Works, Part 4 · Biblical exegesis 1 · Portion 5
THE 5. PORTION.
¶ Verse. 33.
Teach me ô Lord the way of thy statutes, and I will keepe it vntounto the ende.
I obserue that in this one octonarie, which is not to be found in any of the rest, namely, that in eueryevery seuerall verse there is a seuerall prayer. In the first whereof he prayeth to be taught, and then promiseth to take that which God shall teach him. He had before resolued to runne in this way, but he felt forthwith his owne naturall aberrations, and therefore commeth to this guide to be taught.
Teach me O Lord) As the Eunuch in the Acts desires Philip to teach him, and a schollet in the schoole his maister to teach him, or a stranger in his iourney some guyde to teach him: so Dauid heere desires God to teach him. It seemes this way is hard to be found by any man, and worthie to be found out by all men, in which Dauid so often desires to be directed. He was no doubt a guide to the blinde, an instruct…r of the ignorant, and a learned scholler in the schoole of Christ, but fearing all his owne wayes, and hungring after greater knowledge, which is as the principall wheele of a clocke to the rest, he still be…aketh himselfe vntounto prayer. Why then shall we thinke that if he hauehave once gotten a gli…pse of Gods glory reuealed in his word, a sma…ch of that knowledge manifested in his will, a tast of that sweetnes which is in his Lawe, or some vnderstanding of that way which leadeth to life, we hauehave enough, and are of our selues able t… behold that glorie, apprehend that knowledge, relish that sweetnes, or runne on in that way? O let vsus rather say as Dauid doth, Teach me ô Lord.
Thus the faithfull, after God hath liberally bestowed on them great graces, ought alwaies to walke in feare and humilitie, knowing that they are subiect to many temptations, which they are neuer able to resist, vnles he that hath begunne his good worke in them, doe make them to continue in the same.
And I will keepe it vntounto the ende) It is not enough to begin well, but we must goe on: this is the comeplement of true pietie, righteousnesse: Is our garment, it must be like Iosephs partie coloured coate, downe to the heeles: not like that of Dauids Ambassadors cut off in the middest. It is the Christians sacrifice, and God requires not onelyonly the head, that is the beginning, but also the tayle, that is the ending of this sacrifice. Remember Lots wife; let vsus reade that historie, least we our selues become an historie.
¶ Verse. 34.
GiueGive me vnderstanding, and I will keepe thy Law; yea I will keepe it with my whole heart.
GiueGive me vnderstanding &c.) We thinke that wisedome is only found amongst the politicians of this world, & that he who can prouide for himselfe, preuent his enemie, circumuent his friend, and see furthest into the affayres of this world, he is the man, yea the onelyonly wise man. But Dauid here thinks that true wisedome is in vnderstanding and keeping the Lawe of God. Moses thought so Deutr. 6. Salomon thought so, Prou. 1. 6. Iob thought so, chapt. 28. 28. and hee that is not of this minde, shall one day be enforced to say, Alas I hauehave reiected the word of the Lord, and what wisedome is in me? Isa. 8. If any one therefore doe want this true wisedome, let him as Dauid doth, and Iames exhorteth all to doe, aske it of him who giueth liberally to all men, and vpbraydeth none. Iames. 1. 6.
And I will keepe it with my whole heart,) As he promised before p…seuerance, so he promiseth sinceritie. The heart is the Christian sacrifice: the fountaine of all both good and euill actions: and the principall gift which God beggeth at our hands, My sonne giuegive me thy heart. It was once … saying of the Bishop of Rome, when he would giuegive licence to our English Catholiques, to come vntounto our Churches, and so be present at our prayers, Fili da mihi cor tuum, & s…ssicit, Sonne giuegive me thine heart and it sufficeth: but he hath retracted this his teleration, now he will hauehave all, or nothing. Our God is not like their God, our aduersaries being iudges. He indeed requireth the heart, because if we bestow it on him, we will forthwith giuegive him all the rest. Let vsus not thinke that any seruice pleaseth God, but that which proceedeth out of an honest hart, a good conscience, and faith vnfained.
¶ Verse. 35.
Direct me in the path of thy commandements▪ for therein is my delight.
STill Dauid sees the necessitie of walking in Gods way, and his owne pronenes to runne out of that way: therefore he desires direction from the Lord: that as he had giuen him a desire, so he would enable him to performe. Questionles we are of our selues readie enough like vnbrideled horses in the wayes of this world, to runne our selues euen out of breath, and we hauehave many occasions heere to spurre vsus on: onelyonly the Lord can keepe vsus in this path: therefore must wee pray for his direction: which if we once obtaine, wee shall not wander either in iudgement or practise out of the right path.
For therein is my delight.) I take pleasure in nothing more then hauing a right vnderstanding of the Lawe, to performe obedience to thee according to the same. Of this delight we shall speake verse. 92. In the meane time note that Dauid in this was a type of Christ, to whom it was meate and drinke to doe the will of his Father which sent him. Ioh. 5.
¶ Verse. 36.
Incline mine heart vntounto thy testimonies, and not vntounto couetousnes.
IN the 3. former verses are three petitions concerning Gods way: In the first he desireth instruction, teach me: in the second apprehension, giuegive me vnderstanding: in the third, direction, direct me. But because, he sawe many stumbling blocks in this way, some offered to his heart as couetousnes, others to his eyes as vanitie, in this and the next verse he desireth the remouall of them both.
Incline mine heart to thy testimonies:) Who now can thinke that mans heart can of it owne accord be carried on to knowledge of Gods will reuealed in his word, and of it selfe practise the same, when he shall but consider this prayer of Dauid, who though he was a man according to Gods owne heart, yet durst not presume vponupon his owne heart, with this gracious inclination from the Lord.
The most excellent wits that euer hauehave beene, or shalbe, will proue in the ende great instruments of Sathan, and false witnesses against these testimonies of God, vnlesse it please him to refine them by his spirit, and incline their hearts to his testimonies.
And not vntounto couetousnes) I take it that praying against this one sinne, he prayeth against all other sinnes, as pride, malice, Luxurie, lust, &c. But this one is heere named, because, asTim. 6▪ 10. the Apostle saith, it is the roote of all euill. For as there is no braunch of a tree, but it is nourished by the roote, no streame of a riuer, but hath his currant from the spring, & no veyne in the body, but hath his blood from the liuer: so is there no one sinne, no, not the life of man, which ha… not life and liuelihood from this one sinne. 1. It is as (I may say) the …other sinne, breeding, and bringing vp all the rest. Like mother, like daughters, all bad: but couetousnes is the worst of all. Yet I know not how it commeth to passe, that men are now a daies called good men, not of their goodnes, but of their goods: he is the best man that hath the best purse, monie is the man, yea the whole man. From the peeres to the pesant, all are enamoured with Ladie Lucre. But why should they be so? is wealth any thing else but thicke clay? is it not a part of that refined earth, which man ought to treade vnderunder his feete? when in the infancie of the Church, possessions were sold, the money was laid at the Apostles feete, Acts. 4. to signifie (as some thinke) that we must rather trample vponupon and contemne this trash, then to hauehave ouer great admiration of it▪ Alas! why should we labour so after things temporall, that they hinder vsus from getting things eternall? what will it profit a man to get the whole world, and in the end loose his owne soule? shall we preferre monie before God? before heauen? before our owne soules? can it giuegive satisfaction to vsus? No it cannot. Mans heart indeede is so little of it selfe, that it will scant giuegive a kite her breakefast, yet is the desire thereof so infinite that the whole world cannot satisfie it. Are we the better because we are rich? no more then the horse is for his gaye trappings. Can we carrie them away with vsus? nay we brought nothing into this world, and it is certaine we shall carrie nothing out. The sumpter horse may carrie all the day treasure on his backe, but at night it is taken from him, and he carrieth nothing into the stable, but often times a galled backe by reason of his burden. Dauid saith, if riches encrease set not your heart vponupon them. Salomon saith, he that trusteth in his riches shall fall. Christ saith,Psal. 62. 10. Prou. 11. 28. Matth. 19. 24. …. Tim. 6. 9. 1. Tim. 6. 17. it is harder for a rich man to enter into heauen then for a camell to goe through a needles eye. Paul saith, they that will be rich fall into many temptations and snares: and therefore chargeth Timothie to charge rich men that they trust not in vncertaine riches. I say then with our Sauiour Christ, take heede and beware of couetousnes, and that you may pray euer with this blessed Prophet, Incline mine heart to thy statutes, and not vntounto couetousnesse.
¶ Verse. 37.
Turne away mine eyes from regarding vanitie, and quicken me in thy way.
HEre he prayeth against the vanitie of the eye, which in truth is a vanitie of vanities. Thus Vanitie seduced Heuah, entangled Gods children, corrupted Dinah, endangered Sarah, enchaunted Dauid, allured Achan, and by these windowes many sinnes enter into the soule. Reade in this booke that godly chapter of the gouernement of the eyes, and in an other booke the vanitie of the eye, and with Iob make a couenant with your eyes, and with Dauid pray, turne away mine eyes &c. and you shall looke better all the dayes of your life. It were better to hauehave none eye, then either a wanton, or a wicked eye. If such an eye offend thee, pluck it out.
And quicken me in thy way) he considers his owne deadnes and dulnes of spirit, and he desires God to quicken him in his way, this pronoune thy is very emphaticall, opposing Gods way to mans way. The Lord is righteous in all his wayes, Psal. 1. 45. 18. all the waies of God are merciemercy and truth. Psal. 25. The waies of men are altogether vanitie, and leade to death and destruction. OnelyOnly this way giueth sound comfort to the soule of man. Truth it is, that the wayes of men are pleasant for a time, but the issues thereof are the wayes of death. The wayes of God are difficult and dangerous, but at the last they will bring thee to heauen.
¶ Vers. 38.
Stablish thy promise to thy seruant, because be feareth thee.
WHat doth the Prophet in this verse? hee confesseth himselfe to be Gods seruant. An honorable seruice it is to serue God: an argumēt of his humilitie to acknowledge this seruitude. Hee desireth that God will make good his promise vntounto him, and this is all that hee will desire▪ God had promised that hee would make him King, that hee would deliuer him from his enemies, that hee would guide him, and quicken him in his way, by prayer he desireth the accomplishment of this promise. Out of this learne we, that as Dauid prayeth for nothing but that which God had promised to graunt, so wee ought to pray for nothing but that which he hath promised to graunt. If we thus aske according to his will, he will heare our prayers, and graunt our requests. But God promiseth nothing but to his seruants: he heareth not sinners, the prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord.
Because he feareth thee) And who would not feare thee O King of Nations? for to thee apper…in…th the dominion: for among all the wise men of the Gentiles, and in all their kingdomes there is none like thee. I…r. 10. 7. Some reade these wordes thus, that hee may feare thee, as if hee should hauehave saide, O Lord thou hast promised to bee good vntounto mee, I beseech thee establish this promise of thine, that I fearing thee, may trust in thee, and preferre thee before all earthly meanes in this world. And indeede, the true feare of God breedeth an holy securitie in the children of God. Others thinke that the Prophet by this doth proue, that hee is indeede the true seruant of the Lord, because his conscience telleth him, that hee feareth God aboue all earthly things, which in truth is a true note of a true seruant of the liuing God. But none must thinke that Dauid here doth alledge his owne merits, but onelyonly doth testifie that hee is not an vnfaithfull seruant, because the feare of the LORD was euer before his eyes, his seruice was not eye-seruice. Of the feare of GOD you may reade much in this booke.
¶ Vers. 39.
Take away from mee rebuke which I feare, for thy iudgements are good.
Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes, saith Salomon: Pr…u. 28. Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling, saith Paul, Philip. 2. 12. Take away from mee rebuke which I feare, saith Dauid. In the Hebrew it is, take away my rebuke: as if hee should hauehave saide, O Lord I may commit some such euill against thy good law, yea some such notorious transgression, as may tend to my shame: I beseech thee take it away▪ or else, I hauehave alreadie, O Lord by diuers sinnes, and by name through adultery and murther brought shame and rebuke vponupon my selfe amongst mē, I entreate thee to remoue this shame and rebuke. Out of the first Exposition wee learne. First, that the godly are subiect vntounto notorious sinnes. Secondly, that those sins wil cause shame in them, though the wicked wil not be ashamed. Thirdly, that God onelyonly can take away this shame. Fourthly, that we may pray for the remouing of shame euē amōgst mē, especially that which may bring with it some dishonour to God. Fiftly, that the godly are most iealous ouer themselues. Sixtly, the way to auoide sinne, is euer to bee afraide, least wee should sinne.
Out of the second Exposition note, that the remembrance of our former sinnes, must drawe out of vsus prayers vntounto God, that for them wee may not bee rebuked in displeasure in this life, nor confounded and abashed in the life to come.
But some doe yet make another interpretation of these wordes, and thinke that the Prophet heere praieth not onelyonly against those priuate contumelies and reproches which were cast out against him, because hee followed that which was good (though to an heroicall minde, any thing can bee better borne then reproch) but especially against those publique reproches which the aduersaries of the Church, obseruing the destruction of Gods lawe, and oppressions of Gods people, doe foame out against God himselfe, and say where is now their God. These Dauid feared: and because they were ioyned with the dishonour of God, and hurt of the Church hee prayeth against them.
Thus the Prophet feared least God should bee dishonoured, so ought wee: thus hee was grieued when Gods people were oppressed, so ought wee: thus hee made the rebukes of others his rebuke, so ought we: and thus hee prayed that this might be taken away, so ought wee.
For thy iudgements are good▪ ) The iudgements of the wicked are badde iudgements, but the iudgements of God are good: I pray against those, I appeale to these: I feare the one, I approue the other. Now the iudgements which God pronounceth in his word, be they threatnings in the law, or consolations in the Gospell, yea and those also which he executeth in the world, whether vponupon the godly or godlesse, they must needes be good, 1. Because God is goodnesse it selfe. 2, Hee cannot be deceiued. 3, He will not be corrupted. 4, Hee alone is no respecter of persons, but iudgeth according to eueryevery mans worke.
To this iudgement seate we may appeale: this righteous iudgement we must acknowledge; by this court if we be once tried, we may say with the Apostle. I passe not of mans iudgement, for he that iudgeth me is the Lord. What auaileth it if man absolue, and God condemne:…. Cor. 4. or if God condemne, and man absolue. Let them contemne the vnrighteous iudgements of men, who can in the testimonie of a good conscience approue themselues and all their actions before the righteous iudgement of God. Shall not the iudge of the whole world doe righteously? Genes. 18.
¶ Vers. 40.
Behold, I desire thy commaundements, quicken me in thy righteousnesse.
AS before he saide, that Gods iudgements are good, so now hee maketh his appeale to this iudge: and it is in effect thus much. O Lord my Lord, doe any doubt whether I desire thy commandements or not? I appeale vntounto that eye of thine that seeth all things, behold I desire. &c. I desire to knowe them, and I desire to obey them, yea with an earnest and ardent affection, I desire both to knowe and doe thy will.
Behold, I find this word vsed these seuerall wayes, 1. As a note of prediction, Isay. 7. 2. Of attention, Psal. 133. 3. Of admiration, Matth. 2. 4. Of admonition, Iohn: 5 14. 5. Of irrision, Ioh: 18. 6. Of testification, as in this and other places in which they desire God to behold that, which they are most willing he should be witnesse of. If God say to man behold, it argues the thing is worth seeing, and that man of himselfe is vnwilling to see it: if man say to God behold, it seemes it is a thing not hypocr…tically counterseyte, and that hee would hauehave him to behold it.
I desire thy commaundements.) O that this desire were in the people of this land: then the booke of God would be more in their hands, the knowledge of God would bee more in their hearts, and the practise of godlinesse more in their liues. They would come to learne, learne to liue, and liue so here, that they might liue euer hereafter: men would not make a shewe of godlinesse, and denye the power of it in their liues; but earnestly desire that the good worke begunne by the Lord, it might in due time bee accomplished by them.
Quicken me in thy righteousnes.) He said before quicken me in thy word, here in thy righteousnes: all is one: for the word of God, is the righteousnes of God, in which is set down the rule of righteousnes. In this the Prophet desires to be quickened, that is, to be confirmed, that in cheerefulnes and gladnes of spirit hee might relye vponupon the word of God. If any by righteousnes vnderstand that iustice of God, by which hee defendeth such as commit themselues to him, I gainesay it not.