Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 3.djvu/565

Rh burthens, of an afflicted state, that the spirit may not fail. Strengthen me according to that word. (Deut. xxxiii. 25.) As thy day, so shall thy strength be."

(2.) That God would keep him from using any unlawful, indirect, means for the extricating of himself out of his troubles; (v. 29.) Remove from me the way of lying. David was conscious to himself of a proneness to this sin; he had, in a strait, cheated Ahimelech, (1 Sam. xxi. 2.) and Achish, v. 13. and ch. xxvii. 10. Great difficulties are great temptations to palliate a lie with colour of a pious fraud, and a necessary self-defence; therefore David prays, that God would prevent him from falling into this sin any more, lest he should settle in the way of it. A course of lying, of deceit, and dissimulation, is that which every good man dreads, and which we are all concerned to beg of God by his grace to keep us from.

(3.) That he might always be under the conduct and protection of God's government; Grant me thy law graciously; grant me that to keep me from the way of lying. David had the law written with his own hand; for the king was obliged to transcribe a copy of it for his own use; (Deut. xvii. 18.) but he prays that he might have it written in his heart; for then, and then only, we have it indeed, and to good purpose. "Grant it me more and more." They that know and love the law of God, cannot but desire to know it more, and love it better. Grant it me graciously; he begs it as a special token of God's favour. Note, We ought to reckon God's law a grant, a gift, an unspeakable gift, to value it, and pray for it, and to give thanks for it accordingly. The divine code of institutes and precepts is indeed a charter of privileges; and God is truly gracious to those whom he makes truly gracious by giving them his law.

30. I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me. 31. I have stuck unto thy testimonies:, put me not to shame. 32. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

1. That those who will make any thing to purpose of their religion must first make it their serious and deliberate choice: so David did; I have chosen the way of truth. Note, (1.) The way of serious godliness is the way of truth; the principles it is founded on are of eternal truth, and it is the only true way to happiness. (2.) We must therefore choose to walk in this way, not because we know no other way, but because we know no better; nay, we know no other safe and good way. Let us choose that way for our way, which we will walk in, though it be narrow.

2. That those who have chosen the way of truth must have a constant regard to the word of God as the rule of their walking; Thy judgments have I laid before me; as he who learns to write lays his copy before him, that he may write according to it, as the workman lays his model and platform before him, that he may do his work exactly. As we must have the word in our heart, by an habitual conformity to it, so we must have it in our eye, by an actual regard to it upon all occasions, that we may walk accurately and by rule.

3. That those who make religion their choice and rule are likely to adhere to it faithfully; "I have stuck to thy testimonies with an unchanged affection, and an unshaken resolution; stuck to them at all times, through all trials. I have chosen them, and therefore I have stuck to them." Note, The choosing Christian is likely to be the steady Christian; those that are Christians by chance tack about, if the wind turn.

4. That those who stick to the word of God may in faith expect and pray for acceptance with God; for David means that, when he begs, "Lord, put me not to shame; never leave me to do that by which I shall shame myself, and do thou not reject my services, which will put me to the greatest confusion."

5. That the more comfort God gives us, the more duty he expects from us, v. 32. Here we have, (1.) His resolution to go on vigorously in religion; I will run the way of thy commandments. Those that are going to heaven should make haste thither, and be still pressing forward. It concerns us to redeem time and take pains, and to go on in our business with cheerfulness; we then run the way of our duty when we are ready to it, and pleasant in it, and lay aside every weight, Heb. xii. 1. (2.) His dependence upon God for grace to do so; "I shall then abound in thy works, when thou shalt enlarge my heart." God, by his Spirit, enlarges the hearts of his people, when he gives them wisdom; for that is called largeness of heart, 1 Kings iv. 29. When he sheds abroad the love of God in the heart, and puts gladness there. The joy of our Lord should be wheels to our obedience.

5. HE. 33. Teach me,, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end. 34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

Here, 1. David prays earnestly that God himself would be his Teacher; he had prophets, and wise men, and priests, about him, and was himself well-instructed in the law of God, yet he begs to be taught of God, as knowing that none teaches like him, Job xxxvi. 22. Observe here, (1.) What he desires to be taught; not the notions or language of God's statutes, but the way of them; "The way of applying them to myself, and governing myself by them; teach me the way of my duty which thy statutes prescribe, and in every doubtful case let me know what thou wouldest have me to do, let me hear the word behind me, saying, This is the way, walk in it," Isa. xxx. 21. (2.) How he desires to be taught; in such a way as no man could teach him; Lord, give me understanding. As the God of nature, he has given us intellectual powers and faculties; but here we are taught to pray, that, as the God of grace, he would give us understanding to use those powers and faculties about the great things which belong to our peace, which, through the corruption of nature, we are averse to; Give me understanding, an enlightened understanding; for it is as good to have no understanding at all as not to have it sanctified. Nor will the spirit of revelation in the word answer the end, unless we have the spirit of wisdom in the heart. This is that which we are indebted to Christ for; for the Son of God is come, and has given us understanding, 1 John v. 20.

2. He promises faithfully that he would be a good scholar; if God would teach him, he was sure he should learn to good purpose; "I shall keep thy law, which I shall never do unless I be taught of God, and therefore I earnestly desire that I may be taught." If God, by his Spirit, gives us a right and good understanding, we shall be, (1.) Constant in our obedience; "I shall keep it to the end, to the end of my life, which will be the surest proof of sincerity." It will not avail the traveller to keep the way for a while, if he do not keep it to the end of his journey. (2.) Cordial in our obedience;