A Brief Explication of the Other Fifty Psalms, Psalm 61
PSAL. LXI. To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of Devid.
DAvid now in his exile maketh his addresse to God in … sad condition, ver. 1, 2, 3. And is comforted in the Lord, and perswaded of his present and future happinesse, ver. 4, 5. And of the perpetuity of the Kingdome of Christ, represented by him, to the comfort of all Christs subjects in all ages, ver. 6, 7, 8.
Ver. 1. HEar my cry, O God: attend unto my prayer.
2. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher then I.
3. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
… In his sad supplicication he prayeth for a comfortable receiving of his request, and for a comfortable rest of his soul on God himself through Christ, hoping to be heard, because he was resolved to look toward God, and to continue praying, whatsoever condition of spirit he should be in, and in whatsoever part he should be; and also because he had experience of Gods help in his straits in former times; Whence learn, 1. The best expedient for a sad soul, is to run to God by prayer for comfort, and to insist earnestly, albeit God should seeme not to attend; Hear my cry, O God, attend unto my prayer. 3 When the godly are driven from their countrey, and fellowship with the Saints, and from exercise of the publike ordinances, no wonder they fall in perplexity of spirit, for David forced to flee to the ends of the land, finds his heart overwhelmed within him. 4. It is exile indeed to be secluded from the liberty of publike ordinances, and it is our home, to be where God is publikely worshipped, for David counteth himself cast out unto the ends of the earth; when he is debarred from the Temple of the Lord. 5. Albeit a man were never so farre banished from the free society of the Church, and communion with Gods people in ordinances, yet he is still within cry unto God: from the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee. 6. There is a rock of refuge for safety and comfort to the exiled and perplexed Saint, which is able to supply all wants, and to sweeten all sorrows, and this is the Rock of Gods felt friendship in Christ from heaven, represented by the visible rock of Sion, where the Tabernacle and mercy-seat was situate, the appointed trusting place, where God did receive the prayers of his people, and did answer them from heaven; when David could not come to the typical mount o… rock, he prayeth to have accesse to the thing signified: lead me to the Rock that is higher then I 7. Sensible and comfortable communion with …od, is a mystery spiritual, which mans wisdome o… power cannot discover, nor bring unto him: but God himself must reveal, and must renew the revealing of himself to a soul in trouble, and must make a mans soul to apply it selt to him powerfully, else a man cannot feel this comfortable fellowship with God, more then a blinde man can sinde out what is removed from him or a weak childe can go not being led, or a man can reach up to a steep high place, not being lifted up unto it; Therefore must the Lord himself draw us near to himself, and lift us up to himself: lead me to the rock that is higher then I. 8. This spiritual felt communion with God is able to put a man farre from the reach of any enemy, … doth make a soul quietly to rest it self from fear of trouble, how great soever the external danger can be, …s David many times felt by experience: for thou hast been a shelter unto me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 9. A beleevers resolution for depending on God, and praying to him in hardest conditions, and his present use making of former experiences, as they do serve much for strengthening of his faith in prayer: so they are the nearest means that can be for coming by a renewed sensible comfort, as he… we see: for David resolveth, from the end, of the earth I will cry and prayeth, lead me to the rock, and saith, Thou hast been a strong tower to me, and so comfort doth follow quickly after this preparation, as the next verse doth shew.
Ver. 4. I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
5. For thou, O God, hast heard my vowes: thou hast given me the heritage of those that feare thy Name.
Here he is comforted in his exile, and made to be at home in his spirit, by reason of the present sense of Gods favour to him, and of his confirmed hope of the performances of the promises made unto him; Whence learn, 1. The Lord can give such satisfaction to a sad heart in the time of its trouble, that the trouble may turne to be no trouble, even while it lieth on still, as here is to be seen in Davids comfort, who speaketh as if he were restored, while he is yet in exile. 2. Spiritual consolations in temporal troubles, do both give satisfaction to a soul for the present, and for time to come, for everlasting happinesse; I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever: his hope is, that not only he shall be restored to the fellowship of the Saints, at the Tabernacle in Ierusalem, but also that he shall be in Gods company, in heaven, represeted by the Tabernacle, and that for ever 3. True consolation standeth not in earthly things, but in things heavenly, and things having nearest relation thereto for Davids comfort was no… so much that he should be brought to the Kingdome, as that he should be brought to the Tabernacle, and to heaven by that means; I will abide in thy Tabernacle. 4. Sincerity setteth no term-day to Gods service, or to the seeking of communion with him: I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever. 5. The ground of all spiritual consolations is in the mercy and grace of God offered to us in Christ, represented by the wings of the Cherubims stretched out over the mercy-seat; There f…ith findeth a rest and solid ground, able to furnish comfort abundantly; I will trust in the covert of thy wings. 6 Accesse to God in prayer, and approbation of the conscience and the sincere pouring forth of the heart, mel…ing with present felt sense o… Gods love, do strengthening early the assurance of everlasting communion with God; for thou, O God, hast heard my vowe. 7. As spiritual comfort in time of trouble granted to a beleeve, is indeed the earnest of everlasting life, so should they to whom soever the earnest is given, make reckoning that by this earnest the inheritance is confirmed unto them by way of possession begun; thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy Name. 8. The inheritance of the chief of Gods servants, and of the meane… and weakest of them, is one; the right of every beleever is alik… good, albeit the hold laid upon the right by all, is not ali… strong, and what the strongest of the godly do beleeve for their own consolation and salvation, the weakest may beleeve the same to belong to every beleever that feareth God, as David doth here; Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy Name.
Ver. 6. Thou wilt prolong the Kingslife: and his …ares as many generations.
7. He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.
8. So will I sing praise unto thy Name for ever, that I may daily perform my vowes.
In the third place, he prophesieth not simply of the stability of the Kingdom in his own person and posterity, bu… under the type namely he speaketh of the perpetuity of the Kingdome of Christ, the true King of Israel, for which end he prayeth that mercy and truth may be forth-coming to the subjects … Christ, that his Kingdom may be prolonged, and so David in his …e, and all the Saints in their time, may joyfully praise God continually. Whence, learn 1. It is not unusual with …, together with present consolation, and the light of … …tion In Christ, to reveal also and give assurance of great things concerning Christs Kingdome, as here and elsewhere in … Scripture is to be seen: Thou wilt prolong the Kings life, and his years, as many generations. 2. The glory o… Christ, and perpetuity of his Kingdome is every subject, good and comfort for this is comfort to David, that Christ shall live for eve…, that he shalt abide before God for ever. 3. The Kingdome of Christ and government of his subjects; in his Church shall be allowed of God, and be protected …f God, … blessed of God for ever however it be opposed by men in the world: he shall abide before God for ever. 4. The perpetuity of Christs Kingdom, and preservation of the subjects in this life, till they be possessed of heaven, is by the merciful remedying the misery, and removing of the sin which they are subject unto, and by performing of what he hath promised and prepared through Christ to bestow upon them; O prepare mercy and truth, which … preserve him. 5. The best retreat that can be made after wrestling and victory over troubles, is prayer and praises as here David after his exercise prayeth, O prepare mercy and truth; and then saith unto thee will I sing. 6 As the main matter of our vowes is the moral duty of rejoycing in God, and hearty praising of him: so …wed experience of Gods mercy and truth towards has people in Christ, is the main matter of our joy in him and praise unto him; O prepare mercy and truth, &c. so will I sing praise unto thy Name, that I may daily perform my vowes.