A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms, Psalm 4
PSAL. IV. To the chief Musician on Neginoth. A Psalm of David.
Another experience of David, as an example of a Christian sufferer, unjustly perse…ted and scorned for his piety by his profane enemies, such as Saul, and his Courtiers were: wherein first he setteth down his prayer, ver. 1. Then being comforted in God, he insulteth over his enemies, and glorieth in Gods favour, ver. 2, 3. Thirdly he exhorteth his enemies to repentance, and faith in God, ver. 4, 5. Fourthly, He preferreth the blessedness of his estate above whatsoever the worldly man can enjoy, ver. 6, 7, 8.
FRom the Inscription of this Psalme, which is the first wherin mention is made of the chief Musicians, or musical instruments: Learn 1. The praise of God, and the joy of his Spirit, allowed on his people, do surpasse all expression which the voice of words can make; for this was signified by the pluralitie, and diversity of musicall instruments, (some of them sounding by being beaten, some of them by being blown,) superadded to the voice of singing in the praedagogie of Moses. 2. Albeit the ceremonial, figurative, and religious use of musical instruments be gone, with the rest of the Leviticall shadowes, (the natural use of them still remaining:) yet the vocal singing of Psalmes in the Church is not taken away, as the practice and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles makes evident; and so the voice of a Musician in the publick worship still is useful. 3. The Psalmes are to be made use of with discretion, as the matter of the Psalme, and edification of the worshippers doth require. And in the publick, it is the called Minister of the Congregation his place, to order this part of the worship with the rest; for this the direction of the Psalms, To the chief Musician, giveth ground.
Ver. 1. HEar me when I call, O God of my righteousnesse: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distresse, have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
FRom his prayer, Learn, 1. Though there be many and divers troubles of the godly, yet there is but one God to give comfort and relief, and one way to draw it from God; to wit, by prayer in faith, Heare me when I call. 2. Albeit the conscience of much sinne be opposed to the prayer of the believer, yet the everlasting righteousnesse of faith, (whereof the Lord is God, Author, and maintainer for ever) doth open the way to the suppliant, specially when he cometh to God in a righteous cause, Hear me, O God of my righteousnesse. 3. Acknowledgment of by-past mercies in former experience is a good preparation for a new mercy, and a mean to strengthen our faith to receive it, Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distresse, have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 4. Faith is a good Oratour, and a noble Disputer in a strait; it can reason from Gods readinesse to hear, Heare mee when I call O God. And from the everlasting righteousnesse given to the man, in the justification of his person, O God of my righteousnesse: and from Gods constant justice in defending the righteousnesse of his servants cause, O God of my righteousnesse: and from both present distresses, and those that are by-past, wherein hee hath been: and from by-gone mercies received, Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distresse: and from Gods grace, which is able to answer all objections from the mans unworthinesse, or ill-deserving: Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
Ver. 2. O ye sons of men, how long wil ye turne my golry into shame? how long wil ye love vanity and seek after leasing. Selah.
3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.
In the next place, after comfort received, hee triumpheth in Gods good will over all his enemies. Whence learn, 1. Though a godly man, when he is both persecuted for righteousnesse, and mocked for his piety, may hang his head in his trouble for a little, til he goes to God with his complaint; yet after that he is comforted, hee wil be able to speake a word to his mockers, and holily to insult over them, time about; as after prayer, David here turneth him to speake to the sons of men. 2. Mockers of piety, when pious men are under affliction, doe bewray themselves to be stil in the state of nature, and destitute for the present of the Spirit of regeneration: For David calleth them, in relation to their sinful condition, O yee sons of men. 3. Though faith in God, and calling on him in trouble, and innocency of life under persecution, be the highest commendation, and glory of a man; yet the wicked, (though oft convinced of Gods goodnesse to such persons) do not stand to reproach piety, as a matter of scorn, so oft as God doth suffer the godly to fall in calamity. How long will ye turn my glory into shame? 4. Meer natural men cannot be made wise, neither by the word of God, nor by experience in their own, and others persons, to consider that things of this earth, as temporarie riches, honour, and pleasure, are nothing but vanity, and deceiving lies, which promise something, and pay nothing but vexation of spirit, because of guiltinesse and misery following upon the abuse of them. How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? 5. The most satisfactory revenge, which the godly can desire of their persecuters and mockers, is, to have them turn converts, to have them recalled from the vanity of their way, and brought to a right understanding of what concerneth their salvation, whereunto the godly are ready to offer themselves admonishers of them, and instructers, as here the Prophet doth, O ye Sons of men, how long? &c. But know, &c. 6. The cause of the worlds despising of piety in the persons of Gods afflicted children, is the grosse ignorance of the precious privil…ges of the Lords sincere servants: the world cannot think that the godly in the midst of their calamities are Gods peculiar jewels, chosen and called out of the world, for honouring of God; admitted to fellowship with God in this life, and appointed to dwell with him for ever. Therefore, know, saith David, as speaking to ignorants, That God hath set apart for himself, him that is godly. 7. This is one of the priviledges of the godly, that how oft soever they are put to their prayers, by …ouble or tentation, so oft they get audience, upholding, comfort, and delivery; as their crosses doe abound, so doe their consolations; as the Prophet testifieth, saying, The Lord will hear me when I call upon him. 8. The experience of one of the Saints concerning the verity of Gods promises, of the certainty of the written priviledges of the Lords people, is a sufficient proof of the right which all his children have unto, and ground of hope for their partaking in the same mercies in their need; therefore David, to prove his generall doctrine▪ set down in the first part of the verse, he saith, The Lord will heare me when I call unto him.
Ver. 4. Stand in awe and sin not, commune with our own heart upon your bed, and be stil. Selah.
5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse, and put your trust in the Lord.
In the third place, he exhorteth his enemies to repentance and faith God; wherein as he laid downe the course which they should keepe, to wit, to have their judgment wel informed in the principles of Religion, in the former verse; so here in this verse he will have their heart and affections reformed: and in the following verse hee wil have their actions also reformed in relation to the duties of the first and second Teble, and their actions to flow from their faith in God. Whence learn, 1. Repentance is not real and sound, til the heart bee affected with the sense of sinne by-past, and fear of sinning hereafter, and bee brought in subjection under the dreadful Majestie of God: therefore after instruction, ver. 2, 3. Hee saith here, Stand in awe and sinne not. 2. The meane prescribed of God for to make the heart sensible of its condition, is the serious and daily examination of the conscience, posing it to answer all interrogatories concerning the mans conformitie to Gods law, and that in secret, in the night, without distraction: for a man had neede to have his wits about him, when hee goeth to examine a deceitful thiefe: to this purpose saith hee, Commune with your hearts on your beds. 3. The fruit of daily, serious examination of the conscience, concerning sinne committed, is, to make a man humble, quiet, and submissive to the Lord: this he insinuateth in foretelling them that thus they shall be still, or silent, not opening the mouth to excuse their sinnes, or to mock the godly. As for reformation of their lives in relation to the law of God, ver. 5. He teacheth, 1. That the formal discharge of the external ceremonies of Religion will not prove a man to be a true convert, or a sincere penitent; but the true sacrifice of Christs obedience unto the death, signified by the external sacrifices, must bee looked unto; and the sacrifice of thanksgiving and wel doing, and the dedication of the whole man to the service of God, must testifie the truth of repentance. Therefore in opposition to the external ceremonial sacrifice, hee commandeth to offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse. 2. When a penitent hath for evidencing the sinceritie of his turning to God, brought forth fruit suitable to repentance, hee must not lay weight upon his works, but lay all his confidence upon Gods free grace, who justifieth the true convert by faith only: Therefore, after commanding them to offer the scrifices of righteousnesse, he directeth them, saying, Put your trust in the Lord.
Ver. 6. There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more then in the time that their corne and their wine increased.
8. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
In the last place he commendeth his own blessed estate, and to enforce the former ehxortation, he compareth the happiness which the worldling doth seeke after, with the spirituall joy which is granted to the godly, and prefereth the last far before the other. Hence learn. 1. The blind worldlings, ignorant of what is truly good, are taken with insatiable wishing, and seeking for some earthly thing, whereby they conceive they may be happy. Of those speaketh he, saying, There be many that say, Who will shew us any good 2. The truely godly joyne one with another, in seeking? their felicity in Gods favour, and in the sense of his reconciliation, and not in seeking the worldly mans choice: for in the opposition to the worldlings wishes, David with the rest of the godly, faith, Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 3. The comfort of Gods Spirit, and sense of a mans reconciliation with God in Christ, is greater then any worldly joy can be, and is able to supply the want of riches, honors, and pleasures worldly, and to season, yea and swallow up the sense of poverty, disgrace, and whatsoever other evill. This David testifieth by his own experience, saying, Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more then in the time that their corn and wine increased. 4. Faith in God, as it bringeth joy, so also peace unspeakable, and passing understanding, in the midst of trouble: This Davids experience teacheth also, I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, notwithstanding of all the oppositions the sons of men made unto him. 5. Whether God do give means of safety, or none at all which can be seen, preservation and safetie is his gift, and the making a man observe the benefit of preservation is another gift also: wherefore, David giveth the glory of both unto God, Thou only makest mee dwell in safety.