A Brief Explication of the Other Fifty Psalms, Psalm 62
PSAL. LXII. To the chief Musician, to Ieduthun. A Psalm of David.
THis Psalme is the issue of a sore conflict, and inward combate, which David felt from the strong opposition of his irreconcileable adversaries, and from the lasting troubles which he sustaine by their persecution and by his friends for saking of him, whereby he was put hard to it what to think or what to do: at length faith in God giveth him victory, and maketh him first to break forth in avowing of his faith, and hope in God, ver. 1. 2. Next, to insult over his enemies as dead men, because of their sinful course, ver. 3, 4. Thirdly, to strengthen himselfe in his faith and hope, ver. 5, 6, 7. Fourthly, to exhort all men to trust in God, and to depend on him, for reasons set down, ver. 8, 9. And not to trust in oppression and robbery, for reasons set down. ver. 10, 11, 12.
Ver. 1. TRuly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
2. He on'y is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence, I shall not be greatly moved.
From this abrupt beginning of the Psalm, declaring that he hath had a sore disputation and wrestling with tentations within him, and out of which this is the first coming forth; Learn, 1. Albeit strong faith be put to a conflict, when trouble and tentations do set on, yet when it looketh on God and his promises, it gets the victory, and putteth the soul to a submissive attendance on God, and a quiet hope of compleat deliverance: Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. 2. Then is faith well tried, and approved, when being stript of all supporters except God, it doth content it self with him alone, as all-sufficient, he onelyonly is my rock and my salvation. 3. Faith findeth as many answers in Gods sufficiency, as temptations can make objections against it: he is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence. 4. As a man resolveth to believe and follow the course of sound faith, so he may assure himselfe of establishment and victory over all temptations, notwithstanding his own weaknesse: I shall not greatly be moved, doth David conclude from his resolution to rest on God.
Ver. 3. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
4. They onelyonly consult to cast him down from his excellency, they delight in lies: they blesse with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
In the second place, he insulteth over his enemies, and layeth before them the danger of their wicked wayes. W…ence learn, 1. So soon as a man hath fastened himselfe on God, he may reckon with all adversary powers, and insult over them; for the seeing of Gods help discovers to the Believer the vanity of all opposition; how long will ye imagine mischief against a man? 2. As the godly when they fall under persecution, may lie long under it, and must resolve patience al the while on the one hand; so on the other hand, persecutors are unreasonably carried on in the course of persecution, like madmen, who cannot give over the pursuit, albeit they see God against themselves, and with the godly whom they pursue; how long will ye imagine mischief against a man? 3. Persecutors shall not have their will against the godly, but by their persecution shall draw upon themselves compleat sudden and irrecoverable destruction: ye shall be slain all of you, as a bowing wall, and a tottering fence; that is, you shall perish suddenly, as when a bowing wall and tottering fence rusheth to the ground in a moment. 4. As the standing fast in the faith and service of God in a good cause, is the excellency of the Believer; so is it the eye-sore of his adversaries, which they of all things can least endure in the godly, and therefore do bend all their wit and forces most unto, to break them off their holy carriage and course; They onelyonly consult to cast him down from his excellency. 5. Not truth and light, but darknesse, error, falshood and deceit, is the pleasure of the wicked; They delight in lies. 6. When the wicked do minde their worst against the godly, then will they speak fairest words unto them, to see whether by falshood or force they can prevail most, to draw them off their good course: they blesse with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.
Ver. 5. My soul, wait thou onelyonly upon God: for my expectation is from him
6. He onelyonly is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence, I shall not be moved.
7. In God is m… salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge is in God.
In the third place, he strengtheneth his faith and his hope, that he may be able to endure trouble till the sin of the wicked be ripe, and their judgement be executed; Whence learn, 1. Our resolution patiently to keep silence, in waiting on God, and our putting o… resolution to practice, do differ: our practising is so short of our resolution, that we had need to be stirred up, and to sti…re u… our selves to our duty. And as Satan is still moving new pertu…bations; so have we need of, and must study to have new confirmations; My soul, wait thou onelyonly upon God 2. They that do expect their help from …od, must not expect help from any other art, no not when th…y shall use all means lawful for th…it delivery, but the successe must be without haste making, patiently waited for from God alone; Wait thou onelyonly on God, for my …xpectation is from him. 3 The grounds of confidence are able to abide new as…aults, and must be brought forth and averred, so o…t as they a…e opposed: for he eunto the new stirrings of the same tentations, he opposeth this over gain: He only it my rock: he is my defence and my salvation. And wh…eas he …aid before I shall not greatly be moved; n…w he saith more confidently: I shall not be moved: an… yet more, he riumphs in the Lord: he is my salvation and glory; whic… he speaketh in regard of hope to have all good which he ne…ed. And lastly in regard or supply in whatsoever wants, and delive…y from all evill: he saith, He is the rock of my strength and my refuge is in God: and so his fai…h doth set…e it … and tentations are overcome.
Ver. 8. Trust in him at all times, ye people, poure out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
9. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they ar… altogether lighter then vanity.
In the fourth place, he exhorteth all men to place confidence upon God, partly because God is able to give deliverance, as a place of refuge; and partly because men whether great or small, few or many, cannot but deceive, and disappoint the man that trusteth in them. Whence learn, 1. The duty of the comforted and victorious believers, is to communi are the fruit of their experience, for st…gthening their b…ethren, and edification of others, as their calling permitteth them, as David doth here: Trust in him at all times, ye people. 2. Whatsoever condition, how hard soever, we fall into, the g…ace of God, and grounds of confidence in God must not be lost, but alwayes made use of; Trust in him at all times. 3. As a guil…y conscience, h…avy trouble, misbeliefe and suspicion of Gods good will, do lock up the heart in sorrow: so any measure of faith in God, going to him by prayer, doth ease the heart and layeth the burden of grief down before the Lord; ye people, poure out your heart before him: God is a refuge to us. 5. The way to place our confidence in God, is to lift our confidence off all creatures, and in special off men of superior or inferior ranks: and the way to lift our confidence off the creature, is to con…der the inability of men to help us, except God make them do it; and that without God they are nothing worth to us: men of low degree are vanity. 6. Whosoever do trust on men higher or lower, are su…e to be deceived of their expectation, and of whatsoever mans help can promise: and if we will not be deceived, the voice of God, and experience of his Saints may give us certainty of the truth of the doct…ine; for out of experience David saith, Surely r…en of low degree are vanity, &c. 7. Carnal confidence is not onelyonly unable to help a man, when he hath most need, but also bringeth damage unto him, and makes him to finde God in his jealousie… an adversary and just Judge to plague and to curse him; and so if the matter be well weighed, creature-help, and creature-comfort, when it is relied upon, is worse then no help; Being laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter then vanity.
Ver. 10. Trust not in oppression, become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
11. God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God.
12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.
The other part of the exhortation doth forbid to trust in oppression▪ or riches, or power, or greatnesse of place, because God disposeth of all things is he pleaseth, shewing mercy to such as do trust in him, and rendering to every man according to his work, Whence learn. 1. There a…e many more idols then one to draw away a mans heart from God so▪ when trusting in men of high degree and low degree is cast down, then oppression, robbery, riches stand up, and take Gods room in the hea…t, as here we see. 2. It is more hard to divert a man from confidence in himselfe, and what is in his own power, then to draw him from confidence in men of bighe… or lower degree. Therefore after c…sting down of carnal co…fidence in men, high or low; he … confidence in whatsoever a man is able to do by himselfe, as might, and riches, …nd … of high plac…: Trust not in oppression; if riches increase &c. 3. Wh…soever is confiden…, by his own strength and might to … his businesse against any man, and to do his adversa…y two wrongs for one, shall find… himselfe to have disobeyed G…d, and to …ve been pron… i… a matter of no…hing: Trust not in oppression, become not vain in robbery. 4. It may stand with godlinesse and trusting in God, to be rich; but not to h…ve our heart set upon riches, ei…her to gather or keep them, either to rejoyce in them, or to be proud bec…use of them; If riches increase, set not thy heart thereon. 5. N…hing is able to settle mans confidence in God, and to keep his h…art from id…ls, or carnal confidence in creatures, or to bear in upon others this two fold duty, save the powerful imp…ession of the … Word of God; therefore sai…h he, God hath spoken once. 6. Albeit one testimony of Scripture for a ground o… faith, or …ule of life, rightly considered be abundantly sufficient, to settle our faith in that point, and to warrant our obedience; yet God will inculc… that truth oftner, and have us to receive it oftner, and more firmly; and as it is the Lords kindnesse to us, and care of us to cau…e his once …poken Word, to be oftne repeated unto us, oftner cleared, and confirmed unto us by repeated experimental evidence of the certainty thereof: so it is our duty, to receive it more and more heartily, so oft as it is repeated and inculcated, and to meditate and consider o… it▪ and to take a deeper and a deeper impression of it: God hath spoken once, twice have I heard it. 7. The proprity of authority and power to do all and everything, is the Lords onelyonly: and as … the power of the creature, it is but lent, and derived to it, at Gods pleasure. The creature can neither hurt us, nor help it selfe or us, but as God is pleased to use it as an instrument; Twice have I heard this, that power belongeth to God. 8. To induce a soul to trust in God only, it is necessary, that …t so look to his power. as it also look to his mercy, and lay hold on both; faith …ath nee… of b…th, as of two wings, to carry it up to God above all vain enticements, and terrours, and tentations, and as props whereon to settle and fix it self joyntly; Also unto thee O …ord, belongeth mercy. 10. As the man that puts his trust in God, and studieth to obey his Word, shall finde Gods mercy to pardon his transgression, and Gods power to sustain him in all his difficulties, and to pe…orm all the promises made to his servants: so the man that trusts not in God, but in himself, or in some creature without him el… thinking to work his own happinesse by his own wayes, sh…ll finde the fruit of his wicked course, according as God hath forewarned: For thou renderest to every man according to his works.