can hope for: why should we grudge them filled bags, or swelling titles!
it is their whole portion; they now receive their good things. Hast thou
food and clothing? that is children’s fare; envy not ungodly men, who
flaunt it in the gallantry of the world: they have more than you; but it
is all they are like to have; the Psalmist gives us an account of their
estate. They are _the men of_ this _world, which have their portion in
this life, and whose bellies God filleth with his hid treasure_. Whereas
thou, O Christian, who possessest nothing, art heir-apparent of heaven,
co-heir with Jesus Christ, who is the heir of all things, and hast an
infinite mass of riches laid up for thee; so great and infinite, that
all the stars of heaven are too few to account it by: you have no reason
to complain of being kept short; for all that God hath is yours, whether
prosperity or adversity, life or death, all is yours. What God gives is
for your comfort; what he denies or takes away is for your trial: it is
for the increase of those graces which are far more gracious than any
temporal enjoyment. If, by seeing wicked and ungodly men flow in wealth
and ease, when thou art forced to struggle against the inconveniences
and difficulties of a poor estate, thou hast learnt a holy contempt and
disdain of the world, believe it, God hath herein given thee more than
if he had given thee the world itself.—_Ezekiel Hopkins._
_Verse 14._—To show that wicked men have often the greatest _portion in
this world_, I need not speak much; the experience of all ages since the
beginning of the world confirms it, your own observation, I believe, can
seal to it; however, Scripture abundantly evinces it. The first
_murderer_ that ever was, carries possession in his very name: _Cain_
signifies so much. Gen. iv. 8. Go on in the whole series of Scripture,
and you shall find Joseph persecuted by his brethren; Esau (as Rivet
observes on Gen. xxxii.), advanced in the world for a time far above
Jacob; go on, and you find the Israelites, God’s peculiar, in captivity,
and Pharaoh upon the throne; Saul ruling, and David in a cave, or in a
wilderness; Job upon the dunghill; Jeremy in the dungeon; Daniel in the
den, and the children in the furnace, and Nebuchadnezzar on the throne.
In the New Testament you have Felix on the bench, Paul at the bar; Dives
in the palace, Lazarus at his gate (Luke xvi. 19); he clothed in purple,
Lazarus in rags and overspread with sores; he banqueted and fared
deliciously every day, the other desired but the crumbs from the table,
and could not have them; Dives beset with his rich and stately
attendance, Lazarus hath no other society but the dogs which came to
lick his sores; all which Austin and Tertullian against Marcion (lib.
4), conceive to be a true history of what was really acted, though
others think it parabolical. Job tells us that “the tabernacles of
robbers” sometimes “prosper” (Job xii. 6), which prosperity he at large
describes (chap. xxi. from verses 7 to 14); exalted in “_power_,” verse
7; multiplied in their _posterity_, verses 8, 11; _safe at home_, verse
9; _increased abroad_, verse 10; have their fill of _pleasure_, verse
12, and _wealth_ at will, verse 13. David speaks his own experience of
this. Psalm xxxvii. 35; lxxiii. 7. So in the text, they enjoy not only
common favours, as air to breathe in, earth to walk on; their bellies
are filled with his “_hid treasure_,” and that not for themselves only,
but for their posterity too; they “_leave the rest of their substance to
their babes_;” in a word, “_they have their portion in this
life_.”—_John Frost, 1657._
_Verse 14._—A master or lord pays his _servant_ his present wages, while
he cuts his _son_ short in his allowance during his nonage, that he may
learn to depend upon his father for the inheritance. Thus doth God, the
great Lord of all, deal with his _slaves_, who serve him for the hire of
some temporal advantage; he gives them their present reward and wages;
but though his goodness hath determined a better _portion_ to be a
reward to the piety and obedience of his _children_, yet he gives it
them in reversion, little in hand, that they may learn to live upon the
promise, and by faith to depend upon the goodness and faithfulness of
their Father for their heavenly inheritance; that they, walking not by
sight but faith (which is a Christian’s work and condition here), may
“not look at the things which are seen,” etc. 2 Cor. iv. 18.... This
discovers that rotten foundation upon which many men build their hopes
of heaven. Surely (are many ready to argue) if God did not love me he
would not give me such a portion in the world. Deceive not thyself in a
matter of so great concernment. Thou mayest as well say God loved Judas,
because he had the bags, or Dives, because he fared deliciously, who are
now roaring in hell.—_John Frost._
_Verse 14._—The word which denotes the “_belly_” may have been fixed, by
the divine Spirit, to indicate the fact, that a very great proportion of
the sin of worldly and depraved characters is connected with the
indulgence of base and degrading lusts; and that they abuse the very
bounty of heaven, in riveting the chain of sense upon their unhappy
souls. But let them remember, that their sensual idolatries will, at
last, be followed up by the most fearful visitations of divine
wrath.—_John Morison._
_Verse 14.—“Whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure.”_ Wicked men
may abound in earthly things. They may have the earth and the fulness of
it, the earth, and all that is earthly; their bellies are filled by God
himself with hidden treasure. Precious things are usually hidden, and
all that’s named treasure, though it be but earthly, hath a preciousness
in it. Hidden treasures of earth fill their bellies who slight the
treasures of heaven, and whose souls shall never have so much as a taste
of heavenly treasures: riches and honour are the lots of their
inheritance who have no inheritance among those whose lot is glory. They
have the earth in their hands (Job ix. 24), who have nothing of heaven
in their hearts; they bear sway in the world who are slaves to the
world; they govern and order others at their will who are led captive by
Satan at his will. Be not offended and troubled to see the reins of
government in their hands who know not how to govern themselves, or to
see them rule the world who are unworthy to live in the world.—_Joseph
Caryl._
_Verse 14.—“Whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure.”_ The hearts
of saints only are filled with the “_hidden manna_,” but the bellies of
the wicked are often filled with _hidden treasure_; that is, with those
dainties and good things which are virtually hidden in, and formally
spring out of, the belly and bowels of the earth. The Lord easily grants
them their wish in such things, and gives them “_their portion_,” which
is all their portion, “_in this life_.” For as they are but common
professors, so these are but common mercies, such as many of his enemies
receive, who are but fatted as oxen for the slaughter, and fitted for
destruction. True happiness is not to be judged by lands or houses, by
gold or silver. The world is a narrow bound: unless we get beyond the
creature, and set our hopes above this world, we cannot be happy. As
hypocrites desire, so they attain much of the world, but they shall
attain no more, how much soever they seem to desire it.—_Joseph Caryl._
_Verse 14.—“Whose belly thou fillest.”_ That is, their sensual appetite,
as oftentimes that term is used (Rom. xvi. 18; Phil. iii. 19), “_with
thy hid treasures_;” namely the riches which either God is wont to hide
in the bowels of the earth, or lock up in the repository of providence,
dispensing them at his own pleasure.—_John Howe._
_Verse 14.—“Whose belly thou fillest,”_ etc.:—
Thou from thy hidden store,
Their bellies, Lord, hast fill’d;
Their sons are gorg’d, and what is o’er,
To their sons’ sons they yield.
_Richard Mant._
_Verse 14.—“They are full of children.”_ So it appears by that which
follows, it ought to be read, and not according to that gross, but easy
ὑῶν for υἱῶν, mistake of some transcribers of the seventy. As if in all
this he pleaded thus: “Lord, thou hast abundantly indulged those men
already, what need they more? They have themselves, from thy unregarded
bounty, their own vast swollen desires sufficiently filled, enough for
their own time; and when they can live no longer in their persons, they
may in their posterity, and leave not strangers, but their numerous
offspring, their heirs. Is it not enough that their avarice be
gratified, except their malice be also? that they have whatsoever they
can conceive desirable for themselves, unless they may also infer
whatever they can think mischievous on me?” To this description of his
enemies, he _ex opposito_, subjoins some account of himself in this his
closure of the Psalm. “_As for me_,” here he is at his statique point;
and, after some appearing discomposure, his spirit returns to a
consistency, in consideration of his own more happy state, which he
opposes and prefers to theirs, in the following respects. That _they_
were wicked, _he_ righteous. “I will behold thy face in righteousness.”
That _their_ happiness was worldly, terrene, such only as did spring
from the earth; _his_ heavenly and divine, such as should result from
the face and image of God. _Theirs_ present, temporary, compassed within
this life; _his_ future, everlasting, to be enjoyed when he should
awake. _Theirs_ partial, defective, such as would but gratify their
bestial part, fill their bellies; _his_ adequate, complete (the
εὐδαιμονία τοῦ συνετοῦ), _a happiness of proportion_, such as should
satisfy the man. “I shall be _satisfied_,” etc.—_John Howe._
_Verse 14.—“They are full of children.”_ Margin, _their children are
full_. The margin probably expresses the sense of the Hebrew better than
the text. The literal rendering would be, “satisfied are their sons;”
that is, they have enough to satisfy the wants of their children. The
expression, “they are full of children,” is harsh and unnatural, and is
not demanded by the original, or by the main thought in the passage. The
obvious signification is, that they have enough for themselves and for
their children.—_Albert Barnes._
_Verse 15.—“I will behold thy face.”_ I look upon the face of a stranger
and it moves me not; but upon a friend, and his face presently
transforms mine into a lively, cheerful aspect. “As iron sharpeneth
iron, so doth the face of a man his friend” (Prov. xxvii. 17), puts a
sharpness and a quickness into his looks. The soul that loves God, opens
itself to him, admits his influences and impressions, is easily moulded
and wrought to his will, yields to the transforming power of his
appearing glory. There is no resistant principle remaining when the love
of God is perfected in it; and so overcoming is the first sight of his
glory upon the awaking soul, that it perfects it, and so his likeness,
both at once.—_John Howe._
_Verse 15.—“I will behold,”_ etc. In the words we have, 1. The time of
his complete and consummate happiness—“_When I awake._” 2. The matter of
his happiness, and the manner of enjoying it; the matter and
object—“_God’s face, or likeness_;” the manner of enjoying—“_I will
behold thy face._” 3. His perfect disposition and condition in the state
of happiness—“_I shall behold in righteousness_,” having my heart
perfectly conformed to the will of God, the perfect and adequate rule of
righteousness. 4. The measure of his happiness—“_I shall be satisfied_;”
my happiness will be full in the measure, without want of anything that
can make me happy; all my desires shall be satisfied, and my happiness
in respect of duration shall be eternal, without a shadow or fear of a
change.—_William Colvill._
_Verse 15._—He doth profess his resolution, yet notwithstanding all the
danger he was in, to go on in the ways of God, and expects a gracious
issue; _but I_, saith he, “_will behold thy face in righteousness_;”
indeed, I cannot behold the face of the king without danger to me; there
are a great many that run to kill me, and they desire his face; but
though I cannot see his face, yet, Lord, I shall behold _thy_ face; “_I
will behold thy face_,” and it shall be “_in righteousness_;” I will
still keep on in the ways of righteousness, and “_when I awake_”—for I
believe that these troubles will not hold long—I shall not sleep in
perpetual sleep, but _I shall awake_ and be delivered, and then “_I
shall be satisfied with thy likeness_:” there shall be the manifestation
of thy glory to me, that shall satisfy me for all the trouble that I
have endured for thy name’s sake, that my soul shall say, I have
enough.—_Jeremiah Burroughs._
_Verse 15.—“I shall be satisfied,”_ etc. The fulness of the felicity of
heaven may appear if we _compare it with the joys and comforts of the
Holy Spirit_. Such they are, as that the Scripture styles them _strong
consolations_ (Heb. vi. 17); _full joys_ (John xv. 11); _joy unspeakable
and full of glory_ (1 Pet. i. 8); _abounding consolations_. 2 Cor. i. 5.
And yet all the joy and peace that believers are partakers of in this
life is but as a drop to the ocean, as a single cluster to the whole
vintage, as the thyme or honey upon the thigh of a bee to the whole hive
fully fraught with it, or as the break and peep of day to the bright
noontide. But yet these tastes of the water, wine, and honey of this
celestial Canaan, with which the Holy Spirit makes glad the hearts of
believers, are both far more desirable and satisfactory than the
overflowing streams of all earthly felicities. And there are none who
have once tasted of them, but say as the Samaritan woman did, “Lord,
give me that water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.”
John iv. 15. So also the first and early dawnings of the heavenly light
fill the soul with more serenity, and ravish it with more pure joy, than
the brightest sunshine of all worldly splendour can ever do. I have read
of a devout person who but dreaming of heaven, the signatures and
impression it made upon his fancy were so strong, as that when he awake
he knew not his cell, could not distinguish the night from the day, nor
difference by his taste, oil from wine; still he was calling for his
vision and saying, _Redde mihi campos floridos, columnam auream, comitem
Hieronymum, assistentes angelos_: give me my fresh and fragrant fields
again, my golden pillar of light, Jerome my companion, angels my
assistants. If heaven in a dream produce such ecstacies as drown and
overwhelm the exercises of the senses to inferior objects, what trances
and complacencies must the fruition of it work in those who have their
whole rational appetite filled, and their body beautified with its
endless glory?—_William Spurstow, 1656._
_Verse 15.—“I shall be satisfied.”_ Have you never seen how when they
were finishing the interior of buildings they kept the scaffolding up?
The old Pope, when he had Michael Angelo employed in decorating the
interior of that magnificent structure, the Sistine Chapel, demanded
that the scaffolding should be taken down so that he could see the
glowing colours that with matchless skill were being laid on. Patiently
and assiduously did that noble artist labour, toiling by day, and almost
by night, bringing out his prophets and sibyls and pictures wondrous for
their beauty and significance, until the work was done. The day before
it was done, if you had gone into that chapel and looked up, what would
you have seen? Posts, planks, ropes, lime, mortar, slop, dirt. But when
all was finished, the workmen came, and the scaffolding was removed. And
then, although the floor was yet covered with rubbish and litter, when
you looked up, it was as if heaven itself had been opened, and you
looked into the courts of God and angels. Now, the scaffolding is kept
around men long after the fresco is commenced to be painted; and
wondrous disclosures will be made when God shall take down this
scaffolding body, and reveal what you have been doing. By sorrow and by
joy; by joys which are but bright colours, and by sorrows which are but
shadows of bright colours; by prayer; by the influences of the
sanctuary; by your pleasures; by your business; by reverses; by
successes and by failures; by what strengthened your confidence, and by
what broke it down; by the things that you rejoiced in, and by the
things that you mourned over—by all that God is working in you. And you
are to be perfected, not according to the things that you plan, but
according to the divine pattern. Your portrait and mine are being
painted, and God by wondrous strokes and influences is working us up to
his own ideal. Over and above what you are doing for yourself, God is
working to make you like him. And the wondrous declaration is, that when
you stand before God, and see what has been done for you, you shall be
“_satisfied_.” Oh, word that has been wandering solitary and without a
habitation ever since the world began, and the morning stars sang
together for joy! Has there ever been a human creature that could stand
on earth while clothed in the flesh, and say, “I am satisfied”? What is
the meaning of the word? Sufficiently filled; filled full; filled up in
every part. And when God’s work is complete, we shall stand before him,
and, with the bright ideal and glorified conception of heavenly
aspiration upon us, looking up to God, and back on ourselves, we shall
say, “I am satisfied;” for we shall be like him. Amen. Why should we not
be satisfied?—_Henry Ward Beecher, in “Royal Truths,” 1862._
_Verse 15.—“When I awake, I shall be satisfied with thy likeness.”_ He
speaks here of the resurrection; he calls it an awaking, for you know
death is called a sleep. “Those that are asleep in the Lord shall rise
first.” He had spoken before of those that had put their happiness in
the comforts of this life, suitable to their bodies, to the animal state
of their bodies; that is clear by the fourteenth verse, “Deliver me from
the men that are thine hand, O Lord, who have their portion in this
life, whose belly thou fillest with thy treasure: they are full of
children, and leave to them outward things,” bodily things. “But as for
me,” said he, “I will behold thy face in thy righteousness” (there is
the vision of God which is his happiness in his soul): “and I shall be
satisfied when I awake” (when I rise again), “with thine image.” It is
not the image of God only upon himself that he means here. Why? Because
that doth not satisfy a holy heart, but it is that image of the
invisible God which the human nature of Jesus Christ is, who, in
opposition to all these outward pleasures, will be all in all to us; he
is a spiritual creature, his human nature is spiritualised, made
glorious, and our bodies shall be made spiritual likewise. “The body is
made for the Lord, and the Lord for the body,” and this when they are
both raised up; Christ is raised up already, and because he hath
ordained the one to be serviceable to the other, he will also raise up
our bodies; and when he doth raise me up, saith David, though other men
have their bellies full here, and have animal pleasures they delight in;
yet when I shall awake at latter day, and shall see this image of thine,
shall see thy Son, I shall be satisfied: “When I awake, I shall be
satisfied with thine image.”—_Thomas Goodwin._
_Verse 15.—“I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”_ In
this Psalm holy David’s afflictions are neither few nor small; his
_innocency_ that is wounded by malicious slanderers, his _life_ that is
in jeopardy by deadly enemies that compass him about; his _present
condition_ that is embittered unto him by the pressing wants of a barren
wilderness, while his foes live deliciously in Saul’s court. And yet
under the weight and combination of so many sore evils, David carries
himself as one that is neither hopeless nor forsaken, yea, lays his
estate in the balance against theirs, and in this low ebb of his, vies
with them for happiness; and at last shutting up the Psalm with a
triumphant _epiphonema_, concludes himself to be by far the better man.
“_As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be
satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness._” They, ’tis true, enjoy the
face of their king, whose favour is as a cloud of latter rain promising
a fruitful harvest of many blessings, “_but I_,” saith he, “_shall
behold the face of God_ in righteousness,” whose loving-kindness is
better than life, clothed with all its royalties. They have their
bellies filled with hidden treasure, having more than a common hand of
bounty opened unto them; but I have more gladness put into my heart,
more than in the time that their corn and wine increased. They have
their portion in hand, and as being men of this world; but I have mine
laid up in the other: “_I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy
likeness._” In these words we have his and every believer’s eternal
happiness in the other life, set forth in three particulars as a most
effectual antidote against present troubles and temptations that arise
from the malice of wicked men against them.—_William Spurstow._
_Verse 15.—“I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”_ The
saints in heaven have not yet awaked in God’s likeness. The bodies of
the righteous still sleep, but they are to be satisfied on the
resurrection morn, when they awake. When a Roman conqueror had been at
war, and won great victories, he would return to Rome with his soldiers,
enter privately into his house, and enjoy himself till the next day,
when he would go out of the city to re-enter it publicly in triumph.
Now, the saints, as it were, enter privately into heaven without their
bodies; but on the last day, when their bodies wake up, they will enter
into their triumphal chariots. Methinks I see that grand procession,
when Jesus Christ first of all, with many crowns on his head, with his
bright, glorious, immortal body, shall lead the way. Behind him come the
saints, each of them clapping their hands, or pouring sweet melody from
their golden harps; all entering in triumph. And when they come to
heaven’s gates, and the doors are opened wide to let the King of glory
in, how will the angels crowd at the windows and on the housetops, like
the inhabitants in the Roman triumphs, to watch the pompous procession,
and scatter heaven’s roses and lilies upon them, crying, “Hallelujah!
hallelujah! hallelujah! the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.” “I shall be
satisfied” in that glorious day when all the angels of God shall come to
see the triumphs of Jesus, and when his people shall be victorious with
him.—_Spurgeon’s Sermons._