Exposition Upon Select Psalms, Biblical commentary · Psalm 62
The Argument of the LXII. Pſalme.
The author of this Pſalme is Dauid: And it was written at that time in which Saul perſecuted Dauid by his ſpies …ent out. The whole Pſalme…, concerning his confidence in God. For partly he ſhewed his confidence vntounto the 9. verſe: partly, hee recommendeth to all the godly this confidence, from thence vntounto the end of the Pſalme.
The LXII. Pſalme.
1 A Pſalme of DAVID, committed to be ſung, to the maiſter of Muſick in Ieduthun.
2 My ſoule onelyonly is at reſt in God, from him is my ſaluation.
3 He is only my rock, and my ſaluation, my ſtrong hold, I ſhall not be mooved out of my place, with a great motion.
4 How long will ye be deviſing troubles againſt a man? ye ſhall bee all ſlayne: howe long will ye be like a bulgeing wall, a wall of drye ſtones thruſt downe?
5 They onelyonly deviſe counſelles to thruſte him downe from his dignity: they take pleaſure in a lye: they bleſſe with their mouth, but within themſelues they curſe, Selah.
6 O my ſoule, be at reſt in God onelyonly, for of him is mine expectation.
7 He is only my rock and my ſalvation, my ſtrong hold, I ſhall not be mooved out of my place.
8 In God is my ſalvation, and my glorie, my ſtrong rock, my refuge is in God.
The firſt, part of the pſalm.
MY ſoule onelyonly] As concerning his confidence; firſt he gloryeth of his aſſurance in God: Then he gloryeth againſt his enemies: Thirdly, hee returneth to that former glorying. As concerning the glorying in his aſſurance. David after hee had bene afflicted and troubled in minde, at length he quieteth himſelfe in God. Having then felt ſo great a joy of that reſt, hee gloryeth thereof in this ſpeech. My ſeule onelyonly i… at reſt in God] The Hebrew worde it ſelfe ſignifieth to bee ſilent, which our interpreter turneth to be at reſt: Then Davids ſoule made a noyſe within him, as he ſayeth in another place. Why art thou caſt downe my ſoule, why makeſt thou a noyſe within me? But it may be demanded, doth now his ſoule keepe ſilence; when notwithſtanding wee ſee, that hee vttereth out theſe ſpeeches? I anſwere, that then any mans ſoule keepeth ſilence, when it maketh not a noyſe, and is not troubled, although in the meane time it glory never ſo greatly. Then there are three arguments, wherfore his ſoule taketh reſt in God. The firſt is, becauſe God is the author of his ſalvation: Then drawing neere to God himſelfe, and not content with this his benefite alone, except hee poſſeſſe God him ſelf, and ſit vponupon him as it were a rocke or mountaine: He is only my rocke, (ſayth he) &c.] The third argument, is the effect of the ſecond. I ſhall not be mooued out of my place (ſaieth he) by any great motion indeed] whereby it ſhal come to paſſe, that I ſhal altogether fall. Mark firſt, David ſurely wold hauehave patiently ſuffred affliction,Pſal. 39. (as he ſpeaketh of himſelfe in another place) to witte, becauſe hee had decreed to take heede to al his waies, leaſt he ſhould ſin with his tongue. But the affliction burſteth out, and his ſoule maketh a ſturre, notwithſtanding, at laſt he quieteth himſelfe in God. Every one of the godlie, would indeede humble them ſelues with ſilence vnderunder Gods hande, but troubles waxing greater & greater, the affection cannot conteine the ſelfe, which after that it is louſed, it reſteth not, and taketh breath to the ſelf firſte, before it feele GOD preſent with it. I will ſpeake this once, there is no ſolide quietneſſe indeede to our ſoule, except to GOD alone. It is not in riches, not in honoures, it is not in the arme of man. Finally, it is not in Idolles and fayned Gods, of whome DAVID ſpeaketh. They multiply (ſayeth hee) their ſorrowes, Pſal. ….that giuegive in dowrie to a ſtrange God. For with what other thing I praye you, doe Idols fill mens mindes, but with fearefull ſuperſtition? The ſame DAVID in the fourth Pſalme, manifeſtlie declareth, that his ſoule taketh not reſt in riches, Lift vp (ſayeth hee) the light of thy countenance vppon vsus, ô Iehoua, and thou ſhalt put more gladneſſe in our ſoules, then at that time, vvhen the cornes and vvines are increaſed. In which place, you ſee, that hee preferreth his ſecuritie and gladneſſe in God, to that whole gladneſſe of thoſe men, which take their reſt in ſuch like things. My ſoule therefore doth reſt in God only] and therefore, becauſe the wicked cannot reſte in GOD, there is no peace to them. (ſayeth the Lorde) Obſerue againe, that DAVID meaneth not here anie commoun ſecuritie of minde. but a ſingular and notable; whereby it commeth to paſſe, that one may gather, that ſuch a notable quietneſſe of mind, went before ſome certaine notable perturbation. For ſurely, looke howe much the more the reſte of the minde is, ſo much the more was the commotion of the mind before. Mark in the third roome, David ſeeketh not out the cauſes of his ſecuritie in himſelfe, but without himſelfe in God, in whom, to wit, his ſoule doth quiet the ſelfe, while he calleth him his rocke and his rower. Nothing therefore which is in our ſelues, can properly be the cauſe of the tranquillity of our mind; no, albeit thou ſhouldeſt ſpeake indeede of faith it ſelfe, or of hope; if by the name of faith thou vnderſtand onelyonly the inſtrumēt of the apprehending of chriſt. For whatſoever thinges in vsus, yea, even the regenerate, they are imperfite, all faith, hope, louelove, and workes flowing from theſe, as from their beginning. In God alone therefore is the cauſe of our peace and quietnes in the ſtrength of God alone, in the louelove of GOD alone through Chriſt. Paule, when hee publiſhed the ſecurity of mind; he ſayeth not indeed, who ſhall ſeparate vsus from that louelove, whereby we louelove God? But in that place hee ſayeth, Who ſhall ſeparate vsus from that louelove of Chriſt, that is, from the louelove whereby God loveth vsus in Chriſt? let the papiſtes take heed to this, who ſeek eaſe to themſelues, and their ſoules, in their owne workes, whereby it is, that I cannot be perſwaded to beleeue, that thoſe men can enjoy louelove, peace, and quietneſſe of mind, with a conceit of their owne workes. Note fourthly, that he ſayeth, hee ſhal not bee remooved out of his place with any, at the leaſt, a great commotion. He denyeth not altogether a commoving, but hee denieth that it ſhall not bee any great or notable commoving. For in this life we muſt not hope that we ſhal be free alwaies from all commotions. For David reaſoneth not ſo, becauſe no waies ſhall I bee commoved, therefore my ſoule reſteth in God: For if thou haſte not decreed with thy ſelfe, to quiet thy ſelfe in GOD, vnleſſe it be vnderunder that cōdition, that thou ſhalt nowaies be commoved all thy life long; truely it will never come to paſſe, that thou ſhalt reſt thy ſelfe in him, either in this life, or in that other life. Let it be ſufficient to thee, if thou be not oppreſſed with afflictions: For the godly hauehave a promiſe, not indeed that they ſhall bee altogether free from all kinde of affliction, but that they ſhall not bee vtterly oppreſſed with troubles. For it is ſaid,1. Cor 7. 10. 1…. That God wil not ſuffer vsus to be tempted aboue that we are able to beare. Looke alſo concerning the ſame matter, Pauls example.Cor 4. …. 9 How long will] Now he turneth himſelfe to the enemies, and being ſet as it were in a caſtell, hee gloryeth againſt them all. Two things there are which he demādeth; of the which, the latter, openeth vp and declareth, that which is the former. For the meaning is, as if he ſhould ſay, as a bulgeing wall and full of riftes, falleth downe through the owne weight thereof, or is throwen downe by no great travell, ſo ye ſhal be conſumed, by your owne envie and wickednes. They onelyonly deuiſe] He poynteth out clearely that their deuiſing. They enter in counſell to thruſt me downe from my dignitie. Concerning this dignitie, looke 1. Sam, 18. Dauid being appoynted captaine of Sauls gard, he ſo bare himſelfe, that his gouernement was approuen of all men, yea, and was preferred by the damſels that ſang, to the governement of Saull himſelfe. Saull hath ſlaine his thouſand, but DAVID hath ſlaine his ten thouſand. Then he ſhewed vnderunder what pretence they did this thing: They hauehave pretended a lie to their counſells, (ſayth he) which againe hee declareth by theſe wordes, With their month they bleſſe, but within them ſalues they curſe. As if he he ſhould ſay, they profes indeed friendſhip, but in verie truth they are enemies. Marke firſt, the things which mooued David before, now the ſame thinges moue him nothing, while his ſoule quieteth the ſelfe in God, hee eſteemeth nothing of all his enemies. For that ioy which ariſeth in the mean time that any reſteth himſelfe in God, it deuoured vp all feare and ſorrowe altogether, yea, it maketh confidence to ariſe, whereby wee glory againſt all contrarie afflictions. But contrariwiſe, when the ſoule quieteth not the ſelfe in God, it is moved, yea with the moſt trifling thinges, it is affrayde with the name of perſecution. For the cauſe wherefore this firſt ſeemeth to be terrible to many, is this, becauſe they ſee not that life and glorie which is with Chriſt hidd vp in God. Obſerue nixt, let the wicked alone to themſelues a litle ſpace, & you ſhal ſee them fal down with their owne weight, none other waies then a wall full of riftes, or a wal bowing for-ward, which falleth of the owne weight, Neuertheles, few there are that ſee this thing, and from this it ariſeth, that the outwarde happines of the wicked moueth manye ſo much. Theſe onelyonly ſee that thing, whoſe ſoul quieteth the ſelfe in God, and theſe who look a farre off vponupon thoſe men as it were out of a watch tower. Alſo, the regenerate themſelues, at ſometime they ſee not this thing, as David, or whoſoeuer hee was that wrote that 73, Pſalme, he ſaw it not, while he had entred into the ſanctuarie, and then in deede he perceiued their ende, he ſaw that they ſtoode in verie ſlipperie places, hee ſawe that in an momente they went to deſtruction. Obſerue thirdlie. The enemies laboured to caſt downe Dauid who was exalted from his dignitie. He whome God lifteth vppe, the wicked indevoure to caſte that man down out of his place, yea even at that time, when they ſee God himſelfe to trauell to the direct contrary ſide. Ionathan did otherwaies, who when he ſaw David appoynted for the kingdome, he made a covenant with him: ſo it becommeth all the godlie to doe, looke the fourth Pſalme. Sonnes of men, (ſayth he) how long ſhall my glorie bee an ignominie vntounto you, rather know, that God when I ſhall pray vntounto him, wil heare me. Let men therefore be affrayde of the prayers of thoſe men with whome God is at …ne aggrement. [O my ſoule] He returneth to that firſt glorying, concerning his cōfidēce in God, & hauing altered a little the manner of ſpeach, hee ſpeaketh to his own ſoule: Alſo he bringeth out the ſame reaſon which he did before. The ſecond, drawing neerer to God as before, he is not cōtent of Gods benefite, except hee poſſeſſe God himſelfe and ſit vponupon him; as vponupon a rocke. The third is the ſame which was before. In the eight verſe he repeateth the ſecond reaſon, the manner of ſpeach being ſomewhat changed. Of al which argumentes indeede marke this, that David ſatisfieth not himſelfe in multiplying of wordes, whereby he amplifieth God and his benefites: Alſo he altereth the forme of ſpeach, hee calleth him his ſalvation, his rocke, ſtrong holde, his glorie. He ſayeth that his ſalvation was receaued of him, & he publiſheth that he himſelf is ſaluation and a rock: finally he pronunceth that his ſalvation is in him. Of the aboundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh, & that feeling of reſt in God, cannot bee ſufficientlie expreſſed by wordes. For the things which the holy Spirit worketh in the heartes, theſe thinges cannot be ſufficiently declared by the tongues of men, from whence ariſe theſe ſighes, which are furniſhed by the holy ſpirit, that the Apoſtle PAVLE ſayeth are vnſpeakeable.Rom. …. 2… And PETER calleth that joy of faith vnſpeakable & glorious.1, Pet. 1. …8. Of theſe thinges you ſee firſt, that that ſoule which quieteth the ſelf in God, returneth nowe and then to glorying in God. Then conſider and learne out of this repetition, that the ſoule is not ſo quieted and ſetled in this life, but truely in the meane time it is troubled in ſome meaſure. The ſea while it is not toſſed too & fro with ſtormes, notwith-ſtan-ding it is commoued with ſome ſoft aire. The affection if it bee not preſentlie inflamed, notwithſtanding it is puffed vppe in ſome certaine meaſure. Wherefore our ſoules hath neede now and then of a newe exhortation to this reſt in God. Conſidder thirdlie. The firſt argument of glorying is, from waiting on or from hope, to this aggreth that which the Apoſtle PAVLE ſpeaketh, VVee glory vnderunder the hope of the glorie of GOD. Rom. 5. 2,But if this hope & expectation of ſalvation, cauſe ſo great a glorying and reioycing of minde, I pray you how great a reioycing ſhall the matter it ſelf make, when we ſhal be placed into the preſent poſſeſſion of all thoſe thinges, which wee now ſee but a farre of?
9 Truſt in him all time, ô people, powre out your mind before him: God is a refuge vntounto vsus, Selah.
10 Theſe that are borne of the baſeman ar onelie vanitie, theſe that are borne of the noble man are a lie, thoſe being laide together vponupon the ballance, they ſhould goe vp aboue vanitie.
11 Truſt not to oppresſion, and vaniſh not away by robberie, if wealth increaſe, ſet not your mind there…n.
12 God hath once ſpoken. I hearde the ſame thing twiſe, that ſtrength is Gods.
13 And that mercy, ô Lord is thine, that thou recompenſeſt euerie man according to his worke.
The other part of the Pſalme.
TRuſt in him] The ſecond part of the pſalme,…ne admonition, and that twofolde, for partlie hee admoniſheth the godly, partlie the wicked. The admonition belonging to the godly, is againe twofold: For partlie he warneth them to truſt in God, partlie, that they ſhould not truſt in men. Truſt in God ſayeth he, Then, powre out (ſayeth hee) your mind before him, &c.] this latter is the effect of the former. For they who truſt in God, they powre out all the cares and anguiſhes of their troubled mind before him. The argumēt is ſubjoyned, for he is, ſayeth he, a refuge vntounto vsus. Then he warneth them that they ſhoulde not put their confidence in men, for although this be not expreſly ſet downe, notwithſtanding it is to bee vnderſtood. The argument of this admonition is from the vanitie of men, of whatſoeuer eſtate and condition to conclude, they bee of. They that are baſe borne how many ſoever they be, they are vaine; How many ſoeuer they be that are noble, they are liers and deceitfull: And to the ende he may ſhew their greater vanitie, hee calleth them lies and vanitie it ſelfe. Alſo he amplifieth the vanitie of men, making a compariſon of them with vanitie it ſelfe. Vnderſtand not this place to bee exceſſiue or hyperbolick, for it is ſo indeede it ſelfe as he ſpeaketh. I grant indeed that man before the fel was ſome what, but after the fal, he is redacted to nothing. For there remained not in him, yea not ſo much as one remanent crome of vprightneſſe and holines. And if there bee any thing in him, it is wholy euill, and if man be any thinge, he is whollie evill, howe much ſo euer it be, or very wickedneſſe it ſelfe. And to bee this waye ſomewhat, it is worſe then to bee nothing at all. Let the Papiſtes take heede to this, that make ſo much of the nature of man, yea to wit, ſo exellent make they it. Dauid reckoned it amongſt the moſt vaineſt things but they will hauehave it to bee ſomewhat alſo in themſelues, and they take away ſomething from gods grace, that ſome vprightneſſe may be giuen to man. Of theſe thinges marke firſt, a great difference betwixt them that put their confidence in God, and them who truſt to other thinges. They who put their aſſurance in God, they verye willinglie communicat this benefit with others, and will hauehave all men with them to put their truſt in God. But thoſe who put their confidence in other thinges, as in riches, in honoures, in the arme of man, they do not willinglie admit any others whoſoeuer into their fellowſhip, and participation of theſe things. For they woulde together and at one time devoure them vppe themſelues. God is a good thinge, which is ſufficient for all men, neither yet if many at once bee participant of him, any one man ſhall be in a worſe caſe who is participant together with the reſt, neither yet for this doth hee receiue the leſſe, but he rather is in a better caſe, and receiueth more, the mo fellowes he hath of the ſelfe ſame benefite. Marke ſecondly, hee admoniſheth vsus to put our truſt in God, and that wee powre out our mindes before him. Theſe two are ſo coupled among themſelues, that he who truſteth in God, of neceſſitie hee powreth out into his boſome as it wer all the ſecretes of his minde. But con…ariwiſe he who truſteth not, this man albeit hee ſeeme at ſome time to praye and to open vp his minde vntounto GOD, notwithſtanding he never dealeth earneſtlie and freely with GOD, but the thing that he doeth, he doeth it coldly and for the faſhion onelie. For it is not poſſible, that any man who beleeueth no… in GOD, will communicate his ſecretes and cares of his minde familiarlie with God.Rom. … ▪ 14. How ſhall they call vponupon him ſayeth S. PAVL…, in whome they hauehave not beleeued? Note thirdly, David while hee quieteth himſelfe, in that towre as it were, watching and beholding all men appeare not onelie to be vaine in his ſight, but to bee vanitie it ſelfe. Thoſe ſurelie who ſirmelie by faith-cleane vntounto God, theſe I ſay onelyonly are they, who look vponupon the vanitie of men, yea and rather the miſerie and vanitie of this world. For it is not granteed to euerie man, preſentlie to conſidder and diſcerne it. But thoſe onelyonly are they, who ſee no ſolide thinge but in God alone, and theſe are onelyonly they who rightlie can giuegive their iudgement concerning the bleſſedneſſe and miſerie of the creature, in reſpect they onelie hauehave experience of that true blesſedneſſe that is in God. Truſt not to oppresſion] The ſecond admonition directed to the wicked ſeruantes of Saul, & pertening of neceſſitie to euerie one of them whatſoever. Now he warneth them, that they ſhould not truſt to oppreſſion, and that by reafe they ſhould not vaniſh awaye. But wee muſt take heede to this word of vaniſhing away, for this cauſe we truſt to euerie thinge that by them wee may firmelie ſtande, and neither fall downe nor vaniſh away. Theſe verelie ſtand firmely alone who put their confidence in GOD alone: But they who put their truſte in any other things whatſoeuer, they are ſo farre away from that, that by them they are able to ſtande, that contrarie waies they vaniſh and fall away, none other wayes then water powred on vponupon ſand. If riches abounde ſet not your minde] This warning generally pertaineth to all men whatſoeuer. [God hath once ſpoken] This is a common argument to both the partes of the admonition, and it is taken from Gods judgment himſelfe. The ſtronge, mightie and mercifull God, will recompence all men according to their workes, let euerie man therefore take heede, whether hee truſteth in GOD or in other thinges. The anteſident is prouen by the teſtimonie of Gods owne worde, yea and that twiſe repeated ouer. God hath ſpoken to me (ſayeth he) &c.] As if he ſhould ſay. The ſame God hath verie oft confirmed it vntounto me. Obſerue firſt, David envieth not this excellent good thinge in them, which is GOD him ſelfe, notwithſtanding they envied, yea this verie tranſitorie life of his. For to this purpoſe belongeth this admonition: By Davids example therefore thou haſt ſet downe the nature of the Church, together with the diſpoſition of the enemies thereof. Theſe doe envie the verie tranſitorie life of the members of the Church, but the Church envieth not them, yea ſhe wiſheth vntounto them earneſtlie life euerlaſting. Chriſt prayed for them that curſed him, Steuen prayed that the ſins of thoſe that ſtoned him ſhould not be laide to their charge. Marke heare, ſecondlie, how great the madnes of man is, for it is a verie greate ſinne to put confidence in thinges, which otherwaies are indifferent, as in riches, in honours, or in the arme of man, which thinges you may vſe well alſo. How great then is the madneſſe, and howe grieuous is their ſinne, which put their hope in reafe and oppreſſion, and in other thinges that are of their owne nature evill, which things you can at no time vſe well. Notwithſtanding ſome cauſe of this ſo great a madneſſe may bee learned, yea by this Example of SAVLES courtiers, to witte, that they committed all theſe thinges without any puniſhment. Now men preſentlie thinke that this is permitted to them to doe, which is permitted to be done without any inflicting of puniſhment. This confidence therefore in wicked thinges, is not ſo much to be imputed to the wicked doers themſelues, as it is to bee laide to their charge, whome it became to hauehave puniſhed them, as to Saull and to the other magiſtrates, who vſe to winke at the wicked deedes of courtiers, and of their flatterers, howſoeuer perverſlie and prepoſterouſlie magiſtrates and earthlie judges giuegive libertie to wicked men & malefactours. We learne in this place, that that heauenlye judge ſhall make it to come to paſſe, that the wicked at length ſhall vaniſh away in their reafe and oppresſion. Finally, this is not to bee pretermitted, that David ſayeth, that hee was once and againe admoniſhed concerning that righteous judgemēt of God. whereby hee will recompence euerie man according to his worke: Which thing indeed is an euident, that David thought now and then of that laſt and terrible judgement: Of the which ſurelie it becommeth vsus all, yea the beſte men whoſoeuer oft to meditate thereon. For this is the nature, yea of the beſte men, that looking vponupon that terrour of the Lorde, they hauehave neede to be brought vnderunder correction. For Paul ſpeaketh thus of himſelf knowing, ſayth he, that terrour of the Lorde, we bring men to the faith. VVee are to bee allured I grant by the ſight of Gods mercy in Chriſt, to doe our dutie. Notwithſtanding ſuch is our nature, vnleſſe on the on parte as we are allured by Gods benefites, ſo on the other part wee be terrified be Gods judgements, ſurelie we cannot bee conteined in our dutie. To God therefore who provideth al manner of waies for the ſaluation of his owne in Chriſt Ieſus his ſonne, bee all honour and glorie, Amen.