Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 4 [i.e. 5] · Psalm 119 · Stanza 16
16. AIN.
DAVID in this Octonary, The Contents. David profeſſeth his integrity.having made,
1. Profeſſion of his Integrity.
2. Prayes for protection againſt his enemies.
3. And alſo for grace to know his way upon earth, and follow it.
1. He begins with a profeſſion of his Integrity, where we may not think that he is juſtifying himſelf before God, but only declaring how unjuſtly he was oppreſſed by men: Defenſio eſt, non arrogantia.
1. Ver. 1 I have done judgment and juſtice. Judgment is the effect of juſtice, and by the exact Rule of Juſtice, And prayes that God leave him not to his enemies.David had ſo proceeded in judging the people, that he had given to every one his own, and yet he could not live free from the calumnies and ſlanders of wicked men, and therefore he prayes.
2. Ver. 2 Leave me not to my Oppreſſours: And his Petition hath equity in it; for 'tis but equal, that he who had been ſo juſt to others, ſhould have juſtice done him: And by it, we may learn to commend a juſt cauſe to God, if we look for his aſſiſtance.
Now in this Petition David proceeds, and uſeth many other Arguments to perſwade it.
1. Be ſurety, or undertake for thy ſervant for good. My enemies ſuſpect me of injuſtice and violence, but do thou interpoſe, and be ſurety for me, that it is not true; neither that ever they ſhall find any ſuch dealing at my hand; or anſwer for me, when I am not by, for what they lay to my charge.
2. Let not the proud oppreſs me. His condition is miſerable, Ver. 3 that falls into the hands of proud men; for their inſultations are unſufferable, and they mercileſs, ſuch he fears, and prayes againſt them.
3. And this he doth in an ardent manner, and the reaſon is, becauſe he ſaw he was deſtitute of all humane help, it was Gods help that only could ſecure him, which he expected, and almoſt fainted in the expectation of it.
1. My eyes fail. The eyes of faith, and whole intention of my ſoul are fixed on thee, and they are ready to fail, while thy help comes not.
2. My eyes fail for thy ſalvation: Not only that which is temporal, in the deliverance from mine enemies, though I vehemently deſire that too; but for that ſalvation of Gods people mentioned, Pſal. 106.4. & 4.6.
3. For the Word of thy righteouſneſs. The ground that I wait for thy ſalvation, is thy Promiſe, thy righteous Word paſſed to me.
4. And he proceeds in this prayer, and deſires God to deal with him, But deal with him as an honeſt ſervant.as with an honeſt ſervant; not which did his Will, but yet deſired to do it; and was diſpleaſed with himſelf, and ſorrowful when he did it not; he pleads not me…, but mercy.
1. O deal with thy ſervant according to thy mercy. Ver. 4
2. And teach me thy ſtatutes, which he often asks, and is then obtained, when God infuſeth ſo much love into our hearts, that we know, and do his Will; for knowledge without charity puffs up, but edifies not.
5. He asks the ſame again, renewes his Petition with a Reaſon, and this frequent Petition of the ſame thing, ſhewes his ardent deſire to obtain it. I am no ſtranger unto thee, but a domeſtick ſervant, and therefore bound to obey thy Commands; let me want no grace that may enable me to ſerve thee. Ver. 5 I am thy ſervant, give me underſtanding, that I may know thy Teſtimonies. It is a gift of thy donation only.
6. And now he enters his complaint, and uſeth that as a new Argument, He complains of the ungodly, that deſtroyed Gods Law.that God hear him.
1. It is time for thee Lord to work; to do judgment againſt the wicked. To us, there is a time when God ſeems not to work, in that he executes not his wrath againſt the wicked, Ver. 6 in ſuch a time it is no ſin to pray with David, That God would ariſe and work; for a time it is, when his Church is in a publick trouble; the ſins of the Amorites full, and his people brought low.
2. For they have deſtroyed thy Law: Not only broken it, diſgraced; but caſt it aſide, and deſtroyed it. A time then it is to work, and execute now; made it void.
7. Which David was zealous to preſerve.But their malice and endeavours were not ſo great to evacuate and deſtroy Gods Law, as Davids zeal and affection was bent, and inflamed for the preſervation of it, which he uſeth as another Argument, that God would not leave him in the hand of his Oppreſſours, ver. 1. Therefore I love.
1. Therefore. David was no Temporizer in Religion, Ver. 7 whoſe affections toward Gods Word depended upon times and perſons; but his love appears in this, That when his enemies fought to deſtroy it, then he loves it. They endeavour to make void, therefore I love thy Law.
2. I love thy Law. He ſaith not he fulfilled it, but only he loved it; it is a good progreſs in godlineſs, when we come thus far, that we can ſay with David, I love thy Law.
3. And ſhews his love to it.And that he might ſhew the greatneſs of his affection, he mentions thoſe things which are moſt loved; gold, fine gold, or jewels; to which his love was not ſo great, as to Gods Commandments. I love thy Commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold.
And he inſiſts upon this point, his love to Gods Law. What, would they make it void, and caſt it aſide? This makes me the more eſteem it, and judge that there is the more excellency in it. Ver. 8 It muſt needs be good, which wicked men ſet lite by. Two things I find in me ariſing from hence, which are quite contrary, an eſteem and hatred, but yet of contrary objects.
1. And his eſtimate of it.Therefore I eſteem all thy precepts, concerning all things, to be right. He had an high eſtimate of Gods precepts, he thought them juſt in all things; juſt, becauſe they preſcribe nothing but that which is exactly juſt; and juſt, becauſe they bring a juſt puniſhment on the Tranſgreſſors, and a reward to the righteous.
2. Therefore I hate every falſe way: Nor one way, but every way of ſin, and the fleſh; many they are, but he hates them all; and his hatred aroſe out of the juſtice and equity he perceived to be in Gods Law, therefore I hate.
The Prayer.
O Moſt Omnipotent God, I can no way excuſe my ſelf before thy Tribunal for my manifold breaches of thy Law: For I have ſin'd againſt Heaven, and againſt thee, and am not worthy to be call'd thy ſon; but to man I have done no harm, Ver. 1 I have alwayes born ſuch a love to juſtice, that I have done that which is juſt and equal. Thus with a good conſcience I can profeſs before thée, and therefore I beſéech thée, leave me not in the hands of thoſe who continually calumniate me, and ſéek to oppreſs me. Thou knoweſt, O Lord, Ver. 2 how they detract from me, and invent lies againſt me, when I am no by; do thou then interpoſe in my behalf, undertake to anſwer for me, and ſuffer not the proud Tranſgreſſors of thy Law, to bring upon me that force and injury which they have endeavoured. That ſalvation which I expect, is from thée, Ver. 3 and my eyes have even failed for the vehemency of my deſire to obtain it, Thy promiſe, thy righteous Word is paſſed unto me; deal therefore with thy ſervant, according to thy great mercy in making this promiſe; frée me from theſe preſent evils, and infuſe alſo ſo much love and charity into my heart, that I may learn what thou teacheſt; Ver. 4 and practice what I learn, and edifie others in thy ſtatutes by my practice. I am no ſtranger unto thée, but thy bomeſtique ſervant; and I have addicted my ſelf to thy ſervice, by a firm purpoſe of heart, let me not want that grace that may enable me to do my duty; give me then underſtanding, Ver. 5 that I may know thy Teſtimonies; for I ſhall never be able to do that which I know not.
It is time, O Lord, to work; thy Church is oppreſſed, thy people are brought very low, the ſins of the Amalekites are at the full; their impiety is grawn to that height. Ver. 6 That they have not only broken, but contemned; nor only cantemned, butanede vow, and by their practice, deſtroy'd thy Law; they are not only my enemies, and ſéek to oppreſs me, but are thy enemies, and labour to evacuale thy Truth.
It is now then a time to ſhew thy ſelf; Ariſe, O Lord, and take a Juſt revenge upon them, for this their audacious impiety and malice. Ver. 7
It muſt néeds be good which they hate, their malice therefore hath inflamed my zeal: They would deſtroy, therefore I love thy Commandments: I love that Law which I break, I love it above gold, yea than much fine gold. By it I learn to do that which is juſt, by it I learn to hate every evil way, therefore I ſet an high eſtimate upon every particular Command in it. Lord, increaſe this zeal, this love, this eſtéem, this hatred in me, that I may direct my converſation aright, ſo pleaſe thée in every one of thy Commands on earth, that after this life is ended, I may live with thée in heaven for ever and ever. Amen.