164 lines
12 KiB
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164 lines
12 KiB
XML
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<div2 id="Ps.cxxix" n="cxxix" next="Ps.cxxx" prev="Ps.cxxviii" progress="67.26%" title="Chapter CXXVIII">
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<h2 id="Ps.cxxix-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
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<h3 id="Ps.cxxix-p0.2">PSALM CXXVIII.</h3>
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<p class="intro" id="Ps.cxxix-p1">This, as the former, is a psalm for families. In
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that we were taught that the prosperity of our families depends
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upon the blessing of God; in this we are taught that the only way
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to obtain that blessing which will make our families comfortable is
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to live in the fear of God and in obedience to him. Those that do
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so, in general, shall be blessed (<scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.1-Ps.128.2 Bible:Ps.128.4" parsed="|Ps|128|1|128|2;|Ps|128|4|0|0" passage="Ps 128:1,2,4">ver. 1, 2, 4</scripRef>), In particular, I. They
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shall be prosperous and successful in their employments, <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.2" parsed="|Ps|128|2|0|0" passage="Ps 128:2">ver. 2</scripRef>. II. Their relations shall be
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agreeable, <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.3" parsed="|Ps|128|3|0|0" passage="Ps 128:3">ver. 3</scripRef>. III.
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They shall live to see their families brought up, <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.6" parsed="|Ps|128|6|0|0" passage="Ps 128:6">ver. 6</scripRef>. IV. They shall have the
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satisfaction of seeing the church of God in a flourishing
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condition, <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.5-Ps.128.6" parsed="|Ps|128|5|128|6" passage="Ps 128:5,6">ver. 5, 6</scripRef>. We
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must sing this psalm in the firm belief of this truth, That
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religion and piety are the best friends to outward prosperity,
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giving God the praise that it is so and that we have found it so,
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and encouraging ourselves and others with it.</p>
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<scripCom id="Ps.cxxix-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128" parsed="|Ps|128|0|0|0" passage="Ps 128" type="Commentary"/>
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<scripCom id="Ps.cxxix-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.1-Ps.128.6" parsed="|Ps|128|1|128|6" passage="Ps 128:1-6" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.128.1-Ps.128.6">
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<h4 id="Ps.cxxix-p1.8">Blessedness of the Godly.</h4>
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<div class="Center" id="Ps.cxxix-p1.9">
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<p id="Ps.cxxix-p2">A song of degrees.</p>
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</div>
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<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxxix-p3">1 Blessed <i>is</i> every one that feareth the
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<span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxxix-p3.1">Lord</span>; that walketh in his ways.
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2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy
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<i>shalt</i> thou <i>be,</i> and <i>it shall be</i> well with thee.
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3 Thy wife <i>shall be</i> as a fruitful vine by the sides
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of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy
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table. 4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that
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feareth the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxxix-p3.2">Lord</span>. 5 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxxix-p3.3">Lord</span> shall bless thee out of Zion: and
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thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
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6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, <i>and</i>
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peace upon Israel.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxxix-p4">It is here shown that godliness has the
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promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxxix-p5">I. It is here again and again laid down as
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an undoubted truth that <i>those who are truly holy are truly
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happy.</i> Those whose blessed state we are here assured of are
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such as <i>fear the Lord</i> and <i>walk in his ways,</i> such as
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have a deep reverence of God upon their spirits and evidence it by
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a regular and constant conformity to his will. Where the fear of
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God is a commanding principle in the heart the tenour of the
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conversation will be accordingly; and in vain do we pretend to be
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of those that fear God if we do not make conscience both of keeping
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to his ways and not trifling in them or drawing back. Such are
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blessed (<scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.1" parsed="|Ps|128|1|0|0" passage="Ps 128:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), and
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shall be blessed, <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.4" parsed="|Ps|128|4|0|0" passage="Ps 128:4"><i>v.</i>
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4</scripRef>. God blesses them, and his pronouncing them blessed
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makes them so. They are blessed now, they shall be blessed still,
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and for ever. This blessedness, arising from this blessing, is here
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secured, 1. To all the saints universally: <i>Blessed is everyone
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that fears the Lord,</i> whoever he be; in every nation he that
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fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him, and therefore
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is blessed whether he be high or low, rich or poor, in the world;
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if religion rule him, it will protect and enrich him. 2. To such a
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saint in particular: <i>Thus shall the man be blessed,</i> not only
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the nation, the church in its public capacity, but the particular
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person in his private interests. 3. We are encouraged to apply it
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to ourselves (<scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.2" parsed="|Ps|128|2|0|0" passage="Ps 128:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>):
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"<i>Happy shalt thou be;</i> thou mayest take the comfort of the
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promise, and expect the benefit of it, as if it were directed to
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thee by name, if thou <i>fear God and walk in his ways. Happy shalt
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thou be,</i> that is, <i>It shall be well with thee;</i> whatever
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befals thee, good shall be brought out of it; it shall be well with
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thee while thou livest, better when thou diest, and best of all to
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eternity." It is asserted (<scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.4" parsed="|Ps|128|4|0|0" passage="Ps 128:4"><i>v.</i>
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4</scripRef>) with a note commanding attention: <i>Behold, thus
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shall the man be blessed;</i> behold it by faith in the promise;
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behold it by observation in the performance of the promise; behold
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it with assurance that it shall be so, for God is faithful, and
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with admiration that it should be so, for we merit no favour, no
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blessing, from him.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxxix-p6">II. Particular promises are here made to
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godly people, which they may depend upon, as far as is for God's
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glory and their good; and that is enough.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxxix-p7">1. That, by the blessing of God, they shall
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get an honest livelihood and live comfortably upon it. It is not
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promised that they shall live at ease, without care or pains, but,
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<i>Thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands.</i> Here is a double
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promise, (1.) That they shall have something to do (for an idle
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life is a miserable uncomfortable life) and shall have health, and
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strength, and capacity of mind to do it, and shall not be forced to
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be beholden to others for necessary food, and to live, as the
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disabled poor do, upon the labours of other people. It is as much a
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mercy as it is a duty <i>with quietness</i> to <i>work and eat our
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own bread,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.3.12" parsed="|2Thess|3|12|0|0" passage="2Th 3:12">2 Thess.
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3:12</scripRef>. (2.) That they shall succeed in their employments,
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and they and theirs shall enjoy what they get; others shall not
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come and eat the bread out of their mouths, nor shall it be taken
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from them either by oppressive rulers or invading enemies. God will
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not blast it and blow upon it (as he did, <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Hag.1.9" parsed="|Hag|1|9|0|0" passage="Hag 1:9">Hag. 1:9</scripRef>), and his blessing will make a little
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go a great way. It is very pleasant to enjoy the fruits of our own
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industry; as the sleep, so the food, of a labouring man is
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sweet.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxxix-p8">2. That they shall have abundance of
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comfort in their family-relations. As a wife and children are very
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much a man's care, so, if by the grace of God they are such as they
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should be, they are very much a man's delight, as much as any
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creature-comfort. (1.) The <i>wife</i> shall be <i>as a vine by the
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sides of the house,</i> not only as a spreading vine which serves
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for an ornament, but as a fruitful vine which is for profit, and
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with the fruit whereof both God and man are honoured, <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.9.13" parsed="|Judg|9|13|0|0" passage="Jdg 9:13">Judg. ix. 13</scripRef>. The vine is a weak and
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tender plant, and needs to be supported and cherished, but it is a
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very valuable plant, and some think (because all the products of it
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were prohibited to the Nazarites) it was the <i>tree of
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knowledge</i> itself. The wife's place is the husband's house;
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there her business lies, and that is her castle. <i>Where is Sarah
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thy wife? Behold, in the tent;</i> where should she be else? Her
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place is <i>by the sides of the house,</i> not under-foot to be
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trampled on, nor yet upon the house-top to domineer (if she be so,
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she is but <i>as the grass upon the house-top,</i> in the next
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psalm), but on the side of the house, being a rib out of the side
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of the man. She shall be a loving wife, as the vine, which cleaves
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to the house-side, an obedient wife, as the vine, which is pliable,
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and grows as it is directed. She shall be fruitful as the vine, not
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only in children, but in the fruits of wisdom, and righteousness,
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and good management, the <i>branches</i> of which <i>run over the
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wall</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.22 Bible:Ps.80.11" parsed="|Gen|49|22|0|0;|Ps|80|11|0|0" passage="Ge 49:22,Ps 80:11">Gen. xlix. 22; Ps.
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lxxx. 11</scripRef>), <i>like a fruitful vine,</i> not cumbering
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the ground, nor bringing forth sour grapes, or grapes of Sodom, but
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good fruit. (2.) The <i>children</i> shall be <i>as olive
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plants,</i> likely in time to be olive-trees, and, though <i>wild
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by nature,</i> yet grafted into the good olive, and partaking of
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its <i>root and fatness,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.17" parsed="|Rom|11|17|0|0" passage="Ro 11:17">Rom. xi.
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17</scripRef>. It is pleasant to parents who have a table spread,
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though but with ordinary fare, to see their children round about
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it, to have many children, enough to surround it, and those with
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them, and not scattered, or the parents forced from them. Job makes
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it one of the first instances of his former prosperity that <i>his
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children were about him,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p8.4" osisRef="Bible:Job.29.5" parsed="|Job|29|5|0|0" passage="Job 29:5">Job xxix.
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5</scripRef>. Parents love to have their children at table, to keep
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up the pleasantness of the table-talk, to have them in health,
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craving food and not physic, to have them like <i>olive-plants,</i>
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straight and green, sucking in the sap of their good education, and
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likely in due time to be serviceable.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxxix-p9">3. That they shall have those things which
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God has promised and which they pray for: <i>The Lord shall bless
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thee out of Zion,</i> where the ark of the covenant was, and where
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the pious Israelites attended with their devotions. <i>Blessings
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out of Zion</i> are the best-blessings, which flow, not from common
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providence, but from special grace, <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.20.2" parsed="|Ps|20|2|0|0" passage="Ps 20:2">Ps.
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xx. 2</scripRef>.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxxix-p10">4. That they shall live long, to enjoy the
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comforts of the rising generations: "Thou shalt <i>see thy
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children's children,</i> as Joseph, <scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.23" parsed="|Gen|50|23|0|0" passage="Ge 50:23">Gen. l. 23</scripRef>. Thy family shall be built up and
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continued, and thou shalt have the pleasure of seeing it."
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<i>Children's children,</i> if they be good children, <i>are the
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crown of old men</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxxix-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.17.6" parsed="|Prov|17|6|0|0" passage="Pr 17:6">Prov. xvii.
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6</scripRef>), who are apt to be fond of their grandchildren.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxxix-p11">5. That they shall see the welfare of God's
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church, and the land of their nativity, which every man who fears
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God is no less concerned for than for the prosperity of his own
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family. "Thou shalt be blessed in Zion's blessing, and wilt think
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thyself so. Thou shalt <i>see the good of Jerusalem</i> as long as
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thou shalt live, though thou shouldest live long, and shalt not
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have thy private comforts allayed and embittered by public
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troubles." A good man can have little comfort in seeing his
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children's children, unless withal he see peace upon Israel, and
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have hopes of transmitting the entail of religion pure and entire
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to those that shall come after him, for that is the best
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inheritance.</p>
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</div></div2>
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