Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 3.djvu/581

Rh Here is, 1. David's petition for divine instruction; "Teach me thy statutes; give me to know all my duty; when I am in doubt, and know not for certain what is my duty, direct me, and make it plain to me; now that I am afflicted, oppressed, and mine eyes ready to fail for thy salvation, let me know what my duty is, in this condition." In difficult times, we should desire more to be told what we must do, than what we may expect; and should pray more to be led into the knowledge of scripture-precepts than of scripture-prophecies. If God, who gave us his statutes, do not teach us, we shall never learn them. How God teaches, is implied in the next petition. Give me understanding, a renewed understanding, apt to receive divine light, that I may know thy testimonies. It is God's prerogative to give an understanding, that understanding, without which we cannot know God's testimonies. Those who know most of God's testimonies desire to know more, and are still earnest with God to teach them, never thinking they know enough.

2. His pleas to enforce this petition.

(1.) He pleads God's goodness to him; Deal with me according to thy mercy. The best saints count this their best plea for any blessing, "Let me have it according to thy mercy;" for we deserve no favour from God, nor can we claim any as a debt, but we are then most likely to be easy, when we cast ourselves upon God's mercy, and refer ourselves to it. Particularly, when we come to him for instruction, we must beg it as a mercy, and reckon that in being taught we are well dealt with.

(2.) He pleads his relation to God; "I am thy servant, and have work to do for thee, therefore teach me to do it, and to do it well." The servant has reason to expect, that, if he be at a loss about his work, his master should teach him, and if it were in his power, give him an understanding. "Lord," says David, "I desire to serve thee, show me how." If any man resolve to do God's will as his servant, he shall be made to know his testimonies, John vii. 17. Ps. xxv. 14.

126. It is time for thee,, to work; for they have made void thy law.

Here is, 1. A complaint of the daring impiety of the wicked; David, having in himself a holy indignation at it, humbly represents it to God. "Lord, there are those that have made void thy law, have set thee and thy government at defiance, and have done what in them lay to cancel and vacate the obligation of thy commands. They that sin through infirmity transgress the law, but presumptuous sinners do, in effect, make void the law, saying, Who is the Lord? What is the Almighty, that we should fear him? It is possible a godly man may sin against the commandment, but a wicked man would sin away the commandment, would repeal God's laws, and enact his own lusts. This is the sinfulness of sin, and the malignity of the carnal mind.

2. A desire that God would appear for the vindication of his own honour. "It is time for thee, Lord, to work, to do something for the effectual confutation of atheists and infidels, and the silencing of those that set their mouth against the heavens." God's time to work, is, when vice is become most daring, and the measure of iniquity is full. Now will I arise, saith the Lord. Some read it, and the original will bear it, it is time to work for thee, O Lord; it is time for every one in his place to appear on the Lord's side, against the threatening growth of profaneness and immorality. We must do what we can for the support of the sinking interests of religion, and after all, we must beg of God to take the work into his own hands.

127. Therefore I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold. 128. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

David here, as often in this psalm, professes the great love he had to the word and law of God; and, to evidence the sincerity of it, observe,

1. The degree of his love. He loved his Bible better than he loved his money; above gold, yea, above fine gold. Gold, fine gold, is what most men set their hearts upon; nothing charms them and dazzles their eyes so as gold does; it is fine gold, a fine thing in their eyes; they, will venture their souls, their God, their all, to get and keep it: but David saw that the word of God answers all purposes better than money does; for it enriches the soul toward God, and therefore he loved it better than gold; for it had done that for him which gold could not do, and would stand him in stead when the wealth of the world would fail him.

2. The ground of his love. Therefore he loved all God's commandments, because he esteemed them to be right, all reasonable and just, and suited to the end for which they were made. They are all as they should be, and no fault can be found with them; and therefore we must love them, because they bear God's image, and are the revelations of his will. If we thus consent to the law, that it is good, we shall delight in it after the inner man.

3. The fruit and evidence of this love; He hated every false way. The way of sin being directly contrary to God's precepts, which are right, is a false way, and therefore they that have a love and esteem for God's law, hate it, and will not be reconciled to it.

17. PE. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.

See here, how David was affected toward the word of God.

1. He admired it, as most excellent in itself; Thy testimonies are wonderful. The word of God gives us admirable discoveries of God, and Christ, and another world; admirable proofs of divine love and grace. The majesty of the style, the purity of the matter, the harmony of the parts, are all wonderful; its effects upon the consciences of men, both for conviction and comfort, are wonderful; and it is a sign that we are not acquainted with God's testimonies, or do not understand them, if we do not admire them.

2. He adhered to it, as of constant use to him; "Therefore doth my soul keep them, as a treasure of inestimable value, which I cannot be without." We do not keep them to any purpose, unless our souls keep them; there they must be deposited as the tables of the testimony in the ark, there they must have the innermost and uppermost place. They that see God's word to be admirable, will prize it highly, and preserve it carefully, as that which they promise themselves great things from.

130. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Here is, 1. The great use for which the word of God was intended; to give light, that is, to give understanding; to give us to understand that which will be of use to us in our travels through this world; and it is the outward and ordinary means by which the Spirit of God enlightens the understanding of all that are sanctified. God's testimonies are not only wonderful, for the greatness of them, but useful, as a light in a dark place.

2. Its efficacy for this purpose; it admirably