mh_parser/vol_split/19 - Psalms/Chapter 43.xml

<div2 id="Ps.xliv" n="xliv" next="Ps.xlv" prev="Ps.xliii" progress="36.44%" title="Chapter XLIII">
<h2 id="Ps.xliv-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
<h3 id="Ps.xliv-p0.2">PSALM XLIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ps.xliv-p1">This psalm, it is likely, was penned upon the same
occasion with the former, and, having no title, may be looked upon
as an appendix to it; the malady presently returning, he had
immediate recourse to the same remedy, because he had entered it in
his book, with a "probatum est—it has been proved," upon it. The
<scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.2 Bible:Ps.42.9" parsed="|Ps|43|2|0|0;|Ps|42|9|0|0" passage="Ps 43:2,Ps 42:9">second verse</scripRef> of this
psalm is almost the very same with the <scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.2 Bible:Ps.42.9" parsed="|Ps|43|2|0|0;|Ps|42|9|0|0" passage="Ps 43:2,Ps 42:9">ninth verse</scripRef> of the foregoing psalm, as
the <scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.5 Bible:Ps.42.11" parsed="|Ps|43|5|0|0;|Ps|42|11|0|0" passage="Ps 43:5,Ps 42:11">fifth</scripRef> of this
is exactly the same with the <scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.5 Bible:Ps.42.11" parsed="|Ps|43|5|0|0;|Ps|42|11|0|0" passage="Ps 43:5,Ps 42:11">eleventh</scripRef> of that. Christ himself, who
had the Spirit without measure, when there was occasion prayed a
second and third time "saying the same words," <scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Matt.26.44" parsed="|Matt|26|44|0|0" passage="Mt 26:44">Matt. xxvi. 44</scripRef>. In this psalm. I. David
appeals to God concerning the injuries that were done him by his
enemies, <scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.1-Ps.43.2" parsed="|Ps|43|1|43|2" passage="Ps 43:1,2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. II. He
prays to God to restore to him the free enjoyment of public
ordinances again, and promises to make a good improvement of them,
<scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.3-Ps.43.4" parsed="|Ps|43|3|43|4" passage="Ps 43:3,4">ver. 3, 4</scripRef>. III. He
endeavours to still the tumult of his own spirit with a lively hope
and confidence in God (<scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.5" parsed="|Ps|43|5|0|0" passage="Ps 43:5">ver.
5</scripRef>), and if, in singing this psalm, we labour after
these, we sing with grace in our hearts.</p>
<scripCom id="Ps.xliv-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43" parsed="|Ps|43|0|0|0" passage="Ps 43" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ps.xliv-p1.10" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.1-Ps.43.5" parsed="|Ps|43|1|43|5" passage="Ps 43:1-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.43.1-Ps.43.5">
<h4 id="Ps.xliv-p1.11">Appeals and Petitions.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.xliv-p2">1 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an
ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
  2 For thou <i>art</i> the God of my strength: why dost thou
cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the
enemy?   3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead
me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
  4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my
exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
  5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou
disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him,
<i>who is</i> the health of my countenance, and my God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xliv-p3">David here makes application to God, by
faith and prayer, as his judge, his strength, his guide, his joy,
his hope, with suitable affections and expressions.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xliv-p4">I. As his Judge, his righteous Judge, who
he knew would judge him, and who (being conscious of his own
integrity) he knew would judge for him (<scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.1" parsed="|Ps|43|1|0|0" passage="Ps 43:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): <i>Judge me, O God! and plead my
cause.</i> There were those that impeached him; against them he is
defendant, and from their courts, where he stood unjustly convicted
and condemned, he appeals to the court of heaven, the supreme
judicature, praying to have their judgment given against him
reversed and his innocency cleared. There were those that had
injured him; against them he is plaintiff, and exhibits his
complaint to him who is the avenger of wrong, praying for justice
for himself and upon them. Observe, 1. Who his enemies were with
whom he had this struggle. Here was a sinful body of men, whom he
calls an <i>ungodly</i> or <i>unmerciful nation.</i> Those that are
unmerciful make it appear that they are ungodly; for, those that
have any fear or love of their master will have compassion on their
fellow-servants. And here was one bad man the head of them, a
deceitful and unjust man, most probably Saul, who not only showed
no kindness to David, but dealt most perfidiously and dishonestly
with him. If Absalom was the man he meant, his character was no
better. As long as there are such bad men out of hell, and nations
of them, it is not strange that good men, who are yet out of
heaven, meet with hard and base treatment. Some think that David,
by the spirit of prophecy, calculated this psalm for the use of the
Jews in their captivity in Babylon, and that the Chaldeans are the
ungodly nation here meant; to them it was very applicable, but only
as other similar scriptures, none of which are of private
interpretation. God might design it for their use, whether David
did or no. 2. What is his prayer with reference to them: <i>Judge
me.</i> As to the quarrel God had with him for sin, he prays,
"<i>Enter not into judgment with me,</i> for then I shall be
condemned;" but, as to the quarrel his enemies had with him he
prays, "Lord, <i>judge me,</i> for I know that I shall be
justified; <i>plead my cause against them,</i> take my part, and in
thy providence appear on my behalf." He that has an honest cause
may expect that God will plead it. "Plead my cause so as to deliver
me from them, that they may not have their will against me." We
must reckon our cause sufficiently pleaded if we be delivered,
though our enemies be not destroyed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xliv-p5">II. As his strength, his all-sufficient
strength; so he eyes God (<scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.2" parsed="|Ps|43|2|0|0" passage="Ps 43:2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>): "<i>Thou art the God of my strength, my God, my
strength,</i> from whom all my strength is derived, in whom I
strengthen myself, who hast often strengthened me, and without whom
I am weak as water and utterly unable either to do or suffer any
thing for thee." David now went mourning, destitute of spiritual
joys, yet he found God to be the God of his strength. If we cannot
comfort ourselves in God, we may stay ourselves upon him, and may
have spiritual supports when we want spiritual delights. David here
pleads this with God: "Thou art the God on whom I depend as my
strength; why then dost thou cast me off?" This was a mistake; for
God never cast off any that trusted in him, whatever melancholy
apprehensions they may have had of their own state. "Thou art the
God of my strength; why then is my enemy too strong for me, and why
go I mourning because of his oppressive power?" It is hard to
reconcile the mighty force of the church's enemies with the
almighty power of the church's God; but the day will reconcile them
when all his enemies shall become his footstool.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xliv-p6">III. As his guide, his faithful guide
(<scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.3" parsed="|Ps|43|3|0|0" passage="Ps 43:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>Lead me,
bring me to thy holy hill.</i> He prays, 1. That God by his
providence would bring him back from his banishment, and open a way
for him again to the free enjoyment of the privileges of God's
sanctuary. His heart is upon <i>the holy hill and the
tabernacles,</i> not upon his family-comforts, his
court-preferments, or his diversions; he could bear the want of
these, but he is impatient to see God's tabernacles again; nothing
so amiable in his eyes as those; thither he would gladly be brought
back. In order to this he prays, "<i>Send out thy light and thy
truth;</i> let me have this as a fruit of thy favour, which is
light, and the performance of thy promise, which is truth." We need
desire no more to make us happy than the good that flows from God's
favour and is included in his promise. That mercy, that truth, is
enough, is all; and, when we see these in God's providences, we see
ourselves under a very safe conduct. Note, Those whom God leads he
leads to his holy hill, and to his tabernacles; those therefore who
pretend to be led by the Spirit, and yet turn their backs upon
instituted ordinances, certainly deceive themselves. 2. That God by
his grace would bring him into communion with himself, and prepare
him for the vision and fruition of himself in the other world. Some
of the Jewish writers by the <i>light</i> and <i>truth</i> here
understand Messiah the Prince and Elias his forerunner: these have
come, in answer to the prayers of the Old Testament; but we are
still to pray for God's light and truth, the Spirit of light and
truth, who supplies the want of Christ's bodily presence, to lead
us into the mystery of godliness and to guide us in the way to
heaven. When God sends his light and truth into our hearts, these
will guide us to the upper world in all our devotions as well as in
all our aims and expectations; and, if we conscientiously follow
that light and that truth, they will certainly bring us to the holy
hill above.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xliv-p7">IV. As his joy, his exceeding joy. If God
guide him to his tabernacles, if he restore him to his former
liberties, he knows very well what he has to do: <i>Then will I go
unto the altar of God,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.4" parsed="|Ps|43|4|0|0" passage="Ps 43:4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. He will get as near as he can unto God, his exceeding
joy. Note, 1. Those that come to the tabernacles should come to the
altar; those that come to ordinances should qualify themselves to
come, and then come to special ordinances, to those that are most
affecting and most binding. The nearer we come, the closer we
cleave, to God, the better. 2. Those that come to the altar of God
must see to it that therein they come unto God, and draw near to
him with the heart, with a true heart: we come in vain to holy
ordinances if we do not in them come to the holy God. 3. Those that
come unto God must come to him as their exceeding joy, not only as
their future bliss, but as their present joy, and that not a
common, but an exceeding joy, far exceeding all the joys of sense
and time. The phrase, in the original, is very emphatic—<i>unto
God the gladness of my joy,</i> or of my triumph. Whatever we
rejoice or triumph in God must be the joy of it; all our joy in it
must terminate in him, and must pass through the gift to the giver.
4. When we come to God as our exceeding joy our comforts in him
must be the matter of our praises to him as God, and our God:
<i>Upon the harp will I praise thee, O God! my God.</i> David
excelled at the harp (<scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.16.16 Bible:1Sam.16.18" parsed="|1Sam|16|16|0|0;|1Sam|16|18|0|0" passage="1Sa 16:16,18">1 Sam. xvi.
16, 18</scripRef>), and with that in which he excelled he would
praise God; for God is to be praised with the best we have; it is
fit he should be, for he is the best.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.xliv-p8">V. As his hope, his never-failing hope,
<scripRef id="Ps.xliv-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.43.5" parsed="|Ps|43|5|0|0" passage="Ps 43:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Here, as
before, David quarrels with himself for his dejections and
despondencies, and owns he did ill to yield to them, and that he
had no reason to do so: <i>Why art thou cast down, O my soul?</i>
He then quiets himself in the believing expectation he had of
giving glory to God (<i>Hope in God, for I shall yet praise
him</i>) and of enjoying glory with God: <i>He is the health of my
countenance and my God.</i> That is what we cannot too much insist
upon, for it is what we must live and die by.</p>
</div></div2>