mh_parser/vol_split/19 - Psalms/Chapter 119.xml

<div2 id="Ps.cxx" n="cxx" next="Ps.cxxi" prev="Ps.cxix" progress="62.71%" title="Chapter CXIX">
<h2 id="Ps.cxx-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
<h3 id="Ps.cxx-p0.2">PSALM CXIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ps.cxx-p1">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.</p>
<p class="intro" id="Ps.cxx-p2">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 <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p2.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.122" parsed="|Ps|119|122|0|0" passage="Ps 119:122">ver.
122</scripRef>) in all this long psalm in which there is not one or
other of these ten words; only in three or four they are used
concerning God's providence or David's practice (as <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p2.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.75 Bible:Ps.119.84 Bible:Ps.119.121" parsed="|Ps|119|75|0|0;|Ps|119|84|0|0;|Ps|119|121|0|0" passage="Ps 119:75,84,121">ver. 75, 84, 121</scripRef>), and
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p2.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.132" parsed="|Ps|119|132|0|0" passage="Ps 119:132">ver. 132</scripRef> they are called
God's name. The great esteem and affection David had for the word
of God is the more admirable considering how little he had of it,
in comparison with what we have, no more perhaps in writing than
the first books of Moses, which were but the dawning of this day,
which may shame us who enjoy the full discoveries of divine
revelation and yet are so cold towards it. In singing this psalm
there is work for all the devout affections of a sanctified soul,
so copious, so various, is the matter of it. We here find that in
which we must give glory to God both as our ruler and great
benefactor, that in which we are to teach and admonish ourselves
and one another (so many are the instructions which we here find
about a religious life), and that in which we are to comfort and
encourage ourselves and one another, so many are the sweet
experiences of one that lived such a life. Here is something or
other to suit the case of every Christian. Is any afflicted? Is any
merry? Each will find that here which is proper for him. And it is
so far from being a tedious repetition of the same thing, as may
seem to those who look over it cursorily, that, if we duly meditate
upon it, we shall find almost every verse has a new thought and
something in it very lively. And this, as many other of David's
psalms, teaches us to be sententious in our devotions, both alone
and when others join with us; for, ordinarily, the affections,
especially of weaker Christians, are more likely to be raised and
kept by short expressions, the sense of which lies in a little
compass, than by long and laboured periods.</p>
<scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p2.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119" parsed="|Ps|119|0|0|0" passage="Ps 119" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p2.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.1-Ps.119.3" parsed="|Ps|119|1|119|3" passage="Ps 119:1-3" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.1-Ps.119.3">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p2.6">1. ALEPH.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p3">1 Blessed <i>are</i> the undefiled in the way,
who walk in the law of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p3.1">Lord</span>.
  2 Blessed <i>are</i> they that keep his testimonies, <i>and
that</i> seek him with the whole heart.   3 They also do no
iniquity: they walk in his ways.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p4">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 <i>walk in the law of the
Lord,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.1" parsed="|Ps|119|1|0|0" passage="Ps 119:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
God's word is a law to them, not only in this or that instance, but
in the whole course of their conversation; they walk within the
hedges of that law, which they dare not break through by doing any
thing it forbids; and they walk in the paths of that law, which
they will not trifle in, but <i>press forward</i> in them
<i>towards the mark,</i> taking every step by rule and never
walking at all adventures. This is <i>walking in God's ways</i>
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.3" parsed="|Ps|119|3|0|0" passage="Ps 119:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), the ways
which he has marked out to us and has appointed us to walk in. It
will not serve us to make religion the subject of our discourse,
but we must make it the rule of our walk; we must walk <i>in his
ways,</i> not in the way of the world, or of our own hearts,
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Job.23.10-Job.23.11 Bible:Job.31.7" parsed="|Job|23|10|23|11;|Job|31|7|0|0" passage="Job 23:10,11,31:7">Job xxiii. 10, 11; xxxi.
7</scripRef>. 2. Who are upright and honest in their
religion—<i>undefiled in the way,</i> not only who keep themselves
pure from the pollutions of actual sin, <i>unspotted from the
world,</i> but who are habitually sincere in their intentions,
<i>in whose spirit there is no guile,</i> who are really as good as
they seem to be and row the same way as they look. 3. Who are true
to the trust reposed in them as God's professing people. It was the
honour of the Jews that <i>to them were committed the oracles of
God;</i> and blessed are those who preserve pure and entire that
sacred deposit, <i>who keep his testimonies</i> as a treasure of
inestimable value, keep them as the apple of their eye, so keep
them as to carry the comfort of them themselves to another world
and leave the knowledge and profession of them to those who shall
come after them in this world. Those who would <i>walk in the law
of the Lord</i> must <i>keep his testimonies,</i> that is, his
truths. Those will not long make conscience of good practices who
do not adhere to good principles. Or <i>his testimonies</i> may
denote his covenant; the ark of the covenant is called <i>the ark
of the testimony.</i> Those do not keep covenant with God who do
not keep the commandments of God. 4. Who have a single eye to God
as their chief good and highest end in all they do in religion
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.2" parsed="|Ps|119|2|0|0" passage="Ps 119:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): They <i>seek
him with their whole heart.</i> They do not seek themselves and
their own things, but God only; this is that which they aim at,
that God may be glorified in their obedience and that they may be
happy in God's acceptance. He is, and will be, the rewarder, the
reward, of all those who thus <i>seek him diligently, seek him with
the heart,</i> for that is it that God looks at and requires; and
<i>with the whole heart,</i> for if the heart be divided between
him and the world it is faulty. 5. Who carefully avoid all sin
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.3" parsed="|Ps|119|3|0|0" passage="Ps 119:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>They do
no iniquity;</i> they do not allow themselves in any sin; they do
not commit it as those do who are the servants of sin; they do not
make a practice of it, do not make a trade of it. They are
conscious to themselves of much iniquity that clogs them in the
ways of God, but not of that iniquity which draws them out of those
ways. Blessed and holy are those who thus exercise themselves <i>to
have always consciences void of offence.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p4.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.4-Ps.119.6" parsed="|Ps|119|4|119|6" passage="Ps 119:4-6" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.4-Ps.119.6">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p5">4 Thou hast commanded <i>us</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p6">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: <i>Hath God said, You shall not eat?</i> And therefore we
are concerned to be well established in this (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.4" parsed="|Ps|119|4|0|0" passage="Ps 119:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): <i>Thou hast commanded us to
keep thy precepts,</i> to make religion our rule; and <i>to
keep</i> them <i>diligently,</i> to make religion our business and
to mind it carefully and constantly. We are bound, and must obey at
our peril. 2. To look up to God for wisdom and grace to do so
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.5" parsed="|Ps|119|5|0|0" passage="Ps 119:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): <i>O that my
ways were directed</i> accordingly! not only that all events
concerning us may be so ordered and disposed by the providence of
God as not to be in any thing a hindrance to us, but a furtherance
rather, in the service of God, but that our hearts may be so guided
and influenced by the Spirit of God that we may not in any thing
transgress God's commandments—not only that our eyes may be
directed to behold God's statutes, but our hearts directed to keep
them. See how the desire and prayer of a good man exactly agree
with the will and command of a good God: "Thou wouldest have me
keep thy precepts, and, Lord, I fain would keep them." <i>This is
the will of God, even our sanctification;</i> and it should be our
will. 3. To encourage ourselves in the way of our duty with a
prospect of the comfort we shall find in it, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.6" parsed="|Ps|119|6|0|0" passage="Ps 119:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Note, (1.) It is the undoubted
character of every good man that he has a <i>respect to all</i>
God's <i>commandments.</i> He has a respect to the command, eyes it
as his copy, aims to conform to it, is sorry wherein he comes
short; and what he does in religion he does with a conscientious
regard to the command, because it is his duty. He has <i>respect to
all</i> the <i>commandments,</i> one as well as another, because
they are all backed with the same authority (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.10-Jas.2.11" parsed="|Jas|2|10|2|11" passage="Jam 2:10,11">Jam. ii. 10, 11</scripRef>) and all levelled at the
same end, the glorifying of God in our happiness. Those who have a
sincere respect to any command will have a general respect to every
command, to the commands of both testaments and both tables, to the
prohibitions and the precepts, to those that concern both the
inward and the outward man, both the head and the heart, to those
that forbid the most pleasant and gainful sins and to those that
require the most difficult and hazardous duties. (2.) Those who
have a sincere <i>respect to all</i> God's <i>commandments shall
not be ashamed,</i> not only they will thereby be kept from doing
that which will turn to their shame, but they shall have
<i>confidence towards God</i> and boldness of access to the throne
of his grace, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.21" parsed="|1John|3|21|0|0" passage="1Jo 3:21">1 John iii.
21</scripRef>. They shall have credit before men; their honesty
will be their honour. And they shall have clearness and courage in
their own souls; they shall not be ashamed to retire into
themselves, nor to reflect upon themselves, for their hearts shall
not condemn them. David speaks this with application to himself.
Those that are upright may take the comfort of their uprightness.
"As, if I be wicked, woe to me; so, if I be sincere, it is well
with me."</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p6.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.7-Ps.119.8" parsed="|Ps|119|7|119|8" passage="Ps 119:7-8" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.7-Ps.119.8">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p7">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p8">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 <i>learn</i> God's <i>righteous
judgments.</i> He knew much, but he was still pressing forward and
desired to know more, as knowing this, that <i>he had not yet
attained;</i> 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,
<i>mighty in the scriptures.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p9">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>I will praise thee when I have
learned thy judgments,</i> 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 <i>praise</i> him <i>with uprightness of
heart,</i> 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: <i>When I shall have learned thy righteous
judgments I will keep thy statutes.</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p10">III. His prayer to God not to leave him:
"<i>O forsake me not!</i> that is, leave me not to myself, withdraw
not thy Spirit and grace from me, for then <i>I shall</i> not
<i>keep thy statutes.</i>" 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. <i>O forsake me not utterly!</i>
for woe unto me if God departs from me."</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.9" parsed="|Ps|119|9|0|0" passage="Ps 119:9" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.9">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p10.2">2. BETH.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p11">9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?
by taking heed <i>thereto</i> according to thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p12">Here is, 1. A weighty question asked. By
what means may the next generation be made better than this?
<i>Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?</i> 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, <i>youthful lusts</i>
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.2.22" parsed="|2Tim|2|22|0|0" passage="2Ti 2:22">2 Tim. ii. 22</scripRef>); these
render their way offensive to God and disgraceful to themselves.
Young men are concerned to cleanse their way—to get their hearts
renewed and their lives reformed, to make clean, and keep clean,
from the <i>corruption that is in the world through lust,</i> that
they may have both a good conscience and a good name. Few young
people do themselves enquire by what means they may recover and
preserve their purity; and therefore David asks the question for
them. 2. A satisfactory answer given to this question. Young men
may effectually <i>cleanse their way by taking heed thereto
according to</i> the word of God; and it is the honour of the word
of God that it has such power and is of such use both to particular
persons and to communities, whose happiness lies much in the virtue
of their youth. (1.) Young men must make the word of God their
rule, must acquaint themselves with it and resolve to conform
themselves to it; that will do more towards the cleansing of young
men that the laws of princes or the morals of philosophers. (2.)
They must carefully apply that rule and make use of it; they must
take heed to their way, must examine it by the word of God, as a
touchstone and standard, must rectify what is amiss in it by that
regulator and steer by that chart and compass. God's word will not
do without our watchfulness, and a constant regard both to it and
to our way, that we may compare them together. The ruin of young
men is either living at large (or by no rule at all) or choosing to
themselves false rules: let them ponder the path of their feet, and
walk by scripture-rules; so their way shall be clean, and they
shall have the comfort and credit of it here and for ever.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.10" parsed="|Ps|119|10|0|0" passage="Ps 119:10" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.10">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p13">10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let
me not wander from thy commandments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p14">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>I have sought thee,</i> sought to thee as my
oracle, sought after thee as my happiness, sought thee as my God;
for <i>should not a people seek unto their God?</i> If I have not
yet found thee, <i>I have sought thee,</i> and thou never saidst,
Seek in vain, nor wilt say so to me, for <i>I have sought thee with
my heart, with my whole heart,</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.11" parsed="|Ps|119|11|0|0" passage="Ps 119:11" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.11">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p15">11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I
might not sin against thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p16">Here is, 1. The close application which
David made of the word of God to himself: <i>He hid it in his
heart,</i> 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: <i>That I might not sin against thee.</i> 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, <i>It is written,</i>
may oppose God's precepts to the dominion of sin, his promises to
its allurements, and his threatenings to its menaces.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.12" parsed="|Ps|119|12|0|0" passage="Ps 119:12" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.12">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p17">12 Blessed <i>art</i> thou, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p17.1">O Lord</span>: teach me thy statutes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p18">Here, 1. David gives glory to God:
"<i>Blessed art thou, O Lord!</i> 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: "<i>Teach me thy
statutes;</i> 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: <i>Teach me thy
statutes,</i> that I may know how to bless thee, who art a blessed
God, and that I may be blessed in thee."</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.13-Ps.119.16" parsed="|Ps|119|13|119|16" passage="Ps 119:13-16" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.13-Ps.119.16">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p19">13 With my lips have I declared all the
judgments of thy mouth.   14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy
testimonies, as <i>much as</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p20">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 (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p20.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.13" parsed="|Ps|119|13|0|0" passage="Ps 119:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): <i>With my lips have I
declared all the judgments of thy mouth.</i> This he did, not only
as a king in making orders, and giving judgment, according to the
word of God, nor only as a prophet by his psalms, but in his common
discourse. Thus he showed how full he was of the word of God, and
what a holy delight he took in his acquaintance with it; for it is
<i>out of the abundance of the heart</i> that <i>the mouth
speaks.</i> Thus he did good with his knowledge; he did not hide
God's word from others, but hid it for them; and, out of that
<i>good treasure in his heart,</i> brought <i>forth good
things,</i> as the householder out of his store <i>things new and
old.</i> Those whose hearts are fed with the bread of life should
with their lips feed many. He had prayed (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p20.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.12" parsed="|Ps|119|12|0|0" passage="Ps 119:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>) that God would teach him; and
here he pleads, "Lord, I have endeavoured to make a good use of the
knowledge thou hast given me, therefore increase it;" for <i>to him
that has shall be given.</i> 2. That he had entertained himself
with it: "<i>Lord, teach me thy statutes;</i> for I desire no
greater pleasure than to know and do them (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p20.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.14" parsed="|Ps|119|14|0|0" passage="Ps 119:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>): <i>I have rejoiced in the way
of thy commandments,</i> in a constant even course of obedience to
thee; not only in the speculations and histories of thy word, but
in the precepts of it, and in that path of serious godliness which
they chalk out to me. <i>I have rejoiced in</i> this <i>as much as
in all riches,</i> as much as ever any worldling rejoiced in the
increase of his wealth. In the way of God's commandments I can
truly say, <i>Soul, take thy ease;</i>" in true religion there is
all riches, the unsearchable riches of Christ.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p21">II. He looks forward with a holy resolution
never to cool in his affection to the word of God; what he <i>does
that he will do,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p21.1" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.11.12" parsed="|2Cor|11|12|0|0" passage="2Co 11:12">2 Cor. xi.
12</scripRef>. Those that have found pleasure in the ways of God
are likely to proceed and persevere in them. 1. He will dwell much
upon them in his thoughts (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p21.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.15" parsed="|Ps|119|15|0|0" passage="Ps 119:15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>): <i>I will meditate in thy precepts.</i> He not only
discoursed of them to others (many do that only to show their
knowledge and authority), but he communed with his own heart about
them, and took pains to digest in his own thoughts what he had
declared, or had to declare, to others. Note, God's words ought to
be very much the subject of our thoughts. 2. He will have them
always in his eye: <i>I will have respect unto thy ways,</i> as the
traveller has to his road, which he is in care not to miss and
always aims and endeavours to hit. We do not meditate on God's
precepts to good purpose unless we have respect to them as our rule
and our good thoughts produce good works and good intentions in
them. 3. He will take a constant pleasure in communion with God and
obedience to him. It is not for a season that he rejoices in this
light, but "<i>I will</i> still, I will for ever, <i>delight myself
in thy statutes,</i> not only think of them, but do them with
delight," <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p21.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.16" parsed="|Ps|119|16|0|0" passage="Ps 119:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>.
David took more delight in God's statutes than in the pleasures of
his court or the honours of his camp, more than in his sword or in
his harp. When the law is written in the heart duty becomes a
delight. 4. He will never forget what he has learned of the things
of God: "<i>I will not forget thy word,</i> not only I will not
quite forget it, but I will be mindful of it when I have occasion
to use it." Those that meditate in God's word, and delight in it,
are in no great danger of forgetting it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p21.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.17" parsed="|Ps|119|17|0|0" passage="Ps 119:17" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.17">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p21.5">3. GIMEL.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p22">17 Deal bountifully with thy servant,
<i>that</i> I may live, and keep thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p23">We are here taught, 1. That we owe our
lives to God's mercy. David prays, <i>Deal bountifully with</i> me,
<i>that I may live.</i> 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 <i>therefore</i>
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 <i>that I may live</i> and grow rich, live and
be merry, but <i>that I may live and keep thy word,</i> may observe
it myself and transmit it to those that shall come after, which the
longer I live the better I shall do."</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p23.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.18" parsed="|Ps|119|18|0|0" passage="Ps 119:18" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.18">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p24">18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of thy law.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p25">Observe here, 1. That there are <i>wondrous
things</i> in God's <i>law,</i> which we are all concerned, and
should covet, to <i>behold,</i> 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 <i>hidden
from the wise and prudent,</i> but are now <i>revealed unto
babes.</i> If there were wonders in the law, much more in the
gospel, where Christ is all in all, whose name is <i>Wonderful.</i>
Well may we, who are so nearly interested, desire to behold these
wondrous things, when the angels themselves reach <i>to look into
them,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p25.1" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.12" parsed="|1Pet|1|12|0|0" passage="1Pe 1:12">1 Pet. i. 12</scripRef>.
Those that would see the wondrous things of God's law and gospel
must beg of him to <i>open their eyes</i> and to give them an
understanding. We are by nature blind to the things of God, till
his grace cause the scales to fall from our eyes; and even those in
whose hearts God has said, <i>Let there be light,</i> have yet need
to be further enlightened, and must still pray to God to open their
eyes yet more and more, that those who at first <i>saw men as trees
walking</i> may come to see all things clearly; and the more God
opens our eyes the more wonders we see in the word of God, which we
saw not before.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p25.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.19" parsed="|Ps|119|19|0|0" passage="Ps 119:19" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.19">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p26">19 I <i>am</i> a stranger in the earth: hide not
thy commandments from me.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p27">Here we have, 1. The acknowledgment which
David makes of his own condition: <i>I am a stranger in the
earth.</i> 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: <i>Hide not thy commandments
from me.</i> 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>I am a
stranger,</i> 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>I am a stranger</i> here, and must be gone shortly; by
thy commandments let me be prepared for my removal hence."</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p27.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.20" parsed="|Ps|119|20|0|0" passage="Ps 119:20" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.20">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p28">20 My soul breaketh for the longing <i>that it
hath</i> unto thy judgments at all times.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p29">David had prayed that God would open his
eyes (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p29.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.18" parsed="|Ps|119|18|0|0" passage="Ps 119:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>) and
open the law (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p29.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.19" parsed="|Ps|119|19|0|0" passage="Ps 119:19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>); now here he pleads the earnestness of his desire
for knowledge and grace, for it is the fervent prayer that avails
much. 1. His desire was importunate: <i>My soul breaketh for the
longing it hath to thy judgments,</i> or (as some read it) "<i>It
is taken up, and wholly employed, in longing for thy judgments;</i>
the whole stream of its desires runs in this channel. I shall think
myself quite broken and undone if I want the word of God, the
direction, converse, and comfort of it." 2. It was constant—<i>at
all times.</i> It was not now and then, in a good humour, that he
was so fond of the word of God; but it is the habitual temper of
every sanctified soul to hunger after the word of God as its
necessary food, which there is no living without.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p29.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.21" parsed="|Ps|119|21|0|0" passage="Ps 119:21" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.21">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p30">21 Thou hast rebuked the proud <i>that are</i>
cursed, which do err from thy commandments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p31">Here is, 1. The wretched character of
wicked people. The temper of their minds is bad. They are
<i>proud;</i> 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 <i>do err from thy
commandments,</i> as Israel, that did <i>always err in their
hearts;</i> 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, <i>What is the Almighty, that we should
serve him?</i> As Pharaoh, <i>Who is the Lord?</i> 2. The wretched
case of such. They are certainly cursed, for <i>God resists the
proud;</i> and those that throw off the commands of the law lay
themselves under its curse (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p31.1" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.10" parsed="|Gal|3|10|0|0" passage="Ga 3:10">Gal. iii.
10</scripRef>), and he that now <i>beholds them afar off</i> will
shortly say to them, <i>Go, you cursed.</i> The proud sinners bless
themselves; God curses them; and, though the most direful effects
of this curse are reserved for the other world, yet they are often
severely rebuked in this world: Providence crosses them, vexes
them, and, wherein they dealt proudly, God shows himself above
them; and these rebukes are earnests of worse. David took notice of
the rebukes proud men were under, and it made him cleave the more
closely to the word of God and pray the more earnestly that he
might not <i>err from God's commandments.</i> Thus saints get good
by God's judgments on sinners.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p31.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.22" parsed="|Ps|119|22|0|0" passage="Ps 119:22" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.22">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p32">22 Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I
have kept thy testimonies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p33">Here, 1. David prays against the reproach
and contempt of men, that they might be <i>removed,</i> or (as the
word is) <i>rolled, from off him.</i> 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, <i>remove</i> 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 <i>righteousness as the
light,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p33.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.37.6" parsed="|Ps|37|6|0|0" passage="Ps 37:6">Ps. xxxvii. 6</scripRef>.
Reproach and contempt may humble us and do us good and then it
shall be removed. 2. He pleads his constant adherence to the word
and way of God: <i>For I have kept thy testimonies.</i> He not only
pleads his innocency, that he was unjustly censured, but, (1.) That
he was jeered for well-doing. He was despised and abused for his
strictness and zeal in religion; so that it was for God's name's
sake that he suffered reproach, and therefore he could with the
more assurance beg of God to appear for him. The reproach of God's
people, if it be not removed now, will be turned into the greater
honour shortly. (2.) That he was not jeered out of well-doing:
"Lord, remove it from me, <i>for I have kept thy testimonies</i>
notwithstanding." If in a day of trial we still retain our
integrity, we may be sure it will end well.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p33.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.23" parsed="|Ps|119|23|0|0" passage="Ps 119:23" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.23">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p34">23 Princes also did sit <i>and</i> speak against
me: <i>but</i> thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p35">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: <i>Princes did sit,</i> sit in
council, sit in judgment, and <i>speak against me.</i> 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
<i>crucified the Lord of glory,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p35.1" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.2.8" parsed="|1Cor|2|8|0|0" passage="1Co 2:8">1
Cor. ii. 8</scripRef>. 2. What method he took to make himself easy
under these abuses: he <i>meditated in God's statutes,</i> went on
in his duty, and did not regard them; as a deaf man, he heard not.
When they spoke against him, he found that in the word of God which
spoke for him, and spoke comfort to him, and then none of these
things moved him. Those that have pleasure in communion with God
may easily despise the censures of men, even of princes.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p35.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.24" parsed="|Ps|119|24|0|0" passage="Ps 119:24" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.24">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p36">24 Thy testimonies also <i>are</i> my delight
<i>and</i> my counsellors.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p37">Here David explains his meditating in God's
statutes (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p37.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.23" parsed="|Ps|119|23|0|0" passage="Ps 119:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>),
which was of such use to him when princes sat and spoke against
him. 1. Did the affliction make him sad? The word of God comforted
him, and was <i>his delight,</i> more his delight than any of the
pleasures either of court or camp, of city or country. Sometimes it
proves that the comforts of the word of God are most pleasant to a
gracious soul when other comforts are embittered. 2. Did it perplex
him? Was he at a loss what to do when the princes spoke against
him? God's statutes were <i>his counsellors,</i> and they
counselled him to bear it patiently and commit his cause to God.
God's <i>testimonies</i> will be the best counsellors both to
princes and private persons. <i>They are the men of my counsel;</i>
so the word is. There will be found more safety and satisfaction in
consulting them than in the multitude of other counsellors. Observe
here, Those that would have God's testimonies to be their delight
must take them for their counsellors and be advised by them; and
let those that take them for their counsellors in close walking
take them for their delight in comfortable walking.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p37.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.25" parsed="|Ps|119|25|0|0" passage="Ps 119:25" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.25">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p37.3">4. DALETH.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p38">25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou
me according to thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p39">Here is, I. David's complaint. We should
have thought his soul soaring to heaven; but he says himself, <i>My
soul</i> not only rolls in the dust, but <i>cleaves to the
dust,</i> 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 <i>do good evil was present with him.</i> God intimated that
Adam was not only mortal, but sinful, when he said, <i>Dust thou
art,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p39.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.19" parsed="|Gen|3|19|0|0" passage="Ge 3:19">Gen. iii. 19</scripRef>.
David's complaint here is like St. Paul's of a body of death that
he carried about with him. The remainders of in-dwelling corruption
are a very grievous burden to a gracious soul. Or, 2. Of his
afflictions, either trouble of mind or outward trouble. <i>Without
were fightings, within were fears,</i> and both together brought
him even to the <i>dust of death</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p39.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.22.15" parsed="|Ps|22|15|0|0" passage="Ps 22:15">Ps. xxii. 15</scripRef>), and his soul clave inseparably
to it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p40">II. His petition for relief, and his plea
to enforce that petition: "<i>Quicken thou me according to thy
word.</i> 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, <i>they are spirit and they are life</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p40.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.26-Ps.119.27" parsed="|Ps|119|26|119|27" passage="Ps 119:26-27" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.26-Ps.119.27">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p41">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p42">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>I have declared my
ways,</i> and acknowledged thee in them all, have taken thee along
with me in all my designs and enterprises." Thus <i>Jephthah
uttered all his words,</i> and Hezekiah spread his letters,
<i>before the Lord. "I have declared my ways,</i> 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 <i>thou
heardest me,</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p42.1" osisRef="Bible:1John.5.14-1John.5.15" parsed="|1John|5|14|5|15" passage="1Jo 5:14,15">1 John v. 14,
15</scripRef>. 2. David's earnest desire of the continuance of that
intimacy, not by visions and voices from heaven, but by the word
and Spirit in an ordinary way: <i>Teach me thy statutes,</i> that
is, <i>Make me to understand the way of thy precepts.</i> When he
knew God had heard his declaration of his ways he did not say,
"Now, Lord, tell me my lot, and let me know what the event will
be;" but, "Now, Lord, tell me my duty; let me know what thou
wouldst have me to do as the case stands." Note, Those who in all
their ways acknowledge God may pray in faith that he will <i>direct
their steps</i> in the right way. And the surest way of keeping up
our communion with God is by learning his statutes and walking
intelligently in the <i>way of his precepts.</i> See <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p42.2" osisRef="Bible:1John.1.6-1John.1.7" parsed="|1John|1|6|1|7" passage="1Jo 1:6,7">1 John i. 6, 7</scripRef>. 3. The good use he
would make of this for the honour of God and the edification of
others: "Let me have a good understanding of <i>the way of thy
precepts;</i> give me a clear, distinct, and methodical knowledge
of divine things; <i>so shall I talk</i> with the more assurance,
and the more to the purpose, <i>of thy wondrous works.</i>" We can
talk with a better grace of God's wondrous works, the wonders of
providence, and especially the wonders of redeeming love, when we
understand the way of God's precepts and walk in that way.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p42.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.28-Ps.119.29" parsed="|Ps|119|28|119|29" passage="Ps 119:28-29" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.28-Ps.119.29">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p43">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p44">Here is, 1. David's representation of his
own griefs: <i>My soul melteth for heaviness,</i> which is to the
same purport with <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p44.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.25" parsed="|Ps|119|25|0|0" passage="Ps 119:25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>, <i>My soul cleaveth to the dust.</i> Heaviness in
the heart of man makes it to melt, to drop away like a candle that
wastes. The penitent soul melts in sorrow for sin, and even the
patient soul may melt in the sense of affliction, and it is then
its interest to pour out its supplication before God. 2. His
request for God's grace. (1.) That God would enable him to bear his
affliction well and graciously support him under it: "<i>Strengthen
thou me</i> with strength in my soul, <i>according to thy word,</i>
which, as the bread of life, strengthens man's heart to undergo
whatever God is pleased to inflict. Strengthen me to do the duties,
resist the temptations, and bear up under the burdens, of an
afflicted state, that the spirit may not fail. <i>Strengthen me
according to</i> that <i>word</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p44.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.25" parsed="|Deut|33|25|0|0" passage="De 33:25">Deut. xxxiii. 25</scripRef>), <i>As thy days so shall
thy strength be.</i>" (2.) That God would keep him from using any
unlawful indirect means for the extricating of himself out of his
troubles (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p44.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.29" parsed="|Ps|119|29|0|0" passage="Ps 119:29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>):
<i>Remove from me the way of lying.</i> David was conscious to
himself of a proneness to this sin; he had, in a strait, cheated
Ahimelech (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p44.4" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.21.2" parsed="|1Sam|21|2|0|0" passage="1Sa 21:2">1 Sam. xxi. 2</scripRef>),
and Achish, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p44.5" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.21.13 Bible:1Sam.27.10" parsed="|1Sam|21|13|0|0;|1Sam|27|10|0|0" passage="1Sa 21:13,27:10"><i>v.</i> 13 and
<i>ch.</i> xxvii. 10</scripRef>. Great difficulties are great
temptations to palliate a lie with the colour of a pious fraud and
a necessary self-defence; therefore David prays that God would
prevent him from falling into this sin any more, lest he should
settle in the way of it. A course of lying, of deceit and
dissimulation, is that which every good man dreads and which we are
all concerned to beg of God by his grace to keep us from. (3.) That
he might always be under the guidance and protection of God's
government: <i>Grant me thy law graciously;</i> grant me that to
keep me from the <i>way of lying.</i> David had the law written
with his own hand, for the king was obliged to transcribe a copy of
it for his own use (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p44.6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.18" parsed="|Deut|17|18|0|0" passage="De 17:18">Deut. xvii.
18</scripRef>); but he prays that he might have it written in his
heart; for then, and then only, we have it indeed, and to good
purpose. "Grant it me more and more." Those that know and love the
law of God cannot but desire to know it more and love it better.
"Grant it me <i>graciously;</i>" he begs it as a special token of
God's favour. Note, We ought to reckon God's law a grant, a gift,
an unspeakable gift, to value it, and pray for it, and to give
thanks for it accordingly. The divine code of institutes and
precepts is indeed a charter of privileges; and God is truly
gracious to those whom he makes gracious by giving them his
law.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p44.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.30-Ps.119.32" parsed="|Ps|119|30|119|32" passage="Ps 119:30-32" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.30-Ps.119.32">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p45">30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments
have I laid <i>before me.</i>   31 I have stuck unto thy
testimonies: <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p45.1">O Lord</span>, put me not to
shame.   32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou
shalt enlarge my heart.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p46">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>I have chosen the
way of truth.</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p47">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: <i>Thy judgments have I laid before me,</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p48">III. That those who make religion their
choice and rule are likely to adhere to it faithfully: "<i>I have
stuck to thy testimonies</i> with unchanged affection and an
unshaken resolution, stuck to them at all times, through all
trials. <i>I have chosen them,</i> and therefore <i>I have
stuck</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p49">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, "<i>Lord, put me not to shame;</i> 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."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p50">V. That the more comfort God gives us the
more duty he expects from us, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p50.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.32" parsed="|Ps|119|32|0|0" passage="Ps 119:32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. Here we have, 1. His
resolution to go on vigorously in religion: <i>I will run the way
of thy commandments.</i> Those that are going to heaven should make
haste thither and be still pressing forward. It concerns us to
redeem time and take pains, and to go on in our business with
cheerfulness. We <i>then</i> run the way of our duty, when we are
ready to it, and pleasant in it, and <i>lay aside every weight,</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p50.2" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.1" parsed="|Heb|12|1|0|0" passage="Heb 12:1">Heb. xii. 1</scripRef>. 2. His
dependence upon God for grace to do so: "I shall <i>then</i> abound
in thy work, <i>when thou shalt enlarge my heart.</i>" God, by his
Spirit, enlarges the hearts of his people when he gives them wisdom
(for that is called <i>largeness of heart,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p50.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.4.29" parsed="|1Kgs|4|29|0|0" passage="1Ki 4:29">1 Kings iv. 29</scripRef>), when he <i>sheds abroad the
love of God</i> in the heart, and puts gladness there. The joy of
our Lord should be wheels to our obedience.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p50.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.33-Ps.119.34" parsed="|Ps|119|33|119|34" passage="Ps 119:33-34" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.33-Ps.119.34">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p50.5">5. HE.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p51">33 Teach me, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p51.1">O
Lord</span>, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it
<i>unto</i> the end.   34 Give me understanding, and I shall
keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with <i>my</i> whole
heart.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p52">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 <i>none
teaches like him,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p52.1" osisRef="Bible:Job.36.22" parsed="|Job|36|22|0|0" passage="Job 36:22">Job xxxvi.
22</scripRef>. Observe here, 1. What he desires to be taught, not
the notions or language of God's statutes, but <i>the way</i> of
them—"the way of applying them to myself and governing myself by
them; teach me the way of my duty which thy statutes prescribe, and
in every doubtful case let me know what thou wouldst have me to do,
let me hear the word behind me, saying, <i>This is the way, walk in
it</i>" <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p52.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.30.21" parsed="|Isa|30|21|0|0" passage="Isa 30:21">Isa. xxx. 21</scripRef>. 2.
How he desires to be taught, in such a way as no man could teach
him: <i>Lord, give me understanding.</i> As the God of nature, he
has given us intellectual powers and faculties; but here we are
taught to pray that, as the God of grace, he would give us
understanding to use those powers and faculties about the great
things which belong to our peace, which, through the corruption of
nature, we are averse to: <i>Give me understanding,</i> an
enlightened understanding; for it is as good to have no
understanding at all as not to have it sanctified. Nor will the
spirit of revelation in the word answer the end unless we have the
spirit of wisdom in the heart. This is that which we are indebted
to Christ for; for the <i>Son of God has come and has given us
understanding,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p52.3" osisRef="Bible:1John.5.20" parsed="|1John|5|20|0|0" passage="1Jo 5:20">1 John v.
20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p53">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>I shall keep thy law,</i> 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>I
shall keep it to the end,</i> 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>I shall observe it with my
whole heart,</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p53.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.35-Ps.119.36" parsed="|Ps|119|35|119|36" passage="Ps 119:35-36" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.35-Ps.119.36">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p54">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p55">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 <i>it
is God that works in us both to will and to do,</i> as well as to
understand, what is good, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p55.1" osisRef="Bible:Phil.2.13" parsed="|Phil|2|13|0|0" passage="Php 2:13">Phil. ii.
13</scripRef>. Both the good head and the good heart are from the
good grace of God, and both are necessary to every good work.
Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p56">I. The grace he prays for. 1. That God
would make him able to do his duty: "<i>Make me to go;</i>
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 <i>walk in his statutes</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p56.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.36.27" parsed="|Ezek|36|27|0|0" passage="Eze 36:27">Ezek. xxxvi. 27</scripRef>), and this is that which
David here begs. 2. That God would make him willing to do it, and
would, by his grace, subdue the aversion he naturally had to it:
"<i>Incline my heart to thy testimonies,</i> to those things which
thy testimonies prescribe; not only make me willing to do my duty,
as that which I must do and therefore am concerned to make the best
of, but make me desirous to do my duty as that which is agreeable
to the new nature and really advantageous to me." Duty is then done
with delight when the heart is inclined to it: it is God's grace
that inclines us, and the more backward we find ourselves to it the
more earnest we must be for that grace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p57">II. The sin he prays against, and that is
covetousness: "<i>Incline my heart to keep thy testimonies,</i> and
restrain and mortify the inclination there is in me to
<i>covetousness.</i>" 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 <i>the friendship of the world is enmity with
God.</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p58">III. His plea to enforce this prayer:
"Lord, bring me to, and keep me in, <i>the way of thy commandments,
for therein do I delight;</i> 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?"</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p58.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.37" parsed="|Ps|119|37|0|0" passage="Ps 119:37" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.37">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p59">37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity;
<i>and</i> quicken thou me in thy way.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p60">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: <i>Turn away my eyes from
beholding vanity.</i> 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 <i>make a covenant with our eyes,</i> and lay a
charge upon them, that they shall not wander after, much less fix
upon, that which is dangerous (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p60.1" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.1" parsed="|Job|31|1|0|0" passage="Job 31:1">Job
xxxi. 1</scripRef>), so we ought to pray that God by his providence
would keep vanity out of our sight and that by his grace he would
keep us from being enamoured with the sight of it. 2. He prays for
constraining grace, that he might not only be kept from every thing
that would obstruct his progress heaven-ward, but might have that
grace which was necessary to forward him in that progress:
"<i>Quicken thou me in thy way;</i> quicken me to redeem time, to
improve opportunity, to press forward, and to do every duty with
liveliness and fervency of spirit." Beholding vanity deadens us and
slackens our pace; a traveller that stands gazing upon every object
that presents itself to his view will not rid ground; but, if our
eyes be kept from that which would divert us, our hearts will be
kept to that which will excite us.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p60.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.38" parsed="|Ps|119|38|0|0" passage="Ps 119:38" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.38">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p61">38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who <i>is
devoted</i> to thy fear.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p62">Here is 1. The character of a good man,
which is the work of God's grace in him; he is <i>God's
servant,</i> subject to his law and employed in his work, that is,
<i>devoted to his fear,</i> 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 <i>devoted to the fear of God</i> 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 <i>establish his word to them,</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p62.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.39" parsed="|Ps|119|39|0|0" passage="Ps 119:39" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.39">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p63">39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy
judgments <i>are</i> good.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p64">Here, 1. David prays against
<i>reproach,</i> as before, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p64.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.22" parsed="|Ps|119|22|0|0" passage="Ps 119:22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. David was conscious to himself that he had done that
which might give <i>occasion to the enemies of the Lord to
blaspheme,</i> which would blemish his own reputation and turn to
the dishonour of his family; now he prays that God, who has all
men's hearts and tongues in his hands, would be pleased to prevent
this, to <i>deliver him from all his transgressions,</i> that he
<i>might not be the reproach of the foolish,</i> which he feared
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p64.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.39.8" parsed="|Ps|39|8|0|0" passage="Ps 39:8">Ps. xxxix. 8</scripRef>); or he means
that reproach which his enemies unjustly loaded him with. Let their
<i>lying lips be put to silence.</i> 2. He pleads the goodness of
God's judgments: "Lord, thou sittest in the throne, and <i>thy
judgments are right</i> and <i>good,</i> just and kind, to those
that are wronged, and therefore to thee I appeal from the unjust
and unkind censures of men." It is a small thing to be judged of
man's judgment, while <i>he that judges us is the Lord.</i> Or
thus: "Thy word, and ways, and thy holy religion, are very good,
but the reproaches cast on me will fall on them; therefore,
<i>Lord, turn them away;</i> let not religion be wounded through my
side."</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p64.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.40" parsed="|Ps|119|40|0|0" passage="Ps 119:40" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.40">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p65">40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts:
quicken me in thy righteousness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p66">Here, 1. David professes the ardent
affection he had to the word of God: "<i>I have longed after thy
precepts,</i> 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: "<i>Behold, I have</i> thus loved, thus <i>longed;</i>
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; <i>quicken me in thy righteousness,</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p66.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.41-Ps.119.42" parsed="|Ps|119|41|119|42" passage="Ps 119:41-42" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.41-Ps.119.42">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p66.2">6. VAU.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p67">41 Let thy mercies come also unto me, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p67.1">O Lord</span>, <i>even</i> thy salvation,
according to thy word.   42 So shall I have wherewith to
answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p68">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; <i>let thy salvation
come to me.</i> 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:
<i>Let thy mercies come, even thy salvation.</i> 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 <i>mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p68.1" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.21" parsed="|Jude|1|21|0|0" passage="Jude 1:21">Jude 21</scripRef>.
"Lord, I have by faith thy mercies in view; let me by prayer
prevail to have them come to me." (2.) The promise of God: "<i>Let
it come according to thy word,</i> thy word of promise. <i>I trust
in thy word,</i> and therefore may expect the performance of the
promise." We are not only allowed to trust in God's word, but our
trusting in it is the condition of our benefit by it. 3. David's
expectation of the good assurance which that grace and promise of
God would give him: "<i>So shall I have wherewith to answer him
that reproaches me</i> for my confidence in God, as if it would
deceive me." When God saves those out of their troubles who trusted
in him he effectually silences those who would have <i>shamed that
counsel of the poor</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p68.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.14.6" parsed="|Ps|14|6|0|0" passage="Ps 14:6">Ps. xiv.
6</scripRef>), and their reproaches will be for ever silenced when
the salvation of the saints is completed; then it will appear,
beyond dispute, that it was not in vain to trust in God.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p68.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.43-Ps.119.44" parsed="|Ps|119|43|119|44" passage="Ps 119:43-44" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.43-Ps.119.44">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p69">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p70">Here is, 1. David's humble petition for the
tongue of the learned, that he might know how to <i>speak a word in
season</i> for the glory of God: <i>Take not the word of truth
utterly out of my mouth.</i> 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 <i>things new and old,</i> 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 <i>word of truth</i> 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, <i>for I have hoped in those
judgments</i> 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:
"<i>So shall I keep thy law continually.</i> 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 <i>man of God be
perfect, thoroughly furnished for every good word and work,</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p70.1" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.3.17 Bible:Col.3.16" parsed="|2Tim|3|17|0|0;|Col|3|16|0|0" passage="2Ti 3:17,Col 3:16">2 Tim. iii. 17; Col. iii.
16</scripRef>. Observe how he resolves to keep God's law, [1.]
Continually, without trifling. God must be served in a constant
course of obedience every day, and all the day long. [2.] <i>For
ever and ever,</i> without backsliding. We must never be <i>weary
of well-doing.</i> If we serve him to the end of our time on earth,
we shall be serving him in heaven to the endless ages of eternity;
so shall we <i>keep his law for ever and ever.</i> Or thus: "Lord,
let me have the word of truth in <i>my mouth,</i> that I may commit
that sacred deposit to the rising generation (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p70.2" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.2.2" parsed="|2Tim|2|2|0|0" passage="2Ti 2:2">2 Tim. ii. 2</scripRef>) and by them it may be
transmitted to succeeding ages; so shall thy law be kept <i>for
ever and ever,</i>" that is, from one generation to another,
according to that promise (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p70.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.59.21" parsed="|Isa|59|21|0|0" passage="Isa 59:21">Isa. lix.
21</scripRef>), <i>My word in thy mouth shall not depart out of the
mouth of thy seed, nor thy seed's seed.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p70.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.45-Ps.119.48" parsed="|Ps|119|45|119|48" passage="Ps 119:45-48" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.45-Ps.119.48">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p71">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p72">We may observe in these verses, 1. What
David experienced of an affection to the law of God: "<i>I seek thy
precepts,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p72.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.45" parsed="|Ps|119|45|0|0" passage="Ps 119:45"><i>v.</i>
45</scripRef>. I desire to know and do my duty, and consult thy
word accordingly; I do all I can to <i>understand what the will of
the Lord is</i> and to discover the intimations of his mind. <i>I
seek thy precepts,</i> for <i>I have loved them,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p72.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.47-Ps.119.48" parsed="|Ps|119|47|119|48" passage="Ps 119:47,48"><i>v.</i> 47, 48</scripRef>. I not only give
consent to them as good, but take complacency in them as good for
me." All that love God love his government and therefore love all
his commandments. 2. What he expected from this. Five things he
promises himself here in the strength of God's grace:—(1.) That
he should be free and easy in his duty: "<i>I will walk at
liberty,</i> freed from that which is evil, not hampered with the
fetters of my own corruptions, and free to that which is good,
doing it not by constraint, but willingly." The service of sin is
perfect slavery; the service of God is perfect liberty.
Licentiousness is bondage to the greatest of tyrants;
conscientiousness is freedom to the meanest of prisoners, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p72.3" osisRef="Bible:John.8.32 Bible:John.8.36 Bible:Luke.1.74-Luke.1.75" parsed="|John|8|32|0|0;|John|8|36|0|0;|Luke|1|74|1|75" passage="Joh 8:32,36,Lu 1:74,75">John viii. 32, 36; Luke i. 74,
75</scripRef>. (2.) That he should be bold and courageous in his
duty: <i>I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings.</i>
Before David came to the crown kings were sometimes his judges, as
Saul, and Achish; but, if he were called before them to give a
reason of the hope that was in him, he would <i>speak of God's
testimonies,</i> and profess to build his hope upon them and make
them his council, his guards, his crown, his all. We must never be
afraid to own our religion, though it should expose us to the wrath
of kings, but speak of it as that which we will live and die by,
like the three children before Nebuchadnezzar, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p72.4" osisRef="Bible:Dan.3.16 Bible:Acts.4.20" parsed="|Dan|3|16|0|0;|Acts|4|20|0|0" passage="Da 3:16,Ac 4:20">Dan. iii. 16; Acts iv. 20</scripRef>. After David
came to the crown kings were sometimes his companions; they visited
him and he returned their visits; but he did not, in complaisance
to them, talk of every thing but religion, for fear of affronting
them and making his conversation uneasy to them. No; God's
testimonies shall be the principal subject of his discourse with
the kings, not only to show that he was not ashamed of his
religion, but to instruct them in it and bring them over to it. It
is good for kings to hear of God's testimonies, and it will adorn
the conversation of princes themselves to speak of them. (3.) That
he should be cheerful and pleasant in his duty (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p72.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.47" parsed="|Ps|119|47|0|0" passage="Ps 119:47"><i>v.</i> 47</scripRef>): "<i>I will delight myself in
thy commandments,</i> in conversing with them, in conforming to
them. I will never be so well pleased with myself as when I do that
which is pleasing to God." The more delight we take in the service
of God the nearer we come to the perfection we aim at. (4.) That he
should be diligent and vigorous in his duty: <i>I will lift up my
hands to thy commandments,</i> which denotes not only a vehement
desire towards them (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p72.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.143.6" parsed="|Ps|143|6|0|0" passage="Ps 143:6">Ps. cxliii.
6</scripRef>)—"I will lay hold of them as one afraid of missing
them, or letting them go;" but a close application of mind to the
observance of them—"I will lay my hands to the command, not only
to praise it, but practise it; nay, I will lift up my hands to it,
that is, I will put forth all the strength I have to do it." The
hands that hang down, through sloth and discouragement, shall be
lifted up, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p72.7" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.12" parsed="|Heb|12|12|0|0" passage="Heb 12:12">Heb. xii. 12</scripRef>.
(5.) That he should be thoughtful and considerate in his duty
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p72.8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.48" parsed="|Ps|119|48|0|0" passage="Ps 119:48"><i>v.</i> 48</scripRef>): "<i>I will
meditate in thy statutes,</i> not only entertain myself with
thinking of them as matters of speculation, but contrive how I may
observe them in the best manner." By <i>this</i> it will appear
that we truly love God's commandments, if we apply both our minds
and our hands to them.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p72.9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.49" parsed="|Ps|119|49|0|0" passage="Ps 119:49" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.49">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p72.10">7. ZAIN.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p73">49 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon
which thou hast caused me to hope.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p74">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 <i>remember thy word unto thy servant,</i>
and <i>do as thou hast said;</i>" see <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p74.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.23" parsed="|1Chr|17|23|0|0" passage="1Ch 17:23">1 Chron. xvii. 23</scripRef>. "Thou art wise, and
therefore wilt perfect what thou hast purposed, and not change thy
counsel. Thou art faithful, and therefore wilt perform what thou
hast promised, and not break thy word." Those that make God's
promises their portion may with humble boldness make them their
plea. "Lord, is not that the word which thou hast spoken; and wilt
thou not make it good?" <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p74.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.9 Bible:Exod.33.12" parsed="|Gen|32|9|0|0;|Exod|33|12|0|0" passage="Ge 32:9,Ex 33:12">Gen.
xxxii. 9; Exod. xxxiii. 12</scripRef>. 2. That God, who had given
him the promise in the word, had by his grace wrought in him a hope
in that promise and enabled him to depend upon it, and had raised
his expectations of great things from it. Has God kindled in us
desires towards spiritual blessings more than towards any temporal
good things, and will he not be so kind as to satisfy those
desires? Has he filled us with hopes of those blessings, and will
he not be so just as to accomplish these hopes? He that did by his
Spirit work faith in us will, according to our faith, work for us,
and will not disappoint us.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p74.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.50" parsed="|Ps|119|50|0|0" passage="Ps 119:50" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.50">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p75">50 This <i>is</i> my comfort in my affliction:
for thy word hath quickened me.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p76">Here is David's experience of benefit by
the word. 1. As a means of his sanctification: "<i>Thy word has
quickened me.</i> 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 <i>comfort in
affliction;</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p76.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.51" parsed="|Ps|119|51|0|0" passage="Ps 119:51" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.51">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p77">51 The proud have had me greatly in derision:
<i>yet</i> have I not declined from thy law.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p78">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, <i>the proud had him greatly in derision;</i>
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
<i>cant,</i> for his seriousness, and called it <i>mopishness,</i>
for his strictness, and called it <i>needless preciseness.</i> 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>I have not declined
from thy law</i> for all this; but, <i>if this be to be vile</i>"
(as he said when Michal had him greatly in derision), "<i>I will be
yet more vile.</i>" 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p78.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.52" parsed="|Ps|119|52|0|0" passage="Ps 119:52" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.52">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p79">52 I remembered thy judgments of old, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p79.1">O Lord</span>; and have comforted myself.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p80">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 <i>no occasion
against him, save only in the matter of his God,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p80.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.6.5" parsed="|Dan|6|5|0|0" passage="Da 6:5">Dan. vi. 5</scripRef>. Those that are derided for
their adherence to God's law may comfort themselves with this, that
<i>the reproach of Christ</i> will prove, in the end, <i>greater
riches</i> to them <i>than the treasures of Egypt.</i> 2. That
which he comforted himself with was the remembrance of God's
<i>judgments of old,</i> the providences of God concerning his
people formerly, both in mercy to them and in justice against their
persecutors. God's judgments of old, in our own early days and in
the days of our fathers, are to be remembered by us for our comfort
and encouragement in the way of God, for he is still the same.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p80.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.53" parsed="|Ps|119|53|0|0" passage="Ps 119:53" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.53">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p81">53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the
wicked that forsake thy law.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p82">Here is, 1. The character of wicked people;
he means those that are openly and grossly wicked: <i>They forsake
thy law.</i> 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, <i>O gather not my
soul with sinners! let my enemy be as the wicked</i>) and to the
interests of God's kingdom among men, which he was afraid would be
thereby sunk and ruined. He does not say, "<i>Horror has taken hold
on me</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p82.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.5.30 Bible:Jer.23.14 Bible:Hos.6.10 Bible:Jer.2.12" parsed="|Jer|5|30|0|0;|Jer|23|14|0|0;|Hos|6|10|0|0;|Jer|2|12|0|0" passage="Jer 5:30,23:14,Ho 6:10,Jer 2:12">Jer. v. 30; xxiii. 14;
Hos. vi. 10; Jer. ii. 12</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p82.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.54" parsed="|Ps|119|54|0|0" passage="Ps 119:54" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.54">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p83">54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house
of my pilgrimage.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p84">Here is, 1. David's state and condition; he
was <i>in the house of</i> his <i>pilgrimage,</i> 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 <i>strangers and pilgrims upon earth,</i> 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: "<i>Thy
statutes have been my songs,</i> 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 <i>put gladness into his
heart</i> more than those have that <i>chant to the sound of the
viol,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p84.1" osisRef="Bible:Amos.6.5" parsed="|Amos|6|5|0|0" passage="Am 6:5">Amos vi. 5</scripRef>. <i>Is
any afflicted</i> then? Let him sing over God's statutes, and try
if he cannot so <i>sing away sorrow,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p84.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.138.5" parsed="|Ps|138|5|0|0" passage="Ps 138:5">Ps. cxxxviii. 5</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p84.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.55-Ps.119.56" parsed="|Ps|119|55|119|56" passage="Ps 119:55-56" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.55-Ps.119.56">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p85">55 I have remembered thy name, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p85.1">O Lord</span>, in the night, and have kept thy law.
  56 This I had, because I kept thy precepts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p86">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. <i>This is his memorial unto all
generations,</i> and therefore we should always keep it in
memory—remember it <i>in the night,</i> 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>I remembered thy name in the night,</i> and therefore was
careful to <i>keep thy law</i> 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 (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p86.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.56" parsed="|Ps|119|56|0|0" passage="Ps 119:56"><i>v.</i> 56</scripRef>):
<i>This I had because I kept thy precepts.</i> Some understand this
indefinitely: <i>This I had</i> (that is I had that which satisfied
me; I had every thing that is comfortable) <i>because I kept thy
precepts.</i> Note, All that have made a business of religion will
own that it has turned to a good account, and that they have been
unspeakable gainers by it. Others refer it to what goes immediately
before: "I had the comfort of keeping thy law because I kept it."
Note, God's work is its own wages. A heart to obey the will of God
is a most valuable reward of obedience; and the more we do the more
we may do, and shall do, in the service of God; the branch that
bears fruit is made <i>more fruitful,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p86.2" osisRef="Bible:John.15.2" parsed="|John|15|2|0|0" passage="Joh 15:2">John xv. 2</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p86.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.57" parsed="|Ps|119|57|0|0" passage="Ps 119:57" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.57">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p86.4">8. CHETH.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p87">57 <i>Thou art</i> my portion, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p87.1">O Lord</span>: I have said that I would keep thy
words.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p88">We may hence gather the character of a
godly man. 1. He makes the favour of God his felicity: <i>Thou art
my portion, O Lord!</i> 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 <i>their good
things,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p88.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.16.25" parsed="|Luke|16|25|0|0" passage="Lu 16:25">Luke xvi. 25</scripRef>.
But all that are sanctified take the Lord for the portion of their
inheritance and their cup, and nothing less will satisfy them.
David can appeal to God in this matter: "Lord, thou knowest that I
have chosen thee for my portion, and depend upon thee to make me
happy." 2. He makes the law of God his rule: "<i>I have said that I
would keep thy words;</i> and what I have said by thy grace I will
do, and will abide by it to the end." Note, Those that take God for
their portion must take him for their prince, and swear allegiance
to him; and, having promised to <i>keep his word,</i> we must often
put ourselves in mind of our promise, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p88.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.39.1" parsed="|Ps|39|1|0|0" passage="Ps 39:1">Ps. xxxix. 1</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p88.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.58" parsed="|Ps|119|58|0|0" passage="Ps 119:58" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.58">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p89">58 I intreated thy favour with <i>my</i> whole
heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p90">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 <i>entreated his
favour,</i> 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, "<i>Be merciful to
me,</i> in the forgiveness of what I have done amiss, and in giving
me grace to do better for the future." 2. How he prayed—<i>with
his whole heart,</i> 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>I will not let thee go
except thou bless me.</i> 3. What he pleaded—the promise of God:
"<i>Be merciful to me, according to thy word.</i> 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
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p90.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.57" parsed="|Ps|119|57|0|0" passage="Ps 119:57"><i>v.</i> 57</scripRef>) may plead
the promises of the word and take the comfort of them.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p90.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.59-Ps.119.60" parsed="|Ps|119|59|119|60" passage="Ps 119:59-60" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.59-Ps.119.60">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p91">59 I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto
thy testimonies.   60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep
thy commandments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p92">David had said he <i>would keep God's
word</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p92.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.57" parsed="|Ps|119|57|0|0" passage="Ps 119:57"><i>v.</i> 57</scripRef>),
and it was well said; now here he tells us how and in what method
he pursued that resolution. 1. He <i>thought on his ways.</i> He
thought beforehand what he should do, pondering the path of his
feet (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p92.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.4.26" parsed="|Prov|4|26|0|0" passage="Pr 4:26">Prov. iv. 26</scripRef>), that he
might walk surely, and not at all adventures. He thought after what
he had done, reflected upon his life past, and recollected the
paths he had walked in and the steps he had taken. The word
signifies a fixed abiding thought. Some make it an allusion to
those who work embroidery, who are very exact and careful to cover
the least flaw, or to those who cast up their accounts, who reckon
with themselves, What do I owe? What am I worth? "<i>I thought</i>
not on my wealth (as the covetous man, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p92.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.49.11" parsed="|Ps|49|11|0|0" passage="Ps 49:11">Ps. xlix. 11</scripRef>) but <i>on my ways,</i> not on
what I have, but what I do:" for what we do will follow us into
another world when what we have must be left behind. Many are
critical enough in their remarks upon other people's ways who never
think of their own: but <i>let every man prove his own work.</i> 2.
He <i>turned his feet to God's testimonies.</i> He determined to
make the word of God his rule, and to walk by that rule. He turned
from the by-paths to which he had turned aside, and returned to
God's testimonies. He turned not only his eye to them, but his
feet, his affections to the love of God's word and his conversation
to the practice of it. The bent and inclinations of his soul were
towards God's testimonies and his conversation was governed by them
Penitent reflections must produce pious resolutions. 3. He did this
immediately and without demur (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p92.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.60" parsed="|Ps|119|60|0|0" passage="Ps 119:60"><i>v.</i> 60</scripRef>): <i>I made haste and delayed
not.</i> When we are under convictions of sin we must strike while
the iron is hot, and not think to defer the prosecution of them, as
Felix did, to <i>a more convenient season.</i> When we are called
to duty we must lose no time, but set about it <i>to-day, while it
is called to-day.</i> Now this account which David here gives of
himself may refer either to his constant practice every day (he
reflected on his ways at night, directed his feet to God's
testimonies in the morning, and what his hand found to do that was
good he did it without delay), or it may refer to his first
acquaintance with God and religion, when he began to throw off the
vanity of childhood and youth, and to remember his Creator; that
blessed change was, by the grace of God, thus wrought. Note, (1.)
Conversion begins in serious consideration, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p92.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.18.28 Bible:Luke.15.17" parsed="|Ezek|18|28|0|0;|Luke|15|17|0|0" passage="Eze 18:28,Lu 15:17">Ezek. xviii. 28; Luke xv. 17</scripRef>. (2.)
Consideration must end in a sound conversion. To what purpose have
we thought on our ways if we do not turn our feet with all speed to
God's testimonies?</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p92.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.61" parsed="|Ps|119|61|0|0" passage="Ps 119:61" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.61">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p93">61 The bands of the wicked have robbed me:
<i>but</i> I have not forgotten thy law.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p94">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 (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p94.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.51" parsed="|Ps|119|51|0|0" passage="Ps 119:51"><i>v.</i> 51</scripRef>), they set upon his goods, and
spoiled him of them, either by plunder in time of war or by fines
and confiscations under colour of law. Saul (it is likely) seized
his effects, Absalom his palace, and the Amalekites rifled Ziklag.
Worldly wealth is what we may be robbed of. David, though a man of
war, could not keep his own. <i>Thieves break through and
steal.</i> 2. The testimony of David's conscience for him that he
had held fast his religion when he was stripped of every thing
else, as Job did when the bands of the Chaldeans and Sabeans had
robbed him: <i>But I have not forgotten thy law.</i> No care nor
grief should drive God's word out of our minds, or hinder our
comfortable relish of it and converse with it. Nor must we ever
think the worse of the ways of God for any trouble we meet with in
those ways, nor fear being losers by our religion at last, however
we may be losers for it now.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p94.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.62" parsed="|Ps|119|62|0|0" passage="Ps 119:62" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.62">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p95">62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto
thee because of thy righteous judgments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p96">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>I
will give thanks</i> because of thy favours to me, which I have the
comfort of," but, "<i>Because of thy righteous judgments,</i> 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 <i>rise at midnight to give thanks</i> 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 <i>in the courts of the Lord's house,</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p96.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.63" parsed="|Ps|119|63|0|0" passage="Ps 119:63" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.63">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p97">63 I <i>am</i> a companion of all <i>them</i>
that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p98">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 <i>feared God</i> and
<i>kept his precepts,</i> and so did him honour and helped to
support his kingdom among men. Our love to the saints is
<i>then</i> 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 <i>a companion of them.</i> 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 (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p98.1" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.33" parsed="|Heb|10|33|0|0" passage="Heb 10:33">Heb. x. 33</scripRef>); he conversed familiarly with
them, communicated his experiences to them, and consulted theirs.
He not only took such to be his companions as did fear God, but he
vouchsafed himself to be a companion with all, with any, that did
so, wherever he met with them. Though he was a king, he would
associate with the poorest of his subjects that feared God,
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p98.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.15.4 Bible:Jas.2.1" parsed="|Ps|15|4|0|0;|Jas|2|1|0|0" passage="Ps 15:4,Jam 2:1">Ps. xv. 4; Jam. ii.
1</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p98.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.64" parsed="|Ps|119|64|0|0" passage="Ps 119:64" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.64">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p99">64 The earth, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p99.1">O
Lord</span>, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p100">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 <i>the earth is full of his
mercy,</i> 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. <i>His tender
mercies are over all his works.</i> 2. He therefore prays that God
would be good to him according to his necessity and capacity:
"<i>Teach me thy statutes.</i> 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? <i>The earth is full of thy mercy;</i>
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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p100.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.65-Ps.119.66" parsed="|Ps|119|65|119|66" passage="Ps 119:65-66" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.65-Ps.119.66">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p100.2">9. TETH.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p101">65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p101.1">O Lord</span>, according unto thy word.   66
Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy
commandments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p102">Here, 1. David makes a thankful
acknowledgment of God's gracious dealings with him all along:
<i>Thou hast dealt well with thy servant.</i> However God has dealt
with us, we must own he has dealt <i>well</i> 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. <i>Thou hast dealt well with</i> me,
not only according to thy mercy, but <i>according to thy word.</i>
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: "<i>Teach me good
judgment and knowledge,</i> that, by thy grace, I may render again,
in some measure, according to the benefit done unto me." Teach me
<i>a good taste</i> (so the word signifies), a good relish, to
discern things that differ, to distinguish between truth and
falsehood, good and evil; for <i>the ear tries words, as the mouth
tastes meat.</i> We should pray to God for a sound mind, that we
may have <i>spiritual senses exercised,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p102.1" osisRef="Bible:Heb.5.14" parsed="|Heb|5|14|0|0" passage="Heb 5:14">Heb. v. 14</scripRef>. Many have knowledge who have
little judgment; those who have both are well fortified against the
snares of Satan and well furnished for the service of God and their
generation. 3. This petition is backed with a plea: "<i>For I have
believed thy commandments,</i> received them, and consented to them
that they are good, and submitted to their government; therefore,
Lord, <i>teach me.</i>" Where God has given a good heart a good
head too may in faith be prayed for.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p102.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.67" parsed="|Ps|119|67|0|0" passage="Ps 119:67" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.67">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p103">67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now
have I kept thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p104">David here tells us what he had
experienced, 1. Of the temptations of a prosperous condition:
"<i>Before I was afflicted,</i> while I lived in peace and plenty,
and knew no sorrow, <i>I went astray</i> 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 <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p104.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.30.6" parsed="|Ps|30|6|0|0" passage="Ps 30:6">Ps. xxx. 6</scripRef>. It is good for us, when we
are afflicted, to remember how and wherein we went astray <i>before
we were afflicted,</i> that we may answer the end of the
affliction. 2. Of the benefit of an afflicted state: "<i>Now have I
kept thy word,</i> and so have been recovered from my wanderings."
God often makes use of afflictions as a means to reduce those to
himself who have wandered from him. Sanctified afflictions humble
us for sin and show us the vanity of the world; they soften the
heart, and open the ear to discipline. The prodigal's distress
brought him to himself first and then to his father.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p104.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.68" parsed="|Ps|119|68|0|0" passage="Ps 119:68" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.68">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p105">68 Thou <i>art</i> good, and doest good; teach
me thy statutes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p106">Here, 1. David praises God's goodness and
gives him the glory of it: <i>Thou art good and doest good.</i> 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: <i>Teach me thy statutes.</i> "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. <i>Thou art
good, and doest good;</i> Lord, <i>teach me thy statutes,</i> 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
<i>teach them his way</i> because he is <i>good and upright,</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p106.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.25.8" parsed="|Ps|25|8|0|0" passage="Ps 25:8">Ps. xxv. 8</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p106.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.69-Ps.119.70" parsed="|Ps|119|69|119|70" passage="Ps 119:69-70" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.69-Ps.119.70">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p107">69 The proud have forged a lie against me:
<i>but</i> I will keep thy precepts with <i>my</i> whole heart.
  70 Their heart is as fat as grease; <i>but</i> I delight in
thy law.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p108">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: <i>They
have forged a lie against me.</i> 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>I will keep thy precepts,</i> and
not dread their reproach." 2. He did not envy their prosperity, nor
was he by it allured from his duty. <i>Their heart is as fat as
grease.</i> The proud are <i>at ease</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p108.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.123.4" parsed="|Ps|123|4|0|0" passage="Ps 123:4">Ps. cxxiii. 4</scripRef>); they are full of the world,
and the wealth and pleasures of it; and this makes them, (1.)
Senseless, secure, and stupid; they are past feeling: thus the
phrase is used, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p108.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.6.10" parsed="|Isa|6|10|0|0" passage="Isa 6:10">Isa. vi.
10</scripRef>. <i>Make the heart of this people fat.</i> They are
not sensible of the touch of the word of God or his rod. (2.)
Sensual and voluptuous: "<i>Their eyes stand out with fatness</i>
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p108.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.73.7" parsed="|Ps|73|7|0|0" passage="Ps 73:7">Ps. lxxiii. 7</scripRef>); they roll
themselves in the pleasures of sense, and take up with them as
their chief good; and much good may it do them. I would not change
conditions with them. <i>I delight in thy law;</i> I build my
security upon the promises of God's word and have pleasure enough
in communion with God, infinitely preferable to all their
delights." The children of God, who are acquainted with spiritual
pleasures, need not envy the children of this world their carnal
pleasures.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p108.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.71" parsed="|Ps|119|71|0|0" passage="Ps 119:71" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.71">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p109">71 <i>It is</i> good for me that I have been
afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p110">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. <i>Waters of a full cup are wrung
out to</i> God's people, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p110.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.73.10" parsed="|Ps|73|10|0|0" passage="Ps 73:10">Ps. lxxiii.
10</scripRef>. 2. That it has been the advantage of God's people to
be afflicted. David could speak experimentally: <i>It was good for
me;</i> many a good lesson he had learnt by his afflictions, and
many a good duty he had been brought to which otherwise would have
been unlearnt and undone. <i>Therefore</i> God visited him with
affliction, that he might learn God's statutes; and the intention
was answered: the afflictions had contributed to the improvement of
his knowledge and grace. He that chastened him taught him. <i>The
rod and reproof give wisdom.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p110.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.72" parsed="|Ps|119|72|0|0" passage="Ps 119:72" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.72">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p111">72 The law of thy mouth <i>is</i> better unto me
than thousands of gold and silver.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p112">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 <i>law,</i> which he got acquaintance with by his
affliction, was <i>better</i> to him than all the <i>gold and
silver</i> 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, <i>Therefore</i> he valued the law, because
it is <i>the law of God's mouth,</i> 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 <i>Psalms</i> and Solomon's
<i>Ecclesiastes,</i> cannot but prefer the word of God far before
the wealth of this world.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p112.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.73" parsed="|Ps|119|73|0|0" passage="Ps 119:73" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.73">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p112.2">10. JOD.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p113">73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give
me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p114">Here, 1. David adores God as the God of
nature and the author of his being: <i>Thy hands have made me and
fashioned me,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p114.1" osisRef="Bible:Job.10.8" parsed="|Job|10|8|0|0" passage="Job 10:8">Job x. 8</scripRef>.
Every man is as truly the work of God's hands as the first man was,
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p114.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.139.15-Ps.139.16" parsed="|Ps|139|15|139|16" passage="Ps 139:15,16">Ps. cxxxix. 15, 16</scripRef>.
"<i>Thy hands have</i> not only <i>made me,</i> and given me a
being, otherwise I should never have been, but <i>fashioned me,</i>
and given me this being, this noble and excellent being, endued
with these powers and faculties;" and we must own that we are
<i>fearfully and wonderfully made.</i> 2. He addresses himself to
God as the God of grace, and begs he will be the author of his new
and better being. God made us to serve him and enjoy him; but by
sin we have made ourselves unable for his service and indisposed
for the enjoyment of him; and we must have a new and divine nature,
otherwise we had the human nature in vain; therefore David prays,
"Lord, since thou hast made me by thy power for thy glory, make me
anew by thy grace, that I may answer the ends of my creation and
live to some purpose: <i>Give me understanding, that I may learn
thy commandments.</i>" The way in which God recovers and secures
his interest in men is by giving them an understanding; for by that
door he enters into the soul and gains possession of it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p114.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.74" parsed="|Ps|119|74|0|0" passage="Ps 119:74" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.74">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p115">74 They that fear thee will be glad when they
see me; because I have hoped in thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p116">Here is, 1. The confidence of this good man
in the hope of God's salvation: "<i>I have hoped in thy word;</i>
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 <i>maketh not ashamed;</i> but is present satisfaction, and
fruition at last." 2. The concurrence of other good men with him in
the joy of that salvation: "<i>Those that fear thee will be glad
when they see me</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p116.1" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.1.11 Bible:2Cor.4.15" parsed="|2Cor|1|11|0|0;|2Cor|4|15|0|0" passage="2Co 1:11,4:15">2 Cor. i. 11; iv. 15</scripRef>. Or it may
be taken more generally; good people are glad to see one another;
they are especially pleased with those who are eminent for their
hope in God's word.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p116.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.75" parsed="|Ps|119|75|0|0" passage="Ps 119:75" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.75">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p117">75 I know, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p117.1">O
Lord</span>, that thy judgments <i>are</i> right, and <i>that</i>
thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p118">Still David is in affliction, and being so
he owns, 1. That his sin was justly corrected: <i>I know, O Lord!
that thy judgments are right,</i> 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 <i>judgments are
right,</i> 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: "<i>In faithfulness thou hast
afflicted me,</i> pursuant to the great design of my salvation." It
is easier to own, in general, that God's <i>judgments are
right,</i> 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."</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p118.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.76-Ps.119.77" parsed="|Ps|119|76|119|77" passage="Ps 119:76-77" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.76-Ps.119.77">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p119">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
<i>is</i> my delight.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p120">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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p120.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.75" parsed="|Ps|119|75|0|0" passage="Ps 119:75"><i>v.</i>
75</scripRef>) may, in faith, and with humble boldness, be earnest
for the mercy of God, and the tokens and fruits of that mercy, in
their affliction. He prays for God's <i>merciful kindness</i>
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p120.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.76" parsed="|Ps|119|76|0|0" passage="Ps 119:76"><i>v.</i> 76</scripRef>), his
<i>tender mercies,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p120.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.77" parsed="|Ps|119|77|0|0" passage="Ps 119:77"><i>v.</i>
77</scripRef>. He can claim nothing as his due, but all his
supports under his affliction must come from mere mercy and
compassion to one in misery, one in want. "Let these <i>come to
me,</i>" that is, "the evidence of them (clear it up to me that
thou hast a kindness for me, and mercy in store), and the effects
of them; let them work my relief and deliverance." 2. The benefit
he promised himself from God's lovingkindness: "Let it <i>come to
me for my comfort</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p120.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.76" parsed="|Ps|119|76|0|0" passage="Ps 119:76"><i>v.</i>
76</scripRef>); that will comfort me when nothing else will; that
will comfort me whatever grieves me." Gracious souls fetch all
their comfort from a gracious God, as the fountain of all happiness
and joy: "Let it <i>come to me, that I may live,</i> that is, that
I may be revived, and my life may be made sweet to me, for I have
no joy of it while I am under God's displeasure. <i>In his favour
is life;</i> in his frowns are death." A good man cannot live with
any satisfaction any longer than he has some tokens of God's favour
to him. 3. His pleas for the benefits of God's favour. He pleads,
(1.) God's promise: "Let me have thy kindness, <i>according to thy
word unto thy servant,</i> the kindness which thou hast promised
and because thou hast promised it." Our Master has passed his word
to all his servants that he will be kind to them, and they may
plead it with him. (2.) His own confidence and complacency in that
promise: "<i>Thy law is my delight;</i> I hope in thy word and
rejoice in that hope." Note, Those that delight in the law of God
may depend upon the favour of God, for it shall certainly make them
happy.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p120.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.78-Ps.119.79" parsed="|Ps|119|78|119|79" passage="Ps 119:78-79" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.78-Ps.119.79">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p121">78 Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt
perversely with me without a cause: <i>but</i> I will meditate in
thy precepts.   79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and
those that have known thy testimonies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p122">Here David shows,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p123">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 <i>without cause,</i>
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 <i>be ashamed</i> of it; God's dealing
favourably with him might make them ashamed to think that they had
dealt perversely with him. "<i>Let</i> them <i>be ashamed,</i> 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>I will meditate in thy precepts,</i>
and entertain myself with them."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p124">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: <i>Let
those that fear thee turn to me.</i> 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
<i>turn to me again.</i> He desires especially the company of those
that were not only honest, but intelligent, <i>that have known thy
testimonies,</i> have good heads as well as good hearts, and whose
conversation will be edifying. It is desirable to have an intimacy
with such.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p124.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.80" parsed="|Ps|119|80|0|0" passage="Ps 119:80" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.80">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p125">80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I
be not ashamed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p126">Here is, 1. David's prayer for sincerity,
that his heart might be brought to God's <i>statutes,</i> and that
it might be <i>sound</i> 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: <i>That I be not ashamed.</i> Shame
is the portion of hypocrites, either here, if it be repented of, or
hereafter, if it be not: "<i>Let my heart be sound,</i> that I fall
not into scandalous sin, that I fall not quite off from the ways of
God, and so shame myself. <i>Let my heart be sound,</i> that I may
come <i>boldly to the throne of grace,</i> and may lift up my face
without spot at the great day."</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p126.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.81-Ps.119.82" parsed="|Ps|119|81|119|82" passage="Ps 119:81-82" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.81-Ps.119.82">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p126.2">11. CAPH.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p127">81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation:
<i>but</i> I hope in thy word.   82 Mine eyes fail for thy
word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p128">Here we have the psalmist,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p129">I. Longing for help from heaven: <i>My soul
faints; my eyes fail.</i> He longs <i>for the salvation of the
Lord</i> and <i>for his word,</i> 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 <i>fainted to see</i> that salvation of which
the prophets testified. (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p129.1" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.10" parsed="|1Pet|1|10|0|0" passage="1Pe 1:10">1 Pet. i.
10</scripRef>); their eyes failed for it. Abraham saw it at a
distance, and so did others, but at such a distance that it put
their eyes to the stretch and they could not stedfastly see it.
David was now under prevailing dejections, and, having been long
so, his eyes cried out, "<i>When wilt thou comfort me?</i> Comfort
me with <i>thy salvation,</i> comfort me with <i>thy word.</i>"
Observe, 1. The salvation and consolation of God's people are
secured to them by the word, which will certainly be fulfilled in
its season. 2. The promised salvation and comfort may be, and often
are, long deferred, so that they are ready to faint and fall in the
expectation of them. 3. Though we think the time long ere the
promised salvation and comfort come, yet we must still keep our eye
upon that salvation, and resolve to take up with nothing short of
it. "Thy salvation, thy word, thy comfort, are what my heart is
still upon."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p130">II. Waiting for that help, assured that it
will come, and tarrying till it come: <i>But I hope in thy
word;</i> and but for hope the heart would break. When the <i>eyes
fail</i> yet the faith must not; for <i>the vision is for an
appointed time, and at the end it shall speak and shall not
lie.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p130.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.83" parsed="|Ps|119|83|0|0" passage="Ps 119:83" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.83">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p131">83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke;
<i>yet</i> do I not forget thy statutes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p132">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, <i>for I have
become like a bottle in the smoke,</i> 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 <i>as a despised broken vessel,</i>
and as <i>a vessel in which there was no pleasure.</i> 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: <i>Yet do I not
forget thy statutes.</i> 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
<i>drink and forget the law</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p132.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.5" parsed="|Prov|31|5|0|0" passage="Pr 31:5">Prov.
xxxi. 5</scripRef>), so others weep and forget the law; but we must
in every condition, both prosperous and adverse, have the things of
God in remembrance; and, if we be mindful of God's statutes, we may
pray and hope that he will be mindful of our sorrows, though for a
time he seems to forget us.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p132.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.84" parsed="|Ps|119|84|0|0" passage="Ps 119:84" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.84">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p133">84 How many <i>are</i> the days of thy servant?
when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p134">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 <i>would
repay</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p134.1" osisRef="Bible:Rom.12.19" parsed="|Rom|12|19|0|0" passage="Ro 12:19">Rom. xii. 19</scripRef>),
as the God that <i>sits in the throne judging right.</i> There is a
day coming, and a great and terrible day it will be, when God will
execute judgment on all the proud persecutors of his people,
<i>tribulation to those that troubled them;</i> Enoch foretold it
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p134.2" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.14" parsed="|Jude|1|14|0|0" passage="Jude 1:14">Jude 14</scripRef>), whose prophecy
perhaps David here had an eye to; and that day we are to look for
and pray for the hastening of. <i>Come, Lord Jesus, come
quickly.</i> 2. He pleads the long continuance of his trouble:
"<i>How many are the days of thy servant? The days of my life are
but few</i>" (so some); "therefore let them not all be miserable,
and therefore make haste to appear for me against my enemies,
<i>before I go hence and shall be seen no more.</i>" Or rather,
"<i>The days of my affliction are many;</i> thou seest, Lord, how
many they be; when wilt thou return in mercy to me? Sometimes, for
the elect's sake, <i>the days of trouble are shortened.</i> O let
the days of my trouble be shortened; I am <i>thy servant;</i> and
therefore, as the eyes of a servant are to the hand of his master,
so are mine to thee, until thou have mercy on me."</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p134.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.85-Ps.119.87" parsed="|Ps|119|85|119|87" passage="Ps 119:85-87" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.85-Ps.119.87">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p135">85 The proud have digged pits for me, which
<i>are</i> not after thy law.   86 All thy commandments
<i>are</i> faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
  87 They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not
thy precepts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p136">David's state was <i>herein</i> 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,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p137">I. The account he gives of his persecutors
and their malice against him. 1. They were <i>proud,</i> and in
their pride <i>they persecuted him,</i> 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: <i>They
persecuted him wrongfully;</i> so far was he from giving them any
provocation that he had studied to oblige them; but <i>for his love
they were his adversaries.</i> 3. They were spiteful: <i>They dug
pits for him,</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p137.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.35.7" parsed="|Ps|35|7|0|0" passage="Ps 35:7">Ps. xxxv.
7</scripRef>. Such has been the enmity of the serpent's seed to the
seed of the woman. 4. They herein showed their enmity to God
himself. The pits they <i>dug for him</i> were <i>not after God's
law;</i> he means they were very much against his law, which
forbids to <i>devise evil to our neighbour,</i> and has
particularly said, <i>Touch not my anointed.</i> The law appointed
that, if a man dug a pit which occasioned any mischief, he should
answer for the mischief (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p137.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.33-Exod.21.34" parsed="|Exod|21|33|21|34" passage="Ex 21:33,34">Exod. xxi.
33, 34</scripRef>), much more when it was dug with a mischievous
design. 5. They carried on their designs against him so far that
<i>they had almost consumed him upon earth;</i> they went near to
ruin him and all his interests. It is possible that those who shall
shortly be consummate in heaven may be, for the present, <i>almost
consumed on earth;</i> and <i>it is of the Lord's mercies</i> (and,
considering the malice of their enemies, it is a miracle of mercy)
<i>that they are not quite consumed.</i> But the bush in which God
is, though it burns, shall not be burnt up.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p138">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, <i>all thy
commandments are faithful,</i> 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 <i>all thy commandments are faithful;</i> on them I may
rely." 2. He begs that God would stand by him, and succour him:
"<i>They persecute me; help thou me;</i> 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." <i>God help me</i> is an excellent comprehensive prayer;
it is a pity that it should ever be used lightly and as a
by-word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p139">III. His adherence to his duty
notwithstanding all the malice of his persecutors (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p139.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.87" parsed="|Ps|119|87|0|0" passage="Ps 119:87"><i>v.</i> 87</scripRef>): <i>But I forsook not
thy precepts.</i> That which they aimed at was to frighten him from
the ways of God, but they could not prevail; he would sooner
forsake all that was dear to him in this world than forsake the
word of God, would sooner lose his life than lose the comfort of
doing his duty.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p139.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.88" parsed="|Ps|119|88|0|0" passage="Ps 119:88" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.88">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p140">88 Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall
I keep the testimony of thy mouth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p141">Here is, 1. David in care to be found in
the way of his duty. His constant desire and design are to <i>keep
the testimony of God's mouth,</i> 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: "<i>Quicken me after thy lovingkindness</i>
(make me alive and make me lively), <i>so shall I keep thy
testimonies,</i>" 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, <i>Quicken me in thy
righteousness</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p141.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.40" parsed="|Ps|119|40|0|0" passage="Ps 119:40"><i>v.</i>
40</scripRef>); but here, <i>Quicken me after thy
lovingkindness.</i> The surest token of God's good-will toward us
is his good work in us.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p141.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.89-Ps.119.91" parsed="|Ps|119|89|119|91" passage="Ps 119:89-91" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.89-Ps.119.91">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p141.3">12. LAMED.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p142">89 For ever, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p142.1">O
Lord</span>, thy word is settled in heaven.   90 Thy
faithfulness <i>is</i> unto all generations: thou hast established
the earth, and it abideth.   91 They continue this day
according to thine ordinances: for all <i>are</i> thy servants.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p143">Here, 1. The psalmist acknowledges the
unchangeableness of the word of God and of all his counsels:
"<i>For ever, O Lord! thy word is settled. Thou art for ever
thyself</i> (so some read it); thou art the same, and with thee
there is no variableness, and this is a proof of it. <i>Thy
word,</i> by which the heavens were made, <i>is settled</i> 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. <i>All flesh is grass;</i> but <i>the word of the Lord
endures for ever.</i> It <i>is settled in heaven,</i> that is, in
the secret counsel of God, which is hidden in himself and is far
above out of our sight, and is immovable, <i>as mountains of
brass.</i> 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
<i>fall to the ground;</i> for it follows here, <i>Thy faithfulness
is unto all generations,</i> 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: <i>Thou hast established the earth for ever and
it abides;</i> 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. "<i>They</i>" (the heavens
and the earth and all the hosts of both) "<i>continue to this day
according to thy ordinances;</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p143.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.31.35-Jer.31.36 Bible:Jer.33.20-Jer.33.21" parsed="|Jer|31|35|31|36;|Jer|33|20|33|21" passage="Jer 31:35,36,33:20,21">Jer. xxxi. 35, 36; xxxiii. 20,
21</scripRef>. It is by virtue of God's promise to Noah (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p143.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.22" parsed="|Gen|8|22|0|0" passage="Ge 8:22">Gen. viii. 22</scripRef>) that <i>day and night,
summer and winter,</i> observe a steady course. "They have
continued to this day, and shall still continue to the end of time,
acting according to the ordinances which were at first given them;
for all are thy servants; they do thy will, and set forth thy
glory, and in both <i>are thy servants.</i>" All the creatures are,
in their places, and according to their capacities, serviceable to
their Creator, and answer the ends of their creation; and shall man
be the only rebel, the only revolter from his allegiance, and the
only unprofitable burden of the earth?</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p143.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.92" parsed="|Ps|119|92|0|0" passage="Ps 119:92" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.92">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p144">92 Unless thy law <i>had been</i> my delights, I
should then have perished in mine affliction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p145">Here is, 1. The great distress that David
was in. He was in affliction, and ready to <i>perish in his
affliction,</i> 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, <i>We have cleansed our hands in
vain;</i> or, <i>What profit is it that we have served God?</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p145.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.93" parsed="|Ps|119|93|0|0" passage="Ps 119:93" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.93">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p146">93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with
them thou hast quickened me.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p147">Here is, 1. A very good resolution: "<i>I
will never forget thy precepts,</i> 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: "<i>For by them thou hast quickened me;</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p147.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.94" parsed="|Ps|119|94|0|0" passage="Ps 119:94" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.94">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p148">94 I <i>am</i> thine, save me; for I have sought
thy precepts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p149">Here, 1. David claims relation to God:
"<i>I am thine,</i> devoted to thee and owned by thee, thine in
covenant." He does not say, <i>Thou art mine</i> (as Dr. Manton
observes), though that follows of course, because that were a
higher challenge; but, <i>I am thine,</i> expressing himself in a
more humble and dutiful way of resignation; nor does he say, <i>I
am thus,</i> but, <i>I am thine,</i> not pleading his own good
property or qualification, but God's propriety in him: "<i>I am
thine,</i> not my own, not the world's." 2. He proves his claim:
"<i>I have sought thy precepts;</i> 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>I am thine; save me;</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p149.1" osisRef="Bible:Mal.3.18" parsed="|Mal|3|18|0|0" passage="Mal 3:18">Mal. iii. 18</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p149.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.95" parsed="|Ps|119|95|0|0" passage="Ps 119:95" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.95">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p150">95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me:
<i>but</i> I will consider thy testimonies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p151">Here, 1. David complains of the malice of
his enemies: <i>The wicked</i> (and none but such would be enemies
to so good a man) <i>have waited for me to destroy me.</i> 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 <i>confident</i> (they <i>expected,</i> 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>I consider thy testimonies,</i> which secure to me
my salvation." God's testimonies are <i>then</i> likely to be our
support, when we consider them, and dwell in our thoughts upon
them.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p151.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.96" parsed="|Ps|119|96|0|0" passage="Ps 119:96" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.96">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p152">96 I have seen an end of all perfection:
<i>but</i> thy commandment <i>is</i> exceeding broad.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p153">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>I have seen an end of all perfection.</i> 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 <i>seen an end of perfection,</i>
of <i>all perfection.</i> 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: <i>But thy commandment is broad, exceedingly
broad.</i> 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
<i>have seen an end of all perfection.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p153.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.97" parsed="|Ps|119|97|0|0" passage="Ps 119:97" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.97">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p153.2">13. MEM.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p154">97 MEM. O how love I thy law! it <i>is</i> my
meditation all the day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p155">Here is, 1. David's inexpressible love to
the word of God: <i>O how love I thy law!</i> 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 <i>this</i> it appeared that David loved
the word of God that it was his <i>meditation.</i> 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 <i>all the day;</i> some good thoughts were
interwoven with his common thoughts, so full was he of the word of
God.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p155.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.98-Ps.119.100" parsed="|Ps|119|98|119|100" passage="Ps 119:98-100" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.98-Ps.119.100">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p156">98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me
wiser than mine enemies: for they <i>are</i> ever with me.  
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy
testimonies <i>are</i> my meditation.   100 I understand more
than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p157">We have here an account of David's
learning, not that of the Egyptians, but of the <i>Israelites
indeed.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p158">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: <i>Thou hast made me
wise.</i> All true wisdom is from God. He had it by the word of God
as the means, by <i>his commandments</i> and <i>his
testimonies.</i> These are able to <i>make us wise to salvation</i>
and <i>to furnish the man of God for every good work.</i> 1. These
David took for his constant companions: "<i>They are ever with
me,</i> 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 <i>meditation,</i> 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>I keep thy precepts,</i> 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, <i>if any man do his will, he shall know of
the doctrine</i> of Christ, shall know more and more of it,
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p158.1" osisRef="Bible:John.7.17" parsed="|John|7|17|0|0" passage="Joh 7:17">John vii. 17</scripRef>. The love of
the truth prepares for the light of it; the <i>pure in heart shall
see God</i> here.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p159">II. The great eminency he attained to in
it. By studying and practising God's commandments, and making them
his rule, he learnt to <i>behave himself wisely in all his
ways,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p159.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.18.14" parsed="|1Sam|18|14|0|0" passage="1Sa 18:14">1 Sam. xviii.
14</scripRef>. 2. He outwitted his enemies; God, by these means,
made him wiser to baffle and defeat their designs against him than
they were to lay them. Heavenly wisdom will carry the point, at
last, against carnal policy. By keeping the commandments we secure
God on our side and make him our friend, and therein are certainly
wiser than those that make him their enemy. By keeping the
commandments we preserve in ourselves that peace and quiet of mind
which our enemies would rob us of, and so are wise for ourselves,
wiser than they are for themselves, for this world as well as for
the other. 2. He outstripped his <i>teachers,</i> and had more
understanding than all of them. He means either those who would
have been his teachers, who blamed his conduct and undertook to
prescribe to him (by keeping God's commandments he managed his
matters so that it appeared, in the event, he had taken the right
measures and they had taken the wrong), or those who should have
been his teachers, the priests and Levites, who sat in Moses's
chair, and whose lips ought to have kept knowledge, but who
neglected the study of the law, and minded their honours and
revenues, and the formalities only of their religion; and so David,
who conversed much with the scriptures, by that means became more
intelligent than they. Or he may mean those who had been his
teachers when he was young; he built so well upon the foundation
which they had laid that, with the help of his Bible, he became
able to teach them, to teach them all. He was not now a babe that
needed milk, but had <i>spiritual senses exercised,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p159.2" osisRef="Bible:Heb.5.14" parsed="|Heb|5|14|0|0" passage="Heb 5:14">Heb. v. 14</scripRef>. It is no reflection upon
our teachers, but rather an honour to them, to improve so as really
to excel them, and not to need them. By meditation we preach to
ourselves, and so we come to <i>understand more than our
teachers,</i> for we come to understand our own hearts, which they
cannot. 3. He outdid <i>the ancients,</i> either those of his day
(he was young, like Elihu, and they were very old, but his keeping
God's precepts taught more wisdom than the multitude of their
years, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p159.3" osisRef="Bible:Job.32.7-Job.32.8" parsed="|Job|32|7|32|8" passage="Job 32:7,8">Job xxxii. 7, 8</scripRef>)
or those of former days; he himself quotes the proverb of the
ancients (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p159.4" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.24.13" parsed="|1Sam|24|13|0|0" passage="1Sa 24:13">1 Sam. xxiv.
13</scripRef>), but the word of God gave him to understand things
better than he could do by tradition and all the learning that was
handed down from preceding ages. In short, the written word is a
surer guide to heaven than all the doctors and fathers, the
teachers and ancients, of the church; and the sacred writings kept,
and kept to, will teach us more wisdom than all their writings.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p159.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.101" parsed="|Ps|119|101|0|0" passage="Ps 119:101" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.101">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p160">101 I have refrained my feet from every evil
way, that I might keep thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p161">Here is, 1. David's care to avoid the ways
of sin: "<i>I have refrained my feet from the evil ways</i> 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. <i>By the words of
thy lips I have kept myself from the paths of the destroyer,</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p161.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.17.4" parsed="|Ps|17|4|0|0" passage="Ps 17:4">Ps. xvii. 4</scripRef>. 2. His care to
be found in the way of duty; <i>That I might keep thy word,</i> and
never transgress it. His abstaining from sin was, (1.) An evidence
that he did conscientiously aim to keep God's word and had made
that his rule. (2.) It was a means of his keeping God's word in the
exercises of religion; for we cannot with any comfort or boldness
attend on God in holy duties, so as in them to keep his word, while
we are under guilt or in any by-way.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p161.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.102" parsed="|Ps|119|102|0|0" passage="Ps 119:102" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.102">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p162">102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for
thou hast taught me.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p163">Here is, 1. David's constancy in his
religion. He had <i>not departed from God's judgments;</i> 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: "<i>For thou hast taught me;</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p163.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.103-Ps.119.104" parsed="|Ps|119|103|119|104" passage="Ps 119:103-104" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.103-Ps.119.104">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p164">103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste!
<i>yea, sweeter</i> than honey to my mouth!   104 Through thy
precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p165">Here is, 1. The wonderful pleasure and
delight which David took in the word of God; it was <i>sweet to his
taste, sweeter than honey.</i> 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 <i>heard him ourselves,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p165.1" osisRef="Bible:John.4.2" parsed="|John|4|2|0|0" passage="Joh 4:2">John iv. 42</scripRef>. To this scripture-taste the word
of God is sweet, very sweet, sweeter than any of the gratifications
of sense, even those that are most delicious. David speaks as if he
wanted words to express the satisfaction he took in the discoveries
of the divine will and grace; no pleasure was comparable to it. 2.
The unspeakable profit and advantage he gained by the word of God.
(1.) It helped him to a good head: "<i>Through thy precepts I get
understanding</i> to discern between truth and falsehood, good and
evil, so as not to mistake either in the conduct of my own life or
in advising others." (2.) It helped him to a good heart:
"<i>Therefore,</i> because I have got understanding of the truth,
<i>I hate every false way,</i> and am stedfastly resolved not to
turn aside into it." Observe here, [1.] The way of sin is a false
way; it deceives, and will ruin, all that walk in it; it is the
wrong way, and yet it seems to a man right, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p165.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.14.12" parsed="|Prov|14|12|0|0" passage="Pr 14:12">Prov. xiv. 12</scripRef>. [2.] It is the character of
every good man that he hates the way of sin, and hates it because
it is a false way; he not only refrains his feet from it (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p165.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.101" parsed="|Ps|119|101|0|0" passage="Ps 119:101"><i>v.</i> 101</scripRef>), but he <i>hates
it,</i> has an antipathy to it and a dread of it. [3.] Those who
hate sin as sin will hate all sin, hate every false way, because
every false way leads to destruction. And, [4.] The more
understanding we get by the word of God the more rooted will our
hatred of sin be (for <i>to depart from evil, that is
understanding,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p165.4" osisRef="Bible:Job.28.28" parsed="|Job|28|28|0|0" passage="Job 28:28">Job xxviii.
28</scripRef>), and the more ready we are in the scriptures the
better furnished we are with answers to temptation.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p165.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.105" parsed="|Ps|119|105|0|0" passage="Ps 119:105" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.105">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p165.6">14. NUN.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p166">105 NUN. Thy word <i>is</i> a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p167">Observe here, 1. The nature of the word of
God, and the great intention of giving it to the world; it is a
<i>lamp and a light.</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p167.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.6.23" parsed="|Prov|6|23|0|0" passage="Pr 6:23">Prov. vi.
23</scripRef>. The commandment is a lamp kept burning with the oil
of the Spirit; it is like the lamps in the sanctuary, and the
pillar of fire to Israel. 2. The use we should make of it. It must
be not only a <i>light to our eyes,</i> to gratify them, and fill
our heads with speculations, but a <i>light to our feet</i> and
<i>to our path,</i> to direct us in the right ordering of our
conversation, both in the choice of our way in general and in the
particular steps we take in that way, that we may not take a false
way nor a false step in the right way. We are then truly sensible
of God's goodness to us in giving us such a lamp and light when we
make it a guide to our feet, our path.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p167.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.106" parsed="|Ps|119|106|0|0" passage="Ps 119:106" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.106">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p168">106 I have sworn, and I will perform <i>it,</i>
that I will keep thy righteous judgments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p169">Here is, 1. The notion David had of
religion; it is <i>keeping God's righteous judgments.</i> 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>I have sworn (I have lifted up
my head to the Lord, and I cannot go back</i>) and therefore must
go forward: <i>I will perform it.</i>" 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p169.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.107" parsed="|Ps|119|107|0|0" passage="Ps 119:107" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.107">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p170">107 I am afflicted very much: quicken me, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p170.1">O Lord</span>, according unto thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p171">Here is, 1. The representation David makes
of the sorrowful condition he was in: <i>I am afflicted very
much,</i> 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: "<i>Quicken
me, O Lord!</i> make me lively, make me cheerful; quicken me by
afflictions to greater diligence in my work. <i>Quicken me,</i>
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: <i>Quicken me according to thy
word.</i> David resolved to perform his promises to God (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p171.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.106" parsed="|Ps|119|106|0|0" passage="Ps 119:106"><i>v.</i> 106</scripRef>) and therefore could,
with humble boldness, beg of God to make good his word to him.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p171.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.108" parsed="|Ps|119|108|0|0" passage="Ps 119:108" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.108">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p172">108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill
offerings of my mouth, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p172.1">O Lord</span>, and
teach me thy judgments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p173">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
<i>free-will-offerings,</i> not of his purse, but of his
<i>mouth,</i> his prayers and praises. <i>The calves of our
lips</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p173.1" osisRef="Bible:Hos.14.2" parsed="|Hos|14|2|0|0" passage="Ho 14:2">Hos. xiv. 2</scripRef>),
<i>the fruit of our lips</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p173.2" osisRef="Bible:Heb.1.15" parsed="|Heb|1|15|0|0" passage="Heb 1:15">Heb. i.
15</scripRef>), these are the spiritual offerings which all
Christians, as spiritual priests, must offer to God; and they must
be <i>free-will-offerings,</i> for we must offer them abundantly
and cheerfully, and it is this willing mind that is accepted. The
more there is of freeness and willingness in the service of God the
more pleasing it is to him. 2. Assistance in them: <i>Teach me thy
judgments.</i> We cannot offer any thing to God which we have
reason to think he will accept of, but what he is pleased to
instruct us in the doing of; and we must be as earnest for the
grace of God in us as for the favour of God towards us.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p173.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.109-Ps.119.110" parsed="|Ps|119|109|119|110" passage="Ps 119:109-110" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.109-Ps.119.110">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p174">109 My soul <i>is</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p175">Here is, 1. David in danger of losing his
life. There is but a step between him and death, for the <i>wicked
have laid a snare</i> 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, <i>My soul is continually
in my hand.</i> It was so with him, not only as a <i>man</i> (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 <i>man of war,</i> a soldier, who
often jeoparded his life in the high places of the field, and
especially as <i>a man after God's own heart,</i> and, as such,
hated and persecuted, and <i>always delivered to death</i>
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p175.1" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.4.11" parsed="|2Cor|4|11|0|0" passage="2Co 4:11">2 Cor. iv. 11</scripRef>), <i>killed
all the day long.</i> 2. David in no danger of losing his religion,
notwithstanding this, thus in jeopardy every hour and yet constant
to God and his duty. None of these things move him; for, (1.) He
<i>does not forget the law,</i> and therefore he is likely to
persevere. In the multitude of his cares for his own safety he
finds room in his head and heart for the word of God, and has that
in his mind as fresh as ever; and where that dwells richly it will
be a <i>well of living water.</i> (2.) He has not yet erred from
God's precepts, and therefore it is to be hoped he will not. He had
stood many a shock and kept his ground, and surely that grace which
had helped him hitherto would not fail him, but would still prevent
his wanderings.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p175.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.111-Ps.119.112" parsed="|Ps|119|111|119|112" passage="Ps 119:111-112" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.111-Ps.119.112">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p176">111 Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage
for ever: for they <i>are</i> the rejoicing of my heart.   112
I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, <i>even
unto</i> the end.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p177">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p178">I. He resolves to portion himself in it,
and there to seek his happiness, nay, there to enjoy it; "<i>Thy
testimonies</i> (the truths, the promises, of thy word) <i>have I
taken as a heritage for ever, for they are the rejoicing of my
heart.</i>" 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 <i>a heritage for ever.</i> 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," <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p178.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.17.14-Ps.17.15" parsed="|Ps|17|14|17|15" passage="Ps 17:14,15">Ps. xvii. 14, 15</scripRef>.
God's testimonies are a heritage to all that have received the
Spirit of adoption; for, <i>if children, then heirs.</i> They are a
<i>heritage for ever,</i> and that no earthly heritage is
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p178.2" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.4" parsed="|1Pet|1|4|0|0" passage="1Pe 1:4">1 Pet. i. 4</scripRef>); all the
saints accept them as such, take up with them, live upon them, and
can therefore be content with but little of this world. 2. He
enjoyed a present satisfaction in them: <i>They are the rejoicing
of my heart,</i> because they will be <i>my heritage for ever.</i>
It requires the heart of a good man to see his portion in the
promise of God and not in the possessions of this world.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p179">II. He resolves to govern himself by it and
thence to take his measures: <i>I have inclined my heart to do thy
statutes.</i> 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>I have,</i> by the grace of
God, <i>inclined my heart to it,</i> 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 <i>to the end,</i> without weariness. This is
following the Lord fully.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p179.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.113" parsed="|Ps|119|113|0|0" passage="Ps 119:113" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.113">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p179.2">15. SAMECH.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p180">113 I hate <i>vain</i> thoughts: but thy law do
I love.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p181">Here we have, 1. David's dread of the
risings of sin, and the first beginnings of it: <i>I hate</i> vain
<i>thoughts.</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p181.1" osisRef="Bible:Jer.4.14" parsed="|Jer|4|14|0|0" passage="Jer 4:14">Jer. iv. 14</scripRef>. Though David could not
say that he was free from vain thoughts, yet he could say that he
hated them; he did not countenance them, nor give them any
entertainment, but did what he could to keep them out, at least to
keep them under. <i>The evil I do I allow not.</i> 2. David's
delight in the rule of duty: <i>But thy law do I love,</i> which
forbids those vain thoughts, and threatens them. The more we love
the law of God the more we shall get the mastery of our vain
thoughts, the more hateful they will be to us, as being contrary to
the whole law, and the more watchful we shall be against them, lest
they draw us from that which we love.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p181.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.114" parsed="|Ps|119|114|0|0" passage="Ps 119:114" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.114">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p182">114 Thou <i>art</i> my hiding place and my
shield: I hope in thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p183">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: <i>Thou art my hiding-place and my
shield.</i> 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 <i>strength and their shield,</i> their
<i>help and their shield,</i> their <i>sun and their shield,</i>
their <i>shield and their great reward,</i> and here their
<i>hiding-place and their shield.</i> 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>I hope in thy word,</i>
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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p183.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.115" parsed="|Ps|119|115|0|0" passage="Ps 119:115" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.115">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p184">115 Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will
keep the commandments of my God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p185">Here is, 1. David's firm and fixed
resolution to live a holy life: <i>I will keep the commandments of
my God.</i> 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>I will keep
them.</i> 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: <i>Depart from me, you evil-doers.</i>
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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p185.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.1.1 Bible:Eph.5.11" parsed="|Ps|1|1|0|0;|Eph|5|11|0|0" passage="Ps 1:1,Eph 5:11">Ps. i. 1; Eph. v. 11</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p185.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.116-Ps.119.117" parsed="|Ps|119|116|119|117" passage="Ps 119:116-117" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.116-Ps.119.117">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p186">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p187">Here, 1. David prays for sustaining grace;
for this grace sufficient he besought the Lord twice: <i>Uphold
me;</i> and again, <i>Hold thou me up.</i> 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 (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p187.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.41.12" parsed="|Ps|41|12|0|0" passage="Ps 41:12">Ps. xli.
12</scripRef>), to keep him from falling and to keep him from
tiring, that he might neither turn aside to evil-doing nor be weary
of well-doing. We stand no longer than God holds us and go no
further than he carries us. 2. He pleads earnestly for this grace.
(1.) He pleads the promise of God, his dependence upon the promise,
and his expectation from it: "<i>Uphold me, according to thy
word,</i> which word I hope in; and, if it be not performed, I
shall be made <i>ashamed of my hope,</i> and be called a fool for
my credulity." But those that hope in God's word may be sure that
the word will not fail them, and therefore their hope will not make
them ashamed. (2.) He pleads the great need he had of God's grace
and the great advantage it would be of to him: <i>Uphold me, that I
may live,</i> intimating that he could not live without the grace
of God; he should fall into sin, into death, into hell, if God did
not hold him up; but, supported by his hand, he shall live; his
spiritual life shall be maintained and be an earnest of eternal
life. <i>Hold me up, and I shall be safe,</i> out of danger and out
of the fear of danger. Our holy security is grounded on divine
supports. (3.) He pleads his resolution, in the strength of this
grace, to proceed in his duty: "<i>Hold me up,</i> and then <i>I
will have respect unto thy statutes continually</i> and never turn
my eyes or feet aside from them." <i>I will employ myself</i> (so
some), I <i>will delight myself</i> (so others) <i>in thy
statutes.</i> If God's right hand uphold us, we must, in his
strength, go on in our duty both with diligence and pleasure.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p187.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.118-Ps.119.120" parsed="|Ps|119|118|119|120" passage="Ps 119:118-120" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.118-Ps.119.120">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p188">118 Thou hast trodden down all them that err
from thy statutes: for their deceit <i>is</i> falsehood.   119
Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth <i>like</i> dross:
therefore I love thy testimonies.   120 My flesh trembleth for
fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p189">Here is, I. God's judgment on wicked
people, on those that <i>wander from his statutes,</i> 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 <i>the wicked of the earth;</i>
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 <i>treads them all down.</i>
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 (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p189.1" osisRef="Bible:Amos.2.9" parsed="|Amos|2|9|0|0" passage="Am 2:9">Amos ii. 9</scripRef>); he has done
it many a time, and he will do it, for he resists the proud and
will triumph over those that oppose his kingdom. Proud persecutors
trample upon his people, but, sooner or later, he will trample upon
them. 2. He <i>puts them all away like dross.</i> Wicked people are
as dross, which, though it be mingled with the good metal in the
ore, and seems to be of the same substance with it, must be
separated from it. And in God's account they are worthless things,
the scum and refuse of the earth, and no more to be compared with
the righteous than dross with fine gold. There is a day coming
which will put them away from among the righteous (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p189.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.13.49" parsed="|Matt|13|49|0|0" passage="Mt 13:49">Matt. xiii. 49</scripRef>), so that they shall
have no place <i>in their congregation</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p189.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.1.5" parsed="|Ps|1|5|0|0" passage="Ps 1:5">Ps. i. 5</scripRef>), which will put them away into
everlasting fire, the fittest place for the dross. Sometimes, in
this world, the wicked are, by the censures of the church, or the
sword of the magistrate, or the judgments of God, <i>put away as
dross,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p189.4" osisRef="Bible:Prov.25.4-Prov.25.5" parsed="|Prov|25|4|25|5" passage="Pr 25:4,5">Prov. xxv. 4,
5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p190">II. The reasons of these judgments. God
casts them off because they <i>err from his statutes</i> (those
that will not submit to the commands of the word shall feel the
curses of it) and because <i>their deceit is falsehood,</i> 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. <i>Their cunning is
falsehood,</i> so Dr. Hammond. The utmost of their policy is
treachery and perfidiousness; this the God of truth hates and will
punish.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p191">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; <i>therefore I love thy
testimonies,</i> which warn me to take heed of those dangerous
courses and <i>keep me from the paths of the destroyer.</i>" 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: <i>My
flesh trembles for fear of thee.</i> 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: <i>Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God?</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p191.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.6.20" parsed="|1Sam|6|20|0|0" passage="1Sa 6:20">1 Sam. vi. 20</scripRef>. (2.) To fear
lest we offend him and become obnoxious to his wrath. Good men have
need to be restrained from sin by <i>the terrors of the Lord,</i>
especially when judgment <i>begins at the house of God</i> and
hypocrites are discovered and <i>put away as dross.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p191.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.121-Ps.119.122" parsed="|Ps|119|121|119|122" passage="Ps 119:121-122" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.121-Ps.119.122">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p191.3">16. AIN.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p192">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p193">David here appeals to God, 1. As his
witness that he had not done wrong; he could truly say, "<i>I have
done judgment and justice,</i> 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 <i>executed judgment
and justice to all his people,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p193.1" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.8.15" parsed="|2Sam|8|15|0|0" passage="2Sa 8:15">2
Sam. viii. 15</scripRef>. Take him in a private capacity, he could
appeal to Saul himself that <i>there was no evil or transgression
in his hand,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p193.2" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.24.11" parsed="|1Sam|24|11|0|0" passage="1Sa 24:11">1 Sam. xxiv.
11</scripRef>. Note, Honesty is the best policy and will be our
rejoicing in the day of evil. 2. As his Judge, that he might not be
wronged. Having done justice for others that were oppressed, he
begs that God would do him justice and avenge him of his
adversaries: "<i>Be surety for thy servant, for good;</i> undertake
for me against those that would run me down and ruin me." He is
sensible that he cannot make his part good himself, and therefore
begs that God would appear for him. Christ is our surety with God;
and, if he be so, Providence shall be our surety against all the
world. Who or what shall harm us if God's power and goodness be
engaged for our protection and rescue? He does not prescribe to God
what he should do for him; only let it be <i>for good,</i> in such
way and manner as Infinite Wisdom sees best; "only <i>let me not be
left to my oppressors.</i>" Though David had <i>done judgment and
justice,</i> yet he had many enemies; but, having God for his
friend, he hoped they should not have their will against him; and
in that hope he prayed again, <i>Let not the proud oppress me.</i>
David, one of the best of men, was oppressed by the proud, whom God
beholds afar off; the condition therefore of the persecuted is
better than that of the persecutors, and will appear so at
last.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p193.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.123" parsed="|Ps|119|123|0|0" passage="Ps 119:123" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.123">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p194">123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for
the word of thy righteousness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p195">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: <i>My eyes fail for
thy salvation.</i> 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
<i>their</i> time has elapsed. 2. Yet he cannot hope that it comes
surely; for he expects <i>the word of God's righteousness,</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p195.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.124-Ps.119.125" parsed="|Ps|119|124|119|125" passage="Ps 119:124-125" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.124-Ps.119.125">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p196">124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy
mercy, and teach me thy statutes.   125 I <i>am</i> thy
servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy
testimonies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p197">Here is, 1. David's petition for divine
instruction: "<i>Teach me thy statutes;</i> 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 <i>my eyes</i> are ready to <i>fail for thy
salvation,</i> 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:
<i>Give me understanding</i> (a renewed understanding, apt to
receive divine light), <i>that I may know thy testimonies.</i> 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: <i>Deal with me according to thy mercy.</i> 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>I am thy servant,</i> and
have work to do for thee; therefore <i>teach me</i> 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,
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p197.1" osisRef="Bible:John.7.17 Bible:Ps.25.14" parsed="|John|7|17|0|0;|Ps|25|14|0|0" passage="Joh 7:17,Ps 25:14">John vii. 17; Ps. xxv.
14</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p197.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.126" parsed="|Ps|119|126|0|0" passage="Ps 119:126" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.126">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p198">126 <i>It is</i> time for <i>thee,</i> <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p198.1">Lord</span>, to work: <i>for</i> they have made
void thy law.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p199">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
<i>have made void thy law,</i> 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, <i>Who is the Lord? What is the Almighty, that we
should fear him?</i> 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: "<i>It is time
for thee, Lord, to work,</i> 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. <i>Now will I arise, saith the Lord.</i> Some read it, and
the original will bear it, <i>It is time to work for thee, O
Lord!</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p199.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.127-Ps.119.128" parsed="|Ps|119|127|119|128" passage="Ps 119:127-128" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.127-Ps.119.128">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p200">127 Therefore I love thy commandments above
gold; yea, above fine gold.   128 Therefore I esteem all
<i>thy</i> precepts <i>concerning</i> all <i>things to be</i>
right; <i>and</i> I hate every false way.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p201">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—<i>above gold,
yea, above fine gold.</i> 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 <i>consent to the law
that it is good,</i> we shall delight in it after the inner man. 3.
The fruit and evidence of this love: He <i>hated every false
way.</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p201.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.129" parsed="|Ps|119|129|0|0" passage="Ps 119:129" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.129">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p201.2">17. PE.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p202">129 Thy testimonies <i>are</i> wonderful:
therefore doth my soul keep them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p203">See here how David was affected towards the
word of God. 1. He admired it, as most excellent in itself: <i>Thy
testimonies are wonderful.</i> 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:
"<i>Therefore doth my soul keep them,</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p203.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.130" parsed="|Ps|119|130|0|0" passage="Ps 119:130" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.130">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p204">130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it
giveth understanding unto the simple.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p205">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 <i>the entrance of God's word gives
light.</i> 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 <i>in giving the sense,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p205.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.8.8" parsed="|Neh|8|8|0|0" passage="Ne 8:8">Neh. viii. 8</scripRef>. Some understand it of the
New Testament, which is the opening or unfolding of the Old, which
would give light concerning life and immortality. (2.) It would
<i>give understanding</i> even <i>to the simple,</i> to the weakest
capacities; for it shows us a way to heaven so plain that the
<i>wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p205.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.131" parsed="|Ps|119|131|0|0" passage="Ps 119:131" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.131">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p206">131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed
for thy commandments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p207">Here is, 1. The desire David had towards
the word of God: <i>I longed for thy commandments.</i> 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, <i>as new-born babes desire the
milk.</i> 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>I
opened my mouth and panted,</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p207.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.42.1-Ps.42.2 Bible:Luke.12.50" parsed="|Ps|42|1|42|2;|Luke|12|50|0|0" passage="Ps 42:1,2 Lu 12:50">Ps. xlii. 1, 2.
Luke xii. 50</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p207.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.132" parsed="|Ps|119|132|0|0" passage="Ps 119:132" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.132">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p208">132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me,
as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p209">Here is, 1. David's request for God's
favour to himself: "<i>Look</i> graciously <i>upon me;</i> let me
have thy smiles, and the light of thy countenance. Take cognizance
of me and my affairs, <i>and be merciful to me;</i> 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: <i>As thou usest to
do unto those that love thy name.</i> This is either, (1.) A plea
for mercy: "Lord, I am one of <i>those that love thy name,</i> 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 <i>thou
bearest to thy chosen,</i>" <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p209.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.4-Ps.106.5" parsed="|Ps|106|4|106|5" passage="Ps 106:4,5">Ps. cvi.
4, 5</scripRef>. He desires no more, no better, than neighbour's
fare, and he will take up with no less; common looks and common
mercies will not serve, but such as are reserved for those that
love him, which are such as <i>eye has not seen,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p209.2" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.2.9" parsed="|1Cor|2|9|0|0" passage="1Co 2:9">1 Cor. ii. 9</scripRef>. Note, The dealings of
God with those that love him are such that a man needs not desire
to be any better dealt with, for he will make them truly and
eternally happy. And as long as God deals with us no otherwise than
as he uses to deal with those that love him we have no reason to
complain, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p209.3" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.13" parsed="|1Cor|10|13|0|0" passage="1Co 10:13">1 Cor. x.
13</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p209.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.133" parsed="|Ps|119|133|0|0" passage="Ps 119:133" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.133">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p210">133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any
iniquity have dominion over me.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p211">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:
"<i>Order my steps in thy word;</i> 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: "<i>Let no iniquity have
dominion over me,</i> 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
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p211.1" osisRef="Bible:Rom.6.14" parsed="|Rom|6|14|0|0" passage="Ro 6:14">Rom. vi. 14</scripRef>), <i>Sin shall
not have dominion over you.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p211.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.134" parsed="|Ps|119|134|0|0" passage="Ps 119:134" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.134">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p212">134 Deliver me from the oppression of man: so
will I keep thy precepts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p213">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: "<i>Deliver me from the
oppression of man</i>—man, whom God can control, and whose power
is limited. Let them know themselves to be <i>but men</i>
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p213.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.9.20" parsed="|Ps|9|20|0|0" passage="Ps 9:20">Ps. ix. 20</scripRef>), and let me be
delivered out of the hands of my enemies, that I may serve God
without fear; <i>so will I keep thy precepts.</i>" Not but that he
would keep God's precepts, though he should be continued under
oppression; "but so shall I keep thy precepts more cheerfully and
with more enlargement of heart, my bonds being loosed." <i>Then</i>
we may expect temporal blessings when we desire them with this in
our eye, that we may serve God the better.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p213.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.135" parsed="|Ps|119|135|0|0" passage="Ps 119:135" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.135">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p214">135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and
teach me thy statutes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p215">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, "<i>Make thy
face to shine upon thy servant;</i> 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: <i>Teach me thy statutes.</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p215.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.136" parsed="|Ps|119|136|0|0" passage="Ps 119:136" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.136">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p216">136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because
they keep not thy law.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p217">Here we have David in sorrow. 1. It is a
great sorrow, to such a degree that he weeps <i>rivers of
tears.</i> 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
(<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p217.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.135" parsed="|Ps|119|135|0|0" passage="Ps 119:135"><i>v.</i> 135</scripRef>), now he
pleads that he was qualified for that comfort, and had need of it,
for he was one of those that mourned in Zion, and those that do so
shall be comforted, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p217.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.61.3" parsed="|Isa|61|3|0|0" passage="Isa 61:3">Isa. lxi.
3</scripRef>. 2. It is godly sorrow. He wept not for his troubles,
though they were many, but for the dishonour done to God:
<i>Because they keep not thy law,</i> either <i>because my eyes
keep not thy law,</i> so some (the eye is the inlet and outlet of a
great deal of sin, and therefore it ought to be a weeping eye), or,
rather, <i>they,</i> that is, those about me, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p217.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.139" parsed="|Ps|119|139|0|0" passage="Ps 119:139"><i>v.</i> 139</scripRef>. Note, The sins of sinners
are the sorrows of saints. We must mourn for that which we cannot
mend.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p217.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.137-Ps.119.138" parsed="|Ps|119|137|119|138" passage="Ps 119:137-138" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.137-Ps.119.138">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p217.5">18. TZADDI.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p218">137 Righteous <i>art</i> thou, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p218.1">O Lord</span>, and upright <i>are</i> thy judgments.
  138 Thy testimonies <i>that</i> thou hast commanded
<i>are</i> righteous and very faithful.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p219">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: <i>Upright are thy judgments,</i> 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:
"<i>Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded,</i> which are backed
with thy sovereign authority, and to which thou dost require our
obedience, <i>are</i> exceedingly <i>righteous and faithful,</i>
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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p219.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.139" parsed="|Ps|119|139|0|0" passage="Ps 119:139" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.139">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p220">139 My zeal hath consumed me, because mine
enemies have forgotten thy words.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p221">Here is, 1. The great contempt which wicked
men put upon religion: <i>My enemies have forgotten thy words.</i>
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 <i>zeal</i> even <i>consumed him,</i>
when he observed their impieties. He conceived such an indignation
at their wickedness as preyed upon his spirits, even <i>ate them
up</i> (as Christ's zeal, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p221.1" osisRef="Bible:John.2.17" parsed="|John|2|17|0|0" passage="Joh 2:17">John ii.
17</scripRef>), swallowed up all inferior considerations, and made
him forget himself. <i>My zeal has pressed or constrained me</i>
(so Dr. Hammond reads it), <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p221.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.18.5" parsed="|Acts|18|5|0|0" passage="Ac 18:5">Acts xviii.
5</scripRef>. Zeal against sin should constrain us to do what we
can against it in our places, at least to do so much the more in
religion ourselves. The worse others are the better we should
be.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p221.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.140" parsed="|Ps|119|140|0|0" passage="Ps 119:140" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.140">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p222">140 Thy word <i>is</i> very pure: therefore thy
servant loveth it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p223">Here is, 1. David's great affection for the
word of God: <i>Thy servant loves it.</i> 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 <i>very
pure,</i> and therefore he loved it. Our love to the word of God is
<i>then</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p223.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.141" parsed="|Ps|119|141|0|0" passage="Ps 119:141" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.141">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p224">141 I <i>am</i> small and despised: <i>yet</i>
do not I forget thy precepts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p225">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 <i>small and despised</i> 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. <i>God
has chosen the foolish things of the world,</i> and it has been the
common lot of his people to be a despised people. 2. David poor and
yet pious, <i>small and despised</i> for his strict and serious
godliness, yet his conscience can witness for him that he did
<i>not forget God's precepts.</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p225.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.142" parsed="|Ps|119|142|0|0" passage="Ps 119:142" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.142">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p226">142 Thy righteousness <i>is</i> an everlasting
righteousness, and thy law <i>is</i> the truth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p227">Observe, 1. That God's word <i>is
righteousness,</i> and it <i>is an everlasting righteousness.</i>
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 (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p227.1" osisRef="Bible:John.18.37" parsed="|John|18|37|0|0" passage="Joh 18:37">John xviii. 37</scripRef>) <i>and</i> God's
<i>law is the truth;</i> surely we cannot break such words as these
asunder.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p227.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.143-Ps.119.144" parsed="|Ps|119|143|119|144" passage="Ps 119:143-144" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.143-Ps.119.144">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p228">143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me:
<i>yet</i> thy commandments <i>are</i> my delights.   144 The
righteousness of thy testimonies <i>is</i> everlasting: give me
understanding, and I shall live.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p229">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 (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p229.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.141" parsed="|Ps|119|141|0|0" passage="Ps 119:141"><i>v.</i>
141</scripRef>), <i>I am small and despised,</i> and yet adhere to
my duty. Here he finds himself not only mean, but miserable, as far
as this world could make him so: <i>Trouble and anguish have taken
hold on me</i>—trouble without, anguish within; they surprised
him, they seized him, they held him. Sorrows are often the lot of
saints in this vale of tears; they are <i>in heaviness through
manifold temptations.</i> There he had said, <i>Yet do I not forget
thy precepts;</i> here he carries his constancy much higher: <i>Yet
thy commandments are my delights.</i> All this trouble and anguish
did not put his mouth out of taste for the comforts of the word of
God, but he could still relish them and find that peace and
pleasure in them which all the calamities of this present time
could not deprive him of. There are delights, variety of delights,
in the word of God, which the saints have often the sweetest
enjoyment of when they are in trouble and anguish, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p229.2" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.1.5" parsed="|2Cor|1|5|0|0" passage="2Co 1:5">2 Cor. i. 5</scripRef>. 2. He again acknowledges
the everlasting righteousness of God's word as before (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p229.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.142" parsed="|Ps|119|142|0|0" passage="Ps 119:142"><i>v.</i> 142</scripRef>): <i>The
righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting</i> and cannot be
altered; and, when it is admitted in its power into a soul, it is
there an abiding principle, <i>a well of living water,</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p229.4" osisRef="Bible:John.4.14" parsed="|John|4|14|0|0" passage="Joh 4:14">John iv. 14</scripRef>. We ought to
meditate much and often upon the equity and the eternity of the
word of God. Here he adds, by way of inference, (1.) His prayer for
grace: <i>Give me understanding.</i> Those that know much of the
word of God should still covet to know more; for there is more to
be known. He does not say, "Give me a further revelation," but,
<i>Give me a further understanding;</i> what is revealed we should
desire to understand, and what we know to know better; and we must
go to God for a heart to know. (2.) His hope of glory: "Give me
this renewed understanding, and then <i>I shall live,</i> shall
live for ever, shall be eternally happy, and shall be comforted,
for the present, in the prospect of it." <i>This is life eternal,
to know God,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p229.5" osisRef="Bible:John.17.3" parsed="|John|17|3|0|0" passage="Joh 17:3">John xvii.
3</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p229.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.145-Ps.119.146" parsed="|Ps|119|145|119|146" passage="Ps 119:145-146" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.145-Ps.119.146">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p229.7">19. KOPH.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p230">145 I cried with <i>my</i> whole heart; hear me,
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p230.1">O Lord</span>: I will keep thy statutes.
  146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy
testimonies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p231">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 <i>with his heart,</i> 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
<i>cried,</i> as one in earnest, with fervour of affection and a
holy vehemence and vigour of desire. <i>He cried with his whole
heart;</i> all the powers of his soul were not only engaged and
employed, but exerted to the utmost, in his prayers. <i>Then</i> we
are likely to speed when we thus strive and wrestle in prayer. 3.
That he directed his prayer to God: <i>I cried unto thee.</i>
Whither should the child go but to his father when any thing ails
him? 4. That the great thing he prayed for was salvation: <i>Save
me.</i> 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 (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p231.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.50.23" parsed="|Ps|50|23|0|0" passage="Ps 50:23">Ps. l.
23</scripRef>) and the <i>things that accompany</i> it, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p231.2" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.9" parsed="|Heb|6|9|0|0" passage="Heb 6:9">Heb. vi. 9</scripRef>. 5. That he was earnest for
an answer; and not only looked up in his prayers, but looked up
after them, to see what became of them (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p231.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.5.3" parsed="|Ps|5|3|0|0" passage="Ps 5:3">Ps. v. 3</scripRef>): "Lord, <i>hear me,</i> and let me
know that thou hearest me."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p232">II. David's good purposes, by which he
bound himself to duty when he was in the pursuit of mercy. "<i>I
will keep thy statutes;</i> I am resolved that by thy grace I
will;" for, <i>if we turn away our ear from hearing the law,</i> we
cannot expect an answer of peace to our prayers, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p232.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.28.9" parsed="|Prov|28|9|0|0" passage="Pr 28:9">Prov. xxviii. 9</scripRef>. This purpose is used as a
humble plea (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p232.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.146" parsed="|Ps|119|146|0|0" passage="Ps 119:146"><i>v.</i>
146</scripRef>): "<i>Save me</i> from my sins, my corruptions, my
temptations, all the hindrances that lie in my way, that I may
<i>keep thy testimonies.</i>" We must cry for salvation, not that
we may have the ease and comfort of it, but that we may have an
opportunity of serving God the more cheerfully.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p232.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.147-Ps.119.148" parsed="|Ps|119|147|119|148" passage="Ps 119:147-148" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.147-Ps.119.148">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p233">147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and
cried: I hoped in thy word.   148 Mine eyes prevent the
<i>night</i> watches, that I might meditate in thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p234">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,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p235">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 <i>the vision
is for an appointed time, and at the end it will speak and not lie.
I hoped in thy word,</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p236">II. The hours of his devotion. <i>He
anticipated the dawning of the morning,</i> nay, and <i>the
night-watches.</i> See here, 1. That David was an early riser,
which perhaps contributed to his eminency. He was none of those
that say, <i>Yet a little sleep.</i> 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 <i>the night-watches,</i>
when he awaked from his first sleep, he would rather meditate and
pray than turn himself and go to sleep again. He <i>esteemed the
words of God's mouth more than his necessary</i> repose, which we
can as ill spare as our <i>food,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p236.1" osisRef="Bible:Job.23.12" parsed="|Job|23|12|0|0" passage="Job 23:12">Job xxiii. 12</scripRef>. 4. That he would redeem time
for religious exercises. He was full of business all day, but that
will excuse no man from secret devotion; it is better to take time
from sleep, as David did, than not to find time for prayer. And
this is our comfort, when we pray in the night, that we can never
come unseasonably to the throne of grace; for we may have access to
it at all hours. Baal may be asleep, but Israel's God never
slumbers, nor are there any hours in which he may not be spoken
with.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p236.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.149" parsed="|Ps|119|149|0|0" passage="Ps 119:149" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.149">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p237">149 Hear my voice according unto thy
lovingkindness: <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p237.1">O Lord</span>, quicken me
according to thy judgment.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p238">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:
"<i>Lord, quicken me;</i> 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 <i>judgment,</i>
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: <i>Quicken me
according to</i> the tenour of that covenant.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p238.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.150-Ps.119.151" parsed="|Ps|119|150|119|151" passage="Ps 119:150-151" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.150-Ps.119.151">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p239">150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief:
they are far from thy law.   151 Thou <i>art</i> near, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p239.1">O Lord</span>; and all thy commandments
<i>are</i> truth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p240">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 <i>follow
after mischief,</i> 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: <i>They are far from thy
law,</i> 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: <i>They
draw nigh,</i> 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 (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p240.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.20.3" parsed="|1Sam|20|3|0|0" passage="1Sa 20:3">1 Sam. xx.
3</scripRef>), <i>There is but a step between them and death.</i>
Perhaps this comes in here as a reason why David was so earnest in
prayer, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p240.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.149" parsed="|Ps|119|149|0|0" passage="Ps 119:149"><i>v.</i> 149</scripRef>.
God brings us into imminent perils, as he did Jacob, that, like
him, we may wrestle for a blessing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p241">II. The assurance David had of protection
with God: "<i>They draw nigh</i> to destroy me, but <i>thou art
near, O Lord!</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p241.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.7" parsed="|Deut|4|7|0|0" passage="De 4:7">Deut. iv. 7</scripRef>. <i>All thy commandments are
truth.</i> The enemies thought to defeat the promises God had made
to David, but he was sure it was out of their power; they were
inviolably true, and would be infallibly performed.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p241.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.152" parsed="|Ps|119|152|0|0" passage="Ps 119:152" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.152">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p242">152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of
old that thou hast founded them for ever.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p243">This confirms what he had said in the close
of the foregoing verses, <i>All thy commandments are truth;</i> 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 <i>founded for ever,</i> so
that when heaven and earth shall have passed away every iota and
tittle of the promise shall stand firm, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p243.1" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.1.20" parsed="|2Cor|1|20|0|0" passage="2Co 1:20">2 Cor. i. 20</scripRef>. 2. David had found it so, both
by a work of God's grace upon his heart (begetting in him a full
persuasion of the truth of God's word and enabling him to rely upon
it with a full satisfaction) and by the works of his providence on
his behalf, fulfilling the promise beyond what he expected. Thus he
<i>knew of old,</i> from the days of his youth, ever since he began
to look towards God, that the word of God is what one may venture
one's all upon. This assurance was confirmed by the observations
and experiences of his own life all along, and of others that had
gone before him in the ways of God. All that ever dealt with God,
and trusted in him will own that they have found him faithful.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p243.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.153-Ps.119.154" parsed="|Ps|119|153|119|154" passage="Ps 119:153-154" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.153-Ps.119.154">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p243.3">20. RESH.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p244">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p245">Here, I. David prays for succour in
distress. <i>Is any afflicted? let him pray;</i> let him pray as
David does here. 1. He has an eye to God's pity, and prays,
"<i>Consider my affliction;</i> 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
<i>put him in remembrance</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p245.1" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.26" parsed="|Isa|43|26|0|0" passage="Isa 43:26">Isa.
xliii. 26</scripRef>), to spread our case before him, and then
leave it to his compassionate consideration to do in it as in his
wisdom he shall think fit, in his own time and way. 2. He has an
eye to God's power and prays, <i>Deliver me;</i> and again,
"<i>Deliver me;</i> consider my troubles and bring me out of them."
God has promised deliverance (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p245.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.50.15" parsed="|Ps|50|15|0|0" passage="Ps 50:15">Ps. l.
15</scripRef>) and we may pray for it, with submission to his will
and with regard to his glory, that we may serve him the better. 3.
He has an eye to God's righteousness, and prays, "<i>Plead my
cause;</i> be thou my patron and advocate, and take me for thy
client." David had a just cause, but his adversaries were many and
mighty, and he was in danger of being run down by them; he
therefore begs of God to clear his integrity and silence their
false accusations. If God do not plead his people's cause, who
will? He is righteous, and they commit themselves to him, and
therefore he will do it, and do it effectually, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p245.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.51.22 Bible:Jer.50.34" parsed="|Isa|51|22|0|0;|Jer|50|34|0|0" passage="Isa 51:22,Jer 50:34">Isa. li. 22; Jer. l. 34</scripRef>. (4.) He
has an eye to God's grace, and prays, "<i>Quicken me.</i> Lord, I
am weak, and unable to bear my troubles; my spirit is apt to droop
and sink. O that thou wouldst revive and comfort me, till the
deliverance is wrought!"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p246">II. He pleads his dependence upon the word
of God and his obedient regard to its directions: <i>Quicken</i>
and <i>deliver me according to thy word</i> of promise, <i>for I do
not forget thy precepts.</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p246.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.155" parsed="|Ps|119|155|0|0" passage="Ps 119:155" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.155">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p247">155 Salvation <i>is</i> far from the wicked: for
they seek not thy statutes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p248">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: <i>Salvation is far from</i> them. They cannot upon any
good grounds promise themselves temporal deliverance. <i>Let not
that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.</i> 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. <i>Behold, the Judge
stands before the door.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p248.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.156" parsed="|Ps|119|156|0|0" passage="Ps 119:156" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.156">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p249">156 Great <i>are</i> thy tender mercies, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p249.1">O Lord</span>: quicken me according to thy
judgments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p250">Here, 1. David admires God's grace:
<i>Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord!</i> 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 (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p250.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.155" parsed="|Ps|119|155|0|0" passage="Ps 119:155"><i>v.</i>
155</scripRef>); but God is good notwithstanding; there were tender
mercies sufficient in God to have saved them, if they had not
"<i>despised the riches of those mercies.</i>" Those that are
delivered from the sinner's doom are bound for ever to own the
greatness of God's mercies which delivered them. 2. He begs for
God's grace, reviving quickening grace, <i>according to his
judgments,</i> that is, according to the tenour of the new covenant
(that established rule by which he goes in dispensing that grace)
or according to his manner, his custom or usage, with those that
love his name, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p250.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.132" parsed="|Ps|119|132|0|0" passage="Ps 119:132"><i>v.</i>
132</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p250.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.157" parsed="|Ps|119|157|0|0" passage="Ps 119:157" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.157">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p251">157 Many <i>are</i> my persecutors and mine
enemies; <i>yet</i> do I not decline from thy testimonies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p252">Here is, 1. David surrounded with
difficulties and dangers: <i>Many are my persecutors and my
enemies.</i> 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: "<i>Yet do I not decline
from thy testimonies,</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p252.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.158" parsed="|Ps|119|158|0|0" passage="Ps 119:158" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.158">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p253">158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved;
because they kept not thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p254">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 <i>beheld the transgressors,</i> those
whose sins were open before all men, and it <i>grieved</i> 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: <i>They
kept not thy word.</i> Those that hate sin truly hate it as sin, as
a transgression of the law of God and a violation of his word.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p254.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.159" parsed="|Ps|119|159|0|0" passage="Ps 119:159" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.159">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p255">159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken
me, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p255.1">O Lord</span>, according to thy
lovingkindness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p256">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:
"<i>Quicken me,</i> to do my duty with vigour; revive me, keep me
alive, not according to any merit of mine, though I love thy word,
<i>but according to thy lovingkindness;</i>" 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p256.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.160" parsed="|Ps|119|160|0|0" passage="Ps 119:160" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.160">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p257">160 Thy word <i>is</i> true <i>from</i> the
beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments <i>endureth</i>
for ever.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p258">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; <i>It is true
from the beginning.</i> 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, <i>Quod initio non valet,
tractu temporis convalescit—That which, at first, wanted validity,
in the progress of time acquired it.</i> But the <i>beginning of
God's word was true</i> (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
<i>faithful and well worthy of all acceptation.</i> 2. It will be
found faithful to the end, because righteous: "<i>Every one of thy
judgments remains for ever</i> unalterable and of perpetual
obligation, adjusting men's everlasting doom."</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p258.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.161" parsed="|Ps|119|161|0|0" passage="Ps 119:161" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.161">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p258.2">21. SCHIN.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p259">161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause:
but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p260">David here lets us know, 1. How he was
discouraged in his duty by the fear of man: <i>Princes persecuted
him.</i> They looked upon him as a traitor and an enemy to the
government, and under that notion sought his life, and bade him
<i>go serve other gods,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p260.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.26.19" parsed="|1Sam|26|19|0|0" passage="1Sa 26:19">1 Sam.
xxvi. 19</scripRef>. It has been the common lot of the best men to
be persecuted; and the case is the worse if princes be the
persecutors, for they have not only the sword in their hand, and
therefore can do the more hurt, but they have the law on their
side, and can do it with reputation and a colour of justice. It is
sad that the power which magistrates have from God, and should use
for him, should ever be employed against him. But <i>marvel not at
the matter,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p260.2" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.8" parsed="|Eccl|5|8|0|0" passage="Ec 5:8">Eccl. v. 8</scripRef>.
It was a comfort to David that when princes persecuted him he could
truly say it was without cause, he never gave them any provocation.
2. How he was kept to his duty, notwithstanding, by the fear of
God: "They would make me stand in awe of them and their word, and
do as they bid me; but <i>my heart stands in awe of thy word,</i>
and I am resolved to please God, and keep in with him, whoever is
displeased and falls out with me." Every gracious soul stands in
awe of the word of God, of the authority of its precepts and the
terror of its threatenings; and to those that do so nothing
appears, in the power and wrath of man, at all formidable. We ought
to obey God rather than men, and to make sure of God's favour,
though we throw ourselves under the frowns of all the world,
<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p260.3" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.4-Luke.12.5" parsed="|Luke|12|4|12|5" passage="Lu 12:4,5">Luke xii. 4, 5</scripRef>. The heart
that stands in awe of God's word is armed against the temptations
that arise from persecution.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p260.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.162" parsed="|Ps|119|162|0|0" passage="Ps 119:162" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.162">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p261">162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth
great spoil.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p262">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—<i>as one that finds great spoil.</i> This supposes a
victory over the enemy. It is through much opposition that a soul
comes to this, to <i>rejoice in God's word.</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p262.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.163" parsed="|Ps|119|163|0|0" passage="Ps 119:163" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.163">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p263">163 I hate and abhor lying: <i>but</i> thy law
do I love.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p264">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>I hate and
abhor lying,</i> 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 <i>one</i> is a
<i>lying tongue</i> and <i>another</i> is a <i>false witness that
speaks lies,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p264.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.6.16" parsed="|Prov|6|16|0|0" passage="Pr 6:16">Prov. vi.
16</scripRef>. Every man hates to have a lie told him; but we
should more hate telling a lie because by the former we only
receive an affront from men, by the latter we give an affront to
God. 2. He had a rooted affection to the word of God: <i>Thy law do
I love.</i> And therefore he abhorred lying, for lying is contrary
to the whole law of God; and the reason why he loved the law of God
was because of the truth of it. The more we see of the amiable
beauty of truth the more we shall see of the detestable deformity
of a lie.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p264.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.164" parsed="|Ps|119|164|0|0" passage="Ps 119:164" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.164">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p265">164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because
of thy righteous judgments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p266">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—<i>Seven times a
day,</i> 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 <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p266.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.62" parsed="|Ps|119|62|0|0" passage="Ps 119:62"><i>v.</i> 62</scripRef>.
2. What he praised God for—<i>because of thy righteous
judgments.</i> We must praise God for his precepts, which are all
just and good, for his promises and threatenings and the
performance of both in his providence. We are to praise God even
for our afflictions, if through grace we get good by them.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p266.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.165" parsed="|Ps|119|165|0|0" passage="Ps 119:165" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.165">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p267">165 Great peace have they which love thy law:
and nothing shall offend them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p268">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:
<i>Great peace have those that love thy law,</i> abundant
satisfaction in doing their duty and pleasure in reflecting upon
it. <i>The work of righteousness is peace</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p268.1" osisRef="Bible:Isa.32.17" parsed="|Isa|32|17|0|0" passage="Isa 32:17">Isa. xxxii. 17</scripRef>), such peace as the world can
neither give nor take away. They may be in great troubles without
and yet enjoy great peace within, <i>sat lucis intus—abundance of
internal light.</i> Those that love the world have great vexation,
for it does not answer their expectation; those that love God's
word have great peace, for it outdoes their expectation, and in it
they have sure footing. 2. They are safe, and have a holy security:
<i>Nothing shall offend them;</i> nothing shall be a scandal,
snare, or stumbling-block, to them, to entangle them either in
guilt or grief. No event of providence shall be either an
invincible temptation or an intolerable affliction to them, but
their love to the word of God shall enable them both to hold fast
their integrity and to preserve their tranquility. They will make
the best of that which is, and not quarrel with any thing that God
does. Nothing shall offend or hurt them, for every thing shall work
for good to them, and therefore shall please them, and they shall
reconcile themselves to it. Those in whom this holy love reigns
will not be apt to perplex themselves with needless scruples, nor
to take offence at their brethren, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p268.2" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.13.6-1Cor.13.7" parsed="|1Cor|13|6|13|7" passage="1Co 13:6,7">1
Cor. xiii. 6, 7</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p268.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.166" parsed="|Ps|119|166|0|0" passage="Ps 119:166" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.166">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p269">166 <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p269.1">Lord</span>, I have
hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p270">Here is the whole duty of man; for we are
taught, 1. To keep our eye upon God's favour as our end: "<i>Lord,
I have hoped for thy salvation,</i> 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>I have done thy commandments,</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p270.1" osisRef="Bible:Rev.22.14" parsed="|Rev|22|14|0|0" passage="Re 22:14">Rev. xxii. 14</scripRef>. But those that sincerely
endeavour to do his commandments ought to keep up a good hope of
the salvation; and that hope will both engage and enlarge the heart
in doing the commandments. The more lively the hope is the more
lively the obedience will be.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p270.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.167-Ps.119.168" parsed="|Ps|119|167|119|168" passage="Ps 119:167-168" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.167-Ps.119.168">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p271">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 <i>are</i> before thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p272">David's conscience here witnesses for
him,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p273">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p274">II. That he was governed herein by a good
principle: "<i>Therefore</i> I have kept thy precepts, because by
faith I have seen thy eye always upon me; <i>all my ways are before
thee;</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p274.1" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.1" parsed="|Gen|17|1|0|0" passage="Ge 17:1">Gen. xvii.
1</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p274.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.169-Ps.119.170" parsed="|Ps|119|169|119|170" passage="Ps 119:169-170" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.169-Ps.119.170">
<h4 id="Ps.cxx-p274.3">22. TAU.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p275">169 Let my cry come near before thee, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p275.1">O Lord</span>: give me understanding according to
thy word.   170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver
me according to thy word.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p276">Here we have, I. A general petition for
audience repeated: <i>Let my cry come near before thee;</i> and
again, <i>Let my supplication come before thee.</i> He calls his
prayer his <i>cry,</i> which denotes the fervency and vehemence of
it, and his <i>supplication,</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p277">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: <i>Give me
understanding;</i> 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: <i>Deliver me,</i> that is, with the temptation make
a way to escape, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p277.1" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.13" parsed="|1Cor|10|13|0|0" passage="1Co 10:13">1 Cor. x.
13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p278">III. The same general plea to enforce these
requests—<i>according to thy word.</i> 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?"</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p278.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.171" parsed="|Ps|119|171|0|0" passage="Ps 119:171" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.171">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p279">171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast
taught me thy statutes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p280">Here is, 1. A great favour which David
expects from God, that he will teach him his <i>statutes.</i> 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: <i>My lips shall utter praise when
thou hast taught me.</i> (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.) <i>Therefore</i> 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, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p280.1" osisRef="Bible:Eph.1.12" parsed="|Eph|1|12|0|0" passage="Eph 1:12">Eph. i.
12</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p280.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.172" parsed="|Ps|119|172|0|0" passage="Ps 119:172" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.172">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p281">172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all
thy commandments <i>are</i> righteousness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p282">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: <i>My tongue shall speak of thy word,</i> 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 <i>minister grace to the hearers.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p282.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.173-Ps.119.174" parsed="|Ps|119|173|119|174" passage="Ps 119:173-174" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.173-Ps.119.174">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p283">173 Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen
thy precepts.   174 I have longed for thy salvation, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxx-p283.1">O Lord</span>; and thy law <i>is</i> my
delight.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p284">Here, 1. David prays that divine grace
would work for him: <i>Let thy hand help me.</i> 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>I have chosen thy precepts.</i> 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>I have longed for thy salvation.</i> 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: "<i>Thy law is my delight.</i> 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p284.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.175" parsed="|Ps|119|175|0|0" passage="Ps 119:175" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.175">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p285">175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee;
and let thy judgments help me.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p286">David's heart is still upon praising God;
and therefore, 1. He prays that God would give him time to praise
him: "<i>Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee,</i> 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.
<i>Let my soul live,</i> that is, let me be sanctified and
comforted, for sanctification and comfort are the life of the soul,
<i>and</i> then <i>it shall praise thee.</i> 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: "<i>Let thy judgments help me;</i> 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."</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxx-p286.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.176" parsed="|Ps|119|176|0|0" passage="Ps 119:176" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.119.176">
<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxx-p287">176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek
thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxx-p288">Here is, 1. A penitent confession: <i>I
have gone astray,</i> or wander up and down, <i>like a lost
sheep.</i> As unconverted sinners are like lost sheep (<scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p288.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.15.4" parsed="|Luke|15|4|0|0" passage="Lu 15:4">Luke xv. 4</scripRef>), so weak unsteady saints
are like lost sheep, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p288.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.18.12-Matt.18.13" parsed="|Matt|18|12|18|13" passage="Mt 18:12,13">Matt. xviii.
12, 13</scripRef>. We are apt to wander like sheep, and very unapt,
when we have gone astray, to find the way again. By going astray we
lose the comfort of the green pastures and expose ourselves to a
thousand mischiefs. 2. A believing petition: <i>Seek thy
servant,</i> as the good shepherd seeks a wandering sheep to bring
it back again, <scripRef id="Ps.cxx-p288.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.34.12" parsed="|Ezek|34|12|0|0" passage="Eze 34:12">Ezek. xxxiv.
12</scripRef>. "Lord, seek me, as I used to seek my sheep when they
went astray;" for David had been himself a tender shepherd. "Lord,
own me for one of thine; for, though I am a stray sheep, I have thy
mark; concern thyself for me, send after me by the word, and
conscience, and providences; bring me back by thy grace." <i>Seek
me,</i> that is, <i>find me;</i> for God never seeks in vain.
<i>Turn me, and I shall be turned.</i> 3. An obedient plea: "Though
I have gone astray, yet I have not wickedly departed, <i>I do not
forget thy commandments.</i>" Thus he concludes the psalm with a
penitent sense of his own sin and believing dependence on God's
grace. With these a devout Christian will conclude his duties, will
conclude his life; he will live and die repenting and praying.
Observe here, (1.) It is the character of good people that they do
not <i>forget God's commandments,</i> being well pleased with their
convictions and well settled in their resolutions. (2.) Even those
who, through grace, are mindful of their duty, cannot but own that
they have in many instances wandered from it. (3.) Those that have
wandered from their duty, if they continue mindful of it, may with
a humble confidence commit themselves to the care of God's
grace.</p>
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