A Brief Explication of the Other Fifty Psalms, Psalm 57
PSAL. LVII. To the chief Musician Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the …ve.
THis Psalme of David, as many other his Psalmes, doth represent the condition of his spirit, both in the time of his trouble, and after the delivery: what was his exercise in the Cave, and what was his condition after he was delivered out of that danger, whereof we read, 1 Sam. 24. There are two parts of the Psalme, the first containeth his prayer for deliverance, which is pressed by six arguments, all serving to strengthen his faith; the first, because he trusted in God, ver. 1. The second, because he resolved to insist in prayer till he were heard, ver. 2. The third, because he hoped certainly to finde notable delivery from this extraordinary danger, ver. 3. The fourth, because his enemies were beastly cruel, ver. 4. The fifth, because this mercy might contribute much to the glorifying of God, ver. 5. The sixth is, from the low condition whereunto his spirit is brought, by their crafty and cruel pursuit of him, ver. 6. In the rest of the Psalme is his thanksgiving, consisting of five parts; The first is the acknowlegement of the mercy and delivery granted, ver. 6. The next is his fixed re…olution to praise God for it, ver. 7. The third is the upsti…ring of tongue and hand, and the whole man to praise God, ver. 8. The fourth is a promise to transmit the knowledge of Gods mercy unto other Nations, ver. 9. The fifth is the acknowledgement of the glory of this mercy, with a wish that it might be more and more seen and acknowledged by giving new experience of it, ver. 10, 11.
From the Inscription, Learn, The godly may be involved in a deadly danger (as David was when he …led from Saul in the Cave) and yet not perish. Now he was as a man ready to be buried quick; for the Cave was as a g…ave, and the army o… Saul at the mouth of the Cave, was as the grave-stone; let then the army of Saul know only that he is there, and keep him in, and he is gone; yet God blinded them, brought David out, and so delivered him.
Ver. 1. BE merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, untill these calamities be overpast.
From his prayer for deliverance, and first argument taken from his trusting in God, …, 1. The onelyonly refuge of a man in trouble, is the mercy of the Lord; be it sin, be it misery, be it peril or pressing evil; in mercy onelyonly is the relief of one and all sad conditions: and in this case must a soul double its petition in the Lords bosome; Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me. 2. As it is not trouble simply which maketh prayer to be fervent, but solid faith pressed with trouble, which doubleth petitions unto God: so where faith in trouble flieth unto God, it cannot but speed; …e merciful, O God, for I trust in thee. The … o… the reason is, the Lord cannot forsake the soul which hath committed it self to him. 3. The Lord offe…eth relief and protection in Christ to miserable sinners, in as warme a manner as the similitude of a hen gathering her chickens, or the type of the stretching of the wings of the Cherubims about the Mercy-seat could expresse; and saith doth creep no less wa…y in unto this offer in time of straits, then this similitude doth impor…; yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge. 4. The use of Gods protection and warme love, is best known in time of trouble, and faith also is best set on work, to make use of Gods love and protection in time of troubles: In the s…a …ow of thy wings will I make my refuge, untill th…se calamities be overpast.
ver. 2. I will cry unto God most High: unto God that performeth all things for me.
From the second argument which he useth for strengthening his faith; Learn. 1. Faith in God and invocation of his name, are g…s inseparable; and resolution to persevere in beleeving is unseparable from resolution to persevere in praying unto God: and he that findeth in his heart such resolutions, may also be confident to speed in his requests made to God: for the Psalmist, as he did resolve to beleeve in the former verse: so here he addeth, I will cry unto God: and hereby expecteth that God shall be merciful … him. 2. It is needfull for the supplicant in his st…aits, to keep in his fight the Lords Supremacy and Omnipotency, for incomaging himself in hope to speed; I will cry to God most High, saith he 3. The consideration of the Lords constant going on in the perfecting of the work of grace, which once he beginneth graciously in us or for us, doth serve much to strengthen our faith in prayer: I will cry to God who performeth all things for me.
Ver. 3. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
From the third argument and prop of his prayer, taken from his hope to be helped; Learn, 1. Albeit faith be no help on earth, yet it looketh for help in heaven; and if ordinary means do fail, it assureth it self of Gods working wonders, for perfecting of his promises; He shall send from heaven, and save me. 2. The godly mans making God his refuge, is a matter of m…king to the wicked; which mocking God will certa…nly refute, by making the godly finde the fruit of their flying to him; he will s…e me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. 3. The mercy and truth of God, whereupon faith doth six it self, do remove all impediments, and s… on w…k all the m…ans of the salvation of the beleev…, and that …tually: God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
Ver. 4. My soul is among lions, and I li… even among them that are set on fire: even the sons of men: whose teeth are speares and arrowes, and their tongue a sharp sword
From the fourth reason of his prayer taken from the beastly cruely of his enemies; Learn, 1. The condition of the people of the Lord in this world may be o…-times like sheep in pe…l of their lives, compassed about with …nous beasts; My soul is among …ions. 2. Yet, they may be so desolate, as having no assistance from without themselves to flie or fight, they shall be forced like d…rned birds, chased by the hawke; or like bound sheep, to clap close down to the ground: I lie, saith he, among them. 3. The desolate condition of the godly, doth not move their persecu…s to pity: deadly malice is most ready then to break forth, and to devour; I lie even among them that are set on fire. 4. G…acelesse men destitute of the …e of God, are sit enough instruments for the persecution of Gods children, and his … servants; if they be no more, but yet in nature, even the children of men. 5. The slanders, mockings, lies, calumnies, reproaches and aspersions cast upon the godly by godlesse men, are no little part of their cruel persecution, of cutting and piercing the Lords people very deeply: whose teeth are spears and arrowes, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Ver. 5. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
From the fifth reason of his pe…ition; Learn, 1. When the godly are born down, and the wicked do ca…y all matters before them, the glory of the Lord is obscured and eclipsed in some sort among men, therefore saith he; Be thou exalted, O God. 2. In what measure Gods children are helped by him, and his enemies are born down; in that measure is be gloriously manifested to be the ruler of heaven and earth; Be thou exalted abo… the heavens, and t…y glory above all the earth. 3. However the wicked do obscure the glory of the Lord, and how little evidence soever Gods children do see of his appearing for their relief, yet they ought to glorifie him in their heart, and not onelyonly beleeve his sovereigne power, able to set all things in order; but also to professe their hope, that he shall manifest himself from heaven, to be Lord over all his enemies and adversary powers of the world; Be thou exalted above the heavens, and thy glory abo… all the earth.
Ver. 6. They have prepared a net for my steps, my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.
From the last reason of his! supplication, Learn, 1. Great slight and subtilty do the wicked use to overtake the godly in some sna…e, one or other; They have prepared a net for my steps. 2. The godly mans strength will soone …ail him in time of straits if the Lord do not give supply; yea, the Lord for the clearer manifestation of his glory, both before the godly and before the wicked also, doth suffer his children to come to so low a condition of spirit, that they are ready to succumbe, if he do not help; My soul … bowed down. 3. When the enemies are at the highest of thei… plots, and the godly at the lowest step of their humiliation, then is the Lords time to turne the chase, and to fall upon his enemies, and that oft times by that same very means wherby they were about to make all fast for their own power, and the oppression of the godly; They have digged a pit before me, in the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. And this last sentence is the first part of his thanksgiving, in acknowledging the Lords wonderful mercy and justice, in changing up-side down the seales of his low condition, and the enemies lofty persecution on a sudden.
Ver. 7. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise,
In the rest of the Psalme he prosecureth his thanksgiving, and this is the second put of it, wherein he professeth his fixed purpo…e to praise the Lord for his delivery: Whence learn, 1. Renewed sense of Gods favour, and fresh experience of his mercy towards his children, and of his justice against his and their enemies, doth much refresh, quiet, and settle the hearts of his people, and confirme their faith; My heart is fixed. 2. It is a part of our thanksgiving unto God, to acknowledge the fruit of his gracious working for us, felt upon our spirits, whensoever our hearts are cheared up by him, after any sad exercise My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. 3. As it is needful to labour on the heart, that it may be fitted and prepared, fixed and bended for Gods worship: so in special, for the work of praise, whereunto naturally we are most dull and indisposed; then shall the work go on more chearfully: My heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise.
Ver. 8. Awake up, my glory: awake, psaltery and harp; I my self will awake early.
From the third part of this thanksgiving, wherein he stirs up himself by all means within and without himself, to set forth his sense of Gods mercy, and of Gods glory in bestowing of it; Learn, 1. A well-imployed tongue for praising of God, and edifying others, is indeed a mans commendation, and glory above other creatures: Therefore David directing his speech toward his tongue, after the manner of Orators affectionate speaking, saith, Awake, my glory. 2. Albeit the abolition of the Ceremonial Law hath taken away the roome, which musical instruments once had in the stately, publick, instituted worship of God in the congregation, yet neither is the natural private use thereof taken away, nor the signification of that typical ordinance to be forgotten, to wit, that we of our selves a… dull and unapt to holy things and that the Lords praises are above our power to reach unto them or expresse them: and that we should stir up all the faculties of our soul unto this holy service, as David here insinuatech to be the moral signification thereof; for after he hath said, Awake, Psaltery and Harp, he subjoyneth, I my self will awake. 3. As he who in earnest is wakened up to glorifie and praise God, will finde himself short in abilities to discharge this work of praise: so will he finde the choicest time of the day, when the body is best refreshed, most deservedly bestowed upon this exercise: I my self will awake early.
Ver. 9. I will praise thee, O LORD, among the People; I will sing unto thee among the nations.
From the fourth part of his thanksgiving, wherein he promiseth to let all the world know the mercy bestowed upon him; Learne, 1. The Spirit of God, who indited this Scripture, made his Pen-man know, that the Gentiles should have the use of his Psalmes, I will praise thee amongst the People. 2 David was a type of Christ in sufferings, exercises spiritual, and in receiving of deliveries; for this promise is fulfilled in Christ, and this undertaking is applied unto Christ, Rom 15. 9. 3. Then do we seriously minde the praise of God, when according to our place we labour to make others also know God, as we know him: I will praise thee among the People.
Ver. 10. For thy mercy is great unto the Heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.
11. Be thou exalted, O God, above the Heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
From the last part of his thanksgiving, wherein he confesseth that the excellency of the glory of God doth transcend his reach and capacity, and that he can follow it no further then by wishing the Lord to glorifie himself; Learne, 1. The matter of the joy of the Saints, and of their sweettst Songs, is the goodnesse of God, which appointed and promised such and such mercies unto them: and the faithfulnesse of God, which doth bring to passe his gracious purpose and promises made unto them; For thy mercy is great, and thy truth, saith he. 2. There is no possibility of taking up the greatnesse of Gods mercy and truth, they reach so farre as our sight cannot overtake them; Thy mercy is great unto the Heavens, where mortal eyes cannot come to see what is there: And thy truth unto the clouds, through which mans eye cannot pierce. 3. Seeing the Lords glory is greater then heaven or earth can contain, and God himself only can manifest his own glory; it is our part when we have said all we can, for glorifying of God, to pray him to glorifie himself, and to make it appear to all that his glory is greater then heaven or earth can comprehend; Be thou exalted above the Heavens, and let thy glory be above all the earth.