Choice and Practical Expositions on Four Select Psalms, Sermons on Psalm 51 · Sermon 18
SERMON XVIII.
PSAL. 51.17.
The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit: a broken and a contrite Heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
There is nothing more necessary for those who have any Requests or Petitions to present, than to know what is most acceptable with those Persons whom they present their Petitions unto; and the greater and more exact the Person at any time is, the more requisite also is this knowledge, that so they may the more happily speed in those Addresses which they make unto him. This is that which the Prophet David takes care of in a special manner in this present Scripture; and that under a double Explication: First, In the Negative, by shewing what that is which God does not so much desire or delight in: And, Secondly, In the Affirmative, by shewing what that is in which he does. The former of these we have laid down in the Sixteenth Verse of this Psalm, in those words, Thou desirest not Sacrifice, else would I give it Thee: Thou delightest not in Burnt-Offering; and this (as ye know) we dispatcht the last Sabbath. The latter we have laid down in the Seventeenth Verse, in these words which we have now before us, The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit: A broken and a contrite Heart, O God, Thou, &c. And of this (with God's Assistance) at this present time.
IN the Text it self there are two general Parts: First, The simple Proposition: Secondly, The Additional Amplification of this Proposition. The Proposition, that we have in those words, The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit; The Amplification, that we have in these, A broken and a contrite Heart, &c.
We begin with the first, viz. The simple Assertion or Proposition, The Sacrifices of God, &c. They may be called the Sacrifices of God, upon a three-fold account.
First, By way of Denomination, Sacrifices of God, i. e. Eminent Sacrifices, as Mountains of God, for great Mountains; a City of God, for a great City, &c. according to the Idiom and Propriety of the Hebrew Language.
Secondly, By way of Efficiency, The Sacrifices of God, i. e. which God Himself is the Author of, and enables us to offer, &c.
Thirdly, By way of Acceptation, The Sacrifices of God, i. e. which are best pleasing to God; and in this sense are we properly to understand it here in this Text.
By the Sacrifices of God, we are to understand those Sacrifices which are most pleasing and acceptable to God, such Sacrifices as He delights in, and chiefly accepts, in opposition to what was premised in the Verse before: This is that which God does principally look after in all our Humiliations of our selves before Him, and in all our approaches and accesses to Him, that our Hearts and Spirits be broken in us. It is not so much the Duty it self for the outward and external performance, as the carriage and frame of our Hearts in the Duty: This is the Point here before us; and this is that which the Scripture does in sundry places recommend unto us; to instance in one or two: thus Psal. 34.15. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. And Psal. 147.3. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. So Isai. 57.13. Thus saith the high and lofty One, &c. I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. So agen, Isai. 66.2. To him will I look that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. Still this contrition and brokenness of spirit is such a business as is much advanced by God in Scripture.
For the better opening of this Point unto us, it will not be amiss for us to consider what this brokenness of heart means, and wherein it consists. Now we may take it briefly in these two Particulars: First, It consists in a quickness of sense and apprehensiveness; A broken spirit is a sensible spirit; it presently discerns what is amiss, either in it, or towards it. As a broken Bone or Joint, it presently feels the least annoyance that is; even so likewise does a broken heart. That heart which is truly contrite and broken, it is sensible of the least grievance that may be; and this whether in regard of sin, or in regard of punishment: In regard of sin first, it is very quick and sensible here; those whose hearts are hardened and obdurate, they can commit one sin upon another, and yet never be affected with it, or lay it to heart: but those which are broken, and so tender-spirited, the least miscarriage that is troubles them, and goes to their soul; they are humbled not only for grosser sins, but also for smaller infirmities; and not only for more notorious practices, but likewise for failings in duties themselves; and not only for outward and notorious miscarriages, which come into all mens view, but even also for the secretest obliquities and deflexions of the inward man. Look as those which have tender bodies, the least air that is, it offends them; whereas those which are more hardy can indure the sharpest weather that is: even so those also which have tender spirits, the least guilt that is it troubles them, whereas those which are unbroken, they make no matter of the greatest sins that are.
Agen, as it holds in regard of sin, so in regard of punishment also. Broken hearts and contrite spirits, they tremble at the very shakings of the Rod, and intimations of Judgment towards them; whereas those which are more hardened and obdurate, they are unsensible even under Judgment it self. A reproof entreth more into a wise man, than an hundred stripes into a fool, says Solomon, Prov. 17.10. A wise man, that is, one spiritually wise, which has true Grace and Godliness in him, and has a Principle of spiritual life, such an one is very sensible of Judgment. And that's the first Particular wherein this broken-heartedness consists.
Secondly, It consists in a pliableness and fashionableness of heart and spirit; an hard heart is capable of no impression, ye cannot work it, or frame it to any thing, but a broken heart ye may mould it in any way, and turn it whithersoever ye please. And this is another thing which is considerable in it, it is such an heart as yields to all God's dealings and workings with it, to his Word, and to his Providence, and that in the several Dispensations of it, it is pliable to every thing. Thus we see wherein this brokenness of heart does indeed specially and principally consist, and what it means for the Nature of it, that so we may not speak of it at random, and not well understood.
Now the reason why the Scripture does so much press this upon us, as that Sacrifice which is most acceptable to God, is because, First, It signifies the Person in whom it is to be subjected to God, and brought in Obedience to Him. A man may offer bodily Sacrifice, and perform outward Duties to God, and yet stand alouf off from him, and have his heart still reserved to himself; but now when it is once broken and contrite, it then stoops and gives it self up to God's disposing; and this is that which God does mainly look after in those that come to him, He desires still to have the better of them, and to have their spirits brought in order to him, which is all in all in them: this is that which God calls for, My son, give me thine heart, Prov. 23.16. Now this is never done by us, till it be in some manner broken and bruised in us; because till then, we shall be apt to rest upon our own bottom, and to subsist wholly in our selves, and some worth of our own.
Secondly, A broken heart is most acceptable, because it is that which makes the best amends for all the sins which are committed by us: The breaking of our hearts, it best satisfies for the breaking of God's Laws; not as if thereby we did indeed make satisfaction to God's Justice, (which is only done by the Blood of Christ) but it is that which does carry the best shadow of compensation with it. David had now at this time exceedingly trespast upon God's account, by those foul sins which had been committed by him; and now he saw that all his sacrificing would be of no avail in this particular, but rather a broken heart, which has the best expression of revenge upon himself, and also of respect to God; and so it is likewise in any other besides with him.
Thirdly, A broken heart is most desired, as that which makes the best Improvement of all God's Providences and Dispensations, &c. This makes us more thankful for Mercies, and this makes us more corrigible under Afflictions. A hard and stony heart is nothing the better by all God's dealings with it; but rather the worse: if God casts Mercies upon it, it is thereby more secure and presumptuous; and if God lays afflictions upon it, it does but so much the more stand out against him: But now an heart which is broken, it takes occasion to be so much the better from all God's dealings with it in either kind.
The proper Ʋse and Application of all this to our selves, is, First, For trial and examination of our hearts in this particular: Seeing this is that which is principally required, let us therefore consider how far forth we partake of it. We have of late had occasion to humble our selves before God for the late sad Fires which have been amongst us; and we have kept (at least some of us) a Day of Fast and solemn Supplication in order thereunto: Now the Question is this, How far forth we have any of us partaken of this Contrition, and brokenness of spirit. We heard the last Day, that God desired not Sacrifice, i. e. that he delighted not in the meer outward performance of Duties; Now it is good to consider how much further we our selves have proceeded. Remember that of the Prophet, Isai. 58.5, &c. Is this the Fast that I have chosen? &c. And so for our carriage in our whole lives besides, see what brokenness of spirit we have in us.
Now it may be discerned by these discoveries, First, This brokenness of spirit, it has in it a special love to God, and zeal for the Glory of God. That heart which is deeply affected with its own dishonor of God by its sin, cannot indure to have his Name blasphemed by others abroad in the World: This was the case even of David in the Text, as we may see in divers places of the Psalms, Psal. 119.136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy Law. And Vers. 158. I beheld the Transgressors, and was grieved because they kept not thy Word. David, who had a broken spirit in him, he was tender of the dishonour which was brought to the Name of God.
Secondly, As it is affected with the Name of God, so it is also affected with the Word of God, as in the place before-cited, Isai. 66.2. we find them both joined together, He that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my Word; and the Word in all the several kinds and Modifications of it.
First, The Threatnings and Comminations of the Word; it trembles at them: Thus 2 Chron. 34.27. it is noted of good Josiah, that his heart was tender, and he humbled himself before God, when he heard his words against that place, and the inhabitants of it, &c. And so Ezra 9.4. it is said that they trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the Transgression of them of the Captivity, &c. Yea, it is noted even in the men of Nineveh, that they trembled at the Preaching of the Prophet Jonah, and proclaimed a Fast, and put on Sackcloth, &c. This is the Nature of broken-hearted persons: Those that can sit under the threatnings of the Word, and be never moved or affected with them, as if they had no matter of terrour or astonishment in them, it is a sign that their hearts are harder than even the Nether-Milstone.
And so, as for the threatnings of the Word, so the comforts of it also in the Promises; These they work upon a tender-hearted Soul; Having these Promises, (dearly Beloved) let us cleanse our selves: There is nothing which more works upon Ingenuity, than Goodness it self.
Agen, The Commands and Directions of the Word, these have likewise the same effect. God can but signifie his mind to a broken spirit, and it presently yields and comes off to him: Thus Samuel to God, Speak, Lord, thy Servant heareth. Thus David, Thou saidst, Seek my face; my heart answered, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. And agen, Lo I come to do thy will; yea, Thy Law is my delight. There's no better discovery of this broken-heartedness, than its pliableness to the Word of God. That is the second discovery.
Thirdly, The Providence of God; It is much wrought upon and affected by that; It is quick-sighted, and foresees Judgment a far off, and trembles (as I said before) at the very shakings of the Rod: no more but so, My flesh trembleth for fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy Judgments, says David, Psal. 119.120. And this fear it is not idle in Him, but operative; it makes him presently to bestir himself, and to go and meet God by unfeigned repentance. This is the property of it.
Lastly, This broken-heartedness is much discerned in its carriage towards others, whom it does accordingly pity and compassionate; as Paul, he wept for the miscarriages of the Philippians, and those amongst them, of whom I tell you weeping: And we see how full of bowels he was towards the Incestuous Corinthian. Christ Himself he wept over Jerusalem, in regard both of their miseries and sins which were the causes of them; and thereby teaches us to have the same bowels and affections in our selves; and so we shall so far forth as we have this contrite spirit in us. It will make us to have a tender regard to the souls of other men, whether as going on in sin without remorse, or else as troubled and afflicted for sin: It will make us deal kindly and Christianly with them; and therefore Paul speaks thus to those which are spiritual, to restore with meekness those which are fallen, considering themselves. By these and the like Manifestations may this behaviour of heart be discovered. And thus far may this Point serve for tryal.
Secondly, It serves also for excitement, To perswade us, and stir us all up to endeavour hereafter all that may be, seeing this is that which is mainly acceptable. We should not satisfie our selves with any thing below it: We should labour all that may be to bring our hearts into this frame of spirit whereof we now speak, and to get this tenderness which is here commended in us: where we must know, that this is not a Plant which grows in our own Soil, but is the alone Gift of God Himself. None can kindly break the Heart, but He that made it; and therefore we must have recourse to Him for it, and desire Him that He would please to do it for us.
But because God works still by means, and does not these things for the most part immediately, therefore we must make use of those means which tend hereunto. What (may you say) are they?
First, Let us attend upon the Word of God, which he has sanctified for such a purpose as this is. Jer. 23.29. Is not my Word like a Fire, (saith the Lord) and like an Hammer that breaks the Rocks in pieces? God has put a special Power into his Word for the breaking of mens hearts, and we have special instances of it to this purpose: Thus it was with St. Peter's Converts, Act. 2.37. When they heard these things, they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, Men and Brethren, what shall we do? So long as they kept from the Ordinances, their sin it had no working upon them; but when they came once under the reach of this, then they were otherwise affected; when Peter comes home to their Consciences, and deals plainly and roundly with them, tells them that they had crucified the Lord Jesus, the Lord of Glory, this it broke them, and wrought effectually upon them; and so it is likely to do upon any other besides. Thus we shall find it to be likewise with the Jaylour, what an hardhearted man was there? ye shall hardly meet with a more barbarous person; and yet ye may see how the Word of God broke him, and brought him to a most tender frame of spirit as could be possibly desired. So the Disciples which were going to Emmaus, ye shall find the same work of it upon them, Luk. 24.32. They said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, whiles he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? The Word of God it is very powerful to this purpose, and so the Scripture in plain terms expresses it, as in the Example, so likewise in the Doctrine, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. The Weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And so Heb. 4.12. The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. So Psal. 29.4, 5. The voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is full of Majesty, &c. It holds good not only of the ordinary Thunder, whereof it seems there principally to be spoken; but likewise as well of the Thunderings of the Word, which has most powerful effects with it. As therefore we desire this tenderness and brokenness of heart in us, it will concern us to have recourse hereunto by attendance upon it, which has the experience of so much virtue in it. There are some kind of people in the World, which do shun this as much as they can, and thereby think to keep themselves as it were out of harms way, by withdrawing from such opportunities as these are; will not come within the compass of Preaching, or at least of such Preaching as may come home effectually to their Consciences; and what do they get by it? but from hence still to keep and retain their hardened hearts. But we learn a better way for our selves in this particular, which is to close with such blessed opportunities as these are, that so we may have the benefit of them. Let us come to the Word, and let us desire God's blessing upon the Word, whereby it may become effectual to us, or otherwise all will be in vain, and to no purpose at all. That's the first means here to be taken notice of, by Application of our selves to the Word.
Secondly, Let us view our sins in all the Circumstances and Aggravations. What was that which brought David here to this brokenness of heart which was upon him? It was the serious Meditation upon his sin, as we may see in the third Verse of this Psalm, I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. David had now taken his sins into Consideration; He viewed them in their weight, in their number, in their appurtenances; and this (through the blessing of God) wrought upon his heart. When people have no thoughts of their sins, or those which they have, but sleight and perfunctory, they do consequently retain but hardened hearts with them; but when they shall begin to think seriously upon them, this will affect them; and this is that which therefore we are to do. Think of sin as it is in its own Nature, and as the Word of God does represent it to us: Do not think of it according to the judgments and apprehensions of a lust, and a mind engaged in it; but think severely and impartially of it; and this will be a means to soften thine heart, if ever any thing will. Think of sin as having Judgment at the heels of it, which is the truest and most proper thoughts of it: This is that which the Scripture still does with us, to work this softness of heart in us; It propounds to us the Judgments of God as in this life, so especially in that which is to come; 2 Cor. 5.11. Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord, we perswade men, &c. And 2 Tim. 4.1. I charge you before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his coming. Often and serious thoughts of the Day of Judgment, are very good helps to put the heart in frame.
Thirdly, Let us look upon others, and see how it is with them; consider how many poor Souls are afflicted with the burthen of sin upon them, and are humbled under it, and this will give us occasion to conclude that there is certainly somewhat more in it than we are for the most part aware of; why should we be hardened, whiles they are dejected?
Lastly, (to add no more at this time) to take heed of presumptuous sins, and of lying in any known miscarriage; for that will very much harden the heart, and contract an obdurateness upon it, Heb. 3.23. Take heed (says the Apostle) lest ye be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Sin it is deceitful, and will harden all those that give themselves to it; so as that the more they commit it, the more they shall be confirmed in it: Therefore as we would avoid this, let us look to that. And so now I have done with the first general Part of the Text, which is the simple Assertion, or Proposition, in these words, The Sacrifices of God are a broken heart.
The second is, The Reiteration or Amplification of the same Proposition, in these words, A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. And this agen may admit of a double Interpretation; First, as it may be taken in the literal sense; or, Secondly, as it may be taken in the extended. The literal sense is that sense which the words themselves carry and bear; which is this, That God does not despise a broken and a contrite heart, he does not think such a Sacrifice as this too mean for him; and to speak first of all of this.
In all other things besides, the breaking of them, for the most part especially, takes from the valuation; those things that are of worth when they are whole, when they are broken they are of no account: But in the heart of man it is otherwise, this it is most precious at such time as it is most broken; and God Himself, who is the Maker and Owner of it, does not from hence ere a whit the less regard it, which yet he might seem to do from that excellency and transcendency which is in him, Psal. 113.5, 6. Who is like the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and Earth? Though he dwells on high, yet he stoops to these things below; and what those things in particular are, he does more particularly signifie in the place before alleadged, Isai. 57.15. He dwells in the high and holy place, with him also who is of an humble and contrite spirit. This is not the manner of men, O Lord: Among men, the higher that any are themselves, the more apt they are to despise those which are low, and to carry themselves disdainfully towards them. But with God it is quite contrary: He which is the great and high GOD, he does not despise the humble Spirit. There is nothing which God despises in any Creature but Sin, and that he despises under never so many glorious Qualifications, as to worldly respects. Let men have never such outward Excellencies and Perfections upon them whatsoever, Wealth, or Honour, or Beauty, or Strength, or what else we might name, if they be sinful and wicked with them, the Lord despises them, and so the Scripture expresses it self about them; The covetous whom the Lord abhors, Psal. 10.3. The proud, He knows a far off, Psal. 138.6. The froward, is an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 3.32. He that despises the Servants of Christ, Him does Christ Himself despise, as he signifies to us. But let men be in never such a condition otherwise, and God does not despise them; He despises them not for the lowness of their condition, because they are poor in Estate; nor much less does He for the lowness of their disposition, because they are poor in spirit; This makes them to be never a whit the less acceptable and pleasing to Him, neither does He set ever a whit the less account or esteem upon them.
There are two things which are apt to provoke contempt; The one is, when a thing is absolutely evil; The other is, when it is but imperfectly good. Now a broken spirit might seem in the latter sense at least to be matter of despising, as that which does not seem to carry so much worth in it; Sacrifices, and Burnt-Offerings, and such performances as these are, they carry a great deal of pomp and splendor with them, from whence they might gain respect, and do obtain it in the eyes of men: but now a poor, broken, humble spirit, which weeps and mourns in secret, and lies flat in the presence of God, this is a poor and a mean business in worldly apprehensions; yea, but it is not so for all that in the eyes of God; He despises not the Prayer of the humble, He rejects not any which bring Him such Oblations as these, though they have nothing else to bring with them: As it was under the Law, those which were poor, and could bring but a pair of Doves, their Offering it was not despised; even so it is here.
This now is a great encouragement to all the faithful Servants of God, let their condition be what it will be, that if they come with broken hearts before Him, He does not slight them, or despise them herein. The World they may be apt to despise them, and to despise such a frame of spirit as this is in them; look upon it as a piece of baseness, and weakness, and pusillanimity, a thing not becoming men; yea, but the Lord He does not despise them for it, and David seems to lay a special emphasis in that, O GOD, Thou wilt not despise it.
Agen, (which is further for our comfort) as God does not despise the thing it self, so neither does he despise the lowest degree or measure of it; A broken and a contrite heart Thou wilt not despise, though it be not broken into so many pieces as might haply be desired. It is true, that God likes it the better when we are advanced to the highest measure and degree of Grace that can be in any kind whatsoever; and so amongst the rest, as to this matter of contrition and humiliation of spirit; but yet he despiseth not the smallest, where there is sincerity and endeavour after the greatest: God does not there despise the meanest, He will not break the bruised reed, nor He will not quench the smoaking flax, nor he will not despise the broken heart; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Therefore let us not stand too much upon this, I am not humbled enough, the desire is to the thing, not to the degree. So much for the words in the first sense, as they may be taken considered in the letter.
The second is, as considered in the Extent; and so here's that Trope which in Rhetorick we call a foreign, wherein less is exprest than is intended. Thou wilt not despise it; that is, indeed, Thou doest highly esteem it: This it does carry somewhat more in it than as yet we have spoken unto, to wit, the wonderful respect and account which God puts upon a broken spirit: It is that which we shall observe all along through the whole currant of Scripture; and it may be made good in sundry particulars.
First, In the care he takes of such, so as to keep off Judgments from them. We shall find that as any mens hearts have been more humbled and broken in them, so much securer they have still been from Calamities either publick or private: Thus Josiah, because his heart was tender, and he humbled himself before God, therefore the Lord heard him, and preserved him from seeing the evil, &c. as we may see 2 Chron. 34.27, &c. So Manasses, because he humbled himself greatly before the Lord God of his fathers, therefore the Lord was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, 2 Chron. 31.12. So the Pinces in Rehoboam's time, that humbled themselves, because they humbled themselves, God spared them, and signifies that he did it for that reason, 2 Chron. 32.7. Because they have humbled, &c. So the Mourners, Ezek. 9.6. there was a mark set upon their foreheads, and they were preserved.
Secondly, As God's esteem of humbled persons is discernable in hi preventing them from Judgments, so likewise in removing Judgments from them upon their humiliation: This is that which God also has done; where their hearts have been wrought upon by his Corrections, he has there relaxed his hand unto them; as a Father, that when the Child is made tractable, he throws the Rod away.
Thirdly, In his bestowing of absolute and direct Mercies; This is another thing which God does in such cases: where he meets with broken and contrite spirits, he is there inclinable to shew them favour, as we see in the Parable of the prodigal Child, &c.
The use which we are to make of this, is to esteem of it highly our selves. That which God Himself does so account of, should not be of low esteem with us, but we should prize it, and set highly by it; and that not only by commending it, and giving glorious Titles to it, but especially by contending for it, and by conforming to it. This is the best discovery, to shew that we do not despise it, otherwise we shall interpretatively have but mean conceits about it.
And agen, when we have got it, to keep it, and preserve it as much as may be. Any thing by how much more we value it, by so much the more careful are we of it, to maintain it, and hold it with us: By this therefore shall we also (amongst the rest) shew our esteem of a broken heart, when we are industrious to keep our hearts once broken, in a broken frame. This is done in the continuance of those means whereby it is first wrought; That which breaks the heart at first, will keep it tender after breaking, which is the Word of God set home by his Spirit, which is to be attended upon by us; and this joined with Meditation and Prayer. Those which neglect such Duties as these are, they soon contract some kind of hardness upon them, after some beginnings of mollification; which therefore we must be mindful of.
And moreover, Take heed of surfeiting of the Creature, and the things of this life; worldly pleasures, and these outward comforts, being too greedily and earnestly pursued, and having too much delight taken in them, do oftentimes harden the heart, and take away the sense of us as to better things; yea, where the heart is in some measure softned, yet will cause it to return again to its former hardness, if it be not diligently and carefully prevented. But so much for that, and so ye have this Truth laid forth both in the simple Proposition, and Additional Amplification.
Now to look upon the Text in some further Circumstances of it. Here are divers things which might be very well noted and inlarged upon: as, First, We may observe how David was right here in point of Judgment, and does by Meditation labour to strengthen himself in this Practical Truth. He understood the true Notion of Religion, and he does accordingly work it upon his heart, The Sacrifices of God are, &c. The scope of which speech in this his Prayer, is not to instruct and inform God, but to affect and provoke himself. From whence we may learn thus much in general, That the way to be right in the practice of Religion, is first to be right in the notion of it. We must first know what God here is, and wherein the true and sound Worship of God does principally consist, before we can frame our selves to the practice and exercise of it, so as we should do: This is clear from the course which David takes in this particular place, who by this means stirs himself up. That he might the better work himself to this brokenness of heart indeed, he ponders and considers with himself, that this is that which is most acceptable in the sight of God.
Now therefore accordingly in imitation of Him, we should take the like course with our selves, when we find any backwardness upon us in this particular, or any aptness to rest in formalities, and the outside of Duties: If we be ignorant, let us inform our Judgments; and if we be forgetful, let us rub up our Memories in this particular, as David here does, Thou delightest not, &c. The Sacrifices, &c. This (through God's blessing) will be a means so much the better to bring us in frame.
On the other side, the want of this shews us the ground of so much miscarriage. What's the reason that so many people in the World rest themselves satisfied in bare outward performances, and never care to have their hearts wrought upon, and their spirits warmed and enlivened in Duties? It is because they do not seriously weigh and consider this point which we have now in hand, That God is a Spirit, and that they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and truth, as our Saviour told the woman of Samaria; or as David here expresses it in the Text, The Sacrifices of God are, &c. That's one Observation in the general.
Secondly, As these are words of Truth, and proceeding from a sound Judgment; so likewise words of Comfort, and proceeding from a well-satisfied Spirit: David did now comfort himself in this, as to his speeding and prevailing with God in this request which he makes to him, according to the present frame and temper of his own heart. He found his heart and spirit (through God's mercy) in some measure broken in him, and his soul moulded to an humble disposition, and from hence now is he the more encouraged in expectation of God's goodness in granting his Petitions. From whence we may also note thus much, That the temper of a man's own particular spirit in his approaches and addresses to God, is one of the best discoveries of likelihood for his success in those approaches. This is clear here from David's pertinent intimation. If he had offered never so many Sacrifices, and outward Oblations to God, he could not have been confident from these, nor durst not have put any stress in them: But when he considers the brokenness of his heart, and humiliation of spirit, this encourages and puts life into him, and causes him to expect acceptation; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise: They are not only the words of Truth, but the words of Comfort.
Thirdly, In that David here still makes mention of God in this business; The Sacrifices of God, in the first clause; and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise, in the second. We see here what a Gracious Heart does especially look after in Religion, and the Exercises of it: namely, To approve it self to God, and to do that which is well-pleasing in his sight: David cares not how others stand affected, so God Himself be satisfied and delighted.
And there are two things especially, which make for this regard in him, and so consequently in every godly and spiritually wise man besides: The one is the Accurateness of his Judgment, He is one who understands what is best, and so 'tis best to satisfie him; And the other is the Greatness of his Interest, He is one whom to please is most profitable, and advantageous, and necessary, and so 'tis best to satisfie Him likewise.
First, The Accurateness of his Judgment: Wise men desire in any thing to please those who best know and understand what belongs to the thing it self: Now this, as to the Worship of God, there is none which does so well as Himself.
Secondly, The Greatness of his Interest; It is God to whom the Sacrifice belongs, and therefore He must be pleased in it, or else all's to no end or purpose: The Sacrifices which are to God, must in this sense be the Sacrifices of God.
This then shews the Vanity of all such persons as mind this least in such things as these are. There are many that seek to please themselves, their own fancies, and corrupt imaginations, and that seek to please other men, and to gain applause and acceptance with them; but God in all is not regarded by them. Well, but David is of another disposition, The Sacrifices of God, &c. So much for that, and so also for this whole Seventeenth Verse.