Works, Part 4 · Biblical exegesis 1 · Portion 8
PORTION. 8. CHETH
Vers. 57.
O Lord, thou art my portion, I hauehave determined to keepe thy words.
HEre the man of God protesteth that the Lord is his portion; and he further saith, that he will keepe Gods commandements. All will say that God is their portion, and that their chiefe desire is to be in his fauour: but Dauid seuereth himselfe from others, when he saith, that he will keepe the commandements. And hereby he is assured, that the Lord is his portion, because he maketh his word his chiefe desire. We shall then know that we make God our portion, when we hauehave this delight to heare the word, &c. and those that hauehave not a delight in the word, they make not God their portion. The like saying is part 15 vers. 2. Let vsus then alwaies examine and trie our hearts to Godward by the word: if we say that he is mercifull, then let vsus see if we beleeue his promises: if that he is iust, then that we beleeue his threatnings. Thus if we can set the word aloft, it is a sure argument that we hauehave made God our portion. Againe, if we can be grieued, when neither promises nor threatnings can affect vsus, and we are desirous that they might: this sheweth that we hauehave a longing desire to hauehave God our portion.
I hauehave determined. Dauid was fully resolued of this: for he had duly considered all things, and therefore in wisedome made his choise, and hath made a full resolution. Many hauehave such motions by starts, as the couetous man, the adulterer, &c. but it passeth away, therefore they shew that they hauehave not made God their portion; for if they had, then would they hauehave this resolute purpose.
Verse. 58.
I made my supplication in thy presence with my whole heart: be mercifull vntounto me according to thy promise.
HE sheweth by a second argument, that God is his portion, in that he prayeth to God: for that which we louelove, we desire to commune and talke with. Then by this we may likewise trie our selues: for if we hauehave this delight to pray, and if we be sorie when we cannot doe it, then doe we further shew that the Lord is our portion, or else not. Againe, we see that it is not enough to make a determinatio, vnlesse we further pray that the Lord would assist vsus in our purpose. This is the cause that we cannot make such determination, nor hauehave such good purposes, because we are not often in prayer. The diuell will be most busie to tempt, when we hauehave determined; and we our selues are readie to be secure: therefore euen then we hauehave most need to pray.
With my whole heart. He sheweth that he is not an hypocrite: And then shall we know that we are not, when our hearts are set before God, and we powre them out before him, as much as we hauehave vttered in words before men. This maketh the children of God to sigh when they pray, because they hauehave to doe with God: and this maketh the hypocrites that they cannot see themselues, because they know not that they hauehave to deale with God. And when the children of God cānot come to shewe their hearts to God, then if they sigh and groane for want of a heart; this is a testimonie that wee pray in the Spirit, Rom. 8. But when men pray as though they prayed not, and heare as though they heard not: nothing doth the Lord hate more than this.
HaueHave merciemercy. This is the chiefe of his prayer, and the first, that God would giuegive him merciemercy; not to crowne his worke wrought, contrary to the Papists which pleade merites: for though the Lord doe giuegive new grace, yet not of merite, for that we hauehave is defiled by vsus, but because he hath a louelove to crowne his owne gifts. He doth not pray for merciemercy of fashion, but euen in the presence of God, because the true feeling of his neede did driue him to make this prayer. For as when wee in the feeling of our heart can long after merciemercy, this may be a pledge that we shall finde merciemercy: so they that hauehave no feeling of their infirmities, cannot long for merciemercy; and therefore hauehave no assurance that they shall hauehave mercy: for it is the feeling of our miserie that maketh the merciemercy of God sweete vntounto vsus.
He prayeth not for what he lusteth, but for that the Lord promised: for Saint Iames saith, you pray and hauehave not, &c. and this is the cause, that wee hauehave not the thing wee pray for, because we pray not according to the word. His word must be the rule of our prayers, and then shall we receiue: as Salomon prayed and obtained: hee hath promised forgiuenes of sinnes, the knowledge of his word, &c. these if wee hauehave, let not our hearts bee set on the other.
He prayes for the promise, and maketh not a stipulation by the law: for it is the promise that giueth grace: then shall wee here hauehave comfort if wee can beleeue, because wee hauehave the couenant of grace, and not of merite. For if wee had but the lawe, the best man must faile and misse, but now it is the promise, of which the worst shall not faile, if they doe beleeue. Obiect. He had some speciall promises. Answ. He had but the generall promises, whereon he grounded these particular. The promises therfore are generally made, that eueryevery one might know that they belong vntounto him, and that he might apply them to himselfe; as here the Prophet doth.
Vers. 59.
I hauehave considered my wayes, and turned my feete vntounto thy testimonies.
HE sheweth how he came to make God his portion, because he had considered the vanities & inconueniences of his wayes, & the mischiefe that they would bring him to.
Thus then shall we come to turne our steps to God, by examining our sinfull wayes and the reward of sinne. And because men doe not thus examine themselues, therefore doe they make so small account of the word of God: for if they knew that the gaine of sin bringeth losse, and pleasure bringeth paine, then would they not continue in their sinnes.
The like doth Dauid set down, Psal. 4. where he calleth thē to examine thēselues before God, and thus Paul 1. Cor. 5. prouoketh the eloquent Preachers to the iudgemēt of God.
This is a new argument to proue God to be his portion: for seeing hee had made God his portion, it behooued him to search if there were any thing in him that might displease God, that then he might auoide it.
If we consider that sinne maketh vsus ashamed before God, as Adam was, it will make vsus leaue sinne, Rom. 6. 22. If wee then will daily consider, whether we may offer them vp in Christ to God, or whether they make vsus ashamed, and whether they be to be allowed of men or not, this will make vsus more warie.
Testimonies. There is no true examination without the word; for thereby we knowe that sinne bringeth death; but righteousnesse bringeth peace in this life, and euerlasting ioy afterward; this ioy made him examine his wayes.
Vers. 60.
I made haste and delaied not to keepe thy commandements.
THis sheweth his care that he had to make God his portion, by this speedie haste he made. All the lets that are in a man, all the corruption of the world, and all the baites of Satan did not stay him; but the spirit made him with ioy full haste to seeke after God. Paul had lets, and this man had not greater perfection; yet both of them, speaking of a regenerate man, shew that if we will not nourish occasions, the Spirit will not suffer vsus to be ouercome: therefore we may attempt the like haste in trust of his helpe, and we shall finde that we shall be inabled in some measure hereunto.
Vers. 61.
The bands of the wicked hauehave robbed me: but I hauehave not forgotten thy Law.
THough the troupes of the wicked band themselues against him, yet he forsaketh not the Lord: & this is a true triall of his louelove to the word, that he stood in this affliction. For that louelove which continueth to the word in affliction, is true: & he that hath such a louelove, hath a true louelove. For if when we are ill dealt with, we doe not so againe, but still sticke and continue our louelove to the word; it is an argument that we louelove the word, because it is of God, and not for glorie. The children of God in affliction hauehave beene daunted; as Iob, &c. and this man, no doubt, felt his flesh: yet here he sheweth that he ouercame it, and staied himselfe in faith of the promises, and continued in obedience.
Vers. 62.
At midnight will I rise to giuegive thankes vntounto thee, because of thy righteous iudgements.
A New argument, because he giueth thankes to God for his iudgements, euen at midnight. Then we must be occupied in setting out the praises of God; for it is the speciall note of Gods children, for hypocrites for need may pray. The children of God feele great want in this: therefore when our hearts are prepared to giuegive God thankes, it is a great gift of God. Midnight, sheweth that he was both sincere, and also earnest. Doe we this at noone day? if not, then we are farre from this: for he vsed this at morning, noone, and euening: so did Daniel. Singing of Psalmes was vsuall after meate, as our Sauiour did.
Iudgements. That is, that God tooke vengeance on the wicked, and performed his promises to his children: and this confirmed his faith; for here he had an experimentall faith. And this if we note the iudgements of God, in that he is the punisher of sinne, and rewarder of goodnes, we shall hauehave strength against the temptations which shall be offered, to make vsus thinke that sinne is not punished, and that it is lost labour to serue God: and of this argument are many of the Psalmes. And this he did at midnight, when all things are most fearefull, and therefore a fit time to examine our selues in feare: and this shewed that his faith was sound, seeing he could now praise God. His subscription to the righteousnes of Gods iudgements, was an argument of his faith, for the nature of flesh is to thinke they are rigorous.
Vers. 63.
I am companion of all them that feare thee, and keepe thy precepts.
TO receiue helpe from them, and to be helpfull vntounto them: so Psalme 16. Then if we will make God our portion, we will make much of good men: for if Dauid did this, how much more ought we? It is an argument of pride to despise the company of others. If thou want knowledge, it is to make thee seeke it of them that hauehave it: if thou hauehave more than others, then oughtest thou to bestow it vponupon others: so that thou oughtest not, either for the greatnes of thy knowledge, or for the want of knowledge, to withdraw thy selfe from the companie of them that feare the Lord.
If he loued good companie, he hated euill men, Pro. 29. for they are abomination one to another: as he saith, I hate them that hate thee. And this is the propertie of a good man, Psalme 15 yet this must not stay vsus from doing them good in our callings, as the Magistrate to the subiect, &c. As the euill may be in good mens companie, yet not companions to them; so may the good be with the euill, and yet not their companions: for we beleeue onelyonly the communion of Saints.
That feare. Here is the description of Gods children: first, that they feare God, which is the foundation of all: Prou. 1. and then they that feare God rest not in the iudgement of men, but approue themselues to God, to doe, or to leaue vndone any thing, as it pleaseth or displeaseth God. This feare bringeth foorth obedience: and without this fruite, it is but to boast of feare. And these men are they that we must be companions vntounto.
Vers 64.
The earth, O Lord, is full of thy merciemercy: teach me thy statutes.
THe same thing was in the second verse, yet after another manner. Though the whole earth be full of merciemercy, yet he desireth onelyonly the statutes of God: and this is the eight argumēt. So he saith, shew me thy fauour, teach me thy statutes, part 9. & 1…. & because he made this the chiefest signe of Gods fauour, to knowe his word, it is an argument that the Lord was his portion. Let vsus see how oft wee hauehave made this petition, and how vaine our petitions are desiring riches, &c. he desired not his kingdome so much as this. He was a Prophet, yet he desireth it: and this is it, the more wee know, the more we must desire to know, and neuer make any stay▪ He prayeth chiefly for the teaching of the Spirit, without which hee should erre. Hee differeth farre in desire from the men of this world: for they craue many things before knowledge, and if they hauehave knowledge, they rest therein, and neuer look, nor aske for the teaching of the Spirit. Secondly, he confirmeth himselfe that the Lord will teach him, because his goodnes is ouer all the world: hee letteth his Sunne rise on the euill, how much more will he graunt the good requests of his children? When we would then pray to receiue, we must remember all Gods goodnes, and wee must desire the teaching of the Spirit, so farre as agreeth with the word, and not desire the reuelation of the Spirit without the word.