weak land for some years, while it gathers sap for a better crop. It is
possible to gather gold, where it may be had, with moonlight. Oh, if I
could but creep one foot, or half a foot, nearer in to Jesus, in such a
dismal night as that when he is away, I should think it a happy absence!
2. If I knew that the Beloved were only gone away for trial, and further
humiliation, and not smoked out of the house with new provocations, I
would forgive desertions and hold my peace at his absence. But Christ’s
bought absence (that I bought with my sin), is two running boils at
once, one upon each side; and what side then can I lie on? 3. I know
that, as night and shadows are good for flowers, and moonlight and dews
are better than a continual sun, so is Christ’s absence of special use,
and that it hath some nourishing virtue in it, and giveth sap to
humility, and putteth an edge on hunger, and furnisheth a fair field to
faith to put forth itself, and to exercise its fingers in gripping it
seeth not what.—_Samuel Rutherford, 1600-1661._
_Verses 1, 2._—That which the French proverb hath of sickness is true of
all evils, that they come on horseback and go away on foot; we have
often seen that a sudden fall, or one meal’s surfeit, has stuck by many
to their graves; whereas pleasures come like oxen, slow and heavily, and
go away like post-horses, upon the spur. Sorrows, because they are
lingering guests, I will entertain but moderately, knowing that the more
they are made of the longer they will continue: and for pleasures,
because they stay not, and do but call to drink at my door, I will use
them as passengers with slight respect. He is his own best friend that
makes the least of both of them.—_Joseph Hall._
_Verses 1, 2.—“How_ LONG _wilt thou forget me? How_ LONG _wilt thou hide
thy face from me? How_ LONG _shall I take counsel in my soul?”_ The
intenseness of the affliction renders it trying to our fortitude; but it
is by the continuance of it that patience is put to the test. It is not
under the sharpest, but the longest trials, that we are most in danger
of fainting. In the first case, the soul collects all its strength, and
feels in earnest to call in help from above; but, in the last, the mind
relaxes, and sinks into despondency. When Job was accosted with evil
tidings, in quick succession, he bore it with becoming fortitude; but
when he could see no end to his troubles, he sunk under them.—_Andrew
Fuller._
_Verses 1-4._—Everything is strangely changed; all its comeliness, and
beauty, and glory, vanishes when the _life_ is gone: life is the
pleasant thing; ’tis sweet and comfortable; but death with its pale
attendants, raises a horror and aversion to it everywhere. The saints of
God dread the removal of his favour, and the hiding of his face; and
when it is hid, a faintness and a cold amazement and fear seizes upon
every part, and they feel strange bitterness, and anguish, and
tribulation, which makes their joints to tremble, and is to them as the
very pangs of death.—_Timothy Rogers._
_Verses 1, 5, 6._—Prayer helps towards the increase and growth of grace,
by drawing the habits of grace into exercise. Now, as exercise brings
benefit to the body, so does prayer to the soul. Exercise doth help to
digest or breathe forth those humours that clog the spirits. One that
stirs little we see grow pursy, and is soon choked up with phlegm, which
exercise clears the body of. Prayer is the saint’s exercise-field, where
his graces are breathed; it is as the wind to the air, it brightens the
soul; as bellows to the fire, which clears the coal of those ashes that
smother them. The Christian, while in this world, lives in an
unwholesome climate; one while, the delights of it deaden and dull his
love of Christ; another while, the trouble he meets in it damps his
faith on the promise. How now should the Christian get out of these
distempers, had he not a throne of grace to resort to, where if once his
soul be in a melting frame, he (like one laid in a kindly sweat), soon
breathes out the malignity of his disease, and comes into his right
temper again? How often do we find the holy prophet, when he first
kneels down to pray, full of fears and doubts, who, before he and the
duty part, grows into a sweet familiarity with God, and repose in his
own spirit! (Psalm xiii. 1) He begins his prayer as if he thought God
would never give him a kind look more: “_How long wilt thou forget me, O
Lord? for ever?_” But by that time he had exercised himself a little in
duty, his distemper wears off, the mists scatter, and his faith breaks
out as the sun in its strength, verses 5, 6: “_I have trusted in thy
mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the
Lord._” Thus his faith lays the cloth, expecting a feast ere long to be
set on: he that now questioned whether he should ever hear good news
from heaven, is so strong in faith as to make himself merry with the
hopes of that mercy which he is assured will come at last. Abraham began
with fifty, but his faith got ground on God every step till he brought
down the price of their lives to ten.—_William Gurnall._
_Verses 1, 6._—Whatever discouragements thou meetest with in thine
attendance on God in ordinances, be like the English jet, fired by
water, and not like our ordinary fires, quenched by it; let them add to,
not diminish, thy resolution and courage; let not one repulse beat thee
off; be violent, give a second storm to the kingdom of heaven. Parents
sometimes hide themselves to make their children continue seeking. He
that would not at first open his mouth, nor vouchsafe the woman of
Canaan a word, doth, upon her continued and fervent petitions, at last
open his hand and give her whatsoever she asks: “O woman, be it unto
thee as thou wilt.” Continued importunity is undeniable oratory. And
truly, if after all thy pains thou findest Jesus Christ, will it not
make amends for thy long patience? Men that venture often at a lottery,
though they take blanks twenty times, if afterwards they get a golden
bason and ewer, it will make them abundant satisfaction. Suppose thou
shouldst continue knocking twenty, nay, forty years, yet if at last,
though but one hour before thou diest thy heart be opened to Christ, and
he be received into thy soul, and when thou diest heaven be opened to
thee, and thy soul received into it, will it not infinitely requite thee
for all thy labour? Oh, think of it, and resolve never to be dumb while
God is deaf, never to leave off prayer till God return a gracious
answer. And for thy comfort, know that he who began his Psalm with,
“_How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou
hide thy face from me?_” comes to conclude it with, “_I will sing unto
the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me._”—_George
Swinnock._
_Verse 2.—“How long?”_ There are many situations of the believer in this
life in which the words of this Psalm may be a consolation, and help to
revive sinking faith. A certain man lay at the pool of Bethesda, who had
an infirmity thirty and eight years. John v. 5. A woman had a spirit of
infirmity eighteen years, before she was “loosed.” Luke xiii. 11.
Lazarus all his life long laboured under disease and poverty, till he
was released by death and transferred to Abraham’s bosom. Luke xvi.
20-22. Let every one, then, who may be tempted to use the complaints of
this Psalm, assure his heart that God does not forget his people, help
will come at last, and, in the meantime, all things shall work together
for good to them that love him.—_W. Wilson, D.D._
_Verse 2.—“How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my
heart daily?”_ There is such a thing as to pore on our guilt and
wretchedness, to the overlooking of our highest mercies. Though it be
proper to know our own hearts, for the purposes of conviction, yet, if
we expect consolation from this quarter, we shall find ourselves sadly
disappointed. Such, for a time, appears to have been the case of David.
He seems to have been in great distress; and as is common in such cases,
his thoughts turned inward, casting in his mind what he should do, and
what would be the end of things. While thus exercised, he had _sorrow in
his heart daily_: but, betaking himself to God for relief, he succeeded,
_trusting in his mercy, his heart rejoiced in his salvation_. There are
many persons, who, when in trouble, imitate David in the former part of
this experience: I wish we may imitate him in the latter.—_Andrew
Fuller._
_Verses 2, 4.—“How shall mine enemy be exalted over me?”_ ’Tis a great
relief to the miserable and afflicted, to be pitied by others. It is
some relief when others, though they cannot help us, yet seem to be
truly concerned for the sadness of our case; when by the kindness of
their words and of their actions they do a little smooth the wounds they
cannot heal; but ’tis an unspeakable addition to the cross, when a man
is brought low under the sense of God’s displeasure, to have men to mock
at his calamity, or to revile him, or to speak roughly; this does
inflame and exasperate the wound that was big enough before; and it is a
hard thing when one has a dreadful sound in his ears to have every
friend to become a son of thunder. It is a small matter for people that
are at ease, to deal severely with such as are afflicted, but they
little know how their severe speeches and their angry words pierce them
to the very soul. ’Tis easy to blame others for complaining, but if such
had felt but for a little while what it is to be under the fear of God’s
anger, they would find that they could not but complain. It cannot but
make any person restless and uneasy when he apprehends that God is his
enemy. It is no wonder if he makes every one that he sees, and every
place that he is in, a witness of his grief; but now it is a comfort in
our temptations and in our fears, that we have so compassionate a friend
as Christ is to whom we may repair, “For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in
all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Heb. iv.
15.—_Timothy Rogers._
_Verse 3.—“Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.”_ In time
of sickness and grief, the “eyes” are dull and heavy; and they grow more
and more so as death approaches, which closes them in darkness. On the
other hand, health and joy render the organs of vision bright and
sparkling, seeming, as it were, to impart “light” to them from within.
The words, therefore, may be fitly applied to a recovery of the body
natural, and thence, of the body politic, from their respective
maladies. Nor do they less significantly describe the restoration of the
soul to a state of spiritual health and holy joy, which will manifest
themselves in like manner, by “the eyes of the understanding being
enlightened;” and in this case, the soul is saved from the sleep of sin,
as the body is in the other, from the sleep of death.—_George Horne._
_Verse 3._—Why dost _thou hide thy face_? happily thou wilt say, None
can see thy face and live. Ah, Lord, let me die, that I may see thee;
let me see thee, that I may die: I would not live, but die; that I may
see Christ, I desire death; that I may live with Christ, I despise
life.—_Augustine._
_Verse 3.—“How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?”_ Oh, excellent
hiding, which is become my perfection! My God, thou hidest thy treasure
to kindle my desire! Thou hidest thy pearl, to inflame the seeker; thou
delayest to give, that thou mayest teach me to importune; seemest not to
hear, to make me persevere.—_John Anselm, 1034-1109._
_Verse 4._—
Ah! can you bear contempt; the venom’d tongue
Of those whom ruin pleases, the keen sneer,
The lewd reproaches of the rascal herd;
Who for the selfsame actions, if successful,
Would be as grossly lavish in your praise?
To sum up all in one—can you support
The scornful glances, the malignant joy,
Or more detested pity of a rival—
Of a triumphant rival?
_James Thomson, 1700-1748._
_Verse 4.—“And those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved”_—compose
comedies out of my tragedies.—_John Trapp._
_Verse 5.—“I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy
salvation.”_ Faith rejoiceth in tribulations, and triumpheth before the
victory. The patient is glad when he feels his physic to work, though it
make him sick for the time, because he hopes it will procure health. We
rejoice in afflictions, not that they are joyous for the present, but
because they shall work for our good. As faith rejoiceth, so it
triumpheth in assurance of good success; for it seeth not according to
outward appearance, but when all means fail, it keepeth God in sight,
and beholdeth him present for our succour.—_John Ball._
_Verse 5.—“I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy
salvation.”_ Though passion possess our bodies, let “patience possess
our souls.” The law of our profession binds us to a warfare; _patiendo
vincimus_, our troubles shall end, our victory is eternal. Here David’s
triumph (Psalm xviii. 38-40), “I have wounded them, that they were not
able to rise; they are fallen under my feet. Thou hast subdued under me
those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the neck of mine
enemies,” etc. They have wounds for their wounds; and the treaders down
of the poor are trodden down by the poor. The Lord will subdue those to
us that would have subdued us to themselves; and though for a short time
they rode over our heads, yet now at last we shall everlastingly tread
upon their necks. Lo, then, the reward of humble patience and confident
hope. _Speramus et superamus._ Deut. xxxii. 31. “Our God is not as their
God, even our enemies being judges.” Psalm xx. 7. “Some put their trust
in chariots, and some in horses.” But no chariot hath strength to
oppose, nor horse swiftness to escape, when God pursues. Verse 8. “They
are brought down and fallen; we are risen and stand upright.” Their
trust hath deceived them; down they fall, and never to rise. Our God
hath helped us; we are risen, not for a breathing space, but to stand
upright for ever.—_Thomas Adams._
_Verse 5._—None live so easily, so pleasantly, as those that live by
faith.—_Matthew Henry._
_Verse 5._—Wherefore I say again, “Live by faith;” again I say, always
live by it, rejoice through faith in the Lord. I dare boldly say it is
thy fault and neglect of its exercise if thou suffer either thy own
melancholy humour or Satan to interrupt thy mirth and spiritual
alacrity, and to detain thee in dumps and pensiveness at any time. What
if thou beest of a sad constitution? of a dark complexion? Is not faith
able to rectify nature? Is it not stronger than any hellebore? Doth not
an experienced divine and physician worthily prefer one dram of it
before all the drugs in the apothecary’s shop for this effect? Hath it
not sovereign virtue in it, to excerebrate all cares, expectorate all
fears and griefs, evacuate the mind of all ill thoughts and passions, to
exhilarate the whole man? But what good doth it to any to have a cordial
by him if he use it not? To wear a sword, soldier-like, by his side, and
not to draw it forth in an assault? When a dump overtakes thee, if thou
wouldst say to thy soul in a word or two, “Soul, why art thou
disquieted? know and consider in whom thou believest,” would it not
presently return to its rest again? Would not the Master rebuke the
winds and storms, and calm thy troubled mind presently? Hath not every
man something or other he useth to put away dumps, to drive away the
evil spirit, as David with his harp? Some with merry company, some with
a cup of sack, most with a pipe of tobacco, without which they cannot
ride or go. If they miss it a day together they are troubled with
rheums, dulness of spirits. They that live in fens and ill airs dare not
stir out without a morning draught of some strong liquor. Poor, silly,
smoky helps, in comparison with the least taste (but for dishonouring
faith I would say whiff) or draught of faith.—_Samuel Ward, 1577-1653._
_Verse 6.—“I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully
with me.”_ Faith keeps the soul from sinking under heavy trials, by
bringing in former experiences of the power, mercy, and faithfulness of
God to the afflicted soul. Hereby was the Psalmist supported in
distress. Oh, saith faith, remember what God hath done both for thy
outward and inward man: he hath not only delivered thy body when in
trouble, but he hath done great things for thy soul; he hath brought
thee out of a state of black nature, entered into a covenant relation
with thee, made his goodness pass before thee; he hath helped thee to
pray, and many times hath heard thy prayers and thy tears. Hath he not
formerly brought thee out of the horrible pit, and out of the miry clay,
and put a new song in thy mouth, and made thee to resolve never to give
way to such unbelieving thoughts and fears again? and how unbecoming is
it for thee now to sink in trouble?—_John Willison, 1680-1750._
_Verse 6.—“I will sing unto the Lord.”_ Mr. John Philpot having lain for
some time in the bishop of London’s coal-house, the bishop sent for him,
and amongst other questions, asked him why they were so merry in prison?
singing (as the prophet speaks) _Exultantes in rebus pessimis_,
rejoicing in your naughtiness, whereas you should rather lament and be
sorry. Mr. Philpot answered, “My lord, the mirth which we make is but in
singing certain Psalms, as we are commanded by Paul to rejoice in the
Lord, singing together hymns and Psalms, for we are in a dark,
comfortless place, and therefore, we thus solace ourselves. I trust,
therefore, your lordship will not be angry, seeing the apostle saith,
‘If any be of an upright heart, let him sing Psalms;’ and we, to declare
that we are of an upright mind to God, though we are in misery, yet
refresh ourselves with such singing.” After some other discourse, saith
he, “I was carried back to my lord’s coal-house, where I, with my six
fellow prisoners, do rouze together in the straw, as cheerfully (I thank
God) as others do in their beds of down.” And in a letter to a friend,
he thus writes: “Commend me to Mr. Elsing and his wife, and thank them
for providing me some ease in my prison; and tell them that though my
lord’s coal-house be very black, yet it is more to be desired of the
faithful than the Queen’s palace. The world wonders how we can be so
merry under such extreme miseries; but our God is omnipotent, who turns
misery into felicity. Believe me, there is no such joy in the world, as
the people of God have under the cross of Christ: I speak by experience,
and therefore believe me, and fear nothing that the world can do unto
you, for when they imprison our bodies, they set our souls at liberty to
converse with God; when they cast us down, they lift us up; when they
kill us, then do they send us to everlasting life. What greater glory
can there be than to be made conformable to our Head, Christ? And this
is done by affliction. O good God, what am I, upon whom thou shouldst
bestow so great a mercy? This is the day which the Lord hath made; let
us rejoice and be glad in it. This is the way, though it be narrow,
which is full of the peace of God, and leadeth to eternal bliss. Oh, how
my heart leapeth for joy that I am so near the apprehension thereof! God
forgive me my unthankfulness and unworthiness of so great glory. I have
so much joy, that though I be in a place of darkness and mourning, yet I
cannot lament; but both night and day am so full of joy, as I never was
so merry before; the Lord’s name be praised for ever. Our enemies do
fret, fume, and gnash their teeth at it. O pray instantly that this joy
may never be taken from us; for it passeth all the delights in this
world. This is the peace of God that passeth all understanding. This
peace, the more his chosen be afflicted, the more they feel it, and
therefore cannot faint neither for fire nor water.”—_Samuel Clarke’s
“Mirrour,” 1671._
_Verse 6.—“I will sing unto the Lord.”_ How far different is the end of
this Psalm from the beginning!—_John Trapp._
_Verse 6.—“I will sing unto the Lord,”_ etc. I never knew what it was
for God to stand by me at all turns, and at every offer of Satan to
afflict me, etc., as I have found him since I came in hither; for look
how fears have presented themselves, so have supports and
encouragements; yet, when I have started, even as it were at nothing
else but my shadow, yet God, as being very tender of me, hath not
suffered me to be molested, but would with one Scripture or another,
strengthen me against all; insomuch that I have often said, _Were it
lawful, I could pray for greater trouble, for the greater comfort’s
sake._ Eccles. vii. 14; 2 Cor. i. 5.—_John Bunyan, 1628-1688._
HINTS TO PREACHERS.
_Verse 1._—The apparent length of sorrow, only apparent. Contrast with
days of joy, with eternal misery and eternal joy. Impatience, and other
evil passions, cause the seeming length. Means of shortening, by
refusing to forestall, or to repine afterwards.
_Verse 1 (second clause)._—Hiding of the divine face. Why at all? Why
from me? Why so long?
_Verse 2._—Advice to the dejected, or the soul directed to look out of
itself for consolation.—_A. Fuller._
_Verse 2 (first clause)._—_Self-torture_, its cause, curse, crime, and
cure.
_Verse 2.—“Having sorrow in my heart daily.”_ I. The cause of daily
sorrow. Great enemy, unbelief, sin, trial, loss of Jesus’ presence,
sympathy with others, mourning for human ruin. II. The necessity of
daily sorrow. Purge corruptions, excite graces, raise desires
heavenward. III. The cure of daily sorrow. Good food from God’s table,
old wine of promises, walks with Jesus, exercise in good works,
avoidance of everything unhealthy.—_B. Davis._
_Verse 2. (second clause)._—Time anticipated when defeat shall be turned
into victory.
_Verse 3._—By accommodating the text to the believer. I. True character
of Satan, “enemy.” II. Remarkable fact that his enemy is exalted over
us. III. Pressing enquiry, “How long?”—_B. Davis._
_Verse 3.—“Lighten mine eyes.”_ A prayer fit for (1) Every benighted
sinner. (2) Every seeker of salvation. (3) Every learner in Christ’s
school. (4) Every tried believer. (5) Every dying saint.—_B. Davis._
_Verse 4._—Noteth the nature of the wicked two ways; namely, the more
they prevail the more insolent they are; they wonderfully exult over
those that are afflicted.—_T. Wilcocks._
_Verse 5._—Experience and perseverance. “I have,” “my heart shall.”
_Verse 6._—The bountiful giver and the hearty singer.
_The whole Psalm_ would make a good subject, showing the stages from
mourning to rejoicing, dwelling especially upon the turning point,
prayer. There are two verses for each, mourning, praying, rejoicing.—_A.
G. Brown._
PSALM XIV.
TITLE.—_This admirable ode is simply headed_, “To the Chief Musician by
David.” _The dedication to the Chief Musician stands at the head of
fifty-three of the Psalms, and clearly indicates that such Psalms were
intended, not merely for the private use of believers, but to be sung in
the great assemblies by the appointed choir at whose head was the
overseer, or superintendent, called in our version, “the Chief
Musician,” and by Ainsworth, “the master of the Music.” Several of these
Psalms have little or no praise in them, and were not addressed directly
to the Most High, and yet were to be sung in public worship; which is a
clear indication that the theory of Augustine lately revived by certain
hymn-book makers, that nothing but praise should be sung, is far more
plausible than Scriptural. Not only did the ancient Church chant
hallowed doctrine and offer prayer amid her spiritual songs, but even
the wailing notes of complaint were put into her mouth by the sweet
singer of Israel who was inspired of God. Some persons grasp at any
nicety which has a gloss of apparent correctness upon it, and are
pleased with being more fancifully precise than others; nevertheless it
will ever be the way of plain men, not only to magnify the Lord in
sacred canticles, but also, according to Paul’s precept, to teach and
admonish one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in their hearts unto the Lord._
_As no distinguishing title is given to this Psalm, we would suggest as
an assistance to the memory, the heading_—CONCERNING PRACTICAL ATHEISM.
_The many conjectures as to the occasion upon which it was written are
so completely without foundation, that it would be a waste of time to
mention them at length. The apostle Paul, in Romans iii., has shown
incidentally that the drift of the inspired writer is to show that both
Jews and Gentiles are all under sin; there was, therefore, no reason for
fixing upon any particular historical occasion, when all history reeks
with terrible evidence of human corruption. With instructive
alterations, David has given us in Psalm liii. a second edition of this
humiliating psalm, being moved of the Holy Ghost thus doubly to declare
a truth which is ever distasteful to carnal minds._