Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 1 · Psalm 1
PSAL. I. The foreign in this Pſalm, is, Who is the happy man? Who happy? this reſolved.or what may make a man happy?
THIS Queſtion the Prophet reſolves in the two firſt Verſes.
1. Negatively. It is he, 1. 1Negatively.That walks not in the counſel of the ungodly. 2. That ſtands not in the way of ſinners. 3. Ver. 1 That ſits not in the ſeat of the ſcornful.
2. Poſitively. It is he, 1. 2Affirmatively.Whoſe delight is in the Law of the Lord. 2. Who doth meditate in the Law day and night. Ver. 2
2. This happineſs of the good man is illuſtrated two wayes. 1. The good mans happineſs illuſtrated.By a ſimilitude. 2. By comparing him with a wicked man.
1. The ſimilitude he makes choice, is, that of a Tree, not every Tree neither, 1By the ſimilitude of a Tree, that, 1. is planted.but that which hath theſe eminencies.
1. It is planted, it grows not of it ſelf, neither is wild.
2. Planted by the Rivers of waters, it wants not moiſture to fructifie.
3. It doth fructifie, It brings forth fruit, it is no barren Tree. Ver. 3
4. The fruit it brings, is ſeaſonable; fruit in its ſeaſon.2That brings forth ſeaſonable fruit.
5. It is alwayes green, Winter and Summer; the leaves wither not.
Clearly without any Trope: Whatſoever this good man doth, or takes in hand, 3And proſpers.it ſhall proſper.
2. He ſhews this good mans happineſs, by comparing him with a wicked man, 2By comparing him with a wicked man.in whom you ſhall find all contrary.
Firſt, In general: Not ſo. As for the ungodly it is not ſo with them; 1With him it is not ſo, he is not happy.not ſo in the plantation, in the place, in the ſeaſonable fruit, in the greenneſs, in the proſperity; ſo far from being like a Tree, that they are like,
1. Chaffe, a light and empty thing. Ver. 4
2. Chaffe which the wind whiffles up and down.2He is like Chaffe.
3. Chaffe which the wind ſcatters, or driveth away.
4. And never leaves ſcattering, till it hath driven it from the face of the Earth. Septuag. Arab.
Secondly, Ver. 5 And that no man think that their puniſhment ſhall extend only to this life; 3Shall not ſtand in judgment.in plain terms he threatens to them,
1. Damnation at the great day: They ſhall not ſtand in judgment; though ſome refer this clauſe to this life. When he is judg'd by men, cauſa cadet; he ſhall be condemn'd.
2. Excluſion from the company of the juſt. Sinners ſhall not ſtand in the Congregation of the righteous.
3. Ver. 6 The cauſe of both.In the cloſe, he ſhews the cauſe why the godly is happy, the wicked unhappy.
1. Becauſe the way of the righteous is known to God, approved by him, and defended.
2. But the way, ſtudies, plots, counſels of the wicked ſhall periſh.
The Prayer out of the firſt Pſalm.
O Almighty and moſt merciful God, who haſt taught us by thy holy Word, that the only way to obtain felicity, Ver. 1 is, to avoid evil, and to do good; never ſuffer me to walk in the counſels of the ungodly, nor to ſtand in the way of ſinners, nor to acquieſce and ſit down, and reſt in the Chair of the Deriders of Religion and Piety: Ver. 2 But ſo renew and quicken all the faculties of my ſoul by the gracious aſſiſtance of thy Spirit, that my delight may be to walk in the paths of thy Commandments, and the meditations of my heart day and night taken up with the ſtudy of thy ſacred Word and Will.
By nature I am a wild Trée, Ver. 3 barren of good fruit; be pleaſed then to tranſplant me, and ingraff me into the true Olive; root me in true faith, ſuſtain me in charity, let thoſe heavenly dews of grace, and Rivers of waters which flow from thy Sanctuary, moyſten and comfort my dry ſoul, ſo I may bud and knit, and fructifi…, and in a fit ſeaſon bring forth ſuch fruits; as may chear thee my God, and be beneficial to man; then I may expect happy ſucceſſes and proſperity upon the work of my hande.
O Lord, thou knoweſt my frailties, no Trée more ſubject to the violence of tempeſts, than I am to the fury and rage of enemies, who, if they may have their will, will not leave one leaf upon me, they will deprive me of my juice, and deveſt me of my greenneſs. O let not then the ſcorching heat of any temptation wither, nor the ſtorm of a winter perſecution beat off a leaf of grace with which thou haſt beautified my ſoul; but in the midſt of this fiery trial let me ſtill flouriſh, and in the coldeſt blaſt let me retain my life and freſh vigour; that howſoever I ſéem to men to be in an unhappy condition, yet I may have the teſtimony of thy Spirit within, that thou, who diſpoſeſt all things to the beſt for thoſe who love thée, wilt make me proſper. Proſper me therefore in my wayes, proſper me in my actions, proſper me in my afflictions, proſper me in life, proſper me in my death; whatſoever I do, let it proſper.
Should I ſell my ſelf to work wickedneſs, conſent to ungodly counſels, or ſettle upon the lees of ſin, and ſit down in the Chair of the ſcornful, I can expect no ſuch ſucceſs from thy hand; Ver. 4 thy mouth hath ſaid it. As for the ungodly it ſhall not be ſo with them; though they may ſéem to men to be well rooted, and excéedingly to flouriſh, yet their proſperity is but for a moment, their happineſs light and vain: Carried they are with every violent wind of lewd affections, and empty Doctrines; Ver. 5. & 6. and therefore they ſhall be as the Chaffe, which the wind drives from the face of the earth; their way ſhall periſh, they ſhall never be able to ſtand in judgment.
But thou, O Lord, art a ſure protection for thy people; Grant therefore O Lord, Ver. 6 that when I ſhall appear before thy Iudgment ſeat, I may be able to ſtand with boldneſs in thy preſence, and let thy mercy abſolve me from my ſins, for the merits of my Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt. Amen.