Shepherd. A Psalm of David. THE Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures : He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul : [name's sake. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of I will fear no evil : for thou art with me ; [death, Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine Thou anointest my head with oil ; [enemies : My cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life : And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. From three very comfortable premises, David in this psalm draws three very comfortable conclusions, and teaches us to do so too. We are saved by hope, and therefore that hope will not make us ashamed, because it is well grounded. It is the duty of Christians to encourage themselves in the Lord their God; and we are here directed to take that encouragement, both from the relation wherein he stands to us, and from the experience we have had of his goodness according to that relation. First. From God's being his Shepherd he infers that he shall not want any thingthat is good for him. ver. 1. See here, 1. The great care that God takes of believers. He is their Shepherd, and they may call him so. Time was when David was himself a shepherd, he was taken from following the ewes great with young, Ps. lxxviii. TO ; and so he knew by experience the cares and tender affections of a good shepherd towards his . flock ; he remembered what need they had of a shepherd, and what a kindness it was to them to have one that was skilful and faithful : he once ventured his life to rescue a lamb. By this, therefore, he illustrates God's care of his people ; and to this our Saviour seems to refer, when he saith, " I am the Shepherd or the sheep j the good Shepherd," Jno. x. 11. He that is the Shepherd of Israel, that is, of the whole church in general, Ps. lxxx. 1, is the Shepherd of every particular believer; the meanest is not below his cognizance, Isa. xl. 11. He takes them into his fold, and then takes care of them : protects them, and pro vides for them with more care and constancy than a shepherd can, that makes it his business to keep theiiock. If God be as a Shepherd to us, we must be as sheep, inoifensive, meek and quiet, silent before the shearers, nay, and before the butcher too, useful and sociable ; we must know the Shepherd's voice, and follow him. 2. The great confidence which believers have in God. If the Lord is my Shepherd, my feeder, I may conclude, "I shall not want" any thing that 19 really necessary and good for me. If David penned this psalm before his coming to the crown, though destined to it, he had as much reason to fear wanting as any man. Once he sent his men a begging for him to Nabalt and another time went himself a begging to Ahimelech ; and yet, when he considers that God is his Shepherd, he can boldly say, " I shall not want." Let not those fear Btarving that are at God's finding, and have him for tljeir feeder. More is 104 PSALM XXIIL implied than is expressed ; not only "I shall not want," but I shall be supplied with whatever I need; and if I have not every thing I desire, I may conclude it is either not fit for me, or not good for me, or I shall have it in due time. Secondly. From his performing the office of a good Shepherd to him, he infers that he needs not fear any 6vil in the greatest dangers and difficulties he could be in, ver. 2—4. He experienceth the benefit of God's presence with him, and care of him now, and therefore expects the benefit of them when he most needs it. See here, 1. The comforts of a living saint. God is his Shepherd, and he is to him a God all-sufficient to all intents and purposes; David found him so, and so have we. See the happiness of the saints as the sheep of God's pasture. 1st. They are well placed, well laid; "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures." "We have the supports and comforts of this life from God's gqpxL hand; our daily bread from him as our Father. The greatest abundance is Bui a dry pasture to a wicked man, who relisheth that only in it which pleaseth the senses; but to a godly man, who tasteth the goodness of God in all his enjoy ments, and by faith relisheth that, though he has but little of the world, it is Jj9 him a green pasture, Ps. xxxvii. 16; Pr. xv. 16, 17. God's ordinances are tnen green pastures, in which food is provided for all believers ; the word of life is the nourishment of the new man. It is milk for babes, pasture for the sheep; never barren, never eaten bare, never parched, but always a green pasture $r faith to feed in.. God makes his saints to lie down, that is, he gives them quiet and contentment in their own minds, whatever their lot is ; their souls dwell at ease in him, and that makes every pasture green. Are we blessed with the green pastures of the ordinances, let us not think it enough to pass through them, but let us lie down in them, abide in them ; This is my rest for ever. It is by a constancy of the means of grace that the soul is fed. J| 2nd. They are well guided, well led. The Shepherd of Israel guideth Josepni like a flock; and every believer is under the same conduct: "He leadeth nje, beside the still waters." Those that feed on God's goodness, must follow his direction ; he leads them by his providence, by his Word, by his Spirit, disposetrci their affairs for the best according to his counsel ^'disposeth their affections^ and actions according to his command ; directs their eye, their way, and their heart into his love. The still waters by which he leads them yield them not only a pleasant prospect, but many a cooling draught, many a reviving cordial, when they are thirsty and weary. God provides for his people, not only food and rest, but refreshment also and pleasure. The consolations of God, the joys of the Holy Ghost, are these still waters by which the saints are led; streams which flow from the fountain of living waters, and make glad the city of our God. God leads his people, not to the standing. waters which corrupt and gather filth, not to the troubled sea, nor to the rapid, rolling floods, but. t to the silent, purling waters; for the still but running waters agree best with-',' those spirits that flow out towards God, and yet do it silently. This Divine v conduct they are -under is stripped of its metaphor; ver. 3, " He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness," that is, in the way of my duty, in that he instructs me by his word, and directs me by conscience and providence. These are the, paths in which all the saints desire to' be led and kept, and never to turn aside out of them ; and those only are led by the still waters of comfort that walk in the paths of righteousness. The way of duty is the truly pleasant way ; it is the work of righteousness that is peace. In these paths we cannot walk,- unless God both lead us into them and lead us in them. 3rd. They are well helped when any thing ails them ; " He restoreth my soul,".^ that is, First. He reduceth me when I wander. No creature will lose itself sooner than a sheen, so apt it is to go astray, and then so unapt to find the way .,' back. The best saints are sensible of their proneness to "go astray like lost sheep;"Ps. cxix. 176. They miss their way, and turn aside into bypaths; but when God shews them their error, gives them repentance, and brings them back to their duty a^ain, he restoreth the soul ; and if he did riot do so they would wander endlessly, and be undone. When after one sin David's heart smote him, and after another Nathan was sent to tell him, " Thou art the man," God restored his soul. Though God may suffer his people to fall into sin, he will not suffer them to lie still in it. Secondly. He recovereth me when I am sick, and revives me when I am faint: and so restores the soul' which was ready to_ depart. He is the Lord our God that healeth us, Ex. xv. 26 ; many a time we had fainted unless we had believed; and it was the good Shepherd that kept us from fainting. , 2. See here the courage of a dying saint, ver. 4. Having had such experience of God's goodness to me all my days, in six troubles and in seven, I will never distrust him, no, not in the last extremity. The rather, because all he has done^6 for me hitherto was not for any merit or desert of mine, but purely fur his name's sake ; in pursuance of his word, m performance of his promise, and for the glory of his own attributes, and relations to hjs people. That name, therefore, shall stilj be my strong tower, and shall assure me that he that has PSALM XXIII. 105 ledine and fed me all my life long will not leave me at last. Here is, 1st. Imminent danger supposed ; " Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death;" that is, though I am in peril of death, though in the midst of dangers, deep as a valley, dark as a shadow, and dreadful as death itself,— or, rather, though I am under the arrests of death, have received the sentence of death within myself .and have all the reason in the world to look upon myself as a dying man, — yet I am easy. Those that are sick, those that are old, nave reason to look upon themselves as "in the valley of the shadow of death." Here is one word indeed which sounds terrible,— it is death ; which we must all count upon,— there is no discharge in that war. But even in the supposition of the distress, there are four words which lessen the terror. It is death indeed that is before us ; but, First. It is but the shadow of death, there is no substantial evil in it ; the shadow of a serpent will not sting, nor the shadow of a sword kill. Secondly. It is the valley of the shadow, deep indeed, and dark, and dirty, but the valleys are fruitful ; and so is death itself fruitful of comforts to God's people. Thirdly. It is but a walk in this valley, a gentle, pleasant walk. The wicked are chased out of the world, and their souls are required ; but the saints take a walk to another world as cheerfully as they take their leave of this. Fourthly. It is a walk through it ; they shall not be lost in this valley, but get safe to the mountain of spices on the other side it. 2nd. This danger made light of and triumphed over upon good grounds. Death is a king of terrors, but not to the sheep of Christ ; they tremble at it no more than sheep do that "are appointed for the slaughter." Even in "the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil," none of these things move me. Note, A child of God may meet the messengers of death, and receive its summons with a holy security and serenity of mind. The sucking child may play upon the hole of this asp ; and the weaned child, that through grace is weaned from this world, may put his hand upon this cockatrice's den, bidding a holy defiance to death, as Paul, " O death, w here is thy sting ? " And there is ground enough for this confidence, First. Because there is no evil in it to a child of God. Death cannot separate us from the love of God, and therefore it can do us no real harm ; it kills the body, but cannot touch the soul. And what need it be dreadful, when there is nothing in it hurtful ? Secondly. Because the saints have God's gracious presence with them in their dying moments. He is then at their right hand, and therefore what need they be moved ? The good Shepherd will not only conduct, but convey his sheep through this valley, where they are in danger of being set upon by the beasts of prey, the evening wolves ; he will not only convey them, but comfort them then when they most need comfort. His presence shall comfort them, "Thou art with me;" his "Word and Spirit shall comfort them ; his rod and staff, alluding to the shepherd's crook, or the rod under which the sheep passed when they were counted, Lev. xxvii. 32; or the staff with which the shepherds drove away the dogs that would scatter or worry the sheep. It is a comfort to the saints when they come to die that God takes cognizance of them, he knows them that are his ; that he will rebuke the enemy ; that he will guide them with his rod, and sustain them with his staff. The Gospel is called the rod of Christ's strength, Ps. ex. 2; and there is enough in that to comfort the saints when they come to die, and underneath them are the everlasting arms. Thirdly. From the good gifts of God's bounty to him now he infers the constancy and perpetuity of his mercy, ver. 5, G. Where we may observe, 1. How highly he magnifies God's gracious vouchsafements to him ; ver. 5, " Thou hast prepared a table before me ; " thou hast provided for me all things pertaining both to life and godliness ; all things requisite both for body and soul, for time and eternity. Such a bountiful benefactor is God to all his people ; and it becomes them abundantly to utter his great goodness, as David here, who acknowledgeth, 1st. That he had food convenient, a table spread, a cup filled, meat for his hunger, drink for his thirst. 2nd. That he had it carefully and readily provided for him. His table was not spread with any thing that came next to hand, but prepared, and prepared before him. 3rd. , That he was not stinted, was not straitened, but nad abundance ; " My cup runB over j" enough for myself and my friends too. 4th. That he had not only for necessity, but for ornament and delight. " Thou anointest my head with oil." Samuel anointed him king, which was a certain pledge of farther favour ; but this is rather an instance of the plenty with which God had blessed him ; or an allusion to the extraordinary entertainment of special friends, whose heads they anointed with oil, Lu. vii. 46. Nay, some think, he still looks upon himself as a sheep, but such a one as the poor man's ewe lambj 2 Sam. xii. 3, that did "eat of His own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom." Not only thus nobly, but thus tenderly, are the children of God looked after. Plentiful provision is made for their bodies, for their souls, for the life that now is, and for that which is to come. If Providence do not bestow upon us thus plentifully for our natural life, it is our own fault if it be not made up to us in spir' 106 PSALM XXIV. 2. How confidently he counts upon the continuance of God's favours, ver, 6, He had said4 ver. 1, 'rl shall not want," but now he speaks more positively, more comprehensively: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." His hone riseth, and his faith is strengthened by being, acted. Observe, 1st. What he promiseth himself. " Goodness and mercy ; " that is, al] the streams of it flowing from the fountain ; pardoning mercy, protecting mercy, sustaining, supplying mercy. 2nd. The manner of the conveyance of it. It " snail follow me, as the water out of the rock followed the camp of Israel through the wilderness; it shall follow them into all places and all conditions, shall be always ready to them. 3rd. The continuance of it. It shall follow me all my life long, even to the last ; for whom God loves he loves to' the end. 4th. The constancy of it. "All the days of my life," as duly as the day comes; it shall be new every morning, Lam. in. 22, 23 ; like the manna that was given to the Israelites daily. 5th. The certainty of it. " Surely" it shall. It is as sure as the promise of the God of truth can make it \ and we know whom we have believed. 6th. Here is a prospect of the perfection of bliss in the future state. so some take the latter clause. Goodness and mercy having followed me all the days of my life on this earth, when that is ended, I shall remove to a better world, to " dwell in the house of the Lord for ever," in our Father's house above, where there are many mansions. '"With what I have, 1 am pleased much; with what I hope for, more.' All this, and heaven too! Then we serve' a gpod Master. ( . 3. How resolutely he determines to cleave to God and to his duty. "We read the last clause as David's covenant with God ; " I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever," that is, as long as I live, and I will praise him while I have any being. We must dwell in his house as servants that desire to have their ears bored to his door-post, to serve him for ever. If God's goodness to us be like the morning light, which shines more and more to the perfect day. let noi ours to him be like the morning cloud and the early dew that passetn away. Those that would be satisfied with the fatness of God's house must keep close to the duties of it. PSALM XXIV. This psalm is concerning the kingdom of Jesus Christ. I. His providential kingdom, by which he rules the world, 1, 2. II. The kingdom of grace, hy which he rules in his church. 1. Concerning the subjects of that kingdom; their character, ver. 8, 4, 6; their charter, ver. 5. 2. Concerning the king of that kingdom, and a summons to all to give him admission, ver. 7 — 10. It is supposed that the psalm was penned upon occasion of David's bringing up the ark to the place prepared for it ; and that the intention of it was to lead the people above the pomp of external ceremonies to a holy life and faith in Christ, of whom the ark was a type. A Psalm of David. THE earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof ; The world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the floods. Here is, First. God's absolute propriety in this part of the creation, where our lot is cast, ver. 1. we are not to think that "the heavens, even the heavens" only, " are the Lord's," and the numerous and bright inhabitants of the upper; world ; and that this earth, being so small and inconsiderable a part of thsj creation, and at such a distance from the royal palace above, is neglected, and that he claims no interest in it. No, even the earth is his, and this lower world ; and though he has prepared the throne of his glory in the heavens, yet his kingdom ruleth over all ; and even the worms of this earth are not below his cognizance, .nor from under his dominion. 1 . "When God gave the earth to the qhildren of men, he still reserved to him self the property, and only let it out to them as tenants or usufructuaries. "The.earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof ;" the mines that are lodged*; in the bowels of it, even the richest ; the fruits it produceth ; all the beasts of the forest, and the cattle upon a thousand hills ; our lands and nouses, and all the imprdvements that are made of this earth by the skill and industry of man; they are all his. These indeed, in the kingdom of grace, are justly looked upon as emptiness, for they are vanity of vanities, nothing to a soul ; but in the king dom of providence they are fulness. "The earth is full of God's riches, sou the great and wide sea also.'/ All the partB and regions of the earth are the Lord s, all under his eye, all in his hand, so that wherever a child of God goes he may comfort himself with this, that he dothnot go off his lather's ground* PSALM XXIV. 107 That which falls to our share of the earth and its products is but lent to us ; it is the Lord's ; what is our own against all the world is not so against his claims. That whicji is most remote from us, as that which passeth through the paths of the sea, or is hid in the bottom of it, is the Lord's ; and he knows where to find it. 2. The habitable part of this earth is his in a special manner ; Pr. viii. 31, "The world, and they that dwell therein." We ourselves are not our own,— our - bodies, our souls, are not ; " All souls are mine," saith God ; for he is the former of our bodies, and the father of our spirits. Our tongues are not our own ; they are to be at his service. Even those of the children of men are his that know him not, nor own their relation to him. Now this comes in here to shew that, though God is graciously pleasedto accept the devotions and services of his peculiar chosen people, ver. 3 — 5, it is not because he needs them, or can be benefited by them, for the earth is his, and all in it, Ex. xix. 5; Ps. 1. 12. It is likewise to' be applied to the dominion Christ hath as Mediator over the utmost parts of the earth, which are ^iven him for his possession. "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand,— power over all flesh." The apostle quotes this scripture twice together, in his discourse about things offered to idols, I Cor. x. 26, 28. If it be sold in the shambles, eat it, and ask no questions, " for the earth is the Lord's ; " it is God's good creature, and you have a right to it ; but if one tell you, it was offered to an idol, forbear, for the earth is the Lord's," and there is enough beside. This is a good reason why we should be content with our allotment in this world, and not envy others theirs; "the earth is the Lord's," and may he not do what he will with his own, and Wive to some more of it, to others less, as it pleaseth him ? ' Secondly. The ground of this propriety. The earth is his by an indisputable title; "for he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods," ver. 2. It is his ; for, 1. He made it, formed it, founded it, and fitted it for the use of man. The matter his; for he made it out of nothing. The form his: for he made it according to the eternal counsels and ideas of his own mind. He made it himself; he made it for himself; so that he is sole, entire, and absolute owner; and none can let us a title to any part of it but by, from, and under him : see Ps. Ixxxix. 11, 12. 2. He made it so as no one else could. It is the creature of Omnipotence : for it is founded upon the seas, upon the floods; a weak and unstable foundation, one would think, to build the earth upon ; and yet, if Almighty Power pleaseth, it shall serve to bear the weight of this eartn. The waters which at first covered the earth, and rendered it unfit to be a habitation for man, were ordered under it, that the dry land might appear, and so they are as a foundation to it : see Ps. civ. 8, 9. 3. He continues it,; he hath established it, fixed it, so that, though one generation passeth and another cometh, the earth abideth, Eccl. i. 4; and his providence is a con tinued creation, Ps. cxix. 90. The founding of the earth upon the floods should mind us how slippery and uncertain all earthly things are. Their foundation is not only sand, but water ; it is therefore our folly to build upon them. 3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? Or "who shall stand in his holy place ? 4 He that hatli clean hands, and a pure heart ; Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, That seek thy face, 0 Jacob. Selah. From this world, and the fulness thereof, the psalmist's meditations rise of a sudden to the great things of another world, the foundation of which is not on the seas, nor on the floods. The things of this world God hath given to the children of men, and we are much indebted to his providence for them; but they will not make a portion for us. And. therefore. First. Here is an inquiry after better things,' ver. 3. This earth is God's foot stool : but, if we had never so much of it, we must be here but a whde, must shortly go hence, and " Who then shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?" Who shall go to heaven hereafter, and, as an earnest of that, shall have com- 'munion with God in holy ordinances now? A soul that knows and considers its own nature, original, and immortality* when it has viewed the earth and the /ulness tu— -¦" -¦ — •*"""¦-- '¦¦'¦' "-' ""' ~— '¦ ~"-1 """7- "' "—-ig all the 108 PSALM XXIV. creatures a help meet for man, and therefore it will think of ascending towards God, towards heaven ; will ask, What shall I do to rise to that high place, that hill where the Lord dwells, and manifests himself, that I may be acquainted with him ; and to abide in that happy, holy place where he meets his people, and makes them holy and happy? What shall I do that I may be of those whom God owns for his peculiar people, and who are his in another manner than the earth is his and its fulness? This question is much the same with that Ps. xv. 1. The hill of Zion, on which the temple was built, typified the church both visible and invisible. When the people attended the ark to its holy place, David puts them in mind that these were but patterns of heavenly things, and therefore by them they should be led to consider the heavenly things themselves. Secondly. An answer to this inquiry. In which we have, 1. The property of God's peculiar people, who shall have communion with him in grace and glory. 1st. They are such as keep themselves from all the gross acts of sin. They have clean hands ; not spotted with the pollutions of the world and the flesh. None that were ceremonially unclean might enter into the mountain of the temple, which signified that cleanness of conversation which is required in all those that have fellowship with God. The hands lifted up in prayer must be Sure hands ; no blot of unjust gain cleaving to theip, nor any thing else that efiles the man, and is offensive to the holy God. 2nd. They are such as make conscience of being really, that is, of being inwardly, as good as they seem to be outwardly. They have pure hearts. And we make nothing of our religion if we do not make heart-work of it. It is not that our hands be clean before men, but we must also wash our hearts from wickedness, and not allow ourselves in any secret heart-impurities, which are open before the eye of God. Yet in vain do those pretend to have pure and good hearts whose hands are defiled with the acts of sin. That is a pure, heart which is sincere and without guile in covenanting with God; which is carefully guarded, that the wicked one, the unclean spirit, touch it not ; whichV is purified by faith, and conformed to the image and will of God : see Mat. v. 8. 3rd. They are such as do not set their affections upon the things of this world; that do not lift up their souls unto vanity; whose hearts are .not carried out inordinately towards the wealth of the world, the praise of men, or the delights of sense ; who do not choose these things for their portion, nor reach forth after them, because they believe them to be vanity, uncertain, and unsatisfying. 4th. They are such as deal honestly both with God and man. In their cove nant, with God, and their contracts with men, they have not sworn deceitfully, not broken their promises, violated their engagements, or taken any false oath. Those that have no regard to the obligations of truth, or the honour of God's name, are unfit for a place in God's holy hill. 5th. They are a praying people; ver. 6, " This is the generation of them that seek him." In every age there is a remnant of such as these, men of this character, that are accounted to the Lord for a generation," Ps. xxii. 30 ; dnd they are such as "seek God, that seek thy face, O Jacob ! First. Theyjqin themselves to God to seek him; not only in earnest prayer, but in seri6lUb endeavour to obtain his favour, and keep themselves in "his love; that havil|™ made it the top of their happiness, make it the top of their ambition, to 1|| accepted of him, and therefore take care and take pains to approve themselves* to him. It is to the hill of the Lord that we must ascend ; and, the way befg9 uphill, we have need to put forth ourselves to the utmost as those that seeP diligently. Secondly. They join themselves to the people of God, to seek God with them. Being brought into communion with God, they come into the com munion of saints ; conforming to the patterns of the saints that are gone before, so some understand this. They seek God's face as Jacob, so some, who waM therefore sirnamed Israel, because he wrestled with God and prevailedSB sought him and found him. And associating with the saints of their own dfp they shall court the favour of God's church, Rev. iii. 9 ; shall be glad of w acquaintance with God's people. Zee. viii. 23 ; shall incorporate themselves with them ; and, when they " subscribe with their hand to the Lord," shall " call themselves by the name of Jacob," Isa. xliv. 5. As soon as ever Paul was converted, he joined himself to the disciples, Acts ix. 26. They shall seek - God's face in Jacob, (so some,) that is, in the assemblies of his people ; ' Thy face, O God of Jacob,' so our margin supplies it, and makes it easy. As all believers are the spiritual seed of Abraham, so all that strive in prayer are the spiritual seed of Jacob ; to whom God never said, Seek ye me in vain. 2. The privileges of God'sjpeculiar people, ver. 5. They shall be made truly and for ever happy. 1st. They shall be blessed. They "shall receive thj blessing from the Lord," all the fruits and gifts of God's favour according his promise j and those whom God blesseth they are blessed indeed ; for It PSALM XXIV. 109 his prerogative to command the blessing. 2nd. They shall be justified and sanctified. These are the spiritual blessings in heavenly things, which they shall receive, even righteousness, the very thing they hunger anil thirst after, Mat v. 6. Righteousness is blessedness, and it is from God only that we must expect it; for we have no righteousness of our own. They shall receive the ; gives righteousness, he certainly designs salvation. Those that are made meet for heaven shall be brought safe to heaven, and then they will find what they have been seeking to their endless satisfaction. 7 Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates ; And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors : And the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory ? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates ; Even lift them up, ye everlasting doors ; And the King of glory shall come in, 10 Who is this King of glory ? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. What is spoken once is spoken a second time in these verses ; such repeti tions are usual in songs, and have a great deal of beauty in them. Here is, 1. Entrance once and again demanded for the King of glory.. The doors and fates are to be thrown open, thrown wide open, to give him admission ; for, ehold, he stands at the door, and knocks, ready to come in. 2. Inquiry once and again made concerning this mighty Prince, in whose name entrance is demanded ; " Who is this King of glory?" as when any knock at our door it is common to ask, Who is there ? 3. Satisfaction once and again given con cerning the royal person that makes the demand. It is "the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, the Lord of hosts," ver. 8, 10. Now, First. This splendid entry here described, it is probable, refers to the solemn bringing in of the ark into the tent David pitched for it, or the temple Solomon built for it ; for when David prepared materials for the building of it it was pro per enough for him to prepare a psalm for the dedication of it. The porters are called upon to open the doors, and they are called everlasting doors, because much more durable than the door of the tabernacle, which was but a curtain. They are taught to ask, " Who is this King of glory ? " and they that bare the ark thus to answer, and very fitly, because the ark was the symbol or token of God's presence, Jos. iii. 11. Or it may be taken as a poetical figure, designed to repre sent the thing the more affectingly. God in his word and ordinances is thus to be welcomed by us, 1. With great readiness. The doors and gates must be thrown opeh to him. Let the word of the Lord come into the innermost and uppermost place in our souls; and if we had six hundred necks we should bow them all to the authority of it. 2. With all reverence ; remembering how great a God he is with whom we have to do, in all our approaches to him. Secondly. Doubtless it points at Christ, of whom the ark with the mercy- seat was a type. 1. We may apply it to the ascension of Christ into heaven, and the welcome given to him there. When he had finished his work on earth, he ascended in the clouds of heaven, Dan. vii. 13, 14. The gates of heaven must then be opened to him ; those doors that may be truly called everlasting, which had been shut against us to keep the way of the tree of life, Gen. hi. 24. Our Redeemer found them shut; but, having by his blood made atonement for sin, and gained a title to enter into the holy place, Heb. ix. 12, as one having authority he demanded entrance, not for himself only, but for us ; for as the forerunner he is for us entered, and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. The keys, not only of hell and death, but of heaven and life, must be put into his hand. His approach being very magnificent, the angels are brought in asking, " Who is this King of glory ? *' for angels keep the gates of the new Jerusalem, Rev. xxi. 12. When the first begotten was brought into the upper world, the angels were to worship him, Heb. i. 6j and, accordingly, they here ask with wonder "" _ T - ". ? ~V^v _.\.*4. f^^.^ ^^Zz -a^-j,^ .^^^i,-.^.^ r..mm Bozrah, 110 PSALM XXV. Isa. Ixiii. 1—3; for he appears in that world as a Lamb that had been slain. It is answered. That he is strong and mighty ; mighty in battle to save his people, and subdue his and their enemies. _ 2. "We may apply it to Christ's entrance into the souls of men by his Word and Spirit, that they may be his temples. Christ's presence in them is like that of the ark in the temple, it sanctities them ; Behold, he stands at the door,,,; and knocks, Rev. iii. 20. It is required that the gates and doors of the hearty be opened to him ; not only as admission is given to a guest, but as possession!? is delivered to the rightful owner, after the title has been contested. This is thfe* Gospel call and demand, that we let Jesus Christ, the King of glory, come into our souls, and welcome him with hosannas, " Blessed is he that cometh." That we may do this aright, we are concerned to ask, " "Who this King of glory is?" to acquaint ourselves with him, whom we are to believe in, and to love above all. And the answer is ready : he is Jehovah, and will be Jehovah our righteousness, an all-sufficient Saviour to us, if we give him entrance and entertainment. He is strong and mighty, and the Lord of hosts ; and therefore it is at our peril if we deny him entrance, for he is able to avenge the affront; : he can force his way, and can break those in pieces with his iron rod that will not submit to his golden sceptre. In singing this, let our hearts cheerfully answer to this call, ,as it is in the first words of the next psalm, " Unto thee, 0 Lord, do I lift up my soul." PSALM XXV. ¦This psalm is full of devout affection to God ; the outgoings of holy desires towards his favour and grace, and the lively actings of faith in his promises. We may leam out of it, I. What it is to pray, ver. 1,15. II. What we must pray for : the pardon of sin, ver. 6, 7, 18 ; direction in the way of duty, ver. 4, 5 ; the favour of God, ver. 16 ; deliverance out of our troubles, ver. 17, 18; preservation from our enemies, ver. 20, 21; and the salvation of the church of God, ver. 22. III. What we may plead in prayer: our confidence in God, ver. 2, 3, 5, 20, 21 ; our distress, and the malice of our enemies, ver. 17, 19 ; our sincerity, ver. 21. IV. What precious promises we have to encourage us in prayer : of guidance and instruction, ver. 8, 9, 12 ; the benefit of the covenant^ ver. 10 ; and the pleasure of communion with God, ver. 13, 14. It is easy to apply thel several passages of this psalm to ourselves in the singing of it;' for we have often troubles, and always sins, to complain of at the throne of grace. A Psalm of David. UNTO thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, I trust in thee : Let me not be ashamed, Let not mine enemies triumph over me. 3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed : Let them be ashamed which transgress without cause., 4 Shew me thy ways, O Lord ; Teach me thy paths. 5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me : For thou art the God of my salvation ; On thee do I wait all the day. 6 Kemember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovirig- For they have been ever of old. [kindnesses! 7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgres- According to thy mercy remember thou me ' [sionsj For thy goodness' sake, O Lord. *! Here is. First. David's professions of desire towards God, and dependence on him. Ho often begins his psalms with such professions ; not to move God,"'; but to move himself, and to engage himself to answer those professions '-' 1. He professeth his desire towards God ; " Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up PSALM XXY. Ill my soul* ver. 1. In the foregoing psalm, ver. 4, it was made the character of a good man, that he has not lifted uprhis soul to vanity ; and a call was given to the everlasting gates to lift up their heads for the King of glory to come in, ver. I. To which character, to which call, David here answers, Lord, I lift up my soul; not to vanity, but to thee. Note, In worshipping God, we must lift up our souls to him. Prayer is the ascent of the soul to God; God must be eyed, and the soul employed; sursum corda,— up with your hearts/ was anciently used as a call to devotion. With a holy contempt of the world, and the things of it, by a fixed thought, and active faith, we must set God before us, and let out our desires towards him as the fountain of our happiness. His creature; and that he had no diffidence of God, or of his power or promise. He pleaseth himself with this profession of faith in God ; having put nis trust in God, he is easy, is well satisfied, and quiet from the fear of evil. And he pleads it with God. whose honour it is to help those that honour him, by trusting in him. What men put a confidence in is either their joy or their shame, according as it proves. Now David here, under the direction of faith, prays earnestly, 1st. That shame might not be his lot. Let me not be ashamed of my confidence in thee ; let me not be shaken from it by any prevailing fears, and let me not be in the issue disappointed of what I depend upon thee for: but, Lord, keep what I have committed unto thee. Note, If we make our con fidence in Goof our stay, it shall not be our shame ; and if we triumph in him, our enemies shall not triumph over us, as they would if we should now sink under our fears, or should in the issue come short of our hopes. 2nd. That it might not be the lot of any other that trusted in God. All the saints have obtained a like precious faith; and, therefore, doubtless, it will be alike suc cessful in the issue. And thus the communion of saints is kept up, even by their praying one for another. True saints will make supplication for afl saints. It is certain, none that by a believing attendance wait on God, and by a believing hope wait for him, shall be made ashamed of it. 3rd. That it might be the lot of the transgressors ; "Let them be ashamed that transgress without cause," or vainly, as the word is. First Upon no provocation. They revolt from God and their duty, from David and his government, so some, without any occasion given them ; not being able to pretend any iniquity they have found in God, or that in any thing he hath wearied them. The weaker the temptation is by which men are drawn to sin, the stronger the corruption is by which they are driven to it. Those are the worst transgressors that sin for Binning sake. Secondly. To no purpose. They know their attempts against m God are fruitless ; they imagine a vain thing, and therefore they wdl soon be ' ashamed of them. 3. He begs direction from God in the way of his duty, ver. 4. 5. Once again he here prays to God to teach him. He was a knowing man himself, but the most intelligent, the most observant, both need and desire to be taught of God ; from him we must be ever learning, , Observe, 1st. What he desired to learn; " Teach me," not fine words or fine notions, but " teach me thy ways, thy paths, thy truth." The ways in which thou walkest towards me, which are all mercy and truth, ver. 10; and the ways in which thou wouldst have me to walk towards thee. Those are best learned who understand their duty, and know the good things they should do, Eccl. ii. 3. Thy paths and thy truth are the same; Divine laws are all founded upon Divine truths. The way of God's precepts is the way of truth, Ps. cxix. 30 ; Christ is both the way and the truth, and therefore we must learn Christ. 2nd. What he desires of God in order to this. First. That he would enlighten his understanding concerning his duty; Shew me thy way, and so teach me. In doubtful cases we should §ray earnestly that God would make it plain to us what he would have us to o. Secondly. That he would incline his will to it, and strengthen him in it ; Lead me, and so teach me. Not only as we lead one that is dimsighted, to keep him from missing his way, but as we lead one that is sick, and feeble, and faint, to help him forward in the way. and to keep him from fainting and falling. Wa go no farther in the way to heaven than God is pleased to lead us, and to hold us up. 3rd. What he pleads, First. His great expectation from God ; "Thou art the God of my salvation." Note, Those that choose the salvation of God as their end, and make him the God of their salvation, may come boldly to him for direction in the way that leads to that end; if God save us, he will teach us, and lead us. He that gives salvation will give instruction. ^ Secondly. His constant attendance on God; " On thee do I wait all the day." Whence should a servant expect direction what to do b\it from his own master, on whom lie waits all the day? If we sincerely desire to know our duty; with a resolution to do it, we need not question but that God will direct us in it. 4. He appeals to God's infinite mercy, and casts himself upon that, not pre tending to any merit of hia own; ver. 6 "Rememher. O T.nrH +hy tender 112 PSALM XXV. mercies," and for the sake of those mercies lead me and teach me, " for they have been ever of old ; " that is, 1st. Thou always wast a merciful God ; it is thy name, it is thy nature and property to shew mercy. 2nd. Thy counsels and designs of mercy were from everlasting ; the vessels of mercy were before all worlds ordained to glory. 3rd. The instances of thy mercy to the church in general, and to me in particular, were early and ancient, and constant hitherto ; they began 'of old, and never ceased. Thou hast taught me from my youth 'up, teach me now. 5. He is in a special manner earnest for the pardon of his sins ; ver. 7, Oh '* remember not the sins of my youth." Lord, remember thy mercies, ver. 6 ; which speak for me, and not my sins which speak against me. Here is? 1st. An implicit confession of sin ; he mstanceth particularly in the sins of his youth.' Note, Our youthful faults and follies should be matter of our repentance and humiliation long after; because time doth not wear out the guilt of sin. Old people should mourn for the sinful mirth, and be in pain for the sinful pleasures of their youth. He aggravates, his sins; calling them his transgressions ; and the more holy, just, and good the law is, which sin is the transgression of, the more exceeding sinful it ought to appear to us. 2nd. An express petition for mercy. First. That he might be acquitted from guilt; " Remember not the sins of my youth," that is, remember them not against me ; lay them not to my charge, enter not into judgment with me for them. "When God pardons sin, he is said to remember it no more, which notes a plenary remission ; he forgives, and forgets. Secondly. That he might be accepted in God's sight ; " Remember thou me ;" think on me for good, and come in seasonably for my succour. Tfflu, need desire no more to make us happy than for God to remember us with favour ; his plea is, " according to thy mercy, and for thy goodness' sake." Note, It is God's goodness and not ours, his mercy and not our own merit, that must be our plea for the pardon of sin, and all the good we stand in need of. This plea we must always rely upon, as those that are sensible of our poverty and unworthiness, and as those that are satisfied of the riches of God's mercy and grace. 8 Good and upright is the Lord : Therefore will he teach sinners in the 9 The rneek will he guide in judgment : And the meek will he teach his way. 1 0 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth Unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. 1 1 For thy name's sake, 0 Lord, pardon mine iniquity ; For it is great. 1 2 What man is he that feareth the Lord ? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. 13 His soul shall dwell at ease ; And his seed shall inherit the earth. 14 The secret of the Loed is with them that fear him ; And he will shew them his covenant. God's promises are here mixed with David's prayers. Many petitions there were in the former part of the psalm, and many in the latter ; and here, in the ¦ middle of the psalm, he meditates upon the promises, and by a lively faith sncki and is satisfied from these breasts of consolation ; for the promises of God are not only the best foundation of prayer, telling us what to pray for, and eneou- raging our faith and hope in prayer, but they are a present answer to prayer. Let the prayer be made according to the promise, and then the promise may be read as a return to the prayer ; and we are to believe the prayer is heard^, because the promise will be performed. But in the midst of the promises we find one petition which seems to come in somewhat abruptly, and should haw followed upon ver. 7 ; it is that, ver. 11, " Pardon my iniquity.' But prayersior the pardon of sin are never impertinent ; we mingle sin with all our actions, and therefore should mingle such prayers with all our devotions. He enforce! this petition with a double plea. The former is very natural ; " For thy name's sake, pardon mine iniquity, because thou hast proclaimed thy name grasiom and merciful, pardoning iniquity ; for thy glory's sake, forthy promise's sake; for thine own sake, Isa. xliii. 25. But the latter is very surprising ; " Pardon mine PSALM XXV. 113 iniquity, tor it is great;" and the greater it is, the more will Divine mercy be magnified in the forgiveness of it. It is the glory of a great God to forgive great sms, to forgive iniquity, transgression and sin, Ex. xxxiv. 1 It is great- and therefore I am undone, for ever undone, if infinite mercy do not interpose for the pardon of it. .It is great, that is, I see it so. The more we see of .the heinousness of our sins, the better qualified we are to find mercy with God When we confess sin, we must aggravate it. Let us now take a view of the great and precious promises which we have in these verses, and observe First. To whom these promises do belong, and who may expect the' benefit of them. *We are all sinners ; and can we hope for any advantage by them ? Yes ; ver. 8, He will teach sinners, though they be sinners ; for Christ came into the world to save sinners, and in order to that to teach sinners to call sinners to repentance. These promises are sure to those who, though they have been sinners, have gone astray, yet now keep God's word. To such 1. As "keep his covenant and his testimonies," ver. 10; that is, that take his precepts for their rule, and his promises for their portion ; that, having taken God to be to them a God, live upon that, and; having given up themselves to be to him a people, live up to that. Though through the infirmity of the flesh they sometimes break the command, yet by a sincere repentance, when at any time they do amiss, and a constant adherence by faith to God as their God, they keep the covenant, and do not break that. 2. To such as fear him, ver. 12; ana again, ver. 14 ; that stand in awe of his majesty, and worship him witli reverence, submit to his authority, and obey him with cheerfulness, dread his wrath, and are afraid of offending him. Secondly. Upon what these promises are grounded, and what encouragement we have to build upon them. Here are two things which ratify and confirm all the promises : 1. The perfections of God's nature. We value the promise by the character of him that makes it. We may therefore depend upon God's promises, for " good and upright is the Lord, and therefore he will be as good as his word ; so kind, that he cannot deceive us, so true, that he cannot break his promise; "Faithful is he that hath promised, who also will do it." He was good in making the promise, and therefore will be upright in performing it. 2. The agreeableneBS of all he saith and doth with the perfections of his nature ; ver. 10, " All the paths of the Lord," that is, all his promises and all his providences, " are mercy and truth;" that is, they are like himself, good and upright. All God's dealings with his people are according to the mercy of his purposes, and the truth of his promises. All he doth comes from love, covenant love ; and they may see in it his mercy displayed, and his word ful filled. What a mighty satisfaction may this be to good people, that, whatever afflictions they are exercised with, " all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth ; " and so it will appear when they come to their journey's end. Thirdly. What th^se promises are. t ,.' 1. That God will instruct and direct them in the way of their duty. This is most insisted upon, because it is an answer to David's prayers, ver. 4, 5, " Shew me thy ways, and lead me." We should fix our thoughts, and act our faith, most on those promises which suit our present case. 1st. " He will teach sinners in the way," because they are sinners, and therefore need teaching. When they see themselves sinners, an e?a1' ,™>, both by his providence and by his grace, we are bound in gratitude to do all we can to extol his name thlnrh the most we can do i, buff little. Three things magnify DavidVd2?f»: i,c, PSALM XXX. 133 1. That it was the defeat of his enemies. They were not suffered to triumph over him, as they would have done (though it is a barbarous thing) if he had died of this sickness, or perished in this distress: see Ps. xii. 11. 2. That it was an answer to Ms prayers ; ver. 2, " I cried unto thee." All the expressions of the sense we have of our troubles should be directed to God, and every cry be a cry to him; and giving way in this manner to our grief will ease a bur- thened spirit. " I cried to thee," and thou hast not only heard me, but healed me, healed the distempered body, healed the disturbed and disquieted mind, healed the disordered, distracted affairs of the kingdom. It is what God glories in ; "I am the Lord that healeth thee," Ex. xv. 26, and we must give him the glory of it. 3. That it was the saving of his life; for he was brought to the last extremity, dropping into the grave, and ready to go down into the pit, and yet rescued and kept alive, ver. 3. The more imminent our dangers have been, the more eminent our deliverances have been, the more comfortable to our selves, and the more illustrious proofs of the power and goodness of God. A life from the dead ought to be spent in extolling the God of our life. Secondly. He calls upon others to join with him in praise, not only for the particular favours Godhad bestowed upon him, but for the' general tokens of his goodwill to all his saints; ver. 4, " Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his." All that are truly saints he owns for nis; there is a remnant of such in this world, and from- them it is expected that they sing unto him; for they are created and sanctified, made, and made saints, that they be to him for a name and a praise. His saints in heaven sing to him; why should not those on earth be doing the same work, as well as they can, in concert with them? 1. They believe him to be a God of unspotted purity; and therefore let them Bine to him. Let them " give thanks at. the remembrance of his holiness ; " that is, let them praise his holy name, for holiness is his memorial throughout all generations. God is a holy God; his holiness is his glory ; that is the attribute which the holy angels in their praises fasten most upon, Isa. vi. 3; Rev. iv. 8. We ought to be much in the mention and remembrance of God's holiness ; and holy souls can give thanks at the mention of God's holiness. It is matter of "oy to the saints that God is a holy God ; for then they hope he will make them ioly,more holy/ No one of all God's perfections carries in it more terror to the wicked, nor more comfort to the godly, than his holiness. It is a good sign we are in some measure partakers of his holiness, if we can heartily rejoice and give thanks at the remembrance of it. 2. They have experienced him to be a God gracious and merciful ; and there fore let them sing to him. 1st. We have found his frowns very short. Though we have deserved they should have been everlasting, and that he should have been angry with us till he had consumed us, and should never have been reconciled, yet "his anger endureth but for a moment," ver. 5. When we offend him he is angry ; but, as he is slow to anger, and not soon provoked, so, when he ib angry, upon our repentance and humiliation, his ane-er is soon turned away, and he is willing to be at peace with us. If he hide his face from his own children, and suspend the wonted tokens of his favour, it is but in a little wrath, and for a small moment ; but he will gather them with everlast ing kindness, Isa. liv. 7, 8. If weeping endure for a night, and it be a wearisome night; yet, as sure as the light of the morning returns after the darkness of the night, so sure will joy and comfort return in a short time, in due time, to the people of God; for the covenant of grace is as firm as the covenant of the day. This word has often been fulfilled to us in the letter, weeping has endured for a night; but the grief has been soon over, and the grievance gone. Observe, As long as God's anger continues, so long_ the saints^ weeping continues; but if that De but for a moment, the affliction is but for a moment ; and when the light of God's countenance is restored the affliction is easily made nothing of. 2nd. We have found his smiles very sweet. " In his favour is life," that is, all good. The return of his favour to an afflicted soul is as life from the dead ; nothing can be more reviving. Our happiness is bound up in God's favour; if we nave that we have enough, whatever else we want. It is the life of the soul, it is spiritual life, the earnest of life eternal. 6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. [stand strong : 7 Loed, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8 I cried to thee, 0 Loed ; And unto the Loed I made supplication. [pit ? 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the 134 PSALM XXX. Shall the dust praise thee ? shall it declare thy truth ? ' 10 Hear, 0 Lord, and have mercy upon me : Lord, be thou my helper. 1 1 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing : Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness ; . [not be silent. 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and 0 Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. "We have in these verses an account of three several states that David was in successively, and of the workings of his heart toward God in each of those states, what he said and did, and how his heart stood affected; in the first of which we may see what we are too apt to be,,and in the other-two what wr should be. First. He had lon^ enjoyed prosperity, and then he grew secure, and over confident of the continuance of it ; ver. 6, 7, " In my prosperity," when I was in health of body, and God had given me rest from all mine enemies, "I said, I shall never "be moved;" that is, I never thought either of having my body distempered or my government disturbed, nor had any apprehensions of danger upon any account. Such complete victories had he obtained over those that opposed him, and such a confirmed interest had he in the hearts of his people, such a firmness of mind, and such a strong constitution of body, that he thought his prosperity fixed like a mountain; yet this he ascribes not to his own wisdom or fortitude, but to the Divine goodness; "Thou, through thy favour, hast made my mountain to stand strong," ver. 7* He doth not look upon it as his heaven, (as worldly people do, who make their prosperity their felicity,) only his mountain ; it is earth still, only raised a little higher than the common level. This he thought, by the favour of God, would be perpetuated to him ; imagining. Serhaps that, having had so many troubles in the beginning of his days, he had ad his whole share, and should have none in his latter end. Or, that God^ who had given him such tokens of his favour, would never frown upon hira.- Note, 1. We are very apt to dream, when things are well with us, that they will always be so, and never otherwise; "To-morrow shall be as this dajr;"' as if we should think when the weather is once fair, that it will be ever fair;* whereas nothing is more certain than that it will change. 2. When we see ourselves deceived in our expectation, it becomes us to reflect with shame upon our security as our folly, as David doth here, that we may be wiser another time, and may rejoice in our prosperity as though we rejoiced not, because the fashion of it passeth away. Secondly. On a sudden he fell into trouble, and then he prayed to God, ancL pleaded earnestly for relief and succour. 1. His mountain was shaken, and he^ with it; it proved when he grew secure he was least safe; "Thou didst hidea thy face, and I was troubled, in mind, body, or estate. In every change of his condition he still kept his eye upon God; and, as he ascribed his prosperity to^ God's favour, so in his_ adversity he observed the hiding of God's face to be the cause of it. If God hide his face, a good man is certainly troubled, though no other calamity befal him." When the sun sets, night certainly follows; and the moon and all the stars cannot make day. 2. When his mountain was shaken, he lifted up his eyes above the hills. Prayer is a salve for every sore: he made use of it accordingly. "Is any afflicted?" Is any troubled? "Let him pray."' Though God hid his face from him, yet he prayed. If God in wisdom and' justice turn from us, yet it will be in us the greatest folly and injustice imagin able if we turn from him. No, let us learn to pray in the dark; ver. 8, "Icried to thee, O Lord." It seems God's withdrawings made his prayers the mor&l vehement. We are here told, (for it seems he kept account of it,) First. What ' he pleaded, ver. 9. That God would be no gainer by his death ; " What profit^ is there in my blood?" implying, that he would willingly die if he could thereby" do any real service to God or his country, Phil. ii. 17; but he saw not what J good could be done by his dying in the bed of sickness, as might be if he had died in the bed of honour. Lord, saith he, wilt thou sell one of thine own people for nought, and not increase thy wealth by the price ? Ps. xliv. 12. Nay, that in his honour God would seem to be a loser by his death. " Shall the dust praise thee?" The sanctified spirit which returns to God shall praise him, shall be still praising him ; but the dust which returns to the earth shall not praise him, nor declare his truth. The services of God's house cannot 'be per formed by the dust ; it cannot praise him. There is none of that device or working iD the grave, for it is the land of silence. The promises of God's PSALM XXXI. 135 covenant cannot be performed to the dust. Lord, saith David, if I die now what will become of the promise made to me, who shall declare the truth ot' that? The best pleas in prayer are those that are taken from God's honour and then we ask aright for life, when we have that in view, that we may live and praise him. Secondly. What he prayed for, ver. 10. He prayed for mercv to pardon, 'Have mercy upon me:'r and for grace to help in time of need, , Lord, be thou my helper." And on these two errands we also may come boldly to the throne of grace, Heb. iv. 16. Thirdly. In due time God delivered him out of his troubles, and restored him to his former prosperity. His prayers were answered, and his mourning was turned into dancing, ver. 11. God's anger now endured but for a moment and David's weeping but for a night. The sackcloth, with which in an humble compliance with the Divine providence he had clad himself, was loosed his griefs were balanced, his fears were silenced, his comforts returned, and he was girded with gladness ; joy was made his ornament ; was made his strength and seemed to cleave to him as " the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man." As David's plunge into trouble from the height of prosperity, and then when he least expected it, teacheth us to rejoice as though we rejoiced not, because we know not how near trouble may be, so his sudden return to a prosperous con dition, teacheth us to weep as though we wept not, because we know not how soon the storm may become a calm, and the formidable blast may become a favourable gale. But what temper of mind was he in upon this happy change of the face of his affairs? What doth he say now? He tell us, ver. 12, 1. His complaints were turned into praises. He looked upon it that therefore God girded him with gladness, to the end that he might be the sweet psalmist of Israel, 2 Sam. xxiii, 1. That his glory might sing praise to God; that is, his tongue; for our tongue is our glory, and never more so than when it is employed in praising God. Or, his soul : for that is our glory above the beasts : that must be employed in blessing the Lord, and with that we must make melody to him in singing psalms. They that are kept from being silent in the pit must not be silent in the land of the living, but fervent, and constant, and public, in praising God. 2. These praises were likely to be everlasting. "I will give thanks unto thee for ever." This speaks a gracious resolution, that he would persevere to the end in praising God, and a gracious hope that he should never want fresh matter for praise, and that he should shortly be there where this would be the everlasting work. Blessed are they that dwell in God's house, they will be still praising him. Thus must we learn to accommodate ourselves ¦ to the various providences of God that are concerning us; to want and to abound, to Bing of mercy and judgment, and to sing unto God for both. PSALM XXXI. It is probable that David penned this psalm when he was persecuted by Saul ; and some passages in it agree particularly to the fair escape he had at Keilah, 1 Sam. xxiii. 13 , and then in the wilderness at Maon, when Saul marched on one side of the hill and he on the other ; and soon after in the cave in the wilderness of En-gedi ; but that it was penned upon any of those occasions we are not told. It is a mixture of prayers, and praises, and professions of confidence in God ; all which do well together, and are helpful to one another. I. David professeth his cheerful confidence in God, and in that confidence prays for deliverance out of his present troubles, ver. 1 — 8. II. He complains of the very deplorable condition he was in, and in the sense of his calami ties still prays that God would graciously appear for him against his persecutors, ver. 9 — 18. III. He concludes the psalm with praise and triumph, giving glory to God, and encouraging himself and others to trust in him, ver. 19 — 24. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. IN thee, 0 Lord, do I put my trust ; Let me never be ashamed ; Deliver me in thy righteousness 2 Bow down thine ear to me ; Deliver me speedily : be thou my strong rock, For an house of defence to save me. 8 For thou art my rock and my fortress ; Therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. 4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me : 136 PSALM XXXI. For thou art my strength. ,\ 5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit : Thou hast redeemed me, 0 Lord God of truth. 6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities : But I trust in the Lord. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy : For thou hast considered my trouble ; Thou hast known my soul in adversities ; 8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy : Thou hast set my feet in a large room. Faith and prayer must go together. He that believes let him pray; "I believe, therefore have I spoken. And he that prays let him believe ; for the prayer of faith is the prevailing prayer. "We have both here. First. David in distress is very earnest with God in rjrayer for succour and relief. This easeth a burthened spirit, fetcheth in promised mercies, and won derfully supports and comforts the soul in the expectation of them. He prays, 1. That God would deliver him, ver. 1 ; that his life might be preserved from the malice of his enemies, and that an end might be put to their prosecutions of him; that God, not only in mercy but in righteousness, would deliver him, as a righteous judge betwixt him and his unrighteous persecutors ; that he would bow down his ear to his petitions, to his appeals, and deliver him, ver. 2, (it is condescension in God to take cognizance of the case of the greatest and best of men, — he humbleth himself to do it;) and that he would deliver him speedily, lest, if the deliverance were long deferred, his faith should fail. 2. That if he did not presently deliver him out of his troubles, yet he would protect and shelter him in his troubles : "Be thou my strong rock, immoveable, impregnable, as a fastness framed by nature, and my house of defence, a fortress framed by art, and all "to save me. Thus may we pray that God's providence would secure to us our lives and comforts, and that by his grace we may be enabled to think ourselves* safe in him, Pr. xviii. 10. 3. That his case, having much in it of difficulty, both in respect of duty and in respect of prudence^jhe might be underaDivine conduct: Lord, lead me, and guide me,"ver.3. 'So order my steps, so order my spirit, that I may never do any thing unlawful and unjustifiable, against my conscience; or unwise and indiscreet, against my interest. They that resolve to follow God's direction may in faith pray for it. 4. That his enemies being very crafty as well as very spiteful, God would frustrate and baffle their designs against him ; ver. 4, "Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me," and keep me from the sin, the trouble, the death, they aim to entrap me in. Secondly. In this prayer he gives glory to God by a repeated profession of 'his confidence in him and dependence on him. This encouraged his prayers, and qualified him for the mercies he prayed for ; ver. 1, " In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust," and not in myself, or any sufficiency of my own, or in any creature: " let me never be ashamed, that is, let me not be disappointed of any of that good which thou hast promised me, and which therefore I have promise^ myself in thee. 1. He had chosen God for his protector, and God had, by his promise, under taken to be so; ver. 3, "Thou art my rock and my fortress," by thy covenant with me, and my believing consent to that covenant; therefore, be my strong rock, ver. 2. They that have in sincerity avouched the Lord for theirs may expect the benefit of his being so, for God's relations to us carry with them both name and thing. " Thou art my strength," ver. 4. If God be our strength, we may hope that he will both put his strength in us and put forth his strength for us. 2. He gave up his soul in a special manner to him : ver. 5, "Into thine hand I commit my spirit." 1st. If David here looks upon himself as a dying man, by these words he resigns his departing soul to God who gave it, and to whom at death the spirit returns. Men can but kill the body ; but I trust in God \a\\ "redeem my soul from the power of the grave," Ps. xlix. 15. He is willing to die if God will have it so : but let my soul fall into the hands of the Lord,"" for his mercies are great. With these words our Lord Jesus yielded up the ghost upon the cross, and made his soul an offering, a freewill offering for sin, voluntarily laying down his life a ransom. By Stephen's example we are taught, in our dying moments, to eye Christ at God's right hand, and to commit our spirits to him, " Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." But, 2nd. David is here to be looked upon as a man in distress and trouble. And, First. His great care PSALM XXXI. 137 is about his soul, his spirit, his better part. Note, Our outward afflictions should increase our concern for our souls. Many think while they are per plexed about their worldly affairs, and Providence multiplies their cares about them, they may be excused if they neglect their souls; whereas, the greater hazard our lives and secular interests lie at, the more we are concerned to look- to our souls, that, though the outward man periBh, the inward man may suffer no damage, 2 Cor. iv. 16; and that we may keep possession of our souls when we can keep possession of nothing else, Lu. xxi. 19. Secondly. He thinks the best he can do for his soul is to commit it into the hand of God, and lodge that great trust with him. He had prayed, ver. 4, to be plucked out of the net of outward trouble ; but as not insisting: upon that, God's will be done, he pre sently lets fall that petition, and commits the spirit, the inward man, into God's hand: Lord, however it goes with me as to my body, let it go well with my soul. Note, It is the wisdom and duty of every one of us solemnly to commit our spirits into the hands of God, to be sanctified by his grace, devoted to his honour, employed in his service, and fitted for his kingdom. That which encourageth us to commit our spirits into the hand of God is, that he hath not only created, but redeemed them ; the particular redemptions of the Old Tes tament church, and the Old Testament saints, were typical of our redemption by Jesus Christ, Gen. xlviii. 16. The redemption of the soul is so precious that it must have ceased for ever if Christ had not undertaken it j but by redeeming our souls he has not only acquired an additional right and title to them, which obligeth us to commit them to him as his own, but hath shewed the extra ordinary kindness and concern he hath for them, which encourageth us to commit them to him to be preserved to his heavenly kingdom, 2 Tim. i. 12. Thou hast redeemed it, O Lord God of truth:" redeemed it according to a promise which thou wilt be true to. 3. He disclaimed all confederacy with those that made an arm of flesh their . confidence ; ver. 6, " I have hated them that regard lying vanities." Idolaters, (so some,) who expect aid from false gods, which are vanity and a lie ; astro logers, and those that give heed to them, (so others.) David abhorred the use of enchantments and divinations ; consulted not, nor ever took notice of the flight of birds, or entrails of beasts. Good omens or bad omens, they are lying vanities ; and he not only did not regard them himself, but hated the wickedness of those that did. He trusted in God only, and not in any crea ture ; his interest in the court or country, his retreats or strougholds, even Goliath's sword itself, these were lying vanities, which he could not depend upon, but trusted in the Lord only : see Ps. xl. 4 ; Jer. xvii. 5. 4. He comforted himself with his hone in God, and made himself not only easy, but cheerful with it, ver. 7. Having relied on God's mercy, he will be glad and rejoice in it. And those know not how to value their hope in God who cannot find joy enough in that hope to balance their grievances, and silence their griefs. 5. He encouraged himself in this hope with the experiences he had had of late and formerly of God's goodness to him, which he mentions to the glory of God. He that has delivered, doth and will. 1st. God had taken notice of nis afflic tions, and all the circumstances of them. " Thou hast considered my trouble," with wisdom to suit relief to it ; with condescension and compassion, regarding the low estate of thy servant. 2nd. He had observed the temper of hiB spirit, and the workings of his heart under his afflictions ; " Thou hast known my soul in adversities," with a tender concern and care tor it. God's eye is upon our souls when we are in trouble, to see whether they be humbled for sin, sub missive to the will of God, and bettered by the affliction. If the soul, when cast down under affliction has been lifted up to him in true devotion, he knows it. 3rd. He had rescued him out of the hands of Saul, when he had him safe enough in Keilah ; 1 Sam. xxxiii. 7, " Thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy," but set me at liberty, in a large room, where I may shift for my own safety, ver. 8. Christ's using these words, ver. 5, upon the cross, may war rant us to apply all this to Christ, who trusted in his Father, and was supported and delivered by him, and, because he humbled himself, highly exalted ; which it is proper to think of when we sing these verses, as also therein to acknow ledge the experience we have had of God's gracious presence with us in our troubles, and to encourage ourselves to trust in him for the future. 9 Have mercy upon me, 0 Lord, for I am in trouble : Mine eye is consumed with grief. Tea, my soul and my belly. 10 For my life is spent with grief, And my years with sighing : 138 PSALM XXXI. My strength faileth because of mine iniquity, And my bones are consumed. Ill was a reproach among all mine enemies, But especially among my neighbours, And a fear to mine acquaintance : They that did see me without fled from me. 12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind : I am like a broken vessel. 13 For I have heard the slander of many : Fear was on every side : While they took counsel together against me, They devised to take away my life. 14 But I trusted in thee, 0 Lord : I said, Thou art my God. 1 5 My times are in thy hand : Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, And from them that persecute me. 16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant : Save me for thy mercies' sake. [thee : 17 Let me not be ashamed, 0 Lord ; for I have called upon Let the wicked be ashamed, And let them be silent in the grave 18 Let the lying lips be put to silence ; Which speak grievous things proudly And contemptuously against thb righteous. In the foregoing verses David had appealed to God's righteousness, and pleaded his relation to him and dependence on him; here he appeals to his mercy, and pleads the greatness of his misery, which made his case the proper object of that mercy. Observe, First. The complaint he makes of his trouble and distress; ver. 9, "Have mercy upon me, 0 Lord, for I am in trouble," and need thy mercy. The re membrance he makes of his condition is not much unlike some even of Job's complaints. ,, 1. His troubles had fixed a very deep impression upon his mind, and madg* him a man of sorrows. So great was his grief, that his very soul was consumed! with it, and his life spent with it, and he was continually sighing, ver. 9, 10. Herein he was a type of Christ, who was intimately acquainted with grief, and"? often in tears. We may guess by David's complexion, which was ruddy and1; sanguine, by his genius for music, and by his daring enterprises in his early ] days, that his natural temper was both cheerful and stout, that he was apt enough to be merry, and not at all to lay trouble tohis heart ; and yet here we see what he is brought to : he has almost wept out h'is eyes, and sighed away his breath. Let those that are airy and gay take heed of running into extremes, and never set sorrow at defiance ; God can find out ways to make them melancholy if they will not otherwise learn to be serious. 2. His body was affected with the sorrows of his mind ; ver. 10, " My strength^ fails, my bones are consumed," and all " because of mine iniquity." As to Saul, and the quarrel he had with him, he could confidently insist upon his righteous-i ness; but, as it was an affliction God laid upon him, he owns he had deserved it, and freely confesseth his iniquity to have been the procuring cause of all Ml trouble; and the senBe of sin touched him to the quick, and wasted him more than all his calamities. « 3. His friends were unkind, and became shy of him. He was a fear to Ml acquaintance ; when they saw him they fled from him, ver. 11. They durst not harbour him, not give him any assistance, not shew him any countenance, not PSALM XXXI. 139 so much as be seen in his company, for fear of being brought into trouble by it, now Saul had proclaimed him traitor, and outlawed him. They saw how dear Ahimelech the priest had paid for aiding and abetting him, though ignorantly ; and therefore, though they could not but own he had a great deal of wrong done him, yet they had not the courage to appear for him. He was forgotten by them as a dead man out of mind, ver. 12, and looked upon with contempt as a broken vessel. They that shewed him all possible respects when he was in honour at court, no w he was fallen into disgrace, though un j ustly, were strange to him. Such swallow friends the world is full of, that are gone in winter. Let those that fall on the losing side not think it strange if they be thus deserted, but make sure a Friend in heaven that will not fail them, and make use of him. 4. His enemies were unjust Jn their censures of him. They would not have persecuted him as they did, if they had not first represented him as an ill man ; he was a reproach among all his enemies, but especially among his neighbours, ver. 11. Those that had been the witnesses of his integrity, and could not but be convinced in their consciences that he was an honest man, yet were the most forward to represent him quite otherwise, that they might curry favour with Saul. Thus he heard the slander of many : everyone had a stone to throw at him, because fear was on every side; that is, they durst not do otherwise, for he that would not join with his neighbours to abuse David was looked upon as disaffected to Saul. Thus the best of men have been put under the worst characters by those that resolved to give them the worst treatment. 5. His life was aimed at, and he went in continual peril of it. That fear was on every side, and he knew that, whatever counsel his enemies took against him, the design was not to take away his liberty, but to take away his life, ver. 13; a life so valuable, so useful, to the good services of which all Israel owed so much, and which was never forfeited. Thus in all the plots of the Pharisees and Herodians against Christ, still the design was to take away his - life, such is the enmity and cruelty of the serpent's seed. Secondly. His confidence in God in the midst of these troubles. Every thing looked black and dismal round about him, and threatened to drive him to despair; " But I trusted in thee, O Lord," ver. 14, and that kept me from sink ing. His enemies robbed him of his reputation among men, but they could not rob him of his comfort in God, because they could not drive him from his con fidence in God. Two things he comforted himself with in his straits, and he went to God and pleaded them with him: 1. "Thou art my God; that is, ' I have chosen thee for mine, and thou hast promised to be mine. And 'if he be ours, and we can by faith call him so, 'it is enough, when wo can call nothing else ours. " Thou art my God," atid therefore to whom shall I go for relief but to thee? They need not be straitened in their prayers who can plead this ; for if God undertake to be our God he will do that for us which will answer the compass and vast extent of that engagement. 2. " My times are in thy ; hand." Join this with the former, and it makes the comfort complete. If God have our times in his hand, he can help us; and if ho be our God, he will help us, and then what can discourage us ? It is a great support to those who have God for their God, that their times are in his hand, and he will be sure to order and dispose of them for the best, to all those who commit their spirits also into his hand, to suit them to their times, as David here, ver. 5. The time of life is in God's hands, to lengthen or shorten, embitter or sweeten, as he pleaseth, according to the counsel of his will. Our times, that is, all events that are concerning us, and the timing of them, these are at God's dispose. They are not in our own hands; for the way of man is not in himself, not in our friends' hands, nor in our enemies' hands, but in God's, every man's jiidg- . ment prooeedeth from him. David doth not in his prayers prescribe to God, 5 but subscribe to him, "Lord, my times are in thy hand,' and I am well pleased | that they are so, they could not be in a better hand. " Thy will be done.'' ! Thirdly. His petitions to God. In this faith and confidence, . 1. He prays that God would deliver him out of the hand of his enemies, ver. 15, and save him, ver. 16, and this for his mercies' sake, and not for any merit of his own. Our opportunities are in God's hand, (so some read it,) and therefore he knows how to choose the best and fittest time for our deliverance, and we must be willing to wait that time. "When David had Saul at his mercy in the cave, those about him said, This is the time in which God will deliver ' thee, 1 Sam. xxiv. 4. No, saith David, the time is not come for my deliverance, . till it can be wrought without sin, and I will wait for that time ; or it is God s : time-and that is the best time. . 2. That God would give him the comfort of his favour in the meantime; " ver. 16, " Make thy face to shine upon thy servant." Let me have the comfort able tokens and evidences of thy favour to me, and that shall put gladness ia my heart in the midst of all my griefs. . 3. That his prayers to God might be answered, and his hopes in God.accom- plished; ver. 17, " Let me uot be ashamed" of my hopes and prayers, * for I 140 PSALM XXXI. v have called upon thee," who never saidst to thy people, Seek in vain, and hope in vain. 4. That shame and silence might be the portion of wicked people, and par- cularly of his enemies. They were confident of their success against David, ; and that they should run him down and ruin him. Lord, saith he, "let them be made ashamed" of that confidence by the disappointment of their expecta tions ; as those that opposed the building of the wall about Jerusalem, when it was finished, were much cast down in their own eyes, Neh. vi. 16. " Let them be silent in the grave." Note, Death will silence the rage and clamour of cruel persecutors whom reason would not silence. In the grave "the wicked cease from troubling." Particularly he prays for, that is, he prophesies, the silencing of those that reproach and calumniate the people of God; ver. 18, "Let lying lips be put to silence, that speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous." This is a very good prayer, 1st. Which we have often occasion to put up to God ; for they that set their mouth against the heavens, commonly fall foul on the heirs of heaven. Religion, and the strict and serious professors of it, are every where spoken against, First. With a great deal of malice. They speak grievous things^ on jpurpo&e to vex them, and noping with what they say to do them a real mischief. They speak hard things, (so the word is,) which bear hard upon them, and by which they hope to fasten indeli ble characters of infamy upon them. Secondly. With a great deal of falsehood. They are lying lips, taught by the father of lies, and serving his interest. Thirdly. With a great deal of scorn and disdain. They speak "proudly and contemptuously," as if the righteous, whom God has honoured, were the most despicable people in the world, and not worthy to be set with the dogs of their flock. One would think they thought it no sin to tell a deliberate lie, if it may ¦but serve to expose a good man either to hatred or contempt. " Hear, O our God, for we are despised." 2nd. We may pray it in faith ; for these lying lips shall be put to silence. God has many ways of doing it. Sometimes he con- vinceth the consciences of those that reproach his people, and turns their hearts ; sometimes by his providence he visibly confutes their calumnies, and • brings forth the righteousness of ,his people as the light. However, there is a day coming when God will convince ungodly sinners of the falsehood of all the hard speeches they have spoken against his people, and will execute judg ment upon them, Jude 14, 15. Then shall this prayer be fully answered, and to that day we should have an eye in the singing of it ; engaging ourselves likewise by well-doing, if possible, to silence the ignorance of foolish men, 1 Pet. ii. 15. 19 Oh how great is thy goodness, Which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; Which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men ! 20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence From the pride of man : Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues. 21 Blessed be the Lord : For he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness In a strong city. 22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes : Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications When I cried unto thee. 23 0 love the Lord, all ye his saints : For the Lord preserveth the faithful, And plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. 24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, All ye that hope in the Lord. PSALM XXXI. 141 We have three things in these verses : First. The believing acknowledgment which David makes of God's goodness to his people in general, ver. 19, 20. 1. God is good to all, but he is in a special manner good to Israel His good ness to them is wonderful, and will be to eternity matter of admiration " O how great is thy goodness I" How profound are the counsels of it- how rich are the treasures of it: how free and extensive are the communications of it ! Those very persons whom men load with slanders God loads with benefits and honours. Those who are interested in this goodness are described to be snch as fear God. and trust in him, that stand in awe of his greatness and 'relv on his grace. This goodness is said to be laid up for them, and wrought for them 1st. There is goodness laid up for them in the other world, an inheritance reserved in heaven, 1 Pet. i. 4; and there is a goodness wrought for them in this world, goodness wrought in them. There is enough in God's goodness both for the portion and inheritance of all his children, when they come to their full age, and for their maintenance and education during their minority There is enough in bank, and enough in hand. 2nd. This goodness is laid up in his promise for all that fear God, to whom assurance is given that they shall want no good thing. But it is wrought in the actual performance of the promise for those that trust in him, that is, that by faith take hold of the pro mise, put it in suit, and draw out to themselves the benefit and comfort of it If what is lai'd up for us in the treasures of the everlasting covenant be not wrought for us, it is our own fault, because we do not believe. But those that triist in God, as they have the comfort of his goodness in their own bosoms, so they have the credit of it, (and the credit of an estate goes far with some ;) it is wrought for them before the sons of men. God's goodness to them puts an honour upon them, and rolls away their reproach ; "for all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed," Isa. lxi. 9. 2'. God preserveth man and beast ; but he is in a special manner the protector of his own people, ver. 20. " Thou shalt hide them." As his goodness is hid and reserved for them, so they are hid and preserved for it. The saints are God's hidden ones. See here, 1st. The danger they are in, which ariseth from the pride of man, and from the strife of tongues. Proud men insult over them, and would trample on them, and tread them down ; contentious men pick quarrels with them : and when tongues are at strife good people oftentimes go by the worst. The pride of man endangers their liberty. The strife of tongues in perverse disputings endangers truth. But, 2nd. See the defence they are under ; " Thou shalt hide tnem in the secret of thy presence ;" in a pavilion. God's providence shall keep them safe from the malice of their enemies. He has many ways of sheltering them. When Baruch and Jeremiah were sought for, the Lord hid them, Jer. xxxvi. 26. God's grace shall keep them safe from the evil of the judgments that are abroad; to them they have no Bting : they shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger, for there is no anger at them. His comforts shall keep them easy and cheerful; and his sanctuary, where they have communion with him, shelters them from the fiery darts of terror and temptation ; and the mansions in his house above shall be shortly, ; shall be eternally, their hiding-place from all danger and fear. Secondly. The thankful returns which David makes for God's goodness to him in particular, ver. 21, 22. Having admired God's goodness to all the saints, ' hehere owns how good he had found him. 1. "Without were fightings;" but God had wonderfully preserved his life. "He hath shewed me his marvellous lovingkindness;" that is, he hath given me an instance of his care of me, and favour to me, beyond what I could have expected. God's lovingkindness to his people, all things considered, is won- „ derful ; but some instances of it, even in this world, are in a special manner marvellous in their eyes; as this here, when God preserved David from the sword of Saul in caves and woods, as safe as if he had been in a strong city. In Keilah, that strong city, God shewed him great mercy, both in making him an instrument to rescue the inhabitants out of the hands of the Philistines, and then in rescuing him from the same men who would have ungratefully delivered him up into the hand of Saul, 1 Sam. xxiii. 5, 12. This was marvellous loving kindness indeed, upon which he writes with wonder and thankfulness, ' Blessed be the Lord." Special preservations call for particular thanksgivings. 2. " Within were fears ; " but God was better to him than his fears, ver. 22. He here keeps an account, 1st. Of his own folly in distrusting God, which lie acknowledgeth to his shame, that though he had express promises to build upon, and great experience or God's care concerning him in many straits, yet he had entertained this hard and jealous thought of God, and could not forbear telling it him to his face, "I am cut off from before thine eyes ;" that is, thou hast quite forsaken me, and I must not expect to be looked upon or regarded by thee any more. " I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul, ' and so be cut 142 PSALM XXXII. off before thine eyes, be ruined while thou lookest on, 1 Sam. xxvii. 1. This he said 'in his flight,' (so some read it,) which notes the distress of his affairs. Saul was just at his back, and ready to seize him, which made the temptation strong. " In his haste," (so we read it,) which notes the disturbance and dis composure of his mind, which made the temptation surprising, so that it found him off his guard. Note, It is a common thing to speak amiss when we speak in haste, and without consideration ; but what we speak amiss in haste we must repent of at leisure, particularly that which we have spoken distrustfully of God. 2nd. Of God's wonderful goodness to him notwithstanding. Though his faitfl failed, God's promise did not : " Thou heardest the voice of my suppli cation" for all this. He mentions his own unbelief as a foil to God's fidelity, serving to make his lovingkindness the more marvellous, the more illustrious. When we have thus distrusted God, he might justly have taken us at our word, and brought our fears upon us, as he did on Israel, Num. xiv. 28; Isa. lxvi. 4. But he has pitied and pardoned us, and our unbelief has not made his promise and prrace of none effect ; for he knows our frame. Thirdly. The exhortation and encouragement which he hereupon gives to all the saints, ver. 23, 24. 1. He would have them set their love on God; ver. 23, " O love the Lord, all ye his saints." Those that have their own hearts full of love to God cannot but desire that others also may be in love with him; for in his favour there is -no need to fear a rival. It is the character of the saints that they do love God; and yet they must be still called upon to love hm, to love him more, and love him better, and give proofs of their love. We must love him not only for his goodness, because he preserveth the faithful," but for his justice, because he plentifully rewardeth the proud doer" (who would ruin those whom he pre serves) according to their pride. Some take it in a good sense ; ' He plentifully rewardeth the magnificent' (or excellent) 'doer,' that is daringly good, whose heart, like Jehoshap hat's, is *' lifted up in the ways of the Lord." He rewardeth him that doth well, but plentifully rewardeth him that doth excellently well. 2. He would have them set their hope in God ; ver. 24, " Be of good courage," have a good heart on it, whatever difficulties or dangers you may meet with; the God you trust in phall by that trust strengthen your heart. They that hope in God have reason to be of good courage, and let their hearts be strong, for,| as nothing truly evil can befall them, so nothing truly good for them shall bo™ wanting to them. In singing this, we should animate ourselves arid one another to proceed and- persevere in our Christian course, whatever threatens us, and whoever frowns upon us, PSALM XXXII. This psalm, though it speak not of Christ, as many of the psalms hitherto we have met with have done, yet it has a great deal of gospel in it. The apostle tells us, that David in this psalm "describes the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputetil righteousness without works," Rom. iv. 6. We have here a summary, I. Of gospel grace in the pardon of sin, ver. 1,2; in Divine protection, ver. 7 : and Divine conduct, ver. 8. II. Of gospel duty ; to confess sin, ver. 3 — 5 ; to pray, ver. 6 ; to govern ourselves well, ver. 9, 10 ; and to rejoice in'God, ver. 11. And the way to obtain these'- privileges is to make conscience of these duties, which we ought to think of, — of the former for our comfort, of the latter for our quickening, — when we sing this psalm, Grotius thinks it was designed to be sung on the day of atonement. • ; A Psalm of David, Maschil. BLESSED is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. • [iniquity,. a Blessed is the man unto whom the Loed imputeth not And in whose spirit there is no guile. 3 When, I kept silence, my bones waxed old Through my roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me : • My moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity have I not hid. :; I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord ;l PSALM XXXII. 143 And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. 6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee , In a time when thou mayest be found : Surely in the floods of great waters They shall not come nigh unto him. This psalm is entitled Maschil, which some take to be only the name of the tune to which it was set and was to be sung. But others think it is significant. Our margin reads it, 'A psalm of David giving instruction.' And there is nothing in which we have more need of instruction than in the nature of true blessedness, wherein it consists, and the way that leads to it — what we must do that we may be happy. There are divers things in which these verses instruct us. In general, we are here taught that our happiness consists in the favour and grace of God, and not in the wealth of this world; in spiritual blessings, and not the good things of this world. When David saith, Ps. i. 1, " Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly ;" and, Ps. cxix. I, "Blessed are the undented in the way," the meaning is, this is the character of the blessed man, and he that has not this character cannot expect to he happy; but when it is here said, "Blessed is the man whose iniquity is for given," the meaning is, this is the ground of his blessedness, this is that funda mental privilege from which all the other ingredients of his blessedness flow. lnparticular, we are here instructed, first. Concerning the nature of the pardon of sin. This is that we all need, and are undone without, and we are therefore concerned to be very solicitous and inquisitive about it. I. It is the forgiving of transgression. Sin is the transgression of the law : upon our repentance the transgression is forgiven; that is, the obligation to punishment, which we lay under by virtue of the sentence of the law, is vacated and cancelled ; it is lifted off, (so some read it,) that by the pardon of it we may be eased of a burthen, a heavy burthen, like a load on the back that makes us stoop, or a lorid on the stomach that makes us sick, or a load on the spirits that makes us sink. The remission of sins gives rest and relief to those that were weary and heavy laden, Mat. xi. 28. 2. It is the covering of sin, as nakedness is covered, that it may not appear to our shame, Rev. iii. 18. One of the first symptoms of guilt in our first parents was blushing at their own nakedness. Sin makes us loathsome in the sight of God, and utterly unfit for communion with him, and when conscience is awakened it makes us loathsome to ourselves too; but when it is pardoned, it is covered with the robe of Christ's righteousness, like the coats of skins wherewith God clothed Adam and Eve, (an emblem of the remission of sins,) so that God is no longer displeased with us, but perfectly reconciled. They are not covered from us; no, "my sin is ever before me;" nor covered from God's omniscience, but from his vindictive justice. When he pardons sin he remem bers it no more, he casts it behind his back; it shall be sought for, and not found. And the sinner, being thus reconciled to God, begins to be reconciled to himself. 3. It is the not imputing of iniquity, not laying it to the sinner's charge, not proceeding against him for it, according to the strictness of the law, not dealing with him as he deserves. The righteousness of Christ being imputed to us, and we made the righteousness of God in him, our iniquity is not imputed, God having laid upon him the iniquity of us all, and made him sin for us. Observe, It is God's act not to impute iniquity ; for he is the Judge. "It is God that justifieth." Secondly. Concerning the character of those whose sins are pardoned: "in whose spirit there is no guile." He doth not say there is no guilt, (for who is there that lives and sins not?) but no guile; that doth not dissemble with God in his professions of repentance and faith, and in his prayers for peace or pardon ; but in all these is sincere, and means as he saith ; that doth not repent with a purpose to sin again, and then sin with a purpose to repent again, us a learned interpreter glosseth upon it. Those that design honestly, that are really what they profess to be, those are the Israelites indeed, in whom is no guile. Thirdly. Concerning the happiness of a justified state: "Blessednesses are to the man whose iniquity is forgiven," all manner of blessings, sufficient to make him completely blessed. That is taken away which incurred the curse, and obstructed the blessing, and then God will pour out blessings till there be no room to receive them. The forgiveness qf sin is that article of the covenant which is the reason and ground of all the rest: "for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness," Heb. viii. 12. Fourthly. Concerning the uncomfortable condition of an unhumbled sinner, ;that Bees nis guilt, but is not yet brought to make a penitent confession of it. (This David describes very pathetically from his own sad experience; ver. 3, 4, 144 PSALM ,XXXII. " While I kept silence, my bones waxed old." Those may be said to keep silence that stifle their convictions, that when they cannot but see the evil of sin, and their danger by reason of it, ease themselves by not thinking of it and diverting their minds to something else, as Cain to the building of a city ; that cry not when God binds them ; that will not unburthen their consciences by a penitent confession, nor seek for peace, as they ought, by faithful and ieryent prayer: and that choose rather to pine away in their iniquities, than to take the method which God has appointed of finding rest for their souls. Let such expect that their smothered convictions will be a fire in their bones, and the wounds of sin not opened will fester and grow intolerably panitul. It con- degree David experienced it, so that when he was young his bones waxed old, and even his silence made him roar all the day long, as if he had been under some grievous pain and .distemper of body; when really the cause of all his uneasiness was the struggle he felt in his pwn bosom between his convictions and his corruptions. Note, " He that covers his sins shall not prosper. Some inward trouble is required in repentance, but there is much worse in rnipeni- Fift'hly. Concerning the true and only way to peace of conscience. We are here taught to confess our sins, that they may be forgiven : to declare, that we may be justified. This course David took: "I acknowledged my sin unto thee," and no longer hide mine iniquity, ver. 5. Note, Those that would have the comfort of the pardon of their sms, must take shame to themselves by a load upon ourselves tor it,— J. nave aone verj i«i»™ij , ™»'.™ ¦"» ,TX. ¦ the punishment we have been under for it,—" The Lord is just in all that is brought upon us : " and that we deserve much worse,—" I am no more worthy to be called thy son." We must confess sin with shame and holy blushing, with fear and holy trembling. . . „„„> Sixthly. Concerning God's readiness to pardon sin to those who truly repent gavest me Ae comfort of the pardon in mine own conscience ; presently I found rest to my soul. Note, God is more ready to pardon sin, upon our repentance, than we are to repent in order to the obtaining of pardon. It was with much ado that David was here brought to confess his sins : he was put to the rack before he was brought to it, ver. 3, 4 ; he held out long, and would not surrender till it came to the last extremity ; but when he did otter to surrender, see how quickly, how easily, he'obtained good terms ! I did but say, 1 will con fess, and thou forgavest. Thus the father of the prodigal saw his returning son "when he was yet afar off," and ran to meet him with the kiss that sealed his pardon. What an encouragement is this to poor penitents, and what an assurance doth it give us, that "if we confess our sins," we shall find God not only "faithful andjust," but gracious and kind, to forgive us our sins] Seventhly. Concerning the good use that we are to make of the experience David had had of God's readiness to forgive his sins ; ver. 6, ' For this siUUB •every one that is godly pray unto thee." Note, 1. All godly people are prTOSjM people. As soon as ever Paul was converted, "behold he prays,' ActspL,WM You may as soon find a living man without breath, as a living Christian withOTp prayer. 2. The instructions given us concerning the happiness of those wliffls sins are pardoned, and the easiness of obtaining the pardon, should engage aim encourage us to pray, and particularly to pray, " God be merciful to us sin ners." For this shall every one that is well inclined be earnest with God in prayer, and come boldly to the throne of grace, with hopes to obtain mercy, Heb. iv. 16. 3. Those that would speed in prayer, must seek the Lord in a time when he will be found. When he doth by his providence call them to seek 2 Cor. vi. 2. 4. Those that are sincere and abundant in prayer will nnd tne benefit of it when they are in trouble. " Surely in the floods of great waters, which are very threatening, " they shall not come nigh them" to terrify them, or create them any uneasiness, much less shall they overwhelm them. Tppse that have God "nigh unto them in all that which they call upon him for, as all upright, penitent, praying people have, are so guarded, so advanced, that no waters, no, not great waters, no, not floods of them, can come nigh them to hurt them. As the temptations of the wicked one touch them not, 1 Jno, v. lSi' so neither do the troubles of this evil world; these fiery darts of both Kinds drop short of them. , ( PSALM XXXII. 145 7 Thou art my hiding place ; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble ; [Selah. Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. 8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou I will guide thee with mine eye. [shalt go-. 9 Be ye not as the horse, Or as the mule, which have no understanding : Whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, Lest they come near unto thee. 10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked : But he that trusteth in the Loed, mercy shall compass him about. 11 Be glad in, the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: , And shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. David is here improving the experience he had had of the comfort of pardon ing mercy. m First. He speaks to God, and professeth his confidence in him and expecta tion from him, ver. 7 ; having tasted the sweetness of Divine grace to a penitent sinner, lie cannot doubt of the continuance of that grace to a praying saint; and that in that grace he should find both safety and joy. 1. Safety. " Thou art my hiding place;" when by faith I have recourse to thee, I see all the reason in the world to be easy, and to think myself out of the reach of any real evil. " Thou shalt preserve me from trouble," from the sting of it, and from the strokes of it, as far as is good for me. Thou shalt preserve me from such trouble as I was in while I kept silence, ver. 3. When God has pardoned our sins, if he leave us to ourselves, we shall soon run as far in debt again as ever, and plunge ourselves again into the same gulf; and, therefore, when we have received the comfort of our remission, we must fly to the grace of God to be preserved from return ing to folly a'gain, and having our hearts again hardened through the deceitful- ness of sin. God keeps his people from trouble by keeping them from sin. 2. Joy. " Thou shalt " not only deliver me, but " compass me about with songs of deliverance;" which way soever I look I shall see occasion to rejoice and to praise God, and my friends also shall compass me about in the great congrega tion, to join with me in songs of uraise: they shall join their songs of deliver ance with me. As every one that is godly shall pray with me, so they shall give thanks with me. Secondly. He turns his speech to the children of men; being himself con verted, he doth what he can to strengthen his brethren, Lu. xxii. 32; ver. 8, "I will instruct thee," whoever thou art that desirest instruction, "and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go." Thus, in another of his penitential psalms, he resolves that, when God had restored to him the joy of his salvation, he would teach transgressors his ways, and do what he could to convert sinners to God, as well as to comfort those that were converted, Ps. Ii. 12, 13; when Solomon became a penitent, he presently became a preacher. Eccl. i. 1. ThoBe are best able to teach others the grace of God who have themselves had the experience of it ; and those who are themselves taught of God ought to tell others what he has done for their souls, Ps. Ixvi. 16, and so teach them. "I will guide thee with mine eye." Some apply it to God's conduct and direction. He teacheth us by his word, and guides us with his eye; that is, by the secret intimations of his will in the hints and turns of providence, which he enables his people to understand and take direction from ; as a master makes a servant know his mind by a wink of his eye. When Christ turned and looked upon Peter, he guided him with his eye. But it is rather to be taken as David's promise to those who sat under his instruction, his own children and family especially. 'I will counsel thee, mine eye shall be upon thee,' so the margin reads it. I will give thee the best counsel I can, and then observe whether thou takest it or no. Those that are taught in the word should be under the con stant inspection of those that teach them. Spiritual guides must be overseers. In this application of the foregoing doctrine concerning the blessedness of those whose sins are pardoned, here is a word to sinners, and a word to saints; and this is rightly dividing the word of truth, and giving to each their portion. 1. Here is a word of caution to sinners, and a good reason given for it. 1st. K 146 PSALM XXXIII. The caution is, not to be unruly and ungovernable; ver. 9, "Be ye not as the horse, or the mule, which have no understanding." When the psalmist would reproach himself for the .sins he repented of, he compared himself to a beast before God, " So foolish have I been, and ignorant," Ps. lxxiii. 23 ; and there fore warns others not to be so. It is our honour and happiness that we have understanding, that we are capable of being governed by reason, and of reason ing with ourselves: Let us, therefore, use the faculties we have, and act rationally. The horse and mule, must be managed with bit and bridle, lest they come near to us to do us a mischief; or, as some read it, that they may come near to us, to do us service, that they may obey us, Jos. iii. 3. Let us not be like them ;. that is, let us not be hurried by appetite and passion at any time, to go contrary to the dictates of right reason, and to our true interest, if sinners would be governed and determined by these, they would soon become saints, arid would not go a step farther in their sinful courses. Where there is renewing grace, there is no need of the bit and bridle of restraining grace. 2nd. The reason for this caution is, because the way of sin, which we would persuade youto forsake, will certainly end in sorrow ;_ver. 10, " Many sorrows. shall be to the wicked, which will not only spoil their vain and carnal mirth/1 and put an end to it, but will make them pay dear for it. Sin will have sorrow:- if not repented of. everlasting sorrow. It was part of the sentence, "I wilL greatly multiply tny sorrows." Be wise for yourselves, therefore, and turnr from your wickedness, that you may prevent those sorrows, those many sorrows. 2. Here is a word of comfort to saints, and a good reason given for that too. 1st. They are assured that if they will but trust in the Lord, and keep close to him, mercy shall compass them about on every side, ver. 10, so that they shall not depart from God, for that mercy shall keep them in, nor shall any real evil break in upon them, for that mercy shall keep it out. 2nd. They are, therefore, Commanded to be glad in the Lord, and to rejoice in him, to that degree, as even to shout for joy, ver. 11. Let them be so transported with this holy joy as not to be able to contain themselves, and let them affect others with it, that they also may see that a life of communion with God is the most pleasant'1 and comfortable life we can live in this world. This is that present bliss which: the upright in heart, and they only, are entitled to and qualified for. PSALM XXXIII. This is a psalm of praise ; it is probable David was the penman of it, but we are not told so, because God would have us look above the penmen of sacred writ, to that. blessed Spiiit that moved and guided them. The psalmist in this psalm, I. Calls upon the righteous to praise God, ver. 1 — 3. , II. Fumisheth us with matter for praise: We must praise God, 1. For his justice, goodness, and truth, appearing in his word, and in all his works, ver. 4, 5. 2. For his power appearing in the work of creation, ver. 6 — 9. 3. For the sovereignty of his providence in the government of the world, ver. 10, 11; and again, ver. 13 — 17. 4. For the peculiar favour which he bears to his own chosen people, whicli encourageth them to trust in him, ver. 13 j and again, , ver. IS— 22. "We need not be far to seek for proper thoughts in singing this psalin^'i which so naturally speaks the pious affections of a devout soul towards God. REJOICE in the Loed, 0 ye righteous : ..••! For praise is comely for the upright. 2 Praise the Loud with harp : Sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing unto him a new song ; Play skilfully with a loud noise. 4 For the word of the Lord is right ; And all his works are done in truth. 5 He loveth righteousness and judgment The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. 6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made ; And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. PSALM XXXIII. 147 ¦ 7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap : He layeth up the depth in storehouses. . 8 Let all the earth fear the Loud : Let all the inhabitants of the -world stand in awe of him. 9 For he spake, and it was done ; He commanded, and it stood fast. 10 The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought : He maketh the devices of the people of none effect. .11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, The thoitghts of his heart to all generations. Four things the psalmist expresseth in these verses :, "First. The groat desire he had that God might be pi*aised. He did not think .he did it so well himself, but that he wished others also might be employed in this work; the more the better in this concert, it is the liker to heaven. 1. Holy joy is the heart and soul of praise, and that is here pressed upon all good people ; ver. 1, " Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous," so the foregoing psalm concluded, and so this begins ; for all our religious exercises should both begin and end with a holy complacency and triumph in God as the best of beings and best of friends. 2. Thankful praise is the breath and language of holy joy ; and that also is here required of us, ver. 2, "Praise the Lord. Speak well of him, and give him the glory due to his name. 3. Religious songs are the proper expressions of thankful praise. Those are here required ; ver. 3, " Sing unto him a new song," the best you have, not that which by frequent use is .worn threadbare ; but that which, being new, is most likely to move the affec tions. A new song for new mercies, and upon every new occasion, for those compassions which are new every morning. Music was then used by the appointment of David, with the temple songs, that they might be the better 'sung; and this also is here called for, ver. 2, "Sing unto him with the psaltery." .Here is, 1st. A good rule for this duty; Do it "skilfully, and with a loud noise;" let it have the best both of head and heart; let it be done intelligently, and with a clear head; affectionately, and with a warm heart. 2nd. A good reason for this duty; "for praise is comely for the upright." It is greatly well-pleasing ¦Co God. The garments of praise add mucli to the comeliness which God puts y,upon his people; and it ia an excellent ornament to our profession. It becomes the upright, whom God has put so much honour upon, to give honour to him. The upright praiseGod in a comely manner, for they praise him with their hearts; that is praising him with their glory. Whereas the praises of hypocrites are awkward and uncomely, like a parable in the mouth of fools, Pr. xxvi. 7- Secondly. The high thoughts he had of God and of his infinite perfections, ver. 4, 5. God makes himself known to us, 1. In his "Word ; here put for all Divine revelation, all that which God at sundry times and in divers faanners spake to the children of men ; and that is nil right; there is nothing amiss in it. His commands exactly agree with the rules of equity, and the eternal reasons of good and evil. His promises are all wise and good, and inviolably sure, and there is no iniquity in his threatenings, but even those are designed for our §ood, by deterring us from evil. God's word is right, and therefore all our eviations from it are wrong, and we are then in the right when we agree with it. 2. In his works; and those are all done in truth, all according to his ( counsels, which are called the scriptures of truth, Dan. x. 21. The copy in all God's works agrees exactly with the great original, the plan laid in the Eternal Mind, and varies not in the least jot. God has made it to appear in his works, ist. That he is a God of inflexible justice. He loveth righteousness and judg ment. There is nothing but righteousness in the sentence he passeth, and judgment in the execution of it. He never did or can do wrong to any of his Creatures, but is always ready to right those that are wronged, and doth it with •delight. He takes pleasure in those that are righteous. He is himself "the righteous Lord," and thel-efore "loveth righteousness.-' 2nd. That he is a God of inexhaustible bounty. "The earth is full of his goodness," that is, of the proofs and instances of it. The benign influences which the earth receives from above, and the fruits it is thereby enabled to produce, the provision that is made both for man and beast, and the common blessings with which all the nations of the earth are blessed, plainly speak that ""the earth is full of his goodness;" the darkest, the coldest, the hottest, and the most dry and desert part of it not excepted. What pity is it that this earth, which is so full of God*s , goodness, should be so empty of his praises ; and that, of the multitudes that ¦ live upon ^" K — ?*- *' *- " ' " ¦"•".¦ 148 PSALM- XXXlll. Thirdlv. The conviction he was under of the almighty power of God, evidence'd in the creation of the world. We believe in God, and therefore we praise him as ' the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth ; so we are here taught to praise him. ,,,,.,. . . . . Observe, 1. How God made the world, and brought all things into being. 1st. How easily. All things were made by the word of the Lord, and by the breath of his mouth ; Christ is the Word, the Spirit is the breath, so that God the Father made the world, as he rules it and redeems it, by his Son and Spirit. " He spake and he commanded," ver. 9, and that was enough, there needed no more. With men, saying and doing are two things ; but it is not so with God: by the word and Spirit of God 'is the world was made, so was man, that little world. God said, Let us make man ; and he breathed into him the breath of life." By the word and Spirit the church is built, that new world, and grace wrought in the soul, that new man, that new creation. What cannot that power do which with a word made a world! 2nd. How effectually it was done, "and it stood fast." What God doth, he doth to purpose; he doth it, and it stands fast, ver. 9. Whatsoever God doth, it shall be for ever, Feci. iii. 14. It is by virtue of that command to stand fast that they continue to this day according to God's ordinance, Ps. cxix: 91. 2. What he made. He made all things ; but notice is here taken, 1st. Of the heavens, and the host of them, ver. 6. The visible heavens, and the sun, moon, and stars, their hosts; the highest heavens, and the angels their hosts. 2nd. Of the waters, and the treasures of them, ver. 7. The earth was at first covered with the water, and being heavier must of course subside and sink under it: but to shew from the very first that the God of nature is not tied to the ordinary method of nature, and the usual operations of his powers, with a word's speaking he " gathered the waters together on a heap," that the dry 'land might appear, yet left them not to continue on a heap, but "laidup the depth in storehouses ;" not only in the flats where the seas make their beds, and in which they are locked up by the sand on the shore as in storehouses,. : but in secret subterraneous caverns, where they are hid from the eyes of all.' living, but were reserved as in a storehouse for that day when those fountains of the great deep were to be broken up ; and they are still laid up there in store, for what use the great Master of the house knows best. 3. What use is to be made of this; ver. 8, " Let all the earth fear the Lord, and stand in awe of him ; " that is, let all the children of men worship him, and give glory to him, Ps. xcv. 5, 6. The everlasting Gospel gives this as the reason why we must worship God, because he made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, Rev. xiv. 6, 7. Let us all fear him; that is, dread his wrath and dis pleasure, and be afraid of having him our enemy, and standing it out against him. Let us not dare to offend him who, having ttiis power, no doubt has all power in his hand. It is dangerous being at war with him who has the hosts of heaven for his armies, and the depths of the sea for his magazines ; and therefore it is wisdom to desire conditions of peace : see Jer. v. 22. Fourthly. The satisfaction he had in God's sovereignty and dominion, ver. 10, 11. He overrules all the counsels of men, and makes them, contrary to their intention, serviceable to his counsels. Come and see, with an eye of faith, God in the throne, 1. Frustrating the devices of his enemies. "He bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought," so that what they imagine against him and his kingdom proves a vain thing, Ps. ii. 1; the counsel of Ahithophel is turned into foolishness, Haman's plot baffled. Though the design be laid never so deep, and the hopes raised upon it never so high, yetj if God saith, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass, it is all to no pur pose. 2. Fulfilling his own decrees. " The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever." It is immutable in itself, for he is in one mind, and who can turn him? The execution of it may be opposed, but cannot in the least be obstructed by any created power. Through all the revolutions of time God never changeth his measures, but in every event, even that which to us is most surprising, th^-; eternal counsel of God is fulfilled ; nor can any thing prevent its being accom^j plished in its time. With what pleasure to ourselves may we, in singing1 thislj give praise to God 1 How easy may this thought make us at all times, that: God governs the world, that he did it in infinite wisdom before we were born,' and will do it when we ara silent in the dust ! 12 Blessed is the nation whose God, is the Lord ; And the people whom he hath chosen for his own inherit' 13 The Loed looketh from heaven; [ance. He beholdeth all the sons of men. 14 From the place of his habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. PSALM XXXIII. 149 15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; . He considereth all their works. 16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host : A mighty man is not delivered by much strength. 17 An horse is a vain thing for safety : Neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the Lokd is upon them that fear him, Upon them that hope in his mercy ; 19 To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waiteth for the Lokd : HeJs our help and our shield. 21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, Because we have trusted in his holy name. 22 Let thy mercy, 0 Lokd, be upon us, According as we hope in thee. We are here taught to give God the glory, First. Of his common providence towards all the children of men. Though he haB endued man with understanding and freedom of will, yet he reserves to himself the government of him, and even of those very faculties by which he is qualified to govern himself. 1. The children of men are all under his eye, even their hearts are so ; and all the motions and operations of their souls, which none know but they them selves, he knowB better than they themselves, ver. 13, 14. Though the resi dence of God's glory is in the highest heavens, yet from thence he not only has a prospect of all the earth, but a particular inspection of all the inhabitants of the earth. He not only beholdeth them, but he looks upon them, he looks nar rowly upon them; so the word here used is sometimes rendered; so narrowly that not the least thought can escape his observation. Atheists think that, because he dwells above in heaven, he cannot, or will not, take notice of what is done here in this lower world ; but from thence, as high as it is, he sees us all, and all persons and things are naked and open before him. 2. Their hearts as well as their times are all in his hand. *' He fashioneth their hearts." He made them at first, formed the spirit of each man within himt then when he brought him into being. Hence lie is called the Father of spirits. And this is a good argument to prove that he perfectly knows them. The artist that made the clock can account for the motions of every wheel. David useth this argument, with application to himself, Ps. cxxxix. 1, 14. He still moulds the hearts of men; turns them as the rivers of water which way ' goever he pleaseth, to serve his own purposes; darkens or enlightens men's Understandings, stiffens or bows their wills, according as he is pleased to make Use of them, lie that fashions men's hearts fashions them alike. It is in hearts as in faces ; though there is a great difference, and such a variety as that no two faces are exactly of the same features, nor any two hearts exactly of the same temper, yet there is suoh a similitude, as that in some things all » faces and all hearts agree, "as in water face answers to face," Pr. xxvii. 19. He fashions them together;' (so some read it;) as the wheels of a watch, though of different shapes, sizes, and motions, yet are all put together to serve one and the same purpose, so the hearts of men and their dispositions, however varying from each other, and seeming to contradict one another, yet are all overruled to serve the Divine purpose, which is one. 3. They, and all they do, are obnoxious to his judgment; for he ' considereth all their works;" not only knows them, but weighs them, that he may render to every man according to his works," in the day, in the world, of retribution, in the judgment, and to eternity. 4. All the powers of the creature have a dependence upon him, and are of no account, of no avail at all, without him, ver. 16, 17. It is much for the honour of God, that nofc only no force can prevail in opposition to him, but that no force can act but in dependence on him, and by a power derived from him. 1st. The strength of a king is nothing without God. No king is sacred by his royal prerogatives, or the authority with which he is invested; for the powers 150 PSALM XXXIII. of that kind that be are ordained of God, and are what he makes them, and no more. David was a king, and a man of war, from h'is youth, and yet acknow ledged God only to be his protector and saviour. 2nd. The strength of an army is nothing without God. " The multitude of an host ' cannot secure those under whose command they act, unless God make them a security to them. A great army cannot lie sure of victory, for when God pleaseth one shall chase a thousand. 3rd. The strength of a giant is nothing without God. "A mighty man," such as Golintli was, "is not delivered by his much strength," when his day comes to fall ; neither the firmness nor activity of his body, neithet the stoutness nor resolution of his mind, will stand him any stead, any farther than God is pleased to give him success. Let not the strong man, then, glory in his strength, but let us all strengthen ourselves in the Lord our God; go forth and go on in his strength. 4th. The strength of a horse is nothing with out God; ver. 17, "A horse is a vain thing for safety." In war horses were then so highly accounted of, and so much depended on, that God forbade the kings.of Israel to multiply horses, Deu. xvii. 16, lest they should be tempted to trust to them, and' their confidence should thereby be taken oft from God;* David houghed the horses of the Syrians, 2 Sam. viii. 4 ; here he houghs all the horses in the world, by pronouncing a horse a vain thing for safety in the day of battle. If the war-horse be unrulv and ill-managed, he may hurry his rider, into danger, instead of carrying him out of danger. If he be killed under him, he may be his death, instead of saving his life. It is, therefore, our interest to make, sure God's favour towards us, and then we may be sure of his power engaged for us, and need not fear whatever is against us. ,. Secondly. We are to give God the glory of his special grace. In the midst*" of his acknowledgments of God's providence, lie pronounceth those blessed that have Jehovah for their God, who governs the world, and has wherewithal' to help them in every time of need, while they were miserable who had this* and the other Baal for their God, which was so far from being able to hear and;,: help them, that it was itself senseless and helpless; ver. 12, 'Blessed is ther nation whose God is the Lord," even Israel, who had the knowledge of the true God, and were taken into covenant with him, and all others who own God for theirs, and are owned by him ; for they also, whatever nation they are of, are of the spiritual seed of Abraham. 1. It is their wisdom that they take the Lord for their God, that they direct their homage and adoration there where it is due, and where the payment of it will not be in vain. 2. It is their hap piness that they are the people whom God hath chosen for his own inheritance, whom he is pleased with, and honoured in, and whom he protects and takes care of; whom he cultivates and improves, as a man doth his inheritance, Deu. xxxii. 9. Now let us observe here, to the honour of Divii>e grace, 1st. The regard which God has to his people, ver. 18, 19. God beholds-all the sons of men with an eye of observation, but his "eye of favour and compla cency is upon them that fear him; he looks upon them with delight, as_ the father on his children, as the bridegroom on his spouse, Isa. lxii. 5. While- those that depend on arms and armies, on chariots and horses, perish in the disappointment of their expectations, God's people under his protection are safe, for " he shall deliver their soul from death, when there seems to be but a step between them and it. If he do not deliver the body from temporal death, yet he will deliver the soul from spiritual and eternal death ;, their souls, whatever happens, shall live and praise him, either in this world or in a better. From his bounty they shall be supplied with all necessaries: "he: shall keep them alive in famine;" when others die for want, they shall live,1 which makes it a distinguishing mercy ; when visible means fail, God will find out some way or other to supply them. He doth not say he will give them* . abundance, they have no reason either to desire it or to expect it, but he will keep them alive, they shall not starve ; and when destroying judgments are abroad it ought to be reckoned a great favour, for it is a very sensible one,' and very obliging, to have our lives given us for a prey. They that have the Lord for their God shall find him their help and their shield, ver. 20. In their' 'difficulties he will assist them, they shall be helped over them, helped through1 them ; in their dangers he will secure them, so that they shall not receive any real damage. 2nd. The regard which God's people have to him, and which we all ought to have in consideration of this. First. We must wait for God. We must attend the motions of his providence, and accommodate ourselves to them, and- patiently expect the issue of them. Our souls must wait for him, ver. 20. We' must not only in word and tongue profess a believing regard to God, but it must be inward and sincere, a secret and silent attendance on him. Secondly. We must rely on God, "hope in his mercy," in the goodness of his nature,- though we have not an express promise to depend upon. They that fear God' and his wrath, must hope in God and his mercy ; for there is no flying from God, but by flying to him. These pious dispositions will not only consist together, but befriend each other ; a holy fear of God, and yet at the same time a hope in- PSALM XXXIV. 151 his mercy. This is trusting in his holy name, ver. 21, in all that whereby he has made known himself to us for our encouragement to serve him. Thirdly. We must rejoice in God, ver. 21. And those do not truly rest on God, or do not know the unspeakable advantage they have by so doing, who do not rejoice in him nt all times ; because they that hope in God hope for an eternal fulness of joy in his presence. Fourthly. We must seek to him for that mercy which we hope in, ver. 22. Our expectations from God are not to supersede, but tor quicken and encourage our applications to him; he will be Bought unto for that which he has promised, and therefore the psalm concludes with a short but comprehensive prayer, " Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us ;'' let us always have the comfort and benefit of it, not according as we merit from thee, but "according as we hope in thee," that is, according to the promise which thou hast in thy Word given to us, and according to the faith which thou hast by thy Spirit and grace wrought in us. If in singing these verses we put forth a dependence upon God, and let out our desires towards him, we make melody with our hearts to the Lord. PSALM XXXIV. This psalm was penned upon a particular occasion, as appears by the title ; and yet there is little in it peculiar to that occasion, but that which is general, both byway ot* thanks giving to God and instruction to us. I. He praiseth God for the experience which he and others had had of his goodness, ver. 1 — 6. II. He encourageth all good people to trust in God, and to seek to him, ver. 7 — 10. III. He giveB good counsel to us all as unto children, to take heed of sin, and to make conscience of our duty both to God "k < and man, ver. 11 — 1-1. IV. To enforce this good counsel he shews God's favour to the - ; , righteous, and his displeasure against the wicked ; in which he sets before us good and evil, the blessing and the curse, ver. 15 — 22. So that, in singing this psahn, we are both to give glory to God, and to teach and admonish ourselves and one another. A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech ; who drove him away, and he departed. I WILL bless the Loed at all times : His praise shall continually he in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make her boast in the Loed : The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3 0 magnify the Loed with me, And let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the Loed, and he heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. o They looked unto him, and were lightened : And their faces were not ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Loed heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Loed encarnpeth round about them And delivered! them. [that fear him, 8 0 taste and see that the Loed is good : Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9 0' fear the Loed, ye his saints : For there is no want to them that fear him. 10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: [thing. But they that seek the Loed shall not want any good The title of this psalm tells us both who penned it and upon what occasion it was penned. David being forced to run his country, which was made too hot for him by the rage of baul, sought for shelter as near it as he could in the land of the "Pnilistines ; there it was soon discovered who he was, and he was brought before the king, who in the story is called Achish, his proper name, here Abimelech. his title. And for fear he should be treated as a spy, or one 152 PSALM XXXIV. that came thither upon design, he feigned himself to be a mad man, (such there have been in every age, that even by idiots men might be taught to give God thanks for the use of their reason,) that Achish might dismiss him as a con temptible man, rather than take cognizance of him as a dangerous man. And it had the effect he desired; by this stratagem he escaped the hand that other wise would have handled him roughly. Now, 1. wei cannot justify David in this dissimulation ; it ill became an honest man to feign himself to be wha;t he was not, and a man of honour to feign himself to be a fool and a madman; If in sport we mimic those who have not so good an understanding as we think we have, we forget that God might have made their case ours. 2. Yet we cannot but admire at the composedness of his spirit, and how far he was from any change of that when he changed his behaviour. Even when he was in that fright, or rather in that danger only, his heart was so fixed, trusting in God, that even then he penned this excellent psalm, which hath as much in it of the marks of a calm, sedate spirit as any psalm in all the book ; and there is some thing very nice too in the composure, for every verse begins with a several letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order. Happy they who can thus keep their temper, and keep their graces in exercise, even when they are tempted to change their behaviour. In this former part of the psalm, , First. David engageth and exciteth himself to praise God. Though it waj$.( his fault that he changed his behaviour, yet it was God's mercy that he1 escaped; and the mercy was so much the greater in that God did not deal with him according to the desert of his dissimulation ; and we must in every thing give thanks. He resolves, 1. That he will praise God constantly; "I will bless the Lortl at all times," upon all occasions. He resolves to keep up stated times for this duty ; to lay hold on all opportunities for it, and to renew his praises upon every fresh occurrence that furnisheth him with matter. If we hope to spend our eternity in praising God, it is fit we should spend as much as may be of our time in this work. % That he will praise him openly; " His praise shall continually be in my mouth." Thus he would shew how forward he was to own his obligations to the mercy of God, and how desirous to make others also sensible of theirs. 3. That he will praise him heartily; "My soul shall make her boast in the Lord," in my relation to him, my interest in him^ and expectations from him. This is not vainglory to glory in the Lord. Secondly. He calls upon others to join with him herein. He expects they will ; ver. 2. " The humble shall hear thereof," both of my deliverance and of my thankfulness. " and be glad," that a good man has so much favour shewed* him, and a good God so much honour done him. Those have much comfort;- in God's mercies, both to others and to themselves, that are humble, and have^i the least confidence in their own merit and sufficiency. It pleased David w think that God's favours to him would rejoice the heart of every Israelite. Three** things he would have us all to concur with him in : 1. In great and high thoughts of God, which we should express in magnifying him, and exalting his name, ver. 3. We cannot make God greater or higher than he is, but if we adore him as infinitely great, and higher than the highest, ¦ he is pleased to reckon this magnifying and exalting him. This we must do ;, together. God's praises sound best in concert, for so we praise him as the angels do in heaven. They that share in God's favour, as all the saints do, should concur in his praises ; and we should be as desirous of the assistance of our friends in returning thanks for mercies as in praying for them. We have* reason to' join in thanksgiving to God, 1st. For his readiness to hear prayer, which all the saints have had the comfort of ; for he never said to any of them, Seek ye me in vain. First David for his part will give it under his hand that he has found him a prayer-hearing 1 God; ver. 4, "I sought the Lord" in my distress, intreated his favour, begged his help, " and he heard me ; " answered my request presently, " and delivered me from all my fears," both from the death I feared and from the disquietment and disturbance I was put into by my fear of it. The former he doth by his providence working for us ; the latter oy his "grace working in us to silence our fears, and still the tumult of the spirits. And this is the greater mercy of the two, because the thing we _ fear is our trouble only, but our unbelieving, dis trustful fear of it is our sin ; nay, and many times it is more our torment too than the thing itself would be, which perhaps would only touch the bone and the flesh, while the fear would prey upon the spirits, and put us out of the possession of our own soul. David's prayers helped to silence his fears; having sought the LoroVand left his case with him, he could with a great 'deal of ease expect the event. But David was a great and eminent man : we may not expect^ to be favoured as he was ; have any others ever experienced the like benefit bYj prayer ? Yes ; Secondly. Many besides him have looked unto God by faith and prayer, and have been lightened by it, ver. 5. It has wonderfully revived amjj comforted them, witness Hannah, who, when she had prayed, "went her way and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad." When we look to the PSALM XXXIV. 153 world we are darkened, are perplexed and at a loss ; but when we look unto God, from him we have the light both of direction and joy, and our way is made both plain and pleasant. These here spoken of, that looked unto God, had their expectations raised, and the event did not frustrate them ; their faces were not ashamed of their confidence. But perhaps these also were persons of great eminency, like David himself, and upon that account were highly fa voured; or their numbers made them considerable. Nay, Thirdly, " This poor 1 no man looked : was as welcome --i Lord heard him," took cognizance ot his case and of his prayers, and saved him out of all his troubles," ver. 6. God will regard the prayer of the destitute, Ps. cii. 17 ; see Isa. lvii. 15. 2nd. For the ministration of the good angels about us ; ver. 7, " The angel of the Lord," that is, a guard of angels, so some, but so unanimous in their service as if they were but one, or a guardian angel, " encampeth round about them that fear God," as the life-guard about the prince, " and delivereth them." God makes use of the attendance of the good spirits for the protection of his people from the malice and power of evil spirits ; and more good offices the noly angels do us every day than we are aware of. Though in dignity and capacity of nature they are very much superior to us, though they retain their primitive rectitude, which we have lost, though they have constant employment in the upper world to praise God, and are entitled to a constant rest and bliss there, yet in obedience to their Maker, and in love to those that bear his image, they condescend to minister to the saintB, and stand up for them against the powers of darkness. They not only visit themt but encamp round about them, acting for their good as really, though not as sensibly, as for Jacob's, Gen. xxxii. 1 ; and Elisha's, 2 Kin. vi. 17. All the glory be to the God of the angels. 2. He would have us to join with him in kind and good thoughts of God; ver. S, " O taste and see that the Lord is good." The goodness of God includes both the beauty and amiableness of his being, and the bounty and benefi cence of his providence and grace; and, accordingly, 1st. We must taste that he is a bountiful benefactor, relish the goodness of God in all his gifts to us, and reckon that the savour and sweetness of them; let God's goodness be rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel. 2nd. "We must see that he is a beautiful being, and delight in the contemplation of his infinite perfections. By taste and sight we both make discoveries and take complacency. Taste and see God's goodness, that is, take notice of it, and take the comfort of it, 1 Pet. ii. 3. He is good, for he makes all those truly blessed that trust in him ; let us, there fore, be so convinced of his goodness as thereby to be encouraged in the worst xd times to trust in him. t3. He would have us join with him in a resolution to seek God and serve him, and continue in his fear ; ver. 9, " O fear the Lord, ye his saints : " when we taste and see that he is good, we must not forget that he is great, and greatly to be feared : " nay, even his goodness is the proper object of a filial reverence and awe ; " They shall fear the Lord and his goodness," Hos. iii. 5. " Fear the Lord ;" that is, worship him, and make conscience of your duty to him in every thing; not fear him and shun him, but fear him and seek him, ver. 10; as a people seek unto their God ; apply yourselves to him, and portion yourselves in him. To encourage us to fear God and seek him, it is here promised that thosfe that do so, even in this wanting world, shall want no good thing; Heb., 'They shall not want all good things, that is, they shall so have all good things asthat they shall have no reason to complain of the want of any. As to the things of the other world, they shall have grace sufficient for the support of the spiritual life, 2 Cor. xii. 9; Ps. lxxxiv. 11; and, as to this life, they shall have what is necessary to the support of it from the hand of God. As a Father, he will feed them with food convenient. What farther comforts they desire they shall have, as far as Infinite Wisdom sees good ; and what they want in one thing, shall be made up in another. What God denies them, he will give them grace to be content without, and then they do not want it, Deu. iii. 26 ; Paul Had all and abounded, because he was content, Phil. iv. 11—18. Those that live by faith in God's all-sufficiency want nothing, for in him they have enough; however it goes with the young lions, they shall lack and suffer hunger. They that live upon common providence, as the lions do, shall want that satisfaction which they have that live by faith in the promise. They that trust to them selves, and think their own hands sufficient for them, shall want ; for bread is not always to the wise, but verily they shall be fed that trust in God, and desire to be at his finding. They that are ravenous and prey upon all about them shall want ; but " the meek shall inherit the earth." They shall not want that with quietness work and mind their own business. Plainhearted Jacob has pottage enough, when Esau the cunning hunter is ready to perish for hunger. 151 PSALM XXXIV. 11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. J 2 What man is he that desireth life, And loveth many days, that he may see good ? 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the Loed are upon the righteous, And his ears are open unto their cry. 1 6 The face of the Lokd is against them that do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 1 7 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, And delivereth them out of all their troubles. v, 18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken hearts And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. "'¦<¦ 1 9 Many are the afflictions of the righteous : But the Lord delivereth him out of them all. 20 He keepeth all his bones : Not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the -wicked : And they that hate the righteous shall be desolate 22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants : And none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. David, in this latter part of the psalm, undertakes to teach children ; though a man of war, and anointed to be king, he did not think it below him. Though now he had his head so full of cares, and his hands of business, yet he could find heart and time to give good counsel to young people from his own expe rience. It doth not appear that he had now any children of his own, at least none that were grown up to a_ capacity of being taught, but by Divine inspiration he instructs the children of his people. Those that were in years would hot be taught by him, though he had offered them his service, Ps. xxxii. 8 ; but he has . hopes that the tender branches will be more easily bent, and that childreirand young people will be more tractable, and therefore he calls together a congre gation of them; ver. 10, " Come, ye children," that are now in your learning age, and are now to lay up a stock ot knowledge which you must live upon ail your days ; ye children that are foolish and ignorant, and need to be taught; ' Perhaps he intends especially those children whose parents neglected to instfltiffC— and catechise them ; and it is as great a piece of charity to put those childltgn— to school, whose parents are not in a capacity to teach them, as to feed thdsU children whose parents have not bread for them. Observe, 1. What he expefiM from them ; " Hearken unto me," leave your play, lay by your toys, and hear what I have to say to you ; not only give me the nearing, but observe and obey me. 2. What he undertakes to teach them ; " the fear of the Lord," inclusive of all the duties of religion. David was a famous musician, a statesman, a soldier, but he doth not say to the children, I will teaehyouto play on the harp, or to handle the sword or spear, or draw the bow, or I will teach you the maxims of state policy, but, " I will teach you the fear of the Lord ;" which is better than all arts' and sciences, better than all burntofferings and sacrifices. That is it which we should be solicitous both to learn ourselves and to teach our children. First. lie supposeth that we all aim to be happy ; ver. 12, " What man is he- that desireth life," that is, as it follows, not only to see many days, but to see good, comfortable days. Non est vivere, sed vaUre vita,— it is not being, but well-being, that constitutes life.' It is asked, Who wisheth to live a long and pleasant fife ? and it is easily answered, Who doth not ? Surely this must look farther than time, and this present world; for mail's life on earth at best consists but of few days, and those full of trouble. What man is he that would PSALM XXXIV 155 De eternally happy? that would see many days, as many as the days of heaven; that would see good in that world where all bliss is in perfection, without the least alloy; who would see that good before him now by faith and hope, and enjoy.it shortly? Who would? alas, very few have that in their thoughts. Most ask, Who will shew us any good?" but few ask, »' What shall we do to inherit eternal life?" This question implies there are some such. Secondly. He prescribes the true and only way to happiness, both in this world and that to come, ver. 13, 14. Would we pass comfortably through the world, and out of the world, our constant care must be to keep a good con science. And in order to that, 1. We must learn to bridle our tongues, and be careful what we say ; that we never speak amiss to God's dishonour, or our neighbour's prejudice: " Keep thy tongue from evil" speaking, lying, and slandering. So great a way doth this go in religion, that "if nny offend not in |.", \ word, the same is a perfect man ;" and so little a way doth religion go without ;: "' this, that he that "bridles not his tongue, his religion is vain." 2. We must be upright and sincere in every thing we say, and not double-tongued ; our words must be the indications of our minds, our lips must be kept from speaking guile, either to God or man. 3. We must leave all our sins, and resolve we will L nave no mpre to do with them. "Depart from evil," from evil works, and evil, |/ ] workers; from the sins others commit, and which we have formerly allowed t* * ourselves in, 4. It is not enough not to do hurt in the world, but we must & study to be useful, and live to some purpose, We must not only " depart from l" evil, but we must " do good ;" good for ourselves, especially for our own souls, employing them well, furnishing them with a good treasure, and fitting them for another world ; and as we have ability and opportunity wo must do good to others also. 5. Because nothing is more contrary to that love which never fails, which is the summary both of law and gospel, both of *;race and glory, than strife and contention, which brings confusion and every evil work, we must " seek peace and pursue it." Have a peaceable disposition ; study the i things that make fpr peace;" do nothing to break the peace, and to make mischief. If peace seem to flee from us, we must pursue it ; " follow peace with ail men ;" stick at no pains, no expense, to preserve and recover peace; be willing to deny ourselves a great deal both in honour and interest for peace sake. These excellent directions in the way to life and good, are transcribed into the New Testament, and made part of our gospel duty, 1 Pet iii. 10, 11 ; and, I perhaps, David in warning us that we speak no guile, reflects upon his own sin jit, ,', in changing his behaviour. They that truly repent of what they have done amiss will warn others to take heed of doing likewise. Thirdly. He enforceth these directions by setting before us the happiness of the godly in the love and favour of God, and the miserable state of the wicked under hia displeasure. Here is life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse, plainly stated before us, that we may choose life, and live: see Isa. iii. 10, ll. 1. " Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with them ;" however they may bless themselves in their own way. 1st. God is against them, and then they cannot but be miserable. Sad is the case of that man who by sin has made his Maker his enemy, his destroyer. " The face of the Lord is against them that do evil," ver. 16. bometimes God is said to turn his face from them, Jer. xviii. 17, because they have forsaken him; here he is said to set his face against them, because they have fought against him. And for certain, God is able to outface the most proud and daring sinners, and can frown them into hell. 2nd. Ruin is before them. This will follow of course, if God be against them, for he is able both to kill and to cast into hell. First The land of the living" shall be no place for them or theirs. When God sets his face against them, he shall not only cut them off, but "cut off the remembrance of them ;" shall when they are alive bury them in obscurity, when they are dead shall bury them in oblivion. He shall root out their posterity, by whom they should be remembered ; he shall pour disgrace upon their achievements, which they gloried in, and for which they thought they should have been remembered. It is certain there is no lasting honour but that which comes from God. Secondly. There shall be a sting in their death ; " Evil shall slay the wicked/' ver. 21. Their death shall be miserable; and so it will certainly be, though they die in a bed of down, or in the bed of honour. Death to them has a curse in it, and is the king of terrors ; to them it is an evil, an only evil. It is very well observed by Dr. Hammond, that the evil here which slays the wicked, is the same word in the singular number that is used, ver. 19, for the afflictions of the righteous, to intimate that godly people have many troubles, and yet they do them no hurt : but are made to work for good to them, for God will deliver them out of tnem all; whereas wicked people have fewer troubles, fewer evils befall them, perhaps but one, and yet that one may prove their utter ruin. One trouble with a curse in it kills and slays, and doth execution; but 156 PSALM XXXIV. many, with a blessing in them, are harmless, nay, gainful. Thirdly. Desolation will be their everlasting portion. They that are wicked themselves oftentimes hate the righteous, name and thing, have an implacable enmity to them and their righteousness ; but they shall be desolate, shall be condemned as guilty. and laid waste for ever, shall be for ever forsaken and abandoned of God and all good angels and men. and those that are so are desolate indeed. 2. Yet, "Say to the righteous, it shall be well with them ;" all good people are under God's special favour and protection. We are here assured of that, under a great variety of instances and expressions. 1st, God takes special notice of good people, and takes notice who have their eyes ever to him, and who make conscience of their duty to him. " The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous," ver. 15 ; to direct and guide them, to protect and keep them. Parents that are very fond of a child, will not let it be out of their sight ; none of God's children are ever from under his eye, but on them he looks with a singular complacency, as well as with a watchful and tender concern. 2nd. They are sure of an answer of peace to their prayers. All God's people are a praying people, and they cry in prayer, which notes great importunity; but is it to any purpose? Yes; First God takes notice of what we say; ver. 17, they " cry, and the Lord heareth them," and hears them so as to make it appear he has a regard to them. " His ears are open to their prayers ;" to receive them all, and to receive them readily, and with delight. Though he has been a God hearing prayer ever since men began to call upon the name of'the Lord, yet his ear is not heavy. There is no rhetoric, nothing charming, in a cry, yet God's ears are open to it, as the tender mother's to the cry of her sucking ch'ld, which another would take no notice of. " The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth," ver. 17. This intimates that it is the constant practice of good people,' when they are in distress, to cry unto God ; and it is their constant comfort that God hears them. Secondly. He not only takes notice of what we say, but is ready to us for our relief, ver. 18 ; he " is nigh to them that are of a broken heart, and saveth them." Note, 1st It is the cnaracter of the righteous, whose prayers God will hear, that they are of a broken heart and a contrite spirit, that is, humbled for sin, and emptied of self; they are low in their own eyes, and have no confidence in their own merit and sufficiency, but; in God only. 2nd. Those who are so have God nigh unto them to comfort r and support them ; that the spirit may not be broken more than is meet, lest it should fail before him : see Isa. lvii. 15. Though God is high, and dwells on high, yet he is near to those who, being of a contrite spirit, know how, to value his favour, and will save them from sinking under their burthens ; he is near them to good purpose. 3. They are taken under the special protection of the Divine government; ver. 20, ' ' I1JIJ1, Hill] illfil' bUSl- Hiss to honour him, and in doing so trust him to protect and reward them', — and w''h good thoughts of him refer themselves to nim, have reason to be easy, Kiatever befalls them, for they are safe, and shall be happy. ^ In singing these verses let us be confirmedin the choice we have made of the ways of God ; let us be quickened in his service, and greatly encouraged by the assurances he has given of the particular care he takes of all those that faith fully adhere to him. PSALM XXXV. David in this psalm appeals to the righteous Judge of heaven and earth, against his enemies that hated and persecuted him ; it is supposed that Saul and his party are the persons he mesms, for with them he had the greatest struggles. I. He complains to God of the injuries they did him ; they strove with him, fought against him, ver. 1 ; persecuted him, ver. 3;, sought his ruin, ver. 4, 7; accused him falsely, ver. 11; abused him basely, ver, 15, lli ; and all his friends, ver. 20 ; and triumphed over him, ver. 21, 25, 26. II. He pleads his own innocency, that he never gave them any provo cation, ver. 7, 19 ; hut, on the contrary, had studied to oblige them, ver. 12 — 14. III. He prays to God to protect and deliver him, and appear lor him, ver. 1, 2 ; to comfort him, ver. 3; to be nigh to him, and rescue him, ver. 17, 22; to plead his cause, ver. 23, 24 ; to defeat all the designs of his enemies against him, ver. 3, 4 ; and K to disappoint their expectations of his fall, ver. 19, 25, 26 ; and, lastly, to countenance •" all his friends, and encourage them, ver. 27. IV. He prophesies the destruction of his persecutors, ver. 4 — 6, 8. V. He promiseth himself that he shall yet see better days, ver. 9, 10 ; and promiseth God that he will then attend him with his praises, ver. 18, 28. In singing this psalm, and praying over it, we must take heed of applying it to any little peevish quarrels and enmities of our own; and of expressing by it any un charitable, revengeful resentments of injuries done to us ; for Christ has taught us to forgive our enemies, and not to pray against them, but to pray for them, as he did; but, 1. We may comfort ourselves with the testimony of our consciences concerning our innocency, with reference to those that are any way injurious to us, and with hopes that God will in his own way and time right us, and in the mean time support us. 2. We ought to apply it to the public enemies of Christ and his kingdom, typified by David and his kingdom, to resent the indignities done to Christ's honuur; to pray to God to plead the just and injured cause of Christianity and serious godliness, and to believe that God will in due time glorify his own name in the ruin of all the "{¦ irreconcilable enemies of his church, that will not repent to give him glory. A Psalm of David. PLEAD my cause, 0 Lord, with them that strive with me : Fight against them that fight against me. % Take htild of shield and buckler, And stand up for mine help. 3 Draw out also the spear, And stop the way against them that persecute me : Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. 4 Let them be confounded and put to shame That seek after my soul : Let them be turned back and brought to confusion That devise my hurt. 5 Let them be as chaff before the wind : And let the angel of the Lord chase them. 6 Let their way be dark and slippery : And let the angel of the Lord persecute them. 7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, Which without cause they have digged for mv soul. 158 PSALM XXXV. 8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares ; And let his net that he hath hid catch himself: . Into that very destruction let him fall. 9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord : It shall rejoice in his salvation. 10 All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, [for him,' Which dellverest the poor from him that is too strong Yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him I? In these verses we hav.e, First. David's representation of his case to God, setting forth the resfclsj rage and malice of his persecutors. He was God's servant, expressly appoiijl by him to be what he was, followed his conduct, and aimed at his glory inlj way of duty j had " lived," as St. Paul speaks, " in all good conscience befr God unto tnis day;" and yet there were those that strove with him. that j& their utmost to oppose his advancement, and made all the interest they coiQL_ against him ; they fought against him2 ver. 1 ; not only undermined him clqsely and secretly, but openly avowed their opposition to him, and set themselves to do him all the mischief they could. They persecuted him with an unwearied enmity, sought after his soul, ver. 4, that is, his life, no less would satisfy their bloody minds ; they aimed to disquiet his spirit, and put that into disorder. ; Nor was it a sudden passion against him that they harboured, but an inveterate malice ; they devised his hurt, laid their heads together, and set their wits on work, not only to do him a mischief, but to find out ways and means to ruin him. They treated him, who was the greatest blessing ef his country, as if he had been the curse and plague of it ; hunted him as a dangerous beast of prey; they digged a pit for him, and laid a net in it, that they might, have him at their mercy, ver. 7. They took a great deal of pains in persecuting him, for they - digged a pit, Ps. vii. 15, and very close and crafty they were in carrying on their designs; the old serpent taught them subtlety; they hid their net from David and his friends, but in vain, for they could not hide it from God. And, lastly, He found himself an unequal match for them. His enemy, especially Saul, was too strong for him, ver. 10 ; for he had the army at his command, and assumed to himself the sole power of making laws, and giving judgment, attainted and condemned whom he pleased, carried not a sceptre, but a javelin in his hand,, to cast at any man that stood in his way ; such was the manner of the king, and all about him must do as he bade thenij right or wrong. The king's word is a law, and every thing must be carried with a high hand ; he has fields, and vine-i yards, and preferments, at his dispose, I Sam. xxii. 7; but David is poor and needy, has nothing to make friends with, and therefore has none to take his part, out men (as we say) of broken fortunes. 1 Sam. xxii, 2, and therefore- no marvel that Saul spoiled him of what little he had got, and tne interest he had ¦ made. If the kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord and his anointed, who can contend with them? Note, It is no new thing for the most righteous men, and the most righteous cause, to meet with many mighty and malicious enemies ; Christ himself is striven with, and fought against, and war made upon ,; the holy seed; and we are not to marvel at the matter, it is a fruit of the old '.' eipnity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman. Secondly. His appeal to God concerning his integrity, and the justice of his ! cause. If a fellow subject had wronged him, he might have appealed to his prince, as St. Paul did to Csesar ; but, when his prince pronged him, he appealed to his God, who is Prince and Judge of the kings of the earth. "Plead my cause, O Lord," ver. 1. _ Note, A righteous cause may with the greatest satis- „ faction imaginable be laid befure a righteous God, and referred to him to give',] judgment upon it ; for he perfectly knows the merits of it, holds the balance.fi exactly even; and with him there is no respect of persons. God knew that they&| were without cause his enemies, and that they had without cause digged pitsf| for him, ver. 1. Note, It will be a comfort to us, when men do us wrong, if our consciences can witness for us that we have never done them any. It was so to - St. Paul, Acts xxv. 10, "To the Jews have I done no wrong." We are apt to justify our uneasiness at the injuries men do us, that we never gave them any cause to use us so ; whereas this should, more than any thing, make tis easy, for then we may the more securely expect that God will plead our cause. Thirdly. His prayer to God, to manifest himself both for him and to him in trial. 1. For him. He prays that God would fight against his enemiesj so as to disable them to hurt him, and defeat their designs against him; ver. 1. That he PSALM XXXV. 159 l$$Tild take hold of shield and buckler, for the Lord is a man of war, Ex. xv. 3 : and that he would stand up for his help, ver. 2, for he had few that would stand u$> for him; and, if he had never so many, they would stand him in no stead without God. That God would stop their way, that they might not undertake him when he fled from them ; this prayer we may put up against our persecutors. that God would restrain them, and stop their way. 2, To him. " Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation," that is, Let me have inward comfort under all these outward troubles, to support my soul, which they strike at. Let God be my salvation, not only my Saviour out of my present troubles, but my everlasting bliss ; let me have that salvation not only which he is the author of, but which consists in his favour ; and let me know it, let me have the comfortable assur ance of it, in my own breast. If God by his Spirit witness to our spirits that he is our salvation, we have enough, we need desire no more to make us happy - and this is a powerful support when men persecute us. If God be our friend' no matter who is our enemy. Fourthly. His prospect of the destruction of his enemies, which he prays for —not in malice or revenge. We find how patiently he bore Shimei's curses : " So let him curse, for the Lord has bidden him ;" and we cannot suppose that he that was so meek in his conversation should give vent to any intemperate heat or passion in his devotion ; but by the spirit of prophecy he foretells the just judg ments of God that would come upon them for their great wickedness, their malice, cruelty, and pertidiousness, and especially their enmity to the counsels of God, the interests of religion, and that reformation which they knew David, if ever he had power in his hand, would be an instrument of. They seemed to be hardened in their sins, and to be of'the number of those who have sinned unto death, and are not to be prayed for, Jer. vii. 16*; xi. 14 ; xiv. 1 1 ; 1 Jno. v. 16. As'for Saul himself, it is probable David knew that God had rejected him, and had forbidden Samuel to mourn for him, 1 Sam. xvi, l. And these predictions look farther, and read the doom of the enemies of Christ and his kingdom, as appears by comparing, Rom. xi. 9, 10. He here prays, 1. Against his many enemies; ver. 4—6, " Let them be eon- founded," &c. Or, as Dr. Hammond reads it, * They shall be confounded, they shall be turned back.* This may be taken as a prayer for their repentance, for all penitents are put to shame for their sins, and turned back from them ; or, if they were not brought to repentance, that they might be defeated and dis appointed in their designs against him, and so put to shame. .But though they should in some degree prevail, yet he foresees that it would be to their own ruin at last; they shall be as chaff before the wind, so unable will w icked men be to stand before the judgments of God, and so certainly will they be driven away by them, Ps. i. 4. Their way shall be dark and slippery, ' darkness and slipperi- iiess^' (so the margin reads it;) the way of sinners is so, for they walk in darkness, and in continual danger of falling into sin, into hell; it will prove so at last, for f their foot shall slide in due time," Deu. xxxii. 35. But this is not the worst of it; even chaff before the wind may perhaps be stopped and find a place of rest, and though the way be dark and slippery it is possible a man may keep footing; but it is Tie re foretold that the angel of the Lord' shall chase them, ver. 5, so that they shall find no rest; shall persecute them, ver. 6, so that they cannot possibly escape the pit of' destruction. As God's angels encamp about them that fear him, so they encamp against them that fight against him. They are the ministers of his justice as well as of his mercy. Those that make God their enemy make all the holy angels their enemies. 2. He prays against his one mighty enemy; ver. 8, "Let destruction come upon him." It is probable he means Saul, who laid snares for him, and aimed at his destruction. David vowed his hand should not be upon him, he would nut lie judge in his own cause; but at the same time foretold that the Lord would smite him, 1 Sam. xxvi. 10; and here, that the net ho had hid should catch himself, and into that very destruction he should fall, which was remarkably fulfilled in the ruin of Saul, for he had laid a plot to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines, 1 Sam, xviii. 25 ; that was the net which he hid for him, under pretence of doing him honour; and in that very net was he himself taken, for he fell by the hand of the Philistines, when his day came to fall. JFiftlily. His prospect of his own deliverance, which, having committed his cause to God, he dia not doubt of, ver. 9, 10. 1. He hoped that he should have the comfort of it ; " My soul shall be joyful," not in mine own ease and safety, but "in the Lord," and in his favour ; in his promise and in his salvation, according to the promise. Joy in God, and in his salvation, is the only true, sulid, satis fying joy. They whose souls are sorrowful in the Lord, that sow in tears, and Borrow after a godly sort, need not question but that in due time their souls shall be joyful in the Lord, for gladness is sown for them, and they shall at last enter into the joy of their Lord. 2. lie promised that then God should have the glory of it; ver. 10, "All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee?" 1st. He will praise God with tne whole man, with all that is within him, and 160 PSALM XXXV. with all the strength and vigour of his soul, intimated by his bones, which are within the body, and are the strength of it. 2nd. He will praise him as one of peerless and unparalleled perfection ; we cannot express how great and good God is, and therefore must praise him, by acknowledging him a nonsuch; "Lord, who is like unto.thee?" No such patron of oppressed innocency, no such punisher of triumphant tyranny. The formation of our bones so wonder-., fully, so curiously, Eccl. xi. 5, Ps. cxxxix. 16, the serviceableness of our bonesp and the preservation of them, and especially the life which at the resurrectioirfj shall be breathed upon the dry bones, and make them flourish as an herb, obligffl every bone in our bodies, if it could speak, to say, " Lord, who is like unts| thee?" and willingly to undergo any services or sufferings for him. 1 1 False witnesses did rise up ; They laid to my charge things that I knew not. 12 They rewarded me evil for good To the spoiling of my soul. 13 But as for me, When they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting ; And my prayer returned into mine own bosom. 14 I behaved myself as though he had heen my friend or brothqr : I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. [selves together : 15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered them- Yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me,,; and I knew it not ; They did tear me, and c,eased not : 16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, They gnashed upon me with their teeth. Two very ill things David here lays to the charge of his enemies, to make good* , ; his appeal to God against them — perjury and ingratitude. First. Perjury, ver. 11. When Saul would have David attainted of treason, in order to his being outlawed, perhaps he did it with the formalities of a legal. prosecution, produced witnesses which swore some treasonable words or overt apts against him, and he being not present to clear himself, — or if he had, it had been all one, — Saul adjudged him a traitor; this he complains of here as the. highest piece of injustice imaginable. " False witnesses did rise up," who would swear anything ; " they laid to my charge things that I knew not," nor ever thought of. See how much the honours, estates, liberties, and lives, even of the best men, lie at the mercy of the worst, against whose false oaths innocency itselt is no fence ; and what reason we have to acknowledge with thankfulness the hold God has of the consciences even of bad men, to which it is owing that there is not more mischief done that way than is. This instance of the wrong done to David was -typical, and had its accomplishment in the Son of David, against whom false witnesses did arise, Mat. xxvi. 60 ; and if we be at any time chargeS with what we are innocent of, let us not think it strange, as though som® new thing happened to us; so persecuted they the prophets, even the great Prophet. Secondly. Ingratitude. Call a man ungrateful and you can call him no worse.. This was the character of David's enemies, ver. 12, " They rewarded me evil for good." A great deal of good service he had done to his king,— witness his harp, witness Goliath's sword, witness the foreskins of the Philistines,— and yet his king vowed his death, and ,his country is made too hot lor him. This is to the spoiling of his soul ; that is, this base unkind usage robs him of his comfort, and cuts him to the heart more than anything else. Now, he had not only deserved well of the public, but of those particular persons that were now most bitter against him. Probably it was then well known who he meant; it may be Saul himself for one, whom he was sent for to attend upon when he was melancholy and ill, and to whom he was serviceable to drive away the evil spirit, not with his harp, but with his prayers ; to others of the courtiers it is likely he had PSALM XXXV. 161 shewed thisrespect while he lived at court, who now were of all others most abusive to him. Herein he was a type of Christ, to whom this wicked world was very ungrateful: Jno. x. 32, " Many good works have I shewed you from my Fattier, for which of those do you stone me?" David here shews, 1. How tenderly, and with what a cordial affection he had carried it towards them in their afflictions; ver. 13, 14, "they were sick.*' Note, Even the palaces and courts of princes are not exempt from the jurisdiction of death, and the visitation of sickness. Now when these people were sick, 1st. David mourned for them, and sympathised with them in their grief. They were nothing akin to him, he was under no obligations to them, would lose nothing by their death, but perhaps be a gainer by it, and yet he behaved himself as though they had been his nearest relations, purely from a principle of compassion and humanity. David was a man of war, and of a bold, stout spirit, and yet was thus susceptible of the impressions of sympathy, forgot the bravery of the hero, and seemed wholly made up of love and pity. It was a rare composition of hardiness and tenderness, courage and compassion, in the same breast. Observe, He took on as for a brother or mother, which intimates that it is our duty, and well becomes us, to lay to heart the sickness, and sorrow, and death of our near relations. Those that do not are justly stigmatized as without natural affection. 2nd. He prayed for them. He discovered not only the tender affection of a man, but the pious affection of a saint. He was concerned for their precious souls; and, since he could not otherwise be helpful to them, he helped them with his prayers to God for mercy and grace ; and the prayers of one who had so great an interest in heaven were of more value than perhaps they knew and considered. With his prayers he joined humiliation and self -affliction, both in his diet — he fasted, at least from pleasant bread, and in his dress— he clothed himself with sackcloth, thus expressing his grief, not only for their affliction, but for their sin ; for this was the guise and practice of a penitent. We ought to mourn for the sins of those that do not mourn for them themselves. His fasting also put an edge upon his praying, and was an expression of the ardency of it; he was so intent in his devotions that he had no appetite to meat, nor would allow himself time for eating. "My prayer returned into mine own bosom ;" that is, I had the com fort of having done my duty, and of having approved myself a loving neighbour, though I could not thereby win upon them, nor make them my friends. We shall not lose by the good offices we have done to any, how ungrateful soever they are, for our rejoicing will be this, the testimony of our conscience. 2. How basely and insolently, and with what a brutish enmity, and worse than brutish, they had carried it towards him: ver. 15, 16, "In mine adversity they rejoiced." When he fell under the frowns of Saul, was banished the court, and persecuted as a criminal, they were pleased, were glad at his calamities, and got together in their drunken clubs to make themselves and one another merry with the disgrace of this great favourite. Well might he call them ahjects, for nothing could be more vile and sordid than to triumph in the fall of a man of such unstained honour and consummate virtue. But this was not all, 1st. They tore him, rent his good name without mercy, said all the ill they could of him, and fastened upon him all the reproach theu* cursed wit and malice could reach to. 2nd. They gnashed upon him with their teeth ; that is, they never spoke of him but with the greatest indignation imaginable, as those^that would have eaten him up, if they could. David was the fool in the play, and his disappoint ment all the table-talk of tjie hypocritical mockers at feasts ; it was the song of the drunkards ; the comedians, who may fitly be called hypocritical mockers, {for what doth a hypocrite signify but a stage-player ?> and whose comedies it is likely were acted at feasts and balls, chose David for their subject, bantered and abused him, while the auditory, in token of their agreement with the plot* hummed, and gnashed upon him with their teeth. Such has often been the hard fate of the best of men. The apostles were made a spectacle to the world. David was looked upon with ill-will for no other reason but because he Was caressed by the people. It is a vexation of spirit which attends even a right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour, Eccl. iv. 4 ; and " who can stand before envy ?" Pr. xxvii. 4. 1 7 Lord, how long wilt thou look on ? Rescue my soul from their destructions, My darling from the lions. 18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation I will praise thee among much people. 19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me : [out a cause. Neither let them wink -with the* p-wp +\\vt h?t# me with- 162 PSALM XXXV. 20 For they speak not peace : But they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. 81 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against -me, And said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. 22 This thou hast seen, 0 Lord : Keep not silence : 0 Lord, be not far from me. 23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, Even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. 24 Judge me, 0 Lord my God, according to thy righteous- And let them not rejoice over me. [ness; 25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it : Let them not say, We have swallowed him up. 26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together That rejoice at mine hurt : Let them be clothed with shame and dishonour That magnify themselves against me. 27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, That favour my righteous cause : Yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant 28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness And of thy praise all the day long. In these verses, as before, First. David describes the great injustice, malice, and insolence of his perse cutors, pleading this with God as a reason why he should protect him from thein, and appear against them. 1. They werfe very unrighteous. They werehis enemies wrongfully, for he never gave them any provocation ; they hated him without a cause : nay, for that for which .they ought rather to have loved and honoured him.. This is quoted with application to Christ, and is said to be fulfilled in him, Jno. xv. 25, " They hated me without cause." 2. They were very rude. They could not find it in their hearts to shew him common civility ; "they speak not peace;" if they meet him, they had not the good manners to give him the time of day, like Joseph's brethren, that could not speak peaceably to him. Gen. xxxvii. 4. 3. They were very proud and scornful ; ver. 21, "They opened;,'; their mouth wide against me ; " that is, they shouted and huzzaed when they sa# *> his fall ; they bawled after him when he was forced to quit the court, " Ahaj - aha." this is the day we longed to see. 4. They were very barbarous and base ; for they trampled upon him when he was down^rejoiced at his hurt, and mag nified themselves against him, ver. 26. Turba Remi sequitur fortunam, ut sem per, et adit damnatos,—' The Soman crowd, varying their opinions with every turn of fortune, are sure to execrate the fallen.' Thus, when the Son of David was run upon by the rulers, the people cried, " Crucify him, crucify hims?|g 5. They set themselves against all the sober good people that adhered toDaridjI ver. 20, "They devise deceitful matters" to trepan and ruin "them that are quiet in the land."# Note, 1st. It is the character of the godly in the land, that they are the quiet in the land ; that they live in all dutiful subjection to govern ment and governors, in the Lord, and endeavour as much as in them lies tp live peaceably with all men, however they have been misrepresented as enemies to Caesar, and hurtful to kings and provinces. " I am for peace," Ps. cxx. 7. 2)id. Though the people of God are and study to be a quiet people, yet it has been the common practice of their enemies to devise deceitful matters against them. All the hellish arts of malice and falsehood are made use of to render them odious or despicable, their words and actions misconstrued, even that which they abhor fathered upon them, laws made to ensnare them, Dan. vi. 4, and all to ruin them and root them out. They that hated David thought scorn, like PSALM XXXV. 163 Haman, to lay hands on him alone, but contrived to involve all the religious people of the land in the same ruin with him. Secondly. He appeals to God against them, the God to whom vengeance belongs. Appeals to his knowledge ; ver. 22, "This thou hast seen." Thev had falsely accused him, but God, that knows all things, knew that he did not falsely accuse them, nor make them worse than really they were. They had carried on their plots against him with a great deal of secrecy ; ver. 15, 1 knew it not till long after, when they themselves gloried in it : but thine eye was upon them in their close cabals, and thou art a witness of all they have said and done against me and thy people. He appeals to God's justice. " Awake to my judgment, even to my cause," and let it have a hearing at thy bar, ver. 23. *' Judge me, O Lord my God: that is, pass sentence upon this appeal, "according to the righteousness" of thy nature and government: see this explained by Solomon, 1 Kin. viii. 31, 32 ; When thou art appealed to, " hear in heaven, and judge, by condemning the wicked, and justifying the righteous." Thirdly. He prays earnestly to God to appear graciously for him and his friends against his and their enemies, that by his providence the struggle might issue to the honour and comfort of David, and to the conviction and confusion of his prosecutors. 1. He prays that God would act for him, and not stand by as a spectator ; ver. 17, Lord, how long wilt thou look on?'' how long wilt thou connive at the wickedness of the wicked? Rescue my soul from the destructions they are plotting against it : rescue my darling, my only one, from the lions. My soul is my only one, and therefore the greater is the shame if I neglect it, and the greater the loss if I lose it ; it is my only one, and therefore ought to be my darling, ought to be carefully protected and provided for. It is my soul that is in danger, Lord, rescue it ; it doth in a peculiar manner belong to the Father of spirits, therefore claim thine own; it is thine, save it. "Lord, keep not silence!" as if thou didst consent to what is done against me, " Lord, be not far from me ! " ver. 22, as if I were a stranger that thou art not concerned for ; let not me be beheld afar off, as the proud are. 2. He prays that his enemies might not have cause to rejoice; ver. 19, "Let them not rejoice over me," and again, ver. 24 ; not so much because it would be a mortification to him to be trampled upon by the abjects, but because it would turn to the dishonour of God, and the reproach of his confidence in God; it would harden the hearts of his enemies in their wickedness, and confirm them in their enmity to him, andt would be a great discouragement to all the pious Jews that were friends to his righteous cause. He prays that he might never be in such imminent danger as that they should " say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it," ver. 25, much more that he might not be reduced to such extremity as that they should say, " We have swallowed him up," for then they will reflect upon God himself. But, on the contrary, that they might be " ashamed and brought to confusion together, ver. 28, as before, ver. 4 : he desires his inno cency might be so cleared, as that they might be ashamed of the calumnies with which they had loaded him, that his interest might be so confirmed as that they might be ashamed of their designs against him and their expectations of his ruin, that they might either be brought to that shame which would be a step towards their reformation, or that that might be their portion which would be their everlasting misery. 3. He prays that his friends might have cause to rejoice and give glory to God, ver. 27. Notwithstanding the arts that were used to blacken David and make him odious, and to frighten people from owning him, there were some that favoured his righteous cause, that knew he was wronged, and bore a good affection to him ; and he prays for them, 1st. That they might rejoice with him in his joyB. It is a great pleasure to all that are good to see an honest man and an honest cause prevail and prosper; and those that heartily espouse the interests of God's people, and are willing to take their lot with tnem, even when they are run down and trampled upon, shall in due time shout for joy and be glad, for the righteous cause will at length be a victorious cause. 2nd. That they might join with him in his praises. "Let them say continually, The Lord be magnified," by us and others, who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant." Note, First. The great Ciod hath pleasure in the prosperity of good people, not only of his family, the church, in general, but of every particular servant in his family ; he hath pleasure in the prosperity both of their temporal and of their spiritual vants, and the pleasure he takes in it, we ought to acknowledge it with thank fulness to his praise, and to say, " The Lord be magnified." Lastly. .The mercy he hoped to win by prayer he promiseth to wear with praise ; " I will give thee thanks," as the author of my deliverance, ver. 18, and '' my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness," the justice of thy judgments, and 164 PSALM XXXVI. the equity of all thy dispensations ; and this, 1 . Publicly, as one that took a pleasure in owning his obligations to his God. So far was he from being ashamed of them, he will do it in the great congregation, and among much people, that God might be honoured, and many edified. 2. Constantly. He will speak God's praise every day, (so it may be read,) and all the day long ; for it is a subject that will never be exhausted, no, not by the endless praises of saints and angels. PSALM XXXVI. It is uncertain when, and upon what occasion, David penned this psalm ; probably when he was struck at either by Saul or by Absalom, for in it he complains of the malice of his enemies against him, but triumphs in the goodness of God to him. We are here led to consider, and it will do us good to consider seriously, I. The sinfulness of sin, and how mischievous it is, ver. 1 — i. II. The goodness of God, and how gracious he is : I. To all his creatures in general, ver. 5, 6; 2. To his own people in a special manner, ver. 7 — 9 ; with which the psalmist is encouraged to pray for all the saints, Ver. 10 ; for Mmself in particular, and his own preservation, ver. 1 1 ; and to triumph in the certain fall of his enemies, ver. 12. If in singing this psalm our hearts be duly affected with the hatred of sin, and satisfaction in God's lovingkindness, we sing it with grace and understanding. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord. THE transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, That there is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, Until his iniquity be found to be hateful. 3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and dece.it : He hath left off to be wise, and to do good. 4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed ; , He setteth himself in a way that is not good; He abhorreth not evil. David in the title of this psalm is styled the servant of the Lord ; why in this^ * and not in any other, except in Psalm xviii., title, no reason can be given ; but ', ko he was, not only as every good, man is God's servant, but as a king, as aJ' prophet, as one employed in serving the interests of God's kingdom among men, more immediately and more eminently than any other in his day. He glories in it, Ps. cxvi. 16. It is no disparagement, but an honour to the greatest of men, to be the servants of the great God ; it is the highest preferment a man is capable of in this world. David in these verses describes the wickedness oif. the wicked; whether he means his persecutors in particular, or all notorious?^ gross sinners in general, is not certain. But we have here sin in its causes, and" sin in its colours ; in its root, and in its branches. First. Here is the root ot bitterness from which all the wickedness of the wicked comes. It takes rise, 1. From their contempt of God, and the want of a due regard to him; ver. 1, "The transgression of the wicked" (as it is described afterwards, ver. 3, 4,) " saith within my heart," that is, > makes me to conclude within myself, that. "there is no, fear of God before his eyes," for if there were he would not talk and act so extravagantly as he doth ; he would not, he durst not. break the laws of God, and violate his covenants with him, if he had any aw e of his majesty, or dread of his -wrath. Fitly therefore is it brought into the form of indictments by our law, that the criminal, not having the fear of God before his eyes, did so and so. The wicked did not openly renounce the fear of God, but their trans gression whispered it secretly into the minds of all those that knew any thing of the nature of piety and impiety. David concluded concerning those who lived at large, that they lived without God in the world. 2. From their conceit of themselves, and a cheat they wilfully put upon their own souls ; ver. 2, " He flattereth himself in his own eyes," that is, while he goes on in sin he thinks he doth wisely and well for himself, and either doth not see, or will not own, the evil and danger of his wicked practices. He " calls evil good. and good evil ;" his licentiousness he pretends to be but his just liberty ; his fraud passeth for his prudence and policy, and his persecuting the people of God he suggests to himself is a piece of necessary justice. If his own conscience threaten him. for what he doth, he saith, "God will not require it, I shall have peace though I go on." Note, Sinners are self-destroyers by being self- PSALM XXXVI. 165 flatterers. Satan could not "deceive them if they did not deceive themselves. But will the cheat last always ? No ; the day is coming when the sinner will be Undeceived, when his iniquity shall be found to be hateful. Iniquity is a hateful thing; it is that abominable thing which the Lord hates, ana which his pure and jealous eye cannot endure to look upon. It is hurtful to the sinner himself, and therefore ought to be hateful ; but it is not so, he .rolls it under his tongue as a sweet morsel, because of the secular profit and sensual pleasure which perhaps attends it; yet "the meat in his bowels will be turnedj it will be the gall of asps," Job xx. 13, 14. When tlieir consciences are convinced, and sin appears in its true colours, and makes them a terror to themselves ; when the cup of trembling is put into their hands, and they are made to drink the dregs of it, then their iniquity will be found hateful, and their self-flattery their unspeakable folly, and an aggravation of their condemnation. Secondly. Here are the cursed branches which spring from this root of bitter ness. The sinner defies God, and even deifies himself, and then what can be expected but that he should go all to nought? These two were the first inlets of sin. Men do not fear God, and therefore they flatter themselves, and then, 1. They make no conscience of what they say; true or false, right or wrong; ver. 3, "The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit;" contrived to do wrong, and yet to cover it with specious and plausible pretences. It is no marvel if those that deceive themselves contrive how to deceive all mankind; for who will they be true to that are false to their own souls ? 2. What little good there has been in them is gone. The sparks of virtue extinguished, their convictions baffled, their good beginnings come to nothing ; " they have left off to be wise and to do good." They seemed to have been under the direction of wisdom, and the government of religion, but they have broken these bonds in sunder; they have shaken off their religion, and there with their wisdom. Note, They that leave off to do good leave off to be wise. 3. Having left off to do good, they contrive to do hurt, and to be vexatious to those about them that are good, and do good; ver. 4, "lie deviseth mischief upon his bed." Note, 1st. Omissions make way for commissions. When men leave off doing good, leave off praying, leave off their attendance On God's ordi nances, and tlieir duty to him, the devil easily makes them his agents, his instru ments to draw those that will be drawn into sin, and those that will not, to draw them into trouble. Those that leave off to do good begin to do evil; the devil being an apostate from his innocency, soon became a tempter to Eve, and a persecutor of righteous Abel. 2nd. It is bad to do mischief, but it is worse to devise it: to do it deliberately and with resolution, to set the wits a work to contrive to do it most effectually, to do it with plot and management ; with the Bubtlety as well as the malice or the old serpent. To devise it upon the bed, where we should be meditating upon God and his word, Mic. ii. 1, this argues the sinner's heart fully set in him to do evil. 4. Having entered into the way of sin, that way that is not good, that neither has good in it, nor good at the end of it, they persist, and resolve to persevere in that way. He sets himself to execute the mischief he has devised, and nothing shall be withholden from him which he has purposed to do; though it be never so contrary both to his duty and to his true interest. If sinners did not steel their hearts, and brazen their faces with obstinacy and impudence, they could not go on in their evil ways, in such a direct opposition to all that is just and good. 5. Doing evil themselves, they have no dislike at all of it in others. He abhorreth not evil," but on the contrary takes pleasure in it, and is glad to see others us bad as nimself. . Or this may speak his impenitency in sin. They that have done evil, if God give them repentance, abhor the evil they have done, and themselves because of it ; it is bitter in the reflection, however sweet it was in the commission : but these hardened sinners have such seared, stupitied con sciences, that they never reflect upon their sins afterwards with any regret or remorse, but stand to what they have done, as if they could justify it before God Some' think David in all this particularly means Saul, who had cast off the fear of God, and left off all goodness ; who pretended kindness to him, when he gave him lus daughter to wife, but at tlie same time was devising mischief against him. But we are under no necessity of limiting ourselves so in the exposition of it; there are too many among us to whom the description agrees, which is to be greatly lamented. 5 Thy mercy, 0 Lord, is in the heavens ; And thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. 6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains ; Thy judgments are a great deep : 0 t^. *u r-* -,-- - 1 * 166 PSALM XXXVI. 7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, 0 God ! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 8 They shall be abundantly satisfied With the fatness of thy house ; And thou shalt make them drink Of the river of thy pleasures. 9 For with thee is the fountain of life : In thy hght shall we see light. 10 0 continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee ; And thy righteousness to the upright in heart. 1 1 Let not the foot of pride come against me, And let not the hand of the wicked remove me. 12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen : They are cast down, and shall not be able to rise. David, having looked round with grief upon the wickedness of the wicked, here looks up with comfort upon the goodness of God; a subject as delightful as the former was distasteful, and very proper to be set in the balance against it. Observe, First. His meditations upon the grace of God. He sees the world polluted, himself endangered, and God dishonoured by the transgressions of the wicked ; but of a sudden he turns his eye, and heart, and speech to God ; However it be, yet thou art good. He here acknowledged, 1. The transcendent perfections of the Divine nature. Among men we have often reason to complain there is no truth nor mercy, Hos. iv. 1, no judgment nor justice, Isa. v. 7 ; but all these may be found in God without the least alloy. "Whatever is missing or amiss in the world, we are sure there is nothing missing, nothing amiss, in him that governs it. 1st. He is a God of inexhaustible goodness ; " Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens." If men shut up the bowels of their compassion, yet with God, at the throne of his grace, we shall find mercy. When men are devising mischief against us, God's thoughts concerning us, if we cleave closely to him, are thoughts of good. On earth we meet with little content, but a great deal of disquiet and disappointment', but in the heavens, where the mercy of God reigns in perfection, and to eternity, there is all satisfaction. There, therefore, * if we would be easy, let us have our conversation, and there let us long to b6i •'• How bad soever the world is, let us never think the worse of God, or of his.*'. government ; but from the abundance of wickedness that is among men let us take occasion, instead of reflecting upon God's purity, as if he countenanced sin, to admire his patience, that he bears so. much with those that so impudently Jrovoke him ; nay, and causeth his sun to shine, and his rain to fall, upon them. f God's mercy were not in the heavens, that is, infinitely above the mercies of any creature, he would long ere this have drowned the world again: see Isa. Iv. 8, 9 ; Hos. xi. 9. 2nd. He is a God of inviolable truth ; " Thy faithfulness reaoheth unto the clouds." Though God suffers wicked people to do a great deal of mischief, yet he is, and will be, faithful to his threatenings .against sin, and there will come a day when he will reckon with them ; he is faithful also to his covenant with his geople, which cannot be broken, not one jot or tittle of the promises of itdefeatedsM y all the malice of earth and hell. This is matter of great comfort to all guH people, that, though men are false, God is faithful ; men speak vanity, butfSHC words of the LordT are pure words. God's faithfulness reacheth so high thawM doth not change with the weather, as men's doth, for it reacheth to the skies, so it should be read (as some think), above the clouds, and all the changes of the lower region. 3rd. He is a God of incontestable justice and equity ; " Thy righteousness is like the great mountains," so immovable and inflexible itself, and so conspicuous and evident to all the world ; for no truth is more certain or more plain than this, that the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and that he never did, nor ever will, do any wrong to any of his creatures. Even when clouds and darkness are round about him, yet judgment and justice are the habitation of his throne, Ps. xcvu. 2. " PSALM XXXVL 167 4th. He is a God of unsearchable wisdom and design ; " Thy judgments are a great deep," not to be fathomed with the line and plummet of any finite under standing. As his power is sovereign, which he owes not any account of to us, so his method is singular and mysterious, which cannot be accounted for by us. "His way is in the sea, and his path in the great waters." We know he doth all wisely and well, but what he? doth we know not now ; it is time enough to know hereafter. 2. The extensive care and beneficence of the. Divine providence: "Thou preservest man and beast," not only protectest them from mischief, but sup- ' . pliest them with that which is needful for the support of life. The beasts, though not capable of knowing and praising God, yet are graciously provided for ; their eyes wait on him, and he giveth tnem their meat in due season. Let us not wonder that God gives food to bad men, for he feeds the brute creatures ; and let us not fear but that he will provide well for good men. He thatfeeds the young lions will not starve his own children. 3. The peculiar favour of God to the saints. Observe, 1st. Their character, ver. 7. They are such as are allured by the excellency of God's lovingkindness, to put their trust under the shadow of his wings. First. God's lovingkindness is precious to them ; they relish it, they taste a transcendent sweetness in it, they admire God's beauty and benignity above any thing in this world: nothing so amiable, so desirable. Those know not God that do not admire his lovingkindness, and those know not themselves that do not earnestly covet it. Secondly, They therefore repose an entire confidence in him ; they have recourse to him, put themselves under his protection, and then think themselves safe, and find themselves easy, as the chickens under the wings of the hen, Mat. xxiii. 37. It was the character of proselytes that they came "to trust under the wings of the God of Israel," Ru. ii. 12. And what more proper to gather proselytes than the excellency _ of his lovingkindness? What more powerful to engage our complacency to him and on him? Those that are thus drawn by love will cleave to him. 2nd. Their privilege. Happy, thrice happy, the people whose God is the Lord, for in him they have, or may have, or shall have, a complete happiness. First. Their desires shall be answered ; ver. 8, " They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house;" their wants supplied, their cravings gratified, and their capacities filled. In God All-sufficient they shall have enough ; ail that which an enlightened, enlarged soul can desire or receive. The gains of the world, and the delights of sense, will surfeit, but never satisfy, Isa. Iv. 2 ; but the communications of Divine favour and grace will satisfy, but never surfeit. A gracious soul, though still desiring more of God, never desires more than God. The gifts of providence so far satisfy them that they are content with such things as they have ; " I have all, and abound ," Phil. iv. 18. The benefit of holy ordinances is the fatness of God's house, sweet to a sanctified soul, and strengthening to the spiritual and Divine life ; with this they are abundantly satisfied ; they desire nothing more in this world than to live a life of communion with God ; and to have the comfort of the promises. But the full, the abundant satisfaction, is reserved for the future state, the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Every vessel will be full there., Secondly. Their joys shall be constant ; " Thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures." There are pleasures that are truly Divine: they are thy pleasures ; not only which come from thee as the giver of them, but which terminate in tnee as the matter and centre of them, which being purely spiritual are of the same nature with those of the glorious inhabitants ot the upper world, and bear some analogy even to the delights of the Eternal Mind. There is a river of these pleasures, always full, always fresh, alwuys flowing. There is enough for all, enough for each: see Ps. xlvi. 4. The pleasures of sense are stinkinpjjpuddle water ; those of faith are pure and pleasant, clear as crystal, Rev. xxii. 1, God has not only provided this river of pleasures for his people, but^he makes them to drink of it ; works in them a gracious appetite to these pleasures, and by his Spirit fills their souls with joy and peace in believing. In heaven they shall be for ever drinking of those pleasures that are at God's right hand, satiated with a fulness of joy, Ps. xvi. 11. Thirdly. Life and light shall be their everlasting bliss and portion, ver. 9, having God himself for their felicity. 1st. In him tney have a fountain of life, from which those rivers of pleasure flow, ver. 8. The God of nature is the fountain of natural life, in him we live and move and have our being ; the God of grace is the fountain of spiritual life. All the strength and comfort of a sanctified soul, all its gracious jfrinciples, powers, and performances, are from "'¦•¦'¦ -1! its sei — ' ' ¦¦"¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦ ag and 1 may c _ _ fountain of eternal life. The happiness of glorified saints consists in the vision and fruition of him and in the immediate communications of his love without 168 PSALM XXXVII. interruption or fear of cessation. 2nd. In him they have Ifght in perfection, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy, all included in this light. In thy light we shall see light," that is, 1. In the knowledge of thee in grace, and the vision of thee in glory, we shall have that which will abundantly suit and satisfy our understandings. That Divine light which shines in the Scripture, and espe cially in the face of Christ, the light of the woHd; has all truth in it. When we come to see God face to face within the veil, we shall see light in per fection, we shall know enough then, 1 Cor. xiii. 12 ; 1 Jno. iii. 2. 2. In com munion' with thee now. By the communications of thy grace to us, and the return of our devout affections to thee, and in the fruition of thee shortly in heaven, we shall have a complete felicity and satisfaction. In thy favour we have all the good we can desire. This is a dark world, we see little comfort in it, but in the heavenly light there is true light, and no false light, light that is lasting and never wastes. In this world we see God, and enjoy him by creatures and means, but in heaven God himself shall be with us, Rev. xxi. d;- and we shall see and enjoy him immediately. Secondly. We have here David's prayers, intercessions, and holy triumphs, grounded upon these meditations. 1. He intercedes for all saints, begging that they may always experience the benefit and comfort of God's favour and grace, ver. 10. 1st. The persons he grays for are those that know God, that are acquainted with him, acknowledka- im, and avouch him for theirs ; and the upright in heart, that are sincere ui their profession of religion, and faithful both to God and man. Those that are not upright with God do not know him as they should. 2nd. The blessing he begs for them is God's lovingkindness, (that is, the tokens of his favour towards them^ and his righteousness, (that is, the workings of his grace in them,).. or his lovingkindness and righteousness is his goodness according to promise; it is mercy and truth. 3rd. The manner in which he desires this blessing may be conveyed is, O continue it, draw it out, as the mother draws out her breasts to the child, and then the child draws out the milk from the breasts. Let it be drawn out to a length equal to the line of eternity itself. The happiness of the saints in heaven will be in perfection, and yet in continual progression, as some think : for the fountain there will be always full, and the streams always flow ing. In these is continuance, Isa. lxiv. 5. 2. He prays for himself, that he might be preserved in his integrity and com- , fort ; ver. 1 1, " Let not the foot of pride come against me." to trip up my heels. or trample upon me ; and " let not the hand of the wicked," which is stretched out against me, prevail to " remove me," either from my purity and integrity by any temptation, or from my peace and comfort by any trouble. Let not those that fight against God triumph over those who desire to cleave to him. They. that have experienced the pleasure of conununion with God cannot but desire that nothing may ever remove them from him. 3. He rejoiceth in hope of the downfal of all his enemies in due time, ver. 12. There where they thought to have gained the point against me, they are them-; ; selves fallen, taken in that snare which they laid for me. There, in the other world, so some, there where the saints stand in the judgment, and have a placed in God's house, the workers of iniquity are cast in the judgment, are cast down, into hell? into the bottomless pit, out of which for certain they shall never be able to rise from under the insupportable weight of God's wratn and curse. It is true we are not to rejoice when any particular enemy of ours falls ; but the final overthrow of all the workers of iniquity will be the everlasting triumph of glorified saints. PSALM XXXVII. This psalm is a sermon, and an excellent, useful sermon it is, calculated not, as mast of the psalms, for our devotion, but for our conversation. There is nothing in it of prayer or praise, but it is ail instruction ; it is Maschil, a teaching psalm ; it is an exposition of some of the hardest chapters in the book of Providence, the advancement of the wicked, and the disgrace of the righteous, a solution of the difficulties that arise thereupon, and an exhortation to carry ourselves as becomes us under such dark dispensations. The work of the prophets (and David was one) was to explain the law. Now the lai&'of Moses had promised temporal blessings to the obedient, and denounced temporal miseries against the disobedient, which principally referred to the body of the people^ the nation as a nation ; for, when they came to be applied to particular persons, many instances occurred of sinnerB in prosperity, and saints in adversity : to reconcile those instances with the word that God had spoken, is the scope of the prophet in this psalm, in which, I. He forbids us to fret at the prosperity of the wicked in their wicked ways, ver. 1, 7, 8. II. He gives very good reasons why we should not fret at it: 1. Because of the scandalous character of the wicked, ver. 12, 14, 21, 32, notwithstanding their prosperity, and the honourable character of the righteous, ver. 21, 26, 30, 31 ; 2. Because of the destruction and ruin which the wicked are nigh to, ver. 2, 9, 10, 20, 35, 36, 38* and the salvation and protection which the righteous are sure of from all the malicious designs of the wicked, ver. 13, 15, 17,28,33,39,40; 3. Because of the particular mercy PSALM XXXVII. 169 God has in store for all good people, and the favour he shews them, ver. 11, 16, 18, 19, 22— 25., 28, 29, 37. III. He prescribes very good remedies against this sin of envying the prosperity of the wicked, and great encouragement to use those remedies, ver. 3 — 6, 27, 34. In singing this psalm, we must teach and admonish one another rightly to understand the providences of God, and to accommodate ourselves to them ; at all limes carefully to do our duty, and then patiently to leave the event witli God, and to believe that, how black soever things may look for the present, it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him. A Psalm of David. FRET not thyself because of evildoers, Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good ; [fed. So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be 4 Delight thyself also in the Lord ; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord ; Trust also in him ; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, And thy judgment as the noonday. The instructions here given are very plain, much need not be said for the exposition of them; but there is a deal to be done for the reducing of them to practice, and there they will look best. First. We are here cautioned against discontent at the prosperity and success of evil-doers ; ver. 1, 2, " Fret not thyself, neither be thou envious." "We may supijose that David speaks this to himself first, and preaches it to his own heart, in iiis communing with that upon his bed, for the suppressing of those corrupt passions which he found working there, and then leaves it in writing, for in struction to others that might be in the like temptation. That is preached best, and with most probability of success to others, which is first preached to ourselves. Now; I. When we look abroad, we see the world full ot evil-doers, and workers of iniquity, that flourish and prosper, that have what they will, and do what they will, that live in ease and pomp themselves, and have power in their hands to do mischief to those about them. So it was in David's lime, and therefore, if it is so still, let us not marvel at the matter, as though it were some new or strange thing. 2. When we look within, we find ourselves in temptation to fret at this, and to be envious against these scandals and bur thens, these blemishes and common nuisances ot this earth. We are apt to fret at God, as if he were unkind to the world, and unkind to his church, in per mitting such men to live and prosper, and prevail as they do. We are apt to fret ourselves with vexation at their success in their evil projects: we are apt to envy them the liberty they take in getting wealth, and perhaps oy unlawful means, and in the indulgence of their lusts, and to wish that we could shake off the restraints of conscience, and do so too. We are tempted to think them the only happy people, and to incline to imitate them, and to join ourselves with them, that we may share in their gains, and eat of their dainties; and this is that which we are warned against: Fret not thyself, neither be thou envious." Fretfulness and envy are Sins that are their own punishments, they are the uneasiness of the spirit, and the rottenness of the bones ; it is therefore in kindness to ourselves that we are warned against it. Yet that is not all; for, II. When we look forward with an eye of faith, we shall see no reason to envy wicked people tlieir prosperity, for their ruin is at the door, and they are ripen ing' apace for it, ver. 2. They flourish but as the grass, and as the green herb, which nobody envies or frets at. The flourishing of a godly man is like that of a fruitful tree, Ps. i. 3; but that of the wicked man like grass and herbs, which are very short-lived. 1st. They will soon wither of themselves. Out ward prosperity is a fading thing, and so is the life itself, to which it is confined. 2nd. They will sooner be cut down by the judgments of God. Their triumph ing is ah'brt, but their weeping and wailing will be everlasting. Secondly. We are here counselled to live a life of confidence and complacency in God, and that will keep us from fretting at the prosperity of evil-doers. If we do well for our own souls, we shall see little reason to envy those that do 170 PSALM XXXVII. so ill for theirs. Here are three excellent precepts which we are to be ruled by, and to enforce them three precious promises which we may rely upon. 1. "We must make God our hope in the way of duty, and then we shall have a comfortable subsistence in this world, ver. 3. 1st. It is required that we trust in the Lord, and do good;" that we confide in God, and conform to him. The life of religion lies much in a believing reliance on God, his favour, his provi dence, his promise, his grace, and a diligent care to serve him and our genera tion according to his will. We must not think to trust in God, and then live as we list ; no, it is not trusting God, but tempting him, if we do not make con science of our duty to him ; nor must we think to do good, and then to trust to ourselves and our own righteousness and strength ; no, we must both trust in the Lord, and do good. And then, 2nd. It is promised that we shall be well provided for in this world ; " So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." He doth not say, so shalt thou get preferment, dwell in a palace and be feasted— what needs that 1 a man's life consists not in the abund ance of these things— but thou shalt have a place to live in, and that 'in the land," in Canaan, the valley of vision j and thou shalt have food convenient for thee. This is more than we deserve ; it is as much as a good man will indent for, Gen.-. :.....,.-....,.. n,, .. .,.., have ; tenance: " verny mou snaiL ue ieu. oumc icu iu, *uuu dumu ^c «u uj lulu, as the just are said to live by faith ; and it is good living, good feeding upon the promises. " Verily thou shalt be fed," as Elijah in the famine, with what is needful for thee. God himself is a shepherd, a feeder to all those that trust in him, Ps. xxiii. 1. ,,,,,, a 2. We must make God our heart's delight, and then we shall have our* heart's desire, ver. 4. We must not only depend upon God, but solace ourselves in him. We must be well pleased that there is a God, that he is such a one as he has revealed himself to be, and that he is our God in covenant. We must delight ourselves in his beauty, bounty, and benignity ; our souls must return to him, and repose in him as their rest, and their portion for ever. Being satisfied of his lovingkindness, we must be satisfied with it, and make that our exceeding joy, Ps. xliii. 4. We were commanded, ver. 3, to do good; and then follows this command, to delight in God, which is as much a privilege as. a duty. If we make conscience of obedience to God, we may then take the comfort of a complacency in him ; and even this pleasant duty of delighting in God has a promise annexed to it. which is very full and precious, enough to recompense the hardest services ; "He shall give thee the desires of thy heart." He has not promised to gratify all the appetites of the body, and the humours of the fancy, but to grant all the desires of the heart, all the cravings of the renewed sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man ? It is this, to know, and love, and live to God, to please him, and to be pleased '", in him. 3. We must make God our guide, and submit in every thing to his conduct : and dispose : and then all our affairs, even those that seem most intricate and perplexed, shall be made to issue well, and to our satisfaction, ver. 5, 6. 1st. The duty is very easy, and if we do it aright it will make us easy. " Commit thy way unto the Lord ; " ' roll thy way upon the Lord,' so the mar gin reads it, Pr. xvi. 3 ; Ps. Iv. 22, " Cast thy burthen upon the Lord," that is, the burthen of thy care, 1 Pet. v. 7. We must roll it off ourselves, so as not to afflict and perplex ourselves with thoughts about future events, Mat. vi. 25;. , not to cumber and trouble ourselves either with contrivance of the means or with expectation of the end ; but refer it to God, leave it to him by his wise and good providence to order and dispose of all our concerns as he pleaseth. ' Reveal thy way unto the Lord,' (so the Seventy ;) that is, by prayer spread thy case and all thy cares about it before the Lord, as " Jephthah uttered all his words j before the Lord in Mizpeh," Jud. xi. 11; and then trust in him to bring it to a good issue, with a full satisfaction that all is well that God doth. We must do our duty, that must be our care, and then leave the event with God ; " Sit still, and see now the matter will fall," Ru. iii. 18. We must follow providence,:ancl not force it ; subscribe to Infinite Wisdom, and not prescribe. 2nd. The promise is very sweet. First. In general, he shall bring that to pass, whatever it is, which thou hast committed to him, if not to thy contri vance, yet to thy content. He will find means to extricate thee out of thy straits, to prevent thy fears, and bring about thy purposes to thy satisfaction. J Secondly. Iu particular, he will take care of thy reputatiun, and bring thee out " of thy difficulties, not only with comfort, but with credit and honour. " He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon day," ver. 6, that is, he shall make it to appear that tnou art an honest ma"! and that is honour enough. 1st. It is implied that the righteousness and judg ment of good people may for a time be clouded and eclipsed, either by remark*1 * arAe rebukes of Providence, (Job's great afflictions darkened his righteousness.) or by the malicious censures and reproaches of men, who put them under ill PSALM XXXVII. 171 characters, which they no way deserve, and lay to tneir charge things which they know not. 2nd. It is promise'd that God will in due time roll away the reproach they are under, clear up their innocency, and bring forth their right eousness to their honour ; perhaps in this world, at farthest in the great dav Mat. xiii. 43. Note, If we take care to keep a good conscience, we may leave , it to God to take care of our good name. 7 Eest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him : Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath : Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: [the earth. But those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not he : Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall ] 1 But the meek shall inherit the earth ; [not he. And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 12 The wicked plotteth against the just, And gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13 The Lord shall laugh at him : For he seeth that his day is coming. [their bow, 14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent To cast down the poor and needy, And to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, And their bows' shall be broken 1 6 A little that a righteous man h&th Is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken : But the Lord upholdeth the righteous. 18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright : And their inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time : And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20 But the wicked shall perish, [lambs : And the enemies of the Lord shall he as the fat of They shall consume ; into smoke shall they consume away. In these verses we have, First. The foregoing precepts inculcated ; for we are so apt to disquiet our selves with needless, trnitless discontents and distrusts, that it is necessary there should be precept upon precept, and line upon line, to suppress them, and arm us against them. 1. Let us compose ourselves by believing in God: "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him," ver. 7 ; that is, be well reconciled to all he doth, and acquiesce in it, for that is best that is, because it is what God has appointed ; and be well satisfied that he will still make all to work for good to us, though we know not how or wiiich/way. ' Be silent to the Lord,' so the word is; not with a sullen, but a submissive silence. A patient bearing what is laid upon us, and a patient expectation of what is farther appointed for us, is as much our -interest as it is our duty ; for it will make us always easy, and there is a great deal of reason for it : for it is mnbintf a wii-tno nf n««wm.« 172 PSALM XXXVII. 2. Let us not discompose ourselves at what we see in this world : " Fret not thyself because of him who prospers in his " wicked " way ; " that, though he is an ill man, yet thrives, and grows rich and great in the world. No, nor because of him who doth mischief with his power and wealth, and " brings wicked devices to pass," against those that are virtuous and good ; who seemsto have gained his point, and to have run them down. If thy heart begins to rise at it, stroke down thy folly, and cease from anger, ver. 8 ; check the first stirrings of discontent and envy, and do not harbour any hard thoughts of God and his? providence upon this account ; be not angry at any thing that God doth, but for-£ sake that wrath ; it is the worst kind of wrath that can be. " Fret not thyself iii'" any wise to do evil;" that is, do not envy them their prosperity, lest tnou be tempted to fall in with them, and to take the same evil course that they take to enrich and advance themselves, or some desperate course to avoid them and their power. Note, A fretful, discontented spirit lies open to many temptations, ' and those that indulge it are in danger of doing evil. Secondly. The foregoing reasons taken from the approaching ruin of the wicked, notwithstanding their prosperity, and the real happiness of the righteous, notwithstanding tlieir troubles, are here much enlarged upon, and the same things repeated in a pleasing variety of expression. We were cau tioned, ver. 7, not to envy the wicked, either their worldly prosperity, or the success of their plots against the righteous ; and the reasons here given respect these two temptations severally. .1. Good people have no reason to envy the worldly prosperity of wicked peo ple, nor to grieve or be uneasy at it. 1st. Because the prosperity of the wicked will soon be at an end; ver. 9, "Evildoers shall be cut off, by some sudden stroke of Divine justice, in the midst of their prosperity. What they have-got by sin will not only flow away from them, Job xx. 28, but they shall be carried away with it. See the end of these men, Ps. lxxiii. 17 ; how dear their ill-got gain will cost them, and you will be far'from envying them, or from being willing to espouse their lot for better, for worse. Their ruin is sure, and it is very near ; ver. 10, " Yet a little while' and the wicked shall not be" what they now are; "they are brought into deso-* lation in a moment,'" Ps. lxxiii. 19. Have a little patience, for "the Judge. stands before the door," Jos. v. 8, 9. Moderate your passion, " for the Lord is at hand," Phil. iv. 5. And when it comes it will be an utter ruin, he and his shall be extirpated; the day that comes shall leave him neither root nor branch, Mai. iv. 1. " Thou shalt diligently consider his place," where but the other day he made a mighty figure, "but it shall not be ; ' you will not find it, he shall leave nothing valuable, nothing honourable behind him. To the same purpose, ver. 20, " The wicked shall perish ;" their death is their perdition, because it is the period of all their joy, and a passage to endless misery. " Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord;" but undone, for ever undone, are the dead thai die in their sins. The wicked are the enemies of the Lord ; so they make them selves who will not have him to reign over them, and as such he will reckon ; with them: " they shall consume as the fat of lambs, they shall consume info smoke." Their prosperity, which gratifies their sensuality, is like the fat;of lambs ; not solid or substantial, but loose and washy ; and when their ituiu comes they shall fall as sacrifices to the justice of God, and be consumed as the fat of the sacrifices was upon the' altar, whence it ascended in smoke. The day of God's vengeance on the wicked is represented as a " sacrifice of the fat of the kidneys of rams," Isa. xxxiv. 6 ; for he will be honoured by the rum of his enemies, as he was by the sacrifices. Damned sinners are sacrifices, Mar. ix. 49. This is a good reason why we should not envy them their pros perity ; while they are fed to the full, they are but in the fattening for the day of sacrifice, "like a lamb in a large place," Hos. iv. 16 ; and the more they pros per the more will God be glorified in their ruin. 2nd. Because the condition of the righteous even in this life is every way better and more desirable than that ot the wicked, ver. 16. In general "a little that a righteous man has" of the honour, wealth, and pleasure of this world, "is better than the riches of many wicked." Observe (1 ) The wealth of the world is so dispensed by the Divine providence, that it is often the lot of good people to have but a little of it, and of wicked people to have' abundance of it; for thus God would shew us that the things of this world are - not the best things, for if they were those would have most that are best \ and dearest to God.. (2.) Ihat a godly man's little is really better than a wicked man's much: see , Pr. xv. 16, 17; xvi. 8; xxviii. 6. A godly man's estate, though never so little, is better than a wicked man's estate though u,.i<* uuu S'">= « »>"»"»ii"»™^<™. "». io-, it is ineirs Dy virtue of their relation to Christ, who is the heir of all things ; and it is put to a better use : it is sanctified to them by the blessing of God ; unto the pure all things are pure," Tit. l. 15. A little, wierewith God is served and hunoured, is better than a PSALM XXXVII. 173 great deal prepared for Baal, or for a base lust. The promises here made to the righteous secure them such a happiness as that they need not envy the prosperity of evil-doers. Let them know to their comfort, First. That they shall inherit the earth; that is, as much of it as Infinite "Wisdom sees good for them; they have the promises of the life that now is, 1 Tim. jv. 8. If all the earth were necessary to make them happy, they should have it. All is theirs, even the world, and things present, as well as things to come, 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22. They have it by inheritance, a safe and honourable title, not by permission only, and connivance. When evil-doers are cut off, the righteous sometimes inherit what they gathered ; " The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just," Job xxvii. 17. This promise is here made. 1st. To those that live a life of faith ; ver. 9, " Those that wait upon the Lord as dependants on him, expectants from him, and supplicants to him, "they shall inherit the earth," as a token of his present favour to them; and an earnest of better things intended for them in the other world. God js a good mastery that provides plentifully and well, not only for his working servants, but for his waiting servants. 2nd. To those that live a quiet and peaceable life ; ver. 11, " The meek ' fiinall inherit the earth." They are in least danger of being injured and dis turbed in the possession of what they have; and they have most satisfaction in themselves, and consequently .the sweetest relish of their creature comforts. Our Saviour has made this a Gospel promise, and a confirmation of the blessing he pronounced on the meek, Mat v. 5. Secondly. That they shall " delight themselves in the abundance of peace," ver. 11. Perhaps they nave not abundance of wealth to delight in, but they have that which is better, — abundance of peace, inward peace and tranquillity of mind. Peace with God, and then peace in God ; that "great peace which they have that love God's law, whom nothing shall offend, Ps. cxix. 165; that abundance of peace which is in the kingdom of Christ, Ps. Ixxii. 7 ; that peace which the world cannot give, Jno. xiv. 27; and which the wicked cannot have, Isa. lvii. 21. This they shall delight themselves in, and in it they shall have a continual feast, while they that have abundance of wealth do but cumber and perplex them selves with it, and have little delight in it. Thirdly. That God knows their days, ver. 18. He takes particular notice of them, of all they do, and of all that happens to them. He keeps account of the days of their service, and not one day's work shall go unrewarded; and of the days of their suffering, that for those also they may receive a recompence. He knows their fair days, and hath pleasure in their prosperity ; he knows their cloudy and dark days, the days of their affliction, and " as the day is so shall the strength De." Fourthly. That " their inheritance shall be for ever." Their time on earth is reckoned by days,which will be soon numbered ; God takes cognizance of them, anpl gives tnem the blessings of every day in its day, but it was never intended that their inheritance should be confined within the limits of those days ; no, that must be the portion of an immortal soul, ami therefore must last as long as that lasts, and will run parallel with the longest line of eternity itself : "their inheritance shall be for ever ; " not their inheritance in the earth, but that in corruptible, indefeasible one! which is laid up for them in heaven. They that are sure of an everlasting inheritance in the other world have no reason to envy the wicked their transitory possessions and pleasures in this world. Fifthly. That in the worst of times it shall go well with them ; ver. 19, " They shall not be ashamed" of their hope and confidence in God, nor of the pro fession they have made of religion; for the comfort of that will stand them in stead, and bo a real support to them in evil times. "When others droop, they shall lift up their heads with joy and confidence : even " in the days of famine, when others are dying for hunger round about them, " they shall be satisfied," as Elijah was. Some way or other, God will provide food convenient for them, or ffive them hearts to be satisfied and content without it ; so that, if they should be "hardly bestead and hungry," they shall not [as the wicked do) "fret them selves, and curse their king, and their God," Isa. viii. 21: but rejoice in God as the God of their salvation, even when the fig-tree doth not blossom, Hab. iii. 17, 18. 2. Good people have no reason to fret at the success of the designs of the wicked against the just in some measure and degree. Suppose they do bring some of tlieir wicked devices to pass, which makes us fear they will gain tlieir point, and bring them all to pass ; yet let us cease from anger, and not fret our selves, so as to think of giving up the cause. For, 1st. Their plots will oe their shame, ver. 12, 13. It is true "the wicked plotteth against the just;" there is a rooted enmity in the seed of the wicked one against the righteous seed. Their aim is, if they can, to destroy their righteousness, it that fail, then to destroy them. To this end, they have acted with a great deal both of cursed policy and contrivance, they plot, they practise against the just; and of cursed zeal and fury, "they gnash upon them with their teeth :" so desirous are they, if they could get it into their power, to eat 174 PSALM XXXVII. them up ; and so full of rage and indignation are they, because it is not in their power. But by all this they do but make themselves ridiculous ; The Lord shall laugh at them," Ps. ii. 4, 5. They are proud and insolent : but God shall pour contempt upon them. He is not only displeased with them, but hedespiseth them and all their attempts as vain and ineffectual, and their malice as impotent, and in a chain, for " he sees that his day is coming ; that is, Jfirst. The day of God's reckoning, the day of the revelation of his righteousness, which now seems clouded and eclipsed. Men have their day now, "This is your hour,» Lu. xxii. 53 ; but God will have his day shortly; a day of recompences, a day which will set all to rights, and render that ridiculous which now;paBseth tot glorious. " It is a small thing to be judged of men's judgment, 1 Cor. iv. 3. God's day will give a decisive judgment. Secondly. The day of their ruin, the wicked man's day, the day set for his fall; that day is coming,— which notes delay, it W. not yet come, but certainly it will come. The believing prospect of that day will enable the virgin the daughter of Zion to despise the rage of her enemies, and laugh them to scorn, Isa. xxxvii. 22. 2nd. Their attempts will be their destruction, ver. 14, 15. See here, First. How barbarous they are in their designs against good people. They prepare instruments of death, the sword and the bow, no less will serve ; they hunt for the precious life ; that which they design is to cast down and slay, it is the blflod of the saints they thirst after. They carry on the design very far, and it is fleau to be put in execution, they have drawn the sword and bent the bow ; and all these military preparations are made against the helpless, the poor and needy, which speaks them very cowardly ; and against the guiltless, such as be o% upright conversation, that never gave them any provocation, nor offered injury to them or any other person, which speaks them very wicked. Uprightness itself will be no fence against their malice. But, Secondly. How justly their' malice recoils upon themselves ; " Their sword shall turn into their own heart, which implies the preservation of the righteous from their malice, and th ness. He had not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread < forsaken, so some expound it. If they do want, God will raise them up friends to supply them, without a scandalous exposing of themselves to the jeproach.| of common beggars ; or if they go from door to door for meat, it shall nolhBsl with despair, as the wicked man that wanders abroad for bread, saying, Where is it?" Job xv. 23. Nor shall he be denied, as the prodigal, that would fain have filled his belly, but no man gave unto him," Lu. xv. 16. Nor shall he §rudge if he be not satisfied, as David's enemies, when they wandered up and own for meat, Ps. lix. 15. Some make this promise relate especially to those *: that are charitable and liberal to the poor, and to intimate that David never observed any that brought themselves to poverty by their charity, but it is withholding more than is meet that tendeth to poverty, Pr. xi. 24. 5. That God will not desert us, but graciously protect us in our difficulties and straits ; ver. 28, " The Lord loveth judgment, that is, he delights in doing justice himself, and he delights in those that do justice, and therefore "he for- saketh not his saints " in affliction, when others make themselves strange to them, and become shy of them ; but he takes care that they be preserved for ever, that is, that the saints in every age be taken under his protection, that the'suc- cession be preserved to the end of time, and that particular saints be preserved '4 PSALM XXXVII. , 177 from all the temptations, and through all the trials, of this present time, to that happiness which shall be for ever. He will preserve them to his heavenly kingdom, that is a preservation for ever, 2 Tim. iv. 18 ; Ps. xii. 7. 6. That we shall have a comfortable settlement in this world, and in a better when we leave this. That we shall dwell for evermore, ver. 27, and not be cut off, as the seed of the wicked, ver. 28. That we shall inherit the land which fhe Lord our God gives us, and dwell therein for ever, ver. 29. They shall not bt) tossed that make God their rest, and are at home in him. But on this earth {here is no dwelling for ever, no continuing city ; it is in heaven only, that city *#hich hath foundations, tjiat the righteous shall dwell for ever ; that will be their everlasting habitation. 4 71 That we shall not become a prey to our adversaries that seek our ruin, ? er. 32, 33. There is an adversary that takes all opportunities to do us a mis chief; a wicked one that wateheth the righteous, as a roaring lion watcheth nis prey, and seeketh to slay him. There are wicked men that do so, that are very subtle ; they watch the righteous, that they may have an opportunity to do them a mischief effectually, and may have a pretence wherewith to justify themselves in the doing of it, and very spiteful, tor they seek to slay him ; but it may very well be applied to the wicked one, the devil, that old serpent, who has his wiles to entrap the righteous, — his devices, which we should not be ignorant of; that great red dragon that seeks to slay them ; that roaring lion that goes about continually, restless and raging, and Seeking whom he may devour. But it is here promised that he shall not prevail, neither Satan nor his instruments. 1st. He shall not prevail as a field adversary. "The Lord will not leave him in his hand ; " he will not permit Satan to do what he would, nor will he withdraw his strength and grace from his people, but will enable them to resist and overcome him, and their faith shall not fail, Lu. xxii. 31, 32. A good man may fall into the hands of a messenger of Satan, and be sorely buffeted, but God will not leave him in his hands, 1 Cor. x. 13. 2nd. He shall not prevail as a law adversary. " God will not condemn him when he is judged," though urged to do it by the accuser of the brethren, that " accuseth them before our God day and night." His false accusations will be thrown out, as those exhibited against Joshua, Zee. iii. 1, 2, " The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan." "It is God that justifieth;" and then, "who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? '' ' 34 Wait on the Loed, and keep his way, And he shall exalt thee to inherit the land : When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a green bay tree. 38 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not : Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright : For the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: The end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord : He is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them : He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, because they trust in them. The psalmist's conclusion of this sermon (for that is the nature of this poem) is of the same purport with the whole, and inculcates the same things. _ . First. The duty here pressed upon us is still the same ; ver. 34, Wait on the Lord, and keep his way f that is, duty is ours, and we must mind it, and make conscience of it; keep God's way, and never turn out of it, nor loiter in it: keep close, keep going. But events are God's, and we must refer ourselves to him for the disposal of them ; we must wait on the Lord, attend the motions of his providence, carefully observe them, and conscientiously accommodate ourselves to them. If we make conscience of keeping Gods way, we may with cheerfulness wait on him, and commit to him our way ; and we shall find si 178 , PSALM XXXVII. him a good master, both to his working servants and to his waiting servants. Secondly. The reasons to enforce this duty are much the same too ; taken from the certain destruction of the wicked and the certain salvation of the righteous. This good man being tempted to envy the prosperity of the wicked, that he might fortify himself against the temptation, goes into the sanctuary of God, and leads us thither, Ps. lxxiii. 17 ; there he understands their end, and thence gives us to understand' it, and by comparing that with the end of the righteous baffles the temptation, and puts it to silence. Observe, 1. The misery of the wicked at last, however they may prosper awhile. "The end of the wicked shall be cut off," ver. 38 ; and that cannot be well that will undoubtedly end so ill. The wicked in their end will be cut off from all good, and all hopes of it ; a final period will be put to all their joys, and they will be for ever separated from the fountain of life to all evil. 1st. Some instances of the remarkable ruin of wicked people David had himself observed in this world : that the pomp and prosperity of sinners would not secure them from the judgments of God, when their day was come to fall ; ver. 35, 36, " 1 have seen a wicked man," (the word is singular,) suppose Saul, or Ahithophel, (for David was an old man when he penned this psalm,) " in great power," ' formid able,' so some render it, " the terror of the mighty in the land of the living," carrying all before him with a high hand, and seeming to be firmly fixed, and finely flourishing ; "spreading himself like a green bay tree," which produceth all leaves and no fruit ; like a native, home-born Israelite, (so Dr. Hammond,) likely to take root. But what became of him ? Eliphaz long before had, learned yvhen he saw the foolish taking root to curse his habitation, Job v. 3; and David saw cause for it, for this bay-tree is withered away as soon as the fig-tree Christ cursed ; " He passed away as a dream," as a shadow ; such was he and all the pomp and power he was so proud of. He was gone in an instant ; " He was not ; I sought him " with wonder, " but he could not be found." He had acted his part, and then quitted the stage ; and there was no miss of him. 2nd. The total and final ruin of sinners, of all sinners, will shortly be made as much a spectacle to the saints as they are now sometimes made a spectacle to the world ; ver. 34, " When the wicked are cut off," and cut off they certainly will be, " thou shalt see it," with awful adorations of the Divine justice. " The transgressors shall be destroyed., together," ver. 28. In this world God singles out here one sinner, and there another, out of many, to be made an example, in: terrorem, but in the day of judgment there will be a general destruction of all the transgressors, and not one shall escape. Thay that have sinned together shall be damned together ; " Bind them in bundles to burn them." 2. The blessedness of the righteous at last. Let us see what will be the end of God's poor despised people. 1st. Preferment. There have been times, the iniquity of which has been such that men's piety has baulked their preferment in this world, and put them quite out of the way of raising estateB,; but those that keep God's way may be assured that in due time ne will exalt them to inherit the land, ver. 34 ; he will advance them to a place in the heavenly mansions, to dignity, and. honour. ' and true wealth in the new Jerusalem ; to inherit that good land, that land of promise, of which Canaan was a type. He will exalt them above all con- ' tempt and danger. 2nd. Peace ; ver. 37, Let all people, " mark the perfect man, and behold the upright;" take notice of him to admire him, and imitate him ; keep your eye upon him to observe what comes of him, and you will find that " the end of that man is peace." Sometimes the latter end oi his days proves more comfort- ' able to him than the beginning was ; the storms blow over, and he is comforted again after the time that he was afflicted. However, if all his days continue dark and cloudy, perhaps his dying day may prove comfortable to him, and his sun may set bright ; or, if it should set under a cloud, yet his future state will be peace, everlasting peace. They that walk in their uprightness while they live shall enter into peace when they die, Isa. lvii. 2. A peaceful death has, concluded the troublesome life of many a good man ; and aU is well that thus ends everlastingly well. Balaam himself wished, that his death and his last end might be like that of the righteous, Num. xxiii. 10. 3rd. Salvation ; ver. 39, 40, " The salvation of the righteous," (which may be applied to the great salvation of which the prophets inquired and searched diligently, 1 Pet. i. 10,) that " is of the Lord." It will be the Lord's doing. The eternal salvation, that salvation of God which those shall see that order their conversation aright, Ps. 1. 23, that is of the Lord too. And he that intends Christ and heaven for them, will be a God all-sufficient to them. " He is their strength in time of trouble," to support them under it, and carry them through it . '¦ He shall help them, and deliver them ;" help them to do their duties, to bear their burthens, and to maintain their spiritual conflicts ; help them to bear then: troubles well, andyget good by them, and in due time shall deliver them,"i out of their troubles. He shall debver them from the wicked " that would run ' tnem down, and swallow them up ; shall secure them there where " the wicked PSALM XXXVIII. 179 cease from troubling." "He shall save them ;"not only keep them safe, but make them happy, "because they trust in him;" not because they have merited it from him, but because they have committed themselves to him, and reposed a confidence in him, and have thereby honoured him. PSALM XXXVIII. This Is one of the penitential psalms. It is full of grief and complaint from the beginning to the end. David's sins and his afflictions are the cause of his grief, and the matter of his complaint. It should seem he was now sick and in pain, which minded him of his sins, and helped to humble him for them ; he was at the same time deserted by his friends, and persecuted by his enemies, so that this psalm is calculated for the depth of distress, and a complication of calamities. He complains, I. Of God's displeasure, and of his own sin, which provoked God against him, ver. 1 — 5. II. Of his bodily sickness, ver. 6—10. III. Of the unkindness of his friends, ver. 11. IV. Of the injuries which his enemies did him, pleading his good carriage towards them, yet con-' fessing his sins against God, ver. 12 — 20. Lastly. He concludes the psalm with earnest prayers to God for his gracious presence and help, ver. 21, 22. In singing this psalm we ought to be much aifected with the malignity of sin ; and if we have not such troubles aB here are described, we know nothow soon we may have, and therefore must sing of them by way of preparation ; and we know that others have them, and therefore we must sing of them by way of sympathy. A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. OLOED, rebuke me not in thy wrath : Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. 2 For thine arrows stiok fast in me, And thy hand presseth me sore. 3 There is no soundness in my flesh [bones Because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my Because of my sin. 4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head : As an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. 5 My wounds stink and are corrupt Because of my foolishness. 6. I am troubled ; I am bowed down greatly ; I go mourning all the day long. 7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: And there is no soundness in my flesh. 8 I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. P Lord, all my desire is before thee ; And my groaning is not hid from thee. 10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me : As for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. 11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore ; And my kinsmen stand afar off. The title of this psalm is very observable. It is a psalm " to bring to remem brance." The 70th psalm, which was likewise penned in a day of affliction, is so entitled. It is designed, 1. To bring to his own remembrance. We will fiuppose it penned when he was sick, and in pain, and then it teacheth us that times of sickness are times to bring to remembrance; to bring the sin to remembrance for which God contendeth with us ; to awaken our consciences to deal faithfully and plainly with us, and set our sins in order before us for our humiliation. "In a day of adversity consider." Or we may suppose it 180 PSALM XXXVIII. penned after his recovery, but designed as a record of the convictions lie was under, and the workings of his heart when he was in affliction, that upon every review of this psalm he might call to mind the good impressions then made upon him, and make a fresh improvement of them. To the same , purpose was " the writing of Hezekiah when he had been sick." 2. To put others in mind of the same things which he was himself mindful of, and to teach them what to think, and what to say, when they are sick and in affliction; let them think as he did, and speak as he did. First. He deprecates the wrath of God, and his displeasure, in his afflictions' ver. 1, " 0 Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath." "With this same petition he began another prayer, for the visitation of the sick, Ps. vi. 1. This was mo's't upon his heart, and should be most upon ours, when we are in affliction, that, however God rebukes and chastens us, it may not be in wrath and displeasureV for that will be wormwood and gall in the affliction and misery. Those that would escape the wrath of God must pray against that, more than any out ward affliction ; and be content to bear any outward affliction, while it comes from and consists with the law of God. Secondly. He bitterly laments the impressions of God's displeasure upon hia soul; ver. 2, "Thine arrows stick fast m me." Let Job's complaint, ch. vi. 4, expound David's here. 'By the arrows of the Almighty, he means the terrors of God, which did set themselves in array against him. He was under a very melancholy, frightful apprehension of the wrath of God against him for his sins, and thought he could look for nothing but judgment and fiery indignation to .devour him. God's arrows, as they are sure to hit the mark, so they are sure to stick where they hit, to stick fast, till he is pleased to draw them out, and to bind up with his comforts the wound he has made with his terrors. This will be the everlasting misery of the damned; the arrows of God's wrath will stick fast in them, and the wound will be incurable. " Thy hand," thy heavy hand, " presseth me sore," and I am ready to sink under it ; it not only lies hard upon me, but it lies long; and who knows the power of God's anger, the weight of his hand ! Sometimes God shot his arrows and stretched forth his hand for David, Ps, xviii. 14: but now against him; so uncertain is the continuance of Divine comforts, where yet the continuance of Divine grace is assured. He c&mplains of God's wrath, as that which inflicted the bodily distemper he TVas under ; ver. 3, "There is no soundness in my(flesh, because of thine anger." The , bitterness of it, infused in his mind, affected his body; but that was not the worst ; it caused the disquietness of nis heart,1 by reason of which he forgot the courage of a soldier, the dignity of a prince, and all the cheerfulness of the sweet psalmist of Israel, and roared terribly, ver. 8. Nothing will disquiet the heart of a good man so much as the sense of God's anger; which shews what a fearful thing it is to fall into his hands. The wajf to ,keep the heart quiet is to keep ourselves in the love of God, and to do nothing to offend him. Thirdly. He acknowledgeth his sin to be the procuring, provoking cause of all his troubles, and groans more under the load of guilt than any other load, ver. 3. He complains his flesh had no soundness, his bones had no rest, so great a toss was he in. It is " because of thine anger," that kindles the fire which burns so fierce ; but in the next words he justifies God herein, and takes all the blame upon himself: It is " because of my sin." I have deserved it, and so have brought it upon myself: "mine own iniquities do correct me." If our trouble be the fruit of God's anger, we may thank ourselves, it is our sin that is thfe cause -r of it. Are we restless? It is sin that makes us so. If there were not iin in '¦¦> our souls there would be no pain in our bones, no illness in our bodies. It is sin, therefore, that this good man complains most of. 1. As a burthen, a heavy burthen; ver. 4, " Mine iniquities are gone over my head " as proud waters over a man that is sinking and drowning, or as a heavy burthen upon my head, pressing me down, more than I am able to bear or to bear up under. Note, Sin is a burthen. The power of sin dwelling in^us is a weight, Heb. xii. 1 ; all are clogged with it, it keeps men from soaririg upwards and pressing forward ; all the saints are complaining of it as a body of death they are loaded with, Rom. vii. 24. The guilt of sin committed by us is a burthen, a heavy burthen; it is a burthen to God, he is pressed under. it. Am. ii. 13 ; a burthen to the whole creation, which groans under it* Rom. viii. 21, 22. It will, first or last, be a burthen to the sinner himself, ¦ either a burthen of repentance, when he is pricked to the heart for it, labours j and is heavy laden under it, or a burthen of ruin, when it sinks him to the* lowest hell, and will for ever detain him there; it will be a talent of lead upon him, Zee. v. 8. Sinners are said to bear their iniquity. Threatenings are burthens. 2. As wounds, dangerous wounds; ver. 5, "My wounds stink and are cor rupt ;" as wounds in the body rankle and tester, and grow foul for wantof being dressed and looked after ; and it is through my own foolishness. Sins are wounds, Gen. iv. 23; painful, mortal wounds. Our wounds, by sin. are^ oftentimes in a bad condition, no care taken of them, no application made to "PSALM XXXVIII. 181 them, and it is owing to the sinner's foolishness, in not confessing sin, Ps. xxxii. 3, 4. A slight sore neglected may prove of fatal consequence, ana bo may a slight sin, slighted and left unrepented of. Fourthly. He bemoans himself because of his afflictions, and gives ease to his grief by giving vent to it, and pouring out his complaint before the Lord.. 1. He was troubled in mind, his conscience was pained, and he had no rest in his own spirit; and a wounded spirit who can bear? He was troubled, or distorted, bowed down greatly, and went mourning all the day long, ver. 6. He vras always pensive and melancholy, which made him a burthen and terror to himself. His spirit was feeble and sore broken, and his heart disquieted, ver. 8. Herein David, in his sufferings, was a type of Christ, who, being in his agony, cried out, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful." This is a sorer affliction than any other in this world ; whatever God is pleased to lay upon us, we have no reason to complain, as1 long as he preserves to us the use of our reason, and the peace of our consciences. 2. He was sick and weak in body ; his loins filled with a loathsome disease, some swelling, or ulcer, or inflammation; some think a plague-sore, such as, Hezekiah's boil; and there was no soundness in his flesh, but, like Job, he was all over distempered. See, 1st. What vile bodies these are which we carry about with us, an4 what grievous diseases they are liable to, and what an offence and grievance they may soon be made by some diseases to the souls that animate them, as they always are a cloud and clog. 2nd. That the bodies both of the greatest and of the best of men have in them the same seeds of diseases that the bodies of others have, and are liable to the same disasters. David him self, though so great a prince, and sp great a saint, was not exempt from the most grievous diseases; there was no soundness even in his flesh; probably this was after his sin in the matter of Uriah, and thus did he smart in his flesh fOr his fleshly lusts. When at any time we are distempered in our bodies, we ought to remember how God has been dishonoured in and by our bodies. He ¦was feeble and sore broken, ver. 8. His heart panted, and was in a continual palpitation, ver. 10. His strength and limbs failed him \ as for the light of his eyes, that was gone from him, either with much weeping, or by a defluxion of rheum upon them, or through the lowness of his spirits, and the frequent returns of a deliuuium. Note, Sickness will tame the strongest body, and the stoutest spirit. David was famed for his courage and great exploits ; and yet, when God contended with him by bodily sickness, and the impressions of his wrath upon his mind, his hair is cut, his heart fails him, and he is become weak as water. Therefore, let not the strong man glory in his strength, nor any man set grief at defiance, however it may be thought at a distance. 3. His friends were unkind to him: ver. 11, "My lovers" (such as had been merry with him in the day of his mirth) now "stand aloof from my sore." They would not sympathize with him in his griefs, nor sfo much as come within hear ing of his complaints ; but, like the priest and Levite, Lu. x. 31, "passed by on the other side." Even his kinsmen, that were bound to him by blood and alliance, stood afar off". See what little reason we have to trust in man, or to wonder if we be disappointed in our expectations of kindness from men. Adversity tries friendship, and separates between the precious and the vile. It is our wisdom to make sure a Friend in heaven, who will not stand aloof from our sore, and from whose love no tribulation -or distress shall be able to separate us. David in his troubles was a type of Christ in his agony, Christ on his cross, feeble and sore broken, and then deserted by his friends and kinsmen, who beheld afar oft'. , Lastly. In the midst of his complaints he comforts himself with the cognizance .God graciously took both of his griefs and of his prayers ; ver. 9, " Lord, all my desire is before thee;" thou knowe3t what I want, and what 1 would have, "my groaning is not hid from thee." Thou knowest the burthens I groan under, and the blessings I groan after. Thegroanings which cannot be uttered are not hid from Him that searcheth the heart, and knows what is the mind of the spirit, Rom. viii. 2(i: 27. In singing this, and praying it over, whatever burthen lies upon our spirits, we should by faith cast it upon God, and all our care concerning it, and then be easy. 12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me : And they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, And imagine deceits all the day long. 13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not ; And / was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. 14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not, And in whose mouth are no reproofs* 182 PSALM XXXVIII. 15 For in thee, 0 Lord, do. I hope : Thou wilt hear, 0 Lord my God. 1 6 For I said, Hear me, Lest otherwise they should rejoice over me : [me. When my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against 17 For I am ready to halt, And my sorrow is continually before me 18 For I will declare mine iniquity ; I will be sorry for my sin. 19 But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong : And they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. 20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries T Because I follow the thing that good is. 21 Forsake me not, 0 Lord : 0 my God, be not far from me. 22 Make haste to help me, 0 Lord my salvation. In these verses, First. David complains of the power and malice of his enemies, who, it should seem, not only took occasion from the weakness of his body, and the trouble of his mind, to insult over him, but took advantage from thence to do him a mischief. He hath a great deal to say against them, which he humbly offers . as a reason why God should appear for him, as Ps. xxv. 19, " Consider mine, enemies." 1. They are very spiteful and cruel ; " They seek my hurt ;" nay, "they seek after my life," ver. 12. That life which was so precious in the sight of the Lord, and all good men, was aimed at, as if it had been forfeited, or a public nuisance. Such is the enmity of the serpent's seed against the seed of the woman: it would wound the head, though it can but reach the heel. It is the blood of , the saints that is thirsted after. 2. They are very subtle and politic. They lay snares, they imagine deceits, and herein they are restless and unwearied ; they do it all the day long ; they speak mischievous things one to another ; that is, every one has something or other to propose, that may be a mischief to me. Mischief covered and carried on by deceit may well be called a snare. 3. They are very insolent and abusive. ""When my foot slippeth;" that is, when I fall into any trouble, or when I make any mistake, misplace a word,or take a false step, " they magnify themselves against me ; " they are pleased with it, and promise themselves that it will ruin my interest, and that if 1 slip I Bhall certainly fall and be undone. 4. They are not only unjust, but very ungrateful ; " They hate me wrongfully," ver. 19. I never did them any ill turn, nor so much as bore them any lll-wilh nor ever gave them any provocation ; nay, " they render evil for good, ver. 20. Many a kindness I have done them, for which I might have expected a return of kindness; but "for my love they are my adversaries," Ps. cix. 4; such a rooted enmity there is in the hearts of wicked men to goodness for its own sake, that they hate it, even then when they themselves have the benefit of it ; they hate prayer, even in those# that pray for them ; and hate peace, even in those that would be at peace with them : but very ill-natured those are whom no courtesy will oblige, but they are rather exasperated by it. fi. 5. They are very impious and devilish; they are my adversaries purely because " I follow the thing that good is." They hated him not only for his kindness to them, but for his devotion and obedience to God ; they hated him because they hated God, and all that bear his image. If we suffer ill for doing well, we must not think it strange ; from the beginning it was so. Cain slew Abel because his works were righteous. Nor must we think it hard, because it will not be always so ; for so much the greater will our reward be. 6. They are many and mighty ; they are lively, they are strong, they stl$. multiplied; ver. 19, "Lord, how they are increased that trouble me. , Ps. iii; 1. Holy David was weak and faint, his heart panted, and his strength failed; he PSALM XXXVIII. 183 was melancholy and of a sorrowful spirit, and persecuted by his friends ; but at the same time his wicked enemies were strong and lively, and their number increased. Let us not, therefore, pretend to judge of men's characters by their outward condition ; none knows fove or hatred by all that is before them. It should seem that David in this, as in other complaints he makes of his enemies, has- an eye to Christ, whose persecutors were such as are here described,— perfectly lost to all honour ana virtue.None hate Christianity but such as have "Jirst divested themselves of the first principles of humanity, and broken through its most sacred bonds. Secondly. He reflects with comfort noon his own peaceable and pious behaviour, under all the injuries and indignities that were done him. It is then only that our enemies do us a real mischief, when they_ provoke us to sin, (Neh. vi. 13,) when they prevail to put us out of the possession of our own souls, and drive us from God and our duty. If by Divine grace we are enabled to pre vent this mischief, we quench their fiery darts, and save ourselves harmless: if still we hold fast our integrity and our peace, who can hurt us ? This David did here. > 1. He kept his temper, and was not ruffled or discomposed by any of the slights that were put upon him, or the mischievous things that were said or , done against him ; ver. 13, 14, " I. as a deaf man, heard not;" 1 took no notice of the affronts put upon me, did not resent them, nor was put into disorder by them ; much less did I meditate revenge, or study to return the injury. Note, The less notice we take of the unkindness and injuries that are done us, the more we consult the quiet of our own minds. Being deaf, he was dumb, as a man in whose mouth there are no reproofs ; he was as silent as if he had nothing to say for himself, for fear of putting himself into a heat, and incensing his enemies yet more against him; he would not only not recriminate upon them, but not so much as vindicate himself, lest his necessary defence should be construed his offence. Though they sought after his life, and his silence might be taken for a confession of his guilt, yet he was as " a dumb man, that openeth not his mouth." Note, When our enemies are most clamorous. ordinarily it is our prudence to be Bilent, or to say little, lest we make ill worse. David could not hope by his mildness to win upon his enemies, or by his soft answers to turn away their wrath ; for they were men of such base spirits that they rendered him evil for good, and yet he carried it thus meekly towards them, that he might prevent his own sin, and might have the comfort of it in the reflection. Herein David was a type of Christ, who was " as a sheep dumb before the shearer," and " when he was reviled, reviled not again ;" and both are examples to us not to render railing for railing. 2. He kept close to his God by faith and prayer, and so both supported him self under these injuries, and silenced his own resentments of them. 1st. He trusted in God : ver. 15, " I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth, for in thee, O Lord, do 1 hope." I depend upon thee to plead my cause, and clear my innocency, and some way or other to jnit them to silence and shame. His lovers and friends, that should have owned him, and stood by him, and appeared as wit nesses for him, withdrew from him, ver. 10. But God is a friend that will never fail us, if we nope in him ; " I was as a man that heareth not, for thou wilt hear." What need I hear and God hear too? as 1 Pet v. 1, " He careth for you," and what need you care and God care too ? ' Thou wilt answer,' so some, and therefore I will say nothing. Note, It is a good reason why we should bear reproach and calumny with silence and patience, because God is a witness to all the wrong that is done us, and in due time will be a witness for us, and against those that do us wrong : therefore let us be silent, because if we be then we may expect that God will appear for us, for that is an evidence we trust in him ; but if we undertake to manage for ourselves, we take God's work out of his hands, and forfeit the benefit of his appearing for us. Our Lord Jesus, there fore, *' when he suffered, threatened not," because he " committed himself to him that judgeth righteously," 1 Pet. ii. 23, and we shall lose nothing at last by doing so. rhou shalt answer. Lord, for me.' 2nd. He called upon God; ver. 18, "For 1 said, Hear me," that is supplied; "I said so," as ver. 15, "in thee do I hope, for thou wilt hear, lest they should rejoice over me;" I comforted myself with that, when I was apprehensive that they would run me down. It is a great support to us, when men are false and unkind, that we have a God to go to, whom we may be free with, and who will be faithful to us. Thirdly. He here oewails his own follies and infirmities. 1st. He was very sensible of the present workings of corruption in him, and that he was now ready to repine at the providence of God, and to be j?ut into a Eassion by the injuries men did him; I am ready to halt," ver. 17. This will est be explained by a reflection like this which the psalmist made upon him self in a like case, Ps. lxxiii. 2, " My feet were almost gone, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked," so here, " I was ready to halt,' ready to say, " I have cleansed my hands in vain." His sorrow was continual; "All the day long 184 PSALM XXXIX. have I been plagued," Ps. lxxiii: 13, 14, and it was continually before Mm: he could not forbear poring unon it, and that made him almost ready to halt between religion and irreligion. The fear of this drove him to his God;*" In thee do I hope." not only that thou wilt plead my cause, but that thou wilt prevent my falling into sin. Good men, by setting their sorrow continually before them, have been ready to halt, who by setting God always^before them, have kept their standing. 2nd. He remembered against himself his former transgressions, acknowledg ing that by them he had brought these troubles upon himself, and forfeited the Divine protection. Though before men he could justify himself, before God he will judge and condemn himself; ver. J8, "I will declare mine iniquity," and not cover it ; " I will be sorry for my sin," and not make a light matter of it ; and this helped to make him silent under the rebukes of Providence and the reproaches of men. Note, If we be truly penitent for sin, that will make us ires. Two things . declare mineirii-, I will make a par-' ticufar Acknowledgment ot"what I have done amiss. We must declare our bins before God freely and fully, and with their aggravating circumstances, that we majr give glory to God, and take shame to ourselves. 2nd. Contrition for sin. I will be sorr dishonour I be in care.' w m get it pardoned. Fourthly. He concludes with very earnest prayers to God for his gracious presence with him, and seasonable powerful succour in his distress ; ver. 21, 22, " Forsake me not, O Lord," though my friends forsake me, and though 1 deserve to be forsaken by thee ; " be not far from me," as my unbelieving heart is ready to fear thou art. Nothing goes nearer to the heart of a good man in affliction than to be under the apprehension of God's deserting him in wrath ; nor doth any thing therefore come more feelingly from his heart than this prayer, " Lord, be not thou far from me ; make haste for my help," for 1 am ready to fierish, and in danger of being lost, if relief do not come quickly. God gives us eave not only to call upon him when we are in trouble, but to hasten him. * He pleads, Thou art my God, whom I serve, and on whom I depend to bear me out; and my salvation, who alone art able to save me, who hast enyaged thyself by promise to save me, and from whom alone 1 expect salvation. Is any attiictedr ,et him thus pray, let him thus plead, let him thus hope, in singing this psalm. PSALM XXXIX. David seems to have been in a great toss when he penned this psalm, and, upon some account or other, very uneasy; for it is with some difficulty that he conquers'his' passion, and composeth his spirit himself to take that good counsel which he -liad given to others, Ps. xxxvii., to rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him, without fretting ; for it is easier to give the good advice than to give the good example of quiet ness under affliction. "What was the particular trouble which gave occasion for the conflict David was now in, doth not appear. Perhaps it was the death of some dear friend or relation that was the trial of his patience, and that suggested to him these meditations of mortality ; and at the same time it should seem he himself was weak and ill, and under some prevailing distemper. His enemies likewise were seeking advan tages against him, and watched for his halting that ,they might have something to reproach him for. Thus aggrieved, I. He relates the struggle that was in his breast between grace and corruption, between passion and patience, ver. 1 — 3. II. He medi tates upon the doctrine of man's frailty and mortality, and prays to 'God to instruct him in it, ver. 4 — 6. III. He applies himself to God for the pardon of his sins, the removal. of his afflictions, and the lengthening out of , his life till he was ready for death, ver, 7 — 13. This is a funeral psalm, and very proper for the occasion. In singing of it, we should get our hearts duly affected with the brevity, uncertainty, and calamitous state of human life; and those on whose comforts God hAs by death made breaches^ will find this psalm of great use to them, in order to their obtaining what we ought;,' to aim much at under such an affliction, which is to get it sanctified to us for our spiritual benefit, and to get our hearts reconciled to the holy will of God in it. To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. SAID, I will take heed to my ways, That I siu not with my tongue : I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me. Fe PSALM XXXIX. 185 2 T was dumb with silence, I held ruy peace, even from good ; And my sorrow was stirred. 3 My heart was hot within me, While I was musing the fire burned : Then spake I with my tongue, 4 Lord, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is ; That I may know how frail I am. 5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth ; And mine age is as nothing before thee : [Selah, Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. 6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew : Surely they are disquieted in vain : [them. He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather . David here recollects, and leaves upon record, the workings of his heart under his afflictions, and it is good for us to do so, that what was thought amiss may be amended, and what was well thought of may be improved the next time. ^First. He remembered the covenants he had made with God to walk circum spectly, and to be very cautious both of what he did and what he said. When at any time we are tempted to sin, and are in danger of falling into it, we must call to mind the solemn vows we have made against sin, against that particular sin we are upon the brink of. God can and will mind us of them; Jer. ii. 20, " Thou saidst, I will not transgress," and therefore we ought to mind ourselves of them. So David did here. 1. He remembers that he had resolved in general to be very cautious and cir cumspect in his walking ; ver. 1, " I Baid, I will take heed to my ways;" and it was well said, and what he would never unsay, and therefore must never gain say. Note, 1st. It is the $reat concern of every one of us to take heed to our ways, that is, to walk cu'cumspectly, while others walk at all adventures. 2nd. We ought stedfastly to resolve that we will take heed to our ways, and frequently to renew that resolution. Fast bind, fast find. 3rd. Having resolved to take heed to our ways, we must upon all occasions mind ourselves of that resolution, for it is a covenant never to be forgotten, but which we must be always mindful of. 2. tie remembers that he had in particular covenanted against tongue sins. That he would not sin with his tongue, that he would not speak amiss, either to offend God, or " offend the generation of the righteous," Ps. lxxiii. 15. It is not so easy as we could wish not, to sin in thought; but if an evil thought should arise in his mind he would lay his hand upon his mouth, and suppress it, that it should go no farther; and this is so great an.attainment, that "if any offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, ' and so needful a one, that he who " seems to be religious, but bridles not his tongue, his religion is vain." David had resolved, 1st. That he would at all times watch against tongue sins. " I will keep a bridle," or muzzle, "upon my mouth." A bridle upon it, as upon an unruly horse, to guide and direct it, to check and curb it, to keep itin the right way, and on a good pace : see Jos. iii. 3. Watchfulness in the habit is the bridle upon the head ; watchfulness in the act and exercise is the hand upon the bridle, a muzzle upon it, as upon an unruly dog that is fierce and doth mischief. By {(articular stedfast resolution, corruption is restrained from breaking out at the ips, and so is muzzled. 2nd. That he would double his guard against them, . when there was most danger of scandal, "when the wicked is before me.' "When he was in company with the wicked, he would take heed of saying any thing that might harden them, or give occasion to them to blaspheme. If good men light into bad company, they must take heed what they say. Or, * when the wicked is before me," that is. in my thoughts, when he was contemplating the pride and power, the prosperity and flourishing estate of evil-doers, he was tempted to speak amiss, and therefore then he would take special care what he Baid. Note, The stronger the temptation to a sin is, the stronger the resolution must be against it. Secondly. Pursuant to these covenants he made a shift, with much ado, to bridle his tongue : ver. 2, " I was dumb with silence. I held my peace, even from good." Hir. rJl.z~zi-.rr.? -zz,7?i~ z-f.-jrS.zj, -.-^v\ '.^ .v^si".*.^ vsa *w-y wssiyskia was, the 186 PSALM XXXIX. more praiseworthy was his silence. "Watchfulness and resolution in the strength of God's grace will do more towards the bridling of the tongue than we can imagine, though it be an unruly evil. But what shall we say of his keeping silence even from good? "Was it his wisdom that he refrained good discourse when the wicked were before him, because he would not cast pearls before swine ? I rather think it was *his weakness ; because he might not say any thing he would say nothing, but ran into an extreme, which was a reproach to the law, for that prescribes a mean between extremes. The same law which for bids all corrupt communications requires that which is good, and to the use of edifying, Eph. iv. 29. Thirdly. The less he spoke the more he thought, and the more warmly. Bind ing the distempered part did but draw the humour to it.. " My sorrow was stirred, my heart was hot within me," ver. 3. He could bridle his tongue, but he could not keep his passion under, though he suppressed the smoke that was as a fire in his bones ; and while he was musing upon his afflictions, and upon the prosperity of the wicked, the fire burned. Note, Those that are of a fretful, discontented spirit, ought not to pore much,for while they suffer their thoughts to dwell upon the causes of their calamity the fire of their, discontent is fed with fuel, and burns the more furiously. Impatience is a sin that has its ill cause within ourselves, and that is musing, and its ill effect upon ourselves, and that is no less than burning. If, therefore, we would prevent the mis chief of ungoverned passions, we must redress the grievance of ungoverned thoughts. Fourthly. "When he did speak at last, it was to the purpose. At the last 1 spake with my tongue. And some make what he said to be the breach of his good purpose, and that in what he said he sinned with his tongue; and so they make what follows to be a passionate wish that he might die, like Elijah, 1 Kin. xix. 4, and Job, eh. vi. 8 ; but I rather take it to be, not the breach oi 1 his good purpose, but the reformation of his mistake in carrying it too far : he 1 had Kept silence from good, but now he would so keep silence no longer. ''He had nothing to say to the wicked that were before him, for to them he knew not how to place his words, but, after long musing, the first word he said was a prayer, and a devout meditation upon a subject which it will be good for us all to think much of. tt 1. He prays to God to make him sensible of the shortness and uncertainty at life, and the near approach of death ; ver. 4, " Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days." He doth not mean, Lord, let me know how long I shall live, and when I shall die ; we could not in faith pray such a prayer, for God has nowhere promised to iet us know, but has in wisdom locked up that knowledge among the secret^ things which belong not to nsj norwouldit.be good for us t me wisdom i concerning l for thinking of it ; we have therefore need to pray, that God by his grace would conquer that aversion which is in our corrupt hearts to the thoughts of death. Lord, make me to consider, 1st. "What death is. It is my end, the endgaf my life, and all the employments and enjoyments of life ; it is the end of all n^ra Feci. vii. 2. It is a final period to our state of probation and preparation, iffl an awful entrance upon a state of recompence and retribution. To a W3$2|ffl man, it is the end of all his joys ; to a godly man, it is the end of all his griefs. Lord, give me to know my end; that is,to be better acquainted with death, and to make it more familiar to me, Job xvii. 14 ; and to be more affected with the greatness of the change. Lord, give me to consider what a serious thing it is to die. 2nd. How near it is. Lord, give me to consider the measure of my days, that they are measured in the counsel of God, the end is a fixed end, so the word signifies, (" My days are determined," Job xiv. 5,) and that the measure is but short ; My days will soon be numbered and finished. When we look upon death as a thing at a distance, we are tempted to adjourn the necessary preparations for it ; but when we consider how snort life is we shall see ourselves concerned to do what our hand finds to do, not only with all our might, but with all pos sible expedition. 3rd. That it is continually working in us. Lord, give me to consider how frail I am, how scanty the stock of life is, and how faint the ' spirits, which are as the oil to keep that lamp burning. We find, by daily exp*,, nence, that the earthly house of this tabernacle is mouldering and going to decay ; Lord, make us to consider this, that we may secure mansions in the house npt made with hands. 2. He meditates upon the brevity and vanity of bfe, pleading it with God for relief under the burthens of life, as Job often, and pleading it with himself for his quickening to the business of life. 1st. Man's life on earth is short, and of no continuance, and that is a reason why we should sit loose to it, and prepare for the end of it : ver. 5, " Be- • hold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth," the breadth of four fingers, a certain dimension, a small one, and the measure whereof we have always PSALM XXXIX. 187 about us, always before our eyes. We need no rod, no pole, no measuring line, wherewith to take the dimension of our days, nor any skill in arithmetic where with to compute the number of them ; no, we have the standard of them at our fingers'-end, and there is .no multiplication of it; it is but one handbreadthin all. Our time is short, and God has made it so ; for the number of our months is with him. It is short, and he knows it to be so ; it is as nothing before thee. He remembers how short our time ia, Ps. Ixxxix. 47. It is nothing in compari son with thee, so some. All time is nothing to God's eternity, much less our share of time. '.' 2nd. Man's life on earth is vain, and of no value, and therefore it is folly to be fond of it, and wisdom to make sure of a better life. Adam is Abel, man is fvjffanity, in his present state ; is not what he seems to be, has not what ne pro- fjJHUBea himself. He and all his comforts lie at a continual uncertainty, and if tnere were not another life after this, all things considered, he were made in vain. He is vanity, that is, he is mortal, he is mutable. Observe how emphatically this truth is expressed here. First Every man is vanity, without exception ; high and low, rich and poor, all meet in this. Secondly. He is so at his best estate, when he is young, and strung, and healthful, in wealth and honour, and the height of prosperity; when he is most easy^ and merry, and secure, and thinks his mountain stands strong. Thirdly. He is altogether vanity, as vain as ?rou can imagine. All man is all vanity, so it may be read : every thing about urn is uncertain, nothing is substantial and durable but what relates to the new man. Fourthly. Verily Tie is so. This is a truth of undoubted certainty, but which we are very unwilling to believe, and need to have solemnly attested to us, as indeed it is by frequent instances. Fifthly. Selah is annexed, as a note commanding observation. Stop here, and pause a while, that you may take time to consider and apply this truth, that every man is vanity. We ourselves are so. Now for the proof of the vanity of man, as mortal, he here instances in three things, and shews the vanity of each of them, ver. 6. 1st The vanity of our joys and honours; "Surely every man walketh" (even when he walks in state, when he walks in pleasure] in a shadow, in an image, " in a vain show." "When he makes a figure, his fashion passeth away, and his great pomp is but great fancy, Acts xxv. 23. It is but a show, and therefore a vain show, like the rainbow, the gaudy colours of which must needs vanish, and disappear quickly, when the substratum is but a cloud, a vapour ; such is life, Jas, iv. 14, and therefore such are all the gaieties of it. 2nd. The vanity of our griefs and fears ; " Surely they are disquieted in vain." Our disquietmentsare often groundless ; we vex our selves without any just cause, and the occasions of our trouble are many times the creatures of our own fancy and imagination : and they are always fruitless ; we disquiet ourselves in vain, for we cannot, with all our disquietment, alter the nature of things, nor the counsel of God. Things will be as they are, when we have disquieted ourselves never so much about them. 3rd. The vanity of our cares and toils. He takes a great deal of pains to heap up riches, and they are but like heaps of muck in the furrows of the field, good tor nothing unless they be spread. But when he has filled his treasures with his trash he knows not who snail gather them, nor to whom they shall descend when he is gone : for he shall not take them away with him. He asks not, For whom do 1 labour? and that is his folly, Eccl. iv. 8. But if he did ask he could not tell whether he, should be a wise man or a fool, a friend or a foe, Eccl. ii. 19. "This is vanity." 7 And now, Lord, what wait I for ? My hope is in thee. 8 Deliver me from all my transgressions : Make me not the reproach of the foolish. 9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth ; Because thou didst it. 1 0 Eemove thy stroke away from me : I am consumed by the blow of thine hand. 11 When thou wrth rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth : Surely every man is vanity. Selah 12 Hear my prayer, 0 Lord, And give ear unto my cry ; 188 PSALM XXXIX. Hold not thy peace at my tears : For I am a stranger with thee, And a sojourner, as all my fathers were. 13 0 spare me, that I may recover strength, Before I go hence, and be no more. The psalmist having meditated on the shortness and uncertainty of life, and the vanity and vexation of spirit that attends all the comforts of life, herej'in these verses, turns his eyes and heart heavenward. "When there is-no solid satisfaction to be had in the creature, it is to be found in God, and in com munion with him ; and to him we should be driven by our disappointments in the world. David here speaks, First. His dependence on God, ver. 1. Seeing all is vanity, and man himself is so, 1. He despairs of a happiness in the things of the world, and disclaims all expectations from it. " Now, Lord, what wait I for ?" Even nothing from the things of sense and time ; I have nothing to wish for, nothing to hope for from this earth. Note, The consideration of the vanity and frailty of numahilife,, should deaden our desires to the things of this world, and lower our expectes tions from it. If the world be such a thing as this, God deliver me from having or seeking my portion in it. We cannot count upon constant health and pros perity, nor upon comfort in every relation, for it is all as uncertain as our con tinuance here. Now, though I have sometimes foolishly promised myself this and the other from the world, now I am of another mind. 2. He takes hold of happiness and satisfaction in God; "My hope is in thee." Note, When crefi- ture confidences fail it \k our comfort that we have a God to go to, a God to trust to, and we should thereby be quickened to take so much the faster hold of him by faith. Secondly. Hi* submission to God, and his cheerful acquiescence in his holy will, ver. 9. If our hope be in God for a happiness in the other world, we may well afford to reconcile ourselves to all the dispensations of his providence con cerning us in this world. " I was dumb, I opened not my mouth," in a way ©f complaint and murmuring. He now again recovered that serenity and sedatenejij of mind which was disturbed, ver. 2. Whatever comforts he is deprived;w|| whatever crosses he is burthened with, he will be easy; "because thou did^l it." It did not come to pass by chance ; but according to thine appointment! We may here see, 1. A good God doing all, and ordering all events concerning* us. Of every event we may say, This is the finger of God, it is the Lord's doing, whoever were the instruments. 2. A good man for that reason saying nothing against it. He is dumb, he has nothing to object, no question to ask, no dispute to raise upon it : all that God doth is well done. Thirdly. His desire towards God, and the prayers he puts up to him; "Is any afflicted ? let him pray," as David here, -\ Jj 1. For the pardoning of his sin and the preventing of his shame, ver. 8. Before! he prays, ver. 10, "Remove thy stroke from me," he prays, ver. 8, " Deliver me from all mine offences," from the guilt I have contracted, the punishment I have deserved, and the power of corruption I have been captivated by. When God forgives our sins, he delivers us from them, he delivers us from them all. He pleads, " Make me not a reproach to the foolish." "Wicked people a&M foolish people ; and they then shew their folly most when they think to shew their wit by scoffing at God's people. When David prays that God would pardon his sinst and not make him a reproach, it is to be taken as a prayer for peace of conscience ; Lord, leave me not to the power of melancholy, which the foolish will laugh at me for. And as a prayer for grace, that God would -never leave him to himself so far as to do any thing that might make him a reproach to bad men. Note, This is a good reason why we should both watch! and pray against sin, because the credit of our profession is nearly concerned iril the preservation of our integrity. J 2. For the removal of his affliction, that he might speedily be eased of hi(| present burthens ; ver. 10, " Remove thy stroke away from me." Note, Whenj we are under the correcting hand of God, our eye must be to God himself, and not to any other for relief ; Tie only that inflicts the stroke can remove it. And we may then in faith, and with satisfaction, pray that our afflictions niSgbe removed, when our sins are pardoned, Isa. xxxviii. 17, and when as here the affliction is sanctified, and has done its work, and we are humbled under the hand of God. 1st. He pleads the great extremity he was reduced to by his affliction, which made him the proper object of God's compassion : " I am oonsumed by the blow of thy hand." His sickness prevailed to that degree that his Bpirits failed, his strength was wasted, and his body emaciated. The blow or conflict of fiins PSALM XL. 189 hand has brought me even to the gates of death. Note, The strongest, and boldest, and best of men cannot bear up under, much less make head against the power of God's wrath. It was not his case only, but any man will find hiniself an unequal match for the Almighty, ver. 11. "When God doth at' any time con tend with us, when with rebukes he corrects us, First We cannot impeach the equity of his controversy, but must acknowledge that he is righteous in it ; for whenever he correcteth man it is for iniquity. Our ways and our doings pro cure the trouble to ourselves, and we are beaten with a rod of our own making. It is "the yoke of our transgressions" though it be bound with his hand! Lam. i. 14. Secondly. We cannot oppose the effects of his controversy, but he ! will be too hard for us. As we have nothing to move in arrest of his judgment, So we have no way of escaping the execution. God's rebukes "make man's beauty to consume away like a moth ;" we see it often, we feel it sometimes, how much the body is weakened and decayed by sickness in a little time. The coun tenance is changed; where is the ruddy cneek and lip, the sprightly eye, the lively look, the smiling face ? It is the reverse of all this. What a poor thing is beauty, and what fools are they that are proud of it, or in love with it, when it will certainly and may quickly be consumed thus? Some make the moth to represent man, who is as easily crushed as a moth with the touch of a finger. Job iv. 19, Others make it to represent the Divine rebukes, which silently and insensibly waste and consume us, as the moth doth the garment. All which abundantly proves what he had said before, that surely every man is vanity, weak and helpless; so he will be found when God conies to contend with him. 2nd. He pleads the good impressions made upon him by his affliction. He hoped the end was accomplished for which it was sent, and that therefore it would be removed in mercy; and unless an affliction hath done its work, though it may be removed, it is not removed in mercy. First It had set him a weeping, and he hoped God would take notice of that. When " the Lord God called to mourning, he answered the call, and accommodated himself to the dispensation, and therefore could in faith pray, "Lord, hold not thy neace at my tears, ver. 12. He that doth not willingly afflict and grieve the children of men, much less his own children, will not hold his peace at their tears, but will either speak deliverance for them, (and if he speak it is done,) or in the meantime speak com fort to them, and make them to hear joy and gladness. Secondly. It had set him a praying; and afflictions are sent to stir up prayer. If they nave that effect, and when we are afflicted we pray more, and pray better than before, we may hope that God will hear our prayer, and give ear to our cry ; for the prayer which by his providence he gives occasion for, and which by his Spirit of grace he indites, shall not return void. Thirdly. It had helped to wean him from the world, and to take his affections off from it. Now he began more than ever to look upon himself as a stranger and sojourner here, like all his fathers, not at home in this world, but travelling through it to another, to a better, and would never reckon himself at home till he came to heaven. He pleads it with God; Lord, take cognizance of me, and of my wants and burthens, for I am a stranger here, and therefore meet with strange usage ; I am slighted and oppressed as a stranger, and whence should I expect relief but from thee, from "that other country to which I belong ? Lastly. He prays for a reprieve yet a little longer; ver. 13, "O spare me, ease me, raise me up from this illness, "that I may recover strength " both in body and mind, that I may get into a more calm and composed frame of spirit, and may be better prepared for another world, before I go hence by death and shall be no more in this world. Some make this to be a passionate wish that God would send him help quickly or it would be too late, like that Job x. 20. 21. But I rather take it as a pious prayer that God would continue him here till by his grace he had made him fit to go hence, and that he might finish the work of life before his life was finished. Let my soul live and it shall praise thee." PSALM XL. It should seem David penned this psalm upon occasion of his deliverance, by the power and goodness of God, from some great and pressing trouble, by -which he was in danger of being overwhelmed j probably it was some trouble of mind, arising from a sense of sin, and of God's displeasure against him for it. Whatever it was, the same Spirit that . Indited his praises for that deliverance was in him at the same time a spirit of pro- Shecy, testifying of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow : or ever e was aware he was led to speak of Christ's undertaking, and the discharge of his undertaking, in words that must be applied to Christ only ; and therefore how far the praises that here go before that illustrious prophecy, and the prayers that follow, may safely and profitably be applied to him, it will be worth while to consider in this psalm. I. David records God's favour to him in delivering him out of his deep distress, with thankfulness to his praise, ver. 1—5. II. Thence he takes occasion to speak of the work of our redemption by Christ, ver. 6—10. III. That gives him encouragement to 190 PSALM XL. pray to God for mercy and grace, both for himself and for his friends, ver. ll-j-17. If in singing this psalm we mix faith with the prophecy of Christ, and join in sincerity with the praises and prayers here offered up, we make melody with our hearts to tha Lord. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I WAITED patiently for the Lord ; And lie inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, Even praise unto our God : Many shall see it, and fear, And shall trust in the Loed. 4 Blessed is that man that maketh the Loed his trust, And respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. [thou hast done, 5 Many, 0 Loed my God, are thy wonderful works which And thy thoughts which are to us-ward : They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee : If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. In these verses we have, First. The great distress and trouble that the psalmist was in. This is sup. posed, ver. 2, that he was plunged into a horrible pit, and into miry clay ; out of which h& could not work himself, and in which he found himself sinking yet farther. He saith nothing here either of the sickness of his body or the insults of his enemies, and therefore we have reason to think it was some inward dis quiet and perplexity of spirit that was now his greatest grievance. Despondency of spirit under the sense of God's withdrawings, and prevailing doubts and fears about the eternal state, are indeed a horrible pit and miry clay, and have been so to many a dear child of God. Secondly. His humble attendance upon God, and his believing expectations from him m those depths : " I waited patiently for the Lord," ver. 1 ; ' waiting I waited.' He expected relief from no other but from God; the same hand that' tears must heal, that smites must bind up, Hos. vi. 1, or it will never be done. From God he expected relief, and he was big with the expectation, not doubting but it would come in due time. There is power enough in God to help the weakest, and grace enough in God to help the unworthiest of all his people that trust in him. But he waited patiently ; which intimates that the relief did not come quickly, yet he doubted not but it would come, and resolved to continue believing, and hoping, and praying, till it did come. Those whose expectation is from God may wait with assurance, but must wait with patience. Now this is very applicable to Christ. His agony both in the garden and on the cross was the same continued, and it was a horrible pit and miry clay. Then -was his soul Thirdly. His comfortable experience of God's goodness to him in his distress, which he records for the honour of God, and his own and others' encourage ment. 1. God answered his prayers : " He inclined unto me and heard my cry " Those -that wait patiently for God, though they may wait long, do not wait in vain. Our Lord Jesus "was heard in that he feared," Heb. v. 1. Nay he was sure the Father heard him always. 2. He silenced his fears, and stilled the tumult of his spirits, and gave him a settled peace of conscience, ver. 2. He brought me out of that horrible pit of despondency and despair, scattered the clouds, and shone bright upon my soul with the assurances of his fav»ur, and not only so, but set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. Those that have he**n «n^r *ht> ™,«,.^i . ~* - PSALM XL. 191 religious melancholy, and by the grace of God have been relieved, may apply this very feelingly to themselves. They are brought up out of a horrible pit, and, 1st. lhe mercy is completed by the setting of their feet upon a rock, where they hnd firm footing, are as much elevated with the hopes of heaven as they were before cast down with the fears of hell. Christ is the rock on which a poor soul may stand fast, and on whose mediation alone, between us and God, we can build any solid hopes or satisfaction. 2nd. It is continued in the establish ment of their goings. Where God has given a stedfast hope, he expects there 6hould be a steady, regular conversation, and if that be the blessed fruit of it we have reason to acknowledge with abundance of thankfulness the riches and power of his grace. 3. He filled, him with joy, as well as peace, in believing. " He hath put a new song m my month," that is, he has given me cause to rejoice, and a heart to rejoice. He was brought as it were into a new world, and that filled his mouth with a new song, even praise to our God ; for to .his praise and glory must all our songs be sung. Fresh mercies, especially such as we never yet received, call for new songs. This is applicable to our Lord Jesus, in his reception to paradise, his resurrection from the grave, and his exaltation to the joy and glory set before him ; he was brought out of the horrible pit, set upon a rock, and had a new song put in his mouth. Fourthly. The good improvement that should be made of this instance of God's goodness to David. 1. David's experience would be an encouragement to many to hope in God, and for that end he leaveth it here upon record. " Many shall see and fear, and trust in the Lord." They shall fear the Lord and his justice, which brought David, and the Son of David, into that horrible pit, and shall say, " If this be done to the green tree, what shall be done to the dry?" They shall fear the Lord and his goodness, in filling the mouth of David, and the Son of David, with new songs of joy and praise. There is a holy, reverent fear of God which is not only consistent with, but the foundation of, our hope in him. They shall not fear him and shun him, but fear him and trust in nim, in their greatest straits, not doubting but to find him as able and ready to help them as David did in his distress. God's dealings with our Lord Jesus are our great encou ragement to trust in God. "When it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and put himto grief for our sins, he demanded our debt from him ; and when lie raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand, he made it to appear that he had accepted the payment he made, and was satisfied with it; and what greater encouragement can we have to fear and worship God, and to trust in him? see Rom. iv. 25; v. 1, 2. The psalmist invites others to make God their hope, as he did, by pronouncing those happy that do so: ver, 4, " Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust," and him only, that has great and good thoughts of him, and is entirely devoted to him, and respecteth not the proud ; doth not do as they do that trust in themselves, nor depend upon- those who proudly encourage others to trust in them, for both the one and the other turn aside to lies, as indeed all those do that turn aside from God. This is applicable particularly to our faith in Christ. Blessed are they that trust in him, and in his righteousness alone, and respect not the proud Pharisees that set up their own righteousness in competition with that; that will not be governed by their dictates, nor turn aside to lies with the unbelieving Jews, who submit not to the righteousness of God, Rom. x. 3. Blessed are they that escape this temptation. 2. The joyful sense he had of this mercy led him to observe with thankfulness the many other favours he had received from God, ver. 5. When God puts new songs into our mouth, we must not forget our former songs, but repeat them: "Many, O Lord my God, ar^ thy wonderful works, which thou nast done, both for me and others. This is but one of many. Many are the benefits with which we are daily loaded, both by the providence and by the grace of God. 1st. They are his works. Not only the gifts of his bounty, but the operations of his power ; he works for us, he works in us, and thus he favours us with matter not only for thanks, but for praise. 2nd. They are his won derful works. The contrivance of tnem admirable ; his condescension to us in bestowing them upon us admirable : eternity itself will be short enough to be Bpent in the admiration of them. 3rd. His wonderful works are all the product Of his thoughts to usward. He doth all according to the counsel of his own will, Eph. l. 11; the purposes of his grace, which he purposed in himself, Eph. iii. 11. They are the projects of infinite wisdom, the designs of ever lasting love, 1 Cor. ii. 7; Jer. xxxi. 3; thoughts of good, and not of evil, Jer. xxix. 11. His gifts and callings will therefore be without repentance, because they are not sudden resolves, but the result of his thoughts, his many thoughts, to usward. 4th. They are innumerable. They cannot be methodized or reckoned up in order. There is an order in all God's works, but they are so many that present themselves to our view at once, that we know not where 192 PSALM XL. to begin nor which to name next ; the order of them, and their natural refer ences and dependences, and how the links of the golden chain are joined is a mystery to us, and what we shall not be able to account for till the veil be rent,4nd the mystery of God finished. Nor can they be counted, not the very hepds of them. When we have said the most we can of the wonders of Divine h3ve to us, we must conclude with'an et co?tera,—' and such like,' and adore the depth, despairing to find the bottom. 6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire ; Mine ears hast thou opened : Burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come : In the volume of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, 0 my God : Yea, thy law is within my heart. 9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation : Lo, I have not refrained my lips, 0 Lord, thou knowest.'. 10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation : I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. The psalmist being struck with amazement at the wonderful works that God had done for his people, is strangely carried out here to foretell that work of wonder which excelleth all the rest, and is the foundation and fountain of all, that of our redemption by. our .Lord Jesus Christ. God's thoughts, which were to usward concerning that work, were the most curious, the most copious,, ' the most gracious, and therefore above any other to be most admired. This,, ' paragraph is quoted by the apostle, Heb. x. 5, &c, and applied to Christ,,and his undertaking for us. As in the institutions, so in the devotions of the "Old Testament, there is more of Christ than perhaps the Old Testament saints were aware of; and when the apostle would shew us the Eedeemer's voluntary undertaking of his work, he doth not fetch his account out of the book oil ' God's secret counsels, which belong not to us, but from the things revealed.,, , Observe, First. The utter insufficiency of the legal sacrifices to atone for sin in order to our peace with God, and our happiness in him. ".Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire," that is, thou wouldst not have the Kedeemer to offer them ; something he must have to offer, but not these, Heb. viii. 3, therefore he must ¦ not be of the house of Aaron, Heb. vii. 14. Or, in the days of the Messiah burnt- offering and sin-offering will no longer be required, .but all those ceremonjal institutions will be abolished. But that -is not all ; even while the law con cerning them was in full force, it might be said, God did not desire them, nor accept them for their own sake. Th,ey could not take away the guilt of sin by satisfying God's justice ; the life of a sheep, which is so much inferior in value to that of a man, ( Mat. xii. 12,) could notpretend to be an equivalent, much less an expedient to preserve the honour of God's government and laws, and repair the injury done to that honour by the sin of man. They could not take away the terror of sin by pacifying the conscience, nor the power of sin, by sancti- '•' tying the nature; it was impossible, Heb. ix. 9; x. 1 — 4. What there was in them that was valuable resulted from their reference to Jesus Christ, of whom they were types; shadows indeed, but shadows of good things to come, and trials of the faith and obedience of God's people : of their obedience to the law, and their faith in the Gospel. But the substance must come, which is Christ, who must bring that glory to God, and that grace to man, which it was impossible these sacrifices should ever do. Secondly. The designation of our Lord Jesus to the work and office of Mediator. "Mine ears hast thou opened," that is, God the Father disposed him to the undertaking, Isa. 1. 5, 6, and then obliged him to go through with it. ' Mine ear hast thou digged.' It is supposed to allude to the law and custom of binding servants to serve for ever, by boring their ear to the door-post: see Ex. xxi. 6. Our Lord Jesus was so in love with his undertaking, that he would not go out free from it, and therefore engaged to persevere for ever in it. Arid for this reason he is able to save us to the uttermost, because he has engaged to serve his Father to the uttermost, who upholds him in it, Isa. xlii. 1. PSALM XL. 193 darkness, and to advance the interests of God's glory and kingdom. This speaks three things : 1. That he freely offered himself to this service, which he was tinder no engagement at all to, prior to his own voluntary susception. It was no sooner proposed to him, but with the greatest cheerfulness he consented to it, and was wonderfully well pleased with the undertaking ; had he not been perfectly voluntary in it ne could not have been a surety, lie could not have been a sacrifice ; for it is by this will— this animus offerentis, ' mind of the offerer,— that we are sanctified, Heb. x. 10. 2. That he firmly obliged himself to it. " I come," that is, I promise to come in the fulness of time. And there fore the apostle saith, it was when he came into the world that he had an actual regard to this promise, by which he had engaged his heart to approach unto God. He thus entered into bonds not only to shew the greatness of his love, but because he was to have the honour of his undertaking before he had fully performed it; though the price was not paid, it was secured to be paid, so that he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 3. That he frankly owned himself engaged. He said, "Lo, I come;" said it all along to the Old Testament saints, who therefore knew him by the title of 6 epxojieiw,— "he that should come." This word was the foundation on which they built their faith and hope, and which they looked and longed for the accomplishment of. Fourthly. The reason why he came in pursuance of his undertaking. Because in the volume of the book it was written of him. 1. In the close rolls of the Divine decree and counsel, there it was written, that his ear was opened : and he said, " Lo, I come." There the covenant of redemption was recorded, the counsel of peace between the Father and the Son; and to that he had an eye in all he did, the commandment he received of his Father. 2. In the letters patent of the Old Testament, Moses and all the prophets testified of him; in all the volumes of that book something or other was written of him, which he had an eye to, that all might be accomplished, Jno. xix. 28. . ^Fifthly. The pleasure he took in his undertaking. Having freely offered himself to it, he did not fail, nor was discouraged, but proceeded with all possible satisfaction to himself; ver. 8, 9, "I delight to do thy will, O my God." It was to Christ his meat and drink to go on with the work appointed to him, Jno. iv. 34, ai^d the reason here given is, " Thy law is within my heart." It is written there; it rules there j^it is an active, commanding principle there; it is meant of the law concerning the work and office of the Mediator, what he was to do and suffer. This law was dear to him, and had an influence upon him in his whole undertaking. Note, When the law of God is written in our hearts, our duty will be our delight. Sixthly. The publication of the Gospel to the children of men, even in the great congregation, ver. 9, 10. The same that as a priest wrought out redemp tion for us, as a prophet by his own preaching first, then by his apostles, and still by his Word and Spirit, makes it Known to us. The great salvation began to be spoken by the Lord, Heb. ii. 3. It is the Gospel of Christ that is preached to all nations. Observe, 1. What it is that is preached. It is righteousness, ver. 9; God's righteousness, ver. 10 ; the everlasting righteousness which Christ has brought in, Dan. ix. 24 ; compare Rom. i. 16, 17. It is God's faithfulness to his promise, and the salvation which had long been looked for: it is God's lovingkindness and his truth,— his mercy according to his word. Note, In the work of our redemption we ought to take notice how bright all the Divine attributes shine, and give to God the praise of each of them. 2. To whom it is preached. To tne great congregation, ver. 9 ; and again, ver. 10. When Christ wias here on earth he preached to multitudes, thousands at a time. The Gospel Was preached both to Jews and Gentiles, to great congregations of both. Solemn religious assemblies are a Divine institution, and in tnem the glory of Grid in the face of Christ ought to be both praised to the glory of God and preached for the edification of men. 3. How it is preached. Freely and openly ; I have not refrained my lips ; " I have not hid it : I have not concealed it. This intimates, that whoever undertook to preach the Gospel of Christ would be in great temptation to hide it, and conceal it, because it must be preached with great contention, and in the face of great opposition. But Christ himself ' and those whom he calls to that work, set their faces as a flint, Isa. 1. 7, and were wonderfully carried on in it. And it is well for us that they were so, for by this means our eyes come to see this joyful light, and our ears to hear this joyful sound, which otherwise we might for ever have perished in ignorance of. 11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, 0 Loed : i" Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually pre serve me. 194 PSALM XL. 12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, So that I am not able to look up ; They are more than the hairs of mine head : Therefore my heart faileth me. 13 Be pleased, 0 Loed, to deliver me : 0 Lord, make haste to help me. 14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together That seek after my soul to destroy it ; Let them be driven backward and put to shame . ; That wish me evil. 1 5 , Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame That say unto me, Aha, aha. 16 Let all those that seek thee Eejoice and be glad in thee : Let such as love thy salvation Say continually, The Lord be magnified. 17 But I am poor and needy ; Yet the Loed thinketh upon me : Thou art my help and my deliverer ; Make no- tarrying, 0 my God. The psalmist having meditated upon the work of redemption, and spoken of it in the person ot the Messiah, now comes to make improvement of the doctrine of his mediation between us and God, and therefore speaks in his own person. Christ having done his Father's will, and finished his work, and given orders for the preaching of the Gospel to every creature, we are encou raged to come boldly to the throne of grace for mercy and grace. First. This may encourage us to pray for the mercy of God, and to put our selves under the protection of that mercy, ver. 11 : Lord, thou hast not'spared thy Son, nor withheld him, withhold not thou thy tender mercies theft, which thou hast laid up for us in him ; for wilt thou not with him also freely give us all things ? Rom. viii. 32, " Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me." The best saints are in continual danger, and see themselves undone, if they be not continually preserved by the grace of God ; and the everlasting lovingkindness and truth of God is that which we have to depend upon for our preservation to the heavenly kingdom, Ps. lxi. 7. Secondly. This may encourage ns in reference to the guilt of sin, that Jesus Christ has done that towards our discharge from it which sacrifice and offering could not do. See here, 1. The frightful sight he had of sin, ver. 12. This was it that made the discovery he was now favoured with of a Eedeemer very welcome to him. He saw his iniquities to be evils, the worst of evils ; he saw that they fcompassed him about; in all the reviews of his life, and his reflec tions upon each step of it, still he discovered something amiss. The threatening consequences of hia sinsurrounded him ; look which way he would he saw some mischief or other waiting for him, which he was conscious to himself his sins had deserved. He saw them taking hold of him, arresting him, as the bailiff doth the poor debtor ; he saw them to be innumerable, and more than the hairs of his head. Convinced, awakened consciences are apprehensive of danger, . from the numberless number of the sins of infirmity, which seem small as hairs, but being numerous are very dangerous ; " Who can understand his errors ? God numbers our hairs, Mai. x. 30, which yet we cannot number, so he keeps an account of our sins, which we keep no account of. The signt of sin scf oppressed him, that he could not hold up his head, " I am not able to look up ;'? much less could he keep up his heart, " therefore my heart fails me." Note, The sight of our sins in their own colours would drive us to distraction if we had not at the same time some sight of a Saviour. 2. The careful recourse he had to God under the sense of sin, ver. 13. Seeing himself brought by his sins to the very brink of ruin, eternal ruin, with what a holy passion does he cry PSALM XLI. 195. out, " Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me," ver. 13. O save me from the wrath to come, and the present terrors I am in through the apprehensions of that wrath. 1 am undone, I die, 1 perish, without speedy relief. In a case of this nature, where the bliss of an immortal soul is concerned, delays are dangerous : therefore, " O Lord, make haste to help me." Thirdly. This may encourage us to hope for victory over our spiritual enemies, that seek after our souls to destroy them, ver. 14; the roaring lion that goes about continually seeking to devour :— if Christ has triumphed over them, we through him shall be more than conquerors. In the belief of this we may pray, with humble boldness, " Let them be ashamed and confounded together, and driven backward," ver. 14; "Let them be desolate," ver. 15. Both the conversion of a sinner and the glorification of a saint are great dis appointments to Satan ; who doth his utmost with all his power and subtlety to hinder both. Now, our Lord Jesus having undertaken to bring about the salvation of all his chosen, we may in faith pray that both these ways that great adversary may be confounded. When a child of God is brought into that horrible pit and the miry clay, Satan cries, Aha, aha, thinking he has gained his point ; but he shall rage when he sees the brand plucked out of the fire, and shall be desolate for a reward of his shame. " The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan ; " " The accuser of the brethren is cast out." Fourthly. This may encourage all that seek God, and love his salvation, to rejoice in him and to praise him, ver. 16. See here, 1. The character of good people, conformable to the laws of natural religion ; they seek God, desire his favour, and in all their exigences apply themselves to him, as a people should seek unto their God. And conformable to the laws of revealed religon ; they love his salvation, that great salvation of which the prophets inquired and Bearched diligently, which the Redeemer undertook to work out, when he said, "Lo, I come. All that shall be saved love the salvation, not only as a salvation from hell, but a salvation from sin. 2. The happiness secured to good people, by this prophetical prayer. They that seek God shall rejoice and be glad in him ; and with good reason, for he will not only be found of them, but will be their bountiful rewarder. They that love his salvation shall be filled with the joy of his salvation; and shall say continually, " The Lord be magnified," and thus they shall have a heaven upon earth. Blessed are they that are thus still praising God. . Lastly. This may encourage the saints in distress and affliction to trust in God, and comfort themselves in him, ver. 17: David himself was one of these ; " I am poor and needy." A king, perhaps, now on the throne ; and yetbeing ¦ doubled in spirit, he calls himself poor and needy, lost arid undone without a Saviour. In want and distress, yet the Lord tninketh upon me," in and through the Mediator, by whom we are made accepted. Men forget the poor and needy, and seldom think of them ; but God's thoughts towards them, wnich he had spoken of, ver. 5, are their support and comfort. They may assure themselves that God is their help under their troubles, and will be in due time their deliverer oiit of their troubles, and will make no long tarrying ; for the vision is for an appointed time, and therefore, though it tarry, we may wait for it, for it shall come ; it will come, it will not tarry. PSALM XLI. God's kindness and truth have often been the support and comfort of the sainfs, when they have had most experience of men's unkindness and treachery ; David lis re found them so upon a sick-bed, when he found.his enemies very barbarous, but his pod very gracious. I. He here comforts himself in his communion with God under his sickness, by faith receiving and laying hold of God's promises to him, ver. 1—3 ; and lifting up his heart in prayer to God, ver. 4. II. He here represents the malice of his enemies against him, their malicious censures of him, their spiteful reflections upon him, and their insolent carriage towards him, ver. 5—9. III. He leaves his case with God, not doubting but that he would own and favour him, ver. 10, 11 ; and so the psalm con cludes with a doxology, ver. 13. Is any afflicted with sickness » let him sing the begin ning of the psalm : is any persecuted by enemies 1 let him sing the latter end of it ; ana we may, any of us, in singing of it, meditate upon both the calamities and comforts of good people in this world. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. BLESSED is he that considereth the poor : The Loed will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 The Loed will preserve him, and keep him alive ; And. he shall be blessed nnnn the earth : 196 PSALM XLI. And thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. 3 The Loed will strengthen him upon the bed of languish- Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. [ing : 4 I said, Loed, be merciful unto me : Heal my soul ; for I have sinned against thee. In these verses we have, First. God's promises of succour and comfort to those that consider the poor j and we may suppose that David makes mention of these with application, either, 1. To his friends, who were kind to him, and very considerate of his case, now he was in affliction ; blessed is he that considers poor David. Here and there he met with one that sympathized with him, and was concerned for ,him, and kept up their good opinion of him, and respect for him, notwith standing his afflictions; while his enemies were so insolent and abusive to him.. On these he pronounceth this blessing, not doubting but that God would recompense to them all the kindness they had done him, particularly when they ' also came to be in affliction. The provocations which his enemies gave him ,did but endear his friends so much the more to him. Or, 2. To himself. He had the testimony of his conscience for him, that he had considered the poor : that when he was in honour and power at court he had taken cognizance or the wants and miseries of the poor, and had provided for their relief, and therefore was sure God would according to his promise strengthen and comfort him in his sickness. Here is a comment upon that promise ; " Blessed are, the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Observe, 1st. What the mercy is which is required of us. It is to consider the poor or afflicted, whether in mind, body, or estate. These we are to consider with prudence and tenderness ; we must take notice of their affliction, and inquire into their' state, must sympathize- with them, and judge charitably concerning , them. We must wisely consider the poor; that is, we must ourselves be instructed by the poverty and affliction of others, it must be Maschil to us, that is the word here used. 2nd, What the mercy is that is promised to us, if we thus shew mercy. He that considers the poor (if he cannot relieve them, yet he considers them, and has a compassionate concern for them, and in relieving them doth it con- . siderately, and with discretion,) God will be sure to consider him. He shall not only be recompensed in the resurrection of the just, but he shall be blessed ¦upon the earth. This branch of godliness, as much as any other, has the promise of the life that now is, and is ordinarily recompensed with temporal blessings ; liberality to the poor is the surest and safest way of thriving. Such may be sure of seasonable and effectual relief from God. First. In all troubles. He will deliver them in the day of evil; so that when the times are at the worst it shall go well with them, and they shall not fall into the calamities in which others are involved ; if any be hid in the day of the Lord's angfer, they shall. They who thus distinguish themselves from those that have hard hearts God will distinguish from those that have ha»d usage. Are they in danger? he will preserve and keep them alive; and to those who have a thousand times forfeited their lives, as the best have, it must be acknow ledged a great favour if they have their lives given them for a prey. He doth not say they shall be preferred, but they shall be preserved and kept alive, when the arrows of death fly thick round about them. Do their enemies threaten them ? God will not deliver them into the will of their enemies ; and the most potent enemy we have can have no power against us, but what is given him from above. The good-will of a God that loves us is sufficient to secure us from the ill- will of all that hate us, men or devils ; and that good- will we may promise ourselves an interest in if we have considered the poor, and helped to relieve and rescue them. Secondly. Particularly in sickness; ver. 3, "The Lord will strengthen him," both in body and mind, "upon the bed of languishing," on which he had long lain Bick, and he will make all his bed." A very condescending expression, alluding to the care of those that nurse and tend sick people, especially of mothers for their children when they are sick, which is to make their beds easy for them: and that bed must needs be well made which God himself has the making of. He will make all his bed from head to foot, so that no part shall be uneasy ; 'he will turn his bed,' (so the word is,) to shake it up, and make it very easy, or, he will turn rt into a bed of health. Note, God has promised his people that, he will strengthen them, and make them easy under their bodily pains and sicknesses. He has not promised that they shall never be sick, nor that they shall not he long languishing, nor that their sickness shall not be unto death, but he has promised to enable them to bear their affliction with patienc*, PSALM XLI. 197 and cheerfully to wait the issue. The soul shall by hi3 grace be made to dwell ai. ease, when the body lies in pain. Secondly. David's prayer directed and encouraged by these promises ; ver. 4, " I said, Heal my soul." It is good for us to keep some account of our prayers, that we may not unsay in our practices any thing that we said in our prayers. Here is, 1. His humble petition; "Lord, be merciful to me." He appeals to mercy, as one that knew he could not stand the test of strict justice. The best Baints, even those that have been merciful to the poor, have not made God their debtor, but must throw themselves on his ,mercy. When we are under the rod we must thus recommend ourselves to the tender mercy of our God ; " Lord, heal my soul." Sin is the sickness of the soul ; pardoning mercy heals it, renewing grace heals it; and this spiritual healing we should be more earnest for than for bodily health. 2. His penitent confession ; " I have sinned against thee," and therefore my soul needs healing. I am a sinner, a miserable sinner, therefore " God be merciful to me," Lu. xviii. 13. It doth not appear that .this hath reference to any particular gross act of sin, but in general to his many sins of infirmity, which his sickness set in order before him, and the dread of the consequences of which made him pray, " Heal my soul." 5 Mine enemies speak evil of me. When shall he die, and his name perish ? 6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity : His heart gathereth iniquity to itself; When he goeth abroad, he telleth it. 7 All that hate me whisper together against me : Against me do they devise my hurt. 8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him : And now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. ¦ 9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, Hath lifted up his heel against me. 10 But thou, 0 Loed, be merciful unto me, And raise me up, that I may requite them. 11 By this I know that thou favourest me, Because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. 12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, And settest me before thy face for ever. 13 Blessed he the Loed God of Israel From everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen. David often complains of the insolent carriage of his enemies towards him when he was sick; which as it was very barbarous in them, so it could not but he very grievous to him. They were not indeed arrived to that modern pitch of wickedness, of poisoning his meat or drink, or giving him something to make him sick, but when he was sick they insulted over him ; ver. 6, Mine enemies ilpeak evil of me," designing thereby to grieve his spirit, to ruin his reputation, and so to sink his interest. Observe, ¦ First. The conduct of David's enemies. -1 They longed for his death ; " When shall he die, and his name perish with him. He hadliut an uncomfortable life, and yet they grudged him that ; but it was a useful life. He was upon all accounts the greatest ornament and blessing of his country, and yet it seems there were some who were sick of him, as the Jews were of Paul, crying out, " Away with such a fellow from the earth. We ought not to desire the death of any ; but to desire the death of useful men for their usefulness has much in it of the venom of the old serpent. Ihey envied him his name, and the honour he had won ; and doubted not but if he were dead that would be laid in the dust with him: yet see how they were mistaken. When he had served his generation he did die, Acts xui. 36, but did his name perish? No ; it lives and flourishes to this.day ui the sacred writings, and will to the end of time ; for the memory of the just is and shall be blessed. 198 PSALM XLI. 2. They picked up every thing they could to reproach him with ; ver. 6, " If he come to see me," as it has always been reckoned a piece of neighbourly kindness to visit the sick, " he speaketh vanity ; " that is, he pretends friendship, and that his errand is to mourn with me, and to comfort me ; tells me he is very sorry to see me so much indisposed, and wisheth me my health, but it is all flattery and falsehood. We complain, and justly, of the want of sincerity in our days, and that there is scarce any true friendship to be found among men ; but it seems by this the former days were no better than these. David's friends were all compliment, and had nothing of that affection for him in their hearts which they made profession of ; but that was not the worst of it, it was upon a mischievous design that they came to see him, that they might make invidious remarks upon every thing he said or did ; and might represent it as they pleased to others, with their own comments upon it, so as to render him odious or ridi culous. " His heart gathereth iniquity to itself," puts ill constructions upon every thing ; and then when he goes among his companions he tells it them that they may tell it others ; "Keport, say they, and we will report it," Jer. xx. 10. Tf he made any complaints of his illness, they would reproach him for his pusillanimity ;, if little complaints, for his stupidity. If he prayed, or gave them good counsel, they would banter it, and call it canting. If he kept silence from good when the wicked were before him, they would say he had forgot his religion now he was sick. There is no fence against those whose malice thus gathers iniquity. 3. They promised themselves that he would never recover from this sickness, nor ever .wipe off the odium with which they had loaded him. They whispered together against him, ver. 7 ; speaking that secretly in one another's ears which they could not for shame speak out, and which if they did, they knew it would be confuted. Whisperers and backbiters are put together among the worst of sinners, Rom. i. 29, 30. They whispered that their plot against him might not be discovered, and so defeated ; there is seldom whispering, we say, but there is lying, or some mischief on foot. Those whisperers devised evil to David; concluding he would die quickly, they contrived how to break all the measures he fwid concerted for the public good ; to prevent the prosecution of them, and to undo all that he nad hitherto been doiqg. This he calls devising hurt against him; and they doubted not but to gam their point, for "an evu , disease," ' a thing of Belial,' say they, " cleaveth fast unto him." The reproach with which they had loaded his name they hoped would cleave so fast to it, that it would perish with him, and then they should gain their point; they went by a modern maxim, fortiter calumniari, aliquid adhtzrebit,—' fling an abun dance of calumny, some will be sure- to stick.' Or, this disease he is now under will certainly make an end of him; for it is the punishment of some great enormous crime, which he will not be brought to repent of, and proves him however he has appeared, a son of Belial. Or, it is inflicted by Satan, who is called Belial, the wicked one, 2 Cor. vi. 15. It is (according to a loose way of speaking some have) a devilish disease ; and, therefore, it will cleave fast to him, and now that he lieth," now his distemper prevails so far as to oblige him to keep his bed, " he shall rise up no more ; " we shall be rid of him, and divide the spoil of his preferments. We are not to think it strange if, when good men are sick, there be those that hope for their death, as well as those that fear it, which makes the world not worthy of them, Rev. xi. 10. 4. There was one particularly, in whom he had reposed a great deal of con fidence, that took part with his enemies, and was as abusive to him as any of them; ver. 9, 'my own familiar friend." Probably he means Ahithophel, who had been his bosom friend, and prime minister of state, in whom he trusted, as one inviolably firm to him, and whose advice he relied much upon in dealing with his enemies, who did eat of his bread ; that is, with whom he had been very intimate, and whom he had taken to sit at the table with him ; nay, whom he had maintained and given a livelihood to, and so obliged both in gratitude and interest to stick to him. Ihey that had their maintenance from the king's palace did not think it meet for them to see the king's dishonour, Ezr iv 14. much less to do him dishonour ; yet this base and treacherous confidant of David s forgot all the eaten bread, and lifted up his heel against him that had lifted up his head; not only deserted him, but insulted him, kicked at him, endeavoured to supplant him. Those ore wicked indeed whom no courtesy done them, nor confidence reposed in them, will oblige; and let us not think it strange if we receive abuses from such. David did, and the Son of David, for of Judas the traitor David here in the Spirit spake; our Saviour himself h»f,^nIn/8"HS'??d*tHr':l0le eaJe "?"das 4e s°P.*hat the Scripture might be fulfilled; He that eateth bread with me, has lift up his heel against me." Jno. xm. 18, 26. Nay, have not we ourselves earned it thus perfidiously and disingenuously towards God? Jfe eat of his bread daily, and yet lift up the heel against him, as Jeshurun that waxed fat and kicked, Deu. xxxii 15 enemfes towMdrWm1? d bf>m ^ insolent- ill-"at«''e though in his time it was but a tent ; nay, if this psalm was penned, as many think it was, at the time of his being persecuted by Saul, the ark was then in a private house, 2 Sam. vi. 3 ; but the meanness, obscurity, and inconveni- ency of the place did not lessen his esteem of that sacred symbol of the Divine presence. David was a courtier, a prince, a man of honour, a man of business, and yet very diligent in attending God's house, and joining in public ordinances; even in the days of Saul, when he and his great men inquired not at it, 1 Chr. xiii. 3. Whatever others did, David and his house would serve the Lord;' < 2nd. He went with the multitude, and thought it no disparagement to his dignity to be at the head of a crowd in attending upon God. Nay, this added to the pleasure of it, that he was accompanied with a multitude, and therefore it is twice mentioned, as that which he greatly lamented the want of now. The more the better, in the service of God; it is the liker to heaven, and a sensible help to our comfort in the communion of saints. 3rd. He went with the voice of joy and praise, not only with joy and praise in his heart, but with the out ward expressions of it, proclaiming his joy, and speaking forth the high praises of his God. Note, When we wait upon God in public ordinances we have reason to do it both with cheerft^lness and thankfulness, to take to ourselves the comfort, and give to God the glory of our liberty of access to him. 4th. He went to keep holy days: not to keep them in vain mirth and recreation, but in religious exercises. Solemn days are spent most comfortably in solemn assemblies. . Thirdly. Holy love hoping; ver. 6, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul?" Hib sorrow was upon a very good account, and yet it must not exceed its due limits, nor prevail to depress nis spirits ; he therefore communes with his own heart for his relief. Come, my soul, I have something to say to thee in thy heaviness. Let us consider, - 1. The cause of it. Thou art cast down, as one stooping and sinking under a burthen, Pr. xii. 25. Thou art disquieted, in con fusion and disorder, now, why art thou so ? This may be taken either as an inquiring question ; Let the cause of this uneasiness be duly weighed, and see whether it be a just cause. Our disquietments would many times vanish before a strict scrutiny into the grounds and reasons of them. Why am I cast down? Is there a cause, a real cause? Have not others moro cause that do not make so much ado ? Have not we at the same time cause to be encouraged ? Or, it may be taken as an expostulating question. Those that commune much with their own hearts will often have occasion to chide them, as David here. Why do I thus dishonour God by my melancholy dejections? Why do I dis courage others, and do so much injury to myself? Can I give a good account of this tumult? 2. The cure of it. Hope thou in God, for I shall vet praise him. A believing confidence in God is a sovereign antidote against prevailing despondency and disquiet of spirit. And therefore when we chide ourselves PSALM XLII. 203 for our dejections, we must charge ourselves to hope in God. When the soul embraces itself, it sinks ; if it catch hold on the power and promise of God, it keeps the head above water. Hope in God, 1st. That he shall have glory from us: I shall yet praise him. I shall experience such a change in my estate, that I shall not want matter for praise ; and such a change in my spirit, that I shall not want a heart for praise. It is the greatest honour and happi ness of a man, and the greatest desire and hope ofevery good man, to be unto God for a name and a praise. What is the crown of heaven's bliss but this, that there we shall be for ever praising God ? And what is our support under our present woes but this, that we shall yet praise God, that they shall not prevent or abate our endless hallelujahs ? 2nd. That we shall have comfort in him. We " shall praise him for the help of his countenance ;" for his favour, and the support we have by it, and the satisfaction we have in it. Those that know how to value and improve the light of God's countenance will find in that a suitable, seasonable, and sufficient help in the worst of times, and that which will furnish them with constant matter for praise. David's believing expecta tion of this kept him from sinking, nay, it kept him from drooping. His harp was a palliative cure of Saul's melancholy; but his hope was an effectual cure of his own. 6 0 my God, my soul is cast down within me : Therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, From the hill Mizar. 7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts ; All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. 8 Yet the Loed will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the flight his song shall he with me, And my prayer unto the God of my life. [me i 9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy ? ] 0 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me ; While they say daily unto me, Where is thy God ? 1 1 Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? And why art thou disquieted within me ? Hope thou in God : for I shall yet praise him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Complaints and comforts here, as before, take their turn, like night and day in the .course of nature. ¦ First. He complains of the dejections of his spirit, but comforts himself with ¦ the thoughts of God, ver. 6. 1. In his troubles his soul was dejected, and he goes to God and tells him so : "0 my God, my soul is cast down within me." It is a great support to us, when upon any account we are distressed, that we have liberty of access to God, and liberty .of speech before him, and may open to him the causes of our dejection. David had communed with his own heart about its own bitterness, and had not as yet found relief; and therefore he turns to God, and opens before him the trouble. Note, When we cannot get relief for pur burthened spirits by pleading with ourselves, we should try what we can do by praying to God, and leaving our case with him. We cannot still these winds and waves, but we know who can. 2. In his devotions his soul was elevated ; and, finding the disease very painful, he had recourse to that as a sovereign remedy. My soul is plunged ; therefore, to prevent its sinking, I will remember thee," meditate upon thee, and call upon thee, and try what that will dp to keep up my spirit. Note, The way to forget the sense of our miseries is to renViember the God of our mercies. It was an uncommon case when the ksalmis$ remembered God and was troubled, Ps. lxxvu. 3. Ordi narily he rimembeirad God and was comforted, and therefore had recourse to 201 PSALM XLII. that expedient now. He was now driven to the utmost borders of the land ot Canaan, to shelter himself there from the rage of his persecutors, sometimes to the country about Jordan, and when discovered there, then to the land of the Hermonites, of to a hill called Mizar, or the little hill. But, 1st. Wherever he went he took his religion along with him ; in all these places he remembered God, and lifted up his heart to him, and kept his secret communion with him. This is the comfort of the banished, the wanderers, the travellers, of those that are strangers in a strange land, undique ad ccelos tantundem est vim,— wherever they are, there is a way open heavenwards.' 2nd. Wherever he was, he retained his affection 'for the courts of God's house. From the land of Jor dan, or from the top of the hills, he used to look a long look, a longing look, towards the place of the sanctuary, and wish himself there. Distance and time could not make him forget that which his heart was so much upon, and which lay so near it. Secondly. He complains of the tokens of God's displeasure against him, but comforts himself with the hopes of the return of his favour in due time. 1. He saw his troubles coming from God's wrath, and that discouraged him % ver. 7, " Deep calls unto deep," one affliction comes upon the neck of another, - as if it were called to hasten after it ; and thy waterspouts give the signal, and sound the alarm of war. It may be meant of the terrors and tosses.of his mind under the apprehensions of God's anger. One frightful thought sum- 1 moned another, and made way for it, as is usual in melancholy people. He was overpowered and overwhelmed with a deluge of grief* like that or the old world when the windows of heaven were opened, and the fountains of the great deep were broken up. Or it is an allusion to a ship at sea, in a great storm, tossed by the roaring waves which go over it, Ps. cvii. 25. Whatever waves and billows of affliction go over us at anytime, we must call them God's waves, and his billows, that we may humble ourselves under his mighty hand. and may encourage ourselves to hone that, though we be threatenecLwe shall not be ruined : for the waves and billows are under a Divine check, " The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of these many waters." Let not good men think it strange if they be exercised with many and various trials, and if they ,' come thick upon them God knows what he doth, and so shall they shortly. Jonah in the whale's belly made use of these words of David, Jonah ii. :3, (they are' exactly the same in the original,) and of him they are literally true, AU thy waves and thy billows are gone over me ; " for the book of Psalms is con trived so as to reach every one's case. - ' 2. He expected his deliverance to come from God's favour ; ver. 8, ''Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness." Non si male nunc et olim sic erit,-~ ' Things are bad, but they shall not always be so.' After tbe storm there will come a calm, and the prospect of this supported him when deep called unto deep. Observe, 1st. What he promised nimself from God. "The Lord will command his lovingkindness." He eyes the favour of God as the fountain of all the good he looked for, that is life, that is better than life ; and with that God - will gather those from whom he has in a little wrath hid his face, Isa. liv. 7, 8. God's conferring of his favour is called his commanding it; which intimates both the freeness of it, — we cannot pretend to merit it, but it is bestowed in a way of sovereignty ; he gives like a king, — and the efficacy of it, he speaks his lovingkindness, and makes us to hear it; "speaks, and it is done." He "com mands deliverance," Ps. xliv. 4; "commands the blessing," Ps. cxxxiii. 3, as one having authority. By commanding his lovingkindness, he commands down the waves and the billows, and they shall obey him. This he will do in the day time ; for God's lovingkindness will make day in the soul at any time. Though weeping has endured for a night, a long night, yet j oy will come in the morning." 2nd. What he promised for himself to God. If God command hia lovingkind ness for him, he will meet it, and bid it welcome with his best affections and devotions. First. He will rejoice in God ; " In the night his song shall be with me." The mercies we receive in the day, we ought to returi.' thanks for at night ; when others are sleeping, we should be praising God : siae Ps. cxix. 62, " At midnight will I rise to give thanks." In silence and solitude\ when we are retired from the hurries of the world, we must be pleasing ourselves with the thoughts of God's goodness. Or in the night of affliction, before the day dawns in which God commands his lovingkindness, I will sing songs of braise in the prospect of it. Even in tribulation the saints can rejoice in hope m the glory of God ; sing in hope, and praise in hope, Rom. v. 2, 3. It is Goas Prerogative to give songs in the night, Job xxxv. 10. Secondly. He will seek t(> Gpd in a con stant dependence upon him, My prayer shall be to the God of m\r life." Our believing expectation of mercy must not supersede but quicken our .prayers for it. God is the God of our life, in whom we live and move, the, author and giver of all our comforts, and, therefore, to whom should we apply ourselves by prayer but to him ? And from him what good may not we expect ? It would put life into our prayers, in them to eye God as the God of our life: for then it is for our lives, and the lives of our souls, that we stand up to malie request. PSALM XLIII. 205 Thirdly. He complains of the insolence of his enemies, and yet comforts him self in God as his friend, ver. 9—11. I. His complaint is, that his enemies oppressed and reproached him, and this made a great impression upon him. 1st. They oppressed him to that degree that he went mourning from day to day, from place to place, ver. 9. He didnot break out into indecent passions, though abused as never man was ¦ but he silently wept out his grief, and went mourning. And for this we cannot blame ' him; it must needs grieve a man that truly loves his country, and seeks the good of it, to see himself run upon, and hardly used, as if he were an enemy to it. Yet David ought not from hence to conclude that God had forgotten him and cast him off, nor thus to expostulate with him, as if he did him as much reproached him so cuttingly, that it was a sword in his bones, ver. 10. He had mentioned before what the reproach was that touched him thus to the quick, and here he repeats it: "They say daily unto me, Where is thy God?" A reproach which was therefore very grievous to him, both because it reflected dishonour upon God, and was intended to discourage his hope in God, which he had enough to do to keep up in any measure, and which was but too apt to fail of itself. 2. His comfort is, that God is his rock, ver. 9. A rock to build upon, a rock to take shelter in. The Rock of ages, in whom is everlasting strength, would be his rock, his strength in the inner man, both for doing and suffering. And to him' he had access with confidence; to God his rock He might say what he had to say, and be sure of a gracious audience. He therefore repeats what he had said, ver. 5^ and concludes with it; ver. 11, " Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? " His griefs and fears were clamorous and troublesome, they were not silenced, though they were again and again answered; but here at length his faith came off a conqueror, and forced the enemies to quit the field. And he gains this victory, 1st. By repeating what he had before said ; chiding him self, as before, for his dejections and disquietments, and encouraging himself to trust in the name of the Lord, and to stay himself upon his God. Note, It may be of great use to us to think our good thoughts over again ; and, if we do not gain our point with them at first, perhaps we may the second time ; however, where the heart goes along with the words, it is no vain repetition. We have need to press the same thing over and over again upon our own hearts, and all little enough. 2nd. By adding one word to it. There he hoped to praise God for the salvation that was m his countenance ; here, I will praise him, saith he, as the salvation of my countenance, from the present cloud that is upon it. If God smile upon me, that will make me look pleasant, look up, look forward, look round with pleasure. He adds, And my God, related to me, in covenant with me. All that he is, all that he has, is mine, according to the true intent and meaning of the promise.. This thought enabled him to triumph over all his griefs and fears. God's being with the saints in heaven, and being their God, is that which will wipe away all tears from their eyes, Rev. xxi. 3, 4. PSALM XLIII. This psalm, it is likely, was penned upon the same .occasion with the former, and having no title may be looked upon as an appendix to it. The malady presently returning, he had immediate recourse to the same remedy, because he had entered it in his book with a probation eat, — ' it has been proved/ upon it. The 2nd verse of this psalm is almost ' the very same with the 9th verse of the foregoing psalm, as the 5th of this is exactly - the same with the 11th of that. Christ himself, who had the Spirit without measure, when there was occasion, prayed a second and third time, saying the same words, Mat. xxvi. 44. In this psalm, I. He appeals to God concerning the injuries that were done him by his enemies, ver. 1, 2. II. He prays to God to restore to him the free enjoyment of public ordinances again, and promiseth a good improvement of them, ver. 3, 4. III. He endeavours to still the tumult of his own spirit with a lively hope and confidence in God, ver. 5, which if we labour after in singing this psalm, we sing with grace in our hearts. JUDGE me, 0 God, and plead my cause Against an ungodly nation : 0 deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man. 2 For thou art the God of my strength ; Why dost thou cast me off? [enemy? Whv sro I mourning: jbecause of the oppression of the 206 PSALM XLIII. 3 O send out thy light and thy truth : Let them lead me ; [nacles. Let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy taber- , 4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, Unto God my exceeding joy : Yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, 0 God my God. 5 Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? And why art thou disquieted within me ? Hope in God : for I shall yet praise him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my God. David here makes his application to God, by faith and prayer, as his judge, his strength, his guide, his joy, his hope, with suitable affections and expres- First. As his judge, his righteous judge, who he knew would judge him, and who (being conscious of his own integrity) he knew would judge for him ; ver. 1, " Judge me, O God, and plead my cause." There were those that impeached him, against them he is defendant, and from their courts, where he stood unjustly convicted and condemned: he appeals to the court of heaven, the supreme judicature; praying to have their judgment given against him, reversed, and his innocency cleared. There were those that had injured him ; body of men, whom he calls an ungodly or unmerciful nation ; and those that are unmerciful make it appear that they are ungodly, for those that have any fear or love of their Master will have compassion on their fellow servants. And here was one ill man the head of them, a deceitful and unjust man ; most probably Saul, who not only shewed no kindness to David, but dealt most per fidiously and dishonestly with him. If Absalom was the man he meant, his character was no better. As long as there are such bad men out of hell, nations of them, it is not strange that good men who are yet out of heaven meet with hard and base treatment. Some think that David, by the spirit of prophecy, calculated this psalm for the use of the Jews in their captivity in Babylon, and that the Chaldeans are the ungodly nation here meant ; and to them it was very applicable, but only as other like scriptures, none of which are of private interpretation. God might design it for their use, whether David did or no. 2. What is his prayer with reference to them. " Judge me." As to the quarrel God had with him for sin, he prays,1 "Enter not into judgment with me," for then I shall be condemned ; but as to the quarrel his enemies had with him,'he prays, Lord,"judge me," for I know that I shall be justified ; "Plead my cause against them," that is, take my part, and in thy providence appear on my behalf. He that has an honest cause may expect that God will plead it. Plead my cause so as to deliver me from them^ that they may not have their will against me. We must reckon our cause sufficiently pleaded, if we be delivered, though our enemies- be not destroyed. Secondly. As his strength, his all-sufficient strength ; so he eyes God; ver. 2, " Thou art the God of my strength, my God," my strength, from whom all my strength is derived, in whom I strengthen myself, who hast many a time strengthened me, and without whom I am weak as water, and utterly unable either to do or suffer any thing for thee. David now went mourning, destitute of spiritual joys, yet he found God the God of his strength ; however, if we cannot comfort ourselves in God, we may stay ourselves upon him, and may have spiritual supports when we want spiritual suavities. David here pleads this with God. Thou art the God- on whom I depend as my strength, why then dost thou cast me off? This was a mistake; for God never cast off any that trusted in him, whatever melancholy apprehensions they may have of their own state. Thou art the God of my strength, why then is mine enemy too strong. for me ; and why go I mourning because of his oppressive power ? It is hard' to reconcile the mighty force of the church's enemies with the almighty power of the church's God ; but the day will reconcile them, when all his enemies " shall become his footstool. Thirdly. As his guide, his faithful guide ; ver. 3, " Lead me, bring me to thy holy hill." He prays, 1. That God by his providence would bring him back PSALM XLIV. 207 from his banishment, and open a way for him again to the free enjoyment of the privileges of God's sanctuary. His heart is upon the holy hill and the tabernacles, not upon his family comforts, or hia court preferments or diver sions ; he could bear the want of these, but he is impatient to see God's taber - nacles again. Nothing so amiable in his eyes as those ; thither he would fain be brought back. In order to this, he prays, " Send out thy light and thy truth," that is, let me have this as a fruit of thy favour which is light ; and the performance of thy promise which is truth; and we need desire no more to make tis happy than the good that flows from God's favour, and is included in his promise. That mercy, that truth is enough, is all ; and when we see these in God's providences we see ourselves under a very safe conduct. Note, Those whom God leads, he leads to his holy hill and to his tabernacles ; those therefore who pretend to be led by the Spirit, and yet turn their backs upon ' instituted ordinances, certainly deceive themselves. 2. That God by his grace would bring him into communion with himself, and prepare him for the vision and fruition of himself in the other world. Some of the Jewish writers by the light and truth here understand Messiah the prince, and EJias his forerunner. These are come in answer to the prayers of the Old Testament; but we are still to pray for God's light and truth, that is, the Spirit of light and truth, who supplies the want of Christ's bodily presence, to lead us into the mystery of godliness, and to guide us in the way to heaven. When God sends his light and truth into our hearts, those will guide us to the upper world in all our devo tions, as well as in all our aims and expectations ; and if we conscientiously follow that light and truth they will certainly bring us to the holy hill above. Fourthly. As his joy, his exceeding joy. If God guide him to his tabernacles, if he restore him to his former liberties, he knows very well what he has to do, "Then will I go unto the altar of God," ver. 4; he will get as near as he can unto God his exceeding joy. Note, 1. Those that come to the tabernacles should come to t)ie altar ; that come to ordinances, should qualify themselves to come, and then come to special ordinances, to those that are most affecting and most binding. The nearer we come, the closer we cleave, to God, the better. 2. Those that come to the altar of God, must see to it that therein they come unto God, and draw near to him with the heart, with a true heart. We come in vain to holy ordinances, if we do not in them come to the holy God. -3. Those that come unto God, must come to him as their exceeding joy, not only as their future bliss, but as their present joy; and that not a common, but an exceeding joy, far exceeding all the joys of sense and time. The phrase in the original is very emphatical, ' Unto God the gladness of my joy,' or of my triumph. Whatever we rejoice or triumph in, God must be the joy of it, all our joy m it must terminate in him, and must pass through the gift to the giver. 4. When we come tot God as our exceeding joy, our comforts in hirn must be the matter of ourpraises of him as God, and our God; "Upon the harp will I praise thee, O God, my God." David was an artist at the harp, 1 Sam. xvi. 16, 18; and with that in which he excelled he would praise God, for God is to be praised with the best we have; it is tit he should be so who is the best. Fifthly. As his hope, his never-failing hope, ver. 5. Here, as before, David quarrels with himself tor his dejections and despondencies, and owns he did ill to yield to them, and that he had no reason to do so: Why art thou cast down, O my soul?" and then quiets himself in the believing expectation he had of giving glory to God, " Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him ;" and of enjoying glory with God, He is the health of my countenance, and my God." This is what we cannot too much insist upon, for it is what we must live and die by. PSALM XLIV. We are not told either who was the penman of this psalm or when and upon what occa sion it was penned. Upon a melancholy occasion we are sure, not bo much to the pen man himself, then we could have found occasions enough for it in the history of David and his afflictions, hut to the church of God in general ; and therefore, if we suppose it penned by David, yet we must attribute it purely to the spirit of prophecy, and must ¦ conclude that that Spirit, whatever he had, had in view the captivity in Babylon, or the sufferings of the Jewish church under AntiochuB, or rather the afflicted state tff the Christian church in its early days, to which ver. 22 is applied by the apoBtle, 1 Mom. viii. 36, and indeed in all its days on earth, for it is its determined lot that it must enter into the kingdom of heaven through many tribulations. And if we have any goapel psalms pointing at the privileges and comforts of Christians, why should we not have one pointing at their trials and exercises? It is a psalm calculated for a day of fasting and humiliation upon occasion of some public calamity, either pressing ox threatening. In it the church is taught, I. To own with thankfulness to the glory of God the great things God had done for their fathers, ver. 1—8. II. To exhibit a memorial of their present calamitous estate, ver. 9—16. III. To file a protestation of 208 . PSALM XLIV. tlieir integrity and adherence to God notwithstanding, ver. 17—22. IV. To lodge a petition at the throne of grace for succour and relief, ver. 22—26. ' In singing this psalm we ought to give God the praise of what he has formerly done for his people, to represent our own grievances, or sympathize with those parts of the church that are in distress, to engage ourselves, whatever happens, to cleave to God and duty, and then cheerfully to wait the event. To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. WE have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, What work thou didst in their days, , In the times of old. 2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, And plantedst them ; How thou didst afflict the people, And cast them out. [sword, ' 3 For they got not the land in possession by their own Neither did their own arm save them : [countenance, But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy Because thou hadst a favour unto them. 4 Thou art my King, 0 God : Command deliverances for Jacob. 5 Through thee will we push down our enemies : Through thy name will we tread them under that rise up 6 For I will not trust in my bow, [against us. Neither shall my sword save me. 7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, And hast put them to shame that hated us. 8 In God we boast all the day long. And praise thy name for ever. Selah. Some observe that most of the psalms that are entitled, Maschil, psalms of instruction, are sorrowful psalms ; for afflictions give instruction, and sorrow of spirit opens the ear to them ; " Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest." In these verses, the church, though now trampled upon, calls to remembrance the days of her triumph, of her triumph in God, and over her enemies. This is very largely mentioned here, 1. As an aggravation of the present distress. The yoke of servitude cannot but lie very heavy on the necks of those that used to wear the crown of victory ; and the tokens of God's dis pleasure must needs be most grievous to those that have been long accustomed to the tokens of his favour. 2. As an encouragement to hope that God would yet turn again their captivity, and return in mercy to them; and accordingly he mixes prayers and comfortable expectations with his record of former mercies. Observe, First. Their commemoration of the great things God had formerly done for them. In general, ver. 1, " Our fathers have 'told us what work thou didst in their days. Observe, 1 . The many operations of Providence are here spoken of as one work. They have told us " the work which thou didst," for there is a wonderful harmony and uniformity in all that God doth, and the many wheels make but one wheel, Fze. x. 13 ; many works make but one work. 2. It is a' debt which every age owes to posterity, to keep an account of God's works of won der, and transmit the knowledge of them to the next generation. Those that went before us told us what God did in their days, we are bound to tell those that come after us what he has done in our days, and let them do the like jus tice to those that shall succeed them ; thus shall " one generation praise his works to another," Ps. cxlv. 4; "The fathers to the children shall make known his truth," Isa. xxxviii. 19. 3. We must not only make mention of the work God has done in our own days, but must also acquaint ' ourselves and our children with what he did in the times of old, long betore our own days; and of this we PSALM XLIV. 209 haT?J,nJ the ScriPto»'e a 8ure word of history, as sure as the word of prophecy. 4. Children must diligently attend to what their parents tell them of the won derful works of God, and keep it in remembrance, as that which will be of great use to them. 5. Former experiences of God's power and goodness are strong supports to faith, and powerful pleas in prayer under present calamities. See how Gideon insists upon it, Jud. vi. 13, " Where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of?" In particular their fathers had told them, 1st. How wonderfully God planted Israel in Canaan at first, ver 2 3 He drove out the natives to make room for Israel, afflicted them, and cast them put, gave them as dust to Israel's sword, and as driven stubble to their bow. The many complete victories which Israel obtained over the Canaanites, under the command of Joshua, were not to be attributed to themselves, nor could they challenge the glory of them. First. They were not owing to their own merit, but to God's favour and free grace; it was through "the light of thy countenance.because thou hadst a favour to them ;" " Not for thy righteousness or the uprightness of thy heart doth God drive them out from before thee," Deu. ix. 5, 6 ; but because God would " perform the oath which he sware unto their fathers," Deu. vii. 8. The less praise this allows us, the more comfort it administers to us, that we may see all our successes and enlargements coming to us from the favour of God, and the light of his countenance. Secondly. They were not owing to their own might, but to God's power engaged for them, without which all their own efforts and endeavours had been fruitless. It was not by their own sword that they got the land in possession, though they had Sreat numbers of mighty men ; nor did their own arm save them from being riven back by the Canaanites, and put to shame ; but it was God's right hand and his arm. He fought for Israel, else they had fought in vain ; it was through him that they did valiantly and victoriously. It was God that planted Israel in that good land, as the careful husbandman plants a tree, from which he pro miseth himself fruit: see Ps. lxxx. 8. This is applicable to the planting of the Christian church in the world by the preaching of the Gospel. Paganism was wonderfully driven out, as the Canaanites, not all at once, but by little and little ; not by any human policy or power, for God chose to do it by the weak and foolish things of the world, but by the wisdom and power of God. Christ by his Spirit went forth conquering and to conquer; and the remembrance of that is a great Bupport and comfort to those that groan under the yoke of anti- christian tyranny; for to the state of the church under the power of the New Testament Babylon, some think (and particularly the learned Amyraldus) the complaints in the latter part of this psalm may very fitly be accommodated, lie that by his power and goodness planted a church for himself in the world will certainly support it by the same power and goodness, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. , 2nd. How frequently he had given them success against their enemies that attempted to disturb them in the possession of that good land; ver. 7, "Thou hast " many a time " saved us from our enemies ; " and hast put to flight, and so put to shame, them that hated us. Witness the successes of the judges against the nations that oppressed Israel. Many a time have the persecutors of the Christian church, and those that hate it, been put to shame by the power of truth, Acts vi. 10. Secondly. The good use they make of this record, and had formerly made of it, in consideration of the great things God had done for their fathers of old. i. They had taken God for their sovereign Lord, had sworn allegiance to him, and put themselves under his protection ; ver. 4, " Thou art my king, O God." He speaks in the name of the church, as Ps. lxxiv. 12, "Thou art my king of old." God has as a king made laws for his church, provided for the peace and good order of it, judged for it, pleaded its cause, fought its battles, and pro tected it. It is his kingdom in the world, and ought to be subject to him, and to pay him tribute ; or, the psalmist speaks for himself here ; Lord, " Thou art my king," whither shall I go but to thee with my petitions? The favour I ask is not tor myself, but for thy church. Note, It is every one's duty to improve their personal interest at the throne of grace for the public welfare and pro sperity of the people of God, as Moses, "If 1 have found grace in thy sight," guide thy people, Ex. xxxiii. 13. 2. They had always applied themselves to him by prayer for dehverance, when at any time they were in distress ; " Command deliverances for Jacob." Observe, 1st. The enlargedness of their desire. They pray for deliverances, not one, but many, as many as they had need of, how many soever they were ; ft series of deliverances, a deliverance from every danger. 2nd. The strength of their faith in the power of God; they do not say, work deliverances, but command them, which notes his doing it easily and instantly; Speak, and it is done:andione 1 i king is, there is power," much more the word of the lung of kings. o 210 PSALM XLIV. 3. They had trusted and triumphed in him. As they owned that ft wits not their own sword and bow that had saved them, ver. 3, so neither did they trust' to their own sword or bow to save them for the future ; ver. 6, 1 will not trust in my bow," not in any of my military preparations, as if those would stand me in stead without God ; no, " through thee will we push down our enemies," ver. 5; that is, we will attempt it in thy strength, relying only upon that, and not upon the number or valour of our forces; and having thee on our side we will not doubt of success in the attempt. " Through my name, that is, by virtue of thy wisdom directing us, thy power strengthening us and working torus, and thy promise securing success to us, we shall, we will, tread them under that rise up against us." ,, T _, , . , ,, 4. They had made him their joy and praise ; ver. 8, In God we have boasted," in him we do and will boast every day, and all the day long. W hen their ene mies boasted of their strength and successes, as bennachenb and Babshakeh hectored Hezekiah, they owned they had nothing to boast of in answer there unto but their relation to God, and their interest in him ; and if he were for them they could set all the world at defiance. "Let him that glories glory in the Lord;" and let that for ever exclude all other boasting. Let those that trust in God make their boast in him ; for they know whom they have trusted. Let them boast in him all the day long ; for it is a subject that can never be exhausted. But let them withal praise his name for ever ; if they have the com fort of his name, let them give unto him the glory due to it. 9 But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame ; And goest not forth with our armies. 10 Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy And they which hate us spoil for themselves. 11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat ; And hast scattered us among the heathen. 12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, And dost not increase thy wealth by their price 13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, A scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. 14 Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, A shaking of the head among the people. 1 5 My confusion is continually before me, And the shame of my face hath covered me, 16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth ; By reason of the enemy and avenger. The people of God here complain to him of the low and afflicted condition that they were in, under the prevailing power of their enemies and oppressors; which was the more grievous to them because they were now trampled upon who had always been used in their struggles with their neighbours to win the day, and get the upper hand, and because those were now their oppressors whom they had many a time triumphed over and made tributaries ; and, especially, because they had boasted in their God, with great assurance that he would still protect and prosper them", which made the distress they were in, and the disgrace they were under, the more shameful. Let us see what the complaint is. First. That they wanted the usual tokens of God's favour to them, and presence with them ; ver. 9, " Thou hast cast off," that is, thou seemest to have cast us oft', and our cause, and to have cast off thy wonted care of us, and concern for us, and so hast put us to shame, for we boasted of the constancy and perpetuity of thy favour. Our armies go forth as usual, but they are put to flight ; we gain no ground, but lose what we have gained, for thou goest not forth with them ; for if thou didst, which way soever they turned they would Srosper,— but it is quite contrary. Note, God's people, when they are cast own, are tempted to think themselves cast ofi, and forsaken of God ; but it is a mistake. " Hath God cast away his people ? God forbid." Rom. xi. 1 Secondly. That they were put to the worst before their enemies in the field of battle ; ver. 10, " Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy," as Joshua complained when they met with a repulse at Ai, Jos. vii. 8. *VVe are dispirited PSALM XLIV. 211 and have lost the ancient valour of Israelites; we flee, we fall before those that used to flee and fall before us, and then they that hate us have the plunder of our camp and of our country ; they spoil for themselves, and reckon all their own that they can lay their hands on. Attempts to shake oif the Babylonish yoke have been ineffectual, and we have rather lost ground by them. Thirdly. That they were doomed to the sword and to captivity; ver. 11, "Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat." They make no more conscience of killing an Israelite than of killing a sheep ; nay, like the butcher, they make a trade of it, they take a pleasure in it as a hungry man in his meat : and we are led with as much ease, and as little resistance, as a lamb to the slaughter. Many are slain, and the rest scattered among the heathen, con tinually insulted by their malice, or in danger of being infected by their iniquities. They looked upon themselves as bought and sold, and charged it upon God( " Thou sellest thy people ; " when they should have charged it upon their own sins, " for your iniquities have you sold yourselves," Isa. 1. 1. How ever, thus far was right, that they looked above the instruments of their trouble, ' and kept their eye upon God, as well knowing that their worst enemies had no r bower against them, but what was given them from above; they own it was God that delivered them into the hands of the ungodly, as that which is sold . is delivered to the buyer. ' Thou sellest them for nought, and dost not increase fei their price,' so it may be read ; dost not sell them by auction to those that will bid most for them, but in haste, to those that will bid first for them ; any one shall have them that will. Or, as we read it, " Thou dost not increase thy wealth by their price ; " intimating that they could have suffered this contentedly, if they had been sure that it would have redounded to the glory of God, and that his interests might have been some way served by their sufferings. But it was quite contrary ; Israel's disgrace turned to God's dishonour, so that he was so far from being a gainer in nis glory by the sale of them, that it should seem he was greatly a loser by it : see Isa. Iii. 5; Eze. xxxvi. 20. Fourthly. That they were loaded with contempt, and all possible ignominy put upon them. In this also they acknowledge pod : " Thou makest us a reproach;" that is, thou bringest those calamities upon us which occasion the reproach, and thou permittest their virulent tongues to smite us. They com plain, 1, That they were ridiculed and bantered, and were looked upon as the most contemptible people under the sun ; their troubles were turned to their reproach, and upon the account of them they were derided. 2. That their neighbours and those about them, from whom they could not withdraw, were most abusive to them, ver. 13. 3. That the heathen and the people that were strangers to the commonwealth of Israel, and aliens to the covenants of pro mise, made them a byword, and shook the head at them as triumphing in their fall, ver. 14. 4. That the reproach was constant and incessant; ver. 15, "My confusion is continually before me." The church in general, the psalmist in particular, was continually teased and vexed with the insults of the enemy: to those that are going down every one cries, Down with them. 5. That it was very grievous, and in a manner overwhelmed him ; " The shame of my face has covered me." He blushfed for sin, or rather for the dishonour done to God; and then it was a holy blushing. 6. That it reflected upon God himself. The reproach whicli the enemy and the avenger cast upon th&n was downright blasphemy against God, ver. 16, and 2 Ki?i. xix. 3 ; therefore, no doubt but God would appear for them. As there is no trouble more grievous to a generous and ingenuous mind than reproach and calumny, so there is none more grievous to a holy, gracious soul than blasphemy and dishonour done to God. 17 All this is come upon us; Yet have we not forgotten thee, Neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. 18- Our heart is not turned back, Neither have our steps declined from thy way ; 1 9 Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, And covered us with the shadow of death. 20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, Or stretched out our hands to a strange god ; 21 Shall not God search this out ? For he knoweth the secrets of the heart. 212 PSALM XLIV. 22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long ; We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. 23 Awake, why sleepest thou, 0 Lord ? Arise, cast us not off for ever. 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And forgettest our affliction and our oppression ? ;, 25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust : Our belly cleaveth unto the earth. 26 Arise for our help, And redeem us for thy mercies' sake. The people of God, being greatly afflicted and oppressed, here apply them selves to him ; whither else should they go ? First. By way of appeal concerning their integrity; which he only is art infallible judge of, and which he will certainly be the reward of. Two things they call God to witness to : I. That, though they suffered these hard things, yet they kept close to God and to their duty ; ver. 17, " All this is come upon us," and it is as bad, perhaps, as bad can be, " yet have we not forgotten thee ; " not cast off the thoughts of thee, nor deserted the worship of thee, for though we cannot deny but that we have dealt foolishly, yet we have not " dealt foolishly in thy covenant," so as to cast thee off, and take to other gods. Though idolaters were our conquerors,' we did not therefore entertain any more favourable thoughts of their idols ana idolatries ; though thou hast seemed to forsake us, and withdraw from us, yet we have not therefore forsaken thee. The trouble they had been long in was very great ; we have been "sore broken in the place of dragons," that is, among men as fierce, and furious, and cruel as dragons. We have been covered with the shadow of death, that is, we have been under deep melancholy, and appre hensive of nothing but death. "We have been wrapped up in obscui'ity, and buried alive ; and thou hast thus broken us, thou hast thus covered us, ver. 19. Yet we have not harboured any hard thoughts of thee, nor meditated a retreat from thy service. Though thou hast slain us, we have continued to trust in thee; " our heart is not turned back ; " we have not secretly withdrawn our affections from thee, " neither have our steps," either in our religious worship, or in our conversation, " declined from thy way," ver. 18 ; the way which thou hast ap pointed us to walk in. "When the heart turns back, the steps will soon decline; for it is the evil heart of unbelief that inclines us to depart from God. Note, We may the better bear our troubles, how pressing soever, if in them we still hold fast our integrity. WJiile our troubles do not drive us from our duty to God, we should not suffer them to drive us from our comfort in God ; for he will not leave us, if we do not leave him. For the proof of their integrity they take God's omniscience to witness ; which is as much the comfort of the upright in heart as it is the terror of hypocrites ; ver. 20, 21, " If we have forgotten the name of our God," under pretence that he had forgotten us, or in our distress had stretched out our hands to a strange god, as more likely to help us, " shall not God search this out?" shall he not know it more fully and distinctly than we know that which we have with the greatest care and diligence searched out? Shall he not judge it, and call us to an account for it? Forgetting God was a heart-sin; and stretching out the hand to a strange god was often a secret sin, Eze. viii. 14. But heart-sins and secret sins are known to God, and must be reckoned for ; for he knows the secrets of the heart, and therefore is an infallible judge of the words and actions. 2. That therefore they suffered these hard things because they kept close to God and to their duty ; ver. 22, it is " for thy sake that we are killed all the day long," because we stand related to thee ; are called by thy name call upon thy name, and will not worship other gods. In this the spirit of pro'phecv had reference to those who suffered even unto death for the testimony of Cnrist to whom it is applied, Rom. viii. 36. So many were killed and nut to suclt lingering deaths, that they were m the killing all the daylong; so universally was this practised, that when a man became a Christian, he reckoned himself as a " sheep appointed for the slaughter." Secondly. By way of petition, with references to their present distress, that God would in his own due time work deliverance for them. Their reouest is very importunate; "Awake, arise," ver. 23; "Arise for our help redeem ub" ver. 26; come 'speedily and powerfully to our relief; Ps. lxxx. 2, "Stir up thy PSALM XLV. 213 Btrength, and come and save U3." They complained, ver. 12, that God had sold them ; here they pray, ver. 26, that God would redeem them, for there is no appealing from God but by appealing to him. If he sell us, it is not any one else that can redeem us; the same hand that tears must heal, that smites must bind up, Hos. vi. 1. They complained, ver. 9, "Thou hast cast us off-" but here they pray, ver. 23, Cast us not oft for ever ; " let us not be finally forsaken of God. The expostulations are very moving; "Why sleepest thou?" ver 23 He that keeps Israel, neither slumbers nor sleeps ; but when he doth not Sresently appear for the deliverance of his people, they are tempted to think 0 sleeps. The expression is figurative, as Ps. Ixxviii. 66, " Then the Lord awakeif as one out of sleep ; " but it was applicable to Christ in the letter Mat. viii. 24 ; he was asleep when the disciples were in a storm, and they awoke him, saying, "Lord, save us, we perish I" "Wherefore hidest thou thy face " that we may not see thee and the light of thy countenance ? Or, that thou •mayest not see us and our distresses. Thou "forgettest our affliction and our oppression," for it still continues, and we see no way open for our deliverance the proper object of the Divine compassion ; ver. 25, " Our soul is bowed down to the dust," under prevailing grief and fear. We are become as creeping things, the most despicable animals ; " Our belly cleaveth unto the earth, we cannot lift up ourselves, neither revive our own drooping spirits, nor recover ourselves out of our low and sad condition, and we lie exposed to be trodden on by every insulting foe. 2. God's mercy ; " O redeem us for thy mercies' sake." We depend upon the goodness of thy nature^which is the glory of thy name, Ex. xxxiv. 6 ; and upon those sure mercies of David which are conveyed by the covenant to all his spiritual seed. PSALM XLV. This psalm is an illustrious prophecy of Messiah the Prince. It is all over gospel, and points at him only, as a Bridegroom espousing the church to himself, and as a King ruling in it and ruling for it ; and it is probable our Saviour has reference to this psalm ¦when he compares the kingdom of heaven, more than once, to a nuptial solemnity, the solemnity of a royal nuptial, Mat. xxii. 2 ; xxv. 1. We have no reason to think it l>as any reference to Solomon's marriage with Pharaoh's daughter. If I thought it had reference to any other than the mystical marriage between Christ and his church, I 1 would rather apply it to some of David's marriages, because he was a man of war, such a one as the bridegroom here is described to be, which Solomon was not. But I take it to be purely and only meant of Jesus Christ ; of him speaketh the prophet this, of him and of no other man ; and to him ver. 6, 7, is applied in the New Testament, Heb. i. 8, nor can it be understood of any other. The preface speaks the excellency of the song, ver. 1. The psalm speaks, I. Of the royal Bridegroom, who is Christ : I. The transcendent excellency of his person, ver. 2; 2. The glory of his victories, ver. 3 — 5 ; 3. The righteousness of his government, ver. 6, 7 ; 4. The splendour of his court, ver. 8, 9, II. Of the royal bride, which is the church : 1. Her consent gained, ver, 10, II; 2. The nuptials solemnized, ver. 12—15; 3. The issue of this marriage, ver. 16, 17. In singing this psalm our hearts must be filled with high thoughts of Christ, with an entire submission tc, and satisfaction in, his government, and earnest desire of the enlarging and perpetuating of hiB church In the world. To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korali, Maschil, A Song of loves. M y heart is inditing a good matter : I speak of the things which I have made touching the My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. [king : ihou art fairer than the children of men : Grace is poured into thy lips : Therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, 0 most mighty, With thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously Because of truth and meekness and righteousness : And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. 214 PSALM XLV. 5 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the lung's enemies ; Whereby the people fall under thee. Some make Shoshannim, in the title, to signify an instrument of six strings ; others take it in its primitive signification for lilies or roses, which probably were strewed with other flowers at nuptial solemnities ; and then it js easily. applicable to Christ, who calls himself the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys, Cant. ii. 1. It is a song of loves, concerning the holy love that is between Christ and his church. It is a song of the well-beloved, the virgins, the companions of the bride, ver. 14, prepared to be sung by them. The virgin company that attend the Lamb on mount Zion are said to sing a new song, Rev. xiv. 3, 4. The preface, ver. 1, speaks, 1. The dignity of the subject. It is a gootKr; matter, and it is pity such a moving art as poetry should ever be employed^ about a bad matter. It.is touching the King, ldng Jesus, and his kingdom aii^| government. Note, Those that speak of Christ speak of a good matter, ho" subject so noble, so copious, so fruitful, so profitable, and so well becoming us. It is a shame that this good matter is not more the matter of our discourse. 2. The excellency of the management. This song was a confession with the mouth of faith in the heart concerning Christ and his church. 1st. The mattery was well digested, as it well deserved. " My heart is inditing it." Which per haps is meant of that Spirit of prophecy that dictated the psalm to David ; that Spirit of Christ which was in the prophets, I Pet. i. 11. But it is applicable to his devout meditations and affections in his heart, out of the abundance- of which his mouth spake. Things concerning Christ ought to be thought of by us with all possible seriousness, with fixedness of thought, and a fire of holy love ; especially when we are to speak of those things. We then speak best of Christ and Divine things, when we speak from the heart that which has warmed and aifected us; and we should never be rash ii* speaking of the things of Christ, but weigh well beforehand what we have to say, lest we speak amiss : see Eccl. v. 2. 2nd. It was well expressed. " I will speak of the things which I have made." He would express himself, First. With all possible clearness, as one that did himself understand, and was affected with the things he spoke of. Not, I will speak the things I have heard from others, that is speaking by rote ; but the things which I have myself studied. Note, What God has wrought in our souls, as well as what he has wrought for them, we must declare to others, Ps. Ixvi. 16. Secondly. With all possible cheerfulness, freedom, and fluency. " My tongue is as the pen of a ready writer," guided by my heart in every word, as the pen is by the hand. We call the prophets the penmen of Scripture, whereas really they were but the pen. The tongue of the most subtle disputant, and the most eloquent orator, is but the pen with which God writes what he pleaseth. Why should we quarrel with the pen, if bitter things be written against us ? or idolize the pen, if it write in our favours ? David not only spoke what he thought of Christ, but wrote it, that it might spread the farther, and last the longer. His tongue was as the pen of a ready writer, that lets nothing slip. When the heart is inditing a good matter, it is pity but the tongue should be as the pen of a ready writer to leave it upon record. In these verses the Lord Jesus is presented, First. As most beautiful and amiable in himself. It is a marriage song, and therefore the transcendent excellences of Christ are represented bythe beauty of the royal bridegroom; ver. 2, "Thou art fairer than the children of men,* than any of them. He proposed, ver. 1, to speak of the king, but immediately directs his speech to him. They that have an admiration and affection for Christ, love to go to him and tell him so. Thus we must profess our faith that we see his beauty, and our love that we are pleased with it. " Thou art fair, thou art fairer, than the children of men." Note, Jesus Christ is in him self, and in the eyes of all believers, more amiable and lovely than the children of men. The beauties of the Lord Jesus, as God, as Mediator, far surpass those of the human nature in general, and those which the most amiable and excellent of the children of men are endowed with. There is more in Christ to engage our love than there is or can be in any creature. Our beloved is more than another beloved. The beauties of this lower world and its charms are in danger of drawing away our hearts froni Christ, and therefore we are con cerned to understand how much he excelleth them all, and how much more worthy he is of our love. Secondly. As the great favourite of Heaven. He is fairer than the children of men, for God has done more for him than for any of the children of men ; and all his kindness to the children of men is for his sake, and passeth through his hands, through his mouth. 1. He hath grace, and he has it for us ; " Grace is poured into thy lips." By his word, his promise his Gospel, the good will of Uod is made known to us, and the good work ot God is begun and carried on in us. He received all grace from God, all the endowments that were requisite PSALM XLV. S15 to craalify him for his work and office as Mediator, that from his fulness we might receive, Jno. i. 16. It waB not only poured into his heart, for his own strength and encouragement, but poured into his lips, that by the words of his mouth in general, and the kisses of his mouth to particular believers, he might communicate both holiness and comfort. From this grace poured into his ups proceeded those gracious words which all admired, Lu. iv. 22. The Gospel of grace is poured into his lips, for "it began to be spoken by the Lord," and from him we receive it ; he hath the words of eternal life. ' The spirit of prophecy is put into thy lips ; ' so the Chaldee. 2. He hath the blessing, and he has it for ua. Therefore, because thou art the great trustee of Divine grace for the use and benefit of the children of men. " therefore God has blessed thee for ever ; " that is, has made thee an everlasting blessing, so as that in thee all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. Where God gives his grace, he will give his blessing. We are blessed with spiritual blessings in ChriBt Jesus, Eph. i. 3. Thirdly. As victorious over all his enemies. The royal bridegroom is a man of war, and his nuptials do not excuse him from the field of battle, (as was allowed by the law, Deu. xxiv. 5,) nay, they bring him to the field of battle, for he ib to rescue his spouse by dint of sword out of her captivity : to conquer ner, and to conquer for her, and then to marry her. Now we have here, 1. His preparations for war ; ver. 3, " Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty." The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. By the promises of that wordj and the grace contained in those promises, souls are made willing to submit to Jesus Christ, and become his loyal subjects ; and by the threatenings of that word, and the judgments executed according to them, those that stand it out against Christ will in due time be brought down and ruined. By the Gospel of Christ many Jews and Gentiles were converted, and at length the Jewish nation was destroyed, according to the predictions of it, for their impla cable enmity to it ; and paganism was Quite abolished. The sword here girt on Christ's thigh is the same which is said to proceed out of his mouth. Rev. xix. 15. When the Gospel was 'sent forth to be preached to all nations, then our Re deemer girt his sword upon his thigh, 2. His expedition to this holy war. He goes forth with his glory and his majesty, as a great king takes the field, with abundance of pomp and magnifi cence—his sword, his glory and majesty. In his Gospel he appears transcend ently great and excellent, bright and blessed^ in the honour and majesty which the Father has laid upon him. Christ, both in his person and in his Gospel, had nothing of external glory or majesty, nothing to charm men ; for " he had no form nor comeliness : " nothing to awe men, for lie took upon him the form of a ser vant ; " but it was all spiritual glory, spiritual majesty. There is so much grace, and therefore glory, in that word, He that believes shall be saved;" so much terror, and therefore majesty, in that word, "He that believes not shall be damned;" that we may well say, in the chariot of that Gospel, which these words are the sum of, the Redeemer rides forth in glory and majesty. " In thy majesty ride prosperously," ver. 4. 'Prosper thou; ride thou.* This speaks the promise of his Father, that he should prosper t according to the good plea sure of the Lord, that he should divide the spou. with the strong, in recompence of his sufferings. Those cannot but prosper to whom God saith, Prosper, Isa. Iii. 10 — 12. And it speaks the good wishes of his friends, praying that he may prosper in the conversion of souls to him, and the destruction of all the powers of darkness that rebel against him. " Thy kingdom come." Go on and prosper. 3. The glorious cause in which he is engaged: "because of truth, and meek ness, and righteousness," which were in a manner sunk and lost among men, and which Christ came to retrieve and rescue. 1st. The Gospel itself is "truth, meekness, and righteousness ;" it commands by the power of truth and right eousness, for Christianity has these inoontestably on its side, and yet it is to be promoted by meekness and gentleness, 1 Cor. iv. 12, 13; 2 Tim. ii. 25. 2nd. Christ appears in it, in his "truth, meekness, and righteousness," and these are his glory and majesty, and because of these he shall prosper. Men are brought to believe on him because he is truth, to learn of him because he is meek, Mat xi. 29. (the gentleness of Christ is a thing of mighty force, 2 Cor. x. 1.) and to submit to him because he is righteous and rules with equity. 3rd. The Gospel, as far as it prevails with men, sets up in their hearts " truth, meekness, and righteousness;" rectifies their mistakes by the light of truth. controls their passions by the power of meekness, and governs theirhearts and lives by the laws of righteousness. Christ came, by setting up his_ kingdom among men, to restore these glories to a degenerate world, and to maintain the cause of these just and rightful rulers under him that, by error, malice, and iniquity, had been deposed. 4. The success of his expedition. " Thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things:" that is, thou shalt experience a wonderful Divine power going along with thy Gospel, to make it victorious ; and the effects of it will be terrible 216 PSALM XLV. things. 1st. In order to the conversion and reduction of souls to him, there are terrible things to be done ; the heart must be pricked, conscience must be startled, and the terrors of the Lord must make way for his consolations, This is done by the right hand of Christ. The Comforter shall continue, Jno. xvi, & 2nd. In the conquest of the gates of hell, and its supporters, in the destruction of Judaism and Paganism, terrible things will be done, which will make men's hearts fail them for fear, Lu. xxi. 26, and great men and chief captains call to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, Rev. vi. 15. The next verse describes theseterrible# things ; ver. 5, Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies." First. Those that were by nature enemies are thus wounded, in order to their being reduced and reconciled. Convictions are like the arrows of the bow, which are sharp in the heart on which they fasten, and bring people to fall under Christ, in subjection to his laws and government. They that thus fall on this stone, shall be broken, Mat. xxi. 44. Secondly. Those that persist in their enmity are thus wounded, in order to their being ruined. The arrows of God's terrors are sharp in their hearts, whereby they shall fall under him, so as to be made his footstool, Ps. ex. 1. Those that would not have him to reign over them shall be brought forth and slain before him, Lu. xix, 27 ; that would not submit to his golden sceptre, shall be broken to pieces by his iron rod. 6 Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever : The sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. 7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness : ! ,1 Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia,,; Out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. 9 Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women : Upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. ?*">''-'• Egyptian queex. From Ruscllini. PSALM XLV. 217 We have here the royal Bridegroom filling his throne with judgment, and keeping his court with splendour. First. He here fills his throne with judgment. It is God the Tether that saith to the Son here, " Thy throne, O Goa, is for ever and ever ; " as appears, Heb. i. 8, 9, where this is quoted to prove that he is God, and has a "more excellent name than the angels." The Mediator is God, else he had neither been able to do the Mediator's work, nor fit to wear the Mediator's crown. Concerning his government observe, 1. The eternity of it. It is "for ever and ever." It shall continue on earth throughout all the ages of time, in despite of all the opposition of the gates of hell ; and in the blessed fruits and consequences of it it shall last as long as the days of heaven, and run parallel with the line of eternity itself. And, perhaps, even then the glory of the Redeemer, and the blessedness' of the redeemed, shall be in a continual, infinite progression ; for it is promised, that not only of his government, but " of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end," Isa. iv. 7, even then when " the kingdom shall be delivered up to God, even the Father," 1 Cor. xv. 24, the throne of the Redeemer will continue. 2.- The equity of it. " The sceptre of thy kingdom," that is, the administra tion of thy government is right, exactly according to the eternal counsel and will of God, which is the eternal rule and reason of good and evil; and what ever Christ doth he doth none of his subjects any wrong, but rights those that do suffer wrong, " He loveth righteousness, and hateth wickedness," ver. 7. He himself loves to do righteousness, and hates to do wickedness ; and he loves those that do righteousness, and hates those that do wickedness. By the holi ness of his life, the merit of his death, and the great design of his Gospel, he has made it to appear that he loves righteousness, for by his example, his satisfac tion, and his precepts, he has brought in an everlasting righteousness ; and that he hates wickedness, for never did God's hatred of sin appear so as it did in the sufferings of Christ. _ 3. The establishment and elevation of it. "Therefore God, even thy God," (Christ, as mediator, called God his God, Jno. xx. 17, as commissioned by him, and the head of those that are taken into covenant with him,) he "has anointed thee with the oil of gladness ;" therefore, that is, 1st. In order to this righteous government of thine, God has given thee his Spirit, that Divine . unction, to qualify thee for thine undertaking; Isa. lxi. 1, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he has anointed me." What God called him to he fitted him for, Isa. xi. 2. The Spirit is called the oil of gladness, because of the delight wherewith Christ was filled in carrying on his undertaking. He was anointed with the Spirit above all his fellows, that is, above all those that were anointed, whether priests or kings. 2nd. In recompence of what thou hast done and suffered for the advancement of righteousness, and the destruc tion of sin, God has anointed thee with the oil of gladness : that is, has brought thee to all the honours and all the joys of thine exalted state; "Because he humbled himself, God has highly exalted him," Phil. ii. 8, 9. His anointing him notes the power and glory to which he is exalted ; he is invested in all the dig nities and authorities of the Messiah; and his anointing him with the oil of gladness, notes the joy that was set before him, (so his exaltation is expressed, Heb. xii. 2.) both in the light of his Father's countenance, Acts ii. 28, and in the success of his undertaking, which he shall see and be satisfied, Isa. hii. 11. This he is anointed with above all his fellows, that is, above all believers, who are his brethren, and who partake of the anointing; but they by measure, he without measure. But the apostle brings it to prove his preeminence above the angels, Heb. i. 4, 9. The salvation of sinners is the joy of angels, Lu. xv. 10, but much more of the Son. Secondly. He keeps his court with splendour and magnificence. 1. His robes of state, wherein he appears, are taken notice of, not for their pomp, which might strike an awe upon the spectator, but their pleasantness and the gratefulness of the odours with which they were perfumed ; ver. 8. " They smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia," compounding the oil of gladness with which he and his garments were anointed. These were some of the ingredients of the holy anointing oil which God appointed, the like to which was not to be made up tor any common use, Ex. xxx. 23, 24, which was typical of the unction of the Spirit, which Christ the great high priest of our profession received, and to which, therefore, there seems here to be a reference. It is the savour of these good ointments, his graces and comforts, that.draws souls to him, Cant l. 3, 4, and makes him precious to believers, I Pet ii, 7. 2. His royal palaces are said to be ivory ones, such as were then reckoned most magnificent. We read of an ivory house that Ahab made, 1 Km. xxi. 39. The mansions of light above are the ivory palaces whence all the joys both of Christ and believers come, and where they will be for ever in perfection ; for by them he is made glad, and all that are his with him j for they shall enter into the joy of their Lord. 218 PSALM XLV. 3. The beauties of his court shine very blight. In public appearances at court, when the pomp of it is shewed, nothing is supposed to contribute so much to W as the splendour of the ladies, which is alluded to here, ver. 9. _ 1st. Particular believers are here compared to the ladies at court, richly dressed, in honour of the sovereign. " Kings' daughters are among thy honour able women," whose looks, and mien, and ornaments, we may suppose, by the height of their extraction, to excel all others. All true believers are born from above ; they are the children of the King of kings, these attend the throne ot the Lord Jesus daily with their prayers and praises, which is really their honour, and he is pleased to reckon it his. The numbering of kings daughters among his honourable woman, or maids of honour, intimates that the kings whose daughters they were should be tributaries to him, and dependants on him, and would therefore think it a preferment to their daughters to attend him. _ 2nd. The church in general, constituted of these particular believers, is here compared to the queen herself, the queen consort, which by an everlasting cove- nant he hath betrothed to himself. She stands at his right hand, near to him, and receiving honour from him, in the richest array, in gold of Ophir, in robes woven with gold thread, or with a gold chain, and other ornaments ot gold. This is the bride, the Lamb's wife, whose graces, that are her ornaments, are compared to fine linen, clean and white, Rev. xix. 8, for their purity ; here to gold of Ophir, for their costliness ; for as we owe our redemption, so we owe our adorning, not to corruptible things, but to the precious blood of the Son of God. 10 Hearken, 0 daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; Forget also thine own people, and thy father's house ; 1 1 So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty : For he is thy Lord ; and worship thou him. 12 And the daughter of Tyre shall he there with a gift ; Even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour. 13 The king's daughter it all glorious within : Her clothing is of wrought gold. 1 4 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle- The virgins her companions that follow her [work : Shall be brought unto thee. 15 With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought : They shall enter into the king's palace. J 6 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, Whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. 1 7 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: Therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever. This latter part of the psalm is addressed to the royal bride, standing on the right hand of the royal Bridegroom. God, that said to the Son, " Thy throne is for ever and ever," saith this to the church, who upon the account of her espousals to the Son, he here calls his daughter. First. He tells her of the duties expected from her, which ought to be considered by all those that come into relation to the Lord Jesus : Hearken therefore, and consider " this, "and incline thine ear ; " that is, submit to those conditions of thine espousals, and bring thy will to comply with them. This is the method of profiting by the Word of (Jod ; " He that hath ears let him hear," let him hearken diligently ; he that hearkens, let him consider and weigh it duly ; he that considers, let him incline, and ^ield to the force of what is laid before him. And what is it that is here required ? I. She must renounce all others; "Forget thine own people and thy father's house," according to the law of marriage ; retain not the affection thou hast had for them, nor covet to return to them again ; banish all such remembrance (not only of thy people that were dear to thee, but of thy father's house tnat was dearer,) as may incline thee to look back, as Lot's wife to Sodom. "When Abraham, m obedience to God's call, had quitted his native soil, he was not so much as " mindful of the country from wnence he came out." This shews, PSAL11 XLV. 219 1st, How necessary it was for those who were converted from Judaism or paganism to the faith of Christ, wholly to cast out the old leaven, and not to bring into their Christian profession either the Jewish ceremonies or the heathen idolatries, for these would make such a mongrel religion in Christianity as the Samaritans had.. 2nd. How necessary it is for us all when we give up pur names to Jesus Christ to hate father and mother, and all that is dear to us in this world, in comparison ; that is, to love them less than Christ and his honour, and our interest in him, Lu. xiv. 26. And here is very good encourage ment given to the royal bride thus entirely to break off from her former alliances ; " So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty," which intimates that the mixing of her old rites and customs, whether Jewish or Gentile, with her religion, would blemish her beauty, and would be in danger of losing her interest in the affections of the royal Bridegroom ; but if she entirely con formed to his will he would delight in her. The beauty of holiness, both on #he church and oh particular believers, is in the sight of Christ of great price. and very amiable. Where that is he saith, " This is my rest for ever : here will I dwell ; for I have desired it." Among the golden candlesticks he walks with pleasure, Rev. ii. 1. S. She must reverence him ; must love, honour, and obey him : " He is thy Lord, and worship thou him." The church is to be subject to Christ, as the tifife to the husband, Eph. v. 24 ; to call him Lord as Sarah called Abraham, and to obey him, 1 Pet. hi. 6 ; and so not only to submit to his government, but to give him Divine honours. We must worship him as God, and our Lord ; for this is the will of God, that " all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father;" nay, in so doing, it is reckoned that they honour the Father. If we confess that Christ is Lord, and pay our homage to him accord ingly, it is to the glory of God the Father, Phil. ii. 11. . Secondly. He tells her of the honours designed for her. 1. Great court should be made to her, and rich presents brought her ; ver. 12, "The daughter of Tyre," a rich and splendid city, " the daughter of the king of Tyre, shall be there with a gift ; " every royal family round about shall send a branch as a representative of the whole, to seek thy favour, and to make an interest in thee; "even the rich among the people, whose wealth might be thought to discharge them from dependence at court, yet they " shall entreat thy favour," for his sake to whom thou art espoused, that by thee they may make him their friend. The Jews, the pretending Jews, who are rich to a pro verb, — as rich as a Jew, — shall come and worship before the church's feet in the Philadelphian period, and shall know that Cnrist has loved her, Rev. iii. 9. When the Gentiles, being converted to the faith of Christ, join themselves to the church, they then come with a gift, 2 Cor. viii. 5 ; Rom. xv. 16 ; when with themselves they devote all they have to the honour of Christ and the service of his kingdom, they then come with a gift. 2. She shall be very splendid and highly esteemed in the eyes of all ; 1st. For her personal qualifications, the endowments of her mind, which every one shall admire ; ver. 13, " The king's daughter is all glorious within." Note, The glory of the church is spiritual glory, and that is indeed all glory ; it is the glory of the soul, and that is the man ; it is glory in God's sight, and it is an earnest of eternal glory. The glory of the saints falls not within the ken of a carnal eye. As their life, so their glory, is hid with Christ in God, neither can the natural man know it, for it is spiritually discerned; but those who do so discern it highly value it. Let us see here what is that true glory which we should be ambitious of, not that which makes a fair show in the flesh, but which is in "the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, 1 Pet. iii. 4 ; " Whose praise is not of men, but of God," Rom. ii. 29. 2nd. 1 or her rich apparel. Though all her glory is within, that for which she is truly valuable, yet her clothing also is of wrought gold. The conversation of Chris tians, in which they appear in the world, must be enriched with good works ; not gay and gaudy ones, like paint and flourish, but substantially good, like gold; and it must De accurate and exact, like wrought gold, which is worked with a great deal of care and caution. ... . • * 3. Her nuptials shall be celebrated with a great deal of honour and joy ; ver. 14, 15, "She shall be brought to the king," as the Lord God brought. tho woman to the man, Gen. ii. 22, which was a type of this mystical marriage between Christ and his church. None are brought to Christ but whom the Father brings, and he has undertaken to do it: so brought to the king, ver. 14, as to enter into the king's palace, ver. IB, which intimates a two-told bringing of the spouse to Christ: 1st. In the conversion of souls to Christ: then they are espoused to him, privately contracted, as chaste virgins, 2 Cor. , xi. _2 ; Rom. vii. 4. 2nd. In the completing of the mystical body, and the glorification of all the saints at the end of time. Then the bride, the Lamb s wife, shall be made completely ready, when all that belong to the election of grace shall . be called in, and called home, and all gathered together to Christ, 2 Ihes. n. 1. 220 PSALM XL VI. Then is the marriage of the Lamb come, Rev. xix. 7; xxi. 2, and the virgins go forth to meet the bridegroom, Mat. xxv. 1 ; then they shall enter into the king's palaces, into the heavenly mansions, to be ever with the Lord. In both these espousals, observe to the honour of the royal bride, First. Her wedding clothes, raiment of needlework, the righteousness of Christ, the graces of the Spirit, both curiously wrought by Divine wisdom. Secondly. Her bridemaids, " the virgins her companions," the wise virgins that have oil in their vessels as well as in their lamps, those that being joined to the church cleave to it, and follow it, these shall go in to the marriage. Thirdly. The mirth with which the nuptials will be celebrated; "with gladness and rejoicing shall she be brought." When the prodigal is brought home to his father, it is meet that we should make merry and be glad," Lit. xv. 32 ; and when the marriage of the Lamb is come, "let us be glad and rejoice," Rev. xix. 7; for the "day of his espousals is the day of the gladness of his heart," Cant. iii. 11. 4. The progeny of this marriage shall be illustrious ; ver. 16, ' Instead of the fathers, shall be thy children." Instead of the Old Testament church, the economy of which was waxen old, and ready to vanish away, Heb. viii. 13, as the fathers f *"— ! ' " church, fatness, desolate, than the children of the married wife," Isa. liv. 1. This promise to Christ is of the same import with that Isa. Iiii. 10, " He shall see his seed," and these shall be made " princes in all the earth," that is, there shall be some of all nations brought into subjection to Christ, and so made princes, "made to our God kings and priests," Rev. i. 6. Or it may intimate that there should be a much greater number of Christian kings than ever there was of Jewish kings; those in Canaan only,— these in all the earth; nursing fathers, and nursing mothers to the church, which shall suck the breasts of kings. They are princes of Christ's making ; for by him kings reign, and princes decree justice. 5. The praise of this marriage shall be perpetual, in the praises of the royal Bridegroom ; ver. 18, " I will make thy name to be remembered." His Father has given him a name above every name, and here promiseth to make it per petual, hy keeping up a succession of ministers and Christians in every age that should bear up his name, which shall thus endure for ever, Ps. lxxii. 17, hy being remembered in all the generations of time, for the entail of Christianity shall not be cut off. Therefore, because they shall remember thee in all gene rations, they shall praise thee for ever and ever. They that help to support the honour of Christ on earth shall in heaven see his glory, and share in it, and be for ever praising him. In the believing hope of our everlasting happiness in the other world, let us always keep up the remembrance of Christ, as our only way thither in our generation ; and, in assurance of the perpetuating of the kingdom of the Redeemer in the world, let us transmit the remembrance of him tO' succeeding generations, that his " name may endure for ever, and be as the days of heaven." PSALM XLYI. This psalm encourageth us to hope and trust in God, and his power and providence, and gracious presence with his church in the worst of times, and directs us to give him the glory of what he has done for us, and what he will do. Probably it was penned upon occasion of David's victories over the' neighbour nations, 2 Sam. viii., and the rest which God gave him from all his enemies round about. "We are here taught, I. To take comfort in God when things look very black and threatening, ver. 1 — 5. II. To mention to his praise the great things he has wrought for the church against its enemies, ver, 6—9. III. To assure ourselves that God, who hath glorified his own name, will glorify it yet again, and to comfort ourselves with that, ver. 10, 11. We may, in sing ing it, apply it either to our spiritual enemies, and the encouragement we have to hope that through Christ we shall be more than conquerors over them, or to the public enemies * of Christ's kingdom in the world, and their threatening insults, endeavouring to pre serve a holy security and serenity of mind when they seem most formidable. It is said ef Luther, that when he heard any discouraging news, he would say, ' Come, let us sing the forty-sixth psalm.' To the chief Musician for the Bons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. GOD is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore wi]l not we fear, Though the earth be removed, [the sea ; And though the mountains be carried into the midst of PSALM XLVI. 221 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. 4 There is a river, [Selah. The streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. 5 God is in the midst of her ; She shall not be moved : ,;;, God shall help her, and that right early. ;': fe,,The psalmist here teacheth us by his own example, S ". First. To triumph in God, and his relation to us, and presence with us, especially when we have had some fresh experiences of his appearing on our Dehalf ; ver. 1, " God is our refuge and strength ;" we have found him so, he has engaged to be so, and he ever will be so. Are we pursued ? God is our refuse, to whom we may flee, and in whom we may be safe, and think ourselves so,— secure upon good grounds, Pr. xviii. 10. Are we oppressed by troubles ? Have we work to do, and enemies to grapple with? God is our strength to bear us up under burthens — to fit us for all our services and sufferings ; who will by his grace put strength into us, and on whom we may stay ourselves. Are we in distress? He is a help, to do all that for us which we need, "a present help," 'a help found,' so the word is, that is, one whom we have found to be so ; a neip on which we may write, probatum est, — 'it is tried,' as Christ is called a tried stone," Isa. xxviii. 16. Or, a help at hand, that is never to seek, but is always ready to be found of us ; or, a help sufficient, a help accommodated to every case and exigence. Whatever it is, ne is " a very present help;" we cannot desire a better help, nor shall ever find the like in any. creature. Secondly. To triumph over the greatest dangers. " God is our strength and our help,' a God all-sufficient to us, " therefore will not we fear.'' Those that with a holy reverence fear God need not with any amazement to be afraid of the power of hell or earth ; " If God be for us, who can be against us " to do lis any harm? It is our duty, it is our privilege, to be thus fearless; it is an evidence of a clear conscience, of an honest heart, and of a lively faith in God and his providence and promise; "We will not fear, though the earth be removed, though all our creature-confidences fail us, and sink us : nay, though that which should support us threaten to swallow us up, as the earch did ICorah, for whose sons this psalm was penned, and some think by them, yet wh^le we keep close to God, and have him for us, we will not fear, for we have no cause to fear. Et sifractus illabatur orbis Impavidum fcrient ruince. Let Jove's dread arms with thunder rend the spheres, Beneath the crush of worlds undaunted he appears — Hor. Observe here, 1. How threatening the danger is. "We will suppose the earth to be removed and thrown into the sea, even the mountains, the strongest and firmest parts of the earth, to lie huried in the unfathomed ocean, — we will suppose the sea to roar and rage, and make a dreadful noise, and its foaming billows to insult the shore with so much violence as even to shake the mountains, ver. 3 ; though kingdoms and states be in confusion, embroiled in wars, tossed with tumults, and their governments in continual revolution ; though their powers combine . against the church and people of God, aim at no less than their ruin, and go very near to gain their point, " yet will not we fear,'' knowing that all these troubles will end well for the church : see Ps. xciii. 4, If the earth be re moved, those have reason to fear that have laid up their treasures on earth, and set their hearts upon it, but not those who have laid up for themselves treasures in heaven, and who then expect to be most happy, when " the earth and the works that are therein shall be burnt up." Let those be troubled at the troubling of the waters who build their confidence on such a floating foundation, but not those who are led to " the rock that is higher than they, ' and find firm footing upon that rock. . .... 2. Hovv well-grounded the defiance of this danger is, considering how well- guarded the church is, and that interest which we are concerned for. It is not . any private particular concern of our own that we are in pain about; no, it is " the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High;" it is the ark of God for which our hearts tremble. But when we consider what God Has provided for the comfort and safety of his church we shall see reason to have our hearts fixed, and set above the fear of evil tidings. Here is, 222 PSALM XLVI. 1st. Joy to the church, even in the most melancholy and sorrowful times ; ver. 4, " There is a river, the streams whereof shall make it glad," even then when the waters of the sea roar and threaten it. It alludes to the waters of v Siloam, which went softly by Jerusalem, Isa. viii. 6, 7, and though of no great depth or breadth, yet the waters of it were made serviceable to the defence. of Jerusalem in Hezekiah's time,/sa. xxii. 10, 11. But this here must be under stood spiritually : the covenant of grace is the river, the promises of which are* the streams; the Spirit of grace is the river, Jno. vii. 38, 39, the comforts of which are " the streams that make glad the city of our God." God's word and ordinances are rivers and streams with which God makes his saints glad in cloudy and dark days. God himself is to his church a place of " broad rivers and streams," Isa. xxviii. 21. The streams that make glad the city of God are not rapid, but gentle, like those of Siloam. Note, The spiritual comforts which are conveyed to the saints by soft and silent whispers, and which come not with observation, are sufficient to balance the most loud and noisy threatenings of an angry and malicious world. 2nd. Establishment to the church. Though heaven and earth are shaken, yet " God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved," ver. 5. God has assured ¦" his church of his special presence with it, and concern for it ; his honour is em barked in it, he hath set up his tabernacle in it, and has undertaken the protect tion of it, and therefore she shall not be moved; that is. First. Not destroyed, not removed, as the earth may be, ver. 2. The church shall survive the world; and be in bliss when that is in ruins. It is built upon a rock, and "the gates or ¦ hell shall not prevail against it." Secondly. Not disturbed, not much moved with fears of the issue. If God be for us, if God be with us, we need not be moved at the most violent attempts made against us. 3rd. Deliverance to the church. Though its dangers be very great, " God shall help her," and then who can hurt her ? help her under her troubles, that she shall not sink ; nay, that the more she is afflicted, the more she shall multiply. "God shall help her" out of her troubles, "and that right early;" when the morning appeareth, that is, very speedily, for he is a present help, ver. 1 ; and very seasonably ; then when things are brought to the last extremity, and when the relief will be most welcome. This may De applied by particular believers themselves ¦ if God be in our hearts, in the midst of us by his word dwelling nehly in us, we shall be established, we shall be helped ; let us therefore trust and not be afraid ; all is well and will end well. 6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved : He uttered his voice, the earth melted 7 The Lord of hosts is with us ; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 8 Come, behold the works of the Loed, What desolations he hath made in the earth. 9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth ; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder ; He burneth the chariot in the fire. 1 0 Be still, and know that I am God : I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 1 1 The Lord of hosts is with us ; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. These verses give glory to God both as King of nations and as King of saints. First. As King of nations, ruling the world by his power and providence, and overruling all the affairs of the children of men to his own glory. He doth "CWhatTostthou?^ am°nS mhabltants of the earth, and none may say, 1. He checks i the rage, and breaks the power, of the nations that oppose him and his interest in the world ; ver. 6, "The heathen raged " at David's coming to the throne, and at the setting up of the, kingdom of the Son of David: cSm- ?,™ u*- "¦ V'- lhe klnSd°ms were moved" with indignation, and rose in a tumultuous, furious manner, to oppose it ; but God "uttered his 4oice, spake to them in his wrath," and they were moved in another sense, they were struck into confusion and oonsternation put into disorder, and all their measures PSALM XLVL 223 broke, the earth itself melted under them, so that they found no 6rm footing, their earthly hearts failed them for fear, and dissolved like snow before the sun. Such a colliquation of the spirits of the enemies is described, Jud. v. 4, 5 ; and see Lu. xxi. 25, 26. 2. When he pleaseth to draw his sword and give it commission he can make great havoc among the nations, and lay all waste ; ver. 8, " Come, behold the works of the Lord ;" they are to be observed, Ps. Ixvi. 5, and to be sought out, Ps. cxi. 2, All the operations of Providence must be considered as the works of the Lord, and his attributes and purposes must be taUen notice of in them. Particularly take notice of the " desolations he hath made in the earth," among the enemies of his church, who thought to have laid the land of Israel desolate. The destruction they designed to bring upon the church has been turned upon themselves. "War is a tragedy which commonly destroys the stage it is acted on; David carried the war into the enemy's country; and O what desolations did it make there I cities were burnt, countries laid waste, armies of men cut off and laid heaps upon heaps. Come and see the effects of desolating judg ments, and stand in awe of God ; say, " How terrible art thou in thy works!" Ps. Ixvi. 3. Let all that oppose him see this with terror, and expect the same cup of trembling to be put into their hands ; let all that fear him, and trust in him, see it with pleasure, and not be afraid of the most formidable powers armed against the church. Let them gird themselves, but they shall be broken to pieces. 3. "When he pleaseth to sheathe his sword, he puts an end to the wars of the nations, and crowns them with peace, ver. 9. War and peace depend on his word and will as much as storms and calms at sea do, Ps cvii. 25, 29. "He maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth;" sometimes in pity to the nations, that they may have a breathing time, when by long wars with each other they have run themselves out of breath. Both sides perhaps are weary of the war, and willing to let it fall ; expedients are found out for accommodation ; martial princes are removed, and peacemakers set in their room ; and then the bow is broken by consent, the spear cut asunder, and turned into a pruning- ¦ hook, and the sword beaten into a ploughshare ; and the chariots of war burned, there being no more occasion for them. Or rather it may be meant of what he doth at other times in favour of his own people. He maketh those wars to cease that were waged against them, and designed for their ruin. He breaks ,the enemy's bow that was drawn against them; "No weapon formed against Zion shall prosper^" Isa. liv. 16. The total destruction of Gog and Magog is I'Srophetically described by the burning of their weapons of war,iTzc. xxxix. 9, 10 ; which intimates likewise the church's perfect security and assurance of lasting j*f|peace, which made it needless to lay up those weapons of war for their own fe feervice. The bringing of a long war to a good issue is a work of the Lord which mwe ought to behold with wonder and thankfulness. Secondly. As King of saints ; and as such we must own that " great and mar vellous are his works," Rev. xv. 3. He doth and will do great things, 1. For his own glory : ver. 10, " Be still, and know that I am God." 1st. Let his enemies be still, and threaten no more, but know it to their terror that he is God, one infinitely above them, and that will certainly be too hard for them. Let them rage no more, for it is all in vain, he that sits in heaven laughs at them ; and in spite of all their impotent malice against his name and honour he ** will be exalted among the heathen," and not only among his own people ; he "will be exalted in the earth," and not only in the church. Men will set up themselves. . will have their own way, and do their own will, but let them know that God ,will be exalted, he will have his way ; will do his own will, will glorify his own name, and " wherein they deal proudly he will be above them," and make them < know that he is so. 2nd. Let his own people be still, let them be calm and , sedate, and tremble no more, but know to their comfort that the Lord is Qod ; he is God alone, and " he will be exalted above the heathen." Let him alone to maintain his honour, to fulfil his own counsels, and to support his own interest in the world. Though we be depressed, yet let us not be dejected, for we are sure God will be exalted, and that may satisfy us ; he will work for his great name, and then no matter what becomes of our little names. When we pray, /'Father, glorify thy name." we ought to act faith upon the answer given to that trayer when Cnrist himself prayed it, " 1 have both glorified it, and will glorify it yet again." Amen, Lord, so be it. 2. For his people's safety and protection. He triumphs in the former : I will be exalted ; they triumph in this, ver. 7, and again, ver. 11. It is the burthen of the song, " The Lord of hosts is with us," he is on our side, he takes our part, is present with us, and president over us, and "the God of Jacob is our refuge,' to whom we may flee, and in whom we may confide and be sure of safety. Let all believers triumph in this. 1st. They have the presence of a God of power, of all power : " The Lord of hosts is with us." God is the Lord of hosts, for he 224 PSALM XLVII. has all the creatures which are called the hosts of heaven and earth at his beck and command, and he makes what use he pleaseth of them, as the instruments either of his justice or of his mercy. This sovereign Lord is with us, sides with us, acts with us, and has promised he will never leave us. Hosts may be against us, but we need not fear them if the Lord of hosts be with us. 2nd. They are under the protection of a God in covenant; who not only is able to neip them, but is engaged in honour and faithfulness to help them. He is the God of Jacob, not only Jacob the person, but Jacob the people ; nay, and of all praying people, the spiritual seed of wrestling Jacob: and he is our refuge, by whom we are sheltered, and in whom we are satisfied, who by his providence secures our welfare, when without are fightings; and who by his grace quiets our minds, and establisheth them, when within are fears. The Lord of hosts, the God oi 0 PSALM XLVII. The scope of this psalm is to stir us up to praise God, to stir up all people to do it. And I. We are directed' in what manner to do it : publicly, cheerfully, and intelligently, ver. 1, 6, 7. II. We are furnished with matter for praise: 1. God's majesty, ver. 2; 2. His sovereign and universal dominion, ver. 2, 7 — 9 j 3. The great things he had done and would do for his people, ver. 3—5. Many suppose that this psalm was penned upon occasion -of the bringing up of the ark to mount Zion, which ver. 5 seems to refer to, " God is gone up with a shout ; " but it looks farther to the ascension of Christ into the heavenly Zion, after he had finished his undertaking on earth, and to the setting up of his kingdom in the world, to which the heathen should become willing sub jects. In singing this psalm we are to give honour to the exalted Redeemer, to rejoice in his exaltation, and to celebrate his praises, confessing that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. CLAP your hands, all ye people ; Shout unto God with the voice of triumph. 2 For the Lord most high is terrible ; He is a great King over all the earth 3 He shall subdue the people under us, And the nations under our feet. 4 He shall choose our inheritance for us, The excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah. The psalmist, having his own heart filled with great and good thoughts of God, endeavours to engage all about him in the blessed work of praise; as one convinced that God is worthy of all blessing and praise, and as one grieved at his own and others' backwardness to, and barrenness in, this work. Observe in these verses, First. Who are called upon to praise God; "All ye people," all ye people of Israel. Those were his own subjects, and under his charge, and therefore he will engage them to praise God, for on them he has an influence. Whatever others do, he and his house, he and his people, shall praise the Lord. Or, AH ye people and nations of the earth ; and so it may be taken as a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, and the bringing of them into the church: see Rom. xv. 11. Secondly. "What they are called upon to do : " O clap your hands," in token of your ownjoy and satisfaction m what God has done tor you; of your approba tion, nay, your admiration, of what God has done in general ; and of your indig nation against all the enemies of God's glory, Job xxvii. 23. Clap your hands, as men transported with pleasure, that cannot contain themselves ; " shout unto God," not to make him hear,_his ear is not heavy,— but to make all about you hear, and take notice how much you are affected and filled with the works of God. Shout with the voice of tri'amph in him, and in his power and goodness that others may join with you in the triumph. Note, Such expressions of pious and devout affections, as to some may seem indecent and imprudent yet ought not to be hastily censured and condemned, much less ridiculed, because if they ™me from an upright heart God will accept the strength of the affection ana xcuse the weakness of the expressions of it. ' Thirdly. "What is suggested to us as matter for our praises, 1. That the God with whom we have to do is a God of awful majesty ¦ ver 2 PSALM XLVIL 225 "The Lord most high is terrible." He is infinitely above the noblest creatures. higher than the highest ; there are those perfections in him that are to be reverenced by all, and particularly that power, holiness, and justice, that are to be dreaded by all those that contend with him. ' - 2. That he is a God of sovereign and universal dominion ; he is a Kine that reigns alone, and with an absolute power, a King over all the earth ¦ ail the creatures, being made by him, are subject to him ; and therefore he is' a ereat King, the King of kings. ' * 3. That he takes a particular care of his people and their concerns has done so, and ever will ; ' 1st. In giving them victory and success, ver. 3. Subduing the people and nations under them, both those that stood in their way, Ps. xliv. 2 and those that made attempts upon theui. This God had done for them; witness the planting of them in Canaan, and their continuance there unto this day This they doubted not but he would btill do for them by his servant David who (prospered which way soever he turned his victorious arms ; but this 'looks forward to the kingdom of the Messiah, which was to be set over all the earth, and not confined to the Jewish nation. Jesus Christ shall subdue the Gentilel* He shall bring them in as sheep into the fold, so the word signifies, not for slaughter, but for preservation. Be shall subdue their affections, and make them a willing people in the day of his power ; shall bring their thoughts into obedience to him, and reduce them which had gone astray under the conduct ipf the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, 1 Pet. ii. 25. 2nd. In giving them rest and settlement ; ver. 4, " He shall choose our inherit ance for us." He had chosen the land of Canaan to be an inheritance for Israel ; it was the land which the Lord their God spied out for them : see Deu. xxxii. 8. This justified their possession of that land, and gave them a good title ; and this sweetened their enjoyment of it, and made it comfortable. They had reason to think it a happy lot, and to be satisfied in it, when it was that which Infinite Wisdom chose for them. And the setting up of God's sanctuary in it, made it the excellency, the honour of Jacob, Am. vi. 8 ; and he chose so good an inherit ance for Jacob because he loved him, Deu. vii. 8. Apply this spiritually, and it speaks, First. The happiness of the saints, that God himself hath chosen their t inheritance for them, and it is a goodly heritage. He has chosen it who knows ii (the soul, and what will serve to make it happy, and he has chosen so well that t jhe himself has undertaken to be the inheritance of his people, Ps. xvi. 6, and he has laid up for them in the other world an inheritance incorruptible, 1 Pet. i. 4. \ This will be indeed "the excellency of Jacob," whom because ne loved, he pre- ^'^jpared for them such a happiness as eye has not seen. Secondly. The faith and submission of the saints to God. This is the language of every gracious soul, God shall choose my inheritance for me, let him appoint me my lot, and 1 will acquiesce in the appointment. He knows what is good for me better than 1 ' do for myself, and therefore I will have no will of my own but what is resolved into his. 5 God is gone up with a shout, The Lord with the sound of a trumpet. 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises: Sing praises unto our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the King of all the earth : Sing ye praises with understanding. 8 God reigneth over the heathen : God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. 9 The princes of the people are gathered together, Even the people of the God of Abraham For the shields of the earth belong unto God : He is greatly exalted. We are here most earnestly pressed to praise God, and to sing his praises. So backward are we to this duty, that we have need to be urged to it Dy precept upon precept^ and line upon line ; so we are here, ver. 6, " Sing praises to God," and again, sing praises. Sing praises to our King," and again, " sing praises." This intimates that it is a very necessary and excellent duty, that it is a duty we Ought to be frequent and abundant in ; we may sing praises again and again in the same words, and it is no vain repetition if it Be done with new affections. Should not a people praise their God ? Dan. v. 4. Should not subjects praise r 226 PSALM XLVII. their king ? God is our God, our King, and therefore we must praise hhn; we must sing his praises, as those that are pleased with them, and that ¦ aienot ashamed of them. But here is a needful rule subjoined, ver. 7, Sing ye piaise? , with understanding," with maschil. 1. Intelligently ; as those that do yourselves understand why and for what reasons you praise God, and what is the meaning of the service. This is the Gospel rule, 1 Cor. xiv. 15, to s»5™™?PJ and with the understanding also." It is only with the heart that we make' melody to the Lord, Eph. v. 19. It is not an acceptable service if it be not a reasonable service. 2. Instructively ; as those that desire to make others under stand God's glorious perfections, and to teach them to praise him. 1 hi ee things are mentioned in these verses as just matter for our praises, and each ot them will admit of a double sense : „„ , . .., „ , . „ First. We must praise God going up ; ver. 5, God is gone up witi a shout , which may refer, 1. To the carrying up of the ark.to the hill oi Zion, which was done with great solemnity, David himself dancing before it ; the priests. it is likely, blowing the trumpets, and the people following with their loud huzzas. The ark being the instituted token oi God's special presence with *hem, when that was brought up by warrant from him, he might be saidsto go up: and the emerging of God's ordinances out of obscurity, in order to the more public and solemn administration of fflem, is a great favour to any people, which they have reason to rejoice in, and give thanks for. 2. lo the ascension of our Lord Jesus into heaven when he had finished his work on earth, Acts l. 9. Then " God went up with a shout," the shout of a king, of a conqueror, as one that, having spoiled principalities and powers, then led captivity captive, Ps. lxviii. 18. He went up as Mediator, typified by the ark and the mercy-seat over it, and was brought as the ark was into the most holy place, that is, into heaven itself: see Heb. ix. 24. We read not of a shout, or the sound ot a trumpet, at the ascension of Christ; but they were the inhabitants ot the upper world, those sons of God that then shouted for joy, Job xxxvm. 7. He shall come again in the same manner as he went, Acts i. 11 ; and we are sure he shall come again with a shout, and the sound of a trumpet. Secondly. We must praise God reigning, ver. 1, 8. God is not only our king, and therefore we owe our homage to him,but he is king of all the earth, ver. J, over all the kings of the earth, and therefore in every place the incense of praise is to be offered up to him. Now this may be understood, 1. Of the kingdom of providence. God, as Creator and the God of nature, reigns over the heathen, disposeth of them and all their affairs as he pleaseth, though they know him not, nor have any regard to him. He sits upon the throne of his holiness, which he hath prepared in the heavens, and there he ruleth over all, even over the heathen, serving his own purposes by them and upon them. See here the extent of God's government. All are born within his allegiance; even the heathen that serve other gods, yet are ruled by the true God, our God, whether they will or no. See the equity of his government. It is a throne of holiness on which he sits, whence he gives warrants, orders, and judgment, in which we are sure there is no iniquity. 2. Of the kingdom of the Messiah. Jesus Christ, who is God, and whose throne is for ever and ever, reigus over the heathen ; not only is he intrusted with the administration of the providential kingdom, but he shall set up the kingdom of his grace in the Gentile world, and rule in the hearts of multitudes that were bred up in heathenism, Eph. ii. 12, 13. This the apostle speaks of as a great mystery, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, Eph. iii. 6. Christ sits upon the throne of his holiness, his throne in the hea vens, where all the administrations of his government are intended to shew forth God's holiness, and to advance holiness among the children of men. Thirdly. We must praise God as attended aud honoured by the princes of the people; ver. 9. This may be understood, 1. Of the congress or convention of the states of Israel, the heads and rulers of the several tribes, to the solemn feasts, or to despatch the public business of the nation. It was the honour of Israel that they were the people of the God of Abraham, as they were Abra ham's seed, .and taken into his covenant; and thanks be to God this blessing of Abraham is come upon the isles of the , Gentiles, Gal. iii. 14. It was their happiness that they had a settled government, princes of their people, >vho were the shields of their land. Magistracy is the shield of a nation, aud it is a great mercy to any people to have this shield ; especially when their princes, their shields, belong unto the Lord, are devoted to his honour, and their power is employed in his service; for then he is greatly exalted. It is likewise the honour of God that in another sense the shields of the earth do belong to him; magistracy is his institution, and he serves his own purposes by it in the government of the world, turning the hearts of kings as the rivers of water which way soever he pleaseth. It was well with Israel when the princes^of their people were gathered together to consult for the public welfare. The unanimous agreement of the great ones of a nation, in the things that beloh'g to its peace is a very happy omen, which promiseth abundance of blessings. PSALM XLVIII. 227 2. It may be applied to the calling of the Gentiles into the church of Christ, and taken as a prophecy that in the days of the Messiah the kings of the earth and their people should join themselves to the church, and bring their glory and power into the new Jerusalem. That they should all become the people of the God of Abraham, to whom it was promised that he should be the father of many nations. The ' volunteers of the people ;' so it may be read. It is the same word that is used, Ps. ex. 3, " Thy people shall be willing ; " for those that are gathered to Christ are not forced, but made freely willing to be his. When the shields of the earth, the ensigns of royal dignity, 1 Kin. xiv. 27, 28 are sur rendered to the Lord Jesus, as the keys of a city are presented to the conqueror or sovereign, when princes use their power for the advancement of the interests of religion, then Christ is greatly exalted. PSALM XLVIII. This psalm, as the two former, is a triumphant song. Some think it was penned on 1 occasion of Jehoshaphat's victory, 2 Chr. xx. ; others, of the rout given to Sennacharib > when his army laid siege to Jerusalejp in Hezekiah's time; but, for aught I know, it :,.' might he penned by David upon occasion of some eminent victory obtained in his time ; yet not so calculated for that but that it might serve any other the like occasion in' . after times, and he applicable also to the glories of the gospel church, of which Jerusalem was a type, especially when it shall come to be a church triumphant, the heavenly Jerusalem, Heb. xii. 22 ; the Jerusalem which is above, Gal. iv. 26, Jerusalem ia here „praised, I. For its relation to God, ver. 1, 2. II. For God's care of it, ver. 3. III. For -the terror it strikes upon its enemies, ver. 4 — 7. IV, For the pleasure it gives to its friends, who delight to think, 1. Of what God hath done, doth, and will do for it, ver. 8 ; 2. Of the gracious discoveries he makes of himself in and for that holy city, ver. 9, 10; 3. Of the effectual provision which is made for its safety, ver. 1] — 13; 4. Of the assurance we have of the perpetuity of God's covenant with the children of Zion, ver. 14. In singing this psalm, we must he affected with the privilege we have as members of the gospel church, and must express and excite our sincere good will ta all its interests. A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. GREAT is the Lord, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. 2 Beautiful for situation, The joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, On the sides of the north, the city of the great King. 1 7^vr: zion. Finden. 228 PSALM XLVIII. 3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge. 4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, They passed by together. 5 They saw it, and so they marvelled ; They were troubled, and hasted away. 6 Fear took hold upon them there, And pain, as of a woman in travail. 7 Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish With an east wind. ANCIENT SHIPS. The psalmist is designing to praise Jerusalem, and to set forth the grandeur of that city ; but he begins with the praises of God and his greatness, ver. 1, and ends with the praises of God and his goodness, ver. 14 ; tor, whatever is the subject of our praises, God must be both the Alpha and Omega of them ; and particularly, whatever is said to the honour of the church must redound to the honour of the, church's God. "What is here said to the honour of Jeru- sal@m is First. 'That the King of heaven owns it. It is the city of our God, ver. 1, which: he chose out of all the cities of Israel to put his name there ; and of Zion he said kinder things than ever he said of any place upon earth ; " This is my rest for ever : here will I dwell ; for I have desired it," Ps. cxxxii. 13, 14. It is the city of the great King, ver. 2, the King of all the earth, who is pleased to declare himself in a special manner present there. This our Saviour quotes to prove that to swear by Jerusalem is profanelv to swear by God himself, Mat. v. 35, for it is the city of the great King, who has chosen it for the special residence of his grace, as heaven is of his glory. 1. It is enlightened with the knowledge of God. " In Judah God is known," and his name is great, but especially in Jerusalem, the head-quarters of the priests, 'whose lips were to keep this knowledge. In Jerusalem God is great, ver. I, who, in other places, was made little of, was made nothing of. Happy the kingdom, the city, the family, the heart, in which God is great, in which he is uppermost, in whicb he is all. There God is known, ver. 3 ; and where he is known he will be great : none contemn God but those that are ignorant of him. 2. It is devoted to the honour of God. It is, therefore, called the "mountain of his holinesss," for, Holiness to the Lord, is written upon it, and all the furniT ture of it. Zee. xiv. 20, 21. This is the privilege of the church of Christ, that it is a holy nation,a peculiar people ; Jerusalem, the type of it, is called' the holy city, as-bad as it was, Mat. xxvii. 53, till that was set up, but never after. 3. It is the place appointed for the solemn service and worship of God. There he is greatly praised, and greatly to be praised, ver. 1. Note, The clearer discoveries are made to us of God and his greatness, the more it is expected we should abound in his praises. They that from all parts of the country brought their offerings to Jerusalem, had reason to be thankful that God would not only permit them thus to attend him, but promise to accept them, and meet them with a blessing, and reckon himself praised and honoured by their ser vices. Herein Jerusalem typified the Gospel church; for what little tribute of praise God has from this earth ariseth from that- church upon earth, which is therefore his tabernacle among men. 4. It is taken under his special protection, ver. 3. He is known for a refuge: that is, he has approved himself such a one, and as such a one he is there applied to by his worshippers. They that know him will trust in him, and seek to him, PSALM XLVIII. 229 Ps. ix. 10. God was known not only in the streets, but even in the palaces of Jerusalem, for a refuge ; the great men had recourse to God, and acquain tance with him. And then religion was likely to flourish in the city, when it reigned in the palaces. 5. Upon all these accounts, Jerusalem, and especially mount Zion, on which the temple was built, were universally beloved and admired; "Beautiful for situation, and the joy of the whole earth," ver. 2. The situation must needs be every way agreeable, when Infinite "Wisdom chose it for the place of the sanctuary; and that which made it beautiful was that it was the mountain of holiness, for there is a beauty in holiness. This earth is, by sin, covered with deformity, and therefore justly might that spot of ground which was thus beautified with holiness, be called, the joy of the whole earth;" that is, what the whole earth had reason to rejoice in, that God would thus, in very deed, dwell with man upon the earth. Mount Zion was on the north side of Jeru salem, and so was a shelter to the city from the cold and bleak winds that blew from that quarter ; or, if fair weather was expected out of the north, they were thus directed to look Zionward for it. Secondly. That the kingB of the earth were afraid of it. That " God was known in their palaces for a refuge," they had had a late instance, and a very remarkable one. "Whatever it was, f .'¦! 1. They had had but too much occasion to fear their enemies. For "the Jfings w.ere assembled," ver. 4. The neighbouring princes were confederate ! 'jagainst Jerusalem, their heads and horns, their policies and powers, were com bined for its ruin; they were assembled with all their forces, they passed, advanced, and marched on together, not doubting but presently to make them selves masters of that city which should have been the joy, but was the envy, of the whole earth. 2. God made their enemies to fear them. The very sight of Jerusalem struck them into a consternation, and gave check to their fury ; as the sight of the tents of Jacob frightened Balaam from his purpose to curse Israel, Num. xxiv. 2. " They saw it and marvelled, and hasted away," ver. 5. Not venit vidi, vict, — *I came, I saw, I conquered;* but, on the contrary, vemt vidi, viclus sum,— '1 came, I saw, I was defeated. Not that there was any thing to be seen in Jeru salem that was so very formidable, but the sight of it brought to mind what they had heard concerning the special presence of God in that city, and the Divine protection it was under; and God impressed such terrors upon their minds thereby as made them retire with precipitation. Though they were kings, though they were many in confederacy, yet they knew themselves an unequal match for Omnipotence, and therefore fear came upon them, and pain, ver. 6. Note, God can dispirit the stoutest of his church's enemies, and soon put them in pain that live at ease. The fright they were in uj)on the sight of Jerusalem is here compared to the throes of a woman in travail, which are sharp and grievous, which sometimes come suddenly, 1 Thes. v. 3, which cannot be avoided, and which are effects of sin and the curse. The defeat hereby given to their designs upon Jerusalem is compared to the dreadful work made with a fleet of ships by a violent storm, when some are split, others shattered, all dispersed ; ver. 7, Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind : " effects at sea lie thus exposed. The terrors of God are compared to an east wind, Job xxvii. 20, 21. These shall put them into confusion, and break all their measures. " Who knows the power of God's anger ?" 8 As we have heard, so have -we seen In the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God : God will establish it for ever. Selah. 0 We have thought of thy lovingkindness, 0 God, In the midst of thy temjrie. J 0 According to thy name, O God, So is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: Thy right hand is ful) of righteousness. 1 1 Let mount Zion rejoice, Let the daughters of Judah be glad, Because of thy judgments. 12 "Walk about Zion, and go round about her; Tell the towers thereof. 230 PSALM XLVIII. 13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces ; That ye may tell it to the generation following. 14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death. "We have here the good use and improvement which the people of God are taught to make of his late glorious and gracious appearances for them against their enemies, that they might work for their good. First. Let our faith in the work of God be hereby confirmed. If we compare , what God has done with what he has spoken, we shall find that, as we have heard so have we seen, ver. 8; and what we have seen obligesus to believe what we have heard. 1. As we have heard done in former providences, in the days of oldt so have we seen done in our own days. Note, God's latter appear ances for his people, against his and their enemies, are consonant to his former appearances, and should put us in mind of them. 2. As we have heard in the promise and prediction, so have we seen in the performance and accomplish ment. We have heard that God is the Lord of hosts, and that Jerusalem is the city of our God, is dear to him, is his particular care, and now we have seen it ; we have seen the power of our Goci, we have seen his goodness, we have seen his care and concern for us, that he is a wall of fire round about Jeru salem, and the glory in the midst of her. Note, In the great things that God has done and is domg for his church, it is good to take notice of the fulfilling of the Scriptures ; and this would help us the better to understand both the providence itself and the Scripture that is fulfilled in it. Secondly. Let our hope of the stability and perpetuity of the church be hereby encouraged. Frdm what we have seen, compared with what we have heard in the city of our God, we may conclude that God will establish it for ever. This was not fulfilled in Jerusalem, that was long since destroyed, and all its glory laid in the dust, but has its accomplishment in the Gospel church;' we are sure that that shall be established for ever, it is built upon a rock, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it, Mat. xvi. 18 ; God himself has under taken the establishment of it ; it is the Lord that has founded Zion, Isa. xiv. 32. And what we have seen, compared with what we have heard, may encourage us to hope in that promise of God upon which the church'is built. Thirdly. Let ourminds be hereby filled with good thoughts of God. From what we have heard, and seen, and hope for, we may take occasion to think much of God's lovingkindness whenever we meet in the midst of his temple, ver. 6. All the streams of mercy that flow down to us must he run up to the fountain of God's lovingkindness. It is not owing to any merit of ours, hut purely to his mercy, and the peculiar favour he bears to his people. This, there fore, we must think of with delight, think frequently and fixedly of. What subject can we dwell upon more noble, more pleasant, more profitable! We must have God's lovingkindness always before our eyes, Ps. xxvi. 3, especially when we attend upon him in his temple. And when we enjoy the benefit of public ordinances undisturbed, we meet in his temple, and there is none to make us afraid, we should take occasion from thence to think of his loving- Kindness. Fourthly. Let us give to God the glory of the great things which he has done for us, and mention them to his honour ; ver. 10, " According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise,'" not only in Jerusalem, but "to the ends of the earth." By the late signal deliverance of Jerusalem, God had made himself' a name, that is, he had gloriously discovered his wisdom, power, and goodness, and made all the nations about sensible of it ; and so was his praise, that is, some in all parts would be found giving glory to him accordingly. As far as his name goes, his praise will go, at least it should go, and at length it shall go, when all the ends of- the world shall praise him, Ps. xxii. 27 ; Rev. xi. 15. Some by this name understand especially that glorious name of his, theLord of hosts; accord ing to that name, so is his praise, for all the creatures, even to the ends of the earth are under his command. But his people must in a special manner acknow ledge his justice in all he doth for them; Righteousness fills thyright hand; that is, all the operations of thy power are consonant to the eternal rules of equity. Fifthly. Let all the members of the church in particular take to themselves the comfort of what God doth for his church in general; ver. 11, "Let mount Zion rejoice," the priests and Levites that attend the sanctuary, and then let all the daughters of Judah, the country towns, and the inhabitants of them, be glad ; let the women in their songs and dances, as usual on occasion of public joys, celebrate with thankfulness this great salvation which God has wrought for us. Note, When we have given God the praise, we may then take the pleasure of the extraordinary deliverances of the church ; and be glad because of God's judgments, that is, the operations of his providence, all which we may PSALM XLIX. 231 see wrought m wisdom, (therefore called judgments,) and working for the good of his church. Sixthly. Let us diligently observe the instances and evidences of the church's beauty, strength, and safety, and faithfully transmit our observations to those that shall come after us; ver. 12, 13, "Walk about Zion." Some think this refers to the ceremony of the triumph. Let those who are employed in that light magnify the lute wonderful deliverance God had wrought for them. Let them observe with wonder, that the towers and bulwarks are all in their full strength, and none of them damaged ; the palaces in their beauty, and none of them blemished ; there is not the last damage done to the city by the kings that were assembled against it ; ver. 6, " Tell this to the generation following," as a wonderful instance of God's care of his holy city, that the ene mies should not only not ruin or destroy it, but not so much as hurt or deface it. 2. That they might fortify themselves against the fear of the like threatening danger another time. And so, 1st. We may understand it literally of Jerusa lem, and the stronghold of Zion. Let the daughters of Judah see the towers and bulwarks of Zion, with as much pleasure as the kings their enemies saw them with terror, ver. 5. Jerusalem was generally looked upon as an impreg nable place, as appears, Lam. iv. 2, " All the inhabitants of the world would not have believed that an enemy should have entered the gates of Jerusalem." Nor could they have entered, if the inhabitants had not sinned away their defence- Set your heart to her bulwarks. That intimates, that the principal bulwarks of Zion were not the objects of sense, which they might set their eye upon, but the objects of faith, which they must set their hearts upon. It was well enough fortified indeed both by nature and art ; but its bulwarks that were mostly to be relied upon were the special presence of God in it, the fjeauty of holiness he had put upon it, and the promises he had made concerning it. Consider Jei*usalem's strength, and tell it to the fenerations to come, that they may do nothing to weaken it, and that, if at any time it be in distress, they may not basely surrender it to the enemy as not tenable. Calvin observes here, that when they are directed to transmit to posterity a ^particular account of the towers, and bulwarks, and palaces of Jerusalem, it is intimated that in pro cess of time thev would all be destroyed, and remain no longer to be seen ; for otherwise what need was there to preserve tne description and history of them ? When the disciples were admiring the buildings of the temple, their Master told them^ that in a little time one stone of it should not be left upon another, Mat xxiv. 1, 2. Therefore, 2nd. This must certainly be applied to the gospel church, that mount Zion, Heb. xii. 22. Consider the towers, and bulwarks, and palaces of that; that you may'be invited and encouraged to join yourselves to it, and embark in it. See it founded on Christ, the rock fortified by the Divine power, guarded by him that neither slumbers nor sleeps. See what precious ordinances are its palaces, what precious promises are its bul warks; "Tell this to the generation following, that they may with purpose of heart espouse its interests, and cleave to it. Seventhly. Let us triumph in God. and in the assurances we have of his ever lasting lovingkindness, ver. 14. Tell this to the generation following, transmit tliis truth as a sacred depositum to your posterity, that "this God/ who has now done such great things for us, " is our God for ever and ever ;" he is con stant and unchangeable in his love to us, and care for us. 1. If God be our God, he is ours for ever, not only through all the ages of time, but to eternity; for it is the overlasting blessedness of glorified saints, that " God himself will be with them, and will be their God," Rev. xxi. 3. 2. If he be our God, he will be our guide, our faithful constant guide, to shew us our way, and to lead us in it ; he will be so, even unto death, which will be the period of our way, and will bring us to our rest. He will lead and keep us even to the last. He will be our guide above death ; so some. He will so guide us as to set us above the reach of death, so that it shall not be able to do us any real hurt. He will be our guide beyond death ; so others. He will conduct us safe to a happiness on the other side death, to a life in which there shall be no more death. If we take the Lord for our God, he will conduct and convey us safe to death, through death, and beyond death ; down to death, and up again to glory. PSALM XLIX. This psalm is a sermon, and so is the next. In most of the psalms we have the penman praying or praising j in these we have Mm preaching; and it is our duty in singing psalms to teacli and admonish ourselves and one another. The scope and design of this discourse is to convince the men of this world of their folly in setting their hearts upon the things of this world, and so to persuade them to seek the things of a better 232 PSALM XLIX. world ; as also to comfort the people of'God in reference to their own troubles, and the grief that ariseth from the prosperity of the wicked. I. In the preface he pfoposeth to awaken worldly people out of their security, ver. 1 — 3 ; and to comfort himself and other godly people in a day of distress, ver. 4, 5. II. In the rest of the psalm, ]. He endeavours to convince sinners of their folly in doting upon the wealth of this world, hy shewing them, 1st. That they cannot, with all their wealth, save their friends from death, ver. 6—9; 2nd'. They cannot save themselves from death, ver. 10; 3rd. They cannot secure to themselves a happiness in this world, ver. 11, 12; much less, 4th. Can they secure to themselves a happiness in the other world, ver. 14. 2. He endeavours to comfort himself and other good people, 1st. Against the fear of death, ver. IS; 2nd. Against the fear of the prospering power of wicked people, ver. 16 — 20. In sing? ing this psalm, let us receive these instructions, and he wise. To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. HEAR this, all ye people ; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world : 2 Both low and high, Eich and poor, together. 3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom ; [ing. And the meditation of my heart shall be of understand- 4 I will incline mine ear to a parable : T will open my dark saying upon the harp. EGYPTIAN MINSTREL. , 5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about ? This is the psalmist's preface to his discourse concerning the vanity of the world, and its insufficiency to make us happy ; and we seldom meet with an' introduction more solemn than this is, for there is no truth of more undoubted'1 certainty, nor of greater weight and importance, and the consideration of which'"" will be of more advantage to us. First. He demands the attention of others to that which he was about to say;' i ver. 1, 2, ;'Hear this, all ye people;" hear it, and heed it, hear it, and consider it; what is spoken once, hear twice, hear and give ear, Ps. lxii 9 11 Not only.V- hear all ye Israelites, and give ear all the inhabitants of Canaan; but, "hear, ' all ye people, and give ear all the inhabitants of the world," for this doctrine is not peculiar to those that are blessed with Divine revelation, but even thS'" light of nature witnesseth to it. All men may know, and therefore, let all men consider, that their riches will not profit them in the day of death. Both low and high, both rich and poor, must come together to hear the Word of God: let both therefore hear this with application. Let those that are high and ridh PSALM XLIX. 233 in the world hear of the vanity of their worldly possessions, and not be proud of them, nor secure in the enjoyment of them, but lay them out in doing good, that with them they may make to themselves friends ; let those that are poor and low, hear this, and be content with their little, and not envy those that have abundance. Poor people are as much in danger by an inordinate desire towards the wealth of the world as rich people by an inordinate delight in it. He gives a good reason why his discourse should be regarded; ver. 3, " My mouth shall speak of wisdom.' What he had to say, l. It was true and good. It is wisdom and understanding ; it will make those wise and intelligent that receive it and submit to it. It is not doubtful, but certain; not trival, but weighty; not a matter of nice speculation, but of admirable use to guide us in the right way to our great end. 2. It was what he had himself well digested. What his mouth spoke was the meditation of his heart, asPs. xix. 14; xiv. 1; it was what God put into his mind, what he had himself seriously considered, and was fully apprised of the meaning of, and convinced of the truth of. That which ministers speak from their own hearts is most likely to reach the hearts of their hearers. Secondly. He engageth his own attention; ver. 4, " I will incline mine ear to a parable. It is called a parable, not because it is figurative and obscure, but because it is a wise discourse, and very instructive. It is the same word that is used concerning Solomon's proverbs. The psalmist will himself incline his ear to it. This intimates, 1. That he was taugnt it by the Spirit of God, and did hot speak of himself. Those that undertake to teach others must first learn themselves. 2. That he thought himself nearly concerned in it, and was re solved not to venture his own soul upon that bottom which he dissuaded others from venturing theirs- upon. 3. That he would not expect others should attend to that which ne himself did not attend to as a matter of the greatest import ance. Where God gives the tongue of the learned, he first wakens the ear to hear as the learned, Isa. 1. 4. Thirdly. He promiseth to make the matter as plain and as affecting as he could; I will open my dark saying upon the harp." What he learned for himself he would not conceal or confine to himself but would communicate it for the benefit of others. 1. Seme understood it not, it was a riddle to them. Tell them of the vanity of the things that are seen, and of the reality and weight of invisible things, and they say, "Ah, Lord God, doth he not sneak parables ? " For the sake of such he would open this dark saying, and make it so plain that he that runs might read it. 2. Others understood it well enbugh, but they were not moved by it, it never affected them, and for their sake he would open it upon the harp, and try that expedient to work upon them, to win upon tnem. 'A verse may find him who a sermon flies.'— Herbert. Fourthly. He begins with the application of it to himself; and that is the right method in which to treat of Divine things : we must first preach to ourselves, before we undertake to admonish or instruct others. Before he comes to set down the folly of carnal security, ver. 6, he here lays down, from his own experience, the benefit and comfort of a holy gracious security, which they enjoy who trust in God and not in their worldly wealth ; "Wherefore should I fear?'" he means, wherefore should I fear their fear, Isa. viii. 12, the fears of worldly people. 1. Wherefore should I be afraid of them? " Wherefore should I fear in the days " of trouble and persecution, " when the iniquity of my heels," or of my supplanters that endeasvour to trip up my heels, shall compass me about, and they shall surround me with their mischievous attempts? Why should I be afraid of those, all whose power lies in their wealth, and that will not enable them to redeem their friends ; and therefore I will not fear it, it cannot enable them to ruin me. The great men of the world will not appear at all formidable when we consider what little stead their wealth will stand themselves in. We need not fear their casting us down from our excellency. who cannot support themselves in their own excellency. 2. Wherefore should I be afraid like them? The days of old age and death are the days of evil, Eccl. xii. 1. In the day of judgment, the iniquity of our heels, or of our steps, our -past sins, will compass us about, will be set in order before us. Every work will be brought into judgment, with every secret thing ; " and ' every one of us must give account of himself." In these days worldly wicked people will be afraid; nothing more dreadful to them that have set their hearts upon the world than to think of leaving it. Death to them is the king of terrors, because after death the judgment, when their sins will surround them as so many furies; but wherefore should a good man fear death, who has God with him? Ps. xxiii. 4. When his iniquities compass him about, he sees them all pardoned, his conscience is purified and pacified; and then even in the judgment-day, when the hearts of others fail them for fear, they can lift up their heads with joy, Lu. xxi. 26, 28. Note, The children of God, though never so poor, are in this truly happy, above the most prosperous of the children of this world, that they are well guarded against the terrors of death, and the judgment to come. 234 PSALM XLIX. 6 They that trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; 7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him : 8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, And it ceaseth for ever :) 9 That he should still live for ever, And not see corruption. 10 For he seeth that wise men die, Likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, And leave their wealth to others. [for ever, 1 1 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue And their dwelling places to all generations ; They call their lands after their own names. 12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not : He is like the beasts that perish. ] 3 This their way is their folly : Yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah. 14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave ; Death shall feed on them; [morning; And the upright shall have dominion over them, in the And their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. In these verses we have, First. A description of the spirit and way of worldly people, whose portion is in this life, Ps. xvii. 14. It is taken for granted that they have wealth, and a multitude of riches, ver. 6 ; houses and lands of inheritance, which they call their own, ver. U. Many times God gives abundance of , the good things of this world to bad men, that live in contempt of him and rebellion against him; by which it appears, that they are not the best things in them selves, for then God would give most of them to his best friends, and that they are not the best things for us, for then they would not have so much of them who; being marked for ruin, are to be ripened for it by their prosperity, Pr. i. 32. It is possible a man may have abundance of the wealth of the world; and be made better by it, — may thereby have his heart enlarged in love and thankfulness and obedience, and may do that good with it which will be fruit abounding to his account; and therefore it is not men's having riches that denominates them worldly, but tlieir setting their hearts upon them as the best things ; and so these worldly people are here described. 1. They repose a confidence in their riches. " They trust in their wealth," ver. 6 ; they depend upon it as their portion and happiness, and expect that it will secure them from all evil, and supply them with all good, and they need nothing else, no, not God himself. Their gold is their hope, Job xxxi. 24 ; and so it becomes their god. Thus our Saviour explains the difficulty of the sal vation of rich people, Mar. x. 24 ; " How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God !" see 1 Tim. vi. 17. 2. They take a pride in their riches. They " boast themselves in the multi tude" of them, as if they were sure tokens of God's favour, and certain proofs of their own ingenuity and industry : " My might, and the power of my hand has gotten me this wealth ;"as if theymade them truly great and happy, and have all more really excellent than their neighbours. They boast that they hav they would have, Ps. x. 3, and can set all the world at defiance; -I sit queen, and shall be a lady for ever;" therefore "they call their lands «*«. their own names," hoping thereby to perpetuate their memory. And if tlieir lands do retain the names by which they called them, it is but a poor honour; but many times they change -their names when they change their owners. 3. They flatter themselves with an expectation of the perpetuity of their Worldly possessions J Ver. ld "'I'hpir inward +l,mitrli+ ia +lw+ +hof.. h. — -«- -1,«11 PSALM XLIX. 235 continue for ever," and with this thought they please themselves. Are not all thoughts inward? Yes; but it intimates, 1st. That this thought is deeply rooted in their minds ; is rolled and revolved there, and carefully lodged in the innermost recesses of their hearts. A godly man has thoughts of the world ; but they are his outward thoughts, his inward thought is reserved for God and heavenly things. But a worldly man has only some floating foreign thoughts of'the things of God, while his fixed thought, his inward thought, is about the world; that lies nearest his heart, and is upon the throne there. 2nd. There it is industriously concealed ; they cannot for shame say that they expect their houses to continue for ever, but inwardly they think so. If they cannot persuade themselves that "they shall continue for ever," yet they are so foolish as to think their houses shall, and their dwelling-places. And suppose they should, what good will that do them when they shall be no longer theirs? But they will not, for the woi'ld passeth away, and the fashion of it. All things are devoured by the teeth of time. Secondly. A demonstration of their folly herein. In general, ver. 13, " This .their way is their folly." Note, The way of worldliness is a very foolish way. They that lay up their treasure on earth, and set their affections on things below, act contrary both to right reason and to their true interest. God him self pronounced him a fool who thought his goods were laid up for many years, and that they would be a portion for his soul, Lu. xii. 19, 20; and yet their .posterity approve their sayings," agree with them in the same sentiments, say as they say, aud do as they do, and tread in the steps of their worldliness. Note, The love of the world is a disease that runs in the blood1; men have it by kind, till the grace of God cares it. To prove the folly of carnal worldlings, he shews. 1. That with all their wealth they cannot save the life of the dearest friend they have in the world, nor purchase a reprieve for him when he is under the arrest of death ; ver. 7—9, "There is none of them can by any means redeem his brother," — his brother worldling, who would give him counter-security out of his own estate, if he would but be bail for him; and gladly he would, in hopes that he might do the same kindness for him another time. But their words will not be taken one for another, nor will one man's estate be the ransom of another man's life. God doth not value it, it is of no account with him : and the true value of things is as they stand in his books. His justice will not accept it by way of commutation or equivalent. The Lord of our brother's life is the Lord of our estate, and may take both if he pleaseth, without either difficulty to himself or wrong to us ; and therefore one cannot be ransom for another. We cannot bribe death, that our brother should still live, much less that he should live for ever in this world) nor bribe the grave, that he should not see corruption : for we must needs die, and return to the dust ; and there is no discharge from that war. W hat folly is it to trust to that, and boast of that, which will not enable us so much as for one hour to respite the execution of the sentence of death upon a parent, a child, or a friend, that is to us as our own soul I It is certainly true, that " the redemption of the soul is precious, and ceaseth for ever ;" that is, life when it is going cannot be stayed, and when it is gone it cannot be recalled by any human art, or worldly price. But this looks farther to the eternal redemption which was to be wrought out by the Messiah, •whom the Old Testament saints had an eye to as the "Redeemer. Immortality and an everlasting life is a jewel of too great a value to be purchased by the wealth Of this world: " We are not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold," 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. The learned Dr. Hammond applies the 8th and 9th verses expressly to Christ ; ' The redemption of the soul shall be precious,' shall he high prized, it shall cost very dear ; but being once wrought " it shall cease for ever;" that is, it shall never need to be repeated, Heb. ix. 25, 26; x. 13. 'And he,' that is, the Redeemer, ' shall yet live for ever, and shall not see cor ruption.' He shall rise again before he sees corruption, and then shall five for evermore, Rev. i. 18. Christ did that for us which all the riches of the world could not do, and therefore good reason he should be dearer to us than any worldly things. Christ did that for us which a brother, a friend, could not do for us ; no, not one of the best estate or interest, and therefore those that love father or brother more than him are not worthy of him. This likewise shews the folly of worldly people, who sell their souls for that which would never ^2. That with all their wealth they cannot secure themselves from the stroke of death. The worldling sees, and it vexes him to see it, tha.t wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, ver. 10. Iheretore he cannot but expect that it will at length come to his own turn ; he cannot find any encouragement to hope that he himself shall continue tor ever, and there fore foolishly comforts himself with this, that though he shall not his house shall. Some rich people are wise, they are pohticians ; but they cannot outwit death, nor evade his stroke with all their art and management. Others are 236 PSALM XLIX. fools, and brutish, (fortuna favet fatuis,—' fools are fortune's favourites;') these, though they do no good, yet perhaps do no great hurt in the world But that shall not excuse them ; they snail perish, and be taken away by death, as well as the wise that did mischief with their craft. Or, by the wise and the foolish, we may understand the godly and the wicked. The godly die, and tlieir death is their deliverance ; the wicked perish, their death is their destruction ; but, however, they leave their wealth to others. 1st. They cannot continue with it, nor will it serve to procure them a reprieve. That is a frivolous plea> though once it served a turn ; Jer. xii. 8, " Slay us not, for we have treasures in the field." 2nd. They cannot carry it away with them, but leave it behind ¦ them. 3rd. They cannot foresee who will enjoyit when they have left it. They must leave it to others, but to whom they know not, perhaps to a foo4 Eccl. ii. 19 ; perhaps to an enemy. And as men's wealth will stand them in no stead in a dying hour, so neither will their honour; ver. 12, "Man being in honour abideth not." We will suppose a man advanced to the highest pinnacle of preferment, as great and happy as the world can make him ; man in splen dour, "man at his best estate," surrounded and supported with all the advan tages he can desire, yet then he abideth not, his honour doth not continue, that is a fleeting shadow; he himself doth not. He tarries not all night: this world is an inn, in which his stay is so short that he can scarce be said to get a night's lodging in it; so little rest is there in these things, he has but a baiting-time. " lie is like the beasts that perish :" that is, he must as certainly die as the beasts, and his death will be as final a period to his state in this world as theirs is ; his dead body likewise will putrefy as theirs doth ; and, as Pr. Hammond observes, oftentimes the greatest honours and wealth, unjustly gotten by the parent, descend not to any one of his posterity, (as the beasts when they die leave nothing behind them to their young ones but the wide world to feed in,) but fall into other hands immediately, for which he never designed to gather them. 3. That their condition on the other side death will be very miserable, , The world they dote upon will not only not save them from death, bat will sink them so much the lower into hell; ver. 14, "Like sheep they are laid in the grave." Their prosperity did but feed them like sheep for the slaughter, Hos. iv. 16 ; and then death comes and shuts them up in the grave like fat sheep in a fold, " to be brought forth to the day of wrath," Job xxi. 30. Mul titudes of them, like flocks of sheep dead of some disease, are thrown into the grave, and there death shall feed on them ; the second death, the worm that dies not, Job xxiv. 20. Their own guilty .consciences, like so many vultures, shall be continually preying upon them with, Son, remember, Lu. xvi. 25.. Death insults and triumphs over them, as it is represented in the fall of the king of Babylon ; at which " hell from beneath is moved," Isa. xiv. 9, &e. While a saint can ask proud death, "Where is thy sting?" death will ask the proud Sinner, Where is thy wealth, thy pomp? and the more he was fattened with . prosperity, the more sweetly will death feed on him. And in the morning of the resurrection, when all that sleep in the dust shall awake, Dan. xii. 2, " the upright shall have dominion over them ;" shall not only be advanced to the highest dignity and honour, when they are filled with everlasting shame and contempt,— elevated to the highest heavens, when they are sunk to the lowest hell,— but they shall be assessors with Christ in passing judgment upon them, and shall applaud the justice of God in their ruin. When the rich man in hell begged that Lazarus might bring him a drop of water to cool his tongue, he owned that that upright man had dominion over him; as the foolish virgins also owned the dominion of the wise, and that they lay much at their mercy when they begged, "Give us of your oil." Let this comfort us in reference to the oppressions which the upright are now often groaning under, and the dominion which the wicked have over them. The day is coming when the tables will be turned, Est. ix. 1 ; and " the upright will have the dominion." Let us now judge of things as they will appear at that day. But what will become of all the beauty of the wicked ? Alas ! that shall all be " consumed in the grave from their dwelling." All that upon which they valued themselves, and for which others caressed and admired them, it was all adventitious and borrowed ; it was paint and varnish, and they will rise in tlieir own native deformity. The beauty of holiness is that which the grave, that consumes all other beauty, cannot touch, or do any damage to. Their beauty shall consume; the grave,' or hell, 'being a habitation to every one of them ; ' and what beauty can be tnere where there is nothing but the blackness of darkness for ever ? 1 5 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: For he shall receive me. Selah 16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, When the glory of his house is increased ; PSALM XLIX. 237 1 7 For when he dieth he shpll carry nothing away : His glory shall not descend after him. 18 Though while he lived he "blessed his soul : And men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. 1 9 He shall go to the generation of his fathers ; They shall never see light. 20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, Is like the beasts that perish. Good reason is here given to good people, , First. Why they should not be afraid of death. There is no cause for that fear, if they have such a comfortable prospect as David here has of a happy state on the other side death, ver. 15. He had shewed, ver. 14, how miserable tbe'dead are that die in their sins, here he shews how blessed the dead are that die in the Lord. The distinction of men's outward condition, how great a difference soever it makes in life, makes none at death ; rich ana poor meet in ,the grave. But the distinction of men's spiritual state, though in this life it makes a small difference, where all things come alike to all, vet at and after d^ath it makes a very great one ; *' Now he is comforted^ and thou art tor mented." The righteous has hope in his death, so has David here hope in God concerning his soul. Note, The believing hopes of the soul's redemption from tHe grave, and reception to glory, are the great support and joy of the children of God in a dying hour. They hope, 1. That God will redeem their souls from the power of the grave; which includes, 1st. The preserving of the soul from going to the grave with the body. _ The grave has a power over the body, by virtue of the sentence, Gen. iii. 19 : and it is cruel enough in executing that power, Cant. viii. 6 ; but it has no sucn power over the soul. 'It has power to silence, and imprison, and consume the body: but the soul then moves, and acts, and converseth more freely than ever, Rev. vi. 9, 10; it is immaterial and immortal. When death breaks the dark lantern, yet it doth not extinguish the candle that was pent up in it. 2nd. The reuniting of the soul and body at the resurrection. The soul is often put for the life; that indeed falls under the power of the grave for a time, but it shall at length be redeemed from it, when mortality shall be swallowed up of life." The God of life, that was its Creator at first, can and will be its Redeemer at last. 3rd. The salvation of the soul from eternal ruin. God shall redeem my soul from the sheol of hell, the wrath to come, that pit of destruction into wnich the wicked shall be cast, ver. 14. It is great comfort to dying saints, that they shall not be hurt of the second death, Rev, ii. 1 1 ; and therefore the first death has no sting, and the grave no victory. '2. That he will receive them to himself. He redeems their souls, that he may receive them ; Ps. xxxi. 5, " Into thy hands I commit my spirit, for thou hast redeemed it." He will receive them into his favour, will admit them into his Kingdom, into the mansions that are prepared for tnem, Jno. xiv. 2,3; those everlasting habitations, Lu. xyi. 9. ^Secondly. Why they should not be afraid of the prosperity and power of wicked people in this world, which, as it is their pride and joy, so it has often been the envy, and grief, and terror of the righteous; which yet, all things considered, there is no reason for. 1. He supposeth the temptation very strong to envy the prosperity of sinners ; and to be afraid that they will carry all before them with a high hand, and with their wealth and interest to run down religion and religious people; to be afraid that they will be found the truly happy people. For ne supposeth, 1st. That they are made rich, and so are enabled to give law to all about them, and have every thing at command. Pecunim obediunt omnes et omnia, — ' Every person and every thing obeys the commanding influence of money.' 2nd. That the glory of their house, from very small beginnings, is increased greatly ; which naturally makes men haughty, insolent, and imperious, ver. 16. Thus they seem to be the favourites of Heaven, and therefore formidable. 3rd. That they are very easy and secure in themselves, and in their own minds; ver. 18, ( In his lifetime he blessed his soul," that is, ne thought himself a very happy man : and such a one as he would be. and a very good man, and such a one as he should be, because he prospered in the world. He blessed his soul, as that rich fool who said to his soul, Soul, take thine ease, and be not disturbed either with cares and fears about the world, or with the rebukes and admonitions of conscience ; all is well, and will be well for ever. Note, First, It is of great conseguence to us what that is in which we bless our souls, upon the score of which we think well of ourselves. Believers bless themselves in the God of truth, Isa. lxv. 16 j and think themeelve^ happy if he be theirs. Carnal people bless 238 PSALM L. themselves in the wealth of the world, and think themselves happy if they have abundance of that. Secondly. There are many whose precious souls lie under God's curse, and yet they do themselves bless them. They applaud that in themselves which God condemns ; and speak peace to themselves when God denounceth war against them. Yet this is not all. 4th. They are in good reputation among their neighbours; "Men will praise thee, and cry thee up, as having done well for thyself in raising such an estate and family. 1 his is the sentiment of all the children of this world, that those do best for themselves that do most for their bodies, by heaping up riches, though nothing is done at the same time for the soul, nothing for eternity ; and, accordingly, they bless the covetous, whom the Lord abhors," Ps. x. 3. And if men were to be our judges it were our wisdom thus to recommend ourselves to their good opinion; but what will it avail us to be approved of men, if God condemn us? Dr. Hammond understands this of the good man here spoken to, for it is the second Eerson, not of the wicked man spoken of ; ' He in nis lifetime blessed his soul, ut thou shalt be praised for doing well unto thyself.' The worlding magnified himself, but thou, that dost not, like him, speak well of thyself, but do wellftfp" thyself in securing thy eternal welfare, thou shalt be praised, if not of men, yet of God, whicli will be thine everlasting honour. * 2. He suggests that which is sufficient to take off the strength of the temp tation, by directing us to look forward to the end of prospering sinners, Ps. lxxiii. 17. Think what they will be in the other world, and you will see no cause to envy them what they are and have in this world. 1st. In the other world they will be never the better for all the wealth and prosperity they are now so fond of. It is a miserable portion, which will not fast so long as they must ; ver. 17, "when he dies," it is taken for granted that be goes into another world himself, but "he shall carry nothing away with him of that which he has been so long heaping up. The greatest and wealthiest cannot therefore be the happiest, because they are never the better for their living in this world ; as they came naked into it, they shall go naked out of it. But those have something to shew in the other world for their living in this world, who can say through grace, that though they came corrupt and sinful, and spiritually naked into it, they go renewed and sanctified, and well clothed with the righteousness of Christ, out. They that are rich in the graces and com forts of the Spirit have something which when they die they shall carry away with them ; something which death cannot strip them of, nay, which death will be the improvement of. But for worldly possessions, " as we brought nothing into the world," but what we have had from others, "so it is certain we shall ed i the grave ; to bring them off in the judgment, or abate the torments of hell. Grace is glory that will ascend with ps, but no earthly glory will descend after us. 2nd. In the other world they will be infinitely the worse for all their abuses of the wealth and prosperity they enjoyed in this world; ver. 19, "The soul shall go to the generation of his fathers," his worldly, wicked fathers, whose sayings he approved, and whose steps he trod in, his fathers that would not hearken to the word of God, Zee. i. 5. He shall go to be there where they are that shall never see light, shall never have the least glimpse of comfort and jtiy, envied. A fool, a wicked man in honour, is really as despicable an animal as any under the sun; he "is like the beasts that perish," ver. 20; and it is better be a beast than be a man that makes himself like a beast. Men in honour that understand, that know and do their duty, and make conscience of it, are as gods, and children of the Most High. But men in honour that understand not, that are proud, and sensual, and oppressive, are as beasts, and they shall perish like the beasts, ingloriously as to this world, though not like the beasts indemnified as to another world. Let prospering sinners, therefore, be afraid for them selves; but let not even suffering saints be afraid of them. PSALM L. This psalm, as the former, is a psalm of instruction, not of prayer or praise. It is a psalm of reproof and admonition, in singing of which we are to teach and admonish one another. In the foregoing psalm, alter a general demand of attention, God by hia prophet deals, ver. 3, with the children of this world, to convince them of their sin and folly in setting their hearts upon the wealth of this world. In this psalm, after a like preface, he deals with those that were in profession the church's children, to con vince them of their sin and folly in placing their religion in ritual services, while they PSALM L. 239 neglected practical godliness ; and this is as sure a way to rain as the other. This psalm is intended, I. As a reproof to the carnal Jews, both those that rested in the external performances of their religion, and were remiss in the more excellent duties of ¦{.prayer and praise, and those that expounded the law to others, but lived wicked lives ^.'themselves. II. As a prediction of the abolishing of the ceremonial law, and of the Introducing of a spiritual way of worship in and by the kingdom of the Messiah, Jno. iv. 23, 24. III. As a representation of the day of judgment, in which God will call men to an account concerning their observance of those things which they have thus been taught. Men shall be judged according to what is written in the books ; and therefore Christ is iitly represented speaking as a judge then when he speaks as a law giver. Here is, 1. The glorious appearance of the Prince that gives law and judgment, ver. 1 — 6; 2. Instruction given to his worshippers to turn their sacrifices into prayers, ver. 7 — 15 ; 3. A rebuke to those that pretend to worship God, but live in disobedience to his commands, ver. 16 — 20 ; their doom read, ver. 21, 22 ; and warning given to all to look to their conversation as well as to their devotions, ver. 23. And these instruc tions and admonitions we must take to ourselves, and give to one another, in singing this psalm. A Psalm of Asaph. THE mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, And called the earth Prom the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. 3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence A fire shall devour before him, And it shall be very tempestuous round about him. 4 He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, that he may judge his people. 5 Gather my saints together unto me ; Those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. 6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness : For God is judge himself. Selah. ' It is probable Asaph was not only the chief musician that was to put a tune to this psalm, but was himself the penman of it; for we read that in Hezekiah's time "they praised God with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer," 2 Chr. xxix. 30. Here is, ; First. The court called in the name of the King of kings; ver. ], "The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken;" El, Eloliim, Jehovah, the God of infinite power, justice, and mercy, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. God is the judge, the Son of God came for judgment into the world,^md the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of judgment. All the earth is called to attend, not only because the controversy God had with his people Israel for their hypocrisy and Ingratitude may safely be referred to any man of reason, (nay, let the house of Israel itself judge between God and his vineyard, Isa. v. 3,) but because all the children of men are concerned to know the right way of worshipping God, in spirit and in truth, and when the langdom of the Messiah should be set up, all should be instructed in the evangelical worship, and invited to join in it : see Mai. i. 1 1 ; Acts x. 34; and because, in the day of final judgment, all nations shall be gathered together to receive their doom, and every man shall give account of himself unto God. Secondly. The judgment set, and the Judge taking his seat. As when God gave the law to Israel in the wilderness, it is said, He came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir, and shined forth from mount Paran, and came with ten thousands of his saints, and then from his right hand went a fiery law," Deu. xxxiii. 2 ; so, with allusion to that, when God comes to reprove them for their hypocrisy, and to send forth his Gospel to supersede the legal institu tions, it is said here, 1. That he shall shine out of Zion, as then from the top of Sinai, ver. 2. Because in Zion his oracle was now fixed, thence his judg ments upon tl}at provoking people were denounced, and thence the orders issued for the execution of them, Joel ii. 1, "Blow ye the trumpet m Zion," (sometimes there are more than ordinary appearances of God s presence and power working with and by his word and ordinances, for the convincing of 210 PSALM L. men's consciences, and the reforming and refining of his churoh, and then God, ., who always dwells in Zion, may be said to shine out of Zion,) and because the Gospel, which set up spiritual worship, was to go forth from mount Zion, Isa. ii. 4; Mic. iv. 1; and the preachers of it were to begin at Jerusalem, Lu. xxiv. 4? ; and Christians are said to come unto mount Zion to receive their instructions, Heb. xii. 22, 28. Zion is here called the perfection of beauty, , because it was the holy hill, and holiness is indeed the perfection of beauty. 2. That he shall come and not keep silence, shall no longer seem to wink at the sins of men as he had done, ver. 21, but shall shew his displeasure at them, and shall also cause that mystery to be published to the world by his holy apostles, which had long lain hid, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, Eph. iii. 5, e, and that the partition wall of the ceremonial law should be taken down; this. shall now no Idnger be concealed. In the great day " our God shall come; and * shall not keep silence," but shall make those to hear his judgment that would not hearken to his law. 3. That his appearance should be very majestic and terrible ; " a fire shall devour before him. The fire of his judgments shall make way for the rebukes of his word, in order to the awakening of the hypocritical nation of the Jews, that the sinners in Zion, being afraid of that devouring fire, {Isa. xxxiii. 14,) they might be startled out of their sins. When his gospel king* dom was to be set up, Christ came to send fire on the earth, Lu. xii. 44. And^ the Spirit was given in cloven tongues as of fire, introduced by a rushing? mighty wind, which was very tempestuous, Acts ii. 2, 3. And in the last judg ment, Christ shall come in flaming fire, 2 Thes. i. 8 : see Dan. vii. 9 ; Heb. x. 27. 4. That as on mount Sinai he came with ten thousands of his saints, so he shall? now call to the heavens from above, to take notice of this solemn process^ ver. 4, as Moses often called heaven and earth to witness against Israeli Deu. iv. 26; xxxi. 28; xxxii. 1 ; and God by his prophets, Isa. i. 2; Mic. vi. t. And the equity of the judgment of the great day will be attested and applauded by heaven and earth, by saints and angels, even all the holy myriads. Thirdly. The parties summoned ; ver. 5, " Gather my saints together unto me." This may be understood either, 1. Of saints indeed. Let them be gathered to God through Christ \ let the few pious Israelites be set by them- : selves, for to them the following denunciations of wrath do not belong. Rebukes to hypocrites ought not to be terrors to the upright. "When God will reject the services of those that .only offered sacrifice, resting in the outside of the performance, he will graciously accept those that in sacrificing make a covenant with him, and so attend to, and answer the end of, the institution of sacrifices. The design of the preaching of the Gospel, and the setting up of Christ's kingdom, was to gather together in one the children of God, Jno. xi. 52; and at the second coming of Jesus Christ all his saints shall be gathered toge ther unto him, 2 Thes. ii. 1, to be assessors with him in the judgment: for the saints shall judge the world, 1 Cor. vi. 2. Now it is here given as a character of the saints, that they have made a covenant with God by sacrifice. Note, 1st. Those only shall be gathered to God as his saints who have in sincerity covenanted with him, who have taken him to be their God, and given up theni- selves to him to be his people, and thus have joined themselves unto the Lord. 2nd. It is only by sacrifice, by Christ the great sacrifice, (from whom all the legal sacrifices derived what value they had,) that we poor sinners can covenant with God so as to be accepted of him. There must be an atonement made for the breach of the first covenant before we can be admitted again into covenant. Or, 2. It may be understood of saints in profession, such as the people of Israel were, who are called a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation, Ex. xix. 6. They were, as a body politic, taken into covenant with God, the covenant of pecu liarity; and it was done with great solemnity by sacrifice, Ex. xxiv. 8. Let them come and hear what God hath to say to them; let them receive the reproofs God sends them now by his prophets, and the Gospel he will in due time send them by his Son, which shall supersede the ceremonial law. Arid if these be slighted let them expect to hear from God another way, and to be judged by that word which they will not be ruled by. Fourthly. The issue of this solemn trial foretold; ver. 6, " The heavens shall declare his righteousness;" those heavens that were called to be witnesses to the trial, ver. 4. The " people in heaven shall say, Hallelujah ; true and righteous are his judgments," Rev. xix. 1, 2. The righteousness of God in all the rebukes of his word and providence, in the establishment of his Gospel, (which brings in an everlasting righteousness, and in which the righteousness of God is revealed,) and especially in the judgment of the great day, is what the heavens will declare; that is, 1. It will be universally known, and proclaimed to all the world. As the heavens declare the glory, the wisdom, and power of God the Creator, Ps. xix. 1, so they shall no less openly declare the glory, the • justice, and righteousness of God the Judge. And so loud do they proclaim both, that " there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard," as it follows there, ver. 3. 2. It will be inoontestably owned and proved. Who can deny what the heavens declare? Even sinners' own consciences will sub- PSALM L. 241 scribe to it, and hell as well as heaven will be forced to acknowledge the righteousness of God. The reason given is, for "God is iudEe himself" and therefore, 1st. He will be just; for it is impossible he should do Sny wring to any. of his creatures; he never did, nor ever will. When men are employed to judge for him, it is possible they may do unjustly; but when He is judge lumself there can be no injustice done. "Is God unriehteous whn tilS vengeance?" The apostle for this reason startles at the tfought o^H: « God forbid! for then how shall God judge the world?" Rom. iii. 5 6 These decisions will be perfectly ;ust, for against them there will lie no execution and from them there will he no appeal. He will be justified. God is judee' and therefore he will not only execute justice, but he will oblige all to own it; for he will be clear when he judgeth, Ps. Ii. 4. 7 Hear, 0 my people, and I will speak ; 0 Israel, and I will testify against thee : I am God, even thy God. ' 8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices Or thy burnt offerings, to have heen continually before me. 9 I will take no bullock out of thy house, Nor he goats out of thy folds. 10 For every beast of the forest is mine, And the cattle upon a thousand hills. Ill know all the fowls of the mountains : And the wild beasts of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee : For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. " 13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats ? 14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; And pay thy vows unto the most High : 1 5 And call upon me in the day of trouble : I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. God is here dealing with those that placed all their religion in the observances of the ceremonial law, and thought those sufficient. First. He lays down the original contract between him and Israel, in which they had avouched him to be their God, and he them to be his people, and • bo both parties were agreed; ver. 7, "Hear, O my people, and I will speak." Note, It is justly expected that whatever others do, when he speaks, his people should give ear; who will if they do not? and then we may comfortably expect that God willspeak to us when we are ready to hear what he saith. Even when lie testifies against us in the rebukes and threatenings of his word and pro vidences, we must be forward to hear what he saith, to hear even " the rod and him that has appointed it." Secondly. He puts a slight upon the legal sacrifices, ver. 8, &c. Now, 1. This may be considered as looking back to the use of these under the law. God had a controversy with the Jews; but what was the ground of the con troversy ? Not their neglect of the ceremonial institutions ; no, they had not been wanting in the observance of them, their burnt offerings had been con tinually before God, they took a pride in them, and hoped by their oiferings to procure a dispensation for their lusts, as the adulterous woman, Pr. vii. 14. Their constant sacrifices they thought would both expiate and excuse their neglect of the weightier matters of the law. Nay, if they had in some degree neglected these institutions, yet that should not have been the cause of God's quarrel with them, for it was but a small offence in comparison with the immoralities of their conversation. They thought God was mightily beholden to them for the many sacrifices they had brought to his altar, and that they had made him very much their debtor "by them, as if he could not have maintained his numerous family of priests without their contributions. But God here shews them the contrary : 1st. That he did not need their sacrifices. What occ"J — v""q *"> fnv thAir hnllnnks and mats, that has the command of all the Q 242 PSALM L. beasts of the forest, and the cattle upon a thousand hills? ver. 9, 10 ; has aji incontestable propriety in them, and dominion over them; has them all always under his eye, and within his reach, and can make what use he pleaseth ot them? They all wait on him, and are all at his dispose, Ps. civ. 27—29. Can we add any thing to his store, whose all the wild fowl and wild beasts are, the world itself, and the fulness thereof? ver. 11, 12. God's infinite self-sufficiency proves our utter insufficiency to add any thing to him. 2nd. That he could not be benefited by their sacrifices. Their goodness of this kind could not possibly extend unto him ; neither if they were in this matter righteous was he the better; , ver. 13, " Willi eat the flesh of bulls ?" It is as absurd to think that their sacri fices could of themselves, and by virtue of any innate excellency in them, add any pleasure or praise to God, as it would be to imagine that an infinite Spirit could be supported by meat and drink as our bodies are. It is said, indeed, of the daemons whom the Gentiles worshipped, that they did ' eat the fat of their , sacrifices, and drink the wine of their drink offerings," Deu. xxxii. 38 ; they regaled themselves in the homage they robbed the true God of. But will the great Jehovah be thus entertained? No; "to obey is better than sacrifice/'' and to love God and our neighbour better than all burnt offerings; so rpuch better, that God, by his prophets, often told them that their sacrifices were not oniy not acceptable, but abominable to him while they lived in sin. Instead of pleasing him he looked upon them as a mockery, and therefore an affront and provocation to him : see Pr. xv. 8 ; Isa. i. 1 1, &e. ; Ixvi. 3 ; Jer. vi. 20 ; Am. v. 21. They are, therefore, here warned not to rest in these performances; but to carry themselves in all other instances towards God as their God. 2. This may be considered as looking forward to the abolishing of these by^ the Gospel of Christ : thus Dr. Hammond understands it. When God shall set up the kingdom of the Messiah he shall abolish the old way of worship by sacrifice and offerings ; he will no more have those to be continually before him, ver. 8 ; he will no more require of his worshippers to bring him their bullocks and their goats to be burnt upon his altar, ver. 9. For, indeed, he ¦ never appointed this as that which he had any need of, or took any pleasure in ; for, besides that all we have is his already, he has far more beasts in the forest, and upon the mountains, which we know nothing of, nor have any pro perty in, than we have in our folds ; but he institutedt it to prefigure the great sacrifice which his own Son should in the fulness of time offer upon the cross, to make atonement for sin, and all the other spiritual sacrifices of acknowledg ment with which God through Christ will be well pleased. Thirdly. He directs to the best sacrifices of prayer and praise, as those which under the law were preferred before all burnt offerings and sacrifices, and on which then the greatest stress was laid, and which now under the Gospel.come in the room of those carnal ordinances which were imposed until the times of reformation. He sheweth us here, ver. 14, 15, what is good, and what the Lord * our God requires of u"s, and will accept, when sacrifices are slighted and super seded. 1. We must make a penitent acknowledgment of our sins ; offer to God confession, so some read it, and understand it ot the confession of sinj in order to our giving glory to God, and taking shame to ourselves, that we may never return to it. _A broken and contrite heart is the sacrifice which God will not despise, Ps. Ii. 17. If the sin were not abandoned, the sin offering was not accepted. 2. We must give God thanks for . his mercies to us ; " offer to God thanksgiving " every day, often every day, " Seven times a day will I praise thee," and upon special occasions ; aud " this shall please the Lord," if it come from an' humble, thankful heart, full of love to him, and joy in him, " better than an ox or bullock that has horns and hoofs," Ps. lxix. 30, 31. 3. We must make conscience of performing our covenants with him. " Pay thy vows to the Most High," forsake thy sins, and do thy duty better, pursuant to the solemn promises thou hast made him to that purpose. When we give God thanks for any mercy we have received; we must be sure to pay the vows we made to him when we were in the pursuit of the mercy, else our thanksgivings will not be accepted. Dr. Hammond applies this to the great gospel ordinance of the eucharist, in which we are to give thanks to God for his great love in sending his Son to save us, and to pay our vows of love and duty to him, and to give alms. Instead of all the Old Testament types of a Christ to come, we have that blessed memorial of a Christ already come. 4. In the day of distress, we must apply ourselves to God by faithful and fervent prayer; ver. IB, "Call upon me in the day of trouble," and not upon any other God. Our troubles, though we see them coming from God's hand, must drive us to him, and not drive us from him. We must thus acknowledge him in all our ways, depend upon his wisdom, power, and goodness, and refer ourselves entirely to him, and so give him glory. This is a cheaper, easier, readier way of seeking his favour than by a peace offering, and yet more acceptable. 5. When he, in answer to our prayers, delivers us, a3 he has promised to do in such way and time as he shall think fit, we must glorify him, not only by a grateful mention of his favour, PSALM L. 243 but by living to his praise. Thus must we keep up our communion with Gnd he8deFi?ers™s "" pra*er8 when he ¦«»*. Vand wit™ our praTses wher! 1 6 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, Or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth ? 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, And castest my words behind thee. [him, 18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with * And hast been partaker with adulterers. 1 9 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, And thy tongue frameth deceit. 20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother ; Thou slanderest thine own mother's son. , 21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence ; Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: |;eyes. But I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine 22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, and there he none to deliver. 23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me : And to him that ordereth his conversation aright Will I shew the salvation of God. God, by the psalmist, having instructed his people in the right way of wor shipping him, and keeping up their communion with him, here directs his speech to the wicked, to hypocrites, wliether they were such as professed the Jewish or the Christian religion. Hypocrisy is wickedness, for which God will judge. Observe here, First. The charge drawn up against them. 1. They are charged with invading and usurping the honours and privileges of religion; ver. 10, "What hast thou to do," O wicked man, "to declare my statutes ? " This is a challenge to those that are really profane, but seemingly .godly, to shew what title they have to the cloak oi religion, and by what authority they wear it, when they use it only to cover and conceal the abomi nable impieties of their hearts and lives ; let them make out their claim to it if they can. Some think it points prophetically at the scribes and Pharisees, that •were the teachers and leaders of the Jewish church, at the time when the , kingdom of the Messiah, and that evangelical way of worship spoken of in the 'foregoing verses, were to be set up. Ihey violently opposed that great revo lution, and used all the power and interest which they had, by sitting in Moses' seat, to hinder it. But the account which our blessed Saviour gives of them, Mat. xxiii., and St. Paul, Rom. ii. 21, 22, makes this expostulation here agree very well to them. They took on them to declare God's statutes, but they hated Christ's instruction, and therefore what had they to do to expound the law who reject the Gospel? But it is applicable to all those that are praetisers of iniquity, and yet professors of piety, especially if withai they be preachers of it. Note, It is very absurd in itself, and a great affront to the God of heaven, for those that are wicked and ungodly to declare his statutes, and to take his covenant in their mouths. It is very possible, and too common, for those that declare God's statutes to others to live in disobedience to them themselves ; and for those that take God's covenant in their mouths yet in their hearts to continue their covenant with sin and death. But they are guilty of an usurpa tion ; they take to themselves an honour which they have no title to ; and there is a day coming when they will be thrust out as intruders. " Friend, how earnest thou in hither?" 2. They are charged with transgressing and violating the laws and precepts of religion. 1st. They are charged with a daring contempt of the Word of God; ver. 17, " Thou hatest instruction." They loved to give instruction, and to tell others what they should do ; for this fed their pride and made them look great, 244 PSALM L. and by this craft they got their living. But they hated to receive instruction from God himself; for that would be a check upon them, and a mortification to them : Thou hatest discipline, the reproofs of the Word, and the rebukes of Providence. Those that hate to be reformed, no wonder they hate the means of reformation; "Thou castest my words behind thee." They seemed to set:' God's words before them, when they sat in Moses' seat, and undertook to teach ' others out of the law, Rom. ii. 19 ; but in their conversations they cast God's ':i word behind them, and did not care for seeing that rule which they were resolved not to be ruled by. This is despising the commandment of the Lord. 2nd._ A close confederacy with the worst of sinners ; ver. 18, " When thou sawest a thief," instead of reproving him, and witnessing against him, as those- should do that declare God's statutes, " thou consentedst with him," didst approve of his practices, and desire to come in partner with him, and to share in the profits of his cursed trade. And " thou hast been partakers with adulterers ;" hust done as they do, and encouraged them to go on in their wicked courses ; hast done these things, and hast had pleasure in them that do them, Rom. i. 32. ™ 3rd. A constant persisting in the worst of tongue sins ; ver. 19, " Thou givest'il thy mouth to evil;" not only allowest thyself in, but addictest thyself wholly ^ to, all manner of evil speaking. First. Lying ; Thy tongue frameth deceit, £ which notes contrivance and deliberation in lying. It knits or links deceit, sai/a some. One lie begets another, and one fraud requires another to cover ifc!;$ Secondly. Slandering ; ver. 20, " Thou sittest and sneakest against thy brother;"" \ (lost basely abuse and misrepresent him ; magisterially judge and censure him,. & and pass sentence upon him, as if thou wert his master, to whom he must stand or fall ; whereas he is thy brother, as good as thou art, and upon the level with thee, for he is " thy own mother's son." He is thy near relation, whom thou oughtest to love, to vindicate, and stand up for, if others abused him ; yet thou dost thyself abuse him, whose faults thou oughtest to cover, and make the best of. If really he had done amiss, yet thou dost most falsely and unjustly charge him with that which he is innocent of; thou sittest and dost this, as a j udge upon the bench with authority ; thou sittest in the seat of the scornful, to deride and backbite those whom thou oughtest to respect and be kind to. Those that do ill themselves commonly delight in speaking ill of others. Secondly. The proof of thi^ charge ; ver. 21, " These things thou hast done." The fact is too plain to be denied, the fault too bad to be excused ; " These things " God knows, and thy own heart knows, " thou hast done." The sins of sinners will be proved upon them beyond contradiction, in the judgment of the great day. " I will reprove thee, or convince thee, so that thou shalt have not one word to say for thyself. The day is coming when impenitent sinners will have their mouths for ever stopped, and be struck speechless. What confusion will they be filled with when God shall set their sins in order before their eyes. They would not see their sins to their humiliation, but cast them behind their backs,— covered them, and endeavoured to forget them ; nor would they suffer their own consciences to put them in mind of them ; but the day is coming when God will make them see their sins to the everlasting shame and terror. He will set them in order :— original sin ; actual sins ; sins against the law ; sins against the Gospel ; against the first table, against the second table ; sins of childhood and youth, of riper age and old age. He will set them in order, as the witnesses are set in order, and called in order against the criminal, and asked what they have to say against him. Thirdly. The judge's patience, and the sinner's abuse of that patience " 1 kept silence, did not give thee any disturbance in thy sinful way, but let thee alone to take thy course. Sentence against thine evil works was respited, and not executed speedily. Note, The patience of God is very great tow'ards provoking sinners. He sees their sins, and hates them. It would be neither difficulty nor damage to him to punish them, and yet he waits to be gracious and gives them space to repent, that he may render them inexcusable if thev repent not. His patience is the more wonderful because the sinner makes such an ill use of it ; Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself," as weak and forgetful as thyself, as false to my word as thyself ; nay, as much a friend to sin as thyself. Sinners take God's silence for consent and his patience for connivance, and therefore the longer they are reprieved the more are their hearts hardened ; but if they turn not they shall be made to see their error when it is too late, and.that the God they provoke is just, and holy, and terrible, and not such a one as themselves. " Fourthly. The fair warning given of the dreadful doom of hypocrites; ver.22, Now consider this, ye that forget God." Consider that God knows and keeps in^nnnt ni all vnnr mns i.hat. ho will ^>q11 \,