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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>P S A L M S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>PSALM LX.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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After many psalms which David penned in a day of distress this comes
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which was calculated for a day of triumph; it was penned after he was
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settled in the throne, upon occasion of an illustrious victory which
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God blessed his forces with over the Syrians and Edomites; it was when
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David was in the zenith of his prosperity, and the affairs of his
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kingdom seem to have been in a better posture then ever they were
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either before or after. See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+8:3,13,1Ch+18:3,12">2 Sam. viii. 3, 13;
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1 Chron. xviii. 3, 12</A>.
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David, in prosperity, was as devout as David in adversity. In this
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psalm,
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I. He reflects upon the bad state of the public interests, for many
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years, in which God had been contending with them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:1-3">ver. 1-3</A>.
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II. He takes notice of the happy turn lately given to their affairs,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:4">ver. 4</A>.
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III. He prays for the deliverance of God's Israel from their enemies,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:5">ver. 5</A>.
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IV. He triumphs in hope of their victories over their enemies, and begs
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of God to carry them on and complete them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:6-12">ver. 6-12</A>.
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In singing this psalm we may have an eye both to the acts of the church
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and to the state of our own souls, both which have their struggles.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ps60_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps60_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps60_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps60_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps60_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>David's Complaints and Petitions.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<CENTER>
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<P>To the chief musician upon Shushan-eduth, Michtam of David, to teach,
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<BR>when he strove with Aram-naharaim, and with Aramzobah, when
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<BR>Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt 12,000.</P>
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</CENTER>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast
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scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us
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again.
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2 Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it:
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heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.
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3 Thou hast showed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to
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drink the wine of astonishment.
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4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may
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be displayed because of the truth. Selah.
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5 That thy beloved may be delivered; save <I>with</I> thy right
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hand, and hear me.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The title gives us an account,
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1. Of the general design of the psalm. It is <I>Michtam--David's
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jewel,</I> and it is <I>to teach.</I> The Levites must teach it to the
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people, and by it teach them both to trust in God and to triumph in
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him; we must, in it, teach ourselves and one another. In a day of
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public rejoicing we have need to be taught to direct our joy to God and
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to terminate it in him, to give none of that praise to the instruments
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of our deliverance which is due to him only, and to encourage our hopes
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with our joys.
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2. Of the particular occasion of it. It was at a time,
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(1.) When he was at war with the Syrians, and still had a conflict with
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them, both those of Mesopotamia and those of Zobah.
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(2.) When he had gained a great victory over the Edomites, by his
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forces, under the command of Joab, who had left 12,000 of the enemy
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dead upon the spot. David has an eye to both these concerns in this
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psalm: he is in care about his strife with the Assyrians, and in
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reference to that he prays; he is rejoicing in his success against the
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Edomites, and in reference to that he triumphs with a holy confidence
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in God that he would complete the victory. We have our cares at the
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same time that we have our joys, and they may serve for a balance to
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each other, that neither may exceed. They may likewise furnish us with
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matter both for prayer and praise, for both must be laid before God
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with suitable affections and emotions. If one point be gained, yet in
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another we are still striving: the Edomites are vanquished, but the
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Syrians are not; therefore <I>let not him that girds on the harness
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boast as if he had put it off.</I></P>
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<P>
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In these verses, which begin the psalm, we have,</P>
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<P>
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I. A melancholy memorial of the many disgraces and disappointments
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which God had, for some years past, put the people under. During the
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reign of Saul, especially in the latter end of it, and during David's
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struggle with the house of Saul, while he reigned over Judah only, the
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affairs of the kingdom were much perplexed, and the neighbouring
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nations were vexatious to them.
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1. He complains of <I>hard things</I> which they had seen (that is,
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which they had suffered), while the Philistines and other ill-disposed
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neighbours took all advantages against them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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God sometimes shows even his own people hard things in this world, that
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they may not take up their rest in it, but may dwell at ease in him
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only.
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2. He owns God's displeasure to be the cause of all the hardships they
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had undergone: "<I>Thou hast been displeased</I> by us, displeased
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against us
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
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and in thy displeasure hast cast us off and scattered us, hast put us
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out of thy protection, else our enemies could not have prevailed thus
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against us. They would never have picked us up and made a prey of us
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if thou hadst not broken <I>the staff of bands</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+11:14">Zech. xi. 14</A>)
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by which we were united, and so scattered us." Whatever our trouble is,
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and whoever are the instruments of it, we must own the hand of God, his
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righteous hand, in it.
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3. He laments the ill effects and consequences of the miscarriages of
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the late years. The whole nation was in a convulsion: <I>Thou hast made
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the earth</I> (or <I>the land) to tremble,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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The generality of the people had dreadful apprehensions of the issue of
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these things. The good people themselves were in a consternation:
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"<I>Thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>);
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we were like men intoxicated, and at our wits' end, not knowing how to
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reconcile these dispensations with God's promises and his relation to
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his people; we are amazed, can do nothing, nor know we what to do." Now
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this is mentioned here <I>to teach,</I> that is, for the instruction of
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the people. When God is turning his hand in our favour, it is good to
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remember our former calamities,
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(1.) That we may retain the good impressions they made upon us, and may
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have them revived. Our souls must still have the affliction and the
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misery in remembrance, that they may be <I>humbled within us,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=La+3:19,20">Lam. iii. 19, 20</A>.
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(2.) That God's goodness to us, in relieving us and raising us up, may
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be more magnified; for it is as life from the dead, so strange, so
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refreshing. Our calamities serve as foils to our joys.
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(3.) That we may not be secure, but may always rejoice with trembling,
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as those that know not how soon we may be returned into the furnace
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again, which we were lately taken out of as the silver is when it is
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not thoroughly refined.</P>
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<P>
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II. A thankful notice of the encouragement God had given them to hope
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that, though things had been long bad, they would now begin to mend
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
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"<I>Thou hast given a banner to those that fear thee</I> (for, as bad
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as the times are, there is a remnant among us that desire to fear thy
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name, for whom thou hast a tender concern), <I>that it may be
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displayed</I> by thee, <I>because of the truth</I> of thy promise which
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thou wilt perform, and to be displayed by them, in defense of truth and
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equity,"
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+45:4">Ps. xlv. 4</A>.
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This banner was David's government, the establishment and enlargement
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of it over all Israel. The pious Israelites, who feared God and had a
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regard to the divine designation of David to the throne, took his
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elevation as a token for good, and like the lifting up of a banner to
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them,
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1. It united them, as soldiers are gathered together to their colours.
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Those that were <I>scattered</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
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divided among themselves, and so weakened and exposed, coalesced in him
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when he was fixed upon the throne.
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2. It animated them, and put life and courage into them, as the
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soldiers are animated by the sight of their banner.
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3. It struck a terror upon their enemies, to whom they could now hang
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out a flag of defiance. Christ, the Son of David, is given <I>for an
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ensign of the people</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+11:10">Isa. xi. 10</A>),
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for a banner to those that fear God; in him, as the centre of their
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unity, they are gathered together in one; to him they seek, in him they
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glory and take courage. His love is the banner over them; in his name
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and strength they wage war with the powers of darkness, and under him
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the church becomes terrible as an army with banners.</P>
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<P>
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III. A humble petition for seasonable mercy.
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1. That God would be reconciled to them, though he had been displeased
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with them. In his displeasure their calamities began, and therefore in
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his favour their prosperity must begin: <I>O turn thyself to us
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again!</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>)
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smile upon us, and take part with us; be at peace with us, and in that
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peace we shall have peace. <I>Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia--A God
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at peace with us spreads peace over all the scene.</I>
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2. That they might be reconciled to one another, though they had been
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broken and wretchedly divided among themselves: "<I>Heal the breaches
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of our land</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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not only the breaches made upon us by our enemies, but the breaches
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made among ourselves by our unhappy divisions." Those are breaches
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which the folly and corruption of man makes, and which nothing but the
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wisdom and grace of God can make up and repair, by pouring out a spirit
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of love and peace, by which only a shaken shattered kingdom is set to
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rights and saved from ruin.
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3. That thus they might be preserved out of the hands of their enemies
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>):
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"<I>That thy beloved may be delivered,</I> and not made a prey of,
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<I>save with thy right hand,</I> with thy own power and by such
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instruments as thou art pleased to make the men of thy right hand,
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<I>and hear me.</I>" Those that fear God are his beloved; they are dear
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to him as the apple of his eye. They are often in distress, but they
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shall be delivered. God's own right hand shall save them; for those
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that have his heart have his hand. <I>Save them, and hear me.</I> Note,
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God's praying people may take the general deliverances of the church as
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answers to their prayers in particular. If we improve what interest we
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have at the throne of grace for blessings for the public, and those
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blessings be bestowed, besides the share we have with others in the
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benefit of them we may each of us say, with peculiar satisfaction, "God
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has therein heard me, and answered me."</P>
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<A NAME="Ps60_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps60_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps60_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps60_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps60_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps60_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ps60_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Rejoicing in Hope.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1> <! -- Date --> </FONT></TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>6 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will
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divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
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7 Gilead <I>is</I> mine, and Manasseh <I>is</I> mine; Ephraim also <I>is</I>
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the strength of mine head; Judah <I>is</I> my lawgiver;
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8 Moab <I>is</I> my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe:
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Philistia, triumph thou because of me.
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9 Who will bring me <I>into</I> the strong city? who will lead me
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into Edom?
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10 <I>Wilt</I> not thou, O God, <I>which</I> hadst cast us off? and
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<I>thou,</I> O God, <I>which</I> didst not go out with our armies?
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11 Give us help from trouble: for vain <I>is</I> the help of man.
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12 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he <I>it is that</I> shall
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tread down our enemies.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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David is here rejoicing in hope and praying in hope; such are the
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triumphs of the saints, not so much upon the account of what they have
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in possession as of what they have in prospect
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>):
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"<I>God has spoken in his holiness</I> (that is, he has given me his
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word of promise, has <I>sworn by his holiness, and he will not lie unto
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David,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+89:35">Ps. lxxxix. 35</A>),
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therefore <I>I will rejoice,</I> and please myself with the hopes of
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the performance of the promise, which was intended for more than a
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pleasing promise," Note, God's word of promise, being a firm foundation
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of hope, is a full fountain of joy to all believers.</P>
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<P>
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I. David here rejoices; and it is in prospect of two things:--</P>
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<P>
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1. The perfecting of this revolution in his own kingdom. God having
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<I>spoken in his holiness</I> that David shall be king, he doubts not
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but the kingdom is all his own, as sure as if it were already in his
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hand: <I>I will divide Shechem</I> (a pleasant city in Mount Ephraim)
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<I>and mete out the valley of Succoth,</I> as my own. <I>Gilead is
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mine, and Manasseh is mine,</I> and both are entirely reduced,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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Ephraim would furnish him with soldiers for his life-guards and his
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standing forces; Judah would furnish him with able judges for his
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courts of justice; and thus Ephraim would be <I>the strength of his
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head</I> and Judah <I>his lawgiver.</I> Thus may an active believer
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triumph in the promises, and take the comfort of all the good contained
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in them; for they are all yea and amen in Christ. "<I>God has spoken in
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his holiness,</I> and then pardon is mine, peace mine, grace mine,
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Christ mine, heaven mine, God himself mine." <I>All is yours, for you
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are Christ's,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+3:22,23">1 Cor. iii. 22, 23</A>.</P>
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<P>
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2. The conquering of the neighbouring nations, which had been vexatious
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to Israel, were still dangerous, and opposed the throne of David,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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Moab shall be enslaved, and put to the meanest drudgery. <I>The
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Moabites became David's servants,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+8:2">2 Sam. viii. 2</A>.
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Edom shall be made a dunghill to throw old shoes upon; at least David
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shall take possession of it as his own, which was signified by
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<I>drawing off his shoe</I> over it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ru+4:7">Ruth iv. 7</A>.
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As for the Philistines, let them, if they dare, triumph over him as
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they had done; he will soon force them to change their note. Rather let
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those that know their own interest triumph because of him; for it would
|
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be the greatest kindness imaginable to them to be brought into
|
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subjection to David and communion with Israel. But the war is not yet
|
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brought to an end; there is a <I>strong city,</I> Rabbah (perhaps) of
|
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the children of Ammon, which yet holds out; Edom is not yet subdued.
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Now,
|
|
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(1.) David is here enquiring for help to carry on the ark: "<I>Who will
|
|
bring me into the strong city?</I> What allies, what auxiliaries, can I
|
|
depend upon, to make me master of the enemies' country and their
|
|
strongholds?" Those that have begun a good work cannot but desire to
|
|
make a thorough work of it, and to bring it to perfection.
|
|
|
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(2.) He is expecting it from God only: "<I>Wilt not thou, O God?</I>
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|
For thou hast <I>spoken in thy holiness;</I> and wilt not thou be as
|
|
good as thy word?" He takes notice of the frowns of Providence they had
|
|
been under: <I>Thou hadst,</I> in appearance, <I>cast us off; thou
|
|
didst not go forth with our armies.</I> When they were defeated and met
|
|
with disappointments, they owned it was because they wanted (that is,
|
|
because they had forfeited) the gracious presence of God with them; yet
|
|
they do not therefore fly off from him, but rather take so much the
|
|
faster hold of him; and the less he has done for them of late the more
|
|
they hoped he would do. At the same time that they own God's justice in
|
|
what was past they hope in his mercy for what was to come: "Though
|
|
<I>thou hadst cast us off,</I> yet thou wilt not contend for ever, thou
|
|
wilt not always chide; though <I>thou hadst cast us off,</I> yet thou
|
|
hast begun to show mercy; and wilt thou not perfect what thou hast
|
|
begun?" The Son of David, in his sufferings, seemed to be cast off by
|
|
his Father when he cried out, <I>Why hast thou forsaken me?</I> and yet
|
|
even then he obtained a glorious victory over the powers of darkness
|
|
and their strong city, a victory which will undoubtedly be completed at
|
|
last; for he has gone forth conquering and to conquer. The Israel of
|
|
God, his spiritual Israel, are likewise, through him, more than
|
|
conquerors. Though sometimes they may be tempted to think that God has
|
|
cast them off, and may be foiled in particular conflicts, yet God will
|
|
bring them into the strong city at last. <I>Vincimur in prælio,
|
|
sed non in bello--We are foiled in a battle, but not in the whole
|
|
war.</I> A lively faith in the promise will assure us, not only that
|
|
<I>the God of peace shall tread Satan under our feet shortly,</I> but
|
|
that <I>it is our Father's good pleasure to give us the
|
|
kingdom.</I></P>
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<P>
|
|
|
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II. He prays in hope. His prayer is, <I>Give us help from trouble,</I>
|
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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Even in the day of their triumph they see themselves in trouble,
|
|
because still in war, which is troublesome even to the prevailing side.
|
|
None therefore can delight in war but those that love to fish in
|
|
troubled waters. The <I>help from trouble</I> they pray for is
|
|
preservation from those they were at war with. Though now they were
|
|
conquerors, yet (so uncertain are the issues of war), unless God gave
|
|
them help in the next engagement, they might be defeated; therefore,
|
|
<I>Lord, send us help from the sanctuary. Help from trouble</I> is rest
|
|
from war, which they prayed for, as those that contended for equity,
|
|
not for victory. <I>Sic quærimus pacem--Thus we seek for
|
|
peace.</I> The hope with which they support themselves in this prayer
|
|
has two things in it:--
|
|
|
|
1. A diffidence of themselves and all their creature-confidences:
|
|
<I>Vain is the help of man.</I> Then only we are qualified to receive
|
|
help from God when we are brought to own the insufficiency of all
|
|
creatures to do that for us which we expect him to do.
|
|
|
|
2. A confidence in God, and in his power and promise
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+60:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>):
|
|
|
|
"<I>Through God we shall do valiantly,</I> and so we shall do
|
|
victoriously; for <I>he it is,</I> and he only, <I>that shall tread
|
|
down our enemies,</I> and shall have the praise of doing it." Note,
|
|
|
|
(1.) Our confidence in God must be so far from superseding that it must
|
|
encourage and quicken our endeavours in the way of our duty. Though
|
|
<I>it is God that performs all things for us,</I> yet there is
|
|
something to be done by us.
|
|
|
|
(2.) Hope in God is the best principle of true courage. Those that do
|
|
their duty under his conduct may afford to do it valiantly; for what
|
|
need those fear who have God on their side?
|
|
|
|
(3.) It is only through God, and by the influence of his grace, that we
|
|
do valiantly; it is he that puts strength into us, and inspires us, who
|
|
of ourselves are weak and timorous, with courage and resolution.
|
|
|
|
(4.) Though we do ever so valiantly, the success must be attributed
|
|
entirely to him; for <I>he it is that shall tread down our enemies,</I>
|
|
and not we ourselves. All our victories, as well as our valour, are
|
|
from him, and therefore at his feet all our crown must be cast.</P>
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