Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 3.djvu/585

Rh business all day, but that will excuse no man from secret devotion; it is better to take time from sleep, us David did, than not to find time for prayer. And this is our comfort, when we pray in the night, that we can never come unseasonably to the throne of grace; for we may have access to it at all hours. Baal may be asleep, but Israel's God never slumbers, nor are there any hours in which he may not be spoken with.

149. Hear my voice, according unto thy loving-kindness:, quicken me according to thy judgment.

Here, 1. David applies himself to God for grace and comfort, with much solemnity. He begs of God to hear his voice; "Lord, I have something to say to thee; shall I obtain a gracious audience?" Well, what has he to say? What is his petition, and what is his request? It is not long, but it has much in a little; "Lord, quicken me; stir me up to that which is good, and make me vigorous and lively, and cheerful in it. Let habits of grace be drawn out into act."

2. He encourages himself to hope that he shall obtain his request; for he depends, (1.) Upon God's loving-kindness; "He is good, therefore he will be good to me, who hope in his mercy. His loving-kindness manifested to me will help to quicken me, and put life into me." 2. Upon God's judgment, that is, his wisdom; "He knows what I need, and what is good for me, and therefore will quicken me." Or his promise, the word which he has spoken, mercy secured by the new covenant; Quicken me, according to the tenor of that covenant.

150. They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law. 151. Thou art near, ; and all thy commandments are truth.

Here is, 1. The apprehension David was in of danger from his enemies. (1.) They were very malicious, and industrious in prosecuting their malicious designs; they follow after mischief, any mischief they could do to David or his friends; they would let slip no opportunity, nor let fall any pursuit, that might be to his hurt. (2.) They were very impious, and had no fear of God before their eyes; They are far from thy law; setting themselves as far as they can out of the reach of its convictions and commands. The persecutors of God's people are such as make light of God himself; we may therefore be sure that God will take his people's part against them. (3.) They followed him close, and he was just ready to fall into their hands; They draw nigh, nigher than they were; so that they got ground of him: they were at his heels, just upon his back. God sometimes suffers persecutors to prevail very far against his people, so that, as David said, (1 Sam. xx. 3.) There is but a step between them and death. Perhaps this comes in here as a reason why David was so earnest in prayer, v. 149. God brings us into imminent perils, as he did Jacob, that, like him, we may wrestle for a blessing.

2. The assurance David had of protection with God; "They draw nigh to destroy me, but thou art near; O Lord, to save me; not only mightier than they, and therefore able to help me against them, but nearer than they, and therefore ready to help." It is the happiness of the saints, that, when trouble is near, God is near, and no trouble can separate between them and him. He is never far to seek, but he is within our call, and means are within his call, Deut. iv. 7. All thy commandments are truth. The enemies thought to defeat the promises God had made to David, but he was sure it was out of their power, they were inviolably true, and would be infallibly performed.

152. Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.

This confirms what he had said in the close of the foregoing verses, All thy commandments are truth; he means the covenant, the word which God has commanded to a thousand generations. This is firm, as true as truth itself. For,

1. God has founded it so; he has framed it for a perpetuity; such is the constitution of it, and so well ordered is it in all things, that it cannot but be sure. The promises are founded for ever, so that, when heaven and earth are passed away, every iota and tittle of the promise shall stand firm, 2 Cor. i. 20.

2. David had found it so; both by a work of God's grace upon his heart, (begetting in him a full persuasion of the truth of God's word, and enabling him to rely upon it with a full satisfaction,) and by the works of his providence on his behalf, fulfilling the promise beyond what he expected. Thus he knew of old, from the days of his youth, ever since he began to look toward God, that the word of God is what one may venture one's all upon. This assurance was confirmed by the observations and experiences of his own life, all along, and of others that had gone before him in the ways of God. All that ever dealt with God, and trusted in him, will own that they have found him faithful.

20. RESH. 153. Consider mine affliction, and deliver me; for I do not forget thy law. 154. Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.

Here, 1. David prays for succour in distress. ''Is any afflicted? Let him pray;'' let him pray as David does here. (1.) He has an eye to God's pity, and prays, "Consider mine affliction; take it into thy thoughts, and all the circumstances of it, and sit not by as one unconcerned." God is never unmindful of his people's afflictions, but he will have us to put him in remembrance, (Isa. xliii. 26.) to spread our case before him, and then leave it to his compassionate consideration to do in it as in his wisdom he shall think fit, in his own time and way. (2.) He has an eye to God's power, and prays, Deliver me; and again, "Deliver me; consider my troubles, and bring me out of them." God has promised deliverance; (l. 15.) and we may pray for it, with submission to his will, and with regard to his glory, that we may serve him the better. (3.) He has an eye to God's righteousness, and prays, "Plead my cause; be thou my Patron and Advocate, and take me for thy client." David had a just cause, but his adversaries were many and mighty, and he was in danger of being run down by them; he therefore begs of God to clear his integrity, and silence their false accusations. If God do not plead his people's cause, who will? He is righteous, and they commit themselves to him, and therefore he will do it, and do it effectually, Isa. li. 22. Jer. l. 34. (4.) He has an eye to God's grace, and prays, "Quicken me; Lord, I am weak, and unable to bear my troubles; my spirit is apt to droop and sink. O that thou wouldest revive and comfort me, till the deliverance is wrought!"

2. He pleads his dependence upon the word of God, and upon his guidance; Quicken, and deliver me, according to thy word of promise; for I do not forget thy precepts. The closer we cleave to the word of God, both as our rule, and as our stay, the more assurance we may have of deliverance in due time. —4 D