Exposition on the Seven Psalms of Repentance, Psalm 32 · Verse 7
VERSE 7. Thou art my ſecret place: thou preſerveſt me from trouble: thou compaſſeſt me about with ioyfull deliverance. Selah.
THis is an amplification of that which he ſaid, That the Floods ſhould not come neere him; becauſe he draweth to Gods protection, and maketh him his refuge, both for the preſent time, and to come. So that the remiſſion of our ſinnes, doth bring to vsus protection, and ſafegard againſt all evil: for, Doctr. Remiſſion of ſinne bringeth ſafegard …nd protection.if we be freed of our ſpirituall and greateſt enemies, by pardon obtained for them, how ſoone may we perſwade our ſelues, of ſuretie from theſe fleſhly adverſaries, wicked men, who riſe vp againſt vsus?
The allegory of the refuge is taken from one, Doctr. Chriſtians purſued are ſure of an hold. Rev. 12.14.who being hotly purſued, cannot reſiſt the violence of the enemie, but is glad to retire himſelfe to ſome hold: as the Woman in the Revelations, being followed by the fiery Dragon, tooke wings, and fled to the Wilderneſſe, there to hide her ſelfe, with her childe, which ſhee brought forth: So is the Church perſecuted by bloudie Tyrants, ſhee muſt not thinke any earthly hold can keepe her ſure, but ſhe muſt retire to the ſhaddow of the almightie, and dwell in the ſecret of the moſt high; Pſal. 91.and ſay to the Lord; Thou art my rocke, my refuge, and ſtrong towre. Where ſhee ſhall dwell more ſafely,Gen. 7. then in the Arke of Noah in the Deluge: or Mariners, when they are in the Port, for while they are in the Port, they may yet drowne, Simil. or their Ship may be burnt with fire, as often hath hapned; and ſurer then the Harts,No refuge ſure but God Cant. 2.14. or wild Aſſe in the woods and mountaines, or the doue in the hole of the Rocke, or thoſe that are beſieged in Caſtles, and ſtrong walled Citties, or the chickes vnderunder the mothers wings.Mat. 23.27. And this is the Priviledge of Gods children, who hauehave obtained merciemercy, that they are ſecure, and ſafe, either from perils, or in perils; for, if a man be once in Gods favour, he is ever ſafe,Exod. 14.21 he becommeth a cloud to him in the day: this is the cloud of his protection, not but that in this world they may be in dangers, and be in trouble, yea,Ioh 16.33. Act. 28.5. Dan. 6.22. and ſlaine, torne in peeces and deuoured: Paul was not hurt by the Viper, neither Daniel was overtaken by the Lyons, other times they were in great dangers, but their loſſes externall were recompenced by ſpirituall peace.
In me ye ſhall hauehave peace, Sayth our Saviour.Ioh. 16.33. Then ye ſee God is the hiding of his owne children, and in what ſuretie are theſe, who are vnderunder his coverture. They may hunt beaſts out of their dennes, and ſubterranean places, but who can hunt a Chriſtian out of heaven? He hath builded his neſt there, and is not afraid.Pſal. 27.5. The Lord is a ſtrong towre, and the righteous flee to it. God is our refuge, Pſal. 46.and preſent helpe, we will not be affraid, if the earth ſhould be moued: he hid me in his Tabernacle. Pſal. 27.Thoſe who make fleſh to be their cōfidence, they ſhall ſee, that their refuge will faile them, when they hauehave moſt to doe with it, and ſuch like are they who goe to Idols, who can keepe them no better then they keepe themſelues. Dagon could not helpe himſelfe.1 Sam. 5.3 Oftentimes our faith is ecclipſed,We depend no longer on God, then withall we ſee meanes by which he may helpe vsus. that we ſee not his inviſible protection, and we cannot depend vponupon him longer then wee can ſee ſome meanes, whereby he will helpe vsus, and ſo we leaue the waters of Shiloah, and runne to Rezin, and ſeeke other meanes, and lurke vnderunder ſome fleſhly hold, which is to be imputed to the diſtruſt and imbecilitie of our faith; for, we ſee not the company of the inviſible Angels, with the ſervant of Eliſha. 2 King. 5.17Seeing therefore that the Lord is a ſure hold, and al-ſufficient, (all other helpes being vaine) let vsus ſay with Dauid, Doctr. Chriſtians though ſubiect to troubles, yet not overcome by them. 2 Cor. 4.8.Thou art my refuge. Yet we muſt not thinke, that we are free from all dangers, for we lacke not our owne perils, but I may well ſay with the holy Apoſtle; We are afflicted on every ſide, yet are we not in diſtreſſe: in povertie, but not overcome of povertie: we are perſecuted, but not forſaken: caſt downe, but we periſh not: as vnknowne, and yet knowne: as dying, and behold we liue▪ as chaſtened, and yet not killed: as ſorrowing, and yet alway reioycing: 2 Cor. 6.9 10.as poore, and yet making many rich: as having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things. For if Chriſtians be Warriours, hauehave they taken Weapons to ſit idle, Simil. and looke about them, and goe to paſtime, that they be not reproched, as the Poet ſayd; Salmacida ſpolia ſine ſanguine & ſ…dore, The ſpoyle of Sarmatum without bloud or ſweat. If we would hauehave victory, Niſi praecedat pugna non ſequetur victoria, Except there precede a battell, there will not enſue a victorie.
For the wiſedome of God, his power, iuſtice, and goodneſſe, ſhines moſt clearely, when his Church is in trouble. Beſide, then the droſſe and corruption of our nature, is burnt vp by the fire of tentations:The vſe of …oub…es to the godly. our faith exerciſed, and our patience crowned, yea, the bitterneſſe which we felt in our trouble, maketh our delivery more ſweete and comfortable: as the ſharper paine the woman hath felt in bringing forth her childe, her ioy will be the greater when ſhee is delivered: as Prorſper, the Diſciple of Auguſtine ſayd; Dulcior fit ſalus, cum dolor excruciat, & ſanitatis amiſſae dulcedinem languoris amaritudo commendat: That is, Our health becommeth ſweeter, when dolor hath tormented vsus, and the bitternes of our diſeaſe, commends the ſweetneſſe of our health▪ which was loſt. We needed not ſafetie, …f the neceſſitie of perill did not vrge: and what needeth a Saviour, where there are none that hauehave need to be ſaved?
Thou preſerueſt me from trouble.] Davids faith is not confined within the bounds of the preſent time of his delivery, but looketh …o the future time, and continuance of Gods …reſervation. The experience of his former mercies, makes him bold,The experience of former deliveries, a mea… to cauſe vsus wait for more. 1 Sam. 17.36. Pſal: 23.6. and confident of …he conſtant continuance thereof in time to …ome, which often he vſed, in his conflict …ith Goliah; Thy ſervant ſlew a Lyon, and a …eare, and ſo ſhall it be with this Philiſtim And …n the 23. Pſalme, ſeeing before he called him …is Shepheard, he concludeth, and I ſhall dwell … long ſeaſon in the houſe of the Lord. And the Apoſtle Paul ſayth, and he hath delivered me out of the mouth of the Lyon, 2 Tim. 4.17.18.and he will deliver me from every evill way. So we ſ…ould keepe a Booke of memoriall and regiſter, written in our hearts, of Gods auncient dealings to vsus, that they may refreſh vsus in our preſent trouble.
Gods children reioyce in the mids of troubles.God preſerueth his owne children, not onelyonly in deliuering them from their troubles as he doth many a time, but alſo in the midſt of their grieuous pangues, ſo comforteth and aſſiſteth them by his preſence, that they reioyce in the midſt of death. Although ſome be wounded and ſlaine, as the Martyrs, and many other thouſand good Chriſtians, as in the Marian dayes in England, as yee may reade in the booke of Martyrs: And in France, where on Saint Bartholmews day Auguſt 24. 1572. an 100000. Chriſtians were killed,The church remaineth euer victorious. yet the Church remaineth euer victorious, for the Lord maketh the bloud of his ſeruants the ſeat of his Church, plagueth her enemies, and advanceth his truth, yea, hee turneth their corporall deſtruction to the beſt. They would not be deliuered becauſe they looked for a better reſurrection. In the midſt of the winter of their afflictions they ſhall ſee the Summer ſunne-blinks of Gods gracious countenance comforting them, which is their greateſt preſeruation from defection, and tentation.
Thou compaſſeſt me about mith joyfull deliuerance, or Songs of deliuerance,] Firſt, In this verſe, hee ſayd, God was his ſecret place, next, Would deliuer him in trouble, and now by Gradations he aſſureth himſelfe, hee will giuegive him matter of reioycing, and Sing prayſes to him, for his preſeruation.
Here the nature of faith is ſeene, it ſings the triumph before the victorie; for, it is ſure,Faith ſings the triumph before the victorie. 1 Ioh. 1.9. Pſal. 4.8. Pſal. 3.6. God who hath promiſed is faithfull to performe, whereby he hopeth againſt hope. This made him lye downe and ſleepe; when his enemies keepe watch about him, hee was not affraid of ten thouſand becauſe God was his protection.
Hee aſſureth himſelfe of Gods preſeruation, and alſo that God ſhall giuegive him Songs of deliuerance, and by his deliuerie ſhall miniſter occaſion of his owne prayſes; and this deliuerance hee aſcribeth to God, and that he would deliuer him from ingratitude; for I thinke, all our temporall deliueries from troubles ſo many chaines to faſtē our ſelues, vnleſſe we prayſe God for them▪ And doubtleſſe, this ſecond grace of God to be thankfull, is greater then the other, for aſmuch as the firſt is often a temporall benefit,To be thankfull an eſpeciall gift of God. Luk 17.17. 2 King. 5.18. but gratitude to God is a Spirituall benefit, belonging onelyonly to Gods children. Many with the nine Lepers returne not backe to giuegive thankes. Few with Naaman promiſe to ſerue no God, but the God of Iſrael. So to be ſhort, that yee know whether your deliuerie be in merciemercy, or iudgement, ſee how yee are affected toward God in thankefulneſſe after the ſame, Dauid ſayes,Pſal. 51.15. thou ſhalt compaſſe me with ſongs of deliuerance, So he acknowledgeth he hath both of God, and in the 51. Pſalme, he ſayth Open my lippes, and I will ſhew thy prayſes.
Dauid aſſureth himſelfe, God would giuegive him a thankfull heart, which is the worthieſt part of Gods ſeruice; for, when we pray, wee hauehave ſome great reſpect to our ſelfe,When we pray, we chiefly reſpect our ſ…lues, when we prayſe, God. and our neceſſities, but when we praiſe, we hauehave our chiefe reſpect to God, and his honour, and the Lord he doth both; for, he worketh deliuerie of vsus, and thankfullneſſe in vsus, Ab eo incipient, ab eo deſinent, operatur velle et perficere. They beginne of him, they ſhall end of him, he worketh to will and to perfit. Iacob was deliuered by God,Gen. 35. and hee ſaid to him, Goe vp to the God of Bethel. Often chriſtians are grieued at themſelues, that they know not how to performe a dutie to God for his bleſſings, for which cauſe Dauid ſayth; What ſhal I render to the Lord, &c. Pſal. 116.12I will take the cup of Saluation, &c.
Compaſſeſt mee about.] This word importeth, Doctr. As we are beſeiged with troubles, ſo are we compaſſed with deliueries.that as wee are beſeiged on eueryevery ſide with troubles, ſo wee are compaſſed with as many comforts, and deliueries, as our croſſes grow daily, ſo our conſolations are augmented, day by day; Wee are on euerie ſide offended, and on euerie ſide defended, therefore wee ought on eueryevery ſide ſound Gods praiſes, as Dauid ſayth,Pſal. 103.1. My ſoule praiſe the Lord and all that is within me.
With Songs of deliuerance.] This noteth the the greatneſſe of his praiſes, and what delight hee had in them, that hee would not onelyonly ſpeake them but ſing them. This was verie familiar to the Iewes, namely to Dauid to ſing ſongs on Harps, Viols, Tabrets, and all inſtruments of Muſicke. All my ſprings ſhall bee in thee. Awake Viol▪ &c.
The tears of Gods children end in ioy.But firſt, let vsus obſerue, that the teares of Gods children, end in ioy, they ſowe a precious ſeed with ſorrow, but they bring home ſheaues of corne dancing.
In that hee will not be content onelyonly with thankes, but alſo will hauehave them conioyned with ſongs, hee letteth vsus ſee how high all the ſtrings of his heart are bended that hee cannot containe himſelfe, for the mercies of God to his Church, and for his manifold deliuerances for the ſame. Many ſing prayſes to God with an halfe open mouth,Many hauehave an halfe open mouth in ſinging prayſes to God, who are too ready to ſing filthy Ballads to the diſhonour of God. and albeit they can ſing alowde, any filthy ballad in their houſe, they make the meane, I warrand you in the Church, that ſcarce they can heare the ſound of their owne voyce. I thinke they be aſhamed to proclaime and ſhew forth Gods prayſes, or they feare to deafen God by their lowde ſinging But David bended all his forces, within and without to praiſe his God.
Neither doe wee approue thoſe fooliſh ſongs of the Papiſts,Againſt Popiſh ſinging. who doe not only wearie the hearers, but the Idoles themſelues, with their rowting and crying, and that in an vnknowen Language. Saint Baſil ſayth, eos demum cantus recipiendos, qui nos poſſunt efficere meliores, Thoſe Songs are to be receiued, which may make vsus better, & in old they ſung as though they had beene ſpeaking, that men might rather vnderſtād their meaning, then delight their eare by the inſtrument.