The Saints Sacrifice, Section 58
§. 58. Of the meaning and parts of the ninth Verſe.
PSAL. CXVI. IX.
I will walke before the Lord in the land of the living.
THe Prophets *See § 2, 43.proteſtation for his outward converſation is here generally propounded.
This phraſe I will walke, is taken diverſly. Some take it for an expreſſion of his confidence in the continuance of Gods favour towards him: that God who had freed him out of the jaws of death, would now continue him in the land of the living, there to remaine, and abide before the Lord. Ancient Engliſh Tranſlators enclining to this ſenſe, thus interpret it, I ſhall walke, in relation to the divine providence, whereby he ſhould be preſerved yet longer to live on earth: ſo as, according to this acception, to walke before the Lord, is to live to advance the glory of God. A pious interpretation this is. But this phraſe of walking before the Lord, is in Scripture moſt frequently uſed to ſet out a duty on mans part, rather then a kindneſſe on Gods part: for God requireth it of aGen 17. 1.Abraham as a duty: and commendeth b2 Chro. 6. 16David for it, as for a duty performed by him. To this acception do the Kings Tranſlators incline, and tranſlate it as a promiſe made on the Prophets part to God, thus, I will walke. By this manner of expreſſing his purpoſe under a ſolemne promiſe, he bindeth himſelfe to performe the duty promiſed. This word, walke, importeth a motion, and a proceeding on in that motion ſtep by ſtep, from place to place. Metaphorically it is taken for a practice of good or evill. The words joyned with it will ſhew what kind of practice it importeth. c1 King. 15. 26To walk in the way of the wicked is to practice evill: dIer 7. 6.To walke after other Gods is to practice Idolatry. But ePſal. 119. 1.to walk in the law of the Lord, is to practice what that law requireth: fIſa. 33. 15.To walke in righteouſneſſe, is to practiſe and deale righteouſly. The verb in the Hebrew is of the *Hithpael.ſeventh conjugation, which implieth a reciprocation or reiteration of an action. Some learned and judicious Expoſitors indeſinen…r ambulabo. Trem. & I…n. Trip…ex eſt ſig…i ficatio Hithp. …. 1 Recioroca▪ 2 Paſſiva. 3 Frequentativa.to expreſſe the emphaſis of the Conjugation, thus tranſlate it, gforeignI will continually walke.
Theſe words *foreignbefore the LORD (word for word at the face, or in the preſence of the Lord) do determine the kind of walking which he intendeth: namely ſuch an one, as he would not be afraid, or aſhamed that the Lord ſhould ſee: but ſuch a walking as the Lord ſhould well like and approve. In other places to this kind of walking theſe phraſes are added, hGen …. 2…. foreignwith God, i2 King. 23 3 foreignafter the Lord, kCol 1 10. foreign.worthy of the Lord: all which in effect import one and the ſame thing. He that walks with God, ſo carieth himſelfe as knowing God is by him. He that walks after the Lord, behaveth himſelfe a… a ſervant following his maſter, and is ever at hand to doe what his maſter requireth. He that walks worthy of the Lord, ſo demeaneth himſelfe as becommeth a ſervant of the Lord, ſo as the Lord may be honoured by him. He that walketh before the Lord, doth all things as in the ſight of the Lord, whom he knoweth to be lPſal. 139. 7.every where preſent, to m—12.ſee in the darke as well as in the light, and to be nIer. 17. 10.a ſearcher of the heart: and thereby he is moved in all places open and ſecret, at all times, day and night, in deed, in word, in thought to have ſuch reſpect to God, as to doe nothing, but that he which ſeeth it, may approve it; nor to make ſhew of more then he intendeth, but to doe the good which he doth ſincerely, oCol 3. 23. Heb. 11. 5.heartily, as to the Lord. The Apoſtle that was guided by the ſame ſpirit that he which penned Henoks hiſtory was, having relation to that hiſtory, ſaith, Before his tranſlation he had this teſtimony that he pleaſed God. What Moſes ſtileth walking with God, the Apoſtle expoundeth pleaſing God. The intent therefore of the Pſalmiſt here is to endeavour to pleaſe God.
That this intention of his may not ſeeme to be put off till it be too late, and he in the grave, where none can walke, where no worke can be done, he addeth the place where he duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page would ſo walke, In the land of the living. On earth there be diverſe diviſions for habitation, and therefore he expreſſeth the word in the plurall number thus, *foreign in regio…ibus.in the regions, implying that in what place ſoever he ſhould be, he would walke before the Lord.
The living are here oppoſed to the dead: ſo as the land of the living, is a deſcription of the place and time where and while, men live in this world. In this ſenſe is this phraſe frequently uſed in the Old Teſtament. In another Pſalme this time of life is ſtiled pPſal. 56. 13.the light of the living, in oppoſition to death which is thus deſcribed, qIob 10. 22.A land of darkneſſe as darkneſſe it ſelfe.
Thus this verſe ſetteth out The duty of him that is delivered from a deadly danger: Concerning which here is expreſſed,
1 The Matter. I will walke
2 The Manner. Before the Lord
3 The Place and Time. In the land of the living.
This Promiſe of walking, being inferred upon his former profeſſion of his affection towards God, and reſolution to reſt on him, ſheweth that,
I. Mans inward affection to God muſt be manifested by his outward converſation.
The Metaphor of walking, which is a going on and proceeding forward: and the conjugation wherein the word is uſed, which noteth a reiteration, giveth us to underſtand, that,
II. Saints muſt proceed in their approved practice.
The rule that he preſcribeth to himſelfe for his walking, which is this, Before the Lord, teacheth that,
III. Eye must be had to God in every action.
The deſcription of the Place in this phraſe, The land of the living, declareth that,
IIII. This world is a place and time of life.
The end of deſcribing this Place and Time thus, which is to ſet out the proper place and ſeaſonable time of walking before God, importeth that,
V. While men live they muſt endeavour to pleaſe God.
The manner of expreſſing this duty under a ſolemne promiſe thus, I will walke, implieth that,
VI. Saints muſt bind themſelves to duty.
The inference of this verſe wherein his duty is declared, upon the former wherein Gods kindneſſe is manifeſted, demonſtrateth that,
VII. Manifeſtation of Gods good pleaſure to man, must make man carefull to pleaſe God.