4 lines
13 KiB
HTML
4 lines
13 KiB
HTML
|
<p>The psalmist had said (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.4" href="/passage/?search=Ps.92.4">Ps. 92:4</a>) that from the works of God he would take occasion to triumph; and here he does so.</p>
|
|||
|
|
<p class="tab-1">I. He triumphs over God’s enemies (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.7,Ps.92.9,Ps.92.11" href="/passage/?search=Ps.92.7,Ps.92.9,Ps.92.11"><span class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.7">Ps. 92:7</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.9">9</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.11">11</span></a>), triumphs in the foresight of their destruction, not as it would be the misery of his fellow-creatures, but as it would redound to the honour of God’s justice and holiness. He is confident of the ruin of sinners, 1. Though they are flourishing (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.7" href="/passage/?search=Ps.92.7">Ps. 92:7</a>): <i>When the wicked spring as the grass</i> in spring (so numerous, so thickly sown, so green, and growing so fast), <i>and all the workers of iniquity do flourish</i> in pomp, and power, and all the instances of outward prosperity, are easy and many, and succeed in their enterprises, one would think that all this was in order to their being happy, that it was a certain evidence of God’s favour and an earnest of something as good or better in reserve: but it is quite otherwise; it is <i>that they shall be destroyed for ever</i>. The very <i>prosperity of fools shall slay them</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Prov.1.32" href="/passage/?search=Prov.1.32">Prov. 1:32</a>. The sheep that are designed for the slaughter are put into the fattest pasture. 2. Though they are daring, <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.9" href="/passage/?search=Ps.92.9">Ps. 92:9</a>. They are thy enemies, and impudently avow themselves to be so. They are contrary to God, and they fight against God. They are in rebellion against his crown and dignity, and therefore it is easy to foresee that they shall perish; for <i>who ever hardened his heart against God and prospered</i>? Note, All the impenitent workers of iniquity shall be deemed and taken as God’s enemies, and as such they shall perish and be scattered. Christ reckons those his enemies that will not have him to reign over them; and they shall be brought forth and slain before him. The workers of iniquity are now associated, and closely linked together, in a combination against God and religion; but they shall be scattered, and disabled to help one another against the just judgment of God. <i>In the world to come they shall be separated from the congregation of the righteous</i>; so the Chaldee, <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.1.5" href="/passage/?search=Ps.1.5">Ps. 1:5</a>. 3. Though they had a particular malice against the psalmist, and, upon that account, he might be tempted to fear them, yet he triumphs over them (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.11" href="/passage/?search=Ps.92.11">Ps. 92:11</a>): “<i>My eye shall see my desire on my enemies that rise up against me</i>; I shall see them not only disabled from doing me any further mischief, but reckoned with for the mischief they have done me, and brought either to repentance or ruin:” and this was his desire concerning them. In the Hebrew it is no more than thus, <i>My eye shall look on my enemies, and my ear shall hear of the wicked</i>. He does not say what he shall see or what he shall hear, but he shall see and hear that in which God will be glorified and in which he will therefore be satisfied. This perhaps has reference to Christ, to his victory over Satan, death, and hell, the destruction of those that persecuted and crucified him, and opposed his gospel, and to the final ruin of the impenitent at the last day. Those that rise up against Christ will fall before him and be made his footstool.</p>
|
|||
|
|
<p class="tab-1">II. He triumphs in God, and his glory and grace. 1. In the glory of God (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.8" href="/passage/?search=Ps.92.8">Ps. 92:8</a>): “<i>But thou, O Lord! art most high for evermore</i>. The workers of iniquity who fight against us may be high for a time, and think to carry all before them with a high hand, but <i>thou art high, most high, for evermore</i>. Their height will be humbled and brought down, but thine is everlasting.” Let us not therefore fear the pride and power of evil men, nor be discouraged by their impotent menaces, for the moth shall eat them up as a garment, but <i>God’s righteousness shall be for ever</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Isa.51.7,Isa.51.8" href="/passage/?search=Isa.51.7,Isa.51.8"><span class="bibleref" title="Isa.51.7">Isa. 51:7</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Isa.51.8">8</span></a>. 2. In the grace of God, his favour and the fruits of it, (1.) To himself (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.10" href="/passage/?search=Ps.92.10">Ps. 92:10</a>): “Thou, O Lord! that art thyself most high, <i>shalt exalt my horn</i>.” The great God is the fountain of honour, and he, being <i>high for evermore</i>, himself will exalt his people for ever, for <i>he is the praise of all his saints</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.148.14" href="/passage/?search=Ps.148.14">Ps. 148:14</a>. The wicked are forbidden to <i>lift up the horn</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.75.4,Ps.75.5" href="/passage/?search=Ps.75.4,Ps.75.5"><span class="bibleref" title="Ps.75.4">Ps. 75:4</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Ps.75.5">5</span></a>), but those that serve God and the interest of his kingdom with their honour or power, and commit it to him to keep it, to raise it, to use it, and to dispose of it, as he pleases, may hope that he will <i>exalt their horn as the horn of a unicorn</i>, to the greatest height, either in this world or the other: <i>My horn shalt thou exalt</i>, when <i>thy enemies perish</i>; for <i>then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun</i>, when the wicked shall be doomed to <i>shame and everlasting contempt</i>. He adds, <i>I shall be anointed with fresh oil</i>, which denotes a fresh confirmation in his office to which he had been anointed, or abundance of plenty, so that he should have fresh oil as often as he pleased, or renewed comforts to revive him when his spirits drooped. Grace is the anointing of the Spirit; when this is given to help in the time of need, and is received, as there is occasion, from the fulness that is in Christ Jesus, we are then anointed with fresh oil. Some read it, <i>When I grow old thou shalt anoint me with fresh oil. My old age shalt thou exalt with rich mercy</i>; so the LXX. Compare <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.14" href="/passage/?search=Ps.92.14">Ps. 92:14</a>; <i>They shall bring forth fruit in old age</i>. The comforts of God’s Spirit, and the joys of his salvation, shall be a refreshing oil to the <i>hoary heads that are found in the way of righteousness</i>. (2.) To all the saints. They are here represented as <i>trees of righteousness</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Isa.61.3,Ps.1.3" href="/passage/?search=Isa.61.3,Ps.1.3"><span class="bibleref" title="Isa.61.3">Isa. 61:3</span>; <span class="bibleref" title="Ps.1.3">Ps. 1:3</span></a>. Observe, [1.] The good place they are fixed in; they are <i>planted in the house of the Lord</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.92.13" href="/passage/?search=Ps.92.13">Ps. 92:13</a>. The trees of righteousness do not grow of themselves; they are <i>planted</i>, not in common soil, but in paradise, <i>in the house of the Lord</i>. Trees are not usually planted in a house; but God’s trees are said to be planted in his house because it is from his grace, by his word and Spirit, that they receive all the sap and virtue that keep them alive and make them fruitful. They fix themselves to holy ordinances, take root in them, abide by them, put themselves under the divine protection, and bring forth all their fruits to God’s honour and glory. [2.] The good plight they s
|