Christ were _days of trouble_. He was a brother born for adversity, a
man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs.... But more particularly it
was a “_day of trouble_” with him when he was in the garden, heavy and
sore amazed, and his sweat was, as it were, droops of blood falling on
the ground, and his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; but
more especially this was his case when he hung upon the cross ... when
he bore all the sins of his people, endured the wrath of his Father, and
was forsaken by him. Now, in this “_day of trouble_,” both when in the
garden and on the cross, he prayed unto his Father, as he had been used
to do in other cases, and at other times; and the church here prays that
God would hear and answer him, as he did.—_Condensed from John Gill._
_Verse 1.—“The name.”_ Whereas they say, “_The name of the God of
Jacob_,” thereby they mean God himself; but they thus speak of God
because all the knowledge that we have of God ariseth from the knowledge
of his name, and as to that end he hath given himself in the Scriptures
sundry names, that thereby we might know not only what he is in himself,
so far as it is meet for us to know, but especially what he is to us, so
by them, and them principally, we know him to be, as he is, not only in
himself, but unto us.... From this knowledge of the name of God ariseth
confidence in prayer! as when they know him, and here call him “_the God
of Jacob_,” that is, he that hath made a covenant of mercy with him and
with his posterity, that he will be their God and they shall be his
people, that they may be bold to flee to him for succour, and
confidently call upon him in the day of their trouble to hear them, and
to help them, as they do. And the more that they know of his name, that
is, of his goodness, mercy, truth, power, wisdom, justice, etc., so may
they the more boldly pray unto him, not doubting but that he will be
answerable unto his name.... For as among men, according to the good
name that they have for liberality and pity, so will men be ready to
come unto them in their need, and the poor will say, “I will go to such
an house for they have a good name, and are counted good to the poor,
and merciful, all men speak well of them for their liberality;” and this
name of theirs giveth the encouragement to come boldly and often. So
when we know God thus by his name, it will make us bold to come unto him
in prayer.... Or, if a man be never so merciful, and others know it not,
and so they are ignorant of his good name that he hath, and that he is
worthy of, they cannot, with any good hope, come unto him, for they know
not what he is; they have heard nothing of him at all. So when, by
unbelief, we hardly conceive of God and of his goodness, or for want of
knowledge are ignorant of his good name, even of all his mercy, and of
his truth, pity and compassion that is in him, and so know not his great
and glorious name, we can have little or no heart at all to come unto
him in trouble, and seek unto him for help by prayer, as these did here;
and this maketh some so forward unto prayer, they are so well acquainted
with _the name of God_, that they doubt not of speeding, and others
again are so backward unto it, they are so wholly ignorant of his
name.—_Nicholas Bownd, 1604._
_Verse 1.—“The name of the God of Jacob defend thee.”_ This is a
beautiful allusion to the history of the patriarch Jacob. Jehovah had
appeared for him, when he fled from his brother Esau, at Bethel, and
Jacob said to his household, “Let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I
will make there an altar unto God, _who answered me in the day of my
distress_, and was with me in the way which I went.” Gen. xxxv. 3.—_John
Morison._
_Verse 1.—“The name of the God of Jacob defend thee.”_ Hebrew, “_set
thee in an high place_,” such as God’s name is. Prov. xviii. 10. “The
righteous runneth into it and is safe,” as in a tower of brass, or town
of war. By _the name of God_ is meant, _Deus nominatissimus_, the most
renowned God, saith Junius, and “worthy to be praised,” as Psalm xviii.
3; and he is called the God of Jacob here, saith another, first, because
Jacob was once in the like distress (Gen. xxxii. 6, 7); secondly,
because he prayed to the like purpose (Gen. xxxv. 3); thirdly, because
he prevailed with God as a prince; “and there God spake with us” (Hosea
xii. 4); fourthly, because _God of Jacob_ is the same with “God of
Israel,” and so the covenant is pleaded.—_John Trapp._
_Verse 1.—“The name of the God of Jacob defend thee.”_—There is an
assurance of thy protection, of thy safety, in the midst of ten thousand
foes, and of thy perseverance to the end. But you will say, how will the
name of the God of Jacob defend me? Try it. I have, over and over again;
therefore I speak what I do know and testify what I have seen. “_The
name of the God of Jacob defend thee._” I was once goaded by a poor
silly Irish papist to try it, who told me, in his consummate ignorance
and bigotry, that if a priest would but give him a drop of holy water,
and make a circle with it around a field full of wild beasts, they would
not hurt him. I retired in disgust at the abominable trickery of such
villains, reflecting, what a fool I am that I cannot put such trust in
my God as this poor deluded man puts in his priest and a drop of holy
water! And I resolved to try what “_the name of the God of Jacob_” would
do, having the Father’s fixed decrees, the Son’s unalterable
responsibility, and the Spirit’s invincible grace and operation around
me. I tried it and felt my confidence brighten. O brethren, get
encircled with covenant engagements, and covenant blood, and covenant
grace, and covenant promises, and covenant securities: then will “the
Lord _hear you in the time of trouble, and the name of the God of Jacob
will defend you_.”—_Joseph Irons._
_Verse 1._—A sweeter wish, or a more consolatory prayer for a child of
sorrow was never uttered by man, “_The Lord hear thee in the day of
trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee._” And who is there of
the sons of men to whom a “_day of trouble_” does not come, whose path
is not darkened at times, or with whom is it unclouded sunshine from the
cradle to the grave? “Few plants,” says old Jacomb, “have both the
morning and the evening sun;” and one far older than he said, “Man is
born to trouble.” A “_day of trouble_,” then, is the heritage of every
child of Adam. How sweet, as I have said, how sweet the wish, “_The Lord
hear thee in the day of trouble._” It is the prayer of another in behalf
of some troubled one, and yet it implies that the troubled one himself
had also prayed, “_The Lord hear thee_”—hear and answer thine own
prayer!—_Barton Bouchier._
_Verses 1, 2._—The scene presented in this place to the eye of faith is
deeply affecting. Here is the Messiah pouring out his heart in prayer in
the day of his trouble; his spouse overhears his agonising groans; she
is moved with the tenderest sympathy towards him; she mingles her
prayers with his; she entreats that he may be supported and defended....
It may now, perhaps, be said, he is out of the reach of trouble, he is
highly exalted, he does not want our sympathies or our prayers. True;
yet still we may pray for him—see Matthew xxv. 40—“Inasmuch as ye have
done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto
me.” We can pray for him in his members. And thus is fulfilled what is
written in Psalm lxxii. 15, “And he shall live, and to him shall be
given of the gold of Sheba: _prayer_ also shall be made for him
continually (that is, in his suffering members): and daily shall he be
praised” (that is, in his own admirable person).—_Hamilton Verschoyle,
1843._
_Verses 1-5._—These are the words of the people, which they spake unto
God in the behalf of their king; and so they did as David desired them,
namely, pray for him. If they did thus pray for him, being desired
thereunto, and it was their bound duty so to do, and they knew it to be
so, and therefore did make conscience of it, and it had been a great
fault for them to have failed in it; then by consequence it followeth of
necessity, that whensoever any of our brethren or sisters in Christ
shall desire this duty at our hands, we must be careful to perform it;
and it were a fault not to be excused in us, both against God and them,
to fail in it. Therefore we must not think that when godly men and women
at their parting or otherwise, desire our prayers, and say, “I pray you
pray for me,” or, “remember me in your prayers,” that these are words of
course (though I do not deny, but that many do so use them, and so doing
they take the name of God in vain); but we should be persuaded, that out
of the abundance of their feeling of their own wants they speak unto us,
and so be willing by our prayers to help to supply them. And especially
we should do it when they shall make known their estate unto us, as here
David did to the people, giving them to understand that he should or
might be in great danger of his enemies, and so it was “_a time of
trouble_” unto him, as he called it.... Most of all this duty of prayer
ought to be carefully performed when we have promised it unto any upon
such notice of their estate. For as all promises ought to be kept, yea,
though it be to our own hindrance, so those most of all that so nearly
concern them. And as if when any should desire us to speak to some great
man for them, and we promise to do it, and they trust to it, hoping that
we will be as good as our words; it were a great deceit in us to fail
them, and so to frustrate their expectation; so when any have desired us
to speak to God for them, and upon our promise they would comfort
themselves over it, if we should by negligence deceive them, it were a
great fault in us, and that which the Lord would require at our hands,
though they should never know of it. Therefore, as we ought daily to
pray one for another unasked, as our Saviour Christ hath taught us, “O
our Father which art in heaven,” etc., so more specially and by name
should we do it for them that have desired it of us. And so parents
especially should not forget their children in their prayers, which
daily ask their blessing, and hope to be blessed of God by their
prayers. Secondarily, if we should neglect to pray for them that have
desired it at our hands, how could we have any hope that others whom we
have desired to pray for us should perform that duty unto us? Nay, might
not we justly fear that they would altogether neglect it, seeing we do
neglect them? and should it not be just with God so to punish us?
according to the saying of our Saviour Christ, “With what measure ye
mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matt. vii. 2. And I remember
that this was the saying of a reverend father in the church, who is now
fallen asleep in the Lord, when any desired him to pray for them (as
many did, and more than any that I have known), he would say unto them,
“I pray you pray for me, and pray that I may remember you, and then I
hope I shall not forget you.” Therefore if we would have others pray for
us, let us pray for them.—_Nicholas Bownd._
_Verses 1, 5._—In the first verse the Psalmist says, “_The Lord hear
thee in the day of trouble_;” and in the fifth he says, “_The Lord
perform all thy petitions._” Does he in both these cases refer to one
and the same time? The prayers mentioned in the first verse are offered
in “_the day of trouble_,” in the days of his flesh; are the petitions
to which he refers in the fourth verse also offered in the days of his
flesh? Many think not. Before our blessed Saviour departed out of this
world, he prayed to the Father for those whom he had given him, that he
would keep them from the evil of the world, that they might be one, even
as he was one with the Father. He prayed too for his murderers. After
his ascension into heaven, he sat down at the right hand of the Father,
where he “maketh intercession for us.” “If any man sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.” It is to this,
as many think, that the prophet refers when he says, “_The Lord perform
all thy petitions_;” to the intercession which he is continually making
for us.—_F. H. Dunwell._
_Verse 2.—“Send thee help from the sanctuary.”_ Here we see the nature
of true faith, that it causeth us to see _help_ in _heaven_, and so to
pray for it when there is none to be seen in the earth. And this is the
difference between faith and unbelief; that the very unbelievers can by
reason conceive of help, so long as they have any means to help them;
but if they fail they can see none at all; so they are like unto those
that are purblind, who can see nothing but near at hand. But faith seeth
afar off, even into heaven, so that it is “the evidence of things that
are not seen;” for it looketh unto the power of God, who hath all means
in his hand, or can work without them, who made all of nothing, and
“calleth the things that be not, as though they were.” So that as the
holy martyr Stephen, when his enemies were ready to burst for anger and
gnash at him with their teeth, looked steadfastly into heaven, and saw
Christ standing at the right hand of God ready to defend him; so faith
in the promises of the word doth see help in heaven ready for us, when
there are no means in earth.—_Nicholas Bownd._
_Verse 2.—“Send thee help from the sanctuary.”_ Why “_from the
sanctuary_,” but because the Lord presented himself there as upon the
mercy-seat! The sanctuary was in Zion, the mercy-seat was in the
sanctuary, the Lord was in the mercy-seat; he would have himself set
forth as residing there. Herein they pray, and pray in faith for help
and strength.—_David Clarkson._
_Verse 2.—“Strengthen thee out of Zion.”_ That is, out of the assemblies
of the saints, where they are praying hard for thy welfare.—_John
Trapp._
_Verse 3.—“Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice.”_
“_All thy offerings_:” the humiliation that brought him from heaven to
earth; the patient tabernacling in the womb of the holy Virgin; the poor
nativity; the hard manger; ox and ass for courtiers; the weary flight
into Egypt; the poor cottage in Nazareth; the doing all good, and
bearing all evil; the miracles, the sermons, the teachings; the being
called a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber, the friend of publicans and
sinners; the attribution of his wondrous deeds to Beelzebub. “_And
accept thy burnt sacrifice._” As every part of the victim was consumed
in a burnt sacrifice, so what limb, what sense of our dear Lord did not
agonise in his passion? The thorny crown on his head: the nails in his
hands and feet; the reproaches that filled his ears; the gloating
multitude on whom his dying gaze rested; the vinegar and the gall; the
evil odours of the hill of death and corruption. The ploughers ploughed
upon his back, and made long furrows; his most sacred face was smitten
with the palm of the hand, his head with the reed. What could have been
done more for the vineyard than he did not do in it? Isa. v. 4. So, what
more could have been borne by the vine, that this dear Vine did not
bear? “_Remember_” them now, O Father, call to mind for us sinners, for
us miserable sinners, and for our salvation, “_all_” these
“_offerings_;” “_accept_,” instead of our eternal punishment, who are
guilty, his “_burnt sacrifice_,” who did no sin, neither was guile found
in his mouth!—_Dionysius, and Gerhohus (1093-1169), quoted by J. M.
Neale._
_Verse 3.—“Accept:”_ Hebrew, “_turn to ashes_,” by fire from heaven, in
token of his acceptance as was usual.—_Matthew Poole._
_Verse 3.—“That thy burnt offering may be fat.”_ That is, abundant,
fruitful, and full. But here we must understand this burnt offering, as
we did the sacrifice, in a spiritual sense, as we have before observed.
Thus Christ offered up himself wholly upon the cross to be consumed by
the fire of love. And here, instead of “all thy sacrifice,” it might be
rendered “the whole of thy sacrifice.” Even as burnt sacrifice
(_holocaustum_) signifies the whole of it being burnt with fire. By
which groaning of the Spirit, he shows and teaches the righteous, that
they should pray and hope that none of their sufferings shall be vain,
but that all shall be well-pleasing, remembered, and fully
acceptable.—_Martin Luther._
_Verse 3.—“Selah.”_[13]—This word, in the judgment of the learned, is
sometime _vox optantis_, the voice of one that wisheth, equivalent to
_amen_; or _vox admirantis_, the voice of one admiring, showing some
special matter; or _vox affirmantis_, of one affirming, avouching what
is said; or _vox meditantis_, of one meditating, requiring consideration
of what is said. But withal, it is a rest in music. Jerome saith it is
_commutatio metri_, or _vicissitudo canendi_.—_Edward Marbury._
_Verse 4.—“Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy
counsel.”_ Let us here call to mind the zealous and earnest desire of
the Redeemer to accomplish his work, “I have a baptism to be baptised
with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished.” Luke xii. 50.
“With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I
suffer” (Luke xxii. 15); that he might leave a memorial of his
sufferings and death, for the strengthening and refreshing of their
souls. These earnest desires and anticipations did the Father satisfy,
as of one with whom he was well pleased.—_W. Wilson._
_Verse 4.—“Fulfil all thy counsel;”_ whatever was agreed upon in the
counsel and covenant of peace between him and his Father, relating to
his own glory, and the salvation of his people.—_John Gill._
_Verse 4.—“Fulfil all thy counsel.”_ Answer thee, _ad cardinem
desiderii_, as a father, Augustine, expresseth it; let it be unto thee
even as thou wilt. Sometimes God doth not only grant a man’s prayer, but
fulfilleth his counsel; that is, in that very way, by that very means,
which his judgment pitched upon in his thoughts.—_John Trapp._
_Verse 5 (first clause)._—Whosoever do partake with Christ’s subjects in
trouble, shall share with them also in the joy of their deliverance;
therefore it is said, “_We will rejoice in thy salvation._”—_David
Dickson._
_Verse 5.—“In the name of our God.”_ As those cried out, Judges vii. 20,
“The sword of the Lord and of Gideon;” and as we have it in Joshua vi.
20, “And the people shouted, and the walls of Jericho fell down;” and
king Abiah, crying out with his men in the same, killed five hundred
thousand of the children of Israel; and so now also, according to the
military custom in our day, the soldiers boast in the name and glory of
their general, in order to encourage themselves against their enemies.
And it is just this custom that the present verse is now teaching, only
in a godly and religious manner.—_Martin Luther._
_Verse 5.—“In the name of our God we will set up our banners.”_ The
banners formerly so much used were a part of military equipage, borne in
times of war to assemble, direct, distinguish, and encourage the troops.
They might possibly be used for other purposes also. Occasions of joy,
splendid processions, and especially a royal habitation, might severally
be distinguished in this way. The words of the Psalmist may perhaps be
wholly figurative: but if they should be literally understood, the
allusion of erecting a banner in the name of the Lord, acknowledging his
glory, and imploring his favour, might be justified from an existing
practice. Certain it is that we find this custom prevalent on this very
principle in other places, into which it might originally have been
introduced from Judea. Thus Mr. Turner (_Embassy to Thibet_, p. 31),
says, “I was told that it was a custom with the Soobah to ascend the
hill every month, when he sets up a white flag, and performs some
religious ceremonies, to conciliate the favour of a dewta, or invisible
being, the genius of the place, who is said to hover about the summit,
dispensing at his will, good and evil to every thing around
him.”—_Samuel Burder’s “Oriental Customs,” 1812._
_Verse 5.—“In the name of our God we will set up our banners.”_ In all
religious as well as warlike processions the people carry banners.
Hence, on the pinnacles of their sacred cars, on the domes or gateways
of their temples, and on the roof of a new house, may be seen the banner
of the caste or sect, floating in the air. Siva the Supreme, also, is
described as having a banner in the celestial world.—_Joseph Roberts’
“Oriental Illustrations.”_
_Verse 5.—“In the name of our God we will set up our banners.”_ 1. We
will wage war in his name, we will see that our cause be good, and make
his glory our end in every expedition; we will ask counsel at his mouth,
and take him along with us; we will follow his conduct, implore his aid,
and depend upon it, and refer the issue to him. David went against
Goliath in the name of the Lord of hosts. 1 Sam. xvii. 45. 2. We will
celebrate our victories in his name. When “_we lift up our banners_” in
triumph, and set up our trophies, it shall be “_in the name of our
God_,” he shall have all the glory of our success, and no instrument
shall have any part of the honour that is due to him.—_Matthew Henry._
_Verse 5.—“We will set up our banners.”_—Confession of Christ, as the
only name whereby we can be saved, is the “_banner_” which distinguishes
his faithful people. O that this confession were more distinct, more
pure, more zealous, in those who seem to be his followers, then would
they be more united, more bold, in the profession of their religion,
more successful in the cause of Christ, terrible as an army with
“_banners_.” Cant. vi. 4.—_W. Wilson._
_Verse 5.—“Our banners.”_ Will you know the staff, the colours, and the
flag or streamer of this ensign? Why, the staff is his cross, the
colours are blood and water, and the streamer the gospel, or preaching
of them to the world. The staff that carried the colours was of old time
fashioned like a cross, a cross bar near the top there was, from which
the flag or streamer hung; so as it were prefiguring, that all the hosts
and armies of the nations were one day to be gathered under the _banner
of the cross_, to which soldiers should daily flow out of all the
nations and kingdoms of the earth.—_Mark Frank, 1613-1664._
_Verse 5.—“The Lord fulfil all thy petitions,”_ for thyself and for
others, now that thou sittest on the right hand of the Father, pleading
for us and showing thy side and thy wounds.—_Dionysius, quoted by Isaac
Williams._
_Verse 6.—“Now know I.”_ A sudden change of number, speaking in the
person of one, thereby to note the unity and consent of the people to
this prayer, as though they had been all one, and uttered it all with
one mouth. “_The Lord will help his anointed_;” that is, his king, whom
he hath established. See Psalm ii. 2; xviii. 50. “_And will hear him_
(see verse 1), _from his sanctuary_.” One readeth it thus—“from the
heavens of his holiness;” meaning, from heaven where his holiness
dwelleth.—_Thomas Wilcocks._
_Verse 6.—“He will hear him.”_ I would be glad of the prayers of all the
churches of Christ; O that there were not a saint on earth but that I
were by name in his morning and evening prayer (whosoever thou art that
readest, I beseech thee pray for me); but above all, let me have a
property in those prayers and intercessions that are proper only to
_Christ_; I am sure then I should never miscarry: Christ’s prayers are
heavenly, glorious, and very effectual.—_Isaac Ambrose, 1592-1674._