Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 3.djvu/457

 PSALMS, LXXXIV. 449 with the enemies of his church in our days, as he did with those in the days of our fatlicrs. II. He illustrates it by some similitudes, and prays, 1. That God would make them like a wheel, (t. 13.) that they might be in continual motion, unquiet, unsettled, and giddy, in all their counsels and resolves; that they mig;ht roll down easily and speedily to their own ruin. Or, as some think, that they might be broken by the judgments of God, as the corn is broken, or beaten out, by the wheel which was then used in tlireshing. Thus, when a wise king scattereth the ivicked, he is said to bring the tvheel over them, Prov. xx. 26. They that trust in God have their hearts fixed; they that fight against him are unfixed, like a wheel. 2. That they might be chased as stubble, or chaff, before the fierce wind. The wheel, though it con- tinually turn round, is fixed on its own axis; but let them have no more fixation than the light stubble has, which the wind hurries away, and nobody de- sires to save it, but is willing it should go, Ps. i. 4. Thus shall the wicked be driven away in his wick- edness, and chased out of the world. 3. That they might be consumed, as wood by the fire, or as briers and thorns, as fem or furze, upon the mountains, by the flames, v. 14. When the stubble is driven by the wind, it will rest, at last, under some hedge, in some ditch or other; but he prays that they might not only be driven away as stubble, but burnt as stubble. And this will be the end of wicked men, (Heb. vi. 8.) and particu- larl}' of all the enemies of God's church. The red- dition of these comparisons we have; (x^. 15.) So persecute them with thy temjiest, persecute them to their utter ruin, and make them afraid with thy storm. See how sinners are made miserable; the storm of God's wrath raises terrors in their own hearts, and so they are made completely miserable. God can deal with the proudest and most daring sinner that has bid defiance to his justice, and can make liim afraid as a gi-asshopper. It is the torment of devils, that they tremble. III. He illustrates it by the good consequences of their confusion, v. 16. • 18. He prays here that God, having filled their hearts with terror, would thereby fill their faces with shame, that they might be ashamed of their enmity to the people of God, (Isa. xxvi. 11.) ashamed of their folly in acting both against Omnipotence itself, and their own tnie in- terest. They did what they could to put God's people to shame, but the shame will, at length, re- turn upon themselves. Now, 1. The beginning of this shame might be a means of their conversion; "Let them be broken and baffled in their attempts, that they ?nay seek thy name, O Lord. Let them be put to a st;;nd, that they may have both leisure and reason to pause a little, and consider who it is that they are fighting against, and what an unequal match they are for him, and may, therefore, humble and submit them- selves, and desire conditions of peace. Let them be made to fear thy name, and perhaps that will bring them to seek thy name." Note, That which we should earnestly desire and beg of God for our ene- mies and persecutors, is, that God would bring them to repentance, and we should desire their abasement in order to this; no other confusion to them, than what may be a step toward their conversion. 2. If it did not prove a means of their conversion, the perfecting of it would redound greatly to the honour of God; if they will not be ashamed and repent, let them be put to shame and perish; if they will not be troubled and turned, which would soon put an end to all their trouble, a happy end, let them be troubled for ever, and never have peace; this will be for God's glory; (t. 18.) that other men may know and own, if they themselves will not. Vol. III. — 3 L that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH,'{ti'eX incommunicable, though net ineffable, name,) art the Most High over all the earth. God's triumi)hs over his and his church's enemies, will be incon- testable proofs, (1.) That he is, according to his name Jehovah, a self-existent, self-sufficient. Be- ing, that has all power and perfection in himself. (2.) That he is the most high God, sovereign Lord of all, above all gods, above all kings, above all that exalt themselves, and pretend to be high. (3. ) That he is so, not only over the land of Israel, but over all the earth, even those nations of the earth that do not know him, or own him, for his kingdom ndes over all. These are great and unquestionable tiiiths, but men will hardly be persuaded to know and be- lieve them; therefore the psalmist prays that the desti-uction of some might be the conviction of others. The final ruin ot all God's enemies, in the gi-eat day, will be the effectual proof of this, laefore angels and men; when the everlasting shame and contempt to which sinners shall rise, (Dan. xii. 2. ) shall redound to the everlasting honour and praise of that God to whom vengeance belongs. PSALM LXXXIV. Though David's name be not in the title of this psalm, yet we have reason to think he was tiie penman of it, be- cause it breathes so much of his excellent spirit, and is so like to the 63d psalm, which was penned by him; it is supposed that David penned this psalm when lie was forced, by Absalom's rebellion, to quit his city, which he lamented his absence from, not so much because it was the royal city, as because it was the holy citv, witness this psalm, which contains the pious brcalhinffs of a gra- cious soul after God, and communion with hiin. Though it be not entitled, yet it may litly be looked upon asj^a psalm or sonp- for the sabbath-day, the day of our solemn assemblies. The psalmist here with great devotion ex- presses his affection, I. To the ordinances of God; his value for them, (v. 1.) his desire toward them, (v. 2, 3.) his conviction of the happiness of those that did enjoy Ihem, ( V. 4 . . 7. ) and his placing of his own happiness so very much in the enjoyment of them, v. 10. 11. To the God of the ordinances; his desire toward him, (v. 8, 9.) his faith in him, (v. 11.) and his conviction of the hap- piness of those that put their confidence in him, v. 12. In singing this psalm, we should have the same devout affections working toward God, that David had, and then the singing of it will be very pleasant.

To the chief musician upon Gittith. A psalm for the sons of Korah. 1 . XTO W amiable are thy tabernacles, O JOL Lord of hosts ! 2. My soul long- eth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord ; my hearf and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 3. Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house : they will be still praising thee. Selah. 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee ; in whose heart are the ya.ys of the??!, 6. Who passing through the valley of Baca, make it a well": the rain also filleth the pools. 7. They go from strength to strength ; ever?/ one of them in Zion appeareth before God. The psalmist here, being by force restrained from waiting upon God in public ordinances, by the want of them is brought under a more sensible conviction than ever of the worth of them. Obsen^e, I. The wonderful beauty he saw in holy institu