This is a psalm by itself, like none of the rest; it excels them all, and shines brightest in this constellation. It is much longer than any of them more than twice as long as any of them. It is not making long prayers that Christ censurers, but making them for a pretence, which intimates that they are in themselves good and commendable. It seems to me to be a collection of David's pious and devout ejaculations, the short and sudden breathings and elevations of his soul to God, which he wrote down as they occurred, and, towards the latter end of his time, gathered out of his day-book where they lay scattered, added to them many like words, and digested them into this psalm, in which there is seldom any coherence between the verses, but, like Solomon's proverbs, it is a chest of gold rings, not a chain of gold links. And we may not only learn, by the psalmist's example, to accustom ourselves to such pious ejaculations, which are an excellent means of maintaining constant communion with God, and keeping the heart in frame for the more solemn exercises of religion, but we must make use of the psalmist's words, both for the exciting and for the expressing of our devout affections; what some have said of this psalm is true, "He that shall read it considerately, it will either warm him or shame him." The composition of it is singular and very exact. It is divided into twenty-two parts, according to the number of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and each part consists of eight verses, all the verses of the first part beginning with Aleph, all the verses of the second with Beth, and so on, without any flaw throughout the whole psalm. Archbishop Tillotson says, It seems to have more of poetical skill and number in it than we at this distance can easily understand. Some have called it the saints' alphabet; and it were to be wished we had it as ready in our memories as the very letters of our alphabet, as ready as our A B C. Perhaps the penman found it of use to himself to observe this method, as it obliged him to seek for thoughts, and search for them, that he might fill up the quota of every part; and the letter he was to begin with might lead him to a word which might suggest a good sentence; and all little enough to raise any thing that is good in the barren soil of our hearts. However, it would be of use to the learners, a help to them both in committing it to memory and in calling it to mind upon occasion; by the letter the first word would be got, and that would bring in the whole verse; thus young people would the more easily learn it by heart and retain it the better even in old age. If any censure it as childish and trifling, because acrostics are now quite out of fashion, let them know that the royal psalmist despises their censure; he is a teacher of babes, and, if this method may be beneficial to them, he can easily stoop to it; if this to be vile, he will be yet more vile.
II. The general scope and design of it is to
magnify the law, and make it honourable; to set forth the
excellency and usefulness of divine revelation, and to recommend it
to us, not only for the entertainment, but for the government, of
ourselves, by the psalmist's own example, who speaks by experience
of the benefit of it, and of the good impressions made upon him by
it, for which he praises God, and earnestly prays, from first to
last, for the continuance of God's grace with him, to direct and
quicken him in the way of his duty. There are ten different words
by which divine revelation is called in this psalm, and they are
synonymous, each of them expressive of the whole compass of it
(both that which tells us what God expects from us and that which
tells us that we may expect from him) and of the system of religion
which is founded upon it and guided by it. The things contained in
the scripture, and drawn from it, are here called, 1. God's law,
because they are enacted by him as our Sovereign. 2. His way,
because they are the rule both of his providence and of our
obedience. 3. His testimonies, because they are solemnly declared
to the world and attested beyond contradiction. 4. His
commandments, because given with authority, and (as the word
signifies) lodged with us as a trust. 5. His precepts, because
prescribed to us and not left indifferent. 6. His word, or saying,
because it is the declaration of his mind, and Christ, the
essential eternal Word, is all in all in it. 7. His judgments,
because framed in infinite wisdom, and because by them we must both
judge and be judged. 8. His righteousness, because it is all holy,
just, and good, and the rule and standard of righteousness. 9. His
statutes, because they are fixed and determined, and of perpetual
obligation. His truth, or faithfulness, because the principles upon
which the divine law is built are eternal truths. And I think there
is but one verse (it is
1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. 3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
The psalmist here shows that godly people
are happy people; they are, and shall be, blessed indeed. Felicity
is the thing we all pretend to aim at and pursue. He does not say
here wherein it consists; it is enough for us to know what we must
do and be that we may attain to it, and that we are here told. All
men would be happy, but few take the right way; God has here laid
before us the right way, which we may be sure will end in
happiness, though it be strait and narrow. Blessednesses are to the
righteous; all manner of blessedness. Now observe the characters of
the happy people. Those are happy, 1. Who make the will of God the
rule of all their actions, and govern themselves, in their whole
conversation, by that rule: They walk in the law of the
Lord,
4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. 5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! 6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
We are here taught, 1. To own ourselves
under the highest obligations to walk in God's law. The tempter
would possess men with an opinion that they are at their liberty
whether they will make the word of God their rule or no, that,
though it may be good, yet it is not so necessary as they are made
to believe it is. He taught our first parents to question the
command: Hath God said, You shall not eat? And therefore we
are concerned to be well established in this (
7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. 8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
Here is, I. David's endeavour to perfect himself in his religion, and to make himself (as we say) master of his business. He hopes to learn God's righteous judgments. He knew much, but he was still pressing forward and desired to know more, as knowing this, that he had not yet attained; but as far as perfection is attainable in this life he reached towards it, and would not take up short of it. As long as we live we must be scholars in Christ's school, and sit at his feet; but we should aim to be head-scholars, and to get into the highest form. God's judgments are all righteous, and therefore it is desirable not only to learn them, but to be learned in them, mighty in the scriptures.
II. The use he would make of his divine learning. He coveted to be learned in the laws of God, not that he might make himself a name and interest among men, or fill his own head with entertaining speculations, but, 1. That he might give God the glory of his learning: I will praise thee when I have learned thy judgments, intimating that he could not learn unless God taught him, and that divine instructions are special blessings, which we have reason to be thankful for. Though Christ keeps a free-school, and teaches without money and without price, yet he expects his scholars should give him thanks both for his word and for his Spirit; surely it is a mercy worth thanks to be taught so gainful a calling as religion is. Those have learned a good lesson who have learned to praise God, for that is the work of angels, the work of heaven. It is an easy thing to praise God in word and tongue; but those only are well learned in this mystery who have learned to praise him with uprightness of heart, that is, are inward with him in praising him, and sincerely aim at his glory in the course of their conversation as well as in the exercises of devotion. God accepts only the praises of the upright. 2. That he might himself come under the government of that learning: When I shall have learned thy righteous judgments I will keep thy statutes. We cannot keep them unless we learn them; but we learn them in vain if we do not keep them. Those have well learned God's statutes who have come up to a full resolution, in the strength of his grace, to keep them.
III. His prayer to God not to leave him: "O forsake me not! that is, leave me not to myself, withdraw not thy Spirit and grace from me, for then I shall not keep thy statutes." Good men see themselves undone if God forsakes them; for then the tempter will be too hard for them. "Though thou seem to forsake me, and threaten to forsake me, and dost, for a time, withdraw from me, yet let not the desertion be total and final; for that is hell. O forsake me not utterly! for woe unto me if God departs from me."
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
Here is, 1. A weighty question asked. By
what means may the next generation be made better than this?
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? Cleansing
implies that it is polluted. Besides the original corruption we all
brought into the world with us (from which we are not cleansed unto
this day), there are many particular sins which young people are
subject to, by which they defile their way, youthful lusts
(
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Here is, 1. David's experience of a good work God had wrought in him, which he takes the comfort of and pleads with God: "I have sought thee, sought to thee as my oracle, sought after thee as my happiness, sought thee as my God; for should not a people seek unto their God? If I have not yet found thee, I have sought thee, and thou never saidst, Seek in vain, nor wilt say so to me, for I have sought thee with my heart, with my whole heart, sought thee only, sought thee diligently." 2. His prayer for the preservation of that work: "Thou that hast inclined me to seek thy precepts, never suffer me to wander from them." The best are sensible of their aptness to wander; and the more we have found of the pleasure there is in keeping God's commandments the more afraid we shall be of wandering from them and the more earnest we shall be in prayer to God for his grace to prevent our wanderings.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Here is, 1. The close application which David made of the word of God to himself: He hid it in his heart, laid it up there, that it might be ready to him whenever he had occasion to use it; he laid it up as that which he valued highly, and had a warm regard for, and which he was afraid of losing and being robbed of. God's word is a treasure worth laying up, and there is no laying it up safely but in our hearts; if we have it only in our houses and hands, enemies may take it from us; if only in our heads, our memories may fail us: but if our hearts be delivered into the mould of it, and the impressions of it remain on our souls, it is safe. 2. The good uses he designed to make of it: That I might not sin against thee. Good men are afraid of sin, and are in care to prevent it; and the most effectual way to prevent is to hide God's word in our hearts, that we may answer every temptation, as our Master did, with, It is written, may oppose God's precepts to the dominion of sin, his promises to its allurements, and his threatenings to its menaces.
12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.
Here, 1. David gives glory to God: "Blessed art thou, O Lord! Thou art infinitely happy in the enjoyment of thyself and hast no need of me or my services; yet thou art pleased to reckon thyself honoured by them; assist me therefore, and then accept me." In all our prayers we should intermix praises. 2. He asks grace from God: "Teach me thy statutes; give me to know and do my duty in every thing. Thou art the fountain of all blessedness; O let me have this drop from that fountain, this blessing from that blessedness: Teach me thy statutes, that I may know how to bless thee, who art a blessed God, and that I may be blessed in thee."
13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Here, I. David looks back with comfort upon
the respect he had paid to the word of God. He had the testimony of
his conscience for him, 1. That he had edified others with what he
had been taught out of the word of God (
II. He looks forward with a holy resolution
never to cool in his affection to the word of God; what he does
that he will do,
17 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
We are here taught, 1. That we owe our lives to God's mercy. David prays, Deal bountifully with me, that I may live. It was God's bounty that gave us life, that gave us this life; and the same bounty that gave it continues it, and gives all the supports and comforts of it; if these be withheld, we die, or, which is equivalent, our lives are embittered and we become weary of them. If God deals in strict justice with us, we die, we perish, we all perish; if these forfeited lives be preserved and prolonged, it is because God deals bountifully with us, according to his mercy, not according to our deserts. The continuance of the most useful life is owing to God's bounty, and on that we must have a continual dependence. 2. That therefore we ought to spend our lives in God's service. Life is therefore a choice mercy, because it is an opportunity of obeying God in this world, where there are so few that do glorify him; and this David had in his eye: "Not that I may live and grow rich, live and be merry, but that I may live and keep thy word, may observe it myself and transmit it to those that shall come after, which the longer I live the better I shall do."
18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
Observe here, 1. That there are wondrous
things in God's law, which we are all concerned, and
should covet, to behold, not only strange things, which are
very surprising and unexpected, but excellent things, which are to
be highly esteemed and valued, and things which were long hidden
from the wise and prudent, but are now revealed unto
babes. If there were wonders in the law, much more in the
gospel, where Christ is all in all, whose name is Wonderful.
Well may we, who are so nearly interested, desire to behold these
wondrous things, when the angels themselves reach to look into
them,
19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.
Here we have, 1. The acknowledgment which David makes of his own condition: I am a stranger in the earth. We all are so, and all good people confess themselves to be so; for heaven is their home, and the world is but their inn, the land of their pilgrimage. David was a man that knew as much of the world, and was as well known in it, as most men. God built him a house, established his throne; strangers submitted to him, and people that he had not known served him; he had a name like the names of the great men, and yet he calls himself a stranger. We are all strangers on earth and must so account ourselves. 2. The request he makes to God thereupon: Hide not thy commandments from me. He means more: "Lord, show thy commandments to me; let me never know the want of the word of God, but, as long as I live, give me to be growing in my acquaintance with it. I am a stranger, and therefore stand in need of a guide, a guard, a companion, a comforter; let me have thy commandments always in view, for they will be all this to me, all that a poor stranger can desire. I am a stranger here, and must be gone shortly; by thy commandments let me be prepared for my removal hence."
20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.
David had prayed that God would open his
eyes (
21 Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.
Here is, 1. The wretched character of
wicked people. The temper of their minds is bad. They are
proud; they magnify themselves above others. And yet that is
not all: they magnify themselves against God, and set up their
wills in competition with and opposition to the will of God, as if
their hearts, and tongues, and all, were their own. There is
something of pride at the bottom of every wilful sin, and the
tenour of their lives is no better: They do err from thy
commandments, as Israel, that did always err in their
hearts; they err in judgment, and embrace principles contrary
to thy commandments, and then no wonder that they err in practice,
and wilfully turn aside out of the good way. This is the effect of
their pride; for they say, What is the Almighty, that we should
serve him? As Pharaoh, Who is the Lord? 2. The wretched
case of such. They are certainly cursed, for God resists the
proud; and those that throw off the commands of the law lay
themselves under its curse (
22 Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.
Here, 1. David prays against the reproach
and contempt of men, that they might be removed, or (as the
word is) rolled, from off him. This intimates that they lay
upon him, and that neither his greatness nor his goodness could
secure him from being libelled and lampooned. Some despised him and
endeavoured to make him mean; others reproached him and endeavoured
to make him odious. It has often been the lot of those that do well
to be ill-spoken of. It intimates that they lay heavily upon him.
Hard and foul words indeed break no bones, and yet they are very
grievous to a tender and ingenuous spirit; therefore David prays,
"Lord, remove them from me, that I may not be thereby either
driven from my duty or discouraged in it." God has all men's hearts
and tongues in his hand, and can silence lying lips, and raise up a
good name that is trodden in the dust. To him we may appeal as the
assertor of right and avenger of wrong, and may depend on his
promise that he will clear up our righteousness as the
light,
23 Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.
See here, 1. How David was abused even by
great men, who should have known better his character and his case,
and have been more generous: Princes did sit, sit in
council, sit in judgment, and speak against me. What even
princes say is not always right; but it is sad when judgment is
thus turned to wormwood, when those that should be the protectors
of the innocent are their betrayers. Herein David was a type of
Christ, for they were the princes of this world that vilified and
crucified the Lord of glory,
24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.
Here David explains his meditating in God's
statutes (
25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.
Here is, I. David's complaint. We should
have thought his soul soaring to heaven; but he says himself, My
soul not only rolls in the dust, but cleaves to the
dust, which is a complaint either, 1. Of his corruptions, his
inclination to the world and the body (both which are dust), and
that which follows upon it, a deadness to holy duties. When he
would do good evil was present with him. God intimated that
Adam was not only mortal, but sinful, when he said, Dust thou
art,
II. His petition for relief, and his plea to enforce that petition: "Quicken thou me according to thy word. By thy providence put life into my affairs, by thy grace put life into my affections; cure me of my spiritual deadness and make me lively in my devotion." Note, When we find ourselves dull we must go to God and beg of him to quicken us; he has an eye to God's word as a means of quickening (for the words which God speaks, they are spirit and they are life to those that receive them), and as an encouragement to hope that God would quicken him, having promised grace and comfort to all the saints, and to David in particular. God's word must be our guide and plea in every prayer.
26 I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes. 27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.
We have here, 1. The great intimacy and
freedom that had been between David and his God. David had opened
his case, opened his very heart to God: "I have declared my
ways, and acknowledged thee in them all, have taken thee along
with me in all my designs and enterprises." Thus Jephthah
uttered all his words, and Hezekiah spread his letters,
before the Lord. "I have declared my ways, my wants, and
burdens, and troubles, that I meet with in my way, or my sins, my
by-ways (I have made an ingenuous confession of them), and thou
heardest me, heardest patiently all I had to say, and tookedst
cognizance of my case." It is an unspeakable comfort to a gracious
soul to think with what tenderness all its complaints are received
by a gracious God,
28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. 29 Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.
Here is, 1. David's representation of his
own griefs: My soul melteth for heaviness, which is to the
same purport with
30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me. 31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O Lord, put me not to shame. 32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.
Observe, I. That those who will make anything to purpose of their religion must first make it their serious and deliberate choice; so David did: I have chosen the way of truth. Note, 1. The way of serious godliness is the way of truth; the principles it is founded on are principles of eternal truth, and it is the only true way to happiness. 2. We must choose to walk in this way, not because we know no other way, but because we know no better; nay we know no other safe and good way. Let us choose that way for our way, which we will walk in, though it be narrow.
II. That those who have chosen the way of truth must have a constant regard to the word of God as the rule of their walking: Thy judgments have I laid before me, as he who learns to write lays his copy before him, that he may write according to it, as the workman lays his model and platform before him, that he may do his work exactly. As we must have the word in our heart by an habitual conformity to it, so we must have it in our eye by an actual regard to it upon all occasions, that we may walk accurately and by rule.
III. That those who make religion their choice and rule are likely to adhere to it faithfully: "I have stuck to thy testimonies with unchanged affection and an unshaken resolution, stuck to them at all times, through all trials. I have chosen them, and therefore I have stuck to them." Note, The choosing Christian is likely to be the steady Christian; while those that are Christians by chance tack about if the wind turn.
IV. That those who stick to the word of God may in faith expect and pray for acceptance with God; for David means this when he begs, "Lord, put me not to shame; that is, never leave me to do that by which I shall shame myself, and do thou not reject my services, which will put me to the greatest confusion."
V. That the more comfort God gives us the
more duty he expects from us,
33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. 34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Here, I. David prays earnestly that God
himself would be his teacher; he had prophets, and wise men, and
priests, about him, and was himself well instructed in the law of
God, yet he begs to be taught of God, as knowing that none
teaches like him,
II. He promises faithfully that he would be a good scholar. If God would teach him, he was sure he should learn to good purpose: "I shall keep thy law, which I shall never do unless I be taught of God, and therefore I earnestly desire that I may be taught." If God, by his Spirit, give us a right and good understanding, we shall be, 1. Constant in our obedience: "I shall keep it to the end, to the end of my life, which will be the surest proof of sincerity." It will not avail the traveller to keep the way for a while, if he do not keep it to the end of his journey. 2. Cordial in our obedience: I shall observe it with my whole heart, with pleasure and delight, and with vigour and resolution. That way which the whole heart goes the whole man goes; and that should be the way of God's commandments, for the keeping of them is the whole of man.
35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. 36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
He had before prayed to God to enlighten
his understanding, that he might know his duty, and not mistake
concerning it; here he prays to God to bow his will, and quicken
the active powers of his soul, that he might do his duty; for it
is God that works in us both to will and to do, as well as to
understand, what is good,
I. The grace he prays for. 1. That God
would make him able to do his duty: "Make me to go;
strengthen me for every good work." Since we are not sufficient of
ourselves, our dependence must be upon the grace of God, for from
him all our sufficiency is. God puts his Spirit within us, and so
causes us to walk in his statutes (
II. The sin he prays against, and that is covetousness: "Incline my heart to keep thy testimonies, and restrain and mortify the inclination there is in me to covetousness." That is a sin which stands opposed to all God's testimonies; for the love of money is such a sin as is the root of much sin, of all sin. Those therefore that would have the love of God rooted in them must get the love of the world rooted out of them; for the friendship of the world is enmity with God. See in what way God deals with men, not by compulsion, but he draws with the cords of a man, working in them an inclination to that which is good and an aversion to that which is evil.
III. His plea to enforce this prayer: "Lord, bring me to, and keep me in, the way of thy commandments, for therein do I delight; and therefore I pray thus earnestly for grace to walk in that way. Thou hast wrought in me this delight in the way of thy commandments; wilt thou not work in me an ability to walk in them, and so crown thy own work?"
37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
Here, 1. David prays for restraining grace,
that he might be prevented and kept back from that which would
hinder him in the way of his duty: Turn away my eyes from
beholding vanity. The honours, pleasures, and profits of the
world are the vanities, the aspect and prospect of which draw
multitudes away from the paths of religion and godliness. The eye,
when fastened on these, infects the heart with the love of them,
and so it is alienated from God and divine things; and therefore,
as we ought to make a covenant with our eyes, and lay a
charge upon them, that they shall not wander after, much less fix
upon, that which is dangerous (
38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
Here is 1. The character of a good man, which is the work of God's grace in him; he is God's servant, subject to his law and employed in his work, that is, devoted to his fear, given up to his direction and disposal, and taken up with high thoughts of him and all those acts of devotion which have a tendency to his glory. Those are truly God's servants who, though they have their infirmities and defects, are sincerely devoted to the fear of God and have all their affections and motions governed by that fear; they are engaged and addicted to religion. 2. The confidence that a good man has towards God, in dependence upon the word of his grace to him. Those that are God's servants may, in faith and with humble boldness, pray that God would establish his word to them, that is, that he would fulfil his promises to them in due time, and in the mean time give them an assurance that they shall be fulfilled. What God has promised we must pray for; we need not be so aspiring as to ask more; we need not be so modest as to ask less.
39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.
Here, 1. David prays against
reproach, as before,
40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.
Here, 1. David professes the ardent affection he had to the word of God: "I have longed after thy precepts, not only loved them, and delighted in what I have already attained, but I have earnestly desired to know them more and do them better, and am still pressing forward towards perfection." Tastes of the sweetness of God's precepts will but set us a longing after a more intimate acquaintance with them. He appeals to God concerning this passionate desire after his precepts: "Behold, I have thus loved, thus longed; thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I am thus affected." 2. He prays for grace to enable him to answer this profession. "Thou hast wrought in me this languishing desire, put life into me, that I may prosecute it; quicken me in thy righteousness, in thy righteous ways, according to thy righteous promise." Where God has wrought to will he will work to do, and where he has wrought to desire he will satisfy the desire.
41 Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word. 42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.
Here is, 1. David's prayer for the
salvation of the Lord. "Lord, thou art my Saviour; I am miserable
in myself, and thou only canst make me happy; let thy salvation
come to me. Hasten temporal salvation to me from my present
distresses, and hasten me to the eternal salvation, by giving me
the necessary qualifications for it and the comfortable pledges and
foretastes of it." 2. David's dependence upon the grace and promise
of God for that salvation. These are the two pillars on which our
hope is built, and they will not fail us:—(1.) The grace of God:
Let thy mercies come, even thy salvation. Our salvation must
be attributed purely to God's mercy, and not to any merit of our
own. Eternal life must be expected as the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ,
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments. 44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
Here is, 1. David's humble petition for the
tongue of the learned, that he might know how to speak a word in
season for the glory of God: Take not the word of truth
utterly out of my mouth. He means, "Lord, let the word of truth
be always in my mouth; let me have the wisdom and courage which are
necessary to enable me both to use my knowledge for the instruction
of others, and, like the good householder, to bring out of my
treasury things new and old, and to make profession of my
faith whenever I am called to it." We have need to pray to God that
we may never be afraid or ashamed to own his truths and ways, nor
deny him before men. David found that he was sometimes at a loss,
that the word of truth was not so ready to him as it should
have been, but he prays, "Lord, let it not be taken utterly from
me; let me always have so much of it at hand as will be necessary
to the due discharge of my duty." 2. His humble profession of the
heart of the upright, without which the tongue of the learned,
however it may be serviceable to others, will stand us in no stead.
(1.) David professes his confidence in God: "Lord, make me ready
and mighty in the scriptures, for I have hoped in those
judgments of thy mouth, and, if they be not at hand, my support
and defence have departed from me." (2.) He professes his
resolution to adhere to his duty in the strength of God's grace:
"So shall I keep thy law continually. If I have thy word not
only in my heart, but in my mouth, I shall do all I should do,
stand complete in thy whole will." Thus shall the man of God be
perfect, thoroughly furnished for every good word and work,
45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts. 46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. 47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. 48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.
We may observe in these verses, 1. What
David experienced of an affection to the law of God: "I seek thy
precepts,
49 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
Two things David here pleads with God in
prayer for that mercy and grace which he hoped for, according to
the word, by which his requests were guided:—1. That God had
given him the promise on which he hoped: "Lord, I desire no more
than that thou wouldst remember thy word unto thy servant,
and do as thou hast said;" see
50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.
Here is David's experience of benefit by the word. 1. As a means of his sanctification: "Thy word has quickened me. It made me alive when I was dead in sin; it has many a time made me lively when I was dead in duty; it has quickened me to that which is good when I was backward and averse to it, and it has quickened me in that which is good when I was cold and indifferent." 2. Therefore as a means of his consolation when he was in affliction and needed something to support him: "Because thy word has quickened me at other times, it has comforted me then." The word of God has much in it that speaks comfort in affliction; but those only may apply it to themselves who have experienced in some measure the quickening power of the word. If through grace it make us holy, there is enough in it to make us easy, in all conditions, under all events.
51 The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.
David here tells us, and it will be of use to us to know it, 1. That he had been jeered for his religion. Though he was a man of honour, a man of great prudence, and had done eminent services to his country, yet, because he was a devout conscientious man, the proud had him greatly in derision; they ridiculed him, bantered him, and did all they could to expose him to contempt; they laughed at him for his praying, and called it cant, for his seriousness, and called it mopishness, for his strictness, and called it needless preciseness. They were the proud that sat in the scorner's seat and valued themselves on so doing. 2. That yet he had not been jeered out of his religion: "They have done all they could to make me quit it for shame, but none of these things move me: I have not declined from thy law for all this; but, if this be to be vile" (as he said when Michal had him greatly in derision), "I will be yet more vile." He not only had not quite forsaken the law, but had not so much as declined from it. We must never shrink from any duty, nor let slip an opportunity of doing good, for fear of the reproach of men, or their revilings. The traveller goes on his way though the dogs bark at him. Those can bear but little for Christ that cannot bear a hard word for him.
52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord; and have comforted myself.
When David was derided for his godliness he
not only held fast his integrity, but, 1. He comforted himself. He
not only bore reproach, but bore it cheerfully. It did not disturb
his peace, nor break in upon the repose of his spirit in God. It
was a comfort to him to think that it was for God's sake that he
bore reproach, and that his worst enemies could find no occasion
against him, save only in the matter of his God,
53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.
Here is, 1. The character of wicked people;
he means those that are openly and grossly wicked: They forsake
thy law. Every sin is a transgression of the law, but a course
and way of wilful and avowed sin is downright forsaking it and
throwing it off. 2. The impression which the wickedness of the
wicked made upon David; it frightened him, it put him into an
amazement. He trembled to think of the dishonour thereby done to
God, the gratification thereby given to Satan, and the mischiefs
thereby done to the souls of men. He dreaded the consequences of it
both to the sinners themselves (and cried out, O gather not my
soul with sinners! let my enemy be as the wicked) and to the
interests of God's kingdom among men, which he was afraid would be
thereby sunk and ruined. He does not say, "Horror has taken hold
on me because of their cruel designs against me," but "because
of the contempt they put on God and his law." Sin is a monstrous
horrible thing in the eyes of all that are sanctified,
54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.
Here is, 1. David's state and condition; he
was in the house of his pilgrimage, which may be
understood either as his peculiar trouble (he was often tossed and
hurried, and forced to fly) or as his lot in common with all. This
world is the house of our pilgrimage, the house in which we are
pilgrims; it is our tabernacle; it is our inn. We must confess
ourselves strangers and pilgrims upon earth, who are not at
home here, nor must be here long. Even David's palace is but the
house of his pilgrimage. 2. His comfort in this state: "Thy
statutes have been my songs, with which I here entertain
myself," as travellers are wont to divert the thoughts of their
weariness, and take off something of the tediousness of their
journey, by singing a pleasant song now and then. David was the
sweet singer of Israel, and here we are told whence he fetched his
songs; they were all borrowed from the word of God. God's statutes
were as familiar to him as the songs which a man is accustomed to
sing; and he conversed with them in his pilgrimage-solitudes. They
were as pleasant to him as songs, and put gladness into his
heart more than those have that chant to the sound of the
viol,
55 I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law. 56 This I had, because I kept thy precepts.
Here is, 1. The converse David had with the
word of God; he kept it in mind, and upon every occasion he called
it to mind. God's name is the discovery he has made of himself to
us in and by his word. This is his memorial unto all
generations, and therefore we should always keep it in
memory—remember it in the night, upon a waking bed, when we
are communing with our own hearts. When others were sleeping David
was remembering God's name, and, by repeating that lesson,
increasing his acquaintance with it; in the night of affliction
this he called to mind. 2. The conscience be made of conforming to
it. The due remembrance of God's name, which is prefixed to his
law, will have a great influence upon our observance of the law:
I remembered thy name in the night, and therefore was
careful to keep thy law all day. How comfortable will it be
in the reflection if our own hearts can witness for us that we have
thus remembered God's name, and kept his law! 3. The advantage he
got by it (
57 Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words.
We may hence gather the character of a
godly man. 1. He makes the favour of God his felicity: Thou art
my portion, O Lord! Others place their happiness in the wealth
and honours of this world. Their portion is in this life; they look
no further; they desire no more; these are their good
things,
58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.
David, having in the foregoing verse
reflected upon his covenants with God, here reflects upon his
prayers to God, and renews his petition. Observe, 1. What he prayed
for. Having taken God for his portion, he entreated his
favour, as one that knew he had forfeited it, was unworthy of
it, and yet undone without it, but for ever happy if he could
obtain it. We cannot demand God's favour as a debt, but must be
humble suppliants for it, that God will not only be reconciled to
us, but accept us and smile upon us. He prays, "Be merciful to
me, in the forgiveness of what I have done amiss, and in giving
me grace to do better for the future." 2. How he prayed—with
his whole heart, as one that knew how to value the blessing he
prayed for. The gracious soul is entirely set upon the favour of
God, and is therefore importunate for it. I will not let thee go
except thou bless me. 3. What he pleaded—the promise of God:
"Be merciful to me, according to thy word. I desire the
mercy promised, and depend upon the promise for it." Those that are
governed by the precepts of the word and are resolved to keep them
(
59 I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. 60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.
David had said he would keep God's
word (
61 The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.
Here is, 1. The malice of David's enemies
against him. They were wicked men, who hated him for his godliness.
There were bands or troops of them confederate against him. They
did him all the mischief they could; they robbed him; having
endeavoured to take away his good name (
62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.
Though David is, in this psalm, much in prayer, yet he did not neglect the duty of thanksgiving; for those that pray much will have much to give thanks for. See, 1. How much God's hand was eyed in his thanksgivings. He does not say, "I will give thanks because of thy favours to me, which I have the comfort of," but, "Because of thy righteous judgments, all the disposals of thy providence in wisdom and equity, which thou hast the glory of." We must give thanks for the asserting of God's honour and the accomplishing of his word in all he does in the government of the world. 2. How much David's heart was set upon his thanksgivings. He would rise at midnight to give thanks to God. Great and good thoughts kept him awake, and refreshed him, instead of sleep; and so zealous was he for the honour of God that when others were in their beds he was upon his knees at his devotions. He did not affect to be seen of men in it, but gave thanks in secret, where our heavenly Father sees. He had praised God in the courts of the Lord's house, and yet he will do it in his bed-chamber. Public worship will not excuse us from secret worship. When David found his heart affected with God's judgments, he immediately offered up those affections to God, in actual adorations, not deferring, lest they should cool. Yet observe his reverence; he did not lie still and give thanks, but rose out of his bed, perhaps in the cold and in the dark, to do it the more solemnly. And see what a good husband he was of time; when he could not lie and sleep, he would rise and pray.
63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
David had often expressed the great love he
had to God; here he expresses the great love he had to the people
of God; and observe, 1. Why he loved them; not so much because they
were his best friends, most firm to his interest and most forward
to serve him, but because they were such as feared God and
kept his precepts, and so did him honour and helped to
support his kingdom among men. Our love to the saints is
then sincere when we love them for the sake of what we see
of God in them and the service they do to him. 2. How he showed his
love to them: He was a companion of them. He had not only a
spiritual communion with them in the same faith and hope, but he
joined with them in holy ordinances in the courts of the Lord,
where rich and poor, prince and peasant, meet together. He
sympathized with them in their joys and sorrows (
64 The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.
Here, 1. David pleads that God is good to all the creatures according to their necessities and capacities; as the heaven is full of God's glory, so the earth is full of his mercy, full of the instances of his pity and bounty. Not only the land of Canaan, where God is known and worshipped, but the whole earth, in many parts of which he has no homage paid him, is full of his mercy. Not only the children of men upon the earth, but even the inferior creatures, taste of God's goodness. His tender mercies are over all his works. 2. He therefore prays that God would be good to him according to his necessity and capacity: "Teach me thy statutes. Thou feedest the young ravens that cry, with food proper for them; and wilt thou not feed me with spiritual food, the bread of life, which my soul needs and craves, and cannot subsist without? The earth is full of thy mercy; and is not heaven too? Wilt thou not then give me spiritual blessings in heavenly places?" A gracious heart will fetch an argument from any thing to enforce a petition for divine teaching. Surely he that will not let his birds be unfed will not let his children be untaught.
65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word. 66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.
Here, 1. David makes a thankful
acknowledgment of God's gracious dealings with him all along:
Thou hast dealt well with thy servant. However God has dealt
with us, we must own he has dealt well with us, better than
we deserve, and all in love and with design to work for our good.
In many instances God has done well for us beyond our expectations.
He has done well for all his servants; never any of them complained
that he had used them hardly. Thou hast dealt well with me,
not only according to thy mercy, but according to thy word.
God's favours look best when they are compared with the promise and
are seen flowing from that fountain. 2. Upon these experiences he
grounds a petition for divine instruction: "Teach me good
judgment and knowledge, that, by thy grace, I may render again,
in some measure, according to the benefit done unto me." Teach me
a good taste (so the word signifies), a good relish, to
discern things that differ, to distinguish between truth and
falsehood, good and evil; for the ear tries words, as the mouth
tastes meat. We should pray to God for a sound mind, that we
may have spiritual senses exercised,
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
David here tells us what he had
experienced, 1. Of the temptations of a prosperous condition:
"Before I was afflicted, while I lived in peace and plenty,
and knew no sorrow, I went astray from God and my duty." Sin
is going astray; and we are most apt to wander from God when we are
easy and think ourselves at home in the world. Prosperity is the
unhappy occasion of much iniquity; it makes people conceited of
themselves, indulgent of the flesh, forgetful of God, in love with
the world, and deaf to the reproofs of the word. See
68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Here, 1. David praises God's goodness and
gives him the glory of it: Thou art good and doest good. All
who have any knowledge of God and dealings with him wilt own that
he does good, and therefore will conclude that he is good. The
streams of God's goodness are so numerous, and run so full, so
strong, to all the creatures, that we must conclude the fountain
that is in himself to be inexhaustible. We cannot conceive how much
good our God does every day, much less can we conceive how good he
is. Let us acknowledge it with admiration and with holy love and
thankfulness. 2. He prays for God's grace, and begs to be under the
guidance and influence of it: Teach me thy statutes. "Lord,
thou doest good to all, art the bountiful benefactor of all the
creatures; this is the good I beg thou wilt do to me,—Instruct me
in my duty, incline me to it, and enable me to do it. Thou art
good, and doest good; Lord, teach me thy statutes, that
I may be good and do good, may have a good heart and live a good
life." It is an encouragement to poor sinners to hope that God will
teach them his way because he is good and upright,
69 The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. 70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.
David here tells us how he was affected as
to the proud and wicked people that were about him. 1. He did not
fear their malice, nor was he by it deterred from his duty: They
have forged a lie against me. Thus they aimed to take away his
good name. Nay, all we have in the world, even life itself, may be
brought into danger by those who make no conscience of forging a
lie. Those that were proud envied David's reputation, because it
eclipsed them, and therefore did all they could to blemish him.
They took a pride in trampling upon him. They therefore persuaded
themselves it was no sin to tell a deliberate lie if it might but
expose him to contempt. Their wicked wit forged lies, invented
stories which there was not the least colour for, to serve their
wicked designs. And what did David do when he was thus belied? He
will bear it patiently; he will keep that precept which forbids him
to render railing for railing, and will with all his heart sit down
silently. He will go on in his duty with constancy and resolution:
"Let them say what they will, I will keep thy precepts, and
not dread their reproach." 2. He did not envy their prosperity, nor
was he by it allured from his duty. Their heart is as fat as
grease. The proud are at ease (
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
See here, 1. That it has been the lot of
the best saints to be afflicted. The proud and the wicked lived in
pomp and pleasure, while David, though he kept close to God and his
duty, was still in affliction. Waters of a full cup are wrung
out to God's people,
72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
This is a reason why David reckoned that when by his afflictions he learned God's statutes, and the profit did so much counterbalance the loss, he was really a gainer by them; for God's law, which he got acquaintance with by his affliction, was better to him than all the gold and silver which he lost by his affliction. 1. David had but a little of the word of God in comparison with what we have, yet see how highly he valued it; how inexcusable then are we, who have both the Old and New Testament complete, and yet account them as a strange thing! Observe, Therefore he valued the law, because it is the law of God's mouth, the revelation of his will, and ratified by his authority. 2. He had a great deal of gold and silver in comparison with what we have, yet see how little he valued it. His riches increased, and yet he did not set his heart upon them, but upon the word of God. That was better to him, yielded him better pleasures, and better maintenance, and a better inheritance, than all the treasures he was master of. Those that have read, and believe, David's Psalms and Solomon's Ecclesiastes, cannot but prefer the word of God far before the wealth of this world.
73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
Here, 1. David adores God as the God of
nature and the author of his being: Thy hands have made me and
fashioned me,
74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.
Here is, 1. The confidence of this good man
in the hope of God's salvation: "I have hoped in thy word;
and I have not found it in vain to do so; it has not failed me, nor
have I been disappointed in my expectations from it. It is a hope
that maketh not ashamed; but is present satisfaction, and
fruition at last." 2. The concurrence of other good men with him in
the joy of that salvation: "Those that fear thee will be glad
when they see me relieved by my hope in thy word and delivered
according to my hope." The comforts which some of God's children
have in God, and the favours they have received from him, should be
matter of joy to others of them. Paul often expressed the hope that
for God's grace to him thanks would be rendered by many,
75 I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.
Still David is in affliction, and being so he owns, 1. That his sin was justly corrected: I know, O Lord! that thy judgments are right, are righteousness itself. However God is pleased to afflict us, he does us no wrong, nor can we charge him with any iniquity, but must acknowledge that it is less than we have deserved. We know that God is holy in his nature and wise and just in all the acts of his government, and therefore we cannot but know, in the general, that his judgments are right, though, in some particular instances, there may be difficulties which we cannot easily resolve. 2. That God's promise was graciously performed. The former may silence us under our afflictions, and forbid us to repine, but this may satisfy us, and enable us to rejoice; for afflictions are in the covenant, and therefore they are not only not meant for our hurt, but they are really intended for our good: "In faithfulness thou hast afflicted me, pursuant to the great design of my salvation." It is easier to own, in general, that God's judgments are right, than to own it when it comes to be our own case; but David subscribes to it with application, "Even my afflictions are just and kind."
76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. 77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
Here is, 1. An earnest petition to God for
his favour. Those that own the justice of God in their afflictions
(as David had done,
78 Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts. 79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.
Here David shows,
I. How little he valued the will—will of sinners. There were those that dealt perversely with him, that were peevish and ill-conditioned towards him, that sought advantages against him, and misconstrued all he said and did. Even those that deal most fairly may meet with those that deal perversely. But David regarded it not, for, 1. He knew it was without cause, and that for his love they were his adversaries. The causeless reproach, like the curse causeless, may be easily slighted; it does not hurt us, and therefore should not move us. 2. He could pray, in faith, that they might be ashamed of it; God's dealing favourably with him might make them ashamed to think that they had dealt perversely with him. "Let them be ashamed, that is, let them be brought either to repentance or to ruin." 3. He could go on in the way of his duty, and find comfort in that. "However they deal with me, I will meditate in thy precepts, and entertain myself with them."
II. How much he valued the good-will of saints, and how desirous he was to stand right in their opinion, and keep up his interest in them and communion with them: Let those that fear thee turn to me. He does not mean so much that they might side with him, and take up arms in his cause, as that they might love him, and pray for him, and associate with him. Good men desire the friendship and society of those that are good. Some think it intimates that when David had been guilty of that foul sin in the murder of Uriah, though he was a king, those that feared God grew strange to him and turned from him, for they were ashamed of him; this troubled him, and therefore he prays, Lord, let them turn to me again. He desires especially the company of those that were not only honest, but intelligent, that have known thy testimonies, have good heads as well as good hearts, and whose conversation will be edifying. It is desirable to have an intimacy with such.
80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
Here is, 1. David's prayer for sincerity, that his heart might be brought to God's statutes, and that it might be sound in them, not rotten and deceitful, that he might not rest in the form of godliness, but be acquainted with the subject to the power of it,—that he might be hearty and constant in religion, and that his soul might be in health. 2. His dread of the consequences of hypocrisy: That I be not ashamed. Shame is the portion of hypocrites, either here, if it be repented of, or hereafter, if it be not: "Let my heart be sound, that I fall not into scandalous sin, that I fall not quite off from the ways of God, and so shame myself. Let my heart be sound, that I may come boldly to the throne of grace, and may lift up my face without spot at the great day."
81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word. 82 Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
Here we have the psalmist,
I. Longing for help from heaven: My soul
faints; my eyes fail. He longs for the salvation of the
Lord and for his word, that is, salvation according to
the word. He is not thus eager for the creatures of fancy, but for
the objects of faith, salvation from the present calamities under
which he was groaning and the doubts and fears which he was
oppressed with. It may be understood of the coming of the Messiah,
and so he speaks in the name of the Old-Testament church; the souls
of the faithful even fainted to see that salvation of which
the prophets testified. (
II. Waiting for that help, assured that it will come, and tarrying till it come: But I hope in thy word; and but for hope the heart would break. When the eyes fail yet the faith must not; for the vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak and shall not lie.
83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.
David begs God would make haste to comfort
him, 1. Because his affliction was great, and therefore he was an
object of God's pity: Lord, make haste to help me, for I have
become like a bottle in the smoke, a leathern bottle, which, if
it hung any while in the smoke, was not only blackened with soot,
but dried, and parched, and shrivelled up. David was thus wasted by
age, and sickness, and sorrow. See how affliction will mortify the
strongest and stoutest of men! David had been of a ruddy
countenance, as fresh as a rose; but now he is withered, his colour
is gone, his cheeks are furrowed. Thus does man's beauty consume
under God's rebukes, as a moth fretting a garment. A bottle, when
it is thus wrinkled with smoke, is thrown by, and there is no more
use of it. Who will put wine into such old bottles? Thus was David,
in his low estate, looked upon as a despised broken vessel,
and as a vessel in which there was no pleasure. Good men,
when they are drooping and melancholy, sometimes think themselves
more slighted than really they are. 2. Because, though his
affliction was great, yet it had not driven him from his duty, and
therefore he was within the reach of God's promise: Yet do I not
forget thy statutes. Whatever our outward condition is we must
not cool in our affection to the word of God, nor let that slip out
of our minds; no care, no grief, must crowd that out. As some
drink and forget the law (
84 How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
Here, I. David prays against the
instruments of his troubles, that God would make haste to execute
judgment on those that persecuted him. He prays not for power to
avenge himself (he bore no malice to any), but that God would take
to himself the vengeance that belonged to him, and would
repay (
85 The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law. 86 All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. 87 They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.
David's state was herein a type and figure of the state both of Christ and Christians that he was grievously persecuted; as there are many of his psalms, so there are many of the verses of this psalm, which complain of this, as those here. Here observe,
I. The account he gives of his persecutors
and their malice against him. 1. They were proud, and in
their pride they persecuted him, glorying in this, that they
could trample upon one who was so much cried up, and hoping to
raise themselves on his ruins. 2. They were unjust: They
persecuted him wrongfully; so far was he from giving them any
provocation that he had studied to oblige them; but for his love
they were his adversaries. 3. They were spiteful: They dug
pits for him, which intimates that they were deliberate in
their designs against him and that what they did was of malice
prepense; it intimates likewise that they were subtle and crafty,
and had the serpent's head as well as the serpent's venom, that
they were industrious and would refuse no pains to do him a
mischief, and treacherous, laying snares in secret for him, as
hunters do take wild beasts,
II. His application to God in his persecuted state. 1. He acknowledges the truth and goodness of his religion, though he suffered: "However it be, all thy commandments are faithful, and therefore, whatever I lose for my observance of them, I know I shall not lose by it." True religion, if it be worth any thing, is worth every thing, and therefore worth suffering for. "Men are false; I find them so; men of low degree, men of high degree, are so, there is no trusting them. But all thy commandments are faithful; on them I may rely." 2. He begs that God would stand by him, and succour him: "They persecute me; help thou me; help me under my troubles, that I may bear them patiently, and as becomes me, and may still hold fast my integrity, and in due time help me out of my troubles." God help me is an excellent comprehensive prayer; it is a pity that it should ever be used lightly and as a by-word.
III. His adherence to his duty
notwithstanding all the malice of his persecutors (
88 Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.
Here is, 1. David in care to be found in
the way of his duty. His constant desire and design are to keep
the testimony of God's mouth, to keep to it as his rule and to
keep hold of it as his confidence and portion for ever. This we
must keep, whatever we lose. 2. David at prayer for divine grace to
assist him therein: "Quicken me after thy lovingkindness
(make me alive and make me lively), so shall I keep thy
testimonies," implying that otherwise he should not keep them.
We cannot proceed, nor persevere, in the good way, unless God
quicken us and put life into us; we are therefore here taught to
depend upon the grace of God for strength to do every good work,
and to depend upon it as grace, as purely the fruit of God's
favour. He had prayed before, Quicken me in thy
righteousness (
89 For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. 90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. 91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.
Here, 1. The psalmist acknowledges the
unchangeableness of the word of God and of all his counsels:
"For ever, O Lord! thy word is settled. Thou art for ever
thyself (so some read it); thou art the same, and with thee
there is no variableness, and this is a proof of it. Thy
word, by which the heavens were made, is settled there
in the abiding products of it;" or the settling of God's word in
heaven is opposed to the changes and revolutions that are here upon
earth. All flesh is grass; but the word of the Lord
endures for ever. It is settled in heaven, that is, in
the secret counsel of God, which is hidden in himself and is far
above out of our sight, and is immovable, as mountains of
brass. And his revealed will is as firm as his secret will; as
he will fulfil the thoughts of his heart, so no word of his shall
fall to the ground; for it follows here, Thy faithfulness
is unto all generations, that is, the promise is sure to every
age of the church and it cannot be antiquated by lapse of time. The
promises that look ever so far forward shall be performed in their
season. 2. He produces, for proof of it, the constancy of the
course of nature: Thou hast established the earth for ever and
it abides; it is what it was at first made, and where it was at
first placed, poised with its own weight, and notwithstanding the
convulsions in its own bowels, the agitations of the sea that is
interwoven with it, and the violent concussions of the atmosphere
that surrounds it, it remains unmoved. "They" (the heavens
and the earth and all the hosts of both) "continue to this day
according to thy ordinances; they remain in the posts wherein
thou hast set them; they fill up the place assigned them, and
answer the purposes for which they were intended." The stability of
the ordinances of the day and night, of heaven and earth, is
produced to prove the perpetuity of God's covenant,
92 Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.
Here is, 1. The great distress that David was in. He was in affliction, and ready to perish in his affliction, not likely to die, so much as likely to despair; he was ready to give up all for gone, and to look upon himself as cut off from God's sight; he therefore admires the goodness of God to him, that he had not perished, that he kept the possession of his own soul, and was not driven out of his wits by his troubles, but especially that he was enabled to keep close to his God and was not driven off from his religion by them. Though we are not kept from affliction, yet, if we are kept from perishing in our affliction, we have no reason to say, We have cleansed our hands in vain; or, What profit is it that we have served God? 2. His support in this distress. God's law was his delight, (1.) It had been so formerly, and the remembrance of that was a comfort to him, as it afforded him a good evidence of his integrity. (2.) It was so now in his affliction; it afforded him abundant matter of comfort, and from these fountains of life he drew living waters, when the cisterns of the creature were broken or dried up. His converse with God's law, and his meditations on it, were his delightful entertainment in solitude and sorrow. A Bible is a pleasant companion at any time if we please.
93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.
Here is, 1. A very good resolution: "I will never forget thy precepts, but will always retain a remembrance of and regard to thy word as my rule." It is a resolution for perpetuity, never to be altered. Note, The best evidence of our love to the word of God is never to forget it. We must resolve that we will never, at any time, cast off our religion, and never, upon any occasion, lay aside our religion, but that we will be constant to it and persevere in it. 2. A very good reason for it: "For by them thou hast quickened me; not only they are quickening, but," (1.) "They have been so to me; I have found them so." Those speak best of the things of God who speak by experience, who can say that by the word the spiritual life has been begun in them, maintained and strengthened in them, excited and comforted in them. (2.) "Thou hast made them so;" the word of itself, without the grace of God, would not quicken us. Ministers can but prophesy upon the dry bones, they cannot put life into them; but, ordinarily, the grace of God works by the word and makes use of it as a means of quickening, and this is a good reason why we should never forget it, but should highly value what God has put such honour upon, and dearly love what we have found and hope still to find such benefit by. See here what is the best help for bad memories, namely, good affections. If we are quickened by the word, we shall never forget it; nay, that word that does really quicken us to and in our duty is not forgotten; though the expressions be lost, if the impressions remain, it is well.
94 I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.
Here, 1. David claims relation to God:
"I am thine, devoted to thee and owned by thee, thine in
covenant." He does not say, Thou art mine (as Dr. Manton
observes), though that follows of course, because that were a
higher challenge; but, I am thine, expressing himself in a
more humble and dutiful way of resignation; nor does he say, I
am thus, but, I am thine, not pleading his own good
property or qualification, but God's propriety in him: "I am
thine, not my own, not the world's." 2. He proves his claim:
"I have sought thy precepts; I have carefully enquired
concerning my duty and diligently endeavoured to do it." This will
be the best evidence that we belong to God; all that are his,
though they have not found perfection, are seeking it. 3. He
improves his claim: "I am thine; save me; save me from sin,
save me from ruin." Those that have in sincerity given up
themselves to God to be his may be sure that he will protect them
and preserve them to his heavenly kingdom,
95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies.
Here, 1. David complains of the malice of his enemies: The wicked (and none but such would be enemies to so good a man) have waited for me to destroy me. They were very cruel, and aimed at no less than his destruction; they were very crafty, and sought all opportunities to do him a mischief; and they were confident (they expected, so some read it), that they should destroy him; they thought themselves sure of their prey. 2. He comforts himself in the word of God as his protection: "While they are contriving my destruction, I consider thy testimonies, which secure to me my salvation." God's testimonies are then likely to be our support, when we consider them, and dwell in our thoughts upon them.
96 I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Here we have David's testimony from his own experience, 1. Of the vanity of the world and its insufficiency to make us happy: I have seen an end of all perfection. Poor perfection which one sees an end of! Yet such are all those things in this world which pass for perfections. David, in his time, had seen Goliath, the strongest, overcome, Asahel, the swiftest, overtaken, Ahithophel, the wisest, befooled, Absalom, the fairest, deformed; and, in short, he had seen an end of perfection, of all perfection. He saw it by faith; he saw it by observation; he saw an end of the perfection of the creature both in respect of sufficiency (it was scanty and defective; there is that to be done for us which the creature cannot do) and in respect of continuance; it will not last our time, for it will not last to eternity as we must. The glory of man is but as the flower of the grass. 2. Of the fulness of the word of God, and its sufficiency for our satisfaction: But thy commandment is broad, exceedingly broad. The word of God reaches to all cases, to all times. The divine law lays a restraint upon the whole man, is designed to sanctify us wholly. There is a great deal required and forbidden in every commandment. The divine promise (for that also is commanded) extends itself to all our burdens, wants, and grievances, and has that in it which will make a portion and happiness for us when we have seen an end of all perfection.
97 MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
Here is, 1. David's inexpressible love to the word of God: O how love I thy law! He protests his affection to the word of God with a holy vehemency; he found that love to it in his heart which, considering the corruption of his nature and the temptations of the world, he could not but wonder at, and at that grace which had wrought it in him. He not only loved the promises, but loved the law, and delighted in it after the inner man. 2. An unexceptionable evidence of this. What we love we love to think of; by this it appeared that David loved the word of God that it was his meditation. He not only read the book of the law, but digested what he read in his thoughts, and was delivered into it as into a mould: it was his meditation not only in the night, when he was silent and solitary, and had nothing else to do, but in the day, when he was full of business and company; nay, and all the day; some good thoughts were interwoven with his common thoughts, so full was he of the word of God.
98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
We have here an account of David's learning, not that of the Egyptians, but of the Israelites indeed.
I. The good method by which he got it. In
his youth he minded business in the country as a shepherd; from his
youth he minded business in the court and camp. Which way then
could he get any great stock of learning? He tells us here how he
came by it; he had it from God as the author: Thou hast made me
wise. All true wisdom is from God. He had it by the word of God
as the means, by his commandments and his
testimonies. These are able to make us wise to salvation
and to furnish the man of God for every good work. 1. These
David took for his constant companions: "They are ever with
me, ever in my mind, ever in my eye." A good man, wherever he
goes, carries his Bible along with him, if not in his hands, yet in
his head and in his heart. 2. These he took for the delightful
subject of his thoughts; they were his meditation, not only
as matters of speculation for his entertainment, as scholars
meditate on their notions, but as matters of concern, for his right
management, as men of business think of their business, that they
may do it in the best manner. 3. These he took for the commanding
rules of all his actions: I keep thy precepts, that is, I
make conscience of doing my duty in every thing. The best way to
improve in knowledge is to abide and abound in all the instances of
serious godliness; for, if any man do his will, he shall know of
the doctrine of Christ, shall know more and more of it,
II. The great eminency he attained to in
it. By studying and practising God's commandments, and making them
his rule, he learnt to behave himself wisely in all his
ways,
101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
Here is, 1. David's care to avoid the ways
of sin: "I have refrained my feet from the evil ways they
were ready to step aside into. I checked myself and drew back as
soon as I was aware that I was entering into temptation." Though it
was a broad way, a green way, a pleasant way, and a way that many
walked in, yet, being a sinful way, it was an evil way, and he
refrained his feet from it, foreseeing the end of that way. And his
care was universal; he shunned every evil way. By the words of
thy lips I have kept myself from the paths of the destroyer,
102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.
Here is, 1. David's constancy in his religion. He had not departed from God's judgments; he had not chosen any other rule than the word of God, nor had he wilfully deviated from that rule. A constant adherence to the ways of God in trying times will be a good evidence of our integrity. 2. The cause of his constancy: "For thou hast taught me; that is, they were divine instructions that I learned; I was satisfied that the doctrine was of God, and therefore I stuck to it." Or rather, "It was divine grace in my heart that enabled me to receive those instructions." All the saints are taught of God, for he it is that gives the understanding; and those, and those only, that are taught of God, will continue to the end in the things that they have learned.
103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
Here is, 1. The wonderful pleasure and
delight which David took in the word of God; it was sweet to his
taste, sweeter than honey. There is such a thing as a spiritual
taste, an inward savour and relish of divine things, such an
evidence of them to ourselves, by experience, as we cannot give to
others. We have heard him ourselves,
105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Observe here, 1. The nature of the word of
God, and the great intention of giving it to the world; it is a
lamp and a light. It discovers to us, concerning God and
ourselves, that which otherwise we could not have known; it shows
us what is amiss, and will be dangerous; it directs us in our work
and way, and a dark place indeed the world would be without it. It
is a lamp which we may set up by us, and take into our hands for
our own particular use,
106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.
Here is, 1. The notion David had of religion; it is keeping God's righteous judgments. God's commands are his judgments, the dictates of infinite wisdom. They are righteous judgments, consonant to the eternal rules of equity, and it is our duty to keep them carefully. 2. The obligation he here laid upon himself to be religious, binding himself, by his own promise, to that which he was already bound to by the divine precept, and all little enough. "I have sworn (I have lifted up my head to the Lord, and I cannot go back) and therefore must go forward: I will perform it." Note, (1.) It is good for us to bind ourselves with a solemn oath to be religious. We must swear to the Lord as subjects swear allegiance to their sovereign, promising fealty, appealing to God concerning our sincerity in this promise, and owning ourselves liable to the curse of we do not perform it. (2.) We must often call to mind the vows of God that are upon us, and remember that we have sworn. (3.) We must make conscience of performing unto the Lord our oaths (an honest man will be as good as his word); nor have we sworn to our own hurt, but it will be unspeakably to our hurt if we do not perform.
107 I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word.
Here is, 1. The representation David makes
of the sorrowful condition he was in: I am afflicted very
much, afflicted in spirit; he seems to mean that especially. He
laboured under many discouragements; without were fightings, within
were fears. This is often the lot of the best saints; therefore
think it not strange if sometimes it be ours. 2. The recourse he
has to God in this condition; he prays for his grace: "Quicken
me, O Lord! make me lively, make me cheerful; quicken me by
afflictions to greater diligence in my work. Quicken me,
that is, deliver me out of my afflictions, which will be as life
from the dead." He pleads the promise of God, guides his desires by
it, and grounds his hopes upon it: Quicken me according to thy
word. David resolved to perform his promises to God (
108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me thy judgments.
Two things we are here taught to pray for,
in reference to our religious performances:—1. Acceptance of
them. This we must aim at in all we do in religion, that, whether
present or absent, we may be accepted of the Lord. What David here
earnestly prays for the acceptance of are the
free-will-offerings, not of his purse, but of his
mouth, his prayers and praises. The calves of our
lips (
109 My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law. 110 The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.
Here is, 1. David in danger of losing his
life. There is but a step between him and death, for the wicked
have laid a snare for him; Saul did so many a time, because he
hated him for his piety. Wherever he was he found some design or
other laid against him to take away his life, for it was that they
aimed at. What they could not effect by open force they hoped to
compass by treachery, which made him say, My soul is continually
in my hand. It was so with him, not only as a man (so it
is true of us all; wherever we are we lie exposed to the strokes of
death; what we carry in our hands is easily snatched away from us
by violence, or if sandy, as our life is, it easily of itself slips
through our fingers), but as a man of war, a soldier, who
often jeoparded his life in the high places of the field, and
especially as a man after God's own heart, and, as such,
hated and persecuted, and always delivered to death
(
111 Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. 112 I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.
The psalmist here in a most affectionate manner, like an Israelite indeed, resolves to stick to the word of God and to live and die by it.
I. He resolves to portion himself in it,
and there to seek his happiness, nay, there to enjoy it; "Thy
testimonies (the truths, the promises, of thy word) have I
taken as a heritage for ever, for they are the rejoicing of my
heart." The present delight he took in them was an evidence
that the good things contained in them were in his account the best
things, and the treasure which he set his heart upon. 1. He
expected an eternal happiness in God's testimonies. The covenant
God had made with him was an everlasting covenant, and therefore he
took it as a heritage for ever. If he could not yet say,
"They are my heritage," yet he could say, "I have made choice of
them for my heritage; and will never take up with a portion in this
life,"
II. He resolves to govern himself by it and thence to take his measures: I have inclined my heart to do thy statutes. Those that would have the blessings of God's testimonies must come under the bonds of his statutes. We must look for comfort only in the way of duty, and that duty must be done, 1. With full consent and complacency: "I have, by the grace of God, inclined my heart to it, and conquered the aversion I had to it." A good man brings his heart to his work and then it is done well. A gracious disposition to do the will of God is the acceptable principle of all obedience. 2. With constancy and perseverance. He would perform God's statutes always, in all instances, in the duty of every day, in a constant course of holy walking, and this to the end, without weariness. This is following the Lord fully.
113 I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.
Here we have, 1. David's dread of the
risings of sin, and the first beginnings of it: I hate vain
thoughts. He does not mean that he hated them in others, for
there he could not discern them, but he hated them in his own
heart. Every good man makes conscience of his thoughts, for they
are words to God. Vain thoughts, how light soever most make of
them, are sinful and hurtful, and therefore we should account them
hateful and dreadful, for they do not only divert the mind from
that which is good, but open the door to all evil,
114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
Here is, 1. God's care of David to protect and defend him, which he comforted himself with when his enemies were very malicious against him: Thou art my hiding-place and my shield. David, when Saul pursued him, often betook himself to close places for shelter; in war he guarded himself with his shield. Now God was both these to him, a hiding-place to preserve him from danger and a shield to preserve him in danger, his life from death and his soul from sin. Good people are safe under God's protection. He is their strength and their shield, their help and their shield, their sun and their shield, their shield and their great reward, and here their hiding-place and their shield. They may by faith retire to him, and repose in him as their hiding-place, where they are kept in secret. They may by faith oppose his power to all the might and malice of their enemies, as their shield to quench every fiery dart. 2. David's confidence in God. He is safe, and therefore he is easy, under the divine protection: "I hope in thy word, which has acquainted me with thee and assured me of thy kindness to me." Those who depend on God's promise shall have the benefit of his power and be taken under his special protection.
115 Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.
Here is, 1. David's firm and fixed
resolution to live a holy life: I will keep the commandments of
my God. Bravely resolved! like a saint, like a soldier; for
true courage consists in a steady resolution against all sin and
for all duty. Those that would keep God's commandments must be
often renewing their resolutions to do so: "I will keep
them. Whatever others do, this I will do; though I be singular,
though all about me be evil-doers, and desert me; whatever I have
done hitherto, I will for the future walk closely with God. They
are the commandments of God, of my God, and therefore I will keep
them. He is God and may command me, my God and will command me
nothing but what is for my good." 2. His farewell to bad company,
pursuant to this resolution: Depart from me, you evil-doers.
Though David, as a good magistrate, was a terror to evil-doers, yet
there were many such, even about court, intruding near his person;
these he here abdicates, and resolves to have no conversation with
them. Note, Those that resolve to keep the commandments of God must
have no society with evil-doers; for bad company is a great
hindrance to a holy life. We must not choose wicked people for our
companions, nor be intimate with them; we must not do as they do
nor do as they would have us do,
116 Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. 117 Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
Here, 1. David prays for sustaining grace;
for this grace sufficient he besought the Lord twice: Uphold
me; and again, Hold thou me up. He sees himself not only
unable to go on in his duty by any strength of his own, but in
danger of falling into sin unless he was prevented by divine grace;
and therefore he is thus earnest for that grace to uphold him in
his integrity (
118 Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood. 119 Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies. 120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.
Here is, I. God's judgment on wicked
people, on those that wander from his statutes, that take
their measures from other rules and will not have God to reign over
them. All departure from God's statutes is certainly an error, and
will prove a fatal one. These are the wicked of the earth;
they mind earthly things, lay up their treasures in the earth, live
in pleasure on the earth, and are strangers and enemies to heaven
and heavenly things. Now see how God deals with them, that you may
neither fear them nor envy them. 1. He treads them all down.
He brings them to ruin, to utter ruin, to shameful ruin; he makes
them his footstool. Though they are ever so high, he can bring them
low (
II. The reasons of these judgments. God casts them off because they err from his statutes (those that will not submit to the commands of the word shall feel the curses of it) and because their deceit is falsehood, that is, because they deceive themselves by setting up false rules, in opposition to God's statutes, which they err from, and because they go about to deceive others with their hypocritical pretences of good and their crafty projects of mischief. Their cunning is falsehood, so Dr. Hammond. The utmost of their policy is treachery and perfidiousness; this the God of truth hates and will punish.
III. The improvement David made of these
judgments. He took notice of them and received instruction from
them. The ruin of the wicked helped to increase, 1. His love to the
word of God. "I see what comes of sin; therefore I love thy
testimonies, which warn me to take heed of those dangerous
courses and keep me from the paths of the destroyer." We see
the word of Go fulfilled in his judgments on sin and sinners, and
therefore we should love it. 2. His fear of the wrath of God: My
flesh trembles for fear of thee. Instead of insulting over
those who fell under God's displeasure, he humbled himself. What we
read and hear of the judgments of God upon wicked people would make
us, (1.) To reverence his terrible majesty, and to stand in awe of
him: Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God?
121 I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors. 122 Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.
David here appeals to God, 1. As his
witness that he had not done wrong; he could truly say, "I have
done judgment and justice, that is, I have made conscience of
rendering to all their due, and have not by force or fraud hindered
any of their right." Take him as a king, he executed judgment
and justice to all his people,
123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.
David, being oppressed, is here waiting and wishing for the salvation of the Lord, which would make him easy. 1. He cannot but think that it comes slowly: My eyes fail for thy salvation. His eyes were towards it and had been long so. He looked for help from heaven (and we deceive ourselves if we look for it any other way), but it did not come so soon as he expected, so that his eyes began to fail, and he was sometimes ready to despair, and to think that, because the salvation did not come when he looked for it, it would never come. It is often the infirmity even of good men to be weary of waiting God's time when their time has elapsed. 2. Yet he cannot hope that it comes surely; for he expects the word of God's righteousness, and no other salvation than what is secured by that word, which cannot fall to the ground because it is a word of righteousness. Though our eyes fail, yet God's word does not, and therefore those that build upon it, though now discouraged, shall in due time see his salvation.
124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes. 125 I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
Here is, 1. David's petition for divine
instruction: "Teach me thy statutes; give me to know all my
duty; when I am in doubt, and know not for certain what is my duty,
direct me, and make it plain to me; now that I am afflicted,
oppressed, and my eyes are ready to fail for thy
salvation, let me know what my duty is in this condition." In
difficult times we should desire more to be told what we must do
than what we may expect, and should pray more to be led into the
knowledge of scripture-precepts than of scripture-prophecies. If
God, who gave us his statutes, do not teach us, we shall never
learn them. How God teaches is implied in the next petition:
Give me understanding (a renewed understanding, apt to
receive divine light), that I may know thy testimonies. It
is God's prerogative to give an understanding, that understanding
without which we cannot know God's testimonies. Those who know most
of God's testimonies desire to know more, and are still earnest
with God to teach them, never thinking they know enough. 2. His
pleas to enforce this petition. (1.) He pleads God's goodness to
him: Deal with me according to thy mercy. The best saints
count this their best plea for any blessing, "Let me have it
according to thy mercy;" for we deserve no favour from God, nor can
we claim any as a debt, but we are most likely to be easy when we
cast ourselves upon God's mercy and refer ourselves to it.
Particularly, when we come to him for instruction, we must beg it
as a mercy, and reckon that in being taught we are well dealt with.
(2.) He pleads his relation to God: "I am thy servant, and
have work to do for thee; therefore teach me to do it and to
do it well." The servant has reason to expect that, if he be at a
loss about his work, his master should teach him, and, if it were
in his power, give him an understanding. "Lord," says David, "I
desire to serve thee; show me how." If any man resolve to do God's
will as his servant, he shall be made to know his testimonies,
126 It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law.
Here is, 1. A complaint of the daring impiety of the wicked. David, having in himself a holy indignation at it, humbly represents it to God: "Lord, there are those that have made void thy law, have set thee and thy government at defiance, and have done what in them lay to cancel and vacate the obligation of thy commands." Those that sin through infirmity transgress the law, but presumptuous sinners do in effect make void the law, saying, Who is the Lord? What is the Almighty, that we should fear him? It is possible a godly man may sin against the commandment, but a wicked man would sin away the commandment, would repeal God's laws and enact his own lusts. This is the sinfulness of sin and the malignity of the carnal mind. 2. A desire that God would appear, for the vindication of his own honour: "It is time for thee, Lord, to work, to do something for the effectual confutation of atheists and infidels, and the silencing of those that set their mouth against the heavens." God's time to work is when vice has become most daring and the measure of iniquity is full. Now will I arise, saith the Lord. Some read it, and the original will bear it, It is time to work for thee, O Lord! it is time for every one in his place to appear on the Lord's side—against the threatening growth of profaneness and immorality. We must do what we can for the support of the sinking interests of religion, and, after all, we must beg of God to take the work into his own hands.
127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. 128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
David here, as often in this psalm, professes the great love he had to the word and law of God; and, to evidence the sincerity of it, observe, 1. The degree of his love. He loved his Bible better than he loved his money—above gold, yea, above fine gold. Gold, fine gold, is what most men set their hearts upon; nothing charms them and dazzles their eyes so much as gold does. It is fine gold, a fine thing in their eyes; they will venture their souls, their God, their all, to get and keep it. But David saw that the word of God answers all purposes better than money does, for it enriches the soul towards God; and therefore he loved it better than gold, for it had done that for him which gold could not do, and would stand him in stead when the wealth of the world would fail him. 2. The ground of his love. He loved all God's commandments because he esteemed them to be right, all reasonable and just, and suited to the end for which they were made. They are all as they should be, and no fault can be found with them; and we must love them because they bear God's image and are the revelations of his will. If we thus consent to the law that it is good, we shall delight in it after the inner man. 3. The fruit and evidence of this love: He hated every false way. The way of sin being directly contrary to God's precepts, which are right, is a false way, and therefore those that have a love and esteem for God's law hate it and will not be reconciled to it.
129 Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.
See here how David was affected towards the word of God. 1. He admired it, as most excellent in itself: Thy testimonies are wonderful. The word of God gives us admirable discoveries of God, and Christ, and another world; admirable proofs of divine love and grace. The majesty of the style, the purity of the matter, the harmony of the parts, are all wonderful. Its effects upon the consciences of men, both for conviction and comfort, are wonderful; and it is a sign that we are not acquainted with God's testimonies, or do not understand them, if we do not admire them. 2. He adhered to it as of constant use to him: "Therefore doth my soul keep them, as a treasure of inestimable value, which I cannot be without." We do not keep them to any purpose unless our souls keep them. There they must be deposited, as the tables of testimony in the ark, there they must have the innermost and uppermost place. Those that see God's word to be admirable will prize it highly and preserve it carefully, as that which they promise themselves great things from.
130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Here is, 1. The great use for which the
word of God was intended, to give light, that is, to give
understanding, to give us to understand that which will be of use
to us in our travels through this world; and it is the outward and
ordinary means by which the Spirit of God enlightens the
understanding of all that are sanctified. God's testimonies are not
only wonderful for the greatness of them, but useful, as a light in
a dark place. 2. Its efficacy for this purpose. It admirably
answers the end; for, (1.) Even the entrance of God's word gives
light. If we begin at the beginning, and take it before us, we
shall find that the very first verses of the Bible give us
surprising and yet satisfying discoveries of the origin of the
universe, about which, without that, the world is utterly in the
dark. As soon as the word of God enters into us, and has a place in
us, it enlightens us; we find we begin to see when we begin to
study the word of God. The very first principles of the oracles of
God, the plainest truths, the milk appointed for the babes, bring a
great light into the soul, much more will the soul be illuminated
by the sublime mysteries that are found there. "The exposition or
explication of thy word gives light;" then it is most profitable
when ministers do their part in giving the sense,
131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
Here is, 1. The desire David had towards
the word of God: I longed for thy commandments. When he was
under a forced absence from God's ordinances he longed to be
restored to them again; when he enjoyed ordinances he greedily
sucked in the word of God, as new-born babes desire the
milk. When Christ is formed in the soul there are gracious
longings, unaccountable to one that is a stranger to the work. 2.
The degree of that desire appearing in the expressions of it: I
opened my mouth and panted, as one overcome with heat, or
almost stifled, pants for a mouthful of fresh air. Thus strong,
thus earnest, should our desires be towards God and the remembrance
of his name,
132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.
Here is, 1. David's request for God's
favour to himself: "Look graciously upon me; let me
have thy smiles, and the light of thy countenance. Take cognizance
of me and my affairs, and be merciful to me; let me taste
the sweetness of thy mercy and receive the gifts of thy mercy." See
how humble his petition is. He asks not for the operations of God's
hand, only for the smiles of his face; a good look is enough; and
for that he does not plead merit, but implores mercy. 2. His
acknowledgment of his favour to all his people: As thou usest to
do unto those that love thy name. This is either, (1.) A plea
for mercy: "Lord, I am one of those that love thy name, love
thee and thy word, and thou usest to be kind to those that do so;
and wilt thou be worse to me than to others of thy people?" Or,
(2.) A description of the favour and mercy he desired—"that which
thou usest to bestow on those that love thy name, which thou
bearest to thy chosen,"
133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
Here David prays for two great spiritual
blessings, and is, in this verse, as earnest for the good work of
God in him as, in the verse before, for the good-will of God
towards him. He prays, 1. For direction in the paths of duty:
"Order my steps in thy word; having led me into the right
way, let every step I take in that way be under the guidance of thy
grace." We ought to walk by rule; all the motions of the soul must
not only be kept within the bounds prescribed by the word, so as
not to transgress them, but carried out in the paths prescribed by
the word, so as not to trifle in them. And therefore we must beg of
God that by his good Spirit he would order our steps accordingly.
2. For deliverance from the power of sin: "Let no iniquity have
dominion over me, so as to gain my consent to it, and that I
should be led captive by it." The dominion of sin is to be dreaded
and deprecated by every one of us; and, if in sincerity we pray
against it, we may receive that promise as an answer to the prayer
(
134 Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.
Here, 1. David prays that he might live a
quiet and peaceable life, and might not be harassed and discomposed
by those that studied to be vexatious: "Deliver me from the
oppression of man—man, whom God can control, and whose power
is limited. Let them know themselves to be but men
(
135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.
David here, as often as elsewhere, writes himself God's servant, a title he gloried in, though he was a king; now here, as became a good servant, 1. He is very ambitious of his Master's favour, accounting that his happiness and chief good. He asks not for corn and wine, for silver and gold, but, "Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; let me be accepted of thee, and let me know that I am so. Comfort me with the light of thy countenance in every cloudy and dark day. If the world frown upon me, yet do thou smile." 2. He is very solicitous about his Master's work, accounting that his business and chief concern. This he would be instructed in, that he might do it, and do it well, so as to be accepted in the doing of it: Teach me thy statutes. Note, We must pray as earnestly for grace as for comfort. If God hides his face from us, it is because we have been careless in keeping his statutes; and therefore, that we may be qualified for the returns of his favour, we must pray for wisdom to do our duty.
136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.
Here we have David in sorrow. 1. It is a
great sorrow, to such a degree that he weeps rivers of
tears. Commonly, where there is a gracious heart, there is a
weeping eye, in conformity to Christ, who was a man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief. David had prayed for comfort in God's favour
(
137 Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments. 138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.
Here is, 1. The righteousness of God, the infinite rectitude and perfection of his nature. As he is what he is, so he is what he should be, and in every thing acts as becomes him; there is nothing wanting, nothing amiss, in God; his will is the eternal rule of equity, and he is righteous, for he does all according to it. 2. The righteousness of his government. He rules the world by his providence, according to the principles of justice, and never did, nor ever can do, any wrong to any of his creatures: Upright are thy judgments, the promises and threatenings and the executions of both. Every word of God is pure, and he will be true to it; he perfectly knows the merits of every cause and will judge accordingly. 3. The righteousness of his commands, which he has given to be the rule of our obedience: "Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded, which are backed with thy sovereign authority, and to which thou dost require our obedience, are exceedingly righteous and faithful, righteousness and faithfulness itself." As he acts like himself, so his law requires that we act like ourselves and like him, that we be just to ourselves and to all we deal with, true to all the engagements we lay ourselves under both to God and man. That which we are commanded to practise is righteous; that which we are commanded to believe is faithful. It is necessary to our faith and obedience that we be convinced of this.
139 My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.
Here is, 1. The great contempt which wicked
men put upon religion: My enemies have forgotten thy words.
They have often heard them, but so little did they heed them that
they soon forgot them, they willingly forgot them, not only through
carelessness let them slip out of their minds, but contrived how to
cast them behind their backs. This is at the bottom of all the
wickedness of the wicked, and particularly of their malignity and
enmity to the people of God; they have forgotten the words of God,
else those would give check to their sinful courses. 2. The great
concern which godly men show for religion. David reckoned those his
enemies who forgot the words of God because they were enemies to
religion, which he had entered into a league with, offensive and
defensive. And therefore his zeal even consumed him,
when he observed their impieties. He conceived such an indignation
at their wickedness as preyed upon his spirits, even ate them
up (as Christ's zeal,
140 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
Here is, 1. David's great affection for the word of God: Thy servant loves it. Every good man, being a servant of God, loves the word of God, because it lets him know his Master's will and directs him in his Master's work. Wherever there is grace there is a warm attachment to the word of God. 2. The ground and reason of that affection; he saw it to be very pure, and therefore he loved it. Our love to the word of God is then an evidence of our love to God when we love it for the sake of its purity, because it bears the image of God's holiness and is designed to make us partakers of his holiness. It commands purity, and, as it is itself refined from all corrupt mixture, so if we receive it in the light and love of it it will refine us from the dross of worldliness and fleshly-mindedness.
141 I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts.
Here is, 1. David pious and yet poor. He was a man after God's own heart, one whom the King of kings did delight to honour, and yet small and despised in his own account and in the account of many others. Men's excellency cannot always secure them from contempt; nay, it often exposes them to the scorn of others and always makes them low in their own eyes. God has chosen the foolish things of the world, and it has been the common lot of his people to be a despised people. 2. David poor and yet pious, small and despised for his strict and serious godliness, yet his conscience can witness for him that he did not forget God's precepts. He would not throw off his religion, though it exposed him to contempt, for he knew that was designed to try his constancy. When we are small and despised we have the more need to remember God's precepts, that we may have them to support us under the pressures of a low condition.
142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
Observe, 1. That God's word is
righteousness, and it is an everlasting righteousness.
It is the rule of God's judgment, and it is consonant to his
counsels from eternity and will direct his sentence for eternity.
The word of God will judge us, it will judge us in righteousness,
and by it our everlasting state will be determined. This should
possess us with a very great reverence for the word of God that it
is righteousness itself, the standard of righteousness, and it is
everlasting in its rewards and punishments. 2. That God's word is a
law, and that law is truth. See the double obligation we are under
to be governed by the word of God. We are reasonable creatures, and
as such we must be ruled by truth, acknowledging the force and
power of it. If the principles be true, the practices must be
agreeable to them, else we do not act rationally. We are creatures,
and therefore subjects, and must be ruled by our Creator; and
whatever he commands we are bound to obey as a law. See how these
obligations are here twisted, these cords of a man. Here is truth
brought to the understanding, there to sit chief, and direct the
motions of the whole man; but, lest the authority of that should
become weak through the flesh, here is a law to bind the will and
bring that into subjection. God's truth is a law (
143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights. 144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.
These two verses are almost a repetition of
the two foregoing verses, but with improvement. 1. David again
professes his constant adherence to God and his duty,
notwithstanding the many difficulties and discouragements he met
with. He had said (
145 I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I will keep thy statutes. 146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
Here we have, I. David's good prayers, by
which he sought to God for mercy; these he mentions here, not as
boasting of them, or trusting to any merit in them, but reflecting
upon them with comfort, that he had taken the appointed way to
comfort. Observe here, 1. That he was inward with God in prayer; he
prayed with his heart, and prayer is acceptable no further
than the heart goes along with it. Lip-labour, if that be all, is
lost labour. 2. He was importunate with God in prayer; he
cried, as one in earnest, with fervour of affection and a
holy vehemence and vigour of desire. He cried with his whole
heart; all the powers of his soul were not only engaged and
employed, but exerted to the utmost, in his prayers. Then we
are likely to speed when we thus strive and wrestle in prayer. 3.
That he directed his prayer to God: I cried unto thee.
Whither should the child go but to his father when any thing ails
him? 4. That the great thing he prayed for was salvation: Save
me. A short prayer (for we mistake if we think we shall be
heard for our much speaking), but a comprehensive prayer: "Not only
rescue me from ruin, but make me happy." We need desire no more
than God's salvation (
II. David's good purposes, by which he
bound himself to duty when he was in the pursuit of mercy. "I
will keep thy statutes; I am resolved that by thy grace I
will;" for, if we turn away our ear from hearing the law, we
cannot expect an answer of peace to our prayers,
147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. 148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
David goes on here to relate how he had abounded in the duty of prayer, much to his comfort and advantage: he cried unto God, that is, offered up to him his pious and devout affections with all seriousness. Observe,
I. The handmaids of his devotion. The two great exercises that attended his prayers, and were helpful to them, were, 1. Hope in God's word, which encouraged him to continue instant in prayer, though the answer did not come immediately: "I cried, and hoped that at last I should speed, because the vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it will speak and not lie. I hoped in thy word, which I knew would not fail me." 2. Meditation in God's word. The more intimately we converse with the word of God, and the more we dwell upon it in our thoughts, the better able we shall be to speak to God in his own language and the better we shall know what to pray for as we ought. Reading the word will not serve, but we must meditate in it.
II. The hours of his devotion. He
anticipated the dawning of the morning, nay, and the
night-watches. See here, 1. That David was an early riser,
which perhaps contributed to his eminency. He was none of those
that say, Yet a little sleep. 2. That he began the day with
God. The first thing he did in the morning, before he admitted any
business, was to pray, when his mind was most fresh and in the best
frame. If our first thoughts in the morning be of God they will
help to keep us in his fear all the day long. 3. That his mind was
so full of God, and the cares and delights of his religion, that a
little sleep served his turn. Even in the night-watches,
when he awaked from his first sleep, he would rather meditate and
pray than turn himself and go to sleep again. He esteemed the
words of God's mouth more than his necessary repose, which we
can as ill spare as our food,
149 Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O Lord, quicken me according to thy judgment.
Here, 1. David applies to God for grace and comfort with much solemnity. He begs of God to hear his voice: "Lord, I have something to say to thee; shall I obtain a gracious audience?" Well, what has he to say? What is his petition and what is his request? It is not long, but it has much in a little: "Lord, quicken me; stir me up to that which is good, and make me vigorous, and lively, and cheerful in it. Let habits of grace be drawn out into act." 2. He encourages himself to hope that he shall obtain his request; for he depends, (1.) Upon God's lovingkindness: "He is good, therefore he will be good to me, who hope in his mercy. His lovingkindness manifested to me will help to quicken me, and put life into me." (2.) Upon God's judgment, that is, his wisdom ("He knows what I need, and what is good for me, and therefore will quicken me"), or his promise, the word which he has spoken, mercy secured by the new covenant: Quicken me according to the tenour of that covenant.
150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law. 151 Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy commandments are truth.
Here is, I. The apprehension David was in
of danger from his enemies. 1. They were very malicious, and
industrious in prosecuting their malicious designs: They follow
after mischief, any mischief they could do to David or his
friends; they would let slip no opportunity nor let fall any
pursuit that might be to his hurt. 2. They were very impious, and
had no fear of God before their eyes: They are far from thy
law, setting themselves as far as they can out of the reach of
its convictions and commands. The persecutors of God's people are
such as make light of God himself; we may therefore be sure that
God will take his people's part against them. 3. They followed him
closely and he was just ready to fall into their hands: They
draw nigh, nigher than they were; so that they got ground of
him. They were at his heels, just upon his back. God sometimes
suffers persecutors to prevail very far against his people, so
that, as David said (
II. The assurance David had of protection
with God: "They draw nigh to destroy me, but thou art
near, O Lord! to save me, not only mightier than they and
therefore able to help me against them, but nearer than they and
therefore ready to help." It is the happiness of the saints that,
when trouble is near, God is near, and no trouble can separate
between them and him. He is never far to seek, but he is within our
call, and means are within his call,
152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.
This confirms what he had said in the close
of the foregoing verses, All thy commandments are truth; he
means the covenant, the word which God has commanded to a thousand
generations. This is firm, as true as truth itself. For, 1. God has
founded it so; he has framed it for a perpetuity. Such is the
constitution of it, and so well ordered is it in all things, that
it cannot but be sure. The promises are founded for ever, so
that when heaven and earth shall have passed away every iota and
tittle of the promise shall stand firm,
153 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. 154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.
Here, I. David prays for succour in
distress. Is any afflicted? let him pray; let him pray as
David does here. 1. He has an eye to God's pity, and prays,
"Consider my affliction; take it into thy thoughts, and all
the circumstances of it, and sit not by as one unconcerned." God is
never unmindful of his people's afflictions, but he will have us to
put him in remembrance (
II. He pleads his dependence upon the word of God and his obedient regard to its directions: Quicken and deliver me according to thy word of promise, for I do not forget thy precepts. The more closely we cleave to the word of God, both as our rule and as our stay, the more assurance we may have of deliverance in due time.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.
Here is, 1. The description of wicked men. They do not only do God's statutes, but they do not so much as seek them; they do not acquaint themselves with them, nor so much as desire to know their duty, nor in the least endeavour to do it. Those are wicked indeed who do not think the law of God worth enquiring after, but are altogether regardless of it, being resolved to live at large and to walk in the way of their heart. 2. Their doom: Salvation is far from them. They cannot upon any good grounds promise themselves temporal deliverance. Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. How can those expect to seek God's favour with success, when they are in adversity, who never sought his statutes when they were in prosperity? But eternal salvation is certainly far from them. They flatter themselves with a conceit that it is near, and that they are going to heaven; but they are mistaken: it is far from them. They thrust it from them by thrusting the Saviour from them; it is so far from them that they cannot reach it, and the longer they persist in sin the further it is; nay, while salvation is far from them, damnation is near; it slumbers not. Behold, the Judge stands before the door.
156 Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord: quicken me according to thy judgments.
Here, 1. David admires God's grace:
Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord! The goodness of God's
nature, as it is his glory, so it is the joy of all the saints. His
mercies are tender, for he is full of compassion; they are many,
they are great, a fountain that can never be exhausted. He is rich
in mercy to all that call upon him. David had spoken of the misery
of the wicked (
157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.
Here is, 1. David surrounded with difficulties and dangers: Many are my persecutors and my enemies. When Saul the king was his persecutor and enemy no marvel that many more were so: multitudes will follow the pernicious ways of abused authority. David, being a public person, had many enemies, but withal he had many friends, who loved him and wished him well; let him set the one over-against the other. In this David was a type both of Christ and his church. The enemies, the persecutors, of both, are many, very many. 2. David established in the way of his duty, notwithstanding: "Yet do I not decline from thy testimonies, as knowing that while I adhere to them God is for me; and then no matter who is against me." A man who is steady in the way of his duty, though he may have many enemies, needs fear none.
158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.
Here is, 1. David's sorrow for the wickedness of the wicked. Though he conversed much at home, yet sometimes he looked abroad, and could not but see the wicked walking on every side. He beheld the transgressors, those whose sins were open before all men, and it grieved him to see them dishonour God, serve Satan, debauch the world, and ruin their own souls, to see the transgressors so numerous, so daring, so very impudent, and so industrious to draw unstable souls into their snares. All this cannot but be a grief to those who have any regard to the glory of God and the welfare of mankind. 2. The reason of that sorrow. He was grieved, not because they were vexatious to him, but because they were provoking to God: They kept not thy word. Those that hate sin truly hate it as sin, as a transgression of the law of God and a violation of his word.
159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O Lord, according to thy lovingkindness.
Here is, 1. David's appeal to God concerning his love to his precepts: "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love them; consider it then, and deal with me as thou usest to deal with those that love thy word, which thou hast magnified above all thy name." He does not say, "Consider how I fulfil thy precepts;" he was conscious to himself that in many things he came short; but, "Consider how I love them." Our obedience is pleasing to God, and pleasant to ourselves, only when it comes from a principle of love. 2. His petition thereupon: "Quicken me, to do my duty with vigour; revive me, keep me alive, not according to any merit of mine, though I love thy word, but according to thy lovingkindness;" to that we owe our lives, nay, that is better than life itself. We need not desire to be quickened any further than God's lovingkindness will quicken us.
160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
David here comforts himself with the faithfulness of God's word, for the encouragement of himself and others to rely upon it. 1. It has always been found faithful hitherto, and never failed any that ventured upon it; It is true from the beginning. Ever since God began to reveal himself to the children of men all he said was true and to be trusted. The church, from its beginning, was built upon this rock. It has not gained its validity by lapse of time, as many governments, whose best plea is prescription and long usage, Quod initio non valet, tractu temporis convalescit—That which, at first, wanted validity, in the progress of time acquired it. But the beginning of God's word was true (so some read it); his government was laid on a sure foundation. And all, in every age, that have received God's word in faith and love, have found every saying in it faithful and well worthy of all acceptation. 2. It will be found faithful to the end, because righteous: "Every one of thy judgments remains for ever unalterable and of perpetual obligation, adjusting men's everlasting doom."
161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
David here lets us know, 1. How he was
discouraged in his duty by the fear of man: Princes persecuted
him. They looked upon him as a traitor and an enemy to the
government, and under that notion sought his life, and bade him
go serve other gods,
162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
Here is, 1. The pleasure David took in the word of God. He rejoiced at it, rejoiced that God had made such a discovery of his mind, that Israel was blessed with that light when other nations sat in darkness, that he was himself let into the understanding of it and had had experience of the power of it. He took a pleasure in reading it, hearing it, and meditating on it, and every thing he met with in it was agreeable to him. He had just now said that his heart stood in awe of his word, and yet here he declares that he rejoiced in it. The more reverence we have for the word of God the more joy we shall find in it. 2. The degree of that pleasure—as one that finds great spoil. This supposes a victory over the enemy. It is through much opposition that a soul comes to this, to rejoice in God's word. But, besides the pleasure and honour of a conquest, there is great advantage gained by the plunder of the field, which adds much to the joy. By the word of God we become more than conquerors, that is, unspeakable gainers.
163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
Love and hatred are the leading affections
of the soul; if those be fixed aright, the rest move accordingly.
Here we have them fixed aright in David. 1. He had a rooted
antipathy to sin; he could not endure to think of it: I hate and
abhor lying, which may be taken for all sin, inasmuch as by it
we deal treacherously and perfidiously with God and put a cheat
upon ourselves. Hypocrisy is lying; false doctrine is lying; breach
of faith is lying. Lying, in commerce or conversation, is a sin
which every good man hates and abhors, hates and doubly hates,
because of the seven things which the Lord hates one is a
lying tongue and another is a false witness that
speaks lies,
164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.
David, in this psalm, is full of
complaints, yet those did neither jostle out his praises nor put
him out of tune for them; whatever condition a child of God is in
he does not want matter for praise and therefore should not want a
heart. See here, 1. How often David praised God—Seven times a
day, that is, very frequently, not only every day, but often
every day. Many think that once a week will serve, or once or twice
a day, but David would praise God seven times a day at least.
Praising God is a duty which we should very much abound in. We must
praise God at every meal, praise him upon all occasions, in every
thing give thanks. We should praise God seven times a day, for the
subject can never be exhausted and our affections should never be
tired. See
165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
Here is an account of the happiness of good
men, who are governed by a principle of love to the word of God,
who make it their rule and are ruled by it. 2. They are easy, and
have a holy serenity; none enjoy themselves more than they do:
Great peace have those that love thy law, abundant
satisfaction in doing their duty and pleasure in reflecting upon
it. The work of righteousness is peace (
166 Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
Here is the whole duty of man; for we are
taught, 1. To keep our eye upon God's favour as our end: "Lord,
I have hoped for thy salvation, not only temporal but eternal
salvation. I have hoped for that as my happiness and laid up my
treasure in it; I have hoped for it as thine, as a happiness of thy
preparing, thy promising, and which consists in being with thee.
Hope of this has raised me above the world, and borne me up under
all my burdens in it." 2. To keep our eye upon God's word as our
rule: I have done thy commandments, that is, I have made
conscience of conforming myself to thy will in every thing. Observe
here how God has joined these two together, and let no man put them
asunder. We cannot, upon good grounds, hope for God's salvation,
unless we set ourselves to do his commandments,
167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. 168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.
David's conscience here witnesses for him,
I. That his practices were good. 1. He loved God's testimonies, he loved them exceedingly. Our love to the word of God must be a superlative love (we must love it better than the wealth and pleasure of this world), and it must be a victorious love, such as will subdue and mortify our lusts and extirpate carnal affections. 2. He kept them, his soul kept them. Bodily exercise profits little in religion; we must make heart-work of it or we make nothing of it. The soul must be sanctified and renewed, and delivered into the mould of the word; the soul must be employed in glorifying God, for he will be worshipped in the spirit. We must keep both the precepts and the testimonies, the commands of God by our obedience to them and his promises by our reliance on them.
II. That he was governed herein by a good
principle: "Therefore I have kept thy precepts, because by
faith I have seen thy eye always upon me; all my ways are before
thee; thou knowest every step I take and strictly observest all
I say and do. Thou dost see and accept all that I say and do well;
thou dost see and art displeased with all I say and do amiss."
Note, The consideration of this, that God's eye is upon us at all
times, should make us very careful in every thing to keep his
commandments,
169 Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word. 170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.
Here we have, I. A general petition for audience repeated: Let my cry come near before thee; and again, Let my supplication come before thee. He calls his prayer his cry, which denotes the fervency and vehemence of it, and his supplication, which denotes the humility of it. We must come to God as beggars come to our doors for an alms. He is concerned that his prayer might come before God, might come near before him, that is, that he might have grace and strength by faith and fervency to lift up his prayers, that no guilt might interpose to shut out his prayers and to separate between him and God, and that God would graciously receive his prayers and take notice of them. His prayer that his supplication might come before God implied a deep sense of his unworthiness, and a holy fear that his prayer should come short or miscarry, as not fit to come before God; nor would any of out prayers have had access to God if Jesus Christ had not approached to him as an advocate for us.
II. Two particular requests, which he is
thus earnest to present:—1. That God, by his grace, would give
him wisdom to conduct himself well under his troubles: Give me
understanding; he means that wisdom of the prudent which is to
understand his way; "Give me to know thee and myself, and my duty
to thee." 2. That God, by his providence, would rescue him out of
his troubles: Deliver me, that is, with the temptation make
a way to escape,
III. The same general plea to enforce these requests—according to thy word. This directs and limits his desires: "Lord, give me such an understanding as thou hast promised and such a deliverance as thou hast promised; I ask for no other." It also encourages his faith and expectation: "Lord, that which I pray for is what thou hast promised, and wilt not thou be as good as thy word?"
171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
Here is, 1. A great favour which David
expects from God, that he will teach him his statutes. This
he had often prayed for in this psalm, and urged his petition for
it with various arguments; and now that he is drawing towards the
close of the psalm he speaks of it as taken for granted. Those that
are humbly earnest with God for his grace, and resolve with Jacob
that they will not let him go unless he bless them with spiritual
blessings, may be humbly confident that they shall at length obtain
what they are so importunate for. The God of Israel will grant them
those things which they request of him. 2. The grateful sense he
promises to have of that favour: My lips shall utter praise when
thou hast taught me. (1.) Then he shall have cause to praise
God. Those that are taught of God have a great deal of reason to be
thankful, for this is the foundation of all these spiritual
blessings, which are the best blessings, and the earnest of eternal
blessings. (2.) Then he shall know how to praise God, and have a
heart to do it. All that are taught of God are taught this lesson;
when God opens the understanding, opens the heart, and so opens the
lips, it is that the mouth may show forth his praise. We have
learned nothing to purpose if we have not learned to praise God.
(3.) Therefore he is thus importunate for divine
instructions, that he might praise God. Those that pray for God's
grace must aim at God's glory,
172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
Observe here, 1. The good knowledge David had of the word of God; he knew it so well that he was ready to own, with the utmost satisfaction, that all God's commandments are not only righteous, but righteousness itself, the rule and standard of righteousness. 2. The good use he resolved to make of that knowledge: My tongue shall speak of thy word, not only utter praise for it to the glory of God, but discourse of it for the instruction and edification of others, as that which he himself was full of (for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak) and as that which he desired others also might be filled with. The more we see of the righteousness of God's commandments the more industrious we should be to bring others acquainted with them, that they may be ruled by them. We should always make the word of God the governor of our discourse, so as never to transgress it by sinful speaking or sinful silence; and we should often make it the subject-matter of our discourse, that it may feed many and minister grace to the hearers.
173 Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. 174 I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my delight.
Here, 1. David prays that divine grace would work for him: Let thy hand help me. He finds his own hands are not sufficient for him, nor can any creature lend him a helping hand to any purpose; therefore he looks up to God in hopes that the hand that had made him would help him; for, if the Lord do not help us, whence can any creature help us? All our help must be expected from God's hand, from his power and his bounty. 2. He pleads what divine grace had already wrought in him as a pledge of further mercy, being a qualification for it. Three things he pleads:—(1.) That he had made religion his serious and deliberate choice: "I have chosen thy precepts. I took them for my rule, not because I knew no other, but because, upon trial, I knew no better." Those are good, and do good indeed, who are good and do good, not by chance, but from choice; and those who have thus chosen God's precepts may depend upon God's helping hand in all their services and under all their sufferings. (2.) That his heart was upon heaven: I have longed for thy salvation. David, when he had got to the throne, met with enough in the world to court his stay, and to make him say, "It is good to be here;" but still he was looking further, and longing for something better in another world. There is an eternal salvation which all the saints are longing for, and therefore pray that God's hand would help them forward in their way to it. (3.) That he took pleasure in doing his duty: "Thy law is my delight. Not only I delight in it, but it is my delight, the greatest delight I have in this world." Those that are cheerful in their obedience may in faith beg help of God to carry them on in their obedience; and those that expect God's salvation must take delight in his law and their hopes must increase their delight.
175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.
David's heart is still upon praising God; and therefore, 1. He prays that God would give him time to praise him: "Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee, that is, let my life be prolonged, that I may live to thy glory." The reason why a good man desires to live is that he may praise God in the land of the living, and do something to his honour. Not, "Let me live and serve my country, live and provide for my family;" but, "Let me live that, in doing this, I may praise God here in this world of conflict and opposition." When we die we hope to go to a better world to praise him, and that is more agreeable for us, though here there is more need of us. And therefore one would not desire to live any longer than we may do God some service here. Let my soul live, that is, let me be sanctified and comforted, for sanctification and comfort are the life of the soul, and then it shall praise thee. Our souls must be employed in praising God, and we must pray for grace and peace that we may be fitted to praise God. 2. He prays that God would give him strength to praise him: "Let thy judgments help me; let all ordinances and all providences" (both are God's judgments) "further me in glorifying God; let them be the matter of my praise and let them help to fit me for that work."
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
Here is, 1. A penitent confession: I
have gone astray, or wander up and down, like a lost
sheep. As unconverted sinners are like lost sheep (