sin is to sin deliberately, yea, to wait to sin resolvedly. That sin is
exceedingly sinfully committed which we set and prepare ourselves to
commit. David, describing a wicked man, saith, “_He setteth himself in a
way that is not good_;” that is, in an evil way: he doth not only fall
into sin (that may be the case of a good man), but he takes or chooseth
an evil way, and then sets or settles himself in it, resolving not to
leave it, no, nor to be beaten out of it. Sin may be said to wait for a
godly man, that is, Satan waits and watches his season to tempt him unto
sin; but a godly man doth not wait nor watch to sin. It is bad enough to
be overtaken with sin, or with a fault (as the apostle speaks, Gal. vi.
1); but to be taken with sin, and so to wait for a season to take our
fill of it, is as bad as bad can be.—_Joseph Caryl._
_Verse 4.—“He setteth himself in a way that is not good.”_ Proud sinners
have strongest conceit that they go right, at least in the way of their
choice. Satan blindeth them so, that they mistake both the end and the
way: in their count they are running to heaven, when they are posting to
hell: he serveth them kindly with fresh post-horses. Sometimes he
mounteth them on drunkenness, and when they have run a stage on that
beastliness, he can mount them on lechery. Again, he can refresh them
with avarice; and if they be weary of that slow jade, he setteth them on
lofty ambition, and to make them more spirity he can horse them on
restless contention. Every one seeth not Satan’s enquiry: there is no
complexion or disposition, but he hath a fit horse for it, and that of
itself. Every man’s predominant is a beast of Satan’s saddling and
providing to carry men to hell. The way is one, the post-master is one,
he is to be found at every stage, mounting his gallants, their horses
are all of one kind though not of one colour. Happy is the man whom God
dismounteth in that evil way, and more happy is he who taketh with that
stay, and turneth his course to heaven.—_William Struther._
_Verse 4.—“He abhorreth not,”_ _i.e._, is far enough from rejecting any
instrument, however sinful, for attaining his purposes.—_J. J. Stewart
Perowne._
_Verse 5.—“Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens.”_ David considering the
thoughts and deeds of impious men, and the mercy of God towards them,
utters this exclamation. When men sin so impudently, who does not admire
the divine longsuffering!—_Sebastian Munster, 1489-1552._
_Verses 5-7._—This Psalm doth fitly set forth unto us the estate and
condition of these times, wherein wickedness increaseth: and so in the
former part of the Psalm is a discovery of wickedness, verse 3. And what
should we do when there is such wickedness in the earth? In the fifth
verse, “_Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness
reacheth unto the clouds._” God is gathering up all goodness, mercy, and
peace from man to himself; and though there is cruelty, mischief, and
wickedness in the world, in the earth, yet there is mercy, truth, and
faithfulness in the clouds; and it’s good that wisdom, goodness, truth,
and righteousness leave the world, and cleave to God, that so we may
follow it; and that what goodness, mercy, truth, and faithfulness we
formerly enjoyed in man, we may enjoy in God. And when wickedness
increaseth, righteousness increaseth likewise: “_Thy righteousness is
like the great mountains_:” when the world tears and breaks itself in
pieces, then is the righteousness of God a great mountain. “_Thy
judgments are a great deep_;” when the whole world is become one sea of
confusion, then are the judgments of the Lord a great deep, where not
only man, but beasts may rest safely. “_Thou preservest man and beast._”
And though this time is a time of growing and spreading wickedness in
man, yet it is a time of sweetest admiration and love in God; and when
men that sin do cry out, O woful man! they that enjoy God, cry out, O
happy man! And though men that live in the earth cry out, O miserable!
what times are here? men that live in heaven cry out, “_How excellent is
thy lovingkindness, O God!_” The Lord makes all things naked and bare,
that we only may have him to be our safety.—_William Sedgwick
(1609-1668), in “The Excellency of the love of God,” a sermon in a vol.,
entitled “Some flashes of Lightnings of the Son of Man,” 1648._
_Verses 5-9_:—
Thy mercie Lord doth to the HEAUENS extend,
Thy faithfullnes doth to the CLOUDES assend;
Thy justice stedfast as a MOUNTAINE is,
Thy JUDGEMENTS deepe as is the great Abisse;
Thy noble mercies saue all liueinge thinges,
The sonnes of men creepe underneath thy winges:
With thy great plenty they are fedd at will,
And of thy pleasure’s streame they drinke their fill;
For euen the well of life remaines with thee,
And in thy glorious light wee light shall see.
_Sir John Davies._
_Verse 6.—“Thy righteousness is like the great mountains.”_ Lit.
_mountains of God_, which men have not planted, and which men cannot
move.—_Christopher Wordsworth._
_Verse 6.—“Thy judgments are a great deep.”_ Men’s sins are a great
deep, and Satan’s ways are called a depth; but God’s judgments, his
ways in the wheels, are the greatest deep of all, they are
unsearchable.—_William Greenhill._
_Verse 7.—“How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God!”_ etc. The
expressions here which denote the abundance of divine blessings upon the
righteous man seem to be taken from the temple, from whence they were to
issue. Under the covert of the temple, the wings of the cherubim, they
were to be sheltered. The richness of the sacrifices, the streams of
oil, wine, odours, etc., and the light of the golden candlestick, are
all plainly referred to.—_Samuel Burder._
_Verse 7.—“Therefore the children of men put their trust under the
shadow of thy wings.”_ The word signifies to fly, to betake one’s self
to a place of safety: as the chickens in danger to be seized on, fly
under the wings of the hen. “Under whose wings thou art come to trust.”
Ruth ii. 12. The helpless bird pursued by the kite, in danger to be
devoured, runs under the shadow of the dam. Thus it is with a sinner at
the first working of faith, he apprehends himself pursued by wrath and
judgment; he knows if they seize on him he must perish without remedy.
Oh, the sad condition of such a soul! Oh, but he sees Christ spreading
his wings ready to secure perishing sinners; he hears him inviting in
the gospel to come under his shadow! Oh, how sweet is that voice to him
(however, while senseless he rejected it)! He hears, obeys, and runs to
Christ for shelter, and so he is safe. “_How excellent is thy
lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust
under the shadow of thy wings._”—_David Clarkson._
_Verse 7.—“Thy wings”_ A common figure in the Psalms, taken more
immediately, in my opinion, from the wings of the cherubim overshadowing
the mercy-seat which covered the ark; but more remotely from birds,
which defend their young from the solar rays by overshadowing them with
their wings.—_Francis Hare (Bishop), 1740._
_Verse 7_:—
In lonesome cell, guarded and strong I lie,
Bound by Christ’s love, his truth to testify,
Though walls be thick, the door no hand unclose,
God is my strength, my solace, and repose.
_In a letter of Jeroninus Segerson, written in the prison at Antwerp to
his wife, named Lysken, who likewise lay a prisoner there, 1551._
_Verse 8.—“They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy
house: and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.”_
Mark, first, the excellency of the provision, “_fatness of thy house_,”
the “_river of thy pleasures_.” The fattest is esteemed the fairest and
the most excellent food; therefore the saint was enjoined to offer the
fat in sacrifice under the law. As God expects the best from us, so he
gives the best to us. This made David, when he had feasted so curiously,
to sing so cheerfully. Fatness here is the top, the cream of all
spiritual delicacies. “My soul is filled as with marrow and fatness; and
my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.” Psalm lxiii. 5. But,
though God keeps so noble a house to satisfy his people’s hunger, what
special care doth he take to quench their thirst! “_Thou shalt make them
drink of the rivers of thy pleasures._” Oh, he drinks to them, and they
pledge him in his own cup! Hath the child, then, any cause, when his
Father keeps so rare and costly a table, to leave such dainties and go
a-begging up and down the country for scraps and fragments? Oh, how much
do these disgrace their Parent’s provision, and their own discretion!
But mark, reader, secondly, the plenty as well as the excellency of this
provision. Here is fatness in the abstract, a “_river of pleasure_;” and
so much as that they who enjoy it shall be _satisfied_, and _abundantly_
satisfied. A river is overflowing and ever flowing; it communicates its
water and yet is never empty. It is fed with springs and fountains, and
therefore it is no wonder if it always be full. They that are at such a
well need not complain of want; but here are not only rivers and
fatness, but of God’s people it is said, “_they shall be abundantly
satisfied_.” In the original it is _inebriated_. They shall have not
only a sufficiency, but a redundancy of spiritual delights. The vessels
of their souls shall be filled to the brim out of that river whose
streams make glad the city of God. Surely, then, they who may have bread
in such abundance, enough and to spare, in their Father’s house, made of
the kidneys of the wheat, of the finest flour, need not hanker after the
world’s homely fare. Our heavenly Father doth not keep so starveling a
house that the world’s scraps should go down with us.-_George Swinnock._
_Verse 8.—“They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy
house.”_ I once heard a father tell, that when he removed his family to
a new residence where the accommodation was much more ample, the
substance much more rich and varied than that to which they had
previously been accustomed, his youngest son, yet a lisping infant, ran
round every room and scanned every article with ecstacy, calling out in
childish wonder at every new sight, “Is this ours, father? and is this
ours?” The child did not say “yours;” and I observed that the father
while he told the story was not offended with the freedom. You could
read in his glistening eye that the infant’s confidence in appropriating
as his own all that his father had, was an important element in his
satisfaction.
Such, I suppose, will be the surprise, and joy, and appropriating
confidence with which the child of our Father’s family will count all
his own when he is removed from the comparatively mean condition of
things present, and enters the infinite of things to come. When the
glories of heaven burst upon his view, he does not stand at a distance
like a stranger saying, O God, these are thine. He bounds forward to
touch and taste every provision which those blessed mansions contain,
exclaiming as he looks in the Father’s face, Father, this and this is
ours! The dear child is glad of all the Father’s riches, and the Father
is gladder of his dear child.—_William Arnot._
_Verse 8.—“The fatness of thy house.”_ If there is an allusion to the
temple, as Hupfield thinks, “_fatness_” would = “fat sacrifices,” and
men would be regarded as the priests in the house, after the analogy of
Jer. xxxi. 14.—_J. J. Stewart Perowne._
_Verse 8.—“The fatness of thy house.”_ Fat was regarded among the Jews,
as among all other nations of antiquity, as the richest part of animals,
and therefore became synonymous with _the first, the best, the prime of
anything_.—_Christian D. Ginsburg, LL.D., in Kitto’s Cyclopedia._
_Verse 8.—“Of thy house.”_ This is emphatic, and means that which thou
hast prepared for thine own household, thine own faithful domestics.
Here is intended not the good things prepared for all men, but for the
household retainers of God.—_John Piscator, 1546-1626, and D. H.
Mollerus._
_Verse 8.—“Pleasures.”_ _Delights_, the same word as is translated
“Eden” in Genesis, only it is here in the plural number.—_Dalman
Hapstone, M. A._
_Verse 8._—And, saith one of the fathers, do you ask me what heaven is?
Saith one, When I meet you there I will tell you. The world to come, say
the Rabbins, is the world where all is well. I have read of one that
would willingly swim through a sea of brimstone to get to heaven, for
there, and only there, is perfection of happiness. What are the silks of
Persia, the spices of Egypt, the gold of Ophir and the treasures of both
Indies, to the glory of another world? Augustine tells us that one day,
when he was about to write something upon the eighth verse of the
thirty-sixth Psalm, “_Thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy
pleasures_,” and being almost swallowed up with the contemplation of
heavenly joys, one called unto him very loud by his name; and, enquiring
who it was, he answered, I am Jerome, with whom in my lifetime thou
hadst so much conference concerning doubts in Scripture, and am now best
experienced to resolve thee of any doubts concerning the joys of heaven;
but only let me first ask thee this question—Art thou able to put the
whole earth, and all the waters of the sea, into a little pot? Canst
thou measure the waters in thy fist, and mete out heaven with thy span,
or weigh the mountains in scales, or the hills in a balance? If not, no
more is it possible that thy understanding should comprehend the least
of the joys of heaven; and certainly the least of the joys of heaven are
inconceivable and unexpressible.—_Thomas Brooks._
_Verse 9.—“For with thee is the fountain of life.”_—These are some of
the most wonderful words in the Old Testament. Their fulness of meaning
no commentary can ever exhaust. They are, in fact, the kernel and the
anticipation of much of the profoundest teaching of S. John.—_J. J.
Stewart Perowne._
_Verse 9.—“In thy light shall we see light.”_ The object and matter of
our eternal happiness is called “_light_.” It will not be a dazzling and
confounding light as was the brightness of Moses’ face at his coming
down from the mount; the people could not behold him: it will not be an
astonishing light, as that in the mount at our Lord’s transfiguration;
the disciples fell to the ground, their weak eyes could not behold those
glimpses of glory that shined through the vail of flesh. But the light
in our heaven of happiness will be _a strengthening and comforting
light_; it will strengthen and confirm the eyes of our understanding to
behold it. Then shall we be enabled as the young eagles, to behold the
Sun of Righteousness in his brightness and glory. It was said by the
Lord to Moses, “None can see my face and live.” Exodus xxxiii. 20. That
glorious sight which Daniel saw took strength from him. Dan. x. 8. The
object being without him, drew out all his spirits to behold and admire
it and so weakened him; but in heaven our God, whom we shall see and
know, will be within us to strengthen us; then shall we live because we
see his face. It will be also a _comforting_ light, like the light of
the morning to the wearied watchman, who longed after it in the
night-time.—_William Colvill._
_Verse 9.—“In thy light shall we see light.”_ ’Tis but a kind of dim
twilight comparatively, which we enjoy here in this world. While we are
hid in this prison-house we can see but little; but our Father’s house
above is full of light: “_Then shall the righteous shine forth as the
sun_,” etc. Matt. xiii. 43. If the Day-star be risen in your hearts,
live in the pleasant and cheerful expectation of perfect day. For we can
ascend but a little way into the mysteries of the kingdom, as long as we
are upon the footstool; and we shall know vastly and inconceivably more
in the first moment after we come to heaven, than we are capable of
attaining here throughout all our days.—_Timothy Cruso._
_Verse 9.—“In thy light shall we see light.”_ The light of nature is
like a spark, the light of the gospel a lamp, the light of grace a star,
but the light of glory the sun itself. The higher our ascent the greater
our light; God dwelleth “in the light which no man can approach unto.” 1
Tim. vi. 16—no man, while he carries mortality and sin about him; but
when those two corrupt and uncapable qualities shall be put off, then
shall we be brought to that light. We are now glad of the sun and stars
over our heads, to give us light: what light and delight shall that be
when these are under our feet! That light must needs go as far beyond
their light as they now go beyond us. But alas! they are only able to
discourse of that light, that do enjoy it, to whom that eternal day is
risen; not we that live in the humble shade of mortality and natural
dimness. I leave it therefore to your meditations: it is a glorious
light which we do well often to consider, considering to admire,
admiring to love, loving to desire, desiring to seek, and finding to
enjoy for ever.—_Thomas Adams._
_Verse 9.—“In thy light shall we see light.”_ There is a great boast of
light in the world, and there is some ground for it in natural things;
but, as of old the world by wisdom knew not God, so of late. If ever we
know God, it must be through the medium of his word. This I take to be
the meaning of the passage. The term _light_ in the last clause means
the true knowledge of God; and, in the first, the true medium of
attaining it, namely, divine revelation. The sum seems to amount to
this: the word of God is the grand medium by which we can attain a true
and saving knowledge of God. What the sun and stars are to the regions
of matter, that revelation is to the mental region. Gen. i. 13, 17....
There are many things of which you may entertain no doubt, concerning
which there may be no manner of dispute; yet, make a point of seeing
them in God’s light. Many content themselves with seeing them in the
light in which great and good men have placed them; but, although
angels, they are not the true light: they all view things partially. If
what they say be true, yet, if we receive it merely on their
representation, our faith will stand in the wisdom of men, and not in
the power of God. 1 Cor. ii. 5. That knowledge or faith which has not
God’s word for its ground will not stand the day of trial.—_Andrew
Fuller._
_Verse 9._—In this communion of God what can we want? Why, God shall be
all and in all unto us; he shall be beauty for the eye, music for the
ear, honey for the taste, the full content and satisfaction of our
desires, and that immediately from himself. True it is God is all in all
in this world, “In him we live, and move, and have our being;” but here
he works by means of secondary causes; here he gives wine to make the
heart glad, and oil, etc.; but there all intervening means between God
and us is removed: “_with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light
shall we see light_;” not in the light of the sun, or the light of a
candle; there is no need of them (Rev. xxii. 5); but “in _thy_ light,”
the light of God himself; yea, the whole life of glory, together with
all the concomitants of it, flows from him as the sole and original
fountain of it. Oh, how sweet must that happiness be that is so
derived!—_Edmund Pinchbeck, B.D., in “The Fountain of Life:” a Funeral
Sermon, 1652._
_Verse 9._—Whatsoever can be found in the creature, even when God
blesseth the use thereof to his own children, is but a drop from the
ocean, is but a little water out of the well, in comparison of what a
believer will see and feel to be in God reconciled through Christ, for,
“_with thee is the fountain of life_.”—_David Dickson._
_Verse 10.—“Continue thy lovingkindness.”_ When God beginneth once to
let out mercy to his servants, he stints not presently, but proceeds....
When Rachel had her first son, she called his name Joseph, which
signifieth adding, or increase; for she said, “The Lord shall add to me
another son.” Gen. xxx. 24. Now God hath begun to show kindness, he
shall not only give me this, but he shall give me another son also. When
the Lord hath bestowed one mercy on you, you may name it Joseph,
increase, addition, for God will bestow another upon you. Abraham had
many mercies from God, one after another; and Moses, a multitude of
mercies; he converseth with God face to face; he heareth God speak; he
hath God’s presence to go along with him; yea, he seeth all God’s
goodness and glory to pass before him. When mercies come forth, God will
not presently shut the door of mercy again. “_Continue thy
lovingkindness._” The Hebrew is, draw forth, or draw out thy
lovingkindness: a metaphor either taken from vessels of wine, which
being set abroach once, yield not only one cup, but many cups; so when
God setteth abroach the wine of his mercy, he will not fill your cup
once, but twice and seven times; or, taken from a mother, who hath her
breasts full of milk, draws them out for her child, not once, but often;
the child shall have the breast many times in the day, and many times in
the night, so when God beginneth to show mercy to you, he will draw out
his breasts of consolation, and will bestow mercy after mercy upon you;
or, from a line which is extended, for so God being in a way of mercy,
will extend the line of mercy, and measure out mercy after mercy for
you.—_William Greenhill._
_Verse 10._—The true mark of a godly man standeth in the conjunction of
faith in God with sincere study of obedience to him, for, _He is the man
that knoweth God_, and is upright in heart.—_David Dickson._
_Verse 11.—“Foot” ... “Hand.”_ Both foot and hand are named because both
used in waging war.—_Simeon de Muis._
_Verse 12.—“There are the workers of iniquity fallen.”_ This is said as
if the Psalmist pointed, when he said it, to a particular place with his
finger; and the same mode of expression occurs in Psalm xiv. 5; or, it
may be rendered, _then_ (_i.e._, when the just are satisfied with the
plenteousness of thy house, being rewarded for sincerely worshipping
thee in it), _shall they fall, all that work wickedness; they shall be
cast down, and shall not be able to rise_, as is the case with persons
who have been thrown with violence upon the hard ground.—_Daniel
Cresswell._
HINTS TO PREACHERS.
_Verse 1._—What is the fear of God? How does it operate? What is the
effect of its absence? What should we learn from seeing such evil
results?
Or the atheism underlying transgression.
_Verse 2._—The arts, motives, assistances, results, and punishments of
self-flattery, and the discovery which concludes it.
_Verse 2._—Self-flatteries.—_Jonathan Edward’s Sermon._
_Verse 2._—On the deceitfulness of the heart, with regard to the
commission of sin.—_Two Sermons, in Jamieson’s “Sermons on the Heart.”_
_Verse 3._—Bad words. Two out of many kinds.
_Verse 3 (second clause)._—The relation between true wisdom and
practical goodness.
_Verse 4._—Diligence in doing evil, a mark of deep depravity.—_W. S.
Plumer._
_Verse 4._—The abuse of retirement to wicked purposes, a sure
characteristic of an habitual sinner.—_N. Marshall._
_Verse 4._—The sinner on his bed, in his conduct, in his heart; add to
this, in his death, and in his doom.
_Verse 4 (second clause)._—Ways which are not good.
_Verse 4 (last clause)._—Neutrality condemned.
_Verses 5, 6._—Four glorious similes of the mercy, faithfulness, and
providence of God. The preacher has here a wealth of poetic imagery
never surpassed.
_Verse 6._—God’s word and works mysterious.—_C. Simeon._
_Verse 6 (second clause)._—God’s judgments are—I. Often unfathomable—we
cannot discover the foundation or cause, and spring of them. II. They
are safe sailing. Ships never strike on rocks out in the great deeps.
III. They conceal great treasure. IV. They work much good—the great
deep, though ignorance thinks it to be all waste, a salt and barren
wilderness, is one of the greatest blessings to this round world. V.
They become a highway of communion with God. The sea is to-day the great
highway of the world.
_Verse 6 (last clause)._—Kindness of God to the lower animals, as well
as man.
_Verses 7, 8._—Admiration! Confidence! Expectation! Realisation!
_Verse 7._—The object, reasons, nature, and experience of faith.
_Verse 8 (first clause)._—_The provisions of the Lord’s house._ What
they are, their excellence and abundance, and for whom provided.
_Verse 8 (second clause)._—_The heavenly Hiddekel_—Its source, its
flood, the happy drinkers, how they came to drink.
_Verse 9 (first clause)._—LIFE, natural, mental, spiritual, proceeds
from God, is sustained, restored, purified, and perfected by him. In him
it dwells with permanency, from him it flows freely, with freshness,
abundance, and purity; to him it should be consecrated.