Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 3.djvu/564

556 and his case, and have been more generous; Princes did sit, sit in counsel, sit in judgment, and speak against me. What even princes say is not always right; but it is sad when judgment is thus turned to wormwood, when those that should be the protectors of the innocent are their betrayers. Herein David was a type of Christ, for they were the princes of this world that vilified and crucified the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. ii. 8.

2. What method he took to make himself easy under these abuses; he meditated in God's statutes, went on in his duty, and did not regard them; as a deaf man, he heard not: when they spake against him, he found that in the word of God which spake for him, and spake comfort to him, and then none of these things moved him. They that have pleasure in communion with God, may easily despise the censures of men, even of princes.

24. Thy testimonies also are my delight, and my counsellors.

Here David explains his meditating in God's statutes, (v. 23.) which was of such use to him when princes sat and spake against him.

1. Did the affliction make him sad? The word of God comforted him, and was his delight, more his delight than any of the pleasures either of court or camp, of city or country. Sometimes it proves that the comforts of the word of God are most pleasant to a gracious soul then when other comforts are imbittered.

2. Did it perplex him? Was he at a loss what to do when the princes spake against him? God's statutes were his counsellors, and they counselled him to bear it patiently, and commit his cause to God. God's testimonies will be the best counsellors, both to princes and private persons; They are the men of my counsel; so the word is. There will be found more safety and satisfaction in consulting them than in the multitude of other counsellors. Observe here, Those that would have God's testimonies to be their delight, must take them for their counsellors, and be advised by them; and let those that take them for their counsellors in close walking, take them for their delight in comfortable walking.

4. DALETH. 25. My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

Here is, 1. David's complaint. We should have thought his soul soaring to heaven; but he says himself, My soul not only rolls in the dust, but cleaves to the dust; which is a complaint, either, (1.) Of his corruptions, his inclination to the world and the body, (both which are dust,) and that which follows upon it, a deadness to holy duties; when he would do good, evil was present with him. God intimated that Adam was not only mortal, but sinful, when he said, Dust thou art, Gen. iii. 19. David's complaint here is like St. Paul's, of a body of death that he carried about with him. The remainders of in-dwelling corruption are a very grievous burthen to a gracious soul. Or, (2.) Of his afflictions, either trouble of mind or outward trouble; without were fightings, within were fears, and both together brought him even to the dust of death, (xxii. 15.) and his soul clave inseparably to it.

2. His petition for relief, and his plea to enforce that petition; "Quicken thou me according to thy word. By thy providence put life into my affairs, by thy grace put life into my affections; cure me of my spiritual deadness, and make me lively in my devotion." Note, When we find ourselves dull, we must go to God, and beg of him to quicken us; he has an eye to God's word as a means of quickening, (for the words which God speaks, they are spirit and they are life to those that receive them,) and as an encouragement to hope that God would quicken him, having promised grace and comfort to all the saints, and to David in particular. God's word must be our guide and plea in every prayer.

26. I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes. 27. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

We have here,

1. The great intimacy and freedom that had been between David and his God. David had opened his case, opened his very heart to God; "I have declared my ways, and acknowledged thee in them all, have taken thee along with me in all my designs and enterprises." Thus Jephthah uttered all his words, and Hezekiah spread his letters before the Lord. "I have declared my ways, my wants, and burthens, and troubles, that I meet with in my way; or my sins, my by-ways, I have made an ingenuous confession of them, and thou heardest me, heardest patiently all I had to say, and tookest cognizance of my case." It is an unspeakable comfort to a gracious soul to think with what tenderness all its complaints are received by a gracious God, 1 John v. 14, 15.

2. David's earnest desire of the continuance of that intimacy; not by visions and voices from heaven, but by the word and Spirit in an ordinary way; Teach me thy statutes, that is, Make me to understand the way of thy precepts. When he knew God had heard his declaration of his ways, he does not say, "Now, Lord, tell me my lot, and let me know what the event will be;" but, "Now, Lord, tell me my duty, let me know what thou wouldest have me to do, as the case stands." Note, Those who in all their ways acknowledge God, may pray in faith that he will direct their steps in the right way. And the surest way of keeping up our communion with God, is, by learning his statutes, and walking intelligently in the way of his precepts. See 1 John i. 6, 7.

3. The good use he would make of this, for the honour of God and the edification of others; "Let me have a good understanding of the way of thy precepts, give me a clear, distinct, and methodical, knowledge of divine things; so shall I talk, with the more assurance, and more to the purpose, of thy wondrous works." We can talk with a better grace of God's wondrous works, the wonders of providence, and especially the wonders of redeeming love, when we understand the way of God's precepts, and walk in that way.

28. My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. 29. Remove from me the way of lying; and grant me thy law graciously.

Here is, 1. David's representation of his own griefs; My soul melteth for heaviness, which is to the same purport with v. 25. My soul cleaveth to the dust. Heaviness in the heart of man makes it to melt, to drop away like a candle that wastes. The penitent soul melts in sorrow for sin, and even the patient soul may melt in the sense of affliction, and it is then its interest to pour out its soul before God.

2. His request for God's grace.

(1.) That God would enable him to bear his affliction well, and graciously support him under it; "Strengthen thou me with strength in my soul, according to thy word, which, as the bread of life, strengthens man's heart to undergo whatever God is pleased to inflict. Strengthen me to do the duties, resist the temptations, and bear up under the