A Brief Explication of the Last Fifty Psalms, Psalm 143
PSALME CXLIII.
DAvid being in great trouble of mind, for the long continuance of his persecution by his enemies, and also under some exercise of conscience, through the sense of his sin, prayeth in this Psalme for deliverance in general, from his twofold trouble, v. 1, 2. because of his pitiful condition set down, v. 3, 4, 5, 6. Then he presseth his prayer in nine more special petitions, in the rest of the Psalme.
Ver. 1, HEar my prayer, O LORD, give eare to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousnesse.
2. And enter not into judgement with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
In the prayer, as it is generally propounded; Learn, 1. Outward bodily trouble is able to raise trouble of minde, and trouble of conscience also, especially when outward trouble continueth long, and God seemeth to debar prayer from accesse, or not to give answer thereto, as this experience of David sheweth, 2. Whatsoever be the trouble of a mans minde, and from what cause soever it ariseth, prayer is the first and readiest meanes of ease and quietnesse, as here we see in David, Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give eare to my supplication. 3. The Lords faithfulnesse and righteousnesse, which serve to terrifie a natural man, are props and pillars of comfort and encouragement unto the believer, who is fled to the throne of grace: In thy faithfulnesse answer me, and in thy righteousnesse. 4. When the conscience of sin opposeth our prayer, or our hope of delivery out of trouble, it must be answered by flying to Gods grace: and when justice seemeth to pursue us, then the prayer of faith doth change the Court of justice into the Court of grace: for albeit the sinnes of the godly may take peace of conscience from them for a time, yet they cannot debar them from seeking favour and pardon, according to the Covenant of grace, especially when they are studying to serve God, as this example teacheth us: And enter not into judgement with thy servant. 5. There is no way of justification by the works of the Law, neither before regeneration nor after, but only by grace: for David, a man of singular holinesse, saith, En…er not into judgement with thy servant, for in thy sight shall none living be justified: to wit, if thou enter into judgement with him according to the Law of works▪
Ver. 3. For the enemie hath persecuted my soule, he hath smitten my life down to the ground: he hath made me to dwell in darknesse, as those that have been long dead.
4. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me: my heart within me is desolate.
The reasons of his prayer are two: the first is taken from the miserable condition, wherein the violence and oppression of the enemie hath driven him, v. 3, 4. the other is, from his careful use of the meanes for finding grace, v. 5, 6. In the first reason; Learn, 1. After we have fled to Gods mercy, according to the Covenant of grace for remission of sin, we may confidently lay forth all our worldly trouble before God, and hope for relief, as here David doth. 2. It is not strange to see the godly in a manner wracked by their persecutors, and undone in their worldly condition, for so was David served: The enemie hath persecuted my soul, he hath smitten my life down to the ground, he hath made me dwell in darknesse, as those that have been long dead: and this he speaketh in regard of his being hunted from place to place, and forced to hide himself in the wildernesse, and at length to take banishment upon him, and to live among idolaters in the land of darknesse. 3. Troubles when they are long continued, are able to daunt the natural courage of the stoutest of Gods servants: for God, for emptying of his owne children of self-conceit, and humbling them in the sense of their own weaknesse, useth to suffer trouble to have more weight, then they could before-hand apprehend, as here, Therfore is my spirit overwhelmed within me, my heart within me is desolate. 4. How heavie soever trouble be found, and how unable soever we finde our selves to bear it any longer, yet must we not succumbe, nor give over wrestling, but must present our case unto the Lord, as this example doth teach us.
Ver. 5. I remember the dayes of old, I meditate on all thy works: I muse on the work of thy hands.
6. I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land. Selah.
From the second reason of his prayer, taken from the conscience of his diligent use of the ordinary meanes, for finding comfort and relief: Learn, 1. The remembrance of our own former experience, and of the experience of others of the Saints set down in Scripture, (which should have force to support our faith, albeit we have nothing of our own experience,) is a fit exercise for a fainting soul under trouble, as here we see, I remember the dayes of old, I meditate on all thy works. 2. The meditation of the works of Creation and Providence, is a fit meanes also to support our faith in Gods Word▪ albeit we have no example, nor experience of any who had been in the like condition before us: for therein we shall finde the evidence of what the wisdom and Omnipotency of God can do, in performing of promises; I muse on the works of thy hands. 3. Before we can draw profit by the pledges of Gods power apparent in his works, we must resolve to meditate and muse upon them at leasure: for a slight look of these will not draw forth the profitable use of them: I remembered, I meditate, I mused, saith David. 4. With meditation upon Gods works, earnest prayer must be joyned: I stretch forth my hands unto thee. 5. When faith seeth not only a promise of help, but also by the experience of others who have been helped, a probability also of its coming speed, it raiseth a drought and longing for the fruit of the promise, and keepeth the eye fixed upon God, without looking for relief from any where else; My soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land.
Ver. 7. Heare me speedily, O LORD, my Spirit faileth, hide not thy face from me: lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
In the rest of the Psalme, he presseth this prayer in nine petitions more particular: The first is for speedy deliverance; the second for some blink of favour, and both these have their reasons adjoyned in this verse. Whence learn, 1. Sore trouble and long delaying of Gods help, is able to shake faith and weaken courage: Hear me speedily, O Lord, my heart faileth. 2. The beleever must never give over seeking of Gods help, how nigh soever he be to failing and falling off: Hear me, O Lord, my spirit faileth me. 3. Faith maketh use of extreme dangers and instant destruction, as of wings to mount it self up unto God; for death and destruction cannot be so nigh, but faith findeth time to flee to its refuge, and run to God, to interpose himself before destruction be executed…s Hear me speedily, my spirit faileth. 4. The Lords displeasure apprehended in trouble, is more terrible then the trouble it self, and the least intimation of his favour, is very life and delivery; for, Hide not thy face from me, was here Davids deepest distresse, and the shewing of the least blink of Gods favour, should have relieved him. 5. The Lord will not suffer his childrens faith to be over set, albeit he suffer it to be hardly assaulted: Hide not thy face from me, lest I be like to them that go down to the pit, or lest I be like to them that perish. 6. The sense of trouble and weaknesse in Gods children, acknowledged before God, is more able to bear them through from under their troubles, then all the stupid stoutness… of contumacious mindes, as the experience of this Champion David sheweth unto us.
Vers. 8. Cause me to hear thy loving kindnesse in the morning, for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soule unto thee.
The third petition is, for timous comfort in the Word of promise: and the fourth is, for direction in the way of Gods obedience, and both have their reasons adjoyned in this verse. Whence learn, 1. The consolation which the believer doth seek, is that which is promised in the Word, and he will content himself with the comfort which cometh by hearing, till the full effect of the promise come: Cause me to hear thy loving kindnesse. 2. That comfort is indeed early, and sufficiently timous, which cometh before we perish or despair; Cause me to hear thy loving kindnesse in the morning. 3. Trusting in God without comfort, is a reason to perswade us we shal have comfort, and the readiest way that can be to come by it: Cause me to hear thy loving kindnesse: for in thee do I trust. 4. As it is the believers trouble to be in such perplexity, as not to know how to behave himself in it: so is it a part of his comfort and delivery, to understand what to do next, and how to behave him self: Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk. 5. He who seeketh direction from God, must lift up his heart off all diversions, and depend on God only; for, I lift up my soule to thee, is the reason of his petition to be directed.
Ver. 9. Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flie unto thee to hide me.
The fifth petition is for delivery from his enemies, whereunto a reason is added here. Whence learn, 1. As there is no enemie, from whom the Lord cannot deliver a man who is reconciled, how potent soever the enemie be: so deliverance from ou… enemies is a fruit of our friendship with God; Deliver me from mine enemies. 2. Albeit our enemies had compassed us so, as there were no apparent escape, yet the believer may finde a hiding place in God; I flie unto thee to hide me.
Ver. 10. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God, thy Spirit is good: lead me into the land of uprightnesse.
The sixth petition is for grace to walk righteously and holily, till he came to heaven, which he calleth the land of uprightnesse. Whence learn, 1. In time of trials and troubles men are in no lesse danger of sinning and foul-losing, then they are to fal into further bodily dangers and inconveniencies, and have need, in the sense of their inability, to walk circumspectly, and to seek direction from God: Teach me to do thy will 2. The Covenant of grace wherein the believer is entered, giveth ground to pray and hope for the growth of sanctification: Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. 3. We have need of such teaching, as hath with it leading, such direction, as hath with it strengthening unto obedience, such information as doth direct us, not only in the general rule, but also how to apply it in particular actions, and which doth not leave us in any part of our dutie to our selves: Teach me, lead me. 4. Heaven is the land of uprightnesse, and we must have the Lords constant teaching, and his constant leading of us, till we be possessed of heaven; Lead me into the land of uprightnesse. 5. The teacher and leader of believers, in the obedience of Gods Word and Will, is the Spirit of God, whose goodnesse must be opposed to our natural sinfulnesse and ill deserving: Thy Spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightnesse.
Ver. 11. Quicken me, O LORD, for thy Names sake: for thy righteousnesse sake, bring my soule out of trouble.
The seventh petition is, for some reviving of his damped and dead spirit, and the eighth is, for ending the course of the enemies persecution of him, and reasons are subjoyned to both. Whence learn, 1. Albeit believers be subject to soul-fainting and deadnesse, yet they retain life spiritual in such a measure, as maketh them still sensible of their own weaknesse, and able to bemoan themselves unto God, who is able to revive them; Quicken me, O Lord. 2. It concerneth God in his honour, to revive the spirits of the contrite ones, when they have their recourse unto him; Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Names sake. 3. Albeit the Lord acquaint his children with trouble, yet he will not suffer them to lie still in trouble, but will in due time set them free; Bring my soule out of trouble. 4. The Lord will have his justice not terrible to his children in trouble, but comfortable and a pawne of their delivery from their oppressors: For thy righteousnesse sake, bring my soul out of trouble.
Ver. 12. And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies: and destroy all them that afflict my soule; for I am thy servant.
The ninth petition is, for the overthrow of his desperate enemies, whereunto reasons are added. Whence learn, 1. The enemies of the righteous who are persecuted for righteousnesse, shall perish: Cut off mine enemies, destroy them all. 2. Mercy to the Lords oppressed children, and justice against their enemies, go together; and the work of justice on persecutors, is a work of mercy to the oppressed: Of thy mercy cut off mine en… mies. 3. As the conscience of endeavour to serve God, giveth sweet refreshment in time of trouble: so our short coming must not deprive us of the title of servants, but we must assert our interest in God our Master and Lord, so long as we love to do his will, as David doth here; for, I am thy servant.