A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms, Psalm 30
PSAL. XXX. A Psalme and Song at the dedication of the house of David.
David praiseth God for his late deliverance from the hand of Absalom, ver. 1, 2, 3. And secondly, he exhorteth others to praise God also for his mercies, ver. 4, 5. Thirdly, he confesseth his carnal security, and how hee was corrected for it, ver. 6▪ 7. Fourthly, he sheweth how he prayed for mercy, ver. 8, 9, 10. And fifthly, he praiseth the Lord for his gracious answer, ver. 11, 12.
THe Inscription of the Psalme sheweth, that it was endited at the dedication of Davids house, after it was polluted by Absaloms vilenesse with his fathers Concubines, as Davids security and trouble after that herein described, giveth us to understand. Whence learn, 1. That no benefit or creature-comfort is lawful and pure to us, except it be sanctified by the Word and Prayer, except we dedicate our selves and the creatures also to Gods service; and more specially the dedication of a mans house with the Ceremonies of the law, used about the dedication thereof, teacheth us to consider and to ackdowledge before God, That we are the Lords Tenants at will, received by him in his lodgings, to be entertained by him during our abode on earth; It teacheth us also that our houses should be holy, both for the Persons in our company, and for the exercise of Religion therein daily, before and after our lawful daily refreshments and employments therein; and that the Lord only is the Preserver of us, and of our houses, against what evil might otherwaies befall us, by men or divels, or any other accident; and that the house is polluted, especially when God is openly dishonored therein: in which case we are to seek mercy to our selves, and to our families, and to pray to God for the continuance of his guard about us, and his grace, to make a right use of our house hereafter, which is the substance of the old Ceremonies used in dedication of a mans house.
Ver. 1. I Wil extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast lifted me up; and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me.
2. O Lord my God, I cryed unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
3. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soule from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
HE praiseth God for a number of mercies concurring together in his deliverance, out of the hazard of losing both his life and his Kingdome. Whence learn, 1. The more the Lord exalts us, we should humble our selves the more before him, and magnifie his bounty: for David wil extol the Lord, here, because the Lord had lifted him up. 2. The disappointment of our enemies is a new mercy, beside our delivery from their cruelty, and a reason of thansgiving to God, when he makes our foes not to rejoyce oyer us. 3. When God seemeth to desert us, and expose us to hazards; readily our spirits grow sick, and deadnesse of spirit, (with inability to go about any point in our calling, or of his service) do seise on us; but when after the prayer of faith grounded on the Covenant, the Lord sendeth relief, it is a reviving of us again, as we see in Davids case, O my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 4. Preservation from evil, and delivery out of evil are mercies equivalent; rescuing a man from instant death, should be looked upon as resurrection from death, and acknowledged so to be in our thanksgiving to God; for David here saith, The Lord hath brought up his soul from the grave, because he had kept him alive, that he should not go down into the pit.
Ver. 4. Sing unto the Lord, (O ye Saints of his) and give thankes at the remembrance of his holinesse.
5. For his anger endureth but a moment, in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
The second part of the Psalme, wherein he stirreth up others to praise God for his mercies. Whence learne, 1. Dwelling a while upon the consideration of mercies shewn unto us, bringeth with it rejoycing in God, and … singing disposition, whereunto when we are once wakened and warmed, we will think that one mouth to praise God is too little, as here we see in David, who not only praiseth God himself but also setteth all the Saints on work to the same purpose, saying, Sing to the Lord all ye Saints of his. 2. Albeit we had no present sense of lately received remarkable mercies, yet by-gone experiences of the Lords faithfulness and holiness, should give matter of thanks and praise, on all occasions, specially in the Congregation, where his works are called to mind: Give thanks, saith he, at the remembrance of his holinesse. 3. Albeit we were not upon the thoughts of any particular experience, yet the knowne perfections of God should furnish matter, and in special, because howsoever we be sinful, and do provoke the Lord often, yet he, as he is slow to anger, so is he soon pacified, his anger endureth but for a moment. 4. When reckoning is rightly made, the tokens of Gods displeasure are but for a moment. But the evidence of his favours to believers is a life-time, for in the midst of wrath he remembreth mercy; and the tokens of his favour, are farre more then of his displeasure, and wrath soone goeth, and favour shineth latest, and is of longest continuance; Wrath is but temporary at the longest, but favour endureth for ever: His anger is but for a moment, but in his favour is life, yea life everlasting. 5. When the Lord sheweth himself angry at a soul, it is dark and cold night with it, and what can it do, but weep or walk heavily in this case, when the bridegroom is as absent? Weeping may abide for a night. 6. Unto the believer the longest winter-night hath a change to the better following it: consolation is certain after a mournful condition; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Verse 6. And in my prosperity I said, I shal never be moved.
7. Lord, by thy favour thou hadst made my mountain to stand strong: Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled.
In the third place, he cometh to his late experience, which gave occasion and matter of this Psalm; he abused his prosperity, not remembring that because his standing was by grace therefore he should have stood in awe, and feared to forget himself, and therefore he was chastised for it. Whence learn, 1. A child of God, after long trouble may have a time of outward rest and prosperity; for example, David, whose troubles were many, doth acknowledge here that he was in prosperity. 2. As men in …ouble do fear they shal never be rid of it, so when God granteth a change to the better, they think never to be so troubled again; This fleshly security is a soul sicknesse, attending prosperity, and the most holy men may easily be overtaken with it; for David confesseth, I said in my prosperity, I shal never be moved. 3. The consideration that our standing in any good condition, is of Gods meer favour and grace, should keep us in fear and trembling to offend, and prevent our falling in carnal security. This David acknowledgeth for aggravating of his fault, Lord, by thy favour thou hadst made my mountain strong. 4. The Lord wil not suffer his own to lie stil in carnal security, but wil withdraw the bolster and pillow of those benefits whereon they do sleepe, and together with that, wil withdraw also the sweet sense of reconciliation, and put his owne in trouble to waken them: Davids experience teacheth so much, Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 5. Men understand the folly of their sinful way, and of their carelesse entertaining of Gods favour, not so wel in the time of prosperity, as after they have smarted for their folly, and have found the fruit of their forgetfulnesse of God, and of their too much embracing and resting on prosperity to be nothing, save sore and sad troubles, both bodily, and spiritual; for this is taught us by the reckoning that David now maketh, as a Pilot, discovering a rock, to forwarn others to beware of security; and this reckoning is all after his trouble, and after his victory also over it.
Ver. 8. I cryed to thee, O Lord, and unto the Lord I made supplication.
9. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to pit? shal the dust praise thee? shal it declare thy truth?
10. Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord; be thou my helper.
In the fourth part of this Psalme he sheweth his recovery out of his trouble, and out of his sinful security which drew it on; he prayed, disputed and dealt with God, til the Lord delivered him. Whence learn, 1. As the fire and the hammer, and the files do serve to put off the rust off iron, so doth affliction to rouse a godly soul out of security, and drive him to earnest Prayer; for after trouble is come, David cryed to the Lord. 2. Albeit a man hath miscarried, and proved ungrateful to God in his prosperity, and unmindful of his resolutions and promises made to God in his low estate, when he should come to prosperity; yet when trouble cometh to waken him up, and cal him to a reckoning, he must not despaire, nor set downe in discouragement in the conscience of huge guiltinesse. But because the Lord is angry, and no remedy but Gods grace, he must lay himself at Gods feet a supplicant: Unto the Lord David made supplication. 3. Faith in God is very argumentative, and wil dispute wel for the mans life, having the Covenant of grace as a ground to go upon; It wil take a reason to strengthen it selfe from Gods nature, who doth not delight in the death of a penitent sinner, and a reason from no advantage unto justice, by the mans destruction, when justice may have satisfaction in the Redeemer, and the man may be saved also; What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? and a reason from the mans purpose to glorifie God, to the edifying of others in his life, if he should be spared: from which mercy if he should be cut off, it would be more bitter to him then death; Shal the dust praise thee? Shall it declare thy truth? 4. When faith hath said to God that it hath to say, it wil wait for a good answer, wil relie on his mercy, and expect relief from the Lord, as here David doth, Hear, O Lord, have mercy on me, be thou my helper.
Verse 11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast put off my sackloth, and girded me with gladnesse:
12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee; and not be silent: O Lord, my God, I wil give thanks unto thee for ever.
In the last part of the Psalm he thankfully praiseth God, for granting unto him all he desired, and obligeth himself to a more careful carriage, and setting forth of Gods glory. Whence learne, 1. It becometh the child of God to weep when he is beaten, and to humble himself in the exercise of Prayer, and Fasting; for Davids mourning and sack-cloth, sheweth his exercise in his former trouble. 2. As security turneth all our joy into trouble, so sincere seeking of God in trouble, is the way to turn all our trouble into joy, Thou hast turned for me all my mourning into dancing, &c. and great is that joy which a reconciled soul findeth in God, after renewed feeling of the interrupted sense of mercy. 3. A well ordered tongue, watching all opportunities to glorifie God, and edifie others, is a main point of a mans excellency, not only above beasts, but also above all men, who do not use their tongue for God, and for good to others; Therefore David calleth his tongue his glory. 4. The very intent of Gods shewing mercy to men, is to oblige them to give praise and glory to himself before the world, thou hast girded me with gladnesse, saith he, To the end my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. 5. The right use of our experiences of Gods mercy to us, is first to fasten our faith in God, and to stand fast to the Lords Covenant, made with us in Christ; next after acknowledging that this is our duty, to be thankful to God, to engage our hearts to the discharge thereof constantly: The first of these the Prophet doth here by calling God, The Lord my God; the next he doth in these words, I wil give thanks to thee for ever.