defence, and continually pursued by enemies who were powerful and
numerous. The country in which he wandered was mountainous, and he often
sought and found shelter on the tops of precipitous rocks, or in their
natural hollows or excavated caves. Thus the idea of shelter and defence
being associated in his mind with that of a rock, how natural that he
should apply the term to God, and when seeking him as his refuge and
helper, should address him by that appellation.... “_Why hast thou
forgotten me?_” Not that he supposed he was literally forgotten of God,
so as to be given up and abandoned by him; because he had still
sufficient trust in his faithfulness to seek him for a refuge, and to
hope in his mercy. His expression is to be regarded as the language of
feeling, not of judgment. He felt, he seemed, as one forgotten by God.
Those visits of love, those manifestations of favour with which he had
formerly been indulged, and which then seemed to him to be so many
tokens of the divine remembrance, were now withheld, now when, on
account of his distress, they appeared so unspeakably more needful and
desirable; whence it was that he felt as one forgotten.—_Henry March._
_Verse 10.—“Mine enemies.”_ It is strange that _he_ should have enemies,
that was so harmless a man that when they were sick and distressed, he
prayed for them, and put on sackcloth for them, as it is, Psalm xxxv.
This compassionate, sweet-natured man, yet, notwithstanding, you see he
had enemies, and enemies that would discover themselves to reproach him,
and that bitterly; in the bitterest manner, they reproach him in his
religion. We may be armed by this observation against the scandal of
opposition—that if we meet with enemies in the world, we should not be
much offended at it; grieve we may, but wonder we need not. Was there
ever any that did more good than our Saviour Christ? “He went about
doing good.” Acts x. 38. He did never a miracle that was harmful (but
only of the swine that were drowned in the sea, and that was their own
fault), but he went about doing all the good he could; yet,
notwithstanding, we see what malicious opposites he had. That that is
true of the head must be true in the members. Therefore we should
rejoice in our conformity to Christ, if it be in a good cause, that we
find enemies and opposition. The devil is not made a Christian yet, and
he will never be made good, for he is _in termino_, as we say, he is in
his bounds, his nature is immovable; he is in hell in regard of his
estate, though he be loose to do mischief. Now, until the devil be good,
God’s children shall never want enemies; and he will never be good;
therefore, though there were good kings and good governors over all the
world, yet good men shall never want enemies as long as the devil is
alive, as long as he hath anything to do in the world. Enemies,
therefore, we must look for, and such enemies as will not conceal their
malice neither; for that were something, if they would suffer their
malice to boil and concoct in their own hearts, but that will not be,
but “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak.”—_Richard
Sibbes._
_Verse 10.—“They say daily unto me.”_ Here’s their constancy and
perseverance in this their carriage and language, it is _daily_, or _all
the day_, כָּל־הַיּוֹם. It is not only for a fit and away, but it is
their frequent and continual practice; it’s every, and it’s all the day;
they begin in the morning, and they hold out still till night as unquiet
persons use to do; and they begin the week with it, and so they continue
till the end; he could never come into their company or near them, but
he had such language from them.—_Thomas Horton._
_Verse 10.—“Where is thy God?”_ David might rather have said to them,
Where are your eyes? where is your sight? for God is not only in heaven,
but in me. Though David was shut out from the sanctuary, yet David’s
soul was a sanctuary for God; for God is not tied to a sanctuary made
with hands. God hath two sanctuaries, he hath two heavens—the heaven of
heavens and a broken spirit. God dwelt in David as in his temple. God
was with David and in him; and he was never more with him, nor never
more in him than in his greatest afflictions. They wanted eyes, he
wanted not God. Though sometimes God hide himself, not only from the
world but from his own children, yet he is there; howsoever their sorrow
is such that it dims their sight (as we see in Hagar), so that they
cannot see him for the present, he sometimes looks in their face, as we
see in Mary’s case. She could not see Christ distinctly, but thought him
to be the gardener. There is a kind of concealment awhile in heavenly
wisdom, yet notwithstanding, God is with his children always, and they
know it by faith though not by feeling always.... Therefore, it was an
ignorant question of them to ask, _Where is thy God?_ It showed that
they were ignorant of the passages of God’s dealing with his children,
as indeed none are greater atheists than your scoffers. _Where is thy
God?_ as if God had been only a God of observation, to be observed
outwardly in all his passages towards his children; whereas, as I said,
he is a God hiding himself ofttimes; and he shows himself in contrary
conditions most of all, most comfortably. His work is by contraries. But
these carnal men were ignorant of the mysteries of religion, and the
mysteries of divine providence towards God’s children. Therefore, their
question savours of their disposition, _Where is now thy God?_—_Richard
Sibbes._
_Verse 10.—“Where is thy God?”_ It is the deriding question which
persecutors put to the saints in the time of their trials and troubles,
_Ubi Deus?_ “Where is now your God?” But they may return a bold and
confident answer, _Hic Deus_, “Our God is here,” our God is nigh unto
us, our God is round about us, our God is in the midst of us, our God
has given us his promise “that he will never leave us nor forsake us.”
Heb. xiii. 5. In every trouble, in every danger, in every death, the
Lord will be sure to keep us company. God will bear his children
company, not only whilst they are in a delightful paradise, but also
when they are in a howling wilderness. Hosea ii. 14. When a company of
poor Christians were going into banishment, one standing by to see them
pass along said, that it was a very sad condition that those poor people
were in, to be thus hurried from the society of men, and to be made
companions of the beasts of the fields. True, said another, it were a
sad condition indeed, if they were carried to a place where they should
not find their God; but let them be of good cheer, for God goes along
with them, and will exhibit the comforts of his presence whithersoever
they go, his presence is infinite, and filleth all places. The Rabbins
put _Makom_, which signifies _place_, among the names of God; Bythner
brings them in expounding that text (Esther iv. 14), thus: “Deliverance
shall arise from another place,” that is, from God. Now, they called God
_place_, because he is in every place, filling heaven and earth with his
presence.—_Thomas Brooks._
_Verse 10._—Forest-flies, small as they are, drive the noble war-horse
mad; therefore David says, “_As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies
reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy
God?_”—_Frederick William Robertson, 1851._
_Verse 11._—Imitate here the example of David, instead of yielding to a
vague grief; cite your soul; _enquire_ of it the particular cause of
your sorrow: different remedies will be requisite according to the
different sources of your distress; and be careful that you trifle not
with God, and your comfort, and your salvation, while you enquire of
your soul, “_Why art thou cast down, O my soul?_” Be impartial, there is
another and more solemn judgment to succeed: be persevering, like the
Psalmist, return, again and again to the investigation: be prayerful;
self-love, or the delusions of your heart, may otherwise deceive you.
Pray then to God, to “search you, and see if there be any wicked way in
you.”—_Henry Kollock, D.D., in “Sermons,”_ etc. 1822.
_Verse 11.—“Hope.”_ Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey towards
it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.—_Samuel Smiles, LL.D._
_Verse 11.—“God ... is the health of my countenance.”_ The health of
David’s countenance was not in his countenance, but in his God, and this
makes his faith silence his fears, and so peremptorily resolve upon it,
that there is a time coming (how near soever he now lies to the grave’s
mouth) when he “_shall yet praise him_.” The health and life of thy
grace lie both of them, not in thy grace, saith faith, but _in God_, who
is _thy_ God, therefore I shall yet live and praise him. I do not wonder
that the weak Christian is melancholy and sad, when he sees his sickly
face in any other glass than this.—_William Gurnall._
_Verse 11.—“The health of my countenance.”_ The countenance is often a
true index to the mind. In the present awakening in religion, nothing is
more remarkable than the sad or joyous looks of those whom God has
spiritually exercised. It is easy to see who are sad, and who happy.
There is nothing new in this; the Psalmist says, “My soul is cast down
within me.” Therefore had he a dejected countenance; but said he, “Send
thy light and thy truth; let them lead me; then will I go unto God, my
exceeding joy.... And he shall be _the health of my countenance_.” In
his sorrow, the face of Jesus was marred more than any man’s, and his
visage more than the sons of men. The martyr Stephen was so filled with
the sight of Jesus, that in the midst of his persecutors, with death in
prospect, he had a face which “shone as the face of an angel.” My
friend, how is it with thee? Is thy countenance sad? or doth it shine
with the joy of the Lord, telling the true tale of thy life and lot?—_J.
Denham Smith. 1860._
_Verse 11._—Hast thou seen the sun shine forth in February, and the sky
blue, and the hedgerows bursting into bud, and the primrose peeping
beneath the bank, and the birds singing in the bushes? Thou hast thought
that spring was already come in its beauty and sweet odours. But a few
days, and the clouds returned, and the atmosphere was chilled, and the
birds were mute, and snow was on the ground, and thou hast said that
spring would never come. And thus sometimes the young convert finds his
fears removed and the comforts of the gospel shed abroad in his heart,
and praise and thanksgiving, and a new song put in his mouth. And he
deems unadvisedly that his troubles are past for ever. But awhile, and
his doubts return, and his comforts die away, and his light is taken
from him, and his spirit is overwhelmed, and he is fain to conclude that
salvation and all its blessings are not for him. But the spring, though
late, shall break at last. “_Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why
art thou disquieted within me?_”—_H. G. Salter’s “Book of
Illustrations,” 1840._
_Verse 11._—His arguments and motives hereunto are impregnated with very
great sense and strength; and urged upon himself as the just rate
thereof. “_Hope thou in God._” For he is 1. “_God._” 2. “_Thy God._” 3.
“_The health of thy countenance_,” and 4. _One whom thou shalt_
(certainly and for ever) _praise as such_. And 5. Do it _yet_, as
lamentable and hopeless as thy case appears at present through seeming
difficulties or unlikelihoods. God and ourselves well understood, deeply
considered, and skilfully urged and improved, give gracious hearts the
best encouragements and supports under the severest accidents of time.
And they will very strangely animate our hopes in God under our sorest
troubles and dejections. David had (1) confidence in God; and (2)
reasons for it; and (3) skill and a heart to urge them. When he reviewed
himself, he saw that his soul was gracious; and so he knew God valued
it. It was bent for praising God; and so he knew that he should have an
opportunity and cause to do it, through some signal favours from him. He
had an interest in God; and he would neither lose it nor neglect it, and
he had great experience of God’s former mercies, and he would not forget
them. And when he thinks on God, then praises must be thought on too,
and everything relating to it, and all the divine perfections, within
the circumference of his knowledge, must have their fresh remembrances
and powerful sense revived upon his own heart.—_Matthew Sylvester
(1636-1708), in “Morning Exercises.”_
Verse 11.—The soul, when once greatly disturbed, is often not soon
calmed, on account of infirmities and remaining corruptions.—_Henry
March._
HINTS TO PREACHERS.
_Verse 1._—The longing heart and the panting hart compared.
_Verses 1, 2._—Those who have enjoyed the presence of God in the public
ordinances of religion will greatly desire, if deprived of them, to be
favoured with them again.... Prevention from attending the public
ordinances of God’s house may be made the means of great benefit to the
soul. I. By renewing our relish for the provisions of the Lord’s house,
which so soon and so often palls. II. By making us to prize the means of
grace more highly. There is, through human degeneracy, a proneness to
value things less, however excellent in themselves, because of their
being common, or plentiful, or of easy attainment. III. By driving us
more directly from God.—_H. March._
_Verses 1-3._—The home-sickness of the soul. What awakens it in the
soul? To what is it directed, or does it point or tend? Wherewith can it
be satisfied? By the bitter, but ofttimes wholesome food of tears.—_J.
P. Lange._
_Verse 2._—I. What thirsts? “my soul.” II. For what? “for God.” III. In
what way? “when shall I come.” Or, the cause, incentives, excellences,
and privileges of spiritual thirst.
_Verse 2 (last clause)._—The true view of public worship.
_Verse 2 (last clause)._—Appearance before God here and
hereafter.—_Isaac Watts, D.D., Two Sermons._
_Verse 3._—The believer’s Lent, and its salt meats. I. What causes the
sorrow? II. What will remove it? III. What benefit will come of it?
_Verses 3, 10._—The carriage of David’s enemies. I. The _nature_ of it,
and that was “_reproach_.” II. The _expression_ of it, “_They say unto
me._” III. The _constancy_ of it: “_daily_” or, _all the day long_. IV.
The _specification_ of it, in a scornful and opprobrious question:
“_Where is (now) thy God?_”—_Thomas Horton._
_Verse 4._—I. It is common for the mind, in seasons of sorrow, to seek
relief from the present in recollections of the past. II. In
recollections of past enjoyments, those that relate to social worship
will be peculiarly dear to the servant of God. III. Man is a social
being, hence he derives help from united worship.—_H. March._
_Verse 4.—“I pour out my soul in me.”_ The uselessness of mistrustful
introspection.
_Verse 4.—“I had gone with the multitude,”_ etc. Company, if it be that
which is good, is a very blessed and comfortable accommodation in sundry
respects. I. It is an exercise of men’s faculties, and the powers and
abilities of the mind. II. It is a fence against danger, and a
preservative against sadness and various temptations. III. An
opportunity of doing more good.—_Thomas Horton._
_Verse 4.—“I had gone,”_ etc. Sunny memories, their lessons of gratitude
and hope.
_Verse 4 (last clause)._—Not Chaucer’s tales of the Canterbury pilgrims,
but David’s tales of the Jerusalem pilgrims.
_Verse 4.—“With the voice,”_ etc. Congregational singing defended,
extolled, discriminated, and urged.
_Verse 5._—Sorrow put to the question, or the Consolatory Catechism.
_Verse 5._—The sweetness, safety, and rightness of hope _in_ God. Good
grip for the anchor.
_Verse 5._—The music of the future, “_I shall yet praise him_.”
_Verse 5.—“The help of his countenance,”_ or the sustaining power of
God’s presence.
_Verse 5.—“Why art thou cast down?”_ I. The mind, even of a holy man may
be unduly cast down and disquieted. II. In cases of undue dejection and
disquietude the proper remedy is to expostulate with the soul, and to
direct it to the _only true source_ of relief. III. Expostulation with
the soul in times of distress, is then productive of its proper end,
when it leads to an immediate application to God.—_H. March._
_Verse 5._—An emphasis of _enquiry or examination_; David calls himself
to account for his present passion and trouble of mind. An emphasis of
_reproof or objurgation_; David chides and rebukes himself for his
present distemper. “_Why art thou thus?_”—_Thomas Horton._
_Verses 5_ with _11_, or _help_ and _health_.
_Verse 6.—“Remember thee.”_ The consolation derivable from thoughts of
God.
_Verse 6.—“Therefore will I remember thee.”_ There are two ways of
understanding this; each of them instructive and profitable.... I. It
may be considered as an expression of _determined remembrance of God_
should he ever be found in such places and conditions. Believers can
suppose the worst, and yet hope for the best. II. The language may be
considered as an expression of _encouragement derived from reflection_.
He had been in these situations and circumstances, and had experienced
in them displays of divine providence and grace.—_W. Jay._
_Verse 6._—Ebenezers many, varied, remembered, helpful.
_Verse 7.—“Deep calleth unto deep.”_ See Spurgeon’s Sermons, No. 865.
_Verse 7.—“Deep calleth unto deep.”_ One evil inviting another. I. The
_variety_ of evils—one evil to another. II. The _conjunction_ of
evils—one evil with another. III. The _connexion_ of evils, or
dependence and mutual reference—one evil upon another.—_T. Horton._
_Verse 7._—The threefold depth which the saints and servants of God are
subject to here in this life. I. The depth of _temptation_. II. The
depth of _desertion_. III. The depth of _affliction and human
calamities_.—_T. Horton._
_Verses 7, 8._—In seasons of affliction the servants of God will be
distinguished from others by their ready perception and acknowledgment
of the hand of God in their trials.—_H. March._
_Verse 8._—Daily mercy and nightly song; the mercies of sunshine and
shade.
_Verse 8 (last clause)._—The blessed alternation between praise and
prayer.
_Verse 8.—“God of my life.”_ Author, sustainer, comforter, object,
crown, consummation.
_Verse 8.—“The God of my life.”_ There is a threefold life whereof we
partake, and God is the God of each unto us. First, the life of
_nature_; secondly, the life of _grace_; thirdly, the life of
_glory_.—_T. Horton._
_Verse 9.—“God my rock.”_ Appellations of God, suited to
circumstances.—_H. March._
_Verse 9.—“My rock.”_ See Keach in his metaphors.
_Verse 9._—I. _Why thou?_ II. Why _I_? III. Why _he_? It is a _why_ to
all three, To _God_, “_Why hast thou forgotten me?_” To _David_ himself,
“_Why do I go mourning?_” To David’s _adversary_, whoever he was, “_Why
does the enemy oppress me?_”—_T. Horton._
_Verse 10._—The most grievous of taunts.
_Verse 11.—“My God.”_ I. It’s a word of _interest_—“_My God_,” as in
covenant with him. II. A word of _compliance_—“_My God_,” as submitting
to him. III. A word of affection—“_My God_,” as taking delight and
rejoicing in him.—_T. Horton._
_Verse 11._—A catechism, a consolation, a commendation.
_Verse 11._—I. David’s _experience_ of God. “_He is the health, or help
of my countenance._” II. His _relation_ to God, and _interest_ in
him—“_And my God._”—_T. Horton._
Footnote 19:
Transcriber's Note: The words of this verse were printed in the wrong
order, the transcribed text is a correction.
PSALM XLIII.
SUBJECT.—_On account of the similarity of the structure of this Psalm to
that of Psalm forty-two, it has been supposed to be a fragment wrongly
separated from the preceding song; but it is always dangerous to allow
these theories of error in Holy Scripture, and in this instance it would
be very difficult to show just cause for such an admission. Why should
the Psalm have been broken? Its similarity would have secured its unity
had it ever been part and parcel of the forty-second. Is it not far more
likely that some in their fancied wisdom united them wrongly in the few
MSS. in which they are found as one? We believe the fact is that the
style of the poetry was pleasant to the writer, and therefore in after
life he wrote this supplemental hymn after the same manner. As an
appendix it needed no title. David complains of his enemies, and asks
the privilege of communion with God as his surest deliverance from
them._
DIVISION.—_The Psalmist cries to God in prayer, verses 1-3. Promises
praise in the anticipation of an answer, verse 4, and chides himself for
his despondency, verse 5._
EXPOSITION.
Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O
deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.
2 For thou _art_ the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off?
why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them
bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
1. “_Judge me, O God._” Others are unable to understand my motives, and
unwilling to give me a just verdict. My heart is clear as to its intent,
and therefore I bring my case before thee, content that thou wilt
impartially weigh my character, and right my wrongs. If thou wilt judge,
thy acceptance of my conduct will be enough for me; I can laugh at human
misrepresentation if my conscience knows that thou art on my side; thou
art the only one I care for; and besides, thy verdict will not sleep,
but thou wilt see practical justice done to thy slandered servant. “_And
plead my cause against an ungodly nation._” One such advocate as the
Lord will more than suffice to answer a nation of brawling accusers.
When people are ungodly no wonder that they are unjust: those who are
not true to God himself cannot be expected to deal rightly with his
people. Hating the King they will not love his subjects. Popular opinion
weighs with many, but divine opinion is far more weighty with the
gracious few. One good word from God outweighs ten thousand railing
speeches of men. He bears a brazen shield before him whose reliance in
all things is upon his God; the arrows of calumny fall harmlessly from
such a buckler. “_O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man._”
Deceit and injustice are boon companions: he who fawns will not fear to
slander. From two such devils none can deliver us but God. His wisdom
can outwit the craft of the vilest serpent, and his power can overmatch
the most raging lion. Whether this was Doeg or Ahithophel is small
matter, such double distilled villains are plentiful, and the only way
of dealing with them is to refer the matter to the righteous Judge of
all; if we try to fight them with their own weapons, we shall suffer
more serious injury from ourselves than from them. O child of God, leave
these thine enemies in better hands, remembering that vengeance
belongeth not to thee, but to the Lord. Turn to him in prayer, crying,
“O deliver me,” and ere long you shall publish abroad the remembrance of
his salvation.
2. “_For._”—Here is argument, which is the very sinew of prayer. If we
reasoned more with the Lord we should have more victories in
supplication. “_Thou art the God of my strength._” All my strength
belongs to thee—I will not, therefore, use it on my own behalf against
my personal foes. All my strength comes from thee, I therefore seek help
from thee, who art able to bestow it. All my strength is in thee, I
leave therefore this task of combating my foes entirely in thy hands.
Faith which leaves such things alone is wise faith. Note the assurance
of David, “_thou art_,” not I hope and trust so, but I know it is so; we
shall find confidence to be our consolation. “_Why dost thou cast me
off?_” Why am I treated as if thou didst loathe me? Am I become an
offence unto thee? There are many reasons why the Lord might cast us
off, but no reason shall prevail to make him do so. He hath not cast off
his people, though he for awhile treats them as cast-offs. Learn from
this question that it is well to enquire into dark providences, but we
must enquire of God, not of our own fears. He who is the author of a
mysterious trial can best expound it to us.
“Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.”
“_Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?_” Why do I
wander hither and thither like a restless spirit? Why wear I the weeds
of sorrow on my body, and the lines of grief on my face? Oppression
makes a wise man mad; why, Lord, am I called to endure so much of it for
so long a time? Here again is a useful question, addressed to the right
quarter. The answer will often be because we are saints, and must be
made like our Head, and because such sorrow is chastening to the spirit,
and yieldeth comfortable fruit. We are not to cross-question the Lord in
peevishness, but we may ask of him in humility; God help us to observe
the distinction so as not to sin through stress of sorrow.