mh_parser/vol_split/19 - Psalms/Chapter 57.xml

<div2 id="Ps.lviii" n="lviii" next="Ps.lix" prev="Ps.lvii" progress="41.19%" title="Chapter LVII">
<h2 id="Ps.lviii-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
<h3 id="Ps.lviii-p0.2">PSALM LVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ps.lviii-p1">This psalm is very much like that which goes next
before it; it was penned upon a like occasion, when David was both
in danger of trouble and in temptation to sin; it begins as that
did, "Be merciful to me;" the method also is the same. I. He begins
with prayer and complaint, yet not without some assurance of
speeding in his request, <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.1-Ps.57.6" parsed="|Ps|57|1|57|6" passage="Ps 57:1-6">ver.
1-6</scripRef>. II. He concludes with joy and praise, <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.7-Ps.57.11" parsed="|Ps|57|7|57|11" passage="Ps 57:7-11">ver. 7-11</scripRef>. So that hence we may
take direction and encouragement, both in our supplications and in
our thanksgivings, and may offer both to God, in singing this
psalm.</p>
<scripCom id="Ps.lviii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57" parsed="|Ps|57|0|0|0" passage="Ps 57" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ps.lviii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.1-Ps.57.6" parsed="|Ps|57|1|57|6" passage="Ps 57:1-6" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.57.1-Ps.57.6">
<h4 id="Ps.lviii-p1.5">Prayer in Affliction.</h4>
<div class="Center" id="Ps.lviii-p1.6">
<p id="Ps.lviii-p2">To the chief musician, Al-taschith, Michtam<br/>
of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.</p>
</div>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lviii-p3">1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto
me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings
will I make my refuge, until <i>these</i> calamities be overpast.
  2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth
<i>all things</i> for me.   3 He shall send from heaven, and
save me <i>from</i> the reproach of him that would swallow me up.
Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.   4 My
soul <i>is</i> among lions: <i>and</i> I lie <i>even among</i> them
that are set on fire, <i>even</i> the sons of men, whose teeth
<i>are</i> spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
  5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; <i>let</i> thy
glory <i>be</i> above all the earth.   6 They have prepared a
net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit
before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen
<i>themselves.</i> Selah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p4">The title of this psalm has one word new in
it, <i>Al-taschith—Destroy not.</i> Some make it to be only some
known tune to which this psalm was set; others apply it to the
occasion and matter of the psalm. <i>Destroy not;</i> that is,
David would not let Saul be destroyed, when now in the cave there
was a fair opportunity of killing him, and his servants would fain
have done so. No, says David, <i>destroy him not,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.24.4 Bible:1Sam.24.6" parsed="|1Sam|24|4|0|0;|1Sam|24|6|0|0" passage="1Sa 24:4,6">1 Sam. xxiv. 4, 6</scripRef>. Or, rather, God
would not let David be destroyed by Saul; he suffered him to
persecute David, but still under this limitation, <i>Destroy him
hot;</i> as he permitted Satan to afflict Job, <i>Only save his
life.</i> David must not be destroyed, for <i>a blessing is in
him</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.8" parsed="|Isa|65|8|0|0" passage="Isa 65:8">Isa. lxv. 8</scripRef>), even
Christ, the best of blessings. When David was in the cave, in
imminent peril, he here tells us what were the workings of his
heart towards God; and happy are those that have such good thoughts
as these in their minds when they are in danger!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p5">I. He supports himself with faith and hope
in God, and prayer to him, <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.1-Ps.57.2" parsed="|Ps|57|1|57|2" passage="Ps 57:1,2"><i>v.</i>
1, 2</scripRef>. Seeing himself surrounded with enemies, he looks
up to God with that suitable prayer: <i>Be merciful to me, O
Lord!</i> which he again repeats, and it is no vain repetition:
<i>Be merciful unto me.</i> It was the publican's prayer, <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.18.13" parsed="|Luke|18|13|0|0" passage="Lu 18:13">Luke xviii. 13</scripRef>. It is a pity that any
should use it slightly and profanely, should cry, <i>God be
merciful to us,</i> or, <i>Lord, have mercy upon us,</i> when they
mean only to express their wonder, or surprise, or vexation, but
God and his mercy are not in all their thoughts. It is with much
devout affection that David here prays, "<i>Be merciful unto me, O
Lord!</i> look with compassion upon me, and in thy love and pity
redeem me." To recommend himself to God's mercy, he here
professes,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p6">1. That all his dependence is upon God:
<i>My soul trusteth in thee,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.1" parsed="|Ps|57|1|0|0" passage="Ps 57:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. He did not only profess to trust
in God, but his soul did indeed rely on God only, with a sincere
devotion and self-dedication, and an entire complacency and
satisfaction. He goes to God, and, at the footstool of the throne
of his grace, humbly professes his confidence in him: <i>In the
shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge,</i> as the chickens take
shelter under the wings of the hen when the birds of prey are ready
to strike at them, <i>until these calamities be over-past.</i> (1.)
He was confident his troubles would end well, in due time; <i>these
calamities will be over-past;</i> the storm will blow over. <i>Non
si male nunc et olim sic erit—Though now distressed, I shall not
always be so.</i> Our Lord Jesus comforted himself with this in his
sufferings, <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.22.37" parsed="|Luke|22|37|0|0" passage="Lu 22:37">Luke xxii. 37</scripRef>.
<i>The things concerning me have an end.</i> (2.) He was very easy
under the divine protection in the mean time. [1.] He comforted
himself in the goodness of God's nature, by which he is inclined to
succour and protect his people, as the hen is by instinct to
shelter her young ones. God comes upon the wing to the help of his
people, which denotes a speedy deliverance (<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.18.10" parsed="|Ps|18|10|0|0" passage="Ps 18:10">Ps. xviii. 10</scripRef>); and he takes them under his
wing, which denotes warmth and refreshment, even when the
calamities are upon them; see <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.37" parsed="|Matt|23|37|0|0" passage="Mt 23:37">Matt.
xxiii. 37</scripRef>. [2.] In the promise of his word and the
covenant of his grace; for it may refer to the out-stretched
<i>wings of the cherubim,</i> between which God is said to dwell
(<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.1" parsed="|Ps|80|1|0|0" passage="Ps 80:1">Ps. lxxx. 1</scripRef>) and whence he
gave his oracles. "To God, as the God of grace, will I fly, and his
promise shall be my refuge, and a sure passport it will be through
all these danger." God, by his promise, offers himself to us, to be
trusted; we by our faith must accept of him, and put our trust in
him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p7">2. That all his desire is towards God
(<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.2" parsed="|Ps|57|2|0|0" passage="Ps 57:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): "<i>I will
cry unto God most high,</i> for succour and relief; to him that is
most high will I lift up my soul, and pray earnestly, even <i>unto
God that performs all things for me.</i>" Note, (1.) In every thing
that befalls us we ought to see and own the hand of God; whatever
is done is of his performing; in it his counsel is accomplished and
the scripture is fulfilled. (2.) Whatever God performs concerning
his people, it will appear, in the issue, to have been performed
for them and for their benefit. Though God be high, <i>most
high,</i> yet he condescends so low as to take care that all things
be made to work for good to them. (3.) This is a good reason why we
should, in all our straits and difficulties, cry unto him, not only
pray, but pray earnestly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p8">3. That all his expectation is from God
(<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.3" parsed="|Ps|57|3|0|0" passage="Ps 57:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>He shall
send from heaven, and save me.</i> Those that make God their only
refuge, and fly to him by faith and prayer, may be sure of
salvation, in his way and time. Observe here, (1.) Whence he
expects the salvation—from heaven. Look which way he will, in this
earth, refuge fails, no help appears; but he looks for it from
heaven. Those that lift up their hearts to things above may thence
expect all good. (2.) What the salvation is that he expects. He
trusts that God will save him <i>from the reproach of those that
would swallow him up,</i> that aimed to ruin him, and, in the mean
time, did all they could to vex him. Some read it, <i>He shall send
from heaven and save me, for he has put to shame him that would
swallow me up;</i> he has disappointed their designs against me
hitherto, and therefore he will perfect my deliverance. (3.) What
he will ascribe his salvation to: <i>God shall send forth his mercy
and truth.</i> God is good in himself and faithful to every word
that he has spoken, and so he makes it appear when he works
deliverance for his people. We need no more to make us happy than
to have the benefit of the mercy and truth of God, <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.25.10" parsed="|Ps|25|10|0|0" passage="Ps 25:10">Ps. xxv. 10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p9">II. He represents the power and malice of
his enemies (<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.4" parsed="|Ps|57|4|0|0" passage="Ps 57:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>):
<i>My soul is among lions.</i> So fierce and furious was Saul, and
those about him, against David, that he might have been as safe in
a den of lions as among such men, who were continually roaring
against him and ready to make a prey of him. They are set on fire,
and breathe nothing but flame; they set on fire the course of
nature, inflaming one another against David, and <i>they were
themselves set on fire of hell,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Jas.3.6" parsed="|Jas|3|6|0|0" passage="Jam 3:6">Jam. iii. 6</scripRef>. They were sons of men, from whom
one might have expected something of the reason and compassion of a
man; but they were beasts of prey in the shape of men; their
<i>teeth,</i> which they gnashed upon him, and with which they
hoped to tear him to pieces and to eat him up, <i>were spears and
arrows</i> fitted for mischiefs and murders; and their
<i>tongue,</i> with which they cursed him and wounded his
reputation, was <i>as a sharp sword</i> to cut and kill; see
<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.42.10" parsed="|Ps|42|10|0|0" passage="Ps 42:10">Ps. xlii. 10</scripRef>. A spiteful
tongue is a dangerous weapon, wherewith Satan's instruments fight
against God's people. He describes their malicious projects against
him (<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.6" parsed="|Ps|57|6|0|0" passage="Ps 57:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) and shows
the issue of them: "<i>They have prepared a net for my steps,</i>
in which to take me, that I might not again escape out of their
hands; <i>they have digged a pit before me,</i> that I might, ere I
was aware, run headlong into it." See the policies of the church's
enemies; see the pains they take to do mischief. But let us see
what comes of it. 1. It is indeed some disturbance to David: <i>My
soul is bowed down.</i> It made him droop, and hang the head, to
think that there should be those that bore him so much ill-will.
But, 2. It was destruction to themselves; they dug a pit for David,
<i>into the midst whereof they have fallen.</i> The mischief they
designed against David returned upon themselves, and they were
embarrassed in their counsels; then when Saul was pursuing David
the Philistines were invading <i>him;</i> nay, in the cave, when
Saul thought David should fall into his hands, he fell into the
hands of David, and lay at his mercy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p10">III. He prays to God to glorify himself and
his own great name (<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.5" parsed="|Ps|57|5|0|0" passage="Ps 57:5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>): "Whatever becomes of me and my interest, <i>be thou
exalted, O God! above the heavens,</i> be thou praised by the holy
angels, those glorious inhabitants of the upper world; <i>and let
thy glory be above</i> or over <i>all the earth;</i> let all the
inhabitants of this earth be brought to know and praise thee." Thus
God's glory should lie nearer our hearts, and we should be more
concerned for it, than for any particular interests of our own.
When David was in the greatest distress and disgrace he did not
pray, <i>Lord, exalt me,</i> but, <i>Lord, exalt thy own name.</i>
Thus the Son of David, when his soul was troubled, and he prayed,
<i>Father, save me from this hour,</i> immediately withdrew that
petition, and presented this in the room of it, <i>For this cause
came I to this hour; Father, glorify thy name,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:John.12.27-John.12.28" parsed="|John|12|27|12|28" passage="Joh 12:27,28">John xii. 27, 28</scripRef>. Or it may be
taken as a plea to enforce his petition for deliverance: "Lord,
<i>send from heaven to save me,</i> and thereby thou wilt glorify
thyself as the God both of heaven and earth." Our best
encouragement in prayer is taken from the glory of God, and to that
therefore, more than our own comfort, we should have an eye in all
our petitions for particular mercies; for this is made the first
petition in the Lord's prayer, as that which regulates and directs
all the rest, <i>Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.lviii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.7-Ps.57.11" parsed="|Ps|57|7|57|11" passage="Ps 57:7-11" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.57.7-Ps.57.11">
<h4 id="Ps.lviii-p10.4">Prayer Turned to Praise.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lviii-p11">7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I
will sing and give praise.   8 Awake up, my glory; awake,
psaltery and harp: I <i>myself</i> will awake early.   9 I
will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee
among the nations.   10 For thy mercy <i>is</i> great unto the
heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.   11 Be thou exalted,
O God, above the heavens: <i>let</i> thy glory <i>be</i> above all
the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p12">How strangely is the tune altered here!
David's prayers and complaints, by the lively actings of faith, are
here, all of a sudden, turned into praises and thanksgivings; his
sackcloth is loosed, he is girded with gladness, and his
hallelujahs are as fervent as his hosannas. This should make us in
love with prayer, that, sooner or later, it will be swallowed up in
praise. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p13">I. How he prepares himself for the duty of
praise (<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.7" parsed="|Ps|57|7|0|0" passage="Ps 57:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): <i>My
heart is fixed, O God! my heart is fixed.</i> My heart is
<i>erect,</i> or <i>lifted up</i> (so some), which was bowed down,
<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.6" parsed="|Ps|57|6|0|0" passage="Ps 57:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. <i>My heart is
fixed,</i> 1. With reference to God's providences; it is prepared
for every event, being <i>stayed upon God,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.112.7 Bible:Isa.26.3" parsed="|Ps|112|7|0|0;|Isa|26|3|0|0" passage="Ps 112:7,Isa 26:3">Ps. cxii. 7; Isa. xxvi. 3</scripRef>. <i>My
heart is fixed,</i> and then <i>none of these things move me,</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:Acts.20.24" parsed="|Acts|20|24|0|0" passage="Ac 20:24">Acts xx. 24</scripRef> If by the grace
of God we be brought into this even composed frame of spirit, we
have great reason to be thankful. 2. With reference to the worship
of God: <i>My heart is fixed</i> to <i>sing and give praise.</i> It
is implied that the heart is the main thing required in all acts of
devotion; nothing is done to purpose, in religion, further than it
is done with the heart. The heart must be fixed, fixed for the
duty, fitted and put in frame for it, fixed in the duty by a close
application, <i>attending on the Lord without distraction.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p14">II. How he excites himself to the duty of
praise (<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.8" parsed="|Ps|57|8|0|0" passage="Ps 57:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>):
<i>Awake up my glory,</i> that is, my tongue (our tongue is our
glory, and never more so than when it is employed in praising God),
or my soul, that must be first awakened; dull and sleepy devotions
will never be acceptable to God. We must stir up ourselves, and all
that is within us, to praise God; with a holy fire must that
sacrifice be kindled, and ascend in a holy flame. David's tongue
will lead, and his psaltery and harp will follow, in these hymns of
praise. <i>I myself will awake,</i> not only, "I will not be dead,
and drowsy, and careless, in this work," but, "I will be in the
most lively frame, as one newly awakened out of a refreshing
sleep." He will awake <i>early</i> to this work, early in the
morning, to begin the day with God, early in the beginnings of a
mercy. When God is coming towards us with his favours we must go
forth to meet him with our praises.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p15">III. How he pleases himself, and (as I may
say) even prides himself, in the work of praise; so far is he from
being ashamed to own his obligations to God, and dependence upon
him, that he resolves to <i>praise him among the people</i> and to
<i>sing unto him among the nations,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.9" parsed="|Ps|57|9|0|0" passage="Ps 57:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. This intimates, 1. That his own
heart was much affected and enlarged in praising God; he would even
make the earth ring with his sacred songs, that all might take
notice how much he thought himself indebted to the goodness of God.
2. That he desired to bring others in to join with him in praising
God. He will publish God's praises <i>among the people,</i> that
the knowledge, and fear, and love of God might be propagated, and
the ends of the earth might see his salvation. When David was
driven out into heathen lands he would not only not worship their
gods, but he would openly avow his veneration for the God of
Israel, would take his religion along with him wherever he went,
would endeavour to bring others in love with it, and leave the
sweet savour of it behind him. David, in his psalms, which fill the
universal church, and will to the end of time, may be said to be
still <i>praising God among the people</i> and <i>singing to him
among the nations;</i> for all good people make use of his words in
praising God. Thus St. John, in his writings, is said to
<i>prophesy again before many peoples and nations,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.10.11" parsed="|Rev|10|11|0|0" passage="Re 10:11">Rev. x. 11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p16">IV. How he furnishes himself with matter
for praise, <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.10" parsed="|Ps|57|10|0|0" passage="Ps 57:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>.
That which was the matter of his hope and comfort (<i>God shall
send forth his mercy and his truth,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.3" parsed="|Ps|57|3|0|0" passage="Ps 57:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>) is here the matter of his
thanksgiving: <i>Thy mercy is great unto the heavens,</i> great
beyond conception and expression; and <i>thy truth unto the
clouds,</i> great beyond discovery, for what eye can reach that
which is wrapped up in the clouds? God's mercy and truth reach to
the heavens, for they will bring all such to heaven as lay up their
treasure in them and build their hopes upon them. God's mercy and
truth are praised even to the heavens, that is, by all the bright
and blessed inhabitants of the upper world, who are continually
exalting God's praises to the highest, while David, on earth, is
endeavouring to spread his praises to the furthest, <scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p16.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.9" parsed="|Ps|57|9|0|0" passage="Ps 57:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lviii-p17">V. How he leaves it at last to God to
glorify his own name (<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p17.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.11" parsed="|Ps|57|11|0|0" passage="Ps 57:11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>): <i>Be thou exalted, O God!</i> The same words which
he had used (<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p17.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.57.5" parsed="|Ps|57|5|0|0" passage="Ps 57:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>) to
sum up his prayers in he here uses again (and no vain repetition)
to sum up his praises in: "Lord, I desire to exalt thy name, and
that all the creatures may exalt it; but what can the best of us do
towards it? Lord, take the work into thy own hands; do it thyself:
<i>Be thou exalted, O God!</i> In the praises of the church
triumphant thou art exalted to the heavens, and in the praises of
the church militant thy glory is throughout all the earth; but thou
art above all the blessing and praise of both (<scripRef id="Ps.lviii-p17.3" osisRef="Bible:Neh.9.5" parsed="|Neh|9|5|0|0" passage="Ne 9:5">Neh. ix. 5</scripRef>), and therefore, Lord, exalt thyself
<i>above the heavens</i> and <i>above all the earth. Father,
glorify thy own name. Thou hast glorified it, glorify it yet
again.</i>"</p>
</div></div2>