disingenuous profession of Christ. Such preachers and professors are
like a rat playing at hide-and-seek behind a wainscot, who puts his head
through a hole to see if the coast is clear, and ventures out if nobody
is in the way; but slinks back again if danger appears. We cannot be
honest to Christ except we are bold for him. He is either worth _all_ we
can lose for him, or he is worth _nothing_.—_H. G. Salter, A.M., in “The
Book of Illustrations,”_ 1840.
_Verse 2.—“When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me
to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.”_ There is no such dainty
dish to a malicious stomach, as the flesh of an enemy; it goes down
without chewing, and they swallow it up whole like cormorants. But
though malice have a ravenous stomach, yet she hath but slow digestion;
though her teeth be sharp, yet her feet are lame, at least apt to
stumble; and this made well for David, for when his enemies came upon
him to eat up his flesh, because they came upon the feet of malice,
“_they stumbled and fell_.” A man may _stumble_ and yet not _fall_; but
to stumble and fall withal, is the proper stumbling of “_the wicked_,”
and especially of the maliciously wicked; and such, it seems, was the
stumbling of David’s enemies, because the enemies were such; and such I
doubt not shall be the stumbling of mine enemies, because mine are such;
and of what then, of whom now, should I be afraid?—_Sir Richard Baker._
_Verse 2.—“When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me
to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.”_ He describes his enemies
by their malice, and by their ruin. 1. His enemies were _cruel enemies_,
blood-suckers, eaters of flesh. We call them cannibals. As indeed men
that have not grace, if they have greatness, and be opposed, their
greatness is inaccessible, one man is a devil to another. The Scripture
calls them “wolves, that leave nothing till morning.” Zeph. iii. 3. As
the great fishes eat up the little ones, so great men they make no more
conscience of eating up other men, than of eating bread; they make no
more bones of overthrowing men and undoing them, than of eating bread.
“They eat up my people as they eat bread.” Psalm xiv. 4. 2. But
notwithstanding their cruelty, _they were overthrown_. Saith David,
“_When my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and
fell._” For, indeed, God’s children, when they are delivered, it is
usually with the confusion of their enemies. God doth two things at
once, because the special grievance of God’s children it is from inward
and outward enemies. He seldom or never delivers them but with the
confusion of their enemies. This will be most apparent at the day of
judgment, when Satan, and all that are led by his spirit, all the
malignant church, shall be sent to their own place, and the church shall
be for ever free from all kind of enemies. When the church is most free,
then the enemies of the church are nearest to destruction; like a pair
of balances, when they are up at the one end, they are down at the
other. So when it is up with the church, down go the enemies.—_Richard
Sibbes._
_Verse 2.—“The wicked, mine enemies.”_ The wicked hate the godly; there
is enmity between the seed of the woman and the serpent. Gen. iii. 15.
As in nature there is an antipathy between the vine and the bay-tree,
the elephant and the dragon. Vultures have an antipathy against sweet
smells: so in the wicked there is an antipathy against the people of
God; they hate the sweet perfumes of their graces. It is true the saints
have their infirmities; but the wicked do not hate them for these, but
for their holiness; and from this hatred ariseth open violence: the
thief hates the light, therefore would blow it out.—_Thomas Watson._
_Verse 2._—There was great wisdom in the prayer of John Wesley: “Lord,
if I must contend, let it not be with thy people.” When we have for foes
and enemies those who hate good men, we have at least this consolation,
that God is not on their side, and therefore it is essentially
weak.—_William S. Plumer._
_Verse 3.—“Though an host should encamp against me,”_ etc. He puts the
case of the greatest danger that can be. Though an host should encompass
me, “_my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in
this I will be confident_.” Here is great _courage_ for the time to
come. _Experience breeds hope and confidence._ David was not so
courageous a man of himself; but upon experience of God’s former comfort
and assistance, his faith brake as fire out of the smoke, or as the sun
out of a cloud. Though I was in such-and-such perplexities, yet for the
time to come, I have such confidence and experience of God’s goodness,
that I will not fear. He that seeth God by a spirit of faith in his
greatness and power, he sees all other things below as nothing.
Therefore, he saith here, he cares not for the time to come for any
opposition; no, not of an army. “If God be with us, who can be against
us?” Rom. viii. 31. He saw God in his power; and then, looking from God
to the creature, alas! who was he? As Micah, when he had seen God
sitting upon his throne; what was Ahab to him, when he had seen God
once? So when the prophet David had seen God once, then “_though an host
should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear_,” etc.—_Richard
Sibbes._
_Verse 3.—“Though an host should encamp against me,”_ etc. If I love my
God, and I love him with a noble-spirited love, all my enemies will
fight against me in vain; I shall never fear them, and the whole world
cannot harm me. Charity cannot be offended, because she takes offence at
nothing. Enemies, enviers, slanderers, persecutors, I defy you; if I
love, I shall triumph over your attacks. Ye can take away my goods; but
if my love has a generous spirit, I shall be always rich enough, and ye
cannot take away my love, which alone makes all my riches and treasures.
Ye may blacken my reputation; but as I hold you cheaply quit of all
homage of praise and applause, I, with all my heart, give you a free
leave to blame and to defame. Happily for me, ye cannot blacken me
before my God, and his esteem alone makes amends to me, and rewards me,
for all your contempt. Ye can persecute my body, but there I even will
help you on by my penances; the sooner it shall perish, the sooner shall
I be delivered from this domestic enemy, which is a burden to me. What
harm, then, can ye do me? If I am resolved to suffer all and if I think
I deserve all the outrages ye can do me, ye will only give more
loftiness of spirit to my love, more brilliancy to my crown.—_Jean
Baptiste Elias Avrillon._
_Verse 3._—Those who are willing to be combatants _for_ God, shall also
be more than conquerors _through_ God. None are so truly courageous as
those who are truly religious. If a Christian live, he knows by whose
might he stands; and if he die, he knows for whose sake he falls. Where
there is no confidence _in_ God, there will be no continuance _with_
God. When the wind of faith ceases to fill the sails, the ship of
obedience ceases to plough the seas. The taunts of Ishmael shall never
make an Isaac disesteem his inheritance.—_William Secker._
_Verses 3, 4._—The favourite grows great by the many favours, gifts,
jewels, offices, the prince bestows on him. The Christian grows rich in
_experiences_, which he wears as bracelets, and keeps as his richest
jewels. He calls one _Ebenezer_—“hitherto God hath helped;” another
_Naphtali_—“I have wrestled with God and prevailed;” another
_Gershom_—“I was a stranger;” another _Joseph_—“God will yet add more;”
and another, _Peniel_—“I have seen the face of God.” 1 Sam. vii. 12;
Gen. xxx. 8; Ex. ii. 22; Gen. xxx. 24, and xxxii. 30. I have been
delivered from the _lion_, therefore shall be from the _bear_; from lion
and bear, therefore from the _Philistines_; from the Philistine,
therefore from _Saul_; from Saul, therefore God will deliver me from
every evil work, and preserve me blameless to his heavenly
kingdom.—_John Sheffield._
_Verse 4.—“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to
behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.”_ Some
interpreters vary concerning what the Psalmist aims at; I understand
thus much in a generality, which is clear, that he means a communion and
fellowship with God, which is that _one thing_, which if a Christian
had, he needs desire no more: that we should all desire and desire again
and be in love with, and that is enough even to satisfy us, the fruition
of God, and the beholding of him in his ordinances, in his temple, to
have correspondency and fellowship and communion with him there. O God,
vouchsafe us that! Now this is so infinitely sweet, that it was the
Psalmist’s only desire, and the sum of all his desires here, and
therefore much more in the tabernacle of heaven which doth make up the
consummation and completeness of all our happiness.—_John Stoughton._
_Verse 4.—“One thing have I desired of the Lord,”_ etc. Seeing David
would make but _one_ request to God, why would he not make a greater?
for, alas! what a poor request is this—to desire _to dwell in God’s
house_? and what to do? but only _to see_? and to see what? but only a
_beauty_, a fading thing, at most but _to enquire_; and what is
enquiring? but only to hear news; a vain fancy. And what cause in any of
these why David should make it his request to God? But mark, O my soul,
what goes with it! Take altogether—“_to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to enquire in his temple_.” And now tell me, if there be, if there
can be, any greater request to be made? any greater cause to be earnest
about it? For though worldly beauty be a fading thing, yet “_the beauty
of the Lord_,” shall continue when the world shall fade away; and though
enquiring after news be a vain fancy, yet _to enquire in God’s Temple_
is the way to learn there is no new thing under the sun, and there it
was that Solomon learned that “all is vanity.” Indeed, this “_one
thing_,” that David desires, is in effect that _unum necessarium_ that
Christ speaks of in the gospel; which Mary makes choice of there, as
David doth here.—_Sir Richard Baker._
_Verse 4.—“One thing,”_ etc. A heavenly mind gathers itself up into one
wish and no more. “_One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will
require._” Grant me thyself, O Lord, and I will ask no more. The new
creature asks nothing of God, but to enjoy God: give me this, O Lord,
and for the rest, let Ziba take all. I will part with all to buy that
one pearl, the riches of heavenly grace.—_Jeremy Taylor._
_Verse 4.—“One thing.”_ The first thing, then, is David’s choice,
summarily described in the word, “_one thing_.” So Christ confirmeth the
prophet’s word, while he called Mary’s choice, “_one thing_.” Luke x.
42. And that for these three reasons: First, because it is not a common
but a _chief_ good. If there be any good above it, it is not the chief
good; and if there be any good equal unto it, it is not alone. Next,
because it is the _last end_ which we mind eternally to enjoy; if there
be any end beyond it, it is not the last, but amids, and a degree to it.
All mids and ends are used for it, but it is sought for itself, and,
therefore, must be but one. Thirdly, it is a _centre_ whereunto all
reasonable spirits draw. As all lines from a circle meet in the centre,
so every one that seeketh happiness aright meeteth in the chief good, as
the only thing which they intend, and, therefore, must be _one_.
_William Struther, in “True Happiness, or King David’s Choice,”_ 1633.
_Verse 4.—“One thing.”_ Changes, great changes, and many bereavements
there have been in my life. I have been emptied from vessel to vessel.
But one thing has never failed—one thing makes me feel that my life has
been _one_; it has calmed my joys, it has soothed my sorrows, it has
guided me in difficulty, it has strengthened me in weakness. It is the
_presence_ of God—a faithful and loving God. Yes, brethren, the presence
of God is not only _light_, it is _unity_. It gives _unity_ to the heart
that believes it—_unity_ to the life that is conformed to it. It was the
presence of God in David’s soul that enabled him to say, “_One_ thing
have I desired of the Lord;” and in St. Paul’s that enabled him to say,
“This one thing I do.”—_George Wagner, in the “Wanderings of the
Children of Israel,”_ 1862.
_Verse 4.—“One thing”_—
One master passion in the breast.
Like Aaron’s serpent, swallows up the rest.
_Alexander Pope._
_Verse 4.—“That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my
life.”_ To approach continually unto the temple, and thither continually
to repair was the _dwelling_, no doubt, here meant; to _dwell_, to
reside continually there, not to come for a spurt or a fit.... And thus
dwelt Hannah, the daughter of Phanuel, who is said, in the second of
Luke, for the space of four score and four years not to have gone out of
the temple. Not that she was there always, but often, saith Lyra; and
venerable Bede to the same purpose. Not that she was never absent, no,
not an hour; but for that she was often in the temple. And the same St.
Luke, speaking of our Saviour’s disciples, after they had seen him
ascended into heaven—“They returned,” saith he, “to Jerusalem with great
joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God,”
chapter xxiv. 52, 53. Thus, St. Austin’s mother, in her time too, might
be said to _dwell_ in God’s house, whereunto she came so duly and truly
twice a day, “That she, in thy Scriptures,” saith St. Austin, “might
hear, O God, what thou saidst to her, and thou, in her prayers, what she
said to thee.” In a word, such were the Christians the same St. Austin
speaks of in another place, whom he calleth _the emmets of God_. “Behold
the emmet of God,” saith he, “it riseth early every day, it runneth to
God’s church, it there prayeth, it heareth the lesson read, it singeth a
Psalm, it ruminateth what it heareth, it meditateth thereupon, and
hoardeth up within itself the precious corn gathered from that
barn-floor.” _John Day’s “David’s Desire to go to Church,”_ 1609.
_Verse 4.—“That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my
life.”_ In the beginning of the Psalm, David keeps an audit of his
soul’s accounts, reckoning up the large incomes and lasting treasures of
God’s bounty, grace, and mercy; the sum whereof is this: The Lord is my
light and my life, my strength and my salvation. And now, where shall
David design his presence, but where is his light? Where shall he desire
his person, but where is his strength? Where shall he wish his soul, but
where is his life? and where shall he fix his habitation, but where is
his salvation? even in communion with his God; and this, especially, in
the holy worship of his sanctuary. No wonder, then, if above all things
he desires and seeks after this “_one thing_,” “_to dwell_ in the house
of the Lord,” etc.—_Robert Mossom._
_Verse 4.—“The house of the Lord.”_ It [the tabernacle, the sanctuary]
is called the house of God because he is present there, as a man
delights to be present in his house. It is the place where God will be
met withal. As a man will be found in his house, and there he will have
suitors come to him, where he reveals his secrets. A man rests, he lies,
and lodgeth in his house. Where is a man so familiar as in his house?
and what other place hath he such care to protect and provide for as his
house? and he lays up his treasures and his jewels in his house. So God
lays up all the treasures of grace and comfort in the visible church. In
the church he is to be spoken with as a man in his house. There he gives
us sweet meetings; there are mutual, spiritual kisses. “Let him kiss me
with the kisses of his mouth.” Cant. i. 2. A man’s house is his castle,
as we say, that he will protect and provide for. God will be sure to
protect and provide for his church. Therefore he calls the church of
God, that is, the tabernacle (that was the church at that time), _the
house of God_. If we apply it to our times, that that answers the
tabernacle now, is particular visible churches under particular pastors,
where the means of salvation are set up. Particular visible churches now
are God’s tabernacle. The church of the Jews was a national church.
There was but one church, but one place, and one tabernacle; but now God
hath erected particular tabernacles. Every particular church and
congregation under one pastor, their meeting is the church of God, a
several church independent. _Richard Sibbes._
_Verse 4.—“To behold the beauty of the Lord.”_ That was one end of his
desire, to dwell in the house of God; not to feed his eyes with
speculations and goodly sights (as indeed there were in the tabernacle
goodly things to be seen). No; he had a more spiritual sight than that.
He saw the inward spiritual beauty of those spiritual things. The other
were but outward things, as the apostle calls them. I desire to dwell in
the house of the Lord, “_to behold the beauty of the Lord_,” the inward
beauty of the Lord especially.—_Richard Sibbes._
_Verse 4.—“The beauty of the Lord.”_ In connection with these words, we
would try to show that the character of God is attractive, and fitted to
inspire us with love for him, and to make us, as it were, run after him.
The discussion of our subject may be arranged under three heads. I. Some
of the elements of the beauty of the Lord. II. Where the beauty of the
Lord may be seen. III. Peculiar traits of the beauty of the Lord. I.
Some of the elements of the beauty of the Lord. God is a Spirit. Hence
his beauty is spiritual, and its elements must be sought for in
spiritual perfection. 1. One of the elements of this beauty is holiness.
2. But the elements of the divine beauty on which we intend at this time
to dwell, are those which are included under the general description of
God’s mercy and grace. The attractiveness of these is more easily
perceived, and their influence is sooner felt by persons in our fallen
condition. It is mainly through the instrumentality of these that
sinners are won over from their enmity against God, and that the Holy
Ghost sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts. 3. Another thing,
which we may call an element of beauty in God, is the combination of his
various attributes in one harmonious whole. The colours of the rainbow
are beautiful, when taken one by one: but there is a beauty in the
rainbow, which arises not from any single tint; there is a beauty in it
which would not exist if the several hues were assumed in succession—a
beauty which is the result of their assemblage and collocation, and
consists in their blended radiance. In like manner do the several
perfections, which co-exist and unite in the nature of God, produce a
glorious beauty. Holiness is beautiful; mercy is beautiful; truth is
beautiful. But, over and above, there is a beauty which belongs to such
combinations and harmonies as the Psalmist describes, when he tells us,
“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed
each other.” “Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness
reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains;
thy judgments are a great deep,” etc. II. We are next to enquire where
the beauty of the Lord may be seen. It may so far be seen in the
_natural world_. The throne of nature, although in some respects clouds
and darkness are round about it, is not without its rainbow of beauty,
any more than the throne of grace. The beauty of the Lord may be seen in
the _moral law_. In the law! Even so. In the unbending law, with its
terrible anathema, his beauty and amiableness shine forth. The law is
full of love. The duties of the law are duties of love. Love is the
fulfilling of the law. The curse of the law is designed and employed for
the maintenance of love. Obedience to the law, and the reign of love,
are but different aspects of the same state of things. And one of the
sublimest lessons of the law is the fact, that God is love. Again, the
beauty of the Lord may be seen in the _gospel_. We see it, as it were,
by reflection, in the law; in the gospel, we see it directly. The law
shows us the hearts of men, as God would have them to be; the gospel
shows us God’s own heart. Again, the beauty of the Lord is seen in
_Christ_. It is seen in Christ, for he is the brightness of the Father’s
glory, and the express image of his person; and he that hath seen
Christ, hath seen the Father. The beauty of the Lord is seen in Christ,
when we consider him as the Father’s gift, and when we look to his
offices and to his character. The character of Christ was the finest
spectacle of moral beauty which men or angels ever set their eyes on.
III. We conclude by noticing some traits of the beauty of the Lord. 1.
It never deceives. 2. It never fades. 3. It never loses its power. 4. It
never disappoints.—_Condensed from Andrew Gray_ (1805-1861), _in “Gospel
Contrasts and Parallels.”_
_Verse 4.—“The beauty of the Lord.”_ The Lord’s _beauty_, to be seen in
his house, is not the beauty of his essence, for so no man can see God
and live (Exod. xxxiii. 18, 20); before this glorious beauty the angels
cover their faces with their wings (Isa. vi. 1, 2); but it is the beauty
of his ordinances, wherein God doth reveal to the eyes of men’s minds,
enlightened by his Spirit, the pleasant beauty of his goodness, justice,
love, and mercy in Jesus Christ.—_Thomas Pierson, M.A._, 1570-1633.
_Verse 4.—“The beauty of the Lord.”_—“_Beauty_” is too particular a word
to express the fulness of the Holy Ghost, the pleasantness or the
delight of God. Take the word in a general sense, in your apprehensions.
It may be the object of all senses, inward and outward. Delight is most
transcendent for pleasantness; for indeed God in his ordinances, is not
only “beauty” to the eye of the soul, but is ointment to the smell, and
sweetness to the taste, and all in all to all the powers of the soul.
God in Christ, therefore, he is delightful and sweet.... “_The beauty of
the Lord_” is especially the amiable things of God, which is his mercy
and love, that makes all other things beautiful that is in the
church.—_Richard Sibbes._
_Verse 4.—“To enquire in his temple.”_ The more grace the more business
ye will find ye have to do with God in his ordinances; little grace hath
little to do, and much grace hath much to do; he hath always business
with God, special earnest business. “_To behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to enquire in his temple._” Oh, I have somewhat to enquire after; I
am to do something by this duty, and therefore cannot trifle. He that
comes to visit his friend in a compliment, he talks, he walks, he
trifles, and goes home again; but he that comes upon business, he is
full of it: he is like Abraham’s honest and faithful servant. Gen. xxiv.
33. “And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not
eat, until I have told my errand.” I have great business with the Lord,
about the church, and about my soul, and I will not eat, nor talk, nor
think, nor dally about anything, till I have told mine errand, or heard
my Maker’s errand unto me. And for this end it’s a rare thing to carry
somewhat always on the spirit, to spread before God, a heart pregnant
with some needful request or matter whereof to treat with God. Psalm
xlv. 1.—_Richard Steele’s “Antidote against Distractions,”_ 1673.