Choice and Practical Expositions on Four Select Psalms, Sermons on Psalm 51 · Sermon 16
SERMON XVI.
PSAL. 51.15.
O Lord, open Thou my Lips, and my Mouth shall shew forth Thy Praise.
As there is nothing which carnal people are for the most part more prone to, than an extolling of the Power of Nature, and of their own Personal Abilities: so there is nothing which the Servants of God are usually more careful of, than an advancing of Free Grace, and declining of all presumption in themselves, and strength of their own. An eminent instance whereof we have here represented unto us in this Text now before us. The Prophet David in the foregoing Verse of this Psalm, (which we dispatcht the last day) as a Motive to perswade God to deliver him from the guilt of his sins, and especially of blood, had let fall such a word as this, that upon that condition his Tongue should sing aloud of God's Righteousness. This was a very fair promise, and very full engagement of himself: But new lest it might seem to proceed from some kind of self-confidence in him, he here recalls his word agen, or rather qualifies it by acknowledging his dependance upon God for his assistance in this business; O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall, &c. This is the Coherence of the words.
IN this present Verse we have three general Parts: First, A Prayer: Secondly, A Promise: Thirdly, The Connexion of Prayer and Promise both together. The Prayer, that we have in those words, O Lord, open Thou my lips; The Promise, that we have in these, My mouth shall shew forth Thy praise; The Connexion of both together, that we have in the copulative And.
We begin with the first, viz. The Prayer, O Lord, open Thou my lips. For the explaining whereof unto us, we must know that God may be said to open the lips as to matter of Thanksgiving, (in which sense it is here to be taken) three manner of ways; First, As to the Occasion; Secondly, As to the Affection; Thirdly, As to the Expression. He opens our lips as to the occasion, when as he affords us ground and matter of praise; He opens our lips as to the affection, when he gives us an heart and spirit of praise; He opens our lips as to the expression, when he gives us utterance and ability of impartment.
We begin with the Occasion first of all; God opens our lips thus; and indeed thus he does never but open our lips: wheresoever we open our eyes, we cannot want matter and ground for praising of God. But David here meant it of such a particular ground and occasion, as he fastened upon, and that was of restoring unto him the joy of God's Salvation, and assuring him of his love and favour towards him; he desired him to afford him matter of praise in this particular, which is the work of God himself alone. It is He that must speak peace unto us, before we can speak praise unto him: He must create the fruit of the lips, before we can present the calves of the lips; and so the Scripture still sets it, Psal. 40.3. He hath put a new Song into my mouth, even praise unto our God. And Psal. 68.11. The Lord gave the Word, great was, &c.
And then as he gives the occasion in the thing it self, so likewise (which is pertinent hereunto) he gives also the apprehension of the occasion, and makes that to be counted praise-worthy, which is so indeed in the thing. There are many things which are matters of praise, which yet are not always so esteemed; we have not always our eyes in our heads to discern of God's dealings with us in this respect. As we oftentimes think those things to be Mercies which are far otherwise; so agen we often see not those things to be Mercies which yet are very great ones: Now therefore is it requisite for God to help us in this particular, as to afford occasion of thankfulness, so to afford also a sight and apprehension of this occasion; that so that which is a mercy in it self, may be so also to us. That is the first way of opening our lips to praise God, viz. In the Occasion.
The second is the opening of it in the Affection, when together with matter of praise, and that apprehended, we have a Spirit to close with it: For though God does give us great occasions of praising him, and such also as we our selves discern; yet such many times is the deadness of our hearts, that we are not affected with them so as we should be, as from hence to open our lips. Now this is another thing therefore which David begs here of God, that he would give him a thankful mouth, by first giving him a thankful heart; which must be necessarily understood here by us in this expression, as without which all is nothing. This is that which God's Servants look at in all their performances, to have affections suitable to the things wherein they are imployed: If it be the work of Humiliation, to have the Spirit of Mourning; If it be the work of Supplication, to have the Spirit of Prayer; If it be the work of Thanksgiving and Acknowledgment, to have the Spirit of Praise: David did not desire that this business should be only a labour of the lip, though he makes mention of that; no, but that it should be a work of the heart, and so the lip to follow upon it.
But, Thirdly, He desires this also, that God would give him a door of utterance and expression, and open this unto him, which is a thing different from both the two former; and though not above them, yet additional to them: This is not to be understood of the meer natural notion of those parts as Members of the Body, but of such a gift as is inherent in the Soul. For we must know besides occasion of discourse and thanksgiving in the Object, and a suitable affection in the Spirit, there is also a peculiar gift, and ability, and qualification for it, expressing it self in the speech. There is a proper and special faculty of discoursive Communication, whether as to matter of praise and thanksgiving, or any other profitable Language as tending to Edification. And this is that (amongst the rest) which David here begs for, not only that God would afford him a comfortable occasion, and also stir up in him gracious affections, but likewise that he would indue him with an ability of pertinent expressions, and laying forth of himself; which is a thing now also very seasonably to be taken notice of by us, it being a thing alone by it self, and which many persons are destitute of, they want this free enlargement of themselves.
There's a variable account which may be given of inability to good discourse; The first is from meer emptiness, and harrenness, and driness of spirit; those which have no knowledge of that which is good, nor affection to it, they know not how to discourse about it, Psal. 37.30. The mouth of the Righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment, saith David; and he gives the reason of it in the words that follow, The Law of God is in his heart: where there is the Law of God in the heart, there will be a Law of goodness in the tongue, (as is said of the Virtuous Woman, Prov. 31.26.) This speaks out of the abundance of the heart, as our Saviour tells us. So Prov. 10.20. The tongue of the just is as choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is nothing worth; where there is an implicit reason given of the unprofitableness of a wicked man's tongue, as arising from the badness of his heart.
Secondly, As it proceeds from emptiness, so also sometimes from fulness: As Vessels which are over-full, they want vent; so it is also sometimes with some men, &c. This Elihu notes of himself, Job 32.18, 19. I am full of matter, the spirit within me constrains me. Behold, my Belly is as Wine which hath no vent, it is ready to burst like new Bottles. This is the case of some persons, which makes them not so free and expedite in this matter as otherwise they would be.
Thirdly, As a middle betwixt both, it proceeds sometimes from a difficulty of expression, and want of freedom in this particular. There are some persons which have a great deal of worth in them, but ye must pump them before ye can get any great benefit by them, their notions lying low in them, and they themselves wanting a faculty to extract them, and bring them forth: Therefore Prov. 20.5. it is said, that Counsel in the heart of man is like deep waters; but a man of understanding will draw it out: There is a great piece of skill in it, to fetch out the excellency of another, and to make it our own, whiles he himself being lest to himself, is not so able to do it. But this being to do it, belongs to this opening of the lips here before us, which David prays for, that God would give him both wisdom when to speak, and also freedom and facility in speaking. Sometimes also there is an obstruction of good Discourse occasionally from others. Carnal and profane company, they stop up the mouths of God's Servants, as David says of himself, I kept silence even from good, whiles the wicked was before me, Psal. 39.2. God will not vouchsafe scoffers the advantage of good mens discourse, but in such cases shuts up their lips, &c. And it is an hard matter to thrust in a good word amongst them; and they have no heart to it neither, lest they should cast Pearls before Swine, which will both trample under feet, and also turn about and rent, as it is Matth. 7.6, &c. And so much may suffice of the first General, viz. The Prayer.
The second is the Promise or Ingagement, My mouth shall shew forth, &c. From whence we learn what is required of us in reference to this work of thanksgiving; that namely, our mouths, and lips, and tongues, should be imployed in the performance of it. We should daily and continually be speaking and making mention of God's goodness to us: thus we have it in sundry places, as Psal. 63.5. My mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. So Psal. 66.17. I cried unto God with my mouth, and he was exalted with my tongue. And Psal. 71.24. My tongue shall talk of thy Righteousness all the day long. In these and the like places is there mention still made of the mouth.
When it is said here, It shall shew forth God's praise; we may take it with a double reference, either to God, or else to men: To God, as acknowledging his Goodness; To men, as imparting and laying it forth; either of these, or both, may be understood in David's mouth shewing forth God's praise.
First, As to God himself, he would acknowledge his goodness to Him: this is that which he expects from us, where he bestows Mercies upon us, that we should bless and praise him for them; and this David here promises to do, and to do it with his mouth: Therewith bless we God, says St. James, Chap. 3. Vers. 9. We have our mouths given us for this purpose, which therefore we should not be failing in, as being a work which we cannot better use and imploy them in.
Secondly, As to men, as imparting and laying it forth; this is that which seems here chiefly to be intended in David's Ingagement, that namely, he would signifie to others how graciously God had dealt with himself. This is another duty which lies upon us in our Christian Conversation, as we receive any more mercy and favour from God our selves, especially as to our Souls and Spirits, to express it, and make it known to others; Psal. 66.16. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what God hath gone for my Soul, that which there in that place he practises, here in this place he promises, when he says his mouth shall shew forth God's praise; which is not to be understood by us of God's praise, considered at large, but with reference to the particular occasion which the former words relate unto, of making him to hear joy and gladness. If God would be pleased so highly to favour him, as not only to pardon his sin, but to grant him the assurance of his love, he does engage himself to spread abroad God's goodness in this respect to him.
This is that which is required of all others upon sundry grounds: First, For their own greater advantage; the more we speak of these things (as we have occasion for it) to others, the more we fasten them upon our selves, and our own hearts. Degrees of inlargement, and assurance, often come in upon the seasonable impartment and communication of them.
Secondly, In reference to others, for their greater comfort and establishment, Psal. 34.2. My Soul shall make her boast in the Lord: The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. So Psal. 40.3. He hath put a new Song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. The experience of God's goodness towards some being declared, comfort others, and for that reason are to be declared, and made known by us, which was a motive to David in this place.
Thirdly, For God's greater Honour and Glory, which is the end whereunto we are ordained: We should for this reason be much in speaking of his praise; That his way be known upon Earth, and his saving health among all Nations, Psal. 67.2. That all people may speak of his Honour, and that he may be exalted even to the ends of the Earth; we should for this speak of it.
The Consideration of this Point, does therefore justly meet with the great neglect of this duty, as of honouring God by speaking of other things which belong to Religion, so in particular of God's goodness and mercies: though we abound very much with them, yet we are but little mentioning of them. That which is the property of the Saints, in Psal. 149.6. is a thing but rare and seldom in the World, To let the high praises of God be in our mouths. We are sooner apt to speak of our selves, and to declare our own praises and prowess, than to speak of the high praises of God, which yet David here looks upon as a duty belonging to him. And so much for the second General, to wit, David's promise or engagement, My mouth, &c.
The third is the Connexion of both together in the Copulative And; and this indeed carries with it the whole burthen of the Text. There is two things (briefly) in it: First, The Dependance of one upon the other: Secondly, The Consequence of one to the other. The Dependance of one upon the other, thus, as signifying that unless God Himself do indeed open our lips, our mouth cannot shew forth his praise: The Consequence of one to the other, thus, that if God Himself be pleased but to open our lips, our mouths then will shew, &c.
First, To take notice of the form, viz. The Dependance of one upon the other, thus, Open Thou my lips, AND my mouth shall, &c. that is, otherwise it cannot do it, by taking the word And exclusively. This is one thing in it, that there is no praising of God without ability imparted from Himself; He that injoins the performance, must give strength to perform it, or else it can never be done: This is here implied and intimated in David's Prayer, who goes to Him for this purpose, O Lord, open, &c. And he does not do it as an Arbitrary thing, but as a necessary.
When we say that without God's assistance none can be able to praise him, we must take it with these two Qualifications: First, Cannot do it commendably; and, Secondly, Cannot do it acceptably.
First, Cannot do it commendably, in an holy and spiritual manner, as it becomes Christians to do it. If we speak of shewing forth God's praise with our mouths in a meer verbal manner, that a man may be able to do in a course of general Providence, without any special assistance: It is easie for men to utter so many words as may tend to God's praise, Praised be God, and Blessed be God, and God be thanked, &c. they are words of course in every ones mouth; and there is not the worst man almost that is, but in some cases ye shall hear them from him: yea, but to do this with some sense, and feeling, and affection, and inlargement of heart, this it is not so easie. Now this is that which we must here take in to the explaining of this point unto us, according to that of the Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. 12.3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Say it? What's the meaning of that? He might say it in word, and with his lips, in so many phrases, as the Devils themselves, but he cannot say it with sense and feeling; This it requires a special work of God's Spirit for the performance of it. Thus Psal. 119.151. My lips shall utter thy praise, when thou hast taught me thy Statutes; As who should say until then, they were by no means able to do so, no more they were not, nor any one else with them; and then there is this account to be given of it, from whence it proceeds: First, The general averseness which is in our Natures to any good work in a spiritual manner to be performed; there is no work of Grace whatsoever but of our selves we are indisposed much unto it, and without Christ we can do nothing at all; Joh. 15.5. Without me ye can do nothing. The very frame of our hearts it is evil, and only evil continually, Gen. 6.5. And who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Those Scriptures which overthrow the Power of Nature to good works at large, overthrow it also as to this good work in particular, of shewing forth God's praise, which has a special place amongst them: Our lips are naturally polluted, and so must be toucht before they can do it.
But, Secondly, As there is an averseness in our Natures to any good work in general, so there is a more special averseness in them to this good work of thanksgiving in particular; it is that which of all others we are usually most backward and indisposed to the performance of; ye may see it in the instance of the Ten Lepers in the Gospel, who being cleansed by Christ from their Leprosie, there was but one (and he a stranger) that was found to return Glory to God. Oh this work of shewing forth God's praise, it is such a work as of all others we love not to do; sometimes out of pride, because we will not acknowledge our dependance, which in thanksgiving is emphatically done; sometimes out of discontents and repining, as not thinking we have so much given us as we could expect or desire to have; and sometimes also out of a natural dulness, and sluggishness, and stupidity upon us; these things make the work awk unto us; and because they do so, they therefore convince us that without the help and assistance of God Himself, they cannot do it. Cannot do it, i. e. do it commendably, in an holy spiritual manner, as becometh Christians. That's the first Qualification.
Secondly, Cannot do it, i. e. do it acceptably, so as God Himself may be well-pleased with us in the doing of it. Those whose lips God Himself does not open, they cannot utter his praise so as he may accept of it, and take it well at their hands: All kind of praising of God, and from all persons, is not acceptable to him; The Sacrifice of the wicked, as Solomon tells us, it is an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 15.8. And Isai. 1.11. He takes them up angrily for it, To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices? &c. And Psal. 50.16. What hast thou to do, &c. God will not seem to be beholding to wicked men for all their praises, no more than he would to the Devils themselves, who when in the Gospel they made mention of him, and cryed after him, Thou Son of God, he forbad them, and suffered them not to speak that they knew him, in Mark 1.34. God has no pleasure in fools, and so not in their Sacrifices, Eccles. 5.1, 4. He abhors the work, because of the person, which is odious and abominable in his sight, whiles in their natural condition. Therefore the Scripture when it speaks of giving thanks, and shewing forth praise, it still makes Christ to be the only Medium and Conveyance of it, Ephes. 5.20. Giving thanks in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Col. 3.17. Giving thanks unto God and the Father by Him. So Heb. 13.15. By Him therefore let us offer the Sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his Name. Those that give thanks, and not in Christ, they cannot give thanks acceptably, which is consequently the condition of those whose lips God will not open for it; so as none partake of the Spirit of Christ, but those who are indeed the Servants of Christ. And that's the second Qualification.
Now to lay these two both together, and so to make some improvement of the Point. Seeing these things are indeed so, that unless God opens our lips, we cannot praise him; cannot (first) commendably, in any holy and spiritual manner; nor cannot (next) acceptably, so as He may be well-pleased with us in it: We see here then what great cause we have in all our undertakings of this service, to go to God Himself for it, and to desire him to help us herein, and not to go about such a duty as this is in our own strength, whether in the strength of common Nature, or in the strength of general Grace: either of these (for the full unfolding of this truth) are insufficient for us.
First, Not in the strength of common Nature; let none think to do it by that, or go about the praising of God, as they would about some ordinary imployment of common concernment: Let none, I say, think to do so; for it is a business of another Nature than so, and so to be esteemed. Excellent speech it becomes not a Fool's mouth; no, but praise it is comely for the upright, as you see elsewhere. A natural man as he discerns not the things of God, so neither can he speak suitably of them.
Secondly, Not in the strength of general Grace, we must take in that too, and that also as most proper and pertinent to this particular Text which we have in hand; where David, who was already a godly man, yet desires that the Lord would open his lips to praise him. For which purpose we must know that there is a double Qualification considerable as to the performing of the work of praise among other good works: First, A general Qualification of the Person, sanctifying his lips and mouth for such a service at large: And, Secondly, A particular Qualification of the Person, as enabling him to this particular performance and service which he is now undertaking; and this latter is that which David refers to in this particular place: God had opened his lips in general before, in his first conversion, when he had framed him according to his heart, and so fitted him for all the Duties of Religion to be performed by him, and this Duty of praise amongst the rest. But now after (besides this general opening) there was a particular obstruction upon him, and his lips were in a manner sealed up by his late sins, which were still fresh in his memory; and therefore he now desires a further opening and unlocking of them. This is that which all others are to do, whosoever they be, as they would praise God in any either commendable or acceptable manner, so desire him himself to assist them, and to enable them hereunto.
And so as for praise, so for any other Duty besides of the like nature with it, which has the lips imployed in it; Let us go to God to open them, if we would speak profitably to the Edification of others; whether Ministers in the work of publick Preaching, or private Christians in the Communion of Saints; Let us go to God to open our lips to this purpose, and depend upon him for it, desire him to put words into our mouths, and to teach us what we shall say; to give us the words for the matter of them, and to give us the words for the expression of them, as being both at his disposal. We shall find in Act. 10.33, 34. these two passages joined together, of Cornelius signifying to Peter his desire to hear of him those things which were commanded him of God; and then Peter opened his mouth, and said, &c. Till Peter had first a word from God, he was unable to speak to Cornelius, but then he was able; and so shall we likewise have such occasions as these are; which otherwise we shall not. It is not the strength of our natural Abilities, Knowledge, Memory, Utterance, and such things as these which will serve our turn in these performances, to do them comfortably, and with any effect, unless God himself be pleased to concur with us, and be with our mouths, as he promised to be with Moses and Aaron, (Exod. 4.15.) when he sent them on a message to Pharaoh. And that's the first thing in this Conjunction And, as it does denote the dependance of the one upon the other, of shewing forth praise upon God's opening of the lips.
The second is as it does denote the consequence of one thing to another, Open thou my lips, and, &c. that is, when thou hast done it, there will this effect follow upon it; and so it is not only a Promise, but also a Prediction; not an Engagement only, but an Argument, an Argument to God for the opening of his lips to such a purpose, as which shall have success with it. Look as unless God opens, there's no ability to praise him; so where he opens, there is no want of ability. It is in this case in Spirituals, as we find it sometimes to be in Naturals, and in the Soul, as it is in the Body: In the Body, we find in the Gospel, that when there was one presented unto Christ, that stammered in his speech, Mark 7.34. when Christ had once toucht his tongue, and said Ephphatha to him, that is, Be opened, the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. The same will it be also in the Soul; when God is pleased once to open mens lips in all those ways which are formerly mentioned, of apprehension, and affection, and expression, as he is able to do, there will then follow thereupon a large rehearsing of the praises of God; as the Apostles, when the Holy Ghost at Pentecost descended upon them, they then spake Magnalia Dei, The mighty things of God: In like manner will it be proportionably with all others else.
Nay, further, it will not only be so, but it will not possibly be otherwise: Those lips which God has opened, as they are by his Grace enabled to speak, so they are dis-enabled to keep from speaking, as Jeremy, Chap. 20. Vers. 9. God's words were in his mouth as fire, he was weary with forbearing, and could not stay. And so Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, when they were brought before the Priests and Elders, they told them that they could not but speak the things which they had seen and heard, Act. 4.20. so effectual is God's opening of our lips in this particular, that as where he denies it, we cannot speak, so where he grants it, we cannot hold our peace. This may be also very well intended in the conjunction of these two both together.
From whence we may therefore very well take some estimate and account of our selves, we may see what we are as to God's workings in this respect; If God hath any time opened our lips, how do we our selves open them, and imploy them, and make use of them? we may well judge of the one by the other: we may see who opens our lips, whether God or Satan, according to the use and imployment which we put them unto. We may see whether God opens them, by the effect which follows thereupon; If our mouths be employed in nothing else but vanity, and folly, and rotten and corrupt communication, it is not God that keeps the Key of our lips, but rather the Devil. Agen, if our mouths be not imployed at all in good speeches, and savory expressions, and shewing forth God's praises, it is not God that has opened them, but Satan that has sealed them up; for this is still the effect of God's opening, (as it is here made in the Text to be unseparable) even the shewing and setting forth of God's praise.
And that upon a twofold Principle: First, Upon a Principle of Obedience: And, Secondly, Upon a Principle of Thankfulness. Upon a Principle of Obedience first, as the effect flowing from the cause, the uttering of Gok's praise being the most natural and genuine operation of such lips as are opened by God; and so it follows from it in that respect. Secondly, Upon a Principle of Thankfulness, Those lips which God has opened, cannot better express their Gratitude to him for their opening, than by imploying themselves in the praises of him that has opened them. And so it holds (which I hinted before) in the way of an Argument, to perswade God indeed to this opening. We may, if we will, take it so, O Lord, open thou my lips, and thou shalt have this Honour and Glory from it, as that hereby I will shew forth thy praise. And so we have also the words in their Connexion, as they hold altogether: so much for that.
Now (before we make an end) we may further take notice of some other Points from the Text collaterally.
First, In that David desires to have his lips opened, he does hereby imply, that they were at present shut; and so they were; they were obstructed to all good conference, and spiritual and comfortable communication. He could not speak now to the benefit of God's people as he was wont, and as it became him to do; and how came this to pass? Namely, (as I in part hinted before) from his late sin and transgression; this it caused this silence in him. Here is now another sad effect of such courses as these are, they do not only wound a mans Conscience, darken his assurance, deprive him of the light of God's Countenance; but likewise make him useless and unprofitable in his whole converse; they make him dry, and barren, and unsavory, and void of spiritual improvement. That man that has the guilt of any notorious lust upon him, it will quite stop up his mouth, and hinder him from being so fruitful and beneficial as otherwise he would be; which David now found in himself: Though he was convinced of it as a duty, that he ought to speak to the good of others, and to minister grace to the hearers, as it is Ephes. 4.29. yet he found himself now altogether impotent and unable hereunto; he could not do it; there was an hindrance of his confidence, he wanted boldness and freedom of spirit; and there was an obstruction likewise upon his grace, as the Spring and Fountain of such discourse.
And this is another thing which may be added to what we have mentioned before, to deter and frighten men from such ways as these are. Consider what a sad thing it is not to be able upon any seasonable occasion to open ones mouth in good discourse, nor to speak a word for the refreshing of others. This is the case of presumptuous sinners, as is here signified and implyed unto us. He had said in the Verse before, the Thirteenth of this present Psalm, Then will I teach Transgressors, &c. as if otherwise he could not: And here now he adds answerable to it, O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise; His lips were at present shut up from his sin; That's the first Observation.
Secondly, Observe hence also (by the way) thus much, That gracious and holy persons, they aim at Duties in the spirituality of them; they are not satisfied meerly to perform them for the substance and matter of the Action, but they desire to perform them with life and zeal, and in an holy manner, so as they may approve themselves to God in them: This we have likewise in this expression of David's, Open Thou my lips. If David (as many people do) had rested and contented himself only with a kind of lip-labour, the uttering of so many words with his mouth, he needed not to have made such addresses as these to God; he might in a way of common and general Providence done that well enough himself; he might have said somewhat in a formal way, as tending to the praising of God, and that had been enough: yea, but this would not serve his turn, neither was he contented with it; besides his own opening, he prays to God to open his lips for him, as looking at the spiritual performance. And this is the property and disposition likewise of all the Servants of God besides, they are of the same mind also; they desire (being God is a Spirit) to worship him in spirit and truth, and to offer unto him offerings of righteousness, as it is in Malachy 3.3.
And that upon a double ground: First, Because they know 'tis that which is most excellent and proper in it self. Every one that undertakes any business, (if he rightly does understand himself in it) would attain to the proper end of it, and do that which he goes about: Now this is the offering up of spiritual praises, wherein God Himself opens our mouths; it is the only doing of the Duty it self, whereof the other which is meerly in word, is no more but a bare shadow and appearance.
Then, Secondly, Because they know also (which I also hinted in part before) that it is only acceptable and well-pleasing to God; God delights in no other but such, and the Father seeketh such to worship him, as Christ tells the woman of Samaria, Joh. 4.23.
Therefore let this teach us even to take this course with our selves: Before we open our mouths our selves, desire God to open them for us; and when we open them, pray for his concurrant opening of them with us; that is indeed of our hearts and affections; it is the best entrance which we can make in our addresses to the Throne of Grace, which therefore accordingly Christians in former time with one consent have done in their daily and frequent Supplications.
Thirdly and lastly, (to shut up all for time) we may take notice of another good piece of disposition in this holy man, in this present state and condition which he was now in; where he does not only drive at his own ease and satisfaction of spirit, but likewise at the special Honour and Glory of God Himself. He was now at this time (as we have formerly heard) in a state of spiritual desertion, and his bones were broken with his sin; which was exceeding troublesom to him, and which drew from him those importunate intreaties which we have had before in the course of this Psalm: but this was not all which his heart was charged and affected withal, but he looks at somewhat else; He knew very well that his sin as it had wounded his own Conscience, and caused a great deal of trouble to himself, whereof he desired to be eased, so it had likewise brought reproach upon Religion, and caused dishonour to the Name of God: Now therefore as he would take away that, so he would make up this; as he would provide for his own comfort, so in like manner for God's Glory, which here he does as a pattern to us how to do likewise; He does not only say, Blot out my sins, Restore unto me joy, Deliver me from blood, &c. but, My Tongue shall sing aloud of thy Righteousness, in the Verse before; and here in this, Open thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth, &c.