A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms, Psalm 13
PSAL. XIII. To the chiefe Musician, a Psalm of David.
Another Christian experience, wherein David un…der the sense of desertion, layeth forth his lamentable case before the Lord, ver. 1, 2. prayeth for releif ver. 3.4. and by faith is refreshed and comforted, ver. 5, 6.
v. 1 HOw long wilt thou forget me (O Lord) for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
2. How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
In laying forth his grief, he beginneth at his apparant desertion; then speaketh of the perplexity of minde, arising herefrom; and last of all he mentioneth the continuance of his outward trouble from his enemies. Whence learn, 1. Trouble outward and inward, of body and spirit, fightings without, and terrors within, vexations from heaven and earth, from God deserting, and men pursuing, may fall upon a child of God at one time, and continue for a time long enough, as here; How long wilt thou forget me, how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 2. When trouble is continued, and appearance of means of delivery is not, and God both withholdeth inward and outward help, sense calleth this the Lords forgetting and hiding of his face. How long wilt thou forget me, and hide thy face? 3. The Lords children in their resolution for faith and patience, do set to themselves a shorter period usually then the Lord doth, for making them have their perfect work; therefore when their hope is deferred, it makes their heart sick, and to cry out, How long? how long? 4. When comfort trysteth not with our time, fear of eternall off-casting may readily slide in: and this fear, a soul acquainted with God, or that loveth him in any measure, cannot endure. Wilt thou forget me for ever? saith he. 5. Whatsoever sense do speak, or suggested tentations do speak, faith will relate the businesse to the Lord, and expect a better speech from him: For in this condition the Prophet goeth to God, saying, How long, O Lord? 6. A soul finding desertion, multiplyeth consultations, falleth in perplexity, changeth conclusions, as a sick man doth his bed, falleth in grief, and cannot endure to live by its own finding, but runneth upon God for direction, as here we see it; How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? 7. The enemies taking advantage, (by the continuance of trouble upon the Godly,) against his cause and religion, and against God, doth augment both the griefe and temptation of the godly, How long shal mine enemies be exalted over me?
Vers. 3. Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.
4. Lest mine enemies say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me, rejoyce when I am moved.
Now followeth his prayer for some comfortable answer, lest both he should perish, and God be dishonoured: Whence learn, 1. The edge of tentations is blunted, and griefe asswaged, when the swelling of the soul doth vent it self to God: and certainly complaints are then best eased, when they are dissolved in humble supplications, as here, Consider and hear me, O Lord my God. 2. Albeit faith believeth that God considereth and heareth alwaies, yet it cannot rest till it feele by some effect that he doth hear and consider, by his giving some reall support, or help in need, according to covenant; This is imported in his praying, and words of prayer, consider, hear me. 3. If the Lord think it not good to give an outward delivery, faith will be content of a blenk of Gods countenance for the present, lighten mine eyes, saith he; that is, let me have some immediate comfort to uphold me in the hope of my delivery. 4. Its a death to the godly man who hath seen him that is invisible, to be long without the sense of Gods love; sense of succumbing and perishing in trouble, doth in this case usually set upon the Godly, as here, lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. 5. The enemies of the godly do feed themselves with the trouble of the godly, and rejoyce the more they see them in distresse, and discouragement; which two inconveniences, the Lord useth to prevent, for he cannot endure long to see the pride and rejoycing of the enemy to feed it self on the miseries of his children; and this the Prophet insinuateth, when he seeketh relief, lest the enemy glory that he hath prevailed, &c.
Vers. 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy, my heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation.
6. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
Here the Prophet is raised up unto comfort by degrees: first he setleth himself upon the tried grounds of faith, then promiseth to himself deliverance, and thirdly findeth comfort: Whence learn, 1. Albeit we find not present reliefe, or comfort when we pray, yet we must resolve to adhere to God by faith: when we have powred out our soul in his bosome by prayer, we must resolve to settle our feet on the ground of faith, before we can expect to be comforted: For here David relyed on Gods mercy, and ratifieth his former resolution and practise of resting on his mercy, I have trusted on thy mercy. 2. So soon as faith is fixed, and resolute to adhere to covenanted mercy, hope doth lift up the head, and this anker of the tossed ship stayeth the soul from being driven; The believer looketh out for Gods salvation, by some way of delivery, which God thinks good to give, and assureth himself it shall come, and that he shall finde joy in Gods way of deliverance, My heart (saith he) shall rejoyce in thy salvation. 3. When the believer is resolved to rest on Gods mercy by faith, then followeth peace at least, and readily more comfort of Gods Spirit, then for the present he expected to have, yea as much as shall satisfie him, and make him count himself richly dealt with, as here David acknowledgeth, saying, He hath dealt bountifully with me. 4. Fresh experience of favour from God, in the renewed sense of his good will to a soul, is a matter of great joy, in the midst of trouble; and the right fruit of it, is a renewed resolution cheerfully to praise God, as here we have the example, I will sing unto to the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.