A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms, Psalm 27
PSAL. XXVII.
In this Psalm David setteth down what use he had of his faith in God, in the time of his trouble: and first, how he strengthened his faith. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. and next how he prayed, upon the foresaid grounds, vers. 7▪ 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. And thirdly, what advantage he had by believing in God, in the time of his exercise, ver. 13. Whereupon he exhorts all the godly to follow his example, under hope to be helped, as he was helped, ver. 14.
Vers. 1, THe Lord is my light, and my salvation; whom shal I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shal I be afraid?
THe grounds of strengthening of his Faith are three. The first is, That God by vertue of the Covenant hath obliged himself to give direction and comfort in trouble, and deliverance out of it; from which he inferreth, that he needeth not fear his enemies. Whence learn, 1. When we are to wrestle in prayer, against the doubts, which trouble and tentation may raise in our hearts to mar our confidence in prayer; It is wisdome to arm our selves by faith against these doubts, before we pray, for so doth the Prophets example teach us. 2. He who is in Covenant with God, hath solid ground to expect from God, direction and comfort in every trouble, and deliverance out of it; for by vertue of the Covenant of grace David saith, The Lord is my light and my salvation. 3. When we have fastned our faith on God, we may then with reason defie our enemies, and say with the Prophet, of whom shall I be afraid? 4. When our enemies do appear strong, and we know our selves to be but weak, we should oppose the Lords strength to our tentation, that we may resist all fear; for so teacheth David, The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shal I be afraid?
Ver. 2 When the wicked, even mine enemies, and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fel.
The next ground of confidence is, that he hath proofe and experience of the fruit of the Covenant, when he was in greatest danger to be overtaken by his enemies. Whence learn, 1. When the rage of the wicked against the godly doth break forth, then no lesse then the precious life of the godly can satisfie their beastly cruelty; they hunger even to eate their flesh. 2. God can easily make the wicked in their hottest pursuit of the godly, to come short of their purpose, as here, to stumble and fall. 3. Experience of Gods power is very forcible to confirm our faith, and to erect our hope, as it did Davids faith.
Ver. 3 Though an hoste should encamp against me, my heart shal not fear: though war should rise against me, in this wil I be confident
After setling of his faith, he puts on a resolution to stand to his point, in resisting assaults of fears, from whatsoever tentation. Whence learn ▪ 1. It is a means to strengthen faith, to resolve by the grace of God to put faith in act, in whatsoever difficulty, and in a manner to lay hands on our selves, …o hold up this shield against whatsoever fiery darts, albeit possibly when it cometh to push of pike, we be not found so strong as we are stout, as here David doth. 2. The Lord being ours by Covenant, and the Lord proved to be ours in experience, is warrant and reason sufficient for us to put on such a resolution; Though warre be raised, in this (that is, upon the foresaiid ground) will I be confident, saith he.
Ver. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the dayes of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple.
A third ground of confidence, is the conscience of his purpose to studie to have constant communion with God, in the use of the means, and the conscience of his very earnest desire to have the benefit of all the publick ordinances, in the fellowship of the Church. Whence learn, 1. Hearty resolution to subject our selves to all Gods ordinances, and to follow the appointed means of communion-keeping with God, is a sound mark of solid faith, and the conscience of this resolution, serveth much to confirme our confidence in God, If we can say with the Prophet, This one thing have I desired, &c. 2. In the using of the means and ordinances of Gods house, the glory of the Lord may be seen, counsel, and direction in all things may be had with comfort and spiritual delight to our souls; for in the ordinances David was to behold the beauty of the Lord, with delight, and to enquire in his holy Temple. 3. The desire of communion with God, and love to his ordinances, where it is sincere, should have the chief place in the heart, above all earthly desires and delights whatsoever. One thing have I desired. 4. A sincere desire must not be suffered to go away, but should be pursued resolutely, and recommended to God daily. This I wil stil seek after, saith he: and the means of communion with God in the publick fellowship of the Church must be constantly continued in, even all the dayes of our life.
Ver. 5, For in the time of trouble he shal hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shal he hide me, he shal set me upon a rock.
He giveth a reason of his so earnest a desire to have fellowship with God, entertained by the use of all Gods ordinances, because in this way he was sure that faith should draw all necessary comfort and protection from God, as need should require. Whence learn, 1. Faith keeping communion with God, findeth him all-sufficient in all necessities, to supply every inlack of the creature, where the believer standeth in need; He wil be a pavilion in warfare, and a hiding place, and a rock of refuge: that is, God wil make a man as quiet by faith, in himself, as if there were no hazard; In the time of trouble he shal hide me in his pavilion: In the secret of his Tabernacle, shal be hide me, he shall set me up upon a rock. 2. The godly cannot promise to themselves the influence of Gods grace in time of need, otherwaies then by following divine ordinances, both private and publick, so far as they may be had; for the Prophet promiseth to himself this protection, as a fruit of his faith, fostered by the use of the ordinances. I desire saith he, to dwel in thy house, and to enquire in thy holy Temple; for in the time of trouble he shal hide me, &c.
Ver. 6. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore wil I offer in his Tabernacle sacrifices of joy: I wil sing, yea I will sing praises unto the Lord.
After this wrestling of faith, he obtaineth victory, and assurance of satisfaction to his desire, and the grant of all that he was to seek in his Prayer. Whence learn, The Lord can give a believer assurance of what he would have, and make him so clear of the possession of the Promise, as if it were in his hand, as here the Psalmist is sure to prevail over his enemies, sure to come to the Temple even as he wished, And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies, I will offer sacrifices of joy in his Tabernacle.
Ver. 7. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8. When thou saidst, Seeke yee my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, wil I seek.
In the second place, having thus strengthened his faith, he entereth the lists with his present trouble and tentations, and encountreth them by Prayer to God upon the foresaid grounds, in three Petitions. In the first he prayeth for the sensible experience of Gods favour, as his present condition required; wherein he strengthens his faith by three considerations. The first is, because he had gotten grace to close with the Word of God▪ inviting him to seek what he sought, ver. 8. Whence learn, 1. Confidence in God, is diligent in Prayer, and despiseth not the means, whereby the mercy hoped for, may be brought about; But by Prayer it maketh particular application of the Lords good wil offered to all, unto it self; that it may be helped in the present need, as here David doth, Hear me when I cry, have mercy on me, answer me. 2. As the Lords Word encourageth us to seek things of God, which without a warrant we durst not seek; …o when we have gotten grace to embrace Gods warrant given to us by Precept or Promise, we may ask with confidence to obtain; Hear me, answer me, why? When thou saidest, Seek ye my face; my heart answered, I will seek thy face, O Lord.
Ver. 9. Hide not thy face far from me, put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help, leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
He meets here with an objection from his sins and mis-deservings, and prayeth it down, adding another consideration to confirm his faith from by-gone experience of mercy, notwithstanding of his unworthinesse. Whence learn, 1. Though (when we would draw near to the Lord) sense of sin and unworthinesse, and fear of wrath do flee in our throat, yet faith cleaving to Gods goodnesse, and to the promises of mercy, and to our relation unto our God, may cry down the tentation, Hide not thy face, put not away thy servant in anger. 2. The former experinces which we have had of Gods being gracious to us, according to the tenor of the Covenant of salvation, should confirme our faith, that God will never cast us off, nor any man that cannot endure to be separate from him: Thus David reasons, Thou hast been my help, leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
Ver. 10. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.
A third consideration to confirm Davids faith, is a nearer relation between God and David, then between David and his Parents. Whence learn, The bands between God and a believing soul, are more strait and intimate, and more strong, then any band civil or natural between him and any creature; and they are appointed to hold fast when natural bands do fail, as here is asserted. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. This is for the first petition.
Ver. 11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me into a plain path, because of mine enemies.
The second petition is for Direction in a holy and wise carriage, that his enemies get no advantage against his behaviour or person. Whence learn, 1. There is danger of desertion, or of Gods leaving us to the will of our enemies, if we carry not a good cause in a lawful, holy, tender way; and therefore we had need to seek our direction from God, to be taught in his way, and led in a plaine path. 2. Because the enemies of the godly are ready to calumniate their cause, and their intentions, and to take advantage to calumniate them upon the least occasion of a questionable practice, we had the more need to be circumspect, and to pray to be directed in a plaine path, because of our enemies.
Ver. 12. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
The third petition is, to be delivered from the power of the enemy, prosecuting their false calumnies, and raging in cruelty. Whence learn, 1. The godly have reason to pray with submission, that they may not fall in the hands of men because of their cruelty, and to say to God, Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemy. 2. Because it is easie for the Lord to mitigate the enemies fury, or to break their power, or to elude their craft and power▪ Let us pray, Deliver, and let God chuse the way of delivery. 3. When the good cause of the godly, and the persons also are left to suffer both together, there is ground that God in that case will interpose himself in due time: for this is Davids reason of hope to be helped, because false witnesses resolved to oppresse him in name, and breathers out of cruelty, were set to have his life, ever rising against him: and here he is a clear type and example of the suffering of Christ, and his followers.
Ver. 13. I had fainted, unlesse I had believed to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living.
14. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
In the third place he cometh to shew, and to make use of the benefit he had by beleeving, that he may encourage others to follow his example in their tryals. Whence learn, 1. Discouragement under trouble, is a sort of quitting of our cause, and of all comfort in it; but faith keepeth a man close to his cause, and from being overcome with troubles; it holds up his heart in his duty, till the Lord send an out-gate, wherein he were not able to subsist otherwise: Unlesse I had believed, I had fainted. 2. Our expriences of the good of believing in the time of straites, should be communicated to others, as our calling may suffer to encourage them, for so doth the Prophet, saying, Wait on the Lord, and be of good courage. 3. The striving to take courage from the ground of faith, shall be followed with strength from God to go under the trouble, and to finde comfort now and then, and full delivery at last: He shall comfort thy heart. 4. Albeit the Lord let the trouble lie on, and strong tentations to increase, and griefe of heart to grow, yet must we still wait; for at the due time, the out-gate shall come, Wait I say, on the Lord.