196 lines
15 KiB
XML
196 lines
15 KiB
XML
<div2 id="Ps.cxliii" n="cxliii" next="Ps.cxliv" prev="Ps.cxlii" progress="69.90%" title="Chapter CXLII">
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<h2 id="Ps.cxliii-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
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<h3 id="Ps.cxliii-p0.2">PSALM CXLII.</h3>
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<p class="intro" id="Ps.cxliii-p1">This psalm is a prayer, the substance of which
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David offered up to God when he was forced by Saul to take shelter
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in a cave, and which he afterwards penned in this form. Here is, I.
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The complaint he makes to God (<scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.1-Ps.142.2" parsed="|Ps|142|1|142|2" passage="Ps 142:1,2">ver.
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1, 2</scripRef>) of the subtlety, strength, and malice, of his
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enemies (<scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.3 Bible:Ps.142.6" parsed="|Ps|142|3|0|0;|Ps|142|6|0|0" passage="Ps 142:3,6">ver. 3, 6</scripRef>), and
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the coldness and indifference of his friends, <scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.4" parsed="|Ps|142|4|0|0" passage="Ps 142:4">ver. 4</scripRef>. II. The comfort he takes in God that
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he knew his case (<scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.3" parsed="|Ps|142|3|0|0" passage="Ps 142:3">ver. 3</scripRef>)
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and was his refuge, <scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.5" parsed="|Ps|142|5|0|0" passage="Ps 142:5">ver. 5</scripRef>.
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III. His expectation from God that he would hear and deliver him,
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<scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.6-Ps.142.7" parsed="|Ps|142|6|142|7" passage="Ps 142:6,7">ver. 6, 7</scripRef>. IV His
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expectation from the righteous that they would join with him in
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praises, <scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.7" parsed="|Ps|142|7|0|0" passage="Ps 142:7">ver. 7</scripRef>. Those that
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are troubled in mind, body, or estate, may, in singing this psalm
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(if they sing it in some measure with David's spirit), both warrant
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his complaints and fetch in his comforts.</p>
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<scripCom id="Ps.cxliii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142" parsed="|Ps|142|0|0|0" passage="Ps 142" type="Commentary"/>
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<scripCom id="Ps.cxliii-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.1-Ps.142.3" parsed="|Ps|142|1|142|3" passage="Ps 142:1-3" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.142.1-Ps.142.3">
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<h4 id="Ps.cxliii-p1.10">David's Complaints.</h4>
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<div class="Center" id="Ps.cxliii-p1.11">
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<p id="Ps.cxliii-p2">Maschil of David. A prayer when he was in the cave.</p>
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</div>
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<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxliii-p3">1 I cried unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxliii-p3.1">Lord</span> with my voice; with my voice unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxliii-p3.2">Lord</span> did I make my supplication. 2
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I poured out my complaint before him; I showed before him my
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trouble. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then
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thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily
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laid a snare for me.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxliii-p4">Whether it was in the cave of
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<i>Adullam,</i> or that of <i>Engedi,</i> that David prayed this
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prayer, is not material; it is plain that he was in distress. It
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was a great disgrace to so great a soldier, so great a courtier, to
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be put to such shifts for his own safety, and a great terror to be
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so hotly pursued and every moment in expectation of death; yet then
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he had such a presence of mind as to pray this prayer, and,
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wherever he was, still had his religion about him. Prayers and
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tears were his weapons, and, when he durst not stretch forth his
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hands against his prince, he lifted them up to his God. There is no
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cave so deep, so dark, but we may out of it send up our prayers,
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and our souls in prayer, to God. He calls this prayer <i>Maschil—a
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psalm of instruction,</i> because of the good lessons he had
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himself learnt in the cave, learnt on his knees, which he desired
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to teach others. In these verses observe,</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxliii-p5">I. How David complained to God, <scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.1-Ps.142.2" parsed="|Ps|142|1|142|2" passage="Ps 142:1,2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. When the danger was
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over he was not ashamed to own (as great spirits sometimes are) the
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fright he had been in and the application he had made to God. Let
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no men of the first rank think it any diminution or disparagement
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to them, when they are in affliction, to cry to God, and to cry
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like children to their parents when any thing frightens them.
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<i>David poured out his complaint,</i> which denotes a free and
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full complaint; he was copious and particular in it. His heart was
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as full of his grievances as it could hold, but he made himself
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easy by pouring them out before the Lord; and this he did with
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great fervency: <i>He cried unto the Lord with his voice,</i> with
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the voice of his mind (so some think), for, being hidden in the
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cave, he durst not speak with an audible voice, lest that should
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betray him; but mental prayer is vocal to God, and he hears the
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groanings which cannot, or dare not, be uttered, <scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.26" parsed="|Rom|8|26|0|0" passage="Ro 8:26">Rom. viii. 26</scripRef>. Two things David laid open to
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God, in this complaint:—1. His distress. He exhibited a
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remonstrance or memorial of his case: <i>I showed before him my
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trouble,</i> and all the circumstances of it. He did not prescribe
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to God, nor show him his trouble, as if God did not know it without
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his showing; but as one that put a confidence in God, desired to
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keep up communion with him, and was willing to refer himself
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entirely to him, he unbosomed himself to him, humbly laid the
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matter before him, and then cheerfully left it with him. We are apt
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to show our trouble too much to ourselves, aggravating it, and
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poring upon it, which does us no service, whereas by showing it to
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God we might cast the care upon him who careth for us, and thereby
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ease ourselves. Nor should we allow of any complaint to ourselves
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or others which we cannot with due decency and sincerity of
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devotion make to God, and stand to before him. 2. His desire. When
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he made his complaint he <i>made his supplication</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.1" parsed="|Ps|142|1|0|0" passage="Ps 142:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), not claiming relief as
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a debt, but humbly begging it as a favour. Complainants must be
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suppliants, for God will be sought unto.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxliii-p6">II. What he complained of: "<i>In the way
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wherein I walked,</i> suspecting no danger, <i>have they privily
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laid a snare for me,</i> to entrap me." Saul gave Michal his
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daughter to David on purpose that she might be <i>a snare to
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him,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.18.21" parsed="|1Sam|18|21|0|0" passage="1Sa 18:21">1 Sam. xviii. 21</scripRef>.
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This he complains of to God, that every thing was done with a
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design against him. If he had gone out of his way, and met with
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snares, he might have thanked himself; but when he met with them in
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the way of his duty he might with humble boldness tell God of
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them.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxliii-p7">III. What comforted him in the midst of
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these complaints (<scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.3" parsed="|Ps|142|3|0|0" passage="Ps 142:3"><i>v.</i>
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3</scripRef>): "<i>When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,</i>
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and ready to sink under the burden of grief and fear, when I was
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quite at a loss and ready to despair, <i>then thou knewest my
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path,</i> that is, then it was a pleasure to me to think that thou
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knewest it. Thou knewest my sincerity, the right path which I have
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walked in, and that I am not such a one as my persecutors represent
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me. Thou knewest my condition in all the particulars of it; when my
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spirit was so overwhelmed that I could not distinctly show it, this
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comforted me, that thou knewest it, <scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Job.23.10" parsed="|Job|23|10|0|0" passage="Job 23:10">Job xxiii. 10</scripRef>. Thou knewest it, that is,
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thou didst protect, preserve, and secure it," <scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.31.7 Bible:Deut.2.7" parsed="|Ps|31|7|0|0;|Deut|2|7|0|0" passage="Ps 31:7,De 2:7">Ps. xxxi. 7; Deut. ii. 7</scripRef>.</p>
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</div><scripCom id="Ps.cxliii-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.4-Ps.142.7" parsed="|Ps|142|4|142|7" passage="Ps 142:4-7" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.142.4-Ps.142.7">
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<h4 id="Ps.cxliii-p7.5">Complaints and Petitions.</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="Ps.cxliii-p8">4 I looked on <i>my</i> right hand, and beheld,
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but <i>there was</i> no man that would know me: refuge failed me;
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no man cared for my soul. 5 I cried unto thee, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.cxliii-p8.1">O Lord</span>: I said, Thou <i>art</i> my refuge
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<i>and</i> my portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend
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unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my
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persecutors; for they are stronger than I. 7 Bring my soul
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out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall
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compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Ps.cxliii-p9">The psalmist here tells us, for our
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instruction, 1. How he was disowned and deserted by his friends,
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<scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.4" parsed="|Ps|142|4|0|0" passage="Ps 142:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. When he was in
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favour at court he seemed to have a great interest, but when he was
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made an out-law, and it was dangerous for any one to harbour him
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(witness Ahimelech's fate), then <i>no man would know him,</i> but
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every body was shy of him. He looked <i>on his right hand</i> for
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an advocate (<scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.109.31" parsed="|Ps|109|31|0|0" passage="Ps 109:31">Ps. cix. 31</scripRef>),
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some friend or other to speak a good word for him; but, since
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Jonathan's appearing for him had like to have cost him his life,
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nobody was willing to venture in defence of his innocency, but all
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were ready to say they knew nothing of the matter. He looked round
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to see if any would open their doors to him; but <i>refuge failed
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him.</i> None of all his old friends would give him a night's
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lodging, or direct him to any place of secresy and safety. How many
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good men have been deceived by such swallow-friends, who are gone
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when winter comes! David's life was exceedingly precious, and yet,
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when he was unjustly proscribed, <i>no man cared for it,</i> nor
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would move a hand for the protection of it. Herein he was a type of
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Christ, who, in his sufferings for us, was forsaken of all men,
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even of his own disciples, and trod the wine-press alone, for there
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was <i>none to help, none to uphold,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.63.5" parsed="|Isa|63|5|0|0" passage="Isa 63:5">Isa. lxiii. 5</scripRef>. 2. How he then found
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satisfaction in God, <scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.5" parsed="|Ps|142|5|0|0" passage="Ps 142:5"><i>v.</i>
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5</scripRef>. Lovers and friends stood aloof from him, and it was
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in vain to call to them. "But," said he, "<i>I cried unto thee, O
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Lord!</i> who knowest me, and carest for me, when none else will,
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and wilt not fail me nor forsake me when men do;" for God is
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constant in his love. David tells us what he said to God in the
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cave: "<i>Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the
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living;</i> I depend upon thee to be so, <i>my refuge</i> to save
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me from being miserable, <i>my portion</i> to make me happy. The
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cave I am in is but a poor refuge. Lord, <i>thy name</i> is the
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<i>strong tower</i> that <i>I run into.</i> Thou art <i>my
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refuge,</i> in whom alone I shall think myself safe. The crown I am
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in hopes of is but a poor portion; I can never think myself well
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provided for till I know that <i>the Lord is the portion of my
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inheritance and of my cup.</i>" Those who in sincerity take the
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Lord for their God shall find him all-sufficient both as a refuge
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and as a portion, so that, as no evil shall hurt them, so no good
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shall be wanting to them; and they may humbly claim their interest:
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"<i>Lord, thou art my refuge and my portion;</i> every thing else
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is a refuge of lies and a portion of no value. Thou art so <i>in
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the land of the living,</i> that is, while I live and have my
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being, whether in this world or in a better." There is enough in
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God to answer all the necessities of this present time. We live in
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a world of dangers and wants; but what danger need we fear if God
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is our refuge, or what wants if he be our portion? Heaven, which
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alone deserves to be called <i>the land of the living,</i> will be
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to all believers both a refuge and a portion. 3. How, in this
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satisfaction, he addressed himself to God (<scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.5-Ps.142.6" parsed="|Ps|142|5|142|6" passage="Ps 142:5,6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>): "Lord, give a gracious
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<i>ear to my cry,</i> the cry of my affliction, the cry of my
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supplication, for <i>I am brought very low,</i> and, if thou help
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me not, I shall be quite sunk. Lord, <i>deliver me from my
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persecutors,</i> either tie their hands or turn their hearts, break
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their power or blast their projects, restrain them or rescue me,
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<i>for they are stronger than I,</i> and it will be thy honour to
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take part with the weakest. Deliver me from them, or I shall be
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ruined by them, for I am not yet myself a match for them. Lord,
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<i>bring my soul out of prison,</i> not only bring me safe out of
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this cave, but bring me out of all my perplexities." We may apply
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it spiritually: the souls of good men are often straitened by
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doubts and fears, cramped and fettered through the weakness of
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faith and the prevalency of corruption; and it is then their duty
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and interest to apply themselves to God, and beg of him to set them
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at liberty and to enlarge their hearts, that they may <i>run the
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way of his commandments.</i> 4. How much he expected his
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deliverance would redound to the glory of God. (1.) By his own
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thanksgivings, into which his present complaints would then be
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turned: "<i>Bring my soul out of prison,</i> not that I may enjoy
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myself and my friends and live at ease, no, nor that I may secure
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my country, but <i>that I may praise thy name.</i>" This we should
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have an eye to, in all our prayers to God for deliverance out of
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trouble, that we may have occasion to praise God and may live to
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his praise. This is the greatest comfort of temporal mercies that
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they furnish us with matter, and give us opportunity, for the
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excellent duty of praise. (2.) By the thanksgivings of many on his
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behalf (<scripRef id="Ps.cxliii-p9.6" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.1.11" parsed="|2Cor|1|11|0|0" passage="2Co 1:11">2 Cor. i. 11</scripRef>):
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"When I am enlarged <i>the righteous shall encompass me about;</i>
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for <i>my cause they shall make thee a crown of praise,</i> so the
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Chaldee. They shall flock about me to congratulate me on my
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deliverance, to hear my experiences, and to receive (Maschil)
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instructions from me; they shall encompass me, to join with me in
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my thanksgivings, <i>because thou shalt</i> have dealt
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<i>bountifully with me.</i>" Note, The mercies of others ought to
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be the matter of our praises to God; and the praises of others, on
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our behalf, ought to be both desired and rejoiced in by us.</p>
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</div></div2> |