mixed with sorrow like a prick under the rose. Jacob had joy when his
sons returned home from Egypt with the sacks full of corn, but much
sorrow when he perceived the silver in the sack’s mouth. David had much
joy in bringing up the ark of God, but at the same time great sorrow for
the breach made upon Uzza. This is the Lord’s great wisdom to temper and
moderate our joy. As men of a weak constitution must have their wine
qualified with water for fear of distemper, so must we in this life
(such is our weakness), have our joy mixed with sorrow, lest we turn
giddy and insolent. Here our joy is mixed with fear (Psalm ii.),
“Rejoice with trembling;” the women departed from the sepulchre of our
Lord “with fear and great joy.” Matthew xxviii. 8. In our regenerate
estate, though we have joy from Christ that is “formed in us,” yet the
impression of the terrors of God before the time of our new birth
remains in us; as in a commotion of the sea by a great tempest after a
stormy wind hath ceased, yet the impression of the storm remains and
makes an agitation. The tender mother recovering her young child from
danger of a fall hath joy from the recovery; but with much fear with the
impression of the danger: so after we are recovered here from our
dangerous falls by the rich and tender mercies of our God, sometime
preventing us, sometime restoring us, though we rejoice in his mercy,
and in our own recovery out of the snares of Satan, yet in the midst of
our joy the remembrance of former guiltiness and danger do humble our
hearts with much sorrow, and some trepidation of heart. As our joy here
is mixed with fears, so with sorrow also. Sound believers do look up to
Christ crucified, and do rejoice in his incomparable love, that such a
person should have died such a death for such as were enemies to God by
sinful inclinations and wicked works; they look down also upon their own
sins that have wounded and crucified the Lord of glory, and this
breaketh the heart, as a widow should mourn, who by her froward and lewd
behaviour hath burst the heart of a kind and loving husband.
The sound believers look to their small beginnings of grace, and they
rejoice in the work of God’s hands; but when they compare it with that
original and primitive righteousness, they mourn bitterly, as the elders
of Israel did at the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra iii. 12); “They who
had seen the first house wept.” But in heaven our joy will be full,
without mixture of sorrow (John xvi. 20); “Your sorrow,” saith our Lord,
“shall be turned into joy.” Then will there be no sorrow for a present
trouble, nor present fear of future troubles. Then their eye will deeply
affect their heart: the sight and knowledge of God the supreme and
infinite good will ravish, and take up all their heart with joy and
delight. Peter in the Mount (Matthew xvii.), was so affected with that
glorious sight, that he forgot both the delights and troubles that were
below; “It is good to be here,” said he. How much more will all worldly
troubles and delights be forgot at that soul-satisfying sight in heaven,
which is as far above that of Peter in the Mount, as the third heaven is
above that Mount, and as the uncreated is above the created
glory!—_William Colvill’s “Refreshing Streams,” 1655._
_Verse 11.—“In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there
are pleasures for evermore.”_ Mark, for quality, there are _pleasures_;
for quantity, _fulness_; for dignity, _at God’s right hand_; for
eternity, _for evermore_. And millions of years multiplied by millions,
make not up one minute to this eternity of joy that the saints shall
have in heaven. In heaven there shall be no sin to take away your joy,
nor no devil to take away your joy; nor no man to take away your joy.
“Your joy no man taketh from you.” John xvi. 22. The joy of the saints
in heaven is never ebbing, but always flowing to all contentment. The
joys of heaven never fade, never wither, never die, nor never are
lessened nor interrupted. The joy of the saints in heaven is a constant
joy, an everlasting joy, in the root and in the cause, and in the matter
of it and in the objects of it. “Their joy lasts for ever whose objects
remain for ever”—_Thomas Brooks._
_Verse 11.—“Pleasures for evermore.”_ The soul that is once landed at
the heavenly shore is past all storms. The glorified soul shall be for
ever bathing itself in the _rivers of pleasure_. This is that which
makes heaven to be heaven, “We shall be ever with the Lord.” 1 Thess.
iv. 17. Austin saith, “Lord, I am content to suffer any pains and
torments in this world, if I might see thy face one day; but alas! were
it only a day, then to be ejected heaven, it would rather be an
aggravation of misery;” but this word, “_ever with the Lord_,” is very
accumulative, and makes up the garland of glory: a state of eternity is
a state of security.—_Thomas Watson._
_Verse 11._—This then may serve for a ground of comfort to every soul
distressed with the tedious bitterness of this life; for short sorrow
here, we shall have eternal joy; for a little hunger, an eternal
banquet; for light sickness and affliction, everlasting health and
salvation; for a little imprisonment, endless liberty; for disgrace,
glory. Instead of the wicked who oppress and afflict them, they shall
have the angels and saints to comfort and solace them, instead of Satan
to torment and tempt them, they shall have Jesus to ravish and affect
them. Joseph’s prison shall be turned into a palace; Daniel’s lions’ den
into the presence of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah; the three
children’s hot fiery furnace, into the New Jerusalem of pure gold;
David’s Gath, into the tabernacle of the living God.—_John Cragge’s
“Cabinet of Spirituall Jewells,” 1657._
_Verse 11._—This heavenly feast will not have an end, as Ahasuerus’s
feast had, though it lasted many days; but “_At thy right hand are
pleasures for evermore_.”—_William Colvill._
HINTS TO PREACHERS.
_Michtam of David._—Under the title of “The Golden Psalm,” Mr. Canon
Dale has published a small volume, which is valuable as a series of good
simple discourses, but ought hardly to have been styled “an exposition.”
We have thought it right to give the headings of the chapters into which
his volume is divided, for there is much showiness, and may be some
solidity in the suggestions.
_Verse 1.—The seeking of the gold._ The believer conscious of danger,
trusting in God only for deliverance.
_Verses 2, 3.—The possessing of the gold._ The believer looking for
justification to the righteousness of God alone, while maintaining
personal holiness by companionship with the saints.
_Verses 4, 5.—The testing of the gold._ The believer finding his present
portion, and expecting his eternal inheritance in the Lord.
_Verse 6.—The prizing or valuing of the gold._ The believer
congratulating himself on the pleasantness of his dwelling and the
goodness of his heritage.
_Verses 7, 8.—The occupying of the gold._ The believer seeking
instruction from the counsels of the Lord by night, and realising his
promise by day.
_Verses 9, 10.—The summing or reckoning of the gold._ The believer
rejoicing and praising God for the promise of a rest in hope and
resurrection into glory.
_Verse 11.—The perfecting of the gold._ The believer realising at God’s
right hand the fulness of joy and the pleasures for evermore.
Upon this suggestive Psalm we offer the following few hints out of many—
_Verse 1._—The prayer and the plea. The preserver and the truster. The
dangers of the saints and the place of their confidence.
_Verse 2.—“Thou art my Lord.”_ The soul’s appropriation, allegiance,
assurance and avowal.
_Verses 2, 3._—The influence and sphere of goodness. No profit to God,
or departed saints or sinners, but to _living men_. Need of promptness,
etc.
_Verses 2, 3._—Evidence of true faith. I. Allegiance to divine
authority. II. Rejection of self-righteousness. III. Doing good to the
saints. IV. Appreciation of saintly excellence. V. delight in their
society.
_Verse 3.—Excellent of the earth._ May be translated noble, wonderful,
magnificent. They are so in their new birth, nature, clothing,
attendance, heritage, etc., etc.
_Verse 3.—“In whom is all my delight.”_ Why Christians should be objects
of our delight. Why we do not delight in them more. Why they do not
delight in us. How to make our fellowship more delightful.
_Verse 3._—Collection sermon for poor believers. I. Saints. II. Saints
on the earth. III. These are excellent. IV. We must delight in them. V.
We must extend our goodness to them.—_Matthew Henry._
_Verse 4._—Sorrows of idolatry illustrated in heathens and ourselves.
_Second clause._—The duty of complete separation from sinners in life
and lip.
_Verse 5._—Future inheritance and present cup found in God. (See
Exposition).
_Last clause._—What our “lot” is. What danger it is in. Who defends it.
_Verse 6.—“Pleasant places.”_ Bethlehem, Calvary, Olivet, Tabor, Zion,
Paradise, etc. II. _Pleasant purposes_, which made these lines fall to
me. III. _Pleasant praises._ By service, sacrifice, and song.
_Verse 6 (second clause)._—I. A heritage. II. A goodly heritage. III. I
have it. IV. Yea, or the Spirit’s witness.
_Verse 6.—“A goodly heritage.”_ That which makes our portion good is—I.
The favour of God with it. II. That it is from a Father’s hand. III.
That it comes through the covenant of grace. IV. That it is the purchase
of Christ’s blood. V. That it is an answer to prayer, and a blessing
from above upon honest endeavours.
_Verse 6._—We may put this acknowledgment into the mouth of—I. _An
indulged child of providence._ II. _An inhabitant of this favoured
country._ III. _A Christian with regard to his spiritual
condition._—_William Jay._
_Verse 7._—_Taking counsel’s opinion._ Of whom? Upon what? Why? When?
How? What then?
_Verse 7._—Upward and inward, or two schools of instruction.
_Verse 8._—Set the Lord always before you as—I. Your _protector_. II.
Your _leader_. III. _Your example._ IV. Your _observer_.—_William Jay._
_Verses 8, 9._—A sense of the divine presence our best support. It
yields. I. Good confidence concerning things without. “_I shall not be
moved._” II. Good cheer within. “_My heart is glad._” III. Good music
for the living tongue. “_My glory rejoiceth._” IV. Good hope for the
dying body. “_My flesh also_,” etc.
_Verse 9 (last clause)._—I. The saint’s Sabbath (_rest_). II. His
sarcophagus (_in hope_). III. His salvation (for which he _hopes_).
_Verses 9, 10._—Jesus cheered in prospect of death by the safety of his
soul and body; our consolation in him as to the same.
_Verse 10._—Jesus dead, the place of his soul and his body. A difficult
but interesting topic.
_Verses 10, 11._—Because he lives we shall live also. The believer,
therefore, can also say, “Thou wilt show _me_ the path of life.” This
life means the blessedness reserved in heaven for the people of God
after the resurrection. It has three characters. The first regards its
_source_—it flows from “_his presence_.” The second regards its
plenitude—it is “_fulness_” of joy. The third regards its
_permanency_—the pleasures are “_for evermore_.”—_William Jay._
_Verse 11._—A sweet picture of heaven. (See Exposition.)
Footnote 5:
A Funeral Sermon.
PSALM XVII.
TITLE AND SUBJECT.—A PRAYER OF DAVID. _David would not have been a man
after God’s own heart, if he had not been a man of prayer. He was a
master in the sacred art of supplication. He flies to prayer in all
times of need, as a pilot speeds to the harbour in the stress of
tempest. So frequent were David’s prayers that they could not all be
dated and entitled; and hence this simply bears the author’s name, and
nothing more. The smell of the furnace is upon the present Psalm, but
there is evidence in the last verse that he who wrote it came unharmed
out of the flame. We have in the present plaintive song_, AN APPEAL TO
HEAVEN _from the persecutions of earth. A spiritual eye may see Jesus
here._
DIVISIONS.—_There are no very clear lines of demarcation between the
parts; but we prefer the divisions adopted by that precious old
commentator, David Dickson. In verses 1-4, David craves justice in the
controversy between him and his oppressors. In verses 5 and 6, he
requests of the Lord grace to act rightly while under the trial. From
verse 7-12, he seeks protection from his foes, whom he graphically
describes; and in verses 13 and 14, pleads that they may be
disappointed; closing the whole in the most comfortable confidence that
all would certainly be well with himself at the last._
EXPOSITION.
Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer,
_that goeth_ not out of feigned lips.
2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes
behold the things that are equal.
3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited _me_ in the night;
thou hast tried me, _and_ shalt find nothing; I am purposed _that_
my mouth shall not transgress.
4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept
_me from_ the paths of the destroyer.
1. “_Hear the right, O Lord._” He that has the worst cause makes the
most noise; hence the oppressed soul is apprehensive that its voice may
be drowned, and therefore pleads in this one verse for a hearing no less
than three times. The troubled heart craves for the ear of the great
Judge, persuaded that with him to hear is to redress. If our God could
not or would not hear us, our state would be deplorable indeed; and yet
some professors set such small store by the mercy-seat, that God does
not hear them for the simple reason that they neglect to plead. As well
have no house if we persist like gipsies in living in the lanes and
commons; as well have no mercy-seat as be always defending our own cause
and never going to God. There is more fear that _we_ will not hear the
Lord than that the Lord will not hear us. “_Hear the right_;” it is well
if our case is good in itself and can be urged as a right one, for right
shall never be wronged by our righteous Judge; but if our suit be marred
by our infirmities, it is a great privilege that we may make mention of
the righteousness of our Lord Jesus, which is ever prevalent on high.
_Right_ has a voice which Jehovah always hears; and if my wrongs clamour
against me with great force and fury, I will pray the Lord to hear that
still louder and mightier voice of the right, and the rights of his dear
Son. “Hear, O God, the just One;” _i.e._, “hear the Messiah,” is a
rendering adopted by Jerome, and admired by Bishop Horsley, whether
correct or not as a translation, it is proper enough as a plea. Let the
reader plead it at the throne of the righteous God, even when all other
arguments are unavailing.
“_Attend unto my cry._” This shows the vehemence and earnestness of the
petitioner; he is no mere talker, he weeps and laments. Who can resist a
cry? A real hearty, bitter, piteous cry, might almost melt a rock, there
can be no fear of its prevalence with our heavenly Father. A cry is our
earliest utterance, and in many ways the most natural of human sounds;
if our prayer should like the infant’s cry be more natural than
intelligent, and more earnest than elegant, it will be none the less
eloquent with God. There is a mighty power in a child’s cry to prevail
with a parent’s heart. “_Give ear unto my prayer._” Some repetitions are
not vain. The reduplication here used is neither superstition nor
tautology, but is like the repeated blow of a hammer hitting the same
nail on the head to fix it the more effectually, or the continued
knocking of a beggar at the gate who cannot be denied an alms. “_That
goeth not out of feigned lips._” Sincerity is a _sine quâ non_ in
prayer. Lips of deceit are detestable to man and much more to God. In
intercourse so hallowed as that of prayer, hypocrisy even in the
remotest degree is as fatal as it is foolish. Hypocritical piety is
double iniquity. He who would feign and flatter had better try his craft
with a fool like himself, for to deceive the all-seeing One is as
impossible as to take the moon in a net, or to lead the sun into a
snare. He who would deceive God is himself already most grossly
deceived. Our sincerity in prayer has no merit in it, any more than the
earnestness of a mendicant in the street; but at the same time the Lord
has regard to it, through Jesus, and will not long refuse his ear to an
honest and fervent petitioner.
2. “_Let my sentence come forth from thy presence._” The Psalmist has
now grown bold by the strengthening influence of prayer, and he now
entreats the Judge of all the earth to give sentence upon his case. He
had been libelled, basely and maliciously libelled; and having brought
his action before the highest court, he, like an innocent man, has no
desire to escape the enquiry, but even invites and sues for judgment. He
does not ask for secrecy, but would have the result come forth to the
world. He would have sentence pronounced and executed forthwith. In some
matters we may venture to be as bold as this; but except we can plead
something better than our own supposed innocence, it were terrible
presumption thus to challenge the judgment of a sin-hating God. With
Jesus as our complete and all-glorious righteousness we need not fear,
though the day of judgment should commence at once, and hell open her
mouth at our feet, but might joyfully prove the truth of our hymn
writer’s holy boast—
“Bold shall I stand in that great day;
For who ought to my charge shall lay?
While, through thy blood, absolved I am
From sin’s tremendous curse and shame.”
“_Let thine eyes behold the things that are equal._” Believers do not
desire any other judge than God, or to be excused from judgment, or even
to be judged on principles of partiality. No; our hope does not lie in
the prospect of favouritism from God, and the consequent suspension of
his law; we expect to be judged on the same principles as other men, and
through the blood and righteousness of our Redeemer we shall pass the
ordeal unscathed. The Lord will weigh us in the scales of justice fairly
and justly; he will not use false weights to permit us to escape, but
with the sternest equity those balances will be used upon us as well as
upon others; and with our blessed Lord Jesus as our all in all we
tremble not, for we shall not be found wanting. In David’s case, he felt
his cause to be so right that he simply desired the Divine eyes to rest
upon the matter, and he was confident that equity would give him all
that he needed.
3. “_Thou hast proved mine heart._” Like Peter, David uses the argument,
“Thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.” It is a most
assuring thing to be able to appeal at once to the Lord, and call upon
our Judge to be a witness for our defence. “Beloved, if our heart
condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.” “_Thou hast
visited me in the night._” As if he had said, “Lord, thou hast entered
my house at all hours; and thou hast seen me when no one else was nigh;
thou hast come upon me unawares and marked my unrestrained actions, and
thou knowest whether or no I am guilty of the crimes laid at my door.”
Happy man who can thus remember the omniscient eye, and the omnipresent
visitor, and find comfort in the remembrance. We hope we have had our
midnight visits from our Lord, and truly they are sweet; so sweet that
the recollection of them sets us longing for more of such condescending
communings. Lord, if, indeed, we had been hypocrites, should we have had
such fellowship, or feel such hungerings after a renewal of it? “_Thou
hast tried me, and shalt find nothing._” Surely the Psalmist means
nothing hypocritical or wicked in the sense in which his slanderers
accused him; for if the Lord should put the best of his people into the
crucible, the dross would be a fearful sight, and would make penitence
open her sluices wide. Assayers very soon detect the presence of alloy,
and when the chief of all assayers shall, at the last, say of us that he
has found nothing, it will be a glorious hour indeed—“They are without
fault before the throne of God.” Even here, as viewed in our covenant
Head, the Lord sees no sin in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel; even
the all-detecting glance of Omniscience can see no flaw where the great
Substitute covers all with beauty and perfection. “_I am purposed that
my mouth shall not transgress._” Oh those sad lips of ours! we had need
purpose to purpose if we would keep them from exceeding their bounds.
The number of diseases of the tongue is as many as the diseases of all
the rest of the man put together, and they are more inveterate. Hands
and feet one may bind, but who can fetter the lips? iron bands may hold
a madman, but what chains can restrain the tongue? It needs more than a
purpose to keep this nimble offender within its proper range.
Lion-taming and serpent-charming are not to be mentioned in the same day
as tongue-taming, for the tongue can no man tame. Those who have to
smart from the falsehoods of others should be the more jealous over
themselves; perhaps this led the Psalmist to register this holy
resolution; and, moreover, he intended thereby to aver that if he had
said too much in his own defence, it was not intentional, for he desired
in all respects to tune his lips to the sweet and simple music of truth.
Nothwithstanding all this David was slandered, as if to show us that the
purest innocence will be bemired by malice. There is no sunshine without
a shadow, no ripe fruit unpecked by the birds.
4. “_Concerning the works of men._” While we are in the midst of men we
shall have their works thrust under our notice, and we shall be
compelled to keep a corner in our diary headed “concerning the works of
men.” To be quite clear from the dead works of carnal humanity is the
devout desire of souls who are quickened by the Holy Spirit. “_By the
word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer._” He
had kept the highway of Scripture, and not chosen the bye-paths of
malice. We should soon imitate the example of the worst of men if the
grace of God did not use the Word of God as the great preservative from
evil. The paths of the destroyer have often tempted us; we have been
prompted to become destroyers too, when we have been sorely provoked,
and resentment has grown warm; but we have remembered the example of our
Lord, who would not call fire from heaven upon his enemies, but meekly
prayed, “Father, forgive them.” All the ways of sin are the paths of
Satan,—the Apollyon or Abaddon, both of which words signify the
destroyer. Foolish indeed are those who give their hearts to the old
murderer, because for the time he panders to their evil desires. That
heavenly Book which lies neglected on many a shelf is the only guide for
those who would avoid the enticing and entangling mazes of sin; and it
is the best means of preserving the youthful pilgrim from ever treading
those dangerous ways. We must follow the one or the other; the Book of
Life, or the way of death; the word of the Holy Spirit, or the
suggestion of the Evil Spirit. David could urge as the proof of his
sincerity that he had no part or lot with the ungodly in their ruinous
ways. How can we venture to plead our cause with God, unless we also can
wash our hands clean of all connection with the enemies of the Great
King?
5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, _that_ my footsteps slip not.
6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline
thine ear unto me, _and hear_ my speech.