PSALM XLIII. Perhaps this psalm is an appendix to the former; it was composed on the same occasion; his doubts and disorder returning, he had recourse to the same remedy; conscious of his integrity in his government, he appeals to God as his judge. J UDGE me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; against this seditious people: who, not having thy fear before their eyes, have risen up against me: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man; particularly Absalom, who is 2 seeking my life under the pretence of justice. For thou [art] the God of my strength, who hast hitherto strengthened me: why dost thou seem to cast me off, and delay to help me? why go I mourn3 ing so long because of the oppression of the enemy? O send out thy light, let me be guided by thy wise and good providence; and thy truth; let thy faithful engagements to me be manifested in my deliverance; let them lead me, and conduct me through all my difficulties: let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles; restore me to my capital, and especially to thy tabernacle, 4 where thou hast fixed thine abode. Then will I go unto the altar of God; the first thing I do shall be to approach thine altar with sacrifices of thanksgiving, unto God my exceeding joy, the principal author and matter of all my joy and comfort: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God; in secret as well as in public assemblies. I am confident this will be the case, and thereSfore Why art thou cast down, O my soul, under thy present troubles? and why art thou disquieted within me ? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him in his tabernacle, though I am now driven away, and seem to be overlooked by him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God; he has been and will be the health of my countenance; will give me support, and brighten my looks, which are now dejected. 1. W REFLECTIONS. E learn from hence, to take pleasure in the worship of God, and to go to his house with joy. David's heart was much set upon God's tabernacle, and was more desirous to be restored to that, than to his family comforts, or royal dignity; noth ing was so amiable in his eyes, or so delightful to his soul. God was the supreme object of his joy; and his joy in God was not common, but an exceeding joy, something more sublime and elevated than any earthly joy. Let us aspire after this temper, and cherish this ardent love to the house of God. He should be the chief object of our delight and joy, and all our inferior joys should terminate in him. 2. We should pray that God's light and truth may lead us; that he, who is the Father of lights, would guide us by his providence in the way of wisdom and safety; that he, who is perfect truth and unchangeably faithful, would assist and strengthen us. His word is light and truth. Let us therefore lay it up in our hearts, and it will direct our steps. His Spirit is the spirit of light and truth; and if we seek his influences, they will guide us into all important and needful truth; and being led by this spirit, we shall be the children of God, and heirs of an eternal inheritance. 3. Let us not be discouraged in our endeavours to get rid of unbelieving suspicions and melancholy thoughts. David reasons with his soul in the same language twice in the former psalm, and once in this. Good men under affliction are apt to fall into his disorder, which is not easily removed, and very apt to return. It will be necessary to reason the case with our souls, to urge the same arguments again and again, to present the same prayer, and make use of the same plea; we should not be discouraged, and think the malady incurable, because in the first or second time of trial those means have not had the desired effect. We have an instance of the like kind in the New Testament, viz. in St. Paul: he sought the Lord that an infirmity of this kind might depart from him, yea, he sought the Lord thrice; at length the Lord said to him (as he will say to us if we pursue this method,) My grace is sufficient for thee. PSALM XLIV. To the chief musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. It is uncertain when this psalm was composed, but most likely in Heze- 1 WE E have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, [what] work thou didst in their days, and in the 2 times of old, the times before them. [How] thou didst drive out the heathen, the seven nations of Canaan, with thy hand, and plantedst them, the Israelites, in their room; [how] thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. But this should not be 3 ascribed to their valour, but to thy power; For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. 4 Thou art my almighty King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob; thou hast commanded deliverances for him, we therefore 5 hope thou wilt command them for his posterity. Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us; through thee we hope for success, and therefore we, like our fathers, will trust in thee, and 1 6 not in military preparations. For I will not trust in my bow, 7 neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from 8 our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, of his goodness, and praise thy 9 name for ever, for the manifestation of it. Selah. But for the present thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not 10 forth with our armies, as in times past. Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy, we have lost our former courage; and they which hate us spoil for themselves, take away our estates for 11 their own use. Thou hast given us like sheep [appointed] for meat; they make no more scruple of killing us than they would sheep; and hast scattered us among the heathen; we are sold 12 for captives among heathen nations. Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase [thy wealth] by their price. The original is,' Thou hast not raised our price; we are sold at 13 the cheapest rate, as things of no value. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that 14 are round about us. Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people; when they would express wretchedness and misery, they say, as wretched and 15 miserable as a Jer, and shake the head at us, and banter us. My confusion [is] continually before me, and the shame of my face 16 hath covered me, I am ashamed to show my face, For the voice of him, the Assyrian, that reproacheth and blasphemeth thee; by reason of the enemy and avenger, who excercise cruelty toward 17 us. All this is come upon us; but it is our comfort, that yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy 18 covenant; have not turned apostates. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; from thy service to idols, but have complied with the reformation of Hezeki19 ah our prince; Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, among fierce and cruel enemies, and covered us with 20 the shadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of our 21 God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart; and we dare appeal to him for the truth of this. But this has not 22 been the case; Yea, for thy sake, for our steady adherence to thee, are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep 23 for the slaughter. Awake, why sleepest thou, O LORD? why seemest thou to sleep? arise, cast [us] not off for ever, as un24 worthy thy regard. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, [and] for gettest our affliction and our oppression? givest us no counte25 nance, and seemest to forget our afflictions? For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth; we are in the greatest distress. Yet we can do nothing for ourselves ; and deserve nothing from thee; therefore we depend on thy known and experienced mercy; Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake. It is probable that the Assyriars had killed many because they would no renounce their religion. In Rom. viii. 35. the apostle applies this to the bitter and cruel persecutions which the christians in his day endured. VOL. IV. Pp 1. W REFLECTIONS. E hence learn to commemorate the appearances of God for former generations; no present distresses should make us forget them, for they will be an encouragement to our prayer and hope. Parents should take pains to impress on the minds of their children, the wonderful interpositions of God for his church and for our country; and children should take pains to learn and remember them. Thus should one generation praise his mighty works to another. 2. Let us not ascribe the success of our undertakings to our own wisdom and strength, but to the power and goodness of God. The psalmist teaches us not to trust to our military preparations, or our own skill and diligence in private concerns, but to God. And when the nation, or our private affairs prosper, let us humbly acknowledge that it is through God's name, and the manifestation of his glorious perfections to us and for us. 3. Let us pity and pray for those that suffer persecution for conscience sake, and be thankful, if we do not experience such treatment. It was the case of the pious Israelites, and of the primitive christians, and of many of our protestant brethren in later days. We have heard with our ears, and our fathers have told us, what they suffered in this country for conscience sake. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution, in some way or other. If they are not led as sheep to the slaughter, they must expect to be a reproach to their neighbours, a scorn and derision to those who are about them. It is grievous to be reproached and derided for that which we know to be right and good; especially when God's name is also dishonoured; and his holy ways blasphemed. Let us think of our persecuted brethren with tender compassion; and by bearing one another's burdens fulfil the law of Christ. 4. Whatever our country, or we ourselves suffer, we should keep up high thoughts of God, seek to him for mercy, and continue faithful to our religious engagements. We must still acknowledge him as our king; remembering his perfect knowledge and intimate acquaintance with all the secrets of our hearts. Our pleas for pros perity should be grounded on his favour and mercy; and whatever comes upon us let us never decline from his ways. This is a duty peculiarly needful in times of persecution, and under the strong temptations, arising from that, to turn aside from God. Let us be careful that nothing may drive us from our duty, and then nothing can deprive us of our comfort. PSALM XLV. To the chief musician upon Shoshannim, the name of a musical instrument, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves, or, of the Beloved. Some have thought this psalm was composed on occasion of Solomon's marriage with Pharaoh's daughter; but there are several passages in the fisalm by no means agreeing to Solomon, Jewish interpreters acknowledge it refers to the Messiah; and it seems to have been originally intended to describe the excellency and glory of Christ's kingdom, and his marriage with the church. Perhaps some of the ideas were borrowed from Solomon's marriage, which the psalmist might have seen a little before. 1 Μ My is heart is inditing a good natter; it is affectionately engaged in it: I will speak out of the abundance of my heart of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue [is] the pen of a ready writer. Struck with the majesty 2 of the king's appearance, he addresses to him. Thou art fairer than the children of men; more beautiful and glorious than the greatest princes: grace is poured into thy lips; thy words are peaceful and acceptable: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever; exalted thee to the highest honour, and made thee an everlasting 3 blessing to the world. Gird thy sword upon [thy] thigh, O [most] mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty; gird on thy sword, which is thy glory and majesty, thy royal ornament, and the ensign of that power by which thou wilt obtain the most celebrated 4 victories. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of, or, in honour of the cause of truth and meekness, [and] righteousness; and thy right hand, thy own power, shall teach thee terrible things; to do great and glorious exploits, which shall be terrible Thine arrows [are] sharp in the heart of the 5 to thy enemies. king's enemies; [whereby] the people fall under thee; the instruments of thine holy war against ignorance, idolatry, and wick6 edness, shall either convert or conquer thine enemies. Thy throne, O God, [is] for ever and ever, it is firmly established: the sccptre of thy kingdom [is] a right sceptre; the administration of 7 thy kingdom is most just. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness; in the government of the Jewish church thou hast made it appear that thou lovest righteousness; and much more in thine holy life, and by giving thyself a ransom for sinners: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows; he hath made thee a royal priest, a priest upon a throne, above all the kings and high priests that ever were anointed, yea, above the angels* who presided over the other provinces of the world, and whose administration was not so wise and righteous 8 as thine, All thy garments [smell] of myrrh, and aloes, [and] That this refers to the angels, is plain from the apostle's quoting it in Heb. i 3. where he brings this passage to prove Christ's superiority to them. |