A Brief Explication of the Last Fifty Psalms, Psalm 119 · Part ה
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Vers. 33. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes: and I shall keep it unto the end.
In this section there are eight petitions, according to the number of the verses. From the first; Learn, 1. The narrow way of Gods obedience is hard to be found, hardly kept, and easily mistaken, except God do teach us daily by his Spirit, what he doth at any time teach us by his Word, and therefore we have need again and again to pray, Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes. 2. As the Lord requireth our perseverance in his service, so our perseverance dependeth on his continued direction and assistance, which the believer and daily supplicant for grace may promise to himselfe in Gods Name: Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it to the end.
Vers. 34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law: yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
From the second petition; Learn, 1. There is no true wisdome, except by the knowledge of Gods will revealed in Scripture, and applied by him, and this we should alwayes pray for: Give me understanding. 2. Where God becometh teacher▪ the disciple may promise obedience: Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law. 3. As no service pleaseth God, but that which a man desireth, at least to do heartily: so he that purposeth to persevere, must purpose also to serve God affectionately: Yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Vers. 35. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments: for therein do I delight.
From the third petition; Learn, 1. Because there are innumerable by-paths from terrors and allurements without, to make us decline from the obedience of God, and we of our selves are both weak and subject to errors within us, therefore should we be the more instant in prayer, Make me to go in the path of thy commandements. 2. As it is a faire grace of God to have pleasure and delectation in Gods service, so he who hath gotten of God this grace, may expect also direction and strength, to go on in the path of Gods obedience: for therein do I delight, is given as a reason of his praying, Make me to go in the path of thy commandments.
Vers. 36. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies: and not to covetousnesse.
From the fourth petition; Learn, 1. As the most holy of Gods servants have in them the remainder of their natural stifnesse, and aversnesse from the obedience of Gods Word, so are they of all men most sensible of this sicknesse, and most instant with God, the only Physician to heal it: Incline my heart unto thy testimonies. 2. The heart cannot want some object whereunto it must cleave, a man must love something: and if the heart be not set on things spiritual and heavenly, it will not faile to pitch upon things base, and earthly, as here is insinuated by opposition of covetousnesse to Gods testimonies. 3. The love of Gods testimonies, or of obedience to Gods Word, and the love of base objects, as the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, are inconsistent; for the one is contrary to the other, as here is shewn: Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousnesse.
Vers. 37. Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity: and quicken thou me in thy way.
From the fifth petition; Learn, 1. The sinful concupiscence of the heart hath defiled the externall senses, and made them servants unto it selfe, except God do heal both the heart and the senses, as the petition, Turne away mine eyes, doth import. 2. Albeit the corruption of the heart be deadly wounded, yet it may soon recover life and strength by the external objects of the senses, if watching over the external man be neglected, as, turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, doth import. 3. Whatsoever doth draw away the heart from Gods obedience, is but deceit and folly, whatsoever it may seem to the beholder: Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. 4. Albeit we know that the outward allurements of sinne be nothing but vanity, yet we cannot beware of them, nor renounce them, except the Lord help us, when the baite is offered: therefore is it needfull to pray, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. 5. As God setteth a watch over the senses, and keepeth the Covenant between the renewed heart, and the eyes, and doth renew the vigour of the life of gra…e; so is the inward corruption suppressed and mortified: for the dying of sinne, is by the quickening of gracious habits in the heart, unto actuall exercise, as, quicken thou me in thy way, doth import.
Vers. 38. Stablish thy word unto thy servant: who is devouted to thy fear.
In the sixth petition, he prayeth for the fruit of Gods promises, for circumcising his heart, and purifying of it, and that by experience …he may be settled in the faith of the promises. Whence learn. 1. Faith purisieth the heart by laying hold on the promises of sanctification, and urging of God by prayer to the performance of them: Stablish thy Word unto thy servant, 2. Albeit the promise be sure in it selfe, and sure unto faith also, yet when experimental performance cometh, the truth of it is much more confirmed to us: Stablish thy word unto the servant. 3. Then do we believe the promises, when we take them as made not onelyonly to others, but also as made to our selves by name, as this prayer sheweth, Stablish thy word to me thy servant, (to wit, the promise of sanctification made to believers) and so to me thy servant. 4. He who prayeth for the performance of promises, should resolve to be a servant, and carefull to observe precepts: Stablish thy word to thy servant. 3. That man indeed is Gods servant, how weak soever he be in practice, who is devoted unto Gods fear: for he proveth himselfe to be a servant by this, Because I am devoted to thy fear.
Vers. 39. Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgements are good.
From the seventh petition; Learn, 1. As the godly are subject to sinful out-breakings, which may bring reproach on them, and on their profession: so are they also jealous of themselves, as unable to keep themselves, except God prevent them from giving scandal: Turn away my reproach which I fear. 2. The way to be kept blamelesse, is to feare to offend, and to pray unto God for preservation, and to watch over our hearts, as we are taught here, Turn away my reproach which I fear. 3. As the fear of dishonouring of our profession by sinne, is a guard on the one hand: so estimation and love of prescribed holinesse, as of a good and profitable thing, is a guard against sinne on the other hand; Turn away my reproach which I fear, for thy judgements are good.
40. Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousnesse.
From the eighth petition▪ Learn, 1. Sincerity loveth to come to the light, and offereth it selfe to be approved to God; Behold, I have longed after thy precepts. 2. To love and long for sanctified subjection unto Gods Word, is a proof of sincerity; I have longed after thy precepts. 3. A Saint may have a great desire to believe, and obey Gods Word, and yet in his own sense feel much deadnesse in his affections for a time; I have longed, quicken me. 4. They who bewaile their own deadnesse unto God, shall finde according to his righteous promises, life spirituall recovered and quickened: Quicken me according to thy righteousnesse.