A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms, Psalm 36
PSAL. XXXVI. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD.
This Psalm hath three parts. In the first David sets down the perversness of the wicked in their sinful course and devices against the godly and himself, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4. In the second, he comforts himself, and doth settle his faith on the praises and properties of God, ver. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. In the third he prayeth in the behalf of Gods children, and for himself, to be delivered from the wicked, ver 10, 11, 12.
FRom the inscription, Learn, That to be a servant of the Lord is an honour, and a priviledge above all earthly priviledges; and by giving a sweet testimony to the conscience, it doth season every condition of life, more then any earthly advantage can do.
Ver. 1. THe transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
4. He deviseth mischief upon his bed, he setteth himself in a way that is not good: he abhorreth not evil▪
FRom his observation of the carriage of the wicked; Learn, 1. Albeit all the world cannot be discerned to be graceless and unconverted, yet the lewd life of some may speak their being in the state of corrupt nature unconverted, to the conscience of a discerning man; For the transgression of the wicked saith in my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. 2. It is not the imperfection or short coming in the fear of God, but the being destitute of it altogether, that proveth a wicked man: There is no fear of God before his eyes. 3. As a man that feareth God is watchful over his own ways, and censorious of himself; so the man that feareth not God is secure and well pleased with his own doings, He flattereth himself in his own eyes. 4. As the man that feareth God laboureth to inform his conscience well, that he may not commit iniquity; so the man that feareth not God, doth gull and deceive his own conscience, till he have gotten the iniquity accomplished, and it be now made open in its own colours, He flattereth himself in his own eyes, till his iniquity worthy to be hated be found, or his iniquity be found to be hatefull. 5. As the man that feareth God will discern the sin in himself, whereof he is in danger, before any man perceive it; so the man that feareth not God, will not see his own sin, no nor when any that looks upon his way may see it, He flattereth himself in his own eyes, till his iniquity be found to be hated. 6. As the man that feareth God makes conscience of his speeches, and will be loath to cover sin with vain pretences and excuses, but rather will confesse it. So the man that feareth not God, will not stand, whatever pretence he useth for doing of iniquity, nor what excuse he maketh for the iniquity, when it is done, for deceiving both others and himself. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. 7. As the man that feareth God, by all means striveth that he may grow wiser and holier, so the man that fears not God, will misregard, and cast off the means of wisdome and holiness; He hath left off to be wise, and to do good; whatsoever he seemed to have before, he goeth back even from that more and more. 8. As the man that feareth God, communeth with his heart upon his bed, that he may not sin, no not in his heart: So the man that feareth not God, deviseth how he may plot and perform sin willingly, He deviseth mischief on his bed. 9. As the man that feareth God doth abhor that which is evill, and laboureth to be sure that the way he is upon is good: so the man that feareth not God, taketh no farther notice of what he doth, then what is most for his purpose; and neither abhorreth what he would be at, because it is evil, nor affecteth it, because it is good▪ but having digested his purpose, by meditation and resolution, he goeth on obstinately, He setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil, and such were Davids enemies, and such will be the enemies of Christ and his people.
Ver. 5. Thy mercy (O LORD) is in the Heavens, and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
6. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains: thy judgements are a great deep; O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
7. How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnes of thy house: and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
The second part of the Psalm, wherein David comforteth himself in God, and setleth his faith on the praise-worthy properties of God. Whence learn, 1. The turning of the believers eye off the wickedness of their adversaries, and looking to Gods goodness, and wise dispensation, will comfort his heart against all that the enemy can do, and set him on work toward godliness, so much the more as he perceiveth atheisme in them; for when David had pointed out his enemy, he falleth to the praising of God, saying Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the Heavens. 2. Albeit the carriage of the wicked toward God, and the godly, doth tend to obscure Gods glory, in the point of justice toward the one, and point of mercy toward the other; yet the works of creation, and the constant government therof, shal bear witness of the constancy of Gods mercy and faithfulness, and righteousness, and judgement, as here is shewen. 3. Though the effects of Gods mercy should not appear to the believer on earth, yet faith will see them in their fountain and cause, Thy mercy O Lord (saith the believer) is in heaven. 4. Let Gods works and his word be compared together, and the truth of his promises and threatnings shall be so traced, and seem to be true, as shall satisfie us, and let us see so far till our eye can follow no farther, Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. 5. Whatsoever carnal reason may judge of Gods dispensations towards the godly, and the wicked: yet his holiness and justice is firme and unchangeable, Thy righteousness is like the great mountains. 6. Albeit we cannot see thorow matters, nor reconcile cross cogitations, sometimes offered from the grounds of faith on the one hand, and from the effects of providence offered by sense on the other hand, yet must we remember that God is wiser then we, and his deep draughts are past finding out by us, Thy judgements are a great deep. 7. This one consideration of Gods course of kindness to his own creatures, making his Sun to shine, and his rain to fall on his enemies, as on his friends, may quiet our mind, concerning Gods sparing for a time the wicked, and liberal dealing with them; O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. There is a course of common preservation, and kindness, running toward all. 8. Over and above common kindness there is a more intire, special, and precious love and kindness toward believers in God, which is inexpressible a… …teth comparison, How excellent, or precious is thy loving kindness, O God! saith David, speaking of this. 9. The belief … Gods readiness to let forth this love, may and should, and doth animate men to draw neer unto him, albeit they have as yet no experience of the fruits of it, Therefore the children of men that put trust under the shadow of thy wings. 10. The Lord without exception of any, to whom he sendeth the Gospel, and without exception of any within the visible Church, doth offer to be reconciled through Christ Jesus, to every man who shal flie into the propitiatory and mercy-seat erected in Jesus Christ; who is God incarnate, according as he was holden forth in the figure of the golden Ark of the Covenant, and stretched forth wings of the Cherubims, as is here said, Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 11. Such as do not give the lie to God, when they find not at first what they hoped for, but do indeed believe in his word, and wait on till he make his word good to them; such as do not tempt or take essay of God, as if they would see what believing may do, and then do quit their gripes if their expectation be not answered; but do indeed trust God upon his word, and do resolve to die with the gripe in their hand, of his freely offered Covenant of grace in Christ, and of his promises made to them that flie to him for refuge, shall be sure to be in more respect with God, then common subjects. They shall be Domesticks of his house, of the houshold of faith, to whom God shall keep a table furnished for spiritual life unto them; he shall make them now and then, when it is meet time for the hungry to feed abundantly and to be satisfied, They that put their trust under the shadow of thy wings, shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house. 12. In the use of the means and holy ordinances of God given to his Church, God shall make the man, that indeed giveth him credit upon the word of his grace, sensibly feel the joy of the holy Spirit, to be unspeakable and full of glory, and that there are greater contentments to be found for a mans soul▪ in God reconciled through Christ, then the world can yeeld beside; for, Thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures ▪ 13. Whatsoever can be found in the creature, even when God blesseth the use thereof to his own children▪ is but a drop from the Ocean, is but a little water out of the well, in comparison of what a believer will see and feel to be in God reconciled through Christ, For, with thee is the fountain of life. 14. No light▪ save the light of Gods revealed word in holy Scriptures for the mirrour, no light but the light of Gods Spirit illuminating the soul looking upon the mirrour, can make a man understand, or believe, or sensibly discern the wisdome, comfort, and felicity, which is held forth to his Church in his ordinances, and felt in himself by experience: In thy light (saith he) shall we see light.
Ver. 10. O continue thy loving kindnesse unto them that know thee, and thy righteousnesse to the upright in heart.
11 Let no… the foot of pride come against me and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
12 There are the workers of iniquity faln: they are cast down, and shal not be able to rise.
The last part of the Psalm, wherin he prayeth for all believers, himself being included, and then for himself in particular. Whence learn, 1. The true mark of a godly man standeth in the conjunction of faith in God with sincere study of obedience to him, for, He is the man that knoweth God, and is upright in heart. 2. Albeit what the believer hath found in God by experience, he may expect it shal be continued to him, both for his entertainment by God▪ and defence and deliverance in his righteous cause from his enemies; yet must he follow his confidence with prayer, O continue thy loving kindness unto them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. 3. As we have no right to any benefit, but in so far as we are of the number of upright-hearted believers, so should we seek every benefit we would have, as being of this number, and as seeking that others may be sharers with us, as David doth before. 1. It is the Lord only who can divert proud persecuters, that they hurt not his children, and it is the Lord only who can keep his children in the course of faith & obedience, when the wicked imploy their power against them: Therfore doth David pray, Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me. 5. The ruin of the enemies of the godly is as certain as if it were already past; yea faith may look upon it through the prospect of the word of God, as if it were to be seen and pointed out to others to behold with their eyes, There are the workers of iniquity faln. 6. The fal of the wicked is not like the fal of the godly, for though the godly fal sundry times, yet they recover their feet again, but a fal is prepared for the wicked, after which they shal not recover themselves, They are cast down, and shal not be able to rise.