mh_parser/vol_split/19 - Psalms/Chapter 56.xml

<div2 id="Ps.lvii" n="lvii" next="Ps.lviii" prev="Ps.lvi" progress="40.89%" title="Chapter LVI">
<h2 id="Ps.lvii-p0.1">P S A L M S</h2>
<h3 id="Ps.lvii-p0.2">PSALM LVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ps.lvii-p1">It seems by this, and many other psalms, that even
in times of the greatest trouble and distress David never hung his
harp upon the willow-trees, never unstrung it or laid it by; but
that when his dangers and fears were greatest he was still in tune
for singing God's praises. He was in imminent peril when he penned
this psalm, at least when he meditated it; yet even then his
meditation of God was sweet. I. He complains of the malice of his
enemies, and begs mercy for himself and justice against them,
<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.1-Ps.56.2 Bible:Ps.56.5-Ps.56.7" parsed="|Ps|56|1|56|2;|Ps|56|5|56|7" passage="Ps 56:1,2,5-7">ver. 1, 2, 5-7</scripRef>. II. He
confides in God, being assured that he took his part, comforting
himself with this, that therefore he was safe and should be
victorious, and that while he lived he should praise God, <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.3-Ps.56.4 Bible:Ps.56.8-Ps.56.13" parsed="|Ps|56|3|56|4;|Ps|56|8|56|13" passage="Ps 56:3,4,8-13">ver. 3, 4, 8-13</scripRef>. How pleasantly
may a good Christian, in singing this psalm, rejoice in God, and
praise him for what he will do, as well as for what he has
done.</p>
<scripCom id="Ps.lvii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56" parsed="|Ps|56|0|0|0" passage="Ps 56" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ps.lvii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.1-Ps.56.7" parsed="|Ps|56|1|56|7" passage="Ps 56:1-7" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.56.1-Ps.56.7">
<h4 id="Ps.lvii-p1.5">Prayer for Help under Oppression; Confidence
in God.</h4>
<div class="Center" id="Ps.lvii-p1.6">
<p id="Ps.lvii-p2">To the chief musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim,<br/>
Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.</p>
</div>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lvii-p3">1 Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would
swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.   2 Mine
enemies would daily swallow <i>me</i> up: for <i>they be</i> many
that fight against me, O thou most High.   3 What time I am
afraid, I will trust in thee.   4 In God I will praise his
word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do
unto me.   5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts
<i>are</i> against me for evil.   6 They gather themselves
together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait
for my soul.   7 Shall they escape by iniquity? in
<i>thine</i> anger cast down the people, O God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lvii-p4">David, in this psalm, by his faith throws
himself into the hands of God, even when he had by his fear and
folly thrown himself into the hands of the Philistines; it was when
they took him in Gath, whither he fled for fear of Saul, forgetting
the quarrel they had with him for killing Goliath; but they soon
put him in mind of it, <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.21.10-1Sam.21.11" parsed="|1Sam|21|10|21|11" passage="1Sa 21:10,11">1 Sam. xxi.
10, 11</scripRef>. Upon that occasion he changed his behaviour, but
with so little ruffle to his temper that then he penned both this
psalm and <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.34.1-Ps.34.22" parsed="|Ps|34|1|34|22" passage="Ps 34:1-22">the 34th</scripRef>. This
is called <i>Michtam—a golden psalm.</i> So some other psalms are
entitled, but this has something peculiar in the title; it is upon
<i>Jonath-elem-rechokim,</i> which signifies <i>the silent dove
afar off.</i> Some apply this to David himself, who wished for the
wings of a dove on which to fly away. He was innocent and
inoffensive, mild and patient, as a dove, was at this time driven
from his nest, from the sanctuary (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.84.3" parsed="|Ps|84|3|0|0" passage="Ps 84:3">Ps.
lxxxiv. 3</scripRef>), was forced to wander afar off, to seek for
shelter in distant countries; there he was like the doves of the
valleys, mourning and melancholy; but silent, neither murmuring
against God nor railing at the instruments of his trouble; herein a
type of Christ, who was as a sheep, dumb before the shearers, and a
pattern to Christians, who, wherever they are and whatever injuries
are done them, ought to be as silent doves. In this former part of
the psalm,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lvii-p5">I. He complains to God of the malice and
wickedness of his enemies, to show what reason he had to fear them,
and what cause, what need, there was that God should appear against
them (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.1" parsed="|Ps|56|1|0|0" passage="Ps 56:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): <i>Be
merciful unto me, O God!</i> That petition includes all the good we
come to the throne of grace for; if we obtain mercy there, we
obtain all we can desire, and need no more to make us happy. It
implies likewise our best plea, not our merit, but God's mercy, his
free rich mercy. He prays that he might find mercy with God, for
with men he could find no mercy. When he fled from the cruel hands
of Saul he fell into the cruel hands of the Philistines. "Lord"
(says he), "be thou merciful to me now, or I am undone." The mercy
of God is what we may flee to and trust to, and in faith pray for,
when we are surrounded on all sides with difficulties and dangers.
He complains, 1. That his enemies were very numerous (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.2" parsed="|Ps|56|2|0|0" passage="Ps 56:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): "<i>They are many that
fight against me,</i> and think to overpower me with numbers; take
notice of this, <i>O thou Most High!</i> and make it to appear that
wherein they deal proudly thou art above them." It is a point of
honour to come in to the help of one against many. And, if God be
on our side, how many soever they are that fight against us, we
may, upon good grounds, boast that there are more with us; for (as
that great general said) "How many do we reckon him for?" 2. That
they were very barbarous: they would <i>swallow him up,</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.1" parsed="|Ps|56|1|0|0" passage="Ps 56:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef> and again
<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.2" parsed="|Ps|56|2|0|0" passage="Ps 56:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. They sought to
devour him; no less would serve; they came upon him with the utmost
fury, like beasts of prey, to eat up his flesh, <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.2" parsed="|Ps|27|2|0|0" passage="Ps 27:2">Ps. xxvii. 2</scripRef>. <i>Man</i> would swallow him up,
those of his own kind, from whom he might have expected humanity.
The ravenous beasts prey not upon those of their own species; yet a
bad man would devour a good man if he could. "They are men, weak
and frail; make them to know that they are so," <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.9.20" parsed="|Ps|9|20|0|0" passage="Ps 9:20">Ps. ix. 20</scripRef>. 3. That they were very unanimous
(<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.6" parsed="|Ps|56|6|0|0" passage="Ps 56:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <i>They
gather themselves together;</i> though they were many, and of
different interests among themselves, yet they united and combined
against David, as Herod and Pilate against the Son of David. 4.
That they were very powerful, quite too hard for him if God did not
help him: "<i>They fight against me</i> (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.2" parsed="|Ps|56|2|0|0" passage="Ps 56:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>); <i>they oppress me,</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.1" parsed="|Ps|56|1|0|0" passage="Ps 56:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. I am almost
overcome and borne down by them, and reduced to the last
extremity." 5. That they were very subtle and crafty (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.10" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.6" parsed="|Ps|56|6|0|0" passage="Ps 56:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): "<i>They hide
themselves;</i> they industriously cover their designs, that they
may the more effectually prosecute and pursue them. They hide
themselves as a lion in his den, that they may mark my steps;" that
is, "they observe every thing I say and do with a critical eye,
that they may have something to accuse me of" (thus Christ's
enemies watched him, <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.11" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.20" parsed="|Luke|20|20|0|0" passage="Lu 20:20">Luke xx.
20</scripRef>), or "they have an eye upon all my motions, that they
may gain an opportunity to do me a mischief, and may lay their
snares for me." 6. That they were very spiteful and malicious. They
put invidious constructions upon every thing he said, though ever
so honestly meant and prudently expressed (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.12" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.5" parsed="|Ps|56|5|0|0" passage="Ps 56:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): "<i>They wrest my words,</i> put
them upon the rack, to extort that out of them which was never in
them;" and so they made him an offender for a word (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.13" osisRef="Bible:Isa.29.21" parsed="|Isa|29|21|0|0" passage="Isa 29:21">Isa. xxix. 21</scripRef>), misrepresenting it
to Saul, and aggravating it, to incense him yet more against him.
They made it their whole business to ruin David; all their thoughts
were against him for evil, which put evil interpretations upon all
his words. 7. That they were very restless and unwearied. They
continually waited for his soul; it was the life, the precious
life, they hunted for; it was his death they longed for, <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.14" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.6" parsed="|Ps|56|6|0|0" passage="Ps 56:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. They fought daily against
him (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.15" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.1" parsed="|Ps|56|1|0|0" passage="Ps 56:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), and would
daily swallow him up (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.16" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.2" parsed="|Ps|56|2|0|0" passage="Ps 56:2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>), and every day they wrested his words, <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p5.17" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.5" parsed="|Ps|56|5|0|0" passage="Ps 56:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Their malice would not
admit the least cessation of arms, or the acts of hostility, but
they were continually pushing at him. Such as this is the enmity of
Satan and his agents against the kingdom of Christ and the
interests of his holy religion, which if we cordially espouse, we
must not think it strange to meet with such treatment as this, as
though some strange thing happened to us. Our betters have been
thus used. So persecuted they the prophets.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lvii-p6">II. He encourages himself in God, and in
his promises, power, and providence, <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.3-Ps.56.4" parsed="|Ps|56|3|56|4" passage="Ps 56:3,4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef> In the midst of his
complaints, and before he has said what he has to say of his
enemies, he triumphs in the divine protection. 1. He resolves to
make God his confidence, then when dangers were most threatening
and all other confidences failed: "<i>What time I am afraid,</i> in
the day of my fear, when I am most terrified from without and most
timorous within, then <i>I will trust in thee,</i> and thereby my
fears shall be silenced." Note, There are some times which are, in
a special manner, times of fear with God's people; in these times
it is their duty and interest to trust in God as their God, and to
know whom they have trusted. This will fix the heart and keep it in
peace. 2. He resolves to make God's promises the matter of his
praises, and so we have reason to make them (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.4" parsed="|Ps|56|4|0|0" passage="Ps 56:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): "<i>In God I will praise,</i>
not only his work which he has done, but <i>his word</i> which he
has spoken; I will give him thanks for a promise, though not yet
performed. <i>In God</i> (in his strength and by his assistance) I
will both glory in his word and give him the glory of it." Some
understand by <i>his word</i> his providences, every event that he
orders and appoints: "When I speak well of God I will with him
speak well of every thing that he does." 3. Thus supported, he will
bid defiance to all adverse powers: "<i>When in God I have put my
trust,</i> I am safe, I am easy, and <i>I will not fear what flesh
can do unto me;</i> it is but flesh, and cannot do much; nay, it
can do nothing but by divine permission." As we must not trust to
an arm of flesh when it is engaged for us, so we must not be afraid
of an arm of flesh when it is stretched out against us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lvii-p7">III. He foresees and foretels the fall of
those that fought against him, and of all others that think to
establish themselves in and by any wicked practices (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.7" parsed="|Ps|56|7|0|0" passage="Ps 56:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): <i>Shall they escape by
iniquity?</i> They hope to escape God's judgments, as they escape
men's, by violence and fraud, and the arts of injustice and
treachery; but shall they escape? No, certainly they shall not. The
sin of sinners will never be their security, nor will either their
impudence or their hypocrisy bring them off at God's bar; God will
in his anger cast down and cast out such people, <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.2.3" parsed="|Rom|2|3|0|0" passage="Ro 2:3">Rom. ii. 3</scripRef>. None are raised so high, or settled
so firmly, but that the justice of God can bring them down, both
from their dignities and from their confidences. <i>Who knows the
power of God's anger,</i> how high it can reach, and how forcibly
it can strike?</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ps.lvii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.8-Ps.56.13" parsed="|Ps|56|8|56|13" passage="Ps 56:8-13" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ps.56.8-Ps.56.13">
<h4 id="Ps.lvii-p7.4">Comfort under Affliction; Confidence in
God.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ps.lvii-p8">8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears
into thy bottle: <i>are they</i> not in thy book?   9 When I
cry <i>unto thee,</i> then shall mine enemies turn back: this I
know; for God <i>is</i> for me.   10 In God will I praise
<i>his</i> word: in the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ps.lvii-p8.1">Lord</span> will I
praise <i>his</i> word.   11 In God have I put my trust: I
will not be afraid what man can do unto me.   12 Thy vows
<i>are</i> upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.  
13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: <i>wilt</i> not
<i>thou deliver</i> my feet from falling, that I may walk before
God in the light of the living?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lvii-p9">Several things David here comforts himself
with in the day of his distress and fear.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lvii-p10">I. That God took particular notice of all
his grievances and all his griefs, <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.8" parsed="|Ps|56|8|0|0" passage="Ps 56:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. 1. Of all the inconveniences of
his state: <i>Thou tellest my wanderings,</i> my <i>flittings,</i>
so the old translation. David was now but a young (under thirty)
and yet he had had many removes, from his father's house to the
court, thence to the camp, and now driven out to sojourn where he
could find a place, but not allowed to rest any where; he was
hunted like a partridge upon the mountains; continual terrors and
toils attended him; but this comforted him, that God kept a
particular account of all his motions, and numbered all the weary
steps he took, by night or by day. Note, God takes cognizance of
all the afflictions of his people; and he does not cast out from
his care and love those whom men have cast out from their
acquaintance and converse. 2. Of all the impressions thus made upon
his spirit. When he was wandering he was often weeping, and
therefore prays, "<i>Put thou my tears into thy bottle,</i> to be
preserved and looked upon; nay, I know they are <i>in thy book,</i>
the book of thy remembrance." God has a bottle and a book for his
people's tears, both those for their sins and those for their
afflictions. This intimates, (1.) That he observes them with
compassion and tender concern; he is afflicted in their
afflictions, and knows their souls in adversity. As the blood of
his saints, and their deaths, are precious in the sight of the
Lord, so are their tears, not one of them shall fall to the ground.
<i>I have seen thy tears,</i> <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.20.5" parsed="|2Kgs|20|5|0|0" passage="2Ki 20:5">2 Kings
xx. 5</scripRef>. <i>I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself,</i>
<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.31.18" parsed="|Jer|31|18|0|0" passage="Jer 31:18">Jer. xxxi. 18</scripRef>. (2.) That
he will remember them and review them, as we do the accounts we
have booked. Paul was mindful of Timothy's tears (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.1.4" parsed="|2Tim|1|4|0|0" passage="2Ti 1:4">2 Tim. i. 4</scripRef>), and God will not forget
the sorrows of his people. The tears of God's persecuted people are
bottled up and sealed among God's treasures; and, when these books
come to be opened, they will be found vials of wrath, which will be
poured out upon their persecutors, whom God will surely reckon with
for all the tears they have forced from his people's eyes; and they
will be breasts of consolation to God's mourners, whose sackcloth
will be turned into garments of praise. God will comfort his people
according to the time wherein he has afflicted them, and give to
those to reap in joy who sowed in tears. What was sown a tear will
come up a pearl.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lvii-p11">II. That his prayers would be powerful for
the defeat and discomfiture of his enemies, as well as for his own
support and encouragement (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.9" parsed="|Ps|56|9|0|0" passage="Ps 56:9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>): "<i>When I cry unto thee, then shall my enemies turn
back;</i> I need no other weapons than prayers and tears; <i>this I
know, for God is for me,</i> to plead my cause, to protect and
deliver me; and, if God be for me, who can be against me so as to
prevail?" The saints have God for them; they may know it; and to
him they must cry when they are surrounded with enemies; and, if
they do this in faith, they shall find a divine power exerted and
engaged for them; their enemies shall be made to turn back, their
spiritual enemies, against whom we fight best upon our knees,
<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.18" parsed="|Eph|6|18|0|0" passage="Eph 6:18">Eph. vi. 18</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lvii-p12">III. That his faith in God would set him
above the fear of man, <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.10-Ps.56.11" parsed="|Ps|56|10|56|11" passage="Ps 56:10,11"><i>v.</i>
10, 11</scripRef>. Here he repeats, with a strong pathos, what he
had said (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.4" parsed="|Ps|56|4|0|0" passage="Ps 56:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>),
"<i>In God will I praise his word;</i> that is, I will firmly
depend upon the promise for the sake of him that made it, who is
true and faithful, and has wisdom, power, and goodness enough to
make it good." When we give credit to a man's bill we honour him
that drew it; so when we do, and suffer, for God, in a dependence
upon his promise, not staggering at it, we give glory to God, we
praise his word, and so give praise to him. Having thus put his
trust in God, he looks with a holy contempt upon the threatening
power of man: "<i>In God have I put my trust,</i> and in him only,
and therefore <i>I will not be afraid what man can do unto me</i>
(<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.11" parsed="|Ps|56|11|0|0" passage="Ps 56:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), though I
know very well what he would do if he could," <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p12.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.1-Ps.56.2" parsed="|Ps|56|1|56|2" passage="Ps 56:1,2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. This triumphant word, so
expressive of a holy magnanimity, the apostle puts into the mouth
of every true believer, whom he makes a Christian hero, <scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p12.5" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.6" parsed="|Heb|13|6|0|0" passage="Heb 13:6">Heb. xiii. 6</scripRef>. We may each of us
boldly say, <i>The Lord is my helper,</i> and then <i>I will not
fear what man shall do unto me;</i> for he has no power but what he
has given him from above.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lvii-p13">IV. That he was in bonds to God (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.12" parsed="|Ps|56|12|0|0" passage="Ps 56:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>): "<i>Thy vows are upon
me, O God!</i>—not upon me as a burden which I am loaded with, but
as a badge which I glory in, as that by which I am known to be thy
menial servant—not upon me as fetters that hamper me (such are
superstitious vows), but upon me as a bridle that restrains me from
what would be hurtful to me, and directs me in the way of my duty.
Thy vows are upon me, the vows I have made to thee, to which thou
art not only a witness, but a party, and which thou hast commanded
and encouraged me to make." It is probably that he means especially
those vows which he had made to God in the day of his trouble and
distress, which he would retain the remembrance of, and acknowledge
the obligations of, when his fright was over. Note, It ought to be
the matter of our consideration and joy that <i>the vows of God are
upon us</i>—our baptismal vows renewed at the Lord's table, our
occasional vows under convictions, under corrections, by these we
are bound to live to God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ps.lvii-p14">V. That he should still have more and more
occasion to praise him: <i>I will render praises unto thee.</i>
This is part of the performance of his vows; for vows of
thankfulness properly accompany prayers for mercy, and when the
mercy is received must be made good. When we study what we shall
render this is the least we can resolve upon, to render praises to
God—poor returns for rich receivings! Two things he will praise
God for:—1. For what he had done for him (<scripRef id="Ps.lvii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.13" parsed="|Ps|56|13|0|0" passage="Ps 56:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): "<i>Thou has delivered my
soul,</i> my life, <i>from death,</i> which was just ready to seize
me." If God have delivered us from sin, either from the commission
of it by preventing grace or from the punishment of it by pardoning
mercy, we have reason to own that he has thereby delivered our
souls from death, which is the wages of sin. If we, who were by
nature dead in sin, are quickened together with Christ, and are
made spiritually alive, we have reason to own that God has
delivered our souls from death. 2. For what he would do for him:
"<i>Thou hast delivered my soul from death,</i> and so hast given
me a new life, and thereby hast given me an earnest of further
mercy, that thou wilt <i>deliver my feet from falling;</i> thou
hast done the greater, and therefore thou wilt do the less; thou
hast begun a good work, and therefore thou wilt carry it on and
perfect it." This may be taken either as the matter of his prayer,
pleading his experience, or as the matter of his praise, raising
his expectations; and those that know how to praise in faith will
give God thanks for mercies in promise and prospect, as well as in
possession. See here, (1.) What David hopes for, that God would
deliver his feet from falling either into sin, which would wound
his conscience, or into the appearance of sin, from which his
enemies would take occasion to wound his good name. Those that
think the stand must take heed lest they fall, because the best
stand no longer than God is pleased to uphold them. We are weak,
our way is slippery, many stumbling-blocks are in it, our spiritual
enemies are industrious to thrust us down, and therefore we are
concerned by faith and prayer to commit ourselves to his care who
<i>keeps the feet of his saints.</i> (2.) What he builds this hope
upon: "<i>Thou hast delivered my soul from death,</i> and therein
hast magnified thy power and goodness, and put me into a capacity
of receiving further mercy from thee; and now wilt thou not secure
and crown thy own work?" God never brought his people out of Egypt
to slay them in the wilderness. He that in conversion delivers the
soul from so great a death as sin is will not fail <i>to preserve
it to his heavenly kingdom.</i> (3.) What he designs in these
hopes: <i>That I may walk before God in the light of the
living,</i> that is, [1.] "That I may get to heaven, the only land
of light and life; for in this world darkness and death reign."
[2.] "That I may do my duty while this life lasts." Note, This we
should aim at, in all our desires and expectations of deliverance
both from sin and trouble, that we may do God so much the better
service—<i>that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies,
we may serve him without fear.</i></p>
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