A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms, Psalm 50
PSAL. L.
This Psalme is a citing of the visible Church before God, the Judg of all the earth, (who at last shal judg all flesh in the day of judgment, and shall take vengeance on the wicked,) to compeare before the tribunal of God; now in time while mercy may be had, and now then timeously to consider the Lords controversie against the sinners in his Church, that they may repent and he saved. And first, the dreadfulness of the judgment is set downe, v. 1, 2, 3. Secondly the citation of the partie, that is, the visible Church, with the witnesses, v. 4, 5.6. Thirdly, there is a challenge of self-work-justisticiaries, legalists, and formal ceremonialists, who did rest upon outward good behaviour, and upon the outward discharge of the ordinances, as if the sacrifices of the law or any performance of extetnal duties had been sufficient to expiate sin, and justifie a man, v. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Fourthly, there is a direction unto them how to come off their legal righteousness, and carnal way of worship, and to turn themselvs to the right way of worshipping God in spirit and truth, v· 14, 15. Fifthly, there is a challenge of those who were grosly wicked, v. 16, 17, 18, 19.20, 21. And lastly, there is a direction also to them to repent, and to give God glory in time, with an encouragement to the upright Believers to go on their way, vers. 22, 23.
Ver. 1. THe mighty God, even the Lord hath spoken, and called the earth, from the rising of the Sun, unto the going down thereof.
2. Out of Sion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
3. Our God shall come, and shal not keep silence: a fire shal devour before him, and it shal be very tempestuous round about him.
From the description of the terrour of the Lord coming to judg his visible Church, for the slighting of the means of salvation, and loosness of life and conversation; Learn, 1. As the Lord is to judg the whole world one day, so in a special and most exact manner wil he judg those that draw neer to him in the profession of true Religion, as this whole Psalm holdeth forth. 2. This advantage have they who live in the visible Church, they are warned of the judgment ere it come: for, as many other places of Scripture, so this Psalm is an express warning piece to the Church to prepare for judgment. 3. The terrible process of the day of Gods severe judgment, being wel meditated upon, is a special means to waken mens consciences to take course about their sins in time, that they may be pardoned, and their persons reconciled, which is the scope of the whole doctrine delivered in this Psalm. 4. The mystery of the great and terrible day of general judgment is to be learned from the Scriptures, and express predictions thereof in Gods word: The authority, weight, certainty and efficacy whereof flowes from, and depends upon God almighty only; The mighty God, even the Lord hath spoken. 5. God Almighty the Sovereign Judg of all the earth hath appointed, that all who ever took life, in whatsoever time or place they have lived in the world, shal compear befote his Majesty in the appointed time, The Lord hath spoken, and called the earth, from the rising of the Sun, unto the going down thereof. 6. The true visible Church where Gods ordinances are set up, as he hath appointed, where his word is purely preached, is the most beautiful thing under heaven, and there is Gods glory set forth, and manifested more clearly then in all the Lords handy work beside in heaven or earth; Therefore is the place of the Lords Temple here so highly commended; and Sion called the perfection of beauty, because of the glory of God sundry wayes revealed there; Out of Sion God hath shined, saith he, in regard of the clear manifestation of his wil, specially in the matter now in hand about the day of judgment. 7. Men wil take no heed unto what the word of the Lord declareth, til the authority, supremacy, omnipotency and justice of God the Judg be apprehended by them, and the great day of his terrible judgment be looked upon as a thing which shal most certainly come to pass at the time appointed; Therefore is it said, Our God shal come and shall not keep silence. 8. So many as are reconciled with God, and have closed uprightly with him in the Covenant of Grace, may look upon the day of judgment without terrour or perplexity; yea, and with comfort and confident hope to find the Judg gracious to them according to the Tenour of the Covenant, even their God: Our God, saith the Prophet shall come. 9. Look how fearful and terrible the Lord did shew himself at the giving out of the Law, no less terrible shal he be in the execution thereof, in the day of judging all those whose sins shal be found not pardoned before: A fire shal devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous about him.
Ver. 4. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
5. Gather my Saints together unto me: those that have made a Covenant with me by sacrifice.
6. And the heavens shal d…clare his righteousness: For God is judg himself. Selah.
In the second place, he sets down the citation, and summoning in of officers, parties, and witnesses, to make all ready for the judging of all the world, but in special of the people who have given up their name to God, and have made a Covenant with him, and professed themselves to be his people; who shal find all of them at last, that they have had to do with a righteous Judge. Whence learne, 1. In the great day of the last judgment, Heaven and Earth, and all the Elements shal be moved to render up all whom they have received in custody unto that day; The Lord shall call to the Heavens from above, and to the Earth. 2. We need not to question how all the dead shal be raised, how souls shal be reunited to their bodies, how they shal all be gathered …ogether, and how such like great things shal come to pass, … resolves all; He shal call to the Heavens, and to the Earth. For as at a word all were made: so at a word, so soon as he shall cal, and give out order for compearance, the dead shall be raised, and all shall compear, good Angels, and wicked spirits, all men good and evil, young and old, every reasonable and understanding creature in heaven and earth by his almighty power shal be made quickly to present themselves; He shall call, is sufficient to effect whatsoever he wil. 3. What shal be the course that the Judg shal follow about those who have not heard of him, or who have heard of him, and lived without the Church, is not the main matter which the Lords people should enquire for; but this is their part to know, to wit, what concerneth themselves; therefore doth the Lord say no more here but, Hee shal call to the heavens and to the earth, that hee may judg his people. 4. All who are in Covenant with God, every Member of the visible Church are Saints by calling; God alloweth this stile upon them, because they are dedicated and consecrated to him, because they are all by speciall vow obliged to be Saints; all make profession of their purpose to be such; all do esteem of themselves, and wil have allowed unto them by others the estimation of Gods people, whatsoever be their deserving; therefore saith he, Gather my Saints together unto me. 4 At how great a distance soever, whether of time or place, Gods people by profession have lived in this world, all of them shall be assembled to together at length to the judgment of that great day; some to the judgment of absolution, some to the judgment of condemnation, good and bad, all shal be gathered before the Judge at once; Gather my Saints together unto mee. 5. The Lord shal not want Officers, Serjeants, and Servants sufficient for this work, he hath Angels innumerable, who shal effect what he giveth order unto them for; Gather yee my Saints together. 6. The external Covenant with God, is the ground of the title and honour of Saintship, and church-membership; whosoever are in visible Covenant with God, are called by his allowance, his Saints; for so here he doth expound whom he calleth his Saints, even all those who have made a Covenant with him by sacrifice. 7. No Covenant can be made with God without the interposing of, or professed respect unto a sacrifice, according as the Lord did teach his people in the type and shadow of the ceremonial sacrificing; for as God by appointing a sacrifice to be offered by his people would have every Covenanter to acknowledge and profess that he was worthy to die for his sins, and that it behoved him to flie to a suretie to die for him▪ (even to the promised Messiah Jesus Christ, that Lamb of God which was slain from the beginning of the world, to take away the sinnes of the world;) and to consecrate himself wholly to Gods service; so doth the Lord require stil the same things of every Covenanter, from every one of his people; and whosoever do profess their accepting of the conditions of the Covenant, are called those that have made a Covenant with God by sacrifice. 8. In that general judgment, the wise framing the world, the constant course of governing of it, the appointing of the seasons of Summer & Winter, Spring time and Harvest, the making of the Sun to shine, and the rain to fal upon all, and the furnishing of all with food and good things, shal be witnesses for Gods part toward all men, and so the heavens shal declare his righteousness. 9. No man shal be injured nor suffer wrongfully that day; yea, all men shal have wrongs done to them repaired, all rewards shal be given according as the word of the Lord hath said: For God is judg himself. Selah.
Ver. 7. Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I wil testifie against thee: I am God, even thy God.
Having now foretold his people, that there shal be certainly a great day of judging of all men, and specially of his Covenanted people; he entereth here in a friendly manner of controversie with his visible Church or professed people, that they might repent and find mercy in time, before they were brought to a tribunal of severe justice: And first, he useth a preface directing his speech to such as were of a better outward behaviour then the worst, to wit, such as trusted in their own works, and specially in the external sacrifices and ceremonies of the Law without looking to the end and intent thereof; as if by those external sacrifices their sins had been expiated, and God fully satisfied for them. Whence learne, 1. A people setled upon the dregs of their carnal customes, in security and presumption, cannot be moved to enter into conside…ation of their wayes, or in suspicion of their dangerous condition, except the Lord do shew himself to them, and rip up their conscience; therefore saith he to them, Hear, O my people, and I will speake. 2. Albeit the Lord doth suffer such as are without the Church, strangers to the Covenant and Common-wealth of Israel, to lie stil in their sinnes; yet will he debate his quarrel against his own people, which is no small mercy; O Israel! I will testifie against thee. 3. The Covenant made with God, joyned with his absolute Sovereignty, do lay double bonds upon Gods people for the obedience of faith, obliging them not to seek salvation otherways then he doth teach us; but to worship and serve him as he appointeth; for, I am God, even thy God, saith the Lord. 4. Whatsoever quarrel the Lord has against his people for not keeping Covenant made with him; yet so long as there is hope of repentance, he will not dissolve the Covenant, but will offer the benefit thereof unto them; for when the Lord hath said, I will testifie against thee, he addeth, I am God, even thy God, ver. 11.
Ver. 8. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices, or thy burnt-offerings, to have been continually before me.
9. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy folds
10. For every beast of the Forrest is mine, and the cattel upon a thousand hills.
11. I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wilde beasts of the field are mine.
12. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
13. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
After the preface, the Lord passeth by the reproof for much neglect, even in the external performances of outward ordinances, and chall…geth only their relying upon the outward work, and their putting a sort of merit upon their work, as if they minded to oblige God unto them by their outward performances. Whence learn, 1. Albeit there be just reason to challenge men for coming short of their duty in the discharge of outward ordinances; yet when that is not the main fault, or when the mending of that fault will not satisfie God, he will wave that challenge for the present, and fasten upon their chief sins, I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices, or thy burnt-offerings which should have been continually before me. 2. As men are ordinarily little sensible of their omissions of duties, so are they ready to overvalue their outward performances, and to think that what they do in this kind shall be very acceptable to God, as the carnal Israelites here challenged, did conceive their bullocks and goats out of their houses or folds should have been esteemed by God of as much worth, as they who offered them did put upon them. 3. That which is most esteemed of by men, without allowance of God, is abomination to God: such were the external sacrifices of carnal Israelities, who rested upon the offering of external sacrifices, without looking to that only true sacrifice of the Mediator represented thereby: I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goat out of thy fold. 4. It is a disease of foolish man, to think with himself that God is obliged to him when he offereth unto God any part of his goods, when in the mean time a man hath nothing but what God hath given unto him, and which is the Lords by primitive right; Every beast of the forrest is mine, and the cattel upon a thousand hills. 5. Albeit all men profess that they acknowledge God to be owner of all the creatures, because he hath made them all; yet their practice many ways doth bewray their heart-ignorance in this point, and that they have need to be taught this lesson from God, I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are mine. 6. Unrenewed men cannot chuse but have gross co nceptions of God, and to think of him after their own fancy, as the carnal Israelites conceived that a fat sacrifice was as acceptable to God, as a fat dinner was to themselves; but God is not like man, and standeth in no need of supply from man or from any of the creatures; all of them have their being and dependance on God, to dispose of them, and bestow them …n whom he will at his pleasure, He is not hungry; and put the case he had a minde to serve himself of any of the creatures, yet he needs not employ man for that effect; for, The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof. 7. The Lord disdaineth the fleshly conceits which men have to satisfie his justice for their sins by any thing that man can offer unto him, as imaginations unbeseeming a reasonable man; Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
Ver. 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the most High.
15. And call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorifie me.
In the third place, he exhorteth them to forsake this carnal way of seeking salvation, and setteth them upon the right course of true blessedness and spiritual service. Whence learn, 1. The way of salvation and of Gods worship is spiritual, and may possibly be resembled and furthered by external bodily exercises, but does not stand on things external; and to speak it more particularly, God will have the man whose person and service he will accept, to be sensible of his own want of every good thing, and inability to furnish to himself any thing which he lacketh, and to acknowledge God only to be the all-sufficient fountain of grace and of every good donation, and to seek what he hath need of from God, and to depend upon his grace when he hath sought it, and to return the praise of Gods free and gracious gift unto him when he hath received it; for all this is presupposed & imported in this offering of thanks, Offer unto God thanksgiving; to wit, for every point and passage of his undeserved favour: and this he calleth for, because this offering of the sacrifice of praise and thanks, was more acceptable to God then their Ceremonial sacrifices of slain beasts. 2. God will have the man, whose person and service he will accept, to make conscience of all his lawful vowes made unto God, in special of his Covenant-vow made for giving God the obedience of faith all the days of his life, which vow true worshippers use upon sundry occasions solemnly to renew: Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the most high God. 3. Were a man never so faithful and upright in the Lords service, yet he is not exempted from trouble, for reasons concerning Gods glory, good of the person troubled, and benefit of others; this the Lord holdeth forth in preparing their mindes, by making mention unto believers of a day of trouble. 4. Among other ends of the Lords sending trouble, this is one, to make the believer in the sense of his need to make use of his Covenant with God, and by faith to draw neer to him in prayer for help and relief in due time, Call upon me in the day of thy trouble. 5. The true believer and depender upon the sure and rich grace of God, cannot possibly fall in any trouble out of which he shall not be delivered, but whatsoever evil come, he may (by praying to God) yea he shal be delivered, Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee. What more absolute promise can be made to a believing supplicant? 6. A believing supplicant shall not only be graciously answered to his petition, and so have cause of praising God; but also shall have grace in effect to praise God, And thou shalt glorifie me.
Vers. 16. But unto the wicked, God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth,
17. Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behinde thee?
18. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with the adulterers.
19. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother: thou slanderest thine own mothers son.
21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence: thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
In the fourth place, the Lord pleadeth mercifully with the gross sinner and scandulous liver, for abusing this priviledge of the Covenant by his lewd conversation and secure Atheisme, that he being convinced of his sin, might repent, and eschew the wrath which is to come. Whence learn, 1. To such as profess Religion, and observe the outward ordinances thereof, and do not live scandalously; the Lord howsoever he lets them know he is not well pleased with their way, yet he doth speak unto them more mildly, because it is possible some beloved Laodiceans, young and unskilful true converts may be guilty of no small measure of dead formality; but to such as live in gross scandalous sins, the Lord speaketh more roughly, calling them by the name of wicked; But unto the wicked God saith. 2. Such is the deceivableness of sin, and the deceit of the heart, and the power of Satan upon secure sinners, that they can without remorse of conscience profess the true Religion, pretend to a Covenant with God, and yet live loosly as Pagans or Atheists: They take Gods Covenant in their mouth, and mean time do hate instruction, and cast Gods words behind them. 3. Such as by their lewd conversation do give an open affront to their Religion, are so detestable to God, that he accompteth them wicked haters of reformation, contemners of Scripture, disgracers of their holy profession, and such as he wil take no Religious service of their hand: Unto the wicked God saith, what hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behinde thee? 4. Albeit men do profane the Covenant, and deserve to be thrust out of it as unworthy to have the benefit of it, or to be suffered any more to profess it; yet God wil not give up with them hastily, but wil after a friendly manner declare to them their sin and misdeserving, that their conscience may be moved towards repentance; What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction? 5. The man that casteth Gods word behind him, cannot chuse but serve a worse master, and be made slave to his lusts, and be led away to every sin, as tentation doth lead him; he wil not stand to be a greedy thief, and a filthy adulterer, ver. 18. and to loose his tongue to all the evils whereunto the tongue can serve, ver. 19. yea and to become unnatural to those with whom he is bound in nearest bonds of blood, ver. 20. 6. Such is the Lords patience, that he doth oft-times endure very long horrible provocations of those that are in outward Covenant with him, in that by his long-suffering he may lead them to repentance: These things thou didst, and I kept silence. 7. When men do not profit by the means which should lead them to repentance, they grow worse for the means, more secure and hardened in their ill wayes, and more godless in all respects: Thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self. 8. Such as live a loose life with a profession of Religion under the shining light of Gods word, do not keep their consciences quiet, otherwaies then by transforming God into an idol after their own fancy, and by feigning him to be what he is not, and not to be what he declareth himself to be; Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self; that is to say, No more displeased with thy wayes then thou thy selfe was. 9. Although the Lord keep silence for a time, yet he wil at length let the sinner know by his word and rods, how displeased he is at sin: But I wil reprove thee, saith the Lord. 10. Sins forgotten cast behind back, and cast together in confusion by the secure sinner, shal in the day of Gods reckoning be brought to remembrance with time, place, and other circumstances, and so presented to the conscience, as the sinner shal not be able to look aside from his fearful accusation and ditty, I will set them in order before thine eyes.
Ver. 22. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
23. Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I shew the salvation of God.
In the last place, the Lord being lo…th to dissolve the Covenant, or to destroy those that are in the visible Church, how wicked soever, exhorteth them to repentance while it is time, before he cast them off utterly, and so sheweth them the way of returning hom… to him, as he doth also encourage such as are sincere worshippers of him to go on. Whence learn, 1. The Lords controversie with his people, and threatning of wrath upon them, do carry much love and mercy in their bosome; it is admirable that such offers of grace and reconciliation are made by God after so just and fearful challenges, as here we read. 2. As the affectionate remembrance of God is an aw-band to keep from sin, and a spur to all duties; and as consideration of Gods word is a means to waken the conscience, and affect the heart with high and right thoughts of God: so the forgetting of God, and consideration of what is necessary, casts a man open to all sin, and makes way for his destruction; Consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces. 3. If they who have gone far away from God, do not haste them home unto him, they are like to meet with judgement merciless, and to finde no opportunity or time granted as they could wish to repent, Consider, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you. 4 To set men on work to endeavour the honour of God by worshipping him in spirit, and to conforme their outward actions of the body to the rule of Gods word, is the scope of all Gods pleading with his own people; for his controversie is closed with a direction to all, to glorifie God, and to order their conversation aright. 5. That man worshippeth God in spirit, who giveth him the praise of his justice, in acknowledging his sinnes against Gods law, and his ill deservings in the course of daily renewed repentance, and who giveth unto God the praise of his grace and mercy, in flying to the refuge set before him in the Gospel, in the course of daily renewed acts of faith in Christ▪ and he who giveth God the praise of his holiness in studying daily to mortifie the lusts of the flesh by his Spirit, and to be renewed in his minde and affections; and in a word, he who in his heart and affections studieth to give God the honour of all his attributes, titles, or name, by whatsoever occasion manifested to him: This is the worshipper of God in spirit and truth, whom the Lord by all his dealing with his people is seeking to form and gain to himself, Who so offereth praise, glorifieth me. 6. Sincere endeavour to worship God in spirit, is best seen in a mans care to conform his life and bodily actions to the rule of Gods word; for with glorifying of God he joyneth here, ordering his conversation aright. 7. Whosoever shall set himself to be Gods servant in spirit and truth, shall finde God to be his Saviour to the uttermost, how godless soever, how vile soever he hath been; If he shall prepare himself against the dreadfull day of Judgement, by receiving the offer of grace in Jesus Christ, with all the fulness of the salvation of God in him, and in Christs strength shall study to bring forth the fruits of his faith in a blameless conversation, he shall undoubtedly be saved: for God hath said, Whoso offereth the sacrifice of praise, glorifies me, and to him who ordereth his conversation aright, will I shew the salvation of God. Amen, Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · David Dickson, A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms (1655)