A Brief Explication of the Last Fifty Psalms, Psalm 119 · Part ת
TAU.
Vers. 149. Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy Word.
In this last section, he closeth all the former sweet meditations, and comfortable expressions concerning his faith and love, and the fruits thereof, with five petitions. The first is, for the encrease of saving knowledge of the Scriptures. Whence learn. 1. Nothing is so necessary to be sought of God as practical knowledge▪ whereby a man may know how to behave himself toward God and man in every estate, according to the rule of Scripture; Give me understanding according to thy word. 2. If God delay to answer us in this petition or any other, or seem to hide himself from us, let us follow hard after him with earnest supplication, as the Psalmist teacheth us; Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord. 3. The promises of Gods Word are sufficient to give us breath in crying, and hope to have a good answer, and patience till it come: Give me understanding according to thy Word.
Ver. 170. Let my supplications come before thee: deliver me according to thy Word.
The next petition is, for deliverance out of his trouble. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the believer is not exempted from trouble, but rather engaged to bear the crosse, till he come to the crown, yet is he priviledged to have accesse to God in prayer for comfort, strength and deliverance from it; Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy Word. 2. The believer craveth nothing but what is promised, and as that may, so it doth satisfie him: Deliver me according to thy Word.
Vers. 171. My lips shall utter praise: when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
172. My tongue shall speak of thy Word: for all thy Commandments are righteousness.
He strengthens his hope in these two prayers, by a promise of thankfulness for any measure of a gracious answer. Whence learn▪ 1. As the end of our petitions should be that we may be enabled to praise God really, so the use of granting of our petitions should be thanks and praise; My lips shall utter thy praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. 2. Thanksgiving in words doth best beseem the man, who indeed is obedient in his life unto God: and as no man can obey God in his deeds, but he that is taught of God, so he that is taught of God to obey in deeds, may well promise upon that condition, to praise God in words also: My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. 3. To teach others the wayes of God, requireth that we our selves be taught of God; When thou hast taught me thy statutes, my tongue shall speak of thy Word. 4. There is no ground of edifying our selves and others, and of glorifying of God, but from the Word of the Lord: My tongue shall speak of thy Word. 5. True righteousness is to be found only in the Word of God; and nothing is approved in it, nor recommended to us by it, save righteousnesse only, which should move us thy more to study it our selves, and then to communicate it to others: For all thy Commandments are righteousnesse.
Ver. 173. Let thine hand help me: for I have chosen thy Precepts.
174. I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD: and thy Law is my delight.
A third petition is for assistance in trouble, till God should send full delivery to him, whereof three reasons are subjoyned: One, from his making choice of the Word above all earthly things: Another, from his longing and expecting of deliverance according to it: And the third, is from his delight in the Word. Whence learn, 1. As they who are resolved to serve God may be sure of opposition, and of adversaries, and of trouble from them: so may they be perswaded to finde Gods help in all their troubles against adversaries, for this much is imported in those words, Let thy hand help me. 2. A…beit allurements to divert the believer from Gods obedience, be offered unto him, yet must he reject them, and deliberately prefer Gods obedience to them all: for thus much is imported in the Psalmists practice: For I have chos…n thy Precepts. 3. He who hath preferred obedience to the baits of sin, and hath resolved rather to suffer then to sin, may look for Gods assistance to sustain him in his trouble, that he shall never have cause to repent him of his choice: Help me, for I have chosen thy Precepts. 4. Albeit it be natural to seek deliverance out of trouble, yet it is proper to the godly to love no deliverance but such as God sendeth by his owne meanes in his own time, and in this minde to wait for this sort of deliverance in the way of Gods obedience; For I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord, was the Psalmists way to be delivered. 5. The beleever is not comfortlesse in his trouble, he hath his own spiritual comfort, pleasure and delight in Gods truth or in God manifested therein; Thy Law is my delight, saith the Psalmist in trouble.
Ver. 175, Let my soule live, and it shall praise thee: and let thy judgements help me.
A fourth petition is, for continuation of his life for honouring of God. Whence learn, 1. As the godly have no will to fall into the hands of men, or to lose their life by murtherers: so do they not love life, but for further glorifying of God: Let my soule live, and it shall praise thee. 2. Whosoever have a design to honour God in their life, which design they have not as yet attained, may lawfully pray for prolonging their life a while; Let my soule live, and it shall praise thee. 3. As the Word of God hath pronounced sentence already for the sustaining of his suffering servants, and for taking order with their persecutors: so accordingly may the godly pray and expect to be helped; Let thy judgements help me.
Ver. 176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep, seek thy servant: for I do not forget thy Commandments.
The fifth and last petition is, that the Lord would recal the Psalmist, now being a banished exile, and bring him home to the communion of his people, as a wandring sheep is brought home to the flock by a kindly shepherd. Whence learn, 1. As the beleever is alwayes a pilgrim in his affection toward this earth: so also he may be corporally banished from his native countrey, and thrust out f…om the fellowship of the Church, as the experience of the Psalmist teacheth, who doth lament his case, saying, I have gone astray like a l…st sheep, driven out by storme or dark day, or by the hunting of the dogs, chased out from the rest of the flock. 2. Albeit the banished beleever be separated from the fellowship of the Church, and from his friends, yet not from communion with God the good shepherd, who heareth the bleating of the poor wandering sheep whereever it be, and will take care of it, and seek it out: Seek thy servant, saith the exile Psalmist unto the Lord. 3. The way for the beleever to keep communion with God in his trouble of banishment or whatsoever other trouble, is to remember the direction of God in his Word, for going on in the way of faith and obedience, and he may assure himself that the good shepherd shall not forget him: Seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy Commandments.