A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms, Psalm 28
PSAL. XXVIII.
In the first part of this Psalme, we have the Prophets conflict against his enemies, such as in the former Psalm is to be seen, wherein he prayerh for audience, ver. 1.2. and delivery to himself, ver. 3. and that God would vindicate his own justice against his disdainful enemies, ver. 4, 5. In the latter part, the Prophet having gotten comfort in his Prayer, doth glorifie God, ver. 6. and strengthens his own and the rest of the godlies faith, ver. 7, 8. and prayeth for a blessing to the Church, ver. 9.
Ver. 1. UNto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock, be not silent to me: lest if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
2. Heare the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee: when I lift up mine hands toward thy holy Oracle.
IN his conflict with trouble, he runneth to God for a comfortable answer, with reasons to help his hope to be heard. Whence learn, 1. It is good to pray in time of trouble, and to be instant, and resolved to be instant; For unto thee will I cry, doth import these three. 2. A soul in great straits is not able to suspend, and want comfort long: it must have some comfortable answer, because of what God is unto it by Covenant, My rock, be not silent unto me. 3. It bringeth deadnesse of spirit on a supplicant, when his Prayer is not taken off his hand, which albeit it be by no reason, but a consequence ill inferred from the Lords not answering of us, yet we are subject to this evil, and should pray to have it prevented: Be not silent, saith he, lest I become like them that go down into the pit. 4. Though the heart be in bonds in time of Prayer, under trouble, yet the Lord will not despise the voice, nor the knees bowed, nor the hands lifted up, no… the least expressions of a supplicants desire, to be helped by him: Hear my voice when I cry, and the lifting up of my hands, saith he. 5. Seeking of God in Christ, and trysting the fulnesse of the Godhead in the Person of the Mediatour, represented by the Tabernacle and Oracle, answereth all objections from the supplicants unworthinesse, and giveth encouragement to expect a good answer from God; for to this purpose doth he mention his lifting up of his hands towards the Lords holy Oracle.
Ver. 3. Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity: which speak peace to their neigbours, but mischief is in their hearts.
Now he prayeth God would deliver him, and not deal with him as with an enemy. Whence learne, Albeit there be sin in the godly, yet are they not workers of iniquity, nor treacherously disposed towards their neighbours, when they pretend to have friendship with them; and therefore may the godly expect from God, not to be dealt with, as obstinately wicked and impenitent sinners; for this he meaneth, saying, Draw me not away with the workers of iniquity, &c.
Ver. 4. Give them accordong to their deeds, and according to the wickednesse of their endeavoure: give them after the work of their hands, rend…r to them their deserts.
5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.
He prayeth now against his enemies, not out of private revenge; but being led with the infallible Spirit of Prophecy, looking through these men to the enemies of Christ, and of his People in all ages. Whence learn, 1. Albeit imprecations must not be used against our own enemies, nor for any injury done to us, nor against any in hatred of their persons, nor against every enemy of God, but only against desperate sinners, and that in general, rather then with an eye to this man or that man in special; about whom we may be mistaken; yet the imprecation of the Spirit of God standing in the Scripture, cryeth still against obstinate sinners, although we cannot condescend particularly upon their names; God shall give them according to their deserts. In the controversie between the godly and their enemies, not only doth God shew by his word, which party he alloweth, but also by the works of his providence, in favours of the godly, and against their enemies, he doth give forth his minde, according to what he hath said in his Word to be observed; but when both these are misregarded, he will destroy the wicked, and not suffer them to carry on their purpose; for because they regard not the workes of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.
Ver. 6. Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.
7. The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoyceth, and with my song will I praise him.
8. The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his annointed.
The other part of the Psalme, wherein he maketh use of the good answer given to him; first honouring God for it, then strengthening his own faith by it; and thirdly strengthening the faith of others also. Whence learn, 1. The believing supplicant shall not seek God in vain; he shall not fail in due time to finde such fruit, as shall make him blesse and praise God for the answer; for in the entry of the Psalme it was, Be not silent to me, O Lord, lest I become like them that go down to the pi… ▪ and here, Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplication. 2. What faith saith to God in wrastling, it shall be made to subscribe it victoriously and experimentally thereafter, My rock, said he, hear me, ver. 1. And here, The Lord is my strength and my shield; to furnish me within and without. 3. It is a good use m…de of experience, to confirme our faith thereby, and to commend the course of believing in God, as here David doth, My heart trusted in him, and I am helped. 4. The joy of faith and of sense also, will be given sometime together to the godly, for the increasing of their joy, as here he sheweth, Therefore my heart greatly rejoyced. 5. Albeit we must praise God in whatsoever condition we can be in; yet spirituall rejoycing doth specially call for singing a Psalm unto God, Therefore with my song will I praise him, saith he. 6. What the Lord is to one of the godly calling on him in the sense of need, he is unto them all the same: as he was Davids strength, ver. 7. so is he their strength, to wit, all his peoples strength, ver. 8. 7. All the blessings which believers get do belong unto Christ, first as to the annointed of the Lord in chief, and to his servants as partakers of his annointing; for the Lord is the saving strength, or the strength of salvation to his annointed, or to his Christ, and those that are true Christians, partakers of his Unction, or holy Spirit; What concerneth David is but a shadow, and as one who is a partaker of the holy Unction through Christ.
Ver. 9. Save thy People, and blesse thine inheritance; feed them also, and lift them up for ever.
He closeth his Prayer with intercession for the Church. Whence learn, 1. Such as finde accesse in Prayer to God for themselves, should speak also a word for his Church, and pray, Lord, save thy People. 2. The Priviledges which the godly have are common to them all. The godly are all Gods people, his inheritance, his flock: and as the benefits imported under these titles are common, so are the duties due from us to God, imported thereby, common also, and to be so studied, that we may discharge them, as we would finde from God the benefits of protection and deliverance, as subjects whom he will save; of being watered and warmed, as his inheritance, fed and led on, as his flock, and exalted over all our enemies, or being lifted up for ever.